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BBYO MANHATTAN

ELECTION HUB

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A Letter From Your Regional Presidents

Regional Board is an incredible experience and the two of us have loved leading this region. No matter the outcome of the election season, we know all of you will make a huge impact on Manhattan and the International Order throughout your BBYO career. Good luck to everyone!

Respectfully submitted with undying love for BBYO Manhattan Region,

We remain your 4th Regional Aleph Godol and 4th Regional N'siah,

Brice Eber-Morris and Sadie Karp

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Campaigning and politicking (with regards to yourselves or to others) are strictly prohibited❌

There will be no talking about elections whatsoever. The only people you may talk to about elections are Jon, Amy, the Regional Godol and N’siah, whomever you spoke with for your Gaining Perspective Call(s), and/or your chapter advisors.

 

Talking about elections, or your plans or vision for the position you are running for, is politicking. Politicking is also bad-mouthing another candidate. If you politick, you will not be allowed to participate in Regional Elections. This means no running or voting. Please don’t put us in the tough decision of revoking a caucus or removing a vote. We want elections to be as fair as possible, and with open elections we are placing a lot of trust in candidates to conduct themselves responsibly.

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The content of anything related to your candidacy must be based on you with no mention of other candidates, current Regional Board members, past Regional Board members, or other members by name or otherwise.​

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If you have any hesitations about something being considered politicking, it probably is, and you should be safe and avoid it.  

 

If you are caught politicking, your voting status will be dropped immediately, and/or you will not be permitted to run. Maintain your integrity and act ethically. Remember to respect yourself and others before, during, and after the entire election process

ELECTION DAY INFORMATION

election day info

ZOOM CALL

  • Regional Presidents will facilitate the call and run elections process on the call like they would in person. 

  • Teens must access the Zoom call from a computer, NOT a phone. 

  • Zoom chat will be disabled (you can still PM the host) as will participants’ ability to unmute themselves. 

  • All registered voters have previously e-signed a Google Form confirming that they will not discuss their vote with anyone before, during or after elections, as well as, that the teen will not access their phone, smart watch, or any other communication device throughout the election.  Consequences for politicking and discussion of elections during the process will result in future penalties for the teen and Chapter. 

  • Voters must be by themselves on their own computer.  Voters should not be in the same room as another voter, including with siblings. 

  • Teens that are not voting will also have access to the call to be able to view the democratic process. 

  • Elections will begin promptly at the appointed time. Zoom links will be shared via email prior.

  • In case a teen has a question during elections, please use the Zoom chat box to ask the host.  Loss of video will result in loss of votes.  We will activate the chat box only to send the voting form before each ballot. 

  • Candidates will be placed in breakout rooms during their election.  

  • The Zoom Manager will be able to share screen while candidates discuss platform, answer questions and give speech on the Zoom call.   

  • All participants will be muted during the election. 

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VOTING

  • Registered voters and Regional Officers will be given coded access to their ballot. They will need to use this specific code when submitting their vote.  This code will be emailed to registered voters a couple days prior to the election (or in some cases the morning of the election). The email will come from bbyomanhattanregion@gmail.com. Voter codes may not be shared with anyone. 

  • Regional Staff will open and close elections and verify that all ballots are returned. System does not allow for duplicate voting and one code = one vote per election. 

  • Staff will review election results with Regional Presidents/Chapter Presidents/Advisors. 

  • Staff and Teen will discuss the next election step and prep teen to communicate.

  • Zoom links and further instructions will be emailed to registered voters after the voter registration form closes.

Positions will be voted on in the following order:

1. Regional Aleph Godol & Regional N'siah

2. Regional Aleph S'gan & Regional S'ganit

3. Regional Aleph Moreh & Regional Morah

4. Regional Aleph Shaliach & Regional Sh'licha

5. Regional Aleph Mazkir/Gizbor & Regional Mazkirah/Gizborit

Regional Board Responsibilities

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Shared Responsibilities of Any Member of the Regional Board

Time Commitment 

  • Serve a term from the date of your installation in 2021 (late May 2021) until the date of your deinstallation in 2022 (late May/early June 2022). 

  • Prioritize BBYO ahead of all other extra-curricular activities for the duration of your term. This may mean foregoing a sport, club, etc. if it conflicts with your RegBo duties 

  • Attend multiple chapter and regional events per month.

  • Attend Regional Board Retreats.

  • Attend Regional Leadership Training Institutes (RLTI) and  Retreats.

  • Attend all Regional Conventions as well as International Convention. 

  • Attend as many Regional Events as you possibly can. If you are not able to attend a particular event, you’ll make up for it by lending support in whatever way you can in the lead up to the event.

