2005-2007 Torch Award Submission Procedure 8d Torch Submission Procedure Entry Document Submission Identifier Code supplied in a response to your first email: 195 Full Title for Entry (80 characters maximum): Best Overall Activities- Temple Beth Shalom, Livingston, NJ Entry Category: Best Overall Activities Contact Person to be listed on Torch Award CD: Barry Wolfe Email address to be listed on Torch Award CD: BLWolfe@comcast.net Club name: Temple Beth Shalom Men s Club Synagogue name, city and state: Temple Beth Shalom, Livingston, NJ Club number: 941 Club President name (at time of entry): Barry Wolfe Club President name (at time of convention): to be determined Person preparing entry: Barry Wolfe Email address of person preparing entry: BLWolfe@comcast.net Date of entry submission: April 8, 2007 Part II. Summary Actual discussion overhead between two men, longtime synagogue members, at one of our new events last year: I never saw you at a Men s Club event before. I never had a reason to come before Our club works to take the best of FJMC and our own existing club programs along with some new ones to present programs of interest to all. Our events include religions, athletic, educational, synagogue support, community service, FJMC regional, and just plain fun activities. While some events have a natural tendency to appeal to certain age groups, it is important to continue to find ways to reach all. (please see summary listing on next page and program descriptions at end of this document) Contact: Barry Wolfe, Temple Beth Shalom Men s Club, Livingston NJ BLWolfe@comcast.net
Temple Beth Shalom Men s Club 193 E. Mount Pleasant Avenue, Livingston, NJ 07039 HERE S JUST SOME OF OUR EVENTS AND PROGRAMS! New in the past two years: Steak and Scotch in the Sukkah Texas Hold em Tournament Israel Awareness speaker programs: (Daniel Pipes, Gil Hoffman, Prof. Gilbert Kahn, Dr. Gal Luft) Hosted US Senate Candidates forum Tefillin Build A Pair program for school students Designed, purchased, and constructed new Sukkah for temple Landscape improvements to temple grounds Continuing Programs: Labor Day Steak & Champagne BBQ Hanukkah Hilarity Comedy Night World Wide Wrap Founders Day Program Steven A. Gelman Memorial Health Forum Softball League Indoor Basketball Bowling with the Boys Yom HaShoah Yellow Candle program Men s Club University programs Election Debates First Aid/Defibrillator training Shomrim patrol of TBS grounds (see event descriptions later in this document)
A few photos: (Additional photos included in our other Torch Award submissions) Hanukkah Hilarity Comedy Night Championship Softball team
Israel Awareness Speakers Series US Senate Candidate s Forum (October 2006) Election Winner- US Senator Robert Menendez (D- NJ) Tom Kean Jr. (R- NJ State Senate)
Guest Speaker: DANIEL PIPES (November 2006)
Founders Day- Moise Rosenbaum (our longtime grill expert) being honored during 2006 (with Past President Mitch Berkey). Our local Norm Kurtz, club Past President, honored at 2007 Founder s Day- shown receiving plaque from club President Barry Wolfe
FJMC EVENTS: FJMC Northern New Jersey Regional Presidents Dinner (2006): Entertainment provided by HaZamir regional Jewish Youth Choir FJMC Regional Officers being discharged Regional immediate Past President Stuart Kaplan passing the pin to Incoming President Peter Gotlieb
Regional VPs Stuart Mandel and Eric Weis drawing the FJMC regional raffle winners Annual Labor Day Steak and Champagne BBQ (2006) Men s Club grill crew just some of the crowd
Temple Beth Shalom Men s Club Tickets on sale NOW! HANUKKAH HILARITY COMEDY NIGHT! DEC. 9th, 2006 at 8:00pm Tickets: $25 advance/$30 at the door Grover Silcox A TV reporter, comic and actor, Grover is a regular in Las Vegas and Altantic City shows Dena Blizzard A former Miss New Jersey turned comic and performer, Dena is a regular in clubs in NY, Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Chris Coccia A favorite on the comedy club circuit, Chris is a regular on Comedy Central television and has opened shows for major music stars. Tickets available at the TBS Office! or contact Barry Schwartz at 973-533-0420 or MensClubTBS@comcast.net
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS for key events: 1) Steak and Scotch in the Sukkah (submitted for 07 Torch Award) BBQ dinner for club members in the sukkah, comments by our Rabbi, followed by a Single Malt Scotch tasting run by expert (coordinated with regional beverage distributors) 2) Texas Hold em Tournament- Open to club members and their guests. Winners received a trophy (in accordance with NJ State law, we were unable to provide cash or valuable prizes. Please ensure you check your local laws). We are planning another tournament, this one to include other FJMC clubs in our region (anticipated fall 2007) 3) Israel Awareness Speaker programs / US Senate Candidate Forum (submitted for 07 Torch Award)- Speakers included: Daniel Pipes- The 4 I s Israel, Iraq, Iran and Islam