Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called for the formation of an emergency government to confront a growing crisis over the coronavirus, offering a potential way out of the deadlock that has paralyzed the political system for the past year. "I call for the formation now, even this evening, of a national emergency government," he said. "It will be an emergency government for a limited period. Together we will fight to save the lives of citizens," he added, saying that...
(JTA)-Larry Rothwachs, a rabbi in Teaneck, New Jersey, walked into the meeting Wednesday night between local Jewish leaders and health officials with one set of ideas about how his community should respond to the coronavirus. He walked out later that evening certain of another one: that drastically curtailing Jewish traditions and rules is essential to stem the spread of the deadly disease. "I don't think everybody was on the same page coming in. I was not on the page I am at right now,"...
Keith Dvorchik, executive director of the Federation and The Roth Family JCC, made the decision to close both facilities for two weeks, beginning last Monday, March 16. They currently plan to reopen on Monday, March 30. This was a result of the Florida Department of Education announcing that all state schools will remain closed one week beyond Spring Break, reopening on March 30 in Orange County. Dvorchik stressed that there have not been any reported cases of COVID-19 on the JCC campus. “We believe that this decision is in the best interest o...
JERUSALEM (JTA)-Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will give Benny Gantz the task of forming a new government, his office said Sunday. Rivlin met Sunday with the heads of all the parties that won seats in Israel's parliament in its last election earlier this month. At the end of the consultations, which were broadcast nationally, 61 lawmakers recommended Gantz form the new government, while 58 lawmakers recommended the current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Later, Gantz and Netanyahu met with...
Jewish Academy of Orlando kindergarteners raised funds at the school for the Pearlman Food Pantry at Jewish Family services by operating a healthy snack store. The annual program at JAO begins with a cross-curricular study of nutrition and money and incorporates tzedakah (righteous acts of giving). The multi-faceted curriculum includes the benefits of making healthy food choices and mathematics concepts such as counting money and making change. The program also incorporates basic...
If you have purchased tickets to an event, we will email you with details about refunds. Saturday, March 21: The Tribe at Magic game CANCELED Wednesday, March 25: 35+ Basketball League start to season POSTPONED Thursday, March 26: 50+ Basketball League start to season POSTPONED Thursday, March 26: J Ball POSTPONED Saturday, March 28: The Tribe community service project POSTPONED Saturday, March 28: Saturday Night Out CANCELED Sunday, March 29: J Serve POSTPONED Sunday, April 5: Mother/Son Event POSTPONED...
(JTA)-On a typical Friday, some 200 people show up for services at Temple De Hirsch Sinai, a Reform congregation in Seattle. But last week, there was no one in the pews as Rabbi Daniel Weiner welcomed Shabbat in the synagogue's smaller sanctuary. Instead, some 1,500 people watched Weiner lead the prayers on their computers. The synagogue hasn't been holding any services for 10 days due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 21 lives in Washington State and thousands around the world. Tho...
(JTA)—At this point, we know well how to wash our hands to protect ourselves from the coronavirus. But how do we soothe our souls? When we recently asked for stories about how local Jewish communities are adapting to the public health threat, we received plenty of examples of changes that are underway, from “Spock” greetings instead of handshakes to chopsticks as Torah pointers. We also got a request for spiritual guidance. So we reached out to several rabbis around the world and asked them to offer their advice. We’ll update this page with ad...
(JNS)—The U.S. State Department has changed its official description of Palestinians living in eastern Jerusalem from “Palestinian residents” to “Arab residents” or “non-Israeli citizens” in the department’s annual global human-rights report released on Wednesday. The majority of eastern Jerusalem’s 340,000 or so Palestinians identify as such. The Palestinians consider the area the capital of a future state. The change in name comes just months after the Trump administration released its “Peace to Prosperity” plan in January, which states...
(JNS)—The numbers are rolling in, and they make for grim reading. In four European countries with significant Jewish communities—France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy—statistics gathered during 2019 by communal organizations and law-enforcement agencies published in the last month noted in a steep rise in anti-Semitic offenses across all of them. Arguably, the most worrying pattern to emerge from this data is the growing tendency among Jew-haters to physically assault their victims. True, such outrages still account for only a small...
By Laura Ben-David JERUSALEM (JTA)—For the young and healthy, the coronavirus itself is likely to be mostly an inconvenience. But for many workers, the COVID-19 pandemic could literally cost them their livelihoods. Obviously, many of us are deeply concerned about catching the highly contagious respiratory illness or about the growing possibility of being put into a 14-day quarantine. But in several tourist-generated businesses in Israel, many workers I have spoken with are in a state of despair. Work hours are being slashed, and some places a...
I am proud to be Israeli and I am proud of my government. In the last few days, as the coronavirus was spinning out of control around the world, Israel has consistently been taking proactive decisions, the likes of which cannot be found anywhere in the world. I spent five days in India, and during that time, I mainly watched two news stations circle the world to explain what is happening: BBC and CNN. Israel was not mentioned when they spoke about possible vaccines. They didn’t mention the scientists and doctors who are working towards a v...
(JNS)—It’s time to take the threat from the coronavirus seriously. That’s as true for local Jewish communities as it is for governments. But just like some of our leaders have been slow to comprehend the peril from the spread of the disease, the same is undoubtedly true for those in charge of schools, synagogues and communal organizations. But now that more cases are being reported, there’s little doubt that overcoming resistance to canceling events and reverting to virtual services or classes where possible is rapidly becoming an imperat...
