Submission #253 by Temple Beth Emunah Brotherhood - Brockton, MA (705-D)

I have read the General Guidelines, "Nuts and Bolts" and Program Advanced Planning (Excel Spreadsheet) Documents
Club Name
Temple Beth Emunah Brotherhood - Brockton, MA (705-D)
Men's Club Shabbat
Club Representative
Person completing form
Steven
Weiner
Club President at time of Convention
Steven
Weiner
Club President Now
Steven
Weiner
Men's Club Shabbat

Page 1

The main Idea of the program was to welcome a new Rabbi, take advantage of the FJMC Sefer Haftorah schroll and to honor our past Men of the year,Keepers of the Flame and current officers + board. The programs consisted with our award winning Shabbatt under the Stars on Friday night following a Shabbat dinner attended by close to 100 people, a full Saturday morning service conducted by the brotherhood using the FJMC Safer Haftorah followed by a large Kiddish. We finished Sunday morning with an informal tefillin wrap.
brotherhood_sabbath_weekend.docx
Steve Weiner, our Brotherhood President, recieved an email from Ken Turkewitz, the Regional Vice President on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 regarding the Traveling Sefer Haftorah.(uploaded). THe next night, our congregation was having a special meeting to vote on hiring a new Rabbi, Rabbi Ilana Foss. I called the Temple president, Stephen Merlin, and suggested the weekend as a way of introducing Rabbi Foss to the community and our Brotherhood to her. Uploaded is my letter of introduction to her and her response.

Plans were made to have the Haforah the week of July 21. Members were contacted to both lead and participate in the service. Attached are the 4 pages that make up the brochere that was handed out. Please note KOF, Men of the year + past presidents where were all honored. I uploaded the brochure in 4 parts using your marketing uploads to accomplish. What is not uploaded are bulliton articles & emails to other Brotherhoods and to the federation officers inviting them to our program. The regional president, Arnie Miller, did attend and did address the congregation promoting FJMC and the convention coming to New England in one year. Rabbi Foss was presented with a Yad, the gift the brotherhood presents at B'nai Mitzvot, welcoming her to our brotherhood.




haftorah_letter.docx
introduction_to_rabbi_foss.docx
pg_-2_bh_sabbath_honors.docx
pg_3.docx
front_cover.docx
back_cover.docx

Page 2

Self Assessment
"TBE Brotherhood's Shabbat under the Stars was an amazing way to be welcomed into the community as the new spiritual leader. Rather than have prayer and fellowship confined to the Sanctuary we davened in the garden and really understood what it meant to see the wonder of God's creation. " Rabbi Ilama Foss

Rabbi Foss got to see firsthand the work of the brotherhood in the temple. This program was more geared to bringing back and honoring many old members who have contribited over the past 30 - 40 years. It brought back many members & combined them with our newer members showing all the tradition of the Brotherhood.
" Mel would have been so happy to have been there. He loved brotherhood and learned many things and made many friends in Brotherhood." Toby Saftler, original founded member of Temple beth Emunah in 1951. Mel was an original member of our Brotherhood and was part of a group that believed in a federation of individual Men's clubs. He was also a founder of Layman's Institute, which still goes on today. Our brotherhood, long before this weekend was planned, had comminssioned a framed portrait of mel with all his pins from brotherhood, to presented to his family. We did this during the Saturday part of service. we broghtin from the other room, the plaque dedicating the first Safer Torah in 1951 which was donated by Mel's family. Our regional president, Arnie Miller and our Temple President, Steve Merlin spoke on how Mel and the men that followed him have continued the Brotherhood tradition of being leaders. Jinging us that day as they do every Shabbatt were Mel's wife, Toby and well as his brother, his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

On Sunday morning, when we came for the wrap, we found that it was Mel's Yaitzeit. A beautiful weekend that starting so beautifully praying under the Stars following a Shabbat dinner ended equally beautiful on Sunday morning with a brotherhood breakfast with the family of our mentor and really the mentor of our region.

PS. I am old school & not good at computer submissions. You should know that no matter how you feel I described this weekeend, it was 100 times better
Previously awarded a Silver or Bronze in this category submission number TAxx-xxxx
We recieved a torch award in 2003 for for Shabbat Uner the Stars. Shabbat under the stars was already scheduled and was only a part of this weekend.
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