Metro

ON THE COVER

Kulanu BBG members Michelle
Rubin, 16, of Farmington Hills,

Emma Cohen, 16, of West

Bloomfield, Marissa Ceresnie,
15, of Farmington Hills, Sarah

Achayot BBG members at the RC talent show: Natile Wanetick, 15,

Groden, 17, of Bloomfield Hills,

of Southfield; Rachel Klisman, 16, of Farmington Hills; and Jamie
Goode, 15, Sara Al-Azem, 14, Alissa Cohen, 14, and Erin Goode, 17,

and Eden Adler, 15, Farmington
Hills at Regional Convention.

all of West Bloomfield.

Competitive Spirit

BBYO Regional Convention draws
record crowd.

Left: Members of
Savage BBG enjoy

their win after

being named Most
Distinguished BBG

Chapter at Regional

Convention.

Shaye Winer

Teen2Teen Staff Writer

Below: Members of
Kishon AZA celebrate

T

his year's winter vacation gathering was the largest
Regional Convention in 10 years for Michigan Region, with
403 B'nai B'rith Youth Organization members attending
events the last full week of December. The teens rallied around this
year's theme of "being the change you wish to see in the world."
Regional Convention, also known as RC, serves as a prime event
for all members, and also as a way to recruit new members to BBYO.
RC is the highlight of the programming year, with months of plan-
ning going into this action-packed week. Hayley Mandell, a junior at
North Farmington High School, and Eric Tugender, a senior at Walled
Lake Western, were the youth-elected RC coordinators.
"Sometimes it was hard for me to compromise months and months
of planning for one week, but all of the work was definitely beyond
worth it as I saw my planning play out," Hayley said.
The week was filled with competitions that included whirly-
ball, volleyball, basketball, swimming, track, oratory, storytelling,
extemporaneous writing, quiz bowl, cheer, song — and finally the
talent show at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. Most
other activities were held at the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield.
An award ceremony is the highlight of closing ceremonies. While
every chapter placed in many individual events and all the hard work
was evident, Kishon AZA and Savage BBG were crowned the most dis-
tinguished chapters in the Michigan Region for 2007.
RC happens once every year, but this one stood apart from others
in the past. The theme of compassion really stood out and opened
many people's eyes as well as their hearts.
"Watching my peers cheer, sing and promote issues in our
world was insightful," said Samantha Dines, a sophomore at West
Bloomfield High School. "I watched in awe as I realized that we are
the people who can change the future, and we are actually starting
right this very moment."
"Out of all the RCs, I enjoyed this one the most because not only
did I meet people, but I felt we all connected in regards to the theme
through our songs, cheers, banners and T-shirts/sweatshirts" said
Adam Weiner, a senior at Birmingham Groves.
Another difference was that this RC marked the last one for
Arnie Weiner, Michigan Region director, who will retire in June.
Participants said some of the enthusiasm could be attributed to
wanting this to be a special final RC for Weiner.

❑

Shaye Winer, 16, is a junior at West Bloomfield High School.

For more RC photos, go to JNt2t.com.

A14

January 10 • 2008

winning the Gen.

Maurice Rose AZA
Most Distinguished

Chapter award at

Regional Convention.

Shapiro AZA mem-
bers Ryan Achtman,

15, of Walled Lake and
Adam Weiner, 18, of

Birmingham with their

third-place-winning
entry in the banner
competition.