Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Chabad of Greater Orlando caught on fire on Sunday, Sept. 22. The fire started around 11 a.m., less than a half hour after Shachrit davening had ended. No one was injured. A security guard noticed smoke coming from the roof and called the Fire department. It took 60 firefighters and seven firetrucks over an hour to get the fire fully under control, according to Rabbi Dovid Dubov. More than 50 percent of the building was destroyed. "Gaping holes burned through the roof and the ceiling collapsed,...
Located in beautiful Delaney Park near downtown Orlando, Kinneret Apartments continues to be a viable and attractive option for all low-income, independent seniors. In 1967, leaders in the Jewish community saw the need to create a community for seniors living on a fixed income and applied for a HUD mortgage to start building the first tower. The Kinneret Council on Aging was formed in 1985 as a non-profit organization to provide a meal service, health and fitness programs and Jewish cultural events and holiday celebrations to the over 300...
Chabad of Altamonte has four women’s clubs that are open to the community and meet throughout the month. Club #1 is Torah & Tea with Mussie Bronstein. Bronstein’s passion to inspire and reach out has been imbedded in her very essence since childhood. She has years of experience as a successful teacher, mentor and program director for young students. She is a beloved educator to many. Club #2 is Baking, Art & Games with Hadas & Natalie. Hadas and Natalie are passionate about art and food with years of experience. They offer baking, art and games...
This article originally appeared on Kveller. “Happy Yom Kippur!” my mom shouted on speakerphone to my fiancé and his family. “Thank you,” they said. “Mom, Yom Kippur isn’t really happy,” I explained. We were staying at my future in-laws’ Long Island home, and everyone was exhausted from fasting. Insecure about not being Jewish myself, I longed to prove I was the perfect daughter-in-law-to-be. But I was the odd one out because I’d broken the fast earlier with a Power Bar to stave off a migraine. I’d also asked why the light switches were taped...
After seeing the outpouring of community support, Kappy's owners Adam and Rachel Milsom and the property owners negotiated a new lease, allowing Kappy's to reopen on Monday, Sept. 23. "Community involvement was key," said Rachel. "The entire Kappy's family is grateful for the incredible outpouring of love we've received from the community. We appreciate the support of the property's new owners and are pleased to begin serving you again ... and look forward to continuing serving you for years to...
(JNS) — For decades, Jewish Republicans have talked about a realignment whereby Jews will abandon their traditional, almost reflexive support for the Democratic Party and embrace the Republican Party. Historically, Jewish voters have leaned heavily Democratic due to the party’s association with liberal values, which resonate with most Jews who identify as liberal or progressive. Policy Jews say that Israel is not the most critical issue, but they are influenced if one candidate is perceived as hostile—as was the case, for example, with Jimmy...
By The strength and survivability of the Jewish people has always been their ability to simultaneously respect their rich history, to appreciate the gift of life, and to embrace optimism about the future. Coincidently, the Torah’s narrative also speaks to us in the past, the present and the future, bestowing a sense of eternity within our DNA. The Torah begins with a history of the evolutionary creation of the universe and our planet Earth (time frame of 6 biblical days); including the creation of humans. God “rested” but did not “stop” on the...
(JNS) — I was on site when a mob of Islamists and leftists attacked the Adas Torah synagogue in Los Angeles. The synagogue was besieged and Jews were prevented from entering. Multiple Jewish community members were assaulted while the police for the most part did nothing. No arrests were made of the attackers who came armed and masked. While the media tried to once again cover up or redirect blame for the violence, there was enough outrage that a few L.A. legislators actually attempted to introduce bills banning more of the same. Who would p...
(JNS) — The current negotiations between Hamas—an Iran-supported, internationally designated foreign terrorist organization—and Israel, a legitimate democratic nation-state, is a puzzlement. About 3,800 Hamas terrorists were among the 6,000 Gazans who invaded Israel on Oct. 7 and committed barbaric, inhumane atrocities. Every inhumane act committed, including the taking of hostages and the firing of thousands of indiscriminate rockets into civilian Israeli towns and cities, is against every law of humanity, conduct under the laws of war and m...
(JNS) — Hezbollah began a massive attack against Israel on Aug. 25. They planned to launch more than 7,000 missiles and drones to overwhelm Israel’s defense systems. Satellite surveillance images of the movement and loading of ballistic missiles into launchers gave Israel about 15 minutes advanced notice of the attack. To prevent an attack that would probably have overwhelmed its aerial-defense systems, Israel sent 100-plus fighter jets to destroy as many of Hezbollah’s rocket-launcher barrels as possible. These barrels were aimed at north...
(JNS) — I’m a fan of the Free Press podcast “Honestly.” It’s one of my regular sources of media. The even-handed coverage given to all topics is invigorating. But as someone who lives in Judea and Samaria, the episode titled “The Palestinian ‘Traitor’ Risking Everything to Speak Out” lacks some necessary context. For those who haven’t listened to the episode, I highly recommend it. The interviewee has both an unbelievable story and a fascinating philosophy on life. Since speaking out against the atrocities of Oct. 7, he’s been labeled a traitor...
