As you enter Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, one of the first sights you encounter is Jerusalem stone adorning the walls of our Spiegle-Sukenik Atrium. This choice is but one reflection at Anshe Chesed of our love of Israel, and our desire to link our community with Israel in love, solidarity, and with prayers for the peace of Jerusalem. Over the decades since the founding of the modern State of Israel, when our late Rabbi Barnett Brickner, z”l, led Anshe Chesed, our connections to Israel have only grown.
We encourage all our members to learn about Israel – her culture, music, art, people and history, and to build a sense of solidarity and connection with our spiritual Homeland. Each year we seek to grow the meaning of our bond with Israel through:
- Hosting annual Adult education, cultural arts programs and lectures about the State of Israel
- Participating and often hosting Cleveland community celebrations of Israel such as Yom Ha-Atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) and Yom Ha-Zikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day)
- Strongly encouraging all religious school students to set a goal of visiting Israel
- Adding songs of Israel to our worship, to choral presentations, and to retreat settings for children and families
- Providing through Anshe Chesed matching investments with each participating family in the Gift of Israel incentive savings program
- Supporting ARZA (the Association of Reform Zionists of America), through hundreds of our members joining and financially investing in the cause of building Reform Judaism in Israel
- Investing in State of Israel Bonds – all Bar and Bat Mitzvah students are strongly encouraged to make a “bond” with Israel by financially purchasing a State of Israel Bond. A special fund at Anshe Chesed matches that bond as an incentive to families and an added financial
- Praying for Israel- regularly adding Israel to our holiday, festival and Shabbat prayers, along with meaningful teachings and sermons focusing on Israel by our clergy
In addition to these important avenues for supporting Israel, our clergy at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple have committed for many years to personally guiding trips to Israel. Our desire on these trips is that members of our community will see Israel with their own eyes and have the mitzvah of making pilgrimage to Israel as a community. Many of our congregants have formed deep bonds with one another, with the people they have met, and institutions they have visited while on an Anshe Chesed trip. The trips we lead are designed to help us grow our understanding of Israel and knowledge about current events happening there.
In recent years, Rabbi Nosanchuk has led interfaith groups of ministers and/or imams to engender inter-religious understanding of Israel. He and other clergy members have led Trips to Israel for adults and families.
