Spring 2016

2016 March 5776

INSIDE This Issue

Comedian

Tom Cotter Headlines 2017 Centennial Gala Event

Hanukkah Contest page 4

Pawsox page 5

By Bruce Weisman, Chairman Centennial Committee ouro is proud to announce Tom Cotter that comedian and RI native Tom Cotter will for two to the Gala Ball, an overnight stay at be headlining our September 16, the Crowne Plaza, and to Sunday’s brunch. All 2017 Gala event to be held at the Touro brothers in attendance will be automatically Crowne Plaza in Warwick RI. entered into the raffle. The next drawing will be at

Cotter finished in second place the Spring two-fer at Cafe Nuovo in Providence on the television competition "America's Got on March 19.

Talent" in 2014, and has become a nationally The committee is continuing to look into recognized comedic act since. He will bring his organizing either a cruise trip or a trip to Israel quick wit and humor to the Touro stage as we to celebrate our centennial. If you are interested celebrate our Centennial. In addition, Charlie Hall, in learning more, contact the Touro office. perhaps Rhode Island's most celebrated comedian, In addition, there will be special community will serve as the evening's master of ceremonies. involvement projects coinciding with the More information on that event will be forthcoming centennial year plus other events to celebrate this over the coming months. fabulous milestone.

We will continue to select one Touro member If you’re interested in helping this exciting at every upcoming two-fer leading up to the Gala. committee, contact the Touro’s office via e-mail at Each winner receives a special Centennial Gala info@tourofraternal.org and type into the subject Weekend package which includes: free admission line “Centennial Committee.”

T

Rhode Island House Speaker Mattiello "Speaks" at February Lodge Meeting

Trivia Night page 6

By Howard Wasser he February 24th lodge meeting took place at Luigi's Restaurant and the guest speaker was the R.I. Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello. It is interesting to note that the name Luigi means “renowned fighter” and Nicholas means “victory of the people.”

Nicholas Mattiello Out & About The dinner was a buffet featuring chicken and veal along with salad, potatoes, page 7 bread, vegetables and a variety of desserts. There was an overflow crowd that extended into two rooms.

After the business meeting, the meal and an introduction by House spokesman (and Touro brother) Larry Berman, the Speaker took his place in a central location so he could be seen and heard. He thanked the organization for inviting him and thanked Larry for the great introduction (he told us that Larry was wonderful to work with and that Larry was the first person to get to work and the last to leave). Mr. Mattiello is the first representative from Cranston to hold the Speaker of the House position. He has lived in the same house in Cranston since he was married and is a lifelong Rhode Islander. He graduated from La Salle Academy, Boston College and Suffolk University Law School, and is a member of the R.I. Bar Association.

Recently, there was an editorial in the Providence Journal suggesting that Mr. Mattiello is the most (l-r) Speaker Mattiello, brothers powerful person in R.I. He refuted that by saying the governor is the most powerful and he works

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Steven Feinberg and Mort Gray

~1~

continued on page 2 - Mattiello

Chairman's Chatter

By Jed Brandes, Chairman of the Board

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Communications – (k kə.myu myu nɪ'keɪ ʃəns): s): interchanges of thoughts, opinions or information by speech, writing or signs.

creative brothers. From our editor, Bruce Weisman, down to our writers, photographers and proofreaders, we manage to put out a publication four times a year which resonates with our membership. Through its pages, we are able to look back on the last few months (sometimes longer) of Harmony, Friendship and Benevolence. We are able to disseminate information about upcoming events and benefits. And I get to relate my thoughts on the state of the association. But for all that we accomplish through our words and images, none of it can replace the full effect that we realize when we meet.

With this in mind, our chairman emeritus, Bob Miller, long ago advanced the edict that the business of governing Touro would not be conducted via email. He astutely observed that something “gets lost in the sauce” if we cannot look someone in the eye when we discuss our plans. To this day, the board and officers hold to Bob’s rule, even though an email is easier than a committee meeting at the hall.

For our rank and file brothers, there is an opportunity to have more effective communication. Simply stated, they can come to our events. Whether at the hall for a lodge meeting, or at a Twofer or other family event, the enjoyment of each other’s company far surpasses what we can glean from a text, email or phone call.

When you consider that the alternative is to sit at home, like a bump on a log, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the advantages of your membership. After all, first and foremost, Touro is a fraternal association. Let’s fraternize!

