BrotherKeeper Online Magazine (February 2025)

IN THIS ISSUE OF BROTHERKEEPER ONLINE MAGAZINE:

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BrotherKeeper Online Magazine

JMR33 In Photos

We hope the exuberance of JMR33 and the relationships you made continue to inspire you day by day. Phil Wachsler, our JMR photographer, has graciously  shared his treasure trove of photographs from the weekend. Enjoy revisiting your JMR experience.  (NOTE: All photos are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the permission of Phil Wachsler)

Young Men’s Fellowship Program

Our 17th Year and Growing

The Young Men’s Fellowship Program (YMFP) began 17 years ago and offers young men 35 and younger a scholarship to attend their first JMR. It’s a way to introduce young men to the uniqueness of the JMR experience. Each year 4-7 men participate in this program. We’re delighted that 7 young men attended in 2024. Three of them (Gabriel Silver, Josh Birnbaum and Ephraim Tropp) offered to write a reflection about their JMR experience.

Gabriel Silver

(Gabi)

JMR33 offered a unique and powerful experience for me. While I have been to other Jewish retreats before, I really felt a sense of Brotherhood at JMR33 that I had not experienced before. Surrounded by the beauty of Pearlstone, I found myself immersed in a space of deep reflection and spiritual renewal alongside men of all ages. The retreat provided me a valuable opportunity to connect with my Jewish identity by engaging in meaningful discussions, prayers, and rituals that helped me to deepen my understanding of Jewish traditions and their relevance in my life today.

I was also able to find solace and strength by sharing experiences and vulnerabilities with other men in a supportive environment which fostered a sense of camaraderie and provided a much-needed outlet for reflection and emotional release. Finally, I loved the opportunity to reconnect with myself and my connection to nature. Away from the distractions of daily life, the retreat allowed for introspection and a renewed focus on my personal and spiritual growth.

My mishpacha group was one of my favorite parts of JMR33 as I really got to bond with young men around my age. I also really enjoyed the opportunity to share my Jewish story and hear the stories of the other brothers. Overall, the 2024 Jewish Men’s Retreat was an invaluable experience. I left feeling renewed, rejuvenated, and connected to Judaism in a new way. 

Josh Birnbaum

When my cousins, Ken and David Shaw, invited my dad and me to JMR I didn’t know what to expect. They both talked it up and said it’s a great weekend and I took their word. We got to the retreat center and checked in to meet everyone. I got my stuff and put it in the room I would be staying in. Went to the dinner where we met in groups and met a bunch of young men that I didn’t realize would become great friends.

After that we talked about what it means to be Jewish and got into some deep conversations that really made me think. During Saturday, we had time to explore the property which made the time with the younger men more meaningful. Going into JMR, I didn’t really have any feeling, but after I left that Sunday going into Monday I had a deep appreciation for the time I spent learning, meeting men like me, and having fun and realizing what it means to be a Jewish man.

Ephraim Tropp

I had a meaningful time at JMR and appreciated connecting with older Jewish men with more lived experience than me. Getting to learn a little about the other men in my mishpacha group and sharing some of my Jewish story with them gave me a new appreciation for the Jewish community. I also appreciated some of the spiritual messages shared, especially the intentional saying of Shema in a way that I had not experienced previously. I am very grateful to the JMR leadership and supporters for making the YMFP scholarship possible and allowing me to participate.

JMR34 Planning Team

JMR34 Co-Chairs: David Piver, Ralph Benmergui, and Gabi Silver (not pictured)

Kneeling (L to R): Simon Olsberg, David Calloway

Standing (L to R): Alan Harris, Reb Mark Biller, Elliot Myrowitz, Marc Jacobs, Gabi Silver, Lior Liebling, Phil Wachsler, David Piver, Ralph Benmergui, Michael Landau, JoJo Kottler, Reb Shawn Zevit.

Ralph Benmergui Reflects on the Work Ahead:

“I used to think that top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that thirty years of good science could address these problems. I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation. And we scientists don’t know how to do that.” -James Gustave Speth

When I was approached by a member of our Wisdom Council about getting involved in the planning of JMR34, I was honoured to be asked. I had already been thinking about what I would like to see at the next JMR retreat in the weeks before we gathered for JMR33. So when asked to organize JMR34, I knew what my heart was telling me. I wanted to create a gathering of Jewish men focused on eco-spirituality.

