News From the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

Looking for a simple way to make a philanthropic impact on our Jewish community? Consider gifts of stock through The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. “Donating stock to our Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) at The Foundation is incredibly simple,” said Jeffrey Levine, a Foundation Board member.

Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, is Thursday, May 1, and there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate right here in Miami! From rikudim (Israeli dance) shows and Krav Maga demonstrations to concerts, Israeli-themed arts and crafts activities and Lunch & Learns, there is something for everyone. Our recently released Jewish Miami: A 2024 Community Study demonstrated that Miami Jews have a deep connection to Israel and are highly engaged in Jewish community.

Observe Yom HaShoah with your Jewish Miami family on Sunday, April 27 at 6 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 1701 Washington Avenue. Presented by the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach, the Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day — gathering will memorialize the 6 million Jews murdered and pay tribute to the courage and resilience of Holocaust Survivors.

Clients of Jewish Community Services Kosher Food Bank received some extra help ahead of Passover, thanks to the ongoing generosity of the Saul Schottenstein Foundation. Prior to Pesach, individuals and families facing food insecurity in Jewish Miami were given grocery gift cards along with their regular food packages.

For the fourth year in a row, Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council convened Jewish Miami to march in the Miami Beach Pride Parade this past Sunday. Seventy-five participants from 37 Jewish organizations, including Federation’s Young Leadership Division, came together to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Federation is partnering with Summer Camp Israel to help young adults from displaced families in Israel’s northern and southern periphery attend a special camp in the days leading up to Passover.

Join your global Jewish community and send Passover wishes to a vulnerable Jew. For Jews everywhere, this Pesach feels different from all others. As the wars in Israel and Ukraine continue and antisemitism skyrockets, our responsibility to care for one another and strengthen Jewish life is as important as ever.

The Jewish community of Miami-Dade County is vibrant, growing, engaged and diverse, according to Jewish Miami: A 2024 Community Study, released this week by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.

A group of Jewish Miami leaders recently returned from an Israel Study Trip, an in-depth journey to see how Federation dollars are helping individuals, families and communities recover from the attacks of October 7.

On April 7 and 8, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation will present the findings of Jewish Miami: A 2024 Community Study at four regional briefings. As has been our tradition, Federation commissions a study every 10 years to collect actionable data to serve Miami's Jewish community.

More than a year and a half after October 7, as tens of thousands of evacuees return to their communities in northern Israel, Federation is assisting local governments in meeting the needs of their residents.

This week, Jewish Miami welcomed Ariel Pollack Star and Betty Ben Shimon, two entrepreneurs and educators from our partnership city of Yerucham, Israel. Pollack Star is the founder of Lehem Zeh, a nonprofit bakery and Federation partner that uses the power of food and bread to connect cultures and communities through culinary activities, economic empowerment and social tourism.

Be part of Jewish Miami’s Yom HaShoah Community Observance on Sunday, April 27 at 6 p.m. Join your Jewish community at Temple Emanu-El, 1701 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach to commemorate Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day — and revisit the lessons of history through the testimony of Survivors.

Federation is helping elderly olim (immigrants to Israel) impacted by the war in Ukraine find support in their new home through Choosing Tomorrow, an innovative program that pairs them with local college students. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, approximately 5,000 elderly immigrants made aliyah, many of them completely alone as they began the long road to resettlement.

Spirits were high in Ofakim, Israel, during a Purim celebration presented as part of a Federation-funded initiative to further recovery in the Southern District city. IDF reserve-duty families and security forces celebrated the holiday at the local youth center, with festively costumed children preparing mishloach manot (gift packages) as parents enjoyed coffee, pastries and a much-appreciated break.

The Women’s Event, held last week by Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy, was an opportunity to gather for a taste of community and cuisine. Israeli chef Yaniv Cohen, a.k.a. The Spice Detective both at his Jaffa Miami restaurant and as author of the cookbook My Spiced Kitchen, shared his personal journey and the health benefits of cooking with spices.

How many people live in Jewish Miami? How do we do Jewish? What issues do we most care about? Learn the answers on April 7 and 8 when the Greater Miami Jewish Federation presents the findings of Jewish Miami: A 2024 Community Study at four regional gatherings.

Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and the Federation-funded Taglit-Birthright Israel are joining together to send at least 10,000 Jewish volunteers to help in Israel in 2025. Such assistance from the Diaspora is critically important to Israel at this time, as tens of thousands of Israelis continue to report for military reserve duty and fewer foreign workers are available.