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Dear Readers, The late, notably irreverent comedian Lenny Bruce once quipped that most Jewish holidays are “observed” rather than celebrated, including Hanukkah. Perhaps when Bruce performed that particular shtick back in 1961 that joke was accurate…Jews solemnly lit...
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...
Antisemitic slurs have no expiration date. Despite raising awareness to the painful struggle of minorities via Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate—across every social media platform, and in countless consumer ads—stereotypes against Jews persist without hesitation...
The brutal 11-day attack by Hamas on Israeli citizens demonstrated to the world just how fragile peace is between Israel and its neighbors. It also was a reminder for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater to unequivocally reaffirm its support of the State of Israel’s...
A group of moderates, including Congresswoman Elaine Luria, sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Tuesday, May 25, condemning a series of comments they deem as anti-Semitic. They write: “We are deeply disturbed by the recent surge of antisemitic incidents in the...
(JTA)—Overnight between Thursday, May 13 and Friday, May 14, an arresting image appeared on social media: On the right, streaks of fire shot out into the night sky—rockets heading for a group of buildings illuminated in the darkness. But on the other side of the...
Several Tidewater Jewish community members have friends and relatives who live in Israel and were candid in talking about the current situation. When asked how their lives have been affected and how they feel about the ongoing con-flict, this is what they said: ARLENE...
This is the first in a series on generations of families in Jewish Tidewater. Joseph “Buddy” Strelitz honored his mother’s single dying wish and became a trailblazer for the Jewish tribe in her memory. Buddy’s son, John Strelitz, says that his grandmother’s only...
“We want you (all graduates—high school and/or college) to embark on a leadership role with us at Camp JCC,” says Dave Flagler, director of Camp and Teen Engagement at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC. Camp JCC is hiring senior counselors...
Virginia Beach and Norfolk Public Schools will begin classes for the 2021–2022 school year on Thursday, September 9, 2021. This change will ease the transition back to school for Jewish families, eliminating the conflict between the first day of school and Rosh...
Give at: www.jdc.org/COVIDIndia The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), in coordination with the Indian Jewish community and its local partner SEWA Cooperative Federation, is responding to the devastating COVID-19 surge in India by deploying...
Communication between parents and teachers is an important part of the experience at Strelitz International Academy. Parents are always encouraged to contact their child’s teacher with questions or concerns that arise during the school year. SIA’s goal is to bring out...
The auction business can be an historian’s dream come true. People and Items connected to the events of history constantly appear. Provenance is a constant attraction. These people and events occupy the auctioneer’s thoughts and efforts, with family stories expanding...
Dave, Sarah, Sierra, Lavette, Elyssa, Kate-Lynn, Chris, and Michelle look forward to seeing campers this summer Excited to be back in person this summer, Camp JCC’s leadership staff has both new and familiar faces. The extensive experience among these individuals,...
The annual Stein Family College Scholarship of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation was recently awarded to Danial Watts, a soon-to-be graduate of Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach. Watts is the 13th recipient of the four-year scholarship, which provides up to...
Earlier this month, our community, along with communities around the world, celebrated the 73rd birthday of the State of Israel. On Sunday, April 18, the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community was more vibrant than it has been in more...
The past 12 months have been unlike any before them in myriad ways. No one can argue with that. However, in other ways, it’s been business as usual for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Women’s Division—with creative programming and fundraising. This year’s...
When I was in college, I remember saying to my friends that I did not want to be a mother. It came with responsibility that I did not want. As a mother, you are given a precious gift, yet it comes with no instruction manual and no way to know that you’ll get it...
Just like the rest of the world, Beth Sholom Village had been waiting. Waiting for what all hoped would be the answer to the devastating COVID-19 virus. The answer came in the form of a shot that takes about 30 seconds. Then, three weeks later, a second shot. On...
Monday, April 12–Thursday, April 22 https://www.jewishva.org/Lfinkart On view through May 10 in the Leon Family Gallery, Sandler Family Campus Art is meant to be viewed and shared, according to Lorraine Fink, and sometimes, it can also assist a favorite organization....
Passover usually marks the start of spring and a reminder to celebrate redemption, hope, and renewal. Now, as we begin to emerge from one of the most challenging years of our lifetime, we see the possibilities of real celebration in our near future. For Jewish...
Congresswoman Elaine Luria is the primary sponsor of one piece of legislation condemning Iran’s nuclear program. A bipartisan group of House members joined Luria earlier this month to introduce the resolution, which condemns Iran’s decision to enrich uranium to 20%...