NEW YORK (JTA)—On Jan. 27, President Donald Trump made Mark Hetfield’s job impossible. Hetfield is the president and CEO of HIAS, an organization that resettles refugees in the United States. A week into his presidency, Trump issued an executive order barring refugees...
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Most Reform and Conservative rabbis are Democrats. That’s far higher than any other clergy.
NEW YORK (JTA)—The vast majority of Reform and Conservative rabbis affiliate as Democrats, according to a new study. The study, published this month by Yale University, found that more than 80 percent of Reform rabbis, and about 70 percent of Conservative rabbis,...
Holocaust Commission invites educators, and community members to its 13th Biennial Educators’ Conference
Words Matter: Now More Than Ever Wednesday, July 26 and Thursday, July 27 The Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s highly praised Biennial Educators’ Conference provides educators with tools, strategies, and techniques to use for...
Hebrew Academy graduates the Class of 2017
On Tuesday, June 7, the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater Class of 2017 held a very moving graduation ceremony. Of the 14 students graduating from the school, 12 had attended the HAT since preschool. Next fall, these graduates will attend a variety of excellent schools...
One can only imagine what could follow
It may have begun on a dark, rainy September night, but the 6th Annual Israel Today series ended with a bang on a beautiful, warm May evening, as the Tidewater community gathered to cook with Chefs Nir Margalith and Guy Marom, of travel and culinary group Puzzle...
Senior Living
Just who qualifies as a ‘senior’ is a bit confusing these days. That’s mainly because the definition of ‘senior’ and who identifies as one, is more of a moving target than ever before. While it wasn’t that long ago that very few people worked beyond 65 years old, or...
Federation’s historic partner, JDC, provides emergency assistance in Sri Lanka
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is responding to catastrophic flooding and mudslides in Sri Lanka, the result of the worst storms to hit the island nation since 2003. JDC, together with its local partner Sarvodaya, a Buddhist-inspired...
Could Gal Gadot become the biggest Israeli superstar ever?
(JTA)—Try to think of the most famous Israelis in history. Not necessarily the most consequential or “important” ones— like any number of Nobel Prize winners or behind-the-scenes Middle East peace deal negotiators—but those who are most universally recognizable. Most...
Hebrew Academy students participate in robotics challenge
Technology is now ubiquitous. Kids seem to be born knowing how to use it. Still, if they want to keep up with the technology curve, they will have to learn to build, program, and code. As a result, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) has recently...
Father’s Day
Father's Day, June 12, 2017
Six unforgettable days, 50 memorable years
Sitting in front of my grandparents’ black and white television set watching Abba Eban’s unforgettable speech before the United Nations General Assembly is certainly one of my most distinctive memories of the Six-Day War. Just 10 years old and not able to fully...
Carl Reiner, 95, dishes his secrets to longevity
(JTA)—The first thing Carl Reiner does every morning is pick up the paper and read the obituary section to check if he’s named there. “If I’m not, I’ll have my breakfast”—or so he says in the charming and appropriately titled HBO documentary If You’re Not in the Obit,...
Germany’s Jewish “Pope of Literature” Remembering Marcel Reich-Ranicki
Marcel Reich-Ranicki shaped the literary world of the Federal Republic of Germany in the last half century probably like no other public intellectual in German history. An expert of German literature, he became the most articulate critic of the country’s new literary...
Bonnie Brand joins American Friends of Tel Aviv University board
The board of directors of American Friends of Tel Aviv University, a donor group that supports Israel’s largest academic institution, Tel Aviv University, recently elected Bonnie Brand to its board. A Tidewater native and lifelong resident, Brand serves on the board...
Virginia candidate says non- Christians worship ‘false religions’
WASHINGTON (JTA)—Jewish groups called on the Republican candidate for Virginia’s lieutenant governor to explain a sermon in which he said non-Christians are engaged in a “false religion.” E.W. Jackson, a pastor, on Sunday, Sept. 22 preached at the Restoration...
Stein family endows the Stein Family College Scholarship
The generosity of a few can impact the lives of generations to come. Case in point—the Stein family, which is helping Jewish students from throughout Hampton Roads fulfill their dreams of a quality college education. Five years ago, the family established the Stein...
