The Presidential Memorial Award was created in 1965 to honor the memory of Abraham Leonard z”l (FJMC International President 1941-43) and Philip L. Goldstein z”l (FJMC International President 1961-63). The Award has been presented to only 9 men prior to the current honoree Myles Simpson since it was established. Each recipient was recognized for his vision and leadership skills that have advanced the FJMC as a leading organization in Conservative Masorti Judaism worldwide. These have made incredible and long lasting contributions to the organization or a particular program of the organization and warranted special recognition has been warranted. Our latest honoree at the 2025 Convention, Past International President Myles Simpson, is presented here, with past honorees. (Note: Several have left us, but we honor their memories and legacy in the FJMC.)
Myles Simpson is a past International President of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, the umbrella organization serving men’s clubs and individuals in Synagogues across North America and internationally. Leading up to that role, he served as President of his own Men’s Club at Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks, CA, President of the FJMC Western Region, and held several FJMC positions including Chairman of the Yom HaShoah Yellow Candle Program and Chairman of FJMC’s 2011 International Convention. Myles was his Region’s Ma’asim Tovim Honoree in 2007. He also served as Chair of the FJMC Foundation for Jewish Life, the organization that provides long-term financial support to the FJMC. In recent years Myles has been mentoring upcoming FJMC leaders at the club, region, and international levels, was involved in helping onboard our new Executive Director, and participated in the Atid Committee to help envision the future of FJMC.
Myles has been very involved in his Synagogue for the past 30 years. He has served on the Temple Board for several years, including Chair of the Search Committees for the Synagogue’s Rabbi and Chazzan, Vice President of Religion and Worship, and Temple President from 2006-2008.
Myles has also served on the Boards of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, the Jewish Theological Seminary, Mercaz USA, and served on several committees of United Synagogue and the Jewish Federation Council. He began his career in the Jewish volunteer world as President of a local chapter of Mogen David Adom.
Myles retired at the end of 2012 from the Boeing Company where he worked as an engineering manager. Prior to that Myles worked for an acoustics engineering consulting firm.
Myles and his wife Gail have been married for 55 years and have three wonderful sons and nine amazing grandchildren, who make them very happy and keep them young! In his spare time, Myles supports Gail in her tireless efforts for Na’amat, which is a social services organization in Israel. They were both awarded the Na’amat Distinguished Community Leader Award in 2017. Myles and Gail also enjoy traveling to interesting countries around the world, including visiting Israel regularly.
Norm Kurtz, of Buffalo Grove, IL, is married to his lovely wife Joan for forty-seven years and is blessed with three married children and seven beautiful grandchildren.
Norm recently retired from his well-respected law practice of over forty-five years. He served as a member of the local school board of education and continues to represent the Jewish community on the local interfaith council.
Norm belongs to Congregation Beth Judea since 1976, where he was a teacher in the religious school for many years and is a regular prayer service leader. After serving as an officer and director of CBJ for many years, in 1987 Norm took the lead in recreating his synagogue’s Men’s Club. After serving as its president, Norm then became involved with his mentor and friend, Jerry Agrest, in revitalizing the FJMC’s Midwest Region. The Region is now among the strongest in the FJMC, due in large part to Norm’s efforts and resolve.
Norm served as FJMC’s International President from 2007 – 2009. He earned this position by his active involvement and quality leadership on various committees and projects of the FJMC. Three initiatives are worthy of individual note.
When relatively new to the FJMC Norm became involved in observance and ritual training for the FJMC’s leadership. Known for his creative presentations on the meaning of using tefillin in prayer, Norm’s vision eventually led to the production of the FJMC’s tefillin film “The Ties That Bind” and the adoption of the now famous Worldwide Wrap. Norm now promotes and teaches an innovative Alternative Interpretive Minyan for Shabbat morning services, and co-authored with his FJMC colleague Bob Braitman the book “Building Shabbat Community”.
Norm, with Burt Fischman of blessed memory, created the FJMC’s Leadership Development Institute. The LDI annual conference, now enjoying its 20th year of success, brings together scores of men each year from across North America for FJMC leadership education and training.
