From blind spots to awareness: Key takeaways from October 7 with Yaakov Katz
Former editor of the Jerusalem Post and senior fellow at the Jewish People’s Policy Institute, Yaakov Katz returned to Tidewater on Thursday, October 23 to discuss Israel’s Blind Spot – Understanding Hamas. The evening’s conversation was based on Katz’s recent...
Help needed to feed neighbors for Thanksgiving
As food prices continue to rise and benefits such as SNAP decrease, more neighbors are struggling to put meals on the table. In fact, Jewish Family Service’s Food Pantry has seen a significant increase in visitors—people who never imagined they would need to ask for...
Be a hero in minutes. Simon Family JCC Annual Blood Drive
November 24, 2025, 11:00 AM–3:45 PM: Join the Simon Family JCC and Red Cross in the Jaffe Gymnasium, 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Virginia Beach, for a lifesaving blood drive. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood, and one donation can save up to...
Modern warfare and the fight for truth in the age of misinformation
Israel in Focus: Hamas’ War – Truth and Consequences. An evening with MAJ John W. Spencer, USA (Ret.) Wednesday, December 3, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus, Free In an era where global conflicts are increasingly fought in dense urban environments, understanding the...
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JTA News
4 arrested after protesters set off smoke bombs at Paris performance of Israel Philharmonic
The union representing entertainment workers in France had opposed the performance.
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The post 4 arrested after protesters set off smoke bombs at Paris performance of Israel Philharmonic appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Ye meets with Orthodox celebrity rabbi, says he wants to ‘make amends’ after antisemitic outbursts
The meeting came months after Ye declared on X that he was “done with antisemitism.”
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The post Ye meets with Orthodox celebrity rabbi, says he wants to ‘make amends’ after antisemitic outbursts appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Shifka, a new pita shop on NYC’s Bowery, aims to be the Chipotle of Israeli cuisine
“Since Oct. 7, we emphasize more our Israeli and Jewish identity with the food that we do,” co-owner Amir Nathan said.
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The post Shifka, a new pita shop on NYC’s Bowery, aims to be the Chipotle of Israeli cuisine appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Kazakhstan set to join Abraham Accords as Trump seeks to reinvigorate initiative
U.S. officials reportedly hope move builds momentum ahead of Saudi crown prince’s visit to Washington later this month.
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The post Kazakhstan set to join Abraham Accords as Trump seeks to reinvigorate initiative appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Latest News
Weddings with personalized twists for these area brides
Four young women, with childhood roots in Jewish Tidewater, have nuptials on the mind. Now spread out across the country, three of these Virginia natives recently married, while one is still in the planning stages. Hannah Diehl Testa and her husband, Kevin...
Henry Scolnick, a Tidewater teen, receives multiple accolades for community service
A junior at Cape Henry Collegiate, Henry Scolnick was recently named one of this year’s recipients for the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award. Henry is the youngest recipient in this year’s cohort. Awarded annually by The Helen Diller Family Foundation, up to 15...
Jay Kossman recognized as an ODU Alumni Association Alumni Honoree for 2025
The ODU Alumni Association celebrates distinguished and outstanding ODU graduates, as well as friends of the University, who have excelled in their professions and made lasting impacts on their communities and #MonarchNation. Honorees may be recognized as...
Celebrate a century of Jewish books
In 1925, Fanny Goldstein, a Jewish librarian at the Boston Public Library, decided Jewish books and Jewish pride deserved celebration. She created a display of Jewish books at the West End Branch, launching the first Jewish Book Week. By 1927, Jewish communities...
Six year-end giving strategies to maximize impact
As 2025 winds down, now is the ideal time to revisit personal charitable giving strategy. Legislative changes and shifting tax thresholds can affect how to give and how far dollars go to make a difference. “The close of the calendar year is when charitable and...
Mah Jongg Mavens bring fun, friendship, and flying tiles to the JCC
They’re at it again! Local Mah Jongg Mavens Amy Levy and Stephanie Calliott are on a mission to make sure everyone has the opportunity to learn the game. With their contagious enthusiasm, Mah Jongg is fast becoming a multigenerational favorite — and now it’s the next...
Judaism and the Arts: Exploring the mezuzah
The first installment of the Judaism and the Arts series invited participants to explore both the meaning and the beauty of one of Judaism’s most familiar symbols: the mezuzah. Attendees first learned about the history, symbolism, and spiritual significance of the...
Knitting Kindness: Jewish Family Service expands Knots of Kindness to Aviva Pembroke
Residents of Aviva Pembroke joined community members for the launch of Knots of Kindness, a knitting and crocheting circle in partnership with Jewish Family Service of Tidewater and Aviva Pembroke on Thursday, October 16. The gathering was filled with warmth,...
Other News
AJC responds to election of Zohran Mamdani
The day following the election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City, Ted Deutch, CEO of American Jewish Committee, distributed the following email. The world’s attention is focused on New York City with Zohran Mamdani winning the mayoral election, and I...
ADL enlists major law firms to launch pro bono network for antisemitism cases
(JTA) — The Anti-Defamation League is launching a nationwide legal service to connect victims of antisemitism with lawyers who can take their cases on a pro-bono basis. The initiative comes as the ADL has increasingly turned to litigation as a tactic — the...
A letter to the nonresident children of the donors of the Tidewater Jewish community
We got your letter. Initially, my thought was that you were young firebrands who wanted to shake up the world. Then I re-read what you wrote. And I thought about it for a while. Then I thought some more. And then I concluded you are propagandistic...
Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman turns 80
Celebrating his 80th birthday this month, Rabbi Israel Zoberman has packed a lot into his eight decades – including living on three continents. Tidewater has been his home since 1981. Born on November 12, 1945, in Chu, Kazakhstan to Polish Holocaust survivors,...
What’s Happening
Monthly Volunteer Days launch to support Jewish Tidewater
Begins Friday, November 21• 10 am - 3 pm, Sandler Family Campus United Jewish Federation of...
Help needed to feed neighbors for Thanksgiving
As food prices continue to rise and benefits such as SNAP decrease, more neighbors are struggling...
The Soundtrack of a Jewish kid trying to figure it all out: finding my way home
Rick Mersel is the author of All Revved Up and Ready to Go: My Life in Concert. He is a featured...
Master storyteller Corey Rosen returns to Tidewater for a week of stories, laughter, and inspiration. A Story for Everything:
Thursday, December 11, 7:30 pm There’s a story behind everything, and in December, master...
Obituaries
May the Source of Peace
send peace to all who mourn, and comfort to all who are bereaved.
Sally Segal Adler
VIRGINIA BEACH - Sally Adler was a force of nature — ahead of her time, deeply informed, and an inspiration to all who knew her. She will be...
Roger Allen Bress
NORFOLK - Roger Allen Bress, 65, passed away peacefully on October 28, 2025, surrounded by the family who adored him — a circle of love he built,...
Irene Ann (Renee) Fritsch
SARASOTA, Florida - Renee Fritsch passed away after a brief illness on October 28, 2025, at age 93. Renee and her beloved husband Bob celebrated...
Sandra Jean Smith
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. - Sandra Jean Deziel Smith, age 73, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, died at Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, on October...