You are receiving this email because you are an FJMC Club Member, Individual Member, Club Officer, Regional Leader or Friend of the FJMC. | |
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“The cause of Freedom and the cause of Peace are bound together.”
— Leon Blum
Former Prime Minister of France
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From the Office of the New York Metropolitan Region FJMC President
Hello Hal,
“Let my/our people, the hostages, go!”
Israel’s negotiations with the Hamas regime over the Israeli hostages in Gaza are reminiscent of the biblical Exodus. Moses negotiated with Pharaoh to let the Israelites go was a lengthy negotiation, and Egypt endured 10 plagues before Pharaoh finally came to meet Moses
and Aaron. God hardened the oppressor’s heart. This raises the question in our situation as to whether God has also hardened the heart of Yahya Sinwar? Comparing the two events shows how one can also view Israel’s tactics in the Gaza Strip, and conversely, it
provides insight into the pharaoh’s behavior. The 10 plagues were like leverage in the biblical negotiations for the redemption of Israel from slavery. Are similar plagues evident in the war and in the negotiations with Hamas to free and redeem the hostages?
The people of Israel were enslaved in Egypt for generations and suffered under Pharaoh and the Egyptian people. God let Moses know that the salvation of the people of Israel would be fraught with many difficulties because of Pharaoh’s stubbornness. But the plagues with which God struck Egypt would become a lesson for many generations. A lesson we need to follow today if Israel is going to stand by our religious duty of Pidyon Shvuyim, the religious obligation
to bring about the release of a fellow Jew captured by slave dealers, robbers or imprisoned unjustly.
As we sit down for our festive Seders, let us not forget the Lechem Oni, the bread of those in dire need. It’s called that because of its purposeful lack of ingredients — only unleavened flour and water, nothing to make it rise, and it must be baked in haste...the food of those with nothing, those who’ve left everything, in desperate need of a miracle. It is the bread we took with us when we rushed out of Egypt to pursue our destiny and our peoplehood — to pursue life. We think of the hardest-hit Israelis, the Jews of Ukraine, and Jews in need throughout the world who share in our desire for peace and better days. We pray for the safe and swift return of the hostages and their continued well-being while in captivity. We stand in solidarity with our Jewish family across the globe as we brave the painful rise of antisemitism, finding resilience by standing with and supporting each other. As we hold and acknowledge all of this at our Seder tables, let us do all we can to support and comfort one another and to build a future whose course we shape with every act of kindness.
Explore our website: www.newyorkmetrofjmc.org for a comprehensive listing of affiliated clubs, latest news, and upcoming programming across the region.
Your feedback and suggestions are invaluable; feel free to reach out to me at szlerner@optonline.net or 516-840-5464.
In Friendship and wishing you all a Zissen Pesach!
Shea Z. Lerner
New York Metropolitan Region President
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Download Free Yellow Candle App | |
Hosting a Zoom Seder is not as simple as just putting a webcam on your Seder plate and having people watch. The most successful Seder is a participatory Seder – even more so when it’s virtual or hybrid. If guests are not participating, they’re not engaged. | |
How to Make a Good Zoom Seder
(Exploring Judaism) During COVID, when folks started working exclusively from home and non-essential services shuttered their doors, many wondered how they would be able to celebrate Passover together. Thanks to modern technology like Zoom, many of us could participate in at least some kind of Seder with family and friends virtually, even if we couldn’t all be together in person.
We’re still planning at least some elements over Zoom for Passover celebrations. Only this time, we know what to expect and can make our Zoom Seders just as, if not more, meaningful as those in-person.
Here are some tips to ensure that you and your guests won’t succumb to Zoom fatigue.
