05/15/2025
Zelman’s Tenure as Board Chair Lauded at Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Annual Meeting
Daniel N. Zelman receives a standing ovation from 300 attendees after reflecting on his career and the past three years as outgoing board chair of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland at the 121st Annual Meeting of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland on May 13 at Park Synagogue in Pepper Pike. CJN Photo / Abigail Preiszig
Article reprinted with permission from Cleveland Jewish News
by Abigail Preiszig
Haviv Rettig Gur, senior analyst of The Times of Israel and the host of the “Ask Haviv Anything” podcast, stressed to Jewish Clevelanders that it is important to ask “the hard questions.”
Joining 300 attendees at the 121st Annual Meeting of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland on May 13 at Park Synagogue in Pepper Pike as the featured speaker, Gur provided thought-provoking remarks about the history of Zionism, the Jewish Diaspora and conflicts past, present and future in Israel.
“We are living through a historical pivot for us, but primarily for Islam, which is still searching for itself in the modern age,” he said in closing. “We are not in a sacrifice that they will lay on the altar, but there are other options, other kinds of Islam that we can work with, we can talk about, we can learn about, we can respect enough to not just see a monolithic enemy, but an enemy that once we have defeated the bad ones, we can do business with.”
The evening also reflected upon the tenure of Daniel N. Zelman, outgoing board chair of the Federation, soon to be a trustee-for-life, following the federation board of directors meeting May 29, when Jeffrey Wild is expected to be elected board chair.
Since 2022, as board chair, Zelman, also a past chair of the Campaign for Jewish Needs, has led the Cleveland Jewish community through much growth and change including three Campaigns for Jewish Needs, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Oct. 7, 2023, surprise terror attack on Israel by Hamas, the growth of JFC Security, LLC and the launch of the Jewish Day School Initiative.
“I am proud and humbled to have been asked to do this and it will always have a profound impact on my life and one of the cool things is, and you get to see this because of people that are here tonight, former board chairs, never really go away,” Zelman said. “In different ways, we get to be involved in things. I’m looking forward to doing that in the future.”
In Zelman and his wife Ellen’s honor, the Federation made a donation to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and dedicated an art piece by an Israeli artist depicting a bamboo forest, J. David Heller, nominating committee chair, said.
“This piece is especially fitting for you, Dan, and your tenure,” Heller said. “Bamboo symbolizes various virtues including strength, resilience, flexibility and growth. It has remarkable strength, but it still flexes and bends in response to the elements, standing in a forest, it can weather any storm. It represents the way you’ve navigated our community through the past three years, enduring that we may remain strong and vibrant.”
Event co-chairs Alan and Barbara Rosskamm opened the program acknowledging that Cleveland is among “the most vibrant and caring Jewish community anywhere in the world.”
Rabbi Joshua Skoff, senior rabbi and the Leighton A. Rosenthal Chair in Rabbinics at Park Synagogue, delivered the invocation.
Zelman and Heller also conducted the official business of the annual meeting in electing the new board of trustees. They then presented the 2025 Charles Eisenman Award for Exceptional Civic Contributions to the Mt. Sinai Health Foundation and accepted by its president Mitchell Balk and incoming board chair Jim Ratner.
The evening concluded with a kosher dessert reception and a watch party for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ season-ending 114-105 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the NBA playoffs.
