Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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One of the unique mitzvot of Rosh Hashanah is hearing the sound of the shofar. The tradition of sounding the shofar every morning during the month of Elul, the Hebrew month before Rosh Hashanah is really leading up to and anticipating Rosh Hashanah. If we are praying by ourselves at home we would not be hearing the shofar. Even if we are joining via Zoom or some other similar technology, hearing the shofar through speakers is not the same as hearing the actual sound. In order to address this, th...
Since the Covid-19 pandemic began in March, sisters Janna (a 24-year-old University of Central Florida employee) and Maya (a 17-year-old student at Lyman High School) have been making cards to send to children with life-threatening illnesses. They wanted to extend their support to the community and provide Rosh Hashanah cards for Jewish nursing home residents through the Jewish Pavilion. These special cards for the Jewish nursing home residents have been designed with the help of Joanne Fink...
Jewish Academy of Orlando presents Disney's Alice in Wonderland on video. The play, previously scheduled for May, and then rescheduled for October, will now be produced as a video production. "After meeting with physicians who have served as advisers on our re-opening task force, our school came to the decision to move away from a live audience performance and instead focus on creating an unforgettable video production," said Alan Rusonik, head of school. "This will ensure the safety of our...
(JNS) - The first commercial flight from Israel to the United Arab Emirates touched down in Abu Dhabi on Monday, carrying a delegation of U.S. and Israeli officials. El Al Flight 971 - numbered to represent the UAE's international dialing code - made the trip in just three hours, having been granted permission to traverse Saudi Arabia's airspace, usually off-limits to Israeli air traffic. Leading the delegation are Jared Kushner, presidential son-in-law and senior adviser to U.S. President...
(Israel Hayom via JNS) - The families of three Israeli teenage boys who were abducted and murdered by Hamas terrorists in Judea and Samaria in June 2014 - sparking "Operation Protective Edge" later that summer - filed a lawsuit against the terrorist group on Sunday morning, seeking NIS 520 million ($155 million) in damages. According to the families of Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach, who are represented by attorneys Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, Avi Segal and Avi Gaz from the Shurat...
(JNS) — A bill to require high school students in California to take ethnic studies as a graduation requirement passed the state’s legislature on Monday. Ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline, AB-331 passed the State Senate 33-4 and the State Assembly 62-12. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is expected to sign it into law and must decide by Sept. 30 whether to do so. The measure would require a one-semester ethnic-studies course as a California high school graduation requirement, starting with the 2029-30 school year, based on the ethnic-studies mod...
Perhaps it’s inappropriate for an Orthodox Jew to write about issues related to, and a consequence of, the recent inappropriate social media post by Jerry Falwell Jr. that suggested other inappropriate behaviors, and his taking a leave of absence as president of Liberty University. Perhaps, you wonder, why would an Orthodox Jew even care. For someone whose life is centered on building bridges between Jews and Christians, I am aware of the tremendous importance that Liberty University has in general, and specifically in educating young C...
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, of which the United States is a member, adopted a non-legally binding “working definition of antisemitism” at its plenary on May 26, 2016, in Bucharest, Romania. Since then IHRA’s 42 member and observer states and many nonmember countries throughout the world, as well as non-governmental international organizations, have adopted the definition; and have used it in legislating hate crimes and in formulating public policy dealing with antisemitism. As a member of IHRA, the U.S. State Depar...
(JNS) — Partners for Progressive Israel, a left-of-center group that is part of the American Zionist Movement, is in the midst of a 12-session “digital excursion to Israel and Palestine.” Session No. 3, which was held this past week, consisted of virtual meetings with officials of the Palestinian Authority. The Partners’ official program booklet, describing the contents of the sessions, includes a photo or illustration for each one. For the session with the P.A. meetings, the booklet reprinted the official logo of the Palestine Liberat...
(JNS) — To read the statement signed by more than 600 Jewish groups, in which they identified their denominations, synagogues and organizations with the Black Lives Matter movement, it’s clear that they believe they are on the right side of history. The letter, which was published as a full-page ad in The New York Times on Aug. 28, is forthright in its claim that “the Black Lives Matter movement is the current day Civil Rights movement in this country, and it is our best chance at equity and justice. By supporting this movement, we can build...
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Only 6 percent of voters who cast ballots for Barack Obama in 2008 voted for Donald Trump in 2016. I’m one of them. Political affiliation played no role in my decision. I’m a registered Democrat who often votes Republican. I was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family in North Jersey. We cried when Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and exulted when Ronald Reagan routed Jimmy Carter in 1980. This year poses a fresh dilemma. President Trump has proven himself as a consistent supporter of Israel. We feel an affin...
Dear Editor: In my letter noting the effectiveness of President Trump in dealing with world affairs, I made a brief reference to professional spiritual leaders who actively engage in political appeals that represent, in their opinion, the views of the Jewish majority (79 percent). Included was a reference to unmarried female rabbis (“Using common sense to solve world problems,” July 31, 2020, issue). My concern was prompted by information I received that a significant number of these ladies head well-funded organizations that publicly join the...
