2023 Torch Award Application (submit here)

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#sort ascendingSubmittedUserIP AddressAward YearDocuments readClub NameProgram NameExisting ContactFirst NameLast NameEmail of Club RepFirst NameLast NameEmailFirst NameLast NameEmail Current PresidentCategoryProgram Overview SummaryDetailed ProgramDetail Program DocumentsProgram Advance PlanningMarketingPhotosVideoImpactFJMCAdditional InputProgram OriginIdentify SourceCertificationAward Level (to be completed by Torch Award Chairmen after judging)
922023-05-01 09:25martinmantis335898.185.178.1112023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Kol Haverim Mens Club - Glastonbury, CT (207)Yellow Candles April 19, 2023Dr. Jeff ShoreMARTINMANTISdba.mantis.sales@cox.netMARTINMANTISdba.mantis.sales@cox.netMARTINMANTISdba.mantis.sales@cox.netYom HaShoah Yellow CandleYellow Candle Program summary Our Brotherhood makes it a mission for all congregational families to receive the Yellow Candles for Yom Hashoah We do the program on Wednesday Nights - school takes place on Wednesday and hope some students and family members stay for the service which is at 6PM Our Congregational Community fully supports this program and any donations we receive go back to Holocaust program within our congregation and the ADL does some programming too. We deliver the Yellow candles to all congregants homes prior to Yom Hashoah.. If congregants are out of town - we mail the yellow candles to them. Our Rabbi Kari performs our Yom Hashoah service in person and via zoom We get wonderful letters from congregants after the service with donations that go back to Holocaust programming. We, The Brotherhood of Congregation Kol Haverim started doing Yellow Candles 3 years ago when we joined FJMC Connecticut Valley Region Our mission is to reach all members of our congregation with a candle at their home. for all our local families - we have a few guys that drive to our congregants homes and personally deliver the candles to them. Some of our congregants who come to our building can pick up but after April 9th, the CKH brotherhood drivers head out and deliver. Some of our members are home and we chat with them. Many though are not home at the time of delivery and we out on their door post or in their front door area. I will be attaching the letter and memorial information that is provided with the Yellow Candle For those members who are out of the area -we package up and mail 1st class to be sure they receive them. The Yellow candles are in a Yellow bag along with information about the upcoming service and a note at the bottom of the letter if they want to make a donation for this program. A second page lists the name of a child who perished. Each family receives a different name. Our Rabbi Dr. Kari Tuling presides over our Yom Hashoah Services on Wednesday April 19th. We have in house and provide this service via Zoom to our congregants. The service lasts about 45 minutes and finishes with all congregants in attendance or via zoom light the yellow candle and recite a name of a child who perished during the Holocaust. This is a very powerful moment for all of us. There is a quietness after the lighting for a minute or two. A week following the program - The Brotherhood starts to receive donations for this program. To date, we have received over $500 in donations. These $$ are earmarked for Holocaust and ADL programming within our congregation The ADL has come in for a program on Hate , Antisemitism in our State ( CT) The hebrew school also had programming from the ADL to talk to our students as well during their hebew school classes which was held on a Wednesday in April. yom_hashoah_2023_congregant_letter.pdf (122 KB)yom_hashoah_2023_prayer_meditation.pdf (178 KB)Our Congregation really appreciates this programing on the Holocaust/ Yom Hashoah and we will continue to provide programming throughout the year(s). We find some of our members have participated in this programming. Our most difficult challenge is getting younger families to take part in this particular program. This is something we need to work on and when I attend Convention, I hope to receive ideas regarding this.Our membership is Free to all male members of our congregation. We only have about 20-30 paying members out of a total of 150 give or take. Programming always needs to be adjusted to bring more men of our congregation involved. Something we are always working on. It really pertains to the younger guys ages 30-45. Not getting these guys involved in Bhood and we cannot figure out why. We talk to them but they just dont seem to make time for themselves - rather more about their work and families. we want to offer more programming but this age bracket is really hard to figure out.WE do not have any pictures or film from this very important program. All I can tell you is prior to 3 years ago we did not have the Yellow Candle program - our congregants greatly appreciate this program exists and they do not want it to end.Other Sourceyellow candlesYesHonorable Mention
912023-04-28 00:10ScotF155.70.104.1172023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.B'Nai Amoona Men'S Club - St. Louis, MO (631)Hearing Men's Voices - Men's Health Edition with Dr. Ronan LevDr. Jeff ShoreScotFowlerscot.a.fowler@gmail.comScotFowlerscot.a.fowler@gmail.comKevinLittlitt.kevin@gmail.comHearing Men's VoicesMen's Club held a special Hearing Men's Voices - Medical Edition with Dr. Ronan Lev, who led a discussion on Men's Health and aging. As part of marketing this HMV, we created an anonymous submissions form for attendees to submit questions in advance the March 15th session, and provided those questions to Dr. Lev previous to meeting.After attending a Hearing Men's Voices session earlier in the year, Dr. Lev approached the Men's Club leadership with the offer of a Men's Health discussion, covering a wide-ranging set of topics. We determined that we would ask the members what questions they would like answered as part of this session, and, too make it anonymous, we developed a Google Form that wouldn't capture the email/name of the individual who was submitting the question(s). In addition to answering members' questions, and addressing men's health/aging in general terms, Dr. Lev also opened up the discussion for any medical topic the group was interested in. What resulted was a lively discussion over a multitude of health issues men face as we grow older.2023-03-15_hmv-medicaled.docx (1910 KB)Men's health issues, as we age, is not typically a popular topic, but this was one of our biggest HMV attendances. I think it was well attended because the person leading this presentation was not only a doctor board-certified by the American Board of Urology with a specialization in laparoscopy and stone surgery, but he was also an active member of our club. To help make men even more comfortable, we provided the club with a link to where they could ask questions anonymously. This allowed guys to attend and ask questions without having to raise their hand. Our HMV presenter, Ronan, did a fantastic job of starting with a basic description of issues men have as they age, and then letting the group lead the conversation with questions. The Hearing Men's Voices Program engages our community with issues that concern Jewish Men, and our health is one of the most important issues. This talk, with Dr. Lev, allowed for very meaningful conversations, and no one felt any stigma in asking questions that didn't feel comfortable asking in a group format - because they had the opportunity to ask the questions via an anonymous submission.An adaptation or enhancement of a previous Torch Award entry TAxx-xxxx|TA-631-2015YesSilver
902023-04-27 23:10obgenetics155.190.17.42023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Congregation Beth Shalom Men'S Club - Northbrook, IL (643)Beer on the WallDr. Jeff ShoreAndrewWagnerandrew.wagner@nm.orgBobGoldwinrudybux@comcast.netAndrew/StevenWagner/Lessmanandrew.wagner@nm.orgProgramming for Younger Men, 39 and youngerThe lifeblood of any successful Men’s Club is sustainability and reaching out to future generations of members. Attracting younger members and introducing them to the Club will help keep the Club alive. We followed a successful program on Zoom in the early days of the pandemic with an in-person version, craft beer tasting from a local shop.On March 4, 2021, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS) Men’s Club held a dinner and beer tasting. As we were still not yet having events in person at the synagogue, dinner could be ordered from a Kosher caterer, the beer was available for pickup, and the tasting was guided by an employee of a local craft beer store called Beer on the Wall. This was an incredibly memorable and successful program. Now that we are able to have events back in person, we wanted to bring this program back in-person. What made this event memorable, beyond the beer, learning about brewing, and the discussion, was the wide range of Club members who attended. This was especially popular amongst our younger members. These members are who we hope to become emerging leaders in the Club. In bringing this program back in an in-person fashion, we hoped to attract a younger crowd. This way, we could show them how fun and meaningful our Men’s Club can be while hosting an interesting event. Our VP of Programming checked with a number of local liquor stores, but we primarily focused on the one we used last time. They were able to bring a variety of beers to taste as well as an employee who does these types of private events and tastings frequently. His experience as a cicerone, like a wine sommelier but for beer, was certain to make the experience fun and educational. A reasonable event price point of $15/person was set to cover the beverages, the cicerone, and snacks was set. Publicity was sent through our synagogue bulletin, emails, and, what proved to be the most helpful, word of mouth. This event was held on April 19, 2023 in the evening after a quick Board meeting with a break between for evening Minyan. tried four beers, and our cicerone discussed the breweries, the histories of these types of beers, and some of the science of brewing these beers. He also went over food pairings and how best to taste beers. We had 40 attendees. There were about 10 attendees age 39 and younger, and 6 were new to Club events. There was great spontaneous effort by the more experienced members and Club leaders to introduce themselves to these new faces and welcome them to the event. We hope that these new faces will represent the present and future of the CBS Men’s Club. botwem1.pdf (649 KB)
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botw4.pdf (823 KB)		We were extremely happy with how some of our emerging new leaders and upcoming Board members invited friends to attend the event. The success of the event will likely make this a yearly event. As it was held after a Board meeting, that made good attendance easy to obtain and very convenient.Leadership: Our programming VP made the majority of the arrangements and encouraged younger members to invite other younger and new faces. Innovation: Connecting the event with a Board meeting made the event successful as it linked to a work hard, play hard mentality, and it was easy to get good attendance as members were already planning on being at the synagogue that night. Community: The event was open to the entire congregation, and a spouse of a member attended. A wide range of members attended. Even if a cicerone or expert is not available, events like this could be made to compare any kind of drink or food.Original ProgramYesSilver
