Our History
The Cleveland Jewish Community began in 1839 by immigrants from Bavaria. The Ohio 21st century census reported over 150,000 Jews in the State, with over 50% of the population being in greater Cleveland. Today our community is diverse, strong and vibrant.
Cleveland Jewish Funerals is the only Jewish Owned and Operated Jewish Funeral Home in Cleveland. We are proud to be serving the Greater Cleveland Jewish Community. Our roots run deep in the Jewish Community, and our philosophy is doing business with heart. Philanthropically, we donate to various Jewish organizations throughout the year.
We partner with all local synagogues and cemeteries to ensure you and your loved ones are cared for in your time of need. We are able to transfer pre-need policies from any funeral home even from other cities. Our licensed Funeral Directors are available to meet with you at our offices, your home, any area hospitals, your synagogue, or wherever you feel most comfortable.
At Cleveland Jewish Funerals, we offer a better, more personal way to plan Jewish funeral services. True, the funeral industry is a business, but we believe it is also a Mitzvah to serve those in need with heart and provide as much Jewish Tradition in the time of death. All of our staff have a commitment to serving the Cleveland Jewish Community with passion, empathy and the love of our Jewish heritage and tradition, when caring for your loved ones. We consider it our honor, privilege and mitzvah.
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Ben Rancman Owner
Ben Rancman is a lifelong Clevelander with deep ties to the Jewish community. In fact, Ben’s family can credit their arrival in Cleveland to Jewish philanthropy. His Polish-born parents left the then communist country after a political crisis that dramatically impacted the country’s surviving Jewish community. Ben’s family was sponsored and assisted in their immigration to the United States by the American Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. In fact, his parents met while enrolled in English classes at the Coventry Public Library in Cleveland Heights.Ben and his family have ties to all corners of the Jewish community. Ben’s wife Sara is a Hebrew teacher at the Gross Schechter School in Pepper Pike. Both of Ben’s teenage boys are students at the Fuchs Mizrachi School in Beachwood. Support for the State of Israel has been a touchstone in Ben’s life. As a young man, he lived in the Jewish State for a time and served in the IDF. Zionism and the use of the Hebrew language are central values in the Rancman household. Ben has spent much of his professional career in the Jewish nonprofit sector. He previously worked for the Anti-Defamation League, The Greater Miami Jewish Federation, as well as the Jewish youth group, BBYO. As a dedicated speaker and educator, Ben has lectured on Jewish History at The Ohio State University, Hebrew Union College, Carnegie Mellon, and more. He continues to lecture at Wiggins Place (Menorah Park), where he keeps residents abreast of the most recent news from Israel and the Middle East. He also teaches Hebrew at the Temple Tifereth Israel alongside his wife, Sara.Ben is involved in much of the marketing at Cleveland Jewish Funerals - especially in the creation of content that we hope is informative and engaging. Stay tuned for some of the shows that he produces including: The Cleveland Kibbitz with David Pearl; animated videos about Jewish funeral traditions; American Jewish history; and the latest news from Israel and beyond.As someone deeply dedicated to Jewish life and learning, he views his role as a pre-planning advisor as an opportunity to engage in holy work. Ben views his work as a humbling opportunity to spare families unneeded additional stress and frustration during the most difficult time of their lives. While the subject of pre-planning is indeed a serious one, Ben does not believe that it needs to be morbid or depressing. Engaging these “ultimate issues” can be done in a manner that recognizes the importance of these decisions, while simultaneously bringing levity and good nature to bear.
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David Pearl Community Liaison
David Pearl is a proud native Clevelander. Growing up in Beachwood, David graduated high school from the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland. After high school, David attended The Ohio State University where he earned a degree in Business Administration. His childhood was spent learning and mastering the restaurant industry under his father’s instruction. He continued the family tradition by creating several successful restaurants that he ran over the last twenty-five years. His deep roots in the restaurant industry instilled a profound service ethic that he has brought to all his endeavors. In 2020, David decided to shift course and begin a new career in the funeral industry. His deep roots in the Jewish community and commitment to compassionate service make this work particularly gratifying.David is married to native Clevelander Robin (Cik) and has two sons, Alex and Jordan, who both attend Fuchs Mizrachi School. They are active members of Green Road Synagogue. David has strong ties to Green Road Synagogue, where his father Alex Pearl – a holocaust survivor – was a member. He is particularly proud of being an important link in a three-generation spiritual chain there. Throughout the years, David has enjoyed being a volunteer for the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and the Cleveland Kosher Food Pantry.
