Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Articles from the January 30, 2015 edition


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  • Jan 30, 2015

  • Groundbreaking initiative launched to improve early childhood education

    Jan 30, 2015

    DENVER-A groundbreaking effort is underway to help synagogues and JCC early childhood education (ECE) centers increase enrollment, better engage Jewish families and build stronger connections to the Jewish community. Led by Rose Community Foundation, the initiative-known as BUILDing Jewish ECE (www.buildingjewishece.org)-involves a comprehensive partnership between the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and the JCC Association, and is open to all nine Denver and Boulder synagogues and JCCs that... Full story

  • Herblock's political cartoons and graphic novels on exhibit at the Holocaust Center

    Jan 30, 2015

    Now through March 27, 2015, the Holocaust Center will be exhibiting, Herblock, the political cartoons of Pulitzer Prize winner Herbert Block. Sometimes called "the most feared editorial cartoonist in the country," Block started cartooning in his Chicago teens and went on to win four Pulitzer Prizes and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Herblock is produced by The Herb Block Foundation. The goal of these exhibitions is to present Herblock's effort to preserve American's rights and freedoms... Full story

  • The joy of a Jospel service at CRJ

    Jan 30, 2015

    The Congregation of Reform Judaism will host Seeds of Community with Cantor Lisa Levine at the Congregation, 928 Malone Dr., Orlando, on Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015. CRJ invites the entire community to join them for a weekend of song and celebration; of spiritual uplift and warmth of community. The Friday night service will begin at 7 p.m. and is called a Jospel service, which is the combination of the Jewish and gospel styles of music. The Jewish Gospel Experience is a result of... Full story

  • New scholarship for middle schoolers

    Jan 30, 2015

    Jewish Academy of Orlando has announced a new merit scholarship program for the 2015-2016 school year. This merit scholarship seeks upcoming sixth- to eighth-grade students who exemplify high academic achievement and are well-rounded individuals. There are 10 merit scholarships available which awards a child’ s family with 50 percent off tuition fees for the duration of the student’s enrollment in its middle school. Families may also be eligible for additional financial aid on top of this merit scholarship to make private middle school mor... Full story

  • Israeli bus driver who fought off Palestinian terrorist regains consciousness

    Israel Hayom, Exclusive to JNS.org|Jan 30, 2015

    Thanks to the efforts of a bus driver who fought off a Palestinian terrorist, the stabbing attack that injured 12 people aboard Dan Bus No. 40 in Tel Aviv last week did not end in a single death. Israeli police officials praised the actions of Herzl Biton, the 55-year-old bus driver who was the first person to get stabbed by terrorist Hamza Muhammed Hassan Matrouk. Despite being seriously wounded, Biton managed to use pepper spray on the assailant and fight him off while simultaneously opening... Full story

  • Hezbollah, Argentine gov't fingered in death of AMIA prosecutor

    Uriel Heilman|Jan 30, 2015

    (JTA) – The mysterious death of Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman seems ripped straight out of a crime thriller. Nisman-the indefatigable prosecutor collecting evidence of culpability in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people-was found dead in his apartment just hours before he was to present evidence to Argentina's congress that he said implicated his country's president and foreign minister in a nefarious cover-up scheme. The charge? That the t... Full story

  • Boehner on Netanyahu invite: Congress 'can make this decision on its own'

    Jan 30, 2015

    (JNS.org) While an Obama administration spokesman said Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner (R-Ohio) breached "protocol" by inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress next month about the Iranian threat, Boehner said Congress "can make this decision on its own." White House spokesman Josh Earnest said regarding Boehner's invitation of Netanyahu, "The protocol would suggest that the leader of one country would contact the leader... Full story

  • Roth JCC relaunches Theater at the J

    Jan 30, 2015

    The Roth Family Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando in Maitland announces the launch of a new main stage theater company called the Theater at the J. The company's premiere production will be the classic musical, "Fiddler on the Roof," which will run April 30-May 10. Though there is a new name and leadership, theater has been a mainstay at The Roth Family JCC for decades, operating its Center Players theater company since 1980, before going on hiatus in 2012. The professional... Full story

