(JTA)—The upset victory by Donald Trump in the 2016 elections stunned a Jewish activist and leadership class that is at times as divided as the electorate at large. JTA asked some of those leaders to describe their concerns and expectations in a series of brief...
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Time to stand up
On Saturday, Nov. 19, the leader of the white nationalist think tank, the National Policy Institute, Richard Spencer, addressed his faithful at the Ronald Reagan building, blocks from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. His words did not veil their references...
Making miracles
Friends, As the year ends, we look back at events, visitors, and achievements— and yes, the challenges—the Tidewater Jewish community experienced in 2016. Our gratitude toward this community’s commitments, its accomplishments, its devotion and its dedication to...
TJF honors Veterans with Veterans Day ceremony
Approximately 60 people attended Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s 7th Annual Veterans Day ceremony on Friday, Nov. 11. Scott Kaplan, president and CEO of TJF, welcomed guests to the ceremony and Captain James Eilberg, SC, USN (Ret), officiated. Other local clergy who...
Local high school students selected to attend AIPAC’s Schusterman Advocacy Institute in Washington
For three days last month, more than 400 high school students from across the nation attended AIPAC’s Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit in Washington, D.C for Israel advocacy and political activism training. Six students from Tidewater attended, with...
Joyce “Gila” Strelitz—A Woman of Valor January 9, 1932–November 5, 2016
Joyce Strelitz demonstrated her kindness and caring for others each and every day, inspiring peers and young leaders alike to joyfully engage in Tikkun Olam. Having served on (and often chaired) nearly every local Jewish board in Tidewater, as well as on area...
Created with love—Ohef Sholom Temple crafters sew one-of-a-kind quilts to give to JFS clients
The Leon Family Art Gallery wall on the second floor of the Simon Family JCC has been awash in both color and love the past few weeks. Twelve handmade, one-of-a-kind quilts showcased the craftsmanship of their creators, members of the Tzedakah Quilting Group, part of...
New Hanukkah Forever Stamp gets warm reception at dedication ceremony
Music, dance, and a few, brief history lessons were part of the buildup which led to the colorful unveiling of the United States Postal Service’s 2016 Hanukkah Forever Stamp on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk. An enlargement of the stamp...
Happy Hanukkah
Jewish News Hanukkah, December 5, 2016
End of year giving opportunities
This is the time of year we think about other people, friends and family. This year, I hope you will also think about your community and the many ways you can make a difference. Before 2016 comes to an end, consider these exciting programs and matching gift...
Top U.S. firefighters “dropped everything” to help Israel battle the blazes
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Call them Israel’s American volunteer fire brigade. Dozens of firefighters from across the United States put their lives on hold— leaving behind jobs and families—to help subdue the wildfires that swept Israel last month. While they all share a love of...
With the wildfires tamed, Israelis seek answers
JERUSALEM (JTA)—As the wildfires that raged across this country for nearly a week were subdued Sunday, Nov. 27, Israelis surveyed the devastation in search of answers. The fires, which continued to flare, consumed as many as 32,000 acres of forest and brush across the...
Democrats return to the economy after Jerusalem detour
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (JTA)—It was the nutsand- bolts convention that nearly broke down over the most ethereal of issues: Jerusalem and God. But by its third and final night, the Democratic National Convention had gotten back on message: jobs, jobs, staying on course with...
Event celebrates and honors Tidewater’s commitment to Jewish rescue and renewal
Thursday, Sept. 27, 6–8 pm In conjunction with the Jewish New Year, the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is beginning its 2013 Annual Campaign to raise awareness and much needed funds to strengthen and perpetuate Jewish life in Hampton Roads, in Israel and...
Calvin Belkov: Creating bright smiles
Calvin Belkov went to Israel for the first time when he was 60 years old. During his childhood, he realized the historical significance of the Jewish homeland because so many of his parents’ generation had perished during the Holocaust. From reading magazines and...
New national blog: “Southern & Jewish”
Jackson, Miss.—The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) recently launched a new national blog, “Southern & Jewish.” Created in partnership with My Jewish Learning, the blog is hosted on the MyJewishLearning.com website. MyJewishLearning.com...
2013 Annual Campaign begins with emotional photos and first hand accounts
The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s 2013 Annual Campaign begins on Thursday, September 27 from 6-8 p.m., at the Sandler Family Campus. The Kick Off event features the opening of From Gondar to Jerusalem: The Remarkable Rescue of Ethiopia’s Jews, a compelling,...
