The Norfolk & Portsmouth Bar Association’s highest honor award, the 2019 Eggleston/I’Anson Professionalism Award, was presented to Alan B. Rashkind by the association. Rashkind is an attorney with Furniss, Davis, Rashkind and Saunders in Norfolk. The...
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A fond farewell to Rabbi Jeffrey Arnowitz
On Saturday, June 15, Congregation Beth El gathered at a special Shabbat Service to honor and wish Rabbi Jeffrey Arnowitz and his family a very heartfelt L’Hitraot—but not goodbye! The Arnowitz family left Beth El’s Congregational family on June 30 to depart first to...
A museum on Southern Jews moves its eclectic 4,000-item collection across state lines
(JTA)—A prosthetic leg that belonged to a Russian Jewish immigrant to Lake Providence, Louisiana. An 8-foot neon sign from a hotel that advertised as the only establishment with an “up to date kosher kitchen” in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Two organs from the now shuttered...
Who’s running the show in Israel between elections? An explainer.
JERUSALEM (JTA)—With Israel coming up on its second election in five months with no ruling coalition in power, some may be asking who is actually running the government. They needn’t worry—at least not very much. Israelis went to the polls in April expecting to elect...
Senate unanimously condemns anti-Semitism with resolution co-introduced by Senator Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON (JTA)—The Senate unanimously approved a resolution condemning anti-Semitism, the latest congressional bid to address an issue that has roiled American politics. The resolution passed Thursday, June 13 was introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Tim...
Harold Grinspoon’s LIFE & LEGACY inspires locals
Harold Grinspoon is active, intelligent, quick to crack a joke, and he is only 90 years old. A true renaissance man, he has traveled far and wide, owned and operated a successful business, and has recently begun creating massive art installations, many of which are...
Eurovision in Israel: Celebrating global connections through music
Tel Aviv lit up with magic during the week of May 13 for the 64th annual Eurovision Song Contest. With all of Europe’s eyes on Israel, Tel Aviv did not disappoint. In 2018, Netta Barzili, representing Israel, was announced the winner of the 63rd Eurovision Song...
Where We Disappear, Simon Fink’s directorial debut set to premiere in Los Angeles
Friday, June 21, 7 pm The feature film, Where We Disappear, directed by Norfolk native Simon Fink, is getting its world premiere in Los Angeles at the historic TLC (Grauman’s) Chinese Theatres. The film is the official selection of the 2019 Dances With Films festival....
Temple Israel bonds over kabobs
No great community event ever happens without mountains of work being done behind the scene. The recent Israel Fest was certainly no exception. Norfolk’s Temple Israel offered festivalgoers a tasty—and healthy!—reprieve from the heat of the day in the form of cool,...
Community meets with Congressman Donald McEachin
At a meeting with Jewish community leaders last month, Representative Donald McEachin of Virginia’s 4th congressional district, said that his “passion and love of Israel comes from learning from his father (who was an army veteran), that you don’t abandon your allies,...
The UK is finally taking Labour’s anti-Semitism seriously
(JTA)—On a recent speaking tour in North America, I was asked repeatedly about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn’s Labour has become an existential threat to British Jews, and audiences smartly inquired what could be done to stop growing...
A lost song and a grandson’s tribute
In Vilden Vald—Aaron Tessler ft. Zemiros Choir The Holocaust’s devastation brought about not only the decimation of the Jewish people in body, but also immeasurable losses to Jewish culture. Countless and precious pieces of memory, history, and tradition disappeared...
JFS Biennial Meeting: an installation and celebration
At the 63rd Biennial Meeting of Jewish Family Service of Tidewater on June 9, Lawrence Steingold, outgoing president, handed over the reins to Jeff Cooper, who will serve as president for the 2016- 2018 term. Throughout the evening, the focus was on celebration,...
Legal Matters
Interfaith coalition urges Senate action on Supreme Court vacancy. Fifteen Jewish groups joined an interfaith coalition in calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to consider President Barack Obama’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court. During a conference call...
Elie Weisel offered inspiration and challenge
Like so many of members of our community, I had the honor of hearing Elie Wiesel speak at ODU’s Ted Constant Convocation Center in March 2006. Always the conscience of his generation, Wiesel lamented how little humanity had changed since the Holocaust. Wondering...
From the Hal Sacks Jewish News Archive
July 2006 Zena Herod officially became the head of school for Hebrew Academy of Tidewater and the Strelitz Early Childhood Center. Helen Kisser joined administration as new director of general studies and assistant director of SECC. Alene Kaufman continued as director...
