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...
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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...
Renee Heyman turned lemons into lemonade into Pink Tea
When Renee Heyman, founding mother of The Pink Tea Initiative at Temple Emanuel, invited Paula Krukin Levy to help her organize her first fundraiser in 2012, she had no way of knowing the event would outlive her. A cancer survivor for 42 years, Heyman made a solemn...
For Elaine Luria, it’s ships to mermaids
United States Naval Cmdr. Elaine Goodman Luria appears at ease when there’s a new adventure, opportunity, or challenge to be seized. Whether it is operating ships for the U.S. Navy, imagining, starting, and expanding a new business, or raising a family, Luria calmly...
Women
May 1, 2017, Women Section
Seven incredible new things the world can thank Israel for
TEL AVIV (JTA)—To build a Jewish state in the Middle East, Israelis had to be innovators. Some of what they’ve come up with has been used mostly by their fellow citizens—think Hebrew slang, Bamba snacks and the Iron Dome missile defense system—at least so far. But...
From the Hal Sacks Jewish News Archives
May 11, 2007 A benefit concert for the people of Darfur and southern Sudan, DARFEST will highlight stories of Lost Boys living in Hampton Roads between musical sets performed by four local high school rock bands. DARFEST is a concept developed by 10 area high school...
Why Israelis are happy about Trump’s missile strike—and why they should be wary
WASHINGTON ( JTA)—Israel’s government and pundits are unabashedly pleased by the missile strike ordered by President Donald Trump early Friday, April 7 on the Syrian airfield from where a deadly chemical attack is believed to have been launched. Prime Minister...
Lawmakers press Trump administration anew on bias crimes, anti-Semitism
WASHINGTON ( JTA)—Lawmakers in Congress continued to press the Trump administration to address perceived spikes in bias crimes in the United States and in anti-Semitism abroad, reflecting bipartisan concern that President Donald Trump remains insufficiently engaged on...
Hannah Marin wins CRC’s Israel Poster Contest
Illustrating an intriguing fact concerning 2,000-year-old seeds that were discovered inside an ancient jar in Israel in 1963, Hannah Marin won CRC’s 5th Annual Israel Poster Contest. Students in grades 1-12 were eligible to compete in the contest by designing a...
Girls’ Afternoon at the Movies moves and inspires
In its third and final women’s outreach event of the year, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Women’s cabinet partnered with UJFT’s Holocaust Commission to host a Girls’ Afternoon at the Movies, bringing back to Tidewater the award-winning film, Defiant Requiem....
Home
April 17, Home Section
Local teen elected to BBYO International board; area chapters shine at BBYO Eastern Region Spring Convention
BBYO International Convention 2017 and Eastern Region’s Spring Convention served as dynamic meeting places and real-world classrooms to provide teen leaders opportunities for shared leadership resources and new skills to help change the world. The record-breaking...
Jewish groups urge Congress to preserve anti-Semitism monitor
Jewish defense groups urged Congress to preserve the State Department’s anti-Semitism monitor. Representatives of the Anti- Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Secure Community Network testified Wednesday, March 22...
Over 100 leaflets with hand-drawn swastikas left at Virginia Tech Chabad
More than 100 leaflets with hand-drawn swastikas were found dropped on the front yard of the Chabad Jewish student center at Virginia Tech. The leaflets were discovered at the student center located across the street from the Blacksburg university on Saturday, March...
Jewish groups offer mixed responses to David Friedman’s confirmation as Israel envoy
Jewish groups offered varied reactions, including disappointment, tepid congratulations and enthusiasm, to the confirmation of David Friedman as U.S. ambassador to Israel. On Thursday, March 23, the U.S Senate confirmed Friedman, a longtime lawyer of President Donald...
Nikki Haley: Trump will not allow UN resolutions condemning Israel
WASHINGTON (JTA)—The Trump administration will not allow a repeat of last year’s United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israel for its settlements, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told AIPAC. “Never again do what we saw with resolution 2334 and make anyone...
Three times AIPAC speakers weren’t so bipartisan this year
WASHINGTON (JTA)—“Many voices, one mission.” If AIPAC’s 2017 annual policy conference slogan, popping up on the conference app on activists’ smartphones, isn’t clear enough, the morning pick-me-up video it runs before conference business begins is pretty...
Jewish groups, including those targeted, welcome arrest of bomb threat suspect
Organizations targeted by recent bomb threats and other U.S. Jewish groups welcomed news of the arrest of a suspect—an Israeli with American citizenship who reportedly is Jewish. The Anti-Defamation League, whose headquarters in New York and at least three satellite...
Virginia General Assembly honors Shames
Col. Edward Shames, pictured here with his letter of commendation from the Virginia General Assembly, was so honored on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Shames, a member of the legendary “Band of Brothers,” brought more of his men home than any other American...
Beyond the Book Festival’s guest author connected with audience
Poised and charming and offering insightful discussions, Jessica Fechtor, a guest author and speaker for the Beyond the Book Festival, established immediate rapport with her audience while reading from her book, Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me...
The Society of Professionals’ POUR-tastic wine event
Beginning with a pop and a fizz, the Society of Professional’s Pour wine event gathered local Jewish professionals and friends at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Sunday, March 5. Overlooking the ocean, participants were led through progressive Kosher food and...