Lezlie Poyastro – In Her Own Words

Lezlie and Miguel Poyastro

Lezlie Poyastro and her husband Miguel have been generously supporting the Miami Jewish community for over 35 years. In 2003, they became Greater Miami Jewish Federation Pacesetters and two years later joined the Summit Division. In 2007, Lezlie and Miguel made the decision to perpetuate their Annual Campaign contribution through a life insurance policy, making them Forever Pacesetters and making Lezlie a Forever Lion.

“I believe you have to be the best you can be and part of that is being committed to our Jewish community in Miami and Israel, now and forever. We were very aware of our success and making this forever gift using life insurance made good financial sense. By participating in the Federation’s Special Life Insurance Program, we were able to leverage our premium payment into a much larger legacy commitment.”

When asked how she first became involved with the Federation, Lezlie responded, “I was born into it.” Lezlie is a second generation Canadian born of Yiddish-speaking parents and grandparents who left Belarus to forge a safer and more secure life in Edmonton, prior to the Holocaust. “My mother was part of that generation of pioneer women who built the Jewish community to the place of strength it is today.”

Lezlie’s parents were both very involved locally and ardent Zionists. Her Yiddish name is Golda Leiba and Meir was her maiden name, sharing the same name of one of her role models, the late Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. “I identified with Golda Meir’s strength and deep commitment to the State of Israel, characteristics that I also saw in my mother and grandmother. I remember when Golda Meir passed away; my mother and I mourned her together, holding each other and crying.”

Lezlie met her husband Miguel on a blind date, one summer in Edmonton where he was playing basketball for the Israeli team in the World Student Games. He and his family are Cuban Americans, Sephardim of Turkish descent. The rest, as they say, is history. They had two children and raised their son and daughter in the vibrant Jewish community of Miami, specifically South Dade.

The Poyastros are members of Temple Beth Am and Lezlie and Miguel were also founding members of Bet Shira and Chabad of Kendall. Lezlie credits Adrian Dubow for first inviting her to Federation Women’s Philanthropy events. That led to Lezlie taking on volunteer leadership positions on the South Dade Branch Board, which she ultimately chaired. Lezlie also served on a number of committees and chaired the Women’s Philanthropy Lion of Judah Breakfast. In 2007, she received the Robert Russell Fellowship Award, recognizing her deep commitment to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, in particular, the work Federation does overseas.

For Lezlie, Jewish education and Israel engagement programs are a top priority. “These programs provide the next generation with a strong foundation of Jewish values which they can build upon during their lifetime and help them navigate life’s challenges. My children, like me, attended Jewish day school and Jewish sleep away camp; I spent nine summers at B’nai Brith summer camp. These experiences have shaped our lives. It is also why Miguel and I are staunch supporters of Birthright Israel and Miami’s Leo Martin March of the Living. My daughter is a Birthright Israel alumna and both my children participated in March of the Living. I’m proud that my son and my daughter and her husband continue to stay involved in Jewish life in Colorado.”