The event featured two Israel artists, Orit Fuchs and Yigal Ozeri, along with Shai Zemack, who owns the Zemack Contemporary Art gallery in Tel Aviv. The three engaged in a panel moderated by art concierge, Estelle Ohayon, that focused on how their art and work has been marginalized since Oct. 7, 2023.

StandWithUs Southeast partnered with Ariel Penzer Milgroom, founder of Art World for Israel (AWI) for the event. The goal was to highlight the importance of supporting Jewish and Israeli art around the world — an idea that stemmed from university students.

“The impetus for working with art and using it as a language to tell the positive story of Israel, came from the Southeast campus StandWithUs Emerson Fellows,” said Sara Gold Rafel, executive director of StandWithUs Southeast. “Students from numerous universities exhibit artwork on their campuses to demonstrate that art can be used as a powerful educational tool about Israel, to combat antisemitism and one that unites people.”

And since Hanukkah is a time for celebration and remembering the miracles of the past, organizations throughout South Florida honored these survivors during the holiday season — hosting events for them to gather, enjoy and revel in community support.

Child Survivors/Hidden Children of the Holocaust, a Palm Beach County-based nonprofit group, hosted a luncheon for survivors on Dec. 7 that highlighted Jewish culture with music and words. About 100 people filled the venue, an audience of young and old, at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County in Boca Raton.

“We should be proud of the environment we’ve made in Boca and in South Palm Beach County,” Igor Alterman, the federation’s president and CEO, told the audience. “[And] continue to be proud Jews.”

Among the guests of honor was Herman Haller, 101, the oldest survivor in the group, who recited the Hamotzi in front of the crowd before cutting the challah with the support of his daughter, Heidi.

Student volunteers from Donna Klein Jewish Academy were on-hand to help, and one, sophomore Rachael Elisha, spoke on the importance of mitzvot and giving back.

“Even the smallest actions can spark a light around us,” she said.

Other celebrations

Also on Dec. 7, Jewish Community Services of South Florida (JCS) and Miami-Dade Holocaust Survivors Inc. held their annual luncheon called Café Europa at Beth Torah Synagogue in North Miami Beach. Café Europa is part of The Claims Conference, which provides support to social agencies across the world. The name is a nod to a cafe in Stockholm that became known as a landing spot for survivors to find family and friends after World War II.

This year, 70 survivors were in attendance to dance, celebrate and connect. One was Malka Horwitz, who at 109 is Miami-Dade County’s oldest known living survivor.

Anna Grobman, 93, recalled attending similar gatherings with her late husband, a fellow Holocaust survivor.

“It means a lot,” Grobman said. “Coming here reminds us of all the people who were affected by the war. I like coming because I used to dance with my husband and it’s a lot of fun.”

Over 150 Holocaust survivors gathered at a similar Café Europa event on Dec. 15 at B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, hosted by Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services (Rales JFS). This year, three centenarians were in attendance.

“All of these survivors understand the pain and suffering of terrible tragedies, but when we come together for events like this, it proves that we can bring light into this world,” said Danielle Hartman, president and CEO of Rales JFS. “In a time when recent global tragedies remind us of the importance of unity and resilience, Café Europa stands as a powerful testament to the strength of community and the enduring value of tradition.”

Elsewhere in Palm Beach County, Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service (Alpert JFS) hosted 90 survivors and their guests for an “Eat and Schmooze” event. The Dec. 17 lunch at Temple Beth Tikvah in Greenacres included traditional Hanukkah dishes and entertainment.

“‘Eat and Schmooze’ offered us an opportunity to shine a light on those who endured humanity’s darkest days,” said Elaine Rotenberg, chief clinical and impact officer at Alpert JFS. “Their resilience serves as a powerful reminder of why we must confront hate and antisemitism, stand proudly in our Jewish identity, and support one another as a community.”

On Dec. 15, Sharabi spread that light in Miami Beach during the American Friends of Magen David Adom Miami Gala held at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

More than 500 people gathered to watch Sharabi light the menorah alongside actor Jonah Platt and Ambassador Gilad Erdan. Sharabi and Platt also engaged in a live conversation, which will be made into an episode of Platt’s podcast, “Being Jewish.”

