12 | DECEMBER 12 • 2024 J
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BYO Michigan Region has 
announced a new way for 
eighth-graders to explore the 
community, find their Jewish connec-
tion and get involved with an AZA, 
BBG or BBYO chapter. Designed 
to feel welcoming, meaningful and 
engaging, the brand new “Rush” model 
introduces potential new members 
to BBYO in a fun, personalized way, 
allowing each teen to find the chapter 
where they truly feel at home. 
 For more than 100 years, BBYO has 
provided exceptional identity enrich-
ment and leadership development 
experiences for hundreds of thousands 
of Jewish teens. In Metro Detroit, 
BBYO Michigan Region is home to 
more than 500 Jewish teens and 12 
different chapters (including a chap-
ter based at Temple Israel and a coed 
chapter in Ann Arbor). 
 This year, Rush, its new member-
ship process, will kick off with a full 
day experience on Sunday, Jan. 12, 
2025. At the event, eighth-graders will 
have the opportunity to visit every 

chapter in the region. Each chapter has 
planned a unique activity to showcase 
what makes their chapter special and 
will offer prospective members an 
inside look at the kind of community 
and programming they can expect. 
Lilly Moss, a senior at Frankel Jewish 
Academy, and Daniel Michaelson, a 
senior at Cranbrook Kingswood, are 
currently serving as BBYO Michigan 

Region’s vice presidents of member-
ship, and together, they are helping to 
lead the planning and implementation 
of this exciting program. 
“When I first joined BBYO, it was 
during the pandemic, and I didn’t feel 
like I had an authentic BBYO experi-
ence. Now, we get to help ensure that 
younger Jewish teens get to be a part 
of something so much bigger and find 

their home in BBYO,
” Moss says. 
 “I am thrilled we get to bring about 
this new, intimate model where pro-
spective members get to meet all the 
different chapters in a special, engaging 
way,
” Michaelson adds.
The one-day event on Jan. 12 is only 
the beginning of the Rush experience. 
Over the following two weekends, 
eighth-graders will have the chance 
to revisit chapters of their choosing 
for expanded programming, allowing 
them to deepen relationships with cur-
rent chapter members and decide on 
their potential chapter placements. 
The three weekends of Rush pro-
gramming will conclude with chapter 
placements. After the opportunity to 
visit all the chapters, eighth-graders will 
be provided with chapter placement 
forms, allowing them to rank their pre-
ferred chapters. Teens will be given an 
opportunity to express their top choic-
es based on the chapters where they 
feel most comfortable and connected 
and will be able to select friend groups 
they’
d like to be placed with. 
“One of the most special things 
about BBYO is the opportunity for 
each Jewish teen to find their connec-
tion in whatever way is most meaning-
ful to them,
” shares BBYO Michigan’s 
Senior Regional Director Katie Vieder. 
“For some teens that is through Jewish 
practice, for others it is through sports 
and recreation, and then there is every 
other interest or priority in between. 
The new Rush model allows teens to 
find their connection with like-minded 
peers, giving them the space to truly 
explore our chapters before making a 
decision rather than relying on recom-
mendations based on popularity, loca-
tion or other limitations.
” 
 With this new membership model, 
we’re excited to bring a new level of 
personalization to the BBYO experi-
ence, making the journey to finding 
your chapter fun, meaningful and 
memorable. We can’t wait to see how 
each teen’s unique story unfolds as they 
“Rush” into BBYO! 
Registration for Rush is now open! 
Reserve your spot by visiting bit.ly/
RUSH25. 

 

For more information about joining BBYO or 

participating in Rush, contact Shayna Pearlman 

at (248) 849-0573 or spearlman@bbyo.org. 

BBYO Michigan Launches 
New Membership Model 

SHAYNA PEARLMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

OUR COMMUNITY

BBYO kids 
show off 
their Tiger 
colors.

BBYO kids have a good 
time together.

