Local Jewish News

News, Info & Resources for the Cleveland Orthodox Jewish Community

Faith and Freedom: My Life as a Jewish American Leader, An Evening with Senator Joe Lieberman

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11x17_Poster_TemplateFaith and Freedom: My Life as a Jewish America Leader
An Evening with Senator Joe Lieberman

Partners In Torah of Cleveland
3rd Annual Fundraising Event
Sunday February 12

Dinner with the Senator 6:30 PM
(Mininum $1,800 Sponsorship)
Dessert Reception 7:30 PM

6111 Landerhaven Drive
Tickets Starting At $36

www.TorahCleveland.com • 216-307-PITC
Partners@TorahCleveland.com

Hebrew Storytime at Cuyahoga County Public Library, Beachwood Branch

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Celebrate Hanukkah at Hebrew Storytime, a Hebrew and English story hour, at the Beachwood Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library on Wednesday, December 21, 2016,  at 4:00 pm.  Zehava Galun, an Early Childhood Hebrew specialist, will lead the Hebrew story hour for children ages 2 through 7.  Hebrew Storytime at the library is brought to you by the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Public Library.

David Friedman to be Nominated as United States Ambassador to Israel

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From Hamodia:

The U.S. embassy has for decades been located in Tel Aviv. Trump had pledged during the presidential campaign to move it to Yerushalayim, a move almost certain to provoke objections from Muslims around the world.

Earlier in the article, Friedman is quoted as saying he looks forward to taking up his post in Yerushalayim.

About a month and a half ago, prior to the election, David Friedman and Jason Dov Greenblatt, Co-Chairmen of the Israel Advisory Committee to Donald J. Trump, co-authored a 16-point position statement about Israel and the United States’ relationship to Israel. The statement indicates that Friedman is strongly right-leaning:

  • Israel is the state of the Jewish people, who have lived in that land for 3,500 years.
  • The U.S. should veto any United Nations votes that unfairly single out Israel
  • The U.S. should cut off funds for the UN Human Rights Council
  • A two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians appears impossible as long as the Palestinians are unwilling to renounce violence against Israel or recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.
  • The U.S. should support direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians without preconditions
  • Pressure should not be put on Israel to withdraw to borders that make attacks and conflict more likely

Hebrew Storytime at Cuyahoga County Public Library, Beachwood Branch

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Celebrate Hanukkah at Hebrew Storytime, a Hebrew and English story hour, at the Beachwood Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library on Wednesday, December 21, 2016,  at 4:00 pm.  Zehava Galun, an Early Childhood Hebrew specialist, will lead the Hebrew story hour for children ages 2 through 7.  Hebrew Storytime at the library is brought to you by the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Federation’s Annual Campaign Raises $31,672,731; Jordan Berkowitz Receives Honor

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From the Federation’s Facebook page:

We Did It: $31,672,731 Raised in the 2017 Campaign for Jewish Needs! What an amazing night! Thank you to the 300+ volunteers and donors who joined us at The After Party, Jewish Cleveland’s inspirational Campaign Closing Celebration.Together, over 10,000 community members raised more than $31.6 million to help change and save lives in Cleveland, Israel, and 70 countries around the globe. “Let me say, to each of you, thank you for every dollar you helped raise as volunteers and every dollar you have personally given as donors to support someone else in need,” said General Campaign Chair David F. Adler. What we do today determines our tomorrow. And, much of our tomorrow is in the hands of our Young Leadership Division, our young campaigners. Mazel Tov, Jordan Berkowitz, 2016 recipient of the Amb. Milton A. and Roslyn Z. Wolf Young Campaigner of the Year Award, who said, “Let’s continue working together to make the world better for all of our children.” Thank you to all of our presenters, guests, campaigners, and incredible community members for an inspirational Campaign! On behalf of the people we help and the community we serve, todah. Watch the video highlighting Jordan’s accomplishments now: http://www.jewishcleveland.org/news/blog/31M_raised_in_2017_campaign/

Snowstorm and Freezing Temperatures Wednesday Evening Through Thursday Night

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From the National Weather Service:

… LAKE EFFECT SNOW WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CLEVELAND HAS ISSUED A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WATCH… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. * ACCUMULATIONS… 8 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOW MAINLY EAST SIDE. * TIMING… SNOW SHOWERS WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP LATE WEDNESDAY WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW LIKELY WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE SNOW SHOULD BEGIN TO DIMINISH EARLY FRIDAY. * IMPACTS… LAKE EFFECT SNOW AND SNOW SQUALLS WILL LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW AND VERY POOR VISIBILITIES AT TIMES. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED. * WINDS… WEST 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH. * TEMPERATURES… 4 TO 15 ABOVE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW… OFTEN IN LOCALIZED AREAS. TRAVEL CONDITIONS COULD BE SEVERELY IMPACTED. MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST FOR POSSIBLE LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNINGS. &&

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.THE COLDEST AIR OF THE SEASON WILL SETTLE OVER THE AREA FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WORKWEEK. WESTERLY WINDS ACROSS LAKE ERIE WILL CAUSE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS TO DEVELOP LATE WEDNESDAY AND INTENSIFY WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. IN ADDITION TO LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW… STRONG SURFACE WINDS WILL CAUSE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING ALONG WITH WIND CHILLS BELOW ZERO. SNOWFALL RATES COULD APPROACH 2 INCHES PER HOUR WITH THE HEAVIER BANDS. THE INTERSTATE 90 CORRIDOR EAST OF CLEVELAND WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE SNOW BANDS.

Agudath Israel Unsupportive of Ohio Anti-Abortion Bill on Halachic Grounds

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In a letter to Governor Kasich dated December 13, 2016, Rabbi Yitz Frank explains why Agudath Israel cannot support the anti-abortion bill currently on his desk. (Read Agudath Israel letter to Governor Kasich on anti-abortion bill in PDF format.)

Dear Governor Kasich,

As you consider House Bill 493 and Senate Bill 127, two measures recently passed by the Ohio General Assembly restricting abortion, we are compelled to provide the view of Jewish law on this sensitive issue.

Jewish tradition teaches that a human fetus has status and dignity; and that termination of pregnancy raises profound moral concerns. Agudath Israel of America has accordingly urged the United States Supreme Court to reconsider its holding in Roe v. Wade, and is supportive of legislation that limits abortion on demand. At the same time, in line with its support for religious freedom, Agudath Israel opposes initiatives that would prohibit abortion even in situations where termination of pregnancy is directed by religious law — as it is, for example, for people of the Jewish faith when the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother.

We commend the efforts of the Ohio General Assembly to protect the sanctity of life. However, in the context of the present legislation, there is no exception made for instances when an abortion is directed by the teachings and traditions of the mother’s religion. For practitioners of the Jewish faith, that exception would include where the pregnancy poses a risk to the life of the mother (and perhaps, in certain instances, even when it poses a grave danger to her physical or mental health).

In light of these concerns, we cannot support the present legislation.