Jewish News - October 17, 2022 Issue

For 58 years, Checkered Flag has been devoted to supporting the Hampton Roads community in which we’re proud to do business. We also partner with over 65 local educators, charities, and community services to create economic opportunity, improve public health, and keep our children well nourished in mind, body and soul. Every road should lead to opportunity for our community. Come along for the ride.

We believe in feeding potential.

Statement by President Joe Biden on breakthrough diplomacy in the Middle East

October

jewishnewsva.org

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

Today,

I am pleased to announce a historic breakthrough in the Middle East. After months of mediation by the United States, the Governments of Israel and Lebanon have agreed to formally end their maritime boundary dispute and establish a permanent maritime boundary between them. I have just spoken with the Prime Minister of Israel, Yair Lapid, and the President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, who confirmed the readiness of both governments to move forward with this agreement. I want to also thank President Emmanuel Macron of France and his government for their support in these negotiations.

Energy—particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean—should serve as the tool for cooperation, stability, security, and prosperity, not for conflict. The agreement

announced by both governments today will provide for the development of energy fields for the benefit of both countries, setting the stage for a more stable and prosperous region, and harnessing vital new energy resources for the world. It is now critical that all parties uphold their commitments and work towards implementation.

This agreement also protects Israel’s security and economic interests critical to promoting its regional integration. It provides Lebanon the space to begin its own exploitation of energy resources. And it promotes the interests of the United States and the American people in a more stable, prosperous, and integrated Middle East region, with reduced risks of new conflicts.

I want to thank our diplomats and everyone across the U.S. government,

past and present, who have worked tire lessly on this bipartisan issue throughout the years. Persistent U.S. diplomacy, paired with the openness of Israeli and Lebanese leaders to negotiate, consult, and ultimately choose what was in the best interests of their people, led to this breakthrough.

I congratulate everyone involved.

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 Debbie Burke, Copywriter Marilyn Cerase, Subscription Manager 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

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.

©2022 Jewish News. All rights reserved.

Subscription: $18 per year For subscription or change of address, call 757-965-6128 or email mcerase@ujft.org.

Upcoming Deadlines for Editorial and Advertising

Oct. 31 Business/Investments Oct. 14 Nov. 14 Hanukkah/Holidays Oct. 21 Dec. 5 Holidays/Mazel Tov Nov. 13 Dec. 19 Year End/Education Dec. 2

Jan. 23 Foodie/Romance Jan. 6

Feb. 6 Invest/Retire Jan. 20

Feb. 20 Mazel Tov Feb. 3

March 6 Camp Feb. 17

CANDLE LIGHTINGQUOTABLE

Friday, October 21/26 Tishrei Light candles at 6:02 pm

Friday, October 28/3 Chehvan Light candles at 5:54 pm

Friday, November 4/10 Chehvan Light candles at 5:47 pm

—page 22

Friday, November 11/17 Chehvan Light candles at 4:40 pm

Friday, November 18/24 Chehvan Light candles at 4:36 pm

Friday, November 25/1 Kislev Light candles at 4:32 pm

“As a mom, as a woman, this directly affects me, it affects my health care.”

JewishNewsVA

President Joe Biden.

BRIEFS

BRAZILIAN JEWS AND ARABS HOLD HUMMUS CHAMPIONSHIP TO CELEBRATE COEXISTENCE— AND FOOD

Brazilian Jews, Christians, and Muslims celebrated their peaceful coexistence in Latin America’s largest nation with a com petition centered on one of the Middle East’s signature foods.

The Hebraica Jewish club in Sao Paulo organized and hosted an inaugu ral Abrahamic Hummus Championship last month, timed to the United Nations’ International Day of Peace. Around 150 people attended the event, and yarmulkes shared the room with keffiyehs and other types of Arab scarves.

Ariel Krok, one of the event’s orga nizers, compared the contest to a “soccer friendly match.” Brazil is home to nearly 10 million people of Arab descent, the largest such population in the Americas, while more than 100,000 Jews call Brazil home, including around 60,000 in Sao Paulo.

Team Sahtein, composed of three Christian Arab women, was declared win ners by the technical jury. A popular jury of participants gave the title to a group of Christian Arab men. Both teams rep resented the Mount Lebanon club of Sao Paulo.

“It is an incredible chance to exchange ideas, experiences, and contacts. Together, making hummus, making peace, making a better future,” added Krok, an inter-re ligious activist who is a member of the JDCorps delegation, the diplomatic arm of the World Jewish Congress.

Jack Terpins, the Brazilian president of the WJC arm in Latin America, referred to the event in an article he published to mark Rosh Hashanah.

“Bringing Jews, Muslims and Christians around one of the most popu lar and present dishes on the tables of the Middle East served to refine the relations between the three groups and expand the dialogue between them,” Terpins wrote in Folha de S.Paulo, Brazil’s most influential daily newspaper.

A similar event was held in Buenos Aires in 2017. (JTA)

IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER BLAMES PROTESTS ON ISRAEL AND U.S.

In finally addressing the protests against the repression of women that have for weeks roiled his country, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, blamed Israel and the United States for the unrest.

“I openly state that the recent riots and unrest in Iran were schemes designed by the U.S.; the usurping, fake Zionist regime; their mercenaries; and some trea sonous Iranians abroad who helped them,” Khamenei said Monday, Oct. 3 in a speech to police cadets in Tehran, remarks which were later posted in English on his official Twitter account.

The protests that have engulfed the country since Sept. 17 were sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, 22, who had been arrested for not properly wearing a headscarf. There have been hundreds of arrests and state TV has reported more than 40 deaths of protest ers and police.

Khamenei did not offer any evidence to back up his assertion, other than to claim that protests in other countries do not garner as much international atten tion and condemnation. Khamenei heads a regime that has for decades backed the dismantling of Israel and lends logistical support to terrorist groups and some of Israel’s most implacable enemies.

Simultaneous demonstrations in sup port of Iran’s protests took place across the world on Saturday, Oct. 1. As in many other countries, Israeli women have recorded online videos in support of the Iranian protesters; at least one set was organized by Israel’s foreign ministry. (JTA)

TRADER JOE’S DROPS THE ‘ISRAELI’ FOR ITS PEARL COUSCOUS, CITING CHANGE IN SUPPLY CHAIN Couscous lovers who frequent the gro cery store Trader Joe’s may have noticed a change in the grain aisle: The chain’s brightly colored purple boxes of “Israeli Couscous” are now simply known as “Pearl Couscous.”

The Nosher, a sister website to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, first reported

the label change after word of it spread on the popular Facebook group Kosher Trader Joe’s.

The move raised questions in the group about whether Trader Joe’s was trying to distance itself from Israel, a move that some companies have made for political reasons. But a spokesperson for the company said it “recently switched to a new supplier for this product and it is now sourced domestically rather than from Israel.” The product itself hasn’t changed, according to The Nosher’s report.

Trader Joe’s carries a host of ingre dients and products associated with Israeli cuisine. The company sources its date syrup, called silan in Hebrew, from Belgium and its tahini, a Middle Eastern staple, from Greece. But its Bamba, both regular and chocolate-filled, is sourced from Israel and bears the kosher certifica tion of Israel’s Chief Rabbinate.

Even if the pearl couscous itself is no longer sourced directly from Israel, the method by which it’s prepared is histori cally Israeli (and is not actually couscous, a semolina product that is North African in origin). The pearl-shaped “ptitim” wheat product came about during a period of intense rationing in Israel in the 1950s, when the country was seeing an influx of more than 700,000 new immigrants. Under orders by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, local food manufacturer Osem created a baked wheat-based alter native to rice, unlike its semolina-based “traditional” couscous cousins from North Africa. (JTA)

JEWISH PROGRESSIVE IS NEW CHAIR OF HOUSE MIDDLE EAST SUBCOMMITTEE

Democrats on the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee voted to name as chairman of its influen tial Middle East subcommittee Rep. David Cicilline, a Jewish Rhode Islander who is a member of the party’s Progressive Caucus.

Cicilline bested Brad Schneider, a moderate Jewish Illinois Democrat, in an 18-6 vote.

Cicilline and Schneider are both close to the mainstream pro-Israel community

and are both endorsed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s affiliated political action committee, but estab lishment pro-Israel insiders had favored Schneider and lobbied for him because his ties are closer. Schneider held lay leader positions at AIPAC, the American Jewish Committee, and Chicago-area Jewish groups and has taken the lead in advanc ing pro-Israel legislation.

Cicilline replaces Ted Deutch, the Florida Democrat who is quitting Congress to lead the American Jewish Committee, and who, like Schneider, is close to the mainstream pro-Israel com munity. Cicilline plans to run again to lead Democrats on the subcommittee in December. The subcommittee shapes policy on Israel and Iran, among other issues of intense focus to the organized Jewish community.

A committee insider says that Cicilline prevailed because of his seniority, usually the most important factor when Democrats choose congressional leaders. Cicilline was elected in 2010 and has served since; Schneider was elected in 2012 but lost in 2014 before being reelected in 2016.

Cicilline stands out in the Progressive Caucus, where he is one of eight vice chairs, for being vocally pro-Israel among a faction of House members who have grown increasingly critical of the country. In addition to being endorsed by AIPAC’s PAC, he is also endorsed by the political action committee associated with J Street, the liberal Jewish Middle East policy group; Schneider does not have J Street’s endorsement.

Cicilline did not mention Israel in a statement after the vote but spoke in general terms of unity. “At a time of instability around the world, including in the Middle East, I believe that it is more important than ever that we work together, as members of the committee, to do everything we can to address human itarian crises, human rights abuses, and political upheaval throughout the region,” he said. (JTA)

MARTY EINHORN PAVILION

Marty Einhorn Pavilion’s dedication brings smiles and memories

The dedication of the Marty Einhorn Pavilion took place on the practically perfect morning of Sunday, September 18.

Jazz sounds of the Jimmy Masters Trio welcomed guests, lunch was served, and the program, paying tribute to Marty Einhorn, a beloved community member, was heartfelt—filled with plenty of good memories and humor benefitting an allaround terrific guy.

The 2,400-square-foot outdoor struc ture, which is adjacent to the basketball court on the rear lawn of the Sandler Family Campus, has a front and back patio, benches, picnic tables, and fans. The pavilion has a comfortable seating capacity of 160 people.

Photos by Mark Robbins.

Laura Gross, UJFT president.

Kelly Burroughs with Ed and Anne Kramer.

Heather Sunderlin, Ron Brodsky, and Deborah Thorpe.

Brenda and Mark Kozak.

Alvin Wall, co-chair of the dedication event.

Diane and Gerald Einhorn.

Susan Einhorn, Lois Einhorn, Jeff Chernitzer, event co-chair, and Barry Einhorn.

Harry Graber and Scott Levin.

The Jimmy Masters Trio.

Sam Sachs.

Wendy Jo Brodsky and Lois and Barry Einhorn.

Elena and Gary Baum.

JCRC interviews Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District’s candidates: Representative Elaine Luria (D) and State Senator Jen Kiggans (R)

The Jewish Community Relations Council posed a series of questions to the candidates running for Virginia’s Second Congressional District: Congresswoman Elaine Luria and State Senator Jen Kiggans. Their responses follow.

JCRC strives to motivate, educate, and advocate on issues important to the Jewish community locally, nationally, and globally. For more information about the upcoming elections on November 8, to review your registration status, and more, visit: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/.

JCRC: Democrats and Republicans both stridently support the diplomatic and strategic relationship between Israel and the United States. Why do you think that is? How do you see the shared values of Israel and the United States growing in the future?

Elaine Luria: As a 20-year Navy vet eran and proud Jewish American, I know firsthand that Israel is our strongest ally in the Middle East and I am committed to advancing policies that support Israel and strengthen the U.S.-Israel bilateral relationship.

Both Republicans and Democrats rec ognize that supporting Israel is essential to our national security and stability in the region. We have a duty to stand firmly with Israel and its people in the face of attacks from terrorists and dangerous regimes who have the same goal in mind: to kill Jews. The United States and Israel are committed to democracy and stability in the Middle East and around the world, and those shared values will continue to guide and grow the relationship between our two countries and people.

JCRC: What do you say to those who think the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement is protected under the First Amendment?

EL: At every opportunity, I have voted to condemn the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement that seeks to wage economic warfare with the State of Israel. I proudly advocated for consideration and passage of H.Res. 246, a bipartisan anti-BDS resolution. The BDS movement

targeting Israel does not support a twostate solution, promote coexistence, civil rights, or political reconciliation. Its sup porters seek to undermine the right that the Jewish people have to their homeland and their economic security. I know that the BDS movement is antisemitic at its core, and I will always stand against the scourge of antisemitism that jeopardizes the safety of the Israeli people.

JCRC: As negotiations with the Iranian regime are currently at a standstill, what do you see as the impact of a nuclear Iran? Do you think the United States should rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action?

EL: I have been very vocal about my concerns with the Biden Administration negotiating the latest iteration of the failed JCPOA with Iran. I led a bipar tisan group of members in sending a letter to the White House to address concerns surrounding an agreement with Iran. Permanently preventing a nuclear capable Iran is one of my top priorities in Congress. A nuclear Iran endangers Israel and threatens security and stability in the Middle East and around the world. If a deal were to go through, we must ensure Israel has the means to respond to the resulting threats.

