It's Happening In Miami

Join Ali Rogin, PBS NewsHour producer and author of Beat Breast Cancer Like a Boss; Rabbi Laila Haas, Director of Adult Learning and Growth at the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education and Dr. Liz Etkin-Kramer, Yodeah founder, for a meaningful and informative program about the BRCA mutation and cancer risk on Tuesday, October 19 at 7:30 p.m. Hear about their journey and the choices they made to ensure a long, healthy life for themselves and their families.

One in 40 Ashkenazi Jewish men and women carry a BRCA mutation which can lead to a higher risk of breast, ovarian, melanoma and prostate cancer. One simple test can empower you with the knowledge you need to make life-saving decisions.

For more information, please click here.

Community members experiencing food insecurity can receive help at Federation's free kosher food distribution drive-thru on Thursday, September 30 from 9-11 a.m. at Federation headquarters, 4200 Biscayne Boulevard. Packages of kosher chicken and beef, fresh produce, milk, eggs, challah, dry goods and other supplies will be placed in the trunks of waiting cars. Please enter the parking lot via the northbound lane of Federal Highway. Participants must remain in their cars and wear masks. All CDC COVID-19 safety guidelines will be followed.

The Jewish Federations of North American JEDI (Jewish equity, diversity & inclusion) Initiative & Network of Jewish Human Services Agencies have partnered to create MOED Healing, a communal space that will tend to the minds and hearts of Jewish people of color and relieve some of the stress of racially charged interactions in daily lives.

Join us for this support group which will meet virtually.

• Thursday, October 7, 1:30-3 p.m.

• Thursday, October 14, 1:30-3 p.m.

• Thursday, October 21, 1:30-3 p.m.

• Thursday, October 28, 1:30-3 p.m.

To register, please click here

The Jewish Educational Loan Fund (JELF), a Federation partner agency, is now accepting applications for interest-free loans for Jewish students pursuing higher education, including graduate, vocational or technical school.

In order to qualify, applicants must be enrolled full-time in a program leading to a degree or certificate at an accredited US educational institution, be a US citizen (or have lawful immigration status), be in good academic standing with their university and be able to demonstate financial need via a completed FAFSA application. Click here for the application. The deadline is Thursday, September 30.

As the college application season is underway, Hillel International has an important resource to find the perfect Jewish college experience. The Hillel College Guide magazine is a free resource that explores college life on campus including kosher dining options, Greek life, religious services and Israel experiences. Click here for more information.

The Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) is offering a wide selection of courses for adults through its Melton and More Department of Adult Education. Learn Hebrew, explore the Book of Proverbs, discover the Jewish story behind Broadway musicals and so much more. All fall classes will be held virtually. For more information and to register, click here.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Federation-supported organization Yodeah is helping Jewish women understand their cancer risk. The Miami-based, grassroots, volunteer organization is providing educational outreach programs and on-site, low-cost, saliva-based genetic testing for hereditary cancer mutations in the Jewish community.

One of every 40 Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews carries the BRCA genetic mutation,independent of a family history of cancer. Men and women who carry a BRCA mutation can have a markedly higher lifetime risk of breast, ovarian and other cancers and these cancers can develop at earlier ages.

To learn more about hereditary genetic cancer risk, please visit Yodeah.

Hebrew Free Loan Association of Miami (HFLA), a program of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, provides interest -free loans for those in need.

HFLA offers interest-free coronavirus crisis emergency loans as well as personal, business, fertility and adoption loans to Jewish residents of Miami-Dade County.

We can help you:

• Pay expenses related to the pandemic
• Grow your business
• Pay your medical costs
• Pay costs related to adopting a baby
• Fund household repairs
• Pay for infertility treatments
• Support your aging parents
• Send your child to camp
• Pay expenses related to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah

and so much more

To find out how you can apply for an interest-free loan, visit JewishMiami.org/hfla or call 305.692.7555.

For parents of children with special needs, the start of the school year can be challenging with new routines and changes. Federation’s Miami Jewish Abilities Alliance (JAA) website is an important tool that can help. The user-friendly website is a one-stop gateway for parents and families to find resources, educational options, accessibility tools, support groups and timely programs.

Families can also find inclusive tools to celebrate the High Holidays, including videos and prayer guides. As part of its programming, JAA will be delivering Rosh Hashanah baskets to Jewish residents of MACtown, a center for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Almost 25 percent of Americans have some sort of disability and JAA can help families at all ages and stages. Click here to explore what JAA offers.

Federation is supporting organizations that make a difference in our community and transform Jewish life.

Applications are being accepted for three 2022 Federation grant opportunities: Jewish Incubator Grants, Women’s Impact Initiative Grants and for the first time, the Jewish Abilities Alliance Grants.

To be considered for Jewish Incubator Grants, projects must strengthen Miami’s Jewish community through innovative and impactful programs. Jewish organizations with creative and forward-thinking ideas that enrich social service, education or Jewish identity-building activities are invited to apply. Women’s Impact Initiative Grants support programs that address obstacles women and girls face with initiatives that promote social, economic and political equality. Federation’s newly-launched Jewish Abilities Alliance Grants will fund projects that develop opportunities for inclusion of individuals with disabilities in Miami’s Jewish community through programs, supplies or physical accommodations.

Grant applications for all three opportunities are due by 4 p.m. on Friday, September 3.

Click here for more information and to apply.