Florida Jewish Heritage Trail Florida's Economy, Culture and Pensacola
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I A Florida Heritage publication Introduction The rich legacy of the Jewish II, Jewish history in Florida world. Florida has the community in Florida can be actually can be traced to 1763 nation's third largest Jewish found in every region of the with the arrival of Alexander community, estimated in 1999 state. As a people, Jews have Solomons, Joseph de Palacios at 800,000. contributed dramatically to and Samuel Israel in The Florida Jewish Heritage Trail Florida's economy, culture and Pensacola. In the 1800s, many retraces the steps of Florida's government and created Jewish families immigrated to Jewish pioneers from colonial institutions that allowed their Florida from northern states times through the present. You heritage to flourish and their and foreign countries to settle are invited to visit the histori- identity to strengthen. both inland and along the cal sites that reflect the Jewish coast. Today, South Florida is Although there is a perception experience in Florida. home to the second largest that Jews did not arrive in concentration of Jews in the Good luck on the Trail. Shalom Florida until after World War aleicheml Peace be with you! Mosaic The Florida Jewish Heritage Trail crisscrossing Florida, traveling 1990 to 1994. MOSAIC became has had its own journey. It is more than 100,000 miles, the basis and inspiration for an outgrowth of MOSAIC, the researching, collecting photos, the Sanford L. Ziff JEWISH pioneer history-gathering documents and artifacts, and MUSEUM OF FLORIDA in project of the Florida Jewish training volunteers in oral Miami Beach. This guidebook, experience. MOSAIC began in histories and the collection of the Florida Jewish Heritage Trail, 1984 as a local history project historic materials. Hundreds has been enriched by the at the Samuel M. and Helene of people contributed photos, documents, artifacts, Soref Jewish Community photographs and artifacts oral histories, and other Center in Plantation (Broward from their families. From this, archives that are now housed County). Soon the focus of the MOSAIC: Jewish Life in in the Sanford L. Ziff JEWISH MOSAIC was broadened to Florida exhibit was mounted MUSEUM OF FLORIDA. cover the entire state. Marcia and traveled to 11 Florida Zerivitz spent six years cities, then nationally, from Authors: Rachel B. Heimovics, Freelance Writer, Maitland; Marcia Zerivitz, Founding Executive Director, Sanford L. Ziff JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA, Miami Beach Graphic Design: Jonathan Lee Lyons, Lyons Digital Media Photography: Collection of the Sanford L. Ziff JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA, Michael Zimny, Phillip M. Pollock, Rachel B. Heimovics, Florida Photo Archives, Florida Department of Commerce, and Ray Stanyard. Photos of Mr. and Mrs. S.H. Benjamin and the S.H. Benjamin & Co. building courtesy of the Micanopy Historical Society Archives © 2000 Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources ISBN: 1-889030-20-1 Contents The Jewish Experience in Florida 2 Northwest Florida 5 Northeast Florida 10 Central and Central East Florida 17 Central West and Southwest Florida 23 Timeline Of Some Significant Dates In Florida Jewish History 28 Ybor City Walking Tour 29 Map of Sites 30 Southeast Florida 32 Jews in Public Office 41 Glossary 44 On the Cover: The Hebrew inscription reads, "Why is this book different from all other books." The photos on the seder plate are 1. The Simon Ridgeway House in Monticello 2. Beach Street in Daytona Beach 3. Ohev Shalom Cemetery in Orlando 4. The Audobon House in Key West 5. The interior of Temple Israel of Greater Miami 6. The Henry Brash House in Apalachicola 7. The Sanford L. Ziff JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA Many of the sites listed in this publication are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as contributing resources in a historic district. The National Register is an official list of historically significant properties located throughout the country. The list is maintained by the National Park Service, and includes places that have been documented as being significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture, at the local, state, or national level. For more information on the National Register, consult the National Park Service's National Register website at www.cr.nps.gov/nr/.You may also call the Florida Bureau of Historic Preservation at (850) 487-2333 or 1-800-847-7278 or visit their website at www.flheritage.com. j The Jewish Experience In Florida Cultural Clashes City Council imposed a $1,000 tax on achievements because of the barriers The Jewish experience in Florida has peddlers, a large majority of whom they faced and overcame. Chapters been rich in achievements and were Jewish, forcing many to move of the Anti-Defamation League successes. Jews have prospered and farther north. Across the state, Jews (ADL) and the American Jewish left legacies that will forever help to faced and overcame these obstacles. Congress were created in Florida to define the character of