Upcoming Events

See links for additional information

Due to COVID-19, as of March 17, 2020, the remaining events in March, April and May are cancelled.  The June retreat is tentatively on!

March 2020

  • Understanding Substance Use Disorders, Part 1: The Opioid Epidemic & Teenage Vaping - Sunday, March 1, 2020, 1:00 to 3:30 pm at Temple Sinai, Middletown, NY  One of a series of events sponsored by HVR FJMC - Community Awareness Health Initiative Program.
  • HVR Halftime Halacha - Sunday, March 22 from 5 to 8pm at New City Jewish Center, New City, NY - NCAA Tournament Round 2. Join your HVR FJMC Chaverim. Watch the games. Have some Pizza & Beer. At half time learn some Torah with Rabbi Berkman. Cost: $10 per person. RSVP to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For More Information Contact: Eric Litvak at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Mitch Spiegel at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

April 2020

May 2020

June 2020

  • 10th Multi-Region Biennial Retreat - Sponsored by HVR and neighboring FJMC regions - Friday to Sunday, June 12 to 14 at Capital Retreat Center, 12750 Buchanan Trail, Waynesboro, PA.

 


 

Hudson Valley Region Newsletter 
June 2016

 

Chavarim,

I’d like to share with you two upcoming events in the Hudson Valley Region which I think you will enjoy.

First, on Friday evening July 22nd, 2016, the Region is sponsoring our annual Oneg Shabbat at West Point.  This is a very meaningful event for the Cadets and those who attend. I hope you can make it and bring along some others from your community.  The flyer with the information is attached.

Secondly, as part of our efforts to extend the bonds of friendship and communication, the officers and Board of the Region are inviting you to attend a minor league game at the Rockland Boulders on Sunday August 21st at 5:00 pm against the New Jersey Jackals.  Although this may be a minor league game, the Region is going major league for this.  We know that summer time is family time, so our invitation is open to:

  • Club & Regional leaders
  • Their families
  • Men from your club or shul who you would like to get to know better and get more involved.

No regional business, just a chance to relax and get to know each other a little better.  More importantly, the Region is picking up the tab for the tickets!  We have a large number of seats reserved, but will need to hear from you so we make sure we have the right amount.  Please get back to me over the next couple of weeks.

I want to thank everyone for their confidence in electing me the new regional president.  I want to share my confidence in each of you.  We have a tremendous amount of knowledge and talent in this region and I know together we can do great things!  

My phone is always open if you want to discuss anything about your club, your shul, or the region, or even if you just want to shoot the breeze.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rob Levine

HVR FJMC President

Former HVR-FJMC Executive Vice-President

(914) 813-8366


Hudson Valley Region Newsletter 
April 2016

Dear Club Presidents,

Passover is a little over 2 weeks away and Man of the Year is about 6 weeks away.  So, there is a lot to do.

1.       If you have not already selected a Man of the Year, you really need to. It is a great boost to your club to recognize someone who always steps up. If you don't have a committee to do it, get a few guys together and make a choice.  By the way, some honorees don't like to be recognized.  Let them know that this is in keeping with the spirit of the service they have provided to the club and the synagogue.

2.       You should be actively campaigning for ads and luncheon attendance. Talk to your synagogue board, Sisterhood, etc. The journal is the major source of funding that helps us underwrite the subsidies for retreats and conventions.

3.       The bi-annual Quad Region retreat will be June 3-5.  The region will be subsidizing most of the cost. This is a great place to learn, both formally and informally, as well as to build connections to the larger FJMC community.  I personally got lots of great ideas and support that helped my club.

4.       We are holding a very important meeting on Thursday, April 14.  We will meet at the New City Jewish Center.  Dinner is at 7:30. Meeting starts at 8:00 PM.  There are a number of important issues so discuss so your presence and input is really important.  Please attend or send a representative.  RSVP as soon as possible.

I look forward to seeing you on April 14th.

Bart Bookman


 

Meeting - March 14, 2016

Hi Everyone.

Our next meeting will be on Monday, March 14th at Shaarei Tikvah, 46 Fox Meadow Road, Scarsdale, NY.  Dinner will start at 7:00 PM.  The meeting will start at 7:30.

Agenda

1.  Man/Youth of the Year

2. Quad Regional retreat

3. Regional strategic plan

4. Ideas for new members 

5. Regional initiatives: Minyan of Comfort; Genizah project.

Please RSVP by next Wednesday, March 9th.

Bart

HVR President

 


 

Steak and Scotch


Hudson Valley Region Newsletter 
December 2015

Hi Everyone!

I realize that some of you may be away with your family or just enjoying some downtime.  There are a number of things happening both in the region and the FJMC.

1. Have you registered for the World Wide Wrap?  It is Sunday, February 7th.  Yes, Super Bowl Sunday. It is a great way to get your rabbi involved as well as the Bar and Bat Mitzvah kids and their parents.  There are lots  of ideas, including flyers, on the site.  The link for registration is: http://fjmc.org/content/registration.  The link for ideas and different ways to run the program are at: http://fjmc.org/content/world-wide-wrap  NOTE:If you have a problem running it on Feb. 7, do not worry!  You can run it another Sunday.  The important thing is that you do it and get people involved int he mitzvah.  Remember, we invite men and women to put on tefilin that day.

2.  The Man of the Year, Youth of the Year event is Sunday, May 22, 2016.  It will be at the Nanuet Hebrew Center.  Now is the time to start selecting the man and youth you wish to honor.  This is a great way to publicize volunteers.  We will be having our own web site this year to eliminate some of the problems from past years.  It will be going live very shortly.

3.  Speaking of web sites, we have our own google calendar.  We need you to fill out your clubs events.  To use the calendar, follow the steps below:

4.  We will be developing and using our own web site in the near future.  Look for mail to come from hudsonvalleyfjmc.org.

5. Your Yellow Candle order is past due.  Contact Larry Geisinger to get it in in the next few days,  Larry's email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

6.  Our next meeting is Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at the Orangetown Jewish Center.  I realize that it is the middle of winter but we have had very few in person meeting this year.  We will broadcast it both on Adobe connect and on Free Conference Call.  The meeting will start at with dinner at 7:30 and the meeting will begin at 8 PM.  There is a lot of information so you really need to attend either in person or remotely.

7.  SAVE THE DATE: The next Quad Region Retreat is June 3-5, 2016 at Camo Zeke (formerly Block and Hexter).  This is a great time to learning and ruach with guys from Metro New York, Northern New Jersey. and Mid-Atlantic Region. Our region will subsidize a lot of the cost.  This is a great place to get ideas and support to build your club.  It was my introduction to FJMC and what I learned on the first retreat (3 months after we joined in 2008) started my club on a journey forward that continues to this day.

Have a happy secular new year.

Bart Bookman

HVR President

Tel: 845-942-2736


Hudson Valley Region – FJMC

November 2015 Newsletter

I hope you are all having a great start to the 2015-16 year.  I would greatly appreciate your sending me your calendar of events, especially your Men’s Club/Brotherhood Shabbat.

MINYAN OF COMFORT TRAINING was held October 25th and November 1st at CSI Briarcliff Manor.  We had 6 synagogues attending this program designed to do more than just say prayers at shiva houses. The feedback was very positive. Cantor Shiovitz has agreed to run another session after Chanukah.  Talk to your rabbi and sisterhood about having a man and a woman at the next session.  This is another way of building a presence in your synagogue.

NEXT MEETING: Sunday, November 22, 2015 at 10 AM-12 Noon.  The location is at Temple Sinai, 75 Highland Ave. Middletown NY.  Carpooling to this event is a great idea.  We ask these guys to travel to Rockland and Westchester all the time. So it it time to reciprocate.  We will be focusing on using programs such as Hearing Men’s Voices and family friendly programming to build your club.  RSVP to me by Thursday, November 19th.  As usual, the meeting will be broadcast over the internet via Adobe Connect. 

WORLD WIDE WRAP is Sunday, February 7, 2016.  What is your club planning?  Who is heading your committee? Do you need help?  We will have several experienced men who are will to work with you.  This is an event that can help cement the bond with your clergy, religious school and sisterhood (they should be invited to participate).  Contact me for details.

MAN OF THE YEAR will be Sunday, May 22, 2016.  Have you started the selection process?  You need some time to get publicity out.  Do you have a Youth of the Year?  Many clubs do and it helps in getting families involved.  Contact Jason Eidlitz, (jshoedog#optonline.net) MOTY chair if you have questions or need help.

YELLOW CANDLES happens May 5th just after Passover.  Does your synagogue do any programming for Yom HaShoah? If they do, have Yellow Candles be part of it.  If not, create a family program with your religious school.  Remember is you do this, you can also raise some nice money for synagogue projects.

QUAD REGION RETREAT will be June 4-6 at Camp Zeke in Poyntelle, PA (right near Hancock, NY).  We meet with 80-100 men from NY Metro, Northern New Jersey, and the Middle Atlantic regions.  There is a great deal of ruach, learning and fun.  Most of the cost of the weekend will be picked up by the region.  This is great opportunity for team building.

Please plan on attending the November 22nd meeting either in person or on line.  I look forward to seeing or hearing from you.

Bart

Bart Bookman

Home: 845-942-2736

Cell: 845-642-3032


Hudson Valley Region Newsletter 
September 2015

L'Shana Tovah,

The 1st newsletter of the new year has a lot of information.

1.  Our first face to face meeting be held on Thursday, October 8th at the Nanuet Hebrew Center,  Dinner  is at 7:30 and the meeting starts at 8:00/  This is a really important meeting because we will be discussing initiatives that will have a positive impact on your club.  If you cannot be there in person, the meeting will be broadcast on Adobe Connect.  The sign in information will be sent a few days before the meeting.  Some of the topics we will be discussing include:

  • Meeting dates for all of the face to face and telephone conferences.
  • Selection of a topic for an FJMC consultant to come in and work with us.
  • Man of the Year and Yellow Candle committees.
  • Club needs including mentors from successful clubs.  
  • Multi-Regional Retreat in June at Camp Zeke (formerly Block and Hexter) in the Poconos.
  • Regional events.
  • Discussion of what works in your club and what we can help with.

