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The Jewish Press
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Friday, November 29, 2019
Florida SHELLEY BENVENISTE FLORIDA EDITOR IT’S MY OPINION
Thanksgiving: A Lesson In Land For Peace Thanksgiving is a holiday widely observed by those of every background and religion. Americans take a day out to give thanks for their blessings, eat a delicious turkey dinner, and spend time with family and friends. The original celebration, in 1621, marked the first autumn harvest of the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony. The colonists shared their triumph with the nearby tribe of Wampanoag Indians, who had helped them get through that first grueling year. For the Pilgrims, it was an event that marked the beginning of their
successful acclimation to their new country. For the Native Americans it marked the beginning of the end of their sovereignty over their homeland. The country was wide open. At first, it seemed that the stream of immigrants could be easily absorbed in the vast expanse of territory. Tribe after tribe extended accommodations to the immigrants. They smoked peace pipes, signed treaties, and gave away land. Little by little the Native Americans became a dwindling presence in their own country. By the time they realized what they had done, it was too late. Many of the remnants of this once proud nation now live on Indian reservations run by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. Conditions are poor. The modern State of Israel and its dealings with its interlopers seems to have some disturbing parallels with the saga of the Native Americans. Hopefully Israel’s citizenry will realize their folly before they too become a dwindling presence in their own land. The recent surge of missiles fired at Israel from Gaza has been relentless. Sderot, Ashkelon, and many other areas in Southern Israel have been affected by the relentless attacks. The mayhem has resulted in deaths and injuries. It has put an entire
population in a state of anxiety and fear. The question is how did this happen? The answer is quite poignant: In 2005, the Israeli government gave every inch of land in Gaza away to the “Palestinians� and their Hamas leadership. Thousands of Jewish settlers were uprooted and thrown out of their homes, synagogues, and businesses. Israel wanted to show the world that it was willing to make painful concessions for the attainment of peace. What Israel got was a terrorist base operating from this strategic location – ready, willing and able to rain down carnage on the Jewish State. The Native American Indians were unaware of the idea of Manifest Destiny, the belief that the United States was destined for dominion across the entire continent, from coast to coast. The modern-day Israeli government seems to be unaware of the PLO motto, “Palestine is Arab from the river to the sea.� The reality is that despite anyone’s desires, two populations who want the same land cannot live as neighbors, side by side. It might be the dream for some, but it is the nightmare of many. Land for peace is a worthless gamble. It cannot and does not work. It leads to a very dangerous assumption: that one’s homeland is negotiable.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS WHAT: Spark, the women’s division of Join Orlando, the Jewish Outreach Initiative, will be holding a ladies’ night out with delicious desserts and drinks, highlighted by an inspiring talk from guest speaker Penina Taylor. Born into a secular Jewish family and experiencing a traumatic childhood, Penina embraced Christianity while in high school. However, after 17 years of leadership in the Christian and Hebrew-Christian communities, Penina Taylor’s search for truth brought her to a revelation that turned her world upside down, and in 2000, she embraced the faith of her forefathers by returning to Judaism. Penina’s incredible story, which at times is more unbelievable than fiction, is a tale of Divine Providence, spirituality, and a tenacious search for truth which has inspired tens of thousands of Jews across the globe.
WHEN: Tuesday, December 3 from 7:30-9 p.m. WHERE: Roth Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando JCC, 851 North Maitland Avenue, Maitland, FL CONTACT: www.joinorlando.org COST: $18-$36 ***** WHAT: Young Israel Congregation Sisterhood of Bal Harbour rolls out the Red Carpet Holiday Boutique: Shopping - Food - Raffles Fun WHEN: Thursday, December 5 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. WHERE: Young Israel Congregation, 9580 Abbot Ave, Surfside, FL CONTACT: yicsisterhood@gmail.com
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***** WHAT: The Holocaust Documentation & Education Center invites the public to its latest exhibition: Israel – Then & Now. The birth of the State of Israel in 1948 is a very relevant topic in the study of the Holocaust and especially for survivors, who say if there were a State of Israel at that time, they would have had a home to go to and would never have been turned away.
