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Sitting in a movie theater, watching a favorite show, or listening to the radio, most Jewish people can’t help but chuckle when Hebrew or Yiddish vernacular is heard, as if they’re the only listener privy to this inside joke. But how, and when, did the phrase “mazel...
Start spreading the news…Ess-a-Bagel has made its way from New York to Tidewater. Baker’s Crust Bagel, a new concept by restauranteur John Stein, is now open at The Shops at Hilltop. The eatery features a full menu of Ess-a-Bagel bagels, deli sandwiches, and Three...
Around the globe, Jewish communities held ceremonies, services, and other events in commemoration of the first anniversary of October 7. In Tidewater, Governor Glenn Youngkin declared October 7 as an official state day of remembrance for victims of the horrific...
Lay leaders are integral to the functioning of Jewish Tidewater. With multiple synagogues, day schools, and various agencies meeting myriad needs of the community, Jewish Tidewater’s lay leadership helps steer the missions and define the goals of each organization, as...
Editor’s note: There was a time when it was practically expected that children would work in their parents’ business or profession when they reached adulthood. The nature of the business didn’t matter – from a mom-and-pop shop to a real estate office to a medical or...
At Tavss, Fletcher, Maiden & Reed, Richard Tavss and his daughter, Besianne Tavss Maiden, specialize in different areas of law, yet they communicate and share ideas multiple times each day. Both attorneys look forward to the next generation joining the firm, when...
The Simon Family JCC hosted its annual Catch and Release Fishing Derby on Sunday, May 5. Nearly 100 anglers of all ages tried their luck at the pond, which was stocked with bass, catfish, and bluegill. The largest catch of the day, according to Tom Edwards, athletics...
One of the crown jewels of the Sandler Family Campus sports a blue shirt and an easy smile – on a daily basis. Cecilio Brathwaite, better known as “Jaime” (pronounced Hymie for a Jewish reference), has been employed by the Tidewater Jewish community for 42 years,...
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Israeli American hostage held in Gaza, spent part of his childhood in Richmond, Va. before his family made aliyah to Israel in 2008. His Virginia roots go even further back, to Portsmouth, where Hersh’s grandparents and young family...
The Simon Family JCC is an invaluable resource for many people, especially for those who frequent the aquatic and fitness areas. Several longtime members explain their commitment to exercise and how joining the JCC has improved their physical and mental well-being.And...
After 20 years, most buildings experience at least minor updates and refreshes. . . painting, repairs, some renovations. The Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus, however, has added features, revamped spaces, and updated technology, security, and environmental...
In February, Jewish News featured a story about Aloha Hearts, fused glass ‘worry hearts’ created by Hawaiian Barry Gitelson. These glass hearts have since been distributed to Israeli children in Sderot as part of Youth Futures, a program that assists at-risk children...
Nothing prepares a woman for motherhood, a role which requires on-the-job training. Parenting books and podcasts abound, if she has the time and energy to read and listen; after all, she has just spent the day…cooking, driving, bathing, feeding, hugging, entertaining,...
During a trip to Poland in 2018 to attend a meeting of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, Myrna Teck and her sister visited the shtetl where their grandmother lived in Goniadz. As part of this guided tour, they also visited the abandoned...
“Coffee shop owners are Gen Z; we are their grandparents age!” says Lisa Richmon, as she tells the tale of opening Roast Rider at Hilltop with her husband, Wayne, 10 years ago. With no retail experience between them, they had every reason to fail – they don’t roast...
Bittersweet tears flowed from many eyes on Sunday, April 7 as community members gathered for brunch at Congregational Beth El to celebrate the retirement of Pam Gladstone, Beth El’s executive director for the past 34 years.Gladstone’s tenure at the synagogue saw four...
Passover is a uniquely Jewish holiday, with four cups of wine, matzah, 10 plagues, and the central Seder plate. Though traditions and rituals vary among families and different cultures, the Passover story, retold each year, celebrates freedom during the Exodus from...
For day campers, camp instills lessons, skills, and experiences that are not found in most classrooms . . . including learning new games, spending days with new friends, perfecting the best- looking roasted marshmallow, and just plain having lots of fun.Overnight camp...
Jews have been celebrating life-cycle milestones for what seems like forever – with events often including traditions dating back for what also seems like forever. . .or at least several centuries. While the significance of a bar or bat mitzvah or Jewish wedding may...
February marked the 25th anniversary of Peace by Piece, a partnership between Jewish Family Service of Tidewater and Edmarc, a family-centered home health and hospice for children with life-threatening illnesses. Peace by Piece is an interfaith program for grieving...
In anticipation of her nephew’s bar mitzvah in January, Tehilla Mostofsky bought tickets to Israel last July. Along with her husband, Sholom, and her parents, who had not been to Israel in 25 years, she planned to stay for five days to celebrate with her family. The...