Ahead of the visit, VBPD’s Community Liaison Unit, along with the 2nd Precinct’s sergeant and officers, met with synagogue leadership for an introductory conversation and walkthrough of Temple Emanuel and its education building. The meeting provided an opportunity to build relationships, discuss challenges and opportunities, and familiarize officers with the facility, recognizing that it is far better to become familiar with a property before an emergency than during one.

 “The strength of Virginia Beach lies in our ability to foster deep, meaningful collaborations between the police department, our citizens, and our faith-based communities,” says Chief Paul W. Neudigate. “When law enforcement joins hands with the people we serve and the spiritual leaders who guide our neighborhoods, we create an unbreakable network of support and communication.”

 The meetings underscored the importance of strong partnerships between law enforcement and faith communities. Participants discussed the Jewish community’s unique needs while identifying opportunities to strengthen communication, collaboration, and ongoing security and preparedness efforts.

 “United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is grateful to Chief Neudigate, his leadership team, Captain Gordon and the officers of the 2nd Precinct, and Captain Gervin and the officers of the 4th Precinct, where the Sandler Family Campus is located, and the Virginia Beach Police Department as a whole for their partnership and commitment to helping ensure the safety, security, and well-being of the Jewish community,” says Betty Ann Levin, UJFT’s executive vice president/CEO.

 Secure Community Network trainings and services are offered at no cost thanks to the generosity of donors to United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. The support helps ensure every Jewish organization has access to expert security resources, regardless of size or budget. To help sustain this important work, please consider donating to UJFT’s Annual Campaign.

To learn more about SCN, visit JewishVA.org/SCN or email Mike Goldsmith at mgoldsmith@securecommunitynetwork.org.

It’s wonderfully intuitive – as participants in the ritual tear up the pieces of bread, they acknowledge their sins with a faint whisper and a prayer. Then, once repentance is made clear, the guilt-ridden crumbs are thrown into the running water, to be carried away by the currents. 

The crumbs, however, are not always carried afar. Where many Jews live, including in Tidewater, the breadcrumbs often wash up on the beach, remain floating in the lake, or are eaten by the aquatic animals inhabiting their waters.

As Joanne Palmer of the Jewish Standard, a regional newspaper serving North Jersey and Rockland, New York, recalls, “someone at our lunch fantasized about the ducks getting ready for their annual feast. ‘I know I shouldn’t eat all that bread but I can’t help it,’ she imagined a duck saying. ‘It’s so tempting. Even though it goes straight to my thighs.’” 

It’s a funny anecdote, but ultimately, there is some truth in the anthropomorphic situation posed here. Ducks, fish, and other wildlife that receive the sin-contaminated bread, in many ways do not benefit from the extra gluten cast into their waters. 

In fact, according to an article on the Chabad website, the ritual is not exactly aligned with Jewish law. “On Shabbat and holidays, one is not allowed to feed any animals that aren’t one’s responsibility and are not dependent upon him for their sustenance.” 

In the decades since this moral dilemma has been posed, alternatives such as frozen peas and river-friendly grains have been championed by Jewish environmental organizations. The Jewish environmental organization Repair the Sea (Tikkun HaYam) has pushed the conversation a step further by introducing a new kind of Tashlich ritual that suggests cleaning up pollution in waterways rather than producing more. 

Created in 2018 by Rabbi Ed Rosenthal, Reverse Tashlich is essentially an organized trash clean-up through a Jewish lens. 

Rooted in the Jewish value of Repair the World (Tikkun Olam), the concept of Reverse Tashlich is maybe just as intuitive as its traditional counterpart. It was brought to Tidewater by Andrea Tank, Ohef Sholom Temple’s Sisterhood president. 

Having worked for the Sierra Club and lobbied on behalf of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Tank is extremely aware of the environmental crisis of the 21st century and the importance of Tikkun Olam.

“There’s a lot of young people that have a huge concern for our environment,” Tank says. “To me, this is a very physical way to demonstrate your care and repair of the world.”

Ohef Sholom’s Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg agrees. “It is a creative and good way of reimagining an old tradition for a new day,” she says. “And though it isn’t a replacement for the traditional ritual of casting one’s sins away, it calls upon Jewish communities to do something just as important – be good stewards of the planet.”

