Spring and new beginnings

By Federation President/CEO Jeffrey Feld and Federation Board Chair Jane Schiff

Sometimes in Florida, it’s hard to recognize spring as it creeps in, slightly warmer day by day, with the heavy humidity of summer yet to arrive. Whatever the season, this is the spring of our Jewish community.

The Holocaust Museum has its new space. In fact, it is enlarging, with muchneeded storage and classroom space. The Naples Senior Center has its zoning approval and is working toward a new home. And we, the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, are working our way through the permitting process in hopes of a groundbreaking for our exciting and fabulous Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center in the very near future. We will announce our groundbreaking plans in the weekly e-blast as soon as they have been firmed up.

All this growth in our Jewish community is our spring. For the last 50-plus years in the Greater Naples area, Jews have come, made homes and settled very comfortably. The sprouting of new buildings for the community is an outward manifestation of that growth. It is an exciting time to be in our Naples area. It is an exciting time to be a Jew in Naples, Florida.

The pandemic has not slowed our growth. Many of us have enjoyed the plethora of virtual offerings that JFGN, Women’s Cultural Alliance and Men’s Cultural Alliance have made available. We hear stories that people from Canada and almost all 50 states have enjoyed our offerings.

We are staying in touch. We are remaining a strong community, despite the obstacles the last year has put in our path. We have built an inclusive, caring and supportive community. And you have made that possible through your increasing gifts to Federation’s Annual Campaign, which supports elderly, education and engagement. Thank you!

The Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center will house our programs, allowing us to be together when this horrible pandemic is in our rearview mirror. We all miss seeing, kibbitzing and hugging. We need a safe space to do that. We need a comfortable, inviting and inclusive place to gather for special events, like the Book Festival, as well as for everyday events, like games, lectures and meetings.

We need your help to make it come to life. Please, please consider giving a gift to help us create a home for the entire Jewish community. Contact Marcy Friedland at 239-263-4205 or by emailing mfriedland@ jewishnaples.org with your gift, or pledge of a gift, to make the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center a Jewish home you helped make happen.

Gifts may be paid over a few years or in a lump sum, whichever works best for you.

Let’s all chip in to make our new home one that we all built!