Wow, my 50th review came so quickly and even though I know there will be plenty more, I did want…read morethis one to be for something that had meaning to me. Occasionally, I see a review for a church, but rarely a synagogue, so I thought I would sing the praises of the synagogue where my family has been a member for 3 years, Temple Ramat Shalom. Ramat Shalom is an intimate, community oriented congregation that welcomes families, single adults, and people from all Jewish backgrounds, including interfaith families. When you walk into a service at Ramat Shalom, the staff and congregation are casual, very friendly, warm, and welcoming. The friendly spirit here starts at the top with Rabbi Andrew, a wonderful teacher, spiritual leader, and caring friend. He has been a cheerleader in times of joy and a great comfort in times of sorrow. He speaks to you like a "real person and friend", which is something I have not always seen rabbis or religious leaders do. Our Cantorial Soloist Debbie recently started with Ramat Shalom but I believe she fits right in and has been doing a fantastic job. She has an awesome voice and rocked a packed house with a "Rock Shabbat" last week . Not all services are "rock" but most do revolve around music. To me, this is a very fun and spirited type of service, not like the boring and dour services I grew up going to. Children are very important at Ramat Shalom. Little kids will never get stern looks if they make noise during services. There is a one day a week Hebrew School on Sundays and plenty of activities for both younger and older children. We do our best to get to services and get our kids to Hebrew School, but what I love about thiscongregation is that there is no judgment. The Temple is very understanding of our very busy lives (work, school, family, sports) and appreciates that we so our best.! We certainly appreciate Temple Ramat Shalom's warm caring, and understanding attitude.

Never have I felt more welcome in a temple than Ramat Shalom. The services on Friday night are…read moreinformal and inviting, and there are many people in my age range, as well as others... Rabbi Andrew and Cantor Debbie, both have beautiful voices that when singing the songs of our past really touch my soul. Also, there is room to have events there, with a recent kitchen add on that really makes it a place where you can have your special event all in one place. Highly recommend!

New Dawn Community Church is located in a strip mall on the corner of Sample Rd. and University. It…read morewas founded by pastor Randy Cutter in 1995. Sunday worship time is 10:00 AM s well as a Friday night service that is currently taking a summer break at 7:30 PM. They offer religious education for children aged 4 through high school in their various programs. The church has many different teams to get involved with including video, worship, healing, and jail ministry. Home groups meet twice a week in the cities of Coral Springs, Parkland, Tamarac, and Margate. You can view their weekly message on their website as well as Pastor Randy's blog posts and a complete calendar of events.

100 stars!!! This guys for the amazing live nativity that they had and the amazing production. They…read moredid a terrific job and I would love to go every year. This is also wonderful church if you wanna bring in your kids. They have a wonderful mom group.

First Church is a Methodist church that was founded in January 1969 when ten people formed the…read moreCrocker Memorial Methodist Church which was the first church to be founded in the a City of Coral Springs which at that time was only seven years old. Through the years the church has grown and this year in 2019 was the church's 50th anniversary. I visited the church to attend their Bethlehem Revisited event. This is the 27th year the church has put on the historical experience. They recreate the city of Bethlehem 2,000 years ago and you walk around on the night Jesus is born. The city is walked and has authentic period marketplaces. You can interact with the shop owners, Roman soldiers, musicians, shepherds, and storytellers. The highlight of the event is the end where you come to the living nativity with Mary, Joseph, baby, live animals, and angels. The event is amazing and completely free. Other upcoming church events include Christmas Caroling on December 22 and Christmas Eve service at 5 PM on December 24th. I loved my visit to this church. Bethlehem Revisted is one of the most popular Christmas events in this area and always crowded. They do a wonderful job celebrating the birth of Jesus.

I had my mom's funeral service here after I found out that my regular rabbi wasn't available…read morebecause she'd lost her mom as well that week. After searching around for a temple space that had warmth and character and a rabbi that had the same qualities, we chose this temple Rabbi Marc was absolutely hamish and wonderful. As was his staff. This tiny little temple in a 100 year home in downtown Delray was so charming and inviting! It felt like you were walking into a beautiful little New England home After the service , which was attended by about 80 people plus family , I can't tell you how many people have called me to get information about Rabbi Marc and this jewel of a place. I was called by so many I couldn't keep track! If you want someplace that feels personal and not sterile, that feels welcoming and inviting I highly recommend Rabbi Marc and his staff.

