Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JNS.org)-In his Independence Day message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled the "moment of triumph" in the 1948 creation of the state of Israel and praised the Jewish state's resilience. "It was a moment of triumph for our people. We had been scattered around the world for millennia. And then we returned to our ancient homeland, to build a safe haven, where we could live, and thrive," Netanyahu said in a video message. Netanyahu went on to praise the Israeli people for their ab...
Jewish National Fund will host the annual Tree of Life™ Award Gala at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, May 15, 2017 to honor Nina and Ron Oppenheim and Katherine Ramsberger with Tree of Life™ Awards for their dedication to the Orlando community and JNF. Guests will be treated to a special performance by Broadway's Linda Eder. The Tree of Life™ Award is a humanitarian award given in recognition of outstanding community involvement, dedication to the cause of Ameri...
On Friday, April 28, the Jewish Academy of Orlando bid farewell to Shari Wladis, principal of the Jewish Academy of Orlando. The entire school community of students, teachers and parents commemorated her 17-year tenure during a Kabbalat Shabbat and reception, which was led by special guest Rabbi David Kay of Congregation Ohev Shalom. Current teachers, as well as past teachers participated. "The event celebrated her achievements and was really touching," said parent Robyn Eichenholz. "I think it...
Kudos go out to Chef Zachary Engel for winning the James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef of the Year. Engel is the chef de cuisine at Shaya restaurant in New Orleans, and was one of 11 New Orleans chefs to be a James Beard Award finalist this year. And if his name sounds familiar, he is also the son of Rabbi Steven and Beverly Engel of the Congregation of Reform Judaism. This is a prestigious honor, as the James Beard Awards are considered among the highest honors in the American culinary...
WASHINGTON (JTA)-President Donald Trump and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks would help bring about the defeat of the Islamic State terrorist group. "I know President Abbas has spoken out against ISIS" and other terrorist groups, Trump said Wednesday at a White House ceremony welcoming Abbas, using one of several acronyms for the Islamic State. "We must continue to build our partnerships with the Palestinians' security forces to counter...
(JNS.org) As millions of Israeli and Diaspora Jews marked Israel’s 69th Independence Day, the United Nations cultural body UNESCO voted Tuesday, May 2, to adopt its latest resolution denying Jewish ties to Jerusalem. The resolution—which passed in a 22-10 vote, with 23 abstentions—states that “all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, which have altered or purport to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and in particular the ‘basic law’ on Jerusalem, are null and vo...
JERUSALEM (JTA)—North Korea threatened Israel with “merciless, thousand-fold punishment” and labeled it the only “illegal possessor” of nuclear weapons in the Middle East. The Foreign Ministry in Pyongyang issued a statement Saturday blasting Israel after its defense minister, Avigdor Liberman, in an interview with the Hebrew-language news website Walla! called North Korean leader Kim Jong-un a “madman” who is in charge of a “crazy and radical group” that is “undermining global stability.” Liberman said that Pyongyang “seems to have crosse...
(JTA)—The student government at Montclair State University reportedly voted down a resolution calling on the school to boycott Israel. The measure was defeated April 26 by a vote of 11-1, with six abstentions. An earlier survey aimed at gauging student support for the measure found that 64 percent of students at the New Jersey school were opposed. The defeat of the resolution, which was initiated by the university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, was commended by the pro-Israel group StandWithUs, which is active on college cam...
There is another local water polo player who will be playing on the Maccabi Water Polo team this summer. Ory Tasman, four-time All-American and Winter Park resident, was selected to the 2017 Maccabi Water Polo team. Tasman, a graduate of Winter Park High School in 2012, holds numerous records at Winter Park High and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, including most goals scored in a season (105) and a career (317). He graduate from MIT in 2016 with a degree in computer science and...
It is that time of year once again when Heritage Florida Jewish News is putting out feelers for one outstanding person in the Jewish community who has given his or her time or talent or monetary gifts to better the Orlando Jewish community. Nominations for the 2017 Heritage Human Service Award are now being accepted and the award will be presented at the annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, which will be held Aug. 27. “For more than 27 years, individuals who have made major, voluntary contributions of their talent, t...
Shavuot is the second of three historical pilgrimage/agricultural festivals mentioned in the Torah. It is also known as Z’man Matan Torateinu—the Time of the Giving of our Torah at Mount Sinai. Therefore, the study of Torah is a cornerstone of celebrating this holiday. It is a tradition to hold study sessions throughout the night, known as Tikkun Leil Shavuot. The Jewish people were all there for the giving of the Torah, so it is appropriate that we here and now come together to celebrate as a community. This year Temple Israel is hosting an...
On Thursday, May 25 at 7 p.m., Pastor Roger Diaz of Fellowship Church in Winter Springs will give a presentation on the goodness he has witnessed in Israel as he takes groups of Christians to interact with Orthodox Jews living in Judea and Samaria. This event, sponsored by the Zionistas, will be held at the Eastmonte Civic Center, 830 Magnolia Drive, Altamonte Springs. Pastor Diaz, ordained as an elder, is a native of the Caribbean Island Trinidad and Tobago. He moved to Central Florida in...
