Congregation Shirat Hayam is now the official home of the North Shore chapter of BBYO, the Jewish teen movement formerly known as B’nai B’rith Youth Organization.
“While we utilize all of the North Shore, it’s nice to know we have this home space,” said Lila Caplan, BBYO chapter specialist.
The North Shore chapter of BBYO has existed for more than 30 years, Caplan said. Shirat Hayam now serves as a “home” for events and activities as needed. Caplan said the relationship with the Swampscott synagogue does not diminish BBYO’s partnerships elsewhere on the North Shore.
“In recent years, we had been trying to have our chapters find a home – without necessarily alienating the other synagogues – to provide that financial backing and maybe some extra staffing,” Caplan said. “With having his home, it’s great to have that base but it’s still the North Shore.”
Most of the teens in the North Shore chapter are from the Swampscott area, which is “part of why it made sense” to partner with Congregation Shirat Hayam, Caplan said.
“A lot of our teen leaders on the regional level were already teen leaders in the synagogue,” Caplan said. “It bridges their two Jewish worlds. They’re now combining, but we’ve definitely seen a few more coming in too.”
The teens have recently participated in a challah bake in the Shirat Hayam kitchen. While the bread was baking, the teens had a potluck brunch. After the challah was ready, the teens delivered the loaves to older adults in the community.
In December, the group hosted a “Hanukkah pajamakkah” event featuring a cookie decorating contest.
“It was really cute,” Caplan said.
This weekend, the group will bake hamantaschen, or triangular jam-filled cookies traditionally eaten on Purim, which commemorates Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai thwarting Haman’s plot to annihilate the Jews.
“They’ll have the potluck brunch again, and then they’ll go out and deliver them to elderly in the community,” Caplan said.
Caplan emphasized the importance of a community like BBYO, saying it gives teens a space where they can openly be themselves.
The BBYO movement has been around for over 95 years. With over 700 worldwide chapters, BBYO offers leadership programs, the Aleph Zadik Aleph high school fraternity and the B’nai B’rith Girls high school sorority to create fun, meaningful experiences. BBYO encourages Jewish teens to find meaning within their religion and develop their own Jewish identities.
BBYO also offers conventions, with a three-night stay, Caplan said. The teens lead the events. Caplan recalled that one teen once organized a “Love Island”-themed service. A boy wanted to lead a tour of Italy so “he made everyone wear chef’s hats and he was throwing pasta at people throughout the torah service.”
“I was like, ‘Fantastic. Love it,’” Caplan said. “This is a space where they get to learn this is the box and they can go out of it.”
Teens entering eighth grade through high school can register at bbyo.org/join. The North Shore chapter can be found on Instagram at @NorthShoreBBYO. A one-time $249 membership fee covers all high school years and provides access to local chapter events, regional conventions and leadership opportunities.
“I think now more than ever, it’s so important to have that space for Jewish teens,” Caplan said. “It’s important to have a Jewish space, no matter the age, but I think for teens – that’s when you’d normally lose them (after their bar or bat mitzvah).”