The event was hosted by creator and philanthropist, Valeria Lipovetsky, and co-chaired by Eli and Tami Dadon and Terri and Jeffrey Sonn. Julia and Elie Deshe were honored with the 2025 L’Dor v Dor Lifesaver Award for their generous giving and commitment to the Jewish community. Miami public officials and community leaders were also in attendance, as well as Zuri Siso, Israel’s Consul General in Miami and Shiraz Asor, Miss Israel 2025.

Hanukkah, which begins on Sunday, Dec. 14, commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabee freedom fighters fought the Seleucid Empire in the second century BC and won. The temple menorah only had enough oil to last one day but is said to have lasted eight days, a miracle recalled today by lighting menorahs for eight nights.

The holiday, celebrated by eating fried foods, spinning dreidels and exchanging gifts, lends itself to creativity. Menorahs are works of art; dreidels, feats of engineering. The music is joyous and inspiring; the food, delicious and fattening.

Check out below the many local ways you can enjoy the festival or use our unique South Florida setting to inspire your own inventive approach to a very happy week.

Catch a meal at a kosher restaurant

Kosher restaurants close for most Jewish holidays, but Hanukkah is not one of them. We are fortunate to have so many kosher options in South Florida, and new restaurants are constantly opening, ranging from Middle Eastern to Eastern European. Treat the family to a night out this Hanukkah, before or after you light the candles.

Host a latke/doughnut fest

Hanukkah is a great excuse for a party, and the holiday’s focus on fried foods, in remembrance of the oil that is said to have burned for eight nights, makes for great creative possibilities. Invite friends and family for freshly made latkes and assemble a Latke Toppings Bar along your kitchen counter, filled with bowls of applesauce, sour cream, fruits, lox, chives, jams, guacamole, salsa and chocolate sauces.

Go crazy with the crafts

Hanukkah is a craft-oriented holiday, with plentiful ways available to make your own menorahs, greeting cards, stained-glass dreidels and even dreidel piñatas. The David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie is hosting a Hanukkah Craft & Culinary Event on Dec. 4 to celebrate the holiday, and it’s open to the public ($25). Register at dpjcc.org/events.

Buy locally made sweets

Norman Love Confections, a Florida-based chocolatier with stores in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, is offering a 2025 Hanukkah Collection of fun, Jewish-y flavored chocolates, including Cinnamon Rugelach, Berry Cheese Blintz, Black & White Cookies, and Sufganiyot (raspberry-filled doughnut ganache wrapped in a milk chocolate shell). A 10-piece gift box goes for $34. Go to normanloveconfections.com.

Invest in a cool menorah

Synagogue gift shops are a great way to support the local Jewish community, and they are selling some fabulous menorahs this year. At B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, there are menorahs by artists such as Michael Aram, who makes jewelry and sculptures inspired by nature, and the late Gary Rosenthal, who created Judaica such as mezuzahs and tzedakah boxes. There are also kids’ menorahs that draw youngsters to the holiday with colorful decorations, Hebrew letters and cartoon figures. Prices range from $40 to $250.

Get bookish

Read a book about Hanukkah with a child. PJ Library, a free Jewish book subscription service for kids, sent “Hanukkah Upside Down” (Harry N. Abrams; 2023) as its November offering. Here’s how the library describes the book, written by Elissa Brent Weissman with illustrations by Omer Hoffmann: “Noah lives in New York. Nora lives in New Zealand. Which cousin will have the world’s best Hanukkah?” There are local PJ Library communities in Broward and Palm Beach counties. For more information, go to pjlibrary.org.

Take a nature walk

Did you know many Israelis celebrate Hanukkah by taking a hike in the gorgeous cool winter weather? We can do the same in South Florida. For a list of 11 picturesque spots where you will see majestic trees, birds and maybe even owls, snakes, rabbits and alligators, go to SunSentinel.com/birds.

