GAS SAYS New Face Of AZA OUR AZA Is Its Maturity A Fraternal Magazine The Aleph Zadik Aleph now occupies a more mature place in the American Jewish Community than ever before in JANUARY, 1956 the Order's history. This growth of stature has been the result of the new ideas AZA has adopted about itself-about its membership and about its program. Because of the pace of AZA's activity on the international level, stitutes, built around a theme of the development of a more mature Judaism content and the develop- program for over 14,000 members ment of practical leadership skills. has been an unconscious movement Yes, these are steps to Maturity. to the members themselves. But to This year these steps continue to our community this trend toward a be taken. Two new committees, more well-rounded program and a Human Relations and Leadership more community-minded member Training, give leaders scope and has meant that AZA is generally deepen individual values to our Na- highly respected in the cities it serves tional Program. The emphasis in and the people of our communities these committees is the same as expect more from AZA and from its that of the entire program-the de- members. velopment of a stronger chapter A study of the program of any program with better leadership. one of AZA's international commit- The stimulus for these develop- tees, shows that only five years ago ment trends has been the alephs the emphasis of the program was dif- themselves. The AZA program is ferent in many respects. Projects are constantly being critically evaluated. now chosen with more emphasis on Led by the Grand Aleph Godol, the the educational value than on other process of evaluation of AZA this more superficial values. The commit- year has begun to point to further tee programs are more varied, in- improvements and modifications We cluding educational programs, pro- have earned the mark of a mature jects and emphasis upon the creative organization because we can evalu- abilities of other ate our program and guide it by the committees and results of our own thinking. within the chap- ters themselves. Staff's Role OUR AZA, for example, has And the part we often have failed grown from a col- to realize is the importance of the lection of seven staff role in AZA's development into committee re- an educational program. The BBYO ALEPHS OF BEVERLY HILLS AZA 400 took part in recent AZA Sabbath services at Kadimah Temple in ports to a creat- staff has seen the needs of the Hollywood. Pictured, left to right: Hillel Cohen, who delivered the sermon, Perry Schwartz, Warren Sefton, ive outlet for members, and helped us to obtain Dick Leffert, Bob Fenton, Hal Weinerman, Tom Green, Errol Burke, Sandy Singer and Mel Bansky. Beverly hundreds of con- them. There is a sense of "partner- Hills AZA was one of many AZA chapters throughout the order which participated in services in local syna- tributions. But its FILERMAN ship" between AZA and its staff. gogues during the recent AZA Annual Sabbath. basic function is still to give the This successful working de-by-side chapters ideas with which to enrich with adult specialists is a further their program. step in BBYO Maturity. ChapterCombines International AZA Sabbath New Programming This year, as the programs show 3 Folds For in OUR AZA, we continue to work Every year thousands of members participate in convention on all ley- with our program for a mature point Has Order-Wide Participation of view. els. Five years ago these were a Big Weekend AZA International Religious Chairman Howard Kaslow combination of business convention The evaluation goes on-but it Abe Silverman AZA in Houston, and athletic tournaments. Even dis- might be carried on by every mem- of Omaha reports that November 11th, designated as the In- Texas, combined two big affairs to trict conventions and national con- ber of AZA. Our order is thoroughly make a highly successful weekend. ternational AZA Sabbath, saw wide and varied participation ventions were business-oriented. Now democratic but cannot be kept so un- The highlights of the weekend were by chapters throughout the Order. Many chapters completely we see a different program. Of prim- less we continue to question and the chapter's Sweetheart Dance and ary importance to the AZA member change. conducted the services in local synagogues giving sermons, their football tournament, but is a convention's "take- through good planning, much more offering prayers, and singing in choirs. home" values. In the last year and After you have considered