Mazel tov to six individuals whose commitment to Jewish life and community will be recognized with leadership awards at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation 80th Annual Meeting. Join us on Thursday, May 31, at Jungle Island as we present the Stanley C. Myers Presidents’ Leadership Award to Joe Ackerman and Michelle Ben-Aviv, the Sandra C. Goldstein Young Leadership Award to Evan Berger, Joshua Rader and Yael Sultan de Chocrón and the Robert Russell Fellowship Award to Tracey Spiegelman. Chaired by Ray Ellen and Allan Yarkin, the meeting also will include the installation of new community leadership. Click here to RSVP.

More than 100 people came together last weekend to assemble meals for people in need in Miami-Dade County. Following Federation’s Israel at 70 Miami Mission, various hands-on community projects, speaking engagements and activities have been planned to bring the Mission experience home. The coordinated effort between Federation’s Jewish Volunteer Center and Elevate Leadership resulted in 28,000 food packages for Meals of Hope, which distributes them to food banks and pantries throughout South Florida. Click here for more opportunities to get involved with Federation.

Supported in part by your donations to Federation’s Annual Campaign, JBlend Miami, an innovative education initiative, is celebrating its third anniversary. Designed by Federation subsidiary agency the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE), in collaboration with the Avi Chai Foundation, JBlend combines traditional instruction with digital tools to provide highly personalized student experiences and introduce new models for lifelong learning in four of Miami’s Jewish day schools. Read more.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM), which recognizes the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture and provides educators the opportunity to teach diversity, cultural awareness and tolerance. JAHM was created by a 2006 proclamation by President George W. Bush that was the culmination of an initiative spearheaded by U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. It was launched through a joint effort between our Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU and South Florida Jewish community leaders.

Lone soldiers are never truly alone, thanks to your support of Federation's Annual Campaign. These young olim (immigrants) bravely leave their homes to make aliyah and take an active role in securing a strong Israel. Through WINGS, a Federation-funded program of our overseas partner, The Jewish Agency for Israel, nearly 1,000 soldiers with no family nearby receive emotional and physical assistance, such as care packages, hospital visits, aid for visiting family and more. Support continues for two years following their discharge to ensure a safe and successful return to civilian life in Israel.