MORNING MINYANS (Please note, because of the coronavirus, all minyans have been canceled or held virtually.) 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...
Shana Tova! Annually, the Jewish New Year gives us the opportunity to reflect on the lives we have changed and the impact that we have in our community. Through Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando, our wonderful community has reached thousands of individuals and families in need over the last year. Whether it's through volunteering in the Pearlman Emergency Food Pantry, or by donating canned goods, or funding a client to participate in the Family Stabilization Program - you are changing...
This year's High Holidays promise to be like no other in anyone's living memory. As the "People of the Book," we have celebrated the Jewish New Year under a myriad of circumstances and in nearly every country on earth. We have gathered in peace time and during war. We have gathered at sumptuous tables free from worry in the Diaspora or modern Israel and have also gathered in shivering cold and fear in concentration camps across Europe. We have celebrated with family and have celebrated away...
As Rosh Hashanah approaches campus life is in full swing. Mezuzahs are going up in the dorms, the smell of Chabad's weekly BBQ wafts through the air, and students across campus look forward to Shabbat Dinner. There is something different this year. The BBQ is now socially distanced, the Shabbos meals are "to go," and the Mezuzah delivery comes with masks and gloves. Chabad continues to be there for our students, but there's no question the year is unique. This past year has been a year of...
(Washington Jewish Week via JTA) — Federal and international law enforcement agencies are investigating the theft of $7.5 million from the United Jewish Endowment Fund, an arm of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and diverted to international accounts. The theft was discovered on Aug. 4, but made known to the federation’s board on Wednesday after federal law enforcement lifted a blackout on the information, federation CEO Gil Preuss said. Preuss said the funds were taken from a single organization’s fund managed by the United Jewis...
Like most of our peer institutions, Stetson began fall 2020 in a hybrid model. Some students were on campus, some were at home, and all of them were online in some capacity. As the person charged with building community and helping to transition my freshmen to campus, it occurred to me that engagement - meaningful engagement - was not meant to be done while being physically distant. How for instance, can the community not be together to celebrate the High Holidays (side note: my slogan for this...
Within weeks of closing the doors to the Holocaust Center because of COVID, we hosted our first virtual event - our Yom HaShoah commemoration for an audience of over 500 people. Professional development programs, including our annual Norman Wall Summer Teachers Institute followed, allowing us to virtually reach teachers, students and so many others well beyond our Central Florida community. Our world had already been turned upside down by the pandemic when the killing of George Floyd triggered...
We miss our moms and dads! This has been an especially challenging year for everyone, but even more so for our seniors in elder-care communities who have not received any physical contact in months. For staff and volunteers at the Jewish Pavilion, touch is our secret ingredient. While our seniors adore their visits from volunteers, their Shabbat services, and holiday festivities, the thing that binds us together is the warm relationships we form. Hugs deepen that bond. Our staff and volunteers...
(JNS) — Several left-wing Jewish groups have filed a petition to initiate the removal of the Zionist Organization of America from the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston in the latest battle being waged between ZOA and liberal members of American Jewish community. The petition — filed by 21 JCRC Council members, including 11 representatives from the Workmen’s Circle, J Street, Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, Jewish Labor Committee, Keshet, New Israel Fund and Women of Reform Judaism — claims that rhetoric used by ZOA...
A scary, uneasy time ... I received the following from the World Jewish Congress and I pass it along to you: "There is no doubt that we are living through a tumultuous time of profound unrest and uncertainty across the nation and around the world. We continue to struggle against the consequences of COVID-19 and the resulting fight against new forms and new waves of antisemitism and discrimination of any kind. At the same time, there are glimmers of real hope and progress on the horizon. The WJC...
As we enter the new year of 5781, The Roth Family JCC has many new programs and opportunities for people to take advantage of. As a community center in the era of Covid, things look very different however our goal of providing a community environment has not changed. A few of our highlights include: • Shayna’s Village moving virtual with Earthly Treasures, a 7-week online journey starting Oct. 6. Participants will get their creative juices flowing as they decorate and fill their child’s own uniq...
As we enter 5781, the Federation is excited about what our community has been doing and is excited to bring even more to Central Florida during the coming year. Our Jerome J Bornstein Leadership Development program is preparing to graduate an incredible class of 15 leaders. Many have already taken positions on community organization boards and others are in the process of deciding how they will best serve our Jewish community. I'm excited to see these leaders in action and how they will impact o...
Submitted by the family Allan M. Etzkin wa born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Feb. 28, 1947 to Joe and Paula Etzkin and died on Aug. 30, 2020, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., at the age of 73. At the age of 16, Allan, and his twin brother, Michael, moved with their parents to Cleveland, Ohio, while oldest brother Steven stayed in Wisconsin. In Cleveland, he met his future wife, Joanne (Bunny) Bradley and graduated from Cleveland Heights High School. Allan received his undergraduate and master’s degrees in Education at Ohio University and his d...
