Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 14 - 38 of 3617
Jewish Family Services’ annual Hope Challenge kicked off Sept. 15 and will be open until Oct. 15. The community’s need for help with food, mental health counseling, transportation and family stabilization has soared by over 30 percent since 2023. Right now, every dollar donated will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Pearlman, Minkow and Bolton families up to a total of $25,000. A donation of $55 will feed a family of four for a week through the Pearlman Food Pantry; a gift of $200 sponsors a family in the Family Stabilization Program; $15...
Shalom Orlando will host an Author Meet & Greet, sponsored by Writer’s Block Bookstore, at the Roth Family JCC on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. Leland Vittert will discuss his newly released book, “Born Lucky,” about how he stood firm and refused to be defined by an autism diagnosis. Register at Eventbrite.com...
This past Sunday, Sept. 14, marked a historic and heartfelt milestone, as Chabad of Altamonte Springs celebrated the completion and welcoming of its very first Torah scroll. The Siyum Sefer Torah, a celebration that drew families and friends from across the community, was filled with joy, music, and pride as participants danced with the new scroll in the streets before bringing it into the synagogue. The idea for commissioning a Torah began about a year ago. Until now, Chabad of Altamonte...
The first Party for the Pavilion, hosted at One Senior Place, was a huge success. Jason Mendelsohn, board member and long-time Jewish Pavilion Senior Services supporter, chaired the event. Guests enjoyed food, drinks, liquor tastings, music, and schmoozing. Attendees also had the opportunity to honor a special senior in their lives with a tribute on the scroll of honor....
On Thursday, Sept. 11, members of the Mainland Chamber of Commerce came together for a special Coffee Connections Breakfast with a meaningful twist. Hosted by Jewish Pavilion Senior Services, this Pre-Rosh Hashanah celebration blended networking, tradition, and homemade food to create a morning that was as heartwarming as it was delicious. Held at New Hope for Kids in Maitland, the event welcomed close to 50 attendees for an engaging cultural experience just days ahead of the Jewish New Year,...
The Jewish Chamber of Commerce networking breakfasts will be held from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Sept. 16, Oct. 21, Nov. 18, Dec. 16, Jan. 20, Feb. 17, March 17, April 21, and May 19. The cost is $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers. The location will be provided upon RSVP to The Jewish Chamber will hold (kosher) Lunch & Learn events at the Roth Family JCC from noon – 1:30 p.m. These luncheons will host Amy Kimlat with Business Development of See Magic Live on Nov. 5, a Chanukah party featuring music with Michael Kramer on Dec. 3, and Wayne Green, C...
On Wednesday, Sept. 3, Allegro Senior Living in Winter Park was filled with warmth, joy, and the sweet spirit of the Jewish New Year as the Jewish Pavilion hosted a special Rosh Hashanah-themed breakfast. This meaningful event was held in honor of the sponsors of Jewish Pavilion Senior Services as well as the organization's dedicated board members. In the spirit of the holiday, Allegro served the traditional Rosh Hashanah treat of apples and honey, symbolizing hopes for a sweet and prosperous...
The Rosen JCC had the privilege of welcoming State House Representative Rita Harris, State Senator Kristen Arrington, and Frank Santos, CEO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts and president of The Harris Rosen Foundation, to the Rosen JCC for a tour and formal presentation of the State appropriation award they so passionately sponsored and championed on the JCC’s behalf. Thanks to a dollar-for-dollar match from The Harris Rosen Foundation, the total investment now exceeds $1 million. This t...
MAITLAND — With hurricane season nearing its September peak, Central Florida residents gathered at Shalom Orlando on Tuesday for a Lunch & Learn hosted by the Jewish Chamber of Commerce. The featured speaker, WESH 2 News Chief Meteorologist Eric Burris, delivered insight into what drives our storm season, along with projections for the weeks ahead. “Climate always modifies, grows, and adjusts. We just have to figure out how quick and how come,” Burris told the audience, setting the stage for a...
On Tuesday, Sept. 16, Interim CEO Eric Robbins, ECLC director Dr. James Larsen and Board chair Stan Rubins will discuss the ‘State of Shalom Orlando.’ Each will share the Shalom Orlando plans for the future as the Central Florida Jewish community continues to grow and thrive. Accompanying the talks will be champagne and desserts. The event will be held in the Roth Family JCC auditorium from 6:30 – 8 p.m. To RSVP, email Carol Feuerman at Carol.Feuerman@shalomorlando.org....
The following synagogues provided information about their High Holiday services to the Heritage by press time. For information about services at other local synagogues or for tickets or information, contact the individual synagogue. Chabad of Altamonte (Orthodox) Rabbi Mendy Bronstein Chabad of Altamonte 195 S Westmonte Drive #1126 Altamonte Springs, Fl 32701 www.jewishaltamonte.com Mon., Sept. 22, Erev Rosh Hashanah, 6:30 p.m.; candle lighting, 7:04 p.m. Tues., Sept. 23, Rosh Hashanah, morning, Traditional pre-service 9 a.m.; Morning service,...
October 2024 Opera Orlando presented $100,000 to the Holocaust Center. It had been 11 months since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, brutally murdering over 1200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages. Local neurosurgeon, Dr. John Jenkins, pledged a $50,000 matching grant for donations to moshav Ein Habesor in southern Israel, near the Gaza border. November 2024 More than 600 people attended the IAC memorial event, which the Israeli Consul General in New York co-organized with the Israeli-American Council. The Israeli Defense Ministry and the...
