Michelle and Matan Ben-Aviv
Michelle and Matan Ben-Aviv Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
From a very young age, Michelle new instinctively the power of storytelling. Her father was President of Hebrew Free Loan in Baltimore when Michelle was 8. “I would cry, listening to the stories of those who were asking for loans.” There were never enough funds to help everyone in need, which prompted Michelle to take action. She was determined to help any
way she could, from saving up her allowance to asking her grandfather to contribute, whom she knew was very generous. From there, she understood that being a good fundraiser was inextricably tied to be being a good storyteller. Michelle had followed in her father’s footsteps, serving as the first Chair of Miami’s Hebrew Free Loan Association of Miami, when it became a subsidiary agency of the Greater Miami
Jewish Federation in 2017. “Building up the Board as well as the assets available to make loans, has been one of the most meaningful parts of our philanthropic experience.” Michelle and Matan’s connection to Miami’s Hebrew Free Loan was very personal; in 2014 they created the Making Miracle Babies Fertility Fund, in honor of their son, to empower South Florida Jewish couples (or singles) with fertility obstacles to pursue parenthood via In Vitro Fertilization. “We saw first-hand how these loans were transforming people’s lives, starting with Making Miracle Babies, and then evolving when COVID hit to help with emergency needs such as rent and food as people lost their jobs due to the pandemic. It was clear that offering interest free loans was a way to help people during their most desperate times, while still maintaining their dignity”. Matan, who was born in Israel, is the grandson of Holocaust Survivors and ardent Zionists. He serves on the Board of the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach as a tribute to his grandparents, Sisel and Samuel Aba Klurman. Sisel met Sam while they were both helping Jews escape the Nazis in Eastern Europe. A commander of the Partisans in Eastern Europe, Sam then joined the Etzel movement with Sisel where they spent the remaining years of the war risking their lives to smuggle Jews to the future Eretz Israel. Matan’s two sisters still live in Israel and their children are currently serving in the IDF. Michelle and Matan’s children, Sam and Charlie, attend Lehrman Community Day School, the only pluralistic Jewish Day School in Miami-Dade County, where Michelle is now Chair of the Board. “At Lehrman we aim to foster a love of Jewish life, a
Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
passion for Israel and build strong lifelong bonds to our Jewish Community”. Matan and Michelle are grateful to Federation for having helped build the Miami Jewish community to the place of strength it is today. “The Greater Miami Jewish Federation is the backbone of the entire Jewish community,” Michelle added. “Without a strong Federation in place, none of this would be possible.” It is what also inspired them to become Forever Pacesetters through the Federation’s Legacy Match Life Insurance Program. “We feel blessed and want to make sure we are leaving a vibrant Jewish community for our children and life insurance was such an easy and reasonable way to do it.”
Temple Beth Am AND Rambam Day School
Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
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