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Jan 26, 2024

Greater Miami Jewish Federation, its JCRC and RAGM React to ICJ Ruling

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation, its Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami (RAGM) are gratified that the United Nations’ International Court of Justice (ICJ) provisional ruling this morning (Jan. 26) did not call for an immediate ceasefire, recognizing Israel’s right to self-defense. We applaud the court’s demand that the hostages be released immediately and unconditionally.

However, as the Jewish Federations of North America wrote to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, "There is simply no basis for the claim that Israel is engaging or has the intention to engage in genocide in Gaza or elsewhere. Israel has repeatedly stated its conflict is with Hamas terrorists – who are responsible for the October 7th massacre – not the millions of Palestinian civilians living in Gaza,"

We once again reject the baseless claims of genocide of the Palestinian people by Israel and are deeply disappointed by the plaintiff’s (South Africa) politically motivated, one-sided attempt to punish Israel for defending itself against Hamas, a terrorist organization committed to genocide of the Jewish people. South Africa is one of the few countries in the world that maintains open, diplomatic ties with Hamas. South Africa’s actions, along with the ICJ’s failure to dismiss this case in its entirety, only further the UN’s deep anti-Israel bias. Specifically, they ignore the significant steps Hamas has undertaken to cause destruction and devastation to its own civilians by routinely stealing humanitarian aid for military purposes and by purposely embedding its military inside and underneath heavily populated civilian areas such as mosques, schools and hospitals. Israel has done everything in its power to minimize civilian deaths and provide humanitarian aid.

We state emphatically that we, the Jewish people, have the right to defend ourselves. And Israel, as the only sovereign state of the Jewish people and the only democratic outpost in the Middle East, has both the right to exist and the obligation to defend itself against those who have explicitly called for its destruction. As such, it deserves our unambiguous and steadfast support.

Kibbutznik Find Healing With Surf Therapy

Kibbutznik Find Healing With Surf Therapy

With the help of Federation funding, Kibbutz Or HaNer recently launched three new surf therapy groups supporting women from families of reservists, men ages 35-55 and adults 55-and-over.

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Do You Want to Be a Diller Teen Fellow?

Do You Want to Be a Diller Teen Fellow?

Diller Teen Fellows, a pluralistic and immersive leadership program for rising Jewish 10th and 11th graders is now accepting applications for their next cohort that will take place during the academic year 2025-2026.

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Eighth Annual Robotics Festival

Eighth Annual Robotics Festival

Scheck Hillel Community School, one of 10 Federation-funded Jewish day schools, hosted the 8th Annual CAJE Jewish Day School Robotics Festival this May.

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Helping Holocaust Survivors

Helping Holocaust Survivors

At 109 years old, Malka “Mollie” Horwitz is Miami-Dade County’s oldest known living Holocaust Survivor, and for the past 11 years has been able to live in dignity, thanks to the Federation-funded Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program operated by our partner Jewish Community Services of South Florida (JCS).

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