For 38 years, golfers, sponsors, volunteers, and friends of Strelitz International Academy have come together for a day that is about much more than golf. This year, that tradition reached a new milestone.
The 38th Annual Bob Josephberg Classic & Strelitz International Academy Golf Tournament, held September 2 at Virginia Beach National Golf Club, raised a record $150,000 in support of SIA’s students, faculty, and programs.
As the school’s largest annual fundraiser, the tournament provides critical support that helps SIA continue to offer an exceptional education grounded in Jewish values while investing in the people and programs that make the school community thrive.
“Reaching $150,000 is an incredible accomplishment, but what makes this tournament so meaningful is the community behind it,” says Heather Moore, Head of School. “Year after year, our sponsors, golfers, and volunteers show us how deeply they believe in our school and in the importance of investing in Jewish education. Their generosity directly impacts the experience we are able to provide our students and faculty every day.”
The tournament has become a beloved SIA tradition, bringing together longtime supporters, local businesses, parents, alumni families, and friends of the school. While participants may arrive ready for a great day on the golf course, the event is ultimately about a shared commitment to ensuring a strong future for SIA and Jewish education in Tidewater.
This year’s tournament success was made possible through the leadership of Tim Thornton and Ross Bangel, tournament co-chairs, along with committee members Bill Carden, Chip Friedman, Sharon Grossman, Angela Jenkins, David Leon, Nina Kruger, Kasey Molloy, and Ian Persaud. Months of planning, sponsor outreach, and behind-the-scenes work culminated in a successful day both on and off the course.
The greatest measure of the tournament’s success, however, was not found on the leaderboard. It was found in a community coming together to support the next generation. For nearly four decades, the Bob Josephberg Classic has demonstrated the power of collective giving. Every sponsorship, registration, raffle donation, and volunteer hour contributes to SIA’s ability to provide students with an outstanding academic experience within a dynamic Jewish environment, one that nurtures their identities, encourages curiosity, and prepares them to become compassionate, engaged members of the Jewish community and the world.
Strelitz International Academy is deeply grateful to every sponsor, golfer, donor, and volunteer who made this year’s tournament possible and looks forward to continuing the tradition at the 39th Annual Bob Josephberg Classic.
Carin Simon is director of advancement at Strelitz International Academy.
