Connections!

It’s all about connections! Here we are in Greater Naples, Florida, and we are very lucky. We get to enjoy the many wonderful experiences our community has to offer.

Beyond the blue skies, white sand beaches, palm trees, beautiful weather, etc., what makes our community wonderful? The first thing that pops into my mind are the people. Everyone I have met is as warm and engaging as the climate. It really is the people talking with each other, socializing, shopping … in other words, making connections. It’s all about the relationships – the connections.

Because of all our connections, dreams are coming true. At the time of writing this article, we are on the cusp of opening the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center, the new home of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, located at 4720 Pine Ridge Road. Moving into our new home will give us the opportunity to continue connections while creating new connections with members of our community and our partners. Federation is doing all it can to meet the growing needs of our local and global communities.

JEFFREY FELD President/CEO Jewish Federation of Greater Naples

We, the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, believe in building connections. We do this formally and informally. We do this singularly and collaboratively. You might ask, how does Federation do this? I’m glad you asked!

We build connections through our Federation Executive Committee and Board of Directors as well as through Federation committees and activities, including:

• Camp Scholarship Committee

• Catholic-Jewish Dialogue

• Fund for Human Needs

• Israel Advocacy Committee

• Jewish Book Festival

• Jewish Community Relations Council

• Jewish Families with Children

• Jewish Russian Cultural Alliance

• Jewish Young Professionals

• Men’s Cultural Alliance

• PJ Library

• Singles Social Group

• Stand Up for Justice Grant

• Women’s Cultural Alliance

In our Greater Naples community, we collaborate with agencies, congregations and organizations to provide:

• Cultural Programs and Adult Education

• Local Humanitarian and Social Services

• Youth Programs and Youth Education

We are fortunate in this community to be able to work closely with Beth Tikvah, BBYO Naples, Chabad of Naples, Chabad at FGCU, Temple Shalom, Hillel, Naples Senior Center, the Holocaust Museum & Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center, Naples Jewish Congregation, Jewish Congregation of Marco Island, Chabad of Bonita Springs and Estero, Jewish War Veterans, Cardozo Society, and others.

Federation also works with these national Jewish advocacy organizations:

• American Friends of Magen David Adom

• American Jewish World Service

• Anti-Defamation League

• Jewish National Fund

Our community includes these Israel and overseas connections:

• American Friends of Eli

• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee

• Arava Institute

• Ethiopian National Project

• Jewish Agency for Israel

• Jewish Federations of North America

• Leket Israel

• Neve Michael Children’s Village

• ORT

• Sapir Community Center –Kfar Saba

• Special in Uniform

• Susan’s House

• Taglit-Birthright Israel

• World Union for Progressive Judaism – HaTikvah Preschool in Kiev, Ukraine

• Yad LaKashish – Lifeline for the Old

• Yashar LaChayal

Being a member of the Jewish community is all about connecting with one another. Federation recognizes the importance of “Kol Yisrael Aravim Zeh L’zeh,” which means “All Israel is responsible, one for each other.”

Again, it is all about the connections we know and even some we may not know. Being connected, being responsible in some way for each other, having all of these opportunities and experiences, is absolutely wonderful!

Let’s continue to grow our community through all our connections.

Jewish Together Builds Our Future.