Lynn University, in the South Florida city of Boca Raton, will host the third and final presidential debate. Republicans are pouring resources into the region, hoping to win over a small but potentially significant group of Jewish voters.

South Florida is home to a large Jewish population that typically votes Democrat. But local religious leaders doubt Republican candidate Mitt Romney's aggressive pro-Israel stance will sway enough voters to make a difference in the swing state.

Boca Raton is in Palm Beach County, which has the nation's fourth-largest Jewish community. A study conducted in 2005 by the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach reported that 76,785 Jewish people lived in Boca Raton. In 2011, Boca Raton had a total population of 85,000.

Although 78 percent of Jewish Florida residents voted for Obama in 2008, Republicans think some can be persuaded to support Romney.

"Eight percent of ballots cast in Florida on Election Day will be from Jewish voters," said a Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) spokesperson. "The Jewish community in itself could deliver the state of Florida for Romney."

RJC reported that Obama carried Florida with 200,000 votes. But his support has slipped 13 percentage points since 2008, an AJC poll reports. 

And though Jews only make up about 3.4 percent of the population in Florida, they consistently come out to the polls in high numbers.

The Republican Jewish Coalition

is focusing a huge portion of a $6.5 million air-and-ground strategy to reach Jewish Voters into Florida, reported the New York Times.

Large billboards stating: "Obama...Oy Vey!!" are springing up along Flrorida freeways, and in Boca Raton, as part of a "buyer's remorse campaign."  The RJC has five phone banking events to swing states planned on Wednesday. The Florida event, located in Boca Raton, is planned to last 10 hours.

And Jews in South Florida are noticing.

"People are getting ticked off by it," said Kurt Stone, a rabbi and professor in Boca Roton. "[The RJC] is turning a serious issue into a punchline."

Stone said the campaign strategies will fail.

"I don't think [the campaigning] is going to amount to anything to change the election because the percentage of Jewish voters is historically small," Stone said. "The Jewish community usually knows a lot about the candidates, and their opinions are already solidifed."

Dr. Fred Steinberg, a long time Boca Raton resident and radiologist, said Obama's poor performance in the first debate might sway some Jewish neighbors.

"Romney did really well, everything, from his presentation, act, demeanor, was very proffesional and well played," said Steinberg in a telephone interview. "I didn't think the debates would have much of an impact, but after watching the first one, I think they will."

Efrem Goldberg, the senior rabbi at Boca Raton Synagogue, told WPTV Channel 5 News that Jews' priorities are changing, and since 9/11, "more and more [Jewish] votes are up for grabs."

RJC also believes that issues such as "Israel, the economy, and nuculear weapons in Iran have many soft Democrat and Independent Jewish voters questioning Obama's capability."

The Coalition also referenced the AJC poll's findings that 65 percent of Jewish voters in Florida would choose to re-elect the president as a "significant slip" for the Presient.

But persuading enough Jewish voters to choose Romney to make a difference would be an incredible feat. Historically, no matter how pro-Israel, no Republican candidate has garnered more than 40 percent of the Jewish vote since 1924. Despite marketing their strong support for Israel in this campaign, do Republicans have a chance?

Rabbi Stone says no. 

"A lot of people in my community are offended when they are being told that the only issue that will determine their vote is Israel," he said. "There are a lot of other issues; social security, medicare, and education, for example."

Stone said his members of his community are working hard to combat against the Republican campaign strategies by gaining ground in voter registration. Most studies show nearly 650,000 Jews reside in Florida. More than half a million are in South Florida, but less than half a million are registered to vote.

"What we are noticing the most is the tremendous grounding the Democrats have," he said. "One of my friends is in charge of voter registration in Broward County, and they have been up and running for 10 months and are out six days a week registering voters." 

To be sure, the Jewish leaders said Obama's stance on Israel is noted.

"The fact that he wouldn't meet with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu flabbergasted me," Steinberg said.

Despite Obama's unimpressive performance and his concerns about Obama's posturing towards Israel, Steinberg will vote to re-elect the president in November because of his handling of Iraq, Afghanistan, and other domestic issues. Steinberg hopes this is the case with other Jewish voters, but is not too sure.

Israel might be of great importance to many Jewish voters, but domestic issues may keep many Jews from going Republican, as is the case with Steinberg. Either way, Democrats plan to counter any Romney gains.

"For every one Jew that voted for Obama in 2008 and might go for Romney, we're hoping to have three new voters to replace them," Rabbi Stone said.

Reach staff reporter Brianna Sacks here.