Looking for something new and different with your family this summer? Fellow Jewish Cleveland parents share some of their favorite summer activities – from visiting the zoo, to farmers markets, to getting messy with paint. There’s something for everyone!

Zach and Shelby Siegal of Chagrin Falls love being a part of Jewish Cleveland. After pursuing careers in other cities, they returned home to Cleveland to raise their son. They love all the opportunities for Jewish life here – the unparalleled schools, communities, and programs like PJ Library. Meet them now:

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.

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.

The Israel at 70 celebration continued yesterday as nearly 2,000 people from across our diverse community came together at IsraelFest!, a first-of-its-kind festival here in Jewish Cleveland!

Whether you love it or dread it, each family has their own unique bedtime routine for their children. Check out some of these ideas and tips from local Jewish Cleveland parents that are sure to make you smile.

Believe it or not, children from across the country and around the globe are experiencing similar types of stress. Factors like living below the poverty line, having dysfunctional families, or experiencing trauma know no geographic boundaries. Left unattended, this stress can negatively affect a child’s school performance, social well-being, and ultimately, their future success as an adult.

At the center of Passover is the Seder, a 15-step meal involving ritual items, stories, and food. The Passover Seder is meant to be an inclusive experience for people of all ages. Young children are encouraged to participate through such traditions as the singing of The Four Questions and the searching for the Afikomen.

As families search to give their children a memorable summer experience, Jewish overnight camp offers an opportunity to build relationships and embrace Jewish values. Nonetheless, the cost of attendance can be overwhelming, barring families from exploring the sleepaway scene.

A long time ago in medieval Spain, there were three great religious leaders. Saladin was the leader of Muslims. Don Pedro led the Christians. And, the Jews were led by Ephraim Santzi. These leaders wanted to know which of their faiths was the true religion of the one God. Ephraim, in an attempt to answer the question and not offend his colleagues, responded with a story.