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HOD Galil - Monthly Update
March 2019

Only fitting to have a picture of our forever smiling Immediate Past President Bro. Paul W. bidding you to join him at our Kosher Wine Tasting!.


Kosher Wine tasting - note date & location change

When: 28 Feb 2019 from 6:15 pm till 8:30 pm
Where: 5016 San Felipe St., Houston, Texas 77056

Please RSVP via our web site or one of the e-mail reminders you should have received.

EVENT DETAILS:

Join us at Total Wine & Liquor in the Galleria area for a KOSHER wine tasting and a little education about the wine

we will be tasting. Delicious KOSHER snacks will be served (not dinner).


Cost is $ 20 per person for those who RSVP in advance and guests are welcome. Add them to your RSVP.

Maximum capacity is 40 people.

The following Excellent Kosher Wines will be available for tasting:

  • Yogev Cabernet & Shiraz
  • Yarden Chardonnay
  • Carmel LTD Blend
  • Covenant Red C Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County
  • Covenant Red C Red Blend
  • Baron Herzog Cabernet Reserve Alexander Valley
  • Barons Edmund Benjamin Rothschild

We have requested that Total Wine offers a special HOD Galil discount for wines purchased after the tasting.

Best regards,
HOD Lodge Galil


Upcoming Calendar Highlights -

All the exciting details can be found at www.hodgalil.org/events

 

http://www.houstonkosherchilicookoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/chililogo.png

KOSHER Chili Cook-off in Houston

March 3, 2019 - 6 am to 4pm, teams, 12 noon to 4pm General Public

The annual Houston Kosher Chili Cookoff is back for its 8th year! Click to learn more about the chili cookoff.

NEW location this year - the parking lot at Beth Yeshurun - 4525 Beechnut St, 77096 - entrance on Frankway Dr.

HOD update: We have the dry ingredients ready for drop off and our team is ready to take 1st prize.

Bro.'s Steve M. and Scott G.are on the 1st shift Sunday and Bro.'s Mark K. and Zak K. will be there around 9.30am

We will need help serving food as there are new rules to doing it via health department.

See you there let’s win !!!

(Secret ingredients hidden from view just in case a spy finds this picture. .)

7 of many HOD members who have participated before



Mgmt. Meeting: Thursday March 14th @ 7 pm

                        

 

Sunday March 17th @ 10 am to 11 am

Purim at Goldberg Towers - 10909 Fondren Rd.77096

Help us brighten the days of the residents of Goldberg B'nai BrithTowers by delivering Mishloach Manot, and hametashen to celebrate Purim!


 

New Member Coffee Meeting: April 3rd @ 7 pm.

Please invite any potential members to this meeting

Note: this event is at Bro. Alan Lipman's home


Lodge Meeting: Tuesday March 19th due to Purim. Initiation with dinner

Formal meeting and initiation starts at 6:30 pm sharp

Table Lodge/Dinner starts around 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm


Future Events

Memorial Flag Placement at Houston National Cemetery

- Sunday May 26th, 2019 - starts at 8 am

- 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77038


FYI: Many Jewish Veterans are buried at Houston National Cemetery.


President's Column:

This month brings us the holiday of Purim.  Many are familiar with some of the common things associated with Purim - reading the Megillah, the story of Esther and Haman, costumes and carnivals.  But I want to talk about some of the mitzvot (good deeds, or commandments) associated with Purim, and how they reflect our HOD values.

Our tradition tells us that they are four mitzvot that associated with Purim.  I believe that most of them are analogous to a large portion of the mission and aims of HOD and by explaining them, we can further understand what we are and what we seek to be.

One is reading the Megillah of Esther - telling the story.  When we tell the story of Purim, of Esther and Haman, I believe we are deepening our connection to our tradition - joining an unbroken tradition that stretches back thousands of years.  The story is one of a triumph over evil forces by those that stayed true to their Jewish community, just like HOD helps brethren help the community. This mitzvah also allows our brethren to “to further their knowledge and understanding of the precepts and traditions of Judaism.”  

Another is Mishloach Manot - sending of gifts.  These are food, candy, etc, that one gives to friends and neighbors.  Part of HOD is the creation of a group of men who like hanging out together, who are friends - we commit to “promote goodwill amongst mankind,” and “foster brotherhood amongst members of the Order.”  A group of men that like being together will seek to work together to further the aims of the order.