Attend a public celebration

There are so many public gatherings scheduled this year. Here are just a few. Click here to find more activities.

Delray Beach Chanukah Festival and Menorah Lighting

• When: 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
• Where: Amphitheatre at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach
• Cost: Free
• Information: delrayoldschoolsquare.com/events

Palm Beach Synagogue West Hanukkah Celebration

• When: 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19
• Where: CityPlace, 700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach
• Cost: Free
• Information: cityplace.com/west-palm-beach-events

46th South Florida Chanukah Festival

• When: 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21
• Where: Rick Case Arena, 3051 Ray Ferrero Jr Blvd., Davie
• Cost: Tickets start at $20
• Information: chabadsouthbroward.com

With Hanukkah less than a month away (it starts at sundown Dec. 14), local holiday boutiques are a must for unique gifts. And if you aren’t ready to embrace the holiday spirit yet, the Jewish community is also hosting a variety of different events to get us through the end of the year.

From literary-focused gatherings to a fashion show for a cause and a totally kosher food festival, these last few weeks of 2025 are about to be quite busy.

Shop ’til you drop

The Holiday Boutique at Temple Dor Dorim in Weston will feature over 40 local vendors selling unique art and clothes. A raffle will also take place, with the grand prize winner receiving a 2-hour luxury charter yacht. Other raffle prizes include a personalized yoga session, private wine class for 20 people at Total Wine and a teeth whitening treatment from Kotch Dental in Pembroke Pines. The annual event encourages the community to learn more about the temple and support their Early Childhood Center. Food and drinks will also be available.

WHEN: 12:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19

WHERE: Temple Dor Dorim, 2360 Glades Circle, Weston

COST: Free

INFORMATION: dordorim.org

Hear from influential Jewish voices

This year’s Miami Book Fair is featuring a Jewish Life & Culture program, with the popular Street Fair hosting appearances by notable Jews in the literary world. Listen to cartoonist Art Spiegelman during a discussion on “Maus,” his seminal work on the Holocaust; Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, who will present her memoir “Heart of a Stranger”; and novelist Gary Shteyngart, who will participate in a panel discussion.

WHEN: Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 22-23

WHERE: Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus, 300 NE Second Ave., Miami

COST: Single-day tickets are $12 for adults, $7 for seniors (over 62) and $5 for guests age 13-18.

INFORMATION: miamibookfair.com

See a show, for a cause

JARC Florida is hosting its eighth annual A Fashion Show With Heart, featuring 17 clients with intellectual or developmental disabilities walking the runway and showing off clothes from Shop Finally and Scales Gear. Before the show, guests can shop at the boutique fair, featuring nine local vendors showcasing jewelry and clothing. Proceeds benefit JARC Florida’s Dr. Allen & Annette Stone Adult Day Training Program, which teaches vocational skills such as cooking, packaging and horticulture to help clients gain employment.

WHEN: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 4

WHERE: Boca West Country Club, 20583 Boca West Drive, Boca Raton

COST: $125 (includes lunch and boutique fair)

INFORMATION: jarcfl.org/fashion

Have a literary afternoon

The Levis Jewish Community Center’s Sandler Center is hosting A Literary Afternoon Series, featuring personal appearances with authors through March. This year, check out Allegra Goodman (Dec. 9) and Sara Goodman Confino.

WHEN: Through March 2026

WHERE: Levis JCC Sandler Center, 21050 95th Ave. S., Boca Raton

COST: $25 for individual programs

INFORMATION: levisjcc.org

Enjoy food & wine, the Jewish way

Kosher Food & Wine Miami expects to draw more than 1,000 attendees to the Fontainebleau Miami Beach for local bites and over 400 wines, plus the chance to network with South Florida’s Jewish community. Proceeds will help support WIZO (Women’s International Zionist Organization), which provides funds for educational and social projects for women and children in Israel.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10

WHERE: Fontainebleau Miami Beach, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach

COST: $200 for general admission; $300 for VIP (early entry)

INFORMATION: kosherfoodandwinemiami.com

“This mission is about more than service; it is about presence, solidarity, and the extraordinary strength of Jewish women,” said Lori Palatnik, founding director of Momentum. “We are showing up for Israel when it matters most.”

