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Eitan Altshuler shares his version and twists on a dessert recipe not widely used in America for Hanukkah Beyond the classics, there are more than a few days over Hanukkah to enjoy a variety of fried foods. The Jews of India like to celebrate by making Gulab Jamun, a...
The food Pantry, operated by Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, was recently expanded by about one-third its size. Prior to its expansion, JFS had two smaller pantries: one for the general community, and the “Milk and Honey” program for Jewish individuals. These two...
Israel expert Joe Perlov took Tidewater by storm with more than a dozen events over the course of just a few days—engaging with hundreds of people from both the Jewish and general community. Though Perlov focuses on the changing map of Israel, from the 23 border...
In a whirlwind stopover, en route to the JFNA General Assembly in Chicago, Karina Sokolowska, JDC’s (the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) country director for Poland, gave a series of...
Dear Readers, It seems we just finished shaking the lulav for Sukkot and unrolling the Torah for Simcha Torah and here we are in mid-November preparing to set our Thanksgiving tables! And, for some of us, in addition to thoughts of turkey and sweet potatoes, we’ve got...
Chanukah Extravaganza: Sunday, December 18, 4 pm, Mt. Trashmore According to Rabbi Aron Margolin, director of Chabad Tidewater, in the Hanukkah story, the small army of Maccabees fought for the right to worship God freely. “The purpose of the menorah is to...
Freemason Street Baptist Church and Ohef Sholom Temple have more things in common than may meet the eye: bringing the community together, breaking bread, giving thanks, and observing their faith in prayer and song for an impressive 95 years. As the story goes,...
Established by five area families in 1982, Congregation Beth Chaverim is “House of Friends” in Hebrew. Initially, the group began meeting in each other’s homes, and as they grew, started meeting in local churches. With the community’s support, the growing congregation...
With Veterans Day coinciding with Erev Shabbat for Parashat Vayera (Genesis 18-22), I wanted to share a word of Torah (d’var Torah) that bridges the two events. Parashat Vayera is, after all, full of passages that capture the imagination and ignite the Jewish soul!...
What do you get when you put a truly special Israeli artist in front of a room full of amazing Jewish women leaders? A thoughtful discussion on the “art” of community building. Such was the case at the...
My first full-time job as an editor was with Tidewater Virginian, a business magazine published by the area Chambers of Commerce. There, I was introduced to the complex world of business and its many facets and stories—so many stories. Like those multiple story...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Mission to Israel—March 1–9, 2023 Information Session Thursday, November 10, 6:30 pm Sandler Family Campus Experience an unforgettable week with friends and community and enjoy Israel in the spring. Four nights in Jerusalem, two...
Sunday, September 12, Sandler Family Campus Each year, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Super Sunday marks the biggest day of impact for Tidewater’s Jewish community. Hundreds of community members participate by answering the call from dozens of...
Sunday, October 3 and Monday October 4 This year’s Milton Mickey Kramer’s Scholar in Residence Fund of the Congregation Beth El Foundation’s Tidewater Together will bring mental illness and addiction out of the shadows and consider ways that Tidewater’s...
Dear Readers, A recent JTA piece by Rabbi Shira Koch Epstein began, “Over the past year, I have led efforts to teach, guide and coach rabbis and other clergy of every Jewish denomination. We have worked with over 500 individual members of the clergy, serving hundreds...
More than 80 people attended Sababa Social Club’s party at the pool. The inaugural event brought friends together —following the past year and a half apart. Sara Jo Rubin, Sababa Social Club’s chairperson, says, “It was wonderful to see so many old friends, as well as...
Dear Readers, The High Holidays are about to arrive and I’m not certain that most of us are fully prepared to greet them. Uncertainty over COVID-19 lingers and might be even more so than in 2020, since at this time last year, we knew that the majority of congregations...
In preparation for Rosh Hashanah and the start of school, local Jewish educators share their learnings and longings for an academic and spiritual refresh. By nature, educators are positive people. Guarded optimism is a precious currency going in, out—and back into a...
The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Women’s Cabinet, led by co-chairs Barbara Dudley and Mona Flax, kicked-off the 2022 campaign year by going to camp…at the Simon Family JCC. On a beautiful (albeit rather warm) afternoon, members of the Women’s Cabinet...
SIA becomes first official Primary Years IB Programme in Tidewater Carin Simon After two years of candidacy, Strelitz International Academy (SIA) received full authorization this month as an International Baccalaureate® World School Primary Years Programme. For more...
For two busy years starting in 1986, a young Doron Kissinger Kaynar and his family made their home in Norfolk while serving as the shaliah at the Jewish Community Center of Tidewater on Newport Ave. Thirty-five years later, Kissinger Kaynar traveled from Israel...
When Byron Harrell walked into his first Hineni leadership fellowship event in 2017, he was a rising star financial advisor at Davenport & Co. He was familiar with United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, having gifted money, knowing that it was dispersed to various...
Like so many other events planned in 2020, Ohef Sholom Temple’s Mitzvah Day had to be postponed in April of last year. Planning for the big day was already underway when everything seemed to come to an abrupt halt. One of the projects scheduled for Mitzvah Day was the...
The National Museum of American Jewish History held its inaugural Only in America® Hometown Hero contest earlier this summer. Tidewater’s Pam Blais was among the nominees and ultimately selected as the first ever Hometown Hero in the Museum’s Ed Snider Only in...
Jody Wagner As we begin to emerge from the upheaval of this past year, many of us are reflecting on our goals and values. For me, it’s the importance of participating in the Jewish community and supporting Jewish causes. I was raised in the tight-knit community of...
Carin Simon, Admissions Director As the Strelitz International Academy graduates ascended the stage on June 8, 2021 for their special graduation ceremony, parents and supporters cheered with joy. The 2020–2021 school year commenced with an unsettled beginning of the...
Shower with Appreciation was the theme of this year’s Jewish Family Service Employee Appreciation Celebration held on June 16. JFS pays tribute each year to its employees and honors those reaching specific levels of longevity. “Last year, during the pandemic,...
Young Adult Division (YAD) donors to United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Annual Campaign made their way to Harbor Park to see the Norfolk Tides take on the Gwinnett Stripers on Sunday, June 27. The young adults enjoyed the game, were thanked for their past...
Who says an 85-year-old retired dentist would never launch a third career crafting specialty ice cream cakes during a pandemic? What would stop a lifelong community activist from leveraging decades of knowledge gained as a board member (inside and outside the Jewish...
Dear Olga, On July 15, 2021, we will honor and celebrate your century of life. This is an incredible milestone, but not nearly as incredible as you are. May your 100th Birthday be filled with never-ending joy and pleasure. May you continue to enjoy the journey of...
The first Sunday Fun Day on June 13 was a splashing success! More than 200 people enjoyed perfect Tidewater weather, free sweet treats from the Kona Ice truck, impromptu water slam dunk contests, plenty of slide action, and a 2-hour music set by Dave Flagler, director...
Jewish Family Service of Tidewater opened its 65th Biennial meeting on Tuesday, June 8 with an invocation by Rabbi Batya Glazer, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Jewish Community Relations Council director. Following the invocation, Ellen Rosenblum, JFS board...