Ema Shelcha
From Wikibbyo
Ema Shelcha AZA #2495, whose Alephs are also known simply as Emas is an Aleph Zadik Aleph chapter located in Agoura Hills, California where it serves the Conejo Valley, including: Agoura Hills, Westlake, Oak Park, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Moorpark, Simi Valley, and surrounding areas. It is one of twelve active AZA chapters in the Pacific Western Region #44.
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Leadership
Ema Shelcha's chapter runs according to parliamentary procedure. The Chapter has a Godol (President), S'gan (VP of Programming), Moreh (VP of Recruitment), Shaliach (VP of Judaism), Mazkir (Secretary), Gizbor (Treasurer), and Kohen Godol (Past President). Leadership terms last 6 months, at which point leadership is re-elected.
Advisers
Ema alumni and UCSB grad student Dustin “Poseidon” Weissman took over as Ema’s adviser in August of 2008. One year later, Alumni Justin Rosenberg began acting as an unofficial adviser. Dustin then returned and was the chapter advisor for a while. When Dustin's first child was born, he left the chapter to attend to his kid. The chapter existed for seven years without an advisor, until Nick Rosen was discovered and recruited to be the chapter advisor. Nick is the current advisor.
Meetings
Ema, like other chapters, has weekly meetings held every Monday night. The chapter comes together to discuss old and new business, hear reports given by chapter officers, and come together as a community once more.
Namesake
Ema Shelcha is Hebrew for ‘Your Mother’. The name is a throwback to AZA's cardinal principal, Filial Love, which is respect for ones mother and father. It is also a reference to "the Motherland", which is Israel.
Symbols and Traditions
Ema's chapter colors are red and black. They are not black and red.
A chapter mascot of Ema Shelcha has the following requirements: (1) It must be a mother (2) She must be Jewish (3) She must have red hair
The chapters original mascot was Shelia Broflovski (Kyle's Mom) from South Park Jane Jetson had been the chapter's mascots for several years after.Jane Jetson was considered the perfect example to represent a chapter called your mother; June Cleaver appears on "The Non-Weekly Ema" publication
The week before Convention 2011 at an Ema Convention Planning Meeting, a motion was passed to change the chapters mascot to Lois Griffin from the Family Guy T.V. Series. She has remained the Chapter Mascot as of recently.
In 2012, a few chapter members liberated an old play horse. Aleph Noah Bidna named this horse Carlos Spicyweiner. It has been decreed an unofficial Chapter Mascot.
The chapter newsletter is called "Ema's Monthly Periodical". Then-Aleph Sopher Edan Levanon released the first publication in early 2012.
Sister Chapter
Ema Shelcha AZA's sister chapter is Echad BBG. Ema and Echad share a strong brother-sister bond and participate in a number of events together throughout the term.
Chapter Aleph Godolim
- 34th: Benjamin Macofsky Summer/Fall 2016
- 33rd: Daniel Belson Winter/Spring 2016
- 32nd: Matt Michael Summer/Fall 2015
- 31st: Ryan Kaplan Winter/Spring '13-'14
- 30th: Daniel Eilon Summer/Fall 2014
- 29th: Dylan Levine Winter/Spring '13-'14
- 28th: Jacob Hershko Summer/Fall 2013
- 27th: Edan Levanon Winter/Spring '12-'13
- 26th: Brandon Grunberg Summer/Fall 2012
- 25th: Eliran Hershko Winter/Spring '11-'12
- 24th: Ethan Bidna Summer/Fall 2011
- 23rd: Ethan Banton Winter/Spring '10-'11
- 22nd: Ethan Banton Summer/Fall 2010
- 21st: Paul Fox Winter/Spring '09-'10
- 20th: Eliran Hershko Summer/Fall 2009
- 19th: Michael Fienberg Winter/Spring '08-'09
- 18th: Steven Sera Summer/Fall 2008
- 17th: Steven Sera Winter/Spring '07-'08
- 16th: Steven Sera Summer/Fall 2007
- 15th: Michael Rich/Steven Sera Winter/Spring '06-'07
- 14th: Ben Iker Summer/Fall 2006
- 13th: Dustin Sherman Winter/Spring '05-'06
- 12th: Zac Friedman Summer/Fall 2005
- 11th: Ben Iker Winter/Spring '04-'05
- 10th: Mike Sera Summer/Fall 2004
- 9th: David Dworkin Winter/Spring '03-'04
- 8th: Shane Steiner Summer/Fall 2003
- 7th: Blake Heller Winter/Spring '02-'03
- 6th: Dustin Weissman Summer/Fall 2002
- 5th: Justin Flam Winter/Spring '01-'02
- 4th: Alon Goren Summer/Fall 2001
- 3rd: Michael Lotan Winter/Spring '00-'01
- 2nd: Adam Liebling Summer/Fall 2000
- 1st: Adam Liebling Winter/Spring '99-'00
Notable Members
- Adam Liebling (1999) served as the first Godol of the Chapter
- Justin Flam (1999) was the first Aleph of Ema Shelcha to serve on the Regional Board, as Regional Moreh
- Ethan Bidna (2012) was the first Aleph of Ema Shelcha to serve on the Regional Board since Justin ten years prior, was the Chapter's first Regional Gizbor, and was instrumental bringing about the Great Age of the Chapter
- Edan Levanon and Noah Bidna (2013) were the first Alephs of the Chapter to serve on the Regional Board simultaneously, as Regional S'gan and Regional Gizbor respectively
- Edan Levanon (2014) served as the first Regional Godol from Ema Shelcha AZA
- Edan Levanon, Noah Bidna, and Dylan Levine (2014) were the first three Alephs of the chapter to serve on the Regional Board in the same term, as Regional Godol, Regional Moreh, and Regional Gizbor, respectively
Charter Members
- Elon Amihud
- Dani Bar-Zion
- Adam Eisenberg
- Justin Flam
- Michael Gillman
- Yonatan Gorodenzik
- Alon Goren
- Blake Heller
- Casey King
- Adam Liebling
- Damon Liebling
- Benjamin Lotan
- Michael Lotan
- Nick Sonnenberg
Founders
- Michael Bliss
- Jeremy Bliss
