by Cantor Paul Buch

In July 2025, my family I will have been proud Claremont residents for 20 years. I know that still doesn’t truly make me a “local,” but we love our city and have no doubt it’s one of the finest places anywhere to live. We feel blessed to call the City of Trees and Ph.D.s our family home.

One of the pillars on which that foundation stands was first shaped for me by the Rev. Butch Henderson, then pastor of Claremont United Church of Christ, who, not long after I began my full-time position at Temple Beth Israel, reached out with an invitation to attend the next meeting of the Claremont Ecumenical Council, as it was called in 2005.

That invitation was the beginning of my journey with interfaith work in Claremont, one that’s enriched my life both personally and professionally. At my very first meeting, I witnessed a pivotal moment for the council — one that reflected the evolving spirit of our diverse community. The issue on the table was of direct relevance to our local Jewish community: whether the Ecumenical Council should rename itself in acknowledgement that the word “ecumenical,” given its Christian connotations, did not truly reflect the group’s goal of uniting those of all faith traditions in Claremont and making it the model of interreligious engagement that Henderson and other council members knew it could be. There was a vote taken, and at that first meeting the council was renamed the Claremont Interfaith Council, the moniker it has carried ever since.

One of my first responsibilities as a council member was to reach out to non-member faith communities. Over the next number of years we did attract a more diverse group. Back then, there was also a consistent core of leadership present, some of whom had a history that predated mine by many years, with longstanding relationships that gave us visibility and stature. But in recent years, and particularly following the heartbreaking events of October 7, 2023, interfaith engagement — both nationally and locally — has faced significant challenges. Understandably, the times have tested the strength of our connections and the resilience of our shared mission.

But world events are not the only factors in that shift. I think the time has come when we should take a more focused look at the very structural model of the C.I.C., one that has sustained the council since its origins as the Inland Valley Council of Churches. Also, the faith leadership in our community has experienced a large amount of turnover in recent years, resulting in the loss of some of the energy and experience they brought to the group. And as the demographics of clergy leadership have shifted younger, what fit comfortably with earlier generations just might not be speaking forcefully to newer ones.

The time is ripe for change. If you’re part of a faith community connected to Claremont, I invite you to join us in the vital task of refreshing and revitalizing the C.I.C. Together, we can build bridges, foster understanding, and strengthen the fabric of our diverse city.

To learn more or attend our next meeting, please reach out to me at cantor@tbipomona.org. Your presence matters.

Paul Buch is cantor at Temple Beth Israel, Pomona. He is a past chair of the Claremont Interfaith Council and the Claremont Committee on Human Relations.