2025 UJFT Annual Campaign on track for a successful finish
Amy Zelenka
The 2025 Annual Campaign of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater recently crossed over the milestone $5 million mark, on its way to a successful close. The campaign year officially closes on Monday, June 30. Every attempt is made to have all gifts closed before that date. The Campaign is doing well – ahead of its dollar pace at this time last year, but slightly behind in terms of the number of gifts closed. The goal is to reach as many Jewish community members as possible to participate in this important fundraising effort.
Dollars raised during the Campaign are allocated to service delivery partners and agencies at home and around the Jewish world.
Generous gifts of support to UJFT’s Annual Campaign enable:
• Clients to receive various kinds of assistance from Jewish Family Service of Tidewater.
• Students to engage in Jewish education opportunities at Strelitz International Academy, Toras Chaim, Bina, and Talmudical Academy, among others.
• Virginia college kids to have access to a Hillel on campus for Shabbat dinner or help navigating tough situations on campus.
• Community members to be able to enter the JCC with confidence to enjoy the programs and services offered there, knowing they are safe and protected, because of security initiatives.
• Elderly Jews in Ukraine to receive food and fuel from UJFT’s overseas partner, the JDC – just to get through a third frigid, war-torn winter.
• Israelis to receive counseling services and emotional and physical therapies to address their inner and outer war wounds.
On behalf of all those folks and so many others, the Federation thanks all who’ve made a gift of support to the 2025 UJFT Annual Campaign and have subscribed to the belief that “All Jews are responsible for one another.”
Not yet had the chance to make a gift? Help UJFT complete another successful campaign by making a gift today.
Go online to www.jewishva.org/donate; call Amy Zelenka at the Federation at 757-965-6139; email azelenka@ujft.org; or send in a check made out to: UJFT Annual Campaign to UJFT, 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200, Virginia Beach, VA 23462.
Gifts will help ensure the future of Tidewater’s Jewish community today, tomorrow, and always.
Published 18 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
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About the cover: Photograph of Chef’s Dinner in the Marty Einhorn Pavilion by Betty Ann Levin. Photographs of Yom Ha’Atzmaut by Mark Robbins.
JEWISH TIDEWATER
Celebrations and observances abound in Jewish Tidewater
Dinners and luncheons with a famed Israeli chef, Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day), and Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) were among myriad gatherings that took place throughout Jewish Tidewater just prior to this issue going to press. All were well attended, with some in such demand that they were beyond capacity and required wait lists. Look for articles and plenty of photos from these events in the June 2 edition of Jewish News.
Calling all 2025 graduates
Graduation season is almost here, and Jewish News wants to celebrate Jewish Tidewater’s students as the Class of 2025 graduates from high school, college, and graduate schools.
To help us acknowledge as many graduates as possible, please submit, along with a photo, this information by Friday, May 9:
Name
School
Awards, special notes
What’s next (college, grad school, job)
Parents
Send to speck@ujft.org with Graduate in the subject line. You will receive an email acknowledging receipt. If you don’t, please call 757-965-6129. Thank you!
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.
NATION
As Supreme Court considers religious charter schools, Justice Kagan speculates about publicly funded yeshivas
Asaf Elia-Shalev (JTA) — Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan raised the concern during a hearing Wednesday, April 30 that New York state could be forced to fully fund yeshivas that offer little education in basic secular subjects like English or math as a result of a landmark case the court will soon decide.
At issue in the case is whether to allow the Catholic Church in Oklahoma to establish the nation’s first religious public charter school. If the court backs the Catholic school, it could pave the way for publicly funding Jewish schools across the country.
The court has a conservative majority of six to three. From their questioning of lawyers arguing on either side of the case, the majority of justices appeared open to the idea that excluding religious institutions from Oklahoma’s charter school system is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Kagan and the other two liberals on the bench, meanwhile, expressed skepticism toward the proposed charter school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School.
Kagan, the court’s only Jewish justice, brought up Hasidic schools in New York while questioning St. Isidore’s attorney, Michael McGinley, about the
implications of his argument. She wanted to know if he thought religious charter schools should be allowed to exempt themselves from curriculum requirements based on their doctrines.
“Let’s say we’re up in New York, and there’s a Hasidic community that has a yeshiva, and it’s a very serious yeshiva, and what that means is that almost all the instruction has to do with studying Talmud and other religious texts,” Kagan said. “Very little of it has to do with secular subjects. Almost none of the instruction is in English. Almost all of it is in Yiddish or in various, like, ancient Hebrew-Aramaic kinds of languages.
“Does New York have to say ‘yes’ even though that curriculum is super different from the curriculum that we provide in our regular public schools?” Kagan asked McGinley.
authorities would become inevitable with the existence of religious charter schools. She also said states created charter schools in order to spur innovation within the typical public school context, and did not intend to begin funding religious education.
“And now you’re saying to that state, you know, yes, you have to go fund the yeshiva that I described; yes, you have to go fund the madrasa … if you want to have this program at all,” she said, referring to Islamic religious schools as well.
