ABOUT
Our Cleveland branch has four foci of attention: adult, college, women’s programming and Israel missions.
In the area of local adult programming, we present noted guest speakers, and have weekly classes in Jewish learning. Among the topics offered are Relationships, Jewish mysticism, ethical issues, Jewish philosophy and traditional texts. Shabbat morning there is also a very popular class on the weekly Torah Portion. More than 300 Cleveland participants study with us on a regular basis.
Our college programming is presented on several Midwest campuses and provides students with an opportunity to attend classes, share Friday night meals, and go on trips to Israel. In the 2006-2016 period, 862 college students went with Aish Cleveland on our trips and study programs to Israel.
Our women’s programming focuses on women studying with and teaching each other. This division of Aish Cleveland offers classes, special lecturers, one-on-one study, a special women’s study hall, and missions to Israel. In the past two years, more than 350 women have gone to Israel with Aish Cleveland.
Our Israel programming is an essential part of our other three divisions. We believe that a trip to Israel can provide participants with a truly transformative understanding of their heritage and encourage all of our students to try and join one of our trips. In consonance with this belief, we often offer highly subsidized trips to Israel for those who are interested. Since 2006, more than 1,000 participants have gone to Israel with Aish HaTorah of Cleveland.
MEET THE TEAM
Rabbi Yehuda Appel
Born in New York City, Rabbi Yehuda Appel has spent a third of his life in New York, a third, in Jerusalem, and a third in Cleveland. He is married to noted speaker Hannah Appel and they have eight children. Rabbi Appel received his ordination from the ITRI yeshiva in Jerusalem after studying at Aish HaTorah and before that in the Joint Program between Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary. He was the director for many years of Aish HaTorah’s Discovery Program in Jerusalem before founding the organization’s branch in Cleveland. His particular focus recently has been on setting up Aish programs on college campuses throughout the Midwest in addition to his teaching and administrative responsibilities in Cleveland.
In addition to his wonderful family, he feels particularly blessed for having studied with Rabbi Noah Weinberg of blessed memory, Rav Yussel Tzenvert, Rav Lazer Nannes obm, and Rabbi Solomon Sassoon obm, and for having had as his work partner for many years, Rabbi Chaim Feld.
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Rabbi Chaim Feld
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Rabbi Chaim Feld grew up in Springfield, New Jersey (Exit 142 on the Parkway). After graduating with a business degree from Emory University he backpacked through Europe. While running with the bulls in Pamplona he realized there must be much more to life, and began a journey that ultimately led him to Israel to learn more about Judaism. After years of study, he received Rabbinic ordination and then returned to the United States to work for Aish. Passionate about teaching the power of our words both positive and negative, Rabbi Feld launched a national anti-loshon (gossip) campaign. He is the co-founder of WordsCanHeal.org and co-author of the Words Can Heal Handbook. For the past 20 years he has been Co-Director of Aish Cleveland. He lives in University Heights with his wife Barrie and a portion of their brood.
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Rebbetzin Barrie Feld
Rebbetzin Barrie Feld grew up in Wilmette, a suburb of Chicago. She has a fine arts degree from the University of Madison Wisconsin. Barrie has been teaching art for almost twenty-five years utilizing the setting to help build children's self esteem. Now that her kids are older, Barrie has focused her passion on running a woman's movement called the Chizuk Mission, which aims to provide greater connections for women to one another and Hashem. She has brought numerous women to Israel on Momentum trips. Through her sincerity, passion, and true caring for people, Barrie has created a group of highly motivated women who want to make a difference. She started Aish's Chayil, the women's division of Aish, which is dedicated to bringing women from all backgrounds together through learning, acts of kindness and social events. When Barrie is not taking missions to Israel she lives in University Heights with her husband, Rabbi Chaim Feld and their youngest child who is still living at home.
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Mrs. Miriam Chamberg
Mrs. Chamberg has been with the Aish Cleveland office since January 2007. She is the organization’s administrator as well as its program coordinator, organizing and advertising Aish events. Prior to joining the Aish family as a member of the staff, Mrs. Chamberg began learning about Judaism with Aish in 1998. She loved what she learned, went to Israel on a trip with Rabbi and Rebbetzin Appel and became observant with the help of all the Aish Rabbis, learning the laws of Shabbos, Chumash and many other topics related to Judaism. Today, Mrs. Chamberg attends classes two or three times weekly to maintain her learning.
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Mrs. Chamberg graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree and a Business Management Major from Notre Dame College in Cleveland. Previous responsibilities included working for 23 years at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant as a Communications Specialist.
She is married to Simcha, a Mechanical and Electrical Engineer. They have three children and seven grandchildren. A favorite activity is to visit them every year in Seattle and Atlanta. Mrs. Chamberg was born in Cuba and left the country in 1961 as a teenager. She also works as a volunteer for the Chevra Kadisha and the Mikve, helps Atidenu with carpools, volunteers at the Nishei Library and is available to teach Judaism in Spanish.