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Holocaust survivor Hedy Weiss speaks to Speaker Adrienne Adams while her husband, Jacob Weiss, offers a blessing to City Council member Eric Dinowitz at a model seder held in Manhattan, April 15, 2024. (Emil Cohen/NYC Council Media Unit) | |
At a model Passover Seder, Holocaust survivors and NYC Council members celebrate unity
(New York Jewish Week) — Jacob and Hedy Weiss have celebrated the last 75 Passovers together — ever since they met in Israel after surviving the Holocaust. As one might expect, the Hungarian-born couple have their routine down to a science. This week, they’ll spend time cleaning out their Brooklyn apartment of chametz, or leavened products. Next week, they’ll join their daughter at her Manhattan apartment for a Seder alongside their grandchildren and great-grandson. But the Weiss' also made time for something new this year: On Monday, the couple joined approximately 70 other Holocaust survivors and a crowd of elected officials in Manhattan for a model Seder — an abridged, ceremonial version of the Passover Seders that will take place in Jewish households across the world on April 22 and 23 this year.
Click here to read the article!
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You can find a wide variety of delicious, kosher for Passover desserts in New York City, including these selections from Michaeli Bakery and Modern Bread and Bagel. (Courtesy) | |
9 special spots to buy Kosher for Passover desserts in NYC
(New York Jewish Week) — Why not take a load off and buy a delicious Passover dessert instead of making one yourself? Plus, let’s face it: Dessert is an easy item for guests to bring to a Seder — your friends or family members will feel like they contributed something, and they did!
Whether you’re hosting a Passover Seder this year or attending one as a guest, here are nine of our favorite spots to buy kosher for Passover desserts. Liberation never tasted so sweet!
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ADL: Combatting Antisemitism | |
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U.S. Antisemitic Incidents Soared 140% percent in 2023
ADL tracked 8,873 antisemitic incidents across the United States in 2023, the highest level recorded since ADL started tracking this data in 1979. Take action and urge your governor to lead your state in combating the historic rise in antisemitism. It's time for state leaders to step up and protect our communities. It's crucial that your Governor develops a comprehensive strategy to counter this rise in antisemitism.
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Midway Jewish Center
330 S. Oyster Bay Road
Syosset, NY 11791
www.mjc.org
Phone: (516) 938-8390
Midway Jewish Center
& Woodbury Jewish Center
Community Seder
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 6:15pm Adults: $75
Children 12 and under: $36
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Dix Hills Jewish Center
555 Vanderbilt Pkwy
Dix Hills, NY 11746
www.dhjc.org
Phone: (631) 499-6644
Seder Strategy Workshops Passover Mini Course
Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 11am
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Plainview JC
95 Floral Drive West
Plainview, NY 11803
www.plainviewjewishcenter.org
Phone: (516) 938-8610
Community Seders
Monday, April 22, 2024
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
at 7pm
$60 for adults / $25 for kids 12 and under
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North Shore Jewish Center
385 Old Town Road
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776
www.northshorejewishcenter.org
Phone: (631) 928-3737
NSJC Softball League
North Shore Jewish Center Men's Club
hopes to revive our softball league this spring.
We hope to begin on or around May.
Download the flyer for further details and fill out the contact form.
If you are interested please send your contact information to Hillel Krieger at 917-703-4696 or Eric Kutnowsky at 631-831-9452 or email us at NSJCsoftball@gmail.com and let us know your name, phone and email address.
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Discover how the energy and strong support of FJMC builds community, fosters leadership and strengthens
our clubs, congregations and individuals!
Please Pass Along Info to the Leaders of Prospective
Men's Clubs, Brotherhoods & Individual Members.
Dear Friend,
Please join us on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 9pm ET for a no obligation, informative and interactive webinar on A Taste of FJMC.
Led by key organizational leaders, you will discover how
the energy and strong support of FJMC...
1. Builds Community
2. Encourages and Fosters Leadership
3. Strengthens Your Congregation
Register Now!
In brotherhood,
Danny Mandeau
Chair, FJMC Membership Expansion
email: dmandeau@fjmc.org
Lester Shapiro
Vice Chair, FJMC Membership Expansion
email: lshapiro@fjmc.org
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Friday - Sunday, June 7-9, 2024
Please Join us at our Quad Region Retreat as we
Celebrate our Brotherhood
with the Hudson Valley, Northern New Jersey
and Middle Atlantic Regions!
