Southeastern Virginia: Chesapeake • Norfolk • Portsmouth • Suffolk • Virginia Beach
Archives
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
(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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Originally from Boston, Dorothy Zimmerman moved to Tidewater in 1982 for a job with a psychiatric hospital. She immediately immersed herself in the community—often seen at Chrysler Hall and wherever else art and theater were taking place—and became active in her...
A native of Shiraz, Iran, Farideh landed in Tidewater in 1975 She is the author of two memoirs, Wedding Song: Memoirs of an Iranian Jewish Woman, about her childhood in Iran, and Leaving Iran: Between Migration and Exile, about her family’s departure from the country,...
Rick Mercadante, CSCS, CHC had a wakeup call when he was 48 years old. Overweight, suffering from hypertension, he had become one of the millions of Americans deteriorating from lifestyle related disease. Fearing for his life, Mercadante began a journey of...
(My Jewish Learning via JTA)—With costumes, spiels and lots of drinking, Purim is one of Judaism’s most raucous holidays. You might know about beautiful Esther thwarting evil Haman’s plans, the custom of getting drunk and what hamantaschen are. But we’re guessing...
Deadline: Friday, March 31 Applications are still being accepted for the Stein Family College Scholarship for the 2017-2018 academic year. The annual grant for Jewish students in Tidewater provides a scholarship of up to $10,000 a year for college tuition. Established...
NEW YORK (JTA)—Sometime between the afternoon of Friday, Feb. 17, and the following Monday morning, vandals damaged 170 gravestones at the Chesed Shel Emeth Jewish cemetery outside St. Louis. Beyond that, cemetery staffers aren’t sure when the attack happened....
Washington DC—The ongoing bomb threats aimed at Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) have sown fear in more than 100 Jewish communities and institutions across the country. “We call upon our public officials, in both word and deed, to do everything in their power to put a...
Thursday, March 30, 5:45 pm The Westin, Virginia Beach Town Center The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities has selected Kim Simon Fink to be among those receiving its prestigious Humanitarian Awards this year. She will be honored at the 53rd annual Tidewater...
During Operation Hamantaschen, the annual family-baking event at the Simon Family JCC, 20 pounds of flour and 54 eggs went into the creation of 800 triangular-shaped Hamantaschen cookies that are traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Purim. This year for...
Jewish Family Service. Israeli business opportunities. Support for scholarship tax credits (including local Jewish day schools). Elie Wiesel recognition. These are just some of the issues that are examined by the Virginia State legislature, many of which are near and...
Six local synagogues and temples opened their doors last month to embrace Alan Morinis, founder and dean of the Mussar Institute. Morinis lead discussions about the practice of Mussar, a Jewish spiritual path that emphasizes self-awareness and action as key to...
March 6, 2017 Retirement Section
New equipment, new classes, and reduced fees at Simon Family JCC JFit Today, Simon Family Jewish Community Center’s newly remodeled fitness center at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus, has a snappy new slogan, brand new Precor equipment, and some new joining...
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Hundreds of haredi Orthodox men and women and religious Zionist female seminary students disrupted the monthly Rosh Chodesh morning service of the Women of the Wall group. About 150 women who gathered at the women’s section of the Western Wall Plaza to...
Supplement to Jewish News February 13, 2017
WASHINGTON (JTA)—Israeli settlements are no big problem. Wait—maybe they are, after all. The Iran deal is trash. No, the deal is here to stay, despite being “weak.” On Thursday, Feb. 2, the White House pronounced on Israel’s announced settlement expansion that it “may...
NEW YORK (JTA)—A person calls a Jewish institution, makes a bomb threat and hangs up. The call lasts no more than a minute, the caller’s voice is disguised and the call is made to look as if it came from inside the building. How do you catch the culprit? That’s the...
February 16, 2007 Rafel Harpaz, acting consul general for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, made his first visit to Tidewater to strengthen the relationship between Virginia and Israel o n economic and cultural levels. February 14, 1997 Virginia Beach Mayor Meyer...
TEL AVIV (JTA) – Defending his executive order directing the construction of a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, President Donald Trump pointed to Israel as a model, saying “a wall protects.” With another swipe of his pen two days later, on Jan. 27, Trump...
Student’s artwork on display in the Leon Family Art Gallery Tuesday, Feb. 14–Thursday, March 2 Students throughout Tidewater diligently worked on their artistic poster submissions for the 5th Annual Israel Poster Contest, presented by the Community Relations Council...