Me redt zikh oys dos harts.

ver the years, the ways in which we communicate have changed dramatically. For instance, my home has a phone booth. Yes, a phone booth. In 1938, when the house was built, a telephone in one’s home was the exception, not the rule. If someone in my neighborhood needed to make a call, they came to my house. Over time, a phone in the home became the norm. But things evolved again. Today, many eschew a land line phone in their homes, preferring to pocket the savings by only using a cell phone.

Even personal conversation has changed. Technology has made it easier for us to become reclusive. Think about it. When was the last time you picked up a phone to call someone just to say “Hi. How are you doing?” Do you ever write someone a personal letter? We have become lazy. It is easier to send a quick text with a few words, than to call and have a bona fide conversation. It is easier to send someone an email, rather than meet and exchange ideas meaningfully. It is easier to click “Like” on Facebook, than to speak with someone and tell them how much we appreciate them. One must wonder whether the convenience offered by technology is worth the cost we pay in forfeited personal interaction.

As I sit here at my computer, I wonder whether the writing of this column furthers the self-defeating approach of impersonal contact.The Tourogram is staffed by some very Mattiello - continued from page 1

very closely with her. Teamwork is needed to get things done. He is proud of many legislative accomplishments since he became speaker. Among those are pension reforms, the elimination of state income tax for many Social Security recipients, the lowering of corporate tax rates from 9 to 7 percent. In addition, the last budget was approved in two hours by a unanimous 75-0 vote.

Of course, the discussion turned to the recent passage of a bill to assess tolls on large trucks passing through R.I. Mr. Mattiello pointed to studies which suggest that our roads and bridges are

Speaker Mattiello talks with Brother Milton Bronstein

Brother Larry Berman introduces the Speaker

amongst the worst in the nation. He made a very convincing argument for the tolls, stating that trucks do most of the damage to our roads and infrastructure. Sixty percent of the trucks that use our roads come from out of state. The tolls are intended to help pay for repair to the infrastructure.

Mr. Mattiello proved to be a very strong speaker. It is interesting to note that his last name means “pragmatic, thorough, strongwilled, practical, hard-working and liking home and security above all”– excellent characteristics for a Speaker of the House.

Speaker Mattiello shares his thoughts with Touro members ~2~

Brother Louis Long chats with Speaker Mattiello

Social Scene SPRING 2016

Volunteer

by Michael Levin, President Friendship Lodge

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hen I first started to get involved at Touro, I sat in on a few Social Committee meetings. Month after month, a steady group of brothers showed up to participate. The level of involvement and attention to detail with which each item on the agenda was discussed surprised me.

Some discussions brought about laughter amongst the group and others much contention.

In the end, the best decision was derived from the back-and-forth. Now that I serve on several committees, head up different events and sit on the board, I not only find it rewarding to help Touro move into the future but I’m amazed by the level of passionate members who dedicate their time to Touro.

There is a core group of brothers who volunteer many hours of time to ensure Touro has the money to put on the events we enjoy.

Brothers volunteer to make sure Touro is protected legally when we enter into contracts.

They dedicate their time to putting together communication pieces so we can all stay informed. Every night of the week, the hall is buzzing with activity by brothers who volunteer to make Touro the best run organization and for all our benefit.

Every meeting we express the need to grow the membership with younger new members to help perpetuate the organization. This is obviously a priority, but my point is that we now need more current members to volunteer.

Our membership contains a varied group with much to offer and it’s you we need. I promise that once you give it a chance, you will get the “Touro bug.” You’ll get hooked and want to give even more.

The next time someone asks if you can volunteer to help cook some latkes, or serve at the buffet table, give it a try! It may take a few minutes of your time but it will give you a rewarding feeling because you gave back to an organization which gives us all so much; hopefully, it will inspire the feeling to volunteer even more.

By Barry Ackerman, Vice President, Harmony Lodge

Hello Brothers, I love spring – trees and flowers are blooming, baseball (don’t need to say any more), warm weather and many of our brothers returning to the Northeast. Spring also marks our new season with more events with greater attendance and the changing of the guard within the Social Committee leadership. The Social Committee hopes you will take advantage of these exciting events and continue to enjoy being a proud Touro member.

