The State of Florida has one of the fastest growing Jewish communities in the country. According to a recent University of Florida Census Study, Florida has seen an influx of over 2.7 million new residents over the last decade and many of them are Jewish. The Florida Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC) is also growing; in the past year we affiliated several additional Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods. In June of 2023, the Florida Region of FJMC also expanded its Executive Board in order to better serve our network of affiliated clubs, electing Regional President (Ed Kochman), an Executive Vice President (Jon Zimmer) and appointing several new “Regional Advisors” and “members at large” to the Board.
Today we shine a spotlight on Florida Region FJMC Past President and Florida Region FJMC Regional Advisor, Dr. Elliot Burns. Elliot currently serves as both President of the B’nai Torah Congregation Men’s Club of Boca Raton as well as a member of the Executive Committee of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC) with emphasis on South Florida. Elliot has a long history with Men’s Club in Florida; he was Past President of Florida Region FJMC as well as recipient of the 2019 FJMC Ma’asim Tovim Award, the highest recognition a Region can give to one of its members. Elliot serves on many Regional and National FJMC Committees with his latest initiative being a national program for “Inclusion” in synagogues and local Men’s Clubs. Dr. Elliot Burns is an invaluable resource to your Florida Region FJMC affiliated Men’s Club or Brotherhood; he can be reached at bocaburns@aol.com.
Elliot was born in Canarsie, NY in 1940, moved to New Jersey, then to Detroit, Michigan at eleven. He was very active in synagogues as USY youth and youth leader, synagogue Men’s Club leadership, and served on the Board of his Congregation for many years until moving to Florida in 2001 after retiring from the Michigan Public Schools after 35 years of service. Elliot wore many hats in Michigan including Superintendent of Schools in Macomb County, Michigan, a Visiting Adjunct Professor of Educational Administration and Supervision, Finance and School Law at various Michigan Colleges and Universities and the Executive Director of a Reform Temple and Conservative Synagogue in Bloomfield Hills and West Bloomfield, Michigan. He is recipient many community awards including Man of the Year from the Southfield Kiwanis Central Club, Humanitarian of the Year from the Southfield, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, State of Michigan Superintendent of the Year Award from the J.F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in Washington D.C. Elliot was also Chair of the Macomb County Superintendents Alliance where he created and taught Creative Arts Workshops to children and adults ages three to 80+. Here in Florida, Elliot served on many Community Service Boards including the West Boca Community Council, Member of the Board of Donna Klein Jewish Academy and Grandparent and Friends Support Group (with an enrollment of 700 students, kindergarten through twelfth grade), reactivated the Homeowner’s Association Men’s Club having monthly “Men’s Only” programs for seniors. Elliot co-created and facilitated his community’s ROMEOS (Retired Old Men Eating Out) social group that meets weekly at a local bagel deli. Elliot has always been very active in his South Florida Synagogue and Men’s Club. Elliot and his wife Sharon joined B’nai Torah Congregation of Boca Raton in 2001 where he served as Chair of the Congregation’s Pastoral Care Committee, visiting hospital, nursing home and ill congregants for 4 years. He was elected as Board member, Executive Vice President and ultimately President of B’nai Torah Congregation. Elliot was Co-Founder of the B’nai Torah Congregation Men’s Club and was awarded his Men’s Club Man of the Year as well as the Lev Tov (Good Heart) Award. Yasher Koach to Dr. Elliot Burns and thank you for everything you do for Men’s Club and Florida Region FJMC.
This message is brought to you by the Florida Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC). We are part of a confederation of over 200 Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods representing over 20,000 members across the United States, Canada, Latin America, and beyond. Learn more about how your Jewish Men’s Club or Brotherhood can affiliate with the FJMC at: https://fjmc.org/for-clubs/affiliating-with-the-fjmc/.
The Florida Region of FJMC serves the needs of affiliated Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods throughout the State of Florida. Get to know more about the FJMC Florida Region and our growing network of Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods at www.floridaregionfjmc.org and please visit and LIKE our Florida Region FJMC Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/FloridaRegionFJMC.
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