Spring 2020 by Touro Fraternal Association

2020 MARCH 5780

INSIDE

Chanukah Fun page 4

Community Spirit page 5

Legal Landscape page 6

Crossing the Finish Line with New Members

By Andy Lamchick, Co-Chairman, Membership Committee

he idea began three years ago when R1 Racing in Lincoln opened. What could be a better place to have a Touro event? Fast cars, games and awesome Chinese food, all under one roof. Well, it finally came to fruition on October 30, 2019 with our New Member Open House. M o r e t h a n 8 0 To u r o members came out, along with 12 potential new members, to enjoy R1’s game room which included: big screen TVs, pool tables, a bowling alley, excellent Chinese food from Jackie’s Galaxy and of course, those spectacular R1 race cars. We saw the wild side of many quiet (we thought) Touro members when they got behind the wheel. Some broke records; others, like Chairman Emeritus Bob Miller, crashed and destroyed cars, but everybody had a blast. Three stood alone as winners of the race: Drew Hochman, first place; David “Wildman” Weisman, second place; and young upstart Max Dinerman, third place. Congratulations to all! But the most congratulations go to our organization for signing up ten new members that night. Many thanks to the Board of Directors, Social Committee and officers, who supported the event from the start.

As we move forward, the progress will continue on Wednesday, April 22, at Touro Hall for our next Open House. This event will feature New England Patriots’ fullback James Develin and Steve McDonald, the voice of URI sports who is also known as “Jim Shorts on Sports.” In addition to our world famous KBC (Kosher Baked Chicken) dinner, we are offering amazing incentives to potential new regular members and their sponsors. If a candidate for regular membership submits an application and application fee that night, he will receive a $25 Panera gift card upon his initiation. His sponsor will also receive a $25 Panera gift card upon the new regular member’s initiation, plus 15 bagel bucks! Bring out your friends, sons, grandsons and neighbors. Let’s make this the most successful Open House in Touro history!

BBQ and Craft Brews: A Winning Combination Israel Experience page 6

News in Focus page 7

ore than 50 brothers enjoyed a delicious barbecue meal and many sampled a wide variety of tasty hand-crafted beers at LineSider Brewing in East Greenwich for the February 26th lodge meeting. Owner Jeremy Ruff, a former aerospace engineer who turned his hobby of home brewing into a full-time business, provided the brothers with an up-close and personal look at the 10-barrel production system. ~1~

Thoughts While Shaving By Alan Lury Chairman of the Board

President’s Report

unxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, which means spring is just around the corner. Our snowbird members will soon be home and Touro’s spring event season will be in full swing. Our Membership Committee has put together the best program we have ever had for an Open House at Touro Hall on April 22. If you have listened to any sports talk show or watched the nightly local news, the New England Patriots and their plans (with or without Tom Brady) for the upcoming 2020 season have been the subject of continuous fan interest. We have been able to secure a current member of our Patriots, Pro Bowl fullback James Develin, a Brown University graduate, as our main speaker. Additionally, longtime radio voice of URI Rams football and basketball, Steve McDonald, will serve as host. As always, we will serve Kosher Baked Chicken. The best incentives we have ever offered (see Andy Lamchick’s article on membership) will be available to all of our members who bring candidates for regular membership to the event. Upon their initiation, guests who sign up that evening will receive a great incentive as well. If there has ever been an Open House event to bring a friend or a relative, this is it! Your guest will not be disappointed and will thank you for introducing them to Touro for many years to come. May brings us a calendar full of events. If needed, we will hold our annual election for board members and lodge officers on May 6. Regular members should take the opportunity to exercise their rights under the Touro constitution and vote. All candidates are offering to volunteer their services to work on behalf of the Association and the candidates of your choice deserve your support. On May 27, we will host our annual installation and kosher-catered dinner. Please come support your new elected officers and board members as they begin or continue in their roles. In early June, we will return to Fenway Park for a Sunday afternoon interleague game versus the Milwaukee Brewers. A homemade bag lunch will be given to every attendee and we have secured comfortable coach buses for the trip to Boston. The month of June continues with our Spring Two-fer to be held at White’s of Westport. To ensure this is one of the most memorable dinner dances we have ever pulled together, we have secured Steve Smith and the Nakeds. They are a native Rhode Island band which has more than 45 celebrated years of performance throughout New England and the nation. We round out the month with the annual Steak Fry, which has always been a great way to end our monthly lodge meetings before the summer break. All of the above planned activities could never happen without the unselfish hard work of the Social Committee, the lodge officers and our Board of Directors. That is why in each column I implore all members to step forward and become actively involved in planning activities with our Social Committee. While you enjoy your Pesach seders this April, make sure that you speak to your qualified friends and relatives about the virtues of Harmony, Friendship and Benevolence and invite them as your guest to April’s Open House! With Harmony, Friendship and Benevolence… ...Chag Sameach to you and your families. ~2~

