Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 3257 - 3281 of 4526
Special to Heritage This is a story about a dog named Lilly, a festering dispute that emptied streets in a Winter Park neighborhood and how two young children responded with acts of tikun olam. It all started Aug. 15 when two neighbors argued about the dog that was off leash. One neighbor, claiming the dog acted aggressively, shot Lilly in the eye. Thanks to a veterinarian who came to the rescue, Lilly recovered, but the neighborhood didn't. Neighborhood streets that once hopped with children pl... Full story
Okay! Okay! I'm sorta old (sorta)... What kind of word is sorta?? And speaking of words and getting older, I received this email recently. Read on: "Lost Expressions from Our Childhood Heavens to Murgatroyd! (Would you believe the email spell checker did not recognize the word murgatroyd?) Words gone as fast as the buggy whip! Sad really! The other day a not so elderly (65) lady said something to her son about driving a Jalopy and he looked at her quizzically and said what the heck is a Jalopy?... Full story
By Julie Wiener (JTA)—Bible scholars are not generally known for producing viral or sexy content. But American Jewish University professor Ziony Zevit is causing a stir with a new book suggesting that in Genesis, Eve was made from a bone in Adam’s penis—not his rib, as we have all been taught. In “What Really Happened in the Garden of Eden,” Zevit, who is distinguished professor of biblical literature and Northwest Semitic languages at the Bel-Air, California, university, makes the case for the baculum, which means penis bone. The (ahem) thrust... Full story
(Washington Jewish Week via JTA)—Maybe it’s the centuries of living under Christian and Muslim rule. Maybe it’s the history of forced conversion. Maybe it’s that there’s no religion requirement for the Jewish afterlife. Whatever the reasons, Jews have traditionally been uncomfortable proselytizing. But a Maryland foundation is flouting the taboo by funding outreach programs to non-Jews in an effort to bring them into the fold. “Our primary purpose is to support programs that publicize Judaism to non-Jews,” Ellen Gerecht, executive dir... Full story
(Washington Jewish Week via JTA)-Since being imprisoned in Cuba six years ago, Alan Gross says his life has been "surreal." He feels disassociated from the causes of his five-year incarceration and from the resulting fame. He was locked up largely because of U.S.-Cuba relations, he says, and he is a public figure thanks to the people who followed his story in the news or advocated on his behalf. "It never was about me," Gross said in an interview in his Washington, D.C., condominium. "My life... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-If the ratings for CW's newest show, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," are any indication, you probably aren't watching it. If not, you're missing out. Now that creator and star Rachel Bloom is nominated for a Golden Globe for best actress in a TV series- fingers crossed for her on Sunday!- it's time to tune in. "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" is hilarious and zany, and as it happens, it addresses Jewish identity in unexpectedly profound ways. The series is the story of Rebecca Bunch, a successful... Full story
(JTA)-It was clear long before the Internet swelled with heartfelt tributes to David Bowie that the late musician was an artistic legend. The 69-year-old Englishman, who died Sunday after an 18-month battle with cancer, reinvented himself countless times in a music career that spanned more than five decades. There were stints, too, as a Broadway and Hollywood actor. From his Ziggy Stardust alter ego to his latest album-a jazzy, avant-garde rock release called "Blackstar" released just two days... Full story
AACI–Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel has introduced the first English language eLibrary in Israel. As the oldest and best-known non-profit organization designed to assist English speakers, AACI has grown from a humble ‘helping-hub’ to what is today a member-based organization that addresses nearly every aspect of the absorption experience. Members live in Israel as well as overseas. The AACI Sharon Woodrow Memorial eLibrary was developed in partnership with the digital innovator Library Ideas’ “Freading” division. It contains... Full story
As a child, Judith Dazzio didn't have a connection to the Holocaust. She is not Jewish, she did not live in Europe, and she did not live during the war years. There was little reason to expect that the Holocaust and its images would be the center of a decade-long passion in her adulthood. In sixth grade, Dazzio's class was visited by a Holocaust survivor, and that single visit laid the groundwork for an extraordinary body of work. The St. Petersburg, Fla.-based artist spent 10 years creating... Full story
After 41 years of taking care of Central Florida children as a pediatrician, Dr. Edward Zissman retired from his private practice, Altamonte Pediatric Associates, on Dec. 31, 2015. It is the end of a fruitful career that began in Philadelphia, his hometown, where he graduated from Temple University and Hahnemann Medical College, and then completed his pediatric internship at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and pediatric residency at the U.S. Naval Hospital and New England Medical Center in Boston.... Full story
The Seeking Kin column aims to help reunite long-lost relatives and friends. (JTA)-"Seeking Kin" offers relationship stories over time. They are stories about the meaningful bonds people share with one another, how ties fade and why they mean enough for someone to strive to rekindle them. So as we celebrate our 100th column, we revisit four people with whom I have formed nice friendships while doing research and a fifth, a friend for three decades, who helps make "Seeking Kin" possible. Three... Full story
(Jewniverse via JTA)-Why does putting the word "Jew" in front of any object make it sound a little anti-Semitic? There are several theories for how the jewfish (Promicrops), an Atlantic saltwater grouper with fins and scales, got its name. It may derive from the Italian giupesce, which means "bottom fish," or may have originally been named "jawfish" for its large mouth. A less flattering theory is that in the 1800s, jewfish were declared inferior and only fit for Jews. The Maryland-based... Full story
