Summer 2006

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TOUR O

H O N O RS I

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2006

JUNE

5766

Touro Installs New Board Members and Lodge Officers

By Arthur Poulten

Touro's Installation Team (l-r): Installing Officer Jeffrey Davis and Master of Ceremonies Morton Coken Harmony Lodge President Barry Schiff

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ouro Fraternal Association held its 88th annual Installation of Officers Wednesday, May 17, at Touro Hall, presided over by Jeffrey Davis, installing officer, and Morton Coken, master of ceremonies, both past presidents and current board members.

The following brothers were installed for one-year terms as officers of the Association’s Harmony Lodge: Barry Schiff, president; Steven White, vice president; Adam Smith, secretary, and Peter Hodosh, treasurer.

The newly elected officers of Friendship Lodge are Jed Brandes, president; Adam Halpern, secretary, and Steven Waldman, treasurer.

Brothers Brandes and Schiff also were elected to threeyear terms on the Association’s Board of directors along with incumbents Nathan Lury, Robert Miller, Andrew Lamchick, and Bruce Weisman. Stuart Solup was elected to fill the remaining one-year of an un-expired term of the late Joel Pressman. See related story on page 7.

Friendship Lodge President Jed Brandes

Inside This Issue From the Chairman ...................2 Social Scene.................................2 Kibitzing with the President........3 Meshuganah Idol.........................3 Touro Multimedia.......................3 Old Timers..................................4 Pomp & Brisket..........................7 Steve Nelson Visits Touro, page 10

Administrator News ...................9 Family Feud..............................10 Out and About..........................11

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From the Chairman

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by Robert Miller

e are thriving as an organization and I am very pleased with all the efforts put forth by the officers, board and of course you, our, members.

At the nomination of officers for the upcoming year one person was nominated for each office so there was no need for an election. The secretaries of the lodges and the board cast a unanimous vote to elect all those nominated to their respective offices.

Two members of our board have retired after many years of service. Irving Wolpert, who was on the board when I joined, has decided to step down and leave the work to our “younger” members.

Irving, I thank you for all your efforts on the board. Andy Gilstein also decided to step down and I will certainly miss him. Andy brought a wealth of experience, knowledge and levity to our meetings. He has also been there for his legal opinion when needed. Although these two veteran members won’t be at the Board meetings, you can be assured they will be around when they are needed and will continue to make significant contributions to our Association.

The Old Timers’ Nite in April was a grand evening from all reports that I have received. Our turkey dinner was excellent. The program for the evening was well received and, best of all, we had over 50 old timers with from 25 to 60 years of service to recognize. I expect to see those pins on lapels at all of our meetings from now on.

Family Feud was again a great success. The big screen TV continues to attract more members to Touro. The first Monday night game filled a large round table for the whole game. I expect that as the season progresses we will have many round tables filled for a night of HARMONY, FRIENDSHIP, BENEVOLENCE and BASEBALL. And finally, there was the annual Installation of Officers. All had a great time. All who attended enjoyed kosher brisket, kasha & varnishkas and all the fixings. The installation was excellent as always with Brothers Jeffrey Davis and Morton Coken performing the duties. This night is always a great one and if you missed this one, I encourage you to attend next year.

Once again, my brothers, none of these events would take place or be as great as they are without the efforts of those who make them happen. The social committee, the officers, the kitchen staff, our administrator and, last but not least, you our members, for without you there is no Touro.

Fraternally, Robert D. Miller Chairman-Board of Directors When you see this icon at the end of an article, go to Touro's website to view more photographs. ~ ~

Social Scene

by Steven White he Social Committee has worked very hard to provide all the great events that lots of Touro members have enjoyed. To name a few, the Super Bowl Party viewed on our new Multi Media Projection System was fabulous. The comedy show at the West Valley Inn was a stitch. The new member open house listened to Patriots star Steve Nelson and was wowed by all the action again viewed on our new projection system. Touro night at PPAC, always a crowd pleaser. Don’t forget the fun that was had by all at Family Feud Night. Old Timers Night was a great chance for some of the younger members to honor our esteemed veteran members. The turkey dinner melted in our mouths. May featured our annual installation dinner and June 10 topped off the year with our annual two-fer at the Venus DiMilo. June 21st Steak Fry was a sell-out as usual. See below for some upcoming events.

