Northeast Ohio hosts many cultural celebrations in winter months, from Hanukkah to Lunar New Year

Inside of two weeks before Christmas, people are likely seeing houses light up with holiday decorations. But this time of year, there are lots of different celebrations happening in Northeast Ohio, given our region's vast diversity of cultures. For the Jewish community, Hanukkah started Sunday night. The Latino holiday Las Posadas starts today, then there's the upcoming African American holiday Kwanzaa at the end of the month. In early 2026, there's the Lunar New Year celebrated by some Asian cultures, and Ramadan, celebrated by Muslims, and the list goes on. On Tuesday's "Sound of Ideas," we'll talk about how there's a lot to be gained by learning about each other's cultures, at a time where there's also a lot of fear for these communities, with violence and threats against certain cultural groups on the rise. For example, just two days ago, gunmen killed at least 15 people in Australia in what authorities are calling a terrorist attack during a Hanukkah celebration. The "Sound of Ideas" team planned this conversation before this latest tragedy, to highlight our region's multicultural landscape, and allow audience members to learn from and connect with people who are different from them. It is with that spirit that we have this conversation. Guests: -Rabbi Joshua Caruso, Congregation Mishkan Or -Lisa Wong, President, OCA Greater Cleveland -Pooja Khaira, M.D., Academic Chief Resident, MetroHealth & Co-Founder, Sihk Mental Health Summit -Talise Campbell, Ph.D., Director, Djapo Cultural Arts Institute