Yamma Ensemble visited Beth Israel, Sunday October 22nd as part of the Arts Midwest World Fest.  They brought their   melodic mixture of Eastern European, Balkan, Gypsy, Sephardic, and Yemenite music.

Beth Israel High School Visits Project Save

By Lauren Pankiw

It was not the first time we had heard of Project Save nor was it the first time many of us had volunteered there, but nevertheless, the experience was unique: On Sunday October 2, the high school class of Beth Israel, The West Temple went to Project Save to help serve food to the homeless. I woke up at the crack of dawn and arrived at the Catholic Worker Storefront building in Cleveland at 7:30 am to rendezvous with the rest of my class. There, we waited with anticipation to help the founder and director, Carl Cook. Before that started, Carl roused us with his narrative of the plight of homelessness in Cleveland. We all huddled around Carl eagerly as he began speaking about the plight of the homeless. It was not a new story to me, but it was just as stirring all the same:

Folks don’t realize that there are many paths to homelessness in Cleveland. Of course, many of the men and women had succumbed to their pre-existing drug and alcohol problems and thus doomed themselves to end up on the streets. Many others had suffered a simple but devastating fate such as losing a job that tipped the scale in favor of misfortune. A select few had even willingly chosen a life on the streets, but these conditions are rare. I could tell that Carl was intimately familiar with all of these cases. He was a sincere and potent speaker, whose quiet air of confidence and purpose was tempered by an endearing humbleness that made everyone want to stand just a little closer to him. It didn’t occur to me that his likable personality had roots in a harrowing past—Carl himself was once homeless. He was raised in a privileged family, with successful parents who instilled the value of hard work in their children. However, despite these advantageous circumstances, Carl was sabotaged by his alcoholism, which first manifested before he had reached even the age of ten. But having overcome his own addiction, Carl decided to do something to help other people in his former same position and started Project Save.

Project Save has served over 10,000 families by serving breakfast on Sunday mornings.  All the food is dependent on private donations and fundraising events. The Center also helps people with other basic needs like getting them birth certificates so they can apply for jobs and other services.   I had never thought about these basic things because I had taken them for granted.  Luckily for the homeless of Cleveland, Carl Cook does not. In addition to running Project Save, he also founded an organization called the Metanoia Project which provides care and serves food to homeless people who are afraid to come to shelters for any variety of reasons.

Please join us for special Simchat Torah Services on Friday October 21, 2011 at 7 pm accompanied by Steven Greenman and your Beth Israel friends music ensemble.  Services include Consecration and a baby naming.

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.

Artist Paul Palnik will lead us in creating a giant photo collage which will highlight the history and diversity of our Temple family.  He will then turn it into a permanent piece of art for our Temple.  In order to do this, we need you to bring in photos, of you your family and your ancestors; photos of Jewish life on the West Side of Cleveland,; photos of parties, dinners, bar and bat mitzvahs, old class photos.  You can drop them off at Temple, mail them to Temple, or drop them off at High Holiday services.  (Note: no one gets their photos back).  Then come to Temple on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011 at 9:45am when artist Paul Palnik will put it all together with us!

We are co-hosting the NFTY Regional Kallah.  Shabbat services on Saturday October 22 will be led by the regional youth group members.  We are hosting 150 to 200 young people. This will be a unique experience, enjoy the youth led alternative service at 10am.

Mah Jong comes back to Circle of Friends. at the home of Holly Neumann 26349 Cook Road Olmsted Falls, OH  44138.  If you have a Mah Jong tile set, please bring it, and if it has a special history to share, all the better.  Rabbi Enid will lead our Rosh chodesh Service, and then Holly will instruct the uninitiated.  RSVP by Wed., October 26th to Holly.

Torah Study at 10am, Tot Shabbat at 10:30am and Shabbat Morning service at 11am.  A pot-luck oneg luncheon follows in the Sukkah

Please join our Tot Shabbat community and celebrate both Shabbat and Sukot .  Saturday morning October 15, 2011 at 10am.  Please let Bela Fischer know your plans for attending.  Belafischer@gmail.com

Explore Jewish Spirituality, Ethics and Community.  Three Classes at Beth Israel, October 11, 18, and 25th at 7:30pm to 9:30pm.  Rabbi Enid Lader will facilitate discussion.  Classes are free, however registration is required.  Please contact Sherri Kaufman at the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland 216-371-0446.