Av 5747, August 1987 The Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA) B'nai B'rith Girls (BBG) B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) Visiting the Districts: N'siah and GAG Recall Their Experiences My Host Was District 15 By Suri Duitch (International N'siah) field BBYO in Manchester and South- From March 23 through April port BBYO in Southport. The funny I had the great pleasure of being a thing about Southport is that almost guest in District 15 Great Britain all of the members of the executive and Ireland. During my stay, I visited board are brothers and sisters or six chapters in England, attended a cousins. They have really kept it in National Executive Board meeting, a the family! National Disco, visited the BBYO I got lost on the subway going to the chapter in Dublin, and met adult airport to catch a plane to Dublin, but members from B'nai B'rith and the happily the rest of my visit to Dublin Youth Commission (closely resem- went much better. This chapter has bling a regional adult board in North about 40 members, which is excel- America). lent, especialy considering that Dub- The first chapter that I visited is lin has a small Jewish population named Pinner BBYO and is located in that isn't growing. Even though we in a suburb of London, Currently, they North America tend to associate Eng- are the largest (over 110) and one of land and Ireland closely, they really the best chapters in D-15. Chapters are different countries. In fact, France range in size from over 100 in the is closer geographically to England suburbs of London to under 20 in the than is Ireland. This causes a feeling smaller cities. of separateness for the Irish One smaller chapter that I really BBYOers, because they don't get over enjoyed meeting with was in Not- to England much. Despite all of the tingham. This chapter is small, but it problems they face, Dublin BBYO is still manages to produce some excel- very strong. lent leadership. At the same time that One more program I absolutely I visited them, they had just learned must talk about is the National Disco that they will be hosting the fall Na- I attended. This was the first time tional Weekend for BBYO, which is a D-15 ever held a National Disco, so great honor. they weren't quite sure what the I spent most of my visit in and turnout would be. I was amazed to see around London, which has about more than 400 members of BBYO lit- nine chapters. London is really an erally spilling out of the B'nai B'rith exciting city, but I also went to visit Hillel House in London, where the chapters in the North, such as White- Continued on Page 10 It All Began in France By Brian Hafter (Grand Aleph Godol) hundreds of applicants to attend ILTC tion overseas, I was also able to visit During the two weeks in Israel, I "We'd like to welcome you to and International Convention during the country of France, including tour- visited the cities of Petach Tikva, Charles De Gaulle Airport here in the summer. The applicants are eval- ing the Eifel Tower, the Louvre, the Ramat Hasharon, Jerusalem, Ash- Paris, France" were the first words I uated on the basis of BBYO knowl- Arc De Triumphe, Notre Dame, and dod, Tel Aviv, Givatyim, Kefar Yona, heard upon my arrival on the first edge, leadership ability, ability to many other interesting sights. I also Eilat, Kiryat Motzkin, Haifa, Rosh morning of my overseas trip. It was work in a group, and the quality of had the opportunity to eat a lot of Hanikra, and Naharia. As you can my first trip overseas, and I was very their English speaking skills. It was wonderful French food, speak a few see, I did quite a bit of traveling to all excited about visiting France and interesting for me to see how much words of French (or at least attempt corners of the country. I will now give Israel and seeing our BBYO programs effort goes into the selection of a dele- to), and make a lot of fantastic Euro- you some of the highlights of my trip. there. gation, and it helped me to under- pean friends. Toward the beginning of my experi- I was met in Paris by David Amar, stand why the calibre of all of our On May 1, I departed for Israel. It ence in Israel, I mourned with the the District 19 (Western Europe) overseas delegations is so high. was also my first time visiting the chapter in Petach Tikva during the BBYO president. David and I then After DLTC ended, I spent the next 'Jewish homeland." BBYO in Israel is Yom Hazikaron ceremonies. This is travelled many miles to the South- five days traveling around France and called Noar Lenoar, which literally the "Memorial Day" in Israel where eastern part of France, where the an- visiting BBYO chapters in Lyon, Metz, means "youth to youth" in English. the country remembers all of those nual DLTC (District Leadership and Paris. These days of traveling The program has been around since who died in wars defending the state Training Conference) was being held. gave me a better understanding of the 1950s and is very well estab- of Israel. The ceremony was ex- DLTC was my first taste of BBYO in BBYO in District 19 and also a better lished. Needless to say, I was im- Continued on Page 10 Western Europe, and I was very im- knowledge of what life is like in a pressed with what I saw there as well. pressed with what I was seeing. European country. BBYO has only been around for four My first stop was Lyon, whose chap- years in District 19, but the District ter had been named best in District INSIDE THIS ISSUE has already recruited more than 19 last year. The chapter was well 1,000 new members into the program. rounded and quite an impressive DLTC was very similar to a regional group. I also travelled East to the Leadership Letters Page 2 leadership program in North Amer- smaller community of Metz. Although Alumni Page 3 ica, as the weekend was filled with BBYO is very new there, the chapter Happenings Pages 4,5 both leadership programs and social was also functioning very well. I met Regional Updates Pages 6,7 activities. The DLTC was, in fact, one later in the week with representatives Award-Winning Programs Page 8 of the best leadership training pro- of the two Paris chapters. I was able Feature Corner Page 9 grams I visited this year. to work with these chapters on mem- Sh'licha's Column Page 10 One interesting aspect of the DLTC bership recruitment ideas, as Paris is Teen Connection Page 11 was the selection of the 1987 delega- the largest Jewish community in all Potpourri Page 12 tion. Each year our overseas districts of District 19. choose representatives from many Aside from seeing BBYO in opera-