Donor News Spring 2011 by Naomi Stern

GREATER MIAMI JEWISH FEDERATION

Don rNews INSIDE MIAMI MEGA MISSI N ISRAEL 2012

Touching Jewish Lives. Building Jewish Community. Spring 2011 | Iyar 5771

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK HOW FEDERATION DOLLARS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A SINGLE DAY AT HOME AND OVERSEAS

It Could Only Be a Mega Mission Volunteers of the Year

Support for Israel: JCRC Educates and Engages Community

Announcing the All-New JewishMiami.org!

Read more on page 2

1 | GREATER M IAM I JEWISH FEDERATION | DONOR NEWS

“Next year in Jerusalem!” Greater Miami Jewish Federation Barbara Black Goldfarb Chair of the Board Barbara Black Goldfarb Chair of the Board

Brian L. Bilzin General Campaign Chair

Jacob Solomon President and CEO

Israel is at the heart of the Jewish people and Miami’s Jewish community. As we witness another period of difficulty and uncertainty for the people of Israel, we are filled with a renewed commitment of support and solidarity. One outstanding way to show our support is by visiting Israel. Each year at the end of the Passover seder, Jews around the world proclaim, “Next year in Jerusalem!” It’s a pledge we have made for generations – and a promise each of us can fulfill in 2012. From April 22 through

May 1, 2012, more than 800 people from our community will travel together to our spiritual homeland for an unforgettable Mega Mission. Chaired by our good friend and Federation Past President Saby Behar, the Miami Mega Mission will unite people from across our community in a once-in-a-lifetime trip that will engage, inspire and delight each and every participant. Please be sure to read all about Miami Mega Mission Israel 2012 on page 7 of this publication, and then make plans to hold your place and join us next year in Jerusalem! This issue of Donor News provides insight into some of the programs and services your support helps to make possible. As always, your gift to the Annual Federation/UJA Campaign continues to be a vital lifeline to the most vulnerable in Israel and in 64 other countries around the world. It also enables Federation and our partner agencies to provide some form of financial assistance to 1 in 8 Jewish people here in Miami.

Our Federation was recognized for this ongoing commitment with the prestigious Sapir Award for Campaign Excellence at this year’s General Assembly of The Jewish Federations of North America. Ours was one of only two major American cities to receive this honor – a real sign of our community’s caring and readiness to assist others during tough times. We invite you to stay connected with Federation and our Jewish community through our all-new website, JewishMiami.org. Launched at the beginning of this year, the site has many outstanding features, including the ability to share your news on The Community Post, a usergenerated online Jewish newspaper created by Federation. JewishMiami.org helps you connect to our community and get involved in some of the lifechanging programs Federation funds. The feeling of community that exists here in Miami – the way newcomers immediately feel as though they’re part of our Jewish family – is one of the many ways we give help and hope in ordinary and extraordinary times. Going forward, Federation will continue to be there for those in need. We hope that you will be there with us as we bring comfort and support to Jewish people around the corner and around the globe. Thank you for your continued support.

The Mission of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is to mobilize human and financial resources to care for those in need, strengthen Jewish life and advance the unity, values and shared purpose of the Jewish people in Miami, in Israel and around the world. Connect with your community at the ALL-NEW

Jacob Solomon President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Y. Levin Chief Development Officer ..................................... David M. Scharlin Communications Chair Bonnie Reiter-Lehrer Chief Communications & Marketing Officer Nicole Marshal Ozer Assistant Director of Communications & Marketing, Editor Leslie Rosenberg Senior Communications & Marketing Associate ..................................... Myron J. “Mike” Brodie Executive Vice President Emeritus

John M. Bussel | Chair Stephen C. Lande, J.D. | Director 4200 Biscayne Boulevard Miami, Florida 33137 305.576.4000 JewishMiami.org

To make a gift, please use the enclosed envelope. You may also contact the Greater Miami Jewish Federation at 305.576.4000 or visit JewishMiami.org/gift/donornews.

