Thursdays, 12 pm Sandler Family Campus and online 10-week course begins Thursday, January 19, 2023 More than 100 years ago, Solomon Schechter, a Jewish studies professor from Cambridge University in England, launched an expedition exploring the genizah (a storage...
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Date With The State 2023
Wednesday, February 8 Join the Jewish Community Relations Council and Jewish community members from across the commonwealth for Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day at Virginia’s capitol. Advocate on issues important to the Jewish community in meetings with members of the...
On Assignment with Lahav Harkov in 2023
Thursday, January 5, 12 pm, online Earlier this month, Lahav Harkov joined the Jewish Community Relations Council for the monthly midday current affairs briefing. This time, the topic was an update on the coalition building taking place in the Knesset in Israel....
Drinks and Dreidels… an evening of adult Hanukkah fun
Tuesday, December 20, 6–9 pm Ohef Sholom Temple Enjoy drinks, dreidel tournaments, interfaith trivia, raffle baskets, live bands, and more! Ugly sweaters are encouraged for this evening of adult Hanukkah fun. Co-sponsored by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s...
We’re going to Israel this Purim! Want to come?
March 1–9, 2023 After a COVID-driven moratorium, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is re-igniting its Missions Program for next March. Led by mission chairs Laura and Fred Gross, the trip will include an exciting “Purim in Tel Aviv” experience. Starting in...
From Belarussian “Balaboosta” to Broadway Madam
Madam—The Biography of Polly Adler, Icon of the Jazz Age Debby Applegate 553 pp Doubleday, 2021 Frank Sinatra, Walter Winchell, Lucky Luciano, Dorothy Parker, Duke Ellington, Dutch Schultz, Robert Benchley, Desi Arnaz—and likely FDR. This is just a partial list...
With a nod to Carl Reiner, My Favorite Year recalls the infancy of TV sketch comedy
Social distancing and staying inside is hard. Thankfully, accessing good things to watch during this time is not. This is another installation of a column on Jewish movies and TV shows to stream in quarantine. My Favorite Year Available for rent: Amazon Prime, Apple...
Board of Rabbis and Cantors of Hampton Roads’ Statement of Commitment to Combating Racism
Tzedek, tzedek tirdof: “Justice, justice you shall pursue” (Deut. 16:20). We, the Jewish faith leaders of Hampton Roads, are appalled not only by the murder of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis, but by the long procession of African-Americans who have been...
Israeli Fellows at Virginia Tech provide perspective and an entry point to real-world Judaism
It doesn’t take a campus massacre or a pandemic for Virginia Tech students to bond with a charismatic and culturally distinct Israeli fellow, and to connect Jewishly. According to Sue Kurtz, executive director at Virginia Tech Hillel, students are nervous about the...
Tidewater women ‘travel’ to the Jewish communities of Minsk and Sofia…
Over three dozen local Jewish women, led by mission co-chairs Annie Sandler and Mona Flax, along with JDC professional Sandy Katz, made the long trek to the Jewish communities of Minsk in Belarus and Sofia in Bulgaria…all through the “magic” of the internet. Following...
Graduation in the parking lot
Strelitz International Academy Graduation was originally planned for June 2, but like nearly everything else this past spring, was postponed. A special outdoor, mask wearing ceremony took place on Tuesday, June 30 for these special graduates so that they could enjoy a...
Camp JCC In the Cloud
For kids and families seeking some camp-like fun this summer, Camp JCC In the Cloud is ‘to the rescue!’ Unlimited access to online activities is FREE and available to anyone from anywhere. Different themed activities take place each week through August 14. At Camp...
Camp JCC In the Cloud welcomes Noya Azari as the 2020 Shaliach
Noya Azari is joining Camp JCC In the Cloud this summer as the camp’s Shaliach. A native of Tel Aviv, Noya Arazi, 23, was in Virginia Beach as a Camp JCC Shaliach in 2018. “Dance has always been a big part of my life,” sys Arazi. In fact, she is a certified Zumba...
Tidewater Jewish Foundation welcomes Naomi Sedek, new CEO and president
After a national search, the Tidewater Jewish Foundation is ready to welcome Naomi Limor Sedek as its new president and chief executive officer. Coming from Nashville, Tennessee, Sedek’s lifelong work and passion for the promotion of Jewish life at the Jewish...
Konikoff Center for Learning. Spark one mind. Change many lives.
David Konikoff didn’t come up with the legacy phrase “A mind is a terrible thing to waste,” however it aptly describes his life purpose and why he imagined the Konikoff Center for Learning at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC with that...
Walter D. Budman
Olney, Md.—Walter D. Budman passed away peacefully on June 27, 2020 in Olney, Maryland. Born in Georgetown, Washington, DC, he had a great ride for 90 years. Walter was the fourth of Tibel and Isadore Budman’s six children. The family was close throughout their lives....
Richard Eisenpress
Portsmouth—Rick (as he was known) was born in New York City in 1959 and grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. He moved to Portsmouth, Va. in 1996. Along with his parents, he joined Gomley Chesed Synagogue. Before long, Rick’s talent for leading the evening and part of the Shabbos...
Ilene Weingarten Goldburg
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.—Ilene Weingarten Goldburg, 93 passed away on Thursday, June 25, 2020 at her home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she was the daughter of the late Irene Stein Weingarten and Milton Weingarten. She was preceded in...
Melvin Halpern
CHESAPEAKE—Melvin Halpern, 91, passed away on July 4, 2020. Born October 23, 1928 in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was the son of the late Samuel and Celia Halpern. Melvin served in the U.S. Army and was a baseball fan. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his...
Sidney Marcus
PORTSMOUTH—Sidney Marcus, 98, died June 23, 2020. A native of Portsmouth, he was the widower of Vivian Trestman Marcus. He was the owner of Sidney’s Pawn Shop in Portsmouth for over 40 years and a member of Gomley Chesed Synagogue. He is survived by two loving...
Stan LEE Smolen
Virginia Beach—Stan Smolen passed away May 27, 2020 at the age of 95. He was a veteran of WWII who served his country proudly. He was a courageous 19-year-old First Lieutenant on a B17 bomber in the Army Air Corp. But most importantly, he was the patriarch of a family...
Khana S. Volkova
Norfolk—Khana S. Volkova, 96, mother of Nellie Podolskaya (of blessed memory), passed away June 27, 2020. The funeral was held at the Hebrew Cemetery on Princess Anne Road per/Temple Israel. Cremation & Funeral Services of Tidewater. Condolences may be expressed at...
Howard Morton Weisberg
Naples, FLA.—Howard Morton Weisberg, passed away Friday, June 19, 2020 just 10 days shy of his 100th birthday. Born June 29th, 1920, in Brooklyn, N.Y. when the borough was transitioning from horse drawn carriages to cable cars, he has led an extraordinarily...
Kurt Rosenbach – June 5, 1923–June 6, 2020
Tidewater’s Jewish community lost a giant on Saturday, June 6 with the passing of Kurt Rosenbach. Kurt was equally a man of vision and action. More than all of his volunteer service—often as founder or chair, he continued to press the community to realize financial...
Community Relations Council
Recent weeks have been extremely difficult for our country. The Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is appalled and angered by the death of George Floyd at the hands of officers in the Minneapolis Police Department. Our...
The Joy of the J – You can’t keep a good senior down
When the Simon Family JCC opened on Monday, June 8, seniors bounced back in real numbers. Even with the necessary implemented regulations and other logistics, “overjoyed” was the overall response. In particular, Silver Sneaker students say they are thrilled to be...