Amy Zelenka | Jewish News

2026 Annual Campaign on track for successful fundraising year

Amy Zelenka — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:19:37 +0000

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s 2026 Annual Community Campaign kicked off in August and has been raising funds at a steady pace since. As this article goes to press, the campaign total has surpassed $4.3 million, well on its way to a $5.2 million goal.

The response to this year’s campaign has been incredibly generous, with many donors increasing their levels of support. But why so many increases? Unfortunately, it’s not too difficult to guess: security. Yes, security has become the byword of Jewish communities across the country and around the world, including right here in Tidewater. Many donors have increased their giving this year to help offset the increased cost of community security, and it’s helping.

Security covers not just the Sandler Family Campus and its agencies, but also area synagogues, Hillels, and other places where Jews gather. And it includes not just the “hardening” of physical spaces but also training for those who dwell within them – training for scenarios everyone hopes to never encounter.

Heightened security, helping to rebuild Israel (physically, emotionally, and economically), and the deep desire to continue living proud Jewish lives – these are the factors which make fundraising especially critical and meaningful this year.

For those who have not already made a pledge or gift of support for the 2026 UJFT Annual Community Campaign, please consider doing so before December 31. Gifts may be made online at jewishva.org/donate.

For those who are able to maintain, or increase a gift this year, by even a small amount, know that it will help defray the increased cost of security and enable UJFT to continue meeting its obligations to the agencies, programs, and services which make Jewish Tidewater a strong and vibrant community.

Prefer to send a check? Please make it out to UJFT with a note that it is for the 2026 UJFT Campaign, and mail it to: Campaign Department, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200, Virginia Beach, VA 23462.

Prefer to speak with someone? Call the UJFT Campaign Department at 757-965-6115 to make a pledge or gift over the phone.

For more information about Untied Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the work it does on behalf of Jewish Tidewater, locally and around the world, visit jewishva.org.

Amy Zelenka is United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s chief development officer.

Introducing Next Gen 757:A new era for young Jewish adults in Tidewater

Amy Zelenka — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 16:28:12 +0000

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Young Adult Division (YAD) has a new name and a new way of doing business. Now officially rebranded as Next Gen 757, this bold new identity reflects its mission, its members, and the vibrant future UJFT is helping to shape in the Hampton Roads Jewish community.

Why the change?

Over the years, UJFT’s YAD Division has grown into a dynamic platform for young professionals, emerging leaders, and community changemakers. But as its reach and impact evolved, the leaders at UJFT started to realize that there might be better and more creative ways to connect and engage the young Jewish population (who are also future Jewish leaders). And so, significant collaboration between the development (fundraising) side of the organization and the programming (engagement) side is taking place, which will strengthen all aspects of Next Gen 757.

Next Gen 757 represents more than a demographic. It reflects a movement — the next generation of thinkers, doers, and emerging leaders who are invested in shaping the future of the Jewish community of Tidewater.

What does “Next Gen 757” stand for?

• Next Gen signifies forward-thinking leadership, innovation, and inclusivity.

•757 grounds the group in the Tidewater Jewish community — connecting young Jewish adults across all cities in Hampton Roads.

What’s staying the same?

While the name is changing, the group’s core values and dedication remain unchanged. It is still very much committed to the core mission: to connect, empower, and elevate the next generation of Jewish leaders and community members – through engagement, networking, and leadership development opportunities.

Members can still expect:

•Engaging events that foster close relationships with one another and with the Jewish community.

•Service opportunities that make a real impact.

•A strong network of peers, mentors, and local leaders.

•An opportunity to set the course for young Jewish adult programs and activities moving into the future.

What’s next?

The Next Gen 757 brand will soon appear across UJFT’s website, social media platforms, and other communications. All current and prospective members are invited to embrace this new chapter — because the future of Hampton Roads is being written by the next generation.

UJFT is currently seeking a dedicated professional for this group – an energetic and engaging Next Gen Engagement Coordinator whose top priority will be engaging young adults in the Jewish community. That professional will work hand in hand with Next Gen 757 members, as well as fellow Jewish communal professionals, across departments and agencies, to ensure the most vibrant, creative, and inclusive programming.

So, no more YAD Cabinet. But instead: a dedicated professional working closely with Next Gen 757 members to identify interests within this group and connect those interests with Tidewater’s Jewish community through programming (both existing and new!) – giving more input AND more ownership to Next Gen 757 participants.

Next Gen 757 is more than a name. It’s a vision. And it is just getting started.

