Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

(JTA)—As the world shut down around it, the Brooklyn headquarters of the worldwide Chabad movement carried on as usual—until late Tuesday night, when its neighborhood’s rabbinic leadership ordered synagogues closed to combat the spread of the...

Although JFS Orlando is closed to the public and is currently not accepting food donations to maintain containment during COVID-19, its services are still operational, including the Pearlman Emergency Food Pantry. The staff is doing everything in...

London rabbinical court allowing some products not certified kosher for Passover due to coronavirus By Marcy Oster (JTA)—Why will this Passover be different from all others? This year, the London Beth Din, or religious court, has created a list...

WASHINGTON (JTA)—The White House has come to an agreement with Democrats and Republicans on a $2 trillion stimulus package, the biggest in U.S. history, in response to the major economic downturn triggered by the coronavirus. Congress passed the...

With the recent outbreak of the coronavirus in Gaza, all eyes are (strangely) on Israel. Let’s explore why and if that’s well founded or helpful. Some background is important. During the British occupation of the Land of Israel (1917-1948),...

(JNS)—Some Israeli political leaders are about to do something that would severely alienate a large portion of Diaspora Jewry. No, I’m not talking about the arguments over prayer areas at the Western Wall or the “Who is a Jew?” dispute....

We can argue if it really happened, but there’s no doubt that the Exodus is a great story, with or without Hollywood stars or best selling authors. Yet it has also been associated with problems. The association of Passover and Easter brought...

Every spring, the Jewish community is treated to a colorful variety of new editions of the Passover Haggadah. There’s something for everybody—you can find haggadahs that focus on everything from the environment to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel TV...

WALTHAM, Mass. (JTA)—Like so many others, I am feeling the spiritual loss and pain of our current inability to learn Torah and pray together in person. Many mourners are devoted to the customary recitation of Kaddish for a deceased close relative...

(JNS)—The coronavirus pandemic is not the first deadly contagion to ravage the globe, but it is clearly the first that modern nations have sought to combat by essentially shutting down public life and much of their economies. While most of us may...

On Passover, Jews are prohibited from consuming any foods made with five familiar grains: wheat, oats, rye, spelt (which is actually just an ancient form of wheat) and barley. These grains are considered hametz because of their ability to ferment...

(Kveller via JTA)—My relationship with Amazon’s Alexa is complicated. I love that she’s politically informed and shares the latest news with me, and she has really great taste in music. Since she’s come into my life, I can’t imagine not...

Biblical Irony: Passover seder may be delayed by the plague. Facebook meme One of Judaism’s most important holidays officially begins with the first seder on April 8. Pesach in the time of coronavirus, however, will be very different. During...

(Kveller via JTA)—Born into a Catholic family with a Jewish surname, I should have expected I would one day find myself leading a Passover seder. To date, my husband Larry and I have hosted nine seders, eight of which I’ve had the honor to...

Passover is among the most celebrated of Jewish festivities, a time when families typically gather together from wherever they may be dispersed to engage in the ritual retelling of the exodus from Egypt. Circumstances don’t always allow for large...

(The Nosher via JTA) – Haroset is one of the most important food components of the Passover seder. Its intense sweetness symbolizes the optimism in contrast to the bitter maror and salty water, which remind us of our ancestors’ suffering. Every...

Evelyn Rosenglick, age 87, of Melbourne, passed away peacefully at her residence on Saturday, March 14, 2020. Mrs. Rosenglick was born in New York City on Feb. 18, 1933, to the late Morris and Clara Heger Mariasch. She was a high school graduate...

Sheila S. Arnold, age 65, of Orlando, passed away peacefully at her residence on Sunday, March 22, 2020. A native of Chicago, Illinois, she was born on Feb. 20, 1955, to the late Marshall and Esther Chervony Sorkin. Sheila was a graduate of...

Justine Abramson, age 84, of Orlando, passed away peacefully at Cornerstone Hospice at Health Central in Ocoee on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. Born in New York City on March 5, 1936, she was the daughter of the late Nathan and Sadie Cohen Newman. She...

Howard Landau, age 91, of Kissimmee, passed away on Thursday, March 26, 2020, at AdventHealth—Kissimmee. He was born in New York City on Sept. 6, 1928, to the late Isidore and Bessie Wilkins Landau. Howard was a high school graduate and husband...