Jewish Tidewater

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A record year for the UJFT’s Community Campaign

A record year for the UJFT’s Community Campaign

As this article goes to press, the 2026 Community Campaign of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater has passed the $5.2 million mark for the very first time. It’s a major milestone, and the Federation is incredibly grateful to the donors and community members who...

Meet Tidewater’s new Shinshinim

Meet Tidewater’s new Shinshinim

The fifth cohort of Shinshinim will arrive in Tidewater later this summer. Shinshinim is an acronym for Shnat Sherut, a year of service undertaken between high school and army service— when Israeli teens spend a year connecting with Jewish communities around the...

Playground for Sandler Family Campus focuses on nature

Playground for Sandler Family Campus focuses on nature

Naturally curious creatures, children interact with the world around them through play. This instinctive engagement becomes even more pronounced in natural environments, where exploration is open-ended and sensory-rich.As one study by the National Wildlife Federation...

The books that made me a BeAR

The books that made me a BeAR

We all carry certain books with us long after childhood ends. They sit quietly on the shelves of our memory; dog-eared, underlined, loved, while shaping who we become and teaching us how to dream. Some stories came easily. Others were challenging, the kind where you...

Dive into summer at theMetzger Outdoor Aquatic Center

Dive into summer at theMetzger Outdoor Aquatic Center

If you’re feeling ready to beat the summer heat poolside, you’re in luck. The Metzger Outdoor Aquatic Center opened on Saturday, June 6, marking the start of the Simon Family JCC’s seven-day-a-week summer pool season.The outdoor pool opens daily at 11:30 am, closing...

The responsibility and reward of service

The responsibility and reward of service

Reflections on leadership, legacy, and the future of Jewish Tidewater Two years have flown by. My term as chair of Tidewater Jewish Foundation is nearing its end. I have served with some of the most dedicated board members and staff anyone can ever be privileged to...

TJF: Community projects intersect

TJF: Community projects intersect

Tidewater Jewish Foundation is often a convener, bringing together organizations, ideas, and opportunities to strengthen the community. Sometimes, projects such as the Maria A. Mansbach Memorial Student Motivation Program and the Elie Wiesel Writing Competition...

Jewish Tidewater’s Graduates

Jewish Tidewater’s Graduates

Graduations are a time to recognize achievements, formally bid farewell to schools, prepare for the next steps along life’s journey, and of course, celebrate! Jewish Tidewater has much to applaud with its graduates – the awards, impressive degrees, and outstanding...

W&M Hillel: Success in Engagement 

William & Mary has had a Hillel on campus for more than 60 years. Yet, 10 years ago there were only about 20 - 30 Jewish students attending programs annually. Meetings were held mainly in classrooms, and Entenmann’s and Krispy Kreme donuts was the fanciest kosher...

SIA creates new initiatives to support their military families

Strelitz International Academy supports a large population of military families, including those serving in the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, NATO, the IDF, as well as other branches. Understanding the unique challenges military children face including frequent relocations,...

Aiden Vonegloffstein named 2026 Stein Family Scholarship recipient

Long before leadership titles and community recognition, Aiden Vonegloffstein was learning what it meant to serve in the most ordinary moments.  As a child, his mother taught him to notice when someone needed help, to carry groceries for a neighbor, to lend a...

Women’s Philanthropy celebrates at Spring Lunch

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Women’s Philanthropy gathered for its annual Spring Lunch at the Sandler Family Campus last month. The event served as both a celebration and thank you for a year defined by generosity, leadership, and community impact....

Thank you to our supporters who recently donated to Jewish News!

Supporters of Jewish News help keep local Jewish journalism alive at a time when it feels as if it is disappearing almost everywhere else.   Jewish News appreciates all who support the newspaper with generous contributions – whether in honor of or in memory...

Security training: Important for everyone

It was just a day after the twin horrors of March 12 – the attack on Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Mich. and the murder of an ROTC professor in class at Old Dominion University here in Norfolk – when I attended Friday night services in the Sinai Chapel...

Living well as the campaign reaches new heights

As this article goes to press, the 2026 United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Community Campaign is very near $5.1 million and on track to hit a record goal of $5.2 million.    In a time that continues to see rising antisemitism and threats to Jewish...

Ari Mulligan wins IBMA Student Excellence Award

For the second year in a row, a Strelitz International Academy fifth grader won the prestigious IBMA Student Excellence Award, with Ari Mulligan’s selection as this year’s Primary Years Program Recipient.  The IBMA (International Baccalaureate Mid-Atlantic) is a...

BBG gets new advisor

Tidewater BBYO recently welcomed Anya Dippold to Simcha BBG’s Advisory Committee.   BBYO advisors serve as positive role models, working in partnership with staff members to supervise and guide AZA and BBG chapters. Advisors empower each BBYO member to do...

Thank you to our supporters who recently donated to Jewish News!

Supporters of Jewish News help keep local Jewish journalism alive at a time when it feels as if it is disappearing almost everywhere else.   Jewish News appreciates all who support the newspaper with generous contributions – whether in honor of or in memory...

KBH sells building, creates endowment

And with stroke of a few pens, it was over!  The closing documents were signed, the checks issued, and Kehillat Bet Hamidrash/Kempsville Conservative Synagogue (KBH) was officially a congregation without a building – yet with a new endowment fund.  After...

State of the Foundation: Securing Jewish life in Tidewater

The State of the Union. The State of the City. Most people have heard of or attended gatherings like these, where leaders reflect on the present and make projections about the future.  Last month, Tidewater Jewish Foundation did just that. Board members gathered...

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...

Turning the Page: 2026 JAHM books announced for Tidewater schools

One of the annual initiatives of Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM), which takes place in May, is the distribution of books to local schools. Through this program, thousands of students encounter Jewish stories, many for the very first time.  The 2026 JAHM...

Beth Sholom Village launches new grant program to support seniors

Aging with dignity is a cornerstone of a strong community. Increasingly, that dignity is defined not only by care, but by connection, purpose, and opportunity. Through the newly launched Beth Sholom Village Grant Program, Beth Sholom Village is investing in innovative...