This high holiday season, Southwest Orlando Jewish Congregation will open its doors to the public for two family-focused services — one on Rosh Hashanah, and the other on Yom Kippur. Rabbi Shai Specht-Sandler and Cantorial Soloist Ginny Kolin are preparing a magical, musical experience for all who attend. “We’re not just going to sit quietly and read,” said Rabbi Shai. “There will be music on the keyboard, songs everyone can sing, and a spirit that invites kids and adults alike to take part. It’s about joy, depth, and connection, not just fo...
When Vanessa Lozada, membership/program director at the Florida Press Association, came by the office to drop off the awards we received from the FPA Newspaper contest, there were four wins - not three - as we originally thought. So there are three First-Place trophies along with the Second-Place win by Stan Roberts. "What?" I thought out loud. I knew about the two first places - Ed Borowsky and Marilyn Shapiro. But there was a second trophy for Marilyn Shapiro in the Sports Feature division. "W...
On Aug. 24, the Temple Israel Sisterhood gathered for a wonderful "Welcome Back Brunch." It was a beautiful way to kick off a new season of friendship and fun. Held in a welcoming setting, the event featured delicious food from Sage Catering, joyful reunions, and an inspiring guest speaker from Safehouse of Seminole, a local shelter supporting women and children escaping domestic violence. The speaker shared powerful stories about the impact of Safehouse's work, reminding us all why our support...
Jewish Pavilion Senior Services is thrilled to invite Maitland Chamber of Commerce members and friends to a festive pre-Rosh Hashanah Breakfast on Thursday, Sept. 11, 8:30 a.m., at New Hope for Kids, 544 Mayo Ave., Maitland. Whether you’re familiar with the Jewish New Year or this is your first time learning about it, this event is designed to be welcoming, engaging, and deliciously memorable. While Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 22, we’re starting the celebration early with a breakfast experience you won’t want to miss. What...
pots of Light: To be a Woman in the Holocaust is a special exhibit at the Center that is running from Sept. 3 through Dec. 19. Produced by Yad Vashem, Spots of Light shares the unique voices of Jewish women in the Holocaust, highlighting their choices, resilience and struggles amid brutality and hardship. Through poignant personal stories, the exhibition illuminates nine aspects of Jewish women’s daily lives during the Holocaust....
The S’firot Foundation proudly announces the appointment of Wayne Green as its inaugural executive director, signaling the launch of its mission and the beginning of its leadership and vision for the future. With a career spanning Melbourne, New York, London, and Israel, Green brings a rare blend of global philanthropic expertise, strategic acumen, and a track record of driving transformative social impact. Green is a seasoned senior executive whose career has traversed the nonprofit, g...
Winter Garden, FL – The WOW Chavurah is growing and thriving! Serving the Orlando southwest area, including Winter Garden, Ocoee, and Windermere. WOW was founded in 2023 by Adam Cohn and Randa Marder. The Chavurah is dedicated to building a welcoming and inclusive Jewish community through informal, lay-led Shabbat and holiday gatherings that feature music, dance, and activities for all ages. WOW offers a variety of groups to engage all members of the community: Keshet – for children aged 4–8...
Heritage Florida Jewish News writers Stan Roberts, Ed Borowsky and Marilyn Shapiro were winners this year in the Florida Press Association’s annual Weekly Newspaper Contest. Marilyn Shapiro took the First-Place award in the Humorous column category for her delightful story “The saga of the Looney Tunes glasses,” July 5, 2024. With her lighthearted wit, Shapiro shared about her “dowry” — you know, “those assets of the wife which she of her own free will entrusts to her husband’s responsibility,...
Eric M. Robbins is Shalom Orlando's new temporary CEO. Robbins has more than 30 years of executive leadership experience and more than $200 million of proven fundraising success for JCCs, Federations, and other Jewish agencies. Robbins took his position on Aug. 11. Robbins comes to Orlando from Atlanta, where he served as president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. He was named a Most Admired CEO by the Atlanta Business Chronicle multiple times and was the 2019 Georgia State...
During the last school year, the Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center reached thousands of students and educators. Thousands of students visited the museum on field trips, with many calling the experience “moving,” eye-opening,” and “essential.” The Upstanders program reached over 3,200 middle schoolers, inspiring them to stand up against bullying and injustice in their daily lives. Nearly 250 students participated in the White Rose Essay Contest, digging deep into the stories of women during the Holocaust and sharing their reflectio...
On Sunday, Sept. 14, Temple Israel will present Osteostrong, an interactive in-person program designed to help improve bone strength, balance and overall health in a safe and simple way. Guest speaker Cheree Burgess, a small business owner, will introduce attendees to Osteostrong, a membership-based wellness center that focuses on musculoskeletal strengthening through a program called osteogenic loading. Attendees will learn about the special machines that use gentle, controlled movements to naturally trigger your body to build stronger bones...
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Torah Center, located in Southwest Orlando, filed a federal lawsuit July 31 against Orange County and its Board of County Commissioners after they unfairly denied the synagogue’s application to expand. Early in July, Rabbi Menachem Zev Kramer of OTC 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 2...