JCRC: Though it manifests differently, antisemitism is on the rise from the fringes on both the right and the left of the political spectrum. Furthermore, the con spiratorial nature of antisemitism and all hatred erode the moral foundations upon

which American democracy is based. How do you address antisemitism when it arises within your own party? How do you plan to act against antisemitism when you encounter it?

EL

: The rise of antisemitism in our country and around the world is deeply disturbing. Antisemisitsm must be con demned loudly and forcefully in every instance, including when it occurs in my own party. Sadly, my very first speech on the House floor was denouncing antisem itism from a member of my own party. Retorting to the attacks, I asked if it hadn’t been enough that I served in the Navy for 20 years and was now serving my coun try in Congress. It was unfortunately the first of many speeches made addressing antisemitism. As 20-year Navy veteran and American Jew, I will always stand up to antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head. Support for Israel has long been a bipartisan pillar of American politics, and I am proud to lead the way in Congress to strengthen the partnership between the two countries.

JCRC: In your view, what are the three most important issues currently facing voters in VA-2 and how do you plan to address each one legislatively?

EL: There are a number of important issues facing Coastal Virginia and our country, like protecting our democracy, standing up to China, and tackling the high costs of health care and prescription drugs.

One of the top concerns I hear from Coastal Virginians is the strain that higher

prices are putting on working families and the global supply chain disruptions caus ing these rising prices. That’s why I have supported legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act to lower the costs of pre scription drugs, cut costs for working families, and tackle the root causes of inflation.

Supporting our men and women in uniform, veterans, and military families is also one of the top issues I hear from voters in Hampton Roads. I have consis tently fought for and passed an increase in pay and benefits for our veterans and mil itary families, including a nearly 5% raise for active-duty personnel in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. This year’s NDAA also includes an additional $37 billion through my amendment to grow the Navy, strengthen national secu rity, and defend our interests against threats like China, Russia, and Iran.

U. S. Representaive Elaine Luria.

ELECTION 2022

JCRC: Democrats and Republicans both stridently support the diplomatic and strategic relationship between Israel and the United States. Why do you think that is? How do you see the shared values of Israel and the United States growing in the future?

Jen Kiggans: The ties between Israel and the United States are firmly rooted in our shared Judeo-Christian values. Furthermore, Israel has been a strong strategic ally for the United States in the Middle East. As tensions rise in the Middle East, the United States’ coopera tion with Israel must continue to grow.

JCRC: What do you say to those who think the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement is protected under the First Amendment?

JK : Campaigns to demonize Israel and its people must be met with opposition. The BDS movement has no place and we must change the narrative in Congress and in

the world. We should encourage increased economic opportunity with Israel instead of restricting it!

JCRC: As negotiations with the Iranian regime are currently at a standstill, what do you see as the impact of a nuclear Iran? Do you think the United States should rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action?

JK : The prospect of a nuclear Iran should be extremely concerning to every American and our military allies around the world. A nuclear Iran would further destabilize the Middle East and threaten Israel. Congress must prioritize restoring the strength in our military to ensure that we are a strong deterrent to an increasingly emboldened Iran. America’s priority should be to prevent Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon and stopping any nuclear deals which would enable that. Accordingly, America can never rejoin the JCPOA.

JCRC: Though it manifests differently, antisemitism is on the rise from the fringes on both the right and the left of the political spectrum. Furthermore, the con spiratorial nature of antisemitism and all hatred erode the moral foundations upon which American democracy is based. How do you address antisemitism when it arises within your own party? How do you plan to act against antisemitism when you encounter it?

JK : Antisemitism is unacceptable and must be confronted whenever and wher ever it occurs. In my career as a Navy pilot, as a nurse practitioner, and as a state senator, I have stood against discrimina tion wherever it occurs. We must publicly and strongly condemn such behavior when it takes place.

JCRC: In your view, what are the three most important issues currently facing voters in VA-2 and how do you plan to address each one legislatively?

JK : The most important issues facing Virginians in the 2nd District are the economy/inflation, community safety, and our standing on the world stage. For the economy, Virginians (especially our active duty military and retired people on fixed incomes) are struggling to put food on the table, put gas in their cars, and heat their homes. We must prioritize our energy independence to drive down the cost of fuel, groceries, and energy bills and stop the out-of-control spending we are seeing in Washington which is further contribut ing to increasing inflation.

Jen Kiggans.

ELECTION 2022

Your district, your vote: Virginia Beach’s new election system

Christopher S. Boynton, Deputy City Attorney, City of Virginia Beach

Changes were recently made to Virginia Beach’s election system. In this year’s election on November 8, voters will only be able to select a city Council and a School Board representative who represents the specific district where a given voter resides. The previous system allowed voters across the entire city to vote for all city Council and School Board members. In the new 10-1 ward system, the city is divided into 10 districts of approximately equal popula tion, with the Mayor’s position remaining an at-large seat that is chosen by all Virginia Beach voters in 2024.

This year, voters residing in Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 will be able to cast a vote for their choice for the City Council

and School Board representative in their district. Additionally, there will be a special election for city Council District 1. Voters who reside in Districts 3, 5, and 7 will not have a city Council or School Board candi date on the ballot this November.

This change to the local election system does not impact any state or fed eral representation. Other local elections such as the Sheriff, Clerk of Court, city Treasurer, Commonwealth’s Attorney, or Commissioner of the Revenue are not affected by this change.

How we got to this point is a long and complex story (the full details of which can be found at www.VBgov.com/election changes), but here’s the short version: Last year, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled that the city’s former election system violated Section 2

of the Federal Voting Rights Act by diluting the votes of minority groups and deter mined that the remedy for this violation was to impose a 10-district ward system that includes three “minority opportunity districts.” These new minority opportunity districts, where non-white voters make up a majority of a district’s population, are Districts 4, 7, and 10.

The city appealed this decision (while continuing to implement the 10-1 system as ordered by the District Court) and continued to assert its viewpoint that the former system did not unlawfully dilute the voting rights of minority voters and that minority groups are not politically cohesive in Virginia Beach (meaning that the city’s various minority communities are politically diverse and do not vote for the same political candidates and causes).

Although the city is no longer bound to the District Court’s orders (including the order imposing the 10-1 ward system), the decision from the Court of Appeals came too late to implement a system other than the 10-1 ward system for the 2022 elections.

At the same time the court case was unfolding, legislation was passed by the Virginia General Assembly and signed by Governor Northam in 2021 (HB2198), which changed the city’s former system by making its seven previous residence dis tricts into ward districts. The city asserted at trial and on appeal that the state legisla tive change rendered the court case moot.

In July of this year, a three-judge panel on the U.S Court of Appeals agreed with the city that the District Court had erred in its rulings and that HB2198 rendered the court case moot. Therefore, although the city is no longer bound to the District Court’s orders (including the order impos ing the 10-1 ward system), the decision from the Court of Appeals came too late to implement a system other than the 10-1 ward system for the 2022 elections. Any consideration of a new system by city Council will occur in 2023.

Voters may determine their district, which candidates will appear on the ballot, and their polling location by visiting www.VBgov.com/vb10. There is also infor mation about the new districts and how the new system will impact residents, along with a digital toolkit available in English, Spanish, and Tagalog to help inform others about this change.

The Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater cham pions a thriving Jewish community locally, in Israel, and around the world and leverages the strength of the diverse and vibrant Jewish com munity to promote a just and democratic society by leading, convening, educating, and advocat ing. The JCRC, therefore, works to ensure that all voters are well informed and have all perti nent details when choosing a candidate.

Anyone in Virginia who is unsure of their polling place should visit https://vote.elections.virginia. gov/VoterInformation/Lookup/polling.

Christopher S. Boynton.

Jewish Democrat in striking distance of unseating Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado

Philissa Cramer

(JTA)—A self-described “moderate, prag matic Jew” is polling nearly even with one of Congress’s most extreme Republicans just weeks before the general election.

A poll conducted last month suggests that Adam Frisch could unseat Lauren Boebert in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District in November. Boebert received support from 47% of likely voters, while Frisch received 45% in the poll that has a 4.4% margin of error.

Frisch, a two-term city council member from Aspen who has served on the board of his local synagogue, is running to offer an alternative to Boebert, who backed former president Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the election and has expressed admiration for the QAnon conspiracy theory.

“At the end of the day, I’m a moder ate, pragmatic Jew” who is running to oppose “a QAnoner in the general elec tion,” Frisch told Jewish Insider in June, adding, “It’s a story that might resonate with a lot of people who have concerns.”

Frisch told Jewish Insider that he would support Israel in Congress and oppose the movement to boycott it. He also said he felt the same way about guns, Boebert’s passion, as he does about marijuana: They’re not for him, but they should be legal and regulated.

A Democratic win in the reliably Republican district located in Colorado’s Western Slope region would be a surprise. But there are a large number of unaffili ated voters there, and Boebert’s extremism is seen as having alienated many of them. In addition to backing Trump and QAnon,

Boebert has openly called for the United States to undo the separation of church and state, leading some political analysts and historians to say she meets the defini tion of a Christian nationalist.

Forever Helping Others

Bill Goldback’s legacy lives on through the arts.

Bill, who died in 2007, left a donation in his will for the performing arts in Hampton Roads.

$400 off

wing recliners

The William A. Goldback Fund continues to support arts groups and other causes in our community.

Find out how you can leave your mark.

Adam Frisch.

SUKKOT2-for-1 Sundays are back!

tradition continues

through

CUSTOM

Getting engaged or married soon? Jewelry from a chain store just won’t cut it. You want something unique. We can design that special mounting for your family diamond or supply you with the perfect diamond.

REPAIR

Your diamond is loose, or it fell out and you’re in a panic. Nunez can repair it for you right on the premises in our fully equipped shop. Where the owner/jeweler has 40-plus years of experience. Most repairs are done in

hours.

ring on

For this year’s Sukkot, peace and Jewish agricultural law had Morocco’s etrog industry blossoming

David I. Klein

(JTA)—A bumper crop of etrogs took a more direct route to Israel this year, thanks to a historic confluence of geopol itics and religious observance.

Once home to the largest Jewish com munity in the Arab world, Morocco has a long history producing the citrus fruit used by millions of Jews every Sukkot —in fact, tradition holds that etrog trees were first planted in the Atlas Mountains nearly 2,000 years ago by Jews who found shelter amongst the Berber tribes there after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

Jewish communities around the world import hundreds of thousands of Moroccan etrogs every year: They’re more affordable than the Calabrian variety, the Diamante Citron, prized by some Hasidic groups, which can command hundreds of dollars for an unblemished specimen.

But the Israeli market, where the majority of the world’s Orthodox Jews live, has a robust etrog industry of its own and strict controls on agricultural imports.

The one time Moroccan etrogs are welcome in Israel is after the shmita year, the seventh year in the Jewish agricultural cycle, where working the soil in the land of Israel is forbidden under Jewish law. While not all Israeli farmers follow the agricultural cycle prescribed by Jewish law, those who produce ritual products such as etrogs must—or else their prod ucts would be forbidden to a religious customer base.

The past Jewish year that ended with Rosh Hashanah was a shmita year, mean ing that no etrogs were cultivated in Israel for this year’s Sukkot festival. Instead, huge numbers of etrogs traveled from Morocco to Israel, as they did seven years ago.

This time, though, their path was eased by a normalization agreement struck by

Israel and Morocco two years ago, part of a slew of trade deals between Israel and Arab countries aimed at opening new dip lomatic and economic connections.

“Before the agreement, we always had to sell through a third country,” Hervey Levy, a businessman and member of the Agadir Jewish community who operates an etrog farm, says. “It could be Turkey, it could be Spain, it could be Italy—it had to transit somewhere.”

Several agreements to ease trade between Morocco and Israel after their normalization agreement, part of the Abraham Accords brokered by the United States, have yet to be signed, according to Einat Levi, the former head of economic affairs at Israel’s diplomatic mission to Morocco. But she said the trade in etrogs, which as a religious object, face different regulations from other agriculture, was evidence of the potential in the countries’ relationship.

“It is symbolic because it shows how two religions can stand up for each other— so when the Jews cannot work their land, their fellow Muslims can supply what they need during that year, so they can keep their ritual and tradition,” Levi says.

This year, Hervey Levy sent his etrogs to Israel direct from Casablanca on Royal Air Maroc, Morocco’s national airline. The normalization deal brought passengers the other direction, too, he says—compet itors in the etrog trade.

“This year was the first time it was a shmita after the agreements, so we had many people, some newcomers trying to try their luck.” Levy says. “The newcom ers, they come, they give some high prices without knowing, they didn’t know the system to send and pack, but you also had some experienced people who have been here for a long time.”

For Levy and the Jews of the Agadir, the period of a few weeks before Rosh Hashanah is always a happy time. A few dozen Jewish merchants would descend

on the Berber-speaking villages in the mountains around Agadir, typically invig orating Shabbat services during their visit.

“They all end up at the synagogue so we’re quite happy because the synagogue is full during this period,” Levy says.

This year, however, Levy says there were enough traders that they decided to stay together over Shabbat at a hotel in the mountains, where they could walk to the etrog farms.

