NEW YORK (VINnews) – The growing Orthodox Jewish community near Okeechobee, Florida, is drawing national attention, with the New York Post publishing a prominent report Sunday highlighting families who left New York amid concerns about rising antisemitism, political tensions and the high cost of living.

The report, published by David Spector, focuses on Lakefront Estates, a 550-acre development in Glades County that is attracting Orthodox Jewish families seeking to build a new community outside New York.

As previously reported, dozens of families have already relocated to the area, with more than 100 additional families reportedly planning to follow. The development includes a kosher supermarket, synagogue and yeshiva, providing the foundations for an Orthodox Jewish community.

The Post spoke with several families who said growing concerns about antisemitism, which they associate in part with the political climate under New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, helped push them to leave.

One former Brooklyn resident told the newspaper that he had noticed a change in the atmosphere in Borough Park since Mamdani took office.

New York State Assemblyman Aron Wieder, who represents a heavily Orthodox district in Rockland County, also told the Post that approximately 20 families from his district had moved to Lakefront Estates. He cited antisemitism, high taxes and housing costs as factors driving families to consider leaving New York.

The article also highlights the challenges facing the new community in Florida. While many local residents have welcomed their new neighbors, far-right online personalities have targeted the Orthodox Jewish residents with hostile rhetoric, raising concerns about the consequences of inflammatory social media campaigns.

According to NYPD figures cited in the report, hate crimes in New York City had risen nearly 16% compared with the previous year, with attacks against Jews accounting for approximately half of reported incidents.

The New York Post coverage brings broader attention to a migration that has already begun, documenting how some Orthodox Jewish families are weighing safety, religious community, housing affordability and the political environment as they decide where to raise their children.

For Lakefront Estates, the influx represents the beginning of a growing community. For the families making the move, the decision reflects their search for a place where they can maintain their religious way of life while building a future outside New York.