RECOGNIZING THE ZINN FAMILY
Born and raised in the Bronx, Marilyn & Dave met as teenagers on Valentine’s Day in 1949 at a party and that was it! They were married in 1952. Dave sold Lincoln/Mercury in the Bronx and developed an automobile background. They moved to Miami in 1957 with two-year old, Warren, their firstborn. Craig and Robert came later. Dave owned the Kismet Apts. on Miami Beach, dabbled in real estate and worked for Potamkin Chevrolet. Craig was born during a trip back to NY and then Robert on Miami Beach. Dave worked with his father-in-law and bought a building on Alton Road and started his first auto business as a bookkeeper and mechanic with three people.
Marilyn and Dave moved their young family to NW Dade County on 195th Street and joined Congregation B’nai Raphael. The boys disliked Hebrew School which meant so much to the family to give them a Jewish education, so Marilyn convinced Dave that they had to move to N. Miami Beach, which they did in 1964 and joined Beth Torah Congregation. They always wanted to do what was right for their kids and they all went to Religious School and became a Bar Mitzvah at Beth Torah.
Dave begged and borrowed to open his little Toyota business. He left home early every morning before the family awoke and came home late at night. Marilyn raised the three boys and Dave worked very hard to build the business for his family. He opened Dave Zinn Motors in 1965 followed by Dave Zinn Toyota in 1969. He made the automobile industry a success. He was the Chairman of Foreign Car Dealerships in the U.S.A. and the rest is automobile history in South Florida.
The boys grew up in public school. Warren was a member of the first graduating class of NMB Senior High. Warren’s three-year stint at USF in pre-med taught him his interest in auto bodies surpassed his interest in the human body. He and Craig continued their degrees at Michigan’s Northwood Institute, a business college with a specialized automotive program. Robert went on to Emory University in Atlanta. At age 21, with Dave’s help, Warren became the youngest new car dealer in the state opening Warren Henry Volvo. He began Warren Henry Auto Group in 1976.
Dave served on the Beth Torah Board of Directors for a few years and then became an Honorary Trustee in 1986. He was more a behind-the-scenes member and spent most of his waking hours building his business. Dave chose to sit in the last seat in the last row in Shul and said a prayer to G-d that “if I make it….”, we would give back to Beth Torah and the community. G-d was listening to those prayers. When Beth Torah moved to its current home near Aventura, the Zinn Family occupied the second row in the sanctuary. They made their impact on their synagogue and community and built their legacy. Dave & Marilyn moved the family to Sky Lake. They later moved to their current home in Bal Harbour.
Warren’s family started to grow in 1983 with the birth of Katy, and Larry was born in 1986. It didn’t take too long for him to become a Little League Coach. Both children were raised at Beth Torah and attended Nursery School, Religious School and became a Bat & Bar Mitzvah. Larry became Executive General Manager of Warren Henry Auto Group in 2008, later married Courtney and have a beautiful daughter, Anna, who captured the hearts of the entire family. Katy joined the company in 2020. Warren has followed in his father’s footsteps and is a loyal and generous supporter of Beth Torah. His annual commitment to Sponsor Monte Carlo Night, Musical Celebrations, and numerous special events has helped our congregation grow and continue to strengthen our Jewish community. We are most grateful to him for rededicating the doors of the Aron Kodesh in honor of his parents for the Sanctuary Project. When time permits, Warren travels to Colorado with his family and his girlfriend of 19 years, Vicki Miller.
Craig owns and operates Craig Zinn Auto Group. He is married to Martine and they have two children, Zack & Brittany. Robert, married to Karen, have two children, Mike and Jennifer (Bryan Braha) expecting their first child.
Marilyn and Dave Zinn, married 68 years, worked hard for their family, their synagogue and the Jewish community and their children have learned from their parents. Now their grandchildren are taking their place and we celebrate four generations of the Zinn Family for Generational Shabbat this week and recognize 57 years of commitment and service as a significant part of the Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus Family. Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do.
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Each week one of our generational families will be recognized by our congregation blessed
by the rabbis at both the “virtual” Friday evening and Shabbat morning services.
Over 50 families have been identified with 50 + years of membership at Beth Torah and another
25 families as their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who are currently members of Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus.
To view the Services:
Friday night: https://btbrc.org/livestreaming/
Click on Perez Chapel at 7:00 pm
Shabbat Morning: https://btbrc.org/livestreaming/
Click on Perez Chapel at 9:30 am
