Social Action

We live up to our name, Anshe Chesed, People of Loving Kindness, by our efforts to support our temple family in times of need, respond to social issues in our communities, and extend ourselves to our interfaith partners in the city of Cleveland, the State of Israel and across the world. With this value in mind, we engage our members in numerous volunteer projects. Going back through the history of our synagogue, our members have formed a caring community that has simultaneously engendered connections within our temple while providing meaningful contributions of time, leadership and action including raising financial support, preparing food and clothing, canvassing in Cleveland neighborhoods to get out the vote, and meeting with public leaders to hold them accountable for helping us build a more just and equitable society.

Our Mission

  • Chesed: Caring Community – To be an active Caring Community and reach out to each other with comfort from our kitchen during times of illness and mourning, and we celebrate together in times of joy
  • Tzedek: Social Justice and Advocacy – Advocate for Tikkun Olam on a local and national scale, raise awareness through education and action, and be involved with vital social justice organizations, locally, nationally and internationally

How To Get Involved

  • Engage in Greater Cleveland Congregations – Fairmount Temple is a founding institution of Greater Cleveland Congregations, a grassroots organization of more than 30 area churches, mosques, temples and allied institutions working together for social justice.  Our Fairmount Temple members have been on the front lines in convening school leaders and educators to focus on shared educational solutions, registering votes, demanding and taking action to better our criminal justice system, and much more. Within our temple and the entire network of GCC, Jews, Christians and Muslims are study a range of issues and opportunities for campaign for greater justice and prosperity in every portion of Greater Cleveland. Our Rabbi Caruso served as a founding co-chair of GCC from 2011-2016 and our Rabbi Nosanchuk served as a co-chair from 2017-2018. Click here to learn more about our GCC work.
  • Participate in special programs and lectures, including our Milton & Ruth Stern and James A. Samuels Social Action Lecture on Yom Kippur, or our annual activities to honor the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the national holiday weekend, or our annual Chanukah Mitzvah Day when hundreds of our members engage in intensive volunteering activity to honor the holiday. In addition, throughout the year, Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple highlights local, national and Israeli organizations with whom individuals can partner to pursue social action. This takes the form of educational programs for adults and teens in our school and on our bimah at worship, to collections at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple such as food drives, the Greater Cleveland AIDS Partnership, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, or other collections. All of these drives help our members have a collective impact on persons in need.
  • Members of our social action committee and network of members, share with our clergy involvement in the Reform Movement’s national and Ohio-based social justice efforts as led by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, in Washington, D.C.

Leadership in Social Action at Fairmount Temple is always reviewing new programs and social issues and the temple’s role, if any, in such social and community issues. To learn more about getting involved with Social Action activities at Fairmount Temple, reach out to Jenny Marmaros, Program Assistant, 216-447-9539 and she will help you connect with lay leaders, staff and clergy working closely on projects that move you to take your social action involvement to a greater level.