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Southeastern Virginia | Vol. 64 No. 18 | 27 Av 5786 | August 10, 2026

15 Guarding Jewish memories and history

41 JFS holds 67th Biennial meeting

Standing witness in Verdun Restoring identity to fallen heroes – Page 10

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UP FRONT

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Locals line up to show support at Toronto bagel shops hit with gunfire, vandalism Shira Li Bartov (JTA) — Locals lined up outside a Toronto bagel shop last month in a show of support after attacks on two outposts of the Jewish-owned chain, adding to a string of incidents facing Jewish businesses in the city. Two locations of Kiva’s Bagel Bar, a fixture for Toronto Jews since it opened in 1979, were targeted in late July. Gunfire hit the windows of one storefront just an hour after another storefront was vandalized and its front glass shattered, according to the Toronto Police Service. Police said their Hate Crime Unit was investigating, and they believed the same SUV may have been involved at both scenes. The bakeries were closed at the time and no injuries were reported. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “appalled” by the attacks. “Jewish Canadians should be able to live, work, and worship free from fear, intimidation, and hate,” he said on X. “Canada’s government is absolute in our commitment to combatting the scourge of antisemitism.” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow added on X that the incidents were “vile and unacceptable” and said she “will always stand with Toronto’s Jewish community against antisemitism.” Residents flocked to Kiva’s and sold out their bagels by 10:30 am on Monday, July 27 according to the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, an advocacy arm of the Jewish Federations of Canada. Resident Adrian Rocca, the founder of a local real estate company, posted a photo on LinkedIn of his employees lined up outside.

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

CIJA said the Canadians rallying around Kiva’s sent a message that “there are a lot of good people ready to take a stand against hate, intimidation, and violence.” As police searched for suspects in the bagel shop attacks, a gunman opened fire on the U.S. Consulate in Toronto, setting off a high-speed chase and a manhunt. Police have not confirmed any connection between the gunfire at the consulate and at Kiva’s. The shooting at the consulate marked the second in four months. Toronto police have arrested three people connected with the previous consulate attack, as well as several others accused of shooting at Jewish targets in the city in recent months. At a press conference, Police Chief Myron Demkiw identified a “broader pattern” between the shots fired at the consulate and at Toronto-area synagogues and Jewish schools over the past year. “What we are dealing with in this case and in other unrelated incidences, including shootings at synagogues and Jewish schools, is a recurring and similar modus operandi — and that is criminals for hire,” said Demkiw. “Through encrypted messaging apps, young people are hired to carry out attacks against various targets, and in order to get paid, they’re required to film their attacks.” Carney pledged in June to fight antisemitism through a new Ministerial Advisory Council on Rights, Equality, and Inclusion. In his speech at Toronto’s Holy Blossom Synagogue, he said that the country was “failing Jewish Canadians.” Two-thirds of Canada’s religion-motivated hate crimes last year were directed at Jewish Canadians, who comprise only 1% of the population, Carney said.

Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462-4370 voice 757-965-6100 • fax 757-965-6102 email news@ujft.org Terri Denison, Editor Michael McMahon, Art Director Haley Bartel, Copywriter Sandy Goldberg, Ad Sales Patty Malone, Circulation Teresa Knecht, Digital Manager United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Mona Flax, President Jason Hoffman, President elect Robert Friedman, Secretary Alvin Wall, Treasurer Betty Ann Levin, Executive Vice President JewishVA.org The appearance of advertising in the Jewish News does not constitute a kashrut, political, product or service endorsement. The articles and letters appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of this newspaper.

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Upcoming Deadlines for Editorial and Advertising Issue Deadline August 31 Rosh Hashanah August 14 September 14 Yom Kippur August 28 October 5 Legal September 11 October 26 Business/Investments October 9

CONTENTS

About the cover: Star of David stone at Meuse-Argonne National Cemetery in France.

Up Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Jewish News contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 JFS receives grant from Beth Sholom Village Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Glasser Philanthropic Fund makes gift to Jewish News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Opinion: History preserves the past – memory preserves a people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Arson suspected in Montreal kosher eatery fire . . . 9 Standing witness in Verdun: Restoring identity to fallen heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Israel critic El-Sayed wins in Michigan Senate primary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Lauren Krajesky leads distribution of millions to help seniors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Meet the guardians of Tidewater’s Jewish history . 15

Temple Emanuel’s religious school gets renovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Guide to Jewish Living in Tidewater . . . . . . . . . . . 17 JFS holds 67th Biennial Meeting, celebrating Jewish values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 BeAR: Where community begins . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Highlights from the Inclusive Educators’ Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 NextGen community connects at Sunset on the Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Paul Peck to lead TJF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Mazel Tov . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 What’s Happening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Woody Guthrie’s deeply Jewish story . . . . . . . . . . 55

QUOTABLE

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History is not preserved by accident; it endures because individuals choose to investigate and set things right. – page 10

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BRIEFS ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

‘If you’re ever confused: I stand with the Jews,’ Boy George sings in new song

he British pop icon Boy George has gone to bat for Israel and its supporters multiple times in recent months, rejecting boycott calls and expressing solidarity after antisemitic violence. Now, he has released a single in the same key. We Will Dance Again defends Israel’s military response in Gaza, criticizes musicians and activists who have publicly supported the Palestinian cause and declares, “If you’re ever confused: I stand with the Jews.” The song borrows its title from the slogan of survivors of the Nova music festival, where Hamas terrorists killed 378 young people and kidnapped dozens more as part of the Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel. The slogan has become a symbol of resilience in the aftermath of Oct. 7. The singer released the reggae-inspired track, titled Od Nirkod in Hebrew, on his social media accounts on Monday, July 27 with a single hashtag: #Shalom. “You say genocide, I say war / When you’re attacked, that’s what the army’s for,” the song opens. Later, Boy George sings, “You never mention Oct. 7,” in a criticism of those he sings have “selective memory” about atrocities deserving their reprobation. The song ends by repeating the opening lyrics in Hebrew. Although Boy George is not Jewish, he has become increasingly vocal when it comes to supporting Jewish communities in the wake of Oct. 7. He rejected calls to boycott this year’s Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s participation, saying he would not “turn my back” on his Jewish friends. Boy George had a long relationship with Jon Moss, the Jewish drummer who with him launched Culture Club, the New Wave band that dominated much of the 1980s with its melodic soul infused music and its outlandish styles. Boy George then often wore a tunic with “Culture Club” in Hebrew translation. Boy George’s new song has drawn appreciation from pro-Israel voices. Stop the Hate UK, a British Jewish antiantisemitism campaign, called Boy George a supporter of “Jewish joy” and thanked him publicly for standing with the Jewish community. (JTA) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

More than 12 Torah scrolls stolen from Paris suburb synagogue

ver a dozen Torah scrolls were stolen from a French synagogue. The burglary hit the Grand Synagogue of Levallois-Perret, a wealthy suburb of Paris, between July 26 and July 27. “It is, of course, a criminal act, but it is also an antisemitic act that specifically targeted the Torah,” Rabbi Chalom Lellouche said in a joint video statement with Philippe Cohen, the president of the local Jewish community association. Levallois Mayor Agnès Pottier-Dumas said on Instagram that she learned with “shock and anger” of the attack,

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adding that “the antisemitic nature of this vile act must be condemned.” She confirmed that municipal and national police were investigating. Cohen said the burglary was the work of a “professional team” that bypassed security systems and the synagogue’s security was being reassessed. He called the incident “a profound spiritual trauma for the entire Jewish community in France and around the world.” “It was the Torah — and only the Torah — that was targeted,” said Cohen. “No property was damaged, and nothing else was stolen apart from Torah items of immeasurable value.” France recorded 1,320 antisemitic incidents in 2025, accounting for 53% of anti-religious acts, according to the Ministry of the Interior. Jews make up less than 1% of the French population. (JTA) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Mamdani faces backlash over lack of Jews on judicial committee

our Jewish bar associations took aim at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s newly announced judicial advisory committee, after the 18-member body appeared to include no Jews. “Not a single Jewish attorney, former judge, or legal professional was appointed to a committee your administration described as one that would be ‘truly reflective of New York City,’” leaders of the four Jewish legal groups wrote in a letter July 27 to Mamdani. The groups also decried the “unprecedented rejection” of one applicant, retired Appellate Division Justice John Leventhal. In a statement to The New York Times, a spokesman for Mamdani said that the accusation the appointments were “motivated by religion is false,” adding that Mamdani had passed on Leventhal after they were informed he had “served on Ghislaine Maxwell’s legal team.” The Wall Street Journal is facing outcry after it published an op-ed July 27 titled Mamdani’s Antisemitic Smoke Signals, which featured an image of an antiMamdani protester displaying an image of the mayor wearing a green Hamas headband. Mamdani’s communications director, Anna Bahr, called the image “incredibly Islamophobic.” (New York Jewish Week) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Antisemitism watchdogs in 7 countries: 2025 was deadliest year for Jews in decades

coalition of leading Jewish organizations from seven countries released a report confirming that 2025 was the deadliest year for antisemitic violence in the Jewish Diaspora in more than three decades. More than 20 people were killed in antisemitic violence last year, according to the J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism report released July 29. The J7 report concludes that it is no longer accurate to say that antisemitism is spiking in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Instead, the report says, Jews around the world face an ongoing, sustained trend of antisemitic violence that requires action from their governments. “Antisemitism in our seven countries is no longer a

surge; it is our new normal,” the report says. “Governments must stop reacting after Jews are attacked and start acting before, with real security funding, stronger laws, and social media platforms that enforce their own rules.” The findings are from the task force’s second annual report, which documented more than 23,000 antisemitic incidents during 2025 across Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The incidents led to more than 20 deaths in 2025. The J7 report identified anti-Zionism as a motivating factor in nearly half of the recorded incidents in Britain and the United States and almost a quarter of the incidents in Germany. The J7 group of Jewish organizations — including the Anti-Defamation League in the United States and Australia’s Executive Council of Australian Jewry — formed in 2023 to improve cross-border collaboration and coordination in the fight against antisemitism. (JTA) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

California law on antisemitism in schools will be enforced

California law to prevent antisemitism in schools will be enforced after a federal judge dismissed a challenge from teachers and students who said it violated free speech. U.S. District Judge Noël Wise on July 28 ruled against a lawsuit opposing Assembly Bill 715, which went into effect in January. The new law introduces measures to curb the “widespread surge in antisemitic discrimination, harassment, and bullying” faced by “Jewish and Israeli American pupils across California.” As part of the law, California is establishing an Office of Civil Rights with a new statewide antisemitism prevention coordinator for public schools. The law mandates teachers to provide “factually accurate” instruction rather than “advocacy, personal opinion, bias, or partisanship.” It requires local educational agencies to take action if they find that instruction or school-sponsored materials are discriminatory. A group of teachers, students and the AmericanArab Anti-Discrimination Committee filed a challenge in November. They said the law was unconstitutionally vague, chilled speech in the classroom about Palestinians and discriminated against Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students and perspectives. Wise said it was too soon to consider these claims, given the uncertainties still surrounding the new Office of Civil Rights, its leadership, and how it will define and respond to antisemitism. She also said that teachers and students did not provide sufficient evidence of infringements on free speech, and teachers could not claim speech rights on the job. She also dismissed the claim that the law would discriminate against non-Jewish students. “The existence of an Antisemitism Coordinator does not change the Office’s overarching purpose to stop discrimination generally; it merely reflects the State’s decision to accord specific funds to a specific problem,” she said. (JTA)

JEWISH TIDEWATER

THANK YOU to OUR SUPPORTERS WHO RECENTLY DONATED to JEWISH NEWS! Supporters of Jewish News help keep local Jewish journalism alive at a time when it feels as if it is disappearing almost everywhere else. Jewish News appreciates all who support the newspaper with generous contributions – whether in honor of or in memory of friends or loved ones or as a Friend of Jewish News. Friends of Jewish News In appreciation of Jewish News for connecting the community Rose Frances Glasser and Bernard Glasser Philanthropic Fund

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See something wrong? Report it! Report an antisemitic incident at www.Federation.JewishVA.org/IncidentReporting In an emergency, always call 9-1-1 first. If online reporting is not practical, contact local law enforcement and/or the relevant suspicious activity reporting authority. Also contact Mike Goldsmith, Tidewater’s SCN Regional Security Advisor, at MGoldsmith@ujft.org or 844-SCN-DESK.

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JFS receives grant from Beth Sholom Village Foundation to expand support for seniors JFS Staff Rooted in Jewish values of dignity, compassion, and communal responsibility, caring for older adults and people with disabilities has long been central to Jewish Family Service of Tidewater’s mission. A new grant from the Beth Sholom Village Foundation will help JFS and its partners deepen that commitment by expanding services, strengthening connections, and helping more Jewish seniors live safely, meaningfully, and with support. For decades, Jewish Family Service of Tidewater and Beth Sholom Village shared a commitment to serving older adults through a continuum of care. The two agencies helped build successful hospice and palliative care services, while each also operated home health programs. As the healthcare landscape changed, JFS ended its home health program, and the hospice program was sold. Beth Sholom later closed its home health program and sold “the Home,” but its commitment to supporting Jewish seniors continued. Today, that shared legacy is taking new shape. JFS continues to offer a broad range of services, while Beth Sholom advances its mission through the Beth Sholom Village Foundation, which invited local organizations to apply for funding to support seniors. Jewish Family Service, along with several other organizations, received grant funding to help meet the growing and changing needs of older adults. With support from the grant, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and JFS will work together to develop programs that engage Jewish seniors across multiple areas, including fitness, education, social connection, and cultural experiences. The agencies also hope to strengthen collaboration with other organizations serving older adults throughout the region. “There is so much we can do by working together,” says Kelly Burroughs, chief executive officer of Jewish Family Service. “Increasing social and educational activities, cultural experiences, and accessibility for older adults is one of the agency’s primary initiatives this year. Doing this in partnership with our sister organizations means that we can make an even larger impact.” Betty Ann Levin, executive vice president/CEO of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, agrees, noting that “the Sandler Family Campus is an ideal location for engagement across program areas, including health and wellness classes in conjunction with JFit, intergenerational engagement with PJ Library and Strelitz, and through our Center for Active Living at the Simon Family JCC.” The vision extends beyond campus-based programs. Through the BSV Foundation grant, JFS will expand its social service continuum for older Jewish adults by offering case management and coordination for critical support such as transportation, financial assistance, burial assistance, home safety modifications, shopping help, and light housekeeping. The need is already clear. “Within the first two weeks of the grant,” says Burroughs, “JFS received three requests for assistance with burial arrangements, two financial assistance requests for eviction prevention, and one request for repair of an air conditioning unit.” These services can make the difference between crisis and stability, helping older adults remain in their homes, age in place, and stay connected to community. One donor recipient, who was struggling to pay their mortgage due to some temporary challenges, recently shared their appreciation: “It is difficult to put into words the immense relief and peace of mind your support has given me. Your kindness has made a profound difference in my life.” Jewish Family Service, along with fellow grant recipients are building services that honor the generations who helped shape this community—and ensuring that older adults and people with disabilities continue to be cared for with dignity, compassion, and connection.

JEWISH NEWS DONOR APPRECIATION

Rose Frances Glasser and Bernard Glasser Philanthropic Fund makes gift to Jewish News Terri Denison Among the various organizations and programs receiving recent gifts from the Rose Frances Glasser and Bernard Glasser Philanthropic Fund, was Jewish News. The distributions were determined by the late couple’s family. “My mother was a very astute businesswoman and quite visionary, and I am certain I am aware of her intentions as I worked closely with her and on her testamentary plans,” says Michael A. Glasser. “Rose Frances and Bernard were an outstanding team. My mother worked for decades at our law firm aside my father and later with my brothers and me. Rose Frances Glasser.

“We can honor their memory and also elevate those she would intend,” he says. According to Glasser, the reasoning behind the gift to the paper, is that Jewish News is an “essential connection to the greater Tidewater Jewish community and is extremely critical while Jews and Israel are targeted with harassment.” Ross Glasser, a grandson of Rose Frances and Bernard, notes that Jewish News “connects us all.” Rose Frances Levinson Glasser, who lived to be 101, is said to not have wasted a moment. According to her obituary,

“When Rose Frances would speak, people would listen. She could be feisty when the circumstances required it and everyone knew where Rose Frances stood – always on the side of her family.” She graduated from Maury High School (Class of 1932) and Ohio State University (Class of 1936) with a degree in social work and took graduate courses at ODU. Her first full-time job after college was working for the City of Norfolk assisting families in need during the Great Depression. She dated and then married Bernard Glasser, a young Norfolk lawyer. After Bernard’s death in 1983, Rose Frances spent three consecutive winters in Israel volunteering on various projects including knitting clothing for the Ethiopian immigrants, working at the Israeli Ministry of Justice, and at Israeli libraries binding books. The generosity and vision of Rose Frances and Bernard Glasser continue to be honored today and for future generations.

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OPINION

HISTORY PRESERVES THE PAST — MEMORY PRESERVES A PEOPLE Samuel J. Abrams My friend, the historian Niall Ferguson, recently posted something remarkable on social media. Reflecting on the resurgence of antisemitism, Holocaust denial, and what he called the “anti-history” engulfing much of the world, Ferguson reached a painful conclusion. “The goal of my entire career as an historian was to ensure that citizens learned the lessons of history. … Yet today … anti-history is spreading like a cancer. The Holocaust is either denied or derided. I have to admit: I failed utterly.” His words resonated with me because they capture what many Jews are experiencing today. I understand why he feels defeated, but I simply don’t think defeat and failure are the same thing.

The purpose of historians Antisemitism has returned to the mainstream. Holocaust denial has become fashionable and even expected in some circles. And far too many young people are historically ignorant and seem detached from even the most basic knowledge of Samuel Abrams. the past. But I think Niall reached the wrong conclusion about both his work and that of history more generally. He did not fail. Rather, he expected history to accomplish work that history has never been able to achieve on its own. His mistake was understandable. Historians preserve the past. Their task is to recover it, explain it, place it in context and protect it from distortion. That is indispensable work. However, preserving the past and transmitting it are different responsibilities. Historians can document a civilization. They cannot, by themselves, persuade civilizations to remember. The Jewish tradition has understood that distinction for thousands of years. Judaism never assumed that facts speak for themselves or that historical knowledge

automatically becomes moral wisdom. Instead, it taught those lessons around the dinner table, in the synagogue, and from one generation to the next.

Remember The Hebrew word is zachor — remember. It is not advice; it is a command and is an idea that I first encountered when I was in elementary school. I vividly recall being taught to remember that we were strangers in Egypt, that we must remember Amalek and the Sabbath, and that very Covenant itself is sacred. Former Columbia University professor Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi observed in his landmark book, Zakhor, that “remember” appears in the Hebrew Bible no fewer than 169 times, with either God or Israel as its subject and that is no accident. Memory, in Judaism, is not simply a feeling or an act of nostalgia — it is an obligation. Yerushalmi’s central insight in Zakhor was that history grows more important precisely when memory grows weaker. As the ordinary practices that carried Jewish memory from one generation to the next became less secure, Jews increasingly turned to writing history. History expanded as memory contracted. That is a lesson worth remembering far beyond the Jewish experience. We often assume that historical knowledge is enough — that if people learn the facts, they will reach the right conclusions. But facts alone do not sustain a civilization. Judaism has always demanded something more: not simply that we know the past, but that we remember it. The holiday of Passover may be the clearest example. Every year Jews gather around the Seder table not simply to recall the Exodus but to enter it. The Haggadah instructs every person to see himself as if he personally came out of

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Egypt. Parents tell the story and children interrupt with questions; this is celebrated and encouraged. Meals, songs, ritual, and repetition give the story emotional weight until it becomes part of a family’s identity rather than simply another historical event. That is how Jewish memory survived nearly 2,000 years of exile, persecution, dispersion, and hate. History and scholarly pursuits certainly mattered and remain central to Jewish life, but they were never sufficient. For centuries, families, synagogues, schools, and local communities carried memory together until it became woven into the rhythm of ordinary Jewish life.

What has changed Many of those institutions — Jewish and non-Jewish alike — are weaker today. Families spend less time together. Religious participation has declined. Voluntarism has declined. Civic organizations have withered. Schools often struggle to transmit a shared civic inheritance. I do not need polling to tell me something has changed. I have seen the resurgence of antisemitism where I teach, online where anonymity magnifies hatred, and on the streets of New York while walking with my children. What Ferguson describes is not an abstraction. It is part of daily Jewish life once again. It is tempting to blame social media and artificial intelligence for what we see today. I think that gets the causal arrow backward. AI and social media did not create this problem. They exposed our cultural weaknesses. We have become very good at preserving, but much less good at passing on memory. Immediately after the Shema, Jews are commanded: “You shall teach them diligently to your children.” That command assumes something important. Memory is fragile and if neglected or ignored, even the most important truths disappear. Bernard-Henri Lévy recognized this almost immediately when he responded to Ferguson online. “No, dear Niall,” he wrote, “this is not a failure; it is a defeat.

