Join the CSAIR Men's Club
Top Ten Reason to Join the Men's Club1. Great savings from Ginger Grill, The Kosher Market and Judean Hills
2. Join the cool tradition
3. Support your Synagogue and your fellow fellows
4. The World Wide Wrap
5. Our secret off-site meetings
6. Have your voice heard
7. It’s a bargain at just $25
8. Rabbi Katz and CSAIR President Stuart Newman are members – you should be more like them.
9. Great Events
10. We promise not to bother you if you don’t want to get involved
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Let’s start with a Thank You. We have been thrilled with the new CSAIR Men’s Club members that have been joining us every week. But, despite our ever-growing numbers, there are some of you out there that still haven’t joined us. So we're offering 2 opposite opinions. The column on the left gives 10 good reasons to join us - and the column below? It's the....
Top 10 reasons Not to Join the Men’s Club
1 – Why should I join the Men’s Club when the Rabbi hasn’t even joined?
Well, as it turns out, Rabbi Barry Katz has joined the Men’s Club this year and we are honored to have him as a member. His membership number is 613 to correspond with the 613 Mitzvot in the Torah.
2 – If I join, those guys will start asking me to do stuff. I don’t like doing stuff.
We promise, even if you join the Men’s Club, you can stay on our Do Not Bother list. The club is an opportunity, not an obligation. No one will start noodging you. We promise.
3 – I’m not a Men’s Club kind of guy. I’m under 70, for example.
The Men’s Club is for men of all ages. For example, our Junior Men’s Club Outreach program has been successfully running off-site events for over a year now and has attracted many men, the vast majority of which are in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. Our “Fathers and Sons” series – which was featured in recent meetings - has produced an emotional connection between our attendees of all ages as each member spoke about their memories of their own fathers. And finally, the rumor is that your new co-presidents are both under 70 themselves!
4 – Joining the Men’s Club Costs money. I don’t like spending money. Why can’t the Men’s Club pay me money instead?
At $25, a Men’s Club membership is one of the best bargains in Riverdale. And since the card now offers 3 big year-round discounts – at The Kosher Market, Judean Hills, and Ginger Grill, a Men’s Club membership will pay for itself and then actually pay you to join.
5 – Men-only clubs are discriminatory and outdated. I oppose the club on ethical grounds.
We couldn’t agree more. That’s why the CSAIR Men’s Club does not discriminate based on gender. Women are more than welcome to join us. In fact, Jackey Gold is our first female member and web-columnist.
6 – I refuse to join The Men’s Club because they don’t sell Tefillin. What’s up with that?
Nothing could be further from the truth. The Men’s Club has a special fund set up for the sale of high quality Tefillin and has done so for years. We just need to do a better job of getting the word out. In addition, we can assist you in the proper restoration and repair of old Tefillin that may have been in your family for generations. Contact us at csairmensclub@gmail.com
7 – The Men’s Club never has any Rock or Folk Music or off-site events. Why can’t I hear some live music or go to an event that’s not at the Shul for once?
Well, in December 2007 the Men’s Club presented a performance by the Traveling Jewburys, 6 members of CSAIR, who performed a night of high-spirited Rock and Folk classics - with a good time had by all!
8 – The Men’s Club never helps CSAIR. That’s not very nice.
Actually, we have been happily and quietly volunteering our help to the Shul for a long time. Here are just a few of many examples: We provide Thundersticks - those fun inflatable noisemakers on Purim. We assist the Hebrew School with the World Wide Wrap. We sell refreshments at events the Shul participates in, such as the Street Fair and the Crafts Fair. We support the Thursday Night Minyan. We created the special fund Their Memory Forever. And the list is always growing.
9- The Men’s Club should give free membership to new Bar Mitzvahs. All they give now is a Kiddush Cup and a note. That makes me mad enough to not want to join.
Well, come to think of it, you’re right about that. So, from this day forward, in addition to the Kiddush cup and congratulatory note we provide to all of our Bar Mitzvahs, we will be providing a free Men’s Club membership in addition to the Kiddush Cup. Thanks for the suggestion.
10 – The Men’s Club has never done anything for me personally – so to teach them a lesson – I’m not joining.
Pardon us if we strongly disagree with this one. The Men’s Club offers an emotional connection between generations, as our roundtable meetings have shown. It offers a forum for our issues and needs. It offers camaraderie. It offers interesting and compelling events. But most of all, if there is something you wish the Men’s Club were doing, let us know. You can always find Joel and David at the Shul. And you can always email us at csairmensclub@gmail.com. If you have an idea, don’t be shy. This is your Men’s Club. We want to hear from you.
If you agree that the top ten reasons not to join don’t make a lot of sense – then maybe it’s time to get your membership in order. Contact us in person or at csairmensclub@gmail.com to get started.
Be Well – David LaDue, Joel Chaiken |
