Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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The Maccabee Bar Association of Florida is hosting a virtual event open and free to nonmembers featuring Ken Feinberg, author of “What is Life Worth?” Known for his transformative work on the high-profile 9/11 compensation cases, he will discuss insights on valuing personal injuries and lives. It will be held on Thursday, Nov. 21, at noon on zoom. Ken Feinberg is a man with a deep sense of equity, and fairness, based on a value system learned in his Jewish household. He has an endless supply of wisdom to share and is not afraid to address any...
(JNS) - RISHON LEZION, Israel - When the young American social media consultant volunteering in Israel saw a handsome IDF soldier recuperating in the hospital rehabilitation ward, she offered him a Fruit Roll-Up. Miami-born Danielle Yablonka, 23, was tired of standing and listening to the older women on her solidarity mission talking, and, eyeing a soldier sitting nearby, was sure he would welcome the snack. "Israelis are supposed to like everything American," she told JNS. But Daniel Kopylov,...
(Israel Hayom via JNS) - "Sitting there in a Gaza tunnel, captured on camera, pleading to return home"- with these words, Agam Goldstein-Almog, a survivor of Hamas captivity, opened her poignant post shared on Sunday, nearly a year after her release. Goldstein-Almog, abducted at age 17 by invading Hamas terrorists from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct. 7, 2023, has revealed for the first time her emotional response to seeing the photograph taken by her captors during her 51-day ordeal, while...
A senior’s age, incontinence becomes an all-too-common (but all-too-often ignored) issue. The first step toward dealing with incontinence is understanding exactly what is causing it, and it’s not as straightforward as you might imagine. Incontinence comes in various forms: 1. Stress Incontinence: Urine loss occurs during activities like lifting heavy objects, laughing, coughing, or exercising. 2. Overflow Incontinence: The bladder doesn’t empty completely, leading to frequent urination or continuous leakage. 3. Urge Incontinence: Diffi...
(JNS) - The mother of Yotam Haim-who was mistakenly killed by Israel Defense Forces soldiers from the 828th "Bislach" Brigade while he, Alon Shamriz and Samer Fouad Talalka were in the process of escaping from Hamas captivity-has again exhibited the kind of spiritual superiority to which the rest of us rarely aspire, let alone achieve. On Thursday, Iris Haim posted a voice message in the brigade's WhatsApp group to express her gratitude for their elimination of the architect of the Oct. 7, 2023...
Whether you’re a family caregiver or a professional, owning a wheelchair-accessible van can greatly improve mobility for those you care for. Here are some tips to help you find the right van at the right price: 1. Assess tour needs: Consider whether rear- or side-entry access would work best for your situation. Rear entry is ideal for larger wheelchairs, while side entry offers versatility in seating arrangements. 2. Shop smart: Look for wheelchair van dealerships online and nearby to find options within your budget. Explore mobility c...
(JNS) — A replica of the Ark of the Covenant, painstakingly constructed, its creators say, to the Torah specifications of the sacred vessel that was the First Temple’s central fixture, was displayed in Jerusalem on Sunday evening, during the intermediate days of the Sukkot holiday. The ark described in the Torah, which housed the Ten Commandments tablets among other holy objects, was hidden after the destruction of the First Temple, per rabbinic tradition. At Jerusalem’s King David Hotel, the r...
(JNS) - Although American actor Christopher Reeve sustained a life-altering injury that left him paralyzed below the neck, the actor maintained his positive morale and unselfishness, according to Dr. Steven Kirshblum, who is featured in the new documentary film "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story," out in theaters nationwide. Initially after a fall from his horse at an equestrian competition in Virginia on May 27, 1995, Reeve asked his wife, Dana, if they should let him go. But she told him...
(JNS) — Amid the ongoing wars against Hamas and Hezbollah, countless artifacts from the Second Temple era, the Late Roman period, and more were uncovered across Israel in 2024. “Despite the difficult year we experienced due to the war, the Israel Antiquities Authority continued to carry out rescue excavations throughout the country,” said the body’s director-general, Eli Escusido. “Over the past year, approximately 120 sites were excavated (compared to the usual average of 250-300 in a regular...
Dr. John Jenkins, a neurosurgeon at Orlando Neurosurgery in Orlando, is devoted to the people and state of Israel and has made a monetary pledge to help those who are suffering on the moshavs in southern Israel. Because of the impact on him of the Oct. 7, 2023, massacres, Dr. Jenkins has pledged a $50,000 matching grant for donations to moshav Ein Habesor in southern Israel, near the Gaza border. Through a Christian charity called City Serve, Israel, his donation is earmarked to help ease the...
Nancy Meisenberg is on a mission – to get the word out about how to help Israel in its recovery from the ongoing war. With many ways to help, how can anyone know what organization to trust, what to do, how to donate? There are also so many needs in Israel - the moshavs that border Gaza are still in disarray, their fields need tending; trauma centers are full to capacity with soldiers and civilians dealing with their emotions and PTSD; the basic needs of the IDF; this list goes on. Meisenberg dec...
Years ago, something went wrong late in a friend's much-wanted pregnancy. If her fetus continued to develop, it would either kill her or leave her unable to have future children. Her father, a respected Orthodox rabbi and scholar, advised her to have an abortion. Though a loving father, his decision was based on Jewish law. Judaism is a pro-life faith, but not in the way anti-abortionists mean. In Judaism, the mother's life and health always come first because human life begins at birth. Until...
