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jewishnewsva.org
Betty Ann Levin, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater executive vice president/CEO
As we usher in 5785 this week, I again wish you and your families l’shana tova tikatevu. May each of us be inscribed in the Book of Life. And may we find better days ahead for all of Israel and the Jewish people.
In this issue of Jewish News, I want to take a moment and recognize Terri Denison, who is celebrating the milestone of 20 years as its editor. Terri pours her heart into the 18 issues of the paper each year, taking tremendous care in what and how local, national, and international news is presented to our Tidewater Jewish community and beyond. Jewish News reaches not only our Jewish friends and neighbors but also our broader community, including friends of all faiths, civic leaders, and elected officials. In what has become an increasingly online world, Jewish News continues to be a vital source of information in our mailboxes. That is a testament to Terri’s commitment to the paper and our community. Terri has also ensured that the paper has an online presence each issue and recently oversaw the revamping of the Jewish News website (JewishNewsVA.org). The site includes digital editions, the Hal Sacks Jewish News Archives, opportunities to donate to support the paper, and more!
I wish I could quote Hal Sacks, of blessed memory, who I know would recall the many book reviews he had published in Jewish News, and the transitions from editor to editor. However, as Harry Graber, former UJFT executive vice president/CEO notes, “Terri stepped in to replace a long-term editor of the paper, Reba Karp, who many considered irreplaceable. But replace her, she did, and then some. She stepped into the role with years of incredible experience in the industry, an immaculate professional reputation and a love for the Jewish community. Terri was not fazed with any community concerns regarding print media or ad revenue and quickly increased sales revenue and modernized the paper’s design. She felt that Jewish News was a community treasure and wanted every issue forever valued as such. I found Terri to be an incredible colleague, cherished every professional moment we shared together, and remember them and her fondly and often most days in my retirement.”
Current Jewish News staff also want to congratulate Terri on her 20th anniversary. Sandy Goldberg, account executive, remembers, “For three years, Terri asked me when I was going to retire and start working with her selling ads for Jewish News. It was the best decision I had made in a long time and that is after working with her for 16 years!” Stephanie Peck, a more recent addition to the team, says, “Terri is a tremendous asset to this community, based on her extensive knowledge of Jewish Tidewater and her expertise as an editor. It’s hard to believe she has managed this pace for 20 years!”
And what a pace it has been! I want to thank Terri’s family, Steve, Madeline, and Deni, for planning their family vacations around Jewish News deadlines. I also want to thank Steve for lending his photography expertise to our community, Deni for her assistance in marketing. and so many other areas over the years, and Rabbis Madeline Budman and Aaron Torop for their words of Torah which have inspired us all!
Terri, from our entire community, thank you and mazel tov on 20 years!
Published 18 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
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
Terri Denison, Editor
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United Jewish Federation of Tidewater David Leon, President Mona Flax, President-elect Alvin Wall, Treasurer
Jason Hoffman, Secretary Betty Ann Levin, Executive Vice President JewishVA.org
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©2024 Jewish News. All rights reserved.
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October 14 Legal September 27 October 28 Business/Investment October 11 November 11 Mazel Tov October 25 December 2 Year-end Decisions November 15
23andMe agrees to $30M settlement over data breach that targeted Jewish and Chinese users
The genetic testing company 23andMe has agreed to pay $30 million to American plaintiffs to settle a lawsuit over a data breach last year that specifically targeted customers of Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese ancestry.
The breach, which occurred last October, affected more than 6.9 million customers and included users’ personal details such as their location, name, and birthdate, as well as some information about their family trees. That data was shared on BreachForums, an online forum used by cybercriminals.
According to court documents, the data breach was revealed Oct. 6 after a hacker, going by the pseudonym “Golem,” a reference to the Jewish mythical defender made of clay, published a link to a database labeled “ashkenazi DNA Data of Celebrities.” According to the lawsuit, the hacker referred to the list as “the most valuable data you’ll ever see,” though most of the names were not famous.
In total, 999,998 individuals with Ashkenazi heritage were included on the list, which also contained data from another 100,000 people with Chinese ancestry. “Golem” also claimed to possess the data of 350,000 users with Chinese heritage and offered to sell data from both sets of information for a fee.
According to the complaint, 23andMe did not disclose the full extent of the breach to its customers until December, when the company stated that the hackers were able to access the large number of accounts by initially hacking a smaller number of accounts, and then gaining access to information from other accounts through the site’s “Family Tree” and “DNA Relatives” features. Complainants alleged in court documents that in addition to their data being stolen, 23andMe misrepresented how secure its users’ data was. They alleged that the data “is now in the hands of cybercriminals and is readily available to download by anyone with access to the hacking forum.” (JTA)
Argentina posts 44%
in reported antisemitic incidents, mostly after Oct. 7
Argentina experienced a 44% increase in reported antisemitic incidents in 2023, mostly after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, according to a report issued by the country’s Jewish umbrella organization.
The report makes Argentina the latest country to record a spike in antisemitism following the attack and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Antisemitism watchdogs in the United States, Germany, and elsewhere across Europe have all recorded steep rises.
According to DAIA, which unveiled the report at the Buenos Aires City Legislature, 57% of all antisemitic incidents last year took place in the three months after the attack.
What’s more, the organization found, Israel shot up as the cause of antisemitic incidents. In 2022, about 11% of antisemitic incidents in Argentina related to Israel. Last year, the proportion was 40%.
And the rate at which antisemitic incidents took place in person also rose. (Most incidents that DAIA recorded took place online.) In the nine months before the Oct. 7 attack, 72 in-person incidents were recorded. In the three months after, there were 150.
Among the in-person incidents that DAIA logged in its report were the word “Hamas” and a crossed-out Star of David that was drawn on a student’s desk and a building that hung a sign reading, “Zionists out of Palestine. This did not start on 7/10. Hitler fell short.”
From before Oct. 7, it included the inclusion on a restaurant’s menu of an “Anne Frank” hamburger and “Adolf” fries; the restaurant changed the items’ names after members of the Jewish community, including DAIA, criticized the menu for trivializing the Holocaust.
Marisa Braylan, the report’s author and the director of DAIA’s Center for Social Studies, told JTA that the tally reflected a sad reality for Argentine Jews since Oct. 7.
“The attack did not generate empathy towards the victims. There was silence, there were justifications and in the worst cases, there was admiration,” she said. “On Oct. 7, a latent antisemitism was dusted off.” (JTA)
Alex Edelman won an Emmy for Just For Us, his comedy special about attending a white supremacist meeting that put a spotlight on contemporary antisemitism and the place of Jews in the United States.
Edelman took home the Emmy for outstanding writing for a variety special, in the latest accolade since Just For Us premiered on Broadway last year following an off-Broadway run. The Emmy was for the show’s move to HBO and Max, where it premiered as a comedy special in April.
The show centers on Edelman’s experience attending a meeting of white nationalists in Queens, New York, and weaves in autobiography and Edelman’s ruminations about Jewish identity, assimilation, and whiteness in the United States. Edelman first performed the show in 2018, and it has found ever-larger platforms as antisemitism has continued to rise in the United States and beyond, coupled with a broader Jewish communal reckoning after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.
For his win, Edelman beat out nominees including Mike Birbiglia, the standup comedian who produced Just For Us; Jacqueline Novak, another Jewish comedian; and the writing team behind The Oscars. The Emmy comes following a Special Tony Edelman received for the show in June.
In his acceptance speech, a breathless Edelman paid tribute to his close friend and collaborator on the show, Adam Brace, who died shortly before Just For Us opened on Broadway. (Last month, Edelman wrote in an essay in The New York Times that performing the show after Brace’s death “felt painful but appropriate, like reciting Kaddish, the Jewish daily mourning prayer.”)
“Look, this is really, really beautiful, and I really miss Adam,” he said in his acceptance speech. “This is the end of a seven-year journey with the show, but I got to make something really funny with my friend.”
The ceremony was hosted by the Jewish father-son comedy duo Eugene and Dan Levy. Among the other winners was Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, which he returned to host after a nine-year hiatus and which took home the Emmy for best talk show. (JTA)
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares led a 22-state coalition in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia urging the Court to deny requests to dismiss a lawsuit brought under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) by survivors of, and family members of, those murdered during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 terrorist attack.
The lawsuit seeks to hold AJP Educational Foundation Inc. (also known as American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)) and the National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) accountable for allegedly providing material support to Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization. The brief argues that dismissing these claims before discovery would undermine the ability of victims to receive compensation and prevent organizations like AMP and NSJP from being held accountable for their actions.
“Virginia stands firmly against those who provide support to terrorist organizations, and we are committed to ensuring that justice is served,” said Attorney General Miyares. “While no amount of financial compensation can undo the horrors of the October 7 attacks, the ATA ensures that victims can seek some form of justice by holding supporters of terrorism financially accountable. These victims should be allowed to have their day in court instead of being outright dismissed.”
In Virginia, where AMP is based, Attorney General Miyares launched a separate investigation into potential violations of state law, including allegations that AMP used funds to support terrorist organizations.
Attorney General Miyares is joined by Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater has compiled a Guide to the 2024 Election to provide the information needed to become an informed voter. Visit www.JewishVA.org/Election24 to determine which district is yours, which candidates will be on your ballot, and to learn more about the candidates.
Visit www.elections.virginia.gov to confirm your status, find your polling place, and more.
September 20 – First day of early voting at local registrar’s office
October 15 - Deadline to register to vote in November election
October 25 - Deadline to apply for a mail ballot
November 2 - Last day of in-person early voting
November 5 - Election Day - November General
• Iran funds approximately $700 million to Lebanon annually. Hezbollah effectively controls Lebanon, is stronger than many national armies and poses a significantly greater threat than Hamas. Hezbollah’s stated goal is the complete destruction of the Jewish state. (aipacorg.app.box.com)
• All of Lebanon — including the country’s primary civilian airport — is used by Hezbollah to shield its military infrastructure. Hezbollah has turned entire Lebanese cities into mazes of underground bunkers, rocket-launch sites, and interconnecting tunnels, with at least one out of every four houses in parts of Lebanon reportedly hosting a Hezbollah base, post, weapons depot, or hideout. (aipacorg.app.box.com)
• Iranian-backed militias were originally sent to Syria to support the brutal Assad regime. They have remained in Syria to establish additional terrorist forces along the border with Israel and to maintain Iran’s land bridge to the Mediterranean, allowing the regime to more easily smuggle weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. (aipacorg.app.box.com)
If online reporting is not practical, contact local law enforcement and/or the relevant suspicious activity reporting authority. Also contact Mike Goldsmith, Tidewater’s SCN Regional Security Advisor, at MGoldsmith@ujft.org or by calling 844-SCN-DESK.
Accountant Melvin R Green
endowed a scholarship at the Hampton Roads Community Foundation His goal? To give future students opportunities he never had Today, years after his passing, Green’s gift continues to support students
Elana McGovern
Dozens of community members gathered on Sunday, Sept. 15, at the Sandler Family Campus for the Federation’s annual Super Sunday Community Phonea-Thon. Despite a strange weather pattern, which forced the event indoors, the energy and enthusiasm was high throughout the day, making this year’s gathering another resounding success.
Federation’s Super Sunday donors have been giving to the Campaign for years and years – some more than 50 years (Golden Givers, as they are called). This year, those donors (and others) were asked if they might be interested in learning about endowment opportunities available from Tidewater Jewish Foundation. It’s an amazing way to show support for a beloved community, in perpetuity.
