Jewish News Issue 02.26.2023

Empowering lifetimes of discovery.

For 59 years, Checkered Flag has been devoted to supporting the Hampton Roads community in which we’re proud to do business. Since its beginning, we’ve dedicated time and resources to the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, which provides research and conservation for our marine life—and education for our children. We also partner with over 65 local educators, charities and community services to create economic opportunity, equity, and a pathway to discovery for all.

CheckeredFlag.com

Your Voice Matters.

URGE Virginia’s Delegates and Senators to SUPPORT defining antisemitism and adding ethnicity to hate crimes protections.

Dear Readers,

On Sunday, Feb. 19, communities in Norfolk awoke to find their lawns littered with antisemitic flyers from the Goyim Defense League (GDL), a small network of virulent antisemites. This antisemitic act occurred as the General Assembly debates if it should adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism and whether ethnicity should be added to hate crimes protections.

The Virginia Senate and House will soon vote on bills to adopt the IHRA definition and enshrine ethnicity-based hate crime protections for all Virginians. We must urge our General Assembly members to support these bills!

We cannot expect Virginia’s leaders to address antisemitism unless they can clearly define it.

Your voice matters.

CONTENTS

jewishnewsva.org

Published 20 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462-4370 voice 757-965-6100 • fax 757-965-6102 email news@ujft.org

Terri Denison, Editor Germaine Clair, Art Director Sandy Goldberg, Account Executive Marilyn Cerase, Subscription Manager Patty Malone, Circulation Reba Karp, Editor Emeritus

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Laura G. Gross, President Alvin Wall, Treasurer Mona Flax, Secretary Betty Ann Levin, Executive Vice President JewishVA.org

Call or email your representatives to Stand Up Against Hate in Virginia.

1. Email your State Senator and Delegate by going to https://federation.jewishva.org/actionalert, urging them to Stand Up Against Hate in Virginia.

2. Call your representatives to tell them that these bills are important to you. Find your legislators and their phone numbers at whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov. Whether you choose to do one or both of these things is up to you. We need you to act. Your voice matters.

Thank you,

Laura Gross President United Jewish Federation of Tidewater

The appearance of advertising in the Jewish News does not constitute a kashrut, political, product or service endorsement. The articles and letters appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of this newspaper.

©2023 Jewish News. All rights reserved.

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Upcoming Deadlines for Editorial and Advertising

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March 20 Passsover March 3

April 3 Israel at 75 March 17

April 24 Mom/Women/Camp April 7

May 8 Summer at Home April 21

May 22 Dad/Mens May 5

June 12 Grads May 26

CANDLE LIGHTING QUOTABLE

Friday, March 3/10 Adar Light candles at 5:43 pm

Friday, March 10/17 Adar Light candles at 5:50 pm

Friday, March 17/24 Adar Light candles at 6:56 pm

—Attorney General Jason Miyares

—page 7

Friday, March 24/2 Nissan Light candles at 7:01 pm

Friday, March 31/9 Nissan Light candles at 7:08 pm

Friday, April 7/16 Nissan Light candles at 7:14 pm

“Antisemitism is the oldest and most sustained form of bigotry known to mankind.”

SURVEY: 4 IN 10 AMERICAN JEWS FELT LESS SECURE LAST YEAR

Four in 10 American Jews felt less secure in 2022 than they did in 2021, according to an American Jewish Committee survey, a 10-percentage point rise.

In addition, the survey found that more than a quarter of respondents had personally been targeted by an antisemitic remark or attack over the past year. Nearly a quarter avoided wearing or carrying things that would identify them publicly as Jewish. Both numbers were similar to the previous year’s survey.

A separate AJC survey found that the percentage of Americans generally who say antisemitism is a problem is also increasing. And nearly half of Americans overall (47%) said that antisemitism had increased over the past five years.

Released this month, the survey conducted from Sept. 23 to Nov. 8, 2022, asked 1,507 respondents who identified as Jewish whether they feel more or less secure than a year ago, or the same. The portion of respondents who replied less secure was 41%; those feeling that their status was about as secure were 55% and those feeling more secure were 4%.

Those who felt less secure attributed the feeling to a perceived rise in antisemitic attacks and violence (27%), the sense that antisemitism and racism are more overt and accepted (27%) and the perceived rise of white supremacist groups (17%), among other factors. The percentage of those feeling less secure in the same survey in 2021 was 31%. The percentage in 2020 was 43%.

The survey was already underway when, in mid-October, the influential rapper and designer Kanye West launched into a weekslong series of antisemitic comments.

The survey also found that over the past year, one out of five respondents had been targeted by an antisemitic remark in person, and 13% had been targeted by antisemitism online. In addition, 48 respondents, or 3% of the total, had been victims of a physical attack. Last year’s survey reported similar findings.

In addition, this year, two-thirds of respondents, and a higher percentage of respondents ages 18-29, said they had

seen antisemitic content online over the past year.

The separate survey of Americans overall found that 68% of respondents saw antisemitism in 2022 as a serious problem, up from 60% in 2021. In the survey of Jews, 89% said antisemitism was a serious problem in 2022, virtually the same as the 90% who responded that way in 2021.

The Jewish American study reached respondents through a mix of modes. The survey of U.S. adults reached 1,004 respondents through a web survey. (JTA)

ISRAELI RESCUE TEAM EVACUATED FROM TURKEY ON MIRIAM ADELSON’S PLANE

One of the Israeli teams dispatched to Turkey to assist after the devastating earthquakes there headed home after being informed about a “concrete and immediate threat” against them.

United Hatzalah told its team of roughly two dozen personnel in Turkey to end their rescue mission and leave the country, the emergency services organization announced Sunday, Feb. 12. Because of a shortage of available planes to evacuate them, the philanthropist Miriam Adelson donated her private jet to facilitate the evacuation, the group said.

“We knew that there was a certain level of risk in sending our team to this area of Turkey, which is close to the Syrian border but we took the necessary steps in order to mitigate the threat for the sake of our lifesaving mission,” Dov Maisel, the group’s vice president of operations, said. “Unfortunately, we have just received intelligence of a concrete and immediate threat on the Israeli delegation and we have to put the security of our personnel first.”

Maisel said the Hatzalah team had rescued 15 people since arriving shortly after the quakes. At press time, the official death toll stands at more than 47,000 and is expected to rise.

More than 500 Israelis have traveled to Turkey to aid in rescue and recovery. The Israeli Defense Forces team, for example, says it rescued 19 people from the rubble, and provided medical care to more than 180 others; it was also responsible for

locating the bodies of Saul and Fortuna Cenudioglu, stalwarts of Antakya’s nearly 2,500-year-old Jewish community who died when their apartment building collapsed in the quakes.

The Israeli delegations had gotten the express permission of Israel’s Ashkenazi chief rabbi, David Lau, to work through Shabbat as the window for rescues closed. The IDF medical team and the team from a third group, IsrAid, will remain in Turkey.

Israel has at times warned of plots targeting Israelis and Jews in Turkey. Last summer, Israel evacuated its citizens from Istanbul after warning of an Iranian plot against Israelis there. The day before the earthquake, police in Istanbul arrested 15 people they said were part of an ISIS plot targeting synagogues there. The earthquake was most destructive in eastern Turkey, close to the border of Syria, which is Israel’s enemy and home to militant strongholds. (JTA)

IN MAJOR STEP, ISRAELI JUDICIAL REFORM BILL PASSES FIRST PARLIAMENTARY VOTE

The Israeli government’s controversial judicial reform plan cleared a major hurdle as its parliament, the Knesset, voted to advance a key piece of the plan.

The 63-47 vote took place Tuesday, Feb. 21, following a second week of mass protests outside the Knesset in Jerusalem. The bill was introduced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition, which took office in December. It would give the Israeli governing coalition full control over the appointment of judges and would bar the Supreme Court from striking down basic laws, which are Israel’s closest parallel to a constitution.

The bill now returns to discussion in parliamentary committees ahead of two more votes in the Knesset, which generally occur close together and would pass the bill into law. In addition to pushing the bill forward, the vote was a signal that it has majority support in parliament. Members of the government have called for further limits on the court, including a measure that would significantly curtail the court’s ability to strike down laws.

The vote happened in the face of a

series of mass protests against the reform in Israel, and despite the warnings of a chorus of world leaders, legal scholars, and public intellectuals that it would harm Israel’s standing as a democracy. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called for compromise over the reform plan and said in a pained speech that he feared the battle over the legislation would lead to “constitutional and social collapse.” It is unclear whether dialogue over the bill will take place.

Sounds of alarm have come from Tom Nides, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, who said on Saturday, Feb. 18 that the Israeli government should “pump the brakes” on the court reform. President Joe Biden has also criticized the plan. In addition, a group of 15 major North American Jewish philanthropists signed an open letter saying they were “deeply troubled by this attempt to curtail the independence of the judiciary.”

