08/05/2026
Israeli Young Professional Group Sees Social Service Agencies Up Close
Pictured are members of the Israeli delegation visiting the Cleveland Chesed Center, along with Chesed Center staff and volunteers: In front, Hila Tsarfaty, Rivka Mordechai, Yael Karmi, Yonit Gross Koola, Ortal Ravid, Ariel Garfinkel, Sivan Steinberg, back, Nativ Biton, Neomi Bin Noon, Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Jaclyn Szaruga, Ellen Miller, Dolly Vaknin, Taliya Peretz, Shiran Cherbo, Mor Tal, Rabbi Avrohom Adler, Amitay Zilbersweig, Liraz Vaitsman and volunteer Wendi Pavlofsky. Submitted photo
Article reprinted with permission from Cleveland Jewish News
by Martha Sorohan
Rabbi Avrohom Adler led a tour of the Cleveland Chesed Center on July 30 for a 16-member Israeli delegation of young professionals, with Ariel Garfinkel providing Hebrew translation throughout the visit.
As Adler guided the group through the Cleveland Heights food bank, the delegation learned about the center’s wide range of services, including its kosher and non-kosher food pantry, hygiene products, gently used clothing, and on-site medical and dental spaces. The clean, well-organized nonprofit social service center – unique in Cleveland – partners with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and operates as a division of the Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland.
The delegation arrived from Beit Shean in Israel’s Valley of the Springs region, a sister city of the Federation.
Delegates said they were well-acquainted with social service agencies, but none like the Chesed Center, which offers health and human services such as free monthly dental clinics staffed by Case Western Reserve University dental students, free medical screenings every three months and food deliveries.
“Our structures in Israel are different, the services structured under the government,” Sivan Steinberg, a director in Israel, told the Cleveland Jewish News. “We do have smaller organizations that help with food, but not medical or dental.”
A one-stop shop was the goal when the building was purchased on South Taylor Road in 2015.
Serving about 1,000 families a month, the facility is still undergoing transition. A 2023 expansion wing is being considered as a site for 15 women’s remote work stations with a kitchen and break room for nursing mothers.
“We have a great architect and are hoping it will work,” Adler, executive director of JFSA’s Strengthening Families program, told the CJN.
Adler discussed the challenges of securing regular, committed volunteers before putting the visitors to work stocking shelves and hanging up clothing donations.
When Liraz Vaitsman asked whether people are too proud or embarrassed to use the center, Adler said most are not, though some prefer to make appointments to talk about their needs.
“A lot of people in Israel need help, but they are ashamed,” Vaitsman said.
Adler said, “If they are having hard times, we want them to feel comfortable. And they do feel comfortable.”
Citing a 2011 federal study that said only about 20% of people who are struggling are willing to get help, Adler said that in Cleveland, people are more “laid back” and reach out.
“In Boston or New York, people say they’ll figure it out themselves,” he said. “But it has to be nice. We have our limits.”
“It’s amazing,” Garfinkel said.
It was not all work and no play for the delegation during its week in Cleveland. They visited Van Aken District in Shaker Heights, the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Dan Polster of the Northern District of Ohio and attended services at Congregation Mishkan Or and Green Road Synagogue, both in Beachwood.
The delegation stayed with host families the weekend before its Aug. 2 departure.
