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The Palm Beach Center to Combat
Antisemitism & Hatred

A pioneering entity of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, the Palm Beach Center is committed to finding practical solutions to antisemitism confronting our local community.

The Palm Beach Center brings together community stakeholders with the authority and resources to act and offers strategic, monetary and advisory support to grantees and partner organizations.

The Center targets two proven priorities:


  • Strengthening community security
  • Building relationships

According to Recently Published
Reports on Florida by the FBI and ADL:

83%

Antisemitic incidents in Florida were acts of harassment, totaling 292 cases and placing the state fifth in the nation for this category. 

7th

Florida is ranked seventh highest for antisemitic incidents in the United States.

36%

Antisemitic incidents in Florida targeted Jewish institutions, twice the national average, including 50 bomb threats made in one day across South Florida. 

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Launched in May 2023, the Palm Beach Center leverages and unifies Federation’s strengths, building on the longstanding leadership of Federation’s Community Relations and the J-Secure community security program.

The Center serves as the Jewish community’s convener, enabling direct collaboration with nonprofit organizations, government entities, businesses and communities, alongside Federation programs and Jewish partner organizations, to develop and execute strategies that directly confront local antisemitism and hatred.

The Palm Beach Center is made possible by the foresight and generosity of donors committed to the following objectives:

Inspiring & Supporting

We address rising local hatred toward the Jewish community through sustainable solutions and community engagement.

Collaborating with
Partner Organizations

We work with existing programs, while encouraging new partners to join the cause.

Accelerating Progress

We focus on substantial improvements for immediate and long-term impact.

Ensuring Initiatives

We share initiatives with other Jewish communities to create a positive global impact.

Recources to
Counter Antisemitism

If you encounter antisemitic activity, report the incident on our J-Secure form. Our partners at Secure Community Network (SCN) and law enforcement will follow up on reported incidents

In emergency situations, call 9-1-1.

Explore the many forms of antisemitism in today’s world and learn effective strategies to confront them.

Leverage your influence by requesting support from your elected representatives or expressing gratitude by thanking them for standing with the Jewish community.

Our partner Hillel International offers free legal services for Jewish college students facing antisemitism.

Tune in to ‘mosaic,’ a Jewish public affairs show on WPBF 25 and, and ‘Hate Rising,’ a CBS 12 special series.

Palm Beach Center Insights & Updates

Palm Beach Center
Leadership

Richard A. Friedman

Co-Chair, Palm Beach Center

Steven Tananbaum

Co-Chair, Palm Beach Center

Barry S. Berg
Board Chair, Jewish Federation

Michael Hoffman
President & CEO, Jewish Federation

Josephine Gon
Executive Director, Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred and Public Affairs

Advisory Committee
2024-2025

The Advisory Committee comprises leaders in the Palm Beaches who bring a deep commitment to the Palm Beach Center.  Committee members provide strategic counsel to professional leadership and promote the Center’s mission in Palm Beach County and beyond.

Neil Exter


James Foster

Jason T. Kalisman


Allison Kanders

Terry Kassel


William Mack

Susan Shulman Pertnoy


Lynn Peseckis

Linda A. Teitelbaum

Kerry Vickar

Jane Wilf


David Windreich


Peter May, Ex officio

Jonathan Tisch, Ex officio

Palm Beach Center Founders

Thank you, Palm Beach Center Founders, for ensuring local Jews can live openly and securely. Founders are recognized for their generosity to the PBC above and beyond the Federation Annual Campaign, and most commit for five years, allowing for enhanced planning and sustained impact. Founders are listed based on annual commitment to the Palm Beach Center.

Questions? Contact Kate Lester, VP, Major Gifts, at kate.lester@jewishpalmbeach.org or call at 561.242.6668.

Cornerstone Founders contribute $25,000 or more annually for five years, receiving recognition for their total multi-year contribution, which exceeds their support for the Federation Annual Campaign.

