Jewish News - April 24, 2023

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Published 20 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

Over flight intercom, El Al pilot links Israel’s judicial reform to the Holocaust

Jacob Henry

(New York Jewish Week) — A pilot for El Al, Israel’s flagship airline, took to his plane’s public address system on Yom Hashoah, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, to express solidarity with anti-government protests in his country.

Speaking on a Tuesday, April 18 flight from Tel Aviv to New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, pilot Doron Ginzburg referenced Yom Hashoah and said, according to recordings published on social media and in the Israeli press, that “[t]hings like the Holocaust are potentially to be occurring in a dictatorship, and we are fighting in Israel to remain a democratic country. Thank you all and have a nice flight.”

The statement seemed to endorse the massive protest movement that has swept across Israel this year in opposition to the right-wing government’s proposed judicial overhaul. The changes would sap the Israeli Supreme Court of much of its power and independence and, critics say, endanger the country’s democracy. Supporters of the legislation say it will curb judicial overreach.

In a statement, El Al condemned Ginzburg’s remarks, and said that the airline does not permit “political statements of any kind, by any of its employees as part of their work, and certainly not on its planes, which cannot be a platform for this type of activity.” Such activity, the statement said, should be avoided “particularly on such a meaningful and sensitive day for the people of Israel.”

“This exceptional case, which does not reflect the people and values of the company, will be thoroughly examined by the senior officials of the company,” the statement said. It added that the company seeks to represent “the entire Israeli mosaic.” Ginzburg declined to comment to the New York Jewish Week, citing “company restrictions.” But Israeli Channel 12 reported, before the flight landed, that Ginzburg had apologized after learning he could be suspended or fired for his remarks.

This isn’t the airline’s first bout with activism this year. Last month, El Al pilots initially declined to volunteer to fly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on an official visit to Rome, in an apparent protest against his government.

The office of Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev, a close ally of Netanyahu, also criticized Ginzburg’s remarks in a statement reported by Israeli media. “Time after time, the pilots are acting as if they are in charge,” the statement said. “This reality cannot continue, something bad is happening there… Maybe the flight paths are clear, but apparently the direction of the company is getting lost.”

Shany Granot-Lubaton, who has organized protests in New York City against the judicial overhaul, defended Ginzburg to the New York Jewish Week. She said she believes the pilot “chose to say these things out of genuine concern for the fate of our country, and out of Zionism and love for Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.”

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It is its value as an important landmark for the Tidewater Jewish community that makes this historic house unique

– page 6

Biden vows antisemitism fight in Passover message

President Joe Biden announced he would be releasing a “comprehensive” strategy to combat antisemitism, citing incidents of anti-Jewish attacks from across the political spectrum in an apparent acknowledgment of concerns from the Jewish community that the focus should not be solely on the far right.

A senior official said that the strategy, which Biden said would follow consultations with more than 1,000 people, would be released before Rosh Hashanah.

“Rest assured that I am committed to the safety of the Jewish people,” Biden said Wednesday, April 5 in a Passover-timed op-ed posted on CNN’s website. “I stand with you. America stands with you. Under my presidency, we continue to condemn antisemitism at every turn. Failure to call out hate is complicity.”

Biden again said his decision to run for president was spurred in part by the deadly 2017 neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville, Virginia, and then-President Donald Trump’s equivocal condemnations. But he also expanded his understanding of the threat as coming from other sectors, including physical attacks on visibly religious Jews, and the unease some Jewish students feel on campuses where they say pro-Palestinian advocacy can cross over antisemitism.

“We see this evil across society,” he said. “Terrorist attacks on synagogues. Bricks thrown through windows of Jewish businesses. Antisemitic flyers left on the front lawns of Jewish homes. Swastikas on cars and cemeteries. Antisemitic graffiti and acts in elementary, middle and high schools. Jewish students harassed on college campuses. Jews wearing religious attire beaten and shot on streets.”

At a roundtable convened last year by the Jewish Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, a number of participants emphasized that the threat did not just come from the far right. Biden’s envoy to combat antisemitism, Deborah Lipstadt, has made that message central to her diplomacy.

A recent Anti-Defamation League analysis found that a far-right group, the Goyim Defense League, largely drove a steep rise in the distribution of antisemitic literature. The ADL’s annual report called

on civic leaders, including the president, to denounce antisemitism of all origins. (JTA)

Snyder selling Commanders to Jewish billionaire Josh Harris

Dan Snyder, the Jewish owner of the Washington Commanders football team who is under multiple investigations over sexual harassment and toxic workplace culture allegations, has agreed to sell his NFL franchise to a group led by Jewish billionaire Josh Harris for a record $6.05 billion.

Snyder and his wife and co-owner Tanya Snyder announced in November they would explore a possible sale, as investigations from Congress and the NFL remain underway. There are also allegations of financial misconduct.

Snyder has been under considerable scrutiny since July 2020, when a Washington Post investigation uncovered a series of allegations from former team employees, including the use of “Jewish slurs” by a high-ranking team executive.

Last summer, Snyder, who is a member of the Greater Washington Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, asked to postpone a scheduled deposition in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform because of a trip to Israel to observe the anniversary of his mother’s death.

Harris, whose net worth is estimated at $6 billion, is a co-founder of the private equity firm Apollo Global Management, which manages over $500 billion in assets. Harris is also a co-owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, and a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a general partner of the Crystal Palace Premier League soccer club in Great Britain.

Harris has supported charitable efforts in Israel, including a project that focused on integrating Ethiopian immigrants to Israel through sports, and a more recent effort to combat socioeconomic inequality in Israel through youth sports in underprivileged areas.

In addition to Harris, the investment group buying the Commanders includes Jewish businessman Mitchell Rales, whose parents are the namesakes of the Ruth & Normal Rales Jewish Family Services in Boca Raton, Fla., NBA legend Magic Johnson, who is part of the ownership groups of the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers

and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, is also involved.

Snyder purchased the Commanders in 1999 for $800 million.

The Commanders sale comes months after another Jewish billionaire, Mat Ishbia, purchased the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury from another embattled Jewish owner, Robert Sarver. (JTA)

Holocaust doc produced by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, airs

on PBS

Hillary and Chelsea Clinton produced a documentary about a Holocaust survivor that debuted on PBS, timed to Yom Hashoah, or Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day.

