Editorials ..................................... 4A Op-Ed .......................................... 5A Calendar ...................................... 6A Scene Around ............................. 9A Synagogue Directory ................ 11A News Briefs ............................... 13A WWW.HERITAGEFL.COM YEAR 45, NO. 29 MARCH 19, 2021 6 NISAN, 5781 ORLANDO, FLORIDA SINGLE COPY 75¢ PAGE 2A HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, MARCH 19, 2021 JAO’s future home builders and fund raisers continue the tradition. I am so of decent housing but also school delivers a whole-child appreciative of all of the sup- the importance of support- education fostering academic port that Jewish Academy of ing those in need,” said Amy excellence and character Orlando has given our Habitat Polacek, director of academ- education rooted in Jewish affiliate through the years,” ics. “We are committed to values. Jewish Academy of stated George. giving all of our students even Orlando is accredited by the “We are grateful for our more opportunities, lessons, Florida Council of Indepen- partnership with Habitat for and resources to change the dent Schools. Humanity and the opportu- world.” To learn more about Jewish nity for learning it gives our Jewish Academy of Or- Academy of Orlando, please students. The program not lando serves central Florida visit: jewishacademyorlando. only brings to life the les- students of all faiths from org or follow the school on sons in the classroom such transitional kindergarten Facebook facebook.com/ as budgeting and the benefits through fifth grade. The JewishAcademyOrlando. Pavilion’s Purim party pleases Hal George gives instructions to the Jewish Academy of Orlando second graders. Jewish Academy of Orlando money to support Habitat for founder of the Winter Park second-graders raised funds Humanity. affiliate of Habitat for Human- in the grade’s annual Fun After completion of their ity, with a check to fund the Run to benefit a Habitat for studies, students visited a project. Humanity house. The stu- construction site for a Habitat “It is always wonderful dents later visited the house for Humanity house; they and uplifting to have the JAO and presented the check to asked many questions and second graders come out and the organization. learned more about the basics visit the Habitat sites. We are The annual program at of homebuilding and inspec- all so impressed and grate- Shown here (l-r): Dylan Caio, Dick Trainor, Sandi Trainor, Mary McEntegart, Westminster JAO begins with a cross- tion while conducting mock- ful for the donation that the resident Isa Vogel, and Cantor Nina Fine. curricular study of econom- inspections of the home. students gave to Habitat. It is ics. Students learn about They applied mathematics through gifts like this that we The Jewish Pavilion’s Trainor and their friend Mary Mordechai and Dylan took the three basic human concepts, such as fraction are able to continue to provide program director, Cantor McEntegart volunteered all the boos like a champ as needs: food, clothing, and measurement, and money affordable housing opportuni- Nina Fine, entertained the their time to help out and he played the evil Haman. shelter, while also learning concepts. ties for needy families. I really residents at The Westminster make the event and the Pu- Please consider a donation the differences between a To conclude the trip, look forward to seeing Jewish Orlando on Feb. 26 with rim play a success. Dick was to The Jewish Pavilion to help want and a need. They also JAO students presented Hal Academy students each year Shabbat music, a Purim play, a strong King Ahasuerus, support these much-needed conduct a Fun Run to raise George, president and co- and hope that we are able to songs, dancing and treats Sandi played the brave and programs for our isolated outside. Cantor Fine’s son beautiful Esther and Mary Jewish seniors. Dylan Caio, 13, accompanied was the banished Vashti. The Fore more information, her on keyboard. Pavilion Westminster’s Rev. Brenda visit www.Jewishpavilion. volunteers Sandi and Dick Loyal made a wonderful com. Genealogist Genie Milgrom to unravel the lineage of Palm Valley founder Author, genealogist and award-winning educator Ge- nie Milgrom will help the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society understand the possi- The Jewish Pavilion ensures ble Jewish roots of the founder of Palm Valley, Florida, Don Diego Espinosa during a Zoom that our elders are not forgotten gathering Wednesday, March 31 at 7 pm. This program, titled “Crypto-Jewish Geneal- ogy: An Overview” will also help Society members grasp the intricacies of tracing the Passover Jewish roots of residents of the Colonial St. Augustine area. Seder The Zoom link is available will resume upon request through the Seniors will “Contact” tab at www.sajhs. in 2021! enjoy wonderful com or through sajhs1565@ Purim gift bags with gmail.com All are welcome, Seniors will there is no charge. For further celebrations holiday goodies information contact SAJHS at enjoy wonderful 804-914-4460. Genie