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INSIDE
Southeastern Virginia | Vol. 65, No. 5 | 29 Heshvan 5787 | November 9, 2026
8 Shabbaton brings Jewish Tidewater together
30 Michael Oren’s timely visit to Tidewater
Jewish takeaways from the midterms
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38 Made in Israel Pop-Up Market November 23 -24
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UPFRONT
JEWISH NEWS
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JD Vance blames Israel and Iran war for GOP’s crushing defeats Sharon Udasin (JTA) —Vice President JD Vance blamed the Republican Party’s massive midterm losses on the country’s connection to Israel and the war in Iran in a social media post early on Wednesday, Nov. 4. “The real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone,” Vance wrote on X, as results from the Nov. 3 midterm elections showed that Democrats had wrested control of Congress from his Republican Party. The vice president then listed four strategies to persuade those voters who abandoned the GOP “to come back to our team”: end the war in Iran; focus on the cost of living and inflation; put America first; and “Change our relationship to Israel.” “The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,” Vance added, referring to interviews President Donald Trump gave on Nov. 3 about the influence of the war on gas prices. Addressing the defeats, Trump told Fox News that “a part of it was Iran,” while also doubling down on the importance of the war itself. Similarly, he told The Wall Street Journal that “Iran was a piece of it.” The president’s son, Donald Trump, Jr., backed Vance’s statement with a re-post on Wednesday, Nov. 4 simply adding: “Every word of this is 100 100 100.” Jonathan Greenberg, director for combatting antisemitism at Defending Education and a former staffer for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, described Vance’s comments as “nonsense.”
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alliance that Israel is fighting,” added Greenberg, who ran for state office in Illinois as a Republican in 2012 but is now unaffiliated. “The idea that we’re going to take an ally in that fight and feed them to the same ogre that’s coming after us makes
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absolutely no sense to me,” he said. “I think the vice president’s wrong.” Asked whether he thought Vance would be a suitable presidential candidate in 2028, Greenberg responded that he’s
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planning to “wait to see what the field looks like.”
Issue Deadline November 23 Hanukkah November 6 December 14 Year-End Decisions November 27 January 18 Invest/Retire December 30 February 8 Foodie/Romance January 22, 2027
QUOTABLE
CONTENTS Upfront. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
New strategic plan for UVA’s Hillel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Mazel Tov special section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Progressive US Jews call for Israel’s opposition block to welcome Arab parties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Area’s first Dementia Café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Trump: US aid to Israel will stop at end of year. . . . 6 Jewish Tidewater’s Shabbaton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Jewish takeaways from midterm elections . . . . . . . . . 9 JCOC receives grant from BSV’s new fund . . . . . . . 11 Dancing beyond our circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Jewish Holidays at Aviva Pembroke . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Michael Oren shares perspective on Israel . . . . . . . 30 What’s Happening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 What’s Happening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
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It is very painful for me – the very sharp decline in the polls of the support for Israel.” – page 30
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BRIEFS ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Noah Wyle, TV’s nice Jewish doctor, is People’s Sexiest Man Alive
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oah Wyle, the Jewish actor who both mends and steals hearts as a doctor on the hit HBO Max medical drama The Pitt, was named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive. Last month’s announcement described the actor’s “smoldering intensity” and “leading man looks,” while noting that “he loves to do the dishes.” Wyle, 55, told People he initially thought the news was “a classic set-up for a prank.” His wife, Sara Wells, helped persuade him to accept the honor, he said, because she believes his qualities as a husband and father are worth celebrating. The actor, who starred in the ’90s medical drama ER, is enjoying a career resurgence as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, the brilliant, troubled emergency-room physician at the center of The Pitt. The role has earned Wyle two consecutive Emmy Awards for outstanding lead actor in a drama series, along with renewed attention to his own Jewish heritage. As JTA reported last year, Wyle drew on his father’s Russian-Jewish background in helping create Robby, his first Jewish character. The doctor wears a Star of David necklace and, in a pivotal scene in the show’s first season, clutches it while reciting the Shema, a central Jewish prayer, during an emotional crisis. Wyle, whose father is Jewish and mother is Episcopalian, did not grow up in a religious household. But in an interview with the Jewish Chronicle this year, he said Judaism had become more relevant to his life through the show and that his daughter, then 10, has expressed the most interest to “pick up the mantle of Judaism.” She helped him with the pronunciation of the Shema, he said, and her bat mitzvah has been scheduled. Wyle has also brought Jewish history into The Pitt. In an episode he wrote for the show’s second season, a patient with ties to the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder. Wyle said portraying a Jewish character offered an opportunity to present a humanist and healer at a time of heightened antisemitism. “I have come to learn that the world’s knowledge of Jews comes through depictions of them in the media,” he told the Jewish Chronicle. (JTA) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
AIPAC to halt direct campaign contributions and candidate endorsements
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he American Israel Political Affairs Committee announced it will no longer make direct campaign contributions or endorse candidates, instead focusing on mobilizing individual donors. The pro-Israel lobby disclosed the change in a letter to its members last month. The letter stated that the lobby would still operate its super PAC, the United Democracy Project, which was launched alongside AIPAC’s PAC in 2021, ahead of the 2022 midterms. The strategy shift occurred in an increasingly tense environment in which AIPAC has become a boogeyman
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among many progressive politicians – particularly among members of the Democratic Socialists of America in their Democratic congressional campaigns. “We will prioritize increasing direct, organized contributions from individual Americans to candidates – expanding upon our current efforts – and maximizing the emerging political fundraising tools,” the AIPAC letter stated. “Endorsements, direct PAC contributions, and earmarking will no longer be part of our approach so we can expand individual giving and utilize new tools to help our friends win,” the lobby added. The letter detailed the lobby’s accomplishments in this political cycle, saying it helped 290 pro-Israel candidates secure election wins nationwide and prevented 29 “detractors” from winning. Looking ahead, the letter noted that “the 2028 cycle will demand an even stronger commitment by our activists to pro-Israel politics.” As a result, the lobby said it would be important to adopt new fundraising strategies and ensure that individual member contributions are being used as effectively as possible. “Our mission and strategy remain the same,” AIPAC spokesperson Deryn Sousa said. “Our goal is to build support for the U.S.-Israel relationship. AIPAC members gave more than $90 million directly to candidates this cycle, and that organized, direct giving from our members will continue and increase.” (JTA) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Pelosi slams Mamdani’s position on Israel: ‘It’s wrong.’
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emocratic former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said in a podcast appearance that she disagrees with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, as well as Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, on Israel. “It’s more than concerning: It’s wrong,” she said, about anyone in the Democratic Party who denies Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. (JTA) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Spanish dictionary defies judge’s order to stop defining ‘Jewish’ as ‘miserly’
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wo years after an Argentine judge ordered a Spanish dictionary to drop a definition of “Jewish” as “miserly or usurious,” the institution responsible for the dictionary has yet to comply. The definition reflects a long history of associating Jews with greed and moneylending, a stereotype reinforced by literary figures such as Shakespeare’s Shylock and by centuries of anti-Jewish prejudice. The Royal Spanish Academy, the Madrid-based language-standardization institution that is ignoring a September 2024 order by a federal judge, defends its dictionary as a record of how words are used, including pejorative meanings. “We understand that the dictionary reflects how some people use language, but it is also true that many people learn through the dictionary,” Ariel Siedler, a member of the Latin American Jewish Congress (CJL) who monitors online discrimination, says. “That is why adding that
definition seems negative. The aim was to avoid reinforcing discrimination, which would be perpetuated through the dictionary.” The 2024 order came a month after CJL and DAIA, Argentina’s Jewish political umbrella organization, filed a criminal complaint against Santiago Muñoz Machado, the academy’s director, and other officials. It accused them of “inciting hatred against the Jewish community through the discriminatory definition of the term ‘Jew’.” “If the [academy] defines ‘Jew’ as ‘miserly,’ it is because that’s how people use the word,” Machado said, who said the ruling is unenforceable in Spain. He emphasized that dictionaries document language rather than invent it, and that deleting a definition would not necessarily prevent people from using the expression. The academy’s online Dictionary of the Spanish Language lists five meanings for “judío” (Jew/Jewish): “Hebrew,” a person “who professes Judaism,” a “native of Judea, a country of ancient Asia” and “belonging or relating to Judea or the Jews.” The fifth describes it as a person who is “miserly or usurious.” English-language dictionaries routinely include antisemitic meanings of “Jew” while also noting that such usage is offensive. There is a precedent for the academy removing an offensive definition. A Spanish lawyer Borja Luján Lago in 2023 got the academy to modify the entry for the word “lawyer,” which included the definitions “talkative” and “chatty.” Panama’s Jewish community, hearing of his success, tapped Luján Lago to persuade the academy to remove the offensive “Jewish” definition. More than 20 Jewish groups in the United States and Latin America signed onto the effort. Based in Madrid and founded in 1713, the academy is the leading authority on the Spanish language, coordinating linguistic standards with 22 other academies, mostly in Latin America. Approximately 636 million people worldwide are Spanish speakers. (JTA) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
ADL helps law enforcement.
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nformation supplied by ADL played a key role as a white supremacist in Dundalk, Maryland pleaded guilty in federal court last month to damaging religious property. He admitted to spray-painting swastikas on gravestones at a Jewish cemetery in Baltimore County in 2023 and admitted he chose the cemetery because it is Jewish. He now faces up to three years in prison on the cemetery charge. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland commended ADL for its “valuable assistance” in the investigation. Both this conviction and an earlier conviction on a federal ammunition charge follow an ADL Center on Extremism alert to law enforcement. The ADL alert identified the perpetrator and his location, flagged an alias he was using to post online, and included Telegram posts where he bragged about possessing firearms and maps of recently vandalized Jewish cemeteries in the Baltimore area. (ADL)
ELECTION IN ISRAEL
Progressive US Jews call for Israel’s opposition bloc to welcome Arab parties Sharon Udasin (JTA) —Liberal U.S. Jewish leaders are urging Israel’s opposition parties to abandon their campaign promises and join hands with Arab parties in order to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Following the Oct. 27 vote, Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats in the Knesset, Israel’s legislature, while the camp of his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, 48 seats. That means both fall short of the 61 votes required to form a new majority governing coalition. One of the most significant shifts in electoral politics coming out of the results was the success of Israel’s two Arab parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, which nearly doubled their representation to 19 seats. Those gains would be enough to give the Netanyahu or Eisenkot blocs the necessary seats to form a coalition, but neither has publicly indicated a willingness to include Arab-led parties in their coalitions. The idea is also anathema to much of the Jewish Israeli electorate after the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. Nonetheless, U.S. Jewish voices urged Eisenkot and his allies – collectively known as the “change” bloc – to welcome the Arab-Israeli parties as partners for implementing change. Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of the liberal Zionist lobby J Street, hailed the “extraordinarily high voter turnout,” estimated at nearly 78% of eligible voters, and praised “the historic participation of Arab citizens of Israel,” saying “their voices and votes are a vital part of Israel’s democratic fabric.” Dan Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel during the Obama administration, commended the voters for creating an “important opportunity for change.” That change, he added, could occur if Eisenkot’s bloc worked with Arab parties. Gabriel Epstein, a senior policy associate at the Israel Policy Forum, encouraged Eisenkot and his partners not to shy away from taking the historic step of joining with Ra’am and Joint List, both of whose support they would need to come to power. Epstein said in a post on X that there were benefits beyond politics: “Greater integration of the Arab community into Israeli society is also key for political and democratic legitimacy.” Jacob Stoil, a research professor of Middle East Security Studies at the U.S. Army War College, told JTA that “there are some real challenges to putting together a coalition that includes the Arab parties,” given the political positions they take and the campaign promises made by Eisenkot’s partners. Although one party, the Islamist Ra’am, previously served in a coalition and has expressed willingness to do so again, multiple members of Eisenkot’s bloc have pledged not to sit with an Arab party. Meanwhile, the second party, the Joint List, rejects the definition of Israel as a Jewish state and therefore refuses to serve in a Zionist-led government. One plausible option could be “a minority government with the Arab parties essentially voting to keep the government in office and protecting it,” according to Stoil, who said his comments did not reflect the views of the U.S. Army or the U.S. government. The Jewish Federations of North America, meanwhile, released a neutral statement after the election, applauding “the shared values that bind Israelis and North American Jews, including a deep commitment to democratic principles and civic participation.” The organization said it would continue working “with leaders across the political spectrum.” The massive voter turnout among multiple religious groups “underscores Israel’s diversity and steadfast commitment to the democratic process – a value shared and cherished in America,” an American Israel Public Affairs Committee statement said.
