The Foundation Board of Trustees

The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation is the planned giving and endowment arm of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. It is charged with helping to secure the future by developing the resources necessary to address the future opportunities and needs of our community. Distributions from The Foundation fund critical programs in the Miami Jewish community, Israel and around the world. Now more than 50 years old, The Foundation manages assets of more than $500 million. Its resources come from lifetime gifts and bequests of cash, securities and other forms of appreciated property, retirement assets and life insurance policies. Additionally, the Foundation has documented legacy commitments of more than $60 million in future expectancies that will help to build the Federation’s reserves. Foundation donors, the Federation’s agencies and other Jewish community organizations have created 750 different funds within The Foundation in many forms, including: 

• The Federation’s Campaign Endowment Fund, designated for the Federation/UJA Annual Campaign; 

• The Federation’s Jewish Community Trust Fund, its unrestricted endowment; 

• Donor-advised funds and supporting organizations; and 

• Many other designated endowments, charitable trusts, life insurance policies and life income plans. 

Donors may create unrestricted or designated endowments to support institutions and programs that address the current or future needs of our community, including the Federation/UJA Annual Campaign. In addition to the Federation, allocations from Foundation donor-advised funds and supporting organizations support a variety of local, national, and international institutions consistent with the Federation’s mission.

The Foundation Trustees oversee The Foundation’s development activities, governance and the management of its assets. This work is accomplished in close association with The Foundation’s subcommittees, which include: 

Create a Jewish Legacy, designed to maximize the positive relationships that the Federation, the agencies and synagogues currently have with their members in order to achieve community-wide legacy fundraising. This program brings community volunteers and professionals together to work collaboratively and strategically to: 

• Build public awareness about the power of legacy gifts, bequests and endowments. 

• Secure legacy gifts from members of the Jewish community that would be used for endowments. 

• Develop strong leadership and technical skills in securing legacy gifts, bequests and building endowments. 

• Make securing legacy gifts, bequests and endowments an ongoing community priority. Professional Advisors Council, Professionals with expertise in law, accounting, investment, financial and estate planning make up this committee, which offers educational seminars for professionals and information on charitable gift planning to the community. 

Golden Care Foundation provides advocacy, care management and referral services for seniors who may not have immediate families or others to provide the assistance they need to remain independent. Open to members of The Foundation’s Heritage, Lion of Judah Endowment (Forever Lion), Forever Pacesetter and Star of David Societies, this unique program offers “hands-on” services and support in an effort to maintain health, independence and a connection to our community. 

Recognition Societies: The Foundation recognition donors in the following categories: 

• Heritage Society - honors those community leaders who create any permanent endowment for the benefit of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation of $100,000 or more. 

• Forever Pacesetter - honors those community leaders who create a permanent annual campaign endowment of $200,000 or more to endow a Pacesetter-level gift for the benefit of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. 

• Forever Lion/Lion of Judah Endowment Society (LOJE) - Any woman contributing $5,000 or more to the Federation’s Women’s Campaign who permanently endows her annual commitment at that level with a gift of $100,000 or more thereby becomes a member of the Lion of Judah Society. LOJE is a powerful statement of a woman’s commitment to tzedakah.