Editorials ..................................... 4A Op-Ed .......................................... 5A Calendar ...................................... 6A Scene Around ............................. 9A Synagogue Directory ................ 11A News Briefs ............................... 13A WWW.HERITAGEFL.COM YEAR 45, NO. 16 DECEMBER 18, 2020 3 TEVET, 5781 ORLANDO, FLORIDA SINGLE COPY 75¢ COS selects new executive director After a comprehensive search, the Congregation Ohev Shalom Board selected Rachel Rosenberg O’Brien to be execu- tive director of the synagogue. She will assume her duties on Jan. 4, 2021. Steve Brownstein has been the acting executive director since 2013. O’Brien, who has 20 years expericence in management, comes to COS from Austin, Texas, where she is involved with Hadassah and her syna- gogue. “We were immediately im- pressed by her ability to run a business with multiple stake- holders, identify and solve staff Rachel Rosenberg O’Brien and patient concerns, navigate Photo design by Emily Burack/Getty Images Shown here (l-r): Jack Antonoff, Doja Cat and the Haim Sisters. the unique challenges and The search committee opportunities that come up included Steven Hornik, Burt in Jewish organizations, and Chasnov, Rick Cohen, Rachel foster teamwork in all areas. In Gebaide, Debby Gendzier, 2021 Grammy Awards: addition to her skill set, Rachel Steven Hornik, Marcy Kast, is a warm, approachable and Terri Mayle, Nina Oppenheim, engaging individual,” said Ra- Eric Schwartz, Bill Sholk, and all the Jewish nominees chel D. Gebaide, COS president. Alaina Andino Wilder. By Emily Burak Steps.” The album, which is their third, and is nominated for best new artist. Her was released in June to rave reviews. hit song “Say So” also received nomina- (JTA) — This year’s Grammy Awards Jack Antonoff — the Jewish musician tions for record of the year and best Netanyahu wants will almost certainly be different from who has become a go-to producer for solo pop performance. She was born to past years, thanks to the coronavirus some of the industry’s biggest pop stars a Jewish mother and non-Jewish South pandemic. But despite the lack of details and often wears a Star of David in public African father in California. first vaccine surrounding the ceremony, it’s still tak- — is up for producer of the year, for his Daniel Maman, better known by his ing place, and as usual, several Jewish recent work with Taylor Swift, The Chicks professional moniker The Alchemist, artists made the nominations list, which (formerly the Dixie Chicks), FKA Twigs shares a nomination for best rap album was announced Tuesday. and Sia. He received another nod for his with Freddie Gibbs for their record “Al- Ranging all the way from the sister work on Taylor Swift’s album “folkore.” fredo.” The prominent hip-hop producer, rock band Haim to comedian Tiffany Also nominated for producer of the who has worked with dozens of rappers, Haddish, these are the Jewish artists who year is Jewish musician Dan Auerbach, from Eminem to 50 Cent, has a father made the biggest impact on the recording the frontman for the rock band The Black with Israeli heritage. industry this year. Keys, for his work on music by CeeLo And singer J.P. Saxe shares a nomi- The big awards Green, Early James, Marcus King and nation for song of the year along with Leading the way are the Jewish Haim others. His father is of Polish Jewish Julia Michaels for their hit ballad “If the sisters — Alana, Danielle, and Este — who heritage. World Was Ending.” Saxe’s grandfather are nominated for album of the year for Breakout Jewish rapper Doja Cat (real was Janos Starker, a renowned Grammy- “Women in Music Pt. III,” and for best name Amalaratna Zandile Dlamini) had a rock performance for their song “The standout 2020 after going viral on TikTok Grammy on page 14A By Philissa Cramer for anyone who wants to be vaccinated, countries are de- Funds still needed for Reform/ (JTA) — As Israel received vising prioritization schemes. its first shipment of COVID-19 At 71, Netanyahu falls into vaccines Wednesday, Prime a high-risk group and would Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likely be eligible for early vac- Progressive synagogue in Israel announced on Twitter that he cination under any approach. aimed to be the first person Israel’s vaccines are by By Christine DeSouza in the country to receive the Pfizer, one of several compa- inoculation. nies whose clinical trials have Former Orlando Jewish “We brought the vaccines to yielded safe, effective vaccines community resident and Israel! I intend to be the first against the virus that has in Israel to get vaccinated, to crippled the globe and killed set an example for all Israeli nearly 3,000 Israelis so far. citizens,” Netanyahu tweeted. (Pfizer’s CEO and medical Recent surveys of Israelis director are both Jewish.) A found that a majority are fear- small number of doses ar- ful of the vaccines and would rived Wednesday and about not want to be included in the 100,000 more — enough for first set of inoculations. 