I was first introduced to eco-spirituality more than thirty years ago. Rabbi Arthur Waskow’s writings on the subject inspired me as did the paradigm shifting thinking of Reb Zalman Schacter-Shalomi. The phrase ‘eco-kosher’ brought new life to the meaning of what had become for me the dried out, for-profit business of kashrut observance. Earth-based Judaism was coming to life. Over the years, organizations like Hazon, Adamah and more arrived. Out west, my colleague, Rabbi Zelig Golden, created Wilderness Torah. 

So yes, I was ready to help ignite eco-consciousness for JMR34. Then I thought about who could help me do that. The answer was simple-David Piver. He demonstrated a passion for plant-based medicine, including time spent deep in the Amazon jungle. He possessed a natural sense of awe and wonder, grounded in Jewish spirit. I pitched, he smiled and said, ‘I’m 90 percent in.’ By nightfall, at Pearlstone, he was all in.

We still needed someone who could take our heads out of the celestial realm and plant us firmly in Assiyah, the body, the roots. We found that person in a young man who was attending his first JMR. He has created events, planned them and really, he was the missing piece to our leadership team. Gabi Silver will help us turn our ideas into action. 

We will draw on the energy of those that have already volunteered to help and hopefully others who will join us. Wonder, awe, acknowledging the sacred relationships that are based on stewardship, not dominion. If G-d is everything, then we must bend our knee to the living earth as men, as Jewish men.

About Raphael Benmergui

I was born in Morocco and raised in Toronto. Raphael is my birth name. I am a Spiritual Director ordained through the Aleph Ordination Program. I work in strategic communications and planning, including the Green Party of Ontario, and host a podcast for the Canadian Jewish News called ‘Not That Kind of Rabbi’. I authored a spiritual memoir titled, ‘I Thought He Was Dead.’ On the personal side. I am very happily married and have four children, 3 cats and a dog. I co-chaired JMR28.

JMR34 Registration Opens Spring 2025!

October 31 – November  2, 2025

Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center

Falls Village, Connecticut

Artists Among Us

BrotherKeeper Online Magazine features the artistic talents of our brothers. If you have creative work (in any medium) you’d like to share, send an email to: allenmspi@theothermanofsteel.com.

This edition of BrotherKeeper features Terry Sexton and David Shaw.

Terry Sexton

Hello, Men of JMR! My first retreat was in 2003, and my attendance must be approaching twenty JMRs now! Like many of you, I look forward to the JMR. I live in Maryland, and it’s a six-hour car ride to Isabella Freedman. The long car ride provides a space to catch up and ease into the weekend that always seems to end too soon. At JMR, I cherish old and new friendships, but above all, JMR deepens my connection to my Judaism and spiritual life. It’s why I go year after year. 

My first introduction to JMR came from Les Picker, a mentor and close friend for many years. I was curious and leaning into Judaism. After Les mentioned he was going, I felt strongly that I should go. I didn’t fully understand why, but I asked Les if I could join him. Apparently, I was the first non-Jew to attend the JMR. He and the men planning the event were apprehensive about a non-Jew attending. I pushed Les with another why. He returned with a few things I needed to do if I wanted to attend. I agreed.

Almost from the moment I arrived at Elat Chayim, I knew, like Dorothy in the ‘Wizard of Oz,’, I was ‘not in Kansas anymore’. What I experienced there was truly life-changing. Much of it was strange, foreign, even mysterious. First, a mikveh (ritual bath), in this case an enormous hot tub. It was my first experience immersing in a ritual bath and where I first encountered Moshe Lev Greenblatt. There he was, sitting beside me, between me and the door where my shoes were. I looked at my shoes and looked at him. He was not budging. He thought it essential that I know a certain story about the Jewish people, of how they were not the first to be offered Hashem’s gift, but were simply the only tribe that accepted Hashem’s offer. Moshe Lev was a remarkably wise and powerful presence at the retreat. I still wonder why he thought it important that I know that story. One of the mysteries, I suppose. It made me think being ‘the chosen ones’ might be as much a burden as a plus. 

