Photos by Dovid Davidsohn

A delegation of international journalists from twenty countries visited Miami’s Lubavitch Educational Center last week as part of a U.S. Department of State-sponsored reporting tour focused on efforts to combat antisemitism.

Hailing from countries like Argentina, Ireland, Romania, Norway, and Malaysia, the journalists took the opportunity to interact with local shluchim, discuss the role media plays in antisemitism and see how Jewish life is thriving in Florida.

The journalists participated in a panel discussion featuring local Chabad rabbis and community leaders, exploring Jewish life in America, the challenges of antisemitism, and the role of education and community engagement in addressing it. The program was moderated by Rabbi Yakov Garfinkel, Principal of LEC’s Boys Middle School, who served as master of ceremonies, introduced the speakers, and facilitated the exchange between the journalists and community leaders.

The delegation heard from Rabbi Yaakov Fellig of Chabad of Coconut Grove, Rabbi Yosef Vogel, Director of the Center for Universal Values at the Jewish Learning Institute, Rabbi Yossie Denburg, dean of Lubavitch Hebrew Academy, Mr. Danny Aqua, Director of Special Projects at Teach FL, and Mr. Zalman Myer-Smith, director of Chabad Security Center of Florida.

“When your government gives you the power to write, you have the obligation and honor to write the truth,” Rabbi Yossie Denburg told the journalists in his remarks. “G-d did not send you here by accident. You are here because you have been given a job to change the narrative, the trajectory of what your readers hear, see, and think.”

Led by Rabbi Yossi Zavdi, LEC’s associate Head of School, the group toured LEC, the largest Jewish school in the Southern US. They interacted with teachers and students in Judaic and general studies classes, heard about their curricula and extracurricular activities, and got to see what an authentic Jewish education looks like for American Jewish children. “They left very impressed with our curricula and education model, and specifically our student-teacher engagement,” said Rabbi Zavdi.

Prior to the event at LEC, the group met with Rabbi Benjy Korf, LEC’s head of school and regional director of Chabad of Florida, and Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz, for a conversation about how cultural awareness and community partnerships support law enforcement efforts to combat antisemitism and protect the safety and dignity of every community.

“Judaism taught the world the idea of ethics and morals,” Rabbi Korf told the journalists. “It stems from freedom from slavery, teaching the world that each human being was made in the image of G-d. G-d gave the Jews the Ten Commandments at Sinai, which was the basis of morality. We don’t need to be lectured by those who have persecuted, expelled, and murdered Jewish communities en masse throughout history. We continue to spread the light of positivity one good deed at a time to make this world a better place.”

Participating shluchim also included Rabbis Shloimy Denburg of Lubavitch Hebrew Academy, Yisroel Frankforter of French Chabad, Alex Kaller of Chabad of Chabad Russian Center, Menachem Mendel Korf of LEC, Moishy Korf of Chabad of Florida, Sholom Ber Korf of Chabad of Lakeview, Mendy Levy of Chabad Chaplaincy Network, Shmuli Lezak of Chabad of Bayshore, Chaim Lipsker of Chabad of Downtown Miami, Chaim Stern of Chabad of Mid Miami Beach, and Mendel Sossonko of Chabad of South Beach.