(JTA)—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced this month that the United States will no longer consider Israeli Jewish settlements in the West Bank to be illegal. Here’s an explainer about what the settlements are, how they are viewed in Israel and around the world,...
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Congresswoman Elaine Luria leads effort to stand up for Israel and limit Hezbollah
Bipartisan letter to UN includes 240 Members of Congress Two hundred and forty lawmakers signed on to Congresswoman Elaine Luria’s (VA-02) bipartisan letter to United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres urging an international effort to defend Israel,...
Activities abound at Beth Sholom Village
A range of activities are always on the calendar at Beth Sholom Village—some for health, and some for fun. Residents at BSV, for example, work with restorative nursing staff six days a week to stay active and prevent falling. Led by CNAs, participants exercise to...
27 years of bringing light to local Jewish children and teens
A Jewish Family Service client I was in a domestic abuse situation for a long time. I finally got the courage to leave and move back in with family. I was pregnant at the time. Although my family was able to take me in, they were not prepared for the new costs of...
Mikvah construction underway
“It is hard to believe how far we have come with the construction of the Mikvah! So many community members from all over have already come together to support this project. Hoping for continued success!!” says Sarah Lipman. To learn more about the new Mikvah, or to...
Israelis are using photos of Greta Thunberg to shame each other over plastic utensils
Israelis who are concerned about a warming climate have a new tactic: using cut-out photos of the prominent teen climate activist Greta Thunberg to shame their colleagues for using plasticware. In workplaces across Tel Aviv, people are placing pictures of Thunberg,...
A Jewish photographer has been capturing Alexander Vindman and his twin for nearly four decades
(JTA)—Carol Kitman remembers meeting Alexander and Yevgeny Vindman nearly 40 years ago in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. The brothers were about 4½ years old and dressed in matching blue sailor outfits with navy caps. Kitman was instantly taken with the twins and asked to...
JFS welcomes three new board of directors
Jewish Family Service of Tidewater recently gained three new board members. Mazel Tov to the new directors and to JFS for adding these women to the board, as each brings different expertise. Rebecca Tall Fun fact—I have triplets (19-years-old, two boys and a girl)....
Saluting Israel’s heroes: the Benson family
Glenn Benson of Bethesda, Maryland, grew up in an ardently Zionist home, the son of South African immigrants who cared deeply for Israel. In high school he attended Jewish day school, participated in a B’nai B’rith Youth Organization summer trip to Israel, visited...
Congregation Beth Chaverim and Tidewater Chavurah held Joint High Holiday Services
Wonderful, warm, and meaningful High Holiday services were held with Tidewater Chavurah and Congregation Beth Chaverim in the Parrish Hall at Old Donation Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach. Combing the best of both Reform congregations resulted in inspiring services...

Shalom Baby: Moms bond with babies and heritage
Bond is exactly what Alicia Pahl-Cornelius did when she started listening to the CD of Jewish songs that came in her personally delivered Shalom Baby basket. Pahl-Cornelius says she loved her basket so much, she referred a friend who was days away from giving birth...

The other patient, birthday twins and Double Chai
On June 25, Carly Glikman went to Sentara Leigh Hospital for a scheduled C-Section to deliver her second child. Glikman is United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s outreach manager. When the nurse started to prep Glikman for the procedure, she was told to stop and was...
Business
The changing face of Jewish students brought to light during Women’s Luncheon
The Women’s Cabinet held its annual Lion-Tikva-Chai luncheon to thank women donors giving at the $1,800 level and greater. Stephanie Calliott welcomed the women and gave a brief and positive campaign update, thanking the donors who had already made their commitments...
A well-deserved honor for Amy Brooke
Friday, Dec. 9 and Saturday, Dec. 10 Leah Schwartz, BINA High School past president BINA High School is thrilled to have the opportunity to honor the commitment, hard work, and dedication of Amy Brooke. From the first tenuous steps to create a Jewish girls high school...
