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The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington and Washington Jewish Week produced a Virginia General Election Jewish Voters’ Guide for the 2025 statewide races. This publication provides information about the candidates running for Governor,...
For more than 40 years, this annual celebration of Jewish writers, books, and ideas has brought together bold voices and fresh perspectives. From Israel and her neighbors to Jewish tradition, from comedy to cuisine, from telling history to telling YOUR story, there...
This summer, I traveled to Israel for my niece’s wedding. It was a joyous occasion, full of laughter, dancing, and the kind of celebration that reminds us what it means to live fully and proudly as Jews. Surrounded by family, I felt the timeless bond that ties us to...
Sukkot – also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths – celebrates the fall harvest and commemorates the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the desert after their Exodus from Egypt. The week-long Jewish festival is celebrated by building, dwelling, and...
Sunday, September 14 United Jewish Federation of Tidewater will host its first all-virtual Super Sunday on Sunday, Sept. 14. In a multi-pronged approach to fundraising, volunteers will mail, text, email, and yes, call members of the Tidewater Jewish community to talk...
A year ago, I became chair of Tidewater Jewish Foundation. I am extremely honored to be in this position, especially considering all of those who have previously served in this role. I only hope to fill their shoes while trying to help guide this amazing organization...
Saul Brodsky credits his Jewish faith to his mother, Wendy Einhorn Brodsky. “My mom is genuine about her Jewish identity and practice,” he says when describing the trajectory of his Jewish journey beginning in Norfolk attending Temple Israel to studying at a yeshiva...
For decades, Super Sunday has been a flagship event in the lifecycle of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s community campaign. It’s been a day of community mobilization – bringing volunteers together in a room buzzing with energy, armed with phones, stacks of...
When I began my journey with the Tidewater Jewish Foundation in July 2020, I walked into a world unlike anything we had known. It was the height of the pandemic.Introductions were made over Zoom and relationship-building required more persistence, patience, and heart...
Over the past year, we have had the privilege of creating a second home in Tidewater, through the open arms, hearts, and doors of the amazing people we have met. We eagerly seized the incredible opportunity to engage with everyone we could, knowing that we would learn...
Nearly 400 Jewish leaders representing more than 100 Jewish communities across the nation gathered in Washington, DC on Wednesday, June 25 for the United for Security Emergency Leadership Mission to advocate for policies that enhance security for the Jewish...
What do Barry Manilow, Barbra Streisand, Mel Brooks, Charlie Firestone, Susan and Jim Eilberg, and Alice and David Titus have in common? Aside from the first three not living in Tidewater, all are Jewish, more than 80 years old, active in a variety of pursuits, and...
Graduation is always a meaningful and emotional milestone at Strelitz International Academy. For the fifth-grade students, some of whom have been part of the SIA community since infancy, it marks a moment to reflect on their growth and prepare to spread their wings as...
The FBI and DHS have released several similar announcements in recent years warning of potential attacks motivated by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. In the wake of two violent attacks on Jewish community events in recent weeks, the FBI and Department...
In late May, my wife, Shikma, our two boys, and I visited Israel with the primary goal to see Shikma’s family: her grandma, sister, nieces, aunt, uncle, and cousins.We spent several days in apartments in Ra’anana and Hod HaSharon eating great meals and catching up on...
A Shabbat was clearly the right time to dedicate the new ark at Aviva Pembroke, the senior housing community now open at Pembroke Square in Virginia Beach.Naval Officer and woodcrafter David Small was our Noah, creating the home for the same Torah that was in the...
Tidewater’s Yom Ha’Atzmaut community celebration marking Israel’s 77th Independence Day, took place Sunday, May 4 at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus. Hosted by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC, the afternoon was filled with engaging...
The role of Dad has evolved, from a staunch disciplinarian to a guiding light who changes diapers, drives carpool, and might even stay at home while Mom goes to work. According to their children, these Jewish Tidewater dads are generous with their time, community...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Women’s Philanthropy Spring Lunch took place last month in the sun-filled Fleischman Lounge on the Sandler Family Campus. This event serves as a ‘Thank you’ for members of the Women’s Philanthropy who serve as volunteer campaign...
When the new rabbinic candidate’s resume crossed the desks of the search committee in late 2004, everyone immediately knew: Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg would be Ohef Sholom Temple’s new rabbi. An assistant rabbi at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation at the time, Rabbi Roz...
A standout student, Sarah Kosovsky has been named the 2025 recipient of the Stein Family College Scholarship, the largest scholarship available to Jewish students in Tidewater. Awarded through the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, this prestigious scholarship provides up...
Young area adults with United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Young Adult Division gathered at Hank’s Filling Station on Tuesday, April 22 for a Happy Hour to celebrate the end of the Passover holiday. Two dozen participants enjoyed drinks and plenty of post-Passover...
Just a few days are left to vote in an election that gives American Jews an opportunity to directly shape Israel’s future.The U.S. election for seats in the 39th World Zionist Congress will help determine the balance of power in the legislative authority of a Zionist...
Cantor Elihu Flax to serve as part-time chaplain • Saturday, May 17, 10 am With a number of its Jewish and even some non-Jewish residents looking on, Cantor Elihu Flax affixed a fully kosher Mezuzah on the front door of Aviva Pembroke senior housing, located at...
Laura Gauld, an educator in Bath, Maine, describes a mother’s role in three, distinct stages. To a young child, a mom is a drill sergeant: “Brush your teeth before bed,” or “Hold my hand when we cross the street.” In the middle years, the mom becomes a manager: “Don’t...
Grace Gilson(JTA) — When she was five years old, Kitty Saks’ home in Vienna was commandeered by the Nazis, leading her family to flee to Brussels, where she was hidden in a convent until the Allies liberated Belgium. Twenty-seven members of her family were killed in...
U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner met with members of Tidewater’s Jewish community last month to discuss a range of issues, including Israel, the state of college campuses, and antisemitism.The former governor and senior senator from Virginia began the conversation by...
Summertime is right around the corner, with camps of every sort – day, overnight, specialty, and general – busy planning an exciting 2025 experience for campers. Whether campers stay close to home or embark on a few weeks away for an overnight experience, many...
My most recent visit to Israel started with Havdalah services in Hostage Square. The weight of October 7 – the loss, the trauma, the sadness – hangs in the air and seeps into your pores. The realization of the challenges Israelis deal with all day, every day, is...
The Konikoff Center for Learning supports Jewish education in a variety of ways in Tidewater. With a goal of nurturing inter-denominational relationships between individuals and synagogues, David Konikoff drives the direction of the Center by sponsoring programming...
The Sandler Family Campus was unrecognizable on Saturday, March 1, as partygoers stepped into Mordechai’s Time Machine for an unforgettable Purim celebration. Immersive décor transported guests across time and space — from a 1920s speakeasy to a garden of Eden. Every...
The Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Don Leonard Scott Jr., spent a rainy afternoon last month with members of Jewish Tidewater at the home of Laura and Fred Gross. His recent trip to Israel with AIPAC was the focus of the conversation.Jeff Breit, a law...