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USA AND ISRAEL
Trump says US aid to Israel will stop at the end of the year Sam Sokol (JTA) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Nov. 3 said that the United States would halt billions of dollars in annual aid to Israel by the end of 2026, potentially ending decades of military funding for one of America’s closest allies in the Middle East. “We were giving them $4 billion. We are. But it gets cut off at the end of the year,” Trump declared during a call-in appearance on the Fox & Friends morning program on Fox News. Israel’s 10-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United States, which currently gives Israel $3.8 billion annually, runs through 2028, so it’s unclear how easy it would be for the White House to stop the funding this year and whether Trump is truly Donald Trump. committed to changing the arrangement. “It’s a bad talking point,” Trump said in reference to the aid, questioning why Republicans should have to deal with criticism from hardline pro-Palestinian Democrats like Michigan Democratic Senate candidate (now Senatorelect) Abdul El-Sayed over it. His comments came as Americans across the country were voting Tuesday in midterm elections to determine control of the U.S. House and Senate. “If they did need it, I would say keep it going,” Trump said of Israel’s budgetary situation. But referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement in January that he wanted to taper off aid to zero at some point in the future, Trump said, “we give them more than anybody else and they no longer need it.” Trump added that he’d reached an agreement with Netanyahu on the issue, telling Fox News that Netanyahu was the one who raised the issue given the Democratic opposition to the continued funding: “He brought it up. He said, ‘I think it would be Benjamin Netanyahu. appropriate if we do not receive aid,’ because he understands that this is one of their points of contention.” A growing number of Democratic congressional candidates across the United States campaigned on a 6 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
platform of reducing or halting military aid to Israel during the run-up to the midterms. This April, dozens of senators — almost all of them Democrats — voted in favor of a failed motion to block the sales of certain weapons to Israel. Trump also joked about moving to Israel if his political fortunes flag in the United States, telling Fox that he was “at 99% approval rating in Israel” and “if people got tired of me in the U.S., I’ll move to Israel and become prime minister.” While the Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to JTA’s request for comment, Israeli financial and military officials expressed surprise and concern at Trump’s announcement in anonymous comments made to various Hebrew media outlets. Gadi Eisenkot, the chairman of the opposition Yashar party, the second-largest in Israel behind Netanyahu’s Likud following elections Oct. 27, argued that “the fact that the defense establishment— along with the citizens of Israel—learned of a shift in the strategic relationship through the media, demonstrates just how much Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct poses a real danger.” Yair Golan, chairman of Israel’s liberal Democrats party, also slammed Netanyahu in the wake of Trump’s statement, tweeting that “precisely at a time when Israel’s defense spending has reached enormous proportions, when Israel needs to replenish its offensive weapons stockpiles, and after air
defense capabilities have been depleted following such a long war—Netanyahu logs another massive failure under his name. “The cessation of U.S. aid is heavy damage to Israel’s security” and “a responsible prime minister would have fought to increase American aid, not eliminate it,” added Golan. Similarly, Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman asserted in his own post that “the price of Trump’s support for Netanyahu [is] 3.8 billion dollars a year.” Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, for his part, called Trump’s decision “one of the most severe political and security failures in the state’s history.” “It’s inconceivable that Netanyahu capitulated to it, and even more inconceivable that he failed to prepare the security apparatus,” Lapid declared. Eisenkot, Golan, Liberman, and Lapid are allies in the opposition, which is trying to form a wide enough coalition to oust Netanyahu from power following the elections last month. Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of the election, arguing that his leadership was critical to destroying the threat from Iran. Netanyahu has long campaigned on his close ties to various world leaders, including Trump. The hawkish Zionist Organization of America, which has traditionally supported Trump, also criticized the president’s move, with its president, Morton Klein, questioning “why the U.S. isn‘t also ending the over $4 billion in annual U.S. aid to the Arab Muslim countries of Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, and Lebanon, and the Palestinian Authority entity.” However, Republican Jewish Coalition CEO Matt Brooks took a different tack, arguing that under Trump, the U.S.-Israel relationship was “stronger than ever” and that “the process of weaning foreign military assistance to Israel is not unexpected and is something that has
Two years ago on Election Day Trump was promising peace in the Middle East. This time ending FMF [Foreign Military Financing] to Israel.
USA AND ISRAEL been openly discussed in partnership and coordination between the governments of the United States and Israel.” Brooks added, “Ultimately what will come out of this will be to the benefit of both countries and strengthen our cooperation even further.” On the other side of the political spectrum, Ilan Goldenberg, the chief policy officer of J Street, the liberal Jewish Middle East advocacy group, tweeted that “2 years ago on Election Day Trump was promising peace in the Middle East. This time ending FMF [Foreign Military Financing] to Israel. Goes to show how much things have moved politically, and simultaneously how much we can’t trust what he says to actually happen.” Rival pro-Israel lobby AIPAC said that “we support the current MOU, which is set to expire next year. By working closely together, the two democratic allies help keep each nation secure, promote regional peace and stability, and grow both economies.” Trump’s announcement additionally faced
criticism from Brett McGurk, a former senior national security official who played a central role in the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. “Obama-era MOU provides $3.3B annually in military financing plus $500M for missile defense. Nearly all of these funds must be spent on purchases from US industry, supporting US jobs. The total is less than one-tenth of one percent of federal spending annually,” noted McGurk in a post on Twitter. “Phasing out the MOU early is a decision for the President and Congress. It may be time to do so but the debate should start with accurate facts and figures,” he said. The MOU is not “not legally binding” and the funding must be approved by Congress each year, noted Lara Friedman, the president of the progressive Foundation for Middle East Peace. Accordingly, the issue isn’t set to be revisited until the next budget is presented and then both Republican and Democratic senators and representatives would weigh in.
The cessation of U.S. aid is heavy damage to Israel’s security.
Michael J. Koplow, the chief policy officer at the dovish Israel Policy Forum, said that in addition to no such budget having actually been presented, it was important to note the timing of Trump’s remarks on Election Day. Republicans faced several hard congressional battles in places like Michigan, where progressive Democratic candidates called to curtail aid to Israel. “I think he’s trying to say to voters in Michigan, this isn’t actually an issue you should be voting on because the money is going away anyway,” Koplow assessed. While there is growing support in the United States for cutting defense aid to Israel, there has also been a push among some members to more tightly integrate the two countries’ defense establishments, with a group of lawmakers seeking to include language in the annual defense policy bill that would expand U.S.-Israeli defense technology cooperation. A section of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2027 would require the secretary of defense to designate an “executive agent responsible for synchronizing cooperative efforts between the United States and Israel, including bilateral defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, integration, and industrial cooperation.”
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JEWISH TIDEWATER
MORE THAN A WEEKEND: HOW ONE SHABBAT BROUGHT JEWISH TIDEWATER TOGETHER TJF staff “We’re all Jews here. They just do Jewish different, but we’re all Jews.” It was a simple observation, shared by one child with another during the inaugural Tidewater Community Shabbaton. But those words captured the spirit of a weekend when differences took a back seat to shared traditions, new friendships, and the joy of being together. Held October 16–18, the Shabbaton brought more than 100 participants from across Jewish Tidewater together for three days of worship, learning, laughter, and connection. Hosted by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, the gathering welcomed people from different congregations, generations, and levels of Jewish observance. Children raced through games, adults competed in Minute to Win It challenges, and a participant in his 90s joined children for balloon soccer. There were discussions with rabbis, shared Shabbat meals, and conversations that stretched well beyond the scheduled activities. Some of the most memorable moments weren’t planned. “Friday evening after dinner some of us randomly met on the bridge over the dunes and just lay on our backs looking up at the stars. We chatted about the stars being cracks in the floorboards of heaven and how vast the universe felt. It was so dark most of us couldn’t tell who was who and who came
from which community. We were all just fellow Jews in a sea of stars,” recalls Ben McCormick. Baila Zharnest’s description of the experience was equally memorable. “…It didn’t matter how you daven or what level you keep or what’s on your head. It was just Jewish people having fun together. I also really loved motzei shabbos. I found myself in a big circle of women with mixed levels of observance. As an Orthodox Jew, getting to spend time and have conversations with other women I don’t know or don’t get to see often was just SO nice. I had the best time. That circle that night was a core memory for me.” “My favorite part was bringing together people from several Tidewater synagogues, people we don’t always get to see in our day-to-day lives,” says Pati Oliszewski. “We prayed together, celebrated Shabbat together, played games, laughed, and enjoyed the kind of unhurried conversations that don’t always happen in the middle of a busy week.” Sierra Lautman, UJFT’s senior director of Jewish Innovation and organizer of the Shabbaton, says bringing together people from across the Jewish community was at the heart of the gathering. “As with so many communities around the world,
Sam Rachelson and Sophie Hyman.
Ben McCormick, Rabbi Panitz, Bob Lowe, Eric Mauer, David Yasemsky, Hannah Yasemsky, Cantor David Prozer, Gary Siegel, Cantor Elihau Flax, and Yitzi Litt.
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Jewish or otherwise, we tend to gravitate towards the people and situations that are familiar,” says Lautman. “Our Jewish community can become a collection of smaller communities. During the Shabbaton, people could spend time with others they might never have met or may have only known in passing. We planned the programming, created an opportunity for people to come together, and hoped that connections would follow, but we couldn’t plan for the friendships that would develop or the small moments of connection. That was the real gift of the weekend: watching our community become something bigger than the sum of its parts.” Tidewater Jewish Foundation helped make the Shabbaton possible through a Community Impact Grant. “The Shabbaton was a beautiful example of what becomes possible when we bring congregations, organizations, and families together across traditions and generations,” says Naomi Limor Sedek, TJF president and CEO. “We are doing more than creating meaningful experiences. We are building relationships, strengthening our collective identity and laying the foundation for a Jewish legacy that will endure. This is the kind of collaboration and community investment that TJF is proud to support.” To learn more about TJF Community Impact Grants, contact Ann Swindell at aswindell@tjfva.org.
Hannah Hoffman-Schmitz, Lia Oliszewski, and Simi Shames.
Local Relationships Matter
ELECTION 2026
Six Jewish takeaways from the midterm elections Ami Eden (JTA) —The sheer size and geographic scope of the Republican wipeout Nov. 3 makes it hard to read anything definitive into the results beyond a nationwide repudiation of President Donald Trump (and his candidate selections). The fallout will have a range of reverberations. Here are six takeaways.
Whether Netanyahu holds on or chief rival Gadi Eisenkot succeeds in replacing him, Israel is entering uncharted territory. There is little chance that the combination of a weakened Trump and an emboldened Democratic Congress produces similar levels of support for aggressive action against Iran and its proxies, and other policies that a wide spectrum of Israelis see as crucial to their security.
In many races, anti-Israel candidates and 1. A weakened Donald Trump AIPAC critics doesn’t bode well for Netanyahu managed to turn the lobby’s backing into a liability. For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump has been a longshot bet that keeps on paying off. It’s hard to overstate how significant Trump’s wins in 2016 and 2024 were in bolstering Netanyahu’s domestic standing and giving him space to advance his regional agenda. Trump also served as a security blanket, leaving Netanyahu and his allies with a sense for many years that they didn’t need to worry too much about skyrocketing Democratic and international anger with Israel. There was even a hope in Bibi world that The Donald’s support could save Netanyahu from political defeat at home (his 11th-hour endorsement may have).
