News From the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

More than a thousand South Floridians joined the Greater Miami Jewish Federation at the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center in North Miami Beach Sunday night at the Israel Solidarity Rally, raising their voices together in support of the people of Israel, echoing their dream of living in peace and security.

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation and its Jewish Community Relations Council, together with the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami, the Consulate General of Israel to Florida & Puerto Rico and Miami’s Synagogues, Day Schools and Jewish Community Organizations invite you to Stand together with Israel.

Hundreds of deadly rockets continue to hit Israel, launched by Hamas and other terrorist groups from Gaza. The Greater Miami Jewish Federation Israel Crisis Response Effort is bringing direct and immediate aid to the people of Israel.

After days of an escalated, deadly barrage of rocket attacks on southern Israel by Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, forcing more than one million Israeli civilians into bomb shelters, Israel launched Operation Pillar of Defense.

As residents of New Jersey, New York and other parts of the northeastern U.S. try to deal with the effects of Hurricane Sandy, which has wreaked havoc on their communities, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is joining a national effort to provide immediate, nonsectarian aid where it is needed most.

Tzedakah (social justice) and tikkun olam (repair of the world) are only concepts until educators and parents help bring these Jewish values to life. That’s the thinking behind the new “Federation Youth Ambassadors” program, which connects students from five Miami-area Jewish day schools with the work of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and its partner agencies.

Selam, a multi-generational Ethiopian-Israeli dance troupe from Pardes Channa-Karkur, recently performed at the home of Israeli President Shimon Peres as part of the Open Sukkah event held each year at the President’s home in Jerusalem.

After many years of anticipation, the new Galbut Family Miami Beach Jewish Community Center on the Simkins Family Campus (MBJCC) will throw open its doors wide on Sunday, October 21 to welcome members of the community to a free Community Day at its all-new location at 4221 Pine Tree Drive.

In celebration of the enduring spirit that kept so many alive during the Holocaust and in tribute to the millions who perished, the New World Symphony and the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation will present Inside the Music: Songs of the Holocaust on Tuesday, November 13.

Immediately following the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy on communities in New Jersey, New York and other Northeastern states, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation joined a national effort to raise funds to provide immediate, nonsectarian aid to those impacted by this tragedy.

Discover a fun, meaningful way to spark the imaginations of Miami pre-schoolers. The Jewish Volunteer Center (JVC) of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is recruiting volunteers for the United Way of Miami-Dade’s popular ReadingPals literacy program.

With elections on the minds of so many these days, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation will present Party Politics: An Interactive Discussion for ALL Inquiring Minds, Monday, October 22 at The Green Diamond, 4775 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

When you are president of Israel and are about to reach the milestone of 89 years old, there are many ways you can celebrate your birthday. Shimon Peres chose to spend his special day – Thursday, August 16, 2012 – in Yerucham, a city in Israel’s Negev Desert region that is partner to Miami’s Jewish community.

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation is joining the national Jewish Federations of North America Disaster Relief Fund to contribute to local recovery and rebuilding in the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. One hundred percent of all contributions to this fund are being allocated directly to the relief effort.

Among Miami Beach’s iconic Art Deco buildings and hotels sits the new Galbut Family Miami Beach JCC on the Simkins Family Campus, the newest jewel of Miami Beach’s architecture, ready and waiting to welcome its first visitors.

Were you part of Miami Mega Mission Israel 2012 – or wish you had been? People across Miami’s Jewish community are still talking about this extraordinary journey. Here’s your chance to join your Miami friends and neighbors in Israel in April 2013 – just in time to celebrate two milestones, the 65th anniversary of the creation of the modern State of Israel and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is offering a new video-based mini-course featuring world-renowned experts on Israel and the Middle East. The free course is made available through a partnership between JCRC and Jerusalem Online University (JOU) that will enable individuals as well as organizations to benefit from JOU’s Israel educational resources.

Discover a remarkable and life-changing opportunity to bring comfort, spiritual solace and joy to people in need. For the fourth consecutive year, The Jewish Chaplaincy Program and Jewish Volunteer Center are seeking volunteers for the Refuat Ha-Nefesh Spiritual Care Program.