Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Lawrence Kolin, a mediator and arbitrator with Upchurch Watson White & Max, is one of only 50 attorneys to be honored as The National Law Journal's 2015 Litigation Trailblazers. He accepted his award at a reception honoring the distinguished recipients in New York City on Dec. 14. "The National Law Journal proudly recognizes the people who have truly 'moved the needle' in facilitating the changing ways that law firms conduct business," says Kenneth A. Gary, the journal's vice president and... Full story
Part 2 of a 3-part series The international and domestic threat of terrorism is driving the 2016 Republican Presidential Primary's principal concerns and outcome, as repeatedly related at the Republican Jewish Coalition's (RJC's) Dec. 3, 2015, Presidential Candidates' Forum held in Washington, D.C., with 13 of the Republican Primary candidates speaking. Addressing this terrorist threat is linked to an increased American security alliance with Israel as multiple candidates noted in their... Full story
On Dec. 8, middle school students from the Geneva School, a Christian day school, and Leaders Preparatory School, an Islamic educational school, joined the middle school students from the Jewish Academy of Orlando for a morning of learning and sharing. This was the first meeting between the three schools that will take place this year. The theme for this year's multi-faith program is "cities and peace." Each different faith will be teaching about cities that are important to their different... Full story
The room was decorated to 'the max' with balloons, streamers, hanukkiah, and dreidels. With over 40 residents gathered to enjoy the Chanukah sing a long lead by Cantor Allan Robuck there was nothing but smiling faces, clapping hands and tapping toes. Thanks to the staff of Brookdale, Jewish Pavilion volunteers and the very talented Cantor Robuck, the residents were treated to a wonderful festive holiday celebration.... Full story
"That was but a prelude; where they burn books, they will ultimately burn people as well," wrote Heinrich Heine, the German Jewish poet, journalist, essayist, and literary critic in his 1821 play Almansor. These prescient words are engraved in the pavement on Berlin's Opernplatz where, on May 11, 1933 thousands of books were burned by the Nazis. One hundred seventy-seven books, the Rabbinical working library of Reverend Herman Doych (Hermann Deutsch), were spirited out of Germany on April 24,... Full story
Jewish Pavilion Director Nancy Ludin, recently had the good fortune to be seated next to Ilene Miller on a return flight to Orlando. Miller, also of Orlando, revealed that she is a magician! "I'm a novice unrelated to Houdini nor will you see what I do on TV. However, I like to have FUN. And if I can put a smile on your face then my job is done!" she said. Known in the Orlando area as Maybelene the Fun Magician, Miller volunteers for nursing homes and children's hospitals. The result from... Full story
Eight days, almost eight decades... In spite of the fact that this is probably the saddest Chanukah I've ever experienced in my life, I was given one of the best Chanukah presents ever. Turner Movie Classics (TMC) recently aired the movie "That's Entertainment" about the first 50 years at Metro Goldwyn Mayer studios (MGM). What memories! What stars! What fabulous music, the kind I grew up with and perform! I especially liked the "American In Paris" ballet danced by Gene Kelly and written by my... Full story
The trending blog Awesome Jelly predicts a new Israeli product "will forever change the way we drink water." AOL has called it "ingenious," and Entrepreneur calls it "clever." Six years of research and patented technology went into The Right Cup, a BPA-free recyclable plastic drinking cup infused with FDA-approved aromatic fruit flavors to trick your senses into thinking plain water has a fruity taste. CEO and founder Isaac Lavy was diagnosed with diabetes at age 30 and was advised by his doctor... Full story
TEL AVIV (JTA)-Sitting in front of a computer at the center of Israel's largest army base, a soldier stares at the screen, moving pixel by pixel over a satellite photograph, picking out details and finding patterns. A few years ago N.S., who has autism, thought the Israel Defense Forces wouldn't take him. N.S., who like other soldiers could not give his name due to IDF protocol, spent his childhood in mainstream classroom settings, where he had focused on studying film and Arabic, but expected... Full story
Friends of Ohev Shalom's Rabbi Emeritus Rudolph Adler made the trip down to Dr. Phillips on Wednesday, Dec. 10, for a Chanukah party at the Sutton Home facility where he is in residence. Friends Susie and Mark Stone, Joel and Paula Rubin, and Eve Homburger joined Rabbi Adler along with resident Lillian Feldman and her visiting son, Alan Feldman to enjoy latkes made by Susie Stone. Rabbi Adler also enjoyed the homemade chocolates brought by both Susie Stone and Paula Ruben. Jewish Pavilion... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)—Mikvah night has an unusual meaning in the Ozur Bass household. As for many observant Jewish women, it’s the night each month that Janet Ozur Bass immerses in the mikvah ritual bath following menstruation. Once she emerges from the water, husband and wife may resume the physical intimacy traditionally forbidden while a woman is menstruating. But in the Ozur Bass household, mikvah night is double duty: Instead of just Janet going, her husband, Henrique, immerses in the mikvah, too. “I can’t begin to tell you how spiritual it is,... Full story
(JTA)-Avigail Alfatov eats her pizza upside down and has funny hiccups. Her favorite food is falafel and she makes her face shine by wiping it with green tea bags. How do we know this and, perhaps more important, why do we care? Well, Alfatov is the reigning Miss Israel and is the country's entry in the Miss Universe Pageant, which airs Dec. 20 on Fox. These are just a few of the fun facts listed on her contestant profile. She is also a national fencing champion, would love to meet Michael... Full story
ISRAELI21c-They may not look like lunch to you, but to many people around the world, grasshoppers add a high-protein, low-fat crunch to their diet. And in true Israeli startup tradition, the Israeli company Steak TzarTzar has innovated a way to lengthen the normally short breeding season of edible grasshoppers by leaps and bounds. As a result, this costly and scarce source of nutrition will be more widely available, all year long. It's no joke: Chockfull of whole protein, vitamins and healthful... Full story
