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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...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and its partner, Secure Community Network, hosted three screeningsof the HBO documentary A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting on September 10. Each screening served a particular demographic: one for local first...
On a pleasantly cool and beautiful August evening, 25 Ruby Lions (UJFT Lion of Judah women giving at the $10K+ level) gathered for dinner at the home of Annie Sandler, in what may be a first-ever in Tidewater... an event where the women’s division kicked-off the...
More than 100 people participated in a full-day, active shooter simulation last month to test the City of Norfolk’s preparedness in the event of a critical incident. Together with the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Ohef Sholom Temple, and the Secure Community...
Tidewater Jewish Foundation hosted the Life & Legacy Plus Leadership Launch on Thursday, August 15. The event brought leaders of Tidewater’s Jewish organizations, agencies, and synagogues together, and marked the beginning of a renewed commitment to securing the...
The journey to healing can take many roads. Two of those paths – therapy and art – intersected earlier this summer in Israel. Leyla Sandler participated in the process.A licensed, independent clinical social worker in Virginia and Washington D.C., Sandler has worked...
Tuesday, September 10, 3:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus The national security director for Secure Community Network, Brad Orsini, will participate in a panel discussion following the showing of the HBO documentary, A Tree of Life: The Pittsburg Synagogue Shooting in...
Cheering on favorite Olympians isn’t the only fun had this summer. There’s been plenty of pool and beach time, along with trips to a variety of exotic, and even more not-so-exotic (yet perfect), destinations. For some in Tidewater, time away also incorporated a Jewish...
This year’s graduation season continues with plenty for Jewish Tidewater’s graduates and their families to celebrate.The June 3 issue of Jewish News recognized 41 outstanding graduates. We knew, however, that there were more grads for Jewish Tidewater to be proud of...
At 92, Ellie Porter is sharp as a tack with a keen memory, particularly of events 52 years ago that defined her life as a local community activist. “I was on the board of National B’nai Brith Women and a volunteer with Jewish Family Service here in Tidewater,”...
A 1977 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Jerry Miller recently received The Distinguished Graduate Award, an honor “given to living U.S. Naval Academy graduates who have made a distinctive contribution to their field or community and have demonstrated...
Blue and White Fun Run a big (and messy!) success Jewish Family Service’s 20th Annual Run, Roll, or Stroll was held on Sunday, May 19 on the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community. In conjunction with Yom Ha’Atzmaut activities, the campus...
Laughter, camaraderie, and the unmistakable spirit of Tidewater’s Jewish community filled the Sandler Family Campus’ Fleder Multipurpose Room on the evening of May 15. The occasion was the Simon Family Legacy Society’s celebration event dedicated to honoring those who...
Biden affirms commitment to Israel and fighting antisemitism The White House’s Rose Garden provided the festive backdrop for the celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month on Monday, May 20.Approximately 250 – 300 people attended the event at the invitation of...
The best of friends starting in kindergarten, Todd Copeland and Sam Brooke went to school together, spent time in each other’s homes as young friends do, and even travelled to Israel together. But they wouldn’t have old age together, as Sam passed away in 1993, around...
“When the kids are laughing that dad doesn’t know what is going on, you’ve arrived. If kids think dad is cool, something has gone terribly wrong,” Jerry Seinfeld once mused.Describing their dads ahead of Father’s Day, these adult children may have once subscribed to...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Women’s Philanthropy Spring lunch took place last month in the Fleischman Lounge on the Sandler Family Campus. This annual lunch serves as a ‘Thank you’ event for members of Women’s Philanthropy who are volunteer campaign...
Resilience and determination. These two words are perfectly fitting for Evgeniia (Jenny) Kosatykh, the 2024 recipient of the Stein Family Scholarship. Kosatykh’s remarkable journey from war-torn Ukraine to the halls of Frank W. Cox High School in Virginia Beach is an...
Volunteers are heavily relied on to help with the continued success of Jewish Family Service of Tidewater’s programs. The community of volunteers makes an incredible impact on the lives of the people served by the organization, with thousands of volunteer hours logged...
It was Saturday night.One of my lecturers and I were on a Zoom call with a bubbly and cheerful English lecturer from Mexico planning a collaboration between our students. My phone rang and I saw it was my administrative coordinator, calling at 9 pm – which only means...
Most first trips to Israel don’t begin with a tour of carnage, but Congresswoman Jen Kiggans’ did. In addition to meeting with families of hostages from the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, Kiggans and the other 14 members of Congress on the AIPAC trip spent time at Kibbutz...