The Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s community relations committee’s 76th annual meeting Feb. 27, featured speaker Yotam Polizer, Global CEO of IsraAID, discussed how his organization builds bridges with communities and provides aid in times of crisis.

Join together to make a difference in our community as part of Good Deeds Day, a global day of volunteerism by creating positive change in our community and in our world. Since 2007, Good Deeds Day has united millions of volunteers from 108 countries for service opportunities that benefit people and the planet.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland and community partners will celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut this year with two major community events.

For college students who grew up going to Jewish overnight camp, becoming a counselor seems like a natural progression to their camp experience. But with college expenses and other career opportunities, some find it difficult to justify spending their summer at camp.

We were there from the start. One year ago tomorrow the war in Ukraine began. Immediately, the Jewish Federation, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and their partners mobilized to deliver lifesaving aid and care for tens of thousands of Jews and their neighbors in and outside of Ukraine.

Synagogues throughout Greater Cleveland are participating in Shabbat for Ukraine Feb. 24 by lighting a third candle to mark one year since the Ukraine crisis began.

Growing up in Beit Shean, Israel, Cleveland’s sister city, Tomer Blise has always felt a strong connection to the Jewish Cleveland community. Tomer’s journey to Cleveland began in fourth grade when her love of books helped her develop confidence and leadership skills. She helped start a volunteer program with a few classmates at the Beit Shean Library helping the library director organize books and create programs for other teens. Each year the group would grow with more and more students and by the time she was in high school, she was one of the leaders of the group. As a high school sophomore, she was invited by the Jewish Federation to Cleveland as part of a delegation from the library which helped teach the method of involving and activating teens through libraries.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s community relations committee is hoping for record-breaking attendance at this year’s 76th Annual Meeting and Sidney Z. Vincent Memorial Lecture with featured speaker, Yotam Polizer, Global CEO of IsraAID.

This week, we had one of the most important discussions that our Federation can have – one that is sadly still needed to have. This week, we met with middle schoolers at Gross Schechter Day School to discuss all that we are doing to help keep them safe.