SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — A celebration of local history will meet the magic of autumn at the Shaker Historical Society when it presents a weekend of fall festivities later this month.
The big weekend will get under way with the 4th Annual Shaker Soirée: Gala in the Grove, scheduled for 8-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26. This event will be followed by the annual AppleFest community festival, set for noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 27.
The Gala in the Grove will feature live music, autumn-inspired hors d’oeuvres, and seasonal drinks set among the museum’s heirloom apple trees.
A Visionary reception kicks off at 7 p.m. Sept. 26, with the main event running from 8-10 p.m. Tickets are now on sale at givebutter.com/shakersoiree2025.
The $50 Visionary ticket includes early access, a complimentary specialty cocktail, and a behind-the-scenes tour. A Historian ticket is $20 for 8 p.m. entry.
Proceeds support the Shaker Historical Society’s operations, educational programming, exhibits, and collections.
The following day offers a festive afternoon for all ages. AppleFest is an annual fall event honoring the legacy of the North Union Shakers and the arrival of autumn.
Visitors can enjoy a petting zoo, live music, and demonstrations and information from Cuyahoga Weavers Guild, Shaker Arts Council, Cleveland Metroparks, Hale Farm & Village, Shaker Heights Public Library, and more. Seasonal refreshments will be available for purchase.
The festival coincides with the opening of What if…Why not?, a family-friendly exhibition by Cleveland artist Chi-Irena Wong in the second-floor Lissauer Gallery. The exhibition invites viewers into a whimsical world where the illogical becomes ordinary, sparking laughter, curiosity, and discovery for all ages.
Also, a new mural by Cleveland Institute of Art student Ashton Burton will be unveiled at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 27. Created as part of CIA’s Creativity Works program, the mural celebrates the vital contributions of Black Americans to the history of Cleveland, the Terminal Tower, and the rapid transit system that helped Shaker Heights flourish in the early 20th century.
All are welcome to join AppleFest at no cost. A full schedule, FAQs, and partner information are available at shakerhistory.org/applefest.
LWV Shaker Heights candidates forum: The League of Women Voters have schedulked two candidates forums for October to assist voters in making their choices in this fall local elections.
At 7 p.m. Oct. 8, the LWN will present in the Shaker Heights High School small auditorium, 15911 Aldersyde Drive, City Council candidates, and information pertaining to the Shaker Historical Museum operating levy.
The Nov. 4 ballot will include three candidates running for three openings on Shaker Heights City Council: They are Orlando Alvarez Peter Chengelis and Tenille Kaus.
Those who cannot attend can view the forum at youtube.com/live/_ZykDJutft8?feature=share.
Next, ay 7 p.m. Oct. 9, this time in the Shaker Heights High School large auditorium, the LWV will present Shaker Heights School Board candidates, as well as information on the Shaker Schools operating levy.
There are six candidates running for three openings on the Shaker Heights Board of Education. They are Lora Cover, Kevin Dreyfuss-Wells, Ardelia Holmes, Kate Nielson, James Reed and Jenny Steadman.
The Oct. 9 event can also be seen at youtube.com/live/0pw6aBaCh04?feature=share.
Holocaust Education event: Kol Israel Foundation’s “Stand Up for Holocaust Education” event will feature award-winning Jewish comic Cory Kahaney.
The Nov. 2 kickoff to KIF’s annual campaign will celebrate 30 years of what is now known as KIF’s Face to Face Holocaust education program.
The special event will take place at 5 p.m. Nov. 2 at B’nai Jeshurun Congregation, 27501 Fairmount Blvd. in Pepper Pike.
In addition to Kahaney’s 60-minute private performance, the evening will feature cocktails, strolling dinner, dessert, a silent art auction of works by emerging and established artists, and a raffle drawing.
“Money raised from this event will support Face to Face, which is central to KIF’s mission of Resilience, Remembrance, and Holocaust Education,” said Kif Executive Director Hallie Duchon, in a release.
“Last school year, Face to Face reached more than 66,000 individuals at 35 schools and several community groups — and we are on track to surpass those numbers this academic year.
“Our volunteers, comprised mostly of Holocaust Survivors and descendants of Survivors, are dedicated to presenting the lessons of the Holocaust to educate people on the catastrophic consequences of antisemitism, persecution and all forms of hate, intolerance and dehumanization.”
Headliner Kahaney rose to prominence after being a finalist on NBC’s hit show, “Last Comic Standing.” Her act draws on her experience as a Jewish woman.
