Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Shades of Jack Benny... Everyone who remembers beloved comedian, JACK BENNY, remembers that he always claimed to be 39 years old. (Well mentally, maybe). Anyway, I believe that's where the Jewish Community Center's 39ers Group got its name! I attended a meeting of the 39ers last Monday afternoon. The members were all very nice and welcoming to me. I knew most of them by their faces but could not remember names. Many knew my name though, because of this column. JCC Program Director MARNI...
About Israeli boycotts... I read this in a recent issue of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest and will share it with you: "The World Jewish Congress welcomed a decision by the British government to issue binding guidance to all public authorities in the UK aimed at preventing them from boycotting Israeli suppliers and imposing stiff penalties on those who do. WJC CEO ROBERT SINGER called the new rules 'a significant step and a major victory against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions...
Who carries a gun?... (If you do, please don't tell... and don't shoot!) What kind of introduction to a column is this, you ask? Well, my answer is, knowing that I write this column well in advance of publication, the worst massacre in U.S. history happened just yesterday in Orlando. What a nightmare this year has been for me. First, many months ago, losing Irv, my spouse of 55 years. Then a few days ago, hearing from my cousin that his dearest friend committed suicide and now this disaster....
Will it NEVER end?... We've all heard and repeated the saying "Never Again" referring to the Holocaust. Correct words... but unfortunately, it will take more than words to stop the rise of anti-Semitism that seems to be repeating itself in Europe and even here and there in this country. The following is just an example of attacks all over Europe in recent months: Manchester, England: While waiting for their train, four young Jews were attacked by four hatemongers, leaving the youngest, just 17 y...
Back in Orlando... Wow. I didn't think it was hot in Chicago when it hit 81 degrees the other day. However, many local folks donned shorts. Most complained about the high heat. (I cooled off!) You know I write this column more than a week in advance of publication. I just returned from Chicago late last night. I was there for a private gig and most important... for the bar mitzvah of my grandson, ZACHARY AARON YOUSHA, son of Dr. STEVEN YOUSHA and Dr. JESSICA GOLUB of Wilmette, Illinois. The...
As I write this... I am getting ready to fly to Chicago from Orlando International Airport in a few days. (Of course when you read this, I will have hopefully already returned.) My grandson, ZACH is becoming a bar mitzvah and I am looking forward to presenting him with his grandfather's tallit. His grandfather, Papa Irv (my loving spouse of 55 years) died several months ago. Needless to say, I am nervous to fly... actually, I'm always nervous to fly, but this time in the age of terrorism,...
I repeat myself because I'm old?... I'm NOT old. (Oh shut up!) I don't repeat myself. I don't repeat myself. (Okay, I do. Especially last week's joke. Sorry.) Speaking of dementia, I once asked my spouse if he thought I had Alzheimer's because I couldn't remember where I parked the car in the Publix parking lot. He answered that "it's not where you parked it. It's when you don't know what to do with the car that you may have Alzheimer's." And on this subject... I read the following in the...
"Heeeeeere's Johnny"... Just recently I watched a two-hour special on the life of television Tonight Show host for 30 years, Johnny Carson. Not only am I missing all the years of watching him and his guests I actually recognized them! (Not like the guest stars who appear on our current Tonight Show. The audience goes wild and I go who????) Well, for those who get Antenna TV on their sets, you can still watch Johnny Carson's Tonight Show seven nights a week... 11 p.m.-midnight Monday thru Friday...
Fala Portuguese... Which means I speak Portuguese. And I do! Portuguese, as you know, is the language spoken in Brasil. (Americans spell it Brazil with a Z) My entertainment agent, ROBERTO DRATCU, is Brasilian (and Jewish) so I have sung and performed in Rio, Sao Paulo and many other cities in Brasil a few times. There is a thriving Jewish community in Sao Paulo, which is a large robust city in Brasil. I read this recently in the LUBAVITCH INTERNATIONAL newspaper under the heading "Memorial...
I know what's wrong... I was recently visited by my dear cousin Ben, a retired psychologist. One of my sons is also a psychologist. His wife is a psychologist. My machatunim (her mom) is a retired psychologist... THEY NOW CONFIRM THAT I AM NUTS! (But I kind of knew that already.) Not a surprise... With all the anti-Semitism in the world these days, this report I recently received from the World Jewish Congress (WJC) under the heading "Immigration to Israel Highest Since 2003," doesn't surprise...
What a "turn around"... I read this recently in the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest under the heading "British Chief Rabbi Calls for Islam to Be Taught in Jewish Schools." It surprised me and I feel you should know about it too: "Britain's Chief Rabbi EPHRAIM MIRVIS has recommended that children be taught about Islam as part of government proposed changes to the curriculum for religious studies. Beginning in September, British schools will be required to teach two faiths as part of their...
A fabulous talent... When I read this in the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest it gave me tremendous pleasure so I decided to pass it along to you: "Itzhak Perlman, the 70-year old Israeli born violin virtuoso, is the third winner of the annual Genesis Prize, joining past recipients former New York City Mayor MICHAEL BLOOMBERG and actor-director MICHAEL DOUGLAS. Established in 2012 by a consortium of Russian Jewish philanthropists, the prize is presented annually to individuals who have achieve...
