Shalom (Hello). My name is Kobi Dostakam, and I am proud to be a Colonel in the IDF and head of the 2015 IDF delegation to Cleveland. I am married to Marina, have four children and have been serving in the IDF for 26 years. Tonight, we mark Yom Hazikaron, the Day of Remembrance for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel.

Ever since the Israelis left, we’ve been counting down the days until we see them again. Reuniting with our Israelis is one of the many reasons we’re anxious for our 10-day mission.

As a member of icnext, I was given an opportunity to view Israel as an insider and abandon my tourist outlook on the country. I accomplished this goal of connecting and engaging with Israel by living with the Dalal family in Beit She'an.

Throughout our Israel trip, each one of us has seen so many unique people and places. There is no way to recreate once-in-a-lifetime experiences

No words can adequately describe the suffering of those who experienced the horrors of the Holocaust firsthand. And, no words can adequately describe the heartache felt by the hundreds of Cleveland community members who join together each year to listen to survivors tell their stories at Yom Hashoah V’Hagvurah, on Holocaust Remembrance Day. We created this video in partnership with Kol Israel Foundation to share the importance of Holocaust education. Today, children survivors are nearing the end of their lives and we won’t be able to hear their stories firsthand forever. Please watch and share as we say “Never Again.”

700+ filled the room and tuned in via Live Stream to celebrate the strength of our community at our 111th Annual Meeting!

It really is no secret that observing the dietary laws of Passover in the United States is somewhat of a chore and not exactly easy. Passover in Israel is a completely different story. For the most part, the grocery stores and restaurants do all the work for you and it is much harder to break the laws of Passover in Israel than it is to keep them.

Mabel spent most of her life donating her time to charity. She volunteered with a variety of organizations, in Cleveland and beyond. At 75, she had slowed down a bit but her interest in doing good never changed.

If someone told me a year and a half ago that I would move to Israel for 10 months, I am pretty confident I would not believe them.