Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JNS)-Vice President Mike Pence concluded his trip to Israel on Tuesday with a private visit to the Western Wall, one of the holiest sites in Judaism. Pence arrived at the holy site with a black yarmulke on his head flanked by the Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz and Director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation Mordechai "Soli" Eliav. U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and the Trump administration's international negotiations representative, Jason Greenblatt,... Full story
Ladies in the Central Florida area, mark your calendars for the second annual SPARK Women's Retreat set to ignite the light in you March 9-11, 2018, at the luxurious Reunion Resort. This year's weekend-long event will be jam-packed with events to spark your Jewish soul, including a Shabbat experience and dinner, rejuvenating yoga and fitness classes, fun food demonstrations, a moving Havdalah, and a pumped-up party to celebrate all of the women attendees and their individual sparks, all while... Full story
The Jewish National Fund is pleased to announce that Bruce K. Gould has been appointed to the positions of president-Elect and vice president of Campaign for the National Board. This comes at critical time, as JNF's lay leadership and professional team are diligently working on the second half of its One Billion Dollar Road Map for the Next Decade campaign. He will continue to be instrumental in helping JNF connect communities across the country to the people and land of Israel. "My involvement... Full story
The Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando proudly announces the hiring of Melissa Youngblood as the next director of the Richard S. Adler Early Childhood Learning Center. Beginning June 1, Youngblood will take over direct oversight of the nationally-accredited preschool and will be accountable for all components of the school including the staff, facility, budget, curriculum, and programming. Her main responsibilities will be maintaining the high quality of education and staffing, increasing the visibility of the school within the community, and i... Full story
In 1992, when Soviet Jewish parents were looking for ways to immigrate to Israel, a school was started by the Jewish Agency and the Israeli government that provided a way for Soviet youth to study in Israel. That school is Naale Elite Academy. Since the program started 25 years ago, there have been 16,000 students and graduates from nearly 30 countries, including the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, South Africa, Australia and the former Soviet Union, among others. At the end of August, 503 arrived... Full story
The Jewish Pavilion's *Pearls of the Pavilion luncheon will take on a whole new luster when it is held at the home of Jewelry Designer Gay Harrison of Gay Harrison Handcrafted Couture Jewelry. Harrison is generously opening her Longwood home for the occasion, which takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 20th. Following a gourmet luncheon, the acclaimed designer will offer a sneak peak of her 2018 Spring Collection, along with a sparkling discussion of upcoming trends in jewelry. "We are so appreciative... Full story
The Tampa Orlando Pinellas Jewish Foundation ended 2017 with assets supporting the Jewish and greater nonprofit communities approaching $50 million, a number that includes a portfolio of $3.7m in Israel Bonds and investment performance net of fees of 9.57 percent. “The past 12 months mark a banner year for the Foundation and its donors as we together embarked on an expansion program to bring our philanthropic and investment management services to organizations and families outside central Florida where no Jewish Foundation currently e... Full story
JFS Orlando is proud to announce the opening of its expanded counseling wing. Since inception, JFS Orlando has provided more than 50,000 counseling sessions. The counseling, growth and development program provide individual, couples, family and group mental health counseling in a trusting, reassuring and healing atmosphere. The opening/ribbon cutting of the added wing will be held Thursday, Feb. 22 from 5 p.m.—7 p.m.... Full story
Vice President Mike Pence on Monday addressed the Knesset, Israel's parliament, affirming the US' support for the Jewish state, for Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and for Israel's security. The following are excerpts from his speech: ...I am here to convey a simple message from the heart of the American people: America stands with Israel. We stand with Israel because your cause is our cause, your values are our values, and your fight is our fight. We stand with Israel because we believe in... Full story
NEW YORK-On Feb. 4 millions of people will gather around the world to watch the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots play in Super Bowl LII. One of America's favorite annual events is the Halftime Show and this year is no exception. As Justin Timberlake takes the stage in Minnesota, the Nachum Segal Network (NSN) will be kicking off its fifth annual "Kosher Halftime Show." The Kosher Halftime Show will give Jewish music fans and their families around the world a wholesome Jewish... Full story
(JTA)-Former British chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks met with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence to help him frame religious and historical elements of his speech before Israel's Knesset. Sacks and Pence met in New York for 90 minutes prior to Pence's departure for a two-day visit to Israel, part of trip that also included Egypt and Jordan, the Times of Israel reported. Pence sought Sacks' guidance on the sections of the speech, which dealt with the historical connection between the Jews and Israel. He... Full story
(JTA)—Like a lot of other Jewish men, I have been quietly keeping a scorecard of the number of Jewish men in the #MeToo headlines. Harvey Weinstein, Dustin Hoffman, Jeffrey Tambor, Mark Halperin, Leon Wieseltier, James Toback, Israel Horowitz, Al Franken, James Levine, Jeremy Priven, Woody Allen, Brett Ratner, Michael Oreskes, Bruce Weber—all have been accused in one way or another of sexual assault or harassment, primarily in the workplace. Let’s not forget that Anthony Weiner is currently in a cell in a federal penitentiary in Massachusetts f... Full story
