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For many people, discussions about a book conjure notions of a Book Club—a social gathering of friends to converse amiably about a creative, enjoyable read, possibly one that offers an escape from the daily round of life. A group of intrepid readers gathered at the...
With his four-year-old daughter Lea nestled on one side and his two-year-old son Ben snuggling the other, Rabbi Ari Oliszewski leans back in his office chair and smiles. A smile is a simple thing, but to Rabbi Ari, it’s everything. His smile is how he introduced...
Dear Readers, Food, drink, and romance seem to be as linked as love and hugs. Think about it…do you recall many first dates that didn’t involve a drink or a meal? I don’t. Or can you name many meetups with friends and relatives that don’t feature some sort of food...
I think my parents did a very smart thing in giving me a very uniquely Jewish-Israeli name. They made it so that my Jewish identity would be inescapable and ever present, although I also think they didn’t realize how much more challenging they would be making my life....
Every week on Shabbat, we pray for peace—for our loved ones, for our world, and especially our extended Jewish family in Ukraine. Beginning this month through April, we’re ensuring 700 to 800 Jews from various cities in Ukraine will share in the peace of a 12-day...
We have all been there. You are in a fine restaurant with a good looking date (in some cases your spouse), and the waiter or steward presents you with a wine list. It may be a small card. It may be the size of a book. What do you do? Many folks in this situation will...
RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam announced on Wednesday, January 6, the leadership and members of a new advisory committee charged with making recommendations on culturally relevant and inclusive education practices in Virginia’s public schools. The Culturally Relevant...
Got some spare time? Want to make a difference in the community? If so, Jewish Family Service of Tidewater’s Personal Affairs Management (PAM) program needs some help. The JFS PAM program was created to prevent the exploitation of elderly and vulnerable adults in the...
Engaging campers and teens has been a part of Dave Flagler’s life for more than a decade. In fact, this summer will be his 10th summer in camp leadership, nine of which took place within the JCC movement as a director. Now, Flagler joins United Jewish Federation of...
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Virginia Chapter joined with Strelitz International Academy (SIA) to create Hanukkah cards for soldiers in the IDF’s main infantry Brigade, the Nachal. Three years ago, the FIDF Virginia Chapter adopted the Nachal Unit...
In a world where we can instantaneously make a gift online to numerous charities around the world or Venmo our children at the swipe of a finger, giving is quick, gratifying, and easy. I call the ability to give on the whim the sprint. Many organizations focus their...
(JTA) President-elect Joe Biden filled the months before Inauguration Day lining up a slate of Cabinet secretaries, assistants and advisors, many of them Jewish. Biden’s choices reflect a diverse cross-section of American Jewry and possess expertise gleaned from...
WASHINGTON (JTA)—There are 37 Jewish members of the 117th Congress, which was sworn in earlier this month amid the trauma of an insurrection spurred by President Donald Trump. Of the 37, there are 10 in the Senate and 27 in the House of Representatives—25 Democrats...
Hanukkah around the world together Beth El celebrated Hanukkah each night with collective candle lighting, singing, and sharing that took the congregation around the world and back again. Several members grew up in other countries and shared stories and childhood...
When most people hear the word ‘Hadassah,’ chances are they think of a hospital in Israel. In actuality, Hadassah is so much more. Hadassah’s mission statement describes itself as “a volunteer organization that inspires a passion for and commitment to the land, the...
While the wait for a safe vaccine for all looms large, the range of reactions to COVID-19 is as diverse as the people whose lives are affected. Some seniors in the community have lived in Tidewater all their lives. They’re married with children and grandchildren and...
Prue Salasky spent six months of a 10-month teaching assignment in Bulgaria through the U.S. Fulbright program. Her Balkan adventure, including plans to visit Istanbul, Kiev, Odessa, and Israel, was cut short when Fulbright canceled all its programs worldwide due to...
We sometimes fall into the understandable error of thinking that tradition is the opposite of having a history. We think that history is about change, whereas tradition is about resistance to change. That’s true some of the time, but not always. A deeper understanding...
In September 2016, Tidewater Jewish Foundation partnered with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation to launch the Life & Legacy program in Tidewater. After four successful years, 332 donors have made 571 legacy commitments worth $21.5 million in current and future gifts...
As Jewish Family Service nears its 75th year as a Jewish Service Agency, the non-profit organization is charting its future by focusing on the increasing needs of the community. JFS sees an opportunity to expand and re-energize the agency’s big impact mission-based...
Strelitz International Academy returned from Winter Break to Spirit Week, January 5–8, culminating in the Day of Giving, hoping to inspire parents to participate in the school’s annual donor fund (ADF) reflecting the power of community. Spirit Week was the brainchild...
A tribe of Jewish restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs have been hunting and gathering meals on behalf of the local community and to address food insecurity for most of their adult lives. These individuals and their food businesses have especially made a variety of...
Hanukkah is celebrated each year when the days are short and the nights are long and dark. For eight whimsical nights, family and friends gather to enjoy precious time together. Delicious meals are prepared, prayers are said, and children play games while the menorah...
In what seems to be an ever enduring global pandemic, tour guides across the world are devising creative ways for visitors to experience other countries without packing a thing. United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Society of Professionals (SoP) recently embarked...
Virginia Beach—Early Monday morning, January 11, Dr. Theodore (Ted) Adler passed away peacefully at home. He was 91 and died from complications of COVID. Ted defied simple categories and possessed a modest nature, a gentle and quiet manner. He had a deep curiosity...
Virginia Beach—Bessie Banks passed away peacefully at the age of 99 on December 24, 2020. She was the daughter of the late Morris and Gussie Cohen. For the past 3½ years, she resided at The Terrace of Beth Sholom Village. Bessie was born and raised in Norfolk, Va. She...