Talking the talk

What FJMC International is all about

Attached is the address I presented at a synagogue I attended at my recent trip to the Hudson Valley Region.

I am republishing it here, with minor generic modifications, as I believe (and others have agreed) that this is a very user-friendly template for anyone addressing a public forum. This template explains where we started, where we are now and where we are going. Feel free to reuse, and expound upon:

I want to speak tonight about FJMC International. I’ll talk a little bit about history to give you an idea of where FJMC International comes from but I want to also connect this to why we are here this weekend, as well as give you an idea of what FJMC International does and where we are going in the future.

1929 was a momentous year…

Herbert Hoover became president.

The Wall Street crash led to the Great Depression.

The first car radio was introduced.

And the first Academy Awards ceremony was held. WINGS won best picture.

And in 1929, Rabbi Samuel M. Cohen conceived this idea with the mandate: “To build a network of men’s clubs in order to strengthen the Jewish home, synagogues and the Conservative movement” – thus creating a National Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs.

Car radios, the stock market and Hollywood have come a long in the past century… and so has FJMC International.

Over the years, FJMC spread from its geographic center in New York and Philadelphia to cover the United States with our regional structure. After World War II, we established a presence in Canada, dropped “National” and became “international.” And we were excited to add other regions and clubs, including yours, over the years since.

As we grew, so did the list of signature programs: Yellow Candles – to honor and remember the holocaust; World Wide Wrap – to reinvigorate the practice of wrapping tefillin; The Art of Jewish Living – to increase and enhance Jewish literacy; and we were the first to reach out to intermarried families with our Keruv program. Most recently, we have also added new programs designed around the health and wellness of men, programs designed to engage with younger men, and programs designed to engage with men who may not have access to the club or region community.

So, where are we going? To understand our future, you need to remember where we started: “FJMC, a volunteer-led organization with minimal staff and maximum effectiveness continues into the 21^st century to be an innovative thinking and planning organization, which understands the importance of the Conservative/Masorti movement and the strength of commitment of members of Conservative synagogues and men’s clubs.”

Today, we do that and so much more. As we continue to strengthen clubs and regions, such as yours, we are also reaching out into the larger community to individual members and younger men. We have moved beyond the Conservative/Masorti movement to encompass our Reform, Reconstructionist and Orthodox brothers. We are increasing our efforts to move beyond North America, to liaison with Jewish communities in Europe, such as the UK and France, as well as those in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

FJMC International, built upon Friendship, Judaism, Mentorship and Community, is embarking on a two-year process heading into our centennial celebration with this new mission:

FJMC provides men opportunities for personal growth and to build strong relationships. We accomplish this through: celebrating Jewish learning, traditions and culture; gathering for social events and retreats, performing service projects; engaging over Israel; combating hate and antisemitism; mentoring the current and next generation of leaders; prioritizing our health and wellness; and supporting one another in safe and nonjudgemental communities.

We are very excited to be here with you, our brothers, and we are looking forward to spending time with you all and sharing all of the great things that FJMC International does.

Bruce Tomar is the president of FJMC International.