On January 18, Congregation Or Ami in Calabasas announced the creation of the Myron and Nancy Dembo Social Justice Initiative, a $130,000 endowment, which will enable the synagogue to expand their education and advocacy efforts.
Known nationally for its social justice work, Or Ami has earned two prestigious North American Fain Social Justice awards. Community members volunteer in its social action efforts, which are done on the local, state and national level.
“As the national conversation becomes increasingly polarized, the need to create and deepen coalitions of compassion and justice multiplies,“ Or Ami’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Paul Kipnes, told the Journal. “Congregation Or Ami is very appreciative of the generosity of the Dembos.”
According to Kipnes, the endowment funds an initiative that’s going to teach people how to transcend the impulse toward separation. Instead, it will encourage partnership and coalition on the most important issues nowadays.
“We will train adults and young people to be value-based advocates and activists,” he said. “We will create a culture that wants to and knows how to get things done. We will embed these actions in the wellspring of Jewish texts and tradition from which our commitment to justice and compassion flows.”
Longtime social justice advocates in the Los Angeles Jewish community, the Dembos are cornerstone members of Or Ami’s Sukkat Shalom organizing team, which addresses housing insecurity in Southern California. They live in Tarzana, have been married for 56 years and have two grown daughters, Debbe and Lisa, along with two grandchildren, Taylor, 11, and Brayden, 13.
“Throughout our lives we have observed many social problems in society,” the Dembos said. “In many ways, the COVID pandemic highlighted these disparities in healthcare, food insecurity, housing and even the explosive growth of antisemitism.”
“We hope our endowment may be used to influence other similar donations in social justice and related areas by other congregants.”
— Myron and Nancy Dembo
They said they believe that social justice is the key to our democracy. “Or Ami has the potential to lead nonprofit organizations in education, training and social action. We hope our endowment may be used to influence other similar donations in social justice and related areas by other congregants.”
When asked about the impact of this donation, Kipnes said, “We start small; $130,000 is a lot of money, but [it] isn’t millions. It doesn’t take millions of dollars or millions of people to change the course of history. Torah teaches that the exodus from Egypt began with a request by two people, Moses and Aaron, to one person, Pharaoh, for an opportunity to go pray in the wilderness. A simple ask, it grew and grew until our people’s oppression was disrupted and our future transformed.”
According to Kipnes, his congregation hopes to emulate Moses, who at first organized with his brother and sister, and then with the elders and then group by group until everybody was ready to go.
“Person by person, group by group, we will educate, organize, inspire and act, until the world more closely approaches the prophetic vision of wholeness and holiness.”
In the past five years, Or Ami has created interfaith partnerships to address societal problems; developed a series of mental health and wellness programs for teens and mentoring activities for at-risk youth; donated a van to help the unhoused; ran trainings on racial diversity, equity and inclusion; and sent large delegations of congregants to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. to advocate on the pressing issues and more.
“Our five-year partnership at Or Ami has impacted us in many ways,” the Dembos said. “We feel that we finally found a Jewish home that was responsive to members of our community and wider society. We have been inspired by Rabbis Paul and Julia [Weisz], Cantor Doug [Cotler], our temple staff, as well as you, devoted members of our board, who spend numerous hours helping to maintain our congregation.”
They continued, “[It] gives us great pleasure to know that long after we are gone, our congregation will have continued support in its quest for tikkun olam—repairing the world.”
