Boca has its own version of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. For the first time in over thirty years, there will be no holiday boat parade in Boca Raton.

Apparently, the boat parade is a victim of economic difficulties and is a casualty of our City's belt tightening.

Previously, the parade was sponsored by the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce. In 2003, the Chamber of Commerce pulled out and the City of Boca Raton along with the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County and Sea Tow, groups that run the boat parade in North Palm Beach, saved the parade.

This year because of state mandated budget cuts, the City was not able to contribute the almost $20,000 that it had given to support the event. Marine Industries, a not-for-profit organization created to promote and protect the sound growth of the marine industry in Palm Beach County, stated that it could not continue this year without the City's support.

Many people on the parade route plan their holiday parties to coincide with the event. Hotels and restaurants on or near the route also have benefited from the increased traffic of the parade. Estimates of the number of watchers have been as high as 10,000 people.

As a city that is fairly new and lacking in historical tradition, the loss of one of our few annual events is a sad occasion. If you feel the same way, let me or one of your City Councilmen hear your opinion. Although it might be too late for this year, maybe we can have an impact on next year.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Now that Thanksgiving week is here and the winter holidays are quickly approaching, make participating in a charitable activity one of your goals before year end. The needs in Boca and South Palm Beach County are great. If everyone does one activity, the cumulative effect will be tremendous.

On Thanksgiving day, my family will be delivering meals to elderly, homebound individuals through a program organized by the Kosher Food Pantry. Meals on Wheels, which is run through the Area Agency on Aging, also provides meals to homebound people and can be reached at 561 684-5885. Soup kitchens always need additional helpers around holidays and you can call them directly to check their schedule.

Volunteer opportunities abound and can be found through reading the paper, calling agencies directly or searching the web. Having teenage children, one of my favorite references is the website called Volunteens http://www,volunteens.com which lists opportunites for kids to volunteer in Broward and Palm Beach County. Please send me information about your favorite charitable organization and I will include it in future blogs.

Tal Ben-Shahar, a former Harvard professor and author of the book Happier, believes that people who express gratitude are happier individuals. He notes that we too often take our lives for granted. One of my goals is to use this holiday season as a chance to appreciate the wonderful things in life. I know that giving to others will in the end truly benefit me.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Stop Iran is an organization newly created by the Jewish Community Relations Council for the purpose of opposing Iran's efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. The group hopes to partner with other community and religious groups and held its first event in Boca Raton at Zinman Hall in the Jewish Federation Campus on Thursday, November 15.

The special briefing entitled "National Security and the Threat of a Nuclear Iran" featured R. James Woolsey and Ofer Bavly. Mr. Woolsey, a former CIA director and Co-chair of the Committee of Present Danger, spoke about the historical, political and religious situation in Iran. He stated that the Iranian government is working hard on developing nuclear weapons and that the United States should do everything in its power to prevent a nuclear Iran. He said that he does not favor using force, but that if the alternative would be to allow Iran such weapons, then U.S. air power should be used. Mr. Woolsey explained that because of the ideological differences a nuclear Iran is not comparable to a nuclear Soviet Union. He concluded that Iran must be stopped before it reaches the point where it has the technology to produce a nuclear weapon.

Mr. Ofer Bavley, the new Consul General of Israel for Florida, agreed with Mr. Woolsey's comments and recommended economic sanctions as a viable alternative for stopping Iran's nuclear program. He noted that the State of Florida has divested from companies that do business with Iran. He explained that if there was worldwide support of economic sanctions, Iran would have the dilemma of deciding between a nuclear program or feeding its people.

As made clear by the speakers, the threat of a nuclear Iran is a frightening proposition. This group is certainly in the forefront of addressing this issue and will hopefully continue to put the spotlight on this very important issue.

For additional information about this group, email jcrc@jewishboca.org.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Irving R. Levine's guest introductions are worth the price of admission alone to the Lynn University Dively Frontiers in Globalization Luncheon Lecture Series. Having Carl Hiaasen as the principal speaker on November 13th, turned the event into a double hitter.

Mr. Levine, Dean Emeritus of International Studies at Lynn University, always introduces the guest lecturer with a well thought out and humor filled speech, this time being no exception. In keeping with Carl Hiassen's theme of Florida as the axis of weirdness, Mr. Levine explained that part of the problem in Florida is that people understandably would rather be an auto thief in Miami as opposed to Detroit. He joked that any South Florida politician without handcuff marks on his or her wrists is an elder statesman.

Mr. Levine also used the platform to talk about the presidential candidates. Quoting other sources throughout, he noted that Fred Thompson has the empathy of Donald Trump and the charm of Dick Cheney and that Hillary Clinton's laugh has the spontaneity of an alarm clock. He explained that Rudy Giuliani decision to follow Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment and not speak ill of his opponents needs to be consistent with the 7th commandment, to not commit adultery.

