About the Women’s Amutot Initiative
Mission statement
The Women’s Amutot Initiative allocates funds from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation’s annual campaign to organizations in Israel that empower women to improve Israeli society through social, economic, religious, and political equality.
History
Our Miami Jewish community organized the Women’s Amutot Initiative in 2003. It was established as part of our Israel Emergency Fund. At the time, we recognized that women and children were experiencing a particularly difficult time in Israel. A group of women leaders in Miami wanted to direct fund specifically to help in this area and as a result the Women’s Amutot Initiative was born. We had the full support of our Chief Executive, our Executive Committee and our Board Directors. This program was made possible because we were given opportunities to fund initiatives outside of the then UJC framework.
Like all of the Israel Emergency Fund Campaign fundraising, these Amutot funds were also completely directed to emergency funding in Israel.
We did our research to find out which organizations would benefit most from our help and were consistent with assisting women and children. Many of the original Amutot addressed issues of economic empowerment of women and domestic abuse.
Our leadership recognized that during ordinary times, these populations in Israel were particularly vulnerable and during the crisis were more at risk.
The long-term goal was to create social change that would be impactful and lasting in contract to providing direct immediate service that was available through our traditional funding of Annual Campaign programs.
Over a period of years, the original Israel Emergency Funds were exhausted and the Federation adopted this initiative as part of its Israel and Overseas agenda on a permanent basis making new sources of funding available.
The focus of funding has expanded to include: advocacy issues for agunot, prevention of violence against women, social empowerment, assisting various populations of marginalized women, including Druze and Bedouin women and immigrants.
We have incorporated the Women’s Amutot initiative as a standing sub-committee of our Israel and Overseas structure.