892023-04-27 21:56Litt97.91.183.1502023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.B'Nai Amoona Men'S Club - St. Louis, MO (631)Ax Throwing with a MohelDr. Jeff ShoreKevinLittlitt.kevin@gmail.comScotFowlerscot.a.fowler@gmail.comKevinLittlitt.kevin@gmail.comProgramming for Younger Men, 39 and youngerThe program was a fun way to encourage guys to get together. https://stljewishlight.org/top-story/axe-throwing-with-a-mohel/#This wasn't designed to be a complicated program. The goal was to have fun in a way that got new guys interested in participating in something related to Men's Club. This was fun and had a funny name and so it worked. We called the Mohel and asked if he would join us. After he stopped laughing he said yes and put the date in his calendar. We set the date with the location, brought kosher pizza and beer (location required groups to byob and food). Men's Club members received a discount when registering for the event. Throughout the night we threw axes, hatchets, ninja stars, knives, a javelin, and even a hand shovel (that was Ed Herzog's favorite). At the beginning of the night, after the safety briefing, Rabbi Rovinsky (the Mohel) did a d'var about sin and missing the mark. Fun was had by all and everyone walked out with the same number of appendages the had when they walked in. axe_throwing_torch_award_program_schedule.xlsx (31 KB)screenshot_2023-04-30_180116.png (216 KB)52650865312_2dd8a45f3b_k.jpg (122 KB)
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52651800365_c705d57024_k.jpg (159 KB)		It was fun to get guys together with a goofy theme. This was a huge success and had many guys that couldn't attend say they want to go next year. I also had several members of the Sisterhood ask if they could join Men's Club. When this event was promoted at the B'nai Amoona Board Meeting, it was met will a round of laughter and smiles. Event's like these make Men's Club feel like its something anyone can participate in. Any activity we do that gets guys active in something related to Jewish life supports the FJMC mission. The guys who attend Axe Throwing with a Mohel were the same ones who volunteered to deliver yellow candles three months later. Schedule an extra few minutes of time on your phone call for the Mohel to laugh when you tell him your idea for the event.Original ProgramYesGold
882023-04-27 21:36marcrichards73.246.14.212023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.North Suburban Beth El Men's Club - Highland Park, IL (614)Mens Club Weekly Email NewslettersDr. Jeff ShoreMarcRichardsmvrichards@gmail.comJoriBrajerjbrajer@gmail.comDanGrossgrossd@gmail.comClub AdministrationFor the past two years, to maintain a better sense of connection between members in the Club, we have embarked on a weekly Mens Club email newsletter. Even though the amount of programming was down, and in-person contact was minimal, we felt that we could at least send out weekly emails with happenings in the synagogue and community to let members know we are still here and care. Prior to this, the email newsletter were sent out primarily to publicize upcoming events, which became few and far between because of the Covid shutdown and continuing pandemic.Mens Club Email Newsletters The overall goal was to maintain outreach to Men's Club members by increasing the frequency and content of the email newsletters to a weekly basis. Even though the amount of programming by our Mens Club was down, and in-person contact was minimal due to the pandemic, we felt that we could at least send out weekly emails with happenings in the synagogue and community to let members know we are still here and care. Prior to this, the email newsletters were sent out on an adhoc basis primarily to publicize upcoming events. However, with the Covid shutdown, events were few and far between, and even sparse a year after the pandemic started. So we embarked on a campaign to provide weekly email newsletters. To fill content in the lack of programming by our Men’s Club, we would promote the online webinars provided by FJMC International and our Midwest Region. We asked members to share news of events they were aware of. We included links to podcasts and other online resources. Because of restrictions on attendance at services, attendance was sparse at simchas so we included notes congratulating families of recent b’nai mitzvot kids. We feel this adds a nice personal touch to the “younger” men in our community who have school age children. When mid-week in-person minyan returned, we included reminders for members to attend to ensure we had a full minyan. We often highlight certain synagogue events in our newsletter even though not sponsored by Men's Club. And the synagogue includes Mens Club events in the synagogue-wide weekly emails. So by having our emails on the same weekly frequency, we each reinforce the publicity of community events, whcih may otherwise be drowned out by other emails. The email newsletters are created by our VP of communications. He generates and finds most of the content, and also solicits weekly input from members. Some of the content is taken from our synagogue emails and lists upcoming synagogue events, which are not sponsored by the Mens Club. Some of the content is taken from the FJMC emails about online webinars and other events. The email newsletters use a standard template, so that it is easy to cut & paste content to fill it in. The newsletter is prepared usually on Thursday evenings by our VP of Communications. It is scheduled to be automatically delivered via email at 6 AM each Sunday morning. In the past, the email was sent out often on an ad hoc basis when there were events to promote. Now members know they can dependably expect to find our email newsletter in their in-box each Sunday morning. We use Constant Contact as our email database service provider. The Constant Contact database includes active members, inactive members, friends, prospects and new members of the synagogue. So it is delivered to a wider base than just the active members. We hope including inactive members and prospects will encourage reactivation or joining. When Men’s Club hosts events, we have a sign-up sheet and input new names and emails into Constant Contact. Over time the list has increased to more than 500 names, which is more than triple the number of active, paid-up members. Constant Contact provides statistics on the reading of the emails. It reports that after 48 hours, there is usually around 50% read rate of the emails, which is considerably high given the high proportion of recipients who are inactive members. The term inactive really means they are unpaid members. We have a large cadre of inactive members who come to our major events, such as our annual Steak & Scotch dinner. So we know we are reaching many of them, and keeping them linked to the club via the emails. Six sample emails are provided. mens_club_weekly_email_newsletter_-_planning_schedule.xlsx (5 KB)mens_club_email_-_2023-02-12.pdf (2347 KB)
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mens_club_email_-_2023-01-29.pdf (1676 KB)		We believe that having emails on a regular weekly basis has helped maintain relationships and connections with the Club during the pandemic. It has become successful to the point that people complain if they cannot find their Sunday morning email, because it may have gone into a spam folder or just been missed. We do not if it has increased membership, but now more people feel they know what is going on with the Club. We have about 150 paid members of the Club, and about 500 names on the email distribution list. There are more than 1000 families who are members in our synagogue. So we have a significant outreach to many former paid-up Club members and prospects. We believe this will benefit the Club in the long run. Although Mens Club events are in the synagogue weekly email, for some families the wife may receive the email and not the husband. So our email matches the frequency of the synagogue emails and can help reinforce the messaging of many events in the synagogue community. Having weekly email helps maintain the FJMC mission of community. In this digital age, emails are still a common form of outreach. We have yet to develop outreach through social media. As we bring in new younger members who relay more on social media, we may need to add additional channels of communication to reach out to them and keep them connected.Other SourceEnhancement; was not entered for Award.YesSilver
872023-04-27 19:32gpollack73.75.56.1422023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Anshe Emet Men'S Club - Chicago, IL (608)Anti-Hate SeriesDr. Jeff ShoreGreggPollackgdp5607@gmail.comAlanMintzmintzad@gmail.comAlanMintzmintzad@gmail.comEducational ProgrammingSeries consisted of two programs: Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO or Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in March, 2022, and Amy Spitalnick, Executive Director of Integrity First for America in November, 2022. The ADL program was an online interview (webinar) with our senior rabbi, and the Integrity First program was both in person and via Zoom. Each program attracted 70-80 attendees.We partnered with ADL Midwest and the IL Holocaust Museum to bring Jonathan Greenblatt to our synagogue to discuss his new book "It Could Happen Here." We reached out directly to ADL Midwest to organize and plan the program. He was very gracious to meet with us to discuss his book and the rise of antisemitism and other hate crimes in America with our rabbi. We approached Amy Spitalnick directly for our Kristallnacht commemoration in the fall of 2022. She was also very gracious in coming to speak with us; we used the same format as the ADL program, namely our rabbi "interviewed" Amy. Her topic was Kristallnacht: Democracy at Stake. Amy and her organization had successfully sued the Charlottesville neo-nazis. When she visited Anshe Emet, she talked about the connection between assault on democracy and assault on our rights, as well as how we can fight back. aes_and_the_mens_club_present_a_commemoration_of_kristallnacht_with_amy_spitalnick_and_rabbi_michael_siegel_11-9-22.pdf (636 KB)
img_1629_adl_program_3-22-22.png (1616 KB)		Both of these events were very timely, and by offering in person and online, we made them very accessible to our constituency. We know it's important to discuss these issues and what we can do about antisemitism. We need to keep these issues front and center, and bringing in high profile speakers helps us raise awareness and provide coping strategies for our members.Education and open discussion of pressing current issues is part of our culture and values. We need to be proactive and advocate for ourselves and our community. So this is all about providing leadership and innovation - finding and presenting compelling programming to educate our community and help them to be informed and proactive citizens.Don't settle - reach for the highest profile, highest impact speakers you can find. They won't all say yes (or be affordable), but work your local affiliates of national organizations to set up programs like these.Original ProgramYes
