(JTA)—Israel must grant citizenship to Jews who converted to Judaism in Israel under non-Orthodox auspices, its Supreme Court ruled Monday, March 1, possibly igniting another round in the long-running government battle over who the state should recognize as Jewish....
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Whale watching and Shabbat
Actually standing in a boat looking at a whale in the water, it’s not hard to imagine how one swallowed Jonah. Encouraging her students to be inquisitors, Morah Nicole’s class at Strelitz International Academy has become enthralled with all kinds of whales. That’s how...
Simon Family Passport to Israel: Funds available for teen trips to Israel Application deadline: Monday, March 15
Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Simon Family Passport to Israel Fund, which provides grants for trips for teens to Israel, is accepting applications for the program until March 15, 2021. The program provides funds to enable and encourage Jewish students to participate...
An anniversary of caring: Pam Blais delivers to caregivers
Anniversaries are sometimes faced with mixed emotions. For some, there’s pure joy in recalling a wedding anniversary or the day children or grandchildren were born. Conversely, some bring sadness, reminders of the loss of loved ones or of a catastrophic event such as...
B’nai Tzedek Teen Philanthropy: Putting the Mitzvah in Bar and Bat Mitzvah
Around the time of their bar or bat mitzvot, teens explore what it means to become an adult and active member of the Jewish community. They study Torah, learn to lead services, perform mitzvah projects and begin their journey into Jewish philanthropy. The Tidewater...
COVID-19 vaccination registration assistance available
A phone application assistance and outreach program for people who need help registering for the COVID-19 vaccination is being offered by Jewish Family Service. People can call and speak to Sharon Rosenbaum and/or Jody Laibstain. They will help people navigate any...
Kid’s programming at B’nai Israel
What is there to do at Shul?Children are not always ready for the grownup services, primarily because they are not as meaningful as they might be to an adult and it is hard to sit still without fidgeting. Over the past few months, B’nai Israel has completely...
The Deloreans are coming!
Saturday, June 14, 7 pm, Ohef Sholom Temple “Go back to the ’80s” at Ohef Sholom Temple’s annual casino-style event, which will feature the ‘80s tribute band, The Deloreans. It’s been said, “when you go to a Deloreans show, you feel like you’re actually back in the...
Second Saturday is a big hit at Temple Israel
Temple Israel is giving its members a choice on the second Saturday of each month. Arrive at 9:15 am for a traditional service in the sanctuary or go downstairs at 11 am to the more intimate Sandler Hall for an engaging program like no other perhaps in the country....
Israel Fest 2014: Amazing Crowds, Amazing Day
The Simon Family JCC’s Annual Israel Fest, presented by Charles Barker Automotive, was the biggest to date, with about 1,800 people enjoying the many activities on Sunday, May 18. This was the most extensive, expansive and enthralling Israel Fest at the JCC, featuring...
Successful Iron Dome program wraps up JCC’s Celebrate Israel series
A presentation describing the engineering mechanics behind the Iron Dome anti-missile system used by Israel to protect its citizens could have been overly complicated or less than entertaining. In a program about the subject, held at Regent University Theatre on...
Tidewater Jewish rock star wows crowd
Ohef Sholom hosted “Cantor Wally Live!” an outdoor celebration of Jewish music last month. A picture perfect day, families with young children gathered outside to hear Cantor Wally play original and classical Jewish tunes on the steps of Ohef Sholom’s sanctuary...
A shift of outlook is all it took
The moment that shifted my outlook on Israel was when I had the honor to attend a presentation by StandWithUs. Hen and Shay, who toured the United States as part of “Israeli Soldiers Stories,” spoke at my school. Their testimonies touched my heart in a way I never...
Simon Family JCC holds Annual Meeting
Community leaders, members and staff gathered for the 61st Annual Meeting of the Simon Family JCC on Monday, May 19. The meeting recognized Terri Sarfan for her successful two-year term as president, welcomed Marty Einhorn as incoming president, and bestowed awards on...
Beauty and benevolence abound at Women’s Division Spring Luncheon
The beauty, subtlety, elegance and graciousness of the Jewish women gathered in the sun-lit room at the Museum of Contemporary Art on May 20 outshone the stunning Dale Chihuly glass chandelier that hung from the ceiling of the gallery. More than 70 attended the annual...
Beyond fundraising: UJFT’s Israel and Overseas allocations
The responsibility of raising millions of dollars each year through the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Annual Campaign is an effort that is undertaken by a small core of staff members and a larger, dedicated group of community leaders and volunteers. Over a...
In Mideast visit, Pope Francis makes symbolic gestures to both sides
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Perhaps the most lasting image from Pope Francis’ trip to Israel and the West Bank will be the pontiff praying, eyes closed, with his head against a wall. It wasn’t the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Judaism’s holiest site and a necessary stop for visiting...
A new gauge of global anti-Semitism
NEW YORK (JTA)—The Anti-Defamation League’s Global 100 Index of Anti-Semitism is the broadest public opinion survey of attitudes toward Jews ever conducted. It is one of the most important efforts we have undertaken in our history as an organization. The survey was...
Shavuot—It’s about you and Torah together
This week we celebrate the holiday of Shavuot—the commemoration of the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai some 3,500 years ago. The Torah reading in synagogue will be the Ten Commandments (Exodus chapter 20), which were pronounced for the first time on this date, making...
UJFT 2014 Annual Campaign coming to a close
As of late May, the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater 2014 Annual Campaign received just over $4 million in donations from about 1,500 individual donors. Gifts to the UJFT enrich and touch the lives of Jews, and many others, in Tidewater, in the United States, in...
French Jews organize Kaddish at Normandy for fallen Jewish invaders
A French Jewish group is helping organize a special commemoration for 149 Jews who died during the U.S. invasion of Normandy 70 years ago. The commemoration is planned for June 8—two days after the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the first landing by American troops in...
Al Feldstein, longtime editor of Mad magazine
Al Feldstein, the editor of Mad magazine for nearly three decades, has died. Feldstein died Tuesday, April 29 at his home in Montana. He was 88. He became editor of Mad in 1956 and remained at the satirical publication’s helm until his retirement in 1984. Feldstein...
Gary Becker, Nobel Prize-winning economist
Gary Becker, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, has died. Becker, who won the Nobel in economic sciences in 1992, died Saturday, May 3 in Chicago. He was 83. A professor of economics and sociology at the University of Chicago, Becker also received the Presidential Medal...
Irwin Allen Heller
Richmond, Va.—Irwin Allen Heller, 71, of Richmond, Va., died Saturday after a brief illness. Irwin was born to the late Ethel and Louis Heller on May 30, 1942 in Richmond, Va. Irwin graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1960 and received a BA from RPI in...
Jack Kenneth Boyd
Virginia Beach —Jack Kenneth Boyd died on May 1, 2014. He was born on August 29, 1919 in Knoxville, Tenn. to Julius Raht Boyd and Louisa Norton Boyd. A 1937 graduate of Knoxville High School, he attended the University of Tennessee before enlisting in the Army in...
Ruth Armstrong-Bigio
Chesapeake—Ruth Armstrong-Bigio, 62, of Chesapeake, passed on May 2, 2014. Altmeyer Funeral Home.