Adding Wrinkles
To Israel Trip
100
sgittEt
R omping In The
NBAs Footsteps . . . . 104

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1

Kishon AZA
swept the 1990s
at BBYO's Regional
Convention.

Far left: Kishon's
Regional Convention
coordinators: Joel
Danto, Dan Freeman
and .Mark Alperin.

Left: Adam Casini
runs a recent Kishon
meeting.

LISA BARSON
Special to the Jewish News

7

he 1999 Regional Convention of
the Michigan Region B'nai B'rith
Youth Organization is history. For
a week in late December, AZA
and BBG chapters competed in a variety of
games and competitions.
Many chapter members have created their
own traditions for Regional Convention, or
follow those of their predecessors from years
ago.
The Kishon AZA upheld a tradition
started in 1989, when for an unprece'dent-

ed 10th year in a row, the chapter won
Regional Convention's Most Distinguished
AZA Chapter Award.
The criteria to win are strict. Even qual-
ifying for the competition requires a high
level of participation. The chapters finish-
ing first, second or third in each of the
competitions are awarded points. In
December, Kishon placed in the top three
in all but one of the AZA competitions.
"Winning is just the reward. If we didn't
have fun, we wouldn't want to win," says
Kishon President Adam Casini. A senior at
North Farmington High School, Casini
joined Kishon while he was still in the

eighth grade. He participated in Regional
Convention for the past four years, and
feels a strong bond with his chapter.
"Our tradition is fraternity," he says,
"which we help foster all year. The-energy
that is created for RC is just incredible --
the guys pull together because we feel like
we have something worth representing."
Kishon builds excitement for Regional
Convention in many ways. The group's
convention coordinators assess the inter-
ests of each chapter member, and work
to get members involved in the events
they care about most. This year, 32 of
Kishon's 39 members participated in

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2000

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