Reznikoff AZA
From Wikibbyo
Reznikoff AZA #2283 is the best chapter in all of Mountain Region and possibly the best in the whole Grand Order of AZA
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History of Reznikoff AZA
Taken directly from the Reznikoff AZA Navy Blue Book Version 5.0
The chapter that was to become Rabbi Marvin M. Reznikoff AZA #2283 started out as a co-ed BBYO chapter in the Tri-City Area of Arizona in the early to middle 1970's. The chapter, at that time, was called Tempe BBYO. Not much is known about Tempe BBYO except that it lasted until somewhere around the late 1970's. The next chapter of BBYO to open in the Tri-City area opened not long after the closing of Tempe BBYO. The chapter this time, however, was called Tovah BBYO. Tovah BBYO had originally been the youth group of Temple Emanuel of Tempe, but had decided to leave Temple Emanuel and became affiliated with the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization on September 17th, 1979. The chapter then had 26 members.
On February 5th, 1980, the first Rabbi of Temple Emanuel, Rabbi Marvin Reznikoff, passed away. Shortly after, mostly likely around 1983, Tovah BBYO decided to split up into separate AZA and BBG chapters. The BBG would retain their original name and become Tovah BBG #2117; the AZA chapter would take their original name and become Rabbi Marvin Meir Reznikoff AZA #2283. Not much is know about Reznikoff or Tovah during this period, except that they survived as relatively unrecognized chapters in Mountain Region for at least 5 years or more. They initially met in a storefront on Southern Avenue until the Tri-City Jewish Community Center moved to its new site at the Ward School Building in around 1984. Around 1989, however, Reznikoff and Tovah no longer had enough members to keep the chapters open, and BBYO as a whole folded in the Tri-City area.
In September 1992, Mountain Region began plans to reactivate Reznikoff AZA and Tovah BBG. The board of Greater Phoenix Council, led by Council Aleph Godol Scott Tager and Council S’ganit Judith Simon, located six teenagers in the Tri-City area who were interested in working with BBYO. These six teenagers were Dan Fox, Oren Gottfried, Gabe Brat, Sharon Bayer, Jason Faulkner, and Olivia Lane. These members, with the help of advisors, Shari Davis and Andrea Benkel, became the original of what was known as Tri-City BBYO. The main focus of this group was recruitment of new members, and Mountain Region granted Tri-City BBYO a membership exception so that they could begin recruiting members in April of their seventh grade year of junior high rather than in April of their eighth grade year as well allowed to most chapters. By September of 1993, Tri-City BBYO had grown to 13 members under the leadership of their first and second (and only) Godolim, Oren Gottfried and Aaron Blau, respectively. For this and other achievements, Tri-City BBYO had grown to 13 boys and 11 girls, enough to finally split the chapter back into AZA and BBG sides. Reznikoff AZA had returned, and they elected Dan Fox of Casa Grande, Arizona, as their first Aleph Godol.
Reznikoff AZA continued to thrive after splitting from Tri-City BBYO. However, they experienced several setbacks in the Winter Term of 1995-1996 when their original advisor, Jon Goldman, decided to leave. Their other advisor, Asher, also departed to take a job in South Korea. Reznikoff AZA was left without an advisor until Eric Brody, an ASU student, stepped in briefly until the Summer Term of 1996. At that point, Reznikoff AZA recruited two of its greatest advisors, Aaron Alpert and Steven Stein.
In the summer of 1996, Reznikoff AZA had its first graduating class as seniors Dan Fox, Gabe Brat, and Charles Givre departed for college. Dan Fox was the first member to take out life since the chapter had reopened. Later in the year, at Convention 1996, Reznikoff AZA under the leadership of Aleph Godol Adam Berkowitz, took home the Leo S. Berney Chapter of the Term Award, the most prestigious award a chapter can receive in Mountain Region. Reznikoff AZA also won this award twice more (under Godolim Evan Glazer and Evan Brom), making it the only chapter to receive the award three consecutive time in that time of Mountain Region. Also in the 1995-1996 programming year, Reznikoff AZA had its first two regional officers ever as Aaron Blau was elected 48th Term Regional Shaliach and Evan Glazer, Sopher.. Likewise, in the 1996-1997 programming year, in perhaps its greatest achievement to date, Reznikoff AZA took home the Henry Monsky All-Around Chapter Award, awarded only to the chapters deemed to be the finest in the entire international order of the Aleph Zadik Aleph.
In 1999, Advisors Aaron Alpert and Steven Stein decided to depart for their other lines of work. At this time, Reznikoff AZA was to be advised by Dan Weinstein, a former Regional Aleph Godol of Central Region East. Jason Smith, of Cotton States Region, joined Dan for a few years. Soon, Dan Weinstein came to part with Reznikoff AZA. However, in 2002, Reznikoff AZA soon gained both another full-time advisor, Alumnus Aaron Blau, and a part-time advisor, Ari Dropkin. In 2004 Ari Dropkin left Reznikoff AZA as an advisor and left Aaron Blau to take care of Reznikoff AZA by himself.
In early 2007, the Regional Director, Jayme David, decided to hire Alumnus Steven Baker of Frankfurter as Metro Phoenix Director. Soon after, in March 2007, Reznikoff AZA Advisor Aaron Blau announced that he was going to depart from Reznikoff AZA to focus more on his family and his career. For many months, Reznikoff was going through different advisors trying to find a good fit. Finally, in 2008 Brad Levkowitz and Zach Charnofsky decided to become the chapter’s advisors. Since then, Reznikoff AZA has been setting the standards for strong leadership and has been one of the premiere chapters in the region.
Location
Reznikoff AZA #2283 occupies the East Valley of Phoenix Arizona. Namely, the members of Reznikoff are from Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, and Mesa. Reznikoff meets at the East Valley JCC located in Tempe, Arizona.
Chapter Information
Name
Marvin Meir Reznikoff AZA
Number
- 2283
Mascot
Ducks
Colors
Blue and Yellow
Location
East Valley Phoenix, Arizona (Tempe)
Term
36th Term
Chapter Board
Reznikoff AZA #2283's 36th Term Executive Board:
