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2027 Super Sunday brings Jewish Tidewater together to learn, play, act, and give
Sunday, October 11, 12 - 3 pm, Sandler Family Campus Tidewater’s Jewish community will gather for a very special Super Sunday this month. 2027 Super Sunday is a day dedicated to learning, family fun, volunteerism, and giving, while connecting with local and global...
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 friends or...
$2 million endowment for new Curator of Photography at Chrysler Museum honors Germaine Clair, former Jewish News art director
A transformative $2 million gift from longtime Chrysler Museum supporter and former curator Brooks Johnson will establish an endowed Curator of Photography position at the Chrysler Museum of Art. The newly created Germaine Clair and Brooks Johnson Curator of...
Sixteen elections later, voting still matters
This election season marks my 16th election with United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Jewish Community Relations Council.Over those 16 election cycles, I’ve watched elections energize the community, spark debate, shape public policy, and help determine the...
Be A Reader is back to school
The High Holy Days just offered a time to pause, reflect, and think about the year ahead – how to do better, how to give more, and, hopefully, how to make a difference.Now it’s time to get busy!This is one of Be A Reader (BeAR) Literacy Project’s favorite times of the...
Honoring one’s father and mother
“Honor your father and your mother” is one of the most recognizable of the Ten Commandments – simple enough for a child to memorize, yet its sentiment sticks with many Jews far more into adulthood.Kibud av v’em, the Jewish obligation to honor one’s parents, doesn’t...
A partner in planning: How TJF helps advisors help their clients
Attorneys, financial advisors, and other professional advisors often begin some of their most important conversations with clients with a simple question: What matters to you?For clients who are charitably inclined, that question can open the door to planning that...
Synagogues face the challenge to be safe, secure, welcoming, and legal
In 2018, a gunman killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in U.S. history.In the years since, some Jewish writers have argued that congregants should be able to protect themselves. Rabbi Stuart...
One heart, many voices join for annual concert at Temple Emanuel
A full house gathered at Temple Emanuel in Virginia Beach on Tuesday, Sept. 15, for the annual Cantors and Chazanim Concert, an evening that brought together cantors, rabbis, and musicians from congregations across the Tidewater Jewish community.Now in its fourth...
Lev Sara Bikkur Cholim Committee initiative
More than 50 women gathered on the top floor of the Assembly building in downtown Norfolk for the Lev Sara Bikkur Cholim Inaugural Dinner in March. Lev Sara Bikkur Cholim is a committee founded by Shari Berman, Shana Danziger, Liba Eisenberg, Dee Slone, and Michal...
At 90, Holocaust Survivor Erica Ausch shows no signs of slowing down
For the past 13 summers, Erica Ausch has led hour-long water aerobics classes for fellow residents at the Oceans Condominiums on Atlantic Avenue. “Raise hands, bring them over your head, then down to your sides,” Ausch calls out. “Kick right side, arms out, then left,...
Ballroom dancing at the JCC
Next dance: Saturday, October 24, 7 - 10 pm, Simon Family JCC For anyone who has ever thought it would be cool to learn how to dance but didn’t know where to start, a new opportunity is taking place at the Simon Family JCC.Robin Orr, Tidewater USA Dance treasurer, was...
Decades of Memories: Honoring the loss of peers and friends with Dr. Louise LubinA special program for seniors
Monday, October 19, 11 am - 12:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus Moving through life, everyone inevitably experiences the loss of people who have been integral along their journey — family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and members of the community. While those losses...
Last chance to see Ilse Bing Between Paris and New York
There is still time to experience Ilse Bing Between Paris and New York at the Chrysler Museum of Art before the exhibition closes this month.The exhibition examines the life and work of German Jewish artist Ilse Bing (1899-1998), whose photographs captured the energy...
Rabbi Michael Panitz to join Civic Salon discussion on faith and community
Tuesday, October 13, 11 am – 12 pm, Chrysler Museum of Art Rabbi Michael Panitz of Temple Israel will join Father Noah Van Niel, Rector of Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, for Civic Salon: Faith, a conversation exploring whether faith communities can serve as...