(JTA) — Christopher Columbus was likely Jewish, Spanish researchers have announced in a splashy new documentary aired on Spain’s national broadcaster on Saturday. According to the documentary, the researchers spent 22 years researching Columbus’ national origins before concluding that bones buried in a Seville cathedral are in fact the famed explorer’s — and that his DNA suggests that he likely came from a Jewish family. “We have DNA from Christopher Columbus, very partial, but sufficient. We have DNA from Hernando Colón, his son,” the le...
(JTA) - When the NBA season tipped off on Tuesday, there were three Jewish players taking the court - the same trio who were in the league last year - though one is still finding out where he will be playing. Two of those players - Deni Avdija and Amari Bailey - have changed uniforms, while All-Star Domantas Sabonis is entering his fourth season with the Sacramento Kings. Meanwhile, Ryan Turell, who played in the minor G League last season, and Abby Meyers, who appeared in nine WNBA games in 202...
Knee pain can be debilitating, but there are various treatment options available to provide relief. Here’s a breakdown of some common methods: 1. Corticosteroid Shots: Administered up to four times a year, these shots combine a steroid (Cortisone) with a numbing agent. These injections offer fast, temporary relief during flare-ups by reducing inflammation. While generally safe and effective, overuse can lead to knee cartilage deterioration. Individuals with diabetes or metabolic conditions should be cautious as these shots may increase blood s...
(JTA) - How are we supposed to celebrate Simchat Torah this year with a full heart? The very name of this holiday - "the joy of the Torah," celebrating the completion of the annual Torah cycle - connotes an emotion we cannot fully inhabit on the anniversary on the Hebrew calendar of Hamas's brutal attack on Israel. I vividly remember standing in shul last year, wondering how we might celebrate with the Torah as the news trickled in. The rabbi kept updating us with the news of more and more...
(JTA) - ASHEVILLE, North Carolina - My backyard is perfect for a sukkah. I can walk right off the deck into my yard, which is surrounded by my garden and the autumnal woods. There is easy access to the kitchen and to the stars. Last year, my first in my new home here in this beautiful mountain town, I was away for much of the weeklong Sukkot holiday helping someone I care about who needed me. So I was excited to buy the building materials and make use of my space for the first time this fall....
By Shira Li Bartov (JTA) - In "White Bird," a long-anticipated film about a Jewish girl who is rescued by her classmate in Nazi-occupied France, the Holocaust is fertile ground for teaching children how to be good. The movie is a spinoff of "Wonder" (2017), a modern-day story about a middle schooler seeking to fit in despite his facial differences. "White Bird" opens with that boy's bully, Julian (Bryce Gheisar), but the real hero is his grandmother Sara (played in the present day by Helen...
(JTA) - When basketball superstar Stephen Curry sunk a series of three-point shots to help Team USA clinch the Olympic gold medal in Paris this summer, it's unlikely the four-time NBA champion was thinking about Abe Saperstein. But as a new biography of the trailblazing Jewish basketball executive suggests, Curry had plenty of reasons to be grateful to Saperstein, who is best known as the founder and longtime head coach of the Harlem Globetrotters. Saperstein, who at 5-foot-3 is the shortest...
(JNS) - The Museum of the Bible on Tuesday unveiled what it says is the oldest Hebrew book ever discovered, dating to the 8th century and originating with Jews living in a Buddhist civilization in modern-day Afghanistan. Located in Washington, D.C., just two blocks south of the National Mall, the institution opened the exhibit, titled "Sacred Words: Revealing the Earliest Hebrew Book." It runs through Jan. 12, 2025. It will also make a stop in New York at the library of the Jewish Theological...
(JNS) - "We are Zionists and pro-Israel. We want to turn the Negev green and this looks like a way to do so," Avi Leitner, the president of the Blue Agave Israel Group, told JNS on Monday. Leitner and his partner Avi Rosenfeld went to Mexico together years ago and discovered the secret behind producing high-end tequila-the blue agave plant. The two visited areas in Mexico where farmers grow agave and identified similarities in weather conditions there and in the Negev Desert. Six years ago,...
Scammers are always looking for new ways to target seniors. Here are six of the most common scams to watch out for: 1. Check Tampering: Scammers intercept paper checks from mailboxes, erase the ink, and rewrite the amount and payee information. They also digitally alter stolen checks to appear genuine, often using voice recordings to authenticate phone transactions. 2. Voice Printing: Fraudsters record seniors’ voices and use software to create convincing imitations, enabling them to impersonate victims and access sensitive accounts like i...
(JTA) - As a gender historian and scholar of intermarriage, I binge-watched the new Netflix series "Nobody Wants This" with a combination of foreboding and optimism. Depictions of romances between Jewish men and Christian women have been ubiquitous in popular culture since "The Jazz Singer" in 1927 as Jewish men in Hollywood depicted their own lived experiences. Having analyzed popular culture over a century, I was concerned that I would see familiar tropes, but I also hoped that there would be...
(JTA) - "Nobody Wants This," a rom-com Netflix series starring Adam Brody as a charming Los Angeles rabbi who falls for a blond, agnostic sex and dating podcaster played by Kristen Bell, is based on a true story - kind of. Erin Foster, the creator of the show, is a blond Los Angeles native who found her match in a Jew, albeit not a rabbi - her husband is record-label owner Simon Tikhman - and converted for him. Like her protagonist Joanne (Bell), she also "got the ick" when her Jewish then-boyfr...
(JTA) - The latest Israeli film on Netflix has a setting and theme that, one year after Oct. 7, could not be more current: It centers on soldiers ending their service by volunteering at a kibbutz on the Gaza border. "Kissufim" paints a portrait of Israeli life as it oscillates through phases of trauma and hope - including a near-death scene as someone dances. It was filmed in August 2021, more than two years before Hamas unleashed an attack on southern Israeli communities, including the real-lif...