The bill gives members of the coalition a majority on the nine-seat panel that appoints judges to the Supreme Court. Unlike the U.S. government, in which separate elections for Senate and president allow for a potential check on the president’s power to appoint judges, the Israeli governing coalition is comprised of a majority of its legislature and would alone wield discretion over appointments.

Yair Lapid, the leader of the parliamentary opposition, tweeted, “Members of the coalition: History will judge you for tonight. For the damage to democracy, for the damage to the economy, for the damage to security, for the fact that you’re tearing the people of Israel to pieces and you just don’t care.”

In a speech on the Knesset floor, Netanyahu accused the opposition of going “off the rails” and criticized the protests. He defended the bill as the work of a democratically elected government.

“In a democracy, the people votes in elections, and representatives of the people vote here in the Knesset,” Netanyahu said. “That’s called democracy. The leaders of the protests, unfortunately, are trampling democracy. They don’t accept the outcome of the election. They don’t accept the decision of the majority.” (JTA)

Antakya’s remaining Jews flown to Jewish nursing home in Istanbul

The remaining few Jews of Antakya have been transferred to Istanbul, where they are staying in a Jewish nursing home thanks to a collaboration between the Turkish Jewish community there, a Kazakh-Israeli billionaire and Israel’s fundraising organization Keren Hayesod.

While there have been a variety of ways for survivors to leave Turkey in the wake of the earthquake that killed more than 47,000—including through the Turkish budget airline Pegasus, which is offering evacuation flights free of charge from several cities—Antakya’s Jews were helped by Alexander Machkevitch, a Jewish businessman from Kazakhstan who is one of the richest men in Israel with a net worth of over $2.4 billion.

Despite their small numbers, Antakya’s Jewish community was known amongst Turkish Jews for being fiercely traditional, only consuming kosher meat.

In the nursing home, they are being provided with kosher food.

Antakya was one of the areas hardest hit by the earthquake that ravaged Turkey and Syria. Among the dead accounted for so far were the president of the city’s Jewish community, Saul Cenudioglu, and his wife Fortuna.

Jews have been present in the city, known in antiquity as Antioch, for nearly 2,500 years, since its founding under the Seleucid Empire. Though several hundred Jews lived in the city at the time of Cenudioglu’s birth in the 1940s, their number had dwindled to only 14, the youngest of whom was over 60. The Turkish Jewish Community’s president, Ishak Ibrahimzade, wrote on Twitter that the earthquake had brought “The end of a 2,500-year-old love story.”

The rest of the city’s small Jewish community—only about 8 families— were flown to Istanbul. (JTA)

Forever Helping Others

Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day 2023: The day in Richmond is over, but action is still needed.

Joel Bond

Almost50 early morning risers boarded a bus to Richmond for Virginia’s annual Jewish Advocacy Day on Wednesday, Feb.

8. Organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, the delegation joined nearly 200 citizen activists from the United Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula, Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, and the Jewish

Community Relations Council of Greater Washington to meet with delegates and senators and hear from Governor Glenn Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, and Attorney General Jason Miyares.

Once in Richmond, Tidewater’s delegation split into teams led by Herm Shelanski, JCRC chair, Barbara Dudley, JCRC vice chair, Kirk Levy, JCRC legislative chair, and several JCRC Steering Committee members, Andy Fox, Brad

Lerner, and Ron Kaufman. With a record number of first-time participants, the teams met with senators, delegates, and legislative staff members from 22 offices representing the Hampton Roads region in advocating for issues of importance to Jewish life in the Commonwealth.

The 2023 General Assembly session has seen four pieces of legislation of significant importance to the Jewish community:

• Proclaiming every May as Jewish American Heritage Month which celebrates Jewish culture and history in Virginia,

• Ensuring Jews are protected through hate crimes law,

• Statewide adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism, and

• Fighting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, as recommended by the Governor’s Commission to Combat Antisemitism.

Reflecting on the meetings with legislators, Herm Shelanski says, “Our trip to the state capitol reinforced the effectiveness and necessity of personal participation. This trip was another powerful step in the fight against antisemitism.”

Tidewater delegation.

Delegate Anne Ferrell Tata meets with Joel Bond, Amy Weinstein, Anne Kramer, Prue Salasky, Mike Salasky, Carin Simon, and Rabbi Ariel Oliszewski.

VIRGINIA JEWISH ADVOCACY DAY 2023

JCRC requests that community members urge delegates and senators to continue fighting hate in the Commonwealth and to say thank you to those that have taken a stand against hate.

To take action or to learn more about the JCRC, contact Joel Bond, director,

Attorney General Miyares creates Antisemitism Task Force

RICHMOND, VA—While speaking to a group of Jewish leaders during Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day, Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the creation of a Task Force within the Office of Attorney General to monitor and combat acts of Antisemitism in Virginia. The Task Force is in response to the recommendation of the Governor’s Commission to Combat Antisemitism report issued in December.

The Task Force’s mission centers around four strategies: monitoring, information-gathering, educating, and investigating instances of antisemitism in the Commonwealth. This state Task Force is the first of its kind in the United States.

“Antisemitism is the oldest and most sustained form of bigotry known to mankind,” says Attorney General Miyares. “Although America’s commitment to religious diversity and pluralism has made it a relatively safe haven for Jewish people, American Jews have dealt with horrifying antisemitic discrimination and violence, and

it continues today. My Antisemitism Task Force will help our office monitor, combat, and educate Virginians about hate against Jewish people.”

The Task Force will include Office of Attorney General employees, including Special Advisor for Outreach, David Brand, and Office of Civil Rights Chief Christine Lambrou Johnson. The Attorney General will also appoint leaders from the Jewish community to the Task Force.

Religious discrimination is illegal under the Virginia Human Rights Act and the Attorney General can investigate and prosecute religious discrimination in employment and places of public accommodation, including educational institutions. Criminal complaints or acts of violence should be referred to the local authorities and the Virginia State Police.

Virginians should report any instances of antisemitic discrimination to Attorney General Miyares’ Office of Civil Rights by calling 804-786-2071 or emailing CivilRights@oag.state.va.us.

Senator Aaron Rouse meets with Jodi Klebanoff, Rabbi Gershon Litt, Barbara Dudley, David Calliott, Betty Ann Levin, Elka Mednick, and Aya Sever.

Delegate Clint Jenkins meets with Brad Lerner, Rabbi Yedidya Koven, Hunter Thomas, Mona Flax, and Kelly Burroughs.

Delegate Glenn Davis meets with Ron and Alene Kaufman, Mia Klein, April Blair, Connie Meyer, Aaron Kass, and Brian Berusch.

Jewish Community Relations Council at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, at jbond@ujft.org or 757-965-6129.

Attorney General Jason Miyares with Betty Ann Levin and Aaron Kass.

Local Relationships Matter

David Abraham

MEET:

“We have to provide exceptionally good care of our residents and give back to the community. That’s one of the reasons we encourage our staff to participate in supporting organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association. We have over 300 people on our staff who work, live and shop in our community. These people touch the lives of so many families and friends of our residents and they strive to make all these people feel a part of the Beth Sholom Village.”

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Brith Sholom elects new officers, back in full-swing

Rona Proser

Morethan 100 Brith Sholom members gathered at the Simon Family JCC on Sunday, Feb. 5, to learn the results of the 2022–2024 election. The newly elected officers are President, Dave Lesser; Vice President, Ray Rebby; Treasurer, Joe Goldberg; Secretary, Ed Landress. The six Members-at-Large are: Bruce Longman, David Proser, Sue Ellen Teach, Ruth Rothman, Virgie McCall, and Beril Abraham. These results were followed by the typical deluxe brunch for which the group has become known.

The newly elected board looks forward to bringing back the pre-COVID monthly brunches including relevant, informative speakers or entertainment, as well as an occasional educational road trip. In the past, the group has traveled to Richmond to tour the Holocaust Museum, The Museum of Fine Arts, and Beth Ahabah Synagogue, founded in 1789, one of the oldest in America. The trip to Monticello and the visit to the Philadelphia Jewish Museum were also informative. Closer to home, the group has had excursions to Jamestown and Yorktown and cruised on the Spirit of Norfolk and the American Rover

The next four months of programming for Brith Sholom offers plenty of variety. On March 12, the new officers will be installed by Bruce Longman, past president. A special afternoon is planned on March 19 to see Finding Nemo, Jr performed by the Hurrah Players at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, followed by dinner. On April 2, the group will hear from David Abraham, CEO and executive director of Beth Sholom Village about Aviva, a new senior apartment facility developed through a partnership between Pembroke Square Associates and Beth Sholom Village to be built near Town Center. On May 7, Eric Whitman, a physical therapist, will offer tips on staying physically healthy. June 4 will feature Brith Sholom’s favorite singing group, Fond Memories, performing oldies music.

Every Sunday program is followed by a delicious Kosher buffet brunch catered by Beth Sholom Village. For just $5, members enjoy scrambled eggs or quiche, blintzes, bagels and lox, fried potatoes, white fish salad, tomatoes and onions, as well as a variety of beverages and desserts.

