Jan. 19, 2022
Dear Friends,
Fairmount Temple’s Caring Community is embarking on a special project to help resettle a refugee family arriving in Cleveland from Afghanistan! Our member, Vivian Singer, recently assembled a group of volunteer congregants interested in helping our congregation welcome a refugee family. We will be working on this new Afghan Welcome Project with US Together, a refugee resettlement agency that is a Cleveland affiliate of HIAS.
HIAS was founded in 1881 (as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) to assist Jews fleeing from pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe. Since then, HIAS has provided an array of services to ensure that Jews all over the world fleeing anti-Semitism, persecution, and genocide could find safety as refugees. In the past 20 years, HIAS has expanded to provide support for refugees of all nationalities and religions at risk. HIAS says they used to help refugees because the refugees were Jewish. Now HIAS helps refugees because WE are Jewish. This certainly embodies the Jewish values we study at Fairmount Temple about welcoming the stranger and saving lives!
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Last March during Refugee Shabbat, we heard from Raphael Marcus, Senior VP at HIAS, about its mission to protect refugees and other displaced populations. We also heard from Pastor John Lentz about the powerful experiences of Forest Hill Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights in helping welcome refugees.
- Earlier this fall, during one of our Caring Community mitzvah projects, Fairmount Temple volunteers sorted and organized a 1,000 pairs of children’s underwear, some of which went to assist refugee children in need through US Together.
Through our new Afghan Welcome Project, we at Fairmount Temple intend to collect everything necessary to furnish an apartment for one family from Afghanistan. Our Fairmount Temple volunteers will clean the apartment, set it up with everything we've collected, and greet the family on behalf of our temple and the wider community!
Would you like to help? Here is a list of the items the family will need, including an Amazon link to have items shipped directly to temple. Donated items can either be new or gently used (in clean and excellent condition only). Gift cards to Target or Walmart would also be very helpful. Gift cards can be dropped off at the drop off times, or sent to temple c/o Caring Community. Please bring all items to the truck that will be in the Fairmount Temple parking lot at one of these times only, Sunday, Jan. 30 from 1-3 pm, and Wednesday, Feb. 2 from 1-3 pm. Please do NOT bring the items you are donating to the temple at any time other than the official drop off times!
We also need storage space. Do you have access, or know anyone who has access, to a space that we can use to support this Afghan Welcome Project for the next 2-3 months? Finally, we will need volunteers who can donate their energy, in a variety of roles, to get ready for our Afghani refugee family and help them get settled. Please let me know if you would like to participate in this mitzvah!
With your help, we will make a huge difference for a family going through what Jewish refugees went through through not that long ago.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
Coordinator, Caring Community
P.S. Please join us this Friday, Jan. 21 at 5:30 pm for a virtual Shabbat Happy Hour on Zoom preceding the virtual Shabbat Service. This program, also sponsored by our Caring Community, is intended to help us all get to know one another better and build more connections during a casual half hour of conversation. See more information below!
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Virtual Shabbat Happy Hour
Friday, Jan. 21, 5:30-6 pm
We’re bringing back last winter’s popular way of connecting with each other virtually! Join us on Zoom before the virtual Shabbat service and chat with others in small “Zoom rooms.” It’s a nice way to see old friends and meet new ones!
Virtual Shabbat Evening Service
Friday, Jan. 21 at 6:15 pm
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Shabbat Morning Torah Study (via Zoom)
Saturday, Jan. 22 at 9:15 am, led by Rabbi Chase Foster, Rabbi for Engagement and Learning at jHUB and a Fairmount Temple member.
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At Fairmount Temple, we are grateful for the freedom of the members of Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, TX, who’d been hostages to a dangerous extremist last Saturday. We are appreciative of the efforts of law enforcement. We are additionally grateful for the abundant support and concern shared with our clergy during and after the hostage crisis by interfaith partners within our Greater Cleveland Congregations and other allies to our synagogue who prayed for the safety of the hostages and pledged to act for an end to antisemitism and violence against Jewish institutions. At this Friday's Shabbat Service we will share prayers for the well-being of those who were hostages and first-responders.
