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National Vaccine Virtual Town Hall With Leading Vaccine Expert, Sunday

March 6, 2021 Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Announcements, COVID19

A Message to the Cleveland Orthodox Jewish Community Regarding Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

March 4, 2021 Leave a Comment

by Ira B Taub MD, FAAP, FACC

My name is Ira Taub and I am a pediatrician who specializes in heart disease in the young. I am writing to inform the community about a COVID19 related condition called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). This condition, first [Read more…]

Filed Under: COVID19

National Vaccine Virtual Town Hall With Leading Vaccine Expert, Sunday

March 4, 2021 Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Announcements, COVID19

Drive Through COVID-19 Testing This Sunday; Must Preregister!

March 4, 2021 Leave a Comment

Filed Under: COVID19

Dave's Electric - Residential & Commercial

New COVID-19 Cases – PSA from Bikur Cholim of Cleveland

February 25, 2021 Leave a Comment

Dear Friends,

Unfortunately, Bikur Cholim has learned of 19 new cases of COVID-19 this week in the community.

With Purim approaching please keep in mind [Read more…]

Filed Under: Announcements, COVID19

Purim COVID Advisory from Chevra Hatzalah

February 25, 2021 Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Announcements, COVID19

Purim COVID Advisory from Chevra Hatzalah

February 24, 2021 Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Announcements, COVID19

Congratulations to the A1A Fort Lauderdale Marathon Runners!

February 18, 2021 Leave a Comment

Naaleh congratulates Momo, Bentzy, Shmuel, Chachi, and Mr. Neil Vaiselberg, who under the leadership of Rabbi Nosson Kielski, ran in the A1A Fort Lauderdale, Florida Marathon this week. These teens trained for over 4 months, while raising awareness for those struggling with substance use and mental health concerns. The commitment and dedication that went into this marathon was in honor of our dear friends, Yoni and Danny Vaiselberg, two young Read more and view pics

Filed Under: News

Women's and Girls Hosiery, Accessories and Clothing

COVID-19 Vaccine: Update by Mendel Singer PhD MPH

February 13, 2021 3 Comments

Mendel Singer Case Western Reserve UniversityIn my last post, my COVID-19 vaccine advice was to chill. Only health care workers and the highest risk group were eligible to be vaccinated and for them the choice was easy. Others had the luxury of [Read more…]

Filed Under: COVID19

University Heights Planning Commission Votes 4-1 to Approve Townhouse Development Near Northeast Corner of Cedar/Taylor; Council to Vote Tuesday

February 13, 2021 Leave a Comment

The city’s Planning Commission has approved the site plan for South Taylor Place, a 30-townhome development planned for the Cedar-Taylor district.

City Council will vote Tuesday (Feb. 16) on approval of the plan, which would result in the construction of luxury townhomes expected to sell in the $350,000 to $400,000 range.

Full article at Cleveland.com

Filed Under: News

Ohio Lifts Curfew

February 11, 2021 Leave a Comment

Thanks to a sustained decrease in #COVID19 hospitalizations, Ohio’s curfew has been lifted. If hospitalizations begin rising again, @OhioDeptofHealth may reinstate it. It’s crucial that we all continue safety protocols to #SlowTheSpread and prevent hospitalizations from going up.

From twitter.com/GovMikeDeWine

Filed Under: COVID19

Phase 1B of Ohio’s Vaccination Program Begins Next Week

February 11, 2021 Leave a Comment

Next week, Ohioans with certain conditions they were born with or those who were diagnosed in childhood and carried into adulthood will be able to begin receiving #COVID19 vaccines. Individuals with these conditions face a significantly higher risk for adverse COVID-19 outcomes.

Visit coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination-program for more information on the vaccine rollout.

Filed Under: COVID19

Josh Mandel to Run Again for US Senate

February 10, 2021 Leave a Comment

Former Ohio state Treasurer Josh Mandel on Wednesday became the first Republican to jump into the state’s open Senate race to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman.

Mandel, a 43-year-old Marine veteran, is making his third run for Senate after losing the 2012 race to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and a 2018 campaign that he cut short because of family health concerns. He enters the race with statewide experience and more than $4 million left over in his federal campaign account.

Excerpt from Politico.com

Filed Under: News

Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation’s Shalom Challenge

February 10, 2021 Leave a Comment

Join the global initiative to bring unity to Klal Yisroel! Visit cchfshalom.org/cleveland to register or to create a team.

