Latest news from Greater Cleveland Congregations:

“Thanks to all our core team leaders and issue action team members who participated in last week’s Delegate Assembly. [Rabbi Enid Lader and Laurie Levinson were there...] GCC unanimously ratified the action plans from our Criminal Justice and Health Care teams in an integrated campaign between now and the March 6 primary election. When GCC acts, we all act together! We will organize a County Prosecutor Candidate Accountability Action on Monday, Feb. 20 from 7-9 pm at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple (23737 Fairmount Blvd, Beachwood) at which the gathered GCC membership (current turnout commitments: 680) will ask the candidates to commit to improving the way the office handles crucial issues in the criminal justice system. GCC cannot and will not endorse candidates.”

Beth Israel – The West Temple is hoping to bring at least 10 people to this program on Feb. 20th. If you would like to attend — we can meet at temple at 6:15 p.m. and drive together. RSVP to Rabbi Enid (eclader@aol.com).

When GCC acts, we all act together!

Please save the date Sunday April 22, 2012.  Our own Rabbi Lettofsky will retire this summer.  We would like to honor his service to our community and look forward to your attendance.  Please keep your self posted on the event under the Community page on our website.  Please contact Sandy Kahn to offer your assistance.  440-773-8035 or sandfordkahn@hotmail.com

NFTY FALL KALLAH

On October 21-23, our Beth Israel Youth Group co-hosted the NFTY Regional Fall Retreat (known as a “Kallah”) along with Suburban Temple Kol Ami and Tifereth Israel.  It was the largest regional event in recent memory, with 200 high school students and 25 advisers from Youth Groups in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Canada.  Two of our Beth Israel students have shared their thoughts on the event from different perspectives.  For 8th grader Kathryn Fleisher, this was her first event, and for senior Zack Roth it will be one of his last.  Please link to view their thoughts.  Student Kallah Perspective, Edna House, and Lakeside Men’s Emergency Shelter

YOU DID IT!

You helped create a great mitzvah! We were able to raise the entire $1,400 we needed to help our dear friend Carl Cook & Project Save to feed 300 homeless men on Christmas day at the Men’s Emergency Shelter downtown. Your Beth Israel Youth Group (and some of you as well), will also be volunteering from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm that day to cook, clean and serve.

Thank you again for all of your wonderful generosity!

David Rosen
Youth Group Advisor & High School Educator

Saturday, November 5, Our first Celebrate Shabbat of the school year!  9:30am Coffee, Nosh and Schmooze; 9:45am Lessons with the Rabbi; 10:45 am Worship Service; Noon Potluck Luncheon, bring a Dairy dish to share with others.

Reminder there is Cosmic Bowling for the High School students:   8pm to midnight.

The Saltzman Youth Panel was established, through the Maurice Saltzman Youth Grant Program of the Federation, to educate younger members of the Jewish community about the importance of Jewish communal decision-making, the philanthropic process and responding to Jewish and general community needs.

The Maurice Saltzman Youth Grant Program of the Jewish Federation was established in Spring 1998 by Shirley Saltzman and her family.  The program perpetuates the goals of the late Maurice Saltzman, a past president of the Jewish Federation, who cared deeply about educating the next generation of Jewish community leadership.

The 2012 Saltzman Youth Panel consists of 40 area high school juniors and seniors who were selected through youth group advisor, rabbi and religious school director nominations as well as from at-large applications.  Working together, panel members will make important decisions as to how to spend $50,000 to improve the Jewish and general communities.  The panel brings together Jewish students of different backgrounds to learn about the philanthropic process, responding to community needs and most importantly, tzedakah.

Mazal Tov to our future community leaders!

Doron Kalir
On Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 10:30 a.m.
“What’s New(s) in Israel?”

Doron Kalir is a dynamic speaker. He will give us his own view of happenings in Israel.
Mr. Kalir was born and raised in Tel Aviv. He served in the Israel Defense Force special reconnaissance unit for three years. Following his service, he studied law at the Hebrew University Law School, where he graduated with a Masters of Laws summa cum laude. This led to teaching law and later working in all three branches of the Israeli Government: the legislative (advising a standing committee of the Israeli Knesset); the judicial (clerking for a Jerusalem Court of Appeals Judge); and executive (serving as an attorney at the Antitrust Authority of the State of Israel).
Mr. Kalir arrived in New York in 1998 to study law at Columbia Law School. Following his graduation as a James Kent Scholar (Highest Honors), he was asked to teach the incoming class of international students for the next two years. After teaching at Columbia, Mr. Kalir joined one of New York’s largest law firms, Skadden Arps, where he stayed for five years.
Doron arrived in Cleveland about a year ago, with his wife and two young children. He recently completed a translation of a book by Israel’s former Chief Justice, Aharon Barak, from Hebrew to English. He currently lectures on law and Judaism at Siegal College.

Enid, Susan and Barbara want you to save the following dates for the interesting programs we are planning:

Wed., January 11, 2012:  Enid and Barbara will talk about their trip to Chautauqua this summer to hear Anat Hoffman, Director of the Israel Religious Action Center, which works for equality, social justice, and religious tolerance in Israel, and we will see the DVD In Her Voice about The Women of the Wall.  (If you would like to host this evening, please call Susan or Barbara.)

Wed., February 29, 2012:  To help us prepare for our Women’s Seder; we will be talking about moving along on our personal journeys.  Rhoda Rosen will be our host for the evening.

Thursday, April 12, 2012:  Our sixth annual Women’s Seder!

Wed., June 13, 2012:  Our program is called Daughters of Abraham, and we hope to have conversations with our spiritual sisters of Islamic and Christian faith.  (We have not named a location for this evening program.)

Jewish Federation will be collecting pre-packaged socks and underwear for men and women as well as new washcloths and towels. Start bringing in your donations starting December 11th.  The collected items will be donated at InterAct Cleveland’s Homeless Stand Down in February 2012, a mid-winter retreat for individuals and families facing the challenges of poverty and homelessness.  In addition to receiving the winter clothing items, guests relax to entertainment, enjoy hot nutritious meals, escape from the elements, converse in an affirming environment, renew their bodies with haircuts, massages and health screenings, have easy access to social service providers, and receive hygiene kits and bus passes.

Please contribute what you can to this important event!  We will let you know as we need volunteers to help transport these items, and you may be able to help out even more.

Much appreciation in advance for your efforts,
Barbara Feldmar  and Laurie Levinson,
Social Action Committee Co-Chairs

One of the activities for the upcoming Youth Group Regional Fall Retreat October 21 – 23 is a K-5 KIDS BOOK DRIVE for the Jewish Federation’s Public Education Initiative. Each area congregation is being asked to collect books ahead of time.  So please bring in any grade k-5 books you may have for a worthy donation!  We’ll collect them up in the High School room.