In 1938, a handful of committed people founded the Federated Jewish Charities of Palm Beach County, which ultimately became the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. It was a time when everyone who was Jewish in West Palm Beach knew each other. 

Twenty-four years later, in 1962, under the leadership of Morton Silberman, the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County began. Our history is rich with the names of thousands of people who worked together to meet the needs of our growing Jewish community.

Today, our Palm Beach County Jewish community of more than 135,000 people is thriving thanks to the generosity of dedicated leaders who had the vision to foresee the needs of tomorrow. 

1962-1965

Morton Silberman is the driving force as President of Federation.

An 18-acre site is donated to the Federation by Joseph List and named Camp Shalom.

Federation establishes a kindergarten and nursery school, with temporary quarters at Temple Israel.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $78,176, with Women's Division contributing $13,832 to the tally.

 

1965-1969

Robert Levy is elected Federation President from 1965-1967.

Robert List is elected President from 1967-1969.

Evelyn Blum is the first host and Thelma Newman is later named moderator and host of "Our People," the Federation-sponsored program, on WPTV Channel 5.

The Jewish population of Palm Beach County is about 1,100 permanent residents. Approximately 600 families are considered seasonal residents.

The first community-wide Annual Campaign event is held at the Palm Beach Towers. Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $82,000.

 

1969-1971

Jerome Tishman becomes Federation President. Staci Lesser serves as head of Women's Division.

Jewish Family and Children's Service is established.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $270,000.

 

1971-1973

Robert D. Rapaport is Federation President.

Jeanne Levy heads Women's Division. Under her leadership and Co-Chairs Mary Broadman and Esther Levy, the Women's Division organizes Friendly Visitors program to augment visits of rabbis to unaffiliated hospitalized patients and homebound seniors.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $428,000.

 

1973-1976

Stephen R. Gordon is Federation President. Barbara Weinstein is Women's Division Chair.

Jewish Community Center is established.

With a Federation grant, the Jewish Community Day School opens with 38 elementary school-age children at Temple Beth El.

In 1974, our community responds to the Yom Kippur War by doubling the 1973 Federation/UJA Annual Campaign tally of $535,000 to $1.4 million. 

 

1976-1977

Bette Gilbert is Federation President. Jeanne Levy is President of Women's Division.

Jewish Federation opens an office in Boca Raton.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $1.2 million.

 

1977-1979

Stanley Brenner serves as Federation President.

Federation forms Council on Aged. Federation acquires 15 acres of land on Haverhill, future site of the Joseph L. Morse Geriatric Center.

Federation establishes the Endowment Fund program.

Federation-sponsored program, MOSAIC, airs on NBC-affiliate WPTV Channel 5.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $2.125 million

 

1979-1982

Alan Shulman is elected President. Barbara Shulman heads Women's Division. Cynnie List takes over as Women's Division President in 1981.

Chaplain Aide program begins.

Plans are completed for a new site on Parker Avenue for the Jewish Community Day School.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $3.8 million.

 

1982-1985

Jeanne Levy is Federation President. Cynnie List is President of Women's Division. In 1984, Sheila Englestein begins her term as Women's Division President. In 1985, Myron J. Nikman is Federation President.

Jewish Community Center Activities Study launched to determine future direction of JCC development. JCC begins kosher meals program.

Super Sunday creates community spirit by involving hundreds of volunteers in an all-day phone-a-thon to raise money for the Federation/UJA Annual Campaign.

Federation opens branch office in Boynton Beach.

Federation sends largest delegation to Jewish Agency Assembly in Jerusalem.

First $10,000 Major Gifts Campaign dinner held.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $6.6 million

 

1986

Erwin H. Blonder is Federation President. Molie Fitterman is Women's Division President.

Jewish Community Day School Celebrates Bar Mitzvah year.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $7.5 million.

 

1988-1991

Alec Engelstein is Federation President.

In 1991, the Jeanne Levy Jewish Community Campus opened in West Palm Beach. The 33-acre site is home of Federation, the Lorraine and Jack N. Friedman Commission for Jewish Education, the Harold and Sylvia Kaplan Jewish Community Center and the Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family & Children's Service.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $12.5 million.

 

1991-1994

Barbara Gordon Green is Federation President.

Federation is linked with the Tzahar Region in Israel (Tzfat, Hatzor and Rosh Pina) as part of the Jewish Agency for Israel's Partnership 2000 program, which creates strong bonds between Israel and Federation communities.

 

1994-1996

Alan Miller is Federation President.

