Miami-Dade News
December 07 Newsletter
JNF Miami-Dade recognized 50 year donor Lilyan Abramson for her commitment to helping the State of Israel and JNF. When asked why she has supported JNF for all these years, Mrs. Abramson replied "if not me, then who will".
Lilyan Abramson recognized as a JNF supporter for 50 years.
Eli Iaslovits is a good baseball player with a great heart. When he learned about JNF's Project Baseball, he chose it as his mitzvah project. He raised $3,000 and arranged for equipment to be donated to the project. Following in his footsteps, his younger brother also chose Project Baseball as his mitzvah project for his Bar Mitzvah.
Bar Mitzvah boy Eli Iaslovits and his father Michael, present JNF Miami-Dade Regional Director Aaron Bernstein with a check for Project Baseball.
JNF Miami-Dade Regional President Jeffrey Perlow, Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center Executive Director and JNF Board member Dr. Amir Baron, Mrs. Sue Baron, and Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center President Larry Herrup enjoyed JNF’s Corporate Forum speaker’s series with guest speaker Ambassador Reda Mansour, Consul General of Israel to the Southeast. The exclusive event was held at Morgan Stanley in Aventura, FL. For more information on becoming involved with the JNF's Corporate Forum, please call our office at (305) 682-0025.
JNF Miami-Dade Regional President Jeffrey Perlow, Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center Executive Director and JNF Board member Dr. Amir Baron, Mrs. Sue Baron, and Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center President Larry Herrup.
On November 4th, 2007, JNF Miami-Dade Region held its annual Green Sunday phone-a-thon to raise funds for Blueprint Negev, Operation Northern Renewal, and other JNF projects. Twenty-four volunteers, led by co-chairs Aura Nissim and Rosalie Schlaen, successfully raised over $11,000 in just six hours. The event was hosted by Roslaie Schlaen at the offices of Merrill Lynch in Aventura, FL.
For more information on volunteering for other JNF events and activities, please contact our office at (305) 682-0025 or by e-mail at abernstein@jnf.org.
Green Sunday co-chairs Aura Nissim and Rosalie Schlaen are all smiles after another successful phone-a-thon.
On October 30th, 2007, 17 people attended an intimate update on JNF activities in Israel. In spite of the nearing hurricane, this dedicated group of new supporters came out to learn how they can get involved with JNF. Board member and long time JNF supporters Salomon and Esther Garazi hosted the event at their home. After the event, Garazi noted that his passion for Israel and JNF began as a boy in Cuba.
For more information on how you can make a difference in Israel, please contact Miami-Dade Regional Director Aaron Bernstein at (305) 682-0025 or abernstein@jnf.org.
Moises Egozi, Jose Ojalvo, JNF Miami-Dade President Jeffrey Perlow, and board member Salomon Garazi
2007 Presidents Council Mission participants Yoel and Rina Saraf from Miami-Dade are greeted by Be'er Sheva Mayor Yaakov Turner.
September 07 Newsletter
Coral Gables resident, Dr. Richard Abraham, recently gave his tenth gift annuity to JNF. Dr. Abraham, a 97 year old retired Linguistics Professor at the University of Miami, has been a supporter since 1980, and was excited to give this tenth annuity. When asked what made him so passionate about the JNF and Israel, Dr. Abraham responded, “I want the Jews to have a homeland they can go to if they are ever persecuted, and JNF is the caretaker of the land of Israel.”
Caption: Dr. Richard Abraham
JNF will hold its annual “Green Sunday” Phone-A-Thon on Sunday, November 4th, 2007 to support Israel & JNF, from our Blueprint Negev Campaign in the South to our Northern Renewal Campaign in the North. Come take part in raising funds to help JNF restore the forests in the North that were destroyed by Hezbollah in the summer of 2006, build new communities in the South, and other valuable JNF projects in Israel. Join us in support of Israel by volunteering for a few hours and be part of this exciting day. Win Raffles and Prizes!! Please contact our office for more information. Students will receive community services hours.
Join Miami-Dade Chairman Jeffrey Perlow at our annual National Conference on October 14th and 15th in New York City at the New York Marriott East Side. Guest speakers will include Ambassador Dan Gillerman, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations. A Black-tie Gala will take place on Sunday night honoring JNF President, Ronald S. Lauder. To register, please visit support.jnf.org/nc or contact us for more information.
JNF Corporate Forum is pleased to present Israel: Between Iran & Hi-Tech by Ambassador Reda Mansour, Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States, on September 25th, 2007 at 5:30 PM. To read more about Ambassador Mansour click here.
