On Sunday, April 10th, the 2015-2016 Saltzman Youth Panel had its last session. Although a meeting of reflection, from the moment we cracked open the first box of pizza to the final minutes sharing our take-aways, the panel was collectively passionate, driving to achieve a common goal. Throughout the meeting, I was constantly reminded of the high quality of leadership on the Saltzman Youth Panel. With complete confidence I can say I learned something new every time a fellow panelist spoke. This was exciting, as well as something that speaks volumes about who and what make up the Saltzman Youth Panel.

After a two-month celebration, Gross Schechter students concluded the Sveta Grinberg Read for Life program. This special program, kindly sponsored by Ida and Mikhail Grinberg in memory of their daughter, Sveta, took our students around the world through literature, tikkun olam (community service) and community programs. During this program, our students read 1,287 books and donated 128 books to the Head Start program.

At Gross Schechter Day School, the Eighth Grade Israel Trip is the culmination of the Schechter experience. After years of study that have helped Schechter students develop a deep love for Israel, provided them with the language skills to speak Hebrew with ease and have deeply rooted them in the history and cultural landscape of the Jewish homeland, Schechter students will bring their studies to life with this extraordinary three-week trip. On this trip, they will connect with other students in Cleveland’s sister city, Beit Shean, they will visit the sites that have been sources of study for years and truly immerse themselves in Israeli culture.

I had the pleasure of spending my junior year of college at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. One of the perks of that year was meeting and growing close with my cousin Ziva, who happened to work at Hadassah Hospital across the street from my dorm. We spent a lot of time together and she invited me to spend many Shabbatot and holidays with her family. In addition to being hilariously funny, warm and nurturing, Ziva had another talent, as well: She was, and remains, an amazing cook. I am excited to share one of her recipes with you below, which I hope will make your preparations for Passover a bit easier.

Are you ready for your close up? Come back to school and experience a day in the life of a preschool student at Gross Schechter Day School!

CLEVELAND – An estimated 1,100 Holocaust survivors call Cleveland home. Join our community as we honor these survivors and remember those who perished in the Holocaust at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and the Kol Israel Foundation’s Yom Hashoah V’Hagvurah on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:00 at Green Road Synagogue, 2437 S. Green Road in Beachwood. This annual event is free and open to the community.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland has named Gary L. Gross Board Chair for the 2016-2019 term. Gross is well-positioned for this prestigious role, continuing the Federation’s 110+ year tradition of strong volunteer leadership. Gross brings significant professional experience as a principal at Gross Builders and many years of extensive volunteer leadership involvement.

View some of our top stories from the year featured in our 2015 Annual Report.

Passover preparations are in full swing in our home. This entails cleaning the kitchen, meal planning, shopping and eventually cooking. What about the Seder service and rituals, do they need a bit of an update or refresher in the same spirit as our most central Passover question, why is this night different?