History of the Jews in South Florida

The history of Jews in South Florida dates back to the 19th century. Many South Florida Jews are Ashkenazi (descendants of Russian, Polish, and Eastern European ancestry), and Latin American (Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Chile). Many are also French, Moroccan, Syrian, Bukharan, and Israeli. There is a significant Sephardic 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, with an overall population of 100,000 people, has 16 synagogues.

Key West, Florida Jewish history
The exact origins of the Key West 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, 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. 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, 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.

Orthodox Judaism
There are approximately 77 Orthodox synagogues and congregations in South Florida.

Conservative Judaism
There are approximately 60 Conservative synagogues and congregations in South Florida. Notable synagogues include The Cuban Hebrew Congregation.

Reform Judaism
There are approximately 40 Reform synagogues and congregations in South Florida.

Reconstructionist Judaism
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).

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.
 * Boca Raton, Florida
 * 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, an increase from 113,000 in 2004.
 * Miami Beach, Florida: Approximately 15,000 Jews live in Miami Beach.
 * Aventura, Florida
 * Surfside, Florida
 * Bal Harbour, Florida
 * Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
 * Golden Beach, Florida
 * Fort Myers, Florida
 * Key West, Florida

Prominent South Floridian Jews

 * Col. Abraham C. Myers
 * Former Florida Governor David Sholtz
 * Mayor of Bal Harbour Gabriel Groisman
 * Former Miami Mayor Abe Aronovitz
 * State Attorney for Palm Beach County Dave Aronberg
 * Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz
 * Former Representative Ted Deutch
 * Representative Jared Moskowitz
 * 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, as well as other members of the Shevin family, in law and business.
 * Founder of Wometco Theatres 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, Leonard L. Abess
 * Avraham Lapciuc a scholar who attended Rutgers Business and Philanthropist
 * Actor and comedian Eric Andre
 * Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro
 * Sholom Lipskar, Rabbi and Founder of The Shul at Bal Harbour
 * Efrem Goldberg, Rabbi of Boca Raton Synagogue
 * BLP Kosher, rapper from Boca Raton.