When St. Petersburg native Mark Mendelblatt, 39, races in a Star class sailboat in the 2012 Olympic Games this month, he will be among at least eight Jewish athletes in England to represent the United States. For Mendelblatt, it will be his second time as an Olympic competitor. He finished eighth in the one-man Laser class in the 2004 Olympics […]
2012-07-20
Israeli, American Jewish athletes enroute to Olympics
America’s Jewish Olympians head to London with prideIsrael’s hopefuls thinking medals, remembering Munich 11
n Related stories, Page 3, 8TEL AVIV – Israelis and their Summer Olympics athletes are eyeing the upcoming London Games with excitement and disappointment. The athletes are hoping that for the sixth straight summer Games, at least one of them will come home with a medal. Yet they are disappointed that the International Olympics Committee has again spurned the campaign to have a moment of […]
If hurricane hits state — please don’t blame the messenger
Just in time for the brunt of hurricane season, former Gov. Charlie Crist is again seeking divine aid in keeping the storms from Florida shores – with the help of a Jewish couple from Trinity. On his first trade mission to Israel, shortly after taking office as governor in 2007, Crist was in Jerusalem with other delegates from Florida, including […]
Tampa family moves to Israel on flight of olim
Although they had a comfortable life in Tampa, James Frydman, a general surgeon at St. Joseph’s Hospital, said it was not a difficult decision to move his family of five to Israel — something they did this month with the help of Nefesh B’Nefesh. The Jerusalem based non-profit encourages and facilitates resettlement of olim from the U.S., Canada and the […]
Performing arts will take center stage on mission
For those who enjoy performing arts and love Israel, a November tour of the middle eastern nation aims to delight the senses with opera; jazz, piano and chamber music; dance and theater company performances, a visit to an arts incubator, and dedication by Tampa’s Jewish Agency for Israel of a puppet therapy program for children traumatized by conflict in the […]
New ‘Better Than Bubbe’ website aims to help Jewish ‘20-somethings’ navigate life
Learn tips about how to live inexpensively in Israel for a year. Get insights into how to share living space with someone who keeps kosher when you don’t. Get advice on negotiating the Jewish holidays off at your first job. Now there is a new website that hopes to answer such questions: “Better Than Bubbe.” Aimed at 20-somethings, the site […]
German lawmakers pass pro-circumcision resolution
BERLIN (JTA) —Germany’s parliament called on the government to step in to protect the right to religious-based circumcision of boys, as long as it is done by a medically qualified practitioner who avoids inflicting pain. An overwhelming majority of German lawmakers passed a nonbinding resolution July 19 urging the administration of Chancellor Angela Merkel to submit a law this fall […]
Chabad of Wiregrass dedicates Torah
Chabad at Wiregrass celebrated the dedication and completion of their new community Torah on June 10 with more than 150 people in attendance. Ordained scribe Rabbi Yochanan Klein traveled from Miami to finish the final letters. Community members were honored with assisting the scribe in writing a letter in the Torah. The final letters were written together with Hilel and […]
Scout leading school supply drive
In pursuit of becoming an Eagle Scout, a Tampa teen is leading a school supply drive to benefit families who receive assistance from Tampa Jewish Family Services. Senior Patrol Leader and Troop Quartermaster of the Tampa based Boy Scout Troop 339, Jesse Davidson, initiated the project to assist the children of low-income families. His goal is to fill 100 backpacks […]
Smaller congregations experimenting to stay vibrant, gaining attention from movements
CHICAGO – Sinai Synagogue in South Bend, IN, has been struggling with issues facing many small congregations in an era of dwindling budgets and shifting demographics. In particular, with only 150 families, until recently it was increasingly difficult to find enough people for Shabbat services and Sunday school classes. So Rabbi Michael Friedland found a solution that’s helping to reenergize […]