HWR is in the process of rebranding to be more accessible to us younger members of FJMC and to move the retirement focus to managing your legacy.  We welcome your input of ideas and graphics.

Health Editor Dr. Steven Mandel brings us an article on Thyroid disorders from a colleague, Dr. Shira Eytan. (Just a note from a careful reader David Tobolowsky, that there was a typo in the last article on Sjogren Syndrome.  “… he mentioned "anticholinergic" medications, but these would increase drying.  I believe he meant "cholinergic" medications.”  Yes, thanks.)

Wealth Editor Gary Smith helps us bring focus on why we are so passionate about FJMC, accumulating wealth and the meaning of Legacy.  He also continues his series of articles to raise our awareness of the ins and outs of investing.

Guest contributor, New England Region VP, Stephen Golden shares his concerns and insights into the safety and security of our institutions and ourselves as we live and pray as Jews.

 
This issue has 4 articles:

1. Health Article  - Thyroid Disorder by Shira Eytan MD
2. Wealth Article 1: Living Your Legacy by Gary Smith
3. Wealth Article 2: What is going to Happen next in the Melt Up - a Personal Viewpoint
4. Security Article:  Security Considerations in a Faith Based Institution by Stephen William Golden

Please do not miss the overt and underlying messages of all these articles that FJMC continues to be a place that we need to be participating in with our financial support as well as our time.

Be sure to be in touch with Richard Gray, Editor, at rgray@fjmc.org with your articles, comments, appreciation and critiques. Each issue is brought to you by your editorial staff that includes:

• Richard Gray (Editor in Chief)
• Steven Mandel MD (Medical Editor)
• Gary Smith (Wealth Editor)
• Mark Druy (Publisher)

This HWR was sent out on , at approximately 9:30 PM (Eastern and prior to Shabbat).

While often undiagnosed, 1 in 9 Americans has a thyroid disorder. Diagnosis and proper care can make a significant difference in daily activities and overall health, making detection important. So what is the thyroid gland and what should you be looking for?
 
Your thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland in your neck which produces hormones that play a critical role in almost every bodily function. Among other things, these hormones play key roles in metabolism—the process that allows you to get energy from food. The main hormone your thyroid gland produces is thyroxine (T4). Your body has a very sensitive mechanism to keep these levels at an ideal range, and when this fails, a wide range of symptoms may develop. Anyone can develop a thyroid disorder, though it occurs more commonly in women and as we age.  It also tends to run in families.

Different thyroid problems cause different symptoms and are treated differently. Common thyroid disorders and problems include:

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is a disorder in which your thyroid doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone, and is most commonly caused by an autoimmune process.  However, it is important to note that many medications may also cause hypothyroidism. Your T4 levels will drop and in response, the pituitary gland in the brain will try to stimulate thyroid production by producing a hormone known as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Most people who have an underactive thyroid gland will have low blood levels of T4 and high blood levels of TSH. Common symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, constipation and cramping, hair loss, as well as impaired memory, depression, and slowed heart rate.

Hyperthyroidism
 
Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) is a disorder in which your thyroid gland produces a level of thyroid hormones that is too high. This may be caused by an autoimmune process, a recent illness, or a growth (nodule) on the gland that is secreting excess hormone. Hyperthyroidism can speed up your body’s metabolism, causing different symptoms including fast or irregular heart rate, sweating, and weight loss. However, older adults may also develop a form of hyperthyroidism known as apathetic thyrotoxicosis, which causes many symptoms similar to hypothyroidism.

Thyroid Nodules
 
Thyroid nodules are solid or fluid-filled growths that develop anywhere on your thyroid gland. These are very common and also increase in frequency as we age. It is very common to find these by chance, for example when undergoing a carotid ultrasound during a workup with your cardiologist. About 95% of these are benign, but your endocrinologist may order a fine needle aspiration (biopsy) to rule out cancer depending on the size and features of the nodules on ultrasound.  Often these nodules do not cause any symptoms and may go undetected for years.

Thyroid Cancer
 
A thyroid biopsy performed by your endocrinologist or radiologist can distinguish cancerous vs benign nodules. While the majority of thyroid cancer is spontaneous, some are caused by a history of radiation to the neck or a family history of thyroid cancer.  Thyroid cancer is treated with surgery and sometimes with radioactive iodine afterwards.

Though you can’t see it, your thyroid is playing a critical role in your health everyday. If you’re not feeling yourself, it may be to blame. If you have noticed some of these symptoms, ask your doctor to check your thyroid function.

Shira Eytan, MD is a board-certified endocrinologist practicing at Park Avenue Endocrinology and Nutrition at 103 East 75th Street. She is affiliated with Lenox Hill Hospital, Mount Sinai, and NYU. www.Parkavendo.com

This week we are bringing you a Wealth Tip that should be high priority for everyone.  What does Legacy really mean to me?

Many leaders do not consider their legacy - what they leave behind for the organization and the people they served.

