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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 January as Jewish History Month WHEREAS, Jews have been a significant part of the development of the State of Florida since 1763; and WHEREAS, Moses Levy came to Florida in 1819 and purchased 92,000 acres in North Central Florid;lt{)start;['Je~isR6816fi1;inMicanopy, of which he was h fi d f h C "d">' . "~'x' 1"" ,. ..... '"",,,, t e oun er 0 t at 1~,X;r4111 "'.", "i.!\~~i"Vij;"'4 '(t WHE?{~#~ ~~\e\. \;~\~~ 0 . "'~ Coun~, and Federal levels as PS~:f',,~ns ":J;in ';'~~Y"pl.ihflc" 'capaclties;,e!l' co~t "nR '~,\, nu~ero~s important4:<Va "nd that,,,,they have contributed to the'de,yel\ "i\Qf~~nda III every ~1t . ",' '" ", '\::!~" tr~~hel ~ ,fur n~~~~;.~ar&~t~;~:a;~~:1 in FIO~~,;;;', ')nt"oo 1,:" 1/ \', ~, l /; iW/rHEREFO 'i~SH, MAYQR OF TH\ 0\ 11Il1tER S \RINGS do hereby '~"',' r \'j, I', ~\ , t:'~ ! I \ \ \\ · , ,. ! - JEWISH TORY ~t~TH ~. j Ii .\ w~Jbr \e the strength, richness, and the 1'~butJns t~~t oj J ewish tieigh~rs 4,f;\ve enriched our comrnu~i~es 'II l IP l '\ Ii] l~~1J i ;," /" \,\ , f" (,\ii"", " , , \ .,', ..Jt Jt.-:''iII.J:~..(lr',''. \, - .J~l ~~ .' ~ ! &d ":1.1;."..,./ '\\<c..~...... "1. '"'J;,\~:):) _,~?:;:, _ J J " d ~'*~ ' " """, eafLIX:U/ UUIJ '(Kj ~~ ~/;' /:1 .4>' -----? John F. Bush Mayor Robert S. Miller Michael S. Blake Edward Martinez, Jr. Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Sally McGinnis David W. McLeod Commissioner Commissioner , ~~"I ~~wlsn MUSEUM .. 1 OF FL,ORIDA ..Ie ce.: e./ (j. ~ t.- ,'_-,;;'" i it. n'=i-:'~i:...aj,-~C-S (,:1"(',' ~ October 2003 " ~ Dear Political Leader, MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Governor Jeb Bush signed a bill into law designating January, annually, as Florida Jewish History Month. Sen. Gwen iv\ar3olis and Rep. Gus Barreiro each sponsored companion bills that were passf:c! unanimously in the state legislature and led to this historic event. Florida Jewish Histo:y Month will focus attention on the tremendous contributions Floridian Jews have made in every area of the development of our state since 1763-. when Jews were first allowed to live in Florida. Now, we are turning to you to issue a proclamation from your municipality that will be presented during the inaugur~1 ceremony on January 11, 2004 at the Jewish Museum of Florida at 1 O~30 a,m. Since Florida hosts the nation's third largest .Jewish cOnli,lunity, it seemed only natural to create Florida Jewish f-listory Ivlonth. For lhe inaugural year in 2004, the .!ev./ish Museum of Florida has distributed inforrnative materials to political leaders, community organizations and the press. In addition, we have created lesson plans for the public and private schools and have established a Statewide Task Force to pian beyond 2004. We will be publicizing all those involved, so we need your reply and actual proclamation by January 3, 2004. You may contact me at 305-672-5044 ext. 18 or contact Laura Bolser at ext. 21. Please take this opportunity to be a part of this pioneering statewide effort. Together we can make it an enlightening annual celebration for all Florida residents to experience our rich, cultural diversity. Many thanks in advance for your participation and I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Marcia Zerivi Founding E 301 Washington Avenue. Miami Beach, FL · 33139-6965 305-672-5044 · fax 305-672-5933 · www.jewishmuseum,com ~~o by the "'l ~Q~:-' ~% () () () ~ <( . )> Ul C/) ~ 6 ~ '?~ qp -<>..(.> $'1)/11,; ~o NO\~ OFFICERS Helene Dubbin, Miami President Jeffrey Gilbert, Miami Beach Barton Goldberg, Miami Beach Gerald K. Schwartz, Miami Beach Vice Presidents Gabriela J. Landau, Coral Gables Treasurer Norman Levine, Miami Immediate Past President Norman M. Giller, Miami Beach Chairman of the Advisory Council DIRECTORS Betty Cooper, Miami Beach Paul Drucker, Boca Raton Myra Farr, Bay Harbor Islands Sue Helfman, Coral Gables Alan J. Levy, Fort Lauderdale Alan Lieberman, Williams Island Avis Lee Neiman, Miami MariLyn Potash, Miami Leonard Robbins, Hollywood Burnett Roth, Bal Harbour Risa Schiff, ffollywood Tamra Sheffman, Miami Beach Jackie Trauri~. Coral Gables Leonard A. WI en, Jr., Miami Beach Sylvia Ziffer, North Miami Beach PAST PRESIDENTS W. James Orovitz, Miami (MOSAIC Founding President) Maynard Abrams, (deceased) Helene Herskowitz, Delray I3each Sandra Angel Malamud, Sarasota Norman M. Giller, Miami Beach (Museum Founding President) Norman Levine, Miami FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marcia K. Zerivitz ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Jo Ann Arnowitz .. JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA MUSEUM ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS In f"ormation Norman M. Giller, Chairman or the Council Gerald K. Schwartz, Co,Chairman of the Council tllie Aibel, Coral GaNes Isabel Flernfeld Anderson, I"liami Lleach Sheldon Anderson, I"liami ,Jerry [~Iank, Sun Valley, lD tlaine Bloom, Miami Beach Kenneth Flloom. Pinecrest tlinor 1\. Catsman, Coconut