BBYO Giving Circle

Empowering the Next Generation of Philanthropists

For over 80 years, B’nai Brith Youth Organization (BBYO) has been a cornerstone of Jewish teen engagement, offering a safe and welcoming space to explore identity, build community, and foster open dialogue around core Jewish values. The Giving Circle focuses on the value of giving back. 

Through an endowment gift, the group was granted funds from the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven. Guided by presentations, discussions, and group collaboration, the teens worked together to determine how to allocate real dollars to local community organizations.

The group selected four local nonprofit organizations (Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen; Youth Continuum; Jewish Community Center; and The Towers at Tower Lane) to speak about their mission, and explain how funds would support their work, from food insecurity and housing for youth to senior care and Jewish community life.

The BBYO teens rated each organization using criteria such as clarity of mission, proposed use of funds, and potential community impact. They discussed the pros and cons of each proposal, established shared values, and debated how to prioritize competing needs. The teens asked thoughtful, challenging questions, while practicing the Jewish values of tzedakah (charitable giving) and kehillah (community responsibility) in action.