Cleveland Schmooze

This week, we are talking to Darby Steiger, Director of Qualitative Research and Survey Design at SSRS. Darby tells us about her Jewish upbringing, how she landed in Cleveland and how it's become increasingly difficult to get people to participate in surveys. We recorded this conversation with Darby Steiger at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike.

This week, we are talking to B'nai Jeshurun Congregation's newest rabbis, who also happen to be married. Rabbi Joshua Jacobs and Rabbi Alex Rosenbaum tell us the story of how they met, their paths to becoming rabbis and how they both landed in Cleveland. We recorded this conversation with Rabbi Jacobs and Rabbi Rosenbaum at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike.

This week, we are talking to Dr. Bob Katz, who worked for over half-a-century as an ear, nose and throat doctor. He spoke to us about the history of the Cleveland medical community, as well as his own medical journey.  We recorded this conversation with Dr. Bob Katz at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike.  

This week, we are talking to Daniel Horowitz, a genealogy expert at My Heritage.  He lives in Israel but was recently in town as a speaker for the Jewish Genealogy Society of Cleveland's 40th anniversary kick-off event.  We recorded this conversation with Daniel Horowitz at the Orange Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. We'll also be taking our summer break. See you in the fall!

This week, we are talking to Jill Zimon, the executive director of the Ohio Debate Commission. Jill tells us about her Jewish upbringing and her decades of work in public service. We recorded this conversation with Jill Zimon at B'nai Jeshurun Congregation.

This week, we are talking to Lauren Freiman about her Jewish upbringing and how she landed in Cleveland.  Lauren also shares her life as a writer, parent, and volunteer at B’nai Jeshurun congregation and Mandel JDS.  We recorded this conversation with Lauren Freiman at the Beachwood Library. 

This week, we are talking to Nina and Larry Rosner about their Jewish upbringings and how they both arrived in Cleveland. Nina talks about her evolving relationship to her Jewish faith, and Larry tells us about his parents, who were Holocaust survivors, and his experience serving in the Israeli army. We recorded this conversation with the Rosners at B'nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike.

This week, we are talking to Dr. Laura Shefner and her husband, Max Warren, about their Jewish upbringings and their careers. Laura is a pediatrician at MetroHealth, and Max is a Software Developer. We also asked them what it was like getting married and having their first child in the middle of a pandemic. We recorded this conversation with Laura and Max at their home in Shaker Heights.

This week we are talking to Dr. Rebekah Dorman, the president of B'nai Jeshurun Congregation, and Director of the Cuyahoga County Office of Early Childhood as well as Invest in Children. We talked to Rebekah about her path to becoming a more observant Jew, as well her working helping young families in the community. We recorded this conversation with Rebekah Dorman over Zoom.

This week we are talking to Dr. Rafi Simon, the librarian at B'nai Jeshurun Congregation, and a longtime public school educator. We asked Rafi about what brought him to library science, and about his mission to deliver Jewish books around the world. We recorded this conversation with Rafi Simon over Zoom. And we'd like to note that this is the final episode of the season, but we'll be back in the fall to schmooze some more. Have a happy summer! 

This week we are talking to Bart Bookatz, who has been a funeral director for over 50 years. Bart is a principle of Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel. We talk to him about what got him started in the funeral business, some of the traditions surrounding Jewish mourning and what the last year has been like, dealing with the uncertainty of the pandemic. We recorded this conversation with Bart Bookatz over Zoom.

This week we are talking to Jerry and Cindy Brodsky, who are two active members of B'nai Jeshurun Congregation. Jerry is the president of the Men's Club and Cindy is on the board of the Sisterhood. We talk to them about their Jewish upbringings and their role in bringing the Purim Spiel to the synagogue. We recorded this conversation with Jerry and Cindy Brodsky over Zoom.

This week we are talking to Joanna Hardis, a therapist who specializes in anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. She tells us about her complicated relationship to her Jewish faith and about her career working in mental health. She also discusses her work with Project Parachute, which provides pro bono healthcare to frontline workers.  We recorded this conversation with Joanna Hardis over Zoom. To find out more about Joanna's work, check out her website, or Facebook page. 

This week we brought the first Rood daughter into the mix for a fun end of year chat. She turns the tables and asks the hosts a few questions about the making of this podcast and the year ahead.  We recorded this conversation with Shaina Rood at the Rood residence in South Russell. And just a heads up that we'll be taking a brief winter hiatus, and will be back with new episodes in early 2021. Happy New Year! 

This week we are talking to Emily Einhorn, a senior philosophy major at DePaul University. She is spending her last semester of school back home in Cleveland due to the pandemic. She tells us what it's been like being a student about to enter the job market in the middle of a pandemic. And she talks about helping the Jewish Federation of Cleveland create a Community Cookbook. 

This week we are talking to Rabbi Josh Foster at B'nai Jeshurun Congregation. He oversees the congregation’s Youth & Learning Center and Bessie Hershey Religious School. He tells us about how he became a Rabbi and how the pandemic has impacted religious education and the high holy days. We recorded this conversation with Rabbi over Zoom. And just a note that for the time being, we'll be recording these episodes on a monthly basis. We hope to resume bi-weekly episodes in 2021.

This week we are talking to Dr. Michael Rabovsky, a family physician with the Cleveland Clinic. He tells us about how he came to become a doctor, and shares his thoughts on the pandemic. We taped this conversation with Dr. Michael Rabovsky six feet apart at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike. And just a note that this is our last episode of Season 3 before our summer break, but we'll be back in the fall with more episodes. In the meantime, check out our archive by going to clevelandschmooze.com. And if you have an interview suggestion or want to share any feedback, email us at clevelandschmooze@gmail.com.

This week we are talking to Rabbi Hal Rudin-Luria of B'nai Jeshurun Congregation about this year's community-wide Tikkun Leil Shavuot, which has gone virtual this year due to the pandemic.  Many people were involved in transforming this annual event into Tikkun @ Home, including chair Harriet Rosenberg Mann, vice chair Richard Berkowitz and lead staff Shani Kadis. We taped this conversation with Rabbi Rudin-Luria six feet apart at Bnai Jeshurun in Pepper Pike.

This week we are talking to the co-owner of Stone Oven Wholesale Bakery, Estra Grant, who runs the business with her husband James. She told us about having a bat mitzvah at age 40 and how her family landed in Cleveland after many moves. In keeping with social distance guidelines, we spoke with Estra virtually through Facetime.

This week we are talking to philanthropist Barbara Kupps, who calls herself a promoter of positivity. She told us about her work supporting organizations like the Friendship Circle of Cleveland and investing in people she believes in. And she tells about her ongoing battle with breast cancer. In keeping with social distance guidelines, we spoke with Barbara virtually through Zoom.