Grove Sidney Cooperman, Hay Harbor Islands 1"1urray Dubbin, Miami Samuel J. Dubbin, I"liami Sophia tnglander, Surfside 11arvey reid, Tampa George I'eldenkreis, i'1iami I"likki t'uternick, Coconut Grove I"lorris I'uternick, Coconut Grove frances Gaynor, Pinecrcst Ira D. (jiller, 1'1iami E3each Jane Goodman, I'liami Heach Jerrold Goodman, 1'1iami E3each I\oss Goodman, Pensacola J"reda Greenbaum, l'1iami Sonya I\abin Greenfield, 1'1iami I'lorence [Iecht, Coconul Grove Daniell'. Ilerz, Plantation Kitty Higginbotham, l'1iami Jay W. Jensen, l'Jiami Heach Charles J. Kahn, Jr., Tallahassee Lewis 1"1. I\anner, Coral OaNes Fletsy Kaplan, l'Jiami Rabbi Dr. Sol Landau, Coral OaNes I"lorris D. Levitt, Coconul (]rovc Norman LipofC l'1iami flazel M. I"lack, ,Iacksonville Isa be I 1"1ay, 15a I ffar!>oll I' Julian 1"1eitin, I"laitlancl lloward 1\. Miller, I"liami Fless Myerson, {'ent Lauclerclale Norma Jean ObeT, Coral Gables W. James Orovitz, I'liami Josepll W. Fallot, l'1iami Saundra Dubbin Farker, Miami Beach [Iaine I\ichman, Norlh I'liami 1"1111iell\osen, E3all1arlJOur Doris C. 1\0senl)latt, Tampa Lloyd L. F\uskin, I'liami Beach Teddi [~. Segal, ffendersorwille, NC Dorothy Serotta, l'1iami Beach Clary F. Simon, I'liami F\ick Sisser, l'1iami Jean Vowers Soman, Coral Gables Stanley n. Tate, Bay tlar!JOr Eslands Robert Tralllig, I"liami Leonar(j A. Wien. I'liami Beach C. Contact: Laura Bolser 305-672-5044, ext. 21 publicrelations@jewishmuseum.com For Immediate Release GOVERNOR BUSH SIGNS LAW DECLARING JANUARY AS FLORIDA JEWISH HISTORY MONTH MIAMI BEACH, FL (October 2003): Governor Jeb Bush signed a bill into law designating January, annually, as Florida Jewish History Month. Sen. Gwen Margolis and Rep. Gustavo Barreiro each sponsored companion bills that were passed unanimously and led to this historic event. Florida Jewish History Month will focus attention on the tremendous contributions Floridian Jews have made in every area of the development of our state. The concept for Florida Jewish History Month began at the Jewish Museum of Florida, which collects, preserves and interprets the Jewish experience in Florida since 1763. Marcia Zerivitz, the Museum's Founding Executive Director, worked closely with legislators to translate the Museum's mission to a statewide observance. It seemed fitting to honor Jewish contributions to the state. Sixteen percent of the American Jewish community lives in Florida. But while Florida hosts the nation's third largest Jewish community, it is perceived to have a "new" Florida Jewish history starting after World War II. In reality, Jews have been allowed to live in the state only since 1763 when Florida was taken from the Spanish, who permitted only Catholics, and turned over to the British in the Treaty of Paris following the French and Indian War. The first Jews settled in Pensacola that year. The man who brought Florida into statehood and served as its first U.S. senator (and the first Jew to serve in the U.S. Congress) was a Jew, David Levy Yulee. Plans are already being made on how to celebrate Florida Jewish History Month. Schools, community organizations and municipalities will all feature heavily in the month-long programming. "Florida's greatest asset is its people. Among the myriad of ethnic groups that have passed through our State since 1513, Jews are notable for remaining here and retaining their identity. Like other groups, Jews have actively participated in shaping the destiny of Florida. January of each year will be a time to focus attention on the contributions Floridian Jews have made," says Zerivitz. "We are developing lesson plans and materials for the schools and programs for adult groups, including lectures, films and tours that will help disseminate the information in communities across the State." The Jewish Museum of Florida is located in a restored historic Art Deco building on South Beach that was formerly an Orthodox synagogue. The focal point of the Museum is MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida, its core exhibit, as well as a temporary exhibit that changes three times a year. A Collections & Research Center, several films, Timeline Wall of the World, American and Florida Jewish history, and a Museum Store complete the experience for visitors of all ages and backgrounds. The Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums, an honor granted to only 3% of the nation's museums. The Museum is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Mondays and Jewish holidays. Price of admission is: Adults/$5; Seniors & Students/$4; Families/$10; Members & children under six/Free; Saturdays/Free. For information: 305-672-5044 or www.jewishmuseum.com. ### JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA 301 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139-6965 phone 305-672-5044 fax 305-672-5933 www.jewishmuseum.com contact: Marcia Zerivitz, Founding Executive Director, ext. 18 or mzerivitz@jewishmuseum.com WHY FLORIDA JEWISH HISTORY MONTH Florida's greatest asset is its people. Diverse cultures have