Prof. Gilbert Kahn- Election Recap and a Look Ahead (US Senate elections and with discussion of impact on Israel and our community) Gil Hoffman- Jerusalem Post, Journalist and Political Correspondent Dr. Gal Luft- Mid-east /Energy policy expert Program also included a US Senate Candidates Forum (candidates were in attendance) Our club hosted a candidate s forum featuring the two candidates for US Senate from NJ. By reaching out to major Jewish groups in the community, we were able to host a US Senate candidate forum with Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and State Senator Tom Kean (R). Also in attendance were US Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and a significant number of local and state officials. The event received national press coverage. This was an excellent way to get issues important to the Jewish community and Israel out to the public. Events are free, open to the community, and in the case of our Sunday morning events, include a free bagel and lox breakfast. 4) Tefillin Build A Pair program for school students (submitted for 07 Torch Award) developed as a weekday afternoon parent/child program with our shul s Religious School. Dinner provided for attendees. 5) Designed, purchased, and constructed new Sukkah for temple 6) Outdoor landscape projects
FJMC regional programs: 1) Hosted Regional FJMC Presidents dinner- Attended by incoming and outgoing FJMC regional officers and club Presidents. Entertainment by area Jewish teen choir (HaZamir). Gave us an opportunity to hear an exciting choir and gave the choir exposure to the many synagogues with a participating FJMC chapter. 2) Participated in FJMC Regional Man of the Year dinner- A great event- we work to get a big turnout for this fun event Continuing programs/improvements made to programs: 1) Labor Day Steak & Champagne BBQ- Long time event- our club host a free BBQ for the entire temple. We sell raffle tickets for our annual raffle. One of our members is a DJ and provides music for all and games for the kids. We offered USY an opportunity to set up some fund raising events during the BBQ- they set up a car wash (get your car cleaned while you eat) and solicited contributions for their Social Action/Tikun Olam fund. (approx. 350-400 attendees) 2) Hanukkah Hilarity Comedy Night- We developed this program approx. 5 years ago- we turn our social hall into a comedy club- complete with spotlights, raised stage (rented). Top notch comedians are brought in (they generally work for a reduced fee for nonprofit organizations). Approx. 150-200 attendees. We now invite all paidup USY teens to attend with their advisor (we give up a few table but provide them with a fun event) 3) World Wide Wrap- We were able to work with our USY chapter and region to perform the wrap along with the teens at their Sunday morning service. We had almost 400 people attend. Followed by Men s Club discussion of our wrap twin over free brunch provided 4) Founders Day Program- A chance to honor a long-time member for his service. This is a great opportunity to honor someone that contributed over the years but wasn t necessarily a president or prior man of the year. Program consists of a welcome by the clergy, Men s Club speakers, presentation of a plaque to the honoree and comments by the honoree). By selecting a well-respected (or fun) senior member, this is a great way to bring in an older crowd. Brunch provided. (attendance generally 100-150 people)
5) Steven A. Gelman Memorial Health Forum The Steven A. Gelman Memorial Health Forum was formed in 2001 by the Men s Club of Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston, New Jersey to perpetuate the memory of its long time member and former treasurer and to promote greater health awareness in the community. The Temple Beth Shalom Men s Club has won numerous international awards for programming excellence and presents The Steven A. Gelman Memorial Health Forum annually. The forum is always free of charge and the general public is encouraged to attend. Attendance is generally around 150-200 people. 6) Yom HaShoah Yellow Candle program sent out almost 900 candles, we pack and mail. Program self funding through voluntary contributions from members. Significantly increased contributions by providing a simple tear-off, check the box contribution on the introductory letter and including a thank you list of prior year contributors. 7) First Aid/Defibrillator training- Offered free to temple staff, teachers, Men s Club and temple members. We had purchased a defibrillator for the temple several years ago and now provide annual recertification through our local first aid squad. 8) Shomrim patrol of TBS grounds (patrol temple grounds on Halloween and mischief night) 9) Bar/Bat Mitzvah gifts; gifts for Religious School students (prayer book, mini torah scroll) 10) Sporting events in area temple leagues Softball League Indoor Basketball Bowling with the Boys - bowling event with other synagogue men s clubs in our town