Jewish News - Oct 13, 2025 Edition

As Jewish Family Service of Tidewater celebrates our past and honors our rich history, we’re reaching out to you our community for help.

So many of you have deep connections to JFS. Some of those roots trace back to the Hebrew Ladies Charity Society, whose founders Fannie Brenner, Ray Cohen, Rosa Brener, Sara Legum, Rebecca Goodman, Hennye Shaeffer, Annie Spensky, and Frieda Schapiro laid the groundwork for generations of service and care.

If you're a descendant of these remarkable women, or if your family has been touched by JFS in any way, you may hold treasured stories, photographs, or memorabilia that can help us preserve and share our legacy.

These pieces of history are invaluable and we’d love the chance to see them and hear your stories.

To share your memories or set up a time to talk, please contact: Brooke Rush at brush@jfshamptonroads.org or Julie Kievit at jkievit@jfshamptonroads.org

Steering through the currents of discord in the Jewish community

In sanctuaries across the nation, in fact, across the globe, rabbis and cantors spent much of the recent High Holidays speaking about the rifts – the competing views – that exist within their congregations concerning Israel, Gaza, and the political divides in the United States.

Their messages were about listening to each other, managing anger, the struggles on determining which paths to pursue, and attempting to ease the acrimony, all while offering a particle of hope during these profoundly challenging times for the Jewish community.

Navigating fractures within the Jewish community is nothing new. The late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks noted, “Jews are a fractious, fissile people, always given to divisions and disunity.” He went on to say that Judaism is the “only religion, the only culture in the world whose cannons are anthologies of arguments.” If Jews argue, he pondered, “how, then, do we stay as one?” His response: “By the sheer force of the argument itself. We stay, we converse, we disagree, but we never split apart.” Rabbi Sacks suggested that “never leaving the table but engaged in the collaborative pursuit of truth is what holds the Jewish people together. Unity without uniformity.”

While Rabbi Sacks did not experience today’s tumultuous times, his message could serve as a model for traversing the current waves of discord – Jewish community survives with argument, or a gentler way to put it, discussion, debate.

Like the rabbis and leaders within the Jewish communities around the world, Jewish News is acutely aware of diverse opinions and factions within our

readership. As the paper’s editor, I’ve received calls accusing the publication of being too conservative, as well as calls accusing the paper of being too liberal. The fact that both sides feel that the paper doesn’t necessarily coincide with their beliefs indicates to me that perhaps we’re doing something right.

Jewish News aims to alert our readers to the news of the Jewish world (of which currently there is an overwhelming amount to choose from), mainly via our news partner, JTA. We’re dedicated to providing the facts to our readers – whether or not they align with one’s particular view of the world. Sometimes, the facts are not pleasant. Still, there is the hope that printing accurate nonpartisan information might stimulate conversation and opportunities to even learn from one another or perhaps motivate readers into activism.

Never could I imagine that writing about Israel would be deemed political. But that’s where we are, and these are the crazy, and quite inflammatory times we are attempting to navigate without alienating any of our readers – all of whom we cherish.

As Rabbi Sacks suggested, we don’t have to be uniform to be united.

Thank you for reading,

Editor

Published 18 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

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BRIEFS

Americans now sympathize more with Palestinians than Israelis, poll finds

For the first time, more American voters say they sympathize with Palestinians than with Israelis, according to a poll from The New York Times and Siena University.

The poll adds yet another data point to a growing pile showing a sharp drop in sympathy for Israelis since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. In the immediate aftermath, the same poll found 47% of Americans siding with Israel. In the poll released Monday, Sept. 29, 35% of registered American voters said they sympathized more with Palestinians compared to 34% with Israel.

While younger voters are least sympathetic to the Israelis, the biggest change over the last two years, the survey found, was among older Democrats who are white and college educated.

In addition to the slim preference for the Palestinians, the poll demonstrated a significant waning in support for Israel among Americans during the nearly two-year war in Gaza. Additionally, 58% of respondents said Israel should halt its military campaign in Gaza to prevent civilian casualties, even if the 20 living Israeli hostages have not yet been freed. A similar share said the offensive should end even if Hamas has not been completely defeated.

The survey of 1,313 registered voters nationwide was taken Sept. 22 to 27, following reports of starvation in Gaza and as Israel’s military widened its offensive in the besieged enclave — and before Israel accepted President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the Gaza war.

It found that a slight majority, 51%, of registered voters disapprove of the United States providing additional economic and military support to Israel.

The findings also underscore a growing partisan divide over the conflict, with 54% of Democrats saying they sympathize more with Palestinians, and 64% of Republicans with Israelis. But while a majority of Republicans support the Israelis, that sentiment has also dropped by 14% over the course of the war, according to a June Quinnipiac poll. (JTA)

Elon Musk calls ADL a ‘hate group’ that ‘hates Christians’

Elon Musk has intensified his long-running feud with the Anti-Defamation League, calling the Jewish civil rights group a “hate group” in a post on X, the platform he owns.

“The ADL hates Christians, therefore it is is [sic] a hate group,” Musk wrote Sunday, Sept. 28, responding to a pseudonymous account that had claimed the ADL views Christianity as extremist.

The exchange drew quick amplification from rightwing figures. U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, accused the ADL of “intentionally creating a targeted hate campaign against Christians.” Provocateur Laura Loomer went further, urging that the ADL be “designated as a domestic terror org.”

At issue is the ADL’s page on “Christian Identity,” a

specific white supremacist theology that portrays Jews as descendants of Satan and has been linked to violent extremism. The ADL, in a statement, explained that the ideology is “antisemitic, racist, and unambiguously poisonous” and bears no resemblance to mainstream Christianity. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt wrote on X that the suggestion his group is anti-Christian is “offensive and wrong,” noting that “many of our staff members are Christian. Many of our supporters are Christian.”

Musk’s outburst is notable because, as recently as January, the ADL had defended him after he appeared to make a Nazi-style salute during Donald Trump’s inauguration. At the time, the group called the gesture “awkward,” a comment that drew backlash within the Jewish community and from the group’s left-wing critics.

The latest clash adds to a series of Musk’s attacks on the ADL. In 2023, he endorsed a post alleging that Jews were pushing “hatred against whites” and accused the ADL of “unjustly” targeting Western societies. He has also threatened to sue the organization for scaring advertisers away from X and recently demanded that it remove Turning Point USA, the group founded by Charlie Kirk who was assassinated last month, from its database of extremist groups.

Kirk’s assassination took place the same day as a school shooting in Colorado allegedly by a gunman whose online activity had been flagged by a member of the ADL’s extremism monitoring division.

Since acquiring Twitter in late 2022, Musk has reshaped the platform’s approach to content moderation, reinstating banned white supremacists such as Nick Fuentes, who has praised Adolf Hitler and trafficked in antisemitic rhetoric. Civil rights groups, including the ADL, have warned that such moves have fueled a surge in online hate. (JTA)

Poll: American Jews’ opinions on Israel’s war in Gaza shifts

Multiple polls have found that about 60% of Americans believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, a biting charge that Israel and the United States reject.

Now, for the first time, a poll has taken the pulse of U.S. Jews specifically — and found that 39% of them hold the opinion.

The poll by the Washington Post, conducted in early September, also found that 61% of American Jews said that Israel has committed war crimes against Palestinians.

The poll found that many American Jews still hold strong ties to Israel. Three-quarters of American Jews surveyed said that Israel’s existence is vital for the long-term future of the Jewish people, while over half said that they were “very” or “somewhat” emotionally attached to Israel.

But emotional ties to Israel were far weaker among younger respondents. While 68% of American Jews over 65 said they were emotionally connected to Israel, among those aged between 18 to 34, that share dropped to 36%. Younger Jews were also more likely to call Israel’s actions in Gaza a

genocide, with half of Jews aged 18 to 34 using the term.

The poll found that Jews were almost evenly split over Israel’s actions in Gaza, with 46% approving and 48% opposing. That divide was also split sharply on partisan lines, with 85% of Jewish Republicans approving compared to 31% of Jewish Democrats.

The majority of American Jews also blame Hamas more than Israel for the civilian death toll in Gaza, with twothirds of American Jews blaming Hamas for starting the war and operating in civilian areas of Gaza.

The poll also found that criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had significantly increased among American Jews in recent years. It found that 68% expressed a negative opinion of the Israeli leader, with 48% rating his leadership as “poor,” compared to 54% disapproving of him in a 2020 Pew Research Center poll.

On the continuation of the conflict between Hamas and Israel, vast majorities of the American Jewish community assigned blame to both Hamas and Netanyahu, with 91% saying Hamas bears responsibility and 86% saying Netanyahu bears responsibility.

Looking to the relationship between the United States and Israel, about half of respondents said that U.S. support for Israel is at about the right level. A third of respondents said that the United States is too supportive of Israel, a share that jumped 10 percentage points since the 2020 Pew poll, and 20% said it is not supportive enough. (JTA)

U of Maryland student government passes BDS resolution on Yom Kippur

The University of Maryland Student Government Association passed a boycott, divestment, and sanctions resolution on Yom Kippur, drawing condemnation from Jewish leaders on campus who said its scheduling was “exclusionary.”

The resolution, which passed 29 to 1 on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 1, calls on the university and its charitable foundation to implement BDS policies against companies and academic policies that it says, “support or profit from Israel’s regime of apartheid and occupation.”

The resolution is symbolic, and campus officials have said it will not influence university investments.

The vote was originally scheduled to be held on Rosh Hashanah, but was moved to Yom Kippur, according to the university’s student newspaper The Diamondback.

In response, 18 Jewish student organizations, including UMD Hillel, announced their intention to boycott all future SGA meetings on the issue.

BDS resolutions failed at the university in 2017, 2019 (which was scheduled for a vote on Passover) and 2024.

UMD has the fourth-largest relative Jewish student population in the United States, with nearly 6,000 of its 30,000 undergraduates identifying as Jewish, according to Hillel International.

In a statement to The Diamondback, the university emphasized that the SGA’s resolution would have no impact on the school’s policy or practice. (JTA)

Biased reporting in the media

Editor:

Ever since Oct.7, 2023 this country (and around the world) has seen a strong upsurge in antisemitism. Much of this originates with right-wing white supremacists and the left Muslim proPalestinian sectors. But a large contingent also comes from average Americans who are convinced that the Israel Defense Forces are committing genocide, utilizing starvation as a weapon, and targeting women and children in Gaza. This results in large part from biased reporting and misinformation propagated by the media, whether intentionally or innocently due to using sources affiliated with or sympathetic to Hamas.

Whatever the source or intention, it is negatively impacting how average Americans, traditionally strong supporters of Israel, view Israel’s war tactics and motivating them to sympathize with Palestinians. This, in turn, not only diminishes Israel’s support for continuing the war effort and protecting its tenuous existence, but also exposes domestic Jews to verbal abuse and even violence. Organizations such as CAMERA and HonestReporting have called out bias and incomplete coverage. So, what for our small community to do?

If you’ve kept up with the coverage in The Virginian-Pilot, you can’t help but notice that they use reports from the Associated Press, which has problems of its own. The AP has been accused of employing Hamas operatives as “reporters” and slanted journalism. And, as has been shown in the past, journalists operating in Gaza are “expected” to report in a supportive manner, otherwise they are shown the door or, worse, the point of a gun.

Examples include:

1) Casualty numbers reported daily as given despite many experts concluding that the tallies don’t add up and Hamas has a history of distorting the facts to suit their purposes.

2) Using “witnesses” as reliable sources.

3) “Without providing evidence” always accompanying Israel’s claims, never

Palestinian contentions.

4) Sensationalist headlines and pictures, particularly of “starving children” who then turn out to have pre-existing diseases. There never is a retraction once the truth comes out.

5) Reporting anti-Netanyahu demonstrations while ignoring pro-Netanyahu ones.

6) Putting the responsibility of feeding Gazans and their misery on Israel rather than Hamas.

7) Misrepresenting international law.

8) Referring to traditionally anti-Israel NGOs as “humanitarian organizations.”

9) Quoting the UN without adding that they have been accused of anti-Israel bias for decades.

10) Selection of words – Israel “seizes” control of Gaza rather than “takes” control. West Bank “resistance” rather than “terrorism.”

11) Emphasizing Israel’s attacks on hospitals, schools, refugee camps despite proof that Hamas is operating there. It’s always “Israel military claims, despite not supplying evidence.”

12 Excessive use of quotation marks to describe Israel claims, never Hamas claims, as if to signify that Israel’s allegations cannot be serious or believed.

13) Hamas’ cross border raid always described as an “attack.” Terms massacre, burn, behead, rape, stab never used.

14) Stories that turn out to be misleading or false never result in a retraction. We, as a Jewish community, need to address this problem. Every day that goes by without presenting our concerns to the newspaper results in more Hampton Roads residents convinced that Israel is a pariah state and local Jews are evil for supporting it. Action should be initiated sooner rather than later.

