Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JTA) - When Rabbi Rachel Timoner's dad Eli told his family of his decision to end his life, Rachel knew what would soon be asked of her: to officiate his funeral, something he had told her he wanted since she became ordained. This presented a challenge for Rachel, the senior rabbi at Brooklyn's Congregation Beth Elohim. Being her father's rabbi "wasn't what I wanted," she says in the new documentary, "Last Flight Home," which chronicles Eli's final days from the perspective of his family. The...
One of the most important roles of a caregiver is to coordinate the medical care their loved-one receives. As medical needs grow, we often need to see specialists, have lab work done, go to therapists, and change care facilities. We would like to assume that our loved-one’s complete medical information is automatically moved from one office to another. This rarely occurs. It falls on the caregiver to ensure that the critical information is received and read by the healthcare provider. Having a binder with all of the medical records tabbed can b...
(JTA) - Episode three of "The Patient," the well-received psychological thriller series on Hulu about a serial killer who kidnaps his therapist, involves a flashback to an Orthodox wedding. Ezra, son of the protagonist therapist Alan Strauss and Reform cantor Beth Strauss, is marrying an Orthodox woman named Chava. Guitar in hand, Beth sings "Dodi Li," a traditional Jewish wedding song, knowing that women are not allowed to sing in the presence of men in this Orthodox community. As she...
(JTA) — Every seven years, in ancient times, Jewish men, women, and children would gather at the Temple on the first day of Sukkot to hear the king of Jerusalem read aloud from the Torah. In 2022, there’s no king and no Temple, and more than half of all Jews live far from Jerusalem — but the ritual is still inspiring Jews around the world to gather together. In fact, the tradition, known as hakhel, appears to be seeing a resurgence of popular interest. In Northampton, Massachusetts, Abundance Farm will host an outdoor festival with tree plant...
Jonathan Feldstein was one of the first people who reported about the arrival of the five red heifers in Israel just over two weeks ago. His initial Facebook post drew hundreds of comments and was shared over 13,000 times. He also was the first to interview two of the main people behind this, Byron Stinson and Rabbi Chanan Kupietzky, an Evangelical Christian and Orthodox Jewish Rabbi respectively. American Airlines flight 146 touched down at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport on time, arriving from New York’s JFK airport as one of the dozens of fli...
(JNS) — Every year at this time, we assess the events of the previous 12 months and wonder whether things could possibly get worse. Though our lives are as full of blessings as they are of challenges, the answer—when it comes to the state of the world—is generally, “Yes, you bet they can.” This certainly applied to 5782. On the positive side, a year ago, the world was just barely coming out of the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. As we head into 5783, the ongoing obsessions of COVID fear addicts notwithstanding, that sad chapter of history s...
If you find a loved one asking repetitive questions, becoming more confused and forgetful, you may assume they have dementia, but the cause could be hearing loss. Long-term brain function is impacted by hearing loss. In a recent Johns Hopkins study, those who did have hearing loss suffered more substantial cognitive impairment more than three years sooner than others with normal hearing levels. Dr. Frank Lin found that cognitive diminishment was 41 percent greater in the seniors with hearing problems. Dr. Lin explains that the link between...
(JTA) - Speaking on the phone from an empty balcony in the Longacre Theater in New York, several hours before a preview performance of his latest play, Tom Stoppard said the show is "one that people like to talk to me about." "Leopoldstadt," which officially hits Broadway on Sunday after an award-winning London debut in 2019, follows multiple generations of a Jewish family in Vienna from the turn of the 20th century through World War II and formation of the state of Israel. Audience members in t...
There are many ways to confront, and move on, from the grief of losing a loved one. As a grateful participant in the grief support program sponsored by the Jewish Pavilion and Vitas Healthcare, here is part of my story. My daughter Sara got married this past July in Manchester, Vermont, to her long-time boyfriend Griffin. She did all the extensive wedding planning, of both the ceremony and reception, on her own. I knew a lot of details about the reception ahead of time, but precious few about...
(JTA) - "K-pop is over," one Twitter user declared. "We're listening to Orthodox Pop from now on." With those words, the Miami Boys Choir has transformed over the last two weeks from a singing group popular among Jewish insiders to a viral sensation. On TikTok and Twitter, users have shared clips of the group's concerts, overlaid its music with other scenes and inserted themselves into split-screen duets. New fans of MBC, as the group is known for short, have chosen their favorite singers...
Write it out. Apologizing can be a delicate balance of vulnerability, confidence, and self-control. Before you jump into asking for forgiveness, sometimes writing a letter can give you a chance to fully express yourself without pressure. Just don't send your first copy. Give yourself a bit of time to read, re-read, and reflect on if you're taking full responsibility for your actions. You don't have to do it alone. Let us join you on your journey of self-reflection, during the holidays and all...
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. As far as I know that’s not a Jewish adage, but is one that’s accurate and which the publisher of “The Jewish Book of Knowledge” learned and understood well. When I opened the book, my first thought was “stunning.” Everything about it screams high quality from the paper, the pictures, the charts, the cover, and even the binding. Yes, I checked. But before cracking the book itself, first I had to get to it. It comes as a beautiful p...
