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WASHINGTON (JTA)—Police in the U.S. Capitol arrested some 100 Jewish activists, many of them clergy, who protested in a Senate office building on behalf of a bill that would protect illegal immigrants who arrived as children. Several dozen of the activists from the...
Sunday, Jan. 28 • 10 am – 1 pm United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s biggest phone-a-thon fundraising day of the year— Super Sunday—raises money for the annual campaign. The annual event supports UJFT’s work, which directly impacts the lives of Jews in Tidewater as...
Year-end is often the most opportune time to consider financial and tax planning strategies. As this article is being written, Congress and the White House are negotiating significant changes in the tax laws that could, if enacted, impact financial strategies and...
I grew up in a not so religious American Jewish household in a heavily Orthodox section of Brooklyn in the 1980s. I felt disconnected from my culture and outcast from the community, even though it surrounded me. Only a few generations removed from an Orthodox...
For more than 20 years, the Virginia Arts Festival has brought renowned artists from around the globe to Hampton Roads. In addition to the packed schedule of world-class performances, the Festival reaches out to students each year. In fact, during the past school...
Over many decades of creating choreography that conveys an emotional story, Elbert Watson, Norfolk Academy dance director, has covered many searing topics. Most notably, he has developed dances that explore aspects of African- American history, from slavery to the...
Jewish Proverb: “Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.” While a Jewish Day School experience is often considered a homogeneous education, within every group of students, a range of abilities always exists. Hebrew Academy of Tidewater’s goal, therefore, is...
Walking through Congregation Beth El’s education wing on a weekday, one might be surprised to hear the sounds of violins. The source of the music is from students who attend the Park Place School, located at Beth El since August. Each of the 66 second through sixth...
In a move long overdue, the United States of America has finally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Congratulations to President Trump, congratulations to people of Israel, and congratulations to everyone who prayed to see this day. Over the past 50 years,...
Sunday, Feb. 4, 2 pm First performance will be tribute to mothers and fathers Lorraine Fink’s iconic artwork hangs on the walls of many Tidewater homes and galleries. A series of designs entitled “Seven Days of Creation” is permanently displayed at the Sandler Family...
Educator and editor, Rachel Fish, visited Tidewater in early November, making stops at local high schools, universities, and other public forums along the way. Fish, associate director of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University, began her trip...
Education, December 18, 2017
Since July 7, when Israel initiated Operation Protective Edge, we have been closely monitoring events and praying for an end to the conflict, while mourning each and every life lost. We don’t know how long it will take for authorities to feel that Israelis are safe...
The Simon Family JCC 4th Annual Presidents’ Cup Golf Tournament brought golfers together for a worthy cause and an afternoon of recreation, relaxation and a little community education at Heron Ridge Golf Club on Tuesday, June 24. More than 70 golfers gathered to...
Profession President, Meyers & Tabakin Furniture Company Education Bachelor of Science in Business, Indiana University, 1977. Master of Business Administration, University of Wisconsin, 1978. Family Married to Kevin; Three children Michael, Amy and Brian with our...
Tuesday, July 29 – Friday, August 29, Leon Family Gallery, Sandler Family Campus Several months ago, Yeda Strasser, a beloved member of Tidewater’s Jewish community schlepped a large canvas bag into the Simon Family JCC’s cultural arts department. It was filled with...
Each year, Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the organization that unites Jewish Federations and independent Jewish communities throughout the world, presents outstanding leaders with the Endowment Achievement Award. This award is to honor the recipient’s...
An afternoon filled with praise, warmth, dance, song, speeches, proclamations and a packed house, commemorated the 40th anniversary of Rabbi Israel Zoberman’s ordination. On Sunday, June 1, Congregation Beth Chaverim’s sanctuary was standing room only as religious and...
During the winter of 2013–2014, I was a participant on a Birthright trip sponsored by the Hillel at Virginia Tech. When I got back to school I knew I wanted to get back to the land of Israel and help develop the country that made me feel so at home. After a bit of...
Hardly a day goes by when I don’t hear a friend say, “I’m starving” because they haven’t eaten in a couple of hours. I am guilty of it, too. We use this term so lightly because true hunger seems like such a remote problem. We’ve seen the commercials of ‘people in...
Amanda Gladstone does not know what the term “free time” means. As one of only two Jewish students attending Hickory High School in Chesapeake, she got involved with BBYO to be more connected with her Judaism. And this involvement did not simply entail going to weekly...
Last June, Rabbi Marc Kraus arrived in Virginia Beach to become the rabbi at Temple Emanuel. Rabbi Kraus’ wife, Alicia Cohen Kraus, was recently appointed Old Dominion University’s Hillel director. Since their arrival, the couple has hosted more than 120 people for...
The three-year Strategic Plan adopted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater in 2011 was developed and instituted to unify and strengthen the Tidewater Jewish community. A key initiative of the plan—one of seven—was to establish a community leadership...
When the Jewish News caught up with Max Sandler two years ago, the Virginia Beach native was adapting to life in Gondar, Ethiopia. Then 26, Sandler had committed to a year living and working in an environment unlike anything he was familiar with, as a Jewish Service...
Let me begin by saying that I am very disappointed with the decision of the General Assembly to divest from three U.S. companies doing business with Israel. I have a great love and respect for the Jewish people, which began even before I was born! I grew up in a...
Seventeen members of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Summer mission to Israel recently returned from an action-packed and highly emotional visit. The adventure began in Jerusalem, with a breathtaking panoramic view of the city atop of the Tower of David....
WASHINGTON (JTA)—Escalations between Hamas and Israel are nothing new. What’s missing this time, analysts say, is the alignment of outside interests that has resolved such fights in the past. Egypt’s government lacks the influence over Hamas of its predecessors and...
By now, the publication commemorating Tidewater’s Jewish community’s 75 organized years should have made it to everyone’s mailboxes, and, hopefully, been opened, browsed though, and maybe even read. We’ve heard from many readers (who must have opened, browsed and...
White City Shabbat set the Guinness World Record for the Largest Shabbat Dinner ever at the Hangar 11 in the port of Tel Aviv when 2,226 attendees were officially inscribed in the Guinness World Record for the Largest Shabbat Dinner on Friday night June 13. Notable...
Nine year awards (from preschool, age two–5th grade)—Mushky Brashevitzky, Shayda Rahimzadeh, Blake Brown, Gabe Foleck, Leo Kamer and Danial Watts James London Memorial Athlete of the Year—Danial Watts Most Improved in General Studies—Shayda Rahimzadeh Abe and Anna...
Memories for a lifetime by Sam Sacks, Virginia Tech, class of 2014 It is incredible what one can experience during 10 days in Israel. Earlier this year, thanks to Birthright and Hillel at Virginia Tech, we were given the opportunity to witness the Land of Israel. Of...
There are many people who have walked through the halls at Hebrew Academy of Tidewater, wherever it has been located. Some are more memorable than others, but few made as “big” a mark on the school as Harold (Hap) Unger. I first met Hap when his daughter Jennifer...