Brotherkeeper Newsletter
Remembering Our Deceased Brothers
Jeff Marker (z”l)
Bennett Neiman (z”l)
Melvin ‘Mickey’ Metelits (z”l)
Ross London (z”l)
Meet Your Menschwork Wisdom Council
We want our community to meet the men who serve on Menschwork’s
Wisdom Council (WC), the governing body that oversees all Menschwork
financial, programming, and governance matters. The Wisdom Council ensures that the Menschwork's programs, including JMR, have the resources needed to be successful .
The Wisdom Council meets monthly. Board members are appointed for a two-year term with the option to serve two additional two-year terms.
This issue features Wisdom Council member Lior Liebling.
Artists Among Us
This issue of BROTHERKEEPER Newsletter begins a new feature that will highlight the writing, artwork and other creative expressions of our brothers. Thanks to Yosaif August for developing this feature. If you have artwork of any medium you’d like to submit, please send an email to: allenmspi@theothermanofsteel.com.
editor's message
Newsletter Editors: Allen Spivack and Yosaif August
Menschwork has embarked on an effort to reach out to our brothers with more regular communications about our activities, volunteer opportunities, and Wisdom Council operations. If JMR men in your community are having events, take some photos and send them to us. If you would like to write a brief article for this newsletter about your JMR experience or a related topic, please be in touch via email: allenmspi@theothermanofsteel.com.
JMR32 Planning update
WHAT: 32nd Annual Jewish Men’s Retreat
WHERE: Isabella Freedman Retreat Center in Falls Village, CT
WHEN: October 27-29, 2023
What Brothers Have to Say About Their MenschGroup Experience
We asked some members of our MenschGroups to reflect on what it’s been like for them to participate in these groups. Here is a sample of what they had to say.
Remembering JMR30
Harry Scheyer created this short video (6:28 minutes) of JMR30 highlights. Harry said, “As a member of the organizing committee, I thought it would be a good idea to capture some of the program we created for archival purposes as well as for sharing with some of my friends so they would have a flavor of what a fully engaged Jewish Men’s Retreat looks and sounds like.”
JMR31 survey committee report
Did you ever wonder what happens to the JMR survey results? Does completing the survey after JMR really matter? Does anyone every read the results? Yes, it does matter and we use the survey results to plan the next JMR.
REMEMBERING OUR DECEASED BROTHERS
Jeff Marker (1948-2023)
Rabbi Jeff Marker (z”l), a regular attendee of the JMR for decades, died on February 26, 2023 in New York City. The three Marker brothers-Jeff, David and Bill-attended JMR 31 in 2022 at the Pearlstone Retreat Center. David wrote a heartfelt remembrance about his brother.
Bennett Neiman (1948-2023)
It is with sadness that we mourn the death of Bennett Neiman (z”l) in Georgetown, TX on January 21, 2023. He was the cherished husband of Sandi; devoted father of David and Amanda Neiman, Emily and Simon Abramson, and Lizzy and Zachariah Neiman; adored grandfather of Nora, Samara, Ellie, and Leia.
READ MORE
Melvin Metelits (1933-2023)
Melvin, ‘Mickey’ Metelits died on January 28, 2023 at age 89 with his family by his side. He lived an outsized life while remaining enormously grounded. His early activism in the organized left and civil rights movement included leadership in the Fair Play for Cuba Committee of Philadelphia and journalism with the left wing newspaper, The Independent Citizen.
