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...
Month: October 2022
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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,...
Back at the Beach: JFS Run, Roll & Stroll returns
Sunday, May 3, 8 am, 24th Street Park, Virginia Beach Jewish Family Service’s Run, Roll & Stroll returns to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront next month. The 5K race and 1-mile fun run will begin at 24th Street Park. “We are thrilled to return oceanside and once...
Yom Ha’Atzmaut in Tidewater: A day of community, culture, and connection
Sunday, April 26, 12 - 3 pm, Sandler Family Campus Celebrate Israel’s 78th Independence Day, Yom Ha’Atzmaut, while connecting with friends, embracing Israeli culture, and strengthen community ties – bringing together families, friends, and organizations in Tidewater....
Irene Thelma Bressler
Englewood, Ohio – Irene Bressler of Englewood, passed away on March 23, 2026, shortly before what would have been her 88th birthday. She was pre-deceased by her husband of over 61 years, Ronald Bressler, in 2018, her parents, Arthur and Louise Halsband, and her...
Reba Karp
Virginia Beach – Reba Karp passed away peacefully on March 17, 2026, at the age of 92. Reba was truly one of a kind. She began working as editor of the Southeastern Virginia Jewish News in May 1978 and was also instrumental in the creation of...
Anna Lee Rapport Langman
Charlotte, N. C. – Anna Lee Rapport Langman passed on March 9, 2026, at the age of 86. She was a resident of Charlotte, North Carolina. A funeral service was held at The Hebrew Cemetery, Chapel, in Charlotte. Interment followed in the Hebrew Cemetery. McEwen Funeral...
Jordan S. “Buddy” Levitin
Norfolk – Longtime Norfolk resident, Jordan S. Levitin, better known as “Buddy,” 92, passed away on April 10, 2026. He is survived by his wife, Carol, 88, and children Michael (Caryn), Samuel (Susan), son-in-law Bob Mastorakis, and grandchildren Brenna,...
Howard Mark Miller
Virginia Beach – Howard Miller passed away peacefully on March 19, 2026; he was 74 years old. He will be remembered as a devoted father, a cherished family member, an accomplished Bridge and basketball player, and a respected legal advocate whose...
Shirley E. (Cohen) Neumann
Phoenixville, Pa. – Shirley E. (Cohen) Neumann, 96, wife of the late Leonard J. Neumann of Phoenixville, passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Born on December 30, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Julius and Beatrice (Abramson)...
Stephen Howard Pitler
Norfolk – Stephen (Steve) Howard Pitler, age 81, passed away on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Steve was born in Norfolk on March 20, 1945. The son of Julia and Albert Pitler, Steve attended Granby Elementary and Granby High School. He graduated from Temple...
Richard Taylor
Norfolk – Richard Taylor, 86, passed away on April 2, 2026. Richard was born on May 10, 1939, in Norfolk, Va. Of blessed memory are his mother, Dorothy, his father, Hyman, and his brother, Martin H. Taylor. Richard is survived by his...
Red noses, real healing:The power of laughter in Tidewater
For one remarkable week in March, Tidewater experienced a different kind of medicine—one delivered with red noses, improvisation, and deep compassion. Representatives from the Dream Doctors Project, an Israeli nonprofit that integrates professional medical clowns into...
America’s 250th Birthday Quilt may include blocks from two Hampton Roads Jewish residents
Darva Gruber and Sharon Grossman share something besides their long membership at Temple Israel. They both love crafting. So, when Gruber became aware that Visit Williamsburg, as part of the nation’s 250th Commemoration, intended to create The Great American Birthday...
Stay vigilant – our community depends on you
This month’s attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan is a stark reminder that antisemitic threats are real. The attack on the same day at Old Dominion University, though not targeting the Jewish community directly, hit close to home and underscores the...
Unless you’ve walked in their moccasins or slept in their beds. . .Visiting Israel during this latest Iran war. February 25-March 8, 2026
A view from Israel / First Person While we knew there was a chance a war might break out, our nephew and niece were having a baby, and we were meeting our sister and brother in Zichron Ya’akov to celebrate. Zichron, as the Israelis call it, is an idyllic, small...
Trump’s counterterrorism director resigns over Iran, blasting ‘war manufactured by Israel
(JTA) — The director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center resigned on Tuesday, March 17, citing his objection to the Iran war and claiming that Israel tricked the United States into entering. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,”...
A gunman rammed a Michigan synagogue. Its security preparations may have saved lives.
(JTA) — Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a U.S. citizen who immigrated from Lebanon 15 years ago, armed with rifles and smoke bombs, who rammed into Temple Israel on Thursday, March 12 encountered a synagogue that was well prepared for just such an attack. He hit and...
Security funding that Jewish groups call crucial is being held up by DHS
(JTA) — A shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security since Feb. 14 is halting the review of millions of dollars in security funding for nonprofits, leaving Jewish institutions and other vulnerable groups in limbo at a moment of heightened concern about...
Tidewater to celebrate Israel at 78
Israeli Chef’s Table - Wednesday, April 22, 7 pm Sandler Family Campus Yom Ha’Atzmaut - Sunday, April 26, 12 – 3 pm Sandler Family Campus As Israel continues to face a difficult moment, the bond between the nation and Jewish communities around the worldfeels...
In honor of Yom HaShoah: Charlotte’s story
How will the history of the Holocaust be told when the last witness, the last child or grandchild of a survivor has passed away? The records of the Holocaust are preserved in archives throughout the world. And sometimes archives are able to take an active role in...
Seder plates, oranges, and memories
A beautiful, high-end fancy seder plate might be the perfect centerpiece at the table. Other times though, the attraction might radiate from the memories of a beat-up, or a child-made, or an artistic piece that when placed on the table, manages to bring loved...