Anshei Darom News

Following is an important message from Hank Needle, our Regional President:

Chaverim,

The window of opportunity is rapidly closing for us to honor our fellow Men's Clubbers via tributes in the 2005 FJMC Convention Journal. There are so many people to honor for what they have done to make their communities and the FJMC better places for us, and for who they are.

The FJMC leadership, those in leadership positions in the region, and leaders at the club level deserve our tributes. The Ma'asim Tovim (doer of good deeds) honoree for our region, Past President Norm Hamburger, deserves our tributes. Sid Katz (z"l) is the 6th recipient of the FJMC's Presidential Award; we can also put tributes in the journal in Sid's memory for all of the things he has done over the years for the FJMC.

This year the journal format has been revised to include photos of the FJMC officers, region presidents and honorees. It will also include the biographies of the Ma'asim Tovim honorees and the Presidential Award recipient. These biographies are meant to inspire us and give us a better appreciation for the men who have earned the FJMC's most prestigious honors.

A list of FJMC officers, region presidents, and honorees is included in this post. Most of us know many of these men and all of us can attest to the positive influence they have made on the Jewish Community, the FJMC, and the Men's Club world that we know. Now is the time for us to act. Now is the time for us to thank them and honor them via tributes in the convention journal.

The tribute ad form is available simply by clicking this link, which will take you to an online ad form. You can also download the form as an Adobe Acrobat document (.pdf) by clicking here.

Tributes are available starting at $36 for a single listing. Proceeds from the 2005 FJMC Convention Journal are needed to help the FJMC continue to operate and provide the level of service, programming, and educational materials that have made it world renowned. Our region will also benefit from ads placed in the journal since a portion of the ad proceeds from each region are returned to that region to help the region maintain its level of services to the clubs.

The deadline for tributes in the 2005 FJMC Convention Journal is June 10...which is fast approaching!

Let’s take advantage of the opportunity to recognize and honor these most deserving men.

Please indicate Anshei Darom on your ad journal form, and thank you for your support!

Hank Needle
Anshei Darom Regional President

FJMC Officers, 2005-07

Bob Braitman, President
Norm Kurtz, Executive V.P.
Larry Wiederhorn, V.P.
Stephen Steckler, V.P.
Mark Berlin, V.P.
David Kravitz, V.P.
Tom Sudow, V.P.
Ken Elfand, V.P.
Myles Simpson, Secretary
Mike Mills, Treasurer
Dan Stern, Honorary President
Rabbi Charles Simon, Executive Director
Allan Gottesman, Executive Committee
Stan Schnitzer, Executive Committee
Bruce Sicherman, Executive Committee
Richard Gray, Executive Committee

Ma’asim Tovim Honorees

Norm Hamburger – Anshei Darom
Jon Kelman – Connecticut Valley
Jerry Rosenberg - Florida
Robert Kaplan - Great Lakes
Bruce Sicherman - Hudson Valley, NY
Henry Mentle - KIO
Len Sobel – Mid-Atlantic
Rodney Urgent - Midwest
Lester Macklin – New England
Barry Goodman – New York Metro
Lance Adelson – Northern New Jersey
Allan Kahan - Seaboard
David Gerstein - Southwest
Milton Eisner – Tri-State
Larry Wiederhorn - Western
Sid Katz – Presidential Award Recipient

Regional Presidents

Anshei Darom
Norm Hamburger (Outgoing)
Hank Needle (Incoming)

Connecticut Valley
Jeff Adler (Outgoing)
Lou Stafler (Incoming)

Florida
Jeff Litt (Outgoing)
Robert Mandel (Incoming)

Great Lakes
Richard Racusin (Incoming)

Hudson Valley, NY
Hal Marcus (Incoming)

KIO
Michael Steinbuch (Outgoing)
Marc Rosenson (Incoming)

Mid-Atlantic
Michael Starkman (Incoming)

Midwest
Evan Rumack (Incoming)

New England
Jon Delatizsky (Outgoing)
David Kaplan (Incoming)

New York Metro
Shelly Handell (Incoming)

Northern New Jersey
Stu Kaplan (Incoming)

Seaboard
Scott Swirling (Outgoing)
Michael Neulander (Incoming)

Southwest
David Gerstein (Outgoing)
Joe Ringer (Incoming)

Tri-State
Steve Neustein (Outgoing)
Dr. Ira Unger (Incoming)

Western
Phil Rosenbaum (Outgoing)
Joel Shrater (Incoming)

Have you seen your friends walking around in their snazzy Anshei Darom polo shirts with the cool Anshei Darom logo (featuring the Famous Sweat Hut™) and been driven into an insane, frothing-at-the-mouth envious rage because you don't have one of your own?

