BBYO Bridgeport held a Rosh Hashanah shofar-blowing contest.

BBYO teens all across the state found creative ways to celebrate the High Holidays – and kick off a new year of programs.

In Bridgeport: After combining two existing chapters over the summer, the newly formed Adirah BBG (Hebrew for ‘mighty”) got the year off to a great start. The girls of Adirah had a blind fruit taste-test and made honey-based beauty masks at their first meeting of the year. The boys of Gottlieb AZA rang in Rosh Hashanah with a shofar-blowing contest. Both groups also got together for an evening meal in the sukkah.

In Woodbridge: The sisters of Samuel D. Arons BBG put together a fun night of events to celebrate Sukkot. After splitting into teams, the girls answered Sukkot trivia questions in exchange for “building materials” to construct an edible Sukkah. To mark Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the boys of Exodus AZA wrote down their regrets about the past, which they then tore up to symbolize their recognition that the past cannot be changed. They then set goals for the coming year.

In Stamford: One evening between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the girls of Tikvah BBG met for a program in which they expressed their regrets of the past year and set goals for the coming year. They then decorated flowerpots and planted seeds to represent their goals for the year, teaming up to create a 5775 Recipe (for Success) book. At a special program, the boys of Leviticus AZA reflected on the past year and how they can make strides toward a better 5775.

In West Hartford: To mark Rosh Hashanah, the teens of Nadav BBYO reflected on the past year, set goals, and wrote inspirational letters, addressed to themselves, to be opened at the end of this year. On Sukkot, the members livened things up with a Jewish twist on an outdoor pastime, Capture the Etrog!

In New London: Yachad BBYO teens celebrated Rosh Hashanah, an evening that included Jewish holiday trivia, apples and honey, and an interactive program in which they set goals for the upcoming year!

In Greenwich: Judah BBYO teens had a potluck dinner in the sukkah – followed by an edible sukkah building contest for dessert.

In Ridgefield: The girls of Sabbaba BBG kicked off 5775 with a Rosh Hashanah program that built sisterhood bonds. Ingredients for an ice cream sundae all represented a characteristic of themselves and goals for the year.

In Willimantic: Mishpacha BBYO teens enjoyed a program about Rosh Hashanah that focused on the significance of starting a new year fresh. The teens got a taste of the sweet year to come with challah, apples and honey!

For information on joining BBYO, contact Associate Regional Director Tyler Pepe, tpepe@bbyo.org.