Growing up in the Jewish community in Cleveland, I always learned about our awesome partnership region: Beit She’an and the Valley and Springs. In fact, this year marks the 20th anniversary of our partnership together so I was especially eager to spend some quality time there. I have always considered Beit She’an and the surrounding area to be special and beautiful, but I realized that my non-Cleveland friends had no idea that this place even existed. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to bring two friends, one from New Jersey and one from Paris, to this special region in the north to show them what makes Beit She’an and the Valley of Springs so special.

Cleveland Indians owner, chairman and CEO Paul Dolan traveled to Israel the week of April 24 with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. Dolan joined about 30 other Jewish and non-Jewish business people who were invited on the trip by the Federation, which partnered with Israel Bonds.

Forty Cleveland nonprofit leaders will travel in July to Israel, via the new Thomas and Joann Adler Civic Leaders Israel Mission.

Katie Spector of Mentor is a MASA Israel Teaching Fellow, a 10-month post-college volunteer program, part of I-Connect, an initiative of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. She is helping Israel elementary school age children learn to speak and read English in Cleveland’s sister city of Beit Shean. She also gets to live it like a local in Beit Shean, and immerse herself in its warm and welcoming community.

Rachel Lieberman of Shaker Heights has been volunteering in Israel for the past six months through Masa Israel, a post-college service program, part of I-Connect, an initiative of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. Through Masa, Rachel is helping Ethiopian Israelis learn to read and write English at the Yahel Social Change Program in Ramat Eliyahu.

Gilad Benayahou wasn't supposed to join the IDF.

Jewish Cleveland knows how to party! Nearly 2000 community members joined together to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s 69th Independence Day, with a knockout performance by Israeli superstar Idan Raichel.

Clevelanders celebrating Israel’s Independence Day, or Yom Ha’atzmaut, spent an evening with Israeli singer and musician Idan Raichel, who captivated the crowd with his solo, piano-based performance.

Celebrate Israel's 69th Independence Day on May 2 with Idan Raichel in concert!

This July, 40 of Cleveland’s esteemed civic leaders will travel to Israel on the Thomas and Joann Adler Civic Leaders Israel Mission. This new biennial mission launched by the Adlers of Shaker Heights was established through an endowment at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. The purpose is to expose Cleveland leadership to Israel’s innovative approaches to economic and community development, education and support of at-risk and disadvantaged populations, and to create opportunities for partnership with each other and Israeli counterparts.