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I am not a card player, nor have I played one on TV. But when my son Danny Rubin, the founder of the young men’s Giving Circle (now part of the Campaign division of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater), Nadiv, asked if I would be a dealer for their May 13 Texas...
It’s a classic American love story—football player meets a pretty girl. They begin a courtship, marry, and the rest is history. Sixty-four years later, Helen and Warren Aleck still tell that story with a gleam in their eyes. Who knew that a chance high school romance...
Governor Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 48 Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Religious Bigotry in Virginia Public Schools and Institutions of Higher Education to further expand his efforts to combat antisemitism at Virginia public schools and institutions of...
The Marty Einhorn Pavilion at the Sandler Family Campus was filled with laughter, conversation, and the unmistakable sense of unity on Thursday, May 1 for the second annual Israeli Chef’s Table Experience. Hosted by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and presented...
The 2025 Annual Campaign of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater recently crossed over the milestone $5 million mark, on its way to a successful close. The campaign year officially closes on Monday, June 30. Every attempt is made to have all gifts closed before...
Lag BaOmer is Friday, May 16 From Passover to Shavuot, the Torah teaches that the days must be counted to prepare to receive the Torah. This counting is known as Sefirat HaOmer. It is a period marked by introspection and mourning, which is unexpectedly interrupted by...
On the third try, I landed at an overnight camp that was the right fit for me.The first, an all-girls sleepaway camp, located in New England, required an eight-week commitment, where campers dressed in uniform bloomers and saddle shoes to have “fun.” I was nine years...
On a glorious spring Sunday morning, 10 young moms came together for a fun brunch and flower arranging workshop.Hostess Bo Lepchitz and her sister, Sunny, provided a plethora of floral options and the ladies “went to town.” Everyone created a beautiful centerpiece to...
When schools close for winter and spring breaks and other federal holidays, Camp JCC School Days Out is the fun place to be for campers and a convenient and flexible option for parents.Registration was available for individual days, 5- and 10-day bundles, and for the...
Sunday, April 6 turned into a very warm and sunny day for Sunday Fun Day at Hunt Club Farm. The event sold out and had a waiting list of families that wanted to join the farm fun. Families put on their sunscreen, hats, and tennis shoes and arrived at the first...
In 2010 when the Holocaust Commission conceived of what would become the What We Carry program, its previously robust survivor Speakers Bureau was beginning to shrink. Witnesses to history continued to leave us, but eventually the program grew, and consisted of films...
I’ve been trying—unsuccessfully—to get Naomi Limor Sedek, president and CEO of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, to listen to this song for weeks now. Man Smart, Woman Smarter, by Grateful Dead, has always made me smile, not just because of its catchy tune, but because...
(JTA) — Reactions from partisan American Jewish groups to President Donald Trump’s proposals for Gaza — that “all” Palestinians leave and the United States “take over” the territory — began flowing in just as soon as their leaders picked their jaws up off the floor on...
Jewish News appreciates all who support the newspaper with generous contributions – whether in honor of or in memory of friends and loved ones or as a Friend of Jewish News. Friends of Jewish News Terri and Steve BudmanMr. Walter FenskaMr. and Mrs. Donald FriedmanDr....
I know you join me in the joy we all feel for the return of Israeli hostages.Each one of the hostages is special to many people, especially their families who have long waited for their return. It also turns out we have a special connection to one of the hostages,...
Baking is a science that requires the precise chemistry of all ingredients. One misstep and a decadent dessert devolves into a tragic mess, a puffy souffle deflates into a cavernous hollow, or a delicate confection becomes a misshapen blob. ❦ David Leon, Joel Nied,...
“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 Jewish New Year of the Trees, Tu B’Shevat starts on Wednesday, Feb. 12 Rabbi Wolf Zitomirer was an innkeeper in a village. A Jewish wagon driver entered and asked for a glass of wine. When he was about to drink it without saying a blessing, the rabbi stopped him...
(JTA) — Israel and Hamas have reportedly agreed to a deal that will cease more than a year of fighting in Gaza and Israel, bring dozens of Israeli hostages home and free hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners.The agreement was reportedly confirmed by multiple...
It’s certainly been a chaotic start to 2025.We were barely finished singing Auld Lang Syne when we heard the news about the deadly attack in New Orleans by a man displaying an ISIS flag. (page 4) The threat of Lone Wolves, we’re told, is one of the many reasons to...
At the funeral service for Dr. Bernard Einhorn, Rabbi Michael Panitz noted that “Barry had the unusual gift of positively intersecting” with countless people. The nearly full Temple Israel sanctuary was proof of his remark.Personally, I know Rabbi Panitz’s words to be...
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.In 2005, to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the United Nations General Assembly designated January 27 asInternational Holocaust Remembrance Day.The resolution stated that...
Janet Mercadante Since many people spend money that they don’t have, Mercadante stresses, “No matter what you’re earning, live within it.” She counsels college grads and retirees with the same advice: “It’s going to take a little while to figure out how much you’re...
Imagine this: You’re getting ready to be discharged from the hospital when you get the news that your care team is recommending you go to a rehabilitation center to get stronger. You may ask, “Can’t I just go home with home health?” The answer is yes, but the benefits...
A heartfelt celebration that brings together students, families, and friends to honor the special bonds between generations, Strelitz International Academy’s annual Grandparents and Grandfriends Day achieved its goals. The event was marked by warmth, gratitude, and...
A trip that brought the stories of Hampton Roads’ Jewish history to life was the culmination of From the Shtetl to the South, a 10-week course hosted by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. Participants joined Rabbi Michael...
Camp JCC wrapped up another successful Winter Camp to conclude a fun filled 2024. More than 50 children attended the camp during the two weeks of school holiday closures, enjoying the “Camp JCC Winter Cabin” with each day featuring its own song as its theme for the...
The alarming rise in antisemitism and hate crimes was the topic for a gathering of community leaders hosted by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Jewish Community Relations Council and Holocaust Commission on Thursday, December 12. Meredith Weisel, regional...
To Life: The Past Is Present, Holocaust Stories of Hampton Roads Survivors, Rescuers, and Liberators is a collection of stories and reflections from those who witnessed this brutal history. Published by the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of...
I stood in Nationals Park on November 10, 2024, gazing across the vast expanse of empty seats. While we hoped for a crowd of tens of thousands to gather in unity, the turnout of closer to 5,000 felt like a stark reminder of the challenges we face. The energy was...