What happens when you have 800 girls on a conference phone line?

Amazing inspiration and practical growth!

Last Thursday, Bnos Agudas Yisroel hosted a Virtual Evening of Inspiration. In a regular year, we would have had our annual Bnos Convention. That wasn’t possible, but we wanted to reach out to our Bnos Leaders to keep them connected and show we care.

Honestly, we weren’t sure how such a large phone event would come off, but it surpassed our expectations in every way. The feedback we’re getting is incredible.

Mrs. Chaya Aviva Katz, principal of Bnos Chaya Academy, spoke first about a Bnos leader’s mindset. Mrs. Katz emphasized that a leader has to think about the big picture. She can’t only focus on herself and what works for her. She must make decisions based on what’s best for the group.

Rebbetzin Nechama Denbo was next. She explained how small actions could have a big effect. She urged the leaders to recognize even the small things their Bnosers do. Some girls are always the focus of attention, but what about the ones that aren’t in the limelight? The ones who unassumingly help and contribute? They need recognition, too!

Rabbi Avi Frank, director of Camp Agudah West, followed with a storytelling workshop. He showed that you could make a simple story interesting and relevant by adding details to bring out a lesson. To demonstrate, he told the same story two ways, with the details bringing out completely different takeaways.

The grand finale was an interactive trivia game. Girls called into a separate number to answer the questions. “It was off the charts,” says Mrs. Chana Baila Hass, National Director of Bnos. “The girls stayed engaged in the game for a full 45 minutes. The phones were ringing off the hook.”

Competition was stiff, but the winning city with the most correct answers was Monsey.

IY” H next year, we’ll be able to host in-person events again. But, for now, we’re thrilled with the chizuk, practical training, and inspiration from our virtual evening.