… Antisemitism may win battles, but not the war.”

Handing down memory Lévy was making a profoundly Jewish point. Judaism has never confused survival with uninterrupted success. The covenant never promised that evil would disappear or that exile would never come. Instead, it made remembering part of everyday Jewish life — in homes, holidays, prayer, and study. That is how the story endured. Historians preserve the past. They recover forgotten truths, challenge falsehoods, and help us understand where we have been. But they cannot do the work of memory. That responsibility belongs to families, schools, congregations, and communities. That work falls to the institutions that turn history into memory. It happens around dinner tables, in classrooms, in congregations, and anywhere one generation takes responsibility for the next. Years of studying politics, sociology, and my own religious tradition have led me to the same conclusion: Communities survive because they hand something down. Historians record that inheritance. Families and institutions transmit it. So no, Niall — my friend — you did not fail. The work to which you devoted your life still matters. I, for one, am grateful. You did what great historians are called to do: preserve the record, challenge falsehoods and help us better understand the past. But history alone cannot carry a people or stop dangerous, irrational movements like anti-history from gaining so much power and influence. I wish it could, but that work belongs to memory — to families, congregations, schools and communities willing to pass an inheritance from one generation to the next. History preserves the past. Memory preserves a people. Samuel Abrams is a professor of politics at Sarah Lawrence College, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and a scholar with the Sutherland Institute.

ANTISEMITISM

Arson suspected in Montreal kosher eatery fire Ron Kampeas (JTA) — A kosher restaurant in Montreal burned to the ground in a suspected arson as Canada continues to grapple with rising antisemitism. The restaurant, Nöam, burned overnight Friday, July 31 while it was closed for Shabbat. Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree posted on X that he was “Extremely concerned at what appears to be an arson attack on Nöam, a local kosher restaurant that serves as a hub for Montreal’s Jewish community.” He continued, “Antisemitism has no place in our societies and we will keep working to root it out wherever it occurs.” Cameras at a neighboring garage in the neighborhood of Côte-des-Neiges, which has a substantial Jewish population, caught a young man setting the fire, the owner of the adjacent garage told the Montreal Gazette. Police told the Gazette it was too early to establish a motive, and at press time, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency had not received a reply to its query. Jewish organizations were careful not to draw conclusions. Nonetheless, they called on the government to do more to address a spate of attacks on Jewish institutions in Canadian cities. “Governments have allowed a climate of intimidation, disorder and escalating threats to take hold around Jewish communities, leaving Jewish neighbourhoods, institutions and businesses increasingly exposed,” B’nai Brith Canada said on X. “Targeting a restaurant in this way, regardless of the reason, is an unacceptable attack on our shared values,” the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs said on the

same platform. “This matter must be fully investigated, and we will be following it very closely.” Last month in Toronto, a gunman fired at the windows of one branch of Kiva’s Bagel Bar, an hour after vandals shattered the glass front of another branch of the bagelry. B’nai Brith Canada reported in July that there were 27 antisemitic incidents during the first six months of 2026, compared to 10 in all of 2025. Prime Minister Mark Carney in June established a new body to combat racism. He told a Jewish congregation at the time that the council’s first job would be to address the wave of antisemitic violence. “Canada’s civic compact is failing Jewish Canadians.” Carney said that two-thirds of all religionmotivated hate crimes were directed at Canadian Jews. The leader of the opposition Conservative Party of Canada suggested that the Nöam fire meant Carney’s efforts are inadequate. “Another day. Another attack against Canada’s Jewish people. No more talk. We need real action to protect Jews and other Canadians from the hate crimes the government tolerates on our streets,” Pierre Poilievre said on X. “We want our safety and country back.” Anthony Housefather, a Jewish Montreal member of Parliament who like Carney is a Liberal – but who has in the past criticized his party’s postures on Israel and antisemitism – called the attack a hate crime. “This attack on a Jewish owned business must be investigated as a hate crime & those involved in this criminal act must be caught & prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he said on X.

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Two-thirds of all religionmotivated hate crimes were directed at Canadian Jews.

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FIRST PERSON

Standing witness in Verdun: Restoring identity to fallen heroes living relatives to correct the headstone. And they had to Vice Admiral Herman Shelanski, USN (Retired) paradigm-shifting observation by Operation Benjamin's convince and overcome an initial reluctance of the ABMC I joined the United States Navy in 1980 to protect the very co-founder, Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter. Like me, most who had complete authority over all American Cemeteries freedoms that allowed me to live and pray as my Jewish Jews who visit the Normandy American Cemetery are overseas and was not used to doing this. Schacter and ancestors did. Growing up with the heavy knowledge deeply inspired by seeing the Stars of David scattered Lamm convinced them that it was not only important among the graves. Yet, looking across that vast sea of white of the Holocaust, hearing on the news the persecution to the Jewish community, but the right thing to do. This marble, Rabbi Schacter instinctiof Soviet Jews in the 1970s, and forced the team to launch extensive genealogical searches vely did the math. Knowing the understanding the millennia of to track down living descendants for their signatures—a true demographics of World War II global antisemitism faced by the process that took more than a year and a half. Finally, service members, he realized Jewish diaspora, I knew that we as Jews in with the family in attendance, they replaced the Latin soldiers were profoundly underrepreAmerica were profoundly privileged. cross with a Star of David in Normandy, and Operation sented among the endless rows. I recognized how precious America’s Benjamin found its permanent name and its sacred calling. He shared this hunch with his liberties truly were, and I chose to And in this process, they established a great partnership close friend Shalom Lamm—an devote 38 years of my life to defenwith the leadership of the ABMC and now can expedite entrepreneur, cantor, and knowledding this nation—to giving back the process to a matter of months. geable military historian. Together, through service for all the freedoms they hired a summer intern to comb it had bestowed upon my family. through military databases and The dead bring the I was determined to serve openly archives. They quickly realized these as a Jew. I wanted our country to living together Jewish heroes were not missing; This past June 2, I was invited to take part in an Operation recognize that American Jews stood they were misidentified and buried Benjamin ceremony at the Meuse-Argonne American up and contributed far beyond the under Latin crosses. While the exact Cemetery in Verdun, France—the site of some of World realms of science, law, and acadereasons for each case are lost to War I’s bloodiest conflicts. On the first day, we gathered to mia; we were willing to put our lives time, it is highly likely that many of replace the Latin crosses with Stars of David for five Jewish on the line and pay the ultimate Vice Admiral Herman Shelanski, USN (Retired) these World War II soldiers changed American heroes: PVT Samuel Tamkin, PFC Barney sacrifice in uniform. I never asked for delivers the prayer for America. their religious designations out of Bardman, PVT Samuel Backer, PVT Hyman Aronoff, and personal recognition or gain. I only a realistic fear of Nazi capture or hid their faith due to PFC Maurice Akabas. One can only imagine the immense wanted to ensure that my service—and the morals and the prevailing antisemitism among their fellow soldiers. difficulty of conducting flawless genealogical research on ethics of my Jewish faith that guided it—would be rememOthers, despite having the Hebrew mark stamped on their soldiers who died more than a century ago, a testament to bered as an undeniable thread in the fabric of our military dog tags, were simply misclassified and our nation. the tenacity, rigor, and devotion of in the frantic, overwhelming rush of Realizing for the first time that so many who came Operation Benjamin. battlefield burials. before me served bravely but are no longer remembered While we were there to honor Their first breakthrough was accurately in their faith sends a chill through me. It leaves these fallen soldiers, a profound Private Benjamin Garadetsky, a me deeply dispirited to think that any Jewish service truth became clear: they were there Jewish GI buried under a cross in member could be mistakenly buried under a Latin cross— for us, too. Normandy. But Rabbi Schacter and that being forgotten remains a distinct possibility. Through this painstaking Shalom Lamm quickly discovered In Judaism, honoring and remembering the dead is genealogical work, families who that correcting history would not one of our most sacred obligations (Chesed shel Emet), yet had no idea of their relation to these history has shown it was no longer a certainty. Witnessing be easy. They had to navigate dense soldiers—or that other branches the sacred work of Operation Benjamin and its partner inimilitary records to prove definitively of their family even existed—were tiative, Operation Levi, has completely restored my faith. that the soldier was Jewish. brought together, spanning from Furthermore, to legally change a They ensure that the sacred memory of those who went Israel to the far reaches of the headstone, the American Battle before me will be faithfully preserved. United States. Monuments Commission (ABMC), One such family member the federal agency tasked with overA hunch that restored history was Rabbi Wayne Franklin of seeing and managing all of America's History is not preserved by accident; it endures because Providence, Rhode Island, who foreign military cemeteries, requires received an unexpected, out-ofindividuals choose to investigate and set things right. Placing the Star of David headstone. the formal consent of the closest the-blue call from Shalom Lamm. The entire mission began with a simple, unsettling, and 10 | JEWISH NEWS | AUGUST 10, 2026 | jewishnewsva.org

NATION Fortunately, the surname Lamm carried historical weight actively tracking down these forgotten graves and replacing witness was an indescribable honor. for Rabbi Franklin due to a lineage of prominent rabbinic the crosses with Stars of David, they are confronting their How we bury our dead reflects how we value life. history with absolute moral clarity. It was a privilege to scholars, so he took the call. Shalom explained that they Thanks to the shared sacred work of Operation Benjamin see Operation Benjamin had discovered a Jewish and Operation Levi, heroes on both sides of a global conrecognize General Backen soldier named Maurice flict are finally memorialized accurately. In restoring their by presenting him with Akabas buried under identity, they restored a piece of ourselves, proving that the the first-ever Order of the a Latin cross, and that bonds of family, faith, and country can never be broken. Marble Star of David for his research proved Rabbi courageous leadership. Franklin was the soldier's Postlude great-great-nephew. Joining us for the ceremonies was my friend Michael Oren— Flabbergasted and A ﬁnal salute former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Knesset left speechless, Rabbi Standing there over member, acclaimed author, and historian. Michael’s own Franklin readily accepted those two days, a rush of father fought bravely in World War II during the famous Shalom’s invitation to join profound emotions filled Battle of the Bulge, giving him a deep personal connection to the delegation in Verdun. my mind. I saw that the this sacred ground. Together, we reflected on how much the He knew he had distant Meuse-Argonne cemetery is 250th anniversary of America means to the world—a milesStar of David on the mass grave next to the German Soldier’s name along with meticulously maintained to tone mirrored in the diverse men and women who made the relatives in Texas, where memorial stones extend the ultimate respect ultimate sacrifice and lie buried across Europe, as well as Akabas had enlisted, but to the fallen. Inscribed on its chapel wall are these remarthose still actively serving our nation today. his family had long since lost touch with them. Standing kable words: “This chapel is erected by the United States We talked in awe of those early Jewish soldiers who in that sacred space, looking upon his ancestor’s gravesite of America as a sacred promise of a grateful people with took up arms not long after arriving on American shores, alongside long-lost relatives he was meeting for the very its immortal dead.” This transforms a stepping forward despite the profirst time, the experience completely revived his family’s burial ground into a living legacy. minent domestic antisemitism of sense of strength. It reawakened a deep pride in both their During the ceremonies, Rabbi the era. They understood the vital country and their Judaism. Not only were the living giving Schacter offered a blessing, the families importance of Jewish Americans value to the dead by restoring their Jewish identity, but the spoke, and Kaddish was recited. dead were giving value to the living by reuniting families fighting for national security. This Attendees watched with damp eyes as and restoring pride. enduring legacy of America’s global workers carefully removed the white perception at 250 years is still Day Two: My participation marble crosses, wrapped them in critical to the State of Israel and the white cloth, and replaced them with historical ties—both democratic in Operation Levi On the second day in Verdun, June 3, I had the profound the symbol of Judaism. These crosses and military—that have bound our honor of participating in Operation Levi. Inspired by were not cast aside in anger; they had two nations together through the the achievements of Operation Benjamin, while working guarded these men with dignity for centuries. It is a critical dialogue together to find a U.S. Jewish officer missing in action for more than a century, and we bid them that must be heard and continued. 79 years, the Secretary General of the German War Graves a respectful farewell. Commission, retired German Brigadier General Dirk As the new Stars of David were To learn more or support legislative Backen, had his own “hunch” while visiting a World War I unveiled, I added my own slow salute efforts such as the Fallen Service memGerman cemetery and spotting a Latin cross marked with to each soldier. To stand there as bers Religious Heritage Restoration Act, Vice Admiral Herman Shelanski, USN (Retired) gives a graveside salute. the name Levi. a veteran, a Jew, in uniform, and a visit www.operationbenjamin.org. His investigation confirmed that Private Meyer Levi was indeed a Jewish German soldier who had been mistakenly buried under a Christian symbol. Recognizing that remembrance transcends nationality, General Backen contacted Shalom Lamm, inspiring a sister initiative named in Private Levi’s honor. The Operation Benjamin and The Milton “Mickey” Kramer Scholar-In-Residence Fund of the Congregation Beth El Foundation will present a Operation Levi genealogy and history teams now work conversation with historian, author, former Israeli ambassador, and former member of the Knesset, Michael Oren. hand in hand to find these soldiers and correct the history. This community-wide event at Congregation Beth El will explore the U.S. - Israel Strategic Alliance in It is an amazing collaboration. celebration of America at 250, featuring discussion of Oren’s book, Power, Faith, and Fantasy, along with his latest To witness this ceremony was deeply moving. As Jews, work examining what led to October 7, what occurred that day, and what has and should follow. our memories of Germany are overwhelmingly dominated Named by The Forward as one of the five most influential American Jews and by The Jerusalem Post as one of the by the horrors of Nazism and the cataclysm of the Holocaust. world’s 10 most influential Jews, Oren promises an extraordinary and timely evening. Yet today, their modern war graves commission is doing This evening with Ambassador Oren is presented in partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council breathtaking, sacred work to restore the identities of Jewish of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, all area synagogues, and community partners’ 16th German servicemen of World War I—men whose heritage Annual Israel Today Series. and headstones had been systematically targeted and erased by the Nazi regime during the occupation of France. By

Save the Date: Ambassador Michael Oren Thursday, October 22, Congregation Beth El

jewishnewsva.org | AUGUST 10, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 11

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STAUNCH ISRAEL CRITIC EL-SAYED WINS IN MICHIGAN SENATE PRIMARY Grace Gilson, Andrew Lapin (JTA) — DETROIT — Former county health official Abdul El-Sayed eked out a win over U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens by a slim margin of 48.5% to 47.5%, in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary. The closely watched contest has become a national test of the party’s divisions over Israel. Stevens, a pro-Israel moderate, and El-Sayed, who has made criticism of Israel a focal point of his campaign, were vying to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters and advance to a November matchup against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers. El-Sayed’s success adds to the string of progressive victories in Democratic primaries across the country. El-Sayed beat his opponent by fewer than 15,000 votes. El-Sayed had initially been well ahead

in the vote count and had hoped to declare victory on Tuesday night, August 4. As the nail-biting count continued, El-Sayed took the stage at about 1 am Wednesday to give a boost to his supporters, saying that Democrats were united by their responsibility to make sure the GOP nominee, former Rep. Mike Rogers, “never sees the inside of the U.S. Senate.” “Let’s come together to build a movement that’s even bigger, that’s even stronger, that’s even more powerful, that reaches into the very depths of this state, that reminds us of the best of who we are and who we can be,” said El-Sayed. “That is the commitment I want all of us to be making as we leave here tonight. And so, Mike, and I know you’re listening, Mike. We are coming for you.” Stevens also turned her attention to

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the Republican candidate in a speech early Wednesday morning. “Whoever wins is gonna go and take on Rogers. Republicans are going to do everything they can to throw all the dirt, all the mud, the kitchen sink at us because they want to keep the U.S. Senate red,” she said. Hasan Piker, the influential left-wing streamer and strident Israel critic whose campaigning with El-Sayed this spring touched off a firestorm of controversy, was present and livestreaming from El-Sayed’s election night watch party at a concert hall in Detroit. When asked by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency what he would say to Jewish voters who feel El-Sayed does not share their concerns about antisemitism, Piker replied, “Abdul El-Sayed definitely cares about antisemitism. Look, we’re Muslim Americans,

okay? This is something that we deeply understand.” “That’s part of the reason why it makes it all the more sad that there’s so much crosstalk and so much misinformation out there,” Piker continued. “We oppose Israel in somewhat of a Jewish tradition of anti-fascism. It’s nothing different. It has nothing to do with Jewish people at all, and everything to do with all the harm that has happened so far.” Also in attendance were Colorado Democratic House nominee Melat Kiros and Pennsylvania Democratic House nominee Chris Rabb, two of the progressives who recently won their primaries; both had inveighed against AIPAC and Israel throughout their campaigns. Scattered figures throughout the crowd wore keffiyehs and other pro-Palestinian gear. One supporter clad in a campaign shirt for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also sported a red “Make Palestine Free Again” hat, styled in the manner of a proTrump “Make America Great Again” hat. Notably absent from the night’s festivities was El-Sayed’s most prominent Jewish supporter in the state, former U.S. Rep. Andy Levin. El-Sayed’s campaign confirmed Levin wasn’t in attendance because he was traveling. Levin, a member of the state’s high-profile Democratic political family, had continued to advocate for El-Sayed right up until the polls closed. Barbara Weinberg Barefield, who had campaigned for El-Sayed’s “Jews for Abdul” group, said she was feeling “really excited” as she watched the polls displayed at the watch party. “People in the world are looking at this campaign, and it’s going to show that you can’t buy your candidates. They have to win,” Weinberg Barefield said. “They have to win because of their positions, because of their humanity, because of their messages, their care for people, and you can’t just have money pour from private corporations and AIPAC.” The race was tight in Oakland County, the heavily Jewish suburban Detroit region that Stevens represents in Congress. With

Local Relationships Matter

NATION 76% of the votes counted there, Stevens led El-Sayed by 2.3 percentage points with some 4,000 votes — about the same as what state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who abandoned her own Senate campaign weeks ago, was drawing in the county. The race is widely seen as a must-win for Democrats in their bid to retake control of the Senate, raising the stakes of a primary that increasingly focused on which candidate would be better poised to defeat Rogers. Recent polling in the race shows that Rogers has a slight lead over El-Sayed, while Stevens polled slightly ahead of the GOP candidate. For many Jewish Democrats in the state, the race has also become a test of El-Sayed’s approach to Israel, with his rhetoric about the war in Gaza and repeated attacks on AIPAC spending in the race alarming voters who might otherwise be drawn to his progressive politics. Speaking to The New Yorker days before the primary, El-Sayed appeared to strike a more nuanced tone on his Israel views than he has in many of his rallies. “I believe in a process that offers a free Palestinian people the equal rights, dignity, and self-determination that a free Jewish Israeli people ought to have,” the candidate told The New Yorker’s David Remnick. “And I will support whatever the outcome is that a free Palestinian people and a free Jewish Israeli people decide is the right outcome. If that’s two states, great, I’m for it. If it’s one state, great, I’m for that — if it’s this ‘land for all’ model, or 23 states, or whatever it is they decide.” With El-Sayed leading Stevens by as much as 16 points in polls going into the primaries, the race could mark the latest victory for the Democratic Party’s emergent progressive wing, which has seen a string

of primary wins in races across the country, several of which have elevated candidates sharply critical of AIPAC and Israel. The fight has particular resonance in Michigan, which is home to sizable Jewish and Arab American populations and has emerged as a battleground for Democratic divisions over Israel since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and ensuing war in Gaza. Indeed, the starkest divide between the candidates themselves has been over Israel. Stevens has maintained a strong record of support for Israel throughout her four terms in Congress, while El-Sayed has repeatedly accused the country of committing genocide in Gaza and often framed U.S. funding for Israel as money that should be diverted to domestic priorities. He has also said the Israeli government is as “evil” as Hamas and questioned whether Israel should be a Jewish state. El-Sayed has also faced scrutiny from Stevens and many Jewish leaders in the state for campaigning alongside Piker, who has faced accusations of antisemitism. El-Sayed additionally appalled some Michigan Jews with his remarks following the March attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, when he said “hurt people do hurt people” of the attacker who targeted the synagogue when preschool was in session, and who had family who were killed in an Israeli strike on Lebanon. Those divisions have been amplified by AIPAC’s record-breaking spending in the race. The group’s super PAC spent over $31 million to support Stevens, according to AdImpact. El-Sayed has made the lobby of his most frequent campaign targets. Many Jewish Democrats in the state rallied behind Stevens, with some warning that an El-Sayed victory could push them to reconsider their allegiance to the party and

Many Jewish Democrats in the state warned that an El-Sayed victory could push them to reconsider their allegiance to the party in the general election.