  • Temple Beth-El hosts former CNN correspondent

    Jan 30, 2015

    The Jewish Federation of Volusia & Flagler Counties will be holding their 32nd community-wide Shabbot Service at Temple Beth-El, 579 N. Nova Road, Ormond Beach, Fl 32174, tonight, Jan. 30, at 7:30 p.m. Most of the other synagogues will be closed so that all can come together to pray as one. Six rabbis will conduct the service along with Cantor Rebecca Cook. The Federation and synagogues are pleased to bring in guest speaker Linda Scherzer who is a former Mid-East correspondent for CNN and... Full story

  • Scout Shabbat to honor founder of the Scout movement

    Jan 30, 2015

    All Jewish Scouts, families and friends of Scouting in Central Florida are invited to attend a Scout Shabbat on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Roth Jewish Community Center auditorium. Central Florida Jewish Scouts will gather together in fellowship at this Scout Shabbat to celebrate Lord Baden Powell's birthday. Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement and first Chief Scout of The Boy Scouts Association. Please RSVP to... Full story

  • Where's the peace process?

    Ira Sharkansky, Letter from Israel|Jan 30, 2015

    Waiting for someone in authority to say Kadish. It isn’t prominent in any of the major party platforms. To be sure, one must be wary of making any conclusions about what candidates say and write in the midst of a political campaign. If they are not lying outright, the chances are that they are not telling all the truth. In a context such as Israel, where a coalition government is inevitable, the importance of campaign promises is even dicier. No matter what politicians really think and intend, the unpredictable politics of a coalition may m... Full story

  • Interfaith dilemma

    Ed Ziegler, Remember, Never Again|Jan 30, 2015

    Truly, there must be peace-loving people in every religion. It is for this reason there are a number of interfaith events among Christians, Jews and Muslims. In hopes of achieving peace, many Christians and Jews assume all their Islamic counterparts enter the meetings with similar values and honesty. Obviously they are not aware that the Q’uran approves of Al-Takeyyah: Lying For Allah. Nor have they become aware that so many Islamic leaders preach hate of infidels and Islamic domination. According to “Islamic Commentaries” falsehoods (Al-T... Full story

  • Tell me, where can I go?

    Jim Shipley, Shipley speaks|Jan 30, 2015

    Jews spent close to two millennia away from home. When the Romans finally expelled the Jews from their land, really upset because it took so long to beat their guerilla forces, we scattered to over 50 countries. Gone was the Second Temple, gone was our government, our army, our social structure, everything. Except us. The Jews. We scattered and as we did, we invented something uniquely Jewish: The Portable Community. We didn’t have a Temple, so we built synagogues. We didn’t have our social structure, so we created Jewish Community Centers, Jew... Full story

  • The truth about no-go zones

    Christine DeSouza, News Editor|Jan 30, 2015

    Recently, a comment was posted on the Heritage’s website concerning an April 18, 2014, op-ed piece titled “Islamic enclaves in America,” by Ed Ziegler in his column “Remember, Never Again.” The comment read: “This is a complete fabrication... so bad that even Fox News retracted the story... My Jewish friends, there are many out there attempting to manipulate society through lies... we have seen this before. Please be vigilant and never forget.” The writer, who called himself Edison, also referenced www.snopes.com to validate his position. Edi... Full story

  • Palestinian Christians call for peaceful solution to conflict

    Linda Gradstein, The Media Line|Jan 30, 2015

    Palestinian Christians warn that the current situation of no-war and no-peace with Israel is not sustainable in the long term, and say they want to see a resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, which have been frozen for more than a year. Most Palestinians say they support non-violent resistance to achieve an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem next to Israel. The Palestinian Authority has recently joined several United Nations organizations, most recently the International Criminal Court (ICC) which could... Full story

  • Outrage on the Mount of Olives

    Moshe Phillips|Jan 30, 2015

    The controversy over whether to bury the French terror victims on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives is a reminder of the embarrassing failure to provide basic security at one of the Jewish people’s most sacred sites. The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reports that when the decision was made to bury the four terror victims in Israel last week, the Israeli authorities suggested they be laid to rest at the Mount of Olives cemetery. The 3,000-year-old site is the oldest and largest Jewish cemetery in the world. It includes the graves of the biblical pro... Full story

