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The inaugural session of the Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Community Book Club took place on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Congregation Beth El. Participants included congregants of area synagogues as well as those without affiliation. As part of the series, sponsored by the Simon Family...
America is experiencing a strong uptick in antisemitism, especially on our college campuses. Jewish students feel unsafe and numerous attacks have been registered. University presidents have struggled to admit that advocating for the genocide of Jews is against school...
Registration for Camp JCC Summer 2024 is off to a very promising start – after all, it is “the place to be” this summer. In fact, enrollment is significantly higher compared to this point last year, with many of the families who have registered new to camp. Based on...
During the final days of staff training, camp directors across the country ask their teams to close their eyes and think about who their favorite camp counselors were and what was it about that person that made them special. What were their qualities? What interests...
Susan Byrne of Catering Concepts recently happened upon a bag of yamakas (kippot) – all from events where she had been the caterer. “It was fun to find them and have all of the memories come flooding back,” says Byrne. “Seeing those yamakas reminded me of viewing...
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” – Albert Einstein We all want to feel that we truly make a difference. Participating in the Be A Reader (BeAR) Literacy Project of the United Jewish Federation Tidewater is an easy and rewarding way to accomplish...
“Strong legs, long life.” This is the mantra voiced by Tom Purcell during the LifeFit class he leads on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at the Simon Family JCC. It is just one among many positive thoughts Purcell shares during every class – all promoting fitness and...
Those who weren’t in Casablanca on Saturday, Feb. 3 missed out. Temple Emanuel’s Casablanca-themed Casino Night was the place to be and the numerous Ingrids and Humphreys in attendance can attest to that. It was an energetic, delicious, fun night on the town. Leslie...
A strengthening Jewish presence is emerging at Old Dominion University – one that is quickly confirmed by all the activity on Old Dominion University’s Hillel’s accounts on Instagram and Facebook. ODU’s vibrant Jewish community is promoting a greater understanding and...
Old Dominion University’s basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 22 featured the Simon Family JCC Youth Basketball League during halftime. The popular JCC basketball youth league, now more than 60 years old, played on the ODU home court to an entertained crowd that cheered...
Thanks to our generous community, the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater (UJFT) has raised almost $4.8 million since October 7 to support humanitarian, emergency, and wartime needs through the UJFT’s Tidewater Supports Israel Emergency Fund. The second largest...
Jewish Federations of North America on Wednesday, Feb. 21, led 16 American Jewish organizations in a joint letter to members of the House of Representatives reaffirming their support for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of...
It’s time to gather family and friends for Pesach and join in a moment of reflection…to take stock of values and hold fast to what’s most important in the coming days, weeks, and months. At Tidewater Jewish Foundation, we are doing just that. When we think about the...
We recently had the chance to lead Tu B’Shevat and Purim activities around the community. It was a pleasure to participate in the region’s many festivities and share our experiences from celebrating these holidays in Israel with people of all ages. We’ve...
Recently published, To Life: The Past is Present: Holocaust Stories of Hampton Roads Survivors, Liberators and Rescuers, is the book’s second edition. This anthology contains recollections of ghetto and concentration camp survivors, hidden children, Jews on the...
More than 100 Brith Sholom members gathered at the Simon Family JCC on Sunday, Feb. 5, to learn the results of the 2022–2024 election. The newly elected officers are President, Dave Lesser; Vice President, Ray Rebby; Treasurer, Joe Goldberg; Secretary, Ed Landress....
Jewish News: When and where did you meet? Joan and Eric Joffe: We met on the beach in Clifton, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa in December 1968. JN: What was most memorable about your wedding? J&E: Our wedding on April 10, 1973 was during the time of...
Jewish News: You are both Tidewater natives. When and where did you meet? Stephanie Jarvis Caskill and Tyler Caskill: We met in 2011 at a mutual friend’s house. JN: What was most memorable about your wedding? S&T: Having so many of our friends and family...
Jewish News: When and where did you meet? Sarah and Bill Keasey: We met online May 5, 2008 on Bikerkiss.com. We both had Harleys. JN: What was most memorable about your ceremony? S&B: The most memorable was to have our wonderful family and friends surround us. JN:...
In August, Pam Gladstone, executive director for Congregation Beth El, turns 80. For more than three of her nearly nine decades, congregants, vendors, and visitors to Beth El have been accustomed to Pam’s friendly greeting at the sanctuary’s door or on the phone....
Two members of the leadership team at Beth Sholom Village were recently recognized with promotions, new designations earned, and for their community-wide work. Mazel Tov Lauren Schoenfeld and Amy Weinstein! Lauren Schoenfeld, LNHA The new administrator of the...
Artist Jean-Pierre Weill recently spoke to Alene Jo Kaufman of KBH Synagogue about his book, Evolve: A Children’s Book for Adults as part of the Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. The conversation took place on Zoom. Weill, a father of five who was...
The Swordfish winter youth swim team may have been small, but they accomplished big things. Lead by coaches Leia Sabatini and Kayleigh Carnazza, the Swordfish broke 14 team records this season. During their three swim meets, Sawyer White, 9 years old, set three new...
(JTA)—An event that took place at James Madison University on Thursday, Jan. 26 to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day was scheduled to feature lectures about the legacies of Auschwitz and the intersection between white supremacy and antisemitism. There was...
February 5–11 Atlanta, Ga.—A national non-profit public health initiative dedicated to preventing genetic diseases, JScreen’s fourth annual Jewish Genetic Screening Awareness Week is taking place Sunday, Feb. 5 to Saturday, Feb. 11. Initiated in 2020 with...
One of the first items of business when someone is new to a role is to reach out to colleagues in the field to better understand how things work and learn best practices. I was fortunate to have the beginning of my tenure as director of United Jewish Federation of...
The question looms for most everyone in the workforce: When will I know I’m financially prepared to retire? Jeffrey S. Chernitzer, CPA/PFS (Personal Financial Specialist), a wealth advisor with Buckingham Strategic Wealth, agreed to offer Jewish News readers some...
New chapters and challenges seem to have always been the norm for Sandee Lefcoe. During the early years of her marriage, for example, she worked at the University of Virginia Hospital in Recreational Therapy in the psychiatric unit. Then, with one of her best friends,...
After a national search, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s program department started 2023 with new directors for its Holocaust Commission and Jewish Community Relations Council. Both directors quickly immersed themselves in their roles with projects and events....
The new membership year for the JCC Seniors Club is off to a great start, due in part to its active year in 2022. There is so much going on with this mainly retired and very active group that it’s hard to know where to start or who to feature. Here are a few...
Virginia Beach—Clare Krell passed away peacefully on January 29, 2023. She lived the life of a loving wife, a wonderful mother, adoring Savta and was loved by many. Clare is preceded in death by her parents Jacob and Sylvia Eichenbaum, her devoted husband David H....
Every week on Shabbat, we pray for peace—for our loved ones, for our world, and especially our extended Jewish family in Ukraine. Beginning this month through April, we’re ensuring 700 to 800 Jews from various cities in Ukraine will share in the peace of a 12-day...