2.  The region will be piloting a collaborative new program with Women's League and the Cantor's Assembly. It is called "Leading a Minyan of Comfort."  It is designed to not only train people to lead and customize a shiva minyan (based on the family's needs) but also how to bring comfort to the family. This is particularly important when the family is not well known in the synagogue.  Each synagogue will be asked to send a man and a woman (who can read Hebrew) to the training.  There is no cost to the synagogue for the course but each participant will have to purchase a copy of the booklet, "Leading a Minyan of Comfort" from the FJMC.  The cost is #10. The region will provide the second booklet at no charge (the region is absorbing the cost). The course will be held on Sunday, October 25th and Sunday, November 1st at CSI Briarcliff Manor.  Each session will run from 10:30 to 12 Noon.  The sessions will be led by Cantor Jeff Shiovitz of CSI. Your rabbi will be getting a letter about this very shortly.

3.  Club calendars are due as soon as possible.  This helps all of us.  We can observe or attend a program you may be running so that we can adapt it for our own.  

4.  Please let me know the date of your Men's Club/Brotherhood Shabbat so that one  or more members of the Regional Executive Board can attend. 

As always, if you have any specific concerns you can reach me by telephone: 845-942-2736 (home) or 845-642-3032 (cell).

May you and your family be inscribed for a healthy and happy year.

Bart Bookman

HVR President


Hudson Valley Region Newsletter 

August 2015

1.  GREAT NEWS11 A site we used for our quad region retreats (Block and Hexter) had closed and it caused us to drop out of the retreat in 2014 when the other three regions wanted to go to western Pennsylvania (about 5 hours from us).  The site has now reopened as Camp Zeke.  It will still be kosher but it is much closer - about 1.5 hours away.  It is a great opportunity to learn and bond with other guys.  The regional picks up a lot of the cost.  More to follow.

2.  Regional BBQ - Sunday, August 9th, 1 PM at Bruce Sicherman's house.  The address is 95 Crum Creek Road, New City, NY.  Wives are invited.  I still have not heard from some of you.

3.  This past Friday night (July 31_, the Hudson Valley Region held its annual Oneg at West Point for the cadets.  Over 55 people attended.  This is a mitzvah for our young people who will be going into harm's way.  We hope you can join us next year.

4. Convention 2015.  If you did not attend, you missed something special.  There was a great deal of learning, community and fun.  We have been asked by the FJMC to pilot a new program with Womens League and the Cantorial Assembly.  It is called "Leading a Minyan of Comfort" and it goes beyond just reciting Kaddish. We hope to start after the High Holidays. A second program with also be a joint venture with Womens League and Mercaz.  This will be a day of Israel Advocacy.  Mercaz will supply workshop leaders from several organizations.  Tentative date is in March, 2016.

5.  I would like you to send me your calendar of events for the coming year.  We will post them on the web site.

6.  The September meeting will be a telephone conference call.  The date and time are TBA.

Bart Bookman

HVR Regional President

Home tel. no.: 845-942-2736

Mobile tel. no.: 845-642-3032

 


 

Hudson Valley Region Newsletter 
February, 2015

The Home page includes a link for the journal and seating for the Man of the Year/Youth of the Year luncheon.  As you will see, we have reduced the cost of the meal by 19% to $57.  We have also reduced the cost of the more expensive ads by a significant amount.  Please get your names into Andy Alper as soon as possible.  Each honoree needs a photo and a bio to be sent as well.  In order to defray expenses, the cost to the Men's Club for the bios are $180 for the MOTY and $90 for the YOTY.  

I am also pleased to announce the Andy Alper is the recipient of the Stanley Stern Award.  Andy is only the fourth recipient of this award which is given to a man who worked to build our region whether he is in an elected position or not.  Andy continues to lead and give to the iron and the FJMC even though he no longer holds elected office.  

Some other important dates and information:

1. We are having a Regional meeting on Tuesday, March 10 at Temple Israel Center in White Plains.  Dinner is at 7:30.  The meeting will focus on how rabbis can build their Men's Club as part of winning formula for their synagogue.  Every rabbi in the region will be invited.  Rabbi Craig Scheff of the Orangetown Jewish Center will be the featured speaker.  This is a must attend meeting if you want your club to grow,.  Please make every effort to attend.  For those at a distance, we will be doing the meeting electronically on Adobe Connect.  RSVP to me by Friday, March 6.

2. The early discount for the FJMC convention registration has been extended to March 6.  Remember to check off the regional discount ($600 for first timers, $500 for others).  Convention is an investment in your club that will pay real dividends.  Hopefully, your club can help offset some of the other expense.  Contact me if you have issues with the costs.  Also, see if you can get your rabbi, cantor or synagogue president to attend.  They will return eager to work with you. Website is: http://fjmc.org/content/convention-2015

3. TORCH awards and Quality Club awards are due in April.  Download the forms.  Many of you can qualify for the Quality Club award.  The plaque looks nice and adds prestige to your your club.  The TORCH award can fit into a number of categories.  This is for doing things in a new or different way - programs, administration, fundraising, World Wide Wrap, Yellow Candles and more.  Again, another way for your club to get recognition. 

Web sites: http://fjmc.org/content/2015-torch-awards-application

http://fjmc.org/content/award-criteria

Looking forward to seeing or hearing from you on March 10th.

 

Bart Bookman

HVR Regional President

Home tel. no.: 845-942-2736

Mobile tel. no.: 845-642-3032

 


Hudson Valley Region Newsletter 

December 2014

On December 14 and 15 we held our conference call.  Unfortunately, many of you had not done the assignment of reading the first 2 chapters of “Relational Judaism” by Ron Wolfson.  It is an important book if you are serious about growing and enlivening your club.  You can also get it as a e-book on Amazon.  We will be referring to the ideas and information in it in future meetings.

IMPORTANT DATES AND CONTACTS

  1. Your Yellow Candle order is due by January 10th to LarryHis email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  We get a discount for ordering in bulk.  If you are ordering separately, please let him know.  The Yellow Candle program is our way of remembering what happened in the Holocaust.  Connecting with any survivors or children of survivors will enhance the program.  So will a program through your religious school.  When run right, it can be a good fundraiser.  Note: Yom HaShoah is April 16.
  2. The World Wide Wrap is coming. Sunday, FebruaryYou need to register on the FJMC website.  This is a great way to get your clergy involved.  Men who put on tefilin are more than willing to show others.  We invite women in to do the mitzvah.  Some synagogues have several generations in attendance.  For some of the women, it is a very moving experience since some of them use their father’s tallit and tefilin.  If you need extra tefilin, you can ask if men have any to extras to share or donate.
  3. You should be selecting your Man of the Year/Youth of theThis will give you time to call for journal ads.  The event recognizing these extraordinary people is April 26 from 1-5 PM at Temple Israel Center in White Plains.
  4. Convention is July 8-12 in Miami Beach FL. The Hudson Valley Region is picking up part of the cost - $600 for first timers, $500 for everyoneIf you are serious about building your club this is an investment you need to make.  Many clubs pick up all or part of the balance.  There is a great deal of formal and informal learning, friendships and sense of a really large community.  Talk to anybody who has attended. 
  5. Please send in your events so we can send them to otherThe obvious on is publicity and support.  The other is to learn from each other.

NEXT MEETING – THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2015.  WE WILL BE MEETING AT THE NANUET HEBREW CENTER.  DINNER IS AT 7:30, MEETING IS AT 8 PM.  YOU MUST RSVP IF YOU ARE ATTENDING IN PERSON.  WE WILL ALSO BE ONLINE VIA ADOBE CONNECT.  WE WILL SEND THE DETAILS FOR ON LINE.  This meeting will focus on some of the aspects of leadership. 

I hope to see you in person or on line on January 9th.

 

Bart Bookman

HVR President

Tel: 845-94202736

Cell: 845-642-3032

 


Hudson Valley Region Newsletter 

November, 2014

FJMC Convention 2015 - Engage! - July 8-12, 2015, Deauville Beach Resort, Miami Beach, FL

On Tuesday, November 11, 2014 we held our bi-monthly face-to-face meeting. The topic was: Recruiting new members and keeping them engaged. The consensus was that this is something that all clubs, regardless of size or success, continue to work on. Some of the ideas being worked on by clubs in our region include:

  • Talking to young men – "What would you like to see in the Men's Club/Brotherhood?" Talk to your friends about what they would like.
  • Programs with young families – such as the Bronx Zoo, a circus or sponsoring an event like the Purim Carnival.
  • Partnering with the Religious School principal.
  • Running community wide events that may involve a partnership with another arm of the synagogue (such as the World Wide Wrap which could involve the ritual committee and the rabbi)
  • Sporting events such as the Westchester Knicks, minor league baseball, Monday night football and pizza.
  • Recruiting from a young couples club.
  • Go to FJMC.org , click on Programs and look at Programming for Young Men. There are many ideas that have won Torch awards.

 

The bottom line is talking to people on a personal level, getting to know them. Follow up after meeting at an event, even after Saturday Kiddush. The Men's Club message comes later. Invite them to an event you know they are interested in, ask them to do something small (could you pick up the ice, orange juice .etc. – expand the role for the next event).

 

OTHER ITEMS

  1. You were sent the first issue of the FJMC Health and Wellness Newsletter. Opting in to receive it may lead to ideas for programming. You might want to use the items as the basis for a Sunday breakfast. You could bring in a member who has expertise on one of the areas and can publicize to the entire congregation.
  2. World Wide Wrap is Sunday February 1, 2015. This is an event that will get your rabbi's support. There is a great deal of information on the FJMC website. We also have people in the region you can call on for support.
  3. Men's Club/Brotherhood Shabbat. Send us you date so that we can be present. Also, if you would like the FJMC Sefer Haftarah, contact Dave Gerstein (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to schedule from mid-February on. If yu cannot get the date you need, contact me. Several clubs in the regin have their own Sefer Haftarah that they may be able to lend you.
  4. The Yellow Candle Program for Yom HaShoah is starting to take orders. We try to order as a region to get a discount. You can read about it on the FJMC site. Contact Larry Geisinger (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to let him know how many candles you are ordering. Also let him know if you are ordering directly and not through the Region.
  5. Man of the Year/Youth of the Year is Sunday, April 26, 2015 from 2-5 PM at Temple Israel Center in White Plains. You should be selecting your awardees shortly. This is a great way to honor and recognize those who step up and do the work.
  6. Convention – July 8-12, 2015. This is a place to learn and make connections to the larger FJMC community. The Region provides a $600 subsidy for first time attendees and $500 for others. Contact Jason Eidlitz (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for details.
  7. Send us your calendar of events. We will post them. If you have a successful event, please write a brief description of what you did and how you did it. We can learn from each other and not have to reinvent the wheel.

