ATTN: Medicare annual enrollment (AEP) started already and ends Dec. 7th.
Wondering which of the many Medicare plans is right for YOU? Call me at (216) 835-1255 today!

With the Medicare open enrollment in progress through Dec. 7, Gesher is offering a free service to anyone looking for a clear path through the sign-up process. For the second year, Gesher is providing certified Medicare counselors to residents of Cuyahoga County. Anyone entering or currently enrolled in the Medicare system is eligible to seek help regarding the government-based health insurance.

We are proud that Jim Aust, OSHIIP Coordinator for Cuyahoga County has dedicated two days during November for free consultations at Gesher. Jim retired from Kodak 3 years ago, previously worked at American Greetings for 22 years, and has extensive experience in finances. He is one of the most sought after Oshiip volunteers in the state.

Ohio ranks number one in the nation as OSHIIP planning had saved enrollees more than $15 million.

Jim Aust said a consultation gives newcomers a better understanding of the sometimes complicated process of acquiring insurance. Those already enrolled in Medicare need to review their plan on a yearly basis. Factoring in insurance companies changing what they will cover, premium adjustments, and the changing healthcare need for the individual, a review is essential.

Companies will, at times, add or omit coverage of certain prescription drugs a person may need. If someone has a health condition that requires specific medication, they should not assume their insurance company will continue to cover it in the new year.

To schedule an appointment, contact Gesher at 216 862 4599 or info@geshercleveland.org

Feedback from previous participants:

▪ 75% of respondents said their OSHIIP consultation with Jim was extremely beneficial.

▪ 100% of respondents reported that Jim answered their questions very well.

▪ 100% of participants said they would recommend our OSHIIP service to a friend.

One participant said: “I thought I had found the best plan by myself. Jim from OSHIIP and Gesher saved me a significant amount of money on Medicare premiums!” Another shared: “I recommend anyone approaching retirement to have a consultation with Jim.”

Thanks to all our friends and supporters, the Music For Food Concert on Nov. 13th is SOLD OUT.

But you can still be part of this wonderful event by helping Kosher Food Pantry distribute food to 4,000 each month in our local community. Please make a generous donation today!
http://www.kosherfoodbankcleveland.org/concert/

Chef Dave’s Catering Thanksgiving All-You-Can-Eat Dinner Buffet – Reserve by 11/9 and save $$!! Make your reservations online.

(You can also view an OpEd opposing Issue 109.)

It’s clear from many in our community that they do not plan to vote in favor of Issue 109 – the operating levy on the ballot to fund the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District operating expenses.

I know that many in our community struggle financially and they consider this levy a burden.  But we should all consider this levy as an investment – in our community, our housing values, our neighbors, and the services that we or our neighbors directly receive from the District.

The challenges the District faces are not simple.  The state funding formula has placed the burden of operational funding on the residents of the District.  The CH-UH community is responsible for generating approximately 70% of the District’s operational revenue to keep the District at its current status quo.  This is not uniform across the state and CH-UH residents are unfairly and unequally burdened with this responsibility.

All of us know the importance of a quality public school system for our cities.  Our property values and our quality of life depend on a thriving and attractive public school district.  Therefore, the failure of the levy and its likely negative effects on the District’s ability to improve its struggling educational system affects us as it does all other residents.

Issue 109 is the smallest levy in more than 30 years.  The Cleveland Heights-University Heights School City School District has made $8 million in budget cuts over the past 18 months. They have also reduced spending on operations for each of the past four years.

This levy is necessary to protect our current levels of teachers and programming and to maintain the District’s educational offerings at its current level.  Even if we don’t have children in the schools, their performance affects all of us. We want engaged and well-educated neighbors. Strong public schools make for strong communities.

No doubt, the Cleveland Heights-University Heights school district spends a lot of money on its students. Some people point to this as a reason not to support public education. I actually think it’s a fact about which we should all be proud.  Some of the recent “facts” levy opponents are highlighting about administrator salaries take the focus away from the fact that we need adequately paid teachers and administrators to obtain the educational outcomes we seek.  This levy is about maintaining a minimum level of educational services to these students.  We shouldn’t let misinformation take our eyes off the main purpose of this small levy.

