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When I began my journey with the Tidewater Jewish Foundation in July 2020, I walked into a world unlike anything we had known. It was the height of the pandemic.Introductions were made over Zoom and relationship-building required more persistence, patience, and heart...
Virginia Kehillat Bet Hamidrash (KBH), also known as Kempsville Conservative Synagogue, is entering a transformative new chapter as it prepares to relocate its synagogue from Indian Lakes Boulevard to the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish...
Tidewater is entering its fourth year of collaboration with the Jewish Agency for Israel to host Shinshinim (Israeli Emissaries) on their mission to share Israeli culture, knowledge, and experiences with community members of all ages. Shinshin is an acronym for Shenat...
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...
Beth Sholom Village’s Auxiliary recently awarded Jewish Family Service a gift that makes it possible for 20,000 meals to be provided to hungry people in Tidewater. Collaborative projects between Jewish Family Service and Beth Sholom Village have taken place for...
Wendy Goldberg has spent nearly 30 years helping clients make smart financial decisions. As a CPA and founder of her own practice, she brings a personal and practical approach to advising clients—especially when it comes to aligning financial planning with...
Heading into its 26th year, the Be A Reader (BeAR) Literacy Project is growing, adding two new partner schools to the BeAR family: Newtown Elementary in Virginia Beach and Suburban Park Elementary in Norfolk.The growth translates to more second graders to support,...
Shinshinim supervisors from communities supported by the Zeff Family Foundation gather each year with Diana Zeff, along with staff from the Jewish Agency for Israel and The Adelson Shlichut Institute.For the second time, I had the privilege of serving on the planning...
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!In the June 2 issue of Jewish News, nearly 40 area graduates were featured. Here...
Graduation is always a meaningful and emotional milestone at Strelitz International Academy. For the fifth-grade students, some of whom have been part of the SIA community since infancy, it marks a moment to reflect on their growth and prepare to spread their wings as...
When Summer Hoffman was 15 years old, she received a One Happy Camper grant that allowed her to attend a three-week residential camp, BBYO International Kallah. For her interfaith family—half Jewish, half Christian—it was more than just a summer getaway. It became a...
There is no denying that coffee and college have a legendary relationship, from fueling early-morning classes to sustaining late-night study sessions. But for college campuses, coffee and the places that serve it, are about more than just caffeine. These spaces create...
The newly opened Dozoretz Hospice House of Hampton Roads is co-managed by Beth Sholom Village alongside Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay. As the first freestanding inpatient hospice house in the area, this facility represents a significant step forward in...
Tidewater Jewish Foundation recently named Aryeh Litt the 2024 Feldman Family Medical and Health Professions Scholarship recipient. Currently pur- suing a degree in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling at Hofstra University, Litt’s mission is to serve others. Litt's...
Kickoff event: Thursday August 15, 5:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus Life & Legacy, now branded as Life & Legacy Plus, is being relaunched by Tidewater Jewish Foundation. Life & Legacy Plus is a four-year extension of the partnership program of the Harold...
“Cardboard is evil!” At least it is when it’s backing for a framed document from 1878. As a result, when the volunteers who staff the Archive at Ohef Sholom Temple came across a framed document from 1878 that was backed with cardboard, the document was removed from...
Each year, the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater sends a five-year calendar and information about the Jewish holidays to school superintendents, principals, and business, civic, and arts leaders in Hampton Roads. A letter...
I hear it over and over again – “Mi K’amcha Yisrael” – Who is like you the Jewish people?Enter the world of mitzvot – our secret weapon. How could that be? After all, what is a mitzvah? It’s a commandment in the Torah, which is 3,500 years old. How could doing a...
Guided by the principles of tzedakah (charity) and tikkun olam (repairing the world), Tidewater Jewish Foundation is dedicated to creating permanent resources for the Jewish community. The many facets of community involvement in which TJF is engaged have caused some...
Tidewater is starting its third year working with the Jewish Agency for Israel, hosting Shinshinim (Israeli Emissaries) to bring Israeli culture, knowledge, and experiences to people of all ages. Shinshin is an acronym for Shenat Sherut – a year of service given by an...
Children signing brachot in American Sign Language (ASL). Students harmonizing with hand-drumming while singing Oseh Shalom. Kids laughing while playing drama games they learned at day camp. ASL interpreters at community events. What’s going on?Sharon Serbin is going...
ShinShinim are exceptional Israeli high school graduates who postpone their mandatory military service to serve as cultural ambassadors in Jewish communities around the world. These young emissaries are chosen through a rigorous selection process that evaluates their...
Nadiv capped off another terrific year of Jewish philanthropy, social action, and networking during a social at the Virginia Beach home of Bonnie and David Brand on Tuesday, May 14. This past programming year (which ran from August 2023 to May 2024), Nadiv...
FIRST PERSON: A VIEW FROM ISRAEL I was in Israel for 10 days through a structured university trip called Israel Authentic (part of the Tlalim Group). Eight students on the trip were from Boston University and seven were from Virginia Tech, where I am a rising...
Joel and Sara Jo Rubin have long been dedicated to promoting Jewish education. “It began at home and participating in synagogue and Jewish events for our young family,” says Sara Jo. “We were adamant that our children (Molly and Danny) would be raised to practice and...
The Honorable Scott Joseph Flax was sworn in on May 1 to begin his eight-year term as a Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit Court. He is the third Jewish circuit court judge to be appointed in Virginia Beach, following the Honorable Jerry Friedman and Honorable Alan...
At 92, Ellie Porter is sharp as a tack with a keen memory, particularly of events 52 years ago that defined her life as a local community activist. “I was on the board of National B’nai Brith Women and a volunteer with Jewish Family Service here in Tidewater,”...
A 1977 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Jerry Miller recently received The Distinguished Graduate Award, an honor “given to living U.S. Naval Academy graduates who have made a distinctive contribution to their field or community and have demonstrated...
Preparation is one of the key functions necessary to building a safe and secure community. This activity takes many forms. Training, facility hardening, drills, and exercises are all activities that allow for the preparation of effective response to a critical...
As several major construction phases are wrapping up, much excitement is in the air regarding the completion of Aviva Pembroke. With an anticipated opening date of early October, prospective residents and neighbors within the Pembroke area are preparing for the...
In addition to the celebrations of graduation season, education tends to get a lot of attention.Tidewater Jewish Foundation can help donors make a difference in the lives of young people by funding education. While establishing a scholarship fund at TJF is one way to...
Proud to support Jewish military families, PJ Library is piloting a new Military Parent Connector program in partnership with the JWB – Jewish Chaplains Council and United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. Although Parent Connectors have been in PJ Library...