Editing B'nai B'rith Girls

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[[Image:BBG.jpg|frame|BBG Logo]]

'''B'nai B'rith Girls''' or '''BBG''' is the women's order of [[BBYO]], an international youth-led high school sorority for Jewish youth. BBG as it is known today has thousands of members in chapters worldwide, including chapters in the United States, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Israel, and Canada.

==Objectives==
[[BBYO]] members participate in democratically functioning small groups, called chapters, under the guidance of adult volunteer advisors and professional staff. Specifically, the objectives of BBYO are:

#To help Jewish youth enhance their knowledge and appreciation of Jewish religion and culture by discovering those aspects which are meaningful to them.
#To provide Jewish youth with the opportuniites to learn leadership skills and develop their leadershp potential to their fullest capabilities.
#To help Jewish youth recognize opportuniites for service and encourage involvement in the Jewish and general communities.
#To develop in Jewish youth an appreciation for the meaning and practice of ''tzedakah'' both in the Jewish and general communities.
#To help Jewish youth develop a commitment to the State of Israel and ''K'lal Yisrael''.
#To help Jewish youth develop a positive self-image.
#To encourage the development of friednships between Jewish youth.

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==Programming==
While the opportunity to socialize with other Jewish youth is a large component of BBG, the diversity of the programming is what makes the experience so unique. Activities at all levels are built around six programming areas, called folds.

===The Six Folds of Programming===
These Six Folds are often combined to create more dynamic programming. The '''B'nai B'rith Girls''' use the following folds when planning programs and incorporate as many of them as possible in each event:
*[[Community Service]]
*[[Creativity]]
*[[Jewish Heritage]]
*[[Sisterhood]]
*[[Recreation]]
*[[Social Action]]
===Conventions and Programs===
*MIT/AIT (New Member Convention) - New Member weekends provide an opportunity for Members-In-Training to experience BBG on a broader level. They learn the basics of the organization and meet new members from other chapters.

*Kallah/Judaism Institute - Kallah and Judaism Institute programs focus on Jewish religion and culture. The program often revolves around a Shabbat experience and provides an opportunity for BBGs to explore their own Jewish identities.

*Leadership Training Institute - Leadership Training Institutes provide leadership development opportunities for all participants. These programs train BBGs to become leaders in their chapters, councils, and regions.

*Council or Regional Conventions - Council or Regional conventions serve different purposes in different areas. In some locations, conventions serve solely to bring the membership of the organization together for fun weekends. In other places, convention bodies address the major business for the year and elect officers to the council or regional board.

*The International Service Fund - The International Service Fund (ISF) is the financial means through which every member of [[BBYO]] can contribute to the building of a more effective organization and a better world. On a yearly basis, the youth leaders of BBYO allocate the money to scholarships for international leadership programs, ''tzedakah'', and BBYO overseas. Each chapter's ISF donation- no less than $4.00 per member- is crucial for sustaining the organization.

===Calendar Overview===
Certain dates on the calendar hold special significance for the B'nai B'rith Girls. Chapters and regions are encouraged to hold programs incorporating these themes.

'''BBG Shabbat'''
Chapters throughout the world hold special celebrations the second weekend in November, to remember that it is our religious heritage that unites us.

'''October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month'''
This nationally recognized month was adopted as a thrust by the B'nai B'rith Girls in the mid-1990s to raise awareness and consciousness of the prevalence of breast cancer.

'''October - Political Activism Month'''
Through involvement in AIPAC, the Center for Public Policy, local Jewish Federations, lobbying, and learning about parliamentary procedure, BBG better educates and involves members in world affairs, politics, and law.

'''November - Senior Appreciation Month'''
Chapters, councils, and regions honor their devoted seniors (members in their final year) for their years of dedication to the B'nai B'rith Girls.

