What’s Happening

A two-part series for teens and parents offering resources and tools to strategically respond to anti-Semitism and anti-Israel rhetoric on campus Thursday, May 9, 6–9 pm: ADL and Ambassador Ido Aharoni (for students and parents) Friday, May 17, 4–6 pm: Artists 4...

Sunday, May 12, 6 pm 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. The shul is planning a “pass the...

Wednesday, May 15, 8:30 am Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus My journey in becoming a group fitness instructor started with my love of being a participant in classes. I loved the music, the comradery, the variety, and most of all—the instructors. A good instructor...

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...

Sunday, May 22, 2 pm, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts The world is rapidly losing the voices of those who witnessed the Holocaust. In its effort to keep those voices alive, the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater will add three new...

Saturday, March 19, 8 pm, Sandler Family Campus They call her Lady Luck, and chances are good she may show up with Frank Sinatra, Liberace, or a beautiful blonde bombshell at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus for the “party of the year.” The Young Adult Division...

Wednesday, April 13, 7 pm, Chrysler Museum Renowned physician from the Cleveland Clinic to speak in Norfolk during Spring into Healthy Living program More than 82 million Americans are currently diagnosed with cardiovascular disease— and millions more think they are...

Sunday, March 6, 11 am–2 pm, Sandler Family Campus Being deployed overseas presents a soldier or sailor with difficult situations, no matter their location. In addition to being separated from family, they’re stripped of all normal creature comforts, living on mostly...

Wednesday, March 2, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus South African Olga Meshoe plans to tell as many people in Tidewater as possible why Israel is not an apartheid state. She is the second speaker in the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of...

Thursdays, beginning March 3, 6–7 pm, Simon Family JCC The Hampton Roads Board of Rabbis and Cantors, in partnership with the Simon Family JCC, is offering a new free weekly course, A Pluralistic Introduction to Judaism. Designed for those seeking to learn more about...

At camp JCC, summer camp is more than just a place where children go when school is out. Campers discover, grow, and learn. Each week, a new theme is introduced with activities to match. Register for one week or the entire summer. Camp lasts from June 20 through...

Saturday, March 19, 8 pm Or at least it probably won’t—not this year anyway. UJFT’s Young Adult Division is getting ready for its annual Purim Party. This year, it’s Las Vegas style. The 2016 YAD Purim Party promises Elvis impersonators, showgirls, casino tables,...

Old Dominion University’s Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding will feature Michael Brenner, the Seymour and Lillian Abensohn Chair in Israel Studies at American University in Washington, D.C., as this year’s Sonenshine Lecture Series speaker for...

Last call for entries: Deadline is Monday, Feb. 29, 4:30 pm The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater invites area 1st through 12th graders to participate in their fourth annual Israel Poster Contest. Students and teachers can find a...

Mondays, 8 pm, Simon Family JCC Anyone who happened to be at the Simon Family JCC on Monday, Feb. 1 might have caught a glimpse of Dr. Herb Brewer studying Jewish history and philosophy with Rabbi Shmuel Katz of the Norfolk Kollel, or attorney Ken Wilson, a member of...

The S.S. Quanza: Jewish Refugees and the Port of Norfolk. Sunday, March 6, 2 pm In 1940, one year after the St. Louis and its “Voyage of the Damned,” a Portuguese steamer brought fewer than 100 refugees from Europe to Norfolk, Va. Most of the passengers were Jews, and...

Saturday, March 5, 8 pm, Simon Family JCC Want a little magic in your life? Eran Biderman, known for his feats of mentalism in Israel, has competed against other top Israeli magicians and won a TV contest in his country. Combined with a sharp sense of humor, stage...

Sunday, April 10, 2 pm, Temple Emanuel The 5th Annual Pink Tea will honor Women Cancer Survivors and promote the concept that “your good health is in your hands.” Concerned that not everyone had health insurance and were not able to afford mammograms and pap smears, a...

The Simon Family JCC has some extra motivation for members who want to meet their fitness goals this Spring —money. From March 1 through April 26, members can compete to win a $100 grand prize. The competition boasts four categories, split by gender and age, with four...

Saturday, March 19, 8 pm, Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus Lights, glitz, glamour, and an evening of joyous merrymaking are planned for the Young Adult Division of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s 2016 Purim party. What Happens at Purim Stays at Purim is...

Thursday, April 7, reception at 5:45 pm, program and dinner at 6:30 pm Many times a man’s deeds have to be stretched to fit the award. However, in the case of Alvin Wall’s selection by the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities as a recipient of its 2016...

Sunday, March 6, 11 am—2 pm, Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus Recruitment has begun and enlistment is open for the annual community baking effort known as Operation Hamantaschen. Volunteers are needed to help roll, fill, pinch, bake, and box the triangular- shaped...

Sunday, Feb. 21, 2:30 pm, Simon Family JCC. The Horse of Many Colors, presented by the Simon Family JCC’s Children’s Cultural Arts Series, will captivate kids and amuse their parents. The story will be read and danced by a group from Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Virginia...