What do I get when I join? A 4-week journey to Shalom— in all your relationships. Every morning, you’ll get an email or whatsapp with a 2 minute video or thought & a quick action step you can take to better relationships.

You’ll learn things like:

  • How to appreciate someone else’s opinion even when they are wrong
  • 4 mindset changes that will help you stay strong and move on … even when somebody really hurts you
  • What is a Shalom Account and how you can use it to bounce out of conflict
  • The most powerful piece everybody misses when they apologize
  • And much, much more…

New Benny Friedman and Joey Newcomb video promoting the Challenge.

Filed Under: News

Vaccines This Friday For 75 Years Old and Older

February 8, 2021 Leave a Comment

If you are 75 years or older AND have received some sort of care from MetroHealth in the past 2 years,

please call for an appointment at 216-778-6100 or schedule on MyChart at https://mychart.metrohealth.org/MyChart/Authentication/Login.

You must have an appointment to receive the vaccination. The vaccines will be given at MetroHealth in Severance Circle, Cleveland Heights.

Filed Under: COVID19

Governor DeWine to Seek Stricter Laws Against Phone Use While Driving

February 8, 2021 Leave a Comment

DeWine announced Monday that his state budget plan will include his “Hands-Free Ohio” plan, which would allow law enforcement to pull over motorists solely for handling a cell phone or other handheld device.

From Cleveland.com

Filed Under: News

Berkowitz Kumin to Expand and Renovate, Add Mikva

February 3, 2021 Leave a Comment

From Cleveland Jewish News

The expansion and renovation will touch nearly every facet of the building, Bookatz said, from the foyer to the morgue, with several amenities added, most notably a mikvah, or ritual bath, that will be used solely for the performance of taharah, the ritual bathing of the deceased. A mechanical lift will be installed to allow for transfer. Typically, that function is handled through the use of buckets of water.

Filed Under: News

AMIT Children Annual Campaign Huge Success!

February 2, 2021 Leave a Comment

AMIT Children concluded the calendar year in record fashion – raising almost thirteen million dollars to help educate AMIT’s 41,000 children in 104 schools across Israel.

“This year presented unique challenges on every level and I am so very proud of what
AMIT collectively was able to accomplish,’ said Audrey Axelrod Trachtman, AMIT’s president, “We exceeded our pre-COVID annual campaign goal because our partners around the world are so committed to our students who they view as their own children.”

When COVID hit Israel’s schools last March AMIT staff nimbly shifted to remote learning while ensuring that every child had what they needed to continue their education as
effectively as possible. In many cases, that meant providing a computer, internet access and, for the most at-risk, a range of vital support services including counseling. “COVID presented many challenges to our students but we found that our principals, teachers and students worked together as a team to meet obstacles head on and found creative ways to overcome them,” said Joyce Straus, AMIT’s Board of Directors co-chair, “In some cases it even meant providing nutritional support to those feeling the impact of the COVID induced economic crisis.”

AMIT charted out a plan for every student in the network individualized to meet their
needs. “1:1 attention is one of the great strengths of our network,” said Sharon Merkin board co-Chair. “Every child has an individualized plan to help see them through this crisis. That culture, along with AMIT’s revolutionary Gogya teaching methodology, enabled us to hold our students close virtually throughout the pandemic.”

Broad donor support helped AMIT to send an extra million dollars to help cover COVID
induced expenses. “When the crisis hit, we knew we needed to respond immediately. I’m thrilled that our supporters on every level were so responsive even when facing challenges here,” said vice-president Shari Safra, “They gave our staff in Israel the ability to respond immediately and put our students’ needs first.”

Helping meet a national challenge is nothing new to AMIT – in its 96-year history AMIT
has evolved to become an integral part of the fabric of Israeli society with over 320,000 alumni across the Jewish state. AMIT enables Israel’s youth to realize their potential and strengthens Israeli society by educating and nurturing children from diverse backgrounds within a framework of academic excellence, Jewish values and Zionist ideals.

Filed Under: News

Transition to Mayor – So Much to Learn. Your Participation is Encouraged – by Susan Efroymson

January 18, 2021 2 Comments

Last November Cleveland Heights voted to change its form of government to elect its own Mayor and next November it will. Isn’t that easy? With me so far? Any questions? What if I told you that beginning January 1, Mayor Jason Stein of Cleveland Heights will no longer be Mayor? Let me guess. Now you are full of questions. Let me start over.

