PALMER – The 75th annual retreat of the New England Region (NER) of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC), is set to return after a two-year hiatus.

From June 9-12, the retreat will take place at Camp Ramah in Palmer, a Jewish camp for children. Marty Paley, chair of the retreat, said this three-day event is only open to Jewish men.

“We are going to pray, do Jewish practices,” said Paley.
He went on to say, “Adult men commune with nature, do eating,” and more.

Every year, the programming changes. For instance, this year they will be offering “Jewish Jeopardy,” created by a Men’s Club member who was a former champion on the TV show “Jeopardy.” Paley said all the jeopardy questions will pertain to the Jewish religion.

Some other activities include a “Poker Tov” Poker Tournament, in which all proceeds will be donated to Camp Ramah’s special needs program. Paley said they plan to have a whiskey tasting, a bike ride to the Quabbin Reservoir and more.

Aside from the programs, the retreat will have two Scholars-in-Residence: Rabbi Jeffrey S. Summit, director of Hebrew College’s Innovation Lab and Rabbi Jim Rosen, spiritual leader of Beth El Temple in West Hartford, CT.

The weekend is full of “great food,” said Paley. He noted that they have “upgraded” camp fare, opposed to the “standard” fare. For the first time, the retreat will be offering a Sunday brunch.

Paley said they plan to have anywhere between 80 to 100 attendees. He said the campers are from the Hartford area, up through Massachusetts. Encompassing a wide range of ages, Paley said that fathers bring their adult sons and utilize the retreat as a time to connect.

For a three night, all-inclusive stay, Paley believes the camp is “cost-effective.”

“It’s a lot of fun,” he emphasized.

“We have a saying ‘You never know until you go,’” said Paley. “There’s a great amount of comradery.”

Since the retreat has not taken place since the start of COVID-19, Paley said this year’s event will be a great way to reconnect with old friends and an opportunity to make new ones.

Although the retreat is one of the biggest events hosted by the NER FJMC, they do host other events throughout the year, along with the individual clubs hosting their own events and fundraisers.

“It’s a wonderful way for men to get together and bond,” said Paley.
Although this is Paley’s first year as chair, he has attended the retreat for about 30 years.

When the retreat first started 75 years ago, it took place in New Hampshire. About 10 years ago, Paley said the NER FJMC made the switch to Camp Ramah. They typically host the event about two or three weeks before the young campers arrive for the summer.

This is the oldest Jewish men’s retreat in the U.S.

The FJMC is a national/international group of Jewish men. The federation encompasses approximately 200 men’s groups, serving 20,000 men across the U.S. and Canada. Their mission is to involve Jewish men in Jewish life. Their programs impact congregations, youth, world Jewry and environmental programs.

For additional information on the NER FJMC retreat and to register, visit http://www.nerfjmc.org/regional-programs/theretreat2022.