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I think my parents did a very smart thing in giving me a very uniquely Jewish-Israeli name. They made it so that my Jewish identity would be inescapable and ever present, although I also think they didn’t realize how much more challenging they would be making my life....
As we light our menorahs during Hanukkah and approach the end of 2022, I think back on all we have accomplished together. When Russia attacked Ukraine, Jewish Tidewater responded quickly, as we always do, raising almost $800,000 to provide support directly to...
Established by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the Virginia Commission to Combat Antisemitism released its report earlier this month, receiving national, as well as international attention. On January 15, 2022, his first day in office, the governor signed Executive Order 8,...
Education Matters (December 19, 2022)
As the executive director at William & Mary Hillel in Williamsburg, Rabbi Gershon Litt’s responsibilities include development, bookkeeping, education, interaction with the university, counseling, and student and faculty meetings. Add all of that to his having...
Happiness was overflowing on Sunday, November 6 as current and former members of Congregation Beth Chaverim gathered at the Sandler Family Campus to celebrate the congregation’s 40th anniversary with food, drink, an abundance of hugs, smiles, laughter, and memoires....
Coastal Virginia Magazine presented the publication’s annual Giving Back Awards at a ceremony last month at MOCA in Virginia Beach. Tidewater Jewish Foundation was one of the 15 nonprofit organizations and seven businesses of various sizes and visions that were...
How often in life is something worth a two-year wait? The Holocaust Commission proved this can absolutely be true. Sponsored by Bank of America and originally scheduled for October of 2020, then postponed twice by the pandemic, Tom Dugan came to town last month with...
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...
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...
The Virginian-Pilot printed two political cartoons that I found stunning on Monday, June 7. Both were commentaries on the recent surge in antisemitism with messages that the prejudice has just been hiding in the United States…that it’s never really disappeared. What...
In tweet on Wednesday, June 2, Governor Ralph Northam, @GovernorVA wrote: Our country is seeing a disturbing rise in anti-Semitic attacks. Freedom of religion is a founding pillar of this nation—and it applies to every faith. Hate against anyone because of who they...
It was a day of firsts for Strelitz International Academy’s first grade students. On Friday, May 21, SIA first graders each received their very own Siddur (prayer book). In line with the SIA Hebrew Language, SIA first grade students have been learning to read and...
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...