Hamodia Spotlight: A Community Grows in Orlando

Coverage by Devorah Klein
Sept. 7, 2022

“It is the most amazing community I have ever seen in my life. We are really like one giant family.” This is how Mrs. Mollie Briskman, who moved to Orlando this past June, describes her new community. Orlando, Florida, is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, and its Jewish community is also growing rapidly. Let’s take a closer look at this newly emerging community.

An Overview

In the past few years, since the onset of COVID, Jewish communities in Florida have been experiencing a rapid influx of new residents, as many families are finding these destinations to have vibrant Jewish life and to be comfortable and compatible locations to raise their families. While most of these communities are in South Florida, a few cities in Northern and Central Florida have also proven to be attractive locations for a growing, frum family. One of these is Orlando, located in central Florida, in between Jacksonville and Miami Beach.

There are about 50,000 unaffilated Jews living in the Orlando area, and several Chabad houses as well. In recent years, an influx of Israelis settled in the city, which is famous for its tourist attractions, and formed a small shul, Shaarei Yerushalayim, under the leadership of Rabbi Itay Tzabari. (The shul no longer exists.)

The Israelis were yearning to have some Jewish education for their children, and a businessman from Miami, Mr. Shmuel Brass, who was passing through Orlando, suggested that they contact Rabbi Bentzion Chait, director of the National Torah Initiative of Chofetz Chaim, to try to establish a day school. A few years later, the Orlando Torah Academy was established, under the leadership of Rabbi Yehuda Schepansky and Rabbi Avraham Wachsman, both musmachim of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim of Queens.

Orlando Torah Academy

The Orlando Torah Academy (OTA) began in 2010 with 12 students. Today, beginning its bar mitzvah year, the flourishing school is mechanech 163 students, from preschool through eighth grade, with nearly 40 dedicated staff members. “It is a special school,” asserted Rabbi Avraham Wachsman, dean. “There is a total mix of students. We have rabbinic families, Israelis and many students from non-frum households, who want to be in a warm, family- like Jewish school. And our school is very much like a family. There is a welcoming feeling, a feeling that everyone belongs, that we are all in this together. “We are all learning the same curriculum, with a high-level learning, comparable to any other out-of-town day school. When children are exposed to this diversity, it gives them a respect for everyone. Furthermore, due to the smaller environment, the Rebbi really knows his students. He knows their families, he knows them in school and out of school, and he cares about them and their families. Our school is a happy, warm environment, in a great, beautiful city.” The oldest boys’ class this year is the seventh grade, and the community is eagerly anticipating the start of a yeshivah high school in the near future. For the girls, Meoros Girls’ High School was established two years ago. Orlando is well known as a vacation destination, and the school directs Kosher Orlando to help accommodate the tourists. Kosher Orlando organizes minyanim, kashers vacation homes and rents out sifrei Torah and equipment, such as pack ‘n plays, tables, chairs, hot plates, urns, etc. The organization serves as a base of support for the school. As Orlando does not have a veteran, rooted community, it lacks the strong donor base that supports other schools. Kosher Orlando fills this gap.

Orlando Torah Center

The Orlando Torah Center was founded shortly after the establishment of OTA. Currently, the Mara d’Asra is Rabbi Menachem Kramer, who moved to Orlando eight years ago, when Rabbi Kramer served as a Rebbi in OTA. “My husband became Rav of the shul in February 2020, right before COVID,” explained Mrs. Shoshana Kramer. At that time, there were close to 50 families in the shul. However, since then, our community has grown tremendously, with a current membership of about 80 families. It would not be an exaggeration to say that we get a new family every couple of weeks. People are attracted to the warm, friendly community with low peer pressure. We pride ourselves on the fact that our children are not matching, and we don’t have meat boards at the weekly kiddush!” The community is diverse and accepting. Mrs. Kramer noted that people who did not send their children to Jewish schools in their previous community, as they did not feel comfortable and accepted, are sending their children to the Orlando Torah Academy, and are proud to be a part of the shul community. The Orlando Torah Center maintains a regular schedule of shiurim, including a daily early morning learning program, an Oraysa program, a beis medrash iyun program, a daily shiur in Shaar Habitachon, and more. The weekly shul kiddush is a central community event, which helps community members bond and fosters a warm, close relationship.

Rabbi Kramer commented, “I frequently say, when speaking in the shul and talking to others outside Orlando, that we are not a small community; we are a big family.”

There is also women’s programming, which provides both inspiration and enjoyable social opportunities for the women of the community. Programming includes special events before Yamim Tovim, addresses by traveling guest lecturers, art programs and more. The shul recently hosted a three-part series on checking fruits and vegetables for bugs, led by Rabbi Michoel Rennert, rabbinic administrator of the Orthodox Vaad of Orlando (OVO), and Ms. Adena Muskin, Star-K mashgichah at Dave’s Boathouse at Rollins College; free checking supplies were distributed. “We are very family- friendly,” noted Mrs. Kramer. “We try to think of ways to make programs that appeal to all parts of the family. We want it to be enjoyable to be a part of a Torah community. For example, on Shavuos morning, while the husbands were sleeping, we had an ice cream bar for the children to support and encourage the wives whose husbands had stayed up all night learning.”

Mrs. Kramer noted that recently, a Chassidishe man from Monroe who was in Orlando for a few months on business, was extremely impressed by the community. “He could not get over how warm everyone was. He was amazed by the beautiful davening in shul, how we all look at each other as individuals and help each other strengthen our unique connection to Hashem.”