The next afternoon, I attended a bar mitzvah ritual, which was my first up-close experience with the Torah. My participation fell under ‘things I needed to do.’ You see, with the help of Yosaif’s wife, Tsurah August, I  learned four verses of Torah and recited them standing before the men. I did not know it then, but I came to realize that that moment marked the culmination of my years-long pursuit. The connection I felt to the Torah, the men, and Judaism moved me. I know now it’s why I came! Other men must have sensed this. At the JMR closing circle, the men presented me with a tallit (ritual prayer shawl). Whenever I wear it, I think of JMR and those men who gave it to me. On the practical side, a significant bonus for me is that my wife loves JMR, too, because she claims it makes me easier to deal with for months afterward. 

Why I Write

My attraction to writing likely mirrors that of most writers–I’m compelled to write because I’m a reader. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with words, how they sound, their multifaceted meanings, and the power they contain. Like most of us, I read for entertainment, and what knowledge I can glean from the work, whether it’s old books I read as a teen, like Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’, that helped to form my moral compass or books like Pat Conroy’s, ‘The Lords of Discipline’ and ‘The Prince of Tides’ that showed me what a truly dedicated, talented writer could do with words.

An autobiography by Beryl Markham, “West with the Night,” written in the early 1940s, chronicles her adventures growing up in the wilds of Africa including being the first person to fly from Europe to North America. Few remember her historic flight, but her book is popular and insightful and remains in publication to this day. There are lots of books I treasure for many reasons, but they are too numerous to cite here. I highlight these few because they have transported me to captivating and unfamiliar worlds–it’s why I read.

My interest in writing led me to mentors, teachers, and what famous authors say about writing. My favorite, most useful quote comes from John Steinbeck: “There are some among us who live in rooms of experience that we may never enter.” It reminds me that the writer’s purpose is to illuminate the obscure, providing access to worlds otherwise hidden from view by kicking open those closed doors that Steinbeck wrote about revealing. As a writer, I often come up short, but when I hit the mark…Well, that’s why I write. 

Two Excerpts from “Journey with the Devil”

Overview of the Novel

It was insanity to think that he could overpower those men in the state his body was in, armed only with the knife, but he raised his shaky body, his strength still waning as he finally, resolutely understood that sane beliefs had no place in this alien environment. It was no place for reasoned subtleties or benign exchanges; it was a place that ripped away the scabbed-over lies that he told himself. He resigned himself to the coarseness of what he had experienced in his few months in France. The rawness of what he encountered was stunning, with its novel, unusual sights, the destruction that he wrought just for destruction’s sake, and the fraternity of danger and protection that forged his loyalty to his fellows were all relentless and seductive. It was as if he fell under the spell of those culminating experiences and met the pounding pulse of his life beating like he never knew before, alive in a way that made him feel more human, even as his humanity was fading from his bloodied face.The utter tyranny of the present took hold of him. It was so clear to him now. The thought of death itself didn’t matter so much; it was easy enough. He took his first step and then another, moving toward the men, stalking them as if he were preying on animals. They were twenty feet away; perhaps he could flank them, quietly move past them to reach the rifles, or at least put himself and his knife between the men and their weapons. He moved silently in their direction with no other purpose but to stop the cries of a woman he did not know and to somehow mend an anguish that echoed down his distant past…