Super Sunday embodies the strength of Jewish Tidewater. With many “regular” volunteer callers (and several new ones) taking their spots at the tables with phones in hand, the room was a wonderful illustration of multiple generations – all making calls to help build and strengthen Jewish community at home and abroad. The Nadiv men’s division of the Annual Campaign turned out in large numbers, inspiring all around them with their energy and commitment to the future of the Tidewater Jewish community.
During Super Sunday, volunteers reached more than 200 fellow community members, raising nearly $160,000 for the Campaign. Call backs with additional pledges continue to trickle in from voicemails left and text messages sent during Super Sunday.
Special shout-outs to some Super Sunday regulars: Alene Kaufman, Jewish Innovation Committee chair, KBH first vice president, and a long time community leader, exemplifying dedication and service as the annual tally-keeper throughout the day; the Rubin family, spanning three generations, made calls while sharing their legacy tzedakah and involvement in Jewish communal life; community leaders such as Kelly Burroughs, CEO of Jewish Family Service of Tidewater; Amy Weinstein, chair of Strelitz International Academy’s board; David Leon, UJFT president; and Betty Ann Levin, UJFT executive vice President/CEO. These individuals and their organizations reflect the connectedness of Tidewater’s Jewish community, with a collective commitment to supporting local and global Jewish causes through the Annual Campaign.
Your gift can live forever, too Visit leaveabequest.org to learn more
This year’s Super Sunday also provided an opportunity for callers to let the community know that last year’s Israel Emergency Campaign has been “folded into” this year’s annual campaign. But for those wishing to make a separate Israel Emergency gift, UJFT is happy to take it and turn it around immediately to assist with needs on the ground in Israel. UJFT’s Campaign Team remains vigilant. And should the need arise, or if asked by national leaders to once again run an Israel Campaign alongside the Annual Campaign, there will be no hesitation.
Many of the
Finally, to everyone who answered the call, text, or voicemail and supported the annual campaign, thank you. Todah Rabah. Pledges support local Jewish agencies and programs, as well as address the most pressing needs of Jewish communities in Israel, Eastern Europe, and the Former Soviet Union (including the Jews of war-torn Ukraine), Latin America, India, and anywhere in the world that Jews find themselves vulnerable or at-risk.
“Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making Super Sunday a day of connection and purpose,” says Amy Zelenka, UJFT chief development officer. “As the Jewish New Year approaches, we are grateful for a supportive community which continues to engage with and support one another. Together we can repair the world.”
Elana McGovern is UJFT’s YAD director.
Ron Kampeas (JTA) — WASHINGTON — Speaking at an antisemitism event on Thursday, Sept. 19, Donald Trump doubled down on attacks on American Jews — those who do not vote for him.
He suggested that Jews would be to blame if he loses in November. He also said American Jews who vote for Democrats harm American interests, in an escalation of his standard rhetoric.
Trump made the comments at an event called “Fighting Antisemitism,” sponsored by the Israeli American casino magnate Miriam Adelson, one of the biggest donors to his campaign. The room at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., was packed with dozens of supporters of the former president, including donors and Orthodox Jews who repeatedly cheered him.
Trump has for years made the claim that American Jews who mostly vote for Democrats are mentally ill, and this year, he has taken to saying that Jews who vote for Democrats need to “have their head examined.” He has also repeatedly said Israel will be destroyed if he loses the election, a prediction he repeated Sept. 19.
But in this speech, he also said Jews would be at fault if he loses, citing the low percentage of Jewish voters who have historically supported him. He referenced a poll he said he saw showing that he could receive 40% of the Jewish vote — which itself would be a marked increase for him from 2016 and 2020.
“I will put it to you very simply and gently. I really haven’t been treated right, but you haven’t been treated right, because you’re putting yourself in great danger, and the United States hasn’t been treated right,” he said. “The Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss if I’m at 40%. Think of it, that means 60% are voting for Kamala.”
The speech was one of two Trump gave to Jewish audiences in Washington on Sept. 19. He also spoke at the Israeli American Council’s conference following the “Fighting Antisemitism” event. He had also been scheduled to visit a kosher restaurant in a Hasidic Brooklyn neighborhood earlier in the day, but that campaign stop was canceled after the restaurant owner died.
Trump told both audiences Sept.19 that he would “deport the foreign jihad sympathizers and Hamas supporters from our midst” and restore a ban on travel from several Muslimmajority countries that he instituted in 2017. The ban was opposed at the time by a broad range of Jewish groups.
“I will ban refugee resettlement from terror-infested areas like the Gaza Strip,” he said. “And we will seal our border and bring back the travel ban. Remember the famous travel ban? We didn’t take people from certain areas of the world because I didn’t want to have people ripping down and burning our shopping centers and killing people. We’re not taking them from infested countries.”
The IAC does not necessarily represent all Israeli Americans; while Trump was speaking, another group launched called American-Israelis for Kamala.
“The initiative was formed to share the perspectives of Israeli Americans — who are deeply involved in and touched by what happens in Israel — with other Jewish voters to share why love for Israel motivates them to vote for Harris,” said the group’s announcement. Continued on page 8
Some of the organizers were identified with UnXeptable, a group that organizes solidarity protests with Israelis who oppose the polices of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump’s laments about the majority of Jews who vote against him — and who are expected to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris — were a theme of the night.
“It’s craziness to say, I’m at 40%,” he
said of the poll. “When I heard that number today, just came out today — when I heard that number today —I think it was insulting to our country. It was insulting to Israel.”
It also represented a shift that Trump explicitly said that American Jews who vote for Democrats harm American interests; he has previously said they don’t show sufficient loyalty to Israel.
Democrats and a number of Jewish
MEET: Karen Joyner
As
“There are so many low income individuals who haven’t received any benefit from the recovering economy and those who because of their life circumstances need help every now and then. We are there to help ensure their voices are heard.”
“Since 2004, when I started with the Foodbank and got to know Payday Payroll, I have always felt that Payday has been involved and helped to build it’s business through positive support for others in the community, both non-profits and start up businesses. I particularly appreciate the generosity that Payday has shown to the nonprofits in our community.”
activists have said his rhetoric about Jewish Democrats is antisemitic, a claim that Halie Soifer, the head of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, repeated in response to his speech. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs also denounced the speech, as it had done the last time he gave a speech on antisemitism in August, when he said Jews who vote for Democrats are mentally unstable.
“Trump continues to label Jews who don’t support him as disloyal and crazy, to play into dangerous dual loyalty tropes, and to blame Jews for a potential electoral loss,” the public affairs group said.
Trump repeated and expanded his attacks on New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate majority leader and most senior Jewish elected official in U.S. history. Continued on page 9
“Chuck Schumer is a Palestinian,” Trump said, the latest time he has used the identity as a pejorative. “What the hell happened to him?”
Appearing to make a joke, he added, “I saw him the other day, he was dressed in one their robes, you know. That’ll be next.”
Trump said, as he has in the past, that Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel would not have happened if he were president. He also repeated claims that Israel would be wiped out within two years if he is not elected. “Israel, in my opinion, within a period of two or three years, will cease to exist,” he said. “It’s going to be wiped out.”
He repeated that claim an hour or so later when he addressed the Israeli American Council’s conference elsewhere in the city.
“Israel will be faced with total annihilation,” he told the conference. “You have a big protector in me, you don’t have a big protector on the other side.”
Jews who vote for Democrats should “have their head examined,” he said to cheers. “Tel Aviv and Jerusalem will become unlivable war zones.”
Before the “Fighting Antisemitism” event, Trump met with Andrei Kozlov, an Israeli held hostage for months by Hamas who was rescued in an Israeli military operation in June, and brought him onstage during the event. Trump also met with families of hostages held by Hamas and killed by the terror group.
Also Sept. 19, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, met with families of Israeli Americans still held hostage.
Trump also told the “Fighting Antisemitism” group, referring to Harris, that “Israel has to defeat her.” He added, “It’s the most important election in the history of Israel.”
Adelson introduced Trump at both events, held at hotels on opposite sides of Washington’s northwest quadrant. She urged audiences to thank Trump as a champion of Israel.
“You should already have made your mind on who to vote for, Donald J. Trump,” she told the “Fighting Antisemitism” gathering. “He is a true friend of the Jewish people.”
Trump echoed the line at the Israeli American conference. “If you want Israel to survive, you need Donald J. Trump as the 47th president of the United States.”
Asaf Elia-Shalev (JTA) — American Jews are one step closer to having a Smithsonian museum dedicated to their history.
The House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill Monday, Sept. 23 to study the possibility of bringing the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, in Philadelphia, under the Smithsonian umbrella.
The Weitzman, as it is known, is considered the premier museum of Jewish history in the United States and already has an affiliation with the Smithsonian. Full membership in the Smithsonian network of museums would unlock federal funding opportunities and confer additional prestige on the Weitzman.
The bill had the support of 36 Jewish groups and was co-sponsored by a bipartisan slate of 94 representatives.
Lawmakers spoke of rising antisemitism in the United States and Israel’s multi-front war in speeches ahead of the bill’s approval.
“Pervasive anti-Israel bias has infected our country. Antisemitism is on the rise and threatens the safety of all communities and institutions,” said Rep. Bryan Steil, a Wisconsin Republican. “Let me be clear, antisemitism has no place in America.”
The bill’s author, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Jewish Democrat, said the elevation of the museum’s status could help in the fight against antisemitism.
“With antisemitism skyrocketing, acknowledging the past and acting to build a better tomorrow is more critical than ever,” Wasserman Schultz said. “It will take a whole-of-society effort to do this, and folding the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History into the Smithsonian is one step toward that goal. We must uplift Jewish stories and raise awareness of the contributions of Jewish Americans throughout our nation’s history.”
If passed by the Senate and signed by the president, the bill would establish a commission to consider transferring the museum to the control of the Smithsonian trust. Ultimately, the Weitzman would join a collection of Smithsonian museums dedicated to other minority groups including African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latinos.
Supporters of the plan are motivated in part by the view that the Smithsonian’s United States Holocaust Memorial Museum plays a critical but limited role in educating Americans about Jewish history and fighting antisemitism.
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"Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum
-Andrew H. Hook, President of Hook Law Center
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ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur? Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
Lucy Cardon
I travelled to Poland August 22 through September 1 with a group of folks from Tidewater. The trip’s purpose was to dedicate an information signboard at the entrance to the Jewish cemetery in Goniadz, Poland, a shtetl/village in northeast Poland. It was from there that Myrna Teck’s grandmother left for America in December 1905.
The Jewish cemetery, in existence since the 18th century, is one of more than 1,000 abandoned Jewish cemeteries in Poland. No Jews live in Goniadz today, so the cemetery had been painstakingly cleared by 50 Polish
Catholics from the village after many years of neglect. During World War II, the beautiful synagogue in Goniadz that stood on the hill was filled with 200 local Jewish residents, nailed shut, and burned down. Were any of Myrna’s ancestors in that shul? We don’t know.
We arrived in Warsaw on Friday, August 23 and I especially liked the Friday night Shabbat services and food served, which just kept coming, at Beit Warszawa. I was amazed that I was familiar with the songs (since I am not Jewish) and the piano added a nice touch to the service. The people I encountered were very helpful and went out of their way to assist in any way possible. This Kabbalat (welcoming) Shabbat service was organized by a group who think they may have had Jewish ancestors.