In the face of reduced funding from the state, the burden for funding our schools is left to those who pay property taxes.  I will vote for Issue 109 so that we can sustain a strong public school system for the good of all that live in the district. And I will do it with pride. As a fellow community member, I ask you to join me in voting for the levy on November 8.

(You can also view an OpEd supporting Issue 109.)

Why I’m Voting NO on Issue 109

This Tuesday I’m voting NO on Issue 109, the Cleveland Heights University Heights (CHUH) property tax levy, and I want to explain why. The CHUH school district is asking us to approve a property tax increase that will increase taxes on each $100,000 of house value by about $200 a year, and give the school an additional $5.5 million a year on top of the current spending as reported on the Ohio Dept. of Education (DOE) website of about $107 million. Now an additional $200 may not seem like a lot, but voters should be aware that our property taxes are already the 4^th highest property taxes by house value (i.e. millage) in the entire state. 4^th highest out of 614 school districts in Ohio!

I will make the argument that not only should we not give the school an additional $5.5 million a year, but the school should actually be spending $28 million a year less, and our property taxes should actually be considerably lower than they currently are. Why do I say this? Consider the following:

1. The school is overspending by more than $28 million a year. The Ohio DOE website contains a very important report for analyzing school districts. The report can be found at http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Finance-and-Funding/Finance-Related-Data/Education-Fiscal-Data-Project. It is a report that compares each school district in Ohio with the other school districts in the county and with all the school districts in Ohio. The report shows that average spending per pupil in the CHUH school district is $19,671 versus $14,445 for all the school districts in Cuyahoga County. That’s an additional $5,226 for each of the 5,437 children reported in the school district, or 36% more than the county average. If you multiply the overspending by the number of children in the school you come to $28,413,762.
2. The school is grossly overstaffed. What is the school spending the extra $28 million on? I think part of the answer can also be found in the Ohio DOE report. The report shows that K-12 Pupil Teacher Ratio (which measures how many students there are in the district for every teacher employed by the district) of 11.6 for our school district and 14.7 for the rest of Cuyahoga county. This shows that the school has 20% more teachers per student than the average school district in Cuyahoga County. The report shows that school has 468 teachers and I believe the overall employment in the school is approximately 1300 people. This would suggest the school has 94 more teachers that it needs, and if we extend this ratio to the overall staffing, 260 overall positions too many.
3. The school is overpaying its staff. Another place the school could be overspending is salaries. The DOE Center for School Finance District Profile Report shows that average salary for administrators in CHUH is $105,743 but only $87,634 in Similar School District, or 20.6% more. The report also shows that average teacher salary in the CHUH school district is $73,709 and for Cuyahoga county, $68,848, 7% more.

Overspending of $28 million out of a budget of $107 million suggests the budget is 35% more than it should be, and that property taxes are higher than they should be. In fact the DOE shows that the CHUH average local (as opposed to state and federal) revenue per pupil is $12,578 versus only $5,413 for the statewide average. We are being excessively overtaxed. The CHUH school district needs to stop asking for more money and start fixing their overspending problem. The school is losing about 100 students per year and they do not seem to be reducing the size of the school system to reflect the loss of students. That’s why I’m voting NO on Issue 109.

Diane Hallum

Citizens Leadership PAC

Gesher, The Jewish Federation of Cleveland & Legal Aid are excited to offer a free legal advice clinic this Sunday, November 6^th at Green Road Synagogue between 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.

You will have the opportunity for a brief one-on-one meeting with an attorney from the community. If you need further legal representation, every effort will be made to give continued assistance to those who qualify. You may also be referred to The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland or another service provider.

Although this is the first free legal clinic ever offered in the Cleveland Jewish community, these clinics have taken place in the broader community for the last 12 years. Past participants have been relieved in finding clarity for questions, grateful to discover they don’t need to take action or simply validated of their issue.

Please bring any documents with you that you think may be helpful. There will be limited space for walk-ins.

