Yasemsky brings a strong background in education and experiential Jewish engagement to this position. A Special Education teacher, she is a recent graduate of George Washington University’s graduate program as an Israel Educator.

 “I am excited to be stepping into the new role as the NexGen Engagement coordinator,” Yasemsky says. “With over five years of experience staffing Birthright Israel events and teaching abroad in Israel, I am eager to use my background in experiential learning to build lasting communal connections for the next generation of Jewish leaders.”

 The Next Gen Engagement coordinator role reflects the Federation’s commitment to investing in Jewish young adults ages 22 – 40 and creating meaningful entry points into Jewish life, leadership, and philanthropy. In this position, Yasemsky will plan initiatives that build relationships through one-on-one outreach, community presence, and collaboration with partner organizations. 

 “I am looking forward to turning my education and engagement focus toward fostering a more connected and vibrant Jewish community at home in Tidewater,” Yasemsky says. 

To learn more about upcoming NextGen opportunities, email Yasemsky at HYasemsky@UJFT.org.

 The experience began with a class led by Rabbi Ari Oliszewski, who explored the history and purpose of the Mizrach. Participants learned about the tradition of placing a Mizrach on the eastern wall and the deeper spiritual practice of directing one’s heart toward Jerusalem during prayer. The class grounded the new found knowledge in kavannah (intention), giving context to what participants would soon create with their own hands.

 In the weeks after the class, participants gathered for hands-on glass workshops led by Sharon Serbin, an artist, educator, and education director at Congregation Beth El. With guidance, encouragement, and a healthy dose of humor, attendees translated what they had learned into stunning works of Judaica. 

Esther Diskin, a workshop participant, says, “The Mizrach workshop brought people together for an activity that combined spiritual meaning, creativity, and fun. We had plenty of laughs as we assembled our creations, especially as we tried—sometimes clumsily—to cut glass. It is harder than it looks!”

 Participants left with more than just beautiful handmade Mizrach pieces. They developed a deeper understanding of prayer and a stronger connection to Jewish tradition and the pride that comes from creating something meaningful together.

For information about Konikoff Center for Learning classes and workshops, contact Sierra Lautman, senior director of Jewish Innovation, at SLautman@UJFT.org or 757-965-6107. 

The upcoming evening of Partners in Jewish Life will center around a conversation about The New Antisemitism: Roots and Responses, inviting participants to explore how antisemitism has evolved over time—and how Jewish unity, relationships, and shared values can be part of the response today.

How it works

Partners in Jewish Life is a guided, one-on-one learning experience. Participants are thoughtfully paired with one other person for an hour-long conversation, working through a curated booklet of short readings and reflection questions. Participants have the opportunity to think about the text, learn from the person sitting across from them, and maybe even make a new friend along the way.

 Before the program, participants complete a brief form to privately share learning preferences and comfort levels, helping ensure that everyone comes in feeling confident, supported, and ready to engage.

This month’s theme

Drawing on Jewish texts and modern thought, the conversation will explore antisemitism as a force that adapts and mutates over time—from its earliest expressions to its newest form, often experienced today as anti-Zionism. Partners will reflect on what it means to live as a diverse yet unified Jewish people, and how shared habits, relationships, and responsibility can help a response contain strength and purpose.

Dinner and childcare 

To make it easier for families to attend, dinner will be available for pre-purchase, and children’s activities will be offered for ages 4 and up during the program.

 This month, the kids will join Shinshinim Noga Yaniv and Yarden Lahan for games, crafts, and an ice cream social as they celebrate Golda Meir, Israel’s first female Prime Minister. Children will learn about Meir’s journey from a young immigrant to a national leader, and how her courage, determination, and love for Israel helped shape the Jewish state.

The kids’ program takes place right down the hall, so the whole family can take part in the evening together.

Come for the learning. Stay for the connection. Leave feeling more grounded, more connected, and part of a larger story we are building together.

For more information or to register, visit JewishVA.org/Partners or contact Sierra Lautman, senior director of Jewish Innovation at SLautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107.

