Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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On a winter morning in 1825, Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia opened its doors for a consecration few in the city would forget. The sanctuary filled not only with Jews but with the city’s civic and religious leaders. Bishop William White, the Episcopal bishop of Pennsylvania, was there. So too were the chief justice and associate judges of the state Supreme Court, along with ministers from other Christian churches and “many other distinguished citizens.” The newspaper that cover...
Submitted by the family Jeffrey Steven Koplow left us far too soon on Oct. 25, 2024, and the world is a little quieter and a lot less funny without him. He is survived by his devoted mother, Toby Stolar; his greatest joys - his children, Chase and Maci Koplow; his longtime friend and wonderful co-parent, Erin Koplow; and his loving sisters, Randi Benatar and Penny (Keith) Grumer. Also missing him deeply are his nieces and nephews: Natalie (Jason) Staple, Michael (Alyssa) Salerno, Hallie (Kevin)... Full story
Two Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza on Sunday and Israel conducted strikes against targets inside the territory in the biggest threats yet to the week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The soldiers were not killed by Hamas, the group and Israel both said. The deaths come as Hamas is continuing to locate and release the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages, as required by the terms of the ceasefire deal, and as U.S. officials head to the region in an attempt to preserve the deal...
For months, I wracked my brain for a way to express my appreciation and admiration for Rabbi Sholom Dubov, chief rabbi of Chabad Orlando, for the major role he has played in my family’s lives. Put it simply — he fortified our Jewish identification. He doesn’t need another watch or camera, suitcase or sweater, I thought. Then it hit me. What better way to pay tribute to him than simply create a tribute. So, as he celebrated his 64th birthday on the eve of Yom Kipper, here is my heartful tribute to him as well as a remembrance of my life...
(JNS) - I've been thinking a lot about Yaakov Kirschen now that the year 5785 has ended and a new one has begun. I had long known of him but had just started getting to know him, meeting the man behind the "Dry Bones" political cartoon - recognized far and wide in the Jewish news world - on the last Saturday in March. I happened to be in the same place he was that Shabbat, spending time with family in a suburb of Tel Aviv before flying back to the States that night. He was convalescing from a...
(JNS) - Customers at Fuzzy's Pizza Katy in West Houston have the option of ordering something a little bit more lofty than just a tomato pie as part of a current promotion. The family-owned pizza shop is offering a limited-edition Elie Wiesel keepsake box in honor of the Sept. 30 birthday of the late Holocaust survivor. Wiesel died on July 2, 2016, at the age of 87. It's an opt-in program; owner Jeff Hajjar said he started with 72 keepsake boxes (as of Tuesday night, he had 19 left) in the...
Typical causes of stress include work, financial struggles, parenting issues, relationship troubles, health concerns, caregiving and more. Signs and symptoms of stress include feeling anxious, sweaty palms, fluctuating mood, digestion issues, constipation or diarrhea, dizziness and nausea, teeth grinding, headaches, decrease in energy levels, trembling, and rapid breathing. The impact of stress on your mental and physical health can lead to behaviors such as trouble concentrating, experiencing memory problems, constant irritability, impaired...
(JTA) - When Rita Zohar stepped into the role of Bessie Stern, a Holocaust survivor whose death sets in motion Scarlett Johansson's new film "Eleanor the Great," she wasn't simply acting. Zohar, 81, is a childhood survivor of the Holocaust. She was also drawing on her lived experience of loss and resilience to bring life to her character. "This role in this movie has given me a voice," Zohar told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. "Even though this is not my story, this is not what happened to me...
(JNS) — The Netflix animated series “Long Story Short,” which premiered last month, is drawing attention both for its creator, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, of “BoJack Horseman” fame, and for its treatment of Jewish family life through humor. The series follows the Schwoopers, a middle-class Jewish family, across decades. It proceeds in a non-linear fashion, highlighting the tensions, joys and incongruities of American Jewish life. Jeremy Dauber, Atran professor of Yiddish language, literature and culture at Columbia University and director of its In...
(JNS) — The final performance of “Parade,” a Tony Award-winning musical, was held just days ago at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. It told the story of the 1913 murder of Mary Phagan, a teenage girl in Atlanta, and the flawed trial, conviction, and, ultimately, the vigilante lynching of Leo Frank, a Jewish New Yorker transplanted to the American South who managed the factory where the murder took place. The trial was marred by antisemitism, bribery, coerced testimony and mob intimidation. Though the curtain has closed, Frank’s conviction...
These are quick and easy to make for an impressive dessert. Makes 12 mini pastries. 17 oz. Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry 1 recipe Almond Paste from Scratch (See below.) 4 oz. Sliced or slivered almonds 1 egg yolk Defrost pastry about 1 hour. Pastry should be soft enough to work without breaking, but still cold. Line a baking sheet with foil sprayed with cooking spray. For mini pastries, cut each section of defrosted pastry in thirds lengthwise and then cut each length in half. Spread each...
Preheat oven to 425F. In microwave melt 4 T. butter, covered, 45 seconds on high. Set aside. In a 3-quart casserole with a cover, place 1 cup rinsed basmati rice with two cups water. Mix in a packet of low sodium bouillon powder. Place casserole on micro-safe dinner plate to catch drips. Cover and cook in microwave 15 minutes on high. If rice is too dry, add 2 T.-3T. water and cover to allow rice to absorb moisture. If too wet, allow the rice to sit for 5 minutes or reheat in microwave 2...
