Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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LOS ANGELES (JTA)-Kirk Douglas, born Issur Danielovitch, the son of an immigrant Russian Jewish ragman, marked his 98th birthday on Dec. 9 by launching his 11th book. The legendary star of 87 movies (who can forget "Spartacus"?) can look back, in happiness and grief, on countless one-night stands with filmdom's most beautiful women, a helicopter crash in which he was the only survivor, a stroke, two bar mitzvahs and the death of a son. He has written about these and many other parts of his life... Full story
A few months after his marriage, young Arik was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease, a form of lymphoma, and his heart began to thrash with a confusion of feelings and thoughts. Together with his new wife, Naomi Rivka, they had built their nest and fostered hopes and dreams for a shared Torah home, for a flourishing family life... Indeed, not long before, they had learned that soon, with G-d's help, they would become parents. And now, suddenly-such a blow! But Arik and Naomi did not allow... Full story
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (JTA)-Through the backseat window of a black KGB car, Yosef Mendelevitch could see university students his age hurrying to take their finals. It was June 15, 1970, and the 23-year-old Mendelevitch had just been arrested along with 11 accomplices for trying to hijack a plane to escape the Soviet Union. On the tarmac of an airport outside St. Petersburg-then Leningrad-officers from the Soviets' secret police detained the conspirators before they could board the... Full story
If Ridley Scott's "Exodus: Gods and Kings" left you feeling stood up at the Tabernacle, you're not alone. Rottentomatoes.com indicates that 72 percent of mainstream media critics have panned this CGI leviathan of a film. Whether something seemed missing or you did feel a connection to this latest cinematic biblical epic, here are 10 ways to get your Exodus on-either as an antidote or to get a better sense of what director Scott might have been after. 1. Maimonides on miracles "From Moses to... Full story
On March 13, 1978, Jewish Family Services Orlando opened its door to help low-income families who found themselves in a crunch, and 36 years later, it is still helping people down on their luck. It is the Jewish Community's organized outreach into the community-for Jews and non-Jews alike. The agency isn't on the Jewish Community Campus. There's a reason for that. Located at 2100 Lee Road in Winter Park, it is on the bus routes, the means of transportation for many of the people who use the... Full story
What's in a name?... "Mort Aux Juifs" is the name of a small French village. What does it mean? Are you ready for this answer? Okay, here goes: "Death to Jews." Are you shocked? (I was.) This comes directly from the World Jewish Congress (WJC) Digest: "Despite efforts by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the deputy mayor of the village of Courtemaux, Marie-Elizabeth Secretand, has defended her decision opposing a name change. 'It's absurd,' she said. 'This name has existed for ages. Of course no one... Full story
Shirley Schoenberger has been volunteering with Jewish Pavilion for just a few months and she is already recruiting others to join her. Shown here are her two grandsons, Noah (right) and Jared Weiss, who joined Shirley and her husband, Peter, on a recent Friday afternoon. Fifth-grader Noah and third-grader Jared, who attend religious school at Congregation Ohev Shalom, were on Thanksgiving school break from Lake Sybelia Elementary School and spending time with their grandparents doing a... Full story
(ISRAEL21c) -Meet Moshe Hogeg, the Israeli venture capitalist and entrepreneur tagged by Forbes magazine as one of the 10 "Start-up Nation movers and shakers you need to know." The 33-year-old founder and chairman of Singulariteam (a private investment fund and incubator formerly called Genesis Angels)-with an extensive network of companies he has created, technologies he has invested in, or both-is making an international name for himself. His illustrious list of backers and partners includes... Full story
Fifteen-year-old Jonathan Trattner, a 10th grade student at Lyman High School, dreams of spending the second half of his junior year studying in Israel as part of NFTY's Eisendrath International Experience program for 10th – 12th grade students, the same program his father attended 40 years ago. He also wants to help pay for the trip himself, and has launched his first business, www.holidayblowoutsale.com to raise the necessary funds. "I spent time this summer looking for ways to earn money. I... Full story
BALTIMORE (JTA) – Beyond the rusty orange leaves, the sky hugging the orchard flourished in pastel blue – a hue that surprisingly didn't define my mood while stretched out upon the grass, head nestled in interlocked palms that sweet October day. Surprisingly because the Sunday afternoon outing marked a jarring wrinkle in a cherished autumnal tradition. With one son serving in the Israeli army and another participating in a post-high-school one-year program in Jerusalem, this apple-picking for... Full story
More reasons for depression... It is acknowledged by most that as a person grows older... really elderly... they may experience bouts of depression. It happens to me occasionally, even though I'm NOT elderly, (Shut up!) especially when I read things like the following story from The World Jewish Congress Digest (WJC): "One of the oldest functioning Jewish schools, The Carolineskolen in Copenhagen, Denmark, recently suffered smashed windows and anti-Semitic graffiti. The vandals, who perpetrated... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA) -- Sharing their favorite Jewish chocolate experiences recently, a group of about 60 chocolate lovers didn't even mention Chanukah gelt. That is, until one woman at the New Jersey get-together shared her thoughts on the subject. "It is sucky," she said, meaning that the chocolate is waxy, flavorless and should remain wrapped in its foil on the holiday table. Francine Segan, an author and chocolate maven, echoed the feeling when she told me recently that her children, who were... Full story
PHILADELPHIA (JTA)-In text accompanying a new exhibition at this city's National Museum of American Jewish History, Sammy Davis Jr. is quoted on why he converted to Judaism. "I became a Jew because I was ready and willing to understand the plight of a people who fought for thousands of years for a homeland," the late entertainer said. What immediately follows is a curator's observation: "Davis knew that becoming a Jew also meant recording Christmas songs." The comment, while somewhat facetious,... Full story
