B'NAI BRITH GIRLS

This is not exactly how I imagined my council life “speech” going, but I am grateful to be able to share it with all of you. From BBYO connect in middle school to finishing my senior year in BBYO virtually, I have had an incredible time and I want to take you all on a journey to visit a few highlights. In the most organized way I can make it, I would like to introduce my life:

BBYO CONNECT

My BBYO career started off a bit bumpy. Although I didn’t always feel the most welcomed, I attended every single Connect program there was-bowling and minigolf, frozen yogurt, the pool parties, I was there. Not because my parents made me, but because I always felt that I wanted more. My first real BBYO program was Savannah’s pool party kickoff event. After doing a round of icebreakers everyone was ready to jump in. That was when the first crack of thunder was heard. Although we never actually got in the pool that day, I felt hopeful for what BBYO had to offer.

8TH GRADE TO FRESHMAN YEAR

On February 27, 2017, I answered my front door and found Allison Samuels and Evelyn Darling, two girls I was sort of familiar with, but not really. I was told to put my shoes on and that I was being kidnapped by BBYO. I went with it and ended up at the Javetz’s house. That night we learned BBG cheers and songs and made BBYO memory boxes (which were completely filled a year later). As soon as I got home I registered for Spring Convention 2017. 

My first convention completely changed my view of BBYO. For most of the weekend I was a bit skeptical, but as soon as Havdalah ended, I was hooked. Seeing the seniors I had just met crying in the candlelight made me crave that passion. If that was going to be me in four years, I knew I wanted to be a part of this organization. Here, I was inspired and at my first chapter meeting, I was nominated to serve as chapter maz/giz. Honestly, I did not do much in that position but it introduced me to the idea of becoming a leader. 

CLTC

Right before going to CLTC I was elected Chapter N’siah. I attended CLTC 7 2017 and I was the only teen from Eastern Region there. This forced me to come out of my shell and meet new people. For most of the first week I hated it. I felt uncomfortable and thought I had made a huge mistake going. By week two I was having the time of my life and leaving all of my new friends felt next to impossible. I still talk to some of them today and I’m so happy I was able to experience CLTC. 

ILTC

I went to ILTC planning to learn a ton about regional leadership. I did, but on top of that, I made so many friends. For three weeks I felt completely at home. I lost every snapchat streak I had, but that did not matter to me in the slightest. The experiences I had at Perlman Camp will stay with me forever and I think every teen in BBYO should attend ILTC if they have the chance to. The friends I made that summer will stay with me forever and I know I will always have someone to talk to. Some of these people include Alyssa Harrison, Lindsey Brilliant, Isabelle Borr, Ashley Faber, and Emma Platt. From Dorm 5 to crying around the Perlman tree to spending all of my left over Shuk stamps on junk food on the last day, I felt the opposite of loneliness at ILTC. 

COUNCIL BOARD

I have been extremely fortunate to have been able to serve on Council Board not once, not twice, but three times. In 2017 I served as Dixie Council’s 54th Maz/Giz. For Dixie Council, that position did not require a whole lot of work or responsibility, but for the first time I really saw myself as a leader and wanted to give back to the organization I had fallen in love with. This was the year that Dixie Council officially became a part of Eastern Region. In 2018 I ran for Dixie Council’s 55th S’ganit. I had such an amazing time running programs, coordinating Regionals 2018, and working with my other council counterparts. That year, I struggled a lot with voicing my opinion. I would go entire zoom calls without saying a word other than “Sure, I’m fine with that” when talking about an idea. By the end of my term I felt much more confident and was excited to run for Council N’siah. This past year on council board has been amazing. I’ve been able to apply all the leadership skills BBYO has taught me and make an impact on my council. My counterparts, Allison and Ari, and Lauren and Sam, have been so supportive and really made my term great. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be a leader in my community and serve the council that I’ve come to know and love. I really have become a new person because of it. 

DEDICATIONS: PAST

These past four years I have seen so many leaders before me. They inspired me, guided me, and introduced me to BBYO. Without them, I would have never gone to a convention, a summer program, or even a chapter program. I would like to dedicate my past to Sophie Guggenheim, Evelyn Darling, Melanie Ourhaan, Allison Samuels, and Jami Goldstein for making me feel welcomed into Wexler Clark BBG. I would also like to mention Ruthie Perlman, Gabe Adler, Sophie Brams, Zach Lutz, Julia Budenstein, Jennifer Bereskin, Bekka Wilson, Blake Strauss, Richard Epstein, and Naama Rosen for showing me what a leader looks like and inspiring me to become one myself. To many, these are just names without faces, but for me, they are the roots. They helped me grow into the person I am today. 

