Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(Israel Hayom via JNS) — Israeli President Isaac Herzog believes the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip was a strategic error, he told Israel Hayom in an interview, an excerpt from which was published on April 28. “It is clear to me now that the disengagement was a mistake. Not the desire to separate from two million Palestinians — that was logical — but the act itself, which, due to the Palestinian Authority’s weakness, led to a Hamas takeover in Gaza,” said the president. Ahead of Israel’s 77th Independence Day, Herzog finds himself...
(JTA) — The Irish band Kneecap displayed a large anti-Israel message during its set Friday at Coachella, a music festival held in the California desert. A series of messages projected behind the band accused Israel of genocide in Gaza and condemned the United States for its support for Israel’s military. The messages concluded with a small phrase on top of a larger one: “F–k Israel. Free Palestine.” The progressive Twitch streamer Hasan Piker beamed the performance to his millions of followers, widening Kneecap’s reach beyond the estimated 125,...
(JNS) — Some 130 Palestinians left the Gaza Strip through Ramon Airport in southern Israel. Around 110 Gazans flew to France, while the remainder will settle in Bosnia and Chile, according to Channel 12 News, which cited Israeli officials. On April 1, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel visited Ramon Airport to inspect “the voluntary departure process” of Palestinians from Gaza. “Dozens of Gazans were flown to Leipzig, Germany, on a designated flight accompanied by German diplomats today,” said the Population and Immigration Authority, part of t...
(JNS) - Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Monday morning at the Vatican at the age of 88. He passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time, according to the Vatican. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francis became the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Americas when elected in 2013. His papacy was marked by reform efforts, calls for social justice and outreach to marginalized communities. He also faced mounting criticism over...
(JNS) - Some 100 people, ranging in age from about 8 to 102, huddled for warmth as they braved 40-degree temperatures on a damp day at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday to watch, as speaker after speaker put it, Pfc. Adolph Hanf and Pvt. David Moser "come home." Neither of the Jewish soldiers, who served in World War I and who have been dead for more than 100 years, underwent a geographic relocation. But with the help of Operation Benjamin, a donor-supported nonprofit, Moser (1898-1919) and...
(JNS)- U.S. President Donald Trump named an Orthodox Jewish judge, whose official bio notes his penchant for studying the Talmud, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Per his official biography, Matthew H. Solomson, of Silver Spring, Md., "enjoys studying Talmud, playing tennis and spending time at the beach with his family." "It's notable that Judge Solomson is the first Orthodox Jew to be appointed as chief judge of the federal court he is serving on," Nathan Diament, executive dir...
Temple Israel is offering a brand-new, half-day camp running June 9-13 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. It will be packed with traditional camp activities and hands-on fun all through the lens of Judaism and Israeli culture. The camp is for kids entering kindergarten through fifth grade. Groups will be grades K-1, 2-3, and 4-5, with a minimum of six kids per group. If less than six children per age group register, Temple Israel staff will contact you to see if you would prefer your child join another age...
Enjoy a live music performance and inspirational talk by Israeli musician and public speaker Tal Ramon. Thursday, May 1, from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. in the Shalom Orlando Auditorium. Admission is free, though an $18 donation at the door is greatly appreciated. Registration is required, operations.daxko.com. Celebrate Yom Ha’Atzmaut — Israel’s Independence Day — at the Dr. Bernard and Samra Gotlib Yom Ha’Atzmaut festival on May 4. The event will be held at the Roth Family JCC outside Pavilion from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. There will be games, tradition...
The Rosen JCC is hosting a celebration of Israeli culture for the whole family on May 4 from 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at their campus. In celebration of Israel’s Independence Day, enjoy Israeli food tastings, donkey rides in the Negev, a petting zoo in the Kibbutz, a wine tasting in the Galilee, art in Tzfat, dancing in Tel Aviv, Shopping in the Shuk, western wall experience in Jerusale, rock climbing in Mitzpe Ramon, kite flying Eilat and Israeli bingo. Entry is free. Please RSVP at www.rosenjcc.org/israel....
Formerly known as the J Ball, Shalom Orlando invites the community to a J Soiree, themed “Through the Looking Glass.” This grand event takes place May 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Great Southern Box Company, 2105 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando. This year, the Legacy of Leadership honoree is Dick Appelbaum and Judith Arieli will be the recipient of the Harriet Weiss JCC Legacy Award. Visit ShalomOrlando.org/gala to register....
On May 13, 7 p.m. The Congregation of Reform Judaism, in partnership with Congregation Ohev Shalom, Shalom Oralndo, the Israeli American Council and the Jewish National Fund, will present the Tel Aviv String Trio & Special guests. The concert will be held at CRJ, 928 Malone Dr., Orlando. Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/ISOinOrlando....
(JTA) — At a time of heightened antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment, American Jews have been voting in record numbers in an election that will help determine how billions of dollars in Israel-related funding will be spent. The election for the World Zionist Congress, held every five years, provides the only democratic mechanism that gives Diaspora Jews a voice in determining the leadership and priorities of four main Zionist entities: the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish National Fund-Keren Kayemet åLeIsrael, The Jewish Agency for Is...
(JTA) — A Jewish family was killed Saturday when their private plane crashed en route to upstate New York to celebrate Passover. Among those lost in Sunday’s crash were siblings Karenna Groff, 25, and Jared Groff, 26, and their parents, surgeons Michael Groff and Joy Saini. Karenna’s boyfriend James Santoro and Jared’s girlfriend Alexia Couyutas Duarte, 24, were also on board. Both couples planned to get engaged in the coming months, according to the Associated Press. Michael Groff piloted the twin-engine plane which crashed in Copake, New Yor...
