Virginia Beach – Barbara Rae Soroko Bowden died June 29, 2026, in her home in Virginia Beach. Born in Portsmouth, Va. She was the daughter of the late Oscar Soroko and Mildred Hilles Soroko. Barbara will be remembered for her kindness, warmth, and...
Month: December 2016
Archives
Lois (Cohen) Greenebaum
Baltimore, Md. – Lois (Cohen) Greenebaum passed away peacefully at the age of 95, surrounded her beloved family. A highly intelligent and thoughtful woman, she led her life with integrity, strong values, purpose, and wisdom. She was the definition of a...
Edward Legum
Norfolk – Edward Legum, 97, of Norfolk, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Norfolk and raised in Berkley, Eddie was the son of the late A.J. Legum and Bessie Padrasic Legum. He graduated from Maury High School and...
Jack Sanford Moscovitz
Portsmouth – Jack Sanford Moscovitz, 90, a lifelong resident of Portsmouth, Va., peacefully passed away on July 1, 2026, with family by his side. Born on November 5, 1935, in Norfolk, he was the only child of Louis and Bluma Moscovitz, of blessed memory....
Ruby H. Schwarzschild
Lakeland, Fla. – Ruby Hainer Schwarzschild of Norfolk, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2026 in Lakeland, Fla. She was a dedicated mother, wife, grandmother, chef, artist, and beloved pillar of her community. Ruby was born in Norfolk on March 13,...
Dolly Parton’s Jewish connections
Singer, songwriter, and philanthropist Dolly Parton died Tuesday, August 25 at the age of 80. The outpouring of grief was immediate and universal. “PJ Library and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation team are sad to learn of the passing of musician, philanthropist,...
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 of...
JFS receives grant from Beth Sholom Village Foundation to expand support for seniors
Rooted in Jewish values of dignity, compassion, and communal responsibility, caring for older adults and people with disabilities has long been central to Jewish Family Service of Tidewater’s mission. A new grant from the Beth Sholom Village Foundation will help JFS...
Rose Frances Glasser and Bernard Glasser Philanthropic Fund makes gift to Jewish News
Among the various organizations and programs receiving recent gifts from the Rose Frances Glasser and Bernard Glasser Philanthropic Fund, was Jewish News. The distributions were determined by the late couple’s family. “My mother was a very astute businesswoman...
History preserves the past — memory preserves a people
My friend, the historian Niall Ferguson, recently posted something remarkable on social media. Reflecting on the resurgence of antisemitism, Holocaust denial, and what he called the “anti-history” engulfing much of the world, Ferguson reached a painful...
Standing witness in Verdun: Restoring identity to fallen heroes
Vice Admiral Herman Shelanski, USN (Retired) I joined the United States Navy in 1980 to protect the very freedoms that allowed me to live and pray as my Jewish ancestors did. Growing up with the heavy knowledge of the Holocaust, hearing on the news the persecution of...
Kempsville’s Lauren Krajesky is leading the distribution of millions of dollars to organizations that help seniors
Growing up in the Bible Belt (Northern Georgia south of Chattanooga, Tennessee), Baptist bred Lauren Krajesky could never imagine where she would be today. “I have to pinch myself,” she says. “I really am in a dream job.” A decade after becoming an executive...
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,...
Tidewater BBYO makes its mark at Eastern Regional Spring Cultural Convention
Twenty Tidewater BBYO teens (11 AZA and nine BBG), along with City Director Courtney Krutoy and Simcha BBG Advisor Anya Dippold, attended Eastern Region’s Spring Cultural Convention, April 17-19 in Charlotte, North Carolina. More than 200 teens attended the convention...
SIA creates new initiatives to support their military families
Strelitz International Academy supports a large population of military families, including those serving in the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, NATO, the IDF, as well as other branches. Understanding the unique challenges military children face including frequent relocations,...
Toras Chaim brings internationally acclaimed child safety program to students, staff, and families
As summer approaches and children prepare for camps, day trips, and new environments, Toras Chaim Day School is making sure its students head into the season with something more than sunscreen and a packed lunch.This spring, the school brought in Debbie Fox and the...
A summer that shapes a lifetime:Investing in Jewish campthrough One Happy Camper
What if there were a place where Jewish children could safely explore and express their heritage? A place where the values and traditions learned at home are not only reinforced but shared and lived among peers. A place where identity is not questioned but cultivated....
New manager for Camp JCC
Christine Carnahan, Camp JCC’s new manager, will oversee daily camp operations as well as support campers and staff. She will also provide year-round support for the Simon Family JCC and related programs.A Virginia Beach native, Carnahan’s background is in retail...
Summer at the Academy features wide range of camp options
Norfolk Academy’s Summer at the Academy camps offer six weeks of excitement for students of all ages.Starting this year on June 22 and running through the end of July, summer camps offer a perfect mix of adventure, learning, and lasting memories. From exciting outdoor...
BeAR Literacy Project celebrates a year of growth and heart
The BeAR Literacy Project concluded another meaningful school year with its annual End-of-the-Year Mentor Luncheon, a celebration of the extraordinary volunteers whose time, patience, and compassion continue to change children’s lives.Approximately 140 students...
Yom Ha’Atzmaut brings community together for Israel @78
Jewish Tidewater gathered in full force for a Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebration on Sunday, April 26 that was hosted by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and presented by Avraham and Karen Ashkenazi. The event took place on the Sandler Family Campus.Marking Israel’s 78th...