 

 


 

 

Men's Club - Spring HVR FJMC News

 

fjmcNEWlogohvr2012Welcome – This is the first of what we hope will be periodic emails to you regarding what is happening in the Hudson Valley Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (HVR FJMC).  Our goal is to foster communication among the 16 Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods affiliated with the FJMC in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Riverdale, and the Albany area.  We will hopefully provide you information that will help you, your club, and your synagogue.

 

The motto of FJMC is “Involving Jewish Men in Jewish Life”.  In the past, we have been communicating regularly with club presidents and their second in command.  We are taking a different approach by also reaching out directly to our members.  Below you will find information on national and regional activities.  We also plan on publicizing information on club events. We are hoping that informing you of these events will encourage you to attend events both within and outside your club, begin to build some relationships in the greater Jewish community, and maybe give you ideas for organizing similar events at your synagogue.

 

I have come to enjoy Conservative Judaism.  I am hopeful that by building relationships across clubs we will strengthen ourselves and our clubs. – Andy Alper, President, HVR FJMC


Man & Youth of the Year Dinner –  

MOTY Rabbi TuckerWe had an absolutely great time at the award dinner earlier this month.  The list of honorees and a copy of the dinner journal may be found at our website at hvrfjmc.org.  We also plan on posting photos from the dinner on the website soon.  Almost everything seemed perfect.  Clubs and synagogues that participated were: Shaarei Tikvah, Orangetown Jewish Center, Beth El Synagogue Center, Temple Sinai, New City Jewish Center, Temple Israel Center, Congregation Sons of Israel, and Temple Beth Shalom.  If your club did  not participate, we hope that it does so next year.  We plan on holding the dinner in Westchester for next year.  If you would like us to consider holding the event at your synagogue, please let us know.

 

 


 Retreat – June 12 – 18 at Camp Ramah, Palmer, MA – Join us!  Registration is open.  We would love for everyone reading this to attend retreat, and for you to bring a bunch of your members.  An alternative retreat is available for the weekend of June 6 - 8 in Waynesboro, PA, but quite honestly, the only interest so far has been for "TheRetreat" at Camp Ramah in Palmer, MA.  I am told that TheRetreat has been the place to be for Jewish men for 67 years. Let's make it 68, shall we? There is no better way to kick off our summers than to be together, learning from distinguished scholars and from each other.

 

NER FJMC The Retreat

 

 

On Thursday, we will be joined by Hankus Netsky, a Newton, MA resident who chairs New England Conservatory's Contemporary Improvisation program. He was named by The Forward as one of 50 American Jews who have had the greatest impact on the world in 2013. The Forward called Netsky, the founder in 1980 of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, "a quiet but powerful force affecting nearly every corner of contemporary Jewish music." It said he "helped push Jewish music into the future," and that young instrumentalists", often attend the school specifically to study with him."

On Friday, we will be joined by our scholar-in-residence, Rabbi Arthur Green, who has taught many in the current generation of Rabbis and Jewish Scholars. Rabbi Green is a broadly published, JTSA ordained, liberal Jewish theologian who founded the Hebrew College Rabbinic School. His teachings are based on the lives and teachings of the Chasidic masters. These rabbis brought important traditions of interpreting words of Torah into universal, life-guiding messages. Rabbi Green applies the insights derived from the masters' stories and sermons to modern life issues, thereby giving us new insights into our personal relationship with God and Torah. His voice and style go straight to your heart and soul, creating a unique and uplifting experience.

So join us. At TheRetreat, you will not only get to know Mr. Netsky and Rabbi Green, but you will also have your fellow FJMC "brothers" growing and kvelling with you.  Hudson Valley Region is offering $200 off of the prices advertised at http://www.theretreatfjmc.com/ or for the retreat in Waynesboro, PA.  Please also see the below flyer or follow the link to the pdf.  Please let Rob Levine know if you plan on attending.  His email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

HVR Retreats2 2014-03-02 

 


 

HVR FJMC Annual Meeting – Our annual meeting will be held in June at Orangetown Jewish Center, Orangeburg, NY.  More details will follow to your club leadership.


Friday Night Service at West Point – Please see the below flyer regarding our sponsorship of the service and Oneg at West Point Jewish Chapel on Friday night, July 18.  We hope that you and your family and that you bring your fellow congregants.  A pdf copy of the flyer may be found at this link.

West Point Flyer 2014 2014-04-13 


FJMC Sefer Haftorah Scroll - Since it was first unveiled during the 2003 FJMC Biennial Convention in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, the FJMC Sefer Haftarah scroll has travelled around North America to Men's Clubs and Brotherhoods, to regional retreats and to FJMC conventions. It has been used in synagogues from the East Coast to the West Coast, and from Canada to Florida. It creates a sense of pride and accomplishment among the member clubs and provides opportunities for them to highlight FJMC activities for members of their congregations.

Books of haftarot in scroll form have been in use for more than a century but are not very common. The Haftarah, unlike the Torah, does not have to be chanted from a scroll (though many of us feel it would enhance the spirituality of the act if it were read from a scroll instead of a book).

We are pleased to announce that the FJMC Sefer Haftarah Scroll will be visiting our region later this year on the following dates:

     Orangetown Jewish Center, Orangeburg - September 3, 2014

     Congregation Sons of Israel, Briarcliff Manor - September 10, 2014

     Montebello Jewish Center, Suffern - September 17, 2014

The above dates are Wednesdays. A club receives the scroll by this date and has it for the following Shabbat. Images of the weekly reading are available to practice in advance of the visit of the scroll. Copies of the readings may be found at www.fjmc.org.

We note that two synagogues in our region have purchased their own Sefer Haftarah Scrolls. They are New City Jewish Center in New City and Temple Israel Center in White Plains.

If you are interested in having the FJMC Sefer Haftarah Scroll visit your synagogue in September or the beginning of October, 2014, please contact Andy Alper, 845-638-4634, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. soon so a reservation may be made.


$100 "Coupon" for FJMC Store

Jewish Men at the Crossroads The HVR Board approved up to a $100 rebate for club orders prior to July 1 from the FJMC store  (fjmc.org/catalog).  Clubs can send paid receipts to the HVR Treasurer for reimbursement. Bart Bookman is our treasurer.  His email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Among the items available at the store are Tefillin, Tallit, FJMC Pins, FJMC Certificates, Yad Shel Chai, and books on many different topics, including the most FJMC recent publication, Jewish Men at the Crossroads.  Let your club president know about items that would be useful for your club or synagogue.  Also, considering making purchases for your own use (though the rebate is only for the club).

 


 

We hope to add club events to future editions of this newsletter.  Please let us know what you think of the newsletter so far.

Regards,

Andy Alper, President, Hudson Valley Region Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs (HVR FJMC)

 


April HVR News

 

April Program Meeting – Our next meeting will be at Beth El Synagogue Center on Thursday, April 12 at 7:30pm.  The location is 1324 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10804.  We will have a discussion on "Using program to build relationships and relationships to build your Men's Club".  We will have a light meat dinner at 7:30pm followed by the discussion at 8:00pm.  Come – schmooze – meet men from other clubs. The meeting is suitable for any interested Men’s Club member in your club.  Please publicize the meeting.  Please RSVP to me by the Monday before with the names of those who are attending. 

  

Man & Youth of the Year Dinner – For those clubs that are not participating, why not attend and see how much fun the event is?  For those clubs that are attending we are getting closer – the dinner is a month away.  Have you:

 

  • Made sure your honorees have submitted their bios and photos to me for the journal?

  • Made sure that you or your honorees have registered for the dinner?

  • Submitted a journal ad for your club?

  • Submitted a journal ad for your synagogue?

  • Invited your clergy to attend?

  • Registered for the dinner and submitted a personal ad?

  • Sent an email out to your congregation to go to hvrfjmc.org and submit a journal ad by April 13, and dinner reservations by April 25?

 

Retreat – Retreat in its meaning of withdraw or moving back does not seem to be the right word for our multi-region get together in either Palmer, MA or Waynesboro, PA.  To me it seems that Advance is the right word, because those who attend move ahead in a) their enjoyment of Men’s Club, b) enjoying themselves with a great bunch of guys from near and distant clubs, c) making new friends, d) learning new ways of building up their Men’s Club, etc. etc.  Think of it as a combination of summer camp and a weekend away in the Catskills.  This will be my third get away, and believe me, you will have a lot of fun.  Check out the below brochure (or attached pdf) for details on the retreat at Camp Ramah in Palmer, MA.  Featured speakers include Rabbi Arthur Green, Musician Hankus Netsky, and FJMC President Myles Simpson.  If you want printed copies of the brochure, I will have them at the April program meeting, or contact me and I will mail you a few (I do not have many).  I have included a general flyer (image below or attached pdf) encompassing both the MA and PA retreats.  At a cost as low as $50 after our region’s $200 subsidy, how can you go wrong?  Contact Rob Levine, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 914-813-8366 for additional information.

 

Help Wanted – Do you have an interest or talent that we could make use of a region level basis?  Is there a region-wide activity you would like to organize with our help?  Do you have anything you would like to share with us at a meeting?  Do you have a program you would like us to run?  Please let me know.

 

Officer Nominations - Also, we are looking for officer nominations for the coming year.  If you are interested, please let me know.

 

I hope to see you at our April meeting, and if I do not, I wish you and your family a Happy Passover.

