Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Articles written by andrew tobin


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  • How one popular Palestinian cafe puts women first and men in the corner

    Andrew Tobin|Nov 11, 2016

    NABLUS, West Bank (JTA)-The "Mountain of Fire." The "terror capital" of the West Bank. This city has earned its militant nicknames with generations of violent resistance, whether aimed at the Ottomans, the British, the Israelis or the current Palestinian Authority government. Nablus may not seem like an ideal destination for an upscale California-style cafe. But owner John Saadeh is optimistic after opening Jasmine Cafe here in August. He is following a business plan that has worked for him... Full story

  • World Series ignites old passions in American Jews living in the West Bank

    Andrew Tobin|Nov 11, 2016

    KARNEI SHOMRON, Judea and Samaria (JTA)-The Chicago Cubs are facing the Cleveland Indians in a historic World Series, and most of Israel could not care less. This Jewish settlement is different. The Neve Aliza neighborhood of Karnei Shomron is overwhelmingly American. Among the some 200 families from the United States or Canada that live here, about two dozen have roots in Chicago and Cleveland, according to residents. A main street is even nicknamed "Chicago Road." These families left behind... Full story

  • Saying goodbye to Shimon Peres, world leaders talk peace and love

    Andrew Tobin|Oct 7, 2016

    JERUSALEM (JTA)-Israeli and world leaders gathered atop Mount Herzl on Friday to say goodbye to Shimon Peres, Israel's last founding father. In addition to fond personal recollections, many of those who took the stage alongside Peres' Israeli-flag-draped coffin offered their visions of the peace that eluded the former president and prime minister. Peres died early Wednesday at 93 after suffering a major stroke two weeks earlier. President Barack Obama, the last of the 10 speakers, called... Full story

  • Poll: Israeli Jews favor Hillary, but say Trump is better for Israel 'policy'

    Andrew Tobin|Sep 16, 2016

    JERUSALEM (JTA)-Most Israeli Jews would prefer Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump as the next president of the United States, even though more of them think Trump would be better for the "Israeli government's policy." According to a poll released Sept. 6, 43 percent of Israeli Jews prefer Clinton as president, compared to 34 percent who want Trump. But 38 percent say Trump would be better for Israel, compared to 33 percent who say Clinton would be. On both questions, a large number of people... Full story

  • Israel and Turkey should stick together

    Andrew Tobin|Sep 9, 2016

    JERUSALEM (JTA)-Israel and Turkey ought to be friends, geopolitically speaking. As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan put it in January: "Israel needs a country like Turkey in this region. We, too, should admit that we need a country like Israel." But the regional powers often can't seem to make it work. In 2010, Turkey cut ties with Israel over its deadly military raid of the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara flotilla. And this week, days after the Turkish parliament ratified a reconciliation agreeme... Full story

  • How Israeli women are gaining in the fight for Jewish divorce

    Andrew Tobin|Sep 2, 2016

    JERUSALEM (JTA)-In this case, the sins of the son are the sins of the father. Israel's Supreme Rabbinical Court this month sentenced a haredi Orthodox man to 30 days in jail for pressuring his son to withhold a divorce from his wife for more than a decade. By upholding a lower rabbinical court decision, the high court gave its blessing to an unprecedented approach to freeing women from unwanted marriages. The Orthodox rabbis who adjudicate divorce in Israel-all of whom are men-have come under... Full story

  • The third Jewish Temple is coming to your Facebook feed

    Andrew Tobin|Aug 26, 2016

    JERUSALEM (JTA)-"It's time to build," reads the tagline of the Temple Institute's latest YouTube video. The phrase encapsulates the group's controversial mission to rally Jews to reconstruct the Temple that was the heart of their religion until its destruction 2,000 years ago. Over much of those two millennia, mourning the loss of the Temple and longing for its restoration has been central to Jewish thought and practice. As noted by the professionally produced video-a montage of Jewish wedding... Full story

  • How Israel's had success against 'lone wolf' terrorists

    Andrew Tobin|Aug 12, 2016

    JERUSALEM (JTA)-"Lone wolf" terrorism in Europe is making headlines around the world. But in Israel, the phenomenon of angry or troubled individuals taking up arms is old news. Since October, Israelis have endured a wave of violence that has been carried out largely by individual Palestinians without backing from terrorist groups-so much so that some have called this the "lone wolf intifada." As of the end of June, 38 people had been killed and 298 injured by attackers, according to the Shin... Full story

  • Actor Jason Segel opens up about childhood as Jewish outsider

    Andrew Tobin, JTA|Aug 7, 2015

    (JTA)—Actor Jason Segel—best known as the star of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “How I Met Your Mother”—opened up on Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast this week about growing up with one Jewish parent and as a complete outsider. Segel sat down for the Monday podcast ahead of the release of his film “The End of the Tour,” in which he plays the tortured writer David Foster Wallace—a career U-turn away from the comedic work that made him famous. On Maron’s podcast (on which President Barack Obama was recently a guest), Segel said he long felt uns... Full story

  • Instagram star The Fat Jew is now a top model

    Andrew Tobin, JTA|Jul 31, 2015

    (JTA)-Josh Ostrovsky, aka The Fat Jew, is reportedly making an improbable transition from pudgy social media comic to fashion model. Self-avowedly rotund, The Fat Jew, 30, recently signed a deal to join the likes of Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli and Karolina Kurkova at One Management agency, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He shared his long-term plans with the magazine: "Get uncomfortably famous, develop a raging drug problem, then spiral out of control and surround myself with people who... Full story