Message from National Shomrim President Henri Portner
I hope everyone is enjoying the summer, with all the fun that comes along with it. I hope everyone is staying safe too, with the news reporting on new virus variants and other illnesses. If your department requires you to wear a mask, please wear one. It also seems that we are starting to gain support again from politicians and the public, who are finally beginning to see that their lenient policies have been a disaster. Regardless, we must never let our guards down, so take all precautions necessary and keep your highest professional standards, like you’ve always done.
Our National Shomrim convention is approaching, so if you haven’t made your reservations please do so immediately. The Celebrity Beyond, the beautiful new cruise ship where we’ll be having our convention, is currently sailing around the glamorous French and Italian Rivieras, with trips to the Greek isles. Once their Mediterranean voyage is complete for the season Captain Kate will steer the Beyond will head to the Caribbean, where they begin sailing around the crystal clear waters to many sun soaked spectacular islands. If you’re still deciding whether or not to join us on the convention, do it now! The price will only go up the longer you wait. Please contact our official National Shomrim cruise planner Tony Lostumbo at cruiseplanner@gmail.com for pricing and cabin information. We also have two great speakers slated to give great presentations and we’re always looking for one or two more, so if you have a topic you’d like to share with convention attendees, please notify the convention chairpersons Betty Astrizky at BAstrizky@aol.com or Marty Turetzky at rmturetzky@aol.com and we’ll put you into the program.
Next year’s Celebrate Israel Parade will be held on Sunday, June 4, 2023 as the State of Israel celebrates 75 years of being a nation. It should be very special and historic, so make your plans to march with National Shomrim. It’s one of our best events.
Chapter News and Events
Though our chapters take the summer off, they don’t stop planing for events. Save these dates and contact each chapter directly to attend.
NYPD Shomrim will hold their 97th Annual Louis Weiser Memorial Service and Scholarship Breakfast on Sunday, October 23, 2022, at Temple Emanuel, 1 East 65th Street, NYC. The service will begin at 0800 with breakfast in the banquet hall approximately 1000. Check their website, www.nypdshomrim.org, for more information.
Last call for attendees for the Annual Mission to Israel, co hosted by NYPD Shomrim and Shomrim of Illinois. The dates for this ten day trip are October 18 thru 28, 2022, and you must contact organizer Elliot Cohen at 847-778-7272 ASAP or email him at toillenehoc@yahoo.com. As you can see in the graphic below, NYPD Shomrim is asking for input on future trips to Israel. Please take a moment to fill out the survey and submit it so they can determine how this iconic and important event should be managed.
Shomrim of Illinois will be holding their 61st Annual “Community Heroes Awards Reception” on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at the Hilton Doubletree Hotel in Skokie, IL. The flyer is attached, so please download and send to your members. They will be honoring several worthy individuals and each ticket purchase of $125.00 goes to their Shomrim Society Endowment Fund, so it’s a tax deductible donation. Ad opportunities are available as well and it’s a great way to wish them well from all our chapters. Please contact Bruce Rottner directly at bruce.rottner@gmail.com or visit their website, www.shomrimillinois.org, to purchase tickets and place an ad.
South Florida Shomrim is planning their annual Dinner Dance on Thursday, November 10, 2022, at Temple Solel, 5100 Sheridan Street, Hollywood, FL. Cocktails will be served at 6:30 p.m., with the dinner and ceremony acknowledging honorees scheduled to start approximately 7:30 p.m. Details will be in a future newsletter, but if you’d like a head start on ticket and table purchases and ad opportunities, please email them at treasurersouthfloridashomrim@gmail.com.
Save the date for Port Authority Shomrim’s Annual Chanukah Menorah Lighting on Thursday, December 22, 2022, the 5th Night of Chanukah. Details are pending, so make plans to be in the Oculus at the WTC for this special event that features their unique, hand crafted menorah that contains a piece of original WTC steel in its design.
Shomrim of Georgia’s chaplain Rabbi Richard Baroff recently gave the invocation for the Atlanta Chapter of the Former Special Agents of the FBI ceremony and luncheon. Rabbi Baroff also conducts weekly Shabbat zoom services, so if you’d like to join please email artkrinsky@aol.com.
Member News
Wishing a refeuah shelemah to Shomrim of DC Secretary and official National Shomrim photographer Sheldon Levi, who will undergo a cardiac ablation procedure shortly. Sheldon’s problem is that is heart is too big and full of goodness! He has agreed to give a presentation at the National Shomrim convention in January, so we’re looking forward to hearing about his involvement with The Villages Fire Dept and other activities that he throws himself into wholeheartedly.
