National Shomrim Convention Recap and News
Our recent National Shomrim was, once again, special and successful. We had three amazing speakers that presented interesting topics that were truly timely. Guest Ryan Levin spoke on synagogue security, our friend Jerry Steiner gave a unique presentation on antique police cars and fire cars that were manufactured by Jews in the 1940s and 1950s, and Deputy Inspector Scot Pomerantz gave attendees a behind the scenes explanation of the migrant buses that have been arriving into the Port Authority Bus Terminal. The presentations were well attended and certainly timely.
National Shomrim business was attended to, and the National Shomrim Board was elected. Let’s welcome two new members to our Executive Board – PO Jonathan Schneider of Port Authority Shomrim was voted in as the Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms, and Lt. Stacy Barasch of Miami-Dade PD and Co-Secretary of South Florida Shomrim was voted in as Marshall. It’s always great to have new members join the Board, bringing new ideas and fresh thoughts to National Shomrim. Additionally, past National Shomrim President/Past NYPD Shomrim President Stuart Portner requested to be considered to the vacant position of Eastern Region Vice President and he was unanimously appointed to that position. The current National Shomrim Executive Board is as follows:
- President – Spencer Strauss, NYPD Shomrim
- Executive Vice President – Dave Rosenzweig, FDNY Ner Tamid
- First Vice President – Ben Gelber, NYPD Shomrim
- Second Vice President – David Appel, Shomrim of Illinois
- Treasurer – Marty Turetzky, NYPD Shomrim
- Recording Secretary – Scot Pomerantz, Port Authority Shomrim
- Corresponding Secretary – Betty Astrizky, Port Authority Shomrim
- Sergeant-at-Arms – Jeff Grossman, ICE/Bexar County, TX
- Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms – Jonathan Schneider, Port Authority Shomrim
- Marshall – Stacy Barasch, South Florida Shomrim
Our 2025 convention has been set! The Celebrity Ascent will host National Shomrim on January 12, 2025, for a seven day idyllic Western Caribbean cruise to Nassau, Labadee (private island), and Grand Cayman. Please contact our official National Shomrim cruise planner Tony Lostumbo at cruisexpo@gmail.com for information and to book a cabin. Our block of cabins sell out quickly, so don’t delay. There are about 20 cabins remaining that are being held for National Shomrim at our specially reduced price, so book before they are gone or they have to be returned to Celebrity. Once they’re out of our hands anyone wanting to attend the convention will have to pay the published price, which will be much higher than what we are paying now.
In conjunction with National Police Week, May 11-16,2024, the National Shomrim Kaddish Service will take place on Monday, May 13, 2024, at 1000 at Judiciary Square in Washington D.C. Jay Gruber, President of Shomrim of D.C., will provide more details as the date draws closer.
Make plans to join National Shomrim as we march up the world famous Fifth Avenue in NYC in the annual Celebrate Israel Parade on Sunday June 2, 2024. This year’s these is dedicated to the IDF and the many organizations and groups that helped Israel at the beginning of the war and continue to provide support – “Lev Achad, V’Am Echad” – One Heart and One People. If you’ve never attended this parade in the past, this is the year you should make every effort to join us. It will be one of the most important events of Jewish pride since the start of the war. Make your reservations now. There will also be a short National Shomrim meeting prior to the parade, so we’d love to have all our chapters represented and as many of our associate members as possible attend both the meeting and the parade.
Chapter News
South Florida Shomrim’s annual picnic, is set for Sunday, March 31, 2024, at TY Park in Hollywood, Florida. Their picnic, scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., is free of charge and always popular, with members from many chapters attending. Please consider donating funds, goods and services for their raffle to South Florida Shomrim for the picnic. They’re tax deductible as the organization is a 501(c)(3) charity. And please mark your calendars for their annual dinner dance on Thursday, November 7, 2024. Once details are set we’ll let you know.
Hold the date for the Annual Nassau Shomrim Passover Food Drive, scheduled for Sunday, April 21, 2024. Details to follow.
Shomrim of Illinois had a great turnout for their Chanukah Luncheon on December 11, 2023. Held at the Bernard Horwich JCC, guests were treated to lox and bagels with all the trimmings plus herring and other treats. Cantor Heri Chulef entertained the crowd with wonderful songs and led the candle lighting ceremony. A huge shout out to event chair Sgt. Ari Briskman of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Shomrim of Illinois Recording Secretary and to his wife Stefani for her help. Save the following dates for their annual picnic, tentatively set for Sunday, July 28, 2024, and their annual dinner dance, Thursday, November 14, 2024, at the Doubletree in Skokie, IL.
