Atlanta – Today we remember and celebrate the life of Janice Kaplan Zivitz, a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend whose kindness touched everyone fortunate enough to know her. Janice was the kind of person who made people feel welcome, cared...
Month: May 2017
Archives
Design a JCC Youth Basketball team jersey
For more than 60 years, the Simon Family Jewish Community Center has offered a dynamic youth basketball league that engages young athletes and their families. In recent years, one of the league’s most anticipated traditions has been the annual unveiling of team...
Welcome to the table with NextGen
Thanks to gracious community members, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s NextGen community has been on a roll with Pop-Up Shabbat dinners. The hosts who have opened their doors, hearts, and kitchens have done more than just cook a meal. They welcomed...
Alan Greenspan, longtime Fed chairman who inspired Jewish pride and antisemitic conspiracy
(JTA) — WASHINGTON – Alan Greenspan, the free markets champion whose longevity shaping the American economy was grist for the mills of Jewish pride and antisemitic conspiracy mongering alike, has died at 100. Greenspan, who led the Federal Reserve under...
All Good News
A couple of weeks ago, Art Sandler casually, but enthusiastically, said, “We should publish a paper with all good news!”My response was something like, “Yeah. Right. Nothing about security or antisemitism or Israel or wars or . . .”“We’ve got so much good going on in...
At the Vatican with Chicago’s mayor,a rabbi gave Pope Leo a White Sox kippah
(JTA) — Lizzi Heydemann didn’t plan what she was going to say to Pope Leo XIV.But when the Chicago rabbi found herself face-to-face with the new pontiff during a Vatican visit alongside a delegation of Chicago leaders, she thanked him for the way he has spoken about...
A record year for the UJFT’s Community Campaign
As this article goes to press, the 2026 Community Campaign of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater has passed the $5.2 million mark for the very first time. It’s a major milestone, and the Federation is incredibly grateful to the donors and community members who...
Meet Tidewater’s new Shinshinim
The fifth cohort of Shinshinim will arrive in Tidewater later this summer. Shinshinim is an acronym for Shnat Sherut, a year of service undertaken between high school and army service— when Israeli teens spend a year connecting with Jewish communities around the...
America at 25✪ Spotlight:Minette Cooper:A life built on memory, music, and community
Bettie Minette Cooper remembered every person she met.Always known as Minette, she died on October 14, 2025, at 87 years young, leaving a legacy of commitment to family, her synagogue, the arts, and a variety of civic organizations and projects.Cooper’s story began in...
Playground for Sandler Family Campus focuses on nature
Naturally curious creatures, children interact with the world around them through play. This instinctive engagement becomes even more pronounced in natural environments, where exploration is open-ended and sensory-rich.As one study by the National Wildlife Federation...
Israeli medical students gain clinical, cultural insight in Norfolk exchange
Jewish community has long extended beyond geography, linking people across continents who often recognize a shared sense of belonging.Liora Zerbib knows about this feeling of belonging after spending several weeks with a Jewish host family in Ghent.Zerbib, an Israeli...
Local nurse practitioner offers different approach to hormone health
From postpartum recovery to perimenopause, women experience a range of life stages that can affect hormones and overall health.Dr. Kellie Frissora, a nurse practitioner and mother of three young children, understands how easily personal health can take a back seat...
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...
Israeli Chef’s Table Experience brings community, culture, and cuisine together for Israel Fest
As part of this year’s Israel @ 78 celebration, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater hosted its signature Israeli Chef’s Table Experience, an evening that blended vibrant flavors, storytelling, and a deep sense of community connection.Held at the Sandler Family...
JFS’s 22nd Annual Run, Roll, Stroll: Races for fun and funds
Jewish Family Service of Tidewater raised vital funds for community services during its 22nd Annual Run, Roll, Stroll on Sunday, May 3, attracting nearly 300 participants to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront for a 5K and community walk.Hundreds of community members,...
B’nai Israel Congregation’s community continues to grow
A lively BBQ on B’nai Israel Congregation’s patio took place on Sunday, May 3 for families who have joined the Norfolk Jewish community over the past two to three years. Rabbi Shlomo and Liba Eisenberg, whose leadership of the shul began in July 2023, hosted the...
JFS plans 67th Biennial Meeting
Monday, June 22, 12 pm • Fred Huette Garden, 1000 Botetourt Gardens, Norfolk Jewish Family Service of Tidewater will hold its 67th Biennial Meeting at a luncheon that will welcome new board members, install Steve Brown as incoming board president, and recognize...
JCC hosts National Senior Health & Fitness Day
Wednesday, May 27, 9 am – 12 pm • Sandler Family Campus The Simon Family JCC invites seniors to celebrate National Senior Health & Fitness Day – a free event that promotes “Stay Active at Any Age!” with fun activities for health and community...
Memorial Day Commemoration
Thursday, May 21, 8:30 am Jewish War Veterans Memorial Sandler Family Campus Memorial Day began in the wake of the Civil War when a grieving nation came together to honor the fallen. What started as springtime tributes at newly established national cemeteries has...