In February, Brith Sholom held their first successful online elections, which were necessary due to the pandemic. The newly elected officers and board members were installed during a Zoom meeting on Sunday, March 7. The installed officers and board members are: Joe...
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Grants available for first-time campers to Jewish overnight camps
As the world begins to safely open up, many families are beginning to look for activities for their children this summer. For those considering Jewish overnight camps, the Tidewater Jewish Foundation is partnering with the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s One Happy Camper...
A Time To Mourn From Death to Renewal
Pandemic A dangerous new phenomenon entered our 2020 vision. A novel virus would forever change our lives and our times. Marching us from spring and falling into autumn without even looking. Dementia Her normal eccentricity quickly magnified into the bizarre. Storing...
TJF Thanks Legacy Donors
Today, we honor and thank our Legacy donors, who have committed themselves to the future of the Tidewater Jewish community. Your gift(s) will help meet the challenges and needs our community faces for generations to come. Thank you. View TJF Life & Legacy list.
Yeshivas Aish Kodesh brings students to Norfolk and sends them out in the world, fully prepared
Yeshivas Aish Kodesh Talmudical Academy of Norfolk is a four-year high school for Jewish boys, offering a dual curriculum of Judaic Studies, along with a complete General Studies program —in a religious environment. The pride and joy of the YAK staff is the...
Grant helps feed the hungry
Jewish Family Service received a grant from Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation in the amount of $2,500 to purchase food for members of the community who might otherwise go hungry.
Israeli Supreme Court rules state must grant citizenship to non-Orthodox Jewish converts in Israel
(JTA)—Israel must grant citizenship to Jews who converted to Judaism in Israel under non-Orthodox auspices, its Supreme Court ruled Monday, March 1, possibly igniting another round in the long-running government battle over who the state should recognize as Jewish....
Whale watching and Shabbat
Actually standing in a boat looking at a whale in the water, it’s not hard to imagine how one swallowed Jonah. Encouraging her students to be inquisitors, Morah Nicole’s class at Strelitz International Academy has become enthralled with all kinds of whales. That’s how...
Simon Family Passport to Israel: Funds available for teen trips to Israel Application deadline: Monday, March 15
Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Simon Family Passport to Israel Fund, which provides grants for trips for teens to Israel, is accepting applications for the program until March 15, 2021. The program provides funds to enable and encourage Jewish students to participate...
An anniversary of caring: Pam Blais delivers to caregivers
Anniversaries are sometimes faced with mixed emotions. For some, there’s pure joy in recalling a wedding anniversary or the day children or grandchildren were born. Conversely, some bring sadness, reminders of the loss of loved ones or of a catastrophic event such as...
B’nai Tzedek Teen Philanthropy: Putting the Mitzvah in Bar and Bat Mitzvah
Around the time of their bar or bat mitzvot, teens explore what it means to become an adult and active member of the Jewish community. They study Torah, learn to lead services, perform mitzvah projects and begin their journey into Jewish philanthropy. The Tidewater...
BINA High comes back from 100% virtual with caution and success
The BINA curriculum actively encourages high school students “to develop their love for Hashem, His Torah, and the Jewish people.” The close-knit BINA staff partners with parents to help each student actualize her potential in a supportive and challenging academic...
Challah Bake 2017
In a delightfully busy night filled with flour and community, 150 women gathered to mix, knead, and braid at Tidewater’s 3rd Annual Great Big Challah Bake. Held on Thursday, Oct. 26 at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus, the women-only event offered the...
No Frill Bar & Grill celebrates 30th anniversary
Jerry Meltsner arrived on the shores of Norfolk from his hometown of Philadelphia via Los Angeles in 1983. His first stop in town was to run the food service operation at Stanley Peck’s Bessie’s Place, which morphed into the Boat House—a concert and party venue where...
The Quality Shops celebrates 100 years in business
Founded as a hat store in Portsmouth in 1917 by Morris H. Rapoport, The Quality Shops is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year as a family owned and operated business. And, let’s face it, in today’s retail climate, that is a major accomplishment. Specializing in...
25 years of brightening Chanukah for local children and teens
“I am a native of Tidewater and have spent my whole life here. I met and married the love of my life after college and we had one beautiful daughter. Unfortunately, our marriage did not turn out to be beautiful. After counseling and serious soul searching, we decided...
