June 2024

This monthly newsletter is being sent to you from the New England Region's (NER) Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs (FJMC) because you are a NER Club Member, Local Rabbi or FJMC Regional President.

This year seems to have sped up and it’s hard to believe summer will be here in a few weeks. We are also marking more than 240 days since the start of the war in Gaza, and we pray for a return of all hostages and a peace which will last. 



The New England Region has been bursting with activity as we have recently shared in lighting Yellow Candles and celebrating Brotherhood/Men’s Club shabbatot throughout the region. I continue to be amazed by the vibrancy of what individual clubs are doing and on the regional level, we have quite a number of events to look forward to.  As always, your participation makes all the difference and I want to thank our regional board and club presidents in particular this month for your many contributions. In a few weeks, we will install our officers for the coming year and I am very excited by what they will bring. Our hope is to help all clubs to ensure that our region is as strong as possible so that we can continue to add in an outsized manner to FJMC. Please consider saying “yes” if someone asks you to help with a program in the coming year, and we are always eager to hear your ideas.

TheRetreat 2024

This weekend, we will be convening again at Camp Ramah for the annual New England and Connecticut Valley Region retreat. Featured this year will be a number of talks by noted academic, Dr. Gideon Biger, who is coming from Israel to be with us and to share his insights into the land of Israel, the history of Gaza and little known areas in Jerusalem. Bill Magliff returns to lead us in song, while other events will include a showing of the movie, “Golda”, poker, HMV sessions, teaching about bitcoin, spirited prayer, fun, food and camaraderie. We hope you are joining us, but if not now, hopefully next year.

Annual Meeting

We look forward to what promises to be an outstanding Annual Meeting, taking place on Wednesday night, June 19th from 7-9 pm at Temple Ner Tamid in Peabody. We plan to elect our slate of officers and board members and will have a timely presentation about college-based antisemitism by both a CJP leader, Meir Zimmerman, and Columbia University student, Mikey Rosemberg. It should be as fascinating as it will be troubling. Mikey’s father, Cantor Elias Rosemberg will be joining as well to bring some beautiful singing to the evening. 

Please insert the specific information from the Annual Meeting email. The only change is to call Scott Kadish and David Mamon “General Members” – thanks!

Tour de Shuls

Temple Israel of Sharon 

125 Pond Street

Sharon, MA 02067

June 23, 2024

Tour de Shuls is the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs’ fundraiser for the Tikvah program at Camp Ramah New England. The Tikvah program at Camp Ramah in Palmer, MA, in existence since 1970, provides for the social, religious and educational needs of campers with a wide range of disabilities. 

The routes in 2024 start Temple Israel of Sharon, 125 Pond Street, Sharon, MA, 02067  Rides will be approximately 10, 24, 55, and 72 miles long. Rides will be available to load into RIDE WITH GPS! 

(Route lengths subject to change, but there will be 4 routes ranging from 10 miles to 75 miles)​

Contact:Brian Silver, Chairman 2024 Tour de Shuls

Israel Walking Challenge Summary

by Bob Braitman

2023-24 Quality Club Award 

FJMC Sefer Haftarah in New England

The FJMC Sefer Haftarah has returned to the New England Region, and will be with us throughout the summer. The Sefer Haftarah is a scroll containing all of the haftarot that can be read throughout the year.

The scroll will be chanted from at the following congregations (so far) this summer:

Shabbat, 8 June, TheRetreat at Camp Ramah, Palmer, MA

Shavuot, 12 June, Temple Israel, Sharon, MA

Shavuot, 13 June, Temple Israel, Sharon, MA

Shabbat, 22 June – B’nai Tikvah, Canton, MA

Shabbat, 29 June – Temple Aliyah, Needham, MA

Shabbat, 13 July – Temple Emanuel, Newton, MA

Shabbat, 20 July – Congregation Or Atid, Wayland, MA

Shabbat, 27 July – Temple Israel of Natick, Natick, MA

Shabbat, 10 August – Congregation Beth Israel, Worcester, MA

Shabbat, 17 August – Temple Beth Sholom, Framingham, MA

Shabbat 24 August – Minyan Darchei Shalom, Newton, MA

As we can see, there are still several available dates unscheduled and available. If you’re interested in having this scroll read from at your synagogue on one of these dates, please have your club president or rabbi or representative contact Ken Turkewitz at Turkewitz@Alum.MIT.edu.

On August 1st, the Combined Charities Golf Tournament will take place, an exciting opportunity for regional fun and fundraising. The Brotherhoods of Temple Israel of Sharon, Temple Emanuel of Newton, and Ahavat Torah Congregation in Stoughton are joining other charitable organizations for a superb golf tournament.

You can register to play in the tournament, or your club can join as a participating organization and earn money for sponsorships or players you bring to the event. Check out the website for more information and let’s make this a great regional event.