Ten college students learned about the importance of having a strong Jewish identity and expressing their passion for Israel at a program July 11 at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Mandel Building in Beachwood.

Jewish high school juniors and seniors interested in strengthening the Jewish community and making the world a better place are encouraged to apply for the 2016-2017 Maurice Saltzman Youth Panel, a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. As a group, panelists recommend how to distribute up to $50,000 to programs in the Jewish and general communities. Participants will develop their leadership and group consensus skills as they learn about the philanthropic process and responding to community needs.

Over the last decade, supporters of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement have focused their campaign in the U.S. primarily on college campuses. But the BDS movement appears to be slowing down, according to Jacob Baime, executive director of the Israel on Campus Coalition, causing activists to adapt and shift their strategies.

In just over one year, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland has raised close to $2.8 million for its Cemetery Preservation Campaign, putting them just $700k short of a $3.5 million goal to preserve Cleveland’s older Jewish cemeteries. The Federation asks all who are interested to donate to the community-wide campaign at www.jewishcleveland.org/cemetery.

On June 21, 2016, the Federation Board of Trustees voted unanimously to make the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage (2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood, OH 44122 I 216.593.0575 I maltzmuseum.org) a local beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, solidifying a longstanding relationship between the two organizations. The Maltz Museum provides high quality programming and outreach to nearly 40,000 members of the Jewish and general community each year.

40 high school juniors and seniors representing public and private high schools and 12 different synagogues have come together to recommend grants totaling $40,000 to 11 organizations for crucial programs in the Jewish and general communities through the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s 2015-2016 Maurice Saltzman Youth Panel.

For more than 35 years, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Irene Zehman Award has recognized women who demonstrate the highest ideals and practices of volunteer service. This year, the award goes to Mary Ellen Saltzman of Beachwood, founder of Treasures Gift Shop at the Mandel Jewish Community Center (JCC) and Siegal College. Mary Ellen will be honored at the Federation Women’s Spring Luncheon on May 18 at Landerhaven (6111 Landerhaven Drive, Mayfield Heights).

ED WITTENBERG CJN Staff Reporter Rita, a native of Iran who is one of Israel’s most famous female singers, is trying to create a bond between Iranians and Israelis through her music.

On the last Friday before Spring Break, the 8th grade class of Mandel JDS (along with their parents, and the entire school) stood proudly in front of the Israeli flag, singing Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem. This tradition, commemorating the eighth grade’s upcoming voyage to Israel, has been around for nearly as long as the annual pilgrimage itself.