News From the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

As we prepare to celebrate Shavuot – commemorating the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people – it’s wonderful to know that your support of the Annual Federation/UJA Campaign is bringing other Jews closer to their heritage.

Attention, employers! Are you looking for qualified candidates to help grow your business? JWorks Miami is a community employment program provided through a partnership of Federation and Jewish Community Services of South Florida, and offered at no cost to local employers and Jewish job-seekers.

Last week, 35 leaders from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation traveled to Cuba to experience the island’s Jewish community firsthand.

Summer is a great time to do something good for others, and Federation’s Jewish Volunteer Center has a brand-new website to help you get started!

Despite the hardships of growing up in the war-torn areas of the former Soviet Union, teens in cities across the region are coming together to celebrate their Judaism. Federation’s overseas partner agency, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), has prioritized supporting Jewish teen life around the world.

Whether you are going through a difficult time or wish to provide comfort to someone who is, Federation’s Mishkan Miami: The Jewish Connection for Spiritual Support ensures you are never alone. Mishkan Miami’s caring corps of Jewish chaplains, rabbis and volunteers work year-round with doctors to provide holistic spiritual, mental and physical care to those who are lonely or ill.

There will be lots of happy campers this summer, thanks to $122,000 in need-based Jewish overnight camp scholarships provided by Federation to 200 Miami-Dade children ages 8-17.

Amy N. Dean was elected Board Chair of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and Jeffrey Scheck was elected General Campaign Chair this week at Federation’s 78th Annual Meeting. Robert G. Berrin was honored for his long-time service to Miami’s Jewish community as Board Chair and past Campaign Chair. Young Leadership awards were presented to Matthew L. Adler, Sara Bejar, Amir Gold, Arnaud Karsenti and Shoshanna Wagner. The Annual Meeting was chaired by Steven J. Brodie and Isaac K. Fisher. Dean and Scheck will assume their new roles on July 1. Pictured at left: Federation President and CEO Jacob Solomon, Amy N. Dean, Robert G. Berrin and Jeffrey Scheck.

The Diller Teen Fellows, an international, immersive leadership program, is seeking Jewish teens entering 10th and 11th grades from Miami-Dade County to join its 2016-2017 cohort.

Now there’s a great, new, animated way to share Jewish values with children ages 4-7. ¸PJ Library has partnered with BimBam to bring a fun, educational webseries called Shaboom! to life.

Many community-minded companies match their employees’ donations to social-service organizations like the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. While most programs match contributions dollar for dollar, some will even double or triple the amount of the gift!

Hurricane season is here, and Federation’s Jewish Volunteer Center is seeking compassionate, helpful people to join the 2016 Jewish Volunteer Emergency Response Team (JVERT) and assist our community in case of a disaster.

In Israel, when the two-minute siren sounds at 11 am on Yom Hazikaron, the Jewish State's Memorial Day, the nation comes to a halt. As we saw just two weeks ago, cars on streets and highways pull over, and drivers and passengers get out of their vehicles to stand and observe a moment of silence. Shoppers halt in the aisles of stores. Workers stand next to their desks. Places of entertainment close for the day.

The 21st Annual Ministering to the Elderly Conference will consider the topic of “Aging: Envisioning a New Future” on Monday, June 6, 2016 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Miami Jewish Health Systems, 5200 Northeast Second Avenue, Miami.

There’s still time to register for Federation’s 78th Annual Meeting, Wednesday, June 1 at Jungle Island. Don’t miss the opportunity to thank our outgoing Board Chair Robert G. Berrin, welcome our Board Chair-Elect Amy N. Dean, honor five outstanding leaders and celebrate our community’s many achievements over the past year.

In recent weeks, residents of the Negev desert community have been visited by participants from the Leo Martin March of the Living and the FIU Birthright Israel trip, and members of the senior class of Shaarei Bina-Torah Academy for Girls.

If you’re looking for a great way to promote your business and support Miami’s Jewish community, Federation’s Proud Business Partners program makes it easy to do both.

Discover a remarkable and life-changing volunteer opportunity to give educational assistance to children working toward academic achievement. The Jewish Volunteer Center (JVC) and the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) are looking for educators, retired educators and volunteers with an education background to join the Educator Volunteer Network this summer.