Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Fairy tales generally have an "old world" feel to them that sometimes is jarring to our modern sensibilities. And yet, their classic story lines and vivid plotting make them a genre that always appeals. "The Challah Girl," a picture book by author Bracha K. Sharp, bridges the gap between out-of-date and timely in a way that is fun and fresh. The bones of the tale, which involves a despondent prince, his anxious parents, and a community-wide quest to cheer him up, feel familiar, but the author's...
(JTA) — As Gershon Distenfeld sees it, life and poker have their similarities — notably “a certain amount of uncertainty.” “There is a little bit of luck involved — sometimes a lot of luck,” an Orthodox Jewish businessman from Bergenfield, New Jersey, told the morning show “Bloomberg Surveillance” last week, as reported by the Forward. “But in the end, skill does win out.” Distenfeld, 43, is hoping any combination of luck and skill will land him the champion’s bracelet at the World Series of Poker’s final table, which started Dec. 28 in Las Ve...
For many (many) years... I performed as a dancer but mostly as a vocalist. In fact, this was the first New Years Eve that I haven't performed. I will always remember the year 2020 as the worst I've ever spent in my long life, mostly quarantined at home watching "Dr. Phil" on television and over-eating! (Oy vay!) Maybe this year 2021 will be back to normal. (If I don't gain too much weight!). Here is a photo of me and Eddie Fisher working on one New Years Eve. (He had just left his wife, Debbie...
When Joe Goldovitz learned to play the piano at an early age, he didn't realize that music would be the consistent thread that kept him going in more ways than one can imagine. Goldovitz's father was Jewish, his mother Roman Catholic. Born in Portland, Maine, he was accepted into the Jewish faith at his bris by an Orthodox Bet Din. Goldovitz was six months old when his father passed away. "We were living in West Palm Beach however, after my father died, my mother moved back to Dorchester,...
Sometimes I feel uncomfortable sharing my Judaism in public. Why should I have to be though? Judaism has had such a profound impact on my life and has shaped me into the person I am today. I attended a Jewish preschool, have been participating in local Jewish events since a young age, attend synagogue regularly, and have endless Jewish friendships made through Jewish youth groups and summer camp. Judaism is so special to me and creates a community that I am proud to be a part of. So why is it that I am so cautiously aware of the hamsa hanging...
It's been a unique and challenging year for all of us; learning how to find joy and relax is more important than ever. One of our favorite ways to chill out is with a homemade cocktail. Don't know where to start? Well, you're in luck! Jewish mixologist and Detroit native Chas Williams - you might know him as the previous head bartender at Ferndale's Oakland Art and Novelty Company, or as the creator of the famed matzah ball cocktail (made with real schmaltz!) - shared his top five tips for...
(JTA) - Writer and producer David Shore didn't have to look far when developing a key new character for his hit ABC-TV series "The Good Doctor." He went straight to his nieces and nephews, the children of his Orthodox rabbi brothers. The show, which returns with new episodes on Jan. 11, focuses on Shaun Murphy (played by Freddie Highmore), an autistic doctor who is able to diagnose complicated illnesses and come up with creative treatments. But its fourth season introduced some new faces. "We...
(JTA) - Pixar's "Soul," released on Friday on Disney+, is a tender balm of a movie about an aspiring jazz musician who dies on the day he gets his big break. Watching "Soul," which is set in a richly imagined New York City, as well as in a blissed-out, blue-ish, and minimalist realm of unborn souls, in the final days of 2020 is once elegiac (the riotously crowded New York it depicts sure isn't there at the moment) and soothing, like applying a poultice to a wound. The New York of our dreams may...
If it gets any colder, I'm moving to Florida! ... (I shouldn't complain. I get to wear a jacket and hide my tummy!) Anyway, I must say, the more I research for this column, the more I find reasons to be proud! For instance, the songs of today do not compare with the great American songbook (that was written mostly by Jews.) As a vocalist, I stick to the beautiful songs, the ones written mostly in the '30s and '40s and mostly by Jews. This morning I watched a movie on television (what else is...
WHEELING, W.Va. (JTA) - Surrounded by silver crucifixes and Christmas ornaments, Samuel Posin and Joan Berlow Smith sell vintage jewelry and myriad tchotchkes at their church-turned-boutique gift shop in this city. This is not the kind of place you'll find many Jews. In this deeply rural state where just over half of all voters identify as Christian evangelicals, fewer than 1,200 Jews are thought to be scattered among West Virginia's 1.8 million residents. Yet born and raised in Wheeling,...
(JTA) - There's no sugarcoating it: 2020 was a difficult, trying, tragic year. But just because COVID-19 dominated the headlines and our personal lives, that doesn't mean there weren't any Jewish bright spots. Plenty of history was made, from a march of tens of thousands against anti-Semitism to a new kind of vaccine that Jewish doctors helped create, to a Jewish vice-presidential spouse. Here are some of the Jewish stories that helped distract us from the pain of the past year. The Jews involve...
Chanukah is over for this year ... And what a year it was! 2020 was a nightmare (due to the pandemic) and Chanukah was not celebrated with family this year ... just one son, who lives here to keep me safe, and my dog, Chloe. Of course, we kept in touch with family by phone but cooking for just one son and myself (Chloe was stuck with dog food) isn't quite the same. We had chicken, matzo brei, potato latkes, etc., and lit the candles, of course ... but it was not festive. Maybe next year!...