Sheldon Fineman

Virginia Beach

Letters to the editor reflect the opinions of the writers, not of Jewish News or United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

ISRAEL

JEWISH GROUPS WELCOME CEASEFIRE PLAN AS A STEP TOWARD A ‘LASTING REGIONAL PEACE’

Andrew Silow-Carroll

(JTA) — Jewish organizations across the ideological spectrum offered cautious optimism following the announcement of the first phase of a Gaza peace agreement, expressing profound relief at the planned return of hostages living and dead and tentative hopes that the plan might lead toward lasting regional peace.

As for what such a last peace might look like, only groups that have consistently advocated for a two-state solution offered a specific vision, putting their hopes in a solution that is implicit in the Trump administration’s 20-point peace plan, but which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects adamantly.

Nearly all the organizations noted that the war began with Hamas’s deadly attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and urged

“vigilance” that Hamas would uphold its side of any agreement.

“This development represents a hopeful step toward resolving the conflict, securing the release of all hostages, and establishing the conditions for lasting peace and security in the region,” read a statement by Betsy Berns Korn and William C. Daroff, the chair and CEO, respectively, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “This moment demands unity, resolve, and the moral clarity to ensure that peace and security endure and every hostage returns home.”

Federations similarly welcomed the deal for its humanitarian implications, with the Jewish Federations of North America saying, “our prayers are answered — not completely, for the pain of loss remains — but with the long-awaited promise of

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healing, renewal, and hope.”

Groups also thanked the Trump administration for brokering the deal. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee said in its statement that it “applauds President Trump and his negotiating team for this tremendous achievement and for working together with Israel to broker this peace plan.”

AIPAC also framed the last two years as an affirmation of the “enduring partnership between the United States and our ally Israel,” despite cracks that showed during the Biden administration and to a lesser extent under Trump.

A lobbying group that tends to reflect the policies of the sitting Israeli government, AIPAC also spoke in brief of what some are calling “the day after,” saying that the peace deal “creates a tremendous opportunity to forge a better future for Israelis, Palestinians, and people across the Middle East.”

J Street — the advocacy group often described as the progressive counterpart to AIPAC — did not mention the two-state solution in a statement by its president, Jeremy Ben-Ami. But Ben-Ami did urge the parties to take steps toward realizing the “full US-backed 20-point plan — one that ensures Israel’s security, ends Hamas’s reign of terror, delivers a massive surge of humanitarian aid and sets the region on a path toward a comprehensive and permanent peace.”

In the 19th point of its 20-point plan, the White House suggested without making any pledges that “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.” And while a number of key European allies recently recognized a Palestinian state, the idea has been effectively stalled and faces formidable obstacles on the ground, including strong opposition by both the current Israeli government and key segments of the Israeli and Palestinian publics.

Other groups were more explicit in reiterating the two-state solution. The Israel Policy Forum, founded to advance the idea of two states, said it hoped the agreement

might pave the way for “rekindled IsraelArab diplomacy, a reformed Palestinian Authority with new, empowered, and legitimate leadership, an eventual expansion of the Abraham Accords that advances Israel’s integration in the Middle East, and the pursuit of a viable political horizon to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on two states.”

The Reform movement, in a statement signed by the leaders of its rabbinical, congregational, and seminary arms, also hoped the ceasefire would create the conditions for renewing a solution which the statement acknowledged “feels remote at this point.” Nevertheless, according to the statement, “a two-state solution in some configuration must remain the worthy, long-term goal for Israelis and Palestinians as they contemplate a future with safety, dignity, and hope for all.”

Further to the left, Jewish groups welcomed the return of the hostages but also reiterated their criticism of Israel’s prosecution of a war whose death toll, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry, surpassed 67,000.

Partners for Progressive Israel called the agreement “a victory for the hostage families in Israel and their supporters” as well as “the many international bodies who have sought to hold Hamas and this Israeli government accountable for the war crimes perpetrated in the last two years.”

While few right-leaning groups commented on the deal in the hours after its announcement, which also coincided with the end of the first two days of Sukkot, Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi welcomed the news, calling it “a potentially hopeful step toward restoring calm and securing the release of Israeli hostages.”

RZA-Mizrachi’s president, Steven M. Flatow, whose daughter Alisa Flatow was killed in a suicide bombing near a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip in 1995, also warned that “Hamas’s word is worth little.” He cautioned that any plan’s success “depends entirely on whether Hamas and its supporters can be trusted to abide by their commitments—a lesson history teaches us to approach with clear eyes.”

In Israel, a struggle to reconcile grief and joy as Sukkot and Oct. 7 coincide

Deborah Danan

(JTA) — On the second anniversary of the Hamas massacre, Israelis grappled with how to mark the date which overlapped with the first day of Sukkot, when Jewish tradition requires festivity.

The government postponed official remembrances until the day after the Simchat Torah holiday that bookends Sukkot rather than the Gregorian anniversary. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came under fire for initially failing to acknowledge Oct. 7 directly, writing a social media post that read simply “Happy Sukkot.”

The convergence of the festival’s religiously required joy with the memory of mass death set off a broader debate over whether celebration and grief could coexist. Some religious leaders and community groups, including the Reform movement, urged weaving remembrance into holiday rituals — lighting candles,

reading names, adding prayers for the fallen — while others argued that Sukkot’s happiness should remain intact, with official mourning deferred.

Some Israelis traveled south to visit sites of the attacks, including at official memorials at some of the kibbutzim that were devastated on Oct. 7. Travel is prohibited on the first day for those who adhere to traditional interpretations of Jewish law.

Even among the bereaved, observance varied. British-Israeli Gaby Young Shalev, whose younger brother Nathanel Young, a soldier, was killed in action on Oct. 7, said her family chose to celebrate the festival with friends and relatives before turning to commemoration.

“I tried not to think about the fact that it’s Oct. 7. Because I really think it’s important that we don’t let these atrocities of Oct. 7 ruin our chagim,” she said, using the Hebrew word for Jewish festivals.

But once the holiday day ended on Tuesday evening, Young, her parents and sister Miriam went to Tel Aviv’s Yarkon Park for the Oct. 7 memorial organized by Kumu (“Rise Up”), an initiative set up by families of victims and hostages as a counterpoint to the official state ceremony.

The event was livestreamed globally and screened simultaneously at Hostages Square. It opened with released hostage Agam Berger performing the theme from Schindler’s List on violin. Between speeches from hostage relatives, bereaved families, and released captives, well-known Israeli musicians performed on a stage that was

a tableau of symbols: a burned-out car like those destroyed along the Gaza border, encircled by red crown anemones — the national flower and an emblem of remembrance — a bullet-riddled bomb shelter, and 48 suspended yellow chairs representing each hostage still in Gaza.

Singer Yuval Rafael, who survived the Nova festival massacre and later represented Israel at Eurovision, sang with Daniel Weiss, whose parents were murdered by Hamas. Zvi Zussman, father of Maj. Gen. (res.) Ben Zussman, killed in December 2023, recited the Yizkor prayer, while Elchanan Danino, whose son

Elchanan Danino, whose son was murdered in captivity in Gaza, leads the Mourner's Kaddish at the civilian Oct. 7 memorial ceremony at Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv, Oct. 7, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

OCTOBER 7

Ori was kidnapped and later murdered in captivity, recited the Mourner’s Kaddish.

Eurovision contestant Eden Golan addressed the livestream in English, saying the nation “had been holding its breath” for two years and calling for the release of the 48 hostages still held in Gaza. She performed I’m Coming Home as images of hostages filled the screen behind her. The crowd erupted in chants of “Everyone, Now,” the slogan that has become shorthand for demanding their return.

Unlike last year, the memorial was open to the general public and drew an estimated 30,000 people. In 2024, 50,000 tickets had been reserved by the public, but organizers were forced to curtail attendance to the press and victims’ families amid security threats. For Young, the crowd’s size this year conveyed a collective response beyond those most directly affected.

“It’s a reminder that it’s not just about the bereaved families or the families of hostages,” she said. “The whole country is mourning.”

At last year’s memorial, Young told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that it was the first time her brother’s death had truly sunk in. In the months before, she said, her family’s grief had been buffered by “happy” distractions — the birth of her twins, her parents’ aliyah from the United Kingdom, and the flurry of projects created in Nathanel’s memory. But as another year passed and she returned to the same spot

this October, the sense of loss felt sharper. The passage of time, she said, had made his absence harder, not easier.

“We realize that Nathanel’s not just on a long holiday, but that he’s not actually coming back,” she said. The release last month of the army’s year-long investigation into what happened on his base that morning, she added, made the loss feel newly immediate. Still, “we live life with a

lot of purpose,” she said. “We keep his spirit alive by asking, even in the most everyday situations, what would Nat do?”

Young said she resonated deeply with an image shared on stage by fellow bereaved speaker Tomer Zak, whose parents and younger brother were killed in the attacks. Zak compared herself to a tree that had lost its leaves but whose roots remained strong. For Young, the metaphor captured the tension between devastation and resilience.

“When other people look at it from the outside they’re like, how can this person continue with their lives? But the memory and the light from the person we lost, from Nathanel, makes us keep going, makes us stronger. It gives us these magic powers — you basically want to do all these things for them,” she said.

To that end, the family have set up a memorial fund in his name to support projects for youth at risk, including young people with ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence.

A few miles east in Bnei Brak, the

Screenshot of ceremony commemorating October 7 anniversary on themedialine.org.

atmosphere was strikingly different. Late at night, Hasidic music blasted from the Beit Hashem synagogue during a simchat beit hashoeva — a Sukkot celebration where worshippers dance and play music late into the night during the holiday’s midweek nights. Men in fur streimels streamed inside while children chased one another through the narrow alleys.

Asked about the tension between celebration and mourning, several attendees said they were unaware the Gregorian anniversary of Oct. 7 had arrived. Down the road, emissaries of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement had erected a roadside sukkah draped with yellow Mashiach flags — contrasting with the yellow hostage ribbons ubiquitous at the Tel Aviv memorial — and were handing cotton candy to children.

Yossi, one of the Chabad volunteers, said the date did not change their message. “We pray every day for the return of the hostages and the safe return of the soldiers. In all our daily prayers and also when we read from the Torah,” he said.

A woman in a tank top said that despite identifying herself as secular, the attack’s timing would fix the memory to the Hebrew calendar. “I can’t separate from the fact that it happened on Shabbat and also such a joyous festival — Simchat Torah. [Hamas] took that from us forever.”

In Holon, south of Tel Aviv, Eyal Golan spent the day at home. His youngest sister Shirel, a Nova festival survivor, died by suicide shortly before the first anniversary of the attacks. He could not bring himself to attend a memorial, he said, but added that looking after his two small daughters, the youngest of whom is a newborn, took precedence.

“The mental is affecting the physical,” he said of the migraines he was suffering. “I felt a sense of emptiness all day and I struggled with my own PTSD just to function.”

As the event in the Yarkon Park wrapped up, the crowd stood to sing Israel’s national anthem. For Young, the moment tied mourning to resolve. “It’s a collective grief but also a collective hope, that’s how I felt at the end of Hatikvah. Yes, we are all grieving, but there’s something with Am Yisrael, with the Jewish people and with Israeli people. We keep going.”

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JEWISH TIDEWATER

Jewish stories to Tidewater schools

Alene Jo Kaufman

When students in more than 300 Tidewater schools opened their library doors this fall, they found something new on the shelves: stories that reflect the richness of Jewish life and history. Thanks to the Konikoff Center for Learning of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Tidewater Jewish Foundation, and the family of Abraham Frank, more than 1,000 carefully selected books are reaching public and private school libraries across the region. Each book is donated in Abraham Frank’s memory. As fondly recalled by his mother, Dr. Rita Frank of Virginia Beach, Abraham loved books from his earliest years; and she knows he would be delighted to share that love with other children throughout Tidewater.

The Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) Book Project is designed to ensure that every elementary, middle, and high school in Tidewater can celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month in May and explore Jewish culture year-round. Each year a volunteer committee, drawing from recommended lists by the ADL, The Jewish Education Project, and the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, selects three to four titles appropriate for every grade level. Along with the books, schools receive educator guides, posters, and a digital toolkit to help teachers integrate the stories into lessons and create vibrant displays.

backgrounds to see Jewish experiences represented in the literature they read,” says Sierra Lautman, UJFT’s senior director of Jewish Innovation. “Representation matters, and these books invite curiosity, empathy, and understanding.”

Lautman first envisioned the project while volunteering in her own child’s classroom. “I noticed how few Jewishthemed books were available,” she says.

“What began as a plan to purchase a few books for one classroom turned into an initiative to reach every student in our community. With the creativity of the Jewish Innovation Steering Committee and the generous contributions of Rita and her family, we were able to make it sustainable for years to come.” Volunteers now gather each winter to sort and package the books, preparing them for delivery to schools across Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Isle of Wight, and Surry.

“Thank you so much for gifting us with these valuable books!” says Tina Howard, librarian at Cape Henry Collegiate. “I have already shared them with teachers who will be including them in their classroom collections this school year. I’m sure they will let me borrow them back in May for a Jewish American Heritage Month display.”

“This project allows students of all

For more information, or to get involved, contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org.

Rinoa Lautman finds one of the gifted books in her school library at Brandon Middle School in Virginia Beach.

