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Trump says US aid to Israel will stop at the end of the year
(JTA) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Nov. 3 said that the United States would halt billions of dollars in annual aid to Israel by the end of 2026, potentially ending decades of military funding for one of America’s closest allies in the Middle East.“We were...
JCOC is one of 24 local agencies toreceive grants from Beth Sholom Village
At 65 and 73, William Dority and Margaret Babonis represent seniors, the fastest growing cohort of people experiencing homelessness in the United States. And it’s why the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center in Virginia Beach was able to secure a grant from Beth Sholom...
Dancing beyond our circle
A little less than a month ago, I received an unexpected message from someone who got my name from the Simon Family JCC. She was looking for information about Israeli folk dancing.At first, I assumed she might be interested in joining our weekly rikudim classes, which...
New strategic plan for UVA’s Hillel
The Brody Jewish Center (Hillel at the University of Virginia) announced a new strategic plan for 2026-2029, which will support the nearly 1,000 students who engaged in educational programs at the Center last year, more than 90 students in leadership development...
Milestone anniversaries worth celebrating
Anniversaries are measured in years, but these couples say the real story is in the small things: a question about basketball, a slice of cheesecake, a paper on Herbert Marcuse. Married from five to 50 years, these four area couples share how they met, what they have...
New inductees of Fine Family Academy of Educators include Eric Werner
The Fine Family of Academy Educators held a ceremony in September to honor its latest inductees, including Eric J. Werner, MD.Established in 2019 by the Fine family and community supporters, the Fine Family Academy of Educators is part of the Macon and Joan Brock...
Honoring a legacy of advocacy: Dorothy Salomonsky retires after more than three decades of transforming guardianship
After more than three decades of visionary leadership, unwavering advocacy, and profound dedication, Dorothy Salomonsky is retiring from Jewish Family Service of Tidewater. Her departure marks the conclusion of a monumental career that not only built the foundation of...
Heroism on a ski lift:Major Metzger’s strong hold
Major Metzger, a student at Virginia Beach Middle School, was with family and friends at Wintergreen Ski Resort in January 2025, when he committed an act of bravery that saved another child from a 16-foot fall and earned him the Carnegie Medal for Heroism.“All I could...
Shari Dozoretz Friedman to be honored as Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer
Shari Dozoretz Friedman will receive the Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Hampton Roads Chapter at its National Philanthropy Day Awards Presentation on Tuesday, Nov. 10.“One of the biggest honors of my life is...
A first-of-its-kind Virginia Beach grant helps artist leap into glass
When Virginia Beach opened applications for its first-ever Individual Artists Support Grant, Rachel “RJ” Jaffe knew it was meant for artists like her.“It was designed for people like me that are actively working and sharing their art and have these grand projects but...
A century of wisdom and blessing: Honoring Jesse Shepperd at 105
On October 20, Jesse Shepperd celebrated her 105th birthday surrounded by family, friends, and the people who are lucky enough to know her.Her birthday brought together generations of family, including her son and daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren,...
Mike Jaffe rides with 250 bikers to Cleveland to raise dollars for Tribe of NOVA Foundation
A Virginia Beach Lost Tribe riding member, Mike Jaffe participated in this past summer’s JMA Ride to Remember to Cleveland.This was Jaffe’s “10th or 11th Ride to Remember,” he says.The 250 members of the Jewish Motorcyclist Alliance who participated in the ride to...
Dementia Cafe
When I first proposed the idea of a dementia café to our community, people asked various questions. Mainly, “What is this?”Dementia Cafés began in the Netherlands in 1997 when Dr. Bere Miesen, a clinical psychologist, opened the first one at Leiden University. He...
Jewish Holidays at Aviva Pembroke
The Jewish community came together to help residents of Aviva Pembroke enjoy the Jewish New Year and Sukkot.Jewish Family Service delivered 38 Rosh Hashanah bags filled with apples, honey, a fresh calendar, and a challah donated by Ohef Sholom Temple. Rabbi Ari...
Michael Oren visits Tidewater to share perspective on Israel
Commentators across the political spectrum have expended countless words to describe and explain the current moment in Israel and the state of the U.S.-Israel relationship.In Tidewater last month, Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the United States (2009-2013),...
Light up Hanukkah at PJ’s Around the Menorah
Wednesday, Dec. 9, 4:30 - 6:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus Families are invited to celebrate Hanukkah at PJs Around the Menorah with PJ Library and Tidewater’s ShinShinim for an evening that brings families together through holiday traditions, hands-on activities, and...
