The Oldest City's Oldest Synagogue

by Robert Blau

Overview

First Congregation Sons of Israel has been worshipping in the same synagogue continuously since it was inaugurated 100 years ago.  That makes it the oldest in Florida, and the object of great celebration.  This book traces the origins of the congregation and the beautiful building in downtown St. Augustine, a city that venerates its history, dating back to 1565.  The synagogue founders arrived in Florida near the end of the 19th century, fleeing poverty and persecution in Eastern Europe.  In St. Augustine they found a city growing rapidly with the advent of a new railroad and luxury hotels built by mega-developer Henry Flagler.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940167444904
Publisher:	Robert Blau
Publication date:	10/15/2023
Sold by:	Draft2Digital
Format:	eBook
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Born and raised in the New York area, Robert Blau studied undergrad at Brandeis University, did a two-year stint in the Peace Corps in West Africa, then went to grad school at Ohio University.  Soon after obtaining a Master’s degree in International Affairs, he joined the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer, serving for over 30 years until his retirement in 2014.  Overseas tours included Santo Domingo, Conakry (Guinea), Brasilia, Panama, Lisbon, Havana and San Salvador, where he was Chargé d’Affaires for twenty months.  He had domestic assignments at the State Department in Washington DC dealing with Bosnia reconstruction, International Narcotics and Crime, Cuban Affairs, and Human Resources.  He also was assigned for two years as a faculty member of the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base.

After retirement he worked as a teacher at Torah Academy of Jacksonville, dabbled in resume writing, and then returned to Washington to be Vice President for Operations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

He returned to Florida in 2018, moving to Saint Augustine, and joining First Congregation Sons of Israel, where his father, of blessed memory, had been a congregant.  Fully absorbed in the Oldest City’s history, Robert has served as a volunteer at Castillo San Marcos, dressing up as a 1740 Spanish soldier and greeting the visitors.  He published a short e-book in the summer of 2023 about his experiences battling throat and neck cancer entitled “Cancer World.”