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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...
The ketubah, or Jewish marriage contract, has traditionally spelled out the groom’s obligations to his wife, including financial responsibilities and his commitment to provide for his bride’s basic needs, such as food, shelter, and intimacy. In the orthodox tradition,...
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...
Each year, more than 200,000 Jewish students leave home to attend institutions of higher learning in the United States and Canada. Most of these teenagers have celebrated the High Holidays with their families their entire lives – never apart from them. Still, these...
Ashkenazi traditions are so pervasive in Jewish American communities, that many – Jews and non-Jews – think that those traditions are THE Jewish ways to observe and celebrate holidays. Those of Sephardic and Mizrahi heritage would most likely disagree.In fact, a new...
The Israel on Campus Coalition’s (ICC) National Leadership Summit (NLS) is a three-day conference open to Jewish college students across the country, with the aim to “address today’s critical issues and inspire student leaders.”This year, the largest gathering of...
The phrase that best describes the recently completed Camp JCC Summer 2025 is “tremendous growth.” In addition to the number of campers this past summer, “tremendous growth” refers to the growth of the Camp JCC program over the past five years.In summer 2025, more...
This past June, I participated in the Jewish Federation of North America’s 2025 LGBTQ+ Pride Month mission to Israel, the first trip of its kind in nearly a decade. I joined nearly 100 LGBTQ+ Jewish leaders representing 26 Jewish Federations from across North America....
For five hot days, July 27 - August 1, TeamVB’s four-person squad competed against delegations from across the country, plus Ukrainian, Israeli, and Canadian delegations at the JCC Maccabi–Access Games in Tucson, Arizona.Returning athletes from Tidewater joined...
Hamas’s attack on the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023, caused a massive surge in anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiments across the United States, and notably, on college campuses. Virginia’s university and college campuses were not immune to protests and...