Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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"Valerie Chestnut and Eve Homburger are two extraordinary women who have devoted themselves to our senior community," said Nancy Ludin, executive director of the Jewish Pavilion. "We are thrilled to honor them at our gala on March 9 for giving back, both personally and professionally. Both honorees generously offer their time to the Jewish Pavilion, and share our mission of enhancing the lives of Orlando's Jewish seniors." Dr. Eve Homburger is an active Pavilion volunteer, as well as a...
Choices 2014, the yearly fundraiser for the Women's Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando (JFGO), celebrated its 20th anniversary on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Rosen Plaza in Orlando. More than 600 women were treated to an evening of note, which honored both Women of Choice and the Jewish community with a Broadway-style revue. A video timeline documented changes, progress and historical events in the Central Florida Jewish community, spanning from Orlando's first Jewish settlement t...
This coming March, Jewish Pavilion part-time area program directors Julie Levitt, Judy Procell, Emily Newman and Melanie Baxt are each hosting a Passover seder for between 10 to 50 guests. Like most experienced hostesses, they will prepare the traditional seder plate, set a festive table, and warmly welcome guests. And when these ladies are done leading their first seder, each will host approximately 10 more before month's end. Levitt, Procell, Newman and Baxt support Jewish elders in assisted-l...
By Pamela Ruben Our daily lives are filled with stress; we are faced with stressors in the workplace, stressors on our commute as we make our way home, and family stressors as we walk through the front door. On Sunday, Oct. 19, Chabad of North Orlando presented Dr. Gill Heart who delivered a seminar on taking control of these stressors that impact our daily lives. Dr. Heart, who holds a PhD in biomedical engineering, honed his skills in stress management on the job as a special operative of the...
Jewish Pavilion volunteers Faye Novick and Toby Vandemark live by the creed,"It is better to give than to receive." Novick and Vandemark have volunteered with the Jewish Pavilion, a charitable organization that serves seniors in long-term care with companionship and holiday programming, in many capacities. Both women serve on the Pavilion's Friends and Executive boards, and were integral to the success of the Pavilion's "Walk in the Park," and will be honored as volunteers of the year at the J P...
Three years ago my 15-year-old daughter, Jennifer (Jenny), was granted a wish by New Hope for Kids Wishes for Kids Program in Maitland. Jenny chose to visit a medical center in the Los Angeles area. Although she had grown hospital weary following a protracted illness, which included travel to Johns Hopkins, The Mayo Clinic and Northwestern University Hospital, there was one premier medical center that was still on Jenny's wish list. She wished to visit Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (formerly...
Longtime friends and Orlando philanthropists, Chuck Steinmetz and Harvey Kobrin, have shared many experiences since their days as fraternity brothers at the University of Florida in the 1960s. Kobrin and Steinmetz cemented their friendship at Pi Lambda Phi fraternity on the Gainesville campus, and have remained close for more than 50 years. This October the two men are joining forces to honor their late wives. The Jewish Pavilion’s annual “Walk in the Park” will be co-sponsored this year by Ch...
The Jewish Pavilion’s annual “Walk in the Park” will be co-sponsored this year by philanthropists Harvey Kobrin and Chuck Steinmetz, in honor of their wives, Nancye Kobrin and Lynn Steinmetz. This free event will be held Oct. 27, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs. Kobrin has a long history of giving in the Jewish community. Most notably, in 1972 Harvey and brother, Phillip, donated the Maitland property on which the Roth Jewish Community Center is housed. Longt...
Gov. Rick Scott declared Sunday, July 21, 2013 to be “ Torah Day.” The proclamation honored the North Orlando Chabad community and the inauguration of the congregation’s first torah dedicated by Zvi and Dawn Shamu and Paul Sebag. Scott “extended greetings and best wishes upon” Rabbi Yanky Majesky and wife Chanshy on their commitment “to bringing the joy of Judaism” to residents of Sanford, Longwood, and Lake Mary (since 2010). A crowd of approximately 200 members of the Jewish community from all...
On a Friday afternoon in late June, 25 seniors walk, amble and/or glide into the familiar surroundings of the common room at Chambrel Assisted Living Facility in Longwood. For the next 45 minutes this gathering place will serve as “Congregation Chambrel,” where a weekly Shabbat service hosted by the Jewish Pavilion provides Jewish seniors with a sense of community, as well as a place for prayer. Although the average Pavilion “congregant” is well over 85 years old, Chambrel seniors are active...
Between May 14 and July 9, 1944, more than 430,000 Hungarian Jews were deported to Auschwitz. Yadveshem.org In a recent visit to the Orlando area former Miami resident Dr. Jill Klein, author of a newly released Holocaust memoir, “We Got the Water,” shared the details of her family’s path through Auschwitz, possibly as passengers on one of the first transports from Hungary to the infamous death camp. Throughout her book, Klein, a social psychologist and faculty member of Melbourne Business Schoo...
Seminole County Teacher of the Year Adam Sherman could easily be awarded “Seminole County Mensch of the Year,” as well. Though only 29, Sherman is a seasoned educator who loves his job teaching English and Leadership Development at Lake Brantley High School. Sherman is a leader, himself, serving as an interim dean in fall 2012, as well as bringing anti-bullying and character building programs to promote toleration of ideas and differences among Lake Brantley High School (LBHS) students. Sherman...
Supporters of the Jewish Pavilion proved to be more than “fair-weather friends” on Sunday, April 21, at the Marriott in Lake Mary when more than 250 attendees braved record downpours to attend their annual gala, honoring dedicated volunteers, Debbie Meitin and Cathy Swerdlow. It was an evening marked by moving speeches, combined with a sprinkling of tears, as Meitin, Swerdlow and a host of volunteers shared their heartwarming experiences of bringing companionship and Jewish connections to senior...
Debbie Meitin has been leading services, attending holiday programs and visiting seniors in their independent residences, assisted living facilities and nursing homes since the Jewish Pavilion opened its doors as a “Jewish Home on Wheels” in 1998. Since then, Meitin has conducted Shabbat services at Chambrel, Grand Villa, Horizon Bay and Island Lake. She has also led numerous holiday celebrations. The Jewish Pavilion is honoring her, along with Cathy Swerdlow, at the Celebration of Tra...
On May 27, 2010 Rabbi David Nesenoff of rabbilive.com recorded the anti-Semitic “slur heard around the world” while visiting the White House for American Jewish Heritage Month. The rabbi and his son, Adam, were standing on the White House lawn when they crossed paths with “dean of the White House Press Corps” Helen Thomas, whom had covered every presidential administration from Eisenhower to Obama. Nesenoff pulled out his flip-camera, and asked Thomas if she had any comments to make about I...
The 1970’s jingle for Enjoli perfume epitomizes Jewish Pavilion volunteer and honoree Marcie Katzen. The ubiquitous jingle requires just a few “kosherizing” modifications: “I can bring home the (turkey) bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never, ever forget my whole clan, ‘cause I’m a Jewish woman.…” Katzen will be honored by the Jewish Pavilion at its annual Spring Into Fashion at Bloomingdale’s Orlando at 10:45 a.m., March 7. Marc and Henrietta Katzen and family and the Slotsky-Kramer family will s...
