How Rhoda and Morris Levitt Live United

Rhoda and Morris Levitt's life is a love story - a love for community, for the arts and culture, for giving back, for family and for each other. They met in college through mutual friends and before he knew it, "I was walking down the aisle," recalled Morris.

A native Floridian and proud Gator, Morris received his bachelor's in accounting. He worked his way through college making sandwiches in his dorm, and while his classmates were receiving money from home to get through college, Morris was sending money back home to his mom from his earnings. "And that's how I got into the food business," he joked.

Rhoda, originally from Brooklyn, moved to Miami when she was 10. She attended Miami Beach High and graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor's in education. Soon after they married, Morris was stationed in Japan for 2 years with the U.S. Army. During that time, Rhoda taught English to Japanese children of American soldiers and Thursday afternoons, she taught ballet. On Friday nights, Morris conducted religious services for the Jewish troops.

After returning home from Japan, Morris went to work at Rhoda's family food distributing business and ran the company with his mother-in-law for the next 30 years - she worked the back end; he was the front man.

Morris says he's been very fortunate and blessed throughout his life. A true believer of giving back to community, he established a philanthropic trust 40 years ago. Connecting with people is Rhoda's passion. An avid reader, she loves her books, the arts, culture and the city she calls home. Through the years, they have been a loyal contributor to United Way of Miami-Dade and numerous Jewish and arts organizations that are flourishing in Miami today.

At 83 and 81, respectively, neither Morris nor Rhoda show any sign of slowing down.

"Rhoda could not learn about a nonprofit that she would not support," said Morris of his wife. "I enjoy giving," Rhoda laughed.

And they have passed that spirit of giving to their three children: Allen, manages the family's hotel business, serves on the Jewish Museum board of Florida International University; Michele, a CPA, volunteers in a soup kitchen feeding the homeless; and Erica, a paralegal, volunteers representing children from broken homes.

Contributing to making Miami a world-class city is how Rhoda and Morris LIVE UNITED.