(JNS)—I read in The New York Times this week that German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that two-thirds of the German population could end up infected by the coronavirus. That would be 55 million people—in one country alone. Meanwhile, all of Italy is under quarantine. I think that’s worth repeating: All of Italy is under quarantine. The World Health Organization has officially labeled the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, meaning a disease spreading in multiple countries simultaneously. A tiny virus is taking on humanity, and so far, it’s...
NEW YORK (JTA)—In recent weeks, we’ve seen an unprecedented epidemic of the coronavirus spread across the world. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen a spike in anti-Asian violence and prejudice. In the U.S., racist and xenophobic outbursts, assaults and discriminatory practices against Asian Americans have been reported from coast to coast. Chinese restaurants are witnessing 30 to 80 percent drops in business. Misinformation about COVID-19 is rampant on social media. Blaming or insinuating that Asian Americans are somehow responsible for, or even...
Brenda Fisher Wetmore uses her talents in many ways. An avid supporter of The Jewish Pavilion, Wetmore has been on the Friends of the Jewish Pavilion Board for many years. She actively helps plan each Jewish Pavilion event. An experienced business woman, Wetmore brings valuable planning skills. No job is too big or too small. Always hard working, she sat on the floor organizing auction bidder paddles for the 2013 Gala and models in many of the Fashion Shows, including this year. The Jewish...
NEW YORK (JTA)—Purim celebrations at Oakland Hebrew Day School on Tuesday included a surprise, un-festive addition: farewells to two young Israeli women whose work in the Northern California school was being cut short by the global coronavirus pandemic. The women were assigned to work at the school as part of their national service, an alternative to Israeli army service chosen by many Orthodox girls. They were ordered to return to Israel immediately, along with 2,000 other participants in the program run by Israel’s National Civic Service Aut...
The programs offered by the Jewish Pavilion provide Jewish residents at senior living facilities opportunities to connect with their heritage as they share their holidays and Shabbat with their non-Jewish friends. The celebrations are always open to all, helping to develop diversity within each community. Purim, the holiday that commemorates the victory over the tyrant, Haman, in Persia long ago, was celebrate throughout the Jewish Pavilion communities with enthusiastic participation from all...
Born and raised on the southwest side of Chicago, Rabbi David Kay of Congregation Ohev Shalom grew up in an area rife with anti-Semitism. This was the late 1960s, early '70s. Surrounding their tiny Jewish community were predominantly Irish Catholic, blue-collar neighborhoods. His small Conservative congregation was bordered by the parking lot of a very large Catholic church, whose priest embraced the pre-Vatican II mentality. "If their lot was empty, and someone from our congregation parked a ca...
"Representatives of the World Jewish Congress met with JAN HAMACEK, minister of the Interior of the Czech Republic, as a follow-up to methodology provided by the WJC to the government for protecting soft targets in the country. As part of this work, the WJC compiled guidelines of methodology for coordinating protection of sites including malls, stadiums, concert halls, and other crowd-drawing locations and often targeted by terrorists and other violent offenders. The guidelines include...
(JNS)-Amid the worldwide tourism slowdown due to the coronavirus outbreak, Israel Hotel Association president Amir Hayek warned on Monday that the hotel industry is "on the brink of collapse." "Mass layoffs and hotels closing down" lie ahead, stated Hayek, adding that 4,000 of the 41,000 workers in the hotel industry have already been sent on unpaid leave, according to the Globes business daily. This was the worst crisis in the history of the Israeli hospitality industry, he added. "If...
Sometimes sad things happen in beautiful ways. Ways that make you think about the blessings in your life. Ways that make it important to tell those that you love how special they are, and times that let others tell us how much we are loved. It is a horrible thing to receive a terminal medical diagnosis, but a beautiful thing to spend the time you have left making memories and dreams come true. Walter "Sky" Goldstein had a beautiful voice and a constant smile. He brought light into every room he...
This story originally appeared on Alma. Both on screen and behind the scenes, Jewish directors, producers and writers are credited with developing the Hollywood system as we know it today. These seven pioneering Jewish actresses defied expectations of their gender and many survived religious persecution, fleeing Europe during World War II. Their films are testaments to their talent and prove the power of cinema as both a realm of escapism and a vehicle to explore some of the world's most...
(J. The Jewish News of Northern California)-Michael Steinmetz was uncertain about inviting his grandmother to visit his marijuana factory in Mendocino County. Masha Steinmetz is 89 and an observant Jew who cared for Holocaust victims as a nurse in Israel after the war. Originally from Romania, she lived most of her life in Venezuela, a predominantly Catholic country where cannabis is widely considered taboo. For her visit to Mendocino, she brought enough kosher food to last her four days at the...
Netanyahu plans to mobilize students to disinfect public areas By Ben Harris (JTA)—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he plans to enlist schoolchildren to help disinfect public areas from the coronavirus. “This virus is sensitive to bleach and we must act in an orderly way to disinfect railway stations, bus stations, etc.,” the prime minister said in a statement. “To this end, over the vacation period, which may be extended, I will mobilize teenagers, both in schools and in youth movements, in a very meticulous way, to help wi...
