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So you want to learn about AZA?
What is AZA, do you ask? How does it relate to BBYO? To start off, our chapter is unique in that we do not segregate the genders, which is usually customary. Thus, we are considered a BBYO chapter, for incorporating both AZA males and BBG females. Normally, the two genders are divided into their own chapters, with an AZA or BBG suffix. One good example would be the Pascack Valley chapters--PVAZA and PVBBG--who happen to be our "chapter neighbors" if you will.
AZA, as you will learn stands for Aleph Zadik Aleph. This is the male part of the BBYO organization.
BBG, stands for B'nai B'rith Girls, and is the female part of the BBYO organization.
The History of AZA
AZA was founded in 1923 as a response to the anti-Semitism of the many Greek fraternal societies of the time. As a result, the founding members chose to use Hebrew letters to name their organization, rather than Greek ones. A group of 15 boys elected Abe Baboir as their first president, and obtained Nathan Mnookin, a local chemist, as their first advisor.
It wasn't until the next year that the organization became more serious, and took the form by which it still exists today. In 1924, Nathan Mnookin moved to Kansas City. Now without an advisor, the boys approached Sam Beber to replace him. Beber agreed to advise the chapter only under the condition that they accept his proposal for a much more wide-reaching organization. The boys accepted, and on May 3, 1924, the International Order of the Aleph Zadik Aleph came into existence.
The original AZA chapter in Omaha is still named "Mother Chapter AZA #1." When Mnookin moved, he started another chapter in Kansas City, which is now known as "Greater Kansas City AZA #2." By 1925, the organization had expanded to include seven chapters in the Omaha area. Sam Beber, who had been named Grand President of the Supreme Advisory Council, went to the national convention of B'nai B'rith, to seek sponsorship of the growing organization. Despite strong opposition to the proposal , future B'nai B'rith President Henry Moksey delivered a stirring speech which led to the approval of the proposal and the adoption of AZA as B'nai B'rith's youth arm. This partnership lasted 77 years, until the organizations split in 2002.
For the first twenty or so years of its existence, AZA membership was open to older high school and college age teenagers. During the 1940s, however, the military draft for World War II pulled many AZA members away from their home communities. To ensure the organization's continuity, the minimum age for membership was lowered to fourteen. Since then, AZA has evolved into an organization exclusively for high school age teenagers.
The Seven Cardinal Principles:
PATRIOTISM
Loyalty to my homeland, to its laws, to its principles, to its ethics. To die for it if need be, but primarily to live for it.
JUDAISM
Always to observe the tenets of my faith; ever to do justice, love, mercy, and walk humbly with the Lord my G-d.
FILIAL LOVE
Ever to honor and love my parents. To be considerate of my elders and to respect age.
CHARITY
To give of myself and my substance for all worthy causes, to be kind and generous to all in need, regardless of race or creed.
CONDUCT
Never too bold, never too forward, ever humble, ever observing the principles of gentlemen.
PURITY
To keep my soul pure, my mind active and my body healthy.
FRATERNITY
A spirit of sociability, of cooperation and of friendship toward all AZA's that shall make of us one fellowship; a love of and a loyalty to AZA and its ideals.
The Five Folds of AZA
Athletics
Sports have always been one of the strongest and most popular folds in AZA. Chapters participate in leagues held on the Council and Regional levels. AZA Chapters form teams and compete in such sports as basketball, softball, football, tennis, bowling, track and field, ping-pong, hockey, and broomball. A few years ago Chicago Council held an excellent example of an athletic program. A charity football game was sponsored between local AZA members and the Chicago Bears of the NFL. This is a fold that tends to be neglected in an unusual way. Because sports fit so naturally into AZA, many people don't take time to plan athletic programs as well as they could. There are literally hundreds of new and imaginative programs that can be developed around this fold. The extent of your imagination is your only limitation.
Community Service/Social Action
As an organization of young citizens of the Jewish and world communities, the AZA accepts responsibility in every area where there is need. Activities range from working with the elderly and the underprivileged, hurricane and flood relief programs, to canned food and recycling drives. In Israel, chapters in Noar Lenoar are dedicated solely to community service and social action. One of the largest projects Noar Lenoar undertakes is regular hospital visits to help raise the spirits of sick children. Wisconsin Region does extensive work with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of North America. They go on bowling trips, visits to the zoo and athletic facilities, and generally work with their "siblings" to make sure they have a feeling of self- worth. With the development of the ACT and TASC programs (see pages 33-34 ) AZA's involvement in this fold has undergone rapid growth. In a day and age of greater social awareness, this fold gives us the opportunity to create a lasting impact on the communities around us.
