Other News

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia—It’s a clear autumn morning in Charlottesville, Virginia, and Rabbi Jake Rubin has an extra spring in his step. He’s on his way to Thomas Jefferson’s academic village on the campus of the University of Virginia, and is preparing himself to...

Responding to Secretary of State John Kerry’s address on making peace between Israel and the Palestinians, many U.S. lawmakers said they were disappointed by the Obama administration’s decision to abstain on the vote in the U.N. Security Council of a resolution...

WASHINGTON (JTA)—The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly agreed to condemn a U.N. Security Council anti-settlements resolution and the Obama administration for allowing it through. The resolution, which passed Thursday, Jan. 5 by a vote of 342– 80, said the...

WASHINGTON (JTA)—Bomb threats were called in to at least 16 Jewish community centers and other institutions in seven states on Monday, Jan. 9. The calls were prerecorded in some cases and live in others, with the caller using voice disguising technology, and likely...

President-elect Donald Trump accused the Obama administration of treating Israel with “total disdain” hours after Secretary of State John Kerry’s speech rebuking the country’s settlement policy and offering his plan for Middle East peace. Trump spoke to reporters on...

What did Secretary of State John Kerry say that caused former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren to say that U.S. policy toward Israeli has become “sad, tragic and dangerous?” That led Sen. Ted Cruz to say that Kerry and President Barack Obama are...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The Simon Family Jewish Community Center would like to take this opportunity to recognize and offer a special Thank You to our 2011-2012 corporate and community sponsors. We are grateful for the continued generous support from our local businesses and surrounding...

A screening to celebrate next January’s Simon Family JCC’s 20th Annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film presented by Alma* and Howard Laderberg took place on June 10 at the NARO Cinema in Norfolk. An anonymous sponsor enabled the NARO to show Footnote, a Cannes Ophir...

The Tidewater community has long been able to watch videos and read reports of how local gifts are making a difference to students in Israel who are the beneficiaries of World ORT programs. On June 5, members of the community heard first-hand from a pair of Israeli...

More than 250 friends, family and supporters of Yeshiva Aish Kodesh, the Talmudical Academy of Norfolk, enjoyed a warm celebration of the area’s first and only Jewish Boy’s high school on May 20 at the school’s Tribute Dinner honoring Jordan Slone, founding president...

A grateful founding rabbi, I shall always remember and cherish the transforming birth of what we affectionately called, “the baby.” Much love and tenderness has been bestowed upon the fast-growing “baby,” remaining the newest synagogue in Hampton Roads and the only...

Continuing its yearlong effort to strengthen temples and synagogues in the Tidewater community, the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater recently launched its Federation-Synagogue Grants program. Funds are being made available for innovative projects that will...