JewishMiami.org

GREATER MIAMI JEWISH FEDERATION | DONOR NEWS | 2

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

HOW FEDERATION DOLLARS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A SINGLE DAY AT HOME AND OVERSEAS

Each and every day, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and our partner agencies make a real difference in the lives of real people in need. It is all made possible through the generosity of donors who support the Annual Federation/UJA Campaign and special funds and projects. Here, Donor News takes you on a virtual tour around the clock and around the globe to see the impact of your dollars during a typical day in Miami, in Israel and worldwide. 5 AM, MIAMI / NOON, FORMER SOVIET UNION Eighty-four-year-old Isak sits down to eat the hot lunch he receives daily through Federation’s overseas partner, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), its Hesed (welfare) Center and its meals-on-wheels program. Last year, Federation provided medications, food and winter relief to nearly 160,000 vulnerable, elderly Jews across the FSU. 6 AM, MIAMI An unemployed, single mother calls the Miami Jewish community’s 24hour, confidential helpline, terrified that she and her young children are about to be evicted from their apartment. A trained counselor from Jewish Community Services of South Florida (JCS), a Federation partner agency, is able to secure emergency financial assistance so the family can remain in their home. Last year, the Federation-funded helpline received 21,720 requests for assistance, resulting in: • Nearly $220,000 in emergency assistance grants • Nearly 3,000 visits to the JCS Kosher Food Bank • Career counseling for more than 330 unemployed people – and job placement for more than 150 of them – through ParnossahWorks Miami, a unique online job service offered by Federation and JCS • Jewish burial for 20 indigent people, funded through contributions to Federation’s Tzedakah Fund. 7:30 AM, MIAMI Four-year-old Ana gets ready for preschool at the Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center in South Dade. Her parents, recent arrivals from Argentina, are grateful for the Federation-funded scholarships that have enabled them to provide their child with a Jewish education.

8 AM, MIAMI / 3 PM, ISRAEL A seventh-grade class at the Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School corresponds with friends in a seventh-grade class in Yerucham, Israel. The students are using a joint curriculum to learn from one another in a cultural exchange. In 2006, a long-term partnership was established between Miami’s Jewish community and Yerucham, a 13-square-mile city in Israel’s Ramat HaNegev region. The partnership’s purpose is to build people-to-people relationships that will strengthen both communities. The Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School is one of 14 Jewish day schools in Miami-Dade County that receives Federation funding. Federation also supports hardship scholarships, synagogue religious schools and more. 9 AM, MIAMI Tsafra, a para-chaplain trained through the Refuat Ha’Nefesh program of Federation’s Jewish Chaplaincy Program, dances with a senior at an assisted living facility in Miami-Dade County. Now in its third year, Refuat Ha’Nefesh teaches volunteers how to provide compassionate and spiritual support to the sick and elderly in our community. 9:30 AM, MIAMI / 4:30 PM, ISRAEL Oriana, a classically trained ballet dancer, demonstrates steps to students in an afterschool program in Pardes Channa-Karkur in central Israel. Oriana, who lives in Miami, helped provide funding to make the dance program possible. Since 2005, Federation has been engaged in an initiative with EthiopianIsraeli residents of the community. Acculturation difficulties have created special issues for many of these immigrant families, and Federation is involved in projects to enhance the selfconfidence and academic success of the community’s youngsters.

More than $720,000 in scholarships are given each year to families so their children can attend early childhood education, afterschool and day camp programs at three JCCs in Miami-Dade County.

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3 | G R E AT E R M I A M I J E W I S H F E D E R AT I O N | DONOR NEWS | COVER STORY

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK 10 AM, MIAMI / 5 PM, ISRAEL Alex, Matt and Rachel, friends from Miami, are the first from their bus to reach the Kotel during their Taglit-Birthright Israel tour of Jerusalem. The program, which receives funding from the Federation/UJA Campaign, provides the gift of a free, first-time trip to Israel for Jewish young adults, ages 18 to 26, strengthening participants’ personal Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish people.

