During BBYO’s Rush Week, both Simcha BBG and OD AZA were able to host successful programs. Rush Week is when BBYO chapters host events that are targeted towards new members, in an attempt to attract more people to get involved and join. On...
It’s a Wrap
Archives
Yom Hashoah provides time to reflect and remember
At this year’s Yom Hashoah commemoration on April 13, Megan Zuckerman and Elyse Cardon, Holocaust Commission co-chairs, reminded the community that memory is not just something to hold onto, but something that commands action, asking each person to reflect on their...
Women’s Philanthropy combines business, art, and impact
Members of Women’s Philanthropy of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater convened for its sixth meeting of the year – this time at the Chrysler Museum of Art. Blending community leadership with cultural enrichment, it was an afternoon marked by inspiration and...
JFS holds volunteer appreciation luncheon
An opportunity to recognize the many people who give their time to help others, the Jewish Family Service volunteer luncheon was held on Friday, April 17, at the Sandler Family Campus. This year’s theme was travel, which made the room feel fun and...
Spring Break at Camp JCC
Another successful spring break camp took place last month at Camp JCC. Students from Strelitz International Academy and local public schools participated in sports, nature walks, Israeli culture, and arts and crafts. Each day featured specific themes:...
A slam dunk success: Recapping the Ultimate Bracket Bash
The Ultimate Bracket Bash was a slam dunk success, bringing a high-energy mix of play and creativity to the Sandler Family Campus. The evening kicked off in the gym with plenty of laughter as the kids engaged in lively games with balloons and took turns shooting...
A living conversation: Reclaiming Jewish identity through learning
Miriam Anzovin’s two-day residency with United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning highlighted the impact of authentic storytelling on shaping Jewish identity. Anzovin’s approach moves beyond flat narratives, instead using personal experience...
An evening with Photographer Joan Roth
In honor of Women’s History Month, the Tidewater Jewish community gathered at the Sandler Family Campus on Thursday, March 19 for a screening and conversation with internationally acclaimed photographer Joan Roth. The evening featured A Feminist Lens: The Art and...
Red noses, real healing:The power of laughter in Tidewater
For one remarkable week in March, Tidewater experienced a different kind of medicine—one delivered with red noses, improvisation, and deep compassion. Representatives from the Dream Doctors Project, an Israeli nonprofit that integrates professional medical clowns into...
A sweet tradition: Operation Hamantaschen 2026
The Simon Family JCC welcomed families for Operation Hamantaschen on Sunday, March 1 – transforming the building into a vibrant hub of Purim celebration and connection. As families arrived, long rows of tables with rolling pins, flour, and an assortment of...
Virginia Festival of Jewish Film: powerful stories and shared experiences
For 10 days in February, audiences across Tidewater gathered in theaters not just to watch films, but to experience them together. The 33rd Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Simon Family JCC, transformed...
BeAR: A year of growth, gratitude, and a little bit of magic
In its 26th year of serving students in Norfolk and Virginia Beach Title I schools, BeAR has experienced meaningful change. This year, the program said goodbye to several devoted mentors whose steady presence shaped young readers in lasting ways. Their absence is...
A night of neon magic
The Sandler Family Campus was glowing with energy on Saturday, Feb. 21 for Neon Eras Kids Night Out. To set the mood, children were encouraged to arrive decked out in their brightest neon attire. Whether it was head-to-toe 80s fluorescent, 90s electric grunge, or...
JCRC shares Purim spirit with community partners through mishloach manot
This Purim, the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater took the joy and spirit of the holiday outside the Jewish community through its Purim Boxes, or mishloach manot, initiative. Rooted in the Purim tradition of sending gifts...
Purim with a purpose: Community delivers joy to area seniors
Jewish Family Service of Tidewater always looks forward to celebrating Purim, but this year felt especially meaningful. In addition to celebrating, the community made sure seniors living in assisted living facilities knew they were not forgotten. Purim is a...
Holocaust Commission marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day
The Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater hosted a moving community gathering in recognition of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27. Held on the Sandler Family Campus, the program brought people of all ages together to...
Learning and creating with Mizrach class and workshop
The recent Mizrach class and hands-on glass workshop offered by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning provided a journey from learning to creating. The experience began with a class led by Rabbi Ari Oliszewski, who explored...
Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day highlights bipartisan support
Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day once again brought voices from across the Commonwealth to the State Capitol, underscoring a simple but powerful truth: showing up matters. Nearing the midpoint of the 2026 General Assembly session, Jewish community members...
Learning, leading, and connecting: Israeli Eagles in action
Over the past few months, we have had the joy of leading the Israeli Youth Movement, Israeli Eagles, in Tidewater. Each month, kids from across the community gather to learn about Israel, build friendships, and grow as confident, curious, and caring young leaders....
A heart-healthy President’s Day at Camp
While school was out on Monday, Feb. 16, campers spent Presidents’ Day getting active and inspired at Camp JCC’s School Days Out program. To celebrate American Heart Month, the day’s theme was all about heart health. Campers began the morning by...
Celebrating a Living Legacy: Honoring Hebrew Ladies Charity Society
The legacy of Hebrew Ladies Charity Society was celebrated during a warm and meaningful afternoon luncheon on Sunday, January 11 at Ohef Sholom Temple. The event honored more than a century of compassion, generosity, and hands-on service. Stephanie Peck, JFS...
When dialogue unites: One table, three rabbis, and a shared hope.
I experienced one of those moments that reaffirms why sincere dialogue remains one of the most powerful tools we have as a society, on Wednesday, Dec. 17. Around a shared table sat three rabbis—Rabbi Shlomo Eisenberg of Congregation B’nai Israel,...
Beth El travels to North Carolina Museum of Art
An enriching day trip for Beth El congregants and friends took place last month when the group travelled to the North Carolina Museum of Art to experience the exhibit, The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt. The exhibition, which was widely acclaimed in New York,...
Winter Camp 2025 calls it a wrap
Camp JCC wrapped up another successful Winter Camp to conclude a fun-filled 2025. More than 45 children attended the camp during the two weeks of school holiday closures, enjoying the “Camp JCC Winter Lodge,” with each day featuring a special theme, including Snow...
Israel in focus: MAJ. John W. Spencer shared his views on modern conflict
An informative program, Israel in Focus: Hamas’ War – Truth and Consequences, featuring internationally respected scholar and military analyst MAJ. John W. Spencer, USA (Ret.), took place on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the Sandler Family Campus. Presented as part of the 15th...
Hanukkah celebration at Aviva Pembroke
The spirit of Hanukkah was alive and glowing at Aviva Pembroke on Thursday, Dec. 18, as seniors and their families gathered for a celebration filled with food, laughter, and togetherness. The Hanukkah party was a collaborative effort hosted by Beth Sholom Village,...
Community learns about Geniza as a part of Jewish Book Month
In conjunction with Community Impact Day, and as part of Jewish Tidewater’s celebration of Jewish Book Month, community members and clergy gathered on the Sandler Family Campus to explore the importance of Jewish books, the distinction between books of a Judaic nature...
All aboard the PJ Library Challah Train
A new initiative begins this season: the PJ Library Challah Train – the delivery of Shabbat baskets to local families, one home at a time, creating a chain of kindness and connection throughout Tidewater. Each week, a nominated family will receive a basket containing...
Corey Rosen’s storytelling residency leaves Tidewater inspired, connected, and laughing
After a week filled with laughter, stories, and connection, Corey Rosen’s residency in Tidewater concluded—but the stories he helped surface will continue to resonate. Presented by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater as...
USS Harry S. Truman Torah moves to a temporary home at Beth El
Twelve Beth El congregants, led by Rabbi Yoni Warren, Rabbi Jacob Herber USCG, and Admiral Herm Shelanski, Ret., were treated to a special morning minyon aboard the USS Harry S. Truman on Thursday, Oct. 30.Some may recall when the Truman was commissioned in 1998. Now,...
BeAR and Southern Packing deliver holiday goodwill
Just in time for Thanksgiving, the BeAR Literacy Project partnered with Southern Packing Corporation to donate 16 turkeys to the Norfolk Federation of Teachers. The turkeys were set aside for retired school employees, including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria...
Eastern BBYO L’Dor V’Dor Convention
Eighteen teens from Tidewater BBYO attended Eastern Region’s annual L’Dor V’Dor Convention outside Asheville, North Carolina. The convention, which took place in mid-November, was Eastern Region BBYO’s largest gathering since the start of COVID, with more than 180...