June 2026

A Message From JCRC Chair Steven Scheck

The past few months provided a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when we invest in relationships, build coalitions and advocate for our community. We celebrated a robust Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM), receiving four proclamations from municipalities across Miami-Dade County. Among the highlights were a special panel discussion at the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach featuring County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, and our second annual Neighbor Connect program with the Haitian community, held in recognition of both JAHM and Haitian Heritage Month.

We traveled to Washington, DC twice to advocate for Jewish communal safety and security and to garner legislative support for Israel. We were also honored to participate in the inaugural National Convening of the Black-Jewish Alliance, hosted by Van Jones' Exodus Leadership Forum and the Redstone Family Foundation in Brickell.

At the same time, we continue to deepen our partnerships with leaders throughout Miami-Dade's diverse populations, including the Evangelical, Black, Catholic, Hispanic and Latino and LGBTQ+ communities, among many others. These relationships are essential to combating antisemitism, fostering mutual understanding and ensuring the Jewish community has trusted civic and faith partners when challenges arise.

While we are proud of what we have accomplished, we know there is much more work to do. We remain committed to building bridges, strengthening our community and advancing our mission in the months ahead.

We are privileged to call Miami-Dade County home, a community that has demonstrated time and again that it is among the most welcoming places in the world for Jewish life outside of Israel. I am incredibly proud of the work we are doing at JCRC.

Am Israel Chai,

Steven Scheck

Legislative Fly-Ins: Allies on Capitol Hill

During the first week of May, JCRC and the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami (RAGM) brought five Miami rabbis to Capitol Hill to stand side by side with our Evangelical Christian allies, American Christian Leaders for Israel and Eagles' Wings, during Israel Advocacy Days, co-sponsored by Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). About 550 pastors, rabbis and other faith leaders from across the country met with legislative staff to encourage support of Israel and policies that fight antisemitism. Together, they shared stories from personal experience and from their allied communities, building bonds as advocates and friends for the Jewish community.

Two weeks later, JCRC returned to DC to participate in a gathering organized by JFNA. Fifteen local Jewish community leaders were part of a group of 400 from around the country who advocated in support of the Jewish American Security Act (JASA), the SACRED Act to protect people of all faiths from being harassed outside houses of worship and for additional federal dollars for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). Our delegation met with Sen. Rick Scott, Rep. Carlos Gimenez and the offices of Sen. Ashley Moody and Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, Frederica Wilson and Maria Elvira Salazar.

Please take action alongside our DC delegations. Urge your member of Congress to help protect the Jewish community by co-sponsoring the Jewish American Security Act. It only takes 60 seconds.

Jewish American Heritage Month 2026

This past May marked the 20th celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM), created through a bill sponsored by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and signed into law in 2006 by President George W. Bush. This annual recognition honors Jewish contributions to American life and became part of the national discourse in large part because of the dedicated efforts of our JCRC and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. This year's milestone is especially notable as our country prepares to celebrate 250 years of American independence.

JCRC marked JAHM with proclamations from Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami and the City of Aventura and by speaking in support of the Miami-Dade County School Board JAHM agenda item. The Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach also hosted a panel featuring Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Susan Gladstone (Jewish Museum-FIU) and Danielle Parade (Holocaust Memorial). JCRC's Josh Sayles moderated the discussion before a diverse audience of community members and students. May also marked Haitian Heritage Month, so JCRC collaborated with the Haitian community for a joint celebratory program.

Neighbor Connect: Celebrating Haitian and Jewish Heritage

In addition to being Jewish American Heritage Month, May was Haitian Heritage Month. For the second year in a row, JCRC partnered with local Haitian organizations to celebrate jointly as neighbors. Representatives from Sant La Neighborhood Center, Ayiti Community Trust and Jewish Community Services of South Florida gathered with JCRC and more than 65 community leaders at the Little Haiti Cultural Center for dinner and conversation about what it means to be good neighbors.

Dr. Charlene Desir, professor at Nova Southeastern University and a specialist in the social, psychological and spiritual adjustment of immigrants, and Dr. Henry Green, professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Miami and one of the founders of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, provided background about the Jewish and Haitian communities. Following robust table conversations between diverse participants, several attendees expressed a desire for future activities together. JCRC Community Engagement Committee members also shared plans for more Shabbat dinners, further extending Jewish-Haitian engagement.

Juneteenth With the Black Community

In an ongoing commitment to bridge-building with the Black community, JCRC is celebrating Juneteenth (Friday, June 19) with partners in Miami's historically Black neighborhood, Overtown. Legends on the Diamond: A Juneteenth Celebration at Dorsey Park is being developed in partnership with Catalyst Miami: Overtown Community Champions, several other Black organizations and Temple Beth Sholom to bring the historic baseball diamond to life.

As Miami's home of the Negro League, Dorsey Park was originally owned by Miami's first Black millionaire, Dana Albert Dorsey. Plans for the Juneteenth event include community kickball games, a presentation about the park and League, arts projects, food and an introduction to the park's mural documenting Negro League players and other celebrated Black athletes. Come join the family-friendly fun tomorrow, June 19, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Dorsey Park, 1701 NW 1st Avenue, Miami.

JCRC's Partnership With the LGBTQ+ Community

In April, as in past years, JCRC convened the Jewish community for the Miami Beach Pride Parade. Thirty-nine Jewish community organizational co-sponsors and 90 participants gathered as the Jewish Delegation to march in a show of ongoing solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. The Delegation wore t-shirts that read "Love Is Love," designed around a Magen David, and handed out Jewish Pride flags and Israeli flags.

In June, JCRC partnered with Keshet and other Jewish LGBTQ+ community leaders, as well as Temple Beth Sholom, to reestablish a Jewish celebration of Pride. Inspired by a longtime annual event at Temple Israel, partners presented Ruach of Pride: A Jewish Pride Celebration and Dinner, hosted at Temple Beth Sholom. With more than 150 participants, the evening marked Miami's LGBTQ+ Jewish history through words, blessings and song.

A Year in Review: JCRC at the School Board

JCRC has deepened our engagement with prominent leaders and public officials in Miami-Dade County's education sector throughout the past year, with a focus on voicing support for Miami-Dade County School Board agenda items of importance to the Jewish community. Representatives spoke in support of agenda items on four different occasions, all of which passed overwhelmingly.

In August, JCRC applauded the introduction of item H-3, sponsored by School Board Member Danny Espino in response to the National Education Association's (NEA) controversial proposed boycott of the ADL. This item vocalized support for ADL's educational resources on antisemitism and Holocaust education. United Teachers of Dade, the teacher's union in Miami-Dade County, distanced itself from the NEA and endorsed Espino's legislation. Espino was recognized for his work on this issue at JCRC's opening committee meeting in October.

JCRC also spoke in favor of three agenda items sponsored by School Board Member Joe Geller, the only Jewish School Board Member. He was thanked for sponsoring H-14 (denouncing the antisemitic terror attack against Australia's Jewish community) in December, H-11 (Yom HaShoah Days of Remembrance) in March and H-10 (End Jew Hatred Day and Jewish American Heritage Month) in April.

This year's number of agenda items relating to Jewish issues highlights the importance of our continued engagement with the School Board, United Teachers of Dade and other prominent leaders in education. Our relationships and advocacy provide a voice for Jewish students and teachers in Miami-Dade County, along with a tangible record of policy success.

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