JCA Receives Mit-habrim Grant to Celebrate Yom Ha’Atzmaut
March 28, 2025
There are no passports necessary to enjoy this worldly experience! We are thrilled to share that the Spice Detective, Chef Yaniv Cohen, will be at the Jewish Community Alliance on Tuesday, April 8, to share his knowledge and explore the rich flavors of Israel with our community.
Since moving to Florida from Israel, Chef Cohen’s spicy culinary creations helped him open his restaurant, JAFFA, write a cookbook, My Spiced Kitchen, and win the Netflix cooking show, Best Leftovers Ever. Culinary explorations with the Spice Detective will begin at 7 pm on Apr 8 with education and the history of Israeli spices, their cultural significance, and how these spices shape the culinary traditions of Israel.
Yaniv Cohen’s visit to Jacksonville is supported by a grant from the JCC Association of North America in collaboration with Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs’ international initiative, Mit-habrim | מתחברים | Connections. Through this collaboration, Yamim grants are awarded to support programs that will commemorate key Jewish and Israeli holidays this spring. Yamim is Hebrew for “days,” an appropriate name for the funding that will help communities honor Yom Ha’Shoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom Ha’Zikaron – Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism, and, Yom Ha’Atzmaut -Israel’s Independence Day. This year, more than $1.5 million in Yamim grants are being distributed to 110 Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Community Camps (JCCs) in the United States and five in Canada. Our JCA is proud to be among the recipients of this grant, designed to inform and educate while celebrating Israel in our community.
Our Jewish community in Jacksonville will commemorate, Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s 77th Independence Day, with Chef Cohen, who will share interactive cooking demonstrations, stories behind the spices, and delicious cuisine with our community. The Spice Detective will also sign copies of his cookbook, Spiced Kitchen, which will be on sale during the event. Tickets are $18 per person. Follow this link for more details and to purchase tickets to meet the Spice Detective, Chef Yaniv Cohen.
About The Jewish Community Alliance (JCA) The JCA is a non-profit community center affiliated with the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida and the Jewish Community Centers of North America. Our mission is to strengthen Jewish life, serve as a common meeting ground and enhance the quality of life of the entire community. The JCA is not solely for the Jewish community; we welcome all people from every different walk of life into our family to prosper and grow with us toward a better tomorrow. Our vision is to provide the place in the tradition of our heritage where all people come together throughout their lives to enhance body, mind and spirit, in an environment of fun, harmony and friendship.
About JCC Association of North America The JCC Association of North America leads the JCC Movement, the most expansive and inclusive platform for Jewish life in the U.S. and Canada, which comprises more than 170 Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Community Camps (JCCs). By virtue of its size and scope—serving more than 1.5 million people weekly, in person, and online—and with guidance and support from JCC Association, the JCC Movement dynamically influences efforts to create Jewish community, vibrant Jewish life, and intentional and measurable Jewish outcomes in local communities and across the continent. Learn more at JCCA.org or on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter).
About JCC Association Center for Israel Engagement Since its inception in 1977, JCC Association Center for Israel Engagement has connected countless JCCs and members with the many facets of the land, history, people, and cultures of Israel. Through custom-designed travel experiences to Israel for JCC professionals, lay leaders, campers, and members of JCCs, approximately 11,500 individuals—teens to older adults, first-time visitors, people with disabilities, and so many others—have connected to Israel through seminars, professional training opportunities, and other distinct initiatives. JCC Association Center for Israel Engagement also brings more than 400 shlichim to North America each year to serve in the JCC Movement’s camp network during the summer, with dozens more employed throughout the year at JCCs around the country. Shlichim are young Israelis who, following their mandatory military service, choose to serve for a year or more in Jewish agencies and institutions in communities around the world.
About Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism The Ministry for Diaspora Affairs is entrusted with fostering the connection between world Jewry and the State of Israel, through joint activities and ongoing dialogue, since the Israeli government sees itself as being responsible for all Jews worldwide, whether they live in Israel or the Diaspora.
