Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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A poll conducted by the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values and OneMessage Public Strategies reveals that self-identified “Progressives” and “Very Liberals” carry views far removed from the rest of the electorate, particularly on the Jewish community. In addition to domestic issues, those polled were asked their views on Israel and the current state of antisemitism in America. Seventy eight percent of self-identified Progressives and 81 percent of self-identified Very Liberals believe Jewish Americans have “unfair advantages” that need to be...
(JTA) — In 1892, an Oklahoma preacher born into slavery received a series of divine revelations that compelled him to launch a new church and, with it, a new religious movement in the United States: Black Israelism, better known as the Black Hebrew Israelite movement. More than a century later, the movement’s central tenet — that African Americans are the genealogical descendants of the ancient Israelites — has repeatedly found its way into popular culture through the expressions of non-Jewish African-American entertainers and athletes such as...
Ask a friend. When contemplating forgiveness, either asking for or giving, identifying the cause can be useful, especially if it is a deeper-rooted issue. There might be a pattern or trigger within yourself or another that you may be unaware of. Sometimes getting another perspective can help identify things we do not see. A friend, someone who knows you well and you can trust, can give you honest insight and an outsider’s perspective. The key, however, is to not get defensive when they give y...
By Tova Friedman A beloved dish “made the old-fashioned way” with lots of mushrooms. In “Honey Cake & Latkes: Recipes from the Old World by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Survivors,” Tova Friedman writes, “My late husband’s favorite food was tzimmes, but he also shared his family’s recipe for kasha varnishkes. So from the time I had my own family and had children, we always used to prepare tzimmes and varnishkes. This is the “old-fashioned” way to make it: with lots of mushrooms.” This hearty dish is...
My mother's stuffed cabbage is one of my favorite dishes in the world. She makes it with ground beef and rice and simmers the stuffed cabbage leaves in a rich, savory tomato sauce. I could eat trays of it. My late grandmother used to make a vegetarian version, hers included rice, mushrooms, and barley. The sauce was sweeter than my mother's, leaning a little more to the Polish side of tradition, where sweet foods are more prevalent. I could also eat trays of her stuffed cabbage and I savored...
(JNS) — The women and men of Iran are fed up with the regime and are risking their lives for the future of their children, Dr. Sheila Nazarian says. Nazarian, a plastic surgeon, is the star of the Emmy-nominated Netflix series “Skin Decision” and a passionate social media activist. In the latest episode of “Global perspectives,” she and host Ellie Cohanim discuss the protests in Iran, anti-Semitism and what it means to be an immigrant in the United States. “I’ve never been prouder of my Iranian heritage, seeing my people stand up for what they...
(JTA) - It is rare that one can say attending a funeral was an uplifting experience. Yet the funeral Thursday for Judah Samet, who died Sept. 27, 2022, was exactly that, because remembering Judah can bring only positive feelings. He was a teacher of Torah at his Tree of Life synagogue, possessor of a unique and vigorous voice and sense of humor, veteran of the paratroop division of the Israeli army, lover of Golden Grahams, generous tipper and possessor of what he termed a "Bergen-Belsen...
Get to the root of the problem. The process of forgiveness can oftentimes start a bigger conversation surrounding the underlying issue that might have caused the event or disagreement you're apologizing for in the first place. First, try looking for patterns or triggers. For example, the common factor each time you get in an argument with your partner might be finances. Identifying it as the source of the issue will help you both build empathy and trust, making it easier to understand each...
(JNS) - Jewish actress Mila Kunis has charmed millions of fans around the world, but did she charm her way into America? After a screening of her new film "Luckiest Girl Alive" at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan on Sept. 29, the star who rose to fame playing Jackie Burkhart on "That '70s Show" told the crowd that, as a child, she strolled into the office of the woman who was to decide if her family would be allowed to go to the U.S. They'd been at the American embassy in Moscow for about 16...
(JTA) - When Rabbi Rachel Timoner's dad Eli told his family of his decision to end his life, Rachel knew what would soon be asked of her: to officiate his funeral, something he had told her he wanted since she became ordained. This presented a challenge for Rachel, the senior rabbi at Brooklyn's Congregation Beth Elohim. Being her father's rabbi "wasn't what I wanted," she says in the new documentary, "Last Flight Home," which chronicles Eli's final days from the perspective of his family. The...
One of the most important roles of a caregiver is to coordinate the medical care their loved-one receives. As medical needs grow, we often need to see specialists, have lab work done, go to therapists, and change care facilities. We would like to assume that our loved-one’s complete medical information is automatically moved from one office to another. This rarely occurs. It falls on the caregiver to ensure that the critical information is received and read by the healthcare provider. Having a binder with all of the medical records tabbed can b...
(JTA) - Episode three of "The Patient," the well-received psychological thriller series on Hulu about a serial killer who kidnaps his therapist, involves a flashback to an Orthodox wedding. Ezra, son of the protagonist therapist Alan Strauss and Reform cantor Beth Strauss, is marrying an Orthodox woman named Chava. Guitar in hand, Beth sings "Dodi Li," a traditional Jewish wedding song, knowing that women are not allowed to sing in the presence of men in this Orthodox community. As she...
