Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(My Jewish Learning via JTA)-The central mitzvah of Sukkot is found in Leviticus 23:42, where Jews are commanded to dwell in a sukkah, a temporary hut, for seven days and nights. We do this in order to remember the experiences of our ancestors, both on the journey from Egypt to the Land of Israel and in a later era, when farmers brought offerings to the ancient Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the harvest. But many people live in climates, neighborhoods or buildings that preclude constructing...
(JTA)-So much at the Jewish New Year is sweet: first fruits, honey, honey cake. By the time Sukkot rolls around, we're often looking for something savory to offset it all. Regardless of the time of year, we have some favorites in our house. One is smoked salmon with cream cheese and vegetables on an everything bagel. This menu is a riff on that very dish, but with a lighter and healthier take on the very foods that make the flavors so delicious. For a time saver, the fish can be crusted ahead...
Another great move... I read this recently and pass it along to you: "Speaking at a meeting of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations in Jerusalem, which operates under the auspices of the World Jewish Congress, Paraguayan President HORACIO CARTES expressed satisfaction over the moving of his country's embassy to Jerusalem. If anyone had any doubt about the appropriateness of the embassy move, Cartes said, 'just read the Bible.' Cartes added that this would be his final trip to Israel, as his t...
(The Nosher via JTA)-There can never be too many tomatoes. August's heat is always made more bearable for me by peak tomato season. I love to eat them cut into thick rounds and topped on crusty well-buttered toasted bread, or chopped small in a simple Israeli salad alongside cucumber and herbs. Stuffed vegetables of all kinds were regularly made and eaten in our home, just as they are in many other Russian Jewish kitchens. Stuffed cabbage, stuffed peppers and stuffed mushrooms are regional...
By Rebecca Rosenthal (Kveller via JTA)-If you leave your kids home on the High Holidays so you can have grownup praying time, bring your kids on Sukkot. If you bring your kids to the High Holidays, then bring them back on Sukkot. Sukkot is the best kids holiday. You just might not know it yet. Sukkot is particularly awesome for kids who love building, engineering or arts and crafts (so, most kids). You get to build a sukkah at your home or synagogue, or if you don't have access to those, build...
WARSAW (JTA)-In the small park behind the only synagogue in this city to have survived World War II, Yoram Sztykgold looks around with a perplexed expression. An 82-year-old retired architect, Sztykgold immigrated to Israel after surviving the Holocaust in Poland. He tries in vain to recognize something from what used to be his childhood home. "It's no use," he says after a while. "To me this could be anywhere." Sztykgold's unfamiliarity with the part of Grzybowska Street where he spent his...
AMSTERDAM (JTA)-Last year, Ron Simpson was still managing talent for a living. But within just a few months Simpson, a 34-year-old Jewish marketing professional and producer from Amsterdam with no experience in running a restaurant, launched an international chain of eateries with a partner. It is so wildly popular and innovative that seasoned food critics are celebrating it as a cultural symbol and zeitgeist indicator. As it turns out, all Simpson and partner Julien Zaal needed to take this...
More than 40 years ago a small group of Christians, under the leadership of Pastor Ken Garrison, chose to step away from traditional Baptist practices and began to learn about the biblical feasts found in Leviticus, and to be a support to Israel by following the calling to comfort His people. Over the years, Fellowship Church in Winter Springs, has led Passover seders to teach fellow Christians about how Christian beliefs tie into the celebration that the Jewish people have observed for more...
Each year for the High Holidays, the plaintive, soul-stirring sound of the shofar rings out in synagogues all over the world, and congregants are moved by that ancient tie to their ancestors. For the past several years, Jewish Pavilion volunteer Susie Stone has made sure that Jews in area senior living facilities are not left out. In many Jewish homes, a shofar is proudly displayed on a shelf or mantle, more an object of Judaica than an instrument used during High Holiday prayer. Maybe once or...
He was loved and respected... I wrote briefly about the late Senator John McCain in last week's column when I first heard about his passing. (I write well in advance of publication). What I want to add is that he was a true hero and I want him to be remembered in history as Winston Churchill, Presidents Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, etc., are remembered. I want my grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, etc., to learn about him. Though a life-long...
(JTA)-For North American Jews, the Jewish year 5778 began with tensions between Israel and the Diaspora over egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall and ended with more tension over a controversial nationality law. In between, North American Jews grappled with the impact of the #MeToo movement, the Trump administration relocated the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and actress Natalie Portman made headlines for turning down a chance to collect a top prize in Israel. September 2017 Edie...
By MJL Staff (My Jewish Learning via JTA)-Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, starts at sundown on Tuesday, Sept. 18. Traditionally one of the most somber days on the Jewish calendar, it's known for fasting and repentance-not to mention killer caffeine withdrawal headaches. However, the holiday has some lesser-known associations as well. 1. The word "scapegoat" originates in an ancient Yom Kippur ritual. Jews historically have been popular scapegoats-blamed for an array of ills not of...