By Larry Berman, President, Harmony Lodge

n this fast-paced, ever-changing world, there are great demands on your time and attention. Especially for our younger Touro members, we recognize that raising a family and making a living are your top priorities, and many have jobs that keep you on duty virtually 24 hours a day. That’s why we don’t expect a major time commitment to be a Touro member. Whatever free time you have to attend meetings and activities, we hope will result in a rewarding experience. Let’s face it. None of us are getting any younger, and we need new blood to sustain the 102-year tradition of Harmony, Friendship and Benevolence. So please talk to your relatives and Jewish friends and co-workers and invite them to the Open House on April 22. We are also doing our best to plan events that have appeal to younger members. The R1 racing in Lincoln and the brewery visit in East Greenwich are just a few examples, but we need more fun ideas. We would love to see you at Social Committee meetings, held on the first Wednesday of every month, but we know everyone’s time is limited. So send us your suggestions at info@ tourofraternal.org or reach out to any of the board members or officers at meetings and social activities. We are planning some fresh new events like a family outing at Camp JORI and a Paint Night for later this year. Let’s all strive to make Touro attractive to all age groups so we can increase membership and participation and keep this great organization thriving well into the future.

Spring 2020

Social Scene

By Adam Halpern, Vice President, Friendship Lodge

he Social Committee, which I co-chair with Harmony Lodge’s Vice President, Jeff Harpel, has been hard at work trying to put together a wide variety of events for all our members. We encourage everybody to come to the Social Committee meetings, which are held the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in Touro Hall. We welcome your ideas and opinions as we always look for new ways to keep members active in the association. We’ve had some great events in recent months, including Music Bingo in the hall and a barbecue dinner and beer tasting at LineSider Brewing in East Greenwich, partly owned by former Patriots’ lineman Dan Koppen. We also hope you enjoyed the make-your-own sundaes at the nominations meeting earlier this month. As you read this, our annual March Madness NCAA basketball bracket contest is in full swing. Many thanks go to Max Guarino, who coordinates this contest, as well as our Fantasy Football and Pro Pick ‘em contests in the fall. All these activities are free to Touro members. We are very excited to present to you the following events for the coming months:

March 25 – Judge Frank Caprio Harmony Lodge’s meeting will feature Judge Frank Caprio of the nationally-syndicated Caught in Providence show. Bring your appetite for a corned beef and cabbage dinner. March 28 – Spring Two-fer Enjoy a buffet dinner at the Spring Two-fer at Valley Country Club in Warwick. Entertainment will be provided by Steve Sweeney, a Bostonbased stand-up comic who has appeared in many TV shows and movies. April 22 – Open House with New England Patriots’ James Develin Be sure to bring a guest to the Open House at Touro Hall to meet James Develin, a fullback with the New England Patriots, as well as broadcaster Steve McDonald, who will emcee. We’ll also have a great kosher baked chicken dinner. May 17 – The SpongeBob Musical at PPAC Our next visit to the Providence Performing Arts Center features The SpongeBob Musical. It is Broadway’s award-winning family hit show and appears here for the first time. May 27 – Installation Dinner Join us for our annual Installation of Officers and Board Members and dine on a delicious brisket dinner. June 7 – Red Sox at Fenway Park Bring your immediate family members as Touro visits Fenway Park for an afternoon game between the Boston Red Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers. For a great price, you will get a game ticket, a coach bus ride and a deli lunch. June 13 – Summer Two-Fer at White’s of Westport The legendary Steve Smith and the Nakeds will provide the music. June 24 – Steak Fry Delicious steak, grilled to perfection. URI Athletic Director Thorr Bjorn will be our guest speaker.

