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Mazel Tov

JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 15

The Perfect Gift for any Occasion!

Mazel Tov

Dear Readers,

A friend posted today in a text group I’m in that her daughter had just delivered a healthy baby girl. The “Mazel Tovs!” immediately started popping up – a quick reflex to good news. Good news and achievements are some of the Mazel Tovs we celebrate in this section (including that baby girl, who as of this morning, was yet-to-be named). Dr. Eric Werner, for example was recently inducted into the Fine Family Academy of Educators, part of the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. In addition to applauding him, the Fine family’s generosity

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deserves its own appreciation and applause. Shari Dozoretz Friedman is being honored with the Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Hampton Roads Chapter for her work with the Dozoretz Hospice House of Hampton Roads, an important and caring addition to the area. Mazel Tov! Major Metzger, now 12 years old, earned the Carnegie Medal for Heroism for saving a young friend from a potentially fatal fall. Gov. Abigal Spanberger made the presentation. How cool is that? Certainly, worthy of a Mazel Tov! Within these pages are more pieces about reasons for community members to receive Mazel Tovs – a motorcycle ride to raise funds for survivors of the Oct. 7, 2023 Nova

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Music Festival, a 105-year-old celebrating a birthday, an artist receiving a grant, and the retirement of Dorothy Salomonsky who transformed guardianship in Virginia.

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Our first Mazel Tov piece, though, highlights four area couples who celebrate milestone anniversaries in 2026 – from five years to 50. All achievements and all occasions to celebrate. All of us at Jewish News hope you have cause to receive or extend a Mazel Tov greeting soon. Whichever end you’re on, the feeling is always good. Thanks for reading,

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Mazel Tov

Milestone anniversaries worth celebrating

Haley Bartel

nniversaries are measured in years, but these couples say the real story is in the small things: a question about basketball, a slice of cheesecake, a paper on Herbert Marcuse. Married from five to 50 years, these four area couples share how they met, what they have built together, and what keeps them going.

Prue and Mike Salasky 50th anniversary

ichael Salasky was a law student at William & Mary, and Prue was on a graduate exchange from Exeter University in England, working on a master’s degree in U.S. history, when they met in the campus coffee bar. Mike knew the law student Prue was with at the time – but that didn’t stop him. “I thought I could do better than him, and it turned out I did,” he recalls. Also, at the front of his memory from that day is the first time he heard her full name, Prudence, noting he “felt sorry for anyone who had to go through life with it.” Pity aside, Mike lent her a paper he had written on Herbert Marcuse, and that’s how it started. Prue prefers to call it “a youthful mistake.” After dating for about two years, they married when Prue was 23 and Mike was 26, both nervous. They came from very different places. Mike grew up in Norfolk in a large extended family and attended Beth El. Prue grew up on a farm in the south of England, 60 miles from London, attending the local parish church. “We really have absolutely nothing in common,” Mike says, “except that we both happen to have studied Russian.” Their working knowledge of the language came in handy when their daughters were small. “We could speak Russian and they didn’t know what we were talking about,” he muses. Mike was a solo practitioner who worked six days a week for decades. He retired in 2020 but still maintains his license. Prue taught history, Latin, and ESL at schools and colleges throughout Tidewater, including Norfolk Academy, Tidewater Community College, and the Williams School. She spent the bulk of her career as a writer and editor at the Daily Press in Newport News, much of it part-time while raising their three daughters. After retiring, she earned a master’s in linguistics. A Fulbright scholarship took her to Bulgaria to teach English, though COVID cut the stay short. Today she produces a linguistics podcast, languagingHR, and Mike is immersed in the study of music. Mike

