Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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How does one keep the memory alive of the 800,000 Belarusian Jews killed during the Holocaust? For two Jewish families with links to Florida, along with a couple from England, the answer was simple: One monument at a time. In the first half of the twentieth century, the Jews in Belarus were its third largest ethnic group in this Eastern European country. The population of cities such as Minsk, Pinsk, Mahiliou, Babrujsk, Vitsyebsk, and Gomel was more than 50 percent Jewish. Tragically, some...
AMSTERDAM (JTA)—Each spring, the televised Eurovision song contest captivates the continent in ways that outsiders can never hope to understand. A sort of Olympics for patriotic power pop, Eurovision might attract the interest of, say, Jews outside of Europe only when the Israeli entry is a strong contender, like this year’s unorthodox number “Toy” by Netta Barzilai. But while Jewish pride is a sidebar at the $180 million Eurovision contest, it is front and center at Jewrovision—a Jewish version of the Eurovision song contest which took plac...
This year, Israel marks 70 years of statehood—seven decades of intensive growth and remarkable achievement. Jewish National Fund-USA is proud of the formative role it has played in the country’s development, since before the founding of the Modern State of Israel, and continuing as a key player in the strategic development of Israel’s natural resources and infrastructure. Over the years, Jewish National Fund-USA has worked hand in hand with the State of Israel in areas such as forest management, water conservation, infrastructure suppo...
(JTA)-"Star Wars" fans are eagerly awaiting the franchise's latest film, "Solo: A Star Wars Story." As its title suggests, the flick focuses on Han Solo, the legendary character made famous by Harrison Ford in the series' first films from the late '70s. The "Solo" movie, which hits theaters on today, is the second of what are being called the "Star Wars" anthology films-or offshoots of the main series (which, for now, is made up of three trilogies: the original films, the early 2000s prequels...
(JNS)-Roseanne Barr, the Jewish-American actress who made a name for herself in comedy and on television, talked about wanting to move to Israel and potentially running for office there while at the annual Jerusalem Post Conference on Sunday in New York. During a discussion on stage, the "Roseanne" star said: "I want to move to Israel and run for prime minister. In 2012, I said I was gonna run for president of the United States and prime minister of Israel, a twofer. But I do have that fantasy,...
We can count on Israel... When it comes to science and medical cures, Israel seems to be leading the world. How proud that makes me feel. It is even more than pride I feel, as I've been a diabetic for many years. I read this in my copy of World Jewish Congress (WJC) Digest, Science & Technology: "The Israeli company Cnoga Medical has developed a new, pain-free way to monitor blood glucose levels, eliminating the discomfort of diabetes patients who check their sugar levels by using a finger-prick...
When you are a people watcher and you see residents at an assisted- living facility being brought into a group area, you see "it"-The lifeless stares are heart breaking. The program begins and some residents respond, a brief spark of life. You may not get all of them, but a few come alive. All it takes is simple change in the dreary pattern that has now become their life. Our goal at the Jewish Pavilion is to see that every resident is not forgotten in a facility where staff is unfamiliar with...
(JTA)—“Transparent,” the Amazon Studios television series about the Jewish transgender matriarch of a Los Angeles family, will end after its upcoming fifth season. Actor Jeffrey Tambor, who plays the lead role of Maura Pfefferman, was fired from the series in February, following an investigation into allegations that he sexually harassed two women associated with the production. In November, Trace Lysette, who plays a recurring character on the series, and Van Barnes, Tambor’s former assistant, accused him of sexual misconduct. Creator Jill So...
JNS is proud to partner with the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C., to celebrate 70 of the greatest American contributors to the U.S.-Israel relationship in the 70 days leading up to the State of Israel's 70th anniversary. (Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. via JNS)-The New York Times is well-known for its criticism of Israel, which is what makes the work of A.M. ("Abe") Rosenthal (1922–2006) and William Safire (1929–2009) stand out all the more. When A.M. Rosenthal arrived at The New...
JERUSALEM (JTA)-Gino Bartali had already won the Tour de France once and the Giro d'Italia twice when he started taking the most dramatic bicycle rides of his life. Bartali was an Italian cyclist who grew up in a Tuscan village and whose championships in the mid-1930s were the pride of the nation-and Benito Mussolini's fascist government. But the admiration was not mutual: Bartali refused requests to dedicate his Tour de France championship to the dictator, and later began working to undermine f...
Late in the afternoon, an intimate gathering was hosted by the Jewish Pavilion and an assisted-living facility. There, Women of Faith gathered around the simple and beautifully adorned table to usher in and welcome the Sabbath. Prayers were recited over the candles, wine and challah bread. All shared stories of their faith, their families and expressed their gratitude. Upon conclusion... hands touched hands... all us felt the depth of our connection. The sacred space that we lovingly created was so peaceful, so powerful and so strong. It truly...
Local resident and Congregation of Reform Judaism member Cindy Halpern's family memoir is unlike any other book I have ever read. Not only does Halpern tell her story of being the only "normal child" in her immediate family, her mother's memoir is told "through" Halpern. Both memoirs are brilliantly written in first person. "The Normal Child" begins with Halpern's memoir. She was the third child in a family of four children. The oldest, her sister Anita, had mild retardation and was cruel to...
NEW YORK (JTA)-Michael Twitty won the James Beard Foundation's 2018 Book of the Year award for his book on African-American Southern food. The James Beard Foundation announced last week that Twitty, an African-American Jew-by-choice, won the prestigious award for "The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African-American Culinary History in the Old South." The book explores the history of soul food and its relationship to the larger category of Southern cuisine. In 2012, Twitty embarked on a...
