ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. - Sandra Jean Deziel Smith, age 73, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, died at Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, on October 14, 2025. Born in Minneapolis, Minn., on August 2, 1952, to the late Frederick T. Deziel and Dorothy A. Johnson...
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October 7 remembrances
Throughout the world, the nation, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Tidewater, events took place marking Oct. 7, 2023 –recalling the horrors of that day, while praying for the safety and release of the 48 remaining hostages still in Gaza at the time.In addition to the...
Tidewater teen attends BBYO summer program
International Kallah is where BBYO members from across the globe come together to explore their Jewish identity and learn about their shared Jewish heritage, all while enjoying adventures in a beautiful camp setting. It takes place for 20 days during the summer at the...
2025 Virginia General Election Jewish Voters’ Guide
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington and Washington Jewish Week produced this Virginia General Election Jewish Voters’ Guide for the 2025 statewide races. The candidates running for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General...
Driving success despite the weather: The Bob Josephberg Classic
The Strelitz International Academy’s 37th Annual Golf Tournament, held on Wednesday, September 10 at the Virginia Beach National Golf Club, proved that not even rainy skies could dampen the spirit of community and generosity. Known as the Bob Josephberg Classic, this...
Locals celebrate Sukkot in their home sukkah
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...
Mini-Golf fundraiser was a big success
On Sunday, September 14, I hosted a charity mini golf fundraising tournament at the Sandler Family Campus. We had 25 people show up to play and donate to Jewish Family Service. The tournament was split into three rounds. The first round was a normal round, and...
Brian Jay Wishneff
ROANOKE - Brian Jay Wishneff was born on October 16, 1952, and passed away on May 24, 2025, surrounded by loved ones. He was the son of the late Alvin Wishneff and Ruth Victor Wishneff. Brian grew up with his parents, three sisters, and one brother in Norfolk. He...
Yom Hashoah 2025 Honors and Remembers
Falling on the 82nd anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, this year’s Yom Hashoah community commemoration reminded Tidewater’s Jewish community of how important it is to remember those who perished in the Holocaust and honor those who survived. More than 350...
Jewish Tidewater’s Graduates
Graduations are a time to recognize achievements, formally bid farewell to a valued educational institution, prepare for the next steps along life’s journey, and of course, to celebrate! Jewish Tidewater has much to applaud with its graduates – the awards, impressive...
‘Knitting for Others’ helps other keep warm
Tuesdays 10 am – 12 pm Sandler Family Campus A mighty group of knitters meets every week to create beautiful blankets, scarfs, and hats to donate to Jewish Family Service to be distributed to those who need an extra bit of warmth. The group welcomes knitters of all...
Mazel Tov! Beryl + Leonette Adler
Beryl Adler95 years old A retired estates attorney with Pender & Coward, Beryl Adler is a Norfolk native. He attended Taylor Elementary, Blair Junior High School, and Maury High School – all in Ghent. Married for 69 years to Leonette, whom he met at a dance at...
Mazel Tov! Lorraine Fink
Lorraine Fink 100 years old The oldest in this esteemed group, Lorriane Fink manages to find humor in almost every situation – at her 99th birthday, for example, she suggested the cake be turned upside down to make her 66! She’s an award-winning artist, a...
What is Modern Jewish Art? Who is Ori Z. Soltes?
Sunday, Dec. 15, 2 pm, Chrysler Museum, $18 Ori Z. Soltes, PhD, former director and chief curator of the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum, will be the first presenter for The Jewish Museum and Cultural Center’s Tidewater Jewish Visual Arts Advisory...
Holocaust Commission donates copies of “To Life” to 14 public library systems
It is now possible to checkout a copy of To Life: The Past Is Present, Holocaust Stories of Hampton Roads Survivors, Liberators, and Rescuers as far north as Charles City and as far west as Isle of Wight in Virginia.Last month, the Holocaust Commission of the United...
Letter of Support for Israel on January 4, 2024
To our beloved Jewish Community: We support the nation of Israel—or any nation—in defending its citizens from massive terrorist attacks. We reject any form of antisemitism as unbiblical. We bless the nation of Israel and Jews worldwide. We believe what God wrote in...
Special Section: Retirement (January 2024)
‘It was utter chaos’: Families and survivors describe the horrors of Hamas’ invasion
(JTA) — Yoni Asher’s voice was steady but his urgency was unmistakable. “I ask anyone coming to Efrat Katz’s home to tell me they are there, I have not heard from them for four hours,” he said on Israel’s government-run Kan radio. “Them” for Asher was his...
