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Israel Today’s first ever artist-in-residence, Hanoch Piven, took Tidewater by storm with more than 40 events over his two-week visit, engaging more than 1,500 people from both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities. Piven held workshops at the United Jewish Federation...
What ingredients made this year’s Super Sunday so successful? Community members of all ages volunteering? More than 215 individual gifts pledged to the 2019 campaign? Social action projects teaching kids Tikkun Olam? The answer, of course, is all of these and more. On...
The annual celebration of Jewish writers, books, and ideas, Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, provides an opportunity to engage with talented authors about their latest books. The month-long Festival also offers the latest titles...
Extreme heat and humidity did not keep golfers and volunteers from supporting the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater Konikoff Center of Learning’s 30th Annual Golf Tournament, also known as The Bob Josephberg Classic. With a heat index in the upper 90’s, the golfers toughed...
With so much to celebrate—its sanctuary’s 100th anniversary and the congregation’s upcoming 175th anniversary—Ohef Sholom Temple rededicated the synagogue’s sanctuary on Saturday, Oct. 13. After a processional with clergy, past presidents carrying the temple’s Torahs,...
Dear Readers, Fortunately for those who like to celebrate, scores of opportunities exist to say “Mazel Tov!” While our first thought for those two incredibly expressive words might be for a wedding or B’nai Mitzvah—countless other occasions qualify, too. Take for...
For me, deciding to join UJFT’s Journey Home to Israel 2018 mission was motivated by two factors. One was visiting my twin grand-daughters and their parents who live on Kibbutz Yiftah in northern Israel. Two, was that as chair of UJFT’s Israel and Oveseas Committee, I...
Hannah Mancoll and Sam Zelenka, students at First Colonial’s Legal Studies Academy in Virginia Beach, recently interviewed Virginia’s 2nd District Representative Scott Taylor (R) and challenger Elaine Luria (D). Excerpts from their conversations follow: Representative...
One of the great things about being a journalist is traveling the world on story assignments. But it’s the remarkable people I meet, during my journey abroad, that fuels my passion for my profession.
Rabbi Ellen Jaffe-Gill will lead Tidewater Chavurah’s second Friday Shabbat service at the home of Hal and Elaine in the Great Neck Meadows area of Virginia Beach.
After spending a decade of his adult life helping poor people in southwest China, Tom Elder came home to watch his father die – with dignity– thanks to excellent caregivers. Through it all, he learned compassion. And the value of hospice.
“All roads lead to Jerusalem…” or so I like to believe, and so I say, especially when I unexpectedly stumble across a friend or acquaintance walking to or from the Kotel on a Friday evening. In June of this year, I was privileged to find myself with 36 friends at the Kotel on a beautiful Shabbat evening, and it really felt like magic was in the air. We sat together, sang together, celebrated together and took turns lighting candles inside a terrarium!
The floor was shaking. The air was humming with energy and the room’s temperature steadily rose as the 200 teenagers danced and jumped around. One or two kids even climbed on each other’s shoulders, gaining a better view as 200 voices joined in song. No less than 10...
In front of a standing room audience at the Sandler Family Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 27, Amos Guiora repeated a question often posed in discussions among military leaders: “Can we teach 19-year-old alpha males this thing called ‘morality in armed conflict?’” The...
Eleven former Jewish Family Service presidents convened at the home of Beth and Nathan Jaffe last month to show their support for JFS and to reconnect with like-minded agency leaders. The first annual Past Presidents Lunch launched this new society of leadership...
As an OBGYN, Morris Elstein helped many infants enter into this world, placing them into the loving arms of their parents. He believes every delivery was an opportunity for him to witness God’s work. Born in Augusta, Ga. on May 11, 1951, Elstein’s mother’s family came...
Susan Michael, U.S.A. director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem addressed a crowd of nearly 100 people at Temple Emanuel on Sunday, Nov. 4. Speaking about the importance of working together to support Israel, Jews and Christians came to hear Michael....
More than 200 people gathered at Beth Sholom Village on Tuesday, Oct. 23 to celebrate the 110th birthday of Hebrew Ladies Charity Society. Founded in 1902, children and grandchildren of the original founders of HLCS were honored at the luncheon. Photographs of the...
Last year at this time, Adam, Jeanine, Aliza and Max enjoyed the comforts of American life. Today, you’ll find these young Jewish professionals and 21 of their peers living all around the world, in cities and villages from Mumbai, India to Kharkov, Ukraine to Duis,...
A book presented at the Lee and Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival highlighted next month’s 25th anniversary of the March on Washington to free Soviet Jews. The event was cosponsored by the Community Relations Council of the UJFT. December marks the 25th...
MASORTI, meaning traditional, is the Hebrew name for the movement of conservative Judaism in Israel. The Masorti Movement fosters the practice of traditional Judaism while embracing modernity. In promoting the combined values of conservative Judaism, religious...
A pair of related events in October gave Marc Moss a clear reminder, and a gratifying confirmation, that moving back to Virginia Beach from Los Angeles two years ago was one of the best decisions of his life. Moss is a screenwriter, a successful, Hollywood (now...
Just walking into the Fleder Multipurpose Room at noontime on Thursday, Nov. 1, one sensed energy and high spirits. Looking a little more closely, one immediately understood…this was a room full of powerful women. The 2013 United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Lion...
Beth Sholom Village’s Fifth Annual Richard “Dick” Porter Memorial Golf Tournament was held on Monday, Oct. 22 at Bayville Golf Course. Six golfers braved the beautiful blue skies, low humidity and bright sunshine and played a total of 332 holes of golf! The golfers...
Yes, Jason Hoffman wants to be a millionaire. Did he become one because of his appearance on a television game show? Yay or nay, and is that your final answer? Hoffman, chair of the Young Adult Division of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and associate vice...
Jason Leibowitz, 25, stepped out of a cab two years ago in front of the convention center in New Orleans and discovered that he was smiling back at himself from the murals draped across the building’s front entrance. When his picture was taken at the JFNA (Jewish...
Local voters have had two opportunities this month to rely on more than sound bites to inform their decision on Election Day, and to let politicians know the Tidewater Jewish community cares about its organizations, Israel and domestic policies. Through its Meet the...
Reaching Max Sandler for a chat can be tough these days. Telephone service and Internet reception are unreliable near Gondar, Ethiopia where the Norfolk Academy and College of Charleston graduate is currently living and working. For that matter, so are other things...
WASHINGTON (JTA)—When 15 prominent American Protestant leaders sent a letter to Congress this month calling for an investigation and possible suspension of U.S. aid to Israel, at least one outcome was certain: The Jews wouldn’t like it. On Wednesday, Oct. 17, Jewish...
Since being launched in schools last fall, the Holocaust Commission’s What We Carry program has been presented 38 times in the community by trained Commission volunteers—27 times in school settings and 11 times for military audiences. More than half of the...
NEW YORK (JTA)—Olympic gold medal- winning gymnast Aly Raisman will be inducted into The National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame & Museum. Raisman, 18, of Needham, Mass., will be among eight inductees into the hall in Commack, N.Y., in April. Also to be honored at the...
Golfers laced their cleats and teed off at Bayville Golf and Country Club for this year’s annual Hebrew Academy of Tidewater Konikoff Center of Learning golf tournament. The event, which celebrated its 24th year, raises funds for need-based scholarships for students...