The Florida women included Maya Arison of Fort Lauderdale, Karen Berman of Fort Lauderdale, Lilya Meisel of Boca Raton, Sari Rae Sheiner of Boca Raton, Tamara Wagner of Cooper City, and Fanny Zigdon of Miami.

In addition to their volunteer efforts, the women visited Hostage Square and other towns that were impacted by Oct. 7, 2023. They ended the trip with Shabbat in Jerusalem, hosted by Momentum.

“I was on a Birthright trip in June, and then the war with Hamas began, which interrupted my trip,” said Karen Berman, one of the mothers from Fort Lauderdale. “I didn’t want to leave Israel, but I had obligations at home. I really wanted to come back, and when I saw this trip on social media, I knew I had to join. I’m so happy [I was able to] contribute, which is exactly what I initially wanted to do.”

Mothers Rebuilding Israel has joined with Volunteer in Israel with Birthright to help bring more volunteers to Israel and connect Jewish women together. Since Oct. 7, Volunteer in Israel has brought more than 17,000 volunteers to the country.

Now, as the new city director of Repair the World Miami, she is on a mission to inspire young Jewish adults to incorporate that core value in their own lives.

Repair the World is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes Jews age 18 to 39 to volunteer and help their communities thrive. With the support of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and other local Jewish organizations, Ehrlich and her team are leading service efforts that aim to enhance Jewish life in Miami.

We spoke with the Miami resident to learn more about her role and her goals for the future. This interview had been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What is your background and connection to South Florida?

A: I am a proud South Florida native. I grew up in Plantation and was a graduate of David Posnack Hebrew Day School. My parents were, and still are, very involved in the Jewish community. Jewish life wasn’t something we thought about, it was really how we lived each day. Jewish holidays, Shabbat dinners, trips to Israel, volunteering — I’d say those were all key cornerstones of my childhood.

One of my earliest memories of volunteering alongside the South Florida Jewish community was my mom schlepping me to make calls to strangers. It was funny because, at the time, I was terrified to answer my own home phone. That experience and so many others really shaped me. I grew up with a strong sense of Jewish tradition and helping others.

Q: What enticed you to take on this position as Miami city director for Repair the World?

A: For a long time, my Jewish identity was something that felt strong and personal, but I didn’t feel a pull to work in the Jewish professional space. Prior to this role, I worked in marketing and advertising for 11+ years. It was only after Oct. 7, 2023, that I felt a shift and a real calling to use my skills for my own community.

I was specifically drawn to this role because service has always been one of the core ways I connect to Judaism. And I felt like at a time when both the world and the Jewish community deeply needed repair and connection, I saw this position as a way to build that through volunteering and service.

Q: You lived in New York City for over a decade. What brought you back to South Florida?

A: I had a baby and having a baby in NYC was hard. I also wanted to be closer to family and the community and lifestyle I grew up in — and I definitely wanted more space.

Q: What is Repair the World, and how is the Miami branch unique?

A: We like to call ourselves the Jewish Service Movement. We mobilize Jews and our neighbors to take action through service, volunteering and Jewish learning. What’s unique about Miami is both the community of young adults that we’re serving and the issues that we’re responding to — we have Miami natives, we have newcomers from Latin America, Israel and all over the United States. It’s a melting pot of culture and language, and the community really cares deeply about issues like antisemitism, Israel, mental health access, housing and poverty.

Miami also faces some of those real challenges that the community is passionate about, everything from a housing crisis to food insecurity to climate vulnerability. Our mission is to create opportunities for young Jewish adults to volunteer and meet those needs while strengthening our own Jewish community and living out our Jewish values.

Q: What are your primary goals as city director?

A: I want all young, Jewish adults in Miami to experience service as a meaningful expression of their Judaism. For me, service is not just something that we do, it’s deeply tied to our Jewish values, our history, our identity and our text. I want people to feel that connection.