2. Jeffries and Schumer face a massive headache
With the Democratic wave, Hakeem Jeffries is on track to become Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and Chuck Schumer will likely get a second shot as U.S. Senate Majority Leader. These New Yorkers have longstanding ties to the pro-Israel community and are among their party’s strongest Israel supporters – putting them at odds with the growing number of congressional Democrats who want their party to take a much harder line against Israel. It won’t be long before members in each caucus are demanding concrete action, including meaningful limits on U.S. military sales. Both Democratic leaders have
MEET: Paul R. Hernandez “This area is our home and we are committed to supporting it. Our lawyers are actively involved by donating their time to programs that help the community, especially in the schools with young drivers. I am very involved with End Distracted Driving, spending 20 days a year in the schools educating students about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving. The other major program we work on is Every 15 Minutes which highlights how every 15 minutes someone dies in a car crash and helps teens understand the consequences of drinking and driving.”
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ratcheted up their criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government in the wake of its war on Hamas in Gaza, but they have ultimately voted against various legislative attempts to punish Israel. This past April, Schumer was one of only seven Senate Democrats to vote against a pair of resolutions that together would have blocked the sale of D-9 bulldozers, widely used in military operations, and 1,000-pound bombs to Israel. In July, Jeffries voted against ending U.S. military aid to Israel, but the measure was supported by almost half of the Democratic caucus. As leaders of their
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respective chambers, Jeffries and Schumer will likely face immense pressure to bring more anti-Israel legislation to the floor and face much tougher scrutiny from the party base over continued support for Israel.
3. The impact of the anti-Israel vote was diluted On the other hand, the massive Democratic victory dilutes the power of the anti-Israel lawmakers in Congress. Their numbers will grow, causing problems for party leaders trying to keep anti-Israel measures off the agenda. But they will remain a relatively small subset
JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 9
ELECTION 2026 within a much larger Democratic majority that includes many moderates and Israel supporters. Not only will anti-Israel lawmakers have less leverage over Democratic leaders, but their electoral victories will be harder to interpret as evidence of growing opposition to Israel when Democrats across the political spectrum benefited from the same wave.
4. John Fetterman just lost his juice Just as the sizable Democratic House majority makes Jeffries less dependent on anti-Israel lawmakers in his caucus, the next Senate Majority Leader won’t need to rely on Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman. For years, Fetterman has been driving fellow Democrats crazy with his cozying up to Republicans, with progressives especially upset over his die-hard support for Israel. The Democrats no longer need him to keep control of the chamber. In 2028, he’ll be up for reelection and highly unlikely to survive the Democratic primary.
5. AIPAC has not found a formula for success A few years back, the leading pro-Israel lobby decided the best way to counter the initial anti-Israel rumblings in Congress was to jump deep into the campaign
fundraising business. Hundreds of millions of dollars later, the number of Israel critics in Congress – especially on the Democratic side of the aisle – has grown, with a fresh batch on the way. Moreover, in many races, anti-Israel candidates and AIPAC critics managed to turn the lobby’s backing into a liability. The elections’ results suggest AIPAC’s strong support for the U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran is out of step with the American public and many incoming lawmakers.
6. It was a great night for Jewish presidential hopefuls
The massive Democratic victory dilutes the power of the anti-Israel lawmakers in Congress.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff says he isn’t running for president in 2028. But that won’t stop the speculation from skyrocketing after his impressive reelection in Georgia – with nearly 60% of the vote. More importantly, he probably just grabbed frontrunner status in the race to become America’s first Jewish president.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also registered a similarly sized reelection victory in a state that Trump won just two years ago. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker also cruised to reelection. Meanwhile in Michigan, moderate Elissa Slotkin – another senator and possible presidential hopeful – may have at least propped open the door to some progressive support by campaigning hard for Abdul El-Sayed. All four have been highly critical of Netanyahu, with both Ossoff and Slotkin joining most of their fellow Democratic senators in voting in April for a curb on various weapons sales. Both senators have declined to label Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media or of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater or Jewish News.
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JEWISH TIDEWATER
JCOC is one of 24 local agencies to receive grants from Beth Sholom Village Joel Rubin At 65 and 73, William Dority and Margaret Babonis represent seniors, the fastest growing cohort of people experiencing homelessness in the United States. And it’s why the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center in Virginia Beach was able to secure a grant from Beth Sholom Village to help feed this vulnerable population, something the non-profit does 365 nights a year. “We don’t receive government assistance for hunger relief,” says Todd Walker, whose name graces JCOC’s dining hall. “We depend on the community so the money from Beth Sholom was a godsend.” For Dority and Babonis, this was the
only meal they would eat this October day. “Right now we’re living on the street,” says Dority, who ironically was a chef in various commercial kitchens, including at the former Pavillion, Broad Bay Point Country Club, and Chicks off Shore Drive. Babonis worked on flight lines fueling aircraft, but both suffered disabling injuries. “Then two years ago,” says Babonis, “my 49-year-old son, who supported me, was killed in a car accident.” The loss of a housing voucher cost the co-dependent couple their apartment. “Between Social Security and other retirement funds, we can pay rent, but we need money to get into a decent place and don’t have it.” JCOC didn’t have a
Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
unit for them so the pair would leave the facility this night and sleep wherever they could find a wall near the oceanfront to block the wind. “We’re going to help them find a safe place,” says Walker, a former Indiana University football standout. Volunteers serve at JCOC. “I don’t call people like them homeless. They are individuals experiencing homelessness. It can happen to almost anybody due to illness, family issues, layoffs, you name it. We’re here for them.” The beauty of JCOC, which opened a 38-room affordable apartment complex on Virginia Beach Boulevard near Birdneck Road in June, is the love the community has had for this provider since its founding in 1986. “We’ve been coming here for over 10 years,” says John Williams, one of 13 volunteers from Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Lynnhaven Parkway. “We buy the ingredients and
prepare the meals, then come here and serve it.” A bevy of houses of worship and other groups do the same, and more are needed. The JCOC also runs a food pantry and other nutrition programs that depend on funders like Beth Sholom, which distributed more than $837,000 in 2026 from interest income earned from the sale of its former nursing home and assisted living campus. “We expect to have more than a million dollars to share in 2027,” says Lauren Krajesky, BSV executive director, “and we will likely assist JCOC again as well as other local agencies, Jewish and non-Jewish, that are addressing the housing, nutrition, transportation, and isolation prevention needs of our senior population.” Organizations can learn more about the BSV fund at www.bethsholomvillage.com.
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Realtor cell (757) 434-5808 sherlstein@aol.com Todd Walker, William Dority and Margaret Babonis. JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 11
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Patti Oliszewski (far left) with the Bible study group.
FIRST PERSON
Dancing beyond our circle Pati Oliszewski A little less than a month ago, I received an unexpected message from someone who got my name from the Simon Family JCC. She was looking for information about Israeli folk dancing. At first, I assumed she might be interested in joining our weekly rikudim classes, which have been going strong for three years. But as our conversation continued, I realized she was looking for something quite different. For me, Israeli folk dancing has been part of life for as long as I can remember. Growing up Jewish in South America, rikudim was part of our education. In Jewish day school, we danced from first grade through our senior year of high school. And graduation certainly did not mean graduation from dancing. There were dance groups connected to Jewish clubs, youth movements, groups of friends, school parents, and community organizations. We danced socially, at celebrations, and at festivals. We danced because it connected us to Israel and to one another. I have participated in many Israeli dance festivals, even celebrating my first wedding anniversary onstage. My husband was there too — although his contribution to the performance was enthusiastically made from the audience. So, when someone asks me about rikudim, they are asking about more than a hobby. They are asking about something that has accompanied me throughout my Jewish life. And that made this invitation even more meaningful. Roberta Velichko, the woman who contacted me, leads a Christian women’s Bible study group that recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. The group began out of what she describes as a “hunger for God’s word” and grew into a close community of women who met in person each week to study Scripture. When COVID changed the way they could gather, their meetings moved online — and what began as a necessity ultimately expanded their circle. Today, their virtual gatherings bring together women from different parts of the country, including New York, Florida, Michigan, and Connecticut. Their members come from different places and backgrounds, and their studies frequently explore the historical and cultural context of the Bible, Hebrew words, and Jewish holidays. Her church describes itself as an Eastern Catholic congregation with Hebrew roots, and the Shema is part of its weekly worship.
JEWISH TIDEWATER The women were planning a weekend retreat in Virginia Beach — a chance to gather in person, study, pray, talk, and enjoy one another’s company. Wanting to include something fun and different, they thought of Israeli dancing. None had previous experience with rikudim. They were simply curious and wanted to experience a small piece of a culture they had encountered through Scripture. Suddenly, what initially sounded like a request for a dance instructor felt like something much bigger. I had the privilege of being a bridge. The timing could hardly have been more complicated. The invitation arrived right in the middle of the Jewish Women learn the dance steps. holiday season, when our calendars seem to develop lives of their own. But somehow, we found a window. Just a few hours before Shabbat, I joined the women during their retreat. And we danced. We began, of course, with some context. Israeli folk dance is not simply choreography set to Hebrew music.
The dances carry stories. The songs have words and meanings. Some come from biblical texts and prayers; others speak about Israel, love, hope, community, and the experience of building a shared culture. Then came the movement. Hands joined. Steps were learned. Mistakes made. Laughter was heard. Slowly, people who had never danced Israeli folk dance before were moving together in a circle. And that circle stayed with me. There is something powerful about the circle in Israeli dance. There is no front row. There is no most important person. We hold hands, we move together, and when someone loses the step, the people beside her help bring her back in. For a little while that afternoon, our circle became wider. It reached beyond a Jewish school, synagogue, or JCC. It included women who had come with genuine curiosity and respect, wanting to understand something that matters deeply to us. At the end of their retreat, their leader wrote to thank
me, noting that during their final sharing, nearly everyone mentioned how blessed they felt by the Israeli folk dancing. We spend so much time thinking about how to preserve Jewish identity within our own community — and rightly so. We teach our children, celebrate our holidays, sing our songs, tell our stories, and work to ensure the next generation knows where it comes from. But there is another beautiful responsibility: opening the circle. There is tremendous joy in sharing our culture with people outside the Jewish community who approach it with curiosity, affection, and respect. Sometimes that happens through a conversation, food, music, Hebrew, or a holiday celebration. And sometimes it happens when a group of women joins hands and tries to figure out which foot goes where. For me, Israeli folk dance has always been about more than steps. It is culture, memory, community, and connection. It is one of the ways I learned to love Israel and Am Yisrael before I had the words to explain that love. Last month, for one afternoon in Virginia Beach, I had the privilege of sharing a little of that love beyond our own community. Perhaps that is one of the most meaningful things we can do with our traditions: cherish them enough to preserve them, live them proudly enough to make them visible, and open our circle wide enough to share their beauty with others.
JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 13
JEWISH TIDEWATER
New strategic plan for UVA’s Hillel Haley Bartel The Brody Jewish Center (Hillel at the University of Virginia) announced a new strategic plan for 2026-2029, which will support the nearly 1,000 students who engaged in educational programs at the Center last year, more than 90 students in leadership development positions, and six full-time staff.
The new plan will give students more ownership of Jewish life on campus, offering at least one cohortbased Jewish learning experience each semester, building connections for students from their first year through graduation, and opening the Hillel building to graduate students. “The students are just incredibly
Students at Brody Jewish Center.
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inspiring to me,” says Gwen Goodkin, year, and the Center’s new plan is designed a member of the Brody Jewish Center’s to meet that demand while deepening board of directors. “Their enthusiasm for students’ connection to Jewish life. Judaism and for Jewish community on Several students say the Center campus, their vision, has become a their motivation, all meaningful part of the ideals where of their college UVA’s culture and experience, and for Jewish culture at some it has opened UVA come together. the door to Jewish That’s why I’m identities they here – because the hadn’t always felt students just blow connected to. me away.” “It wasn’t The strategy a big part of my Havdalah at the Brody Jewish Center. follows nearly two identity, but by decades of growth at the Brody Jewish happenstance, I just ended up here, and Center and comes as Jewish student I’ve never been so involved in a Jewish engagement is on the rise across the community ever in my life,” says Allison, nation. Hillel International reported that a member of the class of 2029. nearly 190,000 students engaged in its Part of what makes the Center so programs during the 2025-2026 school special is its welcoming environment and ability to help students build community from the moment they arrive on campus. Hagit Lewis, vice president of the board of directors and a parent of students in the Classes of 2026 and 2029, recalls how quickly her son was embraced when he first visited. “He came knowing nobody,” she says. “Right away they saw it, and they brought him together with other students. When we left, he was spending time with other students. You want your kids to be in a place where they will be exposed to other Jewish people in a warm environment. And it is beautiful.” Through its new strategic plan, the Brody Jewish Center aims to build on those experiences, strengthening Jewish learning, leadership development, and community connections.