1 PM, MIAMI Chaim conducts research on a computer specially modified to accommodate disabilities that affect his mobility, vision and use of one of his arms. Before his family heard about the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center’s program for adults with special needs, Chaim spent most of his days at home watching TV. After attending the JCC program four days each week, his entire world has changed. Today, he has full access to the Internet and assistive-technology programs.

Last year, nearly 700 young adults from Miami participated in Israel experience programs, including: 313 who went on Taglit-Birthright Israel; 97 who received need-based Israel program scholarships; 50 who participated in Passport to Israel (a savings incentive program); 32 who attended Alexander Muss High School in Israel; and 160 who were part of MASA long-term work-study-volunteer programs in Israel.

Last year, through Miami’s JCCs, 138 children and adults with special needs participated in a variety of Federation-supported inclusion programs, such as summer camp, afterschool care, pre-vocational training and daily life skill development.

11:30 AM, MIAMI Seniors gather at a congregate meal site for a hot kosher lunch, as well as music and socializing. Last year, Federation’s partner agency, JCS provided nearly 275,000 kosher meals to homebound seniors, as well as others at four meal sites throughout Miami-Dade County. NOON, MIAMI / 7 PM, ISRAEL Dina and her three young daughters arrive, bruised and crying, at a Federation-funded shelter for abused women and children. There, a specially trained social worker assesses Dina’s needs for medical care, legal assistance, counseling and long-term housing.

2 PM, MIAMI / 3 PM, ARGENTINA Miriam attends a training session at the Ariel Job and Business Center in Buenos Aires. Recently widowed and living with her aging parents, she is learning the skills needed to find a job and be self-sufficient. The Ariel Job Center was created by Federation’s overseas partner, JDC, to reduce unemployment resulting from Argentina’s economic meltdown in 2001. Since then, JDC support has helped put thousands of people back to work and has paved the way for the launch of hundreds of Jewish-owned small businesses. Last year, the Ariel Job Center provided job retraining courses to nearly 1,700 individuals. Ariel Job Centers are also making a difference in Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Romania and Venezuela.

3 PM, MIAMI Teens tour the Holocaust Memorial of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation with Holocaust survivors as part of Federation’s Young Lions of Judah program, a In Israel, there are thousands of women and Jewish youth philanthropy initiative for children struggling every day with economic students preparing for their Bar or Bat and social issues, including abuse, poverty and Mitzvah. The Young Lions program is isolation. Federation’s Women’s Amutot coordinated by Federation’s Jewish Volunteer Initiative was established in 2003 to focus exclusively on the needs and Center (JVC). At their B’nai Mitzvah, the welfare of women and girls in Israel. Annual grants are allocated to Israeli students will honor a survivor who never had the opportunity to become Bar nonprofit organizations (amutot) that provide programs and services for or Bat Mitzvah, and will make a $180 contribution to the Annual women and deal with economic and societal empowerment, integration and Federation/UJA Campaign. equality, protection against and prevention of violence, and leadership development.

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GREATER MIAMI JEWISH FEDERAT ION | DONOR NEWS | 4

HOW FEDERATION DOLLARS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A SINGLE DAY AT HOME AND OVERSEAS 4 PM, MIAMI / 11 PM, ISRAEL Volunteers in Israel travel to restaurants, malls and banquet halls to gather a surplus of prepared meals that would have been thrown away; later, this food will be redistributed to 300 nonprofit partners that feed the poor and hungry throughout Israel. Each year, with the help of 40,000 volunteers, Leket Israel – the country’s largest food bank and food rescue network – collects more than 700,000 meals and 13 million pounds of produce and perishable goods, and supplies more than 1 million volunteer-prepared sandwiches to underprivileged children. Federation provides funding for the nongovernmental organization’s Project Leket.