Currently, Cleveland Heights has what is known as a Council-Manager form of government. That means that the people elect a council that hires a manager to run all the departments from Police to Refuse Collection and Recreation. It also means that the City Manager answers to Council and not the people. There are some advantages to this form of government, but it’s most successful in younger cities where infrastructure is newer and less problematic. The older and bigger the city, the less it works as well. This is because the Manager has to report to a majority of the council. No one person, then is really in charge and without consensus, nothing can move forward.

Also, since the Manager’s job is tied to the pleasure of Council, when something needs to be done, if the Council has no appetite, job security encourages the manager to hide unpleasantries until they grow too big. An example you might recall was the big jump in the Cleveland Heights water bill. It had been leaking for a long time, but the leaks grew too big to repair easily over time as they went ignored while the City Manager ignored it, failing to bring it to Council’s attention. By the time Council became aware of it, the only remaining options were bad, worse and even worse than that. It was a system failure as well as a personal one. That City Manager was there a full 25 years before Council ended his term. Only a quorum of Council can fire a City Manager. He was never answerable to the people.

In November of 2019, we voted to change to a form of government that effectively has two branches instead of the one. That change will be effective when Cleveland Heights swears in its first Mayor in January of 2022 following his or her election in November of this year. Following the amendment, Council retains the legislative and budgetary powers, but the Mayor will be the Chief Executive. This form of government is commonly called the Strong Mayor form.

Not wanting to give up the idea of having a professional run the departments, the new amendment calls for the Mayor to appoint a City Administrator who will answer to him while maintaining the professional standards that a City Manager would have brought. In cities like Shaker Heights, the City Administrator will remain in that position, assuming he’s good, through many mayoral administrations, but since he will serve at the pleasure of the mayor, a new mayor could certainly make a change any time.

Called the best of both worlds, Cleveland Heights voted for the leadership a Mayor can bring to problem solving and development while maintaining professional standards at the highest level of management. Further, this mayor is directly elected by the people and so the executive function of the city now answers directly to the people. Therefore, it would be more accurately called a Hybrid Strong Mayor.

So is Jason Stein Mayor now or isn’t he? Well that’s a sleight of tongue. In a Council Manager form of government, the council of seven would elevate one member to be their chosen leader, technically Council President. Since the 1980s and in response to the fact that all our neighbors had mayors, it was decided to also use the title Mayor to refer to the council president even though under the City Charter, he lacked the powers that most mayors have as those belonged solely to the City Manager. This Council President/Mayor ran the meetings. The City Manager ran the city and its departments. So when Jason Stein was sworn in as Mayor in January of 2020, he was really President of Council and allowed, under the newly passed amendment, to use the title of Mayor only until January of 2021 when that title is stripped from the city altogether for the year. Stein will remain Council President until the end of the term in January 2022. The only change until then is the loss of the title of Mayor.

There were two reasons the crafters of the amendment (Issue 26) made that in name-only change. One was to prevent anyone from being able to run for the first mayor of Cleveland Heights by “seeking re-election”. No one is an incumbent to the newly created position of Mayor, and the goal was to keep the playing field level so no individual could claim that leg up. The second goes to answer the question “Is it just that easy?” By removing the mirage of power implied by the title of Mayor from someone who didn’t have it anyway, council will be forced to begin thinking of themselves in their new role and in regard to the new relationship they will have with the city functioning. It’s the first step in the transition to this new form of government, but there’s more to be done.

Citizens for an Elected Mayor didn’t scurry away after the 2019 victory. They formed a Transition Subcommittee to assist the city in working to see that transition happen as smoothly as possible. They provided council with suggestions of a timetable for when setting the salary for Mayor should occur to give those considering a run time to prepare; which they did. In addition, there are many laws on the books at the statutory level that refer to governmental proceedings under the old form. They will need to be updated to apply to the new form. This is a process that will take time and has already begun. Additionally, the Transition Subcommittee suggested a “guide book” that is currently being drafted including time tables, costs, who answers to whom in each department; a veritable “How the City Runs” to give to the Mayor-Elect. It was also suggested that our city would benefit from learning from other cities of similar size that have made the transition. What went right? What can we do better? What glitches to expect and plan for. Further, there is the education piece. That goes both ways. The citizens need to know what to expect in a Mayor and the Mayoral candidates need to know what the citizens expect and are looking for.