The idea began as a joke when Rabbi Rosenthal, founder and CEO of Tikkun HaYam, was explaining the tradition to members of Scooby Jew, the Jewish scuba-diving club he created at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla. One of them pushed back.

“There’s already more than enough human sin in the water,” the student said. “Why don’t we take some of it out instead?”

Rosenthal took the challenge seriously. He recruited five students, and together they pulled about 75 pounds of debris out of the mangroves along Eckerd’s mile and a half of waterfront. 

The next year, the group grew to 10 students, eventually prompting Rosenthal to take the concept off campus and reach out to synagogues across the Tampa Bay area. 

“I was really surprised at the response,” he says. “It showed me that there’s an interest, but there was no vehicle in the Jewish world to raise awareness of it.”

Almost a decade later that response has scaled well beyond Tampa. Last year alone, 320 teams in 31 countries participated in reverse Tashlich events, including a Newport News-based chapter already serving Tidewater.

“When you combine the awareness of the mitzvah and recognize it’s fulfilling the mitzvah,” Rosenthal says, “an ordinary action like a beach cleanup becomes a holy action — no different than going to synagogue.”

The concept has strong roots in religious values, drawing heavily on Bal Tashchit, the biblical prohibition against needless waste. Rosenthal also points to Tza’ar Ba’alei Chayim, the prohibition against causing needless suffering to animals.

“It’s very bad for the fish,” Rosenthal says of the use of bread for Tashlich. “It’s not their normal food.” But he doesn’t ask people to abandon the traditional ritual altogether. 

Instead, he recommends observers use pebbles and seashells – things already native to the water. Seashells are made of calcium carbonate, a compound that the ocean is increasingly starved of by rising acidity.

As Rabbi Rosenthal says, “We in the Western world take water for granted, because it’s the most common substance on the planet… in Hebrew, our tradition refers to it as mayim chayim — living water. The water is alive, and it gives life. It sustains life. Without it, we die.”

 Member Sid Bridge led a joyful Carlebach infused Shabbat service, with the youngest members (led by Niv Rubin) often taking over the bima and capably leading prayers.  Participants were truly dancing in the aisles!

 If the spirit in the room weren’t enough by itself, the Shabbat dinner that followed increased camaraderie, connection, and community.  As recipients of a Tidewater Jewish Foundation Community Impact Grant, KBH hosted this program to show the multi-use strength and flexibility of the Sandler Family Campus; to showcase the Cardo Cafe’s excellent kosher catering; and to welcome young families to a child-friendly and affordable Shabbat experience.

 KBH is grateful to the TJF for their generous support, to Latoya Haspberry and the Cardo Cafe for preparing the delicious meal, to the campus leaders and staff for their set-up assistance, and to the KBH schleppers and set-up team for anything else that needed doing.

For more information about Kehillat Bet Hamidrash, visit kbhsynagogue.org or email kbhsynagogue@gmail.com.   For information about Tidewater Jewish Foundation, go to jewishva.org.

 Last December, volunteers at Temple Emanuel started this project by tearing down old coat racks, repainting the walls a calming blue and installing stained glass paper on the windows to give the hallway a shiny glow. As it is with many projects, one bit of inspiration lead to another. The hallway was beautiful, but it was now glaringly obvious that the classrooms, floors, doors, and ceiling needed lots of TLC.  

Fast forward a few months and a lot of hard work, and thanks to a generous grant from Tidewater Jewish Foundation, Temple Emanuel Religious School has undergone extensive renovations and will be able to realize the dream of a new school building. 

The renovation goal is to modernize the aesthetic while maintaining historical integrity. First, the beautiful parquet floors were refinished. Next, volunteers and contractors tore down the textured, stained wallpaper and hand scraped glue off the walls, priming it for paint. The lower elementary classroom doubled in size to give the children a larger space to move through multi-sensory learning centers. Finally, ceiling tiles are being replaced, doors are being sanded and repainted, and all wall décor is being redesigned. 

The final product will be a cheerful, modern, nurturing school environment that will match the motivating energy from the teaching team. The grant helped transform an archaic space into a lively, energetic learning environment. 

Registered and prospective families are invited to Temple Emanuel Religious School’s open house on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 10 am to see the final product and learn more about the school. 