Similar to the past couple of years, we have kept our most popular events and have tried new ones. How do we know what works? It is based on attendance and feedback that you provide the committee. The latter is significant for the Social Committee to continue providing enjoyable, educational and exciting events. Please consider attending just one monthly meeting on the first Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. Hey, you might like the interaction, the ability to have a voice and a pastry at the end – and then come again.

The following are upcoming events for the next two seasons. Remember to visit Touro’s website (www.tourofraternal.org) for its calendar and further details.

March 19 Our annual Spring Two-fer is returning to Café Nuovo in Providence, based on last year’s enthusiastic response.

Entertainment will be provided by Frank Santos Jr., so be prepared to be hypnotized!

March 30 Harmony Lodge meeting. Peter Frazier, Interim CEO of RI Airport Corp, will be our guest speaker.

April 2 Family Game Night at 7:30 p.m. with Scene-It. Come for the fun, food, friendship and cash prizes.

April 20 Touro’s Open House with our traditional Kosher Baked Chicken – take that, the “new” Colonel Sanders! Bryan Morry, Executive Director of the Patriots Hall of Fame is the featured speaker.

Remember to bring your relatives, friends, neighbors, mailman, etc. so that we can continue to grow this great association.

May 18 Installation Dinner. Installing this year’s lodge officers and board members.

June 18 Dinner Dance at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick. This year, we have the Grand Ballroom to spread out and dance to the wonderful sound of Brass Force.

June 22 Annual Steak Fry – Our most popular monthly event, so circle your calendars. Our guest entertainer will be Charlie Hall!

July 3 PawSox game, supper under the Red Tent. The menu includes: hotdogs, hamburgers, pulled chicken, beans, mac & cheese. As always, fireworks follow the game.

August 20 Newport Playhouse. Visit the “City by the Sea” to eat, socialize and laugh with “A Whole Lot of Cheating Going On.” Stayed tuned for future summer announcements as we work to bring back Fluke Fishing and the Summer Picnic. ~3~

Touro/Jewish Voice Hanukkah Contest a Repeat Success!

by Lester Nathan

Here are five of the happy winners of the 2015 Hanukkah Art & Writing Contest

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uring the fall, Touro Fraternal Association was proud to sponsor, in conjunction with The Jewish Voice, a Hanukkah art and writing contest. The two organizations had successfully collaborated in this endeavor the prior two years and were pleased to see the number of entries increase.

Open to all area religious schools and synagogues, the contest was divided into two divisions: an art contest for grades 1-4 and an essay contest for grades 5-8. The younger students submitted drawings and artwork centering on the holiday, while the older children wrote short essays on one of two themes – how they celebrate the holiday in their family or their thoughts and ideas on miracles.

(l-r) Brother Andy Lamchick, Jewish Voice Editor, Fran Ostendorf and Chairman Jed Brandes.

The top three winners in each division received a prize, with $108 for first place, $72 for second and $36 for third. Judges also decided to award several drawings and essays with honorable mention certificates.

First place in each category earned two-$720 cash prizes for Providence Hebrew Day School, which will be used for the purchase of new technology.

Prizes were awarded at the Dwares JCC in Providence on December 21. The contest was funded by Touro’s Community Involvement and Membership Committees.

The judging panel included four staff members from The Jewish Voice and Brother Lester Nathan.

ART CONTEST

First Prize

Shlomo Lapin

3rd Grade

Providence Hebrew Day School

Second Prize

Rivka Binjaminson

1st Grade

Providence Hebrew Day School

Third Prize

Leah Twersky

2nd Grade

Providence Hebrew Day School

Honorable Mention

Talia Davis

2nd Grade

Temple Beth El

Honorable Mention

Esther Teitelbaum

3rd Grade

Providence Hebrew Day School

ESSAY CONTEST

First Prize

Yael Bulley

5th Grade

Providence Hebrew Day School

Second Prize

Shmuel Rosenthal

5th Grade

Providence Hebrew Day School

Third Prize

Eve Weiner

8th Grade

Temple Beth El

Honorable Mention

Delphine King

8th Grade

Temple Beth El

Honorable Mention

Leah Schwartz

5th Grade

Providence Hebrew Day School

~4~

Pawsox or Not Pawsox

By Jeffrey Stoloff

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n Wednesday, November 18, Touro Brothers gathered at Touro Hall to enjoy a traditional deli dinner. There was even tongue in addition to the usual tasty deli meats.

