(JTA) — Rabbi Andrea Weiss, a former provost of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion who made history as the first woman to ordain rabbis in the Reform movement, has died. Weiss died on Tuesday, March 3 surrounded by family at her home in Lower...
Month: September 2014
Archives
My family runs to our safe room when the sirens sound. I try to believe it’s enough.
MODIIN, Israel — To get a sense of what life is like in Israel these days, consider the circumstances in which air raid sirens have caught me over the last several days: Reading the Purim megillah in a school bomb shelter near my synagogue. We closed the door when the...
In JFNA’s first ‘State of the Jewish Union’ address, security and antisemitism loom large
(JTA) — Speaking from Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Feb. 19, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, Eric Fingerhut, laid out his assessment of the state of Jewish life in America. “The state of the Jewish union in America is strong,...
Thank you to our supporters who recently donated to Jewish News!
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...
Mike Goldsmith shares security expertise with community
After 35 years of service on the Norfolk Police Department fighting crime as a police officer, advancing through the ranks to become Norfolk’s Chief of Police, then on to a second career as an Assistant City Manager for Norfolk, Mike Goldsmith was more than entitled...
7 years in prison for praying at the Western Wall? Netanyahu’s coalition is threatening a war on Jewish unity
(JTA) —During the recent Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations’ mission to Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that Jews around the world stand strong and unified in support of Israel and against antisemitism. “Fight, fight, fight,” he...
KBH sells building, creates endowment
And with stroke of a few pens, it was over! The closing documents were signed, the checks issued, and Kehillat Bet Hamidrash/Kempsville Conservative Synagogue (KBH) was officially a congregation without a building – yet with a new endowment fund. After...
State of the Foundation: Securing Jewish life in Tidewater
The State of the Union. The State of the City. Most people have heard of or attended gatherings like these, where leaders reflect on the present and make projections about the future. Last month, Tidewater Jewish Foundation did just that. Board members gathered...
Jewish hockey star Jack Hughes’ overtime goal propels US to historic gold medal in Olympic hockey
(JTA) — Jewish hockey star Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal Sunday, Feb. 21 to clinch a gold medal for the U.S. men’s hockey team, its first since 1980. The New Jersey Devils star center, who had scored twice in Team USA’s semifinal win, sent the puck...
Investing in futures: JELF helps local students afford college –interest free
Applications for the 2026-2027 Academic Year accepted through April 30 In 2025, JELF (Jewish Educational Loan Fund) loaned $2.3 million in 0% interest loans to almost 500 students, allowing Jewish students to pursue higher education without the burden of...
Securing Houses of Worship:Countering Active Threat Training (CATT)
Sunday, March 22, 3 pm First Presbyterian Church, Norfolk Active threat situations are unpredictable and can unfold quickly—often ending within three to five minutes. Recognizing warning signs and knowing how to respond can save lives. In collaboration with Jewish...
JCC Lifeguard Josef Patar celebrates citizenship
His story could be a novel. . . and a page-turner, at that. This past December, Josef Patar added a chapter he’s been trying to write for a while. . . he became a naturalized U.S. citizen. With several supporters, including a couple of friends from Ohef...
Marvin Joel Merkle
Norfolk – Marvin Joel Merkle, 79, passed away peacefully, Thursday, January 22, 2026. He was born in Richmond, Virginia, the son of the late Harold Hyman and Eva Merkle. He is survived by his two daughters, Jenefer Dayle Snyder and husband...
Toby Flex Pekarsky
Virginia Beach – Toby Flex Pekarsky, age 85, passed away on January 11, 2026. She was born in Portsmouth, Virginia to the late Fred and Belle Levin Flex. She was predeceased by her husband of 48 years, Robert Jay Pekarsky, her sister Sally Flex Weinraub, her...
Gerald Martin Sandler
Norfolk – Gerald “Jerry” Martin Sandler, 88, of Norfolk, Virginia, passed away peacefully at his home on January 20, 2026. He was born in Norfolk on June 28, 1937, to the late Lou “Lovey” and Anna Rose Sandler. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife...
Samuel Leon Shapiro
Washington, D.C. – Samuel Leon Shapiro, a long-time Norfolk resident, died on January 17, 2026, in Washington, D.C. at the age of 86. He will always be remembered as a loving and beloved husband, father, and grandfather with a remarkable intellect, a gentle...