How Saba Kept Singing tells the story of David Wisnia, a cantor who survived the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp for nearly three years, helped in part by his operatic singing voice, which entertained the Nazi guards.

The film also tells of how Wisnia, who grew up singing in his synagogue’s choir in Poland, struck up a relationship with an older woman named Helen “Tzippi” Spitzer during their time at Auschwitz. Her skills as a graphic artist allowed her to move between men’s and women’s quarters, and the two shared intimate moments as fellow inmates watched out for guards.

The two lost track of each other after surviving the experience and did not come in contact again until 2019, when they shared “their account of their unimaginable memories,” a PBS statement reads.

David Wisnia, who served congregations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, died at 94 in 2021, a year after traveling to the former camp to commemorate the 75th anniversary of its liberation.

The film was produced under the Clintons’ HiddenLight Productions company, which launched in 2020 and specializes in global content that in their words highlights “the best of the human spirit and help our audiences see the world in new ways.”

“David Wisnia’s remarkable story of love in How Saba Kept Singing is inspiring and I hope you will find it as uplifting as I do,” said Chelsea Clinton, an executive producer.

“The pain and horror of the Holocaust must never be forgotten,”

added Hillary Clinton.

The project was co-produced by Retro Report, a nonprofit that makes news documentaries. (JTA)

Man arrested in intelligence leak case allegedly railed against Jews

Jack Teixeira, the National Guard airman arrested on charges of leaking a large trove of U.S. intelligence documents, reportedly recorded himself making antisemitic and racist slurs before opening fire on a target.

The Washington Post first reported the video of the antisemitic rant, which was shared with members of the chat group where Teixeira allegedly shared sensitive intelligence. Teixeira, 21, was the suspected administrator of the group. The FBI arrested him at his Massachusetts home.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, the Republican congresswoman from Georgia who has drawn fire from Jewish groups for remarks described as insensitive and antisemitic, has come to Teixeira’s defense. She tweeted that “Teixeira is white, male, christian, and antiwar. That makes him an enemy to the Biden regime.”

Greene appeared to be an outlier in her embrace of Teixeira, even in her own party. “No, it makes him an enemy to America. Leaking classified documents, especially this sensitive in nature, is a crime and he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, replied to Greene on Twitter.

The Post account describes a video Teixeira shared in which he is at a shooting range. He “yells a series of racial and antisemitic slurs into the camera, then fires several rounds at a target,” the account said. It did not further detail what slurs he used.

The documents Teixeira allegedly leaked exposed weaknesses on both sides in Russia’s war against Ukraine. They are seen as damaging because of the extent to which they expose U.S. intelligence gathering means. They also include an allegation that leaders of Israel’s Mossad intelligence service encouraged antigovernment protests this year, which the Israeli government denies. A member of Teixeira’s group chat allegedly leaked them to a much larger group, which is how some Russian Telegram users got hold of them and spread them further. (JTA)

Forever Helping Others

Moses Myers House: Local Treasure

Alice Titus

Last fall, members of the Norfolk City Council discussed selling four city-owned properties in order to save the expense of maintaining them. Three of them are historic homes. One is the Moses Myers House.

According to a November 29, 2022 article in the Virginian-Pilot, Council members seemed unanimous in supporting the idea. No action has been taken, but more than one possibility has been mentioned, including turning the house into a bed and breakfast.

Who was Moses Myers? What is the Moses Myers House and why is it important? Can anything be done to save it? Is this just an issue for the region’s Jewish community, or is it an issue for the entire American Jewish community? For that matter, is it only a Jewish issue?

Moses Myers : Entrepreneur, patriot, family man

Born in 1753, Moses Myers was descended on his mother’s side from a Jewish family that had lived in Colonial America since the 1680’s. A businessman, who saw service during the American Revolution, Moses and his wife, Eliza, moved to Norfolk in 1787 following business losses which may have been at least partially the result of the war. They became the first permanent Jewish residents of Tidewater.

Upon settling in Norfolk, Myers reestablished his import-export business and served the community in various positions, including as a member, and at one point president, of the city’s Common Council (precursor of the current City Council), consul to France and the Netherlands, superintendent of the Norfolk branch of the Bank of Richmond, and founder of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. According to one biography, he also provided “financial support to the Presbyterian Church and donated land on which a theater was built.”

Although Myers’ Import-export business went through periods of decline, according to his 1835 obituary in the Richmond Enquirer, he became “the most extensive merchant South [sic] of the Potomac.” His friends included

fellow-Virginians Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe.

Moses and Eliza raised nine children in Tidewater. They also provided a home for the son of a good friend. Young David Yulee lived with the family and went to school in Norfolk for eight years. Yulee grew up to become the first person of Jewish birth to be elected to the United States Senate.

Moses Myers House

The Myers’ home, built in 1792, is one of the earliest brick structures built after fire destroyed most of Norfolk in 1776. Owned by the city of Norfolk and managed by the Chrysler Museum for more than 70 years, the house is a living museum, open to the public for individuals, field trips, and programming. Listed on both the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places, it is believed to be the second oldest home of a Jewish family in the United States. It may be the oldest that was solely used as a Jewish family’s residence, and it was owned by the

family for several generations.

According to information submitted to the National Register, it is “the most intact and best documented surviving residence of a Jewish family in the United States from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries; in fact, the house is the best surviving example of a known Jewish residence in the United States of any period before 1800.” It’s also a rare example of an urban historic home, in contrast to the many plantations and country homes in the state, some of which are here in Hampton Roads.

The home is a beautiful example of Federal architecture. The interior, complete with furnishings, a majority of which are original to the family, is stately and gracious. It provides a tangible illustration of how prominent Americans, both Jews and non-Jews, lived in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. According to the Chrysler Museum website, “most of the house has been restored to reflect its 19th century appearance.” A central entrance leads to a parlor, dining room, and music

Steve Budman

JEWISH TIDEWATER

room. The upper levels contain bedrooms for the Myers’ large family.

According to the Society of Architectural Historians, the house was “a showcase for the latest American, English, and French fashions,” with furniture, some of which was “custom made for the house, including the sideboards in the dining room and the window seats in the front parlor.”

The importance of this historic home

The value of the Moses Myers House extends beyond its fine example of Federal architecture, its magnificent examples of period furniture, and the importance of the family and its history. It is also significant for the way in which it represents the the city in which it is located.

