30 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG
NOVEMBER 2, 2018
LOCAL
Men’s Night Out focuses on mini-topics ALYSSA SCHMITT | STAFF REPORTER @AlyssaSchmitCJN aschmitt@cjn.org |
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hile women and girls filled Landerhaven’s halls in Mayfield Heights to make challah, a group of men gathered at the Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland in Beachwood as part of the Cleveland Shabbos Project for its first Men’s Night Out Oct. 25. The night was organized by Ari Jaffe, a member of Green Road Synagogue in Beachwood, who felt it was important to have community expressions of education and preparation for Shabbat. Because the challah bake is only open to women, Jaffe said he wanted an event that would appeal to men. He said the night wasn’t designed for boys because beer was being served. About 20 men attended to hear six rabbis who each gave a 10-minute presentation focused on different aspects of Shabbos. Topics ranged from preparing for Shabbat and the essence of Shabbos to examining what is work and the significance behind shalom aleichem. The six rabbis who spoke were Rabbi Binyamin Blau of Green Road Synagogue, Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum of Jewish Learning
Ari Jaffe, a Green Road Synagogue member, speaks at Men’s Night Out.
Connection in University Heights, Rabbi Avery Joel, head of school at Fuchs Mizrachi School in Beachwood, Rabbi Pinchas Landis of Partners in Torah of Cleveland, Rabbi Hal Rudin-Luria of B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike and Rabbi Arieh Friedner of Cleveland NCSY. “There are many different ways in celebrating and recognizing shabbat and each of the rabbis who presented offered a different perspective,” Jaffe said. “I hope it was a quality educational event
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Rabbi Binyamin Blau of Green Road Synagogue in Beachwood speaks about preparing for Shabbat to men who attended the first Cleveland Shabbos Project’s Men’s Night Out event at the Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland in Beachwood. | CJN photos / Alyssa Schmitt
and a good experience and a really nice way on Thursday evening to begin their own preparation for Shabbat.” Brian Fox, whose wife Cheryl is Cleveland Shabbos Project chairperson, came to support the event and wanted to hear the different perspectives the rabbis brought. He said he enjoyed the format of brief 10-minute talks and compared it to a TED talk, which can be brief educational talks published online.
Schwalberg receives Fogel Community Service Award SEAN MCDONNELL
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enorah Park COO Richard Schwalberg was awarded the Jerry Fogel Community Service Award by the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association. Schwalberg accepted the award on behalf of the FBI Cleveland Citizens Academy Alumni Association, of which Schwalberg he is the chairman. The award is given each year to one of 60 chapters that provides their community with the most outstanding community service project of the year. Schwalberg said what he likes about the award is it highlights the city and
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“It’s 10-minute talks, they’re short and to the point,” said Fox, a member of Green Road Synagogue. “I thought they were meaningful and it forces the speaker to really get to the meat of the subject quickly.” While not as many men attended as expected, Jaffe sees a benefit for hosting it and plans to continue the event next year. After the talks concluded, the men could play basketball or volleyball.
makes his chapter an example for others to model. “What I love about it is it shows Cleveland is the best,” Schwalberg said. The community service event the chapter was recognized for was the Light Northern Ohio Blue collaborative project. In mid-May, the chapter along with many other law enforcement organizations, worked to light up places in the city with blue light in support of law enforcement. Schwalberg and the chapter worked with local hardware stores to have them donate blue lights, which they used to light up the George V. Voinovich bridges in Cleveland. They also donated lights for people to use at their homes.
Sean McDonnel is the Violet Spevack Editorial Intern at the Cleveland Jewish News.