Spring 2018

2018 MARCH 5778

INSIDE

More Aid Available!

By Steven Waldman Chairman, Student Financial Aid Committee

Centennial Update page 3

Tourography: Mike Sarenson

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ecognizing the ever-growing cost of attending college, the Touro Board of Directors has approved an increase in grant funding. Most recently, the Student Financial Aid budget included three $3,000 grants. Starting with the 2018-19 academic year, three $5,000 grants will be offered. $36,000 is also available in the form of interest free loans of up to $3,000 each.

Regular Touro members and their children may apply for grants, as long as they have been a member in good standing for at least 2 years. Previous grant winners are not eligible for additional grants.

Regular Touro members and their children are eligible for interest free loans, as long as they have been a member in good standing for at least 2 years. Each eligible student may receive a maximum of $12,000 in loans over their academic career.

Applications are available now by written request through either postal mail or email to info@tourofraternal. org. Please make sure to fill out all applications accurately and completely.

page 5

Building Bridges: Avi Nevel page 5

Steve Feinberg page 6

Help Us Fill Touro's Time Capsule!

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By Adam Halpern and Jeff Stoloff Co-chairmen, Time Capsule Sub-Committee

ack in September at the Crowne Plaza, we celebrated Touro’s past 100 years. Now, we want to look ahead and communicate with Touro’s future members. In commemoration of our first 100 years, the Centennial Committee unveiled a time capsule at the Gala. Many guests took the time to sign their names and provide a written note for inclusion. This was just a start! We will need your help in filling it up.

We are asking our members to provide mementos, souvenirs and letters connected to your Touro membership. You can

Frank O'Donnell page 6

Out & About page 7 ~1~

donate items such as a badge, certificate, membership card (remember when we had them?) or a photograph.

Another idea is a note or letter to describe why you joined, recall memorable experiences at Touro, or what you like about the association.

The capsule will be stored in a safe location inside Touro Hall and it will be reopened at Touro’s sesquicentennial in 50 years.

Deadline for submissions is April 15.

The “sealing ceremony” will be held at the Steak Fry in June. Please contact us at the office at 785-0066 or email us at info@tourofraternal.org if you have an item for submission.

Chairman's Chatter

By Jed Brandes, Chairman of the Board

Social Scene

Constitution (k|on sti' tu ∫ɘn) the physical character of the body

By Jeffrey Stoloff, Vice President, Friendship Lodge

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ne hundred years into its glorious history, we have the opportunity to reflect on Touro Fraternal Association. What is its purpose? How has time, circumstance or culture changed the way that the Association addresses that purpose? How can Touro evolve, so that over the next hundred years it can continue to be a vital part of Jewish life? For some of these questions, we have the luxury of reviewing meeting minutes, our Tourograms and other publications for answers. Our ability to respond to the other questions, to project into the future, depends upon the accuracy of our crystal balls.

According to the preamble of our constitution, the purpose of the Association “shall be to enable its members to unite in mutual aid and to promote beneficial objects including the payment of sick benefits; to promote social, literary and charitable purposes; to provide mortuary benefits to its members; to provide a burial plot in rotation, if available; and for other purposes and benefits as may be consistent with the charter or with the provisions of the laws of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.” In other words, Touro is meant to promote compassion, sociability and philanthropy. Or put another way: Harmony, Friendship and Benevolence!

Certainly, how we go about our business today is very different than fifty or a hundred years ago. At the outset, Touro’s charity was aimed at the membership. For instance, providing coal to warm a brother’s home was a primary goal. Today, we still are concerned with heating assistance. We just go about it differently; we make monetary contributions to organizations that can efficiently distribute funds across a wider spectrum of the needy. For years, board directors and officers attended meetings in tuxedos. Today, we need a centennial gala to inspire such attire. While there are many examples of changes to our methodologies, the purpose remains the same.