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support Rogers in the general election. El-Sayed, 41, is a former director of the Detroit Health Department who first rose to prominence during his unsuccessful 2018 bid for Michigan governor, when he ran with the backing of a host of progressive leaders. In the Senate race, he has campaigned on a platform emphasizing affordability and healthcare while railing against money in politics, particularly AIPAC. Stevens, 43, has represented Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, which spans much of Oakland County, since 2019. A former chief of staff for the Obama administration’s auto rescue task force, she

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has focused on affordability issues while emphasizing her ability to win in competitive territory. El-Sayed drew endorsements from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Reps. Ro Khanna and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, as well as Jewish Voice for Peace Action and Pal Pac, a pro-Palestinian political action committee. Stevens, meanwhile, was endorsed by New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus, and the Jewish Democratic Council of America.

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JEWISH TIDEWATER

Kempsville’s Lauren Krajesky is leading the distribution of millions of dollars to organizations that help seniors Joel Rubin Growing up in the Bible Belt (Northern Georgia south of Chattanooga, Tennessee), Baptist bred Lauren Krajesky could never imagine where she would be today. “I have to pinch myself,” she says. “I really am in a dream job.” A decade after becoming an executive assistant at Beth Sholom Village, the mother of three is now arguably at the center of the entire local Jewish community as its executive director. “We sold the nursing home and assisted living facility (the Terrace) in 2023 (the College Park campus is now Maimonides Health Center), then partnered with Pembroke Square Associates to build Aviva Pembroke, the senior living independent high rise adjacent to the former mall,” she says. At that point, Krajesky, who had earned a license as a nursing home administrator and become

BSV’s vice president of administration, was wondering about her own professional future. “Nobody knew Beth Sholom better than Lauren,” says Fay Silverman, now BSV’s chairman of the board. “We had to decide whether to continue constructing more senior housing in the region or take interest income from the sale proceeds and invest it back in the community.” The board went with the latter option and fortunately, Krajesky was available, Lauren Krajesky. willing, and able to steer the effort. “We could not be more excited to have her lead our next chapter as a principally grant making organization.” Beth Sholom Village and Pembroke

Square have hired an experienced outside firm, Greenbrier Associates, to manage Aviva and its 153 apartments, 114 of them for independent living, 27 for assisted living, and 12 for memory care residents. “My office as well as my assistant and religious director are at Jewish Family Service on the Sandler Family Campus,” says Krajesky. For the team, it’s an ideal location, given that several of the agencies based there, such as United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and JFS itself, are two of 24 beneficiaries of the first $837,000 the Village has distributed in 2026. “Chabad of Tidewater, Congregation Beth El, Ohef Sholom Temple, Temple Israel, and Strelitz International Academy are others that have received money to fund projects to help seniors with transportation, health care, food insecurity, the arts, and other essential services,” says Krajesky. “But it’s not just Jewish groups that we’re supporting.” The Judeo-Christian Outreach Center, Virginia Opera, Peninsula Agency on Aging, Prime Plus, Meals on Wheels, and Habitat for Humanity are also benefiting from BSV’s support. “Habitat is using the money to repair homes for low-income seniors and Virginia Symphony is taking a quartet to senior

Aviva Pembroke.

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living facilities,” says Krajesky, who spent considerable time this year making local non-profits aware of the opportunity. “We expect that many of these first recipients will continue to apply for contributions going forward but that more will join them as they become aware of us. It’s a real blessing to be able to help.” “Beth Sholom Village was always a critical provider of housing and health care services for seniors across the region,” says Silverman. “Now we have a different mission. With Aviva filling up and having strong professional oversight, we can focus on using our resources to make a difference for others. It feels really good to do this.” And Lauren Krajesky is directing it all. “It gives me so much pride to collaborate with our committees to review applications,” she says. “And the dollars will grow.” Indeed, she expects BSV may have a million dollars or more to donate each year going forward, based on the stock market. “I will be able to walk downstairs and see patients, caregivers, and professionals interacting in JFS Alzheimer’s Café or drive over to the Dozoretz Hospice House, the only one of its kind in Hampton Roads, to see our investments at work.” For more information on the Beth Sholom Village Fund and how to secure assistance, visit bethsholomvillage.com or call Lauren Krajesky. She’s more than happy to help share in BSV’s good fortune.

JEWISH TIDEWATER

MEET THE GUARDIANS OF TIDEWATER’S JEWISH HISTORY

a library, which houses publiHaley Bartel shed materials that can often be Every community has its keepers. As readers explore the found elsewhere, archives precongregations and organizations that comprise Jewish serve unique historical records. life in Tidewater in this issue’s Guide to Jewish Living in The work is meticulous, Tidewater, it’s worth meeting some of the volunteers who but it often leads to unexpected safeguard myriad stories that came before them. discoveries. Volunteers spend Margaret Sawyer and Alice Titus, co-chairs of Ohef Sholom Temple’s archives, along with their team, spend hours each week exploring and preserving documents, photographs, and oral histories that chronicle nearly two centuries of Jewish life in Tidewater. Both women devote their Wednesdays to the temple’s archives as volunteers. Their motivation is simple. “American Jewish history sometimes gets omitted,” says Titus. “Sometimes it’s because people don’t know it. Sometimes it’s because they choose other things to focus on.” While researching local stories, Telegram sent by the president of ORT to the Norfolk branch of the United Jewish Titus was struck by how often Jewish Fund in June 1939, just two and a half months before the war started but when Jews in Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia were already suffering in the Holocaust. It contributions appeared only in pasnot only demonstrates how vital the need was to support those Jews still living under sing. “You pick up older histories of Nazi rule and no longer allowed to leave, but it also shows that in the U.S., it was Norfolk and Tidewater, and they only known what was happening to the Jews in Europe even before the war started.

stop for coal in Norfolk in 1940. Records preserved in the archives documented the efforts of local Jewish leaders who advocated for the passengers. “I don't think there’s ever a Wednesday that somebody doesn’t have an ‘aha’ moment,” Sawyer says of the archives’ team’s regular meeting time. “All of a sudden something jumps out at you.” In addition to preserving historical records, the archives also connects families to their own history. One day, while sorting through family records, Sawyer found handwritten notes created decades earlier by a congregant who Margaret Sawyer at Ohef Sholom Temple. had passed away, but whose family still belonged to the temple. She made copies and passed them along hours cataloging documents, rehou- to the woman’s granddaughter. “She was in tears,” Sawyer recalls. sing materials in archival folders, In another particularly meaningful case, the archives and learning the provided stories behind documentation each collection. that helped Researchers, establish a deceased filmmakers, woman’s authors, and Jewish identity, family members allowing her regularly turn to Ohef Sholom’s archives for assistance. For example, the to be buried archives supported research into the SS Quanza, a ship in a Jewish carrying Holocaust refugees back to Europe that had to cemetery in New York City. Those moments transform routine archival work into something Alice Titus in the archives’ room at Ohef Sholom. more personal, offering glimpses into lives that might otherwise be overlooked. Among the collection’s most valuable holdings are more than 40 oral history interviews, preserving the voices The SS Quanza. and experiences of community members. Titus and the other volunteers also offer educational sometimes mention a Jewish person. They only programs and presentations highlighting the archives’ colsometimes mention a Jewish congregation,” she says. lection and efforts. OST’s archives provide a fuller picture of the For Sawyer and Titus, preserving history is about region’s development by documenting the civic, more than organizing old documents. It is about ensuring cultural, and philanthropic roles Jewish residents The diary belonged to Benjamin Franklin Metzger. He started writing in it when he was 11, and that future generations inherit stories and hear the voices have played throughout Tidewater’s history. he kept it through the age of 13 –1885-87. He lived in Portsmouth and then the family moved to that shaped Jewish life in Tidewater. “We’re collecting things that have not been Norfolk. They belonged to OST. It provides a fascinating look at what life was like for a Jewish published or mass circulated,” Titus explains. Unlike boy growing up in Tidewater in the 1880s. jewishnewsva.org | AUGUST 10, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 15

JEWISH TIDEWATER

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Dr. Sarah Davis What should a congregation do when a school’s enrollment grows year after year? Renovate the environment to match the dynamic energy, seems a reasonable response. Last December, volunteers at Temple Emanuel started this project by tearing down old coat racks, repainting the walls a calming blue and installing stained glass paper on the windows to give the hallway a shiny glow. As it is with many projects, one bit of inspiration lead to another. The hallway was beautiful, but it was now glaringly obvious that the classrooms, floors, doors, and ceiling needed lots of TLC. Fast forward a few months and a lot of hard work, and thanks to a generous grant from Tidewater Jewish Foundation, Temple Emanuel Religious School has undergone extensive renovations and will be able to realize the dream of a new school building. The renovation goal is to modernize the aesthetic while maintaining historical integrity. First, the beautiful parquet floors were refinished. Next, volunteers and contractors tore down the textured, stained wallpaper and hand scraped glue off the walls, priVolunteers and contractors sand and remove glue from the walls. ming it for paint. The lower elementary classroom doubled in size to give the children a larger space to move through multi-sensory learning centers. Finally, ceiling tiles are being replaced, doors are being sanded and repainted, and all wall décor is being redesigned. The final product will be a cheerful, modern, nurturing school environment that will match the motivating energy from the teaching team. The grant helped transform an archaic space into a lively, energetic learning environment. Registered and prospective families are invited to Temple Emanuel Religious School’s open house on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 10 am to see the final product and learn more about the school. Dr. Sarah Davis is Temple Emanuel’s Religious School director.

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THINKING FOR THE FUTURE With dynamic community partnerships and hands-on learning through our social entrepreneurship and medical science programs, Cape Henry prepares graduates to lead, adapt and thrive in the careers shaping tomorrow.

GLOBAL EXPERIENCES A global perspective is embedded into classrooms from preschool through 12th grade. Cape Henry provides exciting opportunities for students through academic study, cultural immersion and service learning around the world, including opportunities for international study.

CREATIVE OUTLETS Cape Henry students gain confidence and courage through self-expression and collaboration during the artistic process. From dance and theater to choral and band ensembles, young musicians have an array of choices available within our performing arts program.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2027-2028 SCHOOL YEAR

Prekindergarten 3 – Grade 12 | 1320 Mill Dam Road | Virginia Beach, Virginia CapeHenryCollegiate.org

For more information or to schedule a tour, call (757) 963-8244 or email admissions@capehenry.org. JewishNewsAdJul26.indd 1

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7/13/26 1:51 PM

GUiDE TO JEWiSH LiViNG iN TiDEWATER

JEWISH HOLIDAYS 5787

FIND IT Arts and Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 33 Aviva Pembroke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Rosh Hashanah Jewish New Year September 11-13, 2026

Purim Story of Esther March 22-23, 2027

Yom Kippur Day of Atonement September 20-21, 2026

Pesach Passover April 21-29, 2027

Sukkot Feast of Tabernacles September 25 - October 2, 2026

Days of the Omer Seven weeks from the second night of Pesach to the day before Shavuot April 22-Jun 10, 2027

Beth Sholom Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Camps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Cemeteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Center for Active Living

. . . . . . . . 21

Children and Young Families. . . . . . . . 23, 24 Community Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-24 Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 29-33 Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 24 Holiday Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 JCC Maccabi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Jewish Family Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Jewish Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Mikvahs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Services and Organizations . . . . . . . . . .33-36 Simon Family JCC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Social Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37 Special Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Strelitz International Academy . . . . . . . 29

Shmini Atzeret Eighth Day of Assembly October 2-3, 2026 Simchat Torah Celebration of the Torah October 3-4, 2026 Hanukkah Festival of Rededication, also Festival of Lights December 4-12, 2026 Tu BiShvat New Year for Trees January 22-23, 2027

Tidewater Jewish Foundation . . . . . . . . . 24

Young Adults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Youth Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Shavuot Festival of Weeks, commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai June 10-12, 2027 Tish’a B’Av The Ninth of Av, commemorates destruction of the two Temples August 11-12, 2027 Tu B’Av Jewish holiday of love August 17-18, 2027

Synagogues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-28

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater . . . . 20

Lag BaOmer 33rd day of counting the Omer May 24-25, 2027

MODERN HOLIDAYS 5787 Yom HaShoah Holocaust Memorial Day May 3-4, 2027 Yom HaZikaron Israeli Memorial Day May 10-11, 2027 Yom HaAtzma’ut Israeli Independence Day May 11-12, 2027

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GUiDE TO JEWiSH LiViNG iN TiDEWATER

COMMUNITY RESOURCES ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

UNITED JEWISH FEDERATION OF TIDEWATER/ SIMON FAMILY JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER UNITED JEWISH FEDERATION OF TIDEWATER Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200, Virginia Beach, Va. 23462 757-965-6100 Contact@UJFT.org Federation.JewishVA.org facebook.com/UJFTidewater Instagram/UJFTidewater Linkedin.com/company/ujft vimeo.com/UJFT United Jewish Federation of Tidewater (UJFT) fosters a committed, inclusive, and caring Jewish community by supporting and sustaining Jewish life locally, in Israel, and around the world. Each year, nearly 1,200 donors contribute to the UJFT Community Campaign, with hundreds more supporting additional programs, services, and emergency initiatives. These funds are thoughtfully allocated to trusted Jewish agencies and organizations through a rigorous, community-driven allocations process. UJFT’s impact includes: • Strengthening Jewish communities in Tidewater, Israel, and worldwide • Responding to emergencies and crises with speed and compassion • Combating antisemitism and enhancing community security • Advancing Jewish education, culture, and human services • Building Jewish identity and a vibrant Jewish future through leadership development and engagement for all ages. UJFT is proud to be one of 146 Jewish Federations across North America—together making a meaningful difference for the Jewish people.

SIMON FAMILY JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200, Virginia Beach, Va. 23462 757-321-2338 Contact@SimonFamilyJCC.org SimonFamilyJCC.org facebook.com/SimonFamily Instagram/SimonFamily The Simon Family JCC welcomes both the Jewish community and the greater Tidewater community with diverse programs, services, and experiences for all ages and interests. The JCC features a state-of-the-art fitness center, three indoor pools, more than 40 group fitness classes, and personal training, along with year-round youth athletics, recreation, and aquatics programs. Beyond fitness, the JCC serves as a vibrant community hub, offering cultural arts, Jewish holiday celebrations, lectures, and community events, as well as educational and social programs for children, teens, adults, and seniors. Discounted membership rates are available for first responders and active-duty service members, and seniors may be eligible for SilverSneakers® and Renew Active® programs.

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CARDO CAFE Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200, Virginia Beach, Va. 23462 Monday - Friday | Open at 8 am for coffee and pastries (counter service only 8 - 9 am) Monday - Friday | 9 am - 2 pm Saturday - Sunday | Closed Order online: CardoCafe.com Catering inquiries: 757-965-6123 Cardo Cafe offers fresh daily specials, homemade baked goods, flavorful vegetarian options, and convenient grab-and-go items, with breakfast and lunch service that includes soups, sandwiches, salads, smoothies, lattes, and more. Delivery within the local area is available when ordering online. Gift cards are available. Catering is offered separately for larger orders or special events. The cafe is under the supervision of Rabbi Aron Margolin and is not certified Cholov Yisroel or Pas Yisroel.

COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN & OTHER SUPPORT Chief Development Officer: Amy Zelenka 757-965-6139, AZelenka@UJFT.org UJFT runs an organized community campaign each year to help meet the needs of Jews locally and around the world. More than 100 local volunteers help raise funds for the Campaign in partnership with a small staff of development professionals. Campaigners strive to engage all community members in meaningful discussions about Jewish values, priorities, and concerns. In addition, the Federation provides opportunities for donors to “follow their campaign dollars” to see how their generosity impacts the Jewish community. Locally, the Federation offers events, programs, and displays throughout the year – many at the Simon Family JCC – which allow donors to experience their dollars at work. Federation also leads missions to Israel and elsewhere abroad. The Community Campaign runs July 1 through June 30 each year. At the end of each campaign year, UJFT’s board of directors reviews and approves the allocation of funds raised during the campaign to local Jewish agencies and organizations, pursuant to the recommendations of the UJFT Finance and Israel Overseas Committees. Additional funds are earmarked for distribution to UJFT’s overseas service delivery partners, including the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC); the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI); and World ORT. Its strong fundraising infrastructure has also enabled UJFT over the years to spearhead campaigns as needed. Recent Emergency Campaigns have included: funding for COVID-19 needs in the community; funding Jewish communities in war-torn Ukraine; Israel Emergency Fund (rolled out on October 8, 2023 to help those in Israel impacted by the horrific events of October 7); and a special Security Campaign – which is being used to fund the security needs of the local community – its buildings and institutions – during a time of unprecedented antisemitism. Donations to the UJFT Community Campaign are welcome at any time and can be made by cash, check, securities, distributions from donor advised funds, or online at JewishVA.org/Donation. Donors have opted in recent years to gift their mandatory retirement distributions to the Federation as well, to help offset income taxes. Development Manager: Heather Nevins 757-452-6925, HNevins@UJFT.org federation.jewishva.org/ sponsorship-opportunities UJFT also raises funds to support diverse, creative, and important programs which take place throughout the year. Sources of funding for these programs include private and public grants, corporate and individual sponsorships, and the direct solicitation of donors for all UJFT/JCC programs such as Patron of the Arts, Konikoff Center of Learning, adult programming, youth league basketball, and countless others.

GUiDE TO JEWiSH LiViNG iN TiDEWATER MEN’S DIVISION

BE A READER (BeAR)

Chief Development Officer: Amy Zelenka 757-965-6139, AZelenka@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/mens-division UJFT’s Men’s Division is dedicated to engaging the community in support of UJFT’s Community Campaign. The Men’s Division is comprised of more than three dozen volunteer campaigners who serve the Tidewater Jewish community by soliciting gifts of support. These volunteers help ensure funding is available for Jewish education, health, and social welfare, the fight against antisemitism, enhanced security, emergency services, and crisis relief. The newest addition to the Men’s Division is the NADIV young men’s group (formerly Giving Circle), which likewise supports the Community Campaign, while continuing to build community through social programs and special fundraising events designed to grow their constituency and ultimately benefit the entire Jewish community.

BeAR Coordinator: Robin Ford 757-321-2304, RFord@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/BeAR For more than 25 years, the Be A Reader (BeAR) literacy program, an initiative of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, has helped young students build confidence and a love of reading. BeAR pairs volunteer mentors with students in Title I elementary schools for one-on-one weekly sessions focused on reading, vocabulary, and encouragement. Each volunteer mentor is paired with the same student for the entire school year, creating a meaningful relationship that often becomes one of the most stable and impactful parts of a child’s week. Community members can support BeAR in many ways, from serving as mentors to donating books and supplies, helping children strengthen literacy skills, build confidence, and envision a brighter future.

WOMEN’S DIVISION

CAMP JCC

Development Director - Community Campaign: Linda Ausch 757-965-6105, LAusch@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/womens-division facebook.com/JewishWomen757 UJFT’s Women’s Division is the women’s fundraising arm of the Federation’s Community Campaign, providing local Jewish women with opportunities for empowerment, leadership development, volunteerism, and philanthropy at all levels. At the helm of the Women’s Division is the Women’s Philanthropy Group (formerly Women’s Cabinet) – a committee which meets regularly throughout the year to learn what’s happening in Tidewater’s Jewish community and around the Jewish world. They then put that knowledge to use, informing donors as they engage in conversations around philanthropic giving and community involvement. Members of Women’s Philanthropy serve as ambassadors and role models, taking a lead role in volunteer fundraising for the Community Campaign and engaging women throughout the Jewish community through social, educational, and cultural events and activities.

Director of Camp and Teen Engagement: Kate-Lynn Cipolla Camp JCC Manager: Christine Carnahan 757-321-3182, CCarnahan@ujft.org CampJCC.org JewishVA.org/KidsClasses See details on page 38.

ARTS + IDEAS Director of Arts + Ideas: Hunter Thomas 757-965-6137, HThomas@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/Arts Arts + Ideas brings the community together through shared cultural experiences that inspire conversation, creativity, and connection. Through literature, film, visual arts, live performance, culinary exploration, and more, participants engage with Jewish stories, perspectives, and ideas. From the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival and the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by Alma & Howard Laderberg, to exhibitions in the Leon Family Gallery and collaborations with local artists and organizations, Arts + Ideas offers opportunities to learn, reflect, and connect through culture.