According to Virginia Whealton, assistant professor in the Department of History of Texas Tech University, “in 1800, Norfolk was the 10th largest city in the United States.” Whealton, whose post-doctoral

fellowship has enabled her to study the Myers family and its legacy, notes that “no city in Virginia, including Richmond, before or since ever has ranked that highly.” That is a history to be proud of, and it is a history to preserve. The Moses Myers House, as a part of that history, has value that cannot be overstated.

It is its value, however, as an important landmark for the Tidewater Jewish community and the larger American Jewish community that makes this historic house unique. In 1800, eight years after the Meyers moved into their new home, the Jewish population of the country totaled 2,000 - 2,500. Most American Jews resided in the new country’s most populace cities: in the North, in cities such as New York and Philadelphia, and in the South, in cities such as Savannah and Charleston.

Yet, the Myers family, like other pioneering Jewish Americans who settled in communities in which they were in the minority, was able to make an indelible

impact on the community in which they lived. Their presence here and the contributions they made to the larger Tidewater community have been an example to the many generations of American Jews who have chosen to make this region their home in the following two and a half centuries.

What can be done

Of the four properties that the city of Norfolk is thinking of selling, only the Moses Myers House has been maintained as a living museum. The Norfolk Historical Society recognizes the unique value of the home and submitted a proposal in December that the City sell the other three properties and use the proceeds as “seed funding” for an endowment for the Moses Myers House. The Society has offered to meet with representatives of the City and other interested persons to “develop a strategy” to create the endowment and raise additional funds as needed. As of this writing, the City has not responded to the proposal put forward

by the Norfolk Historical Society. Neither has the issue been decided.

According to the American Association for State and Local History, historic home museums “provide a forum and a place to connect historical, social, and cultural issues with contemporary counterparts. They inspire us to think about and act on those issues in our own lives and communities.” The Moses Myers House, and the experience of the Myers family, are a source of pride for Jewish Tidewater and the wider community. They reinforce an understanding of why the American Jewish experience is unique. In a time of polarization and social change, historic homes provide a window into an earlier era that reminds how the community and nation have changed, and how they have stayed the same. The Moses Myers House, as the oldest Jewish family home in the country, provides a reminder of the important role American Jews have played in America’s history.

Say Hello to Dr. Falsetta-Gilbert

Dr. Falsetta-Gilbert graduated from Nova Southeastern University in 2002 and worked in the Tidewater area since 2003. She also spent a year completing a residency in Philadelphia, focusing on vision disorders that affect children and adults.

In addition to treating and diagnosing medical conditions, Dr. Falsetta also fits and prescribes contact lenses and glasses. She is one of the few Optometrists in our area who fits contact lenses for pediatric patients.

When Dr. Falsetta-Gilbert is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

Ukrainian Humanity Center

In the summer of 2022, I took a Holocaust study trip to Poland, which I spoke about at Ohef Sholom and wrote about in the Jewish News. That article closed with the fact that I was working with some of my fellow travelers to “do something” for the Ukrainian moth ers and children whose escape and survival stories we were lucky enough to hear in person on our trip. So, as Paul Harvey used to say, here’s, “the rest of the story.”

By September, five of us knew we must help these families. Of course, we could give money, as many of you have through United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and other organizations doing great things for Ukraine and its warweary citizens. But we wanted to do something more personal. After much discussion, we decided to start a non profit that would assist these

women and those like them with their many needs, as they continued to live in a foreign land, not speaking the language, without their husbands and fathers who were back home fighting the invading Russian army, and not even knowing if they would even have a home to return to. My partners in this venture include Joanna Millick, our Polish American tour guide, Breeze Dahlberg and Rachel Barrett, two sisters whose grandmother survived Birkenau, and Alyse Young, an ER nurse. After much discussion, the Ukrainian Humanity Center was born, and our first mission was to show the moms and their kids how much we cared. As everyone except me was in the Seattle area, we applied for our business license in the state of Washington. Even as we awaited approvals from the state and our 501(c)3 designation from the IRS, we began fundraising. A generous San Francisco nonprofit that shares our values, the Step Forward Initiative, let

Elena Barr Baum

Dr. Deena Falsetta-Gilbert and Dr. David Gilbert.

The moms and kids in July that inspired the group to form the non-profit.

our donors give to them, as they were already established with the IRS, and they passed the donations directly to us. This allowed us to plan and host two special holiday events in December. We raised funds and went about purchasing and collecting toys, Ukrainian language children’s books, and holiday treats. In addition, one donor provided dozens of packets of freezedried homemade soups to be delivered to the soldiers that our families had left behind in Ukraine.

Millick, our Polish American partner, took eight suitcases full of items, and Tetiana, our Polish director in Warsaw, planned and hosted a holiday party for the families. With decorations, delicious foods, a photographer to give them visual reminders of a much-needed happy memory, and even a live bunny for the children to play with, we saw the first smiles in many months for some of these children. (Photos are on our Facebook page.)

UHC has been growing organically since it was a mere idea, so when a chance encounter in Warsaw connected Millick to an American couple there doing similar aid and rescue work, we mined the connections. We learned of Angelika, a disabled Ukrainian teenage escapee, whose mother was pushing her in a baby stroller because she could not afford an appropriate wheelchair. After a Go Fund Me campaign by the organization helping her could only raise half of the cost, UHC provided the rest of the funds to purchase her a wheelchair.

Our sources at a foundation in Lodz told us of a Ukrainian orphan named Veronika, whose parents had been killed in the bombing that injured her. She was pulled from the rubble, and needed extensive physical therapy, which a German foundation had offered to provide if she could be transported there. UHC looked to help provide funds for her travel.

Since it has now been over a year, and they have not been able to go back home, “our moms” are struggling to make ends meet in the country that welcomed them as they fled the war. Many are professional women caring for their children, and sometimes aging parents who crossed the border with them, and they are working as manicurists and hotel maids because they do not speak

Polish. In February we began providing language lessons over Zoom to many of these moms and teenagers to boost their Polish and English language skills, enabling them to find better paying work. When they still cannot meet all their expenses, we attempt to provide supplemental rent assistance.

In the last few weeks, Ukrainian Humanity Center has also joined forces with a nonprofit based in Nashville that has direct contact with soldiers in Kharkiv, and as well as the forces fighting to hold Bakhmut. We are deploying some of the funds we raise to send badly needed medical supplies, like field tourniquets and bandages, to these soldiers literally at the front line, trying to save their democratic country.

