Submission #22090 by Temple Israel of Natick Men's Club - Natick, MA (733)
I have read the 2021 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.
Overall Programming in a Year of Covid
Best Overall Programming
Page 1
Our overall programming in the first 12 months of the Covid pandemic lockdown / social distancing period sought to (1) transform all our traditional programming online, with an emphasis on our signature programs - Yellow Candles, Congregational Breakfast, WWW/Build a Pair and Men's Club Shabbat (2) connect members safely in person in outdoor settings whenever possible and (3) meet the moment with Tzedakah initiatives
1) Developed and spread the word on a Covid safe Yellow Candle program shortly after lockdowns started in March 2020
a. Method was publicized by yellowcandles.org
b. Implemented children’s name cards
c. Communicated our program on FaceBook and had 10 members post their candles, mostly with cards, to the Temple Israel facebook page
2) Implemented and continued online HMV (2 fully online + a hybrid live and online alone with Scotch in the Sukkah)
3) Implemented and continued online poker
a. Published findings on online poker platforms to FJMC
4) Implemented online social hour. Participation included members no longer in the area. These continued and later included a structured conversation element
5) Spring / summer outdoor activity campaign
a. Multiple walks and golf outings
b. A bike ride and 3 person participation in the adapted NERFJMC Tour de Shuls
6) President phone outreach to over 75% of most Club members
7) Two Shabbat Friday night meal deliveries
a. Published to FJMC
8) Parking lot sports watching event – first users of the Temple’s newly purchased outdoor movie watching equipment. We helped fund the equipment expense as well
9) Led and partially funded the effort to expand the Temple Sukkah by 50%, allowing more in person usage for the community
10) Hybrid Scotch in the Sukkah event
11) Online Congregational Breakfast with speaker on socially responsible investing, attended by 80 windows including as FJMC webinar
a. Donated the typical cost of food to local food pantries
12) Honored longtime retiring Rabbi at Keeper of the Flame; over 20 TI windows at the online event
13) Continued the walks program through the winter, including a Sunday December walk attended by 12 members
14) Online WWW and Build a Pair that included a focused effort to highlight women “wrappers”. Breakout Zoom rooms with each 1-2 kids getting focused instruction
15) Online Men’s Club Shabbat including participation from Florida (two members), Israel (possibly the first time somebody has done Shabbat Musaf on two continents in the same day) and NERFJMC President. Four member Dvar Torah. We again made a food pantry donation since we had no kiddush luncheon costs
16) Throughout the pandemic, we promoted FJMC and regional events in Temple communications as an additional resource for our members
Link to video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18-qdjkwxK7bbexk99Yq9Cix_z8mXTUEQ/view?usp=sharing
a. Method was publicized by yellowcandles.org
b. Implemented children’s name cards
c. Communicated our program on FaceBook and had 10 members post their candles, mostly with cards, to the Temple Israel facebook page
2) Implemented and continued online HMV (2 fully online + a hybrid live and online alone with Scotch in the Sukkah)
3) Implemented and continued online poker
a. Published findings on online poker platforms to FJMC
4) Implemented online social hour. Participation included members no longer in the area. These continued and later included a structured conversation element
5) Spring / summer outdoor activity campaign
a. Multiple walks and golf outings
b. A bike ride and 3 person participation in the adapted NERFJMC Tour de Shuls
6) President phone outreach to over 75% of most Club members
7) Two Shabbat Friday night meal deliveries
a. Published to FJMC
8) Parking lot sports watching event – first users of the Temple’s newly purchased outdoor movie watching equipment. We helped fund the equipment expense as well
9) Led and partially funded the effort to expand the Temple Sukkah by 50%, allowing more in person usage for the community
10) Hybrid Scotch in the Sukkah event
11) Online Congregational Breakfast with speaker on socially responsible investing, attended by 80 windows including as FJMC webinar
a. Donated the typical cost of food to local food pantries
12) Honored longtime retiring Rabbi at Keeper of the Flame; over 20 TI windows at the online event
13) Continued the walks program through the winter, including a Sunday December walk attended by 12 members
14) Online WWW and Build a Pair that included a focused effort to highlight women “wrappers”. Breakout Zoom rooms with each 1-2 kids getting focused instruction
15) Online Men’s Club Shabbat including participation from Florida (two members), Israel (possibly the first time somebody has done Shabbat Musaf on two continents in the same day) and NERFJMC President. Four member Dvar Torah. We again made a food pantry donation since we had no kiddush luncheon costs
16) Throughout the pandemic, we promoted FJMC and regional events in Temple communications as an additional resource for our members
Link to video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18-qdjkwxK7bbexk99Yq9Cix_z8mXTUEQ/view?usp=sharing
Page 2
Original Program
Silver