Milgrom with her most recently published books. will be outdoors gift bags with this year. holiday goodies JFS Orlando revamps new 2021 Restock + Restore Challenge Are you up to the chal- will generously match $0.50 lenge? This Passover, Jewish for every $1 you donate to JFS 407-678-9363 Family Services of Greater Orlando, with a total match Orlando challenges you up to $10,000. to help do more than just That means your $50 dona- www.JewishPavilion.org RESTOCK the Pearlman tion turns into $75. Emergency Food Pantry, People come to JFS Orlando but also RESTORE our seeking, not only emergency To donate, visit jfsor- Greater Orlando community. food assistance, but counsel- lando.org/rrchallenge or Through the updated Restock ing, senior medical transpor- mail to JFS Orlando (2100 407-678-9363 + Restore Challenge, running tation, and so much more. Lee Road, Winter Park, FL from March 8 through April Help RESTORE Greater Or- 32789). Thank you for your 8, The Weiner Family and The lando in more ways than one support during this critical www.JewishPavilion.org Winter Park Wealth Group by donating today. time. HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, MARCH 19, 2021 PAGE 3A Results of Orthodox Jews COVID-19 study last year are in By Shira Hanau which is not something we’ve “The point of this whole numbers are still quite high also discovered antibodies size needed for a prevalence seen with the pandemic, espe- effort was to make a ‘kiddush and, unless you are vaccinated in people who had not had study proved too large, so the (JTA) — One year after CO- cially early on.” Hashem,’ to show we care or recently convalesced, to any symptoms, pointing to trio retooled their approach. VID-19 first walloped Jewish Dr. Avi Rosenberg, a renal about our neighbors,” Zyskind continue to temper celebra- asymptomatic cases. They decided that each trial communities in the United pathologist at Johns Hopkins said, using the term for sanc- tions across family units.” The study first came to- participant would fill out a States, a scientific study has University and another author tification of God’s name. “And The paper also suggests gether in the early days of the detailed questionnaire about confirmed something that of the paper, said for Purim in we came out by the thousands that the infection rates in pandemic when Rosenberg the onset of their symptoms many in the communities particular, “the guidance all to do that.” Orthodox communities in the reconnected with Zyskind, (the questionnaire provided have long believed: gatherings came a week too late.” The most important find- early stages of the pandemic his former Brooklyn College the English calendar dates for during the week of Purim “The mask mandate followed ing in their paper, according to were higher than in surround- classmate. The two were Purim and Passover as refer- served as super-spreader Purim, the national lockdown the authors, is in understand- ing communities, something answering similar questions ence points), the severity of events. followed Purim, the announce- ing how the timing of Purim the authors attribute to the from members of their com- symptoms and how long they A paper published Wednes- ment of COVID as a pandemic and lack of public health highly social nature of the Or- munity about COVID and lasted. Then they would take day in the Journal of the followed Purim,” he said. guidance at that time allowed thodox community. But while about policies for synagogues two vials of blood from each American Medical Association The paper is the first pub- the disease to spread widely in many in certain Orthodox and schools. They soon started participant, with one from Network Open, a peer-review lication to come out of a Orthodox communities. The communities came to believe thinking about the possibility each participant to be used journal that is open to the research project started by study found that the onset of that their communities had of doing research related to for antibody testing and for public, concludes that the three Orthodox Jewish doc- symptoms in all five states reached herd immunity by COVID within the Orthodox the paper. coronavirus was spreading tors who decided early in the they studied came within one late spring and early sum- community and got in touch The other vials, as well as widely in Orthodox commu- pandemic to turn a tragic week of each other, suggesting mer, with many returning to with Dr. Jonathan Silverberg, approximately 2,000 saliva nities across the country last turn of events — the exten- that the interconnectedness normal life while experiencing a dermatologist and epidemi- samples taken from the same spring around that Jewish sive spread of the coronavirus of Orthodox communities few new infections, the data ologist at George Washington participants, would be sent off holiday — before public health in Orthodox communities across states should be con- in the study shows that to be University, also a college to 10 research labs for a range warnings were given about the around Purim — into an sidered when responding to unlikely.