 

Regards,

 

Andy Alper, HVR FJMC President

 


 

March HVR News

Welcome – We hope to continue to advise you on a regular basis regarding what is happening in the Hudson Valley Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (HVR FJMC).  Our goal is to foster communication among the 16 Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods affiliated with the FJMC in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Riverdale, and the Albany area.  We will hopefully provide you information that will help you, your club, and your synagogue.

The motto of FJMC is “Involving Jewish Men in Jewish Life”.  In the past, we have been communicating regularly primarily with club presidents and their second in command.  We are taking a different approach beginning this month by reaching out directly to our members.  Below you will find information on national and regional activities, followed by information on club events during the coming month. We are hoping that publicizing these events will encourage you to attend events both within and outside your club, begin to build some relationships in the greater Jewish community, and maybe give you ideas for organizing similar events at your synagogue.

I have come to enjoy Conservative Judaism.  I am hopeful that by building relationships across clubs we will strengthen ourselves and our clubs. – Andy Alper, President, HVR FJMC 


Why a Region? – As part of your Men’s Club or Brotherhood, you are a part of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs.  The FJMC is the international umbrella organization for a confederation of more than 250 men’s clubs serving 25,000 men throughout the United States, Canada, and the world. Although FJMC chapters are concentrated in North America, the influence of FJMC’s programs and contributions is felt worldwide. FJMC’s mission is to involve Jewish men in Jewish life, but its influence goes far beyond men in the Conservative/Masorti Movement. FJMC programs have a profound impact on our congregations, our youth, world Jewry, and, when you consider the indirect impact of our Shomrei Ha’aretz environmental programs, all of humanity.

Our region helps brings our clubs together to share ideas, solve problems, and provide mutual support.  Ideas that start at the club and regional levels can expand throughout the entire FJMC and conservative movement.


Regional Activities – HVR has meetings each month at clubs on either side of the Hudson, mixing programming meetings and business meetings.  The programming meetings involve topics of interest for all active Men’s Club members.  The business meetings involve the functioning of the region.  Club leaders including at least the club president or their designee are asked to attend the business meetings.  Our next meeting is a business meeting at 7:30 pm on Wednesday March 12 at Westchester Jewish Center, 175 Rockland Avenue, Mamaroneck, NY 10543.  We will join the synagogue minyan for Maariv at 7:30 pm, then at about 7:50 pm will continue with a light meat dinner and the meeting.  The agenda will include the Man of Year Dinner, Retreat, and other items.  Please RSVP by Sunday March 9 to me, Andy Alper, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you plan on attending.  You can find our annual calendar here. 


Retreat – If you used to enjoy going to hotels in the Catskills or to summer camp, I believe you will love going to a Men’s Club retreat.  I believe all should experience, as we say in the below flyer, a wonderful mix of relaxation, sports, eating, learning, prayer, spirited singing and camaraderie.  We are offering retreats on either of two weekends in June.  If you cannot make one, hopefully you can attend the other.  You will find the flyer here in pdf and jpg formats.  Please let Rob Levine (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 914-813-8366) and your club president know if you are considering attending. 


Man & Youth of the Year Dinner – Each year our clubs participate in a region-wide Man and Youth of the Year Dinner.  Each club chooses a Man of the Year and one or more Youths of the Year to be honored at our dinner.  The clubs that have informed us that they will be participating this year are: 

  • Beth El Synagogue Center, New Rochelle
  • Congregation Sons of Israel, Briarcliff Manor
  • New City Jewish Center, New City
  • Orangetown Jewish Center, Orangeburg
  • Temple Beth Shalom, Mahopac
  • Temple Israel Center, White Plains
  • Temple Sinai, Middletown

Whether or not your club has honorees, we suggest that you join us.  A general flyer regarding the dinner is here.  Dinner registrations and journal ads may be purchased at hvrfjmc.org.


Men’s Club Shabbat –A planning guide for Men’s Club Shabbat may be found at the FJMC website.  Many clubs have their Men’s Club Shabbat later this month.  Regardless of when your club holds Men’s Club Shabbat, we ask that the event chairman please take time to register the event at the Men’s Club Shabbat page at the fjmc.org website.  


 $100 “Coupon” for FJMC Store– I am pleased to inform you that the HVR Board has just approved up to a $100 rebate for club orders prior to July 1 from the FJMC store  (fjmc.org/catalog).  Clubs can send paid receipts to the HVR Treasurer for reimbursement. Bart Bookman is our treasurer.  His email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Among the items available at the store are Tefillin, Tallit, FJMC Pins, FJMC Certificates, Yad Shel Chai, and books on many different topics, including our most recent publication, Jewish Men at the Crossroads. 


Yom HaShoah Yellow Candles –FJMC promotes the lighting of Yellow Candles on the eve of Yom Hashoah.  Program ideas for your club may be found at www.yellowcandles.org and/or at fjmc.org.  Many of our clubs ordered candles through HVR at an additional discount.  We are told that the candles are being shipped to us this week.  If we receive them this week, you will be able to pick them up at either 1) New City Jewish Center on Sunday March 9 between 11:30 AM and Noon, or 2) at the Business Meeting at Westchester Jewish Center on Wed. March 12.  Once the candles are delivered we will contact those who submitted orders.  Our Yellow Candle Chairman is David Zatz, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  If you have not yet ordered, there is still time to do so from the FJMC Store.


Sunshine

1) Dan Hammer, one of our HVR Past Presidents, expects to be a grandpa in August and he is very pleased.  May his children continue to give him nachas.

2) We welcome new co-Club Presidents at Westchester Jewish Center - Stu Seltzer and Robin Nazarzadeh.

3) Two rabbis in our area will be leaving at the end of June.  Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham will be leaving Congregation Sons of Israel, Nyack in June to take a position in San Antonio, Texas where his family lives.  Rabbi Aubrey L. Glazer will be leaving the Jewish Community Center of Harrision.  Both rabbis attended the FJMC Convention this summer and have been supporters of FJMC.  Although they will both be leaving the area, we hope that they remain involved with FJMC.  We wish them well. 


Club Events – In chronological order, our clubs notified us of the following events coming up during March 2014 and the beginning of April 2014: 


3 09 OJC Ari lecture

 3 13 TIC SocialNetworkingMarch 2014

3 23 MJC Breakfast 03-23-2014

 


3 26 NCJC HMV Flyer WorkWorth 2013-09-29

 

3 27 CSI Texas Flyer March 14 Flyer

3 29 TIC Talent Show 2014

 

4 05 TSMC Comedy Night Flier 2014 FINAL

 


 

February HVR News

 

Program Meeting – Please promote this meeting to your club members. Looking for innovative programming ideas for your club? Join us at 7:30 pm Wed. February 12, 2014 at Orangetown Jewish Center, 8 Independence Ave., Orangeburg, NY 10962. Because we will serve dinner at 7:30 pm, please RSVP to Andy Alper This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Sunday Feb. 9 if you plan on attending. Time permitting, presentations will be made on the following Torch Award winning programs: 

 

  1. Family Campout/Campin, a program designed to engage younger families and create bonds among the parents.
  2. 1’st Annual Talent Show -  We wanted to attract members to the synagogue for an evening of fun and community building. Our first annual talent show featured musicians, singers, dancers, and comedians from ages 5 to 93. Over 60 members attended and we had a fun-filled evening.
  3. Jewish Muslim Relations - The overall goal of the program is to improve Jewish Muslim relations which was motivated by a sermon given by our assistant Rabbi who worked with an Imam when he served as Hillel leader at Duke University.
  4. Veterans Day Program 1 - The overall goal is to reach the non-members of our club/brotherhood through their children and to let our youngster be aware of the integral part a Jewish man was active in the second World War.
  5. Home Beer Brewing – Our member has been home brewing ales and serving them at our Men's Club dinners for about two years and  giving them names that reflect Jewish holidays or themes. This has added a social aspect and put a little "cocktail hour" into the programs. This has made the club more fun and increased participation.
  6. Veterans Day program 2 -  The program consisted of an event to bring to the attention of the families of the Congregation those individuals who served in the US armed forces during the second World War

We may have beer to sample. Check with me as we get closer to the date of the program and I will let you know for sure. The first program above is from Beth El Synagogue Center, New Rochelle, NY. The others are from Temple Israel Center, White Plains, NY.

 

Man and Youth of the Year Dinner – The dinner this year is at 1:30pm on Sunday May 4 at New City Jewish Center. Please let me know whether or not you are participating in the dinner. The website is now live for registrations on the Home page at www.hvrfjmc.org.

 

World Wide Wrap – I hope you had a successful Wrap on Sunday Feb. 2. Please report the results of your Wrap and post your photos as instructed at the FJMC website. Please also send me a photo of you Wrap and I will post it on the hvrfjmc.org website.

 

Retreat – I sincerely believe that all Jewish Conservative men should experience an FJMC retreat. We have a choice of two retreats this year. Information on each of them are as follows: 

  1.  "Multi-Region Retreat” - This is sponsored by our region and the following other FJMC regions: Northern NJ, Mid-Atlantic, and Metro NY. It will be at Capital Retreat Center, Waynesboro, PA (260 miles from Tarrytown). It will be from Friday afternoon, June 6 to Sunday noon, June 8. The cost will be approximately $150 ($300 less $150 region subsidy). An FJMC consultant will be in attendance. Activities include classes, Hearing Men’s Voices, and sports activities. The accomodations will generally be double rooms. The website for the camp is www.capitalretreat.org.
  2. "The Retreat” – This is sponsored by the following FJMC regions: New England and Connecticut Valley. We would be guests. It will be at Ramah Camp in Palmer, MA (140 miles from Tarrytown). It will be from Thursday afternoon June 12 to Sunday Noon June 15, 2014. The cost will be approximately $160 ($310 less $150 region subsidy). There is a focus on learning. Scholars in residence will be Rabbi Art Green and Hincus Netski (musician). Club and regional training from Myles Simpson, current FJMC President. Services. Other activities include Hearing Men’s Voices sessions and sports activities. The accomodations will generally be dorm type facilities. The website for the retreat is www.theretreatfjmc.com.

The reason for offering two options this year is because we have several responses concerning the travel time to the “Multi-Region Retreat”, concerns about traffic on the trip back, as well as individual conflicts for that weekend. Note that “The Retreat” ends on Father’s Day.

