News From the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

Established more than a decade ago, the Negev Now Network (NNN), a coalition of four Jewish federations, including Miami, Philadelphia, Metrowest NJ and Montreal, is working to improve the region by leveraging community resources and relationships.

Amigour, a longtime Federation partner that provides affordable housing and social services to older Israelis, has extended extra care and services to its residents due to the war. Of the approximately 7,500 clients, many of whom are Holocaust Survivors, 5,000 live in housing developments in the south and other war-impacted regions.

When you contribute to the Annual Greater Miami Jewish Federation Campaign on Give Miami Day, your generosity goes even further. That’s because every donation between $25 and $10,000, including a new pledge or payment on an existing pledge, is eligible for an additional donation from The Miami Foundation.

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.

Holocaust Education Week, presented by Federation’s Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach, begins November 4, and culminates with a community commemoration of Kristallnacht on November 10.

The general election is fast approaching and JCRC’s Election Toolkit aims to educate, engage and inform voters in Miami-Dade County. The document includes guidelines for mail-in voting and early voting. Tomorrow, October 24, is the last day to request a mail-in ballot.

For the past year, Beit Issie Shapiro has been expanding its work to help Israelis with disabilities cope with ongoing trauma as a result of the horrors of October 7. Through Federation's Israel Emergency Fund, Beit Issie has been welcoming families from Israel’s north and south into their Ra’anana facility for therapy services free of charge, including private and group therapy and access to the sensory room, sports center and indoor heated pool.

Give back this Thanksgiving holiday by participating in the 16th Annual Everything but the Turkey, hosted by Federation’s Jewish Volunteer Center (JVC) in North Dade on Sunday, November 10, 11 a.m., and South Dade on Sunday, November 17, 2 p.m.

“You saved and saved. Now use your savings to create your Jewish legacy,” says Federation Past President and Board member Michael Scheck. Along with his wife, Federation Board member and Past Women's Philanthropy President, Raquel, Michael funds their Federation donation through an IRA charitable rollover.

Last week, a number of Federation-supported JCCs and Hesed social welfare centers in Ukraine ensured the local Jewish population had a vibrant and meaningful Sukkot, despite the war that has been gripping the nation for more than two years.

With northern Israel under constant rocket attacks, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation recently distributed an additional 40 pallets of lifesaving medical equipment to 37 area municipalities. Through the Annual Federation Campaign, advanced life support EMS kits and stretchers were delivered as part of our wide-ranging post-October 7 emergency response to assist hundreds of thousands of Israelis.

Hillel International, a Federation partner, is encouraging college students to stand up against antisemitism, discrimination and misinformation through its new online resource Campus4All.

Join Jewish Miami for the communitywide commemoration of Kristallnacht, “the Night of Broken Glass,” on Sunday, November 10 at 6 p.m. at Temple Israel of Greater Miami. The Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach, a Committee of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, will present the testimony of a 100-year-old eyewitness to the Shoah in a program that pays tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and honors the resilience of Survivors.

A group of nine leaders from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation recently traveled to Israel to be present for the one-year anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks.

October is Disability Awareness Month and the Miami Jewish Abilities Alliance (MJAA), a Federation program, is continuing to raise awareness around disability access and advocacy. The MJAA website provides a unique and comprehensive guide on everything from advocating for a child with a learning disability to navigating their transition into adulthood.

Your donations to the Annual Campaign enable Federation to support Wings, a program that cares for IDF lone soldiers, an effort that has become even more critical as the war reaches its one-year mark and extends into northern Israel.

Close to 1,400 friends of Israel gathered at Temple Beth Sholom on Monday for Miami Remembers October 7 to memorialize the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust. Community cantors performed prayers and songs and Holocaust Survivors lit yahrzeit candles for the 17 communities decimated by Hamas massacres on October 7.

Committed to the power of tikkun olam (repairing the world), Saul Schottenstein, z"l, demonstrated his devotion to Jewish Miami by creating a lasting legacy that has helped thousands of individuals and families in the community facing food insufficiency.