Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JNS) — The decision by Israel’s War Cabinet to order the Israel Defense Forces to seize Rafah Crossing is strategically significant, as it will negatively impact Hamas’s ability to smuggle weapons and people back and forth from neighboring Sinai. The crossing is part of the wider Philadelphi Corridor running along the Gaza-Egypt border, which has for years been a central supply line for Hamas smuggling. The IDF’s entry into Rafah also puts pressure on Hamas’s leadership in the tunnels under the city, demonstrating that Israel is not deterred...
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Bernie Sanders, the two-time presidential candidate and leading progressive senator, has announced he will run for a fourth term. Sanders, 82, an independent from Vermont, made history in 2016 as the first Jewish candidate to win a major party’s presidential primary, and ran again in 2020. In both primaries, he finished in second to the Democratic nominee. He is considered the de-facto leader of progressives in the Senate. In an eight-minute campaign launch speech posted online Monday, Sanders called to suspend U.S. mil...
(JNS) — As Jewish comedian Jerry Seinfeld received an honorary degree during Duke University’s commencement celebration in Durham, N.C. on Sunday, anti-Israel protesters marched out, chanting “Free, free Palestine.” Many students booed the protesters. Outside the stadium where the ceremony took place, graduates walked around campus, chanting “Disclose. Divest. We will not stop. We will not rest,” The New York Times reported. “We understand the depth of feeling in our community, and as we have all year, we respect the right of everyone at D...
(JNS) — Some 24 hours after U.S. President Joe Biden told CNN that he would withhold military aid from the Jewish state if Israel attacked Rafah, the Jewish Federations of North America stated that “in threatening to withhold military aid from Israel, President Biden is wrong.” “Daylight between the United States and Israel on military matters emboldens Hamas and other Iran-backed forces in the region, encourages their delay tactics and endangers the hostages by weakening Israel’s negotiating hand at a critical juncture,” it said. JFNA added...
(JNS) — To the Columbia Community: Over the past six months, many have spoken in our name. Some are well-meaning alumni or non-affiliates who show up to wave the Israeli flag outside Columbia’s gates. Some are politicians looking to use our experiences to foment America’s culture war. Most notably, some are our Jewish peers who tokenize themselves by claiming to represent “real Jewish values,” and attempt to delegitimize our lived experiences of antisemitism. We are here, writing to you as Jewish students at Columbia University, who are conne...
As a Palestinian human rights activist, I feel compelled to weigh in on the ongoing military operation in Rafah, which has been often misrepresented in various circles. This operation, led by the Israel Defense Forces, is not merely a response to aggression but a crucial rescue mission aimed at freeing hostages, including U.S. citizens. The responsibility for this escalation lies squarely with the terrorist group Hamas, which has continuously rejected multiple ceasefire proposals and escalated violence against civilians. Hamas, entrenched in...
President Joe Biden’s decision to “pause” the delivery of smart bombs, artillery shells and other kinds of ammunition to Israel as a form of punishment for Israel’s sin of ignoring the president’s admonition not to invade Rafa fails to take into consideration a number of factors all of which are critical to U.S. national interests. The president based his decision on humanitarian concerns for the displaced citizens of Gaza who have relocated to Rafa, the only remaining city in Gaza not under Israel’s military control; and that there have alread...
(JNS) — I’m sure you’ve heard commentators describe the Islamic Republic of Iran and Israel as “rivals” engaged in a “tit-for-tat” conflict. That misinterprets reality. Ali Khamenei, Iran’s “supreme leader” since 1989, seeks to establish a new Middle Eastern empire. Israelis, by contrast, only want to survive as an independent nation within a slice of their ancient Jewish homeland. They would like nothing better than to enjoy amicable relations with Iranians, as they did prior to Iran’s Islamic Revolution of 1979. I should add: Substanti...
(JNS) — Some years ago, I heard Rabbi Manis Friedman tell a story about a man who overheard his friend telling his wife on the phone, “Drop dead!” “How can you speak that way to your wife?!” he demanded. The friend smiled and said, “She just asked me if her new dress was gorgeous, and I answered, ‘Yes, drop-dead.’” Hearing only half a conversation and drawing conclusions can be dangerous. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard stories about others that I didn’t want to believe; and indeed, upon investigation, they turned out to be either...
(JNS) — U.S. President Biden’s suspension of weapons deliveries to Israel places Deborah Lipstadt, the most prominent Jewish member of his administration, in quite a bind. How will she respond? Let us recall the example set by Mark Siegel in 1978. He was the Carter administration’s liaison to the Jewish community when President Jimmy Carter decided to provide deadly fighter jets to Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The president expected Siegel to convince American Jews to accept the weapons deal. In early March 1978, Siegel addressed 900 young leaders o...
MORNING 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 of Orlando — Monday – Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Temple Israel — Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-647-3...
(JNS) — Hamas’s unilateral ceasefire proposal failed to thwart the Israel Defense Forces’ operation against the terror group’s last bastion of Rafah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday evening. “Hamas’s proposal was intended to torpedo our forces’ entry into Rafah. It did not happen,” the premier stated in remarks shared by his office. “Last night, with the approval of the War Cabinet, I gave the order to operate in Rafah. Within hours, our forces raised Israeli flags at the Rafah Crossing and took down the Hamas banners...
