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
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