Meoros High School

Meoros Girls’ High School, founded in 2021, has, baruch Hashem, quickly become a pillar of the Torah infrastructure in Orlando. With a mission centered around Torah values, coupled with a strong academic philosophy that permeates the school environment, Meoros has become the place for Orlando’s young Jewish women to soar. Under the leadership of Meoros’ Head of School, Mrs. Meira Federgrun, and Rabbinical Advisor Harav Ahron Lopiansky, Meoros is not just a school, but a place where students take ownership of their learning, establish strong connections with their teachers and develop their unique talents and skills.

Every member of the Meoros community is committed to the development of the whole student, academically, spiritually, socially and emotionally. Meoros fosters an environment where students are motivated to achieve high standards in Torah and general studies, while nurturing every student’s personal growth, character development and success during her formative high school years. Meoros seeks to graduate students who are passionate, life-long learners, strong leaders and mevakshei Hashem.

Meoros’ enrollment has grown this year, and, b’ezras Hashem, shows every sign of continuing to do so. Mrs. Federgrun commented, in regard to the Meoros 2022-23 school year, “With a professional, devoted team of teachers and support staff, I am excited to build upon the successes of last year. Every morning, I walk into school and am energized by the learning, warmth and simchas hachaim evident in all our learning spaces.”

JOIN Orlando

Rabbi Gabi Gittleson is the director of JOIN Orlando (Jewish Outreach Initiative). The goal of the organization is to ignite the greatness within each Jewish soul through programming experiences and Torah education. JOIN’s staff has grown to 10 individuals, encompassing five divisions, including men’s, women’s (SPARK), teens (JSU), youth and family. The wide array of programs includes events, retreats, Shabbos, learning opportunities, classes and individualized offerings including annual trips to Israel for men, women and teens, and additional trips to Morocco (for women) and New York (for men) planned for 2023.

One of JOIN’s core programs is TorahMates, in which two individuals from Orlando get together on a weekly basis to delve into the greatness and wisdom of Torah. For more information on JOIN, please contact office@ JoinOrlando.org.

YEHUDI Orlando

Rabbi Yisrael Abisror directs YEHUDI Orlando, a college campus kiruv organization. “University of Central Florida is the largest university in the country, with about 6,000 Jewish students. My wife and I direct the campus kiruv program there. We are also building out a small community in Northeast Orlando, about 40 minutes from the rest of the community, which is located in the Doctor Phillips area. Baruch Hashem, we have minyanim during the week and on Shabbos with the college students. We also incentivize young couples to come live in our area, with a stipend of $1,000 a month for two years.”

YEHUDI Orlando is a branch of a growing college and young professional campus kiruv organization, YEHUDI, which was launched about eight years ago in Miami. There are now eight branches across the state of Florida. The program encourages students to participate in learning programs, and those who attend regularly are eligible to participate in a trip to Israel and/or other fascinating destinations, such as Morocco, where they can learn about the country’s rich Jewish history.

Rabbi Abisror and his wife also host other events, such as a recent season kickoff event, which was attended by 180 students, and a weekly oneg Shabbos, with over 100 students attending weekly.

“In general, if you are looking for a place where every individual makes a difference, and there is lots of achdus, check out Orlando,” contended Rabbi Abisror. “The houses are large and affordable, and you can raise a frum family in a beautiful environment without the pressure of keeping up with others. It is a great place!”

For more information on YEHUDI Orlando, please contact Info@orlandojc.com.

View From the Community

Mr. Meir Rosenwasser has been living in Orlando for the past six years. “I came to Orlando on a development project. It was supposed to be six months, but it turned into six years! There is a very strong sense of community here. People are not just friendly, but we are all friends. There is a sense of achrayus; we all help each other out. If someone needs help, we are all there to help him.”

“In larger communities, some people feel crushed by the ‘race to the top,’” Mr. Rosenwasser continued. “They come here, and they can find themselves and get comfortable with themselves. The cost of living is more affordable, so people don’t have to keep running all day, trying to keep up with everything.”

Exciting plans are underway for a Lakewood Kollel to come to the city in the very near future. Rabbi Yom Tov Goldberger has agreed to come serve as the Rosh Kollel, and he is working on gathering a group of six yungeleit (including the Rosh Kollel) to move to Orlando and strengthen limud haTorah in the city.

The Ben Naim family was one of those who moved to Orlando at the beginning of COVID, about 2 1/2 years ago. Mrs. Gili Ben Naim relates: “We were looking for a community with good weather, a low cost of living and an Orthodox community with a good shul and school. We came to Orlando, and we are very happy here. It is small enough that we all feel like family. I had a baby a few weeks ago, baruch Hashem, and everyone is involved and trying to help. I feel like I have 40 sisters.”

The Briskman family moved to Orlando this past June from New York and so far, they are also very happy. Mrs. Mollie Briskman relates: “We have had a few challenges since we moved. And everyone has been so helpful. Our flight was delayed, but just a few minutes after we landed and came to the house, someone showed up with dinner. Then my father-in-law passed away unexpectedly, and again, everyone was amazing. One of the Rabbanim came to be menachem avel and noticed that we did not have mezuzos yet, because the shipment was delayed. It was at 11:00 at night, but nevertheless, he ran over to a mezuzah gemach, borrowed some mezuzos, and put them up for us. At the same time, you would be shocked to know how many kosher and Jewish-related resources there are over here. I am finding kosher products that I cannot find in New York. And finally, the school is fantastic. The principal knows each child personally and takes a great interest in each one. I have never seen such a close-knit community.”