The history of Antisemitism in Florida dates to the establishment of

Spanish Florida Spanish Florida () was the first major European land-claim and attempted settlement-area in northern America during the European Age of Discovery. ''La Florida'' formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and th ...

in the 16th century. Jews were prohibited by law from settling in Spanish Florida or practicing their religion. Following the British acquisition of Florida in

1763 Events January–March * January 27 – The seat of colonial administration in the Viceroyalty of Brazil is moved from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro. * February 1 – The colonial authorities in the Province of North Carolin ...

, Jews were allowed to settle in Florida but still experienced prejudice and discrimination. American Jews became free to move to Florida after 1821, when the United States gained control of the

Florida Territory The Territory of Florida was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 30, 1822, until March 3, 1845, when it was admitted to the Union as the state of Florida. Originally the major portion of the Spanish ...

from Spain, where they enjoyed relative freedom due to the US legacy of religious tolerance. Prior to a 1959 ruling from the Supreme Court of Florida, Jewish people were excluded from living in many white Christian neighborhoods throughout the state due to the use of restrictive covenants and quotas. During the 2010s and 2020s, Florida has seen an increase in reported incidents of antisemitic vandalism and violence.

History

16th, 17th, and 18th centuries

, the law prohibited Jews from settling in Florida and prohibited the practice of Judaism. The first Jews began to settle in Florida in 1763, when Great Britain acquired Florida from the Spanish. While Jews were allowed to settle in Florida, they still experienced discrimination and prejudice, including in employment. Following the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

, Florida was traded back to Spain by the British. After 1821, when Spanish Florida was purchased by the United States and organized as the Florida Territory, American Jews began to settle in Florida. Due to the American history of religious tolerance, Jews in Florida were able to enjoy greater freedoms than before.

19th century

David Levy Yulee David Levy Yulee (born David Levy; June 12, 1810 – October 10, 1886) was an American politician and attorney who served as the senator from Florida immediately before the American Civil War. He also founded the Florida Railroad Company and ser ...

, the first United States Senator of Jewish descent, experienced antisemitism throughout his career despite his conversion to Christianity.

20th century

Prior to the 1930s, antisemitism was common in Florida, particularly in

South Florida South Florida, sometimes colloquially shortened to SoFlo, is the Regions of the United States#Florida, southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the two others are ...

. At that time, most Floridian Jews lived in

Central Florida Central Florida is a Regions of the United States#Florida, region of the U.S. state of Florida. Different sources give different definitions for the region, but as its name implies it is usually said to comprise the central part of the state, in ...

and

Northern Florida North Florida is a region of the U.S. state of Florida comprising the northernmost part of the state. Along with South Florida and Central Florida, it is one of Florida's three most common "directional" regions. It includes Jacksonville and near ...

as antisemitic discrimination discouraged Jews from moving to the south. It was once common for businesses in

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

and

Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean an ...

to discriminate against Jews and place signs saying "Gentiles Only" or "No Jews or Dogs". Advertisements in Miami Beach sometimes stated "Always a view, never a Jew".

Residential segregation

Prior to the passage of the

1968 Fair Housing Act The Civil Rights Act of 1968 () is a landmark law in the United States signed into law by United States President Lyndon B. Johnson during the King assassination riots. Titles II through VII comprise the Indian Civil Rights Act, which applie ...

, Jewish people were excluded from living in many white Christian neighborhoods throughout the United States due to the use of

restrictive covenants A covenant, in its most general and historical sense, is a solemn promise to engage in or refrain from a specified action. Under historical English common law, a covenant was distinguished from an ordinary contract by the presence of a seal. Be ...

and quotas. In Florida, the state

Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

ruled that antisemitic real estate covenants was unconstitutional. The real estate developer and highway builder Carl G. Fisher initially refused to do business with Jews. During the time that Fisher was building properties, Miami Beach was a

sundown town Sundown towns, also known as sunset towns, gray towns, or sundowner towns, were all-white municipalities or neighborhoods in the United States. They were towns that practiced a form of racial segregation by excluding non-whites via some combinati ...

where Black Americans and other people of color were not allowed after dark. In 1949, a local ordinance in Miami Beach prohibited antisemitic discrimination.

21st century

According to the Anti-Defamation League, the number of reported antisemitic incidents has increased in Florida each year since 2018. In 2022, there were 269 reported antisemitic incidents, including 1 assault, 54 incidents of vandalism, and 214 incidents of harassment. According to a report published by Florida Attorney-General

Ashley Moody Ashley Brooke Moody (born March 28, 1975) is an American politician, attorney, and former jurist serving since 2025 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States senator from the state of Florida. A member of the Republican P ...

, the number of antisemitic crimes in Florida increased by 94% in 2023 compared to 2022. These crimes occurred on campuses, in places of worship, and in other areas. Moody also called to action: “To protect Jewish Americans, we took action – calling for a zero-tolerance policy for hate crimes and urging Florida college and university police chiefs to protect Jewish students and other religious groups.”

References

External links

Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Legislation in Israel Further Combatting Antisemitism

Ron DeSantis Ronald Dion DeSantis (; born September 14, 1978) is an American politician, attorney, and former United States Navy, naval officer serving as the 46th List of governors of Florida, governor of Florida since 2019. A member of the Republican Pa ...

{{Antisemitism in the United States Discrimination in Florida Jews and Judaism in Florida