Message from the GRAND ALEPH the SH GODOL Official Publication of AZA and BBYM of the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization 24TH YEAR SEPTEMBER, 1947 Send address changes to The Shofar, 1746 M St. N. W., Washington 6, D C. State of the Order By EART POLLOCK (The following is the first part YMers Seek to Strengthen Order of the annual report of the Grand Aleph Godol to the National Convention of AZA. This report was read to the delegates at New BBYM President Conclave Amends Constitution, Ritual; Camp High Point, New York, on Aug. 30, by Grand Aleph Godol Earl ck.-Editor. Asks Youth Council, Merged Paper Over a year has elapsed Approximately 75 BBYM delegates from chapters that since your Grand Aleph had been part of a group that had survived clouded early Godol took office. For all the days gathered in the Hotel DeSoto, St. Louis, to review world it has been basically progress, polish up rough spots, and make plans for the future. It was the successful second annual convention of a year of transition from BBYM. war to peace For AZA, too, Dedicated to the late B'nai B'rith it has been a year of re- Miss Lechner President, Henry Monsky, the con- adjustment and rebuilding. vention proper opened with a Just as the coming of war Is Elected eulogy to him by Seymour S. (Si) Cohen, Secretary. Setting the tone called for radical changes in for the entire meeting, Cohen said, our structure and member- ship, so the coming of peace YW Head "We pause not to mourn alone, but to gain inspiration, to follow brought with it equally seri- the signposts which he SQ clearly ous prob- National Council, painted.' 1 e m s At Harold Rhein, National Presi- Joint Paper and the time, a dent, was prevented from presid- Programs OK'd ing because of business, but his clear overall message was read to the conven- national pol- The new national officers of tion. Dan Leibl, Vice-president, icy had not B'nai B'rith Young Women, elect- conducted the sessions at St. Louis. yet been ed at their second national con- Executives of the organization formulated. vention at St. Paul, Minn., Aug. had met at two Sunday sessions, Expansion 9-12, are Helene Lechner, Brook- July 6. and before the opening and changes lyn, President: Henrietta Klein, general session on Monday. Dele- of staff were Los Angeles, Vice-president; Paula gates who arrived as early as Fri- Lach, Miami, Fla., Treasurer, and day were treated to a full round Earl Pollock still under- Mirjam Albert, Chicago, Counsel- of pre-convention activities way. Confu- lor and Youth Commissioner. planned by the convention chair- sion and controversy over Discussed and acted upon at the man, Marcus Brown, and by the age limits were widespread. BBYW Convention were many is- co-chairmen of hospitality, Ray The introduction of more sues of interest to all BBYO. The Shoenfeld and Dan Friedman. democ ratic programming SEYMOUR S. (Si) COHEN young women voted in favor of a Plan Member Drive techniques was hailed with National BBYO Council, the com- Delegates rewrote sections of suspicion. A serious short- Enthusiasm Marks Elections of Cohen, bining of The Shofar and The Me- the constitution, amended the norah, joint conventions with age of competent advisers chapter constitution and made BBYM, and planning joint pro- threatened to scuttle the en- only certain sections of it binding Abrahamson, Booker, and Zisenwine grams with other BBYO and B'nai on all chapters, rewrote the ritu- tire program This was the B'rith groups. als and made the installation ritu- sobering challenge then Local Classes al a model, handled 40 resolutions faced by your national With elections varying from acclamation to multiple The national organization of favorably, and planned for a cam- organization. ballots Seymour S. (Si) Cohen, Joseph L. Abrahamson, BBYW also decided that BBYW paign that would double the num- Today, the picture is cer- groups in local areas should spon- Alvin E. Booker, and Gilbert M. Zisenwine were voted ber of chapters and members sor classes in such subjects at between then and the next con- tainly a far brighter one. into office enthusiastically at final session of the second Jewish History, The Jew in Amer- vention. Your Grand Aleph Godol is annual BBYM convention at St. Louis. All new officers ica, Jewish -Art. and Jewish Cus- Most amendments to the consti- pleased to report that today are AZA alumni. toms and Traditions. They urged tution were made to conform with the state of the Order is Cohen, the second President of chapters to conduct world affairs the new age limits, 19-23, to take sound, that AZA has suc- 300 Alephs BBYM, succeeds Harold Rhein, programs that would both increase into consideration the rew dual cessfully bridged the gap be- Chicago, who was unable to attend the members' knowledge of vital position of Secretary-Treasurer, tween war and peace. For this year's convention. Rhein com- issues and lead them to take ac- and to provide for a new stream- Are Meeting mended Cohen for his "tireless