As Cruise Rueben Sexton turns the bend, the old Mulberry tree comes into view, its branches tortured in ways he did not remember. He thought, Old tree, I see we are in the same shape, as he limps along on his own tortured limb, slightly dragging his right leg down the dirt road that leads him home. He carries a hard cloth-covered suitcase, two red stripes down the middle; it’s heavy with all the things he owns: his stories, treasured wooden sculpting tools from China, clothes, Kodak pictures, toiletries, and a rusty German pistol–the kind they issued Hun officers. It’s all the touchable, concrete objects he has to show for the two years he circumnavigated the globe.A wave of joy and relief washes over him as he breathes in the crisp mountain air and gazes at the familiar, towering oaks of his childhood. He’s grateful to be alive. On the day he left for France, something primal in him knew he would survive to see this moment–he knows now this was just a child’s delusion of immortality. He also has a gnawing belief that he does not deserve the joy he’s feeling, as he cannot fathom how he lived when so many perished. Death was all so random; he cannot find in his reflections any justice or reason for any of it. What sense is he to make of these experiences? Do they contain lessons only soldiers at war can learn? Did all who experienced the shock of killing feel the same way? He doesn’t know, but he feels deep down that it killed off the fresh-faced boy that once lingered in him. That boy who went searching for adventure is gone and replaced by a man teeming with an anxious longing to live his life and heal his wounded spirit.He turns the corner, pushing back at these feelings as the front yard comes into view; he sees that the bare dirt spot is still under the black oak where he and Billy Jr. played marbles; it looks inviting as if it’s waiting on the boys to return and pick up the game where they left off. An old wooden seated swing dangles on frayed ropes hanging from a droopy tree limb. It triggers a flood of memories, too. Like the time he and Billy Jr. saw Sue Ann’s knickers as she swung up and down and how his mother, Eldora, swatted the laughing pair of amused boys away with her broom. And how the horse-drawn rolling store used to come around on Saturday mornings selling all manners of necessities, but none interested him and Billy Jr. more than the toffees, caramels, and,of course, the hot cinnamon fireballs that made their tongues wag red. He raises his gaze. The gray, unpainted clapboard house looks the same. Rusty red blotches mark its dull metal roof. A tilled field spanning his parents’ and Uncle Billy’s adjoining land lies to his right. The rows are three feet apart, each raised and covered with beautiful green leafy plants. Why so many sweet potatoes? It sure is a picture to behold, unlike any of the fields his father and Uncle Billy had planted in the past. He looks beyond the field and sees Uncle Billy’s small house bumping up against the foot of the mountains. A sinking feeling moves down his throat and into his chest. He has no adequate words to explain what happened; he doesn’t know how to face the man who is as much a father to him as his own. Memories of that fatal night won’t come. An icy dread, a certainty in his gut, tells him there’s a truth in that night he can’t face. His anguish sends him into secret, dark places tangled in guilt. Haunted by these confused feelings, he turns away from the house, knowing the awful task lying before him…

David Shaw

I’m David Shaw and I have attended 15 Jewish Men’s Retreats, have assisted with several as a member of the planning team and proudly co-chaired JMR32. To say that my life is enhanced by my membership in Menschwork would be putting that lightly as my own Jewish renewal coincides strongly with my first JMR which my rabbi and friend, Mark Biller, brought me to.

Why I Write

I have been writing all of my life-articles, stories, a novel as well. In retirement it have begun my second act, writing for the stage. I live in New Jersey with my wife, often enjoying the company of my adult daughters.

I write because I have to. It’s really that simple. God has given me talent, as God has given it to most of us. Only some, however, feel the need to honor that talent by finding the dedication and discipline to actually create. I write not only because I love to or out of obligation, I write because the act of creation, of dreaming of stories, characters, and words move me. To be able to move oneself is a great gift and one we artists know and hope everyone, at some time, can feel.

I finally completed my first novel, ‘The Plagues of Pharoah’, in 2022. It tells the story of Passover and the Exodus from the point of view of a minister in Pharaoh’s government and has been well received. I have given talks and readings over the years about looking at Passover from another point of view which is how I try to look at everything.

Opening to the Novel, ‘The Plagues of Pharoah’

Moses knew this was a mistake. He stood in the dark anteroom of the palace, shaking his head. His trembling fingers pushed the staff of God toward his brother, Aaron. “You should do this.” Aaron shook his head. “Remember,” he said, pushing the staff back, “first get their attention.” He raised his own staff. “Rap three times. When they look at you then you speak. I will be right next to you.”

“It is a mistake, God made a mistake, I am not right for this.” Aaron stood watching him. Moses took a deep breath, licked his lips but did not move. Aaron lay his staff against a wall and put his hands on each side of his brother’s face.

“It is no mistake, you shall lead us, no one else.” He pointed toward the door. “The time is now, go.”

Moses nodded and strode into the hall that was bright with sunlight and thick with talk. Around him the ministers of Pharaoh gesticulated and argued and made agreements in both soft and thunderous tones. When he glanced at his brother, Aaron only nodded. “You must let my people go!” 

He squinted up at Pharaoh, took another deep breath, looked at the faces turning to him and slouched on the staff. Closing his eyes, he continued. “To worship our God in d-d-distant lands for three days.” 

