2011 Interdependence Day Award
Linda and Rabbi Joe Mendelsohn
Scranton, PA: The Greater Scranton Interdependence Day Committee announced that
Rabbi Joseph Mendelson and his wife Linda Mendelsohn will receive the 2011 Interdependence Day Award.
Rose Mary Broderick, co-chairman Interdependence Day, stated that the purpose of the award is to provide a format to publicly recognize outstanding leadership and the contributions of individuals closely connected with Interdependence and its practice, to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of interdependence in our community.
Rabbi Joseph Mendelsohn, known as “Rabbi Joe”, started his career in the rabbinate in his 40’s. He brings to the table both the textual background of the rabbinate and the practical experience of being an adult in the “real world.” Currently rabbi of Temple Israel in Scranton, “Rabbi Joe” is involved in all aspects of leading and caring for his congregation, and is
• President of the Scranton Area Ministerium – The association of clergy serving
the greater Scranton area.
• Past-President of the Martin Luther King Commission
• On the board of various community organizations designed to promote the health and
welfare of all walks of life,
o Vice-President of the Northeastern Pennsylvania End of Life Coalition
o President of The American Cancer Society’s Lackawanna County branch
o Interdependence Day
o Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council
o Scranton Reads
o United Nations Association
o United Way
• A volunteer chaplain for the Pennsylvania State Police
• Serves on Lackawanna County’s Emergency Management Agency
• Has taught:
o weekly at Elan Gardens, an assisted living facility in Clarks Summit
o independent sessions for the Lifelong Learning Institute at Marywood University
o 12-week course on an Introduction to Judaism – open to the public.
o Adult Education classes at Temple Israel on varied topics.
Linda’s career path included owning her own bookkeeping and accounting practice and teaching at the high school, business college and university levels. Since both business and teaching are her passions, she feels blessed that she has been able to combine them to have a very rewarding career path.
Linda has taught in suburban and inner city schools in New Jersey and New York, a farm community in Oklahoma, a Blue Ribbon school in Tennessee, and a rural school in Pennsylvania. While living in Israel she developed and taught Micro Economics and Accounting classes at a university in Tel Aviv to a student body divided between Israelis and newly arrived Russians. She also felt fortunate to be able to teach classes in entrepreneurship to retired army personnel and adults seeking to change their lives.
Currently, Linda is teaching at Forest City Regional High School. Through her involvement with Sondra Myers she has learned about and taught about Interdependency. “The Interdependence Handbook is a collection of essays, speeches, historical documents, and discussion questions on interdependence, the guiding principle for civic life in the 21st Century.” When using this handbook as an introduction, it enabled Linda’s students, as well as members of FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), to look through new lenses to understand the world in which they will be participants. Linda finds it very exciting to teach all of her classes through these lenses.
The award will be presented to the Mendelsohn’s at the 2011 Interdependence Day Celebration on September 12, 2011 at the Scranton Culture Center.
