It's Happening In Miami

Since 1999, the High Holiday Welcome Program – a joint venture of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami and participating area synagogues – has enabled tens of thousands of worshippers to enjoy Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services at no cost to participants.

Through allocations from the Annual Federation/UJA Campaign, as well as supplemental gifts from generous donors, Federation has underwritten the cost of High Holiday seats so that every Jewish person in Miami-Dade County has the opportunity to take part in these meaningful days of prayer.

Seats are offered to members of Miami’s Jewish community who are unaffiliated with a community synagogue.Advance reservations are required to accommodate the large number of worshippers and to ensure security.

Click here to view this year’s participating synagogues.

Seating reservations will be available:

Monday, August 20 at 12pm through Friday, August 31 at 4pm

For quick online registration 24/7, please visit JewishMiami.org/highholidays. This year, the online reservation system has a new look! Registrants will be asked to create a username and password, add their personal information, reserve seating for themselves, reserve seating for guests, if any.

To reserve by phone, call one of our operators at 305-373-SEAT (7328) during the following hours: (Please note, phone lines will be busy. We highly encourage online reservations, they are faster, with no time spent waiting for an available operator.

Bet Shira Congregation, an egalitarian Conservative synagogue in Pinecrest, has named Rabbi Gad Romang as its spiritual leader. Rabbi Romang began his tenure at Bet Shira at Shabbat services on Friday evening, August 3.

Rabbi Romang previously served as Senior Rabbi at Congregation Bnai Israel of Ontario Canada. He also has held pulpit and education positions in Chile, Argentina and the United States, and has been a university lecturer in Biblical Exegesis and Talmud Studies. He is a member of United Synagogues of America’s Rabbinic Assembly.

In addition to having served as a director of the Rabbinical School at the Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano of Buenos Aires, Rabbi Romang is a former dean of the American Hebrew Academy of Greensboro, N.C.

After receiving his Rabbinic Ordination from Seminario Rabinico LatinoAmerico, Rabbi Romang earned a Master of Arts degree in Biblical Studies and an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York. He also holds a degree in Comparative Religion and Eastern Studies from Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires. Born in Argentina and raised in Israel, Rabbi Romang is fluent in English, Spanish and Hebrew.

“We conducted a thorough national search and were fortunate to retain a candidate with Rabbi Romang’s experience, knowledge and personal warmth,” said Bet Shira Congregation President Linda Truppman. “We invite members of the South Dade Jewish community to join us for Friday night or Saturday morning services to meet him.”

Bet Shira Congregation is an inclusive, egalitarian Conservative synagogue embracing tradition and change. The synagogue is a spiritual home where congregants and their families can develop closer relationships with God and one another through inspiring worship, study and innovative programs for all ages. For more information, visit www.betshira.org, or call 305-238-2601. Bet Shira is located at 7500 Southwest 120th Street in Pinecrest, Florida.

It's been an exciting few weeks for Israel's LGBTQ community -- from the massive 100,000-person rally in Tel Aviv for LGBTQ equality, the largest-ever Jerusalem's Pride March, and now the 600 N. American rabbis who joined us in calling for full LGBTQ acceptance and equality in Israel!

We hope you'll join us in a couple weeks in Fort Lauderdale or Miami as we discuss these recent developments and meet the LGBTQ Refugee Program of the Israel LGBTQ Task Force.

Click here to RSVP

GAZA BORDER CRISIS: The Trauma, The Damage, The Needs. Join us to meet a mother, a young pioneer, and a farmer--residents of Gaza border communities--who will share their personal stories of living under attack, with hundreds of incendiary kites, balloons, and rockets steadily raining down on them. Hear about the needs in their communities and the issues they face on the ground: their experiences running to bomb shelters and sleeping in saferooms, their fears of a ruined economy, and their challenges dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)--both their children's as well as their own.

RSVP at jnf.org/fltownhall

Please note that for security purposes, government issued photo identification will be required for entry. All bags are subject to search and absolutely no backpacks or large bags will be allowed.

Date: August 26, 2018, 6:30pm-8:30pm

Location: Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center 20400 NE 30th Ave, Miami, FL 33180

HaZamir Miami - a chapter of the international Jewish Teen Choir Announcing the 2018-19 season. - Open to Jewish Musical Teens, grades 8-12 - Conducted by Dr. Alan Mason - Weekly rehearsals on Sundays from 10:30am to 12:30pm - Informational Open House and auditions will be on
Sundays: 8/19, 8/28 and 9/2 - Perform at regional, national and international events
culminating in a spectacular Gala Concert at Lincoln
Center Enhance your connections with Israel through our twin HaZamir chapter in our partnership
community in Israel - Yerucham - College Credit Program available to Juniors & seniors - Meetings will take place at the Michael-Ann Russell JCC - 18900 NE 25th Avenue, North
Miami Beach 33180

For more info call Dr. Alan Mason at 305-772 6890 [email protected]

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation is now accepting applications for its 2019 Jewish Incubator Grants, which will award nonprofits eager to strengthen Miami’s Jewish community through innovative and impactful programs. Organizations, synagogues, agencies and schools with compelling and creative ideas that support social-service, educational or Jewish-identity building activities are invited to apply.

