Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Hundreds of Orlando college students, faculty, staff and community members will gather together for a celebration of Jewish unity at the fifth annual Mega Shabbat on UCF's campus. The traditional Shabbat Dinner will be held in Pegasus Ballroom in the Student Union on the UCF campus on March 3, 5:30 p.m. appetizers; 6:15 Women Light Shabbat Candles; 6:30 p.m. Shabbat Dinner. Shabbat 1000 is a project developed by the Chabad on Campus International Foundation. Leaders of Chabad on Campus observed... Full story
Dr. Les Kramer of Longwood was a man "behind" his times-that is to say he is a man who finds technical solutions to meet national needs during changing times. He was a flexible person, and adjusted his career goals during his 46-year science and engineering career. This flexibility eventually led him to become the vice president of engineering at TaiLor Made Prosthetics, where he is a designer and developer of a prosthetic foot more flexible than any other prosthetic on the market. Kramer grew... Full story
Last September, HaZamir Orlando, the international Jewish High School choir, launched its inaugural season with auditions for teens from all over the Orlando area. Congregation of Reform Judaism Cantor Jacqueline Rawiszer, director of HaZamir Orlando, made her selections. The chosen singers rehearsed weekly at The Roth Family JCC, learning the same Jewish choral repertoire as 35 other HaZamir chapters across the United States and Israel. And now, the season will culminate with the teens joining... Full story
On Thursday, April 20, the Jewish Pavilion will host its annual fashion show, where giving back to the senior community is always in style, honoring Friends Board secretary and resident "Funny Woman," Marlene Adler, at Bloomingdale's in Orlando. The longtime Hadassah Board member has been an active Friends Board member for the past five years. Adler shares that she is thrilled to be honored at the Pavilion's "Spring into Fashion Show," and has her eye on spring denim, which she calls her... Full story
NEW YORK-The Blue Card, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing ongoing, direct aid to Holocaust survivors in the United States, has been selected to receive a grant of $120,000 from the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). Overall, JFNA through its Center for Advancing Holocaust Survivor Care will distribute $2.8 million in grants to 34 organizations in 18 states, which when combined with matching funds required by the grant, will result in over $4.6 million in funding f... Full story
WASHINGTON—American Jewish leaders are enthusiastically applauding President Donald Trump’s call on the Palestinian Authority to remove anti-Jewish hate material from its school books. At his press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Feb. 15, Trump said “the Palestinians have to get rid of” the anti-Israel and anti-Jewish material that appears in PA school texts. “They’re taught tremendous hate,” he said. “I’ve seen what they’re taught... it starts at a very young age and it starts in the school room.” Malcolm Hoenlein, ex... Full story
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) The Walt Disney Company severed ties with the world's biggest YouTube star Tuesday following a series of anti-Semitic videos. PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, has 53 million fans worldwide, and his videos have amassed some 14.7 billion views. The 27-year-old Swede usually focuses on video games, and his huge fan base has allowed him to turn his YouTube channel into a lucrative business, earning more than $14 million a year from advertising, spons... Full story
Save the date! The J-Serve Teen Task Force is more than excited to introduce J-Serve Orlando 2017 on Sunday, March 5, at 1 p.m. at the JCC. J-Serve is the international day of Jewish youth service, and has greatly impacted the greater Central Florida community for many years. This year, we as a teen Task force decided that J-Serve will focus on love and diversity, with projects focusing on LGBTQ+ inclusion and honoring our local elders (specifically, the 39ers, a day group for seniors at The... Full story
The Membership Committee of Temple Israel has planned a kosher-for-Passover wine tasting at Total Wine, 160 E. Altamonte Drive in Altamonte Springs on Saturday, March 4. Temple Israel members and prospective members are cordially invited to participate in this event planned for 6:30-8:30 p.m. Come enjoy a short, intimate Havdalah service, partake of light appetizers and sample numerous wines which you will be able to purchase for your own seder or use as a thoughtful host/hostess gift. In... Full story
The 8 Over 80 Honorary Dinner on March 5, sponsored by Kinneret Council on Aging, is to be a lovely affair, with eight octogenarians showing the community what it is to create a legacy of activism, philanthropy, and leadership. The details involved in such an event are monumental. The Kinneret committee consisted of Leslie Collin, executive administrator of Kinneret Council on Aging; Phyllis Kamenoff; Carol Feuerman; Faye Novick; Mollie Savage; Jacob Hara; Arlene van de Rijn and Geanne Share.... Full story
Harry Green of the Amelia Island Museum of History will give “A Review of Jewish Influence in the Mid-Nineteenth Century South” with a focus on St. Augustine’s David Yulee, the first Jew to serve in the United States Senate, on Monday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. in the St. Augustine Campus Teaching Auditorium (C0116) of the St. Johns River State College, 2990 College Dr, St Augustine, Florida 32084. The event is sponsored by the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society as part of the quest to understand the roles played by local Jews in pre-Civil War F... Full story
Imagine you are an impoverished religious Jew living in Paris. You can no longer wear religious garb out of fear of being set upon by assailants from North Africa who will beat you to within an inch of your life, if not take it. Your children are bullied in school, as their teachers ignore their complaints, and might even take perverse satisfaction in their plight. Even though French political figures make speeches condemning anti-Semitism and police are routinely sent to protect Jewish institutions, the anti-Semitism grows on the body politic... Full story
