Our community honored those who lost their lives protecting Israel and civilian victims of terror with a moving Yom Hazikaron ceremony.

Get all the important information you need about Yom Ha'atzmaut, happening on May 5, 2022.

Over 200 people attended the in-person commemoration of Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, May 3 at The Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood, while an additional 100 logged onto the livestream. This is the first time in three years the event has been held in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When I was asked to write this blog post about Yom Hazikaron and my reflections about it as an Israeli, I was very hesitant. How can I put in words a custom you grow up with since childhood? Will I be able to do justice to the many layers and rituals of Yom Hazikaron? I will try to explain it and paint a picture from my own eyes growing up in Israel.

This May, we're celebrating Israel with an outdoor carnival, cleaning up Cleveland's Jewish cemeteries, experiencing camp with hands-on service projects, and more.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland will celebrate Israel’s 74th Independence Day with Yom Ha’atzmaut May 5 outside at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage and The Temple-Tifereth Israel, both in Beachwood.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Yom Hazikaron commemoration will return in person at The Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood May 3 with sirens, memorial prayers, readings, songs, videos and speakers.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland will host its annual Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration – a festival celebrating Israel’s Independence Day – on Thursday, May 5 at 6 pm outside at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage and The Temple-Tifereth Israel (2929 Richmond Road in Beachwood). It is free and open to the community.

Thirty-two esteemed Cleveland civic leaders recently participated in the Adler Civic Leaders Israel Mission. This biennial mission, launched by Thomas and Joann Adler, was established through an endowment at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. The purpose is to expose leadership from across Cleveland to Israel’s complexities, and its innovative approaches to economic and community development, education and support of at-risk and disadvantaged populations. The mission also creates opportunities for partnership with fellow travelers and Israeli counterparts.

Following a trip to the Poland-Ukraine border to see the relief efforts, Jewish Federation of Cleveland President Erika B. Rudin-Luria and board chair J. David Heller joined other Cleveland Federation leaders in the United Arab Emirites and Israel for a preplanned mission.