Although a tough act to follow, Carl Hiassen, noted author and columnist for the Miami Herald, did a more than admirable job and was also quite humorous. He explained that he often writes books with outrageous characters and events but that there is nothing that he can write that isn't surpassed by true stories found in the newspaper. For example, he stated that he thought his book Skin Tight was about the worst plastic surgeon, someone who accidentally killed a patient during a nose job. Then he read about Dr. Lips, a surgeon in Miami, who accidentally killed a patient while performing a combined face lift, liposuction and genitalia enhancement. As Mr. Hiassen noted, this true case made his fictional account look like a Disney story.

Mr. Hiassen also spoke about the fact that Florida is a state where bad behavior is so rampant that nitwits are not noticed. He explained that because of this many of the 9/11 terrorists resided in Florida. He noted that we also attract more than our fair share of notoriety from people like O.J. Simpson, Anna Nicole Smith and events like the hanging chad debacle. He concluded that even though we live in a community of weirdness, we are all in it together.

The next and final luncheon of the year is on Friday, February 8th and will feature Doris Kearns Goodwin, author and presidential historian. For more information and to purchase tickets go to www.lynn.edu/dively. You can be sure that Irving R. Levine's introduction will be a highlight of the event.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

The name Tom Crocker is once again back in the spotlight, as he has offered the City of Boca Raton a proposal for a "spine" connecting Royal Palm Plaza and Mizner Park. Crocker's plan calls for assembly and redevelopment of two city blocks to complete the long discussed pedestrian oriented spine. Redevelopment of the property will stretch north to south from N.E. 2nd Street to Palmetto Park Road and east to west from Mizner Boulevard to Federal Highway. Crocker's idea is to place offices, shops, restaurants, residences and a hotel along the spine.

Crocker is well known as the developer of Mizner Park. Having been at the official capping ceremony at Mizner Park in 1989, I can attest to the fact that the changes wrought by Mizner Park have been monumental and beneficial. The stores and restaurants have brought life to the area. The Museum of Art brings culture and the bandshell hosts a multitude of outstanding concerts. The proposed reopening of Liberties bookstore will continue to bring people downtown.

The negative however has been that the costs of Mizner Park to the taxpayer far exceeded the original expectations. Because of numerous unforeseen factors, it was only in 2005 that Mizner Park began to break even. The question really is what Crocker's new proposal will cost and whether the benefits will outweigh the expenses. This is an issue that the City Council is grappling with and one that all of us as concerned citizens need to monitor.

In the meantime, change is already taking place in the area. Plaza Real South from Palmetto Park Boulevard to the Royal Palm Plaza already embodies Crocker's idea. New apartment buildings and new restaurants from Nicks to Moquilla to Chops have filled in the streets and with them have come trendy shops. Although it would be nice to have a unified plan for redevelopment, the recent development of these blocks makes you wonder if market forces will eventually accomplish the Crocker plan without Tom Crocker.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Nestled in the northwestern corner of the State of Israel lies the city of Kiryat Bialik. Like its sister city of Boca Raton, Kiryat Bialik is a suburb of a metropolitan region (Haifa), includes an area that borders on the coast, and has a large, beautiful shopping mall. These physical simlarities however are just the start of what it really means to be a sister city.

Under the auspices of the Jewish Agencies Partnerhip 2000 Program, Boca Raton and Kiryat Bialik became sister cities in 2002. This global program connects 550 worldwide communities with 45 Israeli partners. The goal of the program is to build living bridges between the communities to support educational, cultural and welfare programs.

As part of this program, I recently visited Kiryat Bialik along with nine other women from South Palm Beach County. We spent four days meeting and touring with eleven dynamic women from Kiryat Bialik.

Just like us, the women of Kiryat Bialik are professionals, businesswomen, teachers and stay at home moms. Just as we are, they are daughters, mothers, grandmothers and sisters concerned about the health and safety of their families.

Just as we face specific local challenges, Kiryat Bialik has its own unique concerns. We toured a community center where Ethiopian immigrants learned hebrew, a preschool early intervention program for Ethiopian children, a meeting place where troubled teens receive group counselling and support, and saw bomb shelters that residents used during the recent Lebanon War. We discussed ways in which we could continue to help the citizens of our sister city and provide programs to empower both communities.

Our group will continue our contact by hosting the women of Kiryat Bialik in Boca Raton in March. The relationships forged through our Israeli foray, and similar meetings between groups of teachers and teenagers, are the true living bridge between our communities. The friendship and camraderie developed and our continuing projects together are what really makes the Boca Raton/ Kiryat Bialik relationship a sister city partnership.

If you would like more information about the Jewish Federation of SPBC please log onto their website at http://www.jewishboca.org or more specifically about this partnership project please call Gail Marlow at 561-852-3163 or gailm@bocafed.org.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) | Share: