2015 Jewish Federation of Cleveland Annual Report

JEWISH CLEVELAND IN OUR OWN

ANNUAL REPORT | 2015

PLUS: Total

grantmaking from the Jewish Federation of Cleveland

MEET Jordon, Nicolle, Larry, Yafit, Kyla, Teddy, and Mort and hear their personal and powerful stories LEARN about Cleveland’s Jewish cemeteries and how we are caring for those who came before us DISCOVER innovation at work and how Israel and Cleveland are collaborating to improve neighborhoods

A MESSAGE FROM RENEÉ CHELM AND STEVE HOFFMAN

To our friends and neighbors, When we think about all that we have accomplished in one year, it’s absolutely inspiring. Here in Jewish Cleveland, thousands of people are coming together to help tens of thousands more. Why? Because this is a community that cares. We believe in each other. And, we believe in the idea that when we lift up one, we lift up all.

In these pages, you will read the inspiring stories of just a few people whose lives you’ve touched and how they in turn have reached out to help others. It happens because of you. Your generosity and kindness has given so much to so many, as we aspire to leave no community member behind in Cleveland, Israel, and 70 countries around the globe.

That’s the power of a people and the strength of a community working together to make the world better.

May we go from strength to strength.

BOARD CHAIR

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IN OUR OWN WORDS

PRESIDENT

FEDERATION STAFF As of December 31, 2015

STEPHEN H. HOFFMAN, PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATION

Erika Rudin-Luria, Senior Vice President Tammy Rubin

DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Hedy Milgrom, Senior Vice President, CDO Alan D. Gross, Vice President Abbie Levin, Vice President Shelley Milin Marcus, Assistant Vice President Ann Garson, Managing Director Carol Wolf, Managing Director Terry Amon Karen Baker Jessie Bruder R. Michael Cole Ellen Fishman Lisa Hacker Leora Hoenig Nancy Kaleal Matthew Kaliff Elizabeth Klein Joyce Lisiewski Linda McFarland Francesca Parente Williams Caryn Schuster Janet Schwartz Shapiro Jennifer Schwarz Christine Sebrasky Reneé Tyler

DONOR SERVICE OPERATIONS CENTER Allison Levine, Managing Director Rosie Brown Caitlin Ford Chris Jacobs Jill Jacobson Diane Kopac Rima Melman Laura Steinberg

FISCAL

Barry Reis, Senior Vice President, CFO Sheila Allenick, Asst. Vice President Annette Banks Kari Blumenthal Brett Cochran Heather Colbert-Eckert Debbie Duval Paul Feinberg Michelle Golan Estie Heifetz Nancy Hoffner Bonnie Huston Zulmarie Maldonado Faye Matitia Kellie Mirabile Sharon Newman Katie Palus Kathy Roeder Manya Smilovich Irina Temkin Elaine Thomas Howard Wolf Alan Wood Ira Young

HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT MANDEL CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE Tami Caplan, Vice President Naomi Fein Diane Fistek Lisa Lebowitz Jill Pupa

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Daniel Strom, Managing Director Paul Gajowski Allen Roth Kavya Suram Michael Walton

INTERNATIONAL, COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Oren Baratz, Senior Vice President Amy Kaplan, Assistant Vice President Jessica Cohen, Managing Director Ilanit Gerblich Kalir, Managing Director Danielle Asif Julie Auerbach Mirit Balkan Toby Holub Debbie Klein Sally Levine Jackie Reed Tal Rothstein

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Dahlia Fisher, Managing Director Nichole Avramovich Varsha Balachandran Tracy Bergen Mike Kostechak Sylvia Owen Rebecca Stolarsky Bryan Thomas Debra S. Yasinow

OPERATIONS

Barbara Jakubowski Grant Fish Ron Hale Judy Joffe Laura Sue Mirabile

PLANNING, ALLOCATIONS & COMMUNITY SERVICE

Dayan Gross, Assistant Vice President Lakshmi Eastman Nebel, Managing Director Rabbi Akiva Feinstein Shelley Fishbach Melanie Halvorson Jayme Honigman Stephanie Kahn Marla Kassoff Pat Keating Rabbi Alan Lettofsky Ellen Miller Kelly Sperber Rubanenko Dana Scott Rabbi Edward Sukol Holly Zager

SECURITY

James Hartnett, Director Al Buckley George Majernik David Moughan Paul Mazzola Brady Rieman Scott Safenovitz John Senn

VOLUNTEER CENTER (PEI & JVN) Susan Hyman Tali Merdler Jessica Semel Jeanne Shatten

CONTENTS 2

A MESSAGE FROM RENEÉ CHELM AND STEVE HOFFMAN

4

OUR FEDERATION, OUR CAMPAIGN

6

PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY

7

EDUCATING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

8

RESPONDING WHEN DISASTER STRIKES

10

SUPPORTING ISRAEL

12

BUILDING CROSS-CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

14

PLANNING FOR OUR COMMUNITY’S FUTURE

16

CARING FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE

18

SHARING OUR HISTORY

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HONORING THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US

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ENSURING OUR JEWISH FUTURE

24

TOTAL GRANTMAKING FROM THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF CLEVELAND

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

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2015 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

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2015 STANDING COMMITTEES

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2015 VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNERS

Jewish Federation OF CLEVELAND

Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Building 25701 Science Park Drive · Cleveland, Ohio 44122 216-593-2900 · www.jewishcleveland.org

our FEDERATION

IS THE ONLY JEWISH ORGANIZATION IN CLEVELAND THAT CONSIDERS THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE AND PLANS FOR ITS FUTURE.

GIFT

YOUR

PARTNER ORGS

E JEWISH FUTU • ENSUR RE • H T SPE YOU E AK T A UC

RIGHT • BRIDGE CULTU HAT’S RA L RW D IVID T FO OU

together

• CARE FOR THE EL DER LY •

ED

IN CLEVELAND, ISRAEL, AND 70 COUNTRIES AROUND THE GLOBE.

and MORE. • ES

ISRAE PORT SUP

L

ICK THE S T R FO COM

WE CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS

• FEED TH EH U N GRY •

STRONGER

our CAMPAIGN

IN CLEVELAND

Akiva High School Bellefaire JCB Cleveland Hillel Foundation CWRU Siegal Jewish Lifelong Learning Program Fuchs Mizrachi School Gross Schechter Day School

ACROSS THE COUNTRY

American Jewish Committee Anti-Defamation League BBYO

Hadassah Hillel at Miami University Jewish Council for Public Affairs

Jewish War Veterans National Alliance Ohio University Hillel

AROUND THE GLOBE

IS THE ANNUAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN THAT ENSURES OUR COMMUNITY’S VITALITY AND VIBRANCY IN THE YEAR AHEAD.

