It's Happening In Miami

This past Sunday marked the groundbreaking for Chabad’s new education center. Located in the North Miami-Dade neighborhood of Highland Lakes, Chabad Chayil has broken ground on a new five story building that is estimated to cost $12 million, with construction costing close to $9 million.

Chabad Chayil was founded as the local Chabad Center in the 1980’s by the late Rabbi Dovid Bryn who passed away in 2002. Brought to Miami by Rabbi Bryn to replace him during his illness, Rabbi Moishe Kievman and his wife Layah have run the center ever since, and expanded its services.

Daily prayer services, as well as an array of classes, weekly Shabbat & Holiday dinners & Kiddush lunch and an array of community programs are still held in a small synagogue and are available for men, women and youth of all ages. But the primary focus of this Jewish center is CHAP, Chabad Chayil’s uniquely designed Community Hebrew Afterschool Program - an all encompassing daily after-school program geared towards Jewish children in public schools who have no formal Jewish education.

The new center has been designed to serve thousands of students. It measures 37,737 square feet of indoor space and approximately 10,000 square feet of outdoor terraces including a rooftop park. The design includes 14 regular classrooms and 2 specialty classrooms, an indoor playground, jungle gym, social hall, a children's library and a library for adults, which will double over as a synagogue.

Strategically located at the Northern border of Miami-Dade and close to the Southern edge of Broward, Chabad Chayil is centrally located between 9 major public schools. CHAP curriculum Includes: Traditions, Holidays, Jewish History, Parsha, Jewish Art, Prayer & Judaic study with a primary focus on Hebrew Reading custom designed to teach each child at whichever level they may be. The program offers a first taste of Jewish learning in a creative, joyful, hands-on and interesting way. “We try to impart a sense of tradition using modern and innovative teaching techniques” says Mrs Layah Kievman who directs the program. This is a Hebrew School of the highest quality that kids can’t wait to go to!

During its construction phase, Chabad Chayil’s synagogue and classrooms have been relocated to a number of small homes that are adjacent to the location where the new building will be located. Children ranging in age from 5 to 18 are taught the importance of being kind to one another, and how each and every person can bring good and light into the world.

Arts and craft is incorporated into the daily assignments, and the children especially love working on holiday related creations. This year each child created their own unique menorah creation which were displayed at Chabad Chayil’s 18th annual Chanukah Fair.

Combining the Groundbreaking with The Chanukah Fair made for a festive atmosphere. Thousands of children attended and had a great time playing in the bounce house, obstacle course, laser tag, and having their faces painted. Smashing pinatas for kosher candy was a big hit. A delicious BBQ was available for lunch or dinner, and for dessert, both children and adults loved the assorted array of donuts that were served (donuts are traditionally served on Chanukah).

The Kievman family crowded onto the stage for the lighting of the menorah, singing the holiday blessings for the entire crowd.

“This center has touched the lives of so many adults and children over the past 40 years” says Rabbi Kievman, “we are very excited by our expansion which allows us to reach even more people.”

The adults were inspired by speeches from local political leaders that included Aventura Mayor Enid Weisman, State Rep Christopher Benjamin, school board member Lucia Baez-Geller, Miami-Dade commissioner Sally Heyman and others.

Rabbi Avraham Korf who heads Chabad’s operations in the entire State of Florida was in attendance to wish a mazal tov (congratulations) to the community. Korf was sent to Florida over 60 years ago and is one of The Rebbe’s first emiseries.

It was a tremendous honor to have Rabbi Korf in attendance, and a special treat to hear Korf’s stories from the old country. He knew Kievman’s great-grandfather since he was only a small child in Russia. Kievman’s great-grandfather officiated at Korf’s older brother’s Bar Mitzvah, in Samarkand, a city in Uzbekistan. Rabbi Korf spoke of Chasidic dynasty leaders, “The Rebbe Rashab said it was worth establishing the entire Lubavitch Yeshiva just for Reb Dovid Hordoker (Kievman).”

“It was worth me being sent to Florida, just to see the tremendous work done by Kievman’s great grandson at Chabad Chayil” Rabbi Korf said with emotion.

Please visit ChabadChayil.org/BuildNow to have a part in this tremendous undertaking or to learn more about its' programs. Rabbi Kievman can be reached at (305) 770-1919.

For pictures of the vent see https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10158535532525954&type=3 https://youtu.be/S57ENu6rZQY

Give Miami Day is almost here! This year you can donate early beginning November 15 until November 18, 2021.