Dr. Sarah Davis is Temple Emanuel’s Religious School director.

Congregation Beth El recently launched a partnership with the 92nd Street Y (92NY) in New York City, one of the world’s most respected cultural and intellectual institutions. Through this collaboration, Beth El will host monthly livestream events featuring nationally renowned speakers, thinkers, authors, and musicians, bringing world-class programming to Tidewater’s Jewish community.

 The partnership allows Congregation Beth El to offer access to high-caliber conversations and musical performances that would otherwise require travel to major metropolitan areas. Each month, Beth El opens its doors for a communal viewing experience, complete with light refreshments, creating opportunities for participants to gather, connect, and engage with ideas shaping contemporary life.

 Programs in the series explore topics such as democracy, literature, history, culture, and current affairs. Speakers come from leading roles in journalism, academia, public policy, and the arts. The series reflects Beth El’s ongoing commitment to lifelong learning, Jewish values, and thoughtful engagement with the wider world.

 In April, Beth El will livestream a 92NY conversation between The New Yorker correspondent Nicholas Lemann and New York Times investigative reporter Jodi Kantor. Lemann will discuss his memoir, Returning: A Search for Home Across Three Centuries, which reflects on his experience growing up Jewish in New Orleans.

 Lemann, a son of German Jews who grew up in a world of privilege, had an unconventional Jewish upbringing. Aware of the contradictions of being Jewish in the South, Lemann chafed at its strict racial hierarchy and his relatives’ eagerness to be accepted in a subtle but distinctly antisemitic environment. The memoir follows Lemann’s path as he rejects assimilated society, embraces Judaism, and chooses to raise his children in a Jewish world. 

 “We are thrilled to bring the energy and excellence of 92NY programming to Norfolk,” says Beth Berman, Beth El’s coordinator for the series. “This partnership creates a wonderful opportunity for our congregation and the wider community to come together around meaningful ideas, music, and shared conversation.”

Congregation Beth El is located at 422 Shirley Avenue in Norfolk. Admission is $5. RSVPs are encouraged. Details are available at www.bethelnorfolk.com.

 After months of cleaning, sorting, and donating nearly 50 years of accumulated items, KBH has entered the next stage of its journey as a Conservative synagogue in Tidewater.  Centrally located in shared space on the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community and no longer burdened by the responsibility of maintaining a building, synagogue members are refocused on their core mission of religious observance and fellowship.

 Since moving to the campus, membership has grown, Shabbat morning attendance has increased, more members are taking part in leading services, and new monthly programs for children are in place.  Kiddush luncheons continue each week, with members lingering to talk and connect after services.  Even the prayers seem to sound better.

 Although KBH meets in the warm,
multi-use Fleischmann Lounge, members look forward to celebrating events and activities throughout the campus – from Shabbat dinners to outdoor services.  Each Shabbat morning, the congregation is surrounded by meaningful reminders of its history: beloved works of art and the Tree of Life adorn the walls, the new ark for the Torah scrolls features a familiar parochet, and the Ner Tamid has been thoughtfully reimagined from the previous one.  Soon the memorial plaques will find a new home on newly created yartzheit boards.  

 KBH is proud to be part of Tidewater’s Jewish community and delighted to be a religious presence on the Sandler Family Campus.  With a focus on community and the Jewish future, KBH is also honored to have a place within the Tidewater Jewish Foundation.  Selling the building was not a move backward – it was a step forward.

Services are held each Shabbat morning at 10 am.  All are welcome. Bring identification for campus security.  For more information, email kbhsynagogue@gmail.com or visit kbhsynagogue.org.  

A new initiative dedicated in memory of Shirley Farfel Berman a”h, Lev Sara Bikur Cholim is being created to extend a loving hand to individuals in the community—and beyond—who are in Norfolk for medical care. 

This evening is an opportunity to learn about the program, hear from guest speaker Elise Wolf, as well as a tribute to Shirley Berman.

 Lev Sara Bikur Cholim’s mission is to provide comfort, support, and practical assistance during challenging times, offering the following services: 

• Shabbos kits – Complete kits including grape juice for Kiddush and Havdalah, challah, tea lights, hospital candles, and reading material. 

