Submission #177 by Beth El Temple Men's Club - West Hartford (217)

Submission information
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Submitted by bmwimaging
Fri, 2013-02-15 13:56
75.24.121.127
I have read the General Guidelines and "Nuts and Bolts" Documents
Club Name
Beth El Temple Men's Club - West Hartford (217)
Yellow candle Distribution and Marketing
Club Representative
Person completing form
David
Diamond
Club President at time of Convention
Jacob
Kovel
Club President Now
Jacob
Kovel
Yom HaShoah / Yellow Candle

Page 1

Took declining, money loosing yellow Candle program and turned it around using a combination of ideas from other Torch Award winners. Created three requests for donations, created multiple distribution channels (eliminating most of our postage expense). In an attempt to connect with families with children we incorporated prayers for children who perished in the Holocaust with Child's name, age, date of passing, location.
Yellow Candle Distribution and Marketing Beth El Temple Men's Club - West Hartford, CT
Self Assessment
Our Yellow candle Program had a fund raising component to be able to Create scholarship funds for students to be able to attend Camp Ramah. Creating a Jewish connection in our students helps replace the generation lost in the Holocaust. Our Yellow Candle Program was at break even and the last year lost money, so no funds were being created for scholarships. A lot of work and effort from most of our men's club members without desired results. Our board was discouraged and there was talk of discontinuing the program. The Yellow Candle Program has been re-energized and for the first time in four years made a donation to the Ramah scholarship fund. We are a Temple of 900 families with 120 Men's club Members. 40 members plus wives participated in the Yellow candle distribution and marketing.
Every aspect of the Yellow candle program is involving Jewish Men in Jewish Life.
Leadership- creates many committee chairs with responsibilities and deadlines
Innovation - researched Torch Awards and consulted with Yellow Candle leadership to re-invent our dying program.
Community - involved participation from Men's club, program attendees, wife's and USY that help boxing, religious school that helped with distribution, volunteers that helped with delivery routes. Temple office that helped with distribution. Students that benefited from Camp Ramah scholarships.
Rabbi's letter generated more donations before the first candle was delivered than total revenue in previous years.

Page 2

Other Source
TA07-190 Temple Israel, Ridgewood, NJ
Previous Submission
Yes
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