May 28, 2024

Federation Welcomes New Volunteer and Professional Leadership at Annual Meeting

Lily Serviansky, Incoming Chair of the Board

Mojdeh Khagan Danial, Incoming General Campaign Chair

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation installed new volunteer leadership at the 86th Annual Meeting, chaired by Debbie and David Mendal on May 30, and changes in professional leadership were announced. Lily Serviansky was installed as Chair of the Board, Mojdeh Khaghan Danial was appointed General Campaign Chair and Federation installed our 2024-2025 Officers, Board of Directors, Life Trustees and Council of Jewish Organization members.

Serviansky and Danial were both born outside the US and are illustrative of one of the most diverse Jewish communities in the nation. Born in Mexico, Serviansky most recently served as General Campaign Chair and led the effort to raise nearly $27 million for the Annual Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Campaign and nearly $30 million for the Israel Emergency Fund, the latter of which was launched the day of the horrific October 7 terrorist massacre in Israel. Serviansky is a passionate, longtime community leader, having served as Chair of The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, President of Temple Beth Am in Pinecrest and in key roles in other community nonprofits throughout Miami-Dade County. Danial was born in Iran and most recently served Federation as both Jewish Community Relations Council Chair and Major Gifts Chair. An attorney by profession, she has been involved in numerous causes in our community, including healthcare, education and civic engagement. Serviansky and Danial assume these leadership positions at a pivotal moment for Jews worldwide amid alarming antisemitism, the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, and a tremendous increase in anti-Israel activism and Jew hatred on college and university campuses across North America.

Also at the Annual Meeting, Outgoing Board Chair Ariel Bentata was honored for his long-standing service to our community, particularly during these challenging times for the Jewish people.

A highlight of the program was the presentation of leadership awards to six outstanding individuals. Gisela and Daniel Ades and Jessica Katz were recognized with the Stanley C. Myers Presidents’ Leadership Award; Ali Mendoza and Brian Riemer received the Sandra C. Goldstein Young Leadership Award and Dana Yemin Schrager accepted the Robert Russell Fellowship Award.

In addition to the changes in volunteer leadership, longtime President & CEO Jacob Solomon, who has served the organization and the Jewish community for 43 years, retires on June 30 and will continue in a consulting role as President & CEO Emeritus.

Scott Kaufman, President & CEO - Interim

As part of this executive transition, Federation’s Board of Directors has engaged Scott Kaufman as  President & CEO - Interim, effective July 1. Kaufman is an experienced professional who served as Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit from 2009 to 2019. He is widely regarded as one of the foremost innovators and community-builders in the Jewish communal world. Under his leadership, the Detroit Federation saw steady growth in all its philanthropic channels and in the overall level of participation in Jewish communal activities. Kaufman has been involved in several social entrepreneurial projects and, since leaving the Detroit Federation, also served as Interim CEO for three Jewish federations. Most recently, he was the national Board Chair of Leading Edge, an organization that helps Jewish nonprofits improve their workplace culture and leadership so that they can better achieve their missions.

Jeffrey Y. Levin, Executive Vice President

Another major professional leadership change at Federation, as of May 23, is the promotion of Jeffrey Y. Levin to Executive Vice President from Chief Development Officer, a position he has held since 2008. With a career as a Jewish communal professional spanning more than three decades, Levin has been responsible for dramatically increasing all streams of fundraising for the Miami Jewish community, marking new milestones for the Annual Federation/UJA Campaign. Previously, he served as Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Ann Arbor, Michigan, enabling that community to experience a financial and programmatic renaissance.