Submission #27923 by Beth El Men's Club - Cedarhurst, NY (831)
2023
I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.
Jewish Observance
Jewish Observance
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The goal of Jewish Observance has occurred through a variety of programs that have been established and for a variety of programs expanded upon. A Men's Club Executive Board Member runs classes on "How to Lead a Minyan" in addition to a newly formed Beginners class. Our Yom HaShoah program combines the lighting of candles on the Erev of Yom HaShoah with a film from the Moriah Collection we purchased from the Simon Wiesenthal Center. During our Men's Club Shabbat, we bring in guest speakers such as a docent from the Holocaust Museum; This year our D'Var Torah was given by a Member of the Men's Club whose Topic was: "The Supreme Court Case Considers Issues Relating to Sabbath Observance"' On the evening of Kristallnacht, we always have a Memorial service in addition to a guest speaker ie. Martin Goldsmith who wrote two books concerning the Holocaust. Every year we organize a Veteran's Shabbat to honor Veterans where Men's Club Members run the program.. We have expanded our "World Wide Wrap Program" to include Congregants from other temples as well as students from those temples. We have arranged visits to the OHEL and to The Jewish Theological Seminary where our Rabbi was our Tour Guide. During Chanukah, Men's Club Members volunteer to model lighting the Menorah on Zoom to the entire Congregation.
Our "How to Run a Minyan" class has taught Congregants not only the steps in running a Minyan, but has helped to improve the reading of the prayers. The members of this class run Morning and Evening Minyans which they had not done before. The program has expanded to a beginners class where Congregants who are not familiar with Hebrew are taught the basics. Sisterhood Members are classmates as well as members of the Men's Club. In addition, students from both classes are requested to attend Morning and Evening Minyans We held a program entitled "Monday Night at the Movies" where we showed 4 different Moriah Films during 4 consecutive months; the last being held on April 19th two days after Yom Ha Shoah.. We also held a "Jewish Trivia Contest" where we invited community synagogues to participate. Certificates were rewarded to the winning team in addition to a certificate for "The Jewish Trivia Maven". Our visits to the OHEL and The Jewish Theological Seminary added greatly to our Goal of Enhancing Jewish Observance. The idea of including other Temples, with Adults and Students, in our "World Wide Wrap" Program helped make this event extremely successful. Men' Club members organize many of these programs and/or attend these events.
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Original Program
Honorable Mention