Senior rehabilitation centers are designed to help those recovering from an injury or serious medical event to reduce pain and improve function. Senior rehab facilities often include services such as physical therapy to help improve mobility, balance, strength, flexibility etc. Senior rehabilitation centers are designed to help those recovering from an injury or serious medical event to reduce pain and improve function. According to the Center for Medicare Advocacy, the average length of stay for inpatient rehab is 12 days. These numbers...
(JNS) — Welcome to the Jewish New Year of 5786! People I know have been stopping me and asking my opinion as to what U.S. President Donald Trump’s new plan means in the context of the Torah and the Jewish state moving forward. After all, they say, we hear so many commentators from across the political spectrum, but what do the greatest rabbis have to say about this new policy development that has been thrust upon Israel? For some reason, the Torah point of view is the only one that we generally don’t hear. We do need more Jewish relig...
On Sukkot, we strengthen our local communities, hosting elaborate meals with relatives and friends and leaving one wall of the sukkah open, symbolizing hospitality. Sukkot also invokes the Jewish community in time. We build temporary structures to commemorate our biblical ancestors wandering through the desert, and we invite ushpizin – symbolic guests. Traditionally, ushpizin have been biblical characters, kabbalistically associated with particular divine attributes. In my community in Los A...
I'm sitting and waiting for my wife in the hotel lobby after a wedding and reception. It's October 2013 in Michigan. A group of men enter from outside and they disperse with only one remaining a few feet away from me. I'm thinking I've seen him before. He's tall, thin at the time, and dark complected. I stand up and say "Excuse me, you look familiar. Aren't you...?" He perceives my hesitation, with grace and a look of sophistication extends a hand and replies "JB Smoove. How are you this...
People often talk about “trading a Palestinian state for peace,” yet few know the history of this land. While Gaza fills headlines, another phrase is hitting the headlines lately: the “Occupied West Bank.” The West Bank is the heartland of ancient Israel and Judah, including Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. It was seized by Jordan in 1948 and then captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. The West Bank has never been a Palestinian state; before 1948 it was part of the British Mandate, and before that it was under Ottoman rule. Biblica...
Many people are aware of Parkinson’s symptoms such as tremors, but few are aware that psychosis is also a symptom that may occur. As Parkinson’s disease progresses, up to 40 percent of the approximately one million Americans living with the illness will develop symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions. These symptoms can be an indication of Parkinson’s disease psychosis, but unfortunately, many patients are not diagnosed. Psychosis generally means “loss of reality testing.” Psychotic symptoms may be brought on by infections or by medica...
Let me introduce you to Athena Reich-a woman whose life is as dazzling and dynamic as the pop icon she impersonates. A single mother of two, Reich is a second-year medical student, music teacher, award-winning performer, and Lady Gaga impersonator. Yes, you read that right. Dr. Gaga is in. Or should we say, Hello, Dr. Lady Gaga Glam. Voted the world's top Lady Gaga impersonator by Chatelaine Magazine, Reich blends brains, performance, passion, and purpose in a life that has taken her from...
(JNS) - As I walk into the still relatively new school year, I find myself reflecting on an honor I received this summer, the Bernie Marcus Award, and on the journey to Israel that helped me see what it truly means to be a pro-Israel advocate. They both came at pivotal moments, offering me fresh eyes and a renewed sense of purpose for the year ahead. The Bernie Marcus Award is given to young leaders who demonstrate a deep commitment to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship. For me, that...
Makes 32 cookies 3 cups flour 1/3 tsp. ground cloves 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder 1 cup olive oil 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup water 1/3 tsp. baking soda in 1/4 cup orange juice 1 tsp. brandy 1 tsp. orange zest Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. 1 /2 cup chopped walnuts, plus 1/2 cup to garnish cookies Roll cookies in oblong 2” x 1” shaped cookies and prick a design on each cookie using fork tines 5 times. Place rounded side up on a greased baking tray. 325 F. for 20 min...
Makes about 8 small pancakes. Perfect for a light lunch or appetizer. You can use two zucchini instead of potatoes to cut down on calories. Maybe you will try these for Chanukah. 1 medium zucchini, grated in large shreds 1 yellow squash, grated in large sheds or use two zucchini. 1 tsp. salt 1 medium onion, finely grated 1 egg, slightly beaten 3/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1 tsp. turmeric (optional) Vegetable oil (avocado oil or butter, if doing dairy.) Grate squashes with 1/2-1 tsp. salt and mix in a small bowl....
By Steve Lipman Some recent news in the Jewish community: In Brooklyn, Amir (not his real name), a young real estate agent who had drifted from his roots in an Orthodox Jewish household, began flying a large Israeli flag outside his apartment in a mostly non-Jewish neighborhood. Intrigued, a bypassing rabbi introduced himself and encouraged Amir to become active in the activities of a nearby Chabad center. And since then, Amir has resumed his life as an observant Jew, davening every day and putting on tefillin. In Chicago, Detroit-born,...
In the millennia of Jewish history, several momentous events have stood out as turning points that subsequently influenced the lives of the Jewish people. The exodus from Egypt. The giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem, and the Jewish exiles that followed. The writing of the Talmud. But many of these events are literally ancient history. And obvious. Some more-recent events in Jewish history have also played significant but often subtle roles in...
“Being a fan of the Mets is like very, very much being Jewish — you know, you suffer,” Israeli-American violinist Itzhak Perlman tells me. “Every now and then, you have wonderful, wonderful, great, great, great celebration — and then some more suffering.” Perlman, who turned 80 on Aug. 31, was describing his recent birthday celebration — a Chinese dinner in Flushing with loved ones, followed by a trip to Citi Field “to watch the Mets lose,” as he described it. Ever the optimist, the virtuoso — who has won a whopping 16 Grammys and has con...
