Cleveland Kesher, Spring 2024

Camp Issue

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Keeping 2-Year-Old Son’s Memory Alive

University Heights couple raising funds for new playground at Torah Nursery

Lisa Matkowsky

University Heights residents Sari and Daniel Stone are raising funds to build a playground at Torah Nursery in South Euclid in memory of their son, Akiva, who was almost 2 when he died last July.

“After their expansion a few years ago, their enrollment increased, but their outdoor space and equipment decreased to make room,” Sari Stone told Cleveland Kesher.

“We’ll get the word out through emailing the community, social media, and from friends and family,” Sari Stone said. “If additional money is needed, we’d plan an event, but feel that it likely won’t be needed.”

Daniel, a computer programmer, and Sari, a primary care nurse practitioner, live with their children, Yehuda, a first grader at Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, Shoshana, a pre-kindergartener at Torah Nursery, and Aharon Meir, 6 weeks old. They attend services at Young Israel of Greater Cleveland in Beachwood and Kollel Yad Chaim Mordechai in University Heights.

“Akiva was a healthy, energetic toddler,” Sari Stone said. “One evening, four weeks before his second birthday, he developed a fever. He did not wake up the next morning. The o cial cause of death was enterovirus meningitis. My husband and I both have deep faith and feel strongly that this is part of a bigger picture we don’t yet fully understand. We’re grateful that Akiva wasn’t in any pain and didn’t su er.

“The community has been amazing. They organized dinners for six weeks to be brought in for our family, carpools for our other children, groceries, supplies for shiva, and babysitters. They networked us with Naaleh, a community mental health organization that provided grief counseling. A member of shul has walked my husband home nearly every Friday night for the past six months. I was 20 weeks pregnant when Akiva passed away. I gave birth to a healthy baby boy six weeks ago, but I had complications that left me in the hospital for nearly two weeks.

“The community again rallied to support us –our meal train is ending tomorrow and it’s been six weeks. Someone hosted a Shalom Zachor for us and helped plan and set up the bris. Bikur Cholim provided food in the hospital and everything we needed for Shabbos. We don’t know how we would have gotten through these six months without everyone.”

Akiva was supposed to be starting at Torah Nursery in the fall after he passed away.

“We immediately came up with the idea to build a playground in his memory,” Sari Stone said. “He was at his happiest when playing outside and climbing. He loved going to the playground. It seemed like a great match. Our daughter currently attends Torah Nursery and we are so grateful for the loving, nurturing and educational environment they create. The kids would benefit immensely from more outdoor play equipment for gross motor development. We are looking to raise $20,000 and are hoping to have it open before the summer.”

More than $35,000 has been raised from more than 350 people, as of March 4. The original goal of $30,000 has been exceeded,. A bonus goal of $40,000 has been set, according to The Chesed Fund fundraising page. To donate, visit shorturl.at/ckmnF.

The Stone family – Daniel, Akiva, Sari, Shoshana and Yehuda. | Submitted photo

Challah bake held in memory of soldier killed in Gaza

Cleveland Kesher

OnDec. 25, 2023, Elisha Yehonatan Lober –a sta sergeant in the Israel Defense Forces and brother of Fuchs Mizrachi School’s bat sherut Michal Lober – was killed in Gaza.

To commemorate the shloshim, or first month of mourning following the funeral, the Fuchs Mizrachi parents council, co-chaired by Stefanie Shoag and Daniella Mazer, hosted a challah bake in Lober’s memory. About 150 women and girls participated on Jan. 25 at Green Road Synagogue in Beachwood.

Michal Lober joined Fuchs Mizrachi School in Beachwood at the end of August 2023. She was not in attendance at the challah bake because she was in Israel with her family. However, she, her father, Chagai, and mother, Techiya, sent in a video about Elisha Yehonatan Lober which played during the event.

“Yehonatan was a great, great person and I can speak about him (for) two days or maybe three days, but I want to tell you just one thing,”

Chagai Lober said in the video. “He was chesed. Do you know what is chesed? What it means? It means that he loved Hashem. He loved Eretz Yisrael. He loved Am Yisrael, and of course, he loved also his sister, Michal.”

