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(JTA) — Speaking from Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Feb. 19, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, Eric Fingerhut, laid out his assessment of the state of Jewish life in America. “The state of the Jewish union in America is strong,...
After 35 years of service on the Norfolk Police Department fighting crime as a police officer, advancing through the ranks to become Norfolk’s Chief of Police, then on to a second career as an Assistant City Manager for Norfolk, Mike Goldsmith was more than entitled...
(JTA) —During the recent Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations’ mission to Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that Jews around the world stand strong and unified in support of Israel and against antisemitism. “Fight, fight, fight,” he...
(JTA) — Jewish hockey star Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal Sunday, Feb. 21 to clinch a gold medal for the U.S. men’s hockey team, its first since 1980. The New Jersey Devils star center, who had scored twice in Team USA’s semifinal win, sent the puck...
Applications for the 2026-2027 Academic Year accepted through April 30 In 2025, JELF (Jewish Educational Loan Fund) loaned $2.3 million in 0% interest loans to almost 500 students, allowing Jewish students to pursue higher education without the burden of...
Family and friends gathered on a Saturday evening in January to celebrate an extraordinary milestone as Erica Reisner Ausch turned 90 years young. Her daughters – Jodie Woodward, Linda Ausch, and Bonnie Laibstain — brought together those who know her best and love her...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater recently established the position of NextGen Engagement coordinator, a re-imagined role designed to strengthen connection and community among Jewish young adults in Tidewater. Hannah Yasemsky is the first person to assume the...
Thursday, March 26, Westin Virginia Beach Town Center The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities will hold its 62nd annual Tidewater Humanitarian Awards event this month. These awards honor individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to...
The recent Mizrach class and hands-on glass workshop offered by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning provided a journey from learning to creating. The experience began with a class led by Rabbi Ari Oliszewski, who explored...
While school was out on Monday, Feb. 16, campers spent Presidents’ Day getting active and inspired at Camp JCC’s School Days Out program. To celebrate American Heart Month, the day’s theme was all about heart health. Campers began the morning by...
Joseph Alex Frissora joined the Sandler Family Campus late last year as Facilities Director, working with Glenn Saucier until his retirement in December. Prior to joining the Sandler Family Campus, Frissora spent 14 years with the United States Coast Guard, where, in...
(JTA) — Passover may still be months away, but PBS is seating a diverse set of Jews down for a seder this month — casting the communal storytelling meal as an ideal entry point for exploring the complicated history of Black-Jewish relations in the United States....
(JTA) — Since the end of World War II, Vienna has functioned as an Ellis Island for Jewish refugees from Europe and the Middle East, a place where survivors, dissidents and religious minorities arrived with little more than documents and hope, and departed toward new...
Today we think of hamantaschen, the triangle-shaped stuffed cookie, as the pastry of the Jewish holiday of Purim. But the original hamantaschen had no Jewish connection at all. According to Gil Marks in his landmark book, Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, the hamantaschen...
(JTA) — Portland Trail Blazers star Deni Avdija’s meteoric rise has officially reached a new stratosphere, as the 25-year-old forward has become the NBA’s first-ever Israeli All-Star. Avdija was named an All-Star reserve for the Western Conference on...
(JTA) — The legendary director Steven Spielberg has become the ninth Jew to secure “EGOT” status after winning a Grammy for producing a documentary about the music of John Williams. Spielberg was awarded the Grammy for producing Music by John Williams, which won...
A small factory retail store recently opened at Jody’s Gourmet Popcorn’s Norfolk manufacturing facility – making in-person purchasing of the artisan popcorn again doable for Tidewater residents. While it’s always possible to purchase the popcorn from the...
An enriching day trip for Beth El congregants and friends took place last month when the group travelled to the North Carolina Museum of Art to experience the exhibit, The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt. The exhibition, which was widely acclaimed in New York,...
Thanks to an emergency security matching grant from The Tepper Foundation, which is distributed through Jewish Federations of North America, and with the addition of contributions from community members, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is able to make...
Over the past two months, an all too familiar scam has reared its ugly head again. In this case, it involves someone spoofing a local sheriff’s or police department’s office phone number to call a potential victim. The caller usually tells the recipient that they have...
In a letter sent earlier this month to all Virginia K–12 school superintendents and school boards, Attorney General Jason Miyares urged them to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into their codes of conduct and...
The Jewish community is taught from an early age that giving back is not optional. Values such as tikkun olam and tzedakah shape how families show up for one another and how the community strengthens Jewish life for future generations. In retirement, those same values...
Russell “Russ” Cronin recently joined Tidewater Jewish Foundation as its new chief operating officer and vice president of operations. Cronin brings strong professional expertise and a local connection to the organization’s leadership team. Raised in Virginia...
The opportunities for engagement for retirees and seniors presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Simon Family JCC are plentiful and varied and designed to offer something for nearly everyone. The Senior Club, for example, meets once a...
Camp JCC wrapped up another successful Winter Camp to conclude a fun-filled 2025. More than 45 children attended the camp during the two weeks of school holiday closures, enjoying the “Camp JCC Winter Lodge,” with each day featuring a special theme, including Snow...
The spirit of Hanukkah was alive and glowing at Aviva Pembroke on Thursday, Dec. 18, as seniors and their families gathered for a celebration filled with food, laughter, and togetherness. The Hanukkah party was a collaborative effort hosted by Beth Sholom Village,...
In conjunction with Community Impact Day, and as part of Jewish Tidewater’s celebration of Jewish Book Month, community members and clergy gathered on the Sandler Family Campus to explore the importance of Jewish books, the distinction between books of a Judaic nature...
After a week filled with laughter, stories, and connection, Corey Rosen’s residency in Tidewater concluded—but the stories he helped surface will continue to resonate. Presented by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater as...
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 friends or...
(JTA) — After parting ways with the first architect hired to carry out his vision for the White House’s East Wing, President Donald Trump has picked a replacement — turning to a firm run by a prominent Jewish architect who once called on Trump to keep the country’s...
(JTA) — In the lead-up to New York City’s mayoral election last month, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove emerged as one of the most outspoken rabbinic critics of Zohran Mamdani, the anti-Zionist activist who is now the mayor-elect.On Monday, Dec. 8, speaking to a convention of...
The protest outside Park East Synagogue in New York was not a complicated sociological moment. It was a group of demonstrators shouting slurs, taunts, and explicitly hostile language at Jews entering a house of worship.That should be the starting point for any...