The community has two options to experience Jewish learning through the voice of Miriam Anzovin, the creator behind the beloved #JewishLoreReactions series on TikTok and Instagram. Known for her sharp wit, warmth, and contemporary lens, Anzovin brings ancient Jewish texts into conversation with modern identity, culture, and lived experience — making Torah feel accessible, relevant, and deeply human.

  Across two programs on consecutive days, Anzovin invites attendees into Jewish learning that is thoughtful, funny, and meaningful.

  On March 11, Anzovin will discuss Jewish Learning as Jewish Identity. In this evening program, Anzovin explores how Jewish texts and traditions shape who we are today. Through humor and insight, she reimagines what Jewish learning can look like in the modern world and why it remains such a powerful tool for connection, meaning, and self-understanding.

  The conversation continues March 12 with The Song of Serach: Jewish Lore, Memory, and Storytelling, a midday workshop. Often described in midrash as immortal, wise, and ever-present, Serach bat Asher is a keeper of collective memory and a witness to Jewish history from the Exodus onward. In this interactive session, Anzovin digs into the rich legends surrounding Serach—her role in revealing Joseph’s fate, her connection to music and storytelling, and her enduring presence across generations. 

  These programs offer a rare chance to engage with Jewish learning that feels both ancient and urgently contemporary. Attend one or both sessions to be inspired, challenged, and connected.

Learn more or register: JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman, UJFT senior director of Jewish Innovation, at SLautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107.

 The 2026 JAHM book list was carefully curated by a volunteer selection committee of educators and community members. This year’s titles invite students to explore Jewish life in all its diversity.

2026 JAHM selections

High School 

High school students will explore complex questions of identity and moral responsibility through a range of contemporary and historical narratives. Dear Mr. Dickens by Nancy Churin tells the true story of Eliza Davis, a Jewish woman who challenged Charles Dickens over antisemitic portray- als in Oliver Twist, offering students a powerful example of speaking truth to power. In The Summer of Lost Letters by Hannah Reynolds, a teen uncovers her grandmother’s Holocaust-era love letters, revealing long-buried family secrets and reshaping her understanding of identity and memory. Playing with Matches by Suri Rosen follows an Orthodox Jewish teen navigating school, family expectations, and a secret life as a matchmaker, balancing tradition with self-discovery.

Middle School 

Middle school selections blend humor, heart, and reflection. Finn and Ezra’s Time Loop by Joshua S. Levy is a funny, magical story about two boys reliving their bar mitzvah weekend, learning important lessons about friendship and growth along the way. In Turtle Boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein, a shy boy approaching his bar mitzvah discovers courage through an unexpected friendship. Red and Green and Blue and White by Lee Wind and Paul O. Zelinsky tells the true story of a Montana community that stood up to antisemitism, demonstrating how courage and unity can create change.

Elementary School 

For younger readers, the selections introduce Jewish values through accessible, engaging stories. Ping Pong Shabbat by Ann D. Koffsky follows a young ping-pong champion who must choose between a tournament and honoring Shabbat. The People’s Painter by Cynthia Levinson and Evan Turk is a picture book biography of Ben Shahn, a Jewish immigrant artist who used his art to fight injustice. Lola Levine Is Not Mean! by Monica Brown and Angela Dominguez introduces a spirited second grader learning about kindness, mistakes, and friendship in a multicultural world. Jason Belongs by Audrey Ades and Jason Schachter McKinney centers on McKinney’s story as a Black Jewish child searching for belonging and learning to embrace his whole identity. McKinney will be in Tidewater this May to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month.

“These books were chosen not just because they tell Jewish stories, but because they spark conversation,” says Lorna Orleans, a JAHM selection committee member. “Our committee reviewed books for elementary, middle, and high school students, and because we were a diverse group of reviewers, we were able to select a wide range of titles that reflect American Jewish life in all its many forms. Subjects ranged from helping young children understand practices like sitting shiva to stories of teens navigating identity, courage, and belonging.”

 The JAHM Book Project holds special meaning for the Tidewater Jewish community. The program is generously supported in memory of Abraham E. Frank, the beloved son of committee member Dr. Rita Frank, whose legacy continues to inspire learning, compassion, and connection.