JMCC Rummage Sale
October 18, 8 am - 2 pm • Jewish Museum & Cultural Center Portsmouth For information about Jewish Museum & Cultural Center’s Rummage sale, go to jewishmuseumportsmouth.com. The sale is open to everyone.
A Community Commemoration of October 7
Join Tidewater’s Jewish community to commemorate the lives lost on October 7, 2023, and honor the strength and resilience of the Israeli people.Community members will create a visual tribute by planting 1,200 Israeli flags on the grounds of the Reba and Sam Sandler...
ODU Hillel plans memorial event for October 7
Wednesday, October 7, 12:30 -1:30 pmWebb Center, Old Dominion University This year’s October 7 Memorial at Old Dominion University centers on the voices of students. They will read, share personal reflections, remember those whose lives were changed by October 7, and...
A legacy of opportunity
Harry Mansbach, of blessed memory, believed that opportunity carried responsibility. His daughter, Sally Herman, remembers a father who understood how much circumstance could shape a person’s path. She says he believed those who had been fortunate had a responsibility...
Celebrating the Jewish Harvest holiday in Tidewater
Sukkot, which literally translates to “booths” or “huts,” is akin to a fall harvest festival. It’s a holiday that celebrates all God gives, both in terms of crops and shelter. Eating, dwelling, and even sleeping in the sukkah commemorates the time of Jews living in...
Yom Kippur: When “Impossible” becomes “I’m Possible”
There is something about Yom Kippur that makes time feel different. Perhaps it is the haunting melody of Kol Nidrei, or the fasting, or simply the knowledge that Jews around the world are standing before the same ancient questions: Who have I become? What have I taken...
Mizrahi in Motion: Connecting through art, food, and movement
Two dozen or so women gathered to immerse themselves in Mizrahi culture on the evening of Sunday, August 23. The event was led by Jackie Dratch, creator of the Mizrahi Dance Archive, and organized by NextGen757, a community group for young Jewish adults ages 21 -...
Havdalah on the beach
It was another beautiful evening at the beach on Saturday, August 29, when 68 people (but who is counting) gathered in our backyard to celebrate Havdalah together.Known for separating the Shabbat from the ordinary weekdays, Havdalah is a joyful service and a great...
Senior Speaker Series features
Monday, October 19, 11 AM- 12:30 PM • Sandler Family Campus Dr. Louise B. Lubin Join Jewish Family Service for its Senior Speaker Series featuring Dr. Louise B. Lubin, Ph.D., presenting Decades of Memories: Honoring the Loss of Our Peers and Friends.Dr. Lubin, a...
A new BeAR year and a new school Annual kickoff
Thursday, October 8, 12 pm • Sandler Family Campus Sharpen the pencils, stack the books, and get ready: BeAR is heading back to school.The Be A Reader (BeAR) Literacy Project’s annual kickoff of the school year is part reunion, part training, part eating, and a whole...
JFS Dementia Cafe
Monday, October 12, 1 –3 pm • Sandler Family Campus Jewish Family Service invites caregivers and individuals living with dementia to join its monthly Dementia Café. Held on the second Monday of every month, the Dementia Café provides a welcoming, supportive...
Tidewater Community Shabbaton
For one weekend, the diverse Jewish Tidewater becomes one. The Community Shabbaton is a chance to step away from the busyness of everyday life and experience the joy of Shabbat alongside neighbors from across the community. Participants of all ages, backgrounds, and...
In Their Own Words: American Jewish History Through Autobiography
Begins September 22, Tuesdays, 11 am • Sandler Family Campus Led by Rabbi Michael Panitz, this 10-week seminar brings to life the stories of Jewish men and women whose lives, experiences, and contributions helped shape the nation. Through their own words, participants...
NextGen 757 Pop-Up Shabbat
There is nothing quite like sitting around a vibrant Shabbat table to remind of the power of the Jewish people. When showing up for each other at the table, the local community remains strong, connected, and thriving.Pop-Up Shabbat is supported by the Richard Glasser...
Conversational Hebrew with the Shinshinim
October 19-May 24, Mondays, 5 pm • Sandler Family Campus 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...