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI)

The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) Overseas Connections Committee, Jewish Federation of Cleveland

World ORT Ethiopian National Project

TOGETHER, WE RAISED NEARLY $31 MILLION TO CARE FOR OUR LOCAL AND GLOBAL JEWISH COMMUNITY.

Hebrew Academy of Cleveland Hebrew Shelter Home Hillel at Kent State University Jewish Community-wide Security Jewish Education Center of Cleveland Jewish Family Service Association

Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage* Mandel Jewish Community Center Menorah Park Center for Senior Living Montefiore *candidacy status

OVER 11,000 DONORS MADE A GIFT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN CLEVELAND, ISRAEL, AND 70 COUNTRIES AROUND THE GLOBE.

91 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR GOES DIRECTLY TO THE COMMUNITY FOR PRIORITY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

TOGETHER

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WITH YOUR SUPPORT, EIGHT JEWISH DAY SCHOOL SITES HAVE ARMED SECURITY GUARDS PROTECTING AND DEFENDING THEIR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, ALLOWING THEM TO FOCUS ON LEARNING AND GROWING.

community

PROTECTING OUR

jordan’s STORY

M

y name is Jordan Berkowitz. I am a campaigner. I am also a parent. I notice the police presence at my children’s Jewish day schools during drop off.

There is always a police officer there. And I think, this is a place where someone who wanted to do damage, could easily wreak havoc – and this is the same place I think of as our main vessel for transferring knowledge to our kids. These schools are a symbol of our Jewish future.

When I send my children to school, I feel that I am investing in our future and if we as a community don’t protect that investment, then we haven’t secured our future.

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I am proud that we are in a city with tremendous institutions and at the center is our Federation – planning, thinking, acting. When I see the police supporting us, Federation security vehicles circulating, and people standing up for us, I feel secure.

There wasn’t always this need, like there is right now.

But, today we see the need.

Federated-giving helps us be prepared when the needs change – what it was before, what it is now – that’s why I give, why I campaign.

We are a community, a kehilla, and we are investing in our kids and our future – this is how our strong Jewish community moves forward together.

IN OUR OWN WORDS

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OUR COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE WORKS TO COMBAT ANTISEMITISM AND THE DELIGITIMIZATION OF ISRAEL ON TWELVE COLLEGE CAMPUSES IN NORTHEAST OHIO.

45K

IN JUST ONE YEAR, WE HELPED SEND APPROXIMITELY 45,000 YOUNG ADULTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD TO ISRAEL, DEEPENING THEIR CONNECTION TO OUR JEWISH HOMELAND.

young people EDUCATING OUR

M

nicolle’s STORY

y name is Nicolle Simonovic. I go to John Carroll University and I am one of the co-chairs of the college campaign.

Over the summer I was a Cleveland Hillel Intern at the Federation. I realized that the Campaign for Jewish Needs is not just about creating a strong Jewish Cleveland, but also about a strong Cleveland, a strong Israel, a strong everywhere!

Being a campaigner was a way for me to make a difference for our whole community. I am an example of a lot of the work the Federation supports.

K-12 I went to Mizrachi. I went to Israel on Birthright.

I interned with JFSA’s YouthAbility program. And, JFSA provided support for my grandparents, who are Holocaust survivors. At different times, they received care at both Montefiore and Menorah Park.

And I would not have felt support on campus without Hillel. On my campus, I have a supportive group of people who understand me. There have been incidents on campus. People say things. AntiIsrael, anti-Semitic things. And we turn to Hillel and they help us.

There was one time when a student started yelling at me, really attacking me about Israel. I knew what to do in that situation because I was prepared for it.

I had been to an Israel advocacy workshop with the former Deputy Consul General of Israel, Elad Strohmayer. What I learned from him, and from sessions with Federation’s Community Relations Committee, is that this is where the resources are for me – and other students like me.

We can prepare ourselves, so we know what to do and how to handle threatening situations on our college campuses. It’s our campaign dollars that go to these kinds of programs that are helping students like me feel safe. These programs empower me to stand up for Israel and for the Jewish people. I want to say thanks for providing that.

It takes each one of us, each individual person, to help keep our future strong. And I try to contribute to that because I am excited for the future. There’s a lot to be excited about.

2015 ANNUAL ANNUAL REPORT REPORT 2015

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RESPONDING WHEN DISASTER STRIKES You and me – all of us – we are really doing something special here and I feel proud to be part of that.

larry’s STORY

H

ello, my name is Larry Mack. I’ve been a campaigner for a long time. It’s really important to me. Sometimes there are no words for how it makes me feel – to know that I can help.

When the opportunity came up to participate in the Federation’s National Campaigners Mission and connect with volunteer and professional leaders from across the country, I knew it would be an education.

When you’re on a Campaigners mission, it doesn’t matter what city you’re from, because we all have the same goal – helping Jews in our local community, in Israel, and around the world.

Let’s talk for a second about our local Cleveland community. Everybody, I mean everybody, wants to know everything we are doing and how we are doing it.

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Let’s talk about something else we should all feel proud of. Our international partner agencies, the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), they are working for the Jewish people and everyone else too.

People are facing crisis in this world. That crisis could be a French Jew who experienced antiSemitism his whole life, taunting remarks, put downs. It’s just enough sometimes for someone to say, “I’ve had enough.” The young man we met was tired of living like that. So, he made aliyah and was in an absorption center, learning the culture and language, opening a bank account, things that can feel overwhelming. We were there to help.

We were also there to help a woman, who told us life in Ukraine had become unbearable. On a day to day basis, life was simply unbearable.

And she had to make a change. She was also in an absorption center that we support, learning about how to live in her homeland.

It is our homeland too. When you’re in Israel, you feel the connection to the people – whether they come from France, Ukraine, or anywhere else – when you are there, you are home. It’s easy.

IN OUR OWN WORDS

And you should know that when disaster strikes, the people of Israel – our partner agencies in Israel – respond.

We met with Gideon Hirscher from the JDC who was in charge of disaster services, like the Nepal earthquake for example.

And, when something like that happens, many agencies come together and meet in one location – you know there’s the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders and there’s the JDC, and that’s us – they are us.

They all go to a big tent and sit around the table and discuss what they can each do. And Gideon says where he is from and what he plans to do.

And everyone around the table says, “Why are you here? There are no Jews in Nepal.”

And he says, “Our responsibility is to the entire world and we are here to help the people of Nepal.” And they get to work to help the people who need it most.

That’s us. We are at work helping the people who need it most. People in crisis, people facing poverty and hunger, people who need a new home, we are their safety net.

I am proud to be part of it. I am proud to be part of the Federation and the Campaign for Jewish Needs.

“

WE ARE THEIR SAFETY NET.

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

“

And if things got so bad, and we had to leave – it’s something I think about from time to time – I think we all do. Israel is a home for us.

The people there are just like us, they are the same as me and you.

