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Celebrating Jewish Life in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Israel and the World FEDERATION NEWS
Y e a r s g 0 5 n i t a r eb l e C
PUBLISHED BY
The Jewish Federation OF SARASOTA-MANATEE
THE LARRY & MARY GREENSPON FAMILY CAMPUS FOR JEWISH LIFE
January 2020 - Tevet/Shevat 5780 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 16A Community Focus 26A Jewish Interest 32A Commentary 36A Focus on Youth 39A Life Cycle 1B Jewish Happenings
3A Sarasota’s Blumenthal family: Building for a better tomorrow
8A Save the date for Federation’s annual Jewish Film Festival
www.jfedsrq.org
Volume 50, Number 1
2020: Join us as we TRANSFORM our Jewish Federation By Randon Carvel, President; Kim Mullins, Chief Operating Officer; and Howard Tevlowitz, Chief Executive Officer
I
n 2020, The Larry & Mary Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life will begin a tremendous transformation. Our recent Jewish community study, showing that our Jewish population has doubled in the last 18 years, presents The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee with huge opportunities for growth in outreach, cultural arts partnerships, programs for families and so much more. Our community members expressed their desire for greater connections to other Jews, more options for engaging with like-minded individuals, and thoughtprovoking, innovative educational programs. Our centrally located 32-acre campus on McIntosh Road will serve as the hub for many of these offerings. However, in order to meet the demand, a complete renovation is in order. Space will be flexible, allowing Federation to respond quickly to community needs. No membership is required. Federation will remain nimble with a pay-for-service model focused on the following areas:
Learning and building community Offering formal K-8 Jewish education and engagement for our area’s youth, with our partner, Hershorin Schiff Community Day School Educating our community about diversity, the Holocaust and advocacy against anti-Semitism, in the Robert and Esther Heller Israel Center Continuing to act as a community convener, building relationships with the Jewish and non-Jewish
communities in an inclusive, welcoming environment Cultural arts, food and programming Producing innovative, quality programming for “babies to bubbies” Providing affordable communal meeting space and catering services Bringing the best Jewish thought leaders and entertainment from around the world to the SarasotaManatee area continued on page 2A
Jewish Federation announces 2020 Board of Directors By Gayle Guynup
11A Namesake Israel Center donors Robert and Esther Heller honored by Federation
38A Temple Sinai Religious School students enjoy Hawaiian Luau and Scavenger Hunt
T
he Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee’s Board of Directors approved its new slate of officers for 2020 at its December meeting. Randon Carvel will serve as the new president of the board. “My goals as the new president will include continuing to raise valuable resources in order to provide for those members of our community who still have real needs in spite of the economic gains most of our community has experienced,” Carvel said. “In light of the amazing growth of our local Jewish community, now with approximately 35,000 people living in Jewish households, we hope to engage them in even more meaningful ways both
A publication of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee The Larry & Mary Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232 Annual voluntary subscription: $25
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID MANASOTA FL PERMIT 167
on our incredible re-imagined 32-acre other Jewish organizations valuable incampus and by bringing Federation to formation about the needs and wants of them throughout our twoour community members. county area.” “Our new President, Past President Michael Randon Carvel, has been Ritter noted, “During the very involved with Fedlast two years, through the eration for several years hard work of our talented and understands our orgastaff and lay leadership, nization and its challenges. we’ve made great progI am very confident that ress toward realizing our Randon is up to this chalvision of redeveloping our lenge and will do a great Randon Carvel 32-acre campus, as well job.” as successfully launching our capital Other officers will include Michael campaign required to fund the project. Ritter, Immediate Past President; Ian We also completed our first communiBlack, Vice-President Campus Utility-wide population study in 18 years, zation; Merrill Wynne, Vice-President which will provide the Federation and continued on page 2A ▼
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