Services at Brody Jewish Center. 14 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
Mazel Tov
JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 15
The Perfect Gift for any Occasion!
Mazel Tov
Dear Readers,
A friend posted today in a text group I’m in that her daughter had just delivered a healthy baby girl. The “Mazel Tovs!” immediately started popping up – a quick reflex to good news. Good news and achievements are some of the Mazel Tovs we celebrate in this section (including that baby girl, who as of this morning, was yet-to-be named). Dr. Eric Werner, for example was recently inducted into the Fine Family Academy of Educators, part of the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. In addition to applauding him, the Fine family’s generosity
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deserves its own appreciation and applause. Shari Dozoretz Friedman is being honored with the Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Hampton Roads Chapter for her work with the Dozoretz Hospice House of Hampton Roads, an important and caring addition to the area. Mazel Tov! Major Metzger, now 12 years old, earned the Carnegie Medal for Heroism for saving a young friend from a potentially fatal fall. Gov. Abigal Spanberger made the presentation. How cool is that? Certainly, worthy of a Mazel Tov! Within these pages are more pieces about reasons for community members to receive Mazel Tovs – a motorcycle ride to raise funds for survivors of the Oct. 7, 2023 Nova
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Music Festival, a 105-year-old celebrating a birthday, an artist receiving a grant, and the retirement of Dorothy Salomonsky who transformed guardianship in Virginia.
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Our first Mazel Tov piece, though, highlights four area couples who celebrate milestone anniversaries in 2026 – from five years to 50. All achievements and all occasions to celebrate. All of us at Jewish News hope you have cause to receive or extend a Mazel Tov greeting soon. Whichever end you’re on, the feeling is always good. Thanks for reading,
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Editor
Mazel Tov
A
Milestone anniversaries worth celebrating
Haley Bartel
nniversaries are measured in years, but these couples say the real story is in the small things: a question about basketball, a slice of cheesecake, a paper on Herbert Marcuse. Married from five to 50 years, these four area couples share how they met, what they have built together, and what keeps them going.
Prue and Mike Salasky 50th anniversary
M
ichael Salasky was a law student at William & Mary, and Prue was on a graduate exchange from Exeter University in England, working on a master’s degree in U.S. history, when they met in the campus coffee bar. Mike knew the law student Prue was with at the time – but that didn’t stop him. “I thought I could do better than him, and it turned out I did,” he recalls. Also, at the front of his memory from that day is the first time he heard her full name, Prudence, noting he “felt sorry for anyone who had to go through life with it.” Pity aside, Mike lent her a paper he had written on Herbert Marcuse, and that’s how it started. Prue prefers to call it “a youthful mistake.” After dating for about two years, they married when Prue was 23 and Mike was 26, both nervous. They came from very different places. Mike grew up in Norfolk in a large extended family and attended Beth El. Prue grew up on a farm in the south of England, 60 miles from London, attending the local parish church. “We really have absolutely nothing in common,” Mike says, “except that we both happen to have studied Russian.” Their working knowledge of the language came in handy when their daughters were small. “We could speak Russian and they didn’t know what we were talking about,” he muses. Mike was a solo practitioner who worked six days a week for decades. He retired in 2020 but still maintains his license. Prue taught history, Latin, and ESL at schools and colleges throughout Tidewater, including Norfolk Academy, Tidewater Community College, and the Williams School. She spent the bulk of her career as a writer and editor at the Daily Press in Newport News, much of it part-time while raising their three daughters. After retiring, she earned a master’s in linguistics. A Fulbright scholarship took her to Bulgaria to teach English, though COVID cut the stay short. Today she produces a linguistics podcast, languagingHR, and Mike is immersed in the study of music. Mike
is quick to brag on her impressive professional and academic careers. “She can blow the horn for me,” he says, “but I’ll blow the horn for her.” Their daughters, Julia, Charlotte, and Vanessa, are all married with children. Julia lives in London, Charlotte in Dubai, and Vanessa in Philadelphia. Of their seven grandchildren, ages 7 months to 9 years, five are boys. “As parents we spent countless hours on soccer fields,” Prue says, and they have savored the Bat mitzvahs, graduations, weddings, and births. They have also weathered sorrows, including the loss of parents. For years, the Salaskys celebrated the Jewish holidays with Mike’s large local family, rotating among households. Since the children and their cousins moved away, gatherings are rarer, so the couple has become flexible. They savor any time together, “whether on the beach or at a seder,” and have enjoyed attending services with their children and grandchildren in Philadelphia and London. What do they admire in each other? Mike calls Prue brilliant, independent, funny, and charming. Prue appreciates how self-sufficient (or in other words, stubborn) Mike is. He makes her laugh and lets her be her own person without judgment, and his curiosity means she learns from him about topics she might not otherwise pursue. “We have been fortunate in many, many ways,” Prue says, “because when you make a decision at age 23, you simply cannot know what life will throw your way.”
JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 17
June and Bo Saks
Mazel Tov
50th anniversary
J
une Saks was born and raised in Norfolk, while Bo was from Gadsden, Alabama, having moved to Richmond to be near his mother and stepfather. June and Bo were introduced by mutual friends, sharing small-town roots and a preference for informality over big-city life. When they began dating, Bo moved to Norfolk, where they settled. Much of their courtship, June says, took place at Norfolk General Hospital, where she was recovering from back surgery. June recalls their wedding day as “a beautiful April day” – cool but full of springtime. Friends and family came from out of town, including several of Bo’s college friends, who are still close with him today. “There was just a very warm, loving feeling,” she says. Bo became part of June’s family right away. She has two brothers, and Bo easily fit in as the third. He worked in her family’s business and, she says, “did it beautifully.” June’s paternal grandfather was one of the early leaders of Ohef Sholom Temple, and her mother, who moved from New York after marrying her father, became devoted to it, too. June volunteered at the temple and the Sisterhood, taught in the religious school, and served on both the temple and Sisterhood boards of directors. Bo supported all of it, handling carpools and play dates, and being home when the kids arrived on nights she had meetings. She also volunteered a lot at Norfolk General, which Bo supported just as fully. The couple has two children, Lauren, who lives in Washington, D.C., and Michael, who returned from the West Coast to Richmond with his two sons, now 11 and 9. The Saks’ are a sports-minded family. Bo attended the University of Alabama, and the rest of the family has adopted the Crimson Tide. The grandsons play several sports, swim, and fish. Holidays were always a big part of family life. June’s parents hosted Rosh Hashanah, and she and Bo hosted the Break Fast. After 38 years in their home in Colony Point, near Wards Corner, they moved to Aviva Pembroke, where there isn’t room for large gatherings, so they now celebrate with friends at the family dinners there. “I loved having family and extended family to our home,” June says. “I miss that tremendously.” Still, she adds, “life goes on.” According to June, there is a lot to admire about Bo. “He is a nice man, a good man who loves people,” she says. He stays in touch with his friends and has long helped newcomers to Norfolk get acclimated. She also treasures his continued love and support for her family. The greatest gift of their marriage? “Family,” June says. “Being together, supporting one another through the good times and the bad times.” There have been “glitches,” she adds, and things aren’t always rosy, “but knowing that you have that support for one another” makes the difference.
18 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
Rachael and Michael Nusbaum 10th anniversary
R
achael grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, and Michael is a Norfolk native. They met in Nashville at M.L.Rose, a restaurant and bar, during March Madness. “I asked his roommate, ‘What’s a field goal in basketball?’” she says. Michael was the one who answered, and he promptly asked for her number. “The rest is history!” Early in their dating, a friend offered some reassurance. Michael’s sister had gone to college with one of Rachael’s oldest and dearest friends, and when that friend realized who Rachael was dating, she told her, “Whether this relationship lasts a week, a month, a few years or forever, Michael Nusbaum is the type of person who will show you how you deserve to be treated.” Their wedding was “a blowout,” Rachael says. Almost every guest they invited attended, and the couple felt “the support and outpouring of love” as they began their marriage. Soon after, they relocated to Norfolk and bought their first house together. Rachael works as a travel agent for Seabreeze Travel and Michael works for S.L. Nusbaum Insurance. The Jewish community welcomed the Nusbaums “with open arms” and has remained an important part of their village, they say. During her first years in Norfolk, Rachael helped Ohef Sholom Temple with its Harold Grinspoon initiative, and Michael now serves on the temple’s board of directors. They are excited for their son, Harding Parkes, (he’s called Parkes) and turns 3 in February, to grow up at the temple. The couple waited seven years after moving to Norfolk to have Parkes. “We grew up together during those years,” she says, and Parkes’s birth in 2024 brought them closer still, as they “saw sides of one another we hadn’t before.” His arrival is also what they’re most proud of as a couple, along with the little man he is growing into. Their own family traditions are just beginning to take shape. What matters most, she says, is quality time with family, whether on a holiday or at a yearly tradition. When things get hard, they return to their core values. “We are each other’s very best friends,” she says. “We are each other’s biggest cheerleaders, and we have the same hopes, dreams, and goals for one another, our life, our son.” The key to a happy and lasting marriage, in her view, is communication and respect. They marked their 10th anniversary with a Rhine River cruise, and they’re looking forward to “many more adventures with each other and our family for many, many years to come.”
Mazel Tov
Ellie Cesario and Kevin Keltz 5th anniversary
T
hough they’ve been married five years, Ellie Cesario and Kevin Keltz met on Saturday, April 3, 2004, at the opening reception of an art show at Studio One-O-Seven in Norfolk. Ellie was one of the exhibiting artists. “Standing by my artwork and looking at one of my own paintings,” she recalls, someone behind her asked, “Have you tried the cheesecake? It’s delicious!” She turned around, met Kevin, and the two talked for the rest of the evening. They traded information, and soon they had their first date. Kevin grew up in Miami Beach, Florida, and came to Norfolk in 1980 to become director of Residence Life at Old Dominion University, a job he held for 17 years. Ellie grew up in Uniondale, on Long Island, and moved to Virginia Beach in 1999. She was a public school teacher who later became a counselor. Now, they are both retired. Ellie says she knew it was special as she got to know Kevin and was impressed by how genuine he is in his actions and relationships. Kevin says he knew Ellie was the one because he was willing to drive 45 minutes, almost to Pungo in Virginia Beach, for a date. They dated for 17 years before marrying. “We joke about how it took a while for us to be sure,” Ellie says. They keep separate homes – Kevin’s in Norfolk and Ellie’s in Virginia Beach; he spends half the week in each, which gives both time for their own activities and for the friends Kevin has had for many years. They were married five years ago, at the height of COVID, in a backyard with a small group of friends. They couldn’t invite everyone they would have liked, but “it was beautiful,” says Ellie, and a group effort: friends handled the flowers, food, photographs, and decorations, and made the chuppah by hand. Since then, milestones have included a trip to Kevin’s hometown of Miami Beach, where Ellie saw where he grew up and met friends he has kept since childhood, and many outdoor art shows together “in all kinds of weather.” They also enjoy group activities with friends, including a movie of the month and holiday and neighborhood celebrations. Ellie admires how Kevin is a people person who is open-minded, kind, and gentle, with a devotion to family, friends, and animals, has a great sense of humor, and a talent for planning trips. Kevin, for his part, says, “Aside from her physical beauty, what I admire most about Ellie is her generosity, honesty, patience, willingness to go out of her way to help others, and her multiple talents.” Those include art, dancing, gardening, and cooking, and “she knows more about working on cars than I do.” They both love the National Parks and take at least two trips a year. Kevin plans where they stay and finds the best places to eat, while Ellie drives. Kevin also meets faithfully with a coffee group, and the two enjoy watching college football and spending time with each other’s friends. They marked their fifth anniversary by attending the milestone anniversary service at Ohef Sholom Temple. Looking ahead, they say, it’s about continuing to communicate with each other and spending time together.
