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Vice Admiral Herman Shelanski, USN (Retired) I joined the United States Navy in 1980 to protect the very freedoms that allowed me to live and pray as my Jewish ancestors did. Growing up with the heavy knowledge of the Holocaust, hearing on the news the persecution of...
As I’m sure you know, July 4, 2026, just took place, the Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. From America’s Block Party in Times Square to fireworks launched from the Golden Gate Bridge, we...
A couple of weeks ago, Art Sandler casually, but enthusiastically, said, “We should publish a paper with all good news!”My response was something like, “Yeah. Right. Nothing about security or antisemitism or Israel or wars or . . .”“We’ve got so much good going on in...
Amid rising threats to the American Jewish community, Jewish Federations of North America brought more than 400 Jewish leaders from 82 different communities across the country to Capitol Hill to hold over 200 meetings with key Congressional leadership late last month....
Jewish Tidewater gathered in full force for a Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebration on Sunday, April 26 that was hosted by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and presented by Avraham and Karen Ashkenazi. The event took place on the Sandler Family Campus.Marking Israel’s 78th...
Each May, Jewish American Heritage Month invites communities across the nation to pause, reflect, and celebrate the many ways Jewish Americans have shaped, and continue to shape, the nation’s cultural, civic, and artistic life. Established by presidential proclamation...
Sunday, April 26, 12 - 3 pm, Sandler Family Campus Celebrate Israel’s 78th Independence Day, Yom Ha’Atzmaut, while connecting with friends, embracing Israeli culture, and strengthen community ties – bringing together families, friends, and organizations in Tidewater....
(JTA) — Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a U.S. citizen who immigrated from Lebanon 15 years ago, armed with rifles and smoke bombs, who rammed into Temple Israel on Thursday, March 12 encountered a synagogue that was well prepared for just such an attack. He hit and...
MODIIN, Israel — To get a sense of what life is like in Israel these days, consider the circumstances in which air raid sirens have caught me over the last several days: Reading the Purim megillah in a school bomb shelter near my synagogue. We closed the door when the...
Tuesday, March 24, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus Israel’s renowned Dream Doctors Project—professional medical clowns who bring healing, dignity, and emotional support to patients and families in hospitals and humanitarian settings around the world – will visit...
The story of Purim is decidedly not family-friendly, yet it offers little ones unique access into a holiday where everything is upside-down. (JTA) One of the main advantages for Jewish kids in a Christian world is that — thanks to Purim — they get two “Halloweens.”...
(JTA) — The suspect arrested for allegedly setting fire to a Mississippi synagogue on Saturday, Jan. 10 confessed to the FBI that he had targeted the congregation due to its “Jewish ties.” Stephen Spencer Pittman was charged on Monday, Jan. 12 with maliciously...
This was another tough year for the global Jewish community – the continued war in Gaza, the escalation of antisemitic acts and outright discrimination, a slew of misinformation about Israel, the killings of two Israeli Embassy employees, and raised security alert...
While many people are making plans for gathering with family and friends for Thanksgiving, not everyone is anticipating the holiday with excitement. Others are anxious, concerned about the increasing cost of food and cuts to programs that help feed their...
Israel in Focus: Hamas’ War – Truth and Consequences. An evening with MAJ John W. Spencer, USA (Ret.) Wednesday, December 3, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus, Free In an era where global conflicts are increasingly fought in dense urban environments, understanding the...
(JTA) — Like most synagogues, Congregation Beth El in South Orange, New Jersey added new rituals after the Oct. 7,2023 attacks that killed 1,200 in Israel, saw another 251 taken hostage, and launched a grinding war between Israel and Hamas. The...
JTA) — On the second anniversary of the Hamas massacre, Israelis grappled with how to mark the date which overlapped with the first day of Sukkot, when Jewish tradition requires festivity. The government postponed official remembrances until the day after the Simchat...
Puts out welcome mat to new congregants With music, prayer, and community spirit, Kehillat Bet Hamidrash (KBH), Kempsville Conservative Synagogue, has entered a new chapter in its nearly five-decade history On Saturday, September 6, KBH held its first Shabbat service...
Campaign features three billboards in Tidewater and four billboards near Ivy League universities In response to the alarming rise in antisemitic incidents in the Commonwealth of Virginia and across the nation, the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), CBN Israel, and...
It’s now been 18 months of “on the ground” visits since I began my presidency of JDC. One of my personal goals when I took office was to visit the global communities we serve, especially those I had not previously visited. In my first year I visited Israel three...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater held its Biennial meeting on Wednesday, June 11 at the Sandler Family Campus.The Fleder Multi-Purpose Room was packed with people from throughout the Jewish community who had come to cheer on award winners, to support new officers...
Israel’s strike on Iran starting early Friday, June 12 followed a dizzying 24 hours in which the international community rebuked Iran for its nuclear malfeasance, Iranian officials said they would retaliate by accelerating nuclearization and signs piled up of a...
Security professionals urge Jewish institutions to expand the security perimeter at their events. On Wednesday, May 21, three-armed security officers stood guard as the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington held its annual meeting in the nation’s...
Governor Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 48 Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Religious Bigotry in Virginia Public Schools and Institutions of Higher Education to further expand his efforts to combat antisemitism at Virginia public schools and institutions of...
The Marty Einhorn Pavilion at the Sandler Family Campus was filled with laughter, conversation, and the unmistakable sense of unity on Thursday, May 1 for the second annual Israeli Chef’s Table Experience. Hosted by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and presented...
Graduations are a time to recognize achievements, formally bid farewell to a valued educational institution, prepare for the next steps along life’s journey, and of course, to celebrate! Jewish Tidewater has much to applaud with its graduates – the awards, impressive...
Dinners and luncheons with a famed Israeli chef, Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day), and Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) were among myriad gatherings that took place throughout Jewish Tidewater just prior to this issue going to press. All were well...
Established in 2006 when President George W. Bush proclaimed May as Jewish American Heritage Month, the designated month acknowledges Jewish contributions to American culture, history, military, science, government, and more.The proclamation by President Bush was a...
Wednesday, April 23, Ohef Sholom Temple, 6:45 pm Dr. Irving Berkowitz is the keynote speaker for the community’s Yom Hashoah commemoration, which is presented each year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Holocaust Commission. Dr. Berkowitz is the son of...
(JTA) — Voting is now open in an election that gives American Jews a rare chance to directly shape Israel’s future.The U.S. election for seats in the 39th World Zionist Congress will help determine the balance of power in the legislative authority of a Zionist...
The Israeli Embassy called for the lighting of buildings in orange in commemoration of the Bibas children, hoping that the illuminations would serve as a powerful gesture of remembrance and solidarity.The symbolic lightings were intended to honor the memories of Ariel...
Now in its third winter of war, the plight of Ukraine’s Jews and Jewish communities is no longer headline news. Israel, hostages, Gaza, a U.S. election, plane crashes, protests, antisemitism, wildfires, and so many other news-capturing events have diverted the world’s...