Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JNS) - An unusual duo made the two-mile-plus walk from Auschwitz to Birkenau last week during the annual March of the Living in Poland: Robert Kraft, Jewish billionaire New England Patriots owner and philanthropist who launched a campaign last month opposing antisemitism, and Meek Mill, a prominent rapper. "It's important for me to learn humanity's history," said Mill. "It's also important for me to support Robert, all my Jewish friends, everyone that always supported me," he added. Mill...
While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Israel, he signed a bill to strengthen Florida's ability to combat antisemitism. The bill HB 269, titled "Public Nuisances," was co-sponsored by Republican Representatives Mike Caruso and Randy Fine and makes it a felony to harass people for their religion or ethnicity. It also penalizes leaving flyers with hateful images, messages or any other 'credible threat" on a person's private property. "We are doing what we can do in Florida to enhance the ability...
TEL AVIV (JTA) - In an unusual politicization of Israel's Memorial Day on Tuesday, several senior Israeli government officials faced protests at ceremonies commemorating fallen soldiers. The tensions unfolded as an Israeli was wounded in a shooting in the West Bank, and after five people were wounded in a car ramming Monday at Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market. The observances of the day, which is treated with solemnity and reverence in Israel, came days before the government intends to resume...
(JNS) - The Israeli right is determined to prove that the majority of the nation supports judicial reform with a "March of the Million" rally on Thursday evening, April 27, outside the Knesset in Jerusalem. According to organizers, 6 million shekels ($1.65 million) have been raised for the protest, 1 million shekels of that through crowdfunding and the rest through large donors and coalition parties. The Religious Zionism Party contributed 1.2 million shekels and the Likud Party 600,000...
Florida has experienced a two-fold increase in antisemitic incidents in the last year alone, a disturbing trend, since history has proven that such acts undermine civil society as a whole. In response, the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida has launched a new and ongoing initiative to empower community members to recognize and respond to antisemitism and other acts of hate, prejudice and bigotry. The Holocaust Center invites Central Floridians to sign a pledge that means they will: • Reject prejudice, bigotry and h...
The Art of Healing The future of healthcare, designed by Israel, May 9 at 7 p.m. Special guest Professor Itai Pessah, director of the Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital at Sheba Medical Center will discuss the work of Safra Children's Hospital and Sheba's critical care for wounded IDF soldiers. Refreshments served and dietary laws observed. Can We Talk? JBall 2023 Celebrate the best of Jewish Life in Central Florida, explore the programs at the J, discover ones you may not know about and...
Most people think they know what Hospice is, but they have many misconceptions. The foremost is that a person on Hospice care is about to die. When my mother received a terminal diagnosis, she went on Hospice care the next day. She lived for more than three months. Many people live more than a year on Hospice care. The second misconception is that Hospice is a place. Hospice is not a place. Hospice care can be provided wherever you reside — in your home or in independent assisted or skilled nursing. Some hospitals have a Hospice wing. There a...
Heritage Florida Jewish News is accepting nominations for the 2023 Heritage Human Service Award, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando this summer. “For more than 30 years, individuals who have made major, voluntary contributions of their talent, time, energy and effort to the Central Florida community have been honored with the selection and presentation of this award,” said Jeff Gaeser, editor and publisher of the Heritage. Last year’s recipient was Dr. Edward Zissman. Former recip...
(New York Jewish Week) - Barrier-smashing singer, actor and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte, who once boasted of being "the most popular Jew in America" because of his rendition of a Hebrew classic, died Tuesday at his longtime Upper West Side home. He was 96. The New York City native was the one of the first Black artists to achieve widespread commercial success in the United States, and while he was raised Catholic, his life frequently dovetailed with Jewish causes, values and people....
(JNS) — In a reflection of growing ties, Florida will soon be the only U.S. state where El Al will service two major cities, Gov Ron DeSantis said Thursday. Israel’s national carrier, which recently relocated its U.S. headquarters from New York to Margate, Florida, will offer direct service to Tel Aviv from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale starting this fall. The two Florida airports are about 30 miles apart. The move comes after American Airlines ended its nonstop service from Miami to Tel Aviv in March after nearly two years. The governor attri...
(JNS) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis emphasized that there has never been a Palestinian state in the Land of Israel or elsewhere. The Republican politician was in Israel, where he keynoted the Celebrate the Faces of Israel event, a project of the Jerusalem Post and the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem. “When your focus is only on one Jewish state, and you hold it up to a different standard than any other country in the world, that is antisemitism,” said DeSantis. “We are doing what we can do in Florida to enhance the ability to hold people account...
(JNS) — Two suspects were arrested on Thursday in Tel Aviv, as anti-government protesters attacked Israel’s economy minister Nir Barkat. Meanwhile, organizers estimated 600,000 advocates of judicial reform gathered in Jerusalem. “March of the Million” participants, some hitting snags when bus drivers canceled their transportation to the rally at the last minute, reportedly arrived on as many as 1,000 buses. Other media outlets estimated the crowds were larger than 200,000. “I thank the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who came to Jerusalem...