#1

WE ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST GRANTMAKERS IN OHIO. THIS YEAR, WE MADE OVER 7,000 GRANTS TOTALING OVER $117 MILLION TO JEWISH AND GENERAL CAUSES.

$50K

PARTNERING WITH OTHER FEDERATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY, OUR CLEVELAND COMMUNITY SENT OVER $50,000 TO SUPPORT VICTIMS OF TERROR AND NATURAL DISASTERS THIS YEAR.

100%

100% OF PROCEEDS FROM EMERGENCY FUNDRAISING GO DIRECTLY TO RELIEF EFFORTS LED

BY OUR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.

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Israel SUPPORTING

yafit’s

STORY

S

halom, hello, my name is Yafit and I live in Cleveland’s sister city of Beit Shean in Israel.

I was born in Israel, the daughter of two parents who made aliyah from Ethiopia during Operation Moses in 1984. I saw how tough it was for my parents to make their dreams come true in Israel. Both worked very hard to learn the language, to find jobs, to adjust to a new culture, and so much more. Remember that when immigrants first arrived from Ethiopia, they were taught for the first time about electricity, indoor plumbing, and so many other western customs.

My parents were committed to us having a better future in Israel. They always reminded us that it is a 2,000-year-old dream of our people to live in Israel.

They didn’t want us to feel different in any way.

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After I finished my army service and my Master’s degree in Special Education, I decided that I wanted to work with children from difficult backgrounds.

I moved to Beit Shean and began working for a Federation-supported program called Youth Futures, where I mentor 16 children. The program reaches 200 children per year in this area.

I meet each child at their school five days a week.

I also meet with the child’s family, teacher, and social services regularly to try and get everyone to work together to help the child succeed.

We want to give each child emotional support so that that they become more confident and empowered.

One of the girls we work with is Sharon. I met Sharon when she arrived to a new school in 5th grade.

I noticed Sharon right away – not because she was a trouble maker or because she looked different than the other kids, but because she refused to speak. When she moved to this new school, she stopped talking altogether. She had no confidence and it was clear that she needed help.

I visited her home to talk with her parents and see how she interacted with her family. I asked Sharon

IN OUR OWN WORDS

questions and her mother answered them for her.

I thought to myself, “How can a young girl learn that she has something important to say if her parents will not even let her speak for herself?”

So I began to take her aside privately and talk to her.

At first, I would only ask her questions that required a yes or no answer. And slowly, she would begin to answer. Then I would ask her questions that would require a two word answer. And slowly she would begin to answer those. After a few months of working together, she was saying full sentences!

I taught her to set little goals for herself that were reachable so that she never felt a sense of failure. Each time she would reach one of her little goals, she would feel motivated to achieve the next goal.

I will never forget the way I felt when one day she turned to me and said- hitzlachti (I succeeded).

Now we set our sights on making one or two friends at school, and slowly she was able to do that as well.

Even the teachers began to let me know that she

would raise her hand in class and offer an answer!

That process took over a year. I had to go back and work with her parents on allowing her to answer questions and feel a sense of worth in the house.

And, I had to help the teachers understand to be patient with her and help her achieve very small goals.

But it worked. It really worked.

Sharon is only one of 16 children that I am responsible for and I am concerned with the progress of each and every one of them. I want the girls that I work with to grow up to be proud women.

I want them to realize how much potential they each possess; so many of the girls aren’t proud of the things that make them unique. I have many hard moments, but when I look at the big picture I know that I am helping change their lives.

Thank you on behalf of all the children and families who cannot be here to thank you themselves. With your help we are making a difference in Israel.

We are truly stronger together!

“

WITH YOUR HELP WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN ISRAEL. WE ARE TRULY STRONGER TOGETHER!

“

12K+

IN ONE YEAR ALONE, 12,000+ STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE HELPED BY 400+ YOUTH FUTURES MENTORS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN 35 COMMUNITIES ACROSS ISRAEL.

2%

WE FUND A PROGRAM WITH THE JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE (JDC) CALLED PARENTS AND CHILDREN TOGETHER (PACT), A LITERACY PROGRAM FOR ETHIOPIANISRAELI CHILDREN THAT HAS REDUCED THE KINDERGARTEN REPEAT RATE FROM 48% TO 2%.

300K+

IN JUST 10 YEARS, 300,000+ WOMEN HAVE BENEFITED FROM OUR ISRAEL HEALTH ADVANCEMENT FOR WOMEN (ISHA) PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES PIONEERING SOLUTIONS FOR MARGINALIZED AND UNDERSERVED WOMEN IN ISRAEL.

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connections

BUILDING CROSS-CULTURAL INNOVATION AT WORK

T

his year, we celebrated a groundbreaking collaboration between our sister city of Beit Shean, Israel and five local Cleveland communities.

This cross-cultural exchange will influence how community development corporations (CDCs) measure success through the use of a new tool called GEAR. GEAR, which stands for Governance, Economy, Activism, and Relationships, is the first tool of its kind. It was created to help local community builders and stakeholders measure and evaluate complex change in community development over time.

The tool was developed jointly by the Federation and its partner agency, Bridge to the Future, an Israeli community revitalization organization in Beit Shean.

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“The GEAR is an evidence-based tool that combines fact and informed opinion to assess the effectiveness of community development initiatives,” said Oren Baratz, Senior Vice President of External Affairs for the Federation.

“We have recognized its usefulness in analyzing the impact of initiatives in our sister city of Beit Shean and we look forward to seeing how it will also support the important work of CDCs here in Cleveland. It is an exciting collaboration.”

The Federation has a long history of collaborating with fellow non-profits, social service agencies, and educational organizations for the betterment of the Cleveland community as a whole.

Through our Jewish Volunteer Network, over 1,500 volunteers participate in programs related to hunger, poverty, and literacy each year.

IN OUR OWN WORDS

ince 1999, our Public Education Initiative (PEI) S has worked in partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) and is now the largest literacy tutoring program in the district. Each year, PEI tutors help 300+ K-12 students in eight Cleveland schools learn to read. hen the tutors recognized that many students W were facing food insecurity, we partnered with the Cleveland Food Bank to launch the Winter Break Lunch Program. Each year, the program provides approximately 1,000 hot lunches to Cleveland public school students when schools are closed for winter break.

Then in 2013, the Federation was invited to partner with CMSD, The Rainey Institute, and United Way of Greater Cleveland to launch the Wraparound Services Initiative at Case Elementary School in the St. Clair neighborhood. In addition to providing students with academic support, the initiative gives students and their families access to family engagement, enrichment programming, plus social services.

“We were already helping young children and their family members at Case Elementary,” Baratz said. “We wanted to see how we could help the surrounding St. Clair neighborhood, too.”

Michael Fleming, Executive Director of the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation, joined the Federation on a recent trip to Israel to learn about Bridge to the Future’s neighborhood revitalization efforts in Beit Shean.

neighborhoods, and its residents are communitydriven people who want to make their city better.”

