Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Tu'BShevat was celebrated with the residents of Brookdale Island Lake in Longwood and the 5th graders of Congregation Ohev Shalom of Orlando. Such heartfelt visits and celebrations are shared with excitement and enthusiasm by the students and seniors. On a recent Sunday morning, a Tu'Bshevat program was presented including songs, a short skit, planting seeds and decoration flower pots. Jewish Pavilion programs are often presented as a group program and there are many residents who would benefit... Full story
The Super Bowl was not the only big event on Super Bowl Sunday this month. Once again, the Men’s Club of Congregation Ohev Shalom—like its brother organizations throughout the United States and beyond, under the auspices of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs—sponsored its annual World-Wide Wrap. This year’s program featured Ohev Men’s Club member and Jewish Academy of Orlando Head of School Alan Rusonik starting the morning with some background on the origins of the ancient ritual of wrapping t’filin. Conveying his experiences with a recent... Full story
Learn and laugh with four award-winning Jewish authors at the literary event of the year. On Feb. 25, Writer's Block Bookstore is partnering with The Roth Family Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando and the Jewish Book Council to host authors Michelle Edwards, Paul Goldberg, Pam Jenoff and Justin Loeber at the Central Florida Jewish Book Festival from 11:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be held at The Roth Family JCC. Michelle Edwards is the author of numerous picture books, including... Full story
The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando's annual Women's Philanthropy event will be held Monday, March 26, on the Maitland Jewish Community Campus. This year's theme is "Women Transforming Lives." Invitations will be hitting mailboxes soon, but event organizers and ambassadors have been busy sending "Save the Date" cards to women in the community. Choices 2018 co-chair Judy Kahan Davis, left, and Event coordinator Leslie Collin were among the women who personalized hundreds of the cards... Full story
Hundreds of students, faculty and community members, along with players from the Undefeated UCF Knights will partake in a "Shabbat of Champions," in the Pegasus Ballroom on Feb. 23 in what is expected to be the largest Shabbat dinner ever held at UCF. During the event, the students will celebrate the traditional Sabbath ceremonies and meal, which are observed weekly by Jews around the world as a symbol of Jewish faith and unity. According to Rabbi Chaim Lipskier, director of Chabad at UCF,... Full story
On Feb. 25, 7 p.m., JOIN Orlando is hosting David Sussman, a former IDF soldier, who will tell his first-hand account of the Second Lebanon War in 2006. During this war, Sussman almost lost his life in the crosshairs of Hezbollah. This was a wake-up call for Sussman and led him on a path of personal self-identity, in which he discovered the true meaning of roots, family, community and Israel. Since then he has immersed himself in the land and culture. Sussman realized the importance of... Full story
On Saturday, Feb. 24, Congregation of Reform Judaism will celebrate Purim with a night of music and fun as they host “Esther: A Persian Musical,” by Cantor Jamie Marx, music (by based on the music of the Broadway hit “Hamilton”) Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Cantor Jacqueline Rawiszer. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8, seniors; $10 CRJ members; $18 general admission; $25, reserved seating and pre-show reception, and may be purchased online at www.crjorlando.org. Purim Carnival Congregation of Reform... Full story
New ‘Mommy and Me’ class Join Cantor Nina Fine as she leads a Mommy and Me class at Congregation Beth Am, Monday mornings, 10 to 11:30 a.m. K’tanim, as the class is also called, is only $7 per family and free for CBA members. Contact the CBA office at 407-862-3505 or shalom@congbetham.org for more information. First time attendees who mention they read about K’tanim in the Heritage can attend their first class for free. Pages & Pastries Book Club Congregation Beth Am has begun a Pages & Pastries Book Club. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the thi... Full story
The Children of Abraham Foundation, Inc., the charter organization for the local Jewish Boy Scout Units Troop 641, Pack 641 and Crew 641, is holding the celebration of Scout Shabbat at the The Roth Family Jewish Community Center in Maitland of Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. There are many exciting events coming up during the year for the Troop and Pack. Troop 641 and Pack 641 will be celebrating its 40th year of being part of Scouting in the Orlando area. All past alumni of the Troop and Pack are invited to celebrate an event that is being planned for the... Full story
On Sunday, Dec. 17, the Jewish Academy of Orlando celebrated its 40th anniversary in style. Its annual gala honored both Dr. Jordan and Nathalie Steinberg and gave a lifetime achievement award to Dr. Edward Zissman. All of the attendees enjoyed the evening at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. "It was a great move to this location. The feel of the event was dramatic and the program was fantastic," says Robyn Eichenholz, parent. Five alumni were invited to sing as part of the... Full story
On Sunday, Jan. 28, honorees and guests of The Jewish Pavilion's Gems & Jeans Gala demonstrated the impact that just one person can make on an entire community. Co-chairs Marci Gaeser, Sharon Littman, and Susie Stone delivered opening remarks and warmly welcomed the more than 200 guests who had gathered at the Sheraton Orlando North in Maitland to celebrate gala honorees, and to make a difference in the lives of residents of senior living communities served by the Pavilion. Littman commended... Full story
JFS Orlando Executive Director Eric Geboff, announced that the nearly 40-year-old social service agency is seeking volunteers to serve on its committees and Board of Directors for the 2018 program year. Annually, JFS Orlando replenishes its committees and Board of Directors with new members who bring knowledge, expertise, passion and experience to help the agency attain its mission of providing services to stabilize and enhance the quality of life for individuals and families in crisis, available to all people in the Central Florida community.... Full story
