100 Years Ago

(From the Dec. 12, 1924 issue of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle)

A regular meeting of the A.Z.A. was held Sunday, December 7th, at the “Y.” The Order will hold an initiation of all new members Sunday at Swope Park. The A.Z.A. will give a dance December 29th at the “Y” Building. … The AZA basketball team has won the three games it has played this season. The A.Z.A. team will play the Heroine Chapter of DeMolay team Friday, December 12th. Any team wishing games please call Sidney Magazine. … Isadore Pesman and Maurice Adelman were voted into the Order. The next meeting will be held Sunday, December 21st, at the “Y.”

90 Years Ago

(From the Dec. 14, 1934 issue of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle)

K.C. Chapter No. 2, A.Z.A., presented an interesting program at the meeting of K.C. Lodge, B’nai B’rith, Monday night at The Center. Arthur S. Schlesinger, Chairman, introduced David Minkin, Aleph Godol of A.Z.A., who acted as Chairman for the program. Nate Stein, Vice President of the local A.Z.A. chapter, in a brief talk, told of the work of the A.Z.A. Alvin Golberg presented two piano solos – Waltz by Liszt and Manhattan Serenade. …

The ”Nathan Mnookin Class” was given the first degree by Lester Peltzman. They were Alvin Goldberg, Hanan Wedlan and Fred Waldner….

Manuel Nowick of Boy Scout Troop 40, which is sponsored by A.Z.A., gave two readings; and Jack Brown, in a brief talk, gave a thumbnail sketch of the history of the A.Z.A. since its founding, over 10 years ago. …

Announcements was also made that next Sunday afternoon there will be an open meeting, with a program, at The Center Playhouse Auditorium in celebration of International A.Z.A. Day, to which the public is invited. The program will begin at 3 p.m. Aleph Kohen Godol Lester Peltzman giving the Invocation; Aleph Godol David Minkin will welcome the visitors and explain the purpose of the celebration. New members will be welcomed and presented their patents by Norman Bassin, Membership Committee. …

A talented A.Z.A. member,  Alvin Goldberg, will present a piano selection. Dave Minkin, presiding officer, will read the messages of Grand Aleph Godol Irving Hill and Sam Beber, founder of the A.Z.A.

The chief cultural presentation will be the Oratorical Contest, in which Alephs will compete for the title of “Chapter Orator” and the right to compete in the District A.Z.A. Oratorical Contest at St. Joseph, Mo., after a series of elimination trials. The finals will be held at the National Convention Camp at Hollister, Mo., in July. Competing orators will be Jack Sokolov, Leon Sedler, Nate Stein, Leonard Belove and Raymond Peltzman. Jack Brown, an Alumnus of A.Z.A., will speak following the contest on the activities of the local chapter. A banquet will be held Sunday night.