Educational
The educational fold stresses two major areas: l. Learning about the ways of life of those outside our Jewish community and 2. teaching our members about the conditions and problems of the world and communities around us. Some excellent examples of educational programs are: inviting speakers to discuss current issues, holding an Islamic or Palestinian culture night, visiting a local museum to view an exhibit, or holding a seminar with a group of other ethnic groups to talk over some of the differences and similarities between Judaism and their movement. The educational fold is a potentially limitless fold. Use your creativity and knowledge. Remember, the educational fold deals mostly with the concept of learning.
Judaic
The Judaic program of AZA seeks to inculcate in its members an understanding of their religion and a habit of preserving the traditions of their people. AZA accepts as members Jewish boys of every persuasion -- Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and Reform. It cooperates with synagogues and temples in helping members learn to conduct their own services and understand the religious heritage of which each is a part. AZA chapters have undertaken a wide range of activity in this fold. Most hold their own services during the year and AZA Shabbat.
Social
Perhaps the best known yet least heralded of the five- folds is the social fold. The purpose of the social fold is to give members a chance to participate in recreational programs. Social programming is one of the best tools for recruiting new members and is a very strong fold if used properly and in the right proportion. AZA Chapters sponsor and participate in a wide variety of social programs, many with BBG chapters. These programs include dances, formals, picnics, pool parties, hay-rides, scavenger hunts, video and arcade marathons, Hanukkah parties, ice cream mixers, tail gate parties, conventions, beach trips, camping trips, and movie outings. Many of these programs serve as dual purpose in that they raise money for the AZA International Service Fund as well. One of the best known and planned social events takes place annually in Kansas City, Missouri. Nordaunian AZA sponsors an annual Matzah Ball Dance. Hundreds of people in the community attend and contribute to the event. Proceeds go to help fund the chapter and ISF.
Less complex social programs are also successful. The social fold is a very powerful tool when used in moderation. If a chapter has too many social events and participates in nothing else, the program becomes stagnant.
Source:www.bbyo.org
What is AZA, do you ask? How does it relate to BBYO? To start off, our chapter is unique in that we do not segregate the genders, which is usually customary. Thus, we are considered a BBYO chapter, for incorporating both AZA males and BBG females. Normally, the two genders are divided into their own chapters, with an AZA or BBG suffix. One good example would be the Pascack Valley chapters--PVAZA and PVBBG--who happen to be our "chapter neighbors" if you will.
AZA, as you will learn stands for Aleph Zadik Aleph. This is the male part of the BBYO organization.
BBG, stands for B'nai B'rith Girls, and is the female part of the BBYO organization.
The History of AZA
AZA was founded in 1923 as a response to the anti-Semitism of the many Greek fraternal societies of the time. As a result, the founding members chose to use Hebrew letters to name their organization, rather than Greek ones. A group of 15 boys elected Abe Baboir as their first president, and obtained Nathan Mnookin, a local chemist, as their first advisor.
It wasn't until the next year that the organization became more serious, and took the form by which it still exists today. In 1924, Nathan Mnookin moved to Kansas City. Now without an advisor, the boys approached Sam Beber to replace him. Beber agreed to advise the chapter only under the condition that they accept his proposal for a much more wide-reaching organization. The boys accepted, and on May 3, 1924, the International Order of the Aleph Zadik Aleph came into existence.
The original AZA chapter in Omaha is still named "Mother Chapter AZA #1." When Mnookin moved, he started another chapter in Kansas City, which is now known as "Greater Kansas City AZA #2." By 1925, the organization had expanded to include seven chapters in the Omaha area. Sam Beber, who had been named Grand President of the Supreme Advisory Council, went to the national convention of B'nai B'rith, to seek sponsorship of the growing organization. Despite strong opposition to the proposal , future B'nai B'rith President Henry Moksey delivered a stirring speech which led to the approval of the proposal and the adoption of AZA as B'nai B'rith's youth arm. This partnership lasted 77 years, until the organizations split in 2002.
For the first twenty or so years of its existence, AZA membership was open to older high school and college age teenagers. During the 1940s, however, the military draft for World War II pulled many AZA members away from their home communities. To ensure the organization's continuity, the minimum age for membership was lowered to fourteen. Since then, AZA has evolved into an organization exclusively for high school age teenagers.
