At Gross Schechter, our mission is to provide children with an outstanding education that ignites students’ passion for learning in a rigorous and nurturing academic environment. We inspire students to lead engaged Jewish lives and achieve personal success. We see this coming to life in our students, who excel in and out of the classroom. In the past month, Gross Schechter students have been recognized for outstanding achievement in Science, Creative Writing and Art in local, regional and state competitions.

Eric Gordon, CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, joined us at our 69th Annual Meeting of the Community Relations Committee to discuss seven principle issues of education. Hear his remarks now:

A power-packed event! 150+ Jewish Cleveland women networked and connected during discussions of today's hot topics at our annual Women Leaning In event.

Walking through Mandel Jewish Day School, one might notice a slight influx of Israeli accents and fluent Hebrew reverberating throughout the classrooms. This new change is a result of the increased role of Hebrew immersion specialists, funded entirely by the recent 17 million dollar gift from the Joseph and Florence Mandel Family Foundation.

CLEVELAND – The Jewish Federation of Cleveland is proud to announce a historic celebration marking a 20-year partnership with its sister city of Beit Shean and Valley of Springs, Israel. The event, Celebrate our Partnership, will explore the incredible impact Cleveland has had on its sister city and how residents from both communities have created personal, powerful bonds. All are invited to attend and experience the connection through live music by HaZamir: The International Jewish High School Choir, a theater performance by Playmakers Youth Theatre, stunning images from local photographers, plus speeches by public officials, honoring of past chairs, and more. The event takes place on March 30 at 7 p.m. at the Mandel Jewish Community Center (26001 S. Woodland Road, Beachwood).

For many of the children attending a recent PJ Library gathering, the Chagrin Falls Fire Station was the most exciting destination they could imagine. Some came dressed in their red firefighter' s costumes, complete with helmets, coats and boots, while others were happy to put on firefighter helmets given to them by the fire station. They watched carefully as firefighter Tim Alder demonstrated how to put on gear to fight fires. They also loved the fire trucks tour.

CLEVELAND – The Jewish Federation of Cleveland announces that Michelle Hirsch of Chagrin Falls has been selected to serve as the 2016-2017 Co-Chair Designate of the Jewish Federations of North America’s (JFNA) National Young Leadership Cabinet (NYLC). Hirsch will begin her two-year term in June, alongside Jeff Rum of Washington, D.C. As co-chairs, they will represent Jewish Federation young leadership across North America, which includes 151 Jewish Federations in the United States and Canada.

With activities like “Flying Eggs” and “Don’t Burst the Balloon,” it’s no wonder students and parents alike walked out of Mandel JDS happy and, more importantly, a little bit more educated. Mandel JDS held their first annual STEM Fair, on Sunday, March 6. The concept of STEM (a acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) took hold of the building as students and parents alike in engaged in 18 different interactive, educational activities.

CLEVELAND – Wade Henderson, a visionary leader of the civil and human rights movement, joins the Jewish Federation of Cleveland to discuss “Public Education, Civil Rights, and Inequality” at the 69th Annual Meeting of the Community Relations Committee (CRC) and Sidney Z. Vincent Memorial Lecture. The event takes place on Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Maltz Performing Arts Center (1855 Ansel Road, Cleveland). The event is free and open to the public; registration is strongly encouraged.

I grew up in Tomsk, Siberia (formerly part of the Soviet Union). Unlike Cleveland, Tomsk has a very small Jewish community with just one synagogue. Many of the Jews who live here don’t call themselves Jews. Some are scared to reveal this because it brings back memories of anti-Semitism. For others like my parents, it doesn’t mean much because they were raised under the Soviet Union where religion was outlawed. To them, their Jewish identity is not important.