CAJE News

On February 5th, our community gathered at Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center for a truly meaningful celebration - the ElevatEd Graduation Dinner. Nearly 90 educators, family members, community leaders, Federation representatives, CAJE partners, and honored guests filled the room, creating an atmosphere of pride, gratitude, and shared purpose. ElevatEd is a national initiative dedicated to elevating the field of Jewish early childhood education by investing in educators themselves.

I found Robert Kraft’s Superbowl half-time ad — as well intentioned as it certainly was – sadly so disappointing, and I would add, damaging to our vision of who we Jews are and what we are capable of doing and being. The symbolism of the nebbishy, timid Jew being bullied by the school mob and then saved by the righteous gentile, a tall and strong young man of color, who comes to his aid by slapping a blue square on his knapsack and assuring him of his empathy, is so Schindler’s List that it made me feel utter despair… what does it teach the non-Jew who is watching, about what he or she needs to do to take action against antisemitism?

Over the past year, CAJE has welcomed hundreds of learners from across South Florida to SAGES in the 305, our signature public lecture series bringing today’s most compelling Jewish thinkers to Miami. These evenings have become a gathering place for serious ideas, thoughtful conversation, and community across generations. To ensure the highest level of scholarship, CAJE Adult Learning has partnered with the renowned Hadar Institute, a leading center of Jewish thought and practice, to bring world-class teachers directly to the 305. Up Next: Rabbi Ethan Tucker President & Rosh Yeshiva of the Hadar Institute

At this year’s film festival, a woman asked me how movies get chosen to be shown. There’s a portal on the festival website where film makers can submit their work, which is then reviewed by the festival staff. The decision is mainly based on Executive Director Igor Shteyrenberg’s extraordinary curatorial eye along with input from the year-round Festival Team (all 4 of them). There is usually some Jewish angle — a theme, a character, a historical moment, etc. Occasionally there isn’t a Jewish angle, but we make exceptions, like showing a movie about the treatment of Roma (aka Gypsies) during World War II. There is no Roma film festival, so we felt it appropriate to screen the movie since the Roma and Jews were both objects of Nazi racism.

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...