The issue the organized Jewish world has struggled most with in recent years is how to keep communal peace at a time when the debate over Israel has become increasingly polarized. The result is a dialogue of the deaf that diminishes the community. That’s why I’m a firm believer in listening and reading opposing views. I know the differences between my positions and those of liberal friends are often arguments within the family about how to strengthen the Israel we all love. As a general rule, I don’t back efforts to exclude those with views tha... Full story
After the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, the country entered into a period of patriotic and political unity that it had not experienced since World War II and the decade that followed. The 1960s and 1970s were periods of political tension over a disputed war in Vietnam, civil rights for African Americans and equal rights for women. Although great progress was made, much is still left to be done on these issues and a host of other issues that currently confront our American society. In periods of political and soci... Full story
In March 1979, shortly after the mullahs grabbed power and dragged Iran into theocratic dictatorship, destructive wars and terrorism, Iranian women took to the streets to protest the forced hijab. “Freedom is not eastern, not western, it is universal,” they chanted. Almost 40 years later, the Iranian people are still fighting the same tyrants. In the struggle for freedom, you would expect an institution like the European Union, defined by the universal character of liberty and democracy, to stand in solidarity with the oppressed against the... Full story
States across the country—from Rhode Island to California, from Texas to Minnesota—have passed important anti-BDS legislation. To date, 24 states have joined the movement to reject hate, proudly standing up and saying, those who discriminate against the Jewish state are not welcome to do business in our state. This legislative process is one that has taken off over the past two years. The first states to pass these laws were Illinois and South Carolina, in 2015. For the most part, in blue states and red states, on the east coast, west coa... Full story
Why is it that every time a female US government official says something that the Palestinian Authority (PA) doesn’t like, PA leaders respond by making a disparaging remark related to the fact that she is a woman? In his bizarre, two-hour rant before the Palestinian Central Council on Jan. 14, PA President Mahmoud Abbas declared that US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, “wears high heels not for elegance but to use to hit anyone who attacks Israel.” When Condoleeza Rice was national security advisor, an official PA newsp... Full story
MORNING AND EVENING MINYANS (Call synagogue to confirm time.) 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 Minyan at Jewish Academy of Orlando—Monday—Friday, 7:45 a.m.—8:30 a.m. Temple Isr... Full story
Saturday, Feb. 24th Shabbat Morning Purim Service led by Rabbi Karen Allen, at 10 a.m. Purim songs will be sung throughout the service, and will read the Megillah at the end of the service. A Kiddush will follow the service. The synagogue is located at 315 North 13th St. in Leesburg, with the entrance on Center Street. More information is available on the synagogue website: http://bethsholomflorida.org/or by calling the synagogue at 352-326-3692. On Sunday, Feb. 25th, Rabbi Karen Allen of Congregation Beth Sholom and Zoriy Zinger, a former... Full story
SKOKIE, Ill. (JTA)-In an otherwise darkened theater, viewers gasped when they saw what appeared to be a seated 83-year-old man wearing a light green button-down shirt and khaki pants. Aaron Elster of Chicago seemed to be answering questions about his unbelievable escape from the Sokolov ghetto in Poland as a 10-year-old. Elster was forced to hide in a dark, filthy attic for two years during World War II. "Why didn't your sisters run away with you [from the ghetto]?" asked Suri Johnson, 11, of... Full story
WASHINGTON (JTA)-When Mike Pence moved to Washington earlier this year, he and his wife took with them a framed phrase they had for years hung over their fireplace in their Indiana home, and then over the fireplace in the governor's mansion in that state. Now it hangs over the mantle at the vice president's residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. The words, from the Book of Jeremiah, read: "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)—During a combative news conference in early August, White House adviser Stephen Miller told reporters that the United States should prioritize immigrants who speak English. “Does the applicant speak English?” Miller asked, describing a bill to reduce the overall number of immigrants and reform immigration requirements. “Can they support themselves and their families financially? Do they have a skill that will add to the U.S. economy?” But if English proficiency had been an immigration requirement a century ago, Miller’s... Full story
How upsetting... I read this not too long ago in the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest and pass it along to you: "As reported recently by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, two kippah-wearing brothers were allegedly forced to drive off a main road near Paris, France, by another vehicle carrying several men yelling "Dirty Jews, you're going to die." Once stopped, the brothers were surrounded by the men and others who emerged from a nearby hookah café. Both were beaten ruthlessly, while their... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-The share of Democrats who sympathize more with Israel than the Palestinians is falling fast, while Republican sympathy for Israel over the Palestinians is spiking. So says a new poll by the Pew Research Center. But experts are divided on what it means, and whether pro-Israel activists, and Democrats, should be worried. Do the results indicate that Democrats are abandoning Israel en masse? Is it another sign of political polarization, which makes it harder for one party to... Full story
(JTA)-Brandeis University has received an $8.4 million bequest gift for social justice initiatives from a man who visited the Boston-area campus one time. The university announced the gift from Seymour Bluestone on Tuesday. Bluestone, a former rehabilitation doctor who lived in Clearwater, Florida, felt a strong connection to the university's social justice values, died in September at 96. Bluestone began making small gifts to Brandeis in the 1990s at the request of family friends. He visited... Full story
