As the novel coronavirus tears through the world causing chaos and uncertainty, the AJC #BeAMensch campaign is designed to recognize and encourage acts of kindness around the world. We will shine a light on good deeds at a time where we must draw more than ever on our Jewish and universal values and the relationships we have cultivated in our communities. Mensch is Yiddish for “a person of integrity and honor,” or, put simply, a good person.

Share tales of goodness, even greatness, here or post on social media using the hashtag #BeAMensch. Inspire us as we rise up to recognize those who have stepped up, the bystanders who have become upstanders.

#1800Lives are at risk due to the COVID-19 Virus

From March 25, 2020

There are 1800 people in congregate housing at this time in Cincinnati.
We are all being ordered to maintain social distance from one another and to stay in our homes, but this is simply not possible for people experiencing homelessness or living in congregant transitional housing. For hundreds of people in Cincinnati and Hamilton County, social distancing is not even possible when sleeping. For more than a week, dozens of service provider organizations have been tele-conferencing daily to plan and take action to get people in our shelters and congregant facilities out of direct danger. It has become clear that while COVID-19 is a threat to everyone, its threat is greater to people experiencing homelessness. We are attempting to prevent disaster within our shelters and congregant housing programs and reduce greater risk to our community as whole.

Ohio Interfaith Power and Light: Climate Strikers and & Sermons

One month from today, on September 20th, youth around the world will lead a climate strike – walking out of their classes and jobs to call for action on the climate crisis.

The timing is meant to influence the U.N. Youth Climate Summit on September 21st and U.N. Climate Action Summit on September 23rd in New York City. Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist who began the global climate strike movement will be arriving via sailboat to New York that week. Find out how you can support the climate strikers.

Faith communities, schools, and all of us can be in solidarity with youth climate strikers that week by participating in local climate strikes and demonstration events around the country doing our part to lift up the urgency of the climate crisis and supporting youth leadership.

In your congregation, for example, you might use the weekend of September 20th to support youth in leading the worship service in your congregation and preaching on climate. Click here for sample sermons on climate from a variety of religions and faith traditions.

You can also join events your state IPL may be organizing. Here are a few examples of what IPL affiliates are doing around the country:

• CA IPL is partnering with the Climate Music Project in Los Angeles with concerts on September 20, 21
• MN IPL is gathering at the Mississippi Headwaters to oppose Line 3 oil pipeline on September 21-22
• NC IPL congregations are participating in the Raleigh Climate Strike

Climate change is the moral crisis of our time and we’re all feeling its effects. This summer record flooding submerged large portions of the Midwest and the U.K. had its hottest day on record.

Youth are telling us: We can’t wait for future leaders to solve climate change. We need you to get to work now to create a cleaner, safer, and healthier world.

Interfaith Power & Light
http://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org/

What We Offer Interfaith Event
by Miriam Jacobs

On April 28, 2019, the Women’s Interfaith Network of Cincinnati Suburbs (WINCS) presented a program called “What We Offer”. This was held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Loveland, Ohio. The program featured many ethnic and religious groups and was free and open to the public. Our first offering were three girls who presented Mexican dances that show the traditions of Mexico. Next we had two Jewish singers who sang songs they had written about peace. We then had Nigerian drummers and dancers that offered folk songs and dances that are used for weddings and coronation ceremonies. The Gajdi Jawani dance group entertained with the style of dance: the Bhangra which is from the Punjab region of India. Then an Native American flute player entertained with songs from Cherokee and Sioux tribes. We then heard a Bosnia Muslim story teller who shared her escape from Bosnia and immigration to the U.S. and assimilation here. Our program was rounded out with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints choir from the north east suburbs of Cincinnati. We did take up a free will offering to benefit NEST which is a mobile learning center located in Loveland and begun by Evangeline DeVol. This outreach provides nutrition, tutoring and academic interventions for low-income children in the Loveland area from K-12 grades after school and for early learners in the morning.  The program ended with ethnic treats and fellowship.

Cultural Festival Success

by Adam Hayden Chapter Coordinator,Kids4Peace Cincinnati

THEY DID IT!!

Several Kids4Peace kids put together a cultural festival on Sunday, April 28th. They had an African dancer and a bagpipe player. They had a really cool drum presentation as well as culturally specific games (that was hilariously fun), an international camp presentation, storytelling, food from various parts of the world and more. It was really fun and the kids did a great job.

Furthermore, a smaller core group of students applied for a grant to fund the festival through the Cincinnati Jewish Teen Collective Venture Award and they were awarded the grant! They are such great leaders, so organized and so inviting and welcoming. Thanks so much to the kids and to the Jewish Teen Collective!

Now that the kids created an opportunity to celebrate their differences we will now move to exploring other ways in which we can come together to create more peaceful communities. The kids will meet over the next few months to determined which issues they would like to address locally. It is going to be hard work, but also a lot of fun as they work together to create more peace.

However, this week we are going to take a moment to celebrate their successful accomplishment from Sunday. They worked hard and pulled together a great experience.

Well done kids! I am proud of you.

Find out more at Kids4Peace Facebook page!

PRESS RELEASE
3/15/2019
Contact:
Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati
513-755-3280
info@icgc.us

ICGC Mourns the Christchurch, New Zealand Mosque Massacre and Calls for Solidarity

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we at the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati try to bear the terrible news from New Zealand regarding the terrorist attack against two Muslim congregations in Christchurch and the deaths of dozens.

We mourn those who have lost their lives or have been injured while fulfilling their religious obligations. We send our prayers and wishes of comfort for the victims and their families.
We stand with the Christchurch Muslim community and our Kiwi friends in their time of mourning and pledge our support. We encourage people worldwide to provide donations and support to the families of victims as soon as that information becomes available.
This type of violence and the hate which motivates it is unacceptable in any country and people worldwide have a responsibility to stand up and say no. No one should fear for their safety when attending their house of worship or when raising awareness about an issue.
We continue to work with law enforcement to provide a safe environment for our community.
This tragedy occurred on Friday afternoon when the mosque would have been filled with people who gathered for Friday prayers, just as the Pittsburgh killer attacked Jews at their synagogue, and the Charleston killer attacked an African American Church. These types of attacks are driven by racial, religious, and ethnic hatred and every elected official has a responsibility to denounce them in the strongest possible terms.

In the wake of this terrible attack we call upon our regional and national elected officials to commit themselves to opposing hate speech and hate violence in every form, but we equally call on citizens to demonstrate acts of solidarity with their Muslim neighbors, co-workers, and others.

This type of violence is a direct result of politicians exploiting social division and sowing fear. Whether it’s separating families through the Muslim Ban, taking children away from their families at America’s border, or dehumanizing refugees in Europe, politicians who drive these messages encourage the worst from humanity. Elected officials have the opportunity and the platform to bring people together and affirm our human solidarity.
We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of support and desire to stand together from our friends and alliances during this difficult time. We pray for peace during these dark days.