Congratulations to Nancy Ludin, an Orlando Magazine Woman of The
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Editorials ..................................... 4A Op-Ed .......................................... 5A Calendar ...................................... 6A Scene Around ............................. 9A Synagogue Directory ................ 11A JTA News Briefs ........................ 13A WWW.HERITAGEFL.COM YEAR 42, NO. 41 JUNE 15, 2018 2 TAMUZ, 5778 ORLANDO, FLORIDA SINGLE COPY 75¢ TOP appoints new executive director TOP Jewish Foundation has announced that Ellen Weiss was selected to fulfill the role of executive director effective May 2. The leadership transition is relatively seamless as Weiss has been on the TOP staff since the beginning of 2016 and, most recently, served as the Foundation’s associate executive director working alongside Emilie Socash, TOP’s former executive di- rector. “Ellen is assuming the role of executive director at a Israeli flag made of cookies in Atlanta breaks Guinness World critical point in our growth. We are confident in her ability TOP Foundation Execu- to tap on her experience and tive Director Ellen Weiss Record talent to propel us to the next (JTA)—The Atlanta Jewish community broke a Guinness World Record after creating an Israeli flag out of edible stage in our organization’s Weiss has had significant cookies. evolution,” remarked Jeffrey success at TOP in forging The flag assembled by volunteers on Sunday used about 117,000 cookies and stretched to 3,224 feet across the Herman, TOP’s president of new relationships, nota- plastic-covered floor of the Heritage Hall in Congregation Beth Jacob. It was created to celebrate Israel’s 70th birthday. the Board. bly expanding TOP’s terri- The previous record-holder was a flag to mark Pakistan’s 70th. The new record-holder is 32 percent larger, the “I’m thrilled to step into the tory to include the Naples Atlanta Jewish Times reported. executive director position at Jewish community. Weiss The flag was certified shortly before noon Sunday by a Guinness adjudicator, Michael Empric. such an exciting time and am brings 20 years of leader- Sponsors of the cookies at $10 each have raised more than $103,000 for the Cookies for Israel project, with the honored to work closely with ship experience in nonprofit donations going to three nonprofit organizations in Israel: United Hatzalah, the volunteer emergency medical ser- donors and organizations that management and corporate vice; OneFamily Fund, which supports victims of terrorism; and the Jewish Agency’s Partnership2Gether program. care so deeply about the future marketing. Before joining The cookies were donated to charities for distribution to be eaten. of our Jewish community,” TOP, she spearheaded the noted Weiss. Her primary countrywide expansion of the focus will be stewarding ex- Children’s Heart Foundation, isting donors, continuing to creating the only national build the legacy program and nonprofit that exclusively Congratulations to Nancy Ludin, an expanding the organization funds congenital heart defect geographically to provide the research. She is an execu- services of a Jewish Founda- tive committee member, as Orlando Magazine Woman of the Year tion in communities where one doesn’t exist. TOP on page 15A By Christine DeSouza In the June 2018 issue of Orlando Magazine, 23 women JNF to sue Hamas are named as the magazine’s 2018 Women of the Year. The magazine asked for over kite terror nominees of women who are making a positive impact on the community, and readers responded with a plethora of recommendations. Former Jewish Pavilion Marketing Director Julie Dorsey Capps and Pavilion CFO Penny D’Agostino immediately sent in their nomination of Nancy Ludin, executive director of The Jewish Pavilion. Both women told Ludin about the nomination, so she knew about the award when AP/Khalil Hamra Palestinian terrorists launch a fire kite. By TPS with incendiary kites sent from Roberto Gonzalez World Israel News Gaza into Israeli territory. Shown here are five of the 23 Women of the Year (back row, l-r): Elizabeth Forrest, Nancy JNF World Chairman, Dan- Ludin, Karla Radka; (seated, l-r): Cindy LaRoe, Marnie Forestieri. Palestinians from the Gaza iel Atar, recently visited the Strip once again launched area, commenting, “It is she was invited to the photo holidays and traditions,” one Help Desk. One of the silent burning kites at civilian inconceivable that the inter- shoot by Kristin Merrick, as- nomination read. benefits of the Jewish Pavil- communities on the Israeli national community would sociate publisher of Orlando “I am very excited about ion is that we are educating side of the border Tuesday, allow Hamas not to be held Magazine. being selected by the Or- the entire community about setting hundreds of dunams accountable and pay for its “Whether it is recruiting lando Magazine as one of their Jewish culture and