With its successful keruv/outreach programs the FJMC has earned its place among the leading organizations of the Conservative/Masorti Movement. Norm was actively involved in that initiative of inclusion from its conception.
The FJMC, the Masorti/Conservative Movement and the greater Jewish community have benefited and will continue to benefit greatly from Norm’s limitless passion, dedication and leadership.
Steve is a past International President of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs and has a long record of service to the FJMC, its Middle Atlantic Region and to AJ. He has chaired numerous congregational committees and is a past Secretary and Vice-President of Congregation Adath Jeshurun. He was designated Hatan Torah, Bridegroom of the Torah, for his extensive service to the congregation. During his presidency and honorary presidency of the Adath Jeshurun Men’s Association, his club was the recipient of nine national Torch Awards including the most coveted award — First Place — Best Overall Activities. He continues to serve AJ as an Honorary Director and as a member of various committees.
Steve was President of the Middle Atlantic Region FJMC from 1984 to1986. His term of office was characterized by creating the MAR Guide to Organization, Program and Services, establishing regional participation in the citywide services for the Jewish blind, fostering implementation of congregational-level Tay-Sach awareness screening programs, making provision for Purim entertainment at homes for the Jewish elderly, breaking ground for the Lee Linder MAR Ramah Poconos Recreation Center, and endowing a classroom at the Mandel Education Center. He is a recipient of the Samuel Horowitz Award for distinguished service to MAR.
Steve served as International President from 1997 to 1999. During this time, FJMC developed and published the Hearing Men’s VoicesSeries and produced Ties That Bind, a world-acclaimed educational videotape dealing with tefillin. The latter was produced in two versions — traditional and egalitarian — a first for meeting the diverse needs of the Conservative Movement and its synagogues. The tradition of the “President’s Torah Mantel,” a needlepoint Torah cover (crafted by Steve’s wife, Chellie) which resides in the synagogue of the FJMC President, was established and implemented during his term of office. Since 1999, this FJMC iconic symbol has graced the synagogues of succeeding Federation presidents and has been touched and admired by thousands of individuals across North America. During his presidency, Steve served on the Leadership Council of the Conservative Movement, was Vice President of Mercaz, Vice President of the World Council of Synagogues and on the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Theological Seminary. To date, Steve is the only FJMC President to participate in the commencement exercises of the Jewish Theological Seminary. He continues to serve FJMC as the Secretary of the FJMC Foundation for Jewish Life and co-chairs the recently created Long-Range Financial Planning Committee charged with creating a blueprint for the financial well-being of FJMC. t
Bob Braitman is a past International President of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs. As FJMC President, he was Chair of the Leadership Council for Conservative Judaism. He is a past President of the New England Region of FJMC, his congregation, Temple Shaare Tefilah in Norwood, Massachusetts, and past president of his brotherhood. He has made his mark in many critical areas in more than 30 years of involvement with Men’s Clubbing and the FJMC.
The bio below is from 2013 when Bob was honored by FJMC in 2013 as only the 7th recipient of the “Presidential Award”. At that time the book “Jewish Men at the Crossroads” which was edited by Bob was dedicated in his honor as well.
Bob was a driving force bringing together leadership of FJMC, Women’s League and United Synagogue to produce a unified publication-CJ:Kolot, Voices of Conservative/Masorti Judaism that is now entering its seventh year of publication.
Since 1997 Bob has been responsible for the widely acclaimed “Hearing Men’s Voices” series. Through a series of essays and programming outlines, he has created men’s club programming opportunities for men to join in community and explore issues ranging from men’s roles as fathers and sons, to men’s health, spirituality, work, and the difficult issue of dealing with intermarriage in our families and communities.
Bob’s fascination with our liturgy has been demonstrated in his leading of many creative and participatory services and his famous Learner’s “Minyan in the Grove” which has welcomed many men into the subtleties of practices and meanings of our daily prayers.
He is certified as a Mohel by the Rabbinical Assembly after completing the Brit Kodesh program at JTS.
Bob is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of SUNY at Buffalo and received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He practices Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in Norwood and Franklin, where he is past Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Norwood Hospital. He is also past Chair of the Men’s Heath Committee for the Massachusetts Medical Society. He and his wife, Bonnie Gordon live in Boston, Massachusetts.
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