The boxes of matzah always seem to appear first on the kitchen shelf. Then the jars of gefilte fish and the new bottle of horseradish show up. Maybe a carton of fruit flavored jelly candy, never seen at other times of the year, finds a place in the cupboard. These are the real first signs of spring, the Passover supplies, as meaningful to me as the first crocuses that push up in the garden.

The city of Houston and nine surrounding counties were hit this week with extensive flooding, including areas where the Jewish community is concentrated. One to two feet of rain fell in a very short time, completely overwhelming bayous and streams in the area and rain is continuing to fall. It is expected that the damage will surpass the range and severity of last year’s Memorial Day weekend flood.

Take a stand against Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS). Support Ohio House Bill 476.

Thank you to Senator Rob Portman for ensuring that the Portman-Shaheen Energy Efficiency Bill, passed today by the Senate, includes provisions to assist nonprofits with the costs of retrofitting their facilities to become more energy efficient. Creating energy efficiencies is vital to ensuring that we maximize the use of philanthropic dollars to best serve the most vulnerable populations and to maintain healthy and vibrant communities.

On Sunday, April 10th, the 2015-2016 Saltzman Youth Panel had its last session. Although a meeting of reflection, from the moment we cracked open the first box of pizza to the final minutes sharing our take-aways, the panel was collectively passionate, driving to achieve a common goal. Throughout the meeting, I was constantly reminded of the high quality of leadership on the Saltzman Youth Panel. With complete confidence I can say I learned something new every time a fellow panelist spoke. This was exciting, as well as something that speaks volumes about who and what make up the Saltzman Youth Panel.

I had the pleasure of spending my junior year of college at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. One of the perks of that year was meeting and growing close with my cousin Ziva, who happened to work at Hadassah Hospital across the street from my dorm. We spent a lot of time together and she invited me to spend many Shabbatot and holidays with her family. In addition to being hilariously funny, warm and nurturing, Ziva had another talent, as well: She was, and remains, an amazing cook. I am excited to share one of her recipes with you below, which I hope will make your preparations for Passover a bit easier.

Are you ready for your close up? Come back to school and experience a day in the life of a preschool student at Gross Schechter Day School!

CLEVELAND – An estimated 1,100 Holocaust survivors call Cleveland home. Join our community as we honor these survivors and remember those who perished in the Holocaust at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and the Kol Israel Foundation’s Yom Hashoah V’Hagvurah on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:00 at Green Road Synagogue, 2437 S. Green Road in Beachwood. This annual event is free and open to the community.

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland has named Gary L. Gross Board Chair for the 2016-2019 term. Gross is well-positioned for this prestigious role, continuing the Federation’s 110+ year tradition of strong volunteer leadership. Gross brings significant professional experience as a principal at Gross Builders and many years of extensive volunteer leadership involvement.