Touro Welcomes New Brothers

Golf League Set to Tee Off By Jeffrey Davis Chairman, Golf Committee

Rabbi Joseph Murray

(l-r): Ari Maron, David Gordon

(l-r): David Nicolato, Scott Lipman, Steven Sugarman, Andrew Passin, Bram Berkowitz

pring is around the corner and that means the golf season is upon us. It’s time to start getting those clubs clean, shoes polished and ready for another season of golf. Touro has a golf league that plays at Cranston Country Club on Tuesdays. We tee off from 4:15 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. If you are interested in bragging rights with your fellow Touro brothers, come join us for great times, great prizes and great fun. Our season runs from the end of April to the beginning of September. For more information or to join our league, please contact me at info@tourofraternal.org. See you on the links! ~3~

Arts and Crafts a Big Hit at Chanukah Party By Larry Berman

he Chanukah Party was a huge success, with nearly 40 children and grandchildren of Touro members enjoying latkes, pizza and ice cream sundaes in our hall. After watching a Rug Rats Chanukah video, the afternoon’s highlight was the arts and crafts activity led by Touro brother Noach Karp. The children had a blast as they designed, colored and painted their own unique menorahs and dreidels. The response was overwhelmingly positive. We received notes from the granddaughters of brother Rich Fain that described it best. From Emmie Lane: “Thank you for an amazing party. The party was really well organized and it was plenty of fun. Everything you guys did was amazing!” And from Carly Lane: “Thank you for the best party in the whole world! Your arts and crafts project was really fun. I can’t wait to come back next year!”

Grants, Interest-Free College Loans are Available

By Ried Redlich, Chairman, Student Financial Aid Committee

ouro’s Student Financial Aid Committee has mailed information to regular members about educational grants that can be used to defray the cost of a college education and do not have to be paid back. Information has also been mailed about interest-free loans, up to $3,500 per year, from Touro’s Leo Greenberg Memorial Scholarship Fund. These loans do not accrue interest and repayment would start six months after the student graduates or no longer is a full-time student. Applicants may not receive more than $14,000 over the course of their higher education careers. Since the establishment of the student grant and loan program in ~4~

1981, Touro has made financial awards to ease the cost of higher education. Regular Touro members, their children and the children of deceased Touro members who are enrolled full-time in an accredited institution of higher learning are eligible to apply for interest-free loans. Regular Touro members and their children who are enrolled full-time in an accredited institution of higher learning are eligible to apply for a one-time $5,000 grant. In both cases, regular Touro members must be members in good standing for at least two years before they or their children become eligible. For more information about Touro’s loan and grant programs, as well as many other benefits offered to its membership, visit the website at tourofraternal.org or send an email to info@tourofraternal.org. You can also call the office at 401-785-0066.

Community Involvement That's a Wrap!

By Andy Lamchick, Chairman, Community Involvement Committee

hen you get to a point when you can’t even remember how long you’ve been chairing a committee, it might be time to step aside in favor of a person with new ideas and methodologies. As I approached my second decade of chairing the Community Involvement Committee, I thought it was time to focus my attention on new Touro challenges. The first major project I remember our committee supporting was one of the first “March of the Living” trips for Jewish high school students to the Polish concentration camps. After learning of the horrors of the Holocaust, these students from all over the world march down the streets of Krakow united in freedom. Then, they travel to Israel to experience the ultimate bond of Judaism. Since the origin of this partnership, Touro has sent literally dozens of students to experience the adventure of a lifetime. These students come back more mature, forever changed, and thankful to Touro for what they’ve experienced. We’ve continued to support needy Jewish, and nonJewish, people in the region and beyond. Organizations include the former Jewish Family Services and the Jewish Seniors Agency, which are now combined as Jewish Collaborative Services. This organization provides Chanukah gifts to shut-ins, heating oil and food to people who are cold and hungry, kosher food for people who can’t leave their homes and solace and companionship to elders in nursing homes. We provided scholarships to young people who cannot

