Every year, Jewish New Yorkers pack up their Manhattan apartments or suburban homes and head south to Palm Beach County, which is now home to roughly 200,000 Jewish residents and one of the fastest-growing Jewish communities in North America.
The appeal of South Florida is obvious: warm weather, abundant sunshine and no income tax, which allows retirees to keep 100 percent of their state-level retirement distributions. Less obvious is whether a retiree can make that move without giving up the things that made New York feel like home, such as an active synagogue community, luxury lifestyle amenities, robust cultural and dining scenes and a high standard of service.
Fortunately, MorseLife Health System’s Levin Palace is designed to make the transition from New York to Florida as seamless as possible. Built in 2017, the luxury independent living community for active adults 65 and older is located on MorseLife’s 50-acre campus in West Palm Beach. The upscale residences — featuring spacious apartments with large windows, private balconies and stunning views — provides top-notch amenities and maintenance-free living for an all-inclusive monthly fee.
Trisha D. Hewes, Esq., CEO of MorseLife Health System, which operates Levin Palace, sat down with Rob Lucarelli to discuss the community’s amenities, costs and what New Yorkers can expect if they make the move.
Q: A lot of the people you work with are coming from New York. What are they most nervous about leaving behind?
A: Almost never the weather; they’re ready for that. It’s usually community. People will say, “I’ve belonged to the same shul for 30 years, my whole social life runs through it. How will I rebuild this at my age?” That’s a real concern, and I don’t dismiss it. Our answer isn’t to tell them not to worry. Instead, we show them what’s actually here: an on-site synagogue, Shabbat and holiday services every week, a rabbi and kosher dining alongside traditional options. For residents who want that rhythm, it’s not something they have to go find — it’s built into daily life at The Levin Palace.
(Courtesy MorseLife Health System)
Q: How rooted are Jewish values in MorseLife as an organization, versus just being a feature of one building?
A: MorseLife’s founding mission comes directly out of Jewish tradition and the responsibility to care for our elders. That’s not marketing language, it’s been true for more than 40 years. We’re a not-for-profit organization, which shapes decisions in ways people don’t always expect, like what we invest in and how we staff. And I’ll say clearly: We welcome residents of every faith and background. But for those who want Jewish life to be present and vibrant — and not an afterthought — that’s what they find here.
Q: Beyond community, what does luxury mean at The Levin Palace? New Yorkers tend to have a high bar.
A: They do, and I’d like them to hold us to it. At The Levin Palace, we offer designer one- and two-bedroom apartments with high ceilings, large windows and private balconies, plus finishes you’d expect walking into a well-appointed building on the Upper West Side. Housekeeping, valet, concierge and utilities are all included. But the thing I hear most often from new residents isn’t about the finishes, it’s that the staff greets them by name within the first week. That’s the version of luxury that matters once you’ve moved in.
Q: What does a typical week look like for a Levin Palace resident?
A: As full as they want it to be. We have a spa, a gym and indoor and outdoor pools. We offer yoga, tai chi and aquatic fitness classes. We also have film screenings, regular lectures on current affairs, and Hebrew and Yiddish lessons. We also offer globally themed dinners, wine pairings and a daily happy hour, plus bridge, mah jongg, canasta and casino nights. We also have a private transportation fleet, so residents can easily get to physicians’ appointments, Worth Avenue or a show at the Kravis Center. Independence is the point — we’re just removing the friction around it.
(Courtesy MorseLife Health System)
Q: Financially, how does this compare to what people see in New York, or at other luxury communities?
A: It’s simpler than most people expect: A straightforward annual lease covers residence, dining, amenities, services and programming. There are no a la carte surprises. There’s clarity from day one about what they’re paying and what it includes.
Q: MorseLife is also a health system, not just a residential community. What does that mean?
A: People move to independent living thinking about their best years — as they should. But because Levin Palace sits on our broader campus, residents have priority access to the full continuum of care, including assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, rehabilitation and home health care, without having to uproot again or start over with a new provider. It’s part of why families feel comfortable making the move in the first place.
Q: What would you say to someone in New York who’s on the fence about retiring at Levin Palace?
A: Come see our community before you decide anything. I’d rather someone walk the campus, sit in on a Shabbat service and talk to current residents other than take my word for any of this. One of our residents, Joan, told me that moving here gave her more freedom than she expected. She said she feels like she’s creating something new every day. That’s what we’re aiming for — not a smaller version of the life someone’s leaving, but a genuinely good one with the pieces that matter most to them still intact.
For more information about luxury independent living at The Levin Palace at MorseLife, visit MorseLife.org/The-Levin-Palace.