Kyleigh Eyl | Jewish News https://jewishnewsva.org Southeastern Virginia: Chesapeake • Norfolk • Portsmouth • Suffolk • Virginia Beach Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:50:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Author explores story of brave Jewish women in the Warsaw Ghetto https://jewishnewsva.org/author-explores-story-of-brave-jewish-women-in-the-warsaw-ghetto/ Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:50:09 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=34211 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth R. Hyman was a featured speaker of the Lee and Benard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival on Thursday, Nov. 6 at the Sandler Family Campus.

Hyman shared the story behind her new book, The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto, which uncovers the incredible courage of Jewish women who assisted in leading the resistance inside the Warsaw Ghetto. The event drew an audience eager to learn more about the lesser-known female heroes whose bravery helped shape one of the most significant acts of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust.

The author took the audience through the process of how she pieced together these women’s lives through archival materials including letters, documents, and diaries. She described how these young female fighters smuggled weapons, transported letters, cared for the wounded, and played key roles in the uprising.

Hyman spoke about how the women used their youth and gender to move throughout the city in ways Jewish men could not.
Hyman emphasized the emotional weight of working with these materials, noting how every diary entry or fragment of a letter added another layer of humanity to stories that had long remained in the background of Holocaust history.

By the end of her talk, it was clear that Hyman had succeeded in restoring these women to the narrative where they have always belonged. The audience left with a renewed appreciation of their bravery and a deeper understanding of the complexities and sacrifices involved in resistance during one of history’s darkest moments.

The Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Book Festival is presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC.

]]> The White Rose Project continues to strengthen Holocaust education https://jewishnewsva.org/the-white-rose-project-continues-to-strengthen-holocaust-education/ Thu, 09 Oct 2025 17:46:14 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=33583 For decades, the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater has worked to ensure the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten. At the heart of this effort is the White Rose Project, an educational initiative that provides books to schools across the region that are designed to deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of one of history’s darkest chapters.

The White Rose Project has been a vital presence in school libraries for 30 years. Named in honor of the White Rose resistance group formed by university faculty and students in Nazi Germany, this initiative has enabled generations of students to gain access to books focusing on the Holocaust. These books enrich discussions as well as encourage independent exploration, allowing students to connect with the stories of victims and survivors on a deeper level.

Each spring, the Holocaust Commission raises funds for the project through the White Rose Campaign, an annual giving initiative that invites community members to make contributions of $360 or less. Every dollar helps ensure that more students can access books that preserve the memory of the Holocaust while cultivating a spirit of empathy and justice.

As antisemitism has drastically increased around the world, initiatives such as the White Rose Project serve as a reminder that education is one of the most powerful tools to combat hate. The ongoing dedication of the Holocaust Commission, UJFT, and the generosity of community donors ensures that the legacy of the White Rose lives on, inspiring students across Tidewater to learn about the Holocaust and to stand up for what is right.

To learn more about the White Rose Project or to donate, contact Elka Mednick, director of the Holocaust Commission, at emednick@ujft.org, or Kyleigh Eyl, coordinator of Advocacy and Community Engagement, at keyl@ujft.org.

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