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I have recently returned from the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) annual General Assembly (GA) in Washington, D.C., where Tidewater had a strong delegation of both lay leaders and United Jewish Federation of Tidewater professional staff. We joined more than...
Supporters of Jewish News help keep local Jewish journalism alive at a time when it feels as if it is disappearing almost everywhere else.Jewish News appreciates all who support the newspaper with generous contributions – whether in honor of or in memory of friends or...
(JTA) — After parting ways with the first architect hired to carry out his vision for the White House’s East Wing, President Donald Trump has picked a replacement — turning to a firm run by a prominent Jewish architect who once called on Trump to keep the country’s...
(JTA) — In the lead-up to New York City’s mayoral election last month, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove emerged as one of the most outspoken rabbinic critics of Zohran Mamdani, the anti-Zionist activist who is now the mayor-elect.On Monday, Dec. 8, speaking to a convention of...
The protest outside Park East Synagogue in New York was not a complicated sociological moment. It was a group of demonstrators shouting slurs, taunts, and explicitly hostile language at Jews entering a house of worship.That should be the starting point for any...
When you hear the phrase Tikkun Olam—healing the world—you might picture simple acts of kindness: delivering meals, visiting the sick, or donating clothes. That’s what I imagined too when I joined the Jewish Family Service board in 2020. But I quickly realized I had...
When Dr. William and Mary Feldman created the Feldman Family Medical and Health Professional Scholarship Fund through Tidewater Jewish Foundation, their goal was to unite two lifelong passions, Judaism and medicine, by supporting Jewish students pursuing healthcare...
(JTA) — Frank Gehry, a Jewish architect who became one of the world’s most renowned innovators in his field for his contributions to modernist architecture, including the famed Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, has died at 96.His death following a brief respiratory...
After serving as the facility director of the Sandler Family Campus for more than 18 years, Glenn Saucier will retire on Dec. 31, 2025.The Sandler Family Campus houses the offices of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, Jewish Family Service,...
While bidding farewell to 2025, many may have free time during these final weeks to address tasks that have been put off for the last 11 months. Whether it’s crunch time for finances, shopping for last-minute Hanukkah gifts, or making plans for New Year’s Eve, Jewish...
Year-end is a good time to remember those people in our lives, besides family and friends, who play a part in our daily activities. According to the Emily Post Institute, which has been weighing in on proper etiquette for five generations, during the holidays it’s...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s 2026 Annual Community Campaign kicked off in August and has been raising funds at a steady pace since. As this article goes to press, the campaign total has surpassed $4.3 million, well on its way to a $5.2 million goal.The...
Thursday, Nov. 20, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Who doesn’t love a good story and a good nosh? United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival will serve up both when Rachel Simons takes the stage at the Simon Family JCC for...
Schools across Norfolk and Virginia Beach are roaring to life as the Be A Reader Literacy Project kicks off another year with mentors meeting their new second-grade students – young readers who can use an extra boost of confidence and encouragement to help them...
Kids Night Out: Saturday, Nov. 22 5 – 9 pm , Sandler Family Campus Even though the calendar says November, the time to get excited about Camp JCC is now. The Simon Family JCC will host its first ever Camp JCC themed Kids Night Out this month, and summer camp...
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 remembered for her warmth, hospitality, and extraordinary culinary skills, as well as her tireless devotion to community causes...
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, nurtured, and protected his entire life. Born on February 22, 1960, to Phillip and Sondra M. Bress (Cohen), Roger filled...
SARASOTA, Florida - Renee Fritsch passed away after a brief illness on October 28, 2025, at age 93. Renee and her beloved husband Bob celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary in June, and their life together was transformative. Renee grew up in the Catskills in...
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. - Sandra Jean Deziel Smith, age 73, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, died at Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, on October 14, 2025. Born in Minneapolis, Minn., on August 2, 1952, to the late Frederick T. Deziel and Dorothy A. Johnson...
VIRGINIA BEACH - Phyllis Steen passed away peacefully the morning of October 24, 2025, after a long illness. Earlier that week, she told her caregiver she was tired and wanted to “go be with Harvey,” her husband of 69 years whom she lost unexpectedly in...
Legacy 2025 L’ Dor V’Dor – From Generation to Generation Opening: December 6, 6:30 pm Sandler Family Campus Talk: Sunday, November 16, 4 pm Jewish Museum and Cultural Center Legacy 2025: Hampton Roads Jewish Artists of the Past arrives at the Simon Family Jewish...
(JTA) — When Susan Stamberg first sat behind the microphone to host a newfangled broadcasting venture called National Public Radio, in 1972, some board members had a concern: She sounded too Jewish. Though that wasn’t quite how they tended to phrase it, recalled...
I am sure you, like us, are filled with emotion after seeing the 20 living hostages returned home to Israel and their families. We continue to pray for the imminent return of the remaining hostages and for their families and loved ones to be able to give them...
(JTA) — Like most synagogues, Congregation Beth El in South Orange, New Jersey added new rituals after the Oct. 7,2023 attacks that killed 1,200 in Israel, saw another 251 taken hostage, and launched a grinding war between Israel and Hamas. The...
Throughout the world, the nation, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Tidewater, events took place marking Oct. 7, 2023 –recalling the horrors of that day, while praying for the safety and release of the 48 remaining hostages still in Gaza at the time.In addition to the...
Synagogues have always been the roots of a Jewish community. Wherever Jewish people have gone, they have gathered for communal prayer and congregational support. Jewish community provides a feeling of home in this big, often scary world. For...
When I joined the Jewish Family Service board in 2020, I thought I knew what JFS was all about. Helping out in the community? Sure. Supporting seniors? Absolutely. But wow—I had no idea how deep their work really goes. I hadn’t even heard of PAM! I figured it was just...
Since 1939, inventions such as nylon stockings, twistie ties, and microwave ovens have entered everyday life, not to mention cell phones and the internet. Fifteen presidents have resided in the White House and men have landed on the moon and spent months in space. And...
October is National Estate Planning Month and marks Donor Advised Fund Day — an ideal time to begin planning Estate planning is one of those tasks people tend to put off — until life reminds them why it matters. That’s why Scott Alperin, J.D., founder of Alperin Law...
As this community’s bank for more than 25 years, TowneBank offers exquisite service to meet the complete financial needs of individuals and organizations. The bank is dedicated to being the bank of choice for nonprofits and associations, local businesses,...
Cohen Investment Group (CIG) is a privately owned commercial real estate investment firm specializing in multifamily apartments and self-storage properties. The firm’s strategy is to identify and acquire well-located real estate assets below replacement cost...
Women’s Philanthropy and guests gathered on a crisp fall evening on the Sandler Family Campus for a beautiful “Night Under the Stars” to celebrate Sukkot earlier this month. The setting couldn’t have been more perfect — the glow of string lights, the scent of fall in...