News From the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

“It’s a reminder that love always rises,” said Debbie Mendal, Founder of the Federation-funded Kallah Project, referencing the contribution of a wedding gown for a former Israeli hostage.

Ahead of Chanukah, clients of Jewish Community Services (JCS) Kosher Food Bank are receiving grocery gift cards along with their regular food packages, thanks to the generosity of Federation donors.

Your donation to Federation helps provide one-on-one early intervention therapies for Israeli infants with disabilities and those who love them.

As 2025 comes to a close, your generosity helps the Greater Miami Jewish Federation enter 2026 ready to support Jewish needs everywhere. We’re Jewish Miami Proud because this year — like always — we’ve stood beside the people of Israel, fought against global antisemitism, secured our Jewish institutions, assisted the vulnerable and empowered the next generation of Jewish Miami to lead our community into the future.

Calling all Miami couples: Imagine traveling through Israel and experiencing ancient Jewish traditions and history together. Honeymoon Israel (HMI) allows you to do exactly that!

When you donate to Federation, you are helping IDF reservists rebuild their lives through a new loan fund. Following extended reserve duty, hundreds of thousands of Israelis are returning to civilian life to find their jobs and businesses in jeopardy.

Jewish overnight summer camp fosters a strong and lasting Jewish identity. Federation offers two opportunities to help offset tuition costs for Miami-Dade County families: the Ella Riley Adler Jewish Overnight Camp Scholarship Program and One Happy Camper.

The Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach is now the world’s first site to permanently bear the names, in English and Hebrew, of those murdered during the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.

Federation's partners, in the name of the Jewish people, are on the ground in Jamaica, providing vital assistance following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa. Our proven disaster-response model, which relies on longstanding relationships, enabled us to respond in the immediate aftermath of this historic hurricane and provide life-saving support.

When you give to Federation you support the AKIM Equal in Uniform program, enabling young Israelis with intellectual disabilities to make a meaningful contribution through their IDF service.

Thank you, Jewish Miami! Because of your overwhelming generosity, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation raised more than 1.6 million during Give Miami Day.

As the year draws to a close, your generosity can make an even greater impact. Strategic year-end giving not only supports the causes and community you care about, but can also provide meaningful tax benefits.

Through Federation’s support of Save Ukraine, 37 Ukrainian children have been recently reunited with their loved ones. Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 19,000 Ukrainian children have been taken from their families forcibly to Russia — either sent to orphanages, handed over to Russian families or trained as Russian soldiers.

Spend eight weeks this summer living like a local while building your resume and exploring everything Israel has to offer with Birthright Israel Onward. From May 20 through July 14, 2026, participants will work alongside Israeli peers in the heart of Tel Aviv in tech companies, creative agencies, investment firms and other industries.

With Jews around the world experiencing record levels of antisemitic hate crime, harassment and assault since October 7, 2023, one aspect of Federation’s work has become even more critical — protecting our worldwide family from the scourge of Jew hatred.

Donate to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation on Give Miami Day — one of the largest annual fundraising events in the country — so your generosity goes even further. Every donation between $25 and $10,000 is eligible for an additional donation from The Miami Foundation.

At this week’s Women’s Philanthropy (WP) Lion of Judah event, former hostage Emily Damari became an honorary Lion of Judah recognizing her fierce courage. More than 600 guests attended the brunch, which featured a candid and emotional conversation between renowned Israeli journalist Tamar Ish-Shalom and Damari, who spoke about being held captive for 471 days in Gaza.

“During the war [in Ukraine], it is especially important to give children back their childhood,” said Tatyana Protasova, Hibuki therapy trainer at an Odesa school run by Federation partner World ORT. Hibuki doll therapy, conceived in Israel during the 2006 Second Lebanon War, was introduced in Ukraine in 2023. It has since helped 20,000 Ukrainian children suffering from psychological distress resulting from the ongoing hostilities.