Silence. Moses rapped his staff on the floor. His brother Aaron spoke quietly and Moses rapped again twice.  Another word from Aaron and Moses straightened and spoke forcefully.“You must let my people go to worship our God in distant lands for three days.”

And so begins, the adventure that Moses, Aaron and Hannu, the Egyptian minister to Pharaoh, embarks on, culminating in the miracle of the Sea of Reeds. 

Menschwork’s First Annual
Hanukah Festival of Lights

Menschwork sponsored its first annual Hanukah Festival of Lights (FOL) on the 5th night of Hanukah, December 29, 2024. Over 40 people attended the online event. Spirited Hanukah music, blessings, storytelling, and singing were all part of the evening. Many thanks to Yosaif August for birthing this event and managing the details. Menschwork also wants to thank Harold Belkowitz, Jojo Kottler, Marc Jacobs, Allen Spivack, Mitch Gordon, David Malchman and Michael Landau for their assistance in making this event such a success. We look forward to celebrating together again on December 21, 2025, the Winter Solstice and the 8th night of Hanukah!

Participants were asked to share ‘where in the world do you want to send light.’ Here is a sample of their responses in the Chat:

• Israel
• Gaza
• Lebanon
• Ukraine-Jews around the world
• Our ancestors and to Israel
• Federal workers-Hostages in Gaza
• All of you, people and children suffering throughout the world
• Sudan
• Jimmy Carter’s family
• My Dad who has had a tough past year
• Myself, knowing I have that light within me at all times to share in the world
• My parents and my in-laws for whom it has been a rough year
• Family of my friend, Sarah Gabriel
• The mentally ill

Meet Your Menschwork Wisdom Council

BrotherKeeper Online Magazine wants the Menschwork community to meet the men serving on the Wisdom Council (“WC”), the governing body that oversees all Menschwork matters and ensures that the JMR planning team has everything it needs.

Meet the Treasurer of Menschwork: 

Bill Magaliff

Bill has served as Treasurer of Menschwork for the past two years, ensuring that not only is the board up-to-date on all fiscal matters, but also preparing our annual budgets. It’s detailed-oriented work and Bill has done this with aplomb and precision. Bill has been an active and essential part of the JMR experience  as an inspirational song leader, musician and davenner. He has attended many retreats and his skills and kavannah have enriched our JMR weekends.

Bill planned and organized the recent Wisdom Council retreat in Stony Point, NY (see photo below) where the Menschwork board met to discuss its vision, priorities and plans for 2025. It was a creative and energetic time for the board to be together and we thank Bill for managing the details and working with his team to ensure a productive weekend.

The Annual Wisdom Council Retreat and the ‘State of Menschwork’ Report

Kneeling (L to R): JoJo Kottler, Bill Magaliff, David Malchman, Michael Landau.

Standing (L to R): David Shaw, Allen Spivack, Chris Taranta, Harry Scheyer, Baba Lou Haber, Shawn Zevit, Yosaif August.

Not in Photo: David Reisman

Menschwork’s Wisdom Council held its annual retreat on January 26-27, 2025 in Stony Point, NY. We welcomed our newest Council member, Chris Taranta (see below for a bio of Chris), planned 2025 activities and discussed issues of governance and overall organization. Read the annual ‘State of Menschwork’ report below.

‘State of Menschwork’ Report

To our community of men, Shalom! As the co-chairs of Menschwork, we (Michael Landau and David Malchman), knew we were taking on this leadership role during a fraught time in Jewish history. We did so because of our commitment to helping Jewish men have a positive impact on their lives, their families, and their communities.

Menschwork was left in very good shape after three strong years of leadership under Simon Olsberg. We deeply appreciate Simon’s guidance and good judgment. Due to his strong leadership, the organization was able to navigate the tough global challenges of 2024 with thoughtful programs that reached mensches across the United States (even England!). Our Wisdom Council (WC) created programs to promote conversations where men could find trust in addressing both personal issues as well as responses stemming from the post-Oct 7th war in Gaza and Lebanon, and the rise of antisemitism.

