Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JTA)—Israel will require all travelers from abroad to complete a 14-day quarantine, according to the latest regulation aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus in the country. The decision, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced late Monday, capped days of open deliberations about how far Israel would to go to stop the disease’s spread. The country had taken aggressive early action against the disease and last week began requiring quarantines for travelers from more than a doz... Full story
The Roth Family JCC's biggest gala of the year, The J Ball, is coming up shortly. On Thursday, March 26, from 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. The Cohen and Presser Family and Shayna's Village Director Karen Duncan will be honored at the Harriett's Orlando Ballet Center. Karen Duncan, who has inspired countless children in Shayna's Village since 2007, will receive the Harriet Weiss JCC Legacy Award. Dine on heavy hors d'oeuvres, enjoy the open bar, view and bid on silent auction items and dance to live... Full story
(JNS) Democrats blocked a bill on Wednesday in the U.S. House of Representatives that would have prohibited U.S. support for the anti-Israel BDS movement. The Israel Anti-Boycott Act, introduced by Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), would have expanded the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to include prohibiting U.S. support for foreign boycotts of Israel from groups including the European Union and the U.N. Human Rights Council. Lawmakers defeated consideration of the bill by a tally of 219-194. “We cannot be quiet when it comes to combating a... Full story
(JNS) WASHINGTON—The theme of this year’s AIPAC Policy Conference was billed as “Today. Tomorrow. Together,” the essence of which seemed to be lost in all the political noise associated with 2020 Democratic presidential candidates deciding on whether or not to show up at the annual event. The conference, however, has long been geared to deliberate concerns and boost relations between Diaspora Jewry and Israelis, and use the time to salve some of the more contentious issues associated with the two largest Jewish communities in the world.... Full story
“Let us unite, and stand for what is right” is the battle cry of the Jewish community members who will be gathered at Lake Eola on Sunday, March 15 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. to celebrate their diverse and growing community and stand against growing anti-Semitism. In addition to being unified, attendees will enjoy the music of Ari Lesser, kosher foods available for purchase, messages from local leaders and children’s activities. Ari Lesser is a well-known Jewish American rapper, singer, songwriter, and spoken-word artist. Known for his videos on Is... Full story
Jewish Academy of Orlando celebrated Purim with a megillah reading, celebration, performances, delivery of mishloach manot (Purim baskets), and grogger sculpture creations. Third and fourth-grade students performed in the annual Purim play that tells the holiday's story through music and dance. At the Purim celebrations, the students participated in games and songs and even read from an emoji megillah. Kindergarten students, dressed in costumes, visited residents at Savannah Court. They sang... Full story
Local resident Dr. David Diamond, his wife, Orly, and his children attended the 2020 AIPAC Policy Conference, held the first week in March. They all got "up close and personal" with several congressmen and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. Diamond shared that his daughter Aviva was able to get some one-on-one time with Rep. Dan Webster (FL-11 District) to discuss security assistance to Israel. Other agenda items discussed at the conference included extension of the Iranian Arms Embargo... Full story
Julie Levitt, Susan Bernstein and Hope McCormack, Jewish Pavilion program directors, are planning "Seders for Seniors" to celebrate Passover in elder-care communities throughout the greater Orlando area. Each program director works with the communities they visit to ensure a traditional holiday meal. Recipes are shared with the community chefs that do not have Jewish cooking experience. Can you smell the chicken soup with matzo balls? The seniors will soon. Who will ask the four questions?... Full story
JERUSALEM (JTA)-Israel held its unprecedented third election in less than a year on Monday and, yet again, the results raised more questions than answers. At first it seemed as if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had finally garnered the votes he needed to break the longstanding impasse and consolidate his power. The final tally, however, paints a less than clear picture. But the numbers aren't the only issue creating news. In fact, Monday was only the start of a new round of negotiating, debat... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)—The spread of COVID-19, a new coronavirus, is reshaping Jewish communities. We’re collecting the news flowing in from across the globe here. (If you want to skip the minute-by-minute updates and just understand the broad ways that Jewish life is changing because of the coronavirus, we’ve got you covered here.) As always, we want to hear from you. Have questions or tips? Email us. 2:50 p.m. Quarantine tally in Israel rises: After Israel added new travel restrictions, the number of Israelis estimated as being under quarantine becau... Full story
(JTA)—Aboud Dandachi isn’t Jewish. Or Israeli. Or Italian. Or sick with coronavirus. He’s a Muslim from Syria living in Canada. But when he read the Jewish Telegraphic Agency story about an Italian boy whose bar mitzvah was curtailed because of the rapidly spreading virus, Dandachi responded in a way he figured Jews might appreciate: He donated $18 in honor of Ruben Golran to the Canadian branch of the Jewish National Fund to plant a tree in Israel in the teen’s honor. “This is what I know how to do,” said Dandachi, 43, of Toronto. “I’ve had f... Full story
(JNS) There are a lot of people who are relieved that Michael Bloomberg has dropped out of the Democratic primary race, and not all of them are named Biden. The withdrawal of the former mayor of New York City gives a boost to former Vice President Joe Biden. Bloomberg’s jumping on the Biden bandwagon removes the last competition for more moderate Democratic primary voters and lessens the chances that Sen. Bernie Sanders will become the Democratic nominee. That’s a relief for both centrists who fear the Vermont Socialist can’t beat President Don... Full story
