by Nechama Gutman
It’s amazing to think that I grew up in a community where making plans to play with a friend on Shabbos meant calling on Friday afternoon and making arrangements.
You see, the nearest friend I had growing up in Coral Springs, Florida, lived 3 miles away. Coming from a small community most of our parents became baal teshuvas together. There was no thought in the beginning of how spread out our little village was or that there were only 4 other homes we could eat at. That was life. We grew together.
Our families grew, our yiddishkeit grew, our connections to chassidus grew and in time, our community grew.
I remember when my parents decided to firmly begin keeping kosher, when working on Shabbos was no longer a thing in our family. I remember one of my favorite Shabbos walks when I was around 7, I was walking home with a friend’s father to join them for Shabbos lunch and the skies opened and poured because when you walk 4 miles in Florida you will always get stuck in a summer rain storm. It was life.
Now looking back at those memories, it is Incredible to see what has evolved. My children have 7 families on our block that we have regular shabbos meals and play dates. No more walking 4 miles to the nearest shul.
There a there are 4 Chabad Houses within a 6 mile radius. The 4 friends that I had to choose from on a Friday afternoon is long gone and replaced with the 5 friends my son brings home, 10 mesifta boys who stop by on their way to lunch for a cold drink and a taste of shabbos and an afternoon shuir around the corner.
Our Sundays are filled with Hakhel gatherings with our friends, and more importantly, our children’s friends. It’s incredible. The families of now are not the families from then.
The footsteps our parents took nearly 30 years ago has paved the pathway for our children to continue.
Our community is constantly being infused with new families who are bringing their own strengths and wisdom from their journeys over the years.
It’s amazing how so many different people from so many different communities have created a tapestry of this community.
From Woodstock to Montreal, Crown Heights to Kentucky, Melbourne Australia to South Carolina. It’s a community that has a place for all and a place I’m proud to call home.
Our Shul is at 3925 University Drive, 33065
Our website coralspringschabad.org has more information and realtors
Hatzlacha in whatever you decide
CH MISSES YOU. <3
Of the main Chabad Shul? If I’m looking for a house, in which area should I search?
Lucky are those who live in coral Springs and enjoy monthly Nshei events. This week we had a beautiful event for Chai elul. There were chef demonstrations and an excelellent speaker too. Thank you to all the ladies who work on these events.
nice to see you guys !
Thank you to Rabbi Pesach Klein for adding all the amazing children’s programs to the Coral Springs community.
Most people struggle but I’d rather struggle in a large house than in a tiny apartment, with high crime rate. Coral Springs is not only a chassideshe community it extremely is safe!
Yes the grass is always greener many New Yorkers choose to live in bal harbour and soon realize the low income can’t sustain the vacation lifestyle, however there are many affordable options like Coral Springs.
Food, Utilities, transportation expenses, and tuition aren’t cheaper. Include in that lower income opportunities and you might just find yourself less well off than before your move. Hatzlacha whatever you decide but before making any major decision it’s always wise to write a pan(letter) to the Rebbe for his blessings.
Though the overall cost of living is lower, so is the corresponding income opportunities. So as they pointed out many in the community are struggling financially & are not better off than those of us in the Greater New York area. Look before you leap.
Your community is lucky to have the Hodakov family. They will be a great asset to Coral Springs. Mechayol lchayal
Miss you all
We are the proud parents of the author, our daughter Nechama, a Hebrew Academy student, grew up , went to Israel and when it was time to start a family chose Coral Springs, as her mother before her, she is active in the PTO and school events, gathering volunteers and Shabbos guests. We are proud to see our children learn the lessons they live with and pass it on spreading Yiddishkeit and raising Jewish children. Keep it up Nechama, you parents are home smiling. You’re raising adorable children who learn the Rebbes lessons. We are proud of our all of… Read more »
Our community has been blessed with dedication and caring by the Shluchim and the community. We started 30 years ago In a small store front and the Rebbetzin taught in her living room. Florida doesn’t mean Jewish community, you have to grow it. We are now proud members of a 100+ frum family community who all benefit from the hard work and caring that started in the mid 80’s. Our school Hebrew Academy, our girls high school and dorm ROHR Bais Chaya, and the Mesivta. Anything worth having is worth paying for. Tuition costs money and education isn’t free. Many… Read more »
Do your research. The grass is always greener on the other side….. yes maybe we literally have greener grass here but there is a lot of other things to consider. Wages are pretty low and work.is hard to find. So unless you have the option to work remotely it will be very difficult to make ends meet. Tuition is upwards of 13,000 for a 2 year old and it only increases from there. So even if you qualify for a state voucher by the time you are done with all the extra fees it is 9,000 minimum per child and… Read more »
The success of Coral Springs stems from the amazing shluchim that have allowed their shlichus to become a frum chassidish anash community! This is a rare commodity in Lubavitch! The result is a frum chassidish community that has everything a frum family needs. We have around 80 lubavitch families and everyone is welcoming and non judgmental. We have rallies, farbrengens, avos ubanim, bnos chased club, shabbos childrens programs for every age, Nshei Chabad events, weekly Kiddush in shul for men women and kids, weekly hakhel gatherings,great schools for every age! Thank you Rabbi and Mrs Denburg and Rabbi and Mrs… Read more »
Thanks to the rabbi and Mrs a friedman and rabbi and Mrs denburg who started this community from nothing
Your community is lucky to have the Hodakov family. They will be a great asset to Coral Springs. Mechayol lchayal
Alright so who’s moving down? Call Sam with Interstate Relocation Systems: 267-244-9728 ext:138. Best movers on the east coast. Use col discount for an additional $600 off your move 🙂
great article! coral springs is a great community filled with wonderful ppl
Those twins!
Not interested in relocating, but very pleased to know about another flourishing yiddisher community.
As I often say, “We moved to Coral Springs before there was nothing”. This community is made up of good, caring, hard-working people, everyone contributing in their own way for the greater good, being part of something larger than themselves.We have shluchim who literally give their lives to us with unwavering devotion & dedication. A gut, g’bentcht year to everyone!
Day school, mesivta, girls high school, active shul, sun, sea, chassidus.
What more could you want?
This is one of the few successful communities in the US that has everything a frum lubavitchers can ask for. A shul, men’s and women’s mikvahs, elementary school, girls high school and one of the best mesivtas around today. Kosher food easily available and access to multiple minyanim as well as restaurants within a short distance. The community is frum and serious about their yidishkait and serious about raising their children as yirai shomayim
If your thinking of moving down to Florida but worry about giving up a chassideshe atmosphere or worse exposing your kids to the unmentionables more tourist locations attract this is the place for you.
#4 yes tuition is expensive but there are tuition vouchers. Also what you save in low taxes, real estate and other savings more then allows your budget to pay for school.
And all of this was started by Yossi and Rivkie Denberg.
A Kosher Koach!!
Gas is 205
no state or city taxes
home in coral springs is 300K mansion 600K
schools you can work out tuition for 8-12 per child (after voucher)
If you are a Florida Resident, there are vouchers for $5978 from the State towards education if you qualify and the amount is reduced in 25% increments depending on income. http://www.sufs.org
Best Menahel in Lubavitch!!
If you can afford the Floridian tuition rates!
community to move. large houses no traffic great place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m a proud shul and community member of Chabad of Coral Springs….the most wonderful community that I’ve ever known. B”H Coral Springs is a great place to raise a family and to make friends…growing in heart and spirit day by day !!
Wow, so interesting to learn about the beginnings and growth of the community. Also very inspiring, A Hearty Yasher Choach & A Good G’Benchted Year to the entire beautiful community!