News From the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

This summer, 700 Israeli teens from Gaza and Lebanese border communities will attend Jewish overnight camps in North America, thanks to you! When the program launched last summer after the October 7 attacks, 1,500 Israeli young adults from traumatized war-zone communities attended Jewish summer camps around the world.

Since October 7, more than $23 million has been distributed to Israelis through the Federation-supported Fund for the Victims of Terror (FVOT), providing comprehensive, prolonged assistance for those dealing with sorrow, fear and uncertainty.

Providing a dignified Jewish burial for someone who lacks financial means is one of the greatest acts of tzedakah. That is the goal of Federation’s Indigent Burial Program. Each year, Federation receives dozens of requests for assistance with burials from families, cemeteries, funeral homes, police and medical facilities.

Last month, Miami’s Diller Teen Fellows welcomed their Israeli counterparts from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation's partnership city of Yerucham, Israel, for an unforgettable week of cultural exchange, deep conversations and plenty of Miami vibes known as the Jewish Community Mifgash.

Earlier this week, the City of Miami Beach Commission voted to rename a portion of 17th Street in honor of Norman Braman, an outstanding community leader. Seventeenth Street, between Washington Avenue and Alton Road, will now be known as Norman Braman Way.

Join your community for a moving commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, on Sunday, April 27 at 6 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 1701 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach.

Federation is supporting the significant increase in French aliyah (immigration to Israel), as applications double. Of the 29,000 new olim (immigrants to Israel) from around the world in the past year, nearly eight percent were from France. Plus, an additional 6,800 French citizens are currently engaged in the process.

During Federation's recent Israel Study Trip, participants visited Miami’s partnership city of Yerucham, where they saw Federation dollars at work. One of the programs that Federation supports is the city’s robotics team.

“Resilience” is a word you hear repeatedly since the brutal October 7 terrorist attacks, and Federation leaders saw true resilience in action as part of their recent study trip to Israel. The group of 13 from Miami visited the Vertigo Dance Company and Eco Art Village, a Federation-funded contemporary dance company in an eco-art village in the Elah Valley.

Looking for a simple way to make a philanthropic impact on our Jewish community? Consider gifts of stock through The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. “Donating stock to our Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) at The Foundation is incredibly simple,” said Jeffrey Levine, a Foundation Board member.

Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, is Thursday, May 1, and there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate right here in Miami! From rikudim (Israeli dance) shows and Krav Maga demonstrations to concerts, Israeli-themed arts and crafts activities and Lunch & Learns, there is something for everyone. Our recently released Jewish Miami: A 2024 Community Study demonstrated that Miami Jews have a deep connection to Israel and are highly engaged in Jewish community.

Observe Yom HaShoah with your Jewish Miami family on Sunday, April 27 at 6 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 1701 Washington Avenue. Presented by the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach, the Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day — gathering will memorialize the 6 million Jews murdered and pay tribute to the courage and resilience of Holocaust Survivors.

Clients of Jewish Community Services Kosher Food Bank received some extra help ahead of Passover, thanks to the ongoing generosity of the Saul Schottenstein Foundation. Prior to Pesach, individuals and families facing food insecurity in Jewish Miami were given grocery gift cards along with their regular food packages.

For the fourth year in a row, Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council convened Jewish Miami to march in the Miami Beach Pride Parade this past Sunday. Seventy-five participants from 37 Jewish organizations, including Federation’s Young Leadership Division, came together to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Federation is partnering with Summer Camp Israel to help young adults from displaced families in Israel’s northern and southern periphery attend a special camp in the days leading up to Passover.

Join your global Jewish community and send Passover wishes to a vulnerable Jew. For Jews everywhere, this Pesach feels different from all others. As the wars in Israel and Ukraine continue and antisemitism skyrockets, our responsibility to care for one another and strengthen Jewish life is as important as ever.

The Jewish community of Miami-Dade County is vibrant, growing, engaged and diverse, according to Jewish Miami: A 2024 Community Study, released this week by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.

A group of Jewish Miami leaders recently returned from an Israel Study Trip, an in-depth journey to see how Federation dollars are helping individuals, families and communities recover from the attacks of October 7.