After selling its building, Brith Sholom met monthly at Beth Sholom Home for many years. However, this became impossible due to COVID 19. After many months of meeting by Zoom, the organization’s new temporary home is the Simon Family JCC until Aviva opens in mid-2024 where they will have a permanent meeting place.

Although Brith Sholom is best known as a social group, it is also a charitable one. This year, the organization distributed funds to 18 agencies and institutions to further Jewish education in Tidewater. In addition, Brith Sholom conducts annual food drives to benefit the Jewish Family Service Food Pantry.

Yearly dues are $25 per person. For more information on membership, contact Rhoda Ehrlich at 757-408-8001. For more information on the organization or programming, contact LeeAnne Mallory at Brith.Sholom1@gmail.com.

Although Brith Sholom is best known as a social group, it is also a charitable one.

Spring

New Spring

Here!

Holocaust Commission educates and remembers with the publication of To Life: The Past Is Present

Wendy Juren Aurebach and Gail Flax

Holocaust

Remembrance Day was observed this year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Holocaust Commission with the publication of To Life: The Past Is Present, Holocaust Stories of Hampton Roads Survivors, Liberators, and Rescuers

This collection of stories is the updated version of To Life: Stories of Courage and Survival published in 2002. At that time, the 67 accounts were the largest collection of Holocaust stories that had ever been gathered in Tidewater. Reba Karp, editor emeritus of Jewish News, started gathering these stories from the Holocaust survivor community in the early 1980s. Many had not been written until she recorded them.

Twenty years later, with antisemitic rhetoric and hate crimes rising at alarming levels, the Holocaust Commission felt it imperative to reimagine this collection for the 21st century.

Originally meant to be a revision, the project blossomed into a much larger endeavor. An enthusiastic community of dozens of people helped shepherd the second book. Many of the survivors’ families generously shared more memories and photos, locally and from as far away as Jerusalem and the states of Washington and Arkansas. Two historians reviewed the book and many editors and proofreaders helped to fine-tune the copy.

The goal was to update the original stories, as well as to discover others that had never been collected. The 90-plus stories in this new volume offer a rich window into Holocaust history, representing survivors, liberators, and rescuers from both the Southside and the Peninsula.

Making certain these stories are always present in Tidewater was paramount. However, as the book progressed, adding more content to contextualize the stories and create an educational resource also became a priority. The addition of

hundreds of photos, 50 historical notes, several maps, and a more detailed glossary nearly doubled the original content of the first book. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Yad Vashem, and the USC Shoah Foundation, among many other institutions, contributed research and assistance. The audience is both readers who are familiar with Holocaust history, as well as those who are not.

In the coming months, 18 podcasts will complement 18 stories from To Life: The Past Is Present. The podcasts will be available on educational and mainstream platforms, with additional installments planned after this offering.

The books are available for purchase through the Holocaust Commission, which also plans to donate hundreds of copies of these stories to schools, libraries, and community groups. All proceeds from the sale of the books support the Holocaust Commission’s educational outreach programs.

For more information, visit www.holocaustcommission.org, or contact Elka Mednick, Holocaust Commission director, at emednick@ujft.org.

Wendy Auerbach and Gail Flax are both long time members of the Holocaust Commission. Just prior to the pandemic, they began overseeing the project of updating To Life

The cover of To Life: The Past is Present.

Mazel Tov!

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Dear Readers,

Longevity unwittingly turned into the theme for this issue’s Mazel Tov section. Doing so makes perfect sense, and frankly, I wonder why we’ve never done it before.

After all, when celebrating at weddings we hope the marriages will be “forever” and when a baby is born, a good, healthy, long life is anticipated for the little one.

Fortunately, Jewish Tidewater has plenty of solid marriages and active “long livers” who are celebrating milestone anniversaries and birthdays in 2023. These individuals and couples are busy making their marks on their families, at work, and within the community. The interviews begin on page 14. Whether together 10 years or married for 65, their responses are both wise and witty. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did. In fact, they are so uplifting that we plan to highlight more milestone couples in our next Mazel Tov section.

Sandy Goldberg, account executive for Jewish News and Pam Gladstone, long-time executive director at Congregation Beth El, both turn 80 this year. And both are still going strong. Read their interviews on pages 18 and 19.

An article on page 21 describes a wedding that took place earlier this month in Boston for couples who have been married a collective 125 years. Denied Jewish ceremonies in the Soviet Union, they’ve now had a chuppah, some with grandchildren attending!

On page 20, Beth Sholom Village shares two promotions deserving of “Mazel Tov!” And, if you’re about to plan an event…birthday, bar/bat mitzvah, or wedding, our advertisers offer plenty of suggestions and support.

Mazel Tov!

Terri Denison Editor

Milestone Mazel Tovs!

Terri Denison

Myriad local couples and individuals will celebrate milestone anniversaries and birthdays in 2023. Jewish News asked a few of them to share their secrets to healthy marriages and lives. From having fun to cherishing families, their responses are all heartfelt. Mazel Tov to those featured here and to everyone else celebrating this year!

JOAN AND ERIC JOFFE 50 Years

Jewish News: When and where did you meet?

Joan and Eric Joffe: We met on the beach in Clifton, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa in December 1968.

JN: What was most memorable about your wedding?

J&E: Our wedding on April 10, 1973 was during the time of the first Godfather movie. A good memory was our first dance to the music from the wedding in the movie. Thinking back now, 50 years later, our most treasured memories are those of our family members who were there to celebrate with us.

JN: What advice would you give yourselves of 50 years ago?

J&E: Married life is not a fairytale. It comes with many unpredicted ups and downs. Being best friends and supporting each other, no matter what will help you face anything together. Big hugs help too!!

JN: What has been your secret to staying together?

J&E: The secret to any marriage being successful is love, honesty, and respect. Respect is very important in any relationship, but especially in marriage.

JN: Do you have any advice for couples about to wed?

J&E: Marry a person with the same values as you, and make sure that you have a good relationship with his/her family.

STEPHANIE AND TYLER CASKILL 10 years

Jewish News: You are both Tidewater natives. When and where did you meet? Stephanie Jarvis Caskill and Tyler Caskill: We met in 2011 at a mutual friend’s house.

JN: What was most memorable about your wedding?

S&T: Having so many of our friends and family together—we went a little crazy and had a very insane guest list (more than 300 people)—but it was wonderful having our friends from college, local, extended family, and family friends all together to celebrate us.

JN: What advice would you give yourselves of 10 years ago?

S&T: Always look at the humor in life. When things are tough, it’s important to always have fun.

JN: What has been your secret to staying together?

S&T: We spend a lot of time as a couple. We love our family and our daughter, but we also prioritize ourselves a lot with trips alone, hobbies, etc.

Joan and Eric Joffe on their wedding day, April 10, 1973.

Eric and Joan Joffe (center seated) surrounded by their family.

Stephanie Jarvis Caskill and Tyler Caskill on their wedding day at Ohef Sholom Temple.

Tyler and Stephanie Caskill and their daughter, Carter Caskill at Disney World, December 2022.

MINETTE AND CHARLES COOPER 65 years

Jewish News: When and where did you meet?

Minette and Charles Cooper: In New York on a blind date through Marjorie Quarte, a senior in Minette’s house at Smith College who was dating Charles’s brother Joel.

JN: Charles, how did you convince Minette to move to Norfolk?

M&C: By Charles’s taking a law job in Norfolk.

JN: What was most memorable about your wedding?

M&C: Four things:

• Minette’s stepsister and Charles’s brother giving him a ½ bottle of scotch to calm Charles’s nerves to get him through the ceremony.

• Minette hiding the car to protect it from Chivaree.

• Minette’s two aunts preparing a meal to take with us. It turned out to be one chicken leg and two olives—so we missed dinner.

• Charles going for a swim the next morning and as he climbed out, they came to clean the pool.

JN: What advice would you give yourselves of 65 years ago?

M&C: You’re not marrying a person, you’re marrying a family.

JN: What has been your secret to staying together?

M&C: We agree on more things than we disagree on.

JN: Do you have any advice for couples about to wed?

M&C: Put your whole self into it or it won’t work.

JN: Anything else you’d like to add?

M&C: Have fun together.

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Minette and Charles Cooper at their wedding on June 22, 1958.

Minette and Charles Cooper dancing at a wedding in 2021.

Minette and Charles Cooper with their Norfolk family on Thanksgiving 2022.

SARAH AND BILL KEASEY 10 years

Mazel Tov!

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Jewish News: When and where did you meet?

Sarah and Bill Keasey: We met online May 5, 2008 on Bikerkiss.com. We both had Harleys.

JN: What was most memorable about your ceremony?

S&B: The most memorable was to have our wonderful family and friends surround us.

JN: What advice would you give yourselves of 15 years ago?

