South Florida
South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of th ...
is a recognized region of the state of Florida, comprising
Palm Beach,
Broward,
Miami-Dade, and
Monroe Counties. These counties contain approximately 12% of the land in Florida, but 28% of its population. The
University of South Florida, in
Tampa
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
, is not in South Florida as the term is used today.
The history of the Jews in South Florida dates back to the 19th century. Many
South Florida
South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of th ...
Jews are
Ashkenazi
Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
(descendants of Russian, Polish, and Eastern European ancestry), and Latin American (Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Chile). Many are also French, Moroccan, Syrian, Bukharian, and Israeli. There is a significant
Sephardic
Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), ...
and
Mizrachi population as well.
Presently, there are approximately 514,000 Jews living in South Florida.
The population of Palm Beach County is 15.8% Jewish.
Boca Raton
Boca Raton ( ; es, Boca Ratón, link=no, ) is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It was first incorporated on August 2, 1924, as "Bocaratone," and then incorporated as "Boca Raton" in 1925. The population was 97,422 in the ...
, with a population of about 95,000, has 16 synagogues.
Key West, Florida Jewish history
The exact origins of the
Key West
Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...
Jewish Community are not dated, but Jews were first recorded in the city in the 1880s, when the community was organized by Joe Wolfson, Abraham Wolkowsky and Mendell Rippa. It is believed that most settlers were escaping European persecution at the time. Some early settlers were shipwrecked and decided to make a living in the city. In 1887, Congregation B'nai Zion was founded in
Key West, Fl. Morris Zion served as its first president. B'nai Zion's building was built in 1969, and it adheres to
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism, known as Masorti Judaism outside North America, is a Jewish religious movement which regards the authority of ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions as coming primarily from its people and community through the generatio ...
, though it has a Liberal slant. In 1895, Jewish Key West residents supported the independence of
Cuba from
Spain.
West Palm Beach, Florida Jewish history
Jews first settled in the city of
West Palm Beach in 1892.
Miami, Florida Jewish history
Jews first permanently settled in the
Miami, Florida area in 1896. In 1907, the first
bris occurred in
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in ...
. It was for Eddie Cohen. In 1913, B'nai Zion, the first congregation in Miami-Dade County, was founded. It later was renamed as Beth David. In 1953,
Abe Aronovitz became the first and only Jewish mayor of Miami.
Broward County, Florida Jewish History
In 1910, Louis Brown was the first Jew to settle in
Broward County.
Miami Beach, Florida Jewish History
The first Jewish family to settle in Miami Beach was the Weiss family, Joseph and Jennie and their children, in 1913. They later opened Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant. The first congregation in Miami Beach was Beth Jacob, which was formed in 1927. The congregation built the first synagogue in 1929 (now the Jewish Museum of Florida.) In 1943, the first of 16 Jewish mayors of
Miami Beach
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which sep ...
,
Mitchell Wolfson, was elected to office.
Other history
*In 1959, approximately 10,000
Cuban Jews sought refuge in South Florida.
*In 1995, the
Jewish Museum of Florida opened.
*In 2004,
Debbie Wasserman Schultz of
Weston, Florida became the first Jewish woman from Florida to be elected to the
U.S. Congress.
*In 2012,
Scott Israel was elected Sheriff of
Broward County, making him the first Jew to be elected Sheriff in Florida history.
Jewish religious observance in South Florida
There are nearly 189
synagogues and congregations built to serve over 500,000 Jews in
South Florida
South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of th ...
.
Orthodox Judaism
There are approximately 77 Orthodox synagogues and congregations in South Florida.
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism, known as Masorti Judaism outside North America, is a Jewish religious movement which regards the authority of ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions as coming primarily from its people and community through the generatio ...
There are approximately 60 Conservative synagogues and congregations in South Florida. Notable synagogues include The
Cuban Hebrew Congregation
The Cuban Hebrew Congregation, or Temple Beth Shmuel, is a Conservative synagogue used by Ashkenazi Jewish Cuban expatriates, located at 1700 North Michigan Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida, in the United States.
Overview
"Approximately 94 per ...
.
Reform Judaism
There are approximately 40 Reform synagogues and congregations in South Florida.
Reconstructionist Judaism
Reconstructionist Judaism is a Jewish movement that views Judaism as a progressively evolving civilization rather than a religion, based on concepts developed by Mordecai Kaplan (1881–1983). The movement originated as a semi-organized stream wi ...