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Future events include: July 31

August 6

August 14

Golf Tournament at North Kingstown Golf Course

Touro Family Picnic at Buttonwoods Park

Pawsox under the Red Tent

September 9 Meshuganah Idol

Everyone is invited to attend the Social Committee Meetings the first Wednesday of every month at 7:30 pm. Come meet with your brothers, help plan future events and of course enjoy some delicious dessert and coffee after the meeting.

We hope to see you soon!

www.tourofraternal.org

Kibitzing with the President

By Jed R. Brandes, Friendship Lodge President

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rothers, if this column seems a bit familiar, it is because I ripped off my own speech from the recent installation dinner.

For those of you in attendance that night, move on. Better that Deb Blazer’s delicious brisket dinner repeat on you, rather than my rants. But for those who missed my first performance, I think the message was important enough to duplicate here.

Years ago, President Kennedy admonished us: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” The same advice applies to our fraternal association.

Our association thrives when there are members who are willing

to roll up their sleeves and work for the greater good of the association.

We want an association that provides good service to its members. But we should also strive to be members who provide good service to the association.

As many of my predecessors have pointed out, a great first step is to participate as a member of the Social Committee. This committee is open to all members and meets the first Wednesday of each month at the Hall. Do you have an idea to improve existing events? Better yet, do you have an idea for a new event? The best way to make your ideas reality is to speak up at one of this committee’s meetings.

Of course, the social committee is only one of many that the association maintains. There are some that are not open to the general membership. It is not unheard of for one of these closed committees to reach out

Touro’s Multimedia Projection System

by Barry Jay Schiff

f you haven’t come to a meeting at Touro Hall over the last few months, you are really missing something special. Our new Multimedia High Definition Projection System with Surround Sound made its debut at the Super Bowl Party. Before and after each meeting our brothers have been enjoying all that digital cable can offer. Crystal clear picture and sound gives the viewer an experience to remember. The Social Committee has big plans for the system starting with Red Sox baseball on Monday evenings. You can watch these exciting games at Touro Hall without the huge expense of venturing to Fenway Park. The Technology Subcommittee is busy planning movie nights for couples and video gaming tournaments for our children and the youngsters inside all of us. Watch your flyers for upcoming events.

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to a Brother whose expertise would be useful towards implementing that committee’s plans. For example, the idea of an entertainment system for the Hall was discussed in the House and Social committees, but to a large extent members who were not on those committees installed the system. Do you have a particular skill or talent? Let your Lodge Officers and Board Members know how best to put it to use for the betterment of the association.

Lastly, we always need help at Lodge meetings. Please let Barry or me know if you are available to help serve food, or participate in the set up of the hall.

Our association best lives up to the principles of “Harmony, Friendship and Benevolence” when its members adopt an attitude of volunteerism. I am confident that the satisfaction you will derive from greater participation is a reward unto itself.

Meshuganah Idol Coming to Touro

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by Membership Chairman, Dr. Aaron Sherman

rab your wife or girlfriend. Grab your friend’s wife or girlfriend too. And grab your friend because this fall Touro will open its doors for a first ever couples Open House. Our members know that the benefits of Touro extend beyond our brothers to our family and our community. Now we want to show that to your friends and the one’s who actually decide if they should join...the women in their lives.

Join us at Touro Hall on September 9th for a fun filled evening of Karaoke, friendship, and, of course, food as Touro presents Meshuganah Idol. Have fun watching, competing for prizes, or just deciding who is your choice for the honor of being Touro’s first Meshuganah Idol.