S&B: The advice would be…stay the course, be tolerant and forgiving, and realize none of us are perfect.

JN: What has been your secret to staying together?

S&B: Secret is no secret. It’s just love, trust and understanding.

JN: Do you have any advice for couples about to wed?

S&B: Good luck! It’s a bumpy road at times.

Bill and Sarah Keasey.

Sarah Keasey on her Harley.

B'nai Israel Congregation Presents The Ann Zukerman Memorial The Ann Zukerman Memorial Scholar in Residence Scholar in Residence

Rabbi Bentzion Shafier is the founder of theshmuz.com, and author of many books including The 10 Really Dumb Mistakes that Very Smart Couples Make

He is also the man behind the Shmuz itself, a forty-five minute weekly lecture that has been loved around the globe for over ten years. He is

Rabbi Bentzion Shafier

Advance funeral planning

Flexible payment plans

Financing available

Making your arrangements in advance is one of the best ways to show your loved ones that you care about them. Our Family Service Counselors have the training and experience that will help you in the process. Our services include a free funeral cost estimate, and we offer many options for financing. Visit our web site for a three-step Pre-Arrangement Guide or contact the Altmeyer Pre-Arrangement Center directly at 757 422-4000

Approved by all area Rabbis and Chevrah Kadisha

Family owned and operated since 1917 .

Chris Sisler, Vice President, Member of Ohef Sholom Temple, Board member of the Berger-Goldrich Home at Beth Sholom Village, James E. Altmeyer, Jr., President, James E. Altmeyer, Sr., Owner

Pam Gladstone: Loving family and congregants at 80

Terri Denison

InAugust, Pam Gladstone, executive director for Congregation Beth El, turns 80. For more than three of her nearly nine decades, congregants, vendors, and visitors to Beth El have been accustomed to Pam’s friendly greeting at the sanctuary’s door or on the phone.

Cherishing relationships—especially with her family and congregants—helps keep Pam motivated and looking forward to her 80th!

Happy Birthday, Pam! And Mazel Tov on reaching this milestone!

Jewish News: Where are you from?

Pam Gladstone: I was born in Richmond, Va. I was married in 1963 and moved to Norfolk in 1966.

JN: Do you have siblings? If so, where are they?

PG: My sister, Sandy, passed away in 2013. My brother, Steve, lives in Delafield, Wisconsin.

JN: You’ve had a successful career at Beth El as the congregation’s executive director. How long have you been there and where did you work previously?

PG: I have served as the executive director of Beth El for 32 years. Prior to that, I worked part time at the Stadler Agency. We handled all types of insurance but specialized in self-funded health insurance plans for large companies. I was responsible for the enrollment and follow up for those companies. During that time and for many years before I joined the agency, I was very involved in Women’s American ORT. I served as president of the Norfolk and Virginia Beach chapters of Women’s American ORT and later became president of the southeast region of ORT.

JN: How many children and grandchildren do you have?

PG: I have two children and three granddaughters.

My daughter, Ann and her husband, Mark, live in Virginia Beach. Their daughter, Carly, is a graduate student at Norfolk State and will receive her master’s degree in social work in May.

My son, Ron and his wife, Robin, also live in Virginia Beach. Ron’s daughters, Amanda and Hilary live in Atlanta, Ga. and Arlington, Va., respectively.

JN: What do you like to do when you are not at Beth El?

PG: I love spending time with my family and find the time to do that as often as I can. I have made many wonderful friends over the years and enjoy spending as much time as I can with them. I also enjoy reading books on my kindle when I can find time.

JN: What is your secret to life?

PG: I was happily married for 56 years. My husband, Arty, passed away in 2019. I am so blessed that my children live in the area. Family is EVERYTHING to me. I have also loved being part of the Beth El family for the past 32 years. I will always

cherish the relationships I have with hundreds of congregants. They have become my family, too.

Beth El is my second home!

Pam Gladstone at four years old.

Pam Gladstone’s high school senior portrait.

Pam Gladstone.

Sandy Goldberg: Smiling, staying fit, and selling at 80

Terri Denison

Nextmonth, Sandy Goldberg, account executive at Jewish News, turns 80. If he hadn’t shared the news, no one would know. He’s always active…traveling with his wife Anne, busy with his family, entertaining, exercising at the Simon Family JCC, and working the phones and email selling advertisements for this newspaper.

About to enter his ninth decade, he’s

fully embraced the first eight as apparent in this interview.

Happy Birthday, Sandy! And Mazel Tov on reaching this milestone!

Jewish News: Where are you from?

Sandy Goldberg: I am from St. Louis, Mo.

JN: Where do your siblings live?

SG: Both my older brother and younger sister live near San Francisco, Calif.

JN: Where did you go to school?

SG: I graduated University of Missouri School of Journalism.

JN: You’ve had a successful career in media sales. Was that your plan or did you just discover that you were good at it?

SG: Discovered. At the end of my sophomore year, I was washing out of pre-dentistry and told an AEPi fraternity brother who told me to go into Journalism School. I told him I hate newspapers. He told me to major in advertising because you cut things out, paste them down, write funny things next to them and they give you Bs. It worked!

JN: Please name some of the places you’ve worked and what positions you held.

SG: NBC TV network, NYC, sales service; Grey Advertising, NYC, media buyer; Radio general manager and regional vice president in Toledo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Dallas, and WGH Norfolk. I also did Cable TV ad sales at Cox Cable here in Hampton Roads.

JN: You’ve been married to Anne for 36 years. Do you keep each other active?

SG: We keep each other active by walking five miles/day and working out in a gym three to six hours/week.

JN: How many children and grandchildren do you have?

SG: Between us we have four children and four grandchildren.

JN: You and Anne travel a lot! How many countries have you visited?

SG: Nine.

JN: How many trips are on your schedule for 2023?

SG: We started the year in Mexico, a trip that began in late 2022. We have three more trips planned at two weeks each; St. Maarten, Italy with all four grandkids, and Mexico for Hanukkah.

JN: What is your favorite place to visit?

SG: Ireland, Anne was born in Dublin and has a huge and hospitable family there.

JN: You are a regular at some of the Simon Family JCC’s Fitness classes. Have you always been into exercise?

SG: No. The J has been a positive influence.

JN: Do you feel the exercise makes a difference in how you feel?

SG: Absolutely!

JN: You are an entertainer—always having people over to your home where you are

known for delicious and diverse menus. Where did you learn to cook?

SG: My Mom loved to entertain, and she made me her souse chef. She said “you entertain people at your home because you enjoy it…not because you think you will get invited back.”

JN: What’s your secret to life?

SG: My father’s advice…“that which you do well you enjoy and that which you enjoy you do well…the money will follow.”

JN: Anything else to add?

SG: Retiring from full time work to part time here at the Jewish News has made the last 15 years great fun and satisfying. I have no plan to fully retire yet.

Anne and Sandy Goldberg on one of their recent trips.

Sandy Goldberg at kindergarten age.

Sandy Goldberg during his Cox years, at 65 years old.

Sandy Goldberg with his grandson and son, Mike at University of South Carolina.

Mazel Tov: Leadership growth at Beth Sholom Village

The new administrator of the BergerGoldrich Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Lauren Schoenfeld recently achieved the difficult task of earning the Licensed Nursing Home Administrator certification.

Schoenfeld has served in several roles over her six years at Beth Sholom Village, directly supporting executive leadership and taking an active role in managing quality control and assessment. In 2021 she was promoted to director of executive administration and special projects, and in early 2022 began her Administrator in Training program. After completing the 9-month program that included 1,500 supervised hours covering more than 50 areas of nursing home practice, Schoenfeld passed her state and federal level exams to obtain the LNHA certification in January 2023.

Beth Sholom Village is very proud to have such talent within its team, setting high standards for the organization every day.

Recently promoted to director of philanthropy and marketing at Beth Sholom Village, Amy Weinstein has also taken on a significant volunteer leadership role within the community. Starting in January 2023, Weinstein became president of the Association of Fundraising ProfessionalsHampton Roads, Va. Chapter. She served on the board of AFP for several years and chaired National Philanthropy Day, the largest local celebration of non-profits and philanthropy, and the continuing education and programs committee. Weinstein was nominated and elected to the president role by a group of her peers—fellow fundraising executives in Hampton Roads.

Beth Sholom Village is very proud to have one of its own leaders at the forefront of the premier fundraising resource for professionals to learn, collaborate, and grow together.

David Abraham, is president and CEO of Beth Sholom Village.

David Abraham

Twomembers of the leadership team at Beth Sholom Village were recently recognized with promotions, new designations earned, and for their community-wide work. Mazel Tov Lauren Schoenfeld and Amy Weinstein!

LAUREN SCHOENFELD, LNHA

AMY WEINSTEIN, CFRE

Penny Schwartz

BOSTON (JTA)—Veiled brides holding white bouquets; a gold-colored chuppah; the signing of ketubahs, Jewish marriage contracts; lively Jewish music wafting through a social hall as guests danced the hora.

