Little Bros

A spirited drink leads to new opportunity

By Jonathan D. Epstein

As we celebrate America’s 250^th anniversary, we recall the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. But we also recall the battles that came before, at Lexington and Concord outside of Boston – the “shot heard ‘round the world.”

Much more recently, there was a much different kind of “shot” in suburban Boston, one that is more familiar to FJMC members, and one that may have produced the Little Bros.

The Little Bros, as they dubbed themselves, is a group of at least 20 younger Jewish men that have coalesced at Temple Israel in Sharon, Mass., engaging in their own activities under the umbrella of the men’s club.

It began because of a connection between a past club president in his 60s and a younger guy who worked in the same business – selling spirits. The club arranged a spirits tasting in the Sukkah that was open to everyone, and the two men forged a bond.

The club president, who recognized the need to engage the next generation, decided to host a barbeque at his house for that purpose, and asked his new friend who to invite. Four younger men attended, along with the club president and Elliot Feldman, a longtime club member who is also chair of FJMC’s Engaging Younger Men committee.

The younger men were already getting together as friends, arranging meet-ups through WhatsApp, and Feldman hoped to get them to run programs under the club.

But it hasn’t happened instantaneously. “Part of what has to happen in patience. This is a two-year process,” Feldman said. “You gotta reach out, build a small group, call them a steering committee.”

And it requires collaboration and effort by the club by supporting and subsidizing the new group, and even providing a mentor or facilitator to help them.

So far, it’s been successful. The group has grown, and their WhatsApp channel now has more than 20 members, although “it’s a bit of a closed group,” Feldman said. They now do activities regularly, although it’s not always under the Little Bros or Brotherhood banner.

But their gatherings are often not planned far in advance and “we’re not invited to their programs,” Feldman said. That enables the younger guys to feel separate, and not feel bound by a schedule. But it’s a foreign concept to longtime club members.

“It’s hard for us to understand, the existing leadership at FJMC, because we plan things a year out,” Feldman said. “These guys, on Wednesday, will say ‘I’m going to go to the pub to watch the Celtics. Anybody want to join me?’”

However, the Little Bros do come to the club events and many of them pay club dues; one of their leaders has even joined the club’s board. But it’s still a loose affiliation, Feldman said, although “I think they can envision themselves being part of the club down the road, but not yet.”

“This is critically essential for FJMC to be doing,” Feldman said. “Otherwise, I don’t know what the organization is going to look like in 15 years.”

Jonathan Epstein is editor of HaD’Var, and a member of the Engaging Younger Men Committee.