Week of March 27, 2026
Week of March 27, 2026
Israir cancels regularly scheduled flights until Passover By Etgar Lefkovits Israeli airline Israir announced on Thursday that it is canceling its regular scheduled flights planned through the end of March due to airspace restrictions and limited operations amid the war with Iran. Israel’s second-largest carrier will continue outbound and inbound repatriation flights during this time, alongside the country’s other three airlines. “In line with the Transportation Ministry’s outline, which restricts the number of seats on each flight,...
(JNS) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday wished the “brave people of Iran” a Happy Nowruz, the Persian new year, which falls on the March equinox, the first day of Spring. “To the brave people of Iran, I wish you, as I do every year, a happy holiday season, beginning with the Festival of Lights. It signifies the age old belief of the Iranian people that light will triumph over darkness, that good will triumph over evil,” Netanyahu said, referring to the Festival of Fire, which falls on the Wednesday before the...
(JNS) — Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) said he plans to introduce legislation to strip citizenship from naturalized citizens who commit acts of terrorism. In response to recent attacks committed by naturalized citizens, including the March 12 truck-ramming at Temple Israel outside of Detroit, Moore stated that “this horrific pattern of naturalized citizens committing acts of terrorism against the American people must end.” “I will introduce a bill to denaturalize and deport any naturalized citizen who commits an act of terrorism, plots to...
(JNS) - The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday night struck regime sites in northern Iran for the first time since the start of "Operation Roaring Lion" against the Islamic Republic on Feb. 28, according to the Israeli military. Strikes were carried out by the Israeli Air Force, at the guidance of the Israeli Navy and IDF Military Intelligence Directorate, according to an initial statement, which did not include additional details. The IDF also struck over 200 regime targets in central and...
(JNS) - Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of a hostage murdered in Gaza, was selected to feature in USA Today's "2026 Women of the Year" list, in which she recounted how her personal grief is touching tens of thousands of strangers worldwide. "I'm trying very hard to own and greet the grief that I feel every single day, in a way of actually thinking of it as a privilege. I had this beautiful son. He was and he is a blessing," she wrote. Her son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, was held hostage by...
(JNS) — A new report by the Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance found that Jewish undergraduate enrollment at Harvard University has dropped to about 7 percent in 2025, its lowest level since before World War II and the lowest among Ivy League schools with reliable data. Titled “Jewish Enrollment at Harvard and Its Peers, 1967–2025: A Narrowing Gate,” the analysis reviewed nearly six decades of figures from Hillel International, historical Harvard Crimson surveys and peer‑institution reporting. It found that the share of Jewish...
(JNS) — The last time I went to Carnegie Hall to see something Jewish, it didn’t go well. In October, I went to hear the Israel Philharmonic but was denied entry because my pocketbook was “too big.” Security had nothing to say about the hundreds of protesters screaming, spitting and throwing stuff at the Jews in line. Recently, holding the tiniest bag I could find, I looked at the heavy police presence from across the street with a group who were there to see a performance of traditional Japanese arts. “Why so many cops?” one...
In the America in which I was born, Jews did not need to have armed guards to pray, send their kids to school, go shopping, or take public transportation. Yes, there was antisemitism and discrimination. Quotas limiting Jewish enrollment in universities. Neighborhoods and upscale apartment buildings were off limits to Jews. “Exclusive” clubs preventing Jewish members. Antisemitism in the pews. Jewish children chased and beaten up for “killing Jesus” or whatever other antisemitic tropes other children had been raised with. Jews were...
(JNS) — If you walk through central London or other major cities in Western countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and across Europe, you may see Iranians gathering and openly supporting actions taken by the United States and Israel against the Iranian regime. One chant that can clearly be heard at these protests is: “USA, Israel—Thank you, thank you!” For some people watching these scenes, questions naturally come to mind: How and why would people support attacks connected to their own country? The answer lies in how...
