Page 3 - 2019-2020 Report to the Community
P. 3

A Message to Our Community
Each year since 1938, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation has published a Report to the Community to document our work in pursuit of our Mission, “To mobilize human and financial resources to care for those in need, strengthen Jewish life and advance the unity, values and shared purpose of the Jewish people in Miami, in Israel and around the world.”
Just as we were ready to release our 2019-2020 Report, the world changed. As we write these words, the coronavirus pandemic is threatening the health and welfare of citizens across the globe. And, just as we have done so often in the past, Federation is responding to the crisis, bringing together human and financial resources to help the most vulnerable, secure our partner agencies and connect us to one another and to the community. In response to these extraordinary circumstances, we launched Federation@Home, a comprehensive website offering opportunities to engage, updates on community events and volunteer initiatives and information on where to turn for assistance.
While the reality before us today is much different than it was a year ago, what remains constant are the important ways Federation supports and advances the quality of Jewish life in Miami, in Israel and in more than 70 countries worldwide. For more than eight decades, we have helped our Jewish community stand together to safeguard our people, preserve our traditions and bring Jewish values to life in good times and in bad. Federation is prepared to respond in times of crisis because of the infrastructure that is in place every day, every year . . . across decades.
GREATER MIAMI The Strength JEWISH of a People.
   The pages of this Report provide a financial picture of our impact — how we make a difference in the
communities we serve. As we look back on the year 2019 to a time before we had even heard of the
coronavirus, we will remember a period of consolidated growth and expansion in critically needed spheres of
activity. We aggressively confronted the reality of dramatically increased anti-Semitism and responded with a heightened sense of unity and purpose. Faced with a rising tide of this violent hatred worldwide, we reaffirmed our commitment to security by adopting new strategies to protect the physical safety of Jews in Miami and abroad, working hand in hand with our overseas partner agencies.
Federation expanded the activities of our Office of Community Security, increasing awareness, training and safety protocols among Miami’s synagogues and Jewish institutions. We also developed alliances with interfaith groups to address shared concerns and organized programs through our Jewish Community Relations Council to combat the threat of the insidious Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement on Florida college campuses. Personal tours and educational outreach through our Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach helped over 100,000 visitors and students more deeply understand the danger of unchecked anti-Semitism and hatred in society.
Our focus on safety during this past year in no way diminished the sense of responsibility we feel to care for Jews in need — from infants to seniors and everyone in between — wherever they may live. And certainly, with the coronavirus pandemic, we know the community wants and expects Federation to respond. That call to action — call it our Jewish imperative — is the focal point of our world during this crisis and always. Effectively and efficiently, we are responding to the challenges our community faces as more and more people need help. The demand for food, emergency assistance, counseling, financial aid and so much more is increasing each day and we are determined to meet those needs . . . with compassion and the generosity of spirit you make possible because of your support.
We are grateful to you for having the confidence in Federation to invest in our collective efforts. We pledge to continue to do all within our power to translate your charitable impulse into impactful programs and services that really make a difference in peoples’ lives.
May we all go from strength to strength, together. Whether we are on the giving side or the receiving side, we are united as one community with one heart. Thank you for making that possible. We are deeply and sincerely grateful for your meaningful and consistent support.
Stay safe and stay healthy. With gratitude,
Jeffrey Scheck Jacob Solomon
Chair of the Board President & Chief Executive Officer
FEDERATION
The Power
of Community.
  Greater Miami Jewish Federation 2019-2020 Report to the Community Visit JewishMiami.org 1















































































   1   2   3   4   5