Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 2326 - 2350 of 4419
(JTA)-In "7 Days in Entebbe," which hits theaters on Friday, Daniel Bruhl plays a German leftist terrorist tortured by the fact that he's hijacking a plane full of Jews and taking them prisoner. The movie, about the 1976 Israeli rescue operation that freed the mainly Jewish and Israeli hostages of a hijacked plane in Uganda, focuses on the conflicted experiences of the two Germans-played by Bruhl and Rosamund Pike-who allied with Palestinian terrorists to hijack the Paris-bound plane. Even as... Full story
(JTA)—More than 50 entertainment industry executives have signed a letter in support of Netflix, after the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel threatened a lawsuit over its distribution of the Israeli drama series “Fauda.” The show focuses on a commando unit of the Israeli Defense Forces whose members embed themselves in the Palestinian community, gathering intelligence and preventing terror attacks. Fauda is an Arabic word meaning “chaos.” The show incorporates both Arabic and Hebrew dialogue. It airs on Netflix with Engl... Full story
(JTA)-"Arthur Miller: Writer," a lovingly crafted documentary about the award-winning playwright set to air on HBO, doesn't reveal a lot of new information. A good portion of the film involves Miller himself speaking from the audio version of his 1987 memoir, "Timebends: A Life." And much has already been written elsewhere about the tumultuous life of the Jewish author who gave us classics such as "Death of a Salesman" and "The Crucible," and spent much of the 1950s in the public eye. But the fi... Full story
(JNS)-In an interview, former U.S. President Bill Clinton admitted that he tried to help former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres defeat Benjamin Netanyahu during Israel's elections in 1996, just a year after the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Clinton stated in an interview on Israel's Channel 10 news that it "would be fair to say" that he assisted in the process to elect Shimon Peres, adding that "I tried to do it in a way that didn't overtly involve me." He explained... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-The Torah tells how God created the earth and the heavens, although the stories that follow tell us more about the former than the latter. A new exhibit doesn't quite answer theological questions about space, but it does show the ways in which Jews have looked at, written about and traveled into the final frontier. "Jews in Space: Members of the Tribe in Orbit," named after a Mel Brooks gag, is an exhibit organized and on view at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and the... Full story
In 1978, Time magazine claimed that 80 percent of all stand-up comedians in the United States were Jewish. And this at a time when Jews made up only 3 percent of the U.S. By way of explanation, psychologist Samuel Janus told a meeting of the American Psychological Association that, “Jewish humor is born of depression and alienation from the general culture. For Jewish comedians, comedy is a defense mechanism to ward off the aggression and hostility of others.” Or as Mel Brooks put it: “If they’re laughing, how can they bludgeon you to death?” F... 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. (JNS)-Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was without question a great Jewish figure, and one of the greatest Jewish leaders of the 20th century. A talented and charismatic scholar, he was known across the world as simply "The Rebbe." As the seventh Rebbe of the... Full story
FBI reports uptick on anti-Semitism... I read this recently in the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest (got upset as usual) and pass it along: "According to hate crime statistics recently released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the number of anti-Semitic incidents in the United States rose slightly over the previous year and each year. Following Jews, Muslims were the targets of the second-largest number of hate crimes." (No surprise to me. Anti-Semitism seems to be back and just as... Full story
(JTA)-There's no reason Hodaya Koskas and Barrett Brickell would know each other. Koskas, 14, is a high school student from a small city in central Israel who takes ballet classes and hopes to be a dancer. Brickell, 71, is a retired schoolteacher from Ottawa, Canada. But they've been video chatting every week since September. The unlikely pairing begins by having Koskas read a one-page English description of a place in Israel, perhaps the Western Wall or a mall. Then they shift into talking... Full story
(The Nosher via JTA)-Most of us need few excuses to make a batch of chocolate truffles, especially when coffee is involved. My take on chocolate espresso truffles combines a velvety chocolate base with just enough espresso flavor to give you your caffeine fix. The fact that this version is vegan, kosher for Passover and healthy (no added sugar!) is just icing on the cake. I make these truffles with whatever nuts I have on hand (hazelnuts are to die for and make them taste like Nutella). Roll... Full story
"I had a really good time and it was very impactful," shared Lexi Landa, a teen of CTeen North Orlando who was referring to the 10th annual International Shabbaton, organized by the Chabad Teen Network. CTeen, the fastest growing and most diverse Jewish youth organization in the world, hosted a four-day event in New York, which drew in a record breaking 2,500 people. The inspirational weekend included a traditional Shabbat experience in the heart of Crown Heights, the Hasidic neighborhood of... Full story
ENSCHEDE, Netherlands (JTA)-For most matzah bakeries, Passover is their lifeline and only claim to financial viability. After the weeklong holiday, during which Jews are commanded to consume matzah to commemorate their ancestors' hurried flight out of Egypt, demand for the famously tasteless cracker drops sharply. Except, that is, in the Netherlands. A centuries-old and proud Jewish community here has made matzah a household product that is sold in supermarkets and consumed year-round by... Full story
Browsing recently at a Denver airport store on my way home to Orlando, I was greeted by the clerk. Exchanging pleasantries, I asked him how his day was going. “Counting the hours, ma’am. Just counting the hours.” “It can’t be that bad,” I replied. “I am working a 15-hour shift in a newspaper stand in an airport,” he said. “And this with a college degree. As I said, ‘Just counting the hours.’” Okay, so this young man was not living his dream. But all I could think of is that the clerk appeared to be the same age as a friend of mine who beca... Full story