862023-04-27 18:26gpollack73.75.56.1422023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Anshe Emet Men'S Club - Chicago, IL (608)Pesach Kosher Wine TastingDr. Jeff ShoreGreggPollackgdp5607@gmail.comAlanMintzmintzad@gmail.comAlanMintzmintzad@gmail.comJewish ObservanceBack by popular demand after a pandemic-driven hiatus, we offered our Pesach Kosher Wine tasting for the first time since 2019. We partner with our local wine merchant, Binny's, and their Kosher Wine Distributor, Royal Wines, who host a tasting of 8-10 wines, as well as a tutorial on Kosher wines, in their store's tasting room. Attendees can then order wines for their seders at a discount (no sales tax, volume discounts). We receive the wines in bulk at the synagogue and sort them for each individual order. Those who order are then contacted by men's club to pick up their wines once we finish sorting.We start planning 2-3 months before Pesach to ensure that we can find a suitable date for the program ideally 3-4 weeks before the holiday starts. We did not charge for the program, though we provided kosher pizza in addition to the wine (which was provided by Binny's). During the "warm-up" period, we had a blind tasting of 3 different wines. We had about 30 attendees, most of whom purchased wine at the event. Our Kosher Wine Master, Simon Levin, described each wine as we tasted it, while also educating us on the different wine making regions, mevushal vs. non-mevushal, and the various varietals we were tasting. Price points ranged from $12 to $45 per bottle and included white, red and blush/sweet wines (something for everyone). At the end of the program, those who correctly identified the wines from the blind tasting received a free bottle from Simon. The program ran over two hours, and we received very positive feedback from attendees.anshe_emet_mens_club_passover_wine_seminar_2023.doc (142 KB)gmail_-_mens_club_event_-_wine_tasting_3-8-23.pdf (111 KB)Helps our members start preparation for Pesach, while affording opportunity to learn about Kosher wines. Attracts a diverse group as well - younger couples hosting seders, as well as the usual men's club crowd, though often with spouses. So there's a social element to the program, as well as men's club providing a "service" to the synagogue community by helping members prepare for their seders, raising our club profile in the community. And having the wine delivered to the synagogue is also very convenient for our members.Helping our members prepare for and observe the Pesach holiday in a ritually compliant manner, while also educating them and providing a valuable service. Many of the wines also come from Israel, so we are supporting Israeli wine producers. Of course, it's important to support Kosher wine producers no matter where they're based.This is a great way to "show off" your men's club around your shul - shul members and clergy appreciate the service that we provide in helping members prepare for the holiday and also learn more about a critical seder component.Original ProgramYes
852023-04-27 17:37gpollack73.75.56.1422023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Anshe Emet Men'S Club - Chicago, IL (608)Kayaking on the Chicago RiverDr. Jeff ShoreGreggPollackgdp5607@gmail.comAlanMintzmintzad@gmail.comAlanMintzmintzad@gmail.comHealth and WellnessPost pandemic revival of of annual program combining exercise and nature. We meet at a boathouse on the Chicago River about 15 minutes from the synagogue on a Sunday morning in September. Program includes coffee/hot chocolate and bagels/cream cheese provided by our club, followed by a brief tutorial and approx. 90 minutes of paddling up and back on the north branch of the Chicago River. We typically see herons, egrets, ducks, geese and other water fowl. Program is open to families with children ages 10 and up.We begin advertising 3-4 weeks in advance of the program, careful to schedule around the holidays and back to school timetables. The only cost is what the kayaking provider charges us (each attendee pays onsite after we finish on the river, typically $20-30 boat). We bring coffee and bagels for all as well as hot chocolate for the younger participants (we usually have 1-2 father/son/daughter teams). We can choose single or tandem kayaks, as well as canoes. Not only is there great comradery amongst the paddlers, but we learn to appreciate our city from a completely different perspective (namely that the big city is not just about traffic and noise, but also offers serenity and wildlife). Paddlers can choose how far they want to paddle - if they get tired they can turn around sooner. gmail_-_re_mens_club_event_rescheduled_-_kayaking.pdf (139 KB)
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img-0653_-_kayaking.jpg (3264 KB)		img-0652_-_kayaking.mov (3493 KB)Great fun and good exercise. Fresh air and appreciation of nature. Attracts new participants and families (spouses and children). Everyone always enjoys this program.Health and wellness of our membership is important. Appreciating nature is part of Shomrei Haaretz too. Offering programming suitable for children is important too so that families can participate together on a Sunday morning.Look for creative ways to get our members moving! Too much sitting around is not healthy...Original ProgramYesBronze
842023-04-27 16:55gpollack73.75.56.1422023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Anshe Emet Men'S Club - Chicago, IL (608)Yom Hashoah Commemoration - Voices of the GenerationsDr. Jeff ShoreGreggPollackgdp5607@gmail.comAlanMintzmintzad@gmail.comAlanMintzmintzad@gmail.comYom HaShoah Yellow CandleOur annual Yom Hashoah commemoration in 2022 featured Julie Kohner, child of survivors and Founder / CEO of Voices of the Generations, a non-profit organization with a mission to bear witness as a second generation. In as little as ten years there may no longer be a Holocaust survivor to share stories in person. We offered this program in person at the synagogue and livestream. The program included a candle lighting ceremony as well as Julie's presentation.Julie told her parents' stories and we showed a video (see link below) from "This is Your Life" filmed in the early 50's. It's an incredible story and the video is amazing. I could watch it over and over (and I did). See link below as well as PDF attached. https://youtu.be/8PbuDSynfIU The program was offered in person at the synagogue and via livestream. Yellow candles were mailed out in advance of the program, and we had a "public" candle lighting ceremony during the program. We also publicize that we donate profits from yellow candle donations to Holocaust related causes (typically the featured organization for the subject Yom Hashoah program).gmail_-_mens_club_event_-_yom_hashoah_commemoration_4-27-22.pdf (534 KB)
gmail_-_link_to_this_is_your_life_-_yom_hashoah_april_2022.pdf (97 KB)		_yomhashoah2022flyer.pdf (134 KB)Julie's mission and her parents' stories are very powerful and critical to preserving the memory of the Holocaust as survivors pass away. We were proud to bring Julie to our congregation and further her mission to educate younger generations. And the video was a perfect vehicle for telling the story - no one who sees it will forget Hannah Kohner.Shoah commemoration is an important aspect of Jewish life, and we help our membership and congregants to "remember" the events of WWII and the people who perished at the hands of the Nazis and their accomplices. By sending yellow candles to our members, we provide one more avenue to observe this important day. Lastly, by purchasing yellow candles, we support FJMC in its programming and leadership activities in the Masorti movement and broader Jewish community.We encourage clubs to seek out impactful programming for Yom Hashoah. There are many organizations who can assist with such programming such as Voices of the Generations and the IL Holocaust Museum. If the cost is too high, consider partnering with other auxiliaries at the synagogue to share the cost of this critical programming. It's important that the content and format of such programming leave lasting impressions on the attendees - videos and testimonials help to do that.Original ProgramYes
832023-04-27 15:06obgenetics155.190.17.42023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Congregation Beth Shalom Men'S Club - Northbrook, IL (643)Individually wrapped breakfast itemsDr. Jeff ShoreAndrewWagnerandrew.wagner@northwestern.eduBobGoldwinrudybux@comcast.netAndrew/StevenWagner/Lessmanandrew.wagner@nm.orgCOVID-19The Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS) Men’s Club most popular regular program is our Sunday morning breakfast speaker program. Restarting communal breakfasts as the COVID-19 pandemic waned proved challenging yet led to some creative solutions to ensure the health and safety of our congregation and Club.Sunday morning breakfasts with bagels, lox, and eggs prepared by the CBS Men’s Club is a longstanding tradition for years. It’s a time to kibitz, hang out with friends, and provide breakfast for our congregation after morning minyan or to the parents dropping off their kids at Sunday School. Sitting and eating is a good thing, but if you can learn something interesting when doing it, it is even better. Getting together with friends and fellow congregants was a thing sorely lacking during the COVID-19 pandemic. When synagogues were reopening and we were all establishing a “new normal,” we all needed to come up with new ways to do old things. It wasn’t just about wearing masks and social distancing, but if we were to bring back important and popular events around a meal, we had to think of creative and safe ways to serve our breakfasts. During the pandemic, our congregation was led by our executive staff, clergy, and our medical committee of which four are CBS Men’s Club members and two have received our highest honor, the Kavod award. They made policies to keep us all safe and healthy during the pandemic and as we reopened according to pikuach nefesh, the preservation of human life. We were allowed to bring nack breakfasts and speakers, but our buffets would need to be different. In the past, we had baskets of bagels, plates with lox rolled on them, cream cheese containers with serving knives, and bowl with pre-cut fruit and veggies. Our VP of programming, Lawrence LeVine, who has a career in food service, and our VP of House, Gary Solomon, came up with a solution for our initial breakfast of the 2021-22 calendar year. We could still have a buffet yet limit the number of people touching serving utensils. This involved making single-serving bags or cups with our usual breakfast favorites. This first breakfast was a follow-up program from our TORCH award winning Sunday morning breakfast speaker series on health and wellness, entitled To Your Good Health. Dr. Steve Zaacks, a synagogue and Club member and a cardiologist, planned to speak on How to Prevent and Identify a Heart Attack and Its Effect on Our Lives on September 19, 2021. Not all Club and synagogue members were comfortable being in person, so a Zoom option was made available utilizing an audio-visual system (DTEN) that our synagogue had previously purchased. In order to have everything be single-serving, certain items were replaced (individual cream cheese packets and creamer packets) and other items were placed in their own baggies (bagels, tomatoes/cucumber, onions in their own baggies) or cups (fruit and lox in their own cups). It required working with a local food service supply company, Gordon, to find the appropriate sized cups and baggies and a local grocery store, Woodman’s, to get bulk cream cheese packets. As our house VPs do, a schedule for breakfast crew members was made. The crew that day came up with ideas on the fly while preparing the food, such as not putting the onions in the same baggies and the other veggies since not everyone likes onions. Knowing that this was our first breakfast back since February 2020, everyone steeped up and offered creative suggestions. There amazingly was minimal kvetching.This method of serving continued until the next temporary shutdown due to the Omicron variant in January 2022. The attendees of our program appreciated that we were paying attention to food safety and hygiene. This is especially since many have certain health conditions. It made all of us revisit how to handle food and serving in the future. COVID was a time when we all reevaluated hand hygiene and the communal serving of food in general. Now, as we are relatively back to normal, some of these implementations have continued including assigning servers at our buffet table. Our flexibility and creativity with the goal to keep everyone healthy and while continuing a Men’s Club tradition is to be commended. The leadership of our programming and house VPs was outstanding. This clearly showed how the CBS Men’s Club is an innovative club in FJMC and an important arm of our synagogue. email1.pdf (690 KB)