Virginia Beach Norfolk
JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 19
Mazel Tov
The Fine Family Academy of Educators newest inductees with members of the Fine family.
New inductees of Fine Family Academy of Educators include Eric Werner
Terri Denison The Fine Family of Academy Educators held a ceremony in September to honor its latest inductees, including Eric J. Werner, MD. Established in 2019 by the Fine family and community supporters, the Fine Family Academy of Educators is part of the Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. The Academy recognizes and advances excellence in health professions education. Among the Academy’s goals, it aims to foster “faculty development, educational
Alfred Abuhamad, MD, Eric Werner, MD, U. Samuel Ikonne, PhD, and Karen Fine. 20 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
innovation, scholarship, educational leadership, and mentorship while cultivating a vibrant community dedicated to advancing the art and science of teaching.” As a member of the Academy, educators are part of a community that allows them to collaborate and learn from different perspectives through regular gatherings. While several other medical schools have created similar programs, the number is limited, resulting in the Fine Family Academy of Educators attracting educators to the school, says Eric J. Werner, MD. Karen Fine, a member of the EVMS Foundation Board of Directors. Werner has been a member of the Department of Pediatrics faculty since 1987. A pediatric hematology/ oncology physician, he practiced clinical medicine for more than 40 years and now serves as vice chair for faculty affairs in the Department of Pediatrics and as chief medical quality and wellness officer for Children’s Specialty Group. “I’m honored to be included in the Academy,” says
Werner. “The concept of the Fine Family Academy is wise – to advance the understanding of how to better educate people in the healthcare fields.” Members of the Fine family, including Morris Fine, Barbara and Andrew Fine, Karen and Matt Fine, Diane and Jeffery Fine, Jane and Rob Fine, and Mike Fine attended the event. At the ceremony, each member was presented with a stole embroidered with the Academy’s emblem, which features a leaf, symbolizing growth, knowledge, transformation, and renewal. The letter F is woven into the leaf, honoring the Fine family. The stole may be worn with formal academic regalia. A commemorative lapel pin was also presented to each new inductee. Karen Fine participated in the presentations. A reception followed the ceremony.
Mazel Tov
Honoring a legacy of advocacy: Dorothy Salomonsky retires after more than three decades of transforming guardianship
Kelly Burroughs, JFS After more than three decades of visionary leadership, unwavering advocacy, and profound dedication, Dorothy Salomonsky is retiring from Jewish Family Service of Tidewater. Her departure marks the conclusion of a monumental career that not only built the foundation of JFS’s guardianship services but fundamentally shaped the landscape of adult guardianship across the Commonwealth of Virginia. When Salomonsky first recognized the glaring gaps in the care and protection of vulnerable adults with psychiatric, mental, and physical disabilities, she didn’t just seek out existing solutions— she created one. Under then JFS executive Harry Graber’s enduring words: “If it makes sense to you, it makes sense to me,” Salomonsky was the driving force behind the development of the Personal Affairs Management (PAM) guardianship program at JFS.
Under her guidance, the PAM program grew from a local check writing initiative through an AARP grant, into a benchmark standard of excellence. She approached guardianship not merely as a set of legal mandates, but as a deeply human responsibility. Salomonsky championed the philosophy that every individual under guardianship deserves a life lived safely, meaningfully, and in the least restrictive environment possible, preferring community integration, family home settings, and personalized life skills training over unnecessary institutionalization. Salomonsky’s influence extended far beyond Tidewater. Her unmatched expertise and fierce advocacy established JFS as a trusted leader in the field, helping to pioneer structural oversight and statutory accountability mechanisms that protected vulnerable adults statewide. She worked alongside lawmakers, state agencies, and legal professionals
Mazel Tov to
savings to shape public policy and advocate for the rights of individuals under guardianship, ensuring that the power imbalance inherent to guardianship relationships was balanced with absolute dignity, trust, and professional vetting. Because of Salomonsky’s work, Virginia’s guardianship framework became more clinical, structured, and client centered. At its core, Salomonsky’s career has been defined by the profound honor and privilege of standing by those who need it most. She built a professional culture at JFS where staff work tirelessly to ensure
that individuals facing severe cognitive, physical, or psychiatric compromises are never left isolated, alone, or forgotten. As Salomonsky steps into a welldeserved retirement, she leaves behind an organization forever transformed by her brilliance and a Commonwealth whose most vulnerable citizens are safer because she chose to dedicate her life to their protection. The entire JFS family, alongside decades of advocates and community partners, extends its deepest gratitude to Dorothy Salomonsky for a legendary career of service.
JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 21
Mazel Tov
HEROISM ON A SKI LIFT: MAJOR METZGER’S STRONG HOLD Haley Bartel Major Metzger, a student at Virginia Beach Middle School, was with family and friends at Wintergreen Ski Resort in January 2025, when he committed an act of bravery that saved another child from a 16-foot fall and earned him the Carnegie Medal for Heroism. “All I could think about was how scared I was and making sure I didn’t drop him,” Major recalls, referring to the day of the incident. Major is the son of Amy and Mark Metzger. Six-year-old Bryce Rader and Major, then 10 years old, were on the chairlift together riding to the slopes. When Major noticed Bryce was slipping, he grabbed his friend’s hand – even as Bryce continued to slip further off the lift. Major held onto Bryce, who was wearing a heavy helmet and skis, for about four minutes until ski patrol arrived with
Major Metzger, Governor Abigail Spanberger, and Bryce Rader.
a safety mat and advised him to let go. Bryce landed safely on the mat, suffering only minor injuries. “Something that helped me hold on to him was all the thoughts in my head of him getting hurt and how much pressure was on me to hold on until ski patrol arrived,” he says. Major was awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism this past summer. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger presented him the award at his school on Sept. 16. The honor was presented by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, an organization whose mission is to “recognize and support those who perform acts of heroism in civilian life in the United States and Canada.” For Major, the award was simply a bonus. “I am very honored to get the award,” he says. “But this was never about getting an award, it was saving my friend.”
Now Accepting Community Impact Grant Applications! Funding Opportunities that Strengthen Jewish Tidewater Tidewater Jewish Foundation is now accepting applications for Community Impact Grants, dedicated funding for new and innovative programs that make a difference. These grants support projects and initiatives of local Jewish organizations that embody the spirit of tikkun olam, “repairing the world,” by promoting growth, engagement, and cultural vibrancy across Jewish Tidewater. If your organization is ready to enrich, educate, or uplift our Jewish community, we invite you to apply.
APPLICATION OPENS 11/15/26 Grant recipients will be notified in March 2027.
Questions? Contact Ann Swindell at aswindell@tjfva.org prior to submitting an application regarding eligibility and/or potential grant requests.
22 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
Scan the QR code, learn more and apply now!
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America the Shari Dozoretz Beautiful Friedman to be honored as Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer Dozoretz Hospice House of Hampton Haley Bartel Roads, which is named for her late Shari Dozoretz Friedman will receive father, Dr. Ronald the Outstanding Dozoretz. Fundraising She served as Volunteer award capital campaign from the Association chair and board of Fundraising member for the Professionals 12-bed facility, Hampton the region’s first Roads Chapter freestanding at its National inpatient hospice Philanthropy house, and Day Awards helped establish a Presentation on major fundraiser Tuesday, Nov. 10. to support it. “One of the Friedman credits biggest honors the many people of my life is to Shari Dozoretz Friedman. behind the project, be receiving this each playing an instrumental part in its award,” Friedman says. “I grew up in a development. family that always gave back to those in “This is not the work of one person need, and we were taught to always share or one family,” she says. “I feel so grateful in our good fortune.” to our extraordinary board, generous Friedman has worked with a donors, community wide range of partners, local nonprofits, volunteers, and including United committed Way’s Women advocates to make United 10 for 10 group, Achievable this a reality and Dream, United help expand Jewish Federation compassionate of Tidewater, hospice care in the Museum of our area. It truly Contemporary warms my heart to Art, and Children’s be involved in our Hospital of first freestanding The King’s inpatient Hospice Daughters. Most House that has of her fundraising, helped so many however, has people in our Dr. Ron Dozoretz, of blessed memory, and Shari Friedman. benefited the community during
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Friedman is one of six honorees this year. The others are Sentara – Health (Outstanding Philanthropist – Organization), Jane Batten (Outstanding Philanthropist – Individual), the Elizabeth River Project (Outstanding Nonprofit in Fundraising), Bert Schmidt (Outstanding Nonprofit Leader) and Brooks Lively, CFRE (Outstanding Fundraising Professional). The event celebrates the impact of philanthropists and fundraisers throughout Tidewater. Proceeds help fund scholarships and educational opportunities for local development professionals
JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 23
Mazel Tov
A first-of-its-kind Virginia Beach grant helps artist leap into glass Haley Bartel When Virginia Beach opened applications for its first-ever Individual Artists Support Grant, Rachel “RJ” Jaffe knew it was meant for artists like her. “It was designed for people like me that are actively working and sharing their art and have these grand projects but just need the funding to help see it through,” she says. Jaffe is the creative behind 23 Beans, where she sells and teaches ceramics and glass, though she got her start in the former. It was the grant that allowed her to expand into another medium. The application asked for a proposal explaining how up to $4,800 would be spent, and how it would strengthen her
artistic practice while contributing to the city’s cultural landscape. She was awarded the full amount. The grant, run by the city’s Cultural Affairs office, is meant to help local artists build their practice, grow professionally, add to their portfolios, and engage with the Rachel Jaffe. community. Her proposal changed along the way. Shortly after applying, Jaffe won a
scholarship to a glassblowing workshop at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina, but it covered only part of the cost. The trip wasn’t in her original plan, so she amended her proposal, and the city approved using the funds to cover the rest. “Craft schools are different from a traditional art school,” she says, describing Penland’s one- to two-week intensives where students live on campus and learn a specialized skill from a craftsperson. The grant’s reach goes beyond her. Jaffe estimates 10 to 15 of her peers also received funding, and the recipients showed work made with their grants in a joint exhibition at the Virginia Beach Arts
Jaffe’s Judaica collection. 24 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
Center last May. A friend of hers applied after hearing about her experience and also attended Penland. Today, Jaffe teaches ceramics and glass fusing at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, including a current six-week wheel-throwing course on vessel making, and leads workshops at the Hermitage Museum & Gardens and the Chrysler Museum of Art’s Perry Glass Studio. She also belongs to 757 Create, an artist-run collective that shares exhibition opportunities and practical advice, such as how to price a commission. The grant shaped the work she’s making now: a collection of goblet-style stemware that references the kiddush cups and cut glass she grew up around at her grandparents’ home. “I really learned to value functional art in that way, and so that led me to create a collection of Judaica,” she says. Artists Support Grant are currently closed. Artists can email ArtsInfo@vbgov.com for updates on future rounds.
