To: Our Readers From: Our Leaders APRIL IN ISRAEL WITH BBYO Saying THANK YOU April was certainly the month to be in Israel with BBYO. Not only did 10 Michigan BBYOers participate in the March of the Living from April 14-28 but 15 Michigan BBYO Advisors and Staff were part of the Jewish Federation's Miracle Mission IV to Israel on April 18-28. In fact, our paths finally crossed at Ben Gurion Airport in the wee hours of the last night, and it was a joy to see the MOL kids, each expressing how much their journey to Poland and Israel meant to them. No one needs to tell me how much being in Israel means at this time. It is so important that Diaspora Jews do something now to support our brothers and sisters in the Jewish State. Everyone whom we met in Israel expressed delight that our almost 600-per- son-strong Mission had come. It wasn't just the economy we were there to boost. It was a way to demonstrate to Israelis that they are not alone. It was a way for each of us to show that something can be done by each one of us, even if we don't have the opportunity to be heroes. The BBYO Advisor/Staff Mission allowed many of the volunteers and professionals who work with our teens to experience Israel today - the land, the people, the promise, the opportunity, the hope - and be able to bring this information back home to the teens with whom they work. Our goal is evident: we need to re-establish the teen link to the Israel experience. Without it, the future relationship of North American Jewry to the State of Israel is in jeopardy. So the challenge is indeed set. How can we turn these positive youth and adult Israel experiences into motivation for more par- ents to reinsert a summer Israel program into the educational plan for their child? BBYO will be offering excellent opportunities next year for any teen who wants to go. Any one of our staff, advisors, or youth who have gone and returned this April would be happy to talk to interested parents. Please call us at the BBYO CSC at 248-788-0700. We look forward to connecting with you. Few things have had more impact on who I am today than BBYO. I was fortunate enough to have great mentors in AZA. My first chapter Aleph Godol (Akiba AZA, 1964) was Judge Barry Howard, for whom I learned great respect long before he became a judge. My advisor was Mickey Shanker - and I have shared my fond memories about Mickey's influence in this column before. I would go on and on, but the list would be too long! So let me just say a THANK YOU to you all...past and present, as I still keep getting back from BBYO. I was fortunate enough to take part in several of the OUTSTANDING summer programs that BBYO has to offer. I believe that my summer (1968) at Camp B'nai B'rith in Starlight, PA, had more impact on me than my four years at U of M. Because of the influence BBYO had on me, I became a committed volunteer for the organization. I became an advisor for ten years and have been on the Board of Directors for ten. I have seen this organization do wonderful things for a number of our youth, and I have been around long enough to enjoy seeing some of our BBYOers become community leaders. In fact, it was Steve Schanes, a past Aleph Godol of Goode AZA, a chapter that I advised, who asked me to sit on the Board of Directors shortly after he was the Chair. I doubt that I am much different than many of you about my feelings toward BBYO. I have been fortunate enough to be able to repay a debt of gratitude by giving of my time. Now we need another type of repayment. We have entered into a "Friends" Campaign in an effort to secure the future of Michigan Region BBYO. In these times, with money being tight from most of our funding sources, our Board wants to insure that dollars will not be the reason that our kids cannot have the wonderful experiences that we had. The minimum gift to the "Friends" Campaign is $2,500, paid over five years. There are naming opportunities available for larger gifts. You can contact the BBYO Chapter Service Center at 248-788-0700, or I would welcome your call (248-324-9331) or email (RMSegal@aol.com ). It would be a very nice way to say THANK YOU to BBYO! Shalom, Sincerely, ---- ,,.-- Arnold J. Weiner, MSW Rick Segal Senior Executive Regional Director Chairperson, BBYO Board of Directors MAY 14-16 1313Y0 Elections Training Conclave - Camp Maas, Ortonville MAY 22 Greenberg AZA Battle of the Bands - Akiva Hebrew Day School MAY 23 Herzl AZA 75th Anniversary Brunch - Windsor JCC - 11:00 a.m. BBYO/BBGLR Picnic/Field Day - Heritage Park - 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Detroit Teen Connection at C.J. Barrymore's, Clinton Township MAY 24 Board of Directors Annual Meeting - Beth Ahm - 7:30 p.m. JUNE 3 FLANS 2 AZA/BBG Regional Life Ceremonies - WBJCC - 4:00, 7:00 p.m. JUNE 10 AZA/BBG Council Installations & Awards Night - B'nai Moshe - 7:00 p.m. JUNE 13 JULY 13-25 Detroit Teen Connection at Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio CLTC #3 - Beber Camp, Mukwonago, WI JUNE 15-27 CLTC #6 - Perlman Camp, Starlight, PA JUNE 18-20 CLTC #7 - University of Judaism, Los Angeles, CA JUNE 27-JULY 11 Nitzotz Midwest - Chicago, IL JUNE 28-JULY 11 CLTC #4 - Beber Camp, Mukwonago, WI JUNE 29-JULY 11 ILTC - Perlman Camp. Starlight, PA CLTC #1 - Beber Camp, Mukwonago, WI Exec Weekend - Milan Conference Centre, Belle River, Ontario Nitzotz East - Baltimore/Washington D.C. Kesher L'Yisrael - Perlman Camp, Starlight, PA CLTC #2 - Beber Camp, Mukwonago, WI JUNE 29-JULY 11 CLTC #5 - Perlman Camp, Starlight, PA JULY 6-26 Kallah West - University of Judaism, Los Angeles, CA JULY 12-25 Derech Eretz West - High Sierra Mountain and River Adventure JULY 13-25 JULY 13-25 JULY 20-AUG. 3 JULY 28-AUG. 9 JULY 29-AUG. 15 AUG. 1-15 Derech Eretz East - New England Adventure AUG. 16-22 International Convention - Perlman Camp, Starlight, PA AUG. 17-22 VIP Leadership Camp - Milan Conference Centre, Belle River, Ontario 0 BBYO B°YACHAD 0 TOGETHER o BBYO B°YACHAD 0 TOGETHER 0 BBYO B*YACHAD 0 TOGETHER o BBYO B°YACHAD o TOGETHER