Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 3057 - 3081 of 3615
It was all backpacks and smiles as the Jewish Academy of Orlando began its 37th school year on Tuesday, Aug. 12. When asked about the new school year, second grader Noah Talsky said, "It was a good day... all the kids in second grade get their own laptop!" and eighth grader Ashlinn Thomas stated, "It was so much fun; it was easier to get into the same routine." A new school year is full of optimism and possibility, and the Jewish Academy has it in abundance. With new Head of School Alan Rusonik... Full story
J-Serve is the International Day of Jewish Youth Service. Since 2005, J-Serve has been a part of Youth Service America’s Global Youth Service Day weekend. J-Serve provides teens with the opportunity to fulfill the Jewish values of gemilut chasidim, acts of loving kindness, tzedakah, just and charitable giving, and tikkum olam, the responsibility to repair the world. Across the globe, teens join each other to make their community and the world a better place. J-Serve 2015 is in partnership with Repair the World, Youth Service America, and Rock t... Full story
Empowering Teens to Build a More Meaningful and Value-driven Society. Beginning Oct. 24 Chabad of North Orlando will be offering The JLI Teens Discovery Program, a think-and-debate club for Jewish high school students. This program encourages teens to think deeply about their identity and values as they discuss real-life situations and debate fascinating solutions to life's intriguing conundrums. "Adolescence is a time in which teens struggle between dependence and independence as they attempt... Full story
This August, the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando is recognizing outstanding leaders who have made an impact in Jewish Orlando this past year. The awards presentation will be made on Aug. 24 at the JFGO Annual Meeting. This year's Creative Programming Award will be given to the Shalom Families Committee: Whitney Kuvin, Aleah Matthews, Fiona Anavi, Pam Weissman and Julie Oshins. The Creative Programming Award is given annually by the Federation to a person or committee that through... Full story
Hundreds of miles apart, the Scouts of Boy Scout Troop 641 finished the summer with fun and adventure. Thirteen boys and their leaders concluded a successful week at Camp Woodruff in northern Georgia. The Scouts, combined, earned over 50 merit badges at the camp, including shotgun shooting, archery, personal fitness, forestry, gaming and many more. A day of white water rafting and horseback riding were some of the highlights of the week. Two of the Troop's Scouts returned from a week at... Full story
ORLANDO-The Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando announces that effective June 1, 2015, the Roth Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando in Maitland (established 1973) and the Jack & Lee Rosen Southwest Orlando Jewish Community Campus in Dr. Phillips (established 2009) will become separate 501c3 non-profit agencies. The JCC's board of directors voted 26-0 at the July 22 board meeting in favor of moving forward with this next phase of its anticipated plan to reorganize its corporate... Full story
If someone needs to get something done in Casselberry, call Sandi Solomon. Running for her third term as Casselberry city commissioner seat 3, Solomon has that rare ability to see what needs to be done and gets it done. Eight years ago, Solomon retired after 35 years of teaching elementary school in Seminole County. Wondering what she was going to do, she took a month-long trip to Israel. It wasn't her first trip-she's been four times-and probably won't be her last. In fact, she says, "If I coul... Full story
Temple L'Chayim, a Reform congregation in Clermont, has engaged the services of Rabbi Howard Schwartz and Cantor Isaac Kriger to lead the congregation for this year's High Holiday services. The two clergy will provide "a very special blend for the spirituality and musical enhancement of the services." Rabbi Schwartz, a native of Miami, comes to Temple L'Chayim with a wide rabbinical background. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Oh... Full story
Summer is winding down and soon the campers will all be heading back to school. The Roth Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando had a phenomenal summer filled with field trips, swimming, singing, and a lot of memories. The fun doesn't stop at the JCC after their national-award winning camp ends. The JCC has exciting and enriching year-round programming for children, including the afterschool program, J University, for children in kindergarten-fifth grade. Children are picked up at local scho... Full story
Going back to school can be one of the most exciting times of the year. For most teens, it is a time to reconnect with friends, teachers, coaches, etc. For some students however, the thought of returning to school can lead to serious anxiety. In particular, some students that fear they will be taunted, teased, and mistreated by their peers would rather stay home than return to school. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, nearly one in three students (27.8 percent) reported being bullied during the school year. Students... Full story
The entire community is invited to enjoy a free bagel breakfast and live entertainment at " A Walk in the Park," a family-friendly festival on Sunday, Oct. 26, 9:30 a.m., at Crane's Roost Park in Altamonte Springs. The festivities will include activities for children such as face painting, bounce house and clowns, a health fair, vendors, a walk and prizes galore. Proceeds benefit the Jewish Pavilion. The Pavilion ensures that our elders in long-term care are not alone in the world. They arrange... Full story
The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando is proud to celebrate two years of menschs! At this year’s Annual Meeting, the “Mensch of the Week Hall of Fame” will proudly be displayed for the second year in a row. The mensch of the week program highlights an outstanding individual each week in the MaNishma e-blast. It’s an opportunity to recognize the hardworking community members that make Jewish Orlando thrive. Do you know a mensch? Nominate your very own “Mensch of the Week!” Email Dana Nichols at dnichols@jfgo.org with a name of someone you... Full story
On Wednesday, July 23, 2014, the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando (JFGO) and the Greater Orlando Board of Rabbis sponsored an Israel Solidarity Gathering at the Maitland Jewish Community Center. Approximately 350 people from the Orlando community came to show their support for Israel. Chaim Shacham, consul general of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico gave a briefing on the current situation in Israel. "We did not choose this conflict, it was forced upon us. Even though we did all that we... Full story
