Topics on Tap: Pluralism in Israel an eye-opener

On Wednesday, April 21, the Men's Club hosted its second discussion of the season in its Topics on Tap program. The subject was Pluralism in Israel and the discussion centered around Israel's quandary of Who is Jew by way of the legal standards set forth during the Jewish state's inception. Michael Jay, our rabbinic intern and moderator for this event, gave a thorough and astute history of how the Rabbinate came to power as the state of Israel was being formed under David Ben-Gurion. And how not much has changed in the definition of who a Jew is because of the stringent laws governing marriage.

Michael walked us through segments of the acclaimed DVD documentary "Faces of Israel", a mosaic of people representing various levels of observance and their take on the matter. Our participants followed up with comments of their own. Many were in disbelief that a country as progressive as Israel still maintains its 1948 stance with regard to marriage, conversion and matrilineal descent, especially when so many of its citizens - observant or not - want to identify as Jews.

The Men's Club would like to thank Michael for his wonderful insights and smooth handling of such controversial subject matter. Thanks also to the committee that put this program together: Harvey Herskowitz, Ken Levitt, Steve Jacobs, Marty Schenker and Adam Shandler.

CAI Men's Club Salutes IDF Medical Forces for Aid in Haiti

The Agudath Israel Men's Club would like to pay tribute to the Israeli Defense Forces Medical Team for its efforts in earthquake-stricken Haiti. Their speed, technology and quality of care should serve as a model for the rest of the world in disaster relief efforts. They flew for 16 hours and got their mobile hospital campus set up in eight. Forty doctors, 24 nurses and 10 tons of equipment. Pretty impressive.

There are many video clips on the web illustrating the sophisticated set-up and compassionate care being provided to the Haitian people. We recommend visiting Youtube.com and simply typing in "Haiti Israel" into the search queue to find some awe-inspiring clips of the work the IDF is doing in this Caribbean country.

The Israeli Defense Forces - truly serving the Tikkun Olam mission to its global neighbors.

Topics on Tap Recap

Rabbinic Intern Michael Jay was a hit as moderator of his first Topics on Tap event!

On Tuesday, November 10th, the Men's Club hosted 30 congregants who took part in our first current events discussion group of the calendar year. Formerly known as Torah on Tap and held at Cloverleaf Tavern, the program with the new name moved on campus to Agudath Israel's library. Amidst the ancient texts and the classic Jewish literature, participants dined on pizza and snacks and drank cool refreshing beer while discussing the topic "Barack and Bibi: Can We Really Be Friends?"

Michael did a masterful job of kicking off the talk with a commentary on the week's parsha before seguing into a history of American presidents' relationship with Israel. Then the floor - and floodgates - were open for dialogue. It was hard for participants not to draw comparisons betweeen the tepid Obama-Netanyahu relationship and those of U.S. and Israeli leaders of the past. Many were critical of the President's non-committal stance on the Jewish state, and his foreign policy in general, despite the administrative support he receives from Jewish members of his staff. That said, in the eng the group agreed that it is still early in the relationship and hoped to see more of a bridge built between the two nations.

The Men's Club would like thank Michael for his superb, well researched presentation and the Topics on Tap Committe of Harvey Hershkowitz, Ken Levitt and Adam Shandler. We would also like to recognize Metrowest Youth Shaliach from Israel Yotam Zach for attending and offering the perspective of a young Israeli.

The Club is considering adding another Topics on Tap event for 2010 and is open to ideas. Current events that affect world or American Jewry and the state of Israel tend to be of most interest.

(Pictured above are Israel Committee Co-Chairman Harvey Hershkowitz, Rabbinic Intern Michael Jay and Men's Club President Adam Shandler.)

Yotam Zach Speaks, Inspires at Agudath Israel

On Tuesday, September 15, the CAI Men's Club and Israel Program Committee welcomed speaker Yotam Zach, 23, to Caldwell. Yotam is the 2009-2010 Youth Shaliach (emissary) from Israel.

Yotam took the audience through a very thorough but inspiring timeline that began all the way back in 1936 when his grandparents fled an oppressive Iraq and post-war Europe respectively. He spoke of growing up in the Tel Aviv suburb of Azur where his parents held high ranking civic titles.

Yotam spent much of his lecture talking about the public relations and physical wars that were fought in the Gaza strip during his days of military service. Two of the most challenging but impactful experiences were having to remove Jews from Gaza during disengagement and battling Kazam rocket-launchers during the incursion. But the P.R. war seems to have been one of the toughest things Yotam had to deal with. Friends would call him on his cell phone to verify and refute disparaging reports about the Israeli military seen on international media.

Towards the end of the presentation, Yotam encouraged the audience to write letters of hope for POW Gilad Shalit and talked about reactions from the death of IDF pilot Assaf Ramon.

Yotam will be spending the year engaging with Jewish communities of all ages in the Metrowest area and Rutgers University. We highly recommend having him speak to your group. You'll get some great stories about what it's like growing up in Israel and you'll be able to connect with a young Israeli who genuinely wants bring a bit of the Holy Land to the States. For more information contact Men's Club President Adam Shandler at adshandler@gmail.com.

Thanks to Yotam for giving us a strong start to the Men's Club 2009-10 programming calendar, and to Randi Brokman for suggesting this terrific speaker. (At right, Yotam Zach, center, poses with, from left, Men's Club VP Marty Schenker, Israel Committee Co-President Harvey Hershkowitz, Men's Club President Adam Shandler and Israel Committee Co-President Lee Gladstein.)

