LETTER
JEWISH NEWS jewishnewsva.org
A bit of normalcy goes a long way
Published 20 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
E
arlier this month, our community, along with communities
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Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462-4370 voice 757-965-6100 • fax 757-965-6102 email news@ujft.org
around the world, celebrated the 73rd birthday of the State
of Israel. On Sunday, April 18, the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community was more vibrant than it has been in more than a year! Families joyfully participated in a drive-through Israel experience that brought delight to
Terri Denison, Editor Germaine Clair, Art Director Lisa Richmon, Staff Writer Sandy Goldberg, Account Executive Ronnie Jacobs Cohen, Account Executive Marilyn Cerase, Subscription Manager Reba Karp, Editor Emeritus
so many children’s faces, as well as those of their parents! That evening, a beautiful spring night, the parking lot was filled with cars that were filled with people who thoroughly enjoyed the drive-in movie, Aulcie, as part of our Virginia Festival of Jewish Film. As Joel Rubin said when he introduced the movie, “Isn’t it great to be with people??!” This year hasn’t been entirely all virtual. Our day schools have
Betty Ann Levin and her daughter, Julia, at Yom Ha’atzmaut at the Sandler Family Campus.
provided safe learning environments, some of our congregations have managed to provide COVID-safe, in-person opportunities
As we approach Mother’s Day, my mother has always told me
to worship and celebrate simchas, members have been at the
that G-d does not give us any tsuris we cannot handle. I think
Simon Family JCC in limited capacities, and members of Jewish
about that often, and especially during this past year. While our
Tidewater have been gradually reemerging. Yet, Sunday was dif-
community has celebrated many simchas, we have and continue
ferent. It felt like a true reemergence. It felt like community.
to mourn, many loved ones. We have and continue to show our
As more and more of our community, and our country, safely reemerges this spring, I hope that we remember how strong and vibrant we have been throughout this year—just in different ways. All of our organizations and institutions have discovered how we can connect with individuals virtually, which in some
strength and resiliency in so many ways.
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Amy Levy, President Alvin Wall, Treasurer Stephanie Calliott, Secretary Betty Ann Levin, Executive Vice-President jewishVA.org The appearance of advertising in the Jewish News does not constitute a kashrut, political, product or service endorsement. The articles and letters appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of this newspaper. ©2021 Jewish News. All rights reserved.
I look forward to connecting with all of you at some point this
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year. May we all continue to go from strength to strength. From my family to yours, wishing you a celebratory Lag B’Omer and happy Mother’s Day!
JewishNewsVA
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Still, there is nothing like being together. The photographs and videos I have seen on social media of grandparents hugging their grandchildren for the first time in over a year have brought me so much joy. My own family experienced that joy at Passover as my parents tightly hugged my children. I hope that this joy increases for all of us in the coming months.
CONTENTS
Betty Ann Levin Executive Vice President/CEO United Jewish Federation of Tidewater/Simon Family JCC
About the cover: Photograph by Steve Budman.
Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Cantor Flax retires from Beth Sholom Village. . 12
Briefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Rabbi Ruditsky joins Beth Sholom Village . . . . 12
Your Dollars at work: Tech support for area synagogues. . . . . . . . . . 5
Special Section: Celebrating Women and Mother’s Day. . . . . 13
House bill on Israel is flawed, but not worth a Jewish civil war. . . . . . . . . . . 6
Kids need camp this summer more than ever before. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Fauci receives award from Holocaust remembrance group. . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What’s Happening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Jewish and Arab-American groups join forces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Foxman on Murdoch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Yom Ha’atzmaut at Sandler Family Campus. . . 10
Shalom Tidewater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Pandemic inspires Jewish musicians. . . . . . . . . 31
May 10 Summer April 23 May 31 Men/Dad/Grads May 14 June 14 Healthcare June 28 June 28 Seniors June 11 July 19 Guide to Jewish Living July 2 August 23 Rosh Hashannah August 6
CANDLE LIGHTING
QUOTABLE
Friday, April 30/18 Iyar Light candles at 7:35 pm
“Even after a return to ‘normalcy,’ we see Zoom staying as part of our services and programming to encourage those who can’t be with us in person to maintain contact with all synagogue events.” —page 5
Friday, May 7/25 Iyar Light candles at 7:41 pm Friday, May 14/3 Sivan Light candles at 7:44 pm Friday, May 21/10 Sivan Light candles at 7:53 pm Friday, May 28/17 Sivan Light candles at 7:58 pm Friday, June 4/24 Sivan Light candles at 8:03 pm
jewishnewsva.org | April 26, 2021 | JEWISH NEWS | 3
