Top Stories

Joan Lunden–Sunday, April 26, 2 pm Run Roll or Stroll–Sunday, May 3, 8 am 11th Annual Run, Roll or Stroll Have you seen the sunrise at the Oceanfront lately? I have! For the last seven years, a group of dedicated JFS board members, employees and other volunteers have...

The Simon Family JCC’s Second Annual Celebrate Israel series, presented by Charles Barker Automotive, will deliver four powerful and inspiring events in April and May. Last year, the JCC began the series, which joins several programs to highlight Israeli culture. “The...

TEL AVIV ( JTA)—After weeks in which polls consistently showed Zionist Union holding a slight lead over the Likud Party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli leader effected a dramatic comeback to win a decisive victory in Israeli elections. With 99...

Documentary of Tidewater Jewish community’s past, present and future Across Oceans and Generations—A Jewish History of Tidewater, VA Sunday, March 8, 4 pm, Sandler Family Campus A keen interest in history and the desire for what she thought would be a relatively small...

The question of whether the Tidewater Jewish Community’s traditional phone-a-thon could still work in 2015 was answered with a loud, “yes,” on Sunday, Jan. 25. The Super Sunday phone-a-thon was a success, with contributions to date exceeding $103,000. Planned and...

This month’s deadly hostage siege at a kosher supermarket in Paris has French Jews (and some non-Jews) proclaiming “Je suis juif,” or “I am Jewish,” in solidarity with the four people killed in the attack. Who are the Jews of France? Here’s a primer. How many Jews are...

Dispersed, threatened, hidden and reunited, but always a Jew. Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, modern Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox, but always a Jew. Zionist, Secularist, Yiddishist and Culturalist, but always a Jew. A people that have withstood much and...

With multiple venues and times, there’s a show for everyone When the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film presented by Alma* and Howard Laderberg opens next month, it will celebrate its 22nd year, one of the longest running festivals of its kind in the nation. In an...

The disturbing regularity of incidents of anti-Semitism taking place across the globe has alerted Jewish leaders and government officials to a need to combat the growing trend. Ira N. Forman, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism for the U.S. State...

Dear Readers, The journey to the moment in the summer of 2004 when the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus began operations was the culmination of many years of diligent pursuit by a host of people who had vision and a commitment to the future of Tidewater’s Jewish...

Tidewater premier: Thursday, Nov. 20, 7 pm Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Home Front is a new full-length documentary film from Jerusalem U, the creators of the PBS-featured documentary Israel Inside: How a Small Nation Makes a Big Difference. The...

November 2–16 by Leslie Shroyer Fresh books and colorful book covers means book festival time at the Simon Family JCC. The Cardo area of the Sandler Family Campus will be filled with books of all shapes and sizes, as the JCC presents The Lee and Bernard Jaffe* Family...

by Robin Mancoll Einat Wilf: Thursday, Oct. 30, 7:30 pm Compelling speakers, interesting topics and timely discussions have characterized the past three seasons of the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Israel Today Forum. With...

by Laine Mednick Rutherford Drawing on the past to inspire the future, the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater inaugurated its 2015 Annual Campaign by showcasing the words and deeds of two relatively contemporary Jewish role models. On Monday, Sept. 15, community...

Monday, Sept. 15, 6:30 pm, Campaign Kick Off Sunday, Sept. 21, 1:30–3:30 pm, Mitzvah Day VA If you survey a group of community members and ask them to name one of the most admired Jewish leaders of all time, odds are that you’ll hear the name Golda Meir. The great,...

by Laine Mednick Rutherford With only three days notice, more than 550 people in Tidewater rearranged their calendars, braved stormy weather, and waited in long lines for security checks, all to show their dedicated and determined support for Israel. Stand Strong for...

THE SITUATION Iranian-backed Gazan Hamas terrorists have fired a total of 2,114 rockets into Israel since the start of Operation Protective Edge. Three hundred and thirty three of these rockets fired at Israeli urban centers, were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense...

News and links to photographs, videos and other information from Israel: THE SITUATION -- After the Israeli government accepted the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement Tuesday, Hamas rejected the reported text, saying, "Our battle with the enemy continues and will...

News and links to photographs, videos and other information from Israel: THE SITUATION -- The Israeli Security Cabinet voted 6-2 to accept a ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt. Hamas rejected its terms and has continued to fire rockets at Israel. U.S. Secretary of...

The escalating conflict in Israel, with Hamas firing missiles into populated areas from Gaza and the Israel Defense Forces launching Operation Protective Edge to protect its citizens, is changing daily, sometimes even hourly. Members of the Tidewater Jewish community...

For many Tidewater residents, Fourth of July celebrations conjure up vivid images of picnics in a park or on the beach, festive red, white and blue neighborhood parades, cookouts with family and friends, and fireworks lighting up the night sky. This year’s...

The theme of the Business & Legal Society of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s final event of the year involved a serendipitously timed topic: the construction of a proposed 18,000-seat arena in Virginia Beach, and attracting a major league sports team...

The responsibility of raising millions of dollars each year through the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Annual Campaign is an effort that is undertaken by a small core of staff members and a larger, dedicated group of community leaders and volunteers. Over a...

Tuesday, June 24, noon Heron Ridge Golf Club Virginia Beach The Simon Family JCC’s 4th Annual Presidents’ Cup Tournament has actually existed as a golf tournament since the 1980s. It was renamed the Presidents’ Cup to honor past presidents who have served as leaders...

Sunday, May 18, 11am–5pm • Simon Family JCC With the Simon Family JCC’s annual Israel Fest fast approaching, the kitchens of area temples and Beth Sholom Village are busy preparing for the festival’s largest food component ever. Participation from every synagogue will...

Ten years ago, Jewish Family Service’s board of directors and leaders wanted a way to give back to the community while at the same time, raise funds for the agency. “The Week of Healthy Living was created to not only hold a fundraising event that would bring together...

As the events in Ukraine continue to unfold with growing uncertainty, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is continuing its emergency response on the ground to ensure the well-being and expedient care of its most vulnerable clients. “Even as we...

Thursday–Sunday, March 20–23 It takes a confident rabbi to make promises to a community he’s never met before. But Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, who will be the visiting scholar- in-residence March 20-23 for Tidewater Together: Exploring our Jewish Future, has made a...