Plenty of fish in the pond
Hebrew Academy of Tidewater’s third grade students invited Sandler Family Campus “experts” to a brief presentation of their research of the Campus Pond, dubbed “Lake Sandler” on Tuesday, Oct. 17. The students were investigating whether Lake Sandler would need to add...
Simon Family JCC Seniors celebrate Rosh Hashanah
The Seniors Club celebrated Rosh Hashanah at the Simon Family JCC with a paint social led by Hebrew Academy art teacher, Michelle Barnes just ahead of the holiday. Following their painting, Rabbi Israel Zoberman led an educational discussion about the meaning of Rosh...
Palliative Care eases the burden for families
When a loved one is diagnosed with a chronic disease or condition, it can be overwhelming. Among the many unanswered questions are: Will this limit their life expectancy? Who do we turn to with questions? Will they be able to care for themselves? Who is going to care...
8th Annual Veterans Day service and celebration honors service to America
Friday, Nov. 10, 9:30 am, Sandler Family Campus Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Annual Veterans Day service and celebration seeks to honor those who have served in America’s armed forces, as well as those who continue to do so with dedication and bravery. This year’s...
Money available now for teen Israel trips
First deadline: November 15 The newly revised Simon Family Passport to Israel program is now accepting applications through Tidewater Jewish Foundation. The program provides funds to enable and encourage Jewish students to participate in an Israel trip experience....
Update on Federations’ National Emergency Response Efforts
Jewish Federations of North America’s Emergency Committee, and many Federations on the front lines of addressing natural disasters, have had an extraordinarily busy and taxing eight weeks since the start of Hurricane Harvey. Following is an update on the work of the...
No way, José! — HAT Golf Tournament drives on
It was a dark and stormy morning with driving rain and winds gusting up to 30 miles per hour. Temperatures were cooler than usual for mid-September. Hurricane José was making its closest point of approach through the Atlantic off of Virginia’s coast. Although the...
Commodore Levy Chapel
When a Jewish family or individual moves to a new community, they face many immediate challenges, not the least of which is choosing a synagogue, getting involved in the Jewish community, meeting new friends and creating a new social network. For a member of the...
Finding Jewish in the U.S. Navy
During my more than 20 years in the Navy, two distinct times highlighted the Jewish community in the military coming together. While at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., there was a large and active Jewish Midshipmen Club. All “plebes” (first year students)...
Simon Family JCC, CRC, and community partners’ Israel Today, educating people about misconceptions
Erez Kaganovitz, Israeli artist, storyteller, and founder of the hit photoblog, Humans of Tel Aviv, landed in Tidewater ready to dispel misconceptions and ideas about his homeland by sharing stories of everyday people living in Tel Aviv. Through these stories of...
Jody Wagner gets honored, JFS reaps the reward
A leader of many organizations throughout Tidewater, Jody Wagner recently made a special gift to Jewish Family Service of Tidewater happen. Since 2006, Wagner has been a member of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation’s (HRCF) board of directors, including serving as...
Rabbi Jason Rubenstein’s multi-faceted visit to KBH reached many
“I’ve studied Rav Hutner before, but never like that,” says Rabbi Arthur Ruberg, rabbi emeritus of Temple Beth El. That is just one reaction after learning with Rabbi Jason Rubenstein at a pre-Selichot learning session, Saturday, Sept. 16, at Kehillat Bet...
A great start to a new year for BeAR
The Be A Reader literacy program kicked off the 2017-2018 school year with a welcome breakfast and meeting on Monday, Sept. 18 for nearly 50 new and returning volunteers. Gail Flax, program chair and founder, spoke about the program and BeAR captains talked about...
Maccabi Transatlantic Cup Golf takes Jeff Flax to England
Twelve Jewish American golfers went to battle with 12 Jewish British golfers using their clubs—their golf clubs, to be clear. These top amateur golfers played in the 22nd Maccabi Transatlantic Cup Golf Matches Sep. 12 through Sep. 15. Virginia Beach resident, Jeff...
Tidewater joins International Yom Limmud movement
Sunday, Nov. 12, 1–5 pm Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus Yom Limmud (Hebrew for “learning”) promotes global Jewish unity by offering an inclusive cross-communal space for Jews of all ages and backgrounds to meet, learn, volunteer, and build community. Since its’...
Talk about memorable proposals…
This is the end of the story Max Wagner popped the big question to Stephanie Guld after popping out of a plane. Yes, after skydiving! Spoiler alert: She said yes. Backing up to the BBYO beginning Stephanie grew up in Richmond, Va. where, when she was 15 years old and...