Southeastern Virginia: Chesapeake • Norfolk • Portsmouth • Suffolk • Virginia Beach
Archives
The Sandler Family Campus was unrecognizable on Saturday, March 1, as partygoers stepped into Mordechai’s Time Machine for an unforgettable Purim celebration. Immersive décor transported guests across time and space — from a 1920s speakeasy to a garden of Eden. Every...
Deep learning and spirited conversation took place when Abigail Pogrebin and Rabbi Dov Linzer led a thought-provoking discussion at It Takes Two to Torah. Hosted by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, the event earlier this...
Carin Simon, Strelitz International Academy’s director of development, and Ally St. Pierre, SIA’s admissions manager, recently attended the 2025 Prizmah Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. This gathering brought together Jewish day school leaders from across the...
Tidewater BBYO had its spring kickoff at Surge Adventure Park, a multi-adventure trampoline park, ninja course, and arcade in Virginia Beach on Saturday, Feb 8. Eighteen teens attended the event, connecting with Jewish friends over pizza and an afternoon of fun. Henry...
The Temple Israel Men’s Club met on Sunday, February 9 for the annual Worldwide Wrap, a program of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Club. The 12 members who attended included a few who have never put on tefillin and a pre–Bat Mitzvah young lady. After everyone had a...
The Square Up for Maccabi football pool fundraiser raised more than $3,500 this year for the Team Virginia Beach delegation of the JCC Maccabi program.Using the last digit of each team’s cumulative score at the end of each quarter, winners were determined based on the...
Traditions are so important for children – giving them a sense of belonging to something special that becomes part of their identity. Lighting the menorah at Hanukkah, for example, is one such tradition.For 32 years, the Jewish Family Service Chanukah Gift Program has...
“Stunning” was the most frequent word heard as Beth Sholom Village and its friends in the Jewish community celebrated the official opening of Aviva Pembroke with development partner Pembroke Square Associates inside the seven-story structure off Constitution Drive in...
The final installment of the What We Carry film series, featuring the remarkable story of Colonel Edward Shames, premiered at the Sandler Family Campus on Monday, January 27. Held on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the event drew an engaged audience to honor...
On a very chilly Sunday morning last month, Mona Flax, president-elect of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Jodi Klebanoff, past UJFT Women’s Philanthropy chair, Amy Zelenka, UJFT chief development officer, and I travelled to the 2025 International Lion of Judah...
The JCC Seniors Club members had an incredible time at last month’s meeting. ‘Patsy Cline’ was back in the building and had everyone singing along and tapping their feet to her timeless tunes.Members also got a sneak peek of this year’s Virginia Festival of Jewish...
Nearly 200 people gathered for a powerful and emotional conversation with Shahar Dekel, a photographer and IDF reservist soldier, and Jay Klebanoff, a former United Jewish Federation of Tidewater president, on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Held at the Sandler Family Campus, the...
Some events simply cannot be missed. Apparently, that was the thought when young students at Strelitz International Academy were covered up with proper fashionable paper plates, in addition to the special protective sunglasses, to view the Solar Eclipse on April 8 at...
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...
As the weather gets warmer and summer gets closer, Camp JCC wrapped up another successful spring break camp. Covering one week for mostly public school closures, campers enjoyed spring themed crafts, indoor and outdoor games, STEM projects, a mini color war, and free...
In what may be the “sweetest” gala ever presented in its 31-year run, the 2024 Virginia Festival of Jewish Film celebrated the life and work of the late actor Gene Wilder during its “Wonka-themed” Saturday Night Celebration on Feb. 24. Remembering Gene Wilder was...
The Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by Alma & Howard Laderberg wrapped up on Wednesday, Feb. 28. This year’s festival, which included five feature films in addition to a special event showcasing four Israeli short films, was attended by more than 600...
Those who weren’t in Casablanca on Saturday, Feb. 3 missed out. Temple Emanuel’s Casablanca-themed Casino Night was the place to be and the numerous Ingrids and Humphreys in attendance can attest to that. It was an energetic, delicious, fun night on the town. Leslie...
Thirty area Jewish teens attended BBYO’s bowling event at Pinboy’s on Sunday, Feb. 4. BBYO’s winter kickoff, the event was a perfect program, allowing potential members and newer members to meet older teens. Both Old Dominion AZA and Simcha BBG chapters led an opening...
More than 100 members of Brith Sholom gather at the Simon Family JCC on the first Sunday of each month to enjoy camaraderie, wonderful brunches, interesting speakers, and a variety of entertainment. The Independent Order of Brith Sholom (Covenant of Peace) was founded...
Rising antisemitism after the October 7 attacks in Israel was the impetus for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning and Jewish Community Relations Council to organize Empowering Students, a three-part series designed to help participants...
Strelitz International Academy began 2024 with an event that boosted school spirit as well as inspired students and families to participate in fundraising for the school. The first Strelitz International Academy Glow Run, which took place on January 19, served as the...
Despite it being a Tuesday, the spirit of Shabbat was alive and thriving at the Sandler Family Campus on January 23, as families gathered for a Shabbat at Home event. The second in a five-part series that explores ways to build ritual and tradition into Friday nights,...
Students in Lavette Ricks’ Early Years 3 class at Strelitz International Academy were inspired by Michael Rosen’s story, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to go on their own ‘bear hunt’ at school. So, Ricks brought the story to life and created the experience for her...