 “Abraham loved books from his earliest years” says Frank. “I know he would be delighted to share that love with other children throughout Tidewater.”

 While the books are provided through the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, the project is a community effort. Volunteers are needed throughout February to help pack the books and prepare them for delivery to schools.

If interested in volunteering or supporting the JAHM Book Project, contact Sierra Lautman, UJFT senior director of Jewish Innovation, at SLautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107.

Sandler Family Campus

The next installment of the Judaica and the Arts series presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning, invites community members to explore Jewish tradition through both learning and hands-on creativity with a special focus on the mizrach, a ritual object rich in history and meaning.

 A mizrach—Hebrew for “east”—is traditionally placed on the eastern wall of a Jewish home to indicate the direction of Jerusalem. For centuries, it has served as a spiritual compass, helping orient prayer and reminding those in the space of their connection to the Land of Israel and the broader Jewish people. Over time, mizrachim have also become an important form of Jewish artistic expression, reflecting the styles, symbols, and cultural influences of Jewish communities around the world. From illuminated manuscripts and calligraphy to folk art and contemporary designs, each mizrach tells a story about both tradition and the individual who displays it.

 The program begins with a learning session on Thursday, January 22. Led by Rabbi Ari Oliszewski, he will explore the history, evolution, and spiritual significance of the mizrach. Participants will examine how this ritual object bridges sacred space and everyday life, transforming a wall in the home into a reminder of intention, direction, and Jewish identity.

 Following the learning session, participants will take part in a hands-on art workshop, choosing between Sunday, January 25 at 2 pm or Thursday, January 29 at 5:30 pm. The workshop will be taught by local artist Sharon Serbin and will focus on creating a stained-glass mosaic mizrach. Guided through the process step by step, participants will design and craft a piece of functional Judaica that reflects both ancient tradition and personal creativity.

Prior art experience is not necessary. All materials will be provided.

The Judaica and the Artsseries offers an opportunity to bring Jewish ritual, learning, and artistry together in a meaningful and memorable way. To learn more or register, visit JewishVA.org/Mizrach or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org. 

 Presented by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater as part of the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival and made possible through a generous grant from the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, Rosen’s return to Tidewater was extraordinary.

 Throughout the week, Rosen worked with a wide range of Jewish communal professionals, lay leaders, educators, teens, and nonprofit partners. His workshop with UJFT staff was described as both energizing and meaningful, offering practical tools for communicating mission and impact through authentic storytelling. Similar enthusiasm followed his work with Jewish Family Service’s board, Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s board and Life & Legacy teams, the Holocaust Commission, and Hebrew Ladies Charity Society. Each group found new ways to articulate their purpose, history, and vision through personal narrative.

 Jewish educators from across Tidewater leaned in, quite literally, during Rosen’s session on storytelling in educational settings. Participants reported being “on the edge of their seats” as they explored how stories can spark curiosity, deepen engagement, and create lasting learning experiences in classrooms and beyond.

 Rosen’s impact also extended beyond the Jewish community. He collaborated with Tidewater nonprofits including ForKids, Virginia MOCA, and the Virginia Arts Alliance, demonstrating how storytelling can build empathy, strengthen organizational culture, and inspire action across diverse sectors.

 The residency culminated in a Community Storytelling Night, hosted by Corey Rosen and featuring local storytellers Stephanie Calliott, Bruce Longman, Henry Scolnick, Elyse Cardon, Jaime Brathwaite, and Rick Krupnick. Nearly 200 people filled the room, bearing witness to stories that were funny, moving, vulnerable, and deeply human. 

 “We all have stories—some we share—some we don’t, but it’s not every day we get to share one in front of an audience with bright lights and no notes,” says Cardon. “It was really special to share the story of how David and I connected and have my mom in the audience because she was at the heart of the story. I also chose that story for the nostalgia—talking about the old Hebrew Academy on Thompkins Lane and the old Coyote Cafe. I was honored to be asked and to stand on stage with the other storytellers. I loved how that event brought our community together in every way.” 

By the week’s end, hundreds of people across generations and professions had been reminded of a simple truth: everyone has a story worth telling. Corey Rosen’s residency didn’t just teach storytelling, it reaffirmed the power of story as a tool for meaning, memory, and belonging.