To a very real extent, the success of our association has been earned on the backs of men who not only wanted to devote themselves to a great enterprise, but had clarity of forethought to navigate through changing times. They kept Touro current and vital. Today, we have a great group of leaders who are equally committed. The challenges are different, though. How do we attract new and younger members in an age where time is precious and social choices are many? What can we do to transform Touro, so that your friends, sons and brothers will want to come to the hall, instead of staying at home playing games on their smart phones? Will a Jewish fraternal association be important in a society that is eschewing religion and becoming increasingly secular?

These are some of the many issues with which we grapple.

So, how will Touro remain current and vital? The answer depends upon you, our membership. What is important to you?

What can we do to inspire you to sponsor new members? How can we keep you coming back to the hall for more? Let us know. Talk to your elected leaders. Become a leader! Shared thoughts and ideas are our best hope for a Touro that delivers on its promise to the membership well into the future.

he Social Committee has been busy planning a variety of events. Some of these are popular yearly ones, while others are special events in honor of our Centennial.

Our first in a series of “Game Day” socials was held on February 25 in conjunction with the Membership Committee. Members, their families and prospective members enjoyed an afternoon of games, fun and food.

The Spring Two-fer was held on March 10. We celebrated the start of Spring at the Venus De Milo, danced to music from Music Express and enjoyed a wonderful evening together. On March 18 we had the unique opportunity to visit the Patriots Hall of Fame, followed by dinner at Patriot Place.

Here is what is planned for the next few months:

March 28

Lodge Meeting/Turkey Dinner

Our regular March Lodge meeting will feature a turkey dinner along with guest speaker, Kim Kalunian from Channel 12. We hope to see everyone there!

April 25 Open House

Touro’s annual Open House, featuring Providence Journal Executive Editor Alan Rosenberg. The Membership Committee has been working hard to make this a successful event.

May 30

Installation Dinner

Come support the new leaders of Touro as we launch into our new year.

June 10

Red Sox at Fenway

A trip to see the Red Sox at Fenway Park is planned. Tickets to the game will be provided along with bus transportation to and from the game, and food. Look for information in the mail for this exciting event.

June 20 Steak Fry

Our annual Steak Fry at Touro Hall. This event will feature stories from our “March of the Living” participants and the official sealing of our Centennial Time Capsule. Please mark your calendars.

Social Committee meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00 pm in Touro Hall. All brothers are welcome to attend. If there are any events that you want to see, please come and share them as part of the committee.

Es ken gemolt zein. ~2~

Tourography: Mike Sarenson

By Jed Brandes

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f you’re a Jew from Southern New England (you better be if you received this Tourogram!), then it would be inconceivable for you to be unfamiliar with the entertainment company, Music Express. Not only are they a mainstay on the Bar Mitzvah and wedding circuit, but they are the closest thing Touro has to a “house band.” What you might not have known is that Brother Mike Sarenson is one of the founders and co-owners.

Mike was born and raised in Cranston. Early on, he became a Touro brother, relishing the opportunity to bond with his father, Bernie, and his uncle, Meyer Grossman. While attending Cranston High School West, he became involved with their audio-visual department and was on their television crew, videotaping sporting and other school events. His love for the entertainment business was born.

Around that time, he also entered the R.I.Community Film & Video Competition, producing a film which starred Bob Zompa. This was the beginning of a lifelong friendship which subsequently evolved into their decades long business partnership. Mike and Bob managed to get the Cranston West print shop to produce business cards, and they set foot on the entertainment path. With their spare time, they produced wedding videos (unheard of at the time) for friends and relatives, and started S & Z Video.

Mike and Bob went off to college, where both studied communications. At Dean College, Mike became the first general manager of the student-run radio station. This was a precursor to his

professional career, as he joined WPRO as an intern upon graduation. Eventually, this led to a fulltime production job at the station. However, yearning to run his own business, Mike left radio. He and Bob received “their one and only interest-free loans” from their parents, bought DJ equipment and established Music Express.

Now with thirty-five years’ producing “fun, elegant, unique and memorable events,” Music Express has grown into one of Southern New England’s leading fulltime entertainment solution companies. They appear at weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, anniversary and birthday parties, class reunions and corporate events. Besides DJ services, they provide up-lighting, invitations, photo booths and more. They are eight-time winners of the Best of Wedding Award from the national website, The Knot, as well as a member of the website’s Hall of Fame. They have also won the Couples Choice Award from WeddingWire, an online wedding marketplace for the wedding industry.

