Other News

The only site of its type in Tidewater, the Jewish Museum & Culture Center (JMCC) is housed in a former synagogue, Chevra T’helim, a building constructed more than 100 years ago in Portsmouth. The original congregation was established in the early 20th century by...

WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Joe Biden unveiled a multifaceted and broad strategy to combat antisemitism in the United States that reaches from basketball courts to farming communities, from college campuses to police departments. “We must say clearly and forcefully...

(JTA) — For a decade starting in 2002, Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi devoted herself to pro-Israel advocacy. After that, the Jewish philanthropist and activist from Annapolis, Maryland, went all in to fight for disability rights, working in the field for the next decade....

They say, “we are what we eat.”  Maybe this is because food is more than just the building blocks of our physical body. . .it is also feeds our spirit.  It reflects our emotions, “I need something fried today!”  our attitude, “I am feeling bold and spicy!” and our...

Setting goals and acquiring new skills are at the heart of kindergarten at Strelitz International Academy. This year, each student in Jamie Baker’s kindergarten class set a goal to accomplish with their classmates’ help. Goals included baking a Barbie cake, making and...

The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience’s 2023 Middle School Essay contest’s first place winner is Leah Steerman of Virginia Beach.  With the prompt, “If you were building a Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, which 3 things would you put in it?” MSJE,...

The Virginia Beach School Board met on Tuesday, April 25, to discuss, among other topics on their agenda, potential changes to the library media centers in each of the division’s schools. Virginia Beach citizens of all backgrounds spoke at the meeting about their...

An annual recognition and celebration of the more than 350-year history of Jewish achievements and contributions to the fabric of American life and culture in the United States, Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) is held during the month of May. JAHM was first...

NADIV, established in 2016, is United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Young Adult Division’s Men’s Giving Circle. While NADIV is rooted in networking opportunities (which still holds true today) it has evolved to a giving circle that is connecting its participants in...

On Tuesday, Jan. 25, Toras Chaim converted its auditorium into a job fair for the school’s Career Day. Several stations were set up with local business people and professionals volunteering to share the highlights of their professions and the importance of getting an...

In celebration of trees, PJ Library in Tidewater visited Norfolk Botanical Garden for a guided tour on January 9. Families learned about the trees, plants, and flowers that are native to Tidewater and enjoyed a read-aloud of the book, Trees Make Perfect Pets by Paul...

BBYO has maintained an active presence for its members, overcoming many obstacles this winter. The cold, the snow, and the impacts of the Omicron COVID-19 variant were among the challenges the teens faced. The Winter Regional Convention in Durham was cancelled...

To better protect the members of the Jewish community who worship and attend area synagogues, day schools, and other Jewish agencies in Tidewater, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater with support from a Tidewater Jewish Foundation community impact grant, joined with...

(JTA)—All four hostages at a synagogue in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area were declared “out alive and safe” by Texas Governor Greg Abbott at 9:33 pm CST on Saturday, January 15, following a 12-hour standoff with an armed assailant in an unfolding saga that...

On January 14, 2022, the UJFT Community campaign stood at $4,595,000 from 1,000 individual gifts. This total is about $88,000 ahead of where the campaign stood on the same day last year. And even better: there are a good number of potential gifts still “out there” in...

The word kosher is associated with dietary provisions one chooses to follow in support of deeply held religious beliefs. The role of the VAAD (Hampton Roads’ kosher supervisory resource) is instinctively tethered to Jews’ freedom to enjoy kosher meals in restaurants,...

Now in its 29th year, Jewish Family Service of Tidewater’s Annual Hanukkah outreach programs helped local Jewish families in financial need. Because of safety concerns with COVID-19, families received assorted gift cards for each child, along with a small bag filled...

Leaders at Kehillat Bet Hamidrash/Kempsville Conservative Synagogue worked on 2020 High Holiday plans for more than two months to create a safe and meaningful holiday experience for their congregants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, on September 18, just as Rosh...

Tender at the Bone is the title of a memoir by Jewish food icon Ruth Reichl. It doubles as a culinary storyteller’s nod to the alchemy of ingredients that make the Soup Love, an Amy Markman original. Fueled by a foodie father, and a healer’s heart, Markman re-imagined...

Nearly 30 Jewish teens came together for an afternoon at the movies on Sunday, December 12. The teens, ranging from sixth through 12th graders, represented OSTY, BBYO, and many area synagogues. Everyone enjoyed popcorn, refills of soft drinks, making new friends,...

For Temple Israel, in many ways, 2021 went out with a bang. From collecting more than $3,880 in gift cards for needy children in the community to collecting school supplies for children at Granby Elementary School, which netted more than $8,500, a summer Jewish Family...

Starting in 2022, the Stein Family College Scholarship will offer up to $20,000 a year for four years, according to Tidewater Jewish Foundation. This $80,000 scholarship opportunity makes it the largest scholarship in Jewish Tidewater. Awarded to Jewish students in...

Volunteers with Tidewater Chavurah provided a mitzvah for the Judeo Christian Outreach Center’s (JCOC) guests with a warm and filling dinner of chili, salad, cornbread, oranges, and cookies. After months of diligent planning, it paid off as the congregation got...

Make and pay your gift by December 31 to get your 2021 charitable tax deduction As the 2021 calendar year draws to a close, with Hanukkah behind us…and with a winter of “unknowns” fast approaching, now is the time to gather with friends and community members to...

Gaming site creates game-changer for Jewish families and teachers In recent years, there’s been a noticeable downward spiral of students’ attention spans. In 2010, the trend was apparent when Rabbi Dan Roth walked into a classroom of American students in Israel who...

Brith Sholom members have been patiently waiting for the time that they would be able to resume their monthly brunches in person. After all, it has been more than 20 months since they were able to be together and enjoy the camaraderie they looked forward to each...