I also want to make sure our service partners are able to meet the real needs of the community. I see service as a way to build a stronger and more united Jewish community. And I see it as such an important way to fight antisemitism. How can we come together as Jews to build bridges with our broader Miami neighbors and show them who we are and build those important relationships?

Q: What are some of the opportunities and initiatives that Repair the World Miami is focusing on?

A: We have really strong relationships with service partners throughout Miami, and they tell us where the gaps are and how we can mobilize volunteers to meet them.

We recently worked with the JCS Kosher Food Bank [in Miami-Dade County] to make baskets for elderly community members and Holocaust survivors for the high holidays. We also partner with the Miami Rescue Mission to serve lunch and offer a sense of community to people who are currently unhoused. Another initiative is with One World Heart, where we distribute breakfast bags and drinks to over 300 people who line up in the heat each week in downtown Miami. All of these are very real and immediate needs.

Q: How has your Judaism inspired your career and your choice to work with a community-focused organization?

A: My Judaism is key to my identity and it’s always shaped how I view the world. I view it as a call to serve; it was woven into aspects of my life, whether volunteering with family or learning about tikkun olam in school, it’s always stayed with me. Even more so now as a mom, it’s important to model that for my kids and help repair the world for future generations. Being Jewish means caring for one another, building bridges and standing up against injustice, and for me, Repair the World is the perfect place to live those values while also building communities. I feel really lucky to be in this position.

Q: How can locals get involved with acts of service and Repair the World Miami initiatives?

A: The easiest way is to check out our upcoming volunteer opportunities at werepair.org. You can also follow us on instagram @miami_repair, where we post all events.

But the chewed-up appearance of the book’s left corner tells a different story: This siddur was grazed by a bullet during the Oct. 27, 2018 mass shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue. That day, 11 Jewish worshippers from three congregations were killed during prayer services — the deadliest act of antisemitism on American soil.

The book is one of 22 objects on view at a new exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. The exhibit chronicles the long history of American antisemitism before and after Pittsburgh, from the 1915 lynching of Leo Frank, a Jew who was wrongly convicted of murder, to the firebombing last June at a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, where at least seven people were injured and one later died.

Other items on view include a hand-painted commemorative plate with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ logo, a Star of David and the phrase “stronger than hate”; a painting of children’s television star and Pittsburgh native Fred Rogers, in tears in front of the Tree of Life logo; and notes written on miniature ribbon scrolls, penned by members of Temple Beth Orr in Coral Gables — a synagogue whose community was deeply affected by the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

“Lessons from the Tree of Life: Lighting the Path Forward” is part of a series of exhibits, events and installations at the museum marking three terrible anniversaries: the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, the Oct. 7 invasion of Israel by Hamas and Kristallnacht, the Nazi-led pogrom of Nov. 9, 1938.

“We decided that at this point in time that [an exhibit on Pittsburgh] would be an important thing to do,” Jack Kliger, CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage told the New York Jewish Week. “And, obviously, the events going on both here and around the world are so timely, and important in a very elemental way. [It’s] a time for us to have hope.”

He added, “But we cannot have hope without remembering and understanding who we are, where we came from, and the history of the events, particularly in the 20th century.”

The Pittsburgh exhibit is hosted by the Museum of Jewish Heritage and created by the Tree of Life — a new memorial that’s rising at the site of the Pittsburgh shooting — and the Rauh Jewish History Program and Archives at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh.

The exhibit opened on Sunday, Oct. 5, which is also the day that many Jews around the world commemorated the second anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7 invasion of Israel. “Lessons from the Tree of Life” will be on view in New York through Nov. 9 — the 87th anniversary of Kristallnacht, when Nazi-led mobs torched synagogues, looted Jewish-owned shops and arrested Jews.

The confluence of all three harrowing anniversaries means it’s a busy time for the museum. As such, a parallel exhibit also opened on Oct. 5: “Maintaining Memory,” a reflection space where visitors are invited to a rotunda where a ner tamid (eternal flame) in the shape of a menorah, crafted in Romania in 1930, is lit.

