Many Jewish communities are seeing an alarming rise in antisemitism across the U.S. including here in Ohio. Both law enforcement and the ADL are reporting that antisemitic activity targeting individuals and Jewish facilities are increasing at a very alarming rate. Experts attribute this spike in violent attacks targeting Jews to the national news cycle reporting on the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, and the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Even prior to these recent events, the FBI’s Annual Hate Crime reporting indicates threats and violent attacks had already been on the rise in the past several years.

Thank you to Representatives David Joyce, Marcy Kaptur, Anthony Gonzalez and Tim Ryan – who each signed on to an important letter from members of the House of Representatives to the Biden Administration calling for more robust measures to combat antisemitism. The letter, which you can read here, calls on President Biden to develop an inter-agency strategy to combat antisemitism and to nominate an Ambassador at Large to lead the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the State Department.

Jewish Federation of Cleveland President Erika B. Rudin-Luria and board vice chair Neil R. Waxman showed their continued support for Israelis and a desire to combat antisemitism during a nationwide federation solidarity mission to Israel, led by the Jewish Federations of North America from May 24 to May 28.

When terrorist attacks escalated in Israel in May 2021, Jewish Clevelanders came together to show their unwavering support for the Israeli people and the Jewish homeland at a rally hosted by the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and the Israeli-American Council. On May 12, more than 500 people from our diverse Jewish community marched down Richmond Road to send a message of peace and healing across the world. Rally participants also heard inspirational messages from community leadership and clergy.

CLEVELAND – The innocent Palestinian and Israeli lives that have been tragically lost this month are, very sadly, only the latest casualties of an ongoing conflict between Israel and an array of forces seeking Israel’s elimination. These forces include well-known terrorist organizations – like Hamas, Hezbollah (the much larger terrorist organization operating on Israel’s northern borders), and Palestinian Islamic Jihad – as well as the government of Iran.

Innovation. Leadership. Identity. Join us on the Young Leadership Division (YLD) Weinberg Mission to Israel.

41 Jewish high school juniors and seniors from public and private high schools across Cleveland have come together to recommend grants totaling $40,000 to 14 organizations for crucial programs in the Jewish and general community through the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s 2020-2021 Maurice Saltzman Youth Panel.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland announced that Danielle Wild of Beachwood was awarded the 2021 Ruby Bass Challenge Award, the organization’s most prestigious award for women philanthropists. Wild was honored with the award at the Federation’s Women IN Philanthropy virtual Signature Event on May 27.

The inaugural Joyce Garver Keller Institute for Jewish Advocacy has launched!