(JTA) — Gal Gadot may act in American blockbusters these days, but she’s still an Israeli through and through. So there are some quintessential foods she has never tried. Jimmy Fallon took advantage of this fact for a tasty segment with the “Wonder Woman” actress on his late night show last Monday night. Gadot tried for the first time egg nog (she was not a fan of it), a Ho-Ho and Taco Bell, which she absolutely loved, saying “This is the best so far.” In response, Fallon tried two Jewish delicacies on camera: a sufganiyot (jelly donut popul...
For his bar mitzvah project, William McNarney collected stuffed animals to give to children at Orlando Day Nursery in Parramore, an early childhood center where many families are experiencing trauma and economic hardship. "They could lose a family member to the virus. A parent could lose work. They could lose the few things that they have," said William, 13, an eighth-grader at Howard Middle School. "This gives them something to hold onto." William, who lives with his parents and sister in...
Congratulations to Jewish Pavilion raffle winner Dolores Indek, who won elongated diamond earrings donated by Addeo Jewelers. Funds will be used to enhance the lives of seniors in long-term care facilities in the greater Orlando area. Special thanks to all participants in the Chanukah appeal raffle. - Nancy Ludin, Jewish Pavilion CEO...
Kicking off a master's degree is a high point in any academically ambitious student's life. Between the academic stimulation, making new friends and soaking in the college life atmosphere, the beginning of the school year is usually a moment of great anticipation. While St. Petersburg native Elana Titen is experiencing butterflies in her stomach as she embarks on her MA in public health in Israel, she does acknowledge that this year is unique. Having just started taking classes at the University...
(Israel Hayom via JNS) - An Israeli startup's groundbreaking innovation may provide a much-needed remedy to the shortage of ventilators and the overwhelming of staff in COVID-19 wards. "Yehonatan Medical, in collaboration with Professor Ori Efrati, director of the Pediatric Pulmonary Unit at the Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer, devised a state-of-the-art, first-of-its-kind ventilation system that can treat between three and five patients simultaneously. That means more patients treated by...
Thanks to TikTok ... (I'm too old to know about TikTok but anyway): The World Jewish Congress was pleased to hear from TikTok that it has removed anti-Semitic content shared by users after the WJC flagged such content for the social media company. The WJC has worked closely with TikTok to identify specific examples of harmful content and was informed that TikTok had removed 98 of 100 flagged videos and banned 9 of 12 users. TikTok has now followed YouTube and Facebook in banning Dieudonne...
AMSTERDAM (JTA) - It was meant as an ode to one of the most courageous yet little-known rescue efforts of Jews during the Holocaust. But a week after its publication, a Dutch-language historical novel is at the heart of a controversy over whether the author twisted the historical record in ways that risk distorting public understanding of the genocide. Critics say "The Nursery," which is based on a daring rescue operation to smuggle hundreds of Jewish children out of Amsterdam and describes itse...
(JTA) - Acclaimed director David Fincher's highly anticipated film "Mank," on the Jewish screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz and the story behind his writing of the classic film "Citizen Kane," hits Netflix on Friday following a short theater-only run. It's already being considered a front-runner for several Oscar nominations. Beyond "Citizen Kane," Mankiewicz worked behind the scenes on dozens of famous films from the silent era into the 1950s - among them "The Wizard of Oz" and the comedy "Dinner...
By Cnaan Liphshiz AMSTERDAM (JTA) - For the Amsterdam Jewish Historical Museum, Chanukah this year entailed the stressful chore of assembling the world's most expensive menorah. Last week, the Rintel Menorah, a 266-year-old menorah valued at over a half-million dollars, was put back on display at Amsterdam's Jewish Historical Museum following the restoration of its wooden base, which was lost during the Holocaust. Built in 1753, the menorah is a relic from the golden age of a community that was...
This recipe originally appeared on The Nosher. This comforting soup is a cross between a meaty borscht and my current obsession: caramelized cabbage. Both the flanken and cabbage lend a hand in its richness. You might just find yourself not needing any bouillon for this one. If you can't find golden beets, any beet will do. I just love the goldenness it promotes in the broth. Please do not, however, cut any cooking time of the cabbages. The longer you cook them, the better. To make this...
(JNS) - Pittsburgh Steeler Zach Banner announced Monday that he was donating a portion of a game-day check to Tree of Life*Or L'Simcha Synagogue, the site of the mass shooting in October 2018. "I'm crashing Hanukkah this year guys ... by donating part of my game day check to the Tree of Life synagogue here in Pittsburgh. Happy Holidays!" tweeted Banner. He signed off as "Hulk," a reference to Marvel superhero Bruce Banner. "I have been so moved by the support and love I've received from the...
(JTA) - This year's Grammy Awards will almost certainly be different from past years, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. But despite the lack of details surrounding the ceremony, it's still taking place, and as usual, several Jewish artists made the nominations list, which was announced Tuesday. Ranging all the way from the sister rock band Haim to comedian Tiffany Haddish, these are the Jewish artists who made the biggest impact on the recording industry this year. The big awards Leading the...
"Jeopardy!" fans have been hard hit by the loss of Alex Trebek, who died of cancer on Nov. 8 at age 80. But because the show films in advance - and Trebek kept filming until a week before his passing - the beloved longtime host is still with us until Dec. 25. Just why are we writing about this iconic game show? Well, Jewish questions and guests are not exactly rare on "Jeopardy!". But on Monday night, Nov. 30, the show had an entire category dedicated to Yiddish. The clueless contestants were...