Amy Zelenka, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s chief development officer, may be reached at azelenka@ujft.org.

Virtual Super Sunday…How will it work? What will be the impact?

Amy Zelenka — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 21:18:05 +0000

Sunday, September 14

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater will host its first all-virtual Super Sunday on Sunday, Sept. 14. In a multi-pronged approach to fundraising, volunteers will mail, text, email, and yes, call members of the Tidewater Jewish community to talk about Campaign and the impacts of the efforts for those at home and for the Jewish People around the world.

Where Campaign dollars go

It’s important to recognize the impact of combined Campaign dollars around the community. The funds raised on Super Sunday, and throughout the Campaign, impact the programs and services the community relies on at Jewish Family Service; that ensure top-quality programs the Simon Family JCC brings to the entire Hampton Roads community – through speakers, books, films, and other art media; and that ensure access to a full spectrum of Jewish education – from early childhood to tween and teen youth groups, to Hillels, to adult education and Jewish book clubs.

The combined Campaign dollars help ensure that Jewish Tidewater is prepared for potential threats against it and that it can act swiftly in the face of antisemitism. Campaign dollars ensure that Jewish Tidewater’s voices and concerns are heard at the highest levels of state and federal government.

Overseas, the Campaign supports the most vulnerable Jews around the world – including those who’ve endured more than three years of a brutal war in Ukraine and Israelis who’ve experienced nearly two years of ongoing trauma following the horrific events of October 7th.
Super Sunday allows each community member to touch many lives.

What’s new about Super Sunday this year

Traditionally, Super Sunday volunteer callers have gathered on the Sandler Family Campus equipped with cell phones and chargers to make calls. This year, when volunteers sign up, they’ll receive a calling sheet with the names of donor prospects, their contact information, and suggested “ask amount.” Then, volunteers can decide how best to make contact. Several campaign leaders will be recording video messages that can be shared via text. A link in the text will allow donors to pledge or donate, right from their phones.

In the days leading up to Super Sunday, some donors may receive a phone call or other communication from their assigned solicitor (looking to get a jump on Super Sunday… or soliciting in advance, because they won’t be available on Super Sunday). Other donors may get a pledge card and return envelope in the mail, encouraging them to give right away, so that their gifts can be counted in the Super Sunday total… and ultimately the Super Sunday impact.

Excited about stepping into these newer technologies, Campaign staff and volunteers anticipate excellent results and look forward to reaching the community and beyond to maximize Tidewater’s impact here at home and around the Jewish world. More information at JewishVA.org/SuperSunday

Amy Zelenka is chief development officer for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. She may be reached at azelenka@ujft.org.

Super Sunday, reimagined Sunday, September 14

Amy Zelenka — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 18:57:28 +0000

For decades, Super Sunday has been a flagship event in the lifecycle of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s community campaign. It’s been a day of community mobilization – bringing volunteers together in a room buzzing with energy, armed with phones, stacks of pledge cards, and the shared mission of raising vital funds for Jewish life locally and abroad.

But when the world changed, so did Jewish Tidewater.

In response to shifting realities, the Super Sunday community phonathon made a bold transition from live and in-person to hybrid and virtual. UJFT is trying something new this year – a completely virtual event using various communication platforms to reach donors.
What began as a necessary pivot during the pandemic has evolved into a powerful new model for engagement, connection, and fundraising. So much has been learned in the past few years as tools and technologies have evolved – allowing for new and creative methods.

Why the change?

Like many legacy events, Super Sunday has faced some hurdles in a post-pandemic world: health concerns, scheduling conflicts, and a broader cultural shift toward remote and hybrid gatherings. Rather than seeing these as obstacles, leadership and staff saw them as opportunities.”

“We didn’t want to lose the spirit of Super Sunday,” says Jason Hoffman, UJFT Campaign chair. “So, we asked ourselves: How can we preserve the energy, the impact, and the sense of community, while also meeting people where they are?”

The virtual solution

Enter virtual Super Sunday: a new way of reaching current and prospective donors. Volunteers can now join from their homes, making calls or sending texts to their assigned prospects. And instead of a one-day blitz, Super Sunday is expanded into a full “Super Week” of flexible calling, texting, and even a good old fashioned direct mail campaign. The aim is to be more inclusive and more impactful – to reach even more members of Tidewater’s amazing Jewish community than in the past.

Looking ahead

This is a new way of doing things. And while elements of an in-person Super Sunday may return in the future, this year should offer many lessons on the best and most effective ways to reach donors.

