Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Across cultures and religions, the doorway is more than wood, hinges, and locks. It marks the boundary between the outside world and the values carried within. That is exactly where the Torah places one of Judaism's most familiar commandments. The Hebrew word mezuzah means "doorpost," referring to the actual frame of the entryway, not to the decorative case. The words inside the mezuzah come from two passages in Deuteronomy: 6:4–9 and 11:13–21. The first begins with the Shema, the central dec...
The men and women who come to my clinic arrive carrying a particular species of fear, and rightly so. A diagnosis of oropharyngeal cancer, a malignancy of the tonsils and the base of the tongue, threatens the very region that renders us most human. It is here that we form words, taste, swallow, and smile. When a patient learns that a tumor has taken root in this small and sacred territory, the questions beneath their questions are rarely statistical, but these: Will I still sound like myself? Will I share a meal with my children? Will I recite...
(JNS) — At first glance, “Unconditional” looks like another international crime thriller. By the end of the second episode, it’s clear the series is aiming for something much more ambitious. The new Israeli drama, now streaming on Apple TV, follows Orna Levi, an ordinary Israeli mother whose vacation with her 23-year-old daughter, Gali, turns into every parent’s nightmare when Gali is arrested in Moscow on drug-smuggling charges. As Orna struggles to prove her daughter’s innocence, she discove...
Dear Readers, maybe you could offer some advice for my cousin. She wants to move down from New Jersey. This is your chance to share your wisdom or to vent about your own experiences. I’ve paraphrased and combined her last six emails. Please write to me and I’ll share your ideas. Thank you in advance. Dear Rebbele, don’t get me wrong. I truly appreciate all the suggestions you have given me but I’m more upset and confused now. I still don’t know for sure whether to move to South Florida,...
KRAKOW, Poland—The minibus carrying a group of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from New York pulled up to the site of the demolished Jewish cemetery turned Nazi labor and concentration camp in the southern Polish city of Krakow in June, seeking out a blonde Polish tour guide. Janina Naskalska-Babok, 42, who was dressed for summer and had not expected such a religious group, quickly put on a jacket from her bag out of respect. “In other circumstances, we would likely have never spoken to each other,” Naskalska-Babok told JNS, noting the unusual encou...
(JNS) - Since 2006, U.S. presidents have issued proclamations in recognition of the contributions Jewish people have made to the growth and success of the United States. Jewish American Heritage Month, celebrated in May, was again acknowledged this year. In his May 4 proclamation, U.S. President Donald Trump included the following tribute: On July 4, which will mark 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we will pay homage to the brave actions taken by 56 delegates who...
I recently watched Ancient Skies, a PBS documentary about ancient Babylonia, and wondered: where did this ancient world of sky-watching, calculation, and record-keeping intersect with the story of the Jews exiled from Jerusalem to Babylonia? More than 2,600 years ago, Babylonia was one of the great centers of astronomy, mathematics, record-keeping, and administration in the ancient world. Its achievements are especially striking because they came before telescopes, clocks, calculators, computers, or printed books. Babylonian scholars watched...
Submitted by the Jewish Pavilion Senior Services At Jewish Pavilion Senior Services, we are seeing something remarkable: older adults, especially those in their 80s, are redefining what it means to age. This stage of life is no longer about slowing down or settling. It is about living with intention, clarity, and a strong sense of what truly matters. Today’s seniors are no longer apologizing for their preferences. They are embracing them. A comfortable chair isn’t a luxury; it’s essential. Time with meaningful friends is prioritized over packe...
No Churn Ice Cream for a Fun Summer Project Cooking with your kids, even if they make messes, helps them to feel the satisfaction of creating something and feel success. The ingredients are simple and the process is easy. 2 cups cold heavy cream (It is best to not to buy ultra pasteurized cream.) 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla Pour cream into a blender or bowl. Add salt and vanilla. Beat or use blender to whip cream to stiff peaks, about...
By Mindy Frishman, BS, M3 Florida State University College of Medicine Chaim Society member and Dr. Solomon Saul, DO, Family Medicine co-founder, The Chaim Society, Orlando Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Yet one of the most effective tools we have to prevent heart attacks is often misunderstood: Statins. Many people believe statins simply lower cholesterol numbers. While that is true, modern research has taught us that their greatest benefit may be something even more important—stabilizing dangerous p...
Part Six of a Six-Part series On May 15, as has been done for decades, Palestinian Arabs, their supporters and Israel detractors observed the “Nakba” or the catastrophe of Israel’s birth in 1948. In order to understand the veracity of that narrative and how it’s been conflated in modern dialogue and reporting, it’s important to understand what lies behind that. The Nakba Today Every year on May 15, “Palestinians,” their supporters, and Israel detractors commemorate what they call the Nakba, the catastrophe of Israel’s existence. In t...
(JNS) - Today, the rise of antisemitism is undeniable, but we must be careful not to lose perspective. We are so close to the phenomenon that we risk overlooking a profound transformation that is quietly underway: a large percentage of Jewish people have experienced a rebirth in their connection to Jewish peoplehood. Our confusion is understandable. Comprehending today's geopolitical and cultural landscape is akin to watching a rapidly flickering screen on which the images pass so rapidly that...
(JNS) - Like a modern-day Moses, I led my flock last week through parched terrain that I had never visited before, in search of a piece of land known to me by description only. Granted, this was on a weekend hike with my family, to which we arrived by car with a liter of sunscreen and a stack of beef jerky. Still, there was plenty of Moses-like pioneering spirit on our summertime stay in Nahal Tzalmon, a wadi in the Galilee that leads to the Sea of Galilee. It has a flow in the rainy season, but...
Submitted by Jewish Pavilion Senior Services At Jewish Pavilion Senior Services, we are always looking for meaningful ways to help older adults live healthier, more vibrant lives. Through the Orlando Senior Help Desk, we frequently hear concerns about neuropathy — tingling, numbness, and discomfort in the hands and feet that can affect balance, mobility, and quality of life. While neuropathy has many causes, nutrition can play an important role in managing symptoms and supporting nerve health. One nutrient gaining attention is what some p...
MORNING MINYANS Chabad of Altamonte Springs — Sunday morning minyan, 8 a.m. Weekday morning minyan 6:30 a.m., 407-720-8111. 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...
(JNS) - When I visited Thailand recently, I couldn't help but notice the abundance of water. The island was lush and green. Palm trees and tropical plants seemed to grow effortlessly, with no visible irrigation systems feeding them. Living in Israel, I have become accustomed to a different landscape. Here, drip irrigation lines snake across parks, shopping centers, train stations and private gardens. This Israeli innovation has helped transform a dry country into a thriving agricultural success...
Part Five of a Six-Part series The 78 percent nobody talks about Here is a mathematical word problem that rarely appears in international discourse but goes to the core of the underlying equation of the problem of the Nakba narrative. "If the British, who controlled Palestine, gave 78 percent of that territory to a new state called Transjordan in 1921, and then the United Nations planned to divide the remaining 22 percent in 1947 between a new Arab state and a Jewish state, on what basis do we a...
Serves 6 During a vacation in Sarasota, I had an incredible meal at Harry's Continental that ended with carrot cake. I couldn't wait to get back to my kitchen to attempt duplicating this delicious gluten free carrot cake. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9" square baking pan with parchment that overlaps the sides of the pan for easy removal. Spray the parchment with cooking spray. 2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional) 2 1/2 cups peeled carrots minced, not shredded, (about 3-4 medium...
(JNS) - Cape Verde winger Hélio Varela, who plays for Israeli Premier League club Maccabi Tel Aviv, scored with his first touch after coming off the bench in a 2-2 World Cup group-stage draw against Uruguay in Miami on Sunday evening local time. Varela, 24, found the net in the 61st minute, moments after entering the match, helping Cape Verde secure a point. Born in Portugal, he represents Cape Verde at the international level. Israel's Foreign Ministry and Maccabi Tel Aviv highlighted the...
Summers in the 1950s: no homework, no chores, no rules. Nothing but fun and freedom. Summer vacations longer than they are today. School years were about 170 days back then — shorter than the 180-day minimum mandated now. We didn’t break until the second half of June, but classes didn’t resume until after Labor Day. By then it was feeling more like autumn. We had a full taste of summer. Today’s return to classes (as early as Aug. 10th!) robs youngsters of what would still be a summer...
A new “Talmud of America” invites users to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States by exploring new commentaries on key phrases from the Declaration of Independence. These commentaries and connections to Jewish texts are provided by leading rabbis and educators at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. “There will be no shortage of pomp and circumstance to mark this anniversary—as there should be,” said Rabbi Leon A. Morris, president of Pardes. “We wanted to offer something different. For Jews, text study that...
Three remarkably well-preserved storage jars dating back thousands of years to the Middle Bronze Age have been unearthed near the site traditionally identified with the biblical Tabernacle during this year's archaeological excavations at Ancient Shiloh, in the Binyamin region of Samaria. Researchers are examining whether the vessels were used to store agricultural products, including grapes, wine and olive oil. The announcement by the Mishkan Shiloh Foundation came days before the annual...
(JNS) - "Oct. 7 changed everything for me," said Dr. Adam Berkovits, an emergency room physician from Las Vegas who had not spoken a word of Hebrew for 30 years. "On Oct. 8, I became a 'born-again' Jew. While the attacks in Israel didn't surprise me, the reaction on Oct. 8 by people in the United States marked a turning point for me and for everyone around me." More than 2,500 miles away in Smithtown, N.Y., Dr. Richard Feldstein was equally shaken as he watched the death toll from the Hamas...
This article was submitted by Jewish Pavilion Senior Services There are moments in caregiving that divide life into “before” and “after.” For many families facing Alzheimer’s disease, that moment comes when a loved one looks directly at them and no longer knows who they are. Through the work of Jewish Pavilion Senior Services and the Orlando Senior Help Desk, this experience is one that countless caregivers quietly carry. It brings shock, heartbreak, and a profound sense of loss that can be difficult to explain to anyone who has not lived it....
Summertime and things are starting to boil My fault. After four straight years of angelic perfection, I went off the rails. Maybe it was my evolution towards curmudgeonly irritability. Or could it be that I was inspired by the late country music singer David Alan Coe? Not by his behavior which saw him serve time in reform schools and the Ohio Penitentiary. It was his song "Need a Little Time Off for Bad Behavior." My bad wasn't so bad but bad enough. It was lunchtime at one of our favorite...
