Anshei Darom News

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Comments: good, and good for you!

Remember those great college days?

Remember pulling all-nighters? Drinking altogether too much? Exposing yourself at Graduation Graduating (with or without honors)? That sense of accomplishment at the things you learned?

Well, we're going to re-create those great days for you. Well, not all of that stuff. Maybe some of it, anyway.

This year we will introduce Anshei Darom University, but without the Will Ferrell-style naked jogging like in the movie Old School. No matter how tempting it looks with that nice lake.

This year's Distinguished Professors will be:

Doctor Norm Hamburger, AKA "Region President," leading a session on men's health issues. (Bring your own rubber gloves, please). Yes, he's a real doctor!

Doctor Gene Sacks, AKA "Docsacks," leading an important session on Keruv. This is an important new program developed by the FJMC that deals with intermarriage and outreach.

Stan Schnitzer, FJMC Training Director, will help us strengthen our clubs and ensure their future health through succession planning and leadership development. Stan has just moved here from New Jersey, so he needs a warm southern welcome out there in the Back Woods.

Cantor Joel Fox will be with us to help raise the roof with song and ruach. He'll be giving you a taste of the upcoming spirit that will be in evidence at the FJMC International Convention in July, in Fort Lauderdale. (That's in Florida. Of course, all of us Jews know where Florida is, am I right?)

Rabbi Chuck Simon, Executive Director of the FJMC, will be in attendance to lift our souls with words of wisdom and to discuss current issues relevant to the Men of The South and the FJMC.

As Hank Needle pointed out in his e-mail, we have the young guns - Ben, Mark, and friends - in charge of the fire on Saturday night. Hey: Kids and fire??? What was Hank thinking when he made that incredibly stupid brilliant offer? Even though the "Boyz" have assured us a great night of fun and campfire-related hi-jinks?

Torah readings for Shabbat Shacharit and Minchah services are still available and can be looked at here. Please contact me or Irwin as soon as possible to grab a reading. They're all reasonably short this year, so you don't have to strain yourself!

We will be posting more info on what to bring and what to wear in the coming days and weeks, so bookmark this website and come back often!

Where else can you get all of this and be with great friends for a great time, in a great place?

The Retreat Committee is:
Irwin Weitz
Steve Krodman
Henry Levine
Ben Needle
Mark Needle
Marc Elkan

If you haven't sent your check in yet, get it in the mail to:

Hank Needle
3784 Brown Owl Ct
Marietta, GA 30062

See you soon!

Here's a great resource for all you Torah (and Haftarah) readers out there.

It’s called Navigating the Bible II, and it's a website that provides all the information you need for a polished reading. Just click on the link to get there.

We'll be reading Parshat Tetzave during Shacharit services on Shabbat, and at Minchah we'll read Parshat Ki Tissa.

To help you find exactly what you need, here are the line breakdowns along with links to the correct spots on the Navigating the Bible site. There, you'll have the Torah script (with and without vowels and trope, so you can practice) along with links to sound files so you can hear how each line is supposed to sound. [The links will take you to the beginning of each reading. Use the "Forward" and "Back" buttons on the webpage to navigate to the other lines.]

Shacharit - Tetzave

Kohen - Sh'mot 27:20 - 28:5
Levi - Sh'mot 28:6 - 28:9
Sh’lishi - Sh'mot 28:10 - 28:12
R’vii - Sh'mot 28:13 - 28:17
Chamishi - Sh'mot 28:18 - 28:21
Shishi - Sh'mot 28:22 - 28:25
Sh’vii - Sh'mot 28:26 - 28:30
Maftir - Sh'mot 30:8 - 30:10

Haftarah - Yechezkel 43:10 - 43:27


Minchah - Ki Tissa

Kohen - Sh'mot 30:11 - 30:13
Levi - Sh'mot 30:14 - 30:16
Sh’lishi - Sh'mot 30:17 - 30:21

This year, we're in the first year of the triennial reading cycle, and the readings are fairly short - so, c'mon, all you lehners, let's see some volunteers! Contact Irwin Weitz [cobra02000 (AT) aol (DOT) com] and sign up for a reading today!

The 4th Annual Retreat - 2003.

Here's a rundown of the scheduled activities for the Retreat. This is all subject to change, but it should give you a good idea of what to expect.

Friday, February 18

Afternoon - Gather together at Ramah Darom
5:00 pm - Mincha-Ma'ariv
7:00 pm - Shabbat Dinner
Keruv Program
Bunk Activities: The Great Debate

Saturday, February 19

8:00 am - Breakfast
9:30 am - Shabbat Services
12:00 noon - Lunch
Hearing Men's Voices
2:30 pm - Free time, hikes, naps, massage therapy
5:30 pm - Mincha
6:00 pm - Se'udah Sh'lishit (Sabbath evening meal)
7:30 pm - Havdalah
8:00 pm - Entertainment - Campfire - The Famous Sweat Hut
The Great Debate continues (BYOB)


The Famous Sweat Hut!

Sunday, Feb 20

8:30 am - Shacharit
9:15 am - Breakfast
10:00 am - Growing Clubs/Building Leaders
11:30 am - Gather to make lunch for the trip home and to say our goodbyes

This years's retreat will feature two terrific Guest Speakers:

Rabbi Chuck Simon

Rabbi Simon is the FJMC Executive Director. A familiar face to many of us Anshei, he's been a participant at many of our previous Retreats.

Stan Schnitzer

Joining us as well will be Stan Schnitzer, an FJMC board member and past President of the New Jersey region.

We've come up with a few entries for the Anshei Darom Dictionary. See if you can come up with some more of your own - just leave 'em in the Comments!

Suspicious - What Sussman does after drinking a gallon of iced tea.

Suspension - What Sussman expects to live on after he stops working.

Sustained - How Sussman looks after a Florida vacation.

Commenter with the best new dictionary entry will win...a prize to be announced at the Retreat! If you haven't signed up yet, what are you waiting for, the Moshiach?

The Sixth Annual Anshei Darom Retreat at Camp Ramah will be held February 18-20, 2005. That's 10-11 Adar I, 5765, y'all! This year's Retreat is being coordinated through the joint efforts of the Men's Clubs of the West End Synagogue in Nashville, TN, Congregation Etz Chaim in Marietta, GA, and Temple Israel in Charlotte, NC. As always, we will feature the best of prior years' Retreats, including the Famous Sweat Hut, Therapeutic Massage, the new Midnight Snack Buffet and, of course, leadership and organizational development workshops.






Scenic beauty in North Georgia.

• Join us as we lift our voices together in prayer.
  
• Interact with the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs and learn about FJMC program opportunities.
  
• Participate in leadership and organizational development workshops. Share the experiences of clubs from all over the region.
  
• Enjoy this special Shabbat experience in the beautiful Chattahoochee National Forest in Northeast Georgia and share the fellowship and ruach (spirit) with men from all over the Southern U.S.
  
• Take a schvitz in the Famous Sweat Hut and relax with (optional) Therapeutic Massage.