Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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By Penny Schwartz BOSTON (JTA)-For some 2 1/2 hours, Ezra Schwartz was remembered for his unbridled joy and passion for life, his deep and ever-widening circle of friends, and his athletic prowess as a champion baseball player and adventure-seeking skier. The sanctuary of the Boston-area synagogue was filled to capacity, with an estimated 1,000 mourners sitting and standing, according to the Stanestsky Memorial Chapels, and hundreds more stood on the synagogue grounds outside to hear about the...
ISRAEL21c-Israel features in 11 categories in the Condé Nast Traveler's 28th annual Readers' Choice Awards. Jerusalem, El Al, and select Eilat, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv hotels were chosen as among the world's best in their different travel groupings. Jerusalem was named as one of the Best Cities in the World. "Long a place of religious pilgrimage for Christians, Jews and Muslims, Jerusalem is now drawing a different sort of pilgrim: the global traveler. In addition to its significant sacred and...
(JTA)—A Jewish Tulane Medical School student was shot in the stomach while trying to stop the attempted abduction of a woman on a New Orleans street. Peter Gold, 25, a fourth-year medical student, and the son of Gail and Dr. Robert Gold of Longwood, was hospitalized in guarded condition as of last Friday night following the incident in the early-morning hours. The woman was not injured, according to The Times-Picayune. Gold saw the woman being carried to a nearby car against her will at 4 a.m. Friday. He stopped his car and got out to assist th...
Who would have thought that an article about four ladies being cut off from playing their beloved mahjong in their condo community clubhouse would become international news? The Heritage’s website has received more than 22,000 views (as of Nov. 30) of this one article. Jeff Gaeser, publisher, said he doesn’t remember in the paper’s history of any article getting this much attention. Zelda King, Bernice Diamond, Helen Greenspun (apologies for spelling Helen’s last name incorrectly in the Nov. 20...
Chanukah is a very festive time for Chabad of South Orlando. There is fun for all ages, starting with the Grand Family Festival on Sunday, Dec. 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Chabad Center of Jewish Life, 7347 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando. The festivities include a live rock band, extreme trampoline stunt show (5 p.m.), a photo booth, food, crafts and raffles. The highlight of the even will be the Grand Menorah lighting at 5:45 p.m. The even is free (nominal cost for food concessions). On the eighth night of Chanukah, Dec. 13, Chabad will host...
Temple Israel's Adult Education Committee will host Dr. Harry Rein who will discuss his new book titled "From Stethoscope to Gavel: Of becoming a Doctor, Lawyer and Judge" on Dec. 13, at about 11:15 am (right after the Annual Congregational Town Hall meeting. There will be refreshments followed by selected readings, discussion and a book signing. Rein is a Holocaust survivor who became the only doctor-lawyer-judge practicing in the United States. His story begins on the final train leaving...
The Rosen JCC, located at 11184 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, will be hosting its second annual Great Latke Cookoff on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. It will feature aspiring chefs preparing latkes to be judged in a People's Choice competition, in addition to games and fun for the whole family. Dinner and dessert is included, as well as plenty of latkes to sample. There will be a group menorah lighting, and each family is encouraged to bring their own menorah and eight candles to participate. "We are...
Charles Bronfman and the other kings, queens, princes, dukes, duchesses, lords and ladies of the American Jewish community need to wake up to the impressive accomplishments of the passionate, strategic, creative and loving serfs and vassals of Chabad who commitedly serve the Jewish people globally, with all their hearts and souls. It is outrageous that Mr. Bronfman told the attendees of the Reform Movement at its convention two weeks ago to “take back Birthright from Chabad.” Imagine if the tables were turned what kind of indignant outcry the...
A form of amnesia must be affecting the Obama administration’s former chief Mideast negotiator, Martin Indyk. It is, however, a very selective kind of amnesia—he forgets only concessions that Israel has made. Speaking recently at a conference in Tel Aviv, Indyk declared that the only reason there are no peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians is because of Israeli construction in Judea-Samaria. Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas would “become a partner tomorrow for the deal you’d like to make if there was a settlement freeze,...
Routines are everywhere, with everyone. Almost all our waking hours we are employing one or another. How we brush our teeth, fix our breakfast, drive to where we’ve been before, get ready for bed. They are crucial for government and politics. Just as an individual cannot be bothered to ponder at length what to do in most situations, officials, politicians, and activists generally do what they have done in similar circumstances. Routines simply life, make expectations more predictable, and serve well in most cases. They are also limiting. R...
A memorial ceremony was held at Ben Gurion Airport just before the body of 18-year-old Ezra Schwartz was flown to the United States for burial last Saturday night. William Grant, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, was in attendance. Yet if the ceremony had taken place at the site of the attack in which Ezra was murdered, U.S. diplomats would have boycotted the event. That’s because the attack took place in Gush Etzion, and believe it or not, the policy of the U.S. government is to boycott the funerals of American victims o...
Our revulsion at the Paris attacks and subsequent Isis violence was palpable, and our reaction almost universal. We want action. But are we prepared to accept the difficult truth? The only answer to brute force by evil and depraved fanatics is brute force by the good guys—working with some of the not-so-good guys. The French wasted no time launching counterstrikes against ISIS targets in retaliation for the brutal slaughter of 129 citizens at multiple Paris locations. At the same time, the Russians, once confirming their airliner was brought d...