To that end, CEM, and a team that included Councilwoman Melody Hart and some individuals also active with Future Heights held an online forum with mayors from South Euclid, University Heights and Warrensville Heights to talk about their experiences, what works and what doesn’t, and their relationship to their Councils as well as reflections on their first day in office. It’s an excellent lesson in government from lively and informative speakers. Viewing it would make a great extra credit project for any civics class. It can be viewed at citizensforanelectedmayor.com.

Councilwoman Hart is also planning another online forum on Wednesday, January 20th, at 7:00pm to deal with transitional issues as experienced by East Providence, a city of similar size that has recently made the same transition. While open to the public, its target audience is City Council, prospective candidates and those active in city politics. Anyone interested in governmental processes will find it an informative presentation that will include upcoming glitches that the city can prepare for and those cultural adjustments we can count on. East Providence Mayor Dasliva and Dylan Conley, Esq., who walked them through their transition, will both be on the panel.

Future Heights and CEM will be co-sponsoring a final event intended to inform candidates about issues important to the citizens. “Electing Our First Mayor: Moving Cleveland Heights Forward” will take place via Zoom, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 3. Visit https://conta.cc/2LSDmv3 to participate in an online survey open to all in Cleveland Heights to target which issues have the most interest.

As reported in Heights Observer, “Community input is an essential part of shaping what our first elected mayor’s priorities should be,” said Tony Cuda, Campaign Manager of CEM. “We believe this will not only help candidates create their platforms, it will help citizens evaluate candidates and identify the qualities, experiences, and qualifications that a mayor would need to address the issues.”

More from the Heights Observer:

In addition, the groups are asking members of the public to play an active role in the event by submitting a 15- to 30-second video clip expressing an important challenge for Cleveland Heights’ first elected mayor (see instructions below). Videos should be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

For more information and to RSVP for the forum, visit https://tinyurl.com/y76adqn3.

Here are a few details and requests for your video:

  • Record your video by holding your phone horizontally (landscape orientation).
  • Make sure that your room is well lit with ample light in front of you, and try to eliminate all background noise.
  • Can’t decide what to wear? Solids always work best on camera.
  • Be brief; a maximum of 30 seconds is ideal.
  • Once recorded, upload your video by going to www.wetransfer.com. Drag the video file into the website window, enter your e-mail address, and enter digizoommedia@gmail.com for the recipient e-mail address. If you prefer, you may use Dropbox or Google Drive, also using digizoommedia@gmail.com as the recipient address; and
  • Submit your video by Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 9 p.m.

Questions? Contact us at info@futureheights.org or 216-320-1423.

The first forum received high ratings. Reviewing it and participating in the upcoming ones is highly recommended.

Filed Under: News

Let’s Talk Trash by Susan Efroymson

January 7, 2021 3 Comments

Trash talking is not usually the fare of respectable religious types, but in this case, Cleveland Heights City Council has just approved a resolution to change the Refuse and Recycling system in the city and has increased the billing to reflect  the 2020 costs, so just this once, let’s talk trash.

Quick History Lesson

The discussion began in January of 2018 when China, who previously was the biggest importer of trash, abruptly stopped taking the world’s recyclables. The US market has been slow to create its own infrastructure leaving sorting centers officially called Materials Recovery Facilities or more commonly, MRFs, with recyclables they could no longer sell. What was once a profitable market, has now become an expense. Cities were paid for their recyclables and contracts were not up yet. Cuyahoga County has a consortium on recycling and the MRFs appealed the contracts which stipulated that the cities must be paid a minimum for their goods, even as they incurred costs for the same loads. The reply, to paraphrase, “This is what a contract’s for”  Sorry, no relief. But the MRFs were bleeding and the contract was set to expire in September of 2020. As expected, renewal contracts folded in their losses in much higher costs.

So in 2018 Cleveland Heights commissioned a Refuse and Recycling Task Force (RRTF – full disclosure I was on it) to deal with the two issues that would hit when the contract ended: Rising costs and the end of the Blue Plastic Recycling Bags.

The bags created a political conundrum: If we are trying to be environmentally friendly, why are we using plastic in the first place. Second, the MRF centers are large conveyor belts with a combination of machine and hand sorting going on. Whenever the plastic gets caught in the gears, the entire facility shuts down, all the employees unproductively wait, and the repair crews untangle the mess and fix the damage. That costs. So one step the MRFs promised was the end of taking plastic bags at the end of those contracts.