This event is open to all Touro regular members and the cost of admission is the company of a qualified potential member and his wife or girlfriend. Share the benefits of Touro membership with your friends, family, and acquaintances by inviting them to this can’t-miss event. Watch your mail for details. ~ ~

60 Years

+ Saul Spitz 66 years

Donald Bernstein 61 years

Merlyn Rodyn 59 years

Albert Feinstein 59 years

Max Tetelbaum 57 years

Touro Honors Its Old Timers

By Jed Brandes

Norton Rappoport 56 years

Mal Ross 56 years

Irving Wolpert 55 years

Milton Bronstein 54 years

Judah Rosen 53 years

Louis Katznelson 53 years

50 Years +

George Berk Sanford Gorodetsky 56 years 56 years

Morton Paige 53 years

Sam Buckler 52 years

Len Buckler 52 years

Maurice Wine 52 years

Abe Snow 52 years

Myer Grossman 51 years

Richard Klein 51 years

Joe Mal 51 years

Ed Lyons 50 years

Gerald Goldstein 49 years

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Seymour Port 49 years

Jerry Hodosh 49 years

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hat was going on in your family in 1939? Among other things, the Touro family welcomed Saul Spitz as a member. Brother Spitz was among many members honored in April at Old Timers’ Night at Touro Hall. He was recognized as the living member of longest standing.

Sixty-seven years and counting!

After a quick meeting to dispense with Association business, those in attendance were treated to a gastronomic feast of epic proportions, the culmination of four days of intensive culinary labor by Brother Stevan Labush, his wife, Rhonda, and daughter, Jenna. The turkey dinner was such a hit; the compliments are

Sam Mendelowitz Morton Kessler 39 years 40 years

Morton Coken 45 years

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40 Years

Zenus Pulner 43 years

vant pictures from the Touro archives, Brother Andy Lamchick, took the membership on a stroll down memory lane. Starting with the inception of Touro in 1918, and right up to present day, Andy reminded us of world events using them as a backdrop for Touro’s history. Along the way, the initiations of members into the association were noted. Those in attendance were asked to stand as their names were announced and received Andy Lamchick heartfelt applause from their junior Master of Ceremonies brothers. still rolling in!

At the conclusion of the retrospec The program moved on toward tive, Chairman Bob Miller presented the main event. Using the hall’s new a newly commissioned commemoraentertainment system to project relecontinued on page 6

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Sam Weisman 44 years

Barry Newman 44 years

Richard Sholes 37 years

Marvin Jacobson 36 years

Howard Kosofsky 36 years

Barry Levin 34 years

30 Years +

Joe Goodman 29 years

Sy Norman 29 years continued from page 5

Rodney Locke 26 years

Robert Miller 27 years

25 Years +

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tive lapel pin to Old Timers in attendance. Members of 25, 30, 40 and 50 years each received a pin celebrating their longevity as a member.

These same pins will be presented to our members when they reach these milestones.

Plenty of photos were taken of the presentation and the Old Timers. Though many of the photos appear in this issue, a complete rendering may be found on the photo page of our website at www.tourofraternal.org.

An Evening with “Pomp, Circumstance & Brisket”

By Edward Deluty

n May 17, 2006 Touro Fraternal Association held its annual installation dinner at Touro Hall in Cranston. The members who attended the event enjoyed a traditional catered brisket dinner with all the good things that go along with it. Once dinner was complete, the event, which brought the members together, began.

Jeff Davis acted as the installing officer and Morty Coken as the master of ceremonies for the evening. Morty, with all the grace and dignity, had the pleasure of swearing in all the new officers. It was then Jeff’s turn to fill in all the members present with a bit of insight on each of the installed brothers. His humor and sincerity made a difficult job look easy.

The newly installed officers for the board of directors for three year terms were: Jed Brandes, Robert Miller, Andrew Lamchick, Nathan Lury, Barry Schiff and Bruce Weisman. Stuart Solup was installed for a one-year term to fill out a vacancy on the board.

The newly installed officers, one-year terms, for Harmony Lodge were: President Barry Schiff, Vice President Steve White, Secretary Adam Halpern and Treasurer Peter Hodosh.

