Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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"I think it's a privilege to work in the Pantry," said Sandy Weiss, who has volunteered with JFS Orlando since 2018, first as a RAISE coach and now as a full-fledged Pearlman Emergency Food Pantry volunteer. "I helped somebody with the RAISE (Recognizing Abilities & Inclusion of Special Employees) program here and I got to know the job description. So it just evolved." Weiss has always had a big heart and a love for helping others. Before moving to Orlando from NYC 48 years ago, Weiss started...
How often do you hear 11-year-old children today state that one of their goals in life is to bring joy to residents of senior living facilities? Well, let me introduce you to Shira Schoenberg, who recently entertained the residents at Allegro in Winter Park with a medley of love songs to help celebrate Valentine's Day and as she has said many times, "bring a smile to everyone's face." Shira is the daughter of Lora and Erik Schoenberg and she has been passionate about the performing arts since...
Jewish Academy of Orlando first graders completed their annual space unit with the Sun, Moon, and Stars Space Show where each student demonstrated his or her knowledge of our solar system through music, song, and dance. The program included dialogue and songs about gravity, the moon and stars, planets, and the sun. The space unit is incorporated into the school’s S.T.E.A.M. initiative that integrates science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics into the curriculum. The multi-faceted curriculum included the creation of vocabulary, j...
Creating the best quality of life for seniors' needs requires both humor and heart. Building the optimum life experience includes waking up each day with the ability to invest in your physical and emotional well-being, making sure there is purpose in life. It also includes taking care of your physical body, creating social contacts and friends and keeping your intellect and curiosity alert and stimulated. Satisfying spiritual needs can be one of the most important aspects of a senior's life,...
Jewish Academy of Orlando has made private education more accessible by initiating the Tuition Assistance Program. The TAP program adjusts tuition based on a family’s income for new students in grades TK-5th. TAP is designed to boost enrollment of new students by specifically targeting middle-income families. The TAP program includes a simple online tuition calculator for parents, which they can use to determine their student’s tuition fees based on their income. If the calculated tuition fees are acceptable, parents can submit their req...
MAITLAND, FL—The Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida is honored to feature Vedem Underground: The Secret Magazine of the Terezin Ghetto (1942-1944) from Jan. 13 through April 3, 2020. “Named one of the Smithsonian’s 10 “Don’t Miss...” new exhibits for Winter 2017, Vedem Underground, produced by the Vedem Foundation, is an art installation that deconstructs and reinterprets the literary work of the teenage Jewish creators of the longest-running underground magazine in...
Mark your calendar to participate in a free, unique “Legacy Letters Workshop” led by nationally known freelance writer, speaker, author, and inspiring presenter Leah Dobkin on Sunday, March 1, starting at 1 p.m. at Congregation of Reform Judaism. Dobkin has over 30 years of experience writing, developing, and managing innovative programs, and consulting with nonprofit and for-profit organizations and government agencies. During the Legacy Letters Workshop, Dobkin will guide participants in the creative process to write a heartfelt legacy let...
Tu B'shvat, Jewish Arbor Day, is an opportunity to connect with nature and remember how vital our natural resources are. Each year at this time we reflect on the importance of taking care of our environment and how to leave a better world for the next generation. The fifth-grade students from the Ohev Shalom Hebrew school visited with seniors residing at Cascade Heights in Longwood to present background information on this holiday and to also help the residents decorate pots and plant parsley...
If you have not had experience with senior citizens, you may have difficulties interacting and connecting. Some relationships are immediate; some take time. All interactions with strangers may be difficult. The Jewish Pavilion has solved the communication problem. Recognizing that new volunteers may not have experience except with their own parents, the Pavilion has come up with some ideas to use when volunteers visit seniors in elder care communities. The Pavilion recognized everyone likes to talk about themselves. Try these questions to get...
There is a thriving Jewish community in DeLand, Florida and it's growing by leaps and bounds. Temple Israel of DeLand has been in existence since the late 1940s, not to be mistaken for Temple Israel in Winter Springs or Temple Israel of Daytona. They are separate entities. The synagogue is situated 22 miles from the Atlantic Ocean and is less than five miles from the St. Johns River. DeLand is located in Volusia County, which is the county seat, and it's near Stetson University, a highly...
Its road trip time for Penny Goldstein's friends. They are on their way to the Jewish Pavilion Fashion Show that is honoring their friend. When one friend called to make her reservation, Goldstein told her it was too much to travel from Tampa. She just laughed and invited more friends. They are pleased to be part of honoring their friend. Marci Gaeser, Fashion Show chair, loves this occasion because it brings women of all ages together for a happy and fun event that showcases the latest...
Jewish Academy of Orlando hosted its annual gala with much fanfare. This year's theme, Wonderland Gala, paid homage to the school's upcoming musical and highlighted the wonders of JAO: the students, faculty, families and greater community. Attendees dressed in "Mad Hatter Chic" attire and enjoyed the magical night at the Citrus Club. The event honored two generations of one of Orlando's cherished families: Ellen and Simon Snyder and Jodi and David Krinker. These individuals are pillars of the...
By Wendy Ring Levine & Penny Goldstein D’Agostino Tax season is here and new laws are confusing. Penny Goldstein D’Agostino, Jewish Pavilion CFO and owner of a financial planning and tax service, is available to share some advice. D’Agostino says this year April 15, 2020, is tax day for filing your 2019 tax return. If you file an extension, it is an extension to file your paperwork only. You still must have made your anticipated payment in order to avoid interest and penalties after April 15th. There is no set age to stop paying taxes. Taxes ar...