The costs above are approximate at this point. The region provided a $150 subsidy for the last retreat. We will review whether we can increase it. Some clubs give an additional subsidy. Please promote the retreats to your Men’s Club members and let Rob Levine (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) know of your interest.

 

Quality Club Award – Please find attached the REVISED (under item #16) 2013-14 Quality Club Award Criteria and Scoresheet for club activity from June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014. Also, please note under Mandatory Requirements, item #6, Active Club Participation Wellness Program is now a Mandatory Requirement. Your submissions is due no later than June 10, 2014.

 

Membership Lists – As a major change, the plan is for all clubs to submit their membership lists online. The target date for implementation is now March 1. Look for further information from FJMC National.

 

Men’s Club Sales Brochure & Video – My club has adapted the FJMC specimen brochure for their own use by changing the text and adding our own photos. For a copy of the specimen brochure and a video you can use, visit http://fjmc.org/content/club-membership-campaign.

 

Club Events

  • Saturday with Sinatra - On Saturday, February 8, 2014, Orangetown Jewish Center has two events: Men's Club Shabbat starting at 9 AM and Saturday with Sinatra starting at 7:30 PM. A flyer is attached for the Sinatra event.
  • Maccabeats – On Sunday, February 9, 2014, New City Jewish Center is having a concert by the Maccabeats, partially sponsored by the Men’s Club. A Brunch and Street Fair will be at 11am and concert at 12:45. Individual tickets are $18, Reserved seating $36. See www.newcityjc.com and www.maccabeats.comfor details.

Region Newsletter to All Members – The region is considering sending, to all members for whom we have an email address, a region newsletter with information of general interest them. Do you feel this is a good or bad idea? Please let us know.

 

Regards, 

Andy Alper

President, Hudson Valley Region Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs (HVR FJMC)

Home tel. no. 845-638-4634 | Work tel. no. 212-345-6670 | Mobile tel. 845-729-9332

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 


 

August HVR News

I hope you are having a good summer.  Please give me your response to each of the following items:

1. Summer BBQ - Sun. August 18 - Everyone copied above and your families are invited to a get-to-know-one-another BBQ on Sunday August 18th from 2pm to 5pm at the house of HVR past president Bruce Sicherman in New City, NY.  If you have not been to a meeting in a while, this is the meeting to go to.  We would like at least one man from each club.  We will have BBQ and a backyard for games for kids, for our wives to socialize, and for us to meet one another.  Please RSVP to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 845-638-4634 as soon as possible, no later than Friday August 9th and let me know whom in your family will attend.  As club presidents we desire our members to be involved in our clubs.  Similarly, being involved with the region and maintaining ties with other Men’s Clubs enriches our own clubs.  Please plan on attending.

2. FJMC Sefer Haftorah Scroll – The FJMC Sefer Haftorah Scroll travels to Men’s Clubs throughout the country.  It will be visiting our region next year (2014) on the following dates:

Sept, 2014   3                      Orangetown Jewish Center, Orangeburg, N. Y.

                       10                    Congregation Sons of Israel,  Briarcliff Manor, N. Y.

                       17                    Montebello Jewish Center, Suffern, NY      

                       24                    AVAILABLE

Oct, 2014     1                      AVAILABLE if we also take Sept. 24.

The above dates are Wednesdays.  You would receive the scroll by this date and have it for the following Shabbat.  If you choose it for Sept. 24, you will have it for both Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah.  If you choose it for Oct. 1, you will have it for Yom Kippur which falls on Shabbat.  The Sefer Haftorah visited Nanuet Hebrew Center at the end of June.  Please contact me if you have any questions.  You may also contact Joel Gondelman of NHC to find out how it went at his synagogue.  Joel’s contact information is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or home tel # 845-357-4336.  Having the scroll visit your synagogue is a great way of raising the profile of your Men’s Club. – IMPORTANT – When the scroll visited Nanuet Hebrew Center, Richard Fox, from my club, and I took photos of the text of the entire scroll.  Please read the attachment.  This includes links to the photos we took of the text, which will be helpful for the Haftorah reader to have in advance.

3. HVR Calendar – The calendar of events for HVR is very much in draft form.  Please let me know if you would be willing to host a meeting.  For program meetings, we will give preference to those clubs that a) did not have any meetings last year (I also have included last year’s calendar), and b) to those that did not have a program/general meeting last year.  Also, please let me know if you would like to be the host synagogue for regional training.  Hosting simply means providing the room for us to have the meeting.  HVR will pay for most of the food.  For example, for a dinner meeting, we will pay for the meal, but ask that you provide parve desserts and beverages.

4. New Quality Club Award Criteria - Please find the 2013-14 Quality Club Award Criteria and Score Sheet for club activity from June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014 at the fjmc.org website. Please note under Mandatory Requirements, item #6, Active Club Participation Wellness Program is now a Mandatory Requirement.  (For some health & wellness activity ideas, sign in to fjmc.org and check out past torch award submissions.)  Submissions will be due no later than June 10, 2014. We recommend that all club presidents appoint a Quality Club Award Chairman.  If you do so, please let Rob Levine (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) know – he is our HVR Quality Club chairman.  Otherwise, he will assume that the club president is the contact.  You may need to make some adjustments to your club calendars to meet all the requirements. 

5. New Club Officers – If any of your officers have changed, please give me the new names, titles, email addresses and phone numbers.  Please give me this for all officers.  Unless you indicate otherwise, I will only be sending email to a) current club presidents, b) 2nd person in charge – usually an EVP or 1st VP, and c) past club presidents.

Please advise regarding each of the above items. 

We had a great convention in Boston.  We learned a lot, and/ or were pleased with our contributions as teachers or facilitators.  We can chat about convention when we see you next.  Congratulations to our winners of Quality Club and Torch Awards.  And we thank those participated or led sessions.

Thank you.

Addendum:

Facebook - We are now on Facebook thanks to Dan Hammer, Past HVR President. The Hudson Valley Region Facebook page may be found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hudson-Valley-Region-Federation-of-Jewish-Mens-Clubs-FJMC/668750689802659. Please LIKE us. Dan plans on posting regional events, and keeping our members informed on the various activities that are planned in the region.

Website www.hvrfjmc.org – Our Hudson Valley Region FJMC website has been updated and looks better than ever. Photos of HVR at the 2013 FJMC Convention are now on the home page.

Regards,

Andy Alper

President, Hudson Valley Region Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs (HVR FJMC)

Home tel. no. 845-638-4634 | Work tel. no. 212-345-6670 | Mobile tel. 845-729-9332

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 


 

July HVR News

Summer Meeting/BBQ –  Everyone copied above and your families are invited to a get-to-know-one-another BBQ on Sunday August 18th from 2pm to 5pm at the house of HVR past president Bruce Sicherman in New City, NY.  (Thank you, Bruce, for graciously offering the use of your backyard.)  If you have not been to a meeting in a while, this is the meeting to go to.  We will have BBQ and a backyard for games for kids, for our wives to socialize, and for us to meet one another.  Please RSVP to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 845-638-4634 as soon as possible, no later than Friday August 9th and let me know whom in your family will attend.  As club presidents we desire our members to be involved in our clubs.  Similarly, being involved with the region and maintaining ties with other Men’s Clubs enriches our own clubs.  Please plan on attending.

West Point Jewish Chapel – A flyer is attached.  We will be sponsor the Oneg at after services.  The evening is Friday July 19 at 7:00 pm. If you have not distributed to your congregants yet, please consider making a last minute effort to do so.  If you do not wish to do so, please at least attend with your family, so you can decide if you would like your own club to sponsor an Oneg for another Friday during the year.  Please make your reservation now.  By the way, I understand the Women’s League Region has also decided to publicize this event with us.

Quality Club Award – The Quality Club Awards for 2012-13 have just been announced.  59 Clubs earned the award in the U.S. and Canada.  Five clubs from the HVR region earned the award:

•             Beth El Synagogue Center

•             Temple Israel Center

•             New City Jewish Center

•             Orangetown Jewish Center

•             Temple Sinai

This is almost one third of the HVR Clubs.  I am proud of you!  For those clubs who have not won the award this year, I have attached the criteria for this past year; they will probably not significantly differ for this coming year.  Why not build your calendar for this coming year with events that would qualify you for the award?

FJMC Convention – This is last minute, but if feel you can attend, please see www.fjmc.org for registration information.  Our region has record attendance for the convention.  Our region will rebate $600 for first timers, and $500 for repeat attendees. Also, incoming or continuing club presidents get an additional $100 off.  If you do not wish to attend the entire convention, we will prorate the $660/$500 based on the number of nights you attend.  I hope you can join us.

HVR Calendar – I had hoped to send you our region calendar around now for this coming year, but it will take a bit longer.  We will generally make the meetings on Wednesday night at 7:30 pm.  We alternate monthly between program meetings and business meetings.  We expect to have a formal training session with FJMC consultants from another region on a Sunday this fall.  We will likely need to move some meetings to other days.  If you would like to host a meeting, please let me know.  Also, when you have your calendars done, please send me a copy.  I would like to make note of potential conflicts on the HVR calendar.  I would also like to distribute it to other clubs as part of this email.

I hope you are having a good summer.

 


 

June HVR News

Memorial for Men’s Club Members – The deadline is this coming Thursday, June 20.  FJMC publishes a memorial booklet at convention with the names of all those men's club members who passed away since the last convention.  The booklet is handed out during the Shabbat afternoon Memorial service.  If you wish to participate (no cost or obligation), we need your help to compile a list of your Men’s Club members who have passed away since the convention two years ago.  Please work on this and forward the names directly to Rabbi Simon at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with a cc to me no later than Thursday, June 20.

HVR Sponsorship of Services at West Point – We will have our second annual sponsorship of Shabbat services at West Point Jewish Chapel on Friday night, July 19, 2013 at 7:00 PM.  The service will be followed by a light dinner/oneg.  Please see the attached flyers in Word and pdf format.  PLEASE PUBLICIZE TO YOUR MEN’S CLUB MEMBERS IF NOT YOUR ENTIRE CONGREGATION.  Please feel free to alter the flyer as you see fit.

