Submission #344 by Orangetown Jewish Center Men's Club - Orangeburg, NY (1886)
I have read the General Guidelines, "Nuts and Bolts" and Program Advanced Planning (Excel Spreadsheet) Documents
Turning Shabbat Conversations into Hearing Men's Voices
Hearing Mens Voices
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The Hearing Men's Voices committee wants to extend the ideas from the HMV books to current topics that men ((and women) are talking about . They center on problems with parenting, changing friendships, balancing Jewish values with other commitments as well as the man's role in the modern marriage.
Orangetown Jewish Center Program details
Orangetown Jewish Center Program details
After 3 years and about 15 sessions of Hearing Men’s Voices, we needed to branch out and address the needs of our men in a more “home-grown” manner. We decided to look for other topics that men were speaking about. We began listening to others in social gatherings at a kiddush on Shabbat, and virtually anywhere people got together. We noted that there is a great deal of sharing that goes on when people sit down to break bread after a Shabbat service. Our Saturday morning services are typically 150-180 people without a simcha, so there is a lot of socializing going on. In addition, there are a number of concerns shared by men and women.
When our committee meets, we discuss some of the concerns and ideas we have heard. We discuss them and decide if any are worth turning into a new HMV session. Once a topic is decided on, we toss around possible titles and focus questions. The questions may shift order several times until we determine the discussion starter question.
Another issue we decided to address was getting more support for the program by engaging the wives. After some discussions with our Rabbis, we realized that we could accomplish this and fill a need for programming on Yom Kippur between Musaf and MIncha. We opened the program to men and women, calling it, “Hearing Our Voices.”
Some of the new topics have included:
• What does it mean to be a parent and grandparent in the 21st century?
• How have my friendships changed from childhood to now?
• What is the man’s role in bringing spirituality to the marriage?
• How do I keep my Jewish values while juggling my commitments?
• What is my Jewish identity and how to I pass it to my children and grandchildren? This was part of a Yom Kippur program for men and women after Musaf.
Finally we decide on a facilitator and co-facilitator and a date at least one month in advance. A flyer is made up and is sent out via Constant Contact, e-blasts, mailings and the synagogue newsletter. In addition, the synagogue president or one of the Rabbis will announce it from the Bimah on Friday night and Saturday for several weeks before the event.
Orangetown Jewish Center Program details
After 3 years and about 15 sessions of Hearing Men’s Voices, we needed to branch out and address the needs of our men in a more “home-grown” manner. We decided to look for other topics that men were speaking about. We began listening to others in social gatherings at a kiddush on Shabbat, and virtually anywhere people got together. We noted that there is a great deal of sharing that goes on when people sit down to break bread after a Shabbat service. Our Saturday morning services are typically 150-180 people without a simcha, so there is a lot of socializing going on. In addition, there are a number of concerns shared by men and women.
When our committee meets, we discuss some of the concerns and ideas we have heard. We discuss them and decide if any are worth turning into a new HMV session. Once a topic is decided on, we toss around possible titles and focus questions. The questions may shift order several times until we determine the discussion starter question.
Another issue we decided to address was getting more support for the program by engaging the wives. After some discussions with our Rabbis, we realized that we could accomplish this and fill a need for programming on Yom Kippur between Musaf and MIncha. We opened the program to men and women, calling it, “Hearing Our Voices.”
Some of the new topics have included:
• What does it mean to be a parent and grandparent in the 21st century?
• How have my friendships changed from childhood to now?
• What is the man’s role in bringing spirituality to the marriage?
• How do I keep my Jewish values while juggling my commitments?
• What is my Jewish identity and how to I pass it to my children and grandchildren? This was part of a Yom Kippur program for men and women after Musaf.
Finally we decide on a facilitator and co-facilitator and a date at least one month in advance. A flyer is made up and is sent out via Constant Contact, e-blasts, mailings and the synagogue newsletter. In addition, the synagogue president or one of the Rabbis will announce it from the Bimah on Friday night and Saturday for several weeks before the event.
Page 2
Original Program