Alan Rusonik believes in community, he believes a strong Jewish education is vital to develop future Jewish leadership, and he believes the Jewish Academy of Orlando is an excellent place to grow a school that has a strong foundation. This is all good because Rusonik has just begun his job as JAO head of school. He knows it will be a lot of hard work but he also knows that he is coming into a school that "has a great history." According to Rusonik, "It is a project to improve what has been... Full story
If Kevin Weiss could only pick one word to blaze across his wall, that word would be justice. "I'm an idealistic type of person," Weiss told The Heritage. "I like to help people and if I see an injustice it burns me up." Ever since he was a child, whether something was unfair or if he saw someone hurting and if he felt he could help resolve the situation, he would try to remedy the problem. That's the kind of man Kevin Weiss is. A sense of justice was the driving force that led him to become a... Full story
The year 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act. In recognition of that monumental legislation, institutions and individuals throughout Central Florida will be examining the impact of the end of legal discrimination based on race, gender, nationality and religion. What changes have we seen in our lifetime? What issues remain to be addressed? What tools do we need to move ahead in challenging bigotry and intolerance in all of its forms? • Sept. 2 through Dec. 15 E... Full story
Congregation Beth Am in Longwood, Florida, in conjunction with the Orlando Church of Christ, the Seminole County Department for Emergency Management, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and the Seminole County Department of Public Safety will host a Disaster Preparedness program on Sunday, Aug. 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. This will immediately follow a congregational Open House for prospective members starting at 10 a.m. Steven Lerner from the Emergency Response Team will discuss hurricane and fire preparedness. The Office of Emergency Management i... Full story
Congregation Beth Sholom of Leesburg invites the community to a very special warm, joyous, and festive Shabbat service on Friday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. This uplifting service of music and song, led by Rabbi and Cantor Karen Allen, who will be playing her keyboard, features world-class violinist Zoriy Zinger, who was a soloist in the Russian Symphony Orchestra before reaching fame in America. Allen and Zinger have collaborated in numerous venues, including three concerts at the Melon Patch Theater. Beth Sholom’s Kabbalat Shabbat takes the form of t... Full story
Sandy Steuer has marked her first anniversary volunteering with the Jewish Pavilion. After helping out a few different senior communities she found her niche at Chambrel. Sandy helps at Shabbat each and every Friday. She has come to find friendship, self satisfaction and even learning the Friday evening service better then ever. "Don't ask me to sing, but I do love to help and I adore the people at Chambrel," chuckled Sandy. Jackie Levitt has been volunteering for many years at various senior... Full story
Yvonne David suffered the loss of her father last September and joined a grief support group sponsored by the Jewish Pavilion and VITAS Innovative Hospice Care. Held at Chambrel at Island Lake, a Brookdale Senior Living Community, this grief support group has helped her mourn, adjust and embrace life again. David’s articles about the first three weeks of the class and the last three weeks of the class were published in the May 9 and the June 20 issues respectively. This third and final article is about the follow-up meeting one month later. A... Full story
Prospective members are cordially invited to join the Temple Israel membership on Saturday evening, Aug. 2, at 9 p.m., for a creative Light Up Havdalah activity for children. As Shabbat is ushered out, the fun will begin using various light sources (glow sticks, flashlights, etc.), and a camera set up with a long exposure that will enable everyone to create light art. Following the festivities, s'mores will be served. No RSVP is needed and there is no charge. For more information, please call... Full story
Jewish National Fund (JNF) will host its annual Tree of Life™ Award Dinner at the Rosen Plaza Hotel on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014. The event will honor Orlando Magic Executive Alex Martins and local philanthropists Valeria and Jim Shapiro with the prestigious Tree of Life™ Award. Alex Martins originally joined the Orlando Magic as director of publicity/media relations before accepting his current role as Chief Executive Officer in 2011. Past chairman of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Com... Full story
"Happy Hours at Savannah Court have never been more joyous since singer and volunteer, Esther Portes, began serenading our seniors," said Jewish Pavilion volunteer coordinator Gloria Newberger, who shared that she had run out of song-leaders after six years of organizing weekly sing-alongs and ice cream socials at the Maitland facility, adding that most volunteers were more comfortable dishing out ice cream than "the Golden Oldies." Newberger continued, "Soon after my plea, this angel, Esther... Full story
Passport to Hebrew is Temple Israel's summer children's program for Hebrew enrichment. The program is open to all school-age children (members and non-members) and will take place on July 30, July 31 and Aug. 1 from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. in the Roth Social Hall. Whether your child needs a refresher course in Hebrew, or if he/she is new to Hebrew, this program will be fun and exciting. This year's "Falafel Edition" will be centered on Israel and will feature a mini-ulpan experience. There will b... Full story
This month, 47 members of Our Jewish Orlando (OJO) group welcomed special guest Dr. Yudit Greenberg, director of the Rollins College Jewish Studies Program to Torah on Tap at TAPS restaurant in Winter Park Village. Dr. Greenberg went in depth with the group as they spoke about love and the body in Judaism. Powered by the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, OJO has been successful in bringing Orlando's next generation together for connection and conversation. Shown here is Seth Payne listening... Full story
