Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Jewish Pavilion Senior Services continues to bring meaningful Jewish experienc-es to seniors throughout Central Florida thanks to the generous support of the S'Firot Grant, A World of Jewish Joy. The grant enables the organization to of-fer creative cultural programs that celebrate Jewish heritage, strengthen con-nections, and bring happiness to older adults living in senior communities. One of the newest programs in the series, "Passport to Jewish Culture: Yiddish with Rabbi Yanky Majeski," tra...
Jewish Student Union is a network of Jewish education clubs in public schools, reaching more than 20,000 teens in over 515 schools across the United States, including 15 schools in the Central Florida area. The JSU director is Ahuva Kanner. She will be leading the JSU initiatives, delivering inspiring programming, leadership opportunities and cultural connection to Jewish teens in Central Florida public schools. The schools in Central Florida are: Dr. Phillips High, 6500 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando; Horizon High, 10393 Seidel Road, Orlando;...
Early in July 2025, Rabbi Menachem Zev Kramer of the Orlando Torah Center addressed the Orange County commissioners asking for special consideration and a waiver of zoning rules to build a 9,300-square-foot expansion plan for its worship center. "This is not just a request about bricks and mortar, this is about space," Kramer said during the hearing last year. He continued, "Right now we are currently out of room. The space we have is simply not sufficient for the needs of our community, our...
ORLANDO, Fla. - Following a national search, The Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida has appointed Tim Roberts, an accomplished museum leader, historian, and Florida native with more than 20 years of experience guiding museums and cultural initiatives, as its next Chief Executive Officer. Roberts will start in that role on Sept. 14, taking over from interim CEO Emily Sterling. "We're excited and proud to welcome Tim as our next CEO. He has the experience we prioritized in...
Experience an unforgettable evening with world-renowned lecturer Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel. As a retired sergeant major in the Israel Defense Forces, a farmer and Judean pioneer, Rabbi Gimpel has a broad understanding of what God is doing in and through Israel. He is also a best-selling author, musician and one of Israel's premiere Jewish media personalities. He is a co-founder of The Land of Israel Network, and the Aurgot Farm and Educational Center which has become a global destination for people...
Former RAISE employee Brandon Corrales was recognized as an Everyday Hero on spectrum News 13. Brandon exhibited courage, quick thinking and calmness during an emergency when he helped save his bus driver's life. Brandon was on his way home from work when he noticed his Lynx bus driver had a medical emergency. "I noticed something was off," he said on Spectrum News 13, and without panic, he got off the bus and flagged down a nurse by the VA Hospital in Lake Nona to call 911. Not only did he ask...
On Wednesday, Aug. 19 the Rosen JCC will host a brunch for the homeschool community. There are a multitude of homeschoolers in the community and this is an opportunity to connect and share ideas. The brunch is free, but RSVP is requested at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/homeschool-community-town-hall-brunch. The Rosen JCC is located at 11184 S. Apopka Vineland Rd., Orlando....
RAISE is currently accepting applications for its Fall RAISE employees. This unique organization provides adults with disabilities the opportunity to: • Develop workplace and social skills • Gain real employment experience • Build confidence and independence • Connect with the community • Work alongside supportive job coaches and mentors Apply at shalomeorlando.org/raise...
MORNING MINYANS Chabad of Altamonte Springs — Sunday morning minyan, 8 a.m. Weekday morning minyan 6:30 a.m., 407-720-8111. Chabad of South Orlando — Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. and 10 minutes before sunset; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 8:15 a.m., 407-354-3660. Congregation Ahavas Yisrael — Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-644-2500. Congregation Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Daytona — Monday, 8 a.m.; Thursday, 8 a.m., 904-672-9300. Congregation Ohev Shalom — Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-298-4650. GOBOR Community Minyan at...
Local resident Zach Moldof is running for Orange County Commissioner in District 7. An out-of-the-box, forward-thinking person, he sees clearly how he can make Orange County a better place for all its residents. He has been providing youth development and placemaking services to government for the past 8 years through his nonprofit Skate Bud, and in his words "Getting government to do things it was not doing before." In a time when many citizens have lost faith in government, and many...
As part of the Hope & Humanity Speaker Series, Van Jones will be performing on Saturday, Sept. 5 in the Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center. Anthony Kapel “Van” Jones is an American political analyst, media personality, lawyer, author, serial entrepreneur and civil rights advocate.[1] He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author, a CNN host and contributor, and an Emmy Award winner. Make the evening even more memorable with a VIP ticket for this inaugural speaker series event. The VIP experience includes: • Exclusive pre-s...
The Orlando Chapter of Hadassah is hosting Hadassah Game Day on Tuesday, Aug. 11 in Altamonte Springs at noon. The address is provided upon registration. The games include Mah jong, Rummikub or Scrabble. All are invited to come. Registration is required by Aug. 4. Entry is limited to guests who have registered. Register online at https://events.hadassah.org/OrlandoGameDay26 General admission is $25 and includes lunch. Checks can be made out to Hadassah and mailed to 645 Stafford Terrace., Apt. 153, Altamonte Springs, FL 3271...
Congregation Shalom Aleichem welcomed a new Torah, one that Frank Gutworth had worked on obtaining over several months/years. On June 5, 2026, members of the congregation, (l-r) Larry Shapiro, Asher Tomberg, Lorie Pierce (behind the Torah), Frank Gutworth holding the Torah, Theresa Mixon and Mitch Minkowsky, carried it into the synagogue....
