Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Three remarkably well-preserved storage jars dating back thousands of years to the Middle Bronze Age have been unearthed near the site traditionally identified with the biblical Tabernacle during this year's archaeological excavations at Ancient Shiloh, in the Binyamin region of Samaria. Researchers are examining whether the vessels were used to store agricultural products, including grapes, wine and olive oil. The announcement by the Mishkan Shiloh Foundation came days before the annual...
(JNS) - "Oct. 7 changed everything for me," said Dr. Adam Berkovits, an emergency room physician from Las Vegas who had not spoken a word of Hebrew for 30 years. "On Oct. 8, I became a 'born-again' Jew. While the attacks in Israel didn't surprise me, the reaction on Oct. 8 by people in the United States marked a turning point for me and for everyone around me." More than 2,500 miles away in Smithtown, N.Y., Dr. Richard Feldstein was equally shaken as he watched the death toll from the Hamas...
This article was submitted by Jewish Pavilion Senior Services There are moments in caregiving that divide life into “before” and “after.” For many families facing Alzheimer’s disease, that moment comes when a loved one looks directly at them and no longer knows who they are. Through the work of Jewish Pavilion Senior Services and the Orlando Senior Help Desk, this experience is one that countless caregivers quietly carry. It brings shock, heartbreak, and a profound sense of loss that can be difficult to explain to anyone who has not lived it....
Summertime and things are starting to boil My fault. After four straight years of angelic perfection, I went off the rails. Maybe it was my evolution towards curmudgeonly irritability. Or could it be that I was inspired by the late country music singer David Alan Coe? Not by his behavior which saw him serve time in reform schools and the Ohio Penitentiary. It was his song "Need a Little Time Off for Bad Behavior." My bad wasn't so bad but bad enough. It was lunchtime at one of our favorite...
My journey to Kraków began long before I boarded a plane in Orlando. From my home in Central Florida, I traveled thousands of miles to Kraków to attend the 2026 Congress of the European Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. On the surface, it was another international medical meeting. In reality, it became something far deeper: a journey through history, memory, friendship, and the enduring bonds that unite people across nations and faiths. As an observant Jewish physician, and as the son and grandson of Polish Jews whose lives w...
Part Four of a Six-Part series A On May 15, as has been done for decades, Palestinian Arabs, their supporters and Israel detractors observed the “Nakba” or the catastrophe of Israel’s birth in 1948. In order to understand the veracity of that narrative and how it’s been conflated in modern dialogue and reporting, it’s important to understand what lies behind that. A Cold War creation The invention of modern Palestinian Arab identity in 1964 did not happen in a vacuum. Nor was it merely the product of the coalescing of an ethnic Arab identity...
The Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, in association with the National Library of Israel, is pleased to announce that Amir Tibon, author of “The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal, Survival, and Hope in Israel’s Borderlands” (Little, Brown and Company), is the winner of its 2026 award for nonfiction. The $100,000 prize is awarded annually to an emerging author writing in or translated into English. In “The Gates of Gaza,” Tibon weaves together personal testimony, historical context a...
As America approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence, a familiar claim has resurfaced. In recent months, I have heard a number of television commentators describe the United States as a "Christian nation," as though that settles the matter. A brief look back is in order, beginning with George Washington and a deadly problem. George Washington and the battle against disease Americans often think of George Washington as a military commander on horseback, crossing the Delaware or...
Submitted by Jewish Pavilion Senior Services There is a meaningful shift taking place in how we understand aging. Older adults are not looking to be managed or directed, they are asking to be included. Included in conversations, in celebrations, in decisions, and in the future itself. The most powerful stories about later life are not centered on decline or limitation. They are rooted in belonging, joy, usefulness, and the enduring human desire to feel part of something larger. At the Orlando Senior Help Desk, a core principle is recognizing...
(JNS) - Teperberg Winery has a new target. Ironically, it stems from the winery's success in selling millions of bottles of good, reasonably priced wines in Israeli supermarkets. Today, however, Teperberg is producing finely crafted premium wines that still offer strong value. The target is persuading serious wine drinkers to give them a try. Once they do, the winemakers say, the wines will speak for themselves. "Along with the changing palate of us and our clients, the wines we are making...
I was in a dark place recently. Too much stress, not enough encouragement, and failure to get proper nourishment and sufficient sleep. It took a toll. I had to reach out for inspiration and the actor Bill Murray came to mind. More than one of his films has meant much to me. One of my favorites is the fantasy/romantic comedy “Groundhog Day” in which Phil Connors gets to relive February 2nd over and over. He learns and grows eventually, and develops talents, character, and a loving rel...
Part Three of a Six-Part series A On May 15, as has been done for decades, Palestinian Arabs, their supporters and Israel detractors observed the “Nakba” or the catastrophe of Israel’s birth in 1948. In order to understand the veracity of that narrative and how it’s been conflated in modern dialogue and reporting, it’s important to understand what lies behind that. The Term and Its Meaning The word “Nakba” is Arabic for “catastrophe.” For Palestinians and their supporters who have become conflated with and indistinguishable from Israel detra...
(JNS) - When IDF reservist and father of four Moti Malka returned home to Netanya for a much-needed 24-hour break from reserve duty, his wife had one request: Help their 10-year-old son prepare for an English exam the next day. Realizing the task was daunting, Malka turned to a tool he knew well from his day job developing AI-based solutions for companies. "I said to my son David, 'Let's create a game using AI to prepare for the exam,'" Malka recalled. The result surprised them both. "After two...