While in Israel, Fleming was introduced to GEAR and saw how the tool visually expressed the community’s issues and opportunities. He was inspired to implement GEAR in St. Clair and share the possibilities with neighborhoods across Cleveland.

Enter Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, a non-profit that works in partnership with CDCs, local foundations, the business community, and governments to create a strong and productive system to improve many of Cleveland’s neighborhoods.

“Our goal is to have a strong community development corporation in every Cleveland neighborhood so the city can develop in a positive way,” said Joel Ratner, President and CEO of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. “We are looking for ways to objectively measure progress in Cleveland and GEAR may be part of the answer.”

This December, representatives from Bridge to the Future joined Cleveland Neighborhood Progress to implement a pilot project with five CDCs, including St. Clair Superior. Other neighborhoods include Circle North, Detroit Shoreway, Northeast Shores, and Union-Miles. Together, they will launch a crosscultural collaboration with great potential.

“This partnership is a great chance to connect with the Federation and other organizations in Cleveland and in Israel,” Ratner said. “We are hopeful [GEAR] is something we can integrate in years to come.”

“What I saw in Beit Shean is helping me put into focus what I see in St. Clair,” Fleming said. “Cleveland and Beit Shean are both very diverse

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

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“

WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO HELP EACH OTHER LIVE WELL.

“

future

PLANNING FOR OUR COMMUNITY’S

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IN OUR OWN WORDS

This community has a fantastic track record of doing the right thing at the right time. And it takes dollars.

kyla’s

STORY

S

halom! My name is Kyla Epstein Schneider.

I volunteer with the Federation because I believe we are all in this together. And, through Federation, we can plan for our community’s future. We can be prepared.

Preparation takes planning and planning is not always the most exciting thing to talk about. This is very behind-the-scenes kind of work, but essential work.

We are confronting serious issues – aging, our elderly, soon to be elderly, and the increasing number of our family, friends, and community members who are and will be suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia in the years ahead. Numbers are expected to nearly double in the next decade.

This affects the whole world, including our community. I imagine that many, many of us have been impacted by these terrible diseases that steal cognition and memory.

So, here we are in Cleveland, in Jewish Cleveland, asking, “What are the things we need to be doing to be better prepared?”

I chair the Federation task force called Nakum. The name comes from a text in the book of Leviticus that says, “mipnei savah – takum,” when one sees an older person one stands up.

A fitting name. So we are standing up. Right now.

To be ready. At this point, we are in the thick of it. We are researching and analyzing data about what we currently have and what we’ll need.

But, the only way that all of this planning and thinking and theory is put into action – to result in services and programs and people – is with dollars.

We are all getting older and we are all living longer and we have an obligation to help each other live well.

As Jews, we have a value proposition for caring for our elderly with dignity and love and concern. As a Clevelander, this is where I live and where I hope to grow old. As a Jewish Clevelander, cherishing our elderly matters to me personally and communally.

Please know that as donors you’ve helped secure the future of the important endeavors of our community in the years to come. You’ve stood up – and may we all have the strength to continue to do so. I applaud our efforts. Thank you.

1,000+

OVER 1,000 CLEVELAND VOLUNTEERS HELP LEAD DECISION-MAKING ABOUT OUR LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITY’S WELFARE. THEY ARE OUR LAY LEADERS AND THEY ARE ACTIVE IN GUIDING OUR COMMUNITY’S DIRECTION.

80,000 BASED ON OUR RECENT POPULATION STUDY, THERE ARE 80,000 JEWISH CLEVELANDERS AND EACH ONE OF US CAN FEEL SAFE KNOWING THAT OUR COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE IS HERE FOR US IN GOOD TIMES OR IN BAD TIMES.

4,000+ EACH YEAR, AN ESTIMATED 4,000 CALLS COME INTO OUR ACCESS JEWISH CLEVELAND HELPLINE, A FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL RESOURCE AND REFERRAL SERVICE FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT.

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vulnerable CARING FOR OUR MOST

“I figure there’ll come a time when I won’t be able to enjoy such offerings,” he said. “So why not do it now?”

teddy’s STORY

A

t age 77, Teddy won’t give up his fight to live life on his own terms. Although his disabilities have worsened with age, his spirit is just as strong. When he wanted to find a new home where he could live out his final years with as much independence as possible, near the family that means so much to him, Federation was there to help.

“Now that I’m getting older, I’m unable to tie my shoes.

At mealtime, my meat has to be cut,” Teddy said. But, thanks to Federation-supported senior housing, Teddy can be more active. “I can feel independent but at the same time I’m being helped,” he said.

Teddy’s favorite activities include helping call bingo, preparing the community newsletter and participating in a writing group, plus working weekly in the general store.

He takes advantage of group day trips to museums and other venues, and is involved in leisure groups.

19%

19% OF JEWISH HOUSEHOLDS REPORTED THEY ARE LIVING AT OR BELOW 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. THROUGH OUR VOLUNTEER AND DONOR SUPPORT, WE ASPIRE TO LEAVE NO COMMUNITY MEMBER BEHIND.

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And because Federation-supported senior housing is right near family, Teddy gets to see his son and grandchildren every week. He is one of the lucky ones.

Compared to other seniors in the U.S., Holocaust survivors are at a significantly higher risk for poor physical and mental health, depression, and social isolation. This is one of our most vulnerable populations.

An estimated 1,100 survivors are in Cleveland, 100,000 are in the U.S., and tens of thousands are around the world. 25% are estimated to live in poverty, and 20% are both poor and disabled.

Federation is a lifeline to basic needs like food, medicine, and home care, plus social interaction and transportation needs – whether survivors are living locally, nationally, or internationally, our Cleveland community is there to help this vulnerable population age with dignity.

And, with dignity, Teddy and several fellow survivors speak publicly about their experiences during the Holocaust, usually to school groups and young adults.

“I think that children should know what went on so it shouldn’t recur,” said Teddy. “They ask a lot of questions and I try to answer the best I can.”

With Federation’s help, Teddy will continue spreading that message for as long as he can.

80K+

THIS YEAR, WE PROVIDED OVER 80,000 FREE OR SUBSIDIZED MEALS TO PEOPLE IN NEED, OF ALL AGES LOCALLY. AND, WE PROVIDED OVER 13,000 SENIORS WITH FOOD, MEDICINE, AND HOME CARE LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY. IN OUR OWN WORDS

1

WE CONNECT WITH HOMEBOUND ELDERLY, WHO SOMETIMES EAT JUST ONE NUTRITIOUS MEAL A DAY. OUR VOLUNTEERS DELIVER FOOD AND CONVERSATION TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION EVEN WHEN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS DO NOT.

TEDDY’S STORY OF SURVIVAL The Germans never expected that I would be an underground man...

