Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 2401 - 2425 of 4386
Israel ahead in research... Once again, when it comes to science, medicine... everything, I am proud to say, Israel seems to be leading the pack. I read the following in Impact, the magazine of the American Associates of Ben Gurion University of the Negev. I pass it along to you: In the United States today, one in 68 children is diagnosed with autism, a disorder symptomized by social interaction problems, restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Autism is currently the most prevalent... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-Nazis came for Rose Holm's family in the afternoon. By the evening, the 16-year-old was lying among corpses in the underground bunker where she and her family had been hiding. "I was between those dead ones, and I didn't know if I'm alive or I'm dead," Holm, now 92, recalled. Among those shot and killed were Holm's parents, brother and one of her sisters, as well as some 85 other Jews hiding in the bunker outside Parczew, a town in the eastern part of Poland. Only one family... Full story
SECAUCUS, N.J. (JTA)-"Caution: Meat and dairy sampling on show floor," read a sign at the entrance to Meadowlands Exposition Center. That may seem like an unusual warning outside a convention center, but to the crowd attending the food expo there on Tuesday, it made sense: Kosherfest is the world's largest kosher food trade show, where the vast majority of those attending follow the Jewish prohibition against mixing meat and dairy. More than 4,000 food industry professionals gathered for the... Full story
(The Nosher via JTA)-I recently fell in love with honey squash, a new variety of hearty winter squash bred specifically to be concentrated in flavor and adorable in appearance. OK, maybe it wasn't specifically grown to be adorable, but the result nevertheless is the same. I found honey squash at several New York- and New Jersey-area farms and farmers markets, and I know that Whole Foods has also been selling them. But even if you cannot find this super sweet squash, you can substitute regular... Full story
Larry and I have many "pets" in our home. A butterfly rests outside our front door, and two larger ones fly on our lanai wall. A two-foot bear clutching his "Bear Feet Only" sign greets visitors on the front porch. Pedro the Parrot hangs on a curtain rod. And various bulldogs-stuffed, ceramic, and metal, are stationed around the house in honor of the nickname my boss gave me when I moved from the classroom to an administrative office. However, I would have to say my favorite animals in our... Full story
BOSTON (JTA)-Move over, potato latkes. Make room for dosas. The savory fried Indian lentil and rice pancakes take center stage in "Queen of the Dosas," a gem of a new Chanukah book by the award-winning children's writer Pamela Ehrenberg. It's among eight new Chanukah books for kids-one for each night of the holiday-sure to kindle the flames of imagination in young readers. The bounty of this season's books travel the globe, from city life to wooded forests, with engaging-and many humorous-storie... Full story
Israel does it again... When it comes to science and technology, Israel is leading the field! I read this recently in the World Jewish Congress digest and pass it along: "As highlighted in NoCamels, (the leading news website covering the startup nation, with a focus on Israel innovation in technology, science, design, medicine and cyber) more than 23 million people worldwide suffer from diastolic heart failure, a condition in which the heart fails to pump sufficient oxygenated blood to meet the... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-When Chris Doeblin agreed to buy 100 copies of a children's book to help an author friend, he didn't expect to become enmeshed in a controversy over international relations and free speech. But that's what happened after Doeblin, the co-owner of Book Culture, a chain of independent bookstores in New York City, purchased and held a reading of "P is for Palestine," which came out last month. Written by Golbarg Bashi, an Iranian-born author who has held Persian-language readings of... Full story
TEL AVIV (JTA)-The sufganiyah is the plump, shining star of Chanukah in Israel. During the holiday season, the famed jelly doughnut poses in the windows of cafés and bakeries across the country. It sparkles with oil and sugar, and shows just enough filling to keep fans interested. Every year, top chefs compete to give the sufganiyah an edgy new twist, whether its cheesecake filling, mascarpone topping or a chocolate-filled squeeze tube accessory. Israeli TV channels, newspapers and social... Full story
(The Nosher via JTA)-The Japanese word okonomiyaki is derived from two words: okonomi "how you like it" and yaki "grill." Okonomiyaki is a customizable Japanese savory vegetable pancake. Like a latke, it gets cooked in oil in a fritter formation. Unlike a latke, it's usually made into a large plate-sized pancake comprising mainly cabbage. Food historians have linked the rise in popularity of okonomiyaki in Japan to World War II, when rice was more scarce and this recipe offered a filling meal... Full story
Chanukah is known as the Festival of Lights. On each night we light one more candle to remember the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks and the rededication of the Second Temple. But there are more ways to create light than using Chanukah menorah candles. JNS.org offers a list of eight gifts, one for each night of the holiday, that are guaranteed to light up your friend or loved-one's Chanukah. Night 1: Lantern Lanterns can make wonderful gifts. Consider buying a unique, decorative lantern... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-It is the "the witching hour," around 4:30 p.m., when darkness descends swiftly on the streets of New York, and exhausted children and their parents tend to quarrel. But my son Joel, now 12, is full of good cheer. He keeps a steady bounce in his step. He smiles into the wind. "The black sky at this early hour," Joel explains, his tall frame swaying in sync with his springing step, "means that the Chanukah lights will be coming soon." For a parent, it is a sweet moment like so... Full story
(Kveller via JTA)—Salad fixins? Check. Cookies? Check. Menorah, candles and dreidels? Check, check, check. My husband, kids and I were headed to family dinner at the home of a dear friend. She and her husband are not Jewish, but my friend is a history teacher who loves learning about and sharing multicultural traditions. Since she had never lit a menorah before, she asked me to bring ours—I was more than happy to oblige. For good measure, I also brought some dreidels and, because our kids ate all our gelt the first night of Chanukah, some red... Full story
