On June 3rd
MRJ held a Board of Trustees meeting for the purpose of adopting the 2012-2013
budget. Prior to the actual business
meeting, we were privileged to hear from Mark J. Pelavin who was introduced by
MRJ President Ira Warshawsky.
Mark serves as Senior Advisor to the President of the
Union for Reform Judaism. In that
capacity, he plays a key role in developing and refining the Union's priorities
and structures for the next generation. He is a member of the Union's Senior
Management Team, and oversees the Union's full array of communications.
Mr. Pelavin spoke briefly and then made a
presentation of the anticipated structure of URJ under the leadership of Rabbi
Rick Jacobs. His presentation began with
a statement of a “clear vision”, and what URJ’s priorities will be going
forward. Mark continued by outlining the
strategies on how they would go about achieving these new goals, including a
visual guide as to how URJ will be restructured.
The presentation continued with the “new”
manner by which they would approach knowledge, community, faculty and
individuals. Mr. Pelavin expanded on how
individuals would be able to participate and listed numerous opportunities to
do so.
Continuing with “Moving Forward”, he presented
the methods by which they intend to do so.
He concluded his remarks by presenting the “timeline” for meeting the
goals and aspirations by which they will
Downloadable BT Meeting Materials:
MRJ-West Annual Man of the Year Awards Dinner
On March 2, 2013, MRJ-West held its 15 annual Man of the Year Recognition Dinner at Temple Beth David in Westminster, CA. MRJ-West, which represents the affiliated Brotherhoods west of the Rockies, has honored over 220 men during the last 15 years. Greetings from MRJ were delivered by Stuart Leviton, First Vice President, MRJ. This year the distance record was set by honoree Scott Feldt who joined us from Temple Mount Sinai in El Paso, Texas. Besides honoring our men of the year, the men had the opportunity to meet their brothers from many other temples and develop lasting relationships, from which, many multi-brotherhood events have spawned.
Seated, left to right, honorees; David Beck, Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village, CA; David Glickman, Men of Kol Ami, West Hollywood, CA; Mike Elkan, Temple B’nai Knesset Bamidbar, Lancaster, CA; James Byrnes, Congregation B'nai Tzedek, Fountain Valley, CA; Howard Lavoot, accepting for his father, Theodore Lavoot (pictured), Temple Beth Ohr, La Mirada, CA; Bob Postman, Temple Beth David, Westminster, CA and MRJ-West Past President, Charlie Niederman
Standing, Rick Kaufman, President, MRJ-West; Art Hess, Treasurer, MRJ-West; Brian Hatkoff, Vice President, MRJ-West; Honorees, Mark Borovay, Temple Beth Sholom, Santa, Ana, CA; Jeff Stein, Temple Beth Ami, Santa Clarita, CA; Joel Beezy, Temple Beth Israel, Pomona, CA; Scott Feldt, Temple Mount Sinai, El Paso, TX; Greg Spalter, Temple Beth Tikvah, Fullerton, CA; Mike Thornhill, Temple Ahavat Shalom; Northridge, CA and Mark singer, Past President, MRJ-West and Steve Sherman, Past President, MRJ-West
Honorees, not pictured are; Joel Goldenberg, Temple Beth Torah, Ventura, CA; Dr. Glenn Hammel, Congregation B’nai Israel, Sacramento, CA; Howard Taub, Congregation Shir Hodash, Los Gatos, CA and Rob Weinberg, temple Adat Shalom, Poway, CA
Met Council's Volunteer Department
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
A Leader in Job Readiness: Steven Portnoy, Volunteer of the Month
Steven Portnoy has been awarded the honor of being Met Council’s volunteer of the month for October 2011. He has been a dedicated volunteer and volunteer leader for our job readiness programs for the past 6 months. When asked what attracted him to the opportunity his response was that “the opportunity to help others by utilizing skills I have developed over many years to change a life is something that holds a lot of meaning for me.”
As a regular volunteer of our Professional Networking Workshop and volunteer leader for our Resume Review Workshop and Professional Networking Workshop, Steven has always been ready to engage with clients, which is an important part of volunteering with our job readiness programs. “I have tried to impart the knowledge I have gained through my own job hunt (which was ultimately successful) to another and they will in turn hopefully help others,” says Steven.
Without Steven’s presence, personality, reliability, and willingness to help, these workshops would not be as successful as they have been. Met Council is lucky to count Steven as a dedicated volunteer. “I rest easy in knowing at the end of the day, that how however small my contribution might be, I have contributed,” Steven says in response to what he has gotten out of volunteering. Met Council can only hope that he will continue to volunteer and change people’s lives for the better within our lucky community.
Posted by Met Council at 9:30 AM
http://metcouncilvolunteer.blogspot.com/
New Jersey Jewish Standard
Lois Goldrich - Cover Story, Published August 26, 2011
Outreach, innovation seen as key to growth
Mark Young, former president of the Brotherhood at Mahwah’s Beth Haverim/Shir Shalom, said that people who argue that men’s clubs are losing their relevance see a glass that is half empty, when actually it is half full. -> Read More
MRJ Biennial Convention, June 23-26, 2011
New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott
The complete minutes of the convention are now available online. Press here to access the download page. You must be registered and logged in to view this page.
MRJ Convention Highlights:
- Multiple Workshop opportunities to share details of your
successful programs, fund raising and membership campaign events with
your colleagues throughout North America;
- An intensive Brotherhood Forum focusing on the challenges all affiliate leaders face (special invitation to all incoming brotherhood leaders);
- Greetings from the URJ by Peter Weidhorn, Chairman of the Board of URJ;
- Guest Speakers: Rabbi David Ellenson, President of Hebrew
Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion; and Rabbi Steven Fox Executive Director of the Central Conference of
American Rabbis;
- Kabbalat Services and Installation of incoming MRJ Officers at the Community Reform Temple, Westbury, NY
- Saturday Torah Services and Study led by an HUC-JIR faculty member (TBD);
- Opportunities for One on One Consultations with MRJ national leaders;
- MRJ Executive Director Doug Barden’s Presentation: MRJ’s Guiding Principles, its Future Directions... and You!
- Closing night MRJ Founder’s Campaign Banquet
- Optional tours in and around NYC – (see below)
- Too-many-to-count organized meals to schmooze with old and new brotherhood friends!
Workshops, Presentations and Plenary Session
