Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JTA)—Ari Engel, the son of an Orthodox rabbi, has become one of the world’s best professional poker players over the last few years. Engel says poker is a game of skill, not chance. Here are his top five tips for becoming a better poker player: 1. Patience is a virtue. I know you didn’t travel to the casino or home game to fold, but sometimes that’s what you need to do. Playing bad hands because you are bored is a recipe for a losing session. By being selective with the hands you play, you will have a better hand than your opponents over the l... Full story
The Jewish Pavilion gave Chanukah parties at over 50 senior facilities in Central Florida this Chanukah season. This is a tremendous undertaking but the value is incredible as it reaches so many in senior care facilities. Chanukah is a joyous time for Jewish families, but oftentimes awkward if not difficult for seniors when it comes to navigating the holiday period with Christmas filling the air everywhere. The Jewish Pavilion brings Chanukah parties to Central Florida senior facilities so that... Full story
Joan Pohl is posed with Betty and Al Shames of Brookdale Island Lake. Betty entered the room wearing her “festive Chanukah sweater” and Joan insisted on snapping a photo to share with others. Betty can be found at all of the Jewish Pavilion programs and many times leading one.... Full story
Ann and Lester Tabak have been married for 69 years and currently live at Brookdale Island Lake (formerly Chambrel). Lester is deeply devoted to Ann and wears a smile from ear to ear always in her company. While Ann may need more care in her later years, Lester remains positive, socially involved and a pure delight to be with. They were seated here at the monthly Yiddish class. On this day the Yiddish class enjoyed Chanukah music and nosh with Jewish Pavilion volunteers Morey Solomon and Joan... Full story
There are good people in this world... The Jewish Foundation For the Righteous knows this for sure. I recently received the following letter from them: The Jewish Foundation For the Righteous (JFR) was established to repay a debt of gratitude to Christian rescuers who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. The JFR sends monthly financial support to more than 550 aged and needy rescuers in 20 countries to help them pay for food, housing, and medical expenses. Since its founding, th... Full story
Ten friends of Ohev Shalom's Rabbi Emeritus Rudolph Adler made the trip down to Dr. Phillips on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014 for a Chanukah luncheon with the rabbi at the Sutton Home facility where he is in residence. TooJay's in Ocoee donated the delicious just-cooked latkes along with gefilte fish. Jewish Pavilion Program Director Gloria Green arranged the event with the able help of Ohev Shalom congregation member Shirley Michael. The synagogue friends of the rabbi presented him with a lap... Full story
The Jewish Pavilion says thank you to the Tauber family of Congregation Ohev Shalom, for visiting the residents at Oakmonte Village Assisted Living Community on the fourth night of Chanukah. The residents look forward to having families lead them in the blessings and songs for Chanukah. Jewish Pavilion recruited several families to join the seniors on different nights to enhance the beauty of the holiday. Shown here are Michelle Tauber and her four children; Tillie, Frank, Lou and... Full story
NEW YORK (JTA)—Dimly lit, the stone slab, or stele, doesn’t look particularly noteworthy, especially when compared to the more lavish sphinxes, jewelry and cauldrons one encounters en route to the room where it is installed. Indeed, in a Twitter post this fall, art journalist Lee Rosenbaum described the nearly 13-by-16 inch c. 830 BCE rock, which resembles an aardvark or elephant, as “homely.” What’s significant about this stone—on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of its “Assyria to Iberia at the Dawn of the Classical Age... Full story
The following is the second part of an excerpted from “Measure of a Man: From Auschwitz Survivor to Presidents’ Tailor” (Regnery) by Martin Greenfield with Wynton Hall. Greenfield, an 84-year-old Holocaust survivor, owns and operates Martin Greenfield Clothiers in Brooklyn, NY. Don’t shoot! On April 11, 1945, 3:15 p.m., the Allies liberated Buchenwald. Physically, I was free. Emotionally, I was in chains. I’d made a promise to myself. And I intended to keep it. I located two Jewish boys who were well enough to make the walk to Weimar. I... Full story
Mayor Teresa Jacobs was delighted to light the menorah and celebrate the holidays at the Chanukah Family Winter Festival & Grand Menorah Lighting Ceremony at Chabad of South Orlando. More than 400 local Jewish families and community members attended the annual event. Attendees enjoyed snow sledding down real snow, delicious food, Chanukah crafts and a concert featuring Israel's soul rock blues artist Lazer Lloyd.... Full story
One hundred and fifty people enjoyed the Dec. 11,2014 JP Connection's Luncheon honoring members and volunteers. Pictured are Norma Ball and Pam Ruben receiving their awards at JP Connections. "Both women have brought sunshine and smiles to our elders in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in greater Orlando," said Jewish Pavilion Executive Director Nancy Ludin. The beautiful artwork was designed by Jewish Pavilion volunteer Sandy Silbert, who is being honored by Kinneret at 8 over... Full story
Jewish Pavilion Chanukah party guests Laura at Westminster Towers is 103 years old, and Rose at Terra Vista Rehabilitation (photo at right) is a mere 104 years old. Both women enjoyed receiving Chanukah bears.... Full story
This holiday season, a philanthropist best known for giving out free books to children is mailing a quarter of a million tzedakah boxes to the same children-and more-to encourage and spread the spirit of generosity and giving. And the local PJ Library families will be receiving this generous gift. Harold Grinspoon launched the project at the holiday season because it is a time when families of different faiths try to teach their children about charity, fairness and justice. "Generosity of... Full story
"Sand in my shoes... " "Sand from Havana... " Remember that song? (I used to perform it.) Mazel tov to ALAN GROSS on his recent release (after 5 years) from Cuba. Surely it was a Chanukah miracle! "Father of the Nuclear Navy"... HYMAN GEORGE RICKOVER was a United States Navy admiral who directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of Naval Reactors. In addition, he oversaw the development of the Shippingport Atomic... Full story
The following is excerpted from "Measure of a Man: From Auschwitz Survivor to Presidents' Tailor" (Regnery) by Martin Greenfield with Wynton Hall. Greenfield, an 84-year-old Holocaust survivor, owns and operates Martin Greenfield Clothiers in Brooklyn, NY. The Heritage is running this excerpt in two parts because of its length. I made a vow: If I survived Buchenwald, I would return and kill the mayor's wife. The first time Martin Greenfield took up needle and thread was at Auschwitz, to mend... Full story
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