It had all the telltale signs of a traditional Jewish wedding. But the three couples were already married — and had been for a collective total of 125 years.

The event earlier this month was an opportunity for three Ukraine-born couples to have the Jewish ceremonies they could not have when they first wed, when Jewish practice was forbidden under communism in their country.

“It was my dream for many, many years and dreams come true,” says Elisheva Furman, who first married her husband

Fishel in Ukraine 50 years ago.

Held by Shaloh House, a Chabad Lubavitch organization in Boston that serves Jews from the former Soviet Union, the event was also an opportunity for Chabad rabbinical students to practice officiating at Jewish weddings.

Shaloh House launched a rabbinical training institute in 2021, after Rabbi Shlomo Noginski, an educator at the school, was stabbed eight times outside the building in a vicious attack that jolted Boston and especially its Jewish community.

“This wedding ceremony is a victory of love and kindness over oppression and hate,” says Rabbi Dan Rodkin, director of Shaloh House. “It is a testament to the strength of the Jewish people and the resilience of these Soviet-born couples, continued on page 22

They were denied Jewish weddings in the Soviet Union. So, these 3 couples just got married again.

Mazel Tov

continued from page 21

who want to celebrate their union in accordance with their faith and heritage.”

Rodkin himself grew up in Russia. The Chabad movement, which is especially strong in the former Soviet Union, where it was born, has sought to reach Jews from the region whose practices and connection to Judaism were attenuated by living under communism. Shaloh House offers a school, synagogue, and community center all focused on Boston’s substantial community of Russian-speaking emigres.

Growing up, despite antisemitic repression, Elisheva and Fishel Furman both say their families maintained a strong Jewish identity and privately observed Jewish holidays. But “it was dangerous” to show their faith in public, says Elisheva, the grandmother of four. So, when they got married, they did so only in a civil ceremony.

Their religious ceremony and the two others that took place, individualized for each couple, stretched for more than four

hours and featured a festive meal and desserts including traditional Ukrainian and Russian foods.

The event took place in the lead-up to the one-year anniversary on Feb. 24, of Russia’s invasion into the couples’ homeland that is under ruthless bombardment that is devastating Ukraine.

Rimma Linkova, who’s been married to Alexander Linkov for 40 years, and one of the other couples being married, has a cousin still in Ukraine. They talk regularly, she says.

The third couple was Sofya Hannah and Gedalia Gulnik, who used their Hebrew names.

Yelena Gulnik says she was thrilled to see her parents have a Jewish wedding, something she says her father was initially hesitant to do after so many years of marriage. The mother of three, whose kids attend Shaloh House’s day school, was born in Odessa and came in 1994 with her parents to Boston when she was 12 years old.

“My parents never had a chuppah, they never had a religious ceremony. They were not familiar with many religious Jewish traditions,” Gulnik says. “But it was an amazing opportunity. I don’t think they would have ever done this if Rabbi Rodkin hadn’t offered.”

Being at a wedding for her grandparents is “a little weird since you don’t see it every day,” Yelena’s oldest daughter says. “But it’s certainly exciting.”

Among the attendees were New England Patriots Jewish owner Robert Kraft, and his wife, Dana Blumberg, who themselves were married in November. Kraft, whose Campaign to Combat Antisemitism philanthropy launched in 2019, made a $250,000 donation following the attack on Noginski that helped start the rabbinic program.

“When I saw Rabbi Noginksi getting stabbed in my hometown of Boston, it hurt me,” Kraft says.

Noginksi has added his voice beyond Boston, speaking in Hebrew at a

Washington D.C. rally on antisemitism in July 2021, less than two weeks after the attack.

But while the attack was in the background at the wedding event, it was not the main focus as the families celebrated.

“The wedding has enormous meaning,” says Dmitry Linkov about his parents’ ceremony.

He was 5 when his family left Kyiv and settled in Boston. They lived secular lives when he and his younger sister was growing up, but he and his wife, active in Chabad in Chestnut Hill, now embrace more religious practice and observe Shabbat and keep a kosher home.

“What my parents have done tonight will be passed on for generations. It’s a blessing for our future generations,” Dmitry Linkov says.

He hopes the Jewish wedding ceremony inspires other Jews from the former Soviet Union who fled persecution.

“They are celebrating for a nation,” he says. “It’s pretty amazing.”

Artist

Jean-Pierre Weill speaks of love and evolution

Mia Klein and Hunter Thomas

Jean-Pierre Weill

recently spoke to Alene Jo Kaufman of KBH Synagogue about his book, Evolve: A Children’s Book for Adults as part of the Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. The conversation took place on Zoom. Weill, a father of five who was born in France, moved to the United States as a child and later made aliyah to Israel, refers to himself as a poet, expressing himself through multimedia art.

In Evolve, Weill puts a philosophical spin on Torah stories many readers know well. Through the eyes of Adam, Cain, and Abraham, Weill takes the reader on a journey through the concept of self as an open-ended thought. “Through the ego, we invent ourselves,” Jean-Pierre explained. “’i’ is the path to becoming the inventor. By making decisions and choosing, this is how you grow and become your true self.”

When asked about the book’s title, Weill noted that he sees the world as built up of two things, evolution and love. “Evolution is everything and everywhere,” Weill said. “From a more personal evolution comes internal consciousness, culture, and global exploration. The word EVOLve has LOVE embedded in it. Without love, we cannot evolve. Love brought me into the world, and love will take me from it.”

Illustrations from  Evolve: A Children’s Book for Adults  are on exhibit in the Leon Family Gallery at the Sandler Family Campus through the end of February. The illustrations are paired with text from the book curated by Weill, telling an abridged version of the story. Copies of the book are also available for sale at the Simon Family JCC front desk.

To view a recording of the conversation or for more information about the festival or gallery, contact Hunter Thomas, director of Arts + Ideas at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, at HThomas@JewishVA.org.

The Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival is held in coordination with the Jewish Book Council, the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish literature.

Team swims to records

Tom Edwards

TheSwordfish winter youth swim team may have been small, but they accomplished big things.

Lead by coaches Leia Sabatini and Kayleigh Carnazza, the Swordfish broke 14 team records this season. During their three swim meets, Sawyer White, 9 years old, set three new Swordfish records in free style, backstroke, and breaststroke; Alexander Walker, 8 years old, set four new Swordfish records in freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly; and Quinn Margulies, 8 years old, set seven new Swordfish records in freestyle, back stroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Setting new personal times were Dawson White, Mia Grim, Jan Hodicky, Louisa Zito, Liam Kruger, and Levi Foleck.

The summer Swordfish youth swim team starts May 30 and is open to all children ages 5-18.

For more information, contact, Tom Edwards, athletics direc tor at Simon Family JCC, at tedwards@simonfamilyjcc.org.

Kids Night Out — Saturday, Feb. 25, 6–10* pm

Sarah Cooper

Enjoy a night out on the town and attend the Big Saturday Night Celebration of Jewish Film. The Simon Family JCC has made special accommodations to have Kids Night Out the same evening so that parents can head to the movies.

Now accepting members and future members, children from ages four to 12 years old can look forward to games, crafts, snacks, and swimming with friends. The Kids Night Out staff is mostly comprised of Camp JCC counselors who love to connect with campers and other familiar faces throughout the year.

Swimming is lifeguard supervised for those who can swim without a flotation device. Members receive discounted pricing of $20 for one child, $35 for two, or $50 for three or more.

Register at https://federation.jewishva.org/children-family by Friday, Feb. 24 at 4 pm.

*Those attending the film after party have 30 to 45 extra minutes to pick up their child(ren).

Liam Kruger.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

On Assignment with Lahav Harkov in 2023

Thursday, March 2, 12 pm

Elka Mednick

Israel Today’s On Assignment with Lahav Harkov on Thursday, Feb. 2 was another exciting and informative way to learn about who’s who, and what’s happening in the Israeli political world, beyond the front page of the newspapers.

Harkov, Jerusalem

Post ’s senior contributing editor and diplomatic correspondent, offers a wealth of knowledge for all things Israeli current affairs—both domestically and internationally, and she knows how to break down potentially complicated figures and topics.

During the Feb. 2 session, Harkov discussed the potential changes to the judicial system in Israel. She shared with participants the differences between the United States Supreme Court and Israel’s and how the governing coalition in Israel hopes to make changes to the judicial process. The

Protecting Abortion Rights as a Jewish Religious Imperative with Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg

group also discussed the recent decision by the Israeli Attorney General regarding Prime Minister Netanyahu’s role in the potential changes.

Participants asked wide-ranging questions, and Harkov used her insider’s knowledge to answer them all. The next meeting is sure to be just as interesting and engaging.

The Israel Today series is presented by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and Community Partners, including all local synagogues and Jewish agencies.

Register at Jewishva.org/IsraelToday for the final On Assignment with Lahav Harkov conversation in March from the comfort of wherever you are in the world.

