Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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This summer, the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida is inviting visitors to join them in a conversation about the local, national, and international struggle for civil rights in the United States. This is a unique opportunity for visitors to learn about this history while inspiring them to take action in their own communities. Terrance Hunter, the program coordinator for the Holocaust Center, sees these exhibits as a unique opportunity to reflect on this history. "The wo...
JERUSALEM (JTA)-Israeli politicians rushed to condemn their government's decision Sunday to freeze a plan promoting pluralistic prayer at the Western Wall. Voices from across the political spectrum, including members of the governing coalition, criticized the vote by the Cabinet as a reckless affront to American Jewry. They warned it could weaken the community's support for Israel. "Canceling the deal constitutes a severe blow to the unity of the Jewish people and communities as well as the...
The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando's "Summer of Love" has arrived. The season of saying "thank you" to the local Jewish community kicked off June 19, ushering in a full week of activities involving Federation staff, volunteers and friends. Early that Monday morning, Federation staff members delivered fresh doughnuts to the offices of Orlando's local Jewish agencies-The Jewish Pavilion, Central Florida Hillel, the Kinneret Council on Aging, Jewish Family Services of Orlando, The Roth...
As the school year comes to an end, Central Florida students who depend on free and reduced lunches will no longer have access to proper and nutritious food. To help with this situation, JFS Orlando kicked off its Summer Food Drive, which began July 1 and continues through July 31. During the summer months, JFS Orlando provides roughly 40 percent more families with food from the Pearlman Emergency Food Pantry. Help JFS keep the pantry stocked and consider donating non-perishable food items to help feed those in need. JFS Orlando is also...
The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando’s RAISE program offers paid employment opportunities and social skills training to young adults with special needs. Online application for a limited number of fall positions opened on June 26, 2017. RAISE participants work for 6-12 months at five partnering agencies and alongside Vocational Rehabilitation in their community job search process. RAISE builds self-esteem, fosters independence, educates and inspires participants and their families to set new goals, supports and encourages social growth, a...
On Monday, June 19, the JCC 39ers hosted an educational class titled "Medicare 101" given by Bracha Leibowitz. The 39ers are a daytime group for seniors who get together weekly at The Roth Family JCC for diverse programming. "With all of the changes going on in health care it is very important that seniors stay informed and Bracha gave a great class that was very informative," said 39ers member Shirley Zawatsky. "Planning for retirement can be a very complex and confusing process but I do my...
Sharon F. Weil has been hired as the new director of Programming and Development at the Kinneret Council on Aging. She follows Leslie Collin who led Kinneret for 10 years from 2007 to 2017. Weil will be responsible for creating in-house events and developing community outreach programs as well as Kinneret's yearly Health Expo and 8 over 80 fundraising event. In addition, she will be responsible for overseeing the onsite food pantry and daily continental breakfasts. "I am really excited to be wor...
From June 4-9th, educators from around the state gathered at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center in Maitland for their annual Teacher's Institute on Holocaust education. The Center was thrilled to see so many teachers dedicated to expanding their knowledge for themselves and for their students. Bailey Clark, the Center's Education Coordinator, said, "This year's focus was on the Nazi Party's rise to power, so teachers discussed parallels between events in Germany in the 1920s...
A popular Jewish children's book program is helping to preserve the richness and vibrancy of Jewish culture, one book at a time. PJ Library, the flagship program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, delivers more than 170,000 free Jewish children's books and music CDs throughout the United States and Canada each month. That subscriber base includes 540 families in Central Florida, where PJ Library is administered by the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando. Books are sent to children ages 6...
(JTA)-Large parts of Florida are suffering from severe drought, and hurricane season threatens to make things worse. Enter Water-Gen, an Israeli company whose technology captures humidity to extract drinking water from the air. On Monday, the South Florida city of Miami Gardens announced it was launching a pilot program with the company to address its water problems-the first U.S. city to do so. "As representatives responsible for the quality of life and safety of our communities, preparedness a...
What do Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Alexander Hamilton and Aida have to do with discovering your ancestors? To find out, join other genalogists at the 37th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy from July 23–28 at the Disney World Swan Resort in Orlando, Florida. Henry Louis Gates Jr., host of the PBS hit series "Finding Your Roots," will be the featured speaker on "Genetics and Genealogy in America" on Thursday evening at the conference. Some of the many celebrities that Gates has s...
There will be a demonstration for the International Day of al-Quds at Lake Eola Park this evening from 6 p.m.-8 p.m., sponsored by the Muslim Congress (muslimcongress.org). The flier for the International Day of al-Quds says "Let's stand united with all humans of conscience-be they Jews, Christians, or Muslims-for the sake of haqq (truth) and to show support for the innocent civilian victims of global Zionism, false flag operations, imperialism, occupation, neocolonialism, racism, Islamophobia,...
Cocktails. Crowds. And a worthy cause! The Citrus Club Young Executive Board and the Citrus Club of Orlando brought all three together on Tuesday, June 6, hosting its monthly "United for a Purpose" event, benefitting The Jewish Pavilion. Jewish Pavilion Marketing Director Pam Ruben commented, "We are grateful to The Citrus Club for putting on a 'happy hour with a heart,' and were thrilled to be the chosen charity of the month by its Young Executive Board. Special kudos to Carina Gerscovich, as...