Creating a Season of Joy as a Caregiver

Did you know nearly 4 in 10 family caregivers say they feel overwhelmed during the holidays? If you’re caring for a loved one, remember — it’s okay to ask for and accept help. You deserve time to relax, recharge, and enjoy the season’s traditions.

Join us for an upli ing conversation on creating a season lled with joy. You'll discover practical ways to prevent caregiver burnout, reduce stress, and make room for meaningful moments with loved ones.

JEWISH

The White Rose Project continues to strengthen Holocaust education

Kyleigh Eyl

For decades, the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater has worked to ensure the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten. At the heart of this effort is the White Rose Project, an educational initiative that provides books to schools across the region that are designed to deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of one of history’s darkest chapters.

The White Rose Project has been a vital presence in school libraries for 30 years. Named in honor of the White Rose resistance group formed by university faculty and students in Nazi Germany, this initiative has enabled generations of students to gain access to books focusing on the Holocaust. These books enrich discussions as well as encourage independent exploration, allowing students to connect with the stories of victims and survivors on a deeper level.

Each spring, the Holocaust Commission raises funds

for the project through the White Rose Campaign, an annual giving initiative that invites community members to make contributions of $360 or less. Every dollar helps ensure that more students can access books that preserve the memory of the Holocaust while cultivating a spirit of empathy and justice.

As antisemitism has drastically increased around the world, initiatives such as the White Rose Project serve as a reminder that education is one of the most powerful tools to combat hate. The ongoing dedication of the Holocaust Commission, UJFT, and the generosity of community donors ensures that the legacy of the White Rose lives on, inspiring students across Tidewater to learn about the Holocaust and to stand up for what is right.

To learn more about the White Rose Project or to donate, contact Elka Mednick, director of the Holocaust Commission, at emednick@ujft.org, or Kyleigh Eyl, coordinator of Advocacy and Community Engagement, at keyl@ujft.org.

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VIRGINIA VOTERS’ GUIDE

2025 VIRGINIA GENERAL ELECTION JEWISH VOTERS’ GUIDE

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington and Washington Jewish Week produced this Virginia General Election Jewish Voters’ Guide for the 2025 statewide races. The candidates running for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General were each asked these three questions:

Candidate for Governor

Democrat

Abigail Spanberger

1I believe the most pressing issues facing Virginians are the rising cost of living, the strength of our public schools, and the need for safer communities. (See complete Response at Washingtonjewishweek. com)

2 There is no place for violence in our democracy — ever. We must all stand united against extremism and antisemitism. I will be vocal in denouncing this unacceptable hatred.

In Congress, I was a fierce supporter of efforts to combat and condemn antisemitism, and I will do the same as Governor. I will make sure there are consequences for hatred. I will ensure the Attorney General’s Office of Civil Rights is appropriately staffed and supported, and I will bring the full weight of this office against antisemitic hate crimes.

As Governor, I will work to coordinate with state and local law enforcement to ensure everyone who wishes

1) What are the three most pressing issues facing Virginians, and how would you address them?

2) What role will you play in addressing the Antisemitic Rhetoric that has fueled the recent attacks on members of the Jewish Community: torching Governor Shapiro’s home, the murders at the Capitol Jewish Museum and the firebombing

to exercise their right of free speech is safe, and that law enforcement has the resources they need to protect our communities and combat antisemitic actions.

Finally, as Governor, I will use my voice and position to show up for impacted communities. I will work with local Jewish community organizations to ensure the Commonwealth – and the Office of the Governor – is an active partner in combating antisemitism. I commit to showing up for the Jewish community, both in times of celebration and commemoration.

3

I believe all students deserve to feel safe at school. Antisemitism has no place in our education system. Working to combat antisemitism will be a top priority for me – as it should be for all elected officials.

Officials at all levels must guard against the intimidation of Jewish students, rising antisemitism, and threats of violence against fellow students. My Administration will not tolerate antisemitism in any form.

The tragic, hate-fueled attacks of recent years targeting Jewish people remind us that working to keep these institutions safe is essential, not optional. I will ensure that allegations of antisemitic actions and hate speech in educational settings are thoroughly investigated. And I will actively work with my Department of Education, as well as Virginia’s schools and institutions of higher education, to communicate best practices and resources to combat antisemitism — so every student is able to feel safe.

at a Boulder, Colorado rally advocating for the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza?

3) How will you address antisemitism in Virginia’s k-12 schools and institutions of higher education?

Their responses begin here.

As Governor, I will work to ensure students of all ages have age appropriate, accurate lessons on historically significant events. Specifically, I will ensure all school districts are actively pursuing and correctly educating students on the history of the Holocaust. I will revitalize the work of Virginia’s Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices Advisory Committee, created by the General Assembly in 2020, to ensure my Administration is an active partner in this work.

Candidate for Governor

Republican Winsome Earle-Sears

1

1) Maintaining a strong economy.

2) Investing in an education system that gives our children the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.

3) Public safety.

(See complete Response at Washingtonjewishweek.com)

2

Let me be clear: there is no place for antisemitism in our society.

The reason why my family immigrated here from Jamaica is

because America is special—everyone is equal under the law. The explosion in antisemitism has been exacerbated by public officials who refuse to protect Jewish students’ civil rights as mandated by federal law.

We need a zero-tolerance policy for antisemitism and that starts with holding bad actors accountable.

My plan for combating antisemitism is three-pronged:

1) We need to ensure that law enforcement has a closer, collaborative relattionship with the Jewish community and works with community leaders to understand the unique security risks Jewish communities face (for example, attending synagogue on Shabbat and the holidays). It’s imperative that law enforcement are empowered to prevent antisemitic attacks and prosecute those that occur.

2) My administration will work with advisers from the Jewish community to identify public and private institutions that foster or enable antisemitism. We will use the full force of the law to shame these institutions, charge them, and eliminate their funding.

3) We need to invest in education that prevents the spreading of antisemitism and hatred in our schools and universities.

As governor, it is my job to make sure that all citizens of the Commonwealth are protected and able to lead peaceful and prosperous lives free of violence and discrimination. There should be no doubt that this applies unequivocally to the at least 165,000 Jewish Virginians as well.

VIRGINIA VOTERS’ GUIDE

3

Schools must prioritize our children’s education and safety, and that includes our Jewish students. Schools need to understand the important role they play in preventing the spread of antisemitism.

We need to make sure our curriculum provides both students and staff with a greater understanding of antisemitism, its history, and its dangerous repercussions.

Finally, I will have a zero-tolerance policy for antisemitism. My administration will use the full force of the law to hold bad actors accountable. Federal law protects all students’ rights, including Jewish students. Those that do not abide by the law, will suffer the consequences.

Let me be clear: as Governor, I will not tolerate hate and violence against the Jewish community. I am ready to take any and all actions I can take against them, and I’ll be working hand in hand with the Jewish community to make sure we are taking this crisis as seriously as we possibly can.

Candidate for Lt. Governor Democrat Ghazala Hashmi

1(See Response at Washingtonjewishweek.com)

2

Hate has no home in Virginia or anywhere in our country, and as Lt. Governor, I will not hesitate to call out and work to stave off antisemitic rhetoric and actions. While antisemitism has always been a stain on our country, there is no denying that antisemitic incidents have exponentially increased since the horrors of October 7, 2023. We have seen a troubling surge in hateful, antisemitic rhetoric from both extremes of

the ideological spectrum. We must take strong and unequivocal stands against any language or behavior that promotes or legitimizes violence against Jews. That includes slogans such as “globalize the intifada” as well as the actions of public figures who grant legitimacy to avowed antisemites like Nick Fuentes. It is also critical to recognize that criticism of Israel’s government often crosses the line into antisemitism. As with any foreign government, Americans, including American Jews, hold a wide range of views on Israeli policies. We as elected leaders have a responsibility to be crystal clear on a simple truth: American Jews do not bear responsibility for the actions of the Israeli government—or any other foreign government. Criticism of a foreign government’s politics does not justify hatred toward a people, nor should it be used as an excuse to target the Jewish community with harmful rhetoric or violence. As Lt. Governor, I will continue to speak out against antisemitism wherever I see it. I have carried and voted for multiple bills to combat antisemitic hate crimes over the last few years in the State Senate. I will stand firmly for the right of Jewish Americans to live peacefully and securely in Virginia and across the country, and I will call on my colleagues in government to do the same.

3As a young girl, I remember being deeply affected by reading The Diary of Anne Frank and learning about the horrors of the Holocaust. The lessons I took from her words, especially about the consequences of staying silent in the face of injustice, have stayed with me throughout my life. Today’s students are increasingly exposed to online content and influencers who spread conspiracy theories targeting minority groups. Some of the most dangerous of these are age-old antisemitic lies, repackaged for a modern audience. It is essential that students understand the origins and evolution of these antisemitic conspiracies, and that we teach the broader history of antisemitism and the devastation it has caused. We must help our children recognize that America’s greatest strength lies in its diversity, and that the Jewish-American community has long been an integral part of our nation’s

rich cultural fabric. As a former university professor, I deeply respect the rights of students to free speech and open inquiry. But we must be clear that free speech does not give license to spread hate or justify violence. On too many campuses, criticism of Israel has crossed the line into open antisemitism, with Jewish students targeted simply because of their identity. We need to take a firm stand against the rise of antisemitism, whether it be on a college campus or at any institution across our country.

Candidate for Lt. Governor Republican John Reid

1

(See Response at Washingtonjewishweek.com)

2

Recent violent acts— Governor Shapiro’s home being torched, the murder at the Capitol Jewish Museum, and the firebombing at a Boulder rally— must be met with a firm, bipartisan response. I commit to: •Working with law enforcement to ensure all hate crimes are thoroughly investigated, perpetrators brought to justice, and victims fully supported. •Leading condemnation of antisemitic rhetoric from any quarter. Words that dehumanize or scapegoat the Jewish community lay the groundwork for violence. •Supporting statewide hate-crimes training for police, local officials, and public institutions to identify and respond proactively to targeted threats. •Promoting interfaith and community unity events across the commonwealth, reinforcing shared values and breaking down divisions. I will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Virginia’s Jewish communities, ensuring state leadership refuses to tolerate such extremism.

3

Antisemitism in schools must be addressed at multiple levels: 1. Strengthening Reporting & Accountability. I will advocate for clear state guidance mandating the inclusion of antisemitism in school discrimination policies. All public K–12 and institutions of higher education must track and report antisemitic incidents and take disciplinary and restorative action as appropriate. 2. Expanding Education & Training. Require mandatory cultural competency and antisemitism awareness training for school staff and student leaders. Curricula in middle and high school should cover the history of antisemitism, Holocaust education, and the importance of religious pluralism and respect. 3. Supporting Jewish Student Organizations. At colleges and universities, support should be extended to registered Jewish organizations and Hillel chapters so they operate safely and can host educational events. I would promote protective protocols and collaboration between institutions and Jewish community organizations. 4. Engaging Parents and Communities. I believe parents have a central role in fostering respect in school communities. I will facilitate regional community dialogues and school-based roundtables where educators, faith leaders, parents, and students come together to build mutual understanding and proactively counter bias.

Candidate for Attorney General Democrat Jay Jones

1(See Response at Washingtonjewishweek.com)

2Ensuring the safety and security of all religious and ethnic

communities in Virginia is a top priority of mine. Antisemitic violence and rhetoric are a growing problem that must be addressed at every level, and here in Virginia, the solution starts at the top. As a member of the House of Delegates, I voted in support of protections for faith-based organizations and schools, including legislation that added religious pre-schools and childcare centers to the list of schools where possessing a firearm is prohibited. As Attorney General, I will fight every day to protect and defend Virginians, from their constitutional rights and freedoms to day-to-day community safety. More specifically, I will create a Civil Rights Division within the office that will no longer be an afterthought and is empowered to take aggressive action on behalf of Virginians’ basic rights. This unit will ensure that Virginians are protected against discrimination and that no entity can take away their constitutional rights and liberties.

3

As Attorney General, I will take a proactive stance against antisemitism in all its forms, especially within our K-12 schools and institutions of higher learning, to ensure that every student feels safe, respected, and understood in the classroom and on campus. At public universities, Governor Youngkin and Jason Miyares have cleared university boards to increase their political power, while inflaming tensions on campus that are ultimately most harmful to Jewish students. As Attorney General, I’ll make sure schools are independently equipped to respond to hate-based incidents and be an ally in investigating and fighting antisemitism to ensure that all perpetrators of hate speech and violence are held accountable for their actions. While the Attorney General has no legislative powers, I will advocate for a more inclusive curriculum that educates Virginia students about antisemitism and creates environments free from all discrimination and harassment against Jewish students. We must empower and equip our children to stand against hate with understanding and empathy.

Candidate for Attorney General Republican

Jason Miyares

1(See Response at Washingtonjewishweek.com)

2

Antisemitism is the world’s oldest form of bigotry. The torching of Governor Shapiro’s home, the murder at the Capitol Jewish Museum, and the firebombing in Boulder are not isolated incidents. They are the product of ideological hate that has traded the force of argument for the argument of force. A free society can only function when we respect one another not just as equals, but as human beings with the same inalienable rights. When we lose that foundation, hate festers and violence follows.

