Latest News

Going global for High Holy Days

FJMC launches new Yizkor Book, promotes streaming services   By Jerry Brodsky FJMC’s International Region – our newest effort to expand our reach around the globe – is proud to introduce a pair of new initiatives for the High Holy Days intended to bring our worldwide community closer together as one. High Holiday services around …

Read More »

From the Pacific Northwest to sun-drenched L.A. and AZ

Greetings from Western Region!   By Mitch Elovitz With eight states from Hawaii to Colorado, the Western Region is, by far, the most spread-out region within FJMC International. So bringing us together for a Regional Retreat is no small feat! We held our 2026 retreat in the Simi Valley/Los Angeles area in mid-May. We hadn’t …

Read More »

A bilingual blessing for America

“God Bless America” in Yiddish, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in Hebrew   By Jason Hecht In Israel, Independence Day is celebrated on Yom Ha’atzmaut, a holiday filled with music, dancing and blue‑and‑white pride. Here in the United States, July brings its own celebration of freedom — but unlike Israel, there aren’t many songs …

Read More »

Pro-Semitism: Making a clean break

The story of Purell   By Jerry Brodsky What got you through the Covid-19 pandemic? What product did you purchase so much more during Covid than you’d ever purchased before, besides masks? That’s right – hand sanitizer. And what’s one of the best-known brands? Purell! So here’s the story: In 1946, Jewish-Americans Goldie and Jerry …

Read More »

Pro-Semitism: Scanning our way through life

How barcodes came to be   By Jerry Brodsky Maybe U.S. Patent No. 2,612,994 doesn’t mean much to you. Nor, perhaps, should it – at least not by its number. But have you ever seen or used a bar code? You can thank two Jewish-Americans, Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver, for developing the first …

Read More »

Eye on Africa

Teaching Judaism near the shores of Lake Victoria   By Jonathan D. Epstein FJMC International has been partnering with the Abayudaya Jews of southeastern Uganda for more than 10 years, working to support this unique Jewish community that chose Judaism more than a century, and that has embraced our faith with passion and enthusiasm. Today, …

Read More »

In the Spirit

El Bandido Yankee Reposado   By Al Davis I’ve become something of a tequila aficionado, having sampled many brands and expressions: blancos, reposados, añejos, organic and additive-free varieties, and even some infused tequilas. Some have been good, some awful and a few truly outstanding. Recently, while browsing at one of my favorite liquor stores, I …

Read More »

Summertime – a time to reflect

What we have done and what we can do   By Bruce Tomar “In the summertime, when the weather is high, you can stretch right out and touch the sky…”                                              Mungo Jerry Yes, it is that time of year again. Most people take time to slow down, recharge, reset, reinvigorate. With Canada Day and …

Read More »

rabbi noam raucher

A synagogue built for brotherhood

The power 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. …

Read More »

FJMC Logo Color wTagline PNG

Catalyst: For Immediate Release

FJMC INTERNATIONAL MEDIA RELATIONS — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Aaron Altman, CATALYST Editor-in-Chief |   |  www.fjmc.org Press Release When the Alarm Is This Loud, You Need More Than Awareness. You Need a Map. The ADL, Hillel International, Blue Square Alliance, and Spertus Institute join FJMC International in the inaugural issue of CATALYST MAGAZINE …

Read More »