1931-1937

Corene and Gus Bear, 1931.
Newly married, Corene “Keenie” and Gus Bear came to Orlando by way of New York in 1933. Together they opened Corene’s, a lingerie shop, on Orange Avenue. They were active in many Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Welfare Board and Hadassah. In 1947, Gus was the first president of the Jewish Community Council (forerunner of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando) and Keenie was the second president of Hadassah. Their daughter Rhea Diamantis and niece Miriam Josephs live in Orlando.
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director

Arriving in Central Florida in 1931, Abe and Ruth Bornstein and their five children all became community leaders, c. 1931.
Abe Bornstein, from Lodz, Poland, was a silk manufacturer in Patterson, NJ, and then in Pennsylvania. Moving to Florida for health reasons, he became a citrus grower. Their five children and spouses were activists and intellectuals. They helped found congregations and agencies, supported Israel, Jewish and political causes, lending their voices to civil rights and human dignity and women’s issues. Front L-R: Rita Bornstein [Levy], Abe and Ruth, Jerome “Jerry” Bornstein; back L-R: Florence Bornstein [Gluckman], Dorothy Bornstein [Morrell], Albert Morrell, Beatrice Bornstein [Ettinger]
Roz Ettinger Fuchs

Seder with the Morrell Family, 1951.
Dorothy “Dottie” Bornstein married Albert Morrell in 1931. Three years later, they moved to Clermont where Al went into the citrus business. After settling in Orlando, Dottie was the Jewish “welcome wagon,” volunteered her talents to women’s organizations, synagogues, the Jewish Community Council’s Cultural Series and Hadassah. Seated L-R: Al Morrell, Dottie Morrell; standing L-R: their three children Linda, Lawrence and Henry
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director

Ettinger Family celebrates Passover at the Levy Delaney Park Drive home, 1952.
Students at University of Miami, Beatrice “Bea” Bornstein and Leon Ettinger eloped in 1938. After a stint working at the family hotel in Miami Beach and a brief time in Leon’s family business in Ohio, they returned to Orlando in 1940. Leon went into citrus. While raising three children, Bea immersed herself in volunteering in the growing Jewish community and other causes. She was an early member of the League of Women Voters and state vice president. Bea was recognized many times with leadership awards. All of their children live in the area, positively impacting the community. Seated: Bea, Leon and Rozie Ettinger; standing: Marilyn and Jeffrey
Roz Ettinger Fuchs

Sidney and Flossie Gluckman enjoy Miami Beach, 1939.
Florence “Flossie” Bornstein married Sidney Gluckman in 1930. They spent their early years working at the family hotel in Miami Beach. Settling in Central Florida c. 1941, both were activists and received Israel Bond’sEleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award in 1965.Flossie was involved in many organizations and was regional president of Hadassah and the first woman president of the Jewish Community Council (1958). Sid was president of Ohev Shalom (1946), as well as president of the Jewish Community Council (1952–54) and Congregation of Liberal Judaism (1954–55).
Roz Ettinger Fuchs

Rita Bornstein first met Morton Levy in 1938 at the Orlando Public Library, 1945.
Morton was born in Orlando, the only son of pioneers Rose and Aaron Harry Levy. Impressed by the books of poetry Morton carried, Rita was delighted to see him again at Ohev Shalom High Holiday services. They married a year later. After army duty during WWII, Morton completed his medical training and came home to establish his practice. Rita worked with him in the office when their four children were older. Morton served as the second president of the Jewish Community Council and was a greatly respected physician.
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director

In 1934, Mary and Ben Safer came to Orlando from Jacksonville, 1948.
Ben is a relative of Benjamin Safer, Ohev Shalom’s first rabbi. Mary and Ben were one of the original families to build a home in the Palomar subdivision of College Park, which became a popular community for Jewish families. Ben owned Southern Pipe and Supply Company on Church Street (1934–1982). Mary became a charter member of Hadassah’s Orlando chapter. Their two daughters were born in Orlando, Arlene [vande Rijn], and Carol [Cherry]. Arlene lives here and served as president of Temple Israel.
Arlene Safer van de Rijn