A ruling in the case could affect as
Kagan’s line of questioning comes as New York recently closed multiple yeshivas that were not abiding by a state law requiring all schools — private and public — to adequately teach basic secular subjects. The state’s crackdown is focused on Hasidic schools that critics describe in much the same terms used by Kagan in her example.
McGinley responded that Kagan’s scenario should not influence the court’s ruling in the St. Isidore case.
“You can’t take imagined hypothetical downstream questions and let them drive and justify front-end religious discrimination,” McGinley said, citing a series of previous cases concerning the First Amendment’s religion clauses.
Kagan replied that the nature of religion means conflict with secular
many as 47 states that permit charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately managed. Some states, including New York, have caps that limit new charters as well as other kinds of restrictions.
Most American Jews, as a small religious minority in a majority-Christian country, have traditionally backed the principle of separation of church and state, and mainstream Jewish groups have historically fought to keep religion out of the public sphere.
Organizations representing Orthodox Jews, who almost universally send their children to religious schools, are an exception, and several of them have weighed in to support St. Isidore. Orthodox groups have also lobbied for other measures, such as tuition vouchers, that make religious education more affordable.
ISRAEL
he attributed the fires to “a combination of very strong winds, dryness, and open areas that have forests, which create a lethal combination,” as well as a “a possibility of arson.”
By May 1, Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir were amplifying the arson claims. Speaking at a teen Bible trivia contest held annually on Independence Day, Netanyahu claimed that 18 people had been arrested who were “suspected of arson, including one caught in the act.” He then hinted that Palestinians were literally and figuratively fanning the flames.
“Our neighbors, who claim to love this land, are prepared, in their propaganda, in their incitement, on the Palestinian networks — they talk about burning the land,” he said. “We are the ones who love the land. We protect the land.”
And Ben-Gvir announced on May 1 that he had established a “counterincitement” task force to stop arson as well as incitement to arson on social media. “These are terrorists for all intents and purposes,” he tweeted. (Ben-Gvir is lobbying for Israel to introduce the death penalty for terrorists.)
But by Thursday night in Israel, police and fire services were telling a different story. After Netanyahu’s speech, police clarified to Israeli media that three people had been arrested, not 18. And in the evening, Israeli Channel 13 reported that according to the fire department’s assessment, the main burns were due to negligence, not arson — though the report added that arson could have played a role in subsequent fires that erupted.
Around the same time, Netanyahu posted footage of his Bible contest speech from earlier in the day — with the erroneous arrest numbers edited out.
Ayman Odeh, an Arab member of Knesset, Israel’s parliament, accused Netanyahu and his allies of manufacturing allegations of terrorism to distract from criticism of his leadership.
“There is no one like the Jews, who know well how dangerous false accusations are, from the Black Death, through blood libels to economic crises,” Odeh tweeted. “But this government learns nothing from history: neither about the dangers of incitement, nor about responsibility. Netanyahu was and remains the national instigator.”
Other Israelis pointed to the cause Netanyahu had spotlighted on Wednesday night — climate conditions. Dov Khenin, a former left-wing lawmaker, posted a fire-tracking map from NASA that showed fires breaking out across the eastern Mediterranean region.
“For all those spreading conspiracy theories, NASA’s fire map shows: when there is a situation of extreme dryness accompanied by winds, large fires occur,” he tweeted.
“This is what the climate crisis looks like.”
Avner Gross, a climate scientist at Ben-Gurion
University in Beersheva, tweeted April 30 that he was at a climate conference in Vienna when an acquaintance called him and told him his town was on fire, though residents had evacuated safely.
“Thank you to the fire department, perhaps the only force that is taking climate change seriously,” he tweeted.
“This fire is part of the climate crisis, which must not be ignored,”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said at an Independence Day event. “It requires us to prepare for serious and significant challenges and to make decisions
– including appropriate legislation.”
Israel just completed its driest winter on record, according to its Water Authority.
Irrespective of the cause, several prominent Israeli civic rituals on Independence Day involve fire — and were canceled or tamped down because of the wildfires. The national torchlighting ceremony, due to honor public figures including conservative American pundit Ben Shapiro — was called off, with a dress rehearsal airing on TV instead. Fireworks and an airshow were nixed. And authorities banned one of the core festivities of the day — barbecues in the park.
But as the flames burned, some voices still projected hope on what is usually a celebratory day.
“Every burnt tree hurts,” the Jewish National Fund, which owns many of the destroyed areas, posted on Facebook Thursday, May 1. “Every damaged acre is a reason to keep fighting — and to know that we will yet again grow the greenery.”
Rabbi Roz Mandelberg reflects on her 20th anniversary at Ohef Sholom Temple
When the new rabbinic candidate’s resume crossed the desks of the search committee in late 2004, everyone immediately knew: Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg would be Ohef Sholom Temple’s new rabbi. An assistant rabbi at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation at the time, Rabbi Roz promised sermons no longer than 18 minutes, remembered everyone she met and who they were related to, had a beautiful singing voice, was kind, attentive, smart, and happened to have been a friend and former classmate of Cantor Jennifer Bern-Vogel’s, then cantor of Ohef Sholom.
