What’s Happening

Thursday, June 30, 7:30 pm Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus “Jewish Geography” is a concept many Jews know well—conversations in which one person finds out whose sister went to sleepaway camp with whose cousin, and which suburban temple in Illinois shares a family...

Sunday, July 10–Tuesday, July 12 This summer, dynamic duo Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik and Rabbi Shawna Brynjegard-Bialik will visit Tidewater live and in-person for three days through the Milton “Mickey” Kramer Scholar-in-Residence Fund of the Congregation Beth El...

Wednesday, May 25, 9 am–2 pm Simon Family JCC The 29th annual celebration of National Senior Health + Fitness Day will include group fitness classes, raffles, games, prizes, and featured speakers. Free and open to the public, registration is not required. For more...

Sunday, June 12, 1–3 pm, Sandler Family Campus A fundraiser car wash to benefit #TeamVB that is going to San Diego, Calif. this summer for the JCC Maccabi Games, will take place on Sunday, June 2. The #TeamVB delegation is comprised of seven local teens. At the...

Friday, June 10, 10 am, Chrysler Museum of Art Clay Barr will conduct a special tour of The Guiding Hand: The Barr Foundation Collection of Torah Pointers, now on exhibit at the Chrysler Museum of Art, through United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center...

Saturday, May 28 The Simon Family JCC is planning a full outdoor summer at the Metzger Outdoor Aquatics Center—enjoying its first near-normal season since 2020—when the pool opens on Memorial Day weekend. The pool’s opening also signals the re-start of the Swordfish...

Throughout May, Sandler Family Campus Winners of the Elie Wiesel Visual Arts Competition from local and national schools in the Junior and Senior divisions, as well as other works of art selected for judging, are currently on display in the Cardo of the Sandler Family...

Friday, May 27, 9:00–9:30 am Veterans Memorial on the Sandler Family Campus The Jewish community of Tidewater will hold a brief ceremony to commemorate Memorial Day in preparation for the long weekend on Friday, May 27. Hosted by the local Navy Chaplains, in...

Saturday, June 11, 9:45 am Shabbat morning services at Congregation Beth El will include a ‘fond farewell’ to Rabbi Arthur and Miriam Brunn-Ruberg on Saturday, June 11. A festive luncheon will follow. RSVP to sandy@bethelnorfolk.com.

Thursday, May 19 Family Fun, 5 pm Happy Hour (21+), 6:30 pm Join YAD and Chabad of Tidewater for a night of socializing, networking, relaxing, and celebration of Lag B’Omer in the new Marty Einhorn Pavilion at the Sandler Family Campus. Kosher BBQ graciously provided...

Sunday, May 22 If you have Shaimos that you would like to dispose of, please be in touch with Matthew Kramer-Morning at mkmorning@ujft.org for instructions on drop off at the Sandler Family Campus the week of May 16. Collections will then be buried in Mikro Kodesh...

Saturday, June 11 9:45 am Shabbat morning services at Congregation Beth El will include a ‘fond farewell’ to Rabbi Arthur and Miriam Brunn-Ruberg on Saturday, June 11. A festive luncheon will follow. RSVP to sandy@bethelnorfolk.com.

Sunday, May 19, 11 am–4 pm, Sandler Family Campus This year’s Israel Fest will offer even more ways to experience and celebrate the State of Israel…without leaving Tidewater. Families can visit Tidewater’s own Jerusalem Biblical Zoo and compete in a scavenger hunt;...

Wednesday, April 10, 7:30 pm, Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus Former editor-in-chief of Parade Magazine, Janice Kaplan will visit Tidewater to discuss her latest book, How Luck Happens: Using the Science of Luck to Transform Work, Love, and Life. The book, written...

Wednesday, March 15, 11:30 am, Simon Family JCC Israeli fitness expert and former trainer on the Biggest Loser Israel, Nadav Meirson will lead light exercise and a lunch discussion. The session is open to all seniors. Meirson is an entrepreneur leading several...

Always the backbone of B’nai Israel Congregation, the B’nai Israel Sisterhood was responsible for a wealth of programs, classes, and fundraisers. They gave the synagogue an aura of energy, fun, and inspiration. Realizing the need for a reinvigorated Sisterhood, B’nai...

Wednesday, May 1, 6:45 pm, Temple Israel A commemorative program celebrating the power of the human spirit and the enduring faith of those who witnessed and survived the Holocaust, this year’s event features guest speaker, Dr. Roger Loria. A survivor from Belgium,...

Thursday, May 23 Celebrate LAG B’OMER and join The Simon Family JCC, YAD, and Chabad for a delicious family cookout, beer, rockin’ music, and a bonfire. Open to the community. For more information and tickets, contact Jasmine Amitay at JAmitay@ujft.org.

Simon Family JCC, CRC, and community partner’s present Train Like Israel’s Biggest Losers with Nadav Meirson Workout: Wednesday, May 15, 8:30 am Simon Family JCC Pushing fitness levels to new heights, Nadav Meirson, the trainer from the hit reality series The Biggest...

Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, BBYO, and OSTY present Cause An Effect A series for Jewish high school students (grades 9-12) and their parents Thursday, May 9, 6–9 pm The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) most recent “Audit of...

Thursdays, 10:30 am, Simon Family JCC Group discussion of local, regional, national, and world news, as well as emerging topics in a cordial atmosphere. Free and open to the community. Contact David Rabinowitz at 757-424-3027.

Friday, April 12, 7 pm Home of Hal and Elaine in Virginia Beach’s Great Neck Meadows area A “congregation without walls,” Tidewater Chavurah’s events are held in members’ homes or at other locations. Rabbi Ellen Jaffe-Gill will lead the monthly Shabbat service with...

From Remembrance to Independence Yom Hazikaron to Yom Ha’Atzmaut Wednesday, May 8, 7:30 pm Ohef Sholom Temple Honoring the transition that takes place in Israel as Yom Hazikaron, a somber day of reflection ends at sundown, giving way to Yom Ha’atzmaut’s celebration,...

Wednesday, April 10, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus On happy occasions we wish each other “Mazel tov!” and when we want something good to happen we hope that we have a little “mazel,” or luck. But good luck doesn’t just drop from the sky. People have more control over...

Saturday, April 6, Bnai Israel Toras Chaim’s Shabbos lunch features an opportunity to see projects and artwork made by students, hear divrei Torah given by students, and view pictures of what is taking place in the local Torah day school. Shabbos Parshas Tazria and...

Sunday, June 2, 2 pm, KBH Kempsville Conservative Synagogue, Kehillat Bet Hamidrash (KBH) just turned 40. The small, but mighty congregation has so much to celebrate. The congregation will officially acknowledge this milestone with an event to be held at the...

First program: Thursday, May 9, 6–9 pm A series for Jewish high school students, Cause An Effect offers students and their parents resources and tools to strategically respond to acts of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel rhetoric currently seen on campuses. The program is...

Saturday, October 19 Hilton Hotel Oceanfront, Virginia Beach Does “We’re the boys of chapter 370, we’ve got plenty of…” sound familiar? If it does, you’re in for a fabulous treat! For many Jewish males who grew up in Tidewater during the early 1960’s through the early...

Tuesday, April 2, 10:45 am–1:15 pm Congregation Beth El Dine, shop, and celebrate Park Place School community partners who are changing children’s lives. Auction and art items for sale starting at 10:45 am. Lunch begins promptly at 11:30 am and will conclude promptly...