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The Jewish Community of Tampa, FL

Tampa

A major city located on the west coast of Florida, USA.

Tampa is home to a diverse and active Jewish community. According to the Jewish Press of Tampa Bay, the Tampa Bay area is home to over 45,000 Jews, and includes 37 synagogues, 2 Federations, 2 JCCs, 2 family service agencies, 1 day school, and 7 preschools.

The Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, which had been managed and used by the Florida National Guard from 1941 until 2004, was converted into the Bryan Glazer Family JCC, which opened on December 8, 2016. The community center serves Tampa’s educational, cultural, and health needs, and offers programming for preschoolers, as well as a Center for Senior Living.

Hillel Academy, which was originally founded in 1970, is a Jewish day school that serves nearly 200 students in elementary and middle school.

Tampa Jewish Family Services provides programming and assistance “consistent with Jewish values” for individuals and families in need.

Through the second decade of the 21st century, the Jewish population in South Tampa has increased significantly. As of 2011, the neighborhood of Pinellas had the largest Jewish population, at 26,135, followed by Hillsborough with 23,000, and Pasco, with 8,400 Jews.

HISTORY

Tampa is mentioned in records dating from the 16th century as one of the places visited by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto; a number of references are made to “Juetas” (apostate Jews) and their dealings with the local Native Americans.

The first permanent Jewish resident of Tampa was probably Emmaline Quentz Miley, who arrived in 1846 with her non-Jewish husband. A Jewish community, however, was not established until about 40 years later, when the cigar industry began to develop in the city. The Glogowski, Maas, Kaunitz, Brash, Oppenheimer, Wolf, and Wohl families were among the first Jewish families to settle in Tampa and contributed to the city’s commercial development. Indeed, Herman Glogowski served as the mayor for four terms, from 1886 until 1894. May of the Jews who arrived in Tampa during the late 19th century were merchants who came from Georgia and South Carolina.

By 1894 there were enough Jews living in Tampa to organize a new congregation, Sha’arai Zedek (though the congregation began as Orthodox, it eventually became Reform and joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1903). Congregation Rodeph Sholom was formed in 1904 and was Orthodox for many years before becoming Conservative. Congregation Beth Israel was founded in 1917 as the Hebrew Free School (later Knesset Yisrael). Tampa’s Young Men’s Hebrew Association (YMHA) was founded in 1906 (after World War II it would become the Jewish Community Center). The Tampa branch of the National Council of Jewish Women was established by Sarah Brash in 1924.

When World War I (1914-1918) broke out, Tampa was home to the second-largest Jewish community in Florida. The Jewish community became incredibly active in the city’s cultural and civic life. Notable figures during this period included “Salty” Sol Feischman, who began working as a radio sportscaster in 1928 before moving to television in 1957, while also writing sports columns for the Tampa Tribune. Harry Cohen began a 30-year term as a circuit judge (1935-1965) during this period and Rabbi David Zielonka, the rabbi of Congregation Sha’arai Zedek, began teaching at the University of Tampa when it opened in 1931 (in 1963 he would become the head of the Department of Religious Studies). During the interwar period a local chapter of Hadassah was established, as was a youth chapter of Bnai Brith.

The community continued to grow and develop after World War II (1939-1945). By the 1970s a number of new congregations had been established, including Beth Am, Kol Ami, Temple David, Jewish Congregation of Sun City Center, and Young Israel. The Hillel Day School served the educational needs of the city’s Jewish youth, and a number of old-age homes were established to serve the Jewish elderly.

The Jews of Tampa were very active politically. Dr. Richard Hodeswas elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1968; in 1975 he gave the nominating speech for Jimmy Carter at the Florida Democratic Convention. Sandra Warshaw Freedman was elected to the city council in 1974, and in 1986 became the first woman to serve as mayor of Tampa.

In 1970 there were approximately 5,200 Jews living in Tampa. By the early 21st century this number had grown to about 25,000.

