jews d

in
the

Hank Greenberg AZA #151 gathers before Opening Ceremonies.

Al Jolson AZA #317 and Emunah BBG #156 celebrate Distinguished Chapter Award wins.

Madison Zeidman and Alena Blumberg. both of Farmington Hills, Josh Elias of West
Bloomfield, Lacey Cohen of Bloomfield Hills, Jacob Edelson of Franklin and Ben Walters of
West Bloomfield catch up in between competitions.

Members of Dora
Savage BBG
#308 perform
during the Cheer
Competition.

Kishon AZA #63’s volleyball team gets ready for its game.

Teen Competitions

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early 300 Jewish teens
gathered at the end of
December to experience
exciting competitions, meaning-
ful moments and endless fun
at BBYO’s most highly antici-
pated annual event, Regional
Convention.
RC 2016, coordinated by
Amanda Halpern, a senior at
Walled Lake Western High
School, and Matthew Blackman,
a senior at Frankel Jewish
Academy, with the assistance
of BBYO Michigan’s Regional
Director Katie Fried, introduced
14 new competitions including
a Spelling Bee, Rap Battle and a
Chanukah competition, featur-
ing a baking contest, costume
show-off and dreidel spinning.
Other surprises included a
performance from Jewish rap-
per Kosha Dillz and its first-ever
“Talent Show in the D,” which

30

January 26 • 2017

took place at the Fillmore
Detroit.
Teens and families spent an
unforgettable evening in Detroit
visiting Menorah in the D, fol-
lowed by a thrilling talent show
at the Fillmore. At the show,
Michigan Region launched a
text-to-give campaign to raise
funds to support the BBYO pro-
gram, scholarships funds, and
other costs to sustain and grow
the region.
More than $4,000 was raised
in just two hours. Gifts are still
being collected. To participate,
text RC2016 to 41444.
“Regional Convention is
great because it is a chance to
bring teens together, have them
compete in a friendly environ-
ment and truly strengthen old
relationships while also creat-
ing new ones,” said Blackman.
“This year’s RC was fantastic,

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and I couldn’t be more satisfied
with the outcome!”
During Regional Convention,
Michigan Region’s AZA (boys’),
BBG (girls’) and BBYO (co-ed)
chapters compete in more than
30 competitions, including
Iron Chef, Cheer, D’var Torah,
basketball, volleyball, art and
more.
The convention culminates
with awards and closing cer-
emonies. This year, the Gen.
Maurice Rose AZA Most
Distinguished Chapter Award
went to Al Jolson AZA #317.
Emunah BBG #156 was award-
ed the Hart Targan Family BBG
Most Distinguished Chapter
Award.
Other top awards included
the AZA and BBG Most Spirited
Chapter Awards, won by Max
Fisher AZA #337 and Dora
Savage BBG #308. The newly

added MVP Awards, recogniz-
ing an individual AZA and BBG
member who made a signifi-
cant contribution to their chap-
ter, went to Ethan Krasman, a
senior in Kishon AZA #63, and
Margo Dickstein, a senior in
Ruach BBG #83.
This year, Regional Convention
fell over the Chanukah holiday.
Each evening, the convention
body celebrated Chanukah with
the help of The Well’s Rabbi Dan
Horwitz and Jordan Kay, BBYO
Michigan Region’s director of
Jewish enrichment.
BBYO also took extra steps
this year to ensure teens received
appropriate support and that
their needs were met. BBYO
partnered with Jewish Family
Service to arrange to have on-call
social workers and crisis man-
agement teams, and also held a
program on suicide prevention

BBYO holds
annual convention,
with talent show
Downtown.

and awareness, led by Yarden
Blumstein, a BBYO volunteer
adviser.
“Regional Convention is
one of the biggest and most
exciting highlights of the year
for Michigan Region, but this
year it was on a whole new
level with Talent Show at the
Fillmore!” said Jacob Edelson, the
regional godol (teen president)
of Michigan Region. “It amazes
me and fills me with pride to
see so many Jewish teens in one
place, knowing that the experi-
ence they’re getting through
BBYO and RC is creating lifelong
friendships while helping create
a stronger Jewish future.”
For details about BBYO
Michigan Region, including pro-
grams and membership, contact
Rachel Grey Ellis, senior regional
director, at (248) 432-5680 or
rellis@bbyo.org. •