Federation HistorySince 1970, the Jewish population in South Palm Beach County has grown to more than 130,000 and today is one of the fastest growing Jewish communities in North America. Of those residents, 99.6 percent of adults were born elsewhere in the United States and have since migrated to south Palm Beach County. Just see how our Jewish community has grown: The Jewish population in sleepy south Palm Beach County (Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Highland Beach) consists of 1,200 households. Only one synagogue (later named Temple Beth El) exists in the community. 1973: The first synagogue in Delray Beach, Temple Emeth, is established. 1976: A small, part-time satellite office of the West Palm Beach-based Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County is opened in downtown Boca Raton. 1979: A growing Jewish population leads to the incorporation of the South Palm Beach County Jewish Federation (the name of which is later changed to the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County). 1980: Jewish Family Service becomes the Federation’s first agency. Jewish population: 37,000. 1981: Roy Flack, Stanley Katz and Richard Siemens donate to the Federation approximately 20 acres of land west of Boca Raton. (An additional three acres is added in 1983). 1982: A Jewish day school (later named Donna Klein Jewish Academy) becomes the Federation’s second agency. 1983: The Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center is established as an agency of the Federation. 1984: The Federation moves to the new, six-acre Baer Campus on Spanish River Boulevard, just west of Federal Highway. It is the organization’s first free-standing “home.” The Jewish Community Foundation is established. Jewish population: 62,000. 1986: The Federation purchases an adjacent five acres of land west of Boca Raton and ground is broken on what would become the 28-acre Richard & Carole Siemens Jewish Campus. 1987: The Delray Beach Satellite Office opens in a storefront at the Lakeside Shoppes. JARC (the Jewish Association for Residential Care) becomes a Federation agency and opens its first group home for adults with developmental disabilities — the Barry Clayman House. 1989: Jewish Family Service is dedicated as Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service. The first resident moves into The Shirley H. Gould House, the Federation’s government-subsidized HUD housing facility for low-income seniors. 1990: JARC opens its second group home, the Rockoff House. Jewish population: 90,000. 1991: At least 15,000 attend the official opening of the 28-acre Richard & Carole Siemens Campus, new home of the Federation and its agencies. Additional amenities include a professional theater (Zinman Hall), softball fields, tennis courts and a state-of-the-art fitness facility. JARC opens its third group home, Brumer House. 1995: The Federation announces its acquisition of 55 additional acres of land to the north, contiguous to the existing Siemens Campus. Federation obtains a $7.1 million U.S. government grant to build a second HUD housing facility for low-income seniors, and plans are announced for an Alzheimer’s Day Care Center, both on the new north campus. The Federation commissions a major population study of the south Palm Beach County Jewish community. 1996: Results of the Jewish Community Study confirm a burgeoning population of 116,000, with a particularly explosive growth rate among the senior demographic (most notably in Delray Beach). The Federation announces plans to purchase the 50,000 square-foot former Phar-Mor store in Delray Beach to create a senior center. JARC announces plans to build the Melvin & Elaine Stein Living & Learning Center on the Federation’s new north campus. Groundbreaking takes place for the fourth JARC group home, the Melvin Rosenblatt House. The Jewish Education Commission is established to coordinate Jewish learning opportunities throughout south Palm Beach County. 1997: Build-out of the initial 7,500-square-foot Phase I of the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Senior Center in Delray Beach is completed, and the old Delray Beach satellite office is closed. The Federation’s Family Division, Kosher Konnection hot meals program, Adolph & Rose Levis JCC, Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service and the Jewish Education Commission’s Adult Education programs are housed in the new Delray Beach facility. JARC opens the Melvin Rosenblatt House and announces plans for a fifth house — the Thelma & Morris Sampson House. 1998: Groundbreaking takes place on the new North Campus. The entrance boulevard — 95th Avenue South — opens. The Weinberg House, the Federation’s second, 105-unit, government subsidized HUD housing facility, welcomes its new residents. It is the first Federation building to be completed on the new acreage.
1999: Plans and building continue on Phase I of the
North Campus. The facilities are to include the Adolph & Rose Levis
Alzheimer and Adult Day Care Center and the Phyllis & Harvey
Sandler Center for Jewish Life Enhancement, the JARC Melvin &
Elaine Stein Living & Learning Center, and a new educational
complex for Donna Klein Jewish Academy. Then 2001: The Adolph & Rose Levis Alzheimer and Adult Day Care Center, the Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center for Jewish Life Enhancement, and JARC’s Mel & Elaine Stein Living and Learning Center, which includes the Mel & Edith Clayman Training and Resource Center and the Adolph & Rose Levis Apartment Complex, are completed and begin operation. Jewish population of Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Highland Beach grows to 129,000. 2002: The Donna Klein Jewish Academy Transitional High School Campus opens. 2003: The Federation is named one of the top 15 Jewish Federations in the United States by the prestigious Chronicle of Philanthropy newspaper. The Federation also wins the coveted Sapir Award for annual campaign strength, innovation and success from United Jewish Communities. 2004: The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County celebrates its 25th anniversary, the 20th anniversary of the Jewish Community Foundation and the bar mitzvah (13th) year of the Siemens Campus and reaches a fundraising milestone of $20 million. 2005: Results from the first major population study undertaken in ten years of the area’s Jewish community is published showing a population of over 131,000 Jews residing between Boca Raton , Highland Beach and Delray Beach with tremendous growth in our young family populations and residents living in Delray Beach . The Jewish Women’s Foundation, an initiative of the Jewish Community Foundation of the Federation, was launched. 2006: Hurricane Wilma slammed south Palm Beach County causing over $1,000,000 in damage to the Federation campus. The Israel Emergency Campaign is launched in response to rocket attacks by Hezbollah in Israel successfully raising $3 million to help in the rebuilding efforts. Gloria and Lee Baker donate $1 million, the single-largest unrestricted gift ever received by Federation. |
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