Our Committees and Commissions

With so many important matters to be discussed and so many vital decisions to be made, our Jewish community is blessed with a large number of dedicated and experienced volunteers who serve on Greater Miami Jewish Federation Community Planning & Allocations Department committees and provide valuable expertise and guidance whenever and wherever it is needed.

These committees comprise two basic categories – committees concentrating on needs in Miami’s Jewish community, and those focusing on needs in Israel and worldwide.

Committees Addressing Needs in Miami

• The Planning & Distribution Committee works to assess community needs and establish key short- and long-term priorities; create and oversee task forces and commissions to address community priorities; and recommend how funds should be distributed locally.
• In ongoing efforts to build and enhance strong relationships with local agencies and organizations, the Agency Support Committee identifies trends and areas of concerns, and then develops and implements systems for all parties to work together. During the economic downturn, for example, when many agencies have reported dramatic increases in service requests, this committee has worked closely with these organizations to ensure that people facing the most critical needs are able to get the help and services they require.
• The GMJF/CAJE Day School Committee collaborates with the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) and local Jewish day schools to ensure that families have access to quality Jewish education for their children – and that teachers and administrators have the resources to face the educational challenges of the 21st century. The Federation-CAJE partnership identifies needs and trends within the day schools and provides recommendations and support for fiscal and operational issues.
• The Israel Engagement Committee was established to assess the wide array of Israel programs supported by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and available to Miami residents. These include Gift of Israel (formerly Passport to Israel), Alexander Muss High School in Israel, Taglit-Birthright Israel, and others. In addition to providing advice and guidance to help these programs improve their effectiveness, coordination and program promotion, the committee looks at how to increase engagement with Israel through various local programs. Further, the committee works to identify and match interested donors with Israel programs in need of supplemental funding.
• The Women’s Impact Initiative provides grants from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Annual Campaign to organizations in Miami that inspire and empower Jewish women and girls, and improve our local community through programs that achieve social, economic, religious and political equality.
• The Jewish Incubator Grants Committee provides grants from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Annual Campaign to local organizations, synagogues, agencies and schools to develop innovative and/or impactful programs, services, projects and technologies that support and enrich Miami’s Jewish community and align with one or more of Federation’s funding priorities: A Safety Net for the Vulnerable; Educating and Advancing Jewish Identity; Building Our Community.

Read more about initiatives and programs in Miami created and/or managed by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation through the Community Planning & Allocations Department.

Committees Working to Help Meet Needs in Israel and Worldwide

The Israel & Overseas Committee helps the Greater Miami Jewish Federation in our Mission to address Jewish community needs and issues in Israel and in 70 other countries around the world. Committee members are constantly in communication with Federation overseas partners, including the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), getting the latest information on programs and activities – and ensuring quick mobilization for emergencies or catastrophes.

In addition to the general Israel & Overseas Committee, there are several subcommittees at work on specific projects and initiatives:

• Members of the Miami-Yerucham Partnership Committee work with their counterparts in the Israeli city of Yerucham to build and maintain meaningful relationships that strengthen both communities. Established in 2006, the Partnership promotes mutually supportive initiatives, connecting resources and expertise to achieve sustained spiritual, social, cultural and economic growth for the Jewish communities of Miami and Yerucham. Read more about the Partnership.
• The Pardes Channa-Karkur Ethiopian Israeli Initiative Committee works closely with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Ethiopian National Project, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the city of Pardes Channa-Karkur, Israel, on projects to assist the 350 Ethiopian families in this community. With a number of challenges facing these immigrant Israelis and their children, the focus is on ensuring they have the skills and opportunities to successfully integrate into Israeli society.
• The Women's Amutot Initiative was established in 2003 to focus exclusively on the needs and welfare of women and girls in Israel. The Initiative allocates funds from Federation’s Annual Campaign to organizations in Israel that empower women to improve Israeli society through social, economic, religious, and political equality. The Women’s Amutot Initiative Committee meets regularly to discuss emerging issues and monitor the progress of funded programs and services.

View a list of local, national and overseas Partner Agencies.

Learn about some of the many programs and services managed or initiated by the Community Planning & Allocations Department.

For more information, contact us at [email protected] or call 786.866.8495.