(JTA) — As Donald Trump took office in January, many who have kept a close eye on Israel’s efforts to blunt Iran’s nuclear ambitions believed the timing was ripe for a decisive strike. Iran had been deeply weakened by Israel’s direct attacks and wars with its proxies, and Trump was seen as open to being convinced to provide the crucial U.S. support that would be needed to pull off an attack on Iran’s fortified nuclear sites. But ultimately Trump batted away a specific Israeli plan for a strike in May, the New York Times reported on Thursday....
Several years ago, Mark Stone had the idea to walk across America to raise awareness of the need in America for more people to give blood. Now, a few years later, Stone is revisiting this idea with a lot of more vigor. As a representative of Congregation Ohev Shalom's Men's Club, he ran three Blood Drives a year for 25 years. He doesn't just encourage others to give blood, he himself is a dedicated blood giver. As of a few weeks ago, he donated his 88th pint of blood, making him an 11 Gallon...
(JNS) - The U.S. Senate voted 53-46 on April 9 to confirm Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, to be U.S. ambassador to Israel. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was the lone Democrat to back Huckabee, who has mounted two presidential campaigns since leaving office, and has been a TV and radio host since 2008. Every Republican voted to confirm Huckabee except Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who did not vote. Ahead of the vote, Republicans said that Huckabee would be a more pro-Israel diplo...
(JTA) - Florida's Todd Golden became the first Jewish coach in 37 years to win March Madness, the NCAA men's basketball tournament, since 1988. The Gators edged Houston 65-63 in the final on Monday night. Golden's championship capped an especially Jewish- and Israeli-inflected Final Four. Along with Florida, Duke and Auburn were coached, respectively, by Jon Scheyer and Bruce Pearl, both of whom are Jewish. Houston player Emanuel Sharp is the son of longtime Maccabi Tel Aviv player Derrick...
On Wednesday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m., Chabad of North Orlando is honored to host Irving Locker at Nate's Shul ,1701 Markham Woods Road in Longwood, for a special presentation of his remarkable journey. This event is an opportunity to hear firsthand from a true hero who has spent his life ensuring that the sacrifices of the greatest generation are never forgotten. Irving Locker, a name synonymous with courage and resilience, was one of the 156,000 soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy on...
It all started when Russell Kropp, a student at Trinity Prep, decided that his bar mitzvah project would be to bring joy to seniors by having them see a musical performed by the students at Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park, Florida. The first event happened in the fall, when Russell and his mom, Rachel, contacted Cantor Nina Fine to help connect them with seniors to bring to the show, “Something Rotten,” which Russell and Cantor Fine’s son, Dylan, were performing in. Cantor Fine reached out to Susan Godorov at Kinneret Apart...
On Sunday, May 18 from 5-9 p.m., Temple Israel’s Roth Social Hall will transform into a casino, where you can test your luck at the tables, win prizes, and even renew your wedding vows. “It’s Vegas, Baby!” is a fundraiser you’ll want to take a gamble on! Play poker, craps, blackjack, roulette, and more while enjoying drinks and heavy appetizers. Off the tables, you’ll find a human slot machine and horse races. Take a break for some romance and renew your vows at the Oy Vegas Wedding Chapel, officiated by Rabbi Joshua Neely under the chuppah...
(JNS) — Yarden Bibas, whose wife and children were murdered by Hamas terrorists, discussed for the first time the horrors of captivity in Gaza, speaking to CBS‘s “60 Minutes” along with former hostages Keith Siegel and Tal Shoham. Bibas said he chose an American news outlet for his first interview because he wanted the White House and U.S. President Donald Trump to hear his plea to bring a stop to the fighting in the Gaza Strip. Israel resumed airstrikes on March 18 after a two-month ceasefire. “Please stop this war and help bring all the h...
(JTA) — A Pennsylvania man will be charged with terrorism and attempted murder after allegedly firebombing the official residence of Gov. Josh Shapiro, hours after Shapiro and his family hosted a Passover seder there. On Saturday, Shapiro posted a picture of a table set for the seder on social media, with the message, “From the Shapiro family’s Seder table to yours, happy Passover and Chag Pesach Sameach!” On Sunday, he shared that Pennsylvania State Police officers had awoken him and his family at 2 a.m. to alert them that an arsonist had set...
(JTA) — Nearly 1,000 active and retired reservists in Israel’s Air Force have called for their government to strike a deal to release Israeli hostages in exchange for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, arguing that the fighting endangers the captives’ lives as well as innocent civilians. In response, the Air Force said it would dismiss any active-duty reservists who signed the letter, accusing them of using the force’s “brand” to voice their opinion. “Refusal to serve is refusal to serve — even if it implied and in polite language,” Prim...
(JNS) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said that he couldn’t understand why Israel ever gave up the Gaza Strip. During a press conference in the Oval Office on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the president said, “They took oceanfront property and they gave it to people for peace. How did that work out? Not good.” Netanyahu traveled from Hungary to Washington, D.C., on Sunday for an unplanned visit to resolve a tariff dispute. Referring to Netanyahu, Trump said he knew that “this man” would never have done it. “He w...
(JTA) - Picture a Jew in Miami. Is the person you're thinking of older? Perhaps a retiree from New York - complete with the accent - who lives in a condo on the beach? According to a recent Jewish population study of Miami-Dade County, at least part of that snapshot is becoming outdated. The southeast corner of the Sunshine State is growing - and getting younger. The new document, released Monday and titled "Jewish Miami: A 2024 Community Study," found that the Jewish population of Miami-Dade...
