Almost 100 years ago, 14 boys who had recently left Europe with their families had the idea for the first Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA) chapter in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1923. Under the leadership of Abe Baboir, Nathan Mnookin, and Sam Beber, the idea became official in 1924. It was an International Order and a branch of the B’nai B’rith Organization for young men. Almost 78 years ago, this time in Chicago, B’nai B’rith Girls (BBG) was created from the vision and leadership of Anita M. Perlman. This followed work done 17 years prior by Rose Mauser in San Francisco to create a women's version of AZA. Throughout the years, AZA and BBG created programs that still exist today, like the Chapter Leadership Training Conference (CLTC) and International Convention (IC). BBYO also made a difference in the world, helping communities damaged by the holocaust, demonstrating for the civil rights movement, and protesting the Soviet Union’s prevention of Jewish teen organizing. With all of this history, it makes sense why BBYO members would want to celebrate. On May 3rd, 2024, AZA and BBYO will celebrate their 100th birthday, and BBG will celebrate its birthday on April 22nd. Throughout the order, Founders Day is celebrated as a commemoration of the work that came before and the people who made BBYO possible.
Daniel Ovadia is an Aleph from Cherry Hill, NJ and I am the co opinion editor of my high school newspaper.
All views expressed on content written for The Shofar represent the opinions and thoughts of the individual authors. The author biography represents the author at the time in which they were in BBYO.