• Stocked pantry and freezer at B’nai Israel – prepared and portioned lunches, dinners, and snacks for weekday and Shabbos. 

• Hospitality for visiting families – warm accommodations and support for family members visiting loved ones receiving care. 

• Visitation – thoughtful volunteers offering visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and homebound individuals.

 Lev Sara Bikur Cholim is building its volunteer network. Volunteers are needed for cooking, driving, and visitation. Those who would like to be part of this effort are encouraged to reach out at levsarabikkurcholim@gmail.com.

Berman was the beloved mother of Stuart, Bruce, and Douglas Berman, and Paula Berman Lefkowitz. She is remembered for a life quietly devoted to others, spending much of her time volunteering as a compassionate and supportive advocate and companion for cancer patients and the elderly. 

To attend the event and learn more, go to www.bnaiiIsrael.org/event/levsarabikurcholim.

Members of KBH synagogue are excited to unveil a brand-new Shabbat services format designed for children and families.

 Once a month, KBH, in partnership with Tidewater Shinshinim, will hold a special program designed to make services fun and incorporate its new home – the Sandler Family Campus – in a fresh way.

 The first Shinshinim Kids Shabbat is called Escaping Egypt: Escape Room. Led by the Shinshinim, Noga Yaniv and Yarden Lahan, participants will solve puzzles, look for clues, and “find their way” out of Egypt over the course of an hour. The children will then return to Shabbat services for concluding prayers and a Kiddush lunch with all congregants.

 “We are thrilled to begin the next chapter of our synagogue on the Sandler Family Campus with a dynamic set of Shabbat services,” says Rona Proser, KBH co-president. “The Campus gives us opportunities to draw on the entire building to foster Jewish learning and make every Shabbat memorable. We hope young families will join us!”

 Future dates for Shinshinim Kids Shabbat are April 18, May 16, June 27, and July 18.

 KBH membership is not required to attend the Shinshinim Kids Shabbat, and there is no participation cost. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/Shinshinim or contact KBH Synagogue at KBHsynagogue@gmail.com. Be sure to register, so KBH has a headcount. 

 Spearheaded by Clay Barr, the participants enjoyed a curator-led tour of the exhibition, followed by lunch at the museum’s restaurant. After lunch, the group toured the newly installed Judaica Gallery, guided by Sean Burrus, North Carolina Museum of Art’s curator of Judaica. 

The Book of Esther exhibition demonstrates how the story of Queen Esther was depicted in art and popular culture, expressing the ideas of political and religious freedom in the age of Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-69).

NCMA’s material for the exhibit says, “In the 1600s and beyond, the Book of Esther was a key source of inspiration for diverse communities in Holland, both Jewish and Christian.  For immigrant Jewish communities living with new freedom in more tolerant Amsterdam, celebrating Purim became a meaningful expression of Jewish culture.”

In addition to paintings, the exhibit contains a variety of artifacts including an Esther Scroll, a silver Purim collection cup, and a Tebah Cover, among other items.

“It was such a great opportunity to see a world class exhibition,” says Barr.  “The enthusiasm from all in attendance was a credit not only to the quality of the exhibit, but also to the educational input of the curators who led the tour.”

 The trip was part of Congregation Beth El’s initiative with the arts, which has also included docent led tours at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk.

Ohef Sholom Temple 

A lively island-themed evening featuring local restaurants, signature cocktails, and craft beverages, Ohef Sholom Temple’s Taste of the Tropics plans to be every bit as tasty and fun as last year’s Taste of the Town.

In addition to all the delicious dishes from local restaurants, Chef Derak Green, of Cooking with Greens, will conduct a cooking demonstration. A Norfolk based culinary brand founded by Derak and Anita Green, Cooking with Greens is “dedicated to making healthy, flavorful home cooking simple, joyful, and accessible.” Chef Derak Green has been featured on FOX’s MasterChef (2024) and is known for engaging, educational, and entertaining cooking demonstrations that inspire audiences to cook.

 The dress for the evening is Island attire, so pull out those Hawaiian shirts.

 Tickets are $65 per person or $120 per couple. The event is open to the community. Contact the temple’s office to secure tickets at 757-625-4295 or go to ohefsholom.org.