Joan Naomi Thompson
Marco Island, Fla. – Joan Naomi Thompson, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and cherished friend, passed away peacefully on August 19, 2026. She leaves behind a legacy of love, devotion, and family...
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“I was fortunate to have that opportunity.” 25 years after 9/11, one local...
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, David Ashe was at home in Virginia Beach watching the Today Show while on terminal leave from the Marine Corps.He had recently completed his first active-duty tour...
View ArticleGloria Steinem, Jewish feminist trailblazer
Ron Kampeas(JTA) — Gloria Steinem, the trailblazing feminist who turbocharged the women’s rights movement’s second wave by casting the liberation of women as part of the broader project of eliminating...
View ArticleA legacy of opportunity
Harry Mansbach, of blessed memory, believed that opportunity carried responsibility. His daughter, Sally Herman, remembers a father who understood how much circumstance could shape a person’s path....
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Saying sorry: Observing Yom Kippur with little ones
Where Rosh Hashanah brings sweetness and celebration, Yom Kippur asks something different — stillness, honesty, and the harder work of reflection. For young children, that’s a tricky needle to thread....
View ArticleCelebrating the Jewish Harvestholiday in Tidewater
Sukkot, which literally translates to “booths” or “huts,” is akin to a fall harvest festival. It’s a holiday that celebrates all God gives, both in terms of crops and shelter. Eating, dwelling, and...
View ArticleYom Kippur: When “Impossible” becomes “I’m Possible”
There is something about Yom Kippur that makes time feel different. Perhaps it is the haunting melody of Kol Nidrei, or the fasting, or simply the knowledge that Jews around the world are standing...
View ArticleRabbi Levi’s newest trope sidekick is his own 13-year-old son
Conservative Jews like me who have read from the Torah for years either memorize the words, vowels, and musical notes…or trope…or just manage to get through typically a handful of sentences from an...
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More than a summer goodbye
Families gathered at the Sandler Family Campus on Friday, August 21 for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s and PJ Library’s annual End-of-Summer Shabbat.The celebration was originally planned as...
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Mizrahi in Motion: Connecting through art, food, and movement
Two dozen or so women gathered to immerse themselves in Mizrahi culture on the evening of Sunday, August 23. The event was led by Jackie Dratch, creator of the Mizrahi Dance Archive, and organized by...
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Letter from the Editor
Dear Readers, The High Holidays are doing it again. . . they’re arriving early! Unlike the guest who rings the doorbell 15 minutes early without warning, the holidays don’t really sneak up on us....
View ArticleJewish businessmen Joshua Kushner, Bob Iger buy Los Angeles Lakers for record...
(JTA) —Jewish businessmen Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner are purchasing the NBA’s storied Los Angeles Lakers in a stunning, record-setting $12.5 billion deal. The sale comes barely a year after the...
View ArticleTime to reflect
As the High Holidays approach and we prepare to welcome the year 5787, I find myself reflecting on the past year in our Tidewater Jewish community and all that I witness and experience. Throughout...
View ArticleBuilding partnerships, strengthening community safety
Temple Emanuel leadership recently welcomed Virginia Beach Chief of Police Paul Neudigate, members of his command staff, and 2nd Precinct Commander Captain James Gordon for a series of conversations...
View ArticleAmerica at 250 Spotlight:Tidewater Jewish Hero: Henry Scolnick, a community...
Seventeen-year-old Henry Scolnick has already accomplished what many adults only hope to achieve. As the founder of Ballers Basketball, he has built far more than an adaptive sports league, he has...
View ArticleODU ProfessorAmy Milligan receives award from national academic organization
In recognition of her leadership in combating antisemitism and fostering a safer, more welcoming campus environment for Jewish and Zionist students, Professor Amy K. Milligan, Batten Endowed Associate...
View Article‘Have a problem, call the PM,’ says Netanyahu as he gives out his number in...
(JTA) —TEL AVIV – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on August 23 posted what he described as his personal phone number and invited Israelis to contact him with their questions and problems. It was...
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Camp JCC finishes a memorable season
“Unforgettable” is an appropriate way to describe Camp JCC’s 2026 summer. The season was packed with exciting field trips, spirited theme days, new campers, and an incredible staff team, including the...
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Sweetness and shofars: Celebrating Rosh Hashanah with little ones
Rosh Hashanah is a special holiday, offering observers a sense of renewal and the opportunity for a fresh start. It is a time for reflecting on the previous year and considering what to do differently...
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Reverse Tashlich: Repentance as environmental action
The ritual of Tashlich is an all-encompassing symbolic representation of the High Holidays. This process of releasing sins into the river comes directly from the book of Micah, verse 19: “He will...
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