When the Nazis invaded Austria in 1938, Teddy’s parents sent him to Belgium with his grandmother. In 1940, the two moved to France, where they became separated during a bombing raid. Given Teddy’s physical disabilities and his inability to speak French, an ambulance crew “thought I was mentally unstable and placed me into an insane asylum,” he recalls.

When he asked for paper and pencil to write a letter to his parents, asylum staff realized his abilities and placed him instead in a Catholic orphanage.

Teddy stayed there for two years, getting a “good education” and becoming fluent in French. But when nuns tried to convert him, “I refused,” he says, choosing instead to run away to a nearby French Underground cell he had overheard the nuns discussing.

Just 12 years old at the time, he served as a courier.

“I was a messenger boy,” he says.

“One of my shoes is higher than the other, so the cobbler was able to make a hole in the sole of the shoe and they placed the messages in it. Since I was disabled, the Germans never expected that I would be an underground man so they never stopped me.”

The scariest time, he remembers, was hearing the incoming bombs. “There’s a whistling sound,” he says. “And if the sound passes you, you know you’re safe.” The bomb will land elsewhere.

He served with the underground until liberation, eventually making his way to the United States, where he completed his education and worked 35 years as a city clerk.

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

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COLLABORATION AT WORK

SHARING OUR HISTORY

violins of hope H

undreds of people crowded into Federation’s intimate Roe Green Gallery to see the opening of “Amnon’s Workshop,” a photographic documentary featuring the work of celebrated Cleveland photographer, Daniel Levin, M.F.A. “Amnon’s Workshop” documented the work of master violin maker Amnon Weinstein as he lovingly restored stringed instruments that survived the Holocaust, even when the owners perished.

It was one of myriad events being produced across Greater Cleveland as part of Violins of Hope Cleveland, a landmark project with unprecedented collaboration among seven premier non-profit organizations.

Israel Wiener, Federation’s Israel Arts Consultant, introduced the project to Federation Life Trustees,

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© Daniel Levin Photography 2015

Milton and Tamar Maltz, also founders of the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, and Dick Bogomolny, Federation Board Member and Chairman of the Musical Arts Association. Together with Case Western Reserve University President, Barbara Snyder, they brought the project to life.

Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Institute of Music, The Cleveland Orchestra, Facing History and Ourselves, ideastream, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage partnered to produce performances, educational programs, and a major exhibition.

According to Roe Green, Co-Chair of the Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection, which helps bring world-class Israeli arts and culture to Cleveland, “This exhibition is the only one that focuses on Amnon, the man behind Violins of Hope, and his process.”

IN OUR OWN WORDS

“

I’M SPEECHLESS. IT’S COMPLETELY ALIVE!

“

Levin credits Wiener as the inspiration for the exhibit.

“When he told me all the plans for Violins of Hope, there was nothing about Amnon and his process and I wanted to share that with Cleveland, like you’re standing in his workshop.”

by The Cleveland Orchestra to herald the opening of the Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center at the Temple-Tifereth Israel in University Circle. In advance of the concert, Amnon joined us in Cleveland and spoke to guests at the exhibit opening.

And so Levin made the plans. He travelled to Israel and spent four days with Amnon and his wife Assi, “in their two-room universe,” as he describes it, documenting the master violin maker’s process of restoring these special violins.

People gathered around him, treating him like a celebrity, shaking his hand, offering hugs, and snapping selfies. The reception was overwhelming. “I am completely shocked to see my workshop here,” he said looking around the gallery. “I am feeling like I am at home!”

“He says you leave the dirt,” said Levin. “He wants them to sound like the violins did to the original owner but at high enough quality that even The Cleveland Orchestra can play them.”

The Violins of Hope were played on September 27, 2015

As guests applauded, he continued. “I feel like what you have done here is like nothing ever seen in the world. An exhibit like this about violin making I have never seen in my life. And then there are concerts and then more. I’m speechless. It’s completely alive!”

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

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HONORING THOSE WHO CAME

before us

“

IT’S A COMMUNITY’S ROLE TO ENSURE THAT ALL CEMETERIES REMAIN DIGNIFIED.

“

20

IN OUR OWN WORDS

COMMUNITY AT WORK

M

any of Cleveland’s older Jewish cemeteries are located in areas where the Jewish community no longer lives and synagogues no longer exist. Without an organized effort, these cemeteries have fallen into disrepair and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland has stepped in to help. With unanimous Board approval, the 113 year old non-profit organization has launched a Cemetery Preservation Campaign with the goal of raising $3.5 million to honor the deceased.

“The history of our Jewish community is represented in these cemeteries and together we can preserve that history,” said Harley I. Gross, Cemetery Preservation Campaign Chair. “Everyone is invited to contribute to this campaign and perform one of the highest expressions of chesed (loving kindness), as those buried in the cemeteries cannot repay anyone for the kindness shown to them.”

In the Cleveland area, there are approximately 69,000 graves in 16 Jewish cemeteries and 3 general cemeteries with Jewish sections. Many are plagued with overgrown trees and grass, broken or missing fences, and overturned headstones. Historically, congregations and benevolent associations have held primary responsibility for the upkeep of their cemeteries; but, not all have the resources needed to carry out their long term responsibility.

“Our community has stood the test of time since 1839, but many of the organizations which created our network of cemeteries have not. They are long gone but their cemeteries remain,” said Rubin Guttman, immediate past Chair of the Commission on Cemetery Preservation (COCP), a supporting foundation of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, with a mission to ensure the dignified maintenance, sustainability, and perpetuity of Cleveland’s Jewish cemeteries under the Federation’s supervision.

As of this year, the COCP has become responsible for the upkeep of 14,060 graves with jurisdiction of 6 Jewish cemeteries, including: Baxter Cemetery, Chesed Shel Emeth, Fir Street Cemetery, Harvard Cemetery, Lansing Cemetery, Workmen’s Circle section of Lincoln Cemetery, and another west side cemetery is on the verge of being added soon. The COCP engages with new partners on an ongoing basis, evaluating the need to take on oversight of additional Cleveland Jewish cemeteries.

“A number of our older Jewish Cleveland cemeteries have suffered from various degrees of neglect in recent years, and it has become apparent that the Federation needs to play a significant ongoing role in their care and maintenance. We have entered into agreements to establish this role, have hired a professional expert to implement it, and will now be going out to the community to raise funds to support this effort,” said current Chair of the COCP, David Orlean. “It has been very rewarding to be associated with this process and to see our cemeteries being restored to a dignified condition.”

The improvement process has begun with tree removal, stone resetting, and landscaping thanks to the hire of a full-time Cemetery Manager, Brett Cochran, who works with an oversight committee to design and implement appropriate maintenance plans that ensure ongoing care of the cemeteries under the COCP’s jurisdiction. Funds raised by the Cemetery Preservation Campaign will enable the care of these cemeteries in perpetuity and allow for the addition of other cemeteries as needed.

