What’s Happening

Originally published in the March 8, 2021 issue. March 23 at 7 pm & April 29 at 8 pm Join this informational session to learn about Camp JCC 2021 and the program modifications that will be in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Camp JCC Director, Dave...

Originally published in the February 22, 2021 issue. June 21-August 31, Simon Family JCC Early Bird Registration deadline is March 31 A traditional day camp experience, Camp JCC is gearing up for eight weeks of amazing adventure including swim, sun, and fun for...

Originally published in the February 22, 2021 issue. Sunday, February 28, 3 pm, Zoom The lecture, A Closer Look at Charlottesville, will be live-streamed via Zoom by The Jewish Museum and Cultural Center. Three years ago, white supremacists marched in Charlottesville,...

Originally published in February 22, 2021 issue.  Thursday, March 18, Virtual by Lisa Richmon The 57th annual Tidewater Humanitarian Awards Dinner will take place virtually to ensure the safety and well-being of the community. The Humanitarian Award of the Virginia...

Originally published in the February 8, 2021 issue. Sunday, February 21-Tuesday, February 23 (virtual cinema!); $12 per household The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC's Patricia & Avraham Ashkenazi and Alma & Howard Laderberg Virginia...

Originally published in the February 8, 2021 issue.  Friday, February 26, 7 pm Ready to rock 'n roll with the Tidewater Chavurah, as Rabbi Ellen Jaffe-Gill reads the Meggilah? Remember, it's a mitzvah to enjoy oneself to the fullest and get so happy that it's...

Originally published in the January 25, 2021 issue. Wednesday, January 27, 12 pm, free The Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, Embassy of Israel, & Community Partners' 10th Annual Israel Today,...

Originally published in the January 25, 2021 issue. Wednesday February 3, 10 am Come together (virtually) with Jewish community leaders from across the Commonwealth to hear from Governor Ralph Northam and other policy makers on issues important to the statewide Jewish...

Originally published in the January 25, 2021 issue. Thursday, February 4, 7:30-8:30 pm The US embassy is in Jerusalem and more Arab countries have recognized Israel, but the relationship between ordinary Israelis and Palestinians has never been worse. So says the...

Originally published in the January 25, 2021 issue.  Thursday, March 18, 6:30 pm, virtual The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities will honor Lawrence L. Steingold at its 57th annual Tidewater Humanitarian Awards Dinner. These VCIC honors are presented to...

Wednesday, April 1, 7:30 pm 2 For Seder launched the expansion of its highly successful first-year campaign to combat anti-Semitism in February. Today, with the concerns surrounding the novel coronavirus, and new CDC guidelines for social gatherings, 2 for Seder is...

The Simon Family Passport to Israel Fund, providing grants for trips for teens to Israel, is now accepting applications. The program’s purpose is to provide funds to enable and encourage Jewish students (ages 13–18*) to participate in an Israel trip experience. The...

Monday Oct. 30, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus While being a Pro Football Hall of Famer comes with many perks, Bruce Smith had a different kind of opportunity when he traveled to Israel with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft in June. Born and raised in Norfolk,...

Sandler Family Campus What’s up now and next Erez Kaganovitz: Humans of Tel Aviv October As the human behind the Humans of Tel Aviv, photographer Erez Kaganovitz showcases the bright and inclusive culture of Israel. Kaganovitz wants his photographs to show a different...

Tuesday, November 14, 7:30 pm Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus Dr. Rachel Fish, Ivy League educator, documentarian, and activist, will discuss her latest book, which she co-edited with Ilan Troen, Essential Israel: Essays for the 21st Century, next month in...

Sunday, Nov. 19, 10:30 am, Ohef Sholom Temple Neville Frankel, author, On the Sickle’s Edge I’ve been speaking to many diverse groups lately about the writing of my recent novel, On the Sickle’s Edge. As I refined my talk, a most wonderful speech coach—let’s call her...

Wednesday, Nov. 15, 11 am, Simon Family JCC Ali Katz is a mindfulness guru. Her mission is to inspire people across the globe to leave stress and guilt behind and to embrace a life full of balance, presence, and joy. Katz began her journey when she realized that as a...

Thursday, Oct. 26, 7 pm Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus In 2013, on the Thursday evening before the first Shabbos Project in Johannesburg, South Africa, 2,500 women gathered to share in the joy and tradition of making challah. The Shabbos Project’s goal is to unite...

Thursday, Nov. 9, 6:30 pm, Beth El “Evil does not need your help, only your indifference.” These are the words of Holocaust survivor Hanns Loewenbach, z’l—and he would know—as he was in his hometown of Berlin the night of Nov. 9, 1938 and witnessed the flames,...

Thursday, October 26, 7 pm, Sandler Family Campus The 3rd Annual Great Big Challah Bake is slated to take place as a lead-up to the globally scheduled Shabbat Project, observed from sundown Friday, October 27 until sundown Saturday, October 28. This year’s Challah...

Monday, October 30, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus, free Bruce Smith is no stranger to the spotlight. The defensive end holds the NFL career record for quarterback sacks, with 200. Smith was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009, and the College Football...

Erez Kaganovitz: Humans of Tel Aviv October The photojournalist behind Humans of Tel Aviv, Erez Kaganovitz has photographed thousands of Tel Aviv citizens, capturing their stories to share with the world. As Kaganovitz told Haaretz, “I’m not trying to bend reality; I...

Tuesday, October 10, 5:30 pm Simon Family JCC Erez Kaganovitz, photojournalist and creator of Humans of Tel Aviv, has an educational and fun event planned for families when he visits Tidewater as part of the Simon Family JCC, CRC, community partners’ Israel Today...

Mark Goldfeder, senior lecturer at Emory Law School and senior fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory Tuesday, October 17, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus “So long as institutions like the United Nations continue to issue one-sided statements...

Tuesday, November 14, 7:30 pm Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus What is the Arab/ Israeli conflict and why hasn’t it been resolved? What explains the failure of American diplomatic efforts to bring about peace in the Middle East? Can Israel be both a Jewish and a...

Sunday, November 12, 1–5 pm, Simon Family JCC Bringing people together of all backgrounds, religious affiliations, and ages to nurture, mentor, and celebrate Jewish life and learning for an afternoon is Tidewater Yom Limmud’s goal. In addition to offering interactive...

Tuesday, October 17, Simon Family JCC Continuing Legal Education: 12–4 pm, $150 includes class and lunch Society of Professional networking event: 6–7 pm, $10 cover Community event: 7:30–8:30 pm, free A quick, one-day trip to Tidewater by Dr. Mark Goldfeder will...

Monday, October 30, 7:30 pm Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus What would you say to your childhood hero if you had the chance to meet? In June, thousands of Israelis got the opportunity to do just that when Bruce Smith, Joe Montana, “Mean” Joe Greene, and 16 other...

November 5–19 Simon Family JCC’s annual Lee & Bernard Jaffe* Family Jewish Book Festival returns with the promise of a great series of author engagements and to expand participants’ minds on such topics as: • Mindfulness and de-stressing, • How the short stories...

Monday, October 2, 7:30 pm, Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus With constant uncertainty and change in the Middle East, it is difficult to stay updated with the most current developments. Still, it is important to stay alert to the difficulties Israel faces from her...