Maxine
E. Schwartz
Since April, 1992,
Maxine Schwartz has worked with Professor Haim Shaked, first
in the Middle East Studies Institute (MESI) of the University
of Miami's Graduate School of International Studies and now,
since its creation in 1998, at the Sue and Leonard Miller Center
for Contemporary Judaic Studies with the title of Director of
Development and Outreach. Her responsibilities include fund-raising
in all its aspects; planning and budgeting operations; outreach
programming such as named lectures, symposia, conferences and
partnership programs with other agencies and the editing of
materials published and disseminated by the Center. She works
closely with Professor Shaked in in all aspects of the Center’s
activities.
From 1988 to 1990,
Maxine served as the General Campaign Chairman of the Greater
Miami Jewish Federation, the first woman to do so in the Federation's
fifty year history and the first woman to chair a campaign in
a major Jewish community. During her two year tenure as General
Chair, over $40,000,000 was raised. She also convinced the Federation’s
Board of Directors to mount their first mega-mission to Israel,
filling two chartered 747 jets in May,1990. Since then, she
and her husband, Kenneth Schwartz, have led two additional mega-missions
one in October, 1991, and another in November, 1998 - taking
over 2000 people to Israel. From 2001-2006, she has been part
of a 3 man/1-woman team organizing and leading Solidarity Missions
to Israel every January. In May, 2008, she led the Federation’s
Sixtieth Anniversary Mission. In all, Maxine has lead over 20
missions for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
Maxine served as
an officer of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation from 1984-94.
In 1982, she was appointed to the Federation’s Executive Committee,
on which she still serves. In 2009, she was elected as a Life
Member of the Federation’s Board of Trustees. She has served
in both the General Campaign and the Women's Division in many
leadership positions. In the Women’s Department she served as
Campaign Chair (1976-78) and President (1980-82). In the General
Campaign, in addition to her service as General Campaign Chair,
Major Gifts Chair and Mega Mission Chair. She was the first
General Super Sunday Chair, the first Shabbat Across Miami Chair
and the only Operation Moses Chair. In 2002, she chaired 70
parlor meetings as part of the Israel Emergency Campaign in
which Miami raised an additional $13,000,000 within 7 weeks.
In 2007, she co-chaired the Israel Emergency Campaign which
raised over $10,000,000 in 6 weeks.
In 1976. the Greater
Miami Jewish Federation awarded her the Stanley C. Myers Award,
given for outstanding young leadership and in May of 2009, she
was elected as a Life Member of the Federations Board of Directors
in recognition of her many years of service.
Nationally, Maxine
served for 12 years (1983-95) as a member with various portfolios
of the National United Jewish Appeal's Women's Campaign,including
National Lion of Judah Chair (gifts in excess of $5,000 per
year), National Education Chair and National Training Chair.
In March, 2004,
Maxine was honored by the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces
for her outstanding work on behalf of the Jewish people.
Maxine was Miami’s
2010 Kipnis-Wilson Friedland Award recipient, “given every two
years to extraordinary women who have set a high standard for
philanthropy and volunteerism. These women have been chosen
by their communities as “women of valor” with lifetimes of commitment
to the Jewish world.” (GMJF newsletter)
Maxine attended
Cornell University and received a B.A. from Barnard College
in October, 1959. She is married to Kenneth and they have 6
children and 7 grandchildren.