the (see WEEKEND, page 2) a half especially, the popularity of A sermon by Mike Rudman of program of your chapter and of completely athletic tournaments have AZA, sit back and consider your Henry Monsky No. 791 highlighted been dropped until only a dozen or responsibility to the Order as an Aleph. You will find that it is a Leadership Defined the observance by that Dallas, Texas, less are now held. They have been chapter. replaced by Leadership Training In- responsibility of Maturity. A beautiful Sabbath presenta- By AZA Chairman tion was offered by Beverly Hills No. 400 at the Kadimah Temple in A Word About AZA's Hollywood, California, with each By Yale Rosenberg member of the chapter participat- (AZA International Leadership Institute Chairman) ing. Mel Glass, Bob Fenton, Tom New AIT Program Green, Joe Leslie, At the 1955 international AZA convention, the forma- Dick Levine, and tion of a new committee for leadership training was an- Dick Blitz each For the second year, our Order will be using the new Aleph-In- had a part in the nounced by GAG Leon Ginsberg. As chairman of the newly- Training program. service while Hil- formed committee, two questions were uppermost in my lel Cohen, Dis- As for the Aleph-In-Training program itself, let us review quite mind. trict Four Religi- briefly a few of the important facets of the program. A Jewish youth ous Chairma from the ages of 14-21 may become a member of AZA by being (1) What is the real purpose of been given special emphasis long and Kohen Godol the leadership training committee? ago. Therefore, it is essential that introduced by a friend at a regular chapter meeting and by a majority this leadership training phase of of the chapter, vote, become an Aleph-in-Training: during this period of time he delivered a ser- (2) Who are the members of AZA be carefully studied and im- attends a School of AZA or AIT class where he is told of the great mon on the Na- this committee? proved. That is why we have an KASLOW traditions and history of Aleph Zadik Aleph; its program, its struc- tional theme "A international leadership training ture; he is taught the AZA songs - all of this within a six-weeks For years in AZA, there have been committee. World of Peace." Metropolitan AZA period, if at all possible. (Maximum is eight-weeks.) various kinds of leadership training joined the Beverly Hills chapter. programs on the The membership is highly elastic. Ralph Freedman planned the serv- At the end of the time, the chapter may vote him in, unless different levels. During the fall and early spring, 2/3 of the active membership present feel he is not desirable. Why, all of a BBYO University Chairmen are an ices for the Kansas City AZA Coun- Chapter Morehs should instill enough spirit and appreciation for sudden, have we important part of the committee cil which was followed by an Oneg AZA and its ideals; a written exam for admission is not needed. He chosen to spot- (since the planning of BBYO U's is Shabbat at which the Alephs sang cannot be de-pledged (removed from AIT status) if he fails to pass light this pro- taking place at that time). In the AZA and Jewish songs, befitting the Evaluation test in the AIT kit; that examination is merely to see gram? The an- winter, Regional Godolim and con- the serious occasion. Some fifteen what the prospective aleph has learned of our Order, not to keep him swer to this is vention chairmen are given aid in out if he is not capable of passing it. simply that the the planning of leadership workshops Alephs from Mother Chapter No. 1 building of Jew- to be held at their upcoming con- and Sam Beber No. 100 in the Just a reminder, all chapters may purchase their AIT kits of 30c ish leaders, ventions. After January, District Order's birthplace, Omaha, each at the BBYO National Office at 1129 Vermont Avenue, N.W., along with pro- Godolim and convention chairmen in Washington, D.C. Let's all get behind our new membership pro- ROSENBERG Nebraska, participated in a joint viding Jewish play a more active part in the com- service at Beth Israel Synagogue. gram and launch it on a successful year until EVERY CHAPTER youth with a meaningful program mittee, since decisions must be made in the order is firmly behind its principles and ideas. (Five Fold and Full), is the basic as to what phase of leadership train- Jerry Rosen and Gary Ginick, the purpose behind Aleph Zadik Aleph. ing should be stressed at district Aleph Godols of the two chapters, It is a phase which should have conventions delivered the sermons.