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email3.pdf (728 KB)		zaacks_flyer_pdf.pptx (158 KB)covid_breakfast_pictures.pdf (230 KB)The attendees of our program appreciated that we were paying attention to food safety and hygiene. This is especially since many have certain health conditions. It made all of us revisit how to handle food and serving in the future.Leadership: Our programming and house VPs lead the way in comping up with creative solutions to keep all of us safe and healthy. Innovation: It would have been easy to cancel breakfasts if we could not do them the way we always did, but our Club needed to innovate in order to change with the times. Community: Pikuach Nefesh is of prime importance. Keeping this in mind allowed us to care about our synagogue community. Original ProgramYesSilver
822023-04-27 10:42obgenetics155.190.17.42023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Congregation Beth Shalom Men'S Club - Northbrook, IL (643)Tuning into the Chicago News and Sports MediaDr. Jeff ShoreAndrewWagnerandrew.wagner@nm.orgBobGoldwinrudybux@comcast.netAndrew/StevenWagner/Lessmanandrew.wagner@nm.orgEducational ProgrammingThe Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS) Men’s Club most popular regular program is our Sunday morning breakfast speaker program. Following our 2021 TORCH award winning To Your Good Health series, we began a series featuring local members of the Chicago media. We invited speakers from sports radio, news radio, and sportswriting to educate and entertain our synagogue membership in person and on Zoom.Sunday morning breakfasts with bagels, lox, and eggs prepared by the CBS Men’s Club is a longstanding tradition for years. It’s a time to kibitz, hang out with friends, and provide breakfast for our congregation after morning minyan or to the parents dropping off their kids at Sunday School. Sitting and eating is a good thing, but if you can learn something interesting when doing it, it is even better. In 2019-20, our Club produced a very successful and TORCH award winning Sunday morning breakfast speaker series on health and wellness, entitled To Your Good Health. When setting up our calendar of events for 2021-22 and 2022-23, we wanted to find topics interesting to bring people to shul on Sunday mornings especially as COVID restrictions were being lifted and we were able to serve breakfasts in the synagogue. Besides work and family, the most common topic of conversation amongst Jewish men tends to be sports. With a rich sports tradition in Chicago as well as its highs and lows, this was a perfect topic to attract our members, both younger and older. Our co-president, Steven Lessman, has worked in radio and advertising for many years and is very familiar with many media personalities. Our programming vice president, Lawrence LeVine, also is very well connected in the community. Their combination of resources resulted in a wonderful roster of speakers and topics. On September 23, 2021, we hosted Steaks in the Sukkah in the outdoor sukkah that our Club annually builds. This was the first Club sukkot-related dinner since COVID and our annual opening dinner, so we knew that we needed to have an exciting activity. David Schuster, a long time friend of Steve and a sports radio producer and personality for many years, previously was a panelist for our Packers vs. Bears Zoom event that we held with Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid’s Club from Milwaukee in the fall of 2020. After cooking a wonderful kosher steak dinner featuring brand new Men’s Club steak knives, David grabbed a mic to discuss all things related to Chicago sports including his experience covering the six-time NBA Champion Chicago Bulls. He spoke on every Chicago pro sports team, local college teams as well as telling us about new controversies in sports and the media, spinning interesting anecdotes, and answering tons of questions. This event attracted over 60 men for camaraderie, fun, and the mitzvah of eating in the sukkah. Our next very well received event in this educational series was for a Sunday morning breakfast on November 7, 2021. We were very fortunate to bring in Pat Cassidy, one of the morning anchors for WBBM Radio. He co-hosted the morning rush hour show informing Chicagoans on the news and especially the weather and traffic for over 40 years. Pat spoke on his experiences seeing news media change, the growth of the internet, and how people have consumed their news over the years. This event brought in over 50 synagogue members for our popular breakfasts. At this time for ease of serving and while meeting health safety protocols, the bagel accoutrements were all in single-serving packages. Like most of our synagogues and Clubs, the Omicron variant of COVID caused some shutdowns of activities, but not to the same extent as it was in March and April of 2020. Our synagogue medical committee did not permit communal meals in the building temporarily. This caused us to pivot for our next two speakers on January 23 and February 6, 2022. At the beginning of the pandemic, we initially offered boxed breakfasts to be picked up at the synagogue the morning of the presentation, but, with waning numbers over that time, we did not offer a breakfast component for these two speakers. On January 23, 2022, we hosted Justice Robert Gordon, a synagogue and Club member, to speak on his work in interviewing many former baseball players. Much of his interest in baseball has been compiling the history of Jews in Baseball where he curates a list through the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. He also was instrumental in obtaining autographs for an art project showing portraits of Jewish ballplayers throughout history creating in Chicago. This program attracted about 40 attendees from across the country, since it was held on Zoom. Two weeks later on February 6, 2022, we had another speaker on Zoom as a part of this series. Jonathan Eig is a local author who recently published the book, Ali: A Life. Jonathan had rare and exclusive access to Muhammad Ali in the last few years of his life and became his authorized biographer. This was an engaging discussion regarding this book, his experiences with Ali, and his other books on sports, the Chicago mob, and the history of the birth control pill. This program also attracted about 40 attendees from across the country. We got back to in person meals as Omicron waned in March. On May 1, 2022, we had our next speaker as a part of our series. Bill Cameron is a long-time Chicago political reporter on both TV and radio. With his career at City Hall, he had a unique perspective seeing the craziness and controversy of Chicago city government, policy, and politics over the years. It was an engaging discussion given the history of the Jewish community in Chicago, most of our members’ having lived here their entire lives, and the impact of city politics on lives in the suburbs. Approximately 50 attended this event in person. Approximately 50 members four synagogue attended this very interesting discussion. For our Opening Dinner of the 2022-23 year on September 21, 2022, we brought in Randy Merkin. He is a local sports radio program director, producer, and personality. He spoke on his history of being a Jewish kid from the south suburbs and how he started his career using moxie to make connections and meet many sports personalities gaining access for interviews. This parlayed to being a producer for radio and tv. As interesting events with delicious food do, we had 70 attendees from our synagogue. Our last presentation in this series occurred on November 20, 2022. We brought in popular sports talk radio personality, Laurence Holmes. He answered questions across all areas of sports as well as how he prepares for his daily shows. He happened to grow up in the same suburb of Chicago as did our last speaker, and he also brilliantly spoke on the necessary alliances between the African-American and Jewish communities in order to build bridges. About 50 attendees packed out Winter Garden for this breakfast talk. Our series proved to be a success considering that, at the beginning, we were learning how to get back together as the pandemic was improving. As COVID numbers changed, we had to change our plans and move to an online format, yet attendance at programs was still at a high level. The numbers during Omicron were lower as there were no breakfasts included, but the popular topics and engaging speakers enabled our Club membership and others from the overall synagogue membership to participate. This series also attracted younger members since sports is such a popular topic. The breakfast times occurring around the same time as drop off for Sunday School added convenience, and this helped with attracting younger men with kids in school. media_marketing_0.pdf (604 KB)media_cameron.pdf (3552 KB)
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media_schuster.pdf (1990 KB)		Our series proved to be a success considering that, at the beginning, we were learning how to get back together as the pandemic was improving. As COVID numbers changed, we had to change our plans and move to an online format, yet attendance at programs was still at a high level. The numbers during Omicron were lower as there were no breakfasts included, but the popular topics and engaging speakers enabled our Club membership and others from the overall synagogue membership to participate. This series also attracted younger members since sports is such a popular topic. The breakfast times occurring around the same time as drop off for Sunday School added convenience, and this helped with attracting younger men with kids in school. While these programs did not have a specific Jewish theme, they meant to bring together Club and synagogue members with a common and popular interest. The speakers either specifically brought up Jewish content or their connection to the Jewish community, as Laurence Holmes specifically did, or the audience members during the question-and-answer session asked questions that linked their area of expertise with the global or local Jewish communities. The programs served to increase involvement by younger and more experienced Club members. It was a way for new members to network with others and learn the fun and always giving ways around the CBS kitchen.Some members of the media charge an appearance fee. You may need to keep this in mind when booking someone for a similar event.Original ProgramYes
