August 1, 2024
As I travel around the FJMC world, I find that many people aren’t aware of how FJMC works. So, let’s discuss how FJMC functions.
We’ll start with our Executive Director, Rabbi Noam Raucher. (Bio) Rabbi Raucher’s duties are too numerous to list here in full, but include advising the Officers, establishing relationships with other organizations, helping the committees, fundraising, working with the Regions and Clubs and so much more.
We are lucky to have a very able Administrative Assistant in Lisa Pollack, who, among other tasks, sends out our mailings, takes care of our social media presence, distributes items from the FJMC Store and edits various documents.
We closed our long-standing New York City Office a few years ago and since then, our back-end administrative services have been ably handled by an association management firm, Officense. They are located in Baltimore, Maryland, and they handle answering the phones, receiving the mail, bookkeeping, sending dues notices, maintaining the club rosters etc.
Day to day management of FJMC is handled by the Executive Committee. That group consists of the Past International Presidents plus 16 members – the President, First Vice President, 6 Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, 4 members appointed by the President, the Immediate Past President (known as the Honorary President) and the Chair of the Regions’ Presidents Committee. Each Officer chairs specific portfolios under which each committee functions. The Executive Committee has informational meetings each month and extended meetings quarterly. We have a Leadership Meeting every Friday which is attended by the President, First VP, Honorary President, Executive Director, and a rotating group of 2-3 people drawn from Officers, Past International Presidents and committee Chairs.
We have a Board of Directors which meets at least twice a year to set various policies, etc.
FJMC is broken down into 16 Regions, including our newest Region – Texas! Each of our 200+ clubs operate as part of a Region which allows FJMC to be in close contact with our clubs.Each Region and Club has its own officers, Bylaws, etc. Most of the Regions sponsor Man/Youth of the Year events and weekend retreats. Clubs from all traditions of Judaism are welcome to join – an amendment to our Bylaws at Convention 2021 – and we have clubs from Reform, Reconstructing Judaism, Masorti/Conservative and Orthodox Traditions.
For the last 3 years, we have welcomed Individual Members to our group. These men are either not affiliated with any synagogue or their synagogue does not have a Men’s Club. They have been a wonderful addition to FJMC.
That gives you an overview of how we do what we do. If you see a committee that looks interesting to you, please let me know – we’re happy to get you involved!
I wish you and your family good health and happiness.
Thank you.
In Brotherhood,
Alan Budman
International President, 2023 – 2025
This message from FJMC International President Alan Budman 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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