The Jewish Community at UCF hosted a one-of-a-kind event on campus on Feb. 22. Sami Steigmann, a Holocaust survivor and motivational speaker addressed a gathering of over 50 people. The audience was brought together with the help of CAMERA on Campus, ZOA, UCF Hillel, JewCF Chabad, UCF Greek Chapters AEPi, and AEPhi, and the hosts of the event, Knights for Israel. At the age of 3, Steigmann and his family were sent to a hard labor camp. Because he was so young, his only value was as an... Full story
South American Holocaust Museum... I read this in the World Jewish Congress digest and pass it along to you in part: "As reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Holocaust Museum of Buenos Aires, Argentina, recently welcomed a record 17,727 visitors in one night, and then closed for a year and a half to undergo renovations. Two days after setting its attendance record, the 17-year-old museum announced it will close for a $4 million building project that will add space for a permanent... Full story
(JNS)-Passover is called the holiday of freedom for good reason. Every year for the last 3,000 or so years-wherever we are and in whatever form of bondage we find ourselves-we manage to celebrate our liberation after 210 years of serving Pharaoh, complete with the horror of watching our infant sons thrown into the Nile. Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, runs this year from tonight through Saturday, April 7 (after Shabbat). It is, after all, the Jewish holiday most redolent of freedom. In the space... Full story
(JTA)-The American toy company that created the Barbie doll announced a new doll honoring Iris Apfel, the 96-year-old Jewish fashion guru. The Apfel doll wears the same green Gucci suit and jewels that the real-life Apfel wears on the cover of her latest book, "Accidental Icon," the New York Post reported Thursday. "Her long-spanning career makes her the perfect subject of a one-of-a-kind doll, the highest honor Barbie bestows," a Mattel representative told the Post in a statement. The new Apfel... Full story
When an Iranian drone was shot down in a field this past February, news focused on the ensuing Israeli plane shot down in Syria, and on the long-term implications for the United States' involvement in Syria. But what of the Israelis who heard the drone fall almost literally in their backyard? What of the thousands of Israelis who were awakened at 4 a.m. just after Shabbat, in a panic about the siren that was going off? "I awoke, dressed in my uniform, and comforted my neighbor next door, who... Full story
(MyJewishLearning via JTA)-Making your own Haggadah is not just a money saver, but also a great way to educate yourself about the Passover seder, add a unique twist to the festive meal and have a more meaningful and satisfying holiday. For generations, enterprising seder leaders have been sticking Post-It notes in their favorite parts of existing Haggadahs, adding in photocopied readings, or even cutting and pasting from multiple Haggadahs and combining it all in a loose-leaf binder. The Interne... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-I have roamed the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Egyptian wing many times, marveling at sarcophagi, statues of Horus and Ra, and portraits of young men on ancient panels who gaze back at visitors, looking shockingly familiar and contemporary. But on a Sunday just before Passover, I viewed the artifacts as I'd never before seen them: through the lens of the Exodus story, which we retell each year through reading the Haggadah. Nachliel Selavan, a Jewish educator and self-taught... Full story
BOSTON (JTA)-When Deborah Bodin Cohen immersed herself in rabbinical school in the early 1990s, she expected to spend a year in Israel as part of her studies with Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. What she didn't know was that a decade later, the experience of living in Jerusalem would spark her inspiration for a children's book that has become a popular award-winning series. "Engineer Ari and the Passover Rush," Bodin Cohen's fourth book in Kar-Ben's "Engineer Ari" series, is... Full story
(JTA)-Even during Jewish holidays, when food is so abundant, it is possible to eat well. My cookbook, "Great Meals with Greens and Grains," highlights many of my favorite plant-based, vegetarian recipes that not only are healthy but delicious. And many of its recipes are kosher for Passover or can be easily modified by removing or substituting a single ingredient. The following three recipes would be great when served as a light dairy lunch following a traditionally heavy seder. They are colorfu... Full story
Great music. Great memories... Unlike the music of today, (much of it Rap spelled with a silent C)... thanks to my dear friend, TONI McDONNELL, I was able to watch a television show on the UCF Channel featuring the big bands and the music I appreciate. And I appreciated Toni telling me about it! I especially enjoyed seeing the legendary Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra that I eventually became the vocalist with. I repeat... Great Music. Great Memories! Honors well deserved... I received this news from... Full story
(JNS)-Why is this year going to be different from all other years? Because this year, you can stump your guests with the meaning behind many of the mysterious rites that comprise the Passover seder. Let's face it, you finally wrap up those frenzied days of cleaning and cooking. And then your guests arrive (Passover is an even bigger family reunion than Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year), and by the time you pass out the Haggadahs and the seder actually begins, you often slog through it on autop... Full story
(Kveller via JTA)-When I see the giant gefilte fish and matzah display at Costco in late February, it sends me into a panic. I think, is it time for gefilte fish already? I think that finding the holiday foods, including that gigantic jar of gefilte fish, is not easy and maybe I should stockpile now. I start thinking about how many people I'm having for Passover-a lot or a little? One manageable table or an impossible four? Most of the year I'm a pretty normal American woman. I look normal. I... Full story