$1,000,000+

The Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund
Susan & Richard A. Friedman
Elena & Scott Shleifer
Lisa & Steven Tananbaum
Linda & Myron z”l Teitelbaum
Lizzie & Jonathan Tisch

$750,000

Christine Hikawa & David Windreich 

$500,000

Mickey & Lawrence Beyer
Diane & Neil Exter
Allison & Warren Kanders
A. Alfred Taubman Foundation

$125,000

Darian & Zachary Ablon
Judy & Howard Bernick
Sara & Charles Fabrikant
Elizabeth & Matthew Feuer
Lori Kramer & Stephen Fraidin
Ann & Robert Fromer
Ellen S. & Robert Jaffe
Gretchen & Jay Jordan
Sheila & Bob Josephberg
Karen & Jay Kasner
Fran & Jack Levy
Nicola & Jeffrey Marcus
Susan & Darrell Ross
Harriet & Eric Rothfeld
Barbara & Richard Rothschild
Heidi & Scott Schuster
Joan Serchuck
Sydelle B. Sonkin

$250,000

Judy & Ronald Baron
Kay & Peter Bernon
Vanessa & Anthony Beyer
Kristin & Jason Brauth
Marjorie & Stephen Fiverson and Kathy & Mitchell Jacobson
Audrey & James Foster
Alice & Nathan Gantcher
J. Ira z”l & Nicki Harris Family Foundation
Anne E. Koons
Mindy Schneider & Michael Lesser, M.D.
Simone & David Levinson
Phyllis & William Mack
Leni & Peter May
Hilarie & Mitchell Morgan 
Ellen & Richard Richman
Leslie & Thomas A. Rosin
Liz Lange & David Shapiro
Judy & Robert Snyder
Cindy Levine & Marc Solomon
Simone & Kerry Vickar
Beth & Leonard Wilf and Jane & Mark Wilf

We are currently compiling our roster of Palm Beach Center Founders, and recognition will be based on the giving levels of Cornerstone Founders and Annual Founders within the Palm Beach Center. We proudly recognize all donors in the Federation Honor Roll.

Our Annual Founders significantly impact our mission through their annual commitment of $25,000 or more, surpassing their support for the Federation Annual Campaign

$750,000

David & Nicole Tepper and The Tepper Foundation

$100,000

Pamela & Edward S. Pantzer
Harold D. & Annette Price Family Foundation and Ron Price
GMR Foundation, the Herzog and Leob Families
The Paul E. Singer Foundation 

$250,000+

Sara & Charles Fabrikant
Florida Department of Education 
JFNA LiveSecure Match

$50,000

Dorothy & Martin Bandier
Penny & Harold Blumenstein
Rita & Charles Bronfman
Phylis Fogelson
Lori & Bruce Gendelman
Marina & Andrew Jacobson
Roberta & Paul Kozloff
Susan & Morris Mark
Myrna & Spencer Partrich
Lynn & Frank Peseckis
John Raggio & Dr. Donna Kesselman Raggio
Debbie & Cliff Robbins
Barbara & Randall Smith
Diane & Marc Spilker
Robbi & Bruce Toll

$25,000

Herbert Bearman Foundation
Marjorie G. & Barry S. Berg
Roberta & Stanley Bogen
Gail & Alfred Engelberg
Judi & Steven B. Fader Family Foundation
Susan & Alan z”lFuirst
Linda & Ray Golden
Mindy & Andrew Heyer
Judith & Stanley Hoffberger Family Foundation

Wendy & Larry Levy
Vicki & Arthur Loring
Carol & Paul Mendez
Lisa & Michael Rome
Madeline & Arnold Schuster
Diane & John Sculley
Ryan Serhant and John Serhant
Marsha & Jerry Seslowe
Lynne Tarnopol
Susan & Benjamin Winter

Our Partner Network

Our network of partners includes members of the Jewish Community Assembly, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, listed below:

Anti-Defamation League, Florida 
Region (ADL)

American Jewish Committee, Palm Beach Alums for Campus Fairness

American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)

Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA Florida)

Hadassah Florida & Florida Atlantic Herizon (formerly, Jewish Women’s Foundation)

Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach

Insight Through Education

Jewish Family Service (Alpert JFS)

JCC (Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches)

Dorothy & Sidney Kohl Jewish Volunteer Center (JVC)

Kramer Senior Services, a Subsidiary of MorseLife Health System

Arthur I. Meyer Jewish Preparatory

NCJW Palm Beach (National Council for Jewish Women)

Na’amat Southeastern Area

Teach Florida

Stand with Us Southeast

Students Supporting Israel (SSI)

South Florida Zioness

Frequently Asked Questions

The Palm Beach Center is the county’s foremost leader, strategist, and practical problem-solver in the fight against antisemitism.