Mazel Tov
A century of wisdom and blessing: Honoring Jesse Shepperd at 105
Jesse Shepperd with her family at the birthday celebration.
sets to the smartphones of the modern JFS staff era, Shepperd has witnessed the world On October 20, Jesse Shepperd celebrated completely reinvent itself. her 105th birthday surrounded by family, When asked what would make her friends, and the people who are lucky birthday complete, she knew exactly what enough to know her. Her birthday brought together she wanted: a gathering of the people she generations of family, including her son loves, and a slice of chocolate cake. As the and daughter, room joined together grandchildren, and to sing “Happy great-grandchildren, Birthday,” Shepperd giggled and cheered along with her canasta along with everyone friends and Jewish else, clearly enjoying Family Service and every moment. Russell House staff. When her In Jewish daughter spoke tradition, reaching about her mother’s such a venerable age remarkable health, is seen as a profound sharing, “Mom doesn’t blessing, embodying take any medications. the sacred obligation She’s doing so well. of Kibbud Zekenim— She’s an incredible the honoring of Jesse Shepperd with Louis Armstrong. woman,” Shepperd elders. Over her 105 leaned over to a staff member and, still years, Shepperd has maintained a frontsmiling, asked, “What did she say?” The row seat to history—living through the exchange brought another sweet moment of challenges of the Great Depression, the laughter to an already joyful afternoon. global shifts of World War II, 20 different U.S. presidents, the dawn of the Space Age, Shepperd’s birthday was also an and the rapid rise of the digital revolution. opportunity to celebrate the remarkable From the first black-and-white television memories she has made through these
passing eras. She captivated the room by sharing the story of the time she met jazz legend Louis Armstrong, while her daughter brought a beautiful photograph of Shepperd from her wedding day. Between stories of the past, vintage photographs, and lively conversation, Shepperd posed happily for pictures. There were thoughtful gifts, too: a beautiful brooch, a handmade necklace, chocolates, and a soft lap blanket knitted by Jewish Family Service’s Knitting for Others group. Cards filled with messages of affection and appreciation reflected what everyone in the room already knew: the birthday girl is a joy to be around. For the past six years, Shepperd has been a client of Jewish Family Service of Tidewater. This partnership reflects
the enduring value of Dor L’Dor—from generation to generation—reminding of a collective responsibility to cherish, protect, and learn from others – especially elders. In her time with JFS, Shepperd has continued to show those around her something that cannot be measured in years alone. Her birthday was a celebration not only of her longevity, but of the warmth, humor, and positivity she brings to the people in her life. At 105, Shepperd is a reminder that age is only one part of a person’s story. There is still laughter to share, historic memories to revisit, and new moments to treasure. Sometimes, the best way to celebrate a remarkable life is simply with a room full of people who love you, a look back at a century of incredible history, and a little chocolate cake.
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Mazel Tov
MIKE JAFFE RIDES WITH 250 BIKERS TO CLEVELAND TO RAISE DOLLARS FOR TRIBE OF NOVA FOUNDATION Terri Denison A Virginia Beach Lost Tribe riding member, Mike Jaffe participated in this past summer’s JMA Ride to Remember to Cleveland. This was Jaffe’s “10th or 11th Ride to Remember,” he says. The 250 members of the Jewish Motorcyclist Alliance who participated in the ride to Cleveland for its annual convention raised a record-setting $250,000 for the Tribe of NOVA Foundation that serves victims and their
Mike Jaffe and Amanda Morgan.
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families of the Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack by Hamas at the NOVA music festival in Israel. This was the first time that Holocaust education was not on the program. The group’s mission is to promote Holocaust education and awareness as well as combat antisemitism. “The JMA as a whole and Virginia Beach Lost Tribe always welcome Jewish riders of all ages,” says Jaffe.
JMA Ride to Remember in Cleveland.
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Dementia Cafe
Marcia Futterman Brodie When I first proposed the idea of a dementia café to our community, people asked various questions. Mainly, “What is this?” Dementia Cafés began in the Netherlands in 1997 when Dr. Bere Miesen, a clinical psychologist, opened the first one at Leiden University. He aimed to create a welcoming, stigma-free environment where people with dementia, their families, friends, and professional caregivers could come together to explore art, music, and conversation, form new friendships, and enjoy a relaxed, fun experience. If the first dementia café held at the Sandler Family Campus, sponsored by Jewish Family Service, is any indication, the goal was accomplished. Garielle Little, a sound bath facilitator, created soothing sounds with an assortment of beautiful glass bowls she brought to the event. The result was relaxation and exploration. Participants asked
great questions about the bowls and even experimented with other musical instruments. At the end of the activity, everyone gathered for snacks and conversation. New friends were made and some connected with friends from long ago. As a certified dementia caregiver educator, I trained the volunteers in attendance. A CNA was also present. The result was a safe, supportive environment where both caregivers and those living with dementia could relax, have fun, and smile. A café will be held on the second Monday of every month, with a different theme and activity. Check Jewish News for upcoming events. Attendance is free. Register with Julie Kievit, Jkievit@jfshamptonroads.org or 757-321-2318. Marcia Futterman Brodie of Marcia Trains LLC, is a dementia caregiver educator, certified by Positive Approach to Care.
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Gabrielle Littel demonstrates the sound bowls.
Marcia Futterman Brodie with Joy and Bud; Joy supports Bud
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IT’S A WRAP
Kelly Burroughs, CEO, JFS, Julie Kievit, Jewish Community Services manager, JFS, Rabbi Ari Oliszewski, Cantor Elihu Flax, and Fay Silverman, board chair, Beth Sholom Village.
JEWISH HOLIDAYS AT AVIVA PEMBROKE
The Jewish community came together to help residents of Aviva Pembroke enjoy the Jewish New Year and Sukkot. Jewish Family Service delivered 38 Rosh Hashanah bags filled with apples, honey, a fresh calendar, and a challah donated by Ohef Sholom Temple. Rabbi Ari Oliszewski from Temple Emanuel stopped by to blow the shofar, Cantor Elihu Flax conducted a meaningful program, and fifth graders from Strelitz International Academy helped decorate Aviva’s rooftop deck sukkah, participated in art projects, and shook the lulav and etrog with residents. Karen Devine and Madeline Cohen.
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Development Coordinator United Jewish Federation of Tidewater seeks a motivated and experienced Development Coordinator to support fundraising initiatives and expand donor engagement. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, this position is responsible for cultivating donor relationships, identifying individual and corporate sponsorship opportunities, researching and writing grant proposals, and developing strategies to secure funding for UJFT/JCC programs and initiatives. Qualified candidates should have a bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience in fundraising, donor engagement, or nonprofit development. Strong communication, relationship-building, and organizational skills are essential. Experience with donor solicitation, grant writing, and fundraising databases is required. Full-time position Complete job description at www.jewishva.org To learn more or apply, please submit cover letter and resume to: resumes@ujft.org
Equal Employment Opportunity JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 29
IT’S A WRAP
Michael Oren visits Tidewater to share perspective on Israel Esther Diskin Commentators across the political spectrum have expended countless words to describe and explain the current moment in Israel and the state of the U.S.-Israel relationship. In Tidewater last month, Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the United States (2009-2013), member of the Knesset (Israel’s parliament), professor at leading American universities including Harvard, Yale, and Georgetown, and author of several best-selling books, structured his commentary about Israel through a single, Hebrew word as rendered in English, “davka.” Davka is a word without a synonym in the English language, Oren said. It means doing something unexpected or contrary to what might be expected in a given situation. Or, as Oren put it more colloquially: “Doing something precisely the opposite, just because.” Oren spoke on Thursday, Oct. 22, at Congregation Beth El as the synagogue’s Milton “Mickey” Kramer Scholar-In-Residence. His speech was a double kick-off event, commencing the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, and the start of the 16th Annual Israel Today series, a partnership of UJFT’s Jewish Community Relations Council and community partners, including all area synagogues. Oren was born in the United States but immigrated to Israel in 1979; he eventually renounced his American citizenship in 2009, in order to serve as Israel’s ambassador to the United States, since Israeli law
Michael Oren and Herm Shelanski.
prohibits someone with dual citizenship serving in the post. He received much of his education in the United States, including an undergraduate degree at Columbia, and a doctorate in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton. In his prepared remarks, Oren argued that the entire history of the Jews can be understood through the lens of davka. From the very beginning of Judaism, when Abraham rejected idol worship and chose instead to worship an invisible God, “that was davka,” he said. Through thousands of years of history, from escaping slavery in Egypt to building a new nation after genocide – all of it, Oren said, is davka. That includes the current moment, with Israel’s ongoing response to the brutal attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 men, women, and children, and taking 251 as hostages. Even as Israel Ron Kramer, Joyce Kramer, Cindy Kramer, Michael Oren, Alex Kramer, and Sam Kramer. carried out its response in 30 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
Gaza, Oren noted, the Israeli military operated under rules of engagement that showed a value for human life. He listed several of those: deploying leaflets to warn Gazans to move before military strikes; canceling planned strikes on Hamas if too many civilians would be killed; and providing food for the Palestinians, even when terrorists were stealing some of it. Oren said that even as the situation in Israel is extraordinarily serious, Jews around the globe are facing something equally serious – antisemitism, or as he put it more bluntly, “Jew hatred.” “It is very painful for me,” he said, “the very sharp decline in the polls of the support for Israel.”
Judy Rosenblatt with Rick and Karen Lombart.
Oren was introduced by Vice Admiral Herm Shelanski, USN (Ret.), who is immediate past president of Congregation Beth El. The two men have a long and deep friendship, which began when Oren was part of a formal delegation that came aboard the USS Harry S. Truman on which Shelanski served as the commanding officer, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. They also recently worked together in Verdun, France, for Operation Benjamin, an initiative to identify the graves of Jewish American and Allied service members from World War I and World War II who were mistakenly buried under incorrect religious markers and replace those markers with Stars of David.
Alan Wagner with Tidewater’s Shinshinim, Liel Aiskowitz and Evyatar Olswang.
Esther Diskin is a member of the Jewish Community Relations Council and serves on the board of Ohef Sholom Temple.
Jerry and Kathy Kantor with Martha Mednick Glasser.
Shelanski moderated a Q & A session after Oren’s talk with questions from the audience. Several questions touched on the then upcoming election in Israel, where Benjamin Netanyahu, who has served as Israel’s prime minister for 19 years over three separate periods, the most recent one dating from Dec. 2022, faced stiff opposition. While Americans, both Jewish and not, are very concerned about the War in Gaza and the situation in the West Bank, neither of those were central issues in the upcoming election, Oren said. Perhaps surprisingly, the war with Iran is also not a source of controversy. Rather, he said, two other issues dominate Israelis’ concerns: Will
Deb Segaloff and Betsy Karotkin.
there be an independent state commission to investigate the failures that led to the October 7 attack? And, secondly, will the nation end the exemption on military service for the ultra-orthodox Jews? Regardless of the outcome of elections in Israel and the United States, Jews in both countries need to understand “that we are one people,” Oren said. “Our destinies are tied up with one another. Together we can overcome anything. We are the ultimate resilient people.”
music between your ears HOW MUSICAL ENGAGEMENT SHAPES THE BRAIN & ENRICHES OUR LIVES
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Book festival
SAMUEL MARKIND, MD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 @ NOON A respected neurologist and lifelong musician, Dr. Samuel Markind combines neuroscience with realworld examples, he examines how music shapes memory, learning, movement, communication, and emotional well-being.
$12 JCC MEMBERS, $18 POTENTIAL MEMBERS. INCLUDES LUNCH. ARRIVE EARLY FOR LIVE MUSIC FROM THE VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY NOVEMBER 18
JEWISHVA.ORG/BOOKFEST JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 31
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Give back, then raise a glass! Join NextGen, NADIV, and JFS to help with Thanksgiving food drive Pack: Tuesday, Nov. 17, 5:30 – 7 pm
Light up Sandler Family Campus Distribute: Friday, Nov. 20, 10 am – 12 pm Hanukkah at PJ’s Around Sandler Family Campus the Menorah
Hannah Yasemsky This Thanksgiving, Jewish Family Service is providing holiday grocery bags to 300 local families in need. Each family will receive a frozen turkey or chicken alongside all the traditional favorites, from stuffing and gravy to cornbread and pie. JFS invites NADIV and the NextGen community to help pack and distribute these meals. Pick a shift (or join both) to make a hands-on impact this holiday season. • Packing Day: Help assemble and fill the holiday grocery bags. After packing, NextGen will meet in Town Center
to celebrate a job well done. Come for the mitzvah, stay for the drinks and good company. The social portion of the evening will take place immediately following Packing Day around 7 pm. Location will be announced after registration. •F ood Giveaway: Help distribute the meals directly to families. For more information, contact Julie Kievit, JFS Jewish Community Services manager, at 757-321-2318.
Shimmy, bloom, and connect: A NextGen Women’s Rosh Chodesh celebration Thursday, Nov. 12, 6 - 8 pm Simon Family JCC Hannah Yasemsky Calling all NextGen women (ages 22–45ish) for Mizrahi in Motion & Flower Crowns. Jackie Dratch will lead a vibrant Mizrahi dance lesson (no experience needed, just come ready to move). In addition to the dance, women will craft flower crowns and explore the energy and joy that blooms bring. The floral theme continues after the dance session, 7 – 8 pm when Jenny Barker, “The Flower Doctor” will explore the powerful intersection of beauty, creativity, and emotional wellness. She will share personal stories and practical wisdom on how flowers can comfort, inspire, and help navigate life’s most meaningful moments. Come for the dancing, stay for the floral inspiration, and leave feeling restored and refreshed. For information and to register: jewishva.org/nextgen or contact Hannah Yasemsky at Hyasemsky@ujft.org.
