Walk into virtually any restaurant or store in Aventura and surrounding neighborhoods, and you will hear people of all ages speaking Spanish, French, Russian, Hebrew and Yiddish. It is within this diverse environment that the Greater Miami Jewish Federation has established a strong presence, with a North Dade Branch offering a wide variety of programs and activities that address the needs and interests of this demographically varied area.
Based at the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center, the North Dade Branch brings together the multicultural and multigenerational Jewish population through a variety of philanthropic, educational, social, volunteer and advocacy programs. Topics run the gamut from programs that focus on religion or history to others that touch on political subjects of Jewish concern. At the same time, the Branch sponsors purely social activities and ones that appeal to the area’s individual cultural groups.
“Our differences may be apparent, but our common heritage and commitment to a strong Jewish future bind us as one united Jewish community,” said North Dade Branch Chair Amy Chafetz. “And based on the amazing turnout at our events and programs, it’s obvious how much people want to share their experiences with one another.”
With the largest Jewish population in Miami-Dade County, North Dade also plays a crucial role in the Annual Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Campaign, which supports the social-service, humanitarian and educational needs of Jews in Miami, in Israel and 64 other countries around the world. The North Dade Branch sponsors its own programs to generate support for the Campaign, which strengthens such vital Jewish institutions as the JCC, Jewish day schools, synagogue religious schools, youth programming, and more. The North Dade Branch also proudly takes a leadership role in countywide fundraising events that reflect a communal commitment to social justice and volunteerism.
“Our tradition teaches us that all Jews are responsible for one another,” said Gary Mars, Vice Chair of the North Dade Branch. “By uniting under the banner of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, we meet that obligation to our brothers and sisters at home and abroad.”
To learn about upcoming programs being offered by Federation’s North Dade Branch, visit JewishMiami.org or call 305-705-0800.
