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Sep 10, 2024

Send Get Well Wishes to Col. Golan Vach, Surfside Search-and-Rescue Hero Injured in Gaza

Federation and Jewish Miami are sending blessings of refuah shlemah (get-well wishes) to Col. (res.) Golan Vach, who led rescue efforts in Surfside and was recently injured in Gaza. Following the tragic 2021 collapse of Surfside’s Champlain Towers South, Vach and his unit joined local first responders to help locate individuals who perished beneath the rubble. A father of seven, Vach has been on continuous reserve duty since October 7. As part of the closing ceremonies at Federation’s Israel at 75 Miami Mega Mission in 2023, Vach and his team were honored for their heroic work in Surfside (pictured above). Upon hearing news of Vach's injury due to a tunnel collapse in Gaza, Federation reached out to him directly. He shared that he is healing well and has already been released from the hospital. To send your own get well wishes via email to Vach, please click here.

Healing a Traumatized Nation and its People

Healing a Traumatized Nation and its People

Since the barbaric attacks of October 7, providing mental health services and rebuilding individual, communal and national resilience have been priorities.

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Bringing Israelis Together

Bringing Israelis Together

Demonstrating the power of connection, Federation’s longtime partnership city of Yerucham recently hosted a visit from residents of Kibbutz Or HaNer, a community on the Gaza border hit hard on October 7.

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Subscribe to PJ Library for Free Books


Subscribe to PJ Library for Free Books


With a free subscription to PJ Library, children from birth to eight years old receive Jewish storybooks and activities that spark conversations around Judaism and inspire the whole family to celebrate what they love about Jewish life.

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Nominate an Outstanding Teen

Nominate an Outstanding Teen

Do you know an extraordinary Jewish teen who is a true changemaker? Each year, the Helen Diller Family Foundation awards 15 Jewish teens with $36,000 in recognition of their exceptional leadership and engagement in service projects that embody the value of tikkun olam (repairing the world).

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