Techiya Lober spoke in Hebrew about how much their son “loved every person from Am Yisrael,” the translated captions on the video read.

During their son’s shiva, a soldier came up to the family and told them he knew nothing about Judaism because his training base had non-religious soldiers, but after two weeks being around their son, he learned not to light a fire on Shabbat, just because “Yehonatan was by his side,” Techiya Lober said.

“Our Yehonatan loved every person from Eretz Yisrael,” Techiya Lober said in Hebrew. “Every person, and didn’t speak badly about anyone. He always loved everyone.”

However, he hated to hear someone speak badly about someone else, Chagai Lober said. When someone would start speaking negatively about another, he would cover his ears with his

Eddin, from left, Avigayil, Kate and Shiraz Ashwal make challah dough as a family at the Jan. 25 Fuchs Mizrachi School parents council challah bake at Green Road Synagogue. | Photo / Cleveland Kesher

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hands, he said.

“He didn’t want to make anyone feel bad,” Michal Lober said.

Michal Lober elaborated that her brother was “always trying to say good things about other people,” and it should be “like us as a nation to always see the good thing,” she said.

“It will … give us power to continue to be

Am Yisrael,” Michal Lober said.

Along with commemorating the shloshim of Elisha Yehonatan Lober, the event introduced the Mizrachi chesed committee, Shoag told attendees.

“To honor Elisha Yehonatan’s memory and giving spirit, the chesed committee will be named Natan,” Shoag said. “At Mizrachi, we have a remarkably strong and close-knit community. The newly established initiatives aim to support our school’s community through lifecycle events.”

Lifecycle events the committee covers include “celebrating the happy times,” but also provides those going through “harder times with the support.”

“This is an initiative designed to help those in our school community know that we support them, and to fill in the gaps of those who need it,” Shoag said.

Over $5,000 was raised for the committee from sponsors and attendees.

To donate to the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Israel Emergency Campaign, visit jewishcleveland.org/give/donate.

‘CHANUKAH MIRACLE’

After five years, Chaviva High School

finds new home in Beachwood

Cleveland Kesher

After the heating system broke in the Park Synagogue building in Cleveland Heights and was not able to be fixed, Chaviva High School was left looking for a new home in the middle of the school year as winter approached. Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple’s school/education wing was open during the week and the high school was able to move and call Beachwood home as of Dec. 26, 2023.

“To move a school in the middle of the school year is a challenge … but as the temperatures were dropping, we really could not wait,” Rochie Berkowitz, principal at Chaviva High School, told Cleveland Kesher. “We were originally hoping to move … over our winter break but it was getting too cold, and we couldn’t do that.”

When Chaviva opened in 2018, Berkowitz said she knew then that it would “probably be a five-year plan” in the Cleveland Heights building. When the school hit the fiveyear mark in 2023, the school “felt really comfortable and confident” to look for a bigger and more permanent location since admission grew from 10 students to 42 in the five years, she said.

This is when they first toured Fairmount Temple, but when visiting and touring the space, Fairmount Temple was “several months” into talks of a merger or partnership with another congregation, which ended up being The Temple-Tifereth Israel, also in Beachwood, Fairmount Temple Executive Director Julianna Johnston Senturia told Cleveland Kesher. Next month, the members of both congregations will vote on unification of the two largest Reform

temples in Cleveland.

“At that point, we agreed we better just pause (the conversation) because we didn’t know what kind of commitment we might be able to make if we were going to go down this road of full unification with another temple,” she said.

More happens toget

The conversation between Fairmount Temple and Chaviva paused and the school continued looking at other buildings and possibilities, until it started to get colder, Berkowitz said. It is unknown when the heat stopped working in the building, but it became noticeable in November , Berkowitz said.

Shortly after is when the “Chanukah

Rochie Berkowitz, principal of Chaviva High School, sits at her desk in Chaviva’s new location at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple in Beachwood. | Photo / Cleveland Kesher

Johnston Senturia

miracle,” as Berkowitz called it, happened. Berkowitz said it felt like God put the idea in her head to call Johnston Senturia and see if they had space available. Within an hour, Johnston Senturia told Berkowitz to “come and visit” and continue the conversation they paused months earlier, Berkowitz said.