In February 2023, I announced the creation of the Antisemitism Task Force within the Virginia Office of the Attorney General. As the first of its kind in the U.S., the Task Force’s mission is to educate, monitor, gather information, and coordinate with law enforcement to combat antisemitism across the Commonwealth. The Task Force marshals the expertise of an agile group of attorneys, professionals, and law enforcement officials to confront the scourge of Antisemitism inserting itself in our public and private spheres.

In March 2023, I had the profound honor of leading a bipartisan delegation of state attorneys general on a journey through Poland and Israel. Our first stop was Auschwitz, where we were guided by Mr. Michael Berenbaum, a foremost Holocaust scholar in the United States. There, we confronted the historical rise of antisemitism and its disturbing ability to fester in communities that were once

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vibrant and progressive. The contrast was striking as we moved from the shadows of Auschwitz to the vibrant reality of the modern state of Israel—a true miracle born from the ashes of history. It was a poignant journey, highlighting not just the past, but the hope and resilience of a people who refuse to be defined by their suffering.

In November 2023, I was once again called to Israel, this time by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice, to bear witness to the atrocities committed by Hamas. I had the privilege of meeting families affected by the violence

and hearing their stories of loss and resilience. During a briefing with Israel’s state prosecutor, Amit Eisman, we were presented with harrowing evidence of the attacks, and I was struck by the courage and resolve of those fighting for justice in the face of unspeakable horror. As I stood in Israel following the attacks, my commitment to combat all forms of hatred and bigotry—especially against our Jewish citizens—was solidified. October 7th was not just a tragedy for Israel, but a tragedy that reverberated around the world. Reflecting on my experiences, I remarked to my colleague David Brand that I never could have

VIRGINIA VOTERS’ GUIDE

imagined visiting Israel twice in less than a year and witnessing two entirely different countries and realities.

I also brought together a bipartisan group of attorneys general from across the country to meet with the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who spent part of his youth in Richmond before moving to Israel with his family. He was taken hostage and murdered by Hamas terrorists.

3Antisemitism is not a political issue—it is a moral one. As Virginia’s Attorney General, I have made it a top priority to confront this rising hatred with clear eyes and firm resolve. Virginia will not be a state where Jewish families live in fear. I will continue to stand with our Jewish neighbors and confront this evil with the full force of the law and the moral clarity the moment demands.

We need leaders with moral clarity, not moral confusion and cowardice who shirk the responsibility of calling out antisemitic hate. Immediately following the October 7th attacks, my office sent a letter to every public college and university president in Virginia, urging them to protect the safety and well-being of their Jewish students. Virginia’s public colleges and universities are defended by my office, and each school has its own assigned legal counsel. In the days and weeks after the horrific terrorist attacks on October 7, my Office offered interac-

I also worked directly with law enforcement and higher education leaders to proactively prepare for the violence and unrest we were seeing spread across the country, making it clear early on that intimidation, harassment, threats, or violence would not be tolerated here in Virginia. There should be room on our college campuses for free speech and substantive foreign policy discussions, but when such “advocacy” turns into a vehicle for the propagation of anti-Jewish sentiment, it crosses a line that higher education and we, as a country, must not tolerate.

In December 2023, I sent a letter to all Virginia public school principals and superintendents on the rise of antisemitism in education nationwide and noting their responsibility to cultivate learning environments for their students free of discrimination, harassment, and intimidation. At my direction, our Office of Civil Rights also prepared resources for parents and students to guide them as to the proper way to report and file official complaints to address instances of discrimination on the basis of ethnic and national origin as is Virginia law. I encourage anyone who has faced such discrimination to report it to my Civil Rights Division. We stand ready to assist when and wherever instances of hatred and bigotry surface in Virginia for Jewish students and all students.

becomes more difficult but also much more vital to ensuring that the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten. It is crucial that the horrors of the Holocaust are never distorted, nor trivialized, and remain cemented in our global conscience. While Holocaust education is not the ultimate cure for rising antisemitism worldwide, it is an essential part in ensuring antisemitism cannot take root in the home of Thomas Jefferson.

The 2025 Virginia General Election Jewish Voter’s Guide is reprinted with permission from Washington Jewish Week.

For additional information, contact Robin Mancoll, UJFT’s Jewish Community Relations Council senior director.

The Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater champions a thriving Jewish community locally, in Israel, and around the world and leverages the strength of the diverse and vibrant Jewish community to promote a just and democratic society by leading, convening, educating, and advocating. The JCRC, therefore, works to ensure that all voters are well informed and have all pertinent details when choosing a candidate. For comprehensive information about the upcoming elections, including how and where to cast ballots, visit the Virginia Department of Elections website. Register to vote or apply for an absentee ballot online using the Citizen Portal.

Important dates to know include:

• Friday, October 24, 2025: The deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration.

(Voters may register after this date, including on Election Day, and vote using a provisional ballot.)

• Friday, October 24, 2025: The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail.

• Saturday, November 1, 2025: The last day of in-person early voting

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These Tidewater attorneys share a commitment to Jewish ethics

Stephanie Peck

The three Jewish attorneys profiled on the following pages have several common characteristics. First of all, Steve Brown, Bill Nossen, and Neil Rose all hail from the northeast, landing in Tidewater for various reasons.

These men demonstrate their commitment to Jewish values in their daily legal practice, and in their spare time, they are all active in the Jewish community – as synagogue volunteers and leaders and in leadership roles with Jewish agencies – United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Tidewater Jewish Foundation, and Jewish Family Service, among others.

And, finally, all three men share another preference: their favorite Jewish holiday is Passover.

Scott Alperin, Principal Attorney

Steven L. Brown

Firm

Tiffany & Brown

Specialty Creditors’ Rights

Education

Lehigh University

JD Marshall Wythe School of Law, College of William and Mary

Jewish organizations and involvement

Jewish Family Service vice president and Temple Emanuel first vice president, past co-president, board life member

Family

Wife: Beryl Brown

Children: Hunter, an attorney in Florida practicing mergers and acquisitions; Shelby, a third-year law student at Washington & Lee and president of the Student Bar Association; and Blake, who is working on a startup company and applying to medical school.

Favorite Jewish holiday

Passover. I remember growing up in New York and Connecticut and coming down to my grandmother’s house in Richmond and celebrating with 20 family members.

Legal

Most memorable Jewish milestone/ life cycle

The b’nai mitzvah of our children.

Most admired Jewish lawmaker

Golda Meir, the former Prime Minister of Israel and it’s only female leader. In the U.S., it would be Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. He is a strong supporter of Israel and has not changed his position even after someone tried to burn down the governor’s residence.

Personal legal milestone

Voted by my peers as Legal Elite, a Super Lawyer and a Top Lawyer by Coastal Virginia Magazine.

Most memorable case

Early, after going out on my own, I had a case with my former mentor, Alex Smith, representing the other side, concerning the burden of proof on the issue of good faith in a bankruptcy case. He even appealed the case. The parties created new law, and I still cite that case today.

How has an understanding and/or commitment to Jewish values entered into your decisions or actions as an attorney?

I am guided by several principles including Derch Eretz, in which I try to treat everyone with respect and act ethically as well as Tzedek, or doing the right thing.

William Nossen

Firm

Kalfus & Nachman

Specialty

Pre-litigation associate, handling plaintiff's personal injury cases.

Education

Seton Hall University School of Law

S.U.N.Y. Binghamton

Jewish organizations and involvement

A member of Congregation Beth El in Norfolk, teaching sixth and seventh graders in the synagogue’s Sunday school. Frequently lead portions of the Shabbat, Festival and High Holiday davening, and a member of the Shul and its Men’s Club’s board of directors.

Family

Wife: Leslie Jo Nossen, aka “Morah Jo,” married 25 years

Children: Lily Ann, who attends VCU and Sam, who attends William & Mary.

Favorite Jewish holiday

Passover. I love the family seders and the traditions that come with them.

Most memorable Jewish milestone/ life cycle

Completing the 11-month mourning period for my mom, Anne, of blessed memory. She passed from cancer on February 14, 2001.

Most admired Jewish lawmaker Yitzhak Rabin

Personal legal milestone

27 years of practicing law, and 27 years of ethically seeking justice for the clients and communities I represented.

Most memorable case

I successfully represented a client on appeal who had been convicted of armed robbery. I then convinced the Prosecutor's Office that he was innocent of the crimes charged against him and that all charges should be dismissed accordingly.

How has an understanding and/or commitment to Jewish values entered into your decisions or actions as an attorney?

As an attorney, and in accordance with long-held Jewish values, I continually strive to seek justice and practice my craft with the utmost professionalism. I am most proud of the ethical and professional reputation that I earned in every legal community I have practiced in.

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Legal

Neil L. Rose

Firm

Willcox Savage, P.C.

Specialty

Tax/Estate Planning and Administration

Education

UVA McIntire School of Business

JD UVA Law School

Master of Laws in Taxation Georgetown University Law Center

Jewish organizations and involvement

Beth El board member and past president, Beth El Foundation board member/secretary, Tidewater Jewish Foundation-treasurer and board member, Virginia Festival of Jewish Film screening committee.

Family

Bride: Gina (formerly Regina Handel)

Sons: Fred, Ryan (engaged to Jessica) and Jon (married to Maggie)

Grandchild: Avery Dog: Whitney the Whoodle

Favorite Jewish holiday

Being the youngest of six, I love large family gatherings such as seder and Rosh Hashanah with Gina’s brisket, a mountain of mashed potatoes, and the family. Our family tradition of reading from the old Haggadahs brings back memories of parents and aunts and uncles.

Most memorable Jewish milestone/ life cycle

Hard to forget our wedding on the bima at Beth El; as I watched my bride approach, she stopped, unintentionally, her train caught on the steps. Aunt Sarah from Pikesville, Md. got up and freed her, and our wedding continued. Rabbi Elkins and Rabbi Golinkin made for a longer service than some desired.

Most admired Jewish lawmaker Golda Meir vs Louis Brandeis?

Personal legal milestone

I was recognized by my peers to be admitted to the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.

Most memorable case

As a young attorney, helping a retired nurse plan her estate to leave it all to Children’s Hospital of The King‘s Daughters, because those children needed it more than her relatives.

How has an understanding and/or commitment to Jewish values entered into your decisions or actions as an attorney?

Our legal system is based on the five books of Moses, a system of justice and judges. I was raised to always try to do the right thing.

As a lawyer helping my clients, I strive to find out what they want to accomplish. Then I show them options to accomplish their goals and remind them to look at both sides of every issue to try and achieve a win/win and family harmony wherever possible.

Chapel

Denbigh

Maestas

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

Chesapeake

Legal

The Ketubah – a Jewish marriage contract

Stephanie Peck

The ketubah, or Jewish marriage contract, has traditionally spelled out the groom’s obligations to his wife, including financial responsibilities and his commitment to provide for his bride’s basic needs, such as food, shelter, and intimacy. In the orthodox tradition, the ketubah serves as a legal, protective document that shields a woman in the event the marriage is dissolved. Two witnesses, unrelated to both the bride and groom, sign the ketubah, confirming that the groom agrees to its terms and the bride accepts them.

In many homes, the ketubah also serves as a work of art, displayed on the walls not only for guests to see but to also remind the married couple of their wedding day. Modern-day ketubahs contain language for a variety of relationships, including interfaith, LGBTQ+ and nonbinary couples and offer unique design features including metallic, paper cut, and pop art.

Several Tidewater couples share the stories behind their ketubahs and how the marriage contract features into their daily, married lives.

Rachel and Marc Abrams

As told by Rachel Married 25 years

While we don’t remember much about the process of picking our ketubah, we do remember we wanted

one that felt modern but still a bit traditional to match the spirit of our wedding that was being held at my childhood synagogue. We immediately loved the paper cut style of the one we chose.

The day before our wedding, after the rehearsal, our families and closest friends came together to witness signatures. The rabbi, Marc, and I were all signing it, along with two of our closest friends. I remember being really emotional... until it was time for our friends’ part of the ceremony. One of our friends was feeling so much stress about signing such a beautiful piece of art that he was just frozen in his seat, not wanting to put pen to paper! Everyone ‘eventually’ signed and it was perfect!

It has moved from our newlywed apartment in Pittsburgh to Philly to three houses in Virginia Beach and, in all of them, has hung in our bedroom. Nearly 26 years later, it's still a treasured piece and we love it!

Debbie and Shlomo Lubaton

As told by Debbie Married 39 years

Our ketubah is proudly displayed in our dining room, where we have many multigenerational gatherings. Shlomo’s mother brought it from Israel, where Haim Ron from the Jewish Heritage Centre of Jerusalem designed it. My childhood rabbi and my husband’s childhood

friend signed the ketubah on March 30, 1986.

My mother-in-law was not happy I framed it; she wanted me to hide it as an insurance of our marriage.

Stephanie and Paul Peck

As told by Paul Married 26 years

When my wife and I were getting married, we were unable to identify an artist or design that grabbed our simple tastes. It then occurred to me: What could be cleaner than the calligraphy on a Torah?