MORNING MINYANS 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 Israel — Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-647-3...
(Israel Hayom via JNS) — A heated debate has erupted on social media over recent changes made to the Wikipedia entry for Zionism, sparking accusations of historical revisionism. Users on social media have over the past several 24 hours posted a comparison between the 2023 and 2024 versions of the Wikipedia page, with one user, Liv Lovisa, claiming that “history is being rewritten.” Blake Flayton, a vocal commentator on Jewish and Israeli issues, responded to the post, calling the changes “egregious” and urging someone with expertise to edit t...
(JNS) — During the attacks and atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel on Oct. 7, Elchanan Kalmanson, his brother Menachem Kalmanson and their nephew, Itiel, drove toward the Gaza Strip under heavy rocket fire, ready to defend their country with their lives. Arriving at Kibbutz Be’eri, they started evacuating houses, hoping to save whoever they could inside, unfortunately discovering that in many instances, there was no one left to save. On Oct. 8, the second day of their rescue mission, they were ambushed by ter...
(JTA) — American Jews are one step closer to having a Smithsonian museum dedicated to their history. The House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill Monday to study the possibility of bringing the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, in Philadelphia, under the Smithsonian umbrella. The Weitzman, as it is known, is considered the premier museum of Jewish history in the United States and already has an affiliation with the Smithsonian. Full membership in the Smithsonian network of museums would unlock federal funding o...
(JNS)— Jerusalem’s Old City and Judea and Samaria must be judenrein within a year, according to a Palestinian-drafted resolution, which the U.N. General Assembly passed on Sept. 18. The resolution, which passed by a 124-14 margin with 43 abstentions, is meant to give force to a July advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which declared Israeli presence to be illegal in any area over the 1949 armistice line. More than 40 countries sponsored the resolution, which was the first that Palestinians filed after being granted unprecede...
This story originally appeared on JTA. “We are immigrating to America.” It was 1989, and my parents had sat my sister and me down in our living room to break the news. In those years of economic and political instability, as well as the ethical injustice of apartheid, many Jewish South Africans had an exit plan. Our time had finally come, and I was devastated. I sobbed big ugly tears. In my mind, I was leaving more than the comfort of my family and friends. I was leaving the only way of life that I understood. South Africans as a group are trad...
In recent times, the rise of cryptocurrency scams has become a concerning trend, with scammers adopting various deceptive tactics to defraud unsuspecting individuals. One prevalent tactic involves impersonating federal agents to convince victims — often seniors — that their bank accounts are compromised. In response to these fictitious claims, some individuals resort to depositing money into cryptocurrency ATMs under the false pretense that it will secure their accounts with governmental protection. Cryptocurrency ATMs have emerged as a favored...
(JNS) — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, in her first solo interview, said she had wholly backed the Biden administration’s decision to pause the delivery of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. Speaking to the National Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia on Tuesday, the Democratic presidential nominee said that “one of the things that we’ve done that I’m entirely supportive of is the pause that we put on the 2000-pound bombs.” She offered this as an example of a concrete action the White House had taken to pressure Israel to agree to a...
As we enter the High Holiday season, our hearts turn toward community, connection, and care. At Jewish Pavilion Senior Services, our mission is clear: to ensure that Jewish seniors in elder-care facilities know they are cherished, remembered, and an integral part of our Jewish family. We are here to keep the spark of tradition alive, bringing the warmth of our heritage to those who need it most. With the dedication of our incredible volunteers and the passion of our staff, we bring Shabbat...
As we celebrate Rosh Hashanah and welcome the new year, I am filled with a profound sense of reflection and hope. This is a time when we look back on our achievements and challenges, and also forward to new opportunities to make a difference. At the Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center of Florida, we are committed to preserving the memory of the past and educating future generations about the lessons of the Holocaust. Our mission is clear: to "Shine a Light" on the importance of...
(JNS) - A rare and unique First Temple-era stone inscribed with a name in paleo-Hebrew script has been uncovered near Jerusalem's Temple Mount, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Thursday. The ancient black stone seal was unearthed in an excavation by the Temple Mount's southern wall. It is believed to date back 2,700 years and was used by a senior official in the Kingdom of Judah's administration, the state-run archaeological body said. "The seal, made of black stone, is one of the...
(European Jewish Press via JNS) — A pro-Israel advocacy group has called for a new global coalition to defeat the Hamas terrorist organization, after six Israeli hostages were killed in cold blood last month hours before being rescued by the Israel Defense Forces. In the European Coalition for Israel’s monthly talk show, “The European Report,” ECI founding director Tomas Sandell on Tuesday expressed his grave concern regarding the many concessions made to Hamas in the wake of the terror group’s Oct. 7 massacre. “This is not the time to rew...
This story originally appeared on Hey Alma. The High Holiday season is upon us. Teshuvah — a central tenet of these holidays — literally translates to “return,” but what exactly this concept means has been heavily debated by rabbinic scholars for thousands of years. Some say it entails a public act of confession, while others describe it as an internal process of change. For some it’s necessarily interpersonal; for others, introspective. Navigating these competing conceptions can be a daunting task, especially for anxious Jews like us. So we...