Rabbi Roz’s official start date as senior rabbi was July 1, 2005, but, true to her commitment to her new temple family, she officiated at a funeral for a congregant several days earlier. The fit seemed perfect, and now nearly 20 years and hundreds of baby namings, b’nai mitzvot, weddings, funerals, board meetings, and community celebrations and commemorations later, the congregation is planning a series of events to celebrate the milestone. The first is a Shabbat service and congregational dinner on Friday, June 6.
Bill Nusbaum, a past president of Ohef Sholom who chaired the search committee which hired Rabbi Roz, spoke with her for Jewish News.
Bill Nusbaum: Where and what did you study in college? Where did you work before you went to Hebrew Union College? What called you to become a Reform Rabbi?
Rabbi Roz: I majored in English at Pomona College, Class of 1986. I then worked for some nonprofits, culminating
in a fundraising and event planning job with the Jewish National Fund, which builds infrastructure in Israel (it is best known for planting trees). I knew from that job that I wanted a Jewish communal career but one that included learning, teaching, and impacting people’s lives. I had no role model of female clergy growing up, but when I graduated from college and returned home to Los Angeles, I joined a synagogue whose rabbi was a woman and I quickly realized I was meant to be a congregational rabbi. Every time she spoke, I felt she was speaking to me. When HUC’s 1991 application cycle opened, I applied and was admitted. Upon graduating from HUC, I was ordained on May 19, 1996. I then spent nine years at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, before coming to Ohef Sholom in June 2005.
BN: What have you learned from leading Ohef Sholom that further shaped your own Jewish identity and practice?
RR: The hardest thing about being a rabbi is being true to yourself, leading with authenticity. So, what I brought to the congregation was love. For me, people are more important than platitudes and relationships are more
important than rules. I knew when I came to Ohef Sholom that I wanted to be here because the congregants really loved and cared about their congregation. I could see that the congregation had “good bones,” not in terms of the building, although it is beautiful, but because of its people. The genuine connection and passionate commitment of this community to Judaism, to each other, and to a better world are both what have most moved me and impacted on my Jewish identity; I have never been a part of a community like Ohef Sholom before; it is a true home and family.
BN: What is your proudest achievement at Ohef Sholom?
RR: I’ve strived to influence the Temple’s culture to become a place where people really care about each other – because that’s what endures. Our growth and stability come from creating a caring community where people are invested in each other. And while some Reform congregations have defined themselves as social justice actors, allying themselves with one political party, we’ve avoided that. We try very hard to keep things Jewish-focused and stick to being our congregants’ Jewish home.
2005.
BN: How did you and Cantor Rueben develop such remarkable bimah chemistry?
RR: For Cantor Jen to thrive, I knew she had to be allowed to fly. So, we consult on nearly everything. We have really good, honest communication, and we just complement each other. I don’t mind her doing things she does well, even if they’re in my lane, and she doesn’t mind my singing along with her.
Over the past eight years, the more time we spent together, the closer we became. That’s where the chemistry comes from – it’s genuine.
Our congregation’s growing and thriving religious school, with its enthusiastic kids, serious b’nai mitzvah students, and committed confirmands are living vibrant Jewish lives and love it here, and that bodes well for the futures of both our congregation and Judaism.
Rabbi Roz Mandelberg.
Rabbi Roz on the cover of Jewisk News in August
Senate committee approves amendment to Antisemitism Awareness
Act stating criticism of Israeli government isn’t antisemitic
Grace Gilson (JTA) — An amendment saying that criticism of the Israeli government is not antisemitic was added to the Antisemitism Awareness Act Thursday, May 1 in a Senate committee hearing.
The amendment was proposed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Jewish progressive leader, and approved in a 12-11 vote in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
The committee adjourned before voting on the bill itself and another piece of legislation, the Protecting Students on Campus Act, which would require schools to share information about how students can file civil rights complaints through the Department of Education.
A date for the committee vote has not yet been announced. If passed by the HELP committee, the bill will move onto the Senate floor for a final vote.
Sanders’ was one of seven amendments to be added to the bill, which would codify a widely adopted and controversial definition of antisemitism into U.S. law. That definition, by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, has been adopted by hundreds of governmental bodies and other entities but drawn criticism from the left because it defines some criticism of Israel as antisemitic.
“One can criticize the government of Israel for their policies without being antisemitic,” said Sanders, the committee’s ranking member, during the hearing. “This amendment makes it clear that it is not antisemitic to oppose the Netanyahu-led war effort that has killed more than 50,000 people and wounded over 116,000, 60% of whom are women, children and the elderly.”
All committee Democrats and Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, voted for Sanders’ amendment. Those opposed said
that the amendment and others acted as a poison pill.
“Supporting these amendments is an effort to kill this bill, which protects Jewish students from antisemitic acts,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican who chairs the committee. “The bill includes protections for free speech, so let’s not be naive as to what’s taking place here.”
In response, Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said, “Antisemitism is wrong. Authoritarianism is not the answer.”