    • You must attend any event for which you are the Project Lead. 

  • Serve on steering committees for all regional conventions. This means you’ll be available for a handful of steering meetings during the run up to conventions (and more than a handful for certain positions on Board.)

  • Work on myriad projects on your own time (i.e. in between meetings and events)

  • Stay in frequent contact with BBYO staff, chapter leaders, members of the Regional Board, and volunteer chapter advisors.

Behaving with Integrity

  • Speak honestly with staff and teens

  • Disagree with civility and assume good intentions in others

  • Be reliable - follow through on what you say you are going to do

  • Give respect to get respect 

  • In person, online, on BBYO social media, on your personal social media...

    • Conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the core values of AZA & BBG inside and outside of BBYO activities.

    • Uphold BBYO’s Code of Conduct and Community Agreements.

    • Help create an environment that welcomes Jewish teens of all denominations, levels of observance, sexuality, race, socioeconomic status, and gender-identity to BBYO Manhattan.

Manhattan Regional Board Substance Abuse Policy

  • No Regional Board member shall possess, use, or be under the influence of any prohibited substance at a BBYO function, whether held virtually or in person. In addition, Regional Board members shall not post images or videos online of themselves or others using or under the influence of prohibited substances. A “prohibited substance” is defined as:

  1. Alcoholic beverages of any nature whatsoever except for supervised sacramental purposes.

  2. Marijuana, tobacco products

  3. Any illegal substance

  4. Any drug which requires a prescription but for which a valid prescription has not been issued to the person possessing, using or under the influence of such drug

  • By serving on the Regional Board, you pledge that should you violate the above BBYO Substance Abuse Policy and/or the Regional Board Substance Abuse Policy, you will be subject to one or more of the following consequences:

  1. 30 day minimum suspension

  2. Removal from a privileged duty (or duties)

  3. Resignation or removal from office

Strengthen the Grassroots of our Movement by Developing Chapters

  • Throw yourself into achieving excellence for all MHR chapters

  • Work with your counterparts on the chapter-level. These “chapter counterparts” are the individuals who share your board position on the chapter level. Working with the chapters is the most important part of your job on the Regional Board

    • Plan and lead a regularly scheduled check-in meeting (virtual or in-person) with each of your counterparts, the goal of which is to build the relationship, help work through ideas and difficult situations, and to keep your counterparts on track towards their goals 

    • Communicate with chapter counterparts between check-ins; answering their questions, lending support, being a brainstorm partner, providing a sympathetic ear, and just bonding about life inside and outside of BBYO.

    • Lend support by attending chapter events on a regular basis - prioritizing chapters other than your home chapter!

    • *NEW* Plan quarterly “Leadership Labs” for your chapter counterparts to bolster their skills in key areas related to their position.

Build up the Region

  • Plan and lead Regional Events and Initiatives This could range from a membership drive, to an “Ask Week”, to a Regional Kickoff, to a Convention, to one of our Movement Initiatives like Global Shabbat or J-SERVE. Refer to the position descriptions below to understand which positions hold responsibilities for which initiatives and events. Even if you aren’t the lead for a particular event or initiative, you’ll be expected to help

    • At times, you must answer to and take direction from your peers on Regional Board, even if your board position ranks higher than theirs. We’ll all take turns serving as project leads and project support. That’s part of working on a team who is responsible for many projects that are planned simultaneously

  • Oversee steering subcommittees at all Regional Conventions; Conventions are a team effort of the RegBo and you will be expected to be intimately involved in the planning

  • Become intimately familiar with all of the regional and chapters metric goals (Membership, Immersives, Fundraising). Know your numbers!

  • Promote and encourage participation in BBYO Summer Experiences and International Convention

  • Keep pace with Movement, Regional, and Chapter Initiatives

  • Stay in communication with your International Counterpart

Financial Commitment

  • Similar to a competitive club sports team, serving on the Regional Board requires both hard work and a financial commitment. Teen leaders on the Regional Board plan events which they also must pay to attend.

  • When it is safe to do so, Regional Board Members will make regular chapter visits throughout Manhattan and the Bronx; the teen and their  family will cover the cost of transportation

  • Each full-weekend in person convention costs approximately $300 to $400 (virtual regional conventions cost between $36 and $60, typically); Each regional event costs approximately $0 to $100, depending on the event; International Convention costs roughly $900 plus airfare (and around $200 when held virtually); August and February Executive Conference (“Execs”) cost roughly $500 plus airfare (and around $100 when held virtually)

  • Scholarships are available for both regional and international programs, though currently only for financial need; We have thus far been able to accommodate nearly every scholarship request we have received

Families: You and your teens share the joint responsibility of making sure your teen can attend these programs, and any other programs with a financial commitment; Nevertheless, we do not want finances to impede a teen from running for an office for which he or she is qualified (nor from serving, once elected). Jon Zeftel, Regional Director, is committed to working with you and your teen to find creative solutions in the event finances could get in the way of a teen’s candidacy or service.