Give back, then raise a glass!Join NextGen, NADIV, and JFS tohelp with Thanksgiving food drive
Pack: Tuesday, Nov. 17, 5:30 – 7 pm, Sandler Family CampusDistribute: Friday, Nov. 20, 10 am – 12 pm, Sandler Family Campus This Thanksgiving, Jewish Family Service is providing holiday grocery bags to 300 local families in need. Each family will receive a frozen...
Shimmy, bloom, and connect: A NextGen Women’s Rosh Chodesh celebration
Thursday, Nov. 12, 6 - 8 pm • Simon Family JCC Calling all NextGen women (ages 22–45ish) for Mizrahi in Motion & Flower Crowns. Jackie Dratch will lead a vibrant Mizrahi dance lesson (no experience needed, just come ready to move).In addition to the dance, women...
JFS prepares for neighbors this Thanksgiving
Donations accepted through: Monday, Nov. 16Packing bags: Tuesday, Nov. 17Thanksgiving Food Giveaway: Friday, Nov. 20 As the holiday season approaches, Jewish Family Service is preparing for one of its largest annual community outreach efforts: the Thanksgiving Food...
Ohef Sholom’s Senior Shabbaton hits a high note
Next Senior Shabbat Initiative: Friday November 27, Ohef Sholom Temple In August, Ohef Sholom Temple hosted its first Senior Shabbat Initiative made possible by a generous grant from Beth Sholom Village. This was the first in a series of programs designed to enable...
Conversational Hebrew with the Shinshinim
Join the Tidewater Shinshinim for weekly conversational Hebrew classes designed to help participants build confidence in speaking and understanding modern Hebrew. Through interactive activities, games, real-life scenarios, and cultural discussions, participants will...
Siblings on the Sidelines
This winter, while their siblings compete in the Simon Family JCC Youth Basketball League, children can take part in Siblings on the Sidelines with the Tidewater Shinshinim in The Zone on the Sandler Family Campus. Through lively Israeli games and creative activities,...
ESEK returns to Tidewater with Made in Israel Pop-Up Market
Monday, Nov. 23, 12 - 7 pm Tuesday, Nov. 24, 8 am - 2 pmSandler Family Campus ESEK, an initiative connecting Israeli artists and small businesses with communities around the world, returns to Tidewater bringing a collection of Israeli-made products to the community...
A synagogue and Jewish-owned shops damaged in French riots
(JTA) —PARIS – Jewish-owned shops in Marseille were set ablaze and a synagogue in Paris was vandalized as part of widespread property damage caused by riots across France October 17 and 18, according to the Jewish Community Protection Service.It is too early to assess...
Legacy cannot be built from the sidelines
On a Saturday evening in Tel Aviv, I found myself dancing along the boardwalk. Nearby, a couple in their 80s danced to the music, seemingly without a care in the world. Families strolled along the waterfront. Friends gathered. Children played. It was ordinary. It was...
Feldman Family Scholarship invests in three future healthcare professionals
For 33 years, Dr. William Feldman cared for children and families throughout Hampton Roads. But his commitment to improving lives extended well beyond his medical practice. With his wife, Mary, Feldman believed that one of the most meaningful ways to strengthen the...
Tidewater BBYO’s annual kickoff started with Havdalah, ended with games
Tidewater BBYO held its annual fall kickoff event on Saturday, Sept. 19. Launching what will be an incredible year, the program started with a Havdalah on the beach where everyone took the time to begin the year as a community. Next, at Beachside Social, teens spent...
Tidewater BBYO creates foundation for the programming at LTI
Virginia Council came together for an amazing LTI (Leadership Training Institute), bringing together teens from Tidewater and Richmond to prepare for the year ahead. The event was held in Richmond on August 30. Chapter leadership boards from Tidewater’s Simcha BBG and...
Hunger in Virginia: Caring for neighbors this Thanksgiving
Hunger does not always look how one might imagine. It may be a senior trying to stretch a fixed income, a parent choosing between groceries and a utility bill, or a working family facing unexpected expenses.According to the 2026 Virginia Hunger Study, 42% of Virginia...
JFS honors Debbie Mayer’s legacy and welcomes Michelle Fenley to new leadership role at Embrace Counseling
After 33 years of devoted service as clinical director, Debbie Mayer is “retired-ish” from Jewish Family Service, marking a meaningful transition for the agency and the many children, families, and community members whose lives she has touched.Mayer will continue to...