Featured Community: Congregation Bet Mishpachah
In the early summer months, the Mirembe Kawomera team at Thanksgiving Coffee Co. asked many communities to share their own stories with us. These stories are intended to network communities across America, highlight the uniqueness and diversity of supporting groups, and act as a guide to newly forming organizations. I’m proud to announce our first featured community is Congregation Bet Mishpachah.
“Delicious Peace Grows Here”: Community Profile
Congregation Bet Mishpachah,
Washington, DC
written by Lee Mark Salawitch
Congregation Bet Mishpachah (“Bet Mish”) is a socially conscious, socially active temple of approximately 220 members. Bet Mish was founded over thirty years ago by gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered Jews. We are an egalitarian, welcoming community. Our congregants hail from all traditions of Judaism, some are Jews by Choice, and we are a multi-ethnic, multi-racial, diverse House of Family.
The Social Action / Social Justice (“SA/SJ”) Committee heard of Delicious Peace or Mirembe Kawomera Coffee (“MKC”) via our esteemed Rabbi Bob Saks. Rabbi Saks had previously purchased MKC from Tiferith Israel Congregation in Washington, DC. Upon learning of the Cooperative at a committee meeting, the SA/SJ immediately saw this as a perfect opportunity to help an extremely worthwhile and inspirational project – a multi-faith cooperative in a country not known for multi-religious cooperation. The project was launched after a proposal was submitted to and approved by the congregation’s Board of Directors.
One of the cornerstones of Bet Mish is the concept of “tikkun olam,” or repairing our fractured world. If by selling a product which so many of us enjoy on a regular basis, coffee, we can assist a community in great need, why wouldn’t we do so? What it means to be part of the Delicious Peace project is that by purchasing MKC, we are able to contribute to the livelihood and improve the well being of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim farmers in one of the poorest countries of the world; that we are able to significantly assist the lives of those whose annual income is less than what many of us make in a week. We can demonstrate the power of cooperation among people of various faiths. Also, as a small amount of the purchase price is donated to Bet Mishpachah, we are also helping our own community via the sales of MKC coffee. Quite simply, we can make a difference.
The SA/SJ Committee has shared information about MKC via an article in the monthly on-line and print congregational newsletter, by a standing order form in the newsletter, with weekly bimah announcements, by members of the committee creating “buzz” about the coffee at onegs and Kiddush lunches, and by the exclusive use of MKC at all synagogue sanctioned events. The official launch of our coffee project was at a very well attended spring “Kosher for Passover” wine tasting event, where two varieties of MKC were served. While we have not done so yet, a terrific way to create interfaith cooperation in our community is to introduce Delicious Peace project coffee to congregations of other faiths. This may happen!
The response so far has been fantastic! Bet Mish places orders every six to eight weeks. I prefer to order over the phone with Holly Moskowitz; it’s a great time to catch up and obtain information about what’s new at Thanksgiving Coffee. The potential for growth is phenomenal: additional members are purchasing coffee with each order, and our print newsletter reaches over 1000 people each month.
My role is as our “Mr. Coffee.” I serve as one of the Board Members at Large on the congregation’s Board of Directors, and I am also a member on the SA/SJ Committee. I communicate with those placing orders, organize and place the orders, and distribute the coffee Friday night before services. All coffee is distributed in black, yellow, and red bags, the colors of the Ugandan flag, and there is a small Ugandan flag printed on the order confirmation forms. A re-order form is enclosed with every order, and, prior to an order being placed, a “reminder to re-order” email is sent to those who have previously placed orders. I am available to discuss the project at Friday night and Saturday morning Shabbat services.
A story about Mirembe Kawomera was in the April 13, 2007, Washington “Jewish Week.”
A very exciting event will occur in October when Aaron Kintu Moses, assistant Rabbi of the Abayudayah Ugandan Jewish community, will be guest speaker at a congregational Shabbat dinner and at Friday night services.
Bet Mish is always looking for ideas to expand the impact of our project, either via a forum or email updates. Yes, I would definitely participate in a forum. The most helpful materials provided by Thanksgiving Coffee Company have been the brochures and dvd. If an organization wishes to launch a coffee program, I would suggest having a coffee tasting event or Ugandan themed event to introduce the coffee to the community. Convince your organization to serve Delicious Peace exclusively. Treat coffee sales the way one might sell Girl Scout cookies or gift wrap – tell friends, relatives, co-workers and neighbors about the project and the coffee. And don’t get discouraged if the immediate response is not overwhelming – some projects take longer to percolate than others.
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