(JNS)-Fasting is the most commonly known Yom Kippur ritual. According to a 2016 Pew survey, 40 percent of American Jews and 60 percent of Israeli Jews fast on the Day of Atonement. Of course, fasting is not exclusive to Judaism. It is an ancient practice whose purpose and benefit span across the three Abrahamic faiths-Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Fasting is mentioned in the Bible and the Koran, and although its practices differ across these religions, they each use food restriction and/or...
SOMERVILLE, Mass. (JTA)-On the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Eliana Jacobowitz led her congregation on a walk to the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse on the Mystic River for tashlich, a centuries-old ritual when Jews symbolically discard their sins from the past year into a moving body of water. But instead of the customary bits of stale bread, breadcrumbs or even bits of matzah saved from last Passover, congregants tossed small pebbles. Members of Temple B'nai Brith, a non-affiliated...
"Why are we here?" the question hung in the air of the first board meeting of the revamped Rollins Hillel student board. Sure, who doesn't love free Shabbat dinners and trips to Israel, but really, at the end of the day, why are we here? There are over 100 student organizations in addition to athletics, Greek life, internships, etc., that students at Rollins can be a part of. Why is it important that there is a Jewish student organization on campus? After a moment a student leader looked up,...
This past year has been a very exciting one that saw the J improve and expand its programs to better serve our community. We are excited about our current offerings and we are looking forward to adding new and exciting programs for the community in this new year. November marks the 20th annual Central Florida Jewish Film Festival, in partnership with the Enzian Theater, featuring significant, acclaimed movies with a focus on the Jewish experience. Last year we showed "1945," a film winning...
For 40 years, Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando has served the needs of our neighbors, regardless of race, religion, culture or national origin. We have cared for tens of thousands of those neighbors, keeping true to our mission of "providing services to stabilize individuals and families in crisis, and enhancing the quality of life across generations to all members of the Central Florida community." We strive to ensure that our mission is reflected in everything we do. Our mission...
The Journal of Moral Education published an article titled "Holocaust Knowledge and Holocaust Education Experiences" predicting citizenship values among U.S. adults. The research investigated the relationship between Holocaust knowledge, Holocaust educational experiences and citizenship values. The authors concluded that learning about the Holocaust in school, hearing Holocaust Survivor testimony (in person or via electronic media) and visiting a Holocaust museum were the strongest predictors...
A special date... Today, Sept. 7, my beloved spouse, Irv and his twin brother, Jack, were born. Irv and I were married for 55 years until his death on Aug. 20, 2015. Life goes on... barely. I also just received a message on my cell phone that said U.S. Senator John McCain has died. How sad! I had so much respect for Senator McCain, he will be sorely missed by me and by the entire country (and maybe even the world.) May he rest in peace. French justice... I read this recently about the murder of...
Many people are familiar with the "Aleinu" prayer recited at the conclusion of each Jewish prayer service. I would even venture to say that it is one of the favorite prayers of the Jewish people because it indicates that services are coming to an end. What many people don't realize is that this ancient prayer was originally only recited as part of the High Holiday liturgy. It was so popular that the rabbis decided to incorporate it as the concluding prayer of our daily service. During Aleinu we...
I have to confess something-when I was in college, I did not go to Hillel. I made a deal with my mother that I would go once a semester for a bagel brunch or a Shabbat dinner, but after fall of my freshmen year I decided it wasn't for me (sorry Mom). Even five years ago when I moved to the Orlando area to help restart Central Florida Hillel I was skeptical. Does Hillel work? Does it have an impact? Can a truly welcoming and inclusive community really exist on a college campus? Through no small a...
It's that time of the year again when roughly 350,000 Jewish college students will be facing the High Holidays away from home. Whether for the very first time or just returning for another year of school, this is a time of the year when Central Florida Hillel is at its busiest. The High Holidays present a perfect opportunity for young Jewish adults to get together, whether they are observant or completely secular. The social aspects of the holiday combined with our famously abundant, delicious...
In the next few days we'll celebrate Rosh Hashanah and herald in the new year 5779. It is a time of renewal and of family-filled with good food, traditions and wishes, hopes and prayers for the future. While the holiday is best known by the name "Rosh Hashanah," which literally means "head of the year," in the Torah the holiday is called "Zichron Truah," which roughly translates as "Memory Blast." Additionally, the only mitzvah, or commandment, that is directly connected with this holiday is to...
Picture a pretty welcome table in the lobby with Jewish calendars, apples and honey. Imagine a front desk clerk wishing all Jewish residents and their family members a happy New Year. Think about a holiday menu with challah, noodle pudding, tzimmes and apple cake. While these things were once unimaginable in Orlando, they are occurring today in over 70 elder-care communities thanks to the Jewish Pavilion. Seniors who are no longer able to travel to shul can celebrate the High Holidays with...
Shalom, friends, On behalf of the staff and Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, I wish you a sweet New Year 5779! Just over a month ago, I was elected president of the Federation, and during our annual meeting I discussed our strategic plan to refine and modernize Orlando's Federation model to better serve the modern local Jewish community. As we embark on a promising new year, it is apropos to reaffirm the principles that will fuel our progress in the months ahead. The Federation mission is built on four core...
