What’s Happening

Latkes, books, music, crafts and camps Sunday, December 15 | 11:30 am–2:30 pm Sandler Family Campus Three children’s authors, a light lunch and latkes, crafts, visiting overnight camp representatives, and tons of activities combine to create a celebration of Hanukkah...

Friday, November 15, 6–9 pm B’nai Israel Congregation For the past five years, the Tidewater community has joined this global Shabbat Project movement. Last year, 200 people came together for a beautiful and inspiring Friday night dinner in Ghent. The Tidewater...

Friday, November 15, 8:30–9:30 am Strelitz International Academy Kindergarten–5th Grade Hear about the school’s new International Baccalaureate® candidacy program, meet middle school alumni, learn about its K-5 affordability program, and explore the primary years...

Wednesday, November 13, 7 pm B’nai Israel Congregation Women of all ages are invited to Tidewater’s fifth annual Great Big Challah Bake, a partnership between B’nai Israel Congregation and the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. The event will be just one of...

Sunday, November 17, 9:30 am–1 pm Sandler Family Campus Super Sunday, as always, is being planned by a group of up and coming visionary leaders. Now called Rishon: Emerging Leaders, the group has spent the last few months learning about the Jewish community and...

Naomi Nachman hosts the Vaad of Tidewater’s Chopped Competition Sunday, November 3, 5 pm, Sheraton Waterside On the precipice of Naomi Nachman’s visit to Norfolk, I had the opportunity to speak with her about her extensive travels, love of food, and what to expect at...

Wednesday, November 6, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus I first heard Inbal Arieli speak in January during the International Lion of Judah conference in Florida. She was one of an interesting group of panelists who shared their stories—all ground-breaking women in...

Temple Israel’s unique hour-long Second Saturday programs are excellent and uplifting experiences For nearly seven years, synagogue past president and former local TV interviewer Joel Rubin has led a once a month interactive conversation on a Jewish related topic....

Friday, November 15—Saturday, November 16 A global, grassroots movement that brings Jews from across the world together around the shared heritage of Shabbat, The Shabbat Project was introduced in South Africa in 2013 to astonishing effect. In the days that followed,...

Crossing the Line 2 Wednesday, Jan. 18, 7:30 pm A documentary revealing the rise of anti-Israel activity and anti-Semitic rhetoric on North American university campuses, Crossing the Line 2 demonstrates when reasonable criticism of Israel ‘crosses the line’ into...

Tuesday, Dec. 6, 7:30 pm Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus, free Author Kenneth L. Marcus will share details from his latest book, The Definition of Anti-Semitism, in which he elaborates on the link between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, and how this is impacting...

K-5 Open House — Wednesday, Dec. 7, 8:30 am This event will include information sessions and the chance to meet current HAT faculty, students and parents. RSVP to Carin Simon, admissions director, Hebrew Academy of Tidewater and Strelitz Early Childhood Education...

Tuesday, Dec. 6, 6–7 pm, Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus The Society of Professionals and INSCO Insurance invite community members to attend the next event in the Conversations series, a private discussion with Kenneth L. Marcus, president and general counsel of...

Sunday, Dec. 11, 2 pm Jewish Museum & Cultural Center The Jewish Museum & Cultural Center’s Cheva Cinema film series will present Yentl, a 1983 American romantic musical drama film from United Artists (through MGM) directed, co-written, co-produced by and...

Sunday, Dec. 11, 6 pm Museum of Contemporary Art An Israeli deaf and hearing dance duo from Israel, Jill and Amnon Damti will perform, Two Worlds, where the worlds of silence and sound are creatively meshed into a moving dance performance. The Damtis use pantomime,...

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 7:30 pm Sandler Center for the Performing Arts presents The Aluminum Show next month, a new and unique show that brings the material, music and artists together on stage in a magical, mystery-filled creation. A combination of visual theater, dance...

Sundays, Oct. 9 and 23, Nov. 6 and 20, Dec. 4 and 18, 6 pm Rabbi Ellen Jaffe- Gill of Tidewater Chavurah facilitates reading and discussion of texts from Hebrew Scripture with an eye toward meaning beyond the literal, in service of alternative interpretations. All...

Friday, Nov. 11, 9:30 am, Sandler Family Campus Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s 7th Annual Veterans Day Service and Celebration seeks to honor those who have served in America’s armed forces, as well as those who continue to do so with dedication and bravery. This...

Begins, Monday, Oct. 31, 7 pm Rabbi Sender Haber A course designed to teach how to read Hebrew in five easy lessons is being offered by Norfolk’s B’nai Israel Congregation. The free Hebrew Reading Crash Course is available to all members of the Tidewater Jewish...

Wednesday, Nov. 2, 7 pm, Temple Sinai, Newport News Paul Goldberg, author of The Yid, a black comedy about the last days of Stalinist Russia, will speak at Temple Sinai. The Yid begins in late February 1953 in Moscow, where Stalin is hatching his plan to unleash his...

6th annual Israel Today series presents Avi Melamed: author, educator and analyst Tuesday, Nov. 15, 7:30 pm Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus Acclaimed Israeli intelligence analyst Avi Melamed has spent more than 30 years interpreting Middle East affairs. His...

Sherri Wisoff Want to enjoy the fragrance of yeast rising, laugh and share community with hundreds of women and then experience the deep satisfaction of baking your own challah on Shabbat? This year, the 2nd Annual Great Big Challah Bake is slated to take place nine...

Sundays, Nov. 6, Jan. 22, March 5, 2 pm Dedicated to the memory of Jewish Museum and Cultural Center’s beloved board member, Rabbi Arthur Z. Steinberg who died on April 10, the museum began its 2016-2017 Lecture Series on Sunday, Sept. 25 with a presentation about...

Friday, November 11–Saturday, November 12 Yisroel Stein The Tidewater community has many programs and functions to bring together various groups of Jews, including organizations for young adults, older adults, teens, college students and various synagogues. What if...

Sundays, September 25; November 6, 18, & 20;  December 11; January 8 & 29; February 10, 12 & 26;  March 12 & 26; April 23 & 30; May 14  10–11 am, free  Born Jewish, but not really certain about the basics? Considering Conversion? Part of an...

Fridays, September 23, November 4, January 21 and April 21, 5–6:30 pm, free A special family Shabbat program designed for young children and their families at Ohef Sholom Temple, Kids & Kiddush uses prayer, songs, stories and crafts to introduce religious services...

Tuesday, September 20, 7:30 pm,  Sandler Center for the Performing Arts  The Israel Today 2016–2017 season, sponsored by Charles Barker Automotive, begins with visiting expert Dennis Ross, who will discuss his new book, Doomed to Succeed: The U.S.-Israel Relationship...