\(JNS) — Watching the Academy Awards used to be a simple pleasure. Movie stars received statues, thanked their agents, thanked God, and occasionally, remembered to thank their parents. Now the Oscars have become something else: an improvised foreign-policy seminar conducted by people whose professional expertise lies in pretending to be someone else. This year’s ceremony followed the now familiar script. Comedian Conan O’Brien, this year’s host, reminded viewers that these are “very chaotic, frightening times.” Later, comedian and...
(JNS) — The American Jewish community is still reeling from the attack on a Reform temple in the Detroit area. Thankfully, no one was killed on March 12 other than the attacker, though several first-responders were injured. It’s a near miracle that roomfuls of children in the building that afternoon got our safely with teachers and synagogue staff. As I write this, Jews throughout the United States are preparing for Shabbat. This Shabbat is called Shabbat Hachodesh. It takes its name from the beginning of the special maftir (last Torah...
(JNS) — There is a vast distinction between living in the Western hemisphere and living in the Middle East. When your destiny is anchored to this region, there is literally nowhere else to go. People living in the north of Israel have been bombarded by Hezbollah. People in the center have been pummeled by the Islamic Republic. Even Eilat has gotten its share. The Islamic Republic of Iran has always said that it plans to annihilate “the Great Satan” (the United States), but its first course is “the Little Satan” (Israel). At this...
For many people unfamiliar with traditional Jewish communal structure, the word kollel can sound foreign, abstract, or even intimidating. Sometimes the reaction is candid: “Is that simply a group of men sitting in a room studying ancient texts?” Others may wonder whether such an institution has relevance in a modern, growing Jewish city. The truth is that a kollel is one of the most quietly transformative institutions a Jewish community can have — especially outside major population centers. At its core, a kollel is an advanced center...
(Israel Hayom via JNS) — Today we mark 34 years since the murderous bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, which left 29 dead— Israelis, Argentines and nationals of other countries—dozens of wounded, and bereaved families who carry the scars to this day. Two and a half years later, the Argentine capital was struck by another terrorist attack, this time at the AMIA (the country’s main Jewish community center), which exacted an even greater toll: 85 dead and more than 300 wounded. Two similar attacks: the same city, the same...
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year than all other cancers combined. Among these cancers, melanoma is less common but far more dangerous because it is more likely to spread to other parts of the body if it is not detected early. Melanoma accounts for about one percent of all skin cancers, yet it causes a large percentage of skin cancer deaths. The good news is that when melanoma is found early and treated promptly,...
(JNS) - The siren went off at 8:17 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, in the northern Israeli city of Safed-a nationwide alert warning Israelis of the start of "Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury," the joint Israel-U.S. offensive against Iran's current regime. Julia Marzouk, 15, from Chicago, woke in a panic. She couldn't find her shoes. So she ran-barefoot, heart pounding-down to the shelter. "I felt completely confused," she said. "I asked questions in my head about what was going on. I had never...
(JNS) - As one enters the iconic Dizengoff Center shopping mall in Tel Aviv, it is hard to imagine that deep below, on parking level minus four, a city of its own has taken root. Three weeks into the war with Iran, Israelis in Tel Aviv have grown weary of repeatedly moving between their apartments and building shelters-or, for some, public protected spaces several streets away. On level minus four, tents have been erected and shared spaces assembled from garden chairs, colorful blankets and...
Marilyn Shapiro has been a freelance writer for the Heritage Florida Jewish News since 2017. Most of her articles center on Jewish themes and her family. Some of her stories are accounts of people's lives during the Holocaust and how others are keeping alive the memory of its unfathomable history. She is an excellent writer - garnering four (two First-places, a Second- and a Third-place) Florida Press Newspaper awards since 2020. One of her First-place wins, "The mother of women's swimming:...
Sandi Solomon, (nee Torgovnick) is a remarkable woman. Many of you know her as she has spent most of her working life serving the community living in Seminole County. In fact, you may have enjoyed programs she was instrumental in developing while serving three, four-year terms as Casselberry City Commissioner. If you have ridden on the extensive bicycle trails throughout Seminole County, thank Solomon, as she was instrumental in turning Casselberry into a bike-friendly city for all to enjoy....
