Meet the guardians of Tidewater’s Jewish history
Every community has its keepers. As readers explore the congregations and organizations that comprise Jewish life in Tidewater in this issue’s Guide to Jewish Living in Tidewater, it’s worth meeting some of the volunteers who safeguard myriad stories that came before...
Jewish Family Service holds 67th Biennial Meeting, celebrating generations of service and Jewish values in action
Gathering community members, leaders, volunteers, and supporters for an afternoon rooted in gratitude, purpose, and hope, Jewish Family Service of Tidewater held its 67th Biennial Meeting on Monday, June 22 at the Fred Huette Garden in Norfolk. More than a...
Where community begins
Every community has its “must-do” list. In Tidewater, it’s easy to find great restaurants, festivals, beaches, and museums. But some of the most memorable experiences aren’t places to visit – they are ways people choose to be part of the community. Jewish life...
Standing witness in Verdun: Restoring identity to fallen heroes
Vice Admiral Herman Shelanski, USN (Retired) I joined the United States Navy in 1980 to protect the very freedoms that allowed me to live and pray as my Jewish ancestors did. Growing up with the heavy knowledge of the Holocaust, hearing on the news the persecution of...
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Don’t just thank your rabbis. Ask what you’ve asked of them.
Leaders of a center for rabbinic innovation reflect on the sacred work that happens on Rosh Hashanah, and far beyond the pulpit.
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The post Don’t just thank your rabbis. Ask what you’ve asked of them. appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Trump taunts Tehran, wants Strait of Hormuz renamed after himself
“The war will be over very shortly after the election,” the president said at the midterm Republican convention.
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The post Trump taunts Tehran, wants Strait of Hormuz renamed after himself appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Pro-Israel Providence Mayor Brett Smiley loses to progressive challenger
The winner, democratic socialist David Morales, supports a divestment measure that will be on the ballot in November.
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The post Pro-Israel Providence Mayor Brett Smiley loses to progressive challenger appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
How a new tool in Lithuania helps people read letters from their Jewish ancestors
Sergii Gurbych, who developed a tool to read handwritten Yiddish and Hebrew texts, said he wanted to “know more about the world where my grandfather lived.”
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The post How a new tool in Lithuania helps people read letters from their Jewish ancestors appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Latest News
NextGen community connects at Sunset on the Water
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s NextGen community recently teamed up with Norfolk Kayak Rentals for an eventful Sunset on the Water experience. Despite cloudy skies, the weather held out so that NextGen kayakers could enjoy time out on the water. ...
Building on a strong foundation: Paul Peck to lead TJF
When Paul Peck talks about the future of Tidewater Jewish Foundation, he doesn’t begin with fundraising goals or financial projections. He begins with responsibility. “We’re the beneficiaries of the hard work of earlier generations,” he says. “It’s our obligation to...
From idea to impact: Community Impact Grants help strengthen Jewish Tidewater
Every organization has them: ideas discussed around board tables, programs waiting for funding, projects that could strengthen Jewish life, deepen engagement, expand educational opportunities, or bring people together in meaningful ways. For Tidewater Jewish...
Michelle Luria: A life rebuilt by connection, conversation, and community
Michelle Luria didn’t expect to start over. But now, from her Norfolk apartment overlooking the Elizabeth River, she describes a life filled with new experiences and community. “I love it here,” she says. “The people are so lovely, intelligent, well...
Steering through Alzheimer’s: A journey of hope, community, and connection
Few diagnoses change the course of a family’s journey quite like Alzheimer’s disease. It reaches far beyond the individual, touching spouses, children, grandchildren, friends, and entire communities. Today, more than 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older are living...
The keys to retirement with Gad Brosch
Strolling the streets of downtown Norfolk, one might hear the smooth sound of live jazz wafting from a condo’s windows. “We get together quite often, at least once a week to play,” says Gad Brosch, MD. A gynecologist who retired after 35 years in practice, he now...
More than a language: keeping Yiddish alive
Yiddish was the first language Harriet Meier ever spoke. Born in Germany to Polish Holocaust survivors who met in a displaced persons camp after World War II, Meier grew up hearing the language at home and among her parents’ friends. English eventually...
One hour can change two lives
When people think about volunteering, they often focus on the difference they can make for someone else. What I have learned through the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation’s Be A Reader Literacy Project (BeAR) is that the volunteers...
Other News
Achievement
Sam Sacks was recently chosen Teacher of the Year in Savannah-Chantham County Public School System. He was also named Teacher of the Year for his school, New Hampstead, K - 8. A STEM coordinator, Sacks is known for his dedication to his students. As the...
Thank you to our supporters who recently donated to Jewish News!
Supporters of Jewish News help keep local Jewish journalism alive at a time when it feels as if it is disappearing almost everywhere else. Jewish News appreciates all who support the newspaper with generous contributions – whether in honor of or in memory...
Planning ahead: Four conversations every family should have before a crisis
Conversations about aging are often postponed because they can feel over-whelming or uncomfortable. Yet some of the best decisions families make happen long before they are faced with an urgent medical event or unexpected hospitalization. Planning ahead allows older...
Finding balance in flowing waters
“Let’s gather. Let’s offer. Let’s receive. Let’s ground.” This is how Jennifer Lenay, Simon Family JCC fitness instructor, guides students through gentle, breath-synced movement in Flowing Waters, an aquatic take on traditional tai chi. Held...
What’s Happening
Rosh Hashanah Craft and Cookie Workshop
Monday, September 14, 5 - 6 pm - Sandler Family Campus Start the new year with Tidewater’s new...
Jewish Trivia Night
Tuesday, September 1, 7 – 9 pm, Smartmouth Brewery United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s NextGen...
Rosh Hashanah Buzz
Sunday, September 6, 5 – 7 pm Sandler Family Campus Get ready to celebrate a sweet New Year and...
In their own words: American Jewish history through autobiography
Tuesdays, Sept. 22 – Dec. 1, 11 am - 12:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus American history is filled...
Obituaries
May the Source of Peace
send peace to all who mourn, and comfort to all who are bereaved.
Lois (Cohen) Greenebaum
Baltimore, Md. – Lois (Cohen) Greenebaum passed away peacefully at the age of 95, surrounded her beloved family. A highly intelligent...
Edward Legum
Norfolk – Edward Legum, 97, of Norfolk, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Norfolk and raised...
Jack Sanford Moscovitz
Portsmouth – Jack Sanford Moscovitz, 90, a lifelong resident of Portsmouth, Va., peacefully passed away on July 1, 2026, with family by his...
Ruby H. Schwarzschild
Lakeland, Fla. – Ruby Hainer Schwarzschild of Norfolk, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2026 in Lakeland, Fla. She was a dedicated...