Rooted in the Hebrew word "Chaim," meaning "life," the Chaim Society is dedicated to supporting healthcare professionals while fostering connection, compassion, and service both locally and abroad. The Chaim Society continues to grow as a vibrant network connecting Jewish healthcare professionals throughout Central Florida. Founded by Dr. Daniel Layish and Dr. Solomon "Shlomo" Saul in early 2025, the organization has evolved from a simple WhatsApp group into a thriving professional and...
Submitted by the Jewish Pavilion Senior Services A cancer diagnosis can turn life upside down in an instant. One moment, everything feels routine. Next, you’re sitting in a doctor’s office trying to absorb life-changing news and wondering what happens next. For spouses and family members, those first few weeks of caregiving can feel overwhelming — filled with uncertainty, emotion, and more questions than answers. At the Orlando Senior Help Desk, a program of Jewish Pavilion Senior Services, we often hear from caregivers navigating this exact mo...
Chicken with Thick Breading For moist chicken, marinate 1 1/2-2 lbs. chicken breasts for six hours or overnight in 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 T. soy sauce, 2 T. lemon juice, 2 T. balsamic vinegar, and 1/4 tsp. brown sugar. Mix 1 cup flour with 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp. paprika and 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic in a bowl. Mix in two tablespoons of vegetable or chicken stock to make a moist, lumpy mix. Slightly beat two eggs in another shallow dish. Pound chicken breast between two sections...
Would I observe Shabbat? That was the first major test of my faith, some four decades ago, soon after I had joined the ranks of the baalei teshuvah, newcomers to an Orthodox lifestyle. Thor Heyerdahl, the famed Norwegian explorer and writer, who had been my favorite author since while high school I had read his best-selling “Kon-Tiki” seafaring memoir, was coming to town. For the first time in my life. I could finally see, and maybe meet, the man I so admired. Heyerdahl was to speak at the local Museum of Science. On a Friday. When Yom Kippur b...
Part Two of a Six-Part series On May 15, as has been done for decades, Palestinian Arabs, their supporters and Israel detractors observed the “Nakba” or the catastrophe of Israel’s birth in 1948. In order to understand the veracity of that narrative and how it’s been conflated in modern dialogue and reporting, it’s important to understand what lies behind that. A core element of the Nakba narrative is the notion that there was an independent entity known as “Palestine,” that was occupied, and a “Palestinian” people that were displaced with th...
Submitted by Jewish Pavilion Senior Services When a loved one undergoes major surgery, it can be one of the most emotionally taxing days a caregiver will face. The hours spent waiting can feel endless, filled with worry, uncertainty, and the responsibility of being the patient’s advocate. For many older adults served by Jewish Pavilion Senior Services and the Orlando Senior Help Desk, family members and friends often step into the role of caregiver – sometimes unexpectedly. Preparation can make a meaningful difference. Having a tho...
"Emmie Arbel: The Colour of Memory," by Barbara Yelin. Translated by Heige R. Dascher and edited by Charlotte Schallie and Alexander Korb. SelfMadeHero. 192 pps. $27.99. The theme of this latest entry into the growing, and increasingly respected, field of graphic novels about the Holocaust is amply expressed by the pair of nouns in the book's title: color, and memory. (The book – released in time for Yom HaShoah last month -- was published in London, and "developed" with the support of the S...
Apple Pie Serves 8. Make a top and bottom crust for 9" pie. In food processor 1 1/2 cups cold butter, cut in pieces 3 3/4 cups flour, plus more for rolling dough 1 tsp. white vinegar 2 T. sugar 1 tsp. salt 3-4 T. Ice cold water. Process dough until it just forms a ball about 1 minute. 1 egg, lightly beaten, to brush top crust before baking 2 T. granulated or turbinado sugar sprinkled over assembled top crust before baking. Divide dough in half. Refrigerate dough pieces for 1 hour or overnight...
Part One of a Six Part series On May 15, as has been done for decades, Palestinian Arabs, their supporters and Israel detractors observed the “Nakba” or the catastrophe of Israel’s birth in 1948. In order to understand the veracity of that narrative and how it’s been conflated in modern dialogue and reporting, it’s important to understand what lies behind that. A name with a history My father was a Palestinian. A Palestinian Jew. He was born in Palestine in 1937, at a time when the only people commonly referred to as “Palestinians” were the Jew...
(JNS) — At sundown on Thursday, May 21, Jews around the world will start the two-day holiday (which lasts only one day in Israel) of Shavuot. Also known as the Festival of Weeks because it marks the completion of the counting of the Omer period — which is 49 days long, or seven weeks of seven days—Shavuot is one of the Jewish calendar’s shalosh regalim pilgrimage holidays. Unlike the other two pilgrimage festivals — Passover, which is marked through the retelling of the Exodus story at the se...
(JNS) — Historically, Shavuot is the celebration of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai, beginning seven weeks after the first day of Passover. Agriculturally, it commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple, thus the “Festival of the First Fruits.” Indeed, fresh fruit and flowers are the hallmark of the holiday, as is wearing white clothing. It symbolizes the purity, joy and the spiritual “marriage” between God and the Jewish people. This year, the holiday starts at sundown on May...
I visited with a friend named Linda recently whom I had not seen in 40 years, but who has been my neighbor for the last 20. In 1985, as young students, Linda and I had planned to visit the Soviet Union together as part of our respective and collaborative activism on behalf of Jews in the USSR. Other than catching up on our children, grandchildren, and careers, we reflected on how the movement among Western Jews like us to free Soviet Jews was in many ways the movement that strengthened us and...
