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The Strelitz International Academy’s 37th Annual Golf Tournament, held on Wednesday, September 10 at the Virginia Beach National Golf Club, proved that not even rainy skies could dampen the spirit of community and generosity. Known as the Bob Josephberg Classic, this...
The Be A Reader (BeAR) Literacy Project celebrated the start of its 2025/26 school year with an enormously successful kickoff breakfast on Monday, Sept. 15 at the Sandler Family Campus. The event gathered more than 90 BeAR mentors, both new and returning, for a...
Thirty-five members and prospects (17 AZA and 18 BBG) gathered at Top Golf to kick off the new programming term for BBYO. Sports, socializing, and snacks were enjoyed by all. To learn about more programming, contact Courtney Krutoy, city director - Tidewater...
The smell of fresh dough and the sound of laughter filled the Sandler Family Campus on Monday, Sept. 8, as community members of all ages gathered around tables dusted with flour. Jewish Family Service, in partnership with the Konikoff Center for Learning, hosted a...
Dr. Ben Rubenstein and Eric Miller joined the advisory committee last month for Tidewater BBYO’s Old Dominion AZA. BBYO advisors serve as role models working in partnership with staff members to supervise and guide AZA and BBG chapters. Advisors empower each BBYO...
Julie Giarrana, a registered dietician who recently started offering personal nutrition services at the Simon Family JCC, originally got to the Center by responding to an ad for a substitute yoga instructor. It was Giarrana’s nutrition background, however, that caught...
As we enter this High Holiday season of reflection and renewal together, I am reminded that these holidays invite us to pause, look inward, and reconnect—with our traditions, our communities, and with our loved ones. This year, more than ever, we are reminded of the...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Young Adult Division (YAD) has a new name and a new way of doing business. Now officially rebranded as Next Gen 757, this bold new identity reflects its mission, its members, and the vibrant future UJFT is helping to shape in...
Jewish Tidewater celebrates Sukkot with an array of events throughout the region. All listings are open to the public. Chabad of Tidewater Community Sukkot Dinner and Dessert in the Sukkah Monday, October 6, 7:30 pm Suggested donation $18/person RSVP:...
On Sunday, September 14, I hosted a charity mini golf fundraising tournament at the Sandler Family Campus. We had 25 people show up to play and donate to Jewish Family Service. The tournament was split into three rounds. The first round was a normal round, and...
RICHMOND, Va. — Attorney General Jason S. Miyares announced the publication of a new Virginia Rules lesson focused on combating antisemitism. The announcement was made in August. This new module will be added to the broader Virginia Rules program, which provides...
Honey is an integral ingredient for Rosh Hashanah, as Jews worldwide dip both challah and apples into this golden, syrupy liquid as part of their New Year traditions. But honey comes from a bee, an insect that stings and creates pain. Why isn’t the sweet apple enough...
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...
A small group of “exhausted-from-Passover-prepping” YAD women took time out on a Thursday evening to come together, swap advice, share stories, and create beautiful kosher for Passover dessert charcuterie boards.Combining classic sweets such as jelly rings, chocolate...
Eastern Region’s BBYO teens gathered for the annual Spring Cultural Convention at Camp Thunderbird in Lake Wylie, S.C. earlier this month. Eastern Region is comprised of three councils: Virginia Council (all of Virginia excluding Northern Virginia), North Carolina...
(JTA) — Almost all of the Holocaust survivors alive today will be dead in 15 years, a new projection by a leading organization advocating for their compensation finds.While the timeline is something of an actuarial inevitability — the Holocaust ended 80 years ago,...
Survey after survey reports that fewer adults and even fewer young people are aware of the Holocaust, or at least of its scale. In fact, denying the Holocaust or its enormity continues to gain followers and receive prominent placement on the national stage. With books...
Recent federal budget cuts have significantly impacted food banks across the country, and the food pantry at Jewish Family Service is no exception.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has eliminated more than $1 billion in funding for programs that helped schools...
Jacob Herber arrives in Norfolk July 15 Cyclist, scholar, father, mentor, musician, soccer, hockey, and baseball fan, U.S. history buff, Coast Guard Chaplain…and rabbi.That pretty much describes Jacob Herber, who assumes the pulpit at Norfolk’s Congregation Beth El in...
When “Judy” sat down with her daughter over Rosh Hashanah dinner, their conversation drifted from brisket to legacy. She had just learned about the Life & Legacy program and felt inspired to share her own hopes for the future of Tidewater’s Jewish community. “It’s...
Lois Einhorn and her late husband, Barry, moved to The Talbot in 2019. The senior, independent living community in Norfolk opened more than 20 years prior to their move, in the same neighborhood as the couple’s long-time home.A random solicitation in the mail offering...
Estate planning prepares assets for future generations, while advanced funeral planning prepares for another inevitable future, diminishing some of the stress for grieving loved ones.“You can face it now and take care of it or let it fall on your family at that time,”...
Tidewater BBYO had an active agenda last month. The teens volunteered, socialized, and celebrated Shabbat as part of their March calendar.During Operation Hamantaschen for PJ Library at the Simon Family JCC, the teens set up the event, baked, and delivered the...
“We were not ready for this.”With those sobering words, Dr. David Elcott opened his presentations during his visit to Tidewater earlier this month as part of the Konikoff Center for Learning. He spoke to students, faculty, and community at Virginia Wesleyan, members...
Whenever a mission participant returns from Israel, their first and often fondest memories are of their tour guide. And for the past 10 plus years, Tidewater’s exclusive Israel tour guide has been the amazing Zalman Spivak, a unique combination of many fine skills and...
The eight-day holiday of Passover begins this year with First Night Seder on Saturday, April 12 and continues through sundown on April 20. Many people observe the holiday by including favorite family recipes and traditions into their Seders. Others introduce current...
Nadiv, the young professional men’s fundraising group for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, held a social event on Monday, Feb. 17 at Q-Masters Billiards in Virginia Beach.More than 25 men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s attended – some were Nadiv ‘regulars,’ while...
Community members gathered on Thursday, Feb. 25 for a poignant ceremony led by Tidewater’s Shinshinim, Danielle Hartman and Emily Patyuk, to commemorate more than 500 days of war in Israel and to honor the countless lives lost since October 7, 2023. The ceremony also...
The 32nd Annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film overcame a chilly beginning to deliver a week of outstanding films and vibrant community spirit across Virginia Beach and Norfolk.After a strong start on Sunday, Feb.16 with the Israeli film, Running on Sand, the...
Deep learning and spirited conversation took place when Abigail Pogrebin and Rabbi Dov Linzer led a thought-provoking discussion at It Takes Two to Torah. Hosted by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, the event earlier this...
For the Kass family, giving back is more than just a value — it’s a responsibility. When their son Jonah was preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, Melissa and Aaron Kass knew they wanted to instill the importance of community and responsibility. The B’nai Tzedek: Youth...