is quick to brag on her impressive professional and academic careers. “She can blow the horn for me,” he says, “but I’ll blow the horn for her.” Their daughters, Julia, Charlotte, and Vanessa, are all married with children. Julia lives in London, Charlotte in Dubai, and Vanessa in Philadelphia. Of their seven grandchildren, ages 7 months to 9 years, five are boys. “As parents we spent countless hours on soccer fields,” Prue says, and they have savored the Bat mitzvahs, graduations, weddings, and births. They have also weathered sorrows, including the loss of parents. For years, the Salaskys celebrated the Jewish holidays with Mike’s large local family, rotating among households. Since the children and their cousins moved away, gatherings are rarer, so the couple has become flexible. They savor any time together, “whether on the beach or at a seder,” and have enjoyed attending services with their children and grandchildren in Philadelphia and London. What do they admire in each other? Mike calls Prue brilliant, independent, funny, and charming. Prue appreciates how self-sufficient (or in other words, stubborn) Mike is. He makes her laugh and lets her be her own person without judgment, and his curiosity means she learns from him about topics she might not otherwise pursue. “We have been fortunate in many, many ways,” Prue says, “because when you make a decision at age 23, you simply cannot know what life will throw your way.”

JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 17

June and Bo Saks

Mazel Tov

50th anniversary

une Saks was born and raised in Norfolk, while Bo was from Gadsden, Alabama, having moved to Richmond to be near his mother and stepfather. June and Bo were introduced by mutual friends, sharing small-town roots and a preference for informality over big-city life. When they began dating, Bo moved to Norfolk, where they settled. Much of their courtship, June says, took place at Norfolk General Hospital, where she was recovering from back surgery. June recalls their wedding day as “a beautiful April day” – cool but full of springtime. Friends and family came from out of town, including several of Bo’s college friends, who are still close with him today. “There was just a very warm, loving feeling,” she says. Bo became part of June’s family right away. She has two brothers, and Bo easily fit in as the third. He worked in her family’s business and, she says, “did it beautifully.” June’s paternal grandfather was one of the early leaders of Ohef Sholom Temple, and her mother, who moved from New York after marrying her father, became devoted to it, too. June volunteered at the temple and the Sisterhood, taught in the religious school, and served on both the temple and Sisterhood boards of directors. Bo supported all of it, handling carpools and play dates, and being home when the kids arrived on nights she had meetings. She also volunteered a lot at Norfolk General, which Bo supported just as fully. The couple has two children, Lauren, who lives in Washington, D.C., and Michael, who returned from the West Coast to Richmond with his two sons, now 11 and 9. The Saks’ are a sports-minded family. Bo attended the University of Alabama, and the rest of the family has adopted the Crimson Tide. The grandsons play several sports, swim, and fish. Holidays were always a big part of family life. June’s parents hosted Rosh Hashanah, and she and Bo hosted the Break Fast. After 38 years in their home in Colony Point, near Wards Corner, they moved to Aviva Pembroke, where there isn’t room for large gatherings, so they now celebrate with friends at the family dinners there. “I loved having family and extended family to our home,” June says. “I miss that tremendously.” Still, she adds, “life goes on.” According to June, there is a lot to admire about Bo. “He is a nice man, a good man who loves people,” she says. He stays in touch with his friends and has long helped newcomers to Norfolk get acclimated. She also treasures his continued love and support for her family. The greatest gift of their marriage? “Family,” June says. “Being together, supporting one another through the good times and the bad times.” There have been “glitches,” she adds, and things aren’t always rosy, “but knowing that you have that support for one another” makes the difference.

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Rachael and Michael Nusbaum 10th anniversary

