Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 1455
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Alan Scott Apte, 59, on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, following a courageous four-year battle with cancer. Alan passed away peacefully, with his loving wife, mother-in-law, and several close friends by his side. He was born and raised in Miami Beach, Florida to the late Stanley and Laura (Freud) Apte of blessed memory. Alan dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice and service to others through an accomplished legal career spanning...
Gail Blackman was not an average woman. She was too tall, too loud, and too determined to be anything other than astounding — and she did not disappoint. If you met her, you didn’t forget her. Her gold curls, her turquoise jewelry, and a sense of humor that was a little too sharp in every sense of the word. But boy, was she fun. It’s easy to overlook her achievements, simply because there were so many. She turned a home catering hobby into a partnership with one of the biggest brands in kitch...
Joan Zimmerman Cohen, 73, passed away on July 14, 2026, at AdventHealth Winter Park Hospital Florida. Born on March 18, 1953, in Atlanta, Georgia, Joan was the beloved daughter of the late Ilaine (Manne) Zimmerman and Benjamin Harris Zimmerman. Joan dedicated her life to serving children as a special education teacher, helping students with learning disabilities achieve their fullest potential. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in Special Edu...
It is with deep sadness and love that we announce the passing of Denise Reback (née Bitton), who died on July 17, 2026, at the age of 89, surrounded by her two children, following a short residence at The Cohen-Rosen House in Rockville, Maryland. Denise was brought into this world on Dec. 13, 1936, in Casablanca, Morocco, the second of 12 children born to the late Maklouf and Saada (née Benbaruk) Bitton. She is survived by her loving children, Karen Reback (Dr. Scott Howard) of Washington, D...
Joyce Mulberg Walker, a remarkable woman devoted to her family and generously engaged in community service throughout her 97 years, passed away peacefully on June 4, 2026, at her home in Winter Park, Florida. She was surrounded by her beloved husband of 76 years, her children and grandchildren. A native of Key West, Florida, she was born Jan. 21, 1929, on her grandmother’s kitchen table and kept her affinity as a “Conch” throughout her life. She was president of the Key West High School stude...
(JNS) - The exchange between Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Elena Kagan, during her confirmation hearing for the U.S. Supreme Court on June 29, 2010 is one of the most lighthearted Jewish references in such a venue. "As we move forward and deal with law of war issues. Christmas Day bomber. Where are you at on Christmas Day?" Graham asked. "Sen. Graham, that is an undecided legal issue. I suppose, I should ask exactly what you mean by that. I'm assuming that the question you mean is whether a...
Arnold Harold Bierman, born on April 11, 1936, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Samuel and Ada (Coutt) Bierman, passed away on June 28, 2026. Arnold showed his love of adventure from an early age, riding his tricycle at age two to the local elementary school to visit his sister, Norma, whom he loved and cared for throughout her life. Short in stature, he made up for it in grit, speed, and heart. As a teenager, he was a champion amateur weightlifter. He won a world record for the most weight lifted in...
Dubbed “Hitmaking Titan of the Music Industry” by the NY Times, Clive Jay Davis, died at his home in Manhattan on June 22, 2026, at the age of 94. He had been hospitalized with respiratory problems shortly before his death. Davis was a leader at labels like Columbia, RCA, J, BMG, and Arista, which he founded in 1974. Artists like Aretha Franklin; Barry Manilow; Billy Joel; Carlos Santana; Chicago; Earth, Wind and Fire; Aerosmith; Bruce Springsteen; Whitney Houston; Pink Floyd; Sly and the Fam...
Submitted by the family This is not an obituary. It’s an instruction manual. Philip Sheldon Brown was born in Brooklyn, New York, in June of 1948. He died June 24, 2026, in Altamonte Springs, Florida surrounded by his loving family. He was an aerospace engineer, but that was just a job. His family strongly suspects that he was a Lamed Vavnik. In Judaism, Lamed Vavniks are the 36 people who are so righteous that the entire world is sustained for their sake. They walk among us and do not know w...
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Jerry Kurland, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. Jerry lived a life marked by vision, creativity, determination, and a deep devotion to his family. Born in Montreal, Canada, on Oct. 10, 1933, Jerry built a remarkable life defined by both professional accomplishment and personal warmth. He married the love of his life, June, in Ottawa, and together they shared 62 wonderful years of marriage. Their...
Howard George Wiedman, 82, of Winter Park, Florida, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2026. Howard was born in the Bronx, New York, on Feb. 22, 1944. A lifelong athlete, he played football in high school and went on to attend Union College, where he earned a degree in biology and played lacrosse. He later received a master’s degree in educational administration from New York University. Howard dedicated much of his career to education, serving as a biology teacher and head of the Science D...
(JNS) - Israeli artist Yaacov Agam, considered to be the father of the Kinetic Movement in modern art, died on Sunday at the age of 98, the Agam Museum announced. Agam, who was awarded the Israel Prize for Visual Arts in April, was known for works that incorporated movement, light, color and viewer interaction. A public memorial ceremony was held on Monday at the Agam Museum in the central city of Rishon Letzion, followed by the funeral, which was scheduled to depart from the plaza of the...
Julie Appelbaum Morse, born June 26, 1967, passed away on Saturday, June 13, 2026. Her passing leaves a profound ache in the hearts of all who loved her, and a bright, colorful spirit gone far too soon. Despite never having smoked a day in her life, it was lung cancer that took her from us. Julie is survived by her devoted parents, Dick and Dottie Appelbaum; her twin sister, Jill Small (Jayson); and her older sister, Alison Polejes (Craig). She leaves behind her beloved children, Kaitlyn Brown...