MORNING MINYANS Chabad of Altamonte Springs — Sunday morning minyan, 8 a.m. Weekday morning minyan 6:30 a.m., 407-720-8111. Chabad of South Orlando — Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. and 10 minutes before sunset; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 8:15 a.m., 407-354-3660. Congregation Ahavas Yisrael — Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-644-2500. Congregation Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Daytona — Monday, 8 a.m.; Thursday, 8 a.m., 904-672-9300. Congregation Ohev Shalom — Sunday, 9 a.m., 407-298-4650. GOBOR Community Minyan at...
More than 150 guests gathered at Grand Living Park at Lake Mary on Wednesday, June 10, for the annual Jewish Pavilion Senior Services Cocktail Party, enjoying an evening filled with delicious food, refreshing drinks, live music, networking, and philanthropy. The event brought together community leaders, business professionals, supporters, volunteers, and friends of Jewish Pavilion Senior Services. Guests mingled throughout the beautiful senior living community while enjoying an impressive...
Chabad has announced a four-session course, Sinai and Civics: How Jewish Values Helped Shape America's Founding Ideals, beginning the end of June, 2026. The program is offered through the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute. On July 4, 2026, the United States turns 250. Most Americans will celebrate. Fewer will know that when Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams were appointed to design the first national seal in 1776, they proposed an image of Moses parting the Red Sea, with the...
FASTSIGNS® of West Orlando, a staple of the local business community since 2011, has officially been acquired by franchise veterans Renee Friedman and Richard Goldstein. The strategic acquisition transitions the established West Orlando center into a high-capacity, multi-location network, massively scaling its production power and service capabilities. By merging the West Orlando facility's local expertise with the infrastructure of Friedman and Goldstein's top-tier Orlando Central...
On Sunday, May 17, 2026, 7th-grade students from the Shevet Agam Chapter of Israeli Scouts volunteered at Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando's Pearlman Food Pantry as part of their Bar/Bat Mitzvah Year Program, an experience designed to cultivate leadership, responsibility, and meaningful community engagement. The Bar and Bat Mitzvah Year Program guides students through a series of missions centered around the different circles of their lives - from their immediate family and close...
On May 17, Congregation Ohev Shalom students and families celebrated the end of the school year along with a special send off for Amy Geboff, director of youth and family education, who is retiring after 30 years of service. A native of Philadelphia, Geboff came to Orlando with her husband, Eric, and their daughters, Sara and twins Alana and Rebecca. Prior to joining Congregation Ohev Shalom, Amy worked as youth director and program director of the JCC in Youngstown, Ohio, for nine years. After...
The Meitin Alliance for Growth and Learning, known as MAGAL, a collaborative religious school between Temple Israel and Temple Shir Shalom, celebrated its 10-year anniversary this year. To honor the milestone, students created a beautiful art project that is displayed for all to see as they enter the school, located at 50 S. Moss Road in Winter Springs. Led by co-heads of school Rabbi Joshua Neely (Temple Israel) and Cantor Kim Singer (Temple Shir Shalom), MAGAL serves students in kindergarten t...
A major milestone has been reached in the Holocaust Museum's new center, the Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity, in Orlando. The Center has secured gifts and pledges totaling 70 percent of its $63 million goal, representing approximately $44 million raised to date. The Center's newsletter states: "This moment reflects years of commitment from supporters who believe deeply in our mission to use the history and lessons of the Holocaust to build a more just and caring community. It also marks an...
The Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center is sending members of its team to Warsaw for its first cultural exchange program with the Mi Polin Mezuzah Center. During this visit, staff will spend time at the museum learning directly from their team, exploring their approach to storytelling, and deepening the Center’s understanding of the work behind the exhibit, Mezuzah Traces. This experience will help prepare the Holocaust Center to bring the exhibition to this community when it opens at the Center in August. To support staff p...
Sent to Heritage by Rabbi Naftali For many readers unfamiliar with Orthodox Jewish life, the word Hatzalah may sound unfamiliar. Yet in Orthodox Jewish communities across the country, the presence of Hatzalah often marks something significant: a community that has developed enough internal strength, organization, and volunteer commitment to build one of its most serious communal services — rapid emergency medical response. The Hebrew word hatzalah means “rescue,” and that is exactly what Hatzalah South Florida provides: highly trained volunteer...
Members of the Temple Israel Sisterhood gathered Sunday afternoon for a flavorful and festive luncheon at Sabbaba Market, celebrating the restaurant's recent transition from kosher dairy to kosher meat service. The special event, playfully dubbed a "meat-up," gave attendees the opportunity to sample Sabbaba's newly expanded menu under the supervision of the Greater Orlando Vaad Hakashrut. The gathering drew enthusiastic diners eager to support the local kosher establishment and enjoy a...
Looking for some entertainment that will really blow your mind? On Sunday, May 17, Temple Israel proudly presents Mentalmania, a comedy, mindreading, and ESP show from mentalist Mark Stone. One of the most sought-after entertainers in the country, Mark Stone will have your jaws dropping and your minds wondering just how he does it. He has performed for corporate audiences, colleges, private parties, holiday events, civic groups, religious organizations, and on cruises and television. Doors open...