achael grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, and Michael is a Norfolk native. They met in Nashville at M.L.Rose, a restaurant and bar, during March Madness. “I asked his roommate, ‘What’s a field goal in basketball?’” she says. Michael was the one who answered, and he promptly asked for her number. “The rest is history!” Early in their dating, a friend offered some reassurance. Michael’s sister had gone to college with one of Rachael’s oldest and dearest friends, and when that friend realized who Rachael was dating, she told her, “Whether this relationship lasts a week, a month, a few years or forever, Michael Nusbaum is the type of person who will show you how you deserve to be treated.” Their wedding was “a blowout,” Rachael says. Almost every guest they invited attended, and the couple felt “the support and outpouring of love” as they began their marriage. Soon after, they relocated to Norfolk and bought their first house together. Rachael works as a travel agent for Seabreeze Travel and Michael works for S.L. Nusbaum Insurance. The Jewish community welcomed the Nusbaums “with open arms” and has remained an important part of their village, they say. During her first years in Norfolk, Rachael helped Ohef Sholom Temple with its Harold Grinspoon initiative, and Michael now serves on the temple’s board of directors. They are excited for their son, Harding Parkes, (he’s called Parkes) and turns 3 in February, to grow up at the temple. The couple waited seven years after moving to Norfolk to have Parkes. “We grew up together during those years,” she says, and Parkes’s birth in 2024 brought them closer still, as they “saw sides of one another we hadn’t before.” His arrival is also what they’re most proud of as a couple, along with the little man he is growing into. Their own family traditions are just beginning to take shape. What matters most, she says, is quality time with family, whether on a holiday or at a yearly tradition. When things get hard, they return to their core values. “We are each other’s very best friends,” she says. “We are each other’s biggest cheerleaders, and we have the same hopes, dreams, and goals for one another, our life, our son.” The key to a happy and lasting marriage, in her view, is communication and respect. They marked their 10th anniversary with a Rhine River cruise, and they’re looking forward to “many more adventures with each other and our family for many, many years to come.”

Mazel Tov

Ellie Cesario and Kevin Keltz 5th anniversary

hough they’ve been married five years, Ellie Cesario and Kevin Keltz met on Saturday, April 3, 2004, at the opening reception of an art show at Studio One-O-Seven in Norfolk. Ellie was one of the exhibiting artists. “Standing by my artwork and looking at one of my own paintings,” she recalls, someone behind her asked, “Have you tried the cheesecake? It’s delicious!” She turned around, met Kevin, and the two talked for the rest of the evening. They traded information, and soon they had their first date. Kevin grew up in Miami Beach, Florida, and came to Norfolk in 1980 to become director of Residence Life at Old Dominion University, a job he held for 17 years. Ellie grew up in Uniondale, on Long Island, and moved to Virginia Beach in 1999. She was a public school teacher who later became a counselor. Now, they are both retired. Ellie says she knew it was special as she got to know Kevin and was impressed by how genuine he is in his actions and relationships. Kevin says he knew Ellie was the one because he was willing to drive 45 minutes, almost to Pungo in Virginia Beach, for a date. They dated for 17 years before marrying. “We joke about how it took a while for us to be sure,” Ellie says. They keep separate homes – Kevin’s in Norfolk and Ellie’s in Virginia Beach; he spends half the week in each, which gives both time for their own activities and for the friends Kevin has had for many years. They were married five years ago, at the height of COVID, in a backyard with a small group of friends. They couldn’t invite everyone they would have liked, but “it was beautiful,” says Ellie, and a group effort: friends handled the flowers, food, photographs, and decorations, and made the chuppah by hand. Since then, milestones have included a trip to Kevin’s hometown of Miami Beach, where Ellie saw where he grew up and met friends he has kept since childhood, and many outdoor art shows together “in all kinds of weather.” They also enjoy group activities with friends, including a movie of the month and holiday and neighborhood celebrations. Ellie admires how Kevin is a people person who is open-minded, kind, and gentle, with a devotion to family, friends, and animals, has a great sense of humor, and a talent for planning trips. Kevin, for his part, says, “Aside from her physical beauty, what I admire most about Ellie is her generosity, honesty, patience, willingness to go out of her way to help others, and her multiple talents.” Those include art, dancing, gardening, and cooking, and “she knows more about working on cars than I do.” They both love the National Parks and take at least two trips a year. Kevin plans where they stay and finds the best places to eat, while Ellie drives. Kevin also meets faithfully with a coffee group, and the two enjoy watching college football and spending time with each other’s friends. They marked their fifth anniversary by attending the milestone anniversary service at Ohef Sholom Temple. Looking ahead, they say, it’s about continuing to communicate with each other and spending time together.

