Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Last month, the kindergarten students of the Jewish Academy of Orlando celebrated Havdallah, the ceremony said to mark the end of Shabbat. Students came to school on a Saturday night in their pajamas and led their parents in Havdallah. Here students demonstrate the signing of the Shema which they learned along with the prayer itself. Following Havdallah, the students decorated personalized pillowcases and listened to a story about a feather pillowcase and the words we use. This fun and... Full story
The Gould family has donated their former business property, which housed Gould Publications, to Seminole State College of Florida. The approximately 10 acres of land and 80,000-square-foot building space is about 3 miles from the Sanford/Lake Mary campus on U.S. 17/92. Valued at $4.1 million, it is the largest single gift in the history of the college. "We are very humbled and grateful for the generosity of the Gould family and their decision to donate the land and building space to the... Full story
The ACCoRD Project was developed through a series of parlour meetings with a group of passionate, action-oriented, highly committed individuals who each have a desire to work toward a change in the very negative political arena. The leadership of this group is comprised of Bonnie Friedman, Barbara Chasnov, Es Cohen, Susan Weinman, and Roberta Cooper, all active Central Florida citizens involved in many worthwhile endeavors. The acronym in the ACCoRD Project stands for "Advocating for Civility,... Full story
By Christine DeSouza In August 2014, The Heritage ran a story about Kara Finkelstein, who, at the age of 10, published her first book. The story was about a young girl named Bella who explored a magical forest and found two horses named Crystal and Rebel. Titled "The Forest: A Magical Adventure of Crystal and Rebel," the story is full of excitement and suspense as Bella plans a way to save her friends. In the Amazon review, Finkelstein's book is compared to J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series.... Full story
There won’t be any sunshine for boycotters of Israel in the Sunshine State. In a near-unanimous 112-2 vote, the Florida House of Representatives on Feb. 24 passed “Senate Bill 86: Scrutinized Companies,” legislation designed to prevent Florida from investing in or doing business with companies participating in boycotts of Israel. If signed into law by Florida Governor Rick Scott, the bill would require the state to maintain a list of “scrutinized companies” participating in boycotts of Israel, or boycotts against companies and individua... Full story
WASHINGTON (JTA)-The controversy over whether laws protecting Israel from boycotts should include West Bank settlements found its way into a presidential signing statement this week, but President Barack Obama's decision to ignore a trade law's requirement to oppose boycotts of Israeli settlements likely won't settle the argument. The president said Wednesday he had signed the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 and embraced its provisions protecting Israel from the Boycott,... Full story
WASHINGTON (JTA)—Nearly half the states in the country are considering legislation aimed at countering the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, or BDS, movement. But critics say some bills are cause for concern, either because they seek to legitimate Israeli settlements or go so far in punishing boycott supporters they infringe on constitutionally protected speech. Two states, Illinois and South Carolina, passed laws last year mandating state divestment from companies that boycott Israel, according to a list maintained by Americans for Peace N... Full story
JERUSALEM—Ahead of the Central Conference of American Rabbis annual convention in Israel, which began on Feb. 23, the organization’s leadership met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to discuss Israeli-American relations and the organization’s commitment to Israel as a democratic, pluralistic, egalitarian state that advocates for peace and supports human rights for all. The meeting was particularly important given both recent positive developments at the Kotel and disparaging remarks made by Israeli officials about the Reform Movem... Full story
The Jewish Pavilion's Black and White Gala will be held on Sunday, March 13th at the Orlando Sheraton North in Maitland. This year's honorees are two stellar volunteers who cherish the elder-care community-Carol Stein and Sammy Goldstein. The Gala will include a silent auction, gourmet meal, and the musical sounds of Paul Stenzler and his band. Register at www.jewishpavilion.org Carol Stein has literally been playing the Jewish Pavilion's song since 2014, when the acclaimed pianist, vocalist... Full story
Orlando Shakespeare Theater in partnership with UCF has partnered with nationally renowned magician Kostya Kimlat to offer an exclusive evening of magic and Shakespeare to patrons attending the Theater's production of "The Tempest" on March 25. The pre-show party will feature an intimate sleight-of-hand magic lesson from Kostya Kimlat and two other official magicians of the Orlando Magic. The magic lesson will take place prior to the evening's $25 Under 35 performance. Ticket holders of any age... Full story
The Holocaust Center is continuing its monthly "I Remember: Eyewitnesses to the Holocaust" series with a conversation with local Holocaust Survivor Helen Greenspun. It will be on Sunday, March 20 at 2 p.m. at the Holocaust Center in Maitland. It is free and open to the general public, and reservations are not required. Information on this presentation and other programs at the Center can be found at www.holocaustedu.org or by calling 407-628-0555. Born in the small town of Chmielnik, Poland,... Full story
Two of my favorite television shows are about what I think it’s fair to call the “New America.” In Master of None, on Netflix, Indian-American comedian Aziz Ansari plays a struggling actor in a very real and recognizable New York. His best friend is the son of Chinese immigrants. His girlfriend is white. And the plots have revolved, pointedly but never heavy-handedly, around the portrayal of minorities in mainstream media, and the struggles of immigrants chasing the American dream. In Transparent, on Amazon, an alarmingly and hilariously dysfu... Full story