Just like a “Hackathon” where people gather together to work on finding challenge-driven solutions, the Jewish Genealogical Society is sponsoring the first ever Orlando “Roots-athon.” The event is open to anyone who is interested in beginning to search for their Jewish ancestors and living relatives as well as experienced researchers who have hit a “brick-wall.” Experts will be on-hand to provide one-on-one assistance that will lead participants to their next discovery. No lecture, no presentation—just your questions and your discovery. Br...
(JTA)—As Israel turns 69, world Jewry is in a state of crisis. Israel and American Jewry are drifting apart, and within each of those groups we’re seeing increased polarization on fundamental issues like the two-state solution, Israel’s democratic vs. Jewish nature and the definition of who is a Jew. Rather than wallowing in malaise, I’d like to propose a solution that could resolve many of our challenges, a Grand Bargain fit for these chaotic times. I propose that we create a class of Jewish “citizenship” that will reinvent the relationshi...
J Street, the left-wing group that claims to be staunchly opposed to Israeli settlements, has embraced an Israeli settlement. What? How can that be? This strange but true story began when the Israeli Knesset overwhelmingly adopted a law to prohibit the entry of foreign citizens who actively promote the BDS movement against Israel. The law does not prevent Israeli citizens from boycotting Israel. Their right to seek the destruction of their own country remains protected. The law does not block the entry of foreigners who happen to agree with...
Some time ago I attended a “know your rights” workshop sponsored by an immigration rights organization near my home in Los Angeles. The attorneys conducting the workshop offered a broad array of ideas and suggestions, but one piece of advice stood out for me. It dealt with potential workplace raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, and the attorneys’ advice was straightforward: If you are told at your workplace to get into two lines—one for those “with papers” and one for those “without”—simply refuse. Stay in one...
When the Obama administration managed to avoid a congressional vote on its nuclear deal with Iran in the fall of 2015 courtesy of a Democratic Senate filibuster, the argument surrounding the controversial agreement seemed to be over. That’s why Democrats are reacting with impatience and skepticism about statements from the Trump administration about re-evaluating the deal. Yet rather than an impotent gesture designed to distract us from a decision not to tear up the accord that President Donald Trump blasted throughout the 2016 election c...
Dear Editor: With the recent and current influx of Muslim “refugees” coming into Europe and the United States, one has to ask, “Are these Muslims migrants, immigrants or are they invaders?” There is a drastic difference. The prophet Mohammed said, according to the Hadith, there are five responsibilities or charges for those who practice Islam. They were “to assemble, to listen, to obey, to immigrate and to wage jihad for the sake of Allah.” This is exactly what is happening with today’s immigration. This is also what is known as the “stealth...
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...
The ninth in the series of ten monthly JGSGO (Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando) Workshops was held at The Roth Family JCC on May 2, 2017. The guest speaker was Warren Blatt, managing director of JewishGen.org, a genealogy website that features thousands of databases, research tools, and other resources to help those with Jewish ancestry research and find family members. Blatt spoke on Jewish given names and surnames, their customs, origins, and variations, all important...
The Jewish Pavilion was thrilled to have husband and wife, Joe and Renee, join in, as well as several other Jewish residents and almost 20 students from the Trinity Christian Academy's Jewish history class, for the Passover seder at the Westminster Towers. The group celebrated with the taste's of a seder and ended with some Jewish music and dancing....
Judy Suberman is shown here (standing) with very lucky seniors residing at Atria Park at Lake Forest. Lucky because they benefit from her friendship, dedication and kindness. Passover customs and the joy associated with Passover were shared among friends this past month. Toni Gittles joined in as a guest to experience the beautiful holiday celebration. Suberman can be found every fourth Friday 4 p.m. leading Shabbat prayers and songs at Atria Park. Prior to Shabbat, Suberman meets the residents...
The residents at The Watercrest of Lake Nona and Jewish Pavilion Program Director Walter Goldstein observed the candle lighting ceremony of Yom HaShoah. Six candles were lit in remembrance of the 6 million killed in the Holocaust. The residents then enjoyed a little something sweet after such sadness....
WASHINGTON (JTA)—President Donald Trump said his first overseas trip as president would be to Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Vatican—a triad that signals his plan to join the three Abrahamic faiths in the fight against terrorism. Trump’s announcement and how his aides framed it to reporters sought to allay concerns stoked during his presidential campaign and the first weeks of his presidency that he is anti-Muslim. “My first foreign trip as president of the United States will be to Saudi Arabia, then Israel and then to a place that my cardina...
After the recession slowed most businesses down considerably, Renee Friedman's team of 14 at FastSigns Orlando Central, under her leadership, hunkered down to make 2016 the company's best year since she bought the retail chain franchise in 2001. "The recession almost shut us down as we lost so many customers in the real estate and construction industries. Year after year sales declined despite all our efforts," she said. "We kept pushing forward and finally, about four years ago, we started to...