For more information, contact Joel Bond at jbond@ujft.org.

Thursday, March 16, 7 pm,

Old Dominion University’s Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding and United Jewish Federation of Tidewater present David Weinfeld, PhD in conversation about his book, An American Friendship: Horace Kallen, Alain Locke, and the Development of Cultural Pluralism Weinfeld’s talk explores how cultural pluralism, the intellectual precursor to multiculturalism, emerged from the

Zoom

friendship of two American philosophers, GermanJewish immigrant Horace Kallen (1882–1974) and African American Alain Locke (1885–1954).

It is a simple idea—different ethnic groups can and should coexist in the United States, perpetuating their cultures for the betterment of the entire country—and it grew out of the lived experience of this friendship between two remarkable individuals.

Kallen was a founding faculty member of the New School for Social Research and a leading American Zionist, while Locke,

Thursday, March 9, 7–8

pm,

Blocker Hall Auditorium, Virginia Wesleyan University

Theoverruling of Roe v. Wade last year brought many Jews across the nation to speak about Jewish perspectives related to reproductive and religious freedom, as well as the scripture that underlies those beliefs. They frequently quoted the same scripture that some Christians were using but interpreting it in very different ways when reflecting on women’s rights and when life begins.

What are Jewish ways of understanding reproductive freedom? What shapes those views? Why is scripture important in thinking about these issues? How can we understand each other’s faith in helpful ways?

Rabbi Roz, senior rabbi at Ohef Sholom Temple in Norfolk, will explore these and other issues at Virginia Wesleyan University.

This event is presented by the Robert Nusbaum Center at Virginia Wesleyan University.

Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg.

Free and open to the public, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757-455-3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu for more information.

David Weinfeld, PhD: An American Friendship: Horace Kallen, Alain Locke, and the Development of Cultural Pluralism

the first Black Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, became a professor at Howard University and the intellectual godfather of the 1920s aesthetic movement known as the Harlem Renaissance.

For both Kallen and Locke, friendship itself served as a metaphor for cultural pluralism, exemplified by people who found common ground while appreciating each other’s differences. This understanding of cultural pluralism offers a new vision for diverse societies across the globe and provides critical background for understanding the conflicts over identity

politics that polarize U.S. society today. Weinfeld is an assistant professor in the department of Philosophy and World Religions at Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J. Previously, Weinfeld taught in the religious studies program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where he held the Harry Lyons Chair in Judaic Studies. His first book, An American Friendship: Horace Kallen, Alain Locke, and the Development of Cultural Pluralism, was published in 2022 by Cornell University Press.

To join the conversation: Zoom: https:// tinyurl.com/mpdbrj8v

For more information, contact ijiu@odu.edu.

Lahav Harkov. David Weinfeld, PhD.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

The 30th Annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film continues

Hunter Thomas

Fivefilms are slated to hit big screens in Tidewater in celebration of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s and Simon Family JCC’s Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by Alma and Howard Laderberg. The five films span continents, time periods, and languages, and all celebrate the diversity of Jewish and Israeli films.

The festival begins with Karaoke, an Israeli film directed by Moshe Rosenthal on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 pm at Cinema Café Kemps River. The film depicts a couple —Meir and Tova—who have been married for 46 years and are finding that their marriage lacks the excitement it once had. When the pair meet Itzik, their new bachelor neighbor, they begin to see new joys in the love they share for one another.

While Tova and Meir are excited to “get with the times,” the protagonist of the festival’s second screening, iMordecai, finds himself at odds with today’s changing technology. Mordecai (played by Judd Hirsch) is a Holocaust survivor living in Miami with his wife, Fela (Academy Award-nominated

actress Carol Kane). When Mordecai’s son convinces him to buy a new cell phone, he begins taking lessons from a young tech store employee, whom herself has a complicated history with the Holocaust. The unlikely pair both teach each other more than they could have anticipated. iMordecai will screen at Zeiders American Dream Theater on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 pm, as part of the festival’s Big Saturday Night Celebration of Jewish Film. Tickets to iMordecai include a conversation following the film with actor Nick Puga, and a dessert and champagne reception accompanied by klezmer music by the band Bagels & Fraylox.

family who purchased President Thomas Jefferson’s iconic Monticello estate in 1834, saving it from ruin. A deep admirer of Jefferson’s scholarship and dedication to religious liberty, Levy and his family owned Monticello for nearly a century—far longer than Jefferson and his descendants. Screened in partnership with Congregation Beth El, the film will be shown at the Samuel P. Johnson Theater at Norfolk Academy on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 2:30 pm. The afternoon includes a conversation with one of the film’s producers, Lisa Stark, and the author of the book that inspired the documentary, Marc Leepson. Vice-Admiral Herman A. Shelanski, US Navy (retired), who is featured in the film, will moderate the discussion.

Closing out the festival’s 30th season is Farewell, Mr. Haffman. This French film tells the story of Joseph Haffmann, a jeweler working in Nazi-occupied Paris in 1941, and the tensions that take place when he asks his employee, Francois, and his wife, Blanche, to hide him. A gripping tale of greed, survival, and courage, it’s not to be missed. Farewell, Mr. Haffmann will play at Beach Cinema Alehouse on Wednesday, March 1 at 7:30 pm.

A uniquely Virginian film, The Levys of Monticello tells the story of Jewish commodore Captain Uriah P. Levy and his

The festival continues with a screening of the classic 1970s film, Next Stop, Greenwich Village on Monday, Feb. 27 at 7:15 pm at Naro Expanded Cinema. Dedicated to longtime friend of the festival Mal Vincent, and introduced by Rabbi Michael Pantiz, Greenwich Village tells the story of a young man yearning to make it as an actor.

Tickets to the 30th annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film are available at JewishVA. org/FilmFest for $12 for each film; tickets to the Big Saturday Night Celebration are $25. Kids Night Out Babysitting is available at the Simon Family JCC for the Saturday screening. Visit JewishVA.org/KNO-FF for more information.

For more information about the festival, contact Hunter Thomas, director of Arts + Ideas, at HThomas@UJFT.org.

Karaoke.

iMordecai.

Next Stop, Greenwich Village.

The Levys of Monticello.

Farewell, Mr. Haffman.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Foundations of Jewish Family Living

Sundays, beginning February 26, 10:30–11:30 am Ohef Sholom Temple, Free

February 26: Creating Jewish Space

March 26: Living Beyond the Day-to-Day

April 23: Birth of a Nation

This four-class series offered as a partnership between United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Ohef Sholom Temple explores the values embedded in the stories that inform Jewish holidays and traditions, and leverages these lessons to bring the conversation home to families

CALENDAR

MARCH 4, SATURDAY

Revolutionize Your Relationship, with the Shmuz. Make sure that your marriage doesn’t succumb to the same mistakes that Rabbi Shafier has seen so many others make. Unfold and unwind the pieces of your partnership so that you can understand your relationship from the inside out. This event, a part of B’nai Israel Congregation’s Ann Zukerman Memorial Scholar in Residence Weekend, will be held at 8:30 pm at the Simon Family JCC and includes a dessert reception and a free copy of The Ten Dumb Mistakes that Very Smart Couples Make (while supplies last). For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org.

MARCH 5, SUNDAY

with confidence and enthusiasm.

Classes are open to all parents in the community. Registration is required. For more information, contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org. Visit JewishVA.org/ FOJL to register.

JMCC blooms with programs and daffodils

The Jewish Museum and Cultural Center, formerly known as Chevra T’helim, is a hidden treasure tucked in the heart of downtown Portsmouth, Va. Once an Orthodox Schul exemplifying Eastern European Jewish Orthodoxy, the Jewish Museum now offers many educational and enjoyable programs.

One recent past program featured a lecture in February by Leonard Rogoff on the Cone Sisters of Baltimore. Claribel and Etta Cone were avid art collectors who donated billions of dollars of art to the Baltimore Museum of Art.

This past October the museum partnered with The Daffodil Project and Am Yisrael Chai to initiate the Daffodil project in Tidewater. With community help, more than 3,000 daffodil bulbs were planted at the museum to memorialize the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust. The blooming of the daffodils will be celebrated at the museum on Sunday, March 5 at 2 pm. Children are welcome to come dressed in Purim costumes to join in this celebration

of music and fun.

Zvi Jankelowitz, director of the Institutional Advancement at The Yiddish Book Center in Amhurst, Mass. will speak at the Museum Sunday, March 12 at 3 pm. Jankelowitz grew up with four Yiddish speaking grandparents in South Africa. He will show clips from The Wexler Oral History Project, a growing collection of more than 1,000 video interviews about Yiddish language and culture. His lecture will include the progress of The Yiddish Book Center from the 1980’s until the present, providing a glimpse into the future of Yiddish in the 21st century.

The Museum’s major fundraising event with dinner and a silent auction will take place on Sunday, May 7. This fun event has previously been held at Uno Pizzeria and Grill in Norfolk. More details regarding this event will be available soon.

