Joe Pearlman

Joe Pearlman was born in Romania. He came to Key West in 1904 and became a successful businessman in two unrelated fields, retail sales and construction. In 1916, he opened Pearlman's Quality Store on Duval Street which he operated for 37 years. Joe was also a leader in construction and development. In 1929, he founded Joe Pearlman's, Inc. After the Great Depression, he built naval and residential structures with his company, the CBS Construction Company, Inc. and the Monroe Land Development Company. He was the developer of Pearlman Estates a major cement block housing development offering homes that were easily air conditioned and low in maintenance. Joe Pearlman was also a civic leader who took seriously his obligations to his adopted country. Joe served as president of the Retail Merchants Association for 20 years and was active in the Chamber of Commerce, Red Cross, Cerebral Palsy and Crippled Children's Association, Masons and Elks. He was a member of the Rotary Club for almost 50 years and served as president and was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the club. The Rotary Club named him the "Most Outstanding Citizen of 1978." He was president of B'nai Zion Synagogue from 1925 to 1950. The Depression caused mass migration of people from Key West but his leadership held the Jewish community together and he helped maintain a synagogue and a rabbi. He worked to lead the community back to prosperity. The new synagogue on United Street, built by his CBS Construction Company, opened in 1969. He was chairman of the Key West Jewish Federation and was named Lifetime Honorary President of Congregation B'nai Zion. , Donated by , His Children and Grandchildren In Loving Memory .