812023-04-27 08:15alexanderkiderman98.111.246.372023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Beth Shalom Men's Club - Pittsburgh, PA (1208)The Beth Shalom Men’s Club Annual Sports Luncheon, Community Outreach Dr. Jeff ShoreRobbie Zarembergrzarenberg@comcast.comIraFranknatfabira@juno.comIraFranknatfabira@juno.comCommunity OutreachOn Sunday, February 19, 2023, Beth Shalom Men’s Club hosted its Annual Sports Luncheon and welcomed more than 300 guests from the special needs community from 11 organizations in Greater Pittsburgh and 125 current and former professional and collegiate athletes and coaches. The sports celebrities interacted and entertained the special needs guests, served lunch, took pictures, signed autographs, and gave out promotional team pass outs. This outreach by the sports celebrities and Beth Shalom Men’s Club helped put bright smiles on the faces of the special needs individuals and those that accompanied them to the luncheon at Congregation Beth Shalom. The Beth Shalom Men’s Club has hosted a Sports Luncheon or Dinner for more than 60 years, but this was the first sports luncheon since the pandemic started. Since 1997, the Beth Shalom Men’s Club Annual Sports Luncheon has evolved into having many special needs organizations in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. The last Sports Luncheon that took place before this year’s luncheon was in February 2020, which was a month before the pandemic started. Having our first sports luncheon since the start of the pandemic we didn’t know what to expect in terms of attendance, but the responses from the special needs organizations were very positive. They were so happy that we were having the event again. We were supposed to have 200 special needs individuals and their staffs and families, but we ended up having over 300. A total of more than 500 people packed Beth Shalom’s Samuel and Minnie Hyman Ballroom. In addition to our special needs guests and sports celebrities we also had congregants and members of the community, which included many families with children, as well as representation from local government. The following sports celebrities attended the luncheon: • Emily Giangreco, Sports Anchor/Reporter, WTAE-TV Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 • Pittsburgh Penguins Alumni and Stanley Cup Champions Jay Caufield and Tyler Kennedy o Caufield was a member of the 1991 & 1992 Penguins Stanley Cup teams. He is currently an analyst for AT&T SportsNet, for which he is on the pre-game, intermission reports and post-game shows during Penguins TV broadcasts. He is also an analyst on for WTAE’s “Pens on 4” pregame and post-game shows this season. o Kennedy was a member of the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions He now is a Hockey Trainer and Coach, which where he offers programs for children ages 5 and up to learn how to play hockey. He also is frequently interviewed about the Penguins on media outlets. • Iceburgh, Pittsburgh Penguins mascot • Pittsburgh Riverhounds Soccer Club players forward Robbie Mertz (a native local native Pitssburgher), defender Arturo Ordonez & Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite • 4 players from the professional Pittsburgh Passion Women’s Football team • Athletes from various teams from the University of Pittsburgh, including from their football team and a member of the women’s volleyball team which made the NCAA Final Four • 100 athletes and coaches from Carlow University representing 7 different men’s and women’s sports teams The event began with celebrities interacting and schmoozing with our special needs guests and signing autographs and taking pictures. Then, the program continued with remarks from our Men’s Club President, Ira Frank, and Sports Luncheon Co-Chair Robbie Zaremberg. A proclamation was presented by Pittsburgh City Council Member Barb Warwick. Emily Giangreco, from WTAE-TV, served as our Master of Ceremonies and introduced all the sports celebrities in attendance. A hotdog and hamburger lunch was served by volunteers and our sports celebrities. The following items were passed out to guests during the luncheon: -200 Pittsburgh Pirates Raise the Jolly Roger Flags were donated by Pirates Charities in advance of the luncheon -200 team photos were donated by the Pittsburgh Steelers before the event. -Team posters of various Pitt sports teams -Carlow University Athletics towels and team pictures of various sports -Pittsburgh Riverhounds autograph sheets and team schedules -T-shirts and other items donated in advance by PNC Bank After lunch, Emily, Jay Caufield and Tyler Kennedy engaged in questions and answers about their Stanley Cup experiences. The Community Advisor for City of Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey presented a proclamation. We also received proclamations for the Sports luncheon from PA State Representative Dan Frankel and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. We displayed these proclamations at the check-in tables by the entrances to the Samuel and Minnie Hyman Ballroom. We then recognized Carlow University’s recently retired athletic director for bringing their athletes to our Sports Luncheon for more than 20 years. Lastly, we had arm wrestling competitions with a Pitt football player, Riverhounds players, a Carlow athlete, Passion player, kids and some of our special needs guests. Our Annual Sports Luncheon that took place this past February coincided with Jewish Disability Awareness & Inclusion Month in the United States. 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mel-el-and-erica-moore-from-pgh-passion.jpg (114 KB)		We welcomed 11 special needs organizations, which brought more than 300 people to the Sports Luncheon. The organizations were the following: -Achieva -Merakey Allegheny Valley School -Mainstay Life Services -Pittsburgh Mercy -Step by Step -Friendship Circle (Chabad) -McGuire Memorial -Special Olympics -Safe Haven -Verland & The Branch (Jewish Residential Services) Many of these organizations we have had at the Sports Luncheon for many years. Some of these organizations have been coming to the Sports Luncheon since 1997 when we started inviting multiple special needs organizations. There were some organizations that attended, it had been several years since they last attended. Melinda Miller, Associate Director of Community Living with Achieva, said the following before the Sports Luncheon. “Achieva is so excited to be included and to attend the Sports Luncheon! Thanks again for all that you do to make this event possible and for always including us.” Ali Dobrowolski from Pittsburgh Mercy said: “Thanks so much for including us again this year! They really enjoyed themselves last time. “ We were happy that so many special needs individuals and their staff were able to attend, and we were able to do the event safely after not having it in 2021 and 2022 because of COVID. We are very fortunate that we were able to rekindle these relationships in 2023. We really were unsure if we were able to even have the event, and we were not sure what the responses would be like until they started sending in their RSVPS before the event. In addition to the special needs organizations, the Sports Luncheon welcomed attendees and volunteers, which included families and children from various synagogues, Jewish Day Schools and Religious School. We had all sections of the Jewish World in attendance. In addition to the sports celebrities, these families also had the opportunity to interact with the special needs guests. Not only the sports luncheon is a great outreach to the special needs community, but it is also outreach to the interfaith community. Carlow University is a private Cathlolic university. Carlow’s athletic teams have been attending the Sports Luncheon for more than 20 years. Their head coaches of sports teams, including basketball, attend but also their athletic director comes to the luncheon as well. This year we had both the recently retired athletic director of Carlow and the new athletic director. The whole athletic department, 100 athletes and coaches from 9 men’s and women’s sports teams, were engaged with our event. Carlow was founded in 1929 by the Sisters of Mercy. Carlow's athletic teams are the Celtics, a reflection of the university's Irish heritage and roots. In 2017–2018, the student body was 84% women and 16% men. (Wikipedia) The University of Pittsburgh’s athletic teams come are very diverse. For the college athletes that attend from Pitt and Carlow, it’s a way for them meet and get to know one another from the other schools. This is a big community service, volunteer project for them but they also get to see a conservative Jewish synagogue and Men’s Club in action. For many, it’s the first time they have been in a synagogue. For many sports celebrities, it’s the first time they have been exposed to kosher food. Some of the celebrities asked and wanted to confirm that the hot dogs would be all beef and mentioned they knew it would be kosher. While one celebrity asked for a cheeseburger and learned that it’s not served in a synagogue. Everyone that attends the Sports Luncheon is greatly impacted by this experience and we received support from people all over the community. We raised more than $3,000 in Angel funds from individuals who underwrites the event so all of our guests were able to come for free. We look forward to hopefully having the Sports Luncheon again next February. After the Sports Luncheon, pictures were shown on the late evening WTAE-TV news and Emily Giangreco mentioned about her experience at the luncheon on the newscast. The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle printed a couple photos and a brief on the event. The following were social media posts from our sports celebrities and City Councilmember that attended: Erica Moore, of the Pittsburgh Passion, posted the following on Facebook: Erica Moore is with Lisa Horton and 3 others at Congregation Beth Shalom. · Pittsburgh · This weekend we had the opportunity to enjoy the afternoon with approx. 200 men and women with special needs as guests of the Beth Shalom Men's Club Annual Sports Luncheon. The luncheon was emceed by WTAE-TV Pittsburgh’s Emily Giangreco at the Congregation Beth Shalom. We were beyond grateful & honored to be invited to attend such a special event and left with our hearts full. I am always humbled by any opportunity to touch others lives in a way that makes them smile. We are reminded that love and kindness can truly change others lives. Thank you again for the opportunity. This is yet another reason why I love being a part of Pittsburgh Passion because it gives us the opportunity to teach, learn and grow on and off the field. Women's Football Alliance Robbie Zaremberg #forevergrateful #womensfootball #wfa #wfapro #specialeducation #specialneeds #pittsburgh #bethshalom Pittsburgh City Councilmember Barb Warwick posted the following on Facebook: Pittsburgh City Council - District 5 · Such an honor to present the proclamation designating Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023 as Beth Shalom Men's Club Annual Sports Luncheon Day in the City of Pittsburgh. What a wonderful event celebrating and bringing joy to so many members of our disabled and special needs community. Thank you Congregation Beth Shalom for the invite and for allowing our office to participate. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC · Some of our players had a chance to spend time in the community this weekend as they attended the Beth Shalom Men's Club Sports Luncheon! Thank you for putting on a wonderful event! #HOUNDTAHN Tikun Olam: Healing the World! The Beth Shalom Men's Club Annual Sports Luncheon is an opportunity for hundreds of special needs individuals to experience an afternoon with sports celebrities in one of the many social action projects sponsored by Congregation Beth Shalom Men’s Club and Congregation Beth Shalom that are conducted throughout the year. Information about the President: Ira Frank has been President of Beth Shalom Men’s Club since 2018. He has been instrumental on the Men’s Club Executive Committee and has assisted many Men’s Club presidents for several years prior. Ira started many of the events and fundraisers that Men’s Club runs on a yearly basis. Ira is a life-time member of Beth Shalom Men’s Club and Congregational Beth Shalom. Ira has been a longtime Board member and past President of Congregation Beth Shalom. He is involved in many Jewish organizations including JNF, Israel Bonds and ZOA, as well as being the longtime President of Congregation Beth Hamedrash Hagadol Beth Jacob. Information about the Preparer: Robbie Zaremberg has been a member of Beth Shalom Men’s Club and Congregation Beth Shalom since he came back to Pittsburgh after graduating college from The Ohio State University in 2005. Robbie’s father Sandy Zaremberg and their uncle the late Joe Roth were presidents of both Beth Shalom Men’s Club and the Tri-State Region. Sandy has chaired Men’s Club Shabbat each year since he was President in 1991-1992. For the past 15 years, Robbie has served on the Men’s Club Executive Committee and the Annual Sports Luncheon Committee, which he currently is the Co-chair. Robbie was honored by the Men’s Club as Man of the Year in 2019 and was selected to receive the honor again this year in June. Original ProgramYesSilver
