FOUNDER​​​​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jewish Leadership Institute (JLI) was started in 1990. It was created by Rabbi Mayer Abramowitz z"tl. He was a visionary who never saw a challenge facing the Jewish community that he couldn't tackle. He was the rabbi of one of largest Conservative synagogues in Miami, had a lifetime contract, and was widely respected in the community. Yet, something wasn’t right. He felt that college students didn’t have the opportunity to explore Judaism in a deep, joyful and challenging way, without expecting them to be a particular type of Jew. So he left his lifetime contract behind and created JLI, designing a unique education program. He believed the best place to run his program was Israel and started the first subsidized trips there (10 years before Birthright). At the time he was 75 years old. He led every group until he was 92. His wife, Rachel z"tl, a professor at the University of Miami, joined him on every trip and was his partner in every aspect of the program.

 

It wasn’t the first time he saw a Jewish group in need and acted on it. While a chaplain in the US Army in World War II, he (illegally) helped smuggle Holocaust survivors out of Europe. In the 1960’s when Jewish refugees left en masse from Cuba to Miami, he singlehandedly found refuge for them and integrated them into the Jewish community. Starting JLI was just his next ahead-of-the-curve project.

 

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​​​JLI NOW

For 25 years, Rabbi Abramowitz's son, David, ran the program with him, and he is now the Executive Director. After 35 years of taking young adults in their early 20's to Israel, JLI added trips for young professionals, 30-45, who are committed to involvement in the Jewish community. For over 30 years, our alumni have taken leadership roles in the Jewish community, as well as in business and the professions.