Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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(JNS) — This has not been a good week for the State of Israel or the Jewish people. Sarah Milgrim, 26, and Yaron Lischinsky, 30, two young, promising members of the staff of the Israeli embassy, were brutally murdered as they were leaving a reception at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. This sort of abominable antisemitic atrocity is what occurs when America’s young people are constantly indoctrinated by academics of the “woke” far left and the highly biased left-wing media. Our educational institutions have been fortified by imme...
(JNS) — Why is Palestine still not an independent state? The conventional answer normally begins and ends with Israel and its “occupation,” presumably denying Palestinians their lands and their right to self-determination. Columbia University professor and Palestinian American Edward Said’s famous words that Zionism should be judged from the standpoint of its victims continues to possess cultural authority even if they contradict the historical record. Zionism always endorsed a policy built around the idea of sharing the land. For almost...
(JNS) — Despite being one of the worst foreign-policy decisions in the history of the United States, the “wisdom” of the 2015 nuclear deal is embraced as an article of faith by Democrats. Some see the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as genius simply because it was President Barack Obama’s idea. Others support it because they missed the day in school when their history teacher taught how the policy of appeasement led to the ravages of World War II. A third group, radical progressives, support it because they are inherently antisem...
(JNS) — The May 21 terror attack in Washington, D.C., where two Israeli embassy staffers planning to get married were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum is more than a national tragedy. It is a harbinger. The murder of Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, allegedly committed by Elias Rodriguez while shouting “Free, free Palestine,” is not only an act of terrorism; it is a symptom of a far more dangerous climate of normalized antisemitism in the United States. You would have to be intentionally wearing blinders not t...
(JNS) — Jews often say, “We have to take care of Eretz Yisrael,” the Land of Israel. It sounds noble to some, and it might even sound responsible. But to me, “have to” sounds like the teenager who “has to” clean their room or take out the trash. It’s a duty. A chore. For many Jews today, especially in the Diaspora, that’s exactly what supporting Israel has become: a burden. Contrast that with what I’ve heard from many non-Jews, particularly Evangelical Christians, who say with joy, “We get to take care of Israel.” They see it as a privilege....
(Israel National News, Arutz 7 via JNS) — One of the problems today is convincing too many oblivious people to support the United States, free Western societies and the State of Israel, instead of supporting Hamas terrorists and other anti-American, anti-free-world entities. It sounds bizarre, but unfortunately, we deal with this unbelievable problem every day. It was instigated by nefarious domestic and foreign actors who invested billions of dollars over many years to brainwash people from all walks of life. We should find ways to share w...
(JNS) — In his inaugural address, Pope Leo XIV expressed concerns about the rise of artificial intelligence, warning that it could undermine human dignity and replace human conscience with algorithms. The pope’s discomfort with AI resonates with a long history of the Catholic Church confronting transformative technologies that challenge its authority and influence. While non-Catholics have no place critiquing Vatican policy, Christian-Jewish relations have been impacted by its responses to major shifts. It thus behooves us to review those piv...
Dear Mr. President, You are about to make a decision for which you will be remembered by history. Your legacy will either be as a world leader who saved, or failed to save, many lives. The decision concerns Iran’s intention to develop a nuclear arsenal. There can be no reasonable doubt that Iran’s mullahs are determined to obtain nuclear weapons, despite their assurances to the contrary. Nor can Israel, which is the intended target of an Iranian bomb, be expected to rely on deterrence or containment. Iran must be prevented from achieving the...
“Hang up the phone and play dead.” This harrowing advice from Yuval Raphael’s father saved her life on Oct. 7, 2023, and brought her to the spotlight in Basel, Switzerland as Israel’s representative to Eurovision this week. Most Americans have never heard of Eurovision, and surely not 24-year-old Yuval Raphael. On Oct. 7, 2023, Yuval was at the Nova music festival in southern Israel along the Gaza border, located in a wooded area with an adjacent lot on which a stage had been set up for all night music and dancing. Thousands of young people...
(JNS) — A recent report published by the Network Contagion Research Institute highlighted a connection between the Middle East Children’s Alliance, makers of the “Teach Palestine Project,” and the Union of Health Work Committees in Gaza, which has financial and personnel ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The PFLP is a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. Connections between the terror group and UHWC came to light after the 2019 murder of 17-year-old Israeli Rina Shnerb, and was reported on by Matthew Levitt f...
(JNS) — I wrote last week about the most famous biblical commandment: “love thy neighbor.” We shared commentary by Nachmanides (the Rambam) on how we mustn’t harbor hate in our hearts but rather confront the person who we believe wronged us. That way, we will be able to keep the peace between us and ultimately be able to fulfill the commandment to love thy neighbor. The problem is that not everyone enjoys being confrontational. I don’t have any statistics, but I would imagine that most people tend to shy away from confrontation. The average p...
Recently there have been rumors of President Trump changing the name of the Persian Gulf to the “Arabian Gulf,” causing great concern and even anger among millions of Iranians. At the same time, there are ongoing reports about the U.S. making a deal with the evil Iranian Islamic regime, concerning Israelis, Iranians, and Americans alike. As Trump visited the Middle East and flew over the body of water separating Iran and the Arabian peninsula, it’s important to look at what this means today, historically, and the long-term implications for t...
(JNS) — This week, one of our prayers has been answered: Edan Alexander is free. Taken hostage during the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, and dragged into the Gaza Strip along with some 250 others, he is now able to see the sky after 584 days in captivity. And while we thank God for his return, we must also take a few minutes to reflect on something even larger — what it means when a young man like Edan chooses to leave his family, friends and future behind to serve a people and a nation he didn’t have to. Because he didn...