One of the often-forgotten, but most important mitzvot of Purim is Matanot L'evyonim, which means giving gifts to the poor.  Our tradition says that one should give to at least two families, at least enough for a meal.  This one should actually be the most obvious connection to HOD. Our goals include raising “funds for local worthwhile charities,”  and planning “initiatives to support our community.”

I’m certainly not saying that belong to HOD is like Purim - merely that as we think about Purim and maybe participate in Purim-related activities, we should be reminded of all the good work that we can do with HOD Lodge Galil.

I hope to see you all at an upcoming activity!!

Fraternally,

Bro Marc P


Recent Events:

Last Lodge Meeting Thursday Feb 21st.

This month's lodge was a "Chavershaft" (Camaraderie) lodge. It began at 7.30pm with an extended 45 minute time for snacks, drinks and good conversation with fellow brethren and our guests. The speaker started at around 8.15pm.

According to HOD Grand President, Alan Rubenstein, these lodges can also be used for "candle" purposes, with those attending able to light two candles the next full lodge you attend.

1) We had about 36 brethren attend.

2) Speaker: Jerome Pokroy, spoke about personal defense and Krav Maga.

Brethren Andrew and Ernie practice while Jerome looks on.

3) Pick winning raffle ticket: Worthy Brother Lawrence Barris drew Mark Koblenz, ticket # 91.


4) Date of next lodge: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - Initiation of new members


New members in the last 3 months:

Mauricio Bielaz

Scott Gardner

Brian Gavin

Yigal Saghian

Joshua Segall

Proposed members:

David Fishman

Gadi Pour

Ira Bleiweiss

Alan Cohn

Michael Lemeshev



Featured Brother

Our 2nd featured Bro is: Wor. Bro.Lawrence Barris


Lawrence is a cheerful positive influence on all who have the pleasure of meeting him.

Enjoying a Wonderful Life

By Brother Steve Levine

Founding member and Worthy Brother Lawrence Barris truly believes that he is living a Wonderful Life even though, unlike the movie of the same name, his story did not begin in Bedford Falls nor was his father in the savings and loan business.

Growing up in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Lawrence would occasionally help his entrepreneur dad, Leonard Barris, in the family's food and fancy goods business. Lawrence attended Theodor Herzl Jewish Day School in Port Elizabeth where he excelled in athletics that included tennis, cricket, squash, table tennis, soccer, hockey, and rugby. In his "spare" time, he loved to surf. Lawrence chuckled as he remarked, "I excelled in everything but my education!"

Even Lawrence's religious studies for his Bar Mitzvah took a back seat to his athletic commitments. In fact, a week before his Bar Mitzvah, his Cantor called his parents and stated, “This boy is NOT going to be ready for his Bar Mitzvah in a week!” Lawrence's parents abruptly removed him from school for two solid days and nights so that he could give his complete attention to his Cantor who helped him “cram” for his big day. His commitment paid off and he was able to successfully become a Bar Mitzvah!

After high school, Lawrence entered the South African Police Force which was part of the military training and requirements of all young men at that time in South Africa. Three months after his stint in the South African Police Force, Lawrence met the love of his life and his future bride, Sharlene, through a mutual friend. Sharlene was from Cape Town and was visiting her younger brother, Phillip, who attended Lawrence’s alma mater. It was truly love at first sight! Unfortunately, Lawrence and Sharlene's relationship was derailed the day after they met when Lawrence suffered an eye injury in a game of squash and was hospitalized for the next eight days.

Lawrence and Sharlene dated for the next five years and eventually married in a civil ceremony in a courthouse because Lawrence had applied for his Green Card. Later that year, they had a Jewish ceremony and were married in a Shul in April of 1984. Eventually, they both obtained their Green Cards and moved to Houston, Texas. Presently, they are the proud parents of two children, Jodi (now 33) and Johnathan (now 30) and also are blessed with two wonderful grandchildren. Since arriving in Houston, Lawrence has stayed busy starting and growing a number of businesses which have included a high-end chocolate and coffee company in Town & Country Mall and, later, the Galleria Mall, an A/C and plumbing business, and a janitorial chemical blending business. All were sold for a profit. After those ventures, Lawrence worked for 12 years with Worthy Brothers John and Clive Hess in their computer and metal recycling business. Lawrence now owns and operates commercial/industrial business parks.

