ROOTS Introduction
Scientific studies show that the world’s 13 million Jews have genetic connections or related roots. Like cut flowers, Jews wither without their roots. In this opening section, you will meet Jews who settled here through 1950. These pioneers formed the roots of the Jewish community that continues today.
Jews were first allowed to settle in Florida in 1763. At the end of the Civil War there were Jews in Orlando, but they left due to remoteness and harsh conditions. Others arrived by the time Orlando was incorporated in 1875. The Union of American Hebrew Congregations published in 1880 Statistics of the Jews in the United States and listed Orange County, Florida, as having 40 Jews and Osceola County with 40 Jews. Nearly all of them moved on to other communities.
At the turn of the 20th century, five families comprised the Orlando Jewish community until the Pittsburgh migration in 1912 doubled the Jewish population. Religious services were held in a citrus grove until a congregation formed. Even as the number of Jews grew, they were isolated from centers of traditional Jewish life.
From 1919 to 1929, Orlando experienced spectacular growth and prosperity as the nation transitioned from war to peace. The Florida land boom ended with the stock market crash of 1929. But the hard work of local residents soon resulted in good years again. With another influx of families throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Jewish merchants and professionals contributed to the vibrant downtown.
Many soldiers returned home after World War II to work in family businesses. The Jewish community formed its own organizations and clubs to meet their needs. Having put down deep roots in Central Florida, the early Jewish families passed on their prosperity and optimistic vision to their many succeeding generations.