Convention Journal – Consider placing an ad in the FJMC Convention Journal, not only for our Ma’asim Tovim winner, J. Harold Nissen, but also to honor your club Man of the Year winner, or other Men’s Club honoree.  In order to so, follow the link at www.fjmc.org.

JSearch Professional and Business Directory – is now ready to accept advertisers.  This is an initiative led by past FJMC president, Mark Berlin.  This will be an entirely on-line directory that is available on the FJMC website, but you can also get there through www.jsearch.info.  This can be a great fundraiser for clubs, since the FJMC will split the profits 50-50 with the clubs.  We encourage men in your club to participate.  We have hopes of JSearch becoming as ubiquitous in Judaism as J-Date is.  We’re concentrating at first on getting it known in the Conservative Movement and then will go to the other Movements.  Once the club enrolls professionals and businesses, the FJMC will deal with the annual renewal of their listings, so the club can just sit back and collect their share of the profits year after year.  Although JSearch is now open for the purchase of ads, we’re not going to open it for actual users of the search until around July, when we expect to have a large number enlisted.  The year’s term for advertisers will not begin until then. 

FJMC Convention – July 24 – 28 - We have a record attendance from Hudson Valley Region.  Don’t be left out, or you will need to wait two years for the next convention!  Please see the convention page at the www.fjmc.org, or contact convention chairman, Allen Saperstein, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Home # 914-737-3669.

FJMC Club Fundraising Initiative Questionnaire – The FJMC is embarking on a club fundraising initiative. The purpose of the questionnaire is to survey clubs and brotherhoods about their fundraising programming and use the results to assist in future fundraising.  The results will be discussed at convention.  On May 12, I sent you a request to complete an online questionnaire.  Please find the email and respond if you have not done so already.  Thank you.

Sefer Haftarah – A sefer haftarah is a scroll, similar to a torah scroll, that includes all of the haftarah readings for the year.  Two of the synagogues in our region have their own scroll, Temple Israel Center and New City Jewish Center.  (My synagogue purchased one as a fundraiser and made tens of thousands of dollars.)  FJMC has a sefer haftarah that circulates throughout the country.  There was going to be an opening in the schedule later this month between it being in Marlboro, NJ the week before and Bridgeport, CT the week after.  HVR claimed it for that week for two reasons: a) Nanuet Hebrew Center will now be reading from the scroll that week, and b) as a service to other clubs and regions, a men’s club member in my club has agreed to photograph the “pages” of the entire scroll to make it easier for readers to study their portion in advance.  We also have the sefer haftarah reserved for September 3, 2014 (next year) when Orangetown Jewish Center will have it, and Sept. 10, 2014 when Congregation Sons of Israel in Briarcliff Manor will have it.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE SEFER HAFTORAH SCROLL FOR YOUR SYNAGOGUE EITHER OF THE TWO FOLLOWING WEEKS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IMMEDIATELY.

Changes in Club Officers – Please let me know if any changes in your club officers for this coming year.

BBQ – As we had last year, we will have a BBQ for Club Presidents, Exec. Vice Presidents and families on Sunday afternoon August 18.  There is no charge.  This date is tentative.  If you prefer the Sunday before or after, please let me know.  We would like at least one person from each club to attend, so if you cannot make it, you will be welcome to designate someone to attend in your place.

Attracting Younger Men to your Men’s Club Webinar - Thanks to those of you who participated in the webinar in May.  I am attaching the PowerPoint presentation.  Also, you can see the video here: http://youtu.be/aKJCsWC7Mtw . The video is for FJMC internal consumption, can only be viewed with the link, and is not searchable.  While I encourage you to share the link with other members of your club, please do not publish it on a website or blog.  Tip for viewing: if you go to a full screen view by clicking the brackets on the lower right of the playback frame, it is easier to read the comments if you so desire.  I hope the webinar was valuable to you, and that you will participate in others in the future!

Nominees for FJMC Officers and Board of Directors – Elections of FJMC officers and members of the Board of Directors for 2013-15 will take place at the plenary session of this year’s convention on Wednesday afternoon, July 24.  The following have been nominated, but individuals can also appear on the ballot by petition.  Those petitions must be submitted to Mark Berlin, 9 Royal Oak Court, Potomac, MD 20854 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than July 3.

Requirements of petitions:

  • To be an FJMC officer - Additional nominations for officers shall be made by petition, in writing, signed by at least two in good standing from at least six clubs in good standing, and those clubs must represent at least three different regions.  The petition must be submitted to the Chairman of the Nominating Committee at least 21 days before the start of the convention and must be accompanied by the written consent of the person so nominated.
  • To be elected as a member of the FJMC Board - Additional nominations for Elected Directors representing specific regions shall be made by petition, in writing, signed by at least two members in good standing from at least three clubs in good standing from the region the nominee is to represent.  The petition must be submitted to the Chairman of the Nominating Committee at least 21 days before the start of the convention and must be accompanied by the consent, in writing, of the person so nominated. 

The FJMC’s Nominating Committee has selected the following to serve as officers:

      President                      Myles Simpson (Western Region)

      First Vice President   Allan Gottesman (Florida Region)

      Vice Presidents           Stan Greenspan (Lake Ontario Region)

                                                Mark Druy (New England Region)

                                                Allan Kahan (Seaboard Region)

                                                Ed Margolis (Florida Region)

                                                Steve Neustein (Tri-State Region)

                                                Gary Smith (KIO Region)

      Treasurer                       Joel Shrater (Western Region)

      Secretary                       Alan Budman (Middle Atlantic Region)

The nominees of this region to serve on the FJMC Board of Directors are:

      Robert Levine – Beth El Synagogue Center, New Rochelle, NY

      Bart Bookman – Orangetown Jewish Center, Orangeburg, NY

      John Chargar – New City Jewish Center, New City, NY

 


 

 

Mid-May HVR News

I usually try to limit and consolidate the HVR FJMC emails that I send to you, with a preference to send you an “HVR News” mailing at around the first of the month.  However, there are several items I need to communicate to you at this time, and I consider just about all of them very important:

Webinar Training – On Monday, May 20, the FJMC Training Team presented an interactive webinar, "Attracting younger men to your Men’s Club & and how to retain them!”  This was the first live FJMC on-line training seminar, and it proved to be an effective means for providing training.  The topic is certainly one of value to every club.  If you would like to view a copy of the training, and you are an FJMC member, please contact me.

Bone Marrow Drive for John Chargar – The New City Jewish Center Men’s Club had a bone marrow drive at the Rockland JCC yesterday and we had a very good turnout.  If you could not attend, we invite you to make a monetary non-profit contribution in John Chargar’s honor, to Gift of Life, c/o New City Jewish Center, 47 Old Schoolhouse Road, New City, NY 10956.

HVR Executive Officer Opening – We have an open position for a “freshman” officer of HVR.  Our order of preference for filling the position is a past club president, current club president, or other Men’s Club member.  Please contact me or our nominating committee chairman, Fred Feinberg with your nominations.  Fred’s contact email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">.

HVR Annual Meeting and Installation – We wish to celebrate the work that all our club presidents do for their clubs on Sun. June 9 at 9:30am.  Please mark your calendars accordingly.  I will ask for rsvp’s at a later date.  PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY EXPECTED CHANGES IN YOUR CLUB OFFICERS FOR THIS COMING YEAR.

Memorial for Men’s Club Members - FJMC publishes a memorial booklet at convention with the names of all those men's club members who passed away since the last convention.  The booklet is handed out during the Shabbat afternoon Memorial service.  If you wish to participate (no cost or obligation), we need your help to compile a list of your Men’s Club members who have passed away since the convention two years ago.  Please work on this and forward the names to the FJMC office (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) with a cc to me as soon as possible.  This booklet will be prepared and printed in mid-June, so there is just one month maximum to receive the names.

MOTY Dinner Journal – Although the dinner this year was great, we made an error in omitting the bio and photo for Evan Ringel, Temple Israel Center Youth of the Year.  There were also several ads missed due to our error, and due to individuals not proceeding through to the confirmation page when they submitted their ad.  We apologize for our errors and will try to make it easier next year for individuals to submit their ads without error.  Please see the link on the home page for a corrected copy of the journal.

Quality Club Award Deadline – The deadline for submission of Quality Club Awards applications is June 10.  You will find the applications at the fjmc.org website under the Awards menu.

Calendar for 2013-14 – We have not had a chance to prepare a draft of the calendar for next year, but I wish to let you know:

-       The West Point Oneg is on Friday evening July 19. Please publicize to your congregants and not only Men’s Club members.

-       In August, we will plan a BBQ for Club Presidents, EVP’s and families so we get to know one another better.

-       Monthly meetings will generally be the second Wednesday of each month, alternating between program meetings and business meetings.  We also try to alternate between Rockland/Orange and Westchester/Putnam counties.

If you would like us to have a meeting at your synagogue this coming year, please let me know.  I should have a formal draft of the calendar done soon.

Convention Attendance – If your club is one of those that do not have anyone attending the FJMC Convention, you and your members are missing out on an awesome experience, chock full of ideas to improve your club, your synagogue, and yourself.  Of the total registration cost of $1,218, the region offers $600 rebates to first timers ($500 to repeat attendees), FJMC offers a rebate of the $100 registration fee for those who will club presidents at the time of convention.  For first time club president attendees, this brings to the cost to $518.  In addition, most clubs or synagogues grant additional subsidies.  If you are on the fence, and are undecided, please contact me or our convention chairman, Allen Saperstein, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Home #(914) 737-3669.

Thank you.

Regards,
Andy Alper
President, Hudson Valley Region Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs (HVR FJMC)
Home tel. no. 845-638-4634
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 


 

May HVR News

Year End HVR Meetings – 1) Business Meeting – Our meeting will be at 7:30pm Wed. May 8, 2013 at Congregation Sons of Israel, 1666 Pleasantville Rd, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510.  Main topic of discussion will be a review of the MOTY Dinner and how we can make it even better next year.  Please RSVP by Monday to Andy Alper at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">.