I asked Rabbi Aron Margolin if he knew a sofer, a scribe who writes Torah scrolls, mezzuahs, and the scrolls in tefillin, who might be willing to write a ketubah on parchment in the style of a Torah. After speaking with a New York-based sofer, the scribe first confessed he had never been asked to write a ketubah, but since it is fairly standard wording, he didn’t see how it could be that difficult.

The result is a beautiful, simple work of art. The black ink on the parchment matches the exact same words Jewish men promised their wives for centuries.

To the untrained eye, other than the signatures of one of our officiant’s, Rabbi Joel Zaiman (of blessed memory), and a dear friend, Jordan Slone, visitors to our home think it is just a section of a Torah that we have hanging on our wall.

Virginia General Assembly supports penalties for swastikas

The Virginia General Assembly this year voted to support House Bill No. 2783: Placing Swastika on Certain Property With Intent To Intimidate; Penalty.

It is now a Class 6 felony to place a swastika on certain property with the intent to intimidate. This bill includes placing or causing to be placed a swastika on (i) the private property of another without permission or (ii) a highway or other public place in a manner having a direct tendency to place another person in reasonable fear or apprehension of death or bodily injury.

The support of this bill provides an additional tool for law enforcement to fight antisemitism. It follows the same path as cross burning or placing a noose in a place to intimidate African Americans.

To read the details of the bill, go to https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/ HB2783/text/HB2783H.

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planning attorney Rob Goodman explains how TJF can help business owners blend financial strategy with a legacy of philanthropy.

TJF staff

When Rob Goodman sits down with a business owner to talk about succession planning, the conversation often turns to something deeper than profit margins.

“Family succession planning is a transition of values,” Goodman says. “With the transitions come development of knowledge, experience, skill sets and financial transition. An important aspect is the transmission of the family value system to future generations.”

It’s a philosophy Goodman has cultivated over decades as an attorney with Kaufman & Canoles, where he guides families through estate planning, business transitions, and charitable giving. For him, a successful plan is one that honors the business owner’s hard work while equipping the next generation to thrive. “I always say, don’t deprive your children of the pleasure of their own success,” he says. Whether it’s giving them responsibility for a new division, including them in strategic conversations, or letting them take the lead on philanthropic decisions, Goodman believes these moments build self-confidence, experience, and the ability to learn from mistakes. It offers the opportunity to strengthen family ties.

Goodman’s counsel often includes using creative

financial tools to maximize impact. A self-described “Microsoft Excel fan,” he builds models that show clients the difference between letting the IRS take a large cut and directing those funds to causes they care about. “When they see side-by-side comparisons, they can better understand how a charitable giving plan can also make business sense,” he says.

Donor-advised funds are one of his favorite vehicles for doing just that. “When you pass on, you can leave the IRA/401(k) retirement assets tax free to a donor-advised fund and provide your children, and those after, the opportunity to make charitable donations. The fund provides them the opportunity to stay engaged long after you’re gone.”

working with TJF, and the expertise they bring to the team,” he says. “Their investment policy is prudent, designed to avoid downside risk while keeping funds available for giving.

According to Goodman, Tidewater Jewish Foundation is the ideal partner for making these plans a reality. “I enjoy

That’s exactly what you want when building a legacy.” He encourages families to start early and make the process collaborative.

Goodman believes this blend of planning, giving, and shared experiences is what creates a lasting family narrative…a living legacy.

“When you involve children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren in the process, you create a tradition of learning and giving that can remain as part of your family culture,” he says.

For Goodman, succession planning is not just about handing off a business, it’s about handing down a vision for how to live and give well.

New casebook examines antisemitism and the law

“The law has the power both to oppress and to liberate,” Professor Robert Katz writes in the introduction to his groundbreaking new casebook examining how legal systems have wielded power over Jews across millennia, for good and ill.

Antisemitism and the Law (Carolina Academic Press, 2025) analyzes how legal systems have wielded power over Jews, and how Jews and their allies have mobilized the law to combat antisemitism. The casebook offers the first comprehensive examination of antisemitism in this unique and burgeoning area of legal scholarship from one of the nation’s leading scholars on the subject. ADL, the world’s leading organization combating antisemitism, provided major funding for its publication.

Katz is professor of Law and John S. Grimes Fellow at Indiana University McKinney School of Law and Affiliated Scholar at the Indiana University Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism. He is the founder and director

of The Center for the Study of Law and Antisemitism and a member of the American Bar Association’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.

“This groundbreaking casebook fills a long-overlooked gap in legal education at a time when studying and understanding the nearly 3,000-year trajectory of antisemitism in the courts has never been more vital,” says Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO and national director. “We were pleased to provide major funding for this casebook, and we encourage its use in law schools and other educational institutions nationwide.”

of justice: the Spanish Inquisition, the Dreyfus Affair, and the Leo Frank case, among others; and the development of legal doctrines, statutes, and strategies to help pave the way for more tolerant societies: the Nuremberg Trials, U.S. civil rights laws, hate crimes legislation, and many more.

in their adoption,” Katz writes. “My aim is to make the subject of antisemitism and the law widely known, accessible within the legal community and beyond it.”

The 725-page volume tackles its subject in five parts, with opening sections devoted first to “Anti-Discrimination Law” and “Jewish Identity,” followed by “Antisemitic Speech” and its regulation; “Anti-Jewish Activities” and civil rights protections; and, finally, “Allies Against Antisemitism.”

Spanning three millennia of legal history, the casebook presents a robust understanding of the relationship between law and antisemitism, looking at travesties

Through a careful examination of judicial rulings, legal precedents, transcripts, and other records, Katz explores the legal system’s paradoxical role as both enforcer of Jews’ subordination and instrument for attaining their full citizenship.

“Until recently, few perceived the need for courses on law and antisemitism and the pivotal role that a casebook could play

Selected chapters can augment courses on race and the law, the First Amendment, cyberlaw, trusts and estates, torts, criminal law, international human rights law, comparative law, education law, law and religion, and Catholic law. General readers may approach this work as a historical narrative developed through primary sources, annotations, and commentary.

Professors teaching in this field may request a complimentary copy at cap-press.com.

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Rain didn’t stop the fun(gi): Celebrating food art with Bill Wurtzel

Hunter Thomas

On a very rainy evening (some parts of Virginia Beach saw nearly a foot of rain on September 16), kids and grownups alike filled the Sandler Family Campus’ Fleischmann Lounge with joy as they played with their food with award-winning artist Bill Wurtzel.

After a lively talk exploring his background creating playful funny food faces and books, participants of all ages created their own edible artwork using an array of gourmet mushrooms. Wurtzel’s most recent book, FUNGI, focuses exclusively on artwork made from mushrooms.

“I had so much fun, it was such a wonderful experience,” says Josephine Krekorian. Following the program, Wurtzel urged the attendees to take home as many mushrooms as they could carry – none went to waste. “I went home and made mushroom soup with lamb,” says Krekorian. “I cook with all those mushrooms. It never occurred to me to create art out of them!”

Wurtzel, who typically travels with his wife, an accomplished special educator, shared that they often present workshops for children at schools across New York City, promoting healthy eating.

“The most touching part of the evening was seeing how much he loves his wife. They will celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary next month,” says Sharon Serbin.

True to Wurtzel’s joyful approach, the program blended learning and play, complete with fun facts about the kingdom of fungi and hands-on exploration. Or, as Serbin says, “It was a fun and creative evening.”

A companion exhibit of Wurtzel’s art was displayed in the Simon Family JCC’s Leon Family Gallery throughout August and September. For those who missed it, signed copies of the artwork, as well as signed copies of FUNGI, are still available for purchase. Contact Shyanne Southern at SSouthern@UJFT.org or 757757-452-3184 for more information.

Hunter Thomas is director of Arts + Ideas at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. He can be reached at HThomas@UJFT.org or 757-965-6137.

Theo and Natalie Trem.

Sharon Serbin’s mushroom creation.

Bill Wurtzel in the Leon Family Gallery.

Driving success despite the weather: The Bob Josephberg Classic

Carin Simon

The Strelitz International Academy’s 37th Annual Golf Tournament, held on Wednesday, September 10 at the Virginia Beach National Golf Club, proved that not even rainy skies could dampen the spirit of community and generosity. Known as the Bob Josephberg Classic, this signature event remains SIA’s premier annual fundraiser, and this year it raised $145,000 thanks to the support of tournament sponsors, players, and volunteers.

The funds raised play a crucial role in supporting the future of Jewish education and leadership in Tidewater by ensuring financial stability, scholarship opportunities, and programming excellence.

The day began with opening remarks from Tim

GOLF SPONSORS

MASTERS – $10,500

Copeland-Klebanoff Family

Josephberg Family

North Beach Plastic Surgery -

Dr. Richard Rosenblum, Dr. Alexander Sailon, Dr. Eric Jablonka, Dr. Alexandra Tilt, Dr. Joshua Henderson

SPONSORS – $5,500

Fairlead

Chip & Alexandra Friedman

Steve & Randi Gordon

Jennifer Josephberg

David Leon

Thornton, Tournament co-chair and SIA parent: “My family has been part of SIA since my son was just three months old. This community has given us so much over the years and seeing all of you come together to support the school is a reminder of how special it really is.”

While the rain added an extra challenge on the course, players embraced the conditions with enthusiasm, keeping spirits high throughout the tournament. Tournament highlights included a delicious lunch and dinner catered by the Cardo Cafe, hole-in-one competitions, where golfers had the chance to win a Mercedes-Benz Sedan and SUV, courtesy of Charles Barker Automotive and Towne Insurance.

The Bob Josephberg Classic continues to provide a

Cindy & Ron Kramer

L.M. Sandler & Sons

Deb & Peter Segaloff

John & Renee Strelitz

HOSTS – $4,000

Miles & Sandra Leon

Southern Bank

TowneBank

Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C.

UNDERWRITERS- $3,000

Brad Moses/Towne Insurance

Nathan Drory/Charles Barker Automotive

EAGLES – $1,200

Brad & Babbi Bangel

Claire & Marvin Friedberg

Daniel Gordon, Mark Gordon, Stephen and Lynne Saunders

Harbor Group International

Beth & Nathan Jaffe

KPMG

National Disaster Solutions

The Saal Family

Randy Shapiro

BIRDIES – $750

ACCENT CPA

Altmeyer Funeral Home

Brandon Terkeltaub, CFP®, TPCP™ — Focus Partners

Wealth

The Foleck Center

Givens Group

In Honor of Abe Goldstein, Jack & Ethan's Zaidee

Heartwell Health

meaningful way for current and former SIA parents, alumni, and friends to come together in support of the school. Many sponsors have stood by SIA since the early days of the tournament, reflecting the strong partnerships that sustain its mission.

The winners of the 1st Flight were the Copy Fax Team – Jay Serrao, Chris Williams, Bob Merkle, and Rob Merkle.

Next year’s 38th Annual Strelitz International Academy Golf Tournament is slated for Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at Virginia Beach National Golf Club.

Carin Simon, SIA’s director of advancement, may be reached at 757-424-4327 or csimon@strelitzacademy.org.

Hercules Fence

Jason Hoffman-West Hoffman

Wealth Management of Raymond James

Joan & Eric Joffe

Jodi & Jay Klebanoff

Karen & Rick Lombart

The Moore Family in Honor of Faculty & Staff

Palms Associates

S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co.

Lawrence Steingold

Stein Investment Group

HOLES – $400

Rachel & Marc Abrams

Abrams Realty/ Mike Simon

Amitay & Claudius Family

Atlantic Union Bank

Avraham Ashkenazi

Michael & Roslyn Barney

Susan & Jon Becker

Allison & Bill Carden

Elyse & David Cardon

Davenport/Lefcoe

Eastern Virginia OrthodonticsDrs. Shivar & Peluso

Frankie Edmonson,

Portsmouth Commissioner of the Revenue

Ferguson Enterprise

Alan & Esther Fleder

Foundation

Frieden Wealth Management

John & Mariska Gibson

Carol & Joel Jason

Andy & Esther Kline

H.D. Oliver Funeral

Apartments

IHOP - Kempsville

Mike Simon Construction Corp

Payday Payroll

PNC Bank

Primis Bank/ Jerry Pollack

No Frill Grill

Rashkind Family

Sands Anderson PC

Patti & Paul Seeman

S.L. Nusbaum Insurance Agency, Inc.

The Spindel Agency

TechArk

Tim Thornton – Berkshire

Hathaway Home Services

Jacob & Utomwn Uduaghan

W.C. Goldberg & Company, PC

WoogWorks

Megan & Steve Zuckerman

Jason Hoffman’s team. Ross Bangel and Lonnie Slone’s team. Volunteers Pati Menda and Nicoli from TechArk. Eric Joffe and Mike Simon’s team. Tim Thornton, Tournament co-chair.

Your Legacy Our Future

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IT’S A WRAP

FIRST PERSON

Nadiv kicks off new programming year, selects PJ Library as fundraising cause

Through Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Life & Legacy program, you can help guarantee that the Jewish institutions you love continue to inspire and enrich future generations.

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Amy Weinstein aweinstein@tjfva org 757-965-6111

Seth Lubaton

The men of Nadiv selected PJ Library as its fundraising cause for the 2025-2026 programming year.

The group met on Tuesday, Sept. 9 and, after healthy debate, voted on the popular program that provides families with resources that connect them with Jewish culture and values.

