Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By simmons on July 7, 2017

Officials with The Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood and Park Synagogue in Cleveland Heights and Pepper Pike are disassociating with the Greater Cleveland Congregations, effective immediately.

The announcement comes after the GCC, an organization focused on achieving goals by working collaboratively with religious leaders and members in the community, chose to oppose the proposal to upgrade Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland.

There are two fundamental issues for us, said Rabbi Richard A. Block, senior rabbi of The Temple Tifereth Israel. One is the divisive tactics the GCC is choosing to follow on the controversy over the Q. These tactics are not consistent with the values we believe GCC should follow.

Second, in taking this approach, GCC claims to speak for the entire GCC membership. That is not true. There are diverse views among and within GCC member organizations. Many support the Q agreement and others, like my congregation, have taken no position on it.

The GCCs initial goals included a focus on education, jobs, health care, criminal justice, gun violence and sustainable food programs.

We joined the GCC because we believe collaboration and inclusiveness are key to solving our communitys problems, said the Rev. Todd C. Davidson of Antioch Baptist Church Cleveland. This isnt about a position on the issue, this is about the tactics that are being deployed to engage the issue.

Both Block and Davidson referred to divisive tactics done by the GCC that has put members in positions which has created alienation between churches, temples and mosques that are not members of GCC.

Rabbi Joshua Hoffer Skoff, senior rabbi at Park Synagogue, was not available for comment, but wrote in a letter that Park Synagogue would not renew its membership to GCC for the coming year.

That is not the original mission of GCC, Davidson said. It really was attended to be an inclusive group to work together.

The GCC issued a statement in response to the departures of the four organizations.

Greater Cleveland Congregations, a nonpartisan alliance of faith communities and civic organizations, remains deeply dedicated to the work of making change throughout our city and county, particularly in our regions most distressed neighborhoods. Since its founding six years ago and through today, GCC continues to be resolute in its commitment to fight for criminal justice reform, jobs for the unemployed, equal access to quality health care, tackling rampant gun violence, and bridging educational divides.

Through shared values across diverse faith traditions we will continue to work together to this end. Though often intentionally misconstrued by proponents of the deal, our actions on the Q arena expansion has been about seeking to bring fairness, in the form of a community benefits agreement, to a deal which overwhelmingly benefits downtown at the expense of struggling neighborhoods. While we regret our colleagues decision to step away from GCC, we will continue the prophetic work of striving for social justice.

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Park Synagogue, The Temple-Tifereth Israel withdraw from Greater ... - Cleveland Jewish News

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