In a community that does so much for others, working with Ukrainian Humanity Center is an honor and a privilege. Please find us and share the news about our efforts at www.ukrainianhumanitycenter.org

Ukrainian kids’ drawings.

Kevin McCarthy to address Israeli Knesset amid chill in relations between Biden and Netanyahu

Ron Kampeas

WASHINGTON (JTA)

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will address the Israeli Knesset on his upcoming trip to Israel — the second speaker of the House to address Israel’s parliament. The announcement of McCarthy’s speech comes amid a chill in relations between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden, who has repeatedly criticized Netanyahu’s controversial judicial overhaul plans and other policies. On Tuesday, March 28, soon after Netanyahu announced a pause on the judicial reform, Biden said he wouldn’t be inviting him to the White House “in the near term.” Israeli prime ministers conventionally schedule a White House visit soon after they take office.

The invitation to McCarthy, the most senior Republican in Washington, D.C., appears to be a response to that snub. It also marks a return to a familiar Netanyahu tactic: turning to Republicans to fend off criticism from Democrats.

In a Hebrew-language video announcing McCarthy’s speech, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu ally, called McCarthy a “real friend of Israel,” with a slight but discernible emphasis on the word “real.”

“I am pleased to announce that the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, Kevin McCarthy, who is a real friend of Israel and has been for his entire career, has answered my invitation and will come visit us here in the Knesset in Israel,” Ohana, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud Party, said in the video. “I think this thing is a testament to the strong and unbreakable connection between Israel and its closest ally, the United States of America.”

The last time a U.S. House of Representatives speaker addressed the Knesset was in 1998, when Newt Gingrich led a similarly bipartisan delegation to mark Israel’s 50th anniversary.

McCarthy tweeted that his visit, which is part of a bipartisan delegation beginning April 30, days after Israel celebrates its 75th birthday, will be his first abroad as speaker. “The US-Israel relationship is as important as ever,” he wrote.

The last time a U.S. House of Representatives speaker addressed the Knesset was in 1998, when Newt Gingrich led a similarly bipartisan delegation to mark Israel’s 50th anniversary.

Ohana mentioned that speech in his announcement, and it was a telling allusion: Gingrich, also a Republican, said during his visit that the president, Democrat Bill Clinton, should advance assistance to Israel without demanding concessions in talks with the Palestinians. The Israeli prime minister both then and now, Netanyahu, had infuriated Clinton at the time by cultivating Republican support in the United States as a countervailing force meant to keep Clinton from making demands on Israel.

Biden, like Clinton, is wary of Netanyahu’s commitment to working with the Palestinians and has rebuked Netanyahu for his plans to expand settlements.

In 2007, Nancy Pelosi, a Democratic House speaker, was honored with a dinner at the Knesset, where she spoke, but she did not address the parliament’s plenary. Both Democratic and Republican presidents have also addressed the Knesset.

Netanyahu, for his part, has addressed the House of Representatives three times — all at moments when the chamber was controlled by Republicans and a Democrat was in the White House. The third of those speeches, in 2015, was seen as particularly offensive to then-President Barack Obama, who was finalizing a nuclear agreement with Iran that Netanyahu vehemently opposed.

This year, in the absence of a White House invitation, Netanyahu has tried to play down talk of a crisis. “There will be a visit, don’t worry,” he told reporters.

FIRST PERSON

AIPAC Political Student Leadership Summit: an enriching experience

Local Relationships Matter

As the Chief Executive Officer at the Peninsula Foodbank, she believes the Foodbank not only distributes food but is also the spokesperson for those who otherwise don’t have a voice.

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Standing on the steps of the United States Capitol, I was filled with a sense of gratitude and awe as I thought about the generations of Jews who came before me. I imagined how they must have viewed the United States’ overwhelming support for Israel as an unattainable dream, but now, it is a reality. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel, bipartisan interest group, has played a significant role in making that dream come true.

For a weekend this past March, I was selected to participate in the AIPAC

Political Student Leadership Summit and contribute to strengthening the strong bond between the United States and Israel. The summit brought together high school and college students from all over the country who were eager to learn more about the U.S.-Israel relationship and advocate on its behalf.

During the first day of the summit, held at the AIPAC headquarters, I was amazed by the diversity of the speakers. We heard from former Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, as well as Ester Kurz, the former director of Legislative Strategy and Policy at AIPAC. Their insights gave me a deeper understanding of the U.S.-Israel relationship from

a policymaker’s perspective and a lobbyist’s viewpoint. The second day’s informative speakers discussed Iran’s threat to Israel and how Israel’s technology and defense development benefit the United States. On the third and final day, we were split into small groups to lobby members of Congress. I had the opportunity to speak with Congressman Don Davis’ staff, representing North Carolina’s 1st District, and share a story about Palestinian terrorism from when I recently visited Israel.

Not only was the summit informational, but I also met amazing people

from around the country that I explored Washington, D.C. with after the speakers were done for the day.

Overall, the AIPAC Political Student Leadership Summit was one of the most enriching learning experiences I have had. The informative and influential speakers, as well as the chance to put my knowledge into action and lobby for a cause I believe in, made this summit impactful. I hope to stand on those Capitol steps in the near future to continue to strengthen this relationship and use my voice as an American Jew.

MEET: Karen Joyner

Drew Goodove

OLGA KERN, piano

CELEBRATING RACHMANINOFF’S 150TH

Connie and Marc Jacobson Director of Chamber Music Olga Kern has curated an exciting chamber music season honoring the prolific composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff as part of the worldwide celebration of his 150 th birthday. If you haven’t yet experienced the astonishing artistry of Olga Kern, here’s your chance — and if you have, clear your calendar to make sure you experience it anew.

SANDLER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, VIRGINIA BEACH

JEWISH TIDEWATER

BeARS, books…and Coasties…OH MY!

Lieutenant Kelly Kuong and Chief Warrant Officer Melinda Skinner are part of a group of four United States Coast Guardsmen who serve as BeAR mentors at Chesterfield Academy Elementary School.

From Jupiter, Fla., Kuong says of reading with her second grade BeAR student, “I love connecting on a meaningful level with students who may not be as privileged as I was when I was young.” When asked what she hopes her student gets from their time together, her reply is quick, “character, integrity, love, and hope!” Kuong’s BeAR student loves reading and playing spelling games with her and really loves that she comes in uniform before her USCG workday begins.

