Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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This article originally appeared on Alma. Light spoilers ahead for "The Chair." "The Chair," Netflix's new six-part dramedy set in the English department of a fictional Ivy League school, is about a lot of things: existing as a woman of color in academia, workplace sexual tension, parenthood, grief, Sandra Oh's incredible double-breasted jackets. It's also about a casual Nazi salute - if there is such a thing - which occurs during the first episode and reverberates throughout the rest of the...
I truly love New York City … I was born in Brooklyn, one of the five boroughs of New York City … you know, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. And, I grew up there. (That should explain my weird sense of humor!) Recently, I was watching “I Love NYC” on television, a salute to a place that was on its way back from a horrible pandemic. It took place in Manhattan’s Central Park and began with a fabulous salute of music played by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Many star...
(JTA) — Two weeks after Mayim Bialik said being selected to host primetime specials of “Jeopardy!” was “beyond anything I ever imagined could happen,” the Jewish actress is taking on an even more prominent role on the beloved game show. Bialik is hosting the first three weeks of the regular season after Mike Richards, the producer originally selected to succeed Alex Trebek, stepped down on Friday amid a backlash over his past comments, which included offensive statements about women and Jews. Bialik is also being considered for the full-time...
By Yosef Lindell (JTA) — When a local Orthodox synagogue asked me to lead Yom Kippur prayers six years ago, one aspect of the request stood out: Was I comfortable using the “High Holyday Prayer Book” translated and edited by Philip Birnbaum? The archaic spelling of “Holyday” is a tipoff to the book’s longevity. First published in 1951 by the Hebrew Publishing Company, this Hebrew-English prayer book, or machzor, has been used by multiple generations of worshippers in Orthodox and, to a lesser extent, Conservative synagogues. It is the prayer...
(JTA) - Talk about goals: Luke Hughes has become the third brother in his hockey-playing Jewish family to be drafted in the first round of the NHL Draft. The New Jersey Devils picked the 17-year-old defenseman fourth overall in Friday's selections, making the Hughes brothers of Orlando, Florida, the first American family to have three siblings drafted in the National Hockey League's first round. Jack, a center, was chosen first overall by the Devils in 2019 - earning the distinction as the...
(JTA) - Even before its $8.35 million renovation, the Manchester Jewish Museum was a remarkably eye-catching institution. Housed in a former synagogue on a busy road in an industrial part of northern England's largest city, it stood out from the car washes, supermarkets and hardware stores of Cheetham Hill Road thanks to its red-brick facade. The look marries Victorian architecture and the Moorish style favored by the members of the Portuguese-Spanish Sephardic Jewish community that built it in...
In the Rosh HaShanah Musaf service, the machzor includes the line, "The great shofar is sounded. A still small voice is heard." I love those two sentences. I love the image of the blasting shofar shattering the comfort of the community reminding us that we are entering into the days of awe. I further love the response to the shofar blast - the still small voice. Often in life the response to the extreme is calm. In Judaism, for us to survive the shofar blast, we have to breathe and be the still...
Kudos to our management team - our CFO, board, staff, sponsors, supporters and volunteers. The Jewish Pavilion has been a pillar in the community for over 20 years, and we intend to remain an anchor for years to come. We are fiscally strong and secure, thanks to community-wide support. During the pandemic, it was reported that 1/3 of all charities merged or closed their operations. As well, many were in desperate financial straits and were constantly asking for funds. The Jewish Pavilion followe...
(JTA) — Yom Kippur. The Day of Atonement. Jewish tradition teaches us that our fate for the year ahead is sealed on Yom Kippur — and our Book of Life was a raging epic this year. The book was on fire as our lives and our cities and our lungs were plagued by an invisible silent killer. On Yom Kippur, I am used to praying all morning, chanting haftarah as I have done for 20 years, crying through yizkor — my father z”l in heaven listens as we weep and shuckle. And then my ex-husband takes our boys and my mom home, and I stay behind to daven m...
Too many to list at one time ... I'm talking about famous Jewish entertainers like Billy Crystal and Zac Efron. Also, Natalie Portman (oh wait! You knew she was born in Israel.) How about "Saturday Night Live's" MAYA RUDOLPH. (I never even suspected.) Also Sarah Jessica Parker. (I sort of suspected.) What about Paula Abdul (NO WAY!) Yes, way! Wow! If you are shocked about these artists being Jewish, just wait until next week! The future of the Jewish people ... I read this in a World Jewish...
(JTA) - I know the holidays will look, and taste, different than most years. I also know many families cherish the big brisket, standing rib roast or pot roast that graces their table each year. Traditions are important, and food imparts its own sanctity as part of holiday experiences; the smell, the sight and the taste all play a crucial role in what makes family gatherings during a holiday so very special. It might not even be the flavor of the dish itself, but rather the knowledge and...
(JTA) — For many Jews, predominantly Sephardim, Rosh Hashanah foods extend way beyond apples and honey. Among the numerous simanim (foods that have symbolic or linguistic significance for the upcoming year) are squashes and gourds. The Aramaic word for gourds and squashes is kara, which sounds similar to the Hebrew word kra, which means “to tear up.” Therefore, eating them at Rosh Hashanah conveys the hope that any harsh decrees should be torn up, and that any merits over the past year should be judged favorably by God. But this tradi...
