Home / See, Read & Share / Federation News

Jul 1, 2019

Young Adults From Miami Experience Israel With Taglit-Birthright

A warm welcome home to the 41 participants from the Miami Community Taglit-Birthright trip, organized by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, who recently returned from Israel. The young adult group, ages 27-32, discovered the country with their peers while developing a connection to their spiritual homeland. Highlights included a stop in Federation’s partnership city of Yerucham, where they visited an after-school program, a local synagogue and took part in a traditional drum circle. The group also toured the Golan Heights, rafted on the Jordan River, hiked Masada and spent time with the Ethiopian-Israeli community in Pardes Channa Karkur, where they tasted native cuisine and worked in the garden.

The itinerary provided participants a first-hand look at life in Israel. When the group traveled to Pardes Channa, they met with the community’s leader and listened to the experiences of those who made the difficult aliyah journey, which for many included walking from Ethiopia to Sudan before being airlifted to Israel. For 30-year-old Shirley Benayon, the personal connection with the Israeli citizens proved particularly meaningful. “When I heard their stories, I saw a different perspective,” she said. “They have fought so hard to be Jewish; it helped us all realize what a gift we have to practice our religion.”

Noah Browne, 30, shared the sense of connection to those in Pardes Channa as well. “My father grew up in Trinidad, so the cultural aspects of the community resonated with me,” he said. He marveled at the shared Jewish traditions. “It doesn’t matter where you are from, Judaism is there with an open community.”

Benayon and Browne have returned home energized about Israel and their Jewish heritage. “It is beautiful to realize there is a whole country that shares your values,” Benayon said.

Creating Community in Times of Crisis

Creating Community in Times of Crisis

As missiles rained down and everyone took shelter, Federation did what it does best: organized a swift response, located resources and brought people together.

Read More

Helping Israelis Under Iranian Fire

Helping Israelis Under Iranian Fire

Through your support of the Israel Emergency Fund (IEF), an additional $10 million is now helping Israelis whose needs have increased dramatically since the start of the Israel-Iran war.

Read More

Meet Shelly Brodie: New Chair of The Foundation

Meet Shelly Brodie: New Chair of The Foundation

Longtime Federation Board member, Forever Pacesetter and highly involved volunteer Shelly Brodie will become the new Chair of The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, effective July 1.

Read More

Lending a (Small) Hand: Kids Helping Kids

Lending a (Small) Hand: Kids Helping Kids

Preschoolers at the Herman & Miriam Tauber Academy raised $800 to help children in Federation’s partner city of Yerucham buy necessary school supplies.

Read More

Stay in Touch

Receive news about Greater Miami Jewish Federation events and more.