Working in Many Ways for Our Jewish Community

The Mission of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is to mobilize human and financial resources to care for those in need, strengthen Jewish life and advance the unity, values and shared purpose of the Jewish people in Miami, in Israel and around the world.

Working with local Partner Agencies, volunteers and donors, the Community Planning & Allocations Department creates, manages and/or supports numerous programs and services that help to fulfill Federation’s Mission and enhance the lives of thousands of Jewish people each year.

These include:

JCS Access, Information & Referral Services

Working with Jewish Community Services (JCS) of South Florida, Federation helped to establish – and continues to provide funding – for a free 24-hour Community Helpline that serves as a lifeline to many in Miami’s Jewish community. JCS Access is a comprehensive information and referral service that directs callers to the social services and health-related programs they need. Click here to read more.

Job Services

To help address the important issue of unemployment in our community, Federation and Jewish Community Services of South Florida have partnered to provide JWorks Miami (formerly ParnossahWorks). This unique online job service and initiative aims to help job-seekers gain access to available job opportunities — and to provide employers with a way to locate qualified applicants and talent for their staffing needs. Click here to read more.

Welcoming New Residents

Shalom, welcome to Miami! A great place to live, work, play and be Jewish! If you are new to Miami, take advantage of everything our Jewish community has to offer. Sign up here for your complimentary welcome gift and to be connected to a Welcome Ambassador.

Gift of Israel Savings Program

Created by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation in partnership with area synagogues, the Gift of Israel Savings Program is a unique savings incentive program that has made it possible for hundreds of families to provide inspiring, educational Israel experiences for their children. It works like this: After your child is enrolled, your family will make an annual contribution of $100 per year for up to 10 years (1st grade - 10th grade). The Greater Miami Jewish Federation will match $100 annually, participating synagogues may also match $100 annually. Applications are available through local synagogues. For further information, contact the Gift of Israel Savings Program at [email protected] or 786.866.8497.

Scholarships

The Community Planning & Allocations Department partners with other organizations to ensure that scholarship are available for meaningful formal and informal Jewish educational opportunities. Among these:

• Supplemental (“Hardship”) Jewish Day School Scholarships: Federation provides Jewish day schools in Miami with supplemental funds to assist families still struggling after the initial scholarship process. Funded by Federation and the Louis Nieweg Fund of The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, this scholarship program is co-administered by Federation and the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE). Federation and CAJE work directly with the day schools on behalf of their families in need of this assistance. The process takes place toward the end of the school year, typically in May or June.
• Jewish Education and Communal Service Scholarships: Scholarship assistance is available to college students (junior and senior undergraduate and graduate levels) enrolled in professional degree programs and pursuing careers in Jewish education and Jewish communal service. Funding is made available through the Lena and Joseph Silverman Scholarship Fund and Nathan and Sara Gorn Fund, administered by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Applications are available to Miami-Dade County residents in January and must be completed by mid-April.
• Israel Programs Scholarship Assistance: Recognizing the positive impact an Israel experience program can have on teens and young adults, Federation offers need-based assistance for Miami-Dade County residents, ages 15 to 26. Funding is one-time only, and awards are based on need and length of an approved Israel program, which must be a minimum of three weeks in duration.
• Jewish Overnight Camp Funding Opportunities: Federation makes available to Miami-Dade County children, ages eight to 17, funding assistance for Jewish overnight summer camp:

  1. Need-Based Assistance: Need-Based scholarships are available only for those overnight Jewish summer camp programs located in the United States and listed on the Foundation for Jewish Camp website. Financial assistance is limited to one session only.

  Accompanying the completed application should be the following support materials: 1) a copy of the family’s most recently-completed tax return (1040), and 2) verification of a child’s camp acceptance – either a camp invoice or acceptance letter. Click here for the Need-Based Summer Camp Scholarship application and deadline for applying.

  2. PLEASE NOTE: One Happy Camper Grant is not available through the Federation. However applicants may still apply for this grant directly to the Foundation for Jewish Camp. These incentives are for children who currently do not have daily, intensive exposure to Judaism – in other words, they do not attend Jewish day school. Applicants may choose from a variety of camps listed on the Foundation for Jewish Camp website. To apply for a “One Happy Camper” grant, click here.

Free High Holiday Worship Services

Through the High Holiday Welcome Program (HHWP), Federation, in partnership with the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami and area synagogues, makes free High Holiday seats available to Miami-Dade County residents who are not members of a congregation. The HHWP’s mission is multifold: to provide those in financial need with a meaningful religious experience, to connect newcomers and the unaffiliated to congregations, to provide a spiritual and communal “touch point” at a special time of year and to make our Jewish community as welcoming and inclusive as possible. Reflecting the diversity of our Miami Jewish community, the program has made available worship services in English, Hebrew, Spanish, Russian and American Sign Language at scores of synagogues and community venues. Since its inception in 1999, the HHWP has welcomed thousands of worshippers each year.

Free High Holiday seating reservations begin each year 3 -4 weeks prior to Rosh Hashanah. The quickest and easiest way to register is via our online application at www.jewishmiami.org/highholidays. To register by phone, please call 305-373-SEAT (7328), 3 – 4 weeks prior to Rosh Hashanah.

The PJ Library

Thousands of Miami children can enjoy bedtime stories about Jewish values and traditions, thanks to a Greater Miami Jewish Federation early childhood program called The PJ Library. Named after the bedtime garb, The PJ Library aims to help families teach their children the tenets of Judaism through children’s books.

Families who subscribe to The PJ Library open their mailboxes each month to find a brand-new book featuring a Jewish topic. The program is free for Miami-Dade County children up to the age of eight and allows youngsters to build their own Jewish library at home. Miami's PJ Library also hosts events throughout the year that offer young children and their parents a chance to explore their Jewish roots together. All of these events are free and open to the public. Read more.

Supporting Departments of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

Reaching out to those in need of spiritual guidance… educating our community on key issues… sharing volunteer opportunities with those seeking them… honoring the memory of Holocaust victims… fulfilling the desires of our caring Jewish community, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation supports a variety of important programs and initiatives. The Community Planning & Allocations Department works closely with four vital Federation departments – the Jewish Chaplaincy Program, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Volunteer Center and the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach – to ensure that their resources are in place to keep our community strong.

To learn about any of the programs and initiatives listed above, contact the Community Planning & Allocations Department at [email protected] or 786.866.8495.

Looking for More?

Learn more about the hundreds of organizations – social-service agencies, synagogues, educational institutions and much, much more – that make up Miami’s Jewish community! You’ll find what you need on the Community Directories of JewishMiami.org – including links to the websites of those listed. Get started now.

Click here to read about our committees.

View a list of local, national and overseas Partner Agencies.

For more information, contact us at [email protected] or call 786.866.8495.