But through the front door was a buzz of activity. During a recent visit, kindergarten students seated at two tables worked on crayon drawings of their families. In another, a teacher prompted third graders to examine the text of “Charlotte’s Web” for clues about the characters. In a third room, older boys listen to a rabbi explain the importance of Israeli kings’ reigns as historical markers. Nearby, older girls learn the origin story of the prophet Samuel.
The school, whose mission is to offer an authentically Orthodox Jewish education, is one of only four Jewish day schools in the Tampa Bay area. Jewish day schools are booming in South Florida, and the greater Tampa Bay area is also seeing a resurgence after years of decline.