The Center was established to proactively address the escalating local antisemitism, the Palm Beach Center plays an integral role within Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. Its primary purpose is to offer strategic, financial, and advisory support to grantees and partner organizations, with a focus on fostering tolerance, ensuring safety, and taking the lead.

Building upon the substantial efforts of Federation’s J-Secure Community Safety & Security (J-Secure) and Community Relations in combatting antisemitism, discrimination, and bigotry, the Center assumes a significant leadership role within and beyond the Jewish community.

The Palm Beach Center leads a county-wide strategy to counter antisemitism, ensuring a secure Jewish future and nurturing a tolerant community. Through collaboration, we provide strategic and financial assistance to Jewish partners and others, exemplifying local leadership.

The Palm Beach Center is sponsored and operated by Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. The leadership of the Center includes:

We’ve joined forces with the executive search firm DRG for a nationwide search to find the Center’s inaugural director. The director leads the Center’s comprehensive planning and program execution.

These leaders benefit from the steadfast support of a robust Advisory Committee, composed of influential figures in the Palm Beach community. Drawing upon their invaluable insights and unwavering dedication to the Center, Advisory Committee members offer strategic guidance to the organization’s leadership. They play a vital role in shaping the Center’s priorities and advancing its mission, both within the county and in wider-reaching spheres. Advisory Committee members include:

Neil Exter

James Foster

Jason T. Kalisman

Allison Kanders

Terry Kassel

William Mack

Lynn Peseckis

Kerry Vickar

Jane Wilf

David Windreich

Peter May, Ex officio

Jonathan Tisch, Ex officio

The Center’s impact, fueled by support from the Palm Beach Center and facilitated by its partners and other grantees, is structured around the following key areas: Building Relationships and Enhancing Community Security. These efforts encompass a range of initiatives, including but not limited to:

The Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred was created with the aim of becoming a beacon for addressing antisemitism and hatred within Palm Beach County. Its establishment gains significant relevance when considering reports released by the FBI and ADL concerning Florida:

The Palm Beach Center is a pivotal initiative by Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, aimed at intensifying efforts to combat the pressing challenge of rising local antisemitism. The Center empowers leaders and the community’s residents to proactively address antisemitism head-on.

The relationship between the Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is one of collaboration and mutual support.

One of the key roles of the Palm Beach Center is to provide strategic guidance, financial support, and advisory assistance to various grantees and partner organizations. In this capacity, the JCRC stands as one of the primary beneficiaries of the Center’s support. Through this partnership, the JCRC can more effectively carry out its mission and work towards combating antisemitism and promoting tolerance within the community. This collaboration underscores the shared commitment to addressing these critical issues and the synergy between the two entities in achieving their common goals.

The Palm Beach Center chose to include both “antisemitism” and “hatred” in its name to highlight their interconnected nature. This emphasizes that when hatred targets one group, it can easily spread to harm others. This naming choice serves as a reminder not to assume safety based solely on one’s identity, as hatred can impact multiple communities. Our approach goes beyond a generic condemnation of hate; we acknowledge the existence of various forms of hatred. We concentrate on identifyingand explaining antisemitism specifically, demonstrating how it fits into a broader pattern of hatred.

Many of the programs supported by the Palm Beach Center are dedicated to promoting tolerance and enhancing the safety of various  communities. For instance, we provide funding for an intelligence analyst working with J-Secure, who investigates all forms of hatred in the county.

This crucial work contributes to the safety and well-being of our community.

The Palm Beach Center actively engages in collaborations with Jewish Partner Organizations and existing Federation Programs dedicated to addressing issues related to antisemitism and hatred. Additionally, we welcome new partners from all corners of Palm Beach County to join our cause. Among our esteemed partners is the Jewish Community Relations Council Assembly, a coalition comprising local Jewish organizations, synagogues and Chabads. These partnerships are instrumental in our collective efforts to combat antisemitism and hatred in Palm Beach County. Below is a list of key partners and organizations collaborating with the Palm Beach Center to further our mission:

  • The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM)
  • Community Security Service (CSS)
  • Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (The Blue Square’s Stand Up to Jewish Hate Campaign)
  • Hillel International (Campus Climate Initiative)
  • The Jewish Agency for Israel (JReady & ShinShinim)
  • J-Secure Community Security Program, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County (J-Secure)
  • Jewish Federations of North America (LiveSecure)
  • The School District of Palm Beach County (SDPBC)
  • Secure Community Network (SCN)