Among Kahaney’s other credits are “The Carson Daly Show,” “Comedy Central Presents… Cory Kahaney,” “The Late Late Show,” “The Martin Short Show,” “The View,” “Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher,” “The Late Show with David Letterman,” and “America’s Got Talent.”
“Holocaust Survivors often relied on humor to cope with the harsh conditions and treatment they endured during the Shoah and the extreme challenges of rebuilding their lives after liberation,” said KIF President Deborah Chudakoff. “Comedy is part of their legacy, so it seems fitting to feature a Jewish comic, especially one of Kahaney’s stature, as we celebrate three decades of a program that teaches the community about the consequences of antisemitism through the lens of Survivor experiences.”
Guests will also have the opportunity to bid on an impressive selection of art, including an original “The Pajama Diaries” comic strip from Terri Libenson, and an 18-by-24-inch linoleum print from Mickey Mencin, winner of the Cain Park Arts Festival 2025 Judges Selection Award.
Sponsorship packages and individual tickets are available. For more details, visit kifcle.org/standup, or call 216-831-3754.
KIF Remembrance event: The KIF also wants to remind people that its 64th Annual Fall Memorial, which honors and remembers the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, will take place at 11 a.m. Sept. 28 at the Kol Israel Foundation Holocaust National Memorial, located inside Zion Memorial Park, 5461 Northfield Road in Bedford Heights.
The commemoration, which is co-sponsored by Jewish Federation of Cleveland, is held yearly on the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Parking will be available directly across the street from the cemetery.
University School NMS Semifinalists: The National Merit Scholarship Program has recognized 23 University School seniors as Semifinalists, of which there are 10, or Commended students (13) in its 2026 scholarship program.
All of the students lead and serve the US community by the example they set in the classroom, on the playing field, and as heads of student clubs or activities.
Semifinalist students are among those who earned the highest scores on the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, and represent less than 1 percent of high school students in the United States.
University School semifinalists who reside within the Sun Press coverage area are Shaker Heights’ Ian Broihier, Jack D’Cruz, and Vishaan Patel.
The Semifinalist designation is the first step toward being considered for a Merit Scholarship award. Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the title of Merit Scholar.
Approximately 1.5 million high school students take the PSAT each year, and 34,000 of those receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise.
University School Commended students from the Sun Press area are Charlie Christopherson, of University Heights; Sahand Maleki and Sebastian Perez, of Cleveland Heights; Tejas Rajagopalan, of Shaker Heights; and, from Beachwood, Travis Skinner and Jason Zhao.
And, at Laurel School: At Shaker Heights’ Laurel School, senior Cecilia Doherty has been named a National Merit Semifinalist in the 71st Annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Laurel School is also welcoming its 11th Head of School, Christina Breen,with an official Installation ceremony that took place the afternoon of Sept. 19 at Severance Hall. Breen started work at Laurel July 1.
The Installation included a variety of speakers, including remarks from Carey Jaros, Class of ’96, Chair of Laurel’s Board of Trustees, and an introduction of Breen by Dr. Ellie Smith-Khuri, ’89, a friend of the new Head dating from their days at Tufts University. The Installation also included performances by Laurel students and an address by Breen.
From Beachwood High: Beachwood High School counts a record 11 Class of 2026 students among its National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists.
With 133 seniors in this year’s class, this achievement places Beachwood High School among an elite group of high schools throughout the country with such a high percentage of students honored in a single graduating class.
The Semifinalists — Dotan Dana, Charlotte Doughty, Karina Krishnan, Leo Kuenzler, Jiahe Liu, Shamith Murthy, Aliaksei Sharakou, Anna Tonyushkin, Junbo Wang, Leo Wang and Tony Zheng — will now advance to the next stage of the competition with a chance to become National Merit Finalists.
Students advancing to the Finalist stage are eligible to compete for scholarships totaling nearly $30 million, which will be awarded in the spring.
“We are thrilled to see so many of our students recognized as National Merit Semifinalists,” said Beachwood High School Principal Paul Chase, in a release. “These achievements reflect not only their hard work and dedication, but also the commitment of our teachers and the support of their families. This is a proud moment for the Beachwood community.”
And, from Shaker Heights High: Five seniors at Shaker Heights High School were named National Merit Semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.
