Shotar The B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Av 5746, August 1986 Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA) B'nai B'rith Girls (BBG) Highlights of Overseas Adventures: the N'siah Recalls Fond Memories of Her Travels ption it By Andrea Gordman (International N'siah) bian As I was sitting aboard an Air France achieve great success. re to 747 waiting to fly to France from Kennedy I spent the next few days touring Paris. on Airport, I had many thoughts running What a great city! I feel that my visit to Ins through my mind. Would my trip be suc- District 19 was very successful. I learned and cessful? Would the members be inter- a great deal about the members in ested in BBYO? Would I be able to France, and they learned a great deal communicate with the members? After about BBYO in North America. The mem- is are all, I knew that BBYO was an interna- bers are dedicated, hard working and unteer tional organization. I had met members have a great desire to make their District ance from the Districts at summer leadership the best. I have confidence that they will. hand programs, but I had yet to experience our On April 15, I boarded an EIAI flight to Districts first hand. I am happy to report Tel Aviv for my first trip to the holy land that my trip to District 19 (Europe) and of Israel. Again, I had many thoughts run- k. District 14 (Israel) lived up to and ex- ning through my mind. I had seen lots of ceeded all of my expectations. pictures of Israel and had heard all about The first stop on my overseas travels it, but had yet to experience Israel for was in Paris, where I met with the District myself. It was incredible. Before I tell you 19 Director, Moshe Avital. We spent the about my experiences with the chapters, next few hours discussing my itinerary, I will explain a little about BBYO in Israel. International N'siah Andrea Gordman, second from left takes part in the presen- what I should expect, and how I could BBYO is called Noar Lenoar, which tation of a chapter charter to BBYOers in Perpignan, France. help District 19. then boarded a plane means youth to youth. Noar Lenoar is a for Marseille, where I was met by Beat- community service organization. The phia rice Zavarro, chapter president. We trav- members primarily focus on improving tario eled to a farm house outside of Marseille, and helping their community where the chapter was in the process of The next day I found myself at a meet- participating in a retreat. I wondered ing of the Givatyme chapter. Raviv what types of activities the chapter would Knoller be doing. Would they be similar or dif- about his chapter and life in Israel and nals to ferent from the activities that chapters in the United States. The chapter members North America participate in? They were and I spent time learning about each very much the same. We played Monop- other. They asked many questions about vball oly (in French), ping-pong, and went BBYO and the United States. I again ories. horseback riding. I had the first of many learned about many more community tition, conversations with the members about service projects. Some of the members ed in a BBYO and my life in the United States. were in the process of preparing to go to gional After saying good-bye to my friends in Germany on an exchange program. Marseille, I traveled to Lyon, where I was The following few days I traveled to Je- mu- usical met by the District Godol, Ari Hodara. rusalem and Natanya to attend regional Members of Noar Lenoar's Kiryat Motzkin chapter play "Simon Says" during the leadership training conventions. Nili rature, We spent time touring Lyon, and I at- International N'siah's visit there. tended a chapter executive board meet- Ronnen and Ronit Saar, regional presi- titled ing. Frank Ghenassia did an outstanding dents, did an outstanding job running the ity,' job of leading the meeting. We spent time sessions. The participants attended ening discussing the possibility of starting a workshops which taught them about also second chapter in Lyon, and they told me Noar Lenoar, BBYO, and leadership. They fast about their upcoming recruitment party. also spent time getting to know each They were shocked to learn that they re- other and even enjoyed time for singing. cruit members in much the same way the The conventions ended with beautiful AZA chapters in North America do. We also friendship circles complete with candles, uth spent time going through many BBYO songs and poems. During the friendship d the publications. They were very eager to circle, each member had an opportunity learn. to express his or her feelings about Noar The next stop took me to the city of Lenoar and their experiences during the Grenoble. Here, I was met by two of the weekend. It was truly a moving evening. chapter members, Jean Philippe Elkaim I had the opportunity to spend Pesach and Jean Weill. We spent time touring with the District Godol, Gal Trevish. It the city, and I even had a chance to at- was incredible to spend Pesach in Israel. tend English class with one of them. After In the days preceding the seder, you school we met with some of the chapter could feel the excitement as people pre- members (they are a very new chapter). pared for the upcoming holiday. I espe- We spent the next hour discussing how to cially enjoyed looking out the window start a chapter and reviewed many ideas and seeing all of the families taking part for chapter programs. I spent a lovely in the ritual seder. Shabbat with Jean Weill and his family. As soon as Pesach was over, we went to The following day I found myself in Haifa to spend time with the chapter A fun celebration of Passover is experienced by the Kiryat Motzkin chapter of the city of Perpignan. I spent a lovely members and Vered Gome, another dis- Noar Lenoar as they enjoy a "Matzah Eat" contest. weekend with the members there. I was trict officer. We traveled to Kiryat Motzkin hosted by chapter president, Eric to attend a chapter Pesach party. They visit to one of our chapters in Daliayat el on a plane on my way back home. Melloul, and his sister, Laurence. On Sat- made up skits dealing with the Pesach Carmel, a Druze village. Although the My visit to the Districts was truly great. urday night all of the members got to- story, played games, and ate Pesach food. Druze are not members of the Jewish I would like to thank all of the members gether for a great social event, and on It was lots of fun. people, they are still very dedicated to of District 19 and 14 for making my visit Sunday there was a great ceremony. The Also, Gal and I spent time in Tel Aviv at Isráel. Because of this, we have chapters so educational, productive and fun. We chapter was receiving its official charter. the District office, meeting with the Dis- in the Druze villages. I spent time touring may come from different parts of the was very proud to be able to present the trict Board and members of the Delega- the village, meeting with a family and world and lead different lifestyles, but we chapter with its charter. There were tion who were scheduled to attend ILTC sampling traditional Druze food. are united by two things, that fact that we many people in attendance, including and International Convention this sum- I spent the next week with Brenda are Jews and the fact that we are mem- members from all over the District. The mer. It was truly a great experience to Fishman, past International N'siah, who bers of the biggest and best youth organi- Perpignan chapter is full of spirit and en- work with the District leadership. showed me more of Israel. It was an in- zation in the world. thusiasm, and I am sure that they will I ended my visit to District 14 with a credible experience. Soon I found myself