Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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This essay was first published on Kveller Jewish kids and Christmas: For some parents, this combination can seem like a proverbial minefield of challenges presented to us each winter. The secular world, it seems, becomes infinitely less so as Christmas decorations, commercials and episodes of beloved kids shows proliferate. For interfaith families like mine, which celebrate both Chanukah and Christmas, this time can be especially fraught. My own 3-year-old Jewish daughter, for instance, is obses...
Without proper legal planning, caring for aging loved ones is often emotionally and financially distressing for everyone involved. Families struggle at the last minute to find information, guidance and assistance to handle the complex health care, financial and legal needs. By planning ahead and obtaining the right legal documents, families can help their aging relatives gain security, take advantage of public benefits, and preserve their assets. Estate plans are needed. They can help families avoid probate, which occurs when an individual...
Yesterday I was speaking to a friend on the phone in the USA. She asked me about my children, about the situation here, about any updates. Then she tried to change the subject. She actually started talking about something else. I don’t remember what she said. I could not focus. None of us can really think about anything else. For us, there is nothing else. Just this situation. This war. Our kidnapped citizens. Our dead friends. Our soldiers fighting. Each day another announcement of fallen soldiers, listed by age and name, rank, division, u...
(JTA) — They went to Washington, D.C., to support Israel and left the rally with a deepened sense of the Jewish community in the United States. So said teenagers who were among the estimated 290,000 Israel supporters who gathered on the National Mall on Tuesday — one of the largest gatherings of Jews in U.S. history. JTA’s Teen Journalism Fellows were at the March for Israel to report on their peers’ experiences throughout the day; many heard from teens that they would be returning home inspired by the number of people, the range of Judaism...
In today's crazy world, it is hard to find things for which to be thankful. So I have been trying to find gratitude in the small things: a FaceTime with my children and grandchildren; a good cup of coffee with a piece of warm challah; a special moment with Larry. Recently, I reached back 54 years to remember an evening that still holds a special place in my heart. In 1969, my brother Jay, who was going for his master's at Cornell University, invited me out for the weekend. Jay arranged for me...
Known to many as "Jerusalem Jones," "Sherlock," or "Hercule," as well as many other characters, Professor Kenneth Hanson, who teaches Judaic Studies at UCF, believes that students don't retain enough by simply reading or hearing lectures. For this reason, he has worn many faces to make history more interesting and appealing to his audiences. In fact, he still uses these characters and others to teach Jewish history to various groups. Most recently he "performed" a history teaching on the Dead Se...
In 2019, local resident Bob Herpe published his first suspense novel, "Gravnick." It is a story of the intertwining of two families - one Jewish, one Mafioso. Now, three years later, as promised, Herpe has completed the sequel, "The Other Side of Crisis." Herpe is a late comer to writing novels. He wrote "Gravnick" in his late 80s and is now in his 90s - and he is not slowing down. He already has the opening for his third book. "The Other Side of Crisis" picks up where "Gravnick" left off in...
(JNS) — Despite reports of Jews being fearful to display their faith outwardly amid rising antisemitism globally, so many Jews are reconnecting with their faith that supplies are short, according to the largest Jewish network, Chabad-Lubavitch. “There’s a global shortage of tefillin and mezuzahs,” Rabbi Motti Seligson, a spokesman for Chabad, told JNS. “We’re seeing an immense amount of people wanting to connect, wanting to double down and leaning into their Jewish identity and practice,” Seligson said. “People wanting to start putting on tefi...
Alzheimer’s disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, and millions of Americans are affected by the disease. It’s important to distinguish the facts from the myths about Alzheimer’s, especially when it comes to finding information online. 1. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are the same thing People often use the terms Alzheimer’s disease and dementia interchangeably, but there is a difference. Dementia refers to impaired memory, thinking, reasoning, and behavior, and Alzheimer’s is just one type of dementia. The terms are l...
BOSTON (JTA) - Jason Greenberg remembers the lavish breakfast spreads Carmela Dan would serve when he and his family visited his cousin at Kibbutz Nir Oz. He relished the shakshuka, salads and bread she prepared to welcome her American family. "She was a great cook," Greenberg, a lawyer in Boston, recalled of those regular visits he has made for more than 30 years. Dan was beloved at Nir Oz, a tight-knit community on the southern border with Gaza that she helped found in 1955. What especially...
(JTA) — I am a non-religious, 20-year-old Jewish student in New York City. I have not been to Israel since I was 9. I was raised in what you might call a “naturally occurring Jewish community”: Riverdale, in the Bronx. I attended Modern Orthodox schools through high school. Once I graduated, I left for Binghamton University, which boasts a massive Jewish community. It wasn’t until I transferred this fall to Hunter College, part of the City University of New York, that I left the Jewish bubble. The last month has been the worst of my life. T...
Scams After a major storm or hurricane you may get a door-to-door sales person telling you that your roof is damaged and their company can repair it after you settle a claim with your insurance company. Someone may even go on top of your roof and break a few shingles and then try to pass it off as storm damage. Another insurance fraud scenario might be when a contractor disappears. Someone may offer to remove your fallen tree but needs to rent a particular piece of equipment in order to remove it and he may ask you to pay half of the fee...
The rise in hate crimes in the U.S. related to the Israel-Hamas war is deplorable. Jews in this country are asking themselves difficult questions—should they wear a star of David or take down their mezuzah? Still others are asking if it is safe to identify themselves in public. A 6-year-old Muslim boy was killed in Chicago, and a prominent Jewish lay leader in Detroit was stabbed to death outside her home. In our own state, synagogue congregants were faced with shouts of “kill the Jews.” This is unacceptable and we must not tolerate these...
