Every two years, The Torch Awards recognise clubs who create the best innovative and new programs and events.. The programs are divided into categories and the committee spends hours going through the many submissions to award a Gold, Silver and Bronze award.

The best part of this awards ceremony for me  has been my involvement in the judging. Day to day, much of what we do is about ourselves and those close to us. The Torch Award judging  is different. It is honouring those that want to improve their clubs, their shuls, the Jewish Community as a whole. The honourees through their  imagination, creativity and hard work bring these amazing programs to fruition. The submitted programs demonstrate the evolution of our clubs as welcoming, inclusive and creative. 

There are so many submissions, that it is  impossible to honour all of them. The best part of reviewing the entries is to get great ideas for programs to take back to my club. Some were complete and ready to replicate, while others were and idea and theme that we could build upon. The Torch Award library is a great resource for all clubs and I invite you all to look on the FJMC site take them back to your club.

I will point out just successful Torch Award winning program now and subsequent editions of HaShofar we will highlight other programs. 

Temple Beth Sholom Men's Club of Cherry Hill, NJ ran a workshop on How to Tie Tzizit. This program involved young people who were encouraged to  design their own tallit and tie their own tzitzit. The award application was submitted by Marc Cohen.

Who knew? I always we thought that if you wanted to get an individualised and halachically correct tallit you went to the old man with the beard over the Judaica shop! 

Don Smith

Ansh-Eh Zafon Regional President