Welcome to the table with NextGen
Thanks to gracious community members, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s NextGen community has been on a roll with Pop-Up Shabbat dinners. The hosts who have opened their doors, hearts, and kitchens have done more than just cook a meal. They welcomed...
A record year for the UJFT’s Community Campaign
As this article goes to press, the 2026 Community Campaign of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater has passed the $5.2 million mark for the very first time. It’s a major milestone, and the Federation is incredibly grateful to the donors and community members who...
Playground for Sandler Family Campus focuses on nature
Naturally curious creatures, children interact with the world around them through play. This instinctive engagement becomes even more pronounced in natural environments, where exploration is open-ended and sensory-rich.As one study by the National Wildlife Federation...
All Good News
A couple of weeks ago, Art Sandler casually, but enthusiastically, said, “We should publish a paper with all good news!”My response was something like, “Yeah. Right. Nothing about security or antisemitism or Israel or wars or . . .”“We’ve got so much good going on in...
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JTA News
Europe’s smallest Jewish community gets a home of its own — complete with geothermal mikvah
A Jewish center opens in Reykjavik.
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The post Europe’s smallest Jewish community gets a home of its own — complete with geothermal mikvah appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Possible Platner replacements and their divergent stands on Israel
Candidates hoping to become the Maine Democratic nominee for Senate are split on key issues of concern to the Jewish community.
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The post Possible Platner replacements and their divergent stands on Israel appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Platner drops Maine Senate bid, hailing campaign effort to ‘end the genocide’
Anti-Israel Democratic candidate with covered-over Nazi tattoo exits amid sexual assault allegations.
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The post Platner drops Maine Senate bid, hailing campaign effort to ‘end the genocide’ appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Rahm Emanuel: Democrats who support Israel can still lead the party to the White House
Veteran politician expected to run in 2028 decries “moral bankruptcy” of those who celebrated Oct. 7 attack.
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The post Rahm Emanuel: Democrats who support Israel can still lead the party to the White House appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Latest News
One hour can change two lives
When people think about volunteering, they often focus on the difference they can make for someone else. What I have learned through the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation’s Be A Reader Literacy Project (BeAR) is that the volunteers...
Torah and allyship arefocus of Rabbi Moskowitz’s visit to Tidewater
Rabbi Mike Moskowitz brought a thoughtful approach to allyship as a spiritual practice during a June 10 program at the Sandler Family Campus. Presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Arts + Ideas and Konikoff Center for Learning, the event was part of...
Growing through Shavuot: NextGen connects before and beyond the holiday
Shavuot celebrates receiving the Torah, but for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s NextGen community, it also became an opportunity to strengthen relationships, deepen Jewish learning, and explore what it means to grow together. Through two gatherings, one...
Meet Tidewater’s new Shinshinim
The fifth cohort of Shinshinim will arrive in Tidewater later this summer. Shinshinim is an acronym for Shnat Sherut, a year of service undertaken between high school and army service— when Israeli teens spend a year connecting with Jewish communities around the...
America at 25✪ Spotlight:Minette Cooper:A life built on memory, music, and community
Bettie Minette Cooper remembered every person she met.Always known as Minette, she died on October 14, 2025, at 87 years young, leaving a legacy of commitment to family, her synagogue, the arts, and a variety of civic organizations and projects.Cooper’s story began in...
Israeli medical students gain clinical, cultural insight in Norfolk exchange
Jewish community has long extended beyond geography, linking people across continents who often recognize a shared sense of belonging.Liora Zerbib knows about this feeling of belonging after spending several weeks with a Jewish host family in Ghent.Zerbib, an Israeli...
JCC Fitness Center embraces new interactive cardio technology
The Simon Family JCC Fitness Center recently upgraded its cardio equipment with new treadmills, ellipticals, and rowing machines featuring iFit technology. These machines offer interactive global workouts and studio classes, with systems that automatically adjust...
The Simon family Legacy Society Celebration ignites vision for the future
Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Simon Family Legacy Celebration on Wednesday, May 27 was an opportunity for communities to converge, gathering around a shared vision, shared responsibility, and shared purpose.More than 100 TJF fundholders, community leaders,...
Other News
Finding balance in flowing waters
“Let’s gather. Let’s offer. Let’s receive. Let’s ground.” This is how Jennifer Lenay, Simon Family JCC fitness instructor, guides students through gentle, breath-synced movement in Flowing Waters, an aquatic take on traditional tai chi. Held...
Coming soon: A new hub for senior connection, learning, and wellness
The new Center for Active Living is being launched by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC. The program is made possible through a grant from Beth Sholom Village and support from the Joseph Fleischmann Memorial Fund of the Tidewater Jewish...
Seniors visit Edgar Cayce Museum
The JCC Senior Club took a trip to the Edgar Cayce A.R.E. Center at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Wednesday, June 17. Boarding a charter bus, the 30 participants first stopped at the Session Café located in the original hospital building at the top of...
Jewish American Heritage Month brings together art, history, and community
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) unfolded this year as a wide-ranging exploration of art, identity, history, and belonging. It also marked the kickoff of the Outstanding Jewish Americans in Tidewater...
What’s Happening
Helping educators build classrooms where every student belongs
Tuesday, July 21 – Wednesday, July 22 As educators prepare for the coming school year, one goal...
A journey of science, spirit, and the arts
My journey with the arts began in 1958, born out of a weekly compromise. Every Saturday, my...
Sunset on the Water: Kayaking, reflection, and Jewish learning
Sunday, June 28, 6:30–9 pm, Norfolk’s waterways | Optional afterparty: 9–10 pm Trade the usual...
Love and Light: A Tu B’Av community celebration
Sunday, July 26, 12 – 4 pm • Sandler Family Campus United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s NextGen...
Obituaries
May the Source of Peace
send peace to all who mourn, and comfort to all who are bereaved.
Franz Gilbert Binder
Norfolk – Gil Binder, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, life partner, uncle, mentor, and friend, passed away peacefully at...
Judith Pearl Goodman
Virginia Beach – Judith Pearl Goodman passed away on June 6, 2026, at the age of 84. She was a resident of Virginia Beach. Mrs. Goodman was...
Randi Ann Perrone-Kerfoot
Virginia Beach – Randi Ann Perrone-Kerfoot, 64, of Virginia Beach, passed away peacefully on June 7, 2026, surrounded by her family. Born on...
Molly A. Parro
Virginia Beach – Molly A. Parro died peacefully in her sleep on June 20, 2026, in Virginia Beach. She was born in Detroit Michigan and...