'''December - International Simultaneous Drug and Alcohol Awareness Month'''
Drug and alcohol abuse is an issue that plagues our world and affects our members directly and indirectly. December was chosen to raise awareness of the negative effects of drug and alcohol use.

'''January - OutREACH Month'''
OutREACH is an acronym for "Our Responsibility Everywhere to Aid and Care for the Homeless". In January, we remember that BBG shares in this responisbility, and we plan community service and social action programs that relate to this important cause.

'''March - Advisor Appreciation Month'''
Chapters, councils, and regions honor their dedicated advisors, who have volunteered their time and commitment for the betterment of the organization.

'''March - Money Madness'''
Chapters and regions focus their programming efforts on planning fundraisers to raise money for the International Service Fund.

'''April - Holocaust Remembrance Month'''
To correspond with ''Yom Ha Shoah'' (Holocaust Remembrance Day), April was chosen as Holocaust Remembrance Month in order to remember the tragedies of the Holocaust in our programming.

'''April 22 - BBG Founder's Day'''
April 22 marks the BBG Founders Day. This was the date the B'nai B'rith Girls convened for the very first time. Chapters, councils, and regions throw BBG Birthday Parties or hold alumni programs to celebrate our history.

'''May - Israel Appreciation Month'''
To correspond with ''Yom Ha Atzmaut'' (Israeli Independence Day), May was chosen as Israel Appreciation Month in order to recognize the progress of the State of Israel and her achievements.

I read with interest a renect article on the national police:   The RCMP- A Royal Canadian Disgrace.   (MacLeans's Nov. 18, 2011.)  The authors identify a number of faux pas by the redcoats and one that stuck out for me was the blatant sexism in the organization.  Catherine Galliford, was once the spokesperson for the  force  and I recall watching her announce some of the major crimes being investigated including:  the horrific serial killings by  the pig farmer Picton and the Air India Bombing.  A very competent media representative and now she's off on sick leave inflicted with  Post Trauamatic Stress Disorder.  Why?   Because of the sexual advances by officers in the RCMP!  The MacLean's article also includes the notion that many women have left the force because of this.  How vulerable are the women who decide on a police career and is the RCMP the only police service where this happens?  Let's assume that the RCMP is a closed organization.   Enter the new recruit.  She's excited about her new career and proud of the fact that she made it.  She is now a member of the force and understands that there is a us and them mentality.  In orther words, her loyalty is to the organization.  She's one of them!   If  she is sexually harassed,  what will she do?   Does she complain to her immediate supervisor?  And what are the ramifications if she does?  What if  she's at a detachment  with a complement of fifteen members and stuck in  tim buck to?    Who watches her back when  she responds to a call where violence may be involved?  Who completes her performance reviews?  Who does she  party  with in an isolated designation?  And how does she process this information when she's alone and wondering what to do?  Well Galliford decided she simply couldn't withstand the  assaults  and has been diagnosed with  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.    She will be testifying about the Pict on  Inquiry and has made it clear that she's testifying not as a RCMP but as herself and her thoughts regarding the Picton investigation.  Including her belief that the investigation went sideways because of the misogynistic attitude of the police!  In a somewhat timely article in the Toronto Star (Nov. 19, 2011.)   Government puts tightleash on RCMP Public Statements   the force must release any stories that  garner national media attention to a bureacracy called  Public Safey Canada.   A mountie who didn't  wish to be identified (who can blame him/her) stated:  its like a way to gag the mounties.   One wonders if the renect indiscretions of the red coats had anything to do with this new way of filtering information?    I wish Galliford every success in her journey to reveal what appears to be an ongoing tragedy for some women who just want to be cops and offer themselves to the public.  Unfortuately, some in the organization see them in a much different way.

==External links==
* [http://www.bbyo.org/ BBYO.org]
* [http://www.b-linked.org/ b-linked.org]
* [http://www.bbyo.org/teen/index.php?c=64&kat=BBG+Headquarters BBG Homepage]

[[Category:Jewish youth organizations]]