DEDICATIONS: PRESENT

My present goes to all of my friends who I’ve spent my conventions with. I’m sure I can’t name them all, but they are all in my thoughts. I especially want to mention Noah Linfoot. We’ve grown up together for most of our lives. We attended just about every convention together, and although we cannot be any more different from each other, I consider you a great friend. When we were little you tried to drown me at JEA camp just about every day, and I’m sure a year of hebrew school, three years of highschool, and four years of BBYO with me has felt like more than enough time together, but I am so excited to take on the next four together. I love you, and GO DAWGS!!

I would also like to dedicate my life to one of my best friends and my second favorite cousin (after Andrew of course), Sarah Javetz. From the moment you were born, we were set up to be BFFs. You made every holiday, birthday, and family dinner bearable. Honestly, I was a little anxious for you to join BBYO because for a while I felt like it was “my thing”. However, getting to see you grow and come out of your shell has been the most rewarding part of my time in BBYO. The past few years have been so much fun with you and I know you’ll do amazing things for the chapter and council next year. You have been more emotional about me leaving BBYO than I have and I just want to say thank you and that I love you.

Of course, I also want to dedicate my present to my lovely ladies of Wexler Clark BBG. Zoey, Sarah, Sophie, and Jordyn, I have loved seeing you become leaders at home and I can’t wait to see what all you’ll do in the future. From the monthly chapter dinners to the uncomfortable calling parties, to the miserable JEA bus rides to conventions, I will miss every bit of our chapter and I’m sure you’ll continue to grow long after I am gone. Also, I cannot forget about the groovy group of people I have gotten to know and love from Columbia, South Carolina. I’m going to be honest, when I first met y’all you intimidated me, and I can still say today, Cola BBYO intimidates me. That! Is! Not! A! Bad! Thing! Your charisma and confidence shows me that our Council is in great hands and that I will be hearing so many amazing things in the future. 

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Benjamin Budenstein!! You have grown so much these past few years and I know you will do so much for Dixie next year. Just like Julia, you have so much pride for the council and region and are such a strong leader.

I cannot forget the one and only

Hadassah Sternfeld. You exude excitement and love for BBYO. You are passionate in everything that you do and I just want to tell you to never let anyone dim that spark. You have so much to give to Dixie and to Eastern Region and I am excited for you. 

Finally, I want to dedicate my present to my fellow seniors. Even though most of them are inactive and might never see this, I want to say congratulations and that I will miss every single one of them next year. 

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I would also like to dedicate my present to all of the staff that I have had the pleasure working with these past four years. Ryan Woloshin, Ellen Goldstein, Lauren Revenson, Jillian Mann, Devra Silverman, Caitlyn Gardner, and Jackie Laban, I could not have done any of this without your help. You have seen me grow from being “essentially a mute” (Ryan’s words, not mine) to the person I am today, and I will forever be grateful. Thank you and I will miss you all. 

DEDICATIONS: FUTURE

I would like to dedicate my future to the class of 2023 and 2024. I have only met a few of you, but I can already tell that your excitement and passion for BBYO will take you far. A few names in this group include Reese Cohen, Marlie Berger, Toby Stanton, and Ellie Rich. 

I also want to dedicate my future to Dixie Council’s 57th Board. You are going to do incredible things next year and I will always be here if you need me. 

Also, to those who are reading this who I have not met, I was once in your shoes, new to BBYO. You have so much potential, and the best advice I can give is that you get out of BBYO what you put into it. You only have so much time in this organization and I hope that you will make the best of it. Go to the conventions, you can miss seeing your school friends for one weekend. Go on summer programs! If you don’t you will definitely regret it. Time really does fly and high school will be over before you know it.  

And finally, I would like to dedicate my future to one person in particular, and that is Amanda Kronowitz. I have not known you for very long, but in the time that I have, I see something in you. I see myself in you. At MIT/AIT during inductions, you told me that you want to be Dixie Council N’siah one day. Amanda, my wish for you is that you hold on to that excitement until that goal is achieved. You are already leaps and bounds ahead of where I was when I was your age. Your confidence is inspiring. I’m sure you will have the most amazing time at CLTC this summer and I can’t wait to see what all you will do in the future.

This organization has been my life, my heart, my soul, and my passion for five years now. I am unbelievably sad to let it go, but I know it is going to be in great hands. All good things must come to an end, and here we are.

Submitted with an undying love for Wexler Clark BBG #39, Eastern Region #6, Dixie Council #6, always being late to conventions, the JEA bus, dixie council sweatbands, the Gabe shirts, leaving Southern Region, “bo-time”, photoshop, Kween Grommy, everything Camp Weaver, Volcano the bearded dragon, teCHnically, South of the Border, CLTC 7 2017, ILTC 2018, the 54th, 55th, and 56th Dixie Council Boards, the class of 2020, and saying goodbye, I forever remain, 

Jordan Alaina Jaffie, 

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Your damn proud 56th Dixie Council N’siah and an even prouder B’nai B’rith Girl.