In the News

When Jonathon Nisenboum grew up attending the Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School, his identity and connection to the Cleveland Jewish community existed within the walls of a classroom. It wasn’t until the Highland Heights resident became a father to two young children – a four-year-old daughter and almost two-year-old son – that he started to understand the full scope of programming that Jewish Cleveland offered for young families. Once he did, he described it as “incredible.”

Congregation Mishkan Or congregant Steve Miller of Shaker Heights told the Cleveland Jewish News only two words could accurately sum up the June 28 opening concert of the 2026 American Conference of Cantors and Guild of Temple Musicians Convention in Cleveland: “beyond extraordinary.”

On the eve of America’s 250th birthday, “We the people” prepare to flood America’s suburban neighborhoods, from the mountains to the prairies, with firecrackers, star-spangled swimsuits and the smell of a good, old-fashioned American barbeque. A nation’s semiquincentennial anniversary, after all, must not pass by without a fireworks display.

Following the retirement of Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk at Congregation Mishkan Or in Beachwood, Rabbi Joshua Caruso will assume the role of senior rabbi on July 1 – a role that he called the “single greatest honor of my 28-year career.”

By uniting across different faith traditions to oppose hate, intolerance and violence, our local religious communities in the Cleveland-based Interfaith Group Against Hate hope to serve others with a powerful reminder of our shared humanity and collective responsibility to stand against all forms of bigotry.

Recently, I was invited to participate in a facilitated conversation for Jewish professionals who would be teaching about Israel in different contexts. Before the discussion could even begin, the moderator opened by acknowledging that Israel is a “difficult topic.” In order to have a healthy conversation, he explained, we would need to establish ground rules. We were going to have a conversation about the conversation. I stopped him right there.

There are moments when time feels sharply different or chaotic. A role ends or health status changes. A previously assumed future dissolves or disappears. In such “in-between” seasons, an invitation arises to pay close attention.                    

I have the privilege of officiating a wedding. A rabbi orders the sacred rituals and blessings and offers a personal “charge” to the couple on behalf of the community and the Jewish people at-large. What insight can I share?

I open a government form, and the cursor hovers over the title field. A little dropdown menu appears: Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., Reverend, Pastor, Rabbi. I scroll, waiting to see my own title appear. It never does. There is no “Cantor.” No “Hazzan.” It looks like a small omission, but it lands with weight. I exist in the world as clergy, but the world does not always know what to call me.

Northeast Ohioans are mobilizing after a social media post reportedly showed $1,700 worth of books from the Cuyahoga County Public Library Beachwood branch being burned.