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The Jewish Community of Tampa, FL

Tampa

A major city located on the west coast of Florida, USA.

Tampa is home to a diverse and active Jewish community. According to the Jewish Press of Tampa Bay, the Tampa Bay area is home to over 45,000 Jews, and includes 37 synagogues, 2 Federations, 2 JCCs, 2 family service agencies, 1 day school, and 7 preschools.

The Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, which had been managed and used by the Florida National Guard from 1941 until 2004, was converted into the Bryan Glazer Family JCC, which opened on December 8, 2016. The community center serves Tampa’s educational, cultural, and health needs, and offers programming for preschoolers, as well as a Center for Senior Living.

Hillel Academy, which was originally founded in 1970, is a Jewish day school that serves nearly 200 students in elementary and middle school.

Tampa Jewish Family Services provides programming and assistance “consistent with Jewish values” for individuals and families in need.

Through the second decade of the 21st century, the Jewish population in South Tampa has increased significantly. As of 2011, the neighborhood of Pinellas had the largest Jewish population, at 26,135, followed by Hillsborough with 23,000, and Pasco, with 8,400 Jews.

HISTORY

Tampa is mentioned in records dating from the 16th century as one of the places visited by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto; a number of references are made to “Juetas” (apostate Jews) and their dealings with the local Native Americans.

The first permanent Jewish resident of Tampa was probably Emmaline Quentz Miley, who arrived in 1846 with her non-Jewish husband. A Jewish community, however, was not established until about 40 years later, when the cigar industry began to develop in the city. The Glogowski, Maas, Kaunitz, Brash, Oppenheimer, Wolf, and Wohl families were among the first Jewish families to settle in Tampa and contributed to the city’s commercial development. Indeed, Herman Glogowski served as the mayor for four terms, from 1886 until 1894. May of the Jews who arrived in Tampa during the late 19th century were merchants who came from Georgia and South Carolina.

By 1894 there were enough Jews living in Tampa to organize a new congregation, Sha’arai Zedek (though the congregation began as Orthodox, it eventually became Reform and joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1903). Congregation Rodeph Sholom was formed in 1904 and was Orthodox for many years before becoming Conservative. Congregation Beth Israel was founded in 1917 as the Hebrew Free School (later Knesset Yisrael). Tampa’s Young Men’s Hebrew Association (YMHA) was founded in 1906 (after World War II it would become the Jewish Community Center). The Tampa branch of the National Council of Jewish Women was established by Sarah Brash in 1924.

When World War I (1914-1918) broke out, Tampa was home to the second-largest Jewish community in Florida. The Jewish community became incredibly active in the city’s cultural and civic life. Notable figures during this period included “Salty” Sol Feischman, who began working as a radio sportscaster in 1928 before moving to television in 1957, while also writing sports columns for the Tampa Tribune. Harry Cohen began a 30-year term as a circuit judge (1935-1965) during this period and Rabbi David Zielonka, the rabbi of Congregation Sha’arai Zedek, began teaching at the University of Tampa when it opened in 1931 (in 1963 he would become the head of the Department of Religious Studies). During the interwar period a local chapter of Hadassah was established, as was a youth chapter of Bnai Brith.

The community continued to grow and develop after World War II (1939-1945). By the 1970s a number of new congregations had been established, including Beth Am, Kol Ami, Temple David, Jewish Congregation of Sun City Center, and Young Israel. The Hillel Day School served the educational needs of the city’s Jewish youth, and a number of old-age homes were established to serve the Jewish elderly.

The Jews of Tampa were very active politically. Dr. Richard Hodeswas elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1968; in 1975 he gave the nominating speech for Jimmy Carter at the Florida Democratic Convention. Sandra Warshaw Freedman was elected to the city council in 1974, and in 1986 became the first woman to serve as mayor of Tampa.

In 1970 there were approximately 5,200 Jews living in Tampa. By the early 21st century this number had grown to about 25,000.

Written by researchers of ANU Museum of the Jewish People