Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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A very sad announcement... Walter "Sky" Goldstein one of the staff of the Jewish Pavilion, beloved by all, has passed away. He touched so many people's hearts. He surely will be missed. Before he past, he made it known that he wanted no tears but he wanted to be remembered for his gift of song. We will keep Sky and his family in our prayers. He will never be forgotten. A deserving honor... I read this just weeks ago in the World Jewry Digest and pass it along in part: WJC President Ambassador... Full story
(JTA)—The 2020 Oscar nominations are out, and unsurprisingly, they’re already causing a firestorm on social media. The list, announced early Monday morning, didn’t do much to quell longstanding concerns that the awards have issues with race and gender equality. Only one actor of color was nominated—Cyntha Erivo, for her role in “Harriet”—and the best director category is once again all male, despite the fact that Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of “Little Women” was a massive critical and commercial success. The Jewish snub of the year goes to “U... Full story
By Josefin Dolsten (JTA)-In 2012, Drew Goldberg spent part of his junior year of college studying abroad in Prague. It was only his second time leaving the United States-the other time was for Birthright, the free Israel trip for Jewish young adults. The trip to the Czech capital was life-changing, literally. Goldberg spent the next five months balancing his studies with traveling, managing to visit more than 20 countries. After that he was hooked. Now he's closing in on a goal inspired by the... Full story
(JNS)-Rightly or wrongly, the first thing that comes to mind when most Americans think of Idaho is potatoes. Yet the northwestern state, which is also known for vast natural beauty and resources, is also home an emerging pro-Israel leader in Congress. "It's not typically the rallying cry when it comes to campaigns," Idaho Republican Rep. Russ Fulcher told JNS about support for Israel in his state. "The people in the state of Idaho are generally very pro-Israel, and that's just part of our... Full story
Spotlight: Rabbi Joshua Neely, Temple Israel, Winter Springs, Florida "The past is never dead. It's not even past."-William Faulkner "My passion is teaching," Rabbi Joshua Neely told me as we talked about why he chose his career path. "Becoming a rabbi for me seemed to be a logical choice. I've always been very inquisitive. Still am. At a young age, eight, nine years old, I was asking questions about life and Judaism. I've always been this way," Neely said. "Perhaps, my mother's questioning... Full story
Anti-Semitic violence in 2019... So far, 2019 seemed to be the worst year for anti-Semitism throughout the world. Let's hope 2020 is not as bad (or worse)! I've listed some of the incidents by month but, because of space, left many out: January: Swastika was sprayed on Terenure Hebrew Congregation in Dublin, Ireland. Vandals smash windows of Choral Synagogue in Ukraine. Swastika spray-painted outside Temple Beth Torah in Ventura, California Hundreds of stickers "Jews are poisoning our children"... Full story
(JTA)-As always, the Golden Globes was a coming together of some of Hollywood's biggest Jewish talents. There weren't many Jewish award winners at the glitzy ceremony on Sunday night, but here are our favorite Jewish moments from one of the industry's biggest nights of the year. Quentin Tarantino spoke Hebrew to his Israeli wife The non-Jewish director won some awards for his film "Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood," and in an acceptance speech sent some love to his pregnant wife, Israeli singer... Full story
Kinneret's 10th annual 8 Over 80 Gala honors eight remarkable people in our community, each over 80. Shown here are (top row, left to right): Barney Chepenik, Jes Baru, Henry Schilowitz, Harry Lowenstein, and (bottom row, left to right): Joan Forino, Harriet Weiss, Elaine Gamson and Sandi Solomon. Join them on Sunday, March 1, 2020 at Kinneret Apartments. Honor these inspiring older adults by taking out an ad or greeting in Kinneret's Tribute Book. Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased... Full story
Stories from the Orlando Senior Help Desk Sidney was in a panic. He had taken his wife, Helen, to the mall to go shopping and have some lunch. He paid the bill at the restaurant and turned around. Helen had disappeared. He franticly looked around the area and called her name. He couldn’t find her anywhere. He had just looked away for a moment. How could this happen? He contacted mall security who found her 20 minutes later. Helen had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease eight years earlier. The disease had been progressing, sometimes qui... Full story
Never Again?... Who knew that many years later, despite our efforts and the efforts of others, "Never Again" has morphed into "again and again and again! (I thought that present and future generations would learn the lessons from the great tragedy committed by the Nazis who murdered 6 million Jews back in World War II.) But, so far in the past year of 2019, who could have imagined: That a prominent 84-year-old Holocaust Survivor, whose life has been threatened in Italy, would now need police... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-As soon as I got out of a recent screening of "Uncut Gems," I had to share the feelings of sheer cinematic bliss I had just experienced nonstop for two hours. "Just got out of 'Uncut Gems,' the new Adam Sandler movie coming out. He is sooooo good in it," I texted my friend. "Oh cool! What's it about?" she responded. "He plays a sleazy diamond dealer," I said, adding a laughing emoji. "Wow! So he does dramatic movies? Pulling a Steve Carell!" She wasn't exactly living under a... Full story
(JNS)—I found myself locked in a room listening to Israel Defense Forces’ veterans tell their stories while people outside chanted for my blood. For several hours, the protesters chanted, pounded on the walls and doors of the lecture hall, and intimidated participants trying to enter. While the event pressed on despite this brazen assault, at least two Jewish students broke down and had to be escorted out. The relentless pounding, chanting and noise continued unabated for several hours without letup. Calls of “viva intifada,” fauda (meanin... Full story