This year’s Semifinalists from Shaker Heights include Olivia Cavallo, Nathaniel Price, Lara Sesenoglu-Laird, Kyle Szalay and Neko Tien.
“Our group of semifinalists tied for the fourth-highest number of National Merit Semifinalists among public schools in Northeast Ohio, and the twelfth-highest in the state,” Shaker school district officials said, in a release.
Mandel JDS Annual Fund Campaign: The Mandel Jewish Day School, 26500 Shaker Blvd. in Beachwood, has begun its Annual Fund Campaign and is seeking donations.
Support of the Mandel JDS Annual Fund helps the school keep low its student-teacher ratios; attract and retain outstanding educators; provide a safe and secure learning environment; grow its educational programs; and more.
In a relerase, Mandel JDS states: The Annual Fund is what bridges the gap between the true cost of a Mandel JDS education and tuition, ensuring we can continue to provide the very best for our students. It’s also unique from our Endowment Campaign and SGO — both of which strengthen our school’s future in different ways — while the Annual Fund supports our immediate, everyday needs.
To make a donation, visit here.
To make a pledge, visit here.
Art exhbit: The Hillcrest Art Club invites all to attend its free 2025 Fall Members Art Exhibition.
The show will run from Oct. 5-30 at the Mayfield Civic Center, 6622 Wilson Millls Road in Mayfield Village.
An artist reception will be held from 2-4 p.m. Oct. 5 at which attendees will have the opportunity to meet the artists displaying in this show.
Other show hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Beachwood assistant principal recognized: Beachwood High School assistant principal Aubrei Erkins has been named one of Who’s Who in Black Cleveland 2025.
The prestigious recognition honors African-American leaders across industries who are making meaningful contributions to their communities.
Erkins was formally honored at the Who’s Who in Black Cleveland celebration held Sept. 8 at the InterContinental Cleveland, where community members, business leaders, and educators gathered to recognize this year’s honorees.
“Aubrei’s recognition in Who’s Who in Black Cleveland reflects the outstanding impact that she makes each day in the lives of our students,” said Beachwood Superintendent Robert Hardis, in a release. “We are extremely proud to see Aubrei recognized and included in such an impressive group of leaders in the area.”
Now in her fifth year as assistant principal at Beachwood High School, Erkins is recognized by the school district as a dedicated leader who prioritizes student success, academic excellence, and opportunities for all students.
She began her time at Beachwood after serving as a teacher in Warrensville Heights for one year, and as a teacher and Director of Athletics in East Cleveland City Schools for 11 years.
Also from Beachwood Schools: The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) has released its 2025 school report cards, and Beachwood Schools has once again earned five stars, the highest possible rating.
Key highlights from the 2025 Report Card show that: Beachwood Schools achieved a performance index of 106.3, earning a five-star rating for “Achievement,” the state’s highest designation; the district earned a five-star rating for “Progress,” demonstrating significant evidence of exceeding student growth expectations; students identified as gifted performed in the top 1 percent across all Ohio districts; Beachwood High School earned a five-star rating, with a 96.9-percent graduation rate for the Class of 2025; elementary schools improved significantly in K-3 literacy, earning a 5 out of 5, reflecting the district’s focus on phonics-based, structured literacy instruction known as the “science of reading”; and, based on 2024 graduating class data, 70 percent of seniors met the state’s readiness threshold, earning a 3 out of 5 on this new measure.
“Congratulations to our talented students, their dedicated families, and the district’s inspiring staff for their contributions to this impressive state report card,” said Superintendent Robert Hardis, in a release. “The annual state report card is one of the multiple measures of the rigorous depth and breadth of a Beachwood education and we are proud of our students’ results.
“Thank you for the steadfast support and trust you place in our school district to strive for excellence and continuous improvement.”
You can learn more about Beachwood Schools’ five-star rating in the full 2025 State Report Card.
For more information about the state’s school report cards, read the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s guide to the 2025 report cards.
Qdoba opens at Bell Tower Center: The mexican eatery Qdoba becomes, with its Sept. 19 opening, the first new business at Bell Tower Center, formerly University Square, in University Heights.
Qdoba held a soft opening in August, but held on Sept. 19 its grand opening by offering free burritos for a year to the first 100 customers.
Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan added on Sept. 15, talking at a City Council meeting, “Speaking of Bell Tower Center, the garage peel-back began last week and should continue all month, and finish in October.
“We will soon have a smaller, brighter garage at the former University Square.”
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