Top Stories
Giving Tuesday week to provide a special campaign match incentive
Sunday, November 22 through GIVING TUESDAY, December 1 This year—unlike any before it—promises to be exceptionally challenging. And the Jewish community of Tidewater is not exempt from these challenges. A successful Community Campaign is therefore essential to ensure...
Elaine Luria holds her seat
Elaine Luria has held onto her Second Congressional District seat, defeating Scott Taylor. Luria is a Jewish member of the so-called “Gang of Nine,” a group of moderate Democrats with national security backgrounds who were elected in 2018 to seats that had previously...
Birthright Israel: Smell the shawarma and feel the feels
A free, 10-day trip to Israel sounds like an easy sell. College students live to drink beer, eat ethnic foods, and hook up with peers on the beach, any beach. It might surprise you to know that convincing Jewish kids to indulge in Israel’s unique magic on someone...
Help JFS put a smile on a child’s face with its Chanukah Gift Program
In its 28th year, Jewish Family Service’s annual Hanukkah Gift Program is now underway. The first night of Hanukkah is December 10. Like nearly everything, the holiday is going to look a little different this year. Still, JFS’s core mission will remain the same:...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater & the Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival 2020–2021*
All events are open to the community with RSVP or tickets required and will take place virtually until further notice. For more information about the Festival, to register, sponsor, or volunteer, contact Patty Shelanski at 757-452-3184 or Pshelanski@ujft.org or...
Registration, lawyers and patience: How Jewish groups are protecting voting access in 2020
(JTA)—If you’re in Arizona or Florida and a 585 area code pops up on your phone, you might want to answer: It could be a Jewish volunteer in Rochester, New York, whose mission it is to help you vote. The Greater Rochester Jewish Federation is one of a number of local...
2021 Campaign offering limited-time matching incentive during week of Thanksgiving
Tuesday, November 22 through Giving Tuesday, December 1 The 2021 Community Campaign of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater has come out strong, raising more than $3.4 million in its first four months. In a year which promises to be exceptionally challenging for...
Federation seeks to capture lightning in a bottle with second community phone-a-thon in December Sunday, December 13, 10 am–1 pm
What does an organization do when the success of a new program exceeds its wildest imagination? Well, that’s an easy question to answer… REPEATS IT! Or at least try to come as close as possible to “capturing that lightning in a bottle.” On the second Sunday of...
Giving opportunities for you and your family during COVID-19
2020 has been a tumultuous year, to say the least. As you and your advisors sit down to discuss year-end tax and charitable planning, there are several additional factors this year that can influence key decisions. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact virtually...
UJFT & the Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival 2020–2021
*Events shown only through November 15 All events are open to the community with RSVP or tickets required and will take place virtually until further notice. For more information about the Festival, to register, sponsor, or volunteer, contact Patty Shelanski at...
Type A. Plan B. Tom Purcell takes first place in the JCC 100-day Summer Fitness Challenge
For Tom Purcell, summer 2020 was the best of times and the worst of times. The pandemic continued to keep people away from their favorite sushi joints, hair salons, and gym-based training sessions. Purcell is Type A and Plan B. When it comes to fitness and his...
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater & the Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival 2020–2021*
*Events shown only through October 29 All events are open to the community with RSVP or tickets required and will take place virtually until further notice. For more information about the Festival, to register, sponsor, or volunteer, contact Patty Shelanski at...
Warren Karesh: A man of insight and integrity
Dr. Warren G. Karesh passed away on Tuesday, August 25, quieting a voice that added greatly to our Jewish community. Warren and his wife, Mimi, were active participants in United Jewish Federation of Tidewater activities throughout their time in Hampton Roads. Warren...
32nd Annual Strelitz International Academy Golf Tournament draws 107 golfers
On Tuesday, September 15, a perfectly crisp morning, the Strelitz International Academy 32nd Annual Golf Tournament, affectionately known as the Bob Josephberg Classic, took place on the Bayville Golf Club course. Sporting face-coverings and hand sanitizer, many...
Local teens interview Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District’s candidates, Representative Elaine Luria (D) and Scott Taylor (R)
Leila Abrams is a ninth grade student in Princess Anne High School’s International Baccalaureate program. She served as a Virginia Senate Page under Senator Jen Kiggans of the 7th Senatorial District throughout the 2020 Virginia General Assembly Session. This past...
