CAJE News

CAJE’s 2026 Miami Leo Martin March of the Living cohort recently gathered for a Shabbat experience that marked an important moment in their journey together. Although the students had met previously during interviews and their first educational session, this gathering felt different. It was the first time they came together in a sacred space, met the staff who will accompany them to Poland and Israel, and sat alongside the Survivors who will walk with them on this journey. The group represents the diversity and strength of our Miami Jewish community.

At CAJE Adult Learning, we are committed to bringing the very best Jewish learning in the world to Miami — learning that is intellectually rigorous, spiritually meaningful, and deeply responsive to the questions shaping Jewish life today. We believe Miami deserves access not only to inspiring speakers, but to Torah learning at the highest level: serious, joyful, and transformative. That’s why we are thrilled to announce a new, year-long partnership between CAJE and the Hadar Institute, one of the most dynamic centers of Jewish learning in North America. We kicked off this partnership in the best possible way: this past Monday, CAJE Adult Learning welcomed more than 40 salon participants from across Miami to a special all-salons luncheon featuring Rabbi Dena Weiss of Hadar. The afternoon was full of connection, laughter, delicious food, and outstanding Torah…

In a vibrant landscape of cultural events, the Miami Jewish Film Festival (MJFF) stands out as a beacon of cinematic excellence, not only for its captivating array of films but also for its dynamic educational components. The festival seamlessly intertwines scholarship, spirituality, and community engagement to create an enriching and transformative experience for its audience that goes beyond the silver screen. This year the 29th Annual Miami Jewish Film Festival (MJFF) presents hundreds of Jewish and Israeli films in both In-Person and Virtual programs. Take a moment to visit the Festival Page where you can sort films by genre, language, interest, location, etc.

There are moments when a community realizes that what once worked no longer does. October 7th was one of those moments. In the weeks that followed, we saw it clearly across Miami’s Jewish day schools: students were confused, educators were overwhelmed, and schools were searching for alignment. Children worried about siblings in Israel, teachers were called back to reserve duty, and conversations about Israel — already complicated — suddenly carried enormous emotional weight. At CAJE, we understood that this work — strengthening and enhancing existing Israel education with greater honesty, nuance, and complexity—could no longer be postponed...

(By David Bryfman, CEO of the Jewish Education Project) Just last Monday night, I experienced one of the pinnacles of my professional life: interviewing Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin. That evening, Rachel, who herself has endured unimaginable suffering, reminded us that hope is a commandment. Not a passive wish, but an active pursuit. The conversation took place at the Jewish Futures Conference, dedicated to what I called the pedagogy of hope: the idea that hope can be taught, modeled and lived. One week later, our world was shattered. On the first night of Hanukkah, an unthinkable tragedy unfolded at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Fifteen people were murdered. Scores more were wounded. And what will forever mark this event is not only its brutality, but the fact that it was an antisemitic attack — an attempt to murder Jews in public Jewish spaces.

This past month, the Robert Russell Early Childhood Department at CAJE was proud to host our annual 3-part virtual professional development series for early childhood educators across our Miami network – and the response was nothing short of extraordinary! Each session welcomed a record-breaking 108 ECE educators, a powerful reflection of both the desire for meaningful learning in our field and the deep commitment our educators bring to their work every single day. The series, The Inclusive ECE Classroom, was led by master early childhood educator and ECE consultant Marta Nemesh, whose depth of knowledge, warmth, and practical wisdom resonated throughout all three sessions.

What an extraordinary evening! On behalf of CAJE – The Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education – thank you for joining us at Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus for our SAGES in the 305 event featuring Dr. David Bryfman speaking about Israel Education, with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra leading us in Chanukah melodies. Your presence helped make the evening not just successful, but truly meaningful. Together, we explored deep questions about Israel, education and the way we convey our connections to the next generation — themes that resonated powerfully across generations and within our Miami Jewish community.

The Diller Teen Fellowship program is Miami’s premier leadership development initiative, selecting a group of 20 Jewish teens entering grades 10 and 11. This year-long experience focuses on strengthening personal Jewish identity, creating authentic connections with Israel and Israeli peers, and cultivating leadership skills rooted in purposeful Tikkun Olam. As a proudly pluralistic community, Diller unites teens from a wide range of schools, synagogues, and backgrounds, giving them the chance to learn from one another’s stories and perspectives. Cohort 13 embraced this diversity from the start, coming together this past weekend to celebrate Shabbat, engage in meaningful conversations about their Jewish identities, and continue building their sense of community.