The Antisemitism Awareness Act was passed by the House last year but stalled in the Senate over concerns that it could punish political speech against Israel. Some Republicans, including Paul, have also criticized the IHRA definition because it identifies the belief that Jews killed Jesus as antisemitic.
“This bill would subject to punishment speech claiming that Jews killed Jesus,” Paul said at the hearing.
He called the deicide charge “an absurd and insulting insinuation, if the argument is that all Jews are responsible for killing Jesus,” but added, “and yet, the Gospel of John describes the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. It reports Jews present at the trial, including the high priest and crowd called for his crucifixion.”
He continued, “Nobody thinks that’s all Jews, but you’re no longer allowed to read John 18 and 19. This is sort of insane.”
Paul also said he opposed the bill over a litany of other concerns including fears that it would target comedians. He invoked Jerry Seinfeld as an example.
“Have you guys ever listened to comedy? Do you know why Jerry Seinfeld won’t go to colleges because he can’t make any Jew jokes anymore, or Indian jokes, or whatever jokes. Jokes are about silly
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categorizations of people,” said Rand.
He entered into the record a list of the names of 400 Jewish American comedians who he said have referred to Jews in stereotypical language, and who he says may be targeted by the bill.
Two other Sanders amendments were also approved by the committee, including one that states the federal government cannot compel schools to violate the First Amendment rights of a student or professor. The measure could impact the Trump administration’s crackdown on proPalestinian student activists.
“We have already seen attack after
attack on freedom of speech and right to dissent. This amendment defends the Constitution of the United States and our First Amendment,” said Sanders. It passed in a vote of 13-10, with all Democrats as well as Paul and Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, voting in favor.
Another Sanders amendment provided protection to students distributing written materials on campus, carrying out schoolsanctioned protests, and engaging in “any speech that does not include true threats or incitement of violence,” according to Jewish Insider. It was approved by all committee democrats along with Paul and Collins.
SARAH KOSOVSKY NAMED 2025 STEIN
FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
TJF staff
A standout student, Sarah Kosovsky has been named the 2025 recipient of the Stein Family College Scholarship, the largest scholarship available to Jewish students in Tidewater. Awarded through the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, this prestigious scholarship provides up to $15,000 per year— renewable for four years—for a total value of up to $60,000.
Kosovsky will attend the University of Virginia, where she plans to study cognitive science on a pre-med track. She says her goal is “to become a physician who uplifts and empowers others through care grounded in compassion and purpose.”
When asked about the moment she learned she had received the scholarship, Kosovsky says, “I was
excited and relieved. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted, and I was overwhelmed with gratitude for such an incredible opportunity.”
The Stein Family College Scholarship was established in memory of Arlene Shea Stein, a beloved mother and grandmother who deeply valued education but was unable to complete college due to financial hardship. The scholarship reflects her legacy of generosity, community service, and the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam— repairing the world.
For Kosovsky, this sense of purpose is personal. “My Jewish identity has always given me a strong sense of responsibility to give back,” she says. “It has shaped my goals and inspired me to pursue a
career in medicine.”
Throughout high school, Kosovsky maintained academic excellence while actively engaging in leadership and service—volunteering in hospitals, leading school clubs such as Operation Smile, and finding meaningful ways to support her community. Her passion for learning and giving back made her a natural fit for this honor.
“I’m incredibly excited to attend my dream college, and this scholarship makes it financially possible,” she says. “It allows me to focus fully on my studies and future without the burden of debt.”
To the Stein family and the supporters of Tidewater Jewish Foundation, she offers a heartfelt thank you: “This scholarship doesn’t just help financially—it affirms that my community believes in me. That means everything.”
As she embarks on her journey at UVA, Sarah Kosovsky carries the legacy of Arlene Stein with her, adding her own chapter to a story rooted in resilience, compassion, and the pursuit of knowledge.
Dr. Gary Moss
Greg Pendell
Craig Koenig
Marguerite Lengkeek
Sarah Kosovsky.
camps FIRST PERSON
Jewish camp experience spans two generations
On the third try, I landed at an overnight camp that was the right fit for me.
The first, an allgirls sleepaway camp, located in New England, required an eight-week commitment, where campers dressed in uniform bloomers and saddle shoes to have “fun.” I was nine years old and in the youngest bunk. Most memorable to me, from that summer of 1974, was when the entire female camp piled into the rec center to watch President Richard Nixon resign on a large screen. The resignation was a sideshow, but the delight brought by the rare Snickers bar I was given stays with me to this day.
in 1942, the camp’s population consisted mostly of Jewish children and teens from Pennsylvania, notably Allentown and
was celebrated in “whites and whites” (white top and white bottoms). Having grown-up in Baltimore, I lived among a Jewish community, so this camp experience was an extension of my winter life. In Tidewater, however, Audrey was in the religious minority among her peers and at Pinemere, she found a new sense of connection.
My grandfather passed away that summer, and my parents decided to leave me at camp rather than disrupt the joyous time they thought I was having. When the car broke down on the way home from the airport, my mother shared this news as we waited at the gas station. I opted to stay home the following summer for fear of losing another grandparent.
