Melissa Dubinsky, Hamilton Jewish News – November 30, 2025
The amazing time I’ve had with BBYO over the past four years inspired me to volunteer to run “BBYO Connect:” our new program for kids in Grades 6-8. In Hamilton and Oakville there is a big Jewish community, with a lot of kids of a variety of ages. I believe that those kids should get an opportunity to meet each other and have fun together, like my friends and I do at BBYO.
Shani Rabizanovich, Hamilton Jewish News – August 20, 2025
Being part of an organization greater than myself has been a transformative experience. It has not only helped shape my identity but also allowed me to embrace who I am within a supportive community that has empowered me to grow and thrive.
Wendy Schneider, Hamilton Jewish News – August 20, 2025
At just 23, Jack Rosenbaum has already made a remarkable impact on Jewish teen life in Hamilton. A graduate student in psychology at McMaster University, Rosenbaum was tapped by Federation to start a local chapter of the non-denominational Jewish youth group BBYO — filling a major gap for unaffiliated Jewish teens seeking community and connection.
Shani Rabizanovich, Hamilton Jewish News – March 17, 2025
The population of the Jewish people is exceptionally small, especially in the community in which I live. Whenever I get the chance to embrace my Jewish identity and meet other Jewish teens, I feel so fortunate to be given that opportunity. BBYO is an organization for Jewish teens that expands all across the world. Currently, I am a member of Hamilton’s BBYO chapter, serving my second term as the vice president of membership.
Wendy Schneider, Hamilton Jewish News – December 7, 2024
In the 15 months since the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023 triggered a year of intense violence in Israel, Gaza, and across the Middle East, Jewish students in public schools have borne the impact of anti-Israel activism, which often manifests as antisemitic bullying. With Jewish students representing only a small minority in local schools, many have felt outnumbered and unheard. This prompted the creation of the Jewish Student Forum, a collaborative initiative between the Hamilton Jewish Federation and BBYO as a vehicle through which Jewish students can share their concerns directly with Hamilton Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) administrators.