Faced with skyrocketing costs of housing and education, an increasing number of young Jewish families are choosing to move to the vibrant, affordable, and friendly community of Memphis, Tennessee.  Specifically, over fifty Jewish families have relocated to Memphis over the past three years, moving from cities including RochesterBoston, Teaneck, Las VegasNew York and Seattle.

 Next month, the Memphis Jewish community will be showcasing itself at a “Taste of Memphis” weekend. From May 11ththrough the 13th, visitors will enjoy a memorable 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 2 through 12th Grade), Bornblum Jewish Community School (Grades K–8), the fabulous JCC, and visit the city’s historic sights. On Sunday, visitors will experience the annual Jerusalem Day picnic and concert at Anshei Sphard Beth El Emeth synagogue.

Memphis is well known as a tourist attraction. Six hundred thousand 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 all popular destinations as well. What is less known is that Memphis boasts an extremely vibrant Jewish community, which includes seven synagogues, a bustling JCC, 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 stated 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 Jewish families to explore life in Memphis, the community is offering a generous incentive package, including a $250 subsidy towards a family’s flights for a weekend visit. New Memphians will receive three months of free membership at the JCC. Also, students enrolling at either Jewish day school will receive a significant discount for the 2018-19 academic year. Lastly, families who move to Memphis will receive $500 towards relocation expenses.

“The new families and their children have settled in wonderfully – and have been welcomed with open arms by our community,” said Joel Siegel, one of the volunteer leaders of the ‘100NewFamilies Committee’.

“We are confident that ‘A Taste of Memphis’ will again be successful,” Siegel adds, “and will enable many young families to discover that our city is the ideal destination for those seeking a fantastic quality of life with all of the Jewish amenities.”

For more information, visit www.100newfamilies.com or contact the organizers at 100newfamilies@gmail.com or 901-352-1776.

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