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....
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In Hungary, JDC provides warm respite for Jews from Ukraine
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...
A Bluffer’s guide to the wine list
We have all been there. You are in a fine restaurant with a good looking date (in some cases your spouse), and the waiter or steward presents you with a wine list. It may be a small card. It may be the size of a book. What do you do? Many folks in this situation will...
Tidewater’s seventh annual Great Big Challah Bake serves up lessons and fun
Women of all ages spent an evening in November at B’nai Israel Congregation celebrating the Jewish tradition of preparing for Shabbat and the spiritual joys of making challah. A partnership between B’nai Israel and the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish...
Jewish Book Festival wraps up First Half of Season
Four engaging authors presenting on a variety of topics were featured in the first half of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival in November and December. Italian cookbook author Benedetta...
Temple Israel honors police officers at Law Enforcement Appreciation Shabbat
It wasn’t long ago that no one could have imagined needing armed guards to conduct Shabbat services. Accustomed to hearing about that kind of thing in Europe, it wasn’t thought possible here—not in the U.S.A. That thinking was wrong. For Temple Israel, the “it can’t...
Camp JCC Winter Camp wraps with happy campers
Camp JCC wrapped up a successful Winter Break Camp with diverse days, fun, and plenty of good spirit. Activities included gym games, free swim, winter crafts, indoor gaga, Israeli culture with the community ShinShiniot, Alma Ben Chorin and Aya Sever, and a daily...
Beyond the Bible course explores history not often studied
In Sunday School, it is typical to learn the highlights of the sacred memories of the Jewish people of the Biblical period. Then, it gets a bit fuzzy. After the Bible, what was there? Some rabbis, perhaps? It gets clear again with the modern era, the past quarter...
The Holocaust as reflected in diaries and memoirs, offers a collaborative learning experience
A 10-session intensive course on the Holocaust, The Holocaust as Reflected in Diaries and Memoirs, invited students to dig into the first-person accounts of living through the Holocaust. Diaries and memoirs served as a looking glass into these individuals’ daily...
A workshop through the Journey of Your Name
In a hands-on workshop offered by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, community members explored the meaning of their name through a mystical interpretation of the aleph bet. Josh Baum, illustrator of Malka’s Notebook: A...
PJ Library in Tidewater’s January Sunday Fun Day
The Simon Family JCC was filled to the brim with children and their families during the January Sunday Fun Day on Jan. 8. Some made winter-themed crafts, others played interactive inflatable sports games, and all enjoyed spending time with friends, new and old, from...
Tidewater Jewish Foundation earns recognition for its prudent management of invested funds
As investment stewards, Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Investment Committee recognizes its fiduciary responsibility to oversee the investment of the community’s assets and continues to review TJF’s Investment Policy Statement (IPS) and evaluate its implementation....
Summer camp is canceled. Here’s how Jewish parents can rise to the challenge.
SHORT HILLS, N.J. (JTA)—The announcement that Jewish summer camps will be closed this year has been tough on parents around the country. If we could just have this one little remainder of normalcy, we told ourselves, we’d be fine. But as with virtually every other...
CRC and Holocaust Comission Update: Never Again Education Act Passes Congress!
The U.S. Senate adopted the House version of the Never Again Education Act (H.R. 943/S. 2085), an important Holocaust education bill, which will provide expertise and resources to states, localities and schools on Wednesday, May 13. The bill has now passed Congress...
Be a video star
Due to the COVID-19 virus, Beth Sholom Village residents are not allowed visitors. Want to let these residents of BSV know that they are being thought of and missed? Create a short video (30 seconds—1 minute) of greetings and good wishes or share a special talent...
La Promenade: Virginia Beach lifestyle carousel plays a strong retail game
On a ‘typical’ lockdown Saturday morning before Mother’s Day, a store manager places orange traffic cones strategically in the parking lot outside Nothing Bundt Cakes at La Promenade in Virginia Beach. The popular cake boutique preps for the pre-Mother’s Day surge...
Emily Myers receives Stein Family Scholarship from Tidewater Jewish Foundation
The annual Stein Family College Scholarship of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation was recently awarded to Emily Myers, a soon-to-be graduate of Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach. Myers is the 12th recipient of the four-year scholarship, which provides up to $10,000...
