This critical funding comes at a time when Jewish communities across the nation are prioritizing safety in response to heightened concerns. Locally, the grant offers synagogues, day schools, and the Simon Family JCC the opportunity to have additional hours of security guard coverage, ensuring that families can feel confident their youngest members are protected during worship, learning, and programming.

  As part of this emergency grant, UJFT is also committed to engaging in a series of bridge-building efforts spearheaded by Tidewater’s Jewish Community Relations Council and partnership with Secure Community Network. Some of the efforts will involve leveraging the community’s security expertise to support local faith-based organizations outside of the Jewish community.  This may include, but is not limited to, safety assessments, security training, and support accessing federal security funding.

  UJFT is appreciative of The Tepper Foundation and JFNA for recognizing the urgency of this need.

 For more information on the Tidewater Community Security Program, contact Mike Goldsmith at MGoldsmith@securecommunitynetwork.org.

As we celebrate Hanukkah, may we continue to shine bright as a community,

Betty Ann Levin
Executive vice president/CEO

Tidewater’s Jewish community often gathers for commemorations and celebrations. In fact, over the past several months, from Yom Hashoah to Yom Ha’Atzmaut, and for so many more occasions as well, we have gathered in area synagogues and on the Sandler Family Campus. Community members have shared with me how inspiring and motivating it is to see people of all ages unite (which is particularly apparent throughout the pages of this issue of Jewish News!).

Let’s come together again – this time for the Federation’s Biennial Meeting on Wednesday evening, June 11, in the Marty Einhorn Pavilion on our community campus. It’s an opportunity to reflect on both our successes and challenges of the last two years and to look forward with anticipation to new goals, new programs, and hope for a peaceful world.

Personally, I am grateful for our community’s leadership who have brought us to this point, especially for the UJFT presidents I have had the opportunity to work with over the last seven years. Now, I look forward to working with Mona Flax, UJFT’s next president, who will be installed at the Biennial Meeting.

I am also grateful for the lay and professional leadership of all our partner agencies and synagogues. At the meeting, we will have the opportunity to recognize lay leaders who have gone above and beyond over the last two years at these organizations and institutions, as nominated by his/her respective leadership, through the Joseph (Buddy) Strelitz Community Service awards.

We will also have the opportunity to recognize Linda Spindel with the first Tzedek Award. Few people demonstrate this Jewish value of justice, of giving to those in need, as Linda has and does. Through her leadership of and volunteerism at so many area organizations, Linda is a most deserving recipient. Let’s celebrate her together.

There are more leaders to recognize at the Biennial, and I look forward to seeing you.

Together, we are strengthening and perpetuating Jewish life in Tidewater, working every day to fulfill the mission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

Thank you for the role you play in building community.

Betty Ann Levin is executive vice president/CEO of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC.

Traditionally the kick-off for the annual campaign, this luncheon usually results in commitments that represent more than 50% of the gifts to meet the needs of Jewish Tidewater and college students throughout Virginia, as well as of global Jewry.

This year, as can be found on page 8, the ladies of the community set the pace with their generosity. As with the Ruby Lion of Judah event, David Makovsky, of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, provided the
men with an insightful briefing on the complex dynamics in the Middle East.

As the men turned to commitments for the Annual Campaign, the longstanding tradition of generosity in Tidewater’s Jewish community shone through. Not only through stories told by multiple generations of numerous families present for the luncheon, but also by recounting memories of prior campaigns, trips to Israel, and examples of the generosity of the men who came before them.

It was an inspiring and motivational afternoon. Much work lies ahead to meet the challenges that face the Jewish world, but the generosity of these individuals and families is representative of the generosity of Jewish Tidewater. These men have set the pace. Now, it is up to the rest of the community.

JAFI’s impact since October 7th includes direct relief, services to vulnerable populations, physical rebuilding, and security around the world. As part of direct relief, Tidewater has designated emergency dollars to the Victims of Terror Fund.

For more than 20 years, this Fund has been the first responder for individuals and families who have been impacted by acts of terror and violence. In 2022, the Fund worked with 1,000 families. Since October 7, the Fund has provided 8,425 grants. With the scale of the terror attacks and the emerging needs so unprecedented, the Fund has hired additional staff to expand services to help as many people as possible.

In a recent impact report, JAFI provided these numbers:

Over the past two months

• More than 7,400 cases of families, who are victims of terror, are currently in process, for which more than 7,000 immediate grants have been distributed to those who were injured in an attack, those with a family member who was killed or taken hostage, and those whose homes have been severely damaged or destroyed.
• More than 6,000 calls have been received by JAFI’s emergency hotline, providing guidance and support to victims and their families.
• 201 additional grants were distributed to families of the hostages.
• 308 needs-based grants were distributed to those most vulnerable, including orphans, families in the welfare system, those who completely lost their homes, and elderly people without family.
• Emergency relief grants totaling 20,000,000 ILS (Israeli shekles) were allocated to eight regional councils in the south and to 15 regional councils in the north.
• A holiday camp was provided during Hanukkah vacation for about 80 children, aged 6-16.
• The Fund sent holiday gifts to children who chose not to participate in the Hanukkah camp because of severe levels of anxiety, stress, and trauma.

Future needs

Israel remains in crisis, and families are grappling with unimaginable loss. Current and future priorities of the Fund for Victims of Terror include:

• Distributing immediate grants of 4,000 ILS and long-term rehabilitation grants of up to 25,000 ILS to an estimated 10,000 victims.
• Continuing to allocate needs-based grants to 3,500 of Israel’s most vulnerable people.
• Operating camps for 800 children and enabling youth survivors to attend Jewish sleep-away summer camps around the world and in Israel.
• Providing support and counseling services to high school graduates entering their military service.

JAFI estimates that to serve all these families, the Fund will require $110 million.

Clearly, as the needs to support the victims of terror continues, so does the need for additional funding. Donations to UJFT’s Tidewater Supports Israel Emergency Fund may be made at JewishVa.org/SupportIsrael or by calling 757-965-6100.

Betty Ann Levin is United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s executive vice president/CEO. She may be reached at balevin@ujft.org.