Shalom Ya’ll! Two programs at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater are designed to say ‘welcome’ with a ‘Jewish Southern-hospitality flair. Shalom Baby is a project that welcomes babies to the Jewish community and Shalom Tidewater welcomes Jewish people moving to the...
Other News
Archives
The Neighborhood Harvest delivers on its promise to deliver and disrupt
Don’t call John Stein a disruptor. Those who know him best describe Stein as a gentle soul who avoids self-promotion and harsh words. The Baker’s Crust and Neighborhood Harvest CEO they see is always ready to rally behind an innovative food product or service that...
LEGAL PROFILE: Leonard (“Lenny”) J. Weinstein
Firm: Clayton, McKay & Bailey, PC Specialty: Intellectual Property–Patent and Trademark Prosecution and Litigation Education: 2002 BS Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology 2012 JD, George Washington University Law School Family: Wife, Luisa...
LEGAL PROFILE: Valerie Brodsky White
Firm: Retired from private law practice; “In-House Counsel” for Matval Enterprises, LLC, our real estate investment business that I set up with my husband, Matthew. Specialty: Practiced Immigration Law for 17 years; then worked part-time in Real Estate Law in our...
LEGAL PROFILE: Igor A. Vaserfirer
Firm: Stokes Law Group, PLC–a business and real estate boutique Specialty: Corporate/Commercial Real Estate Leasing and Development Education: William & Mary/Villanova University School of Law Family: Herbert, my Yorkie Jewish Organizations: YAD Cabinet, Nadiv...
How and where the Democrats and Republicans are trying to woo Jewish swing voters
WASHINGTON (JTA)—One thing we know about elections is that Jewish voters can make a difference. Take Florida: The Sunshine State’s Jewish voters helped deliver its critical electoral votes to Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Problematic ballots in heavily Jewish Broward...
Hot dogs are the greatest American Jewish food. Here’s why.
American Jewish food is most typically defined as pastrami sandwiches, chocolate babka or bagels and lox. But I am here to argue that the greatest American Jewish food may actually be the humble hot dog. No dish better embodies the totality of the American Jewish...
With a nod to Carl Reiner, My Favorite Year recalls the infancy of TV sketch comedy
Social distancing and staying inside is hard. Thankfully, accessing good things to watch during this time is not. This is another installation of a column on Jewish movies and TV shows to stream in quarantine. My Favorite Year Available for rent: Amazon Prime, Apple...
Community Relations Council
Recent weeks have been extremely difficult for our country. The Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is appalled and angered by the death of George Floyd at the hands of officers in the Minneapolis Police Department. Our...
The Joy of the J – You can’t keep a good senior down
When the Simon Family JCC opened on Monday, June 8, seniors bounced back in real numbers. Even with the necessary implemented regulations and other logistics, “overjoyed” was the overall response. In particular, Silver Sneaker students say they are thrilled to be...
Mystery Wine Night a huge hit for YAD during quarantine
A Zoom chat room of Young Adult Division (YAD) members was filled with clinking glasses, generous pours, and lots of laughter on Thursday, May 21. That’s because YAD hosted its first-ever, Mystery Wine Night. YADians conducted blind taste tests of four wines and...
A hero lost, but forever loved: Stan Smolen
When my sister Lynn and I were young, Daddy was our hero. As we grew up and learned his stories we realized he was an American hero, too. Our precious father, Stan Smolen, died last month at the age of 95. He was a veteran of WWII who served his country proudly. He...
Health Care
May 15, 2017, Health Care Section
Albert Einstein was a sex magnet? Four surprising facts about the Jewish genius
NEW YORK (JTA)—Think “Albert Einstein,” and certain images or phrases likely come to mind: “genius,” “kooky,” “wild hair,” “theory of relativity,” “E=mc2”—maybe even “Zionist.” Sex and violence? Not so much. Then there’s Genius—National Geographic channel’s first...
Anti-Semitic incidents in US surging in ‘17, rose by a third in ‘16
( JTA)—Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States soared 86 percent in the first three months of 2017 after rising by more than one-third in 2016, according to the Anti-Defamation League. There has been a massive increase in harassment of American Jews, largely since...
Zoe Siegel recognized for social justice endeavors
Early in her teen years, Zoe Martina Siegel knew that all was not right with the world. Her consciousness rose and she began to speak out. In fact, her Norfolk Academy senior speech was about reproductive rights and how politicized they are. It’s not so surprising,...
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...