Fewer than 2,000 Jews remain in Morocco, but Berber-speaking Muslims have long cultivated the fruit in villages high in the Atlas Mountains around the beach town of Agadir. Only 40 to 50 Jews remain in the city itself, once home to thousands of Jews as an important trade hub on the route between sub-Saharan Africa and western Europe.

Of them, about a dozen cultivate etrogs. Levy’s father planted his family’s farm decades ago.

“My father, zichrona livracha, a long time ago took small trees from up in the mountains, in the place where they were first grown here, and began harvesting them in the valley,” Levy recalls, using the Hebrew words meaning “may his memory be a blessing.”

Levy’s father was far from a simple farmer. An industrialist and entrepreneur, he was the president of the Jewish com munity in Agadir and a member of the Moroccan parliament, but for him, grow ing etrogs was a labor of love.

Though they exported the fruits for sale abroad, for the Moroccan Jewish com munity, he offered his crop for free.

His father died last year, but Levy, whose full-time job is as a business con sultant, made sure the orchard wouldn’t go fallow this year.

Levy’s family farm boasts around 400 trees and produced around 9,000 fruits this year, and another Jewish-run farm in Agadir is at least double the size, he says. In comparison, the average village orchards in the mountains have only between 60 to 100.

“There are lots of Muslim owners but they have smaller lands,” Levy explains.

Still, no one is getting rich off the trade. While the finest quality of etrog, rated “Aleph-Aleph” on the Israeli scale,

may sell for more than $80 in Morocco and more abroad, the lesser “Bet” quality etrogim only go for around $15, and the “Gimels,” less than $10.

Barely 5% of the crop are Aleph qual ity, Levy says, while 40% are Bets and the rest Gimel. In total, Levy says that after a year’s worth of labor and all the expenses, his farm saw only around $30,000 in profits.

Along with the lulav, a bound sheaf of branches, the etrog is an essential ritual object used during Sukkot; Jewish law requires adherents to wave the items during the holiday. The high demand for etrogs meant that the newly eliminated stopoff on their journey between Morocco and Israel was never the main obstacle to their import.

“The customs are very tough to accept etrogim from outside of Israel,” Levy says, “except for during the shmita year.”

Though the synagogue in Agadir may not have been full this year, etrog shipments were. About 600,000 etrogs were exported from Morocco, Levy esti mated—10% more than in a typical year, with a larger-than-usual portion headed for Israel, but also to Jews around the globe.

“Even Brazil, Singapore, wherever there is a small community,” Levy says.

Local Relationships Matter

MEET: Paul R. Hernandez

actively involved

is very forward thinking and is always up on potential changes. We have also been impressed by Payday’s contingency planning. Whenever there

a potential natural disaster in our region, such as

large storm, Payday

staff

proactive and works with

make sure that everyone

be paid

Lulav and etrog.

The ancient Jewish practice of hakhel, an every-seven-years gathering, gets a 21st-century revival

Jackie Hajdenberg

(JTA)—Every seven years, in ancient times, Jewish men, women, and chil dren would gather at the Temple on the first day of Sukkot to hear the king of Jerusalem read aloud from the Torah.

In 2022, there’s no king and no Temple, and more than half of all Jews live far from Jerusalem—but the ritual is still inspiring Jews around the world to gather together. In fact, the tradition, known as hakhel, appears to be seeing a resurgence of popular interest.

In Northampton, Massachusetts, Abundance Farm hosted an outdoor festi val with tree planting, music, pickles, and cider to mark the end of the seven-year cycle of the shmita or agricultural sabbat ical year to which hakhel is tied.

At Mount Zion Temple, in St. Paul, Minnesota, community members learned and shared Torah verses that inspire them and move them to action.

Mitsui Collective, a Jewish community-build ing organization, hosted an online “in-gathering” in honor of hakhel. Other congregations and com munities hosted events online and in person that include Torah study, social activities, and reflection on the next seven years of Jewish life.

In New York City, a hakhel event planned for outside of Chabad’s head quarters in Crown Heights crowded the

streets, while Chabad of Midtown hosted a Sukkot event for young Jewish professionals in the spirit of the ancient practice.

“The biggest com memoration of it all is actually just primarily bringing people together and celebrating as Jews,” says Rabbi Levi Shmotkin, director of Chabad Young Professionals.

“Especially in our times now, it’s something that people are craving,” he adds. “To have that feeling of community, of commitment, of unity, of togetherness, of being part of something greater than themselves.”

Hakhel—the imperative “Assemble!” in Hebrew—is the penultimate commandment outlined in the Torah. “Gather the people— men, women, children, and the strangers in your communities—that they may hear and so learn to revere your God and to observe faithfully every word of this teach ing,” Moses tells his followers. Historical records show that the gathering was prac ticed during the time of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. But after it was destroyed in 70 CE, sending the Jews scattering, hakhel collapsed as a practice, too.

The contemporary revival began in the late 19th century, when a Polish rabbi named Eliyahu David Rabinowitz-Teomim published an anonymous pamphlet with a proposal to observe an assembly “in renewal of hakhel.”

The founding of Israel in 1948 invigo rated the practice of multiple laws specific to the land of the ancient Jews, including the commandment to leave fields fallow every seven years, and renewed attention to hakhel. In 1952, the conclusion of the first shmita year after Israel’s founding, parallel events were held in Jerusalem and New York City.

Still, hakhel has remained unknown to many American Jews, with the promi nent exception of those affiliated with the Chabad-Lubavitch

movement.

SUKKOT

In the mid-20th century, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson of the Lubavitch Hasidic dynasty exhorted his followers to observe hakhel in a modern way, focused on the spirit of gathering and on the education of children. Since then, it has become de rigueur in Chabad circles, and the movement says it is hosting more than 500 hakhel gatherings around the world this year—including a reenactment of the ancient rituals at a girls’ school in Montreal and an outing to an amusement park in Connecticut.

The founding of Israel in 1948 invigorated the practice of multiple laws specific to the land of the ancient Jews, including the commandment to leave fields fallow every seven years, and renewed attention to hakhel.

easily, or the widening practice of shmita in Israel has led to more awareness, or something else entirely is going on is any one’s guess, he said.

But he said hakhel’s explicit inclusion of women and children makes it an attrac tive ritual for many Jews today.

“We live in a cultural moment where people are thinking a tremendous amount about inclusion, and about the ways in which communal institutions can actually draw everyone in,” Tucker says.

“The notion that there’s a biblical and cultural precedent from within the tradi tion that already stands for that, I think, is very compelling,” he adds.

Most hakhel gatherings are designed to channel the spirit of the commandment and to celebrate the conclusion of the agricultural cycle, including sometimes by discussing environmental issues includ ing how to combat climate change.

But at least one group also planned to carry out the most expansive interpreta tion of the hakhel commandment. Judaism Unbound, a group that aims to engage “disaffected but hopeful” American Jews, hosted a recitation of the entire Torah—all 52 portions that are read in synagogues throughout the year—during an online event; the group estimated that the read ing would take more than 15 hours.

In Jerusalem, there was a hakhel event at the Western Wall plaza on the second day of Sukkot, where three new Torah scrolls were dedicated. Expected to attend were Isaac Herzog, the current president of Israel whose grandfather, then the Ashkenazi chief rabbi, was present at the country’s first hakhel celebration, as well as many prominent rabbis, cantors and singers.

Indoor

Fall Into

Rabbi Ethan Tucker, president and rosh yeshiva of Hadar, an egalitarian yeshiva in New York, says he has noticed more chatter about hakhel among other Jews in recent years. Whether that’s because social media has allowed propo nents of the ritual to find each other more

The observance of Simchat Torah, the holiday that marks the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle, is in some ways a tribute to what hakhel recalls. It’s typically celebrated with festive gatherings in which all members of the community engage with Torah scrolls; like hakhel, the holiday is famously child-friendly.

“It’s always fascinating how great ideas and memorable rituals don’t really ever die,” Tucker says. “They’re always ripe for a revival or they take on new forms.”

Simon Family Passport to Israel recipient experiences some of “the best days” of her life

Leila Abrams

n the summer of 2020, my family had to cancel a trip to Israel due to the pandemic. I was disappointed that I wasn't going to experience Israel with my family, but I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to go with my second family, Capital Camps.

I

I have attended Capital Camps for nine years and the people I’ve met are some of my best friends. This summer I was a part of a Capital Camps leader ship program that took place in Israel. It was such an incredible opportunity to create even deeper connections with these friends, as well as a stronger under standing of such a special country.

Our time in Israel lasted 21 days and they were some of the best days of my

life. We started in Jerusalem, one of my favorite parts of the country. Walking the same streets in the Old City as our ances tors felt unreal. Before leaving for my trip, many people said that in Israel you feel a special connection to the country. Until I went, I truly didn’t understand. As I spent time in the Old City, as well as so many other places throughout Israel, I felt a unique sense of belonging that I had never experienced before.

We spent the next weeks visiting every corner of the country. Of course we hit the highlights—hiked in the Golan, climbed Masada, floated in the Dead Sea, and prayed at the Western Wall. But we also felt part of a worldwide community, learned about the political complexities of the region, and experienced the art and music of the many groups that make

up Israel. Not to mention we had so much fun and ate so much falafel!

The Shabbats in Israel were some of the most inspiring moments we had together. We spent one Shabbat at the Kotel, the Western Wall, where I was able to see the mass of people gathered to pray. When I was there, I felt closer to my Judaism. I was praying at the same place that Jews from around the world have prayed and gathered for thousands of years.

Leaving Israel was one of the hardest things I've done. I am so thankful that I was able to have this experience with this group of people. And as I got onto the plane, the only thing that I could think about was that I would return someday soon.

Leila Abrams, a Simon Family Passport to Israel grant recipient, is a sophomore in Princess Anne High School’s IB program.

For information about the Simon Family Passport to Israel program at Tidewater Jewish Foundation, contact Ann Swindell at aswindell@ujft.org or 757-965-6106 or go to jewishva.org/passport. Applications are open through November 15.

Leila Abrams in Israel.

LEGAL MATTERS IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY

Dear Readers,

It happens to all of us. For some, more often than others.

The reasons vary…it might be time to write a will, purchase a home, or establish a trust. Or, maybe a traffic accident (or violation) occurs, a dispute with neighbors brews, or an employment contract needs review. Not only do the reasons vary, they are seemingly countless.

We need an attorney…or rather, we need attorneys, as today most specialize in specific areas of law.

For this special Legal Matters section, Debbie Burke, copywriter for Jewish News, contacted several local attor neys about their practices and what, if any, new laws

might impact us in Virginia. The interviews with Deborah Casey, Andrew Fox, Tom Snyder, and Wayne Goodman begin on page 18. Their responses are interesting, infor mative, and uplifting as they all really seem to be happy working in their profession.

Around the country, Jewish groups are responding to recent Supreme Court rulings. In Kentucky, for example, Jewish women are suing to block the state’s abortion restrictions made possible by the overturn of Roe V. Wade this summer. The article is on page 22. In New York, a Jewish gun club is suing Gov. Kathy Hochul to allow

concealed weapons in synagogues. The article on page 26 explains that this is a response to Hochul’s response to the June Supreme Court decision that struck down New York’s strict concealed carry laws.

One of my favorite courses in college was Journalism and the Law. I found it fascinating, just as we at Jewish News hope you find this section.

Terri Denison Editor

WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE.

Estate planning is more than numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s your life. And it’s how you transform your life’s work into a plan that protects your family and pays your values forward. At Kaufman & Canoles, our experienced Estate, Trust & Wealth Transfer team offers personalized business and financial advice—proactively planning, finding sophisticated solutions and creating a custom strategy that minimizes taxes both now and in the future. We can. And we will.®

Area attorneys give glimpse into legal issues affecting Tidewater

Debbie Burke

Laws

regulatory issues impact everyone—from private citizen to business

employee to retiree, and it seems everybody in between. In this

section, Jewish News surveys a few local attorneys to find out what’s trending, what’s coming, and how to prepare for the legal issues that might be encountered at any stage of life. These attorneys share insights about city government, employment

law,

DEBORAH CASEY

community associations.

WOODS ROGERS VANDEVENTER BLACK PLC, NORFOLK

Area of specialization: Community Associations

Jewish News: Where did you receive your education and what is your experience in law?

Deborah Casey: I graduated from the College of William and Mary School of Law. I went to Vandeventer Black as a first-year summer clerk and have been with the firm (now Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC) for my entire 35-year career. I started in corporate/ business, moved to litigation, and then developed a community association law practice, which benefits from all of that experience and the other subject matter specialties of the firm.

JN: Why did you go into this specialty?

DC: I started by accident and at a time when only a couple of practitioners knew about this highly nuanced area. It is really interesting and has evolved in the last 30 years. It covers the gambit of legal issues from real estate, contracts, and corporate law to construction, employment, finance, and litigation, and involves people and their homes.

JN: How common are POAs/HOAs in the Tidewater region?

DC: Very. Any home constructed since 1990 is probably in a community association.

JN: Could you name a few examples of typical sorts of cases you work on?

DC: I spend a lot of time interpreting doc uments to determine whether the owner

or association is responsible for differ ent building components, and counseling boards of directors on governance issues, best practices to avoid liability and litiga tion, preparing amendments to governing documents, revising rules, assisting with policy and implementation, and review ing contracts.