The evening speaker, Jeff White, serves as Financial Advisor to the CEO of the Pawtucket Red Sox. We had (l-r) Jeff White with Brother thought that the evening’s conversation would be solely Barry Ackerman about the Pawsox’ upcoming move, but that was not the case.

Mr. White has spent more than twenty years in baseball. He was hired by Steve Greenberg, the son of baseball Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg. Before baseball, White served as the Vice President of Finance for CBS News, was CFO of BMI (Broadcast Music) and consulted for Liberty Media. He has also consulted for Madison Square Garden and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now the Tampa Bay Rays). Currently, he is a limited partner in the Red Sox Class A affiliate, the Salem Red Sox. White will retain his roles as treasurer of the Red Sox Foundation and vice president of NESV Realty.

There was a question and answer period, but no clear answer on the PawSox’ fate. The new ownership would like to stay in Rhode Island (preferably in Providence). I think a vote by our members would have been to keep the Pawsox in Pawtucket. There are still five more years on the Pawsox’ lease, so the final decision remains to be seen.

Student Financial Aid Update 2016

By Steven Waldman, Chairman, Student Financial Aid Committee

NEW BROTHERS Brothers who Joined Touro in 2015 Rabbi Elan Babchuck Jacques Benun Howard Boksenbaum Jake Dinerman Michael B. Dressler Mark Elber Cary Eichenbaum Ryan M. Forman Bruce Ganek Jason G. Gold Jeffrey B. Goldstein Allan Kon Jacob Lichaa Joel Marks Steven A. Ritch Carl H. Superior Mike Tesler Adam Tilove

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nce again, the Touro Board of Directors has generously budgeted $45,000 for the Student Financial Aid Committee for fiscal year 2016. Of that number, $36,000 is available in the form of interest free loans of up to $3,000 each and $9,000 is available in the form of up to three grants of $3,000 each.

Regular Touro members, their spouses and children and children of deceased regular Touro members may apply for grants. Previous grant winners are not eligible for additional grants.

Regular Touro members, their spouses and children and children of deceased regular Touro members are eligible for interest free loans. Each eligible loan applicant may receive a maximum of $12,000 in total loans over his/her academic career.

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

Touro’s 2016 Golf League Now Forming Anyone interested in joining, please call Touro at (401) 785-0066 or e-mail to info@tourofraternal.org Jeff Davis, Chairman of Golf Committee ~5~

Brothers who passed away in 2015 Neil C. Arbor John Louis Bell David Brandt Maurice B. Cohen Gerald M. Coken Morton L. Coken Norman Elman Bernard S. Goldberg William Guttin Malvern R. Ross Morton J. Pomerantz Jacob I. Strashnick Max Tetelbaum

Trivia Night at Touro

Give 'til it Helps

By Andy Lamchick, Community Involvement Chairman

By Jeffrey Stoloff

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n January 27, Harmony Lodge hosted the annual Trivia Night, accompanied by Andy Liss’ famous Beef Bourguignon. The trivia contest was created and hosted by Vice Chairman Alan Lury, and the categories were television and Jewish trivia.

There were 51 questions in all. According to Alan, the first 35 questions came from The Bathroom Television Trivia book, and the remaining questions, concerning Jewish trivia, came from the Jewish Voice. After creating teams of two, and receiving the sheets to record our answers, the contest began!

The first place winners, who answered 34 questions correctly, were Peter Silverman and Andrew Lamchick.

They split the grand prize of $100. The second place team of Jason Golditch and Barry Ackerman had 31 correct answers and split $50. The third place team, splitting $25, was Bill Scheraga and Steve Glazer.

First Place: (l-r) Peter Silverman and Andrew Lamchick

Second Place: (l-r) Barry Ackerman and Jason Golditch

Third Place winners: (l-r) Steve Glazer and Bill Scheraga

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t never gets by the Community Involvement Committee that our job is to spend a generous amount of money each year to help those in need. What a fortunate position we’re in!

This year, there was an added wrinkle to our mission. For over a decade, Touro Fraternal Association has been a major sponsor and supporter of the March of the Living, dedicated to keeping the horrors of the Holocaust alive in the minds of future generations. March of the Living takes high school juniors and seniors from all over the world to tour concentration camps in Poland during Yom Ha Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day).

