Jewish Professional Night
IDEAS · JEWISH VALUES · LOCAL CONNECTIONS
Jewish Professional Night is an evening that weaves Jewish values into the business and working world, bringing together professionals from across Cleveland. Each evening begins with a guest speaker — a local leader sharing the story and the choices behind what they’ve built — and continues over dinner and refreshments, with time to meet other people who live and work nearby.
All evenings are held in the Van Aken District, Shaker Heights. Here’s the series so far:
COMING IN JANUARY
Terry Pollack
“The Long View”
Terry Pollack taught at Shaker Heights High School for fifty years, and worked with more than 45,000 young people along the way. He joins us to share what those years taught him about how young people grow, and how the adults around them can bring out their best. Come hear stories and hard-won wisdom you can use with your children and grandchildren, in your work, and in our community. You will leave seeing the young people in your life a little differently.
Details and registration coming soon.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
Bruce Hennes
“Crisis Communications: Because the Court of Public Opinion Is Always in Session”
The nationally recognized crisis communications strategist joined the series for an evening focused on trust, reputation, and communicating under pressure — what to do (and what not to do) when a crisis hits, how to respond quickly, and how to protect your reputation when public opinion is already forming.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2026
Scott Garson
“How to Build Something That Lasts”
Scott shared his remarkable journey — from community building and commercial real estate, through a life-changing health crisis, to co-founding Goods Bank NEO, which redistributes surplus goods that would otherwise end up in landfills. He spoke about building organizations that last: strong boards, diverse teams, and empowering others — illustrated by the story of Honi the Circle Maker, who planted a tree whose fruit he would never eat. The evening was covered in the Cleveland Jewish News.
THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2026
Ray Rund
An engineer and venture capitalist, Ray shared his remarkable life story and a sharp perspective on where technology and investing are heading — the companies to watch, the enormous investments pouring into AI, and the future of investing in an ever-changing world.
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2026
Haim Mayan
The co-founder of MAN Holdings shared his story of coming to Cleveland, building a business, and putting down roots — along with his interest in AI after decades in real estate. The evening that started the series.
More evenings are on the way — join our email list to be the first to know about the next one.
Jewish Professional Night is a program of Chabad of Shaker Heights · ShakerChabad.com · @shakerchabad
