Throughout this month, Jewish teens around the world are engaging in community service and improvement initiatives as part of J-Serve, the annual International Day of Jewish Youth Service. Thousands of BBYO teens organized projects tackling important social issues, including homelessness, poverty, food insecurity, health and wellness, environmental conservation and Holocaust education.
This year, there was a marked increase in Israel-focused service projects following the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas. In Gedera, 230 teens built a commemoration garden in memory of those whose lives were lost. Teens in the BBYO Evergreen region, which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, raised funds for Leket, the national food bank in Israel.
In the Hudson Valley Region of New York, teens hosted a silent disco honoring those who were killed at the Nova Music Festival, with proceeds going to HaGal Sheli, an Israeli organization directly supporting survivors through surfing-based trauma therapy. In Nassau Suffolk Region on Long Island, N.Y., teens collected items for Israel Defense Forces soldiers while writing letters of support.
BBYO’s International Sh’lichim, teen vice presidents of Jewish programming, Judah Moskovitz and Mercedes Benzaquen, alongside J-Serve teen coordinators Ari Zatlin and Hanna Swird, challenged each community to engage in direct hands-on service aimed at making a tangible difference in their local and global communities. This initiative embodies core Jewish values of gemilut chasidim (acts of loving kindness), tzedakah (just and charitable giving) and tikkun olam (the responsibility to repair the world).
“J-Serve empowers Jewish teens to be catalysts for change, igniting their passion for service and compassion,” said Moskovitz.
Benzaquen added that“seeing teens’ collective energy and impact in action is truly remarkable, especially in such a challenging year with everything our community has been through.”
Some of the diverse and inspirational J-Serve program highlights included:
- Manhattan and Big Apple regions partnered with Repair the World to address community health and homelessness by assembling and distributing hygiene kits to local shelters, and enhancing awareness and empathy towards homelessness and poverty among Jewish teens in New York.
- In Novi Sad, the Balkans, Serbian teens cleaned a cemetery to pay respect to their ancestors.
- Teens from BBYO Canberra, Australia, held their first-ever J-Serve program. They partnered with JewishCare Canberra to engage with Holocaust survivors in the local Jewish community, which included making care bags and having afternoon tea with them, keeping them company, and hearing their stories.
“J-Serve is a testament to the collective strength of Jewish youth worldwide, as they unite with compassion and determination to address pressing societal issues,” said Jess Zimmerman, manager of content operations and Jewish enrichment.“It embodies the essence of tikkun olam, mobilizing young leaders to make a tangible difference in their communities.”
To commemorate BBYO’s centennial anniversary this year, teens across the globe are uniting to accomplish an extraordinary feat: completing 100,000 hours of service. The impactful projects undertaken during this year’s J-Serve play a pivotal role in achieving this remarkable goal. This initiative not only demonstrates the unwavering dedication of today’s youth to effect positive change but also exemplifies the enduring legacy of BBYO in empowering young leaders to make a meaningful impact on their communities.
Please note that BBYO should not be referred to as the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization but rather as “BBYO.”