traditions. of farmland alight adjacent to criminal acts; not only against volunteers or sponsors, net- Women of the Year,” Ludin The staff in senior communi- Kibbutz Nir Am, Sapir College the citizens of the state of working at community events told the Heritage. “I am very ties now comprehend our and Netiv Ha’Asara. Israel, but also against nature to find additional service pro- passionate about the wonder- holidays like Chanukah and In response, the Jewish and the environment which viders, or personally making ful work we do at the Jewish Passover and even use our National Fund (JNF) an- have been severely hurt by in-room visits to residents, Pavilion and the Orlando Se- Jewish Pavilion cookbook to nounced Tuesday that it will this criminal environmental Ludin has made it her life’s nior Help Desk to enhance the prepare for Shabbat and other sue Hamas in international mission to ensure that the lives of seniors, of all faiths, festivities. We also share our legal court for the massive JNF on page 15A residents of Central Florida in elder care communities. culture through participation environmental damages senior living communities I am proud of the assistance in numerous networking inflicted on JNF land sur- routinely have the opportu- we provide older adults and groups. In the last two years, rounding the Gaza border. nity to connect back to their their family members with the Jewish Pavilion has hosted The area has been hit hard Jewish community with the issues pertaining to aging in the last two months with observance of important through the Orlando Senior Ludin on page 15A rockets, mortar shells and PAGE 2A HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, JUNE 15, 2018 Jewish Pavilion gears up to celebrate its 18th anniversary all over the community— Seeing the growth and north, east, south and west. continued thriving of the We started sending volunteers organization they started 18 to spend time with them, do- years ago is very rewarding ing services, having musical for both Meitin and Chepe- programs, whatever we could nik. “I am totally awed,” said do to make them feel that they Chepenik. “I am humbled, I weren’t forgotten.” am grateful. As a Jewish com- And it is this model of reach- munity in Orlando, we do care ing Jewish seniors where they about our elders.” live that has been a key factor Meitin compares it to in the Pavilion’s success. In- watching a child grow and stead of reaching 20 or even come of age. “It’s incredible to 40 or 50 seniors in a single think that we created some- place, the Jewish Pavilion thing that so many people care is able to reach ALL of the about and put years of service local Jewish seniors—now into. We’ve touched so many numbering several hundred lives of families as well as the Jewish Pavilion Gala Committee members (l-r), Melissa Masin, Marlene Adler, Mary Carter Eick of Griswold Home residents in more than 70 elderly.” Care, Elise Schilowitz, gala co-chair Susan Livingstone, gala co-chair Shirley Schoenberger, Sammy Goldstein, Brenda facilities throughout Central At the Jewish Pavilion, vol- Fisher Wetmore, Corinne Brail, Pavilion CEO Nancy Ludin, and Friends Board chair Faye Novick. Florida. unteers are central to the mis- Equally important, Meitin sion and the seniors it serves By Lisa Levine It all started 18 years and Meitin and Chepenik come to live in The Jewish said, are the many people are a source of strength and ago when Sheryl and Julian were able to secure a wing Pavilion, The Jewish Pavilion who have found an outlet purpose. That’s why, over the The Jewish Pavilion Gala Meitin, with aging family in Westminster Presbyterian would come to them wherever for volunteering in the Jew- next few months, the Pavilion committee is in full swing, members in town, became Home in Orlando, housing they lived. ish community, including a will be telling the stories of planning a festive and memo- concerned that Orlando’s 20 Jewish seniors. There they “We started with three fa- number who may not have some of the volunteers who rable celebration to mark the Jewish seniors were not hav- worked with the staff to ensure cilities where we knew there been very involved before. have served since its early organization’s 18th—Chai— ing their needs fully met by kosher-style meals and, with were Jewish residents and they “These were people who care days, as well as the stories anniversary. the local facilities. Sheryl’s a committed group of volun- would appreciate us coming about the elderly,” she said, of some of the seniors whose Since chai means “life” in friend Claire Chepenik was teers, saw to it that there was to them,” recalled Chepenik. “and The Jewish Pavilion was lives it has enriched for many Hebrew, the slogan for the active in the Kinneret Coun- appropriate programming Soon, at their temporary the vehicle that helped them years. Oct. 28 gala is “To Life!” It will cil on Aging, and they decided and care.