News From the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

Join Jewish Miami for a communitywide commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the October 7. Miami Remembers October 7: From Mourning to Hope will honor the victims and their families of the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust, pay tribute to the Israeli heroes and share our optimism for the future of Israel, its people and the Jewish Diaspora.

Answering the needs of Israel’s farmers and hungry families who have been hit particularly hard since October 7, Leket is now focusing on propping up the country’s agricultural industry and distributing more food to those in need.

Federation’s Mishkan Miami: The Jewish Connection for Spiritual Support is seeking compassionate individuals who want to make a difference in the lives of others. The Refuat Ha-Nefesh Spiritual Care Program is a unique group of volunteers who will be trained in the mitzvah of bikur cholim (visiting the sick) and learn the art of spiritual care.

Don’t miss the excellent networking opportunity at Federation’s 23rd Annual Sunset Over Miami on Wednesday, September 25, 7-9 p.m. at The Moore Miami. Presented by Federation’s Real Estate Division, the event invites architects, attorneys, brokers, builders, contractors, developers, lenders and professionals affiliated with these trades to a chic cocktail reception in the heart of Miami’s Design District.

Looking to welcome the Jewish New Year with your neighbors and family? Online registration is now open for a select number of free High Holiday seats at participating Miami-area synagogues. As a service to our community, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami, along with many local synagogues, are making the High Holiday Welcome Program available to unaffiliated individuals in Miami-Dade County so everyone can experience the richness of these special days.

The Summer of Tkuma (Rebirth), an innovative summer camp, helped prepare nearly 11,000 displaced Israeli children to return home. Supported by Federation and our overseas partners and developed by Habaita (Homeward), the six-week program welcomed fourth- through 12th-grade students from the western Negev, enabling them to reconnect with their schoolmates and teachers, engage in both studies and recreation — and just be kids again!

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 the newly appointed Chair of The Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE), Mark Kravitz is eager to bring his passion for education front and center. In a post-10/7 world, Kravitz knows now is the time to reevaluate, reenergize and redefine Jewish education, and Miami is the place to do it.

Through unique and inclusive programming, Miami’s three Federation-supported JCCs are making sure that every camper has a chance for summer fun. A variety of special needs programming and inclusive day camp experiences are spread throughout Miami-Dade County, from Alper JCC Miami in south Miami and the Miami Beach JCC to the Michael-Ann Russell JCC in North Miami Beach.

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation is helping institute a two-stage emergency preparedness plan to aid 150,000 vulnerable residents of Israel’s evacuated northern communities.

This summer, hundreds of Israeli teens from Gaza border communities attended summer camp in the US, thanks to Campers2Gether, a program of Federation overseas partner The Jewish Agency for Israel.

Federation’s BeWell Miami initiative in partnership with Florida Hillels ensures Jewish college students are prioritizing their mental health with access to safe and supportive communities during this tumultuous time.

Online registration for the High Holiday Welcome Program, providing unaffiliated individuals in Miami-Dade County with free holiday seats, begins Wednesday, September 11 on JewishMiami.org.

Our High Holiday Welcome Program offers unaffiliated individuals and families in Miami-Dade County free seats to holiday services. If you have not yet made plans to attend Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, we encourage you to join a synagogue and connect with your Jewish community.

Applications for Miami's Leo Martin March of the Living 2025 are now open. Jewish high school in Miami-Dade County are encouraged to apply for this meaningful and immersive educational experience from April 21 to May 2, 2025.

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation, the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami and the Consulate General of Israel in Miami, in partnership with Miami synagogues, day schools and agencies, present a communitywide commemoration on the one-year anniversary of October 7, 2023.

A specialized E-bike, donated by Federation to United Hatzalah, is saving lives throughout Israel, as demonstrated on October 7 by one “angel in orange,” medic Itamar Chazzan. That fateful morning, Chazzan’s neighborhood in the south was attacked by Hamas rockets. As soon as he could, Chazzan responded to a call for help.

Federation’s Israeli Division recently gathered to celebrate its vibrant and increased presence in Jewish Miami and welcome Menachem Kalmanzon, recipient of the 2024 Israel Prize for Civil Heroism.