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rabbi noam raucher

Pride, Brotherhood and the Jewish Call to Belong

Hineni: Here I am   By Rabbi Noam Raucher Pride Month arrives each year with color, celebration, memory, courage and, for many people, a complicated mix of joy and pain. For FJMC International, it is an important moment to say something clearly and lovingly: LGBTQIA+ men are not outside the circle of Jewish life, Jewish …

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Ross Health and Wellness Fund at the FJMC Foundation for Jewish Life

Ross Health and Wellness Fund at the FJMC Foundation for Jewish Life By Paul Davidson, PhD Just as we have taken steps to enhance health and wellness in our committee, Drs. Mitch and Heather Ross have created the Ross Health and Wellness Fund at the FJMC Foundation for Jewish Life to provide money to spur …

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rabbi noam raucher

A synagogue built for brotherhood

The strength of 10   By Rabbi Noam Raucher A synagogue can be full and still feel lonely. You can see it in the easy conversations after services — the updates about work, the jokes, the “how’ve you been?” that rarely invites an honest answer. Many men have learned to be present without being known. …

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In the Spirit

Scotches, bourbons, whiskeys, tequila, rum, vodka – all are welcome   By Al Davis In a non-Convention year, we know that the month of June will always bring our Quad-Region Retreat — a time when the Hudson Valley, Middle Atlantic, New York Metro, and Northern New Jersey regions will gather together for a long weekend …

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A dollar and a dream

How to make a real impact on the world By Jonathan D. Epstein Have you ever wanted to make a big impact on others? Do you want to feel that your efforts and your support can make the difference? Would you like your donor dollars to go farther than ever? Here’s your chance. FJMC International …

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The Meaning of Juneteenth

An FJMC leader reflects on the holiday’s meaning today   By Norwin Merens Juneteenth is the holiday that recognizes when Union troops delivered the Emancipation Proclamation to the last known groups of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas. Celebrations have been a cultural moniker in Black communities since the first events in 1865 at the end …

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Reflections from the Midwest

A successful retreat, sumptuous breakfast and kosher tailgate   By Dr. Eric Yegelwel It’s a big geographic area, but not for the men of the Midwest. The Midwest Region of FJMC International just held a very successful retreat in St. Louis in May. The weekend embodied the very best of FJMC – Friendship, Judaism, Mentorship …

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The power of education

How Judaism plays a role   By Dr. Steven Mandel One of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals is access to education. Quality education builds healthy communities, and reduces inequalities, regardless of background or ethnicity. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “Everyone has a right to education.” Education should be accessible …

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A Father’s Day Tribute

“תודה לאבא – Thank You, Dad” By Jason Hecht Father’s Day invites us to pause and honor the men whose strength, guidance and quiet acts of love shape our lives. In Israeli music, few songs capture that bond as beautifully as “תודה לאבא (Toda La’Aba) – Thank You, Dad,” performed by Ron Shoval. The video …

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Being Pro-Semitic

Mendelssohn and Waze   By Jerry Brodsky You deserve 3 minutes to relax – right now! Click on this link and enjoy the Berlin Philharmonic performing German-Jewish composer Felix Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, a piece from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Yes, you’ve heard it many times, because it’s the recessional music at weddings. Felix Mendelssohn …

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