Lawrence attributes much of his success as a businessman and as a father to lessons learned from his parents. They taught him the values of discipline, punctuality, respect, fair mindedness, balance, and honesty. He developed his passion for serving others through hisfather Leonard's and his grandfather Connie Barris's involvement in the Hebrew Order of David in South Africa. In fact, Lawrence became one of the youngest members inducted into the Hebrew Order of David Lodge Hillel at the age of 21!

When Lawrence and Sharlene emigrated to the U.S., Lawrence was disappointed to learn that Houston did not have a lodge. There had been an earlier attempt, but, it had not been successful. In 2015, while visiting daughter Jodi and her husband, Josh Sanchez, Lawrence was introduced to several ranking HOD Lodge Brethren from Atlanta who were consecrating the Lodge in Dallas. They told him that they were more than happy to help Lawrence start a lodge in Houston. So, with their help, the Houston Galil Lodge was consecrated on November 8, 2015 with about 30 founding Brethren.

With a loving, close-knit family, a successful business, and a growing HOD Lodge Galil, I would have to agree with Lawrence that he truly is enjoying a wonderful life!.


Good Work of the Lodge

Bro Manny wants to remind us of this feature to our members.

Always looking to put people to work and places to offer them work.

Prison Chaplaincy

Dear HOD Brothers,

Bro. Mannie M. and Myself are looking for volunteers to assist with the Jewish programs at the Stringfellow Prison in Rosharon and the Jester 3 Prison in Richmond.

If you are interested in getting involved by visiting one of the prisons, please send a picture of your Drivers License to rabbi@rabbired.com ASAP.

We will then call a meeting and have a training session which will allow you to be a volunteer. Need at least 6 people to have an orientation class.

Bro.Rabbi Dovid G.

Gravestone Project

The lodge is embarking on an impressive mitzvah project.

Bro Alan L.and Bro Ivor S.are heading up the start of a large project to get all Jewish Cemeteries to get stones on graves that do not have them. More details to follow soon. These are for burials that occurred many years ago and for one reason or another the deceased either did not have local family or the family themselves might be deceased now.

So far it looks like most of the Rabbis and Shuls are on board and we are now waiting to get an estimate of how many will be needed,which will enable us to firm up a price for markers.

Let all souls rest in peace with markers.

For anyone interested in helping on this project, please do not hesitate to call us.

Bro Alan and Bro Ivor


2018 Recap Video

Here's where to see the video of our activities through 2018.

https://youtu.be/MGRz1xheEqg

This video was "Premiered" at the wonderful Spouse Appreciation Brunch held on 1-27-2019 at the ERJCC.



HOD Galil of Houston Officers

Albert Passy - President

Shim Brookman - Vice-President

Paul Wainstein - PastPresident

Joe Blog- Treasurer

Jeff Klein - Secretary

Josh Sanchez - Preceptor

Mark Katzenellenbogen - Scribe

Steve Levine - Registrar

Andrew Toubin -Inner Guard

Lawrence Barris - Trustee

Steve Meyer - Trustee

Alan Lipman - Trustee

Nat Levy Honorary- Trustee


HOD Podcast!!!

A Jewish radio station in South Africa has a weekly radio show/podcast on HOD with a former HOD International Grand President, Stan Klaff . You can listen here:

http://www.chaifm.com/the-hod/

UPDATE: One of the latest one includes WB Lawrence Barris, our founding President!!... :

HOD Reverse

Thursday 31 January 2019

6 to 7pm

Why Our Service Organizations Are Dying (and how to fix them)

Michael Brand from Portland, Oregon

Wor Bro Lawrence Barris founder of Lodge Galil in Houston

ChaiFM is not only Live on Air it has live streaming as well

http://www.chaifm.com/

Recordings of the show will be available on the site and we will distribute regularly

We are also selling Advertising during the show in 30 second slots - reasonable rates - just ask - the revenue is part of a fundraising exercise for the Order

for any queries or suggestions (most welcome)

Wor Bro Stan Klaff

--- finis ---

(c) 2016, 2017Hebrew Order of David

Lodge Galil, Houston, TX

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