As a student at Washington University in St. Louis, this Memphis, Tennessee native was drawn to Clevelanders.  Her Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority Big Sister (Sharon Galin), her sorority little sister (Deborah Hollander) AND her boyfriend (Ben Light) all grew up within a mile from each other on Cleveland's east side.  During Jamie's first trip to Cleveland in 1992, she immediately experienced the warmth of a caring community.  After grad school at Bowling Green State University, Jamie shared a duplex with friends in University Heights (so fun!) before she and Ben married in 1998.  Nearly 12 years later, Jamie, Ben and their six-year old daughter Hannah delight in "The Cleveland embrace - a welcoming, connected and caring Jewish community with access to incredible cultural, educational, medical, and spiritual institutions."  Jamie shares that "In Cleveland, friends become family and places like The Temple-Tifereth Israel and The Gathering Place nourish the soul".  Favorite family outings for "local flavor" range from Burton's Maple Syrup Festival to Gross Schechter Day School's Kosher Rib Cook-off, from the walking paths at Beachwood Park to the newest locally-owned restaurant.  Bottom line -- Jamie Light feels that her family is personally and professionally blessed to be part of Cleveland's caring community.  

Samantha Baskind (professor, author, art historian and more) has lived in a myriad of places including Palo Alto, Philadelphia, New York City, London, Madrid, Chapel Hill and Miami.  After six years in Cleveland, and except for the three winter months, Samantha feels that "there is nowhere better to be for the confluence of art, music, theater, beautiful housing, and resources to raise a Jewish family."  Less than two months after Samantha arrived in Cleveland for her new job as a professor at Cleveland State University, she met her future husband Larry Baum.  They married a few years later and are happily raising Asher (nearly 3) and Naomi (15 months) in a wonderful community.  Their favorite activities include adventures at The Children's Museum, playing at the Shaker Family Center, visiting Lake Farm Park, attending the Jewish Family Experience's family Sunday school with Rabbi Sruly Koval, and seeing ELMO LIVE this winter at Playhouse Square!  Samantha was recently featured in the Cleveland Jewish News.  Be wowed and read "Scholar Has Jewish Art in Her Heart."

The Rogens - Bruce, Christine, Jack and Lily - didn't move from Los Angeles to Cleveland for the weather, but if you ask Jack (8 years old) and Lily (4 years old) what they love about Cleveland, they'll emphatically say "the snow!".   Bruce grew up in Shaker Heights but left Cleveland to attend college and medical school.  He ended up in L.A., where he met and married Christine.  Once children arrived, vacations were spent visiting family and friends in Cleveland.  As time passed, Bruce and Christine realized that Cleveland would be a great place to raise their kids.  A fantastic opportunity for Bruce to work at The Cleveland Clinic, and his father's illness, brought the Rogens "home" to Cleveland in February 2009.  Christine says that the family has done more in 11 months in Cleveland than they did together in 11 years in L.A..  The Rogens LOVE University Circle, the Holden Arboretum, Playhouse Square, the Cleveland Zoo, the Science Center... and the list continues.  The Cleveland Metroparks are referred to as the Emerald Necklace, but for the Rogen family, it's the people (and their warmth and values) that make Cleveland shine!   

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