Kerry Kertesz of University Heights has been awarded the 2017 Bennett and Donna Yanowitz Leadership Award by the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. The award recognizes and honors an outstanding young individual who has demonstrated commitment, involvement, and leadership within Cleveland’s Jewish community. Kertesz was presented the award at the Federation’s Board meeting on March 14.

Year-long celebration for Clevelanders of all backgrounds includes concert by Israeli superstar David Broza and the first-ever IsraelFest!

I grew up in Cleveland with a sense of pride in being Jewish. I was a part of a very special B’nai Mitzvah with my cousin; being able to do that with her was amazing. I’m also a third generation Holocaust survivor on my father’s side. I never met my grandfather, who I’m named after – I was born to keep his legacy alive.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Young Leadership Division (YLD) announced the appointment of Natan Milgrom as Board Chair and Dayna Orlean as Vice Chair, effective January 2018. They succeed Barry Guttman and Milgrom, respectively, who served in these capacities last year.

What's Jacki Bell's one piece of advice for young families? Be patient! "Kids are really smart, so often times I can talk through an issue with my 3 year old. Plus, it's all a phase and they don't last long." Meet Jackie and her family now:

There are two things in my life that define me – my Jewishness and baseball. I was born and raised in Jewish Cleveland and the values of Judaism were instilled in me from a very young age – from synagogue, Sunday School, Jewish Day Camps, BBYO, and activities at the Mandel JCC. Jewish Cleveland is everything to me – as is playing baseball. I’ve put so much into being able to play my entire life, including in college.

Israel's Channel 2 News meets the Beit Shean Masa Israel Teaching Fellows! MITF is on a 10-month post-college volunteer program where exemplary college grads teach English to Israeli students.

Rachel Kraus of Solon has been named the 2017-2018 Roslyn Z. Wolf Cleveland-JDC International Fellow. Established in 2003 by the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the JDC Entwine Global Jewish Service Corps, the Roslyn Z. Wolf Cleveland-JDC International Fellowship is part of a cohort of 23 young JDC Entwine Global Jewish Service Corps Fellows deployed around the world.

We did it! Together, over 9,700 community members raised more than $32.7 million to help care for our local and global Jewish community. What we do matters and every dollar makes a difference!

Our biggest Big Event yet! Thank you to the 400+ young adults who celebrated in style at the YLD Big Event, our signature fundraising event of the year. It was a night we'll never forget with drinks, eats, live music, plus a hilarious performance by Cleveland comedian Mike Polk, Jr.