100 Years Ago
Lewis Sutin and Isaac Rabinowitz
(From the Oct. 24, 1924 issue of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle)
A regular meeting of the A.Z.A. was held Sunday, October 19th, at the “Y” building. The following young men were voted into the Order: David Brockman, Meyer Gottlieb and Morris Abrams. The membership drive is now on in earnest and the organization hopes to obtain 50 new members before the annual convention is held next July. A committee is at work on plans for a dance to be given for members of the A.Z.A. and their friends. The dance will be a “Get-Acquainted” affair. …
The “Y play, “Come Out of the Kitchen,” is in readiness to be presented Sunday and Monday nights, October 26 and 27, in the “Y” Auditorium. It should also be said that the auditorium itself is ready for the presentation of its premier theatrical venture, which will not only show the acting material of the “Y” but it will reveal the excellence of the acoustics of the hall. (The “Y Players” cast includes Two’s Alephs Lewis Sutin as Paul Dangerfield and Isaac Rabinowitz as Charles Dangerfield). The Association Orchestra, under the direction of Harry Greenberg, will furnish the music for the performance. This will be a great treat, as it will be the first time that they have appeared. (The Orchestra includes Harry Levine of Two’s AZA).
50 Years Ago
(Editorial from the Oct. 25, 1974 issue of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle)
Lore Bohm and Alan Jacobs have been named coordinators of the annual BBYO regional convention, which will be held here Dec. 23-26. They are already hard at work with the steering committee, which includes a group of 32 BBYOers. Although the convention will encompass many areas of activity, the focus will be on the series of workshops and speakers, as well as the business sessions. The workshops will deal with three main areas: Living Together, Growing Together; Searching So Long; and Reach Out and Touch. The convention serves as a learning experience for the more than 300 delegates and alternates, who come from Kansas City, St. Louis, Wichita and St. Joseph.
25 Years Ago
(From the Oct. 22, 1999 issue of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle)
Seventy-five years ago in Omaha, Neb., a response to the exclusion of Jews from high school fraternity groups, a Jewish youth group was established.
The formation of the first B’nai B’rith -Youth Organization Aleph Zadik Aleph, will be marked in this area on the weekend of June 23-25, 2000, with a Kansas City BBYO reunion and other events celebrating the 75th birthday of AZA.
“Seventy five years ago, they had fraternities in high school, and they were not allowing the Jewish kids to belong,” said Sheri Applebaum who is co-chairing the reunion with her husband, Rick. “So a group of them in Omaha got together and got an adviser and said ‘We want a fraternity, too.'”
They formed AZA #1 in Omaha. That is still a chapter today that is going strong. They are known as the ‘Mother Chapter.'”
The second chapter was soon formed in Kansas City, Applebaum said. And, like its predecessor AZA #2 is also still around and involving Kansas City area youth.
Kansas City’s celebration is one of many being planned by AZA chapters across the nation. In addition, former youth group members from Wichita, Kan., and St. Joseph, Mo., are being invited to the Kansas City reunion events.
“We just decided to do ours as a BBYO reunion, to include both the AZA and the BBG (B’nai B’rith Girls) chapters,” said Applebaum, who was a BBG member from 1968-71 and an adviser from, 1973-76.
Howard Noah, publicity chairman for the BBYO 75th anniversary reunion, was in HST (Harry S. Truman) AZA from 1961-65 and now serves on the BBYO adult advisory board. He also is past president of B’nai B’rith District 2, now called the Midwest Region.
“We are seeking all alumni, all chapter advisers, advisory board members, friends of BBYO … We figure, with 75 years, you’ve got 40,000 members. At the moment, there are probably 400 active BBYOers. And in the 1960s, when I was a member and Sheri was a member, there was probably closer to 600 members — because there were a lot more chapters.”
Locating members and records is a major goal of reunion planners. Prior to 1953, records were not well kept Applebaum and Noah said. “So we are looking for Buzz Books to find members, or membership lists,” Noah said.
Applebaum said word of mouth, and publicity in The Jewish Chronicle has helped bring alumni together.
The reunion weekend June 23-25 will include worship services Friday at Temple B’nai Jehudah, a dinner/dance party Saturday evening at Bartle Hall and a family breakfast Sunday morning at the Jewish Community Center.
Noah, who now serves on the adult advisory board, said youth groups provide leadership and growth opportunities to children.
“It gives them a chance, as younger children, to sort of spread their wings under the guidance of adults,” Noah said. “They are given the opportunity to show leadership skills. They plan dances and have to organize the food, venue and transportation. It gives them responsibility ….
“Over the years, if you look at the synagogues and Jewish organizations in Kansas City, quite a few of the people leading these organizations were probably BBYO alums.”
Between now and June reunion organizes will focus on finding alumni,gathering memorabilia and planning the events. In addition, they are planning to publish a 75th Year Reunion Buzz Book, which will include names memories and advertisements. “With one addition,” Noah said. “E-mail addresses.”
Already, 900 alumni names have been gathered by organizers Applebaum said. Some are local, many now live in other states, or countries including Israel. Many of those out-of-owners are planning to attend the reunion in June.
“It’s going to be one huge birthday party,” Applebaum said. “We really want to bring people back together again.”
Noah said, “One, we want to have a reunion for friends who haven’t seen each other for many years. The other thing is to remind people of BBYO and the good time they had and to help BBYO, which is still helping youth in the Midwest and throughout the country. We. want to make sure BBYO is around for a long, long time — for our children and grandchildren.”
