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Yes, Bobby Drashin says, he wanted to help those nine children learn how to properly plant pansies last Sunday.
"It was more than just 'here's the stuff, dig a hole,' " Drashin said about the gardening lesson he gave the kids at the Chabad house in Ponte Vedra Beach.
But it was much more than just planting.
"There's something mystical going on," said Drashin, 62, who's become passionate about growing trees and plants since retiring from a career in advertising and journalism. "I tried to communicate that awe and mystery to the kids."
"It was more than just 'here's the stuff, dig a hole,' " Drashin said about the gardening lesson he gave the kids at the Chabad house in Ponte Vedra Beach.
But it was much more than just planting.
"There's something mystical going on," said Drashin, 62, who's become passionate about growing trees and plants since retiring from a career in advertising and journalism. "I tried to communicate that awe and mystery to the kids."
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The lighting of the menorah is a Jewish tradition that marks the beginning of Hanukkah.
On Sunday, the Jewish community in Jacksonville gathered at the landing for the annual lighting.
The eight day celebration of Hanukkah marks the military victory over the Syrians 2,000 years ago.
On Sunday, the Jewish community in Jacksonville gathered at the landing for the annual lighting.
The eight day celebration of Hanukkah marks the military victory over the Syrians 2,000 years ago.
They were bone thin, sick and weak, packed standing up so tightly into train cars that they couldn't move.
When American soldiers opened the doors, those who could stumbled out.
The 2,500 men, women and children had been on the train for six days, and before that they were imprisoned at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany.
When American soldiers opened the doors, those who could stumbled out.
The 2,500 men, women and children had been on the train for six days, and before that they were imprisoned at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany.
Catching kids up on kosher food will be the focus of the "I'm loving it - and it's kosher!?" event at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Chabad at the Beaches.
"We are going to prove that just about everything out there can have a delicious kosher counterpart," said Rabbi Eli Wilansky, the program director. "People don't realize that much of what they eat is already kosher."
Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky, spiritual leader of the Chabad center, said participants will conduct a "Kosher Big Mac" experiment. "It's no small feat when you consider that one of the requirements of keeping kosher is that you don't mix dairy and meat, so a burger with cheese won't fly."
The program, open to Jewish
"We are going to prove that just about everything out there can have a delicious kosher counterpart," said Rabbi Eli Wilansky, the program director. "People don't realize that much of what they eat is already kosher."
Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky, spiritual leader of the Chabad center, said participants will conduct a "Kosher Big Mac" experiment. "It's no small feat when you consider that one of the requirements of keeping kosher is that you don't mix dairy and meat, so a burger with cheese won't fly."
The program, open to Jewish
Leah Kurinsky was explaining some basics to the children gathered there for Sunday school.
"The Jewish calendar has many holidays," she said, "and do you know what the next one is? It's Pesach."
And quickly a hand went up, followed by that most-important of childhood questions: "Are there presents with Pesach?"
No, there's not. But there is matzah
"The Jewish calendar has many holidays," she said, "and do you know what the next one is? It's Pesach."
And quickly a hand went up, followed by that most-important of childhood questions: "Are there presents with Pesach?"
No, there's not. But there is matzah
Around 150 persons showed up and participated in a rally for Israel. Chabad at the Beaches, a Jewish center in Ponte Vedra Beach, organized a rally in support for Israel and peace. The rally expressed solidarity with Israel during the military conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. At the Jacksonville Beach City Hall, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, on Sunday, January 18, 2009.
About 200 people gathered in front of Jacksonville Beach City Hall. A stiff wind whipped dozens of Israeli flags. Signs proclaimed "Israel is Forever" and "Defending Israel Against Terrorism is a Human Right."
Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky of Chabad at the Beaches said Israel had to counter the rocket attacks by Hamas, the political organization that controls Gaza.
Israelis "want the Palestinians to live in peace, but there comes a point when you have to defend yourself," he said.
Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky of Chabad at the Beaches said Israel had to counter the rocket attacks by Hamas, the political organization that controls Gaza.
Israelis "want the Palestinians to live in peace, but there comes a point when you have to defend yourself," he said.
A memorial and lighting of the menorah resonate in Jacksonville.
Perhaps it was fitting that the start of Hanukkah landed on a day threatened by rain and cold. An afternoon such as this needed the eight-day festival celebrating the triumph of light over darkness.
The Jewish holiday began at sundown on Sunday, celebrated in part by a gathering of the faithful at the Jacksonville Landing.
The Jewish holiday began at sundown on Sunday, celebrated in part by a gathering of the faithful at the Jacksonville Landing.
Theme of light over darkness goes beyond Judaism, observers say
A good story and a healing story, said Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky, spiritual leader of Chabad at the Beaches, a Jewish center in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Kurinsky's and three other Northeast Florida Chabad centers will host a memorial service today for the victims of the November terror attacks in Mumbai, India. One of the attackers' targets was a Chabad house in that city.
Kurinsky's and three other Northeast Florida Chabad centers will host a memorial service today for the victims of the November terror attacks in Mumbai, India. One of the attackers' targets was a Chabad house in that city.
When Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky first heard news about last week's terrorist attacks in India, he listened closely because he personally knew a rabbi and his wife who ran Chabad House, a Jewish outreach center in the heart of Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay.
Kurinsky's fears were confirmed when e-mails started flooding into the Chabad at the Beaches center that Kurinksy runs in Ponte Vedra Beach
Kurinsky's fears were confirmed when e-mails started flooding into the Chabad at the Beaches center that Kurinksy runs in Ponte Vedra Beach
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