Albert P. Solomon
Virginia Beach – Dr. Albert “Al” P. Solomon, a devoted husband, father, and veteran, passed away peacefully on December 15, 2025, in Virginia Beach at the age of 81. Born on July 31, 1944, Al lived a life marked by dedication to both his profession and his...
Gary Tabakin
Virginia Beach – Gary Tabakin, 70, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, left us peacefully on January 27. Born in Norfolk, he was the son of the late Burnley and Bobbi Tabakin. He was predeceased by his baby brother Matthew. A lifelong resident of Norfolk...
Spencer Alan Zahn
Virginia Beach – Spencer Zahn, 87, passed away in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on January 25, 2026. Born in Princess Anne County in 1938, he resided in Chesapeake, Virginia for over 50 years. Spencer retired from Civil Service as an auditor 32 years ago and...
Support for Beth Israel
Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, was set on fire predawn on Saturday, Jan. 10. Thankfully, no congregants or staff were injured, and the building was unoccupied at the time. The synagogue did have a security camera system, a fact which assisted in the...
Emergency Security Grant strengthens protection for Tidewater’s youngest members
Thanks to an emergency security matching grant from The Tepper Foundation, which is distributed through Jewish Federations of North America, and with the addition of contributions from community members, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is able to make...
Scam: “law enforcement” calls
Over the past two months, an all too familiar scam has reared its ugly head again. In this case, it involves someone spoofing a local sheriff’s or police department’s office phone number to call a potential victim. The caller usually tells the recipient that they have...
Man charged with setting fire to Mississippi synagogue targeted it due to its ‘Jewish ties,’ FBI
(JTA) — The suspect arrested for allegedly setting fire to a Mississippi synagogue on Saturday, Jan. 10 confessed to the FBI that he had targeted the congregation due to its “Jewish ties.” Stephen Spencer Pittman was charged on Monday, Jan. 12 with maliciously...
Attorney General Miyares calls on Virginia K–12 Schools to adopt IHRA Definition of Antisemitism to protect Jewish students
In a letter sent earlier this month to all Virginia K–12 school superintendents and school boards, Attorney General Jason Miyares urged them to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into their codes of conduct and...
Annie Sandler: Buenos Aires is electric, close-knit, and full of wonder
“Electrifying,” is how Annie Sandler, JDC president, enthusiastically describes Buenos Aires and other parts of Argentina. One of her first trips as president of JDC, the leading global Jewish humanitarian organization, was to travel to this South...
Showing up matters: Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day returns
Community advocacy strengthens security, combats antisemitism, and builds lasting relationships. Tuesday, Feb. 10, Richmond As the 2026 legislative session of the Virginia General Assembly gets underway this month, one message is clear: showing up matters. That’s why...
2025 Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism
I was honored to represent the City of Virginia Beach at the 2025 Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, convened by the Combat Antisemitism Movement, December 2 - 4 in New Orleans. The summit brought together local and national elected officials to better understand the...
German historian to share stories of discoveries with local connection
Tuesday, Jan. 27, 7 pm, Sandler Family Campus For International Holocaust Remembrance Day, German historian Thomas Kemper will visit Tidewater to speak about his discoveries while investigating the history and fate of the Gonsenhauser and Bachenheimer families during...
A Leap of Faith: meeting previously unknown family members who survived the Holocaust
My father, Gustave Hershkovitz, was born April 24, 1931, in Colojvad, Transylvania, the younger of Rozalia Lazar and Fred Hershkovitz, my grandparents, two children. His was a very religious family and he fondly remembered going to synagogue with his beloved...
Amy Milligan named a Shine A Light on Antisemitism Civic Courage Awardee
The Jewish Education Project, an organization with the mission to inspire and empower educators to create transformative Jewish experiences, last month announced its annual Shine A Light on Antisemitism Civic Courage Award recipients—individuals across the United...
Advancing purpose in retirement: Giving back with intention
The Jewish community is taught from an early age that giving back is not optional. Values such as tikkun olam and tzedakah shape how families show up for one another and how the community strengthens Jewish life for future generations. In retirement, those same values...
Tidewater Jewish Foundation expands team with new COO
Russell “Russ” Cronin recently joined Tidewater Jewish Foundation as its new chief operating officer and vice president of operations. Cronin brings strong professional expertise and a local connection to the organization’s leadership team. Raised in Virginia...