Community Articles
Community members get ‘first look’ at Akiva expansion
Posted on 10/17/2025
Members of the community had a “first look” at the Altshuler Akiva Academy, Goldstone-Mirkin Family Middle School at the Suzi Solomon Campus in July.
“For those who joined us in March for the groundbreaking ceremony, you’ll notice just how much progress has been made since that day,” said Michael Barr, Youngstown Area Jewish Federation president-elect ...
Rededication as renewal: A Shared Vision for the Future of Jewish Life in the Valley
By Rabbi Courtney Berman and Jason Bostocky, President of Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom on 10/17/2025
On the weekend of August 22 to 23, 2025, we had the extraordinary honor of rededicating our synagogue at 1119 Elm Street in Youngstown—a sacred space, built in 1914, that has been renewed in body and in spirit. After nearly a year of construction, our community gathered for Shabbat services and celebrations that marked not only the completion of physical renovations, but also a powerful moment of recommitment to the Jewish life we are building together in the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys ...
From Generation to Generation: A Rededication Story from Youngstown, Ohio
By Sarah B. Wilschek Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom Executive Director on 10/17/2025
“Take for Me an offering…from every person whose heart moves them, and let them build Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” —Exodus 25:2 These ancient words served as both anchor and aspiration as our congregation embarked on an ambitious journey: to reimagine and rededicate our synagogue space at 1119 Elm Street in Youngstown, Ohio—not merely as a building, but as a sanctuary of belonging, accessibility, beauty, and continuity ...
Preparation is the Key
By Rabbi Seth Sternstein Temple El Emeth on 10/17/2025
If you want to enjoy a nice vacation away from home, you probably need to make some preparations. There’s choosing the right destination, reserving a good hotel, making certain your airline flights are accurate, ascertaining that basic health care facilities are located nearby, packing a few changes of clothing, and other relevant activities, as well ...
Cantor Mitchell Kowitz to serve as TEE High Holiday Cantor
Posted on 10/17/2025
Cantor Kowitz comes to TEE from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and brings a wealth of cantorial, educational, and musical composition experience. Cantor Kowitz received his bachelor’s in music and composition from the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati ...
Macabi Reflections
Posted on 10/17/2025
A group of seven young people from the greater Youngstown area traveled to Pittsburgh to participate in this year’s Maccabi Games. They competed in basketball, soccer, and swimming. One acted as star reporter, recording the event through photos. Here are reflections on the experience from four participants ...
Federation annual meeting held in August
Posted on 10/17/2025
The annual meeting of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation was held Aug. 20 at the JCC’s Logan Campus. Included was a reception with music by Stellare Strings, a locally based string performance organization whose music at the event featured songs by famous Jewish artists ...
Wagner Receives Esther Marks Volunteer Award
Posted on 10/17/2025
The Esther Marks Memorial Volunteer Service Award is given in memory of Esther Marks to honor her dedication to service, tzedakah, justice, and righteousness, and to encourage others to follow in her example. The 2025 recipient of the Esther Marks Memorial Volunteer Service Award is Dr. Nancy Wagner ...
Harshman Award Highlights Sniderman’s Leadership
Posted on 10/17/2025
Howard Sniderman is this year’s recipient of the Abe Harshman Leadership Award, which is given annually to recognize an individual’s leadership and service to the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation and its agencies ...
Pastor Juan Rivera recognized as Ally of the Year
Posted on 10/17/2025
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is pleased to announce that our good friend, Pastor Juan Rivera, lead Pastor of Victory Church in Lowellville, will be the initial recipient of the newly-established JCRC Ally of the Year award. The Ally of the Year will be an annual recognition that honors an individual or organization outside the Jewish community for their dedication to combating antisemitism and/or anti-Israel sentiment ...
Glucks Honored with Itts Award
Posted on 10/17/2025
On the lower level of the JCC is the Paul and Yetta Gluck School of Visual Arts. SoVA, which provides a space for classes for all ages that foster creativity, personal growth, and community through hands-on learning, was made possible through the generosity of the Glucks. And for that reason, they are this year’s recipients of the Marvin and Sara Itts Award ...
Israel opens new embassy in Zambia, once home to a historic Jewish community
By Grace Gilson on 10/17/2025
(JTA) — Israel has opened an embassy in Zambia, more than half a century after it was shuttered following the Yom Kippur war and as the African nation's Jewish population has dwindled to near zero. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Zambian Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe opened the embassy together in August ...
Jewish baseball fans made an exhaustive list of players–but missed Monte Pfeiffer
By Scott Barancik on 10/17/2025
(JTA) — For the first time in decades, a long forgotten major league baseball player has been posthumously identified as Jewish. Monte Pfeiffer, who played a single game for the Philadelphia Athletics some 112 years ago, had vanished into baseball obscurity — until a sharp-eyed Yankees fan uncovered a surprising truth written in Hebrew ...
