News From the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

Since Hamas’ horrific terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, thousands of Israeli lives have been upended and the country’s economy has been in turmoil. More than 360,000 reservists were called to active duty during the ongoing conflict, away from their jobs and families.

“We have accessible bathrooms, showers, bedrooms. What we didn’t have is all the equipment for the people who came from their houses with nothing,” said Rachel Cohen, Project Manager at Beit Hagalgalim, a center for learning in Herzliya that is offering housing for people with disabilities who had to flee Israel’s south after October 7.

In answer to the unprecedented need for extensive and specialized trauma counseling in Israel due to the war, Federation is funding an initiative of partner agency Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC) to train Ethiopian-Israeli therapists in psychosocial care.

At a time when Jews everywhere are troubled by the war in Israel and rampant worldwide antisemitism, the Shabbat of Love — the largest Shabbat dinner celebration in North American history — provides the opportunity to celebrate Jewish light and love on Friday, January 19.

In the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attacks in Israel, as her husband was called to defend their country and her children remained terrified, Nurit Nissim’s thoughts turned to the welfare of mentors who work year-round with at-risk children through Youth Futures, and how she could support them.

“Physically, my family is okay. Mentally, it’s a completely different story,” said Ashira Greszes, whose toddler, Yedidya, attends gan (kindergarten) at Federation beneficiary agency Beit Issie Shapiro, an innovator in services for adults and children with disabilities that now provides free emotional therapy and respite visits to hundreds of people impacted by the war in Israel.

Only two more days remain for tax-smart giving in 2023, making this your last chance this year to demonstrate your support of Israel and help confront the rising tide of antisemitism here at home.

At a time when antisemitism rages across universities, 40 students from Hillels in Florida participated last week in a trip to Poland to learn firsthand the lessons of the Holocaust — and came away with a deep sense of self, a strengthened connection to Judaism and the courage to stand up for Jewish students on campus.

As we remain vigilant in our support of our brothers and sisters in Israel during the ongoing war with Hamas, our Jewish family in Miami is also deeply concerned about how anti-Israel sentiment and skyrocketing antisemitism are affecting our local community.

“If we learned anything from our few days in Israel, it is that the Israelis will prevail. They have the heart, the spirit, the resilience and the capability,” said Women’s Philanthropy Chair Elise Udelson, who took chaired the Miami Solidarity Mission to Israel earlier this month,

As the war continues, so, too, does life in Israel, including simchahs like weddings, even when the brides are called to serve in the IDF. The bridal boutique at Women’s Spirit is ensuring wartime brides have everything they need to celebrate their special day, even if that means only a brief respite from the front lines.

Miami’s Jewish women are highly dedicated to fulfilling the mitzvah of tzedakah, even beyond their own lifetimes — and it shows. As of this week, 250 women have signed commitments to perpetuate their Lion of Judah-level contributions to the Annual Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Campaign, making them Forever Lions.

When you give to Federation today, Jewish lives change for the better. Help ring in a new year of strength and resilience by enabling all the ways the Greater Miami Jewish Federation supports Israel in its time of crisis.

Anyone who has attended Jewish sleepaway camp, whether it was 10, 20 or 30 years ago, can attest that their memories of those summers are some of the happiest, most formative and long-lasting of their adolescence.

With so much disinformation about the war in Israel — particularly from the media — learning and sharing the most accurate news about the latest events can be frustrating and difficult.

Fifteen community leaders, including 10 mayors, spoke during a Miami-Dade Mayors Press Conference Denouncing Antisemitism hosted yesterday by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation's Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC).

The waves of trauma following October 7 have extended far beyond Israel and its citizens, as Jewish communities around the world face significant mental health challenges.

Just 23 days remain in 2023. Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of Jews in Miami, in Israel and in more than 70 other countries worldwide. Time is running out to donate this year to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Campaign.