Of Palm Trees and Black Hats: The Growing Community of North Miami Beach

Rabbi Eli Mann with his second-grade class at Yeshiva Toras Chaim Toras Emes

Think of Florida — for most people, what immediately comes to mind is palm trees, balmy winters, hot and humid summers, and multiple vacation opportunities. All of these associations notwithstanding, Florida is home to many thriving Jewish communities, and one of the most rapidly growing of them is the city of North Miami Beach. Not to be confused with Miami Beach, North Miami Beach is an independent city with its own mayor located a 20-minute drive from Miami Beach. While there is much crossover between the two communities, they are each very distinct.

A Growing Community

In the past few decades, and more significantly in the past 10 years, North Miami Beach has become a highly desirable destination for families looking to move to a new community. Whether they are from New York or New Jersey and looking for a change from the “in-town” lifestyle, coming from a small Jewish community and seeking a more established one, or emigrating from Mexico or Latin America, North Miami Beach has become a popular destination.

Rabbi Ephraim Leizerson has been principal of Bais Yaakov of Miami for the past 35 years. His wife, Mrs. Bryna Leizerson, remarks, “The community has totally changed since we arrived in 1982. A year after we arrived, my husband was hired to become the principal of the newly formed Bais Yaakov. At that time, there was a handful of students. Today, there are over 350 students. Over the past 10 years, North Miami Beach has become very popular. Everything you need is here. We have a choice of day schools and yeshivos, a Lakewood kollel, a choice of shuls, and plenty of Jewish shopping. The people are relaxed and non-competitive. Many married children are coming back — most of my friends have at least one or two married children living here. North Miami Beach is the best-kept secret!”

Rabbi Leizerson explains, “There are many factors that contributed to the growth of North Miami Beach. Schools opened up, and the Kollel opened up. In addition, surrounding communities became very expensive, so people are moving to North Miami Beach as it is more affordable. Because of all this, the community changed. It now has the tzurah of a real frum neighborhood. There is still crossover to Miami Beach, but less than in the past due to the growth and increased resources here.”

Kollel Zichron Michel of North Miami Beach

The Impact of the Kollel

One of the main catalysts for the significant growth of North Miami Beach and its development into a makom Torah was the establishment of Kollel Zichron Michel, the North Miami Beach Community Kollel.

Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Blejer, who is Rosh Kollel together with Rabbi Aharon Dovid Singer, comments, “We have seen the community evolve quite a bit. Over the last few years, there has been a constant flow of young families looking for a small community with a strong presence of bnei Torah and a real community feel, where there are no politics and all the Rabbanim, shuls and mosdos get along well together.The establishment of a community kollel has done here what it has done in many other communities, attracting young couples to join the community. Additionally, the housing in our neighborhood is the most affordable in the area, giving a young couple the opportunity to purchase a home, which would not be possible in the surrounding areas.”

The impact of the Kollel is clear to the community members.

“The Kollel adds a tremendous amount,” says Mrs. Leizerson. “It brought new flavor and a ruach that crosses all lines, because Torah is Torah.”

Rabbi Yaakov Kier giving shiur to Bais Medrash Zichron Ezra talmidim at Yeshiva Toras Chaim Toras Emes

Makings of a Great Community

Rabbi Chaim Mandel, who moved to North Miami Beach 33 years ago, is a Rebbi in Yeshiva Toras Emes Toras Chaim and director of Pirchei. He says the community is attracting those who grew up in the area as well as people who have no previous affiliation. “The community is booming!” he asserts. “People who move in today don’t realize what things were like. Thirty years ago, we did not have a kosher butcher and we had to fly in our meat from out of town. Today, there are two kosher supermarkets in North Miami Beach and another one in nearby Aventura. We also have pizza shops and restaurants; while much of their business is from tourists, many locals enjoy as well. There is also much more of a choice of minyanim, including Maariv minyanim at different times. When I first arrived here, there was one Minchah/Maariv minyan at shkiah, and that was it!”

Chabad is also strong and active in North Miami Beach, with a school and yeshivah in surrounding areas. Rabbi Yosef Marlow, Rav of Chabad of North Miami Beach, explains, “We have close to 200 Chabad families in North Miami Beach. This past year we had over 18 new families move in. Last Rosh Hashanah, we moved to our new 20,000-square foot building, our long-anticipated community center. With the new space we have upgraded our programming to cater to the many ages and stages in our thriving community. We have several minyanim a day, as well as many shiurim and classes and a variety of programs, including some for women and children. Our men’s mikveh is our latest milestone.”

Rabbi Moshe Matz, the Regional Director of Agudas Yisroel of Florida, lives in North Miami Beach during the week. On Shabbos, he serves as Rav of a shul in Aventura, another growing community located about a 10-minute drive to the north of North Miami Beach. “We have become a diverse yet strong community,” Rabbi Matz states. “In my interaction with all of the Rabbanim and mosdos, I see that we are a cohesive community, baruch Hashem, as all are striving to create the right environment in a Torahdik way.”

The job market is fairly strong, and professionals can usually find employment in the area. Rabbi Matz explains, “In North Miami Beach itself, the schools are the greatest employers. However, for professionals and businessmen, employment does not have to be limited to North Miami Beach per se, and there is possibility to seek employment in the extended South Florida cities.”