Legacy has several meanings to me. When I give talks, one of the questions I almost always ask of the audience is “How do you want to be remembered?” I find most people have not really thought about this.  The question gets to the core of who we are, what we want to accomplish out of our lives and finally how we want to be remembered. Everyone has an opportunity to make a difference in some way shape or form.  The reality of life is that giving, in some form whether it is financial, volunteering, or both, makes us feel better about ourselves.  It gives us a purpose, a focus that makes us feel relevant in the world. 
For most of us receiving this newsletter, FJMC is an important part of the legacy we are creating.  Yes, FJMC is not just about what we are doing today in our club, it is about how we want the Jewish world to evolve.
 
We know that remembering through Yellow Candles is important; that carrying forward traditions through tefillin and the World Wide Wrap is important; that breaking bread and spirits with fellow Jewish men and involving ourselves and our families in Jewish life is important; that investing in Jewish experiences through Men’s Club Shabbat and synagogue involvement is important; that learning and growing leadership skills in the umbrella of Jewish ethics is different from learning in the secular world and is important; being part of the evolving Jewish world beyond home and synagogue community is important…..  This is FJMC to me and I hope to you.

If you stop now you will have received my message.  Read more if you would like to take action and make a significant financial difference in an organization where a thousand dollars puts you in the top 1% of donors and keeps the organization going for virtually another whole day.  This is FJMC.

My wife and family have made a priority of giving financially to those things we believe in most.  Thru discussions with our lawyer and development of a plan we have been able to balance yearly giving with legally committing to legacy gifts in our wills for our most valued and trusted organizations. Many of the organizations do not even know they are part of those gifts.  FJMC and the FJMC Foundation for Jewish Life are near the top of our lists.

Legacy is what FJMC is all about. Many of us have been a part of the growth of FJMC thru the years. Consider a Legacy gift to the FJMC Foundation for Jewish life. This will help to assure the future of your FJMC.

Contact FJMC through me, Gary Smith, or Richard Gray our Editor, if you or your family lawyer would like to discuss this philosophy further. I hope this tip strikes an emotional feeling and helps you think about your past and future legacies. Please contact me with any questions at at gsmith@fjmc.org

So, we talk about the melt up from time to time.  I did a whole wealth tip on it a few weeks ago.  I discussed how we are in the 9th inning of the Bull Market.  So I get questions frequently. Things are not good and the melt up is not going to occur that you described, right?  What do you think now? Where are we now? 
 
I am still extremely bullish on the short and intermediate term. So why do I say that.
Every melt up in the last 50 years is mired with extreme movements in the markets.  We see conditions so powerful that we believe, and rightfully so, that the markets have moved up so much that they cannot move up much more. What we are seeing with the extreme corrections are devastating to the individual investor. However, lets break down the reasons why and what might we expect and show it might even be good.

1. The markets are reacting to interest rates.
2. The markets are reacting to the tariffs.
3. The markets are correcting and a 10 % correction is not uncommon during these melt ups.
4. The individual investor typically panics and sells stocks.
5. The yield curve has flattened but not inverted as discussed 2 issues ago.
6. The number of advancing companies is still higher than the number of declining ones.

 Consider the reasons for a potential melt up:

1. Every melt up begins after extreme fear, for example in 1998 we had extreme fear when Asian markets went crashing. People were selling profusely. This was followed by a 200% gain in 18 months. Markets going higher than ever thought possible followed by the melt down where markets went lower than everyone thought possible.
2. All the negative news is built into this recent extreme fear.
3. The tariff situation will likely get better. No one ever wins a tariff war and this one will be no different.
4. Arguably most of the sellers are gone; so downside risk is not as much as it was.
5. The fastest gains in the markets come in the final inning of a melt up.
6. In short this is the best time to own US stocks. Internationals have been down for so long so they may be close to a buy.
7. Defining fear is difficult. Defining fear can be done by checking out the volatility index. The Nasdaq is now outperforming the Dow stocks and this is a good sign.
8. We have a congress coming that has virtually stabilized politics for the next 2 years. This is great for markets. Markets always like stability.

The advance - decline line is only one way of determining the health of the market. Stocks in 4 categories typically do well for the market to continue its upswing:  Banks, Transportation Companies, Smaller Companies, and the Equal Weight Index. These categories pretty much give a gauge of the markets.   Only the banks are on a little shaky ground right now but not in trouble.

The great gauge is fear. Everything that is happening now is paralleling what happened in 1998-2001. Does it mean it will happen again? NO! But everything is pretty much the same conditions.  I believe this will help propel this market to spectacular gains. How long will it last? No one knows but when the yield curve inverts that will be a signal that within 6-12 months the Bull will end.
 
Most people have gotten used to consistent gains and easy money but that has changed.
Many companies have formed because of a glut of private equity money to buy doctors offices, veterinary offices, apartments and other real estate.  The reason is a lot of money is available, but due to low interest rates there are better investment possibilities. That means investors need to find a place to put their dollars.
 
Next issue I will develop these concepts a little more.  This was put together by my own research and experiences.  I am not suggesting you invest according to these ideas. The discussion is to expose you to asking questions of your advisors so that you can make informed and rational decisions about your portfolios.  Please sit down with your own financial advisors to more fully understand your portfolio.  As always comments are welcomed. Contact Gary Smith at gsmith@fjmc.org

In discussing Faith Based security there is a need to carefully weigh increased security against an open and welcoming environment. Traditionally temples and churches have been open and welcoming environments, however with the actions taking place today there is an increased need for controls and security.