The next day, we went to the Polin Museum, built on the site of the Warsaw Ghetto. Very interesting and informative, it chronicled the 1,000-year history of Polish Jews, curating between hope and despair. The fact that it was built on hallowed ground was amazing in and of itself.
Touring the Krakow Jewish quarter was also very interesting. We stayed in a lovely old hotel and their
restaurant’s food was delicious. In addition, I was moved by the story of a pharmacist who was not Jewish and was ordered to leave the Jewish quarter which was once an independent city and the main cultural center of Polish Jewry. He convinced the Germans to allow him to stay to assist the Jews with vaccines and medicine to prevent them from becoming ill. He was allowed to stay but had to live on the premises. His coworkers were able to go back and forth, and they smuggled much needed supplies to help the Jews. In the end, the Jews were all taken to the camps to be exterminated. The Ghetto square features permanent artwork of chairs that serves as a reminder of the lives lost.
The most memorable part of the trip and something I can’t erase from my mind, was going to Auschwitz/ Birkenau. I believe it’s very important to bear witness, even though it doesn’t seem as if humanity learns from its past. The story I remember is the one about the frog fable, which says: if you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will jump out, but if you put a frog in cold water and slowly turn up the heat to boiling, the frog will die. So claims the myth. This is, however, exactly what the Nazis did to the Jews. They did not jump straight to the death camps. The slow ramp-up to mass genocide gave plenty of people the opportunity to turn away for convenience until it was too late. Hearing about the genocide is one thing but actually witnessing the gas chambers and the ovens is quite another.
On a happier note, I enjoyed going to the salt mines in Krakow. Nancy Kanter and I took the city bus, which was also an experience. The salt mines, called Wieliczka, is an extraordinary place, hidden from the world, and full of secrets and legends. It is home to marvels that have inspired immense awe and respect for nearly a millennium, through which the skillful hands of the Wieliczka salt miners have tirelessly transformed the underground realm of darkness into a kingdom of beauty. The mine is 327 meters deep – the Eiffel Tower would easily fit inside. Tourists can descend to the third
level of the mine, which is only 135 meters deep. At the last stop is a cavernous church carved in salt, along with many statues depicting the various stages of Jesus’ life. A mass takes place every Sunday at 7:30 am attended by locals and tourists. Unlike us, walking down 53 stories, they take a lift both down and up.
Next, off to Bialystok, a hustling, bustling city center, where we visited the Palace Branickich and its beautiful grounds. We also participated in a Welcoming (Kabbalat) Shabbat service accompanied by wine, challah, bialys, potato kugel, fruit, etc. It was a delicious and delightful way to welcome Shabbat.
At the Sybir Museum, we learned through an incredible series of displays, about Poland’s role over the centuries.
Finally, we visited Goniadz, a small village where an Information Signboard was dedicated on Sunday,
September 1. The plaque tells the story of the Jews of Goniadz and what happened to them during the Holocaust/ Shoah. The mayor, local notables, and relatives of Myrna Teck participated in the ceremony. It was followed by a delicious buffet at the one restaurant in Goniadz and accompanied by Jewish and Polish folk music.
This was a trip with a vast and interesting history, at the same time bearing witness to man’s inhumanity to man.
Monday, Oct. 7, 8:30 am
Hamas unleashed a vicious attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 innocent people, taking more than 250 people as hostages, and shattering the global Jewish community’s sense of safety on Saturday, October 7, 2023. On the first anniversary of that horrible massacre, it is crucial for the community to remember and honor those who lost their lives, pray for the remaining hostages, pay tribute to the heroes who fought to defend Israel, and reaffirm the
community’s strength and commitment to Israel.
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and its Jewish Community Relations Council invite the Tidewater community to mark one year since October 7th, a date that profoundly impacted modern Jewish history.
The Jewish people's story is one of overcoming adversity, fighting against impossible odds, facing horrific challenges, and coming out stronger on the other side.
Visit www.JewishVA.org/Oct7 for other ways to remember and honor the people lost, including raising awareness for those still being held hostage, learning the names and stories of Israelis who lost their lives on Oct. 7 and soldiers who have died in the line of battle, and ways to take action. Contact Nofar Trem, UJFT’s Israel Engagement manager, at NTrem@UJFT.org or 757-321-2334.
Rabbi Ari Oliszewski
Nearly a year has passed since the tragic events of October 7, 2023, a day that will forever be seared into the collective memory of our people. On that fateful day, Hamas brutally murdered a multitude of people. Families were torn apart, as loved ones were kidnapped, tortured, raped, and robbed of the fundamental human right to live in peace. As members of this ancient and resilient people, we have stood in unshakeable solidarity, yearning for a day when peace will no longer be a distant dream but a reality. Since that fateful day, the world has been watching the Middle East closely.
This is why the idea of gathering the entire Tidewater Jewish community, known for its unity and strength, was born.
Using music to pray, ask, demand, and continue dreaming of a true and lasting peace is one of the many ways we can contribute our grain of sand. For this reason,
the community will unite at Temple Emanuel for a Concert for Peace. This event will featuring a diverse program of music, prayers, and reflections led by rabbis, cantors, community choirs, and leaders from the entire Tidewater Jewish community. The memory of those lost will be honored and a commitment to a lasting peace in Israel will be renewed.
But this concert is about more than remembrance – it is a chance to reaffirm a shared mission – ensuring that the memory of the victims remains alive and that work for a peaceful future continues, even in the face of unimaginable pain and injustice. Memory is not only a tribute to those who suffered but also a responsibility to carry for future generations.
During this concert, a fundraising campaign to send aid to Israel in response to the ongoing needs created by this devastating war will take place.
Am Israel Chai #BringThemHomeNow
Shanah Tovah Umetukah
Representatives from various congregations and organizations are joining forces for this special evening, featuring performances and reflections by:
• Alberto Mirchuk, Chazan from Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Rabbi Ari Oliszewski from Temple Emanuel
• Cantor Jen Rueben from Ohef Sholom Temple
• Rabbi Roz Mandelberg from Ohef Sholom Temple
• Cantor Jim Hibberd and the Choir from Congregation Beth Chaverim
• Cantor David Proser from KBH
May this gathering stand as a beacon of hope, inspiring all to work towards a future where respect and coexistence prevail over hatred and violence.
• Cantor Elihu Flax from Beth El
• Rabbi David Bockman from Beth El
• Rabbi Michael Panitz from Temple Israel
• Rabbi Israel Zoberman, from Temple Lev Tikvah
• Emily Patyuk (Shinshin from Israel)
Meet “Ellen,” a perpetual giver. From her synagogue, the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia, and Hillels, to her alma maters, Ellen supports a wide array of causes on a monthly or yearly basis. Some contributions come directly from her cash flow, while others are grants from her Donor Advised fund. Ellen is passionate about her causes, yet if asked to list them, she’d struggle to recall them all. She knows what matters to her, but the specifics sometimes get lost in the mix.
This is where the Tidewater Jewish Foundation team steps in with their unique approach to a “philanthropic audit.” The TJF team understands that donors such as Ellen, who are generous and committed, often don’t realize the full scope of their impact — or how to ensure that their contributions continue long after they’re gone.
informed decisions. Limor Sedek compares the philanthropic audit to a regular health checkup: “Just as you see a professional for other aspects of your life, why not see a professional to be mindful with what you’re doing with your philanthropy?”
“We start by talking about their Jewish story and all the things they support annually. Then, together we encourage the donor to prioritize that list, considering what should be part of their legacy,” says Naomi Limor Sedek, TJF president.
TJF’s approach is not just about numbers; it’s about empowering donors to make
Limor Sedek reflects on her father’s legacy, a man who, despite his modest upbringing, was very generous. As a son of Holocaust survivors and an immigrant at age 11, he instilled in Limor Sedek a deep commitment to helping others. When he passed away at 52, Limor Sedek, then 24, felt a strong responsibility to continue his philanthropic legacy. She absorbed his commitment into her own giving, ensuring that the community would not suffer from his loss. “This experience has been a driving force in my career,” she explains. “It motivates me every day to help others secure their own legacies and ensure their impact endures.”
This decision was not only about honoring her father but also about passing on Jewish values of philanthropy, legacy, and community as she has set an example for her children by endowing her own charitable contributions. By endowing her gifts,
she ensured that her children wouldn’t be burdened by her commitments but can have an opportunity to build and invest in the community in ways meaningful to them.
Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s team offers
invaluable guidance to those interested in securing their philanthropic legacy and involving their families in the process. Schedule an appointment for a philanthropic audit by contacting Naomi Limor Sedek at nsedek@ tjfva.org or 757-965-6109.
Monday, October 7 • 8:30 am
Reba & Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community
5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Virginia Beach
October 7th was a turning point in modern Jewish history, both because of the tragic depth of that day’s events and the monumental events that have followed. Join the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and its Jewish Community Relations Council for a community-wide gathering to pay tribute to the fallen, honor survivors and heroes, pray for those still in captivity, affirm our communal resilience, and hope for the future of the Jewish People. Am Yisrael Chai.
The High Holiday season we’re about to enter is like none other. We’ll begin with Erev Rosh Hashanah on Wednesday, Oct. 2 and conclude with Havdalah immediately following Yom Kippur’s last prayers on Saturday, Oct. 12. That’s normal (though some might say “late”). It’s what takes place in between that makes this season unique – we’ll observe the first anniversary of October 7th, a day of horror for Israelis and Jews around the world.
These are all moments to heed the sound of the shofar’s blast – its metaphorical call to wake up, to come together. This is the time to attend our congregations’ High Holiday services and festive meals and to show up in solidarity at the Sandler Family Campus on Monday, Oct. 7 to commemorate that horrific day, remember the fallen, pray for those still in harm’s way, and ultimately, for peace. (Information on the Oct. 7 event is on page 12. A listing of area High Holiday services and events was printed in the Sept. 16 issue of Jewish News and is available at JewishNewsVa.org.)
As with all Jewish holidays, the High Holidays have myriad components, and so, within this Yom Kippur section our articles have suggestions on what to serve at a Break Fast, how interfaith families can make the holidays work, how a group of local women gathered to bake to make the holidays special for those who are alone, and more. Plus, starting on the next page, Jewish News asked a few who fast their tips for getting through the day.
However or wherever you choose to spend the High Holiday season, all of us at Jewish News wish you a year of good health, peace, and opportunities to gather with family and community.
G’mar chatima tova – May you be sealed in the Book of Life,
Terri Denison Editor
“Fasting on Yom Kippur offers a rare opportunity to mindfully focus without the distractions of daily life.”
“Mentally, it triggers my biorhythms, so when fasting finally comes, I’m ready.”
“I smell it (a lemon) when I’m hungry, and it does make me feel better, but I like it because it reminds me of my grandmother.”
Fasting for 25 hours is no easy feat. Hunger pangs, headaches, and general malaise typically set-in by midday, after the last morsel of food went down at dinner the previous night. Jews who observe the Yom Kippur fast cope in different ways, as they create a physical discomfort for themselves to open a mindfulness for forgiveness.