Charter members of the 10I Club met in the vestry room of Congregation Ohev Shalom, E. Church Street, 1934.
Ten Jewish teens attending Orlando High School in 1933 formed the 10I Club because they were excluded from the high school fraternities and sororities. There were no other Jewish youth groups in town, so they formed their own. The name 10I came from the number 10 (the number needed for a minyan, a Jewish prayer group) and the letter “I” from the word, “Israelites.” Seated L-R: Irene Braverman [Meyer], Gertrude Haimowitz [Cooper], Pearl Safer [Kramer], Myer Sigal, Florence Wittenstein [Tobias], Beatrice Lieberman [Lippton]; standing L-R: Morton Levy, Morris Haimowitz, Maxine Braverman [Lazarus], Dorothy Baker [Gordon], George Wolly, Abe Kamenoff
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director

The Doe Club gathers at Lake Eola, 1934.
Jews often formed their own social and recreational clubs because they were denied memberships in other clubs in Orlando. Young men formed the Stag Club. The young women created the Doe Club and volunteered for civic activities such as cooking for the United Service Organizations (USO).
Joan Lippton Kimball

Albert and Myrtle Rutberg at Daytona Beach, 1942.
Myrtle Skop, originally from Cleveland, moved to Orlando in 1939 to be assistant manager of the Lerner Store. She met Albert Rutberg at a Doe Club dance. Four months later, they were married by Myrtle’s brother Rabbi Morris Skop of Congregation Ohev Shalom (COS). The Rutbergs owned a general store in Oviedo. Myrtle was active in B’nai B’rith Women, COS Sisterhood and their religious school where she taught for 50 years. Albert passed away in 1974, and Myrtle is still going strong at age 106. Orlando has always been home for their attorney son Gerald.
Myrtle Rutberg

This Doe Club membership list reflects dues paid are 25 cents a month, c. 1940.
Bea Ettinger was the treasurer who recorded the payments in the ledger book.
Roz Ettinger Fuchs

In 1935, Samuel Medinkowitz and his wife Esther arrived in Orlando from Patterson, NJ, 1939.
Their widowed daughter Birdie Weiner and her children Nina and Richard (Dick) came with them. Birdie married citrus grower Al Damus. Birdie became active in Hadassah, the Ladies Auxiliary of Ohev Shalom and all of the social happenings in the community. The Medinkowitzes established a delicatessen and butcher shop on Church Street. The deli was a very popular gathering place.
Louise and Dick Weiner

Ruth and Stanley Weinsier arrived in 1933 and four years later opened a vegetarian health resort, Florida Health Conservatory, at their home near Lake Conway, 1940.
The Weinsiers closed the resort during WWII, then reopened it as the Florida Spa. Many young Jewish couples enjoyed going to the Weinsier’s home for hayrides and swimming. One summer, they ran a day camp called Camp Bear Head, attended by many children in the Jewish community. Ruth Weinsier was devoted to Hadassah, serving as local chapter president and Florida regional president. Son Richard still lives near the spa location in Belle Isle and his son Jeremy is now the third generation to live there. Jeremy was elected to the Belle Isle City Council in 2016.
Richard Weinsier

Arthur (left) and Ethel (right) Jacobson of Winter Haven witness their daughter Louise marry Dick Weiner of Orlando at Temple Emanuel in Lakeland, 1957.
Louise and Dick married after dating only four months. Louise, born in Sanford, taught in the Orange County public schools for 30 years. Dick, who moved to Orlando at age six months, has long served the community including the Orlando Utilities Commission and United Way and as president of the Jewish Federation. Son Ben has served as president of Jewish Family Services and on the boards of TOP Foundation and University of Florida Hillel. His wife Maura was president of the Jewish Academy of Orlando and a board member of A Gift for Teaching.
Louise and Dick Weiner

The Florida Spa Brims with Vim, Vigor and Vitality, 1961.
The Florida Spa combined facilities of a health resort with vacation features. It had a program to enhance a feeling of rest and serenity. On 23 acres, located in the Belle Isle section of Orange County known for its beauty, the spa boasted the finest oranges, papayas and garden of organically grown vegetables.
Orlando Sentinel, Florida Magazine, Sunday, August 13, 1961

Harry and Minerva Nirenberg moved here in 1937 with children Joan and Marshall because Marshall had rheumatic fever.
Harry bought Morris Wittenstein’s dairy on Rio Grande Avenue, was active at Ohev Shalom and then was a founder of Congregation of Liberal Judaism. When Marshall was a youngster, he collected bugs from the swamp and sent specimens to a museum. He graduated from Orlando High School in 1944 and the University of Florida four years later. He did research at National Institutes of Health. In 1968, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for breaking the genetic code.
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director