Kosher in Cape Coral/ Fort Myers? (Jacksonville, Bonita Springs: rental, houses, neighborhoods)

[tanner524]

Hello, We are looking at moving to the Cape Coral/ Fort Myers area in a couple of months. My wife and I have three children ages 18, 16, 13 and would like to know if there are Kosher grocery stores in either town. We are looking to rent at first and would like a 3/2 with pool for around 1300-1500 per month. Is this doable? We would also like to live in a safe community close to a synogogue if possible. We live in Minnesota right now, 45 minutes from the nearest synogogue and we are tired of being so isolated. My wife is from Florida and it is time to move. We are not concerned about jobs, just about schools for our children. Thank you.

[hiknapster]

My first reaction after reading your post was thinking that you picked the wrong coast. I use to live in the area for quite awhile and the Jewish community is more concentrated on the other coast of South Florida. But I did a search and it looks like there is a larger Jewish population than I realized!

MapQuest Maps - Driving Directions - Map

I also found this:

Kosher Food in Bonita Springs, Naples, Fort Myers, Marco Island, Sanibel, Ft. Myers Florida - Chabad of Bonita Springs, Estero & FGCU - & Kosher Food

And this:

Kosher Food - Chabad Lubavitch of Southwest Florida - Maimonides School

[tanner524]

Thanks for the links, I found them very helpful. I had heard Publix was expanding their Kosher line in the area and found that there is a good Jewish population in the area. My wife grew up in Florida and we have lived in Minnesota for far to long. We are going to be looking at houses in July/Aug. and check out the areas. It has been so long since my wife has been to the area, we do not know the good parts from the bad. I know the Synogogues are all on the Fort Myers side and we are hoping to find a realtor to help us find a good location.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by tanner524

I know the Synogogues are all on the Fort Myers side and we are hoping to find a realtor to help us find a good location.

Not really. I went to a synagogue nearly 20 years ago in Cape Coral. In fact, it was the only Jewish temple I could find in Lee County at that time, but that was before Google!

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

My first reaction after reading your post was thinking that you picked the wrong coast. I use to live in the area for quite awhile and the Jewish community is more concentrated on the other coast of South Florida. But I did a search and it looks like there is a larger Jewish population than I realized!

I think you had the correct initial reaction although it's true that the Jewish population in SWFL has grown. Still, for families who keep a kosher home and enjoy activities within the Jewish community, there's a lot more to choose from in areas like Palm Beach and Broward counties. Jacksonville also has a very active Jewish community.

[rikoshaprl]

cape coral jewish centers - Google Maps

[native dave]

We live in Cape Coral, across the river from Ft Myers. There is a reform synagogue in the cape, and a chabad shul. In Ft Myers there is another chabad shul, and two well established synagogues. There is also a free synagogue that meets at the Greek Orthodox Church. This is the one we go to.
If there are kosher restaurants here, we haven't found them. In the cape there is a vegetarian chain restaurant called the 'loving hut' that advertises itself as kosher. We haven't been. Their menu is largely Asian vegetarian cuisine as far as I can tell.
Most of the grocery stores in this area have a lot of kosher offerings. Publix has always had a lot of kosher food. Their 'Jewish' section in the stores is laughably small. It's in the ethnic foods isle. But, they have so many kosher offerings throughout the store, it's not really an issue. Kosher meats have always been the hardest nut to crack down here. After chabad moved in, publix began stocking kosher frozen meats at some of their locations. We have also found organic, kosher chicken at Costco in Ft Myers. A new organic only specialty market has also opened on McGregor rd in Ft Myers. They stock grass fed kosher beef when they can get it.
Hope this helps.

[native dave]

Your price range for a rental 3/2 should be do-able. The neighborhood around beth shalom in Cape Coral is nice and if you can find a rental, your price range would be able to get you something nice. In Ft Myers, there is one synagogue in the 'downtown' area. The neighborhoods that border on McGregor road are nice. The whiskey creek area is also nice. I would avoid the neighborhoods that border 41.
The other regular synagogue in Ft Myers is on the south side of town. I don't know of any nicer neighborhoods in that part of town.
The free synagogue (it's sort of 'reform'... very 'casual') is in the Greek Orthodox Church. The neighborhoods to the north and west of it are nice. I would avoid the areas off to the south and east of it. They aren't necessarily 'bad' neighborhoods. But, you could do better for your money.

[native dave]

As far as schools, for the age of your children, the best public schools in the area are going to be cypress lake in Ft Myers, or any of the high schools in the Cape. Cape Coral has 'school of choice' which means that any child in the cape can go to any school in the cape.
There is an excellent private school in Ft Myers called Canterbury. It's pricey, but very good.
I would avoid any of the charter schools in the area. Their marketing is good, but their actual results are poor and they have constant staff and management issues.

[LIFL]

Originally Posted by tanner524

Hello, We are looking at moving to the Cape Coral/ Fort Myers area in a couple of months. My wife and I have three children ages 18, 16, 13 and would like to know if there are Kosher grocery stores in either town. We are looking to rent at first and would like a 3/2 with pool for around 1300-1500 per month. Is this doable? We would also like to live in a safe community close to a synogogue if possible. We live in Minnesota right now, 45 minutes from the nearest synogogue and we are tired of being so isolated. My wife is from Florida and it is time to move. We are not concerned about jobs, just about schools for our children. Thank you.

You should look at the other side of Florida, in Broward, and Palm Beach, the schools are better, and there are many more synagogues.