The murder of eleven Jews while they were observing Shabbat occurred in the heart of Mister Rogers's Neighborhood. The Reverend Fred Rogers and his wife Joanne owned a home and raised their two sons in Squirrel Hill, just two blocks from Tree of Life, the scene of the Oct. 27, 2018, massacre. Who was Fred Rogers? Why did his former neighbors in this predominantly Jewish section of Pittsburgh turn to him for comfort after the tragedy? And why, 17 years after his death has he become everyone's fav... Full story
Wishing all my readers a very "HAPPY NEW YEAR"! The Holocaust????... I read this recently. It was very disturbing. I pass it along to you: "The New Zealand Jewish Council, an affiliate of the World Jewish Congress responded with concern to the results of a recent poll undertaken by the Holocaust Memorial Trust of Auckland, which revealed a shocking level of ignorance and uncertainty about the Holocaust in New Zealand. The poll was carried out in collaboration with Curia Market Research. More... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)—A new documentary about the Wild West covers everything you would expect – gunslingers, cattle barons, lawmen and wide-open spaces. And one thing you wouldn’t: Jews. “Jews of the Wild West,” from director Amanda Kinsey, shows how Jews were as much a part of the American Western expansion as covered wagons and riveted blue jeans—the latter, of course, invented by a Jew. Kinsey said their stories resonate because America’s true history is diverse, and immigrants have always played a... Full story
I first read about arayes-grilled pita sandwiches filled with ground lamb mixed with chopped onions, parsley and spices that are crispy on the outside and juicy within-a few years ago. The mentions increased over time, like a drum beat growing in intensity. While I had lived in Israel and visited there often, I had never eaten one. But it became clear that it was something I had to do. Arayes were a new food THING. Arayes have been around for a long time and there is lots of discussion as to the... Full story
This article originally appeared on Alma. Significant spoilers for all four seasons of “The Man in the High Castle” contained below. When I started watching “The Man in the High Castle,” the idea of a show set in an alternate universe where the allies were defeated in WWII and the Nazis rule over half of North America landed differently than it does today. That’s not to say 2015 was any sort of idyll free of danger or systemic injustice, but the last four years have made the worst of our polit... Full story
"What Macaulay was to the history of the English, Marcia Jo Zerivitz is to the history of Florida Jewry. She has salvaged the records of the past and turned the struggles and successes of the dead into a living, breathing narrative," said Stephen J. Whitfield, professor emeritus of American Studies, Brandeis University. The first comprehensive history of the Jews of Florida from colonial times to the present is a sweeping tapestry of voices. Despite not being officially allowed to live in... Full story
(JTA)-The 2019 Golden Globe nominees were announced Monday morning, and the film "Marriage Story," written and directed by Noah Baumbach, leads the pack with several nominations. Here are the other Jews and Jewish productions that were nominated: "Marriage Story" The movie is up for best drama film, and Baumbach also scored a nomination for best screenplay. Jewish co-star Scarlett Johansson is nominated for best actress in a drama (her co-star Adam Driver, who isn't Jewish but often plays... Full story
Critics have long called out “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” co-creator Amy Sherman-Palladino for the lack of diversity in her shows about pushy, fast-talking white ladies. This outcry probably motivated Sherman-Palladino to set “Maisel” in the 1950s, when its sheer whiteness could be blamed on historical accuracy. Still, I went into “Maisel” two years ago excited to see a gorgeous, prestige show with a female Jewish lead, even if the casting and reliance on broad Jewish stereotypes were not id... Full story
OH NO! HERE WE GO AGAIN! ... The following is part of a letter sent to Hillel from a parent: "I never thought I would have to write anything like this. When you send your child off to college, you expect to worry about the regular things, like whether he or she will find good friends or succeed in class. You shouldn't have to worry about whether other students might hate Jews. My son is proud of his Judaism, a feeling we worked to instill in him from an early age. He enjoyed his time at Hebrew... Full story
(JTA)—For many Jews around the world, there’s probably no love lost for 2019. As the year draws to a close, the Jewish community continues to grapple with the continued rise of global anti-Semitism—one major community in Europe is facing the possible election as prime minister of a man who many Jews consider an anti-Semite. And Israel is caught in the grip of political paralysis following two fruitless elections (with a prime minister facing prosecution for corruption). Meanwhile, with a U.S. presidential election looming next year that is su... Full story
An anniversary is typically a happy occasion with fond memories. This week, Kay observes an auspicious anniversary, one which she's just grateful to be alive to experience, despite the many challenges that befell her in 2010. I suspect that she'd rather not have had the experience to be observing the anniversary to begin with, or her story being shared. When you meet Kay today, immediately you see her zest for life, her passion, and boisterous outgoing personality infusing everything she does.... Full story
(JTA)-Mel Brooks' new HBO special is a departure from the comedian's typical belly-laugh fare. In place of the slapstick gallows humor-though there's plenty of that, too, in "Mel Brooks Unwrapped"-is a more introspective, documentary-style reminiscence of his nearly 60-year career. "You got it right on the nose," Brooks says in a phone interview from Hollywood. "It is kind of a walk through my life, a memoir. Some of it is funny, and some of it is moving and touching. It's a very different kind... Full story
Jewish Academy of Orlando's students loved celebrating Hanukkah with their friends. Here are a few peeks from the week's activities. Jewish Academy of Orlando serves central Florida students of all faiths from transitional kindergarten through fifth grade. The school delivers a whole-child education fostering academic excellence and character education rooted in Jewish values. Jewish Academy of Orlando is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools. To learn more about Jewish... Full story