(JTA)-Within the Jewish musical canon are several songs that seem to have always existed-tunes we all know and pass down from one generation to the next. One example is the Hanukkah favorite "I Have a Little Dreidel"-chances are most everyone reading this can sing the chorus, at least. Another example, from a more elevated sphere of Jewish practice, is "Shalom Aleichem"-it isn't hard to imagine Jewish families around the world simultaneously welcoming Shabbat with the familiar strains of this... Full story
(MyJewishLearning via JTA)-Do you have friends or family members who are new to the tribe? Maybe they recently converted, married a Jew or became newly interested in their Jewish roots? Or maybe you're the newbie and are wondering what to put on your wish list. Whatever the particulars, MyJewishLearning has you covered, with Chanukah gift ideas designed to please the Jewish newbies in your life. Cookbooks Amelia Saltsman's "The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen" ($20.23), Leah Koenig's "Modern Jewish... Full story
(I'm still upset about the Nazi march in Charlottesville some time ago. To think that our country's Commander in Chief said some of them were good people, makes me beyond angry!) And speaking of Nazis... I read this in the current issue of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest and pass it along to you. I know it is upsetting but we MUST be aware or another Holocaust could happen!: "A small neo-Nazi group that bills itself as 'the Hitlers you've been waiting for' surreptitiously put up... Full story
An "enchanting festival of light-hearted glee and meaningful warmth" (Los Angeles Times) arrives in celebration at the end of Chanukah when the musical comedy, "The MeshugaNutcracker!," debuts in movie theaters nationwide on Tuesday, Dec.19, putting a unique spin on the classic Nutcracker ballet. "The MeshugaNutcracker!" will be shown at the Altamonte Mall 18, 433 W. Altamonte Dr.; Winter Park Village 20, 510 N. Orlando Ave.; and Waterford Lakes 20, 541 N. Alafaya Trail for only one 7 p.m.... Full story
(Jewish& via JTA)—For many years, I worked in the most special place I could imagine. It’s a radical beit midrash (house of study) in Jerusalem, Memizrach Shemesh, the Social Action Beit Midrash, inspired by the traditions of Jews from Arab lands. At Memizrach Shemesh, we used Jewish texts, with a special emphasis on Sephardic and Mizrachi rabbinic texts, as tools for awareness raising and social change. We trained leaders, educators and activists in Israeli society with the perspective that good community workers need to learn before tak... Full story
(JTA)-Like any self-respecting author, Ann D. Koffsky checks her Amazon rankings on a regular basis. "A little bit ridiculously," she acknowledged. Yet when she noticed the rating for her most recent book had dropped to one-star overnight, it wasn't so funny-especially once she started reading the user reviews. "This book is filled with lies," claimed one. "Very upsetting," said another. "Utter propaganda..." began the next. Soon the "review war," as Koffsky called it, spilled over onto her... Full story
(The Nosher via JTA)—In many homes, there is a tradition to bake Hanukkah cookies this time of year. Whether it’s the sugar and butter mixing in the mixer, the blue and white sprinkles, or the festive menorah cookie cutters, there is something about cookie baking that propels us into the holiday spirit. This year, I wanted a new Hanukkah cookie to share with family and friends. Although I love the classic sugar cookie with sprinkles, sometimes it’s nice to have a really easy and delicious cookie with limited frill and fuss. These blue crink... Full story
CASALE MONFERRATO, Italy (JTA)-It's always Chanukah in this picturesque town in northern Italy's Piedmont region. Jews have lived in Casale Monferrato for more than 500 years, with the community reaching its peak of 850 members at about the time Jews here were granted civil rights in 1848. The town still boasts one of Italy's most ornate synagogues, a rococo gem that dates to the 16th century. These days, only two Jewish families live in Casale. The synagogue, which is part of a larger museum... Full story
(My Jewish Learning via JTA)—How do you pronounce Chanukah? Is there a correct spelling for the holiday? Why does Chanukah last eight days? These are just some of the frequently asked questions about the Festival of Lights. Here are the answers to those and many more. How do you pronounce Chanukah? English speakers generally pronounce it HAH-nuh-kuh. However, some people prefer the Israeli pronunciation, which is khah-new-KAH. Is there a correct way to spell Chanukah? Chanukah is a Hebrew word, not an English one, and there is no standard t... Full story
(The Nosher via JTA)-Noodles and cottage cheese was the defining dish of my childhood. I think of it as the Eastern European version of boxed macaroni and cheese-a culinary staple of youth. Whenever I bring up noodles and cottage cheese in conversation, it always elicits a strong reaction: Either there is an immediate enthusiastic nostalgia associated with it, or instant confusion and/or disgust. I've found little neutrality on the subject. The polarity of responses inspired me to do more... Full story
Love thy neighbor?... I read this in the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest and pass it along: "More than 200,000 Syrian civilians have benefited from Israeli aid sent over since last June, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) revealed. Dubbed 'Operation Good Neighbor,' the ongoing effort has seen the transfer of hundreds of tons of supplies to the residents of towns and villages just over the Syrian-Israeli border since the beginning of the civil war in 2013. According to the Jerusalem Post, the... Full story
(JTA)-There's a long and poignant story behind the T-shirt that Ari'el Stachel often wears these days. It says, in Hebrew letters, "Totzeret Teman"-"Product of Yemen." The unexpected juxtaposition of two cultures, Israeli and Arab, is as fascinating and complex as Stachel himself. Stachel, 26, is an actor and singer making his Broadway debut in "The Band's Visit," a charming new musical starring Tony Shalhoub ("Monk") and the rising star Katrina Lenk. The play is based on the 2007 award-winning... Full story