Goldie Berman, 86 of Winter Park, Florida passed away in the early morning hours of Monday, May 18, 2026. Goldie was born to Nissim and Emily Mayo on Oct. 10, 1939, in the Bronx, New York. The youngest of four children, Goldie grew up a “tom-boy” who was never afraid to mix it up with the other kids on the block. In 1961, Goldie’s older sister, Victoria, introduced Goldie to Aaron Koller, while he was home on leave from the Navy. The couple hit it off, fell in love and were married 3 months late...
Mrs. Dalia Isaiah, 81, Orlando, Florida passed away Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at HCA Osceola Regional Hospital, Kissimmee, Florida following a brief illness. Mrs. Isaiah was born May 27, 1944, in Tel Aviv, Israel to the late Joshua and Bruria (Kisaleyvitz) Avni of blessed memory. She is predeceased by her loving husband Benzion Isaiah and her cherished brothers, Ilan Avni and Avi Avni all of blessed memory. Dalia was a natural teacher, dedicating many years of teaching Hebrew School in...
Joel A. Newman, 78, of The Villages, Florida, formerly of Detroit, Michigan, died on May 28, 2026. Beloved husband of Michelle "Shelly" Newman. Cherished father of Casey Newman. Loving brother of Susan (Benson) Barr, Neal (Esther) Zalenko, the late Sherwin Newman, and the late Sanford (the late Miriam) Newman. Special brother-in-law of Robert (Janet) Sher, Lawrence Sher, and Beverly (the late Albert) Hacker. Dear son of the late Charles and the late Libbie Newman Zalenko. Also survived by other...
Allan Frank Solomon passed away peacefully on May 22, 2026, at the age of 87, surrounded by the family he loved so deeply, in his Orlando, Florida home. He was a husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. He was also a mentor to the thousands of campers and staff members who came of age under his watch and leadership at Camp Coleman. Born in Conway, South Carolina, Allan grew up with a love of the outdoors and camping. Summers in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Camp Brant Lake...
Burton Lawrence Lieberman, affectionately known to his grandchildren as "Puppy," passed away peacefully on May 15, 2026, at the age of 100 years and 3 months. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1926, Burton was preceded in death by his parents, Manny and Dina (Rogow) Lieberman; his beloved wife, Barbara (Bluestone) Lieberman, who passed away in 2003; and his sisters, Greta Katz and Marilyn Schwartz. Burton proudly served in the United States Navy during World War II in both the Atlantic and...
(JNS) — Barney Frank, a former House Financial Services Committee chair and Democrat who represented Massachusetts’s 4th Congressional District from 1981 to 2013, died on Tuesday night. He was 86 years old. The late Jewish congressman had been in hospice in recent months at home in Ogunquit, Maine, and was treated for congestive heart failure, NBC reported, citing Frank’s sister and a close friend. Frank is known for co-authoring the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act w...
Former Winter Park resident Eva London Ritt, a Holocaust survivor who fought for the rights and freedom of Soviet Jewry, passed away peacefully in Chicago, Illinois, surrounded by her loving family, on Saturday, May 9, 2026. She was 93. Eva was born Jan. 23, 1933, in Hamburg, Germany to Max and Charlotte Bianca (Wolff) London. She often shared with all seriousness that Hitler became Chancellor of Germany one week after her birth. Kristallnacht, the infamous "Night of Broken Glass," took place...
(JNS) — Abe Foxman, who grew from being a hidden child during the Holocaust into the country’s best-known fighter of Jew-hatred, was called a “towering” and “giant” figure in statement after statement from Jewish groups after his death. At his funeral on Tuesday, May 12, the capacity crowd that filled the pews at Park Avenue Synagogue heard a different aspect of Foxman’s life — the man who was a close friend and mentor to many, a father of two and grandfather of four. The crowd heard of the man, who regularly sent texts to those he loved...
Teri Gorelick (née Golden), 77, of Sanford, Florida — a woman known for her wit, her music, and her devotion to animals — passed away peacefully on the evening of May 12, 2026. Born on May 19, 1948, in Jersey City, New Jersey, to Edward and Irma (Gizang) Golden, Teri eventually moved with her husband and daughters to Sarasota to escape the northern winters and be closer to her parents and brothers. She lived for the heat. To Teri, anything below 85 degrees was chilly. While she lived in Sanf...
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of a wonderful woman. Judy Jackson was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Judy left us peacefully at her home on May 11, 2026, at the age of 79. Family was extremely important to Judy. It was through her cooking that she created a warm, loving environment for family and friends, especially on holidays and special occasions. She is fondly remembered for her warm hugs and loving smiles. Judy was a source of love and warmt...
Miss Pamela Leventer, 63, passed away Thursday, May 7, 2026, at her Altamonte Springs, Florida home following a brief illness. Miss Leventer was born Oct. 13, 1962, in Brooklyn, New York to the late Seymour and Sandra (Silverman) Leventer of blessed memory. She moved to the Orlando area in 1984 from New York with her parents and was a retired sales representative for AT&T. Miss Leventer is survived by her uncle, Sol (Dorothy) Silverman of East Hanover, New Jersey and her cousins. Graveside Services for Miss Leventer were held at Beth Israel...
Mrs. Judith Ann Neuman, 80, of St. Cloud, Florida passed away peacefully Monday, May 4, 2026, surrounded by family at Orlando Health St. Cloud following a brief illness. Mrs. Neuman was born May 19, 1945, to the late Norman and Ruth (Picker) Glucksman of blessed memory. She was the former owner and operator of a travel agency and a member of Congregation Ohev Shalom, Maitland, Florida. Mrs. Neuman is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 55 years, Bart Neuman of St. Cloud, Florida; daugh...
