Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JTA) – That's one way to "never forget." A peculiar item of clothing went viral this week after a comedian tweeted about a pair of leggings emblazoned with artwork inspired by "Schindler's List," Steven Spielberg's 1993 Holocaust drama. The pants show an artist-made poster with characters from the film. The symbolic "girl in the red dress" is featured most prominently, standing on train tracks overlooking the Auschwitz death camp. Beside her float the heads of Liam Neeson, as German factory owner Oskar Schindler; Ben Kingsley, as his Jewish e...
(JTA) – The online design marketplace Redbubble said it had “restricted” sales of a “Schindler’s List”-inspired design on its site after the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported on a pair of leggings featuring characters from the movie that lit up the Internet this week. “The artwork referenced in this article has been restricted and we are adding additional monitoring measures as a result,” Redbubble spokesperson Marissa Hermo told JTA in a statement. The leggings in question, which were first spotted at a Los Angeles thrift store, sported...
What a surprise! ... If I only knew that this "heart throb" was Jewish, I would have been shocked! I'm talking about actor HARRISON FORD, a longtime favorite of mine. I would also add that he seems to be a favorite of many, seeing that his films have grossed more than $5.4 Billion in North America and more than $9.3 Billion worldwide. He is the seventh highest grossing actor in North America. Harrison was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a Catholic father and an Ashkenazi Jewish mother. His ancestry traces back to German Irish descent on his...
Leave it to Sephardic Jews to make even a pedestrian dish - the ubiquitous matzah brei, a mash-up of fried matzah and egg - into something sublime. In his landmark book, "The Sephardic Kitchen," published in 1996, Rabbi Robert Sternberg introduced many of us to the flavors and pleasures of Sephardic Jewish cuisine. Masa Tiganitas is a Passover recipe of the Greek Jews - tiganites is the Greek word for pancakes, and, according to Sephardic cook and author Jennifer Abadi, tiganitas is related to the word for "fried." Masa Tiganitas is also a...
(JTA) - A few years ago, Rachel Picado attended a Utah Jazz game in Salt Lake City with Israeli diplomat Eitan Na'eh, who was visiting from Los Angeles. During the closing seconds of the game, which the Jazz won, the two heard a familiar song coming from the speakers in Vivint Arena. "We were both looking at each other like, why on earth are they playing 'Hava Nagila'?" Picado recalled. She asked the Jazz employees who were hosting her group about the musical choice, and "they were confused that we were confused," Picado said. "They said,...
A surprising answer to why so many Jews become comedians. When Robin Williams, arguably one of the greatest comedians died, some people gave him an interesting title: “honorary Jew.” Why the Jew label? Couldn’t he have been left as a brilliantly comedic non-Jew? Well if you look back at most of the great comedians from the previous generation, they were predominantly Jewish. This is a group it seems some people badly wanted him to be part of. Here is a short list of some Jewish comedians, with their real names: Jack Benny (Benjamin Kubel...
(JTA) — When Season 2 of “Russian Doll,” Natasha Lyonne’s sci-fi exploration of identity and trauma, dropped on Netflix Friday, it immediately became clear that teasers of the season’s Jewish content were not overblown. In the season, which features New York City subway-induced time travel, Lyonne’s character zips back to 1982, the year of her birth; 1968 New York City; and 1944, when her grandmother was being pursued by Nazis in her native Budapest. In every timeline, she witnesses how layers of Jewish trauma forged the family in which she e...
(New York Jewish Week) - House-smoked fish platters. Plates of malawach, the Yemeni flatbread. A labneh parfait. And for Passover, "milk and honey" slushies and matzah brie with bitter herb salad. Since opening up as a pop-up shop during 2020, Edith's Eatery and Grocery in Williamsburg has embraced Jewish food from all over the Diaspora. The brainchild of Chicago-born Elyssa Heller, the store and restaurant is a celebration of Jewish cuisine outside of the narrow lanes of traditional Ashkenazi or familiar Israeli menus. "People seem really...