While it’s summer vacation at school, Congregation Beth Am is not taking the season off as it hosts Shabbat in the Round and special themed shabbatos services to which the entire community is invited. The CBA sanctuary will be arranged in “the round” with the bima moved to the center of the sanctuary. The Torah will be read from the middle of the congregation where everyone can see the text. The Shaliach Tzibor will conduct services from the midst of the congregation, facing the Ark, where all congregants will face each other with the lay l...
The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando’s RAISE program offers paid employment opportunities and social skills training to young adults with special needs. Online application for a limited number of fall positions opens on June 26, 2017. RAISE participants work for 6-12 months at five partnering agencies and alongside Vocational Rehabilitation in their community job search process. RAISE builds self-esteem, fosters independence, educates and inspires participants and their families to set new goals, supports and encourages social growth, a...
JFS Orlando is currently recruiting volunteers to assist clients in its computer lab. The computer lab will be offering volunteer shifts Tuesdays, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.; Wednesdays, 2 p.m.-5 p.m.; and Thursdays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. If you have any interest in volunteering in the computer lab, in any capacity, you will be required to attend an orientation session and complete two online tutorials so that you will be able to properly instruct clients who are applying for government benefits and writing resumes. Additionally, JFS Orlando’s partners at C...
This week, Jewish Academy of Orlando announced its new program: "Harriett's Art and Performance Program for Youth" (also know as our "HAPPY" program). The program is being funded through a very generous grant from the Harriett Lake Family Trust. Mrs. Lake has been a long-time supporter of the Jewish Academy of Orlando, and, of course, performance arts programs throughout the city. This grant fuses two of her passions: performing arts and Jewish education. The Jewish Academy of Orlando has had a...
At the end of May 2017, the Congregation of Reform Judaism hosted their first-ever Arts Festival Week that included an art gallery, a variety of free arts workshops, and multiple performances. Each featured the talents of local painters, sculptors, photographers, craftspeople, singers, both classical and modern musicians, creative writers, and even a couple homegrown comedians. Yet, if you had asked anyone at the temple if that kind of response would be possible just one year earlier, the reply...
Ari Azbel, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants, is a senior at Lake Highland Preparatory and a former student of the Jewish Academy of Orlando. He is also the founder of Orlando Math Circle (www.orlandomathcircle.org), a 501(c)3 organization founded in the tradition of Eastern European math circles to provide opportunities to local students to do novel and enriching mathematics, as well as to provide teaching and leadership opportunities for high school, college, and graduate students. “Our mission is to create a diverse and inclusive communit...
Students of Yiddish received their graduation certificate for completing Yiddish 101 at the final class taught by Joan Pohl at Brookdale Island Lake. Participants have been attending class each month for personal stories, reminiscing, Yiddish vocabulary, singing, dancing and laughter galore. Special thanks to Joan Pohl who is shown here with Ben Rosenbaum (wearing the silly glasses). Pohl taught Yiddish at Brookdale Island Lake as a Jewish Pavilion volunteer for the past five years. Classes are...
It was the summer before ninth grade and I was invited to a BBG and AZA membership party at the home of the Behr family. The home was filled with other kids new to B’nai Brith, as well as members that we met and learned from about the opportunity to be part of this organization and its legacy. In the year that followed, I attended many meetings and learned everything I could about BBG (B’nai Brith Girls) and the boys group AZA. I also attended a couple of conventions in North Florida Council. These conventions confirmed that I had made the rig...
Fifty years after the original "Summer of Love" ushered in a counterculture revolution in America, the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando is launching its own Summer of Love, though with a very different goal. Marking the final weeks of Federation's 2017 Annual Campaign, the Summer of Love launch on June 19 will kick off a full season of special programs and events for members of the Greater Orlando Jewish community. The kickoff week will be a busy one as Federation staff and volunteers show...
Florida Governor Rick Scott, joined by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and State Representative Randy Fine, visited Orlando Torah Academy on Tuesday to highlight his new bill providing security funding for Jewish schools throughout Florida. For the first time ever, the State of Florida, led by Governor Scott, will be providing $654,000 in funding for the security needs of Jewish schools throughout Florida. The money will be used to install security cameras, bulletproof glass, alarm systems and to...
JFS Orlando, the Winter Park-based nonprofit, human service agency, has collected over 7,500 pounds of food and over $18,000 in cash donations during its annual Pantry Restock Challenge. The Challenge ran for one month and the goal was to restock the Pearlman Emergency Food Pantry, which provides emergency food assistance to Central Florida families in need. The Weiner Family and Winter Park Wealth Group once again provided a generous $5,000 matching gift while the Fern Park Winn-Dixie and Personal Mini Storage donated collection bags and...
The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando is pleased to announce the fourth year of the Jewish Teen Education grant program and is now accepting grant requests for 2017-18 academic year. Federation’s JTEN (Jewish Teen Education Network) offers grants to synagogues and community agencies that provide Jewish educational opportunities for teenagers in Central Florida. JTEN also sponsors community-wide Teen Education Days and provides resources and networking opportunities for Jewish educators. The third year of JTEN grants yielded five s...