Yotam Zach, Speaker for Sept 15 Event, Featured in NJJN

Yotam Zach, the 2009-10 MetroWest Youth Shaliach (emissary) from Israel, who will be speaking at CAI on September 15, was featured with fellow emissaries in the most recent edition of the New Jersey Jewish News.

Yotam and four other twenty-somethings are in the U.S. this year promoting kinship with American Jews and talking of their experiences as young Israelis.

Yotam, 23, was a soldier and intelligence officer in the IDF and twice represented the Tzofim Youth Caravan (Israeli Scouts) on public relations missions on behalf of the state of Israel.

If you don't subscribe to the NJJN you can download the article online right here: http://www.njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/081309/mwComingToAmerica.html

Yotam, pictured, back row, right, will speak to our congregation on Tuesday, September 15 at 8 pm in the CAI conference rooms. This event is co-sponsored by the Men's Club and the Israel Program Committee. There is no charge for this event but donations are appreciated and will benefit the October 25 CAI Walk for Israel.

For more information contact Adam Shandler, adshandler@gmail.com, or Harvey Hershkowitz at HSHINC@aol.com

(*Photo credited to Lori Silberman Brauner of the NJ Jewish News)

Adult Israel Encounters - September 15

The Men's Club is proud to announce its first program for the 2009-2010 calendar.

The club will host "Yotam", a speaker from Adult Israel Encounters. Yotam, a young Israel adult visiting American synagogues and Jewish institutions this fall, will discuss growing up in the Holy Land and what life was like in the IDF. A Q&A will follow, and light refreshments will be served. Please contact club president Adam Shandler at adshandler@gmail.com for more info.

David Schenker Talk Recap

On Tuesday, March 17th, the CAI Men's Club hosted David Schenker of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. David, who serves as the Institute's Director on Arab Politics, addressed 70 Agudath Israel members on several topics concerning the Middle East and their impact on the state of Israel and U.S. diplomacy efforts in the region.

Mr. Schenker masterfully intertwined updates about Iran's uranium enrichment efforts with talk of Syria as a nuisance to the region and the challenges and benefits Israel faces with the new U.S. administration. After the lecture, which ran about 45 minutes, David held a Q&A session for another 45 minutes. (The program could have gone longer but the clock was approaching 10 pm.) Congregants asked about the recent resignation of Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, a world without Arafat and the future of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza. David did not merely offer broad strokes. Without bias, he offered histories on the matters and information gleaned from his conversations with the leaders of the region.

The CAI Men's Club would like to thank David Schenker for his time and valuable insights into an always eventful part of the world. We look forward to having him back to speak again. "Mazelations" to event chair Marty Schenker for organizing the event and to committee members Ken Levitt and Harvey Hershkowitz.

At left, David Schenker is flanked by CAI Men's Club President Adam Shandler and VP and event chair Marty Schenker.

Jack Lippe Schloarship Applications Available

The Men's Club sponsors the annual Jack Lippe Scholarship Fund in honor and memory of one of the great contributors to Congregation Agudath Israel. Interested high school seniors should visit their guidance departments to pick up an application, available at Caldwell-area high schools.

The criteria for applying: Students (or their families) must be Agudath Israel members; demonstration of strong academic standing, extra-curricular activities and involvement in the Jewish community. Last year's scholarship recipient was Sarah Roth of West Essex High School, pictured. Sarah is enjoying a gap year in Israel, which will be followed by four years at Barnard College. Good luck, Sarah!

For more information contact scholarship chair Randy Kanter at RandyKan@aol.com

David Schenker Talk RESCHEDULED - MARCH 17

The CAI Men's Club has rescheduled its David Schenker speaking event for Tuesday, March 17, 2009. The visit will commence at 8 pm in the Adult Lounge. There is a $5.00 speaking fee for this event.

In light of a very tight race for Prime Minister in Israel, complicated by corruption charges and a suffering economy, this should be a very enlightening talk! Mr. Schenker, who is the Director on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, will also reflect on Israel's conflict in Gaza and the impact of a nuclear Iran.

For more information on this event or to RSVP, contact Marty Schenker at 973-439-1699.

Go Neutral Program Meeting February 2nd

The Agudath Israel Men's Club is proud to host a Northern New Jersey Region of Men's Clubs meeting on February 2nd, 7:45 pm.

Our guest speaker will be Rabbi Eric Lankin of the Jewish National Fund. Rabbi Lankin will speak about the Go Neutral program which helps fund environmental projects in Israel. After all the dark news about Israel the past month, the NNJR is proud to team up with the JNF to discuss some positive things we can do for the state of Israel this year.

We encourage all Agudath Israel members to attend. A deli dinner will be served at 7 pm for $12. The meeting itself is free of charge. Please contact Harvey Hershkowitz for more info: HSHINC@aol.com

WINEP's David Schenker to Speak at CAI

The Agudath Israel Men's Club is proud to sponsor a very important speaker.

Middle East expert and former Pentagon policy advisor David Schenker will discuss the latest developments in the region. Schenker will talk about the impact of the Israeli elections (slated for earlier in the day) and potential peace negotiations with the Palestinians in light of the recent conflict in Gaza. He will also survey Iranian progress on its nuclear weapons program and what it means for the region.

Currently, Mr. Schenker is the Director of Arab Politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. His advisements guide both U.S. military and political activity in the Middle East region. While working in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in 2005, Mr. Schenker was awarded the Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service in 2005.

Come hear the real story about what's going on in the Middle East from a real insider!

Tuesday, February 10th, 8 pm. Admission is $5.00, payable at the door.