Florida Jewish Heritage Trail

The rich legacy of the Jewish community in Florida can be found in every region of the state. As a people, Jews have contributed dramatically to
Florida’s economy, culture and government and created institutions that allowed their heritage to flourish and their identity to strengthen. Although there is a perception that Jews did not arrive in Florida until after WWII, Jewish history in Florida actually can be traced to 1763 with the arrival of Alexander Solomons, Joseph de Pallacios, and Samuel Israel in Pensacola. In the 1800’s many Jewish families immigrated to Florida from northern states and foreign countries to settle both inland and along the coast. Today, South Florida is home to the second largest concentration of Jews in the world, and Florida has the nations third largest Jewish community.