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Position Specific Responsibilities

Regional N’siah & Regional Aleph Godol (Presidents)

  • Serves as the Project Lead for the following Events and Initiatives:

    • Regional Board Trainings/Retreats

    • Regional Leadership Training Institutes 

    • Advisor Appreciation Initiatives and Appreciation Month (March)

    • Regional Elections

    • Regional Business Meetings

    • Regional Board Meetings

    • Quarterly “Leadership Labs” for Chapter Leaders

    • Additional events and initiatives that are added during the year

  • Keeps tabs on everything happening in Region; working closely with Regional Director to support Regional Board members on all projects and initiatives; Helps keep everyone moving in same direction towards the same goals

  • Meets regularly with members  of Regional Board to supervise their progress, to problem-solve, to lend support, and to ensure continued engagement with BBYO and the Regional Board; works with board members to accomplish their goals

  • Works with Regional Director to plan meetings with the full board and groups within the board; helps maintain decorum at Regional Board meetings; Enforces attendance at these Regional Board gatherings

  • Presides over Regional Board meetings, Regional Business Meetings, and Regional Elections. Creates a thoughtful agenda, prepares thoroughly for meetings, and keep meetings lively, relevant, and interesting

  • Meets regularly with Regional Director (likely weekly) to check-in on status of Region and fellow members of the Regional Board; stays in constant communication with Regional Director

  • Partners with regional Friends and Alumni Network (FAN) efforts

  • Acts as the official spokesperson and representative of BBYO Manhattan Region 

  • Represents the Region as an automatic delegate at International Conventions and Executive Meetings in both August and February

  • Serves as Manhattan Region’s liaison to the International Order

  • Presides over Regional elections

  • Responsible for the well-being of the Region

Regional S’ganit & Regional Aleph S’gan (Vice-Presidents of Programming)

  • Serves as the Project Lead for the following Events and Initiatives:

    • Chapter Kickoffs (supporting chapter s’ganim)

    • International Convention Launch Night

    • Fall and Spring Conventions

    • End-of-Year Party

    • Honorary Senior Event (i.e. Senior Brunch)

  • Helps Chapter Programs to be as great as they can possibly be by...

    • Ensuring all chapters have a well-thought-out schedule of events ahead of each semester (and can distribute that schedule with a nifty flyer)

    • Helping chapters plan fun, creative, and varied programs

    • Providing ongoing training and support on the use of program planning forms for every chapter event

    • Reading over every chapter program and program evaluation; providing  meaningful feedback to program planners

    • Familiarizing her/himself with Chapter Showcase programs, the suite of AZA/BBG online resources, the Toolbox, and other AZA, BBG, and BBYO programming best-practices and tools; shares that information with counterparts on chapter boards

    • BBG: Promoting six-fold programming. AZA: Promoting five-fold programming 

    • Becoming intimately familiar with strategy undergirding regional calendar and works to align regional and chapter event planning with calendar’s funnels

    • Maintaining the system by which chapters submit their programs for review; makes tweaks as needed; trains counterparts and the Region on proper use

    • Standardizing the approach to programming excellence across all Manhattan chapters

  • Helps get new chapters off the ground with a regular schedule of chapter programs by doing intensive, hands-on work with s’ganim/leadership chair(s)

  • Promotes BBYO Summer Experiences within the Region; Takes it upon him/herself to reach the Region’s enrollment goals for all Summer Programs

  • Is the second automatic delegate at International Conventions

Position Specific Responsibilities

Regional Morah & Regional Aleph Moreh (Vice-Presidents of Membership and Recruitment)

  • Serves as the Project Lead for the Following Events and Initiatives:

    • Regional Kickoffs

    • Fall Fest

    • Fall and Spring Membership Campaigns

    • Ask and Join Weeks

    • Founders’ Day

    • Summer Program Promotional Events and Initiatives

    • Special Membership Events

    • AIT/MIT Trainings and other special new member events, including overnights

    • Chapter, Regional, and/or Global Induction Ceremonies

  • Presides over all membership matters; works towards hitting all membership goals

  • Maintains organized database of prospective members; Ensures there are processes in place for systematic recording of information and follow-up with all prospective members, new members, and established members

  • Provides guidance and leadership for educational efforts throughout the Region that teaches prospects and new members about the history and traditions of AZA, BBG, and BBYO

