Richmond, Va. – Ann Rae Gershman, 93, passed away peacefully on July 16, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of love, friendship, and resilience. Born on March 20, 1933, Ann Rae grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, where her intelligence and determination were evident from...
Month: December 2014
Archives
Eliana Dori Gordon
Fairfax, Va. – Eliana Dori Gordon, affectionately known as Ellie, passed away suddenly on July 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Virginia. Born on July 3, 1998, Ellie lived a vibrant and meaningful life, leaving us far too soon at the age of 28. A devoted...
Howard I. Horwitz
Norfolk – Howard Irving Horwitz passed away peacefully on July 7, 2026, with his family by his side. He was 78 years old. Howard was born and grew up in Richmond, Va., the son of Seymour and Esther Fishman Horwitz, of blessed memory. He graduated from...
Pauline Sod Levin
Norfolk – Pauline Sod Levin passed away surrounded by her loving family on July 26, 2026. She was born in Temple, Texas, on July 17, 1931, to Bertha and Joseph Sod. When she was four years old, her family – including her brother Louis – moved to Norfolk,...
Renie Teitelman
Silver Spring, Md. – Renie Teitelman (nee Becker), passed away peacefully at the age of 97 at her home at Riderwood Village, Silver Spring MD, on Monday July 27. Renie was a native of New York City, a longtime resident of Norfolk and Virginia Beach, and a...
Lynn Augusta Goodman Zoll, EdD
Virginia Beach – Lynn Augusta Goodman Zoll, EdD, age 81, passed peacefully on July 15, 2026, in her home in Virginia Beach, Va. Born in Norfolk, Lynn (Gigi to her high school and college friends) grew up in Virginia Beach. After graduating from...
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...
From idea to impact: Community Impact Grants help strengthen Jewish Tidewater
Every organization has them: ideas discussed around board tables, programs waiting for funding, projects that could strengthen Jewish life, deepen engagement, expand educational opportunities, or bring people together in meaningful ways. For Tidewater Jewish...
America the Beautiful
As I’m sure you know, July 4, 2026, just took place, the Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. From America’s Block Party in Times Square to fireworks launched from the Golden Gate Bridge, we...
America at 250 Spotlight: Rashi Brashevitzky
Whether at a Shabbat table, in a classroom, or leading a Jewish holiday celebration, Rashi Brashevitzky is doing what she is most passionate about: helping people find meaningful ways to connect with Jewish life. Rooted in the traditions of Chabad,...
Jewish Tidewater’s Graduates
Jewish Tidewater has much to applaud with its graduates. We celebrate some here. See more 2026 graduates in last months edition. Mazel Tov to all these graduates and their families! Madeline “Maddie” Elyse Acosta Kempsville High School Graduating with Highest...
Michelle Luria: A life rebuilt by connection, conversation, and community
Michelle Luria didn’t expect to start over. But now, from her Norfolk apartment overlooking the Elizabeth River, she describes a life filled with new experiences and community. “I love it here,” she says. “The people are so lovely, intelligent, well...
Rabbi Zoberman’s articles inserted into Congressional Record
Remembering the Liberation of Auschwitz, an article by Rabbi Israel Zoberman was inserted in the Congressional Record by Congresswoman Jen Kiggans in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.The article focuses on a book written by Marc Saperstein, a...
The books that made me a BeAR
We all carry certain books with us long after childhood ends. They sit quietly on the shelves of our memory; dog-eared, underlined, loved, while shaping who we become and teaching us how to dream. Some stories came easily. Others were challenging, the kind where you...
Dive into summer at theMetzger Outdoor Aquatic Center
If you’re feeling ready to beat the summer heat poolside, you’re in luck. The Metzger Outdoor Aquatic Center opened on Saturday, June 6, marking the start of the Simon Family JCC’s seven-day-a-week summer pool season.The outdoor pool opens daily at 11:30 am, closing...
America at 250 Spotlight:Tidewater Jewish Hero Dorothy Salomonsky
Dorothy Salomonsky never expected that an effort to help a few vulnerable community members would grow into one of Virginia’s leading public guardianship programs. But more than 30 years after helping launch the JFS Personal Affairs Management (PAM) program at Jewish...
400 Jewish leaders push to advance bipartisan Jewish Security Act
Amid rising threats to the American Jewish community, Jewish Federations of North America brought more than 400 Jewish leaders from 82 different communities across the country to Capitol Hill to hold over 200 meetings with key Congressional leadership late last month....
