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Blake Sisler joins UJFT staff 

Blake Sisler joins UJFT staff 

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater recently announced the addition of Blake Sisler as the new coordinator of Youth and Family Engagement. Sisler will oversee PJ Library and Shalom Baby programs as well as support Jewish learning initiatives offered through the...

Stay Safe

Stay Safe

The High Holiday season is a sacred time for worship, reflection, and joy. It begins on the evening of Monday, September 22. “Our synagogues will see significant numbers of congregants coming to connect with their faith and the larger Jewish community,” says Mike...

A Bissel of Yiddish | A bissel of Yiddish for Yom Kippur

A Bissel of Yiddish | A bissel of Yiddish for Yom Kippur

A combination of High German and Hebrew, Yiddish is a language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews.  In Tidewater, the Yiddish Club is embracing Yiddish culture, language, and history with music, film, poetry, and literature at its monthly meetings. For...

Harry Graber guides JCC Seniors Club through Chrysler Museum

Harry Graber guides JCC Seniors Club through Chrysler Museum

Even in retirement, Harry Graber, former executive vice president of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, continues to be an active and beloved presence in the community. His dedication has never wavered, and he remains committed to sharing his time, talents, and...

Safety Tips

Safety Tips

In these trying times, advice from a security professional can go a long way to assuring personal and community safety in public, as well as, in private spaces. Here, Mike Goldsmith, SCN regional security advisor, offers a couple of easy-to-follow tips. Cybersecurity...

Dr. Sara Glass inspires at UJFT’s first Pride Month event

Dr. Sara Glass inspires at UJFT’s first Pride Month event

(No Sound) United Jewish Federation of Tidewater hosted its first event marking LGBTQ+ Pride Month in partnership with Ohef Sholom Temple, Hampton Roads Pride, and the LGBT Life Center. The event, held on June 25 at The Rainbow Cactus in Virginia Beach, featured Dr....

Have a favorite camp memory?

Jewish News wants to hear from you!The memory could be from last year, the last decade, or the previous century. The memory could be from a Day Camp or Residential Camp, as a Camper or Counselor. Length: 100 - 150 words, plus the camp’s name and a photo of the camper...

Toras Chaim students share Purim joy

On the Tuesday prior to Purim, in coordination with Rabbi Levi Brashevitsky, the seventh and eighth grade boys from Toras Chaim took a trip to Harbor’s Edge in Norfolk to deliver Mishloach Manos packed at the school.The boys had a special opportunity to dance and talk...

Axes and apps for YAD

A dozen young Jewish Adults from United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s YAD division got together last month for an evening of food, drinks, and… axe throwing!Josh Leibowitz, YAD chair, distinguished himself as the most improved thrower (while still guarding his...

Operation Hamantaschen: A sweet gathering

An excellent community turnout greeted Operation Hamantaschen’s return to the Simon Family JCC on Sunday, March 9.The JCC was abuzz with cookie-making and engagement for people of all ages. BBYO volunteers jumped to the challenge of setting up for the event, running...

Nadiv, BBYO join for Strelitz Garden cleanup

Two generations of young Jewish men combined forces on Sunday, March 30 to revitalize the garden at Strelitz International Academy.Nadiv, the young professional men’s fundraising group for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, worked with Old Dominion AZA, the boys’...

Purim in 2025

Of the many Jewish holidays that dot the calendar, one of my son’s favorites is Purim. For children, Purim is celebrated with costumes, festival foods like hamantaschen, donations to those in need, and a community reading of the Book of Esther, which joyously...

TJF & UJFT: The power of partnership

Members of Tidewater’s Jewish community annually support programs and initiatives that strengthen Jewish life locally, in Israel, and around the world through programs and initiatives not only funded, but, in some cases, are led by United Jewish Federation of...

BeAR Literacy Project seeks more volunteers

The Be A Reader (BeAR) Literacy Project has always been about resilience, adaptability, and community. The program even managed to create a space during the COVID-19 pandemic. As BeAR celebrates 25 years of fostering literacy among young students, it is navigating yet...

Renovations planned for Norfolk Mikvah’s Conversion/Men’s mikvah

Whether identifying as Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox, the Norfolk Mikvah enables every Jew in Tidewater to access the transformative, rejuvenating power of a mikvah.Brides before their wedding, those in the process of converting to Judaism, married women who keep...

Doing due diligence

As the year begins, many people are recommitting to the charities they hold dear – whether as donors, volunteers, board members, or a combination of roles.In Tidewater, and across the nation, hundreds of thousands of charities contribute to meaningful causes every...

Ellen Rostov Hundley: Giving, learning, and legacy

A philanthropic journey is personal and often begins with a simple conversation.For Norfolk native Ellen Rostov Hundley, this journey has been a natural extension of the values instilled by her family and her commitment to community – all culminating in a legacy of...

From despair to hope:an emotional encounter with Israel

The dichotomy I recently experienced during my first trip to Israel is a testament to the emotional complexities of the country. Organized by the iCenter in partnership with the JCCA, this journey brought 24 JCC professionals together for a Mifgash (Encounter) that...

New kosher restaurant in Ghent

Charlie’s Middle Eastern Cuisine opened in Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood in November. The intimate and friendly kosher restaurant is supervised under the Vaad HaKasharus of Tidewater.Yogev Kremisi, the restaurant’s owner, also owns Dream the La Cream, an ice cream...

JFS Chanukah Gift Program makes more memories

Traditions are so important for children – giving them a sense of belonging to something special that becomes part of their identity. Lighting the menorah at Hanukkah, for example, is one such tradition.For 32 years, the Jewish Family Service Chanukah Gift Program has...

An unfiltered look with Shahar Dekel

Nearly 200 people gathered for a powerful and emotional conversation with Shahar Dekel, a photographer and IDF reservist soldier, and Jay Klebanoff, a former United Jewish Federation of Tidewater president, on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Held at the Sandler Family Campus, the...

New ADA-compliant doors enhance accessibility at Sandler Family Campus

In a significant step toward greater inclusivity and accessibility, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, located on the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus, recently installed 13 new ADA-compliant doors. This initiative was made possible through the generous support...