Florida. The Jewish settlers of the late 1800s battle anti-Semitism and protect However, these outstanding achieve- and early 1900s persevered and Jewish rights. These groups have ments and contributions to Florida carved niches for themselves in this helped ease discrimination, but by no have a dark side - one of prejudice new and lush land of opportunity. means has discrimination been and discrimination. In early Spanish entirely stamped out. With World War I, anti-Semitism Florida, and other non-Catho- Jews again increased sharply in the state. lics were prohibited from legally Jewish Organizations On Miami Beach, restrictive land settling in Florida and practicing covenants prevented Jews from As Jews settled in Florida, they their religion. Following England's formed organizations that met the residing north of Fifth Street. Ocean- acquisition of Florida in educational, social, health, and 1763, Jews side hotels advertised their resorts were free to settle legally in Florida. recreational needs of their communi- for gentile clientele only. Large areas ties from cradle to grave. Some of the However, persecution and prejudice of Florida were closed to Jewish early organizations were created to still made their lives difficult and settlement. Orlando's Jewish com- help immigrants become settled. For limited their choices in employment munity was excluded from a war example, the first chapter of B'nai and settlement opportunities. When bond rally in 1917. In Miami, the Ku B'rith, a national organization that Florida became an American terri- Klux Klan parodied a popular works to educate its members and tory in 1821, more Jews were free to tourism slogan: "It's Always June in support Jewish causes, was founded move to Florida. Here, America's Miami" to "It's Always Jewish in in 1874 in Pensacola. tolerance of religious diversity made Miami." the state attractive to those perse- organized groups existed Until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Few Jewish cuted in other lands. Immigrants until the population increased Jews were an "outsider" minority Jewish from Europe, Spain and the Carib- sufficiently to sustain them in the late without an organized ability to fight in to assist in 19th early 20th centuries. As the bean converged Florida the widespread discrimination they and the creation of a multiethnic society. Jewish population increased, Jewish faced in real estate, employment, Federations, Jewish Community Although the new American Florida higher education, and politics. Jews Centers (JCC's) and youth organiza- offered more opportunities, persecu- were forced to found their own law tions were formed around the state. tion, hatred and discrimination firms, banks and other professional At the college level, Jewish fraterni- followed the Jews from their native institutions because they could not ties and sororities were established at lands to Florida. As the numbers of become partners in gentile firms. college campuses. Organizations also Jews increased in Florida, so did the They established their own hospital were created to help with specific number of discriminatory acts because Jewish doctors were denied causes, like the Zionist movement. against them. During times of hospital privileges elsewhere. Jews Jewish newspapers and magazines economic or social crisis, Jews often were barred from country clubs, were founded and, in recent years, were victims of hate crimes and other fraternities and other social clubs. major facilities have been built to atrocities. For instance, in the violent Given the discrimination that was care for the Jewish elderly. All Jewish aftermath of the Civil War, Samuel accepted among large segments of organizations help Jews keep in Fleishman, a Jewish merchant and the non-Jewish population, the touch with each other, ensuring that 20-year resident of Marianna, was economic, political and cultural their heritage is passed from one murdered for advancing credit to contributions made by Jews to the generation to the next. freed blacks. In 1891, the Key West State of Florida are even greater Cemeteries After Jewish cemeteries were estab- split into two, and Key West's The Florida Jewish Heritage Trail lished, it was not unusual for re- congregation is now known as B'nai describes many Jewish cemeteries, all mains to be relocated from distant Zion. of are significant to the Jewish burial grounds. This process is which A particular branch of Judaism requires that a generally discouraged unless it is to community. Judaism identifies Jewish congregations. Jew must be buried in a Jewish move Jewish remains from a non- Orthodox is the most traditional cemetery and not a cemetery of Jewish cemetery to a Jewish cem- branch; Reform is the most modern faith. Burial in non- etery, or to reunite the remains with another a while the Conservative branch cemetery is allowed only if others in the decedent's family. sectarian follows a middle path. Most congre- the Jewish graves are not inter- Today, many Jewish cemeteries can gations in Florida-and all the congre- mingled with the graves of other be found throughout Florida, some gations that predate 1900-are based religions.