A look at other Federations and non-profits around the country suggests that this may well be the future of community engagement—hybrid, flexible, and inclusive. Walls are now optional.

Keep those cell phones close on Sunday, September 14 and in the days leading up to it. Donors may receive a call from an assigned solicitor or another volunteer… maybe there will be a text message with a short video and link to donate a 2026 campaign gift. Check mailboxes in the days leading up to Super Sunday for a letter requesting gifts also be made in a more traditional way.

No matter how one is asked, the community hopes people will support the Tidewater and global Jewish community with a gift that touches many, many lives. Super Sunday may look different today, but its heart remains the same: a community coming together, one call at a time, to strengthen Jewish life for generations to come.

Amy Zelenka is United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s chief development officer.

2025 UJFT Annual Campaignon track for a successful finish

Amy Zelenka — Thu, 08 May 2025 18:08:07 +0000

The 2025 Annual Campaign of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater recently crossed over the milestone $5 million mark, on its way to a successful close. The campaign year officially closes on Monday, June 30. Every attempt is made to have all gifts closed before that date. The Campaign is doing well – ahead of its dollar pace at this time last year, but slightly behind in terms of the number of gifts closed. The goal is to reach as many Jewish community members as possible to participate in this important fundraising effort.

Dollars raised during the Campaign are allocated to service delivery partners and agencies at home and around the Jewish world.
Generous gifts of support to UJFT’s Annual Campaign enable:

Clients to receive various kinds of assistance from Jewish Family Service of Tidewater.
Students to engage in Jewish education opportunities at Strelitz International Academy, Toras Chaim, Bina, and Talmudical Academy, among others.
Virginia college kids to have access to a Hillel on campus for Shabbat dinner or help navigating tough situations on campus.
Community members to be able to enter the JCC with confidence to enjoy the programs and services offered there, knowing they are safe and protected, because of security initiatives.
Elderly Jews in Ukraine to receive food and fuel from UJFT’s overseas partner, the JDC – just to get through a third frigid, war-torn winter.
Israelis to receive counseling services and emotional and physical therapies to address their inner and outer war wounds.

On behalf of all those folks and so many others, the Federation thanks all who’ve made a gift of support to the 2025 UJFT Annual Campaign and have subscribed to the belief that “All Jews are responsible for one another.”

Not yet had the chance to make a gift? Help UJFT complete another successful campaign by making a gift today.

Go online to www.jewishva.org/donate; call Amy Zelenka at the Federation at 757-965-6139; email azelenka@ujft.org; or send in a check made out to: UJFT Annual Campaign to UJFT, 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200, Virginia Beach, VA 23462.

Gifts will help ensure the future of Tidewater’s Jewish community today, tomorrow, and always.

Moms and flowers and bagels… Oh my

Amy Zelenka — Thu, 08 May 2025 17:43:04 +0000

On a glorious spring Sunday morning, 10 young moms came together for a fun brunch and flower arranging workshop.

Hostess Bo Lepchitz and her sister, Sunny, provided a plethora of floral options and the ladies “went to town.” Everyone created a beautiful centerpiece to take home, but even more… they came away with new ideas on myriad challenges, such as “how to get my two-year-old to eat anything but chicken nuggets,” “how do I make sure my child will do well on his first airplane flight,” and “what’s the best way to make sure my husband doesn’t lose our child in the airport…” (Answer to the last one: Air Tags!)

What a wonderful way to bring together moms, ideas, bagels, and flowers. The group (which did not all know each other beforehand) is now asking: “When can we do this again?”

Any mom of an infant or toddler (or both) who wants to get together with other moms with kids of similar ages (at a leave-the-littles at home event), contact Amy Zelenka at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater at 757-965-6139 or email azelenka@ujft.org.

Emily Krouse, Jess Glasser, and Ally St. Pierre enjoy the morning.

Jessica Glasser creates a beautiful floral centerpiece.

Leah Wohlgemuth with her beautiful arrangement.

Moms of infants and toddlers come together for a UJFT YAD Brunch at the home of Bo Lepchitz (at the head of the table).

YAD women welcome Passover in a sweet way

Amy Zelenka — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 17:07:17 +0000

A small group of “exhausted-from-Passover-prepping” YAD women took time out on a Thursday evening to come together, swap advice, share stories, and create beautiful kosher for Passover dessert charcuterie boards.

Combining classic sweets such as jelly rings, chocolate covered marshmallows, and jelly fruit slices… with relative “newcomers:” sour gummie bears and rainbow sprinkled nonpareils, the women used their creative culinary skills to make beautiful, colorful, and delicious boards.

