Month: June 2014

Archives

Dr. Margaret Carson Zimmerman

Virginia Beach – Dr. Margaret Ruth Carson Zimmerman passed away peacefully in her home on November 26, 2025, in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  Born in Toronto on December 1, 1936, Dr. Zimmerman’s life was defined by service and intellect. After graduating from The...

Edith Weiner

Virginia Beach – Edith Weiner passed away on December 31, 2025.  Funeral services were held graveside in the Garden of Kind David in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. A shiva minyan was held at the home of Karen S. (Weiner) Lamb, Edith’s beloved daughter-in-law and...

Alan David Stein

Virginia Beach– Alan David Stein, 88 years young, passed away peacefully, leaving behind a life defined by love, joy, and deep connection to family, friends, and community.  For 64 devoted years, he shared a remarkable love story with his wife, Brenda. Married...

Marilyn Comess Lacey

Virginia Beach – Marilyn Comess Lacey, 93, passed away peacefully on December 28, 2025 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.   Marilyn was born to Esther and Morris Comess on January 6, 1932, in Norfolk, Virginia. She was predeceased by her sister, Dianne Kay, and...

Harriet Robins Goodove

Virginia Beach– Harriet Robins Goodove, age 83, passed away on January 5, 2025.  Raised in the close-knit Ghent community, Harriet graduated from Maury High School before attending the University of Georgia, where she earned not only her degree, but also met her...

Nancy M. Friedman

VIRGINIA BEACH – Nancy M. Friedman passed away on November 7, 2025. Nancy was born July 25, 1940, in Raleigh, N.C. to the late Macy and Willard Clifton.  A military man, Will moved the family to Norfolk when Nancy was a little girl, and it was here that she spent...

David R. Blevins

Virginia Beach  – David Robert Blevins died December 27, 2025, at age 84.   Born May 26, 1941, in Knoxville, Tenn. to Hansel and Marian Blevins, David lived most of his adult life in Montgomery, Ala. and Virginia Beach.  David earned his doctorate...

JFiT unveils fitness boosters for 2026 resolutions

JFiT unveils fitness boosters for 2026 resolutions

With New Year’s resolutions known to drive gym crowds, Simon Family JCC’s JFiT gym got in shape early to offer three unique, budget-friendly services to kickstart sustainable routines without hassle or high costs. And, while JCC membership offers myriad benefits and...

Great Jewish Bookshelf: Reading to belong

Great Jewish Bookshelf: Reading to belong

There is something deeply familiar—and deeply Jewish—about gathering around books. The Great Jewish Bookshelf taps into that instinct by offering participants the opportunity to receive a carefully curated selection of Jewish-themed books every other month – opening...

The theology of a simple basket

The theology of a simple basket

A visit to the Simon Family JCC inspires. During the Thanksgiving holiday, I visited the Simon Family Jewish Community Center of Tidewater (the JCC), a place I had visited before, but never truly experienced as it was meant to be lived. My earlier encounter had been...

Jewish Tidewater and beyond in 2025

Jewish Tidewater and beyond in 2025

This was another tough year for the global Jewish community – the continued war in Gaza, the escalation of antisemitic acts and outright discrimination, a slew of misinformation about Israel, the killings of two Israeli Embassy employees, and raised security alert...

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...

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,...

Scolnick raises nearly $8,000 in 10 minutes 

Henry Scolnick gave a speech at this year’s Annual Aid Another Gala, an event sponsored by Aid Another, an organization founded to promote and empower individuals with disabilities through dance, music, art, educational assistance, recreational activities, and sports....

Golden Lifestyle Partners celebrates 5th anniversary

Mikelle Rappaport, founder, owner, and executive director of Golden Lifestyle Partners, knows firsthand how difficult it can be to manage transitions for seniors. As a caregiver to her grandparents, and now to her mother with dementia, Rappaport understands that...

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...

Nunez Fine Jewelers celebrates 20 years in business

Nunez Fine Jewelers, located at Hilltop in Virginia Beach, is celebrating a milestone anniversary this year. For 20 years, this family-owned business has offered personalized service, on-site repairs, and quality custom work.   Pete Nunez, the store’s...

A Bissel of Yiddish

A combination of High German and Hebrew, Yiddish is a language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews.  In Tidewater, the Yiddish Club embraces Yiddish culture, language, and history with music, film, poetry, and literature at its monthly meetings. For...

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...

Middle School Movie Night kicks off year of programming

Middle School programming began this year with the Middle School Movie Night on Saturday, October 25. After a pizza dinner, the participants melted various chocolate combinations over their popcorn and enjoyed more sweet, salty, and chewy treats throughout the...

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...

Shabbat Project returns to Tidewater

Annual project celebrates Shabbat, community, and unity Thursday, Nov. 13 – Saturday, Nov. 15, B’nai Israel\The Shabbat Project is an international grassroots movement that brings together Jews from all walks of life and all levels of observance to keep one Shabbat –...