FJMC leaders motor in for gathering in Detroit

Visit highlights opportunity to grow relationships with clubs

By Lester Shapiro

Earlier this past month, the Executive Committee (EC) of FJMC International traveled from near and far across North America to assemble in the Detroit metropolitan area for a weekend gathering, along with a valued and significant opportunity to meet and engage with Men’s Clubs from across this vibrant Jewish community.

The weekend featured two highlight museum visits, including a very meaningful guided tour of a poignant and profound Holocaust museum that significantly serves the mission of bringing important understanding and empathy for thousands of students from across the Detroit area throughout the year.

The Executive Committee members also filled the valuable time together with meetings to discuss issues relating to the state of the organization, including the monthly EC meeting held in tandem online with those who were not able to join in-person for the weekend. In addition, the EC members participated in a thoughtful and introspective Hearing Men’s Voices pilot program dealing with the horrors of Oct. 7 and the aftermath.

While the majority of the time together was in service to supporting the needs and concerns of the organization, there was time also devoted to building camaraderie among each other, including through a surprise visit from an FJMC friend and supporter, Cantor Zach Mondrow, who hails from the Detroit area.

With the mission also to build and strengthen the presence of our FJMC International organizational footprint in this vibrant and thriving Jewish community of Detroit, the EC had the unique pleasure and honor of visiting one of the most recent affiliates of our organization, Congregation Beth Shalom of Oak Park, Mich. All attending celebrated and enjoyed a beautiful Friday night service filled with ruach and harmony followed by savoring a delicious and engaging Shabbat dinner together.

The group also had the pleasure of welcoming Men’s Club presidents attending from three fellow synagogues in the area that joined for both the service and dinner. For Shabbat morning, the EC members split into four groups and paid visits to each of these welcoming congregations to learn more about each and begin to build roots back into this vibrant community.

Past International President Alan Budman and Danny Mandeau, overall chair of Expanding Clubs and Membership, served as joint coordinators of this very productive and engaging weekend gathering.

“We had a great trip to a great city, Detroit!” Budman said. “We had personalized tours of 2 wonderful museums – the Henry Ford and the Zekelman Holocaust Center. Meeting with current and future FJMC members at Shabbat dinner was fantastic, as we started to build relationships which will lead to closer connections.”

International President Bruce Tomar also was very pleased with the success of the weekend and said he looks forward to continuing to build relationships and bonds with the clubs that were visited in the Detroit metropolitan area, along with the many others from across all denominations of Judaism throughout North America and beyond internationally.

Lester Shapiro is a member of the FJMC’s Executive Committee and communications chair. He is also former editor of HaD’Var.