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LEAD Marks Another Milestone
Celebratingthegraduationofourfourth Women'sPhilanthropyLEADcohort.
Farewell to Oren Pery
A letter from the Federation's CommunityShaliachoftwoyears.
I hope that, as you read this newsletter, you gain a deeper appreciation that while fundraising and grantmaking are important aspects of our mission, Federation also provides significant direct support to Jewish organizations, schools, synagogues, and Chabad centers at no cost, including:
Mariam Feist, CEO
Sara Bass, Executive Assistant
Patrick Burke, Finance Director
Carolyn Griffin, Accounting Assistant
Zuri Guterman, Marketing Manager
Mary Ellen Hathaway, Senior Executive Assistant
Jill Metlin, Israel & Overseas Manager
Charles Miller, Young Professionals & Families Manager
Oren Pery, Community Shaliach
Lauren Rickoff, Chief Development Officer
Alex Silverstein, Director, Community Security
Ruth Swissa, Director, Jewish Community Relations
Sara Wagoner, Planned Giving & Endowment Manager
Ellen Wheaton, Marketing Assistant
Interim Board Chair
Jennifer Plotkin
Immediate Past Chair
Haley Trager
Members
Howard Borer
Joanne Cohen
Susan DuBow
Adam Gitlin
Stephen Goldman
Erica Jolles
Glori Katz
Dave Pentel
Leah Palestrant
Noah Pozin
Ron Rettner
Jonathan Richmond
Brandon Sugg
Iris Kraemer
• A dedicated Community Security Director who has helped secure more than $2.8 million in federal and state funding for local agencies, synagogues, and Chabads. These funds have been reinvested directly into our community through security enhancements and equipment that help protect our institutions from hate crimes and terrorism. An additional $200,000 state appropriation is currently awaiting the Governor’s signature.
• A Jewish Community Relations Council that is building relationships with elected officials, law enforcement, school boards, and civic leaders to educate and mobilize the broader community against antisemitism, including trainings for students and key community organizations.
• National advocacy efforts. Recently, our Community Security Director and CEO joined more than 400 Jewish leaders in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the proposed Jewish Community Security Act, a $1 billion initiative to protect Jewish institutions nationwide.
• Leadership development initiatives that have graduated more than 150 participants through our YPF and Women’s Philanthropy programs.
These are just a few examples of the work your Federation does every day on behalf of our local community and Jews around the world. We are far more than a fundraising organization, and this critical work continues to grow in scope and cost. To those who support it through the Jewish Federation & Foundation’s Annual Campaign, thank you.
For those who have not yet participated, I encourage you to consider making a gift today.
With gratitude,
Jennifer Plotkin, Interim Board Chair
Mariam Feist, CEO
This spring, the Federation's Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) continued its mission of building meaningful relationships, strengthening understanding, and advancing Jewish interests and values throughout Northeast Florida.
On Wednesday, May 13th, the city of Jacksonville held a heartfelt ceremony at City Hall where Mayor Donna Deegan signed the Proclamation for Jewish American Heritage Month. At this ceremony Ricki Ben Simon, co-founder and owner of Gili's Kosher Restaurant and Catering, was one of the speakers as a prominent Jewish business owner. We are grateful to all who joined us in celebrating Jewish heritage and community leadership. We also provided antisemitism training to Mayor Donna Deegan and her staff, furthering important
conversations around the IHRA Definition and combating hate. We are grateful to Hadassah and the Jewish Community Alliance (JCA) for the opportunity to partner in addressing contemporary antisemitism and to share our research, insights, and commitment to the community.
Education and outreach also remain central to the JCRC’s work. From March through May 2026, the JCRC's studentto-student program engaged over 203 non-Jewish students at Bishop Kenny High School, Greenwood High School, and Episcopal School of Jacksonville through its student peer-topeer programming.
As summer begins, we will be taking nominations for Jewish students in Junior or Senior year of high school to be peer-topeer ambassadors. Contact JCRC Director, Ruth Swissa at ruths@jewishjacksonville.org to nominate a student today.
Amy Rettner, with Cohort 4 co-chair, Lauren Block, at the recent LEAD graduation celebration.
Eighty-two women. Four years. One powerful leadership journey. The Women’s Philanthropy LEAD program — Leadership, Engage, Accelerate and Development — recently celebrated the graduation of its fourth cohort, bringing the program’s total graduates to 82 participants.
Over nine months, each cohort explores topics including Women’s Philanthropy in Northeast Florida, Leadership Styles, Jewish Values & Identity, Israel & World Jewry, and Community Impact, while building meaningful relationships and visiting Federation partner organizations.
“It has been incredibly rewarding to be part of the LEAD program over the past three years,” said Robin Deegan, a
graduate of Cohort 2 and co-chair of Cohort 3. “Being surrounded by women who share this commitment to philanthropy, personal growth, leadership and connection has been truly invaluable and continues to strengthen and support the mission and goals of the Federation.”
The program empowers participants to deepen their Jewish identity, strengthen leadership skills, and connect with passionate Jewish women throughout the community. For Amy Rettner, a recent Cohort 4 graduate and new Jacksonville resident, LEAD provided an important sense of belonging and connection within the Jewish community.
To learn more about LEAD Cohort 5, which begins in September, contact Lauren Rickoff at laurenr@jewishjacksonville.org
Sincerely, Thank You.
Dear Friends,
As I come to the end of nearly two meaningful years with this community through the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida and the Shlichut program of The Jewish Agency for Israel, I find it hard to fully express what this experience has meant to me.
When I arrived, my goal was to bring Israel closer to this community. Through organizing Israel’s national days, visiting schools, leading educational programs, hosting speakers, and coordinating the Israeli Pavilion at the World of Nations (WoN) Celebration, I hope that I have created opportunities for connection, learning, and pride. Receiving first place in the educational category at the WoN was a special honor, but what mattered most were the relationships formed along the way.
