Joan Kasner
Joan Kasner Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
From a young age, the values of compassion and community were deeply ingrained in Joan Kasner. Growing up in a family that had faced the horrors of pogroms in Ukraine, she learned the importance of kindness and resilience. Her mother, saved by Christian neighbors, and her father, a physician, modeled these values every day.
As she grew older, Joan’s passion for helping others led her to pursue a career in education. With a master’s degree in Speech and Language and as an Education Specialist in Reading, she dedicated her life to helping children with reading difficulties. Her work at the McGlannan School in Miami, where she served as Director of the Clinic, was a testament to her commitment. She has been at the school since its inception 60 years ago, teaching the students and mentoring teachers. She wrote stories for children, created instructional materials for teachers and educated volunteers, all with the goal of making a difference in the lives of struggling readers. At the age of 89, she still leaves the house daily at 7:15 a.m. to teach. Joan Kasner
Her dedication has extended beyond her professional life. She has been deeply involved in several organizations, including the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and Melton, where she served on boards and contributed her time and expertise. Her synagogue affiliations with Bet Shira Congregation and Temple Beth Am have also been central to her life, where she has participated in Mitzvah Days and synagogue activities. One of the highlights of her life were her trips to Israel, especially the time she spent working on a military base for three weeks. This experience, as well as her many years of delivering food to the homebound and working at Greater Miami Jewish Federation Super Sundays, showcased her unwavering commitment to repairing the world. Joan says, “I guess I have Tikkun Olam in my DNA from my parents and other family members, who were compassionate, liberal and community-minded.” Her parents’ influence was evident in her actions. Her father’s dedication to his patients, often accepting whatever they could afford during the Depression, and her mother’s involvement in community organizations inspired her to follow in their footsteps. She carried these lessons with her, whether she was mentoring volunteer callers at Super Sunday, participating in Federation events or hauling sod squares for Habitat for Humanity. Joan is grateful to have been able to be a generous donor to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation for well over 40 years. In 2002, she and her husband, David, had the foresight to endow their Annual Campaign gift to Federation and became a Forever Lion and Forever Pacesetters. This gift created a fund in their
names that has grown exponentially over time and will make a gift in their names to support the Jewish community forever. Her story is one of dedication and a lifelong commitment to making the world a better place. Through her work with children, her involvement in community organizations, and her personal acts of kindness, she has left an indelible mark on the lives of many.
Temple Beth Am AND Rambam Day School
Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
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