Home / About / Our Departments / Israel & Overseas

Our Partnerships in Israel

Our Miami Jewish community works directly with three Israeli communities: Yerucham and Or Akiva. Each of these cities has its own strengths and challenges, and each represents a different aspect of Federation’s involvement in Israel and our commitment to the people of our spiritual homeland.

Yerucham

For the past 14 years, the Miami Jewish community and the city of Yerucham have had a special partnership under The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Partnership 2Gether platform. Located in the Negev desert, and boasting the second largest lake in Israel, Yerucham is a 13-square-mile city founded in 1951 as a transit camp for new immigrants. Today, it is home to a diverse population of over 11,000 residents representing a microcosm of Israel’s many cultural and ethnic communities.

The mission of the Miami-Yerucham Partnership is to leverage social, human and financial capital to inspire community engagement and development. By investing in relationships, education, culture and community-building initiatives, the partnership fosters a deeper commitment to Israel and the Jewish people, while enriching the quality of life in our community.

Read more about the Miami-Yerucham Partnership.

Ethiopian-Israeli Initiative

There are currently 160,000 Ethiopians now living in Israel. Many are facing unique challenges. Acculturation difficulties have resulted in a higher incidence of unemployment, poverty, substance abuse and family violence among Ethiopian-Israelis.

Federation has supported many wonderful programs that have helped the Ethiopian-Israeli people of Pardes Channa-Karkur and is now focusing on integration into general Israeli society. Some of the efforts supported include:

  • A Scholastic Assistance Program (SPACE) in Pardes Channa-Karkur and Beersheba. SPACE provides afterschool tutoring, workshops and mentoring in small group settings. Nearly half of the students enrolled in SPACE pass their high school completion exams, compared with just 38 percent students who are not enrolled.
  • An Educational Placement Center for Educators from the Ethiopian Israeli Community. This project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, assists with teacher placement for Ethiopian-Israeli educators.
  • Free legal counsel to the Ethiopian-Israeli community that cannot afford representation and educates the community in Amharic on their legal rights. A major focus is the area of employment law.
  • Technology Training Program that gives the community the opportunity to gain valuable skills in the field of high tech with a nine-month course, career development and job placement

For more information about Miami’s partnership cities, contact us at IsraelOverseas@JewishMiami.org or 786.866.8495.

Volunteer for Jewish Spiritual Care


Volunteer for Jewish Spiritual Care


Applications are being accepted for Mishkan Miami’s Refuat Ha-Nefesh, a unique volunteer experience that provides training for Jews, ages 21 and older, in the art of Jewish spiritual care.

Read More

Brodie Family Legacy

Brodie Family Legacy

Steve and Shelly Brodie are carrying on a legacy of leading philanthropic efforts that benefit South Florida’s diverse community.

Read More

Summer Camp for Israeli Victims of Terror


Summer Camp for Israeli Victims of Terror


This summer, more than 100 Israeli youngsters ages six to 16 living near the Gaza Strip experienced the joy and relief of summer camp far from the violence and bombings that have become part of their everyday life.

Read More

Igor Shteyrenberg Day

Igor Shteyrenberg Day

Mazal tov to Igor Shteyrenberg, Executive Director of the Miami Jewish Film Festival (MJFF), who was recently honored by Mayor Dan Gelber and the City of Miami Beach with a Proclamation dedicating August 23rd as “Igor Shteyrenberg Day.”

Read More

Stay In Touch

Receive news about Greater Miami Jewish Federation events and more.