BESSY (9-12 grade)

BESSY (Beth Emet Synagogue Senior Youth) is Beth Emet’s high school youth group that provides an integrated approach to informal Jewish youth programming. BESSY events are held monthly and are planned by the BESSY board with guidance from the Youth Group Advisor and Director of Youth Programs. Participants develop leadership skills and actively shape their own community. These events incorporate a social component as well as social action and religious elements. An example is an event where the group celebrates Havdalah together and then goes to a comedy show in Chicago and as part of the cost each participant brings a couple of canned goods to donate to a local food pantry. 

BESSY also offers high schoolers a chance to get involved with the Chicago region of the National Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY, pronounced “nifty”), which is the national youth organization of Reform Judaism. 

The young men and women involved in BESSY care deeply not only about the youth group, but about their synagogue as well as the greater Jewish community. Their experience in BESSY helps them understand how to make Judaism an integral part of their lives and gives them a place where they can have fun, help the community and grow into caring and thoughtful Jewish adults.

Click here for the 2011 BESSY Membership Form!

Click here to visit BESSY's site!

Click here for upcoming youth group events