CENTER FOR ACTIVE LIVING Manager: Sarah Cooper 757-452-3184, Scooper@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/Adults Adults 55+ of all backgrounds are invited to connect, learn, and thrive through the Center for Active Living at the Simon Family JCC. Designed to support healthy, active, and connected aging, the Center offers opportunities for lifelong learning, fitness, arts and culture, social engagement, and caregiver support. From Seniors Club, Book Club, and games groups to wellness classes, lectures, and special events, participants can build meaningful relationships while staying mentally, physically, and socially engaged.

HAL SACKS JEWISH NEWS ARCHIVES Editor: Terri Denison 757-965-6132, news@UJFT.org JewishNewsVA.org Research, laugh, remember, and browse through the Hal Sacks Jewish News Archives, an online site to access past issues of the newspaper since 1947.

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GUiDE TO JEWiSH LiViNG iN TiDEWATER THE HOLOCAUST COMMISSION

JEWISH NEWS

Director: Elka Mednick 757-965-6112, EMednick@UJFT.org HolocaustCommission.org facebook.com/holcommission The Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater helps ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust remain relevant for future generations. Through education, remembrance, storytelling, and community engagement, the Commission creates opportunities to honor survivors, examine history, and inspire action against hatred and prejudice. Commission initiatives, such as the Elie Wiesel Writing and Visual Arts Competition, Yom Ha’Shoah commemoration, the Stars Among Us podcast, and educational resources, connect people of all ages to powerful stories of courage, resilience, and a shared humanity.

Editor: Terri Denison 757-965-6132, TDenison@UJFT.org JewishNewsVA.org facebook.com/JewishNewsVA Published 18 times annually, Jewish News connects Tidewater’s Jewish and wider communities with news of Jewish interest from local, national, and global spheres. Jewish News is delivered to thousands of mailboxes each month and reaches tens of thousands through its easy-to-navigate website. Electronic editions of Jewish News are available online.

ISRAEL EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT Israel Engagement Manager: Nofar Trem 757-321-2334, NTrem@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/IsraelToday JewishVA.org/ShinShinim JewishVA.org/YH United Jewish Federation of Tidewater strengthens connections between the community and Israel through educational programs, cultural experiences, celebrations, and personal exchanges. Community members of all ages have opportunities to learn about Israel’s history, people, diversity, achievements, and contemporary challenges. Through the ShinShinim program, young Israeli emissaries live and work in Tidewater for a year, sharing their experiences and perspectives with local schools, synagogues, and community organizations. Signature programs and events, including the annual Yom HaAtzmaut Community Celebration and the Israel Today series, provide opportunities to explore Israeli culture, hear diverse perspectives, and celebrate Israel’s many contributions.

JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL (JCRC) Senior Director: Robin Mancoll 757-965-6120, RMancoll@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/JCRC The Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater serves as a bridge between the Jewish community, Israel, and the broader Tidewater region. By fostering relationships, convening meaningful conversations, educating about Israel and issues impacting the Jewish people, advocating for shared values, and building partnerships across diverse communities, JCRC works to strengthen understanding, promote civic engagement, and advance a more just and inclusive society. The JCRC ensures that the Jewish community’s voice is heard while fostering collaboration, education, and mutual respect. Through community-wide education, Israel engagement, advocacy, and partnership, JCRC also works to prevent and respond to antisemitism, empowering individuals and organizations to recognize bias, strengthen allyship, and help create a safer and more welcoming Tidewater for all.

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KONIKOFF CENTER FOR LEARNING Senior Director of Jewish Innovation: Sierra Lautman 757-965-6107, SLautman@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/KCL The Konikoff Center for Learning is Tidewater’s vibrant hub for Jewish exploration, discovery, and connection. Bringing together learners of all ages and backgrounds, KCL fosters exploration of Jewish ideas, traditions, history, and contemporary life in welcoming and meaningful ways. Whether exploring a new subject, deepening personal knowledge, or connecting with others through shared learning, participants become part of a vibrant community of curious and engaged learners.

NEXTGEN 757 NextGen Engagement Coordinator: Hannah Yasemsky 757-965-6136, HYasemsky@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/NextGen NextGen 757 is a welcoming community of Jewish young adults (ages 21-45) who come together to build friendships, strengthen Jewish connections, and make a positive impact in the community. Through social gatherings, Jewish learning opportunities, and volunteer experiences, NextGen fosters connections among peers, Jewish life, and the broader community. Throughout the year, NextGen hosts happy hours, lunches, beach parties, kayaking and hiking outings, sporting events, holiday celebrations, service projects, and more. NextGen is open to singles, couples, and young families seeking community, meaningful relationships, and opportunities to help shape a vibrant Jewish future in Tidewater.

GUiDE TO JEWiSH LiViNG iN TiDEWATER SECURE COMMUNITY NETWORK (SCN) Tidewater Regional Security Advisor: Mike Goldsmith 872-204-3884, mgoldsmith@securecommunitynetwork.org JewishVA.org/SCN The Secure Community Network is the official safety and security organization of the Jewish community in North America. Working in partnership with United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, local law enforcement, and community institutions, SCN helps strengthen the safety, preparedness, and resilience of Jewish organizations throughout the region. Through security assessments, training, incident response, information sharing, and emergency preparedness planning, SCN provides guidance and resources that help local synagogues, agencies, schools, and community organizations improve response capabilities, preparedness, build a culture of safety, and create secure environments for all who gather, learn, worship, and celebrate.

REPORT AN INCIDENT JewishVA.org/Incident Report a threat, incident, or suspicious activity through the SCN Incident Reporting Form. The use of the form ensures a coordinated, best-practice approach to incident reporting and follow-up. Reporting helps identify trends, strengthen community security efforts, support impacted individuals, and inform ongoing work with schools, universities, businesses, and law enforcement. Incidents cannot be addressed if they are not reported. In an emergency, always call 9-1-1.

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SHALOM BABY Coordinator of Youth & Family Engagement: Blake Sisler 757-965-6127, BSisler@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/ShalomBaby Shalom Baby welcomes families into Tidewater’s Jewish community during one of life’s most meaningful moments, the arrival of a child. Through thoughtfully curated gift bags, helpful resources, and personal connections, families are introduced to a caring network ready to support them as they begin or continue their parenting journey. More than a gift, Shalom Baby is an invitation to belong, connect, and celebrate Jewish family life together.

We look forward to greeting you soon!

SHALOM TIDEWATER NextGen Engagement Coordinator: Hannah Yasemsky Women’s Development Director: Linda Ausch 757-965-6136, HYasemsky@UJFT.org 757-965-6105, LAusch@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/Welcome Shalom Tidewater helps newcomers feel at home from the very beginning. Through personal welcomes, introductions, Sandler Family Campus tours, and connections to people and opportunities throughout the region, new residents are invited to discover the many ways to engage in Jewish life across Tidewater. Whether affiliated or unaffiliated, Jewish by birth, Jewish by choice, or part of a mixed-faith family, everyone is welcomed and supported in finding meaningful connections and a sense of belonging.

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757.420.2512 • 757.282.2384

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GUiDE TO JEWiSH LiViNG iN TiDEWATER SOCIETY OF JEWISH PROFESSIONALS

YOUTH AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

Interim Program Directors: Amy Zelenka and Linda Ausch 757-965-6139, AZelenka@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/SOP 757-965-6105, Lausch@UJFT.org UJFT’s Society of Jewish Professionals is an affinity group dedicated to educational, social, and philanthropic activities, and providing opportunities for its members to network, socialize, and engage with one another and the community. Through a series of unique program offerings, the Society of Professionals introduces its members to local and visiting authors, speakers, and thought leaders – subject matter experts in their fields – offering exclusive out-of-the box educational opportunities. Past events have included how to balance personal retirement portfolios; wine tastings and pairings; panel discussions on what’s happening in Hampton Roads and how it can impact individuals and businesses; medical ethics; and a virtual mission to Israel. Through their campaign gifts, SOP members serve as role models to their peers and help to build and strengthen local and global Jewish communities.

Coordinator of Youth & Family Engagement: Blake Sisler 757-965-6127, BSisler@UJFT.org JewishVA.org/PJLibrary Youth & Family Engagement helps children, teens, and families connect with Jewish life through meaningful experiences, friendships, celebrations, and learning opportunities. From early childhood through the teen years, opportunities for learning and celebration help families build community, explore Jewish values and traditions, and create memories together. Opportunities include: • PJ Library: Free monthly Jewish books and community experiences for families with children ages 6 months to 8 years. • PJ Our Way: Monthly book selections and special programming for Jewish preteens ages 9 to 12. • Family events: Seasonal celebrations, Family Sunday Fun Days, and hands-on activities. • Middle School programs: Events for tweens to build friendships, explore Jewish identity, and develop leadership skills.

SPORTS, RECREATION, AND AQUATICS ATHLETICS Athletics Director: Tom Edwards jcc.jewishva.org/youth-athletics 757-321-2308, TEdwards@SimonFamilyJCC.org From swim lessons to sports leagues, the Simon Family JCC offers a wide range of youth and adult athletic programs. Enjoy basketball, soccer, volleyball, tee ball, tennis, pickleball, fishing, and youth swim team. Fitness swimmers can use indoor lap lanes, and families love the outdoor water park. Programs are designed to build skills, teamwork, and fun at every age..

FITNESS + WELLNESS Wellness Director: Tom Purcell jcc.jewishva.org/jfit 757-321-2310, TPurcell@UJFT.org Simon Family JCC offers a state-of-the-art fitness experience, featuring a fully equipped fitness center, gymnasium, three indoor pools, an outdoor water park, and indoor pickleball courts. Members can take advantage of free group fitness classes including Spin, water fitness, Pilates, Zumba, and more. Stay motivated with JFit Challenges and reach goals with personal training available both in-person and online. Certified, expert trainers have experience working with individuals of all fitness levels, whether just starting out or looking to enhance a routine. Members also enjoy exclusive discounts on personal training and specialty fitness programs.

JCC MACCABI GAMES AND ACCESS® – TEAM VB Tidewater Delegation Head: Tom Edwards JewishVA.org/Maccabi 757-321-2308, TEdwards@SimonFamilyJCC.org The JCC Maccabi Games and Access® are an Olympic-style event for Jewish teens, combining sports, service, and Jewish values in an unforgettable week. The Access Games are designed for participants ages 13 - 23 with developmental challenges. Each summer, thousands of teens from around the world come together to compete, connect, and celebrate Jewish pride. Team VB represents Simon Family JCC and Jewish Tidewater, offering teens (ages 13 - 17) the chance to compete in sports such as basketball, soccer, swimming, and more, while building friendships and Jewish pride that last a lifetime. 24 | JEWISH NEWS | AUGUST 10, 2026 | jewishnewsva.org

TIDEWATER JEWISH FOUNDATION (TJF) Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 Virginia Beach, Va. 23462 Naomi Limor Sedek, President & CEO 757-965-6111 foundation.jewishva.org nsedek@tjfva.org Tidewater Jewish Foundation believes philanthropy begins with purpose, not wealth. Whether making a first charitable gift, supporting the causes a donor loves today, or planning the legacy one hopes to leave, TJF helps transform personal values into lasting impact. Since 1984, TJF has served as Jewish Tidewater’s trusted philanthropic partner, helping individuals, families, businesses, synagogues, and community organizations create charitable strategies that strengthen Jewish life locally, nationally, and in Israel. Today, hundreds of charitable funds steward the generosity of donors who are investing in the future of the community. TJF offers personalized guidance through donor-advised funds, endowment funds, charitable gift planning, IRA charitable distributions, scholarship funds, and other giving opportunities designed to help donors maximize both their generosity and their impact. Every philanthropic journey is unique, and TJF’s role is to help each donor give with confidence, purpose, and intention. Beyond managing charitable assets, TJF works to build a culture of legacy throughout Jewish Tidewater. Through initiatives such as LIFE & LEGACY, donor education, and partnerships with local agencies and congregations, TJF helps ensure that the organizations and traditions the community values most have the resources they need to thrive well into the future. What makes TJF unique is that every dollar earned through administrative fees is reinvested into strengthening Jewish Tidewater. TJF doesn’t operate community programs; it empowers the people and organizations that do. No matter where individuals or families are on their philanthropic journey, TJF is available to help create meaningful impact today while building a legacy that reflects their values for those who will follow.

GUiDE TO JEWiSH LiViNG iN TiDEWATER

SYNAGOGUES ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

B’NAI ISRAEL CONGREGATION 420 Spotswood Avenue, Norfolk, Va. 23517 757-627-7358, fax: 757-627-8544 bnaiisrael.org office@bnaiisrael.org Rabbi Shlomo Eisenberg ORTHODOX B’nai Israel Congregation is an exciting, family-oriented, full-service Orthodox synagogue in the heart of a diverse and dynamic Jewish community in the Ghent neighborhood of Norfolk. It offers daily morning and evening prayer services. The synagogue houses the Norfolk Area Community Kollel, BINA High School for Girls, and the Norfolk Community Mikvah. It is affiliated with the Orthodox Union and the National Conference of Young Israel. • Adult classes • Children’s programming • Teen programming • Weekly kiddushes ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

CHABAD LUBAVITCH OF TIDEWATER/CHABAD HOUSE Serving the entire Hampton Roads community since 1979 1920 Colley Avenue, Norfolk, Va. 23517 757-616-0770, fax: 757-616-0772 www.chabadoftidewater.com rabbilevi@chabadoftidewater.com Rabbi Aron and Rychel Margolin Rabbi Levi and Rashi Brashevitzky Established in 1979 under the direct guidance of The Lubavitch’s Rebbe, Chabad Lubavitch of Tidewater is dedicated to increasing the awareness, knowledge, and observance of Judaism in Chesapeake, Hampton, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach by reaching out to all Jews, regardless of age, affiliation, or level of observance. Chabad participants experience the joy and celebration, the intimacy and compassion, the wisdom and knowledge that are inherent in Jewish life and learning. Chabad of Tidewater responds to both the material and spiritual needs of the Jewish community through classes, counseling, Shabbat and holiday celebrations, and innovative programming for children and adults. • CTeen and CTeen U • Women’s Rosh Chodesh Society • JLI - Jewish Learning Institute • Holiday guides • Jewish Art Calendar • Shabbat and holiday services for youth and adults • Holiday programming for adults, youth, and families

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GUiDE TO JEWiSH LiViNG iN TiDEWATER Judith L. RosenbLatt, P.L.L.C. attoRney & CounseLLoR at Law • Family Law • Divorce • Property Settlement • Child Custody • Estate Administration • Estate Litigation

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COMMODORE URIAH P. LEVY CHAPEL Corner of Maryland Ave. and Gilbert St., Naval Station Norfolk Norfolk, Va. 757-444-7361 Rabbi Gershon Litt, contract chaplain UNAFFILIATED The Commodore Levy Chapel is the oldest land-based Jewish chapel on a Naval Station in North America. Established in 1942, it was named for Commodore Uriah Philips Levy in 1959. Access to worship services is available to Active Duty and Reserve Military, their dependents, military retirees, and Civil Service employees. Guests are allowed when accompanied by sponsors or by special permission from the Base Chaplain’s Office. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

CONGREGATION BETH CHAVERIM

1206 Laskin Road, Suite 250 • Virginia Beach, Virginia

757-428-6021 JRosenblatt@jlrlawfirm.com

www.bethchaverim.com temple.office@bethchaverim.com Cantorial Soloist: Jim Hibberd President: Chad Bornstein REFORM Founded in 1982, Beth Chaverim has been affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism since 1984. • Services at Aviva Pembroke and on Zoom • Friday Night Services take place at 6:30 pm. Email for service link ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

CONGREGATION BETH EL 422 Shirley Avenue, Norfolk, Va. 23517 757-625-7821 bethelnorfolk.com ada@bethelnorfolk.com Rabbi Jacob Herber Rabbi Emeritus: Rabbi Arthur Ruberg Director of Music, Ritual, and Family Engagement: Cantor Laynie Zell Executive Director: Lynette Andrews Director of Education: Sharon Serbin CONSERVATIVE The heart and soul of Congregation Beth El is its loving and welcoming congregation. The congregation boasts a diversified mix of members: families that reach back generations, recent additions to the area, active-duty military, and Veterans from all services. The congregation welcomes and encourages diversity and members of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. Beth El values both tradition and change. The congregation provides dynamic and fun educational programs for all ages, religious and cultural events, and participation in social action projects within the Jewish community and beyond. Beth El holds weekly morning and evening services, as well as weekly Shabbat services every Friday evening and Saturday morning. Everyone is welcome to join the congregation for services and other events in person, on Zoom, or livestream.

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JEWISH VIRGINIA BEACH

OHEF SHOLOM TEMPLE

3400 Holly Road, Virginia Beach, Va. 23451 757-208-3696 Rabbi Meir & Adina Lessoff office@jewishvb.org www.jewishvb.org A welcoming Jewish center for every age and every level of Jewish connection, offering innovative, relevant, and meaningful Jewish experiences for everyone No membership required. Many programs are with no cost.

530 Raleigh Avenue, Norfolk, Va. 23507 757-625-4295, fax: 757-625-3762 information@ohefsholom.org ohefsholom.org Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg Cantor Jennifer Rueben Executive Director: Jennifer Levin-Tavares Director of Lifelong Learning: Alyson Morrissey Music Director: Charles Woodward Rabbi Emeritus: Rabbi Lawrence A. Forman REFORM Founded in 1844, Ohef Sholom Temple is the largest and oldest Reform congregation in Tidewater. Shabbat Services take place Friday at 6:30 pm in-person and via Facebook Live and Saturday at 10:30 am always via Facebook Live and often also in-person. Ohef Sholom Temple is committed to welcoming all who are in search of a spiritual home, including young families, generational families, interfaith families, singles, empty nesters, and LGBTQ+. A Union for Reform Judaism congregation, Ohef Sholom offers innovative worship and deep Torah learning, fosters meaningful relationships, and Tikkun Olam (bettering the world through social action). • Religious School for preschool through Confirmation • Programming for infants, toddlers, children, teens, families, and adults • Intro to Judaism and Adult Hebrew courses • Diverse adult education opportunities • Torah study • Dynamic, musical worship services • Social justice and social action initiatives • Extensive library and archives • Judaica shop • Teen programming (NFTY partnership) • Men’s Club • Sisterhood

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KEHILLAT BET HAMIDRASH (KBH) Reba and Sam Sandler Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Virginia Beach, Va. 23462 757-495-8510 kbhsynagogue@gmail.com kbhsynagogue.org Facebook: www.kbhsynagogue.org/facebook.com/kbhsynagogue Cantor David Proser CONSERVATIVE Kehillat Bet Hamidrash (Kempsville Conservative Synagogue) is a place for traditional, yet egalitarian Jews to celebrate all things Jewish in a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. KBH was established in 1978 and is centrally located in Tidewater, not far from Town Center at its new location at the Sandler Family Campus in Virginia Beach. The synagogue strives to provide opportunities for prayer, learning, camaraderie, celebrating life-cycle events, and supporting both the local and broader Jewish and general communities. Every member is encouraged to play an active role in the life of the congregation. Kehillat Bet Hamidrash continues to enjoy its long-standing relationship with Temple Israel as a programming partner and looks forward to participating in the area’s Masorti Congregations’ collaborative events. • Shabbat and Holiday services and celebrations • Weekly Shabbat Kiddush luncheon • Monthly children’s Shabbat programming with the UJFT Shinshinim • Tikkun Olam projects • Support of, and participation in, Jewish community events • Affiliated with USCJ - United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism • Services and programs are offered in-person and via Zoom

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TEMPLE EMANUEL 424 25th Street, Virginia Beach, Va. 23451 757-428-2591 rabbiari@tevb.org office@tevb.org www.tevb.org Rabbi Ari Oliszewski Office Manager: Jess Michael CONSERVATIVE Temple Emanuel is a thriving oceanfront Jewish community located in Virginia Beach. It is intimate, accepting, and open to all. Temple Emanuel embraces the many ways to express Jewishness and spirituality, welcoming people of all family situations, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. Located at the beach, the congregation offers a relaxed, informal atmosphere with uplifting worship services, as well as cultural programming for all. TE is proud of its religious school (free to members) that provides a wonderful educational and cultural experience for children ages 5 through high school.

