Shalom (Hello). My name is Kobi Dostakam, and I am proud to be a Colonel in the IDF and head of the 2015 IDF delegation to Cleveland. I am married to Marina, have four children and have been serving in the IDF for 26 years. Tonight, we mark Yom Hazikaron, the Day of Remembrance for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel.

It really is no secret that observing the dietary laws of Passover in the United States is somewhat of a chore and not exactly easy. Passover in Israel is a completely different story. For the most part, the grocery stores and restaurants do all the work for you and it is much harder to break the laws of Passover in Israel than it is to keep them.

Mabel spent most of her life donating her time to charity. She volunteered with a variety of organizations, in Cleveland and beyond. At 75, she had slowed down a bit but her interest in doing good never changed.

If someone told me a year and a half ago that I would move to Israel for 10 months, I am pretty confident I would not believe them.

Maria Mandel was the SS commander of the women's camp at Auschwitz- Birkenau.

As you may know, France has the largest Jewish population in Europe and the third largest Jewish population in the world. The vast majority are Sephardi and came from North Africa and the Mediterranean region. There has been a Jewish presence in France since the beginning of the Middle Ages. In fact, France was the first country in Europe to emancipate the Jews during the French Revolution.

Are you or someone you know Jewish, single, and living in Cleveland? Check out our newest blog, “Cleveland Yenta Center: Single in the CLE,” written by matchmaking guru, Rachel Heiser!