I recently heard from the Simon Wiesenthal Center... The Simon Wiesenthal Center denounced a political cartoon in Volkskrant, a major Dutch newspaper, for depicting Israel as a murderous bully celebrating its 70th birthday by gunning down defenseless Palestinians at the Gaza border. "For the last month, Hamas has deployed the people of Gaza, including terrorists, at the Israeli border in what it labeled as peaceful protests but in reality, they included firebombs, kites affixed with...
NEW YORK (JTA)-In 2008, famed comic book artist Neal Adams and Holocaust historian Rafael Medoff teamed up to create a comic about Dina Babbitt, a Czech Jewish artist forced by the infamous Dr. Josef Mengele to paint watercolors of Roma prisoners in Auschwitz. They hoped to bring attention to a little-known figure in the Holocaust. But their work on the comic, published by Marvel, also led them to ponder a larger issue: the surprising degree to which comic books had addressed the genocide in Europe. "We were surprised and impressed to discover...
(JTA)-It should not be surprising that Rachel Bloom is on Team Michelle Wolf-supporting the comedian who may have singlehandedly killed the White House Correspondents' Dinner with her scathing public roast of the Trump administration. Bloom, 31, has excelled in the shock-comedy genre herself. She's now best known for creating and starring in the successful musical TV series "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," but before that she turned heads and worked her way up the show-biz ladder thanks to a YouTube...
Teaching students Hebrew is a top priority for the Chicago-area day school Hillel Torah. So to ensure it has a ready supply of native Hebrew speakers on its faculty, the school goes straight to the source. It recruits two couples from Israel for multiyear teaching gigs, flies them to Chicago and puts them up in rented homes. A parent committee makes sure the houses are appropriately furnished and the refrigerators fully stocked. Volunteers take the couples to open bank accounts and offer tours o...
(The Nosher via JTA)-I had never been much of a rugelach baker until this recipe. While I gravitated toward challah and babka, I always found store-bought rugelach to be a bit bland and disappointing. But to my great delight, rugelach is supremely easy to make. Most recipes rely on a 1-to-1 ratio of butter and cream cheese in the dough for flavor and flakiness. I stick with that classic method (don't mess with perfection!), but also add a bit of sour cream for an extra tender texture. The dough...
A wonderful lady... We lost a lovely lady, a former first lady of the United States just recently. She was admired and loved by most, including me. The wife of a president and the mother of a president and governor, she was a force in her family. May she rest in peace. She will be missed. Wow! Talk about posh!... I recently visited a new facility in Winter Park, took the tour with a group of others and had a lovely lunch. The name of the place is Allegro, which refers to upbeat musical tempo....
(The Nosher via JTA)-Kreplach seem like the kind of dish only your bubbe would make. Especially from scratch. And I always felt intimidated to even try it. You have to make the dough, make the filling and shape it just right. (Turns out, actually you don't.) But last year I was lucky enough to spend time with a real bubbe and cookbook author (and also my friend), Ronnie Fein, who shared with me her tried-and-true method and recipe. Turns out it's easier than I thought: The kreplach don't need...
How do Israelis celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day? Like many Israeli holidays, there's a lot of singing, dancing, and eating. Family and friends gather to reminisce of both victory and statehood. Yet, Israel Independence Day takes place right after Yom Hazikaron-the Memorial Day for fallen Israel Defense Forces soldiers. Placing the two holidays so close together is a reminder that Israeli independence has come at the very highest cost-the lives of sacrificed soldiers. So what...
WEST PALM BEACH (JTA)-Sitting on a couch near his locker at the Houston Astros' spring training facility here in mid-March, Alex Bregman is reflecting about an encounter his father had at the World Series last fall. It was in Los Angeles, between innings of the opening game. Sam Bregman was headed for a Dodger Stadium concession stand to grab a nosh wearing his Astros jersey with the No. 2 and his surname stitched on the back-a facsimile of his son's uniform. The young Bregman, a third baseman,...
MONTREAL (JTA)-Just inside the gate of the Shaar Hashomayim synagogue off Boulevard du Mont Royal, a gravestone bears an unusual Star of David, the sharp angles of its two opposing triangles-one reaching heavenward, the other aimed at the earth-softened into the shape of hearts. A dozen red roses scattered on the ground are signs of recent visitors, and an overflowing mound of stones on top, in keeping with the Jewish custom, is evidence of many more. The footstone is engraved in Hebrew with...
(JNS)-Members of the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli civilians are jointly commemorating the decisive battles of the 1948 War of Independence ahead of national celebrations of Israel's 70th year of Independence. "When you study the War of Independence, which is fascinating, in an in-depth manner, you see that the IDF was born in this war," Education Officer Lt.-Col. Shuli Ben Moha, who is running the commemoration tours, told JNS. "In this war, the IDF built itself up. Its values were born in...
"Canada, Oh Canada"... That's how the song starts. I have a special feeling for Canada as my mom, Sally, was born in Montreal, Canada. Her parents, (my maternal grandparents) fled to Canada from the Ukraine before the turn of the last century with my Uncle Jack and my Aunt Betty. Jack and Betty made it to the States when they were grown and my mom came with her father (her mom was deceased) when she was a young girl. The rest is history! Speaking of Canada... I read this in a recent copy of the...
