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...
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Strelitz International Academy’s fifth graders take lessons to heart
Research, learning, and action were all on display at Strelitz International Academy’s fifth grade exhibit on Tuesday, May 23. Since SIA is an IB® World School, the fifth graders document their learning, research, and action and present it at the Primary Years Program...
Annual Fishing Derby reels ‘em in
More than 75 people were busy having fun casting bait into Lake Sandler for this year’s Fishing Derby on Sunday, May 21. With perfect weather and 40 prizes and raffle items, plenty of smiles were caught along with the fish. The largest fish of the day, a 4 lb., 3 oz....
Jewish institutions awaken to climate crisis, with hundreds pledging action
(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....
THE HUMUSIYA: Feeding your roots
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...
Yom Hashoah: A time to remember and honor
This year’s Yom Hashoah Commemoration, honoring the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, as well as liberators and righteous gentiles, brought the community together around awareness, sadness, honor, hope, and the understanding that the ordinary can be...
The Pasta-bilities are endless in kindergarten at Strelitz
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...
Leah Steerman wins Southern Jewish essay contest
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,...
Thelma Carroll: Education trailblazer in the Be A Reader (BeAR) Program
A trailblazer and an active Be A Reader (BeAR) mentor, Thelma Carroll has impacted many lives. In 1960, Carroll applied to and was accepted at Lincoln University, a historically black university in Pennsylvania. She majored in English and graduated in 1964 with...
Virginia Beach School Board reviews books in school libraries
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...
May is Jewish American Heritage Month
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...
TJF seeks new donors for education tax credit program
Tidewater Jewish Foundation, an approved scholarship foundation under the Virginia Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit (EISTC) Program, is looking for new donors before its current fiscal/program year ends on June 30, 2023. BINA High School, Strelitz...
Shmoozing on the beach with YAD
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Young Adult Division, also known as YAD, gathered on the evening of Wednesday, June 16 at the home of Stephanie Calliott and Don London for a Seashore Shmooze event. As pandemic restrictions ease, YAD has a full calendar of...
Biden administration supports replenishing Iron Dome after Gaza conflict
WASHINGTON (JTA)—A Biden administration official said the U.S. government supports restocking Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system after it was depleted by last month’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Dozens of House members from both parties have said they would push...
Elie Wiesel’s son: Jews always speak up for everyone else. Now’s the time to stand up for ourselves
(New York Jewish Week via JTA)—In the 1960s, the Communist Party cut the Russian Jews off from the Jewish people. They prohibited them from wearing tefillin, or celebrating b’nai mitzvah, or expressing support for the State of Israel. They intimidated and imprisoned...
TJF Community Impact Grant helps Beth Sholom Village telehealth initiative
Tidewater Jewish Foundation awarded a $25,000 Community Impact Grant to Beth Sholom Village for their new comprehensive telehealth initiative in March. “We are very excited to introduce this technology program to our residents, families, and staff,” says Amy...
BINA bakes for Film Festival
BINA High School collaborated with United Jewish Federation of Tidewater at a recent Virginia Festival of Jewish Film program. The movie’s theme inspired the organizers to want to offer pastries for sale at the event. They contacted BINA High School, and the board...
Gifting stock…what you need to know
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s donors paying their campaign pledge balances—or making a donation with appreciated stock (an excellent tax savings way to pay)—should contact Patty Malone, UJFT Campaign administrative assistant, at pmalone@ujft.org or...
JCRC responds
Among the five core issues for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Jewish Community Relations Council, the first listed on its website is: Combating antisemitism, bigotry, and racism. In response to the increase in antisemitic incidents, in addition to the JCRC’s...
It’s always a good time to say thank you
It is important to thank members of Congress who have spoken in support of Israel’s right to self-defense and condemned Hamas rocket attacks. This is an opportunity to let Congressional leaders know that their support for Israel matters and is appreciated. Several...
Anti-Semitic acts in US soared 80% in a month, Jewish security group reports
(JTA)—The organization that advises U.S. Jewish communities on security matters says it recorded an 80% spike in anti-Semitic acts in the last month amid Israel’s 11-day war with Hamas. One of the causes, according to the Secure Community Network, was disinformation...
Reaching out to the homeless
The pandemic has presented unfathomable difficulties for Norfolk’s homeless population. With every bed in local shelters full, street homeless-ness has roughly doubled, according to Sarah Paige Fuller, director of Norfolk’s Community Services Board. This thought hit...
Why I signed the Jewish Future Pledge: Danny Rubin
My son, Niv, knows the layout of the Simon Family JCC like the back of his hand. He’s only five, but can already point out the best kickballs on the white-top behind the building, the dogleg on the 6th hole of the mini-golf course, and how to reach max speed on the...
A fond farewell to Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Kaitlyn Oelsner
After two years of serving the Tidewater Jewish community, Kaitlyn Oelsner, Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s director of Philanthropy, is leaving the organization. “I’ve decided to put a pause on my professional career to fully focus on being a mom,” says Oelsner, who is...
Women’s Cabinet Spring event offers unexpected inspiration
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Women’s Cabinet held its first ever virtual Spring Lunch and Installation on May 13. Mona Flax, Cabinet chair, having completed a two-year term in office, made the unusual announcement that she would not be stepping down as...
Bringing To Life back to life
The Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is in the process of updating To Life: Stories of Courage and Survival, a collection of 67 personal stories published in 2002. With most of the individuals in the book now deceased, the Commission...
Fishing Derby reels in fun…and fish
After a COVID-induced one-year absence, the Simon Family JCC Catch-and-Release Fishing Derby was held Sunday, May 23 on the Sandler Family Campus. This was the fourth time the Derby was held on Lake Sandler, but the first time it was held in the spring, which may have...
In Jewish Heritage Month proclamation, Biden recognizes Emhoff and Schumer— and the rise of anti-Semitism
WASHINGTON (JTA)—In his proclamation marking Jewish American Heritage Month, President Joe Biden cited the precedents set by prominent Jews in politics this year and condemned the nation’s spike in anti-Semitism in recent years. Biden recognized Douglas Emhoff and...
UJFT’S Arts + Ideas has a new dynamic duo
The Arts + Ideas department of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC has a new professional team working on arts programming for the Jewish community—presenting some of the most exciting programs taking place in the region. Jill Grossman is the...
Virtual auction of Lorraine Fink’s donated works reaps funds for visual arts programming
The traditional in-person experience of art might have temporarily receded into the past, but for local artist Lorraine Fink, not even a pandemic could keep her art from the community she loves. Last month, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC...
Holocaust Commission
The Holocaust Commission gratefully acknowledges the following White Rose and Red Rose donors from this year’s annual campaigns to raise funds to continue our vital programming. We could not provide the vital educational support we offer to teachers, the military, and...
Simon Family Passport to Israel helps 8 teens head to Israel this summer
Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Simon Family Passport to Israel will send eight students to Israel after a yearlong program pause due to the pandemic. “With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the world last year, we simply couldn’t have students travel in the summer of...