However, Mike considers the privilege of relieving his clients’ stress in planning events to be the greatest reward.

Married to Kim, they live with their son Matt in Cranston. Matt is now working at Music Express. In order to help Matt network, and pay forward his own great experiences with Touro, Mike plans to sponsor his son’s membership. He also wants his brothers to know that he considers it a great honor to have been selected to perform at Touro’s Centennial Gala last September.

President’s Report

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By Rich Levenson President, Harmony Lodge

f someone were to ask you what Touro Fraternal Association meant to you... what would be your answer? For most of you, it's a place to come for food, fun and recreation. For some of you, it's a way to keep in touch with fellow Jewish brothers (and their families) and be a part of a larger Jewish community. And for others, it's just an escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of life. But the real question is: where do you see Touro Fraternal in the years to come? Will there be a Touro for our children and grandchildren?

Together, we have all been fortunate and benefited from the continuous hard work, good judgment and wise decisions our predecessors, as well as current board members and investment committees, have accomplished in making Touro thrive beyond anyone's wildest expectations. Think of it ... 100 years! Our Social Committee has developed new and innovative events for you to enjoy as well as delivering diverse speakers for you to listen to and be engaged by. Our House Committee has worked tirelessly to improve Touro Hall and make it safe and welcoming. And our Community Involvement, Welfare Committee has reached out to improve people’s lives and increase awareness of what Touro is all about. The problem – even with all this effort, no one can guarantee we will be here another hundred years from now.

Life is much different today compared to just a few years ago. Society’s faster pace and greater distractions provide an easy way to just sit at home and stare at our television screens. Touro is one of the strongest Jewish fraternal organizations in the country. But, the only way that will continue is if we all reach out to our friends and family members to let them know about Touro. Your attention to growing our membership is our best bet to ensure that Touro thrives for years to come. ~3~

2018 Centennial Update

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By Bruce Weisman Chairman, Centennial Committee

e are now more than halfway through the centennial year and the celebration continues. The Social Committee has announced specially enhanced events for the spring going into the summer, including a Boston Red Sox game in June, and the Summer Steak-fry, where we will close out the year with the official sealing of the Centennial Time Capsule.

There is also the Cruise to Bermuda which begins at the end of June. Please see related articles in this Tourogram which highlight some of these events.

All this cannot happen without the work of your board of directors, lodge officers and member volunteers planning and carrying out these events on your behalf. Touro’s strength is its volunteer members; if you are interested in being part of the next 50 years, now is the time. All you have to do is contact an officer or board member and say you want to get involved.

Touro Celebration Means More Donations to the Community

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By Andy Lamchick, Chairman, Community Involvement, Welfare Committee

ach year the Community Involvement, Welfare Committee has a generous budget to help enrich the lives of Southern New England families. This year, we have the luxury to do even more with the additional budget allocated to celebrate our Centennial.

At our Centennial Celebration in September we announced the establishment of the Touro Fraternal Association Endowment Fund at the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center.

The $15,000 in the fund will help educate high school students from all over Rhode Island about the atrocities of the Holocaust for decades to follow.

We also continued our tradition of providing defibrillators to organizations in need. We gave them to Tamarisk, Shalom Apartments in Warwick and Providence Hebrew Day School.

I am proud to announce that Community Involvement, Welfare continues our tradition of the past two decades by sponsoring several students throughout Southern New England on the life changing “March of the Living” program. This is a worldwide gathering of Jews that happens on Yom Hashoah. High school juniors and seniors experience the horrors of the concentration camps in Poland, then travel to Israel for a celebration of freedom. We donated $8,600 to help needy families participate in the “March of the Living.”

We also supported the Chanukah Gift Fund of Jewish Family Services which provides gifts to needy families. We donated $1,000 each to the Kosher Food Pantry and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, while Amos House and Fisher House each received $500.

