Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 2276 - 2300 of 4419
Finally, some justice... I read this in a current issue of the World Jewish Congress digest and pass it along: "Polish Deputy Prime Minister PIOTR GHLINSKI has personally informed the WJC that the Polish government will invest 100 million zloty ($28 million USD) to restore the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery. Glinski relayed the decision to WJC CEO and Executive Vice President, ROBERT SINGER, during a special meeting at the cemetery itself in mid-December. Singer travelled to Warsaw as part of a... Full story
In the spirit of Philip Roth's The Plot Against America and Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay comes this meticulously-crafted novel, "My Mother's Son" by David Hirshberg (Fig Tree Books LLC). The story is told by a radio raconteur revisiting his past in post-World War II Boston, the playground and battleground for two brothers whose lives are transformed by discoveries they never could have imagined. From the opening line of the book, "When you're a kid, they don't... Full story
How far does bashert extend? Does it reach beyond the grave? And if so, would you recognize your soul's complement in another? Beyond the bliss of actually finding your soul mate, there is a belief that the universe hinges on predetermined people finding their other half, their bashert, to maintain cosmic balance. In "Bashert" author, screenwriter, director and former rabbi Herb Freed immerses us in the heady intoxication and thunderous losses of what it really means to be bashert. Dan Sobol... Full story
Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, and Andre Dobson, PE coach at Faith Christian Academy in east Orlando, have a lot in common. They both are passionate about football and love Israel. To be able to combine the two is the icing on the cake for both men. And they have their icing: Kraft sponsors the Israel Football League and built the only football stadium in Jerusalem, Israel, and Dobson is going to be training one of the League's coaches this summer. This is where Dobson needs... Full story
Whether living independently or with assistance, elders often experience social issues and anxiety. Here are just a few examples of what they may be feeling: • Loneliness from losing a spouse and friends. • Inability to independently manage the regular activities of living. • Difficulty coping with the physical changes of aging. • Frustration with ongoing medical problems. • Feeling inadequate from the inability to continue to work. You can offer to help them handle these feelings in several ways: • Plan a small trip with your loved one.... Full story
On March 28, 1956, nine-year-old Steven Mattis sat mesmerized in his living room in Philadelphia as Kraft Theater's adaptation of "A Night to Remember" unfolded. Based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Walter Lord, the one-hour television production told the story of the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. At first enthralled by the beautiful ship, the glamour of the first-class passengers, and the contrast to the third-class passengers' circumstances, Mattis' fascination turned to horror... Full story
I am so upset... What kind of White House do we have? What's with our 45th? What is happening to Congress? (Well, maybe I won't be alive much longer to care, but my children and grandchildren hopefully will be). Who ever made that remark about Senator JOHN McCAIN "dying anyway" should be fired! John McCain is what America is all about... (or should be about.) He has served our country honorably, I trust every word he says. He's not a liar! He tries to do the right thing for all of us, even if... Full story
The Kinneret Council on Aging, a nonprofit agency that provides ongoing programs and services to residents of Kinneret Apartments, recently celebrated the 100th birthday of resident Ruth Salzman. Born Ruth Bornstein in Paterson, New Jersey, on April 11, 1918, Ruth reached the 100 years old milestone, and she celebrated with family and friends at Kinneret. She has been a resident of Kinneret since 2001, which was founded by cousins Jerry Bornstein and Flossie Gluckman. Ruth along with her husband... Full story
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... Full story
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... Full story
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... Full story
(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... Full story
(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,... Full story
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... Full story
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... Full story
(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... Full story
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... Full story
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... Full story
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... Full story
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... Full story
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... Full story
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... Full story
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... Full story
(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... Full story
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... Full story
