Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 2401 - 2425 of 10707
The year of 5783 promises both growth and continuity at Congregation Ohev Shalom as we welcome our wonderful new clergy, Rabbi Geoffrey Spector and Cantor Jeffrey Weber. In the few months since they arrived it's become clear they make a great team, with warm and engaging manners both on the Bima and in less formal settings. Already we've learned from them, prayed with them, had fun with them, and enjoyed the process of forming lifelong relationships with them. Now it's time to formalize their...
(JTA) — King Charles III wants to make sure that the United Kingdom’s chief rabbi can make it to his coronation ceremony next year — so much so that he’s letting the Jewish leader sleep over at his house. The coronation is set for May 6, 2023, which falls on a Saturday, in the middle of the Jewish sabbath. Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and his wife Valerie, who are Orthodox, are not allowed under Jewish law to travel by car or use electricity on Shabbat. King Charles’ current residence, before he moves into Buckingham Palace, is Clarence House, lo...
On Saturday, Nov. 26, Chabad Lubavitch of North Orlando will be hosting a screening of the new documentary movie “Reckonings.” In the aftermath of the Holocaust, secret meetings began to negotiate the incomprehensible compensation for survivors of the largest mass genocide in history. Survivors were in urgent need, but how could reparations be determined for the unprecedented destruction and suffering of a people? Reckonings explores this riveting, untold story. The program will be held at Nat...
When Orange County Public Schools close for holidays or in-service days, it can be a challenge for many families who need child care. Parents look for activities to keep kids busy. Or they need a place for kids to go while they work. The Rosen JCC offers School Out Days. OCPS schools will be closed for a Thanksgiving break and the Rosen JCC will offer School Out Days Monday- Wednesday, Nov. 21st — 23rd. The days run 9 a.m. — 4 p.m. Activities include Creative Art, Gym Activities, Playground Time, Music and Science activities. This is ava...
(JTA) — Since Feb. 24, when Russian troops invaded Ukraine, Jewish groups from around the world have flooded the country with support, from food to medical care to evacuations. Now, as temperatures fall and Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid ramp up, those groups are directing their efforts toward making sure that Ukrainian Jews can remain warm and safe in the coming months. A Ukraine response group organized by the Orthodox Chabad-Lubavitch movement, whose rabbis are the Jewish leaders in many Ukrainian cities, is raising funds to buy...
(JTA) — The Anti-Defamation League is bolstering its advocacy on Wall Street by absorbing JLens, an organization known for rating companies on their alleged support for the Israel boycott, according to an announcement on Thursday by the ADL. Founded in 2012, JLens was for years one of the only groups pressing pro-Israel positions in the growing environmental, social and governance movement, known as ESG, which advocates for a form of corporate decision-making in which profit is not the only priority. Over time, JLens managed to raise a...
(JTA) — A poll of Jewish voters showed them overwhelmingly listing abortion rights and risks to democracy as their top issues when they voted in midterm elections. The poll commissioned by J Street and another exit poll conducted on behalf of Fox News Channel and the Associated Press also showed substantial majorities of Jews voting Democratic, although they differed on how big the majorities were. That is commensurate with Jewish voting in the past, which favors Democrats two-to-one generally. The J Street poll showed 74 percent of r...
New York — In response to a detailed complaint filed last January by the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is investigating whether the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in Virginia inadequately responded to incidents of antisemitic harassment. FCPS is one of the largest school districts in the U.S. In a November 3, 2022 letter, OCR notified ZOA that it will be investigating ZOA’s allegations that FCPS discriminated against Jewish stude...
(JNS) Arab expansion into land in Judea and Samaria is far outpacing Israeli growth in the area, according to a report by the Israeli NGO Regavim. "In the past year, the rate of illegal Palestinian construction has increased by 80%," the researchers wrote. So far in 2022, Palestinians built 5,535 illegal structures in Area C, which was placed under full Israeli control by the Oslo Accords. In contrast, illegal Israeli construction in Judea and Samaria amounted to 406 structures in 2022. Over...
(JTA) — Federal prosecutors have arrested and charged a New Jersey teenager with extremist Islamist views with making the threat that led to a sweeping FBI warning for the state’s synagogues last week. Omar Alkattoul, 18, of Sayreville, New Jersey, is charged with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce for an extremist manifesto he shared on Nov. 1 on an undisclosed social media network. He faces up to five years in prison. Alkattoul had pledged allegiance to the leader of ISIS and researched how to obtain fir...
(JTA) — Three weeks after saying he was “alarmed” by Adidas’ ties to Kanye West, Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, donned the company’s sneakers for his group’s “Never is Now” conference in New York City. The about-face happened after Adidas ended its relationship with West weeks after the rapper began making antisemitic comments, satisfying the ADL’s demands. Now, Adidas is making a major donation to the anti-hate group and working with it to fight antisemitism among student and professional athletes. The new...
(JTA) - This week, Jewish communities across the United States are commemorating the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the anti-Jewish riots that marked a brutal turning point in the Nazi campaign of persecution. In Germany, cities and towns also will commemorate this day, but under a different name. They refer to the events of November 9-10, 1938, as "the November Pogrom," or variations on that term. That's became to many in Germany, the term "Kristallnacht" - night of shattered glass - sounds...
After criticism, Taylor Swift adds Orthodox-friendly dates to her upcoming tour By Caleb Guedes-Reed (JTA) — “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” isn’t just the name of a track on Taylor Swift’s newest album — the phrase describes the way many of the pop star’s Jewish fans were feeling after she released the dates for her upcoming tour. This week, Shabbat-observant Swifties voiced their disappointment with the dates, which were all slated for during or just after the end of the Jewish Sabbath, on Friday or Saturday nights. (There was one scheduled for Ap...