Orders must be placed by November 16^th, 5pm by either email: koshercatering@ameritech.net or by calling 216.401.7431.

Order pickups will be November 23^rd 2-6pm.

Other arrangements can be made if needed.

With the Medicare open enrollment in progress through Dec. 7, Gesher is offering a free service to anyone looking for a clear path through the sign-up process. For the second year, Gesher is providing certified Medicare counselors to residents of Cuyahoga County. Anyone entering or currently enrolled in the Medicare system is eligible to seek help regarding the government-based health insurance.

We are proud that Jim Aust, OSHIIP Coordinator for Cuyahoga County has dedicated two days during November for free consultations at Gesher. Jim retired from Kodak 3 years ago, previously worked at American Greetings for 22 years, and has extensive experience in finances. He is one of the most sought after Oshiip volunteers in the state.

Ohio ranks number one in the nation as OSHIIP planning had saved enrollees more than $15 million.

Jim Aust said a consultation gives newcomers a better understanding of the sometimes complicated process of acquiring insurance. Those already enrolled in Medicare need to review their plan on a yearly basis. Factoring in insurance companies changing what they will cover, premium adjustments, and the changing healthcare need for the individual, a review is essential.

Companies will, at times, add or omit coverage of certain prescription drugs a person may need. If someone has a health condition that requires specific medication, they should not assume their insurance company will continue to cover it in the new year.

To schedule an appointment, contact Gesher at 216 862 4599 or info@geshercleveland.org

Feedback from previous participants:

▪ 75% of respondents said their OSHIIP consultation with Jim was extremely beneficial.

▪ 100% of respondents reported that Jim answered their questions very well.

▪ 100% of participants said they would recommend our OSHIIP service to a friend.

One participant said: “I thought I had found the best plan by myself. Jim from OSHIIP and Gesher saved me a significant amount of money on Medicare premiums!” Another shared: “I recommend anyone approaching retirement to have a consultation with Jim.”

The correct candle lighting time in the Cleveland area is NOT 6:06pm as mistakenly written elsewhere. According to myzmanim.com, for 44122 and 44118 candlelighting is at 5:58pm.

Gesher, The Jewish Federation of Cleveland & Legal Aid are excited to offer a free legal advice clinic this Sunday, November 6^th at Green Road Synagogue between 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.

You will have the opportunity for a brief one-on-one meeting with an attorney from the community. If you need further legal representation, every effort will be made to give continued assistance to those who qualify. You may also be referred to The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland or another service provider.

Although this is the first free legal clinic ever offered in the Cleveland Jewish community, these clinics have taken place in the broader community for the last 12 years. Past participants have been relieved in finding clarity for questions, grateful to discover they don’t need to take action or simply validated of their issue.

Please bring any documents with you that you think may be helpful. There will be limited space for walk-ins.

Full article on aish.com

The Cubs Win the World Series & the Coming of the Messiah
Cubs fans waited 108 years to experience this elation. Jews have been waiting 5777 years.

by Samara Kipnis

Excerpt:

They bought the gear, they told their children about that stupid goat, and tonight they experienced something unusual, something grand. They experienced the actualization of hope. The answers to their prayers. The joy that comes from wanting something so badly and being let down again and again and again, until finally, 108 years later, they got what they’ve been asking for. Actualization of hope is finding your life partner. It’s getting the cure for illness. It’s the splitting of the Red Sea. It’s the Messiah (Mashiach) coming.

The Cubs give us a taste of this. The waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting… and then, The Win.

Chef Dave’s Catering Thanksgiving All-You-Can-Eat Dinner Buffet – Reserve by 11/9 and save $$!! Make your reservations online.

Orders must be placed by November 16^th, 5pm by either email: koshercatering@ameritech.net or by calling 216.401.7431.

Order pickups will be November 23^rd 2-6pm.

Other arrangements can be made if needed.

Through Sunday, November 6, all headbands in stock are 50% off at Head Shoulders Toes & Bows. They’re going quickly!

Open this Sunday 12:30-2:30pm & 7:30pm-8:30pm. Call Shayna at 216-785-BOWS (2697) to arrange a time to stop by.