During the last school year, I served as Regional Mazkir of the North Florida Region. Going into my term at the end of freshman year, I barely knew anything about BBYO. I was a general member who was never on the chapter board, and when the Spring Regional Convention came around, I didn’t even know there was a board until we had elections on Sunday Morning. I just thought all the people at the front of the room during the Convention were chosen by the Regional Director to act as a leader, or they were volunteers. I knew there were presidents at the Regional and Chapter level but nothing more. I was nominated for my role, as we didn’t have anyone who ran for Regional Mazkir, and they saw me as a possible rising leader in our region, as I had been coming to events for a full school year by then. I accepted, not fully understanding what I was getting myself into, but I was very excited and interested.

When I got home, I was anxious to get started. I started talking to my co, discussing what I would need to succeed, and I eventually learned how my role as Regional Mazkir could best help my Regional Board counterparts. 

At the end of summer, going into my sophomore year, I was excited to start my term. I bonded with the whole board at the Regional Board Retreat, and when I got home, I applied for the Press Corps on the ILN. I was excited to get more involved. 

Our KOMS network group chat was becoming more and more active, and the more I was talking to my counterparts from all over the world, the more I got closer to them. I became good friends with other Mazkirim from around the order. 

Eventually, IC 2024 in Orlando came, and I met all my friends from around the world in person for the first time. It was mind-blowing for me to see so many other Jewish teenagers in one building, and I made so many new friends, too. Also, I was on the IC News Desk Press Corps team, which was an amazing opportunity. Overall, IC was a fantastic experience, inspiring me to sign up for ILTC 2024. 

At ILTC this summer, I reunited with all my friends from IC and made so many new ones. Going into it, I only knew a handful of people, and I had the best time meeting new people. It was an amazing experience that inspired me to extend and stay for Kallah, where I got closer to my ILTC friends and made yet again so many new friends from around the world. Perlman 2024 was an amazing experience where I met so many amazing people, and now I have so many best friends from all over. It was also a very powerful experience where I learned so much about myself and Judaism. I also learned valuable leadership skills that I took home to my region. 

Now, I am serving as Regional Aleph Godol of North Florida Region.