For the past 39 years, we have had the opportunity of bringing a community together to share in an intergenerational experience. The MAR-JCC Hebraica Maccabi Games is an Olympic-style sporting competition. This week-long athletic event features over 700 competitive games in 13 different sports including Basketball, Swimming, Track and Field, Tennis, Soccer, Volleyball, Flag-Football, and more. The Games attract about 2000 registered athletes, and up to 3,000 spectators daily. All participants - children, college age and adults are divided into 8 teams (named after participant countries of origin). The children’s teams are then divided by age/school grade. Over the years, the games have added programs and activities that promote socialization “off the field” including a dance competition, bingo games, chess, bowling tournament, and an evening of domino. During this time, friendships and connections are created. The Maccabi Games, organized by a committee of dedicated volunteers and staff members, has established itself as South Florida’s leading Jewish sporting event. Individuals and families from all over North Miami Dade County, as well as other areas of South Florida, the United States, Latin America, and Israel come together at the Maccabi Games to take part in a unique event that helps to maintain cultural ties, while promoting friendly competition and camaraderie, in a family friendly setting.

November 18, 2021 6:00 PM to November 28, 2021 4:00 PM
Where: Michael-Ann Russell JCC
18900 NE 25th Avenue
North Miami Beach, FL 33180

Diane Azout at diania@marjcc.org ((305) 932-4200)

History of the Event Maccabi Games was first organized in 1982, when a small group of Latin Jewish immigrants decided to continue the tradition of these Games that were so popular in their native Latin American countries. From its inception, athletes would register for the Games by country of origin, allowing them to maintain cultural ties to the countries from which they emigrated. Thirty six years ago, there were 350 children and adults, divided into four teams. Today, the Games have become a reflection of South Florida’s large and diverse Latin Jewish population, but also embraces participation by the total Jewish community

THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7 MIAMI HERALD

Do you have questions about the COVID vaccine?

Join PJ Library on Zoom for an important session with our panel of pediatric medical experts who will discuss the COVID vaccine for kids ages 5-11.

Thursday, December 9 at 7 pm FREE WITH RSVP HERE

PJ Library is FINALLY back at the Miami Children’s Museum for a special OUTDOOR Chanukah celebration! Join Nicole Berkin, Melissa Goldfarb, Caryn Shapiro-Pardo and Rachel Silver, Program Co-Chairs, on Sunday, November 21 at 11 AM for story time and a Chanukah-themed play dough experience with SMOCKED ART! We’ll use tools and loose parts such as dreidels, gold coins and candles to promote open-ended play and creativity. Children will then be able to take home their dough to continue the fun for all 8 nights of Chanukah!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT as space will be limited to 20 children (each accompanied by only one adult). Face masks will be required. Free with required museum admission payment.

RSVP HERE: https://jewishmiami.org/resources/community_directory/events/rsvp/pjlibrary_chanukah_mia_childrens_museum-rsvp/

As violent antisemitic attacks reached a record high level throughout the US and abroad, this year’s Holocaust Education Week, beginning Sunday, November 7 through Friday November 12, offers critical learning tools for our community. The community-wide program, presented by the Holocaust Memorial Beach, a Committee of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, opens with a virtual commemoration of Kristallnacht: “The Night of Broken Glass.”

Additional programming throughout the week includes a photography exhibit by Holocaust Survivor Laszlo Selly, a public film screening of The Zookeeper’s Wife and a moderated discussion with Survivor Allan Hall. All events will be virtual, unless otherwise noted, free of charge and open to the public. Advance registration is required. Program access information will be sent following registration confirmation.

For more information and to register, click here.

One of the most tragic days in modern Jewish history, Kristallnacht will be commemorated on the 83rd anniversary of the event. Widely considered to be a major turning point in Hitler’s campaign to annihilate the Jewish people, Kristallnacht was marked by a series of coordinated attacks on Jews in Germany and parts of Austria on November 9-10, 1938.

Join the community online to remember the victims of this event and honor the Survivors on Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 6 PM.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR A LIVESTREAM OF THE EVENT

Spend a high school semester in Israel!

The Alexander Muss High School in Israel is seeking student leaders for the 2022 Stephen Muss Impact Fellowship.

Jewish students entering their sophomore or junior year of high school, residing in Miami-Dade County, and attending a public or private school are invited to apply.

Applications are due January 31, 2022.

For more information, visit AMHSI.org/Impact-Fellowship or contact Alicia Press at 954-817-7108 or apress@amhsi.org or Andrea Schleider at 212-472-9300 ext. 482 or aschleider@amhsi.org .