Let us share the highlights from 2024:

• We said goodbye to two WC members, Lior Liebling and Simon Olsberg, and welcomed a new member, Chris Taranta.
• We want to thank the twelve men who serve on our Wisdom Council for their willingness to commit their energies to ensuring that Menschwork is fiscally sound and programmatically strong.
• We returned to the Pearlstone Retreat Center for a second time, and this year, 82 men attended JMR33 under the exceptional leadership of Harold Belkowitz, Roger Zimmerman and Josh Millman. We had a large contingent of younger men who attended including 7 men through our Young Men’s Fellowship Program.
• We created a new outreach program, Mensch Day, a one-day event modelled after the JMR. Thanks to JoJo Kottler (who created this concept) MenschDay took place at Mishkan Shalom, the synagogue in Philadelphia whose rabbi, Shawn Zevit, was a co-founder of the JMR. Over 30 men attended.
• Fifteen (15) former Wisdom Council members ‘stepped back in’ to share their talents and experience by joining our Alumni Advisory Council, convened by Yosaif August.
• We hosted a series of conversations that allowed men to share their responses to world events. The overwhelming response from participants was one of appreciation at being able to compassionately navigate through incredibly difficult topics.
• JMR co-founder, Yosaif August, birthed the idea of a Hanukah Festival of Lights. Over 40 people attended this online gathering for men and their families. We intend to offer this program annually.
• Under the able leadership of Marc Jacobs, we offered over 30 men twice a month online mishpacha groups through our MenschGroup program.
• We published two editions of our online magazine, Brotherkeepers, under the editorship of Allen Spivack and Yosaif August. (past issues available for viewing on our website, Menschwork.org)

In a challenging year for the Jewish world, our Menschwork community stepped up and offered support for and care to all of us. Menschwork will continue to be there for you in 2025 and we hope you will step forward to help us in this undertaking.

New Wisdom Council Member

Chris Taranta

(in blue shirt)

I’m Chris Taranta and live outside of Philadelphia with my wife, Amy Segel. I have three young adult children, Jacob, Jonah, and Rosie. I’ve spent over 40 years teaching in schools, primarily as a middle school science and math teacher. I’ve also taught science and environmental education, founded an a cappella group at a former school, and served as a curriculum specialist and administrator at previous schools.

I’m a Jew by Choice, having been intrigued by the religion as early as Central High School, where I was the only non-Jew in the Jewish Action Group. A fantastic class taught by Sarra Levine at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College inspired me to take the next steps and, I joined ‘the tribe’ in 1998, shortly before marrying Amy. I’m a member of Mishkan Shalom and participate in weekly Torah Study led by Rabbi Eugene Sotirescu. I recently completed a wonderful two-year course in Mussar taught by Eugene. Pastimes include leading geological hikes, biking, and playing disc golf with my sons and brother Mark.

I got to know David Piver at Mishkan Shalom and he invited me to attend a weekend retreat in the Catskills in the summer of 2023. Spending the weekend with men from Menschwork was a very powerful experience. As a result of this gathering, I attended my first JMR in 2023. I left the retreat thinking “Where have you been all my life?” When asked to serve on the Wisdom Council, I was honored and excited. My deep connections with the men in Menschwork and the opportunity to give back to the organization made it an easy choice to serve.

Classic Jewish Recipe-Lokshen Kugel

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. broad noodles
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 1/2 lb. cottage cheese
• 1/2 pt. sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cook noodles according to package and drain

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Combine the remaining ingredients, except the crumbs, and fold in the egg whites.

Transfer mixture to a greased casserole dish and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs

Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves 4-6

The Jewish Holiday Kitchen, by Joan Nathan

The True Story About Babka

Reb Shawn Zevit found this article in the publication, The Forward, and knew it would interest our Menschwork community. For many years at the JMR, we’ve had an informal competition to see who brought the most delectable babka. It’s a fascinating history of the dessert that has become a mainstay at our JMR weekends.

A Blast from the (JMR) Past!
JMR20 (2010)

Attendees at JMR20 (2010) gather in front of the tan yurt at Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center for a group photo. Thirty-five men (35) men attended. The retreat’s guardian angel, Moshe Lev Greenblatt, (“if you’re going to kiss the Toy-rah, then kiss the Toy-rah!”) is in the second row, center, with white yarmulke.

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