From the attacks in Paris to the deadly toll of terror in Israel, events of the past week have reminded us of the wide gap between Jews and the rest of the world. As if we needed any reminding. Following the rampage in Paris, which left over 140 dead, Jewish organizations, Israeli officials, and everyday Jews rushed to condemn the murders and express their solidarity with the people of France. Friends adopted the Tricolorefilter on their Facebook pages; the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City were illuminated in blue, white, and red. But even in s...
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...
Anita Lowitz, age 86, of Clermont, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015, at Mike Conley Hospice House in Clermont. She was the devoted wife to the true love of her life, Bernie, for 65 ½ years, until his death in December 2014. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, to the late Louis and Stella Ressler Psachie, on April 1, 1929. Mrs. Lowitz was a college graduate and a homemaker. She was adored and loved by her children, David, Vicki and Marc, and by her grandchildren Andrew, Melissa, Nicole and Leigh. Anita and Bernie relocated to the Orlando...
Richard E. Miskin, age 88, of Orlando, passed away on Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, at Florida Hospital—East Orlando. Mr. Miskin, a native of Akron, Ohio, was born on Nov. 25, 1926, to the late Demeter and Elizabeth P Rusinko Miskin. He attended Purdue University and retired from the United States Air Force as a major. Following his military retirement he worked in personnel administration and training for the Army and Air Force Exchange Services. He had recently relocated to the Orlando area from Virginia. Mr. Miskin is survived by his son Richard D...
Leone B. Needleman, age 91, of Orlando, passed away at Mike Conley Hospice House in Clermont, on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015. Mrs. Needleman was born in Philadelphia, on Dec. 28, 1923, to Abraham M. Benn z”l and Esther Stirman Benn z”l. A high school graduate, she attended art school before she marriage to Nayt Needleman z”l, who predeceased her in 1997. Prior to their move to the Orlando area in 1987, the family lived in Ardmore, Penn., where they owned and operated the Betsy Ross Company and Needleman Florist and Decorators. Mrs. Needleman is su...
Goldie Weinstein, age 89, of Clermont, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, at Springs of Lady Lake. She was born on Dec. 30, 1925, in London, England, to the late Simon and Katie Clara Taylor Hecht. She lived bravely through the Blitz and met the love of her life, Reuben (Ruby) Weinstein who was stationed in Europe. Following the end of World War II, they married and shared many wonderful years together until Ruby’s death in 1994. During their life together, they lived in Buffalo, N.Y., and Hallandale and Orlando, Fla. For the past 21 y...
The Jewish Pavilion will host its Annual Volunteer Luncheon, JP Connections, at the Altamonte Hilton on Thursday, Dec. 10, at the Altamonte Hilton at 11 a.m. The luncheon will honor volunteers Joan Pohl and Penny D' Agostino, as well as all Pavilion volunteers and members. "Joan Pohl is an extraordinary teacher of Yiddish, and for the past five years she has enriched and reconnected members of the elder-care community with a heritage that could have easily been forgotten. Thanks to Joan, our...
Have you ever heard of JDC?... I hadn't until now, actually not until I received this info in the mail last week. JDC stands for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Their main headquarters is located at 711 Third Avenue, New York City. JDC is the world's leading Jewish humanitarian organization. For nearly a century, JDC has been saving lives and giving hope to the neediest Jews in the world. Throughout its long history, JDC has coupled the concern for Jewish lives with an equally...
You may know the names Gershwin, Porter, Lennon and McCartney, but do you know the name Arlen? That’s what motivated Kerry Giese, director of The Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando’s Theater at the J to stage The Wonderful Wizard of Song: An Evening with Harold Arlen in their Harriett & Hymen Lake Cultural Center Auditorium from December 17-20. Harold Arlen is best-known for classics like Over the Rainbow, Stormy Weather, It’s Only a Paper Moon, Get Happy, Blues in the Night, and Come Rain or Come Shine—all of which will be performed in the...
JERUSALEM (JTA)-There is nothing cuter than my 5-year old daughter coming home from kindergarten with an overly decorated menorah in hand singing "Ner li Ner li, ner li dakik," the Israeli version of "This Little Light of Mine." The song speaks about the little candle, so thin, small and all hers to light. Personalizing the holiday for kids is just good pedagogy. Through song, play and creative arts, early childhood educators get these little Maccabees to embody the holiday and feel they have...
William (Baruch Nissan) Snyder is a vibrant 12-year-old boy. He loves baseball, football, swimming, riding his bike, and playing video games. He laughs heartily, his gigantic sense of humor shining through-with one hand on his special dog, Asha. But like his Hebrew name, William is a blessed miracle. Each day of his last 10-and-a-half years has been a miracle. Father Ron Snyder recalls that when William was around 7 months old, he and wife Lori felt "something didn't seem right" with their first...
Inspired by the lifesaving work of Magen David Adom, Avi the Ambulance brings young readers along on exciting adventures in emergency training and rescue. This picture-book series also helps young children discover the Jewish value of helping others. A new, multi-part illustrated book series introducing young readers to the mitzvot of helping others and saving lives has rolled out in time for the holidays. Developed through a new partnership between American Friends of Magen David (AFMDA) and...
WASHINGTON (JTA)—With Chanukah on the way, it’s easy to hold a party where all guests—disabled and not—feel welcomed, respected and have fun. All it takes is some planning. Here are some tips to ensure you are being inclusive, thoughtful and welcoming to all. 1. Don’t be afraid. People with disabilities have their disabilities 24/7, so they know how to create workarounds that make them feel comfortable. If you know someone has a disability, use a simple strategy: Ask them what they need to be fully included. All too often, people with disa...
