A CARING COMMUNITY at FAIRMOUNT TEMPLE

The Largest Small Synagogue in Cleveland

Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple congregants, staff, and Board members have been engaged in the process of developing a Strategic Plan for our future, Envisioning Together.  This plan will enable us to take a fresh look at the pillars of our congregation, Lifelong Learning,  Worship, and Social Action and Deeds of Loving Kindness. What kind of community do we want to be?  How do we make our vision a reality?

Our vision includes making Fairmount Temple feel like the “largest small synagogue” in Cleveland.  We are extremely fortunate to have all the advantages of a large synagogue—a beautiful building, excellent learning options for children and adults, and a variety of worship services.  We also have the opportunity to create the culture of a small congregation, with its atmosphere of warmth, caring, and connection.  We hope to deepen congregants’ experience of belonging to a true community in which members take care of each other in difficult times and share in each others’ happiness in times of joy.

We invite you to explore these opportunities to create sacred community in many ways, whether it’s volunteering to help make this world a better place, or gathering together to help grieve and heal together. Together, we can build a caring community.

Coming Up:

COMMUNITY KITCHEN—Community Kitchen volunteers of all ages will bake on Tuesday, July 12 at 7 pm, and will cook on Sunday, July 24 at 10 am.  This is a fun way to reconnect with temple members you may not have seen lately, or to make new friends!  The meals and cookies we make will be delivered to our fellow temple members who are ill, had a baby, or lost a loved one.  Please join us!

HIGH HOLY DAY MITZVAH OPPORTUNITY—Last year’s High Holy Day deliveries   of honey cakes to congregants who had lost a loved one in the previous year was an extremely meaningful project for all who baked, delivered, and received the caring treats.  We are going to need lots of people to deliver the honey cakes again this year.  Please come on Sunday, September 25 at 11 am to pick up some bags to deliver.  The gifts are a tangible way to wish our bereaved members comfort and sweetness in the coming year.  If you can’t make deliveries but would like to help, we need people who can make phone calls.  Callers will contact a short list of congregants to let them know to expect the delivery.

FILL OUR RECYCLING BINS—In the past year, Fairmount Temple has prevented 15 tons of paper from being dumped into landfills.  When you come to temple for events or Shabbat services, don’t forget to bring your recycling!  Our yellow and green recycling bin can take newspapers, junk mail, magazines, and phone books.  We also have a recycling bin for all plastics, tin, and cardboard.  Please help us help our environment! 

Building Community at Montefiore and the Greens

There is a need in the community for people who might have a little time on Shabbat to share their time with the residents of Montefiore and the Greens.  Here’s how you can help:

Montefiore:

After the Friday Shabbat Service, residents enjoy Shabbat dinner as a community in various dining rooms.  Volunteers are needed (maybe you can do it once a month?) to come in around 5:15 p.m. until around 6 p.m. and chant the Shabbat blessings before dinner for the residents. 

Greens of Lyndhurst

Each Friday at 4 p.m., the Jewish residents of the Greens of Lyndhurst gather for a short service.  There are just a few Jewish residents and they welcome others who might join them in the service.  If you can give a little time on a Friday around 3 p.m., your presence is a present to these residents.

Welcoming Buddy Program

Every year, Fairmount Temple is blessed to welcome new members to our synagogue family.  Some may be new to the Cleveland area, or joining a synagogue for the first time. To ease their transition and to welcome them, we will match new members with “buddies”--Fairmount Temple individuals or families who can help them feel comfortable in their new synagogue home.  If you are a veteran Fairmount Temple member who would like to be a ‘buddy”, or a new member who would like to be matched with one, or if you have questions about what being a buddy entails, let us know.

If you know someone who is ill and could use a little home cooking, or if you can give a little of your time on a Friday to make Shabbat more meaningful to others, please contact Wendy Jacobson at 216-464-1330, ext. 162 or Wjacobson@fairmounttemple.org.

 These are opportunities to build and deepen our relationships with each other and be part of  the largest small synagogue in Cleveland!