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Greetings from Norm Kurtz
FJMC President |
NORM KURTZ, FJMC PRESIDENT,
LEADS FJMC MISSION TO SOUTH AMERICA
One of my goals as FJMC president was to lead a mission to Latin America. I was inspired to do this by Rabbi Shmuel Szteinhendler's remarks to the 2005 FJMC International Convention in Florida. Rabbi Shmuel is one of the leading Masorti rabbis in Latin America.
I aimed to be the first Masorti group of laymen to visit our brethren in South America in a demonstration of Masorti unity - showing our commitment to k'lal yisrael. Our group traveled to Chile and Argentina from February 25 through March 5. We visited several kehillot (communities) in the Santiago and Buenas Aires metropolitan areas. Spending many enjoyable hours together, we learned and we shared with members of these congregations, large and small. We discovered that our similarities are many and our differences are few.
Elsewhere in this publication and in future issues of "Hashofar" and the "CJ" magazine you will read more of our experience. It was a wonderful, meaningful and educational journey for each of us. We forged many relationships and it is my hope to strengthen the ties that bind us together.
Norm Kurtz
FJMC President
NormKurtz@fjmc.org |
| The Travelling Jews:
The FJMC Mission to South America |
From left to right top row Bob Rosemark, Jerry Agrest, Michael Abadi, Norm Kurtz,Bruce Sicherman, Arnie Miller, Richard Gray. bottom row Rabbi Stzeinhendler, Estele Agtrest, Barbara Rosemark, Lillian Gray, Rabbi Simon
We visited 2 countries, many Masorti synagogues and delivered 14 sets of tefillin and over 130 mezuzot. Follow the link to see our wounderful trip.
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World Wide Wrap It was great |
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Our first Virtual World Wide Wrap
Thanks to all who participated and brought out clubs and the Jewish world closer together.
Bruce Sicherman
FJMC Program VP and 2008 World Wide Wrap Chairman |
| News of our Regions
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Is your club or region embarking upon a wellness intiative? If not, why not? Meet the Challenge presented by our Past President, Dr. Bob Braitman. We will be presenting some of the responses clubs have made to this challenge in upcoming issues of HaShofar. If you want your club or region to get noticed and be eliegible for a Torch Award, let us know about what your are accomplishing. In upcoming issues of HaShofar we will be featuring highlights of this new FJMC initiative.
Editor
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Lake Ontario Region: Our first annual Man of the Year Breakfast on Sunday, March 9th. Beth Tzedec Men's Club hosted the event and more than 140 people attended. Through the efforts of our members and sales from a 50/50 draw, we were able to provide continued financial support for the Tikvah Fund at Camp Ramah Canada.
Those honoured were:
Adath Israel Hersh Garnick
Beth David B'Nail Israel Beth Am Kalman Bielak
Beth Emeth Bais Yehudah Harold Bricks
Beth Tikvah Moe Horenfeldt
Beth Tzedec Dave Pullan
Or Shalom Dave Rotman Z'L
Shaar Shalom Jack Cayne
Al Mervin, President
Lake Ontario Region
If a club in your region has a great program idea, please let us know so we can share the information with our members.
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| Shomrei Ha-aretz
an ongoing program for Men's Clubs |
| A Men's Club Response to Stewardship and Environmental Awareness
Project Shomrei Ha-aretz is the FJMC project to fulfill our Biblical tradition as Stewards or Shepherds - Guardians of the Land.
Tip of the Month:
Go Paperless
We all know that sooner or later we will be doing all our financial transactions electronically. Credit card companies as well as utilities and banks now keep your records available for several years. So, take the plunge, go on-line and switch to paperless billing and electronic bill pay. Bills that are relatively constant are prime for automatic deduction from your bank accounts. Cell phone companies and ISP's will even charge your credit cards so you can get airline miles or cashback. Chase Bank is now offering to give the World Wildlife Federation $5 if cardholders go paperless.
Talk about this at your club meeting and promote it to your entire club and synagogue community through the bulletin. Get back to me with your actions and results so that we can motivate others.
Richard Gray
rwgray@msn.com
Shomrei Ha'aretz Chairman
Visit:
http://energy.fjmc.info/StewardNewsletterV112.pdf to read the latest issue of of the Stewardship Newsletter in pdf format.
Just remember, every time you fill your car's tank with gasoline , there is something you can do to make a difference and acclerate a world wide trend to reduce dependence on petroleum and related products.
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FJMC is initiating a program to assist you in making energy conservation a meaningful Jewish activity in your synagogue community. We have a special newsletter with programming ideas, links to other organizations and designs for the FJMC signature Solar Ner Tamid. To get on the list contact Richard Gray at rwgray@msn.com . |
| FJMC Quality Club Award:
Your club stands out in the crowd! |
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How NOT to Win the Quality Club Award
There are some sure-fire ways not to win the Quality Club Award this year, but it's going to take some doing. It's actually not that difficult to earn, but to achieve it is going to mean a lot in the eyes of your members. Earning the award means that your club's participation and activities meet a certain threshold that you can point to with pride, and your future advertising can include the adjective "award-winning."