Virginia Beach Norfolk

JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 19

Mazel Tov

The Fine Family Academy of Educators newest inductees with members of the Fine family.

New inductees of Fine Family Academy of Educators include Eric Werner

Terri Denison The Fine Family of Academy Educators held a ceremony in September to honor its latest inductees, including Eric J. Werner, MD. Established in 2019 by the Fine family and community supporters, the Fine Family Academy of Educators is part of the Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. The Academy recognizes and advances excellence in health professions education. Among the Academy’s goals, it aims to foster “faculty development, educational

Alfred Abuhamad, MD, Eric Werner, MD, U. Samuel Ikonne, PhD, and Karen Fine. 20 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org

innovation, scholarship, educational leadership, and mentorship while cultivating a vibrant community dedicated to advancing the art and science of teaching.” As a member of the Academy, educators are part of a community that allows them to collaborate and learn from different perspectives through regular gatherings. While several other medical schools have created similar programs, the number is limited, resulting in the Fine Family Academy of Educators attracting educators to the school, says Eric J. Werner, MD. Karen Fine, a member of the EVMS Foundation Board of Directors. Werner has been a member of the Department of Pediatrics faculty since 1987. A pediatric hematology/ oncology physician, he practiced clinical medicine for more than 40 years and now serves as vice chair for faculty affairs in the Department of Pediatrics and as chief medical quality and wellness officer for Children’s Specialty Group. “I’m honored to be included in the Academy,” says

Werner. “The concept of the Fine Family Academy is wise – to advance the understanding of how to better educate people in the healthcare fields.” Members of the Fine family, including Morris Fine, Barbara and Andrew Fine, Karen and Matt Fine, Diane and Jeffery Fine, Jane and Rob Fine, and Mike Fine attended the event. At the ceremony, each member was presented with a stole embroidered with the Academy’s emblem, which features a leaf, symbolizing growth, knowledge, transformation, and renewal. The letter F is woven into the leaf, honoring the Fine family. The stole may be worn with formal academic regalia. A commemorative lapel pin was also presented to each new inductee. Karen Fine participated in the presentations. A reception followed the ceremony.

Mazel Tov

Honoring a legacy of advocacy: Dorothy Salomonsky retires after more than three decades of transforming guardianship

Kelly Burroughs, JFS After more than three decades of visionary leadership, unwavering advocacy, and profound dedication, Dorothy Salomonsky is retiring from Jewish Family Service of Tidewater. Her departure marks the conclusion of a monumental career that not only built the foundation of JFS’s guardianship services but fundamentally shaped the landscape of adult guardianship across the Commonwealth of Virginia. When Salomonsky first recognized the glaring gaps in the care and protection of vulnerable adults with psychiatric, mental, and physical disabilities, she didn’t just seek out existing solutions— she created one. Under then JFS executive Harry Graber’s enduring words: “If it makes sense to you, it makes sense to me,” Salomonsky was the driving force behind the development of the Personal Affairs Management (PAM) guardianship program at JFS.

Under her guidance, the PAM program grew from a local check writing initiative through an AARP grant, into a benchmark standard of excellence. She approached guardianship not merely as a set of legal mandates, but as a deeply human responsibility. Salomonsky championed the philosophy that every individual under guardianship deserves a life lived safely, meaningfully, and in the least restrictive environment possible, preferring community integration, family home settings, and personalized life skills training over unnecessary institutionalization. Salomonsky’s influence extended far beyond Tidewater. Her unmatched expertise and fierce advocacy established JFS as a trusted leader in the field, helping to pioneer structural oversight and statutory accountability mechanisms that protected vulnerable adults statewide. She worked alongside lawmakers, state agencies, and legal professionals