(JNS) — U.S. President Donald Trump is the greatest friend that Israel and the Jewish people have ever had in the White House. Still, some are concerned that there has been no action on Iran. The ayatollahs are the most devious, conniving and untrustworthy cabal in the world. They have perpetrated terrorism against America and Israel in the form of proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. They have funded and encouraged university riots and protests in cities across the world. Regime change in Iran should be the goal. Iran is a paper t...
Last November, as part of a company staff retreat, my daughter (who is also my co-worker) and I had the opportunity to visit Paamoney Ruach, (Wind Chimes), a unique nonprofit that serves as both a therapeutic facility for people with severe PTSD and a shelter for abused animals. As someone with a background in social work who generally prefers animals at a distance, I went with an open mind but no expectations. Wind Chimes is located in a residential neighborhood, hidden behind fences. When Dr....
(JNS) — An incident involving college students at a bar owned by a celebrity best known for sports betting and reviewing pizza isn’t the sort of thing expected to go down as a pivotal moment in the history of antisemitism and the Jewish world’s responses to the hatred directed at it. But the viral story about a sign that read, “F*** the Jews,” at a Barstool Sports eating and drinking establishment in Philadelphia and the angry reactions to it by owner Dave Portnoy may tell us a great deal about both the way Jew-hatred has become normalized in 2...
(JNS) — Former President Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear deal, officially the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, failed because it was ill-conceived, incompetently implemented, sold to the American people on a series of lies and bastardized the Constitution. Obama believed that both America’s “friends” and the Iranians needed to “find an effective way to share the neighborhood.” Chief among those “friends” was Israel. Obama was intent on shifting American policy from an Israel-centric Middle East to an American-sponsore...
(JNS) — Sadly, during this year’s Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, the Jewish state added more names to the list of those who died at the hands of enemies who want Israel destroyed. As was the case last year, not only were the dead remembered, but those who, hopefully, are still alive, being held hostage by our enemies and whose welfare is still of great concern, were also present in people’s minds. Indeed, since that fateful Oct. 7 day, the hostages have been on the mind of every concerned Jew and every non-Jew who is an ohev Yisrael...
(JNS) — We awoke this week to the news that Iran has unveiled a new ballistic-missile system, the Qassem Basir, which the Iranians claim has a range of 1,300 kilometers, and can bypass the U.S. THAAD missile and Arrow Defense missile programs. Iran can use the Shi’ite communities within Iraq and Jordan to attack American or Israeli bases. Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defense minister, said that he had “no problem” with his Mideast neighbors, stressing that “they are our brothers.” But, he added, “American bases are our targets.” This comes the day a...
(JNS) — Podcaster Joe Rogan recently hosted a debate between journalist Douglas Murray and comedian Dave Smith about Israel. While Rogan likely intended to facilitate a productive dialogue, what unfolded was a moral tragedy because Smith wasn’t just dangerously misinformed about Israel and the war we are fighting — he’s Jewish. And that’s what makes this so painful. Smith used one of the most influential platforms in the world — “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast has more than 19 million subscribers — to amplify some of the most toxic lies a...
(JNS) — As we celebrate the 77th year of Israel’s independence this Yom Ha’atzmaut, the need for Israel’s existence as the world’s only Jewish state is paramount for the Jewish people’s survival. As we remember the brave men and women who died fighting to make the promised land a reality and celebrate all Israel has become, we must continue to push back against the rise of antisemitism and anti-Zionism that threaten Israel’s survival. To do that, we must not only advocate for a continued strong U.S.-Israel relationship and a secure Israel...
(JNS) — The Jewish people have survived Pharaohs, inquisitions, pogroms and gas chambers. We have endured dispersion, genocide and countless attempts to erase us from history. And yet, with all that resilience in the face of external threats, we too often crumble from within. David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founding father and first prime minister, once said that the Jewish people have always had two enemies: “the external enemy that wanted to destroy us and ourselves.” It is the latter enemy that may be the most insidious because it wears the mas...
(JNS) — “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” — Psalms 126:5 After a year of profound heartbreak, Yom Ha’atzmaut arrives as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people. Even amid pain, we celebrate the miracle of Israel’s rebirth—the harvest of dreams sown through centuries of sacrifice and hope. Seventy-six years ago, David Ben-Gurion stood in Tel Aviv and proclaimed the birth of the modern-day Jewish state. It fulfilled a 2,000-year-old dream—a miracle shaped through sacrifice, courage and unyielding hope. Today, we...
(JNS) — Borrowing a nifty lyric from the Beastie Boys (those white-hot, hip-hop Jewish sensations): “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Hate Jews!).” Yes, the original rap song focused on an altogether different “Right”: the one to “Party!” — once an eager rallying cry at college. But those were different collegiate days — before social justice and self-importance transformed mirthful campuses into humorless hotbeds of antisemitism. Keggers officially traded for keffiyehs. Faculty and student priorities took an extreme hard-left and Isl...
(JNS) — April 22, 2025, may be remembered as a turning point in the history of Israeli public diplomacy, and rightly so. On that day, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs harnessed the power of social media to expose the Palestinian Authority as the enemy it is. From the official @Israel account on X, a powerful statement was posted: “The Palestinian Authority isn’t educating children, it’s indoctrinating them. Maps without Israel. Teachers praising martyrdom. Textbooks that glorify terror. As long as they teach hate, there’s no hope for...