Fund for Jewish Continuity begins in 1995, providing the opportunity for community organizations to implement innovative programs that strengthen Jewish identity.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign raises $16.1 million.

 

1996-1999

Helen G. Hoffman is Federation President.

Federation breaks ground for the Alex and Esther Gruber Jewish Community Campus in Boynton Beach and the new Jewish education center, which houses the Arthur I. Meyer Jewish Academy and the Lorraine and Jack N. Friedman Commission for Jewish Education.

1999-2001

Eugene J. Ribakoff is Federation President.

A demographic study finds that more than 100,000 people live in Jewish households in Federation's service area from Boynton Beach to Jupiter, with the largest growth in the Boynton Beach/Lake Worth area.

Federation expands the Alex and Esther Gruber Jewish Community Campus and the Henry and Ida Hochman Jewish Community Center in Boynton Beach.

To prevent the creation of a permanent underclass among Ethiopian-Israelis, Federation funded a program initiated by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee called Parents and Children Together (PACT).

Federation undertook a dynamic partnership with the city of St. Petersburg, Russia to fund and operate programs and services that impact the lives of St. Petersburg's Jewish community.

 

2001-2003

Norman P. Goldblum is Federation President.

Federation establishes the Israel Program Center to bring the living presence of Israel to our community

Federation establishes the Mandel Center for Excellence in Leadership to identify, train and enrich lay leadership and professional staff.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign surpasses $22 million.

2004 - 2006

Judith A. Levy is Federation President.

More than 135,000 people were living in Jewish households in Federation's service area, making the greater Palm Beaches the 10th largest Jewish community in North America, according to Federation's demographic study. 

The Jewish Community Relations Council's (JCRC) Cults and Messianics Task Force led a successful counter-campaign to the Jews for Jesus' attempts to convert local Jews to Christianity. Jews for Judaism, a counter-missionary organization, led training programs about Jews for Jesus and spoke at three community-wide programs that attracted hundreds of people. The counter-campaign included full page and half-page ads in The Palm Beach Post, resulting in dozens of favorable newspaper and television stories on Federation and its stance against the Jews for Jesus' efforts.

Federation's Jewish Teen Initiative connected teens to Jewish life. Federation successfully built a coalition among Federation, the Jewish Community Center of the Greater Palm Beaches, Federation's Israel Program Center, the Lorraine and Jack N. Friedman Commission for Jewish Education, all regional youth movements and local youth groups.

Federation was selected as one of the nine pilot communities for the Jewish Agency For Israel's North American Center for Israel Education (NACIE). Federation will play a leading role in creating models of involvement and education to strengthen and deepen our community's connection with the people and country of Israel, and serve as a model for other communities to emulate.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign surpasses $30 million (Annual Campaign raised $24 million and $6 million in designated funds). Federation honored with Sapir Award for Annual Campaign achievement from United Jewish Communities.


2007 - 2008

Arlene Kaufman is Federation President.

More than $4 million was raised by donors as part of Federation's Israel Emergency Campaign, which aided a variety of needs -- including people in Federation's partnered communities in the Tzahar Region -- as a result of the conflict between Israel and terrorists in Lebanon.

Community celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary draws 4,000 people to downtown West Palm Beach for a march and a free dance performance.

The Jewish Community Assistance Network, or JCAN, started to provide free services to seniors in five gated communities, allowing them to participate in social, educational and spiritual programs where they live.

Federation and its beneficiary agencies aid seniors before and in the aftermath of a storm through HANDS, short for Hurricane Action Network Delivery to Seniors.

Federation's Foundation department is renamed Planned Giving and Endowments.

Federation/UJA Annual Campaign surpasses $31 million (Annual Campaign raised $25.5 million and $5.5 million in designated funds).



2008 - 2010

Arthur S. Loring is Federation President.

Federation launches the Synagogue Institute, which works with rabbis, educational staff and lay leaders to provide opportunities for synagogues to present new and innovative way of reaching out to the Jewish community.

The PJ Library in the Greater Palm Beaches provides children ages 6 months to 6 years old with free Jewish books or CDs every month. The program quickly expands to reach 1,300 local families.

Human rights activist and Jewish Agency for Israel leader Natan Sharansky is the featured speaker at the Campaign Opening, drawing more than 500 participants -- the highest attendance for this event.

Fifty children attending an overnight Jewish camp experience for the first time were eligible to receive funding to defray the costs through a new Federation program.

Federation Annual Campaign raises $23 million (Annual Campaign raised $19.2 million and $3.8 million in designated funds). 

 
2010 - present

Mark F. Levy is Federation President.