A message from Andrea Desberg and Andy Klein, co-chairs of the Caring Community Committee, April 16, 2020.
It has been told to you, what is good and what is required of you: only to do justice to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God.”
-Micah 6:8
Members of Fairmount Temple are inspired by prophetic teachings which see chesed (“loving kindness” or “mercy”) as the value that translates our Jewish ideals into reality.
With this value in mind, we engage our members in numerous volunteer projects. We believe that volunteering in the work of building a caring community helps our members to become connected, to meet new people, and strengthen our temple and general community through making a meaningful contribution of time and effort.
Our members reach out to each other with comfort from our kitchen during times of illness and mourning, and we celebrate together in times of joy. We consistently let our oldest members, many of whom are no longer able to get to temple, know that they are not forgotten. We actively engage individuals and families from all areas of our congregation. We provide professionally-led support groups for those who have lost a loved one. All of these efforts enrich the lives of our members by helping to connect them with each other, with their synagogue community, and with the teachings and values of Jewish tradition. Anshe Chesed is a congregation that truly lives up to its name—we are a people of loving kindness.
Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple has a volunteer opportunity that will match your talents, interest and schedule. For more information or any questions about the volunteer opportunities listed below or other ways to do chesed, contact our Caring Community Coordinator, Wendy Jacobson, at 216-447-9542 or email wjacobson@fairmounttemple.org.
- Community Kitchen—Cooking – Volunteers of all ages gather in Fairmount Temple’s kitchen to cook meals that are then stored in our freezer and delivered to congregants who are ill. Lots of cooks in the kitchen means lots of fun!
- Community Kitchen—Baking – Volunteers of all ages bake dozens and dozens of cookies, which they then make into cookie trays. The cookie trays are delivered during shiva to congregants who have lost a loved one.
- Community Kitchen—Delivering – Volunteers deliver meals or cookie trays to congregants who are ill or who have lost a loved one. See first-hand how grateful our members are to be thought of during difficult times! This is a nice activity to do with children.
- Holiday Deliveries – Volunteers deliver treats on Jewish holidays to congregants with whom we want to stay in touch. During the High Holy Days, we deliver a small bag of sweets to every Fairmount Temple congregant who has lost a loved one in the past year. On Purim, we deliver hamantashen to some of our older members who may no longer get out of the house easily.
- Chanukah Mitzvah Day – Congregants of all ages perform a variety of mitzvot, including packing hundreds of lunches for a homeless shelter. Chanukah Mitzvah Day is used as an invitation to all in the congregation to bond on an on-going basis around performing Tikkun Olam, the work of healing and repairing the world.
- Bus Pass Kits—Congregants combine hundreds of pairs of donated socks with RTA bus passes to create kits that are distributed through the Homeless Stand Down.
- Comfort and Coping—a Grief Support Group – This professionally-led group is an opportunity to be with others in our own synagogue community who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Participants learn about the grief process, understand and support each other, and explore coping skills as they prepare to move on with their lives.
- Shabbat Across Fairmount Temple—Twice a year, temple members enjoy a Shabbat dinner in each others’ homes. This is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen relationships in the congregation and make new friends.
- Volunteering at Ronald McDonald House—Volunteers shop for, cook, and serve a meal to patients at Ronald McDonald House and their families.
- We Are One Fairmount – This group began as a task force to research and implement best practices for welcoming our LGBTQ members, and evolved into a commitment to ensure that Fairmount Temple is inclusive and affirming to all of our members. It currently solicits nominations for the Paula Pike Award for Affirmation and Inclusion, and recognizes those in the community who have worked to uphold those values.
- Memorial Day Project—During Memorial Day Weekend, our volunteers plant American flags on the graves of our veterans at Mayfield Cemetery. All ages are encouraged to participate in honoring our Jewish veterans.
- The Usher Corps—Volunteers welcome us into services and distribute prayerbooks and handouts on Friday evenings, Saturday mornings, occasional Saturday afternoons, and Jewish holidays. Ushers work in teams that rotate, so each volunteer is responsible for only one Friday or Saturday each month.
- Phone Connections Committee – Volunteers call congregants who are 80 years old or older, and congregants who have been married 50 years or more, to extend birthday or anniversary wishes.
- Collections–Throughout the year, we take up collections for a variety of organizations, including Operation Warm Up, various food pantries, and I Support the Girls.
- Tikkun Olam in the larger Community—Our volunteers enjoy helping organizations in the community, such as Providence House, MedWish, and the Cleveland Food Bank.
- Share Your Seder – Do you have room at your Seder table for someone who has no place to spend Passover? Let us know so that if we hear of someone who will be alone on the holiday, we will be able to make a match.
- Offer a Ride – Some of our congregants would love to join us for worship services or other events but do not drive. Please let us know if you can offer a ride so we can contact you if the need arises.
- Shovel a Walk – Might you or your teenager be able to shovel the front walk of a fellow congregant who is very ill? This mitzvah could make a sick temple member’s home accessible to those who are coming to help. Please let us know if you would be willing to don your hat and gloves should the need arise.
- Chesed Singers – The Chesed Singers rehearse Hebrew melodies, then visit congregants who are ill or shut in to lift their spirits with song. For more information about Chesed Singers, Contact: Lynn Kleinman at LEKchoral@aol.com
