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In recognition of her leadership in combating antisemitism and fostering a safer, more welcoming campus environment for Jewish and Zionist students, Professor Amy K. Milligan, Batten Endowed Associate Professor of Jewish Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies at Old...
“Unforgettable” is an appropriate way to describe Camp JCC’s 2026 summer. The season was packed with exciting field trips, spirited theme days, new campers, and an incredible staff team, including the additions of Christine Carnahan as camp manager, and Blake Sisler,...
Rosh Hashanah is a special holiday, offering observers a sense of renewal and the opportunity for a fresh start. It is a time for reflecting on the previous year and considering what to do differently in the year to come. The concept might not immediately...
The ritual of Tashlich is an all-encompassing symbolic representation of the High Holidays. This process of releasing sins into the river comes directly from the book of Micah, verse 19: “He will again have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou...
Rosh Hashanah arrives each year carrying questions. What did I accomplish during the year that has passed? Where did I fall short? Whom did I help? Whom did I hurt? What needs to change? But beneath all these questions lies another, more...
The JCC Maccabi Games and Access were held August 2-7 in two different host cities—Toronto and Kansas City. The Team Virginia Beach delegation went to the Games in Canada, joining more than 60 other delegations from nine countries. Eight athletes...
Singer, songwriter, and philanthropist Dolly Parton died Tuesday, August 25 at the age of 80. The outpouring of grief was immediate and universal. “PJ Library and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation team are sad to learn of the passing of musician, philanthropist,...
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 of...
Among the various organizations and programs receiving recent gifts from the Rose Frances Glasser and Bernard Glasser Philanthropic Fund, was Jewish News. The distributions were determined by the late couple’s family. “My mother was a very astute businesswoman...
Growing up in the Bible Belt (Northern Georgia south of Chattanooga, Tennessee), Baptist bred Lauren Krajesky could never imagine where she would be today. “I have to pinch myself,” she says. “I really am in a dream job.” A decade after becoming an executive...
As educators prepare for a new school year, many are facing challenges that extend beyond academics. Rising incidents of antisemitism and other forms of bias, increasing polarization, and the need to foster safe classroom communities have made inclusive teaching...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s NextGen community recently teamed up with Norfolk Kayak Rentals for an eventful Sunset on the Water experience. Despite cloudy skies, the weather held out so that NextGen kayakers could enjoy time out on the water. ...
Shavuot celebrates receiving the Torah, but for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s NextGen community, it also became an opportunity to strengthen relationships, deepen Jewish learning, and explore what it means to grow together. Through two gatherings, one...
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...
Bettie Minette Cooper remembered every person she met.Always known as Minette, she died on October 14, 2025, at 87 years young, leaving a legacy of commitment to family, her synagogue, the arts, and a variety of civic organizations and projects.Cooper’s story began in...
Jewish community has long extended beyond geography, linking people across continents who often recognize a shared sense of belonging.Liora Zerbib knows about this feeling of belonging after spending several weeks with a Jewish host family in Ghent.Zerbib, an Israeli...
The Simon Family JCC Fitness Center recently upgraded its cardio equipment with new treadmills, ellipticals, and rowing machines featuring iFit technology. These machines offer interactive global workouts and studio classes, with systems that automatically adjust...
Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Simon Family Legacy Celebration on Wednesday, May 27 was an opportunity for communities to converge, gathering around a shared vision, shared responsibility, and shared purpose.More than 100 TJF fundholders, community leaders,...
This year, Shavuot celebrated 3,338 years since the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. To this very day, Jews continue to study the Torah, cherish it, and hold it close. The Torah serves as guidance on how to live and make the world a better place.SIA’s Primary Years...
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...
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...
What does it mean to age with dignity? Sometimes, it means having transportation to the grocery store or a doctor’s appointment. Sometimes, it means sharing a meal with friends, participating in a wellness program, or simply feeling connected to a community. Often,...
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...
Earlier this year, Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Astate presented Skip Sacks with the 2026 F. Craig Read Service Award in recognition of “his exceptional service and long-standing commitment to the organization and the commercial real estate...
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...
Ninety-seven poker players filed onto the Sandler Family Campus to compete in Nadiv’s Texas Hold ’Em tournament for the chance to win various prizes, including a $500 Amazon gift card on Tuesday, May 12. The event raised more than $25,000 with most of those...
Twenty Tidewater BBYO teens (11 AZA and nine BBG), along with City Director Courtney Krutoy and Simcha BBG Advisor Anya Dippold, attended Eastern Region’s Spring Cultural Convention, April 17-19 in Charlotte, North Carolina. More than 200 teens attended the convention...
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,...
As summer approaches and children prepare for camps, day trips, and new environments, Toras Chaim Day School is making sure its students head into the season with something more than sunscreen and a packed lunch.This spring, the school brought in Debbie Fox and the...
What if there were a place where Jewish children could safely explore and express their heritage? A place where the values and traditions learned at home are not only reinforced but shared and lived among peers. A place where identity is not questioned but cultivated....
Christine Carnahan, Camp JCC’s new manager, will oversee daily camp operations as well as support campers and staff. She will also provide year-round support for the Simon Family JCC and related programs.A Virginia Beach native, Carnahan’s background is in retail...
The BeAR Literacy Project concluded another meaningful school year with its annual End-of-the-Year Mentor Luncheon, a celebration of the extraordinary volunteers whose time, patience, and compassion continue to change children’s lives.Approximately 140 students...