In a muted and somber commemoration of the Holocaust brought palpably close by the shootings in Poway, California, April 27 close to 600 people attended a community wide Yom Hashoah service at B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike on May 1.

An estimated 770 Holocaust survivors live in the Cleveland area. Our community will honor these survivors and remember those who perished during the Holocaust at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and Kol Israel Foundation’s Yom Hashoah V’Hagvurah. Join us on Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00 pm at B’nai Jeshurun Congregation (27501 Fairmount Blvd in Pepper Pike). This annual event is free and open to the community.

Every year, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland holds Yom Hashoah V'Hagvurah, a commemoration dedicated to remembering those who survived the Holocaust and those who perished.

Cleveland native William Daroff lobbies on behalf of the Jewish people as the director of the Washington DC office and the senior vice president of public policy for the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA).

Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger and Shadi Abu Awwad see a future where there is peace between the Israeli and Palestinian people. As leaders of the non-profit organization, Roots, they are building a unique network of local Palestinians and Israelis who have come to see each other as the partners needed to make changes and end the ongoing conflict between the two cultures. Through their work, they are fostering a grassroots movement of understanding, nonviolence, and transformation founded on dignity, trust, mutual recognition, and respect.

About 120 people gathered at Cleveland Botanical Gardens Feb. 12 to bless trees and their fruit, drink, sing and share their stories of connection to trees and nature.

General Mansour abu Rashid of Jordan spent his entire military career and post-military career promoting peace in the Middle East including his role in the 1994 signing of the Peace Treaty Accord between Israel and Jordan. His efforts have successfully led to a Jordan/Cross-Border Initiative between Jordanians and Israelis in Beit Shean, Cleveland’s sister city.

On Jan. 24, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s community relations committee held its 72nd annual meeting in conjunction with the Sidney Z. Vincent Memorial Lecture at the Mandel Jewish Community Center in Beachwood for 225 attendees, including many community leaders.

When Felton Thomas Jr., Cleveland Public Library executive director and CEO, visited the library in Beit Shean, Israel, he was initially thrown off by how its run but quickly became inspired to install a similar approach at Cleveland Public Library with help in part from a Jewish fellow.

Last night, a packed house of more than 250 people joined us at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Community Relations Committee & Sidney Z. Vincent Memorial Lecture to discuss a critical issue: the relationship between the Israeli and Palestinian people.