(JNS) — My name is Tamar Shlezinger. I have a Ph.D. in social work and am a volunteer with United Hatzalah of Israel. Currently, I am taking part in the organization’s delegation to Puerto Rico to offer psychological and medical aid in the wake of Hurricane Fiona. I landed in San Juan, Puerto Rico last Friday morning with my five partners, all United Hatzalah volunteers with a background in psychological treatment and emergency medical aid. After members of the local Jewish community warmly welcomed us at the Chabad house, we started try...
(JTA) - After a long career pause brought on by an assault-induced depression and injuries, actor Brendan Fraser is back in headlines, earning early Oscar buzz for his performance in the upcoming movie "The Whale." What some of even his most ardent fans might not realize is that one of Fraser's earliest roles - alongside Matt Damon in what was his first major onscreen role - came in one the few mainstream Hollywood films to focus on antisemitism at non-Jewish schools. In "School Ties," which...
(JNS) - Listening to Deni Avdija answer questions at Washington Wizards Media Day last week provided a reminder of just how much the likable 21-year-old Israeli forward has accomplished-and endured-in his two seasons in the NBA. And he has a lot to look forward to. The only Israeli in the NBA is about to kick off season 3 with the Wizards, but first he has to get through a tough four-day training camp, fly to Japan for two preseason games against the Golden State Warriors, overcome a groin...
When Jewish summer camps unexpectedly had to cancel their summer programs two years ago after the COVID-19 pandemic hit and before vaccines became available, they faced sudden financial ruin. Jewish camps are widely recognized as uniquely effective tools for cultivating Jewish identity and leadership, and the prospect of dozens of them across the continent permanently shutting down was seen as a problem not just for camps and their campers, but disastrous for the American Jewish community....
(JNS) - My name is Ramzi Batesh and I live in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Safafa. I work at the dispatch center of United Hatzalah and as one of the organization's volunteer EMTs and ambucycle drivers. This past Friday, I saved three people who were suffering medical emergencies. This isn't necessarily unusual, but there was something unique about it because of who I treated and where. The day began with morning prayers. Then I received and responded to a medical emergency involving a Jew...
A number of people call the Orlando Senior Help Desk at the Jewish Pavilion and ask me whether Medicare will cover their independent, assisted or killed, living and the answer is “no.” They are shocked and often angry. Most people pay into Medicare through their payroll for all their employment years, thinking that once they turn 65, the coverage will be free. In reality, Medicare has several expenses. High-income earners pay more in terms of copays, deductibles, and premiums, and expect no out-of-pocket maximum. Original Medicare covers oph...
As the High Holidays approach, so does the time of self-betterment, healing, and repentance. When asking for forgiveness, take time to reflect on what you are specifically sorry for. Remember that you are responsible for your own words or behaviors. Clearly identify what you are sorry for in your apology, without blaming the other person or using "but you" statements. After apologizing, acknowledge the next steps you might need to take to not make the same mistake next time. Change what you can...
(JTA) - In 1944, Faye Schulman, a young Jewish partisan, emerged from the forest into her hometown of Lenin, Poland, on a mission to burn houses the Nazis were using as their wartime offices. One of those houses, she soon discovered, was her own. As she wandered through her childhood home, she spied an old potato peeler still on the floor. Schulman thought of the rest of her family - already murdered by the Nazis by that point - and realized, even if she survived the war herself, that she would...
LOS ANGELES (JTA) - JJ Harel, newly 14 years old and standing at 6-foot-2, expects to face some tough competition when the Olympics return to Los Angeles in 2028 and the starting pistol for the track and field events sounds off. But his first decision will be whether to march into the Olympic stadium under the American, Australian or Israeli flag. In any other family, such musings would be taken as the fantasies of an over-stimulated adolescent mind. However, to skeptics JJ need only unveil the...
When people deny themselves food for an extended period of time they're usually ravenously hungry and find themselves thinking about consuming huge amounts of food. But it's not a good idea to pack it in too quickly. It's too hard on your digestive system. So when Yom Kippur comes to a close, I make it easier for my family and friends and follow the ages-old wisdom of transitioning from the fast to the main meal by offering my guests a light nibble as they come into my home after synagogue. I...
Fasting on Yom Kippur is not easy, nor is it for everyone - some people cannot fast because they are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a medical condition. Some simply do not function well while abstaining from water and food for a 25-hour period. But for those who do choose to fast as a meaningful way to engage in Yom Kippur, there are actually foods to eat beforehand that can set you up for a more successful, less onerous fast. Most people stick to a menu that is classic and delicious but not to...
(JTA) - In a move that is already thrilling some Jewish audiences and stirring controversy among other international fans and activists, Marvel Studios announced that an Israeli comic book hero will appear in the next installment of its Captain America movie franchise. "Captain America: New World Order," which is set for release in 2024, will feature Israeli actress Shira Haas as Sabra, a hero who debuted with a cameo in a 1980 "Incredible Hulk" comic and appeared as a full character the...
If there’s one word that is closely connected with the High Holiday season, it’s teshuvah, repentance. It’s a part of the vocabulary taught to even young religious school children: looking at one’s behavior and then taking steps to make better decisions and live a life free of transgressions against God and our fellow humans. There’s one iconic prayer, recited on each of the days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, that expresses in a clear and dramatic way our need to perform teshuvah. The text of Unetaneh Tokef lays it all out for us and utili...
