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(JTA) — Since the end of World War II, Vienna has functioned as an Ellis Island for Jewish refugees from Europe and the Middle East, a place where survivors, dissidents and religious minorities arrived with little more than documents and hope, and departed toward new...
Today we think of hamantaschen, the triangle-shaped stuffed cookie, as the pastry of the Jewish holiday of Purim. But the original hamantaschen had no Jewish connection at all. According to Gil Marks in his landmark book, Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, the hamantaschen...
(JTA) — Portland Trail Blazers star Deni Avdija’s meteoric rise has officially reached a new stratosphere, as the 25-year-old forward has become the NBA’s first-ever Israeli All-Star. Avdija was named an All-Star reserve for the Western Conference on...
(JTA) — The legendary director Steven Spielberg has become the ninth Jew to secure “EGOT” status after winning a Grammy for producing a documentary about the music of John Williams. Spielberg was awarded the Grammy for producing Music by John Williams, which won...
A small factory retail store recently opened at Jody’s Gourmet Popcorn’s Norfolk manufacturing facility – making in-person purchasing of the artisan popcorn again doable for Tidewater residents. While it’s always possible to purchase the popcorn from the...
An enriching day trip for Beth El congregants and friends took place last month when the group travelled to the North Carolina Museum of Art to experience the exhibit, The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt. The exhibition, which was widely acclaimed in New York,...
Thanks to an emergency security matching grant from The Tepper Foundation, which is distributed through Jewish Federations of North America, and with the addition of contributions from community members, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is able to make...
Over the past two months, an all too familiar scam has reared its ugly head again. In this case, it involves someone spoofing a local sheriff’s or police department’s office phone number to call a potential victim. The caller usually tells the recipient that they have...
In a letter sent earlier this month to all Virginia K–12 school superintendents and school boards, Attorney General Jason Miyares urged them to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into their codes of conduct and...
The Jewish community is taught from an early age that giving back is not optional. Values such as tikkun olam and tzedakah shape how families show up for one another and how the community strengthens Jewish life for future generations. In retirement, those same values...
Russell “Russ” Cronin recently joined Tidewater Jewish Foundation as its new chief operating officer and vice president of operations. Cronin brings strong professional expertise and a local connection to the organization’s leadership team. Raised in Virginia...
The opportunities for engagement for retirees and seniors presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Simon Family JCC are plentiful and varied and designed to offer something for nearly everyone. The Senior Club, for example, meets once a...
When you hear the phrase Tikkun Olam—healing the world—you might picture simple acts of kindness: delivering meals, visiting the sick, or donating clothes. That’s what I imagined too when I joined the Jewish Family Service board in 2020. But I quickly realized I had...
Year-end is a good time to remember those people in our lives, besides family and friends, who play a part in our daily activities. According to the Emily Post Institute, which has been weighing in on proper etiquette for five generations, during the holidays it’s...
Written and illustrated by “Bub,” Eight Fairy Nights is crafted to nurture a meaningful and fun Hanukkah experience.The story captures the magic of Hanukkah and illuminates the importance of “standing up for what we believe.”The book engages children intellectually...
When I wrote my first piece about Nobody Wants This in Jewish News (December 2024), I analyzed its first season through the lens of the Argentine film Transmitzvah. In that essay, I highlighted how the film treated Judaism with humanity — characters who make mistakes,...
Just in time for Thanksgiving, the BeAR Literacy Project partnered with Southern Packing Corporation to donate 16 turkeys to the Norfolk Federation of Teachers. The turkeys were set aside for retired school employees, including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria...
New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth R. Hyman was a featured speaker of the Lee and Benard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival on Thursday, Nov. 6 at the Sandler Family Campus.Hyman shared the story behind her new book, The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto,...
Jewish News seeks a copywriter/editorial assistant. The paper is looking for a passionate storyteller who can craft clear and compelling copy for the newspaper. POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES • Write clear and persuasive copy with an emphasis on writing articles •...
(JTA) — Months after being forced out as president of the University of Virginia, Jim Ryan is still pondering Passover food. More specifically, Ryan, who was pushed out of the role over the summer amid mounting GOP pressure on the public university, cited the...
In the Be A Reader (BeAR) Literacy Project, mentors do far more than help children improve their reading skills, they help them see what’s possible. Each week, these caring volunteers meet with second graders in under-resourced schools, opening books, sharing...
Every day, Tidewater’s Jewish agencies, synagogues, and schools dream up new ways to educate, inspire, and connect the community. Tidewater Jewish Foundation helps make those visions real through its Community Impact Grant Program — funding catalytic projects that...
The Mitzvah committee at Ohef Sholom Temple completed its annual Thanksgiving Drive to benefit Jewish Family Service’s clients on Sunday, November 16. The temple’s Religious School classes, along with other congregant’s generosity, made it possible to fill 30...
Families gathered at Red Wing Park for a PJ Library Pumpkin Pop-Up on Sunday, Nov. 2. Parents and children spent the afternoon enjoying each other’s company and connecting with families who live nearby. Designed with local families in mind, the pop-up offered an...
The day following the election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City, Ted Deutch, CEO of American Jewish Committee, distributed the following email. The world’s attention is focused on New York City with Zohran Mamdani winning the mayoral election, and I...
(JTA) — The Anti-Defamation League is launching a nationwide legal service to connect victims of antisemitism with lawyers who can take their cases on a pro-bono basis. The initiative comes as the ADL has increasingly turned to litigation as a tactic — the...
We got your letter. Initially, my thought was that you were young firebrands who wanted to shake up the world. Then I re-read what you wrote. And I thought about it for a while. Then I thought some more. And then I concluded you are propagandistic...
Celebrating his 80th birthday this month, Rabbi Israel Zoberman has packed a lot into his eight decades – including living on three continents. Tidewater has been his home since 1981. Born on November 12, 1945, in Chu, Kazakhstan to Polish Holocaust survivors,...
Mikelle Rappaport, founder, owner, and executive director of Golden Lifestyle Partners, knows firsthand how difficult it can be to manage transitions for seniors. As a caregiver to her grandparents, and now to her mother with dementia, Rappaport understands that...
Nunez Fine Jewelers, located at Hilltop in Virginia Beach, is celebrating a milestone anniversary this year. For 20 years, this family-owned business has offered personalized service, on-site repairs, and quality custom work. Pete Nunez, the store’s...
A combination of High German and Hebrew, Yiddish is a language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. In Tidewater, the Yiddish Club embraces Yiddish culture, language, and history with music, film, poetry, and literature at its monthly meetings. For...
October is National Estate Planning Month and marks Donor Advised Fund Day — an ideal time to begin planning Estate planning is one of those tasks people tend to put off — until life reminds them why it matters. That’s why Scott Alperin, J.D., founder of Alperin Law...