Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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I'm sitting and waiting for my wife in the hotel lobby after a wedding and reception. It's October 2013 in Michigan. A group of men enter from outside and they disperse with only one remaining a few feet away from me. I'm thinking I've seen him before. He's tall, thin at the time, and dark complected. I stand up and say "Excuse me, you look familiar. Aren't you...?" He perceives my hesitation, with grace and a look of sophistication extends a hand and replies "JB Smoove. How are you this...
People often talk about “trading a Palestinian state for peace,” yet few know the history of this land. While Gaza fills headlines, another phrase is hitting the headlines lately: the “Occupied West Bank.” The West Bank is the heartland of ancient Israel and Judah, including Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. It was seized by Jordan in 1948 and then captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. The West Bank has never been a Palestinian state; before 1948 it was part of the British Mandate, and before that it was under Ottoman rule. Biblica...
Many people are aware of Parkinson’s symptoms such as tremors, but few are aware that psychosis is also a symptom that may occur. As Parkinson’s disease progresses, up to 40 percent of the approximately one million Americans living with the illness will develop symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions. These symptoms can be an indication of Parkinson’s disease psychosis, but unfortunately, many patients are not diagnosed. Psychosis generally means “loss of reality testing.” Psychotic symptoms may be brought on by infections or by medica...
Let me introduce you to Athena Reich-a woman whose life is as dazzling and dynamic as the pop icon she impersonates. A single mother of two, Reich is a second-year medical student, music teacher, award-winning performer, and Lady Gaga impersonator. Yes, you read that right. Dr. Gaga is in. Or should we say, Hello, Dr. Lady Gaga Glam. Voted the world's top Lady Gaga impersonator by Chatelaine Magazine, Reich blends brains, performance, passion, and purpose in a life that has taken her from...
(JNS) - As I walk into the still relatively new school year, I find myself reflecting on an honor I received this summer, the Bernie Marcus Award, and on the journey to Israel that helped me see what it truly means to be a pro-Israel advocate. They both came at pivotal moments, offering me fresh eyes and a renewed sense of purpose for the year ahead. The Bernie Marcus Award is given to young leaders who demonstrate a deep commitment to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship. For me, that...
Makes 32 cookies 3 cups flour 1/3 tsp. ground cloves 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder 1 cup olive oil 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup water 1/3 tsp. baking soda in 1/4 cup orange juice 1 tsp. brandy 1 tsp. orange zest Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. 1 /2 cup chopped walnuts, plus 1/2 cup to garnish cookies Roll cookies in oblong 2” x 1” shaped cookies and prick a design on each cookie using fork tines 5 times. Place rounded side up on a greased baking tray. 325 F. for 20 min...
Makes about 8 small pancakes. Perfect for a light lunch or appetizer. You can use two zucchini instead of potatoes to cut down on calories. Maybe you will try these for Chanukah. 1 medium zucchini, grated in large shreds 1 yellow squash, grated in large sheds or use two zucchini. 1 tsp. salt 1 medium onion, finely grated 1 egg, slightly beaten 3/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1 tsp. turmeric (optional) Vegetable oil (avocado oil or butter, if doing dairy.) Grate squashes with 1/2-1 tsp. salt and mix in a small bowl....
By Steve Lipman Some recent news in the Jewish community: In Brooklyn, Amir (not his real name), a young real estate agent who had drifted from his roots in an Orthodox Jewish household, began flying a large Israeli flag outside his apartment in a mostly non-Jewish neighborhood. Intrigued, a bypassing rabbi introduced himself and encouraged Amir to become active in the activities of a nearby Chabad center. And since then, Amir has resumed his life as an observant Jew, davening every day and putting on tefillin. In Chicago, Detroit-born,...
In the millennia of Jewish history, several momentous events have stood out as turning points that subsequently influenced the lives of the Jewish people. The exodus from Egypt. The giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem, and the Jewish exiles that followed. The writing of the Talmud. But many of these events are literally ancient history. And obvious. Some more-recent events in Jewish history have also played significant but often subtle roles in...
“Being a fan of the Mets is like very, very much being Jewish — you know, you suffer,” Israeli-American violinist Itzhak Perlman tells me. “Every now and then, you have wonderful, wonderful, great, great, great celebration — and then some more suffering.” Perlman, who turned 80 on Aug. 31, was describing his recent birthday celebration — a Chinese dinner in Flushing with loved ones, followed by a trip to Citi Field “to watch the Mets lose,” as he described it. Ever the optimist, the virtuoso — who has won a whopping 16 Grammys and has con...
Working with seniors, the Jewish Pavilion Senior Services staff and volunteers experience a lot of loss. When we hear of a family member who has passed, we send a card and the book “When You Lose Someone You Love” to the bereaved. We also invite the bereaved to participate in a free six-week grief support group. There are many other ways to memorialize a loved one. Here are a few suggestions that may be meaningful and help in the grieving process: • Create your own thank you card: Include a picture of your loved one on the cover of the card...
In a quiet Maitland neighborhood just outside of Orlando, a determined entrepreneur is making national waves - not for business this time, but for advocacy. Francine Fox, who moved to Central Florida in 1998, has called Maitland home for over two decades with her husband, Bruce. She's best known professionally as the founder of Fox Adjusters LLC (foxadjusters.com), a residential and commercial claims advocacy company. As a seasoned public adjuster, she has built a respected name fighting for...