“It’s a community’s role to ensure that all cemeteries remain dignified, and that individual people are remembered,” said Gross. “It’s a moral responsibility, and it is also a communal responsibility. How we do this is our legacy.”

The community is invited to participate in the mitzvah (good deed) of caring for those who have come before us through a contribution to the Cemetery Preservation Campaign.

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

21

ENSURING OUR JEWISH

future “

Over 4,600 local Cleveland children ages 6 months to 8 years have enrolled in the PJ Library program.

“

W

mort’s STORY

22

e remember philanthropist Mort November z”l, who passed away on July 12, 2015, leaving a legacy our community will always cherish. Mort understood the importance of Jewish journeys for Cleveland – even for the community’s youngest members.

Thanks to Mort, and his wife Iris November, Cleveland became the very first of 180 communities across the country to endow its PJ Library® program with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in 2012. Today it continues to flourish.

IN OUR OWN WORDS

Over 4,600 local Cleveland children ages 6 months to 8 years have enrolled in the PJ Library program. And, more than 100,000 free Jewish books and CDs have been delivered to their homes strengthening their Jewish connection.

When this partnership was first announced, Mort and Iris were excited. They said they created this endowment “for the thousands of children who, over many years to come, reap the benefits of these wonderful books and also honor the memory of Mort’s beloved daughter, Debra Ann, for whom we have named the program.”

Hedy Milgrom, the Federation’s Chief Development Officer, remembers Mort’s leadership and legacy.

She said, “It has been my honor and privilege to work with both Mort and Iris for many years,

facilitating their philanthropy through their supporting foundation at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. The tragic loss many years ago of his beloved daughter, Debra Ann, provided the motivation for his philanthropy – he focused all of his resources on memorializing her through projects that helped children.

He leaves a legacy of optimism – how to make lemonade out of lemons. And one of generosity – how a man of very humble beginnings worked hard and saved well, and then devoted all of his resources to making life better for so many children in so many different ways.

I can’t express how much I will miss him, personally and professionally.”

MAY HIS MEMORY BE FOREVER A BLESSING.

WE WERE THE FIRST FEDERATION IN THE COUNTRY TO CREATE AN ENDOWMENT FUND. TODAY, WE HAVE ONE OF THE LEADING PROGRAMS IN NORTH AMERICA.

ORIGINALLY CREATED AS A SAFETY NET, ENDOWMENT FUND GIFTS REPRESENT A COMMITMENT TO THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE SECURITY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

IN JUST ONE YEAR OVER 3,600 LOCAL STUDENTS RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID TO ATTEND PRESCHOOL, DAY SCHOOL, SUMMER CAMP, OR COLLEGE.

23

TOTAL GRANTMAKING: JEWISH FEDERATION OF CLEVELAND OTHER FEDERATION SUPPORT from donor advised and special purpose funds, supporting foundations, the Endowment Fund and Centennial Initiative for fiscal year 7/1/14 6/30/15

GRANT RECIPIENT

TOTAL JFC SUPPORT

CAMPAIGN ALLOCATION from the 2015 Campaign for Jewish Needs for fiscal year 7/1/15 6/30/2016

Akiva High School Bellefaire JCB Centrally Administered Funds (audit, insurance, retirement) Cleveland Hillel Foundation Fuchs Mizrachi School Fund for the Jewish Future* (supports family and informal education, teacher training, and Israel programs) Gross Schechter Day School Hebrew Academy of Cleveland Hebrew Shelter Home Hillel at Kent State University Holocaust Survivor Initiative Jewish Community-wide Security Jewish Federation of Cleveland (programs and services) Jewish Education Center of Cleveland Jewish Family Service Association Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage (in candidacy status) Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland Menorah Park Center for Senior Living Montefiore Siegal College of Judaic Studies (including funding for CWRU Siegal Jewish Lifelong Learning Program) SUBTOTAL:

141,451 1,267,526 30,000 922,704 935,152 3,689,819 1,619,519 3,563,677 131,251 291,027 567,543 165,000 1,413,762 2,345,170 4,402,335 1,118,825 711,900 2,637,852 873,076 573,860 371,000 27,772,449

141,451 1,105,855 30,000 618,222 492,291 3,164,819 411,884 1,233,769 83,711 191,247 165,000 1,413,762 1,131,172 2,578,168 502,675 220,000 1,901,175 419,235 342,567 371,000 16,518,003

161,671 304,482 442,8612,6 525,0004 1,207,6352,6 2,329,9082,6 47,540 99,780 567,543 1,213,998 1,824,167 616,1502,6 491,900 736,677 453,841 231,293 11,254,446

Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) provides assistance to those in need and translates Jewish values into action on behalf of millions of Jews worldwide. Works in close partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). Also supports Cleveland’s partnership in Beit Shean, and Valley of Springs, the Ronald S. Lauder JDC camp in Szarvas, Hungary, and summer camps for children in the former Soviet Union.

9,830,403

8,687,403

1,143,000

Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Overseas Programs, under the direction of the Overseas Connections Committee, links Jews in Cleveland with Jews around the world. Programs include: Parents and Children Together (PACT) for Ethiopian-Israelis; Israel Health Advancement for Women (ISHA), advancing women’s health in Israel; IDF Education Corps Projects and the Havat HaShomer army base for at-risk young men and women; I-Connect, increasing the number of young adults from Cleveland experiencing Israel; connecting Jews in Cleveland and Beit Shean, Israel; Bridge to the Future, a community change organization in Beit Shean, Israel; Jordan/Cross-Border Initiative, connecting Jordanians and Israelis; and the Cleveland/St. Petersburg Partnership for community-building programs in St. Petersburg, Russia and Jewish identity programs in six towns in its periphery.

2,900,000

2,900,000

-

12,730,403

11,587,403

1,143,000

American Jewish Committee Anti-Defamation League B’nai B’rith/BBYO Hadassah Jewish Council for Public Affairs Jewish War Veterans

109,800 125,230 1,618,280 19,600 6,000 2,100

57,000 57,000 43,000 10,000 6,000 2,100

52,800 68,230 1,575,280 9,600 -

National Alliance: AJFCA (Association for Jewish Family & Children’s Agencies), AJWS (American Jewish World Service), BBYO, HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society), Hillel Foundation for Jewish Life, JCCA (Jewish Community Centers Association), JCPA (Jewish Council on Public Affairs), JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency), NCSEJ (National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry).