The Nadiv kickoff event, which usually occurs in the home of a senior lay leader, had a different feel this time. Nadiv met inside Aviva, the new, multi-unit senior living community near Town Center in Virginia Beach.

Nadiv members took a tour of Aviva and ate dinner in the lounge on the top floor. During the meal, in addition to Nadiv voting to support PJ Library, Sam Molofksy, immediate past chair of Nadiv, announced that I would serve as the group’s new chair. I am

excited to lead our group to even greater heights.

In my first remarks as chair, I challenged the group to push our fundraising goal from $25,000 (the amount raised in 20242025) to $50,000. We hope to stage another Nadiv Poker Night in the spring and encourage even greater participation from our Jewish community.

Along the way, Nadiv (which means “generosity” in Hebrew) will hold a mix of programs for networking, social action, and engaging with families. All Nadiv members give at least $365 to the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Annual Campaign. The group is open to men ages 22 to 50 and falls under UJFT’s Men’s Division.

To be involved in Nadiv, contact Amy Zelenka, UJFT chief development officer, at azelenka@ujft.org.

BeAR launches 2025/26 school year with successful kickoff breakfast

Robin Ford

The Be A Reader (BeAR) Literacy Project celebrated the start of its 2025/26 school year with an enormously successful kickoff breakfast on Monday, Sept. 15 at the Sandler Family Campus. The event gathered more than 90 BeAR mentors, both new and returning, for a morning of connection, preparation, and inspiration.

Gail Flax, one of the original founders of the BeAR program, BeAR chair, as well as a dedicated 26-year BeAR member, welcomed the group and reflected on the program’s lasting impact. She reminded everyone that BeAR’s mission remains as vital today as when it began: giving second-grade students in Virginia Beach and Norfolk’s Title I schools the tools, encouragement, and confidence to become lifelong readers. Her heartfelt words set the

perfect tone for the morning.

After breakfast, mentors engaged in a BeAR training session, designed to ensure they felt ready to step into classrooms with confidence. The session covered practical tips, strategies for supporting struggling readers, and ways to build strong mentor-student relationships. A lively question-and-answer period followed, allowing mentors to exchange ideas and clarify details about the year ahead.

The energy in the room was contagious. Mentors left feeling prepared, as well as excited about meeting their students and making a difference.

Want to be a BeAR mentor? A few schools still have open spots. For information, contact Robin Ford, BeAR coordinator, at 757-3212304 or rford@ujft.org.

Nadiv members at the kickoff event. Bottom row: Sam Rachelson, Sam Molofsky, Seth Lubaton, and Avi Karkas. Middle row: Yoel Lev, Ben Sherman, Rabbi Ari Oliszewski, Adam Fox, Avi Rosenberg, Aaron Glassman, and Danny Rubin. Back row: Josh Lepchitz, Rabbi Pinchas Zimmer, Jordan Moger, Isaac Mallenbaum, Sol Eskinazi, Aaron Slawsky, Tim Thornton, Mike Yaary, Bern Glasser, and David Laderberg.

Thirty-five members and prospects (17 AZA and 18 BBG) gathered at Top Golf to kick off the new programming term for BBYO. Sports, socializing, and snacks were enjoyed by all.

To learn about more programming, contact Courtney Krutoy, city director - Tidewater Eastern Region BBYO, at ckrutoy@bbyo.org.

AZA prospects, Abe Flax and Max Chapman are joined by new member Henry Krupnick, and Logan Hoffman (Old Dominion Godol), and Kaden Staffenberg (Virginia Council Godol).

New members Lila Friedman and Shayna Lovitz with prospects Adelae McGuinness, Shani Zach, and Leia Silverstein.

Ryan Kalfus (OD Shaliach), Kaden Staffenberg (Virginia Council Godol), Hayden Caplan (Eastern Regional Gizbor), Skylar Caplan (Simcha Morah), and Nica Shapovalova (Virginia Council N’siah).

New members Shai Zittrain and Kenna Werby with prospect Isabella Levitt.

Community Challah Bake for JFS holiday gift bags rises to annual event stature

The smell of fresh dough and the sound of laughter filled the Sandler Family Campus on Monday, Sept. 8, as community members of all ages gathered around tables dusted with flour. Jewish Family Service, in partnership with the Konikoff Center for Learning, hosted a lively Community Challah Bake to usher in the Jewish New Year with tradition, warmth, and generosity.

Children stood on tiptoes to braid round challahs beside parents and friends, while others focused on decorating gift bags with colorful drawings and heartfelt

messages to be filled and delivered to seniors prior to the start of the High Holidays. Handmade greeting cards were tucked inside, each one a personal wish for sweetness and joy in the year ahead.

“Our goal is to make sure that no one feels forgotten during the holidays,” says Kelly Burroughs, CEO of Jewish Family Service. “Delivering these bags helps bring joy and connection to members of our community who may not be able to celebrate with family.”

The Challah Bake was about more than just baking— it was a chance for the community to gather, share

traditions, and live out the value of caring for others. In addition to flour on their hands, families left with a sense of purpose and pride in knowing they helped brighten someone else’s holiday. In fact, the event was so well received that it’s already being called “Annual Community Challah Bake.”

Jewish Family Service continues this tradition throughout the year, delivering gift bags to Jewish seniors for holidays to ensure they feel remembered and cherished. To join this meaningful effort, contact Emily Krouse, special projects coordinator, at 757-321-2222.

Challah to cards: a community effort for Rosh Hashanah outreach

Julie Kievit

With the help of the community, Jewish Family Service delivered bags of joy and hope to Jewish seniors across the area residing in assisted living, care homes, long-term care facilities, and independent living communities.

Each Rosh Hashanah bag was filled with symbolic treats for the New Year: challah rolls, apples, honey, and a Jewish calendar. The challah was lovingly baked by volunteers at JFS’s first (and now annual) Community Challah Bake. The bags were decorated by students at Strelitz International Academy, with many including handmade cards from students and community members, alike. Volunteers from the JFS board and staff packed the bags, which were then delivered door-to-door by members of the wider Jewish community — making this project a collaborative mitzvah.

As part of the outreach, JFS also

visited Aviva Pembroke. Harriet Meier joined in the effort, helping to spread warmth and connection as she delivered cards and greetings alongside the treats.

“These holiday outreach bags are a small token of appreciation from JFS and the community to the elders in our community,” says Brooke Rush, JFS director of development. “I delivered a bag to a lovely woman in a facility whose smile filled the room when she saw the challah roll. Though mostly nonverbal, she showed me how she used to braid her own challah. That quiet moment reminded me of the deep joy our traditions can bring.”

“We are just so thankful that Jewish Family Service can think of all of us during this holiday season,” said Lynn Seltzer, as she prepared to deliver bags to her neighbors.

This project is an example of how outreach can be deeply enriching — not just for those receiving, but also for those giving.

Julie Kievit

Leora Drory and Lori Glasser.

Rabbi Ari, Pati, and kids.

Shinshinim Noga Yaniv and Yarden Lahan.

Meril Amdursky and Myrna Teck.

Ellen Cooley and Ellen Hundley.

Jay Legum, Julie Kievit, and Anne Kramer.

Lynn and Robert Seltzer.

Harriett Myer with Cantor Elihu Flax.

New advisors for Old Dominion AZA

Courtney Krutoy

Dr. Ben Rubenstein and Eric Miller joined the advisory committee last month for Tidewater BBYO’s Old Dominion AZA.

BBYO advisors serve as role models working in partnership with staff mem bers to supervise and guide AZA and BBG chapters. Advisors empower each BBYO member to do their best, develop new leadership skills, and grow into dynamic and engaged young Jewish leaders.

A Tidewater native, Eric Miller was an active member of BBYO during his teen years. In fact, during his senior year at Cape Henry Collegiate, Miller served as the Godol (president) of Dr. Israel Brown AZA. In 2012, Miller graduated from Virginia Wesleyan College, now University, with a bachelor’s degree in business management. He cur rently serves as the account manager at Fairwinds Terminal Services in Norfolk. When not at work, Miller says he enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing golf, and during football season, watching the New York Giants, “even if they lose just about every game.”

Knots for Kindness Knots for Kindness

Not long after graduating from VWC, Miller advised Dr. Israel Brown for about five years. He says it was a great experience, and that he enjoyed being affiliated with BBYO again, as it reminded him “of the good times in high school and the many friendships” that were formed by it.

Dr. Benjamin Rubinstein was born in Michigan but grew up in Northern Virginia. He was an active member of AZA throughout high school, serving as Godol of Nova Council his senior year. Rubinstein is a graduate of Harvard College and Columbia Medical School. He completed his residency at Eastern Virginia Medical School and a fellowship at Mount Sinai in New York. An Ear, Nose, and Throat physician in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Rubinstein is also an associate professor at Old Dominion University.

When not at work, Rubinstein says he enjoys salsa dancing, hiking at First Landing State Park, going to the beach, and playing guitar. Rubinstein and his wife, Rebecca, have two small boys, Ezra and Nathan, and an adopted dog, Hippo. A member of Nadiv, Rubinstein says he joined the AZA advisory committee because he “enjoys mentoring students.” He says he “had a great advisor” during his time in BBYO and wants to give teens in Tidewater a similar experience to what he had.

Simcha BBG is seeking advisors for its advisory committee.

If interested in becoming an advisor for BBG or AZA, contact Courtney Krutoy, Tidewater city director, at ckrutoy@bbyo.org.

Tuesdays 10 - 12 at the JCC

Every other Thursday 10 - 12 at Aviva Pembroke

First Meeting October 16

Knots for Kindness is a combined knitting and crocheting group open to beginners and experienced makers alike - all are welcome here. All projects scarves, lap blankets, and full-sized blankets will be donated to Jewish Family Service clients as heartfelt holiday gifts.

Eric Miller.

Ben Rubinstein.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Yaakov Katz, former editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, returns to Tidewater

Thursday, October 23, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus

Jay Klebanoff

Esteemed Israeli American journalist, Yaakov Katz, returns to Tidewater this month to speak about his newly released book, While Israel Slept, the most comprehensive journalistic treatment to date of the tragic circumstances that led to the horrific events perpetrated by Hamas on

with fellow journalist, Amir Bohbot. This is the fourth book by Katz, who also authored, Shadow Strike - Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power, Weapon Wizards – How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower, and Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War.

In While Israel Slept, Katz and Bohbot try to

– capable of the incredible pager bombing of Hezbollah in Lebanon – yet allowed an above-ground incursion in the early morning hours of October 7 by thousands of Palestinian terrorists intent on murdering, raping, and kidnapping Israelis living in the kibbutzim and cities just outside of Gaza.

Israeli intelligence network considered one of the most

The authors describe the history of Hamas, including a story about the Israeli doctor who operated on Hamas’ terrorist leader, Yahya Sinwar, while Sinwar was imprisoned in Israel. The authors also delve into the reason behind the false sense of security multiple Israeli governments developed regarding the threat posed by Hamas preOctober 7.

are stories of heartache and heroism and, for those who want to know more about the details surrounding October 7 and more about the details of how Israel is fighting this war, Katz and Bohbot have written the most comprehensive book to date, taking advantage of the access these respected journalists have to the right experts and information.

Katz and Bohbot utilize their intimate knowledge of and access to Israeli Defense Force leadership to present a blow-by-blow account of the days and hours leading up to the pre-dawn attack on October 7, an attack that agonizingly included the killing and kidnapping of the IDF female intelligence operatives in the Nahal Oz outpost who first detected unusual activity in Gaza prior to October 7 and whose warnings went unheeded by their superiors.

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is fortunate to host Yaakov Katz so soon after the release of his book and the evening should present an opportunity to ask this expert his thoughts on this longest war in Israel’s history and his prediction for Israel’s path forward in Gaza after the war. For more information or to register to attend the event, visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.

While Israel Slept goes on to describe the obstacles faced and decisions made by IDF leadership in determining how to prosecute the war intended to, in the words of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “eradicate Hamas.” There

This event is presented as part of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and Community Partners’ 15th Annual Israel Today Series and the Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. It is supported in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and held in coordination with the Jewish Book Council, the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish literature.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

RABBI SHIRA STUTMAN: THE JEWISH WAY TO A GOOD LIFE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 7:30 PM

SANDLER FAMILY CAMPUS

A nationally recognized and dynamic Jewish leader, Rabbi Shira Stutman will visit Tidewater next month as part of the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. As the full-time rabbi of Aspen Jewish Congregation, she is known for bringing Jewish wisdom to life in ways that are both meaningful and practical.

Rabbi Stutman is also the co-host of the popular podcast Chutzpod, where she addresses contemporary questions through a Jewish lens.

leader in creating welcoming, inclusive communities. She has been honored as one of The Forward’s “Most Inspiring Rabbis” and recognized by T’ruah as a Rabbinic Human Rights Hero for her commitment to justice and impact on Jewish life.

Rabbi Stutman previously served as the founding rabbi of Washington, D.C.’s Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, where she became a national

In her new book, The Jewish Way to a Good Life, Rabbi Stutman shows how timeless Jewish values can help guide toward lives of purpose, connection, and meaning.