The year 2020 was filled with a lot of heartbreak in the film community and it ended delivering one final blow. On Dec. 31, one of the most important independent filmmakers of the last 50 years lost her battle with dementia. Joan Micklin Silver passed away at the age of 85, leaving behind quite the legacy. With 18 films under her belt, her most notable film, "Hester Street," released in 1975 and starring Carol Kane and Steven Keats, has stood the test of time and is still considered one of the...
With the New Year comes the opportunity to reflect on the past year and assess our impact. Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando has always stood by our community during life's most difficult moments. It has been no different this past year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although JFS closed our building to the public, we have continued to operate to make sure those who are hungry get food, clients can meet with counselors virtually, and folks who are looking for spiritual guidance can speak...
(MJL via JTA) — Here are some important Hebrew words and terms you may encounter over the High Holiday season. Akedah — Pronounced ah-keh-DAH. Literally “binding,” the Akedah refers to the biblical story of the binding of Isaac, which is traditionally read on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. Chag sameach — Pronounced KHAG sah-MAY-akh. Literally “happy holiday,” a common greeting on Rosh Hashanah and other Jewish holidays. Elul — Pronounced el-OOL (oo as in food). The final month of the Jewish calendar, it is designated as a time of reflect...
L'Shana Tova! What a year it has been. Each year, Rosh Hashanah gives our students an opportunity to renew our commitment to our heritage. We, at Jewish Academy of Orlando, are so grateful to be back safely and in person with all of our students and our Jewish community. "We engage as a united family, providing a safe environment to celebrate our shared heritage and Jewish identity through Mitzvot (good deeds), Tzedakah (acts of righteousness), and Gemilut Chasadim (acts of loving kindness), as...
One of my favorite traditions from my childhood was every Shabbat drizzling honey on my challah and then dipping it in a thimble-sized "cup" of Mogen David wine. When I was finally old enough to realize that this ritual was unique to my family, I learned that it was a delicious custom handed down by my grandparents. My mom explained that just as we dip apples in honey on Rosh Hashanah to express our hope for a sweet and fruitful year, our family welcomes each Shabbat with a similar hope for a...
One of the more wonderful parts of being Jewish is living in "Jewish time." It's having Rosh Hashanah in September, instead of waiting four months to define the end of a hard year by bringing in the sweet promise of goodness and redemption. As 5781 rolls over to 5782, we will all be looking to repeat some of the wishes that we had this time last year. • The wish for Covid-19 to stay put and not join us as a most unwelcome guest in the coming year. • The wish for loved ones, friends and col...
The Jewish month of Elul is traditionally a time for personal reflection and spiritual preparation for the New Year. It offers a structured opportunity to examine what is holding us back from being who we really want to be. If we use the period of Elul to take concrete steps toward becoming advocates for change, together we can make a difference. Relationship With God Tradition: The word Elul can be understood as an acronym for the Hebrew verse Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li — “I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me.” Suggestion: Think about your r...
By Shannon Sarna Hummus, a Middle Eastern chickpea and tahini dip, has been adopted and Americanized in every possible way in recent years. Americans haven’t just embraced hummus, they have found truly appalling ways to make it their own. Here are the most horrifying flavors we could find. Snickerdoodle Hummus Snickerdoodle cookies are delicious, with their chewy texture and cinnamon sugar flavor. But in hummus form like this variety from Delighted By? Hard pass. Cake Batter Hummus Birthday cake is one of the world’s most perfect foods. It does...
In 1789 Ben Franklin wrote in a letter to a friend, “… in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” He may not have been the first to make this reference but it is an expression that has stood the test of time. Even with the certainty of these two things it is often surprising how hard we try to put them off and not think about them. In this season of reflection, as we conduct an accounting of our souls (cheshbon hanefesh), it is a good time to reacquaint the community with our local Hevra Kadisha of Central Flori...
Question: Is there a reason we blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, and why don’t we use a trumpet or some other instrument? I know it’s traditional, but is there a reason that the shofar is so special? Answer: Well, I don’t want to toot the shofar’s horn too much, but it really is pretty special. Allow me to explain. In the Torah, we’re given a commandment that on the first day of the seventh month (Tishrei) “you shall observe complete rest, a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts.” (Leviticus 23:24) These loud blasts, or teruah, were...
(JNS) - American Jews are often criticized these days for distancing from Israel as a result of political considerations. To counteract that trend, the "Israel trip" has become a central way to positively interact with the Jewish state and all it has to offer. But due to the coronavirus pandemic and the inability of traveling there this High Holiday season, Israel-loving foodies say it's more vital than ever to find new ways to connect. Bringing Israeli cuisine to the Rosh Hashanah or Sukkot...
(JNS) - A historian is claiming that Alexander Hamilton, the country's first treasury secretary who was instrumental in the ratification of the Constitution and whose popularity has risen in recent years due to the musical "Hamilton," had Jewish ties as a child in the Caribbean. "The balance of evidence suggests that Hamilton in all likelihood had a Jewish identity in his youth in the Caribbean," said Andrew Porwancher, a professor of history at the University of Oklahoma and author of the book...
(Israel Hayom) — A controversial Israeli documentary about an Israeli attorney who represents terrorists received a double Emmy nomination on Wednesday. “Advocate,” from directors Rachel Leah Jones and Philippe Bellaiche, follows Israeli self-described “human-rights lawyer” Lea Tsemel as she navigates the Israeli judicial system in defense of Palestinian security prisoners, including terrorists indicted for the murder of Jews. The film is up for Emmy awards in the Best Documentary and Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary categorie...
