Scene Around

 

April 20, 2018

David Harris

A reflective thought...

What ever happened to "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free"?

(Just saying.)

I received a letter...

The letter I received was sent from DAVID HARRIS, CEO of the American Jewish Committee (AJC). I pass it along to you in part:

"The Jewish stories handed down through our three-thousand-year-old tradition recount instances of persecution and hatred, but also examples of resilience and survival.

Now, let me ask you to consider a current story. It's the story of hate and anti-Semitism resurfacing in our own backyards. We saw synagogues vandalized... cemeteries desecrated... and throngs of white supremacists marching in our streets, waving Nazi flags alongside the Stars and Stripes. These are just a few examples of the anti-Semitism we've recently witnessed across the United States, and the situation in some European countries is even worse.

The hate we thought was waning has returned with a vengeance, as new anti-Semitic attacks are committed with alarming frequency. These attacks are intended to disrupt our lives, to make us feel weak and vulnerable. The AJC will not allow this to happen."

For further information, you can contact the AJC at 212-891-1456 or online at .

Remembering Jewish history...

On Feb. 5, 1997, Three Swiss banks-Union Bank of Switzerland, the Swiss Bank Corp. and Credit Suisse-initially agreed to allocate the equivalent of $71 million to a humanitarian Holocaust reparations fund as a good-faith gesture after years of pressure from the World Jewish Congress (WJC) about banking policies during and after World War II that were inimical to world Jewry.

Veteran scams...

As the widow of an Army veteran, the mother of a Navy veteran and an active Navy officer, I am concerned about scams against veterans.

Our veterans deserve a lot of things... praise, honor, security, respect...

Here's what they don't deserve: attempts to take advantage of their service. Yet every day, scammers attempt to defraud our veterans of their hard-earned benefits, steal their identity, or take their savings.

What can we do about it? To find out more, phone 877-908-3360 or go online to

(And thank you!)

Speaking of veterans...

My spouse was a veteran of the Korean War who is buried in the Military Cemetery at Bushnell. Just recently, two of his dear relatives from Israel, visited on a U.S. tour that took them to, among other places, New York, Washington, D.C. and Orlando, Florida. My son Ron (a Navy veteran) and I went to meet them. They were staying at the very posh Rosen Plaza Hotel not far from the theme parks.

IRIS ELON and her daughter, ADI, were a delight to spend time with. Iris is the beautiful daughter of cousins MENASHE and EVA ELON, and Adi is their adorable granddaughter. It had been many years since we were visited by Menashe and Eva so this was a particular treat for us.

(Incidentally, Iris and Adi agreed that of all the places in the U.S. that they visited, they loved Orlando best! And of all the places I've visited in the world, I loved Israel best!)

Speaking of Israel...

On Sunday, April 22, there will be an Israel Independence Day Festival to celebrate Israel's 70th birthday!

It will take place from 10 a.m until 4 p.m. at the Lake Eola Amphitheater, 195 N. Rosalind Avenue, Orlando.

There will be kosher food, live musical performances, children's activities, local vendors, Israeli dancing, photo ops and more!

(Hope to see you all there!)

For more information, contact ROBBY ETZKIN, executive director at 407-621-4031 or online at RobbyE@orlandojcc.org.

Cinema Sundays...

The next movie featured will be "Jackie" starring NATALIE PORTMAN and PETER SARSGAARD. It starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 22, in the Senior Lounge of the Roth Family JCC in Maitland. Refreshments are also available.

JCC39ers Meet & Mingle Mondays...

On Monday, April 23, beginning at 1 p.m. in the Senior Lounge of the JCC in Maitland, there will be a meeting followed by a special program presented by SHELDON BROOK. It is a video titled "The Jewish American."

One for the road...

Ruth had just stepped out of the shower when she heard her doorbell ring. 

"Who is it?" she shouted downstairs. 

"It's the blind man," came the reply. 

Ruth decided it didn't matter if she opened the door without any clothes on because the man was blind. In fact she thought it would be a rather daring thing to do. 

So she opened the door wide and he said, "It's Macy's Department Store, downtown Orlando. Where do you want me to put these blinds?"

 

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