Liffman, Gurney honored at ORT Brunch

AMANDA KOEHN | COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF akoehn@cjn.org | @AmandaKoehnCJN

Kenneth B. Liffman of Orange received the 2018 Maimonides Award for Outstanding Community Service and Todd Gurney of Shaker Heights received the first annual Robert Sill Leadership Award at the 47th annual ORT Ohio Region brunch Oct. 28 at Landerhaven in Mayfield Heights.

Ohio Region president Greg Marcus welcomed guests on a somber note, asking them to stand and observe a moment of silence for the 11 people who were killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh the day before.

While accepting the award, Liffman thanked those who helped him make a difference.

“Maimonides was among the first to recognize the importance of helping people achieve independence through education, and ORT has been training and educating children and adults for over 138 years,” he said. “I’m proud to raise funds and awareness for ORT so that they can continue this important mission.”

Scott Sill presented the first annual Robert Sill Leadership Award to Gurney. The award was created by the Sill family this year, in memory of longtime ORT leader Robert Sill, who died this summer. The award provides support to an ORT leader so they can experience what Sill called his father’s great passion: visiting an ORT school.

ORT America CEO Jeffrey Cooper also discussed the new brand identity of ORT America.

Cleveland designer and photographer Mariana Edelman, an alumna of ORT Argentina, spoke about her alma mater and introduced a video of an ORT Argentina student who talked about the education she is receiving at an ORT school. ORT Argentina was one of two programs that benefited from the proceeds of the event.

Also, the science building at Kfar Silver Youth Village in Israel has been the focus of the Ohio Region’s fundraising for the past two years. After sharing his experience visiting Kfar Silver this year and meeting the students who benefit from this program, ORT Ohio vice president Mark Adler encouraged the audience to help the region meet its fundraising goal by the end of the year to complete the renovations of the 60-yearold building.

“The students we met and observed were quite impressive,” Adler said. “Kfar Silver feels like a melting pot, including Bedouins, Russian Jews, Ukrainian Jews, Ethiopian Jews and native Israelis all interacting with one another. Yet the students of Kfar Silver are among the most disadvantaged in Israel. And they are counting on us.”

Publisher’s note: Kevin S. Adelstein, publisher and CEO of the Cleveland Jewish News and president of the Cleveland Jewish Publication Company, was a co-chair of the event.

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LANDERHAVEN

Kosher

PURCHASE TICKETS AT CJN.ORG/18DM

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

ROE GREEN

Philanthropist

CIVIC LEADERSHIP AWARD

JUDGE DAN AARON POLSTER

U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio

DEVORAH ALEVSKY

Cleveland Kosher Food Pantry Director

IRV BERLINER

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP Partner

STANLEY BERNATH Retired

DR. SUSAN BICHSEL

Jewish Family Service of Cleveland President and CEO

ART ELK & DAVID ELK Elk & Elk

Managing Member / Senior Partner

ROMAN FRAYMAN

Retired

Co-presenting sponsors

HONOREES

GENERATION AWARD

THE STEIN FAMILY

Carmie and Todd Stein, Abby Diamond, Michelle Hirsch, Jodi Meridieth, Rachel Weinberg, Geraldine and the late Morton Stein

MICHAEL HORVITZ Jones Day Retired Partner

ADAM R. JACOBS

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

Financial Advisor

NOREEN KOPPELMAN-GOLDSTEIN

MidWest Materials

President and General Counsel

MANDY KWAIT

Bellefaire JCB

Director of Care Coordination

RABBI ENID LADER

Beth Israel-The West Temple Rabbi

FERN RUTH LEVY

Anne Frank Moral Courage Project Director / Holocaust Educator

DEENA NYER MENDLOWITZ

Mandel Jewish Community Center Preschool Teacher

DEBORAH PICKER

Fare-Cle Community Fund

Executive Director

MARK J. SACK

Cleveland Heights High School Teacher

DONALD S. SCHERZER

Roetzel & Andress Partner

LEE C. SHAPIRO

American Jewish Committee Regional Director

ERICA G. STARRFIELD

Nestle Marketing Manager

Gift bag sponsor

Friedman, Borden honored at U.S. Supreme Court ceremony

Two law professors from Cleveland State University were honored Oct. 20 in a U.S. Supreme Court ceremony in the Great Room of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

CNN legal analyst Avery Friedman, a CSU alumnus and adjunct law professor, and Michael Borden, associate dean of CSU’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, were honored for their positions as presidents emeritus of the Willam K. Thomas American Inn of Court. The organization has been selected as one of the top inns in the nation by The American Inns of Court.