Another cost is contaminated recycling. Wish-cycling is the term for people throwing in items that cannot be recycled or throwing in dirty or wet items  Items for recycling need to be clean and dry. Cleveland Heights’ high contamination rate means that those items sent to the MRF that are unusable then have to be sent to the landfill anyway. This too, raises costs which are then folded into the future recycling contracts.

For most cities already outsourcing to Kimble, Rumpke, and Waste Management, the local haulers who all use containers, little adjustment would be needed. Not so Cleveland Heights. Cleveland Heights boasts its own Transfer Station and takes care of Refuse and Recycling as part of its Public Works Department. Garbage is taken there first, before being sent to either Landfill or the MRF. This asset needs repair and upkeep but affords the city the ability to customize services in ways outsourcing would charge extra for if they did it at all. What was clear was that the city’s trucks were old, many needing replacing, and should the city want to continue to provide services, it would have to address these issues for which it was not budgeted.

The task force was charged with looking at the three options: Continue using bags for garbage which doesn’t address the recycling concerns; Move to containers for both garbage and recycling but outsource the pick up and processing service.  Or move to containers for both and have our department enter the 21st century with the appropriate equipment. The task force painstakingly looked at the pros and cons or each of these, their costs and their effects on the homeowner with special consideration for bulk pickups, holiday pickups (Yom Tov as well as December’s fir trees), lawn and leaf refuse and rental property move outs as well as other public locations. After eliminating the first option as undesirable and impractical and after extrapolating from the new contracts offered to other cities and using our residential numbers, it found that the costs of outsourcing would end up being similar enough to keeping it in-house.  The benefits of pride in doing it ourselves would be preserved. If we take care of our own, and  we will do a better job and be able to provide  the extra touches we are accustomed to. Outsourcing means impersonal service, and any requests for accommodation of the sort the city now gets, would be a separate charge or unavailable altogether. Other advantages to doing it inhouse included not having to lfire any employees. Going automated would cut down the number of employees needed with the greater efficiency the new technology would provide, but that  would happen through regular attrition instead of  firing, upcoming retirements and moving resources within the department. Additionally, automation provides greater safety to our employees which is just responsible management. It also lowers liability and mandatory  Bureau of Workers Compensation costs for the city.

The task force did not look at Enterprise pricing versus our current system and therefore had a lower number in mind for any increases to fees. Enterprise pricing implies that homeowners are billed for the entire cost running the department.  Currently, some of the costs are born by the general funds, and therefore the entire cost has never been included in the landfill bill. Put another way, each homeowner pays a fee for part, but income taxes subsidized the rest.  An outside firm later introduced the city to the concept of making the fees actually reflect and cover the entire cost of the refuse and recycling enterprise. They also ratified the belief that costs would have been similar no matter the option chosen.

The city could lower costs by suspending recycling temporarily until market value makes it more affordable such as the city of Cleveland and Richmond Heights have done, but in Cleveland Heights, that remains an unpopular solution. As Sandy Moran, a citizen who watched the task force meetings commented, “We may as well remove the tree from our (city’s) logo,  if we do that.”

The first steps were taken earlier this month as the measure passed City Council. Cleveland.com reports that homeowners’ monthly sanitation fees will be increasing from the current $11.50, to $16.17 in the first year, up $4.67. It will be followed the next year, by an increase to $16.48 per month, and $16.83 in year three, with similar annual increases, finally reaching $19.32 per month in year ten. These costs remain $2 lower than the original propositions.

The approximately 900 residents using the homestead exemption program, would see their bills rise from $3, currently to $7.67 in 2021 and in ten years, $10.82, just over half of the regular costs.

One reason for the higher numbers is that prior to this, Council had not budgeted the cost of replacing the vehicles into the annual forecast. Cleveland Heights will be applying for a loan to finance the new equipment. The fees are set with the knowledge that considering the daily beating garbage trucks take, there is a new need for trucks every ten years. This rise in cost will reflect both the current loan and the realization that ten years will pass in ten years and the city will need to be ready to purchase new equipment as well as the contract realities in the new recycling economy.  The cost of garbage collection has simply increased and the fees reflect the new reality moving the city closer to the enterprise formula.