Greater Miami Jewish Federation

7 PM, MIAMI Ben, a college sophomore, learns how to counter the international campaign to delegitimize Israel at a program sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. The JCRC presents a variety of community activities for people of all faiths and backgrounds so they can learn about important topics of concern, including Israel and the Middle East, vulnerable communities, anti-Semitism, domestic policy, civil liberties and more. (See related article on page 10.) 8 PM, MIAMI Lara participates in a lively discussion on Jewish tradition as part of the Florence Melton Adult Mini School of Miami. Raised without a formal Jewish education, she is excited to be able to learn about her heritage now so that she can share it with her family. Administered and co-sponsored by the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE), a Federation local partner agency, the Melton School is the fastest-growing, pluralistic, Jewish learning program for adults in the world, with thousands of students enrolling each year. Miami-Dade boasts more than 800 graduates.

Want to learn more about the work of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation? Visit JewishMiami.org/about.

In these challenging times, the Jewish community is here for you. If you or someone you know is in need of: n

EMERGENCY FINANCIAL n EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE ASSISTANCE

FOOD

HOME HEALTH CARE

FAMILY AND

STRESS MANAGEMENT

INDIVIDUAL

DOMESTIC ABUSE ASSISTANCE

COUNSELING n

REHABILITATION

ADDICTION COUNSELING

BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT

...we can help. Call the Jewish community’s 24-hour helpline at 305-576-6550. Administered by Jewish Community Services of South Florida, this confidential helpline is staffed by knowledgeable and experienced professionals who are ready to guide you to the services and information you need.

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JewishMiami.org

5 | GREATER M IAM I JEWISH FEDERATION | DONOR NEWS

General Campaign Chair Brian Bilzin Committed to Jewish Values and Identity “Federation brings our people and agencies together. Through Federation, we act as one people, to confront our challenges and literally change the world.”

Brian Bilzin, on a recent visit to Eastern Europe, expressed his commitment to Jewish continuity and renewal worldwide by meeting with beneficiaries of Federation programs. He is pictured here with Maya, who reconnected with her Jewish heritage through a JDC program and then went on to establish a new Jewish school for Croatia’s budding Jewish community.

AS ONE OF MIAMI’S TOP LAWYERS, Federation 2011 General Campaign Chair Brian Bilzin is a seasoned pro at making cases. This includes making the case for supporting

the Jewish community. Ask him how long he’s been giving to Federation/UJA Campaigns, and he’ll tell you exactly. “Since August, 1970,” he said. “That’s when I was old enough to start working, and that’s when I started making gifts.” Even then, he was already committed to Jewish values and identity. He learned from his working-class parents to give what he can to the Jewish community. “I grew up believing that if we didn’t take care of ourselves as Jews, nobody else was going to take care of us,” he said. “When you give, it comes back to you. My Jewish community involvement has given me so much: It’s given me a value system, a faith system, a strong work ethic and compassion for other people. I’ve come to believe that being born Jewish was one of the most fortunate events in my life.” Brian is a partner at Bilzin Sumberg, specializing in Business, Corporations and Real Estate Law. He first got involved with the Greater Miami Jewish Federation in the 1970s, through what was then the Young Leadership Council (now The Network). He eventually became a Federation Board member, and he has traveled to Israel and around the world to meet face-toface with Federation beneficiaries. “I’ve met Eastern Europeans who couldn’t even practice their Judaism just a few years ago, and now they have thriving Jewish communities. I’ve met Jews from Latin America who had their world turned upside down by that region’s economic crisis, and now they’re rebuilding their lives. These are people who really show us that Federation and the Annual Campaign truly do change lives. Their successes would not be possible without the Campaign, and the people who contribute to it,” he said. Brian said Campaign donors can be proud not only of their role in helping our most vulnerable citizens – but also of how their gifts help Federation to build the Jewish community of the future. “Miami is a very interesting community because it is so international in scope,” Brian said. “I think we’re several years ahead of many other Jewish communities in our ability to reach out to all Jews, welcome them and make them feel comfortable being Jews. We have to continue bringing them in and letting them know that there’s a place for them. The Federation/UJA Campaign will always play a vital role in helping Jews who need us – and in welcoming everyone who wants to experience our Jewish world.”