1,852,660

477,700

1,374,9603

SUBTOTAL:

112,695 3,846,365

102,220 755,020

10,475 3,091,345

Includes local synagogues, local and national Jewish organizations meeting educational and humanitarian needs, and international organizations that serve Jewish communities in need SUBTOTAL:

20,130,410

-

20,130,4102,6

20,130,410

-

20,130,410

42,683,208

-

42,683,2082

42,683,208

-

42,683,208

10,080,907

-

10,080,907

10,080,907

-

10,080,907

117,243,742

28,860,4265

88,383,316

LOCAL AGENCIES AND SERVICES:

OVERSEAS AGENCIES AND SERVICES:

SUBTOTAL: NATIONAL AGENCIES:

Ohio University Hillel & Hillel at Miami University OTHER GRANTS FOR JEWISH PURPOSES:

NORTHEASTERN OHIO CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SERVING THE GENERAL COMMUNITY SUBTOTAL: CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE NORTHEASTERN OHIO SERVING THE GENERAL COMMUNITY. SUBTOTAL: GRAND TOTAL:

1. Includes United Way Services (UWS) grant of $1,788,077. UWS supports Bellefaire, JFSA, Mandel JCC, and the Federation; 2. Includes Centennial Initiative grants; 3. Includes grants to organizations that are also funded by the National Alliance of Jewish Federations of North America; 4. Represents amount approved from the Federation Endowment Fund in a prior year for the Fund for the Jewish Future; 5. From the annual Campaign after deducting fundraising cost of under 10 percent, one of the lowest overhead costs of any charitable organization in Ohio; 6. Includes funding for school security. * The Fund for the Jewish Future is a partnership of communal agencies, synagogues, and schools that develop and implement programs to dramatically enhance our community’s Jewish educational system. The Fund is administered by the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland and received an allocation from the 2015 Campaign for Jewish Needs to support teacher training, enhanced technology, and educational opportunities for students, including those who have special needs. The Fund also provides local synagogues with more than $1 million in educational programs and services.

OUR ENDOWMENT FUNDS, DONOR ADVISED FUNDS AND SUPPORTING FOUNDATIONS, COMBINED WITH THE ANNUAL CAMPAIGN FOR JEWISH NEEDS AND CENTENNIAL INITIATIVE FOR JEWISH CLEVELAND FUNDRAISING, MAKE THE FEDERATION ONE OF OHIO’S LARGEST GRANTMAKING ORGANIZATIONS — WITH MORE THAN $117 MILLION ALLOCATED FROM ALL SOURCES IN THE 2015 FISCAL YEAR. FEDERATION AND LOCAL BENEFICIARY AGENCIES AND SERVICES 23.7%

SUPPORTING FOUNDATIONS* 40.7%

OVERSEAS JEWISH AGENCIES AND SERVICES 10.9%

TOTAL GRANT MAKING BY CATEGORY

OTHER AGENCIES AND SERVICES FOR JEWISH PURPOSES 17.2% NORTHEAST OHIO AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 36.4% CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE NORTHEAST OHIO 8.6%

SOURCE OF GRANTS

ANNUAL CAMPAIGN ALLOCATIONS 24.6% DONOR ADVISED FUNDS* 28.0% ENDOWMENT FUNDS* 6.0% CENTENNIAL INITIATIVE FOR JEWISH CLEVELAND 0.7%

NATIONAL JEWISH AGENCIES 3.2%

*DOES NOT INCLUDE GRANTS TO THE CAMPAIGN FOR JEWISH NEEDS.

GOLD SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

PLATINUM SPONSOR

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Cynthia Chaiten, CIMA® CRPC℠

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

25

2015 BOARD OF TRUSTEES EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Board Chair: Reneé Chelm Vice Chairs: Gary L. Gross, J. David Heller, Judge Dan A. Polster, Beth Rosenberg, Enid Rosenberg Treasurer, Randall J. Korach • Associate Treasurer, Zev Weiss • President, Stephen H. Hoffman

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE David F. Adler • Nan Cohen • Cheryl L. Davis • Jeffrey S. Davis • Leslie D. Dunn • Barry S. Feldman • Richard M. Glaser Gerald W. Goldberg • Robert Goldberg* • Suri Goldman • Bruce H. Goodman • Henry J. Goodman* • Harley I. Gross* Sara Hurand • Susan R. Hurwitz • Suellen Kadis • Robert Mendy Klein • Eliana LeVine • Morton L. Mandel* Albert B. Ratner* • Charles A. Ratner* • Carol Rivchun • Betty Rosskamm • Michael D. Siegal* • Neil R. Waxman Jeffrey Weiss • Sally H. Wertheim* • Judy Klein Willensky • Timothy F. Wuliger* • Dara G. Yanowitz Andrew Zelman • Daniel N. Zelman

TRUSTEES Hedy K. Adler

Steven G. Greenberg

Joseph C. Mandel* z”l

Paula R. Schwartz

Trish Adler

Andrea Kanter Grodin

Kevin D. Margolis

Michael Shames

Vlad Agranovich

Rochelle Gross

Steven P. Marsh

Bradley A. Sherman

Linda Barnett

Rubin Guttman

Peter Meisel

Alvin A. Siegal

Jules Belkin

Michael J. Haas

Susan Meisel

Harvey A. Siegel

Rabbi Binyamin Blau

David G. Heiman

David P. Miller

Scott M. Simon

Marc Blaushild

Rachel E. Heiser

Jared S. Miller

Rabbi Joshua Skoff

Barnett N. Bookatz

William H. Heller*

Samuel H. Miller*

Carmie J. Stein

Alan Charnas

Kathryn Wertheim Hexter

Stephen A. Monto

David J. Strauss

Lynne M. Cohen

Robert A. Immerman

David M. Neumann

Jeanne Tobin

Philip M. Cohen

M. Orry Jacobs

Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk

Stephen J. Weinberg

Bruce Daskal

Amir Jaffa

Elmer I. Paull* z”l

Judith Weiss*

Mindy Davidson

Ilana Isakov Katz

Shari L. Perlmuter

Morry Weiss*

Reuven D. Dessler

Terri Kline

Roman Petroff

Marcia J. Wexberg

Fran Doris

S. Lee Kohrman*

Keith Polster

Adam L. Wieder

Margaret Richards Frankel Jeffrey L. Korach

Robert S. Reitman*

Danielle J. Wild

Amy Wain Garnitz Jennifer L. Korach

Michael A. Ritter

Jeffrey J. Wild

vic gelb*

Charlotte R. Kramer*

Brian D. Robbins

Nancy G. Wolf

Adrienne Goldberg

Andrew Lefkowitz

Peter Rzepka*

Warren L. Wolfson

Jordan A. Goldberg

Larry A. Mack

Evie Safran*

Donna Yanowitz*

Larry P. Goldberg*

Louis J. Malcmacher

Bradley J. Schlang

Elissa W. Zegura

Alan D. Gottlieb

Milton Maltz*

Kyla Epstein Schneider

Rabbi Melvin Granatstein

Tamar Maltz*

Mitchell C. Schneider

Roe Green

Barbara A. Mandel*

* Trustee for Life

EMERITUS TRUSTEES Thomas W. Adler • George N. Aronoff • Richard Bogomolny • Robert D. Deitz z”l • Morton G. Epstein Leonard Fuchs • Peggy Garson • Lois K. Goodman • Robert D. Gries • Aileen Kassen z”l • Marvin L. Lader Elaine Rocker z”l • Barbara S. Rosenthal • Edwin M. Roth • Gordon H. Safran • Harold S. Stern • Norman Wain Philip Wasserstrom • Jerome A. Weinberger

26

IN OUR OWN WORDS

Committees

2015

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s activities are conducted by committees of volunteers in partnership with professional staff. Committee and subcommittee chairs are listed at left. Please contact them or the Federation for more information about participating in Federation activities or other volunteer opportunities at affiliated organizations.