All-in-all, we donated $13,000 to the community last year, in addition to the special funding we received from the Centennial Fund. Sound like we did a lot? Just wait until you see what we do in 2018!

Membership Update

Hot Trivia on a Cold Night in January

By Barry Ackerman, Chairman, Membership Committee

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his time of year is very important to the Membership Committee and all of our members.

First, our entertaining Open House is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25. The Open House is a great opportunity to invite any Jewish male 18 or older to get an appreciation of what Touro Fraternal offers as a social and community organization. Those attending will enjoy a delicious, full-course kosher baked chicken dinner, listen to Providence Journal Executive Editor Alan Rosenberg, meet fellow members and learn about our activities and charities. I urge everyone to invite prospective members.

Every organization needs new blood to provide fresh thinking, new challenges, and the opportunity to meet new friends. Touro is no different. We are a wonderful organization and want to keep that going for the next centennial. This can happen only with your help.

If you want assistance in talking to someone about Touro, just ask any member of the Membership Committee, board member or lodge officer. We are here to assist you in this endeavor. Touro has multiple avenues to promote itself in the community, but our best spokesmen and champions are YOU. The second issue, at this time, is membership retention. From time to time, brothers decide not to renew their memberships. There are many reasons, but a common one is that they did not participate so they never got to appreciate Touro’s full value. Again, I ask all sponsors to ensure that those who you brought into this organization, participate in lodge meetings and the great outside entertainment events. The responsibility of a sponsor does not end after initiation – I would say that is when it begins, at least during their blue badge, first-year stage. This year, the Membership Committee is initiating an incentive program to encourage sponsors to continue their mentoring of new members – stay tuned for details. Though all of us know this is something we should just do, a little extra never hurts.

January 24, 2018 Trivia winners are (l to r) Brothers Barry Ackerman, Jed Brandes, Peter Hodosh and Jeffrey Davis (not shown).

Two Brothers Are Initiated

Two new brothers initiated at the January 24 lodge meeting were (l to r) Adam Greenman and Alan Kaplan.

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Building Bridges Between Israel and Rhode Island

By Lester Nathan

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(l-r) Avi Nevel and Jed Brandes, Touro Chairman of the Board

ebruary’s Friendship Lodge meeting featured guest speaker Avi Nevel, the president and CEO of the Rhode Island – Israel Collaborative (RIIC), whose purpose is to promote mutual business, academics and scientific research between the two parties. The event took place at the RI Shriner’s Imperial Room in Cranston on February 21.

Our guest speaker was introduced by Chairman Jed Brandes. Born in Israel, Avi Nevel has lived in the Ocean State for the past 30 years. He is also the CEO of Nevel International LLC, which assists companies in exporting their products and services. Prior to that, he was co-owner of the Lawson-Hemphill Company, a manufacturer of testing equipment for the textile industry.

Rhode Island’s assistance to what eventually became Israel goes back to the 19th century. Avi told the story of how Sir Moses Montefiore and Judah Touro, after whom our association is named, assisted the Jews in Jerusalem.

In 1854, Montefiore’s friend Judah Touro, a wealthy American Jew, died having bequeathed money to fund a Jewish residential settlement in Palestine. Montefiore was appointed executor of his will, and used the funds for a variety of projects aimed at encouraging the Jews to engage in productive labor. In 1855, he purchased an orchard on the outskirts of Jaffa that offered agricultural training to the Jews. In 1860, he built the first Jewish residential settlement and almshouse outside the old walled city of Jerusalem, today known as Mishkenot Sha’ananim. This became the first settlement of the New Yishuv.

The next part of the presentation covered RIIC events, including: • A food event which connected Hope & Main to Israeli Chef Avital Sebbag • A conference at Salve Regina University on blockchain, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies • A conference at Bryant University on doing business in Israel • A networking event held at the Herzliya Marina in Israel In his travels, Mr. Nevel has noticed that most Israelis don’t know that much about our state, so his challenge is to make companies aware of what the state has to offer. He also stressed that RIIC mainly deals with small to medium-sized companies, including start-ups.