50,000 people — are expected Netanyahu is not the only to land at Ben Gurion airport world leader to offer to be a on Thursday, according to the vaccine role model. In the Times of Israel. United States, three former At one point this fall, Israel presidents — George W. had the highest per-capita Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack infection rate in the world. Obama — have said they After a stringent lockdown Kehilat Yonatan’s building shell as of November 2020. would receive their vaccines curbed a devastating second on camera to assure Ameri- wave this fall, cases are again daughter of Arnold Stein, Lori Boyden’s son, Israel Defense years — four to be exact — to cans that the shots are safe. on the rise, and the country’s Erlich, has sent Heritage an Forces paratrooper Yonatan win a court case that involved The first vaccinations out- COVID-19 task force warned update about the progress of Boyden, who was killed in delays on the project by the side of Russia and China that last week that a third wave is Kehilat Yonatan, the Reform/ action in Lebanon in 1993. municipality of Hod Hasha- are not part of clinical trials beginning. Progressive synagogue and In 2014, Erlich and her ron. The Lod District Court took place Tuesday in Eng- cultural/education center in husband, Moshe, visited the ordered the city to halt delays land, where hospital workers Hod Hasharon, Israel. Heritage office to share their on the project and allow the and the elderly are first in line Kehilat Yonatan was found- vision of having a building synagogue to build on the to receive the shots. Because ed in 2001 and is named in for their Reform/Progressive it will take some time for the memory of Rabbi Michael congregation. It took a few Synagogue on page 15A enough doses to be available PAGE 2A HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, DECEMBER 18, 2020 Israel prepares vehicles for flu shots and mobile COVID-19 vaccines By Abigail Klein and 4 million from Pfizer — General for Operations Gil Leichman enough to inoculate 5 million Moshkowitz thanked Yossi Israelis — expected in early Hillel from Caravila, as well (ISRAEL21c via JNS) — In 2021, pending U.S. regulatory as Einat Segal, director of preparation for the flu season approval. the automotive department and the arrival of COVID-19 Israel also may purchase at the Ministry of Transpor- vaccines needing special COVID-19 vaccines from tation, and her engineering refrigeration, three mobile Arcturus Therapeutics and/ team, for expediting the vaccination caravans were or AstraZeneca if clinical project. commissioned by Magen trials are successful. The MDA International Spokes- David Adom, Israel’s national governmental Israel Institute man Zaki Heller tells IS- organization responsible for for Biological Research is RAEL21c he knows of no emergency pre-hospital medi- developing a vaccine called other country that has such cal care and blood services. BriLife, now in trials at two vehicles. Stationed at the National hospitals. During the first wave of Operations Center in Kiryat Manufactured by the Is- the pandemic, MDA also Ono, near Tel Aviv, the six- raeli company Caravila, the commissioned an ambulance meter (19.6-foot) caravans two-ton vehicles include a bus with space for up to 13 can offer flu vaccinations and separate entrance and exit, a patients—another first of coronavirus testing around registration station, two sam- its kind. It was built by the the country until the CO- pling/vaccination stations Israel Defense Forces’ Land A Magen David Adom vaccine caravan. VID-19 vaccines are approved and medical equipment. They Technology Brigade in co- and shipped to Israel. have solar panels to maintain operation with the Dan Bus Since the beginning of the energy off the grid. Company, funded by MDA, coronavirus outbreak, MDA Freezers that can hold Osem and Nestle. In addi- Genie Milgrom — in search of teams have sampled about thousands of doses are in tion, more than 100 MDA 2,800,000 people. each vehicle, one operating ambulances were retrofitted The Israeli government at -20°C (-4°F) to preserve to isolate the driver from has set up a national vaccine the Moderna vaccines, and exposure to coronavirus her Crypto-Jewish ancestors storage-and-distribution cen- the other at -70°C (-94°F) for patients during transport. to find 15 grandmothers in lectures around the world ter in the Negev, anticipating the Pfizer vaccines. This article was first pub- an unbroken maternal lin- bringing awareness to the 6 million doses from Moderna MDA Deputy Director- lished by ISRAEL21c. eage going back to the early topic of the Jews returning 1500 and that her family had from the Inquisition.