32 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
Wednesday, Dec. 9 4:30 - 6:30 pm Sandler Family Campus
Blake Sisler Families are invited to celebrate Hanukkah at PJs Around the Menorah with PJ Library and Tidewater’s ShinShinim for an evening that brings families together through holiday traditions, hands-on activities, and community celebration. Come in favorite pajamas and enjoy an evening filled with Hanukkah fun, including menorah making, festive desserts, and a community candle lighting. Families are encouraged to bring their own menorahs to kindle the lights and celebrate the season together. Designed for children and their grown-ups, kids will make their own menorah and enjoy holiday treats, while parents can share in the experience making memories and celebrating Jewish traditions with their children. Whether looking for a fun family outing, a meaningful way to celebrate the Festival of Lights, or an opportunity to connect with the broader Jewish community, PJs Around the Menorah has something for everyone. Registration is free but required. Reserve at jewishva. org/pjhanukkah. For more information, contact Blake Sisler at BSisler@UJFT.org.
JFS prepares for neighbors this Thanksgiving Donations accepted through: Monday, Nov. 16 Packing bags: Tuesday, Nov. 17 Thanksgiving Food Giveaway: Friday, Nov. 20 Brooke Rush As the holiday season approaches, Jewish Family Service is preparing for one of its largest annual community outreach efforts: the Thanksgiving Food Giveaway. This year, JFS plans to provide Thanksgiving groceries to 300 families, ensuring they have the ingredients needed to prepare a holiday meal at home. Each family will receive a frozen turkey or chicken, pantry staples, and traditional Thanksgiving favorites, including stuffing, potatoes, onions, green beans, cornbread mix, rolls, small pies, cranberry sauce, gravy, macaroni and cheese, and more. Years ago, when the drive began, JFS distributed approximately 100 turkeys. Last year, it was 300 turkeys. The growth reflects both the increasing need for food assistance and the generosity of the community that makes this effort possible. Volunteers who distribute the groceries experience the meaningful impact of the drive when they watch a family’s car being loaded, knowing that a Thanksgiving dinner will be possible. The gratitude on people’s faces is a powerful reminder that these groceries represent more than a meal. They offer relief from financial pressure, the opportunity to gather around a table with loved ones, and the comfort of knowing that someone in the community cares. JFS is accepting donations of Thanksgiving food items through Monday, November 16. Volunteers are needed to pack Thanksgiving grocery bags on Tuesday, November 17 at the Simon Family JCC and to assist with the Thanksgiving Food Giveaway on Friday, November 20, 10 am – 12 pm. To register to receive a Thanksgiving food package, visit **bit.ly/JFSgiving**. To volunteer, contact Julie Kievit at 757-321-2318 or jkievit@jfshamptonroads.org.
Senior Shabbat Initiative at Ohef Sholom in August, 2026.
Ohef Sholom’s Senior Shabbaton hits a high note Next Senior Shabbat Initiative: Friday November 27, Ohef Sholom Temple Jennifer Levin-Tavares In August, Ohef Sholom Temple hosted its first Senior Shabbat Initiative made possible by a generous grant from Beth Sholom Village. This was the first in a series of programs designed to enable seniors to remain actively connected to Jewish communal life. “We frequently get requests for our clergy to conduct services at area senior living centers,” says Alyson Morrissey, director of Lifelong Learning at Ohef Sholom. “With only two clergy for nearly 700 families, at best, they can only get to one facility, touching a fraction of our members. Bringing the seniors to Ohef Sholom and providing them with a social and spiritual experience was the obvious solution.” The evening began with a traditional Shabbat dinner, giving participants the opportunity to meet new people as well as connect with friends and acquaintances. Ohef Sholom teens and young adults were encouraged to attend to interact with the seniors, and share about their involvement in Temple, which was intended to foster multigenerational relationshps. During dessert, Rebecca Weinstein, a congregant, performed songs from the Golden Age of Broadway by notable Jewish composers. She shared insights about their Jewish backgrounds and why their music has stood the test of time. Following dinner, everyone attended Shabbat services.
That evening, congregant Zibby Robertson shared a compelling teshuvah story about her journey discovering Judaism. Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg, Cantor Jen Rueben, Music Director Chuck Woodward, and the OST Choir uplifted the congregation with prayers and traditional music. Services were followed by an oneg, providing additional time for community and socialization. In addition to outreaching to OST’s own congregants, residents of two Norfolk senior residences, Harbor’s Edge and The Talbot on Granby, were invited, arriving on a bus provided by the Temple. More than 120 people attended the event and service. Jewish tradition teaches the importance of sharing unique gifts with community. OST’s Senior Shabbat Initiative is a perfect example of that concept in action: congregants providing stories, songs, and greetings; clergy leading prayers and traditional music; and people gathering to share a meal and celebrate the joy of Shabbat. The next Senior Shabbat Initiative will be November 27. The evening is open to all; transportation will be offered to residents from two Virginia Beach senior residences, Westminster Canterbury and Aviva. For more information about the program, contact Jennifer Levin-Tavares, Ohef Sholom Temple’s executive director, at 757-625-4295 or jennifer@ohefsholom.org.
JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 33
WHAT’S HAPPENING
CONVERSATIONAL HEBREW WITH THE SHINSHINIM Mondays, through May 24, 5 pm Sandler Family Campus
Nofar Trem Join the Tidewater Shinshinim for weekly conversational Hebrew classes designed to help participants build confidence in speaking and understanding modern Hebrew. Through interactive activities, games, real-life scenarios, and cultural discussions, participants will strengthen their vocabulary, pronunciation, and everyday communication skills while gaining insight into contemporary Israeli life and culture. This engaging class is ideal for beginners and intermediate learners of all ages who want to improve their Hebrew in a fun, supportive, and welcoming environment. Free and open to the community. For information about Conversational Hebrew classes and the Shinshinim program, visit JewishVA.org/ Shinshinim or contact Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.
Siblings on the Sidelines Nofar Trem This winter, while their siblings compete in the Simon Family JCC Youth Basketball League, children can take part in Siblings on the Sidelines with the Tidewater Shinshinim in The Zone on the Sandler Family Campus. Through lively Israeli games and creative activities, participants can play, learn, and connect in a warm, welcoming setting. Taking place during most basketball practices and games throughout the season, Siblings on the Sidelines requires no RSVP. It’s an opportunity for younger children to experience a bit of Israeli culture, make new friends, and stay active while supporting their siblings on the court. For information about the JCC Basketball League or the Shinshinim program in Tidewater, visit JewishVA.org or contact Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.
Conversational Hebrew at the Sandler Family Campus.
THE VET WILL Book festival SEE YOU NOW Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family
Jewish
Laugh, learn, and see pets through a veterinarian’s eyes.
DR. BARAK BENARYEH
MONDAY 7:00
NOV 16 PM
REBA AND SAM SANDLER FAMILY CAMPUS
FREE TO ATTEND, REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Dr. Barak Benaryeh pulls back the curtain on veterinary medicine with humor, honesty, and compassion, offering insight into the relationships people share with the animal members of their families.
JEWISHVA.ORG/BOOKFEST 34 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
CALENDAR THROUGH MAY 24, MONDAYS
NOVEMBER 19, THURSDAY
Conversational Hebrew with the Shinshinim. Join Tidewater’s Shinshinim for weekly classes focusing on practical conversation skills, vocabulary, and pronunciation through interactive activities. Perfect for beginners and intermediate learners of all ages who want to improve their speaking and listening skills in a fun, supportive environment. 5 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information on these classes and the Shinshinim program: JewishVA.org/Shinshinim or Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.
Roundtable Conversation. Join community members of all ages for conversations involving current events, politics, and more. Meets every first and third Thursday of the month. 1 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information: www.jewishva.org/Adults or Sarah Cooper at SCooper@ujft.org
NOVEMBER 11, WEDNESDAY School Days Out. Students in grades K–5 will have the chance to connect with friends from the summer and make new friends at Camp JCC’s School Days Out. An action-packed day with crafts, gym games, free swim, and fun. Camp JCC is also open for Winter Break, MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, and Spring Break. Enrollment is flexible. Sign up for a single day or save by adding it to a 5- or 10-day bundle. 9 am - 4 pm with extended care options, 8am - 6pm. www.campjcc.org. Information: Kate-Lynn Cipolla at klcipolla@ujft.org.
NOVEMBER 12, THURSDAY Flower Energy with author and florist Jenny Barker. Known nationally as the “Flower Doctor,” Barker explores the intersection of beauty, creativity, wellness, and emotional wellbeing. Combining personal stories and practical wisdom, she shares how flowers can comfort, celebrate, inspire, and help people navigate life’s most meaningful moments. Sandler Family Campus. 7 pm. Information or to register: JewishVA.org/BookFest. Rosh Chodesh: Mizrahi in Motion for all Nextgen women (ages 22-45ish) who are interested in movement, history, sisterhood, and Jewish traditions. Celebrate Rosh Chodesh (traditionally a special holiday for women to mark the start of the new month). Previous dance experience is not necessary. Sandler Family Campus. 6 pm. Information and to register: JewishVA.org/Nextgen or Hannah Yasemsky at Hyasemsky@ujft.org.
NOVEMBER 16, MONDAY Book Club. The book of the month is Saving Five- A Memoir of Hope by Amanda Nguyen. The group meets every third Monday of the month at 1:30 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information: Jewishva.org/Adults or contact Sarah Cooper at SCooper@ujft.org. The Vet Will See You Now. For many families, pets are among life’s most treasured companions. Drawing on decades of experience, Dr. Barak Benaryeh pulls back the curtain on veterinary medicine with humor, honesty, and compassion, offering insight into the relationships people share with the animals who become part of their families. Sandler Family Campus. 7 pm. Information or to register: JewishVA.org/BookFest.
NOVEMBER 18, WEDNESDAY Active Aging Expo. Free half-day event, presented by Senior Advocate, featuring educational presenters, informative exhibitors, a continental kosher breakfast, and the opportunity to win one of many door prizes. Learn about the Center for Active Living, JFit Fitness and Wellness, and Jewish Family Service. Sandler Family Campus. 9 am - 12 pm. Includes a presentation on estate planning myths and adding accessibility and value to your home. Information and to register: senioradvocate.live or Sarah Cooper at SCooper@ujft.org, 757-452-3184. Vocalist Kristina Jones and Pianist Gad Brosch, MD. This mostly jazz performance is open to the community. 1 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Senior Club members will meet for lunch and have their monthly meeting at 12 pm. RSVP: Sarah Cooper at SCooper@ujft.org or 757-452-3184.
NOVEMBER 21, SATURDAY Minecraft Mission: A Vayetzei Adventure. Children and families are invited to join the Tidewater Shinshinim for a Minecraft-inspired challenge where they will solve clues, complete quests, and collect diamonds to earn a diamond helmet. Inspired by Jacob’s journey in Parashat Vayetzei, discover how perseverance and determination help overcome challenges and reach goals. Free and open to the community. 10:30 am. Sandler Family Campus. Information and to register: JewishVA.org/Shinshinim or Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.
NOVEMBER 23 & 24, MONDAY & TUESDAY Made in Israel Pop-Up Market. Featuring handcrafted goods from Israeli artists and small business owners, ESEK. Discover unique gifts, hear the stories behind the work, and experience a different side of Israel through the people who create them. Sandler Family Campus. Information: JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.
