2019-10-18 E-Edition

Prosecutor: German synagogue attacker confessed


The German man suspected of killing two people near a synagogue on Yom Kippur has confessed to the attack and said he was motivated by “extreme far-right and anti-Semitic” views, the German federal prosecutor’s officer said. Stephan Balliet, 27, made a “very comprehensive” confession during an hours-long interrogation, according to a spokesman for the German federal prosecutor’s office in Karlsruhe. […]

Gulf Coast JFCS to honor ‘dynamic duo’ as the FACES of community advocates

Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services will present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Brent and Debbie Sembler during the agency’s signature fundraising event, FACES. The couple will be honored for their personal and passionate commitment to Gulf Coast JFCS and the community at the annual event on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. at the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon […]

‘Jojo Rabbit’ doesn’t glorify Nazis – it’s a lesson in how hate is taught

REVIEW

“Jojo Rabbit” sounds like a film that is difficult to pull off amid the state of rising anti-Semitism in 2019. It’s a comedy set during the Holocaust about a 10-year-old German boy being brainwashed by Nazi ideology and his imaginary friend – a playful version of Hitler who likes to dance. But before you get outraged or assume it downplays […]

Just a nosh…

Father of Jewish Sandy Hook victim awarded $450,000 in defamation suit The father of a Jewish boy killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School won a $450,000 judgment against the editor of a book that claimed the 2012 massacre at the school never happened. A jury in Wisconsin determined the amount to be paid to Leonard Pozner, whose 6-year-old son […]

What we believe: A story of our institutional and community values


What’s our most important shared Jewish value? That question is a bit of a stumper, as there are a veritable compendium of values to pick from, each with merits on its own. Two in particular come to mind for me in reflecting on our Federation’s values: Kindness, or chesed, ranks right up there…so much so that we dedicated our Federation’s […]

Making music with what remains



As we leave the High Holiday season and experience the rest of the fall Jewish holidays, I wanted to share with you a story that was posted on www.kindspring.org: Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, […]

Shabbat Candle Lighting Times

Chabad of St. Petersburg

Kick that habit: Renown Rabbi Dr. Laibl Wolf of Melbourne, Australia will offer tips on how to kick your habits and change negative thoughts and emotions at a lecture on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Chabad Center. The talk will include Kabbalah and neuro-plasticity, changing your brain to change your mind and practical mediation to shift thoughts […]

Cong. B’nai Israel St. Petersburg

Israel documentary: View the groundbreaking documentary TV series “Pillar of Fire” by the Israel Broadcasting Authority on the events leading up to the creation of the State of Israel. The episodes will be shown on Wednesdays, Oct. 30 – Nov. 20 and on Tuesdays, Nov. 26 and Dec. 3, at 6:45 p.m. Discussion questions will be provided by Ann Haendel. […]