BBYO trip to Ukraine a life-changing experience

Two weeks ago, I traveled, with 13 other BBYO members from across the United States, to Ukraine. We joined Active Jewish Teens – the American Joint Distribution Committee's growing teen movement in the former Soviet Union and a  BBYO partner through the global JDC partnership, at its fourth annual AJT conference.

For the first time ever, as part of the JDC and BBYO global partnership focused on building a worldwide movement of Jewish young people, BBYO members spent a week traveling in Ukraine alongside hundreds of Jewish teens from such countries as Georgia, Russia, Moldova and Kazakhstan. Along the way, we learned new skills, met the community, celebrated Shabbat – and had one of the most incredible experiences of our lives.

When I first saw the advertisement for the Ambassadors to Ukraine trip, I was instantly intrigued. After begging my parents to let me miss school for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, they finally let me sign up. I knew that BBYO trips were nothing but the best, and this trip would be no exception.

Describing my trip to Ukraine as life-changing would be an understatement. It’s hard to articulate just how impactful this trip was for me.

Our first day in Kiev was a full day of learning. The group’s curiosity and thirst for adventure helped us overcome our jet lag pretty quickly. Then, we were off on our travels.

I immediately felt a connection to the Ukrainian Jewish community at the beautiful Halom Jewish Community Center, where we met school-aged children and did an art project together. Back home in Rhode Island, I work at the after-school program at the Alliance’s Dwares JCC, in Providence. I spend 20 hours a week with kids ages 5 to 10 doing almost identical things to what the children were doing at the Halom JCC, across the world in Ukraine.

Not only is the program the same, but the children of Kiev couldn’t be more similar to those in Rhode Island. While playing with a girl named Dasha, who was probably no older than 4, I was reminded of the little girls I often play with at home. This small activity opened my eyes to a much bigger truth: for every difference that my culture has from the culture of the former Soviet Union, there are just as many similarities. This message stuck with me throughout the rest of my trip, and especially while I connected with many other teens at the AJT conference a few days later. 

My co-travelers also made the trip special. As is always the case with BBYO, no matter how different a group of teenagers may be, they come together over their love of Judaism and shared passions. This group of fabulous young leaders was no exception. From the moment we took off from New York to the moment we returned, I was surrounded by a group of hilarious, passionate and insightful Jewish leaders. These 13 individuals, along with our three incredible staff members, made the adventure more than worthwhile.  

I pledge to share the impact of my incredible experience through actions. These include strengthening my BBYO New England Region’s partnership with the AJT chapter in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, and continuing to use my role as an ambassador to educate my peers about the former Soviet Union.  

JULIA KEIZLER lives in Barrington and is a member of BBYO’s New England Region. Learn more about BBYO at http://bbyo.org.