"Is it time for the Jews to leave Europe?"... I received this letter from the World Jewish Congress recently and pass it along to you in part: "They called us 'dirty Jews' and said 'You don't need your jewelry anymore. You've been wearing it for too long. Now it's ours,' said Diana after she and her husband, both Holocaust survivors, were viciously beaten by two thugs in Amsterdam. As a result of the attack, her husband lost his sight and both are confined to wheelchairs. Now Diana has fresh...
It's long overdue... I read this in the new issue of World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest and with all the news about terrorism and terrorist attacks lately, I decided to pass it along to you: "According to the state-run Saudi Press Agency, Saudi Arabia has formed an anti-terror coalition of 34 Muslim nations, a new Saudi-led 'Islamic military alliance,' to fight terrorism with a joint operations center based in the capital city of Riyadh. The statement released stressed that terrorism 'should be...
April Fool?... Not on your life. There is no fooling around here in spite of the date April 1st (April Fool's Day)! All of us know (or should know) that many advances in medicine, science and technology have come from Israel including possible cures for many types of cancer, Junior Diabetes and other sometimes fatal diseases. I read this recently in a World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest and pass it along: "Health professionals routinely rely on a patient's subjective 'pain scale' to assess pain....
We should never glorify anti-Semitism... I just read this in my new World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest under the heading "Plans for Statue of anti-Semitic Hungarian Minister halted." I pass it along to you in part: "Following an international outcry, including a global petition campaign by the WJC, the city council of Szekesfehervar in Hungary voted against the proposal of the Balint Homan Foundation to erect a statue in honor of the former minister who drafted anti-Jews laws prior to and...
A well-deserved honor... I read this in the current issue of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest and pass it along to you in part: "The World Jewish Congress recently honored former U.S. Secretary of State GEORGE P. SHULTZ with its prestigious Theodor Herzl Award. WJC President Ambassador RONALD S. LAUDER and former Secretary of State HENRY A. KISSINGER, himself a past Herzl Award recipient, presented the award to Shultz at a gala event at New York's Waldorf Astoria. Upon accepting the...
Okay, Congress recently did something great... The headline of the current World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest reads like this: "U.S. House of Representatives Unanimously Passes Resolutions on Anti-Semitism and Anti-Israel Incitement." Sounds promising, right? I'll pass it along to you in its entirety: "The first bipartisan resolution directed at condemning anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incitement in the Palestinian Authority was sponsored by Rep. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN (R-Fla.), chairwoman of the...
Hooray for Italy... Sure, you think that lead-in refers to the fabulous food, the handsome people, the beautiful countryside... well it all applies but I'm really referring to the article I read recently in the February edition of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest. I will pass it along to you: "By a large majority, the Italian Chamber of Deputies has adapted legislation that criminalizes the denial of the Shoah. The vote followed a three-hour debate among representatives of different...
After years of writing this column... How amazing! About 37 years of writing this column and I am only 45 years old! (Oh shut up!) So sorry I missed last week but recently becoming a widow and then hurting my back on top of that, proved to be too much for me to handle. But the column has returned! Here's to another 37 years! (Oy vay.) I like this Pope... I read in the current World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest the following, found it enlightening and pass it along to you: "Pope Francis welcomed...
For the first time in The Heritage’s history, Gloria Yousha is taking a one-week, much needed break from her column, “Scene Around.” She will be back for the Feb. 26 issue....
Oy vay, here we go again?... I am really getting concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism. It is upsetting to say the least, but not talking about it, keeping quiet about it, is definitely the WRONG thing to do. So I am passing on to you the following article in part from the World Jewish Congress (WJC) Digest: "The Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a unanimous resolution regarding 'the safety and security of Jewish communities in Europe.' This follows...
"Freedom is not Free"... How well we know that statement! I, myself, have used it many, many times. But where does it come from? I recently found out when I received the following poem from The American Legion, which was submitted by John M. McCormick. The poem was written by KELLY STRONG while he was still in high school in Homestead, Florida. It was inspired by his father, a career Marine. Kelly Strong later became a commander in the U.S. Coast Guard. Here is the entire poem: "I watched the...
Justice finally served... I read this in the current issue of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) Digest and pass it along to you: "A judge in Kansas has followed a jury's recommendation and sentenced the avowed anti-Semitic and white supremacist FRAZIER GLENN MILLER Jr. to death for the fatal shooting of three people at two Jewish sites in April 2014. Miller was convicted of killing Reat Underwood, 14, and his grandfather, William Corporon, 69, outside the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas...
Okay! Okay! I'm sorta old (sorta)... What kind of word is sorta?? And speaking of words and getting older, I received this email recently. Read on: "Lost Expressions from Our Childhood Heavens to Murgatroyd! (Would you believe the email spell checker did not recognize the word murgatroyd?) Words gone as fast as the buggy whip! Sad really! The other day a not so elderly (65) lady said something to her son about driving a Jalopy and he looked at her quizzically and said what the heck is a Jalopy?...
