When Rachel first walked into the Mandel Jewish Community Center two years ago, she was stepping outside her comfort zone. She had not exercised in years, knew no one and felt intimidated by the idea of joining a fitness class.

Eran Ben-Ari, business manager of Kibbutz Kissufim in southern Israel, visited the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in Beachwood on Sept. 24 to discuss the kibbutz’s rebuilding efforts and its partnership with Cleveland’s Jewish community.

In a community that is often thriving on the surface, the statistic that revealed that 20% of Jewish households are financially vulnerable was a surprise to many.

As Jewish communities around the world continue to navigate rising concerns about safety, I am reminded that security is not simply about protecting buildings. It is about protecting the people and sense of belonging that make those buildings feel like home.

Midway through the 65th annual Fall Memorial at the Kol Israel Foundation National Holocaust Memorial on Sept. 20 inside Bedford Heights’ Zion Memorial Park, a black felt cover was pulled back to unveil a new marker distinguishing the site as the nation’s only federally recognized memorial that preserves the memory of 6 million Jews who died in the Holocaust.

A rabbi’s warning to the first group of Eastern European Jewish immigrants sailing to America in 1839 to be good Jews and not succumb to America’s freedoms will on display at the White Glove Brunch at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 18 at the 50th anniversary of the Cleveland Jewish Archives at the Western Reserve Historical Society’s Cleveland History Center at10825 East Boulevard.

During Rosh Hashanah, many of us gathered with family and friends to welcome the new year. We shared meals, dipped apples in honey and recited familiar blessings. We reflected on the past, celebrated the joy of being together in the present and looked ahead with hope for a sweet year to come.

In a few days, we will gather again with family and friends to observe Yom Kippur – the day we take stock in our individual actions and deeds from the past year. It is also a time to reflect as a community and recommit to the Jewish values that connect us.

Jewish Cleveland has never fallen short when it comes to tzedakah, and for some community members, that charity has become more than just an annual donation.

In Beit Shean and the Valley of Springs, the Teenshinim program for high school students helps develop skills and leadership among the next generation in our sister communities in Israel.