Norfolk—Connie Banks Bernstein of Norfolk, Va. passed away on Sept. 13, 2021, at age 95. She is predeceased (1988) by her beloved husband Elliot Bernstein. She is survived by her three children: sons Albert and Morton Bernstein; daughter Joyce Howell; and by her seven...
Jewish News VA
Archives
Norman Blumenson
Keizer, Ore.—Norman Blumenson, born September 12, 1925, died on September 15, 2021, a few days after his 96th birthday, in Keizer, Oregon. Norman was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, the son of the late Isadore and Fannie Blumenson. He was predeceased by his...
Loretta Ann Cohen
Norfolk—Loretta Ann Cohen, nee Comess, passed on the 18th of September, 2021. Loretta was born in 1937 and raised in Norfolk, Virginia. A true Norfolkian; she attended Blair Middle School and Maury High School. She was passionate about art, philanthropy, and her five...
Mildred Lillian Dreyfus
CHESAPEAKE—Mildred Lillian Dreyfus, 94, passed away on September 26, 2021, surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Union City, New Jersey to Benjamin and Rebecca Scherb on December 7, 1926. One of seven siblings, she was a first-generation American in a...
Arnold M. Hoffman, DDS
Virginia Beach—Dr. Arnold M. Hoffman, DDS, age 88, passed away at Atlantic Shores Seaside Health Center in Virginia Beach on October 2, 2021, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland to the late Max and Lena Hoffman. He was...
Janet Sylvia Linden
Richmond—Janet Sylvia Linden, 95, of Norfolk, Virginia, passed away on Thursday, September 23, 2021, in Richmond, Virginia. Sylvia was born in Norfolk. She was the youngest of the six children of Morris and Hannah Kahn. She was the bookkeeper for Temple Israel and...
CRC announces 4th annual Israel Poster Contest
First–12th graders — Deadline: Monday, Feb. 29, 4 pm The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater invites local first through 12th graders to participate in their fourth annual Israel Poster Contest. A list of ‘cool facts’ about Israel...
Prominent rabbi brings insight, wisdom and experience to community for 3rd Annual Tidewater Together
Feb. 4–7, Thursday–Sunday, six locations Rabbi Eric Yoffie joins an elite group of rabbis who have visited Tidewater over the past two years to lead the Milton “Mickey” Kramer Scholar-in-Residence Fund’s Annual Tidewater Together: a four day weekend of Jewish...
Senior historian of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to speak after The Eichmann Show at Film Festival
Sunday, Jan. 17, 2 pm, TCC Roper Performing Arts Center The Eichmann Show is the Holocaustthemed selection at this year’s annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by Alma* and Howard Laderberg. The film is based on the true story of groundbreaking producer...
Community prepares for annual Jewish Advocacy Day
Tuesday, Feb. 2, 7 am–4 pm The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is busy preparing for the annual Jewish Advocacy Day, otherwise known as Date With the State. The annual event brings more than 150 Jews from around the...
Standing Together Hampton Roads
Sunday, Jan. 24, 2–3:30 pm, Slover Library, Norfolk In response to increasing Islamophobia, xenophobia and divisive rhetoric, Standing Together is an initiative to bring diverse groups in Tidewater together to speak out and stand with the Muslim community and others...
The Hampton Years by Jacqueline Lawton at Virginia Stage Company
Community discussion following Sunday, Jan. 31, 2 pm performance The Hampton Years by Jacqueline Lawton, examines the relationship between a German-Jewish, World War II refugee professor and John Biggers, his art student who ultimately achieves great renown due to his...
Governor McAuliffe hosts Hanukkah party at Executive Mansion
After a warm welcome to more than 100 members of the Jewish community from throughout the Commonwealth by Governor Terry McAuliffe, remarks by the Interfaith Alliance’s Rabbi Jack Moline, and the menorah lighting by Richmond’s Rabbis Michael Knopf and Dovid Asher,...
Bryan Mesh and Pam Guthrie honored at Beth Sholom Village
It was a bittersweet celebration. More than 80 staff members, friends and family gathered on Thursday, Dec. 10 to say farewell to Bryan Mesh, development director and former CEO of Beth Sholom Village, and to Pam Guthrie, administrator of The Terrace and former BSV...
Jewish Family Service Chanukah Gift Program 2015
Jewish Family Service of Tidewater’s 23rd Annual Chanukah Gift Program was a huge success. Each year, JFS provides local Jewish families in financial need with gifts and gift cards for their children and teens, as well as money for those without children. In 2015 JFS...
Open the Gates includes special needs students at Ohef Sholom
In the Image of God—B’Tzelem Elohim At Ohef Sholom Temple (OST), Big Ideas are taught on Sunday mornings— ideas that enrich and move toward action throughout the week. One Big Jewish Idea from the Torah is B’tzelem Elohim—the idea that God created humanity “in the...
Film Festival committee members recap 23 years
Since the inception of the film festival, three committee members haven’t missed a single movie. The Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by Alma* and Howard Laderberg is now in its 23rd year, and Lois and Barry Einhorn, along with Ellie Lipkin, have been...
Super Sunday XXXV: Get in the game!
Sunday, Jan. 31, 9 am – 1 pm Developing a theme for Super Sunday, The Tidewater Jewish community’s single largest fundraising event, has been a coming-of-age responsibility for hundreds of young adults since the inaugural event was held in 1981. This year is no...
Itzhak Perlman named winner of 2016 Genesis Prize
(JTA)—Itzhak Perlman, the Israeli-born violin virtuoso, was named the third winner of the Genesis Prize. Perlman was named the winner on Monday, Jan. 4 of the annual $1 million prize that has been dubbed the “Jewish Nobel.” He joins former New York City Mayor Michael...
Time to make “philanthropic” resolutions
As we turn our calendars to 2016, it is easy to think about the age old New Year’s resolutions, such as: • Exercise more • Lose weight • Eat healthier • Save more (get out of debt) • Spend more time with family (worklife balance) • Quit smoking But, have you thought...
Comprehensive, mouth watering and heart breaking
Pastrami on Rye An Overstuffed History of the Jewish Deli Ted Merwin New York University Press, 2015 189pp. plus notes ISBN 978-0-8147-6031-4 “I’ll have what she’s having!” Who doesn’t remember that line from Rob Reiner’s 1989 hit When Harry Met Sally? No current book...
Five reasons why children should learn coding
Learning to code is child’s play. Don’t believe it? Ask Rabbi Menda, who will say it’s true. As Hebrew Academy’s savvy Coding Club advisor (and Judaic Studies director), Rabbi Menda teaches students in grades three through five to code—and they’re having a blast...
Operation Understanding Hampton Roads program re-launches
Transformational experience for African American and Jewish teenagers to be coordinated by five community organizations A year long leadership development program for 40 African American and Jewish high school students in Tidewater, Operation Understanding Hampton...
One membership, two locations
Simon Family JCC and Town Center Fitness offer reciprocity Two local gyms are joining forces to create a fitness membership that offers access 365 days a year and 85 group fitness classes each week. Town Center Fitness, formed by Tom Purcell in 2004 as a convenient...
2015 news quiz
The ultimate test of Jewish and Israeli knowledge (JTA)—Bernie Sanders, Jenna Jameson, criminal rabbis: How much do you know about the Jews and their goings-on in 2015? 1. Which U.S. Jewish religious denomination made which landmark decision this year? a. The...
Will 2016 be the year of the female Orthodox rabbi?
WASHINGTON (JTA)—At first blush, it appears like a bombshell: The United States listened in on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s phone calls. But on closer examination, the revelations reported Dec. 29 by The Wall Street Journal might not be so far reaching....