Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JNS) — Ahead of a visit to Israel by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Sunshine State’s chief financial officer told JNS that Norway is out of line in considering divesting from the Jewish state. Jimmy Patronis, the Florida CFO, sent a letter late last month to Heidi Olufsen, Norway’s consul general in New York, to “express serious concerns regarding reports that Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund is reviewing recommendations by your nation’s ethics committee to add Israel to its excluded funds list.” Among the world’s largest investo...
(JNS) — At one point, the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel appeared to adopt a small-ball strategy: enough singles, even soft ones, in the court system would knock the pitcher out of the game. No need to swing for the fences. That strategy, however, which seeks to win narrow injunctions that result in U.S. state legislatures tweaking relevant laws, appears to be a doomed game plan, as evidenced by recent court decisions. The latest swing and miss came earlier this month when a federal appeals court rejected a challenge...
French parliament rejects resolution calling Israel ‘apartheid’ (JNS) — After a group of far-left members of France’s National Assembly put forward a measure labeling Israel an “apartheid state,” the lower house of Parliament rejected it by a margin of 199 to 71. “We can only reject the use of the term apartheid to describe the situation in Israel,” Laurence Boone, French secretary of state for European affairs, tweeted. “This term carries a heavy load, attached to terrible suffering and bruised memories.” “We commend France’s National Ass...
(JTA) — Florida’s state education department rejected two new Holocaust-focused textbooks for classroom use, while forcing at least one other textbook to alter a passage about the Hebrew Bible in order to meet state approval. The books were rejected as part of a broader review of new K-12 social studies material. According to documents provided by the state, the education department did not approve any new texts on the Holocaust this year. Reached by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, a spokesperson at the department’s press office was unabl...
(JNS) — Last month, Germany’s Federal Justice Office began the process of fining Twitter, under the country’s Network Enforcement Act, for failing to remove hate speech. The German law requires social-media sites to remove illegal content within seven days, and for the most egregious material, within 24 hours. The German office stated publicly that hateful material was published on Twitter, “which the authority considers illegal and, despite user complaints, was not deleted or blocked by the provider within the legally stipulated periods...
LONDON (JTA) - At a reception of faith leaders at Buckingham Palace the day after Queen Elizabeth's death in September, King Charles pulled Britain's chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, aside for a word. The reception was pushed earlier in the day than originally planned to accommodate Mirvis, since it fell on a Friday. But it ran long and Shabbat was approaching. According to Rabbi Nicky Liss, head of the Highgate Synagogue, Charles asked Mirvis what the rabbi was doing sticking around - didn't he...
(JNS) - Both houses of Congress reintroduced legislation this week to honor the late Roddie Edmonds, who put his life in danger to save Jews during World War II and the Holocaust, and is one of five Americans Yad Vashem names as "Righteous Among the Nations." Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) put the bill up again in the House after an unsuccessful bid last session. This time is different, he told JNS. "I've been here a little longer. I've got a little more seniority, and I know a few more people,"...
(Israel Hayom via JNS) — Preserving the Eternal, an advocacy group that seeks to prevent the destruction of Jewish national heritage sites by Palestinians, has sounded the alarm over what appears to be a deliberate effort to destroy a key landmark in Samaria. El-Unuk, one of the six “Gilgal” sites that were identified by the archaeologist Adam Zertal as dating to the Israelites’ entry into the land following Joshua’s conquest, is in Area B of Judea and Samaria, under Palestinian civilian...
The Holocaust Center is hosting a virtual conversation with Holly Huffnagle, U.S. Director for Combatting Antisemitism with The American Jewish Committee. This Zoom webinar will be held on May 18, noon. She will talk about the agency's response to antisemitism in the United States, and how her experience as a researcher and policy advisor to the Special Envoy for monitoring and combatting antisemitism at the U.S. Department of State led to her current position. This program is part of Community...
Heritage Florida Jewish News is accepting nominations for the 2023 Heritage Human Service Award, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando this summer. “For more than 30 years, individuals who have made major, voluntary contributions of their talent, time, energy and effort to the Central Florida community have been honored with the selection and presentation of this award,” said Jeff Gaeser, editor and publisher of the Heritage. Last year’s recipient was Dr. Edward Zissman. Former recip...
The Jewish Pavilion is known for giving its seniors the opportunity to continue their traditions where they live. The organization works with more than 50 facilities and they always need our help to bring these traditions to life. At many of the communities, The Jewish Pavilion has a Jewish drawer or box filled with what is needed for its parties, services and dinners. After hosting more than two dozen Passover meals and another dozen Purim parties, supplies are running a bit low. Please consider donating any sort of Judaica you might have at...
May is packed with many fun events for adults and kids at the Rosen JCC. Saturday Night Out is an opportunity for parents to plan a night out. Drop your children at the Rosen JCC on May 20, 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. The children get a chance for playground time, reading, games, art projects, a movie and pizza. Parents can plan their own night of fun. Space is limited, sign up at www.rosenjcc.org/sno Summer Camp J starts on May 30 and runs till Aug. 30. It offers General, Sports, Basketball, Art and Dance Camp. Our General Camp offers children a wide m...
(JNS) — Israel and the United Kingdom struck a landmark deal last month to heighten trade, technology and security ties for the next seven years. The 2030 Roadmap for U.K.-Israel Bilateral Relations, which was signed on March 21, pledges £20 million (nearly $25 million) in joint funding commitments for technology and innovation projects, which will enable both countries to “remain at the forefront of the technological revolution,” stated the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The announcement of the new agreement came as Eli Coh...