We are all following the news these days... I recently received the following letter (in part) from Rabbi MARVIN HIER, dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center: "I know you have been following the news from Israel with increasing alarm as a wave of murderous stabbings, shootings, bombings and car rammings have been unleashed by Palestinians against their Jewish neighbors. This barbaric and relentless new surge of terrorism has enraged Israelis. And you can see why when you consider the... Full story
(The Nosher via JTA)-Sticky cinnamon bun, meet your new BFF, the rugelach. I think you two will get along very well. I know we're just getting over fried food and latkes galore, but December really isn't for cutting back. It's about holidays, snuggling up by the fire and cookie exchanges. Jan. 1 can just take its turn and wait. But a word of caution: These sticky bun rugelach may be the most indulgent rugelach you have ever tasted. And while I recognize there is nothing like the traditional jam... Full story
The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) will present The Jewish Course of Why, the institute’s new six-session winter 2016 course that will begin during the week of Feb. 7, 2016 Rabbi Yossi Hecht, director of The Chabad Jewish Center of Ocala and The Villages will conduct the six-course sessions at The Chabad Jewish Center 10:45 a.m.-noon on Sundays, starting Feb. 7 and at The Lady Lake Community Building noon -1 p.m. on Mondays, starting Feb. 8. “No religion is known for its rational basis and its welcoming of questions and intellectual deb... Full story
LOS ANGELES (JTA)-The prevalence of transgender issues in pop culture seems to have reached a pinnacle this year. Caitlyn-nee Bruce-Jenner appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair. The movie "Tangerine," which stars transgender actors, took film critics by storm. Director Tom Hooper's "The Danish Girl," currently in theaters, tells the story of one of the first sex-change operations. And the second season of Amazon's Emmy Award-winning "Transparent," about a Jewish family coming to terms with their... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-On a trip to London last year, actor Michael Zegen caught a revival performance of Arthur Miller's 1955 drama, "A View from the Bridge," about a Brooklyn longshoreman whose protective impulses toward his niece tilt toward lust. "I had a terrible seat," he told JTA. "But it still blew me away." The production, which was directed by the visionary Ivo van Hove, was so powerful that when he saw ads promoting its transfer to Broadway, he planned to see it again. But you know what they... Full story
Volunteers from Our Jewish Orlando (OJO) served Christmas dinner on Dec. 25 to women and children at the Coalition for the Homeless Women's Residential and Counseling Center in Orlando. In all, 18 OJO volunteers pitched in to make the holiday memorable for residents of the center, which accommodates more than 50 women and 40 children. Our Jewish Orlando, a program for young adults by the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, paid for the event with money raised as part of a "100 Wishes" mitzvah... Full story
Valerie and Jim Shapiro of Orlando recently led the Jewish National Fund's Spirit of Israel Tour on Nov. 1-8. They visited the north, the Negev, and Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Explaining why they decided to go to Israel at this time, Valerie stated "More than ever we feel the need to stand with Israel and support its people in these challenging times." Seven others from Orlando joined them on this tour. Upon returning, Valerie said, "JNF's Spirit of Israel Tour exceeded our expectations. It's a gre... Full story
Dangers of the Internet... One of the major priorities for the World Jewish Congress (WJC) in 2016 is to put an end to the spread of hate and the recruitment of terrorists on social media sights. I recently received the following (in part) from Ambassador RONALD S. LAUDER, president of the WJC: "As we turn a page on the deadly 2015 for Jews in Europe and Israel, I am deeply concerned for the safety and security of Jews in the new year. It's hard to recall a recent time of greater turmoil and... Full story
Whether it's your first time in Israel or your 50th, there's something undeniably magical about Eretz Yisrael. For me, our December trip was my fifth visit to the Land of Milk and Honey. It was my husband Micah's first. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned at all about security prior to our trip. We traveled on El Al and, knowing the airline's stringent security procedures, we were confident of our safety. On advice from a friend who had recently traveled to Israel, we packed pepper spray... Full story
JERUSALEM (JTA)-The hardest part was loading the assault rifle. That's not because he was a newbie, unaccustomed to the workings of a Tavor rifle. Rather, 1st Sgt. Izzy Ezagui had lost an arm in combat. He'd overcome seemingly insurmountable bureaucratic hurdles and got a posting on a base in the Negev. And so his next challenge began: He had to prove he could still fight. Ezagui is the only combat soldier with an amputation to serve as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces reserves. For him,... Full story
MOSCOW (JTA)-Like many tourists in Red Square, I have often wondered what lies beyond the tall walls that separate this Moscow attraction from the Kremlin, the official residence of Russia's president and the nerve center of the state. As a journalist long obsessed with Russia, I've wanted to take a peek inside the Kremlin for just about forever. In my fantasy, I'd have a one-on-one interview with Vladimir Putin in which I gain the strongman's respect by beating him in a staring contest.... Full story
(Kveller via JTA)—When I was growing up, my father’s parents lived half a world away in Israel. I only met them a handful of times. Back then there was no Internet, so we sent letters and made the occasional phone call. Once, when I was 12 or so, my dad sent his parents a couple of recent photos of me. A few weeks later, he received a phone call from his mother to tell him that I looked just like one of her sisters. It was a big deal to her—not just because she didn’t see me that often, or that she was moved by the family resembl... Full story
Hundreds of students gathered together outside of the UCF's Student Union to celebrate with the Jewish organization Chabad and its co-sponsors AEPI, AEPHI, ZBT and Knights for Israel with a menorah lighting ceremony. The event provided latkes, Chanukah music and a toy drive. President Hitt opened the ceremony and lit the Shamash, the center candle on the menorah, which is used to light the other candles. Hitt welcomed the evening and Chabad with some inspirational words. "When I became... Full story
