Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 109
(JNS) - On Tuesday, Key West, Fla., elected Samuel Kaufman as the city's first Jewish mayor in its nearly-200-year history. A lawyer currently serving as a city commissioner, Kaufman told JNS that he is proud to continue the long tradition of Jewish contributions to the island community. "To carry that forward and to contribute in a positive way to the entire city as a Jewish person, given our values and given what it means to me to be a Jewish person, it's an incredible honor and...
(JNS) — Pro-Israel Republicans defeated a pair of alt-right candidates accused of antisemitism in Florida’s primary elections on Tuesday in races for the House and governor. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) won the Republican gubernatorial primary to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is term-limited. With 87 percent of votes counted at press time, Donalds had 762,364 (48.3 percent), trouncing James Fishback, a 31-year-old investor who courted the “groyper” movement associated with the Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, who came in third w...
(JNS) — A Jewish-owned Florida venue canceled a Democratic Socialists of America campaign event featuring Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) after learning the “full scope and nature” of the gathering, according to a statement from the venue. The Venue Fort Lauderdale stated on Thursday that it is “Jewish-owned and operated” and that its “values and commitment to the Jewish community are deeply important to us.” The Venue also cited “increased security concerns” and a review of promotional materials for the event, titled “Chomp the Oligarchy,” whi...
Oath of Office, the organization created to protect and strengthen the American Experiment by promoting a balanced constitutional republic and ensuring a fair democratic process has endorsed Suzanna Pavelle, running to represent District 19 including portions of St. Johns County and all of Flagler County, for her commitment to Democracy, Constitutional integrity, accountability and her “resilience against autocracy.” Suzanna Pavelle grew up in Massachusetts and earned a B.A. from the University of Oregon, where she studied anthropology, arc...
“As a refugee whose family fled communism, Alex Vindman [who is Jewish] will defend the American Dream because he has lived it,” said Richard Stark, president of the Florida Democratic Party Jewish Caucus. “Alex spent 21 years serving our nation in the U.S. Army, and now he’s answering the call to serve again. While corruption is running rampant in Washington, Alex is ready to stand up for all of us in the United States Senate, by addressing the affordability crisis head on, fighting to expand health care, and protecting our honor, decency...
Dr. Aviad Moreno, a faculty member at the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, has been appointed Courtesy Associate Professor at the University of Florida. The appointment follows a sabbatical year during which he served as Visiting Professor at UF's Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies. The appointment caps a year of sustained institutional collaboration between BGU and UF. Along with partners in the United States,...
(JNS) — Several pro-Israel, Democratic House members, including multiple Jews, could face tough races to be reelected to Congress if proposed redistricting maps, which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled come to pass. “The proposed map is a blatant attempt to push out pro-Israel, Democratic champions in Congress,” Brian Romick, president of Democratic Majority for Israel, told JNS. “It’s bad for our country. It’s bad for those who care about Israel, and it’s a violation of Florida’s redistricting constitutional amendment,” Romick said. “We...
The Jewish Heritage Festival, taking place April 12, is a phenomena in itself. Who knew it would be so successful from the get-go? What began in 2007 as a suggestion by 80-year-old Murray Steinberg to the Temple Presidents’ Council for Volusia and Flagler counties that Volusia County would become the largest Jewish heritage and cultural event in the state. Held in 2008, it had more than 10,000 visitors! Since its beginning, the event has been held every two years with a consistent attendance o...
DAYTONA BEACH, FL — Since the first Festival in March 2008, which attracted over 10,000 visitors, this biennial event expresses the heart and soul of Jewish Florida. It intertwines the sounds, sights, and spirit of Jewish culture and brings together every facet of the Jewish Community — young and old, singles and families, regardless of their religious and cultural background. The 2026 Jewish Heritage Festival will take place on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at The Casements, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach, FL from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The entire eve...
(JNS) — Shortly after the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, New College of Florida, a public liberal arts school in Sarasota, Fla., began encouraging Jewish students to come seek refuge from antisemitism on other campuses. “Those facing intolerance or physical danger at Harvard should come to New College of Florida, where they can study with free tuition thanks to a newly established scholarship program,” Richard Corcoran, president of New College, wrote in the Wall Street Journal, On Nov. 8, 2023. “They will find that we prize free speech and con...
Quarterback for the Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa told reporters on Sunday he would like to play an NFL International Series game in Jerusalem. The football player was asked after the Dolphins’ 16-13 win over the Washington Commanders in Madrid, Spain, in which international destination he would like to play next. Tagovailoa first mentioned Hawaii, where he is originally from, but then added Jerusalem as his next favored location. “Shoot, it’d be pretty cool to go play in Jerusalem. I don’t know, that’d be sick,” he said. The Dolphins pl...
(JNS) - Steven Meiner didn't wait long after he was reelected mayor of Miami Beach, Fla., to invite New Yorkers, who had just elected anti-Israel socialist Zohran Mamdani as mayor, to move south. "To our friends up in New York. If you crave a law and order city, sunshine, ocean breezes, where economic growth is on the rise, Miami Beach is ready," wrote Meiner, an Orthodox Jew. "No state income tax, year-round warmth, world-class culture and neighborhoods that feel like home." Meiner, who...
