Two things Cleveland is known for is our long winters and our strong Jewish community. This year, the winter months seem to hang over our heads a little more than usual as we continue to live physically distanced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The coping mechanisms we used in the warmer months like walks, hikes, and other outdoor activities, are not as feasible for many of us.

Can you imagine your family’s favorite recipe becoming a relic of our Cleveland Jewish history? The food our community shares gives insight into how families, friends, and larger communities function. The stories of our cherished recipes are unique and deserve to be celebrated.

The world of education changed overnight with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic – and synagogue educational programs were not immune. Thanks to the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland (JEC), a Federation beneficiary agency, students in Cleveland and across the country were able to continue their studies through a new and innovative learning approach.

Jewish Federation of Cleveland's Young Leadership Division and Cleveland shlicha, Li-or Gersht, hosted us for a virtual mission to our sister city St. Petersburg, Russia.

A message from President Erika B. Rudin-Luria

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland was joined by Dr. Robert A. Salata and Dr. Daniel I. Simon of University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center for an update on the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland will host a virtual panel discussion with leaders from Cleveland’s Black, Latinx, and Jewish communities to identify and explore various ways these communities can further collaborate to address unique and common communal challenges. This discussion will be part of the 74th Annual Meeting of the Federation’s Community Relations Committee (CRC) and Sidney Z. Vincent Memorial Lecture. This virtual event is free and open to the public on Tuesday, February 9 at 7 pm.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland's Saltzman Youth Panel program educates Jewish Cleveland students about the philanthropic process. The panelists, made up of high school juniors and seniors, work together to understand various community needs and then make a formal recommendation to the Federation’s Board of Trustees on how to distribute up to $50,000 in grant funding. Through this program, participants develop their leadership and group consensus building skills as they learn about the community decision-making and most importantly, tzedakah.

Jewish Federation of Cleveland's Young Leadership Division and Cleveland shlicha, Li-or Gersht, hosted us on a virtual mission to hear from Vadim Blumin who made aliyah from Russia to Israel.

At the beginning of his sophomore year in high school, a local teen began to notice his motivation for school was not as it once was. He knew his grades were slipping because of this change but he could not break the pattern. Fortunately, the Social Advocates for Youth Program (SAY) of Bellefaire JCB, a Federation beneficiary agency, was there for him and so many other teens in crisis.