House Bill 9369

    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HR 9369

        By Representative Barreiro






  1                         House Resolution

  2         A resolution in recognition of Congregation

  3         Beth David, Miami's original Jewish

  4         congregation, on its 85th anniversary.

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  6         WHEREAS, long before the hundreds of thousands of Jews

  7  who now live in South Florida moved to this state and created

  8  a presence as one of America's largest Jewish communities,

  9  Congregation Beth David existed, and

10         WHEREAS, a spiritual home to more than 70 Key Biscayne

11  families, the congregation was founded in 1912 by a handful of

12  pioneers who came from Key West to live in the frontier town

13  of Miami, and

14         WHEREAS, religious services for the Beth David

15  congregation were originally held in private homes with laymen

16  officiating, and Beth David members established a Jewish

17  section at the City of Miami cemetery, and

18         WHEREAS, as the congregation grew, services took place

19  in public halls until 1916, when congregates purchased a

20  permanent home at N.E. 8th Street and 2nd Avenue in the heart

21  of town, and

22         WHEREAS, in 1949, the congregation moved to the

23  landmark classical sanctuary on Coral Way at S.W. 26 Road,

24  near Key Biscayne, and

25         WHEREAS, the temple has since grown to include a school

26  building, offices, a library, a ballroom, and a Judaica

27  museum, and

28         WHEREAS, Miami's pioneer synagogue commemorated its 85

29  years in Miami during Shabbat service on November 22, 1997,

30  and

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HR 9369

    543-151-98






  1         WHEREAS, Congregation Beth David is proud of its

  2  historical significance as Miami's pioneer Jewish congregation

  3  and looks forward to continuing its role as the leading

  4  congregation in the Miami community, NOW, THEREFORE,

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  6  Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

  7  Florida:

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  9         That the House of Representatives of the State of

10  Florida hereby recognizes Congregation Beth David, Miami's

11  first Jewish congregation, on its 85th anniversary.

12         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution

13  be presented to Rabbi David Oler of Congregation Beth David as

14  a tangible token of the sentiments expressed herein.

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