(JTA) — Every seven years, in ancient times, Jewish men, women, and children would gather at the Temple on the first day of Sukkot to hear the king of Jerusalem read aloud from the Torah. In 2022, there’s no king and no Temple, and more than half of all Jews live far from Jerusalem — but the ritual is still inspiring Jews around the world to gather together. In fact, the tradition, known as hakhel, appears to be seeing a resurgence of popular interest. In Northampton, Massachusetts, Abundance Farm will host an outdoor festival with tree plant...
Jonathan Feldstein was one of the first people who reported about the arrival of the five red heifers in Israel just over two weeks ago. His initial Facebook post drew hundreds of comments and was shared over 13,000 times. He also was the first to interview two of the main people behind this, Byron Stinson and Rabbi Chanan Kupietzky, an Evangelical Christian and Orthodox Jewish Rabbi respectively. American Airlines flight 146 touched down at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport on time, arriving from New York’s JFK airport as one of the dozens of fli...
(JNS) — Every year at this time, we assess the events of the previous 12 months and wonder whether things could possibly get worse. Though our lives are as full of blessings as they are of challenges, the answer—when it comes to the state of the world—is generally, “Yes, you bet they can.” This certainly applied to 5782. On the positive side, a year ago, the world was just barely coming out of the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. As we head into 5783, the ongoing obsessions of COVID fear addicts notwithstanding, that sad chapter of history s...
If you find a loved one asking repetitive questions, becoming more confused and forgetful, you may assume they have dementia, but the cause could be hearing loss. Long-term brain function is impacted by hearing loss. In a recent Johns Hopkins study, those who did have hearing loss suffered more substantial cognitive impairment more than three years sooner than others with normal hearing levels. Dr. Frank Lin found that cognitive diminishment was 41 percent greater in the seniors with hearing problems. Dr. Lin explains that the link between...
(JTA) - Speaking on the phone from an empty balcony in the Longacre Theater in New York, several hours before a preview performance of his latest play, Tom Stoppard said the show is "one that people like to talk to me about." "Leopoldstadt," which officially hits Broadway on Sunday after an award-winning London debut in 2019, follows multiple generations of a Jewish family in Vienna from the turn of the 20th century through World War II and formation of the state of Israel. Audience members in t...
There are many ways to confront, and move on, from the grief of losing a loved one. As a grateful participant in the grief support program sponsored by the Jewish Pavilion and Vitas Healthcare, here is part of my story. My daughter Sara got married this past July in Manchester, Vermont, to her long-time boyfriend Griffin. She did all the extensive wedding planning, of both the ceremony and reception, on her own. I knew a lot of details about the reception ahead of time, but precious few about...
(JTA) - "K-pop is over," one Twitter user declared. "We're listening to Orthodox Pop from now on." With those words, the Miami Boys Choir has transformed over the last two weeks from a singing group popular among Jewish insiders to a viral sensation. On TikTok and Twitter, users have shared clips of the group's concerts, overlaid its music with other scenes and inserted themselves into split-screen duets. New fans of MBC, as the group is known for short, have chosen their favorite singers...
Write it out. Apologizing can be a delicate balance of vulnerability, confidence, and self-control. Before you jump into asking for forgiveness, sometimes writing a letter can give you a chance to fully express yourself without pressure. Just don't send your first copy. Give yourself a bit of time to read, re-read, and reflect on if you're taking full responsibility for your actions. You don't have to do it alone. Let us join you on your journey of self-reflection, during the holidays and all...
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. As far as I know that’s not a Jewish adage, but is one that’s accurate and which the publisher of “The Jewish Book of Knowledge” learned and understood well. When I opened the book, my first thought was “stunning.” Everything about it screams high quality from the paper, the pictures, the charts, the cover, and even the binding. Yes, I checked. But before cracking the book itself, first I had to get to it. It comes as a beautiful p...
(JNS) — My name is Tamar Shlezinger. I have a Ph.D. in social work and am a volunteer with United Hatzalah of Israel. Currently, I am taking part in the organization’s delegation to Puerto Rico to offer psychological and medical aid in the wake of Hurricane Fiona. I landed in San Juan, Puerto Rico last Friday morning with my five partners, all United Hatzalah volunteers with a background in psychological treatment and emergency medical aid. After members of the local Jewish community warmly welcomed us at the Chabad house, we started try...
(JTA) - After a long career pause brought on by an assault-induced depression and injuries, actor Brendan Fraser is back in headlines, earning early Oscar buzz for his performance in the upcoming movie "The Whale." What some of even his most ardent fans might not realize is that one of Fraser's earliest roles - alongside Matt Damon in what was his first major onscreen role - came in one the few mainstream Hollywood films to focus on antisemitism at non-Jewish schools. In "School Ties," which...
(JNS) - Listening to Deni Avdija answer questions at Washington Wizards Media Day last week provided a reminder of just how much the likable 21-year-old Israeli forward has accomplished-and endured-in his two seasons in the NBA. And he has a lot to look forward to. The only Israeli in the NBA is about to kick off season 3 with the Wizards, but first he has to get through a tough four-day training camp, fly to Japan for two preseason games against the Golden State Warriors, overcome a groin...
When Jewish summer camps unexpectedly had to cancel their summer programs two years ago after the COVID-19 pandemic hit and before vaccines became available, they faced sudden financial ruin. Jewish camps are widely recognized as uniquely effective tools for cultivating Jewish identity and leadership, and the prospect of dozens of them across the continent permanently shutting down was seen as a problem not just for camps and their campers, but disastrous for the American Jewish community....