But there are a couple of activities that, if you don't do them, will cause you not to win. If you didn't register for the World Wide Wrap or if you didn't order Yom Hashoah candles this year, you're automatically out of the running. And if you're not paid up in your dues by June 1, you need not clear a place on the wall for the plaque. And finally, if no one from your club will have attended a regional retreat or a consultant-led training program between June 1, 2007, and May 31, 2008, you're not going to win this year. But the vast majority of clubs ARE still in the running - including, most likely, yours.
All you need to do is to look at the award criteria listed in the links below. Check off the activities your club has already done and look at the various options that you have for the remaining ones that you need. On the international level you only need to meet five of eight criteria, and on the regional/club level you only need eight of 14. But one thing that is a must is that you need to complete the attached Quality Club Scorecard and submit it with information about your local programs. Without that we cannot determine whether you have met the criteria at the regional/club level. And wouldn't you like your club to be in that select group of Quality Club Award winners?
Club and regional information should be sent to:
BOB KAPLAN at consultrk@hotmail.com.
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| Recipe of the month - food by men's clubbers for all to enjoy! |
Recipe for Worms - YES These are Kosher!
This is an old Sicherman Family recipe. Our Uncle Dave was served this
one night and asked if our aunt was serving worms. The name stuck; enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 pound of fine noodles
1 bag of Uncle Ben's Boil in Bag Rice
1 Packet of Goodman's Onion Soup
Vegetable Oil for frying
at least 2 Cups of Boiling Water
Method:
Heat Oil
Pour one pound of Fine noodles into hot Oil
Mix the noodles so they don't burn
When they begin to brown add the contents of Rice (uncooked)
Mix Onion Soup with 2 cups of boiled water
Add additional boiled water to insure moisten rice and noodles
continue to cook until water is absorded
Soften to taste (add boiling water as necessary)
Bruce Sicherman, FJMC Vice President
HudsonValley Region
This is a monthly series of recipes of Men's Club favourites - food prepared by men's clubbers for family and friends! If you have some fun, tasty and filling recipes - send them in to HaShofar. |
| Foundation for Jewish Life |
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FJMC Foundation Grant Awarded
The FJMC has been at the frontline of the development of innovative and creative programing. Just prior to the 2007 FJMC Biennial Convention, the FJMC Foundation for Jewish Life created a program designed to encourage FJMC affiliated Men's Clubs to develop and deploy innovative programming that could be replicated by other FJMC Men's Clubs. There are two categories:
Category 1: Grants up to $2000 for clubs to develop an innovative programs.
Category 2: Grants up to $1000 for clubs who have already developed an innovative program and need assistance in deploying and marketing their program to other FJMC clubs.
The Jacksonville Jewish Center Men's Club created the Yad Shel Chai Award program a number of years ago. The program was established with the goal of stimulating post b'nai mitzvot to continue reading Torah. The award is given to b'nai mitzvot who have read a minimum of 18 Torah portions at services. This must be done prior to completing high school or attaining the age of 19. At least 7 of the portions must be read during Shabbat Services.
Upon completion of the requirements a silver yad and a certificate of achievement are awarded to the individual. Many continued to read as many as 50 portions.
The JJC Men's Club presented a marketing plan and proposed budget and has partnered with the FJMC Florida Region in promoting this unique program. The hope is that it will, in the future, become an FJMC sponsored program, such as the Yellow Candle, World Wide Wrap and Build-A-Pair programs
For more information about FJMC Foundation Grant Program, you may contact either Myles Simpson at agouraguy@aol.com or Robert Mandel, MD at wood-doc@cfl.rr.com
Future articles will show you how to participate and will feature the grants already awarded. For further information you may contact either
Myles Simpson, Chair at myles.a.simpson@fjmc.org or
Robert J. Mandel, MD, Treasurer at wood-doc@cfl.rr.com |
| FJMC STORE PRICE CHANGES |
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Due to increased costs from our supplier, as of February 15th, the prices of Deluxe Tefillin and Deluxe Gift Sets will increase as follows. The new price will remain in effect until Pesach, when they will increase again:
Regular Deluxe (Ashkenazi & Sephardi, Left-handed and Right-handed):
OLD PRICE: NEW PRICE:
$260 $280
Deluxe Gift Sets (Ashkenazi & Sephardi, Left-handed and Right-handed):
OLD PRICE: NEW PRICE:
$270 $290
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| Sefer Haftarah |
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A Great Fundraising Idea!!!!!