(ISRAEL21c) -This year, the theme of International Women's Day is #BreakTheBias. Which is terrific news, as women every where still face discrimination and prejudice in matters big and small. In hope for a gender-equal world, we'd like to take a moment to celebrate the women who helped turn Israel into a flourishing country. According to historian Prof. Margalit Shilo, women in pre-state Israel began their pioneering, gender-expectation-renouncing work in the early 20th century. One of the first examples was the Women's Farm established in...
(JNS) - If Danielle Finn had to choose between her faith and her dreams, it would have been a bummer. In her initial tryout on Zoom, the 17-year-old senior at Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles told producers of "American Idol" that she observes the Sabbath. As she progressed during in-person auditions on a Friday when she was one of 59 contestants to be judged, she and her family knew that there was a problem. "We were a little bit freaking out, that I wouldn't be able to compete," Finn told JNS, noting her observance comes first. The soluti...
Whether you're getting rid of chametz, reorganizing that closet, or sweeping the floor, now is a good time for some spring cleaning. And if you happen to find a few "crumbs in the corner" of your soul that could be weighing you down and stopping you from shining your brightest, try vacuuming away any internal negativity or insecurities through self-care. Need some emotional spring cleaning? We're available now and all year-round to help you with "polishing your spirit." Learn more about JFS Orlando's FAMILY of services at JFSorlando.org or...
(JTA) - An Israeli astronaut made a decidedly low-tech delivery to the International Space Station: handmade matzah. Eytan Stibbe, 64, is one of three astronauts who paid for the privilege of launching into space on April 8, in an initiative of Axiom Space, a private company based in Houston. Chabad of the Space and Treasure Coasts in Florida delivered Stibbe a Passover food package, noting that he would be on the space station when Passover started on the evening of April 15, Chabad.org reported. Stibbe explained the significance of the...
(JTA) - While the Oscars had a moment of silence for Ukraine and various onscreen messages, Sunday night's Grammy Awards went further - with a video address from Ukraine's Jewish president, Volodymyr Zelensky. "What is more opposite to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed people," he said in the prerecorded video. "Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. "They sing to the wounded. In hospitals," he added. It was a dramatic highlight of the music industry's biggest night and symbolic of Zelensky's rise to a prominent stage...
What a total surprise ... Just from hearing the names, I would have never guessed these talented performers were Jewish. For instance, would you think that someone with the last name of Abdul would be Jewish? Does she even look Jewish? (However that look is deemed to be.) Well, PAULA JULIE ABDUL was born in California, but her dark features throw people off. Many assume she is a Black woman. But, her parents, father Harry Abdul is of Syrian Jewish heritage. He was born in Syria, raised in Brazil and emigrated to the U.S. Her mother, Lorraine,...
(JTA) - With Allied forces swiftly approaching during the liberation of the concentration camps, Nazis barricaded Gerda Weissmann Klein and other Jewish survivors inside a barn, planting a time bomb outside. A sudden rainstorm disconnected the bomb's wiring, and American forces found the barn and unlocked the door. Weissmann Klein told the first rescuer she saw that she was Jewish. He responded that he was, too. Then he held the door open for her. A few years later, the two - the survivor and her liberator, U.S. intelligence officer Kurt Klein...
(JTA) - Madeline Millman was just 17 when she took center stage at the Adams Theatre in downtown Newark, New Jersey, stepping into the same spotlight where the Andrews Sisters, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and many of her other heroes had performed for sold-out houses. "I closed my eyes, focused in, and said to myself, '5,000 people or one person, it doesn't matter - I'm singing,'" she recalled. "And I felt really good about it." And why not? Madeline had skipped school with friends to take part in a talent contest - and she won. The emcee,...
