A group of twenty-five alephs sits around the dimly lit foyer of dorm one at Perlman camp. For the next two hours, each aleph takes their turn in the circle, sharing their deepest thoughts and stories from their lives.

​The alephs in that room couldn’t have been more different from each other. From Barcelona to Houston to Buenos Aires, we were from across the globe. Some alephs had never been to an overnight BBYO event, while others had served on their chapter, regional, and even international boards. In that moment, we were not defined by our differences, but by our unity. We were one group of alephs sitting under a roof in Starlight, Pennsylvania, brought together for International Kallah.

​That magic of connection is the feeling you get when you participate in a Good and Welfare. It’s very difficult to explain to someone who has nothing to do with BBYO. “So… we sit in a circle, and tell each other our deepest thoughts and secrets.” But Good and Welfare is not something to be explained; it is something to experience.

​My first ever Good and Welfare was as an AIT during my first chapter overnight. I thought it was very meaningful that these older members, whom I looked up to, were sharing personal experiences and moments from their lives. Their openness inspired me, and I shared how excited I was to be a part of this chapter.

​Yet when I moved across the country the summer before my freshman year, Good and Welfare was nowhere to be found in my new, much smaller chapter. That’s why this specific moment at Kallah felt so meaningful. I always wanted an opportunity to really share my vulnerabilities with a group that would listen and support me. Good and Welfare provided that space and so much more.

​As I listened to the fellow alephs around me that special Kallah night, I felt more connected than ever. Hearing each story from my bunkmates, who I had just met a couple of weeks prior, was so meaningful. I got to truly learn who they were and what they cared about. The experience showed me that giving people an open forum for sharing whatever’s on their mind is immensely valuable.

​So when I took the mantle as a leader in my own region, I vowed to implement Good and Welfare into both regional and chapter events throughout my community. During our Regional Board’s weekend retreat, I finally got to lead my fellow board members in our own Good and Welfare. It went amazingly well, and each board member really bonded from the experience like never before.

​As I continue into my term as Keystone Mountain Region’s 37th Regional Godol, I understand the importance of special moments like these and work to implement them wherever possible.

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