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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...
The role of Uncle Henry in the Jewish Community Center of Houston’s production of The Wizard of Oz was Sam Linda’s first real experience on stage. He was eight years old. Linda says he knew then that he was hooked on acting – and he’s been performing ever since...
Tidewater’s Sharon Goretsky, past president of Hadassah Southern Seaboard Region, was among the group of 200 leaders of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, who arrived on Capitol Hill from across the country for the organization’s Day of Impact in...
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...
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...
Howard Roesen and Tom Purcell, Simon Family JCC’s Wellness director, ran the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20. It was Roesen’s first Boston Marathon and Purcell’s third. Both avid runners have completed a lot of marathons over their years of friendship,...
For more than two years since October 7, the Jewish world has continued to grapple with grief, anger, fear, and deep internal division. Conversations about Israel and the Palestinians have strained relationships, fractured communities, and tested leadership at every...
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...
This month holds many holidays for Israel and the Jewish people. The biggest and most important being Pesach, our redemption from Egypt, Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, and Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, commemorating the founding of the State of...
1936 - 2026 Reba Karp held the distinction of sitting in the editor’s chair at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, editing this, and other publications, longer than anyone else. Reba passed away on March 17 after providing this community with more than three...
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...
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...
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...
Darva Gruber and Sharon Grossman share something besides their long membership at Temple Israel. They both love crafting. So, when Gruber became aware that Visit Williamsburg, as part of the nation’s 250th Commemoration, intended to create The Great American Birthday...
This month’s attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan is a stark reminder that antisemitic threats are real. The attack on the same day at Old Dominion University, though not targeting the Jewish community directly, hit close to home and underscores the...
How will the history of the Holocaust be told when the last witness, the last child or grandchild of a survivor has passed away? The records of the Holocaust are preserved in archives throughout the world. And sometimes archives are able to take an active role in...
Compiled by Konikoff Center for Learning Looking for a Passover seder to attend this year? Check out these options and make a decision soon to secure a spot, as Passover begins at sundown on Wednesday, April 1. B’nai Israel Congregation Anyone who would like home...
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...
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...
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...
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...
His story could be a novel. . . and a page-turner, at that. This past December, Josef Patar added a chapter he’s been trying to write for a while. . . he became a naturalized U.S. citizen. With several supporters, including a couple of friends from Ohef...
The Hugo A. Owens Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Award was presented to Jonathan C. Zur at Old Dominion University’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance in January. Zur is president and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities. Robin Mancoll,...
Laura Goldstein, a volunteer for Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, was recently honored by the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore as their Superhero of the Month. Goldstein was nominated and recognized for her dedication, compassion, and...
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...
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...
Providing accommodations for everyone who visits the Sandler Family Campus is an ongoing commitment for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Simon Family JCC. The campus facilities continue to be at the forefront of making certain all may visit and take...
The table was already cluttered. Half-empty glasses, a bowl of pasta passed one more time, someone reaching for the last challah crumbs. It wasn’t a planned conversation. No agenda. Just a familiar meal, shared with people who knew one another well enough to speak...
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,...
Halfway through the school year may not feel like the moment to start something new, but for BeAR, it is one of the most critical times to step in. The Be A Reader (BeAR) Literacy Project needs additional mentors for Willard Model Elementary (Norfolk) and...
Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, was set on fire predawn on Saturday, Jan. 10. Thankfully, no congregants or staff were injured, and the building was unoccupied at the time. The synagogue did have a security camera system, a fact which assisted in the...
Community advocacy strengthens security, combats antisemitism, and builds lasting relationships. Tuesday, Feb. 10, Richmond As the 2026 legislative session of the Virginia General Assembly gets underway this month, one message is clear: showing up matters. That’s why...