The Jewish Federation of Cleveland celebrated the closing of another record-breaking Campaign for Jewish Needs with an estimated 200 supporters on Dec. 11 at the Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School in Beachwood.

When we talk about the critical needs in our Jewish community, how many of us have the full picture of what that really means? I have been involved with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and supported our community’s annual Campaign for Jewish Needs for decades, so when I took the helm as campaign chair this year, I thought I knew what I was getting into.

As Thanksgiving approaches, we not only take stock in everything we are thankful for, but we also remember those in need. Right here in Cleveland, thousands struggle all year just to obtain basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter.

In July 2023, JFSA opened The Kindness Center, which houses three of the Federation beneficiary's most unique programs - PLAN, Horvitz YouthAbility, and Adult Day Support - for at-risk youth and individuals with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities.

We traveled to Israel last month with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland on a Solidarity Mission alongside 16 fellow community members. Although this was Michael’s third visit since Oct. 7, 2023, Raquel wanted to bear witness to this “pogrom” on the ground in Israel as well. We wanted to understand the existing state of affairs in our homeland both physically and figuratively.

The times in which we live are critical and constantly changing around us. In the past few years, we have faced a global pandemic and a war in Ukraine. Over the last 12 months, Israel has been drawn into a war with Hamas while defending itself from other terrorist groups. At the same time, the Jewish people have been targeted with a level of hatred and violence not seen in generations.

Combating the hatred faced by the Jewish people has always been a top priority for the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. In the months following the October 7th attacks on Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas, antisemitic incidents surged by 388%, making Federation’s mission even more critical. From advocating against discriminatory resolution proposals at council meetings across Northeast Ohio to ensuring Jewish college students are getting the support they need from school administrators to empowering our community to combat online hate and more, Federation has been a driving force in the ongoing fight against antisemitism.

Teenagers from Kibbutz Kissufim in Israel were able to take a break this summer and spend four weeks at Camp Wise, the Home of Happiness! The teens were able to be there thanks to the support of our community through the Israel Emergency Fund and the Campaign for Jewish Needs.