The event, The American Inns of Court Celebration of Excellence, was presided over by Clarence Thomas, associate justice of the Supreme Court.

Brennan appointed to county planning commission

University Heights Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan was appointed to the Cuyahoga County planning commission and will represent the Heights region, which includes Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Shaker Heights and University Heights.

Brennan was appointed by Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish. The appointment was approved by county council at its Oct. 10 meeting and Brennan attended his first meeting as a member Oct. 11.

Northeast Factory Direct opens in Macedonia

Northeast Factory Direct opened its newest store at 9009 Freeway Drive in Macedonia. The company also has locations in Euclid and Cleveland.

The new location includes furniture and mattress displays, hot tubs, kitchen and bathroom cabinet displays and kitchen designers.

Pisces Puppy opens in South Euclid

Small dog day care The Pisces Puppy will open at 1449 Messenger Court in South Euclid.

The locally owned-and-operated business caters to small breeds of dogs and also offers grooming services for all breeds.

School safety talk Nov. 4

A program about “School Safety: Looking Back-Looking Forward” will be held from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Nov. 4 at First Unitarian Church of Cleveland, 21600 Shaker Blvd. in Shaker Heights.

Talisa Dixon, superintendent of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District, and Jeffrey DiMuth, Shaker Heights police chief, will speak.

For more information, visit firstunitarian.org or call 216-751-2320.

Maltz Museum to host Jungle Terry Nov. 4

Continuing its Taste of Israel Family Fun Series, the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage will host “Animals of Israel featuring Jungle Terry” from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Nov. 4 at 2929 Richmond Road in Beachwood.

The family-oriented series draws themes from the museum’s new exhibit, “Israel: Then & Now.”

Tickets are $5 for general admission with registration and free for children ages 5 and under and museum members.

For more information, call 216-593-0575 or visit bit.ly/2Jvr4U0.

Katz to discuss cooking Nov. 6

Park Synagogue sisterhood will have “Fun With Yiddish” with Annabelle Weiss at 10 a.m. Nov. 6 Park Synagogue East, 27500 Shaker Blvd. in Pepper Pike.

Rabbi Sharon Marcus will give a women’s Torah study at 10:45 and Rabbi Joshua Skoff will speak about “Contemporary Views in the News” at 11:30. A luncheon will follow at 12:15 p.m. Doug Katz, owner and chef at fire food & drink, will present “Cooking with Fire.”

‘Right Sizing ... Let’s Talk About It’ Nov. 8

For those thinking about downsizing or moving, The Weils will present “Right Sizing ... Let’s Talk About it” from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Nov. 8 at The Weils, 16695 Chillicothe Road in Bainbridge Township.

Topics to be discussed include senior living options, real estate updates, moving and transitioning solutions and estate liquidations.

Panelists are Ivy Kopit, manager of senior living admissions and community relations at The Weils, owner of Smooth Transitions Laura Armbruster, and Realtors Inna Muravin and Anastasiya Strugatsky of the IM Realty Group and Keller Williams. To register, contact Kopit at 440-996-0504 or ikopit@theweils.org.

Hard Rock Rocksino to hold event for veterans

Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park will have events to honor and thank veterans, active duty military personnel and first responders.

Through Nov. 8, proceeds from two “Rocksino Riches” machines will be donated to the Foundation of Ohio Guard and Reserve, which helps provide assistance to families of deployed reservists.

The Rocksino will hold a job fair from 3 to 7 p.m. Nov. 8. The event is open to the public, however, all military personnel and their spouses will receive special consideration. Applicants must apply online prior to attending by visiting hrrnp.com.

The Veterans of Comedy Tour will offer a 50 percent ticket discount at the box office. The show is from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 9 and Nov. 10.

On Veterans Day, Nov. 12, the Rocksino will offer a free buffet meal for all military personnel and first responders from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. From 10 to 11 a.m., there will be a Veterans Day ceremony and from noon to 5 p.m. the first 500 guests will receive free T-shirts.

Menorah Park to host Scafuro, Van Doren talk

Menorah Park’s Aging Resource Center will hold its “Happy and Safe at Home” winter dinner conversation at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at the facility’s Saltzman Auditorium, 27100 Cedar Road in Beachwood.

Ryan Scafuro, physical therapist assistant at Menorah Park’s Peter B. Lewis Aquatic & Therapy Center, and Jamie R. Van Doren of North Coast Accessible Homes, will speak about the risks of falls in the home and how to reduce them.