“All of this is designed to remember and honor those who were lost as well as those who survived,” Kliger added, referring to the victims of Oct. 7, the Tree of Life shooting and Kristallnacht. “And the story of survival is very important in all three instances.”

The exhibits are part of “a commemorative series of events and installations in the museum,” said Kliger.

“We’ve always committed ourselves to covering 20th century Jewish life before, during and since the Holocaust,“ Kliger said. “The Holocaust was not a meteor that hit the Earth by itself. It happened in the context of events that happened before, and sadly, events that continue to happen, but that we continue to fight to make sure that ‘never again’ has a meaning.”

For more information about the exhibits and events at The Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust (36 Battery Place), click here.

For more info, go to JTA.org. 

During Sukkot, we remember G-d’s kindness to us during our journey through the desert by dwelling in a sukkah–a hut of temporary construction with a roof covering of branches–for the duration of the Sukkot festival. For seven days and nights, we eat all our meals in the sukkah and otherwise regard it as our home. The temporary booths emphasize how the world and the Jewish people rely on G-d’s protection. Eating under the stars allows us to truly thank G-d and see the blessings that surround us. Sukkot is a wonderful way for us to continue celebrating and connecting with our Judaism after the High Holidays.

This year, Miami-Dade county has allowed the Jewish community to erect a Community Sukkah at Highland Lakes Park. The Sukkah will be available to anyone throughout the holiday, whenever the park is open.

Another unique holiday practice is the gathering of four different species. The taking of the Four Kinds: an etrog (a rare citrus fruit, originally from Italy, but now also commonly grown in Morocco and Israel), a lulav (palm frond), hadassim (myrtles) and aravot (willows), tied together with lulav leaves. On each day of the festival, except for Shabbat, we take the Four Kinds, recite a blessing over them, bring them together in our hands and wave them in all six directions. The Four Kinds represent the diverse types and personalities that make up our community, and whose intrinsic unity we emphasize on Sukkot.

Chabad Houses and many synagogues throughout Florida will be available to help each family plan a sukkah during the weeks leading up to the start of the holiday. They will also be equipped with a Lulav and Etrog set for anyone to use, free of charge. Many Chabad’s will also have available Etrog and Lulav sets for you to order, as it is preferable to actually own your own set. They will be offering guidance and classes for all community members interested in learning how to put their Four Kinds together or learn more about the holiday.

Drawing from the gravity of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot gives us the chance to celebrate the sweetness of nature and to thank G-d for His protection. Sukkot touches all five senses: the sweet smell of the etrog, the feel of the palm branch and twigs in your hand, the sights and sounds of the sukkah around us and the taste of the festival’s feasts.

Sukkot, referred to as the holiday of rejoicing, comes just five days after Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. The group of four plants, including the etrog fruit, are replete with symbolic meaning, including the fall harvest and gathering season, and the unity of the Jewish people.

We encourage you to contact your local Chabad or synagogue to celebrate the holiday. You’re welcome to join us at Chabad Chayil for a community meal in the Sukkah, Shabbat or any of the holiday nights. Reservations can be made by calling 305-770-1919 or at ChabadChayil.org/High-Holidays. You can also use our Sukkah any time of day or night 24/8. We’ll leave the lights on for you, and keep a set of Lulav and Etrog for use any time during the day. To learn more about the holiday, or to order a Lulav and Etrog, visit ChabadChayil.org/Sukkah.

Rabbi Kievman, together with his wife, are the ambassadors of The Rebbe to Highland Lakes. They are the founders of Gan Chabad Preschool, local CTeen & CKids chapters, CHAP – an afterschool program for Jewish children in public schools and direct Chabad Chayil. He’s the rabbi at The Family Shul and can be reached at 305-770-1919 or rabbi@ChabadChayil.org.