Mazel Tov to

savings to shape public policy and advocate for the rights of individuals under guardianship, ensuring that the power imbalance inherent to guardianship relationships was balanced with absolute dignity, trust, and professional vetting. Because of Salomonsky’s work, Virginia’s guardianship framework became more clinical, structured, and client centered. At its core, Salomonsky’s career has been defined by the profound honor and privilege of standing by those who need it most. She built a professional culture at JFS where staff work tirelessly to ensure

that individuals facing severe cognitive, physical, or psychiatric compromises are never left isolated, alone, or forgotten. As Salomonsky steps into a welldeserved retirement, she leaves behind an organization forever transformed by her brilliance and a Commonwealth whose most vulnerable citizens are safer because she chose to dedicate her life to their protection. The entire JFS family, alongside decades of advocates and community partners, extends its deepest gratitude to Dorothy Salomonsky for a legendary career of service.

JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 21

Mazel Tov

HEROISM ON A SKI LIFT: MAJOR METZGER’S STRONG HOLD Haley Bartel Major Metzger, a student at Virginia Beach Middle School, was with family and friends at Wintergreen Ski Resort in January 2025, when he committed an act of bravery that saved another child from a 16-foot fall and earned him the Carnegie Medal for Heroism. “All I could think about was how scared I was and making sure I didn’t drop him,” Major recalls, referring to the day of the incident. Major is the son of Amy and Mark Metzger. Six-year-old Bryce Rader and Major, then 10 years old, were on the chairlift together riding to the slopes. When Major noticed Bryce was slipping, he grabbed his friend’s hand – even as Bryce continued to slip further off the lift. Major held onto Bryce, who was wearing a heavy helmet and skis, for about four minutes until ski patrol arrived with

Major Metzger, Governor Abigail Spanberger, and Bryce Rader.

a safety mat and advised him to let go. Bryce landed safely on the mat, suffering only minor injuries. “Something that helped me hold on to him was all the thoughts in my head of him getting hurt and how much pressure was on me to hold on until ski patrol arrived,” he says. Major was awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism this past summer. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger presented him the award at his school on Sept. 16. The honor was presented by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, an organization whose mission is to “recognize and support those who perform acts of heroism in civilian life in the United States and Canada.” For Major, the award was simply a bonus. “I am very honored to get the award,” he says. “But this was never about getting an award, it was saving my friend.”

Now Accepting Community Impact Grant Applications! Funding Opportunities that Strengthen Jewish Tidewater Tidewater Jewish Foundation is now accepting applications for Community Impact Grants, dedicated funding for new and innovative programs that make a difference. These grants support projects and initiatives of local Jewish organizations that embody the spirit of tikkun olam, “repairing the world,” by promoting growth, engagement, and cultural vibrancy across Jewish Tidewater. If your organization is ready to enrich, educate, or uplift our Jewish community, we invite you to apply.

APPLICATION OPENS 11/15/26 Grant recipients will be notified in March 2027.

Questions? Contact Ann Swindell at aswindell@tjfva.org prior to submitting an application regarding eligibility and/or potential grant requests.

22 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org

Scan the QR code, learn more and apply now!

Mazel Tov

America the Shari Dozoretz Beautiful Friedman to be honored as Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer Dozoretz Hospice House of Hampton Haley Bartel Roads, which is named for her late Shari Dozoretz Friedman will receive father, Dr. Ronald the Outstanding Dozoretz. Fundraising She served as Volunteer award capital campaign from the Association chair and board of Fundraising member for the Professionals 12-bed facility, Hampton the region’s first Roads Chapter freestanding at its National inpatient hospice Philanthropy house, and Day Awards helped establish a Presentation on major fundraiser Tuesday, Nov. 10. to support it. “One of the Friedman credits biggest honors the many people of my life is to Shari Dozoretz Friedman. behind the project, be receiving this each playing an instrumental part in its award,” Friedman says. “I grew up in a development. family that always gave back to those in “This is not the work of one person need, and we were taught to always share or one family,” she says. “I feel so grateful in our good fortune.” to our extraordinary board, generous Friedman has worked with a donors, community wide range of partners, local nonprofits, volunteers, and including United committed Way’s Women advocates to make United 10 for 10 group, Achievable this a reality and Dream, United help expand Jewish Federation compassionate of Tidewater, hospice care in the Museum of our area. It truly Contemporary warms my heart to Art, and Children’s be involved in our Hospital of first freestanding The King’s inpatient Hospice Daughters. Most House that has of her fundraising, helped so many however, has people in our Dr. Ron Dozoretz, of blessed memory, and Shari Friedman. benefited the community during