The Complete Sefer Haftarah Scroll
1. Raise thousands of dollars for
your synagogue
2. To be read from on every Shabbat & Holidays
3. Convenient payment plan
4. 84 Haftarot
5. Handwritten on Parchment by Sofer In Isreal
6. Personal dedication on each Haftarah
For further information contact: Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs - 1-800-288-FJMC (3562)
New York Area: 212-749-8100
Email Al Mervin at al@ljsales.com
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| Hit the red button |
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| To make a contribution to the FJMC in honor of somebody or in memory, PRESS THE RED BUTTON. An FJMC acknowledgement card will be sent by the next business day.
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| The BIG Picture |
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Questions to ask
Are seeds from Afgan poppies used in Hamentashen?
Will there be a shortage of Danish pastries this year because of a certain newspaper cartoon?
Will all of the snow this winter REALLY help keep the vodka cold for Purim for our members in Canada and the eastern half of the USA?
Will higher gas prices encourage the consumption of cholent to encourage alternate fuel sources?
Are you troubled by these and other serious seasonal issues? Ask your Rabbi. Ask for club president. Ask your FJMC Consultant. These are the experts. If they don't have answers, look to the heavens and say out loud:
Chag Purim Sameach
A VERY HAPPY PURIM
Editor. |
Comments?
Questions?
Contact me:
Neil Melman
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International Convention 2009
What do the Bristol Stomp, Soft Pretzels, the Liberty Bell, the US Mint, the Declaration of Independence, Brotherly Love and Convention 2009 all have in common? The wonderful city of Philadelphia! The contract is signed and the word is out! The (FJMC) Brothers are going to take Philadelphia by storm for the week of July 4th for five fantastic, frenetic, fun-filled days of learning, living and loving Conservative Masorti Judaism a la Men's Club.
We will be staying at the five-star Loew's Philadelphia Hotel with its 500+ rooms and oodles of amenities. To keep you well fed and your energy level at peak, the Convention team is putting together a menu that will tickle your taste buds and still get your cardiologist's "hechsher!" It's a little early for us to take the wraps off our keynote speakers but we can assure you that each will be tops in his field and there will be a couple of surprises thrown in.
When you aren't busy with FJMC Convention activities proper, Joe Swerdlow and his hospitality crew remind us that Philadelphia is home to the National Constitution Center, Independence Hall (Declaration of Independence signed there), Liberty Bell Center, Philadelphia Museum Of Art and The "Rocky Steps," Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute Science Museum, Fairmount Park, the Betsy Ross House, the Please Touch Museum, the Battleship New Jersey (in Camden, NJ) and the Adventure Aquarium (in Camden, NJ). Don't miss the horse and carriage ride around the park - especially when you bring the wife and kids along.
Remember we will be celebrating both Canada Day and US Independence Day so this convention is certainly sure to start and end with a bang! As always, we Men's Clubbers provide our own fireworks but I'm sure we will count on a grand display provided by the city. Stay tuned to these pages as plans gel and we have more details to share.
Al Davis, Program Chairman
Need more information? Contact:
Stan Greenspan
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Are You Networking? |
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Are You on Facebook?
Some of us rather dense leaders of the FJMC would like to know about your experiences on Facebook or other social networking sites. We would like your suggestions and guidance on how we might make it work for the FJMC.
Please send a note and / or Facebook invitation to me, Richard Gray at rwgray@msn.com |
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Yom Hashoah Yellow Candles |
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The time for ordering Yom Hashoah Yellow Candles is rapidly coming to a close.
Order now! Lighting a candle is a mitzvah that we would not want to deny anyone.
Remember who benefits from the Yellow Candle Program:
· Men's Clubs. The program provides the Men's Club (or other participating group) a purpose and a significant project upon which to focus. The program is an excellent vehicle for training its members and cultivating volunteers.
· Synagogues. The program benefits the synagogue because it unites the congregation through an inter-age effort and provides a focus for Yom Hashoah programming.
· Communities. The program benefits the community by bringing the resources that Men's Clubs have at their disposal to aid and assist community observances and to make the public more aware of the lessons of the Holocaust.
· Our Youth. The FJMC has established an international scholarship fund "From Darkness into Light," available to members of USY groups in participating synagogues to help offset the cost of attending the USY Poland or Eastern Europe/Israel Seminar.
You can order the wax yellow candle that has been the signature of our program these past few years. Or, you can order an electronic LED version that we have introduced this year for those who are not able to light a flame.
For the wax candles check the website at http://www.yellowcandles.org/
For the LED version, contact Joel at Shrater@earthlink.net. Be sure to include FJMC in the email subject so it doesn't go the way of spams.
Joel Shrater,
Western Region
Yellow Candle Chairman
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| The FJMC Advantage |
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The Advantage is a newsletter aimed at club presidents and offers tips and advice on how to improve the way clubs operate. Everyone can benefit from the information provided - not just presidents. Check out the Advantage at the following LINK:
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| FJMC Kosher Wines |
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FJMC has affiliated with KosherWine.com to bring to our members the opportunity to purchase fine kosher wines through the Internet.
We will be providing reviews of selected wines in upcoming issues.
Editor |
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