Ladies in the Central Florida area, mark your calendars for the second annual SPARK Women's Retreat set to ignite the light in you March 9-11, 2018, at the luxurious Reunion Resort. This year's weekend-long event will be jam-packed with events to spark your Jewish soul, including a Shabbat experience and dinner, rejuvenating yoga and fitness classes, fun food demonstrations, a moving Havdalah, and a pumped-up party to celebrate all of the women attendees and their individual sparks, all while... Full story
The Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando proudly announces the hiring of Melissa Youngblood as the next director of the Richard S. Adler Early Childhood Learning Center. Beginning June 1, Youngblood will take over direct oversight of the nationally-accredited preschool and will be accountable for all components of the school including the staff, facility, budget, curriculum, and programming. Her main responsibilities will be maintaining the high quality of education and staffing, increasing the visibility of the school within the community, and i... Full story
In 1992, when Soviet Jewish parents were looking for ways to immigrate to Israel, a school was started by the Jewish Agency and the Israeli government that provided a way for Soviet youth to study in Israel. That school is Naale Elite Academy. Since the program started 25 years ago, there have been 16,000 students and graduates from nearly 30 countries, including the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, South Africa, Australia and the former Soviet Union, among others. At the end of August, 503 arrived... Full story
The Jewish Pavilion's *Pearls of the Pavilion luncheon will take on a whole new luster when it is held at the home of Jewelry Designer Gay Harrison of Gay Harrison Handcrafted Couture Jewelry. Harrison is generously opening her Longwood home for the occasion, which takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 20th. Following a gourmet luncheon, the acclaimed designer will offer a sneak peak of her 2018 Spring Collection, along with a sparkling discussion of upcoming trends in jewelry. "We are so appreciative... Full story
The Tampa Orlando Pinellas Jewish Foundation ended 2017 with assets supporting the Jewish and greater nonprofit communities approaching $50 million, a number that includes a portfolio of $3.7m in Israel Bonds and investment performance net of fees of 9.57 percent. “The past 12 months mark a banner year for the Foundation and its donors as we together embarked on an expansion program to bring our philanthropic and investment management services to organizations and families outside central Florida where no Jewish Foundation currently e... Full story
JFS Orlando is proud to announce the opening of its expanded counseling wing. Since inception, JFS Orlando has provided more than 50,000 counseling sessions. The counseling, growth and development program provide individual, couples, family and group mental health counseling in a trusting, reassuring and healing atmosphere. The opening/ribbon cutting of the added wing will be held Thursday, Feb. 22 from 5 p.m.—7 p.m.... Full story
Saturday, Feb. 24th Shabbat Morning Purim Service led by Rabbi Karen Allen, at 10 a.m. Purim songs will be sung throughout the service, and will read the Megillah at the end of the service. A Kiddush will follow the service. The synagogue is located at 315 North 13th St. in Leesburg, with the entrance on Center Street. More information is available on the synagogue website: http://bethsholomflorida.org/or by calling the synagogue at 352-326-3692. On Sunday, Feb. 25th, Rabbi Karen Allen of Congregation Beth Sholom and Zoriy Zinger, a former... Full story
With Congregation Ohev Shalom's Centennial Gala Weekend (Feb. 9–10) fast approaching, we take a look back of some of the highlights of the congregation's 100 years. In the early 20th century, when very few Jews lived in Central Florida, religious services were held at the citrus grove of Moses and Sarah Levy and in private homes. Attendees were not an official congregation yet, but by 1916, $260 had been raised toward purchasing a building. Then, as the United States entered World War I in 1917, Orlando held a war bonds rally and parade, and th... Full story
For three years the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center Board of Directors had been looking for a building that could house the ever-growing museum. Built in 1986, the museum was expanded to twice its size in 1994. Now, with the many programs and exhibits held at the Center, it is bursting at the seams. Anyone who has ever gone to one of HMREC's programs knows how quickly the museum's auditorium/exhibit room fills to capacity. Plus, the area schools that bring up to 150 students to... Full story
The Kinneret Council on Aging, a nonprofit agency that provides ongoing programs and services to residents of Kinneret Apartments, has announced the honorees for their 2018, 8 over 80 Gala to be held on Sunday, Feb. 25th, 2018. "We are once again thrilled with the support we have had from the community and were truly inspired by the number of outstanding individuals over the age of 80, who continue to contribute to our community and promote the Jewish tradition of Tikkun Olam," said Lynn... Full story
"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education."-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is with Dr. King's words in mind that Jewish Academy of Orlando attended school on Monday, Jan. 15th for a day-long celebration of Dr. King's life. The students began their day with Minyan service focusing on the Torah principle of Kevod HaBriyot (treating people with dignity and respect). Throughout the day,... Full story
Judea and Samaria is home to more than 430,000 citizens of Israel. They are the vanguard of Israel's security and sovereignty as a Jewish State. Yet this significant area of Israel receives little support from many organizations in the United States because this is considered "disputed territories." However, there is an organization, the One Israel Fund, that is dedicated to supporting the welfare and safety of those who live in Judea, Samaria, the Jordan Valley and the reemerging communities... Full story
The Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center commemorated the International Holocaust Remembrance Day with the first part of a two-part series on Jan. 21 with a discussion of "Defiance" by Nechama Tec, which centers on the experience of the Bielski partisan group and their leader, Tuvia Bielski. The film of the same name was viewed prior to the book discussion, which was led by Dr. Susan A. Bach whose father, Joe Abrams (Josef Abramowicz) and mother, Esther Greenberg (Grinberg) Abrams,... Full story