Camp Zeke 31 Barry Watson Way, Lakewood, PA 18439
Retreat Registration: *$150 per person
Cost to Attend: $400 pp., Dbl. Occ.
Stipends Awarded by NYM Region: $250 pp.
Total Out of Pocket Cost: ONLY $150
Open to all NY Metro affiliated and paid club members!
Register NOW!
For more information: JAY STEINMETZ
Cell: 516-435-5278 or JaySteinmetz56@gmail.com
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Celebrate the Man and Youth of the Year | |
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New York Metropolitan Region
Federation Jewish Men's Clubs presents:
40th Annual Honoree
Recognition Program
Elaborate Brunch for Honorees and Family
Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 11:00 am
Plainview Jewish Center
95 Floral Drive
Plainview, NY 11803
The New York Metropolitan Region Honors
Les Agisim
New York Metro Regional Man of the Year
Help the New York Metropolitan Region meet its goals by
supporting these worthy honorees with an Ad in our Annual Journal.
Go to the website, click on the honoree name to learn
about their accomplishments and contributions within the
Men’s Club, synagogue and community and to place an ad.
You will find many advertising opportunities on our sponsorship page.
Support your Man of the Year and Youth of the Year
by placing an Ad in their honor!
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How to Crush It at 50+, From the Fittest Guys Who Are Doing It
(Men's Health) This story is part of This Is 50+—an in-depth look at guys who are thriving later in life, with tips and tricks on how all of us can future-proof our bodies.
A record-setting sprinter, pro surfer, endurance athlete, and more reveal their tips to stay winning.
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FJMC Club Israel Walking Challenge
Health and Wellness
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THE FJMC Walking Challenge will begin on April 21, 2024 (Passover) and finish on June 10, 2024 (Shavuot).
Registration is now open!
During your 7-week journey from Haifa to Jerusalem, you will visit a number of cities in Israel including Hadera, Netanya, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Ashdod, Ashkelon and Sderot.
You have all heard about The Walking Challenge Through Israel as part of FJMC’s Wellness Initiative. Now is the time to sign up, register and build a robust team from your club.
Attached are instructions for sign up either through a mobile app or the online portal.
Please take a look at these attachments:
For more information about how your Men's Club can participate, send an email to wellness@fjmc.org
In Brotherhood,
Dr. Bob Braitman
Chair, FJMC Health and Wellness Committee
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Hazon: A Jewish vision
for the future of the environment
(plantforward.com) Religion can be a powerful force in people’s lives, a source of community and moral guide. It has the power to gather people and move them towards collective action in an issue such as the climate crisis. In the Jewish community, Hazon (the Hebrew word for “vision”) is an organization doing this work.
Founded in 2000 by Nigel Savage, Hazon has impacted thousands upon thousands of people, Jewish and non-Jewish, across the United States and Israel as the “largest faith-based environmental organization in the U.S.” Their work takes many forms and contexts over the last twenty years as they continue to be a resource and teacher to the Jewish community on the path to sustainability. Hazon’s mission is deeply rooted in the Jewish value of tikkun olam, repairing the world, as evidenced by their mission statement: “We are in a global environmental crisis. Jewish tradition compels us to respond.” Calling themselves “The Jewish Lab for Sustainability,” Hazon uses Jewish traditions and values, innovation, education, and community to bring environmentalism into the Jewish community.
Click here to read the article in its entirety!
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Park Avenue Synagogue
50 E 87th Street
New York, NY 10128
www.pasyn.org
Phone: (212) 369-2600
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PASSOVER SEDER NIGHT 2
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
At this family-friendly and festive Passover Seder, we welcome the holiday with our congregational family.