  • Effort to damage Dershowitz beyond the pale

    Jan 30, 2015
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    Dear Editor: (In responds to the Jan. 19 issue op-ed titled ‘Defending Alan Dershowitz is not a Jewish issue’ by Ronn Torossian) I don’t know where to begin. I do agree that defending Alan because he is a Jew is absurd. But the rest of this column is just as absurd. Alan is one of Israel’s strongest advocates and one of our most effective leaders, and this effort to damage his reputation is beyond the pale. OF COURSE HE IS NOT GUILTY—he has already proven that without a doubt! Columns like this just add to the media frenzy and do nothing b... Full story

  • What's Happening - Friday, January 30 - Friday, February 6

    Jan 30, 2015

    MORNING AND EVENING MINYANS (Call synagogue to confirm time.) Chabad of South Orlando—Monday and Thursday, 8 a.m. 407-354-3660. Congregation Ahavas Yisrael—Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-644-2500. Congregation Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Daytona—Monday, 8 a.m.; Thursday, 8 a.m., 904-672-9300. Congregation Ohev Shalom—Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-298-4650. GOBOR Community Minyan at Jewish Academy of Orlando—Monday – Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Temple Israel—Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-647-3055. FRIDAY, JANUARY 30 Ligh... Full story

  • Introducing JNET-a new way of networking

    Jan 30, 2015

    Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando announces the launch of the Jewish Business Network, JNET. Spearheaded by a group of five enthusiastic “charter” members, Nancy Hecht-Faracchio, Gale Milgrim, David Brenner, Lawrence Kolin, and Bill Sholk, this business network is a great way to create new and exciting opportunities for Jewish community members to form social and business relationships, network, and make referrals. JNET will launch its first networking event on March 9, at 7 p.m. at Brown’s Deli (located at 156 Lake Ave., Maitland). The g... Full story

  • Sharing success at genealogy meeting, Feb. 3

    Jan 30, 2015

    Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando at its Feb. 3 meeting. The topic is “shared success stories.” Members will describe some of their biggest challenges in researching family history and how they overcame these obstacles. The discussion is sure to provide you some valuable ideas to help you in your genealogy research. Each meeting features speakers on a variety of genealogy topics. Many of the presenters are known nationally and globally for their expertise. Networking other family researchers will also make each res... Full story

  • POPs meet Pop artist Stephen Gamson

    Pamela Ruben|Jan 30, 2015

    On Jan. 15, the "Pearls" of the Jewish Pavilion (POP) enjoyed a state-of-the-art event featuring a gourmet luncheon, along with an eye-popping tour of the art-filled residence of Bob and Elaine Gamson. Forty POPs toured the contemporary Longwood home located in the Springs, and learned about the multi-media conceptual pop art created by their son, Stephen, who shared the influences behind his unique works of bold and iconic art representative of the communication age. He also touched upon the... Full story

  • Pomegranate juice a vehicle for Hasidic help and healing

    Jan 30, 2015

    By Uriel Heilman NEW SQUARE, N.Y. (JTA)-Get Rabbi Shulim Greenberg talking about the health benefits of pomegranate juice and he sounds like a homeopathic nutritionist-with a Yiddish accent. Every January, the Hasidic charity run by Greenberg obtains some 40,000 pounds of California pomegranates, squeezes them into juice and ships the product in eight-ounce plastic bottles to ailing Jews. The recipients-mostly residents of the haredi Orthodox strongholds of Brooklyn, Lakewood, N.J., and New... Full story

  • Bat Mitzvah - Sydney Ackerbaum Cox

    Jan 30, 2015

    Sydney Ackerbaum Cox, daughter of Joyce Ackerbaum and Matthew Cox of Winter Park, will be called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, at Congregation Ohev Shalom in Maitland. Sydney is in the seventh grade at Trinity Preparatory School, where she is a member of the honor roll and is captain of her school soccer team. She also plays club soccer with FKK for the premier team as goalie. Her interests include playing and watching all sports, especially soccer, basketball and... Full story

  • Bar Mitzvah - Michael Joseph Finkelstein

    Jan 30, 2015

    Michael Joseph Finkelstein, the son of Drs. Kim and Howard Finkelstein of Longwood, will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah on Feb. 7, 2015, at Congregation Beth Am in Longwood. Michael is in the seventh grade at the Jewish Academy of Orlando where he is an Honors student. His hobbies and interests include playing piano, fishing, and spending time with family and friends-especially his best canine friend, Cody. He is also fascinated with airplanes and hopes to someday earn his pilot's... Full story

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