Convention Highlights The Menorah COMMISSIONERS Official Publication of the B'nai B'rith Girls and B'nai B'rith Young Women d Working as hard and as enthu- Vol. II, No. 8 siastically as the delegates were NOVEMBER, 1946 Send address changes to The Menorah S 1746 M St. N W., Washington 6 D C. the members of the B'nai B'rith Youth Commission who served as BBYW NOW BBG'S MAKE , advisers at the business sessions , and committee meetings. Among NATIONAL e NEW PLANS those who contributed the benefits e of their experience were Mrs. Ida Determined to form a na- Enthusiastic BBG dele- Cook Farber, President of the tional organization of Jew- v gates from all parts of the Women's Supreme Council: Mrs. ish young women who a United States and Canada 1 Anita Perlman, Chairman of the understand their heritage held their first national con- / National Advisory Board and Dis- and contribute to the Jew- vention from September 1 to trict 6 Commissioner; Judge Esther ish and world community, K. Untermann, District 3 Commis- thirty-five delegates met at 4, 1946, at th Cejwin sioner: Mrs. Lydia Woldman, Dis- the Cejwin Camps, Port Camps, Port Jervis, N. Y. E trict 2 Commissioner; Mrs. Claire Jervis, N. Y., from Septem- The girls made plans for Goldstein, District 5 Commission- ber 1 to 4, 1946, in the first their activities for the com- national convention of the er: and Mrs. Minna Sharp, District ing year, adopted the BBYO B'nai B'rith Young Women. 2 Youth Committee Chairman. The delegates wrote a na- creed, adopted rituals and tional constitution, adopted pledged themselves to serv- a program to increase their ice to the Jewish com- knowledge of their Jewish munity. background and the world Sara Rose Schwartz Miriam Albert The convention voted that around them, and pledged themselves to render service the honor point system to both the Jewish com- SCHWARTZ, ALBERT ELECTED should be abolished and munity and the world at adopted instead a national large. Crown of Esther Award After a preliminary joint session with BBG, the BBYW TO HEAD BBG AND BBYW which will be given to every delegates held an organiza- girl who meets certain CAMPFIRE tion meeting at which they Unanimously elected at Miriam Albert, a member standards of achievement. elected temporary officers. the BBG and BBYW na- of Ramah BBYW in Chicago The delegates passed By the light of a blazing log fire, They then set up committees Dr. Abram L. Sachar, National tional conventions at Port and first national BBYW resolutions favoring in- to prepare reports on Consti- Jervis were the new presi- president, is past president creased cooperation among BBYO Director, addressed the as- tution and By-Laws, Policy, of the District 6 Council, and sembled BBG and BBYW delegates Program, Creed and Rituals, dents of the two organiza- the many parts of B'nai former Vice-President of Monday evening, September 2nd. Finance, Projects, Awards tions, Sara Rose Schwartz both the District 6 Council B'rith, programs designed to Dr. Sachar told of young people and Pins, and resolutions. and Miriam Albert. Both and Chicago Council. She increase their knowledge of in Palestine who chose work in An opening and closing officers expressed their has also held many other Jewish life, and projects to the fields rather than an education ritual, an all-around girl thanks for the honor they help the distressed Jews left chapter, regional and dis- award and an all-around received and their under- in Europe. because they belonged to a genera- trict offices. chapter award. and recom- tion that never asks, "What shall standing of the great re- "The six other national offi- In addition to their busi- we take?" but asks, "What can mendations for BBYW sponsibility they carried to ders of BBYW, also chosen ness sessions, the 65 BBG we give and how can we serve?" jewelry were adopted. Reso- increase the strength and unanimously, are Helene representatives participated Those young people, he said, were lutions were passed in favor service of their organiza- Lechner (District 1), 1st in workshops and seminars making the greatest sacrifice a Jew of greater cooperation with- tions. Vice-President; Isabel Gold- on leadership, dramatics, can make-the sacrifice of an edu- in B'nai B'rith, an age limit Sara Rose Schwartz, BBG berg (District 4), 2nd Vice- singing and folk dancing, cation - because they recognize of 19 to 25 for BBYM and president, has been active in President: Rosa Paller (Dis- Jewish programs and re- that at this time, there is a greater additional publications for BBG in Miami, Fla., for the trict 7), 3rd Vice-President: sponsibility to the Jewish need for service. BBYW. last five years. A student at Shirlie Finkelstein (District community. The workshops Ever since he had heard of this All the delegates ex- Duke University, she Dr. Sachar continued. he had been 2), Treasurer; Roslyn Silver- and seminars were con- pressed their satisfaction at president of the District 5 wondering how such a spirit could stein (District Secretary ducted by members of the be transmitted to American Jewish the firm foundation that Association of BBG. and Irene Jacobs (District BBYO staff, had been built for BBYW youth, so often spoiled by pros- Other new BBG officers 5), Junior Commissioner, The girls were helped in perity and so