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We are now – FJMC, International

Posted on by Lisa Pollack
10
Jul

by Bruce Tomar
President, FJMC International

ATID – The times they are a’changin’
Come gather round brothers, and welcome
back home……. For FJMC is a’changin’

ATID – literally THE FUTURE

“FJMC is the international umbrella organization for a confederation of approximately 200 men’s auxiliaries serving over 14,000 men around the globe but, right now concentrated in North America. FJMC’s mission has been to involve Jewish men in Jewish life. Our signature programs have a profound impact on our congregations, our members, men generally and world Jewry.

For almost 100 years FJMC has been providing men activities and programs that allow them to be themselves and make friends with other men who similarly enjoy religious, social and philanthropic opportunities. Today men participate in FJMC programming online and in person internationally, regionally and locally.

At this time our organization, to our credit, is asking itself questions about ongoing sustainability, continued relevancy and our place in men’s lives.“

So now, with your indulgence, a little history as to how we got here.

  1. For me, this all started when a freshly minted president Budman outlined his plan for a more
    inclusive FJMC. I thought to myself – We’re going to need a larger boat!
  2. Shortly thereafter I read Rabbi Noam’s vision about an organization not only looking to expand our current region and club model, but that we should be a community of men. There are men out there who may not have access to clubs or even synagogues, but who still want to belong and share a common bond with other men. My vision for FJMC was set and an action plan for our future was coming into focus.
  3. Where to begin? We actually started two LDI’s ago with surveys and focus groups trying to
    answer some of the questions: what are some changes you’ve seen in FJMC? What are our strengths? Our challenges? Where would you like to see us in 5 – 10 years?
  4. And so, with that information under our belt we formed what became the Atid committee, ably chaired by Jerry Brodsky and an amazing cadre of men.
  5. Here is what they looked at and drew recommendations for us to plan ahead:
    Rebranding – do we like our name? do we need a new one? How about a new vision and
    mission more relevant to the times and what we hope to accomplish

Marketing – how to implement any changes, what audience to look at, what form should
marketing take(newsletters, email, social media). I might add that some parts of the marketing plan has already begun.

Governance – taking a look at how our organization is structured. Can it adapt into
something more efficient for regions and local groups.

Religious Observance – looking for ways to adopt more options to allow for not only religious observance but spiritual as well.

Updating our resources – with manuals to help leaders, strengthening our HMV. Updating our website (which is ongoing), and making data more accessible.

Partnerships – as I mentioned earlier, there are men and other men’s groups that we should be working with and possibly affiliating

Sustainability – reviewing, adapting, creating programs that are meaningful and help to broaden our appeal

And finally – How we gather – making our retreats and conventions more of bonding experience.

So now that I’ve told you all of that, next step We’ve already started some of the marketing, more to follow, I’ve already looked at the governance of our organization and will start to delve into that with the incoming administration. So that brings us to rebranding.

I want to thank each of you for your thoughtful consideration and forward thinking in bringing our new name, vision and mission to fruition at the plenary we just held.

We are now – FJMC, International

Our Vision: Men will cultivate physical, emotional and spiritual health, meaningful relationships, and purpose through communities rooted in Jewish values and brotherhood.

Our Mission: FJMC provides men opportunities for personal growth and to build strong
relationships. We accomplish this through: celebrating Jewish learning, traditions and
culture; gathering for social events and retreats; performing service projects; engaging over
Israel; combating hate and antisemitism; mentoring the current and next generation of
leaders; prioritizing our health and wellness; and supporting one another in safe and nonjudgmental communities.

Lisa Pollack