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.

We are saddened to share the loss of Charlotte Kramer-Schwartz z"l, Federation Board Trustee for Life.

Jewish Federation of Cleveland's Young Leadership Division and Cleveland shlicha, Li-or Gersht joined us for a virtual trip to our sister city Beit Shean, Israel.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Young Leadership Division (YLD) announced the appointment of Abbie Pappas as board chair, effective January 2021. Pappas served as YLD’s board vice chair last year and she succeeds Cameron Orlean in the board chair role. YLD connects Jewish young adults, ages 22 – 45, to each other and the community through social, volunteer, leadership, and philanthropic activities.

Check out our upcoming events, including a virtual tour of Cleveland's sister cities, a three-part program about “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Contemporary Israeli Cinema,” and a panel discussion of community leaders from the Black, Latinx, and Jewish communities.

During this week’s Shabbat, we reflected on the events of the past week. We feel it is important to share some additional thoughts with you and ask for your help.

Do you miss traveling? Join YLD and Cleveland shlicha, Li-or Gersht, for virtual trips to our sister cities of Beit Shean, Israel and St. Petersburg, Russia!

As we prepare for the first Shabbat after New Year's Day 2021, we are reminded of this special blessing – a variation of which can be found in every Jewish prayer book – for our country, its leaders and advisors, and our fellow citizens:

We pray for the safety of all Members of Congress, their staff and the law enforcement who are protecting them. We thank Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman, and Governor Mike DeWine for their strong statements and join them in urging an end to the violence. We also unequivocally condemn any elected official trying to advance a position by claiming that Adolf Hitler was “right.” Violent unlawful protests and hate-fueled rhetoric have no place in our democratic society.