Anshei Darom News

Every two years, the Region gets a chance to honor someone who has done exceptional work in furtherance of the FJMC's mission - Involving Jewish Men in Jewish Life - with the Ma'asim Tovim award. Our newest honoree is Hank Needle, a member of the Etz Chaim Men's Club in Marietta, Georgia and former Regional President.

A native of Greensboro, NC, Hank Needle graduated from North Carolina State University and spent the first 13 years of his married life in Seattle, Washington before returning to the South. While in Seattle, he would often accompany his brother-in-law to morning minyan at the Conservative shul. He felt a great sense of bonding with this small group, a sense of bonding that carried over when he moved to Marietta, Georgia and joined Congregation Etz Chaim. As he started attending minyan there, he formed solid friendships with several of the men in the congregation, which led to being asked to join Men's Club. Times were tough back in those early days, but Etz Chaim was always there to provide support to the Needle family.

Upon joining Men's Club, Hank gradually became more and more involved. Before long, he was on the club's board and worked in several capacities, including Trustee, Programming VP, and President, at the same time continuing to work on various committees and projects. He is a key member of the kitchen crew for the club's monthly "Best Breakfast in Town," rising early to help cook and set up for the meeting. He has also a key organizer of the club's World Wide Wrap event, with this year's Wrap boasting a record number of kids and adults in attendance. Hank also assisted with the club's Gold Torch Award-winning Yom ha-Shoah program in the synagogue’s Holocaust Garden. By his example - and by his outgoing personality - he constantly encourages new people to take an active role in Men’s Club, including his grown sons.

In the early 2000's, Hank was attended the FJMC's Leadership Development Institute, setting in motion his involvement on the Regional level. Hank served first as Vice President and then as President of Anshei Darom, providing leadership and encouraging men's involvement around the Southeast. He was one of the first chairmen of the Anshei Darom Retreat, an annual event at Camp Ramah in Clayton, Georgia that has grown in numbers and popularity over the last 12 years. The Retreat serves as a great model for other regional retreats, in no small measure thanks to Hank's efforts.

On the synagogue level, Hank was a member of the Board of Directors, including serving as Corresponding Secretary on the Executive Board. Over the years his love of woodworking has been put to use and can be seen in several projects at Etz Chaim. He helped build the Ark as well as the wooden wall sculptures in the chapel, including hand-carving one depicting Jerusalem. The Rabbi also assigned Hank the task of building a large menorah to be used for the community Chanukah celebration. The menorah, built almost entirely out of PVC pipe and gold paint, stands almost ten feet tall and graces the synagogue's lobby during Chanukah.

All three of Hank's sons - Josh, Ben, and Mark - became Bar Mitzvah at Congregation Etz Chaim, and all were married by the congregation's Rabbi Shalom Lewis. His wife of 37 years, Karen, has also been extremely involved with the synagogue, from her many years on the Sisterhood board to her current involvement as an assistant for the Judaica Shop. Hank is a very proud father and father-in-law, and is especially overjoyed to be the grandfather of six amazing grandchildren.

Professionally, Hank has worked for Isuzu Commercial Trucks for 21 years. He is an avid lover of anything Jeep, including the 1950 Willys he has restored. Many Sundays find him working in his garage workshop; he is always looking for spare wood for one project or another.

Instead of taking it easy now that the "kids" are out of the house, Hank has found the exact opposite thanks to family events and his continuing work with Men's Club. Life doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon!

Please join me in wishing Hank a hearty Mazal Tov on his receiving the Ma'asim Tovim Award!

Labels: Convention News, Other News

Monday, October 5 - the first day of Chol ha-Moed Sukkot, if you're keeping track - was a busy day for a few Atlanta-area Men's Clubs.

I began my day (after morning Minyan, that is) at the Standard Club in John's Creek, where Congregation Etz Chaim's Men's Club and Sisterhood held their second annual Golf and Tennis Tournament.

The weather threatened to turn the day into a soupy, muddy botch - but we dodged a bullet there. The tennis activities were moved indoors, and the morning's rains had pretty much ended by the time the Army o' Golfers moved into position for the noon shotgun shofar start.

Our team did not finish anywhere close to being in the money, but I didn't care... because I had another destination...

...Congregation Or Hadash, where the Men's Club hosted a "Steak and Scotch in the Sukkah" evening.

[The Or Hadash Men's Club, not incidentally, is our region's newest FJMC-affiliated club. And, I might add, a solid addition to the region, given the excellent turnout for this little soirée. Club president Stan Schnitzer has been active in FJMC at the regional and national level for many years, so he has plenty of useful knowledge that will help OHMC to grow and prosper.]

The steaks were nice thick bone-in ribeyes... a worthy accompaniment to the six fine single-malt Scotch whiskies that were lovingly presented for our tasting pleasure. Caol Ila 12-year-old. Glenlivet French Oak finish 15-year-old. Bunnahabhain 12-year-old. Laphraoig 15-year-old. Jura 16-year-old. Each one excellent; each one with its own distinctive personality.

Kinda like us Men's Club guys.

Labels: Other News

Anshei Darom, the Southeastern Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs, regrets to announce the sudden and untimely loss of Marc Elkan on Saturday, August 16, 2008 (15 Av 5768).


Marc (r) with son Scott at the 2005 Anshei Darom Retreat.

Marc, a former Regional officer, is survived by wife Mindy; son Scott, daughter-in-law Devorah, and granddaughter Hadassah; daughter Michelle, son-in-law Ben Needle, granddaughter Alexis and grandson Max; and his parents Kurt and Inge Elkan.

The funeral took place Monday, August 18 at 10:00 a.m. at the Arlington Cemetery in Sandy Springs, Georgia. The family sat Shiva at the Elkan home in Roswell, Georgia, with services both morning and evening. Shiva concluded after Shacharit services Sunday morning, August 24. Needless to say, it was a difficult week for the family.

Marc, his son Scott, and his makhetunim (Hank Needle and his sons Josh, Ben, and Mark) have been familiar faces at many of our annual retreats. His sudden death at the age of 52 is a real shock, not only to his family, but to the people throughout the Southeast who got to know him through his involvement with Men's Club activities.

For many years, Marc took the lead in running the FJMC's Yellow Candle program at Congregation Etz Chaim. It was a program with special personal meaning to him, owing to his mother having been a survivor of the war who was saved by the Kindertransport.

Thank you for keeping Mindy, Ben and Michelle, Scott & Devorah, Kurt & Inge, the grandchildren and all the family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. Condolences can be sent to Ben Needle [benneedle (at) aol (dot) com].

Ha-Makom y'nacheim etchem b'tokh sh'ar aveilei Tziyon virushalayim.

May HaShem comfort you amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

"Enjoy every day and make it count..." - Hank Needle

Labels: Other News