2) Annual Meeting and Installation – Next month 9:30am Sunday, June 9, 2013 at New City Jewish Center, 47 Old Schoolhouse Rd, New City, NY 10956.  Our plans are to honor each of you for either continuing in or retiring from your current positions, and to honor incoming officers.  This will be preceded by breakfast.  Please save the date.

Bone Marrow Donors Needed – John Chargar, VP of HVR, is in need of a bone marrow transplant.  His Men's Club at New City Jewish Center is partnering with the non-profit "Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation" (www.giftoflife.org) to run a recruitment drive Sunday May 19th 8:30am to 1:30 pm at the Jewish Community Campus (JCC), 450 West Nyack Road, West Nyack, NY 10994.  The best chance of finding a suitably matched donor lies with those of similar ethnic ancestry.  We need your assistance in two ways:

1) Help spread the word of our recruitment drive. Flyers are being prepared and notices will be broadcast  (If you would like a copy, let me know). Although donors are accepted up to age 60, the real target population is individuals ages 18 thru 44. The recruiting drive procedure is simple, consisting of swabbing the inside of one's cheeks with cotton swabs and takes only a few minutes. Share information about our drive with all prospective donor candidates and encourage their participation;

2) Processing of collected donor specimens so the information can be made available for universal data bank access is expensive, costing $54 per specimen.  We would like to raise funds for "Gift of Life" to enable them to continue to their life saving efforts, particularly focused on those of Jewish ethnic ancestry. We are therefore asking all those interested to make a donation of Chai ($18) or more to "Gift of Life"  in support of this campaign undertaken in John's name and to hopefully identify a suitable donor for John. Please send your fully tax-deductible contribution made payable to "Gift of Life" to New City Jewish Center, 47 Old Schoolhouse Road, New City, NY 10956.

Convention – We would like to see at least one officer of each club attend convention.  The following is a four minute video on the convention -  http://goo.gl/VAMhA 

Quality Club Award – Now is the time to submit the application for the Quality Club Award.  If you work on it any later than now, you are flirting with missing the June 10 deadline.  It does not take long to submit.    A copy of the application may be found at the fjmc.org website.  If you have any questions, let me know.

West Point – Hudson Valley Region is again sponsoring services and the oneg at West Point Jewish Chapel on Friday night, July 19, 2013 at 7:00pm.  Contact me for copies of the flyer and please distribute to your congregations.

Staff Change at FJMC Office in NYC - Effective this week, Jennifer Gersch is no longer working for the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs.  Her seven years of dedication are greatly appreciated. We wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.  If you have not updated your membership list yet for this year (it needs to be done annually), please direct your new list for now to Jeremy Kasman, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">.

Mercaz Israel Advocacy Training Seminar on June 9-10 – Please consider attending.  This will take place on June 9 & 10 in Southbury, CT.  The event will start at noon on Sunday and end at 1:00 pm on Monday.  Please contact me if you are interested. 

Dues Increase & Membership Campaign - The Board of Directors of the FJMC has approved an increase in Men's Club dues of $1 per club member, effective in our next fiscal year (starting Sept. 1, 2013).  The FJMC is also launching a Membership Campaign for our Men's Clubs to help you grow your membership, starting at Convention.  We’re developing new training and promotional materials to help you attract new members, which will also be previewed at Convention.  Now here is the real good news - when your club is successful with its membership campaign, it will receive a 50% discount for each new member over your membership totals for the current year as reported to the FJMC.   As an example if you grow from 75 members to 85 members next year, instead of your dues being $935 in the following year, they would only be $880. The FJMC is delighted that over the past 10 years we have only raised dues by a $1 and we have been able to keep membership affordable to allow for maximum participation in the organization.  Please see the attached for additional information.

Sunshine

-          Al Saperstein informs us that Ronnie Myers, our erstwhile regional secretary, and current president of CSI Briarcliff is the proud new grandpa of twin boys.

-          A few weeks ago, John Chargar, HVR VP became a grandfather to a baby boy.

Keep those new future Men’s Club members coming!

Club Activities

Beth El Synagogue Center Men’s Club will be going to the Brooklyn Cyclones on June 23rd.  You can contact Rob Levine at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like more information.

Regards,
Andy Alper
President, Hudson Valley Region Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs (HVR FJMC)
Home tel. no. 845-638-4634
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

April HVR News

General Meeting – The HVR General Meeting will be a week from tonight, at 7:30pm Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at New City Jewish Center, 47 Old Schoolhouse Road, New City, NY 10956.  (This is a different venue than what is on the HVR calendar.)  Dinner (deli) and schmoozing will start at 7:30pm, and the meeting at 8:00pm.  Time permitting, there will be an assortment of topics including 1) successful programs we have run for involving younger members, 2) club finances (budgeting, event costing, charging for events), and 3) creating value (members, non-members, shul).  Bring ideas and questions to share with fellow club presidents and officers.

Man and Youth of the Year Dinner – The dinner is on Sunday May 5 at 5:00 pm.  Have you made your dinner reservation?  Have you submitted a personal ad to congratulate your honorees?  Has your club and synagogue considered putting in an ad?  Have your honorees sent in their bios and photos?  The ads state that all ads are to be received by April 16, and dinner tickets are to be purchased by April 26.

Convention – We would like to see every current and incoming club president attend convention.  Convention is the best of what Men’s Club has to offer.  I guarantee you will come away from convention with dozens of ideas for your club.  Money should not be an issue.  I am happy to announce that those who will be Men’s Club president at the time of convention will be able to deduct the $100 registration fee from the $1,218 full convention price.  As a stipend from HVR when they register, all men are able to deduct $600 for first timers, and $500 for repeat attendees.  Beyond this, many clubs provide additional subsidy.  Transportation should not be an issue.  We will be organizing car pools for those who need one.  If you have any questions, please contact me or our HVR convention chairman, Allen Saperstein at 914-737-3669 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">.

Bone Marrow Donor Program – My friend and HVR VP, John Chargar is in need of a bone marrow transplant.  I ask that you consider having a bone marrow donor registration drive, perhaps in conjunction with a blood drive, if you already have one.  Please refer to www.marrow.org.  The main qualifications to register are for the person to be between 18 and 44 yrs old and to be in good health.  (Doctors choose registry members between 18 and 44 yrs 90% of the time.)  If the person qualifies, it is then a matter of collecting a swab of cheek cells.  That person is then registered, and in case there is a match, he/she will be contacted.  If it is not feasible to have a drive at your synagogue, please also consider having one at your place of work.

Quality Club Award – Some requirements have been relaxed, thanks to the input of Rob Levine.  Please see the Quality Club website page at http://fjmc.org/content/quality-club-award.  One of the mandatory criteria is having a member attending:

a.  A regional retreat, OR

b.  An FJMC consultant-led regional or individual club training program in the vicinity. (The January 2013 LDI and FJMC Keruv training will count for this criterion.)

c.  If none of these options is available, a visitation by an FJMC International or Regional representative may be substituted.

In order to arrange a training program, we would like to have a minimum number of people interested in attending.  If we have an adequate number, we can arrange the training prior to the May 31 Quality Club Award cut off date at a mutually agreeable time and place.  If it is not feasible to arrange a training session, we can make a visit to your club to meet with you and your Men’s Club.  If you are interested in training, please let me know how many people would be interested in attending.

Torch Awards – Now is the time to write up your best programs to share with the rest of FJMC.  Please refer to the Torch Award home page at  http://fjmc.org/content/torch-award-0.

Programs for Young Men – Doug Segerman, the President of the KIO Region [Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio] of FJMC relates the following:

I am working on creating programming directly aimed at 2 groups – guys below 35 without kids and guys below 45 with younger kids.  Examples for the latter group would be Father-Child movie night and Father-Daughter Dance.  An example for the former might be Poker Night.  I was wondering if you could send an e-mail out to each of your clubs requesting any programming they have geared directly toward those age groups.  If so, can they please send me that information.  My plan is to create a list of all of the programming used throughout the FJMC aimed at these two groups.  Once I have that I will share it will all of you so that our clubs are aware of the programming that has worked throughout the FJMC.  I really do appreciate your help on this and please let me know if you have any questions.

If you give me this information, I will pass it on to Doug.

Club Activities – A couple of clubs asked that I promote programs of theirs:

-          Blue Man Group - Temple Sinai – Middletown - Also, if there is anyone from the Region who would like to join us in NYC to see the Blue Man Group on April 21st, please see the attached flier.  Temple Sinai will take off $10 from the price and bring a bagel if you want to meet them at the Theater.

-          Tour of New York – Forest Hills Jewish Center – Please see the attached fliers.  Forest Hills Jewish Center has invited Metro NY Region and us to tour NYC as a tourist.  They will be able to accommodate 168 people on the two buses.  People will choose between two  tours.  This is a unique event at only a cost of $25.00 per person and a chance for New Yorkers to be a tourist in their own city.  The buses hold 68 on top and 20 on the bottom. All the information is on the flyer. However if anyone has a question they can contact Hal Berkowitz@aol,com or Myron Baer (e-mail is on the flyer).

I hope everyone had a good Passover.  Please remember to RSVP for the meeting next Wednesday.  Also, get in your reservations and ads for the MOTY dinner.

Best regards,

Andy Alper

President, Hudson Valley Region Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs (HVR FJMC)

Home tel. no. 845-638-4634

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

March HVR News

1. March Executive Committee Meeting – We have been alternating executive committee meetings and general meetings on a monthly basis.  This month we will have an executive committee meeting at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at Orangetown Jewish Center, 8 Independence Avenue, Orangeburg, NY 10962.  The topics include the planning for the Man & Youth of the Year Dinner, officer reports, and some of the items listed below.  Besides the executive committee members, club presidents or their designees are also invited.  Please RSVP to me by Monday, March 11 if you are attending.

2. Man & Youth of the Year Dinner – Dinner registrations and journal ads are being taken via our website: www.hvrfjmc.org.  The website is now live.  Please give me the names of your honorees if you have not done so already.  The bio ads and photos of the honorees are to go to Bart Bookman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  If you have any questions, or need anything, please let me know.