At age 11, I ventured away again, this time to a rustic camp in Pennsylvania with a four-week option. After one dip in the murky lake, I decided that I would no longer swim that summer; luckily, I broke out in hives and the camp doctor agreed that it must be a lake allergy (at least that’s my recollection).
If three is a charm, then Pinemere Camp, a Jewish overnight camp in the Poconos, was destined to work. A fourweek commitment led to eight weeks, at my choosing, and I returned each summer until I was too old to be a camper. Founded
Philadelphia, though a few campers, like me, drove the distance from Washington D.C. and Baltimore for eight summer weeks in the mountains.
While my two sons followed in my husband’s footsteps and travelled to Maine for overnight camp, my young daughter, Audrey, was drawn to the energy at Pinemere when we visited one summer weekend. I marveled at how the camp and its property had not changed much in a generation. However, whereas I once swam in Pinemere’s lessmurky lake, she would be lucky to frolic in a beautiful pool.
The Jewish culture of the camp also remained. Kosher meals were still served and Shabbat
Even some of the spirit songs and cheer traditions hadn’t changed in those 30 plus years. Audrey would return home at the end of a summer whistling the same tunes that I remembered from my heyday. Jewish prayers and Hebrew songs populated our home, sung with the fervor of a happy camper.
I did not recognize the religious impact of Pinemere until I first visited
Norfolk for Passover when dating my husband, Paul. At the very end of a large, long seder, a song was sung in Hebrew, and miraculously, I knew all the words. Perplexed, I turned to Paul and asked what we were singing and how might I have come to know it. I was able to recall its origin in my mind, dating back to my days at Pinemere Camp, and realized that I had sung the Birkat Hamazon, or prayer after the meal, for all of those eight summer weeks during six years of my life. Maybe I knew then what I was singing, but 20 years later, I was possessed with a knowledge that escaped me.
Jewish overnight camp served as a ‘home away from home’ for Audrey and me. We both left our camp days with enduring friendships thanks to the connectedness that the Jewish environment created – the daughters of two of my camp peers were even in Audrey’s bunk.
Overnight camp may not be a slam dunk for all kids (refer to my first two experiences), but the daily influence of Judaism on those breezy summer days and nights created a warm and special place for my daughter and me.
Stephanie Peck
Audrey Peck and friends at Pinemere Camp.
Stephanie Peck in the front row, third from right.
Outdoor Pool at the Simon Family JCC opens Memorial Day summer
Get ready for summer when the Simon Family JCC’s outdoor pool opens on Saturday, May 24.
Weekday aquatics exercise classes will move outside during the summer season, weather permitting, and many other events return to enjoy with friends and family. Among the special summer happenings taking place are:
• Sunday Fun Days on Sunday, June 8 and Sunday, July 13
• End of Summer Shabbat on Friday, August 22
• Pups @ the Pool (human swimmers with their dog swimmers) on Sunday, September 7. The Cardo Café will be open during regular hours, Monday through Friday, 9 am – 2 pm.
Summer day passes to the Simon Family JCC, May 24 until September 1, are available during the season for $14 for adults ages 18+, and $10 per child, ages 3-17. The membership rate for Strelitz International Academy families is $50 per month, with no joining fee and the flexibility to cancel anytime with a 30-day notice. First responders and active duty/retired military receive 25% off memberships.
YAD members enjoy post-Passover chametz
Heather Nevins
Young area adults with United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Young Adult Division gathered at Hank’s Filling Station on Tuesday, April 22 for a Happy Hour to celebrate the end of the Passover holiday. Two dozen
participants enjoyed drinks and plenty of post-Passover chametz. The event drew both new and long-time YAD attendees, offering opportunities to create new friendships and strengthen existing ones. For information on upcoming YAD events, visit
YAD’s Facebook (YAD UJFT) and Instagram (@yadtidewater) pages.
Heather Nevins is development manager for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
Camp JCC: More than just a summer camp
Dave Flagler
When schools close for winter and spring breaks and other federal holidays, Camp JCC School Days Out is the fun place to be for campers and a convenient and flexible option for parents.
Registration was available for individual days, 5- and 10-day bundles, and for the entire school year. Since many school calendars are not aligned with each other, each registration option was utilized by multiple families over the course of the school year.
Camp JCC School Days Out concluded programming for the 20242025 school year with another successful spring break camp. Covering one week of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Strelitz International Academy school closures during Passover, April 14 - 18, campers enjoyed spring themed crafts, indoor and outdoor games, STEM projects, free swim with new and old friends, and more.
The ability to customize schedules has been popular for families. Along with each registration option, families utilized newly established payment plans for Camp JCC School Days Out. With these options and additions, Camp JCC School Days Out has seen significant increases in enrollment, with both individuals participating and days attending, over the past three school years. For the recently completed 2024-2025 school year, Camp JCC School Days Out enrollment and attendance surpassed the previous year’s total.
More than just a summer camp, Camp JCC successfully engages campers and serves Tidewater families all year round.
To learn more about Camp JCC, or to hear about year-round opportunities for teens in the community, contact Dave Flagler, director of camp and teen engagement, at DFlagler@UJFT.org or 757-452-3182.