ERUSALEM (JTA)—When the Maccabees climbed the stairs of the Temple in Jerusalem, they lit the menorah with the knowledge that there was only enough oil to last for one day. Only a miracle could turn oil into a renewable resource. And the future of the planet urges us not to depend on miracles. The faith and initiative shown by the Maccabees can inspire us this year to take greater action, especially during a Chanukah that falls during the shmita year. Shmita is the biblically ordained law that has roots in agriculture and building a just s... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-There's nothing quite like that first night of Chanukah: a platter full of hot, crispy latkes and the accompanying applesauce and sour cream. It's classic, delicious and a beloved comfort food for so many American Jews. But by the third or fourth night, I need a change of pace for my latkes. Or to be more specific, I crave some other toppings. While I love dipping my latkes into a healthy serving of rich sour cream, I also relish serving meat with latkes, specifically pulled... Full story
The average Chanukah sufganiya (jelly donut) has between 300 and 400 calories of nearly pure oil and fat. In honor of the miracle God bestowed on the Maccabees, making oil meant for just a day last eight days, the delicious donut and other traditionally oily Chanukah foods become annual killers for your diet. For those who are health conscious but do not want to be deprived of the annual treat, here are three healthier recipes selected from Joyofkosher.com. Consider substituting or reducing... Full story
Two San Francisco Bay area moms, Lisa Kinne and Susan Mayost, set up a new business they call Sweet Thrills Bakeshop, and their focus has primarily been on developing a new, creative activity for Chanukah-Chocolate Gingerbread Menorah decorating kits. "With our kids all now in school (ages 4-8), it was time for us to have some fun with our own creative ideas, not that playing Legos and having tea parties isn't endlessly satisfying," said Kinne. The idea was sparked by Mayost's own experience as... Full story
LOS ANGELES (JTA)-What can a buck get you on Chanukah? Maybe a gold mesh bag of chocolate coins or a lighter for your menorah. But Jewish continuity? At Chanukah time, when we get so wrapped up in gift giving, I propose that it's a single dollar of gelt (Yiddish for money) that has the power to keep on giving beyond eight nights. Chanukah gelt referred originally in Europe and later America to coins given as gifts to children and adults. Today, gelt brings to mind the chocolate coins wrapped in... Full story
BOSTON (JTA)-Back in 1984, when Eric Kimmel was an up-and-coming children's book author, he tried his hand at a Chanukah story, one featuring goblins. Overly cautious Jewish editors rejected the manuscript, not knowing what to make of it, Kimmel recalled. "It was strange. It didn't look like any other Chanukah books and didn't fit into any neat category. It wasn't a folk tale and it was kind of creepy," he told JTA with his signature sense of humor and tell-it-like-it-is manner. Kimmel tucked... Full story
SAN FRANCISCO (MyJewishLearning.com)—Chanukah is observed with joy and celebration in Jewish communities around the world. There are eight nights of lights and blessings the world over, but there are also many ways that different communities make the holiday uniquely their own. Here are eight customs and ideas to help you make your celebration just a little more global. • In Alsace, a region of France, double-decker Chanukah menorahs were common with space for 16 lights. The two levels, each with spots for eight lights, allowed fathers and son... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)-One of my favorite ways to celebrate Chanukah is over brunch. Yes, it's nontraditional-and you can't enjoy the experience of lighting the menorah together or singing. But it's a great way to change up the routine, especially if you have young kids and want to work around nap and bedtime schedules. Serve Dill Potato Latkes with Caper and Lemon Creme Fraiche and a seasonal winter Blood Orange and Goat Cheese Salad, and add tradition with sufganiyot. Sufganiyot are much more popular... Full story
MINNEAPOLIS (Kveller.com)—The Chanukah I see in children’s books demonstrates families playing dreidel and eating latkes while the menorah shines brilliantly in the window. Then there’s the inevitable illustration of the kids’ utter elation when the parents unveil a bag of gelt night after night. The scene sounds delightful, but I can’t imagine it’s realistic in all Jewish homes. Let’s be honest: Starting in October, lots of Jewish kids obsess over the “holiday” (aka Christmas) catalogs that arrive daily in mailboxes across the country. Right o... Full story
It may have been 47 years ago but Yossef Carasso remembers every detail of the night that he was taken to an Egyptian police station from his home in the city of Tanta, near Cairo. It was the first night of the 1967 war. "We were the only Jewish family still left in Tanta and at 10 p.m. there was a knock on the door," Carasso told The Media Line. "The policeman told my father, 'We're looking for your son and son-in-law. They took us to a police station and left us there all night.'" Carasso,... Full story
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (JTA) – As Chanukah nears, let the grousing begin. Too much is made of a holiday that Judaism ranks as a minor festival—one whose rite takes no more than five minutes to complete each night—some American Jews will say. Some will complain about the season’s excessive commercialism or materialism. Yet most Jews will also participate in at least one of the many customs developed by American Jews to augment the holiday’s simple rite and express the enhanced place of Chanukah, which this year falls on Dec. 16, on the American... Full story
MINNEAPOLIS (Kveller.com)—We Jews have two choices in our approach to the Christmas season: resent it or embrace it. I for one vote for a big, sloppy embrace. In the name of love thy neighbor and tolerance, I say we hug it out with Christmas already and teach our kids to do the same. Why? We expect our non-Jewish co-workers, friends and neighbors to show heaps of interest and concern in all things Jewish. During the High Holidays we ask our kids’ teachers not to assign big tests after those long days at shul. We offer unsolicited exp... Full story