We made Aliyah from Boca Raton, Florida, on the very first Nefesh B’Nefesh flight. That ground-breaking day has become the beginning of a revolution as many thousands more have since followed. When people hear that I moved to Israel from beautiful Florida they are often surprised. And I never fail to be surprised that they’re surprised! I didn’t move to Israel because of a pros and cons list comparing Israel and Florida. Rather I moved because I believe that Israel is where Jews truly belong; and because I could. That’s not to say all Jews mu... Full story
Americans consider a house of worship a place of peace where one practices ones’ faith, not preaches hate. While Islamic houses of worship (Mosques) are used for prayer, studies show many Mosques and Islamic centers are used to preach jihad, hate and violence. After their study In 1998 Sheikh Muhammad Hisham Kabban testified to the State Department that of the 114 mosques they visited in the United States 80 percent taught Islamic extremism. David Yerushalmi and Mordechai Kedar’s study “Shari’a and Violence in American Mosques,” claims 81... Full story
The stunning rise of a narcissistic blowhard like Donald Trump may be absurd, irrational and even embarrassing, but there’s a very rational idea that is keeping the Trump phenomenon alive: A large number of Americans are sick and tired of seeing their country get ripped off. No, it didn’t start with Barack Obama. It was President George W. Bush’s $3 trillion escapade into the quicksand of Iraq that kicked off the rip-off era. Think of what America could have done with that money. For starters, it could have repaired decaying infrastructure, fed... Full story
Just when you thought Secretary of State John Kerry couldn’t get any weaker on the problem of Palestinian incitement and violence, he did. Kerry met with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman, Jordan, on Feb. 21, against a backdrop of daily Palestinian stabbings of Israeli women and children, and non-stop anti-Jewish incitement in the official PA press, radio, and television. Yet the secretary of state did not threaten to withhold the Obama administration’s annual $500 million aid package to the PA over the inc... Full story
CHICAGO (JTA)—The ideals of open dialogue, debate and civil discourse are pillars of university life. Today, these mainstays of higher education are beginning to crumble with fissures developing over issues of race, gender and, most recently, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which now threatens to topple the tower of free speech itself. On Feb. 18, Bassem Eid, a venerable Palestinian human rights activist, was forced to end his remarks early at the University of Chicago because an anti-Israel protester reportedly threatened him with p... Full story
MORNING AND EVENING MINYANS (Call synagogue to confirm time.) Chabad of South Orlando—Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. and 10 minutes before sunset; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 8:15 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 I... Full story
Sitting on the stage of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts-facing the pit, orchestra, mezzanine seating areas and the balcony that seemed to rise into the rafters-was a once-in-a-lifetime-event for the 400 attendees (about 100 of whom were college students) of the Jewish National Fund's Gala and Backstage Tour. They had gathered to honor Jim Pugh and Chuck Steinmetz with JNF's Lifetime Achievement awards for their years of support of JNF and the Jewish community. Not only are both... Full story
Sharon Butler, age 61, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016, at Florida Hospital—Winter Park. She was born in Easton, Maryland, on March 6, 1954, to the late Lewis and Esther Snyder Cohen. A high school graduate, she relocated to the Orlando area in 1972, following her marriage in Easton, to Charles Butler, her husband of nearly 44 years who survives her. For 34 years Mrs. Butler worked as a medical secretary at Florida Hospital. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter Caitlin; her son Joshua; and her grandson Jacob. S... Full story
Edith “Evie” Yaravitz, age 89, of Williamsburg, Orlando, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016, at Cornerstone Hospice at ORMC. Evie was born on Sept. 10, 1926, in Rochester, N.Y., to the late Benjamin and Minnie Rosen. She was a homemaker and the widow of the late Benjamin “Benny” Yaravitz, who passed away in December 1996. After living in Rochester for most of their lives, they relocated to the Orlando area in 1994. Mrs. Yaravitz was a woman of many talents who made friends whenever and wherever she met them. She was a devoted wife, mother,... Full story
Using personal anecdotes as their guide, two Israeli reserve soldiers spoke to nearly 20 University of Central Florida students the afternoon of Feb. 25. Shir, 25, and Isaac, 27, (only first names were given to protect their identity) are the featured speakers in this year’s Israeli Soldiers Tour. Sponsored by StandWithUs, an international Israel education organization, the program aims to give a human face to the IDF. Over the past seven years, it has sent Israeli reserve soldiers across the U.S. to visit universities, high schools, synagogues... Full story
It was a "Magical Shabbat" at Solaris (formerly Health Center of Windermere), as Maybelene the Fun Magician performed to an activity room crammed full with 25 patients. Dressed and talking like "Minnie Purl," Maybelene entertained with some rollicking jokes and jaw-dropping magic. On hand to assist, including handing out magical wands, were Solaris Activities Director Imbania Rojas; Syslin Francis, R.N., administrator of Home Care Assistance based in Dr. Phillips; and longtime Jewish Pavilion... Full story
Hooray for Italy... Sure, you think that lead-in refers to the fabulous food, the handsome people, the beautiful countryside... well it all applies but I'm really referring to the article I read recently in the February edition of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest. I will pass it along to you: "By a large majority, the Italian Chamber of Deputies has adapted legislation that criminalizes the denial of the Shoah. The vote followed a three-hour debate among representatives of different... Full story
(The Nosher via JTA)-Every Jewish home has a sweet and sour meatballs recipe. For some of us it's scribbled down on a soiled napkin. For others it's in our favorite kosher cookbook. And probably for most of us, it's not written down anywhere but instead trapped in our grandmas' heads. That was the case for me until a couple of years ago, when my mom and I launched a mission to make a family cookbook. For hours we trailed my grandma around the kitchen with measuring cups, paper, a pen and lots of... Full story