Beth Sholom Village: Inaugural grant recipients support seniors across Tidewater
What does it mean to age with dignity? Sometimes, it means having transportation to the grocery store or a doctor’s appointment. Sometimes, it means sharing a meal with friends, participating in a wellness program, or simply feeling connected to a community. Often,...
The responsibility and reward of service
Reflections on leadership, legacy, and the future of Jewish Tidewater Two years have flown by. My term as chair of Tidewater Jewish Foundation is nearing its end. I have served with some of the most dedicated board members and staff anyone can ever be privileged to...
TJF: Community projects intersect
Tidewater Jewish Foundation is often a convener, bringing together organizations, ideas, and opportunities to strengthen the community. Sometimes, projects such as the Maria A. Mansbach Memorial Student Motivation Program and the Elie Wiesel Writing Competition...
Jewish Tidewater’s Graduates
Graduations are a time to recognize achievements, formally bid farewell to schools, prepare for the next steps along life’s journey, and of course, celebrate! Jewish Tidewater has much to applaud with its graduates – the awards, impressive degrees, and outstanding...
A new judge for Virginia Beach: The Honorable Aaron Kass
The Honorable Aaron F. Kass was sworn in on Friday, March 27 as a Judge of the Virginia Beach General District Court. “Outside of being Melissa’s husband, and Jonah, Micah, and Alexa’s father, there is no greater privilege than this role,” Judge Kass said at his...
HRACRE honors Skip Sacks with 2026 F. Craig Read Service Award
Earlier this year, Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Astate presented Skip Sacks with the 2026 F. Craig Read Service Award in recognition of “his exceptional service and long-standing commitment to the organization and the commercial real estate...
Books for local schools are appreciated
Ghillian Porter-Smith, media specialist/librarian at Norfolk’s Larchmont Elementary School, wrote last month to express appreciation for books the school received from United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. “Thank you very much for the generous gift of books!”...
W&M Hillel: Success in Engagement
William & Mary has had a Hillel on campus for more than 60 years. Yet, 10 years ago there were only about 20 - 30 Jewish students attending programs annually. Meetings were held mainly in classrooms, and Entenmann’s and Krispy Kreme donuts was the fanciest kosher...
Nadiv Poker Night returns for second successful year
Ninety-seven poker players filed onto the Sandler Family Campus to compete in Nadiv’s Texas Hold ’Em tournament for the chance to win various prizes, including a $500 Amazon gift card on Tuesday, May 12. The event raised more than $25,000 with most of those...
On our way to Mt. Sinai… and we got there!
Every year, we count the Omer between Pessach and Shavuot. Seven weeks. Forty-nine days. For many of us, it can feel like just another Jewish ritual quietly tucked between two major holidays. But this year, through Amy Lefcoe’s six-week class, On Our Way...
Tools for today’s classrooms: The 2026 Tidewater Inclusive Educators’ Conference
Tuesday, July 21 – Wednesday, July 22 As the school year winds down, many educators are already looking ahead, reflecting on what to maintain and what to change for the next year. In today’s classrooms, that reflection often includes navigating difficult...
Rabbi Mike Moskowitz finds allyship in Torah
Wednesday, June 10, 7 pm, Sandler Family Campus In his book, Ancestral Allyship, Rabbi Mike Moskowitz draws on the weekly Torah portion to explore allyship as a spiritual practice. At its most basic, allyship is defined as the state or condition of being an...
Irving Alperin
Virginia Beach – Irving Alperin, age 95, passed away on April 30, 2026. He was born on June 12, 1930. Irving retired from US Department of Defense in 1995 after more than 31 years, where he worked for the US Information Agency Voice of America, Naval Sea...
Leslie Herbert Friedman
Norfolk – Leslie (Les) Friedman died at the age of 89 on May 15, 2026. He was born on April 26, 1937, and was a lifelong resident of Norfolk. He was the devoted son of Fannie Gurfein Friedman and Milton Levisohn Friedman, who were successful business...
Barney Frank, the irascible Jewish progressive congressman who wrote landmark finance bill
(JTA) — Barney Frank, the irascible longtime progressive who strove for equal rights for LGBTQ Americans and coauthored the last major finance reform bill, has died at 86. The former Massachusetts congressman died in hospice care at home in Ogunquit, Maine,...