JTA: GOP, Democratic conventions gain Jewish focus for similarities and gaps
WASHINGTON (JTA)—It sounds like a political double feature with much of the same plot, but with different outcomes for the issues that tend to preoccupy Jewish voters. The same key words and themes are bouncing around Jewish events at the Republican convention in...
Jewish War Veterans national meeting in Tidewater
It began with a chance phone call to Temple Beth El and the question, “Where can a nice group of Jewish War Veterans have a kosher diner in Norfolk?” Several people put their minds together and suggested a dinner hosted at the Simon Family Jewish Community Center....
Bringing Israel Home to Tidewater
Following up on the success of Sababa Sundays of the past two years, the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater hosted a new event for local college bound Jewish students: Bringing Israel Home. Held on Sunday, Aug. 5 at Bite...
Lawrence Steingold inspires with a Legacy of involvement
The word “No” isn’t in Lawrence Steingold’s vocabulary. He just can’t bring himself to utter it. A Certified Public Accountant and Virginia Beach resident, Steingold’s demeanor is easy-going and friendly. His eyes sparkle with warmth and curiosity, but his head tilts...
Hebrew Academy bids a fond farewell to Zena Herod, head of school
June 7 marked not only the graduation ceremony for Hebrew Academy’s Class of 2012, but also a farewell reception for Zena Herod, outgoing head of school. Held on the Sandler Family Campus, the cardo was filled with nearly 200 well-wishers including HAT trustees,...
B’nai Israel looks to the New Year under the spiritual leadership of Rabbi Sender Haber
In anticipation of an era of growth and increased involvement with the greater Tidewater Jewish community, B’nai Israel installed Rabbi Sender Haber as its new spiritual leader earlier this month. Rabbi Haber arrived in Tidewater more than 10 years ago as one of the...
Despite militarized society, Israel has strict gun laws
TEL AVIV (JTA)–First-time visitors to Israel might be taken aback to see groups of armed teenagers walking through a city plaza on a weeknight, or surprised to walk into a public bathroom and see an M-16 laying across the sinks as a soldier washes his face. But guns...
Education issues and the CRC
In 2010 I was asked to chair the Community Relations Council’s (CRC) education committee. Eliot Weinstein serves as vice chair. This committee assists with common education situations in our local school systems both public and private. Our goal is to provide a united...
William “Bill” Nusbaum: Tikkun Olam in Hampton Roads
Bill Nusbaum, 56, has a painting in his home of the village of Positano which he bought at an art auction at Ohef Sholom Temple in 2008. The landscape of the picturesque village nestled into a cove, precariously perched on the mountainside of Italy’s Amalfi Coastline,...
JFS honors staff at Employee Appreciation Dinner
Dedicated. Unusually patient. Devoted. Knowledgeable. Gentle. Caring. Attentive. These are just a few of the words patients have used to describe Curlean Fentress, a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at Jewish Family Service of Tidewater. For these and other reasons,...
NFTY— The gift that keeps on giving
Imagine you are a 20-something newlywed with a full time job, busy making a life in a new city. A local Reform synagogue approaches you and your spouse with a plea for help. “Please help! The Temple Youth Group is in desperate need of adult supervision. We’ve heard...
Jewish groups largely applaud health care ruling
WASHINGTON (JTA)—American Jewish groups—with the notable exception of the Republican Jewish Coalition—were largely satisfied with the U.S. Supreme Court’s vote to uphold President Obama’s landmark Affordable Care Act in a 5–4 vote. Nancy Kaufman, CEO of the National...
Presbyterian Church’s narrow rejection of divestment unlikely to slow anti-Israel push
WASHINGTON (JTA)—Proponents of using economic pressure to force Israel out of the West Bank may have lost a key battle —by a hair’s breadth—but they have no intention of giving up. That’s the message from backers of a divestment motion at the General Assembly of the...
JFS honors volunteers with appreciation brunch
With more than 6,000 collective hours of volunteer service in 2011 under their caps, one would think they’d look tired. But this was not the case for the Jewish Family Service volunteers attending the agency’s Volunteer Appreciation Brunch on June 27. They were...
New biking trail in northern Israel
Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael KKL-JNF and the Misgav Regional Council recently held an inauguration ceremony for a new hiking and biking trail near the KKL-JNF Australia Park at the Segev Forest. The trail is part of a biking trail project developed by Keren Kayemeth...