The newly installed officers, one-year terms, for Friendship Lodge were: President Jed Brandes, Secretary Adam Halpern and Treasurer Steven Waldman.

After remarks from both incoming lodge presidents, Friendship Lodge President Jed Brandes presented Edward Deluty with a plaque recognizing his service as president of the lodge. After a few remarks from Ed, he in turn presented gifts of appreciation to his officers and selected members thanking them for all their help and support. Brother Chairman Bob Miller then took the “mic” and presented brother Ed Deluty with Touro’s past president’s sweater. Brother Miller then took the time to recognize two retiring members of the board, brothers Andy Gilstein and Irving Wolpert.

The evening closed with the traditional pronouncement by Morty of “Once…Twice…Thrice" to the applause of the audience.

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Board of Directors 3-Year Terms (l-r): Andrew Lamchick, Barry Schiff and Jed Brandes

Board of Directors 3-Year Terms (l-r): Bruce Weisman, Nate Lury and Robert Miller

Harmony Lodge Officers (l-r): Steven White, Vice President; Adam Smith, Secretary; Peter Hodosh, Treasurer.

Board of Directors, 1-year Term, Stuart Solup ~ ~

Friendship Lodge Officers (l-r): Adam Halpern, Secretary; Steve Waldman, Treasurer

Touro Rogues Gallery ••• May 17 2006

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More May 17th "Pomp"

Touro's Annual Family Picnic Sunday August 6, 2006

Friendship Lodge President Jed Brandes (l) presents outgoing President Edward Deluty his President's Plaque from the lodge in appreciation for work well done.

1:00 pm Family Fun for One and All!

Masonic Youth Center (Buttonwoods) 116 Long Street, Warwick

We provide the food and space, you provide the Bathing Suits and Appetite!

$5 deposit refundable upon arrival Touro Members and immediate family only.

Watch your mail for announcement flier or log onto www.tourofraternal.org

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Chairman Robert Miller (l) presents Edward Deluty his Past President's Sweater from the Association.

Chairman Robert Miller (l) presents retiring Board Member Irving Wolpert with a plaque recognizing his many years of service to Touro.

BJs

ne of the “perks” of Touro membership is a special group membership rate at BJs Wholesale Clubs throughout the country. The current regular annual fee is $40.

If you’re a Touro member you can join for half that: $20 a year.

If you’re interested, please contact the Touro office by ‘phone (401-785-0066), e-mail tourofratl@aol.com or mail (45 Rolfe Square, Cranston, RI 02910) and the proper forms will be sent to you. Then, bring the completed form to the service desk at your local BJs. The membership expires September of each year so you’ll be charged just a portion of that $20, depending on when you apply.

After that, renew for a full year each September at the register at the nearest BJs. It’s that simple.

An important reminder from Touro’s Administrator!

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very Touro regular member is entitled to a mortuary benefit. When you joined our Association you signed a form designating someone important to you as your beneficiary. However, over the years circumstances may have occurred that make necessary a change in that beneficiary designation. We cannot change our records unless you tell us to!.

Please review your current status. If you need more information or a form to change your beneficiary, please contact the Touro office at 401-785-0066 or, via e-mail at tourofratl@aol.com.

You can avoid unnecessary delays – even possible litigation – if you look into this now.

Fraternally, Jerry Hodosh ~ ~

Steve Nelson a Crowd Pleaser at Open House (l-r) Steve Nelson, Brother Dr. Aaron Sherman

By Lester Nathan

ouro’s Open House Night March 22nd, featured two stars: Patriots linebacker great Steve Nelson, and the recently installed multimedia system in the Social Hall. The meeting attracted a good turnout and gave attendees a chance to discuss NFL football and the Patriot’s future with Nelson just after Adam Vinatieri’s departure to the Colts.