Jewish Tidewater Community Survey: Results available soon
For the first time in 19 years, Tidewater’s Jewish community conducted a survey to gather information to build a stronger, more dynamic Jewish community. The survey took place in February. The last survey, the 2001 Jewish Community demographic Study, revealed where...
Jewish Tidewater: Taking care of each other
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic engulfing the globe is impacting our every moment. For United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Simon Family JCC, it is forcing us to make decisions we never thought possible. It is also challenging us to imagine new ways to...
Asian Americans are facing violent xenophobia during the coronavirus outbreak. Jews have a responsibility to speak out.
NEW YORK (JTA)—In recent weeks, we’ve seen an unprecedented epidemic of the coronavirus spread across the world. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen a spike in anti-Asian violence and prejudice. In the U.S., racist and xenophobic outbursts, assaults and discriminatory...
Rona and David Proser: Celebrating and ensuring Jewish lives in Tidewater
Having lived in Virginia Beach for close to 40 years, Rona and David Prosers’ lives and leadership have been interwoven into the fabric of Tidewater’s Jewish community. Rona taught at Hebrew Academy of Tidewater for 30 years, making a positive impact on the lives of...
Passover in a pandemic: Families on Zoom, solo seders and broken traditions
(JTA)—Rena Munster was looking forward to hosting a Passover seder for the first time. In past years, her parents or another relative hosted the meal. But this year she had invited her parents, siblings, and other extended family to her Washington, D.C., home. Her...
Mazel Tov
Dear Readers, We all love a celebration—no matter the reason or occasion. And, why not? After all, celebrations are generally times for laughter and visits and, at nearly every Jewish event, food. Fortunately, myriad reasons abound to say “Mazel Tov!” and throw a...
UJFT’S Young Adult Division’s Purim in the Wild West
Saturday, March 7, 8 pm, Sandler Family Campus Mozy on over to the Simon Family JCC for the Young Adult Division (YAD) of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater‘s Purim in the Wild West party. YAD wants all young adults, ages 21–45 (and older, if you dare…) to...
Film critic delights in pulling curtain on women who fight for ‘firsts’ and carry other women later
It was the perfect fit. Elizabeth Weitzman, Tricia Snyder, and members of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Society of Professionals got together on a rainy February night, in a trendy boutique backlit with sparkly dresses, puffy winter jackets, iconic...
Game on. Summer Maccabi 2020 is virtually the best year yet for dancers, gamers, and athletes
August 9–14, Pace University, New York City Digital natives, competitive dancers, and athletes who love soccer, basketball, swimming and e-sports will compete in 2020 Summer Maccabi, this year’s Olympic-style competition open to Jewish kids ages 13 to 16. “It doesn’t...
Mazel Tov to a Woman for the World: Annie Sandler is first JDC vice president from Tidewater
As a young married woman living in Virginia Beach, Annie Sandler began to build a rare and rewarding Jewish communal life. Powerful influences include husband Art Sandler; in-laws, Reba and Sam Sandler; Dr. Zvi Feine, and various female leaders on national United...
An update on Virginia Beach City Public Schools 2021–2022 School Calendar
Over the last month, our community has been engaged regarding the Virginia Beach City Public Schools 2021–2022 calendar with the first day of school falling on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. At the February 25, 2020 Virginia Beach City Public Schools School Board...
Dorothy Salomonsky celebrates a quarter of a century with JFS
For 25 years, Dorothy Salomonsky has been an integral part of Jewish Family Service of Tidewater—especially with one particular program. In fact, Salomonsky has been the driving force that propelled the Personal Affairs Management department to be nationally...
Purim around town
Purim begins at sunset on Monday, March 9 Tidewater is fortunate to have many great Purim events taking place this year. Check some of them out here. Sunday, March 8, 10:30 am A Totally Rad Purim Carnival Ohef Sholom Temple 530 Raleigh Ave, Norfolk...
Virginia Festival of Jewish Film’s BIG Saturday Night with Israel Today’s Israeli photographer Amos Nachoum
Saturday, February 22, 8 pm, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts Tickets $35 or under 21, FREE with RSVP (required) The Big Saturday Night Celebration of Jewish Film and Champagne Reception is in memory of Patricia Ashkenazi The BIG Saturday Night Celebration of...
Retirement in Style
Dear Readers, Sleeping in. Long walks. Exotic trips. For some, these are the dreams, and perhaps even the realities of retirement. Creating new businesses. Volunteering. International moves. For some, these are the dreams…and realities of retirement. Different doors...