Jewish community denounces racism, xenophobia and violence
We, the undersigned Jewish community organizations, stand together in denouncing racism and xenophobia in all circumstances. We share a belief that public figures, including those who aspire to hold elected office in service to people of all races and religions, have...
Top officials put a Jewish stamp on the Rio Olympics
RIO DE JANEIRO ( JTA)—Mazel tov! That’s perhaps how the big shots in charge of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the first to take place in South America, will toast victories when the competition gets underway Aug. 5. Three of the top officials of the Rio 2016 Organizing...
Camp JCC off to a splashing start
Monday, June 20 was the first day of Summer and the first day of Camp JCC. Campers routinely say swimming is one of their favorite camp activities, and children who stay for the entire day get swim instruction twice. These young campers sat on the edge of the pool to...
Falafel wars in Paris: Who’s got the better balls?
PARIS (JTA)—On a crowded sidewalk in the French capital, Yomi Peretz exchanges jokes and backslaps with customers who are waiting in a 20-yard queue in the rain to enter his falafel shop. This chummy interaction comes naturally to Peretz, a tall enthusiast of boxing...
Through all the clouds and rain, Israel Fest brought the sun
The Simon Family JCC didn’t allow the rumors of showers to rain on their parade for the 2016 Israel Fest. In fact, on Sunday, June 5, when the festival began at 11 am, the day brightened for all who attended. In place of sunrays and clear skies, the roof of the Reba...
Fluffy friends at Strelitz
Diana Smith’s two-year-old class at the Strelitz Early Childhood Education Center took care of some chicken and turkey eggs this past spring. The children helped keep the eggs warm and were excited to meet their new animal friends when they hatched.
Low scores, high morale, make JCC Golf Tournament one of the best
The Simon Family JCC’s 6th Annual Presidents’ Cup Golf Tournament, held on June 6 at Heron Ridge Golf Club in Virginia Beach, was a success, across the “leader” board. The weather was ideal—low humidity, a light breeze, and temperatures in the 70s, and the course was...
Turning prayers for Orlando into action
On the Sunday morning following the Capital Pride Parade in Washington, D.C., I slept in and woke up with glitter still on my face. Stickers and handouts I had collected while I marched with National Council of Jewish Women and the Religious Action Center of Reform...
AJC ad highlights U.S., European Mayors United Against Anti-Semitism
A two-page American Jewish Committee (AJC) ad in the June 6 issue of the Wall Street Journal listed the 508 U.S. and European mayors and municipal leaders who have signed on to its Mayors United Against Anti-Semitism initiative, pledging to combat the rise of...
Brett Pomerantz is recipient of 2016–2017 Stein Family College Scholarship of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation
The annual Stein Family College Scholarship of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation was awarded this month to Brett Pomerantz, a Hebrew Academy of Tidewater graduate, as well as a recent graduate of Western Branch High School in Chesapeake. The four-year scholarship for a...
From The Hal Sacks Jewish News Archives
June 23, 2006 The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School held a graduation ceremony for 23, the second largest class to graduate from the school since its inception in Tidewater. June 21, 1996 Jody Wagner, a partner in the law firm of Kaufman and Canoles, was installed as...
Annual Israel Today Forum celebrates five years
Another successful year of expert speakers and engaging dialogue concluded Wednesday, May 11 when Matti Friedman, former Jerusalem Bureau reporter and editor for the Associated Press visited Tidewater to share his take on mainstream media malfunction in the...
What We Carry premiere a huge success
Like a blustery March day in 2012, May 22, 2016 was a day full of anticipation for the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. Four years ago, we had a new product no one had heard of called What We Carry. The innovative and interactive...
Sculptures by Lorraine Fink
Through June 16, Slover Library, Norfolk Mythically, with a wash of whimsy, this collection by includes 8- and 3-foot sculptures, which feature both obsolete and repurposed objects. The collection imparts a powerful, societal statement connecting past, present and...
Hebrew Academy Class of 2010 is off to college
Who doesn’t love a good before/after story? Hebrew Academy graduates from the Class of 2010 make a great one. And from the look of the photos, some pretty impressive growth happened in just a few short years. These students make HAT proud with their good hearts and...
CRC’s 5th annual Israel Today series ends with insight into mainstream media
It was a standing-room only crowd as the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and its community partners presented the final event in their 5th Annual Israel Today series on May 10. Matti Friedman, former Jerusalem Bureau reporter...