After dining on KBC (kosher baked chicken), Membership Committee Chairman Aaron Sherman illustrated Touro membership to the prospective members, using the new TV projection system and enticed them with Touro’s many social get-togethers. He followed with an introduction of Steve Nelson. Steve grew up in Minnesota, played three sports in high school, played four years under Ron Ehrhardt at North Dakota State, and spent 14 tremendous years with the Patriots. After retiring in 1987, he coached the Curry College Colonels for 8 years, turning them into a perennial powerhouse. He was inducted into the Patriot’s Hall of Fame in 1993. Currently, he appears on several radio and TV sports programs.

Capping off this intro, we were treated to highlights from Steve’s New England football career on the new large screen. Steve warmed up the audience with a few funny stories, mentioned his new job in Lincoln and described his earlier years, from the third grade through NFL Draft Day. Then he turned to the Patriots’ current state of affairs, saddened by the Vinatieri departure.

During the question and answer period, Steve reflected on the enormous changes which pro football has undergone since his playing days, particularly the effect of high salary contracts. While it’s hard to lose good players such as Vinatieri, McGinness and Givens, he believes the Patriots are still the best team in the division. In his opinion, Richard Seymour, along with Tom Brady, remains the key marquee player whom the Pats must retain. Regarding steroid use, they were openly used during his playing days, but have diminished thanks to testing. Alcohol was also a problem during his playing days.

Steve Nelson could have stayed another hour answering our questions, but there wasn’t enough time. Another successful night for the Membership Committee, the multimedia system and all who attended.

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First Place: Team Maccaroon

“Maccaroons” Take First Place at Family Feud Night at Touro

By Bruce Weisman

eam “Maccaroons”, as they wished to be known, took first prize with 294 points in the 2nd annual Touro Family Feud Night held at Touro Hall Saturday evening April 22.

Brother Stevan Labush acted as MC for the evening. The winning team consisted of 3 Touro families, the Schiff’s, Plotkin’s and Waldman’s.

They took on 7 other multiple family teams to win the coveted first place prize. Second place went to team “Harmony”, Lamchick’s and the Ross’s, with 129 points edging out the third place team “Matzoh Balls”, featuring team members Goodman’s, Stairman’s and the Garfinkel’s, who accumulated 127 points. Win or loose everyone had a great time!

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Second Place: Team Harmony

Third Place: Team Matzo Ball ~ 10 ~

Two-fer at the Shriner's Club

Candid Camera: Judah, caught asleep at the wheel ~ 11 ~

TOURO FRATERNAL ASSOCIATION P.O. BOX 3562 CRANSTON, RI 02910

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Providence, RI Permit #719

Visit Touro's Website at www.tourofraternal.org

Save the Date

HARMONY • FRIENDSHIP • BENEVOLENCE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS • 2006-2007

June 2006 Editor: Columnists:

Bruce Weisman Jed Brandes Edward Deluty Andrew Lamchick Richard Levenson Lester Nathan Arthur Poulten Barry Schiff Gerald Tebrow

Touro Fraternal Association 45 Rolfe Square, P.O. Box 3562, Cranston, RI 02910 Phone: 401-785-0066 Fax: 401-941-8781 E-Mail: tourofratl@aol.com Website: www.tourofraternal.org HARMONY LODGE Barry Schiff, President Steven White, Vice President Adam Smith, Secretary Peter Hodosh, Treasurer

Robert Miller, Chairman Andrew Lamchick, Vice Chairman Gerald D. Hodosh, Treasurer Gerald Tebrow, Secretary Judah Rosen, Chaplain Arthur Poulten, Chairman Emeritus Jed Brandes Milton Bronstein Morton Coken Jeffrey Davis Steven Dinerman Stevan Labush Rodney Locke Alan Lury Nathan Lury Lester Nathan Barry Schiff Barry Shaw Dr. Aaron Sherman Stuart Solup Michael Smith Bruce Weisman

For additional information, call 785-0066 or go online at www.tourofraternal.org

FRIENDSHIP LODGE Jed Brandes, President Adam Halpern, Secretary Steven Waldman, Treasurer

July 31, 2006 ~ 12 ~