A Norfolk native, Skinner’s passion for working in the BeAR program stems from her personal struggles with dyslexia. “I enjoy mentoring kids. I am dyslexic and know the difficulties I had as a child.” Skinner says that every week she sees her BeAR gaining more confidence in her reading skills. Skinner’s hope for her student is to find a love for reading and the confidence to read aloud with her peers. Like her mentor, Skinner’s young BeAR student is bright, bubbly, and happy to be part of the program.

The BeAR Literacy program is incredibly fortunate to have such a diverse and loving group of mentors. The children in these Title 1 Norfolk and Virginia Beach schools enjoy the time, attention, and dedication this important program offers.

Reading to children has many benefits, including more expansive expressive and receptive vocabularies and language comprehension, and it even helps with math skills. The social and emotional benefits of reading can never be understated. Reading helps foster empathy, perspective, understanding, likes, dislikes, and problem-solving…the list is never-ending.

Volunteers are always needed to help make a difference in a child’s life. BeAR mentors go to the schools for one hour a week for one-on-one time with a child to read, play reading games, to tell stories, and help with schoolwork. Volunteers become so much in such a small amount of time.

Interested in becoming a BeAR mentor? Robin Ford, BeAR coordinator, may be reached at 757-321-2304 or rford@ujft.org

PLATINUM SPONSORS

Robin Ford

Lieutenant Kelly Kuong and Chief Warrant Officer Melinda Skinner with their BeAR students.

C e lebratingWomen & Moms

Dear Readers,

Celebrating women – moms, mentors, colleagues, and friends – is always important, but especially appropriate as we approach Mother’s Day next month.

I’ve been fortunate to have had some pretty spectacular women in my life. . . starting with the first one I met, my mom. Plenty of others – grandmothers, aunts, cousins, family friends – each found a way to teach, influence, and share their love with me. Then came my own friends (many that are lifers) and the best. . . my daughters.

Of course, I’m not alone in appreciating wonderful women. Beginning on page 15, Simon, Dustin, and Erica Fink, Amy Weinstein, and Jennie Hurtwitz Tabakin, pay tributes to their mothers, Kim Simon Fink, Ellen Wagner, and Sherrill Hurwitz, and I offer one to my mentor, Marilyn Goldman.

As a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and a martini fan, the article about the Mrs. Maisel-themed martini on page 20 was particularly fun for me to read. Think of the possibilities of creating personality-inspired drinks to toast a celebrant. What would yours be? Mine would probably include Old Bay – I’m a Norfolk native who loves seafood, heat, and spice.

All of us at Jewish News hope your Mother’s Day celebration (as the celebrant or celebrator) is filled with laughter, peace, love, and appreciation.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Terri Denison Editor

I nspirations from moms and mentors

The question might seem easy, but it can be a tricky one: What do you admire about or have learned from your mom or mentor? Jewish News asked a few people and received wide-ranging and creative responses... certainly a tribute to the women featured here. How would you respond?

Since

Kim Simon Fink: Perpetual action. . . and motione

Simon, Dustin, and Erica Fink

Kim is Mother.

Kim is a season unto herself.

Kim is a sister of perpetual action.

She is always working on the next chapter and never plays by the book.

She bore and broke out three children in her own image–a storyteller, a dancer, and a loyalist–mothered them, smothered them, and let them free.

She broadcast to the world stories of sailors and aeronauts.

She charges the community to give and live large. She flies and skis and runs and bikes and swims and fights and whips us all into a frenzy of charactered delight that somehow still leaves space for her to comfort us, hold us, or simply sit with us.

Kim tells you to be yourself and let the sun shine in.

Kim loves us, each, and all together.

Kim is Mother.

•

•Child

•

•

Erica, Dustin, Simon, and Kim Fink.

Terri Denison

With a personality as fiery as her signature red hair, Marilyn Wall Goldman was my first real boss and mentor, and then, my colleague and friend.

In the summer of 1978, Dean Goldman suggested I call his mom, as I was looking for a summer internship and she was the editor of Tidewater Virginian, a business magazine owned by the area chambers of commerce. She hired me for the grand sum of $100 per month, though I also received college credit and learned more than any paycheck mattered. Home from Washington, DC for a visit in January of 1980, I contacted Marilyn to have lunch . . . just to catch up. Marilyn turned that Smith & Welton Tea Room lunch into a five-hour meeting where she talked me into joining the magazine staff as assistant editor.

My mom, Helen Koltun, never shy about anything that concerned me, phoned Marilyn to thank her and tell her it was one of her happiest days as I had been steadfast about living in D.C. and certainly not returning to Norfolk.

Convincing me to leave D.C. is just a small example of her persuasive powers.

Marilyn knew how to conduct an

Women M arilyn Goldman: A mentor for life

interview and write a compelling story and how to coach other writers. She was never satisfied with the status quo and found new sources of revenue to expand the magazine, which was the basis for the now Richmond-based Virginia Business magazine. Establishing relationships with artists, photographers, advertising agencies, and printers were part of her job, and she did them all well. And she taught me how to do it all. In fact, some of Marilyn’s techniques I continue to employ today.

In addition to the magazine, Marilyn took on social justice causes and brought me along to living room meetings and hotel ballroom events. Just in my early 20s, Marilyn sent me to meet and mingle with the movers and shakers of the day. Her confidence of my abilities instilled some in me.

Ironically, prior to joining Tidewater Virginian, Marilyn served as editor of what is now Jewish News. When I became editor of Jewish News, on several occasions she wrote articles at my request and offered up suggestions of topics for special sections on her own.

Our birthdays were always met with lunch celebrations, sometimes with our friend, Susan Horton, who also worked at Tidewater Virginian.

No matter her age (or mine), Marilyn was always free with her advice and her interest in what was happening in my life, as well as in my daughters’. Of course, it’s easy to listen to praise for your children’s accomplishments, but Marilyn had a way of being “official” about it, from an expert point-of-view, making it feel honest.

One never knows how that special person, that mentor, will appear and how long the connection will last and what that person’s impact will be. Marilyn taught me how to be an editor and she brought me back home. I’m grateful she was in life until Friday, April 14 when she passed away at 94.

Susan Horton, Marilyn Goldman, and Terri Denison in 2017.