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www.altmeyerfuneralandcremation.com life’s most difficult moments.” Philanthropy, Friedman says, is essential for organizations that could not otherwise survive. The Hospice House operates at a deficit every year because Medicare covers only part of the cost. An angel fund supports patients who don’t qualify for Medicare and can’t pay out of pocket. “We deeply believe that every person deserves compassion, dignity, and comfort during life’s final journey,” she says, “but we need the help of the entire community for these organizations to sustain themselves.”

Friedman is one of six honorees this year. The others are Sentara – Health (Outstanding Philanthropist – Organization), Jane Batten (Outstanding Philanthropist – Individual), the Elizabeth River Project (Outstanding Nonprofit in Fundraising), Bert Schmidt (Outstanding Nonprofit Leader) and Brooks Lively, CFRE (Outstanding Fundraising Professional). The event celebrates the impact of philanthropists and fundraisers throughout Tidewater. Proceeds help fund scholarships and educational opportunities for local development professionals

JewishNewsVA.org | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JEWISH NEWS | 23

Mazel Tov

A first-of-its-kind Virginia Beach grant helps artist leap into glass Haley Bartel When Virginia Beach opened applications for its first-ever Individual Artists Support Grant, Rachel “RJ” Jaffe knew it was meant for artists like her. “It was designed for people like me that are actively working and sharing their art and have these grand projects but just need the funding to help see it through,” she says. Jaffe is the creative behind 23 Beans, where she sells and teaches ceramics and glass, though she got her start in the former. It was the grant that allowed her to expand into another medium. The application asked for a proposal explaining how up to $4,800 would be spent, and how it would strengthen her

artistic practice while contributing to the city’s cultural landscape. She was awarded the full amount. The grant, run by the city’s Cultural Affairs office, is meant to help local artists build their practice, grow professionally, add to their portfolios, and engage with the Rachel Jaffe. community. Her proposal changed along the way. Shortly after applying, Jaffe won a

scholarship to a glassblowing workshop at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina, but it covered only part of the cost. The trip wasn’t in her original plan, so she amended her proposal, and the city approved using the funds to cover the rest. “Craft schools are different from a traditional art school,” she says, describing Penland’s one- to two-week intensives where students live on campus and learn a specialized skill from a craftsperson. The grant’s reach goes beyond her. Jaffe estimates 10 to 15 of her peers also received funding, and the recipients showed work made with their grants in a joint exhibition at the Virginia Beach Arts

Jaffe’s Judaica collection. 24 | JEWISH NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2026 | JewishNewsVA.org

Center last May. A friend of hers applied after hearing about her experience and also attended Penland. Today, Jaffe teaches ceramics and glass fusing at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, including a current six-week wheel-throwing course on vessel making, and leads workshops at the Hermitage Museum & Gardens and the Chrysler Museum of Art’s Perry Glass Studio. She also belongs to 757 Create, an artist-run collective that shares exhibition opportunities and practical advice, such as how to price a commission. The grant shaped the work she’s making now: a collection of goblet-style stemware that references the kiddush cups and cut glass she grew up around at her grandparents’ home. “I really learned to value functional art in that way, and so that led me to create a collection of Judaica,” she says. Artists Support Grant are currently closed. Artists can email ArtsInfo@vbgov.com for updates on future rounds.