JN: Do you represent the associations or the residents?

DC: Associations mostly, to avoid poten tial conflicts.

Deborah Casey

LEGAL MATTERS

JN: What proportion of your work concerns residents complying with asso ciation rules?

DC: While this is the stuff that makes headlines, it is a small percent of our overall practice.

JN: What proportion of your work con cerns environmental issues, and discuss a few of the major issues in this area?

DC: That ebbs and flows, but it is an increasing factor. Flooding and erosion are issues. The Green movement is affect ing associations with solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations, technology, and more.

JN: What should residents and property owners know about living with these

associations that they might not know?

DC: Review and be familiar with the governing document and rules. Not all associations are the same. The goal is community living and property value enhancement. Most association decisions are made by the Board [which is made up of] volunteers and fellow owners. Being involved in a community is the best way to stay informed and play a role.

JN: How has the unpredictable housing market affected your practice?

DC: It has not had an effect on our prac tice, which involves ongoing governance, management, business, and other issues unrelated to the market.

For more information, visit vanblacklaw.com.

THOMAS E. SNYDER

INMAN & STRICKLER, PLC

Area of specialization: Commercial Real Estate, Corporations and Business Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Capital Formations, Finance and Franchising

Jewish News: Where did you receive your education and what is your experience in law?

Tom Snyder: I was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia. Undergraduate school was Northwestern University in Evanston, Il., and law school was the University of Richmond. I started practicing with Clark & Stant, PC, which merged with Williams Mullen. I left in 2015 and have been a member of Inman & Strickler, PLC since.

JN: What are the new or upcoming laws and regulations that will affect both com mercial RE buyers and sellers?

TS: In the world of commercial real estate, the substantive law affecting real estate, taxation of transactions, and the law of the entities that own real estate remains very stable. (Had the Build Back Better bill passed Congress, that would have been a different story.) There have been changes to the Virginia (Residential) Landlord and Tenant act, which does affect the owners of apartment complexes in dealing with their tenants.

JN: How would you characterize activ ity today in the commercial realm in Tidewater, where we have a vibrant water front, a substantial military demographic, and other factors?

TS: The Tidewater commercial real estate market does tend to be less volatile than other markets in the country, and I do

Thomas E. Snyder

LEGAL MATTERS

handle transactions in other parts of the country. At this point in time, with the economy teetering on a recession and inflation and interest rates soaring, it makes doing commercial real estate deals more difficult. On the other hand, it con strains the development of new supply, thus keeping the prices of commercial real estate high. Thus, deals are generally still occurring. Multifamily apartments seem to have their own separate rules, however.

JN: Are you seeing more franchise activity in this region or less compared with a year ago?

TS: Franchise activity seems to be some what down, following the trend of the economy in general. Also, many fran chises are food purveyors, and that industry is particularly hard hit and risky, and finding labor is really difficult.

JN: What are the typical cases you might

be involved in?

TS: I am personally involved in the buying, selling, and financing of com mercial properties and companies and disputes involving such matters. I also handle many general business transac tions, structuring, and organizing such matters and disputes among the owners.

I just handled the sale of a building in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and the sale of a closely held company whose headquar ters were here, but which had operations across the country. I am also involved with quite a few disputes. I would try to settle any dispute if possible, as litigation is extremely expensive and an inefficient way to resolve a dispute.

JN: What should business owners today know about mergers and acquisitions from a legal standpoint?

TS: The most important thing in an M&A deal is to have a competent attor ney and accountant to make sure you’re

getting what you think you’ve bargained for. Businesses are typically much more complicated to buy or sell, and there is a myriad of issues to address.

JN: Are there issues that specifically affect this region?

TS: This area has a lot of government con tractors, and there are unique regulatory issues they have in many instances.

JN: Why did you go into this specialty?

TS: I enjoy the variety of my legal prac tice, and solving problems is challenging and fun!

JN: Other comments?

TS: The private practice of law is uniquely challenging and rewarding, as any small business owner can attest.

For more information, visit inmanandstrickler.com.

AUTO ACCIDENTS | SERIOUS INJURY | WRONGFUL DEATH

ANDREW FOX

DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY CITY OF NORFOLK

Jewish News: Where did you receive your education and what is your experience in law?

Andrew Fox: I am a graduate of Cornell University and William & Mary Law School. I have practiced employment and municipal law exclusively since 2004 for the cities of Norfolk and Chesapeake, and also served as an adjunct professor of law at William & Mary and Washington & Lee law schools for more than 10 years. Prior to law school, I served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy.

JN: What are some of the major issues that come into your office facing Norfolk residents today?

AF: Norfolk seems to constantly be a city in transition, and our office is very involved in both major projects like redevelopment of the St. Paul’s public housing area, Military Circle Mall, and the HeadWaters Casino, and neighbor hood-level issues such as reducing crime, addressing poverty, and increasing oppor tunities for historically underrepresented populations in our city. I am also privi leged to represent the Chrysler Museum of Art, Seven Venues, and Nauticus –cultural amenities that really set Norfolk apart from other cities in the region, in my opinion.

JN: Same questions, re: business owners and professionals?

AF: As a densely populated city with

a rich but complicated history, Norfolk depends on citizen engagement and coop eration to thrive and improve. Business owners should rely on professionals (architects, engineers, environmental con sultants, etc.) who are familiar with the city’s zoning, construction, and tax codes, and conduct extensive outreach to civic leagues and other neighborhood groups affected by their projects.

JN: What do people need to know about how your department works?

AF: We are a team of dedicated profes sionals who support every department and agency within the city. We counsel our clients to follow established policies and procedures and to be fair and equita ble in everything they do.

Andrew Fox.

JN: Those who are in litigation with the City of Norfolk, can you name a few of the top cases that have had a significant impact on those who live, work, and do business here?

AF: As with many cities, Norfolk saw an increase in litigation related to use of force by police officers in recent years and has widely deployed body-worn cameras in an effort to protect both the public and officers. The city recently settled a case with a group of concerned citizens in which it agreed to provide additional resources to residents of the St. Paul’s public housing projects during the his toric redevelopment of that area. Most city-related litigation is more in the nature of business disputes related to construc tion and business development projects.

JN: Are there any laws that are soon to be enacted or changed in the City of Norfolk that will impact residents and business owners?

AF: Due to Virginia being a “Dillon Rule” state, the city is very limited as to what it can legislate. We are currently starting the process of updating our Comprehensive Plan, which is a city-wide overview of how

the city will be developed and redevel oped over the next 20 years. We are also working to make zoning and permitting processes more efficient and transparent.

JN: What do you like about your job?

AF: I enjoy spending every day support ing the city where I live, work, and play to continue to be the cultural and business hub of our region, as well as working in a team-first environment with great ben efits and very good quality of life. I get to work in a wide variety of areas and am given the time and resources necessary to perform high-quality legal work for a client I believe in.

JN: Other comments?

AF: I am very proud to be a member of our local “Jewish bar” and very fortunate to have had the opportunity to know mem bers of our community who have been recognized as exemplifying professional ism and civility such as Alan Rashkind, Hal Juren, and Robert Nusbaum (z”l), to name just a few.

For information, visit norfolkgov.com.

JN: Why did you go into this specialty?

WG: I do not hold myself out necessarily as a “legal specialist in the coffee industry” or a “food and beverage industry attorney.” Rather, my work is of a basic and broad corporate nature. My title actually reflects that: General Counsel. In truth, I am a “generalist” business attorney. What that means is that I am expected to recognize when legal issues present themselves, and what the company’s legal needs are, and to ensure that they are properly addressed.

JN: What are the typical kinds of issues that occur in food manufacturing that in-house attorneys might handle?

WG: The world of food and food manu facturing is highly regulated! Multiple and complex laws and regulations are in place all over the country which are relevant to and govern the business. A challenging exercise for a lawyer working in this space is the need to ensure compliance with all of them, which can vary greatly from state to state.

JN: Do you handle all legal issues in the company including HR issues, Workers Comp, etc.?

JN: What are the trends/new laws that those in your industry (food and bever age) should be aware of?

WG: A significant and adverse trend is the increasing amount of litigation in this country against food manufacturers and retailers that sell their products. The plaintiff bar bringing these lawsuits is very active, and many of them are in the nature of a class-action lawsuit where the potential hit to a defendant can increase dramatically. Even though many of these cases would be considered meritless if not frivolous, they still cost a lot of money, and take a lot of time, to defend against and dispose of.

JN: Does a global company like yours need to be knowledgeable in the legal issues that come with doing business in other countries (and being headquartered in Europe)?

WG: While getting yourself up to speed on a general basis is helpful, the answer is no, not necessarily. When the need for me arises to work in the international arena where another country’s law is con trolling, I engage external counsel in that country to work with me.

WAYNE GOODMAN MASSIMO ZANETTI BEVERAGE USA General Counsel

Jewish News: Where were you educated and what is your experience in law?

Wayne Goodman: I am a Norfolk native who lived and worked away before moving back to the area about 20 years ago. I went to law school in Atlanta at Emory University and then spent many years working in Atlanta before return ing to Greater Norfolk. Most of my four decades-plus legal career has been in an in-house capacity and it is a role that I have enjoyed tremendously. During my Atlanta years, my family and I moved to and lived in Hong Kong for nearly five years, where I ran the Asia-Pacific Legal Department of my Atlanta-based global employer. I feel very fortunate with the career, opportunities, and experiences that I have had.

WG: As the company’s General Counsel, my job is to ensure that all of the company’s legal needs are met. Am I sin gle-handedly able, or personally equipped knowledge-wise, to do everything? Of course not! I engage and work with a wide array of both local and non-local external counsel on matters where either a time constraint is involved or where a par ticular matter is beyond the scope of my personal expertise. Examples of matters which fall into the latter group include litigation, certain human resources issues, some intellectual property work, and others.

Jewish

JN: What do you enjoy most about your position?

WG: The variety of work—from general contract, to marketing and sales, com mercial real estate, M&A, banking and finance, etc. I am exposed to a lot of dif ferent matters at all times and that keeps things new and interesting. I also enjoy my diverse client base here within the organization.

For more information, visit mzb-usa.com.

Wayne Goodman.

Jewish women sue to block Kentucky’s abortion restrictions on religious grounds

Andrew Lapin

(JTA)—Three Jewish women have sued to protest Kentucky’s restrictive abortion laws on religious freedom grounds, argu ing that they violate Jewish teachings as to when life begins and place undue burdens on their ability to use in vitro fertilization to achieve pregnancy.

The suit is at least the third religious freedom lawsuit to be filed by Jews against a state abortion restriction since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade this summer. It follows a synagogue’s challenge to Florida’s laws and a Jewish pro-choice group’s lawsuit in Indiana.

The Kentucky suit challenges the state’s current law, which was written to go into effect following the Supreme Court’s ruling that ended a constitutional

right to abortion; the law bans all abor tions after six weeks of pregnancy, with very few exceptions, and defines life as beginning at the moment of fertilization.

The law also forbids the disposal of unborn life “throughout the entire embry onic and fetal stage”—leaving women and their doctors concerned about the implications of IVF, which can result in surplus embryos.

The women behind the lawsuit—Lisa Sobel, Jessica Kalb, and Sarah Baron— argue that Kentucky’s definition of when life begins does not comport with Jewish law. They also argue that the law inter feres with their religious freedom, they say, because the state would force them to continue to pay to keep embryos pro duced through IVF frozen indefinitely.

“As a mom, as a woman, this directly

Ari Stein makes it his business to know

pleased to welcome Ari Stein as a partner with our firm.

a former general counsel for a corporation based in Hampton Roads, Ari has learned about the challenges businesses face every day. As a skilled litigator, Ari knows how to use that knowledge to get results for his business

affects me, it affects my health care,” Sobel told the Louisville Courier-Journal. “And then it’s a personal affront to my personal religious views, on top of it. As somebody who is a person of faith, that’s just wrong to me.”

“Plaintiff’s religious beliefs demand that they have more children through IVF, yet the law forces Plaintiffs to spend exorbitant fees to keep their embryos frozen indefinitely or face potential felony charges,” the lawsuit states. The three plaintiffs are all in their 30s and say they must rely on IVF for future pregnancies to avoid health risks; Sobel says she and her husband can’t conceive any other way.

While Jewish law is still developing around IVF, most rabbinic opinions agree that embryo donation, an option that some anti-abortion activists urge, is prob lematic according to halacha, or Jewish law, because of the outside possibility that it could result in unintended incest in the future. They also tend to agree that pas sively allowing embryos to be destroyed, such as by not refrigerating them, is permissible.

Claiming the state abortion law “sub stantially burdens” the plaintiffs’ right to religious expression, the suit also says the law is in violation of Kentucky’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, as well as vio lating the state’s constitution by granting preference to “theocratic” Christian teach ings over other religious beliefs.

