Submission #21061 by Har Shalom Men's Club - Potomac, MD (1151)

I have read the 2021 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.
Club Name
Har Shalom Men's Club - Potomac, MD (1151)
Kitchen Boyz - Celebrating Judaism Through Food
Club Representative
Person completing form
Ken
Popkin
Club President at time of convention if known at this time
Club President Now
Robert
Singman
Synagogue Service Project

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The goal of the Har Shalom Men’s Club Kitchen Boyz is to celebrate Judaism within the Men’s Club and the Har Shalom Congregation through food. For over twenty years, the Kitchen Boyz have successfully catered the Men’s Clubs Monthly Brunches and many club and synagogue events. Its innovative menus and camaraderie serve the synagogue well and grow the Men’s Club. The Kitchen Boyz are a group of 15-20 Har Shalom Men’s Club (the Club) members that celebrate Jewish events with the Club and the Congregation at-large through comradery and food. The Boyz provide catering like services for multiple congregation events.

In addition to preparing a monthly brunch for the Men’s Club Speaker Series, the Boyz shop for and cook meals for the annual Back to Shul bar-b-que; Catering the annual Purim carnival; Israeli themed cooking for Yom Haatzmaut; and preparing traditional Chanukah fare for the congregation’s religious school children.
The Kitchen Boyz(KB) is a part of the Har Shalom Men’s Club (MC) that celebrates Jewish events within the Club and the Congregation through and food. The group, of over fifteen members, has been in operation for over twenty years. Starting out as a few guys providing coffee, bagels and lox for the monthly Sunday Brunch, the KB has evolved into a tight nit team with the objective of providing delicious food for club and synagogue events. The Monthly Sunday Brunch has become the keynote activity of the Men’s club, attended regularly by over 115 men and women from within the synagogue and community. The Monthly Brunch presents speakers on major subjects of interest to all. However, it is generally agreed that the delicious free KB brunch is the reason most attend. Over the years, the KB has creatively evolved the menu into a sumptuous meal of salads, bagels, eggs, quiche, pastry, orange juice and coffee. The KB team has grown into a unique group of guys, who enjoy the camaraderie in the kitchen. They wear specially monogrammed shirts for the members and chef’s hats for the leaders. The KB has been a membership magnet for the club as men joined just to be a part of it. From the beginning bagels and lox, the KB has become a major caterer of food for Men’s Club and Har Shalom events, including the annual Back to Shul Barbeque; the Purim Carnival; Israeli themed cooking for Yom Haatzmaut; and traditional Chanukah fare for the congregation’s religious school children. When the Sisterhood ceased providing food for the Shabbat Kiddush, The KB jumped in and helped prepare the kiddush, until a professional service could be arranged. The major contribution that the KB has made to the congregation has been regularly recognized by Har Shalom’s Rabbi Adam Raskin. The KB look forward to the return of in-person activity at the synagogue, when they can resume their service to the club and the congregation. Our programs involve the Boyz subset in our Men's Club in planning and executing a special event. The Vice President of Operations acts as the general chair, plans menus, orders ingredients, and is responsible to recruit volunteers. The program is innovative because it is designed to not only to feed congregants, but brings the flavors of traditional Israeli cuisine.

Attachments
kitchen_boyz_program_schedule.xlsx
kitchenboyz.pdf
Self Assessment
The Har Shalom Men’s Club Kitchen Boyz has demonstrated it success during its more than twenty years of providing food for Har Shalom’s Men’s Club and Congregation events. From a few guys, it has grown to over a dozen men who enjoy the camaraderie of working together for the club and congregation through food. It is a membership “grower” and the key reason that men and women within the congregation and the community attend the monthly Sunday Brunches. It has raised the esteem of the club and the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs within the congregation, as attested to by commendations from the Rabbi. This is an activity that any club can, and should, develop as a key element of its operation. What is more central after prayer, than “food” to our Jewish culture.
The major contribution that the KB has made to the congregation has been regularly recognized by Har Shalom’s Rabbi Adam Raskin and well received by the congregation.
The Har Shalom Men’s Club Kitchen Boyz has demonstrated how it supports the FJMC mission of involving Jewish Men in Jewish Life during its more than twenty years of providing food for Har Shalom’s Men’s Club and Congregation events. From a few guys, it has grown to over a dozen men who enjoy the camaraderie of working together for the club and congregation through food. The KB greatly supports the elements of the FJMC tagline: Leadership, innovation and community as follow: a) Leadership, through its sustained and continuing operation over the many years and its support of the synagogue in its time of need, when the Sisterhood was no longer able to provide catering services, b) Innovation, through its evolving menus and approaches to meet growing catering demands for the Men’s Club Brunch and other synagogue activities and c) Community, through its success in growing the Men’s Club Brunch, not only by congregants, but also by members of the general community. Through its activities, it has grown a sense of community amongst its members and all of the Men’s Club. It is, in fact, a membership “grower” and the key reason that men and women within the congregation and the community attend the monthly Sunday Brunches. It has raised the esteem of the club and the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs within the congregation, as attested to by commendations from the Rabbi. This is an activity that any club can, and should, develop as a key element of its operation. What is more central after prayer, than “food” to our Jewish culture.

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Original Program
Previous Submission
Yes
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