Ellen Wagner: A generous example

Amy Weinstein

If I had to sum up my mother in one word, it would be generous. My mom, Ellen Wagner, is generous with her love, her time, and her knowledge. She is always willing to open her home to anyone who might be alone for the holidays, she has a hard time saying no to volunteer commitments, and she loves her grandkids as much as she loves me and my brothers (perhaps even more!).

My dad once told me that everything good he has in his life, he has because of my mom – I’m not sure she has heard him say that, but I fully agree.

My mother is my sounding board, my biggest cheerleader, my personal shopper, and my emergency back-up for childcare. She is my role model and her commitment to her community and synagogue set the stage for me – I naturally fell into Jewish communal service and development because my mom taught me to be generous, just as she still is today.

Ellen Wagner, and Dani and Amy Weinstein.

Sherrill Hurwitz: Excuses not permitted

Jennie Hurwitz Tabakin

My mom raised me with help from her mom, my Bubbie, at a time when there were not as many successful single parent households as there are now. She always wanted me to succeed without regard for what I may have been missing in my life and never wanted me to use what I didn’t have as an excuse for failure.

My mom was always a hard worker. I believe she was 12 years old when she started her first job and, in my lifetime, she often worked multiple jobs at once so that she could provide for me. Notably she also worked full time throughout undergraduate and graduate school at Old Dominion, so I guess I would say that she did not accept excuses for herself either.

From her various jobs, she knows people in many different fields and never meets a stranger. My mom can talk to anyone. She used to say that her father said if you dropped Sherrill off in the middle of China, she’d find her way to the emperor. That is one trait that I wish I had more of. She is always very confident and has been unafraid to take on new challenges. Fortunately, this is something that I am already seeing in my children, and I hope they will continue to grow in their confidence.

Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter, Holocaust survivor and bridal empire builder

Before Say Yes to the Dress brought Kleinfeld Bridal to the attention of more than 1.5 million households across America every week, a Holocaust survivor named Hedda Kleinfeld revolutionized the bridal industry, bringing it to life with European designer gowns.

The iconic bridal store, which today boasts about 200 employees, began as an offshoot of Kleinfeld’s father Isidor’s Viennese fur business. Starting in the late 1960s and for the next several decades, Hedda ran Kleinfeld Bridal with her husband Jack Schachter, a talented fur cutter employed by her father.

Nicknamed “Miss Hedda,” Kleinfeld’s foresight to shift the family business away from fur and simple special occasion wear to exclusively carrying wedding gowns transformed the small Bay Ridge, Brooklyn storefront into a multi-million-dollar empire.

“She really built Kleinfeld not only as an iconic name, but she left an incredible mark on the whole industry with her vision,” Mara Urshel, one of the current co-owners of Kleinfeld, told WWD.

Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter died in Manhattan on March 29. She was 99.

Hedda Kleinfeld was born in Vienna in 1924 to an upper-middle class secular Jewish family. She had a younger sister, Liane. After

her father was released from the Dachau concentration camp, where he had been imprisoned for trying to cross the border into Belgium with his brother, the family decided to emigrate, initially with fake visas meant to secure passage to Shanghai. But those papers came in too late, so the family headed to Havana, Cuba, where Hedda and Liane spent their teenage years.

That’s where the teenage boys of her youth flirted with her and taught her how to dance — a skill she brought with her all the way to Central Park in 2018 when, on the way to a Park Conservancy gala as her granddaughter’s guest, she danced to a local band playing under the shade of the iconic Wisteria Walk, her granddaughter Ilana Schachter recalls.

Though those early memories of Vienna and her escape to Havana shaped much of her life, she never spoke about them much, even with her family.

“She really tried to suppress those memories and box them up and say that was a past life,” Schachter says. “She did not share a lot of experiences from that time period, but she did have happy memories of being a teenager in Havana, which I can only imagine was quite a trip.”

It’s fitting, then, that her grandmother chose a career centered on weddings.

“I think she appreciated being a part

of an industry that was about celebration,” Schachter says.

Beginning in the 1990s, the Kleinfeld company changed hands a few times, according to a company history, and in 2004 construction began on a 35,000-square-foot store on West 20th St. That’s the location frequently featured in the popular TLC show Say Yes to the Dress — in which experts help brides find their perfect gown. The show brought the store’s name into millions of homes. But one home that it never made its way into was that of Hedda Kleinfeld.

“She never saw one episode,” Schachter recalls while laughing. “She had no interest. But she wasn’t bothered by it.”

Another “never” that Schachter says her grandmother couldn’t quite get into, despite being quite computer savvy (she was an early adopter of AOL Instant Messenger), was online shopping.

“Online shopping was never going to happen for her,” she says. “You bought things in the store, you felt them in your hands, you assessed the quality and you had to see what it looked like on your body. And then imagine buying somethingand not putting it on your body.”

Clothing was “sacred” to Kleinfeld.

Kleinfeld’s husband Jack died in 2008. She is survived by their sons, Ronald and Robert.

Jennie Hurwitz Tabakin and Sherrill Hurwitz on a UJFT mission to Prague and Budapest in 2013.

Women I tried a ‘Mrs. Maisel’ pastrami martini. Unlike Midge, I’m speechless.

Julia Gergely

(New York Jewish Week)

The martini kit arrives in a bright pink box. Nestled among strings of hot pink confetti are two martini glasses and a shaker, two olives, toothpicks, two single-serving bottles of gin and vermouth, pastrami oil, and pastrami spices.

What’s that? Pastrami? Martini? Together? Yes, you read it right.

The “Maisel Tov” Martini kit is a specialty item dreamed up by the marketing teams of GrubHub and Amazon Prime to celebrate the premiere of the fifth and final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which began airing on April 14. Starring Rachel Brosnahan as the titular Midge Maisel, the series is set in the very-Jewish world of New York City nightclub entertainers in the late 1950s and early ’60s.

The kit is part of a yearlong “Tune In & Takeout” promotion between the two companies pairing foods with popular shows and movies, said GrubHub in a press release.

Crafted by the mixologist Pamela

Wiznitzer, the pastrami-flavored martini combines “a taste of Midge’s two favorite things, Jewish deli fare and a stiff drink.” Why do they need to be combined in one cocktail? Why not just a regular martini and deli fare on the side? I have no idea, but in the name of journalism I knew I had to try it.

First of all, the packaging was adorable. Everything was labeled with the show’s title in its signature cheery font, and the bright pink packaging was a fun homage to Midge’s favorite color.