The Kentucky lawsuit is part of a newly emerging trend of Jews hoping to use religious freedom protections as a pressure point against state abortion restrictions driven largely by Christian activism. A nondenominational congre gation in Florida sued that state over its abortion law in June, saying that its 15-week abortion ban “prohibits Jewish women from practicing their faith free of government intrusion and this vio lates their privacy rights and religious freedom.”

law banning abortions in the state with very few exceptions. That lawsuit, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, also claimed that the abortion law (which had not yet gone into effect) was in vio lation of the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Attorneys-at-law

And last month, Hoosier Jews For Choice, a newly formed Indiana Jewish abortion-rights group, sued over Indiana’s

American Jews support abortion rights more than any other religious group, according to polling. Non-Orthodox Jews have been at the fore of advocacy against the current sweep of abortion legisla tion, while some Orthodox groups have said they applaud the Dobbs v. Jackson decision while still believing that abor tion should be permitted in some cases. Scholars of Jewish law largely agree that it requires abortion when the pregnant person’s health is at risk, though there is disagreement about what constitutes such a risk.

The Kentucky lawsuit is part of a newly emerging trend of Jews hoping to use religious freedom protections as a pressure point against state abortion restrictions driven largely by Christian activism.

In one of the worst times of your life,

one of the best lawyers.

Orthodox Jewish groups are joining an evangelical Christian mailman’s Supreme Court case

Ron Kampeas

WASHINGTON (JTA)—A number of Orthodox Jewish groups are filing friend of the court briefs on behalf of an evan gelical Christian postal worker who is taking his case to get Sundays off to the Supreme Court.

The case, Groff v. DeJoy, seeks to expand the standard the Supreme Court set in a 1977 ruling regarding what con stituted “undue hardship” to an employer in providing religious accommoda tion. Five years earlier, Congress had expanded the 1964 Civil Rights Act to guarantee freedom from discrimination based on religion, as long as employers would not face “undue hardship.” But it did not define the term.

Groff v. DeJoy involves a Pennsylvania mailman who sought accommodations after the U.S. Postal Service in 2013 started Sunday deliveries on behalf of Amazon. At first, Gerald Groff was able to work around Sunday deliveries, but as demand for the service grew, USPS disci plined him for declining Sunday shifts. He quit and sued. (Louis DeJoy is the postmaster general.)

Lower courts have ruled in favor of the post office, which is arguing that not being able to schedule a mail career to work Sunday shifts represents an undue hardship. Groff appealed to the Supreme Court, which has yet to say whether it will consider the case. Three conser vative justices—Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch—have indi cated an interest in revisiting the 1977 decision, but the court requires four of its nine justices to agree to consider a case.

Now, the Orthodox groups are joining a number of conservative religious groups filing amicus briefs in support of Groff. They see the case as a chance to over turn Trans World Airlines v. Hardison, the 1977 decision that ruled for the airline over a member of a Christian sect

who sought Saturdays off, rejecting as “undue hardships” three possible accom modations posited by a lower court: allowing the employee a four-day work week; paying other employees overtime to fill his shift; or setting aside in certain instances a seniority system negotiated with the union that would have allowed the employee to leapfrog more senior employees in seeking Saturdays off.

Religious groups have since then been seeking opportunities to recon sider TWA v. Hardison, saying that by rejecting those three accommodations the Supreme Court rendered meaningless the 1972 expansion of the Civil Rights Act.

The Orthodox Union joined the Seventh Day Adventist Church in one amicus brief. (The Adventists mark Sabbath on Saturdays). The Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs, which represents a number of Orthodox groups, including Agudath Israel of America, spearheaded another amicus brief. The Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty, a politically conservative nonde nominational group, joined the Thomas More Society, a Roman Catholic legal advocacy group, in another amicus brief.

The Jewish Commission in its brief said that the 1977 TWA v. Hardison decision “has curtailed careers, closed avenues to success, and damaged the lives of many individuals who are unwill ing to compromise their faith.”

The Orthodox Union-Seventh Day Adventist brief notes that minority faiths which do not mark the Sabbath on Sunday are likelier to face discrimination because society tends to accommodate Sunday worship. “Majority religious practices are accommodated by default, while minority religious practices—like observing the Sabbath on Saturday rather than on Sunday—are not,” the brief says. “And that is where Hardison hurts employees the most.”

Portuguese court loosens rules for rabbi charged in Roman Abramovich Sephardic citizenship probe

(JTA)—Since March, Rabbi Daniel Litvak has been required to appear three times a week at the magistrate’s office in Porto, the Portuguese city where he is accused of submitting fraudulent citizenship appli cations for Sephardic Jews. His passports were confiscated and he was barred from contacting the lawyer who is the other defendant in the criminal case against him.

Now, an appeals court in Lisbon has ruled that Litvak does not need to abide by the stringent restrictions. The court also criticized Portuguese prosecutors for how they have handled the case against Litvak, according to the Portuguese news paper Expresso

Litvak’s arrest was related to inquiries into how Roman Abramovich, a Russian Jewish oligarch, was able to gain Portuguese citizenship.

“It is said that the accused, in the exercise of his functions, had privileged knowledge and connections…which allowed him to give priority to requests for the acquisition of nationality to Sephardic Jews,” the judg ment said, according to Expresso. “But there is not a single fact to materialize this conclu sion, namely which officials had privileged links with the applicant and, more impor tantly, what such knowledge and privileges consisted of.”

The decision does not end the criminal case against Litvak, an Argentine-Israeli who was arrested in March while prepar ing to travel to Israel. But it means he is free to leave the country, and it deals a significant blow to the prosecution of a case that a Porto Jewish leader called “the greatest attack against a Jewish commu nity in Europe in the 21st century.”

Litvak’s arrest was related to inquiries by multiple Portuguese agencies into how Roman Abramovich, a Russian Jewish oligarch, was able to gain Portuguese citizenship under the country’s 2013 law allowing naturalization for descendants

of Sephardic Jews. The law represented an attempt to atone for the Inquisition, a campaign of religious persecution in Spain and Portugal in the 16th century that forced tens of thousands of Jews to emigrate, hide their Jewish identity or denounce it altogether.

The government delegated the task of vetting applications for citizenship to two groups, the Jewish Community of Lisbon and Litvak’s organization in Porto. Tens of thousands of applicants have become Portuguese citizens under the law—which helped turn Porto into a Jewish destination—and with their fees of 250 euros each, the applicants have helped reverse the local Jewish communi ty’s cash-flow challenges.

Abramovich’s citizenship—which gave him a European Union passport for the first time—raised questions because most Russian Jews are Ashkenazi and do not have Sephardic roots. But Litvak said in January that he was certain an investi gation would show that his organization had assessed Abramovich’s application as it would anyone else’s.

Litvak’s arrest several weeks later on charges of tax fraud, falsification of doc uments, money laundering and other crimes took place shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, bringing to the fore questions about whether Russians such as Abramovich with close ties to President Vladimir Putin could flee their country.

The ensuing case has drawn attention to divisions between the communities in Porto and Lisbon. In June, the head of the Jewish Community of Porto said in a letter to lawmakers that the probe into Litvak and the community was “the great est attack against a Jewish community in Europe in the 21st century,” and “was per petrating a Holocaust against families.” A former leader of the Jewish community of Lisbon publicly dismissed Senderowicz’s allegations as baseless and “absurd.”

After Litvak’s arrest, his group announced that it would not process any more Sephardic citizenship applications,

leaving only the Jewish Community of Lisbon with the right to naturalize the descendants of Sephardic Jews. It is unclear how many applications are

currently pending with the Jewish Community of Porto, which has handled thousands of such applications since the citizenship law went into effect in 2015.

Jewish gun club sues Gov. Hochul to allow concealed weapons in synagogues

Jacob Henry

(New York Jewish Week)—A group of Jewish gun owners filed a lawsuit last month against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s gun

laws, saying they infringe on their reli gious freedom as well as their right to bear arms.

The New York State Jewish Gun Club, a Rockland County-based firearms

club, funded and put together the law suit, which was filed on Sept. 29 in the Southern District of New York. It specif ically targets the section of the new gun laws that prohibits the carrying of con cealed weapons in “sensitive locations,” including houses of worship.

“New York State has expressed that legal carry in New York is okay, but not for those who observe religious rituals and customs,” a NYS-JGC press release said. “This law specifically targets reli gious people, by threatening them with arrest and felony prosecution if they carry their firearm while engaging in religious observance.”

in the house of the Lord,” the passage reads. “And the couriers stood, each one with his weapons in his hand, from the right end of the house to the left end of the house, before the altar and the house, surrounding the king.”

The lawsuit also lists multiple instances of violence against Jews, including the 2019 stabbing in Rockland County’s Orthodox neighborhood of Monsey, which led to a rise in gun ownership within the area. It also references an AntiDefamation League report showing that New York led the nation in total reported antisemitic incidents in 2021.

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

In July, Hochul signed the Concealed Carry Improvement Act into law in response to the June Supreme Court deci sion that struck down New York’s strict concealed carry laws. The CCIA law added multiple checks on gun ownership in New York State, including strengthening eligibility requirements and prohibit ing concealed carry permit holders from bringing their firearms into bars, libraries, schools, government buildings, hospitals, and houses of worship.

Tzvi Waldman, who is Orthodox and the founder of the gun club, told the New York Jewish Week that he is hoping for “immediate relief” with the lawsuit.

“I feel pretty confident in this case,” Waldman said. “People are concerned. This is a constitutional right and it’s extremely real to us.”

Steven Goldstein, president of the Orthodox Congregation Bnei Matisyahu in Brooklyn and Meir Ornstein, a Rockland County resident, are listed as the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Police Department Commissioner Keechant Sewell are listed as defendants alongside Hochul.

The lawsuit opens with a quote from Kings II in the Hebrew Bible.

“And the priest gave the officers of the hundreds, the spears and the shields that had belonged to King David, which were

Waldman said a judge denied the group’s request for a temporary restrain ing order to stop enforcement of the law, but scheduled a hearing for Oct. 28.

“We are in it to win it,” Waldman said. “We’re not just going to roll over.”

The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment. “New York is leading the way in the fight to reduce gun violence and save lives,” Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado said when Hochul announced the new concealed carry law. “We want to ensure that all members of our com munities are safe, and these new conceal and carry laws will help prevent tragedies by ensuring that gun owners are properly trained, that safety measures are pro moted and that firearms are not carried into sensitive locations.”

The Supreme Court has not yet weighed in on whether state laws bar ring guns in sensitive locations, including houses of worship, are constitutional.

“That’s going to be an important and interesting battlefield going forward for Second Amendment cases,” Joseph Blocher, a professor at Duke Law School, told CBS News.

A Siena College poll in June found that New Yorkers support the new gun laws by an overwhelming margin. A national survey of Jewish voters released last month found that 77 percent believed gun laws in the United States are not restrictive enough.

UJFT hosts another successful Super Sunday

Matthew Kramer-Morning

Thank you to all of the volunteers who attended and participated in United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Super Sunday on September 18. It was a beau tiful day under the new Marty Einhorn Pavilion on the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community.

Together, the community raised $209,203.50 for the 2023 Community Campaign.

Photography by Mark Robbins.

Barbara Dudley, Women’s Campaign chair.

Uttie Uduaghan.

Nina Kruger with Amie and Byron Harrell.

Eddie Kramer. Sam Levin.

Lawrence Fleder.

Rabbi Yedidya Koven, Rabbi Gershon Litt, Robert and Darcy Bloch, Cory Hill, Marcy Mostofsky, Andy and Avidon Itzhak, and Aaron Slone.

Rabbi Yedidya Koven.

UJFT President Laura and Fred Gross with Aly and Mike Yarry.

Robert Bloch.

David Abraham, Miles and Sandra Leon, and David Leon, UJFT Campaign chair. Mona Flax.

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater & Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival 2022-2023

To register for events, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest. The Lee & 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.

By the Grace of the Game

The Holocaust, a Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream

Dan Grunfeld Wednesday, November 2, 7:30 pm

Doctor On Call

Chernobyl Responder, Jewish Refugee, Radiation Expert

Alla Shapiro, MD Monday, November 7, 12:00 pm $12 (lunch included) • $6 for 55+ • $32 for lunch and signed book. Special pricing for lunch and book ends October 31.

Book of the Month Shanda

A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy

Letty Cottin Pogrebin

Thursday, November 17, 7:30 pm Shanda / shan · da / Yiddish (noun): Shame, disgrace

Cooking Alla Giudia

A Celebration of the Jewish Food of Italy

Benedetta Jasmine Guetta

Wednesday, December 5, 7:30 pm

Milan-born food writer and photographer

F

orty years after basketball was first played at the Olympics in Nazi Germany, a young Hungarian-Jewish refugee, who was the child of Holocaust survivors, became a gold medalist in basketball playing for the United States in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.

Dan Grunfeld, himself a former stand-out player at Stanford, shares the incredible story of his famous father, Ernie Grunfeld, and his family’s journey from Auschwitz to the NBA.

Traversing the spectrum of the human experience, the family’s story shows how perseverance, love, and legacy can survive through generations – all carried on the shoulders of the game of basketball.

In partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

April 26, 1986, will forever be etched in the memory of Dr. Alla Shapiro.

Dispatched to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine, Shapiro recalls the eerie silence as she treated traumatized children amid an emerging nuclear nightmare. Forced to participate in what she refers to as a government-perpetrated misinformation campaign and after enduring years of antisemitism in her workplace, she and her family fled the Soviet Union.

After a harrowing journey to the United States and the complicated process of becoming a doctor for the second time in a new country, Shapiro is now one of the world’s leading experts in the development of medical countermeasures against radiation exposure.