To hear the news media tell it, Israel’s Knesset has approved extreme right-wing legislation that will steal Palestinian land by legalizing illegal outposts and thereby demolish the last hopes for Middle East peace. The truth, of course, is very different. The Israeli government has not authorized the establishment of a new Jewish community in Judea and Samaria since 1992. That was the policy decreed by then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and followed by his successors, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But the 1993 Oslo Accords d... Full story
In 1950, my family moved to Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. It was a lovely, leafy area with stately homes and a storied history. Once my parents bought their home we were shocked to find that just shortly before we moved, a law was struck down that prevented Jews from owning homes in that lovely, leafy suburb. They actually had a LAW that prevented Jews and African Americans from buying a home in their town. We’ve come a long way, baby. Restrictive covenants have practically disappeared in the United States. You have the w... Full story
We are undeniably blessed to live in a first-world nation like the United States and it’s not because of the copious amounts of WiFi hotspots and unlimited breadsticks at Olive Garden. Nor is it because of our incomparable military and massive economy. We are the most fortunate population of people to ever exist because of our access to the most important entity life has ever known: Water. It is absolutely intolerable that 660 million people or 1 in 10 live without access to clean water in the 21st century. What’s more outrageous is that thi... Full story
Dear Editor: I was delighted to learn that West Volusia County and the National Jewish Outreach Program rediscovered the fourth of the Ten Commandments. Now, let us remind the Jewish women who marched on Shabbat in Washington, D.C., holding up signs identifying them and their concern for “justice.” Were they concerned about the injustice experienced by our children and grandchildren through anti-Semitism and intimidation of their right to free speech in colleges all over this country? Our pro-Israel Christian friends help us in recognizing the... Full story
Dear Editor: In the Feb. 3, 2017, edition of the Heritage, Abigail Pickus gives a detailed argument in favor of expanding government support of Jewish days schools. While I certainly understand the source of this desire of additional funding I am not sure that in the long term it will service the Jewish community as envisioned. I should note that the assumption of the article that this is only an issue for the Orthodox Community alone is not correct. While certainly the percentage of Orthodox Jews sending their children to Jewish day schools... 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 I... Full story
A capacity crowd of more than 460 women and men attended Choices 2017: Beautiful Inside and Out on Feb. 9 at Congregation Ohev Shalom in Maitland. It was one of the largest audiences in the 23-year history of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando's women's philanthropy event. Significantly, more than 150 people were first-time Choices attendees. The evening kicked off with a cocktail hour and hors d'oeuvre buffet by Arthur's Creative Events & Catering. The "Choices Pinktini," this year's sign... Full story
Last month, Jewish Academy of Orlando celebrated in style. Their annual gala, this year called "A Midsummer Night's Dream," was at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs on Jan. 21. The room looked spectacular and was completely transformed into a beautiful garden. The annual event was a major success and raised money to help support its annual budget, including money for tuition scholarships and programs to support academic excellence. The school honored its past Horim U'Morim (HUM) presidents... Full story
Many elder residents at the assisted-living, independent-living, Alzheimer and Rehab facilities in the Greater Orlando area have been treated to "tasty" Tu B'Shevat seders all throughout the month of February. Program directors of The Jewish Pavilion have been co-hosting with facilities and staff to bring celebrations to residents. "Our programs have been warm, inviting and tasty with several foods and treats," said program director Judy Appleton. "We enjoyed fresh and dried fruits, nuts,... Full story
JFS Orlando's Pearlman Emergency Food Pantry receives hundreds of leftover boxes of matzah and other kosher products every year from local stores after the Passover holiday. Myrna Ossin's book, "What to Do with Your Leftover Matzah, the Fifth Question: A Guide to the Perfect Passover Seder," is a useful guide for the novice or experienced cook to make the perfect Passover Seder, or otherwise use those leftover items. JFS Orlando Executive Director Eric Geboff is pleased to have this resource at... Full story
Thinking of the "So-called" ban... Most of you are too young to remember when Jews were turned away from our shores, because they were not accepted as immigrants. (What ever happened to "Give us your tired, your poor..."?) I wrote the following many (many) years ago when I was a teen, to the tune of "Somewhere" from West Side Story. With the current rise of anti-Semitism everywhere, only Israel and some U.S. states are welcoming: "There's a place for us, somewhere a place for us, Place where... Full story
WASHINGTON (JTA)-One state. Flexibility. Two states. Hold back on settlements. Stop Iran. When President Donald Trump met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: What a press conference! But wait. In the Age of Trump, every post-event analysis requires a double take. Not so much "did he mean what he said?"-he appears to mean it, in real time-but "will he mean it next week? Tomorrow? In the wee hours, when he tweets?" This is a president who, after all, speaks of a "ban" on travelers from... Full story