Bern Glasser and Solomon Siegel.
Fred Rose, Hilary Oser, Mark Gamsey, and Becca Barr enjoy a game of ping-pong.
Fred Rose, Becca Barr, and Mark Gamsey.
Jacob Shuman, Aaron Fast, and Brett Pomerantz.
YAD fills Hank’s Filling Station.
Will Saunders, Jake Glasser, and Sam Rachelson.
Leave more than memories. Leave Meaning.
For Edie Schlain, giving has always been a guiding value.
A lifelong supporter of Jewish causes, Edie established a legacy fund to benefit the organizations closest to her heart — a commitment that will strengthen our community for generations to come.
Through the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, she’s ensuring that the values she lives by will continue making an impact, long into the future.
It all started with a conversation.
Let’s talk about your legacy.
���� foundation.jewishva.org
aweinstein@tjfva.org
☎ 757-965-6111
IT’S A WRAP
SUNDAY FUN DAY: DOWN ON THE FARM
Sarah Cooper
Sunday, April 6 turned into a very warm and sunny day for Sunday Fun Day at Hunt Club Farm. The event sold out and had a waiting list of families that wanted to join the farm fun. Families put on their sunscreen, hats, and tennis shoes and arrived at the first off-site Sunday Fun Day of the year – and the first one at Hunt Club since 2023. Spring was in the air and with the petting farm opening full time in April, it was a great way to enjoy the outdoors.
The petting farm includes rabbits, pigs, goats, sheep, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, and new this year, mini-highland cows. Feed cups were given to the first 15 families that registered, which usually
makes the animals happy. A BirdWalk Aviary features beautiful parakeets and bird sticks with seeds are available for up close encounters. Those who wanted some movement and play headed to the TreeWalk Adventure, with its connected netted bridges, treehouses, and slides. Pony rides are also an option, and many families stopped for ice cream at the little store on the way out.
In addition to the fun it offers, Hunt Club Farm is educational. Children learn about different animals and how to practice compassion and are exposed to life on a farm and the importance of agriculture.
A great time was had by all. To learn more about future gatherings, contact Sarah Cooper at scooper@ujft.org.
Liam and Mollie Glassman pet a pig.
Rabbi Ari and Ben Oliszewski feed the alpaca. The Oliszewski family enjoys the warm day together.
Mollie Glassman poses as a scarecrow.
Lia Oliszewski feeds the alpaca.
Makinley and Liliana Beasley make silly poses.
Makinley Rayner and her friend loved the birdwalk aviary.
Amy and Liam Yashaev enjoy cuddling with the highland cows.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Honoring some of Tidewater’s outstanding Jewish educators
Thursday, May 29, 5:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus
Sierra Lautman
The Konikoff Center for Learning at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is ending its year by celebrating the educators whose expertise and warmth have enriched Tidewater’s Jewish community. “Learning is being alive in a better world. I am grateful for all the opportunities offered at the Jewish community,” says Evalyn Horowitz, a learner.
The free event which includes dinner, is open to all ages. For more information or to register, visit JewishVA.org/Learn4Life.
A few of Tidewater’s incredible Jewish educators are recognized here.
Rabbi Michael Panitz Scholar, storyteller, and community treasure Renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge and engaging teaching, Rabbi Michael Panitz brings Jewish history to life with depth, humor, and modern connections. These learners agree:
“Rabbi Panitz is one superb teacher! He has a vast mastery of history as well as the Torah and connects those two areas in the most understandable (and often humorous!) way.”– Myrna Teck, PhD
“I've taken many classes with Rabbi Panitz, including graduate Melton classes, antisemitism classes, and now a class on Jewish views of the afterlife. He asks questions that make you think, but he always has the answers.” – Vivian Margulies
“I had been working on my series of Biblical novels, and after hearing how wonderful a teacher Rabbi Panitz is, I signed up for a course with him. I must say, Rabbi Panitz is one of the kindest, most insightful, golden-tongued, erudite teachers I've ever been privileged to learn from.” –Elizabeth Clifford Murphy (author of The Faithful Harlot, available summer 2025)
Alene Jo Kaufman
Facilitating joyful, interactive learning
Alene Jo Kaufman’s classes foster dynamic, participatory learning, encouraging exploration and making every session memorable. Kaufman’s students say this about her:
“Alene gave a talk to our JCC Seniors Club on why Jewish people do or do not do certain customs or rituals. This talk helped Jewish and non-Jewish folks gain a better understanding of our many beautiful traditions.” – Sherry Lieberman
“I can't say enough about learning with Alene Kaufman. The topic was Bereshit (Genesis), and she did an excellent job guiding us through some of the consequential events in that book of the Torah. She engaged us in lively, interactive discussions in every class. I hope she will keep teaching because I will keep coming.” – Joel Rubin, APR
“Alene does not lecture but opens the class to participation by encouraging thoughts, comments, and questions. The Bereshit course was beautifully organized to present midrash from the ancient to the modern. Alene always brought her evident joy and enthusiasm for studying Bible text – it was contagious.” – Lorna Orleans
Dr. Amy Milligan
Creating safe spaces for growth and understanding
Dr. Amy Milligan’s engaging style creates supportive spaces where learners of all backgrounds feel empowered to grow. Milligan’s students have much to say about her:
“I’m about to finish my latest Melton class with Dr. Milligan. The topical
Free Mazel Tov listings!
nature of this class (the history of antisemitism), combined with Amy’s engaging teaching style, makes it that much more enjoyable (if learning about something horrible can be enjoyable). I look forward to my next class from Amy, whatever it might be.” – Janet Kass
“Dr. Milligan's classes have been a comfort over the past two difficult years. I don't normally seek classes out for comfort but rather for knowledge. However, Dr. Milligan has provided a safe, supportive environment where all levels of learners can grow and have a voice.”
