The Saltzman youth panel 2018-2019 is off to an amazing start! We are already on pace to have a great year and make a huge impact in our Jewish Community.

Birthright is a free 10-day trip for Jewish Clevelanders ages 22-26 to explore Israel’s most remarkable tourist destinations. Check out a few trip highlights below.

Each year, 8th graders from Gross Schechter Day School and Mandel Jewish Day School – two of Federation’s beneficiary agencies, travel to Israel to experience in-person everything they’ve learned in the classroom about Israeli culture and history. They also have a chance to spend time with their peers in Beit Shean, Cleveland’s sister city.

Forty Jewish high school juniors and seniors representing public and private high schools across Cleveland have come together to recommend grants totaling $44,000 to 14 organizations for crucial programs in the Jewish and general community through the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s 2017-2018 Maurice Saltzman Youth Panel.

Securing our community is one of the top priorities of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. Thanks to a generous donation from Barb and Abe Miller, the Federation will be distributing 550 Project Safe Classroom Backpacks to Jewish Cleveland classrooms, including all Jewish Cleveland day schools, religious schools, and early childhood centers. Over the course of two days, students from Yavne School for Girls and Fuchs Mizrachi School – Federation beneficiary agencies – as well as members of our Young Leadership Division (YLD) volunteered their time to fill the backpacks with medical and emergency supplies and safety equipment.

A milestone anniversary calls for a party! To celebrate Israel’s 70th anniversary of independence this year, we’re hosting the first-ever IsraelFest!, a carnival for all ages on Sunday, May 6 from 12 - 5 pm at Mandel JCC’s Safran Park (26001 S. Woodland Road, Beachwood). Parking will be available at the Maltz Mseum, The Temple-Tifereth Israel, Mandel Jewish Day School, and Fuchs Mizrachi School.

Want to impress your friends with your trivia skills? Check out these 70 facts about Israel, in celebration of Israel's milestone anniversary of independence!

Year-long celebration for Clevelanders of all backgrounds includes concert by Israeli superstar David Broza and the first-ever IsraelFest!

The Saltzman Youth Panel educates Jewish Cleveland high school students like me about philanthropy. Together, this year’s cohort of 40 high school juniors and seniors will make decisions about allocating $42,500 to worthy organizations in the Jewish and general communities.

Imagine, a woman in her 20s responsible for delinquent male soldiers. These soldiers grew up with no support system, a criminal background or lived in a foster home. The female commanders at Havat HaShomer are in charge of shaping these young delinquents into the best soldier they can be - to get them up to an acceptable level for entry to the army.