When discussing security for any Temple, Hebrew School, Pre-School etc. we must first look at the purpose of the institution. You need to consider security for the physical structure and the people involved in its use.  Securing the physical structure is quite different from securing the people that use it. You need to consider the purpose and use of your structure. The more open the facility is the more vulnerable it is. Do you want it totally open and vulnerable or do you want it completely locked all the time and open to no one.

The physical structure is secured by various means such as locks, alarms, panic buttons, etc. Securing the people that use that structure is a much more obscure situation. You need to consider what is the target audience. In the case of a pre-school you may have children that cannot walk and need to fully escorted. At the other end at the Temple you have children and adults.  While we may be able to rely on the adults to take care of their very young children you will also have adults that need help in moving. In any case you need to deal with the natural panic that occurs in an emergency situation.

Building security is broken down into 4 basic areas Alarm Systems, Surveillance, Access Control, and Panic Buttons.  When considering Alarm Systems there are 2 areas of consideration physical security and environmental security. The normal physical systems are mainly covered by a ‘burglar alarm system’, which should be an actively monitored with automatic testing or constant verification. The alarm system should also provide environmental monitoring for fire and water, temperature, etc. The fire alarm should monitor pull boxes, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, gas detectors (if there is gas in the building) and sprinkler systems. The alarm system should also monitor for water in areas such as the kitchen and bathrooms. It is critical to also monitor building temperature as this can help to prevent problems such as burst pipes before they happen.

Building security should also include surveillance systems. Surveillance should monitor key areas and be recorded to help differentiate between a normal break-in and a hate crime. Good surveillance systems with retained video can also help capture the criminals.

In today’s environment it is essential to control access to the building. Access can be controlled by several means or a combination of those means. Access can be controlled by keys but this has been proven to be a problem. A better way is with electronic locks with key fobs. Each key fob has its own code and can easily be disabled when not deeded. In addition, most key fob systems can limit key fob access to selected times. Access to others can be limited by having a remote access system.  In a remote access system a user rings a bell and the security person in the building can see and speak to the person before access is granted. The final area of physical security is panic buttons. This can be via hard wired panic buttons or wireless buttons. Wireless panic buttons can be placed in strategic locations or carried by strategic people.

To repeat some of the above, in dealing with event security we are dealing with the security of people and need to know what is our target audience. In the case of a pre-school you may have children that can not walk and need to fully escorted. At the other extreme at the Temple you have children and adults and while we may be able to rely on the adults to take care of their very young children you will also have adults that need help in moving.

In the case of a Hebrew school you can limit entrance to teachers and students, but then you may have parents, etc. that will need access. Services and meetings are a more difficult problem as you may have people that are there more occasionally. Bar Mitzvahs and regional services may mean you have unknown people entering the building.

Known people that need access on a regular basis should be given access via a key fob system. Most institutions charge a nominal fee for the key fob and cost plus for a replacement. For other people there should be a buzz in system where the person needing access rings a buzzer and after the authorized person can see and talk with them can buzz them in. For events where people are not known a greeter should be in the lobby to open the door and allow people in. In the event of a B’nai Mitzvah a member of the family should be asked to help. It is critical that people be taught not to allow others to follow them in.

In the event of an active threat to users, leaders must be pre-trained to minimize the harm caused to the people.  Teachers, administrators, ushers, etc. can be taught how to respond. Remember you will be dealing with panic and need to move people as best as possible. The goal is to minimize the damage.

Questions to consider are: if the doors to the room can be secured (sometimes as simple as a metal rod thru the door handles); where are escape routes and are they marked; what can be done for victims after the threat has been neutralized but before first responder are on the scene.

Principals should know who is usually there and is trained in AED, CPR and as a First Responder. These people should be notified and respond in the event of an emergency. Access to a landline phone should be available for someone to call for help. A landline is preferable to a cell phone as when dialing 911 the landline goes to the local dispatcher and provides the address. In the event that the caller can’t speak the national code is 1-Police, 2- Fire, and 3-Ambulance. It the event you have to call and then leave, leave the receiver off the hook so the dispatcher can hear what is happening.

It is important to remember that every situation is different and must be planned-for ahead of time. There are a lot of resources that can be referred to such as the local police, fire, Homeland Security, FBI, Medical Reserve Corps., Jewish organizations such as CJP and security consultants.

Remember the mantra for dealing with this is “Train, Rehearse and Repeat”.

This issue is prepared by a bunch of guys who are continuing to GIVE BACK to FJMC.  We invite you to also give back to FJMC through your participation and most importantly through donations supporting FJMC as Friends of FJMC.  Participate by clicking on “Become a Friend of FJMC” on www.FJMC.org or contact Gary Smith at gsmith@fjmc.org.

Send your comments to Richard Gray at rgray@fjmc.org.  We want to hear from you. HWR is a publication of the FJMC.

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