The miracle of your ONE gift to the Federation/UJA Campaign is that it touches the lives of so many people every day in Miami, in Israel and worldwide. Thank you for your generosity. Your gift provides funding to these agencies and programs in our community, nationally and overseas. Local Programs and Agencies • Alexander Muss High School in Israel • Association for Jewish Special Education • B’nai B’rith Youth Organization • Beth David/Gordon Day School • Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education • Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center on The Jay Morton-Levinthal Campus • Day School Hardship Scholarships • Destination Israel of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation • Greenfield Day School • Hebrew Academy (RASG)

• Hebrew Free Loan Association of South Florida • High Holiday Welcome Program of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation • Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life (seven Florida campuses) • Hochberg Preparatory: A Solomon Schechter Day School at Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus • Holocaust Documentation and Education Center • Holocaust Memorial of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

• Israel Programs: Passport to Israel, Taglit-Birthright Israel, Israel Scholarships • Jacobson Sinai Academy • Jewish Chaplaincy Program of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation • Jewish Community Relations Council of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation • Jewish Community Services of South Florida • Jewish Community Services/ Access and Information • Jewish Federation Housing • Jewish Museum of Florida

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JewishMiami.org

• Jewish Volunteer Center of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation • Kesher L.D. • Lehrman Community Day School • Mechina High School • Miami Beach Jewish Community Center • Miami Jewish Health Systems • Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center on the Sanford L. Ziff Campus • Mount Sinai Medical Center • Neytz haChochma • Organization for Leadership Advancement in Miami of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

GREATER MIAMI JEWISH FEDERAT ION | DONOR NEWS | 6

A Catalyst for New Ideas and Programs that can Transform the Jewish Community REMEMBER LEARNING THE VALUE OF SAVING FOR A RAINY DAY? For many in Miami’s

Jewish community, the recession has been more like a hurricane. Yet, as trying as these times have been, they would be much worse had it not been for The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. The Foundation is Federation’s endowment arm, where hundreds of individuals and families have created their own legacies to benefit the Jewish community. Since the economic crisis began in 2008, The Foundation has made nearly $3 million in special grants to help with the most urgent local Jewish community needs. That’s in addition to the regular Federation allocations from Unrestricted and Campaign Endowments. Those who created endowments through The Foundation probably never imagined the severity of the recession. Yet, because they provided funds for “rainy days,” programs and services that might have been forced to shut down are still serving our community. “Even with all the generous giving to Federation’s Annual Campaign, unforeseen things can happen,” said Foundation Chair John M. Bussel. “This crisis hit us so quickly and severely that we were in danger of not being able to make good on our commitments to our agencies. If there’s a silver lining in all this, it’s that now, more people understand why The Foundation is so important. Before, when I John M. Bussel would talk about planned giving and endowments, a lot of people thought of them as abstract concepts. Now, they can look at what we’ve done and say, ‘Thank goodness we have these resources to tap into.’” That need – and the importance of The Foundation endowment – will only grow in the future, John said. “The demand for services in the Jewish community is growing at a pace that’s faster than we can keep up with, and that’s going to continue. • Overnight Camp Scholarships • ParnossahWorks Miami • Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School • Shaarei Bina–Torah Academy for Girls • Sue & Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies at the University of Miami • Synagogue School Supplemental Scholarship Program • Teacher Fringe Benefits Program • Temple Beth Am Day School • Toras Emes Academy of Miami • Yeshiva Elementary School

National Programs and Services • American Coalition Against a Nuclear Iran • American Jewish Committee • American Jewish Congress • American Jewish World Service • Anti-Defamation League • Association of Jewish Family & Children’s Agencies • Clal - The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership • Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program at Brandeis University • B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (National) • Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society • Hebrew Union College School of Jewish Communal Service • Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

Which type of planned gift is appropriate for your needs and interests? To find out, you can check out The Foundation’s online gift calculator at JewishMiami.org/calculator or contact The Foundation at Foundation@JewishMiami.org or 786.866.8623. All consultations are confidential, with no obligation.

