From Cleveland to Israel: Building Through Community

Two years ago, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland began a partnership with the local St. Clair-Superior neighborhood to share successful community development models through entrepreneurship, demographic growth, youth engagement, and more from Cleveland’s sister city - Beit Shean, Israel and the Valley of Springs, the region surrounding Beit Shean.

Thanks to a grant from the Semi J. & Ruth W. Begun Foundation*, the Federation recently hosted a delegation from Beit Shean/Valley of Springs and St. Clair-Superior to enhance the ways the two cities connect through community development. “I think building these relationships first has really opened up my eyes to different ways to think about community building and community engagement,” said Jamar Doyle, Assistant Director of the St. Clair-Superior Development Corporation. “It’s really going to stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Members of both groups were paired with a cohort from each city who does similar work; they were able to learn the challenges they each face and work together to try and come up with solutions. “I had the opportunity to sit down and talk about ideas of how to engage our community and promote small businesses,” said Efi Mazor, Project Manager in Beit Shean. Being here in Cleveland made me inspired by the projects and inspired by ideas I can implement in my community, but most importantly, I am inspired by the people.”

In January, leaders from Cleveland will travel to Beit Shean and Valley of Springs to continue building these relationships and working together.

For more information on the partnership between Beit Shean and St. Clair-Superior, contact Amy Kaplan at akaplan@jcfcleve.org or 216-593-2832.

*The Semi J. & Ruth W. Begun Foundation is a supporting foundation of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.