Our network of partners includes members of the Jewish Community Relations Council Assembly, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County (JCRC), listed below:

  • Anti-Defamation League, Florida Region (ADL)
  • American Jewish Committee, Palm Beach
  • Alums for Campus Fairness
  • AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee)
  • CAMERA Florida (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America)
  • Hadassah Florida & Florida Atlantic
  • Herizon (formerly, Jewish Women’s Foundation)
  • Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach
  • InSIGHT Through Education
  • Alpert JFS (Jewish Family Service)
  • JCC (Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches)
  • Dorothy & Sidney Kohl Jewish Volunteer Center (JVC)
  • Arthur I. Meyer Jewish Preparatory school
  • MorseLife Health System
  • NCJW Palm Beach (National Council of Jewish Women)
  • Na’amat Southeastern Area
  • Rabbi’s Representative and Rabbis of Community Synagogues & Chabads Teach
  • Teach Florida
  • StandWithUs Southeast
  • Students Supporting Israel (SSI)
  • South Florida Zioness

The Palm Beach Center is made possible due to the foresight and generosity of donors committed to the following objectives:

By doing this, the Palm Beach Center is working towards creating a safer, more tolerant future for all.

Our Tax ID number, also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN), is 59-0948696.

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE 1.800.435.7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR AT WWW.FRESHFROMFLORIDA.COM/DIVISIONS-OFFICES/CONSUMER-SERVICES.

  • Online: Make a donation today by visiting Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s website at https://jewishpb.org/donate.
  • Phone: Contact Kate Lester at kate.lester@jewishpalmbeach.org or 561.242.6668 to discuss your donation over the phone.
  • Mail: Send your contribution by mail to: Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, 1 Harvard Circle, #100, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409. Please make your check payable to Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County.

Yes, the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, which includes the Palm Beach Center, is a 501(c)(3) organization.

To receive communications from us, kindly send an email to PBC@jewishpalmbeach.org, expressing your interest in joining our mailing list. In your email, please provide your name, phone number, email address, and mailing address. We will ensure that you receive our updates and communications promptly.

The #StandUpToJewishHate campaign has been among the largest U.S. campaigns to combat antisemitism, with television, social media, billboards, digital and partner organizations. It launched the Blue Square as the universal symbol for fighting antisemitism and all hate, and the hopeful, empowering message inspired people to stand up on behalf of the Jewish community.

#StandUpToJewishHate 🟦 – Uniting to Combat Antisemitism

We’ve initiated community-wide education on reporting such incidents, providing a streamlined reporting process on our website.

Local organizations can inquire to learn more about the Palm Beach Center’s Grants Program, for both building relationships and enhancing security, by contacting PBC@jewishpalmbeach.org.

You can engage with the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and the Center in various ways, and membership in the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County is not a prerequisite for involvement. To volunteer, visit the webpage for the Kohl Jewish Volunteer Center (jewishpb.org).

The concerning rise of antisemitism on college campuses prompts our action. The Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred, in partnership with our Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, is committed to creating safe spaces for Jewish college students. Select initiatives include:

  • Our Jewish Community Relations Council, expanded through the Palm Beach Center, is advocating for congressional support to combat campus antisemitism. We emphasize applying Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and enhancing data collection and assistance. We advocated for this August 22 letter to be signed by our congressional delegation.
  • Ongoing support for Hillel International, including at the flagship University of Florida, which has the largest Jewish student population in the county. Hillel actively responds to antisemitic incidents, educates on antisemitism and Israel, enhances safety measures, empowers Jewish students, defends their rights, and fosters campus unity. UF is one of 10 new university participants in Hillel’s initiative to confront antisemitism on the college campus.
  • Investing in launching a Holocaust education program during the 2023-2024 school year for 5,000+ high school students in Palm Beach County. It focuses on preparing them for college campuses and the vital role bystanders can play in confronting hatred.
  • For additional student resources, please click on the following link: jewishpb.org/studentresources.

The Palm Beach Center is intricately linked to the Campaign for the Future, which stands as the largest fundraising effort in our community’s history. The Campaign offers donors a unique opportunity to have their generosity recognized over multiple years in a comprehensive manner. It encompasses support for both the Annual Campaign and additional funding for community priorities, including the Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred. For more information on how you can get involved or contribute to the Campaign for the Future, reach out to your Federation representative or contact Kate Lester: Kate.lester@jewishpalmbeach.org or 561-242.6668

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