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 Update from the Western Region ...

March 27, 2020

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Good Afternoon, Gentlemen!

 

I hope that this note finds you all well both physically and psychologically during these stressful times. 

 

I wanted to give everyone a quick update on happenings in the FJMC Western Region and the FJMC International.  Connecting with one another during a quarantine presents a range of struggles and innovative technological solutions.  The Regional and International Boards of the FJMC have been working collectively and collaboratively to help bridge this gap.  In this note, I want to highlight some of these effort.

 

  1. Club Presidents and Club Contacts should have received a Doodle invite from me (Gary Katz) to schedule a 1:1 meeting to catch up.  PLEASE respond to this Doodle request ASAP.  Thanks to the Club Leaders Ken Storms, Joe Wechsler, and Samuel Friedman for your quick responses!

 

  1. Yellow Candles – running a Yellow Candle program during a quarantine is quite complicated.  Ed Margolis and Steve Silverstone – International Yellow Candle Chairmen – have discussed potentially delaying the Yellow Candle program to an alternate date.  Western Region Leadership is now looking at Yizkor during Shavuot as one possibility.  Shavuot starts on May 28th with Yizkor on May 30th.   We are also considering doing an online, virtual collaborative candle lighting ceremony as part of the delayed Yellow Candle Program.

 

  1. Virtual Retreat – having shifted from AJU/Brandeis to an online setting for our retreat, we have attracted the attention of the International Board and we’ll be inviting FJMC members across the globe to join in with our Virtual Retreat on May 17th.  Please hold the day for camaraderie, ruach, and learning. 

 

  1. At the International level, the FJMC continues to develop programs that are run via Zoom that are both communal (Zoom Meetings of the International Kiddush Club - ) and educational (How to Run a Seder During a Plague).  Look for EMAILs from Alan Budman that announce these events as they come up; I will also be forwarding links to these events.

 

  1. CONVENTION!  We are well ahead of the convention planning curve at this point and the convention committee has started its first Installment Payment Plan (https://www.fjmc.org/convention-2021-downpayment) for convention payments that not only helps YOUR wallet but also helps the FJMC fund convention planning costs.  Please consider signing up soon!

 

If there is anything that you or your clubs or your club members need, do not hesitate to ask.  We, the FJMC, are an international group of dedicated men who share a common commitment to find a niche and fill it.  Let’s use our collective resources to make the best of a difficult situation.

 

Wishing you all a wonderful Shabbat.

 

B’Shalom,

-gk

 

Gary S. Katz, President

FJMC Western Region


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3) Podcast from the Walnut Creek LDI -- about recruiting new members
The FJMC Western Region President, Benny Sommerfeld, and Executive Vice President, Gary Katz led the training session.Western
The link to the Podcast is HERE. Select the Zoom option to view the Podcast.
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4) Webinar for Quality Club Award
The FJMC Western Region Executive Vice President, Gary Katz, and the FJMC Western Region Administrative Vice President, Aren Horowitz, put together this Webinar to help clubs work toward meeting the criteria to receive a Quality Club Award.

The link to the Webinar is found Here. Select the Zoom option to view the Webinar.

If you have questions or need help, please reach out to Gary (gary.katz@csun.edu) or Aren (aren_h@yahoo.com)


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