Thanksgiving is a time for reflection. It’s the end of November, the year is almost over, and there’s an emphasis on “What are you grateful for?”. For me, thinking about what I am grateful for means reflecting. This Thanksgiving, I found myself thinking more and more about the changes in my life since last November. The weekend before school break, my region had our Fall Convention. During that weekend, my head was full of comparisons to last year’s convention. There was a good deal of lamenting about people that my friends and I missed, those who had graduated and left a lasting impression on us. However, I also remembered how few people I knew last year. This year, I had so many more connections. That is the first thing that BBYO brought me: a community. There are so many opportunities to meet new people through this organization, and that is what I am most grateful for. I’ve met some of my best friends, gotten closer to those who I’d lost contact with, and played so many games of Jewish geography since last November. Meeting so many new people has done wonders for my confidence. 

Since last November, I’ve become so much more confident. I attribute most of this to BBYO, although, of course, some of it is simply from growing up. Being in this organization has forced me to become better at talking to new people. It has been a wonderful experience, and I believe that it has shaped me into a much better leader. Last year, I’d never been on the Chapter Board before. In the past year, as my chapter’s Shlicha and then S’ganit, I’ve been thrust out of my comfort zone. This forced me to become more confident, which I am eternally grateful for because it allowed me to make new friends and create new opportunities. This confidence and increased participation in BBYO have led to me finding my Jewish identity. 

Before BBYO, I was a typical Jewish teen. I had a Bat Mitzvah, went to a Jewish summer camp, and went to services during the High Holidays. But that was the extent of my Judaism. Now, a year into my BBYO journey, I feel so much more connected to my Judaism than I ever have before. I’ve led Shabbat services, educated my chapter on different holidays as Shlicha, learned and then taught others how to braid a circular challah, and experienced a community of Jewish teens like no other. My favorite part of the convention is Havdalah, when we all gather around in a circle, sing along to prayers and other songs, and put our arms around each other. BBYO has given me a place to feel comfortable and confident in my Judaism, and as I reflect on the past year, I am thankful for those opportunities. Now, Judaism feels like an integral part of my identity. This community is the reason for that. 

Each November, I travel to be with my family for Thanksgiving. My cousins, now out of high school and college, reflect on their own BBYO experiences when I mention mine. It’s always interesting to hear how our experiences differed in different states and regions. My 81-year-old grandmother, last week, told me that she was on the regional board when she was in BBYO. That was the late 1950s when BBG had only been around for about 15 years. Last year, BBG celebrated its 80th anniversary. My grandmother’s grandchildren are in the organization, and telling her how excited they are for this February when they go to IC. Before this November, I had never thought that BBYO could have connected me with my grandmother. However, I spent my Thanksgiving break bonding with my extended family over this organization. 

As 2024 draws to a close, people all around the world will think about how this year has changed them. They’ll ruminate over what they could have done differently and draw up goals for 2025. They’ll ponder what next year has in store for them. I, along with the rest of the world, will contemplate what I want to do next year. What I am excited about is what I want to avoid. And next November, as I see my cousins and my aunts and uncles and grandmother for Thanksgiving Break and tell them all sorts of stories about what has happened in my life in the past year, I’ll once again reflect. I’ll once again think about everything I am grateful for and, along with the rest of the world, wonder what the next year has in store for me. But as of right now, I’m content with everything that has been brought into my life since last November.