(JNS)—It was one of those weeks where every day brought another great idea for a column. First, I attended an insightful lecture by Rabbi Meir Soloveichik at Beth Jacob Congregation that connected the festival of Purim with Abraham Lincoln and slavery. Then it was “Comeback Joe” Biden’s resounding primary victory in South Carolina that reset the Democratic primary race. Then it was the AIPAC Policy Conference I attended in Washington, D.C., where the drama and anxiety were at a peak. And, of course, there was how Prime Minister Benjami... Full story
Having made it through the stress of our border crossing into Jordan (described in my previous column of Feb. 28, 2020), my son and I now found ourselves standing in the Jordanian night with our Jordanian greeter no where in sight. We watched as the Jordanian workers, numbering in the hundreds, were returning to Jordan after their workday in Eilat; and were being picked up to return to their homes in Aqaba. Finally, a sketchy looking fellow drove up in an unmarked van and approached us inquiring whether we were the Pearlmans. We hesitantly... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)—Over the course of our millennial history, Jews have had many encounters with contagious diseases. Often we’re blamed for them. Maybe I’m paranoid, but I can’t help feel uneasy with the amount of attention the New York Jewish community is receiving because of the first confirmed cases of the coronavirus. (We are hardly first: Asians around the globe already faced prejudice because of the epidemic’s origins in Wuhan, China.) The ominous flow charts demonstrating the spread of the contagion, featuring silhouettes of unnamed i... Full story
By Ann Lapin NEW YORK (JTA)—“Really, Mother?! A BELL?!” Dinner was ready at around 7 p.m., so I walked down the hall to my children’s wing and dropped off their plates—with a bell, so they could ring for me and get my attention when I didn’t have my phone with me. Because as of 4:34 that afternoon, my high school-aged children had been asked to self-quarantine. My three children attend the SAR schools, Modern Orthodox schools in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx. Unfortunately, my daughter’s 14-year-old classmate and her immediate fam... Full story
Dear Editor: The unsigned Viewpoint of the “Jewish Community Relations Council” of Feb. 21, 2020, expresses the general condemnation of the publication of “xenophobic” material. Admittedly, “words that reflect bigotry or hatred, whether of Jews or anyone else” may indeed be contrary to Jewish principles. However, whether or not articles are worthy of “being called out” requires careful subjective judgment. An example is the publication of the picture showing the “IfNotNow #Jewish Resistance” rally in New York City. The alliance of this or... 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
Stories from the Orlando Senior Help Desk Lydia is an only child with a mother in early stage Alzheimer’s. Her father has no patience with her mother’s shifting personality and needs. At 90 years old, he is resistant to change and doesn’t understand or like what is happening. He yells a lot. They are not getting along. Lisa has been trying to handle the situation from over 1,000 miles away while taking care of her three teenage children. She is part of the Sandwich Generation that is in the middle of raising teenagers and elderly parents at th... Full story
(JNS)-The Boston-based Jewish Federation, Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP), recently honored a local activist with ties to the anti-Israel group IfNotNow. Nadav David is listed as one of CJP's 2020 "Chai in the Hub" honorees, which the organization describes as "young adults are doing amazing things personally and professionally to better Greater Boston's Jewish community." In his CJP profile, David works as a financial coach with Compass Working Capital and as a community organizer. Among... Full story
Frank Clark Tauber, son of Michelle and Chris Tauber of Longwood, was called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at Congregation Ohev Shalom in Maitland. Frank is in the seventh grade at Rock Lake Middle School, where he is in the math club and participates in basketball and track and field. Sharing in the family's simcha were Frank's brothers, Vic and Lou; sister, Tillie; grandparents Wendy and Martin Derrow of Winter Park and Wayne Tauber of St. Paul, Minn.; as well as... Full story
Jewish Academy of Orlando fifth graders made a whole lot of noise on Purim with their homemade grogger sculptures.... Full story
Overheard at a luncheon a few months ago, two women were talking about the Jenny bracelets they were both wearing. They loved the natural stones, the beautiful colors and most of all, they loved Jenny. Jenny Ruben Forero had some challenges during her teen years that often kept her at home. To fill the time Forero made bracelets for the Jewish Pavilion volunteers to distribute to the seniors they visited. She also sold the bracelets at Jewish Pavilion Walks and donated all of the money to the... Full story
If you have had the honor of attending a Shayna's Village class at The Roth Family JCC's Richard S. Adler Early Childhood Learning Center, you most likely met the director, Karen Duncan. I met her when I first had a baby and was looking for how to become a parent. Right away when I met her, I knew she was special and unique. I wanted to learn from her and ideally, be like her. As a new mother of a newborn baby, once I met Karen, I signed up for every class she taught and attended her parenting... Full story
Oy Vay! More to worry about... You know I mean the Coronavirus! All of a sudden, my sons are telling me that, at my advanced age, I am more susceptible then they are so... "Mom, stay home! Wash your hands! Don't go to crowded places, like shopping for food or clothing, no restaurants and NO KISSING!!" (So far, nobody has tried!) Forgotten Jewish Refugees... "The World Jewish Congress, together with other Jewish organizations and the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations,... Full story