This program is presented in partnership with United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning.

For more information about the festival or to sponsor or volunteer, contact Hunter Thomas, director of Arts + Ideas at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater at HThomas@UJFT.org or 757-965-6137.

A Journey through the Aleph-Bet

Rabbi Ari Oliszewski

Time flies. It’s hard to believe the beginner’s Hebrew course at the Simon Family JCC has already concluded. What began as the simple challenge of mastering the AlephBet quickly grew into a shared experience of discovery, laughter, and deep connection.

Week after week adult students faced the fears and difficulties of learning a new language and celebrated the small victories: pronouncing a tricky word, realizing that Hebrew has no long vowels, or finally recognizing letters at a glance. Beyond grammar and vocabulary, this course became a testament to how learning something new can be a joyful and enriching adventure.

tongue that unites the Jewish people across time and space. With every lesson, a door was opened to the history, culture, and prayers of ancestors.

The students were enthusiastic and dedicated. Their thirst for knowledge made every class a true pleasure.

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC provided a space where the transmission of this sacred language can flourish and G-d willing, the journey will continue. A new cycle of the course begins in November, offering both returning students and newcomers the chance to deepen their understanding and uncover even more of Hebrew’s beauty.

Blake Sisler joins UJFT staff

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater recently announced the addition of Blake Sisler as the new coordinator of Youth and Family Engagement. Sisler will oversee PJ Library and Shalom Baby programs as well as support Jewish learning initiatives offered through the Konikoff Center for Learning. In addition, she will provide year-round and summer administrative coordination for Camp JCC and related programs.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Sisler graduated from University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in Youth and Social Innovation and minoring in Kinesiology. During her time at UVA, she was involved in Hillel and served as a mentor in the Young Women Leaders Program, where she worked to empower middle school girls through leadership development and personal growth.

Sisler says she is “looking forward to building connections that strengthen both individual families and the community as a whole.”

But this is only the beginning. For the students, the foundation is now laid for a sacred language, an ancient

For more information, or to register, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org.

For more information about youth and family programming at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, contact Blake Sisler at bsisler@ujft.org.

Rabbi Ari Oliszewski (right) with a student.

Sierra Lautman

Blake Sisler

Rabbi Shira Stutman.

Blake Sisler.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Get ready for the 3rd Annual Strelitz Fall Festival

Sunday, October 26, 11 am – 3 pm, Sandler Family Campus

Carin Simon

At Strelitz International Academy, fall is a season bursting with joy, tradition, and community spirit. From decorating the sukkah and harvesting the school’s vibrant Fall Garden to exploring handson seasonal activities, this time of year is filled with wonder for students.

That magic comes alive for the entire Tidewater community at the 3rd Annual SIA Fall Festival.

What to expect:

• Bring the entire family for a day packed with unforgettable fun. Children of all

ages will delight in pony rides, train rides, a petting zoo, bounce houses, and classic carnival games. PJ Library, Camp JCC, Konikoff Center of Learning, and

bites. A variety of kosher festival favorites such as hotdogs and hamburgers will be available—perfect for a mid-day meal or a quick snack between adventures.

Jewish Family Service will add their own creative programming to keep the excitement going all day long.

• Food and festivities No festival is complete without delicious

• Fun with purpose

More than just a celebration, the Fall Festival is a vital fundraiser for Strelitz International Academy. Every sponsorship, wristband, and raffle ticket helps

fuel innovative learning and enrich the lives of the school’s students. With raffle baskets brimming with prizes and sponsorship opportunities at every level, there are countless ways to show support.

To support the Third Annual Strelitz Fall Festival, celebrating young families in Tidewater, contact Carin Simon, director of advancement, at csimon@strelitzacademy.org or 757-424-4327, ext. 4189.

For more information and to buy a Children’s Festival Activity Wristband, go to https:// strelitzinternationalacademy.org/fall-festival/.

JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL 2025: CELEBRATING JEWISH BOOK MONTH AT 100

Hunter Thomas

As the Tidewater Jewish community welcomes 5786 and looks ahead to marking a century of Jewish Book Month, the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival launches its first half with a vibrant mix of events that reflect the spirit of renewal, resilience, and discovery. This year, the festival’s opening weeks are a testament to the Jewish identity as the “people of the book.” The festival’s first four events connect the community to the complexities of Israel, the courage of regular people during the Holocaust, the wisdom of Jewish thought, and of course, even some humor.

The conversation begins as veteran journalist and author Yaakov Katz returns to Tidewater for an evening that promises to be both searing and sobering on Thursday, October 23, at 7:30 pm. Katz, co-author of While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East, will explore how Hamas, Israel’s weakest enemy, succeeded in launching a surprise attack on one of the world’s most powerful militaries. This necessary conversation is for anyone hoping to figure out what happened and how to ensure it doesn’t happen again. (Free and open to the community.)

Paula

and

authors of

Talks, take the spotlight on Tuesday, October 28, at 7:30 pm. Why wait for a big milestone to get a pep talk? This event is all about celebrating life’s everyday annoyances, (sending a scary email, parallel parking, and more), with laughter and encouragement.

Attendees can expect a night of bite-sized hype, improvised pep talks, and a dessert reception. Bring a friend (yes, that one, she isn’t mad at you) and get ready to laugh. Tickets are $10 for JCC members, $18 for potential members. Pre-registration required by October 20.

The first half of the festival culminates when historian Elizabeth R. Hyman presents the previously untold story of The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto on Thursday, November 6, at 12 pm. Hyman will uncover the true story of five courageous young women who sparked an uprising and defied the odds. Their legacy, brought vividly to life, is a powerful tribute to resistance and hope. (Tickets: $15 for JCC members, $20 for potential members. Includes lunch. Pre-registration required by October 29.)

The festival’s energy will shift a few days later when

Rabbi Shira Stutman, former senior rabbi at Washington DC’s Sixth & I, will share wisdom from The Jewish Way to a Good Life, drawing on Jewish tradition to offer practical inspiration for happiness, community, and loving kindness on Wednesday, November 5, at 7:30 pm. As Jewish Book Month celebrates its 100th year, Stutman’s message is a timely reminder that the Jewish wisdom and values that comprise the heart of all Jewish literature, continue to guide us through every chapter of our lives.

As Jewish Book Month turns 100, and the community embraces the possibilities of a new year, the Jewish Book Festival invites the community to join in celebration, reflection, and discovery. Each event is an opportunity to engage with the ideas and voices that have shaped Jewish life for generations, and to be part of the next chapter.

For details and tickets, visit JewishVA.org/ BookFest.

Hunter Thomas is director of Arts + Ideas at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. For more information about the festival or to sponsor or volunteer, contact him at HThomas@UJFT.org or 757-625-7821.

comedians

Skaggs

Josh Linden,

Tiny Pep

WHAT’S HAPPENING

PERSONAL NUTRITION SERVICES NOW AVAILABLE AT SIMON FAMILY JCC

Stephanie Peck

Julie Giarrana, a registered dietician who recently started offering personal nutrition services at the Simon Family JCC, originally got to the Center by responding to an ad for a substitute yoga instructor. It was Giarrana’s nutrition background, however, that caught the eye of Tom Purcell, Simon Family JCC’s wellness director. “One of the reasons I wanted Julie to offer her expertise in nutrition is the questions I receive as a personal trainer when it comes to dietary guidelines. We want to help our members and give them wellness services that they can trust,” Purcell says.

Raised on a farm in Ohio, Giarrana says she lived the farm-to-table experience before it was fashionable cuisine.

“We ate everything we grew,” she adds. Her experience with college dorm food, “which tasted so bad to me,” led her to pursue a master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics.

“Fresh food made us healthy and being away from that made me want to learn about nutrition,” Giarrana says.

Giarrana has lived in Tidewater for 21 years, since her

husband, in the ROTC, received orders to relocate to Norfolk. During her career, she has helped children and adults manage their diets while combating such illnesses as cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and heart and kidney disease. When her youngest of three daughters, now in high school, was born with Downs Syndrome, Giarrana paused her career to help meet her child’s needs.

Not long ago, an uncle who needed help managing renal failure, consulted her for nutrition advice. Giarrana researched the condition and then developed a diet that ultimately helped him avoid the need for dialysis. With that success, she considered a return to her career.

“It’s pleasurable and fun when you see a person following through and see the changes in their bodies.

BETH EL SET TO CELEBRATE

175TH ANNIVERSARY

It’s amazing!”

Giarrana maps out her relationship with interested clients, meeting in person or virtually. After logging three days’ worth of eating, the client and Giarrana will meet for a one-hour consultation. A 30-minute follow-up, two weeks later, will address personal issues such as food allergies, weight loss, diabetes, and high blood pressure, among others. Giarrana does not believe in fad diets. Instead, she believes in a healthy way of eating. “I want to teach people the way everyone should be eating in America.”

For more information, call 757-321-2338 or email contact@ SimonFamilyJCC.org. To register for a consultation for personal nutrition services, visit the MYJ app.

SATURDAY NOV. 8, 7 PM

Deb Segaloff

Congregation Beth El is planning to celebrate 175 years of Jewish life in Tidewater with an evening featuring music, food, drinks, and highlights of the past 175 years – as well as insights into the future. Synagogues have always been the roots of a Jewish community. Wherever Jewish people have gone, they have gathered for communal prayer and congregational support.

Whether a Beth El member or not, a shul regular, or a twice a year goer, this evening is for celebration and schmoozing with the community. Rabbi Ruberg and Adina Ruberg Kozberg will be in attendance. The event is not a fundraiser, but rather a launch into Beth El’s future as the congregation reenergizes and reimagines. Tickets are only $18 per person as the aim is to make this a community party and celebration. RSVP at ada@bethelnorfolk.com or 757-625-7821.

10-week course

Humor

soul, offering us the ability to laugh at our tragedies, concerns, and preoccupations. In 10-sessions, this course reveals a treasure of irresistible Jewish jokes, wit, and wisdom

Taught by Dr. Amy Milligan

Julie Giarrana.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Make Judaism Your Superpower’ at Temple Israel

Saturday, Nov. 15 and Sunday, Nov. 16

Phil Walzer

With the help of Artist in Residence Jordan Gorfinkel – “Gorf” to his many (and soon to be more) fans – Temple Israel will present a weekend in November of doing just that. And who could be more qualified to talk about superpowers and superheroes than Gorf himself?

Jordan Gorfinkel was an editor at DC Comics for nearly a decade, during which he managed the Batman franchise, producing more than 2,000 stories, as well as two highly successful movies, The Dark Knight Rises and Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn). He’s also a comic book artist in his own right, an animation and multi-media entertainment producer, and an a cappella singer – most notably with the groups Beat’achon and Kol Zimra. And he’s an author –he’s the creator of the Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel, as well as the Esther Graphic Novel

These days, Gorf uses his superhero expertise to draw Jewish people together for a Scholar in Residence experience (although he prefers ‘Artist in Residence’), culminating in his Jewish Cartoon Workshop with the inspirational message: MAKE JUDAISM YOUR SUPERPOWER!

“I’m so excited to be joining the Temple Israel community,” says Gorf. “Together, we’re going to make Judaism and Israel your superpower through engaging Shabbat presentations, an eye-popping multimedia experience, and the kind of Batmanstyle creativity and excitement that brings Jewish scholarship and tradition to life. This is a one-of-a-kind weekend!”

The events, which are open to the community, include:

• Saturday, November 15, 9:30 am Gorf will speak at Temple Israel’s Shabbat morning service about the connection between superheroes in comic books and the Torah.

• Saturday, November 15, 7 pm

Following Havdalah, Gorf will offer a multimedia presentation, using Marvel and other film clips, on how pop culture icons affirm Jewish values.

• Sunday, November 16, 10 am

Gorf will guide participants to create their own Jewish-themed cartoons. This workshop is open to all ages, and no drawing skill is required. And there’s brunch.

RSVP for all events by calling the Temple office at 757-489-4550.

We Are One: Tidewater’s first Partners in Jewish Life gathering

Sunday, October 27, 7 pm, Sandler

Sierra Lautman

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater invites every member of the community – every stream, and every story – to come together as one Jewish people for the inaugural Partners in Jewish Life (PJL) evening, presented by the Konikoff Center for Learning. Partners in Jewish Life was created to unite Jewish communities worldwide through the power of shared values and heritage, translating the timeless teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l into dynamic, peer-topeer learning. Across the table and heart to heart, Jews of every background meet as equals to build friendships, strengthening the fabric of the Jewish people.

The first Tidewater session centers around Rabbi Sacks’ influential work The Home We Build Together, exploring how communities create a shared home without erasing difference. Guided by PJL’s thoughtfully curated booklets and discussion prompts, participants enter the conversation on equal footing, with no prior study or Jewish knowledge required. Whether someone is deeply learned or just beginning to explore their heritage, everyone brings an equally valuable voice.

This evening is more than an event; it’s an opportunity to strengthen the bonds that already connect Jewish Tidewater. Coming together across backgrounds,

Family Campus

denominations, and levels of observance reminds that everyone’s stories are intertwined and the future is shared. By sitting side-by-side in open dialogue, the very unity that is hoped to see in the wider Jewish world is practiced.

