With more than 60 years of experience in the world of education, Hebrew Academy of Tidewater decided this year to pilot a one-week summer camp program—Camp Creation Station. This new camp utilized ideas and activities from HAT’s very strong STEAM curriculum (Science,...
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Beth Sholom Village installs new officers; is two-thirds of the way toward Honor Campaign goal
Stuart Nachman is well known around Hampton Roads as an accomplished attorney, but in the Jewish community, he is also highly regarded for his long time association with Beth Sholom Village. Now, Nachman is president of the Village, which includes the Berger- Goldrich...
Presidents’ Cup Golf Tournament refreshed and re-energized
The Simon Family JCC’s 7th Annual Presidents’ Cup Golf tournament was transformed this year after inclement weather arrived on tournament day. Instead of an all-day golfing affair, players and their guests were invited to join the JCC and honor its past presidents on...
Tidewater Hineni! group experiences Israel together
On an early Tuesday morning in June, 14 new graduates of the Tidewater Hineni! Leadership Program landed in Israel for the culmination of their two-year program. The 5th UJFT Tom Hofheimer Young Leadership Mission to Israel was underway. Day 1 The mission began with...
Legal Matters
Who knew one year ago when we scheduled this issue’s Legal Matters that so many legal decisions and arguments would be taking place—in Israel and in the USA? Consider, for example, Israel’s suspension of the Western Wall agreement (page 16) and, its advancement of a...
Holocaust studies at BINA
Ellie Brooke and Deb Segaloff visited BINA High School to present the Holocaust Commission’s What We Carry program to students on Friday, June 9. The women presented the story of David Katz, a Holocaust survivor of blessed memory. This program was the culmination of...
Corrie Lentz: helping to make things happen at the JCC
The Simon Family JCC offers a calendar of bold perspectives and community enrichment for members and guests. With record number attendees for Camp JCC and speakers such as Dennis Ross, the JCC serves as a gathering place for fun, education, and social networking. The...
This 136-year-old Jewish agency for refugees has a new mission in the Trump era: Fighting back
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...
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...
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...
Annual Campaign Kickoff invites community
Tuesday, Sept. 10, 6:30 pm Each year, the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater initiates a new fundraising drive, known as the Annual Campaign. To inform, inspire and motivate the community about the campaign, the UJFT presents a campaign kickoff—a pep rally of...
Women’s Cabinet kicks off the 2014 Campaign
On a beautiful night at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront last month, 30 members of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Women’s Cabinet took full advantage of the summer evening. Hosted by Cabinet Chair Jodi Klebanoff at the home of her sister Stacy Brody, the...
Israel ranks fourth in world in health care efficiency
An article in The Times of Israel recently reported that Israel is fourth in a ranking of countries with the most efficient health care. Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan were in the top three slots. The U.S. ranked even behind Iran, in 46th position. Compiled by...
Final airlifts of Ethiopian immigrants arrive in Israel
JERUSALEM (JTA)—The final two charter flights of new immigrants from Ethiopia landed in Israel. The two airplanes carrying the 450 new Israeli citizens arrived Wednesday, Aug. 28 at Ben Gurion Airport. A steady trickle of approximately 200 Ethiopian immigrants per...
Bar-Ilan University president shares medical school update
During a brief visit in mid-August to a handful of large cities in North America, the president of Israel’s Bar-Ilan University made a special stop in Virginia Beach. On Sunday, August 11, Professor Moshe Kaveh, BIU president, was introduced to about 40 community...
HPCT: Making a hospice patient’s wish come true
Lisa’s* face lit up with joy when she reflected on visits to the “Big Top” with her son until his untimely death to cancer several years ago. She described happier times gone by, but her voice reflected sadness, as if she had already accepted that her circus days were...
Briefing for former JCC presidents informs and engages
Past presidents of the Simon Family JCC gathered last month for an update about changes and developments at the Simon Family JCC. “We wanted our past presidents to learn about the exciting new programs we are implementing at the JCC, including Camp JCC, membership...
Meet the Presidents
Serving as president of any board requires a commitment of time, mediation skills, funds and an abundance of patience. Meet the Presidents is a new Jewish News column that introduces these remarkable people who have accepted the challenge of heading local Jewish...
Staci Eichelbaum, HAT Class of 2005
In July, I excitedly boarded a plane from Norfolk to start my new career with AIPAC in Houston, Texas. As I quickly worked to find a new apartment, pack my clothing, book tickets, and make plans to begin my life in Houston, I couldn’t help but look back on my...