Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Drive down Sand Lake Hills today and you can feel it almost immediately: something has shifted. What was once a quiet pocket of Southwest Orlando has become a hub of Jewish life, activity, and — perhaps most visibly — food. Over the past year, a new kosher marketplace opened just minutes from Orlando Torah Academy, joined by a rotating Chinese kosher pop-up and the continued success of Kosho Sushi, which has become a go-to destination not only for observant families but for kosher-curious diners across the city. On the surface, these are foo...
(JNS) — I land at Ben-Gurion International Airport after a week in New York that feels like a lifetime. The wheels hit the tarmac with a dull thud that spurs customary applause from passengers. They’re either relieved after the long journey or clapping for arriving in the Jewish state. Before passengers are permitted to unbuckle, the pilot takes to the loudspeaker. “Welcome home,” he says in Hebrew, proceeding to highlight the bravery of the Israel Defense Forces and express hope for the swift return of the body of Ran Gvili, the last remaini...
Dear Editor: Growing up in Australia was so secure and pleasant. “G’day mate, how’re you going?” was the cheerful greeting of people as they passed each other in the street. We didn’t lock the doors and the windows were always kept open. How did this “pleasant, friendly society turn into one filled with so much hatred? On Oct. 9, 2023, before we even understood what had happened in Israel, before we had started to defend our country, before we retaliated against the murderous attack on the kibbutzim and the border villages, Australians...
(JNS) — For decades, particularly since the war began on Oct. 7, political campaigns have organized in the United States to delegitimize the rule of Netanyahu and try to push him out of office. They came consistently from presidents Clinton, Obama and Biden. More recently, efforts have been rumbling from the MAGA camp of the Republican Party. Much of the campaign centers around anonymously sourced reports from so-called senior officials who claim that America’s president is getting fed up with Netanyahu. These reports are continuously pro...
It has been a year of both devastation and distinction for Yifat Merbl, a professor in the Department of Systems Immunology at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot. Merbl was recently named one of Nature magazine's "Ten people who shaped science in 2025," a prestigious honor recognizing her groundbreaking work on the human immune system. "It's an amazing recognition in what we do and provides an amazing boost, also to my incredible team, to keep pushing the boundaries of science," Merbl...
Choosing a skilled nursing facility for your loved one is one of the most important decisions you will make. At Jewish Pavilion Senior Services, we understand how overwhelming this process can be. That’s why we offer the Orlando Senior Help Desk, a free resource designed to guide families through senior care decisions with compassion and clarity. While no facility is perfect, there are key indicators to help you determine whether a facility will provide the level of care and dignity your loved one deserves: 1. Go beyond the surface A b...
While many Americans spend Dec. 25 gathered around Christmas trees and festive dinners, another longstanding tradition was celebrated at Temple Israel this year: enjoying Chinese food on Christmas Day. What began in the early 20th century as a matter of practicality has become a cherished cultural ritual for many Jewish families across the United States. During a time when most restaurants closed for Christmas, Chinese eateries, often run by immigrants who didn't celebrate the holiday, remained...
“Limited-time membership. A $60 value for only $15.” So read the many emails and postcards over the course of a year. We waited. Then the new BJ’s Wholesale Club opened. We still waited. I decided to see what they had to offer besides a big discount at the gasoline pump. The website mentioned electronics. Bulk purchases of groceries. Household goods and office supplies. Out of curiosity I entered the word “Jewish” in the search box. Up came a list of 10 products in order of relevance. 1. Pastram...
(JNS) — Gabrielle Strauchler has been campaigning for years to remove mobile phones from her classroom. The English teacher for boys in Karnei Shomron, in Samaria, says the devices distract pupils, particularly those who are clearly addicted to digital games or social media. Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch announced that beginning on Feb. 2 (Tu B’Shevat), a nationwide school policy will be implemented prohibiting children from using mobile phones anywhere on elementary school grounds, unless they are being used for educational purposes. A...
(JNS) — On Jan. 25, 2006, almost 20 years ago, the Palestinian Authority held its last elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council, which functions as the Palestinian parliament. The result was a landslide victory for Hamas, the genocidal terrorist organization that planned, led, and executed the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre. The chairman of the P.A., Mahmoud Abbas, had been elected a year earlier, replacing the deceased Yasser Arafat. Soon after his election, he traveled to Washington to meet President George W. Bush. Shortly after returning,...
(JNS) — U.S. President Donald Trump credited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for guiding the Jewish state to victory over a “force the likes of which very few countries could have handled.” JNS asked Trump about his relationship with the Israeli premier. “He’s a wartime prime minister,” Trump said of Netanyahu. “He’s taken Israel through a very dangerous period of drama.” Standing alongside Netanyahu at a press conference outside the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., Trump said that under other leadership, Israel “mig...
(JNS) — I looked at then-Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) like he had a screw loose. We were on a congressional delegation in Israel in 2011, and he kept asking to see Israel’s Iron Dome missile-defense system. At the time, Iron Dome was new, highly classified and very much not on our itinerary. Each time he raised the question, I wondered how on earth I could possibly make that happen. But Lamborn, bless him, did not let it go. A few days later, our delegation met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During his briefing, the prime min...
At the Orlando Senior Help Desk, we’re always seeking out ideas and organizations that inspire seniors to live with greater vitality, meaning, and connection. One such organization is Sage-ing International, a nonprofit that invites us to reimagine the aging process – not as a time of decline, but as a powerful and fulfilling stage of life. Sage-ing International supports older adults in living their later years with intention, wisdom, and heart. Whether you’re just learning about this approach, or have already taken part in their progr...