I actually went to Mass here and there's a good little story to go with it. It was Easter Sunday…read more I probably hadn't gone in about 10 years, except for Masses tied to funerals or ethnic celebrations. Those don't count. I felt that I needed to be thankful for being safely delivered to the Fort Lauderdale area after an arduous drive from the Atlanta area on interstates that Southerners and Northeasterners use like racetracks. Fortunately, there was an overnight stop in Jacksonville. I looked on my phone for a major Catholic church near Dania Beach, Florida. It had to have an evening service. It pulled up several, with St. Anthony's coming up first. St. Anthony's is but a few blocks from Broward Blvd. and Federal Highway, where Lauderdale's Financial District is located. I called St. Anthony's and it looked like a green light. I drove over there and it was closed, with a few other disappointed people also wanting to attend an Easter evening Mass, but unable to do so. If you - meaning St. Anthony's parish - deviate from your normal Mass schedule for a holy day, please update your recorded message to let people know. I was walking back to my car and a lady lowered her window and yelled out that there was a Mass at nearby St. Sebastian's. I checked the time, there was still some time left, and this parish church was very close by. It sits in that neighborhood adjacent to where the channel for the cruise ships at Port Everglades is located. St. Sebastian is a simple medium-sized Spanish style Catholic church. Its catchment area is somewhat uptown, but the people in attendance were quite diverse, mirroring South Florida - a subtropical, flat as a pancake version of SoCal amply stocked with Northeasterners and numerous striations of Hispanic backgrounds. The ushers were informal and in good spirits, with some of them decked out in those plantation or golf course buttoned print short sleeve shirts you'd see toward the entrance of Nordstrom's and swear you'd never buy when you were a young adult. I still wouldn't buy one today. The congregation, including the ushers, gave off a good vibe. The priest was from overseas and seemed like a humble and good-natured individual who understands the human condition and wants to provide a sensible spiritual baseline for those he ministers to. I liked this because clusters of parishes in certain areas of the country have priests with demographics that are too similar, not to mention too many "holier than thou" parishioners in attendance. It's because I grew up Catholic in SoCal that I don't care for those types of parishes, nor being around uptight people. (I'd like to think I'm detailed, but not uptight.) Our Catholicism was more relaxed, as it appears to be in South Florida. This mirrors life's realities. The homily was about the positive and good things that we can take from Easter and from our faith. I found it humble and moving. There was neither fire and brimstone nor dogmatic content. The congregation was sprinkled was holy water partway through the service as the priest made his way through the church. The singing and the music were spirited and very good. I actually stayed all the way to the end of Mass. The service lasted less than one hour. As I was getting ready to leave, I had my phone in hand and was taking photos of the parish. A woman parishioner came up to me and asked where I was from. She was a transplant to South Florida, just like most others. She told me about the parish, the church building, and even showed me where St. Sebastian's statue stood (since I asked), given that it is understated, not easily seen, and other imagery and statuary take precedence here. When people at a church randomly walk up to you and chat you up, devoid of heavy-duty spirituality, that's usually a good sign about the parish. When I was driving to the church, I wondered if there would be parking here, but a block or two inboard from the Point of Americas condo towers that dominate the channel's entrance at Port Everglades. There was indeed a generously sized parking lot. When I arrived and was looking for a parking place, a grown-up frat boy type was detailing his nicer Tesla in one of the outer parts of the parking lot. He was not there when I left. His Tesla vibe and going to church here did not seem like a symbiotic situation. I'm only bringing this up because it was so out of the ordinary and I found it humorous. I decided I would go to Mass on Easter and St. Sebastian's is where I went. I believe it was the first time I have ever gone to Mass while visiting South Florida. It turned out to be a good experience and that Easter Sunday's objective was fulfilled.

Was visiting town for Christmas and was curious to try both parishes in FLL. This congregation felt…read moreso welcoming with an opening Hail Mary before mass started, and also close knit. The choir is compete with brass and woodwind instruments. In closing remarks the priest even encouraged everyone to stay a few mins beyond the recessional to enjoy the holiday music the choir had worked to prep for.

I came here for an event and everyone was super nice. I'm glad that they welcome people with open…read morearms. I do love the sayings inside and I can appreciate the community that they give us. Spirituality is important so we thank you for that.

Warm and friendly people. Absolutley beautiful temple, inside and out. This place is a real gem. I…read moream so fortunate to have found this place.

June 2026- I'm in the process of moving back to Ft.Lauderdale and returning to St. Demetrios Greek…read moreOrthodox Church. The Church is breathtaking, warm and welcoming! Just by walking in, you feel the presence of our Lord.. Revered Father Peter Zougras is a true believer and teacher in Christ. Father's Sermons are life changing for me. As a widow who is struggling with loss and grief I find myself at peace as soon as I walk in... The service is beautiful and I am grateful for the dedicated Board members and volunteers. I have become a member and I look forward to being more involved once the move is complete..

Saint Demetrios of Thessalonica (270--306 AD) was a 4th-century Roman military leader and Christian…read moremartyr, He was executed by spear in Thessalonica under Emperor Galerius. He is a major saint in the Orthodox Church, celebrated on October 26 as a protector of Thessalonica. St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Churches were founded globally by Greek immigrants who wanted to preserve their religion and Greek culture. One such church is located in Ft. Lauderdale. St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Ft. Lauderdale was founded in the post WWII years. In 1946 a small group of Greek families began meeting in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale. The church was incorporated in 1959 and they purchased a 4 1/2 acre parcel on Riverland Road that included a Protestant church which they used for worship. In 1988 a new church was dedicated. It was modeled on the Byzantine Hagia Sophia cathedral in Istanbul. The church is topped by a dome that is 112 feet in diameter. At the center of the dome four equal arms meet that represent the Greek cross. The sanctuary can seat 750 people. The New York archbishop was present for the church dedication. The inside of the church is covered in colorful icons, images of sacred people and events in the bible. They tell the story of Christ, from birth to baptism to crucifixion to resurrection. The icons are a long-standing church tradition that allow worshipers to express their faith while encouraging a spiritual feeling in the church. On the ceiling is an icon of Christ looking down on parishioners and visitors. An icon can carry prayers to Christ and they are a window to heaven. I was able to take a free tour of the church during the Ft. Lauderdale Greek Festival. As a fan of beautiful churches and architecture I especially loved the tour but I had a great time at the festival too. I heartily recommend both. The festival is the perfect chance to check out this amazing church if you don't attend service which is held in both Greek and English. They also offer other events throughout the year that you can learn about from the church website.

Attended Shabbat service by Rabbi Josh Brodie. A small group…read moreassembled in the Library. Very nice & welcoming.

Another vote for Rabbi Josh Brodie! The outreach sabbath…read moreservices are very welcoming, are in English and Hebrew and men and women are together. Any person wanting to reconnect with their Jewish roots should attend any Friday night at 6 pm.