(Courtesy of 100newfamilies) Faced with skyrocketing costs of housing and education, an increasing number of young Orthodox families are choosing to move to the vibrant, affordable and friendly community of Memphis, Tennessee. Specifically, over 20 Orthodox families have relocated to Memphis over the past two years, moving from cities including Rochester, Boston, Columbus, Nashville, New York and Seattle.
The Memphis Orthodox community will be showcasing itself at a “Taste of Memphis” Shabbaton on October 20-22. Visitors will enjoy a fantastic weekend featuring the finest in Southern home hospitality. They will have multiple opportunities to interact with engaging families and speak with employment and real estate experts. On Friday, visitors can tour the newly remodeled Beit Midrash at the Margolin Hebrew Academy/Feinstone Yeshiva of the South (MHA/FYOS; age 3 through 12th grade), Bornblum Jewish Community School (Grades K–8) and our fabulous JCC, and visit the city’s historic sights. On Sunday, visitors will experience the world’s largest kosher barbecue competition at Anshei Sphard Beth El Emeth synagogue.
Memphis is well known as a tourist attraction. Over 600,000 people come yearly to visit Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. Sun Studio, the Gibson Guitar Factory, Beale Street and the National Civil Rights Museum are popular destinations as well. It is not as well known, however, that Memphis boasts an extremely vibrant Orthodox community, which includes four Orthodox shuls, a large eruv, two mikvahs, two kollels, a kosher bakery, kosher delis and plenty of kosher food.
Additionally, Memphians enjoy a relaxed, stress-free lifestyle. Drs. Ari and Lindi VanderWalde recently moved to Memphis from Los Angeles. They said that “it is the rare city where one can experience both small-town perks and an exceptional Jewish community. The pace of life is slow and very family friendly. There is an abundance of outdoor space and the kids are able to play safely. Protecting family time is a cultural value in the city; the workday ends comparatively early for even the busiest professionals. People are friendly, accommodating and genuinely care about each other. And traffic is now a thing of the past!”
To encourage Orthodox families to explore life in Memphis, the community is offering a generous incentive package. It includes a $250 subsidy towards a family’s flights to visit for a weekend. New Memphians will receive a free year of membership at any of the four Orthodox shuls and three months of free membership at the JCC. Also, students enrolling at the MHA/FYOS will receive 50 percent off tuition for the 2018-19 academic year. Lastly, families who move to Memphis will receive $500 towards relocation expenses.
Memphis is the ideal destination for a family looking for a fantastic quality of life with all of the Orthodox amenities. We hope that you will visit the community and discover this gem for yourself!
Please visit www.100newfamilies.com or contact us at [email protected] or 901-352-1776 for more information.