(JTA) - The Oscars went on as usual- although you wouldn't know it from the morning-after conversation. A violent altercation between celebrities became the most-discussed moment of the evening (more on that below), and general reviews for the show itself were dismal, full of criticism for its slapdash presentation and pre-taping of several awards categories. But there were a few Jewish moments to be had in the three-and-a-half-hour evening. Here were the highlights: 'CODA' nets a Best Picture win, and Marlee Matlin kvells "CODA," an emotional...
(JTA) - Mayim Bialik has become arguably the most visible Jewish face on TV, thanks to her gig hosting "Jeopardy!" and her presence on ever-present "The Big Bang Theory" reruns. But for her latest project, "As They Made Us," Bialik stepped behind the camera to write and direct a semi-autobiographical, low-key melodrama about a Jewish family encountering death and dysfunction. Will it have tearjerker moments? Well, it is produced by Chicken Soup for the Soul (via its film distribution arm, Screen Media). Dianna Agron of "Glee" fame plays...
Congregation Ohev Shalom honored soon-to-retire Cantor Allan Robuck on March 6, 2022, at a gala event. Over 315 congregants and friends paid tribute in recognition of Cantor Robuck's 30 years of dedicated service. During this time, Cantor Robuck participated in the bar and bat mitzvot of some 800 young people in addition to numerous weddings and life cycle events. The evening featured a cocktail hour, a gourmet meal catered by Arthur's Catering, with option for indoor or outdoor dining, followed by a special concert of Jewish liturgy and mixed...
(Israel21c via JNS) - Researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University were surprised to discover remnants of vanilla in 2,600-year-old wine jars unearthed in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem. The researchers were investigating two buildings destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE when they unearthed the eight jars. They date back to the reign of the biblical King Zedekiah, who ruled the kingdom of Judah when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and exiled the Jews. Using chemical tests, the researchers...
Read daily. When we were in school, reading textbooks and assignments might have seemed like a chore, but try reading for fun in your free time. Reading is a great stress reducer and can help increase memory, enhance sleep quality, and is simply an easy way to learn new things. Just 10 minutes before going to bed can make a difference. Making little adjustments to your day can have a big impact on your overall wellness. JFS Orlando can help. From our specialized therapists to our Family Stabilization Program, learn more about our FAMILY of...
(New York Jewish Week) — This Passover, the New York Jewish Week is partnering with the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan for their first-ever Virtual Passover Film Festival. The online-only event will feature eight Jewish and Israeli films that touch on themes of Passover, including redemption, miracles and keeping traditions. From Thursday, April 14 — the evening before Passover begins — though April 24, the films will be streaming nationally and on-demand. The New York Jewish Week and our partner site, My Jewish Learning, are providing suppl...
PACHUCA, Mexico (JTA) - Like other Jews around the world, Alegra Smeke turns to traditional foods during Passover. For her that means Syrian dishes with a side of salsa. Smeke is a chef and former president of a Zionist women's group who lives in Mexico, which has long been a hub of culinary fusion. Immigrants, conquering forces and other cultural influxes have left their mark on the country's diverse cuisine over hundreds of years and in return incorporated local flavors and ingredients into their own cooking. For one prominent example, see...
In a few short weeks, the excruciating, pandemic-prolonged wait will be over: Season two of "Russian Doll" is finally dropping on Netflix on April 20, 2022. According to some new and exciting teasers, it seems that the wait will have been well worth it for Jewish fans. In a recent profile of Natasha Lyonne for the New Yorker, reporter Rachel Syme explains that some of the new "Russian Doll" will include time travel, writing: "Through seven episodes, parts of which were filmed on location in Budapest, Nadia keeps barrelling into the past, connec...
(JTA) - Growing up in Iran, I never truly appreciated the difference between spring cleaning, New Year's and getting ready for Passover. The Jewish holiday takes place almost simultaneously with the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, when the whole country engages in a frenzy of preparations. Nowruz (A New Day), which marks the beginning of spring, is Iran's most festive and colorful holiday. Persians, Jews, Muslims, Zoroastrians and even Bahais all purchase new clothes, make traditional cookies and engage in 12 days of celebrations. These...
