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...
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From Brooklyn to Norfolk State
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...
Virginia Arts Festival’s education outreach makes learning leap to life
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...
Dance about Kristallnacht inspired by UJFT Holocaust Commission conference
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...
Setting all students up for success at Hebrew Academy of Tidewater
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...
Beth El welcomes the Park Place School
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...
US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital long overdue
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,...
Noted local artist’s work will have lead role in new Beth Sholom theater
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...
Israel Today’s Rachel Fish speaks with myriad groups
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
Education, December 18, 2017
Jerusalem recognition reaction
President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States intends to move its embassy to Jerusalem as a recognition of that city’s status as the capital of Israel, has been met with myriad responses—from jubilation to dismay, from pride and relief to anger and...
What do cars, babies, and donuts have in common?
Local Jewish entrepreneurs participated on a panel, Conversations: Perspectives on Leadership, Success and Community, on Wednesday, Nov. 8, for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Society of Professionals. The gathering, sponsored by Insco Insurance and moderated...
Distinguished group of JDC representatives visits Tidewater
Representatives from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) paid a special visit to the Tidewater Jewish Community earlier this spring. The group included Arnon Mantver, director of JDCIsrael, Sandy Katz, executive director of JDC International...
Passover in Ukraine
Jews of all ages across Ukraine celebrated Passover last month in spite of escalating challenges. To help make this a reality, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee provided nearly 53,000 boxes of matzah and coordinated scores of community Seders throughout the...
Jewish groups slam racist rant attributed to Donald Sterling
Donald Sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, was banned for life by the NBA and fined $2.5 million for making racist comments. Under the punishment laid down Tuesday, April 29 by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Sterling may not associate with the team or the...
A Minyan at the Philharmonic
3 Nisan is the Jewish calendar date on which my father passed away 12 years ago. It is my honor and obligation to say the Kaddish prayer on each anniversary of that date, his Yahrtzeit. This year in 5774, the third of Nisan fell in the evening of April 2, 2014 through...
Israel Today Forum tackles the timely topic of Geopolitics
Thursday, May 1, 7 pm With Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations at a contentious and critical point— the nine-month deadline for the American mediated discussions is April 29—Robert Satloff will have plenty to discuss as the featured Israel Today Forum speaker. The...
Israel Poster contest features flying cars, two flush system, bone glue, and more
The Community Relations Council invited first through 12th graders of Tidewater to participate in an Israel Poster Contest in February. Students were asked to illustrate a cool fact about Israel in a hand-made, 8.5” x 11” poster. More than 100 entries were on display...
On the Run/To or From… An inquiry into the creative life of Lorraine Fink
After raising five children and seeing them off to college, many might decide that it is time to relax, smooze and play a little mahjong. But, not Lorraine Fink. Instead, Fink was just beginning to create. For more than four decades, nothing has been able to hold back...
A personal account of Beth El’s trip to Israel
Empty nester…. Sounds so “empty” and negative-right? Wrong. My wife, Jody and I finally reached that stage of life this fall when our second daughter flew the coop and went off to college. It was sad for us, but we found ourselves able to make our first, long talked...
Positive feedback abounds after Tidewater Together community weekend
Intrigued by the concept of exploring the community’s Jewish future, Rear Adm. Janet Donovan and her husband Dan chose to attend the Tidewater Together discussion held on March 21 during the Friday night Shabbat service at Ohef Sholom Temple. More than 300 people...
Students impress at Hebrew Academy’s Annual Science Fair
March 25 marked Hebrew Academy’s Annual fourth and fifth grade Science Fair. Sixteen students proudly presented their projects in a packed cafeteria filled with parents, grandparents, faculty and students. Also in attendance were NASA scientists and contest judges,...
Olympic Games spark a Mitzvah-lympics at HAT and the Strelitz preschool
At Hebrew Academy and the Strelitz Early Childhood Center preschool, the Sochi Olympics sparked a unique twist on performing acts of kindness. After all, what is better than inspiring others to practice kindness and pass it on? Carlyn Goldstein, third grade teacher...
Community partners ensure future of Israel Today Forum
On May 1, the final presentation in the 2013–2014 Israel Today forum will take place as Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy discusses Geopolitics. The two presenters preceding Satloff in the well-respected speaker series...
Standing with Kansas City
On Sunday, April 13, three innocent lives were taken by bullets fueled by hatred, shot by a man consumed with bigotry. We echo the following sentiments initially expressed by the chair of the Jewish Federation of North America board of trustees: “We at the Jewish...
Meet the Presidents
Philip Walzer President, Temple Israel Profession Business writer, The Virginian-Pilot Education Bachelor’s degree in English, Princeton University, 1981 Family Wife, Mary Ann, registered nurse at Virginia Beach Ambulatory Surgery Center; sons Jacob, 24, University of...
HAT and Strelitz preschool celebrate Shushan Purim in grand style
Students at Hebrew Academy and the Strelitz preschool celebrated Shushan Purim with great enthusiasm last month. The day began with a parade and then everyone convened in the multi-purpose room where all Queen Esthers, Hamans, superheroes and Disney characters joined...
Retiring of a leader
On Saturday, Feb. 22, Temple Israel celebrated Education Shabbat and the leadership of Kathryn Morton, who will retire this summer after 16 years as director of the synagogue’s Sunday school. She has touched many lives with her passion for teaching, her endless...
Celebrating 100 days of school in style
Hebrew Academy of Tidewater students recently celebrated their 100th day of school. This fun milestone offered the perfect chance to mix a little silliness with a good learning opportunity. In activities and lessons that helped sharpen students’ math and observational...
Trees of cans for Foodbank
They did it! — Temple Israel’s can tree displays were a hit at Taste of Hampton Roads, with the 1,500 cans used in the construction donated to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. Taste of Hampton Roads, held on March 4 at Virginia Beach...
Maimonides Society pre-film reception showcases talent of local violinist
The Maimonides Society of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater hosted a special reception for its members prior to the screening of Orchestra of Exiles at the Sandler Family Campus on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Featured at the reception was professional violinist Pavel...
Film builds anticipation for Israel Philharmonic Performance
More than 200 community members attended the Tuesday, Feb. 25 screening of the documentary Orchestra of Exiles at the Simon Family JCC. The film, which explores the story behind the founding of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, helped build excitement for the...