Register here. Space is limited so reserve your spot today; registration closes soon. $180/member, $225/general, $90/children under 12
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Sutton Place Synagogue
225 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022
www.spsnyc.org
Phone: (212) 593-3300
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Virtual Seder Experience
Monday, April 22, 2024
5pm -7pm
Community opportunity for a virtual experience of the highlights of the Seder. We will go through the Haggadah but the meal will be on your own.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://spsnyc-org.zoom.us/j/96459793886?
Meeting ID: 964 5979 3886
Call-in: 646-876-9923
Email ajohnson@spsnyc.org for the password.
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Temple Israel of Great Neck
108 Old Mill Road
Great Neck, NY 11023
www.tign.org
Phone: (516) 482-7800
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Second Night Seder
sponsored by the
Men’s Club and Temple Israel
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 At 8PM
Join us for our Congregational Second Night Seder sponsored by the Men’s Club and Temple Israel. Spend the evening with your Temple Israel family as we ask questions, sing songs, discuss and dine like free people.
Members:
Adults ($75 per adult)
Children 4 yrs – 13 yrs ($25 per child)
Toddlers 3 yrs and under (free)
Non-Members:
Adults ($85 per adult)
Children 4 yrs – 13 yrs ($30 per child)
Toddlers 3 yrs and under (free)
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Chicago Shabbaton
Register NOW!
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Why wait for 2025?
Come to Chicagoland
May 16-19, 2024
Take part in the FJMC 2024 Shabbaton, Thursday May 16 to Sunday May 19, 2024 at the Hilton Chicago Northbrook.
Come join all your old friends and make new ones at the beautiful Hilton Chicago/Northbrook. Our jam-packed weekend includes a Chicago Architecture River Cruise, sneak peak tour of the Sheraton Grand Chicago, site of our 2025 Convention, a wonderful Shabbat together again with great guest speakers and a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field (depending on MLB 2024 Schedule)…and loads of fun for everyone!
Registration is NOW open!
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Reaching over 25,000 Families
New York Metro Region Newsletter
We are now accepting ads beginning January 2024.
For further information and rates, email Lisa Pollack at assistant@fjmc.org
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FJMC Inclusion and Imagine Life Guidebook | |
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At FJMC, we believe that all individuals are made in God’s image, B’tzelem Elohim. With that in mind, FJMC’s Inclusion and Imagine Life Initiatives have joined forces. Our mission, with your help, is to make our clubs and synagogues a bastion of acceptance and welcoming for all in the Jewish community.
Please download FJMC’s INCLUSION RESOURCE GUIDEBOOK, which will take you step by step through understanding and implementing inclusion practices in your clubs and synagogues, helping you to help us grow this initiative while enhancing our Jewish communities.
We are asking each region to designate an Inclusion/Imagine Life focal at your earliest convenience so that this initiative can move forward more decisively.
FJMC is very excited about this initiative and looks forward to your involvement.
And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. We are here for you.
Wishing you brotherhood and acceptance,
Stephe Sturman, FJMC Inclusion Chair ssturman@fjmc.org
Mitch Ross, FJMC Imagine Life Chair
mrossaz@gmail.com
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FJMC Inclusion Initiative | |
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AN FJMC INCLUSION COMMITTEE INITIATIVE
Support the Lev Shalem Mahzor in Braille
Donate Now!!!
Your gift of $18 or more will make a real impact!!!
Empower Blind Jewish Community Members:
Join us in empowering blind Jewish community members to engage
fully in their faith and communal life. Your generosity will not only enrich individual lives but also strengthen the bonds of our inclusive Jewish community.
The Jewish Federation for the Blind (JFB) urgently seeks the support of the FJMC, to bring the Lev Shalem Mahzor into Braille by the Jewish Braille Institute (JBI), a nonprofit funded solely by donations.
Unfortunately, the high cost of transcription poses a significant challenge:
- The Mahzor Lev Shalem requires transcription into 14-16 Braille volumes, with weekday editions condensed to 10-12 volumes.
- Initial production costs amount to $30,000 for the transcription with subsequent copies costing approximately $700 each to produce.
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JBI makes these available for congregants who need, free of charge.