L’shalom al Yisrael,
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Virtual Book Discussion of DeRay Mckesson's On The Other Side of Freedom, Monday, Feb. 28, 7 pm
"Looking forward to reading Deray’s book!"
"He is one amazing human being!"
"Great talk - looking forward to reading the book."
"DeRay Mckesson ROCKED IT, while preaching to the choir! Teach it, DeRay!!"
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The above comments were shared on Facebook after Friday's Shabbat Service honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with guest speaker DeRay Mckesson, civil rights activist and author. As part of our Lifelong Learning Program, Rabbi Nosanchuk will lead a virtual discussion of DeRay Mckesson's book, On the Other Side of Freedom: Race and Justice in a Divided America, on Monday, Feb. 28, at 7 pm.
This book, which includes his account of leadership in protests after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, had a powerful influence on Rabbi Nosanchuk in his own community organizing and social justice work and in leading our congregation.
Join Rabbi Nosanchuk and others on Zoom on Feb. 28 for this virtual book discussion, and consider how we can apply DeRay Mckesson’s experiences and insights in our own work today!
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With sadness we share the news of the passing of our members:
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NCJW/CLE Hosting A Reproductive Rights Discussion on Friday, Jan. 28, noon, via Zoom
Cleveland’s chapter of National Council of Jewish Women is hosting one of the 500-plus events across the country in temples and synagogues and Zooms to mark Repro Shabbat 2022.
On Friday, Jan. 28 at noon, NCJW/Cleveland is hosting a free virtual discussion with Dahlia Lithwick, award-winning journalist specializing in the Supreme Court, and Professor Jessie Hill, constitutional law scholar and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, CWRU School of Law. They will be discussing the likely implications of the Supreme Court’s rulings on the Mississippi and Texas abortion cases. What are the implications in Ohio if Roe is overturned and what actions can be taken?
Our member, Linda Schlein, is part of the event's Planning Committee.
To learn more and to register for this
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Getting Involved with Various Important Projects from Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC)
It's full speed ahead for GCC in 2022, including the May primaries, particularly the county-wide races for the county executive and judges since GCC's membership is spread across Cuyahoga County.
On Thursday, Feb. 10, at 7 pm, join others from GCC and Fairmount Temple for a virtual briefing on thoughts concerning the elections and other issues in 2022.
If you'd like to learn more about Fairmount Temple's leadership and involvement with GCC, reach out to Rabbi Caruso here. You can also learn more about the GCC on their website here.
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Founded in 1957, our Early Childhood Center is embarking on its 65th year. We have an exceptional staff and faculty guiding and educating our children. Registration opens this week for Early Childhood Center 2022-2023 school year and the eight-week summer camp program. If you or someone you know with preschool age children is exploring options for learning and for childcare, whether full-time or part-time, they can contact ECC Director Jane Mayers by email here or 216-464-1752 for a tour or to learn more.
You can help us grow by spreading the word!
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In-person Shabbat Evening Services continue to be offered with live-streaming options (Zoom, website and Facebook live) still available. Those attending services must be masked at all times while in our facility and practice social distancing. Periodically there are services held virtually only, such as this Friday, Jan. 21.
Lifecycle events, such as B’nai Mitzvah, weddings and funerals, can be held inside Fairmount Temple following the same requirements including masks indoors and other COVID-19 safety precautions including some restrictions on number of attendees. At this time, due to the significant rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in recent weeks, we are limiting attendance to a maximum of 100 persons at lifecycle events and functions at Fairmount Temple. Social distancing seating is only available in marked areas in our Mandel Sanctuary. Our Bonda Chapel is currently not being used for lifecycle events or temple programs. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach us by email here or call us at 216-464-1330.
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Anshe Chesed
Fairmount Temple
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Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple strives to perpetuate Jewish tradition and strengthen Jewish lives through lifelong learning, worship, social action and deeds of loving kindness. |
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