afford to attend Camp JORI or Camp Yawgoo, kosher meals for Jewish students at URI Hillel, food for hungry Rhode Islanders through the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Crossroads and Amos House. We also cooked meals throughout the year for the parents of sick children at Ronald McDonald House. In honor of our Centennial, Touro established an endowment to enable high school students from around the state to learn about the Holocaust through the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center. As I sign off, I am grateful to our Board of Directors which has always supported community involvement. Our annual budget has more than quadrupled since I’ve been chairing this outstanding committee. In addition, the board has made a commitment to allocate a portion of our annual net profit to the committee’s budget. As a result, our budget was doubled last year and will possibly be tripled this year. I want to thank each and every member of the committee, past and present, for the time and commitment they made to give back to the community. They, like me, get back so much more than they give. I wish Bob Miller the best of luck as the new Community Involvement chairman.

Cooking at Ronald McDonald House (l-r): David Altman, Debby Carr, Ried Redlich, Jeffrey Greenberg, Carol Greenberg, Ken Schneider, Sam Zwetchkenbaum

Football Contest Winners

Efforts Continue to Improve Hall Security, Appearance

FANTASY ONE: 1st Seth Finkle 2nd Jed Brandes 3rd Jeff Davis FANTASY TWO: (l-r) Max Guarino and Zachary Levenson

Eric Rose

Bruce Ganek

1st Zachary Levenson 2nd Howard Flamer 3rd Eric Rose PRO PICK 'EM:

Seth Finkle

Jed Brandes

Jeff Davis

1st Jerry Chorney 2nd Bruce Ganek 3rd Jackson Gertsacov ~5~

By Barry Ackerman, Chairman, House Committee

he House Committee is responsible for the upkeep of Touro Hall. We want you to be proud and comfortable during our meetings, and hope that our guests leave with a high opinion of Touro. The building looks great, especially with the recent updates to the paint, flooring, ceiling and efficient lighting. With the completion of those improvements, we are now in maintenance mode. Our efforts do not end. We are continuing to improve our security and appearance. Items on our agenda are: carpet cleaning, internet, pictures and supplies for lodge meetings.

Attorney General Neronha Updates Touro on Legal Landscape

Israeli-American Exchange Program Presented by Lt. Col. Philbin

By Lester Nathan

ublic safety was the theme of the meeting on December 18, 2019, conducted by Friendship Lodge. Following a dinner featuring a new entrée, shepherd’s pie, brother David Altman introduced our guest speaker, retired Lt. Col. Joseph Philbin, who served 25 years with the Rhode Island State Police. Lt. Col. Philbin participated in a one-week law enforcement training exchange program in Israel during December 2018. Sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League and supported by the RI Coalition for Israel, most of the training was done in Jerusalem. There were 25 police leaders and civilians from across the US on the trip, which included sightseeing to different parts of the country. He emphasized his new friendships with the other police officers. He said Tel Aviv was amazing, as was Jerusalem. He loved Jerusalem, but also described it as “a security nightmare.” The visitors got perspectives from both the Israeli and Palestinian sides. Much of Israel’s police academy training is identical to ours, including the use of the same firearms. He said there was a great give-and-take between the officers of the two countries, and that the techniques employed in each country could benefit the other. He said Israel has many of the same problems that plague us. Israeli police departments are much larger in size than ours, relative to population. The Israelis wear vests which are stab-proof, as well as bullet-proof. Lt. Col. Philbin said Israel’s security forces do a better job with surveillance than those in the US. They’re a lot better at spotting terrorists, and in his opinion, are outstanding in use of informants. He also said that violent crime is much lower in Israel because many violent attacks in Israel are of the “lone wolf” variety. On the other hand, computer crime there is worse.

(l-r): Bob Miller, Attorney General Peter Neronha, Alan Lury

hode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha paid his first visit to Touro on October 23, 2019. The business meeting, run by Friendship Lodge, included the initiation of two brothers and was followed by a deli dinner. Barry Schiff introduced the guest speaker and highlighted his public service career, which began in the Attorney General’s office in 1996, followed by a stint in the US Attorney’s office in 2002. After serving as US Attorney for RI from 2009-17, he was elected as RI’s 74th Attorney General in November 2018. His opening remarks covered many areas, starting with merit-based hiring. All job openings in the department are now posted on a website and open to everyone. He and his staff are also working to build diversity into the department of several hundred. Neronha spoke about the huge case backlog he inherited when he took office. The problem is mostly solved, thanks to a lot of overtime spent by the intake clerks. He shifted to the criminal cases handled by the department, which have increased enormously from when he last worked in the office. The office handles 5,000 criminal cases annually, including wage theft and animal cruelty.