Ted Cava, a local writer and former labor leader, showed up at a recent county meeting to urge his mother to divest from the county’s Israel bonds. Wearing a “Jews Say Divest From Genocide” T-shirt, he and his 1-year-old daughter Leila stood with fellow members of Jewish Voice for Peace South Florida, the anti-Zionist group. The group says the county should shed what it believes is more than $151 million in Israel bonds.

“This is very uncomfortable for me. I love my mother a lot,” Cava, 36, told the Miami Herald at the event on Sept. 16. “We’re going to have Shabbat dinner tomorrow night. But she’s wrong on this.”

The spectacle was a potent illustration of how the ongoing war in Gaza, which began when Hamas attacked Israel from the enclave on Oct. 7, 2023, and is now approaching its grim second anniversary, has sharply split Jewish opinion — sometimes within the same family. Recent polling shows that overall approval of Israel’s war in Gaza among Americans is sharply split along generational lines, with 49% of those over 55 approving, and only 9% of respondents under 35 approving. Another poll specifically of American Jews, released last week, found that 53% disapprove of the war.

Likewise, the Cava family, Ted told the Herald, “is very divided on generational lines” when it comes to Israel.

Jewish Telegraphic Agency attempts to reach both mother and son on Sept. 20, shortly after a local news report thrust the family’s internal tensions into public view, were unsuccessful as of this publication. A staffer at the mayor’s office directed requests for comment to another number which appeared to be disconnected. A local teachers union, where Ted Cava lists his employment on LinkedIn, said he was no longer working there.

Jewish Voice for Peace South Florida, which advertised Ted Cava’s participation on their Instagram, said they would pass along a request for comment.

The group’s various chapters have long been focused on protesting Israel bonds, and have trumpeted what they say are incremental successes in places like Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and Providence, Rhode Island.

Both parties in the Cava family strife acknowledged to the Herald that the war in Gaza has caused rifts between them.

“I know many, many people — including in my own family — who are extremely concerned about the situation, as am I, and exactly how we deal with it,” the mayor, 70, who is the first woman and the first Jew to hold the position, told the paper. She added, “There are differences, of course.”

Shortly after the war’s start, the second-term Democrat announced a boost in the county’s investment in Israel bonds to $76 million.

“Today, I am proud to make this additional investment in Israel bonds, as we send a clear message that Miami-Dade stands together with Israel and all nations that champion democracy,” she said in a statement at the time.

But in recent months she, too, has been critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. In a July statement amid reports of widespread famine in Gaza, the mayor denounced “the starvation and hunger innocent human beings face in Gaza today,” adding, “The eyes of the world are upon us. The U.S. has an obligation to lead because we have never forgotten that with power comes compassion and the strength to lead with moral courage.”

Still, she is not seeking to make a change in her county’s investment in Israel. “I’m not weighing in,” the mayor told the Herald about the bonds fight prior to the meeting on Sept. 16 of the County Commission, which was considering her latest budget request.

It’s unclear how much sway she could have on the county’s Israel bond investments. (According to JVP South Florida’s report, the $151 million includes both past and current investments.) Her office told the Herald that a recent change in Florida law puts local investments in the hands of the county clerk instead.

A county spokesperson recently told Axios the bonds are still a good fiscal investment despite unrest in the region and a downgrading of Israel’s credit score. That’s in line with what officials elsewhere who endorse investing in the bonds have said.

Still, two dozen activists from the JVP chapter from holding a press conference at the site of the meeting to protest what they say is “investing $151 million in genocide.”

“The County’s decision to invest $151 million in Israel Bonds has not been driven by a focus on improving quality of life for Miami-Dade County taxpayers but, rather, politically motivated by a desire to ‘stand with Israel,’” JVP South Florida wrote on its Instagram under a photo of Mayor Levine Cava attending an Israel Tech Week event.

Ted Cava did not speak at the Sept. 16 protest. But speaking to media afterwards, he said, he understood that his presence would not go unnoticed.

“I decided to kind of take our family disagreement public,” he said, “knowing that some of her opponents could use it in bad faith against her.”

For more info, go to JTA.org.