Rounding out the boards, they added slices of rainbow cake and coconut macaroons. And to ensure its nutritional balance, they included beautiful, dried apples and apricots – thus achieving a truly tasteful balance of “all things sweet and Pesedik-y.”

Some planned to share their board at a seder they were attending, while others hoped to satisfy the dessert cravings of guests at their own seder tables (hoping to get a piece or two, before the kids came triumphant – having located the afikomen!).

Perhaps sweetest of all… the event provided a reason to gather with one another in the days leading up to Passover, to talk about family, community, traditions, and the things in life that really matter.

Dara Pomerantz works on her board.

Pati Oliszewski displays her Passover candy charcuterie board.

Heather Barnes builds her board.

Hailey Foer with her board.

This year… Tidewater. Next year… Jerusalem.

Amy Zelenka — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 21:30:37 +0000

Whenever a mission participant returns from Israel, their first and often fondest memories are of their tour guide. And for the past 10 plus years, Tidewater’s exclusive Israel tour guide has been the amazing Zalman Spivak, a unique combination of many fine skills and qualities. An outstanding educator and scholar, Spivak also brings a love for the land and the People of Israel that is absolutely contagious. His energy and enthusiasm make it impossible not to engage!

After October 7, Spivak was recalled to his reserve unit, where he served for the better part of a year. Because so many of us know and love him, his experiences post-October 7 have become a lens through which we have processed the events unfolding in Israel. We worried for his safety as well as that of his young children and parents. We thought about him constantly and hoped he was doing okay. We wondered how he was able to make a living with tourism (just beginning to come back to Israel after COVID) once again, completely shut down. And we sat in frustration, because all we could really do was send him the occasional Whatssap or Facebook message telling him he was in our thoughts.
It’s hard to believe that in March of 2023, a group of us were touring and celebrating Purim with him in Israel. What a difference seven months makes.

In September of 2024, fresh from reserve duty, Spivak had the opportunity standing-room-only crowd at the home of Ashley and Greg Zittrain, we listened to him talk about what the last year had been like for him and for Israelis in general; how the political situation in Israel was playing out in a post-October 7 nation; and how we can help support Israel.

Fast forward to February 2025. Spivak again found himself in the US, creating a travel itinerary which put him in his favorite communities. And once again, we were thrilled to welcome him. This time, he brought a multi-media, Tu B’Shevat Seder program he created especially for our Young Leadership Division, which brilliantly illustrated the relationship between the people, the land, and the modern politics of Israel.

Quoting the early Zionist hero, Joseph Trumpledor, Spivak built his program with the following quote in mind: “Wherever the Jewish plow plows its last furrow, that is where the border will run.” Every child in Israel knows this quote, and it speaks not only to the land and the people, but also to the political decisions made on the borders of Israel, including the Gaza envelop and the Golan Heights, where farms are plentiful, and food is produced to feed the nation.

Spivak created a Tu B’Shevat Haggadah which included the order of the seder (including four cups of wine and the seven species of Israel), as well as modern quotes from contemporary thinkers, scholars, and poets and videos of songs sung by a nation at war, which speak directly to the value of the land and the willingness of Israelis to fight for it.

About 25 members of UJFT’s Young Adult Division participated in the seder with the opportunity to learn from Spivak – as so many of us have done on Israel Missions. The dinner gave a nod to Tu B’Shevat – the Jewish “New Year for Trees,” with olives and dates playing a starring role, as well as vegetable soup!

Moving through the seder, we drank our four cups, starting with white wine – representing the pure white, stillness, and dormancy of winter and the snowcapped Mount Hermon. Next, we drank pale pink – (white with a drop of red wine), representing the earth’s awakening in early spring; the gradual and orderly turning of the seasons, which are the background against which we lead our lives. Moving further through the seder, we drank our third cup, which was a darker pink – symbolizing the blossoming of late spring, as it overtakes the dormancy of winter with its rush of new colors in the landscape. The fourth cup – near the end of the seder was almost totally red (with only a drop of white), symbolizing the full arrival of spring and the vibrant life of a new season. Through this progression, we began to understand the cycle of agriculture in various parts of Israel, how it fits with other holidays and celebrations, and its importance to the people.

It’s hard to believe two years have passed since our community was last in Israel on a Federation mission. Being with Spivak was a reminder of how meaningful it is for each of us to connect with the land and the people.

