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...
Month: October 2022
Archives
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...
Steering through Alzheimer’s: A journey of hope, community, and connection
Few diagnoses change the course of a family’s journey quite like Alzheimer’s disease. It reaches far beyond the individual, touching spouses, children, grandchildren, friends, and entire communities. Today, more than 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older are living...
Jewish American Heritage Month brings together art, history, and community
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) unfolded this year as a wide-ranging exploration of art, identity, history, and belonging. It also marked the kickoff of the Outstanding Jewish Americans in Tidewater...
Growing through Shavuot: NextGen connects before and beyond the holiday
Shavuot celebrates receiving the Torah, but for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s NextGen community, it also became an opportunity to strengthen relationships, deepen Jewish learning, and explore what it means to grow together. Through two gatherings, one...
Camp JCC kicks off a summer of friendship, fun, and new adventures
The first week of Camp JCC set the tone for another unforgettable summer, as campers reunited with old friends, welcomed new ones, and embraced traditions that make camp feel like home. Centered around the Jewish value of chaverut (friendship), the week’s activities...
Helping educators build classrooms where every student belongs
Tuesday, July 21 – Wednesday, July 22 As educators prepare for the coming school year, one goal remains essential: creating classrooms where every student feels safe, respected, and able to learn. The 2026 Tidewater Inclusive Educators’ Conference offers a powerful...
Franz Gilbert Binder
Norfolk – Gil Binder, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, life partner, uncle, mentor, and friend, passed away peacefully at the age of 95. Gil spent his early years on the Peninsula graduating from Newport News High School and later moved...
Judith Pearl Goodman
Virginia Beach – Judith Pearl Goodman passed away on June 6, 2026, at the age of 84. She was a resident of Virginia Beach. Mrs. Goodman was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Goodman and Hilda Deluty Goodman, and her brother, George Goodman. She...
Randi Ann Perrone-Kerfoot
Virginia Beach – Randi Ann Perrone-Kerfoot, 64, of Virginia Beach, passed away peacefully on June 7, 2026, surrounded by her family. Born on October 26, 1961, in Brooklyn, New York, to Theodore and Shirley (Katz) Perrone, Randi carried the spirit of her...
Molly A. Parro
Virginia Beach – Molly A. Parro died peacefully in her sleep on June 20, 2026, in Virginia Beach. She was born in Detroit Michigan and was the daughter of the late Louis Ackman and Dorothy Lese. She is survived by her husband of 31 years, Gary A. Parro;...
Lee K. Singer
Virginia Beach – Lee Kallmeyer Singer, born April 2, 1934, in N.Y., N.Y., of Virginia Beach, passed away peacefully on April 17, 2026, 15 days after his 92nd birthday. He was predeceased by his parents Stanley Singer and Marion Kallmeyer Singer, his sister...
Janice Zivitz
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...
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...