Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Articles from the December 2, 2016 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 25 of 34

  • Thanksgiving comes to life at Jewish Academy

    Dec 2, 2016

    This month, Jewish Academy of Orlando kindergarten students were living, breathing and even dreaming about Thanksgiving. The students were taken back in time to the days of the pilgrims. They learned what it was like to leave their homes and how it felt to bring only one toy with them and how cold and uncomfortable it was at sea. All of the stories and music culminated into a wonderful Thanksgiving program. Each student had a role, either as a pilgrim, Native American, a narrator, King James... Full story

  • World's first blood test to aid diagnosis of Parkinson's

    Abigail Klein Leichman|Dec 2, 2016

    ISRAEL21c-Doctors diagnose as many as 60,000 new cases of Parkinson's disease (PD) every year in the United States. Yet diagnosing PD with certainty can take years-long after early signs and symptoms have appeared. The Israeli startup BioShai has a game-changing product on the horizon: PDx, the world's first simple blood test for the early diagnosis of PD. The test results can be combined with clinical data, providing a more accurate diagnosis to help physicians decide on the best course of... Full story

  • Israel is on fire

    Dec 2, 2016

    The Jewish National Fund asks everyone to turn attention to homes and forests that are in immediate danger across Israel. A series of wildfires are raging across Northern and Central Israel. Many homes have already been destroyed, families displaced, and more residents are being evacuated. Israel's firefighting capacity is being stressed to its limits. The threat is so great that the prime minister has put a request out to surrounding countries for assistance. Always underfunded, KKL's and... Full story

  • AHAHS accepting applications

    Dec 2, 2016

    How many exceptional young Jewish students do you know? Probably quite a few! Here is your chance to acknowledge the outstanding efforts and character of the amazing young people in your life. The American Hebrew Academy Honor Society is now accepting applications for 2017. This is a prestigious organization that recognizes exceptional Jewish eighth and ninth graders from around the world who have demonstrated excellence in academics, leadership, community service, and character. Students accepted to the Honor Society will receive press... Full story

  • Fires in Israel destroy homes, force evacuations

    Dec 2, 2016

    JERUSALEM (JTA)-Fires throughout Israel, fanned by dry conditions and high winds, have led to the evacuation of thousands of people from their homes. Several homes have been destroyed by the conflagrations on Tuesday and Wednesday. A brush fire that began Tuesday and spread to Zichron Yaakov, located at the southern tip of the Carmel Forest in northern Israel, continued to burn on Wednesday, destroying at least 10 homes and damaging dozens more. Several adults and children were treated for... Full story

  • Keith Ellison's ascent signals the Democrats' willingness to redefine 'pro-Israel'

    Ron Kampeas|Dec 2, 2016

    WASHINGTON (JTA)-The most shocking thing about talk of Keith Ellison's Israel record as he rises within the Democratic Party is how few think it's shocking. Rep. Ellison, D-Minn., is a leading contender for the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee, despite a record of tough criticism of Israel that pro-Israel insiders say would easily have disqualified him a decade ago. That he is being seriously considered now-and with the backing of the party's foremost pro-Israel stalwart,... Full story

  • A chance to become an ISRAEL21c ambassador

    Dec 2, 2016

    The ISRAEL21c Digital Ambassadors is a program for English-speaking, vibrant college, graduate and post-college students, aged 18-25, from North America, who wish to learn about the intricacies and strategies of social media while “doing something for Israel.” The activities are apolitical and require about 2-3 hours per week. Members of the ISRAEL21c Digital Ambassadors program receive a small monthly stipend and lots of learning during the internship. Work is done on the member’s own computer or device, and within their own schedule. For m... Full story

  • A 'superhero' who connects with seniors to be honored at Jewish Pavilion's JP Connections

    Pamela Ruben|Dec 2, 2016

    Despite her first name, Longwood resident Lois Silverberg, isn't married to Superman. However, at 80 years young, the active volunteer and community philanthropist is something of a superhero herself. Just ask Linda, a resident of Maitland's Savannah Court, what she thinks of the weekly volunteer visitor with the Jewish Pavilion. The answer can be found in Linda's smile, as she beams from ear to ear each week when Silverberg walks into the community room. "Linda and I connected years ago, when... Full story