Stories from the Orlando Help Desk Man plans, G-d laughs. No matter how much planning is done, life is unpredictable. Accidents, illnesses and unforeseen circumstances can change life in an instant. Years of planning for a special vacation, moving to Florida for retirement, a wedding, a bar/bat mitzvah, it could be anything, Then one thing happens and changes your world. Often we feel alone. We feel that we have to handle everything. What do you do? How do you handle overwhelming situations? Take a deep breath and take a step back. Let the bad...
Matthew Gales has a goal and he wants the Jews of Orlando to embrace this goal: To unite and stand for what is right-To reject hate while embracing love and community. While anti-Semitism is not as prevalent in Florida as it is in other parts of the country and in Europe, Gales expressed that it is never too early to show Jewish solidarity and pride in mass, as was recently shown in the march against anti-Semitism in New York City. "If we sit here and start reclusing ourselves, saying we've got...
Pet therapy happens every month at Oakmonte Village in Lake Mary. In coordination with the Jewish Pavilion, Pet Rescue by Judy volunteers bring therapy dogs and cats to the residents for licks and hugs. This month Kathy Nevins, Jackie Jones-McAleer and Bhavya Prabhu from Pet Rescue brought Duncan and three sister kittens to play. Susan Bernstein, program director from the Jewish Pavilion, joined them directing Duncan to a woman in a wheelchair. The Pet Rescue team took the kittens from resident...
At the age of 13, Hope McCormack needed a bat mitzvah project. Happy to fulfill this Temple Israel requirement, her mother, Michelle Bilsky, guided her to the Jewish Pavilion. She started going to assisted living communities and nursing homes to give out challahs and visit with the Jewish residents. She continued to volunteer periodically while going to Hebrew high school. As often as she could through college, McCormack helped her mother with Shabbat services at Cascade Heights and Orlando Lutheran Towers. McCormack had enjoyed her bat...
Jewish Academy of Orlando celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. day through art, songs, writing and conversation. Themes that ranged through the day included hope, uniqueness, and community. In the art room, students worked together to make collages of hands coming together that illustrated uniqueness and unity and ultimately respect for their peers, teachers, and the greater community. Eric Levine, "Mr. Eric," who heads up the school's acclaimed performing arts program, led students in songs of...
Stories from the Orlando Senior Help Desk Tammy knew her parents, especially her mother, saved everything. They had every class picture, report card, book report, school and sports uniform she and her four brothers ever owned. Her parents had inherited each of their parents' belongings when they passed away. There were boxes and boxes of pictures of family and friends, some long forgotten. The house was full of fond memories. It was also full magazines saved for recipes, sewing patterns, DYI...
On Jan. 27, from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. the Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center will observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day and remember the innocent six million Jews and millions of other people who fell victim to Nazi persecution. This date was chosen by the United Nations in recognition of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. This year marks the 75thanniversary of its liberation. At the same time, the ordinary people who courageously and heroically...
When Penny Goldstein met Nancy Ludin at a Jewish Community Center fundraiser, she was new in Central Florida. Nancy offered her a warm invitation to meet other Jewish women through the Friends of the Jewish Pavilion. Goldstein was amazed at the volunteer opportunities available from event planning to visiting seniors. She quickly found ways she could contribute. Mitzvah Maj with a resident at Tuskawilla Nursing & Rehab keeps Goldstein and other volunteers current on their mahjong skills. Their...
On Feb. 4, from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., speaker Justin Bachman will be presenting his program to the students enrolled in the Holocaust Center's UpStanders program. This evening presentation is an opportunity for our community and the parents of students to hear his story of strength and determination as he overcame significant challenges. In elementary school, Bachman was a scared, insecure and lost child. He wasn't good at making friends, and never seemed to fit in. He told himself he was...
Looking to volunteer, partner, or just learn more about Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando? On Thursday, Jan. 30, from 8 a.m.—9 a.m. JFS Orlando will host its first Coffee Connections of 2020. The morning will include a tour of its support center, client success stories, coffee, a light breakfast, and more. RSVP by contacting Sara Martinez, Development & Marketing associate, at 407-644-7593 ext. 227 or Sara.Martinez@JFSorlando.org. Established in 1978 as a non-profit human service agency, JFS Orlando provides social programs and s...
The Princess Ball—Under the Sea The 11th annual Princess Ball for princesses and mermaids, ages 4 and up, with an adult, will be held Saturday, Feb. 1, from 7 p.m.—9 p.m. at the JCC. There will be dancing, activities, and dessert. Dress as your favorite princess—or your favorite little mermaid—and plunge into a mermazing evening. The cost is $36 per couple; $5 each additional guest. RSVP by January 30. RSVP’s after this date are subject to availability and a $10 late fee. For more information, contact Kacie Zemel, 407-621-40...
Jewish Academy of Orlando launched Positive Education, a character education program across all grades. This program is introducing students, teachers and the JAO community to the language of character strengths from the field of positive psychology, integrated with Jewish values. In the Jewish tradition of Mussar, there are 48 Jewish virtues or values (in Hebrew middot, the plural form of middah) that serve as the basis for the study of a variety of Jewish texts. Positive psychology has found...