The rise in costs has been long in coming. These fees reflect the correction in cost for recycling, the upgrades to the transfer station and purchase of new and upgrades to the fleet of vehicles as well as new carts for every household. It is not recommended that there be separate costs based on quantity of use, so large families can breathe easily there. A homeowner needing more than the single garbage bin provided by the city, one for garbage, one for recycling, will need to purchase any additional containers, and purchasing them at bulk pricing through the city will keep that cost for homeowners down, but they will be a onetime cost not incur additional monthly fees. The new system is expected to be in place by the end of 2021.

Filed Under: News

COVID-19 Vaccination Advice: Chill! By Mendel Singer, PhD MPH

December 23, 2020 16 Comments

If you’d like your writing to be published in Local Jewish News, please email info@localjewishnews.com.

The COVID-19 vaccine is on a lot of people’s minds. With the aid of new technology, an entire world at work with resources on a scale almost inconceivable (including $10B from the US Government), with the world’s greatest minds working on it day and night and lots of cutting of bureaucratic red tape, the first two vaccines are in use in record time.

Many are unsure what they should do – vaccinate or not? I have a simple answer for most of you. Chill. Seriously, there’s no need for most people to make this decision now because so few of you can get it now. For our health care workers and nursing home residents who can get the vaccine now (or very soon) the answer is simple due to their very high risk. The two very similar vaccines have been given in two doses to about 35,000 people in trials. Another 35,000 received placebo (saltwater). Vaccination reduces cases of symptomatic COVID-19 by an amazing 95%. Side-effects were minimal. Nobody died from the vaccine. There were a small number of allergic reactions, as is normal with vaccines. However, it seems to be less frequent with [Read more…]

Filed Under: COVID19

This Year’s Light After Dark Menorah Parade Is Coming Past Your House!

December 12, 2020 Leave a Comment

Click the post title to view more maps of the entire route. Please note that this year, there will be a live parade tracker! Also, we will be giving away Chanukah goodies to kids masked not gathering. Check out www.clemenorahparade.com for more information.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: News

Response to mRNA Concerns by Dr. Michael M. Lederman

December 9, 2020 44 Comments

A group of local physicians was very concerned by the post concerning the COVID-19 vaccine that was published in the Local Jewish News Tuesday morning. We approached Dr. Michael Lederman, who has spent his entire career in the study of virology and immunology and is one of the foremost experts in this area, for his thoughts. They appear, unedited, below. He is Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals/Case Medical Center where he is also Professor of Biomedical Ethics, Pathology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology. He is a member of the Association of American Physicians, the American Association of Immunologists, the Infectious Diseases Society of America and is a Fellow of the American Association of Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is editor in chief of the scientific journal Pathogens and Immunity.

A number of local physicians have approached me and asked me what I thought of Dr. Eli Fink’s piece on COVID-19 vaccines in the December 7 Local Jewish News. I took a look at it and sadly, it is loaded with misinformation reflective of a poor understanding of immunity and cell biology. Here’s the scoop: While Dr. Fink is correct that the messenger RNA platform is new for vaccines, messenger RNA doesn’t do anything that he says it does. It doesn’t last long in cells as all messenger RNAs are designed to degrade. It is completely incapable of inserting itself into our own DNA as our cells don’t have the enzymes that are needed to make this happen. Dr. Fink goes on to tell us that viral infections trigger autoimmunity by getting their genes translated into our cells’ DNA. Utter nonsense! Messenger RNAs are not translated into DNA, they are translated into proteins – that’s how these vaccines work!

COVID-19 has killed nearly 300,000 Americans to date and will kill plenty more before this is all over. It’s true that most deaths are among the elderly but even infants have died of COVID-19. These RNA vaccines work, cutting down infection risk and serious disease by 90% or more. Dr Fink says we don’t know yet that these vaccines decrease transmission of the virus. Well maybe he doesn’t know it for sure but based on how these vaccines work, I would wager his life that immunization decreases transmission of the virus. If you choose to believe Dr. Fink’s nonsense, you’ll be wagering your life too!

Michael M. Lederman MD
Professor of Medicine
Professor of Microbiology/Molecular Biology, Pathology and Biomedical Ethics
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Filed Under: COVID19

This Year’s Light After Dark Menorah Parade Is Coming Past Your House!

December 8, 2020 Leave a Comment

Click the post title to view more maps of the entire route. Please note that this year, there will be a live parade tracker! Also, we will be giving away Chanukah goodies to kids masked not gathering. Check out www.clemenorahparade.com for more information.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: News

COVID-19 Informed Consent by Eli Fink, MD

December 7, 2020 55 Comments

For a response to this article, please view “Response to mRNA Concerns“.