Something funny happened on the way to the Cuban Missile Crisis
Jim Eilberg, CAPT, SC, USNR (RET) I had just finished supper when the telephone call came from the Petty Officer of the Watch. “This is not a drill,” he announced. “This is a 100% recall. Return to the ship immediately.” That was Monday, October 23, 1962, about 6:30...
Salute to Veterans
JFS Chanukah Gift Program helps local families
Debbie Mayer, LCSW, CT Written on behalf of a local Jewish Family Service client: Two years ago, my family moved to Virginia to care for an elderly relative. Once we got here, the job I was promised didn’t come through. I decided to stay here with my two children...
Lee & Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival Wednesday, Nov. 9–Sunday, Nov 20
Sherri Wisoff Hundreds of books will soon fill the Cardo at the Simon Family JCC. Immigrant stories are part of Jewish history, so it is fitting that on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 7 pm, the annual Lee and Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival begins with such stories...
Becoming an Israeli butterfly—insights from an IDF veteran
Laine M. Rutherford The life of a 17-year-old Israeli high school senior isn’t much different than a 17-year-old American student. They’re both listening to music, hanging out with friends, acting goofy, possibly dating, probably working, and thinking about graduation...
Campus security director creates patriotic art from discarded wood
Sales benefit area youths living in shelters Laine M. Rutherford Jason Capossere brings an impressive list of resources and skills to his position as Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus director of security and safety. He’s a veteran of the United States Navy, where he...
Be A Reader begins 18th year
Wendy Weissman, CRC assistant director United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Be A Reader (BEAR) literacy program launched the 2016-2017 school year with an orientation breakfast meeting on Monday, Sept. 26. Gail Flax, program founder and longtime chair, spoke to a...
Israel Today speaker offers clarity among chaos in the Middle East
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 7:30 pm, Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus Wendy Weissman, assistant director, Community Relations Council Avi Melamed, an Israeli Jew, fluent in Arabic, English and Hebrew, is a former Israeli intelligence official and senior official on Arab...
Trump, Clinton campaigns slam UNESCO Jerusalem resolution
The Trump and Clinton campaigns slammed a UNESCO resolution that upholds Muslim claims on holy sites in Jerusalem while mostly erasing Jewish claims, and Donald Trump said he would recognize the city as Israel’s capital. “The United Nations’ attempt to disconnect the...
U.S., Israel and Jewish groups condemn UNESCO vote denying Jewish holy sites
The United States, Israeli officials and Jewish groups reacted with outrage to a preliminary vote by the United Nations cultural agency that denies a Jewish connection to the Old City of Jerusalem. UNESCO—the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural...
Mazel Tov: Celebrating good times!
Tidewater Jewish Foundation launches Life & Legacy program
Legacy gifts give forever and starting this month, area Jewish organizations have the opportunity to partner with the Tidewater Jewish Foundation to get an extra boost in building endowments that will help sustain them for years to come. Through TJF’s newly launched...
Classroom ergonomics at the Hebrew Academy
Carin Simon, HAT admissions director Across the nation, classroom ergonomics is working its way into many schools. In fact, recent studies indicate that factors such as ergonomic kneeling chairs, standing desks, weighted lap pads and desk cycles can improve retention,...
Society of Professionals builds for the future
Greg Zittrain Last month marked the launch of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Society of Professionals, a newly created collaboration between UJFT’s Maimonides and Business and Legal societies. This new entity is the product of a year of discussions...
From the Hal Sacks Jewish News Archives
October 22, 2006 At least five people from the Navy/Air Mobility Command Air Terminal volunteer each month at Jewish Family Service to assist with the agency’s food bank. Because of the volunteers, more food can be ordered for families in need because the manpower is...
High Holiday Services 5777 Schedule
To see the High Holiday Services schedule, click here.
Lee & Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival Wednesday, Nov. 9–Sunday, Nov 20
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 7 pm Transformations from Ethiopia to Israel Ricki Rosen Photojournalist Ricki Rosen shares insights and compelling before and after images of the Ethiopian Jewish immigrants, rescued by Israel during the Operation Solomon airlift in the 1980’s. Her...