We will need endowment income to fill the gap,” John said. That’s where The Foundation comes in. The Foundation team works with individuals, families and their financial advisors to create plans to establish lasting Jewish legacies, while also addressing contemporary needs. “To me, one of the most important things about endowment money is that it really can be a catalyst for new ideas and programs that can transform the Jewish community,” John said. “For many organizations, it’s not easy to be visionary – especially when budgets are tight. But through The Foundation, donors can help those organizations by creating funds with specific goals in mind.” John said that Annual Campaign donors who believe they don’t have the resources for endowment giving are often surprised when they see The Foundation’s options. “There’s a big menu with a lot of flexibility,” John said. “When people realize that, they see many ways individuals of even modest means can do more than they thought they could.” • Israel Action Network • Israel Advocacy Initiative • Jewish Community Centers Association of North America • Jewish Council for Public Affairs • Jewish Education Service of North America • Jewish Labor Committee • Jewish Telegraphic Agency • Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A. • NCSJ: Advocates on Behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, Baltic States and Eurasia • National Foundation for Jewish Culture • Project Interchange, an Institute of the American Jewish Committee • Secure Community Network • World Council of Jewish Communal Service • Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University

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JewishMiami.org

Overseas Programs and Services • American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee • Ethiopian National Project • Hunger Amutot in Israel • Jewish Agency for Israel • The Jewish Federations of North America • Partnership Initiatives in the Israeli cities of Or Akiva, Pardes Channa-Karkur and Yerucham • Women’s Amutot Initiative • World ORT

Give Thanks. Give help. Give h pe.

7 | G REATER MIAMI JEWISH FEDERAT ION | DONOR NEWS

We’ve packed so much in... ... it could only be a Mega Mission

The GREATER MIAMI JEWISH FEDERATION and our COMMUNITY’S SYNAGOGUES and JEWISH AGENCIES invite you to join your neighbors and friends on Miami Mega Mission Israel 2012. Take the trip of a lifetime with us! BE THERE to enjoy a personally fulfilling journey to our spiritual homeland. BE THERE to participate in an exhilarating community experience with hundreds of friends and neighbors.

Greater Miami Jewish Federation

MIAMI MEGA MISSI N ISRAEL 2012 April 22 – May 1, 2012 MEMORABLE. MEANINGFUL. MAGICAL.

BE THERE to commemorate Yom Hazikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day) and to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day). Meet highranking officials, public-opinion shapers and ordinary citizens. Get a behind-thescenes look at Israel’s history and future. And have a great time at five fabulous and unforgettable Mega Events. It’s all waiting for you in Israel, April 22 through May 1, 2012. So pack your bags for a most memorable, meaningful and magical Mega Mission. Contact: For questions regarding Miami Mega Mission Israel 2012, call Katy Boyask, Miami Mega Mission Manager, at 786.866.8466 or visit us online at MiamiMegaMission2012.org Connect with your community at the

GREATER MIAMI JEWISH FEDERATION | DONOR NEWS | 8

Register Online at MiamiMegaMission2012.org. Price*: $3,600 per person (double occupancy) including non-stop, roundtrip, coach-class EL AL charter flight and accommodations at the Mamilla or David Citadel, Jerusalem; $2,500 per person (double occupancy) land only, including accommodations at the Mamilla or David Citadel, Jerusalem; $2,650 per person ages 22-39 (double occupancy, space limited), including non-stop, round-trip, coachclass EL AL charter flight and accommodations at the Inbal Jerusalem Hotel; $1,800 per person ages 22-39 (double occupancy, space limited) land only, including accommodations at the Inbal Jerusalem Hotel. Optional pre-mission to Poland: April 17 – 22, 2012 • Visit sites of the Holocaust, including the Jewish ghettos, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the only remaining synagogue in the Warsaw Jewish Quarter • Join 8,000 others for the March of the Living on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) as we walk from Auschwitz to Birkenau in testimony of Am Yisrael Chai, the Jewish people live • Journey to Israel for Miami Mega Mission 2012 * Subject to change based on fuel surcharge.