This gathering is free and launches a continuing series with future dates spread throughout the year. Each session will bring fresh ideas and new opportunities to learn, connect, and help shape the next chapter of our collective Jewish life.

Learn more or register at JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org.

OCTOBER 15, WEDNESDAY

Senior’s Club for active seniors. Meets the third Wednesday of the month. 12 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information: www.jewishva.org/Adults or Shyanne Southern at ssouthern@ujft.org or 757-452-3184.

OCTOBER 16, THURSDAY

Roundtable Conversation. Join for conversations involving current events, politics, and more. First and third Thursday of the month. 1 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information: www.jewishva.org/Adults or Shyanne Southern at ssouthern@ujft.org or 757-452-3184.

Judaica Series: Mezuzot – Class & Glass Fusing Workshop. Discover the meaning and tradition behind the mezuzah in the first session of the Judaica Series. Two-part series begins with a class, at 5:30 pm, followed by a hands-on opportunity to create glass fused mezuzahs at the Perry Glass Studio. Workshop dates: October 19 at 2 pm or October 21 at 7 pm. $45/JCC members, $60/potential members. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/ Judaica or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org.

BEGINNING OCTOBER 19 THROUGH MAY,

Shinshinim-Led Israeli Youth Movement. new youth movement inspired by the spirit and excitement of the Israeli Scouts (“Tzofim”). Play games, build teamwork and leadership skills, explore Israeli culture, and make new friends. $60/JCC members, $75/potential members. 1 – 3 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/Shinshinim or contact Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.

OCTOBER 20, MONDAY

6-week course

Taught by Rabbi Jacob Herber

Jewish Journeys: Collective Memories through Place and Time

Tuesdays, 12:00-1:30 pm Begins November 4 Though Dec 16 No class Nov 25

Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus in partnership with Congregation Beth El

Early bird discount thru October 17 Use code Journey29 at checkout.

Explore how Jewish history and memory shape identity in this six-part course. Travel through Greece, Spain, Morocco, Poland, and Israel to uncover hidden stories and challenge dominant narratives.

Scholarships available! Contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org for information.

Book Club reads The Incorruptibles by Dan Slater. Author will join via Zoom. Book Club meets the third Monday of the month. 1:30 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information: Jewishva.org/Adults or contact Shyanne Southern, at ssouthern@ujft.org or 757-452-3184.

OCTOBER 21, TUESDAY

Yiddish Club. Embrace Yiddish culture, language, and history through music, film, poetry, and literature. Meets the first Tuesday of the month. 1 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information: www.jewishva.org/Adults or Shyanne Southern at SSouthern@UJFT.org or 757-452-3184.

OCTOBER 23, THURSDAY

Israel’s Blind Spot- Underestimating Hamas. Spend an evening with Yaakov Katz exploring his new book, While Israel Slept. 7:30 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org. See page 32.

OCTOBER 27, MONDAY

Partners in Jewish Life (PJL). Join a global movement of peer-led Jewish learning inspired by the legacy of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z”l. Experience meaningful connection across denominations and generations. Free. 7 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@Ujft.org.

OCTOBER 31, FRIDAY

Jewish Family Service launches its annual Chanukah Gift Drive to support families in need this holiday season. Accepting donations of gifts and monetary contributions, with a deadline of December 5. All donations should be brought to Jewish Family Service. For information, contact Maryann Kettyle at 757-321-2256 or mkettyle@jfshamptonroads.org.

BEGINNING NOVEMBER 3, MONDAYS

From Sinai to Seinfeld: Jews and Their Jokes. Join Dr. Amy K. Milligan for a 10-week Melton course exploring Jewish humor from biblical times to pop culture. Use code JOKE50 by October 20 for $50 discount. Scholarships available. 6:45 pm. Online only. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/Melton or contact Sierra Lautman at slautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107.

Have you ever admired beautiful mezuzot and wondered what type of craftsmanship went into its creation? Or its history and significance in Jewish tradition? Join us for this two-part series where we dive into all things Mezuzah!

Part 1 takes place at the Sandler Family Campus and will focus on the history and significance of mezuzot

Part 2 is a hands on class on glass infusing mezuzot and will take place at the Perry Glass Studio at the Chrysler Museum You will get to take home your very one work of art! Two date/time options are available

and Sam Sandler Fami y Campus

OBITUARIES

Charlotte Cooper Corey

NORFOLK - Charlotte Cooper Corey, some knew her as ‘CHICK,” has gone ‘Home” to dance once again with her beloved husband, Donald Leigh Corey.

She was 92 when she passed and often spoke of what a wonderful life she had. She was anxious to join her friends and family who have passed before her. In fact, she said near the end of her life that one of her oldest friends was waiting for her to finish summer camp so he could walk her home.

She passed peacefully in her home on the evening of September 16, 2025. She waited for her grandson to have his wedding about a week prior, which she was unable to attend. She told Jay and Lacie that it wouldn’t be proper for a southern woman to have to decline an invitation to dance, so she graciously declined.

She died knowing that the rings her beloved husband had given her when they said their vows were being worn once again. She also knew that soon there will be a new

baby Charlotte that her granddaughter, Erica, and her husband are expecting in November. She remembered that up until the very end. She also stayed long enough to have Erica come down from New Jersey to tell her goodbye.

Charlotte was born in Norfolk, Va. to Lewis P. Cooper and Esther Ehrenworth Cooper of blessed memory. She had a sister, Alice Cooper Goodman, who predeceased her on Charlotte’s 90th birthday.

Her father, Lew, was a duck hunter and an optometrist in Portsmouth. He would take Charlotte horseback riding with his hunting guide Jessie in Pungo. The story goes that one of those rides ended with her horse becoming spooked and Jessie catching her as she was falling off the horse. Refusing to get back on the horse, Lew and Jessie carried her at least a mile back to the house.

She remained a bit “set in her ways” up until the end of her life. Her desire was to stay in her home she loved which, because she and her husband had carefully planned, she was able to do. At the

end, she was in her favorite room in her home where she could look out at her beloved yard, the birds and squirrels that would visit daily. She had beautiful flowers that her amazing team of care givers would cut for her and make sure she had some in her house.

Charlotte had started as a medical transcriptionist when she first married Don while they lived in Charlottesville. She once again went to work in Norfolk after raising her adopted daughter Faith Corey Fuhrman and son Mitchell Leigh Corey, OD (also of blessed memory). When Mitchell passed, she took in his beloved poodle Pippin for six years until she passed. Pippin was spoiled rotten and is now living with Aunt Faith who has some higher expectations for him. Charlotte loved having Pippin and he took good care of her.

Charlotte was invited to speak at a regional luncheon for International MOMS Club in the Northeast. She spoke about how she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do after her mother passed. One day she decided to take a beading class at the community center. This ultimately led to her starting her own business making jewelry. All unique pieces which she would sell or sometimes give away. She was able to see things in the multitude of beads she collected and occasionally asked for “engineering help” figuring out how to put things together.

Charlotte is survived by her daughter, Faith Corey Fuhrman, grandson Jay Gilbert Fuhrman (Lacie Werner), Erica Fuhrman Rudd (Nick Rudd), Annie Fuhrman, and great grandson Dalton Jay Rudd. She is also survived by many Cooper cousins and extended family and dear friends.

The burial was held at Forest Lawn, followed by a memorial service at Ohef Sholom Temple.

Charlotte needed hospice care at the end of her life. Sentara Hospice staff made sure she was safe and comfortable. She would want donations to be made to Hospice or Ohef Sholom Temple, which she belonged to her entire life or to a charity of your choice.

Robert P. James

PORTSMOUTH - Robert P. James, 87, passed away on August 25, 2025.

Robert was born in Portsmouth, Va. He retired as a school bus driver after many years of service. He leaves to cherish his

memories his only child, Nakita James, who will miss him dearly.

A graveside service will be held at Albert G. Horton, Jr. Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Suffolk at a later date.

Services are entrusted to Steele-Bullock Funeral Home.

Ariel Joel Lazier

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Ari Lazier passed away unexpectedly on September 26, 2025. He was born in Norfolk, Va., to his loving parents, Jay and Nancy Lazier. He was 44 years old. He was a brilliant and voraciously energetic man who lived those years with intention and passion.

Ari was schooled at the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater and then at Ocean Lakes Magnet School, where he was valedictorian. He then attended Princeton University, where he cultivated interests in computer science, math, and music. After graduation, he worked at Microsoft and several software startups. There, he helped invent some of the first apps used to create and share music, including Smule, Magic Piano, and I am T-Pain, tools used by millions to connect with one another in joy.

Over the last two decades, Ari also became an avid and accomplished outdoorsman. He lived to surf, ski, hike, and above all, climb with his friends, in some of the more challenging and beautiful venues around the world. To this end, he built a traveling home for himself with meticulous care. He was an artisan in the true sense of the word: a woodworker, mechanic, musician, and sculptor.

Ari's memory will be cherished by his parents and by his brother, sister, extended family and friends. He had enormous enthusiasm and the laugh to match, the kind that fills a room. He was deeply thoughtful and raucous in turn. He had a real charm and openness to people. He had a huge energy that enlivened those around him. He was a force of nature. And he is so, so dearly missed.

A graveside service was held for Ari at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk. A memorial service followed at Ohef Sholom Temple. Memorial donations may be made in Ari’s name to the Access Fund (accessfund.org), a climbing advocacy group, or to Ohef Sholom Temple.

ANTISEMITISM

The deadliest act of antisemitism on American soil is remembered in a new exhibit

Jackie Hajdenberg

(New York Jewish Week) — At first glance, the prayer book is one that’s found at countless Conservative synagogues across the country: Siddur Sim Shalom, which was published in 1985 by the Rabbinical Assembly.

But the chewed-up appearance of the book’s left corner tells a different story: This siddur was grazed by a bullet during the Oct. 27, 2018 mass shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue. That day, 11 Jewish worshippers from three congregations were killed during prayer services — the deadliest act of antisemitism on American soil.

The book is one of 22 objects on view at a new exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. The exhibit chronicles the long history of American antisemitism before and after Pittsburgh, from the 1915 lynching of Leo Frank, a Jew who was wrongly convicted of murder, to the firebombing last June at a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, where at least seven people were injured and one later died.

“Lessons from the Tree of Life: Lighting the Path Forward” is part of a series of exhibits, events and installations at the museum marking three terrible anniversaries: the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, the Oct. 7 invasion of Israel by Hamas, and Kristallnacht, the Nazi-led pogrom of Nov. 9, 1938.

“We decided that at this point in time that [an exhibit on Pittsburgh] would be an important thing to do,” Jack Kliger, CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage says. “And, obviously, the events going on both here and around the world are so timely, and important in a very elemental way. [It’s] a time for us to have hope.”

He adds, “But we cannot have hope without remembering and understanding who we

are, where we came from, and the history of the events, particularly in the 20th century.”

The Pittsburgh exhibit is hosted by the Museum of Jewish Heritage and created by the Tree of Life — a new memorial that’s rising at the site of the Pittsburgh shooting — and the Rauh Jewish History Program and Archives at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh.

Other items on view include a handpainted commemorative plate with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ logo, a Star of David and the phrase “stronger than hate”; a painting of children’s television star and Pittsburgh native Fred Rogers, in tears in front of the Tree of Life logo; and notes written on miniature ribbon scrolls, penned by members of Temple Beth Orr in Coral Gables, Florida — a synagogue whose community was deeply affected by the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The exhibit opened on Sunday, Oct. 5, which is also the day that many Jews around the world commemorated the second anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7 invasion of Israel. (This year, Oct. 7 fell on the first day of the festival holiday of Sukkot, and many Jewish institutions — including the museum — were closed.) “Lessons from the Tree of Life” will be on view in New York through Nov. 9 — the 87th anniversary of Kristallnacht, when Nazi-led mobs torched synagogues, looted Jewish-owned shops, and arrested Jews.

The confluence of all three harrowing anniversaries means it’s a busy time for the museum. As such, a parallel exhibit also opened on Sunday, Oct. 6: “Maintaining Memory,” a reflection space where visitors are invited to a rotunda where a ner tamid (eternal flame) in the shape of a menorah, crafted in Romania in 1930, is lit.

“All of this is designed to remember and honor those who were lost as well as

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those who survived,” Kliger adds, referring to the victims of Oct. 7, the Tree of Life shooting, and Kristallnacht. “And the story of survival is very important in all three instances.”

The exhibits are part of “a commemorative series of events and installations in the museum,” says Kliger. Such events include three days of Oct. 7-related programming, including a screening of the film Torn, about the battle over the “Kidnapped” posters on New York City’s streets, and a conversation about uprooting antisemitism with Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Atlantic writer Yair Rosenberg, and Carole Zawatsky, CEO of the Tree of Life Museum.

“We’ve always committed ourselves to covering 20th century Jewish life before, during and since the Holocaust,” Kliger says. “The Holocaust was not a meteor that hit the Earth by itself. It happened in the context of events that happened before, and sadly, events that continue to happen, but that we continue to fight to make sure that ‘never again’ has a meaning.”

For information on the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, located at 36 Battery Place in New York City, go to mjhnyc.org.

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