What’s Happening

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...

Through Oct. 4 Tidewater Jewish Foundation and the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Young Adult Division are co-hosting a food drive for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. During September’s Hunger Action Month, Feeding America, which is a nationwide...

Sundays, 2 pm Sunday, Oct. 20, Rabbi David Dalin will speak about the political views of Jews in America before the Civil War. Rabbi Dalin, professor of history and politics at Ave Maria University in Florida is the writer, co-author and editor of 10 books on American...

Tuesday mornings, beginning October 8 For more information, contact Miriam Brunn Ruberg, Simon Family JCC director of Jewish Life and Learning at 321-2328 or mbrunnruberg@simonfamilyj.org.

Sunday, Oct. 20, 2:30pm Families and children will love this shortened, operatic version of the beloved fable Jack and the Beanstalk, based on scenes from the operattas of Sir Arthur Sullivan. A wonderful introduction to the world of opera and music. Adults, $7.50,...

Sunday, September 22, 10 am Temple Israel, 7255 Granby Street, Norfolk The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Temple Israel invite the community to a special briefing with Amos Guiora. A renowned security expert, media...

Tuesday, Oct. 1, 7:30 pm Through a grant from the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and with the support of the Milton Kramer Scholar-in- Residence Fund, Congregation Beth El will host Malcolm Gladwell in a program broadcast live via satellite from the 92nd Street...

Sundays, Oct. 13–Nov. 10 9 to 10 am Since learning doesn’t stop at a particular age or after finishing formal schooling, consider a five-week introductory course in Hebrew to become more inspired and active Jewish learners. This course consists of learning basic...

Saturday, Sept. 28, 7:30 pm—Sunday, Sept. 29, 9 am Six through eighth graders are invited to join friends at the Simon Family JCC Middle School Lock In. Kick off the new school year with plenty of fun, food, games, movies and more. $15 for JCC members; $30 for...

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 11 am Mindle Crystel Gross, a teacher of conversational Yiddish, will be the featured speaker at The Yiddish Club at the Simon Family JCC. This meeting is open to everyone, Yiddish club members and nonmembers, Yiddish speakers, and those who speak...

Sunday, Sept. 22, 5–6:30 pm “PJ” stands for “pajamas,” and invokes that time at the end of the day when parents and children strengthen their bond through love and learning by cuddling up with a book. The PJ Library® is an international, award-winning Jewish family...

September brings a new Spinning® program, Power Yoga, and Tai Chi in the water class, among other new additions, to the Simon Family JCC Fitness Center. On Sept. 22, JCC cycle instructors will participate in a day-long Spinning® certification to become Spinning®...

Wednesday, Sept. 11, 4:30 -6:30 pm The Afro-Semitic Experience, a band beyond categorization, will perform their special, “soul-driven” music in a concert presented by Old Dominion University’s Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding. The bad is a...

Saturday, Sept. 21, 7 pm The UJFT’s Young Adult Division is hosting a progressive dinner like you’ve never seen before! Join this Sukkah Hop, at the homes of several YADian’s living in Middle Plantation in Virginia Beach. For $10, the evening will include appetizers,...

Sunday, Sept. 22, 10 am Temple Israel and the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater invite the community to join them for a free community briefing at the temple. Professor Amos Guiora will share insight on the renewed...

A trip for eligible young adults who have not gone on their free 10-day trip to Israel with Taglit-Birthright Israel, is being offered by Network JCFR. The organization is sending a group of 22–27-year-olds to Israel this winter. Registration opens Sept. 9, so...

Monday, Nov. 11, 11 am When the nation celebrates Veterans Day, a solemn ceremony will also take place at the Jewish Veterans Memorial on the Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish community. Now three years old, the memorial was created through significant...

Mondays, Sept. 16 and 30 and Oct. 14 and 28, 7–8:30 pm You know it isn’t true. You want to stand up for Israel. You’ve got 30 seconds before you lose them. What do you say? Actually, it takes about three minutes to make a clear case that Israel isn’t a racist state,...