Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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On Thursday, May 28, the Jewish Academy of Orlando graduated 14 eighth-grade students at their annual end of the celebration. Five of the 14 graduates have been students at the Jewish Academy of Orlando since kindergarten. Throughout their years at the Jewish Academy, this group has been known for their strength of character, leadership and strong academics. Commenting on this milestone in the students' lives, Head of School Alan Rusonik said "This has been an exceptional group of students and...
The Roth Family Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando held its annual meeting on May 19. The National Anthem and Hatikva were sung by the 39ers' Honorable Menschen Choir; a new board of directors was installed and several volunteers were honored. RAISE employee Cameron Rohme spoke to the audience about the positive impact the JCC has had on him this year as part of the collaboration between the JCC and Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando's RAISE program, developed and implemented by...
Friendship and fun are the main objectives of the Young Women's Social Group recently formed by the Jewish Pavilion. Not long ago, Nancy Ludin, Jewish Pavilion executive director, and Carol Feuerman, past-president and current board member, sat down to discuss the social challenges faced by young Jewish professionals transitioning to adulthood in Orlando. Both Ludin and Feuerman have adult children in their 20s and/or 30s and have seen that the rapid changes in lifestyle and circumstance during...
Illinois became the third state in a month to pass legislation formally opposing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. But going further than non-binding anti-BDS measures in Tennessee and Indiana, the Illinois bill took concrete action against those who boycott the Jewish state. The legislation-which unanimously passed both the Illinois House (102-0) and Senate (49-0), and will be signed into law by Governor Bruce Rauner-prohibits state pension funds from...
As Islamic terrorist organizations throughout the Middle East sink to new levels of brutality, the Palestinian terror group Hamas, which has killed hundreds of Israelis and launched thousands of rockets at the Jewish state, finds itself facing a threat to its rule in Gaza. Over the last month, Islamic State-inspired jihadist groups in Gaza, who ironically argue that Hamas has been too lenient toward Israel and has failed to implement Islamic Sharia Law, have launched a campaign entailing both pr...
Controversy is swirling over conflicting reports as to whether or not the Pope Francis called Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas an "angel of peace" during a meeting at the Vatican. Pope Francis, who canonized two 19th-century nuns from what was then Ottoman-ruled Palestine, met with Abbas at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, where he presented the PA leader with a bronze medallion and explained that it represented the "angel of peace destroying the bad spirit of war," purportedly...
A presentation by Pastor Blake Lorenz about “Survival and Promise,” sponsored by the Zionistas on Sunday, May 17, became an informal group discussion about the “Unthinkable.” After introductions were made and Lorenz spoke briefly that the “Unthinkable” is here now, he opened discussion about what can we do to stop it? Before we can stop it, what is the unthinkable? Jew hatred, the open proclamation to destroy Israel, the killing of anyone who does not believe a certain type of Islam. Is the unthinkable the Muslim people? No. It is the movemen...
The Holocaust Center honored local community activists, Susan and Gordon Arkin, at its annual Dinner of Tribute. The event raised more than $330,000 to support the Center's education and bullying prevention programs. The evening included a presentation that illustrated how the Holocaust Center is "Lighting the Way" toward a more inclusive community free of all forms of prejudice and bigotry. It detailed how every word in the organization's name, Holocaust – Memorial – Resource – and Educa...
People of the Book returns for the third year of One Book, One Community, One Summer, a chance to read and discuss a book of general interest to the Jewish community. This year’s book is “The Jew and the Lotus” by Roger Kamenetz, the fascinating story of a diverse group of Jewish leaders invited to meet with the Dalai Lama to discuss how a people can survive and thrive in Diaspora. As in past summers, “People of the Book” will be co-facilitated by Janet Friedman and Rabbi David Kay. In previous years, “People of the Book” explored the...
Guest speaker Jane Edelstein, president of Edelstein Associates, shares “Seven Off-the-Wall Tips for Better Business Meetings” during the Jewish Business Network’s gathering Tuesday, May 19, at Brown’s New York Deli in Maitland. More than 30 Jewish business professionals participated in the event. The next Jewish Business Network get-together is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, at 7 p.m. For details, go to www.jfgo.org....
I will be interesting to see if Saudi Arabia’s King Salman gets the “Bibi treatment” from the news media this week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, you’ll remember, was accused of snubbing President Barack Obama when he addressed Congress on the Iranian nuclear threat back in March. Contrastingly, King Salman can be said to have snubbed the president by not coming to Washington for his May 14 summit with Gulf Arab leaders. In any case, supporters of Israel should feel some relief at the political heat being directed, if only tempora...
In what was a precedent-setting event, the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD) sponsored a recent conference titled “People of the Land: A Twenty-First Century Case for Christian Zionism” in Washington, D.C. It was reportedly the first-ever event specifically devoted to presenting academic arguments in support of Christian Zionism. The content presented at the April 17 symposium—11 academic papers—comprised a long-overdue contribution to the dialogue about Zionism in the Christian world. The combined presentations made a theolog...