Mazel Tov

A century of wisdom and blessing: Honoring Jesse Shepperd at 105

Jesse Shepperd with her family at the birthday celebration.

sets to the smartphones of the modern JFS staff era, Shepperd has witnessed the world On October 20, Jesse Shepperd celebrated completely reinvent itself. her 105th birthday surrounded by family, When asked what would make her friends, and the people who are lucky birthday complete, she knew exactly what enough to know her. Her birthday brought together she wanted: a gathering of the people she generations of family, including her son loves, and a slice of chocolate cake. As the and daughter, room joined together grandchildren, and to sing “Happy great-grandchildren, Birthday,” Shepperd giggled and cheered along with her canasta along with everyone friends and Jewish else, clearly enjoying Family Service and every moment. Russell House staff. When her In Jewish daughter spoke tradition, reaching about her mother’s such a venerable age remarkable health, is seen as a profound sharing, “Mom doesn’t blessing, embodying take any medications. the sacred obligation She’s doing so well. of Kibbud Zekenim— She’s an incredible the honoring of Jesse Shepperd with Louis Armstrong. woman,” Shepperd elders. Over her 105 leaned over to a staff member and, still years, Shepperd has maintained a frontsmiling, asked, “What did she say?” The row seat to history—living through the exchange brought another sweet moment of challenges of the Great Depression, the laughter to an already joyful afternoon. global shifts of World War II, 20 different U.S. presidents, the dawn of the Space Age, Shepperd’s birthday was also an and the rapid rise of the digital revolution. opportunity to celebrate the remarkable From the first black-and-white television memories she has made through these

passing eras. She captivated the room by sharing the story of the time she met jazz legend Louis Armstrong, while her daughter brought a beautiful photograph of Shepperd from her wedding day. Between stories of the past, vintage photographs, and lively conversation, Shepperd posed happily for pictures. There were thoughtful gifts, too: a beautiful brooch, a handmade necklace, chocolates, and a soft lap blanket knitted by Jewish Family Service’s Knitting for Others group. Cards filled with messages of affection and appreciation reflected what everyone in the room already knew: the birthday girl is a joy to be around. For the past six years, Shepperd has been a client of Jewish Family Service of Tidewater. This partnership reflects

the enduring value of Dor L’Dor—from generation to generation—reminding of a collective responsibility to cherish, protect, and learn from others – especially elders. In her time with JFS, Shepperd has continued to show those around her something that cannot be measured in years alone. Her birthday was a celebration not only of her longevity, but of the warmth, humor, and positivity she brings to the people in her life. At 105, Shepperd is a reminder that age is only one part of a person’s story. There is still laughter to share, historic memories to revisit, and new moments to treasure. Sometimes, the best way to celebrate a remarkable life is simply with a room full of people who love you, a look back at a century of incredible history, and a little chocolate cake.

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MIKE JAFFE RIDES WITH 250 BIKERS TO CLEVELAND TO RAISE DOLLARS FOR TRIBE OF NOVA FOUNDATION Terri Denison A Virginia Beach Lost Tribe riding member, Mike Jaffe participated in this past summer’s JMA Ride to Remember to Cleveland. This was Jaffe’s “10th or 11th Ride to Remember,” he says. The 250 members of the Jewish Motorcyclist Alliance who participated in the ride to Cleveland for its annual convention raised a record-setting $250,000 for the Tribe of NOVA Foundation that serves victims and their

Mike Jaffe and Amanda Morgan.

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families of the Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack by Hamas at the NOVA music festival in Israel. This was the first time that Holocaust education was not on the program. The group’s mission is to promote Holocaust education and awareness as well as combat antisemitism. “The JMA as a whole and Virginia Beach Lost Tribe always welcome Jewish riders of all ages,” says Jaffe.

JMA Ride to Remember in Cleveland.