  • Works closely with chapter Morim to ensure that every chapter is regularly holding AIT/MIT training for new members and is actively taking steps to train and retain new members

  • Publicly celebrates new members as well as making personal outreach to new members

  • Maintains dashboard tracking chapters’ month-by-month membership growth; Works with chapter counterparts to develop and achieve membership goals

  • Becomes intimately familiar with membership metrics for Region and individual chapters; Always “knows his/her numbers” and has steely determination to hit chapter and regional membership goals

  • Has a never-say-quit attitude about reaching membership goals: No goal is unattainable; every relationship is worth developing; every school, synagogue, etc. is worth visiting; every conversation is worth having; Serves as BBYO Manhattan membership’s #1 cheerleader

  • Sees obstacles to membership growth as fun challenges that they can’t wait to take on

  • Is comfortable making phone calls and in-person pitches to Jewish teens and parents about the benefits of joining BBYO on a weekly basis; willing to push past “no” to make convincing arguments to join 

  • Trains all chapter counterparts in recruitment strategies/tools/technology/etc 

  • Constantly models “good host” behavior at events; chatting with prospects and new members, avoids and actively works to dissuade“cliquey” behavior, introduces new teens to members, makes other teens feel welcomed, included, and wanted

  • Familiarizes her/himself with suite of AZA/BBG resources related to best practices around recruitment, prospecting, and hosting; shares this information with counterparts on chapter boards

  • Helps organize and run membership drives and other chapter and region-wide membership growth initiatives, such as Ask Weeks and “Prospect Drafts”

  • Is the third automatic delegate at International Conventions

Regional Sh’licha & Regional Aleph Shaliach (Vice- Presidents of Jewish Enrichment)

  • Serves as the Project Lead for the Following Events and Initiatives:

    • Wrap it Up

    • Global Shabbat

    • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

    • Regional Kallah

    • J-Serve

    • Stand UP (chapter and regional level)

    • Family Shabbat(s)/Other Regional Shabbat and Holiday Celebrations

  • Create spaces for every Jewish teen to feel like they have a home in our Movement regardless of their Jewish identity, knowledge of Judaism, level of observance, race, gender identity, sexuality, and socioeconomic status

  • Discover and create new ways to make Jewish traditions and practices feel important and relevant for the rest of our lives

  • Involve more Alephs and BBGs than ever before in tikkun olam through strategic and frequent community service campaigns and projects

    • Works with chapter counterparts to select chapter Stand UP cause and plan related actions and fundraisers throughout the year

  • Educate every Aleph and BBG about Israel with the ultimate goal of developing their own specific and individual connection to our homeland

  • Oversees Shabbat planning committees for Conventions

  • Is the fourth automatic delegate at International Conventions

Regional Mazkirah/Gizborit & Regional Aleph Mazkir/Gizbor (Vice-Presidents of Communications/Treasurers)

  • Serves as the Project Lead for the Following Events and Initiatives:

    • #GivingBBYODay

    • International Convention Apparel (Swag Pack)

    • ISF Fundraisers

  • Secretarial/Marketing/Communications Responsibilities

    • Maintains website

    • Works closely with chapter morim to ensure that chapters are regularly promoting their events to all of their constituent groups through a variety of media using different and novel tactics

    • Makes sure every chapter maintains an up-to-date distributable flyer with important dates

    • Ensures that online forums, such as MyBBYO and chapter social media accounts, are continually updated with relevant information about upcoming events; Makes sure there are plans in place to communicate changes to members and parents

    • Responsible for Manhattan Region’s social media accounts, posting weekly

    • Works with chapter counterparts to ensure their chapter social media accounts are regularly updated

    • Acts as photographer at events whenever possible, keeping organized folders of photos on Google Drive; Supports chapters to do the same

    • Regularly audits chapter and region’s online tools to ensure they are functioning and organized

    • Regularly sends email communications to variety of stakeholders promoting events and Regional accomplishments

    • Responsible for taking inventory of, and regularly organizing, program supplies at the JCC

      • Helps chapters get supplies from JCC for their programs; Manages request system for supplies

    • Keeps minutes at Regional Board meetings and maintains attendance records

    • Ensures chapters maintain attendance records for events and meetings

  • Financial Responsibilities

    • Maintains financial records for Region

    • Oversees financial processes for Region and ensures chapter leaders and advisors are familiar with guidelines and expectations regarding finances, such as reimbursements, chapter accounts, regional funding for chapter events, etc.

    • Works with counterparts to establish and reach fundraising goals in four categories: Regional, Chapter, Stand UP, and ISF

    • Devises creative fundraising approaches to layer into chapter and regional events

  • Is the fifth automatic delegate at International Conventions

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