High Holidays 5781 Special Edition
Dear Readers, For the first time in the vast majority of our lifetimes, most of us will ‘attend’ High Holiday services by watching computer screens, tablets, televisions, and perhaps even our phones. While these strange circumstances brought on by the COVID-19...
Israel Fest 2020 – Tidewater Celebrates Israel @ 72 (from HOME!)
Sunday, May 3, 11 am The festivities will be different this year, but not having a larger gathering won’t keep Jewish Tidewater from celebrating Israel’s 72 years! Join the community for a day of celebration with virtual activities for Yom Ha’Atzmaut—Israel’s 72nd...
Found by veganism, corned-beef lover becomes founder of first meatless deli business
Jenny Goldfarb grew up in South Florida, born into a family of delicatessen owners, she ate her weight in kosher-style corned beef. Munching on subs with friends before the beach, it never crossed her mind that she would become the founder of a company leading a food...
Israel Today series kicks off with Inbal Arieli
Inbal Arieli kicked off the 2019–2020 Israel Today series with intrigue and passion for sharing Israel’s secret sauce as to “Why Israel is a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.” Arieli got the chance to share her message with a variety of community members...
Finding community: A note of gratitude from four military spouses
This Veteran’s Day four United Jewish Federation of Tidewater employees have a message for their bosses. “Thank you.” Military spouses Leigh Casson, Wynston Hammack, Patty Shelanski, and Kaitlyn Oelsner have full-time employment demonstrating their exceptional skills...
Rabbi Yoni Warren: Navy chaplain back on home base
Virginia native Yonatan “Yoni” Warren hopes to be stationed in Norfolk, Virginia long enough to check one specific box. “I expect to be stationed here between four to six years,” says Warren. “That should be long enough to rebuild a vibrant Jewish community on base...
31st Annual Strelitz International Academy Golf Tournament A picture perfect day
In support of Strelitz International Academy’s 31st Annual Golf Tournament, more affectionately known as the Bob Josephberg Classic, 84 golfers played 18 holes at the Bayville Golf Club, one of Virginia’s finest golf courses. The awards reception following the contest...
Chutzpah author speaks about Israeli-style innovation and the business of parenting
Inbal Arieli: Chutzpah, Why Israel is a Hub of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Wednesday, November 6, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus Israeli tech insider Inbal Arieli is a mother of three who favors rule-breaking and risk-taking to best practices and safe play. A...
Geopolitical expert, technology futurist and cacao shaman predicts what being human will look like
Jamie Metzl: Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity Tuesday, November 12, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus When Jamie Metzl is in Tidewater, he’ll talk about genetically modified humans, conception without sex – and chocolate. Jamie Metzl’s life...
Journaling Journalist: Drawing Virginia into his Civil Rights Playbook
Monday, November 4, 6 pm, Sandler Family Campus On Monday before Election Day, the Hampton Roads community is invited for a FREE triple shot of Vitamin A when activist, author, and artist Christopher Noxon stirs up ‘good trouble’ for civically minded and modern-day...
Love, uninterrupted: Carol Roth and Allan Brum
As high school students in the late 60s, Carol Roth and Allan Brum went from good friends to dating. Things really heated up in college and Carol was sure that Allan was ‘the one.’ Unfortunately, Carol’s parents weren’t feeling it, and their unease with the...
Mazel Tov!
Priceless work Stacy Apelt, jeweler at Either Ore Jewelers at Strawbridge—is well known to many of the local Jewish community. Many years ago, Apelt took over Sydney Ash’s business in the old Golden Triangle Hotel. Apelt has done repair work for other jewelry...
Voicing vision—Ambassador kicks off Community Campaign: 2020 Vision
A packed house people gathered at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus on Thursday, September 26, in anticipation of a powerful IGNITE! 2020 Campaign kickoff with featured speaker Ambassador Alfred Moses. During a fast-paced one-hour program, the audience viewed two...
Hadassah presents end-of-life ethics panel
Israeli physician and first female Orthodox rabbi are featured speakers Sunday, November 3, 3 pm Sandler Family Campus, $18 Only 10% of Americans discuss end-of-life decisions with a health care provider Only 42% of Americans rate the U.S. health system as fair for...