Federation Launches 2nd Annual Jewish Community Heroes Awards to Recognize and Promote Volunteerism

For the second year, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is joining with The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and Jewish communities across the United States and Canada to recognize extraordinary individuals who are helping others through volunteer service.

The Jewish Community Heroes initiative, created by JFNA, is part of a broad effort to promote public service. Last year’s inaugural program was the largest Jewish social-networking campaign to date, attracting well over a half-million online votes for several hundred worthy nominees, including many from the Miami area.

More than 65 organizations are supporting the initiative, which will honor one Jewish Community Hero of the Year and four additional finalists. Each finalist will receive a Heroes grant — $25,000 for the winner — to support their projects, which can range from running charity bake sales or low-income literacy projects to helping neighborhood development programs or mobilizing people around a good cause. Any American or Canadian resident at least 13 years of age is eligible to be nominated through October 8.

Five 2010 honorees and the Jewish Community Hero of the Year will be recognized at this year’s JFNA’s General Assembly (GA), taking place November 7–9 in New Orleans. A panel of judges will select the Jewish Community Hero of the Year from among the 20 nominees who receive the most online support.

This year’s judges include scientist Dean Kamen (inventor of the Segway and other innovations); filmmaker Tiffany Schlain (The Tribe); actor Elliot Gould (M*A*S*H, Friends); screenwriter and director Etan Cohen (King of the Hill, Idiocracy, Tropic Thunder); four-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Lenny Krayzelburg; and last year’s national honorees.

In addition to the Jewish Community Hero of the Year, JFNA will also honor for the first time a Federation Hero, who will be selected from those Heroes nominees who take a leading role in a project the Jewish Federation movement supports.

Learn more, nominate and vote for your Jewish Community Hero for 2010.

To find out how you can make a difference through volunteerism in Miami’s Jewish community, contact the Jewish Volunteer Center of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation at Volunteer@JewishMiami.org or 786.866.8414.