802023-04-27 06:17jbrody62747.20.34.1902023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Park Avenue Synagogue Men'S Club - New York, NY (816)TZEDEK Teen Leadership Fellowship Dr. Jeff ShoreDr. Steven Mandel drmandel1979@aol.comSteven Darling stevenjaydarling@gmail.comGuy Shapira shapiraguy@gmail.comFamily and Youth ProgrammingThe PAS MC Tzedek Fellowship is open to PAS teens from 8th to 12th grade. Teens apply to be a part of the fellowship with a tikkun olam initiative they’ve already begun or an idea to start a new one. The projects help support members of the Jewish community in any topic, including but not limited to: anti semitism, climate change, LGBTQ+ community, Jews of color, mental illness, and Israel Teens learn essential leadership skills, connect with a clergy mentor, and have support around moving their initiative forward. At the end of the fellowship, they will receive scholarships, their name on a plaque posted on the synagogue, letters of recommendation, and continued support from staff and mentors. This is an incredible opportunity to both empower teens to be leaders and give them the opportunity to make a difference in the world. TZEDEK Youth Initiative Ethics, Responsibility, Justice. As Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel said. “take risks, raise your voice, and push everyone to do better” with the Tzedek program Park Avenue Synagogue Tzedek Fellowship NYM Region worked with the Park Avenue Synagogue Men’s Club and Teen Department to create a pilot program called the Tzedek Fellowship. In collaboration, the Tzedek Fellowship was created. The Tzedek Fellowship at PAS runs from January to May. There are two major components to the Tzedek Fellowship: seminars and mentorship meetings. Monthly seminars support fellows in developing crucial leadership skills as well as creating community within the fellowship. Each cohort meeting The Tzedek Fellowship is a new hands-on leadership training initiative in the PAS teen department. Tzedek runs from January to May. Teens applied to be part of the fellowship with a tikkun olam project they were already working on, or an idea to start one. There are two major components to the Tzedek Fellowship: monthly seminars and mentorship meetings. Fellows attend monthly seminars where they will learn crucial leadership/management skills to help forward their projects. Each seminar has an action item attached to it. For example, our first session was about mission and vision statement. By the second session, each fellow used what they had learned in our cohort session to establish their mission and vision statement for their initiative. When we learned about budgeting and grant applications, Tzedek fellows found grants to apply to. When we learned about public speaking, fellows wrote and delivered elevator pitches. Each fellow was paired with a clergy mentor at PAS. Mentors meet with their mentees regularly to offer support for their monthly action items. They helped them refine their mission statement and gave feedback on their elevator pitch,. This was a wonderful opportunity for teens to form connections with clergy and other staff members at PAS, who they might not have spoken to since their bnei mitzvah! The PAS Tzedek Fellowship hopes to be an example of how different synagogues can interpret the NYM Region’s Tzedek Fellowship to suit their youth’s needs. The 2023 PAS Tzedek Fellowship has nine participants with eight different projects. Teens Combating Parkinson’s – this teen felt frustrated that the Parkinson’s Foundation didn’t have any opportunities for teens to get involved, so she created them! She educates teens about Parkinson’s and is thinking about other ways they can help Calling Generations Podcast – this teen wanted to connect with senior members of our community to hear their stories and learn from their wisdom. In conversations with her mentor, Rabbi Cosgrove, she realized that she didn’t want to be the only one to benefit from these stories, so she decided to turn this initiative into a podcast that can be shared with the whole community. Teens who are involved will be paired with seniors in our community to form relationships and, if they’d like to, be interviewed for a podcast which will be shared with the greater PAS community. Our Unique Minds – this teen used her own struggles with mental health to inspire her to inspire others. She knows that teens can feel helpless when they’re dealing with mental health issues, so she is creating a website with mental health resources and stories to inspire hope. The stories will show that, not only can mental health improve, but they will celebrate the ways our minds all work differently and show how this uniqueness is not always a bad thing. Athlete Attire for Change – this teen is working to connect children with terminal illnesses who are interested in fashion design with professional athletes. The children will design clothes that the athletes will wear publicly. Then, this teen will auction off the item of clothing and donate the proceeds to medical research to cure the illness of the child who designed the clothes. Women Fund Women – this teen provides small business loans to women in different countries in Africa. Because the American dollar goes farther in Africa, her loans of $100 - $300 go a long way in empowering women to create a better life for themselves. The fact that these are loans and not donations further empowers the women to see themselves not as a charity, but an investment. This also allows the student to help more people because, when she gets the loan back, she reinvests the money in another woman. Food Pantry Enhancement – this teen has been a part of the PAS teen-led food pantry for a few years, but realized that we could expand our impact by providing items other than food. He realized that if New Yorkers are struggling to afford food, they are likely struggling to afford other essentials. He’s expanding the reach of our food pantry by providing toiletries. Dress Equity – when this teen finished Bat Mitzvah season, she realized she had a bunch of dresses that she would never wear again. Rather than let them sit in her closet or throw them away, she decided to sell them at an extremely low price, and donate the profits to support marginalized teens in New York City. She collects dresses from teenagers after B'nai Mitzvahs, Sweet Sixteens, and Proms to make high fashion more accessible to New York teens in lower income brackets. Teens Combating Antisemitism Task Force – these teens were distraught by hearing about the rise in antisemitism this past fall and wanted to do something about it. They formed the task force firstly to educate teens (and themselves) about antisemitism and take action. They’ve brought in speakers from the ADL, teen-led organizations about antisemitism, the JCC, and more. They ran a workshop for teens to know what to say when they hear antisemitism from their peers, their teachers, or online. They’re planning a letter-writing campaign to encourage legislators to condemn antisemitism. There are 45 teens in the task force. Our seminars took place monthly in the PAS teen lounge on Sundays from 6:30 – 8:00 pm 2/5/23 - Initial Meeting and Mission and Vision Statement – led by Ariel Glueck 3/5/23 - Organizing and Outreach – led by Amanda Miller of the Worker’s Circle 4/16/23 - Prep for Elevator Pitch – led by Ariel Glueck 5/7/23 - Grant Writing and Budgeting – led by Rabbi Solmsen 5/21/23 - Public Speaking and Elevator Pitch – led by Rabbi Zauzmer These teen programs have been largely successful, but even when they come across challenges, they learn from them. They have their mentors to support them when they hit a wall. Each participant in the PAS Tzedek Fellowship will receive awards offered by the Awards Committee. detailed_program_tzedek_.pdf (67 KB)advanced_programing_for_tzedek_0.pdf (58 KB)
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tzedek_handbook-_8_20223_0.pdf (27 KB)		Rather than write about the impact that we believe this program has had on the teens who chose to participate in it, we’d rather let them speak for themselves: “The Tzedek Fellowship has allowed us to build our task force based on our dual mission statement to offer a safe space for teens to discuss antisemitism in their lives AND create an action blueprint to help make real change in our communities. Overall, the Tzedek fellowship has helped us improve or leadership and listening skills” “I have been receiving guidance in developing a program that connects PAS teens with older members of the Jewish community, with the hope of establishing meaningful intergenerational relationships. During meetings, we learn how to improve and further our projects, whether it be through discussions about our work, leadership workshops, or educating ourselves about our community” “As a teenager, it can feel difficult to make a significant change, but the Tzedek program has taught me that through community service and activism, I am capable of supporting others.” “Despite coming into this program with confusion on how to utilize my passion to help others, I feel that with the help of my mentor, Rabbi Solmsen, I have gained clarity in this way and am excited about continuing my project in the future. I am grateful for this program for providing me with the opportunity to simultaneously do work that I love and help others.” "I started Teens Combating Parkinson’s, which the Tzedek fellowship has help me grown through different presentations and meetings with my mentor. Often it is hard to find new ideas to involve the teens that I work with and this opportunity has been helpful in coming up with new ideas. Hearing from other teens who have been working on projects of all different types has been so inspiring.” As you can see from the impact statement, this program supports by tapping into their social justice passions for their peers and families. This program also touches other programs such as community outreach, health and wellness, Inclusion, education, etc. Additionally, as these youths present their projects it instills self-confidence, awareness and leadership. We have found these programs are making an important impact on multiple generations of Jews and their families. The NYM region is fully behind the Tzedek program because it embraces our mission committed to Jewish values, social justice, and future leadership. Through Tzedek, these youths are making a difference plus they learn about the FJMC – its values– and appreciate the encouragement from their Mens Club. The region strongly feels that by engaging in our Jewish youth with programs they want to explore provides a long-lasting link to attract a younger demographic. This program is definitely transferable to other FJMC clubs and regions throughout the world. As one of the youth participants told us – “You don’t have to be of voting age to make a difference.” Original ProgramYesBronze