“To have such a positive, thoughtful, caring response … It gave me that boost of energy and confidence and optimism that we will be OK,” she said.

In April 2023, a fire broke out at Fairmount Temple which caused the temple to close o half of the building, but the congregation had a lot of support from the community, Johnston Senturia said. Due to the support they received “it didn’t seem like a stretch at all to

be able to return some of that kindness to the community,” she said in regards to Chaviva moving into the space when they needed it.

“The truth is, having the school in the building is wonderful for all of us,” she said.

The move was a “welcome change for everybody,” Berkowitz said.

“It’s not necessarily changing our student body because it’s still sort of kept within that nucleus of the Orthodox Jewish community on the east side with Cleveland Heights, University Heights and Beachwood,” she said.

Berkowitz learned “since COVID that nothing is permanent,” she said in regards to if this is Chaviva’s permanent home. However, Chaviva will be at the Beachwood campus for the rest of the school year while it continues to look for other opportunities, she said.

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CHAVIVA | 10

Situated in a classroom at Anshe Fairmount Temple in Beachwood, 11th grade English teacher Madeleine Polcyn, right, teaches students about “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare. | Photo / Cleveland Kesher

Calling all b’nai mitzvah families!

Mitzvah Showcase April 14

Cleveland Kesher

Are you the parent of a preteen between the ages of 9 to 13 years old? Are you planning a b’nai mitzvah and unsure of where to start and what is needed? If so, the Mitzvah Showcase, presented by the Cleveland Jewish News and Rock The House, on April 14 may have the answers you need.

The event will be at Adrenaline Monkey in Warrensville Heights.

Even if you do not have a child in the b’nai mitzvah age range, this event is not one to miss, Gina Lloyd, events manager for the Cleveland Jewish Publication Company, said.

“We have great relationships with many vendors in the community and we thought this, especially after the years of COVID-19, was a great way for many of our advertisers to get in front of some of our attendees or some of our subscribers for a more personal experience,” Lloyd said.

The booths and vendors cater to di erent features and details one might need or want when planning a b’nai mitzvah or party. This includes photography, venue, event planning, catering, live music and entertainment, and much more. Attendees will have access to exclusive vendor deals and specials as part of the event’s programming.

“If someone is planning an event and they just want to meet some premier vendors in Northeast Ohio, this would be a great opportunity to do that,” Lloyd said.

Each attendee will have the option to choose between two one-and-a-half hour sessions, either noon to 1:30 p.m. or 1:30 to 3 p.m., for programing and meeting vendors. The price for single admission is $5, or $15 for a family of four.

The venue’s second floor will be used for vendor space, while the first floor will feature

entertainment by Rock The House and an obstacle course for kids to play, Lloyd said.

A normal weekend admission ticket for three hours at Adrenaline Monkey is $32.99 for children ages 5 and up, and $12.99 for ages 4 and under, so Adrenaline Monkey is o ering “such a great discount to attend,” she said.

“We hope people have a great time at Adrenaline Monkey, but most importantly that they book the majority of their vendors for their child’s b’nai mitzvah that day,” Lloyd said. “All of our vendors will be o ering a one day only exclusive o er for our Mitzvah Showcase attendees. We’re eager and excited to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ experience, featuring myriad of businesses who service the entire state, to make selecting and booking vendors an easy and enjoyable process.”

WHAT: Mitzvah Showcase presented by the Cleveland Jewish News and Rock The House

WHEN: Noon to 3 p.m. April 14. Sessions are from noon to 1:30 p.m., and 1:30 to 3.