To learn more about events and classes offered by the Konikoff Center for Learning, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org. 

Thursday, December 11, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus

What makes a moment memorable? What turns an ordinary experience into something that connects, teaches, or inspires? This December, host of San Francisco’s Moth StorySLAM and author Corey Rosen returns to Tidewater to help the community discover those answers.

 Presented by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Rosen will spend a week immersed in Tidewater, leading workshops with teens, educators, nonprofit leaders, boards, and legacy teams. His warm, humorous approach shows people how to uncover the heart of a story and share it with clarity and confidence.

 Rosen is the author of Your Story Well Told and the upcoming A Story for Everything, a book about how the stories everyone carries shape “who we are.” During his residency, he’ll guide groups in using storytelling to build connection, strengthen identity, inspire giving, and communicate purpose.

 The week will culminate in A Story for Everything: An Evening of Stories, Laughter, and Inspiration on Thursday, December 11, where Rosen will host a community story slam featuring local voices and true stories that are funny, meaningful, and deeply human.

For more information, or to register, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107.

 At the Chrysler Glass Studio, participants designed colorful, one-of-a-kind mezuzot, blending creativity with Jewish tradition. Each piece became a personal expression of Jewish identity and the home reminding its maker that, as the Torah teaches, Jews are called to “write these words upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.”

 The hands-on workshops demonstrated the purpose of the Judaism and the Arts series: connecting Jewish learning with artistic experience in ways that inspire deeper Jewish connection and pride. Future sessions in the series will be announced soon, with plans to learn about and create a mizrach, Havdalah set, and tallit or tallit bag.

 Learn more or register for a Judaism in the Arts class, or one of the courses or events offered through the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, at JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org. 

There’s a story behind everything, and in December, master storyteller Corey Rosen will help people in Tidewater discover the power and joy of sharing theirs.

 A writer, performer, and longtime host for The Moth StorySLAM in San Francisco, Rosen is celebrated for helping people turn everyday moments into unforgettable stories. He is the author of Your Story Well Told and soon to be released A Story for Everything, which explores how stories shape connections, identities, and communities. Rosen last visited Tidewater in 2022 for a series of highly entertaining events surrounding Your Story Well Told. This year, he returns with a brand-new book, a fresh set of stories, and a weeklong residency that promises to entertain and inspire.

 Rosen’s visit will conclude with a community event, A Story for Everything: An Evening of Stories, Laughter, and Inspiration. In what is sure to be an unforgettable evening, Rosen will host Tidewater’s very own story slam, where local storytellers will take the stage to share true stories that are funny, heartfelt, and deeply human. 

 In the days leading up to the main event, Rosen will immerse himself in the community, leading workshops across Tidewater. He will work with Jewish Family Service’s board and staff, Hebrew Ladies Charity Society, the Holocaust Commission of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s board, and UJFT’s board and staff – helping each group communicate its mission through authentic and powerful storytelling. He will also lead a dinner workshop for Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Life & Legacy teams, “Legacy Stories that Inspire,” exploring how personal narratives can strengthen the culture of giving and sustain Jewish life for generations to come.

 Jewish educators will gather for “Storytelling in the Classroom and Beyond,” a dynamic session on how to use stories to engage students and spark learning. Jewish teens will take part in “My Proud Jewish Story,” a program designed to help them express their Jewish identity through personal storytelling.

 Rosen’s visit will also extend beyond the Jewish community. He will work with several Hampton Roads nonprofits including ForKids, Virginia MOCA, and the Virginia Arts Alliance, to explore how storytelling can build empathy, inspire action, and strengthen connection across diverse audiences.

 By the end of his residency, hundreds of people across generations, professions, and backgrounds will have discovered new ways to find meaning in their experiences and share them with confidence, humor, and heart. A Story for Everything will remind that everyone has a story worth telling, and that storytelling remains one of the most powerful tools to connect as Jews, as neighbors, and as human beings.

For more information, or to register for the event on Thursday, December 11, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107.

Presented by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, as part of the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, and made possible through a grant from the Tidewater Jewish Foundation.