Dear Friend,

Most of us continue to find ourselves at home these days doing the best we can to stay connected during this time of social distancing and isolation. This has led to innovation and adaptation, much of which may well shape what the “new normal” will look like when we emerge from the crisis in the coming months. In the meantime, we have noticed how the distance between individuals and community involvement – either virtually or through curated volunteer experiences – seems to be narrowing in some sense. While Miami has always been blessed with a steady stream of visiting and local scholars and speakers, today’s online reality gives us the opportunity to offer a robust and diverse selection of high-quality Jewish programming that is now attracting many new participants. We encourage you to broaden your at-home experience by signing up and logging on! Visit JewishMiami.org/covid19 to view our community calendar of virtual events and give it a try!

Every challenge presents new opportunities and enables us to examine different possibilities and reevaluate old assumptions. And, as we think about the future, ensuring the engagement of a constant influx of talented new leaders is key to the long-term success of every organization. This is one of the cornerstones Federation embraces as we invest heavily in leadership development programs throughout the year. This is also the time when we honor the tradition of bringing new leadership to our Board and Committees every two years. At the same time, as a community, we benefit from the longstanding wisdom and involvement of those who commit themselves year after year to continuity and the Jewish value of peoplehood.

On Tuesday, May 26 at 5:15 PM, we will hold Federation’s Annual Meeting and elect the Officers, Board of Directors, Trustees, Leadership Council and Council of Jewish Organizations to guide and govern us for the next two years. This will be an historic event, the first time in 82 years that we will not be gathering in person. Rather, this will be an abbreviated Annual Meeting conducted via Zoom and we will honor our outgoing leadership at a later date when we can once again come together in person. Please click here to view the proposed slate, which will be presented by the Nominating Committee in their efforts to ensure the best and broadest representation of Miami’s Jewish community. Click here to RSVP by email for the Annual Meeting and to receive instructions on how to participate.

Another “best” worthy of mention is the recent honor the Miami Jewish Film Festival (MJFF) received. MovieMaker Magazine named MJFF one of the 50 best film festivals in the world, marking the first time a Jewish film festival has ever earned this prestigious recognition. We are proud MJFF is part of our subsidiary agency the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) and we applaud Film Festival Executive Director Igor Shteyrenberg and Advisory Board Chair Barbara Black Goldfarb on this marvelous accomplishment.

From the big screen to the small screen, a picture is worth a thousand words. Please watch this video of Federation on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis. In less than two minutes, you will understand exactly why Federation exists. We hope you will share this piece with friends and family.

Jewish communities around the globe this week found creative ways to observe Lag Ba’Omer. While this joyous holiday gives us respite from the traditional restrictions of the Omer, social distancing measures prevented celebratory gatherings. The spirit of the holiday and focus on Ahavat Yisrael, loving and respecting our fellow Jews, is as timely as ever while we continue to do our utmost to care for each other. Along those lines, we remind you that your Jewish community is here for you. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, you can always call our Jewish community’s confidential helpline at 305.576.6550 for guidance. Operated by Federation’s partner agency, JCS, calls are answered 24/7 every day of the year.

We wish a refu’ah sh’lemah to all those people affected by this and other illnesses and we continue to pray for comfort for those who have lost loved ones. Please remain attentive and keep following all health and safety guidelines.

Shabbat Shalom,