Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Articles written by Ellen Hershkin


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  • Oasis of peace

    Ellen Hershkin|Sep 13, 2019

    To many, the term “Middle East peace” represents the impossible dream, if not the ultimate contradiction in terms. But there is a place in the region where Jews, Muslims and Christians meet peacefully every day on the basis of shared concerns and a sense of humanity. It’s not a country, though it is older than many of the nations in the vicinity. Nor is it a mirage, though the desert is within view. It’s the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. In the corridors, waiting areas, operating theaters, examination rooms, gardens and cafeter... Full story

  • Viewpoint: Make your vote count for women's health equality

    Ellen Hershkin|Sep 28, 2018

    It’s thrilling to be part of a historical moment when women are stepping into the political arena in record-breaking numbers. They’re tossing their hats into the ring—left, right and center—in national, statewide and local races. It’s an auspicious lead-in for next year’s 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. I still remember my own first visits to the voting booth, brought by my parents to see American democracy in action. And I’m sentimental thinking about how not long after my own (now-grown) daughter could walk, she was “helping me... Full story

  • Battling hate in the spirit of Queen Esther at any time

    Ellen Hershkin|Mar 17, 2017

    (JTA)—Shots fired into a classroom window at an Indiana synagogue. Cemeteries desecrated in Pennsylvania, Missouri, and New York. Swastikas scrawled on Jewish buildings. More than 100 bomb threats called in to Jewish community centers. History doesn’t always repeat itself, but echoes of the darkest chapters serve as warnings. We study the past and preserve our tradition so that we’ll recognize the signs. For these troubled days, the observance of Purim—commemorating the defeat of a plot to massacre the Jews in ancient Persia—is a timely re... Full story