ALL-NEW

JewishMiami.org

9 | GREATER M IAM I JEWISH FEDERATION | DONOR NEWS

Awards and Honors will be honored for their service to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and to Miami’s Jewish community at Federation’s 73rd Annual Meeting on Thursday, May 26, 2011. The event, chaired by Isaac K. Fisher, will include the election of Officers, Board of Directors, Trustees, Leadership Council and Council of Jewish Organizations of Miami-Dade County.

FIVE OUTSTANDING LEADERS

Isaac K. Fisher

THE STANLEY C. MYERS PRESIDENTS’ LEADERSHIP AWARD THE 2011 SANDRA C. GOLDSTEIN YOUNG LEADERSHIP AWARD This award, named for the late Founding President of the Greater Miami Created by Miriam and Sam Goldstein in 2006 in memory of their daughter Sandra C. Goldstein – a wonderful young leader in Miami’s Jewish Jewish Federation – Stanley C. Myers – is presented annually to two dynamic Jewish leaders who have demonstrated outstanding service to Miami’s community who received the Stanley C. Myers Presidents’ Leadership Award in Jewish community. her lifetime – this Hedy Whitebook Amy Berger Chafetz Adam Lustig Ariel Bentata Amanda Adler Stanley C. Myers award is presented was an exceptional annually to two young leader who served individuals for the Jewish leadership and service community of to Miami’s Jewish Miami for decades community. and helped set the standard for Jewish philanthropy in South Florida. The 2011 The recipients of the 2011 Sandra C. Goldstein Young Leadership Award honorees are Ariel Bentata and Amy Berger Chafetz. are Amanda Adler and Adam Lustig. THE 2011 ROBERT RUSSELL FELLOWSHIP AWARD Named in remembrance of the late Robert Russell, this award is presented to a member of the community who has shown active interest in Federation, and in particular, Jewish communities overseas. Robert Russell was an extraordinary leader who served as President of Federation, as a National UJA Chairman, and Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Housing Committee. The 2011 honoree is Hedy Whitebook.

Join us on Thursday, May 26, at 11:30 am at the Hilton Miami Downtown for the 73rd Annual Meeting of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. For more information, please contact Rina Bass at 786.866.8411 or rbass@gmjf.org.

Jewish Volunteer Center Presents 2011 Outstanding Volunteer Awards In turning Rosenberg’s dream into a reality, Karina and Dana have Federation, and honoring their commitment of time and energy is an annual done everything from securing a location and overseeing its renovation to accessing merchandise for sale and coordinating volunteers’ schedules to run tradition of Federation’s Jewish Volunteer Center. Each April during National the shop. Today, 45 volunteers – many referred Volunteer Week, awards are presented to by the Jewish Volunteer Center – sort and sell the individuals who selflessly dedicate themselves to clothing. the betterment of our community. A caring, detailed-oriented individual, Seth In the adult category, the Outstanding Kudish volunteers full-time each weekday at Volunteers for 2011 are Karina Chocron and Federation’s offices. Working in data processing Dana Tangir. Seth Kudish is the 2011 and conducting research, he is always happy to Outstanding Young Adult Volunteer. help out with whatever tasks need to be done. In addition to their individual Seth’s degree in computer sciences has enabled dedication to helping the Jewish community, Seth Kudish Karina and Dana teamed together to create and Karina Chocron and Dana Tangir him to teach his colleagues time-saving run the Community Closet, which sells gently shortcuts, benefiting the organization as a whole. used clothing for adults and children at prices ranging mostly from $1 to $5. His easy-going demeanor and willingness to help wherever he is needed made The brainchild of Hindy Rosenberg, whose family lost everything when their him an ideal choice for this year’s Outstanding Young Adult Volunteer award. JVC Chair Mark Kravitz said, “I am honored to be able to present house burned down in 2010, the Community Closet has been a blessing for people who have had difficulties like the Rosenbergs, are struggling through these awards to such dedicated volunteers in our community. They truly inspire the economic downturn, or need to clothe a family on a limited budget. Jewish others to give generously of their time.” Community Services of South Florida, a Federation local partner agency, For more information about the Jewish Volunteer Center, frequently refers clients – and clothing donations – to the Community Closet. contact Director Lori Drutz at 786.866.8414 or VOLUNTEERS ARE THE HEART AND SOUL of the Greater Miami Jewish

