BBYO members at the recent spring regional convention at Camp Northland

TORONTO — A record number of Toronto-area teens boarded the buses to Camp Northland for BBYO’s spring regional convention, this year.

With imagination as the weekend’s theme, the convention encouraged the teens to enrich their connection to Judaism, sharpen leadership skills and develop strategies for strengthening BBYO, a leading pluralistic Jewish teen movement.

 The convention marked the end of a landmark year for BBYO’s Lake Ontario region, which saw a large increase in teen involvement. In Toronto alone, membership has increased 25 per cent since the 2007-08 school year, and more than 300 teens from Lake Ontario region were involved in BBYO programs this year. Additionally, nearly 100 Toronto-area middle-school students were involved in Teen Connection, the BBYO program created especially for Jewish pre-high school students, which has helped yield BBYO’s largest incoming class of freshmen in years.

“No longer is BBYO the Toronto Jewish community’s best kept secret,” said BBYO program director Kevin Goodman. “With the launch of three new chapters this year, more teens than ever before are taking advantage of the fun and meaningful experiences that BBYO has been providing to Jewish high school teens for over 80 years.”

In addition to setting the agenda for the coming year and electing the 2009-10 Lake Ontario region executive at the convention, participants enjoyed the Sunday awards ceremony where senior Michelle Naftalis was presented with the 17th annual Lake Ontario region award for outstanding BBYO leadership, in memory of Marci Birzon. Also recognized were Maya Feldberg, who received the award for emerging leadership, and members of Chaverot chapter, who won the regional spirit gavel.

Convention co-chairs were incoming presidents Michelle Covant and Michael Gallowitz, who were elected to lead BBYO’s 2009-10 regional executive. Also elected were vice-presidents Kelly Indarjit and Eli Krapivnik for programming, Alissa Malina and Josh Harendorf for membership, Michelle Efrosman for communications, and Maya Feldberg and Russel Bahar for service, advocacy and Judaism.

For more information on BBYO in the Greater Toronto Area, contact Kevin Goodman at 416-398-2004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

—Compiled by CJN Staff