Is your Men’s Club or Brotherhood looking for something new, unique and different to engage your members? Are you always in search of the next viral idea that will light the way to attract new and younger members, especially those younger members with young children? If yes, then consider adding the “Make-A-Menorah Project” to your annual Men’s Club or Brotherhood programming cycle.
The Men’s Club of Highland Park Conservative Temple – Congregation Anshe Emeth (HPCT-CAE) of Highland Park, NJ recently earned a Gold Torch award from the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs for the “Make-A-Menorah Project“. The concept is simple, elegant, can be easily duplicated and implemented by any Florida Region Men’s Club, Brotherhood or Synagogue.
HPCT-CAE Men’s Club Past President and FJMC Northern NJ Region Executive Vice President Larry Klioze explains the “Make-A-Menorah Project“:
“The Make-A-Menorah project started as an idea by members of the Board from the Highland Park Conservative Temple – Congregation Anshe Emeth Men’s Club to create a wooden Menorah kit that can be assembled and decorated by children for Hanukkah.
We fabricated a wooden prototype of the Make-A-Menorah kit and shared it with the HPCT-CAE Men’s Club Board. We decided to move forward with the Make-A-Menorah project. Over thirty (30) of the Make-A-Menorah Kits were fabricated, packaged with assembly instructions and labeled. During the 2022 HPCT-CAE Hanukkah Fair these Make-A-Menorah kits were assembled by children. They thoroughly enjoyed assembling and decorating their own Menorahs.
At the Hanukkah Fair we learned that the wooden Menorah design exhibited some burning of the wooden candle holder. After the Hanukkah Fair the HPCT-CAE Men’s Club decided to modify the design of the wooden Menorah to utilize wooden candles and have a second Menorah design utilizing ceramic tiles.
For younger children, the use of wooden candles will eliminate the use of traditional candles (the wooden candles will be supplied with the Make-a-Menorah kit.). For older children, the second design will use ceramic tiles that can utilize traditional Hanukkah candles. Both Make-a-Menorah kits will be available from the HPCT-CAE Men’s Club”.
For more information how your FJMC Florida Region Men’s Club or Brotherhood can participate in the “Make-A-Menorah Project” and bring this program to your Synagogue, please contact HPCT-CAE Men’s Club President Ira Kizner at iKizner347@gmail.com or NNJR Executive Vice President Larry Klioze at LarryKlioze@gmail.com.
The FJMC Torch Award was created to encourage the development of innovative club programming, recognize those clubs that develop quality programming, build community and support the growth and development of Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods. You can discover ideas from hundreds of previous FJMC Torch Award winners at https://www.fjmc.org/torch-awards-overview. Create your unique and innovative programming either by significantly altering and enhancing a previous program idea or by creating a new novel program.
This message is jointly brought to you by the Florida and Northern NJ Region(s) of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC), a global confederation of over 200 Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods representing over 20,000 members across the United States, Canada, Latin America and beyond. Learn more about how your Men’s Club or Brotherhood can affiliate at: https://www.fjmc.org/content/affiliating-fjmc.
The Florida Region of the FJMC serves the needs of affiliated Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods throughout the State of Florida. Learn more about the Florida Region of FJMC and our growing network of dynamic Jewish Men’s Clubs on our website www.floridaregionfjmc.org and please visit and LIKE our Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/FloridaRegionFJMC.
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