Volunteer@JewishMiami.org. Connect with your community at the ALL-NEW

JewishMiami.org

GREATER MIAMI JEW ISH FEDERAT ION | DONOR NEWS | 10

JCRC Educates and Engages Community in Support of Israel IN CITIES AND ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) speaks at the Community Summit to an audience of more than 1,200 people about the U.S. commitment to Israel. Seated left to right: Congressman Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Summit Co-Chairs Norman Braman and Michael M. Adler.

around the world, there is a rising voice against Israel, calling for boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS). This campaign seeks to delegitimize Israel by questioning its very right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people. Jewish Federations of North America; Professor Alan The BDS campaign includes boycotting Dershowitz of Harvard Law School; Rachel Fish of Israeli products, academic and cultural exchanges Brandeis University; Daniel Pipes of the Middle East Majority Leader, U.S. with Israel, and international sporting events in Forum; Martin Raffel of the Jewish Council for House of Representatives Eric Cantor (R-VA) and which Israel participates; divesting from Israeli Public Affairs; Rabbi David Saperstein of the JCRC Vice Chair Jonathan companies and companies that do business with Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and Awner speak during a Israel; and pushing for sanctions against Israel at Natan Sharansky, Chairman of the Executive of the meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. all levels. Jewish Agency for Israel. Israel’s Ambassador to the The Jewish Community Relations U.S., Michael Oren, delivered the keynote address, Council (JCRC) of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation has long had a and advocacy workshops for high school and college students were facilitated mission to “Educate, Engage and Act” on behalf of our Jewish community in by the ADL and AIPAC. Miami, in Israel and around the world. This year, it is working to inform as The Summit laid a strong foundation of knowledge about the BDS many people as possible about the rising voice of the “BDS” movement and movement, and the JCRC is continuing to build upon it by working with its campaign to delegitimize Israel. college students, educators, elected officials and the interfaith community, as “Legitimate criticism of Israel is one thing, but there’s a fine line well as encouraging the purchase of Israeli products. between that and outright hostility, which is what the ‘BDS’ movement Another informative event was the third annual Jewish Community engenders,” said JCRC Chair Regina F. Zelonker. “We have a real Relations Council Washington Advocacy Mission, which took place March 2-3. opportunity and an obligation to educate our community on how best to Co-chaired by Robert Berrin and Jonathan Awner, the mission’s 21 combat this kind of thinking.” participants advocated on public policy regarding a range of topics, which In January, the JCRC convened a Community Summit on the included ensuring sufficient funding for Israel’s security needs. Participants, campaign to delegitimize Israel in partnership with the American Jewish including Federation Board Chair Barbara Black Goldfarb and Campaign Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, the Consulate General of Israel to Chair Brian Bilzin, met with a broad array of policymakers in the legislative Florida and Puerto Rico, the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami and and executive branches who sit on both sides of the aisle. In addition, the dozens of other organizations. Chaired by Federation Past Presidents Michael group benefited from issues briefings given by AIPAC, the Jewish Council for M. Adler and Norman Braman, the program featured remarks by Public Affairs and The Jewish Federations of North America, and substantive Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Congresswoman Debbie briefings from Obama administration staff. Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Congressman Steve Chabot (R-OH). To learn more about the JCRC and its Israel advocacy Two lively discussions took place among the following panelists: The Honorable efforts, contact CommunityRelations@JewishMiami.org or call 786.866.8486. Irwin Cotler, Canadian member of Parliament; William Daroff of The Connect with your community at the ALL-NEW

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