Port Authority Shomrim President Scot Pomerantz is running in the New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 6, 2022. He is part of the Tunnels to Towers Team, a goal he’s had for several years. Scot is honored to run with these heroes and is fundraising for them, so please visit the following link, https://dogood.t2t.org/fundraiser/3839099, and his page will open, where you can donate any amount that is tax deductible. Scot is hoping to raise $4,000 for this amazing organization that does so much for first responders and their families. Be sure to cheer him on too on race day!
Port Authority Shomrim congratulates the following members who recently retired from the agency:
- Monday, July 25, 2022 was the last day for Ronna Boujo. With over 27 years of service, and the last 20 years as the timekeeper for Airport Operations at JFK Airport, she didn’t get a proper goodbye celebration, as Ronna was exposed to the virus and was quarantined in her home for 5 days. Ever diligent, she worked from home until she clocked out and turned in her last records so employees could be paid. Enjoy your well earned retirement, and stay safe!
- Brett Porigrow served on the Port Authority Police for 25 years, 3 months and 5 days (but who’s counting!), which includes time with the NYPD. For the last 15 years he as assigned to the K9 Unit, partnered first with Nero and then Sarik. Elected to the PBA board in 2005, Brett says this is the most rewarding part of his career. Never losing sight of who he and his colleagues worked for, he never apologized for speaking up when it was in the best interest of the members. His last was was Wednesday, July 20, 2022, and as he put it to his former colleages, “I’m only a phone call away.”
Best wishes Brett and Ronna, and welcome to the check of the month club!
Port Authority Shomrim also mourns with member Shawn Bochner upon the passing of his father Jay. Known as Ice Cream Jones and Mr. Hollywood, Jay’s sales pitch, “Ice cold water, only one dollar – three dollars at the beach”, was the first face beachgoers saw as they poured out of a train that arrived at the Long Beach station, hundreds of them every summer. His motto, “don’t spend money when you don’t have to,” he sold out of water and ice cream regularly. Services took place at Star of David Chapel in West Babylon, NY and the family observed shiva at the Island Park Fire Dept. May the Bochner family know only happiness.
South Florida Shomrim was heartbroken upon the death of their longtime chaplain, Rabbi Pinchas Weberman, their beloved spiritual leader and longtime friend, personally and to the chapter. A chaplain to many agencies, including the Miami Dade Police Dept. and the Miami Beach Police Dept., Rabbi Weberman passed away at 92 years of age. Born and raised in New York, after his marriage he and his wife moved to Miami in 1960 where, with the encouragement of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, OBM, he built a Jewish community where none existed. He was instrumental in building the Lubavitch Educational Center, a school that thrives to this day. Rabbi Weberman also oversaw establishment of the eruv in Miami Beach, was a member of the Jewish court of law, and ensured kosher food was made available to the community. He founded the Ohev Shalom Synagogue and was the rabbi there for 62 years. Blessed with a large family, he took guidance from the Lubavitcher Rebbe and used his teachings to provide spiritual guidance wherever it was needed. Rabbi Weberman was escorted to Miami International Airport for his burial in Israel by Miami Beach motor men and Miami Dade Intracoastal Officers and then safely transported on an El Al aircraft, aptly named “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav – Jerusalem of Gold” by the Miami Dade Police Airport Division Police, led by South Florida Shomrim Secretary/MBPD Lt. Stacy Barash and member Benny Furer. The funeral was held in Israel. The officers of the various departments in South Florida, along with the members of South Florida Shomrim, are forever grateful for his kindness, leadership and friendship.
Chapter Presidents! Now is the time to forward all your chapters Jewish new year events, Chanukah events and any information on any other events you are planning for the remainder of 2022. It is important so we can include them in a future newsletter. Email BAstrizky@aol.com, even if the plans aren’t set, we’ll tell members to save the date! And of course please forward this newsletter to the members of your chapter. Alot of work goes into preparing this newsletter, to disregard it is disrespectful and defeats the message of National Shomrim. As soon as the newsletter hits your inbox, please forward it. It will only take a few minutes and can make a huge difference to your chapter and members. Thanks!
Associate Members! We still have several associate members who haven’t sent in their 2021 and 2022 dues. We’ve sadly had to drop a handful of members who haven’t responded back to our request to keep their memberships active. As we’ve said many times in the past, our associate members are just as important as our chapters, because you value your professional connections with your Jewish colleagues across the country and around the world. If you aren’t sure if you paid your dues please contact National Shomrim Treasurer Marty Turetzky at rmturetzky@aol.com and he’ll let you know if you’re up to date.