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TEMPLE ISRAEL

TEMPLE LEV TIKVAH (HEART OF HOPE)

7255 Granby Street, Norfolk, Va. 23505 757-489-4550 templeIsraelVA1954@gmail.com templeisraelva.org Rabbi Dr. Michael Panitz CONSERVATIVE/MASORTI Temple Israel is a vibrant, egalitarian, full-service synagogue that has served the local Jewish community for more than 70 years by meeting the spiritual, educational, life-cycle, and social needs of its diverse membership. The congregation continues to grow and looks forward to serving the Tidewater Jewish community for generations to come. The congregation is strengthened by many from outside the Jewish community who have made their way into the faith and the Jewish people with its help. Temple Israel has a regular seminar on basic Jewish topics, open to both seekers and veteran members of the faith, each Friday at 4:30 pm. The seminar is conducted via Zoom. (Contact the synagogue office for details.) Through the fulfillment of mitzvot, the congregation provides opportunities for meaningful Jewish living for its members. Shabbat morning worship, held in-person each Saturday, is the high point of the week. Morning and evening minyanim are held via Zoom Sunday through Friday, bringing geographically widespread members together each day. Temple Israel offers additional opportunities to celebrate Shabbat throughout the month. Friday Night Live, held on the third Friday of each month, features an in-person Friday evening worship followed by a community-building oneg Shabbat. On the first Friday of each month, Shabbat Shenanigans welcomes families with children ages 12 and under for an evening of dinner, activities, and worship. Temple Israel seeks to be a good congregational neighbor to other local houses of worship, regularly participating in inter-congregational programs. It maintains a full schedule of joint programs with Kempsville Conservative Synagogue. Children receive Jewish education at Strelitz International Academy, Sunday religious school, and other venues, as approved by the rabbi. Adult education is one of the hallmarks of Temple Israel, including ongoing opportunities for Jewish study and an adult Bar and Bat Mitzvah class. Temple Israel enthusiastically embraces tikkun olam (repairing the world). Each month the congregation adopts a “mitzvah of the month” and focuses its charitable giving on that cause. With a perspective embracing both tradition and the challenges of today’s world, Temple Israel welcomes innovative ideas and new voices into its family. Its facilities are fully accessible. Prospective members are welcome to visit: • Worship gatherings • Congregational cultural and community-building programs • Library • Gift Shop

1593 Lynnhaven Parkway, Virginia Beach, Va. 23453 757-617-0334 jzobe@aol.com Rabbi Israel Zoberman REFORM The newest Jewish congregation in Hampton Roads meets in The Church of the Holy Apostles in Virginia Beach. The church is an Episcopal and Roman Catholic congregation. Now, it is where Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, and Jews meet under one roof. Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman is the founder and spiritual leader.

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737 First Colonial Road #210, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 28 | JEWISH NEWS | AUGUST 10, 2026 | jewishnewsva.org

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EDUCATION LOWER, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS

they explore local and global issues and opportunities in real-life contexts. Graduates are ready to meet the challenges of today’s fast-paced world, as evidenced by their acceptance and seamless transitions into the top independent schools, International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program, and high school academies.

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BINA HIGH SCHOOL

TALMUDICAL ACADEMY

425 Washington Park, Norfolk, Va. 23517 757-627-BINA (2462) office@binahighschool.com binahighschool.com Principal: Aviva Harpaz aharpaz@binahighschool.com Norfolk’s first and only Orthodox Jewish High School for young women, BINA opened in 2007. The BINA experience enables each student to develop her love for Hashem, His Torah and the Jewish people. In a supportive and challenging academic environment, students are given the skills to excel in both Judaic and General studies. BINA’s knowledgeable and professional faculty foster a love of learning and pride in achievement. A BINA student is taught to be proud of her heritage, concerned for her community, and prepared for her future. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

STRELITZ INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY Early Years and Primary Years Programs, Infants–Grade 5 Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Virginia Beach, Va. 23462 757-424-4327 strelitzinternationalacademy.org facebook.com/strelitzacademy @strelitzinternationalacademy International Baccalaureate® World School Head of School: Heather Moore hmoore@strelitzacademy.org Admissions Manager: Ally St. Pierre astpierre@strelitzacademy.org Strelitz International Academy is the community’s progressive Jewish Day School welcoming students ages six weeks through grade 5. SIA is the only International Baccalaureate® World School for the Primary Years Program in the area. SIA students are guided by four core Jewish values: Kehillah (community), Kavod (honor), Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), and Torah v’Lishman (love of learning). Starting with the infant care program, Strelitz offers parents a nurturing and safe place to ensure the growth and development for their baby. The infant curriculum focuses on sensory activities and exploration, stories, songs, and floor time. As an International Baccalaureate® World School, the Early Years, students are seen as inquirers of the world around them. Students experience the joy of learning through hands-on activities and nurturing teachers. SIA students learn math and literacy skills and experience Jewish holidays and global learning through books, arts and crafts, songs, games, and creative play. Students also enjoy enrichment classes such as swimming, PE, music, and library time. Primary Years (K–5) students are recognized for their strengths and benefit from small classes and individualized instruction when needed. Students thrive in a setting of a caring community of learners. The SIA curriculum includes Language Arts, Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Jewish Culture, Hebrew, Music, Violin, Art, P.E., and more. Through its inquiry-led, transdisciplinary framework, the International Baccalaureate® Primary Years Program challenges students to think for themselves and take agency in their learning as

Yeshivas Aish Kodesh 612 Colonial Avenue, Norfolk, Va. 23507 757-623-6070 dwilson@yeshivasaishkodesh.com www.yeshivasaishkodesh.com Executive Director: Rabbi Shmuel Katz Judaic Principals: Rabbi Ezra Stettin and Rabbi Avrohom Weinreb General Studies Principal: David Rowzie Administrative Director: Debbie Wilson Yeshivas Aish Kodesh is geared toward the student striving for excellence in Limudei Kodesh and General Studies. The school aims to facilitate the spiritual, personal, and academic growth of talmidim, with an eye toward producing well-rounded bnei Torah. Yeshivas Aish Kodesh meets these goals with a full, balanced schedule. The curriculum features Gemara shiurim in both Iyun and Bekius, as well as regular classes in Chumash, Navi, Halacha, and Tefillah. Yeshivas Aish Kodesh offers a General Studies program taught by state-certified instructors. Yeshivas Aish Kodesh’s facilities feature a Beis Medrash, state-of-the-art classrooms, a well-stocked library, and a recreation/workout room. The students can participate in varsity and junior varsity basketball, as well as intramural football. The students have regular opportunities to participate in pick-up basketball games, swimming, ice skating, and other activities. Yeshivas Aish Kodesh views experiential learning as an integral part of the Yeshiva’s approach. Visiting and interacting with Gedolei Yisrael, an energetic Oneg Shabbos, and a heartfelt kumzitz—are ways in which the special ruach and warmth that characterizes Yeshivas Aish Kodesh are extended.

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TORAS CHAIM OF VIRGINIA 3110 Sterling Point Drive, Portsmouth, Va. 23703 757-686-2480 office@toraschaim.net toraschaim.net Menehel: Rabbi Aryeh Kravetz General Studies Principal: Andie Pollock Toras Chaim provides a high-level Judaic and General Studies education ranging from Early Childhood through 8th grade, fostering a strong Jewish identity and an enduring commitment to the Torah and its values. Toras Chaim is dedicated to the belief that Jewish children and their families can partner together to create a nurturing environment which builds the foundations of a lasting, proud and active Jewish identity for every child. From the very beginning, the school’s Early Childhood Center maintains a developmentally appropriate and loving environment which fosters individuality, creativity, respect for others, and a love for Torah. As students grow, they learn how to ask deep questions, think analytically, and apply their knowledge to life. Under the leadership of its dedicated teachers and administration, Toras Chaim strives to maintain a balanced dual curriculum which challenges students to reach their full potential and to take pride in their accomplishments. With a commitment to every child and an emphasis on academic excellence, enthusiasm for learning, and positive character traits, Toras Chaim graduates emerge proud of their Jewish identity and with a love for learning which propels them forward to continue their education.

UNIVERSITIES ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

BATTEN UNIVERSITY 5817 Wesleyan Drive, Virginia Beach, Va. 23455 757-455-3250 Eric Michael Mazur, PhD, Gloria & David Furman Professor of Judaic Studies, Religion, Law, & Politics Fellow, Robert Nusbaum Center emazur@batten.edu The Jewish studies minor at Batten University provides students with the opportunity to enhance their chosen major with a course of study that includes traditional classes, independent study, and internships. Directed by Eric Mazur, Gloria & David Furman Professor of Judaic Studies, students enrolled in the minor enjoy the flexibility to develop their own course of study in a supportive intellectual environment. Batten University—a small liberal arts university on a 300-acre campus that is just minutes from the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay— inspires students to build meaningful lives through engagement in Coastal Virginia’s dynamic metropolitan region, the nation, and the world. The University has been named the #1 college in Virginia for LGBTQ+ students and has been recognized by the Princeton Review as one of the most environmentally responsible colleges. It is an inclusive community dedicated to scholarship and service grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY Bertram and Gladys Aaron Endowed Professor of Jewish Studies: Dr. Vered Sakal vered.sakal@cnu.edu CNU.edu www.facebook.com/people/Jewish-Studies-in-CNUs-Philosophy-and-ReligionDepartment/61569537975154/# Christopher Newport University is dedicated to building a vibrant program in Jewish Studies. Dr. Vered Sakal, an internationally renowned scholar of Jewish Studies, is leading the effort as the Bertram and Gladys Aaron Endowed Professor of Jewish Studies. Sakal is passionate about teaching and bringing Jewish Studies to life in the classroom. Her interdisciplinary approach fosters students’ ability to connect to the material and makes her classes engaging and vibrant. Sakal grew up in Israel and is an ordained rabbi. Christopher Newport is a public university that champions small class sizes, dynamic faculty, and a tight-knit community focused on ensuring students are prepared to lead lives of significance.

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Under the direction of Jewish Peninsula 757-930-1422 Director: Julia Downer jdowner@ujcvp.org CNU Hillel is open to all students, Jewish or Jewish-curious, and is the premiere Jewish organization at Christopher Newport University. Hillel offers social, religious, cultural, and Israel-related events led by both student leadership and professional staff.

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OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH STUDIES AND INTERFAITH UNDERSTANDING AT OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY 2024 Batten Arts and Letters, Norfolk, Va. 23529 757-683-6816 Director: Amy Milligan, PhD odu.edu/jewish-studies facebook.com/ODUJewishStudies instagram.com/ODUJewishStudies The Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding (IJIU) is an interdisciplinary academic program at Old Dominion University dedicated to creating strong, inclusive learning experiences that deepen understanding of Jewish thought, history, and culture. IJIU sponsors research, academic programs, engagement activities, and collaboration with community partners to promote diverse Jewish perspectives about significant local and global issues, address antisemitic acts and other forms of hatred, and encourage dialogue between people of all faiths and beliefs.

HILLEL AT OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY Advisor: Amy Milligan, PhD 757-683-6816 amilliga@odu.edu @ODUJewishStudies Hillel is the home to the Jewish student community with social activities, educational events, and holiday celebrations on and off campus.

RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

CONGREGATION BETH EL’S PATRICIA SARAH ASHKENAZI RELIGIOUS SCHOOL, HEBREW SCHOOL, AND BOGRIM PROGRAM Director of Education: Sharon J. Serbin sharonj@bethelnorfolk.com All three schools or programs are open to all students regardless of synagogue affiliation or not affiliated at all.

PATRICIA SARAH ASHKENAZI RELIGIOUS SCHOOL (PSARS) 422 Shirley Avenue, Norfolk, Va. 23517 Congregation Beth El’s PSARS meets on Sundays, 9 am - 12 pm at Congregation Beth El. The student body consists of classes from Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten through 7th grade. The curriculum includes Judaica, Hebrew, Brachot, Israel studies, and Mitzvot. Arts and crafts, holiday programs, creative drama, music, and more provide for a well-rounded education. The program includes a hands-on exploration of Jewish People and Cultures Around the World, with four new countries to focus on. Students learn about similarities and unique differences of Jewish life in various countries. Activities include cooking Jewish food and creating art from those countries, learning how holidays and Shabbat are celebrated, languages used, and other cultural Jewish folklore. PSARS focuses on ‘experiencing’ education. The school’s mission is to educate, nurture, guide, and encourage students to embrace the joy in Judaism.

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WILLIAM & MARY HILLEL SHENKMAN JEWISH CENTER PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, Va. 23187 757-559-1836 Director: Rabbi Gershon Litt rabbilitt@wmhillel.org William & Mary Hillel is open to all Jewish students and is the Jewish organization at William & Mary. Hillel offers social, religious, cultural, and Israel-related events led by student leadership and professional staff. The Shenkman Jewish Center is the home for W&M Hillel offering kosher meals, programs, and services.

WEDNESDAY HEBREW SCHOOL 500 Corporate Woods Drive, Virginia Beach, Va. 23462 Hebrew School meets on Wednesdays, 5:10 - 6:50 pm at the Simon Family Jewish Community Center in Virginia Beach. Classes are for third through sixth graders. The focus is on various aspects of Hebrew, including, but not limited to, reading, writing, root words, brachot, and conversational modern Hebrew. The curriculum includes fun and engaging methods such as arts and crafts and educational games. Students develop a strong foundation of Hebrew and learn how it connects to Jewish culture.

THE BOGRIM PROGRAM 422 Shirley Avenue, Norfolk, Va. 23517 Open to eighth through 12th graders, Bogrim meets once a month on Sundays at Beth El. The focus for the Bogrim Program is Leadership, Knowledge, Action and Advocacy. The Bogrim Program helps students grow as Jewish young adults through discussions, social actions, mitzvot (good deeds) and middot (values). Some lessons are paired with fun activities/field trips to put knowledge into action, as well as time in the community to do Mitzvot. Experts in various fields are guest speakers. Students explore who they are individually as a young Jewish adult, who they are in the community, and what their responsibilities are in the world.

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OHEF SHOLOM TEMPLE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

TEMPLE EMANUEL RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

509 Raleigh Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23507 757-625-4295 ohefsholom.org Alyson@ohefsholom.org Director of Lifelong Learning: Alyson Morrissey At Ohef Sholom Temple Religious School, students do more than learn Hebrew, celebrate Jewish holidays, and prepare for their b’nai mitzvah. They develop a lifelong connection to Jewish life by embracing their heritage, taking pride in their identity, and helping build a vibrant Jewish community. Ohef Sholom is committed to nurturing individuals who embody Jewish values rooted in Torah while maintaining meaningful connections to Israel, Jewish history, culture, language, and traditions. Meeting most Sundays from September through May, 9:30 am - noon, the Religious School offers a dynamic Jewish educational program for students in pre-K through seventh grade. The youngest learners engage in hands-on experiences through art, music, Hebrew Through Movement, and weekly T’filah (prayer). Learning is interactive and relationship-centered, helping students see Judaism as both meaningful and relevant in their everyday lives. Students in grades four through seven also receive personalized oneon-one Hebrew instruction via Zoom during the week as they prepare for b’nai mitzvah. Beginning in eighth grade, students transition into OST’s reimagined teen program, replacing the traditional Sunday morning model. Meeting approximately once each month, teens participate in experiences centered on leadership, community-building, service, Jewish identity, and social connection. Through hands-on projects, in-depth discussions, community partnerships, and shared experiences, including a cohort trip to Washington, D.C., students strengthen their connection to Jewish life while building lasting friendships. Sunday mornings also become an opportunity for many teens to serve as madrichim (student classroom assistants), giving back to younger students while developing valuable leadership skills. Students continue their Jewish journey through Confirmation in grades 10 and 11. Meeting monthly with clergy, Confirmation brings teens together for thoughtful conversations, shared meals, and guided discussions as they explore their Jewish identity, deepen their connection to one another, and consider how Judaism will continue to shape their lives beyond high school, culminating in a powerful and moving Confirmation service. OST is committed to ensuring every child can thrive. The school’s special education program, led by licensed professionals, supports students with diverse needs through individualized plans and access to a dedicated sensory room. Throughout the year, OST Religious School offers family programs centered on Jewish holidays, fostering community and intergenerational engagement. Beginning in fifth grade, families also participate in the congregation’s B’nai Mitzvah Pathways program, a multi-year journey that helps students and their families explore the meaning and purpose of becoming b’nai mitzvah. Ohef Sholom is committed to partnering with families to create experiences that strengthen Jewish identity across generations. Religious School begins this year on Sunday, September 27. Prospective families are welcome to visit, learn more about the programs, and discover what makes OST the place to be. Families are welcome to enroll in the Religious School for one year before becoming synagogue members, providing an opportunity to experience the temple’s community firsthand.

424 25th Street, Virginia Beach, Va. 23451 757-428-2591 tevb.org davis.sarahlynne@gmail.com @templemanuelvirginiabeach Director of Education: Sarah Davis, EdD Temple Emanuel’s school consists of classes from Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten through post B’nai Mitzvah. An engaging curriculum includes reading and writing Hebrew, learning Judaic history, and developing a strong connection to Israel and Jewish holidays. Through interactive lessons, meaningful rituals, and hands-on experiences, the school aims to instill a strong sense of Jewish identity, values, and community in students. It is committed to empowering students to become compassionate leaders, critical thinkers, and active participants in shaping a better world guided by Jewish principles. Temple Emanuel’s Religious School meets on Sundays, 9:30 am - 12 pm, September through April. The school also meets five Saturdays throughout the year. The Saturday component is a teacher-led family Shabbat service where students participate in kidfriendly services and join the community service for part of the morning. Parents are encouraged to attend Shabbat services on those Saturdays. Students also participate in festivity celebrations, mitzvah projects, and field trips throughout the year. Third graders and up have individual, online Hebrew classes once a week, which focus on reading, writing, and brachot. Post B’nai Mitzvah students meet every other Sunday at Temple Emanuel to engage in stimulating, teacher-led discussions on Jewish morals and ethics. Teenagers have opportunities for open minded discussion in a safe and welcoming space. This summer, the school went through an extensive renovation thanks to a generous grant from the Tidewater Jewish Foundation. Follow the school on Instagram @templemanuelvirginiabeach for real time updates on the renovation. Bios of faculty and the school calendar can be found at tevb.org.

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GUiDE TO JEWiSH LiViNG iN TiDEWATER COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

JEWISH ART EDUCATION 301-775-1687 info@jarted.org jarted.org Myrna Teck, PhD, president Jewish Art Education is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the wider world on the contributions of the visual arts to Jewish civilization. JAE’s program catalog includes more than 60 presentations, which can be enjoyed in person or via livestream. Selected programs are available via DVD or downloadable video from its web store. Programs are enjoyed by senior living communities, houses of worship, community centers, and other organizations that provide programs for lifelong learners. Public arts programs are now offered four times a year, as well as through the Milton School of Jewish Learning. JAE also has in-person speakers in Coastal Virginia, the Washington D.C. area, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

NORFOLK AREA COMMUNITY KOLLEL 420 Spotswood Avenue, Norfolk, Va. 23517 757-655-1836 office@norfolkkollel.com norfolkkollel.com Rosh Kollel: Rabbi Boruch Danziger Executive Director: Rabbi Gershon Litt Rabbi Yehuda Brickman Rabbi Eliyahu Klein Rabbi Reuven Rothenberg Rabbi Yehuda Rabi Rabbi Meir Lasson Rabbi Dovid Munk Rabbi Calev Turin Rabbi Yossi Goldwag Norfolk Area Community Kollel offers Jewish classes and programming regardless of affiliation or practice. Their philosophy is Torah-based and centers on gaining spirituality through personal growth and rich Torah heritage. The Norfolk Kollel offers programs at college campuses and high schools, as well as lunch and learn programs and “one-on-one” study sessions. The Kollel can “tailor-make” a Jewish education program for specific needs. The motto of the Kollel is “Inspiration Through Education.”

SERVICES AND ORGANIZATIONS ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

ADL (ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE) ADL Washington, D.C. Regional Office Regional Director, Tali Cohen washington-dc@adl.org dc.adl.org ADL is the leading organization fighting antisemitism, extremism, and other forms of hate. Founded in 1913, ADL’s timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” ADL protects the Jewish community and others targeted by hate through a comprehensive strategy, responding wherever antisemitism and hate arise and leveraging global expertise to safeguard and empower communities worldwide. ADL combats antisemitism and hate through a comprehensive approach: •A DL is on the ground, responding to incidents of antisemitism wherever and whenever they occur, supporting targets of hate and working with its partners to keep communities safe. •A DL advocates for effective policy solutions and the passage of legislation at the local, state, and federal levels. •A DL analyzes data and produces cutting-edge research on trends in antisemitism and extremism and provides information to law enforcement and other partners. •A DL litigates in order to hold people accountable for their actions and provide justice for individuals who have been targeted by hate. •A DL speaks out strongly against hateful rhetoric in the media, in the news, on the streets, and wherever it occurs. •A DL provides valuable antisemitism education, tools, and resources to schools and workplaces. •A DL is dedicated to fighting antisemitism and hate and protecting communities every day. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (AIPAC) atischler@aipac.org AIPAC Southeast Senior Vice President: Alisha Tischler aipac.org The mission of AIPAC—the American Israel Public Affairs Committee—is to strengthen and expand the U.S.-Israel relationship in ways that enhance the security of the United States and Israel. The national organization engages with and educates about the bonds that unite the two countries, and how it is in America’s best interest to strengthen those bonds and help ensure that the Jewish state remains safe, strong, and secure. AIPAC’s mission is to encourage and persuade the U.S. government to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring, and mutually beneficial relationship with its ally, Israel. For more than 60 years, AIPAC has worked to make a difference, building a better tomorrow for the United States and Israel.