WHERE: Adrenaline Monkey, 26800 Renaissance Parkway, Warrensville Heights

TICKETS: $5 for single attendee, $15 for family four pack. To purchase, visit cjn.org/ mitzvahshowcase

MORE INFO: Contact CJN Events Manager Gina Lloyd at 216-342-5196 or glloyd@cjn.org. Full list of vendors at cjn.org/mitzvahshowcase. SUPPORTING SPONSORS: Games Done Legit, Pinstripes

VENUE SPONSOR: Adrenaline Monkey

VENDORS: Andrea Hallgren Photography, Bertram Inn, Burning River Entertainment Group, Cleveland Marriott East, Elizabeth Glorioso Photography, House of Blues Cleveland, Lasting Impressions, Mariana Edelman Photography & Design, Party 411, Rock The House, StoneWater Golf Club, Tenk West Bank & Marigold Catering

*Vendor list as of March 1

CAMP

Get ready for summer –camp is right around the corner

Lisa Matkowsky

There are many fun summer camp options around Cleveland and Cleveland Kesher spoke with two of them – Rabbi Chanina Dessler, director of Hebrew Academy of Cleveland’s Camp S.T.E.P. (Summer Torah Enrichment Program), and Jill Weiszner, director of Camp Chabad of Cleveland in Beachwood, to find out more about their perennial summer camp programs.

Located at HAC’s Klein Campus and its Beatrice Stone Yavne High School campus, Camp STEP is over 40 years old and serves children from age 3 through eighth grade. The boys’ division is called Camp Yaaleh, the girls’ division is called Camp RXG (Ruach Experience for Girls), and the Early Childhood division is called Ktan Tan. Dessler, beginning

his second year as director, said, “Camp STEP provides fabulous recreation opportunities and enhances the educational goals of the Hebrew Academy.” Camp runs from July 8 through Aug. 16, and has three divisions encompassing

Campers are all smiles at Hebrew Academy of Cleveland’s Camp S.T.E.P. | Submitted photo

Dessler Weiszner CAMP

On the cover: Campers participate in many activities throughout Northeast Ohio as part of the Camp Chabad experience. | Photo / Camp Chabad

33 bunks, with a ratio of two counselors per 20 campers. The programming includes trips to Niagara Falls, Cedar Point and many other local attractions, sports, arts and crafts, swimming, educational classes, and hot lunches and snacks.

“With an infusion of new energy, Camp STEP restructured last season to accommodate its expanding growth,” Dessler told Cleveland Kesher. “It provides structured programming, incredible ruach, and fantastic trips for Cleveland’s Jewish community. The camp recently held a reunion which was wildly successful as campers relived the excitement of the last season and anticipate another fantastic camp season.”

A smaller but equally established program making use of Chabad of Cleveland’s play area

as a home base, 50-year-old Camp Chabad is geared toward campers ages 4 to 11, who then have the option to be sta once they are 12 years old.

“This is a camp on the move where the kids get a lot of personal attention,” Weiszner, who has been the director for 42 years, told Kesher. “We take campers to all kinds of fun places on field trips, which they love, to di erent playgrounds, and to a great local reptile place. They swim in blow-up pools in the afternoon, a favorite activity. Parents and kids like it because it’s a nice individualized program.”

The camp season is from June 24 through Aug. 16 and has about 30 to 50 children with a ratio of one counselor to five campers who mostly come from Beachwood, South Euclid and University Heights. The program includes lunch and is now approved for the Ace

Ohio Grant through the Ohio Department of Education.

“Camp Chabad’s primary focus is to instill a love for Judaism and tefillah and tzedakah through positivity with fun and exciting activities such as games, lots of arts and crafts based around Jewish themes like the parsha and Israel, outdoor play, music and dance,” Weiszner said. “We do plenty of learning, cooking, and baking, and we have a weekly Shabbos party where we make challahs every week for them to take home if they can resist eating them.”

To learn more about Camp S.T.E.P., visit shorturl.at/gtT47. To learn more about Camp Chabad of Cleveland, visit shorturl.at/hnQS0.

A Dose of Inspiration

Can you find Hashem?

By: Rabbi Josh Grodko

Back when I used to teach 12-yearold boys at Sunday school, I would conduct a fun exercise around the Purim holiday. I’d pull out a fresh, crisp one-hundred-dollar bill from my wallet, hold it up in the classroom, and distribute copies of Megillat Esther to each boy.