Music Bingo Highlights January Lodge Meeting The winners of the various cash prizes were:

(l-r) Jeffrey Harpel, Jeffrey Stoloff

Bruce Ganek ~6~

Neil Lambert

Robert Miller

A Close-Up Look At NBC 10 News

URI Basketball

By Bruce Wasser

(l-r): Larry Berman, Emily Volz, Joel Cohen

he annual Sunday morning brunch, sponsored by Harmony Lodge on November 24, 2019, featured Emily Volz, one of the news anchors at NBC 10 Providence. She is also an I-Team consumer advocate, reporting on local stories where viewers feel they have been wronged by contractors, stores, utilities, etc. After being introduced by Jeff Harpel, she provided details of growing up in New Jersey and attending the University of Connecticut. She started her news career with a stint in the Poconos and then worked on the anchor desk at WGGB in Springfield, Mass. before arriving in Providence in August 2015. Emily opened the floor to questions and was immediately asked about coverage of the impeachment hearings. She said the company had a tough time deciding how much time to devote to the hearings as many cable networks were covering it from gavel to gavel. Another question regarded stories sent from the network. She stated that because Channel 10 wants to keep its news local, they decide to put the national stories on other affiliated outlets like ME TV, or on their 7:00 broadcast. “Rhode Island stories are unique,” she noted when mentioning how small the state is and how everyone is so well informed. She said some stories require vetting by lawyers to ensure that they don’t overstep their bounds. After that process, there are still several sets of eyes proofreading the script. She talked about a feature she was working on regarding robocalls. She said her favorite stories are the ones that result in help for people in need. She referred to a recent case where a contractor didn’t finish a job for an Alzheimer’s patient and, after her story, several people jumped in to finish the job for free. Another topic she covered was how social media works its way into her stories. Volz admitted she could do “much better” at Twitter and Facebook. Channel 10 encourages the stories go on those platforms quickly. A $100 donation was made to her charity of choice, Children’s Friend, which has a mission to improve the “well-being and healthy development of RI’s most vulnerable young children.” ~7~

Foxwoods

Dueling Pianos

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

P.O. BOX 3562 CRANSTON, RI 02910

UPCOMING TOURO EVENTS: May 27 Installation Dinner

June 7 Bus Trip to Fenway Park

NEW Pay for Touro Events by Credit Card!

June 13 Two-fer: Steve Smith & the Nakeds June 24 Steak Fry

Visit Touro at www.tourofraternal.org

2 0 2 0 MARCH 5 7 8 0 Bruce Weisman, Production Editor Larry Berman, Content Editor Columnists: Brett Boisvert Jed Brandes Lester Nathan Jeffrey Stoloff Bill Troberman Bruce Wasser Howard Wasser

TOURO BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2020

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 Larry Berman, President Jeffrey Harpel, Vice President David Altman, Secretary Jonathan Finkle, Treasurer David Weisman, Inside Guard

Alan D. Lury, Chairman Stevan Labush, Vice Chairman James Goldman, Treasurer Bruce Wasser, Secretary Barry Schiff, Chaplain Mitchell Cohen, Inside Guard Jed Brandes, Chairman Emeritus Robert Miller, Chairman Emeritus Barry Ackerman Larry Berman Jed Brandes Jeffrey Davis Andrew Gilstein Richard Glucksman Max Guarino

Andrew Lamchick Robert Miller Ried Redlich Barry Schiff James Sinman Michael Smith Jeffrey Stoloff Bruce Weisman

JAMES DEVELIN

FRIENDSHIP LODGE Jeffrey Stoloff, President Adam Halpern, Vice President Lester Nathan, Secretary Peter Silverman, Treasurer David Weisman, Inside Guard

Ried Redlich, Faithful Guide

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

HARMONY • FRIENDSHIP • BENEVOLENCE ~8~