Avi also spoke about the BIRD (Binational Industrial R&D) Foundation, whose mission is “to stimulate, promote and support industrial research and development of mutual benefit to the U.S. and Israel.” Established in 1977 by the U.S. and Israeli governments, it provides both matchmaking support between U.S. and Israeli companies, up to one million dollars per project.

Mr. Nevel then took a few questions from the audience and drew the winning raffle ticket. Hopefully, we will see this collaboration pay dividends in the form of more revenue, jobs, and new industries moving into our state. ~5~

Hanukkah Celebration Touro Style

Touro Golf League

By Jeffrey Davis, Chairman, Golf Committee

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pring is around the corner and that means GOLF SEASON is upon us. Touro has a golf league that plays at Cranston Country Club on Tuesdays. Tee off time is from 4:15 – 4:50 PM. If you are interested in bragging rights with your fellow Touro brothers, come join us for a season of great times and great fun. Our season runs from April 24 – September 4.

Contact Jeff Davis at info@tourofraternal.org.

(l-r) Frank O'Donnell and David Goldstein

The "Token Goy" Entertains the Brothers

(l-r) Brothers Barry Schiff and Steven Feinberg

Steven Feinberg Brings Hollywood to Touro

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By Larry Berman

he magic of Hollywood was brought to life by Steven Feinberg, a Touro brother and the executive director of the Rhode Island Film & Television Office, at November’s Harmony Lodge meeting.

Steve, who has headed the film office since 2004, has done wonders in bringing top-notch movies and TV shows to our small state. He screened some of the clips of actors who have made films in Rhode Island such as Jim Carrey, Richard Gere, Bill Murray and Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as the movies ranging from Underdog and Moonrise Kingdom to TV shows like The Brotherhood. He pointed out that Robert Redford loved filming so much in Newport that he wrote “A Love Letter” to the city that was carried in publications worldwide.

Steve also brought his fellow Touro brothers up-to-date on some of the exciting developments ahead, including the filming of a TV series based on the popular podcast of Crimetown, which features the exploits of Raymond Patriarca, Buddy Cianci and other colorful Rhode Islanders.

The success of the Film & Television Office has been achieved through a very limited budget of $200,000 in annual state funding, which includes the salaries of two full-timers and a part-time employee. Steve is hopeful the cap on the annual amount of film tax credits is lifted in order to be more competitive with other states that have modeled their programs after Rhode Island’s, but don’t have restrictive caps on the amount of credits offered for productions. Steve said a study has shown that every dollar invested in the industry brings back $8 in increased economic activity for Rhode Island.

Steve is also a very talented filmmaker in his own right. He screened trailers from Fortress, one of his science fiction films, and his award-winning documentary, Pell, which highlights the life of the late Senator Claiborne Pell. He donated a copy of the documentary to Touro for brothers to borrow.

In addition to the delicious deli dinner, Steve Feinberg made the night complete by giving us a closer look at the excitement of film-making.

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By Larry Berman

rank O’Donnell can make Touro brothers laugh without any prepared jokes. Poking fun at our every-day lives and occupations proved once again to be his winning formula as he had the brotherhood leaving with smiles on their faces following the December 20 lodge meeting.

He can find humor in any subject, including our tasty meatloaf dinner.

Frank is such a popular draw that the self-described “Touro Token Goy” was an easy choice to be a featured guest during our Centennial year-long celebration.

One of six brothers that include retired State Police Colonel Steven O’Donnell, Frank grew up in Providence and graduated from Classical High School. A stand-up comic for 35 years, he has slowed his performance schedule down to three or four times a month. At age 61, Frank has decided to enjoy life a bit, recently moving to Jamestown after 30 years of living in North Providence.

But he’s still an extremely busy guy. For the past 22 years, he has worked as a compliance officer for Embrace Home Loans in Middletown. He’s also an entertainment writer for the Valley Breeze newspapers in Northern Rhode Island.

Behind all the laughs, however, Frank has experienced terrible tragedy.

The youngest of Frank and his wife Karen’s four children, Keri Ann, a gifted dancer and singer, died in a 2010 car accident at the age of 15.