A personal account of one of the world’s largest modern disasters, her story is almost beyond belief.

In partnership with Jewish Family Service of Tidewater.

Marital misery, abandoned children, religious transgressions, sexual identity, radical politics, and supposedly embarrassing illnesses are revealed through Letty Cottin Pogrebin’s exploration of the hidden lives of her parents and relatives.

By unmasking their charades and disguises, Pogrebin showcases her family’s remarkable talent for reinvention in a narrative that is by turns touching, searing, and surprisingly universal. Everyone’s family harbors secrets, but Pogrebin’s story may make you question why some are secrets at all.

Letty Cottin Pogrebin is a cofounder of Ms. Magazine and a nationally acclaimed writer, activist, and public speaker. She is the author of 12 books and numerous articles and essays. She is a cofounder of the National Women’s Political Caucus and the Ms. Foundation for Women, a past president of the Authors Guild, and the recipient of numerous honors and awards.

Benedetta Jasmine Guetta’s mission is to tell the story of how Jews have impacted Italian food.

Did you know that deep-fried Roman artichokes, Venetian sweet and sour sardines, Apulian orecchiette pasta, and Sicilian caponata—some of Italy’s best-known dishes —are Jewish in origin?

From the comfort of your own kitchen, Guetta will help you prepare a traditional dish as she discusses Italy’s Jewish history, her goal to preserve the recipes dear to the hearts of Italy’s Jewish families, and the stories behind the extraordinary dishes they prepare. Cook along with Benedetta. Registrants will receive the recipe and grocery list in advance.

LEE & BERNARD JAFFE FAMILY JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL

Watch from Home

The Matchmaker’s Gift

Lynda Cohen Loigma n

Tuesday, December 6, 12:00 pm

And How are the Children?

Timeless Lessons from the Frontlines of Motherhood

Marjorie Margolies

Wednesday, December 14, 12:00 pm

$12 (lunch included) • $6 for 55+ • $29 for lunch and signed book Special pricing for lunch and book ends December 7.

A Play for the End of the World

Jai Chakrabarti

Tuesday, January 17, 12:00 pm

Book of the Month / Watch from Home Why Do Jewish?

A Manifesto for 21st Century Jewish Peoplehood

Zack Bodner

Thursday, January 19, 7:30 pm

I s finding true love a calling or a curse? This heartfelt and magical story explores two extraordinary women from two different eras who defy societal expectations.

Learn more at JewishVA.org/Loigman.

Book of the Month / Watch from Home The End of Bias, A Beginning How We Eliminate Unconscious Bias and Create a More Just World Jessica Nordell

Thursday, December 8, 7:30 pm

Marjorie Margolies’ father always said everyone should aspire to change another’s life. From an early age, she was determined to apply that concept to her own family, and she did—many times over.

Prior to serving in Congress, Margolies adopted two girls from Vietnam and Korea. She married Congressman Ed Mezvinsky, who had four daughters. Together, they had two sons and sponsored a Catholic refugee family from Vietnam, bringing the number of kids under their roof to 11.

Unconscious bias: Persistent, unintentional prejudiced behavior that clashes with our consciously held beliefs.

It exists everywhere: in medicine, the workplace, education, policing, and beyond. When it comes to uprooting prejudices, we still have a long way to go. With nuance, compassion, and years of immersion in the topic, Jessica Nordell, award-winning author, science writer, and speaker, will explain how minds, hearts, and behaviors can change. Nordell will provide the tools needed to spark that change to begin to remake ourselves, our community, and the world.

In partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, and Virginia Wesleyan University’s Robert Nusbaum Center.

They kept a Jewish home while instilling in all their children respect for all faiths. The family celebrated Hanukkah and Christmas, spent Sunday mornings at Catholic and Jewish religious schools, held Passover seders, and attended Catholic masses. It was an organic way to make everyone feel included and respectful of other belief systems.

Margolies will share the story of this journey, and the wisdom, life lessons, advice, and inspiration that came along with it.

T

orn between guilt and love, a Holocaust survivor must decide how to honor both the past and the present, and how to accept a happiness he is not sure he deserves.

Learn more at JewishVA.org/Chakrabarti

In partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

I nsisting that taking action is what matters most, Zack Bodner proposes a creative new framework for “doing Jewish” based on an acronym from the Yiddish word TACHLIS, which means “getting down to brass tacks.”

T – Tikkun Olam (repairing the world)

A – Art and Culture

C – Community

H – Holidays and Rituals

L – Learning

I – Israel

S – Shabbat and Spirituality

Through a combination of personal stories, insights from some of the world’s greatest teachers, and contemporary analysis, Bodner provides an accessible guide for anyone looking for answers to life’s most important questions.

Bodner is the CEO of the Oshman Family JCC and the former Pacific Northwest regional director for AIPAC. He’s a seeker, writer, storyteller, community organizer, and above all else, a doer.

In partnership with the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning.

NEW: Arts & Ideas Book of the Month

Get involved with the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival by participating in the Book of the Month. The Festival has chosen seven authors with a collection of books with intriguing topics, characters, and stories for book-club-style conversations that will allow engagement with some of this season’s most exciting authors.

Opportunities include Dr. Alla Shapiro’s discussion about her experience being dispatched to Chernobyl at the Simon Family JCC and New York Times bestselling author Lisa Barr’s discussion on the international art scandal in her novel Woman on Fire, at the Chrysler Museum of Art. Other Book of the Month discussions will take place online.

Have questions? Contact Hunter Thomas, director, UJFT’s Arts + Ideas, at HThomas@UJFT.org or 757-965-6137

LEE & BERNARD JAFFE FAMILY JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL

New Year, New You

Voices to help you achieve your New Year’s resolution

Presented by Simon Family JCC’s JFit. Wednesday, January 25, 12:00 pm

The Whole Body Reset

Your Weight-Loss Plan for a Flat Belly, Optimum Health & a Body You’ll Love—at Midlife and Beyond

Heidi Skolnik

$12 (lunch included) • $6 for 55+ • $38 for lunch and signed book. Special pricing for lunch and book ends January 18.

Watch from Home

The Joy Choice

How to Finally Achieve Lasting Changes in Eating and Exercise

Michelle Segar

Wednesday, March 15, 12:00 pm

$12 (lunch included) • $6 for 55+ • $37 for lunch and signed book. Special pricing for lunch and book ends March 8.

Book of the Month / Watch from Home.

Chrysler Museum of Art Woman on Fire Lisa Barr

Tuesday, March 21, 12:00 pm

Book of the Month One Hundred Saturdays

In Search for a Lost World Michael Frank

Tuesday, May 9, 12:00 pm

Gaining weight while aging is not inevitable.

It’s avoidable and even reversible. In fact, it’s possible to help stop—and even reverse— age-related weight gain and muscle loss.

Learn more at JewishVA.org/Skolnik.

The Great Age Reboot

Cracking the Longevity Code to Be Younger Today and Even Younger Tomorrow

Michael F. Roizen, MD

Wednesday, February 15, 12:00 pm

Discover the easy, flexible, and three-step joy-infused decision tool that works with the chaos of daily life, guiding readers to achieve eating and exercise goals once and for all—and enjoy doing it!

Learn more at JewishVA.org/Segar.

Madam

The Biography of Polly Adler, Icon of the Jazz Age Debby Applegate Tuesday, February 7, 12:00 pm

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.

Lisa Barr is a New York Times bestselling author of three novels. In addition, she served as an editor for The Jerusalem Post, among other publications, and has been featured on Good Morning America and Today. Actress Sharon Stone is set to produce and star in the upcoming film adaptation of Woman On Fire

In partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Chrysler Museum of Art Book Club.

Sponsored by Klein, Rowell, & Shall, PLLC, Attorneys at Law.

T

he remarkable story of 99-year-old Stella Levi, the vibrant world of Jewish Rhodes, the deportation to Auschwitz that extinguished 90 percent of her community, and the resilience and wisdom of the woman who lived to tell the tale.

Learn more at JewishVA.org/Frank.

In partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

H

ow can current science and technology revolutionize our ability to live longer, younger, and better? How will longer life spans improve our culture, our economy, our work lives, and our finances?

Learn more at JewishVA.org/Roizen.

A

colorful and unusual history of Jewish life told through the perspective of a “good Jewish girl” from a Russian shtetl who immigrated to Brooklyn and rose to become “the Female Al Capone.”

Learn more at JewishVA.org/Applegate.

LEE & BERNARD JAFFE FAMILY JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL

Book of the Month / Watch from Home Ticking Clock

Behind the Scenes at 60 Minutes Ira Rosen

Wednesday, May 17, 12:00 pm

$12 (lunch included) • $6 for 55+ • $27 for lunch and signed book. Special pricing for lunch and book ends May 10.

The Postmistress of Paris Meg Waite Clayton

Tuesday, June 6, 12:00 pm

Book of the Month / Watch from Home To Boldly Grow Finding Joy, Adventure, and Dinner in Your Own Backyard Tamar Haspel

Wednesday, June 14, 12:00 pm

Watch from Home Leon Family Gallery Conversations with authors + illustrators

In partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and community partner’s Israel Today Series and the UJFT Konikoff Center for Learning.

Malkah’s Notebook

This haunting novel revisits the dark early days of the German occupation of France, both a love story and a tale of high-stakes danger and incomparable courage.

Two-time Peabody Award-winning writer and producer Ira Rosen reveals the intimate, untold stories of his decades at America’s most iconic news show. His story is a 60 Minutes story on 60 Minutes itself. When producer Ira Rosen walked into the 60 Minutes offices in June 1980, he knew he was about to enter television history. His career catapulted him to the heights of TV journalism, breaking some of the most important stories in TV news. But behind the scenes was a war room of clashing producers, anchors, and the most formidable 60 Minutes figure: legendary correspondent Mike Wallace.

Rosen has won every major award in broadcast journalism, including 24 national Emmy Awards, placing him in the top 10 all-time news Emmy winners in broadcast history. His report on who is responsible for the opioid epidemic won more awards for 60 Minutes than any segment in the show’s 52-year history.

Learn more at JewishVA.org/Clayton. In partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

A Journey into the Mystical Aleph-Bet Mira Z. Amiras & Josh Baum

Tuesday, November 29, 12:00 pm

J

ournalist and self-proclaimed “crappy gardener” Tamar Haspel shows that raising or gathering our own food is not as hard as it seems. Haspel takes readers and audiences on a journey as she goes from cluelessness to competence, learning to scrounge dinner from her surroundings and discovering that a connection to what we eat can change the way we think about food— and ourselves.

Haspel writes the James Beard Awardwinning Washington Post column “Unearthed,” which tackles food from every angle: agriculture, nutrition, obesity, the food environment, and DIY. She has also written for Discover, National Geographic’s The Plate, Vox, Slate, Eater, Fortune, and Edible Cape Cod.

Malkah is a child when her father tries teaching her to read Torah. As Malkah studies, she embarks on a lifelong journey in search of her beginnings—into Jewish mystical texts, far-off places, archaeological digs, ancient gods, and ultimately into the nature of existence itself. With highly evocative illustrations, Malkah’s Notebook is a love letter to the Hebrew alphabet that unlocks life’s greatest mysteries.

On exhibit November–December 2022.

Watch from Home

Evolve A Children’s Book for Adults Jean-Pierre Weill

Tuesday, January 31, 12:00 pm

W

ho am I? With this question as its guide, Evolve takes readers on a philosophical and pictorial adventure into the nature of the self. Through the artistic exploration of three foundational biblical stories, Evolve interlaces words with pictures that delve deep into the emotional core. It is a modern midrash told with imagery.

On exhibit January–February 2023.

Watch from Home

A WRAP

Tidewater Chavurah’s most recent mitzvah

Rosh Hashanah with the ShinShinim

Nofar Trem

Under the well-organized leadership of Adele Muller and Carol Smith, another Mitzvah was carried out and “is in the books.” A group of Tidewater Chavurah members prepared and fed a nutritious dinner at the Judeo Christian Outreach Center. They served baked riga toni with meatballs and marinara sauce, salads, rolls, brownies, oranges, and water for the less fortunate in the community.

It always feels good to do some thing positive, even if only for one meal. Tidewater Chavurah appreciates Food Lion, Wegmans, and Trader Joe’s for helping to make this community dinner possible.

Employment Opportunity

Director, Holocaust Commission

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater seeks an experienced candidate for the full-time position of Director, Holocaust Commission.

The Holocaust Commission’s mission is to foster an understanding of the uniqueness and magnitude of the Holocaust, while inspiring students, teachers, and our community to champion human dignity in our constantly changing world.

The Director provides dynamic leadership, direction, and coordination for the Commission, and supports the volunteer members in meeting Commission objectives. The position requires a Bachelor’s degree and/or commensurate experience with Holocaust studies, education, or related discipline. Minimum of three years’ experience working in non-profit organizations preferred, and experience working with volunteer leadership preferred.

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

InTidewater for a little more than a month, ShinShinim Aya Sever and Alma Ben Chorin are engaging commu nity members of all ages.

