Mar 10, 2011

Foundation Annual Meeting Slated for May 5

The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation will host its 2011 Annual Meeting on Thursday, May 5 at the Jewish Museum of Florida, 301 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. A museum tour and cocktails will begin at 5 p.m., followed at 5:45 p.m. by a buffet dinner and the program.

The event will recognize new members of the Heritage and Lion of Judah Endowment Societies for their dedication to the future of the Jewish community. In addition, Marcia Jo Zerivitz, Founding Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Jewish Museum of Florida, will be honored on the occasion of her retirement.

Guest speaker for the evening will be Scot Marken, President and CEO of Donors Forum of South Florida, a regional membership association of charitable foundations, corporate grantmakers, individual philanthropists and government funders active in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. In this role, which he has held since January 2004, Marken serves as a lead voice representing organized philanthropy in South Florida to local funders, nonprofits, the media and the national philanthropic community. Prior to his work at Donors Forum, Marken headed up an international philanthropic consulting firm based in Miami that specialized in creating corporate/nonprofit partnerships. Over the past 12 years, Marken has given more than 150 presentations related to philanthropy on the local, regional, national and international levels. He is frequently sought out as an expert resource by journalists writing about philanthropy, and has assisted Newsweek, CNN, The Christian Science Monitor, msnbc.com, The Oakland Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Nonprofit Times, The Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, The Miami Herald and numerous broadcast media throughout South Florida.

Marcia Jo Zerivitz has been a Jewish community leader, consultant and fundraiser for nearly 50 years as both a volunteer and a professional. In addition to her role at the Jewish Museum of Florida, her experience includes service in the UJA Young Leadership Cabinet, Greater Orlando Jewish Federation, the Florida Association of Jewish Federations, Israel Bonds, AIPAC, ORT, Hadassah and many other organizations. Zerivitz guided the restoration of an abandoned Art Deco building and opened the Jewish Museum of Florida in 1995, raising more than $34 million for the museum and presenting over 50 exhibits in 16 years. Her publications include Jews of Greater Miami and Florida Jewish Heritage Trail, and she authored the Florida entries for the 2006 Encyclopedia Judaica. She also initiated the legislation for both a Florida Jewish History Month in 2003 (each January) and a Jewish American Heritage Month in 2006 (each May). Her many awards and honors include “Outstanding Museum Professional” from the Florida Association of Museums and the “Arts Management Excellence Award” from the Dade Cultural Alliance.

The $36 couvert for the 2011 Annual Meeting, which is not tax-deductible as a charitable contribution, includes valet parking. Dietary laws will be observed. There will be no solicitation of funds.

Reservations are requested by Thursday, April 28. To make a reservation, click here, or contact The Foundation at [email protected] or 786.866.8467.