I hope that the coming year will bring a full return of the hostages and “peace enough” that we can once again travel together. And while it may not be traditional to recite at the close of a Tu B’Shevat seder… I will add: “L’Shanah Haba’ah B’Yerushalayim.” Next year, may we find ourselves and our community together (on a mission with Zalman!) in Jerusalem

Local leader to receive prestigious award

Amy Zelenka — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 20:16:53 +0000

Anyone who’s worked alongside Karen Jaffe on committee or in community leadership will confirm: Karen Jaffe is special. A much-admired leader in the Tidewater Jewish community, Jaffe has been a role model for her family, friends, and an entire generation of emerging women leaders.

Leading by example, Jaffe inspires peers and young leaders alike to engage in meaningful service, philanthropy, and tikkun olam. Her many years of service on community boards and committees reflects a lifetime dedicated to strengthening and enhancing Jewish life in Tidewater and around world.

Jaffe is a champion of women’s philanthropy and empowerment. And she carries an unwavering love for Israel and the Jewish People – believing with her whole heart in the collective responsibility for world Jewry. Perhaps nothing illustrates this better than the fulfillment of her late parents’ vision to build a Jewish Family Service similar to the one in Jewish Tidewater in an at-risk community in Eastern Europe. Together with her brother, Nathan Jaffe, they brought the Jaffe Family JFS in Budapest, Hungary from a vision to a reality. And it was likely no coincidence that much of this took place during the time when Jaffe was the (national) chair of JDC – Europe. She then led Tidewater’s very first community mission to Budapest and Prague.

Through her every action, Jaffe embodies the spirit of the Lion of Judah, using her “join me” spirit to influence others and bring good in the world.

When asked to reflect on what being a Lion of Judah has meant to her, Jaffe had the following to say:

“I’ve always tried to live a values-driven life, and my values are Jewish values. My late-parents, Lee and Bernard, were wonderful role models – inspiring me to meaningful service, philanthropy, and tikkun olam. Looking back at the boards and committees on which I’ve served, I see a lifetime of working with others to build, strengthen, and enhance Jewish life at home and around world.

“As a proud Lion, I constantly try to be a force-multiplier for bringing good into the world.”

Jaffe will receive the Kipness/Wilson-Friedland award. Selected by their local federations, KWF award winners embody the values of the Lion of Judah. Winners of this prestigious, nationally-recognized award are leaders in their communities — women whose body of work has left and continues to leave an enormous imprint for generations to come; women who’ve inspired and motivated others to take an active role in philanthropy and Jewish community involvement.

Jaffe’s award will be presented in January at the International Lion of Judah Conference.

The Tidewater Jewish community is incredibly pleased to wish Karen Jaffe a hearty Mazel Tov on this much deserved award.

Amy Zelenka is United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s chief development officer.

Looking back and looking forward

Amy Zelenka — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 16:37:36 +0000

Year end is fast approaching, and with it comes an opportunity to look back and assess… Did I do all I wanted to do over the past 12 months? Did I accomplish my goals? Stick with my New Year’s resolutions? Make the world better in some small way?

Year end is a chance to set and re-set goals, and one place to start might be with tzedakah. In a year full of darkness for Israel and the Jewish people, we can all bring a bit of light and hope. Please consider making a gift to the 2025 UJFT Annual Campaign.

Your gift will bring light to the families of hostages and hostage survivors in Israel, as well as those displaced families seeking to rebuild their lives. Your gift will take care of elderly Jews in Ukraine – now heading in to their third winter of war (which promises to be the worst one yet, with an electrical grid so heavily degraded by repeated Russian attacks).

Your gift will help college students dealing with intimidation and threats from the disgusting antisemitic “protests” taking place on college campuses throughout the country. Your gift will help fund increased security throughout the Jewish community of Tidewater, hardening our physical locations and providing training against possible threats. And your gift will help bolster the local programs and services we fund right here at home, which make this the community we love.

When you look back on this year… this sad, shocking, frightening, and maddening year… will you be satisfied with your actions? Please consider a gift of support for the Jewish community at home and around the world through the Federation’s Annual Campaign.

To make a gift, call UJFT’s campaign department at 757-965-6115, email pmalone@ujft.org, or visit jewishVA.org. If you received a pledge card in the mail earlier this year, now is a great time to fill it out and return it. And if you receive a phone call from one of our callers in the coming days and weeks, please say yes. You’ll be touching more lives than you can imagine.

Here’s looking forward to a better year ahead for all of us. Am Yisroel Chai!

Amy Zelenka is chief development officer for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. She may be reached at
azelenka@ujft.org.