At 9:10 p.m. on Sept. 19, the security footage captured Rabbi Simon Jacobson, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Charlotte County, and cousin of Rabbi Yanky Majesky of Chabad of North Orlando, exiting the synagogue after Shabbat services. Ninety minutes later, Jacobson's phone rang. By the third ring, unease had crept in. Being Shabbat and hearing repeated calls at that late hour Jacobson feared an emergency. He glanced at the screen: Punta Gorda Police Department. The quaint city of Punta Gorda...
(JNS) — A federal court ruled that a Chabad couple, which alleges that a Florida homeowners association is guilty of Jew-hatred for blocking it from using its property as a synagogue, can go forward with its lawsuit. Rabbi Naftaly and Henya Hertzel also accuse the association of vandalism and discrimination based on their faith. Aileen Cannon, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and an appointee of U.S. President Donald Trump, rejected last month the effort of the Loggers Run Homeowners Association in Boca Ra...
Historian Sandie Stratton, M.A., will speak of Minorcans in Florida: A Brief History under the sponsorship of the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society, 4 pm., Thursday, May 8 at the St. Johns County Public Library Main Branch, 1960 North Ponce De Leon Boulevard in St. Augustine. Stratton, who earned a master’s degree in American/European History from the University of North Florida, will provide a foundational understanding as local Jews and Minorcans seek together to discover their overlapping origins in the Balearic Islands off the M...
(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...
Randy Fine, a Jewish Florida state senator whose bruising demeanor has made him a new favorite on the right, easily won the Republican primary for an open House seat. An Associated Press estimate showed that Fine took more than 80 percent of the GOP vote on Tuesday. The district is deep red, making his victory in the April 1 special election all but assured. He would replace Michael Waltz, who left Congress to become Trump’s national security advisor. Fine decided to run in the district, even though he does not currently live there, after r...
(JNS) — In a New Year’s Eve statement, U.S. President Joe Biden proclaimed January to be National Stalking Awareness Month. Earlier in the day, the U.S. Justice Department charged Forrest Kendall Pemberton of Alachua, Fla., with a count of stalking for allegedly planning to attack an AIPAC office in Florida. Family members told the FBI that Pemberton, who went missing from his Gainesville, Fla., home apparently with multiple firearms, appeared to have left a note stating that he would “close the loop,” “stoke the flames” and say “goodbye” t...
The St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society will screen the award-winning documentary film “Xueta Island” at the St. Augustine Waterworks, 184 San Marco Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084 on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. The 4 p.m., 63-minute screening will be followed by a commentary and discussion with Andrea White PhD, City Archaeologist for St. Augustine. Call the Waterworks at (904) 808-7330 for best directions. All are welcome, there is no charge. No advance arrangements are necessary. For further information contact SAJHS at www.sajhs.com, saj...
Recently, I graduated with my master’s degree. The experience, while rewarding, came with a hefty price tag — about $25,000. At the time, I thought, “Whew, education is an expensive investment.” But I quickly realized that for many of us, the true value of education is not just in the cost, but in the curriculum itself. After graduation, I, like many new college graduates, found myself entering the job market. After six years of college and 12 years of grade school, I thought I’d finally escaped the classroom. But, as life often does, it...
The ZOA Law and Justice center has assisted numerous Florida municipalities in putting together resolutions standing up for Israel and criminalizing acts that support terror. “Recently, it was brought to our attention that the city of Miramar, Florida is trying to pass an extremely antisemitic resolution. We’ve created a petition to fight against it and we need your help,” said Allison Zur, regional director of ZOA-Florida. To view and sign copy and paste in your browser “Zionist Organization of America/Mayor Messam: Abandon Dangerous Resolut...
Jake Gould, who was appointed to the board of the Jewish Federation of Volusia & Flagler Counties in March and has been working on young professional programming in the Greater Daytona Beach area, announced that they are hosting their first large-scale kickoff event on Sunday, Aug. 25, from 7-9 p.m. It is an Israel Bar Night at the rooftop bar of the Streamline Hotel, 140 S Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach. There will be kosher Israeli appetizers, and Israeli music. This is an opportunity for young Jews all across North Florida, including...
In a landmark agreement for both institutions, the Jewish Capital Alliance of Central Florida, Inc. and the TOP Jewish Foundation, Inc., announce the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding to expand the mission of providing low-cost Impact Loans to local Jewish institutions. The MOU establishes an outline to jointly market, manage, and fund loans to Jewish organizations throughout greater Central and West-coastal Florida. In addition, TOP will provide investment management of JCA’s $3.2MM capital portfolio. Both JCA and TOP contribute d...
Clermont Herut held a successful summer event at Waterfront Park on Sunday, June 30, with over 75 people attending. A highlight of the event was the table of culinary creations from Sabbaba Market of Altamonte Springs. Attendees came from areas such as Altamonte Springs, Apopka, Leesburg, Four Corners and The Villages. A vast selection of Mediterranean and Kosher food was available to try and buy, and the tastes kept on coming throughout the event. At 2 p.m. the able bodied and fighting fit made their way outside for Krav Maga taught by...
The St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society will tour the Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica at the University of Florida on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024 under the direction of Dr. Rebecca Jefferson, the unofficial “The Jewish Librarian of Florida.” The Society and guests will meet in the parking lot of the Main Branch of the St. Johns County Library, 1960 North Ponce De Leon Boulevard (Route U.S. 1), St. Augustine, FL 32084 at 10 am. for the drive to Gainesville and a noontime lunch at CAVA, 1404 W University Avenue, Gainesville, Florida 326...
