DEAR PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF TEENS ASPIRING TO THE 101ST OR 81ST INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARDS OF BBYO,
Hello, our names are Dan Mezistrano and Joelle Abaew, and we are currently the Grand Aleph Godol and International Nʼsiah (presidents) of AZA and BBG. We know you've just had your conversation with one of our International Advisors, but we wanted to take a few minutes to reiterate what we hope we've already shared with you.
Every year, members across the world come together at International Convention to unite and decide the future of our Order. One of the highlights is the election of the new International Boards of AZA and BBG, BBYO’s highest tier of Movement leaders.
This letter is intended to provide you with some understanding of what it will mean for your family if your teen is elected to the International Board. We encourage you, first, to read through the pages of the elections website. While it is geared primarily toward your teen, it will help you to better understand what International Board is all about. It is important that you are an active participant in helping your teen decide whether or not running for International Board is the right decision for them. If your teen is elected, Ian, Morgan and the AZA & BBG Staff Team will play integral roles in their year.
There are six positions on the Board: Godol/Nʼsiah, the president, who defers a year of college and serves their term in the year directly following their high school graduation; Sʼgan/Sʼganit, Vice President; Moreh/Aym Ha’Chaverot, Vice President of Membership and Education; Mazkir/Mazkirah, Vice President Communication (secretary), Shaliach/Shʼlicha, Vice President of Social Action, Community Service, and Judaism, and Gizbor/Gizborit, Vice President of Fundraising (treasurer). The last five positions are traditionally held by high school seniors, although occasionally, a junior will serve.
The main responsibility of members serving on the Grand and International Boards is communicating with counterparts on the chapter/council/regional/country levels and with BBYO members via e-mail, phone, video conference and resource packets. Board members also have the opportunity to coordinate projects and programs on the International level, such as social media campaigns or fundraisers. I-Board candidates are required to attend Winter Board Retreat and International Convention 2026. This may cause your teen to miss several days of school throughout the year. Beyond these scheduled meetings, certain board positions coordinate a BBYO Summer Experience at the end of their term (Summer 2026).
As can quickly be determined from the above paragraph, International Board is a lot of work and a major time commitment. Though it is certainly possible to serve on board and succeed in school, sometimes extracurricular activities must be sacrificed. It is imperative that each member has the support of their parent(s)/guardian(s). Many International Board members are able to remain involved in school activities, recreational sports and hold a job. Each teen’s bandwidth is unique and tied directly to their time management abilities.
On a personal note, putting aside the worries you may have about late nights and stress, we must tell you: this is the most incredible experience that a Jewish teen can have. Serving as Grand Aleph Godol and International Nʼsiah is an unparalleled experience that has already taught us so much. We have acquired incredible time-management, communication, and leadership skills, and made friends that will last a lifetime. We are fortunate and privileged to be a part of this immensely rewarding organization. If you are interested in getting the perspective of parents of former International Board members, please contact Ian or Morgan and they will help make arrangements for you to speak with a veteran parent.
Best of luck to you and your teen in working together to decide whether running for International Board is the right decision, and a tremendous thank you to your son/daughter for their obvious, and significant commitment to BBYO.