Rabbi Shmuel Katz, a congregant at B’nai Israel Congregation, sells and distributes non-prescription FastAid, a delayed time release pill containing ibuprofen, caffeine, acetaminophen, and electrolytes to help stave off the physiological effects of fasting. A project by Toronto Kollel, FastAid has been around since 1998 and has distributors throughout the United States and Canada. On its website, the Toronto Kollel describes the pills as “halachically permissible by the Roshei HaKollel, Rav Shlomo Miller, and Rav Yaakov Hirschman who note that ‘headaches and nausea are not one of the five Eenuyim we need suffer on Tisha B’Av or Yom Kippur, which means the formulation can be taken with a clear conscience.’”
One pill is taken orally before the fast begins, but its slow time release occurs 12 hours later. “Once the pills begin working,
they effectively release and keep headaches and nausea at bay till the conclusion of the fast,” according to promotional material.
“People who take it say it works,” says Katz. For the Tisha B’Av fast in August, he was approached by 20 to 30 people looking to purchase the fasting pills.
For Deb Segaloff, her Yom Kippur tradition begins with a memory from her childhood: piercing a lemon with cloves with her grandmother, Lottie Mantinband Bernstein. “I smell it when I’m hungry, and it does make me feel better, but I like it because it reminds me of my grandmother,” Segaloff says. “You can imagine my surprise, when, as a young wife, I saw Miriam Ruberg and Ruthie Kroskin with their own lemon and cloves at Beth El on Yom Kippur!”
Rabbi Shmuel Katz
“People who take it say it works.” Rabbi Shmuel Katz
Unlike other Jewish holidays, many congregants choose to spend the entire day at synagogue. Sharon Cohen, a member of Ohef Sholom Temple, attends study sessions, reads, or takes a walk between services. “Fasting on Yom Kippur offers a rare opportunity to mindfully focus without the distractions of daily life,” she says.
Gary Baum takes a similar approach. Growing up in England, his family stayed in synagogue all day. Upon arriving in Norfolk, he befriended Paul Peck and Adam
With rising tensions in the Middle East and the accompanying threat to the health and safety of the Israeli people, we can’t ensure that this Rosh HaShanah will usher in a peaceful year. But with your generous support, Magen David Adom will be prepared — no matter what 5785 brings.
Donate at afmda.org/give or call 866.632.2763.
Foleck at Congregation Beth El, and the three men created their own tradition. “We walk over to visit with Paul’s father, Stanley Peck, at the Chabad house,” and depart with teachings of Torah to consider from Rabbi Margolin and Rabbi Brashevitsky. “As I think about it, I can’t recall a year when we were prevented from walking over due to inclement weather.” Divine intervention, maybe?
A congregant of Temple Lev Tikvah, David Yasemsky prepares for the Yom Kippur fast starting with the Selichot service. In getting ready for the High Holidays, he spends five to 10 minutes each day in thought and prayer. This sets the tone for the upcoming holidays and gets him ready in spirit. “Mentally, it triggers my biorhythms, so when fasting finally comes, I’m ready,” he says.
As Yom Kippur rounds the corner this year, Jewish News wishes all readers an easy fast and gmar tov.
In getting ready for the High Holidays, David Yasemsky spends five to 10 minutes each day after Selichot in thought and prayer. This sets the tone for the upcoming holidays and gets him ready in spirit.
be the year to veer away from a discussion of politics.
Instead, consider exploring a topic that is often overlooked, but is incredibly important –philanthropy. What better time to delve into the subject than over the holidays? A few simple questions will get the conversation going.
21/64, a nonprofit organization “providing multigenerational advising, facilitation and training for next generation engagement, especially within family philanthropy and other family enterprises,” has developed a series of questions to start philanthropy-focused conversations in the form of a deck of cards, Exploring Giving © 2018 21/64, Inc. Each family member can pick a question to discuss. More information may be found at: https://2164.net. Get talking!
For more information about how the community is engaging families in these conversations, contact Amy Zelenka at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater at azelenka@ujft.org or Amy Weinstein at Tidewater Jewish Foundation at aweinstein@tjfva.org.
This New Year, answer the call by making a legacy gift, ensuring a strong Jewish community for future generations.
As you reflect on the past and plan for the future, consider the impact you can have today by helping sustain Tidewater Jewish organizations. Through Life & Legacy Plus, your gift of any size can be customized to fit your dreams, lifestyle, family, and finances. Connect with us or one of our community partners for a commitment-free conversation and explore how you can create a meaningful legacy today.
LIFE & LEGACY COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN TIDEWATER
• B’nai Israel Congregation
• KBH Kempsville Conservative Synagogue
• Beth Sholom Village
• Ohef Sholom Temple
• Chabad of Tidewater
• Simon Family JCC
• Congregation Beth El
• Temple Emanuel
• Jewish Family Service of Tidewater
• United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
Oliszewski and Anna Fox Burnette
Every year, the Jewish Family Service Food Pantry—a cornerstone of Jewish Tidewater’s support system—assembles Rosh Hashanah care packages for more
than 120 seniors, many of whom live in nursing homes or are homebound. These holiday bags, filled with essentials such as apples, honey, and round challah rolls, are a reminder that preserving seniors’
dignity and delivering these holiday items to them ensures they are able to celebrate this time of year, too.
Rosh Hashanah is a time not only for reflection but also for tzedakah. This year, women from across the area came together to contribute something particularly meaningful: homemade challah rolls. These rolls represent more than just a holiday staple—they symbolize the care, tradition, and compassion that define Jewish values.
On Sunday, September 22, nearly 30 women gathered to bake more than 250 challah rolls for the Rosh Hashanah bags. The initiative, which began in the early hours of the morning with dough making, was filled with the sound of laughter,
shared stories, and the warmth of bonds being strengthened. Women from all corners of the community came together, united by a shared mission to meet new people and give back to neighbors.
This event was able to take place because of established partnerships from across the community. Gratitude is extended to everyone who contributed their time and effort to make this event a success – from the organizers to the volunteers who helped bake the challah and those who packed and delivered the Rosh Hashanah bags. Temple Emanuel allowed the women the use of its space, Emily Krouse from the Food Pantry provided the opportunity to contribute, and Shikma Rubin and Gabi Kocerha provided the planning support. Everyone’s efforts were instrumental in making this happen. The group hopes that this type of event can be replicated and expanded in future years.
Those who are interested in contributing to the JFS Food Pantry, have any questions, or are interested in volunteering, should contact Emily Krouse at ekrouse@ jfshamptonroads.org or 757-321-2227.
Those who are looking for other ways to support the growing “Jewish Women's Circle” or want to meet other women and contribute to the community, contact Anna Fox at annafoxburnette@gmail.com.
L’Shana Tova—wishing everyone a sweet New Year!
Chaya Rappoport
This story originally appeared on The Nosher.
My family breaks our Yom Kippur fast on bagels and lox. It’s classic, delicious, and simple. But by turning it into a fish board — complete with colorful vegetables, crackers, and cheeses — this simple concept becomes an enticing meal. I love it for its visual appeal and for how easy it is to put together.
Follow my step-by-step guide to building a smoked fish board to take your break fast up a notch.
This is the main event, so make sure you have something for everyone. Lox is a must, a mild whitefi sh spread is great with crackers, and caviar or salmon roe add a salty pop of fl avor to bagels. Salmon jerky is a fun extra for snacking on, and, of course, no Jewish fi sh board is complete without herring. If you’re into small, oily fi sh (and I am!) add a tin of sardines or anchovies — they’re delicious on buttered bread. (These are great, plus their packaging is beautiful
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enough to display on the board.)
Lighten things up with some veggies — little cornichon pickles for crunch, sliced red onion for freshness and tang, and olives and capers for a briny hit. Refreshing cucumbers and sliced tomatoes add heft to a bagel sandwich, and lemon wedges add zing and color, as do fresh herbs like dill.
While fi sh is the focus, dairy elements are necessary to round things out. Keep it simple: a whipped cream cheese (make sure it’s room temperature so it’s spreadable) for the bagel lovers and sour cream to serve with the herring. You could experiment with fl avored cream cheese or sub creme fraiche for sour cream. A salted French butter is another great addition — schmear it on rye bread and top with sardines.
I buy fresh bagels before the fast and reheat them when I’m ready to serve — either sliced and toasted or whole,
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wrapped in aluminum foil. I like to get a few different options so there’s something for everyone: sesame, cinnamon raisin (great with cream cheese and lox — don’t knock it!), and the ever-popular everything bagel. For variety, add a fresh loaf of rye bread with breadsticks and butter crackers for a lighter alternative. I always include a gluten-free option like seeded crackers, too.
1. Keep things a little messy — it’s less precious and makes it easier for guests to dig in. Take a scoop out of the
whitefish, scatter olives around a little haphazardly, and strew with bunches of fresh dill.
2. Don’t forget that all of the above are just suggestions. Don’t like lox? Use gravlax. Not into cream cheese? Try quark. Make it your own.
3. Compose your board in layers. Start with the fi sh, arrange the vegetables around it, add one or two bowls of cream cheese and sour cream, and scatter the bagels and crackers around, filling in the empty spaces.
4. Serve alongside babka, rugelach, and coffee for the ultimate break fast meal.
Holly Rizzuto Palker
This article originally appeared on Kveller
“Happy Yom Kippur!” my mom shouted on speakerphone to my fiancé and his family.
“Thank you,” they said.
“Mom, Yom Kippur isn’t really happy,” I explained. We were staying at my future in-laws’ Long Island home, and everyone was exhausted from fasting. Insecure about not being Jewish myself, I longed to prove I was the perfect daughterin-law-to-be. But I was the odd one out because I’d broken the fast earlier with a Power Bar to stave off a migraine. I’d also asked why the light switches were taped to the “on” position. My fiancé explained that this peculiarity reminded them to abstain from work, a rule of Jewish law.
“Turning on a light is work?” I asked.
My fiancé nodded. “Yes, it’s forbidden.”
“The Torah prohibits igniting a fire on Shabbat or Yom Kippur,” his dad chimed in, eager to teach me the tenets of their faith.
“Oh,” I said, pretending to understand.
Week; although Good Friday is a mournful day, when we visited the church to ponder Jesus’s crucifixion, it only requires abstention from meat. The real focus centered on Easter Sunday, when, after mass, we engage in a gleeful celebration to commemorate Jesus’s resurrection.
Lasagna has been a holiday staple in my family for several generations; I think the tradition originated with my grandparents, who grew up during the Great Depression. Meals containing expensive ingredients like meat and goat’s
opinion: Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah while Jewish people are still waiting for him/her to arrive.)
And although I’m fully on board with having my children identify as Jewish, it’s sometimes difficult for me, let alone my side of the family, to grasp the intricacies of Jewish law. There are unfamiliar rules to follow, and my husband’s family has adopted some rather stringent traditions, like keeping glatt kosher for the week of Passover, even though they aren’t Orthodox.
I shut off the speakerphone and walked into the kitchen to finish my phone conversation, trying to play down another awkward moment — although it was impressive that my Italian mom could embarrass me all the way from Staten Island.
“Not happy?” she asked. “It’s a holiday!”
“Yes. But it’s a day of atonement.” I explained that Yom Kippur was a bit like Reconciliation, the Catholic sacrament, but consolidated into one day. It’s a somber time during which Jews avoid eating and drinking to demonstrate the extent of regret felt for those they’d wronged.
