Some 3,500 Jewish teens from 50 countries gathered in Denver on Thursday night for the opening ceremony of the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (BBYO) International Convention, kicking off the youth movement’s annual weekend-long retreat.
Organizers told JNS that it is the largest annual gathering of Jewish teen leaders worldwide. The event includes leadership training, cultural programs and guest speakers, bringing together thousands of teens to connect, learn and celebrate their Jewish identity.
The conference kicked off with a high-energy opening ceremony on Thursday night when thousands of teens gathered in a sprawling ballroom to hear inspiring speakers, enjoy live performances, and get down and dance.
Debbie Shemony, senior vice president of marketing and communication at BBYO, told JNS that the lively ceremony sets the tone for the whole retreat.
“It’s all about rallying the teens,” she said. “Some arrive a little earlier, but for most, this is the official kickoff, and the goal is to start the weekend with a sense of pride—both in being Jewish and in being part of BBYO.”
She said “beyond the speakers and the performances, one of the most powerful moments is the country roll call. Each country sends one or two representatives onto the stage—wearing their national colors or BBYO spirit gear—to declare their presence.”
“To see these kids shouting, ‘Moldova is here! Argentina is here! Canada is here!’—that kind of global representation and feeling that energy is a huge part of what makes it special.”
The annual retreat gives Jewish teens in local BBYO chapters the chance to connect with peers from chapters around the world, according to Shemony.
The conference, she said, “is our movement’s annual gathering, and it has grown tremendously in scope over the last two decades. I’ve been here nine years—my first IC was in 2016, and we had 2,000 teens. Now, we’re up to nearly 4,000. And with this year’s event in Denver, we have representation from 49 countries.”
‘So sheltered in my little Miami bubble’
Daniel Solomon, 15, a sophomore in high school from Winnipeg, Canada, told JNS that the opening ceremony was “pretty hype.”
“The whole purpose is to get everyone excited for the conference, which is about inspiring Jewish teens,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to bonding with friends and trying out all the experiences they have to offer this weekend.”
Olivia Weissberg, 17, a high school junior from Hollywood, Fla., told JNS that she secured her tickets for the convention last October, which she said sold out in a matter of minutes.
“The opening ceremony was so cool and overwhelming,” she said. “It was awesome to meet people from all over because I feel so sheltered in my little Miami bubble; it’s just our Hispanics and our Israelis. But here, we get to meet Jewish teens from all over the world.”
“We have a Jewish community where I live but not to this extent,” she said. “The best thing is that we don’t have to watch our back, and I don’t have to be scared to be Jewish here. Even at the local JCC something bad can happen, but here, I feel so safe with all of my people.”
Weissberg was referring to a Jewish Community Center, found throughout the United States.
Noah Lerhman,18, a high school senior from St. Louis, told JNS that the conference “is about engaging, socializing and meeting new Jewish people from all over the world. It’s awesome.”
He added that the opening ceremony was bittersweet; in his final year at school, it will be his last retreat with BBYO.
“I’m going to miss it,” he said. “There have been some good memories here. It was kind of a bummer knowing it was my last opening ceremony, but at the same time, it was absolutely fun.”
