08/27/2024
One World Day Puts Spotlight on Cultural Gardens
About 50 people from the Cleveland Jewish community represent the Hebrew Cultural Garden in the Parade of Flags during One World Day at noon Aug. 25 on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. CJN Photo / Abigail Preiszig
ABIGAIL PREISZIG | CJN
Article reprinted with permission from Cleveland Jewish News
The 78th Annual One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens promoted the sharing of over 50 cultures through a diverse group of people, heritages, entertainment and food Aug. 25.
Hosted by Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation with Councilman Kevin Conwell and the city of Cleveland, almost 35,000 attendees explored 250 acres with over 40 gardens on both East Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
The day began at 11 a.m. with a Naturalization Ceremony for 26 new U.S. citizens at the Centennial Peace Plaza Stage, followed by the Parade of Flags kick off at noon that marched north on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Among the approximate 1,000 parade participants, waving flags and donning traditional clothing of their heritage, were 50 Jewish and Israelis including community members and representatives from the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland’s Horvitz YouthAbility group and the 2024-25 shin shinim, Israeli teen emissaries, representing the Hebrew Cultural Garden.
“This is the biggest multicultural festival that happens in the city of Cleveland so it’s really important for us to show our community pride and show that we are a part of the broader Cleveland community,” Aviva Roland, managing director of the Jewish Volunteer Network of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, told the Cleveland Jewish News. “Especially with rising antisemitism and geopolitical challenges related to Israel it’s especially important to have a strong presence from the Jewish community in this multicultural event. We need to be included; we need to be counted.”
The Federation organized activities in the Hebrew Cultural Garden, nestled between the Syrian and Croatian Cultural Gardens, including dancing with the six shin shinim, Hebrew songs performed by Cantor Alyssa Rosenbaum of B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike and Cantor Kathryn Wolfe Sebo of Congregation Mishkan Or in Beachwood and singing with Liron Wolyniec Daniel, Youngstown community shaliach.''
Sheila Allenick, former assistant director and treasurer of fiscal operations at the Federation, began caring for the Hebrew Cultural Garden around 2018, she told the CJN. At the time, she had visited the garden and did not like the condition it was in.
“I said, ‘OK, I’m going to do something about it,’ and I started organizing groups of volunteers to come and help,” said Allenick, who is now volunteer coordinator for the Hebrew Cultural Gardens.
Most recently Allenick, who was honored as a 2023 CJN 18 Difference Maker, with the help of the Federation, renovated the fountain at the center of the garden and the “musicians’ corner” on the south end of the garden with an area of grass in the shape of King David’s harp and plants serving as the strings, she said. Another renovation replacing seven plaques on boulders on the north end of the garden will be underway within the next couple months.
The Hebrew Cultural Garden was among the first of the cultural gardens to be built and dedicated in 1926, the CJN previously reported. The garden was the vision of Leo Weidenthal, founder of the Shakespeare Garden and publisher of Cleveland’s Jewish Independent newspaper, a predecessor of the Cleveland Jewish News.
For more information about the Hebrew Cultural Garden, contact the Federation at info@jewishcleveland.org or 216-593-2900.
