What if United Jewish Federation of Tidewater could fund one Jewish agency that developed one sustainable-development volunteer program for hundreds of young Jews to perform Tikkun Olam in a dozen countries around the world? It can and it does. Jewish Agency for...
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Area congregations dig deep in search of safe and spiritually sound High Holiday services
From Reform to ultra-Orthodox and everything in between, Tidewater congregations in pursuit of prayer, have advanced more technologically in the last few months than in 30 years. Prior to 2020, rabbis and temple executives had no reason to believe they would become...
Shalom Baby! Shalom Tidewater!
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...
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...
Hands United Building Bridges (HUBB) to be honored at Tidewater Humanitarian Awards Dinner
Thursday, March 30, 5:45 pm The Westin, Virginia Beach Town Center Created in the spring of 2015 as a constructive response to the racial violence and civil unrest that took place in Ferguson and Baltimore, Hands United Building Bridges is comprised of Jewish,...
Camp
March 20, 2017 Camp Section
Israel Today’s Princess Shaw receives standing ovations
Sporting a street-smart bravado and phosphorescent red hair topped with a black fedora, little could hide Samantha Montgomery’s (a.k.a. Princess Shaw) raw edgy talent and endearing awkward vulnerability. The special guest and singer songwriter received a standing...
Retired! Martin B. Mandelber
Baltimore native Marty Mandelberg moved to Norfolk in June 2005 with his wife, Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg. He immediately went to work at PayDay. For Ohef Sholom Temple’s Religious School, he became the eighth grade teacher, focusing on the Holocaust. He also began...
Retired! Dorothy Zimmerman
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...
Retired! Farideh Goldin
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,...
A healthy lifestyle for all ages
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...
Nine things you didn’t know about Purim
(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...
Stein College Scholarship deadline is approaching
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...
With few safeguards, Jewish cemeteries make easy targets for vandals
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....
JCPA Calls for Action Against Bomb Threats Against Jewish Community
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...
Kim Simon Fink to receive Humanitarian Award
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...
2017 Operation Hamantaschen was full of dough
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...
Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day 2017
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...
Alan Morinis lead a four-day journey to a soulful Jewish life
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...
Retirement
March 6, 2017 Retirement Section
Fitness, family, and fun at JFit Today
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...
Hundreds of yeshiva, seminary students disrupt Women of the Wall service
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...
Cooking and Eating
Supplement to Jewish News February 13, 2017
Is Trump reversing course on settlements and Iran?
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...