The Seven Cardinal Principles:
PATRIOTISM
Loyalty to my homeland, to its laws, to its principles, to its ethics. To die for it if need be, but primarily to live for it.
JUDAISM
Always to observe the tenets of my faith; ever to do justice, love, mercy, and walk humbly with the Lord my G-d.
FILIAL LOVE
Ever to honor and love my parents. To be considerate of my elders and to respect age.
CHARITY
To give of myself and my substance for all worthy causes, to be kind and generous to all in need, regardless of race or creed.
CONDUCT
Never too bold, never too forward, ever humble, ever observing the principles of gentlemen.
PURITY
To keep my soul pure, my mind active and my body healthy.
FRATERNITY
A spirit of sociability, of cooperation and of friendship toward all AZA's that shall make of us one fellowship; a love of and a loyalty to AZA and its ideals.
The Five Folds of AZA
Athletics
Sports have always been one of the strongest and most popular folds in AZA. Chapters participate in leagues held on the Council and Regional levels. AZA Chapters form teams and compete in such sports as basketball, softball, football, tennis, bowling, track and field, ping-pong, hockey, and broomball. A few years ago Chicago Council held an excellent example of an athletic program. A charity football game was sponsored between local AZA members and the Chicago Bears of the NFL. This is a fold that tends to be neglected in an unusual way. Because sports fit so naturally into AZA, many people don't take time to plan athletic programs as well as they could. There are literally hundreds of new and imaginative programs that can be developed around this fold. The extent of your imagination is your only limitation.
Community Service/Social Action
As an organization of young citizens of the Jewish and world communities, the AZA accepts responsibility in every area where there is need. Activities range from working with the elderly and the underprivileged, hurricane and flood relief programs, to canned food and recycling drives. In Israel, chapters in Noar Lenoar are dedicated solely to community service and social action. One of the largest projects Noar Lenoar undertakes is regular hospital visits to help raise the spirits of sick children. Wisconsin Region does extensive work with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of North America. They go on bowling trips, visits to the zoo and athletic facilities, and generally work with their "siblings" to make sure they have a feeling of self- worth. With the development of the ACT and TASC programs (see pages 33-34 ) AZA's involvement in this fold has undergone rapid growth. In a day and age of greater social awareness, this fold gives us the opportunity to create a lasting impact on the communities around us.
Educational
The educational fold stresses two major areas: l. Learning about the ways of life of those outside our Jewish community and 2. teaching our members about the conditions and problems of the world and communities around us. Some excellent examples of educational programs are: inviting speakers to discuss current issues, holding an Islamic or Palestinian culture night, visiting a local museum to view an exhibit, or holding a seminar with a group of other ethnic groups to talk over some of the differences and similarities between Judaism and their movement. The educational fold is a potentially limitless fold. Use your creativity and knowledge. Remember, the educational fold deals mostly with the concept of learning.
Judaic
The Judaic program of AZA seeks to inculcate in its members an understanding of their religion and a habit of preserving the traditions of their people. AZA accepts as members Jewish boys of every persuasion -- Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and Reform. It cooperates with synagogues and temples in helping members learn to conduct their own services and understand the religious heritage of which each is a part. AZA chapters have undertaken a wide range of activity in this fold. Most hold their own services during the year and AZA Shabbat.
Social
Perhaps the best known yet least heralded of the five- folds is the social fold. The purpose of the social fold is to give members a chance to participate in recreational programs. Social programming is one of the best tools for recruiting new members and is a very strong fold if used properly and in the right proportion. AZA Chapters sponsor and participate in a wide variety of social programs, many with BBG chapters. These programs include dances, formals, picnics, pool parties, hay-rides, scavenger hunts, video and arcade marathons, Hanukkah parties, ice cream mixers, tail gate parties, conventions, beach trips, camping trips, and movie outings. Many of these programs serve as dual purpose in that they raise money for the AZA International Service Fund as well. One of the best known and planned social events takes place annually in Kansas City, Missouri. Nordaunian AZA sponsors an annual Matzah Ball Dance. Hundreds of people in the community attend and contribute to the event. Proceeds go to help fund the chapter and ISF.
Less complex social programs are also successful. The social fold is a very powerful tool when used in moderation. If a chapter has too many social events and participates in nothing else, the program becomes stagnant.
Source:www.bbyo.org