By Deb Silverthorn

A “Walk Down Memory Lane,” honoring the legacy of Dallas-Fort Worth BBYO, begins at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. The Dallas Jewish Historical Society will host the BBYO party for the ages at a location to be announced with reservations.

The evening, catered by Gourmet Palate with Chef Jeffrey Kollinger and featuring tastes from favorite spots of the past, will include entertainment by beloved DJ Marshall Argovitz, slideshows and a song circle. The event is chaired by Roger Andres (Eshkol AZA) and Marilyn Donsky Pailet (Zesmer BBG).

“BBYO was about the colors, the songs, the leadership and the friendships and we’re going to celebrate all of that,” said Andres, who through the years has remained close to many of his chapter brothers through college, business relationships and networking.

“Jeanette (Schwartz) Pincus (Weinstein BBG), DJHS past president, was my ‘big sister,’” Andres added. “The circle of life, of meaningful relationships goes on. On the 18th, we’ll have generations gathering to honor the history that we created and the future of what the organization can be.”

More than a fundraiser, the Oct. 18 event is a reunion of generations, a tribute to the friendships, leadership and Jewish pride fostered through Dallas-Fort Worth BBYO and a celebration of the stories that connect its participants and leaders.

Guests will enjoy a nostalgic journey from the 1950s through the 2000s, honoring the legacy of the Dallas-Fort Worth Jewish community and preserving its history for future generations.

“As the ‘Story Keepers’ of the Dallas Jewish community, we are thrilled to host this event and really all that’s led to it and what we know will come of it,” said DJHS Executive Director Beri Kaplan Schwitzer (Mountain Region/Gorbena BBG). “The story of the impact that BBYO has made, and continues to do so, for this community has changed lives.

“Our role is the preservation of this impact and we are proud to have opened our vault to incorporate the treasures and collect the oral histories of BBYO alumni — more than 200 in just the last few months — for our DJHS Morton Rachofsky Oral History Archives,” Schwitzer said. “We also have nearly 1,400 members in our DJHS ‘One Story at a Time — Walk Down Memory Lane: A BBYO Party for the Ages’ Facebook page with stories, photos and more shared.”

Dozens, at the very least, of high school BBYO couples lived happily ever after, and many others became love stories later in life, too.

Schwitzer was her region’s assistant regional director when she met her husband, Joel Schwitzer (NTO/Morton Lewis AZA), then serving as assistant region and city director for North Texas-Oklahoma (NTO). At a BBYO staff conference in Wisconsin, she bumped into Joel, who, knowing she was from Las Vegas, sang “Viva Las Vegas” in the hall. They married in 2000 and are the parents of identical twins Chana and Miryam.

BBYO also introduced Schwitzer to the woman she would succeed at DJHS. Debra Polsky, of blessed memory, was NTO BBYO director when Schwitzer was a teen, and they met at a BBYO convention. Later, Polsky became Schwitzer’s mentor, a lasting relationship.

NTO BBYO’s 75-year history is rich and widespread. Many leaders were born of the organization, including those who served in international leadership. Grand Aleph Godol leaders from the region include Mark Kleinman (Eshkol AZA), Doug Levy (Kaplan AZA), Mika Stein (Kaplan AZA) and Brian Sureck (Eshkol AZA). Michelle Blumenthal Caplan (Sablosky BBG) and Michelle Weinberg (Wadel BBG) served as International N’siah.

“We’re excited to support the work DJHS is doing to preserve and share the history of BBYO in Dallas. BBYO has such deep roots here; we have families where multiple generations have been part of the organization, and you see the impact of those experiences continue decades later,” said Victoria Kisluk Agronin (Lonestar Region/Tikvah BBG), NTO BBYO’s senior regional director. “I know firsthand how meaningful the experience can be. The friendships, leadership opportunities, Jewish identity and sense of community I gained as a teenager have stayed with me, and I now help create those same opportunities for the next generation.

“Our focus is on continuing BBYO’s legacy,” Agronin said. “What makes an event like this so special is getting to see that full circle, celebrating the people and stories that built BBYO in Dallas while knowing that today’s teens are creating the stories that people will be gathering to celebrate for generations.”

For more information and to register, visit tinyurl.com/DJHS-BBYO-October-18.