Visit www.jewishmuseumportsmouth.org. for more information.

PJ Library in Tidewater’s Operation Hamantaschen at the Simon Family JCC. Come in costume, reserve a timeslot for family and friends to make hamantaschen and enjoy Purim games and crafts while waiting for the cookies to bake. Camp JCC and representatives from regional Jewish sleep away camps will be present to share information about summer camp and lead Purim activities. 1–4 PM All ages welcome. Teens ages 13 and up can sign up to help with the event and earn community service hours by emailing Nofar Trem at ntrem@ujft.org. For more information or to register, visit JewishVA.org/OH.

MARCH 6, MONDAY

Jewish Roots of Modern American Star-chitects . This presentation highlights the background and work of nine Jewish architects who have designed well-known buildings within the United States and around the world. They include Richard Neutra, Victor Gruen, Louis Kahn, Max Abramovitz, Eero Saarinen, Frank Gehry, Denise Scott Brown, Moshe Safdie, and Daniel Libeskind. Free for JCC members with code MEMBERJAE at checkout $5 for JCC Guests. 12pm. Includes lunch. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org.

MARCH 15, WEDNESDAY

The Joy Choice: How to Finally Achieve Lasting Changes in Eating and Exercise with Michelle Segar. Discover the easy, flexible, and three-step joy-infused decision tool that works with the chaos of daily life to achieve eating and exercise goals once and for all— and enjoy doing it! Presented by UJFT and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival in partnership with Simon Family JCC’s JFit. 12 pm. At the Sandler Family Campus. $12 admission, $6 ages 55+ (lunch included). For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org.

MARCH 16, THURSDAY

Monthly Moon Circle. The Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater presents a tradition that spans thousands of years: a monthly holiday known as Rosh Chodesh, “head of the month.” Come together for self-reflection and rituals that will help connect with this ancient legacy, learn from Jewish wisdom, and embrace the unique spiritual energy of each month. 6:45 pm. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org.

MARCH 21, TUESDAY

Woman on Fire with Lisa Barr Woman on Fire is a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece—forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth. After talking her way into a job with the leading investigative reporter in Chicago, Jules Roth is given an unusual assignment: Locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier: legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel’s most famous work, Woman On Fire. Presented by UJFT and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, in partnership with UJFT’s Holocaust Commission and the Chrysler Museum of Art Book Club. 12 pm. Free. Registration is required to receive the link to join online. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org.

MARCH 23, TUESDAY

The Four Corners of the World: A Celebration of Natural Wonders with Roie Galitz presented by Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC & Community Partners’ 12th Annual Israel Today series. Take a trip around the globe with wildlife photographer, environmental diplomat, entrepreneur, and explorer, Roie Galiz without ever leaving Tidewater. Sandler Family Campus. 7:30 pm.Free with pre-registration required. For more information or to register, visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@JewishVA.org. Send submissions for calendar to news@ujft.org. Be sure to note “calendar” in the subject. Include date, event name, sponsor, address, time, cost, and phone.

Congregation Beth El’s “Mickey” Kramer Scholar-in-Residence Weekend: Rabbi Mike Uram

Friday, March 17–Sunday, March 19,

Rabbi Mike Uram will join Congregation Beth El next month for its annual “Mickey” Kramer Scholar-In-Residence Weekend.

Rabbi Uram is the chief Jewish education officer of Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), where he serves as rabbi

Congregation Beth El

and educator-in-residence, increasing Jewish content in all the various areas of JFNA’s work.

For over 16 years, Rabbi Uram was executive director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Hillel.

Rabbi Uram will speak at a dinner Friday night which will follow Rock Shabbat with Beth El’s in-house band, The Tribe; give the sermon at Shabbat morning services; and will have a breakfast meeting with area high school students.

There is no charge to attend any of the events with Rabbi Uram. RSVPs are requested for all the weekend’s events. To RSVP, contact noelle@bethelnorfolk.com. For more information, contact Ronnie Jacobs Cohen at ronnie@ bethelnorfolk.com.

Rabbi Mike Uram.

2023: Simon Family JCC Day Camp Employment

Looking for wonderful place to work? Try Camp JCC !

At Camp JCC, energetic and passionate staff provide a safe and positive learning environment for campers. Previous summer day camp work expe-rience and/or experience working with children helpful.

Excellent Career Experience for College students, high school students (rising Juniors, Seniors) or graduates, or for those looking to work in recreation, education, or social work. All positions serve as role models for campers and each other.

Now Hiring… for the following positions:

Sr. Counselors (High School Graduates or 18 years old)

Junior Counselor (High School Rising Junior and 16 years old)

Specialists ( Activities: Sports, Music, Arts, etc.) •Camper Care Specialist

Special Needs Shadow Counselors •Administrative Assistant Camp Nurse ( RN or LPN)

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience

For more information, contact:

Taftaleen Hunter, Human Resources Director

Applications available at www.simonfamilyjcc.org

Submit completed application to: resumes@ujft.org or by mail

UJFT/Simon Family JCC

Attention: Confidential: Human Resources 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 • Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Staff Orientation: June 11-17; Camper/Counselor Meet & Greet: June 19 Last Blast Camp (Post Camp) August 14 - 25

Employment Opportunity

Director, Women’s Philanthropy & Affinities

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater seeks a creative, articulate, and well-organized individual to work within Women's Division and other targeted (small affinity) areas of the general Campaign. The primary role is to engage new donors, cultivate relationships, and solicit donations to advance Federation’s mission.

The Women’s Campaign Director will organize and facilitate the activities of Women’s Philanthropy Committee, which can include lay leadership development and succession planning; women’s ratings and assignments; outreach to new donors; stewardship of existing donors; and serving in a key senior professional role on the development team. The position requires a Bachelor’s degree with (3) three or more years’ experience in fundraising or equivalent combination of relevant education, experience and skills required; excellent customer service skills, and experience in volunteer management. Strong knowledge of basic office computing, including MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams), Zoom and basic database management skills required. (Proficiency in Power BI and Abila Millennium products a PLUS). Must be able to work off-shift hours including nights and weekends, as needed.

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Complete job description at www.federation.jewishva.org

Submit cover letter, resume and salary requirements to: resumes@ujft.org

Attention: Taftaleen T. Hunter, Director of Human Resources – Confidential

Equal Opportunity Employment

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE WORLD SCHOOL PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAM

INFANTS - GRADE 5

NEW Transitional Kindergarten Class Opening Fall 2023

OBITUARIES

STEVEN L. ADVOCAT

FLORIDA —Steven L. Advocat, 80, passed away on Monday, February 6, 2023.

Steve was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. to the late Anne and Sidney Advocat. Remaining in New York for his early years, the family later moved to Salisbury, Md. Steve graduated from Wicomico High School and studied in Indiana before enlisting in the U.S. Navy, where he served honorably for five years and landed in Virginia Beach.

An entrepreneur at heart, Steve enjoyed a variety of professions and was self-taught in each. He was an architect and builder, turned his interest in coin and stamp collecting into a flourishing career, got into computers early on— building a prosperous business, and then joined an old friend in his cabinet shop for more hands-on work on the way to retirement in Florida.

A founding member at Kehillat Bet

Hamidrash/Kempsville Conservative Synagogue, Steve served in various leadership positions, instilling a sense of pride and the importance of Judaism in his children’s and grandchildren’s lives.

Steve was an ardent golfer, having started playing as a teen with his father. Taking after his mother, Steve was a phenomenal cook and loved to prepare cuisine from around the world for friends and family.

He served two stints as president of his condominium association boards, one in Virginia Beach and the other in Florida, where he remained the president until his death. Credited for completely transforming the Florida condominium, ensuring a safe structure, and modernizing every aspect of the building, the board offered a standing ovation for Steve when reviewing all that had been done over the last few years under his leadership, and due to his commitment, dedication, and demand for quality in every facet of the

association and building.

He is survived by his beloved children, Benn Advocat, Robin Advocat Mancoll, husband Matt, and granddaughters Hannah and Molly Mancoll.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions in his honor may be sent to the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater or Kehillat Bet Hamidrash in Virginia Beach.

BERT LOWENTHAL

NORFOLK—Bert Lowenthal, 99, passed away Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at Harbor’s Edge in Norfolk.

A sweet and charming man who was loved by many, including his parents, Harry and Rose Lowenthal (deceased), dear wife Arlene Helen Lowenthal (deceased), his sons, Robert Lowenthal (deceased) and Alan Lowenthal and his wife Kristi Lowenthal, four grandchildren, and niece Wendy Silberman.

He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pa. He joined the Army shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, and served in Europe, including landing on Omaha Beach and serving as a medical supply officer in a forward area during the Battle of the Bulge.

