A record year for the UJFT’s Community Campaign
As this article goes to press, the 2026 Community Campaign of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater has passed the $5.2 million mark for the very first time. It’s a major milestone, and the Federation is incredibly grateful to the donors and community members who...
Playground for Sandler Family Campus focuses on nature
Naturally curious creatures, children interact with the world around them through play. This instinctive engagement becomes even more pronounced in natural environments, where exploration is open-ended and sensory-rich.As one study by the National Wildlife Federation...
SIA celebrates the class of 2026
Graduation is always a meaningful and emotional milestone at Strelitz International Academy. For the fifth-grade students, many of whom have been part of the SIA community since infancy, it is a time to reflect on their growth, celebrate their accomplishments, and...
All Good News
A couple of weeks ago, Art Sandler casually, but enthusiastically, said, “We should publish a paper with all good news!”My response was something like, “Yeah. Right. Nothing about security or antisemitism or Israel or wars or . . .”“We’ve got so much good going on in...
As summer reaches its peak and back to school commercials start to make their way onto our screens, Jewish News is gearing up for our High Holidays issues. And, of course, we want to hear from you – our community. What are the unique rituals, traditions, and insights that make the new year meaningful to you?
Please share by contacting Haley Bartel at HBartel@UJFT.org with ‘High Holidays’ in the subject line by August 13.
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JTA News
‘Uncommitted’ founder who pushed Democrats to vote against Biden over Gaza wins primary
Abbas Alawieh, who captured the Democratic nomination for a Michigan state Senate seat, said he recently met with former Vice President Kamala Harris.
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The post ‘Uncommitted’ founder who pushed Democrats to vote against Biden over Gaza wins primary appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
El-Sayed’s narrow Michigan win sets up a reckoning among Jewish Democrats
Jews who backed Rep. Haley Stevens are weighing whether they can support an avowed critic of Israel, though some find solace in his razor-thin victory.
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The post El-Sayed’s narrow Michigan win sets up a reckoning among Jewish Democrats appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Herzl’s grandparents are reburied in Jerusalem, fulfilling Zionist leader’s final wish
"When Zion brings her children home, she also brings home their forebears," said one leader involved in the effort.
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The post Herzl’s grandparents are reburied in Jerusalem, fulfilling Zionist leader’s final wish appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
El-Sayed decried AIPAC. Now he hopes to win over pro-Israel Democrats.
El-Sayed devoted a chunk of his primary victory speech to promising Michigan’s Jews that he cared about their safety.
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The post El-Sayed decried AIPAC. Now he hopes to win over pro-Israel Democrats. appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Latest News
Israeli medical students gain clinical, cultural insight in Norfolk exchange
Jewish community has long extended beyond geography, linking people across continents who often recognize a shared sense of belonging.Liora Zerbib knows about this feeling of belonging after spending several weeks with a Jewish host family in Ghent.Zerbib, an Israeli...
JCC Fitness Center embraces new interactive cardio technology
The Simon Family JCC Fitness Center recently upgraded its cardio equipment with new treadmills, ellipticals, and rowing machines featuring iFit technology. These machines offer interactive global workouts and studio classes, with systems that automatically adjust...
The Simon family Legacy Society Celebration ignites vision for the future
Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Simon Family Legacy Celebration on Wednesday, May 27 was an opportunity for communities to converge, gathering around a shared vision, shared responsibility, and shared purpose.More than 100 TJF fundholders, community leaders,...
Shavuot Mitzvah Fair at SIA
This year, Shavuot celebrated 3,338 years since the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. To this very day, Jews continue to study the Torah, cherish it, and hold it close. The Torah serves as guidance on how to live and make the world a better place.SIA’s Primary Years...
The books that made me a BeAR
We all carry certain books with us long after childhood ends. They sit quietly on the shelves of our memory; dog-eared, underlined, loved, while shaping who we become and teaching us how to dream. Some stories came easily. Others were challenging, the kind where you...
Dive into summer at theMetzger Outdoor Aquatic Center
If you’re feeling ready to beat the summer heat poolside, you’re in luck. The Metzger Outdoor Aquatic Center opened on Saturday, June 6, marking the start of the Simon Family JCC’s seven-day-a-week summer pool season.The outdoor pool opens daily at 11:30 am, closing...
Beth Sholom Village: Inaugural grant recipients support seniors across Tidewater
What does it mean to age with dignity? Sometimes, it means having transportation to the grocery store or a doctor’s appointment. Sometimes, it means sharing a meal with friends, participating in a wellness program, or simply feeling connected to a community. Often,...
The responsibility and reward of service
Reflections on leadership, legacy, and the future of Jewish Tidewater Two years have flown by. My term as chair of Tidewater Jewish Foundation is nearing its end. I have served with some of the most dedicated board members and staff anyone can ever be privileged to...
Other News
Coming soon: A new hub for senior connection, learning, and wellness
The new Center for Active Living is being launched by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC. The program is made possible through a grant from Beth Sholom Village and support from the Joseph Fleischmann Memorial Fund of the Tidewater Jewish...
Seniors visit Edgar Cayce Museum
The JCC Senior Club took a trip to the Edgar Cayce A.R.E. Center at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Wednesday, June 17. Boarding a charter bus, the 30 participants first stopped at the Session Café located in the original hospital building at the top of...
Jewish American Heritage Month brings together art, history, and community
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) unfolded this year as a wide-ranging exploration of art, identity, history, and belonging. It also marked the kickoff of the Outstanding Jewish Americans in Tidewater...
Camp JCC kicks off a summer of friendship, fun, and new adventures
The first week of Camp JCC set the tone for another unforgettable summer, as campers reunited with old friends, welcomed new ones, and embraced traditions that make camp feel like home. Centered around the Jewish value of chaverut (friendship), the week’s activities...
What’s Happening
Tools for today’s classrooms: The 2026 Tidewater Inclusive Educators’ Conference
Tuesday, July 21 – Wednesday, July 22 As the school year winds down, many educators are already...
Rabbi Mike Moskowitz finds allyship in Torah
Wednesday, June 10, 7 pm, Sandler Family Campus In his book, Ancestral Allyship, Rabbi Mike...
JFS plans 67th Biennial Meeting
Monday, June 22, 12 pm • Fred Huette Garden, 1000 Botetourt Gardens, Norfolk Jewish Family Service...
JCC hosts National Senior Health & Fitness Day
Wednesday, May 27, 9 am – 12 pm • Sandler Family Campus The Simon Family JCC invites seniors to...
Obituaries
May the Source of Peace
send peace to all who mourn, and comfort to all who are bereaved.
Randi Ann Perrone-Kerfoot
Virginia Beach – Randi Ann Perrone-Kerfoot, 64, of Virginia Beach, passed away peacefully on June 7, 2026, surrounded by her family. Born on...
Molly A. Parro
Virginia Beach – Molly A. Parro died peacefully in her sleep on June 20, 2026, in Virginia Beach. She was born in Detroit Michigan and...
Lee K. Singer
Virginia Beach – Lee Kallmeyer Singer, born April 2, 1934, in N.Y., N.Y., of Virginia Beach, passed away peacefully on April 17, 2026, 15 days after...
Janice Zivitz
Atlanta – Today we remember and celebrate the life of Janice Kaplan Zivitz, a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend whose kindness...