News From the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation and its Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) stand in solidarity with Jewish college students across the country who are being targeted on campus simply because they are Jewish or because they believe that Israel has the right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people.

Despite the ongoing hostilities in northern Israel, a significant agricultural loss and a substantial portion of the country’s population remaining displaced, Leket Israel has continued its critical work of feeding thousands of Israelis during Passover.

In an effort to shine a light on Mental Health Awareness Month, Federation’s BeWell Miami is organizing Wellness Shabbat, a collaboration between Miami Dade synagogues and organizations over the course of the five Shabbatot in May.

You may be surprised to learn that The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is the single largest contributor to the Annual Federation/UJA Campaign. This year, The Foundation will contribute $3.1 million to the Annual Campaign, thanks to the careful consideration of more than 100 generous donors who created endowed gifts by including Federation in their estate plans or through retirement funds, insurance policies or lifetime gifts.

Dedicated to making Jewish holidays and traditions meaningful and accessible, Federation is sharing a number of resources that families can use this Passover. Through the Annual Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Campaign, Federation provides year-round funding to PJ Library, which sends free Jewish-themed books monthly to Miami-Dade children and also hosts fun and engaging family-oriented holiday programs.

The Saul Schottenstein Foundation is once again helping individuals and families in our Jewish community facing food insecurity with a powerful act of tzedakah.

Join your community in observance of Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day — on Sunday, May 5 at 6 p.m. at the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach. At this difficult time for the Jewish people, having endured historic assaults on our homeland of Israel, from the horrors of October 7 to the unprecedented attacks by Iran, we will come together to remember the lessons of history, memorialize the 6 million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered during the Holocaust and honor the Survivors.

A highlight of Federation’s Annual Meeting is the presentation of leadership awards, and this year’s event will honor six deserving community volunteers on Thursday, May 30 at 5:30 p.m. in the Jungle Island Ballroom.

The idea of living in a hotel may sound like a 24/7 vacation, but that is far from the truth for displaced older adults forced to abandon their homes for hotels in the aftermath of October 7.

Jewish Federations condemn Iran's attacks against Israel—the first by a sovereign nation since Saddam Hussein launched scud missiles at Israel in 1991—in the strongest possible terms.

Immediately following the horrors of October 7, Federation beneficiary agency Beit Issie Shapiro expanded its work to help Israelis with and without disabilities who are struggling to rebuild their lives.

This Passover, Federation beneficiary Yodeah is encouraging everyone to add a test tube to their seder plate to celebrate the scientific advances that help free us from the plagues of our time.

What is trauma? Is it environmental? Is it genetic? Or is it both? These questions, and more, will be explored at the 28th Annual Ministering to the Elderly Conference, “Transforming Intergenerational Trauma Into Healing,” on Thursday, May 9.

Join your Jewish community on Thursday, May 30 at 5:30 p.m. for the 86th Annual Meeting of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation to recognize Federation Chair of the Board Ariel Bentata for his leadership, dedication and concern for the welfare of the Jewish people. Chaired by Debbie and David Mendal at the Jungle Island Ballroom, the program will install the 2024-2025 Board of Directors, Trustees, Leadership Council and Council of Jewish Organizations, including incoming Chair of the Board Lily Serviansky.

Spread the joy of Shabbat by joining Shabbat Friends, a new initiative created by Federation’s Jewish Volunteer Center (JVC). Last month, 10 volunteers participated in the inaugural program with 20 residents from The Lilac at Silver Palms, a North Dade nursing home.

Federation partner agency the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) is helping early childhood education teachers avoid burnout, a common challenge among today’s educators. Teachers face unique obstacles daily, from managing classroom dynamics to fostering relationships with students and parents.

The winter edition of Szarvas International Jewish Youth Camp recently came to a close, leaving hundreds of campers with big smiles and memories that will last a lifetime. Federation’s longtime overseas partner, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, created Szarvas, located in rural Hungary, to address the needs of a growing population of Jews seeking to learn about their roots after the fall of Communism.

Participate in the Miami Jewish Community Study. The Miami-Dade Jewish Community Study is a once-a-decade study sponsored by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and conducted by the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago.