Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JTA) — Hundreds of people lined the streets of Tenafly, New Jersey, on Thursday to welcome home native son Edan Alexander, who survived 584 days of captivity in Gaza before being freed in May. Alexander graduated from Tenafly High School before enlisting in the Israeli army and was serving on a base on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and took him and 250 others hostage. The last remaining living American citizen in captivity, he was freed in a one-off deal negotiated by the Trump a...
(JNS) — A pro-Israel Christian student organization on Wednesday donated $100,000 to honor the victims of last year’s deadly Hezbollah rocket attack on a soccer field in the Golan Heights village of Majdal Shams, which claimed the lives of 12 Druze children. The donation by Passages, which has been dubbed the “Christian Birthright” for its student tours to Israel, will go to a local foundation that supports community youth pursuing higher education and leadership roles, a memorial soccer tournament and other infrastructure projects. “In bri...
In ordering a preemptive strike aimed at significantly setting back Iran’s nuclear program, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was following in the footsteps of two of his predecessors. Menachem Begin ordered an attack in 1981 that destroyed Iraq’s nuclear reactor. And a quarter-century later, Ehud Olmert gave the green light in 2007 to destroy a nuclear reactor in its last stages of construction in northeastern Syria. But Israel was not in fact the first country in the Middle East to take aim at an enemy’s nuclear facilities. That disti...
By When last year’s hurricane tore through South Florida, the devastation reached far beyond shattered windows and waterlogged furniture. For Jewish Heritage editor Christine DeSouza, it meant the total loss of her cousin’s irreplaceable family photos, records, and keepsakes —family history, gone in a matter of hours. (DeSouza’s cousin lives on Pine Island, where Hurricane Ian made landfall in 2022). After a recent conversation with DeSouza, I found myself thinking: what if it had been me? Over the years, I’ve carefully compiled our family’s...
Heritage columnist Steven Cardonick, who writes the “Give a listen…” column, discovered a “kinahora” moment recently after one of his columns was published. Cardonick submitted his first article, titled “What a blessing — Kinahora!”, on March 17. However, publishing was delayed until after Passover because he wrote an excellent article for the Passover issue, titled “Guess who came to seder,” (published April 4, 2025). The “Kinahora” article came out in the April 18 issue. In the article, Cardonick used the game of baseball, and Alex Bregman sp...
Readers remember well the beloved writer Gloria Yousha who related thousands of stories in her column “Scene Around.” Nearly three years since her passing, the community greatly misses Gloria and how she shared so many different insights and experiences with us. A wonderful article about Gloria was written by Heritage editor Christine DeSouza and published on Dec. 9, 2022. Christine’s tribute column/obit earned a first-place award from the Florida Press Association! There has been talk of introd...
(JNS) - Israel is the only country in the world that has an embassy for indigenous people. Situated in the heart of Jerusalem, the Indigenous Peoples' Embassy pays tribute to clans and tribes around the world - and is a testament to shared heritage. As antisemitism surges around the world, we need to be reminded that Israel and the Jewish people have many friends. Some of them are from indigenous communities, such as the Aboriginal people in Australia. Sydney residents George and Anita Fisher...
The annual North American Jewish Choral Festival brings hundreds of singers together to share their love of Jewish choral music and feel a sense of pride and belonging. The 2025 event will be held from July 20-24 in Stamford, Connecticut. Participants will enjoy five days of a life-changing musical experience with a harmonious choral community. "The Festival is for anyone who wants to celebrate the joy of Jewish music," says Maestro Matthew Lazar, Festival Founder and Director. "The attendees...
(JNS) — The lower house of France’s Parliament on Monday voted to posthumously promote Alfred Dreyfus, amid a surge in antisemitic incidents in the country in the wake of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre. All 197 lawmakers present at the National Assembly supported the legislation, which was introduced by former prime minister Gabriel Attal of President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance Party, AFP reported. The Senate still needs to pass the bill to promote the Jewish army captain, whose wrongful conviction for treason in 1894 was widely seen as a sy...
The inevitability of life’s final chapter often brings reflection and introspection, particularly when it comes to relationships with family. For many, the regret of estranged relationships can weigh heavily, especially as time runs out. Jewish Pavilion Senior Services addresses this poignant issue by encouraging seniors and their families to reopen lines of communication and heal wounds before it is too late. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, family relationships can sometimes fracture and break down. Misunderstandings, disagreements, a...
As our loved ones age, mealtimes can become more frustrating and difficult. It is important to ensure our loved ones receive proper nutrition, maintain their health, and preserve their quality of life. As people age, they may face challenges like difficulty chewing or swallowing, loss of appetite, changes in taste or smell, or physical limitations that make eating difficult. If not managed properly, these issues can lead to malnutrition, weight loss, dehydration, and increased vulnerability to illness or cognitive decline. To make mealtimes...
There's an endearing scene in the film "Throw Momma from the Train." Owen (Danny DeVito) shows his coin collection to Larry (Billy Crystal ). These are not rare coins with great monetary value. But Owen cherishes them. They are all part of the leftover change from shared experiences with his father. Starting with a nickel, Owens identifies each coin. "This one I got in change when I bought a hotdog at the circus. My daddy always let me keep the change." I had my own coin experience when I was...
(JNS) — An extraordinary moment unfolded the evening of May 26 in Washington when Gene Simmons, the 75-year-old frontman for legendary rock band KISS, encountered Harold “Hal” Urban, a 100-year-old World War II veteran who participated in the liberation of the concentration camp where Simmons’ mother was imprisoned as a teenager. Urban’s memories of liberating Mauthausen remain vivid and traumatic even at age 100. He described the overwhelming stench of burning human remains, emaciated prisoners stumbling in confusion and terror and the psych...
(JNS)- Former Hamas hostage Agam Berger told French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot during a meeting in France that Israel has no choice but to fight the terrorist group. "As soon as there is a war of survival over our land, that's what we will do. They don't want 'togetherness,'" said Berger, referring to Hamas. "Diplomatic solutions won't work because it's either us or them," she added. Berger, 20, an Israel Defense Forces field observer, was released from Gaza on Jan. 30 after 482 days in...
(JNS) - The Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund released a new collection of rare archival photos that capture Shavuot celebrations predating the modern State of Israel during the 1930s and 1940s. The photographs "are far more than historical documentation - they tell the story of the renewal of the Jewish people in their land," said Ifat Ovadia-Luski, chairwoman of KKL-JNF. "These are powerful moments of pride and joy that illustrate how an ancient custom was revived and brought to l...
(JNS) — Paramount+ and MTV Documentary Films told JNS exclusively on Tuesday that they plan to expand access to Montana Tucker’s documentary “The Children of October 7” on a global basis starting on June 2, the first day of Shavuot. The 36-minute film will be available in all of the areas where Paramount+ is accessible: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latin America, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. “In this documentary, Montana Tucker shined a light on the stories of devastation children experienced on Oct....
(JNS) - On May 19, two weeks before the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, celebrity chef and cookbook author Jamie Geller, who now serves as the spokesperson and chief communications officer of the Jewish educational organization, Aish, set out with her team - including the writer of this article - to taste and rate some of the best cheesecakes in Jerusalem. Jerusalem has a plethora of bakeries, each with its unique style of cheesecake presentation. "We aimed to sample as wide a variety of different...
Some stories must be told, to remember that even in the darkest moments there is hope. On the right in the above photo, is Yuval Raphael, a 24-year-old Israeli woman. When Hamas attacked the Nova music festival in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Yuval Raphael went from dancing with friends to hiding in a bomb shelter, pictured on the left. Yuval, speaking with her father thought she was going to die, he told her hang up and to play dead and she would survive. So after the attackers broke into the...
(JNS) - At the time of the Temple in Jerusalem, a dozen loaves of bread representing the 12 Tribes of Israel, called "Showbread," were presented by priests on a special table every Shabbat as an offering to God. Eliezer Meir Seidel, an expert baker and owner of the Showbread Institute in Karnei Shomron, is proud that he can now produce the special 12 loaves of "wonder bread" displayed weekly in the Temple. From the musical instruments of the Levites to the unique spice mix of the holy incense,...
(JNS) - The Auschwitz Memorial, together with the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation and leading figures from the European film industry, announced at the Cannes Film Festival on May 15 the launch of a 1:1 digital replica of the German concentration and extermination camp available for filmmakers. The Auschwitz-Birkenau Virtual Film Location harnesses 3D-scanning technologies to preserve and protect the site's historical integrity, while offering filmmakers a revolutionary tool rooted in accuracy...
SUGAR LAND, Texas – The distance from Constellation Field, home of the Triple-A minor league Space Cowboys, to Daikin Park, where the major league Houston Astros play, is 20 miles. It’s a 27-minute drive. It took Colton Gordon two years to make the trip. Gordon, a 26-year-old left-handed Jewish pitcher, was named to the American Athletic Conference’s all-academic team while attending the University of Central Florida. He was drafted from UCF in the 8th round, in 2021, and started playing with the Space Cowboys in 2023. He helped his team win t...
A special time of global prayer for Israel will be Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 9 p.m. Israel time; 8 p.m. S. Africa & Central Europe; 7 p.m. UK; 2 p.m. Eastern and 11 a.m. Pacific U.S. time. After over 600 days of war since the October 7 Hamas massacre, with concerns of imposing a ceasefire on Israel without all the hostages released, near daily missile attacks on Israel from the Houthis, and a deal being negotiated with Iran that may leave its ability to create a nuclear weapon intact, it’s essential that we unite urgently, globally, to pray t...
This quick dinner can be prepared in 20 minutes to serve four. 4 four-six ounce cod fillets, 1/2 thick, fresh or defrosted* Buttered flavored or traditional vegetable spray 2 tsp. dried thyme 2 tsp. paprika Aluminum foil 1 tsp. low sodium vegetable broth crystals or 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. fresh black pepper This recipe can be prepared with any white fish, sea bass, orange rugby, or tilapia. Spray a piece of foil or parchment paper with vegetable spray on a baking sheet with sides. Place the...
Today, more and more American families are involved in the care of their loved ones. Often, that creates a change in family dynamics, routines, reassigning roles, economic hardships and demands on adult time and emotional stress for all family members involved. The changes taking place can be threatening for children. Change creates loss, and loss creates grief. A grieving child needs reassurance that he or she will be cared for and is loved. It is extremely important to listen to your child verbalize their fears, anger, confusion and doubts....
(JNS) - Everyone's heard of the king of beers. Now, meet the queen. For the longest time, Israel was known primarily for two competing beers: Maccabi or Goldstar, sold in stores, bars and restaurants, on tap or by the bottle. Tourists and sabras alike tended to favor one over the other, akin to preferring a cold glass of Coke or Pepsi. Those days are gone. The Jewish state has gotten into the beer industry step by step, and one of the more successful ventures is Malka Brewery in the Western...
