Lily Serviansky
Lily Serviansky Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
David and I have been part of the south Dade Jewish Community since 1978 when we moved to Miami. We were both raised in the vibrant and dynamic Jewish community of Mexico City. We attended Jewish Day School through high school; belonged to the Mexican Jewish Scouts; and participated in sports and summer camp at the Jewish Community Center. We had a strong connection to the State of Israel. Our Jewish identities were never in question.
Lily Serviansky
We started dating at a very young age — I was 13 and David 15. After eight years of being sweethearts we were married on December 14, 1975 in a “small” affair with 800 guests. Following our honeymoon in Israel, we moved to Ithaca, NY to attend Cornell University. We then moved to Hershey, PA where David was working for Hershey Foods in new product development. I was working at the Harrisburg JCC in the preschool. After our oldest son, Danny, was born we decided to move to
Miami to be closer to family — family has always been at the core of everything we do and who we are. David started a new career as a developer and Partner in Landstar Development Corporation and I devoted myself to raising our three sons, Danny, Allan and Mike, and volunteering in the Jewish world.
Our parents’ stories are similar to many other Eastern European Jews. David’s grandparents emigrated from Poland to Mexico in the 1920’s. His parents were born in Mexico and raised their three children there. My family originally came from Hungary. My father’s parents immigrated to Mexico between the First and Second World Wars; my father was born there. My Mom’s side was not as fortunate as they were still in Hungary during the Holocaust. My Mom was the sole survivor of her immediate family. She ended up in Mexico with the help
David and Lily Serviansky at the 2018 Pacesetter Event
of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and Red Cross International who connected her and a Survivor Aunt with relatives in Mexico. She was 16 when she arrived after spending two years in Concentration Camps. She met my father and raised their four children in Mexico. Both sets of parents settled in Miami and were able to be together as an extended family again. Our entry point to the Miami Jewish Community was though our children at Temple Beth Am Day School. I served on various committees and became President of the congregation. My
involvement continues as I’m currently the Chair of the Steering Committee overseeing the building of the school and activity center. To ensure our Temple remains strong far into the future, David and I made a gift to their Endowment Campaign. My involvement in the Greater Miami Jewish Federation came later after attending a Women’s Day Luncheon in 1985. Since then, I’ve have had the privilege of holding a variety of
leadership positions including Chair of Create a Jewish Legacy (a community-wide endowment initiative) and the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. I was Vice chair of the Israel at 70 Mission with over 900 participants and currently serve on the Federation’s Board of Directors as Chair of CAJE and incoming Major Gifts Chair for Federation. David and I have been Pacesetters for 18 years; through a gift in our will, we perpetuated that gift and became Forever Pacesetters . We are blessed and proud of the work that the Federation does every day to keep our community and Israel strong. After 45 years of marriage, raising three sons and having 4 beautiful grandchildren, David and I can say with certainty that our lives have been enriched by being part of the Miami Jewish Community. May we continue to grow from strength to strength.
Temple Beth Am AND Rambam Day School
Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
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