(JNS) — In October 2003, Oran Almog lost his eyesight at age 10 in a terror attack at the Maxim restaurant in Haifa. His father, brother, grandparents and cousin were among the 21 people killed in the attack, which wounded 60, including his mother, sister and aunt. Sami Jaradat, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad member who dispatched the bomber, was released as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in January. Almog, 32, told JNS on Sunday that it was hard for him to come to terms with Jaradat being free, but he understands “the big...
The Schvitz offered a kind of restoration that beats anything offered today. In the late 1960s and early '70s, when my sister, Vicky, or I came down with a bad cold, my father had an unconventional cure: He would drop us off at the, better known to Clevelanders as the Schvitz. It was a men-only institution every day of the week except Wednesday, which was Ladies' Night. Vicky and I checked in, stripped down, stowed our clothes in lockers, and wrapped ourselves in the signature Schvitz uniform: a...
When you experience a soft tissue injury like a sprain, strain, or pulled muscle, the first instinct is often to reach for ice or wrap the area. For decades, the standard recommendation was the RICE protocol: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. However, recent insights into sports medicine and physical therapy have led many experts to shift their focus to a newer protocol: MEAT – Movement, Exercise, Analgesics, and Treatment. Let’s look at both approaches, when to use them, and how to transition from injury to recovery effectively. The RIC...
Wandering Jews we are. And with so many choices there’s bound to be a lot of meandering. Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist are the main four branches. Other movements: Humanistic, Chabad, New age… Given the variety of practices presented, we see a smorgasbord of choices. I wonder how many other Jews have been on a circuitous path such as I have traveled. My earliest memories — other than those of eating kosher lamb chops — are riding in a car to Jewish day school in another...
Hadassah, the Woman’s Zionist Organization of America, is alive and strong in Central Florida. Founded in 1912 by Henrietta Zold, it is one of the largest international, volunteer Jewish organizations, with nearly 300,000 members in the United States. Hadassah was founded before Israel was a state and before women could vote. For 100+ years, Hadassah has worked proactively to find and implement solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing each generation. Together, we’re advancing women’s health, supporting a strong Israel and insti...
(JNS) - As New York City eateries roll out their Chanukah doughnut offerings, including sufganiyot filled with flavors like pistachio cream or mango, bakery owners told JNS that customers continue to overwhelmingly demand classic jelly doughnuts, such as strawberry and raspberry. They also have found an increase in pre-orders well ahead of the holiday, which began Dec. 14 at night and lasts eight days. Those in this particular food business believe that this reflects the growing role that...
(JNS) - Come Dec. 14, most Jewish households welcomed in the holiday of Chanukah by kindling the first candle on their menorah. Many of us in the Diaspora chose to light them in a private setting indoors, surrounded by family and friends, yet out of the view of strangers. Some (a smaller number of households, I suspect) may be bolder and choose to display the menorah in a window visible to passing foot and vehicle traffic. An even smaller number of families may light the chanukiyah the way the...
These make great gifts for friends or service people. Makes 1 loaf or 3-4 mini loaves with 12 mini muffins. 8 T. water 2 T. flaxseed meal 1 1/4 cups sugar or granular sugar substitute 1 cup 14 oz. canned pumpkin purée 1/2 cup canola oil 1 1/4 cups coconut flour 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. cloves Pecan halves to decorate tops (optional) Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 5x9 bread pan or 3-4 mini loaf pans with parchment paper that overlaps pan...
For a no-meat Chanukah meal, I make tuna salad molded in a fish mold, decorated with thin rounds of cucumber for scales and an olive eye, a green salad, potato pancakes, and Star Cookies. Both kids and adults enjoy decorating the cookies for dessert. I have different sprinkles, candies, and white and blue frostings in piping bags for people to make their own designs. (I also use this recipe to make the base for Hamantaschen at Purim.) Makes 15-5" large stars, 30-3" small stars. 1 cup butter (2...
Vibrotactile technology is a new, non-invasive way to help the body and brain by using small, gentle vibrations on the skin. These vibrations can send information to the nervous system, helping improve balance, manage pain, and even support those living with conditions like Parkinson’s disease or after a stroke. The technology is often in the form of a patch. How does it work? • Stimulating the skin — Tiny vibrating devices, often worn on the body, gently stimulate special touch receptors in the skin. • Sending messages to the brain — The b...
(JNS) — Democratic Colorado gubernatorial hopeful Phil Weiser calls Denver home, but he returned to the city of his youth this week for a quick fundraising visit. In an interview at a wine bar on Manhattan’s Upper East Side before the private fundraiser, Weiser, who had iced tea, spoke with JNS about his Jewish identity and his successful legal efforts, as the state’s current attorney general, to win back hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money that the Trump administration had cut, including funds for healthcare, education and transpo...
(JNS) - The sanctuary at Nusach Hari B'nai Zion in suburban St. Louis contains a majestic wooden-framed aron kodesh, or "holy ark," that holds the synagogue's Torah. Less visible is a tiny metal plaque that credits Kenny Bressler for creating the ark. Bressler designed and built the ark by hand in a workshop that sits behind his house. That's where the ark magic happens. A master woodworker, he has become a specialist in synagogue arks. "I've become the go-to ark guy," said the 70-year-old....