  • Continuing with the My Jewish Roots workshop roadshow

    Dec 2, 2016

    Start on a family discovery journey with the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando as it continues “My Jewish Roots” a JGSGO Workshop Roadshow. Each participant’s family discovery journey will include directed hands-on labs that will lead to extending their family tree—adding newly discovered ancestors and living cousins. The December My Jewish Roots Workshop, Conduct U.S.-Based Research, will cover: search methodology and how specifically to search: U.S. census records; vital records (death, marriage, and birth); other sources... Full story

  • Jewish Pavilion Chanukah parties

    Dec 2, 2016

    The following is the schedule of Chanukah parties at assisted-living facilities. The Jewish Pavilion invites all who would like to attend any of the parties at these facilities. Each party is about one hour long. For questions or more information, please call 407-678-9363 or visit www.jewishpavilion.org. December 2 10 a.m. Quality, 12751 West Colonial, Winter Garden 1:30 p.m. Brookdale Lake Mary, 150 Middle St., Lake Mary December 4 10:30 a.m. Springhills Lake Mary, 3655 W. Lake Mary Blvd. December 5 3 p.m. Encore at Avalon, 13798 Cygnus Dr.,... Full story

  • The illiberal world of Stephen Bannon

    Ben Cohen, JNS.org|Dec 2, 2016

    In considering the furor around President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to appoint Stephen Bannon, the CEO of the hard-right news website Breitbart, as his chief strategist, let’s start with the perspective of those who have defended him. On one important level, their anger over the Bannon spat is justified. It is galling to see the behemoths of the liberal left, from MoveOn.org to The New York Times, suddenly discover the threat of anti-Semitism after showing general indifference to its resurgence in public life during the last 16 years. Sim... Full story

  • Israel acts to save environment but 'green' activists are silent

    Stephen M. Flatow, JNS.org|Dec 2, 2016

    Important government action was taken to protect the environment in the Middle East this week. But don’t expect the government in question to get any credit—because it was the Israeli government that took the action, and the Palestinian Arabs who were the polluters. And the Palestinians, as we all know, are immune from international criticism. The Israeli authorities repeatedly alerted the Palestinian Authority (PA), over the course of several years, about a charcoal factory in the PA-ruled city of Ya’bad that was causing serious air pollu... Full story

  • What's real in politics

    Ira Sharkansky, Letter from Israel|Dec 2, 2016

    Will the real Donald Trump stand up. Opps. He doesn’t seem to be ready. We don’t know. It may take some time. We may never know. We’re not yet sure who is the real Barack Obama or Benyamin Netanyahu. Going back in history, we can ask the same about Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, and all the rest, including Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. Successful politicians must be actors, hiding their true feelings while seeking support for election, the enactment of legislation, or the implementation of what the legislation appe... Full story

  • Anti-Semitism at Amazon is the real scandal

    David Benkof|Dec 2, 2016

    A constant drumbeat of sharp headlines has heralded former Breitbart executive Steve Bannon, president-elect Donald Trump’s chief strategist, as an open anti-Semite. The attack is rooted in nothing more credible than an unverified accusation by a crusading left-wing journalist, namely that Bannon had “proudly” told her five weeks earlier, “We’re the platform for the alt-right.” To be fair, though, critics have amply demonstrated that during Bannon’s tenure Breitbart harbored some pretty noxious ideas—reflected in click-bait headlines, infl... Full story

  • Erasing Golda Meir

    Dr. Yvette Alt Miller, Aish Hatorah Resources|Dec 2, 2016

    Standing up to anti-Israel sentiment on campus and around the globe makes a real difference. The head of Kent State’s Students for Justice in Palestine was urging the erasure of Golda Meir’s quote that adorns a wall on campus, along with other inspirational sayings. Here’s the offending quote: “Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”—Golda Meir This outlandish demand to remove Golda Meir... Full story

  • What's Happening

    Dec 2, 2016

    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

  • 'Lobby moments' in the search for my ancestors

    Diana Chasen van den Boogaard|Dec 2, 2016

    My Jewish Roots Workshops, sponsored by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Orlando (JGSGO) continue in December with the 4th workshop: Conduct U.S.-Based Research. Among topics covered: how specifically to search: U.S. census records; vital records (death, marriage, and birth); other sources such as cemetery records and headstones, obituaries, Social Security Death Index (SSDI) and applications, military records; and immigration records including naturalization files & ships passenger lists. The... Full story

