Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple members, in every generation, have served as advocates for social justice, ranging from our historic commitment to members of the military, to our members and leaders involvement in civil rights causes. Today, our community continues to advocate for Tikkun Olam on a local and national scale. Our clergy and leadership work closely with the Reform Movement’s national social justice efforts as envisioned by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, in Washington, D.C.. See sidebar for links to the Religious Action Center’s advocacy on pending national legislation.
In addition, our clergy and many temple volunteers involve Anshe Chesed in the work of our Cleveland Jewish Community Relations Council, the American Jewish Committee, the American Jewish World Service, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and other vital social justice organizations. On an ongoing basis, clergy and guest speakers teach from our free pulpit concerning social justice. Recent topics have included: Voting rights in Ohio, Equality for GLBT citizens, Health-care accessibility, reducing Gun Violence, Interfaith relations, Fighting anti-semitism, and the State of Israel.
Our ongoing programs to raise awareness through education and action include:
- Milton and Ruth Stern Social Action Lecture – an annual opportunity during the midst of Yom Kippur for the entire congregation to join in hearing a lecture or dialogue inspiring members to better the community through social action. Recent topics of social action lectures have included: Education Reform in the city of Cleveland, Muslim-Jewish Dialogue, and Universal Health Care.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend Program – This annual collaboration between Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple and the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral engages each community in visits to one another’s worship, to share in mitzvah projects and learning in areas of shared concern. Recent speakers who’ve participated in this marquee Cleveland program in memory of Dr. King have included: Members of the Tuskegee Airmen, Freedom Riders from the Civil Rights Movement, and musical entertainer Josh Nelson.
- Global Hunger Sabbath – Our synagogue has recently begun participating in this annual program of the American Jewish World Service, during which special presentations and Torah study sessions are held concerning the threat of hunger facing nations across the globe.
- Operation Warm-Up – For many years our synagogue has joined with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and a range of community organizations in winter collection drives to help homeless citizens in Cleveland during the winter months at the Homeless Stand-Down.
- Jewish Federation and the Cleveland Food Bank – Our members work with other volunteers at the Cleveland Food Bank throughout the summer to prepare thousands of lunches. These meals are then distributed to Cleveland children who may not otherwise have access to nutritious lunches during the summer.
- Responding To Gun Violence – After gun attacks in Chardon, Ohio, Newtown, Connecticut, and around the country, Fairmount Temple’s social action committee, chaired by Peter Brosse, formed a Responding to Gun Violence Task Force. Coordinating with NCJW and with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (see sidebar,) the Task Force has organized several advocacy and learning sessions about guns and law enforcement. The leaders of the task force (Ellen Leavitt, Cindy Polster, and Linda Schlein) have worked with Rabbi Nosanchuk to raise awareness about Jewish values and to encourage congregants to seek meaningful change. The task force prepared a letter-writing packet for home use and organized Fairmount Temple volunteers to join a Demonstration with Cleveland’s Mayor Jackson, the US Attorney, City Council Members and the Chief of Police. Rabbi Nosanchuk’s address: “We Will Rise” (see video on sidebar) was featured at the demonstration. You may also see a link to the written text on our interactive blog, “If Not Now, When?” on this website. If you’d like further information on upcoming task force activities, please contact Cathy Lipton at clipton@fairmounttemple.org or 216-447-9539.
- Memorial Day Remembrance – Dozens of congregants honor Memorial Day by gathering at the synagogue’s Mayfield Cemetery for a Sunday morning ceremony honoring the contributions of our soldiers, and to plant flags at the grave markers of those who have served our country in the military.
- Recycling – In the past year alone, Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple members have prevented fifteen tons of paper from being dumped into landfills. Our members and guests who come to temple events or services are encouraged to drop off recycling donations from their homes and offices to our yellow and green recycling bin behind the synagogue building. We recycle newspapers, junk mail, magazines and phone books. In addition, we have a recycling program for plastics, tin and cardboard.
