Dec 14, 2016
Miami’s Jewish Community Welcomes Yerucham’s Matnas
In an ongoing effort to better serve their communities, seven professionals from Yerucham’s Matnas (community center) in Israel recently joined their counterparts from Miami’s three JCCs as part of the Miami-Yerucham Partnership. The week in Miami included tours of the Michael-Ann Russell JCC, Alper JCC Miami and Galbut Family Miami Beach JCC, synagogues and other organizations in Miami, along with discussions on new shared projects that will further the people-to-people relationship between the two cities.
Stanley Weinstein, Chair of Miami’s Yerucham Partnership Committee, said, “We brought our Yerucham guests to Miami to help them understand what is happening here and create new projects we can do together.”The visit occurred one year after representatives from Miami’s three JCCs traveled to Yerucham to observe activities at the Matnas, learn about Yerucham, and consider joint programmatic opportunities.
Among the new educational, social and cultural exchange opportunities explored during the visit were creative programs for seniors and children. The participants also discussed the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education’s (CAJE) highly successful Miami Jewish Film Festival, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in January 2017, and the possible introduction of a related international film appreciation program in Yerucham, as well as sending a delegation from Yerucham to this summer’s Maccabi games being hosted at the Alper JCC Miami.
This year, Federation allocated funds to support programs in Yerucham through The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Partnership2Gether focusing on and building closer personal relationships between the two communities. “We feel very connected to the Miami/Yerucham Partnership,” said Matnas Director Rafi Abergil. “Our main goal is to establish connections with all three JCCs, build long-term bonds and explore creative resources together.”
Steve Tepper, Executive Director of the Alper JCC Miami, has visited Yerucham twice in the past year. “Yerucham has become a second home in Israel and Rafi has become my partner,” he said.
Paul Frishman, Chief Executive Officer of the Miami Beach JCC, added, “I visited Yerucham for the first time four years ago and really appreciate the appeal of this warm people-to-people relationship.”
The Michael-Ann Russell JCC has taken a lead position in developing joint programs with the Yerucham Matnas. “We are very excited about the programs already in process and look forward to sharing our experiences with the other two JCCs,” said Children and Family Services Director Dror Gershoni.
For more information about the Miami-Yerucham Partnership, contact Dahlia Bendavid, Director of Federation’s Israel and Overseas Department, at dbendavid@gmjf.org, or 786.866.8445.
Professionals from the JCCs in Miami and Yerucham show a banner they created at the Miami Beach JCC to celebrate their partnership.
Alper JCC Miami professionals present a handmade chamsa as a gift to their peers from Yerucham.
JCC pros share in the fun of making challah at the Michael-Ann Russell JCC.
