Scene Around

Yet another well-deserved honor...

This comes directly from the World Jewish Congress Digest:

“Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish ambassador to Berlin who saved many thousands of Jews during the Holocaust, has received yet another posthumous recognition... Australia’s conferral of its first-ever honorary citizenship.”

In announcing the honor, Prime Minister JULIA GILLARD said, “The lives of those he rescued are Mr. Wallenberg’s greatest memorial, and Australia is honored to have survivors he rescued living in Australia today.’”

(A very well-deserved honor indeed!)

It’s more than overdue...

Being married for more than 53 years (I was only 8 when I married) to a Sephardic Jew, this is close to my heart...

Knowing of the horrible Spanish Inquisition, this too, appeared in the WJC Digest:

“Remembering Jewish history, on June 26, 1967, almost 500 years after Ferdinand and Isabella ordained Catholicism as Spain’s only religion, Spain finally granted Jews and Protestants the right of public worship.”

And on that same subject...

“After more than five centuries of being expelled from the Iberian peninsula, Portugal has finally granted the right of citizenship to descendants of Sephardic Portuguese Jews.

“Portugal’s Jewish community president, JOSE OULMAN CARP, called the measure amending Portugal’s Law on Nationality ‘a huge development.’

“The European Jewish Congress, an affiliate of the World Jewish Congress, has finally seen success after years of lobbying for enfranchisement.”

I am looking for a strong pair of tweezers...

That’s because I heard on the news that, with this current threat against our embassies and other American interests, the Pentagon announced a new weapon against terrorists.

Instead of a heat-seeking missile, they have developed a beard-seeking missile.

(Go ahead, laugh... though it is really no laughing matter.)

I laugh at everything, especially in bed. (Oops, Irving, that isn’t meant how it sounds).

Actually, laughter is good medicine for all of our worries. It seems everywhere I go these days, people ask me how I’m doing or feeling. Clerks and cashiers in stores and shopping centers, hotel personnel, everyone greets me with “and how are you today?”

For the longest time I have been replying... “Do you want the standard answer or the true answer? (The standard answer is ‘I’m great, wonderful, couldn’t be better!’ The true answer is ‘Eh.’)

Recently, someone I wrote about in this column said “I feel like an unmade bed” when asked how she was. I have been using that clever answer also.

I may start using this one as well... “I feel like a sink full of dirty dishes”...

(It really expresses how I feel.)

I know someone in town who answers with one word... “Good.”

But when you question him further, he says...(according to the weather), Good and hot; Good and cold; Good and wet; (and with the current Al-Qaeda threat) Good and scared.

A Night To Remember...

A letter from our own wonderful HARRIETT LAKE:

“Channel surfing one sleepless midnight on the cable, I fell, by remote chance, upon a film featuring the horrors a few brave women experienced trying to get the Congress to pass ‘Our Women’s Right to Vote.’ What those women endured never really left my subconscious. Every time an election rolled around, the film came back to haunt me. So six years later, by popular-demand, I decided to host the second ‘A Night To Remember.’

“The event will feature a 5-star all American dinner and a life-altering movie about the Women’s Suffrage Movement in the early 1900s, starring HILLARY SWANK, a two-time Academy Award winner. It will be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel, 9840 International Drive, Orlando, at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 25.

“I am once again sending out over 7,000 invitations to this ‘twice in a lifetime event.’ Our hope is to get at least 1,000 women attending dressed in 1920’s flapper headbands and long pearls!’”

(What a great chance to celebrate the passage of Amendment XIX.)

If you have any questions, phone Erica at 407-628-3700 or email Erica at CFLWRC@CenturyLink.net.

Speaking of politics...

Our buddy, Congressman ALAN GRAYSON, recently appeared as a guest on the Politics Nation television program, hosted by the Reverend AL SHARPTON on MSNBC.

He was discussing Obama care.

JFGO Annual Meeting is almost here...

The Jewish Federation annual meeting is almost upon us.

Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting which will be held in the JCC Auditorium, 851 N. Maitland Avenue, Maitland on Wednesday, Aug. 21 from 7-9 p.m.

To RSVP or for further information, phone the Federation at 407-645-5933.

Congratulations to a super-talent...

Dr. GLENN LOSACK is a world renowned award winning photographer, singer, songwriter, composer, author, physician, world traveler... and so much more.

Glenn, a psychiatrist, has family living right here in Winter Park who are extremely proud of his many accomplishments. Who wouldn’t be?

In his photography life, he has been published in many prominent magazines, including National Geographic.

He has written and performed many wonderful songs and has recently completed a children’s book titled “Bearly Fit.”

Glenn just emailed me and told me how delighted he was to be the “Best Cover Design Award Winner” for Asian Geographic Magazine’s Disease and Decay Issue, Asian Publishing Awards 2013.

We wish him mazel tov!

Just a reminder...

Please don’t forget about the fabulous musical jazz program happening Sunday, Aug. 25 noon-2 p.m., at the Altamonte Chapel, 825 East S.R. 436, Altamonte Springs.

Our own ALAN ROCK is the emcee. He is always a treat with his terrific personality.

The featured artist that day is none other than our own MICHAEL KRAMER, one of my favorite pianists... and someone I’ve had the pleasure of working with both here and in N.Y.C. He will have super players with him.

For directions and further information, phone 407-339-5208.

One for the road...

My friend gave me this. I understand it may be a true story.... (gee I hope not).

It was a special show day at a Jewish nursing home. All the residents were assembled in the main auditorium to hear a wonderful band, a good singer, and the hit of the show, Hershall, the Hypnotist.

The residents were in a great mood, humming along to all the old tunes and were geared up for the finale... Hershall the Hypnotist.

Hershall walked to the front of the large room and told his audience that he will hypnotize them all together at the same time. He pulled out a gleaming gold watch on a long chain and began to swing it back and forth.

“Concentrate on this beautiful watch,” he told the people. “It is a gift from my great-great-grandfather and it is very special to me.”

The residents kept their eyes glued to the swinging treasure until... all of a sudden... the chain broke and the special watch came crashing to the floor and broke into many little pieces.

“OY SH-T!” shouted Hershall, devastated at the accident.

(It took a cleaning crew three days and nights to clean the main auditorium.)