Achieve your financial goals while helping JNF meet Israel’s needs by creating a charitable gift annuity. A charitable gift annuity for JNF supporters is a simple contract between a donor and Jewish National Fund. In exchange for an irrevocable gift of cash or securities JNF agrees to pay one or two annuitants a fixed sum monthly, quarterly, semiannually or annually. JNF will offer Planned Giving Seminars in the Miami area in the coming months, for those interested in learning more, please contact us.
We would like to wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and sweet New Year from your friends Aaron Bernstein, Miami-Dade Regional Director; Andrea Schleider, Campaign Executive, and Eve Seliger, Office Manager. Shana Tova!
For further information about JNF and upcoming events, please contact our office at (305) 682-0025 or by email at abernstein@jnf.org.
July 07 Newsletter
Roni Eshel, Assistant Director for the Institute for the Study of Modern Israel at Emory University, was the guest speaker at the JNF Corporate Forum hosted by Akerman-Senterfitt in Miami, FL. Mr. Eshel gave a detailed account of JNF/KKL's systematic land purchasing beginning in the 1890's through the establishment of the State of Israel, while linking the process to the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War. Following the presentation Mr. Eshel took questions from the audience.
Photo 1 (L-R): Miami-Dade Regional Director, Aaron Bernstein presenting Roni Eshel with a JNF tree certificate.
In June, Oren Magnezy, former adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and Bud Levin, JNF National Vice President for Campaign, provided South Florida JNF supporters with a unique insider's view of the inner-workings of the Knesset, the Israeli government, and JNF.
Photo 2 (L-R): Board Member, Jordan Weitz; Linda Weitz; Oren Magnezy and Bud Levin.
Marcy Lefton, founder of the JNF Sapphire Society, welcomed Linda Weitz to the Society and presented her with a Sapphire pin. The Sapphire Society was founded in 1998 as the Women's major gift division of the JNF, created for a select group of Women who demonstrate an enduring commitment to Israel and JNF.
Photo 3 (L-R): Marcy Lefton presenting Linda Weitz with the Sapphire Society pin.
Miami Beach residents, LeRoy and Shoshana Schecter visited Israel in June and saw first hand the results of their generous contributions to Israel through JNF. These contributions include three compact fire trucks, a Playground at Avivim in Northern Israel, and a generous donation to the Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education (AMIIE).
Photo 4 (L-R): The children of Avivim with Zeev Kedem, Director of Development for JNF/KKL in Israel and abroad; LeRoy and Shoshana Schecter.
Upcoming Events
On September 25th, Ambassador Reda Mansour, Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States, will be in South Florida to speak to members of the JNF Corporate Forum. To read more about Ambassador Mansour click here.
For more information about JNF, or to inquire about the Sapphire Society or our upcoming events, please contact our office at 305-682-0025 or by email at aschleider@jnf.org.
April 07 Newsletter
Over 600 people were in attendance, and close to $700,000 was raised on March 8, when JNF of Miami-Dade County held its annual dinner honoring Isaac & Nieves Olemberg and Yoel & Rina Saraf at the Parrot Jungle Island in Miami. The honorees were presented with the prestigious JNF Negev Visionary Award in recognition of their outstanding community involvement and dedication to peace and security of human life.
The theme of the dinner, "A River Runs Through It," was a salute to the Be"er Sheva River Park project, part of JNF"s Blueprint Negev campaign to develop the Negev Desert and make it home to an additional 250,000 people over the next five years.
Development of Be"er Sheva is integral to the plan, and development of the River Park is the key to the city. The massive water, environmental and economic development project, will transform the dry riverbed into a 900-acre thriving waterfront district (much like the River Walk in San Antonio, TX).
Proceeds from the dinner went towards the Miami-Dade Promenade, a focal point of the River Park. Recreation areas, historic and archaeological sites, a lake, and an 8,000-seat amphitheatre are also being built.
Brigitte Gabriel was the keynote speaker. Ms. Gabriel, author of Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America, and frequent guest on CNN and Fox News, gave a powerful speech about her childhood in Lebanon during the civil war.
Activities during the evening included two silent auctions for artwork by prominent Israeli artists, Isaac Maimon and Yaacov Agam and The Shalom Band entertained guests with Israeli music.
Please save the date for next year"s dinner, taking place on Thursday, March 6, 2008.