- All funding for this critical initiative comes solely from individuals and foundations, without any government support.
Your support can make a tangible difference!!!
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Empower Inclusion: Your donation will directly fund the transcription
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Enhance Accessibility: By distributing copies free of charge to sight-impaired individuals
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Global Impact: With places to extend our reach to 70 countries.
This link will take you to the FJMC sponsored donation page of JBI. Thanks in advance, for your support of this worthwhile project. www.jbilibrary.org/fjmc
For inquiries or to contribute, please contact:
Stephe Sturman, FJMC Inclusion Initiative Chair at ssturman@fjmc.org
Read and download the full press release!
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Columbia University officials, including President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik, Dean Emeritus David Schizer and Board of Trustees Co-Chair Claire Shipman, testify before the House Committee on Education & the Workforce at Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, April 17, 2024. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) | |
Columbia’s President, at House hearing, says university could do more to fight antisemitism
(JTA) — When the question came, Columbia University’s president was ready. Her answer was “Yes.” Just minutes into a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism on Wednesday, Nemat Shafik had been asked, “Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Columbia’s code of conduct?”
It was a knowing repeat of the now-infamous question that cost the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania their jobs. When those two leaders faced the same House panel in December amid rising antisemitism on their campuses, they hedged in their answers. This time a Democrat, Oregon Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, posed the question, defanging it before it could be claimed by Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, who posed it in December.
Click here to read the article!
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Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish is on the verge of approval as Argentina's ambassador to Israel. (Screenshot from confirmation hearing) | |
Meet Argentina’s Axel Wahnish, the first rabbi ever to be appointed as an ambassador to Israel
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — Argentina’s senate is on the brink of confirming President Javier Milei’s nominee to be ambassador to Israel: his personal Rabbi, Shimon Axel Wahnish.
Click here to read the article!
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Galit Tanami, the owner of Falafel Tanami, is shown in her restaurant, which was recently named one of the 100 best restaurants in New York by The New York Times. (Julia Gergely, design by Mollie Suss) | |
The NYT’s ‘100 best restaurants’ in NYC in 2024 include an Israeli falafel joint and 2 Jewish delis
(New York Jewish Week) — For the second year in a row, several Jewish eateries have made the New York Times’ list of “100 Best Restaurants in New York City,” curated by chief restaurant critic Pete Wells.
Click here to read the article!
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Felix Marx, left, as seen in The New York World in 1903. Center: A New York City Civil War token issued by Felix’s Dining Saloon in 1863. Background: An 1860 map of Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, with Felix's location in 1866, across from City Hall Park, marked in blue. (New York World, Courtey Heritage Auctions, Wikimedia Commons; design by Mollie Suss) | |
In the 1800s, New York’s Jewish elite dined at ‘The Kosher Delmonico’
(JTA)— An enterprising Jewish Frenchman named Felix Marx arrived on these shores. Born in Alsace, France, in 1825, Marx landed in New York in 1858. Having worked as a kosher butcher before immigrating, Marx set out to create a Delmonico’s-style offering for well-to-do, observant Jews. Within two years, he opened his first establishment opposite City Hall Park. The restaurant was called Felix’s Dining Saloon — though, colloquially, it was often referred to as “The Kosher Delmonico,” serving kosher haute cuisine to an elite clientele.
Click here to read the article!
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Holtzman, who threw two no-hitters and was a three-time World Series champion, later worked at the St. Louis Jewish Community Center.
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Ken Holtzman, Jewish pitcher with more wins than Koufax, dies at 78
(JNA) — Ken Holtzman, who won the most baseball games of any Jewish pitcher in Major League Baseball history and threw two no-hitters, died on Sunday night. He was 78 years old. Holtzman was known as “the next Sandy Koufax.”
Click here to read the article!
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Daven & Dine
Friday, April 19, 2024
Beginning at 5:40pm
Join us for a Pre-Pesach Shabbat!
$30/Adult; $15/Child 6-18; $75/Family
Children 5 and under are free
RSVP here!
