Happenings

AZA Sweathearts and BBG Beaus seem to making a come-back on the West Coast. Greater Los Angeles Region recently held its first annual Sweatheart/Beau Ball. Each AZA and BBG Chapter selected a sweatheart or beau to be its representative at the dance. Everyone who attended the semi-formal event had an opportunity to select the one AZA and one BBG member to be proclaimed Regional Sweatheart and Beau.

Mike Kravitz from Yam Va'harim AZA and Elaine Segal from Westchester BBG were chosen to represent the Greater Los Angeles Region for 1976.

Happenings

Covenant AZA #446, Greater Los Angeles Region recently held its Third Annual Passover Seder.

The chapter members invited parents, AZA and BBG members and guests to share with them to show their unity as Jews.

Over 60 participants agreed that it renewed their Jewish identity and had provided a sense of Community Togetherness.

A complete Seder meal was prepared and served by the chapter members with the assistance of their Godol David Matcha, who had organized the event.

Happenings

On August 25th, Covenant AZA #446 of Greater Los Angeles Region collected dry, high-protein foods for Soviet Jewish prisoners. The food was transferred to the Jewish Federation which is seeing to it that the products are distributed to Jewish prisoners. The dry foods will feed several starving prisoners who work and receive no protein in their daily menu.

The Chapter also sponsored a look at "The Life That Disappeared: The Jews of Eastern Europe from 1935 to 1939." Using a slideshow which is available on a free loan from the National BBYO office and a local rabbi, the Chapter members had an opportunity to understand a little better the culture of Eastern European Jewry which was destroyed by the Holocaust.

Other Chapters interested in sponsoring a similar program should reserve the slideshow, "The Life That Disappeared," from the BBYO National office. Please give several alternative dates and make your request at least two months in advance. The slideshow is loaned at no charge for periods not to exceed one week.

On May 2, 1976, the Los Angeles United Jewish Welfare Fund sponsored its annual Walk for Israel and Israel Independence Day celebration. Ladera AZA did more than its share to make the day a success. The chapter was responsible for coordinating all the BBYO'ers on the walk from Greater Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, and Southwest Regions of District 4.

The members of Ladera also built and ran a Falasha Jewry Booth in conjuction with the Student Pro-Falasha Committee and the American Association for Ethiopian Jews. The booth was a replica of an actual synagogue of the "black Jews of Ethopia," who are suffering discrimination, disease, starvation, and possible extinction as they await passage to Eretz Yisrael.

Last year the alephs of Ladera AZA raised over $400.00 for the Falashas through the soliciting of advertisements for their Chapter yearbook.

Ladera AZA is a member of Club 28 and the ISF $100 Club.

A Round-Up of District Conventions

The District 4 Convention-Institute names "The District 4 Experience," featured two-and-a-half days of Leadership Institute Workshops and Electives. In addition to basic sessions on leadership skills, participants had an opportunity to choose elective subjects covering such items as "Working with Creative Jewish Programming," "Dealing with Large Numbers of Programs," "Maintaining Enthusiasm and Dealing with Apathy," etc.

The DCI was held for the second year on the campus of the Univesity of The Pacific in Stockton, Ca., from June 20th to 25th. All participants were members of a basic institute group which met for four sessions. Groups were led by Regional Directors, assisted by staff from their own Regions. Institute group members were not placed with staff from their respective Regions.

Evening programs included a special version of the "Twister Game," a dance. a Regional Skit Night on the theme of the Bicentenial, and a banquet featuring the awarding of prizes and installation of new officers.

Also featured at the Convention were business sessions, contest finals, and Life Membership ceremonies.

30 Chapters Receive Highest Honor

Ladera AZA received the Henry Monsky All-Around Chapter Award

Exciting International Contest Finals

Beth Shean BBG received the Program of the Year Award for BBG Chapter Activities for their Dance Marathon. Covenant AZA took First Place in AZA Newspaper Contest.

Happenings

For 25 years, BBYO members throughout Southern California have gathered to worship together on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Once again this year, over 800 BBYO members from Greater Los Angeles, Southwestern, and San Fernando Valley Regions gathered at the Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica to conduct and participate in their own service.

Probably the only services of their kind in North America, the youth conducted and participated in the English and Herbrew reading of the scripture, choir singing, reading of the Torah, sounding the shofar, and writing, as well as delivering the sermonette.

All funds for this program were donated by the B'nai B'rith Women of District 4.