A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the BBYO Rise Up Convention in conjunction with the ADL Never is Now Summit in NYC. Our team of 30 was discussing, designing, and implementing ways in which we as student leaders can impact combatting anti-semitism. This amazing experience is strongly connected to the message of Parashat Shmini, especially when thinking about what it means to build a strong Jewish community with both passion and responsibility.

At the beginning of Parashat Shmini, the Jewish people reach a major moment. After so much time preparing and building, the Mishkan is finally ready to be used. This is not something that happened overnight. It took vision, then planning, applying a structure, and then executing the plan, all with contributions from the entire community. When the service begins, and God’s presence is revealed, it shows that something meaningful can only happen when a community prepares with intention and then comes together in the right way.

That idea of preparation leading into action really reflects our experience. Prior to the convention, we spent months preparing our projects as part of the ILN Rise Up cohort. That time was not just about coming up with ideas but about learning, researching, and understanding antisemitism more deeply. Like the building of the Mishkan, the work before the event mattered just as much as the event itself.

At the convention, we were 30 teens from 5 countries coming together as one BBYO community. Throughout the weekend, we had many discussions about antisemitism, what it looks like today, and how it affects Jewish teens in different environments. These conversations helped us better understand the challenges we are facing and how we can respond in thoughtful and informed ways.

We also visited multiple synagogues, which allowed us to see the diversity within Jewish life. In Parashat Shmini, the Mishkan becomes a central space for the Jewish people, a place where the community connects through shared purpose. Visiting different synagogues showed us that today, Jewish spaces can look different, but they all serve the same role of connection, identity, and community. It also made clear why protecting these spaces from antisemitism is so important.

A major part of the convention focused on turning ideas into action. As a group, we worked on building a toolkit to help combat antisemitism. This included writing a letter to elected federal officials calling for increased security funding for nonprofit and religious institutions, as well as creating a “letter to the editor” campaign to raise awareness and make our voices heard more broadly. Through this process, we saw how important it is that leadership is not just about having ideas but about working within a system, listening to different perspectives, and making decisions that reflect the needs of the whole community.

The second half of Parashat Shmini shifts quickly with the story of Nadav and Avihu. After such a powerful and successful moment for the community, they act on their own and bring what the Torah calls a strange fire. Even if their intentions may have been positive, they step outside of the structure that had been created, and the consequences are immediate. This part of the parsha highlights an important lesson. Passion alone is not enough. Being motivated or well-intentioned does not replace the need for responsibility and awareness of the larger community. Leadership requires understanding that actions affect everyone and that when people act without considering the broader system, it can weaken the community rather than strengthen it.

Another important part of the experience was celebrating Jewish joy. In Parashat Shmini, the initial reaction of the people to the Mishkan is joy and awe. Even though the parsha later becomes more complicated, that moment of joy is still essential. Similarly, even while addressing serious issues like antisemitism, we also focused on pride, connection, and the strength of Jewish identity. That balance is essential for building and sustaining strong communities.

Overall, the experience showed that what we are building together matters. The projects, discussions, and initiatives that emerged from those months of preparation and the convention itself are part of a larger effort to strengthen Jewish life and ensure that our voices are heard. Parashat Shmini reminds us that strong communities are built through preparation, shared responsibility, and thoughtful action. When those elements come together, the impact can be meaningful and lasting, not just for the Jewish community but also beyond it.