(JNS) - Families of deceased hostages whose bodies are still being held by Hamas in Gaza carried an empty coffin through Jerusalem on Thursday to raise awareness of their plight and call for the return of their loved ones. "I am attending this rally because we, the families of deceased hostages, are a unique group," Ruby Chen, the father of American-Israeli dual citizen Sgt. Itay Chen, 19, told JNS on Thursday. Itay, from Netanya, was stationed at the Nahal Oz army base as part of a tank unit...
(JTA) - Israeli police arrested Ayelet Waldman, a Jewish American author, while she was with a group trying to deliver relief to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Waldman, who is Israeli-born, was one of seven people arrested Friday morning at a protest action organized by Rabbis for Human Rights, and one of five Americans. Two were released before Shabbat, organizers said, but Waldman was still in custody at the police station in Ashkelon, a city near the Gaza border. Her husband Michael Chabon,...
(JNS) — It’s appalling to watch students at prestigious institutions shout in support of terrorism and a place that doesn’t exist: “Palestine.” How did young people become so delusional, misinformed and morally bankrupt? The seeds are sown at our once-venerable academic institutions. Since students don’t know what they don’t know, they are vulnerable to propaganda and manipulation by faculty with a political agenda. Duke University is an excellent example. In response to “the violence in the Middle East,” Duke’s provost Alec Gallimore esta...
As caregivers, it’s crucial to acknowledge and celebrate even the smallest victories along the journey of caregiving. Each triumph, no matter how minor, represents a step forward in providing compassionate care and support to our loved ones. Reflecting on the caregiving experience, caregivers learn the invaluable lesson of patience and the importance of prioritizing self-care amidst the demands of caregiving. Transitioning to elder-care communities can be a daunting process for most seniors, but Jewish seniors often face unique challenges. B...
(JNS) - Israel Bonds has surpassed $3 billion in global sales in the seven months since Hamas's Oct. 7 massacre, a sum almost three times greater than the company's recent annual average. "On Oct. 7, we initiated what is the most powerful and successful campaign in support of the state of Israel in the history of Israel Bonds since 1951," Israel Bonds president and CEO Dani Naveh told JNS. "My managerial task, in collaboration with my amazing team, was to elevate Israel Bonds sales to a much hig...
A Republican senator has called on the House of Representatives to launch impeachment proceedings against President Joe Biden over the president's decision to halt military sales to Israel in a bid to prevent the IDF from destroying Hamas battalions in Rafah. Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton took to Twitter Thursday to urge the Republican-held House of Representatives to impeach Biden, comparing the president's decision to withhold arms from Israel with then-President Donald Trump's impeachment for...
(JTA) — Pulitzer Prizes were awarded to reports on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that have become steeped in controversy since their publication, including a nonfiction book by Jewish author Nathan Thrall and breaking-news reporting and photography of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks by Reuters and The New York Times. The Pulitzer board also presented a special citation to journalists covering the war from Gaza, noting that “an extraordinary number have died” while doing so. Thrall, a Bard College professor based in Jerusalem whose work is often h...
(JNS) - Israeli Lior Rudaeff was declared dead on Tuesday night, exactly seven months after he was presumed to have been abducted by Hamas terrorists during the Oct. 7 massacre. A statement from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak did not provide additional details. Rudaeff, an ambulance driver and volunteer medic, fought alongside the kibbutz's security team during the Hamas invasion. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said that Rudaeff was killed on Oct. 7 and his body is being held in the Gaza Strip,...
(JNS) — Israel remains committed to destroying Hamas in Gaza, including its remaining battalions in Rafah, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call overnight Sunday. Gallant, according to the Defense Ministry’s readout of the call, emphasized that the IDF is conducting a “precision operation” in the city along the border with Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, including securing the Gaza side of the Rafah Crossing, which Israel’s military took operational control of last week. For its part, the Biden a...
Mr. Mikhail Fisher, 83, of Casselberry, Florida passed away peacefully Friday, May 3, 2024, at Advent Health Orlando following a brief illness. Mr. Fisher was born May 9, 1940, in Bershad, Ukraine to David and Buzya (Berman) Fisher of blessed memory. Mr. Fisher is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Alla (Berner) Fisher of Casselberry, Florida; devoted children - daughter, Svetlana (Anatoliy) Veksler of Casselberry, Florida; and son, Aleksandr Fisher of Chicago, Illinois; brother, Naum...
(JNS) — Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, is always the best time of year to consider our connection to Israel and the deep connection between Judaism and Zionism. As Olim, we ask ourselves and explain to our children why we moved here. The young generations who have never lived through a war are now confronted with the fact that we cannot take Israel for granted. After 76 years, we are still defending the legitimacy of our presence in our own homeland. Since Oct. 7, anti-Israel protestors and much of the global community have rej...
(JNS) — Members of Congress grilled education officials from New York, California and Maryland on Wednesday about “pervasive” antisemitism in K-12 schools. Members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s subcommittee on early childhood, elementary and secondary education repeatedly asked David Banks, the chancellor of the New York City Public Schools, about a student-led rampage at Hillcrest High School in the borough of Queens that targeted a Jewish teacher. “We suspended students. We removed the principal of the school. W...
At Yeshiva U, ‘accelerated transfer’ for students who feel threatened (JNS) — Yeshiva University has reopened its admissions cycle for undergraduate applicants who feel threatened on other American campuses, including for its honors program. Those applicants have until May 31 to apply. The admissions cycle “has seen students choosing YU over other elite institutions. This trend is expected to continue among transfers,” Yeshiva stated. It added that it is creating new faculty positions to accommodate that growth and is “in active discussions...