enriched the State since early times. Like other groups, Jews have actively participated in shaping the destiny .of Florida. Florida's Jews have brought their visions of freedom and their creativity and have left their footprints across the entire State. Just as Blacks, Women, and Hispanics have a designated month to focus on their contributions to the development of Florida, Florida Jewish History Month will be a time to leamhow Jews have been involved in enriching the lives and dreams of all Floridians. It will be another time to celebrate the strength and richness that our multicultural population brings to our State. SOME CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY JEWS TO FLORIDA'S DEVELOPMENI 1. Jews have been a significant part of the development of our State since 1763, which is the first year that Jews were allowed to live (as Jews) in Florida. Since Florida was owned by Spain from 1513, it was "for Catholics only." The first Jews settled in Pensacola in 1763 after the Treaty of Paris was signed that turned Florida over from Spain to Great Britain. 2. Today, 16% of the American Jewish community lives in Florida. Our State hosts the nation's third largest Jewish community (after NY and CA) at 850,000. South Florida has the second largest concentration of Jews in the world, after Israel, at 15%. 3. A Jew, David Levy Yulee, is known as the "architect" of Florida Statehood. As a territorial delegate in 1841, he went to the U.S. Congress to argue for statehood. In 1845 when Florida became the 27th state, Florida's first Senator to serve in Washington was David Levy Yulee. Yulee was the first Jew to serve in the U.S. Congress; he also brought the first cross-state railroad into Florida. Levy County and the town of Yulee in Nassau County were named to honor him. 4. David Levy Yulee's father, Moses Levy, had come into Florida in 1819 and purchased 92,000 acres in north central Florida to start a Jewish colony in Micanopy; he was a founder of that city. (please turn over) (4 continued) Twenty-three years before statehood, in 1822, Moses Levy established Pilgrimage Plantation that attracted Jews fleeing persecution in Eu~ope and he brought sugar cane and fruit trees. The Plantation was burned down at the onset of the Second Seminole War in 1835. An Orthodox Jew, Moses Levy was among the earliest and largest developers in Florida, published a plan to abolish slavery and was a proponent of free education in Florida as a charter member of the Florida Education Society . 5. More than 100 Jewish families have been identified who have lived in Florida over 100 years. The Dzialynski family came to Jacksonville by 1850; is still there--still Jewish. There were six Jewish congregations in Florida before the turn of the 20th century. . Today there are more than 300 congregations who are involved with improving the quality of life for all people in the State. 6. Floridian Jews have served on local, county, state and federal levels as politicians and in many public capacities. Richard Stone served as Florida's Secretary of State then U.s. Senator (1974-80); David Sholtz was governor (1933-37). In 1990, State Senator Gwen Margolis became the nation's first woman State Senate president. More than 250 . Jews have served as judges in Florida and more than 120 Jews have served as mayors of their communities in the State. 7. Jews have served in Florida in all the wars. Fort Myers is named for Co!. Abraham Myers, a Jewish West Point graduate who was the quartermaster for the fort in the Indian wars during the mid-1800's. Jacksonville's Admiral Ellis Zacharias, Chief of Naval Intelligence during WWII, helped break the Japanese code in 1941 that resulted in the U.S. victory in the Pacific. 8. The contributions made by Jews to the development of Florida are in every sector. A Jew was afounder of the Florida Cattlemen's Association (Saul Snyder of St. Augustine); Jews have been prominent in the citrus, tomato and tobacco industries. An Orlando Jew and a graduate of the University of Florida in 1948 received, the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1968 for breaking the genetic code (Marshall Warren Nirenberg). Jews have been active in the develoPment and construction industries, in banking and insurance, the arts, education, military and science, agriculture, space industry, the professions, and much more. 9. For nearly 250 years, Jews have lived in Florida and maintained traditions o( their heritage. Jews represent one immigrant group in our multiculturally diverse state. The Jewish Museum of Florida, opened in 1995 in a restored historic Art Deco synagogue on South Beach, collects, preserves and interprets the Jewish experience in Florida. Thousands of students, as well as .adults who are both residents and tourists, visit their exhibits and learn how diverse individuals - who are more alike than different - come together to preserve our cultural heritage a quality of life for all Floridians. 10. Check our website www.jewishmuseum.com for timelines and further information.