Tampa is Booming!

The city of Tampa Fl, nestled off the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and the second biggest city in Florida, has always seemed like the perfect place for a Frum community.  There is the beautiful weather, tuition vouchers, and many job opportunities.  While there is a strong Jewish presence in Tampa, there hasn’t been an Ashkenaz Shul in many years and definitely no Kollel.  That all changed this past August with the opening of the Tampa Kollel along with Tampa Torah Academy, a new school opened in conjunction with the Kollel. They are collectively known as the Tampa Torah Center. 8 Kollel families moved down along with 2 other pioneering families to start the new community.  The dual mission for the pioneering families was to create a Frum community with affordable living along with being marbitz Torah to the over 70,000 Jews in Tampa.

The Kollel members learn morning seder b’chavrusa after which they use their talents to run programs and connect to make an impact on the Jewish community in Tampa.  In the last 10 months, the Kollel estimates they have impacted over 1,000 unaffiliated Jews.  Some of the programs include: JSU (NCSY) highschool clubs with over 200 students, Oorah Chilzone attracting up to 50 students each week from age 6, Mishmar which brings Jews from all over Tampa for the warmth of the Kollel along with learning, cholents, and singing, Lox & Learn every Sunday morning with davening, a delicious breakfast, and engaging Torah discussions, Community lecture series which brings in the best speakers across the frum world, the Sisterhood events which are a way for women to connect and learn, and of course our Night Seder 3xs a week for the community with delicious catered food and one on one learning.  The Kollel also has become a place to network for business travelers from all over the US and even Israel to get a taste of home along with a beis medrash to learn.

While the impact of the Kollel has been huge and has anchored the new community as a place of spiritual growth and Torah learning, Tampa Torah Academy has likewise been a game changer for the city of Tampa. Tampa Torah Academy is located on a beautiful campus and staffed by many of the Kollel wives. TTA in its first year had about half its students from the Kollel families, and the other half from local tampa families which are now benefiting from a Torah education. The dynamic of the Kollel families’ children along with children that are just getting started in their Jewish education has proven thus far to uplift the entire school.  TTA looks forward to growing by 50% next year!

Between Tampa Kollel and Tampa Torah Academy, the infrastructure for community growth is in place.  The first year of the Tampa Torah Center has been a huge success in already uplifting the city of Tampa with an incredible school and the warmth of the Kollel providing many learning opportunities for the community.

The Tampa Torah Center is having their biggest fundraiser today June 18th and June 19th to raise $650,000 to support their incredible mission.  With most support coming from outside of Tampa, this emerging and inspiring community is relying on YOU to help them reach their goal! 

Donate now at Charidy.com/ttc