– Shyanne Southern
“I have had the pleasure of taking two disparate courses with Amy Milligan – Jewish Humor and currently the History of Antisemitism. Amy handled both subjects with grace and erudition. She encouraged us to participate in the discussions while helping us to elucidate our thoughts. At the end of the first course, I hoped that Jewish humor would last forever, and at the end of the second course, we all hope for abiding change.” – Diane Muhlendorf
Other esteemed educators
The impact of the Konikoff Center for Learning’s educators extends beyond courses offered by UJFT and includes partnerships.
For example, Ruth Schepper learned with Chabad of Tidewater’s Jewish Learning Institute, and says, “I will never be able to thank Rabbi Margolin enough. He is unique, a master spiritual teacher.”
Elizabeth Clifford Murphy participated in the community-wide Rabbi Sacks Book Club and says, “Craig Schranz is another educator who leads incredible discussions. The Rabbi Sacks Book Club meetings are filled with amazing local Jewish (and other) thinkers and lifelong learners.”
Tell Jewish Tidewater about your simchas and have a photo published in Jewish News to remember for years to come. Up to 100 words and photo at no charge. Send your listing and photo to speck@ujft.org with Mazel Tov in the subject line. If you do not get a response or have a question, call 757-965-6100.
Registrations rolling in for Nadiv Poker Night
Tuesday, May 13, 6 pm Sandler Family
Sam Molofsky.
The first-ever Nadiv Poker Night is set for launch.
Campus
Registrations are coming in as poker players ready for a large-scale tournament at the Sandler Family Campus.
Dinner is at 6 pm, and the tournament begins at 7 pm sharp.
Nadiv, the young men’s professional fundraising division of UJFT, has worked since September 2024 to plan the community-wide event. Nadiv members have now secured more than $12,000 in sponsorships and 20 prizes to be awarded for people who reach the “final table” at the end of the night.
Registration is $100 per person. All money raised will support scholarships for Camp JCC in summer 2025.
RSVP to get a seat at the (poker) table. Visit federation.jewishva.org/nadiv-poker.
Don’t miss out on Nadiv's signature event of the year.
Building
Sierra Lautman
The Maccabeats to perform Unity Concert
Sunday, June 8, 2:30 pm
Sandler Family Campus
The Maccabeats are coming to town! Get ready for a rockin’ show with America’s premier Jewish a cappella group. Families across Jewish Tidewater are encouraged to attend.
The concert is presented by B’nai Israel Congregation and is made possible by Tidewater Jewish Foundation. When the Maccabeats take the stage, the music will be fun, funny, soulful, and in perfect harmony.
The Maccabeats are known for popular a cappella versions of Dayenu, Lecha Dodi and Tamid Ohev Oti. The group also performs Jewish-themed songs based on the music of Billy Joel, Disney’s Encanto, the hit single Despacito, and much more.
For updated information, call B’nai Israel at 757-627-7358- ext. 1.
on a Foundation of Hope: Exploring Jewish life in early America Sunday, May 18, 1 pm, Myers House
As part of Jewish American Heritage Month, the Chrysler Museum, in partnership with United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, presents Building on a Foundation of Hope, a tour of the Myers House that explores the early Jewish American experience through the story of the Moses Myers family, Norfolk’s first permanent Jewish residents.
This tour will be co-led by Rabbi Michael Panitz and Karen Dutton, manager of visitor services at the Chrysler Museum and Myers House coordinator. Together, they will guide participants through a historical discussion centered on how Moses and Eliza Myers maintained some form of Jewish identity while fully integrating into the civic and economic life of Norfolk in the Early Republic.
Through stories of Sephardic heritage, Revolutionary War involvement, and early Jewish community building, including the founding of Norfolk’s first Jewish
cemetery, this program will highlight the delicate balance between assimilation and cultural preservation. Broader themes will include the rise of Jewish merchant life in early America, differences between Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions, and lessons in resilience and civic virtue that still resonate today.
Rabbi Panitz will bring insights on Jewish customs and culture, while Dutton will provide historical context and personal stories tied to the Myers family legacy. This program is free for museum members and $10 for non-members. Space is limited and registration is required. Learn more about this program and other ways to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month at JewishVA.org/JAHM or by contacting Sierra Lautman, senior director of Jewish Innovation at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater at SLautman@ujft.org.