Upon returning to Pittsburgh after the war, he attended Duquesne University but departed after two years to enter his father’s established fur business. There, he learned the furrier craft from his father. In 1969, he accepted an invitation from his uncle, Julius Lowenthal (deceased), to take over his business (Lowenthal Furriers) in downtown Norfolk on W. Freemason St. The business grew rapidly, moving first in 1980 to larger quarters in Loehman’s Plaza in Virginia Beach, and shortly thereafter to a new expansive building on Virginia Beach Blvd. that continues to serve customers today.

To know Bert Lowenthal was to love him. A perpetual smile, wonderful sense of humor and engaging personality until the very end resulted in him being loved by his family, his customers (who would often drop into his store to simply say hello and receive a kiss), and his numerous friends, including his many golfing companions at Greenbriar Country Club

in Chesapeake and Wycliffe Golf and Country Club in Wellington, Florida where he and Arlene spent their winters for more than 20 years.

A memorial service officiated by Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg was conducted at Ohef Sholom Temple. Following the service, he was sent for burial to West View Cemetery in Pittsburgh. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

SARAH SCHLOSS

SUFFOLK—Sarah Schloss, 74, of Suffolk, Virginia, passed away on January 29, 2023.

Sarah was born on January 29, 1949, in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was the daughter of Phillip C. and Adrienne Ball.

Sarah graduated from Mt. Healthy High School in Cincinnati and attended the University of Cincinnati. Sarah worked in the insurance business for most of her career. She was accomplished and highly trusted by every client. Starting as a secretary, she rose to having her own insurance business, specializing in the property and casualty sector.

She met her husband of 32 years, Jim, a Cincinnati native, while playing in a golf tournament. Golf was a sport Sarah loved and excelled at, winning multiple club championships both in Cincinnati and at her home course in Suffolk, Cedar Point Club.

Of blessed memory, Sarah leaves her parents, Philip and Adrienne, her brothers in-law, Milton J. Schloss Jr. and Bert J. Schloss, as well as many aunts, uncles, and friends.

Sarah passionately loved and supported her family. She is survived by her husband, Jim, of Suffolk. Sons, J.D. of Taos, N. M., Brad (Kelly) of South Haven, Mich. and a daughter, Kim (Dan) of Tampa, Fla. She is also survived by her treasured grandchildren, Dallas Schloss, Rya and Cora Bittie and Sophia Mason, who will miss their greatly loved, Grandma Sarah.

Sarah was a paraplegic for 21 years. Her amazing spirit, strength, and resolve never stopped her from enjoying life to the fullest. She loved and excelled at

OBITUARIES

cooking, having co-authored a cookbook. She embraced every friendship with loyalty and love. Her smile, laugh, and sense of style were legendary and will be missed by all who loved her.

A private graveside service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery with Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg and Cantor Jennifer Rueben officiating. A Celebration of Life will be held in the future.

H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Norfolk Chapel. Online condolences may be offered at hdoliver.com.

The family requests donations to the Children’s Home of Cincinnati or the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

FLORENCE S. TAVSS

VIRGINIA BEACH —Florence S. Tavss was born in the Bronx in 1926 to Henry and Lillian Schonholt. She died January 31 at the age of 96.

She was raised in Norfolk where she graduated with an associate degree from William and Mary. It was there that she met and married her true love, Norman Tavss. Flossie and Norman moved to Danville, Va. as newlyweds where he set up his optometry practice. They spent the next 73 happy years making a life and raising a family. They were honored members of Aetz Chayim Synagogue where the congregation was like an extended family.

Flossie was beautiful inside and out, witty, wise, charming, and caring. Even in the midst of her greatest trials, she was most concerned about the feelings of others. As a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, her proudest achievement was her family. She is survived by her children, Lynn Lantz (Lee Cason), Jody Tavss (Helaine Harris), and Sidney Tavss; her grandchildren Matt Lantz, Jesse Lantz, Avery Lantz (Luke Koogler), and great grandsons Daegan and Luca. She was predeceased by her husband Norman in 2012.

Graveside services were held at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Flossie was an avid reader and lifelong patron of the public library. She was a lifetime member of Hadassah and supported Jewish causes worldwide. Early on, she belonged to the League

of Women Voters and continued to vote in every election even in the last month of her life. In her memory, be a reader, support the charity of your choice, and please vote! Online condolences may be offered to the family at hdoliver.com.

DR. JOEL NORMAN ZABA

NORFOLK—Dr. Joel Norman Zaba of Norfolk, 78, passed away in his home on February 1, 2023 with his wife Diane, friend Tricia and his loving four dogs by his side.

Born to the late Benjamin Zaba and Rubye Hillman Zaba in Norfolk, Joel graduated from Maury High School in 1962. He attended the College of William & Mary and graduated in 1966. Dr. Zaba was then encouraged by his brotherin-law, Dr. Harvey Aftel OD, to attend the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis where he graduated with a degree in Optometry in 1969. Dr. Zaba later received a master’s degree from the University of Maryland from the Institute of Child Study in human growth and development.

In 1972, Dr. Zaba opened his practice on West Little Creek Road in Norfolk and later moved his practice in 1997 to Pembroke One in Virginia Beach. Dr. Zaba specialized in working with children with learning disabilities. He influenced his nephew Brian Aftel to become a Vision Therapist and work at his practice to help children with learning related vision issues. Dr. Zaba published his research and lectured internationally on the connection between children, learning, and vision. He appeared on CNN and The Today Show to talk about children’s vision and learning.

In 2015 Dr. Zaba received the Virginia Optometric Association’s Achievement Award for his service to the community and visual welfare to the public. In 2016 he received the Southern College of Optometry’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his research in Visual Related Learning Problems.

Joel loved books and had a huge library on the third floor of their house. He was also a huge fan of old classic movies as well as current shows and was often at the Naro Theater on Colley Ave

in Ghent. He was an active member at Ohef Sholom Temple and loved all types of music from Cantor Jen and Rabbi Roz singing songs to folk music from longtime friends Bob and Jeannie Zentz.

Dr. Zaba is survived by his wife of 34 years, Diane Michelle Zaba; his sister Diane Zaba Aftel of Norfolk; his two

nephews Brian H. Aftel and Andrew W. Aftel; and numerous cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made to Jewish Family Service or Ohef Sholom Temple. A memorial service took place with Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg officiating.

Sisler, Vice President, Member of Ohef Sholom Temple, Board member of the Berger-Goldrich Home at Beth Sholom Village, James E. Altmeyer, Jr., President, James E. Altmeyer, Sr., Owner

JEWISH TIDEWATER

Winter activities with the Tidewater ShinShinim

Nofar Trem

Tidewater’s ShinShinim, Aya Sever and Alma Ben Chorin, have been busy this winter spreading Israeli culture and education throughout the community. In addition to leading programs at the Simon Family JCC, they have engaged with students at Strelitz International Academy, Ohef Sholom Temple, Temple Emanuel, Congregation Beth-El, and William and Mary.

While Sever and Ben Chorin focus their time within the Jewish community, they still join the wider Tidewater community to build connections between the area and Israel. Cox High School, for example, invited them to join the 10th grade class to discuss the beginning of the Zionist movement. They shared a presentation about the connection between the land of Israel and the Jewish people.

“It was our pleasure to meet intelligent students that care about Israel,” says Ben Chorin. “We are delighted we had this opportunity and hope we may revisit cox high school soon!”

As part of Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s B’nai Tzedek program, Sever and Ben Chorin met with teens to talk about making a change and their potential legacy. They led a discussion about how making an impact on a single person can make an impact on the entire world. The teens were encouraged to

think about their desire to be role models in the Tidewater Jewish community.

To learn more about the ShinShinim, register

a child for Israel Club with Sever and Ben Chorin, or invite them to spend some time with your family, email Nofar Trem at ntrem@ujft.org.

Aya Sever and Alma Ben Chorin explore with their host family, the Brashevitzkys.

Aya Sever and Alma Ben Chorin with B’nai Tzedek teens.

Aya Sever and Alma Ben Chorin at Cox High School.

SIA’s Pre-K class learns about Jerusalem.

Tidewater families at the Shinshinim’s Pajama Pizza Party at the Simon Family JCC.

Aya Sever and Alma Ben Chorin with Lawrence Land at dinner in Town Center.

Beth-El’s Religious School students spell Shalom in Hebrew with their bodies.

DON’T MISS THIS

STEIN FAMILY COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Need money for college? The Stein Family College Scholarship is now offering up to $20,000 a year for four years! The largest scholarship in Jewish Tidewater, this annual college scholarship is awarded to Hampton Roads Jewish students entering college. Applicants are evaluated on financial need, Jewish/community engagement, and academic potential. Scholarship applicants must:

• Identify as Jewish

• Maintain residency in the Tidewater region

• Demonstrate academic ability

• Demonstrate a history of service and engagement in their academic, Jewish, and broader communities through extracurricular and volunteer activities

Application is open until March 1, 2023. To apply or for more information, visit:

The Stein Family College Scholarship is dedicated in loving memory of Arlene Shea Stein who was unable to finish college due to financial hardship.

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