3. Convention – FJMC’s biennial convention will be held in Danvers, Massachusetts, on July 24-28.  We are up to at least 12 men and 4 spouses registered for convention.  This is the first convention for five of the men.  The convention is a major benefit of membership.  Over 80% of our region clubs would get back at least their annual dues to FJMC in the form of a reduction in registration costs to the member.  This will occur when you send just one or two first-time attendees to the convention.  The rebate is $600 for first-time attendees and $500 for repeat attendees.  To register, follow the link at the www.fjmc.org website.

4. Maasim Tovim Award – The Hudson Valley Region is proud to announce that their FJMC Maasim Tovim (Doer of Good Deeds) Award is J. Harold Nissen of Temple Israel Center, White Plains, NY.  The award will be presented at the FJMC convention.  This award is the highest and most cherished award that any region of the FJMC can bestow upon one of its members.  The award recognizes significant accomplishments the honoree has made to his club, his synagogue, and the Jewish community.  Harold has been extremely active with Men’s Club before and after his being International President of FJMC from 1992 - 93.  He has been immense help to those of us in the region.  You can read his bio here and place an ad in his honor in the convention journal here.

5. Sefer Haftorah - One of the most unique projects the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs can offer its club members is the Sefer Haftorah.  This project has grown since it was started in 2003.  An FJMC Sefer Haftorah continues to travel the United States week after week visiting clubs and synagogues.  There is no cost to any club to be part of this project.  Many clubs have reported their Shabbat attendance to double and triple when they advertised that the Sefer would be present.  This magnificent scroll contains all of the haftorah including the vowels and trope.  The FJMC Sefer Haftorah Committee is starting the process to establish the next schedule which will run from September 2013 thru March 2015.  Our region is allocated two weeks, for two clubs.  We cannot specify preferred dates.  Please let me know by March 15 if your club is interested in hosting the Sefer Haftorah in your synagogue for one Shabbat.  If you have any questions, let me know.

6. Fundraising – Use the purchase of a Sefer Haftorah (see above) as a fundraiser.  Both my synagogue (New City Jewish Center) and Temple Israel Center have done this with great success.  Please let me know if you have any interest in this.

7. Yellow Candles - The last day for bulk shipment orders is March 6, 2013.  (That is for the regular candles in boxes of 48.)  Place your order here!  Sunday April 7, 2013 is Erev Yom Hashoah - light candles after sundown. Monday April 8, 2013 Yom Hashoah is observed.

8. Hearing Men’s Voices – I very much like the model for a series of Hearing Men’s Voices (HMV) programs in lieu of just isolated sessions.  HMV is an excellent way to engage our members and other congregants.  I think of it as schmoozing with a little bit of structure. By having a series of sessions rather than just one, you make it easier to publicize, to reign in new members, and get more people involved.  Please contact me if you would like some additional information.

9. Change in Leadership – We welcome Edward Bloomfield and Eric Blumenau as new co-Presidents of Temple Sinai, Middletown, NY.

10. Mercaz - I'm sure that you are all familiar with, or at least have heard of, Mercaz USA -- the Zionist membership organization of the Conservative Movement.  Mercaz is the voice of Conservative Jewry within the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the American Zionist Movement and the Jewish National Fund to support religious pluralism in Israel and strengthen the connection between Israel and the Diaspora.  Our FJMC First VP, Myles Simpson is now on their Board as are several other FJMC leaders.  Over the past year or so, several of our leaders have been working closely with Mercaz USA in their Israeli Advocacy programming.  FJMC encourages all of its members to become members of Mercaz USA, but we invite you to especially promote Mercaz membership to your Men’s Club leadership.  Please visit the website http://www.mercazusa.org/ to learn more about its activities and the worthwhile services it performs.  Membership for individuals is only $36 per year, or $54 for a family.  You can become a member using the online membership application at their website, or with the attached pdf file.  Even better, try to get your synagogue to place Mercaz dues as an optional item on the synagogue bill.  It took a lot of discussion, but my synagogue does this.

11. Club Events –We recently had a New City Jewish Center congregant, Dr. L. Paul Brief, talk at our synagogue about his adventures as a combat surgeon in Vietnam.  If you are interested in having talk at your synagogue, it is at no cost to your club.  For additional information see his website at www.hootch8.com, or contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 845-304-5645.   If you have any events of interest to other clubs, please let me know.

12. Region Events – There are number of additional region events I would like to hold, but it depends on your interest and support.  Among the ideas are: a) Speakers Bureau – featuring a database of no cost or low cost interesting speakers for Men’s Club breakfasts or other events (such as the above mentioned event), b) Tour D’Shuls – a bike ride stopping at region synagogues with the idea of raising tzedakah, and c) It’s Academic or similar event as a friendly competition between HVR clubs.  Without any obligation, please let me know if any of these activities would interest you.

 

Besides RSVP’ing for the executive committee meeting on Wed. March 13, also, please save the date for the next general meeting on Wed. April 10 at Westchester Jewish Center.  In case I do not see you at the meeting this month, I want to wish you and your families a Happy Pesach.

Regards,

Andy Alper, HVR FJMC President

Tel. 845-638-4634 (Home)

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

 

February 2013 - HVR News

 

1. General Meeting – Date Change – We have changed the meeting date from Tue. Feb, 12 to Wed. Feb 13 at 7:30pm.  The location is Congregation Sons of Israel, 300 North Broadway  Nyack, NY 10960.  Club Officers and regular Men's Club members are invited.  The main topic of the meeting is Implementing a Hearing Men’s Voices ProgramIf you plan on attending, please let Andy Alper (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) know by return email no later than Sunday, Feb. 10.  RSVP's are needed because the region is providing dinner. 

2. Convention – Do not delay!  An important deadline is coming up.  The FJMC International Convention is the single most important event that a Men’s Club member can attend!!  The convention is in Boston this year, and the theme is Conservative/Masorti Men at the Crossroads; Responding to a Changing World.  If you and your members are registered and paid-in-full by February 18th, you will receive $100 off on your registration fee. Register at http://convention.fjmc.org.  There are activities for wives and children (including a 65,000 sq. ft. water park onsite at the hotel).  When you register, be sure to select the HVR subsidy (for Men’s Club members) of $600 for first time attendees and $500 for repeat attendees.  Please direct questions to Allen Saperstein, HVR VP & Convention Leader, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 914-737-3669.

3. World Wide Wrap – I hope your Wrap next weekend on Sunday morning Feb. 3 is a success.  Please register your club, if you have not done so already, at www.fjmc.org.  During the Wrap, please consider: 1) taking photos and then submitting them for local publicity and for posting on the FJMC website (also send them to me and I will see if we can post them on our website) and 2) making a collection from your minyan to donate funds to the FJMC Tefillin Fund.  Though it is late to do so for this year, next year consider ordering “First Thoughts: A Tefillin Spiritual Primer” to give to attendees.  We do this at my club.  A bulk pack of 50 costs $40 from the FJMC Store.  Also consider Build-a-Pair.  I purchased a sample kit and can bring it to a meeting.  Let me know if you are interested.

4. Man & Youth of the Year Dinner – If you have not already done so, please let me know who your honorees will be.  I will send you separate email regarding this during this weekend including an invitation and sample letter/email to send to your honorees.  Good news – we will be handling dinner registrations and journal ad submissions through our website this year thanks to the work of Bruce Sicherman and others on the FJMC IT committee.

5. Yellow Candle Orders – Did you know that you can have FJMC mail candles mailed direct to your congregants?  You would provide a mailing list together with an order form and payment, and FJMC will send the candles direct for you.  The deadline for this is coming soon on Thursday February 21.  If you have any questions, please contact Dave Herlands, HVR VP, Tel. 914-282-8152 , Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

6. Dates to Remember –

Feb 3 – Sun. - World Wide Wrap

Feb 18 – Mon. – Register for convention by this date and receive $100 off on the registration fee.

Feb 21 - Thurs. – Yellow Candle direct mail shipment order deadline.

Mar 6 – Wed. - Yellow Candle last day for bulk shipment orders

Mar 8-9 – Fri., Sat. - Men's Club Shabbat

April 7 – Sun. – Erev Yom HaShoah – Light the Yellow Candle after sundown

May 5 – Sun. – HVR Man of the Year Dinner

June 10 – Mon. - Deadline Quality Club Award

July 24-28 – Wed. to Sun. -  Convention 2013!

Sep 4 – Wed. -  Erev Rosh HaShana 5774

 

7. Club Events

a) Temple Beth Shalom, Mahopac, NY is having their Men’s Club Millennium Breakfast, Sunday, Feb. 10th, 10:00am.  The topic is gun control.  For info, contact Joel Greenberg by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 845-628-6133

b) Temple Sinai, Middletown, NY asked that I promote an event of theirs that is coming up.  They will be presenting: SONGS FROM THE YIDDISH THEATRE AND JEWISH BROADWAY on Sunday, May 5th from 3pm to 4:30pm.  A flyer is attached.  Please consider attending and please help promote to anyone else who may be interested in attending.

c) NORPAC – For our Rockland Clubs - Avi Schranz, Treasurer/Executive Director at NORPAC, the nation's leading pro-Israel Political Action Committee, spoke at Montebello Jewish Center a couple of weeks ago.  Bruce Yore, Men’s Club co-President suggested that he speak to some of the other Men’s Clubs in the area.  NORPAC is looking to expand their presence in Rockland County and reach out to its Jewish communities about their pro-Israel advocacy work. If you are receptive to his speaking at your synagogue, please contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or his cell # (201) 788-5133.

d) Above and Beyond: The Birth of the Israeli Air Force – The following is a link to a seven minute clip about how Americans volunteered to form the beginning of the Israeli Air Force in 1948: https://vimeo.com/54400569.  The password is iaf.  I contacted the production company on whether it is available for rental.  It is actually still in production and will not be available until 2014.  I have decided to pass this on to you anyway for your personal viewing because it is good and it is interesting.

8. Membership Dues – Please pay your FJMC dues if you have not done so already.  Billing is based on the membership list the FJMC office had on file at the end of August, 2012.  Please pay based on the invoice you have received.  If you have any questions, please let me know. 

That is it for this month.  Remember to please RSVP if you plan on attending the General Meeting on Feb. 12.

Regards,

Andy Alper, HVR FJMC President

Tel. 845-638-4634 (Home)

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.