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AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE (AJC)

BRITH SHOLOM CENTER OF VIRGINIA

202-785-5475 Regional Office Director: Alan Ronkin washington@ajc.org; AJC.org Facebook.com /AJCGlobal x.com/AJCGlobal Building Bridges in the Nation’s Capital American Jewish Committee’s global advocacy work aims to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel. An access to diplomats, elected officials, and interfaith leaders advances AJC’s broader global priorities: combating antisemitism, promoting Israel’s place in the world, and countering the spread of radicalism and extremism. American Jewish Committee’s Washington regional office serves as the gate-way to AJC’s global Jewish advocacy network. It works to shape a brighter future by taking on the toughest challenges and pursuing the most transformative opportunities. Wherever the Jewish people need AJC, it is there.

Social Secretary: Annette Mand 757-461-1150 Brith.sholom1@gmail.com Brith Sholom Center of Virginia, Inc. is a nonpolitical organization which aims to foster and perpetuate the spirit, ideals, and traditions of Judaism. Membership is $25. Applications for men and women, 21 years and above, are available. Activities include dinners, dances, trips, entertainment, and cultural events. Its philanthropic endeavor is to support Jewish education and community organizations that provide services, plus international groups that assist needy causes. Brith Sholom meetings take place on the first Sunday of each month (except July and August) at 11 am at Aviva Pembroke, 373 Constitution Dr., Virginia Beach, Va.

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B’NAI B’RITH OF TIDEWATER Arnold Gamsey Lodge #1195 https://www.bnaibrith.org Founded in 1843, B’nai B’rith is dedicated to building a strong sense of Jewish identity and unity within the Jewish community. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Contact us to explore your options for year-end giving: (757) 622-7951 or HamptonRoadsCF.org/ giving-your-way/waysto-give

BOARD OF RABBIS AND CANTORS OF HAMPTON ROADS rabbiari@tevb.org President: Rabbi Ari Oliszewski The board was originally organized as the Board of Rabbis. About 20 years ago, it expanded its membership to include cantors. The board provides an opportunity for local Jewish clergy to meet on a regular basis to address, discuss, and answer the challenges facing the Jewish community of Tidewater, as well as plan events for continuing professional development. The board also provides a clergy presence and leadership whenever necessary. .

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FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES (FDIF) Virginia Chapter – MidAtlantic Region Jennifer Scher: National Vice President, MidAtlantic Region, jennifer.scher@fidf.org Jen Halpern: Virginia Chapter Director jen.halpern@fidf.org Alex Haskel: Associate Director, Regional Growth alex.haskel@fidf.org Dani Cahn: Associate Director, Affi nity Groups, danielle.cahn@fidf.org Joel Nied: Virginia Chapter President Established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors, FIDF is a non-political, non-military, 501c3 not-for-profit organization that provides for the health, wellbeing, and education of the soldiers and veterans of the IDF and their family members. IDF soldiers risk their lives to maintain Israel’s security, and FIDF is committed to providing these soldiers and their families with love, support, and care to help ease the burden they carry on behalf of the Jewish community worldwide. FIDF provides life-changing assistance in a variety of ways: • Financial support, education • Lone Soldier support • Wounded soldiers, mental health, and bereaved family support • Spiritual and heritage programs • Construction projects Follow FDIF on social media or reach out directly to stay in touch. Join FDIF in bolstering Israel’s courageous soldiers.

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HADASSAH

JEWISH WAR VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Hadassah National Zionist Affairs Chair and Chair of Hadassah Nurses & Allied Health Professional Council: Sharon Goretsky 757-535- 9633, sgoretsky@hadassah.org hadassah.org In 1912, after returning from Jerusalem, Hadassah founder Henrietta Szold established the first Hadassah chapter in New York. Soon afterward, one of the organization’s earliest chapters was chartered in Norfolk, Virginia. Today, more than 114 years later, Hadassah’s Norfolk–Virginia Beach Chapter is building on that proud legacy and welcoming a new generation of Jewish and Zionist women from across Hampton Roads to connect, lead, learn, and make a difference together. Hadassah is Lifechanging. It’s more than a tagline; it’s a reflection of the organization’s mission and impact. Hadassah is the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States. With nearly 300,000 members, associates, and supporters nationwide, Hadassah empowers women to create meaningful change through leadership, education, advocacy, philanthropy, and unwavering support for Israel. Through the Hadassah Medical Organization’s two hospitals, world-renowned trauma center, and internationally recognized research facilities in Jerusalem, Hadassah provides exceptional care to more than one million people each year. Guided by the principle that healthcare should be available to all, Hadassah serves patients regardless of race, religion, or nationality. In recognition of its commitment to building “bridges to peace” through equal access to medical treatment, the Hadassah Medical Organization was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. Every day, Hadassah’s work is lifechanging for patients, families, communities, and the future of Israel. Whether new to the area, looking to reconnect with the Jewish community, or seeking to make an impact, Hadassah is welcoming. Join and discover how, together, lives can be changed, one woman, one community, and one generation at a time. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

HEBREW LADIES CHARITY SOCIETY jfshamptonroads.org Hebrew Ladies Charity Society (HLCS) was established in 1902 by nine local Jewish women who banded together to help address the unmet needs of the community. In 1925, the Ladies Hebrew Charity Society and the Council of Jewish Women merged to avoid duplicating efforts. In 1946, they established the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau, which was renamed and incorporated in 1948 as Jewish Family Service of Tidewater. JFS honors and remembers the ladies who helped settle Tidewater and established a fund to provide food and financial assistance to local Jewish people in need. Contributions in honor of the Hebrew Ladies Charity Society can be made to jfshamptonroads.org.

JWV Post 158 Post Commander: Adam Goldberg 831-917-3996, jwv.post158.se.virginia@gmail.com facebook.com/JWVPost158VA/ Join at: jwv.org/membership/explore-membership The oldest active veteran’s organization in America, chartered in 1896 by an act of Congress, the Jewish War Veterans brings together citizens of the U.S.A. with joint ties of a common Jewish heritage and the experience of serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is the organization’s goal to apply experiences in the military as civilians to “be of greater service to our country, our community, and above all to our fellow veterans.” JWV Post 158 works to instill the tenets of the National HQ’s mission within the local community by imparting true allegiance to the U.S.A. and love of country and flag, combating bigotry and darkness wherever originating and defending whomever it targets, preserving the spirit of comradeship to fellow veterans and their families, honoring the memory and shielding from neglect the graves of the community’s heroic dead, and most importantly preserving memories and records of those men and women of the Jewish faith who “did us proud by bearing the brunt of battle in the patriotic service of our great country.” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

NORFOLK MIKVAHS 417 Washington Park, Norfolk, Va. 23517 Mailing address: 420 Spotswood Ave., Norfolk, VA 23517 Mikvah Director: Leah Rivka Griffin norfolkmikvah@yahoo.com mikvahnorfolk@gmail.com (for calendar and appointments) Three mikvahs are located adjacent to B’nai Israel Congregation. Mikvah Taharas Chaya (left side entrance), inaugurated in 2022, is exclusively used by women observing Family Purity laws. It is also used by new brides to immerse before their wedding day. The Norfolk community mikvah conversion (right side entrance) is designated for men’s immersions. An outdoor mikvah is used for immersing new vessels (keilim). ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN Established nationally in 1893 and locally in 1905, NCJW is the oldest Jewish women’s organization in the U.S. The group’s educational and legislative efforts have helped bring about action in areas of concern to women and children. The local Endowment Fund functions as the Tidewater Council of Jewish Women under Jewish Family Service Foundation Philanthropic Fund Agreement. Donations may be made to the TCJW Fund through JFS, 5000 Corporate Woods Dr., Virginia Beach, VA 23462.

GUiDE TO JEWiSH LiViNG iN TiDEWATER

JOIN US FOR

A Season of Iconic Inspiration 2 6 /2 7 S E A S O N

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JEWISH MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER 607 Effi ngham St. Portsmouth, Va. 23704 Executive Director: Jennifer Priest 757-692-5718 jmccportsmouth@gmail.com www.jewishmuseumportsmouth.org The Jewish Museum and Cultural Center is housed in the beautifully restored Chevra T’helim Synagogue, the interior of which is a rare surviving example of Eastern European Jewish Orthodoxy. The Museum offers lectures, exhibits, a summer music series, and a winter cinema series, as well as school programs, adult programs, and tours. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

ORT AMERICA 770-856-8590 Southeast Region/Atlanta Director: Kenny Silverboard silverboardk@ort.org ort.org ORT supports educational opportunities for more than 200,000 Jewish students, teachers, and families in 39 countries, including 18,000 plus students in Israel. Students are enrolled in the ORT network of schools and training programs, which include STEM, STEAM, robotics, AI, and teacher training institutes.

SUBSCRIBE T O DAY A N D SECURE YO U R S E AT S ALL SEASON!

V I RG I N I A S Y M P H O N Y.O RG/ SUBSCRIPTIONS 75 7- 8 92 - 6 3 6 6

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SOCIAL SERVICES –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

AVIVA PEMBROKE 373 Constitution Drive, Virginia Beach, Va. 23462 Executive Director: Jennifer Stell jstell@avivapembroke.com avivapembroke.com Aviva Pembroke is a senior living community located in the Pembroke Square area of Virginia Beach. The community offers a mix of independent living, assisted living, and memory care, with 114 independent living apartments, 27 assisted living residences, and 12 memory care suites. Residents can choose from studio, one-bedroom, onebedroom with den, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom floor plans depending on their level of care. Independent living apartments feature private terraces, walk-in closets, and full kitchens with modern appliances. Residents enjoy a variety of on-site amenities, including a rooftop lounge, putting green, pickleball and bocce ball courts, an indoor pool and spa, fitness center, life enrichment programs, chef-prepared dining, housekeeping, salon services, pet-friendly spaces, and Wi-Fi throughout the community. Located in a walkable, urban setting, Aviva Pembroke offers convenient access to some of the best dining, shopping, and entertainment options in Virginia Beach. Created in partnership between Beth Sholom Village and Pembroke Square Associates, Aviva Pembroke combines innovative senior living with the trusted care and experience of two respected local organizations. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

BETH SHOLOM VILLAGE Executive Director: Lauren Krajesky 757-961-9027 bethsholomvillage.com For more than 40 years, Beth Sholom Village (BSV) has been a cornerstone of senior care and residential living in Tidewater, grounded in Jewish values, customs, and traditions. In response to the evolving needs of today’s senior population, BSV has launched a new strategic mission focused on expanding its impact throughout the Greater Hampton Roads Jewish community. As part of this transformation, BSV is actively working toward becoming a grant-making organization that supports seniors across the region and established the Beth Sholom Village Foundation. In partnership with Pembroke Realty Group, BSV recently opened Aviva Pembroke, a modern senior living community located in Virginia Beach’s Pembroke Square. This project reflects BSV’s broader commitment to reimagining what Jewish senior care can look like for future generations. As it evolves, BSV remains dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for Jewish seniors, serving as a trusted resource, connector, and advocate for care, community, and well-being.

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BURIAL ASSISTANCE

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF TIDEWATER

Limited funds are available to help Jewish individuals with burial arrangements if family cannot afford services for their loved one. Case Managers are also available to help create pre-needs funeral arrangements and can coordinate support by Chavrah Kadisha at a family’s time of need. These services have recently been expanded for more availability by a grant from the Beth Sholom Village Foundation. Other funding is from the Hebrew Ladies Charity Society and Pincus Paul Foundations held at Tidewater Jewish Foundation.

Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suites 300 and 400, Virginia Beach, Va. 23462 Chief Executive Officer: Kelly Burroughs Administration: 757-321-2222 Counseling Services, Food and Financial Assistance: 757-459-4640 Personal Affairs Management/Guardian & Conservator Program: 757-938-9130 jfshamptonroads.org Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, Inc. is a social service agency providing a continuum of solutions to those in need throughout Tidewater, regardless of religion or financial status. The agency has earned a national reputation of responding to community needs by the creation and expansion of programs for children, youth, families, older adults, persons with developmental disabilities, and persons who experience chronic mental illness. JFS depends on the generosity of the Jewish and the broader Tidewater communities for support. Local funding sources include United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Tidewater Jewish Foundation, Beth Sholom Village Foundation, United Way of South Hampton Roads, and many generous foundations and donors.

COUNSELING FOR ALL AGES/EMBRACE COUNSELING JFS provides individual, couple, family, and group counseling services to people of all ages, regardless of affiliation. JFS offers grief counseling through the Dozoretz Center for Family Healing, a community resource center established to help people of all ages cope with the death of a loved one, family illness, relocation, divorce, separation, or remarriage. The Jessica Glasser Children’s Therapeutic Pavilion at JFS offers an engaging play therapy room, which provides a comforting place for children and teens to learn to cope with life issues. Therapists are highly trained, master’s level, Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs), many of whom hold special training in grief, child/teen issues, family stress, and gerontology. JFS counseling services are covered by Medicare and Medicaid, and by many private health insurance companies. Services may be provided on a sliding scale fee basis to those without insurance who qualify. Sliding-scale funding for these services is made possible by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and funds held at the Tidewater Jewish Foundation for the benefit of JFS.

PPERSONAL AFFAIRS MANAGEMENT (PAM) GUARDIANSHIP & CONSERVATORSHIP The Personal Affairs Management (PAM) Program at JFS safeguards the personal and financial affairs of vulnerable, incapacitated adults with physical, cognitive, and/or mental disabilities. Guardian and/or conservator services are provided based on court order. The PAM Program has been recognized as a Model Program by the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging and is approved as a Regional Public Guardian and Conservator Program by the Virginia Department for the Aging and Rehabilitative Services. On-call case management is available 24 hours a day to improve clients’ quality of life and manage personal and medical care.

SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS JFS offers a variety of services to support persons with special or differing needs and is grateful for funding for these services from United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and private donors who care about the social and emotional inclusion of persons with special needs.

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES Limited transportation is available for medical and other appointments for Jewish seniors and individuals with disabilities. These services have recently been expanded for more availability by a grant from the Beth Sholom Village Foundation.

FOOD AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE In Virginia, more than 170,000 families live below the poverty level. Many of these families are unable to obtain nutritious food. To combat this growing problem, JFS partners with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia to operate a Community Food Pantry. Individuals and families, regardless of affiliation, can receive food assistance once a month. The Pantry is open on Tuesday mornings and by appointment. Hunger happens in Jewish households, too. For Jewish individuals in need of kosher food, JFS operates its Milk and Honey Food Program and is open by calling in advance. Financial assistance is available for Jewish families coping with unplanned financial debt and obligation. Case managers help with budgeting, financial planning, and payment arrangements. This program is made possible by the generosity of the Pincus Paul Fund of the Jewish Family Service Foundation and the endowment fund of Hebrew Ladies Charity Society, along with the support of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Beth Sholom Village Foundation, and generous donor contributions. JFS receives food from many generous donors. Families or organizations interested in a food drive or bringing food or other household supplies to support the pantry, should contact JFS. Restocking shelves is always needed and assistance with shopping is always appreciated. Funding for these services is made possible by generous individual and organizational donations, and from the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Tidewater Jewish Foundation, and the Beth Sholom Village Foundation.

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CAMPS

YOUTH GROUPS

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CAMP JCC

BBYO

Director of Camp JCC: Kate-Lynn Cipolla 757-321-2306; klcipolla@ujft.org Camp JCC Manager: Christine Carnahan 757-321-3182, CCarnahan@ujft.org CampJCC.org JewishVA.org/KidsClasses Camp JCC provides children and teens with opportunities to learn, grow, build friendships, and have fun in a welcoming and inclusive environment. While summer camp is at the heart of Camp JCC, year-round experiences help children stay connected to their friends, interests, and the broader Tidewater Jewish community. Programs include: • Summer Camp: For rising kindergarteners through 8th grade, running mid-June through mid-August. • Spring Break Camp: A week of themed activities, outdoor adventures, and friendship-building during local school spring breaks. • Winter Break Camp: Engaging programming and activities during the winter holiday break. •S chool Days Out: Full-day care and creative programming on days when schools are closed. • Summer CIT Program: Leadership development and hands-on mentoring experience for rising 9th and 10th graders. • After-School Programs: Enrichment classes such as art, STEM, sports, and more that help children explore new interests. • Kids Night Out: Monthly Saturday evening programs (November–May) for ages 4–12 featuring games, activities, and fun with friends while parents enjoy a night off.

City Director - Tidewater: Courtney Krutoy ckrutoy@bbyo.org JewishVA.org/BBYO BBYO gives Jewish teens a place to belong, lead, and build lifelong friendships. Through chapter experiences, social gatherings, community service, leadership opportunities, travel, and Jewish engagement, teens connect with one another while developing confidence and a strong sense of identity. As part of a global Jewish teen movement, BBYO helps young people create meaningful memories, build leadership skills, and become active members of both the local and worldwide Jewish community.

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CAMP GAN ISRAEL - GAN IZZY Director of Camp: Rashi Brashevitsky ganizzy.org 757-616-0770; rashi@chabadoftidewater.com 1920 Colley Ave., Norfolk, VA 23517 Camp Gan Israel (“Gan Izzy”) is part of the largest worldwide network of Jewish day camps. At Gan Izzy, campers’ days are filled with games, crafts, field trips, sports, swimming, and more—all with a Jewish twist! Each day of Gan Izzy also includes prayers and a Jewish lesson delivered in a child friendly and relevant fashion. The Gan Izzy experience is filled with great spirit and a love for Jewish heritage. Campers have been known to wait all year long to return to Gan Izzy and start the fun all over again. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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NFTY: THE REFORM JEWISH YOUTH MOVEMENT Mid-Atlantic Region—NFTY-MAR REFORM nfty.org, nftymar@urj.org NFTY MAR Regional Mentor: Lindsey Fleishman Reform Jewish teens from North Carolina (excluding Charlotte), eastern West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. comprise NFTY-MAR. Members come together for learning, fun, worship, community service, and fellowship to help Jewish teens build and strengthen lifetime ties with each other and Reform Judaism. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

OHEF SHOLOM TEMPLE YOUTH (OSTY) Teen Advisors: Hannah Cooper, Sarah Kazden, and Hunter Thomas 757-625-4295 ohefsholom.org Ohef Sholom Temple believes that Jewish learning and connection should not end with B’nai Mitzvah—it should evolve. That’s why the congregation is introducing a reimagined approach to teen engagement that creates meaningful pathways for students to stay connected, build friendships, develop leadership skills, and strengthen their Jewish identities. Beginning this fall, 8th and 9th graders will participate in a new monthly engagement program focused on community-building, service, leadership, education, and fun. This structure allows teens to balance their busy schedules while remaining actively involved in Jewish life in a meaningful way. All teens will also have the opportunity to serve as madrichim in the temple’s Religious School, transitioning from learners to leaders as they mentor younger students and help shape the next generation of Jewish learners. In addition, participants can take part in congregational leadership opportunities throughout the year, including helping to plan and lead community events such as the annual Purim Carnival.

CAMP SABABA BEACHAWAY

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Director of Camp: Danny Mishkin 516-499-5349; info@sabababeachaway.org Sababa Beachaway is a co-ed residential summer camp for rising fifth through 12th graders, located in Virginia Beach. Sababa immerses campers in the magic and majesty of the beach, adds the right amount of spiritual practice, and provides a fun, non-competitive yet challenging camp experience. The camp’s two-week sessions invite campers to escape the grind to ride the wave, catch the wind, explore the sea, and capture the moment. Whether on a surfboard, in a sailboat, or under the sea, Sababa campers learn exhilarating new skills, build lifelong relationships, grow a stronger sense of self, and stoke an innate spiritual flame.

CTEEN

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Directors: Rabbi Levi & Rashi Brashevitzky 1920 Colley Ave., Norfolk, VA 23517 757-616-0770; rashi@chabadoftidewater.com CTeen Hampton Roads is part of the global CTeen network, providing Jewish teens with meaningful experiences, lasting friendships, and opportunities to explore their Jewish identity. Through social events, community service, holiday celebrations, leadership opportunities, and hands-on programs, CTeen empowers teens to develop Jewish pride, give back to their community, and have fun in a warm, and welcoming Jewish environment.