792023-04-26 23:51marcrichards73.246.14.212023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.North Suburban Beth El Men's Club - Highland Park, IL (614)Demystifying Hagbah and GelilahDr. Jeff ShoreMarcRichardsmvrichards@gmail.comJoriBrajerjbrajer@gmail.comDanGrossgrossd@gmail.comJewish ObservanceHave you ever wanted to take the honor of lifting or tying the Sefer Torah, but were afraid to do so? This program allows you to join an intimate group, to learn how to properly do both. Experienced members of the Men's Club will teach anyone 13 years or older; women can learn this traditional mitzvah as well. If you know how but are rusty and want to practice, you are welcome, too. The program was offered originally in December 2021. By popular demand, another class was offered in April 2023, and more sessions are planned.Hagbah and Gelilah Class Description This program is to encourage more members of the synagogue to practice and become familiar with the lifting (Hagbah) and tying (Gelilah) of the Sefer Torah, so that we have a larger group of experienced members who can be called upon for this honor during our shabbat service. Another goal is to give members an opportunity to have a closer physical connection with the Torah, which is the centerpiece of our religion. Lifting the Torah is often intimidating because people think it can only be done by the very strong. Yet with practice it is a learned physical technique that anyone can do. This class is done in a small setting in the synagogue's small chapel. It allows experienced members to pass on their experience and technique of lifting Torah's to others. It provides the students an opportunity to practice and gain confidence in lifting. Several Torahs of different weights and with different amounts of the Torah rolled up on one side of the scroll (i.e., balanced and unbalanced) are brought out. Attendees are given tutoring and then allowed to practice lifting. It requires at least one experienced member to teach and others to assist (or spot the lifters) so that the students are confident they are surrounded by help to make sure they do not drop the Torah. We also teach how to undress and dress the Torah. Many people are intimidated by the dressing (Gelilah) because they have not had the chance to study how the Torah is tied, how the mantle is replaced over the scroll and how to properly place the crown and yad. They do not want to feel embarrassed by doing it wrong during the regular service on the bimah in front of the congregation. The instructor gives a quick lesson and then allows hands-on practice on how to undress and dress the Torah. Then we bring the two together and allow attendees to pair up and practice the full Hagbah and Gelilah in sequence. In an informal setting without clergy, the attendees have the opportunity to ask any questions to learn more about the care and handling of the Torah. They can see the Torah and its accessories up close. The instructor also explains other information to demystify the Torah, such as: how the Torah is made; how the parchment sections are stitched together and can be replaced; the normal care and handling of the Torah; the various weights and sizes of different Torahs; the origins and histories of the specific Torahs being practiced with, etc. Handouts are provided, and attendees are asked if they want to be placed on a list of members qualified to have the honor of Hagbah or Geliliah at future services. The class is a single session from 60-90 minutes long depending on the number of attendees and questions they ask. demystifying_hagbah_0.docx (17 KB)
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hagbah_class_4.jpg (88 KB)		The class was a success. We have conducted three classes in a small setting with between about 8-12 people attending each class. Since the class was started in December 2021, we have had three classes and out of this group, about 8 new people have performed the Hagbah and Gelilah during a shabbat service. We feel this has increased participation and attendance at shabbat services, with a greater sense of shared community participation. During the summers, our shabbat services are lay led and we expect more people will be willing to perform this mitzvah in a more relaxed service. This has also helped the Men's Club contribute to the religious practice in the synagogue by qualifying more members to perform this ritual. Also, this takes away the burden on the clergy to train new people to do this. Because the event was open to all the synagogue community, we had women and teens participating and not just men. So while it did not really increase membership of our Men's Club, we feel it enhanced our reputation in the synagogue in that we make serious contributions to the congregation beyond just providing scotch for shabbat kiddush.This program strongly supports the FJMC mission of involving Jewish Men in Jewish Life, by reaching out to men who may not have sufficient Hebrew skills to feel comfortable to making an aliyah or reading torah or leading prayers, yet can proudly participate on the bimah with a new learned skill of lifting the Torah, or assisting the lifter with the dressing of the Torah. It also gives men an opportunity to have a closer physical connection to the Torah itself by learning more about the Torah and how to properly handle and care for it.NOTE: This error message was received when going to the next page of the application: Warning: Illegal offset type in wf_crm_name_field_exists() (line 1730 of /var/www/html/web/sites/all/modules/webform_civicrm/includes/utils.inc).)Original ProgramAaron KrumbeinYes
782023-04-26 23:12Joel Herman173.91.42.1032023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.B'nai Jeshurun Men's Club - Pepper Pike, OH (325)WWW with South AmericaDr. Jeff ShoreJoelHermanzmanjoel51@gmail.comJoelHermanzmanjoel51@gmail.comJoelHermanzmanjoel51@gmail.comWorld Wide WrapConduct our World Wide Wrap with Argentina and BrazilThis year, our B'nai Jeshurun Men's Club held their World Wide Wrap at our Synagogue, and engaged two South American congregational Men's Club via Zoom. Our in-person participants of forty-three congregants, as well as another eighteen congregants on Zoom, wrapped Tefillin at our Shul, then davened with an Argentine Men's Club via Zoom. Despite a two hour difference in time, our group and the Argentine MC concluded their final prayers, all in unison. The Tefillin wrapping was even further enhanced with the opening service davening conducted by a visiting Rabbinical candidate husband and wife couple, candidates who will be joining our Shul staff beginning in July. This year's Men's Club World Wide Wrap was truly "world wide", with participation between a North America and a South America congregation.Our WWW program was a huge success, two continents with different languages, Davening in one common language, Hebrew. Overwhelmingly impactful to all our participants. We will anticipate engaging with other international Men's Clubs to participate in the future, given the ability of the Internet.Sharing the commonality of Jewish prayer and customs, internationally, promotes our common heritage!Original ProgramYes
772023-04-26 22:09jepstein68.133.19.2142023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Brotherhood of Temple Beth Tzedek - Buffalo, NY (1226)Yom Ha'Atzmaut-Israel's 75th AnniversaryDr. Jeff ShoreJonathanEpsteinjepstein@buffnews.comJonathanEpsteinjepstein@buffnews.comJonathanEpsteinjepstein@buffnews.comIsrael / MasortiOur goal was to celebrate the Israel's 75th anniversary with a broad community-wide event that would highlight everything Israel and bring people together under the umbrella of TBT Brotherhood. The program in our synagogue social hall included a festive Israeli-style meal of grilled meat, Israeli salad, hummus, Israeli snacks, Israeli beer and wine and Israeli desserts, but was centered around a special guest presentation about modern Israeli music by Josh Shron, co-host of the Israel Hour Radio program, whom we flew up for the event. Over 90 people were in attendance, including three rabbis and the Buffalo Jewish Federation CEO.We wanted to have a special community-wide celebration of Israel's 75th anniversary, on Yom Ha'Atzmaut itself (i.e., not a week later or on a convenient weekend) that would highlight the best of Israel in an entertaining and enjoyable fashion. Our program coordinators, David Schiller and Andrew Symons, were familiar with the Israel Hour Radio program on Rutgers University's WRSU-FM, and decided to bring him in as the centerpiece attraction of the program, around which we would create a celebratory dinner and gathering. We marketed and promoted the event widely in the community, not only through our Brotherhood and synagogue, but through all the area synagogues and the Buffalo Jewish Federation. We secured the event space in our synagogue social hall, planned out the meal, purchased the food and other items, and decorated the social hall with Israeli flags. We also arranged for security. The dinner consisted of grilled chicken and hotdogs, hummus and pita, Israeli salad, pickles and condiments, fruit and vegetables, Israeli snacks (Bamba), Israeli wine, Israeli beer and Israeli desserts. Josh Shron delivered a highly engaging two-hour slideshow and video music presentation, highlighting the power of modern Israeli music to entertain, kvetch, unite, and heal - sometimes with reverance and sometimes not. He took us through Israeli songs, performers and videos from the 1960s through 2023, including the winners and losers of the Eurovision competitions and other Israeli reality-TV shows (Israel's Got Talent, etc.), and showed us that Israeli music today is far more than Hava Nagila, Bashana Haba-a and Al Kol Eileh, but is diverse and talented. Over 90 people were in attendance, including three rabbis and the Buffalo Jewish Federation CEO, and the crowd largely stayed.israel_independence_day_celebration_flyer.pdf (3688 KB)20230426_184406_resized.jpg (1620 KB)
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20230426_190803.jpg (2581 KB)		While the event was only break-even financially, it was extremely successful and well-received in impact. We had over 90 people in attendance, not only from our club and synagogue, but from other synagogues and throughout the Jewish community. We have about 30 people in our club, but we had over 90 people in attendance, including three rabbis and the Buffalo Jewish Federation CEO. We took on a significant upfront cost and risk by bringing Josh Shron in from New Jersey, including paying his airfare and hotel, but the event was impactful nevertheless.This program supports FJMC's focus on Israel and Israel programming, engaged the entire community, demonstrated the leadership of our club, and displayed innovative thinking that, while risky, proved highly beneficial.This program can be replicated by other clubs who wish to bring Josh Shron into their synagogue and community. He was a terrific and engaging speaker.Original ProgramYesBronze
