Articles written by christine desouza
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 324
By 
'Better Together' ready to rumble
Any fan of wrestling knows how engaging wrestling can be as they are drawn into the drama of wrestling teams pummeling their opponents. Such is the sport of wrestling, and Central Florida is home to...
Local author brings poetry reading back in style
Local author Lenore Richman Roland has just finished writing a book of poems for children, titled "Under Granna's Poetry Tree, Birthday Poems for her Grands." Her inspiration for this book has been he...
Counting down to the Festival of Lights
For children, the days leading up to Chanukah are always filled with anticipation. Here is a small children’s bedtime book that teaches little ones about Chanukah during the 10 days before the h...
Scene Around
This Scene Around is dedicated to "Yours Truly" Gloria Yousha, who passed away Nov. 18, 2022. Gloria Yousha started working at the Heritage in April 1980. That was 15 years before I became her editor....
Retiring dentist honored by patients and vice mayor of Deltona
Michael Zerivitz, DDS, better known to all his patients as Dr. Z, practiced dentistry at 916 Deltona Blvd. in Deltona for 42 years - caring for up to three generations in one family. When he decided...
Standing up to Jewish hatred
A lot of people, including Jaguars’ owner Shad Kahn, New England Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, the University of Florida and the University of Georgia spoke out clearly against the antisemitic message posted dur...
This year's Jewish Film Festival lineup
Coming Nov. 12 – 15 is the 24th annual Central Florida Jewish Film Festival. This year's shows are back to the normal in-person viewings at the Enzian Theatre, except the opening night film, "...
RAISE director joins Shalom Orlando
The Roth Family JCC auditorium was filled to capacity at the annual RAISE (Recognizing Abilities and Inclusion of Special Employees) Meet & Greet in September with nine new employees and their...
Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel has a new location
Thirty-eight years ago, Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel, the only Jewish funeral home in Central Florida, opened its doors at 115 W. Gore Street in Orlando to serve the funeral needs of the Jewish...
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK: Defend our children against drugs!
Recently the Florida Press Association held its annual newspaper contest, and I was pleased to learn that I won second place in the Serious Column category. The article, titled “Substance use disorder is a community problem,” (June 4, 2021), was a r...
Federation + JCC = Shalom Orlando
During the 2022 annual meetings of The Roth Family JCC and the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando it was unanimously approved to merge the two agencies into one entity called Shalom Orlando....
The Moldau Hebrew School dedication
On the occasion of David Moldau's 80th birthday, Sunday, Aug. 21, Chabad of North Orlando dedicated its new Hebrew school, naming it the Moldau Hebrew School, after David and Harriet Moldau. During sp...
Sculpture captures the passion of the Jewish Nakba
Jerry Klinger, president and founder of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, contacted the Heritage after reading the article "Podcast series 'The Forgotten Exodus' tells overlooked...
Spotlight on the man behind the scenes - Dr. Edward Zissman, Human Service Award winner
When Dr. Edward Zissman came to Orlando in 1972 to serve for two years as chief of pediatrics at the Naval Hospital, the Orlando Jewish community had no idea of what an impact his arrival would...
Going for gold at Maccabiah Games
The World Maccabiah Games, first held in 1932, are an international Jewish and Israeli multi-sport event now held every four years in Israel. The Games were declared a "Regional Sports Event" by, and...
The impact of RAISE on the community
Coming out from the covid cocoon, eight RAISE employees have been working since October 2021 at partnering agencies - Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, The Roth Family JCC, Jewish Academy of...
A call to action for Ukraine
A special briefing on the situation in Ukraine was held on Tuesday featuring experts from Joint Distribution Committee, Jewish Agency for Israel and National Coalition Supporting Eurasion Jewry. The webinar was presented by United Jewish Appeal...
From the editor's desk: Missed opportunity
In the Feb. 4, 2022, issue of Heritage, the upcoming meeting with Anti-Defamation League Southern Division Senior Associate Director Eric Ross was announced. I, as the editor, saw it as an opportunity to bring attention to many changes in the organiz...
JFGO set to receive security funding from the state
At an in-person briefing, State Senator Randolph Bracy announced that the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando will receive $150,000 in state funds to secure a new security system for the campus. The...
BUSINESS UPDATE: Shop Israeli products through Kemel Inc. distributors
Kevin and Melitza Lugo have a deep love for Israel. So deep that they put “their money where their heart is” and started Kemel Inc. Equipment Sales & Imports in 2019 to become distributors for Olea Es...
Business Update: This organization thought of health safety long before covid
Back in 2018, public adjuster Francine Fox noticed that during a conversation with one of her clients, Marvin Erickson, was frustrated and upset. A Vietnam veteran with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Erickso...
Community study results released
The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando held meetings Dec. 12 and Dec. 13 (at the Roth Family JCC and Rosen JCC, respectively) to discuss the results of the community study, conducted by the Cohen...
A new direction for the Rosen JCC in Southwest Orlando
A Town Square is defined as an open public space found in the heart of a traditional town, used for community gatherings. In its new direction, the Rosen JCC is adopting a form of the town square conc...
Let's go out to the movies
The 23rd Central Florida Jewish Film Festival is back to "in person" showings. Keeping tradition, the opening night and final night films will be shown at the Orlando Science Center's Digital...
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK: The wonderful power of prayer
Award-winning TV and radio host Larry King, with Rabbi Irwin Katsof, wrote “Powerful Prayers: Conversations on Faith, Hope, and the Human Spirit with Today’s Most Provocative People” in November 1999. King’s book examined the lives that were suddenl...