Overview of Community Mosdos

Bais EZra Zichron Ezra talmidim at Yeshiva Toras Chaim Toras Emes

North Miami Beach is well equipped with all the mosdos that a frum community needs. For the children, Yeshiva Toras Chaim Toras Emes has a preschool division, separate boys’ and girls’ elementary divisions through fifth grade, a boys’ middle school, high school, and beis medrash. The school continues to grow and adds more classes each year, and a major expansion project is being planned.

Mrs. Miriam Chait, Director of Admission at Toras Chaim Toras Emes, describes the growth of the school. “This year, we have, bli ayin hara, 975 students, compared to 600 students just a few years ago. Of over 70 new families that have joined our school this year, 18 recently moved [here] from out of town. The school’s growth is partially due to the influx of people from Latin America, as well as people from New York and New Jersey who are drawn to this warm and vibrant community.”

Yeshiva Elementary School and Talmudic University of Florida, under the direction of Harav Yochanan Zweig, shlita, located in Miami Beach, provides additional options. Girls in sixth through twelfth grades attend Bais Yaakov of Miami. There are a few smaller mosdos as well, such as Yeshiva of Miami. All of these mosdos service students from throughout South Florida.

There is a choice of shuls in North Miami Beach, including older established shuls — such as Young Israel of Greater Miami, whose Rav, Rabbi Dovid Lehrfield, was one of the early pioneers of the community; Shaarey Tefilah, led by the renowned Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Shapiro; and Congregation Torah V’Emunah, led by Rabbi Arye Bensinger. Khal Chassidim, a chassidishe shtiebel, has brought some Chassidim to the community. There are also newer shuls that have opened to accommodate the influx of young families.

Weekday learning for boys at KAS with Rabbi Noach Peled

There is much chessed being done, with community organizations such as Bikur Cholim, Tomchei Shabbos, Chai Lifeline, which all help people in so many ways. In addition, there are active divisions of Pirchei and Bnos Agudath Israel.

 

Some Challenges

What are some challenges in North Miami Beach?

“Practically, you can’t drive to New York, as it is a 20-hour drive. However, some people do it in the summer,” Mrs. Leizerson says. “The heat in the summer is difficult, and most of the children go to camp up north. On Sukkos, many people put air conditioners in the sukkah. However, once winter arrives, we are thrilled.”
Rabbi Blejer explains, “Because the community is relatively young, some of the amenities of more established communities are still in the process of being perfected. However, this gives an opportunity for young askanim to effect real change and make a difference by establishing and helping to develop city organizations and really helping other organizations continue to grow.”

Transplanted From Eretz Yisrael

A few families have moved from Eretz Yisrael to North Miami Beach. Mrs. S., whose husband learns in Kollel Zichron Michel, says, “We were looking to go back to the United States, and someone we knew recommended that we investigate North Miami Beach. The Kollel there sounded just right for us, and baruch Hashem, it worked out. Even though we have only been here for a year and a half, we have been witnessing the tremendous growth. Last summer, the Rosh Kollel’s wife organized baskets for the new families. I went to help and was surprised at how many baskets were being prepared. I thought it was just last year, but this year was the same! People want to come because the Kollel is a central part of the community. It is the perfect blend of an out-of-town community that is very Torahdik.”

Mrs. S. continues, “One aspect of the community that we really enjoy is the fact that so many Gedolim come in the winter to vacation, such as the Satmar Rebbe, Harav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, shlita. It is wonderful to see all of the Chassidim dotting the scenery as they stroll down the canal during the winter months.”

Although she is very happy in North Miami Beach, Mrs. S. misses Eretz Yisrael. “I found it challenging to move from Eretz Yisrael, where everyone in my building and most of the people that I met on the street were frum. Now, although the community is very welcoming and friendly, it is just not the same as being completely surrounded by Yidden. I miss Eretz Yisrael terribly, but we do not regret our decision at all.”

Rabbi Noach Peled moved from Eretz Yisrael four years ago and is now Rav of the newly formed Kehillas Ahavas Shalom (better known as KAS). Rabbi Peled recalls his decision to move to North Miami Beach. “We were living in Eretz Yisrael for close to 20 years and were planning on never leaving. However, my Rosh Yeshivah, Harav Moshe Meiselman, shlita, suggested that we seek opportunities to make a difference in the Torah world. In Yerushalayim, talmidei chachamim and mashpi’im are very common, baruch Hashem. In America, there are more opportunities to make a difference.”

Rabbi Peled describes his view of North Miami Beach. “North Miami Beach is a ‘nice Jewish town,’ with minimal gentile influences. It is a makom Torah with serious talmidei chachamim and baalei batim who are serious bnei aliyah. There are opportunities for families to truly thrive, both in their gashmiyus and their avodas Hashem. However, the bursting growth of the community is such that we have to work to catch up with ourselves and make sure that we can provide for the needs of the community quickly enough to support continued growth. The opening of our remarkable kollel, as well as numerous more recently founded shuls — ours among them — is testimony not only to that rapid growth, but also to the diligence and foresight of several selfless askanim who sought to address our community’s growing needs.”

To Read The Full Story

Are you already a subscriber?
Click to log in!