Since mid-Sep tember, the two Israelis have been busy celebrating and teaching about the Jewish holidays, adding an Israeli flair to area Jewish holiday education. At the Patricia Sarah Ashkenazi Religious School at Congregation Beth El and at Ohef Sholom Temple Religious School, the teens led students in making sukkah decorations and wishes for the coming year. At Strelitz International Academy, the ShinShinim met with the Pre-K stu dents to help make shofars and discuss how bees make honey. They also visited Temple Emanuel’s religious school to con tinue High Holiday lessons.

Tidewater’s ShinShinim can also be found around the Sandler Family Campus leading a variety of programs. For example,

the Simon JCC Seniors Club invited Ben Chorin and Sever to their Rosh Hashanah celebration where the two sang Ha’Tikva (the Israeli national anthem, meaning The Hope). During the Rosh Hashanah break, Sever and Ben Chorin brought the Maccabi Games (Israeli Olympics) to the children at Camp JCC’s School Days Out. The competitions, activities, games, and crafts resulted in a fun day for the chil dren who got a little closer to Israel.

To learn more about Tidewater’s ShinShinim, visit JewishVA.org/ShinShinim or contact Nofar Trem at Ntrem@ujft.org.

Complete job description at www.jewishva.org

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

Attn: Taffy Hunter, Human Resources director.

JCC Seniors Club is a blast

Robin Ford

Members of the JCC Seniors Club regularly enjoy celebrations, fun activities, and opportunities to learn with senior adults from all backgrounds.

September’s meeting, for example, involved a wonderful Rosh Hashanahthemed meal and presentation. The group discussed High Holiday prayers, services, and traditions. Tidewater’s Shinshinim, Alma Ben Chorin and Aya Sever, per formed Hatikvah, and the club’s own Joe Rissin blew the shofar. Members agreed

that the meeting was spectacular—lis tening to the two young Israelis sing Israel’s national anthem, and hearing and watching Rissin, a trained trumpet player, demonstrate his amazing shofar abilities. It literally was a blast!

Seniors Club membership costs $15 per year for adults 55 and over.

For more information on the JCC Seniors Club and other adult activities, contact Robin Ford, senior adult program coordinator, at 757-321-2304 or rford@ujft.org.

Aya Server and Alma Ben Chorin lead Aleph Bet Yoga with School Days Out campers.

Betsy Blank

Carol Smith, Adele Muller, Bill Feldman, and Arnold Weisman bag rolls.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Travel in time and explore Israel with Joe Perlov

Wednesday, October 26, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus

Perlov’s presentation is part of the 12th annual Israel Today series.

Utilizing Perlov’s groundbreaking method of traversing the map, attendees will become the State of Israel and embody the topography, politics, and competing narratives that have formed the country and the surrounding region.

Free and open to the community, 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.

Benji Lovitt:

Stand-Up Comedy: What War Zone?

Tuesday, November 1 6 pm (Dinner), 6:30 pm (Show) Ohef Sholom Temple

Veteran educator and Israeli map expert

Joe Perlov will offer the opportunity to go back in time to the founding of the State of Israel as he guides an interactive exploration of the nation’s map.

To learn more and to register (RSVP required), visit JewishVa.org/IsraelToday, or contact Elka Mednick, assistant direc tor of the JCRC, at emednick@ujft.org or 757-965-6112.

Jazzy times for Brith Sholom Truetone Honeys Sunday, November 6, 11 am, Masonic Temple

Evoking the beautiful harmonies of The Andrew Sisters, three singers perform songs from the big band era.

The 504 Trio

Sunday, December 4, 11 am, Masonic Temple

Atrio of jazz musicians perform New Orleans jazz with songs such as When the Saints Go Marching In and others.

Both events are hosted by Brith Sholom of Virginia. $10 per performance; includes a deluxe brunch and dessert catered by Beth Sholom Village. Events take place at the Masonic Temple, 7001 Granby Street, Norfolk. For reservations, contact brith. sholom1@gmail.com or call 757-461-1150.

Benji

Lovitt presents a hilarious picture of Israel by deconstructing cultural dif ferences and the immigrant experience in Israel. Audiences laugh out loud as he sheds light on embarrassing Hebrew mis takes, Jewish holidays, and exactly what makes Diaspora and Israeli Jews different from each other.

Open to the entire community, the eve ning, which includes dinner, costs $18 per person or $50 per family (includes child care). RSVPs are required. For childcare, RSVP by Sunday, Oct. 23.

Ohef Sholom Temple is located at 530 Raleigh Ave. in Norfolk.

For more information, contact Nina Kruger at Nina@ohefsholom.org

Unfolding Nature: Dancing Through Waves

JCC’s Leon Family Gallery Exhibit through October.

Interdisciplin

ary artist Shony Rivnay’s art is on display in the Leon Family Gallery. The exhibit is pre sented by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and Community Partners’ 12th Annual Israel Today Series.

#7767, 2017, Acrylic on paper.

Free and open to the community.

Joe Perlov.

Benji Lovitt.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

First responder at Chernobyl nuclear disaster to speak at Jewish Book Festival

Community conversation: Monday, November 7, 12 pm Sandler Family Campus

Russian speakers conversation: Monday, November 7, 2 pm Sandler Family Campus

Hunter Thomas

While the world watches, fighting has continued around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine since March. One of the world’s biggest atomic power stations, inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency have repeatedly called for the creation of a demilitarized zone around the plant.

Alla Shapiro, MD, someone with firsthand experience of nuclear power plant issues, will speak next month at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival

In her book, Doctor On Call: Chernobyl Responder, Jewish Refugee, Radiation Expert, Shapiro introduces the day that will forever be etched into her mind: April 26, 1986: the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine.

Shapiro was dispatched to the disaster as a pediatrician and hematologist and was one of the first medical responders on the scene. When asked, “What were medical first responders least prepared for at Chernobyl?” her answer never changes: “Everything.”

In the book, Shapiro describes her experience responding to the disaster, as well as recounts what was taking place behind the scenes. “We first-responder physicians not only worked ‘in the dark,’” she writes, “but, contrary to our principles, we were ordered to participate in the deception of the public.”

Forced to participate in this

government-perpetrated misinformation campaign and after enduring years of antisemitism in her workplace, Shapiro and her family left the Soviet Union. Her memoir continues as four generations of her family become refugees, fleeing the Soviet Union by way of Austria and then Italy, before arriving in the United States.

After repeating medical school in the U.S. and becoming a doctor for the second time, Shapiro is now one of the world’s leading experts in the development of medical countermeasures against radiation exposure.

For more information or to register for the noon event, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest.

For additional questions or to RSVP for the 2 pm event, contact Hunter Thomas, direc tor of Arts + Ideas, at HThomas@UJFT.org.

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

Dan Grunfeld: By the Grace of the Game: The Holocaust, a Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream Holocaust Commission pick for Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival Wednesday, November 2, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus

Hunter Thomas Basketball

was first included as a medal event in the Summer Olympics in 1936 in Berlin. During those Olympics, Hitler showed the world a whitewashed Nazi Germany. Antisemitic signage around the city was removed and Nazi SD and SS halted most of the arrests and detentions of Jews in and around Berlin for the dura tion of the world’s attention. Still, Jewish athletes were barred from competing for Germany, and even the United States pulled two Jewish members of the 400-meter relay team that included Jesse Owens and accounted for one of his four gold medals. After the Olympics, the Nazis reinstituted and increased their antisemitic vitriol, and what would become the Holocaust ensued.

Forty years after Berlin, at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, a young Jewish refugee, the child of Hungarian Holocaust survivors, played for the United States’ basketball gold medal winning team. That man was Ernie Grunfeld, who became one of the NBA’s biggest stars, playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, Kansas City Kings, and New York Knicks, before managing the Knicks and other NBA teams.

Grunfeld’s son, Dan, a standout bas ketball player while at Stanford who also played professionally for eight seasons in top leagues around the world, is the first featured author for the 2022–2023 Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. The younger Grunfeld will be in Tidewater discussing the family stories from his book, By the Grace of the Game: The Holocaust, a Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream

By the Grace of the Game is a multi-gen erational family epic detailing history’s only known journey from Auschwitz to the NBA.

“I love the book,” says Joel Rubin,

who will moderate the discussion with Grunfeld. “It mixes the most troubling history the world has ever known—the Holocaust—with sports, specifically bas ketball, at which Dan and his father Ernie excelled at multiple levels. You learn how Ernie’s parents were miraculously able to avoid Auschwitz, and then survive to later bring their sons on an incredible journey to the United States.”

“When looking for effective ways to teach Holocaust history to young people, sports is a wonderful way to open the door,” says Elena Barr Baum, former director of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Holocaust Commission. Baum brought Dan Grunfeld to the attention of the Book Festival committee. “Books like Dan’s, like 2014’s Boys in the Boat, hook kids’ interest in sports into what is a very difficult history to teach. That is why the Commission often gives such books to schools as part of its White Rose program.” Rubin says, “Many basketball fans, like me, have heard of and admired Ernie Grunfeld, but never knew what it took for him to escape Europe, and how hard both he and his son worked to become leaders in their chosen sport. I can’t wait to meet Dan and help him share his life experiences with our community.”

For more information or to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas, director of Arts + Ideas, at HThomas@UJFT.org.

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

Dan Grunfeld.

Alla Shapiro.

CALENDAR

THROUGH MARCH, FIRST THURSDAYS

On Assignment with Lahav Harkov (Online) The 12th Annual Israel Today series presents Jerusalem Post senior diplomatic correspondent Lahav Harkov for a series of current affairs conversations. Join from anywhere in the world for monthly online briefings about current hot topics in and surrounding Israel. Free and open to the community. Pre-registration is required. 12 pm. For more information and to register, visit JewishVa.org/israeltoday or contact Elka Mednick at emednick@ujft.org or 757-965-6112.

OCTOBER 26, WEDNESDAY

12th Annual Israel Today presents Conflict in Context: The Changing Map of Israel and the Middle East with Joe Perlov at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus. Experience the history, competing for narratives and contemporary issues facing Israel and her neighbors as the borders shift over the millennia. Free and open to the community. 7:30 pm. For more information, or to register, visit JewishVa.org/israeltoday or contact Elka Mednick at emednick@ujft.org or 757-965-6112. See page 33.

OCTOBER 27–NOVEMBER 17, THURSDAYS

ORIGINS: Ancient Jewish History in an International Context , a 4-week course offered by UJFT’s Konikoff Center for Learning taught by Rabbi Michael Panitz. The Jewish religion has a core story: a narrative of our people’s early history. What, in fact, is the history behind the narrative? We can better understand our history—as well as our “story”—by exploring the international framework in which our people emerged. 12 pm. Course cost is $60 for 4 weeks and offers both in-person and online attendance options. For more information and to register, visit Jewishva.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at slautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107.

NOVEMBER 1, THURSDAY

Stand-up comedy from Benji Lovitt: What War Zone? At Ohef Sholom Temple, Norfolk. Cost is $18/person or $50/family (includes childcare). RSVP by Oct. 23. Starts at 6 pm (dinner) followed by show at 6:30 pm. For more information, contact Nina Kruger at nina@ohefsholom.org. See page 33.

NOVEMBER 2, WEDNESDAY

The Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival kicks off with a presentation from author Dan Grunfeld (By the Grace of the Game), who will discuss the inspiration behind his book, an exam ination of his father’s journey as a pro basketball player and his family’s experiences from Auschwitz to the NBA. 7:30 pm. See page 28 for other author events in this series, which runs through January 31, 2023. Pre-registration required. For more information, contact Hunter Thomas, UJFT’s director of Arts + Ideas, at HThomas@UJFT.org or 757-965-6137. To learn more or to register for events, visit JewishVA. org/BookFest.

NOVEMBER 6, SUNDAY

The Truetone Honeys jazz ensemble with harmonies à la The Andrew Sisters. Hosted by Brith Sholom of Virginia. Event held at the Masonic Temple, 7001 Granby Street, Norfolk. 11 am. Cost $10 which includes brunch and dessert. For reservations, contact brith.sholom1@gmail.com or call 757-4611150. See page 33.

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.

Be A Reader literacy program needs volunteers

Robin Ford

The Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Be a Reader (BeAR) program is out of hibernation and heading back into schools at the end of October.

Returning to the classroom means BeAR needs more volunteers. Just an hour a week can change a child’s life. For those who are concerned about the time commitment, consider the BeAR Share volunteer option where two volunteers are paired to share the weekly time obligation for their student.

BeAR students need great trainers, mentors, and friends—and volunteers

never regret helping a child learn to read.

If it’s not possible to donate time, the BeAR program always accepts donations of supplies, books, and more. BeAR is in nine local Title 1 schools and assists more than 100 students each year, providing books, workbooks, pencils, erasers, cray ons, sketchpads, and other materials to help build the students’ personal libraries.

Interested in learning more? Contact Robin Ford, BeAR program coordinator, by October 19 for details on how to get involved at 757-321-2304 or rford@ujft.org or visit JewishVA.org/BeAR.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Ohef Sholom Temple to celebrate Charles

Woodward’s 40th year as music director

Friday, October 28, 6:30 pm, Ohef Sholom Temple

During Shabbat Services and at a fes tive Oneg Shabbat, Charles (Chuck) Woodward will be honored for his 40 years as Ohef Sholom Temple’s music director.

