PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Jane and Larry Pellish, co-chairpersons of the Social Action Committee, have been named as the 2018 Members of the Year at Temple Anshe Amunim.

Now retired from their respective fields in education and medicine, the Pellishes have dedicated themselves to social action, social awareness and social justice for the temple and in the greater community.

With their leadership, the Social Action Committee coordinates a team of volunteers that prepares and serves meals at the First Baptist Church; represents the Temple on the Thanksgiving Angels Steering Committee (which last year provided food for 1,450 Berkshire County families); sponsored a kiwi removal day at Burbank Park under the auspices of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team; and represents the temple with Berkshire Interfaith Organizing. They also run annual collection drives for several organizations to garner: winter clothing, cash toward fuel assistance, and work-attire for the Berkshire Pathways program. The Committee has also presented forums on topics dealing with Fracking and Death With Dignity.  

The Pellishes also give fully to the larger community. Janie works at the Reigning Love Church food pantry, the St. Stephen's Church meal site, and serves on the steering committee of the Food Pantry Collaborative which deals with food insecurity in Berkshire County.  Larry serves as a long-standing board member of the Counseling Center in the Berkshires. Both Janie and Larry have been tutors of English as a Second Language with Literacy Volunteers of Berkshire County.

Debora Cole-Duffy, immediate past temple president, said, "Both Janie and Larry embody the valued Jewish tenet of Tikkun Olam – that is, truly, they perform acts of kindness to help repair the world."

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