(JNS) — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) filed three joint resolutions of disapproval on Thursday targeting U.S. arms sales to Israel. The resolutions set up another test of Democratic support for Israel, after a record 27 senators tied to the Democratic caucus voted in favor of a similar Sanders resolution last summer to halt the sale of tens of thousands of automatic assault rifles to Israel amid the Jewish state’s war against the Hamas terror organization. The Thursday filings address the $658 million in munitions sales the Trump...
(JNS) — With the eight-day holiday of Passover practically around the corner, rabbis at OU Kosher are preparing for thousands of questions from Jews around the world. Along with the OU Kosher hotline, fielded by Rabbi Zvi Nussbaum, the Orthodox Union says its rabbinic coordinator, Rabbi Chanoch Sofer (also known as the “Webbe Rebbe”), is poised to address more than 3,000 Passover-themed questions expected to arrive via email. “Everybody thinks that we’re super-busy now with Pesach,” Rabbi Moshe Elefant, chief operating officer of...
Quick! There’s no time for leavening. No rye bread and no bagels. No time for a lengthy examination about individual empowerment versus group interdependence. Instead, we bring a freestyle assortment of Pesadik (Yiddish for Pesach) stories and macaroon-sized morsels from the contributions of our fellow tribal members. May the bitterness of your horseradish be counteracted by a spoonful of Haroseth! Freedom and Life — A personal revelation Without life there is no freedom. Nu? Did I need to...
As we celebrate Passover, I contemplate my ancestors' flight out of Egypt. If the Exodus happened today, I am not sure if I would ever make it out of Egypt. According to the midrash, the Pharoh commanded the Israelites to leave immediately following the tenth plague. As we all know, they had so little time that the bread had no time to rise. As a woman who loves to bake challah, I could live with whipping up the dough and foregoing the rising process. As long as I had butter and raspberry...
The following recipes by Myrna Ossin are for Passover. Enjoy! Passover Orange Chicken Meatballs This recipe is good any season. It has some Asian spices and is easy for a quick dinner. Serves 4. 1 lb. ground chicken 2/3 cup matzah meal 1 egg 2 T. soy sauce for Passover made with coconut aminos 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. ginger powder or 1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated 1-2 T. avocado oil Sauce 1 T. potato starch mixed with 2 T. water 1/2 cup fresh orange juice ( I also make this with tangerine peel...
ARNOLD RAFKIND LEVY Arnold Rafkind Levy, 93, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2026. Born in the Bronx in 1933, Arnie grew up in Brooklyn, NY, surrounded by many cousins, aunts, and uncles. Arnie went to Brooklyn College and then graduated from Harvard Law School in 1957 after taking a year off to attempt to write the Great American Novel, Rafkind Rabbit. He had three children with his wife, Carole, and practiced corporate and securities law in NYC as a partner in the law firms Wagner McNiff DiMaio & Levy and Epstein Becker & Green. He also...
Aaron Weil, former CEO of UCF Hillel and his wife, Sharon, former executive director of nonprofit operations for Kinneret Council on Aging, live in Tel Aviv. Heritage has permission to repost the following from Aaron. I am frequently asked by my friends abroad "how are we holding up in Israel these days"? This got me thinking. The short answer is like a Honey Badger, a Mongoose or a Hedgehog facing wave after wave of venomous snakes. The longer answer is below. How are we doing? We are tired,...
MORNING MINYANS Chabad of Altamonte Springs — Sunday morning minyan, 8 a.m. Weekday morning minyan 6:30 a.m., 407-720-8111. Chabad of South Orlando — Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. and 10 minutes before sunset; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 8:15 a.m., 407-354-3660. Congregation Ahavas Yisrael — Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-644-2500. Congregation Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Daytona — Monday, 8 a.m.; Thursday, 8 a.m., 904-672-9300. Congregation Ohev Shalom — Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-298-4650. GOBOR Community...