(JNS) — Harvard University is building ties with a Palestinian Arab university that supports terrorism, even though some of Harvard’s own students have been murdered by Palestinian terrorists. Last month, Harvard president Lawrence Bacow paid a friendly visit to Al-Quds University near Jerusalem. According to an Al-Quds press release, “he met some of the students and faculty, who expressed their enthusiasm about collaborating with Harvard on future research and educational projects.” I wonder if Bacow had a chance to discuss with the student...
(JNS) — Israeli judicial reform must pass in order to secure Israel’s future as a democratic state. Over the past four months, the public’s trust in its officials and democratic elections has fallen due to the uncompromising campaign against the reform. Thus, the right-wing coalition needs to enact the policies it was elected to pursue, though compromises will need to be made and the unity of the country preserved. The political landscape of developed countries in Europe and the U.S. is similar in many ways to Israel’s and underst...
(JTA) — Last week marked Yom Haatzmaut, our beloved Israel’s 75th birthday — the day on the Hebrew calendar when David Ben-Gurion proclaimed “the natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate” by establishing a Jewish state in the land of Israel. Together with countless Jews around the world, we express our gratitude to be alive at this moment in history when the Jewish people have sovereignty and a nation to call their own. But on this anniversary, Yom Haatzmaut’s special prayers and festive afternoon barbecues f...
(JNS) — It will be 30 years in September since a grim Yitzhak Rabin shook hands on the White House lawn with a beaming Yasser Arafat following the signing of the Declaration of Principles that marked the beginning of what many thought could be a five-year road to peace. Plenty of people were skeptical and now are happy to say, “I told you so.” There will be plenty of time for the rehash on the anniversary of the Oslo Accords, but I was struck by a statistic that really tells you all you need to know about why the cynics proved right. A mothe...
(JNS) — Words cannot describe the pain I feel, the silence I go through. I would do anything to go back a month to the days before the tragedy, before all of this happened, before our lives took a turn for the worse. I can’t digest that the whole world knows my face because of this horrific event. I can’t believe that I sit as a VIP in all the ceremonies. This is not what I want at all, it makes me feel ill. How much more pain is possible? I sit and hear about more terror attacks around me, it’s not over. Arriving at the ceremony and standin...
MORNING MINYANS Chabad of North Orlando and Chabad of Altamonte Springs are holding in-person minyans. 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...
(JTA) — A new drama on Netflix centered on a haredi Orthodox family that runs a business in Antwerp’s famed diamond district hit the platform on Friday and is drawing comparisons to the hit Israeli series “Shtisel.” “Rough Diamonds,” a joint production from Israel’s Keshet International and Belgium’s De Mensen, follows the Wolfson family as it navigates internal tension and business struggles in the wake of a death in the family. The protagonist, who left the haredi world 15 years earlier, returns to Antwerp to look into his relative’s deat...
(JNS) - While "dialogue" was a central theme of the "Israel at 75 General Assembly," the annual gathering of the Jewish Federations of North America, held this week in Tel Aviv to coincide with the 75th anniversary of Israel's birth, several of the key discussion topics appeared overwhelmingly one-sided. This was especially evident when it came to the foremost political issue of the day-judicial reform-a topic that has consumed Israel's political landscape for the past three months. Federation...
(JNS) - Member of Knesset Simcha Rothman, one of the key figures behind the government's judicial reform initiative, was continuously interrupted by hecklers during a panel discussion at the Jewish Federations of North America's General Assembly in Tel Aviv. Although the panel discussion at the Expo Tel Aviv convention center was not on judicial reform but rather on issues related to the Law of Return, protesters, many identifying with Achim L'Neshek ("Brothers in Arms"), an extremist group...
(JNS) - Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) has been answering 20 minutes of questions from JNS in his office in the Cannon House Office Building when he unveils a silver Star of David necklace that he says he wears daily. "I want everyone to know, and I'm not afraid that I'm Jewish," he told JNS. Miller, 34, and Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) are the only two Jewish Republicans in Congress. In his first term, Miller made headlines for introducing legislation that stripped Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) of her...
(JTA via J. The Jewish News of Northern California) - When the Sacramento Kings face the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the NBA playoffs, they will be led by their Lithuanian-American - and soon-to-be-Jewish - center, Domantas Sabonis. The 26-year-old All-Star is in the process of converting to Judaism, according to his Jewish wife, Shashana Sabonis (née Rosen). "We really haven't talked about it [publicly]," she said in an interview this week. "He loves [Judaism] and really wants...
(JNS) — Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) announced an exploratory committee to run for U.S. president in 2024, the senator announced on April 12. Scott, 57, made the announcement in a video recorded on Fort Sumter in Charleston, where 162 years ago, the first shots of the Civil War were fired on April 12, 1861. “Today, our country is once again being tested. Once again, our divisions run deep, and the threat to our future is real,” said Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate. “Joe Biden and the radical left have chosen a culture of grievan...
(JTA) - Ben Stiller offered his own High Holiday alternative to Adam Sandler's "Chanukah Song" as his fellow Jewish comedian accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. During an awards ceremony that took place on March 19 and aired on CNN, Stiller asked from the stage at Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts how Sandler's novelty song, first heard on "Saturday Night Live" in 1994, became a seasonal standard. "It's really just a list of rhyming celebrity names, and yet...