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CEMETERIES ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

B’NAI ISRAEL CEMETERY 2710 Cromwell Road, Norfolk, Va. 757-627-7358 office@bnaiisrael.org ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

CHEVRA T’HELIM Shell Road near Frederick Blvd. and George Washington Highway Portsmouth, Va. 757-965-9121 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

FOREST LAWN CEMETERY 8100 Granby Street, Norfolk, Va. 757-441-1752

Southside Chapel • 5033 Rouse Drive Virginia Beach • 757 422-4000

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GOMLEY CHESED CEMETERY Shell Road near Frederick Blvd. and George Washington Highway Portsmouth, Va. 757-965-9121 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

HEBREW CEMETERY Princess Anne Road and Tidewater Drive, Norfolk, Va. 757-441-2576 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

MIKRO KODESH 2295-2355 Berkley Avenue, Chesapeake, Va. 757-965-9121 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

PRINCESS ANNE MEMORIAL PARK 1110 North Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach, Va. 757-481-1097 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

ROSEWOOD MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY 631 N. Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach, Va. 757-497-8925 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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

Maestas Chapel • 1801 Baltic Ave. Virginia Beach • 757 428-1112

• Family owned and operated since 1917 • Affordable services to fit any budget

Chesapeake Chapel • 929 S. Battlefield Blvd. Chesapeake • 757 482-3311

• Advance funeral planning • Professional, experienced, caring staff • Flexible burial options

Denbigh Chapel • 12893 Jefferson Ave. Newport News • 757 874-4200

• Flexible payment options

WOODLAWN MEMORIAL GARDENS 6329 E. Virginia Beach Boulevard, Norfolk, Va. 757-461-4054 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

WORKMEN’S CIRCLE Railroad Avenue, Chesapeake, Va. 757-965-9121

Approved by all area Rabbis and Chevrah Kadisha Riverside Chapel • 7415 River Road Newport News • 757 245-1525

www.altmeyerfuneralandcremation.com jewishnewsva.org | AUGUST 10, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 39

As you explore the organizations, people, and resources throughout these pages, consider the journey that made them possible. Behind every synagogue, scholarship, summer camp, cultural program, and act of care for our community is someone who chose to give, not simply because they could, but because they believed in the future of Jewish Tidewater.

Now it's your turn. Whether you're making your first charitable gift, involving your family in philanthropy, establishing a donor-advised fund, or planning the legacy you'll leave behind, Tidewater Jewish Foundation serves as your trusted guide, helping you give with purpose at every stage of your philanthropic journey.

Philanthropy isn’t measured by the size of your wealth. It’s measured by the depth of your commitment. Ways We Can Guide Your Journey

• Donor-Advised Funds • Legacy & Estate Planning • Charitable IRA Giving • Endowment Funds

• Youth Philanthropy • Family Giving Conversations • Professional Advisor Partnerships

Tidewater Jewish Foundation Securing assets today, to support and sustain Jewish life, cultural and community tomorrow. foundation.jewishva.org | foundation@tjfva.org | 757-965-6109

40 | JEWISH NEWS | AUGUST 11, 10, 2026 2026 || jewishnewsva.org jewishnewsva.org

IT’S A WRAP

Jewish Family Service holds 67th Biennial Meeting, celebrating generations of service and Jewish values in action service to Jewish Family Service. Steingold Julie Kievit has served as a board member, board Gathering community members, leapresident, and treasurer. His leadership ders, volunteers, and supporters for an reflects the Jewish principle of avodah, afternoon rooted in gratitude, purpose, sacred work done in service of others. and hope, Jewish Family Service of Steingold’s long-standing commitment Tidewater held its 67th Biennial Meeting has helped JFS grow, adapt, and continue on Monday, June 22 at the Fred Huette providing care to people who need it most. Garden in Norfolk. More than a meeting, the occasion was a celebration of JFS’s decades-long commitment to caring for individuals and families across Hampton Roads through the enduring Jewish values of chesed (loving kindness), tzedakah (justice through giving), and tikkun olam (repairing the world). One of the meeting’s highlights was the installation of Steve Brown as the new president of the JFS board of Kelly Burroughs and Stephanie Peck. Sam Brown. directors. Brown The Distinguished Community will serve a two-year term, helping guide Partner Award was presented to St. the organization as it continues to meet the Stephen Martyr Catholic Church for its changing needs of the community with generosity and dedication to clients in the compassion and dignity. The organization Public Adult Guardianship program. Each also recognized Stephanie Peck, outgoing Christmas, members of the church ensure board president, for her dedication and that every client receives a thoughtful gift, leadership. Peck served as president from reminding them that they are rememApril 2024 through June 2026, and her bered and cared for during the holiday commitment helped strengthen JFS’s season. This partnership is an example mission of serving others with respect, of neighbors coming together across faith responsibility, and heart. traditions to uphold the shared values Kelly Burroughs, JFS CEO, presented of dignity, compassion, and care for the the Distinguished Community Service vulnerable. Award to Lawrence Steingold in Rabbi Pinchas Zimmer shared an recognition of his many years of dedicated

transition, celebration, and uncertainty. One of the most meaningful parts of the afternoon was seeing so many generations of the JFS family together in one place. Former leaders, current board members, staff, volunteers, donors, and long-term supporters gathered to honor the organization’s past while looking toward its future. Their presence reflected the Jewish value of l’dor v’dor, from generation to generation, reminding everyone that the work of JFS is both an inheritance and a promise: to preserve what has been built, to strengthen what is needed today, and to ensure that compassionate care continues for generations to come. The Biennial Meeting was a Kelly Burroughs and Lawrence Steingold. celebration of leadership, service, and community, as Over the past year, JFS has continued well as a heartfelt thank you to everyone to make a difference throughout Hampton who helps Jewish Family Service Roads. In 2025, JFS provided 362 continue making a difference every day. medical transports for seniors, delivered For decades, JFS has stood as a trusted 7,458 meals to homebound individuals, source of support, compassion, and assisted 346 Jewish individuals with practical assistance. Guided by Jewish food and financial support, delivered 984 values and sustained by the dedication holiday gifts to seniors, and provided of its community, JFS will continue court-appointed guardianship services to provide care, dignity, and hope for to 1,333 adults. Behind each number is individuals and families now and for a person, a family, and a moment when generations to come. help arrived with dignity. Together, these services reflect not only a year of impact, Julie Kievit is Jewish Community Services but a legacy built over decades of showing manager at Jewish Family Service. up for the community in times of need, inspiring D’var Torah, offering words that connected the day’s celebration to the deeper responsibility of community: to see one another, to care for one another, and to pass that responsibility from one generation to the next. Guests enjoyed a delicious Mediterranean lunch catered by Charlie’s Mediterranean.

42 | JEWISH NEWS | AUGUST 10, 2026 | jewishnewsva.org

JEWISH TIDEWATER

Where community begins

Every table has a story. Together, these mentors are helping write brighter futures for Norfolk and Virginia Beach children.

Robin Ford Every community has its “must-do” list. In Tidewater, it’s easy to find great restaurants, festivals, beaches, and museums. But some of the most memorable experiences aren’t places to visit – they are ways people choose to be part of the community. Jewish life in Tidewater is built on connection, community, and caring for one another. Whether someone has lived in the area for decades or is new to the area, there are countless ways to become part of something bigger than oneself. One can celebrate a holiday with friends, visit the Simon Family JCC, support a local Jewish organization, cheer on a community fundraiser, attend the Viginia Festival of Jewish Film, or spend time getting to know someone from a different generation. This list could go on forever. But wait, there’s something else to add to the list. Become a BeAR mentor. For one hour each week during the school year, BeAR volunteers read with second graders in local Title I schools. It sounds simple, but that hour becomes something special. Children build confidence, discover the joy of reading, and know that someone believes in them. Mentors leave with something too, a sense of purpose, new friendships, and the satisfaction of knowing they’re helping shape the future of the community. There’s a reason Judaism places such value on caring for others. Communities don’t become strong by accident. They become strong because ordinary people choose to show up for each other. As the new school year approaches, BeAR seeks caring adults in Norfolk and Virginia Beach who are ready to make a difference – one child and one hour at a time. The next chapter starts soon, and there’s always room for one more person to help write it.

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To learn more about becoming a BeAR mentor, contact Robin Ford at 757-321-2304 or rford@ujft.org. jewishnewsva.org | AUGUST 10, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 43

IT’S A WRAP

Creating communities of belonging: Highlights from the Inclusive Educators’ Conference Elka Mednick As educators prepare for a new school year, many are facing challenges that extend beyond academics. Rising incidents of antisemitism and other forms of bias, increasing polarization, and the need to foster safe classroom communities have made inclusive teaching practices more important than ever. To help meet those challenges, educators from across the region gathered this summer for the 2026 Tidewater Inclusive Educators’ Conference, a partnership between the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, and Jewish Peninsula. The conference was made possible through a grant from Tidewater Jewish Foundation, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening inclusive schools, meaningful Holocaust education, and respectful communities throughout the region. The two-day conference equipped

and helping students become positive contributors to their school communities. The conference’s second day took

resources, including VCIC’s Combating Antisemitism and Bias in Schools guide. Available in the resources tab at

To learn more about the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, visit InclusiveVA.org. To learn more about Jewish Community Relations Council, visit JewishVA.org/JCRC. To learn more about the Holocaust Commission, visit HolocaustCommission.org.

Jonathan Zur and Dr. Amy Milligan discuss ways to support students and create an inclusive classroom environment.

participants to the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond where they explored ways to teach Holocaust history in meaningful and engaging ways. Educators examined how Holocaust education can help students understand the consequences of prejudice, strengthen critical-thinking skills, and draw connections between history and contemporary civic responsibility. Librarian and media specialist Kindra Mosher highlighted ways Holocaust education can be integrated across disciplines, demonstrating how history, language arts, media literacy, and civics can work together to deepen student learning and engagement. A common theme emerged throughout the Participants tour the Virginia Holocaust Museum’s main exhibit. conference: creating inclusive classrooms is ongoing work that teachers, administrators, counselors, requires intention, empathy, and preparation. librarians, and other education professionals Participants left with new ideas, practical with practical strategies for creating tools, and a renewed commitment to classrooms where students feel valued, building learning environments where every respected, and engaged. Sessions focused student feels they belong. on building positive classroom cultures, To support that work beyond the addressing antisemitism and other forms conference, attendees were introduced to of bias, establishing healthy boundaries, 44 | JEWISH NEWS | AUGUST 10, 2026 | jewishnewsva.org

fostering inclusive school communities. The JCRC also highlighted its Five-Year Calendar of Jewish Holidays and Observances, a resource shared with school administrators, elected officials, and community leaders to help increase awareness of Jewish practices and avoid potential scheduling conflicts with major holidays and observances.

InclusiveVA.org/programs/belonging, the guide provides educators with strategies for recognizing and addressing bias and

Find the Five-Year Calendar at JewishVA.org/5-Year.

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IT’S A WRAP

NEXTGEN COMMUNITY CONNECTS AT SUNSET ON THE WATER

Hannah Yasemsky United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s NextGen community recently teamed up with Norfolk Kayak Rentals for an eventful Sunset on the Water experience. Despite cloudy skies, the weather held out so that NextGen kayakers could enjoy time out on the water.

Lauren Fitzwater and Tommy Moore.

Participants experienced an evening of paddling and community connection, which was elevated by the insightful teachings of Rabbi Michael Panitz from Temple Israel and Rabbi Pinchas Zimmer from B’nai Israel. The rabbis shared words of Torah that beautifully connected Jewish wisdom with the surrounding nature and sunset.

Gabriella Alon and Anna Silver.

Ian Lord and Rabbi Michael Panitz.

Their teachings provided all the spiritual light needed for a memorable night on the water. To learn more about NextGen events and how to register, visit www.JewishVA.org/NextGen or email Hannah Yasemsky, engagement coordinator, at Hyasemsky@ujft.org.

Rabbi Pinchas Zimmer.

jewishnewsva.org | AUGUST 10, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 45

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TJF Staff When Paul Peck talks about the future of Tidewater Jewish Foundation, he doesn’t begin with fundraising goals or financial projections. He begins with responsibility. “We’re the beneficiaries of the hard work of earlier generations,” he says. “It’s our obligation to continue that work.” That philosophy has guided Peck’s decades of leadership within the Jewish community and now shapes his vision as the new board chair of Tidewater Jewish Foundation. At a time when many organizations are focused on meeting today’s challenges, Peck believes TJF has a unique responsibility: to strengthen the long-term financial foundation that will allow Jewish life in Hampton Roads to thrive well into the future. Central to that vision is TJF’s ambitious goal of growing its endowed assets to $500 million. For Peck, the number is not the destination; rather it is what that level of philanthropic investment could make possible. Peck says he envisions synagogues strengthened by permanent endowments, agencies with the resources to innovate and expand programming, scholarships that open doors for more students, and community institutions better equipped to address growing security needs. Instead of simply sustaining operations year after year, organizations would have the freedom to invest boldly in the Paul Peck. future. “If we achieve this vision,” Peck says, “the exciting things we can do as a community will be limited only by our imagination.” That long-range perspective is what first drew Peck to the Foundation. “TJF is designed to protect the investments our parents and grandparents made,” he says. Inspired by the Jewish teaching of the man who plants a carob tree knowing he will never enjoy its fruit, Peck believes every generation has a responsibility to plant seeds whose greatest impact will be realized by those who follow. He also hopes to reshape how the community thinks about philanthropy. “One of the greatest misconceptions we must change is that philanthropy is only for the wealthy,” Peck says. “There are meaningful opportunities for individuals and families at every stage of life to create lasting impact.” As he begins his term, Peck is quick to recognize that TJF’s momentum is the result of decades of dedicated leadership. He credits the Foundation’s past and present board members, volunteers, donors, and community partners for investing their time, talent, and treasure to build one of the region’s strongest Jewish philanthropic institutions. “The outstanding leadership of those who came before us has put TJF on an exciting trajectory,” he says. “I’m honored to serve alongside an exceptional board of directors as we build on that foundation together.” Peck believes the Foundation’s greatest work is still before it. “TJF looks at the long game,” he says. “Our role is to ensure that future generations inherit a Jewish community that is strong, resilient, and prepared for whatever comes next.”

MAZEL TOV

ACHIEVEMENT

Sam Sacks conducts research at Sapalo Island. He is wearing his late grandfather’s (Hal Sacks) “Tilley Hat” which his father, Skip Sacks, passed on to him this year at Hannukah.

Sam Sacks was recently chosen Teacher of the Year in Savannah-Chantham County Public School System. He was also named Teacher of the Year for his school, New Hampstead, K 8. A STEM coordinator, Sacks is known for his dedication to his students. As the recipient of this honor, Sacks will help lead as part of the Superintendent’s Professional Senate and will join the school board for all regular session meetings. Sacks was also selected to be the teacher in residence at UGA Marine Institute at Sapalo Island, a research facility run by the University of Georgia. At the facility, research is conducted on tides, animals that live in wetlands, and other related topics. The facility occasionally invites a public school teacher to participate. Sacks was invited last year and then was asked to present to the University’s graduate students regarding lessons he created for his students based on his experience on the island. Sacks got invited back this year, which is apparently unusual.

BIRTHDAY Wishing Stanwood Dickman a very Happy and Healthy 91st Birthday on Friday, August 28. His family will be celebrating with him.

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jewishnewsva.org | AUGUST 10, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 47

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Matisyahu to perform in Virginia Beach

Sunday, August 16, 6:30 pm New Realm Brewing Co. Hunter Thomas Matisyahu, the Grammy-nominated musician known for blending reggae, hip-hop, rock, and Jewish themes, will perform at New Realm Brewing Co. in Virginia Beach on Sunday, August 16. Through his music and personal journey, Matisyahu has become one of the most recognizable Jewish artists in contemporary music, connecting audiences through songs that explore spirituality, identity, and resilience. A partnership with United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is making a limited number of tickets available for $35 that include an exclusive meet-and-greet with Matisyahu—a $100+ value—at no additional cost. Doors open at 4:30 pm. For tickets and information, visit JewishVA.org/VBLive or contact Hannah Yasemsky at HYasemsky@UJFT.org.

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48 | JEWISH NEWS | AUGUST 10, 2026 | jewishnewsva.org

jewishnewsva.org | AUGUST 10, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 49

WHAT’S HAPPENING

From Awareness to Action: Preparing for the High Holidays with SCN Security Trainings Thursday, August 20, 7:30 pm, Zoom Tuesday, August 25, 7:30 pm, Zoom Robin Mancoll As the Jewish community prepares to gather for the High Holidays, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Secure Community Network (SCN) invite community members to participate in two free online security trainings designed to build awareness, preparedness, and confidence. Facilitated by Mike Goldsmith, SCN Regional Security Advisor for Tidewater, these trainings provide practical tools to help strengthen the safety and security of individuals, families, and Jewish communal spaces. The first session, BeAware: Introduction to Situational Awareness Training, will take place on Thursday, August 20. This one-hour online training teaches participants how to recognize suspicious or potentially dangerous behavior, identify potential threats, and take appropriate action. Designed for all community members, BeAware introduces the fundamentals

of situational awareness and is beneficial for both first-time participants and those seeking an annual refresher. The second session, Countering Active Threat Training, will be held on Tuesday, August 25. Developed specifically for Jewish institutions, this training focuses on practical, potentially lifesaving response options during an active threat situation. Participants will gain tools to build confidence, enhance preparedness, and strengthen the safety of communal environments. Both trainings are free and open to the community, though advance registration is required. A Zoom link will be provided prior to each session. Register at JewishVA.org/SCN. Organizations interested in bringing SCN training to their congregation, school, agency, or community group are encouraged to contact Mike Goldsmith at

mgoldsmith@securecommunitynetwork.org. Together, these trainings move participants from awareness to action, helping ensure the community remains safe, secure, and prepared. Secure Community Network (SCN) trainings and other services are offered at no cost thanks to the generosity of donors to the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. Their support helps ensure every Jewish organization has access to expert security resources, regardless of size or budget. To help sustain this important work, please consider making a gift to the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Annual Campaign.

Book signing for Wendy Goldberg’s Mom’s Book: It was Never About the Grief Saturday, August 29, 11 am, Roast Rider Coffee, Virginia Beach Lisa Richmon Benjamin Goldberg, of blessed memory, made Wendy Coleman Goldberg a mother, a founder of the Benjamin Goldberg Foundation, and most recently, an author. Instead of testing it or severing the bond, his death from neuroblastoma at age eight, made their mother-son connection less breakable. Goldberg, a Strelitz International Academy past board president and former SIA board member, says she wrote Mom’s Book: It was Never About the Grief to offer readers what she needed as Ben’s cancer upended their daily lives. “When we were going through this journey with Ben, shuttling back and forth from New York to Virginia Beach, I didn’t have anything like this to read. The stories at the time were full of sorrow, without a sense of lift.” The collection of essays, which releases August 25, is already resonating with bereaved families, healthcare professionals, and others open to reshaping the impact of grief on their closest relationships. Benjamin Goldberg Foundation is now in its ninth year. Earlier this year, Sentara Healthcare announced its partnership with BGF to

50 | JEWISH NEWS | AUGUST 10, 2026 | jewishnewsva.org

study art-based cancer interventions. Music, dance, and meditation didn’t change Ben’s story’s ending, but it made his life fighting cancer much sweeter. “That’s why I created the foundation,” says Goldberg. “My family had access to the best integrative therapies, but that’s not a universal experience. And though Ben did not beat the disease, these modalities made him feel less beaten down. When the day went better, the treatment went better.” Memory and music ensure Ben’s presence is felt throughout this collection of essays about love after goodbye. At the book signing, a “Mom’s Tea” made from the shop’s new urban Tea Garden with lemon balm and tulsi, will be served to complement the book’s healing spirit. Mom’s Book can be purchased on Amazon, or at Roast Rider the day of the event. Roast Rider Coffee is located at 1577 General Booth Blvd, Suite 107 in Virginia Beach. Contact Wendy Goldberg at 757-968-3974 for more information.

CALENDAR AUGUST 11, 18, TUESDAYS

SEPTEMBER 1, TUESDAY

Summertime Mishnah with Rabbi Ari. Unlock the Wisdom of the Mishnah. Explore Jewish Law and tradition through the teachings of the Mishnah in an engaging and accessible way. Learn more or register at Jewishva.org/KCL.

Yiddish Club. Embrace Yiddish culture, language, and history through music, film, poetry,

AUGUST 13, 20, 27, THURSDAYS Baby & Me. A relaxed hour of coffee, treats, and playful activities for babies up to 24 months and their caregivers. Connect with other caregivers while little ones explore and play with friends. Free, no membership required. 9 –10 am. Simon Family JCC. Registration required: JewishVA.org/BAM or Blake Sisler at BSisler@ujft.org.

and literature. Meets on the first Tuesday of each month. 1 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information: www.jewishva.org/Adults or contact Sarah Cooper at SCooper@ujft.org.