To practice for the Nadiv Poker Night, Nadiv members (from left to right) Isaac Mallenbaum, Tim Thornton, Mark Gamsey, Todd Scholsohn, Sam Rachaelson, Andrew Welliver and Nadiv Chair Sam Molofsky met on April 22 to shuffle up and deal.
OBITUARIES
family. She, with Barry, was our anchor.
Reatha loved playing in her weekly Mah Jongg games, taking exercise classes, entertaining, traveling, and creating gorgeous needlepoint pictures and pillows. She was a lifelong member of Congregation Beth El and the Sisterhood, life member of Beth Sholom Auxiliary, and a member of B’nai Brith. She and Barry were ardent Hokie fans and held season tickets to football games, hosting lavish tailgates for any family and friends wanting to join.
Her spirit was marked by her extraordinary adaptability and positive outlook. She inspired us by example as she navigated life’s hardships with strength, grace, and optimism. Re will be fondly remembered by so many for her radiant smile, unwavering warmth, and the natural ease with which she welcomed others. Her friendliness was sincere and heartfelt, creating a sense of belonging wherever she went. Her hospitality was more than just a gesture—it was a reflection of her generous spirit and deep love for people.
Whether sharing a kind word, or simply offering a listening ear, she made everyone feel seen, valued, and important.
She was predeceased by her parents, Taft and Dora Mirman; her husband, Barry; her daughter, Debbie; her grandson, Zachary; her sister and brother-in-law, Pearl and Hymie Brooke; her brother and sister-in-law, Sonny and Bunny Mirman; and her sister and brother-in-law, Brenda and David Bromley. She will be missed by her son David, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. In addition, she was dearly loved by her nieces and nephews, extended family, and many friends.
Reatha’s funeral was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk, Va. Her family would like to express their love and sincere appreciation to her great niece, Lauren Barkan, who lovingly did all she was able to be sure Reatha was comfortable and well cared for during her time of need.
Donations in Reatha’s memory to Jewish Family Service of Tidewater.
Sheila Van Dyke
PINEHURST, N.C. - Sheila Van Dyke, a woman of deep faith who had a gift for making close friends wherever she went, passed away peacefully on April 21, 2025, at her home in Pinehurst, N.C., after an illness.
Born in Malone, N.Y., she was the daughter of the late Benjamin and Irene Bregman. Sheila graduated from Boston University with a bachelor’s in English and served as a high school and middle school English teacher in Georgia, Massachusetts, and Malone. She returned to her hometown in the 1960s with her husband at the time, Charles Morgo (deceased), who joined the Bregman family business, Tru-Stitch Footwear.
Sheila gave up teaching to become a devoted mother to her two daughters, Esther and Jennifer. She threw herself into supporting their activities and was ever willing to make a herculean effort. A skilled seamstress and decorator, she would spend hours stitching imaginative Halloween costumes – Pinocchio and Geppetto was a prize winner – or outfits for school and special occasions. When Jennifer needed advanced lessons on the violin, she made a round-trip drive of five hours every week to a renowned teacher in Ontario.
She was an energetic and effective volunteer, serving as a leader of the Malone Arts Council, which brought the Montreal Symphony and other top-tier artists to perform in the rural Adirondack town; a creator of artistic crafts to sell at the hospital’s fundraising bazaar; a Sunday School teacher at the town’s only synagogue, Temple Beth El, where her father led services; and a founder of a youth orchestra. Friends who shared her passion for volunteering were often on the phone or stopping by the kitchen to plan events.
A family move to Grand Rapids, Mich., launched her on a new and successful career as a realtor; she brought a passion to the work of finding the “perfect house” for every client, treating each one as a friend, as she learned their life stories and dreams for the future.
After her first marriage ended in divorce, she fell in love with and married Michigan native Robert “Bob” Van Dyke, who was always ready to embark on adventures, such as power boating in the Great Lakes, and to keep her laughing. Her remarriage also prompted her conversion to Christianity. In Pinehurst, she and Bob were devoted members of Community Presbyterian Church, where she served in a multitude of roles. She was most passionate about the church’s outreach to help disadvantaged youth in
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Pinehurst, spending countless joyful hours as an academic tutor, a director of arts and crafts camps, and organizer of an expedition to the North Carolina Museum of Art. She also was an active member of the Pinehurst Garden Club for 23 years, and an ardent member of a Book Club that met for more than two decades.
A lifelong dog lover, she was accompanied in her many doings in Pinehurst by Simba, her loyal border collie.
Through all of her volunteering, she kept a focus on her family and was a proud and loving “Gram” to her three grandchildren: Melissa Rothman (Seth) of Jersey
City; Benjamin Diskin (Haley) of Denver; and Gabriella Diskin of Baltimore. She maintained active email exchanges with lifelong friends and with her younger sister, Cyd Sieghart (Josef) of Greenwich, Conn., and regular, discursive phone calls with her daughters, Esther Diskin (Glenn) of Virginia Beach, Va.; Jennifer Morgo of Riva del Garda, Italy; and her stepson, Craig Van Dyke of Grand Rapids.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 17 at Community Presbyterian Church.
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
