If The Jewish Week April 20, 2007 New York BBYO, On The Rebound Funder's investment has led to a dramatic turnaround for the once-venerable teen group. Jacob Berkman JTA At BBYO's height in the 1950s and '60s, one in seven North American Jewish teens belonged to the organiza- here's a secret handshake known by members of AZA, tion through AZA and B'nai B'rith Girls, according T the teen fraternal order of B'nai B'rith Youth Organiza- to BBYO Executive Director Matt Grossman. Among tion. One AZA brother extends his right hand; the other them were many who went on to achieve prominence, takes it. Each wraps his pinky finger around the outside of including Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Wa- the other's hand and extends his index finger SO it rests on tergate reporter Carl Bernstein, NBC Executive Vice the other's wrist, on the pulse. President Marc Graboff and U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley The shape of the two hands together is supposed to look (D-Nev.). like the Hebrew letters aleph tzadik aleph - AZA. But BBYO membership dwindled from about 50,000 Beyond that, though, "it's about brotherhood and the at its height to about 13,000 in the 1990s. Teenagers had heartbeat of AZA," explains Ian Schwartz, a junior at Half BBYO members from the Nassau-Suffolk Region in Long Is- evolved; BBYO had not. Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills, L.I., demon- land, tour Tufts University in March 2007. COURTESY OF BBYO "It was always old-school and hadn't changed in about strating the handshake on a BBYO-sponsored bus full of 40 years," said Francis Haskell, regional director of BBYO's high school students heading to Boston in late March for a "There's'a triad: You need money, you need good ideas Nassau-Suffolk Region in New York, which organized the tour of colleges. and you need good professional leadership," said Gary college bus tour for 24 teens. The pulse of BBYO, the parent organization of AZA Tobin, president of the Institute for Jewish & Community BBYO in the past five years has rebounded under and its sister organization, B'nai B'rith Girls, had become Research in San Francisco. "Without all three of those, you new leadership, the result of refocusing and launching faint until an infusion of care and cash from the Charles go nowhere. You can have all the ideas and great profes- sionals you want, but if you don't have the money, you can't scores of new initiatives to meet teens where they are and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation five years ago now. gave it new life. execute. If have great ideas and money and no leadership, The group's membership has risen to 25,000; the orga- you can't execute." At a time when philanthropic funds are flowing into the nization has set its sights on returning to its peak size by the Jewish community at a record clip, BBYO illustrates what Tobin said that BBYO has hired great staff, who have end of the decade. Haskell's region, for instance, has grown the synergy between money and thoughtful leadership can come up with innovative ideas. If the Schusterman money since September from 350 members to 1,100, and has a goal achieve. is allowing the money and ideas to work, he said, "you have of 1,401 members by June. a winner." Continued on page 49 IF The Jewish Week April 20, 2007 New York BBYO, On The Rebound Funder's investment has led to a dramatic turnaround for the once-venerable teen group. Jacob Berkman JTA At BBYO's height in the 1950s and 60s, one in seven North American Jewish teens belonged to the organiza- here's a secret handshake known by members of AZA, tion through AZA and B'nai B'rith Girls, according I the teen fraternal order of B'nai B'rith Youth Organiza- to BBYO Executive Director Matt Grossman. Among tion. One AZA brother extends his right hand; the other them were many who went on to achieve prominence, takes it. Each wraps his pinky finger around the outside of including Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Wa- the other's hand and extends his index finger SO it rests on tergate reporter Carl Bernstein, NBC Executive Vice the other's wrist, on the pulse. President Marc Graboff and U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley The shape of the two hands together is supposed to look (D-Nev.). like the Hebrew letters aleph tzadik aleph - AZA. But BBYO membership dwindled from about 50,000 Beyond that, though, "it's about brotherhood and the at its height to about 13,000 in the 1990s. Teenagers had heartbeat of AZA," explains Ian Schwartz, a junior at Half BBYO members from the Nassau-Suffolk Region in Long Is- evolved; BBYO had not. Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills, L.I., demon- land, tour Tufts University in March 2007. COURTESY OF BBYO "It was always old-school and hadn't changed in about strating the handshake on a BBYO-sponsored bus full of 40 years," said Francis Haskell, regional director of BBYO's high school students heading to Boston in late March for a "There's'a triad: You need money, you need good ideas Nassau-Suffolk Region in New York, which organized the tour of colleges. and you need good professional leadership," said Gary college bus tour for 24 teens. The pulse of BBYO, the parent organization of AZA Tobin, president of the Institute for Jewish & Community BBYO in the past five years has rebounded under and its sister organization, B'nai B'rith Girls, had become Research in San Francisco. "Without all three of those, you new leadership, the result of refocusing and launching faint until an infusion of care and cash from the Charles go nowhere. You can have all the ideas and great profes- sionals you want, but if you don't have the money, you can't scores of new initiatives to meet teens where they are and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation five years ago now. gave it new life. execute. If have great ideas and money and no leadership, The group's membership has risen to 25,000; the orga- you can't execute." At a time when philanthropic funds are flowing into the nization has set its sights on returning to its peak size by the Jewish community at a record clip, BBYO illustrates what Tobin said that BBYO has hired great staff, who have end of the decade. Haskell's region, for instance, has grown the synergy between money and thoughtful leadership can come up with innovative ideas. If the Schusterman money since September from 350 members to 1,100, and has a goal achieve. is allowing the money and ideas to work, he said, "you have of 1,401 members by June. a winner." Continued on page 49 If The Jewish Week April 20, 2007 New York BBYO, On The Rebound Funder's investment has led to a dramatic turnaround for the once-venerable teen group. Jacob Berkman JTA At BBYO's height in the 