There are three established Reconstructionist synagogues and congregations in South Florida: Congregation Kol Ami (
Palm Beach County), Ramat Shalom (
Broward County), and Temple Beth Or (
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in ...
).
Chabad in southern Florida
Chabad and its affiliated Adult Educational organization The
Rohr Jewish Learning Institute are active in Florida.
Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens
Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens aims to bring together the Jewish Community of the greater Palm Beach and Jupiter area and to serve the spiritual, educational and social needs of the community.
Chabad of Boca Raton
Chabad of Boca Raton is a
Chabad house located in Boca Raton founded in 1989, the present building was erected in 1999. In 1990 city officials permitted it to erect a menorah in Sanborn Square, a city park.
Significant South Floridian communities and their Jewish populations
*Fort Lauderdale Metropolitan Area, Florida: approximately 234,000 Jews live in all of
Broward County.
**
Fort Lauderdale, Florida: 24,377 Jews live in Fort Lauderdale.
**
Pembroke Pines, Florida: approximately 19,988 Jews live in Pembroke Pines.
**
Weston, Florida: approximately 18,000 Jews live in Weston.
**
Plantation, Florida approximately 11,275 Jews live in Plantation.
**
Davie, Florida approximately 11,228 Jews live in Davie.
*South Palm Beach Metropolitan Area, Florida: approximately 134,200 Jews live in South Palm Beach County as of 2018.
*West Palm Beach Metropolitan Area, Florida: approximately 94,000 Jews live in West Palm Beach (Palm Beach County from
Boynton Beach to
Jupiter).
*Miami Metropolitan Area, Florida: approximately 123,000 Jews live in
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in ...
, an increase from 113,000 in 2004.
**
Miami Beach
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which sep ...
, Florida: Approximately 15,000 Jews live in Miami Beach.
**
Aventura, Florida
*
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in southwestern Florida and the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 92,245 in 20 ...
*
Key West
Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...
, Florida
Prominent South Floridian Jews
*Col.
Abraham C. Myers
Abraham Myers (also Abram Myers; 14 May 181120 June 1889) was a military officer in the United States and Confederate States Armies.
Personal life
Abraham Charles Myers (also Abram) was born in Georgetown, South Carolina, on 14 May 1811. My ...
*Former Florida Governor
David Sholtz
*Former Miami Mayor
Abe Aronovitz
*Representative
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
*Representative
Ted Deutch
*Representative
Lois Frankel
*Secretary of Agriculture
Nikki Fried
*Former Attorney General of the State of Florida and Third District Court of Appeals Judge
Robert L. Shevin
Robert L. Shevin (January 19, 1934 – July 11, 2005) was the Florida Attorney General from 1971 until 1979 and a judge on the Florida Third District Court of Appeal.
Background
Robert Shevin was born in Miami, Florida. He received his bachelor ...
, as well as other members of the Shevin family, in law and business.
*Founder of
Wometco Theatres
Wometco Enterprises (also known simply as Wometco) is an American company headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida; a suburb of Miami. It was once a large media company with diversified holdings, but slowly sold off its assets during the early 1980s ...
and former Miami Beach mayor
Mitchell Wolfson
*Former Miami Beach mayor and 2018 gubernatorial candidate
Philip Levine
*The Applerouth family originally of Key West, and Miami, Florida.
*Television journalist
Chuck Todd
*Federal Maritime Commissioner
Lou Sola
*Banker and former owner of
City National Bank of Florida
City National Bank of Florida (CNBFL), based in Miami, Florida, is the second-largest financial institution in the state with over $26 billion in assets. CNBFL has 30 branches, from Miami-Dade County to the greater Orlando area, and nearly 1,000 e ...
,
Leonard L. Abess
*
Avraham Lapciuc
Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jews ...
a scholar who attended Rutgers Business and Philanthropist
*Actor and comedian
Eric Andre
*Conservative political commentator
Ben Shapiro
See also
*
Jewish Americans
*
Jewish American Heritage Month
References
External links
A History of The Jews of South Florida Rabbi Menachem Levine, Aish.com
Jewish Museum of FloridaJewish South FloridaJewish MiamiJewish in MiamiJewish Federation of Broward CountyGreater Miami Jewish FederationJewish Federation of Palm Beach County
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jewish Community Of Southern Florida
South Florida
South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of th ...
Jews and Judaism in Broward County, Florida
History South
Jews and Judaism in Miami-Dade County, Florida
History