What I carry with me the most is not only what I gave, but what I received: your trust, kindness, openness, and support. This community helped me grow personally and professionally, while also deepening my understanding of Jewish life in the United States and the unique bond between our communities.
Florida became a home to me, and I will always be grateful to everyone who supported this work by showing up, volunteering, and caring. As I return to Israel, I leave changed by this experience and grateful beyond words. I will miss you more than I can say.
Am Yisrael Chai!
Pery
Oren Pery, Community Shaliach
For more than 20 years, our partnership with HaderaEiron, Israel has created meaningful connections rooted in shared learning, cultural exchange, and Jewish identity.
Together with nine other Federations in the Southeast United States and Prague, our community has built lasting relationships through educational programs, youth exchanges, professional collaboration, and personal visits that continue long after each experience ends.
This partnership comes to life through the people it touches. This summer, teacher Michal Yeger will return to Jacksonville with a group of Israeli teens who will stay with local families. Arin Nathans, currently in Israel on a Masa program, spends Shabbat with the family of a teen who once stayed with her family in Jacksonville. Rona Siegel recently completed her fifth year teaching English via Zoom to middle school students in the Hadera-Eiron region.
In February, a delegation from Jacksonville visited Hadera-Eiron, meeting local residents and experiencing daily life in Israel firsthand.
“In today’s reality - where both Israel and Jewish communities around the world are facing complexity, uncertainty, and at times deep emotional strain – the Hadera-Eiron Partnership carries even greater significance,” said Partnership2Gether Director Shimrit Orgal. “It reminds us that even across oceans, we are linked by shared history, responsibility, and hope.”
To learn more, contact Jill Metlin at jillm@jewishjacksonville.org
Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical concern - it is a communal responsibility. Jewish institutions and individuals have increasingly found themselves targets of cyber threats ranging from phishing scams to more coordinated attacks.
These risks are not meant to alarm. They remind us of the importance of awareness, preparedness, and collective vigilance. Here are some important strategies you can implement today to maintain your cyber security:
• Use complex, unique passwords for each account and store tham in a reputable online password manager, rather than writing them down.
• Enable multi-factor authentication for online accounts, especially for banking and email accounts.
• Be wary of suspicious emails. Do not open attachments or links from unknown senders.
• Be cautious of anyone asking for you to pay for anything with gift cards, Zelle, CashApp, or bulk cash.
• If you receive what appears to be a legitimate but unexpected request for personal information, contact the person or business through a verified customer service number to confirm.
• If someone claims to represent a government agency, contact the agency directly through a verified number.
• Create a family password to confirm the identity of trusted relatives.
• Check website URLs - "Https" indicates a secure website, while "http" may not be secure.
• Avoid sharing sensitive information on unfamilar or unsecured websites.
• Scammers rely on fear and urgency to manipulate you - do not allow yourself to be rushed.
• Before clicking a link, giving away money, or giving away information, ask yourself, "Does this make sense?"
By staying informed and adopting simple safeguards, we can strengthen not only our personal security but the resilience of our entire community.
Together, through awareness and shared responsibility, we can ensure that our digital spaces remain safe, trusted, and connected.
If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Community Security Director, Alex Silverstein at alexs@jewishjacksonville.org or (872) 243-1050
A child stepping onto the bus for Jewish summer camp for the very first time. A senior finding comfort, dignity, and connection in a space that truly feels like home. A family new to Northeast Florida discovering community and belonging when they needed it most.
give back.
For one family, a philanthropic fund held with the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida helped siblings attend Camp Ramah, giving them the opportunity to build lifelong friendships, strengthen their Jewish identity, and feel connected in their new community. Their mother shared, "I know that Camp Ramah will be an incredibly meaningful experience for the kids, helping them not only learn more about Judaism and create lifelong Jewish friendships, but also feel the magic that only a Jewish camp experience can offer."
At River Garden Hebrew Home, philanthropy creates impact in deeply personal ways. Christina Levine, River Garden's Chief Development Officer, shared that projects supported by the Linda DuBow Beautification Fund do more than improve physical spaces - they reinforce a feeling of dignity, belonging, and home for the residents of River Garden.
Legacy giving is not only for the wealthy. It is for anyone who wants their values and love for the Jewish community to continue for generations to come. If you have ever asked yourself how you can make a lasting difference, legacy giving may be the answer.
Bridges 2025 - 2026 participants gathering for the first time.
• Do you want to honor someone who changed your life or strengthened our community?
• Is there an organization that supported you or your family when it mattered most?
• Do you want to help ensure a vibrant Jewish future in Northeast Florida?
• Would you like your values and generosity to continue impacting generations to come?
Leave a legacy that touches lives and helps build a bright future. To begin the legacy giving conversation, please contact Planned Giving & Endowment Manger, Sara M. Wagoner at saraw@jewishjacksonville.org or 904-659-2806
The Federation's Bridges Leadership Development Program continues to empower emerging Jewish leaders through meaningful connection, personal growth, and leadership development. Designed for young professionals, the 10-month program explores Jewish values, community impact, philanthropy, leadership, Israel, security, and Jewish communal life through interactive experiences, workshops, and visits with community partner agencies.
Participants build lasting relationships with peers and established community leaders while gaining a deeper understanding of the Federation’s work and the broader
Jewish community. For many, the greatest value comes from the connections formed and the sense of purpose developed along the way.
“Bridges has pushed me to think bigger and be more intentional about the impact I’m making,” said participant Philip Carcel-Munce.
The Young Professionals & Families Division is now planning the 2026–2027 cohort. For information or nominations, contact Charles Miller at charlesm@jewishjacksonville.org.