1950s and '60s, one in seven North American Jewish teens belonged to the organiza- T here's a secret handshake known by members of AZA, tion through AZA and B'nai B'rith Girls, according the teen fraternal order of B'nai B'rith Youth Organiza- to BBYO Executive Director Matt Grossman. Among tion. One AZA brother extends his right hand; the other them were many who went on to achieve prominence, takes it. Each wraps his pinky finger around the outside of including Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Wa- the other's hand and extends his index finger SO it rests on tergate reporter Carl Bernstein, NBC Executive Vice the other's wrist, on the pulse. President Marc Graboff and U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley The shape of the two hands together is supposed to look (D-Nev.). like the Hebrew letters aleph tzadik aleph - AZA. But BBYO membership dwindled from about 50,000 Beyond that, though, "it's about brotherhood and the at its height to about 13,000 in the 1990s. Teenagers had heartbeat of AZA," explains Ian Schwartz, a junior at Half BBYO members from the Nassau-Suffolk Region in Long Is- evolved; BBYO had not. Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills, L.I., demon- land, tour Tufts University in March 2007. COURTESY OF BBYO "It was always old-school and hadn't changed in about strating the handshake on a BBYO-sponsored bus full of 40 years," said Francis Haskell, regional director of BBYO's high school students heading to Boston in late March for a "There's a triad: You need money, you need good ideas Nassau-Suffolk Region in New York, which organized the tour of colleges. and you need good professional leadership," said Gary college bus tour for 24 teens. The pulse of BBYO, the parent organization of AZA Tobin, president of the Institute for Jewish & Community BBYO in the past five years has rebounded under and its sister organization, B'nai B'rith Girls, had become Research in San Francisco. "Without all three of those, you new leadership, the result of refocusing and launching faint until an infusion of care and cash from the Charles go nowhere. You can have all the ideas and great profes- sionals you want, but if you don't have the money, you can't scores of new initiatives to meet teens where they are and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation five years ago now. gave it new life. execute. If have great ideas and money and no leadership, you can't execute." The group's membership has risen to 25,000; the orga- At a time when philanthropic funds are flowing into the nization has set its sights on returning to its peak size by the Jewish community at a record clip, BBYO illustrates what Tobin said that BBYO has hired great staff, who have end of the decade. Haskell's region, for instance, has grown achieve. the synergy between money and thoughtful leadership can come up with innovative ideas. If the Schusterman money since September from 350 members to 1,100, and has a goal is allowing the money and ideas to work, he said, "you have of 1,401 members by June. a winner." Continued on page 49 IF The JewishWeek # April 20, 2007 New York BBYO, On The Rebound Funder's investment has led to a dramatic turnaround for the once-venerable teen group. Jacob Berkman ITA At BBYO's height in the 1950s and '60s, one in seven North American Jewish teens belonged to the organiza- here's a secret handshake known by members of AZA, tion through AZA and B'nai B'rith Girls, according the teen fraternal order of B'nai B'rith Youth Organiza- to BBYO Executive Director Matt Grossman. Among tion. One AZA brother extends his right hand; the other them were many who went on to achieve prominence, takes it. Each wraps his pinky finger around the outside of including Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Wa- the other's hand and extends his index finger so it rests on tergate reporter Carl Bernstein, NBC Executive Vice the other's wrist, on the pulse. President Marc Graboff and U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley The shape of the two hands together is supposed to look (D-Nev.). like the Hebrew letters aleph tzadik aleph AZA. But BBYO membership dwindled from about 50,000 Beyond that, though, "it's about brotherhood and the at its height to about 13,000 in the 1990s. Teenagers had heartheat of AZA," explains Ian Schwartz, a junior at Half BBYO members from the Nassau-Suffolk Region in Long Is. evolved: BBYO had not. Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills, L.I., demon- land, tour Tafts University in March 2007. COURTESY or $410 "It was always old-school and hadn't changed in about strating the handshake on a BBYO-sponsored bus full of 40 years," said Francis Haskell, regional director of BBYO's high school students heading to Boston in late March for a "There's triad: You need money, you need good ideas Nassau-Suffolk Region in New York, which organized the tour of colleges. and you need good professional leadership." said Gary college bus tour for 24 teens. The pulse of BBYO, the parent organization of AZA Tobin, president of the Institute for Jewish & Community BBYO in the past five years has rebounded under and its sister organization, B'nai B'rith Girls, had become Research in San Francisco "Without all three of those, you faint until an infusion of care and cash from the Charles go nowhere. You can have all the ideas and great profes- new leadership, the result of refocusing and launching sionals you want, but if you don't have the money, you can't scores of new initiatives to meet teens where they are and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation five years ago now. gave it new life. execute. If have great ideas and money and no leadership, The group's membership has risen to 25,000; the orga- you can't execute." At a time when philanthropic funds are flowing into the Jewish community at a record clip, BBYO illustrates what Tobin said that BBYO has hired great staff, who have nization has set its sights on returning to its peak size by the end of the decade. Haskell's region, for instance, has grown achieve the synergy between money and thoughtful leadership can come up with innovative ideas If the Schusterman money is allowing the money and ideas to work, he said, "you have since September from 350 members to 1,100, and has a goal of 1,401 members by June. a winner." Continued on page 49 the - - appr New York BBYO, On The Rebound Funder's investment has led to a dramatic turnaround for the once-venerable teen group. book Berkman ITA At 6810 high the 1996 - no. in North American - - non friegh AZA - : the - I the - One VIA them - - takes Each - - I Enger areat - I if I I - I I I - 14 - prix Hair - - to The chape I the AZA - 1 . 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