Compiled by Becky Raspe
Passover
Passover begins this year on April 15 at sundown. Celebrate the Jewish holiday signifying the exodus of Israelites from Egyptian slavery by hosting a seder with your family or friends. Check the Cleveland Jewish News’ coverage at cjn.org for more up to date information and event coverage of the holiday. cjn.org
Yom Hashoah
Beginning the evening of April 27 through the evening of April 28, Jews around the world will commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day. Otherwise known as Yom Hashoah, the holiday is observed in memory of the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, as well as in recognition of those who survived the horrors. The Jewish Federation of Cleveland will hold its dual in-person and virtual commemoration on April 27 at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple in Beachwood with Kol Israel Foundation, featuring Manli Ho, daughter of a Chinese diplomat, Feng-Shan Ho, who issued visas to thousands of Jews who escaped to Shanghai during the Holocaust. Masks are required for all in-person attendees. jewishcleveland.org
2022 Charles R. See Annual Forum
The City Club of Cleveland will host its Charles R. See Annual Forum on Reentry from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 29. It features Susan Burton, who will discuss the loss of her 5-year-old son, the addiction she struggled with following his death, and the decades-long journey of incarceration and recidivism as a result. After six stints in prison and finding sobriety, she founded her own nonprofit, A New Way of Life, which aims to help other women break the cycle of incarceration. cityclub.org
‘An Evening with Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody’
The Cleveland Jewish News will present “An Evening with Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody” at 7 p.m. May 1 at the Maltz Performing Arts Center in Cleveland. The discussion with Patinkin and Grody, who are married, will be moderated by Kevin S. Adelstein, publisher and CEO of the CJN and Jstyle, and president of the Cleveland Jewish Publication Company. It will be followed by an audience Q&A. The evening will also include the option for participants to tune in virtually. cjn.org/patinkin
Menorah Park Foundation Home Run
On May 1, join runners, walkers and joggers dedicated to supporting the Menorah Park Foundation at its eighth annual Home Run run/walk starting at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike. Held virtually the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this in-person event will benefit residents of Menorah Park. The Cleveland Jewish News is a sponsor of the walk/run. menorahpark.org
Yom Hazikaron
Remember those who lost their lives defending Israel on Israel’s Memorial Day, or Yom Hazikaron, the evening of May 3 with a moving ceremony presented by the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. The solemn holiday is also held in recognition of victims of war and terrorism. It ends at sundown May 4 and leads into Yom Ha’atzmaut, or Israel’s Independence Day. jewishcleveland.org
Yom Ha’atzmaut
Join the Jewish Federation of Cleveland as it celebrates Israel’s 74th Independence Day, or Yom Ha’atzmaut, on May 5 with a family-friendly festival in the parking lot of the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood. jewishcleveland.org
Park Synagogue University Day
Park Synagogue’s 29th annual University Day, featuring a range of lectures and workshops presented by national and local experts, will take place from 9 a.m. to noon May 11 on Zoom. For more information about the learning-centric event, contact Ellen Petler at 216-371-2244, ext. 122 or epetler@parksyn.org. Prepaid registration is required. The event is open to all ages. parksynagogue.org
Marc Maron comedy tour
Comedian Marc Maron, known for his comedy specials “More Later” (2015), “Thinky Pain” (2013), “Marc Maron: Too Real” (2017) and “End Times Fun” (2020), will bring his “This May Be The Last Time” tour to Cleveland’s Mimi Ohio Theatre at 7 p.m. May 13. Maron also starred in the Netflix series “Glow” and has hosted his hit podcast, “WTF with Marc Maron” since 2009. playhousesquare.org
Park Synagogue Mitzvah Day
Park Synagogue will hold its annual Mitzvah Day from 9 a.m. to noon May 22 at Park Synagogue East in Pepper Pike. A day of community service and reaching out to those in need within the community, there will be projects for all ages to get involved. parksynagogue.org
Mandel JCC’s ‘An Evening Celebrating Michael’
The Mandel Jewish Community Center will celebrate CEO Michael Hyman’s retirement after 18 years with the JCC with an event May 22 at Landerhaven in Mayfield Heights. Hyman plans to retire on June 30. The event will feature entertainment by Lenny Dave, a nationally recognized comedy historian. For more information, contact Traci E. Felder at tfelder@mandeljcc.org or 216-831-0700, ext. 1496. mandeljcc.org
Dafna Kaffeman’s ‘If You Thirst For A Homeland’ exhibit
Flame-worked glass by Israel-born artist Dafna Kaffeman will be on display starting May 22 at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Roe Green Gallery in Beachwood. An open house and artist talk will be held at 1 p.m. May 22, featuring Kaffeman and co-curators Carolyn Swan Needell and Trudy Wiesenberger. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with the Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection and the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Va. jewishcleveland.org
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum luncheon
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum will hold its annual luncheon May 19 at Landerhaven in Mayfield Heights. Attendees will hear from David Frey, professor of history and founding director of the Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, in conversation with museum director Sara J. Bloomfield, a former Shaker Heights resident. The pair will discuss Ritchie Boys, a special World War II U.S. Military intelligence unit. ushmm.org
FIDF Guys Night Out
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces will hold its Guys Night Out event from 6 to 10 p.m. June 2 at Landerhaven in Mayfield Heights. The event aims to raise money for the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, and includes a liquor bar, a kosher strolling dinner, raffle drawings and casino games. For more information, contact Lane Schlessel at lane.schlessel@fidf.org. fidf.org
Shavuot
Starting the evening of June 4, Jews will observe Shavuot, celebrating the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, as well as the spring harvest. You and your loved ones can honor the holiday with a simple gesture of adding fresh cut flowers to your kitchen table, giving a subtle nod to the spring season. Or, take a hike and enjoy one of Cleveland’s many Metroparks trails. clevelandmetroparks.com
Art in the Village festival
The 31st annual Art in the Village with Craft Marketplace festival will be presented by Howard Alan Events from June 4-5 at Legacy Village in Lyndhurst. With no cost to attend, visitors will have access to over 100 artists and crafters. artfestival.com
‘My Fair Lady’ at Playhouse Square
As part of the KeyBank Broadway Series, “My Fair Lady” will be performed from June 7-26 at the KeyBank State Theatre in downtown Cleveland. The show, which centers on the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and the linguistics professor determined to fashion her into a proper lady, features classic songs like “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain” and “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly.” playhousesquare.org
Cleveland Juneteenth ‘Freedom Fest’
MetroHealth will hold its second annual Cleveland Juneteenth Freedom Fest from noon to 10 p.m. June 18 on Mall C in downtown Cleveland. Produced in partnership with Karamu House, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, Ingenuity Cleveland and Tri-C Jazz Fest, the free, family-friendly event will celebrate and commemorate the end of slavery on June 19, 1865, and focus on the history of Black arts and culture in Cleveland. Festivities will include a performance by Karamu House and a soon-to-be announced headliner. juneteenthcle.com
Publisher’s note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, events are subject to change or require specified health and safety protocols. Visit their corresponding websites for updated information regarding visitation prior to attending.