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Time to Write

I formally retired from my Cardiology group after 45 years of practice in July 2018. Fortunate to be able to ease into retirement by ending night and weekend call after 35 years (which is obviously quite demanding and stressful), for the last several years, my...

‘Golden Years’ filled with family, travel, and…work

I’m glad to have this opportunity to reflect on my “golden years.” My long-suffering wife of 45 years, Carol, and I are worriers. So, prior to retiring, we spent lots of time worrying about having adequate health care and income so that once we retired we would, for...

What Retirement?

“What will I do?” After more than 40 years as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist/ Laboratory manager, I decided to retire. It was a wonderful career of hospital lab work and work in a private practice with the Group for Internal Medicine, where I had the privilege of...

Amos Oz, iconic Israeli novelist and peace activist

Amos Oz, one of Israel’s most widely read and best-known writers, died December 28, 2018. He was 79. The cause was cancer, the Israeli media reported. Barely older than the country he chronicled in dozens of novels, essays and nonfiction books, Oz represented a...

Here I am!

First Person From YAD Cabinet In late spring of 2018, I received an invitation from Eliot Weinstein, Young Adult Division (YAD) Cabinet chair, and Jasmine Amitay, YAD director, to join the 2018-2019 YAD Cabinet. I had already participated in two of the United Jewish...

Art in the Family at Temple Israel

Like many synagogues, Temple Israel possesses art and artifacts that both enrich and inspire. On Saturday, December 8 and Sunday, December 9, the temple’s Art in the Family program offered a trio of experiences centered around its collection of Jewish-themed art,...

How Justice Scalia’s death impacts five cases that matter to Jews

WASHINGTON (JTA)—With the sudden passing of Justice Antonin Scalia, the Supreme Court is now split 4-4 between liberals and conservatives, throwing into doubt how the court will rule on a raft of cases—including several watched by Jewish organizations. Scalia, who was...

Gomley Chesed’s lions come home to Beth El

Gomley Chesed Synagogue’s Lions of Judah—bronze-like sculptures with fierce snarling mouths and red-glowing eyes—were objects of affection for generations of that once vibrant Portsmouth congregation. But neither the lions, most of the active members, or the memories...

Rebuilding homes and faith through Bridges

I’ve always been fascinated with Judaism because of the many layers of my faith that I see in various aspects of modern day life. With that strong presence, one of the most challenging opportunities we have today is to educate and learn from all types of spiritual and...

Joe Fleischmann’s gift of computer knowledge

Classes begin Monday, Feb. 15 The Simon Family JCC was Joe Fleischmann’s home away from home. He knew everyone and spent at least a few full days a week at the JCC taking classes, exercising, eating lunch, and being with friends. When he passed away last year at 89,...

Super Sunday success

An “old-fashioned,” Jewish community Super Sunday phone-a-thon still works in 2016. The proof? The 80 volunteers who came to make phone calls and provide support on Sunday, Jan. 31, at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus. And the community members who answered...

Ohef Sholom’s Confirmation Class holds retreat at the beach

The Ohef Sholom Temple 2016 Confirmation Class held a one-day retreat in December at Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E. Health Center at the oceanfront in Virginia Beach. This annual event for the Confirmation Class was a meaningful and bonding experience for the 15 members who...

Temple Israel continues tradition of volunteering on Christmas

In December, the local Jewish community continued its 20-year tradition of bringing good cheer—and good food—to needy people on Christmas. Nineteen people cooked and served dinner to homeless families at Haven House, a shelter operated by ForKids in Norfolk. The...

Oh frog-et about it!

4th Annual Community Relations Council Israel Poster Contest is going to be wild! Spiders and raptors and frogs, oh my! Those words are not the synopsis of a play starring arachnids, birds, and amphibians, but a few details from the list of Cool Facts about Israel...

Jewish community of Argentina going strong despite challenges

Sixteen members of the Tidewater Jewish community recently returned from a special mission to the Jewish community of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The mission, sponsored by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, allowed local donors to “follow their campaign dollars”...

Studying success Israeli style

Prof. Jack Habib and his colleague Dr. Keri Zelson Warshawsky enjoyed a walk through Seashore State Park on Thursday, Dec. 17 as their last experience in Tidewater before they flew back to Israel. Invited to Tidewater by Annie Sandler, the researchers experienced two...

HAT students amaze with Chanukah De-Lights

Hebrew Academy students put on its annual Hanukkah performance last month, with a show chock full of talent, including singing, dancing, acting and artwork. The production is a cherished school tradition that brings together students, faculty, family and friends year...

Super Sunday: It’s Your Move online, in person and over the phone

Sunday, Jan. 31, 9 am–1 pm United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s annual phone-a-thon, Super Sunday, perpetuates the mitzvah of Tzedakah and is a grassroots, community-driven, community- building effort. This year, a social media aspect is included with the Monopoly...

Film Festival opens to record crowd

The 23rd annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by Alma* and Howard Laderberg, opened to a record crowd of 450 at the Sandler Center on Saturday, Jan. 16. After viewing the comedy Dough, a reception catered by Village Caterers was heartily enjoyed. Opening...

Mazel Tov

Dear Readers, Probably 95% (I made up the number, it could be more) of us celebrate our simchas on our home turf. For myriad reasons, however, some choose to have destination events. One popular place, especially for b’nai mitzvot, is Israel. As such, we feature two...

The Huberman Violin

My violin is more than 300 years old. Known as the Gibson ex Huberman, the revered instrument came into my life one fateful day during the summer of 2001. I was in London, getting ready to play a ‘Proms’ concert at the Royal Albert Hall and decided to stop by the...

Governor McAuliffe hosts Hanukkah party at Executive Mansion

After a warm welcome to more than 100 members of the Jewish community from throughout the Commonwealth by Governor Terry McAuliffe, remarks by the Interfaith Alliance’s Rabbi Jack Moline, and the menorah lighting by Richmond’s Rabbis Michael Knopf and Dovid Asher,...

Bryan Mesh and Pam Guthrie honored at Beth Sholom Village

It was a bittersweet celebration. More than 80 staff members, friends and family gathered on Thursday, Dec. 10 to say farewell to Bryan Mesh, development director and former CEO of Beth Sholom Village, and to Pam Guthrie, administrator of The Terrace and former BSV...

Jewish Family Service Chanukah Gift Program 2015

Jewish Family Service of Tidewater’s 23rd Annual Chanukah Gift Program was a huge success. Each year, JFS provides local Jewish families in financial need with gifts and gift cards for their children and teens, as well as money for those without children. In 2015 JFS...