The year-end rush applies to many things: closing deals, shopping, travel and charitable giving. In fact, 30% of all donations each year are made in December. Don’t let the busy season keep you from being thoughtful about charitable contributions. Making tax-smart choices about how you donate can help make the most out of your contributions and other year-end planning.

Former Board Chair of Jewish Federations of North America Michael Siegal is one of five notable leaders who will be awarded the prestigious Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor, according to an announcement issued by the Office of President Isaac Herzog. The prize, which is the highest civil medal awarded by the President of Israel, will be presented in recognition of Siegal’s extraordinary commitment to the Jewish nation and to advancing ties between Israel and North American Jewry.

The Lion of Judah Society is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and will honor Clevelander Beth Wain Brandon, among others, at the International Lion of Judah Conference taking place Dec. 11 to Dec. 13 in Phoenix.

This November marks one year since the Jewish Federation of Cleveland partnered with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s LIFE & LEGACY program to benefit and sustain its agencies.

For nearly 10 years, Hillel at Kent State University and the AEPi fraternity have held a name-reading ceremony to commemorate Yom HaShoah. The 24-hour event is held on the campus of Kent State University; Jewish and non-Jewish students take turns reading the names of those who lost their life during the Holocaust.

The Federation has been dedicated to caring for Holocaust survivors for decades. By leveraging the Kavod Shef matching funds, the Federation and JFSA can continue to provide the support and share with survivors in our Cleveland community the resources they need to live comfortably and more dignified.

We hope to see you at one of our many November events! This month, we're welcoming the world-renowned Israel Philharmonic to Cleveland, celebrating the generosity of our community at 2023 Campaign for Jewish Needs events, volunteering together to make our community stronger, and more!

The Mandel Myers Fellowship Program enables Jewish overnight camps to attract and retain high-caliber staff, help students from Cleveland offset the costs associated with attending a four-year accredited university, and add professional development experience to the camp counselor role to make it more competitive with other internship opportunities.

As the state of Israel approaches its 75th anniversary as an independent state on May 14, 2023, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland is kicking off a yearlong celebration of events with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.