My explanation helped my mom understand. Still, the idea of a holiday being solemn was contradicted by our household’s joyful celebrations overflowing with lasagna, laughter, and the ability to turn light switches on and off. The closest comparison I could offer was Holy
milk cheese didn’t come cheap, so this delicacy was reserved for major celebrations when the extended family gathered. More recently, lasagna became a staple ingredient in any affair hosted by my mom, as a way to honor her late father, my Grandpa Tony, and our Italian heritage.
My husband and I are married now, and we have three kids. Though I didn’t convert, we agreed to raise our kids in the Jewish faith so they could gain a strong moral foundation. We joined a Reform temple that recognizes them as Jewish, even though I’m not, and they attend Hebrew school there. My oldest has already become a bat mitzvah and my other two are on the journey.
Although my kids haven’t studied Catholicism, we’ve taught them that because Christianity is rooted in Judaism, both faiths share similar values — to be upstanders and make the world better. (The biggest difference is one of
Regardless, we’ve endeavored to be superinclusive to both sets of relatives, hoping to teach our kids tolerance. Over the years, we’ve invited grandparents to all celebrations, whether Jewish or Christian. On Passover, my parents clap along while we sing a spirited “Dayenu.” We erect a tree and host a secular Christmas Eve party, to respect my traditions, and my husband’s family joins us as we track Santa’s progress online, reveling in the kids’ joy as they anticipate his visit.
Yom Kippur always felt different, though. Because of its serious nature, I felt uncomfortable inviting my side of the family. They would’ve passed out at the thought of fasting for 25 hours. The long stint at synagogue, followed by the dairy break fast meal — bagels, lox, egg salad, and challah French toast — for sundown consumption, always seemed tedious to explain.
But then, a few years ago, on the evening of Yom Kippur, the kids asked, “Who’s coming tomorrow?” They were unaware that we’d found ourselves without guests for the break fast, as my husband’s family’s strict observance didn’t allow them to drive and we couldn’t travel because it was a school night. We’d lived as expats in London for a while without extended family, so our children cherished being with loved ones.
“What if we invite my parents?” I asked my husband.
Surprised, he stared at me, then smiled. “Sure,” he said. “Just tell your mother that the lasagna needs to
be meatless.” (Although our home isn’t kosher, my husband eats kosher-style for Jewish holidays.)
“What can I bring?” my mother asked when I invited her. I told her that she couldn’t bring her party staple because it didn’t mix with the kosher fare. That seemed easier than changing it, although putting the kibosh on the most significant way she showed love felt cruel.
“Bring flowers,” I said.
The next day, after services, I prepared the spread since I only quasi-fasted, and I allowed myself to work. But I couldn’t shake feeling guilty about forbidding my mother’s Sicilian delicacy. To make up for it, I cooked an online recipe — an amalgamation of gooey cheese, bread, and wine — but it was no replacement.
“Unhappy Yom Kippur,” my mom said when we opened the front door. That perseverant woman shoved an aluminum tray into my hands.
“It’s a meatless lasagna. Eat it
tomorrow when the holiday is finished.” She crossed the threshold with a bouquet. “I’ll get a vase.”
When the sun finally went down and it was time to eat, I was compelled to include the lasagna. It felt right and it would make her happy. Plus, there wasn’t a Jewish law prohibiting it.
“Thank you,” my husband said to my mother, retrieving a piece. It was ironic that he was the only one breaking a bonafide fast. But since my family always scarfed down food as though they’d fasted for a day, he was in good company.
“Delicious,” my dad said, eating a bagel and lox, enjoying it most.
Later, we watched him pull a coin from my littlest one’s ear, and my eldest read a picture book to my mom while she washed dishes. My husband and I shared a glance, both of us realizing that above all else, they were happy to be with their grandchildren and content to be eating, or not eating, lasagna. It was making memories that mattered most.
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Please join Temple Israel for the 2019/5780 holidays!
Please join Temple Israelforthe 2019/5780 holidays!
Yom Kippur
Celebrate the fullness ofJewish worship with us as togetherwe find spiritual meaning in the words of our sages. Youwill finda heartygreetingfroma warm congregationthatembracesboththetimelessandtheinnovative. Come join us and let us welcome you home.
Please join Temple Israel for the 2024/5785 holidays! Celebrate the fullness of Jewish worship with us as together we find spiritual meaning in the words of our sages. You will find a hearty greeting from a warm congregation that embraces both the timeless and the innovative. Come join us and let us welcome you home.
Celebrate the fullness ofJewish worship with us as togetherwe find spiritual meaning in the words of our sages. Youwill finda heartygreetingfroma warm congregationthatembracesboththetimelessandtheinnovative. Come join us and let us welcome you home.
7255 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA 23505 757-489-4550 www.templeisraelva.org
7255 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA 23505 757-489-4550 www.templeisraelva.org
Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
We want to thank those who helped make this past year a more successful year for us. We look forward to working with you in the new year.
Dora Lee Taylor
Realtor VM (757) 456-1713 doraleetaylor@howardhanna.com
If you’re trying to connect
Kippur, here’s a prayer for you
Rabbi Shlomo Zuckier
This story originally appeared on My Jewish Learning.
For those of us who don’t regularly think in theological terms, the High Holiday liturgy can be jarring to read. Some of the messages are relatively easy to relate to, like the reminder of human frailty in Unetaneh Tokef (“Who will live and who will die?”) or the expression of remorse over our shortcomings in the confession litany (“We have sinned; we have been disloyal…”). But the traditional High Holiday prayer book also includes some far more abstruse ideas.
An obvious challenge is the centrality of animal sacrifice to the way the Day of Atonement was observed in the ancient Temple, a ritual we recount in detail during Yom Kippur. But the prayers also repeatedly invoke ideas about God that are far removed from our regular discourse.
Consider the repeated refrain of “And so, place your fear, O Lord our God, on all your creations.” Or this sequence describing God: “Who knows the inclination of all creations/ All believe that He creates them in the womb/ Who can do anything and unifies them together.” Reflecting on God’s exaltedness, pleading for mercy from a deity who knows our thoughts and holds the power of life and death over us — these are notions that are hard to grasp and difficult to come to terms with. How do we conceptualize and relate to God without recourse to a seminar in theology?
Shirley Stein Realtor cell (757) 434-5808 sherlstein@aol.com
Even as it creates this challenge, the liturgy provides a solution by offering a range of different modes of relating to God. Nowhere is this clearer than in Ki Anu Amekha, a short poem (piyyut) recited multiple times on Yom Kippur to introduce the Viddui, the confessional prayer. It reads:
For we are your people, and you are our God.
We are your children, and you are our Father.
We are your servants, and you are our Lord.
We are your congregation, and you are our Portion.
We are your heritage, and you are our Destiny.
We are your flock, and you are our Shepherd.
We are your vineyard, and you are our Keeper.
We are your work, and you are our Maker.
We are your dear ones, and you are our Beloved.
We are your treasure, and you are our God.
We are your people, and you are our King.
We are your chosen ones, and you are our Chosen One.
This piyyut presents a list of relational pairs that characterize the relationship between Israel and God in various ways, all of which draw on comparisons to non-Divine relationships. It appears to be an expansion of a midrash on Song of Songs 2:16 that proposed several of these relational pairs, justifying each with a biblical verse. It is followed in the High Holiday prayer book by an additional stanza that relates more directly to themes of sin and forgiveness that are the leitmotif of the Day of Atonement, contrasting the human penchant for sin with God’s compassion and mercy. Less clear is the function of the section cited above. In what way does delineating this litany of relationships serve as a fitting introduction to a confession ritual?
I would argue that the purpose of listing these various relationships is to invite each of us to find ourselves in the poem as we stand before God and request atonement. People are complex and multi-faceted, and the way we relate to an infinite God is bound to be even more varied and intricate. Some people may relate best to God as a father who loves his children even as he disciplines them. Others may connect better to a political metaphor, seeing God as the king exercising dominion over his nation. Some of us experience God more intimately, as a shepherd tending the flock or a vintner caring for grape vines. Others see the relationship between Israel and God as one of passionate love as described in the Song of Songs. And some may see God primarily through the history of the Jewish people, as having chosen Israel for a particular divine destiny.
Each line of this piyyut depicts a particular quality of relationship between God and Israel, but none of them exhausts it. God simultaneously inhabits all these modes of relation depending on the person, the point in time and the broader context in which the relationship manifests itself.
The poem, and the High Holy Days liturgy overall, represents God in these various ways not because everyone in synagogue is expected to develop a complex theology that can encompass them all, but because we can all likely connect to at least one mode of relating to God in our prayers. As each of us focuses on and resonates with a particular aspect of the God-Israel relationship, our collective recitation of Ki Anu Amekha serves to express the rich and varied tapestry of God. And hopefully our Father, our King, our Shepherd, our Lover, our Destiny will see fit to grant Israel forgiveness and make 5785 a year filled with blessings.
October 14 – Legal (Deadline Sept. 27)
October 28 – Business/Investment (Deadline Oct. 11)
November 11 – Mazel Tov (Deadline Oct. 25)
December 2 – Year-end Decisions (Deadline Nov. 15)
To advertise, call 757-965-6100 or email sgoldberg@ujft.org.
Wishing you and your family a blessed
Sam
Molofsky
The men of Nadiv voted and chose Camp JCC as the recipient of the group’s fundraising efforts during the ‘24-‘25 programming year.
Nadiv gathered on Thursday, Sept. 5 at the Virginia Beach home of Laura and Fred Gross to socialize and discuss where to direct the funds.
This year’s goal is to raise $25,000 through two primary programs: March Madness Bracket Challenge and a new, community-wide poker tournament. The March Madness fundraiser happens
every March, and current plans are to stage the poker tournament in May.
At the gathering this month, the group organized into committees for the poker tournament, including a prize and sponsorship committee. (Anyone who would like to be a tournament sponsor or donate a prize for the poker finalists, is requested to contact Amy Zelenka at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, or a member of Nadiv.) Nadiv was originally created as a giving circle in which the donated funds came
from the members’ contributions. However, the approach has shifted.
Now, Nadiv members each donate at least $365 to the UJFT Annual Campaign. The money it raises comes from financial contributions from the community at large (ex: poker tournament). Nadiv members still vote and decide where the funds will go.
local Jewish community.
Nadiv is a place to connect socially and professionally while doing good in the
The group is open to men ages 22 - 50. To join, contact Amy Zelenka at azelenka@ujft.org.
The first meeting of the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Next Generation group occurred on Sunday,
Room at the Sandler Family Campus. Comprised of children of Holocaust survivors, as well as third and fourth generation survivors, the group is growing and looking forward to welcoming community members with that
shared background.
The response to the first meeting was gratifying, with more than 20 people of various ages attending. For some, the atmosphere was like a high school reunion with several people reconnecting with dear friends who had not seen each other in years, while for others, it was an opportunity to make new contacts and friends.
Children of Holocaust survivors share a childhood with parents that experienced the horrors of Nazi Germany, in most cases losing most members of their family. This loss of family has resulted in almost immediate bonding with other Holocaust survivor families soon becoming “mishpocha.”
Children and grandchildren of survivors who grew up in and out of the Tidewater area are encouraged to join the Next Generation group and help grow this mishpocha.
Anyone who is a second or third-generation survivor and who is interested in joining this group, should contact Julie Kievit, program coordinator, at jkievit@ujft.org for more information.
