Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 26 - 38 of 38
For newlyweds Erwin and Selma Diwald, getting out of Austria wasn't a choice. It was a necessity. Their daughter, Frances "Francie" Mendelsohn, shared their fascinating story. Despite the undertones of antisemitism and the looming threats coming from Hitler's rise in Germany, the two young Jews had lived comfortable, family- centered lives in the beautiful city of Vienna prior to their meeting at a cousin's wedding in 1936. Bettina and Sigmund Diwald had welcomed their first child, Erwin, in 190...
Submitted by the family Martin Cohen, M.D., 86, of Pittsburgh, Pa., passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at 1:05 a.m. Born in NYC, New York, Martin met the love of his life and future wife, Brenda Lee Kaplan, through mutual friends in Kansas City. The couple added to their family in Burbank, California, with the births of Adam and Julie. The family soon moved to Pittsburgh, where they have lived for over 56 years of their 63-year marriage. Martin's second home for over 50 years w...
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Gary Mayer, formerly of Hopewell Junction, N.Y., and most recently of Longwood, FL. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Gary attended the Brooklyn College of Pharmacy before embarking on a career as a pharmacist. He later channeled his entrepreneurial spirit into founding several successful businesses in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley, including A Copy A Second, Appetite Control Centers, and Culinary Diet Shoppe. A lifelong baseball enthusiast, G...
Mr. Mario Alberto Pollner, 77, Lake Mary, Florida passed away Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, at AdventHealth Altamonte Springs following a brief illness. Mr. Pollner was born June 5, 1947, in Villa Berthed, Chaco, Argentina to the late Moises and Valentina (Sisack) Pollner. Mr. Pollner was owner and operator of Starling Construction Company and moved to Orlando in 1986 from Argentina. Mr. Pollner is survived Thi Tai Nguyen of Lake Mary, Florida; daughter, Emily Ann Pollner of Alta Garcia, Argentina; sisters, Beatriz Pollner of New York and Delia...
Florence (Flo) Savage , aged 78, passed away on Nov. 26, 2024, in Orlando, Florida with her family by her side. Born on August 4, 1946, Flo dedicated her life to her family, embodying the roles of a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother with unwavering commitment and love. She is survived by her husband, Howard Savage; daughter, Aimee (Daniel) Lacks; son, Jason (Geri) Savage; and grandchildren - Rebecca Savage, Samantha Savage, and Simon Lacks. Flo was dedicated to working in the family business...
Mr. Alejandro (Alex) Strachwsky, 77, Deltona, Florida, passed away peacefully Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, at Halifax Hospice following a brief illness. Mr. Strachwsky was born June 3, 1947, in Medellin Colombia to the late Karol and Lilly (Schoen) Strachwsky of blessed memory. Alejandro was a beloved father, husband, friend, and teacher whose warmth, kindness, and unwavering love touched the lives of all who knew him. Alejandro will be remembered for his dedication to his family, his generosity, and...
(JNS) - Dozens of volunteers are heading north, following the implementation of Israel's ceasefire with Iranian proxy Hezbollah that ended 14 months of war, to assist local farmers in their recovery efforts. "We are currently developing a plan with the aim of bringing at least 100,000 volunteers in the coming months to support farmers in the north," said Yoel Zilberman, founder and CEO of the HaShomer HaChadash ("The New Watchman") agricultural volunteer organization, who is leading the effort....
(JTA) — Syrian dictator Bashar Assad has fled the country and his government has fallen to rebels, a swift and stunning collapse after more than a decade of civil war. The country is now enveloped in joy and turmoil as hundreds of thousands of refugees stream home, political prisoners go free and Syrians — along with the rest of the world — wonder what’s next. Also wrapped up in uncertainty: Syria’s neighbor and longtime adversary, Israel. Assad’s fall came after several of his regional partners have been weakened in Israel’s multi-front w...
(JNS) — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced his selection of Adam Boehler to be the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs in the incoming administration. Boehler previously led negotiations on the 2020 Abraham Accords, the agreement that normalized diplomatic relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain that was later expanded to include Sudan and Morocco. Trump touted Boehler’s experience as a negotiator and his unanimous confirmation by the Senate as the first CEO of the U.S. Development Finance Cor...
(JNS) — On behalf of six families, the Deborah Project has sued the Sequoia Union High School District in Redwood City, Calif., charging systemic failures to address antisemitism among both students and staff. The legal nonprofit’s suit, filed on Nov. 15, summarizes reported antisemitic acts and the alleged failure of administrators at the public school to take the threat seriously. Sam Kasle, the lead plaintiff, said “I tried for months to get the school officials to respond like professionals. Instead, they allowed my daughter to be harme...
German luxury hotel flies Israeli flag, sees 136% bump in bookings (JNS) — A luxury resort in the Bavarian Alps which has been flying an Israeli flag since Oct. 8, 2023, has seen a 136 percent rise in Israeli bookings over the past year, according to Hebrew media reports. Schloss Elmau, located in Krün near the Austrian border, reported 438 overnight stays by Israeli guests in the first 10 months of 2024, compared to 185 during the same period the previous year. Owner Dietmar Müller-Elmau has pledged to keep the flag flying until all the hos...
(JNS) - Michelle Rich, director of teen travel and international engagement at United Synagogue Youth, laughs as she tells JNS about a memory she has of Omer Neutra, an Israeli-American 22-year-old, whose death on Oct. 7 Israel confirmed on Monday. On a USY bus trip across the country in 2016, Neutra and his friend came down from the hotel and "they had given each other haircuts," Rich recalled. "I was like, 'call your parents please,'" she said. "He was so smiley, and so happy and so jolly,"...
(JNS) - Doha is no longer sitting on the sidelines of the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, after suspending its involvement on Nov. 9, citing a lack of "good faith" on the interested parties' part. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has traveled to Qatar and Israel in a bid to restart ceasefire talks, with Trump seeking a deal before he is sworn in on Jan. 20, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing a source briefed on the talks. Witkoff met separately in late November...