The challenge was simple: whoever could find Hashem’s name in the Megillah would take home the hundred-dollar bill. The boys eagerly flipped through the pages, searching and analyzing, hoping to find Hashem’s name for the reward. After a few minutes, I’d reveal the truth – Hashem’s name isn’t explicitly mentioned in the Megillah. Many opinions suggest that whenever it says “Hamelech – The King,” referring to King Achashverosh in the story’s context, it also alludes to the (real) king of all kings – Hashem. But why not mention Hashem’s name directly? Why use metaphorical language?

As we are familiar with the basic Purim story, Haman and Achashverosh declared the “Final Solution” to annihilate all Jews. It seemed like the end for the Jewish people. The despair and terror felt by the Jewish nation at that time were unimaginable. Fasting and prayers followed, and through a series of unforeseen events, the decree was reversed, and the Jewish people were saved, while Haman and his sons were defeated.

Looking back, the Jews of Shushan realized that Hashem was present throughout, guiding them from darkness to salvation. The hidden miracles of Hashem unfolded, and this is why His name is not overtly inscribed in the Megillah. The story of Purim is about hidden miracles, and this is precisely why we dress up. We “mask” ourselves beneath costumes, concealing our true identities.

Even though friends and neighbors may not recognize us, we are still present, observing in a hidden way. Similarly, in life, when facing challenges, one may wonder where Hashem is. In truth, Hashem is there, just as present during hardships. Purim teaches us that Hashem’s ways are sometimes concealed. Things may seem “masked” and uncertain, but in reality, Hashem is there; we just need to seek Him out and find Him under the mask.

A story is told about someone asking Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, the Kotzker Rebbe, where to find Hashem in their life. Without hesitation, the Rebbe responded, “Wherever you let Him in.” The key to living with Hashem in your life is to actively seek Him out, to be conscious of Hashem during both the good and unclear times.

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As the prophet Isaiah says, “Dirshu Hashem Behimatso – Seek out Hashem, and He will be found.” From the days of Haman’s threat in the Purim story to modern-day antisemitism, we, as Jews, must live with Hashem’s relevance in our lives. The Purim story reminds us that whether in the highs or lows of life, Hashem is always there. May we all merit Hashem’s salvation, bringing us out of exile and rebuilding the Temple swiftly in our days.

Rabbi Josh Grodko is the assistant rabbi at Jewish Family Experience in University Heights.

Bikur Cholim of Cleveland raises over $1M at ‘Younited We Care’ gala

Cleveland Kesher

Bikur Cholim of Cleveland, an organization that helps Jewish people of all ages when facing a medical crisis, surpassed its fundraising goal and attracted over 750 people to its annual gala on Feb. 19.

Under the theme “Younited We Care,” the gala was at Landerhaven in Mayfield Heights and raised over $1 million to help fund the organization’s yearly budget.

“Our major source of funding comes from this dinner,” Dr. Michael “Meir” Pollack, president of Bikur Cholim, told Cleveland Kesher. “Our budget is $1.9 million, so we

have grants and other parts of the year we have campaigns, but this is what we rely on as the main fundraiser.”

The evening honored 2024 Bikur Cholim Physician-of-the-Year Dr. Frederic Levine, senior partner with the private practice urology group of Drs. Levine, Reigle, Schneider & Davili, Inc in Mayfield Heights.

The Community Service Award was

Physician-of-the-Year Dr. Frederic Levine, second from left, with his wife, Dr. Janine Martyn, left, with Miki and Michael Wieder. | Cleveland Kesher Photos

Rabbi Avraham Greenspoon, back row, from left, with Young Leadership Award honorees Sara Chava Greenblatt, Abie Greenblat, Rabbi Menachem Greenblatt and Tova Greenblatt, and front row, from left, Efraim Greenblatt and Ahuva Greenblatt, both 10.

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Dr. Ian Neeland, Bikur Cholim of Cleveland secretary of the board, Moishe Berkovic, Community Service Award recipient, and Shmeul Ho man. | Cleveland Kesher Photos

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presented to Yankel and Rivka Berkovic and Moishe and Idy Berkovic and the Young Leadership Award was presented to Abie and Sara Chava Greenblatt.

