Youth Organizations Empower Members

Hate is a powerful word that is often used too freely. People “hate” their siblings for eating their leftovers, “hate” their parents because they will not let them sleepover at their friend’s house or “hate” their teacher because they received a failing grade. These instances exemplify nothing but a temporary annoyance for another. True hate, however, can be seen when one looks at the anti-Semitic hate crimes that have recently been on the rise.

In these times of hardship, when bigots are continuously trying to break Jews’ spirits, I sustain my strong Jewish pride through my involvement in the two Jewish youth organizations of which I am a part: B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (BBYO) and CTeen.

This past February, I attended a weekend convention for both BBYO and CTeen. Going into both conventions, I thought of it as just another one of the many ways that I can make new friends. It was not until the last day of my first trip that I realized that what I was partaking in was so much more than a time for me to spread my social butterfly wings – this was a time for me to unite with fellow Jewish teens and become more in touch with my Jewish identity.

These conventions consisted of talks from motivational speakers, Holocaust survivors and fellow inspiring teens, concerts and community service outings. Each program strives to foster an open-door environment where young kids feel encouraged to strengthen their Jewish identity. CTeen 5 Towns Director Hadassah Geininskiy is dedicated to “providing a nurturing environment that fuses fun, friendship, humanitarian outreach and mitzvah observance” for the community.

Both BBYO and CTeen serve as a safe haven from the rest of the world. As I stand alongside other Jewish teens, whether it be while we are doing community service work or singing songs together, I feel a sense of unmatchable pride and love for my religion. Instead of allowing anti-Semitic crimes silence me, I can join hand in hand with other kids my age at BBYO and CTeen events. These two youth organizations allow me to rise above anti-Semites; by simply eating Matzoh ball soup with my CTeen friends or singing a prayer with my BBYO friends, I demonstrate to all anti-Semites that they will never have power over me.

Youth organizations in any aspect allow kids to become strong advocates for something they are extremely passionate about and meet others that share their beliefs. Specifically religious-affiliated youth organizations provide teens with a safe zone to be comfortable with who they are. With the disturbing amounts of religious hate crimes present in society today, I am forever grateful that I am a part of BBYO and CTeen.