The Sacred Lights of Chanukah
The fragile yet formidable Chanukah candles We tenderly lit, daringly defy the suffocating Darkness around us and in us, Soothing and softening, we pray, all who Their magic of evoked memories of...
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“Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay…”(and glass…and paper…and...
The center piece of a Jewish gambling game, dreidels are almost as important to Hanukkah as Hanukkiahs and latkes. Each of the four sides of the spinning top contain a specific letter: Nun, Gimel,...
View ArticleLocal leader to receive prestigious award
Anyone who’s worked alongside Karen Jaffe on committee or in community leadership will confirm: Karen Jaffe is special. A much-admired leader in the Tidewater Jewish community, Jaffe has been a role...
View ArticlePower of community
This past November in Washington, DC, a small group of colleagues and lay leaders from our Jewish community joined thousands of Jewish leaders from around the world at the Jewish Federations of North...
View ArticleWeary, yet resolute: Reflections from ‘Stand Together – an event of Unity,...
I stood in Nationals Park on November 10, 2024, gazing across the vast expanse of empty seats. While we hoped for a crowd of tens of thousands to gather in unity, the turnout of closer to 5,000 felt...
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Jewish Tidewater and beyond in 2024
For the global Jewish community, the year’s beginning contained a heaviness as the war in Gaza continued to escalate, hostages were still held, and antisemitism ramped up to levels not experienced in...
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Giving the gift of memory: To Life honors Holocaust stories this holiday season
To Life: The Past Is Present, Holocaust Stories of Hampton Roads Survivors, Rescuers, and Liberators is a collection of stories and reflections from those who witnessed this brutal history. Published...
View ArticleBeach Sisterhood holds annual Hannukah celebration
Hanukkah came early to the 29 participants of this year’s Beach Sisterhood Hanukkah Party, which was held in Temple Emanuel’s social hall on December 10. Holiday foods such as latkes with a side of...
View ArticleArea leaders receive update on antisemitism from ADL regional director
The alarming rise in antisemitism and hate crimes was the topic for a gathering of community leaders hosted by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Jewish Community Relations Council and Holocaust...
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Winter fun at Camp JCC
Camp JCC wrapped up another successful Winter Camp to conclude a fun filled 2024. More than 50 children attended the camp during the two weeks of school holiday closures, enjoying the “Camp JCC Winter...
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From the Shtetl to South: A journey through Jewish history in Tidewater
A trip that brought the stories of Hampton Roads’ Jewish history to life was the culmination of From the Shtetl to the South, a 10-week course hosted by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United...
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Celebrating grandparents and grandfriends at Strelitz International Academy
A heartfelt celebration that brings together students, families, and friends to honor the special bonds between generations, Strelitz International Academy’s annual Grandparents and Grandfriends Day...
View ArticleBe A Reader Literacy Project mentors give students a memorable Winter Break...
For one special hour before winter break, BeAR Literacy Project volunteers filled classrooms, libraries, and cafeterias with holiday cheer and the magic of reading. Students were treated to a...
View ArticleBeAR volunteers caught in the wild
The incredible BeAR volunteers regularly demonstrate what it means to serve, inspire, and share a little extra love wherever they go. Two dedicated Larrymore BeAR captains, for example, were recently...
View ArticleStay active in retirement with Silver Sneakers and Renew Active
Turning 65 years old has its advantages, and one of them is Silver Sneakers. A health and fitness program designed for adults 65 and older, many Medicare Advantage plans and other health insurance...
View ArticleThe benefits of in-patient rehab
Imagine this: You’re getting ready to be discharged from the hospital when you get the news that your care team is recommending you go to a rehabilitation center to get stronger. You may ask, “Can’t I...
View ArticlePreparing graduates for financial success
It’s January—the holidays are behind us, and college students are back at it, hitting the books for their final semester. For seniors, the countdown to graduation is officially underway. While the...
View ArticleBrushing up on retirement with the Konikoff brothers
Albert, Stephen, and David Konikoff’s father, Arthur, was an architect, but “because we couldn’t draw or use our hands so well, we went into dentistry!” says Albert, the oldest of four siblings. The...
View ArticleNearly half the globe has ‘elevated levels’ of antisemitic beliefs, ADL...
(JTA) — Nearly half of adults around the world have “elevated levels of antisemitic attitudes,” the Anti-Defamation League reported in its latest global survey of anti-Jewish beliefs.In addition, the...
View ArticleCommemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day with local stories in “To...
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.In 2005, to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the United Nations General Assembly designated January 27...
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