Known throughout Tidewater as a choral conductor and keyboard player, Charles Woodward serves two historic congrega tions in Norfolk: Ohef Sholom Temple and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. In addition, he is the artistic director and conductor of the Virginia Chorale, the Commonwealth’s premier pro fessional choral ensemble—acclaimed for its innovative programming.

Shabbat Services will be held in the tem ple’s sanctuary.

To make it easier to plan for the Oneg, OST requests RSVPs by calling 757-625-4295 or emailing rsvp@ohefsholom.org.

Wiesenthal

Tuesday, November 15, 7 pm, Wells Theater

Aone-man show, this is the inspiring true story of Simon Wiesenthal filled with hope, human ity, and humor.

Sometimes referred to as the “Jewish James Bond,” he devoted his life to bringing more than 1,000 Nazi war criminals to justice. Intelligent, funny, flawed, and noble, Wiesenthal was a true universal hero. His unbelievable dedication and tenacity over decades is honored in this play, which gives equal weight to his wisdom and wit during his long, purposeful life. The show is performed by Tom Dugan, in partnership with the Virginia Stage Company.

The lead sponsor of the event is Bank of America. Cooper-Hurley is sponsoring the dessert reception.

Presented as a fundraiser for the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, proceeds will go in part to fund a matinee the following day for students from around Tidewater. To purchase tickets, visit vastage.org.

Chuck Woodward.

Tom Dugan.

LOLLY PEARL BERNSTEIN

NORFOLK—Lolly Pearl Bernstein, 99, passed September 17, 2022.

Born in Norfolk to Jacob and Jennie Donsky, she was raised in Colonial Place, was a graduate of Granby High School, a widow of Elmer Bernard Bernstein, and lifelong member of Temple Israel.

She is survived by sons, Marc and Richard; nieces and nephews, Susan Scholsohn, Dr. Steve Perlman, and Michael and Mary Donsky.

Predeceased by her sister, Pansy Perlman and her husband, Dr. Jerome Perlman; brother, Harry Donsky.

Lolly was active in Temple Israel Sisterhood, Hadassah life member of Beth Sholom, and Candy Stripers. She loved her garden where she was active until her death.

A graveside service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery with Rabbi Dr. Michael Panitz officiating.

HYMAN BROOKE

NORFOLK—Hyman Brooke (Hymie), born May 7, 1923, passed away on Sunday, October 9, 2022 after a short illness.

Born and raised in Norfolk, he grad uated early from Maury High School and attended the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary. His studies were interrupted to open Brooke’s Market on Church Street. Hymie later joined his father and brothers in the family business, Southern Packing Corporation (the Plant), eventually becoming president where he continued to work well into his 90’s.

He was a founding member of Temple Israel, a member of its Men’s Club, and the B’rith Sholom Center. For 74 years, Hymie was a proud member of the Norfolk Masonic Lodge #1.

Hymie was an amazingly kind, com passionate gentleman. He loved working at the “Plant” in any capacity alongside his father, brothers, nephew, and grandson. It did not matter if you were a customer,

driver or meat cutter, you were his friend. Rarely angry, he viewed life with a “happy heart” adding a joke or a pun at every opportunity. His wife, Pearl, was the love of his life along with his three devoted daughters and large extended family. He was a man who loved life and could make “lemonade out of lemons.”

He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Pearl Mirman Brooke; parents Isadore and Rebecca Brooke; brother and sister-in-law Benjamin and Lea Brooke; son-in-law Jerry Meldon; brother-in-law Barry Kantor; and brother and sister-inlaw Sonny and Bunny Mirman.

He is survived by his daughters, Judy Goldman (Ray), Robin Brooke Meldon, Sandi Rothman (Karl), grandchildren Todd Goldman (Stacey), Lauren Barkan (Alex), Tova Tritt (Shawn), Perri Meldon (Lucius), Seth Meldon, Rebecca and Danielle Rothman; brother and sister-inlaw Leonard and Eleanor Brooke; and was “Hoppy” to his eight great-grandchildren Ava and Lainey Goldman; Casey, Spencer and Esther Barkan; Leighton, Emerson, and Paxton Tritt, as well as many nieces and nephews.

We have all learned from Hymie’s loving example, he was a “mensch” and will be forever missed by all who knew him.

Donations may be made to Temple Israel, the Samuel Michael Brooke Fund at the University of Virginia, or a charity of your choice. Online condolences may be made to the family through hdoliver.com.

A graveside service was officiated by Rabbi Michael Panitz at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk.

ROCHELLE “SHELLY” BROWN

NORFOLK CHAPEL

LASKIN ROAD CHAPEL

CHESAPEAKE CHAPEL

Hospital of Detroit, she met Dr. Saul Brown, who became her husband and the father of their three children. In her pro fession as well as her family life, she was a kind and nurturing presence, quiet but keenly intelligent and attentive to those she loved—her husband, her children, and after her husband’s tragic death, her longtime companion, Buddy Newman.

The joy she found in her family was extended to her passion for the beauty of art of all types. Wherever she was, she sought out museums, galleries, and craft fairs. She had a particular appreciation for Southwestern art during her years of living in Arizona.

Her final years were spent in the loving care of her daughter, Judy Mitnick, and her family. She also cherished and was cherished by her sons, Joel and David Brown, her daughter-in-law, Lorraine Brown, her son-in-law, Wayne Mitnick, and her grandchildren, Ben Brown, Emily Brown, Jason Mitnick, and Josh Mitnick. Many nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews in the Richmond and Sandberg families, and the children and grandchildren of Buddy Newman, all adored their lovely, warm, and funny Aunt Shelly.

Arrangements were private by the family. Donations can be made to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Online condolences may be offered to the family at hdoliver.com.

HYMAN COHEN

VIRGINIA BEACH— Age 96! Hyman Cohen of Virginia Beach, Va.

VIRGINIA BEACH— Shelly Brown died peacefully at home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, one day before her 89th birthday. She was born and raised in Sydney, Nova Scotia, as Rochelle Gaum, where she and her sister Eleanor were sometimes mistaken for their British royal contem poraries, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose.

After attending McGill University in Montreal, she moved to Detroit in the early 1950s to study nursing. While working as a Registered Nurse at Sinai

Hy Cohen was a loving, compas sionate, generous, and absolutely adored pillar of his family and community. A wonderful father, husband, grand, and great-grandfather.

“Hy” was a mensch with a jester’s wit who held court at the Seder table and really any table. He made friends every where he went. Hy enjoyed being at games heckling any scale of sporting event, though his first love was baseball—living his life through extra innings. He liked his coffee piping hot, his poker friendly, and his fish biting.

Born and raised in Norfolk, Va. in 1926 to Paul and Cecelia Swersky Cohen.

Hy was a proud World War II Veteran who put himself through college to become an accountant and multi-hyphenate entrepreneur.

Hy is survived by his children: Jan, Shauna, Lundi, and David, grandchil dren: Ahbra and Taylor, Eden and Kate, Braden, Zachary, and Krysten, Jacob and Mary, Ellie and Lilah, great-grandchil dren: Aden and Fletcher, and extended family Bruce, Kay, Bo, and all of the nieces and nephews who loved him. Special thanks to Stephen Barnes.

Hy passed peacefully on October 2 with his loved ones by his side. At long last, he is on his way to rejoin the Love of His Life, his wife of 65 years, Bette Faye— safe at home plate!

Raise a glass to Hy, L’chaim!

Contact the family for funeral details. Online condolences may be made to the family at hdoliver.com.

Donate to your local SPCA or a Hurricane Ian Fund.

MILTON REID

NORFOLK—Milton J. Reid, 90, died Monday, October 3, 2022 after several month of declining health. His beloved wife, Judy, and his children and grandchil dren were by his side when he peacefully passed away.

Milton was born in the Bronx, New York, on June 1, 1932 the son of the late Mark Reid and Rhea Reid. He was also preceded in death by his first wife, Barbara Reid. He served in the U.S. Air Force and worked as a window dresser. After moving to Virginia, he worked for Arthur’s Men’s Shop and Fines Men’s Shop, before retiring after 35 years.

Milton was an active Mason, Norfolk Lodge #1 where he became Worshipful Master and a Past Master. He also tutored up-and-coming Masons. Milton was also an avid hockey fan, especially the New York Rangers and Norfolk Admirals. He even had a room dedicated to the sport. He loved hockey. Milton had an outgoing personality and a great sense of humor. Even in his last days, he never lost his humor or jovial spirit.

He is survived by his wife, Judy Reid; his children, Donna VanderHeiden and her husband, Robert; Audrey Henerson

and her husband, Mitch; David Reid and his wife, Toni; step-son, John Waltz; step-daughter, Natalie Ewart; grandchil dren, Michael VanderHeiden and his wife, Kathy; Trevor Ewart, Ashley Ewart and Gracie Bonner; and great-granddaughter, Molly VanderHeiden, and great-grandson, Liam.

A graveside service was conducted at Princess Anne Memorial Park in Virginia Beach by Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman. Online condolences may be made at hdoli ver.com.

MARCIA SCHWAN

NORFOLK—Marcia Solomon Schwan, devoted wife, loving mother, and artist who resided in Tidewater for nearly 70 years, died on September 21, 2022 at the age of 92.

Born May 12, 1930 in Baltimore, Maryland to Dr. Samuel Solomon and Sara S. Solomon, Marcia graduated from the local Park School and in 1951, from Goucher College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. While work ing in the advertising department of iconic Baltimore emporium Hutzler’s, she began dating Henry Maxwell Schwan, a young attorney serving in the US Army at nearby Aberdeen. The couple married September 11, 1955 in Baltimore and soon settled in Henry’s hometown of Norfolk, Virginia. Always at Henry’s side, Marcia provided constant love, encouragement, and partnership throughout their 66-year marriage. Together they shared a deep devotion to their four children, in whom Marcia instilled a commitment to charac ter and a love of beauty.

Art was a defining element in Marcia’s life—a passion that began in childhood, continued through her school years and winning first prize in a competi tion hosted by The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, and endured across the decades. While painting daily in her home art studio, Marcia audited classes at Old Dominion University taught by the late artists Charles Sibley and Norman Goodwin, who became friends as well as mentors. Marcia developed cherished friendships with numerous fellow artists locally, and some of her works were pre sented alongside theirs at museum and

gallery exhibitions.

Marcia served on the board of the local Girl Scouts of the USA and as president of the Ohef Sholom Sisterhood. She was a lover of poetry and of books, devouring novels and mysteries. She was equally a fierce competitor on the tennis court in local tournaments and shared her hus band’s love of fishing on the Chesapeake

Bay and the lakes and rivers of Maine.

Marcia consistently tamed the New York Times crossword puzzle, especially relish ing the legendarily difficult Sunday tests, and she was a marvelous cook, known for her splendid desserts. She could always be seen walking her Bedlington Terriers, of which she raised and loved a number across the years.

•

Are you a Jewish teen who wants to go to Israel?

• Incentive grants awards are up to 30% eligible expenses (maximum of $6,000 per

more information,

OBITUARIES

In addition to her late husband, Henry, who died on February 2, 2022 at age 92, Marcia is predeceased by her older brother, Dr. David Solomon of Baltimore.

She leaves behind her beloved chil dren, Elisabeth of Philadelphia; Andrea of New York City; Henry, Jr. of Framingham, Massachusetts (wife Nancy and daughter Martine); and Lucille Schwan Joergens of New York City (husband Thomas Joergens and children Jacob, Benjamin, and Olivia). She also leaves behind several nieces and nephews (Michael Solomon, Dr. Robert Solomon, Dr. Laurie Solomon, Kathy Solomon; Linda Hecht Schwartz, and Mark Hecht).

A loving mother, artist, and friend, Marcia will be deeply missed.

of 46 years, Louis Stark and sister, Freida Goldstein. She was a long-time member of the Congregation Beth El and its Sisterhood.

A graduate of Maury High School in Norfolk, Esther worked for the Internal Revenue Service for over 40 years assisting the community with income tax prepara tion. Esther’s life was defined by her generosity and kindness to others. After retiring, she continued to assist friends with their taxes and was a member of the Auxiliary of Norfolk General Hospital.

Left to cherish her memory are her two daughters, Susan Stark of Cambridge, Mass. and Mallory Stark of Brookline, Mass.; and seven nieces and nephews.

757-965-6106

Funeral services were private. The family wishes to thank the staff at Beth Sholom Village and Suncrest Hospice for providing Marcia excellent care in her final months. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts. Online condolences may be sent to the family through hdoliver.com.

ESTHER STARK

NORFOLK—Esther Stark of Norfolk, Virginia, passed away on October 5, 2022 at age 100.

She was the daughter of the late Morris and Jennie Stam Lesser and was pre ceded in death by her beloved husband

The family wishes to express their sin cere appreciation for the loving care that Esther received from her devoted friends, as well as the staff at Beth Sholom Village and Tidewater Jewish Family Service.

A graveside funeral service was con ducted at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Rabbi Ron Koas from Congregation Beth El and Rabbi Adam Ruditsky from Beth Sholom Home officiated.

Memorial contributions may be made to Congregation Beth El or a charity of the donor’s choice. H. D. Oliver Funeral Apts. Online condolences may be sent to the family through www.hdoliver.com.