Temple Judea proudly announces the rededication of its beloved Margaux Early Childhood School with new permanent signage.
Margaux Renee Grossman was a courageous young girl whose spirit left a lasting imprint on all who knew her. A former student of Temple Judea’s preschool, she was remembered for her warmth, kindness, and joyful presence. In 2001, at the age of 15, Margaux passed away after a brave battle with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer. Even in the most painful stages of her illness, she never complained. Her resilience, positivity, and compassion deeply inspired her family, friends, and the broader community.
In 2004, Temple Judea renamed its early childhood school in Margaux’s honor, ensuring that her light would live on in the very place where her own Jewish journey began. Today, the Margaux Early Childhood School stands as a living tribute to her life, filled with the laughter, discovery, and wonder of young children beginning their earliest experiences of learning and belonging.
Margaux’s legacy extends far beyond the school’s walls. One month after her passing, her friends established Margaux’s Miracle Foundation, which has grown into a meaningful force supporting pediatric cancer research and community needs. The foundation now endows an annual clinical research fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, one of the world’s leading cancer institutions. The fellowship is dedicated specifically to advancing research for rare childhood cancers, transforming Margaux’s memory into hope for families around the world.
The formal rededication of the school and unveiling of the new Margaux School signage took place during Temple Judea’s Intergenerational Shabbat on November 21, 2025, a morning devoted to celebrating the beauty of l’dor v’dor, from generation to generation. Families gathered across campus for a shared Shabbat experience that brought together children, parents, grandparents, and loved ones in a celebration of gratitude, continuity, and community. The Grossman family was honored during the service in recognition of their enduring impact and generosity, as the community paused to reflect on Margaux’s life and the legacy that continues to inspire future generations.
“It was a truly meaningful morning as generations of our community, alongside the Grossman family, gathered to celebrate the installation of the new Margaux School signage and our Intergenerational family Celebration. Seeing grandparents, parents, and children together was a beautiful reflection of the love, continuity, and connection that define our school community”, said Margaux Early Childhood Education Director, Jackie Vera.
For Margaux’s family, the school remains a deeply personal and sacred connection to her life and spirit. In a reflection shared with the community, her father, Stuart Z. Grossman, wrote, “Margaux’s spirit lives on now at the school that bears her name. In that way, perhaps, you and your children will come to know her. It is my sincere hope and prayer that your children and family reap the same overwhelmingly positive benefits that Margaux and the Grossman family did from her early education at Temple Judea.”
For decades, Temple Judea’s early childhood program has served as a joyful gateway into Jewish life for families throughout South Florida. The Margaux Early Childhood School continues that tradition, offering a nurturing, values-driven environment where children grow intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Through Shabbat celebrations, holiday traditions, music, storytelling, and acts of kindness, students experience Judaism as something lived and felt; and all rooted in joy, community, and meaning.
The rededication comes at a meaningful time for Temple Judea as the congregation advances its LEV – From the Heart Capital Campaign, a $10 million dollar campus renovation focused on strengthening sacred spaces and investing in the future of Jewish life.
The school remains a place where memory and possibility meet – where Margaux’s courage continues to inspire and where each new generation is nurtured with intention, warmth, and love.
About Temple Judea
Temple Judea is a vibrant Reform synagogue serving the greater Miami community for nearly 80 years. As the only reform congregation in Coral Gables, we are thriving with more than 700 member households, comprised of dedicated lay leadership, inspiring spiritual leaders, professional staff, and caring teachers. Rooted in tradition and inspired by innovation, Temple Judea fosters meaningful Jewish experiences through worship, education, and lifelong learning. Through its schools, programs, and sacred initiatives, the congregation is dedicated to building a strong and enduring Jewish future.
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