Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 2726 - 2750 of 4419
(JTA)-"I thought it was just going to be about falafel and hummus." That was the perception of Israeli cuisine that filmmaker Roger Sherman had when he reluctantly decided to accompany his friend, the acclaimed Jewish cookbook writer Joan Nathan, on a food tour of Israel in 2010. But the reality exceeded his expectations. "I was blown away by what I consider to be the hottest food scene in the world," Sherman told JTA in a recent interview. "I thought, this is the perfect subject for a film."... Full story
(The Nosher via JTA)-Maamoul is a traditional small pastry from the Levant (the historical area between Syria in the north and Egypt in the south including Lebanon, Israel and Palestine). Muslims, Christians and Jews lived in the area alongside each other for over 1,500 years and shared many cultural and culinary traditions, including this date and walnut-stuffed cookie. For many, this Middle Eastern treat is a sweet bite of nostalgia, as the cookies are associated with certain holidays and... Full story
The Bakery Bar in downtown Orlando is a must if you enjoy desserts and cocktails. The difference with this bar is that the dessert is the cocktail. From the Crème Brulee Cake Martini (my favorite) to the Apple Pie Old Fashioned (this drink has that wonderful cinnamon flavor and an apple slice garnishes the glass rather than a cherry), it is the perfect place to go to after dinner at a local restaurant or to satisfy a sweet tooth after a show at the Dr. Phillips Center or the Amway-both within... Full story
HaZamir Orlando Charter members (l-r) Alexa Schein, Hannah Schenkel, Harrison Burke, Vicki Geismar and Maya Milsom prepare to take the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House with 400 other Jewish teen singers from the USA and Israel on Sunday, March 26, for the HaZamir Gala Concert. They will be accompanied by their conductor Cantor Jacqueline Rawiszer and parent coordinator Andrea Burke and more than a dozen family and friends from Orlando. If you know of a Jewish High School student who might... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-In the upstairs sanctuary of a Manhattan synagogue, a group of rabbis is studying Jewish texts on pluralism and community. One floor below, 22 students are sitting in pairs poring over the book of Exodus. The students spend all day, every weekday in the building, studying Jewish text and observing strict Jewish law in a gender-equal environment. The rabbis, by contrast, leave the building that afternoon and return to their communities across the country, which range from Reform... Full story
"Are you Jewish?," the hopeful Chabad rabbi asks me as I walk past the weekly Mitzvah "Tank" on the corner of William and Wall St. on my way to work. It's considered a good deed in Chabad to help other Jews, including those unaffiliated with the religion, to perform a quick ritual. I can never pass by these guys without them asking me this question. I guess I "look" Jewish, or maybe they sense in my furtive sideways glances a sort of curiosity, something other than the typical New Yorker defense mechanisms to street solicitation. "Are you... Full story
March is Multiple Sclerosis Month and Hadassah leads the world in the stunning success and implementation of the research at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. Malia is just one of the many stories of triumph in Prof. Dimitrios Karussis program. Malia was a top Dallas trial attorney-a senior partner in a law firm and the mother of three children, the youngest, age five. Her energy level was high and her life was full. And then, 18 years ago, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). In the be... Full story
Talk about "salt of the earth"... I read this recently in a science and technology bulletin from Israel and I (who is not very health conscious) thought I could, at least, do something healthy for you: "It is well-known that high sodium intake can raise blood pressure, increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke. To promote better health, many have turned to low-sodium, low-taste salt alternatives. Offering a healthy and tastier option, the Israeli company Salt of the Earth developed a new... Full story
Myrna Ossin loves creating recipes using matzah! She has been holding food demos all over town, and this Sunday, March 26, (3 p.m.) she will be at the Maitland Library making lasagna, bagels and walnut toffee all made from matzah! Here is just one of her many recipes for Passover. Earl Grey Passover Matzah Shortbread Cookies By Myrna Ossin These cookies are simple to make and a fun activity for you and the children. They are versatile and can be decorated with your imagination with nuts, sesame or pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, colored sugars... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-On the morning of March 7, Rabbi Beth Naditch found out that two of her three children's schools had received bomb threats. The anonymous calls placed to the MetroWest Jewish Day School and the Solomon Schechter Day School in suburban Boston turned out to be hoaxes, like the rest of the calls placed to some 120 Jewish institutions since January. And while the news was shocking, the threats were something Naditch and her husband had tried to make sure their sons-ages 9, 12 and... Full story
(JUF News via JTA)-The inimitable Billy Crystal is back on the road. The six-time Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, producer, director and writer-most recently of a book of essays, "Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys"-is currently touring the U.S. with his new show, "Spend the Night with Billy Crystal." The show, scheduled to tour through April, promises to feel like an intimate chat with the audience-a blend of standup with a "sit-down"... Full story
CHICAGO-Hockey had been the focal point of Sam Fields' life for almost as long as he can remember. A Chicago native who got into the sport at the age of eight, Fields had been playing professional hockey for about five years when he was tapped for a tryout with the National Hockey League. At the age of 27, he was on the cusp of becoming one of a handful of Jews in the NHL. But just weeks before he was to head off to NHL training camp, Fields could barely rouse himself from bed. He was sleeping... Full story
