Jewish News VA
Archives
Abbey Pachter’s “A Monarch in Winter” launches to rave reviews
Terri Denison A Monarch in Winter, Abbey Pachter’s “Biography of a Butterfly” was celebrated at a book launch earlier this month. The book details the life of a male monarch butterfly, which Pachter rescued from freezing when it was a caterpillar. Over the span of a...
Norfolk’s Grand Illumination Parade includes Hanukkah
Amy Milligan I cried in Norfolk’s Grand Illumination parade on Saturday evening, Nov. 18 when 14 of us chose Jewish joy and marched with a giant Hanukkah balloon– despite some of us feeling afraid. It wasn’t lost on us that we were the only group that had multiple...
Hanukkah 2023 in Jewish Tidewater
With the lighting of the first Hanukkah candle taking place on Thursday, December 7, ample opportunities exist to celebrate the festival of lights with community in Tidewater. Be sure to confirm or RSVP to the events if requested. Happy Hanukkah! Chabad of Tidewater...
JFS’s care for PAM clients continues even after life
Kelly Burroughs Jewish Family Service is often tasked with medical and end of life decisions for its Personal Affairs Management (PAM) clients. After-life decisions are also fulfilled, regardless of the deceased’s religious affiliation. For indigent clients who are...
JFS Food Pantry provides Thanksgiving meals
Stephanie Peck In anticipation of its Thanksgiving meal distribution, Jewish Family Service’s food pantry planned to open at 10 am on Tuesday, Nov. 21. By 8:30 am, however, cars lined up outside the Sandler Family Campus. By the scheduled opening time, 25 cars had...
Rhoda Klein Steintoch
VIRGINIA BEACH – Rhoda Klein Sheintoch, 96, passed away July 8, 2023, in Virginia Beach, Virginia surrounded by her loved ones. Born in Newark, New Jersey December 14, 1926, she was predeceased by her beloved husband of almost 69 years, Dr. Martin Sheintoch and her...
Phyllis (Aftel) Weiss
NORFOLK –Phyllis (Aftel) Weiss, loving mother and devoted MeeMaw, passed away on June 18, 2023, at the age of 77. She was the light of her family’s life. Phyllis was born on April 15, 1946, and lived a full life, filled with love, joy, and laughter. She was preceded...
Brian B. Zittrain
MECHANICSVILLE – Brian B.Zittrain, of Mechanicsville, formerly of Virginia Beach, passed away June 22, 2023. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Fannie Zittrain; and stepson, Ryan Bowles. Brian is survived by his wife, Betty Zittrain; stepchildren, Monta...
Sheldon Harnick, the lyricist who made Jewish longing universal in Fiddler on the Roof
(JTA) – The moment when Sheldon Harnick realized that his new musical might be something special came when he sang the lyrics he had just composed for a new song: Sunrise, Sunset. He was sitting in the basement studio of his friend and collaborator, the composer Jerry...
Alan Arkin, Jewish actor with uncommon versatility
(JTA) — Alan Arkin knew he was going to be an actor from the age of five. “Every film I saw, every play, every piece of music fed an unquenchable need to turn myself into something other than what I was,” he wrote in his 2011 memoir, An Improvised Life. What he was...
Mazel Tov!
Rachel and David Abraham are excited to announce the engagement of their daughter Anne Louise to Alex Brandon Peljovich. Anne attended James Madison University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology. She is employed by the American Association for...
2023 UJFT Biennial Meeting honored past and present leadership and volunteers
The Marty Einhorn Pavilion on the Sandler Family Campus was the setting for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s 2023 Biennial Meeting on Wednesday, June 14. After a 30-minute reception, the meeting began at 7 pm. Nearly 150 members of Jewish Tidewater turned out...
Three from Tidewater to serve on Attorney General Miyares’ Antisemitism Task Force
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the members of his Antisemitism Task Force earlier this month. The members were chosen through an application process and are from the Office of the Attorney General employees, law enforcement, educators, and leaders in...
Virginia Beach School Board votes “no” on library changes
The Virginia Beach School Board met on Monday, June 12 to vote on, among other topics on their agenda, potential changes to the library media centers in each of the division’s schools. The vote on the proposed change to the school’s library policy in Virginia Beach...
Growth in cyber-crime encourages precaution measures
Cyber-crime is a growing national and global concern. In fact, according to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), one in three homes in the United States have a computer infected with malicious software, 65% of Americans who went online...
37 people signed Israel’s Declaration of Independence. A new podcast explores their legacy.
TEL AVIV (JTA) — Israel’s Declaration of Independence has taken central stage this year in the country’s divided politics — sometimes literally, as when Israelis opposed to proposed changes to the judiciary carried a massive version in their protests. Now, the...
Dear Readers: Health Care in the Jewish Community
Dear Readers, One of the most accurate truisms, in my opinion anyway, is “If you have your health, you have everything.” Of course, until we or someone close to us faces a medical challenge, the saying seems to be reserved for “older people.” It is in fact, true for...
Ira Robert Lederman, MD sets his sights on retirement
“For many decades, Dr. Ira Lederman has been a blessing to the community,” says Rabbi Michael Panitz. “His service to a large circle of patients, and his leadership-by-example within Temple Israel and the South Hampton Roads Jewish community, have made our world a...
Steven Warsof: An Inside Business 2023 Healthcare Hero
Inside Business presented the 2023 Healthcare Heroes Awards to “recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that are making a noteworthy difference in healthcare across Hampton Roads” on Tuesday, June 20. The breakfast event took place at the Westin Virginia...
Shavuot celebrated by area Conservative congregations
The Conservative community gathered last month at Temple Emanuel to celebrate the second night of Shavuot with a Kabbalat Shabbat service, a simple but delicious dinner, and a communal Shavuot-teach from its rabbis and cantor. More than 50 people from all four...
Town Hall to introduce Secure Community Network’s Mike Goldsmith to the community
Monday, July 10, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus United Jewish Federation of Tidewater with the Secure Community Network (SCN) continues to enhance the safety and security of Tidewater’s Jewish community. As part of this partnership, in April, Mike Goldsmith was...
If you like 60 Minutes, you’ll love Ira Rosen
Tuesday, August 1, 12 pm, Sandler Family Campus A lot of familiar names are in Ira Rosen’s engrossing book, Ticking Clock, Behind the Scenes at 60 Minutes. Names such as Harry Reasoner and Ed Bradley, Leslie Stahl and Morley Safer are found throughout, but local TV...
William “Billy” Halprin
NORFOLK – William Halprin, 71, passed away on June 4, 2023. Born in Norfolk, Va., he was the son of the late Burton Zelick and Annette Comess Halprin and was predeceased by his sister-in-law Lani Roman. A lifelong resident of Norfolk, Bill graduated from Old Dominion...
Abbey Horwitz
VIRGINIA BEACH – The family of Abbey Horwitz is heartbroken to announce his sudden passing on June 3, 2023. Abbey, born March 27, 1955, grew up in the Bronx, New York. he graduated from Fordham University before attending the Medical College of Virginia School of...
Dr. Bernard Daniel “Danny” Jason
NORFOLK – Dr. Bernard Daniel Jason passed away on June 15, 2023, with loved ones by his side. Known as “Danny,” he was born on December 23, 1931, in Norfolk to the late Jack Jason and Mollie Tisch Jason and is preceded in death by his loving wife of 56 years, Sylvia...