U.S. Representative Rob Wittman spent a couple of hours at the Sandler Family Campus having lunch and speaking with and answering questions from members of Tidewater’s Jewish community on Friday, May 3. Congressman Wittman immediately addressed the current state of antisemitism, saying, “What we’re seeing today is a tidal wave.” Considering what history teaches, he said, he feels “we are in a more alarming position than we were in 1938, when we saw the rise of the axis of evil: Nazism, Fascism, Imperialism. “I would argue,” he said, “that the threat is even greater today” with terrorism bein ..read more

It is not news to report that life on campus since October 7th has been challenging at times – and even dangerous at times. Yet, it has also been very rewarding all the time. Over the past seven months, our Jewish students have seen attacks, harassment, undue blame, and hate. At the same time, at William & Mary Hillel, engagement numbers have never been higher (430 students engaged this year). Students have also never been searching for meaning and community like they are right now. I have been calling this phenomenon the “platinum lining” of October 7th. A frequent question that I have ..read more

A crowd of community members and leaders, including principal project partners and future residents, gathered on Friday, March 22 to celebrate another significant milestone towards the completion of the newest Virginia Beach senior living community, Aviva Pembroke. The level of diverse support at the ceremony emphasizes the positive response from the region to address senior housing needs. It also demonstrates how Beth Sholom Village and Pembroke Square Associates are rising to meet the overwhelming demand for such hybrid care options, including assisted and independent living with modern ame ..read more

At the risk of sounding cliché – it seems like yesterday. I joined Jewish Family Service of Tidewater in September of 2003 as the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community was under construction. What an honor to attend my first Simcha Campaign meeting, ably led by Bob Josephberg and Bobby Copeland, and to be able to witness first-hand their passion in leading the campaign to build the new central address for our Tidewater Jewish community. What an inspiration to watch the dreams of so many community leaders become a reality. What an opening dedication event for our ..read more

Jewish News is gathering and presenting some basic facts to equip readers during this difficult time with the confidence needed to engage in conversation about Israel and antisemitism. Genocide This word is being used by protestors on campuses to describe Israel’s actions. According to merriam-webster.com, Genocide is “the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group.” It is ironic that Israel is being accused of Genocide when it was Hamas who attempted just that on October 7 with its callous killing of whomever they could just because they were Israelis. Ra ..read more

Third time’s the charm. You let me know if that’s the case by the time you finish this article – it’s the third one I’ve written where I feel compelled to share an experience with Jewish News. The first was after I completed the March of the Living in Poland. Second was after a volunteer trip with the JDC. And the third? The third’s about me being in a warzone. It started with a well-meaning email. From a coalition of mainstream Jewish organizations. Subject: URGENT Rally Call to Action – Sunday at 11am | UCLA Campus. The email mentioned incidents of antisemitism associated with U.S. campus ..read more

One of the crown jewels of the Sandler Family Campus sports a blue shirt and an easy smile – on a daily basis. Cecilio Brathwaite, better known as “Jaime” (pronounced Hymie for a Jewish reference), has been employed by the Tidewater Jewish community for 42 years, having started at the JCC on Newport Ave. in Norfolk on May 24, 1982. Born and raised in Panama, and the youngest of six children, Brathwaite was working as a travel agent in 1981 when he traveled to the United States for a visit to New York. From there, he took a trip to Tidewater to visit his brother, who was in the Navy. Upon his ..read more

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Israeli American hostage held in Gaza, spent part of his childhood in Richmond, Va. before his family made aliyah to Israel in 2008. His Virginia roots go even further back, to Portsmouth, where Hersh’s grandparents and young family lived until 1969, before returning to their hometown of Chicago where Jonathan, Hersh’s father, was born. “Our family has fond memories of our years in Portsmouth. My father used to say, ‘Virginia is my favorite state!’” says Abby Polin, Hersh’s aunt and Jonathan’s older sister. The extended Polin family was together for Passov ..read more

Those of us who attend major civic events, Jews and some non-Jews alike, wait for it. When a minister delivers the invocation, it is often with some religious fervor and a beseeching to the Savior “in whose name we pray.” But at the Hampton Roads Chamber’s recent Norfolk State of the City event, held at the Main and attended by 1,000 local citizens, I for one was delighted at the choice of presenter and even more by his words and closing. W.D. Tyree III is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Berkley and the Chamber’s Vice Chair for Interfaith Relations. Read his words, which I thought we ..read more

During the Virginia Beach School Board meeting (via a consent agenda) last month, a Resolution was adopted in support of Jewish American Heritage Month, which takes place each year in May. The Resolution was read by Shannon Kendrick School, a member of the School Board. RESOLUTION Jewish American Heritage Month May 2024 WHEREAS, on April 20, 2006, the federal government proclaimed that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and recognize Jewish American contributions to American culture, history, education, and government; and WHEREAS, the Jewish people have proudly ..read more