FDNY Ner Tamid reports their online store is up and running. To purchase their swag please log onto https://shop.thestitchnprintstore.com/fdny_ner_tamid/shop/home and look thru their shirts, sweatshirts, hats, patches, their personalized kippot and much more. There is a limited amount of their Ner Tamid Society Riding Position Dreidels for both Engine and Trucks sold as a pair for $20.00, so check out their website, fdnynts.org.
The 100th Anniversary Celebration of NYPD Shomrim will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City, NYC. This event is sure to be historic, and details will be provided once they are announced.
Sam Harris, a former honoree for Shomrim of Illinois Man of the Year, was featured in the January 2024 issue of the Rotary Magazine. Sam is a Holocaust survivor and has spend many hours educating students and many groups and institutions about his experience in Nazi occupied Poland, including his years in a Jewish slave labor camp. Sam was also instrumental in founding the Illinois Holocaust Museum, which houses his personal mementos and experiences. You can read the article in depth on the Shomrim of Illinois Facebook page.
A week before the Port Authority Police graduated their 122nd class, the police cadets of the PAPD Police Academy had the opportunity to hear the first hand account of Holocaust survivor David Halberstam. This educational opportunity, created by PA Shomrim, has become a regular part of the PAPD’s curriculum and is even more important in light of today’s surging antisemitism in our cities and our country. Along with Port Authority Shomrim/PAPD Chaplain Rabbi Mendy Carlebach and Port Authority Shomrim President Deputy Inspector Scot Pomerantz, Mr. Halberstam gave his personal testimony to the cadets, ensuring they hear and understand what ignorance and hate can produce.
We’ve unfortunately been notified that Shomrim of Massachusetts is shutting down their chapter. Their treasurer Michael Marram reported that it was getting difficult to get quorums for meetings and to recruit new members. Monies left over in their treasury was donated to Combined Jewish Philanthropies. We hope that one day Shomrim of Massachusetts can regroup and once again be a vital chapter in National Shomrim.
Member News
Shomrim of Illinois President and National Shomrim 2nd Vice President David Appel and his wife Miriam attended the Alliance of Hispanic Law Enforcement gala on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at the Chicago O’Hare Hilton. The Hispanic Alliance has been a loyal partner to Shomrim of Illinois and have been a strong supporter of Israel and continue to stand with Shomrim and Israel during these difficult times. Shomrim of Illinois members Matt Savage and Judge Megan Goldish also attended the gala. A picture is posted on the National Shomrim Facebook page.
National Shomrim Associate Member Fred Kanter (retired, White Plains, NY, PD) and his wife Robin are proud to announce that their son Dr. Marc Kanter has been promoted to Chief of the Emergency Department at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, NY.
The recent graduating class of the NYPD Police Academy featured a special graduate – Police Officer Danielle Weisbord. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because she is the sister of current NYPD Shomrim President Philip Weisbord and retired NYPD Shomrim member Michael Weisbord. Michael couldn’t be more proud of both his children and wishing them a safe and great NYPD career. NYPD Shomrim also had several new members join their organization from the latest class, and congratulations to them as well.
On Sunday, January 14, 2024, a birthday party was held for NYPD Shomrim Life Member Ted Newman. His family celebrated Ted’s 95th birthday, with his daughters flying in from Florida and Arizona to join this milestone birthday, along with his grandchildren, great grandchildren and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. Ted thoroughly enjoyed his special day.
In December, the New Jersey Retired Police and Fireman’s Local 3 donated $500 to Bris Avrohom, an organization that provides education and services to Jews from all walks of life. On hand to present the donation was National Shomrim Associate Member Don Wilkenfeld.
Congratulations to Nassau Shomrim Sarah Feinstein for being selected as the honoree for the East Rockaway (NY) Kiwanis Club Police Award. Keep up the good work Sarah!
Sarah was also quick to respond and provide Nassau County PD and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department patches to Norm Turenshine, President of the Shomrim Society of the NYS Court Officers, which he brought to Israel along with patches from the NYS Court Officers, Boston PD, Texas Shomrim (Bexar County PD), and Wisconsin PD. These patches were presented to the current police chief of the Sderot Police Department in Israel. Norm was in Israel to attend a memorial service for his cousin, Major Itay Yehoshua, who was killed in the early days of the war. Norm was shown unedited security camera footage and surveillance videos of the day of the attacks and the fierce battles between Hamas and police officers. We’re anxious to hear what Norm saw and was told about that horrific day and how the Israeli Police are responding to the ongoing critical situation in our spiritual homeland. His narrative has been posted on the National Shomrim Facebook page, and while it’s tough to read, it’s important to understand the horrors that occurred on October 7, 2023.
Mazal tov to longtime Shomrim of Illinois member Scott Sophier. Scott was promoted to the rank of Commander with the Evanston (IL) Police Department. His wife Deborah and their two children were present to witness his promotion.
