- Get Involved
- BBYO Near You
- Summer Experiences
-
International Convention
International Convention
-
AZA & BBG Movement
AZA & BBG Movement
- About BBYO
Opinion
5 Programs Every Chapter Should Try
After restarting my chapter as a Freshman in high school, it has been my goal to host programs that not only attract teens but also make them excited to come back. Here are my personal top five programs from the past few years!
5. Cocoa and Crafts
This one is simple. For our “craft,” we chose to make goody bags for a local children’s hospital in our area. We had a fun hot cocoa bar while experiencing the joy of giving back to our community.
4. Pancake Dinner
Flip your pancakes, enjoy a delicious topping bar, and play fun games to bond with your chapter. We had a lot of fun with this one, making unique BBYO pancakes and playing a few fun, competitive rounds of Uno.
3. Luau
For our end-of-year party, we called it L’Chayim’s Luau! We had installations for our new board, inducted new members, went swimming, and even hired a company to make us snow cones! Everyone wore fun Hawaiian attire, and we even handed out leis.
2. Sushi in the Sukkah
Yes, we had sushi in the Sukkah. We dived into a yummy sushi as well as competing in candy sushi making. We competed in glow-in-the-dark capture the flag, and even made tzedakah boxes for our StandUp cause. This event was a huge hit!
1. Shabbachi
Shabbat + Hibachi = Shabbachi! After applying for a grant, we had the funds to provide members with a free hibachi dinner to celebrate Shabbat as a chapter. I would say this is for smaller chapters, but it was a BLAST!
The sky's the limit with these program ideas. Add your twist, or simplify it. I hope these ideas spark new ideas for the upcoming programming year!
All views expressed on content written for The Shofar represent the opinions and thoughts of the individual authors. The author biography represents the author at the time in which they were in BBYO.
Explore More Stories
Connection
Kallah Gave Me the Language, Israel Gave Me the Ground
How do you go from debating Jewish identity at summer camp to living inside the noise, history, and beauty of Eretz Yisrael? Read my reflection in The Shofar on how Kallah and AMHSI transformed the way I connect to my heritage
Spotlight
How Big Can Your Impact Be?
Sometimes, all it takes is one trip, three teenagers, and a simple idea to create an impact that changes lives and inspires generations to come.
Connection
The Beauty Of Friendships Across State Lines
Some friendships make the miles feel insignificant.