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David Baddiel
February 4, 2021
305.8924
144 pages
Reviewed by Eitan Altshuler
I will always remember the time my world history professor gave a pop quiz, and the first question was “who was Moses?” Easy enough, right? Well, to my professor’s chagrin and my own shock, I was the only one who didn’t answer “the first Christian.”
I wonder, could it be that ignorance is the main issue behind all the troubles that plague the Jewish world these days?
David Baddiel’s book, Jews Don’t Count, reflects on this lack of social awareness prevalent in today’s progressive politics. Written from his perspective as a secular, British Jew, he points out that antisemitism has become a sort of ‘second-class racism’ easily dismissed in the way we take census data, movie/ TV casting, and stereotyping, etc.
It’s a short, ‘weekend’ read of only 144 small pages, but its message is nonetheless still poignant. I would recommend every Jewish person read it because its premise will make a lot of sense out of current events.
In the Israeli-Arab conflict, over the last few years, we have witnessed the increasing marginalization of Jewish identity in public discourse, which furthers an agenda to delegitimize Israel and to equate “Zionism” with everything deplorable in society.
Americans understand racism well. They have an intimate history with it, and it’s relatively simple to understand. Antisemitism, not so much. Its source(s) are much more complex, and its manifestations nuanced. This is primarily because the average American’s level of experience with Jewish people in Jewish environments is really limited.
As an advocate for Israel, I am often left exasperated – arguing what should be logically obvious. Like I am talking to a wall, I am often left feeling like Rodney Dangerfield saying, “I can’t get no respect!”
The average American increasingly doesn’t want to have to pick a side in the IsraeliArab conflict. They don’t know how the conflict is any of their business and how it relates to them. We are approaching a time, if we aren’t there already, where the global Jewish community won’t be able to automatically count on American/Western support.
We’re going to start needing to work harder, and we’re going to start needing to package Israel and Judaism, beyond the Holocaust, in a way that is meaningful to them.
The erasure of Jewish identity has historical roots far deeper that go back millennia. Historically, antisemitism was so prevalent that the better survival strategy was to hide one’s identity. It could be, however, that we’re in a time when the opposite is true. If we duck our heads and hope it all blows over, it may make things worse.
Israel’s enemies hope to be able to destroy Israel and for it to not matter to the world, perhaps even to be grateful of being rid of such a “nuisance,” and to go on like it’s another Monday. And they won’t stop fighting until they learn to respect our presence in the Middle East.
Turning this tide all starts with the proper framing of the basic problem – that Jews Don’t Count. So be Jewish and be proud. Am Yisrael Chai!
Eitan Altshuler can be reached at ealtshuler@ujft.org.
Carin Simon
The Strelitz International Academy’s (SIA) 36th Annual Golf Tournament, held on Wednesday, August 28 at the Virginia Beach National Golf Club, proved to be another hole-in-one event. Known as the Bob Josephberg Classic, this tournament remains SIA’s premier annual fundraiser, and this year’s event raised nearly $150,000 thanks to the incredible generosity of 82 sponsors and 102 tournament participants.
These funds play a crucial role in supporting the future of Jewish education and leadership in Tidewater by ensuring financial sustainability and expanding access for all SIA students.
The event kicked off with opening remarks from David Leon and Babbi Bangel, SIA Golf Tournament co-chairs, before participants teed off in a Florida best ball tournament format. Players had a chance to win luxury prizes—a brand new Mercedes
MASTERS - $10,500
Sedan and Mercedes SUV —courtesy of Charles Barker Automotive and Towne Insurance, during the highly anticipated hole-inone competition.
“We are truly grateful for the continued dedication and generosity of our community and business partners,” said Leon. “It’s inspiring to see both familiar and new faces each year enjoying a fun day on the course while supporting SIA’s mission. Our entire school community extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to making this our most successful fundraising event yet.”
L.M. Sandler & Sons, Inc.
Deb & Peter Segaloff
John & Renee Strelitz
HOSTS - $4,000
Miles & Sandra Leon
Copeland-Klebanoff Family
Josephberg Family
North Beach Plastic Surgery
– Dr. Richard Rosenblum, Dr. Alexander Sailon, Dr. Eric Jablonka, &
Dr. Alexandra Tilt
SPONSORS - $5,500
Fairlead
Steve & Randi Gordon
David Leon
Jennifer Josephberg
Cindy & Ron Kramer
TowneBank
Wall, Einhorn and Chernitzer, PC
UNDERWRITERS- $3,000
Brad Moses/Towne Insurance
Nathan Drory/Charles Barker
Automotive
Southern Bank
EAGLES- $1,200
Brad & Babbi Bangel
Beth Sholom Village
Claire & Marvin Friedberg
Amy Weinstein, SIA board chair and Heather Moore, SIA head of school, drove around the course greeting players and
Daniel Gordon & Family
Harbor Group International
Beth & Nathan Jaffe
Jewish Family Service
KPMG LLP
National Disaster Solutions
The Saal Family
Levi & Palmer Washburn
BIRDIES- $750
Altmeyer Funeral Home
Amitay and Claudius Families
Bay Disposal
Marisk & John Gibson
Givens Group
Hercules Fence
Jodi & Jay Klebanoff
MBCS EZBooks
The Moore Family in Honor of Faculty & Staff
distributing cool neck towels to beat the heat. Moore expressed deep appreciation for the event’s success, highlighting the importance of the funds raised in light of the school’s remarkable enrollment growth over the past five years. “This tournament provides critical funding that allows us to offer more scholarships to our expanding student body. We are incredibly thankful to our donors, whose support helps us deliver a robust Jewish and International Baccalaureate (IB) education to our students.”
Participants were treated to a delicious, boxed lunch and a post-play reception catered by Cardo Cafe. The tournament also featured a Silent Auction
Palms Associates
S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co.
Lawrence Steingold
Stein Investment Group
HOLES- $400
Abrams Family
Atlantic Union Bank
Avraham Ashkenazi
Michael & Roslyn Barney
Jon & Susan Becker
Bill & Allison Carden
David & Elyse Cardon
Coastal Material Handling
Davenport / Lefcoe
Alan & Esther Fleder
Foundation
Frieden Seery Nuckols &
Hahn P.C.
Glassman Family
with items such as hand-crafted pens generously donated by Steve Wohlgemuth of WoogWorks, and a bottle of Weller Wheated Bourbon donated by Levi Washburn, both of which contributed to the overall fundraising efforts.
The winners of the 1st flight were Miles Leon, Ben Leon, Wes Bourdon, and Eddie Bourdon. SIA extends its sincere thanks to the sponsors, players, and volunteers who made the day a tremendous success.
Save the date for next year’s 37th Annual Strelitz International Academy Golf Tournament on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at Virginia Beach National Golf Club.
Andy & Esther Kline
Drs. Peluso & Savage - Eastern
Virginia Orthodontics
Frankie Edmonson,
Portsmouth Commissioner of the Revenue
Eric Joffe Construction - Eric
Joffe & Mike Simon
Frieden Wealth Management
H.D. Oliver Funeral
Apartments
Jason & Denise Hoffman
IHOP - Kempsville & Princess
Anne
The Jason Family
Janet Jenkins in Honor of SIA
Teachers
No Frill Grill
Rashkind Family
Payday
SIA’s upcoming Annual Fall Festival takes place on Sunday, October 27 at the Sandler Family Campus.
For more information, contact Carin Simon, SIA director of advancement, at 757-424-4327 or csimon@strelitzacademy.
PNC Bank
Primis Mortgage - Jerry Pollack
Rubin Communications
Seeman Family
Randy Shapiro
MidAtlantic Dermatology Center - Dr. Michael Gross
Mike Simon - Abrams Realty
S.L. Nusbaum Insurance
Agency, Inc.
The Spindel Agency
TechArk
Tim Thornton - Berkshire
Hathaway Home Services
Jacob & Utomwen Uduaghan
W.C. Goldberg & Company, PC
Amy & Eliot Weinstein
WoogWorks
Megan & Steve Zuckerman
Hunter Thomas
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and its partner, Secure Community Network, hosted three screenings of the HBO documentary A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting on September 10. Each screening served a particular demographic: one for local first responders –law enforcement agencies at local, state, and federal levels, one for leadership of area Jewish agencies, and one for the public.
A conversation followed each screening and focused on how Tidewater’s Jewish community can best secure its communal spaces and ensure the community’s continued safety following the rampant rise in antisemitic incidents since October 7, 2023. Speakers at all three events included Mike Goldsmith, SCN’s regional security advisor for Tidewater; Brad Orsini, SCN’s senior national security advisor; and Ellen Surloff, former president of Congregation Dor Hadash, which is housed in the Tree of Life building and was having services the day of the attack.
“We are extremely appreciative for our partnership with SCN and for Brad Orsini’s willingness to share his expertise, along with that of the organization, with our community, drawing from the lessons of the Pittsburgh tragedy and best practices,” says Betty Ann Levin, UJFT CEO. “Hearing from both
Brad Orsini and Ellen Surloff about the lessons learned from the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting highlights the importance of preparedness and the need for everyone to engage in security training.”
The goal of showing the film, which SCN is doing in Jewish communities across North America, was to spark meaningful conversations about safety and security and encourage community members to attend trainings to be prepared should a similar incident occur locally. The screening for first responders and law enforcement served
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as a follow-up to the full-scale exercise organized by UJFT, SCN, Ohef Sholom Temple, and the City of Norfolk in August. That exercise tested the city’s response to a major incident at a house of worship based on lessons learned from the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.
“The recent screenings demonstrated the importance of training to ensure our ability to respond during a critical incident,” says Goldsmith. Our panelists
all spoke about the need to prepare for potential threats. This film and the information from the panel discussions will help us work with one another, and our local first responders, should the unthinkable happen in one of our facilities.”
SCN hosts regular trainings for community members. For more information, visit JewishVA.org/SCN.
Rabbi Meir Lessof joins Nissim Yochai, president of ZIM, and other dignitaries to affi x mezuzot at ZIM’s new office building in Virginia Beach. The move from Norfolk marks more than 1,000 new job opportunities for Virginia Beach.
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APPLY AT foundation.jewishva.org/simon-family-passport-to-israel
Administered through the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, this special program provides grants to enable Jewish students, ages 13–22, to participate in an Israel trip experience. Grants are available for students traveling to Israel on an organized and staffed peer trip and cover up to 30% of eligible expenses (max $6,000 per student).
For more information, visit foundation.jewishva.org/simon-family-passport-to-israel or contact Ann Swindell at aswindell@tjfva.org or 757-965-6106.
Recent Recipient: Jordan Parker-Ashe
With the support of the Simon Family Passport to Israel grant, Jordan Parker-Ashe traveled to Israel to participate in the BBYO Passport Trek Israel program. As part of the program, Jordan took part in a five day wilderness immersion group hike which took them from the Mediterranean to the Sea of Galilee with amazing experiences she will never forget!
Mia Klein
People often ask, “What is Moon Circle? What do you do? What is it about?’ Here's a breakdown of what Moon Circle is, with the hope that more will join in this meaningful experience.
Rosh Chodesh, the birth of the new moon, is a time of renewal and celebration. In October 2022, Sierra Lautman, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s senior director of Jewish Innovation and Lois Weinthrob (who has since moved out of Tidewater) collaborated to create a way for the community to mark this significant time.