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Congregation L'Dor V'Dor
49-10 Little Neck Pkwy
Little Neck, NY 11362
www.olnjc.org
Phone: (718) 224-0404
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Pilates Class at 12:15pm
with Dana Trakhtenbger
Extended for 6 more weeks
Upcoming classes on 5/20, 6/3 and 6/13.
$5 for synagogue members.
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Shelter Rock Jewish Center
272 Shelter Rock Road
Roslyn, NY 11576
www.srjc.org
Phone: (516) 741-4305
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Post-Passover Food Drive
May 1-8, 2024
Bring your food to the red bins outside the back door at the parking lot.
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Reaching over 25,000 Families
New York Metro Region Newsletter
We are now accepting ads beginning January 2024.
- Control Circulation of over 25,000
- Covers entire NY Metro Region Area - LI & NYC
- 26X Issues
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Very Competitive Rates
For further information and rates, email Lisa Pollack at assistant@fjmc.org
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Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Alex Edelman appear on the Time 100 list for 2024. (Images via Stephanie Augello, Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images) | |
Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Alex Edelman among Jews on Time’s 2024 ‘Most Influential’ list
(JTA) — The mother of 23-year-old Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, is one of nearly a dozen Jews on Time Magazine’s 100 “Most Influential” list, couched among comedians, writers, music producers, athletes, business executives, and politicians.
Click here to read the article!
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An exterior view of the 92NY on September 23, 2022 in New York City. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images) | |
From Alvin Ailey to Elie Wiesel, 14 standout moments from 150 years of the 92nd Street Y
(New York Jewish Week) — Every Jewish community worth its salt has a Jewish community center, but few have had the cultural impact of New York’s 92nd Street Y. Founded in 1874 as the Young Men’s Hebrew Association, the Jewish cultural institution has become a major metropolitan showcase for the best in dance, poetry, classical music, jazz and celebrity lectures — and, starting with the pandemic, a global venue for classes and talks. The Jewish cultural institution is celebrating its 150th birthday this year.
Click here to read the article!
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Affinity Groups & Webinars | |
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Join us for Torah Talks
Thursday, May 2, 2024
at 7:30pm ET
With Norm Kurtz and Benny Sommerfeld
Register here!
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Join us for Yiddish Lite!
Beginner's Yiddish Group
Alternate Tuesday Evenings
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
at 8pm ET
Hosted by Al Davis
Register here!
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Join us for Israeli & Jewish Music
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
at 9pm ET
Register here!
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Join us for Yiddish Alive!
Advanced Yiddish Group
Monday, May 13, 2024
at 8pm ET
Hosted by Jeffrey Newton, Joe Rotstein,
Esther Scheer and Barry Wagner
Register here!
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Join us for Pride and Prejudice
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
at 8pm ET
Quarterly Dialogue led by Stephe Sturman, Inclusion Chair
Register here!
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We invite you to
check out our
new NY Metro website
www.newyorkmetrofjmc.org
Reminder: If your New York FJMC Men's Club would like an event published in the newsletter or on our website, please email it to Lisa Pollack at assistant@fjmc.org
New York Metro Region Newsletter edited by Lisa Pollack.
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Reaching over 25,000 Families
New York Metro Region GESHER Newsletter
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FJMC is the choice of Jewish Men!
Be a part of tomorrow’s future...TODAY!
FJMC has been a progressive, vocal leader in the Jewish world for many years and we want to keep it as a reliable voice for years to come.
"FJMC has taught me leadership skills that I've been able to use in my job, relationship skills I use in my family, and organizational skills that I use in every part of my life."
- a current donor
Our donors are united in our desire to support FJMC on an ongoing, monthly basis.
We ask for a small gift each month to help us provide training for our Club and Regional Leadership, to continue our outreach to all Jewish men and our great programs. Your unwavering support makes a tremendous difference.
Without the FJMC, valuable Jewish programming might never occur. FJMC needs your financial support.
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Follow NY Metro on social media!
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