With great sadness, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation mourns the passing of Myron J. “Mike” Brodie, of blessed memory, a former Executive Vice President of Federation from 1972 to 1992. Brodie’s impact on Jewish lives and on Jewish life was matched by few. His passion for the Jewish people and his commitment to the well-being of Israel were forged by what he saw in the aftermath of the Shoah. He devoted his entire life and career to building a strong, secure and vital Jewish community, and in doing so, improved the lives of thousands of Jews in Miami, in Israel and around the world. May his memory forever be a blessing. Contributions in his honor may be made to Federation’s Tzedakah Fund here. Consistent with the priority Brodie always placed on mentoring in the field of Jewish communal service, donations will support a fund in his name to enable young professionals to take part in transformative development opportunities. Click here to read his obituary in The Miami Herald.

Last week, nearly 150 real estate professionals attended Federation’s Real Estate Speaker Series with industry leader Chaim Katzman. The event welcomed architects, brokers, developers, contractors and professionals affiliated with these trades. A pioneer in the field of retail investment and development industry, Katzman shared his thoughts on its future, as well as real estate investment in Israel, his philanthropic motivations and much more. Adam Lustig and Don Ginsburg co-chaired the event.

Recognizing that Jewish overnight camp is an important part of strengthening a child’s Jewish identity, Federation distributed more than $122,000 to Miami-area children ages 8 to 17 to attend camp this summer. The scholarships are all-inclusive, placing children at more than 40 different sleepaway camps, which run the gamut from non-denominational and Conservative, to Reform and Orthodox. Sixty-six of the kids receiving scholarships are first-time campers. The inspirational summer camp experience provides children with long-lasting friendships, self-discovery, and quite often, the spark for a lifetime of Jewish engagement, fellowship and pride. Since the initiative’s launch in 2002, the Annual Federation/UJA Campaign has allocated more than $1.3 million to this cause.

With summer upon us, there’s no better time to bring the love of learning home. Help your kids maintain their reading skills during their time off by signing up for PJ Library. The global Jewish literacy program delivers free Jewish children’s books and music for kids ages six months to 11 years old. Children ages 9-11 get to coose their own books online through PJ Our Way, in addition to participating in community events. PJ Library is a gift of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation made possible in our community by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Blank Family Foundation.

More than 240,000 Jews call Argentina home. As the country continues to struggle economically, the needs of the Jewish population, including pregnant women and those with young children, are not being met. But thanks to Federation’s overseas partner agency, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), your donations to the Annual Federation/UJA Campaign support Baby Help: Mother and Child Care Program. In addition to providing food, medicine and other necessities for children under age five, parents are also offered daycare, parenting classes and job search assistance. Click here to donate to Federation's Annual Campaign.