JEWISH FEDERATION OF CLEVELAND Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Building 25701 Science Park Drive, Cleveland, Ohio 44122 phone: 216-593-2900 toll-free: 888-467-1125 e-mail: info@jcfcleve.org fax: 216-593-2901 www.jewishcleveland.org

STANDING COMMITTEES (As of September 30, 2015) ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE Distributes resources from the Campaign for Jewish Needs, balancing local, national, and overseas needs; helps to identify immediate and long-term issues which the community and/or individual agencies need to address; helps ensure that funds from the Campaign for Jewish Needs are used effectively and efficiently Dara G. Yanowitz, Chair Sara Hurand, Subcommittee on Overseas Kevin Margolis, Subcommittee on Education Agencies Gary Weiss, Subcommittee on Human Services Judge Dan A. Polster, National Agencies Liaison Team COMMUNITY PLANNING COMMITTEE Studies and plans for community needs Bruce H. Goodman, Chair Kyla Epstein Schneider, Nakum – Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia Scott Simon, Jewish Community Housing, Inc. Susan S. Frankel, Facilities Planning

OVERSEAS CONNECTIONS COMMITTEE Conceives and manages projects that connect Jews in Cleveland with Jews in Israel and around the world Neil R. Waxman, Chair Lynne M. Cohen, PACT (Parents and Children Together) Subcommittee Barry S. Feldman, Cleveland/St. Petersburg Partnership William H. Heller, I-Connect Susan Y. Meisel, IDF Education Corps Subcommittee Judge Dan A. Polster, Jordan/Cross-Border Initiative Subcommittee Karen Rutman-Weiss, ONAD (Overseas Needs Assessment and Distribution) Subcommittee Lydia Frankel and Shmuel Shkop, Israelis in Cleveland Subcommittee Michal Soclof, Cleveland/Beit Shean Partnership Subcommittee Nancy G. Wolf, ISHA (Israel Health Advancement for Women) Subcommittee STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE Responsible for the creation, implementation, oversight, and revision of the Strategic Plan Judy Klein Willensky, Chair

ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES

COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE Implements public affairs agenda Cheryl Davis, Chair Bradley J. Schlang and Jill Miller Zimon, Vice-Chairs

ADMINISTRATIVE Keith Libman, Chair

DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Oversees all fundraising activities David F. Adler, Chair Thomas W. Adler, Robert S. Reitman, Marcia Wexberg, and Sandra Wuliger, Co-Chairs, Create Your Jewish Legacy Nan Cohen, Women’s Philanthropy Matthew F. Kadish, Professional Advisory Council Andrew Zelman, Young Leadership Division Daniel N. Zelman, 2016 Campaign for Jewish Needs General Chair ENDOWMENT FUND COMMITTEE Recommends funding for community programming and emergency needs Jeffrey S. Davis, Chair Hallie H. Abrams, Foundation Advisory Council Harold E. Friedman, Donor Advised Fund Advisory Committee

AUDIT Richard M. Glaser, Chair AWARDS Reneé Chelm, Chair CASH Stephen A. Monto, Chair CHARLES EISENMAN AWARD Reneé Chelm, Chair COMMISSION ON CEMETERY PRESERVATION David B. Orlean, President Ari H. Jaffe, Vice President EXECUTIVE Reneé Chelm, Chair

FINANCE AND INVESTMENT COMMITTEE Manages investment of endowment and capital funds Gerald W. Goldberg, Chair

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Leslie D. Dunn, Chair

HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Provides guidance and oversight of the recruitment, development, and placement of qualified professional and lay leadership Susan R. Hurwitz, Chair Amy Morgenstern and Jeffrey J. Wild, Mandel Symposium Jeanne Tobin, ALeRT (Agency Leadership Roundtable) Stanley E. Wertheim, Gries Award Committee MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Establishes marketing agenda and oversees communications activities Jeffrey Weiss, Chair Ilana Isakov Katz, Vice Chair Grant Dinner, Annual Meeting

JEWISH VOLUNTEER NETWORK Joanie Berger, Chair NOMINATING Michael D. Siegal, Chair PROPERTIES Darrell A. Young, Chair RETIREMENT FUND Ronald S. Gross, Chair RISK MANAGEMENT Roy Minoff, Chair SECURITY Barnett N. Bookatz, Chair TECHNOLOGY Joseph B. Compton, Chair

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

27

Jewish Federation of Cleveland Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Building 25701 Science Park Drive Cleveland, Ohio 44122

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CLEVELAND, OHIO PERMIT NO. 581

mazel tov!

2015 VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNERS CHARLES EISENMAN AWARD: OUR HIGHEST CIVIC HONOR Harley I. Gross Through exemplary leadership, philanthropy and service to the community, Harley I. Gross has made transformative contributions to the world we share.

IRENE ZEHMAN VOLUNTEER AWARD The Gathering Place “Terrific Trio” Recognizing women whose efforts on behalf of the Cleveland Jewish community demonstrate the highest ideals and practices of volunteer service, Margo Roth, Ellen Neye, and Marcia Schumann capture the spirit of Irene Zehman through their work at The Gathering Place Warehouse.

RUBY BASS AWARD Rebecca Heller Honoring Ruby Bass’ (z”l) lifelong passion for the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and her commitment to the Women’s Campaign, Rebecca is a role model for our community’s next generations of leaders and Jewish women everywhere.

BENNETT AND DONNA YANOWITZ LEADERSHIP AWARD Erica G. Starrfield Honoring outstanding young individuals who have demonstrated commitment, involvement, and leadership within Cleveland’s Jewish community, Erica leads by example, to help the Jewish community of Cleveland prosper.

GRIES FAMILY AWARD James A. Ratner Recognizing exemplary individuals who, through top leadership positions, make a lasting impact on organizations within the Jewish and general communities, James has embraced many organizations’ missions with passion for more than three decades.

AMB. MILTON A. AND ROSLYN Z. WOLF YOUNG CAMPAIGNER OF THE YEAR AWARD Rachel Weinberg Recognizing young Campaigners who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in Campaign activities and deep commitment to our community.

Rachel brings an energy and enthusiasm to the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Campaign for Jewish Needs that’s hard to match.