SEPTEMBER 22, TUESDAY In Their Own Words: American Jewish History Through Autobiography. As the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence, this course highlights the lives, experiences, and contributions of Jewish men and women whose inﬂuence on American history far exceeded their recognition. Led by Rabbi

AUGUST 17, MONDAY

Michael Panitz and hosted by UJFT’s Konikoff Center for Learning. 10-week course,

Book Club. The book of the month is The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly. The group meets every third Monday of the month at 1:30 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information: Jewishva.org/Adults or contact Sarah Cooper at SCooper@ujft.org.Book Club.

Tuesdays at 11 am. (no class on Oct. 13) $60 JCC members; $72 potential members.

AUGUST 20, THURSDAY Roundtable Conversation. Join community members of all ages for conversations involving current events, politics, and more. Meets every first and third Thursday of the month. 1 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Information: www.jewishva.org/Adults or Sarah Cooper at SCooper@ujft.org.

OCTOBER 16-18, FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY Tidewater Community Shabbaton. The Community Shabbaton is a chance to step away from the busyness of everyday life and experience the joy of Shabbat alongside neighbors from across the community. Cost: $100 per person, max $400 per family. Includes lodging (in camp-style lodges), all meals, and all activities. Register at JewishVA.org/Shabbaton. Location provided upon registration. Information: Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org.

AUGUST 21, FRIDAY End of Summer Shabbat. Celebrate with PJ Library in Tidewater. Shabbat blessings, dinner, fun at the pool. 5 pm. Sandler Family Campus. $14 adult; $10 child; under 2, free; maximum $36 per household. JewishVa.org/EOS-Shabbat.

AUGUST 23, SUNDAY Mizrahi in Motion: Henna & Haﬂa Sisterhood Event. Join UJFT's NextGen community (women ages 22 - 45) for an immersive celebration of Persian-Israeli heritage. Explore Jewish heritage and contemporary meaning behind Mizrahi customs of the Middle East and modern Israel, through Henna art and dance. Location will be given upon registration at JewishVA.org/NextGen.

AUGUST 25, TUESDAY Intro to Bingocize- for Fall Prevention. Learn about balance and fall prevention techniques, stretching and breathing techniques, and home safety modifications to promote a healthy lifestyle. Sandler Family Campus. 11 am - 12 pm. In partnership with Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia. Free and open to all seniors in the community. Register at JewishVA.org/Bingo.

Employment Oppor tunity

BeAR Program Coordinator (Part-Time) Jewish Community Relations Council of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater seeks a BeAR Program Coordinator to support its Be A Reader (BeAR) literacy initiative. This part-time position coordinates volunteers, partners with local elementary schools, organizes program materials and events, and helps ensure a successful literacy and mentoring program serving students in Norfolk and Virginia Beach. The ideal candidate is organized, detailoriented, enjoys building relationships, and is passionate about supporting children, volunteers, and education. Experience in nonprofit, education, volunteer coordination, or administrative support is preferred.

AUGUST 26, WEDNESDAY Operations Benjamin & Levi: Restoring Identity to Our Fallen Heroes. Join Vice Admiral Herm Shelanski, USN (Ret.) for a powerful firsthand account of his recent journey to the military cemeteries of France, where he witnessed the sacred work of Operation Benjamin and Operation Levi. Learn how the organizations identify Jewish American and German service members who were mistakenly buried beneath Latin Crosses and restore their graves with the Star of David. Free. 9 am. Sandler Family Campus. Registration required. For more information and to register: JewishVA.org/OpBen or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org or 757-965-6137. See page 10.

Part-time, averaging 20 hours per week Starting pay: $17/hour Complete job description at www.jewishva.org To learn more or apply, please submit cover letter and resume to: resumes@ujft.org

Equal Employment Opportunity jewishnewsva.org | AUGUST 10, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 51

OBITUARIES Ann Rae Gershman RICHMOND, VA. – Ann Rae Gershman, 93, passed away peacefully on July 16, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of love, friendship, and resilience. Born on March 20, 1933, Ann Rae grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, where her intelligence and determination were evident from an early age. She graduated as valedictorian of Maury High School, a reflection of the dedication and work ethic that would define her throughout her life. Ann Rae shared 53 years of marriage with her beloved husband, Jerry Gershman, until his passing in 2005. Together they built a family that was the center of her world. She is survived by her children: David Gershman (Lydia), Marcia Patton, and Karen Gershman; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Nothing brought Ann Rae greater happiness than being surrounded by her family, whom she adored unconditionally. Ann Rae was blessed with an extraordinary circle of lifelong friends. She had a gift for making people feel welcome, often

greeting everyone with her signature southern “Hi, darlin!” Her friendships were built on authenticity—she always told it like it was, but did so with kindness, respect, and genuine care for others. She accepted people exactly as they were. An accomplished bridge player, Ann Rae’s passion for the game took her across the country to tournaments, where she formed lasting friendships and achieved the distinguished rank of Ruby Life Master. Bridge was more than a game to her; it was a lifelong source of challenge, camaraderie, and adventure. Those who knew Ann Rae will remember her unwavering positive outlook, incredible resilience, and exceptional ability to organize and plan just about anything. She approached life’s joys and challenges with grace, optimism, and determination, inspiring those around her by the example she set every day. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know and love her. A graveside service was held at Oakwood Hebrew Cemetery in Richmond.

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Memorial contributions may be made to a favorite charity. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Eliana Dori Gordon

FAIRFAX, VA. – Eliana Dori Gordon, affectionately known as Ellie, passed away suddenly on July 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Virginia. Born on July 3, 1998, Ellie lived a vibrant and meaningful life, leaving us far too soon at the age of 28. A devoted daughter, sister, and friend, Ellie was known for her bright personality and infectious laughter. She was a proud graduate of Norfolk Academy, Class of 2016, and went on to earn her degree from American University in 2021. Ellie’s passion for security and event coordination led her to a fulfilling career with AIPAC, where she was a founding member of the security department. Her dedication and efficiency made her a beloved colleague and a trusted professional. Ellie had an array of interests and was a woman of many talents. A huge fan of the Washington Capitals, she rarely missed a game and could always be found cheering her team on. She taught herself to sew, creating costumes that brought joy to those she visited in the hospital, embodying her compassionate and creative spirit. Crafting was another pastime she cherished, often sharing her creations with loved ones. Her commitment to her faith was unwavering, as she lived her life guided by the teachings of the Torah. A dedicated member of her Chabad Community in Northern Virginia, she also found joy and camaraderie as a member of the Star Wars 501st Legion and the Rebel Legion—volunteer organizations who donated their time to entertain sick children that held a special place in her heart. Ellie is preceded in death by her beloved grandparents, Gertrude Kent and Freda and Tavia Gordon. She leaves behind a family who adored her: her parents, Randi and Steven Gordon; her siblings, Evan and Marah Gordon; her cherished four-legged baby, Grogu; and many extended family members and dear friends who will miss her dearly. A graveside service to honor Ellie’s life was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk. Contributions in Ellie’s memory can be made to Strelitz International Academy or Temple Beth El.

Ellie Gordon’s memory will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew her, as her light continues to shine through the love and laughter she shared with the world. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Howard I. Horwitz

NORFOLK – Howard Irving Horwitz passed away peacefully on July 7, 2026, with his family by his side. He was 78 years old. Howard was born and grew up in Richmond, Va., the son of Seymour and Esther Fishman Horwitz, of blessed memory. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School and the University of Virginia. Following graduation, he taught high school English in what was then Nansemond County, which brought him to the Tidewater area. There he met the love of his life, Susan, his wife of 47 years. He also became active in the synagogue in Suffolk, Agudath Achim, and later in Congregation Beth El in Norfolk. Both Howard and Susan had long careers in the real estate business. Howard’s true profession, however, was music. He started playing violin in the fourth grade and never stopped, finding many opportunities to play publicly in settings small and large. He joined the Virginia Beach Symphony Orchestra more than 30 years ago and played with the orchestra (now named Symphonicity) until last year. Howard is survived by his wife Susan, son David, and daughter Kerri. He also is survived by his sister Sylvia (Dov Weitman), in-laws, cousins, and many friends who have loved and appreciated his kindness, sense of humor, and intelligence over the years. Donations may be made to Symphonicity or United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. Funeral services took place at H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts. in Norfolk. Burial followed at Forest Lawn Cemetery. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Pauline Sod Levin

NORFOLK – Pauline Sod Levin passed away surrounded by her loving family on July 26, 2026. She was born in Temple, Texas, on July 17, 1931, to Bertha and Joseph Sod. When she was four years old, her family – including her brother Louis – moved to Norfolk, Virginia. Pauline attended Maury High School, where she was voted “Most Witty,” a title that suited her perfectly throughout her life. She continued her education at Syracuse University before graduating from RPI, a

OBITUARIES division of the College of William and Mary. After graduation, she taught first-grade. Shortly thereafter Pauline met the love of her life, the handsome Gilbert Levin. Together they built a beautiful life together, sharing a devoted marriage that lasted until Gilbert’s passing in 2013. They treasured traveling together and celebrating with their close lifetime friends and family. Pauline was deeply committed to her community and lived a charitable life. She was an active member of B’nai B’rith Women, Hadassah, and Temple Beth El. Her family was the center of her world, and she never missed an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments. Pauline is survived by her daughter Sharon Lira (husband Tom) of Norfolk, son Ted Levin (wife Cindy) of Virginia Beach, and Lawrence Levin (wife Marianne) of Irvington, New York; her cherished grandchildren: Jennifer Fine Shaw (husband Ryan), Blair Fine (husband Ian Kunkes); Jamie and Jonathan Levin; and Justin, Bailey, and Samantha Levin; and her great-grandchildren: Gaby and Maddie Shaw; and Edie and Gemma Kunkes. Her elegant spirit, warm heart, and generous nature touched the lives of many and will continue to inspire those who knew her. A graveside funeral service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Donations may be made in Pauline’s honor to Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters or the charity of the donor’s choice. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Renie Teitelman

SILVER SPRING, MD. – Renie Teitelman (nee Becker), passed away peacefully at the age of 97 at her home at Riderwood Village, Silver Spring MD, on Monday July 27. Renie was a native of New York City, a longtime resident of Norfolk and Virginia Beach, and a resident of Riderwood Village for the last 12 years. Renie was born in Brooklyn N.Y., the daughter of Morris and Ethel Becker, and grew up in the Laurelton neighborhood of Queens. After graduating in 1950 from Queens College and completing her student teaching assignment in Roslyn, N.Y. (where famed author Michael Crichton was one of her students), she visited relatives in Savannah, Ga. One day while standing in line at a neighborhood bakery – surely a foreshadowing of her skills as a baker – she

met a young dentist named Dr. Stanton J. Teitelman. On Christmas Eve 1950, they married and remained together until his passing in 2009. After Stan completed his military service, Renie and Stan relocated to Norfolk, where her older brother Bill and her parents had moved. Together Renie and Stan raised a family of four children, became involved in the local Jewish and medical community, and developed friendships that lasted for decades. As was typical of the times, Renie was a full-time wife, homemaker, and mother to four children. She was a voracious reader, a renowned cook whose dinner parties were legendary, and an avid attendee at museums, concerts, theater productions, and movies. She and Stan traveled extensively, frequently attending dental conventions in New York City and around the world. Renie is survived by her three daughters – Dr. Jodi Teitelman of Richmond; Dana Weinberg (Carl) of Stamford, Conn.; and Randy Browner (Jeffrey) of Woodbridge, Va.; by her four grandchildren: Adam Browner (Lindsay) of Falls Church, Va.; Mark Browner of New York, N.Y.; Eva Weinberg of Los Angeles; and Max Weinberg of Los Angeles; and by her great-grandson Austin Browner. Renie was predeceased by her husband Dr. Stanton J. Teitelman, her son Gary Teitelman, her parents Morris and Ethel Becker, and her brother Dr. William Becker. The funeral took place graveside at Forest Lawn Cemetery. The family requests that donations be made to the charity of one’s choice. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Lynn Augusta Goodman Zoll, EdD

VIRGINIA BEACH – Lynn Augusta Goodman Zoll, EdD, age 81, passed peacefully on July 15, 2026, in her home in Virginia Beach, Va. Born in Norfolk, Lynn (Gigi to her high school and college friends) grew up in Virginia Beach. After graduating from the Country Day School for Girls (since merged into Norfolk Academy) she attended Connecticut College for Women in New London, Conn. After graduation, Lynn settled in Cambridge, Mass. where she worked for Harvard University at Dunster House. Lynn then attended the Harvard School of Education where she graduated with an EdD.

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www.altmeyerfuneralandcremation.com Becoming licensed as a clinical psychologist in Massachusetts, Lynn practiced in Cambridge before moving to Virginia Beach where she continued her practice as a clinical psychologist for more than 20 years. Known as a loving, caring, and generous friend, Lynn was passionate about family, her pet dogs, friends, food – though you wouldn’t know looking at her – and exercise. She loved having a garden and butterflies, planting butterfly-friendly plants. Lynn was popular with her street neighbors – one neighbor erecting stone sculptures in her garden. Lynn was devoted to her daughter, Allison, and stayed close with her. Lynn’s

house was full of Allison’s artwork. Lynn was also a devoted daughter to her parents, Robert and Augusta Goodman. After Lynn’s mother had a stroke, Lynn visited her mother almost every day until Augusta’s death. Lynn is survived by her brothers, Robert (Martha) and David (Marian) Goodman, her sister Beverly Goodman, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews she loved dearly. A memorial service was held at Ohef Sholom Temple in Norfolk. Donations requested to the Virginia Beach SPCA. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––

JEWISH NEWS | AUGUST 10, 2026 | jewishnewsva.org | 53

ARTS & CULTURE

The Woody Guthrie story you’ve probably never heard is deeply Jewish

Andrew Silow-Carroll (JTA) — I knew that the folk singer Arlo Guthrie’s mom was Jewish in the same way that I knew that jazz great Louis Armstrong spoke some Yiddish. “Guess who’s Jewish (even a little)” is the Jewish national pastime. But I couldn’t have guessed how deeply Arlo’s father, the legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie, was enmeshed in Jewish culture before seeing Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie. Steven Pressman’s engaging new documentary has just begun its rounds on the Jewish film circuit, with screenings this month in Wilmington, North Carolina and Nashville. Best known as the bard of the Dust Bowl, the Oklahoma-born Guthrie gave voice to migrants, laborers, and the dispossessed, and his This Land Is Your Land has become something close to an alternative national anthem. His second wife (and Arlo’s mom) was born Marjorie Greenblatt, a Martha Graham dancer whose parents were Jewish immigrants from Ukraine. I knew she inspired him to write a few Hanukkah songs and that’s about it. The film, however, makes the case that Guthrie’s extended Jewish family was not incidental but integral in 54 | JEWISH NEWS | AUGUST 10, 2026 | jewishnewsva.org

his artistic and personal evolution. It is a story that stretches from Oklahoma to Queens, New York to the Yiddish literary world, and from the folk revival’s Jewish impresarios to one remarkable immigrant woman whose influence has largely gone unrecognized. That would be Aliza Greenblatt, Marjorie’s mother. A doting grandmother known to Arlo and his siblings as “Bubbie,” she was a Yiddish poet and lyricist of some renown, and what the Jewish Women’s Archive calls “an early, committed leader in Zionist and Jewish women’s organizations.” Greenblatt is hardly a household name outside Yiddish cultural circles. Yet Pressman’s film suggests that she deserves a place in the Guthrie story alongside Pete Seeger and a young Bob Dylan. The relationship is striking precisely because it resists stereotype. As Aaron Lansky, founder of the Yiddish Book Center, puts it in the film, “Some people aren’t Jewish. And some people really aren’t Jewish. That was Woody Guthrie.” But after moving to New York from California and meeting Marjorie, Guthrie did not merely come to enjoy Jewish food, sprinkle a few Yiddish words into conversation or pick up a holiday tune. Through Greenblatt, he

entered an immigrant family steeped in Yiddish language, music, poetry, and left-wing idealism. Their exchanges, preserved in letters, songs, and family memories, show an artist captivated by another people’s folk culture because he recognized in it echoes of his own. Guthrie, after all, grew up poor, and saw his neighbors driven off their land by the economic and environmental disasters of the Great Depression. In teaching Woody about Jewish history, holidays, and folklore, Greenblatt gave him another vocabulary for thinking about exile, injustice, and perseverance — themes that already animated his work. He found in Jewish culture another vernacular tradition, one built on storytelling, humor, resilience, and moral responsibility. The film also reminds viewers that Guthrie’s Jewish connections extended well beyond his family. Among the central figures in his career was Moses Asch, founder of Folkways Records and the son of the celebrated Yiddish novelist Sholem Asch. Without Asch’s obsessive commitment to documenting American folk traditions, and putting them on shellac and vinyl, much of Guthrie’s recorded legacy might never have survived in the form we know today. Then there was Harold Leventhal, the son of Orthodox Jewish immigrants, who became one of the most influential managers and producers in American folk music. Leventhal helped shape the careers of Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and later generations of performers, including Arlo, while helping transform folk music from a subculture into a national movement. The Jewish imprint on the folk revival ran even deeper. Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman to a Minnesota Jewish family, famously reinvented himself after absorbing Guthrie’s music. (In the film, Arlo and his sister Annie tell a charming story about a scruffy Dylan showing up at the family home in Queens before visiting Woody, by then gravely ill with Huntington’s disease, in the hospital.) Singer Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, born Elliott Adnopoz to Jewish parents and raised in Brooklyn, devoted himself to carrying Guthrie’s style and repertoire into the next generation. Taken together, these figures complicate the familiar story of the folk revival. It wasn’t simply a movement inspired by Appalachian, African-American, cowboy, and rural traditions. It was, in many respects, a conversation that included Jewish intellectuals, producers, performers, and organizers who recognized in American folk music something akin to their own inherited traditions. In a film that includes any of a number of “Who knew?”

ARTS & CULTURE revelations, perhaps the most startling detail concerns Arlo and his siblings Annie and Joady. Close in age, the three took Hebrew lessons from a young rabbi who would go on to his own version of fame and infamy. (You can look it up, but I won’t spoil it for you here.) Silent home movies show the Guthrie kids taking those lessons, celebrating Shabbat with their grandparents, and gathering around what the family called the “Hanukkah tree.” And no doubt singing Woody’s Hanukkah songs, of which he wrote quite a few. The same singer/songwriter of I Ain’t Got No Home in This World Anymore also wrote Honeyky Hanukah (“It’s Honeyky Hanukah, shaky my hand,/ My candles are burning all over this land”). In 2006, The Klezmatics recorded them on the Grammy-winning album Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah. I saw Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls July 27 at a

sold-out screening at the Berkshire Jewish Film Festival in Lenox, Massachusetts, in what has become the heart of Guthrie Country. Marjorie first came to the Berkshires to teach dance at Indian Hill Arts Camp in Stockbridge, founded by the musicians and activists Mordecai and Irma Bauman. Arlo made his home in Berkshire County, and his 1967 hit Alice’s Restaurant is set in Stockbridge. The family transformed the church where the real-life Alice lived into the Guthrie Center, now a thriving venue for music and social justice programming. It currently features an exhibit on Woody’s struggle with Huntington’s and Marjorie’s efforts to raise awareness about the disease. Arlo’s daughter Annie Guthrie is the executive director of the Guthrie Center, and spoke following the Lenox screening, underscoring how the family’s history continues to intersect with Jewish cultural life.

The family carries Woody’s name, but as Annie explained, Aliza Greenblatt’s legacy looms large.

The family carries Woody’s name, but as Annie explained, Aliza Greenblatt’s legacy looms large. The film features a letter written by Aliza to Arlo on his 13th birthday. Even if those Hebrew lessons didn’t take (Arlo explains in the film that he wasn’t called on, or able, to do very much at his bar mitzvah), in her letter Greenblatt reminds him of the significance of the day and blesses him with a life of creativity and independence. Annie recalled that her grandmother Marjorie wrote a similar letter to her brother Avery on the eve of his 13th birthday. “Now, we didn’t grow up Jewish,” said Annie, whose mother, the former Jackie Hyde of Salt Lake City, died in 2012. “We were kind of interfaith. But I want to be the grandmother that writes a letter to her grandchild on the eve of their 13th birthday.” Aliza and Marjorie, she said, “continue to inspire me.” Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie will screen at the at the Nashville Jewish Film Festival on Aug. 18. Find additional screenings here.

jewishnewsva.org | AUGUST 10, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 55

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