The exhibition’s grand opening will feature guest speakers Ambassador Ido Aharoni and Patrick Gallagher. WHERE: Holocaust Documentation & Education Center, 303 N. Federal Hwy, Dania Beach, FL WHEN: Grand opening Sunday, December 8, 2:30-4:30 p.m. COST: General Admission $10 - Student Admission $5 - Survivors, Liberators, and their spouses, free of charge CONTACT: RSVP to 954-929-5690 x304 or education@hdec.org ***** WHAT: Torah Academy of Boca Raton presents its 6th annual Pre-Chanukah Concert with Benny Friedman and Mordechai Shapiro - Joey Newcomb - and The Torah Academy Boys Choir WHERE: Kaye Auditorium, FAU Campus, Boca Raton, FL WHEN: Tuesday, December 10 at 7:15 p.m. COST: $250, $180, $100, $50, $36, $25, $20 CONTACT: 561-465-2200 ***** WHAT: Chabad of Boynton Beach invites you to Donuts, Daiquiris, & Dancing, a Jewish Women’s Circle Chanukah party featuring donuts, daiquiris, and Israeli dancing. Women-only event. WHERE: Chabad of Boynton Beach, 10655 El Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, FL WHEN: Monday, December 16 at 7:30 p.m. COST: JWC members $18 - non-members $22 CONTACT: 561-732-4633
Friday, November 29, 2019
Florida 40th Annual South Florida Chanukah Festival Set For Success The 40th annual South Florida Chassidic Chanukah Festival, the world’s largest yearly Chanukah event, will be held on Wednesday, December 25th at Gulfstream Park and Casino in Hallandale Beach. This year’s festival will feature Jewish music superstar, Mordechai Shapiro. Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus, Chabad’s executive vice president, reminds everyone that admission to this incredible concert, as always, is free! Chanukah is an eight-day spiritual journey. Many individuals use the holiday as a time to give gifts and eat latkes. However, the lights of the Chanukah menorah stand for a lot more. They are a symbol of freedom from oppression, freedom from tyranny, and freedom of religion. It is a reminder to people of all backgrounds that a little bit of light removes much of the darkness. The celebration has been hailed as one of the biggest kiruv outreach programs in the world. Ever since it moved to Gulfstream in 2017, crowds of over 10,000 have participated in this joyous event. Rabbi Moshe Schwartz, Chabad’s administrator since 1988, was actually himself inspired by a large public menorah in the 1970s. He recalls how it brought him completely “back” to Torah and mitzvos. “The impact of our Annual Chanukah Festival is endless,” says Schwartz, “We once had a father of a three-monthold boy call us the day after our Chanukah Festival. He said that he wasn’t traditional and didn’t arrange a bris milah for his son. After attending our Chanukah Festival, this man was so inspired and proud to be a Jew, he had us arrange a bris for his baby.” In the past 40 years, hundreds of individuals and families have become shomer Shabbos, have sent their children to Jewish day schools, and made aliyah to Israel, thanks to their souls being ignited for the very first time at this incredible Jewish celebration. Approximately 200,000 people from all walks of life have been part of the South Florida Annual Chanukah Festival since 1980. The concerts are broadcast live around the world via chabad. org. The evening will also feature cantor Rabbi Yossy Lebovics, who will lead the lighting of Florida’s largest menorah. Scores of community dignitaries and leaders will be present and real Chanukah gelt and gift packages will be distributed to the thousands of children in attendance. Kosher food will be available for sale at a nominal fee. VIP seats, costing $180, will include dinner. Rabbi Tannenhaus says, “Our annual Chanukah festival, like the olive oil found in the holy Temple in the story of Chanukah, is pure – it is three hours of pure joy and pirsumei nissa, publicizing the miracle of Chanukah. Every year the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, gave us a blessing for our festival. Thanks to our generous sponsors, the 40th Annual Chanukah Festival on December 25 will be our biggest and most successful in our 40-year history.”
The star of the show: Mordechai Shapiro.
For more information, to buy VIP seats, and/or to help sponsor the Chanukah Festival, please log on to ChanukahFestival.com.
Maxie Beckman 305-975-5270
The Jewish Press
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The Jewish Press
Friday, November 29, 2019
Florida South Florida’s Jewish Radio Show Changing Stations Beginning Sunday, December 1, 2019, Florida’s Jewish radio show, Shalom South Florida, will begin airing every Sunday morning on 50,000-watt WWNN at 1470 AM from 9:30-10:30. After over three decades on South Florida’s airwaves, Shalom South Florida is changing stations after its current station announced that it was ceasing operation. Shalom South Florida’s dynamic music program features today’s Jewish music with a taste of the past, including Yiddish, Israeli, and Chassidic songs, as well as other items of interest for the large South Florida Jewish community. The show can also be heard live online at www.WWNNradio.com, and in North Broward through South Palm Beach on three FM stations: 95.3, 96.9, and 103.9. Roni, who has been hosting the show for 33 years, is the longest-running Jewish radio show host in Florida’s history. “It has been an incredible experience sharing Jewish culture with members of the tri-county Jewish community for the past 33 years, and we look forward to continuing Shalom South Florida in our new home,” says Roni, a resident of South Florida for more than 40 years. He takes great pride in the fact that his program features one of the largest Jewish music collections in the country. Shalom South Florida reaches an estimated 40,000 listeners. On the Sunday morning show, Roni gives away professional sports tickets, concert tickets, and gift certificates. Tune in and enjoy! For more information, contact Shalom South Florida at 561-750-0888 or roni@shalomsouthflorida.com; follow the program on Twitter at @shalomsouthf.
Eruv Information For South Florida With the tourist season starting and the temperatures dropping, there will be more people enjoying the beautiful Bal Harbour beach path. The Miami Beach Eruv council wants to remind the community about the parameters of the eruv: The Eruv in Bal Harbour includes the inner (western) walking path only. The Pier at Haulover Cut is not included. Individuals who rely on the eruv are encouraged to call the Eruv Hotline on Friday afternoons to make sure that the eruv is functional and that carrying is permitted on Shabbat. The number is 305-866ERUV (3788). The message is recorded approximately two hours before candle-lighting time. The Miami Beach Eruv web page is: www. miamibeacheruv.com.
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