S THE Official B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Newspaper ALEPH ZADIK ALEPH (AZA) B'NAI B'RITH GIRLS (BBG) B'NAI B'RITH YOUNG ADULTS (BBYA) 45th YEAR WASHINGTON, D. C. USA NOVEMBER, 1969 Ink LI IOIV 1, we deas. BRITH Many Cities Stage and waste mber Big Youth Rallies have GANIZATION stress all- For Soviet Jews gram gions BBYO protest against Soviet Russia's anti-Jewish policies is ecific gathering new strength following a series of Simchat Torah demonstrations in some 50 cities-and reports from Moscow of nia, the greatest Soviet Jewish holiday celebration in years. ra- The spontaneous Simchat Torah gathering in the Soviet will capital was marked this year by Sidney Kusworm the unprecedented number of s for young participants-an aspect that linked it in spirit with the ts all ellor, Dies in Dayton protests abroad, that were also noteworthy for the youthfulness enefit DAYTON, Ohio - Funeral of most of the demonstrators. services were held here for Sid- In Washington, the Simchat work ney G. Kusworm, warm friend Torah event, designated Rally of them. and champion of BBYO for many Solidarity with Soviet Jewish totals years. Our annual sermon con- Youth, took place in a public se in test was named in his honor. square a few blocks from the The sermons are presented at White House The program was the annual BBYO Sabbath cere- nai planned with the BBYO of the mony. gs; Washington Metropolitan Coun- Mr. Kusworm was a member ur- cil prominently represented on ith, of the AZA Supreme Advisory Dr. William A. Wexler, international president of B'nai B'rith, receives batch of thousands of BBYO petitions on Soviet Jewry from the planning and program. Council and its successor body, outgoing Grand Aleph Godol Art Schaefer. Presentation, at AZA convention, was part of continuing campaign to rouse protest against Russia's restrictions on Jewish religious and cultural life. the B'nai B'rith Youth Commis- On To The Embassy! sion from 1936 to 1956. In the late 1930's he regularly attend- After presentation of noted How Houston Teen-Agers Upheld ed AZA summer conventions, speakers, a period of dancing where hé was a beloved figure at and singing, the demonstration Jewish Dignity During Crisis staff-delegate softball games. marched to the vicinity of the His umpire's "uniform" on these Soviet Embassy nearby to regis- occasions was an "Honest Sid"- ter American Jewish indignation youth HOUSTON, Texas-Student grievances that spark high school rebellion these days are many and varied-some crucial and other seemingly less SO. But it was no minor issue that impelled inscribed sweatshirt presented at the treatment of Soviet Jews. edia, nearly 100 seniors in this city's Bellaire High School to drop out of their own commencement to him by the young people and The meeting also issued an ap- mong exercises. staff. peal to President Nixon to use tional The event had been scheduled for Friday night, the Jewish Sabbath. Mr. Kusworm and the late his influence to seek changes in Henry Monsky were members of Soviet policies toward the Jews. place- Former AZA Grand Aleph be held. But every year dates on ning, they themselves, without the two-man committee which Montreal BBYO members item S'gan Albert Hiller served as the list are somehow ignored- any pressure, without any vio- recommended the adoption of joined other major Jewish com- nding student representative to the and Jewish parents complain. lence, made their representation AZA by B'nai B'rith at the BB munity groups in a rally at Mon- t top adult community, to explain his through the administration, and convention of 1925. treal's Dominion Square and a BBYO -and his fellow students'-ac- The Individual Is Important then, because the principle was Mr. Kusworm's prominent or- march to the Soviet consulate. tion. This time, however, the rabbi worth defending, decided to at- ganizational role was not con- New Yorkers-including BBYO The date had been set during reported, it was strictly a stu- tend religious services instead of fined to BBYO. He had served -turned out in huge numbers g the the prior summer and there had dent movement. "When they graduation. the highest policy bodies of the to urge the United Nations to 1 cur- been ample time for the officials heard that Bellaire graduation Rabbi Kahn said that there is adult B'nai B'rith longer than use its good offices to dissuade Dele- to change it; they had been had been set for Friday eve- Continued on page three any other leader. His member- further Soviet pro-Arab maneu- requested to do so, and had refused The Anti-Defamation ship spanned two generations. vering in the Middle East. enda- He was a member of the Board At press-time new reports of et (a League of B'nai. B'rith, when it of Governors for 49 years and organizational involvement-in called upon the superintendent ent). to shift the date, was told that treasurer of B'nai B'rith for 42 many cases city-wide demonstra- years. He was founding chair- tions were initiated by BBYO the request would be considered. vision Later, some 30 séniors met with man of the Commission on councils-were being received pro- an ADL official to discuss the Community and Veterans Serv- -and will be described in our ices, which he served for 41 next issue. Rabbis and civic problem. They said they would sitive" years. leaders at scores of rallies ex- not violate the Sabbath, regard- g sen- pressed deep satisfaction over less of the consequences. Want To Receive the news of the Simchat Torah A Painful Decision celebration by Soviet Jewry, n war big- The decision was not lightly International Mailings? which, according to a Washing- ton Post correspondent, "one or air- taken. The students had ascer- on by Would you like to receive non-Jew called a feeling of 'free- tained that there were two open ter of dates in June- Monday and a International mailings that are dom for the young. I that Wednesday when the ceremony now restricted to top-ranking Although the synagogue holds ms to could be held; they also learned leaders? 2,000 people, the overflowing ce A BBG resolution at the re- masses of people jammed the the invitations had not yet been anent printed-so there was not even cent international convention surrounding street "in a crush makes this possible. You can mindful of the worst New York the excuse of possible expense for not changing the date. subscribe to your International subway rush hour." The three- Rabbi Robert J. Kahn of Con- mailing list at a cost of $3 per block length of Arkhipov St., the ecom- gregation Emanu El. the syna- year. newsman wrote, contained thou- gogue many students attended Send your $3 check or money sands of people of whom "the that fateful Friday night, com- order to BBYO Headquarters, vast majority looked under 35 urther mented that, ordinarily, rabbis Sandy Perlmutter and Neil Tofsky, BBG and AZA n'siah and godol, respectively of 1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W. and the most noticeable were send a list of Jewish holidays to Greater Washington Council flank former Associate Supreme Court Justice Tom Clark at Washington, D. C. 20036. under 25." Westerners present at the 24th National Conference on Citizenship held in the nation's capital. Conference schools indicating the occasions If you're presently on the list, the scene were impressed by the focused on youth involvement in political campaigns, and federal, state and local gov- when special exams should not ernment, and on current youth unrest. you DON'T have to subscribe. large number of young girls.