Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 26 - 39 of 39
Jody Bergman, 71, beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2026. She was born on May 8, 1954, to Jack and Muriel (Jaffrey) Bergman. Jody was known for her kindness, generosity, and the care she showed to everyone around her. She had a deep love for animals, especially dogs, and over the years shared her home and heart with many beloved companions including Yahma, Remy, Dakoda, Keisha, Sequoia, and Savannah. She had a natural gift for connecting with people and... Full story
Barbara August Braff, 95, former long-time resident, business, and civic leader in Greenfield, MA, a resident of Lake Mary, FL since 2024, passed peacefully on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, at Orlando Regional Medical Center following a period of declining health. Barbara was born on May 12, 1930 in Beverly, MA, to Jack and Eva (Feinstein) August. She moved with her family in 1930, to Northampton, MA, where her father held a progression of jobs including working on a cattle farm, as a butcher, a... Full story
Sandra Cohen (née Albert), lovingly known as Sandy, passed away peacefully on Feb. 21, 2026, in Lake Mary, Florida, at the age of 87. Born on July 11, 1938, in New York City to Lou and Ruth (Friedman) Albert, Sandy lived a life marked by resilience, humor, and an unwavering devotion to her family and faith. Sandy faced life’s challenges with remarkable strength and determination. After the sudden passing of her beloved husband, Sol, when she was just 41 years old, Sandy embarked on a new career... Full story
Dr. Eytan Pollak, an amazing husband, father, and brother, died on March 7, 2026. Eytan was born in Haifa, Israel on July 10, 1949. His mother, Martha, was a Holocaust survivor, and his father, Joseph, was a tour guide. They raised him alongside his twin sisters, Ronit and Yael. He served three years in the IDF. Soon after, he met his wife, Ruthi. After they met, they got married on Oct. 14, 1974. In 1976, Eytan and Ruthi moved to the United States so that Eytan could pursue his doctorate... Full story
Dr. Mark Stuart Vangrov, 77, of Maitland, Florida passed away on Feb. 21, 2026, after a valiant fight against serious illness most of his life. He is survived by his son, Dave, and brothers, Dr. Jan Vangrov and Jim Vangrov. Mark was preceded in death by his son, Jeffrey, and the love of his life, Debra Vangrov. A storybook romance, the two were engaged the week they met and spent the rest of their lives devoted to each other and their family. Mark was born to Dr. Stanley and Zelda (Frankle)... Full story
I’m stumped! Everybody on my Philadelphia row house street seemed to know Yenem. I don’t know what house he lived in, but he surely did live on our block. Or was it on the next street? People went to see him for everything they needed. When I was a little boy, the next-door neighbor knocked on my screen door and said he needed to use our lawnmower. I didn’t have the key to our garage and no one else was home. Later on, I told my mother. She said that Mr. Silverman probably borrowed Mr. Yenem...
(JNS) — The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday ordered all civilians in Southern Lebanon to evacuate and move north of the Litani River. “The activities of the Hezbollah terrorist organization are forcing the Israel Defense Forces to act against it with force. The IDF does not intend to harm you,” said Avichay Adraee, head of the Arab Media Branch in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, in a notice posted to X. Adraee emphasized that any Lebanese civilians “near Hezbollah members, facilities or combat equipment are putting their lives at risk.” “A...
A few years ago, while walking my dog at night, I tripped over the raised edge of a sidewalk and fell hard — my cellphone landing about six feet away in the grass. Before I had time to gather my senses Siri, speaking through my Apple Watch, asked me a question: “Did you fall?” “Yes.” “Are you hurt?” “Yes.” “Would you like me to call for help?” “Yes.” Within seconds an emergency dispatcher was speaking to me through my watch. “Where are you?” the dispatcher asked. While my location had already been transmitted, the dispatcher wanted further cla...
For a people noted for their contributions to humor and comedy, “Wit Happens: Global Jewish Humor” (edited by Jennifer Caplan, Jarrod Tanny and Avinoam Patt; Wayne State University Press), is a serious look at a funny subject. The editors — and contributors, each, of an essay in the book — examine how various strains, and mediums, of Jewish humor have developed in various venues. The essays are based on academic papers delivered during a conference, “No Respect: Jewish Humor Around the World,” at the University of North Carolina Wilmington,...
Israeli FM urges countries to sever ties with Iranian regime (JNS) — Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called on countries around the world to cut diplomatic relations with the Iranian regime in a virtual briefing on Tuesday for ambassadors stationed in Israel. “Following the Iranian regime’s attack on all its neighbors and the massacre of its own people—countries around the world must sever their ties with it,” Jerusalem’s top diplomat told 60 envoys who participated in the meeting, according the minister’s office. Sa’ar stressed that the...
(JNS) — A Jewish woman, who taught at the United Nations International School in New York for about 30 years, is suing the school, alleging that it ignored her reports of experiencing Jew-hatred on campus and responded by subjecting her to a retaliatory investigation. Robert Weingrad told JNS that his wife, Nadine Sébag, 65, experienced “severe depression” as a result of what she experienced at the school and that she has been suffering from back and muscle issues as well as digestive problems, increased blood pressure and anxiety. “UNIS...
(JNS) — U.S. President Donald Trump denied claims on Tuesday that Israel forced him into taking preemptive action against Iran. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said that he believed that Iran was going to launch a first strike during talks between Tehran and Washington. “We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first,” Trump said. “They were going to attack if we didn’t do it. They were going to attack first. I felt strongly...
(JNS) — Shortly after the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, New College of Florida, a public liberal arts school in Sarasota, Fla., began encouraging Jewish students to come seek refuge from antisemitism on other campuses. “Those facing intolerance or physical danger at Harvard should come to New College of Florida, where they can study with free tuition thanks to a newly established scholarship program,” Richard Corcoran, president of New College, wrote in the Wall Street Journal, On Nov. 8, 2023. “They will find that we prize free speech and con...
(JNS) — Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday, “Any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue the plan for Israel’s destruction, to threaten the U.S. and the free world and the countries of the region, and to oppress the Iranian nation, will be an unequivocal target for elimination.” “It doesn’t matter what his name is or the place where he hides,” Katz added in a post on X. “The Prime Minister and I instructed the IDF to prepare and act using all means to carry out the mission as an integral part of the objecti...