The mission’s next phase is to celebrate life and Judaism in Israel as a group. This year, the Community Involvement Committee allocated $6,000 to cover the cost of one complete trip for the March of the Living.

Community Involvement had budgeted $3,000 to support attending families of Touro members, and $3,000 to fund non-Touro students in the community. Three thousand dollars was allocated from our 2015 budget and the remainder from next year’s budget.

Unfortunately, we were notified shortly after the New Year that due to a number of factors out of our control (one being security in Israel), no students in our area had enrolled in the program. So the last $3,000 of our 2015 budget was not distributed.

This is the first time in my memory (spanning over twenty years on the Community Involvement Committee) that we weren’t able to donate our allocated annual budget to the community.

Since we operate on a zero balance budget, it was not possible to carry the unspent $3,000 into 2016. For that reason, in January, the committee addressed the Board of Directors and requested a special one-time allocation for an additional $3,000 to the 2016 budget. I am happy to report that the Board approved unanimously.

We will continue to do our best on your behalf in 2016, to spread our donations as far as we possibly can. I note that one Touro brother’s child will be attending the March of the Living with a group from New York. That family will be given consideration as we plan our 2016 expenditures.

I also report that our committee, in conjunction with the Membership Committee, once again sponsored the Voice’s Hanukkah Art & Writing Contest. The contest has continued to grow since Touro helped bring it back to the Southern New England area in 2012. The contest had over one hundred entries, with Touro providing nearly $2,000 in prize money to the winners. We see this as a big win in branding Touro’s name and bolstering our reputation throughout our community.

Finally, at our December meeting, the committee decided to donate $1,000 to the Louis and Goldie Chester Full Plate Kosher Food Pantry. We also gave $300 to Ronald McDonald House, $200 to Amos House, $100 to Crossroads RI and the remaining $146 that remained in our budget to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank – all very needy and worthy organizations which help your fellow Southern New Englanders. ~6~

FALL TWO-FER AT THE VENUS

HANUKKAH PARTY AT TOURO HALL

~7~

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

P.O. BOX 3562 CRANSTON, RI 02910

UPCOMING TOURO EVENTS:

INSTALLATION DINNER at Touro Hall Wednesday • May 18, 2016

CROWN PLAZA DINNER DANCE Saturday • June 18, 2016 Visit Touro at www.tourofraternal.org or scan the QR code.

Calling All Brothers!

Invite a relative, friend, neighbor, or your mailman to Touro Fraternal Association’s Annual

2 0 1 6 March 5 7 7 6 Bruce Weisman, Editor Columnists: Brett Boisvert Jed Brandes Howard Custis Norman Dinerman Andrew Lamchick Lester Nathan Arthur Poulten Barry Jay Schiff 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

HARMONY LODGE Michael Levin, President Barry Ackerman, Vice President Steven Hopfenberg, Secretary Peter Silverman, Treasurer Stuart Solup, Inside Guard

TOURO BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015-2016

Jed Brandes, Chairman Alan Lury, Vice Chairman Steven Waldman, Treasurer Brett Boisvert, Secretary Judah Rosen, Chaplain Stuart Solup, Inside Guard Robert Miller, Chairman Emeritus Arthur Poulten, Chairman Emeritus Nathan Lury Jed Brandes Robert Miller Jeffrey Davis Arthur Poulten Norman Dinerman Ried Redlich Andrew Gilstein Barry Schiff Adam Halpern Barry Shaw Stevan Labush Michael Smith Andrew Lamchick Steven Waldman Andrew Liss Bruce Weisman Alan Lury Steven White

OPEN HOUSE featuring guest speaker

BRYAN MORRY Executive Director, Patriots Hall of Fame WEDNESDAY | 6:30 P.M.

APRIL 20

Kosher Baked Chicken Dinner First Come, First Served Reservations Required deposit $5.00 or 5 Bagel Bucks .

Watch the mail for your flier s les the Call or email: Help unate! d fort certifie (401) 785 - 0066 ga item Brin r food er info@tourofraternal.org sh she

FRIENDSHIP LODGE Andrew Liss, President Max Guarino, Vice President Jeffrey Stoloff, Secretary Jason Golditch, Treasurer Ried Redlich, Faithful Guide

HARMONY • FRIENDSHIP • BENEVOLENCE ~8~

Ko the Ko y! tr for Pan Food

Touro Hall, 45 Rolfe Square, Cranston, RI 02910