Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.

Celebrating Jewish Life will host an open house with Marc Ashed, AIPAC regional political director Midwest, at 7 p.m. Aug. 10, to discuss “Looking Ahead on US & Israeli Elections.”

As newly appointed Alpha Epsilon Pi regional director for the Ohio Valley region, Matthew Cohen’s focus is on building successful fraternity chapters that are doing good work not only for themselves but also the broader Jewish community.

They say gas prices go up like a rocket and down like a feather, which is to say they shoot up really fast when oil prices rise, yet drop very gradually when oil prices drop.

Earl L. Weiss, beloved husband of Marilyn (nee Garon).

Arrangements under the direction of Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel.

The Cleveland Jewish News does not make endorsements of political candidates and/or political or other ballot issues on any level. Letters, commentaries, opinions, advertisements and online posts appearing in the Cleveland Jewish News, on cjn.org or our social media pages do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Cleveland Jewish Publication Company, its board, officers or staff.

It’s been a scorcher.

Here, there and everywhere. There are record heat waves all over the world.

The New York Times reported this: “Heat waves in the United States jumped from an average of two per year in the 1960s to six per year by the 2010s. The last seven years have been the warmest in the history of accurate worldwide records.”

• 98 degrees Fahrenheit in Providence, R.I.

My dog refused to go outside for a walk when it hit 95 in Cleveland. He keeps his furry body plastered against the cold air register.

This is a wake-up call from the planet. This Plain Dealer headline gave me chills: “Will 2022 be the hottest summer of your life, or the coolest summer for the rest of your life?”

Scary, but true. Ben Zaitchik, a professor in the earth and planetary sciences department at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, studies extreme weather events and told The Washington Post: “The best-case scenario is still that this is the coolest summer you’ll experience in the rest of your life.”

“We’re going to be facing heat waves of at least the intensity we’ve been experiencing the past couple of years and almost certainly of greater intensity, even if we decarbonize along the best-case scenario.”

First, do one thing to stop climate change: Go vegetarian. Cut out unnecessary flights. Drive less. Compost. Recycle. Consume less. Vote for people who believe the science on global warming and will work to slow climate change.

Run through a sprinkler. Jump in the lake. Cool in a pool. Stay until you’re pruny. Fill some squirt guns. Ambush the neighbors.

Host a water balloon fight in the front yard. Those balloons have never been easier to fill. You buy the Bunch O Balloons at the drugstore or Target, screw the cap onto your outdoor faucet and it fills 60 balloons and closes them all in seconds. No more tying tiny knots and having balloons pop in your face. Just pick up the pieces later so no critters mistake them for food.

Check in on the vulnerable. Protect kids and pets. They can’t protect themselves. Never leave a child or pet in a car in this weather, not even for “a few seconds.” Those seconds could turn into minutes that quickly kill a vulnerable loved one.

Check in on elderly folks. Back in 1995, a heat wave in Chicago killed 739 people, most of them elderly poor people who didn’t have air conditioning and were too afraid of crime to open their windows or sleep outside.

Hand out bottles of ice water to the homeless or to construction workers and sanitation workers you see along your drive.

Know the signs for heat exhaustion. It happens when your body doesn’t get enough water or salt. The signs? Cool, moist skin. Profuse sweating. Muscle cramps. You might feel nauseous, faint, dizzy, tired and have a weak, rapid pulse. If so, move into a cool place fast and hydrate. Contact your doctor or get to the ER if you aren’t getting better.

Heat stroke signs: you feel confused, agitated and might lose consciousness. Get help right away.

Beware of hot pavement and sticky asphalt for bare feet and puppy paws. Touch that leather seat before you sit down in a car or plunk your pooch there. Toss a bed sheet over it to keep it cool.

Live your outdoor life early in the morning or after sunset. Do your outdoor chores or walks early morning or after sunset.

Take a cold shower. Put a cold wet cloth on the back of your neck and wrists.

Buy a Sunbrella. Wear flowy dresses or light, thin loose clothing in light colors that reflect the light. Wear sunglasses. Protect your head. Add sunscreen or a hat. Scalp is skin. It will burn.

If you don’t have AC, close your curtains and blinds so your home doesn’t feel like a greenhouse. Sleep on the floor or in the basement. Don’t use your oven. Eat salads and cold foods.

Head to the mall or library where it’s cool. Read books on global warming. Cool off by watching “Frozen,” “Ice Age,” “Cool Runnings,” or “March of the Penguins.” Rent “Body Heat,” “Cool Hand Luke,” “Do the Right Thing,” or “Kiss Me Kate” and sing along, “It’s too damn hot!”

Connect with Regina Brett on Facebook at ReginaBrettFans and sign up for her weekly newsletter at reginabrett.com.

Choose from the options below.

Choose from the CJN's informative e-newsletters.

We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!