Or perhaps your old Anshei Darom polo is getting a little frayed around the edges...a little long in the tooth? Well, now's your chance. Here is some good news from Norm Hamburger!

We are pleased to announce a limited time only reissuing of

The Official
Anshei Darom Polo Shirt
in the Famous Wine/Burgundy Regional Color.

This shirt was distributed only once, at the second annual Men’s Club Retreat at Ramah Darom four years ago. Your shirt may be a little worn, you may want an extra one, or you may have missed the shirt the first time. It's a great way to show your RUACH!

The cost per shirt is only $30.00. Anshei Darom members attending the International FJMC Convention in Ft. Lauderdale can take advantage of a 50% discount for their first shirt ordered.

Please add $4.95 per shirt to cover shipping. [Those who live in Nashville, Atlanta, or Charlotte will not need to have their shirts shipped.]

Send your order TODAY with your name, address, phone number, email address and size (S-M-L-XL-XXL-XXXL), along with a check for the total amount (don't forget to include shipping if applicable) made out to Anshei Darom to:
Norman Hamburger
1004 Wilson Pike
Brentwood, TN 37027
615.373.1840

Click Here to E-mail Norm!

Shirts will be available for order only until June 18, 2005, so act now! Don't miss your opportunity to wear the Anshei Darom colors with pride - getcha a brand new Anshei Darom Polo Shirt!

On Sunday, May 22, Men's Clubs in Atlanta held a City-Wide Minyan. About thirty men attended, representing several congregations and Men's Clubs in the north Atlanta area.

Don Cohen, co-president of the Congregation Beth Shalom Men's Club, served as emcee, and Barry Kreisler davened shacharit. At breakfast, Cantor Joel Fox of Congregation Ahavath Achim punched the Ruach-Meter up a notch with spirited niggunim and songs. Anshei Darom Regional Veep Irwin Weitz and Atlanta Area Veep Matt Gottlieb spoke a few words, as did Stan Schnitzer, the FJMC Training Veep. Lotta veeps, that.

With the leadership of our various clubs meeting for breakfast on a regular basis, we're beginning to take the first real steps toward creating a closely-knit regional Men's Club organization in Atlanta. This City-Wide Minyan was the first in what, hopefully, will be a series of activities that involve Men's Clubs of several area congregations. Our goal is more friendships, more contacts, and more opportunities to get to know one another – not just at Convention or at the annual Anshei Darom retreat.

Q: How do you go about catching a Gefilte Fish?

A: First, apply to your hook some "Bait Yisrael"...

Region President Hank Needle is passing along some good news about Anshei Darom:

I just received my 2005 Spring Edition of the Camp Ramah newsletter and wanted to let you know there are two very wonderful articles in it relating to the Anshei Darom Region of the FJMC. If you came to the retreat, Ramah will be sending your own copy as a small token of their appreciation for the generous donation to the camp.

One of our region's founding members, Dr. Gene Sacks (West End Synagogue Men's Club) was elected president of the Ramah Board in November. He is a founding member of the board (1996) and has been a supporter of the Ramah movement for many years. Gene was president of his Men's Club and also a VP in the Anshei Darom Region. He has always been a tremendous supporter of the region and of our ongoing efforts. Congratulations to the Good Doctor from all of us.

In the same newsletter, there is an article entitled "Anshei Darom Gives New MARP Mobile" and a photo of this gift that was given to the camp by our Region and by the members who attended our annual retreat two years ago. The MARP Mobile was presented to Camp Ramah last summer. This kind of giving is a pillar of the region and will draw more people and clubs to our region's activities. Thanks to Norm Hamburger, Past President of the Anshei Darom Region, for these fine efforts.

Thanks for passing on the good news, Hank!

Anyone else with Regional news to share, please e-mail Steve Krodman at elisson1 (at) aol (dot) com.