It's Happening In Miami

Apply by Friday, May 29

Are you passionate about teen mental health and wellness and interested in being a part of a select group of like-minded teens? The Greater Miami Jewish Federation Youth Mental Health Initiative, BeWell Miami, invites rising 11th-12th graders to apply for the South Dade Jewish Community Cohort of the Teen Wellness Fellowship.

• Fellowship runs August 2026-May 2027 (exact dates are shared during the application process)
• Monthly 2-hour sessions will take place in person at Alper JCC Miami (additional meetings via Zoom may take place as well)
• Learn from BeWell Miami Director Shoshana Farbman, LCSW, and other teen mental health experts in Jewish Miami
• Fellows will be trained in nationally recognized Teen Mental Health First Aid and receive a certificate of completion
• Participants will work together to design a project aimed at promoting mental health awareness and positive mental health in the South Dade Jewish Community

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Community for Israel

Yom Hazikaron Commemoration & Yom Ha’atzmaut Celebration

Join the Hebrew Academy community for an evening of reflection, unity, and celebration as we come together in support of Israel.

Date: Tuesday, April 21 Location: Hebrew Academy – Schwartz-Jacobs Campus 2400 Pine Tree Drive, Miami Beach

Evening Schedule: 6:45 PM – Yom Hazikaron Special Ceremony: A meaningful and moving program honoring Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror. Recommended for ages 9 and up.

7:45 PM – Yom Ha’atzmaut Celebration: Celebrate Israel’s independence with music, fun, and delicious food for all ages.

Featuring a special performance by Israeli superstar Gad Elbaz.

Additional Details: Free to attend Modest dress requested

Please note: The Yom Hazikaron ceremony includes sensitive content and is recommended for children ages 9 and up.

Sunday, April 19 | 1-4 PM

Join the Alper JCC Miami Community Celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s 78th Independence Day. It will be a wonderful day to spend with family and friends as we show our love for Israel. Bring your swimsuits and your appetite — the pool and splash pad will be open, and of course, no celebration is complete without plenty of delicious Israeli-inspired dishes. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

BeWell Miami & Ohel Present In It Together: From Concern to Conversation

Wednesday, March 11 | 8-9:15 PM

For parents and Educators! with Rabbi Shalom Hammer, Founder and Director if Gila's Way. Moderated by Dr. Carly Namdar, Ohel School Based Services & Resilience Programs Director.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

MIAMI BOOK FAIR LAUNCHES STORIES WE SHARE: A CELEBRATION OF JEWISH VOICES New Literary Series Launches March 18 with Acclaimed Authors and Marks Miami Introduction of Jewish Book Council’s Nu Reads

Miami Book Fair announced the launch of Stories We Share: A Celebration of Jewish Voices, a new ongoing literary series spotlighting Jewish storytelling in all its breadth and complexity. The inaugural event, Stories We Share: A Nu Reads Celebration, presented for this special evening in partnership with the Jewish Book Council’s Nu Reads subscription program, takes place Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus and features nationally recognized authors Maya Arad, Allegra Goodman, Rachel Kadish and Tova Mirvis in conversation with Tony Award-winning producer and writer Stacey Mindich.

Presented by the Stacey and Eric Mindich Fund for Jewish Stories, the evening also marks the introduction of Nu Reads to Miami audiences. Curated by the Jewish Book Council, Nu Reads is a bi-monthly subscription program delivering exceptional Jewish literature directly to readers while building community through shared reading experiences.

Rooted in Miami Book Fair’s Jewish Life and Culture initiative, Stories We Share builds on the Fair’s longstanding mission to use literature as a bridge between communities. In a city shaped by layered identities and global diaspora voices, the series creates space for Jewish writers and thinkers to explore tradition, reinvention and contemporary life through story.

“Stories We Share reflects Miami Book Fair’s commitment to amplifying diverse voices and creating meaningful dialogue through literature,” said Lissette Mendez, Executive Director of Miami Book Fair. “We are proud to partner with Jewish Book Council on this event to bring Nu Reads to Miami and to launch this series with authors whose work challenges, inspires and connects readers across generations.”