Village to Neve Michael Village. Your Dollars at Work provide an abundance of love
It takes a Virginia village to sustain Neve Michael, the Israeli children’s village located in Pardes Hanna in the northern region of Israel. Neve Michael is a seven-acre campus housing the only multi-disciplinary children’s home in Israel to offer a wide range of...
RBG: One Justice for All
The death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg prompted an emotionally charged deep-dive into her body of work and personal life, including her 20-year long relationship with personal trainer Bryant Johnson. At 67, Ginsburg, aka ‘Notorious RBG,’ who was appointed by President...
Virginia 2020 Elections Important deadlines
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020 — Absentee Voting Begins Monday, Oct. 12, 2020 — Last day to register to vote online, by mail, or in-person at your registrar’s office Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 — Last day to request an absentee ballot via the mail-in form Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020...
High Holidays 5781 Special Section
In the most recent issue of Jewish News, we wrote about area synagogues preparing for this most unusual High Holiday season. As we go to press, much of those congregations’ work is complete with boxes and bags of honey and cakes and memorial books and prayer books...
Without traditional High Holiday Food Drives, fear of fewer food donations rises
In past years, many area temples and synagogues have supported the Jewish Family Service food pantries through their High Holiday food drives. But this year, with most buildings closed, there will not be bins or trucks available to collect food on Yom Kippur. JFS...
Study: More than one in 10 Americans under 40 thinks Jews caused the Holocaust
(JTA)—More than one in 10 American adults under 40 believes that Jews caused the Holocaust. That’s one finding from a survey published Wednesday, Sept. 16 trying to gauge Holocaust knowledge among millennials and Generation Z, a cohort ranging in age from 18 to 39....
Helping each other: COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund
Dedicated to caring for Jewish Tidewater’s most vulnerable community members and protecting its vital institutions, the COVID-19 Emergency Fund of the Tidewater Jewish Community has distributed more than $100,000 to assist these populations and agencies....
Super Sunday 2021—A Different Kind of Day
In a “normal” year, Super Sunday—a much beloved tradition—is simply one part of the Tidewater Jewish community’s fundraising lifecycle. In a critical fundraising year, with rising needs and a true imperative to meet them with immediacy, Super Sunday 2021 became a...
High Holidays 5781 Special Edition
Dear Readers, For the first time in the vast majority of our lifetimes, most of us will ‘attend’ High Holiday services by watching computer screens, tablets, televisions, and perhaps even our phones. While these strange circumstances brought on by the COVID-19...
Your Vote is Your Voice Series explains new laws and procedures and encourages participation
The former and late Supreme Court Justice, Louis Brandeis, once noted, “The most important office, and the one which all of us can and should fill, is that of private citizen.” Regardless of party affiliation, voting is a constitutional right—one that must be...
Tidewater synagogues work overtime to embrace the essence of Rosh Hashanah and touch members they can’t see
A sanctuary overflowing with people in prayer, ties, and high heels has been the picture of High Holiday success for more than a century. Local buzz about a stirring sermon is the new year cherry on top. Two universal truths hit home this year with COVID-19: Modern...
Former State Treasurer, UJFT director, and Jody’s Popcorn president brings a full bag of rich and relevant experience to new leadership role as Tidewater Jewish Foundation chair
Saying thank you during a pandemic was Jody Wagner’s first order of business as the new chair of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation. In a short video on Facebook, she said: “Thank you to our donors for making sure our community has the resources it needs, and to our...
Super Sunday—Today, Tomorrow, Together
Sunday, September 13, 10 am–1 pm The past year has brought extraordinary challenges to the entire planet which have resulted in massive changes to the way we all do “business.” The Jewish community of Tidewater has certainly not been exempt from those changes—as...
5781/2020: When prayers for a sweet ‘new’ year started early and ended late
When it comes to praying for a sweet New Year, this community is in overtime. Since Pandemic 2020 hijacked every aspect of life and living in March, synagogues have been immersed in the overnight challenge of implementing ways to touch members without physical...
JCC in the Cloud: That’s a wrap!
After six fun-filled weeks, this year’s virtual camp, Camp JCC in the Cloud, concluded on August 14. What began as uncharted territory is now a new, innovative way to connect with area children and teens. Camp JCC collaborated with Happy Camper Live to create this...