Take a spin of customs from around the world



Hanukkah is observed with joy and celebration in Jewish communities around the world. There are eight nights of lights and blessings the world over, but there are also many ways that different communities make the holiday uniquely their own. Here are eight customs and ideas to help you make your celebration just a little more global. In Alsace, a region […]

Coalition crumbles; Israel sets early election for March



Related story, see Page 10 A TEL AVIV – This government was supposed to be different. During the last election campaign in 2012, barely anyone talked about the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Long-simmering social tensions over the rising cost of living and the economic burdens of the underemployed haredi Orthodox community were going to finally get their due. The Knesset’s arrivistes […]

Local man finds calling as personal coach to hoops pros



Among the friends and relatives at the b’nai mitzvah of twins Max and Rachel Thorpe this year at Temple Avavat Shalom in Palm Harbor, two guests stood out – literally. They were 10-year NBA veteran Kevin Martin, a 6-foot 7-inch shooting guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Israeli Gal Mekel, a 6-foot 3-inch point guard who at the time was […]

‘Stars of David’ to play at Capitol Theater Jan. 11



Tony Award winning producer Daryl Roth will bring the musical revue Stars of David: Story to Song, to the Capitol Theater in Clearwater on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 1 and 5 p.m. as part of a six-city Florida tour. Stars of David is based on the best-selling book by Abigail Pogrebin. The funny and captivating revue features original songs by […]

How to eat sufganiyot without (too much) guilt



The average Hanukkah sufganiya (jelly doughnut) has between 300 and 400 calories of nearly pure oil and fat. In honor of the miracle God bestowed on the Maccabees, making oil meant for just a day last eight days, the delicious doughnut and other traditionally oily Hanukkah foods become annual killers for your diet. For those who are health conscious but […]

Stageworks’ ‘Handle With Care’ production runs through Dec. 21



Stageworks Theater production of Handle With Care is currently playing at the group’s theater in the Channel District of Tampa and will run through Dec. 21, with a special audience discussion session following the Dec. 14 performance. The play is a romantic comedy of misunderstandings, miscommunication and mixed-faith families. It was written by Jason Odell Williams for his Israeli wife. […]

China to send two giant pandas to zoo in Israel



JERUSALEM (JTA) – The Chinese government has agreed to send two giant pandas to a zoo in Israel. The gift will be conferred on the Haifa Zoo if Chinese panda experts agree that the conditions there will be appropriate for the animals, according to Haaretz, including providing the appropriate food – a certain kind of bamboo. The zoo must also […]

Rabbis arrested in New York protest of police brutality



(JTA) — Several prominent rabbis and the president of a national teachers union were arrested Thursday night, Dec. 4, while protesting police brutality. Rabbis Sharon Kleinbaum, Jill Jacobs and Shai Held, along with Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, were taken into custody for blocking traffic to protest a grand jury’s decision not to indict the […]

It’s Birthright Israel – for Jewish moms



JERUSALEM – On the surface, the tour looked much like a standard Birthright Israel trip: Participants celebrated Shabbat in Jerusalem’s Old City, swam in the Dead Sea and ascended the ancient mountain fortress at Masada. The trip was mostly free and organizers were prepared with follow-up programming after the participants returned home. But the nearly 200 women who arrived in […]

Hillel offers college guide



Navigating the college search process can be daunting for high school juniors and seniors, but Hillel’s free online college guide can make it easier, providing information on top college picks for Jewish students and information about Jewish life on campus. The guide, around since 1955, is now available online at www.hillel.org/college-guide. It will answer questions such as: • Does the […]