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FJMC International Toolkit: Proactive tools, practices, and resources on Israel and antisemitism

Dear ,

For this week's Toolkit, we bring you:

November 9, 2025, Combating Antisemitism presents:
Commemorate the 87th Anniversary of Kristallnacht.

What Are We Fighting For At The World Zionist Congress
 
November 9, 2025, Combating Antisemitism presents: Commemorate the 87th Anniversary of Kristallnacht with speaker Fred Zeilberger

The FJMC Committee to Combat Antisemitism will commemorate the 87th anniversary of Kristallnacht with Fred Zeilberger, who survived this tragedy as an eight-year-old in Germany. Fred would survive deportation and the camps as an adolescent and teenager during the war.

It was Kristallnacht, November 9, 1938, when Fred Zeilberger’s father, owner of a custom Men’s Clothing shop in Wurzburg, Germany, was arrested and sent to Buchenwald Concentration Camp. His business, and the Synagogue where he prayed daily, were destroyed, as were all the other Jewish owned businesses and Synagogues.

Our thanks to NY Metro, Milton Lipitz, for connecting us with Fred. 

Register here and join us on November 9.
 
What We Are Fighting For
At The World Zionist Congress

Today is the last day at the 39th World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem. Because of your support and vote, we have had a strong voice at the WZC.

We are the voice of millions of Masorti Conservative Jews around the world who work to shape Israel and the Jewish people’s “Day After” following October 7th and this horrific war.

Our MERCAZ team is already hard at work standing up for our Masorti/Conservative values and delivering for our communities. At this Congress, we are working to deliver:

  • More funding for rebuilding and recovery in Israel’s north and south.
  • Increased support for Israel advocacy, combating antisemitism, and educating the next generation through Conservative/Masorti congregations, youth groups like NOAM and USY, and summer camps like Ramah.
  • Expanded backing for and acceptance of diverse expressions of Judaism in Israel including our Masorti Movement - because at this moment when Jewish unity is so pivotal to meet the challenges we face, making sure every Jew is truly included in Israel’s future is more important than ever.
  • Reforms that ensure that the national institutions under the Congress’s auspices operate with more transparency, and that restore confidence in the elections process to the World Zionist Congress.
 

The FJMC International working group on Anti-Semitism and Israel provides you with the proactive tools, practices and resources on Israel and antisemitism. 

Objective:

  1. Engage Jewish men so that they have a central resource for Israel and the Jewish community in a time of crisis.
  2. Support Jewish men as they process and experience the Israel-Gaza conflict and guide themselves and their families.
  3. Support non-Jewish men who support the Jewish community/Jewish families as they find their way when the Jewish community is in crisis.
  4. Combating antisemitism when it is a result of these crises.
  5. Curate the work that the Committee has been developing.
The Committee to Combat Antisemitism has been successful in sharing information and guiding advocacy against antisemitism during the past year. We are part of the FJMC  Programming Jewish Life team, led by VP Benny Sommerfeld. 
 
Check us out at:
 
Our committee members come from many regions, with our goal to have all regions represented:
 
Anshe-Eh Zafon (Canada): Norman Wolter
Connecticut Valley: Glenn Hauer (Co-chair)
Florida: Jason Waksman
Metro New York: Steve Mandel MD, Milton Lipitz, Aaron Altman
Middle Atlantic: Nelson Mellitz
Seaboard: Barry Oslick, Irv Varkonyi (Co-chair)
Texas: Robert Epstein
Western: Mitch Daks
 
We have many events to look forward to in the new year:
 
1. Webinars including on November 9, Commemorating Kristallnacht.  We welcome your suggestions for others.
2. Partnering with ADL and Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.
3. Guiding regions and clubs on workshops to understand the impact of antisemitism on Gen Z.
4. Developing an HMV program on guiding men to deal with antisemitism.
 
 
In brotherhood,
Irvin Varkonyi
Glenn Hauer
 

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