this, the National Organiza- tion as individuals or as groups lined national organizational set work" as Secretary in his admin- within B'nai B'rith policies. up. The age-limit question was tion is especially indebted istration. A strong resolution established a explained by Si Cohen and by for efficient administration and programming by our na- At Camp Officer nominations began as policy of conducting on the Sab- Rabbi Amram Prero, BBYO Di- Seymour Brenner nominated Co- bath only such activities as were rector, and others, and the con- tional staff, to the passing of hen. There were no other nomi- in harmony with Jewish belief and vention approved a resolution of time, and to an unquench- An estimated 300 alephs, rep- nations, and, in a wave of enthu- tradition. good faith in regard to the decision able AZA spirit. resenting seven districts of the siasm stemming from praise A move to increase national of the B'ani B'rith Supreme Lodge United States and Canada, are heaped on the candidate after a dues won the approval of a large setting the ceiling age for new As we emerge from this meeting now at Camp High Point, year as Secretary, the YMers rose majority of the delegates but members at 23. transition period. we are in West Shokan, N. Y., for the 24th and indicated their hearty appro- failed by two-thirds of a vote to New Fund With $2 Dues an excellent position to annual convention of AZA. val with applause. gain the necessary two-thirds ma- Having raised national dues to evaluate more closely the The convention, which opened jority for passage. Headed Co-operation Unit $2 a member, del ates amended actual progress which has the afternoon of Aug. 29 and Single National Project the constitution so that $1 of the which will close the afternoon of In addition to serving the order been made. This can best be A single national project, to send Sept. 1, faced several problems in as its national Secretary, Cohen new dues will be put into a special done by measuring AZA creative and recreational materials BBYM fund. The convention also with two criteria: first, the arrangements. Sessions and sports was chairman of the B'nai B'rith- to children overseas was adopted BBYO Co-operation Committee of gave the Secretary the additional were limited on the opening day as the major Community Service quantity of our membership, the organization last year. He has job of Treasurer. because the organization planned for the year and, second, the quality of been a member of Raymond Katz In streamlining, delegates TO- no events inconsistent with the A memorial service for Henry duced the number of national the program pursued by that Sabbath. In addition Rabbi Am- BBYM 10, Washington, for two Monsky was conducted by Joseph committees to three. A Program membership. ram Prero, BBYO Director, and years during which he has been Abrahamson, national Vice-presi- and Activities Committee will taka Victor Perlmutter, Administrative reporter and secretary. He is also dent of BBYM, who also presented Membership on the Youth Conference of Chris- (See CONCLAVE, Page 3) Director, were in Washington for to the young women the gavel used From a quantitative stand- tians and Jews. (See AZA CAMP, Page 10) by BBYM at their convention, point AZA has today the Cohen came to Washington Among the guests at the con- largest membership in its upon completion of work for the Conventions vention were Rabbi Amram Prero, Happy New Year B. S. degree at the University of history. A3 of June 30, Director of BBYO, who gave the Florida. His family home is now More news of the BBYM AZA had 596 chapters with main address at the final banquet; in Miami. He is an alumnus of convention, including detailed As another page in Jewish Mrs. Albert Woldman of Cleve- 13,379 members. At the Miami AZA 322 and was a mem- stories on constitution and ritu- history is turned and we enter land, Chairman of the BBYW Ad- same time last year, we had the year 5708, the staff of the ber of Royal Palm Chapter, Miami al changes, complete details of visory Board; Mrs. Louis Perlman 491 chapters with 11,086 B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Beach, when that unit was an seminars, and news of resolu- of Chicago, Chairman of BBG Ad- wishes to extend to each mem- Aleph Club. While attending Mi- tions passed will be found on members. This represents visory Board: Mrs. Max Katz of ami Beach High School, Cohen was Pages 2, 3, 4, and 10 along with the substantial increase ber and to each devoted friend a Brookline, Mass., Chairman of the elected to the National Honor So- pictures of the convention. within one year of 105 sincere wish for a good year for BBYO Committee of the Women's ciety. Next issue will contain full chapters and 2,293 mem- you and for all the Jewish peo- Supreme Council; and Mrs. At the University of Florida coverage of the AZA meeting ple. L'shanah tovah tikosevu. Kornbleet of Kansas City, Mo. (See GAG, Page 9) now in progress. (See ELECTIONS, Page 4) District 2 Youth Commissioner.