We condemn the brutality of Hamas or any other terrorist group, and stand with Israel and the Jewish people.

As the war in Israel entered Day 3 following a surprise attack from Hamas near the Gaza border, 2,000 people came together Oct. 9 at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland to pray and show support for the Jewish state.

Combating the hatred confronting the Jewish people has long been a top priority of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. Whether it be helping to enhance local security to ensure Jewish Cleveland remains open and welcoming, providing educational programs that empower community members to stand up to anti-Jewish / anti-Israel rhetoric, or forging strong, supportive relationships across Greater Cleveland, Federation has been a driving force in the ongoing fight against antisemitism.

The Cleveland Jewish community remembered Holocaust victims and honored survivors and liberators at the annual Kol Israel Foundation Fall Memorial on Sept. 24 at Zion Memorial Park in Bedford Heights.

Several Jewish organizations are working with two local high schools after Brooklyn High School football team used the word “Nazi” and racial slurs during a Sept. 22 game against Beachwood High School.

“Hine ma tov, shevet achim gam yachad, how good it is for brothers & sisters to sit together.” These words rang true throughout our recent trip to Israel with a delegation of leaders from the Ohio House of Representatives hosted by Ohio Jewish Communities and the Negev Foundation.

As the community plans to gather for the Kol Israel Foundation Fall Memorial, Michael Caputo recalls the impact the event had on him.

The Cleveland and Israeli Jewish communities were well-represented at the 77th annual One World Day Aug. 27 in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens as the Greater Cleveland community came together in a showcase of its diversity.

Zikaron BaSalon is an opportunity for Jewish Clevelanders in their 20s, 30s, and 40s to honor the victims and survivors of the Holocaust through personal conversations with a local Holocaust survivor. With the number of survivors declining, it's the responsibility of the second and third generations to continue telling these stories and keep the memory of the Holocaust alive.

We hope to see you at our June events! This month, our young adults are volunteering to clean up a local beach and getting together to celebrate summer, we are honoring Jewish and African-American activism, celebrating our Women IN Philanthropy donors, and more.