(JNS) - Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel won the Nobel Peace Prize, received a Congressional Medal of Honor, along with a slew of other awards, and his book Night has sold millions of copies read by students across the globe. Wiesel, who died in 2016 at the age of 87, will go down as one of the most famous Jews of all time, who encouraged other survivors to find their voice and speak out. He represented a community that had to grapple with survivor's guilt for the rest of their lives and went on...
(JNS) - One word that enters into untold numbers of post-Oct. 7 conversations is "resilience." Notwithstanding the constantly hovering shadow of the brutality committed against Israelis that day, the word speaks to their seemingly innate ability to get up each morning and go about the task of living their lives in the Jewish state. New high-tech start-ups appear, new medical advances are announced, restaurants open, artists continue to paint and even comedians have found their way to break the...
“Guns & Moses.” It sounds like a Jewish movie. Nu? The main character is a rabbi who reluctantly becomes a gunslinger after his community is attacked. Naturally, it piqued our interest, but we were torn. On the one hand, we wanted to show our support for those who worked hard to produce and present a film with Jewish content. But, in a time of much antisemitism, divisiveness, and violence we were hesitant about going to the movie theater. Could some crazed fanatic attack the audience? Things lik...
(JNS) — As antisemitism surges worldwide and international criticism of Israel intensifies, mostly the result of the fallout from its war with Hamas in Gaza following the terrorist invasion of Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli scholar Yisrael Ne’eman has warned that it’s not only Jews who should be concerned. Ne’eman, a historian who taught for more than three decades at the University of Haifa and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, also in Haifa, argues that an alliance between the far left and radical Islamist movements—what he calls the “Red-...
(JNS) — Jason Stahl, 47, of Hank Schwartz’s Delicatessen and Appetizing in Jersey City, N.J., launched a Rosh Hashanah-inspired sandwich this year called “sweet new year.” Error! Filename not specified. A Jersey Jew tomato sandwich from Hank Schwartz’s Delicatessen and Appetizing in Jersey City, N.J. Credit: Courtesy of Jason Stahl. The $18 sandwich, which consists of slow-cooked brisket, horseradish mayonnaise and caramelized onions on challah, is available for preorder. Customers can pick it up on Sept. 21 at Riverview Farmers Market in...
(JNS) - Raised in a Hasidic home in Jerusalem, Ayelet Raymond was taught that women's beauty should be concealed "like a precious diamond kept inside its box." Life, she explained, centered on good deeds and prayer, with no exposure to television or fashion. "Pageants were foreign to me-I never imagined stepping on a stage," she told JNS. Raymond was recently crowned Miss World Influencer 2025, competing against contestants from 71 countries. She described the pageant as an "incredible...
For centuries, Jewish men were immersed in Torah and Talmud. But what about the women who were typically excluded from formal study? It’s not that they were uneducated. They drew on a different kind of intelligence, learning through oral tradition, trained memory, and hands-on skill. They absorbed knowledge about childbirth, herbal medicine, and care of family and neighbors, passed from woman to woman over generations. Noticing what others missed, they addressed unmet needs with practical, lasting solutions — shaping families, sustaining com...
Home for the holidays? That’s not always the case for college students, who travel far and wide to attend schools throughout the United States. It’s not always possible to return to family after arriving across the country to study. Travel is expensive and time-consuming, and this year, with the Jewish holidays falling midweek, it could result in too much missed time for classes. Fear not. Campuses across North America offer services, meals and more for those students staying put on campus. The Philadelphia area is a case in point. At Penn Hil...
(JNS) — At sundown on Monday, Sept. 22, Jews around the world will gather to mark Rosh Hashanah —the day on which we acknowledge our past and pray for our future. This year, as we usher in 5786, we are called once again to reflection, repentance and renewal. It is a season of hope, of honey and sweetness, even when the world beyond our doors feels bitter. American Jews, like our fellow Americans, are living through a time of domestic polarization and global upheaval. Events arrive fast and fur...
Recognizing the right time for assisted living can be tough for caregivers, often leading to delayed action. Here are signs to consider: • If your loved one’s condition worsens beyond your capacity to manage alone. • Despite your efforts, your care isn’t sufficient. • You feel isolated in your caregiving role. • Lack of respite options leaves you exhausted. • Family relationships strain due to caregiving demands. • Your work and personal life suffer due to caregiving responsibilities. • Feelings of guilt about prioritizing your own well-bei...
This story originally appeared on The Nosher. Apples dipped in honey and honey cakes are popular across the Jewish world around Rosh Hashanah. But if you grew up in Israel, you most likely came across a unique variation of honey treats: duvshaniyot. These dense, dark, round honey cookies are a must in many families' High Holidays nosh rotation. The modest duvshaniyot (their name derives from the Hebrew word dvash, meaning honey) seem to have been part of the Israeli repertoire forever and you ca...
Home for the holidays? That's not always the case for college students, who travel far and wide to attend schools throughout the United States. It's not always possible to return to family after arriving across the country to study. Travel is expensive and time-consuming, and this year, with the Jewish holidays falling midweek, it could result in too much missed time for classes. Fear not. Campuses across North America offer services, meals and more for those students staying put on campus. The...
"It must all be recorded with not a single fact omitted. And when the time comes - as it surely will -let the world read and know what the murderers have done." - Oyneg Shabes Archives On April 14, 2023, a few days before the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, officials unveiled a new monument in that Eastern European city's Jewish cemetery. The glass and stone structure honors a group of brave Jews who risked their lives to collect thousands of items, that has provided insight...