  • Meet the cast of 'Out of the Apple Orchard'

    Christine DeSouza|Dec 2, 2016

    The first person cast for the Orlando premiere of "Out of the Apple Orchard"-which opens Dec. 19 at the Orlando Repertory Theatre-was Jeremy Kleckner in the lead role of Adam Bieman, the 12-year-old boy who is hungry and steals apples from an orchard. To author Yvonne David, who was inspired by Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" when she wrote the book, and through various happenings along the book's journey to becoming a play, it seems the ghosts of Christmas' past have continually popped... Full story

  • Bar Mitzvah - Benjamin Joseph Perreault

    Dec 2, 2016

    Benjamin Joseph Perreault, son of Dale and Phil Perreault of Maitland, will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah on Dec. 10, 2016, at Congregation of Reform Judaism. Ben is in the seventh grade at Lake Highland Preparatory School where he is on the President's List, which is the highest academic honor; and is on the Middle School baseball team. His hobbies and interests include baseball, video games, his dog Teddy, and hanging with friends. Benjamin shares this day with Yosef Kaminetzki,... Full story

  • Put your own face into a keypad full of emojis

    Abigail Klein Leichman|Dec 2, 2016

    ISRAEL21c-Emoticons such as smiley faces are really helpful in expressing your tone in an email, post or text message. Emojis such as a thumbs-up are great for expressing ideas without even typing a word. Yet even with all the options loaded into your messaging apps, sometimes you can't find exactly the right icon to get across your mood or concept. That's why so many apps offer create-your-own emojis including some with the faces of pop stars. But why use their faces when you can use your own?... Full story

  • Scene Around

    Gloria Yousha|Dec 2, 2016

    Berlin hotel anti-Israel?... I read this recently in the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest and pass it along to you in its entirety: "A well-known luxury hotel in Berlin denied claims that it had deliberately omitted Israel in its phone directory due to concerns of its Arab guests. French Jewish filmmaker, Claude Lanzmann, who directed the Holocaust documentary 'Shoah', wrote an op-ed in the French newspaper 'Le Figaro' and the German daily 'Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung' in which he claimed... Full story

  • One Ruth Gruber says goodbye to another

    Ruth Ellen Gruber|Dec 2, 2016

    (JTA)-When you share a name with someone you respect and admire, you always try to live up to the connection, because sometimes outsiders aren't aware of the difference. That's how it was for decades with me and Ruth Gruber, the noted photojournalist, reporter and author who died last week at age 105 after a remarkable life and career. From my first international byline, when I was a young intern at the Associated Press in Rome in the 1970s (when Ruth was already in her 60s), right up to a... Full story

  • Strong mom runs the TCS Marathon in honor of her son

    Dec 2, 2016

    The TCS New York City Marathon is nothing short of extraordinary. The marathon (branded TCS New York City Marathon and formerly branded ING New York City Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is the largest marathon in the world. Running along-side 50,000 runners from across the world is an experience like none other. On Nov. 6, 2016, Rachel Zimmerman ran the five boroughs as part of Team Lifeline. Zimmerman, along... Full story

  • A meeting of the minds with Rep. Webster

    Dec 2, 2016

    Members of the Orlando Jewish community met with Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL) at The Roth Family JCC on Monday evening, Nov. 21, to discuss the election, U.S. policy in the Middle East and U.S.-Israel relations. UCF's KnightPac cadre came with excellent, well-researched questions. Flanking Rep. Webster (center) are (l-r) students Spencer Lasday, Rezwan Haq, Hillel CEO Aaron Weil and student Josh Winograd.... Full story

  • Obituary - WALTER M. DANZIGER

    Dec 2, 2016

    Walter M. Danziger passed away on Nov. 6, 2016, at the Emory L. Bennett State Veteran’s Nursing Home in Daytona Beach, Fla., at the age of 92. He was born on March 23, 1924, in Berlin-Koepenick, Germany, to Georg and Charlotte Danziger. Walter’s bar mitzvah in Berlin-Koepenick was the last one in that community’s synagogue (which his grandfather had helped to build) before it was destroyed on Kristallnacht. The Danziger family had applied to emigrate to the United States in 1936, but because of the Quota System could not anticipate when a visa... Full story

Page Down