Prior to the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, public opinion on a Jewish Homeland was divided—even among Jews. Some, especially in the United States felt that we shouldn’t make a fuss. After all, wasn’t life here pretty good? Well, yeah, it was—compared to from where most of the immigrants came. But we were a People without a country. A People, not just a religion. We had mutual DNA with many others of our flock. We had a language, not much used, but we had one. The stirrings of nationalism had begun with Herzl, but it was Adolf H...
WASHINGTON (JTA) – When considering the Vatican’s creep toward recognition of Palestinian statehood, think “Israel-Vatican” and not “Jewish-Catholic,” say Jewish officials involved in dialogue with the church. A May 13 announcement on an agreement regarding the functioning of the church in areas under Palestinian control raised eyebrows in its reference to the “State of Palestine.” The upset was compounded by confusion over whether Pope Francis, in a meeting over the weekend with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, praised him as...
Recent ordeals for Jews on college campuses include being probed on their religious identity in student government hearings, seeing swastikas sprayed on fraternity houses, and the presence of a student-initiated course accused of anti-Semitism. Pro-Israel voices are fighting back, but who is winning this war of ideas? An episode at Columbia University, a historic hotbed of anti-Zionism, illustrates the complex dynamics at play. Last month, Christians United for Israel (CUFI), America’s largest pro-Israel organization with more than 2 million me...
With another Jerusalem Day (May 17) passing us by, we are once again witnesses to the usual platitudes from our leaders. We again hear the speeches about the unity of our capital and how it will never be divided again. These notions are of course all true, but Jerusalem is much more than an idea. It is a living city that must be safe for its inhabitants, and it must continue to grow and expand in a manner befitting of Israel’s largest city. Over the past year we have seen an unfortunate rise in rioting and violence by Arab extremists in J...
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...
TEL AVIV (JTA)-In 2003, two years after the website was founded, the editors of Wikipedia faced a dilemma: How should they refer to the part-fence, part-wall Israel was building along the West Bank border? The article's first iteration-published amid the bloody second intifada, or Palestinian uprising-called it a "security fence" and focused on Israeli support. Within a half-hour, another editor added a sentence about a United Nations condemnation. Later that day, the phrase "apartheid wall"...
(JTA)-Hollywood Reporter's new cover story interview with actress Natalie Portman may be one of the most heavily Jewish-themed articles the magazine has ever published. In it, the Israel-born Portman, who's preparing for the May 18 debut of her film adaptation of Israeli author Amos Oz's "A Tale of Love and Darkness," which was shot in Jerusalem, talks about everything from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (she's not a fan) to anti-Semitism in Paris, where she now lives, to reading...
Heritage Florida Jewish News is accepting nominations for the 2015 Heritage Human Service Award, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando. “For more than 25 years, individuals who have made major, voluntary contributions of their talent, time, energy and effort to the Central Florida community have been honored with the selection and presentation of this award,” said Jeff Gaeser, editor and publisher of the Heritage. Last year’s recipient was Loren London. Former recipients have included Wolf...
Luke Alexander Cohn, son of Sheri and Alan Cohn of Longwood, will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah on Saturday, May 30, 2015, at Congregation Beth Am in Longwood. Luke is in the seventh grade at Rock Lake Middle School where he is a member of BETA (academic excellence). His hobbies and interests include football, basketball, swimming, cross fit and running. He is also a member of Pop Warner Flag Football and I9-sports. Sharing in the family's simcha will be Luke's grandparents, Melinda...
Alexis Chy-Anne Miller, daughter of Scott and Helen Miller of Minneola, Florida, will be called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah on Saturday, June 6, 2015, at Congregation Sinai of Minneola, Fla. Alexis is in the sixth grade at Clermont Middle School where she is a member of the Tri-Music Honor Society, the CLMS Blue Falcon Jazz Band and Symphony Band. Her hobbies include music, reading, sewing and crocheting. Sharing in the family's simcha will be Alexis' brothers, Jared and Tyler; grandparents,...
(Jewniverse via JTA)-What do Judas Iscariot and hot-and-sour soup have in common? A rubbery mushroom known as "Auricularia auricula-judae," or "Jew's ear." The term "Jew's ear" might make you feel funny, but it was not intended to be anti-Semitic. It's more about the fact that these tasty mushrooms look a lot like wrinkly ears and are most often found on the wood of elder trees. Lest you forget your Christian gospel, Judas Iscariot hanged himself on an elder tree after he betrayed Jesus Christ....
I received a phone call... A very lovely sounding lady named LILLY phoned me recently to talk about anti-Semitism. She felt that Jewish organizations and communities should let all the good things Jewish people do be known via media ("positive commercials" she said) so Jews would be much more valued in society and less likely to be picked on. I am trying to do just that, especially when I write about all the scientific breakthroughs coming out of Israeli universities. But then, mostly Jewish...
By Gabrielle Birkner NEW YORK (JTA)-"This was a woman," the narrator explained, as the camera pans over a figure so emaciated and burnt that it's barely recognizable as human. It's one of the more arresting scenes in "German Concentration Camps Factual Survey," a highly unusual Holocaust documentary shot and scripted 70 years ago, and crafted with the help of the legendary director Alfred Hitchcock. But it almost didn't see the light of day. The recently completed film has begun making the...