Frank coped by organizing a variety show called “Heavenly Gingers” to pay tribute to two redheads he loved so dearly, his daughter and Jessica Morris, a close family friend who died of ovarian cancer at the age of 20 in 2008.

In the last seven years, the annual event has raised more than $100,000 for the Keri Ann O’Donnell Memorial Fund and Jessie’s Dream, both scholarship funds to benefit local performers pursuing education in the arts.

Frank O'Donnell signs the Centennial Poster Board

~6~

NEW BROTHERS

Brothers who Joined Touro in 2017 Edgar Berrebbi Joshua Brandes Jonathan P. Brasher Howard Brown Robert Cable Michael J. Chazan Bill Feldman Adam Finkelstein Rabbi Noah Karp

Brothers who passed away in 2017

Ricky Kodner Harvey Reback Barry Rose Henry Rosenthal Kenath Shamir Howard Sonion Ronald Stuart Daniel Weinstein Craig Woda

Morton L. Abowitt Howard L. Adler Carl H. Bakelman Jerry Einhorn Mort Gray Marvin Greenberg Harry Katzman Marvin W. Lax

Spring Two-fer at the Venus Di Milo

~7~

Joseph L. Mal Leonard C. Mandell Stanley A. Roberts Ernest B. Schleifer Leonard J. Sholes Norman Tobin Raymond Wasser

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

P.O. BOX 3562 CRANSTON, RI 02910

UPCOMING TOURO EVENTS:

Installation Dinner May 30, 2018

Red Sox at Fenway Park June 10, 2018

Visit Touro at www.tourofraternal.org or scan the QR code.

Extra! Extra!

Bring Friends and Relatives to

2 0 1 8 MARCH 5 7 7 8 Bruce Weisman, Editor Columnists: Larry Berman Brett Boisvert Jed Brandes Andrew Lamchick Lester Nathan Arthur Poulten Jeffrey Stoloff Bruce Wasser Howard Wasser Staff Photographers: Jeffrey Davis Edward Deluty Stevan Labush Touro Fraternal Association 45 Rolfe Square, P.O. Box 3562, Cranston, RI 02910 Phone: 401-785-0066 Fax: 401-941-8781 E-Mail: info@tourofraternal.org Website: www.tourofraternal.org

Touro's Annual

TOURO BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2018-2019

OPEN HOUSE

Jed Brandes, Chairman Alan Lury, Vice Chairman Steven Waldman, Treasurer Bruce Wasser, Secretary Barry Schiff, Chaplain Mitchell Cohen, Inside Guard Robert Miller, Chairman Emeritus Arthur Poulten, Chairman Emeritus Barry Ackerman Nathan Lury Jed Brandes Robert Miller Larry Berman Arthur Poulten Jeffrey Davis Ried Redlich Norman Dinerman Barry Schiff Andrew Gilstein Michael Smith Stevan Labush Steven Waldman Andrew Lamchick Bruce Weisman Michael Levin Steven White Alan Lury

WEDNESDAY • 6:30 P.M.

APRIL 25 featuring

ALAN ROSENBERG EXECUTIVE EDITOR, THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL

Kosher Baked Chicken Dinner First Come, First Served • Open to Men Ages 18+ Reservations Required - $5 or 5 Bagel Bucks

FRIENDSHIP LODGE HARMONY LODGE Max Guarino, President Richard Levenson, President Jeffrey Stoloff, Vice President Steven Hopfenberg, Vice President David Altman, Secretary Stuart Solup, Secretary Peter Silverman, Treasurer David Mossberg, Treasurer Jeffrey Harpel, Inside Guard David Weisman, Inside Guard Ried Redlich, Faithful Guide

HARMONY • FRIENDSHIP • BENEVOLENCE ~8~

less the Help unate! d fort certifie ga item Brin r food er e h Kosh the Kos y! for antr P d Foo

.

Watch the mail for your flier Call or email: (401) 785 - 0066 info@tourofraternal.org

Touro Hall, 45 Rolfe Square, Cranston, RI 02910