TEL AVIV (JTA)-Last week, Israelis for the first time saw a black lead character on a homegrown, primetime television show. "Nevsu," a half-hour comedy, focuses on an Ethiopian man who is married to an Ashkenazi Jewish woman. Misunderstanding ensues. "There is definitely a lot of cultural confusion in the show," Yosi Vasa, the star and co-creator of the show, told JTA. "But the great thing about comedy is when the audience laughs, that means they get it. So that's progress." Following a series... Full story
(Nosher via JTA)-Because I am someone who runs her life a million miles per minute, but still value the fruits of a home-cooked meal, the slow cooker is certainly a mainstay in my kitchen. Because of this favorite small appliance, my family gets to enjoy rich, hearty meals that taste like they've been simmering all day, even on those days when I've got just a few minutes to get dinner on the table. I especially love making this savory slow cooker pot roast for a festive Shabbat meal. Any good... Full story
March 26 through 28 over 18,000 pro-Israel activists will come together in Washington, D.C. for AIPAC's Policy Conference, the largest annual gathering of America's pro-Israel community. Through presentations of groundbreaking Israeli innovations, keynote speeches by American and Israeli leaders, inspiring moments on stage, and intimate educational sessions, Policy Conference delegates experience the full scale of pro-Israel activism in three powerful days. The conference culminates with the... Full story
The Bruce and Cynthia Sherman Charitable Foundation today announced that online nominations are now being accepted for the 2017 Sherman Prize, the first prize of its kind created to honor outstanding individuals who go above and beyond to make exceptional and pioneering contributions in the fight to overcome Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The Sherman Prize recognizes and rewards healthcare providers, medical researchers, public health advocates, and educators who are advancing patient care, medical research, public service, and p... Full story
Sure N Begorrah... I probably spelled that all wrong but I wrote it like I pronounce it... It is the only Irish sound I can make. (Today is St.Patrick's Day after all. And last week I was dressed as a shamrock for Purim!) Kidding aside... I recently received a letter from the American Jewish Committee: "There are 193 member states of the United Nations. One of them has been the target of more condemnations from the UN Human Rights Council than any other. That nation stands so prominently accused... Full story
RAANANA, Israel (JTA)-Dan Shapiro can't seem to leave Israel. Before stepping down as the U.S. ambassador to the country in January, he said he would stay long enough for his daughters to finish the school year. On Sunday, he announced he would be sticking around even longer to join the Institute for National Security Studies, a top think tank in Tel Aviv. He and his wife, along with their three daughters, are living within commuting distance, in a rental house in an upscale neighborhood of... Full story
Hello... Anybody else out there? For us here on earth it is certainly one of the most intriguing and far-reaching questions imaginable. Are we alone in the cosmos or are there others-perhaps like us or perhaps totally different-somewhere in the universe? And for those of us who believe the account of creation as recorded in the Torah, are the opening words-"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"-meant as full disclosure of the creation of life by the Almighty or is this merely... Full story
(Nosher via JTA)-If you've never made compost cookies, but you love desserts that are a little salty and a little sweet, this cookie (and hamantaschen) are for you. Do a quick Google search for "compost cookie" and you will come up with dozens of recipes. But the original compost cookie was born out of the genius dessert brain of Christina Tosi of Milk Bar, one of my baking heroes. The recipe for her famous cookie (and cakes and crazy desserts) can be found in her cookbook, which I adore and... Full story
Finally, getting down to work... Being a recent widow, I kept putting off looking over things and donating or throwing away things. It took me more time than it should have because parting with "things" can be very painful under such circumstances. I started with boxes that held much paperwork, etc., and found the following clever piece that I decided to share with you. It's titled "Inner Strength." I don't know the writer: "If you can start the day without caffeine or pep pills, If you can be... Full story
Every year on Purim children and as well as adults suffer from a variety of injuries relating to their costumes, makeup and improvised gunpowder explosives such as caps and cap guns. The most common injuries include burns on the hands, faces, necks and legs. In order to avoid such injuries we have compiled a list of health tips that will help you and your loved ones enjoy a safe and injury free holiday. Tips relating to toys and their uses Every authorized toy must have a legal marking demarcati... Full story
TEL AVIV (JTA)-Unlike the dangerous maritime escapes attempted by some of his fellow Cuban baseball players, the worst Alejandro Eskenazi endured to leave the island nation was a mountain of paperwork. The documents he gathered and the forms he completed took eight months to process, delaying the Havana native's arrival in Israel until last August. But coaching Israeli youngsters in baseball and playing in a league here made the wait worth it for Eskenazi, who is participating in a professional... Full story
A few years ago, I became increasingly interested in learning about my family history and genealogy. As is the case with many people, I never thought to ask questions while my grandparents were alive. So I found myself trying to go back, find clues, and put the pieces of the puzzle back together again. Ancestry.com was where I began. I started with building a tree. I put in the names of my parents, my grandparents, and what I knew of my great-grandparents. Although I had never met him, my... Full story
My husband, Scott, and I like to travel to the Caribbean and when we saw that Jet Blue Airlines had inexpensive $59 nonstop flights to Cuba from Orlando, which was recently opened for Americans to travel to, we jumped on it. I had always remembered hearing how beautiful Cuba was when I was a child and many of my parent's friends honeymooned there or visited the resorts and casinos. When I googled hotels, my heart sank as they were $500-plus per night, but then I realized that there was a range o... Full story
