News from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

Super Sunday, the Miami Jewish community’s largest annual fundraising phonathon, was energized this year by a significant increase in the amount of money pledged to the 2013 Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Campaign.

The Jewish Volunteer Center of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, the central clearinghouse for volunteerism in Miami’s Jewish community, is always looking for individuals, families and groups who would like to get involved and help local nonprofit organizations.

The Jewish Volunteer Center (JVC) of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is now accepting nominations for its 2013 Outstanding Volunteer Award. This annual award recognizes and honors the efforts of people in Miami’s Jewish community who are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others and improving the world through volunteerism.

Imagine being frail, elderly and destitute, suffering from illness and isolation, and struggling to survive under some of the most adverse social, political, economic and climatic conditions in the world. That is the very real situation faced by people throughout the former Soviet Union (FSU) each day.

Members of Miami’s Jewish community have a new opportunity to experience the mosaic that is Israel by joining the Greater Miami Jewish Federation on Mission Mosaic, November 3 through November 10, 2013.

Chad Bernstein is one of South Florida’s premier Latin, jazz and funk musicians, and plays with the Latin Grammy-nominated Spam Allstars and the band, ¡Suénalo!

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation and participating synagogues have established the Gift of Israel Savings Program, formerly known as Passport to Israel. The program enables families to begin saving early for their child’s Israel experience – and enjoy the benefit of matching-dollar grants from community.

The Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation will present a series of diverse and informative programs, free of charge, throughout the month of February, as it sponsors its Holocaust Education Month at various locations throughout Miami-Dade County.

This March, 15 Ethiopian-Israeli teenagers from Pardes Channa-Karkur will embark on a 10-day journey called “Roots,” taking them to Ethiopia and allowing them to witness the reality of life in the African nation. They will gain a better understanding of the sacrifices and difficulties their parents and grandparents had to endure, enabling them to become Israelis.

Join volunteers from around Miami on Monday, January 21, to honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with “A Day On, Not a Day Off,” a day of service that will transform Madison Middle School with the Jewish Volunteer Center of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.

The Holocaust Memorial Institute at Yad Vashem, a unique and ongoing partnership between the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and Yad Vashem’s International School for Holocaust Studies, gives educators a rare opportunity to learn new ways to share the lessons of the Shoah with their students.

Steeped in spirituality and inspired by sacred text, Jewish music has the ability to link Jews in a broader and deeper sense of community and enhance the vibrancy of the Jewish people. The Greater Miami Jewish Federation, together with Miami-area synagogues and Jewish day schools, will host the Fifth International Shalshelet Jewish Music Festival.

Best-selling author and internationally renowned speaker Doron Kornbluth will be discussing the topic, “How to Raise Kids to Love Being Jewish” in the Miami area on January 22 and 23, presented by PJ Library Miami, the International Division and Women’s Philanthropy Miami Beach Area, all of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.

Nineteen Israeli organizations that empower women to improve Israeli society were recently awarded grants from the Annual Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Campaign, through Federation's Women’s Amutot Initiative.

Hundreds of people from Miami’s Jewish community volunteered their time on December 25, preparing and serving meals to those in need, creating holiday celebrations for those less fortunate and wrapping presents for children in hospitals. It was all part of the Fifth Annual Jewish Community Volunteer Day.

The mission was called “Resilience & Recovery” and seven Miami Jewish leaders saw plenty of both when they toured southern Israel December 4-6. The delegation from Miami journeyed together with representatives from communities across the U.S., to express solidarity with the people of Israel.

On a bitter cold day December 6, exactly 25 years ago, about 800 members of Miami’s Jewish community joined 250,000 people from throughout the United States and Canada in Washington, D.C. to march and advocate for Soviet Jews. The day was called Freedom Sunday and it led to the eventual freedom of more than 1.5 million Jews who would finally be able to practice their Judaism and make new lives in Israel and in the United States.