Rosh Chodesh is an opportunity to set intentions
for the upcoming month while reflecting on the previous one. The Moon Circle, which used to meet monthly, will now gather less frequently, allowing more flexibility for people to engage in individual rituals at home or with smaller groups.
The At the Well Project releases a Moon Manual centered around a theme each month. This manual includes resources, journal prompts, intention-setting exercises, crafts, and activities that help guide the circle. During the gatherings hosted at the Simon Family JCC, the space is prepared with dimmed lights, cushions, and snacks, creating a warm and calming environment. A candle is lit to open the circle and is passed from person to person as each
Sierra Lautman
The inaugural presentation of the Tidewater Jewish Visual Arts Advisory Board, a creation of the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center’s visual arts committee, will feature a nationally known professor, lecturer, and art expert, Dr. Ori Soltes. The event will take place in December.
Dr. Soltes, a professor in the Jewish Civilization department at Georgetown University, will present a lecture titled “Exploring and Understanding the Meaning of Modern Jewish Art.” This stimulating look at Jewish art of the 20th and 21st centuries will investigate connections to the ancient roots of Jewish identity and explore its meaning amidst the Jewish experience in modern times. For more information about the speaker, visit orisoltes.com.
Tickets are $18 and can be purchased from Hunter Thomas at UJFT at www. JewishVA.org/JewishArt. Tickets will also be available at the door and are half price for students with ID. The lecture will be followed by a reception. All are welcome.
To participate in implementing this and future programs, contact Rick Rivin at rickrivin@gmail.com or Myrna Teck at Teck.jarted@gmail.com.
participant names a matriarch whose energy they want to bring into the circle for the evening—whether a biblical figure, ancestor, or even a neighbor or mother.
After the circle is opened, participants use their Moon Manuals to guide themselves through various activities. Sometimes, this involves reading poems or sharing journal prompts, while other times, it includes crafts or guided meditations. The activities vary but always focus on the monthly theme, reflection, and connection. These gatherings slow down time, offering a moment of peace and presence in what are normally fast-paced lives. Participants leave feeling more connected to Jewish wisdom and the community and prepared to face the month ahead.
For more information about the JCC’s Monthly Moon Circle, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org.
Wednesday October 30, 11:30 am
Sierra Lautman
In times of crisis, the Jewish community’s support has been remarkable, with donations, supplies, and love continuing to pour in. But what else can be done? Enter the power of mitzvot—a secret weapon. A mitzvah, a commandment from the Torah, helps individuals build character and grow closer to G-d. Jewish teachings emphasize that perfecting one’s character can shape and improve the world.
Mitzvot Matter, a six-week course that explores mitzvot, is taught by Amy Lefcoe, a Jewish educator, and hosted by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning. Course cost is $36 for members of the Simon Family JCC, $45 for non-members. Scholarships are available.
Register at JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org.
Sierra Lautman
A new initiative of the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, the Great Jewish Bookshelf invites Jewish adults—or anyone interested in the Jewish experience—on a literary journey, from the comfort of their home. This subscription-based program offers a unique way to engage with Jewish life by delivering handpicked Jewish books directly to doorsteps every two months.
The Great Jewish Bookshelf is a carefully curated collection of Jewish literature
designed to enrich an understanding of Jewish history, spirituality, and contemporary culture. The program offers subscribers six books per year, thoughtfully chosen to resonate with a variety of interests. From compelling fiction to deep historical narratives and thought-provoking explorations of Jewish philosophy, each book serves as a gateway to a richer understanding of Jewish life.
In today’s fast-paced world, many are seeking meaningful ways to connect with their Jewish identity. Whether looking for spiritual inspiration, a deeper
understanding of Jewish history, or simply an engaging story with Jewish themes, the Great Jewish Bookshelf offers an option.
Starting in January 2025, subscribers will be able to choose from three categories— Fiction, History/Non-Fiction, and Jewish Thought—every two months. Once the selection is made, books can either be picked up at the Simon Family JCC or delivered to the subscriber’s home.
For $60 per year (or $78 for home delivery), subscribers will receive six books over the course of 12 months. The flexibility to switch between categories ensures that reading choices align with personal interests, while the affordable subscription offers great value. If the subscriber has already read the available selections for a given month, they can opt to gift a book to
someone else or receive the latest edition of Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas—a thoughtprovoking print journal from the Shalom Hartman Institute.
In addition to receiving high-quality Jewish literature, subscribing to the Great Jewish Bookshelf offers the chance to build community by connecting with other subscribers reading the same book, creating opportunities for discussion and deeper engagement.
The Great Jewish Bookshelf’s subscription page goes live on November 1. Get ready to enhance connections to Jewish life—one book at a time.
For more information or to subscribe, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@UJFT.org.
OCTOBER 7, MONDAY
October 7: Marking One Year. Join the UJFT for a community gathering honoring and remembering the fallen, hostages, and victims of terror since last October 7. 8:30 am. Sandler Family Campus. Information and registration: visit www.JewishVA.org/1Year. See page 12.
Singing for Shalom: A concert of hope and remembrance. 6 pm. Temple Emanuel. See page 12.
OCTOBER 10, THURSDAY
Coffee and Conversation. Curious members gather to discuss timely topics. 1 pm. Sandler Family Campus. Free. Information and registration: Jewishva.org/CoffeeandConvo or Mia Klein at MKlein@UJFT.org.
OCTOBER 15 – DECEMBER 17, TUESDAYS
From the Shtetl to the South. During this 10-week course, offered by UJFT’s Konikoff Center for Learning and taught by Dr. Rabbi Michael Panitz, students will explore the journey of Jewish communities from Eastern Europe to the American South, culminating in Jewish life in South Hampton Roads. Cost includes bus tour of Jewish landmarks around Tidewater. 11:30 am. Sandler Family Campus. $72 JCC members, $90 non-members. Scholarships are available. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/KCL or Sierra Lautman at slautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107.
OCTOBER 16, WEDNESDAY
Seniors Club – In the Sukkah. For adults 55+ looking to add education, culture, and connections to others and the Jewish community. Club meets the third Wednesday of each month. Annual membership $15. $6 monthly charge for lunch. 12 pm, lunch. 1 pm, presenter. Information and registration: Mia Klein at MKlein@UJFT.org.
OCTOBER 21, MONDAY
JCC Book Club will discuss The Confidante by Christopher C. Gorham. Club meets the third Monday of each month. 1:30 pm. In person or Zoom. Simon Family JCC. Free. Information and registration: Mia Klein at Mklein@ujft.org or Sherry Lieberman at joeann124@aol.com.
OCTOBER 28 – DECEMBER 4
Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. Featured author events allow the community to engage with bestselling and up-and-coming writers. All events require pre-registration. Information and registration: JewishVA.org/BookFest or Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org or 757-965-6137.
OCTOBER 30 – DECEMBER 11, WEDNESDAYS
Mitzvot Matter. During this six-week Melton course, offered by UJFT’s Konikoff Center for Learning and taught by Amy Lefcoe, students will focus on the opportunity and power of mitzvot. 11:30 am. Sandler Family Campus. $36 JCC members, $45 non-members. Scholarships are available. Information and registration: visit JewishVA.org/KCL or Sierra Lautman at slautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107. See page 33.
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Shirley Adrienne Baum
ST. ALBANS, ENGLAND – Shirley Adrienne Baum passed away on September 16 at the age of 88 in St. Albans, England.
A native of London, she was predeceased in 2015 by her husband, Braham Baum. She leaves behind her children, Gary (Elena) and Tracey and grandchildren, Jaden, Asher, and Micah.
Born in 1936, she experienced World War II as a child in London, and came of age in post-war Britain. She met Braham, with whom she shared exactly the same birthday and year, at a synagogue youth club at the age of 16. They were together for 64 years, enjoying cruising all over the world during their later years. She eventually cared for him lovingly as he struggled for years with the dementia that ultimately took his life.
Shirley loved to learn. After retiring from a life of dedicated full-time work to help support her family, she became involved in the popular University of the Third Age. She pursued her interests in antiques, theater,
gardening, and singing for fun. Her passion for books, travel, and baking were matched only by her passion for her grandchildren. She and Braham made numerous visits to Norfolk for simchas and were made to feel very welcome by the Beth El community.
As a long-distance grandparent, she made sure she was in her grandchildren’s lives by sending a constant stream of cassette tapes on which she had recorded herself reading them children’s books and stories. The “Grandma Tapes,” soon to be digitized for posterity, introduced her grandchildren to new and different books, and were well loved.
A funeral service was held at Bushey Cemetery in London.
WILMINGTON, N.C. - Robert Herman, 88, passed away on Saturday, September 7.
Robert was born on June 30, 1936, to Carlyn and Benjamin Jaffe in Suffolk, Virginia. When Robert was two, his father passed away and his mother married Phillip
Herman, who adopted Robert.
In middle school and early high school, Robert became an outstanding tennis and basketball player in Suffolk. In 1952, Robert’s family moved to Norfolk. During his senior year at Norfolk Academy, Robert was a member of the school’s city championship basketball team, helped found the school’s tennis team, and was a finalist in the Academy’s speaking competition. After he graduated from Norfolk Academy in 1955, he went on to study at the University of Virginia, graduating in 1959 with a history degree.
Following graduation from UVA, Robert moved to Virginia Beach to begin his career in the hospitality field. In 1963, he purchased The Lighthouse, a small restaurant on the oceanfront at Rudee Inlet. He developed a premier restaurant serving seafood dishes and, with growing popularity in the 70s and 80s, Robert expanded The Lighthouse to serve the capacity of over 600 patrons. His shecrab soup was widely popular; Gourmet Magazine requested the recipe.
Robert’s son, Scott, joined him at The Lighthouse, where they worked together for two decades. Robert attributed much of The Lighthouse’s success to his employees: “I thank all of my loyal employees.”
Robert was dedicated to the interests of the Virginia Beach resort area. He served as a Commissioner on the Resort Area Advisory Commission and an officer of the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association. He planned for the City to purchase his unique oceanfront Rudee Inlet property for community development. After the restaurant was severely damaged in 2003 by Hurricane Isabel, Robert decided it was time for the City to have his property.
Robert was well known for his steady commitment to a healthy lifestyle, including his daily exercise routine. The regulars at Wareing’s Gym regarded Robert as a fixture.
In 2002, Robert married Joan Starr Selden and moved to Wilmington, N.C., where he enjoyed coastal living with his beloved wife.
Robert was predeceased by wife, Starr, and his son, Scott. He is survived by his two daughters, Cathy Jo Thomas (Dave) and Pam Herman; three grandchildren, Paris Pierce (Kyle), Elizabeth Thomas, and Walker Thomas (Tara); three great-grandchildren,
Barrett and Evelyn Pierce and Remi Thomas, and his brothers, Tom Herman (Maureen) and Steve Herman (Sally).
Robert was extremely grateful for the many years of friendship and support of Kirsten Findley and her family, Blair and Teddy Turner, and Nancy McElroy.
A private service was held in Quinby, Virginia, Starr’s family home. Donations in Robert’s memory may be made to the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad, Station 14, Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 (https://vbvrs. networkforgood.com).
Memory tributes may be shared with the family at www.williamsfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements by the WilliamsOnancock Funeral Home.
