Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 126 - 135 of 135
JERUSALEM (JTA)-The heavy stone that fell out of the Western Wall and came crashing down on a platform set aside for egalitarian prayer has been removed for examination and restoration, but the conversation about the reason for its sudden sky dive, including hints of divine intervention, keeps on going. The stone fell on Monday morning, hours after the area had been full of worshippers visiting the wall for Tisha b'Av, 25 hours of intense mourning for the destruction of the two Holy Temples in...
JERUSALEM (JTA)-Israel is debating legislation that supporters say states the obvious. Critics, meanwhile, say the measure will divide Israeli society and damage its relationships with the rest of the democratic world, especially Jews in the United States. The premise of the so-called Nationality Law is simple: It enshrines in Israel's quasi-constitutional Basic Law that Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people. But after that it gets more complicated. Much of the bill, sponsored by...
JERUSALEM (JTA)-When it comes to Sukkot, the weeklong festival in which Jews live and eat in temporary huts known as sukkahs, no place does it better than Jerusalem. City schools and plenty of workplaces close, and a festive spirit permeates the air. Many Jews around the world make a tradition of visiting Jerusalem to celebrate the holiday, which is also known as the Feast of Booths. Can't make it to the Holy City? Fear not. Your sukkah can now transport you and your loved ones here. Well, sort...
(JTA)-Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States soared 86 percent in the first three months of 2017 after rising by more than one-third in 2016, according to the Anti-Defamation League. There has been a massive increase in harassment of American Jews, largely since November, and at least 34 incidents linked to the presidential election that month, the ADL said Monday in its annual audit of anti-Semitic incidents. This year has seen preliminary reports of 541 anti-Semitic incidents through...
(JTA)-This time, Israel and its supporters came prepared. Anticipating what they believed would be an unfair U.N. report on last summer's Gaza War, the Israeli government and friendly groups in the United States were ready with at least three reports they say better reflects the reality of the five-week engagement between Israel and Hamas. The U.N. report, released last week, said Israel's military and Palestinian armed groups committed "serious violations" of international human rights law duri...
JERUSALEM (JTA)-Ralph Goldman, who as a young man helped shepherd the State of Israel into existence and later devoted his professional life to bringing humanitarian relief to Jews across the globe, has died at 100. Goldman, who worked with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee since 1968-he served twice as its chief executive and still held the title of honorary executive vice president-died Tuesday in Jerusalem, where he had lived for decades. Active in arming and populating...
JERUSALEM (JTA)-Perhaps with the worries about rockets flying and death tolls mounting during the Gaza operation, many lost sight of the myriad heartwarming stories from the conflict. Here are some you may have missed in recent days. Meet Lt. Eitan, hero Israelis held their collective breath last week after learning that an Israeli soldier was believed to have been taken captive through one of the tunnels leading from Gaza to Israel. Lt. Hadar Goldin was later declared dead based on several fact...
(JTA)-Obviously wanting to get back to work as the medical manager of the field hospital set up by the Israel Defense Forces in the Philippines, Lt.-Col. Dr. Ofer Merin speaks hurriedly about the three days his team has been seeing patients in the typhoon-ravaged nation. He tells of at least 12 babies the hospital has delivered-most of them premature-and the stabbing victim who may have died if not for the IDF hospital in Bogo City on Cebu Island, one of the areas hardest hit by last week's...
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Here are some stories out of Israel that you may have missed: Record-setting Shabbat table? The central Israeli city of Bnei Brak set what is believed to be the world’s longest Shabbat table. At 197 feet long, the table set with china plates, crystal goblets and silver candlesticks, as well as traditional Shabbat foods, comfortably seats more than 300, Ynet reported. The municipality, in conjunction with the Bnei Brak-based Coca-Cola Co. and the haredi Orthodox advertising agency...
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Here are some stories out of Israel that you may have missed: A better bomb shelter app An app that helps Israelis locate the nearest bomb shelter was updated in response to the civil war in Syria. The Merkhav Mugan app had been launched six months ago for southern Israelis being bombarded by rockets from the Gaza Strip. Now, with the Syrian unrest spilling over the border into northern Israel, the app will include all secure bomb shelters and areas throughout Israel, the T...