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Younger voters are less likely to back Israel, support among Democrats for Israel’s conduct has declined and Americans overall are wary of being drawn into a Middle East war. Those are three takeaways from a series of polls on Israel, the Palestinians and the war in Gaza that have been published in the more than three weeks since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. In that attack, Hamas terrorists killed 1,400, wounded thousands, took more than 200 captives and sparked a war in which Israel’s stated goal is to depose the terro...
On a train to Auschwitz, 15-year-old Eva made a promise to her brother, Heinz Geiringer. If he did not survive the camps, Eva promised to retrieve the paintings and poetry Heinz hid under the floorboards of his attic hiding place. Heinz Geiringer's story sits in the shadow of the better-known "Diary of a Young Girl." After the war, Eva became the posthumous stepsister of Anne Frank when her mother married Anne's father. While the world knows Anne's story, this film introduces Heinz, his...
(JTA) - In 1941 Sarajevo, a Muslim woman hid her Jewish friend from fascist roundups. Half a century later, that same Muslim woman was trapped in the besieged capital during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War - and her Jewish friend made sure she got out. These real events inspired "Sevap/Mitzvah," a short film directed by Sabina Vajrača that won the 2023 Humanitas Prize, among other awards, and has qualified to be considered for the 2024 Oscar for best live action short. The film has been shown across...
(JTA) - Israel's Ministry of National Security is urging parents to report any pro-Palestinian harassment their children experience on the video game platform Roblox. As Israel's war with Hamas is set to enter its fourth week, rallies and protests in support of both Israelis and Palestinians have been held everywhere from the White House to college campuses to the streets of Europe. Roblox is different because it has more than 65 million daily active users - around 45 percent of whom are 12...
The first line of the Hebrew quote is from Genesis 49:9 — “Judah is a lion’s whelp; On prey, my son, have you grown. He crouches, lies down like a lion, Like the king of beasts — who dare rouse him?” It is understood that Jacob refers to his son Judah as a lion. First as a cub, then a lion, and finally a lioness. The picture is of a lion who has taken down his prey and now crouches over it, defying anyone to take it from him. Judah will be mighty and victorious and dangerous to his enemies....
The American Jewish community is under assault. A war has been declared against us. Jews and our friends must mobilize to fight back. Jewish leaders must declare a state of emergency now. Pro-Hamas rallies directly threaten the safety of America’s Jews. Thousands of Americans, including students in universities and high schools, are marching in the streets calling for the destruction of the Jewish state. The new face of Jew-hatred is “pro-Palestinianism” embraced by intersectionalist mobs, academia, and radical members of the Democratic Party...
Eating healthy food is one key to reducing the risk of developing eye diseases. Leafy Greens: Leafy greens are a good source of zeaxanthin and lutein, which are related to beta carotene and vitamin A, which may help protect eye tissues from sunlight damage and reduce the risk of aging. Dark leafy vegetables include kale, turnip greens, spinach, collard greens, or broccoli. Strawberries: Strawberries are good for your eyes and contain plenty of vitamin C. This antioxidant may help lower your risk of developing cataracts and slow the progression...
Caregivers have must dispense medication in a safe and timely fashion. Navigating the different pill sizes, colors and dosages can be an intimidating experience. Elderly and infirmed clients may take a slew of pills that need to be doled out on a regular basis. Most medications are taken once or twice a day. It is a good idea to keep medications in a safe and secure place. Some medications have to be refrigerated, but most can be safely stored in a secure cupboard. Pharmacies have developed blister packs that link the pills with specific days...
By Christine DeSouza The film "Matchmaking" opens this year's Jewish Film Festival, and what a wonderful way to begin the series with Israel's biggest box office hit of the year! In this tale, love is blind - almost literally. The age-old matchmaking tradition in the ultra-Orthodox community now at least allows the future bride and groom to have some say in the arrangement. There are still rules to follow and staying in one's "class" (Ashkenazi, Sephardic, rich, middle class, physical imperfecti...
(JTA) - When Rome lit up a landmark this week in blue and white following Hamas' deadly invasion of Israel, it joined many other cities and countries across the globe that have bathed their most prominent buildings in the colors of the Israeli flag, including the White House, the Eiffel Tower and the Sydney Opera House. The landmark Rome chose, however, isn't its most iconic building, nor its biggest. But it does hold a special resonance for Jews. The Arch of Titus, in the city's historic...
Most people pay into Medicare through their payroll for their employment years, thinking that once they turn 65, the coverage will be free. Medicare has several expenses. High-income earners pay more in terms of copays, deductibles, and premiums. Eye Examination and Optician-Original Medicare covers ophthalmologic costs like cataract surgery, but doesn’t cover contact lenses and glasses or routine eye checkups. Some people may opt to purchase a vision insurance policy, which costs several hundred dollars annually. Hearing Aids-Medicare covers a...
(JTA) - On a night when Dean Kremer became the first Israeli-American to start an MLB playoff game - while his parents' country was at war, no less - fellow Jewish player Alex Bregman drew a Star of David on his Houston Astros hat for his own Tuesday night playoff game. Kremer, who holds dual citizenship, did not fare so well in his historic start: the 27-year-old surrendered six earned runs in just 1.2 innings, and his Baltimore Orioles lost 7-1 to the Texas Rangers in a game that ended their...