Dr. Ian Neeland, Bikur Cholim of Cleveland secretary of the board, and Shmeul Ho man present the Community Service Award to Moishe Berkovic and Yankel Berkovic alongside Rabbi Alan Joseph, Bikur Cholim of Cleveland executive director.

A special tribute was given to Dr. Joel and Sharon Peerless for their contribution to Bikur Cholim’s 24-hour call line.

Reuven Dessler, Bikur Cholim of Cleveland

GALA | 26

GALA

board chair, was honored in recognition of the Dessler guest home, a free home for patients and families to stay while traveling to Cleveland for treatment, dedicated by Reuven and Naomi Dessler in memory of Rabbi Nachum Zev and Rebbetzin Miriam Dessler.

The 2024 guest of honor was Joseph Shamie. Born and raised in New York City, he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer right before his 60th birthday and came to Cleveland Clinic for care.

In Cleveland, he was

Guest of honor Joseph Shamie, left, accepts a plaque with his wife,

Rabbi Alan Joseph, executive director of Bikur Cholim of Cleveland, Ben Peerless and Ronit Peerless join special tribute honorees Sharon Peerless and Dr. Joel Peerless as they accept an award from Donny Zigdon, Bikur Cholim of Cleveland board chair, and Josh Botnick, Bikur Cholim of Cleveland treasurer, for contributions the Peerless family made to Bikur Cholim of Cleveland’s 24hour call line. | Cleveland Kesher Photo

met by Bikur Cholim of Cleveland volunteers who assisted him with rides, provided three kosher meals a day and walked with him “through every step of the way.”

“There is a fraternity almost of Jewish people around the world that when you’re down and out, when you need something, they’ll be there for you, and that’s what Bikur

Cholim was for me,” Shamie told attendees.

As a surprise, Bikur Cholim invited Motty Sirkus, an individual Bikur Cholim supported as he donated his kidney through the Renewal transplant program, to meet Erwin Weiss, the kidney recipient who had remained anonymous until then.

“It is in my entire life the most surreal thing I’ve ever gone through,” Weiss said. “It’s amazing that either Hashem has listened to so many of my prayers and prayers of my friends. They got tired of hearing about them or decided it was time. But the surreal part about it was that I received this from a

schlaich of Hashem who I never met and never knew until about a minute and a half ago.”

The dinner and award

ceremony were followed by an after-party featuring entertainment from Abie Rotenberg and Shlomo Simcha.

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Marketing Mastery:

Expert Insights & Strategies

Optimizing your website for speed: A basic guide

Content provided by: Nachum “Nooch”

Langsner

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, visitors expect instant access to the content they seek on your website. With attention spans dwindling, ensuring your site loads quickly is paramount to retaining your audience.

Here is a simple checklist to help you optimize your website for speed and meet the expectations of modern customers:

IMAGE OPTIMIZATION

Compress images to reduce file sizes and prevent them from slowing down your website. Use tools like Adobe Photoshop for manual optimization or plugins for automated optimization.

TEXT OPTIMIZATION

Custom fonts, e ects, and settings can impact loading times. Opt for locally loading fonts and minimize using multiple fonts to improve speed.

VIDEO OPTIMIZATION

Load videos from external sources and enable “lazy loading” to defer loading until clicked. Avoid embedding large videos directly on your site, as they can significantly slow down loading times and negatively impact the user experience.

HOSTING

Choose a reliable hosting provider that o ers optimized server performance.

Specialist hosting companies can provide better speed and performance than cheap shared hosting options as they optimize their servers and technology with the sole purpose of helping your website load as fast as possible.

CLEAN UP:

Review and remove unnecessary plugins and extensions that add unnecessary code bloat that slows down your website.

Defer or remove JavaScript and CSS elements that interfere with loading above-thefold content.

Compressing the Javascript and CSS code to streamline your website’s elements can reduce loading times and improve overall performance.

