Bylaws are the operational rules meant to guide the functioning of your Men’s Club or Brotherhood. They help maintain organizational structure, keep decision-making in check and are crucial to your operations and succession planning. Bylaws act as a procedural road map and can be used for reference when difficult or complicated situations arise. Well written bylaws will provide your Men’s Club with the rigidity and flexibility to function efficiently, as well as the procedures to amend your bylaws as the needs of your organization change and evolve.
Your Bylaws should identify who you are and include an organizational mission statement. Your bylaws should define the criteria for membership in your Men’s Club or Brotherhood, the titles, responsibilities and procedures for election, appointment and removal of your Club Officers, Board of Directors, define your Club Committees, etc. Bylaws should also include who has the authority to call meetings, how notice of upcoming meetings shall be given to members and define the “quorum” necessary for your club officers to “officially” conduct business.
Have you ever looked at your Men’s Club or Brotherhood Bylaws? If not then maybe you should. How many years ago were your organizational Bylaws originally drafted, or last reviewed and updated?? Are your Bylaws reflective of the organization you were twenty years ago, who you are now, or where you want to be in the future?
At the 2021 FJMC Biennial Convention, delegates from affiliated Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods voted to amend the Bylaws of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs in order to amended and expand membership criteria and welcome all Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods, whether affiliated with the Reform, Reconstructionist, Orthodox movements, or unaffiliated with any particular Jewish movement.
FJMC ByLaws: —> https://www.fjmc.org/content/fjmc_bylaws
The Florida Region of FJMC is currently reviewing and drafting revisions to our Regional bylaws in order to better serve the needs of all Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods in the State of Florida. As your Men’s Club or Brotherhood’s leadership begins to plan its programs and activities for the coming year, consider appointing a small subcommittee to review and possibly recommend changes to your club bylaws. For example, the words “May”, “Shall” and “Must” have very different meanings and likely appear multiple times in your bylaws. Do your bylaws use these references consistently and correctly? Do you need to revise the organizational structure, membership criteria or mission statement of your Men’s Club or Brotherhood to more accurately reflect who you are today and who you want to be in the future?
The Florida Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs has Regional Consultants available to help you develop effective bylaws that will assist your club to grow and prosper. We serve the needs of Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods across the State of Florida from the Panhandle to Miami. If you are not yet affiliated with the Federation, then today is the day to join us. Get to know more about the FJMC Florida Region and our growing statewide network of dynamic Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods at www.FloridaRegionFJMC.org and please visit and LIKE our Florida Region FJMC Facebook Group at: https://www.facebook.com/FloridaRegionFJMC.
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