(JNS) — Many Tesla and other electric vehicles are being shipped to Israel to avoid an impending increase in purchase tax. The largest shipment of Tesla vehicles ever sent to Israel arrived at Ashdod Port on Tuesday. The consignment includes slightly more than 2,500 Model 3 sedans. A quarter of the vehicles are destined for Israeli leasing companies. A similar-sized shipment is due to arrive in Ashdod in the coming weeks. Both batches are from Tesla’s Shanghai factory. The massive imports are timed to beat the January increase in Isr...
(JNS) - StandWithUs, an international organization that educates about Israel and combats antisemitism, has officially opened national operations in the country whose history forms the foundation of the "Israeli apartheid" slander. In South Africa, the continued rise in antisemitism, the challenge of fighting misinformation about Israel, and the call from Jewish and Christian Zionist communities for ongoing support from SWU have created the impetus for the organization to strengthen its presence...
(JNS) - Apparently in Israel, the fifth time is the charm. After repeated attempts by the opposition, by defectors from his own right-wing bloc, by the prosecution and the Supreme Court to prevent embattled former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from ruling, the electorate finally ended Israel's protracted political deadlock by voting overwhelmingly in favor of Netanyahu and his natural-and loyal-right-wing allies. With 87.6 percent of the paper ballots counted, Netanyahu's bloc is likely to...
In keeping with its long history of cantorial excellence, Congregation Ohev Shalom is excited to announce that Cantor Jeffrey Weber has joined the synagogue as the new cantor. Cantor Weber joins Rabbi Geoffrey Spector in guiding the congregants in prayer and moving the congregation forward. Cantor Weber takes the reins from Cantor Allan Robuck who has retired and is now Cantor Emeritus. With his extensive cantorial, musical and performance background, Cantor Weber is uniquely positioned to...
(JTA) — Dan Snyder, the Jewish owner of the Washington Commanders who is ensnared in a scandal involving sexual harassment in the team’s workplace, announced today that he and his wife and co-owner Tanya Snyder are exploring a possible sale of the NFL franchise. The Commanders released a statement Wednesday saying that the Snyders have hired Bank of America Securities to “consider potential transactions.” The release did not specifically mention selling the team. “The Snyders remain committed to the team, all of its employees and its countless...
You’ve seen that word in Rabbi Konikov’s emails thousands of times. And you may have thought, “Why the hyphen?” Also, why does he refer to G-d with the masculine “He”? Then there’s the obsession with idolatry. Why did Abraham smash stone idols, and why G-d opens His first public address to the Jews with a warning to not have “other gods” before Him? Why so jealous? “In your heart of hearts, you have likely doubted G-d. I know I have, and have wondered, “Is this kosher?,” said Rabbi Konikov. These are just four of some 25 Divine puzzles we wi...
Opening on Tuesday, Nov. 1, Chabad of South Orlando is hosting a club for boys and girls who are approaching their bar or bat mitzvah. They will learn Jewish values, give back to the community, make friends with other Jewish children of similar ages, experience mitzvoth, hands on activities, trips and more. The Club meets on Tuesdays, twice a month from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at Chabad of South Orlando. For more information, contact Shaina Zibell at 562-673-1908 or go sign up at JewishOrlando.com/BMitzvah....
Israelis flocked to the polls Tuesday for the country’s fifth general election since April 2019, voting to determine the makeup of the 25th Knesset. Turnout levels were high throughout the morning and early afternoon, surpassing those in every election over the past two decades. Most of Israel’s 12,495 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday, with some locations opening only at 8 a.m. By 10 in the morning, 15.9 percent of Israel’s 6,788,804 eligible voters had cast their ballots, with 1,076,076 votes reported, the highest voter turnout rate...
(JTA) — Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid called his rival, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to concede this week’s election as most of the votes were counted by the end of Thursday. “The State of Israel is above any political consideration. I wish Netanyahu luck for the sake of the people of Israel and the State of Israel,” Lapid wrote in a statement. Netanyahu, meantime, has launched the negotiating process to form the next government with the far-right Religious Zionist party and haredi Orthodox parties. With a total of 64 seats,...
(JNS) — Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu will attempt to form a governing coalition in just two weeks, by Nov. 15, the date of the swearing-in of the new Knesset, Israeli media reported on Wednesday. Netanyahu’s move reflects his confidence that he will easily form a government, as he would normally be given 28 days to build a coalition with the possibility of a 14-day extension. He will assign loyalists to key positions, Channel 11 reported. Names that have been floated are Ron Dermer, Israel’s former ambassador to the U.S., as the new h...
The Holocaust Center now and forever condemns all forms of antisemitism. We will continue to speak out against hate speech — such as this past weekend’s public display of antisemitic hate in Jacksonville — because it has no place in Florida or anywhere. During such times, we must stand united against hatred and call upon organizations, elected and community leaders, and community members to speak out against these damaging acts. Over the past week, Jacksonville became an epicenter of hate, first with signs surfacing on an I-10 overpass in we...
(JNS) — Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk meets with his American counterpart Tom Nides every week in a bid to convince Washington to pressure Jerusalem into providing weapons to Kyiv for use in its war against Russia. In an interview with The Hill on Sunday, Korniychuk referred to Nides as his “secret weapon” in this diplomatic offensive. “The Americans are the only country that Israel is listening to … [and] this is why we discuss the … need to change this major trend that makes Israel’s position different from the rest of t...