often inclined to ask and their confidence in the are Rosalind Brensilber The installation of offi- their planning and decisions what they could get from an or- future of their organization. (District 1), 1st Vice-Presi- cers was held on the last day by members of the B'nai ganization rather than how they (A summary of the dent; Anita Blachman (Dis- of the convention. After a B'rith Youth Commission could serve. He had been thrilled BBYW convention is printed trict 2), 2nd Vice-President: brief talk by Mrs. Louis L. who acted as advisers to however by watching the delegates on Page 7.) Goldie Lefkowitz (District Perlman, National Chair- committees and convention at work and seeing their eagerness 4), Treasurer: Bertha Rosen man of the BBG Advisory sessions. to help other people. Dr. Sachar suggested three ways Statement by New (District 7), Secretary: Ann Board, the officers were in- (A summary of the con- Stark (District Historian: in which girls and young women stalled by Mrs. Ida Cook vention actions is printed on BBYW President could serve: and Thelma Weiss (District Farber, President of the Page 2.) First, by knowing what they are, Having left the first National 6), Junior Commissioner. Women's Supreme Council. what their background is, and un- BBYW Convention thoroughly satisfied in the realization that Statement by New derstanding Jewish life and ex- istence. a very sound and firm founda- tion had been laid for our na- Girls Start National Project BBG President Second, from this knowledge tional organization. we have re- It is appropriate that the for- will come wholesome being and pride. Self-respect is more im- turned to our respective To Help Jewish Survivors mation of our organization portant than power, fortune or communities inspired to pro- should coincide with the New prestige. mote and foster the high ideals Year. If any one phase of our Third, with this knowledge and of Jewish young womanhood. All chapters of BBYW five-fold and full program and thread, knitting needles I and the other national of- should be developed, it is the self-respect, the young people would turn to doing. There is ficers are deeply and humbly and BBG are undertaking and yarn are impossible to religious one. I want to take grateful for the honor that has an important service to the obtain. this opportunity to wish each of much to be done for those who been bestowed upon us and we Jewish survivors overseas. The girls of BBYO have you, belatedly, a very Happy survived the war but who required another war service, the service recognize only too well our re- undertaken to meet this New Year. May the coming year In a special project, prove to be a successful one of righting wrongs and restoring sponsibilities to the more than need. Every chapter has life. three thousand B'nai B'rith chapters will send to Jewish been asked to plan immedi- for the B'nai B'rith Youth Or- Young Women in the United young women overseas ganization. The delegates responded to Dr. ately to take full part in this Sachar's inspiring speech with a States and Canada, In our sin- parcels containing important project. If each chapter will ,carry out great ovation. They sang Hebrew cere desire to serve, we look to household items which we all of our chapters and the na- Here is what your chapter the BBG programs, with special songs, danced the Horah, and con- have in abundance but emphasis on religion and cul- cluded with the singing of Hatik- tional staff for cooperation, and is to do: which our sisters overseas ture, we shall be instilling in vah. we pledge ourselves to channel Gather at once such items our members the ideologies of our energies toward the estab- can't get unless we send it as needles of different sizes, our faith and the objectives of (Continued on Page 7. Col. 5) lishment_ and furthering of a to them. thread of different thick- B'nai B'rith. By doing this we BBYW organization that will be The Jewish people wh nesses and colors, darning shall undoubtedly be linked replete with Jewish cultural and are left alive in Europe are thread, darning eggs, knit- more closely to the other educational values based upon facing a winter of suffering. ting yarns, knitting needles branches of the B'nai B'rith the BBYO Creed and the BBYW Food and clothing are being of various sizes, piece goods program and we shall grow in Preamble. sent through the S.O.S. drive body, spirit and number. This is your organization. It of all sorts (remnants will of the Joint Distribution I hope that my one plea will is only through the united ef- do), buttons, pins, binding Committee. But the girls of resound in your ears-coopera- fort of each and every B'nai tape, sewing scissors a n tion is all-important for the B'rith Young Women that we BBYO are making a special other such items which you survival of any national organi- will be able to achieve our goals contribution. feel will be useful. zation. If we follow this prin- and attain the high standards One of the greatest needs Work on this project is ciple, the B'nai B'rith Girls will we have set for ourselves overseas is for the equip- starting immediately. Make take many steps forward in the Miriam Albert ment with which to repair sure your chapter does a next 12 months. and make clothing. Needles great job. Sara Rose Schwartz