Caption: (L to R): JNF Miami-Dade Chairman Jeffrey Perlow, honorees Nieves & Isaac Olemberg and Norman Lipoff
Caption: (L to R): JNF CEO Russell Robinson, Jeffrey Perlow, honorees Rina & Yoel Saraf; Nily Falic and Solomon Garazi
Caption: (L to R): Gideon Shavit, Russell Robinson, Yaacov Agam, LeRoy & Shoshana Schecter
Caption: (L to R): Dr. Harold Goldstein, Ruth Yanks and JNF Miami-Dade Regional Director Aaron Bernstein
Caption: Keynote speaker Brigitte Gabriel
Caption: (L-R): Gideon Shavit, Ronald Krongold and Jacob Solomon
JNF welcomes Aaron Bernstein, the new Regional Director for Miami-Dade County. Aaron comes to JNF and Miami from Atlanta, Georgia where he served as the Director of Development and Member Services for the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce.
A Florida native, Aaron was raised in Israel and served in the Israel Air Force. He has a strong background in aviation, serving with the United Nations Department of Peace-keeping Aviation Safety Unit, the travel and tourism industry, and sports, as a founder and vice president of Atlanta-based Global Sports Ambassadors with Israel basketball legend, LaVon Mercer.
March 07 Newsletter
Dr. Ra’anan Gissin, who is an Israeli analyst specializing in the Arab-Israeli conflict and the former Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, was in South Florida in February. He spoke enthusiastically to a group of young professionals about different issues Israel is facing today. Dr. Gissin answered many questions from the group. He also stressed the importance of having young people involved with JNF and encouraged those in attendance to form a JNF young professionals group.
On February 21, Dr. Gissin gave a passionate talk (The Middle East After the Last Lebanon War) to more than 40 members of the JNF Corporate Forum at Bank Hapoalim in Aventura about he was very well received and answered many questions from members of the forum.
Pictured in Photo: (L-R) Dr. Gissin with JNF Corporate Forum Member, Gustavo Blachman
Pictured in Photo: (L-R) Sara Gayer; JNF Corporate Forum Member, Dr. Rachel Lapidot, JNF Israel Emissary & Regional Director, Gideon Shavit; JNF Corporate Forum Member, Rosy Lofer; Dr. Ra’anan Gissin and Solomon Garazi.
December 06 Newsletter
In November, Ofir Fisher, Negev Director of the Or Movement, was in South Florida and spoke at a cocktail reception at the home of JNF board member, Rosy Lofer. Ofir spoke about the OR Movement’s partnership with JNF, and their mission to populate and develop the Negev and the Galilee regions.
Pictured in photo:
(L-R) Adriana Schaked, JNF Israel Emissary and Regional Director, Gideon Shavit, Jeanette Matz, Rosy Lofer, and Ofir Fisher.
In December, JNF held its annual, “JNF for Israel Day” phone-a-thon. Over 60 volunteers from the local community, including high school students from Hillel Community Day School, as well as high school members of The Friends of Israel Scouts were present to help make calls. Money raised went towards JNF’s “Operation Northern Renewal” campaign, which will revitalize Israel’s northern region. 2 Million trees were destroyed by fires caused by Kaytusha rockets during the conflict with Hezbollah.
Pictured in photo: Israel Scouts making calls at “JNF for Israel Day”
Also in December Sandra and Stephen Muss held a cocktail reception at their home for members of JNF’s Negev Dinner Committee. Russell Robinson, JNF CEO, was the guest speaker. He spoke enthusiastically about the Be’er Sheva River Park. Proceeds from the dinner will go towards the Miami-Dade Promenade which is the focal point of this project.
Pictured in photo: Nieves Olemberg, Yoel and Rina Saraf, and Gideon Shavit at the home of Sandra and Stephen Muss.
November 06 Newsletter
JNF has partnered with Friends of Israel Firefighters (FIF), an organization established by a group of citizens who sought to increase awareness of the life-saving work performed by Israeli firefighters and to raise funds to purchase urgently needed equipment, such as compact fire trucks, shrapnel-proof flexible vests and ceramic helmets. Carmi Gillon, Mayor of Mevasseret-Zion, FIF board member and former head of Israel's Secret Service, was in Miami to raise funds for FIF at several JNF functions. He was accompanied by Eldad Halachmi, Director of FIF, and Yitzhak Levy, an Israeli firefighter who battled the blazes caused by the Katyusha rockets during the war in northern Israel. During their visit, four fire trucks were donated by two separate donors from the local community.
Pictured in Photo (L to R): Regional Director and Israel Emissary Gideon Shavit, Eldad Halachmi, Shoshana & LeRoy Schecter, Sari & Carmi Gillon, and Israeli firefighter Yitzhak Levy at a dinner hosted by LeRoy & Shoshana Schecter in their home
October 06 Newsletter
On October 30th, Lt. General Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon, former IDF Chief of Staff, spoke to over 50 members of the JNF Corporate Forum at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables about the recent conflict with Lebanon. After his informative lecture there was a question and answer period and a painting by prominent Israeli artist, David Schluss, was presented to Lt. General Ya'alon.