Per a publicist’s email, “The beverage marries hints of juniper from gin with the briny flavors of black pepper, coriander and caraway classically found in a pastrami sandwich.” Still, they note, the beverage is vegetarian.

After unpacking everything from the box, it was time to make the martini. For some reason, I was nervous. I don’t drink martinis often, nor do I eat pastrami on the reg, but as I poured the pre-made cocktail into the martini shaker and added a few drops of the pastrami oil, I became increasingly conscious of the fact that my life would soon be divided into a “Before” and

After” period.

Perhaps a Shehechiyanu blessing (for new beginnings) was in order. Certainly, at least a L’chaim.

As I sipped the martini, I was left speechless. Like I said, I’m no martini or pastrami expert, so I can’t say if this was the best version of either one. The cocktail was definitely strong and had a savory, meaty taste to it. The oil and spices cut the taste of the alcohol in a surprising way. I felt like I had taken a bite of a sandwich and then drunk a martini to wash it down.

I could imagine sipping it slowly at The Gaslight Café in the West Village while Midge, a budding stand-up comic, shocks and delights me with her set. In fact, I can imagine Midge might have a whole bit dedicated to the drink while her agent Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein) guzzles it backstage. –

Editor’s Note: The sad news for Tidewater residents is that the Maisel Tov Martini is only available in Manhattan. Could this be a challenge for local bartenders?!?

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Mames Babegenush kickoffs spring lineup of performances

• Thursday, April 27, 7:30 pm, Perry Pavilion

The Virginia Arts Festival’s 2023 lineup of outdoor concerts at Perry Pavilion will begin with a performance by Danish ensemble Mames Babegenush. The performance is co-sponsored by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater/Simon Family JCC and Virginia Arts Festival.

Mames Babegenush unleash a sonic crossroads where east unexpectedly meets... north! The young Danish band’s unique musical fusion marries their strong Scandinavian roots and elements of jazz with the vibrant dance music and klezmer traditions of eastern Europe. From the contemplative ambiance of Nordic snowscapes to the lively weddings of Romania, the music of Mames Babegenush exudes a sense of both poignant melancholy and irresistibly danceable exuberance.

Klezmer music emerged from a larger Eastern European Jewish musical culture, including folk music of Central and Eastern Europe, Jewish cantorial music, Hasidic Nigns, and Yiddish theatre music. Mames Babegenush mixes this style of music with jazz and Eastern European dance music, adding a modern twist to the traditional sounds of klezmer.

The band is comprised of Andreas Møllerhøj on double bass, Lukas Rande on saxophone, Henrik Hansen on drums, Nicolai Kornerup on accordion, Bo Rande on flügelhorn and Emil Goldschmidt on clarinet. Since forming in Copenhagen in 2004, the sixpiece group has dazzled audiences and critics alike with their fresh vision and musical gumption, establishing themselves as one of Europe’s premiere klezmer-jazz ensembles.

Their long list of awards includes the Danish Music Award for Best World Album of The Year and three prizes awarded by the prestigious International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam, including the Jury and Audience Prizes. In 2020, Mames Babegenush was selected for one of the highly coveted official showcases at WOMEX (the World Music Expo) in Tampere, Finland. Their performance was filmed by Finnish Television and broadcast nationwide. In 2020, the band was also an official selection for the Mundial Showcase at the APAP Conference in New York and the Folk Alliance Conference in New Orleans.

The Perry Pavilion venue got rave reviews from artists and fans last season, with its location in the heart of Norfolk’s arts district, just steps away from the city’s lively restaurant scene, and adjacent to convenient parking. This season, the Perry Pavilion will welcome performances by such iconic performers as banjo master Béla Fleck, joining with bassist Edgar Meyer, tabla artist Zakir Hussain and Indian flutist Rakesh Chaurasia May 3; Singer-songwriters will light up the Perry Pavilion, including Josh Ritter – named one of the 100 Best Living Songwriters by Paste Magazine – May 7; singer/songwriter/activist Leyla McCalla May 10; alternative country band American Aquarium June 1; singer/songwriter Valerie June June 7; the Americana duo Over the Rhine June 8; trumpeter, vocalist, and songwriter Bria Skonberg June 9; and jazzy folk-rock artist Alisa Amador June 10.

Tickets to Mames Babegenush begin at $25. Tickets for this performance, as well as the upcoming 2023 Virginia Arts Festival performances at the Perry Pavilion, are available online at vafest. org , by phone at 757-282-2822, or at the Festival Ticket Office, 440 Bank St., Norfolk (MondayFriday, 10 am-5 pm).

Summer Enrichment Camps

Help your child improve skills and build confidence!

On-Campus Group & Virtual Individual Options

Intensive Reading, Summer Learning, & Academic Therapy

Half & Full Day Offerings

Grades 1 – 8

Register online: www.cba-va.org/summer

202

3: Simon Family JCC Day Camp Employment

Looking for wonderful place to work? Try Camp JCC !

At Camp JCC, energetic and passionate staff provide a safe and positive learning environment for campers. Previous summer day camp work expe-rience and/or experience working with children helpful.

Excellent Career Experience for College students, high school students (rising Juniors, Seniors) or graduates, or for those looking to work in recreation, education, or social work. All positions serve as role models for campers and each other.

Now Hiring… for the following positions:

Sr. Counselors (High School Graduates or 18 years old)

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Special Needs Shadow Counselors •Administrative Assistant

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience

For more information, contact:

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Submit completed application to: resumes@ujft.org or by mail

UJFT/Simon Family JCC

Attention: Confidential: Human Resources

5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 • Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Staff Orientation: June 11-17; Camper/Counselor Meet & Greet: June 19 Last Blast Camp (Post Camp) August 14 - 25

Israeli wildlife photographer captivates Tidewater audiences

Joel Bond

Roie Galitz, renowned wildlife photographer and environmental diplomat, visited Tidewater last month as part of the 12th annual Israel Today series presented by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family Jewish Community Center, and community partners.

From the glaciers of Svalbard to the jungles of the Congo, Galitz captured the hearts and minds of his audiences. Photographing polar bears and teaching how the changing climate affects them, Galitz says, is his life’s work.

Throughout his visit, Galitz spoke with diverse audiences, telling stories about his adventures in the most extreme environments in the world and the lives of the endangered animals he captures in his photography.