Applications are due no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, September 7, 2018.

Click here for more information and to apply.

Join thousands of community members to learn from industry experts, political and diplomatic figures, and thought leaders against the backdrop of strengthening Israel and uniting the Israeli-American and Jewish communities. This year’s Conference will take place at The Diplomat Beach Resort in South Florida from November 29 to December 2, 2018.

The IAC National Conference offers participants the opportunity to engage in variety of programs, plenaries, breakout sessions, interactive workshops, and facilitated discussions tailored to meet the various interests of our community members and audience. Speakers will include: Gabriel Groisman, Mayor of the City of Bal Harbour, Florida; Bob Diener, Co-founder of Hotels.com and Getaroom.com; and Miriam Peretz, Israel Prize Winner for Lifetime Achievement for “Strengthening the Jewish-Israeli Spirit”.

This inspiring gathering will explore Israeli-American and Jewish identity, bring together the Israeli-American and Jewish communities for deep dive discussions, and will yield takeaways that will help us, together, to strengthen Israel and our communities.

The Conference spans from Thursday, November 29, to Sunday, December 2, 2018 and includes: opening plenary + evening sessions and celebrations (Thursday evening) - Friday sessions (Friday, all day) - Shishi Israeli (Friday evening, communal Shabbat dinner) - Saturday sessions (Saturday, all day) - main night and after party (Saturday evening) - Sunday session and closing event (Sunday, until 1:30pm).

More information: https://www.israeliamerican.org/conference | Questions? Email: [email protected] or [email protected].

GAZA BORDER CRISIS: The Trauma, The Damage, The NeedsJoin us to meet a mother, a young pioneer, and a farmer--residents of Gaza border communities--who will share their personal stories of living under attack, with hundreds of incendiary kites, balloons, and rockets steadily raining down on them. Hear about the needs in their communities and the issues they face on the ground: their experiences running to bomb shelters and sleeping in saferooms, their fears of a ruined economy, and their challenges dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)--both their children's as well as their own.

RSVP at jnf.org/fltownhall

FREE EVENT!

Please note that for security purposes, government issued photo identification will be required for entry. All bags are subject to search and absolutely no backpacks or large bags will be allowed.

Talk with program experts who will be on hand to answer questions about Back to School programs at this FREE community event. Learn about JCC programs for all ages including: After School Care, Preschool, Basketball, Swim Club (on-site evaluations), Gymnastics & more.

Enjoy food vendors, basketball & gymnastics mini-clinics, swim club evaluations, giveaways & special fitness classes. PLUS, register for a program or take a tour and be entered into the raffle to win a backpack filled with school supplies!

Join the JCC as a new member during the Back to School event and pay only $1 registration fee + get a FREE Fitbit Alta while supplies last.

For more information or to join us as a vendor, please contact Nikki Fernandez at 305.271.9000 x273 or [email protected]

Located in the Alper JCC Gymnasium, Bldg. 7 11155 SW 112 Avenue Miami, Florida 33176

Temple Judea, one of Miami’s largest Reform synagogues, is holding its popular Healing Service, part of its Caring Community efforts, on Tuesday, August 28, 2018 at 7pm at Temple Judea, 5500 Granada Blvd., Coral Gables. The event is free and open to Temple Judea members and the entire community. For more information, contact Jodi Rozental at email: [email protected] or call 305-667-5657 x 2114.

“We are happy to announce that Gospel Vocalist Antonia Wilson, Artistic Director of Legato Vocal Ensemble, will perform with us on August 28,” said Jodi Rozental, Temple Judea’s Cantorial Soloist. “Our diverse group is committed to the power of healing through music and a unanimous belief in supporting others through all phases of their life journeys.”

People seek out both emotional and physical healing at different times in their lives for a variety of reasons. This could be related to an illness, loss of a loved one, caregiver fatigue, major life transitions or societal fears and concerns faced daily. Organized and led by Jodi Rozental, the Healing Service includes spiritual and secular songs, prayers, and inspirational readings, all performed by a rotation of talented singers and instrumentalists from various schools and organizations in Miami. These culturally diverse performers range in age and come from New World School of the Arts, University of Miami School of Music, Miami Children’s Theatre Choir, Florida Grand Opera and Temple Judea’s Choir. Held quarterly on Tuesdays at 7pm, the next Healing Service will be November 27, 2018.

Now celebrating 70 years of Jewish Learning and Living in Coral Gables, Temple Judea is one of the largest Reform synagogues in Miami with approximately 600 member families. Temple Judea's mission is to enrich members’ ever-more complicated lives with the new insights of ancient Jewish heritage. For more information, visit www.JudeaGables.org.