762023-04-26 22:06ScotF155.70.104.1172023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.B'Nai Amoona Men'S Club - St. Louis, MO (631)2023 BAMC Yom HaShoah Candle DeliveriesDr. Jeff ShoreScotFowlerscot.a.fowler@gmail.comScotFowlerscot.a.fowler@gmail.comKevinLittlitt.kevin@gmail.comYom HaShoah Yellow CandleThe overall goal of the program is to bring in volunteers, both within the Men's Club and the congregation membership, to deliver candles to every member/family of the Congregation. This year, our membership listing consists of approximately 700 individuals and families, some of whom have moved out of the St. Louis area. We have also been facing a smaller volunteer base, so we faced a risk of not having enough people to actually deliver.We divided the program into three categories: Communications, Logistics, and Execution Communications: - The Delivery committee began meeting about 6 weeks before Erev Yom Hashoah - We developed the task checklist for the program, and determined assignments - Messages were sent out to the Men's Club and the shul membership requesting volunteers - We picked up grocery bags from Trader Joes to manage each of the deliveries (started with 20 per bag) - We updated the prayer sheet and printed out enough for each candle/bag - As part of the Candle Order, we also ordered both Mailer and the standard yellow bags from FJMC - Lastly, we ensured we would have enough LED tea lights for the nursing/care facilities. Logistics After pulling the most recent membership listing, we: - Segmented out all zip codes that were considered "out of area" (~50 addresses) - Coordinated with the shul staff to identify Sunday School families, who could pick up the bagged candle and prayer sheet the Sunday before Erev Yom HaShoah; (~50 addresses) - Coordinated with the Shomrai Amoomim Lead to pull all Nursing Homes/Long Term care facilities out of the list for a personalized delivery by the Rabbi. (~ 20 names concentrated between 3 facilities) - Create a summarized listing by zip code of all remaining families for deliveries. (~580 addresses across 32 zip codes) - Of the remaining families/addresses, 60% of the addresses were represented by 3 zip codes. Using MyRoute Online software, we imported all of the names and addresses and determined routes for these sets of deliveries. The entire list was not imported, as there is a limitation in the routing software of 350 listing. - After all of the initial routes were determined, where each volunteer would deliver 18-20 bagged candles, the remaining addresses are imported into the software for the additional routes. - All routes were optimized using the MyRoute software, the routes were then printed out. Execution: - A group of 5 volunteers worked on bagging all of the candles, using mailers for the approximate 50 that would be sent out of state, and the regular yellow bags for the rest. - The mailing and the Sunday School candles were set aside for distribution separately. - Two dates were set up for deliveries, April 2nd and April 16th. - As volunteers came to the shul for pick up, we attached a delivery route to the bag that would be picked up and distributed, ensuring there were enough candles for each delivery, and where possible, including the volunteer's address in the delivery, so that they weren't required to receive a candle from another volunteer. - We ended up with 30 volunteers of the 40 volunteers that we were seeking. - Some volunteers willingly took a second route of deliveries, to ensure we had enough coverage for the deliveries to be made. 2023-mens-club-yellow-candles.xlsx (58 KB)2023-mensclub-yellowcandle-communiques.docx (16 KB)The Yom HaShoah Delivery Program is a building community program, that brings together not only the Men's Club, but volunteers from within the synagogue. While the numbers of volunteers has decreased since Covid, there are still a number of individuals who request to be "loaded up" with deliveries, and there has been little hesitation to deliver to areas that they've never been to previously. By introducing the ability to map the delivery routes, and use the GPS software that is either in their cars or their cell phones, many have expressed the ease with which they have been able to deliver, taking a few hours of their time and be able to present the Yellow Candle bag to each recipient. This year especially, where the club focused on getting yellow candles to EVERY member of the congregation, there was a sense of satisfaction that we knew we were serving the ENTIRE community. Many recipients expressed their gratitude for the delivery, both to the volunteer, and to me after Yom HaShoah. Of the 30 volunteers, 24 (80%) were Men's Club members, and 4 were first time deliverers, and 580 addresses to deliver to.This program helps to build community, by way of bringing Men's Club Members together to assemble the candle bags, and eventually by placing our members in front of the larger shul community. This program is also innovative in how we determined how we would deliver to the entire membership - by being flexible enough to have multiple methods of delivery as well as using the logistics software to route to the most efficient path.An adaptation or enhancement of a previous Torch Award entry TAxx-xxxx|TA48-2017 Do a Mitzvah, Meet a MemberYesSilver
752023-04-26 22:03Joel Herman173.91.42.1032023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.B'nai Jeshurun Men's Club - Pepper Pike, OH (325)Men's Club Shabbat and Congregational Cholent CookoffDr. Jeff ShoreJoelHermanzmanjoel51@gmail.comJoelHermanzmanjoel51@gmail.comJoelHermanzmanjoel51@gmail.comMens' Club ShabbatThe B'nai Jeshurun Men's Club Shabbat and Cholent Cookoff is presented to encourage services participation by our members and congregational comradery. It was vitally important to resume this Shabbat program, after a two year absence as a result of Covid 19 precautions. B'nai Jeshurun Men's Club Shabbat each year involves approximately twenty of our members who actively participate in all aspects of the Shabbat morning service. We promote the service weeks in advance, encouraging congregational attendance. When the Shabbat service is over, the congregation is invited to enjoy an afternoon luncheon in the Synagogue larger hall, presenting our Men's Club 23rd Annual Shelia Rabb Memorial Cholent Cookoff. This past year was extremely well attended, having been suspended this past two years due to Covid 19. Over 300 congregants, family members and community guests sampled from nineteen different Cholent recipes, all prepared from our own B'nai Jeshurun different teams of chefs. Each delicacy was judged, recognitions were awarded, and all in attendance enjoyed themselves. Our Men's Club Shabbat event encouraged congregants to reconnect with the Synagogue, as well as with fellow congregants. This year's event was most impactful.The success of this program is measured by the overwhelming attendance, as well as the culinary contribution from nearly sixty-five of our congregational "chefs". The mere fact that so many of our members participated in the Shabbat service exemplifies leadership and compassion for B'nai Jeshurun Congregation, and continue to do so throughout the year.We would encourage other Men's Clubs to enjoin a congregational activity with their annual Shabbat service, presenting a morning of prayer and an afternoon of congregational community, the result of our Men's Club Shabbat.Original ProgramYesBronze
742023-04-26 20:52Levitanru100.36.33.352023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Beth Emeth Men'S Club - Herndon, VA (1144)CBE Men's Club World Wide WrapDr. Jeff ShoreRussLevitanrdl1973@yahoo.comRussLevitanrdl1973@yahoo.comRussLevitanrdl1973@yahoo.comWorld Wide WrapThe 2023 World Wide Wrap at CBE was the first official WWW since COVID. Men's Club partnered with the 6th and 7th Graders in Religious School, along with their families, to learn the history and significance of tefillin, and then learned to wrap themselves. So the program consisted of 1)Rabbi and Men's Club Member Josh Winston teaching the audience about tefillin, 2) Learning to Wrap, 3) Learning the associated prayers, 4) Post-event brunchThe 2023 World Wide Wrap at CBE was the first official WWW since COVID. The event this year had more than 50 participants from both the Men's Club as well as Religious School (with their families) and synagogue staff.www_pic_6.jpg (155 KB)
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www_pic_1.jpg (296 KB)		The feedback from attendees as well as those that heard about this event all agreed that this was a terrific event. Our synagogue board was thrilled that Men's Club was able to bring this event back to the congregation and involve so many people from multiple generationsThis event clearly tied to FJMC's tagline, particularly in the areas of Leadership and Community. The Men's Club at CBE has continued to show leadership in bringing events back after COVID, and while these events are sponsored and led by Men's Club, they have generally been open to the entire community to stress the importance of that interaction.Original ProgramYesGold
732023-04-26 20:15gpollack73.75.56.1422023I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.Anshe Emet Men'S Club - Chicago, IL (608)Who Will Tell Their Story - Kristallnacht CommemorationDr. Jeff ShoreGreggPollackgdp5607@gmail.comAlanMintzmintzad@gmail.comAlanMintzmintzad@gmail.comEducational ProgrammingWho Will Tell their Story: Kristallnacht commemoration program - virtual only. The goal of the program was to educate our youths on the Holocaust with archival video footage and survivors telling their stories. Students the Bernard Zell Day School were interviewed following the footage and survivor stories. The students also have separate study sessions on the Holocaust prior to the program. The program concluded with a candle lighting ceremony and singing of Hatikvah. We partnered with the IL Holocaust Museum on this program, as well as the day school administration. See attached storyboard. Program included videos and live interviews with survivors and students, moderated by our men's club president and our senior rabbi. Since this was during the pandemic in Nov 2021, we chose to keep the program virtual. We had 70-80 registrants, and were linked with the web sites of both the day school and the IL Holocaust Museum. kristallnacht_program_outline.pdf (1278 KB)
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kristallnacht_publicity_poster_11-9-21.jpg (798 KB)		Was a very powerful program with survivor testimonials and seeing their impact on our students. Inviting day school students to participate enabled us extend the "impact" of the program to on our younger generation - once the survivors are gone, our young people must be able to tell their stories. Important educational programming re: Shoah and multi-generational interaction. Cooperation/participation with other Jewish organizations. Pandemic driven adaptation allowed broader participation.Original ProgramYes

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