When I was in grade 8, I attended a program called “elections workshops”. It was a program where the regional board ran activities for us to learn about the options for chapter board. We participated in six activities and each one centered around a different board position. Writing an encouraging message to teach us about being a chapter Morah. A casino themed game to teach us about Gizborit. Setting the shabbat table to learn about Sh’licha. However, my favourite of all was the one for chapter Mazkirah. We created skits and then took photos and videos of the performances. When I went home that night, I decided that I wanted to be chapter Mazkirah. The election packet for the Fall Term 2024 chapter board came out a few days later. With no hesitation, I declared for chapter Mazkirah. 

Fast forward 3 weeks later, I won. I was filled with nothing but happiness, and I kept that throughout my entire term. The next term I had to make a tough decision. Did I want to continue with this position that I know makes me happy, or did I want to level up and challenge myself by running for Chapter N’siah in grade 9. I decided to run for N’siah, and I won! Throughout my whole term, Mazkirah stayed in the back of my head. As much as N’siah was one of the most incredible terms I’ve served for, I always thought back to Mazkirah. That’s why, that year in grade 9, I decided to declare for Lake Ontario Region’s 46th Regional Mazkirah. I worked and worked for weeks to build my video, platform, and speech to lead up to elections day, and when it finally arrived, it was like nothing I'd ever seen before. It was so different from chapter elections and was so new. It was so scary but I went into it with the mindset that everything would go according to my plan and I would win. 

What I learned that day was that not everything always goes according to your plan or dream. I lost. I was devastated but decided to pour my heart into re-running for my Chapter’s N’siah. Chapter elections day came, and I swore I would win. After all, I’d done the position before, I talked to everyone in my chapter, and I’d just bounced off of a regional loss. But I learned that lesson again that not everything goes according to plan when I lost again. Fortunately, I won my slide of Mazkirah. Even though at the time I was in the mindset of “I would rather do anything but Mazkirah again”, it turned out to be a good building block for me. See, I convinced myself that Mazkirah was ruined for me. I convinced myself I hated it. I moved through my term like a ghost, I did the bare minimum of my job, and made no attempt to be known to the new members of my chapter. Near the end of the term, I started to drag myself out of the pit I dug myself into. I put more effort into my job, not because I particularly wanted to but because I felt like I owed it to my chapter and myself. I began to enjoy it more, but not enough to do it again.

The next term elections packet then got released and I told myself, “I will run for chapter N’siah one more time, I will not slide to Mazkirah, I will not be Mazkirah ever again”. I declared for N’siah and slid to Morah. Elections day came, and I was less nervous than I had been for any other election. Then again, it was my fifth election, fourth in my chapter. I felt confident, but more than that, I found myself at a peace. I decided that whatever happened happened, but with one rule. I would not be chapter Mazkirah again. Well as you might guess, I once again learned the lesson that not everything goes according to plan. I lost chapter N’siah, and then lost my slide of chapter Morah. Someone nominated me for Mazkirah and without thinking, in spur of the moment, I said yes. I ended up as chapter Mazkirah this term again. I started it by thinking “ugh. great. this again”. But as the term went on, I began to find my love for chapter Mazkirah again. Close to the same love I had in that first term of grade 9. I finally understood why everything happened the way it happened. I had to learn that, 1. Not everything always goes according to plan, and 2. Setbacks can end up being truly amazing things. Looking back, I do not regret saying yes to my Mazkirah nomination to serve a third term. In fact, I’m really really grateful for it.

Submitted with undying love for,

Tziporah BBG #2248, Lake Ontario Region #36, BBG, setbacks, Mazkirah (even 3x), and the International Order,

I forever remain,

Samara Linde Stein, forever a proud BBG and Mazkirah.