(JTA) — At least two American couples have been caught by Israeli customs for attempting to smuggle a total of more than 650 pounds of Fruit Roll-Ups into Israel, as the country experiences a dire shortage of the snack due to a TikTok craze. A video posted on Tuesday by Mako, an Israeli news website, appears to show a customs official at Ben Gurion International Airport sifting through at least three open suitcases each filled with hundreds of the colorful, sugary treats. An American-accented voice off screen, in a mix of Hebrew and English, e...
Nonpartisan watchdog nonprofit StopAntisemitism has teamed up with the Christian advocacy organization Philos Project to fight rampant Jew-hatred with a billboard campaign across Florida. Troubled by the amount of antisemitism coming from white supremacist groups based in Florida, the Philos Project wants to ensure Jewish Floridians know that groups such as the Goyim Defense League and NatSoc do not represent Christian values. For support, Philos turned to StopAntisemitism, which has been at the forefront of condemning these hate groups....
(JTA) — Among the many honors accruing to King Charles III coronation was a new version of a traditional prayer performed by a British-Jewish children’s choir. United Synagogue, the union of British Orthodox synagogues, commissioned a new recording of “Adon Olam,” a prayer perhaps most recognizable as the conclusion of Shabbat services, and dedicated it to the new king. The rendition was composed by a British-Jewish musician who teaches at a Jewish school and was arranged by the brothers in the indie rock due Portnoy, according to the Jewish...
(JNS) — In one image, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is shown, with a Star of David on his forehead, consuming children’s blood. “Can’t get enough,” a caption reads. Another post praised a convicted terrorist and a third included a video declaring the Holocaust a hoax. These were among the items that Canadian realtor Tariq Khan, a realtor in Canada, posted on social media. Khan, a failed 2021 city council candidate in Calgary—the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta—was also a member of Calgary’s multicultural cou...
In her true spirit of community-mindedness, Abby Nelson - owner of the Abby Nelson Group at RE/MAX 200, which is a silver sponsor of the Jewish Pavilion - included Kenya Matthews, a RAISE graduate, to welcome everyone at her end of April client appreciation party. Matthews, who has been working for Nelson for about 7 years, was the perfect person to greet attendees. Her vivacious personality helped kick off the fun event. Over 100 Real Estate clients and colleagues of all ages joined the Nelson...
(JNS) - It's easy for archaeologists to detach themselves from ancient finds, but the discovery of a brass compass from a massacre of 35 Israeli soldiers in 1948 left two researchers feeling like they received a "punch in the stomach." The Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Monday the discovery of the compass from what Israeli history calls "The Battle of the 35" during the War of Independence, known in Hebrew as the story of the Lamed Heh (35 in Hebrew alphabetic numerals). The story of...
State funds $1.5 million of Florida Holocaust Museum’s $7.5 million request (JNS) — Having requested $7.5 million to improve security, among other things, the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg received $1.5 million in funding from the state senate for 2023-24. In 2022, it received $5 million for the same reasons. The money is for “facility improvements, remediation and related costs to expand, preserve and secure the museum’s environment, and resources for students, teachers, scholars, descendants and visitors.” Per the museum’s approp...
(JNS) - After a Jewish high school athlete petitioned the Maryland cross-country championship director to reschedule the race slated for Shabbat, April 8, the state moved the competition to Sunday, April 9. Oliver Ferber, a student at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, Md., was the subject of an April 7 feature penned by Sam Borden, a senior writer at ESPN. "I could either race at states, which would fall during Shabbat, and violate all of my religious beliefs, or I could observe...
TEL AVIV - Young people with substance-abuse dependencies often face a stark challenge when trying to overcome their problem: Any kind of lapse is seen as a failure, and if they backslide even occasionally they start to see themselves as hopeless recidivists. "This 12-step idea says that once you're an addict, you're always an addict - that as soon as you touch drugs, you're off the wagon," said psychologist Tamir Rotman. "But it's very detrimental to teens at such an early stage of their lives...
(JTA) — The prize dubbed the “Jewish Nobel” will be going to Barbra Streisand later this year, in a return to its tradition of honoring Jewish celebrities for their lifetime of achievements. The iconic actor and singer is getting the Genesis Prize, which has been awarded since 2013, in recognition of her contributions to a number of fields, including the arts and philanthropy. The prize was endowed by a group of Russian Jewish billionaires, three of whom stepped down from the board of a related foundation, the Genesis Philanthropy Group, after...
While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Israel, he signed a bill to strengthen Florida's ability to combat antisemitism. The bill HB 269, titled "Public Nuisances," was co-sponsored by Republican Representatives Mike Caruso and Randy Fine and makes it a felony to harass people for their religion or ethnicity. It also penalizes leaving flyers with hateful images, messages or any other 'credible threat" on a person's private property. "We are doing what we can do in Florida to enhance the ability...
TEL AVIV (JTA) - In an unusual politicization of Israel's Memorial Day on Tuesday, several senior Israeli government officials faced protests at ceremonies commemorating fallen soldiers. The tensions unfolded as an Israeli was wounded in a shooting in the West Bank, and after five people were wounded in a car ramming Monday at Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market. The observances of the day, which is treated with solemnity and reverence in Israel, came days before the government intends to resume...
