Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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On Jan. 29, 1972, I left Viet Nam — my tour was cut from one year to 6 months due to the Nixon ordered troop reduction. I traveled by transport cargo plane (bench seats) to Tokyo. Left Tokyo Jan. 31, arrived in San Francisco Feb. 1, and transferred to Ft. Dix, NJ, for discharge arriving there Feb. 3, 1972. Three and one-half years of service, and I can say, without hesitation, that I would do it again. I learned much, matured, had experiences that could have never been duplicated: Marc’s Brit Milah, February 1970, was the first in Aug...
With the passing of Sunny Mandell z’l the Orlando Jewish community has lost one of its most significant matriarchs. I would guess that the vast majority of Jews living in Orlando today did not know Sunny. For sure, most never met her. I wish that they had the experience of knowing and working with this unique and wonderful person. Sunny was the first woman to chair the Major Gifts Committee of the Federation’s campaign. She was the first woman overall Campaign chair, and she was Federation president from 1981 to 1983. Sunny’s commitment to th...
At first I was not going to watch this presentation because 1) I did not know most of the participants, and 2) the fact that it was in support of the WHO was a ‘turn off.’ However, the fact that it dealt with the Coronavirus and that it was simulcast on the three major broadcast networks and streamed online all over the world was enough of an influence to get me to watch it. And I’m glad I did—IT WAS JUST OUTSTANDING!—with one major reservation—see below. The good, the bad, the ugly... and the outstanding The Good: The production was first c...
One of the most loved and respected members of Orlando's Jewish community, Byron Selber z'l, passed away at the age of 46 on Oct. 6, 1983. His 35th Yahrzeit will be 29 Tishrei which falls on Oct. 8, 2018. Byron played an important role in recruiting me to come to Orlando to head the JCC and Federation. We became best of friends and worked together on many communal efforts including starting the Hebrew Day School (along with the Zissmans, Biermans and a few other families). Even though we did...
Dear Bibi, I apologize for not calling you immediately after the election returns showed that you and the Likkud Party came in first place. Israel is, as I’ve often said, an important and long-time alley and the only true Democracy in the Middle-East, so I should not have listened to Valerie and I should have called you earlier. Mazel Tov! The people of Israel have spoken and, of course, we must and will support in the strongest way possible their decision. You and I have not had the best relationship these past six years. I’m sure that you...
Today (Nov. 18, 2014) is my 69th birthday so why am I so sad and so mad? I’m sad for the three obvious reasons: The death of five Israelis at the hands of terrorists; the ongoing world-wide attacks against Jews; and the belief that things will probably never get better but keep on getting worse. I’m mad for many reasons: That so many people, including Jews who should know better, believe Israel’s so-called settlements are the problem. That, if Israel would retreat to the 1967 borders things will be ok—there will be peace. That so many people, i...
I am not normally for new Jewish/Israeli based organizations—we seem to have more than our share. Yet, the time has come for a new effort that will restore the greatness and vitality of the Zionist movement. Israel and the Jewish People are under attack from the outside, and more importantly, from the inside. Support for Zionism is the weakest I’ve seen. Support for Israel seems to be getting weaker every day—especially from within our Jewish community. The Zionist Spring is a new effort with which I am very impressed. It is not a polit...
I was shocked when I heard AJC’s David Harris radio piece painting Mandela as a saint. I responded by writing: I don’t understand. How can David Harris fawn over Mandela—painting him as a saint—when the AJC canceled an event honoring him in 2000 after Mandela said that 13 Jews tried for “espionage” in Iran were receiving a “fair trial.” How can David Harris fawn over Mandela—painting him as a saint—when Mandela supported Arafat and the PLO. How can David Harris fawn over Mandela—painting him as a saint—when Mandela was a member of the Elders. S...