Amos Guiora visits Maury High School
“Intriguingly fascinating,” Annie O’Donnell, a Maury High School junior says about Amos Guiora’s presentation to Maury’s Model U.N. Club on Monday, Sept. 24. An Israeli-American law professor, Guiora shared some of his experiences while working as IDF legal advisor to...
Amos Guiora on Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Syria, Iran and Russia
Appreciation for international security expert Amos Guiora’s experience, insight and intelligence was clear from the size of the crowd that showed up to hear him speak on Sunday, Sept. 22 at Temple Israel. More than 150 community members attended the briefing,...
Campaign Ambassadors learn lessons in “Asking”
“Federation doesn’t have a mission problem… it has an image problem!” So began Jonah Halper, CEO of ALTRUICITY and founder of NextGen:Charity and CharityForum. Halper was the guest trainer at a recent United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Campaign Ambassador...
Obama’s tough talk is good news for Israel— depending on what it means
WASHINGTON (JTA)—The good news for Israel in President Obama’s speech at the United Nations was his insistence that any steps Iran might take to solve the standoff over its nuclear program must be transparent and verifiable. The bad news was that Obama wasn’t clear...
Rabbi’s shooting shakes Russian community’s confidence in its future
DERBENT, Russia (JTA)—Accustomed to the sound of gunfire at night, neighbors of Rabbi Ovadia Isakov were not particularly startled when a shot rang out on Pushkin Street on July 25. But unlike the volleys that partygoers often fire heavenward in this lawless corner of...
Jewish Education Council’s Summer Institute 2013
Jewish educators gather for two evenings each August at the Simon Family JCC for the Jewish Education Council’s Summer Institute. This hands-on workshop is designed to improve teaching skills and share what works and inspires in the classroom. Mary Meyerson, a...
Area Conservative Synagogues gather for Annual Selichot services
What do five rabbis, five cantors, and five members of military families have in common? They all participated in this year’s annual shared Selichot services, held on Saturday night, August 31. For about two decades, the Conservative congregations of South Hampton...
Beth Sholom becomes a home away from home for Shabbat
Stanley Peck loves Shabbat, looking forward to sundown every Friday. He loves everything about it. He loves the prayers, the food, honoring God, and of course, being with his family. Peck recently had a bit of a challenge. He was at Beth Sholom Village for about a...
First day of school at Hebrew Academy and the Strelitz preschool
As any parent and child has experienced, the first day of school is always highly anticipated. Between setting the alarm clock for an on-time arrival to donning those very special “first day of school clothes,” it can be very exciting. A scan of friends’ Facebook...
My 50-year love affair—with Israel
This summer I thought a lot about my very first trip to Israel exactly 50 years ago. In July and August of 1963, I went on a program for high school juniors sponsored by Camp Ramah. It was only the second year of operation of the National Ramah Seminar in Israel that...
Jewish summers for Tidewater teens
JCC Maccabi Games and ArtsFest This summer, the Simon Family JCC gave me the opportunity to learn more about journalism at the Maccabi Games and ArtsFest, This International Jewish Junior Olympic and Artistic conference was held in Orange County, Calif., August 4–9....
Miller Family Library opens doors to community scholars
Laura and Jerry Miller’s vision of a library, filled with books and learning resources, where anyone in the Tidewater Jewish community can come to learn and study, will begin another chapter in its storied history on October 6. The Laura & Jerry Miller Family...
Meet the Presidents
Terri Tavss Sarfan, president, Simon Family Jewish Community Center Profession Jack-of -all-trades/ Master of none Education Bachelor of Science in Marketing, Virginia Commonwealth University Family Married to Lonny Sarfan Two daughters: Alex and Stephanie Four-legged...
HAT and Strelitz kick-start the year with important new programs and faculty
It has been an exciting and active summer for the administration and faculty at the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater and Strelitz Early Childhood Center. While many spent the last few months packed with family fun and sensational travel experiences, everyone ultimately...
Tallwood High School to hold golf tournament for Israel exchange program
Thursday, Oct. 3, 11 am When we are consumed with our own culture and way of life, it is sometimes hard to imagine anyone else being intrigued in what is to us, a standard interest. At Tallwood High School’s Global Studies and World Languages Academy in Virginia...
Families find fun at Super Summer Shabbat
Although the weather forecast predicted showers, the rain stayed away and families and friends shared a fun-filled evening at the Super Summer Shabbat at the Simon Family JCC on August 16. Presented by the Young Adult Division of the United Jewish Federation of...