Northern Region East’s DC Council has grown and developed tremendously in 2025. Recruitment and retention are strong, innovative programming happens regularly, and individual chapters are thriving. In a typical BBYO Top-5/Top-10 format, here are my top 5 DC Council 2025 highlights:

5. At the beginning of Fall Term 2025, all council and chapter board members from DC, Northern Virginia, and Baltimore Council gathered for a weekend of training, bonding, and spirit called NREtreat! It was held at a camp in northern Maryland and was a perfect opportunity to learn as a region and council.

4. Towards the end of May, DC Council hosted a council-wide, members-only event called DC After Dark. Held at a club in downtown DC, this program was full of good music, delicious food, and council bonding. It was a great way to close out an amazing term and left everyone on a high note going into summer. 

3. In early March, DC Council had its annual Council Monday Meeting, where any member could propose a motion on the council-wide level. The current Council MIT Mom proposed a motion to rename the “MIT Mom” position to “Morah” to be more accurate in Hebrew and equivalent to the AZA position, “Moreh”. The motion passed, and the Council Board position is now called “Morah”. 

2. From January 24-26 in Virginia, the second-largest convention in the international order of BBYO, or Northern Region East’s Regional Convention, was held. Over 500 teens gathered at a hotel for a weekend of bonding, celebration, and sightseeing. Two of those teens were from DC Council’s sister region, BBYO Bulgaria. As part of globalization efforts, DC Council’s Mazkirim fundraised for and organized all of the logistics needed to bring two teens from Bulgaria to Regional Convention 2025. The program was a huge success, and our regions were brought closer together.

1. At the very beginning of April, DC Council had its annual Council Convention, a time for the council to gather, bond, and elect the next Council Board (CoBo). Council Convention, held at a camp on the water in Maryland, never fails to bring the council together with sports, aquatics, and beautiful Shabbat services. Havdalah is always the highlight of the convention and gives the council space to come together and sing as one, united council. 

As we head into 2026, I am confident that DC Council will continue to thrive!