Any medical procedure that involves risk is preceded by informed consent. This is where you are given a list of what could go wrong, along with the chances that you will be helped if things go as planned. You then accept the risk and go ahead, or you re-think your decision.

The two current vaccine candidates set to be distributed are mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. These work by injecting mRNA coding for parts of the virus. The mRNA is taken up by your body’s cells, and is incorporated into the cells’ protein-making machinery, which then starts producing, essentially, pieces of the enemy. The immune system then recognizes these foreign viral proteins and produces antibodies against them. Later, if the person becomes infected with the real virus, it is pre-armed with antibodies ready to go, and the person doesn’t get as sick. A brilliant idea, really. Until now, vaccines worked by either injecting weakened strains of virus, or killed or partial viruses along with adjuvants (code for toxins) to better stimulate an immune response.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: COVID19, Op/Ed

Thank You from the Vaad HaRabbonim

November 29, 2020 Leave a Comment

Filed Under: News

Hebrew Academy Oakwood Campus Virtual Tour

November 24, 2020 Leave a Comment

https://www.localjewishnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/HAC-Oakwood-Virtual-Tour.mp4

Filed Under: News

Statewide 10pm Curfew Begins Tonight

November 19, 2020 Leave a Comment

State curfew begins tonight at 10 p.m. The state curfew will be from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily for the next 21 days.

The curfew will not apply to those going to or from work, those who have an emergency, or those who need medical care. The curfew is not intended to stop anyone from getting groceries or going to a pharmacy. Picking up carry-out or a drive-thru meal and ordering for delivery will be permitted, but serving food and drink in person must cease at 10 p.m.

Filed Under: COVID19

Letter From the Vaad HaRabbonim, 11/19/20

November 19, 2020 Leave a Comment

Filed Under: COVID19

New CARES Act Relief Dollars!

November 18, 2020 Leave a Comment

Cuyahoga County announced a new program on Wednesday. The new program run by CHN Housing Partners will be giving out $2 million dollars in utility assistance. This is in addition to the rent relief and utility assistance programs previously announced late last month. Here is what you need to know:

Covid-19 Rental Assistance:

CHN Housing Partners is the entry point for rental assistance, you can apply online, or you can call them at 833-377- RENT (7368).

Some details from the CHN website:

How does it work?

  • CHN is the entry point to access rental assistance. Depending on the nature of your financial hardship, you may be referred to CEOGC or EDEN for longer term assistance, at which point you may be asked for additional information and documentation.
  • If you qualify, your landlord may receive up to three months back rent.
  • CHN will screen all applicants for other assistance programs that may help make your electric, gas, and water/sewer bills more affordable.

Who qualifies:

  • Residents of the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County who are having difficulty making rental payments due to the economic impact of the pandemic and who meet income eligibility requirements.
  • If you qualify for rental assistance, you may be required to attend more in-depth counseling provided by CHN, as a condition for payment of the rental assistance.

CHN Rental Assistance Application


Covid-19 Home Relief Grant:

The CEOGC is processing this program.

Some information from the CEOGC website:

Cuyahoga County residents, who are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and have fallen behind on rent or mortgage payments, water bills, sewer payments or have any other immediate needs are encouraged to apply for assistance. Funds are available for a limited time and applicants are encouraged to reach out early.

Tip from Gesher staff & clients: You must make sure to fill out ALL fields correctly in order to submit the application!

Covid-19 Home Relief Grant Application


Covid-19 Utility Assistance:

CHN Housing Partners will be distributing funds for all four utilities, gas, water, electric, and sewer. This program will cover past-due bills beginning from March 1st, 2020.

What you must know: The application for all four utilities is the application marked “Water/Sewer Discounts & Sewer Crisis (Disconnection Notice)” located at the bottom of the page.

Quick facts:

  • Cuyahoga County households below 120% of the Area Median Income level may apply.
  • You will need proof of financial impact by Covid-19 which includes: loss of income, change in child care status (school closures), positive covid-19 test result in the household. (This can be from anytime since March1st.)
  • The online system is quick and easy to use. Document upload information and instructions may be found online chn.itfrontdesk.com.
  • If you need assistance with this application, please call 216-774-2349.

Filed Under: COVID19

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