“Jewish stories have always held a vital place in our culture,” said Stacey Mindich, “I created this fund to affirm that the joys and sorrows of the Jewish experience, deeply rooted in narrative, remain dynamic, integral and visible in the national cultural landscape. I’m thrilled to partner with the Miami Book Fair to ensure that the Jewish story is celebrated in this city, which has long been so very important to American Judaism.”

About Stories We Share: A Nu Reads Celebration

The March 18 event centers on a panel discussion featuring four nationally acclaimed authors whose work spans fiction, memoir and literary scholarship:

Maya Arad is the author of twelve books of Hebrew fiction and serves as writer in residence at Stanford University’s Taube Center for Jewish Studies. She will present her novel, Happy New Year, the inaugural Nu Reads selection.

Allegra Goodman is the author of seven novels, including the national bestseller Isola, a Reese’s Book Club selection, and Sam, a Read with Jenna pick. She will discuss her new novel, This Is Not About Us (February 2026), the current Nu Reads selection.

Rachel Kadish is an award-winning novelist whose book The Weight of Ink was a USA Today bestseller and recipient of a National Jewish Book Award. She will be featured in conversation around The Weight of Ink.

Tova Mirvis is the nationally bestselling author of four novels. Her memoir The Book of Separation was a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice, and she currently serves as Nu Reads writer-in-residence. She will present, We Would Never, her latest work of fiction.

Following the discussion, guests are invited to an after party to enjoy live klezmer-style jazz featuring a band assembled by Vincent Raffard of French Horn Collective, with live vocals by Shira Lee, along with mingling and light refreshments.

Books by the featured authors will be available for purchase on-site through Books & Books, with signing opportunities to follow. Nu Reads subscriptions and limited-edition book boxes curated around Goodman’s new novel will also be available for purchase, with all subscription sales handled by the Nu Reads team.

EVENT DETAILS

Stories We Share: A Nu Reads Celebration

Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Time: 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Location: Auditorium (Building 1, 2nd Floor) and Building 1 Atrium and Plaza, Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus

Admission: Free; RSVP required at https://www.miamibookfair.com/event/stories-we-share-a-nu-reads-celebration/

Book Sales: On-site by Books & Books and Nu Reads

Future events in the Stories We Share series will be announced as the program develops.

Bring Your Family and Friends to a Celebration Near You!

Miami Beach JCC Annual Purim Carnival | Sunday, March 1

Purim Move Night at Alper JCC Miami | Sunday, March 1

Purim-Tastic Carnival at Center for Jewish Life at Beth David | Sunday, March 1

Purim in the Royal Garden at Chabad Chayil | Sunday, March 1

Community Purim Celebration at MARJCC | Tuesday, March 3

Tuesday, March 3 | 3-7 PM

Join us for Community Purim Celebration. Featuring: inflatables, Meguilah, Hamentachen, Costume contest, Art station, Face painting, scouts station, Entertainment. Kosher food for purchase.

Michael-Ann Russell JCC, Scheck Family Plaza, 18900 NE 25th Avenue North Miami Beach

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Huge event for all ages! 3/2 Doors open at 6:00pm. Circus show, animal show, costume parade, bumper cars and prizes for every kid. Delicious Food for sale. Jewish Boy & Laivy Miller Live in Concert. 4 Megillah readings starting at 6:45pm. Valet parking available. At Temple Moses 1200 Normandy Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33141. $15 per person or $75 per family

Sunday, March 1 | 11 AM-2 PM

Come join us for our annual Purim carnival! Activities include bounce houses, carnival booth games, arts & crafts, face painting, Purim Shpiel, prizes and more! Costume Contest! Come dressed in your Purim costume. Prizes will be awarded.

One-day specials on membership and Camp Klurman. Dance performances by our Enrichment participants. Kosher food and snacks: popcorn, snow cones, hamentashen and BBQ. Dietary laws observed.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION

Miami Beach JCC, 4221 Pine Tree Drive, Miami Beach

For information, contact Jenny at [email protected] or 305.534.3206**.

Men, women and children are invited to join us for a full dinner extravaganza with entertainment and the whole Megilla!

Date: Tues, March 3, 4:00pm

Venue: Chabad Chayil 2601 NE 211 Ter, Miami, FL 33180

Cost: As low as $7.70 when reserving before Feb 18. After that it's $45 per adult, $36 per child or $180 per family.

RSVP at (305) 770-1919 or at ChabadChayil.org/Purim