VIRGINIA BEACH – Robert B. Levin, “Bobby,” passed peacefully in his home on September 17 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Bobby was predeceased by his parents, Carla and Bernard Levin, and his sister, Margaret. He is survived by his son, Maxwell Levin, siblings Amy Levin Keefe and Johnny Levin; and nieces and nephews, Patrick and Kyle Keefe, Isaiah and Julian Plovnick, and Major Levin.
For those who knew Bobby, knew his home on 82nd Street. “The Bob”, where he lived for 30 years, was a respite for everyone who knew him. He could be found there watching sports or on the beach doing the New York Times Crossword Puzzle. His warmth, hospitality, and humor charmed everyone who met him.
In honor of the simplicity of Bobby’s lifestyle and in recognition of what was truly important to him, we gathered on the beach to celebrate Bobby’s life.
The family requests donations be made to the Bobby Levin Expressions of Art Therapy Fund at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at ODU (formerly EVMS). Make memorial gifts payable to the EVMS Foundation and indicate “in memory of Bobby Levin” on the gift. These gifts may also be made online at www.evms.edu/ givenow or mailed to: EVMS Foundation, PO Box 5, Norfolk, VA 23501. Any further questions may be directed to 757-965-8500 or giving@evms.edu.
INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. - Stewart Barry Segal passed away on September 19 at the age of 73, surrounded by his family and knowing that he was loved, that he had made a difference in countless lives, and that his work here was done.
He was born on July 19, 1951, in Norfolk, Virginia, to Meyer (Mickey) and Bette Segal of blessed memory. After overcoming illness early in his life, he set his sights on becoming a doctor and never deviated from that path. He attended the University of Virginia (UVA), where he joined Sigma Alpha Mu (Class of 1973). There, he enjoyed some of the best and most memorable years of his life.
After graduating from UVA, he left the U.S. to attend medical school in Mexico at the Universidad de Guadalajara (Class of 1978). In later years, he said that it was his time in Mexico that taught him the humility, compassion, and dedication that made him the wonderful doctor that his patients cherished.
Together with Renee, Stewart opened Lake Zurich Family Treatment Center (LZFTC) and practiced there for over 30 years. While Stewart saw many changes in medicine over the years, he never wavered in his commitment to maintaining walk-in hours so that he was available whenever his patients needed him. It was with a heavy heart that he sold LZFTC in 2018 and retired in 2019, when his Parkinson’s forced him to do so. Stewart was predeceased in death by his parents, Meyer and Bette Segal; his sister, Nancy Goldstein; his in-laws, Bernard and Cynthia Rafal; and his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Nelson and Chris Rafal.
Stewart is survived by his loving wife of 46.5 years, Renee Rafal Segal. He was the proud father of Erin Whaley (Tim), Jeremy Segal (Allyson), and Lisa Paul (Steve); the even prouder Zayde of Jackson and Hannah Whaley, RJ Segal, Kenzie and Hudson Paul; the beloved brother of Alan Segal (Martha) and brother-in-law of Dale Atherton (Brian); and, the favorite uncle of his nieces and nephews, Alli Segal, Ashley Atherton, Shannon Ben-Yoseph (Roy), Jason Rafal (Ashley), Robin Reichert, and Ryan Goldstein. He was the lifelong friend of Abe Shait
(Linda), Robert Galumbeck (Annabelle), and Susan Zatcoff (Bernie). He was the trusted physician for countless patients who relied upon his excellent diagnostic skills, warm bedside manner, and unique sense of humor when faced with health or life challenges.
After watching how Parkinson’s had taken his father and grandfather, Stewart was always afraid that his fate would be the same. To help change this for the future so that no one has to suffer the way he did, the family asks that donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation
A graveside funeral was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk officiated by Rabbi Dr. Michael Panitz.
N.J. - Dorothy Mae Zimmerman passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving children, Betsy, Josh, and Susan, on September 16, just two weeks shy of her 89th birthday.
Prior to her retirement, Dorothy was the administrator of private psychiatric hospitals in Norfolk, Virginia. Prior to that, Dorothy was the administrator of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at UMass Medical School. Dorothy started her career with Planned Parenthood of Massachusetts, where she ultimately served as director.
Dorothy attended Skidmore College, the University of Pennsylvania, and earned a master’s degree from Clark University in 1981.
Dorothy was born in Hartford, Connecticut to Fannie and Myron Zimmerman, and spent her childhood in Springfield, Massachusetts with her loving sister, Carol Brown. Dorothy married and raised her children in Worcester, Massachusetts before moving to Norfolk, Virginia, where she lived for 35 years. In 2018, Dorothy moved to the Cedar Crest continuing care community in New Jersey. As she did everywhere else Dorothy lived, Dorothy quickly built a network of life-long friends and involved herself in the community, including serving on the Resident Advisory Council and the Jewish Council.
Dorothy was always an activist in social and Jewish communal causes. She served as president of the Worcester chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women
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and was active in the work of founding the Central Massachusetts Family Planning Council, of which she was the fi rst chairperson.
Dorothy had a gift for making friends wherever she went and seeing the value in everyone. She was widely admired for her kindness, warmth, philanthropy, and patronage of the arts. Dorothy was a leader and inspiration to her children, grandchildren, and the many friends and acquaintances whose lives she touched.
Dorothy is survived by her sister, Carol Brown, her three beloved children – Betsy Rich (Jamie), Josh Horowitz (Patti Baggett),
and Susan Horowitz (Irina Grobman), and three grandchildren, Lindsey Thayer (Jon), Alex Rich, and Hannah Starr. Dorothy’s children were the light of her life, and it was their privilege to be with her and comfort and care for her during her fi nal illness and when she passed.
A funeral service celebrating Dorothy’s life was held at the Robert Schoem's Menorah Chapel in Paramus, N.J.
Donations in honor of Dorothy may be made to the National Council of Jewish Women and the Jewish National Fund – USA.
Andrew Lapin (JTA) — A new documentary about Benjamin Netanyahu premiered at a major film festival this month at a moment when he is facing intense global scrutiny. But filmgoers in the Israeli prime minister’s own country may never get to see it.
That’s because The Bibi Files, produced by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, makes extensive use of leaked police interrogation tapes from Netanyahu’s ongoing, years-long corruption scandals — footage that is illegal to screen in Israel. But it’s still causing controversy in Israel and testing its restrictive media laws.
In an attempt to block the film’s release, Netanyahu sued the state of Israel and Raviv Drucker, an Israeli journalist he has long seen as a thorn in his side and who serves as a producer on the film. The suit claimed that the film violated Israeli law by making use of unapproved interrogation footage. It claimed that Drucker, a credited producer on the film who has published damning investigations of Netanyahu, was the leaker (which the filmmakers deny).
But a judge dismissed his case, because it was filed hours before the film screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on Monday, Sept. 9. The version that premiered in Toronto was a work-in-progress cut of The Bibi Files and had been added to the festival schedule only days before.
Those in attendance described a searing indictment of its subject, with some issuing a plea for the film to make its way, somehow, to Israeli audiences. (Transcripts of the interrogations themselves have previously leaked to the press.)
“Take this film and airdrop it over Israel,” one supportive audience member said, according to a Deadline account. “Because otherwise, I’m afraid people won’t be able to see it there.”
The film currently has a sales agent but no distributor. Alexis Bloom, the film’s director, told the Toronto crowd she was still working on figuring out the ending. The film festival’s opening night was interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters,
who said the Royal Bank of Canada — a main sponsor of the festival that has also been targeted by Canada’s Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement for its dealings in Israel — “funds genocide.”
Earlier this month, thousands of Israelis thought they would be able to watch the film after all, via a channel on the social media platform Telegram that promised a “complete and exclusive copy” of the movie. Those who joined the channel reportedly included former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who appears in the doc (and was himself convicted and imprisoned on corruption charges).
But according to Israeli media, the founder of the channel backtracked on that promise after uploading a few clips (including one where Netanyahu reportedly says, “Liars!” and bangs on the table), citing “a legal restriction at the moment in Israel, by agreement with the source.”
by contrast, have shown little of Israeli suffering on Oct. 7, 2023, or afterward.)
Meanwhile, a pro-Netanyahu influence effort has allegedly proffered false Israeli intelligence to international news outlets as part of an influence campaign to justify his wartime leadership. The Jewish Chronicle, a British Jewish newspaper that initially reported on the false intelligence, said that it was investigating the credentials of a reporter who covered the purported intelligence. Netanyahu has faced mounting street protests drawing hundreds of thousands of Israelis who are opposed to what they see as his recalcitrance in ending the war and bringing Israeli hostages home.
Days was an investigation of the American Israeli malware program Stuxnet, which targeted Iran’s nuclear program.
To Bloom, whose previous films include documentaries about Roger Ailes and WikiLeaks, the interrogation footage was a key part of the portrait of Netanyahu in wartime.
“Those recordings shed light on Netanyahu’s character in a way that is unprecedented and extraordinary,” she told Variety ahead of the film’s screening. “They are powerful evidence of his venal and corrupt character and how that led us to where we are at right now.””
The film has become the latest flashpoint in an Israeli media climate that, according to the World Press Freedom Index, has only gotten more restrictive since the outbreak of war with Hamas. Israeli officials in recent months have briefly confiscated Associated Press equipment and shut down Al-Jazeera’s operations in the country, in both cases claiming the organizations were publishing information that supported Hamas or endangered Israeli troops. On Thursday, Sept. 12, Israel announced it would revoke the press credentials of individual Al-Jazeera journalists.
Additionally, analyses of Israeli media reporting on the war in Gaza have shown that Israelis rarely see footage of the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed by the Israeli military. (Palestinian news sources,
But the nearly year-old war isn’t the focus of The Bibi Files. Instead, the film covers another Netanyahu scandal that has received far less attention abroad and has faded even in the minds of Israelis: his multiple trials for corruption, which have been ongoing for years.
In the film, Bloom focuses on the corruption cases that long predate the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. The police footage comes from interrogations of Netanyahu conducted between 2016 and 2018 and focuses on the extensive allegations that he engaged in bribery and political favors during earlier stints as prime minister.
“You could see this pattern of democratic backsliding going on worldwide,” Bloom told the audience following the screening. “You see parallels with what’s going on in Israel, in Hungary, in Russia, with this sort of strongman syndrome. That’s what interested me.”
Gibney’s extensive filmography includes previous explorations of Israeli state secrets: his 2016 documentary Zero
And it’s not just Bibi himself in the footage. Other Netanyahu family members and allies are also interrogated. Netanyahu’s wife Sara and son Yair, outspoken figures in Israeli discourse who are seen as villains by many of Netayahu’s critics, feature in the film; so do pro-Israel Republican megadonors Miriam Adelson and her late husband Sheldon, as well as Israeli billionaire and Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan, who is central to the corruption allegations.
Bloom, whose father is Jewish and who was born in South Africa but is now based in the United States, uses the footage to paint Netanyahu as craven and powerhungry. She links his attempts to evade his corruption charges to his handling of the war in Gaza. The film also links Netanyahu’s fight against the corruption charges to his other heavily scrutinized decisions in the lead-up to the attacks — including his alliances with far-right parties in his governing coalition, and his endorsement of a controversial and so far unsuccessful plan to weaken the Israeli court system.
She and Gibney said that the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack motivated them to finish as much of the film as they could, hoping to turn public tide against Netanyahu and push him out of power.
“We felt it was important, and frankly, our duty as world citizens to make our story known as soon as possible because people are dying every day,” Gibney told Variety
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