READ MORE
Ross London (1948-2023)
This eulogy was written by Ross’s brother-in-law, Yosaif August My brother-in-law, Ross London, died last month while rototilling part of a field in his ‘Gan Eden’ home in New Paltz, NY. He was planting a field of cosmos. He died ‘with his boots on’ and with deep heart connections to so many people he loved, cared about and who have and will benefit from his legacy
READ MORE
Meet Your Wisdom Council
We want to introduce one of the newer members of the Wisdom Council, Lior Liebling, who was part of the most recent class of WC members (which included Bill Magaliff and Allen Spivack). Lior has attended at least ten JMRs and has been a participant on several of the JMR planning teams. He was interviewed for this profile by Allen Spivack on April 26, 2023-his 32nd birthday! READ MORE
JMR32 Planning update
JMR32 Planning Team Meeting in Philadelphia on May 4-5, 2023 L to R: JoJo Kottler, Josh Millman, Phil Wachsler, Cliff Liberman, David Shaw, Marc Jacobs Not in photo: Reb Shawn Zevit, Cobi Waxman, Baba Lou Haber, David Piver, Ori Alon-Ray, Les Fagen, Elliott Myrowitz
32nd Annual Jewish Men’s Retreat
October 27-29, 2023
Isabella Freedman Retreat Center Falls Village, CT
The planning for JMR32 is well underway. Members of the planning team met in
person in Philadelphia on May 6 and 7, with other members of the team joining
via Zoom. The team brainstormed about how to bring the theme of “uncovering
holy sparks” to life in order to create meaningful and memorable experiences
for retreat attendees. Survey responses from JMR31 informed the discussion
as the team explored both new ideas and beloved Menschwork traditions.
READ MORE
JMR32 Co-Chairs: Baba Lou Haber, David Shaw and Cobi Waxman
Remembering JMR30!
Harry Scheyer created this short video (6:28 minutes) of JMR30 highlights. Harry said, “As a member of the organizing committee, I thought it would be a good idea to capture some of the program we created for archival purposes as well as for sharing with some of my friends so they would have a flavor of what a fully engaged Jewish Men’s Retreat looks and sounds like.”
artists among us
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“The lawyers at this firm are very professional and talented. They always impress me with their knowledge and dedication.”
Yosaif August
Musician
As far as I can remember, music has always been a part of my life. As a kid, while I went walking, I often played songs with my fingers on an imaginary piano keyboard. Music has been the soundtrack for my Jewish journey and my social activism as well.
My musical experience in Judaism, began with my learning to davven in junior congregation at our synagogue and getting the opportunity to sing yigdal at the grownup’s kabbalat shabbat and anim zamiros or adon olam on Shabbos morning.
You may remember hearing this melody at several recent Kabbalat Shabbat services at the JMR where we sang it as a round. I wrote it at my wife’s, Tsurah, suggestion. She pointed me to the text and helped me massage the text to work with the melody. I recorded it on a homemade demo recording that I offered at a fundraiser for the original Elat Chayyim Retreat Center in Accord, NY. Sometime later, Reb Shawn, at his party for a milestone birthday, told me about a record-ing of my melody by Cantor/Rabbi Bella Bogart, who had purchased my demo recording at the fundraiser! It was a delightful surprise for me, especially her arrangement of it. Bella has added an awesome video to it to turn it into an open eyes meditation. Enjoy!
david piver
Poet David Piver has attended many JMRs, has been on several JMR planning teams and served as a co-organizer for JMR31. This poem is David’s ruminations about the story of Jacob’s dream.
BROTHERKEEPER Newsletter begins a new feature that will highlight the writing, artwork and other creative expressions of our brothers. Thanks to Yosaif August for developing this feature. If you have artwork of any medium you’d like to submit, please send an email to: allenmspi@theothermanofsteel.com.
Marc jacobs
Poet
“Jenna was so compassionate and really seemed to care about my case! She was so nice to work with and helped me get the results I wanted!”
I believe JMR24 was my first retreat weekend. I remember the release I felt seeing David Malchman lead the free form dancing during Friday night. I joined the Planning Committee and became deeply involved in using my Life Coaching and prior men’s work experience to support and lead future Mishpacha groups. I was asked to join the Wisdom Council and eventually served as chair for two years. During Covid, after running drop-in groups with Michael Landau, I formed the first MenschGroup. We currently have over 30 men meeting twice a month with 7 facilitators. My current Menschwork project is coordinating and expanding these MenschGroups.
I’ve often been considered a wordsmith. A former neighbor of mine was a college prof and gave an online poetry class. I found I could express myself through poetry. Most of my poetry is inspired during times of prayer, meditation and self reflection. I write primarily from my life experience. I’m pleased when I hear that the words have touched someone else.
This particular poem traces the blessed changes that have occurred in my life. From a troubled raging human to a more peaceful contributor to my own wellbeing and to those I encounter.
Founder AND partner
Judy Lynn
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Allen spivack
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from the editor
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