IN CONCLUSION

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your website is optimized for speed, providing visitors with a seamless browsing experience.

School SPOTLIGHTS

CHAVIVA HIGH SCHOOL

Content provided by Chaviva High School

Speaker Rabbi YY Rubinstein, right, speaks with Chaviva High School students, Hila Cohen, from left, Chana Blooms, Tzippy Chafetz, Avigail Olgin and Dvora Makalsky – after giving a talk to the school.

Chaviva junior Nuni Peltz visits the Maltz Museum’s “The Girl in the Diary: Searching for Rywka from the Lodz Ghetto” exhibit with the school.

Chaviva educator Leah Ferder, from left, uses cookie baking to demonstrate that learning is sweeter when you put more e ort into them, an important lesson as the girls continue to push themselves to strengthen their skills in Chumash. Pictured are Leila Ganz, Raizy Greenberger, Chayala Hanson and Aviva Bonert.

Chaviva performs its play, “Take a Stand,” to an audience of about 400 girls and women as the culmination of its semester-long performing arts class.

Chaviva seniors Shirah Toron, from left, Talia Smith, Taly Landis, Chana Duno , Yona Wren, Naama Ireland, Dahlia Shtern and Elianna Goldish during the school’s retreat in Orlando, Fla.

School SPOTLIGHTS

Fuchs Mizrachi School

Time for School content provided by Fuchs Mizrachi School

ECP students celebrated Tu b’Shevat with a simanim seder snack. Shown here are nursery students Sophie Faigen, from left, Yakira Faiger, Gavri Benzaquen and Kallan Katz.

High school students enjoy exploring a variety of interests through their advancement courses. Shown here are senior Itiyah Maryles, left, and junior Sarah Seltzer building a robot as a part of their robotics advancement course.

First graders Adi Schwartz and Gabriel Hoenig enjoy exploring books at the parent council Scholastic Book Fair.

Sixth graders Eliana Schlanger, left, and Atara Hochheiser package clothing for a junior high clothing drive.

Noetic Learning Math Contest winners are fifth grader Avid Goldsmith, from left, and fourth grader Kovi Mauer for their outstanding achievements as their team’s lead scorer. Fourth grader Natanel Kleinman, fifth grader Lazer Katz, fifth grader Tai Gardner and fifth grader Gavri Beer received national honorable mentions.

School SPOTLIGHTS

HEBREW ACADEMY OF CLEVELAND

Hebrew Academy of Cleveland completed the first semester of learning with an Evening of Inspiration where fourth- to sixth-grade students showcased their project based learning units to the greater community. State standards were achieved through the fourth grade States Fair, fifth grade solar system and sixth grade invention convention projects and Robotics experiences. The multiple outlets to express curricular knowledge of art, technology and the innovation lab create the necessary avenues to tap into each students individual’s strengths. The event brought a large crowd to the Academy’s Mendy and Ita Klein Campus.

Students, parents and educators watch a presentation at Hebrew Academy of Cleveland’s Evening of Inspiration.

Daniel and Aliza Gottesman with their son, Sruly, at Hebrew Academy of Cleveland’s Evening of Inspiration.

Dr. Yehuda Salamon with his son, Eli, and Akiva Rafael at Hebrew Academy of Cleveland’s Evening of Inspiration.

Content provided by Hebrew Academy of Cleveland

ON VIEW THROUGH APRIL 28,

The Girl in the Diary tells the true story of a young woman in 1940’s Europe who loses her family but never gives up hope. In 1945, a diary was discovered in the liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp. It was written by a 14-year-old Jewish girl named Rywka Lipszyc and documented her life in the Łódź Ghetto between October 1943 and April 1944. Through historical artifacts and photographs, interactive touch screens, and documentary videos, the exhibition explores her fight for survival and reconstructs what might have happened to Rywka.

* Bring this ad with you for $2 off of general admission, October 25, 2023 – April 28, 2024. Good for up to 4 visitors. Not valid for use on programs. Cannot be used with any other offer. An exhibition at the Maltz Museum in cooperation with the Galicia Jewish Museum, Krakow, Poland.