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At this very moment – late October 2026 – an overabundance of issues to concern Jewish Americans exists wherever we turn. A short list includes, not in any particular order, rampant antisemitism, the mid-term elections and their impact on topics important to Jewish...
(JTA) —PARIS – Jewish-owned shops in Marseille were set ablaze and a synagogue in Paris was vandalized as part of widespread property damage caused by riots across France October 17 and 18, according to the Jewish Community Protection Service.It is too early to assess...
(JTA) —On Oct. 27, Israelis cast their votes in a process that will determine who is prime minister and who sits in the 120-seat parliament, the Knesset. Since the country’s founding in 1948, there have been 14 prime ministers and 25 parliaments. The process from the...
This year’s UJFT Super Sunday was truly a Super Sunday unlike any other—prompting the question, “Ma nishtana ha-Super Sunday?” On a day that threatened not only bad weather but possible tornadoes, dozens of volunteers gathered at the Sandler Family Campus to make the...
On a Saturday evening in Tel Aviv, I found myself dancing along the boardwalk. Nearby, a couple in their 80s danced to the music, seemingly without a care in the world. Families strolled along the waterfront. Friends gathered. Children played. It was ordinary. It was...
For 33 years, Dr. William Feldman cared for children and families throughout Hampton Roads. But his commitment to improving lives extended well beyond his medical practice. With his wife, Mary, Feldman believed that one of the most meaningful ways to strengthen the...
Tidewater BBYO held its annual fall kickoff event on Saturday, Sept. 19. Launching what will be an incredible year, the program started with a Havdalah on the beach where everyone took the time to begin the year as a community. Next, at Beachside Social, teens spent...
Virginia Council came together for an amazing LTI (Leadership Training Institute), bringing together teens from Tidewater and Richmond to prepare for the year ahead. The event was held in Richmond on August 30. Chapter leadership boards from Tidewater’s Simcha BBG and...
The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s 2027 Community Campaign kicked off on September 24 with a celebration at the Sandler Family Campus. It was an inspiring evening filled with personal stories and heartfelt testimonials from several of the Campaign’s...
Hunger does not always look how one might imagine. It may be a senior trying to stretch a fixed income, a parent choosing between groceries and a utility bill, or a working family facing unexpected expenses.According to the 2026 Virginia Hunger Study, 42% of Virginia...
After 33 years of devoted service as clinical director, Debbie Mayer is “retired-ish” from Jewish Family Service, marking a meaningful transition for the agency and the many children, families, and community members whose lives she has touched.Mayer will continue to...
In a powerful demonstration of community collaboration and the deeply rooted Jewish value of Kibbud Zekenim (honoring the elderly), Jewish Family Service and Beth Sholom Village Foundation have joined forces to protect and support local seniors.A grant from Beth...
Elise Melnick Simon led a vibrant, creative life as a painter, photographer, performer, and educator. The mark she left on the local community was reflected in the group that gathered last month to celebrate the opening of 60 Photographs by Elise Melnick Simon, on...
When a Virginia Beach based foundation funds a Norfolk non-profit to improve a house for a disabled man in Portsmouth, that’s regionalism. And a great story.Beth Sholom Village took the earnings from selling its skilled care nursing home and assisted living facility...
In Prime Video’s hidden-camera comedy Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat, which began streaming in March, the founder of a family-owned hot sauce company, Doug, announces his retirement and subsequent handing over of the business to his astonishingly unprepared son,...
Every athlete eventually plays a last game, and Jack Gross, a Norfolk Academy graduate and senior at Tulane University, wants to make sure there’s a plan for what comes next.Gross is a founder and the chief operating officer of Second Half Network, a free mentorship...
It doesn’t take much to keep Joel Feldman motivated to go into work every day. His store is his sanctuary, a culmination of half a century of hard work. “When my car pulls in the parking lot, I’m excited,” he says. “Sometimes I get chills. I’ve also broken down in...
A produce farm grabs the attention of many drivers traveling from Tidewater to the Outer Banks – and not because of its beautiful tomatoes or peppers. Lining the approach to the property, a striking row of Israeli flags wave proudly in the wind, catching the eye of...
For nearly 30 years, the Holocaust Commission’s White Rose Project has helped connect students with stories that educate, inspire, and encourage reflection. Each fall, the project donates Holocaust-related books to every middle and high school library throughout...
Books are packed, supplies are ready, and excitement is in the air because BeAR is heading back to school.The annual Be A Reader Literacy Project’s kickoff luncheon was a wonderful success, bringing together familiar faces, brand new mentors, lots of laughter and, of...
Three years after the atrocities of October 7, 2023, members of the Tidewater Jewish community gathered not simply to recall a date, but to honor lives, bear witness to loss, and reaffirm their enduring connection to Israel and the Jewish people.Surrounding the...
Members of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Center for Active Living, a group for older adults offering fitness, lifelong learning, and cultural programming, spent the morning of Tuesday, October 13 at the Chrysler Museum of Art. Attendees enjoyed a...
Book clubs are everywhere these days. Beth Chaverim’s Beach Sisterhood Book Club is comprised of a cordial group of Jewish women who meet monthly to discuss a selected book.The Sisterhood Book Club meetings take place at a local home with everyone contributing to a...
From the corridors of Capitol Hill to military deployments in Afghanistan and Poland, Lauren Sucher has built a career where every word matters, relationships are critical, and the stakes are high. Now, she’s bringing that experience closer to home: strengthening...
Friday, Oct. 30 – Saturday, Oct. 31 Step away from the business of everyday life and join thousands of Jews around the globe for the annual Tidewater Shabbat Project. Last year, a record breaking 300 people from around Tidewater came together for a lively and...
Wednesday, November 4, 7 pm, B’nai Israel Congregation B’nai Israel Congregation, in partnership with the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, invites Jewish women of all ages, stages, and backgrounds to Together We Rise, a...
October 19 - May 24, Mondays, 5 pm Sandler Family Campus, Free Join Tidewater’s Shinshinim for weekly conversational Hebrew classes designed to help participants build confidence in speaking and understanding modern Hebrew. Through interactive activities, games,...
Wednesday, November 11, 9 am-4 pm, Simon Family JCC Need a fun, reliable plan for kids when school is out? Camp JCC has the answer for students in grades K–5: An action-packed day of crafts, gym games, free swim, and plenty of fun. It’s the perfect opportunity for...
Thursday, November 5, 9 am, Free, Sandler Family Campus Looking for a fun way to connect with other parents and caregivers while little ones explore and play? Consider Baby & Me, a welcoming monthly gathering for babies up to 24 months and their caregivers.Enjoy...
November 23 - 24, Monday and Tuesday Sandler Family Campus Israel’s story is often told through innovation, resilience, and entrepreneurship. Behind that story are artists, makers, and entrepreneurs whose creativity transforms ideas into products that reach global...
Thursday, December 10, 7 pm, Sandler Family Campus, Free What happens when a federal judge applies the standards of the courtroom to the claims, headlines, and narratives surrounding Israel?Through the lens of his book, Israel on Trial, Judge Roy Altman examines one...
Thursday, November 5, 7 pm, Sandler Family Campus, Free When Israel reached 10 million citizens, photographer and author David Shlachter set out to capture the country’s story through the faces, voices, and experiences of 100 people. In Hinenu: Israel at Ten Million,...