Pictured in Photo 1 (L to R): Rami Rotkopf of Smart Publishing and Lt. General Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon at the JNF Corporate Forum
Pictured in Photo 2 (L to R): Rosalie Schlaen of Merrill Lynch, Aura Nissim of Chase Manhattan and Lt. General Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon at the JNF Corporate Forum.
Pictured in Photo (L to R): Regional Director and Israel Emissary Gideon Shavit; Dr. Amir Baron of Aventura Turnberry JC; Leon Tenenbaum of Image Duty Free; LeRoy & Shoshana Schecter; Aviv Tzur of Ultimate Aircraft Composites; Stephen Muss; Zone Director Glen Schwartz; Bob Werner, Chairman for the Alexander Muss High School in Israel; Florence Werner; Rami Rotkopf; and Miami-Dade Chairman Jeffrey Perlow at the JNF Corporate Forum
September 06 Newsletter
Supporters from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, who have demonstrated an enduring commitment to JNF, met and mingled at a major donor’s Thank You Reception at the home of Israeli Consul General, Dr. Yitzchak Ben Gad on September 20th. Dr. Ben-Gad thanked the guests for their support of Israel through JNF. Stephen Muss informed the guests of the new partnership between JNF and the Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education. Over 40 people were in attendance for this special evening.
Pictured in Photo 1: (L to R) Dr. Yitzchak Ben Gad with Judy & Leon Tenenbaum
Pictured in Photo 2: (L to R) Dr. Yitzchak Ben Gad with Nily & Fima Falic
Pictured in Photo 3: (L to R) Shoshana Schecter, Dr. Yitzhak Ben Gad and LeRoy Schecter
August 06 Newsletter
Last month Zeev Kedem, Director of Development for JNF/KKL in Israel and abroad visited South Florida and spoke at three JNF functions. He first spoke to a group of over 20 attorneys at Akerman Senterfitt in Miami. That evening, Mr. Kedem spoke about the crisis in northern Israel to over 30 members of the JNF Corporate Forum at Northern Trust Bank in Aventura. Dr. Yitzchak Ben Gad, Consul General of Israel in Miami, was there to give further insights into the conflict. Mr. Kedem also spoke about the history of JNF to a group of supporters at the home of Gideon and Edna Shavit. At the event, two paintings donated by Rami Rotkopf of Smart Publishing were auctioned off to raise money for JNF's Operation Security Blanket. The paintings were by Israeli artists Yitzhak Maimon and David Schluss.
Pictured in Photo: 1. JNF presents Akerman Senterfitt with a tree certificate.
(L to R) Dr. Yitzchak Ben Gad, Attorney Seth Kaplan & Zeev Kedem
Pictured in Photo: 2. (L to R) JNF Israel Emissary Gideon Shavit, Yossi Schiff (Branch Manager for Bank Leumi in Aventura), Zeev Kedem, JNF Board and Corporate Forum Member Rosalie Schlaen, and Zone Director Glen D. Schwartz at the JNF Corporate Forum.
Pictured in Photo: 3. (L to R): (Front) Gideon Shavit, Zeev Kedem, Shoshana & LeRoy Schecter of the Schecter Family Foundation; (back) JNF Miami-Dade President Jeffrey Perlow and Glen Schwartz at a reception at the home of Gideon & Edna Shavit.
June 06 Newsletter
In June, JNF Israel Emissary Gideon Shavit traveled to Israel with real estate developer Stephen Muss and his wife, Sandra Muss, and announced the partnership between KKL and The Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education (AMIIE). This announcement follows the existing partnership between JNF America and AMIIE. JNF/KKL and AMIIE educational programs aim at using the land of Israel as both a means and an ends for achieving their educational goals and seek to stimulate dialogue between Israeli and American youngsters on their shared values and common responsibilities for the land of Israel.
Pictured in Photo: (L to R) Sandra Muss, Stephen Muss, Maya Sadeh (the niece of JNF’s VP of Education, Bob Levine) and Ben Zion Bar-Lavie, Head of Education for KKL
Moshe Bar-Zvi, CEO & President of the Jerusalem Post Group, and Colonel Tal Dilian, Founder & Director of Daroma, spoke to members of JNF’s Corporate Forum on June 19th about the new agenda for business development in Israel.
Pictured in Photo: (L to R): CEO & President of the Jerusalem Post Group, Moshe Bar-Zvi & Stephen Muss
20803 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 405
Aventura, FL 33180
(305) 682-0025
fax: (305) 682-0054