Want to change the Jewish community or even the world? Inspire a Jewish mother. No offense meant toward men. However, if a woman who has young children is inspired, she inspires her family. If enough families are inspired, a community can be inspired; and if enough communities become inspired, it can change the world. This is the belief of eight Jewish women who started the Jewish Women's Renaissance Program (JWRP) in 2008. How are Jewish women inspired? One proven way is to take them on a... Full story
Back in the 60s, American band Sly and the Family Stone got everyone on their feet with their hit song "Stand!" ("You've been sitting much too long"). Today Bethanne Weiss, aka the Asset Queen, is singing that same tune in her new book, "Move Your Assets: From the Chair, Not the Bank!," encouraging her "peops" to stand more and sit (on their assets) less. She says in the book, that it hit her like a "one-pound brick of butta," that those who move more than they sit have less kvetches, ailments... Full story
The "Seeking Kin" column aims to help reunite long-lost relatives and friends. (JTA)-When Brazil native Fabio Rosenfeld brought up launching a search for his grandfather's sister who had survived the Holocaust, I opened my "National Geographic Atlas of the World" to locate her hometown of Reghin. A week later, the surname and the area struck me as familiar, so back to the atlas I went. There was Reghin, in the Transylvania region of Romania and Hungary, near Cluj-Napoca, a town central to a... Full story
NEW YORK (Kveller via JTA)—Growing up, ours was the only house on the block with a menorah glowing in the window. This should have put me onto the fast track to Christmas envy, but it didn’t. I respected Christmas, but was never jealous of those who celebrated. In fact, watching my neighbors actually gave me a deeper appreciation for the simpler joys of Chanukah. Here’s why: Early-bird shopping Celebrating Chanukah means I usually have an earlier gift-buying deadline to meet than my counterparts. I have to get myself in gear way before Chris... Full story
Anti-Semitism is alive and well and HERE!... I received mail from Hillel International President and CEO ERIC D. FINGERHUT, and in the wake of the anti-Semitic flyers posted around the campus of our own University of Central Florida, I thought I should pass it along in part: "As Thanksgiving break has come and after it, the mad rush toward final exams for 400,000 Jewish college students across the United States, there is something I must urgently convey about life on today's campuses. Is it... Full story
(JTA)-I first tasted latkes for brunch at a trendy eatery on the Lower East Side about six years ago. Since then, I've seen them across the country on brunch menus everywhere from diners to Michelin Star restaurants. Latkes-or potato pancakes, as they're known to non-Jews-are comfort food that provide the perfect base to any number of savory toppings, but especially a runny egg or salty, fatty smoked salmon. After all, a latke is very similar to hash browns, a quintessential breakfast food.... Full story
WASHINGTON (Washington Jewish Week via JTA)-With the Boy Scouts of America's ban on gay employees lifted this summer, it's a good time to be pitching scouting to the liberal American Jewish streams. So says Bruce Chudacoff, the chair of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting. A representative of the Boy Scouts and longtime advocate for Jewish scouts, he set up shop at the Reform and Conservative biennial conferences last month. From his booth decorated with posters touting the benefits of sco... Full story
When Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, Portugal's authoritarian ruler since 1932, finally was unable to rule effectively and his regime subsequently deposed by a military coup in 1974 (The Carnation Revolution), there was universal agreement that he left Portugal the poorest and most backward nation in Western Europe. Reporters on the scene in Lisbon reported signs of jubilation equaling V-E Day in London or Paris. How is it possible then that when a Portuguese television program ran a survey in... Full story
SECAUCUS, N.J. (JTA)-Welch's is coming to seder this year. For decades, America's kosher grape juice market has been dominated by Kedem, whose sweet libations come in concord, blush, white, peach, diet and a variety of sparkling flavors. But with U.S. sales flat when it comes to non-kosher grape juice, Welch's, America's largest grape juice company, is muscling its way into the kosher market. Starting in January, Welch's will begin selling 100 percent grape juice certified by the Orthodox Union... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-They were called "so-called" refugees, told they were alien to American culture and warned against as potential enemies of the United States. This heated anti-refugee rhetoric in America was directed against Jews trying to flee Europe, not Mexicans or Syrians. Back in the 1930s and '40s, the fear was of Nazi and Communist infiltrators sneaking in along with the refugees rather than the Islamic militants or Mexican criminals that some fear today. Here's a snapshot of what... Full story
AMSTERDAM (JTA)-They warn you that parenting means doing a bunch of stuff you never imagined yourself doing. I had always assumed this applied to saying to children things like, "You watch your tone of voice, young lady" or, "Let's not eat things we find in our underwear." But in my case, the moment came before my son was even born, when I found myself begging a Belgian kosher slaughterer, or shochet, to come to the Netherlands and circumcise him. In my native Israel or the United States,... Full story
(JTA)—The menorah bong is having a moment. By now, you may have seen the year-old YouTube video of a bearded guy in a blazer lighting all eight bowls of the Grav Menorah—a cross between a glass bong and a traditional hanukiah—and taking one massive toke. But the religiously inspired cannabis consumption device, which retails for, yes, $699 at 420Science.com, was not originally intended for sale. In fact, David Daily, the 35-year-old glass blower and businessman behind Grav Labs—the scientific glass company he founded a decade ago in Austin,... Full story
