Youth Groups
It appears that the earliest youth group to form in Kitchener-Waterloo was a Zionist group called the Kitchener Judaeans, which came together in 1925 but soon disbanded because it did not “provide enough entertainment for the young folks.” In 1933, a Kitchener chapter of A.Z.A., Freiman 411, was formed. Aleph Zadik Aleph was a branch of B’nai B’rith for teenagers. In 1957, this group still had only 12 members, but this increased to 40 after a Jewish Youth Day was held in Guelph. One yearly event was the “Sweetheart” competition amongst the girls of the B’nai Brith Youth Organization. The winner, selected by a committee of A.Z.A. officers, went on to compete in the Southern Ontario Regional Sweetheart Ball in Toronto. She was judged on personality, charm, intelligence, Jewish awareness and community interest.
Organized youth programming took off in 1957 with the formation of an Intercity Jewish Youth Commission, spearheaded by Leon Kumove at the suggestion of Canadian Jewish Congress. The Intercity Commission had youth representatives from Kitchener, Brantford, Guelph and Galt, as well as adult and rabbinical advisors. The Commission soon developed an active program of social, religious, community service and athletic activities. It was a partner of the existing B’nai B’rith Youth Organization. A B’nai B’rith Girls’ Club was also formed about this time with 30 members.
Young Judaea, the official organization for Zionist youth, had a branch in Kitchener on and off through the 1940s and 1950s. Young Judaeans, aged 10 to 13, learned about Israel and Zionism through songs, dancing and writing to pen pals. They met for discussions of current events and raised money for tree-planting in Israel. A highlight of Young Judaea for Alec Orzy was the conventions held in Toronto, which meant a weekend of independence in the big city. “To go there was heaven; everybody there was Jewish. It was a thrill!”
