The Rite Times: 1/26/2024

January 26, 2024

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Pictures from the Christmas and Hanukkah Party

Last month the Family Life Committee hosted the Valley’s annual Christmas and Hanukkah Party at the Burlington Mariot. Brothers and their families from across the state came to ring in the holidays with a sold-out crowd while enjoying the performance of a magician, live music from the Northshoremen Chorus and a DJ, and even a visit from Santa Claus himself! If you’re interested in attending next year we encourage you to keep an eye out on these newsletters around October so you can secure your tickets as soon as possible. This was the second straight year of us selling the ballroom out!

Valley of Portsmouth Dover Digital Degree Marathon

The Valley of Portsmouth Dover will be hosting their Digital Degree Marathon for all brothers to attend on Saturday, February 24, 2024, in the Portsmouth Masonic Building at 351 Middle St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801. This now famous variation of a one-day class from brothers across the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, with last year’s having over 100 brothers hailing from as far away as Ohio attend. The recorded version of each degree will be played, then followed by discussion and educational components throughout the day. The degrees played will be:

Famous Freemason: Irving Berlin

Christmas music can often be an earworm that you can’t get out of your head. After two straight months of the music, hopefully a month after Christmas it’s left your head, but did you know that White Christmas’s writer was a Freemason? Today we’re showcasing Famous Freemason, Bro. Irving Berlin!

Bro. Berlin was born Israel Beilin in Russia on May 11, 1888. He grew up in poverty during the Russian pogroms against the Jewish community. His only memory of Russia was lying down in the street and watching his family’s home burn. To escape the pogroms, his family traveled through Europe and boarded a ship to the United States.