Let’s welcome our new associate member Matthew Koch! Matt, a resident of Levittown, Long Island, NY, served our country and is a retired captain from the US Marine Corps. He also worked for the Department of Homeland Security, where he was assigned to TSA at JFK International Airport. Welcome Matt, and we look forward to meeting you at any one of the many events coming up.
With sadness, National Shomrim mourns the passing of the following individuals:
- South Florida Shomrim member retired MBPD Assistant Director Irving Heller lost his longtime life partner Rhoda Kovacs Stern on February 24, 2024. Irv and Rhoda were devoted to each other and doted on each other, sharing lots of events, dinners and galas for over 20 years. A private family service was held. Donations in Rhoda’s memory can be made to treasurersouthfloridashomrim@gmail.com.
- Ruth Gally, mother of Nassau Shomrim member Bob Gally. A graveside service was held on Friday, January 3, 2024, at Mount Ararat Cemetery in New York.
- FDNY Ner Tamid regretfully announced the passing of Elise Cornell, sister of member Brian Laine, on December 19, 2023.
- South Florida Shomrim Society Secretary Lt. Stacy Barasch said goodbye to her beloved father, Martin Barasch, on Friday, December 1, 2023. Services were held at Lakeside Memorial Park in Miami.
May the Gally, Laine/Cornell and Barasch, Heller and Stern families no know more sorrows, and may they be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Shomrim Remembers
NYPD Police Officer David Guttenberg, age 49, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Thursday, December 28, 1978, when he walked into a robbery in progress. He entered an auto body shop near the corner of 86th Street and 7th Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to check on a double parked car. Unbeknownst to him, there was a man inside robbing the shop. When PO Guttenberg entered, the robber opened fire and shot him. A look out who was standing near the double parked car fled when he heard the shots. PO Guttenberg’s partner, who was sitting in their parked patrol car, was unaware of the robbery and that his partner was mortally wounded. The owner of the body shop ran out when the suspects fled. Unfortunately, his partner was unable to apprehend either suspect, as they fled in a vehicle. PO Guttenberg was rushed to a local hospital, where he tragically died without regaining consciousness in the arms of his wife Barbara. Thankfully both men were apprehended and sentenced to life in prison. His killer died in prison; the lookout was paroled in July 2014, which the NYPD PBA strongly condemned. PO Guttenberg was a United States Army veteran and served the NYPD for 18 years, was assigned to the 68th precinct, and was the fourth police officer to be killed in the line of duty in 1978. He was survived by his wife Barbara and four children. In October 2017, in the presence of his daughters, 86th Street and 7th Avenue in Brooklyn was renamed Patrolman David Guttenberg Avenue. His wife Barbara, who passed away in 2011, was instrumental in pushing for bullet proof vests for police officers, helping to save many lives.
CHAPTER PRESIDENTS!
This is a reminder – again – to submit all your chapter’s upcoming events, news, requests and member information to the National Shomrim Facebook page. Please do not send them to the Corresponding Secretary via email. That will only delay the posting of your chapter’s event and news. If you are unable to submit it, appoint a member of your chapter to be your social media coordinator. It will be approved in a timely manner and you will have a wider audience than waiting for the newsletter to go out or for an email to be sent. Additionally, all your members should join the National Shomrim Facebook page. This has been an ongoing issue, where chapter members don’t know that we have a Facebook page. Don’t be stubborn and don’t be dinosaurs. It’s 2024! You need to establish social media presences on Facebook or Instagram, X or any other app you feel comfortable using. And don’t forget to follow and like our chapter’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Please send in your National Shomrim chapter 2024 dues of $100 as soon as possible.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS!
We still have a handful of members who have not paid their 2023 Associate Member Dues. And sadly we’ve had to drop a few members who haven’t paid dues for two or more years. We truly dislike doing that but numerous emails were sent and phone calls made, with no responses. Can we ask, once again, to those members who haven’t paid their 2023 National Shomrim dues, to please send them in ASAP? Can we also ask our associate members to start sending in their 2024 dues? Our dues have not gone up in years, they remain at $18.00 per year, so please send them in as soon as you have a chance. The Treasurer’s address is listed below and your payment can be sent out thru your bank without you having to write a check. Either way, please take care of this as soon as possible.
Everyone should ask to join the National Shomrim Facebook page. It is the quickest way to learn about upcoming National Shomrim and chapter events, as well as updates on our members and job opportunities. Please ask to join but you must answer the questions before you will be approved. We’ve had several members recommend family and friends to join the Facebook page. As a reminder, they must have a clear connection to Shomrim and must answer the questions. Several months ago a hacker daily submitted dozens of names thru false Facebook accounts. The admins spent hours deleting them. So please ensure that when you recommend a person for the National Shomrim Facebook page, they must be either a member of a chapter or have a legitimate reason to want to be a part of our group.