Lost Jacksonville: Downtown's Jewish Enclave

[TheProfessor]

I would say Mandarin has a Jewish ethnic enclave presently.

[reednavy]

Yes we do, along with a growing Russian and Eastern European population. Hell, 3 houses up the street is a couple from Croatia. I like it, they're very nice people.

[thelakelander]

Ennis, I believe there is a lot more to this story.  Morris A. Dzialynski was Jacksonville's first and only Jewish mayor in the late 1800's.  The first Jewish cemetery was established here in 1857.  Per below, this history of the oldest synagogue in Jax, Congregation Ahavath Chesed, now on San Jose just north of Baymeadows, shows activity to at least 1867.  For those unfamiliar, there are 3 primary "branches" of American Jewry: Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox.  All are represented in Jax.  The oldest synagogues are Ahavath Chesed which is Reform, and The Jewish Center which is Conservative.

Thanks, great additions, as always.  I did not dig too much into the overall local Jewish community's history because my focus was strictly showing a historical local example of an ethnic urban enclave. Do you know of any other examples (past or present) of tight knit ethnic communities in our region today?

[stjr]

Do you know of any other examples (past or present) of tight knit ethnic communities in our region today?

Growing up here in Jax, I don't recall having met anyone I would call an identifiable "ethnic" based on their lifestyle, culture, or language other than "whites" (only two types, Southerners or Northerners!), African Americans, Jews, and Arabs (mostly Syria, Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon).

Today, it appears we also have substantial "enclaves" from at least the Phillipines, Korea, China, Mexico, various other Hispanic countries, the Caribbean, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Croatia, Serbia, Greece, Somalia, South Africa.    It's clear, that like the rest of the world, we are no longer isolated and are becoming part of the "global community".  Most of these groups appear to have religious, cultural, and/or social organizations in town that could probably offer you insights into their presences in the City of Jax. (The Irish seem ever present but I don't know if they have an organization other than maybe a "Notre Dame" fan club or local Irish pub    )

[downtownparks]

Wormans is a great place to meet and eat! wish the article would have said more about Wormans and their history in Jacksonville.

Actually, FSU, interesting thing about Wormans, it originally opened up on 8th St in Springfield, in that cool two story building  (with the 'H' name, Im drawing a blank) at Market and 8th.

[GatorShane]

Surely the Pilton Bldg could be saved. What a cool structure. Perfect for a coffee shop or small Cheers type bar. Business would be pretty good being that close to the new courthouse.r

[Charles Hunter]

I remember coming downtown with my Dad (in the 1960s) to shop a Finkelstein's - wonderful place for a kid, full of interesting stuff  - luggage, furniture, and I don't know what all, and my Dad liked the prices.

[stjr]

I remember coming downtown with my Dad (in the 1960s) to shop a Finkelstein's - wonderful place for a kid, full of interesting stuff  - luggage, furniture, and I don't know what all, and my Dad liked the prices.

There used to be at least two "catalog showrooms" in Jax: Finkelsteins and Standard Sales.  They had catalogs and/or the items on display and you picked your items out and got a ticket to hand to the order takers.  Then they pulled the merchandise from the warehouse in the back and brought them out on a conveyor belt to the pick up area where they would call your number to give you the msds. and you paid. Most merchandise was things for the home:  knickknacks, small appliances and gadgets, electronics, china, crystal, silverware, jewelry, folding furniture, toys, gift items, household goods, luggage, lawn and garden, etc.  This retailing concept was really the forerunner to the club stores of Costco, Sams, and BJ's.  Biggest difference is the stores today are much larger in size and merchandise selection (notably the addition of food and clothing) and customers pull most of the stuff themselves from the "warehouse" shelves.

One of stores used to be on Bay Street near the Terminal as I recall.  Standard Sales eventually moved to the suburbs and had two stores, one on University Blvd. at what is now Memorial Plaza next to the hospital and one in Orange Park. Finkelsteins moved to Beach Blvd. and their building is now the Fraternal Order Of Police as I recall.

[Wacca Pilatka]

Actually, FSU, interesting thing about Wormans, it originally opened up on 8th St in Springfield, in that cool two story building  (with the 'H' name, Im drawing a blank) at Market and 8th.

The Halsema building?

[sheclown]

LaVilla was really something --

[Ocklawaha]

LaVilla was really something --

sheclown, you cannot imagine in your wildest dreams just how diverse and cool LaVilla was. Wandering around there between 1965 and 75, one could find just about anything in LaVilla.
From Missions to Bordellos, Freight cars to catalogs and maybe the worlds coolest Pawn Shop strip.
As Joni Mitchell said, we don't know what we have till it's gone... Why didn't I take more photos?
LaVilla had more grit like the great Cities of the World then any other Jacksonville locale and we blew it away.

OCKLAWAHA

[downtownparks]

Actually, FSU, interesting thing about Wormans, it originally opened up on 8th St in Springfield, in that cool two story building  (with the 'H' name, Im drawing a blank) at Market and 8th.

The Halsema building?

Yes, thanks!

[sandyshoes]

Very nice pics and info...when I began working in the late 1970s, I recall passing by a very old building in Riverside (I know, duh - : ) but there was a sign outside that said it had been a synagogue.  I remember it being 2 or possibly even 3 stories and there were fire escapes /stairs outside.  Can't find anything - anyone have a clue?  I believe it was in the vicinity of King Street.  I'm a Jax native (born OP, raised here) I'm not Jewish, but I looooove their traditions, the shofar, the music, Yiddish, Friday night Shabbat...just not enough to give up my Christian beliefs.  Christians and and Jews do share a LOT of the same beliefs, though we call them by different names.  Anyway, I'm all about OLD Jacksonville.  Wish we could travel through time, sometimes...

[stjr]

Very nice pics and info...when I began working in the late 1970s, I recall passing by a very old building in Riverside (I know, duh - : ) but there was a sign outside that said it had been a synagogue.  I remember it being 2 or possibly even 3 stories and there were fire escapes /stairs outside.  Can't find anything - anyone have a clue?  I believe it was in the vicinity of King Street.

Congregation Ahavath Chesed, "The Temple", mentioned previously in this thread, was in Riverside, but at St. Johns and Mallory, not King Street.  Their building, built in 1950 per below, is now condos.  If you look carefully, I think you can still see a Star of David in a round window viewable from the St. Johns Avenue side.

We continued to grow and in 1927, we purchased a beautiful residence in Riverside..  It is a Henry Klutho design and was built in 1907.

The Temple purchased this building in 1927 and served as our religious community center and all activities formerly held in the Laura and Ashley street Vestry rooms moved to Riverside.  Sisterhood, Brother, Hunior Congregation, TempleMen's Club, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts met there.

It served us well until 1940 when a fire destroyed this beautiful building. All records of the Congregation, including boy scouts, brotherhood, sisterhood and TIR were also destroyed.

On the retirement of Rabbi Kaplan in 1946, Rabbi Sidney M. Lefkowitz became our spiritual leader.  Plans to build a new house of worship on the grounds of the Temple Home became a reality.  The location was ideal and in 1950 we dedicated a new temple for our Congregation.