RSVPs are required to Beth Silver at 216-839-6678 or bsilver@menorahpark.org.

In The Community

In this feature, the Cleveland Jewish News will highlight tribute honorees and other significant community events In The Community. Send event and honoree details with color photos at least six weeks in advance of the event to be considered for inclusion In The Community, to editorial@cjn.org and include “In the Community” in the subject line.

To read more about the events, visit cjn.org/inthecommunity

Nov. 12 / Celebrating Stephen H. Hoffman

Stephen H. Hoffman has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland since 1983. According to an invitation, through his commitment and passion, he has elevated all areas of the work of the Federation.

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 12

WHERE: Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland

TICKETS: $80 per person. Kosher dietary laws observed. RSVP by Oct. 29.

INFO: bit.ly/2Oxctxu

WHO BENEFITS: The Stephen H. Hoffman Endowed Professorship of Hebrew Language and The Stephen H. Hoffman Hebrew Fund

Nov. 10 / Campus Gala to honor Minsters, Wolls

The Schultz Campus for Jewish Life will host its annual Campus Gala, themed “Celebrating Our Community,” Nov. 10 when honorees Rob and Andrea Minster and Tikkun Olam award recipients

Alan and Janice Woll will be recognized.

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 10

WHERE: Schultz Campus for Jewish Life, 750 White Pond Drive, Akron

TICKETS: $150

INFO: jewishakron.org/campus-gala or 330-835-0025

WHO BENEFITS: Shaw Jewish Community Center of Akron, The Lippman School and Jewish Family Service of Akron

Nov. 10 / HFLA’s Party114 honors Saint Luke’s Foundation

The Saint Luke’s Foundation will be the recipient of the Hebrew Free Loan Association Planting Seeds Award.

Featured speaker Albert Ratner, co-chairman emeritus of Forest City Realty Trust, will speak about empowering others to find their own success. Party114 will include music and a foodie-themed silent auction that will feature culinary adventures from a cross-section of Northeast Ohio restaurants.

WHEN: 6:30 to 11 p.m., Nov. 10.

WHERE: Silver Grille, Higbee Building, 200 W. Prospect St., Cleveland COST: $180

INFO: hflaclev.ejoinme.org/tickets

WHO BENEFITS: Hebrew Free Loan Association

JON MILLER STEIGER columnists@cjn.org

With Chanukah coming, let’s talk about online shopping tips. I don’t mean don’t buy your coworkers matching Chanukah underwear.

I mean make sure the websites you use are trustworthy; be careful about online deals or coupons; protect yourself from store mistakes; know your rights for timely delivery; and have a credit card dedicated to online purchases.

Shopping is risky. Most of those risks are small: the department store clerk probably isn’t going to grab your cash and run. But there is a chance that there will be a data breach at a brick-and-mortar store. And there is a bigger chance that thieves will get their grubby hands on payment information you give through a website. So it’s all about minimizing that risk.

Start by only shopping at trustworthy websites. Sites that reflect an established brick-and-mortar store are not likely to be scams, though they can still suffer data breaches. If you’re buying from a store that only exists online, do some research first. Look them up on bbb.org.

Do an internet search for the name of the company and “complaint” or “scam.” Make sure your internet browser shows a lock symbol or “https” for the website, showing the site is using encryption protections. Consider customer reviews carefully. By law, reviewers must disclose any connection to a company, but not all of them do. Compare reviews from a variety of websites.

We all get online offers for coupons and discounts. They come by email from a store or a friend, on Facebook, or as ads on websites. Don’t click on a link or attachment unless you know it’s legitimate. Scammers make deals look irresistible, but that one click could open up your computer to thieves, scammers, or even foreign agents. The chance of saving 30 percent on a new pair of shoes is not worth giving a hacker access to your computer and everything connected to it.

Any store can make a mistake. When you shop in person, you get a receipt. When you’re shopping online, keep copies of your order number, the refund and return policies, shipping costs and any warranties. Even a legitimate online store may be skeptical of a return or refund request that doesn’t have proof of purchase.

A seller must ship your order within the time it promises. If it doesn’t promise a time, it should ship your order within 30 days. If the seller can’t ship in the promised time, it must notify you, give a revised shipping date and give you the chance to cancel for a full refund. For more tips, check out bit.ly/2q5wBI8.

There’s no way to completely remove risk from online sales, so one last tip is for you to have a credit card that you never use online. That way, if there’s a data breach or your payment information is stolen from a website, you’ll still have a credit card that you can use after you shut down the compromised card.