nashville jewish community (Murfreesboro, Franklin, Columbia: for sale, home, purchase)

[obl2]

We are looking to leave south florida and considering the Nashville area. I have 2 young children so schools are a priority. We also need to be reasonably close (20 minutes or so) from a reform jewish temple for religious school purposes. Our price range is mid 200's. I've heard Murfreesboro is nice but I'm not sure if there is a jewish temple anywhere nearby. Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks.

[alleycat]

I'm not Jewish, so I can only help you a little.

The Jewish commumity in Nashville tends to live on the west side of town. There are three synagogues on West End Avenue/Harding Road. There is also a large Jewish community center a little further out close to Warner Park, near Bellevue, where I live. You could probably get the information you're looking for by contacting the community center. If you decide to move to Nashville, you might look at West Meade, Green Hills, or Bellevue or one of the areas nearby. 200k is a little low, but you should be able to find something in that price range in those areas.

I'm just not familiar enough with Murfreesboro to know about Jewish syngogues/schools there. I'm guessing that it's big enough that there would be.

[blissblessed1]

I graduated from MTSU in Murfressboro.There is a small community of Jewish people there, and that includes Nashville metro area. I am of Italian origin(look it) and had a difficult time with it there. Not for me.

[RG144]

Hello obl2:

It's been awhile since you posted your question, but I just read it today. Not sure if you made your decision, but here are some other inputs.

As a Nashville native who is Jewish, I can tell you that it is a wonderful place to live and I am proud of my hometown. Like all cities, Nashville has had its share of antisemitism in the past, but as a city with a large university community and a relatively moderate political climate (the city, home to Al Gore, always votes Democratic, FYI), it has never been subjected to the kinds of endemic racial or religious problems that plague other cities, south or north. Nashville's leadership have typically been very supportive of the Jewish community and there have been Jewish city councilmen and other important civic leaders from within the Jewish community.

Like the rest of Nashville, the city's Jewish population is growing and flourishing. The city's relatively small Jewish population had stagnated for 20 years at about 4,000. But since 2000, it has more than doubled in size and continues to grow quickly along with the overall diversity of the city. Rapid growth aside, 8,000 to 10,000 Jews today still represent a very small (but visible) share of Nashville's population of 1.5 million.

There are two new synagogues for a total of five (including two reform congregations), along with a new Hillel at Vanderbilt University (with a Kosher vegetarian restaurant) and a Center for Jewish Awareness. There is a Jewish Day School that recently constructed a new building, a growing JCC, a newly dedicated Holocaust Memorial, a Jewish Film Festival, and an an overall active Jewish community now approaching its 160th year.

One sad side effect of the "urbanization" of Nashville has been a reduction in the size of what were once small but thriving Jewish communities in outlying rural towns in Middle Tennessee like Columbia, Pulaski, Tullahoma, and others. Many towns are now being engulfed by Nashville's suburban sprawl.

Mufreesboro, where you were considering a move, is really the center of a growing suburban county (Rutherford) of about 300,000 in population and comprised of many Nashville commuters. Rutherford County has also been successful in generating one of the fastest job growth rates nationwide. So, more people are working and living there. Aside from Murfreesboro, Rutherford County is also home to growing Nashville manufacturing suburbs like Smyrna and LaVergne. More importantly, Murfreesboro itself is home to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), which is now the largest university in the state and has an increasing reputation as an academic institution. Due to growth in both the blue collar manufacturing sector and in white collar academic jobs, Mufreesboro's complexion is changing and the city is becoming more ethnically diverse.

That said, Murfreesboro is not yet a place with a large Jewish population. There is no synagogue in Mufreesboro. However, the overall growth of the community does signal that there is a growing Jewish component, albeit small. MTSU does have a Hillel group that meets regularly and the university has close to 100 Jewish students (still a small number, out of 23,000 enrollment). But, that's up significantly from the number who identified themselves as Jewish just a few years ago. By comparison, Vanderbilt University in Nashville has actively recruited Jewish students and now counts Jewish enrollment at about 20%.

Most Jewish families in Murfreesboro who are affliated with the major Jewish denominations attend services in Nashville, and many belong to Congregation Micah, a large new Reform congregation in suburban Brentwood (Williamson County), about 20 minutes' drive from Murfreesboro.

Hope this has been helpful, even though it appears to be about one year late!

RBG

[murfreesboro]

Greetings to you all

I to am looking for a jewish temple or otherwise in murfreesboro, does anyone know where the small group meets? I keep hearing that there is one located near MTSU, but I have yet to place where it is. There is definetly a population growiing here. I have gone to the salvation army here in murfreesboro and have found numberous jewish items for sale. If anyone knows where I can purchase jewish items here, or close by, please post. I am really looking for a gift shop to purchase menorahs and such.

thanks a bunch!!

[Steve_TN]

Originally Posted by murfreesboro

Greetings to you all

I to am looking for a jewish temple or otherwise in murfreesboro, does anyone know where the small group meets? I keep hearing that there is one located near MTSU, but I have yet to place where it is. There is definetly a population growiing here. I have gone to the salvation army here in murfreesboro and have found numberous jewish items for sale. If anyone knows where I can purchase jewish items here, or close by, please post. I am really looking for a gift shop to purchase menorahs and such.

thanks a bunch!!

Hi! I found this, but I am not sure how current it is or even if it is exactly what you are looking for. As far as temples, I see that most are in Nashville and there is one in Franklin. Perhaps some else here, a little more educated on the subject, can be a little more specific. Best of luck to you!

Group or Fellowship: B'nai Ya'akov Messianic Congregation
Meeting Location: 1641 Middle Tenn Blvd, (Victory Christian Center), Murfreesboro, TN
Contact Information: Jim Dodson, Congregational Leader, (615) 594-5475 or (615) 848-0811. BroJim2@aol.com
Meeting Schedule: Yom Shabbat 3:00 pm
Additional Information: "Proclaiming Messiah Yahshua as in the Torah"

[murfreesboro]

Thank you Steve_Tn!!!! I called the numbers you posted and I will be shabbath with this congregation on Sabbath. Thank you so much!!!

[murfreesboro]

Sorry for the type-o I will be fellowhipping with them this week!!! Thanks again Steve-O

[murfreesboro]

Hello there!! Scroll down the screen... Bnai Ya' akov messianic congregation is located in Murfreesboro. 615-594-5475/615-848-0811

Thank to our viewer steve_TN

sincerely Murfreesboro

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by murfreesboro

Sorry for the type-o I will be fellowhipping with them this week!!! Thanks again Steve-O

I sure hope you meant fellowshipping rather than fellowhipping. <ouch>