(Courtesy of YI of Deerfield Beach) When is it time to retire? What does retiring mean to you? These types of questions enter the minds of all of us who reach a certain age, or a certain mindset, as we evaluate our present and future life cycles; and they are answered differently by everyone at these important moments.
One of the options often under consideration is a physical lifestyle change, which may include moving out of the tri-state area and relocating to a warmer climate with a more moderate pace of life. Built into the decision-making process is the recognition that the community one selects must have the access and opportunity required to continue a fully religious communal life with all of its requisite amenities.
The ultimate question is, do you want to make a wise move? Then consider a move to south Florida, and specifically, we would suggest, to Century Village, Deerfield Beach.
In 1980, 20 Century Village residents rented a small storefront adjacent to the Century Plaza Shopping Center to organize the first Orthodox shul in Deerfield Beach. By 1995, four more storefronts were added to the original one to accommodate the influx of new families. By 2001, with attendance swelling beyond 500, discussions began about building a permanent structure, which was, indeed, completed by Rosh Hashanah of 2004. The edifice of the Young Israel of Deerfield Beach stands majestically on the site of a filled-in lake. With stained-glass windows depicting the Ten Commandments as well as the 12 Tribes, this shul is a sight to behold.
Our building has been designed to meet our members’ physical needs, and the shul is indeed self-sufficient. We are very proud of its accomplishments. Under the leadership of Rabbi Yisroel Edelman, we have indeed grown since our storefront days to over 1,000 member families.
In the words of our rabbi, “We always look forward to welcoming potential and new congregants to our Young Israel of Deerfield Beach (YIDB) Century Village community. YIDB is the home of much Torah learning. We offer many daily shiurim for both men and women, as well as hosting outstanding scholars-in-residence throughout the year.” There are many other shul-centered organizations functioning, such as a sisterhood, Amit and Emunah.
As our shul president pointed out recently, “It was the many facets of the shul—its learning and communal activities—that motivated my wife and I to relocate fulltime to the Deerfield Beach community.” The shul welcomes new participants and ideas based on the unique skills and experiences of our ever-increasing membership.
Activities available to our Century Village residents include, but are not limited to, tennis, pickleball, miniature golf, swimming and numerous workshops and exercise classes designed to fill your day with healthy options for both body and mind. For evening entertainment, live shows are presented in the Village Clubhouse during the “season” to keep residents entertained in between davening and shiurim.
The greater Deerfield Beach-Boca Raton community is home to a vibrant Jewish life, which includes not only spiritual activities, but physical and material ones as well. There is a growing opportunity for ample kosher shopping, restaurants and joint synagogue initiatives. In fact, all of these offer endless choices for a rich and meaningful life.
We look forward to getting to know you and hopefully welcoming you officially to our YIDB family. For further information about our community, please contact Saul Landa at [email protected] or call him at 732-672-8257.
We are fully confident you will be glad you decided to join us.