Employment Oppor tunity
Controller United Jewish Federation of Tidewater seeks an experienced Controller to oversee daily accounting operations and supervise the Finance team. Reporting to the CFO, this position is responsible for financial reporting, general ledger oversight, accounts payable and receivable, budgeting, reconciliations, internal controls, and audit preparation. The Controller will also work closely with senior leadership to support financial planning and organizational goals. Qualified candidates should have a bachelor's degree in Accounting and at least five years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Strong leadership, analytical, and organizational skills are essential. Nonprofit accounting experience, CPA certification, and proficiency in Sage Intacct are preferred. Full-time position Complete job description at www.jewishva.org To learn more or apply, please submit cover letter and resume to: resumes@ujft.org
Equal Employment Opportunity JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 35
OBITUARIES –––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Keith Harrison Bangel
VIRGINIA BEACH – Keith Harrison Bangel, born March 23, 1952, in Portsmouth, Virginia, passed away on October 24, 2026, at the age of 74. He was the son of the late Stanley Jerome Bangel and Frances Dorf Bangel. Keith graduated from Norfolk Academy and Brown University before earning his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Keith devoted his professional life to Bangel, Bangel & Bangel, the law firm founded by his grandfather and later led by his father and uncle before Keith carried on the family legacy. Throughout his legal career, Keith was active in the professional community. He served on the Board of Governors of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association from 1988 to 1995 and was a past president of the Portsmouth Bar Association. Keith was also deeply committed to education and his community. He
helped found Chesapeake Bay Academy, an institution that remained especially meaningful to him throughout his life. Above all, Keith was a devoted father who cherished his children, Lindsay and Justin. They were a source of tremendous pride and love throughout his life, and his devotion to them was steadfast and enduring. An avid fisherman, Keith loved spending time on the water. He also shared a special bond with his beloved dog, Rambo, whose companionship brought him great happiness. Keith is survived by his wife Dale Bangel; his beloved daughter, Lindsay Bangel; and his sister, Karen Bangel. He was predeceased by his beloved son, Justin Bangel. Keith will be remembered for his deep devotion to his family, his profession, his community, and the people and pursuits he held dear. A private family service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk.
Contributions in Keith’s memory may be made to Chesapeake Bay Academy (821 Baker Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462) or to a charity of one’s choice.
sons, eight grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.
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VIRGINIA BEACH – Ida Rebeca “Becky” Levin, born on April 9, 1962, in Cuba, passed away on October 23, 2026, in Virginia Beach at the age of 64. Becky was a devoted retail associate and sous chef who brought kindness and dedication to her work. She was deeply passionate about singing, sharing her beautiful voice in the choir at her temple, and was known for her artistic talents. An active member of the Sisterhood in CT and a knitting group at the JCC, she cherished her communities and friendships she cultivated there. Becky also enjoyed exploring the world through YouTube, which reflected her curious and vibrant spirit. She is preceded in death by her beloved father, Moises Levin. Becky is survived by her loving mother, Raquel Levin; her siblings Corinne Wozniewski and her husband Kurt, Judy, Carol, cousins John, Jack, and Karen; her uncle Isacc and his wife Grace; her nephew Joshua and his wife Sheri; her great-niece Sophia; as well as many extended family members and dear friends. A funeral service to honor Becky’s life was held at Altmeyer Funeral HomeSouthside Chapel. Burial followed at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Norfolk. Memorial donations may be made to Jewish Family Service in Becky’s memory. https://jfshamptonroads.org/how-to-help/ send-a-card/. Becky’s warmth, talent, and gentle spirit will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Jerome L. Cohen
VIRGINIA BEACH – Jerome L. Cohen 83, of Virginia Beach, died October 18, 2026. Born in Bronx, New York, he was the son of the late Leonard Cohen and Beulah Rosen Cohen. Jerome was educated at Granby High School and Old Dominion University, both in Norfolk. He was a past Master for Masonic Lodge, Norfolk No. 1, a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies, and Khedive Temple Shriners. He retired from Hoffman Beverage Company after 39 years of service. He was active in the RV community and served as president for several RV Clubs and was a vice president for the Central Region of Family Motor Coach Association. Jerome is survived by his wife, Mildred Stein Cohen; his sons, Barry Cohen and wife, Heather, Robert Cohen and his wife, Dawn; and a sister, Jean Clausen and her husband, Chris. Jerome is also survived by his grandchildren, Rachel, Charlie, and Hannah, as well as his extended family and friends. A graveside service was conducted at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk. Memorial donations may be made to Congreation Beth El, 422 Shirley Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23507. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.hdoliver.com. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Adele Gitterman Cutler
BOCA RATON, FLA. – Adele Cutler passed away peacefully in her home on September 23, 2026. As a young girl, she lived in the Ogontz section of Philadelphia, and later in Elkins Park. With her husband, Milt, she moved to Wyncote, Blue Bell, and then Florida. Del loved to cook, write poetry, volunteer, give parties, and decorate homes. She helped many people find solutions to their own life challenges and was very generous. Quiet and elegant, she had a sharp wit and was very funny. She loved her family. She loved Philadelphia. She is survived by her daughter and husband, Karen and Rick Lombart, her two 36 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
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Ida “Becky” Rebeca Levin
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Sandra Sukoff Nesson
NORFOLK – Sandra Sukoff Nesson, 92, of Norfolk, passed away on November 1, 2026. Sandra lived an extraordinary life and is now reunited in heaven with her beloved late husband, Yale; her daughter, Melissa; her brother, Fred; and her greatgrandson, Owen. Born in New York, she was the daughter of the late Saul and Rose Sukoff. Left to cherish her memory are her devoted daughter, Denise Goldwasser, and her husband, Bobby Goldwasser; her grandchildren, Jayme Zimmerman (Jason), Lindsey Gove (Chris), Jenna Lipkin, and
OBITUARIES Barrett Lipkin; her great-grandchildren, Madyson, Taylor, Cooper, and Isabelle; as well as many nieces, nephews, and dear friends who were like family. Sandra lived a full and wonderful life, filled with travels alongside Yale, endless love and devotion to her daughters, Melissa and Denise, and the joy of spoiling her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Always ahead of her time, she developed a love for Mahjongg and proudly passed that passion along by teaching her grandchildren how to play. She was also an avid reader and sports enthusiast, with a lifelong love for the New York Yankees and the ODU Monarchs. Above all else, Sandra treasured her family and happiest moments were those spent surrounded by the people she loved most. A graveside service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.hdoliver.com. Donations be made in Sandra’s memory to March of Dimes. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Ari Jaron Simon
VIRGINIA BEACH – It is with profound sadness and broken hearts that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved Ari Jaron Simon on October 23, 2026, at the age of 16. Ari was a beautiful soul with a kind heart, a deep spirit, and a genuine love for those around him. He cared deeply about his family and friends, and the relationships he built meant the world to him. Ari had a special way of connecting
with others, and his presence touched the lives of so many. Ari loved spending time with his friends and family, playing video games and pickleball, and exploring his creativity through photography. He was proud of his Jewish heritage and found great joy and belonging through his involvement in BBYO, where he was a leader and especially loved attending conventions and spending time with friends. Above all, Ari will be remembered for his loving heart, his sensitive soul, and the meaningful connections he shared with those fortunate enough to know him. Though his life was far too short, the love and hugs he gave and the memories he created will remain with us forever. Ari will be deeply loved, missed, and mourned by his devoted parents, Carin and Mike Simon; his brother, Nate Simon; his grandparents, Joan and Eric Joffe and Nancy and Sandy Simon; his beloved dog, Rocky; and his many aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends. A funeral service was held at Princess Anne Memorial Park in Virginia Beach. The family requests that donations be made in Ari’s memory to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), BBYO, or a charity of the donor’s choice. Condolences may be left online for the family at www.AltmeyerFH.com. Altmeyer Funeral Home Southside Chapel is honored to serve the Simon Family during this difficult time. May Ari’s memory forever be a blessing.
Southside Chapel • 5033 Rouse Drive Virginia Beach • 757 422-4000
Chris Sisler, Vice President, Member of Ohef Sholom Temple, Board member of the Berger-Goldrich Home at Beth Sholom Village, James E. Altmeyer, Jr., President, James E. Altmeyer, Sr., Owner
Maestas Chapel • 1801 Baltic Ave. Virginia Beach • 757 428-1112
• Family owned and operated since 1917 • Affordable services to fit any budget
Chesapeake Chapel • 929 S. Battlefield Blvd. Chesapeake • 757 482-3311
• Advance funeral planning • Professional, experienced, caring staff • Flexible burial options
Denbigh Chapel • 12893 Jefferson Ave. Newport News • 757 874-4200
• Flexible payment options Approved by all area Rabbis and Chevrah Kadisha Riverside Chapel • 7415 River Road Newport News • 757 245-1525
www.altmeyerfuneralandcremation.com
f May the Source of Peace send peace to all who mourn, and comfort to all who are bereaved. f JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 37
WHAT’S HAPPENING
THANK YOU
VETERANS The Tidewater Jewish community honors all those who have served IN REMEMBRANCE OF LOCAL VETERANS WHO HAVE PASSED IN THE LAST YEAR: M AT T H E W A . K R A KOW E R
RO B E R T M . RU B I N
SAMUEL L. S H A P I RO
US Navy
US Navy
Navy Medical Corps
GERALD M. SANDLER
H OW A R D J. BERNSTEIN
H A RV E Y D. E LU TO
US Coast Guard
US Army
US Coast Guard
STEPHEN H. PITLER
J O R DA N S . " BU D DY " L E V I T I N
LESLIE H. FRIEDMAN
Virginia National Guard
US Army
US Navy / US Naval Reserve
I RV I N G ALPERIN
FRANZ G. BINDER
RO N A L D B . F R E ED M A N
US Army
US Coast Guard
US Army
S TA N L E Y J. PECK
R I C H A R D F. " D I C K I E " B RO U DY
JAY J. S E LT E R
US Army
US Army Reserve/JAG
US Navy
UPDATED AS OF OCTOBER 23, 2026
Support the Jewish War Veterans Monument at the Sandler Family campus and honor a veteran by purchasing a monument paver in their name. For more information, contact Ann Swindell aswindell@tjfva.org | 757-965-6106 foundation.jewishva.org
ESEK returns to Tidewater with Made in Israel Pop-Up Market Monday, Nov. 23, 12 - 7 pm Tuesday, Nov. 24, 8 am - 2 pm Sandler Family Campus Nofar Trem ESEK, an initiative connecting Israeli artists and small businesses with communities around the world, returns to Tidewater bringing a collection of Israeli-made products to the community through its Made in Israel Pop-Up Market. Featuring work from Israeli artists, creators, and small business owners, ESEK offers an opportunity to discover gifts while connecting with the people and stories behind them. The collection includes handcrafted Judaica, jewelry, artwork, home décor, accessories, and gifts for Jewish holidays and everyday life, alongside two especially meaningful collections. One features work by survivors of the Nova Music Festival, whose art reflects personal journeys of loss, memory, healing, and hope. The other showcases pieces by IDF reservists who have put their businesses on hold to serve, as well as family members working to keep those businesses going. Shopping with ESEK is about more than finding something unique. Each purchase directly supports the small businesses and creators behind the products, helping them sustain their crafts, work, and livelihood. For the Tidewater community, the market offers a way to connect with Israel through its people, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. Whether looking for a unique holiday gift or another meaningful way to support Israel and its people, save the dates and come shop the shuk. Presented by the Jewish Community Relations Council of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, all area synagogues, and Community Partners’ 16th Annual Israel Today Series. For more information on this shop and additional Israel related opportunities, visit JewishVA.org/ IsraelToday or contact Nofar Trem at Ntrem@UJFT.org.
38 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org
At a time when slogans replace substance and misinformation spreads faster than facts, “Israel on Trial” offers a disciplined method for separating outrage from evidence.
ISRAEL ON TRIAL JUDGE ROY K. ALTMAN ISRAEL ON TRIAL
JUDGE ROY K. ALTMAN
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10 • 7PM
Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus REGISTRATION REQUIRED:
JewishVA.org/IsraelToday
Presented in partnership between the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival and the 16th Annual Israel Today series, a partnership of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater · Simon Family JCC · BBYO · B’nai Israel Congregation · Chabad Lubavitch of Tidewater · Congregation Beth Chaverim · Congregation Beth El · Hadassah · Jewish Family Service of Tidewater · Kehillat Bet Hamidrash · ODU Hillel · Ohef Sholom Temple · Strelitz International Academy · Temple Emanuel · Temple Israel · Tidewater Jewish Foundation · UJFT NextGen757 · United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 39
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40 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org