After a speaking engagement at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, the Dagul family spoke about the experience of getting to meet in person: “We have been following Roie’s work for years and were so excited that he came in person to Tidewater. We had so much fun viewing his amazing photographs paired with his commentary and getting to chat with him about his adventures all over the world.”

Galitz also spoke to students at Strelitz International Academy, Tallwood High School, Cape Henry Collegiate Academy, and Norfolk State University.

For more information about future Israel Today events, visit JewishVA.org/Israel-Today, or contact Joel Bond, JCRC director, at JBond@UJFT.org

Roie Galitz speaks with students from Strelitz International Academy.

Dr. Alan Wagner and Roie Galitz.

Lisa Barr: ‘On Fire’ at Chrysler Museum of Art

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival hosted a successful event with New York Times bestselling author Lisa Barr, who discussed her latest book Woman on Fire at the Chrysler Museum of Art. The event was in partnership with the museum’s book club and UJFT’s Holocaust Commission.

A large and enthusiastic audience of readers and art lovers, including a book club that came from Hertford, N. C., attended. Barr spoke with museum director and CEO Erik Neil about a wide array of topics, including the process of researching Nazi-looted art for the book and how prestigious art museums such as the Chrysler can verify the authenticity of pieces in their collections. Barr noted that this was the first time during her book tour she had spoken with a museum professional.

Woman on Fire is a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist (Barr herself is a successful journalist) embroiled in an international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece, forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, and history and truth.

Speaking about personal experiences and how they inspired her to write Woman on Fire, Barr shared how she drew inspiration from the stories of strong women in her life who had

faced adversity and came out stronger.

During a lively discussion and Q&A session, Barr answered questions about the book and her writing process. The event concluded with a book signing.

For information about other upcoming events, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest , or contact Hunter Thomas, director of Arts + Ideas at UJFT, at HThomas@UJFT.org

The Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival is held in coordination with the Jewish Book Council, the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support aLisa Barr with

Rabbi Panitz honored for 30 years at Temple Israel

More than 245 people packed Broudy Auditorium on Sunday, April 2 to celebrate Dr. Rabbi Michael E. Panitz’s tenure of 30 plus years with Temple Israel.

Pastor Craig Wansink of Second Presbyterian Church opened the program with a beautiful tribute to Rabbi Panitz. Emily Panitz did the blessing for the wine and Sheila Panitz did the Motzi, the blessing over the bread. Rabbi Jonathan Panitz, Rabbi Michael Panitz’s brother, led the Birkat Hamazon. City of Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander read a tribute to Rabbi Panitz and presented him with a Proclamation from the City of Norfolk, honoring his 30 plus years. Norman Soroko served as master of ceremonies.

Dr. Barry Einhorn, a Temple Israel past president, read a testimonial to Rabbi Panitz and his family and recognized Shelia Panitz and Emily Panitz for always being there for the rabbi, as well as for all of the congregation.

Richard Yanku, current Temple Israel president, presented the rabbi with a gift from the congregation.

The delicious luncheon was catered by Deanna Freridge and her culinary students from Tidewater Community College. The servers were under the guidance of Joan Bertucci. Nancy Tucker, Tammy Conklin, Avery Wilson, Anthony Wilson, and Coret Whitten worked hard to prepare for the event.

The congregation and many financial supporters made this event a huge success.

Norman David Soroko, is Temple Israel’s vice president of fundraising and president-elect.

Hunter Thomas

Norman Soroko

Lisa Barr with Erik Neil, Chrysler Museum director.

Judy Rosenblatt, Lisa Barr, Anne Fleder, and Hunter Thomas.

Mayor Kenny Alexander, Norman Soroko, and Rabbi Michale Panitz.

Rabbi Michael Panitz and Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander.

Rabbi Michael and Shelia Panitz.

SPRING CLEANING FOR THE SOUL

Tuesdays, May 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, 7 pm, Sandler Family Campus, Free

Rabbi Avi Farkas

Passover has passed and spring is swiftly turning into summer. As I walk to synagogue on Shabbat morning, I cannot hold myself back from marveling at nature’s beauty. The sun is shining, trees are full, and the sky is blue –spring is truly a beautiful experience. In Toronto, where I am from, the snow just starts to melt in April, and in May, the first buds on the trees appear. June is when we begin to plant flowers and in July, we finally crank up the air conditioner. This a stark contrast to the almost non-existent winter of southern Virginia where my kale plants survived the entire “winter” unscathed. As I soak in the beauty that is warm weather and sunshine, my mind starts drifting to the upcoming Jewish holiday, Shavuot.

“Derech eretz kadma l’Torah” – good character precedes the Torah, is a well-known Jewish proverb that was first written by the sages in the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 9:3). A common misinterpretation is that acting with dignity and respect is more fundamental than studying and fulfilling

Three parts to study

Maharal (16th-century commentary) points out that each lesson in ethics of the fathers is comprised of three parts, and each set of three essentially has the same message. With each generation, the clarity we had in G-d further diminished, and therefore required more elucidation to relay the same message. The three areas of growth are the three fundamental categories of relationships: between man and man; between man and G-d; and between man and himself.

its precepts. A more accurate interpretation of the passage is that acting with dignity and respect are prerequisites to studying the Torah and fulfilling its commandments. It is for this reason that many communities have the custom of studying the Ethics of the Fathers in the weeks following Passover, leading up to Shavuot, the anniversary of receiving the Torah. Since the Torah cannot be fulfilled unless one has good character, the appropriate preparation for receiving the Torah is to study the text that our sages designed as a guide for character development.

This idea is also represented by the three categories of Torah laws: The laws that are essential to the smooth functioning of society (man and man); the laws that are beyond human comprehension (man and G-d); and the laws that are not intuitive from a societal standpoint, but serve to exercise discipline (man and himself). Each of the three ideas in each of the mishnaic passages focus on developing one of these three areas. This is the underlying theme that shapes the structure of the ethics of the fathers, and essentially the Torah outlook on character development.

Studying the ethics of the fathers with Maharal’s commentary provides a significantly deeper and more complex meaning to the simple reading of its chapters. Based on the teachings of kabbalah, Maharal shows how every aspect of human character, as well as the makeup of the world, fit together like a perfect puzzle.

This series is a partnership with the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

Join me to study the words of our sages, uncover the depth of their wisdom, and explore how their lessons are as relevant today as they ever were before.

Learn more or register for this free course at JewishVA.org/ KCL or by contacting Sierra Lautman, senior director of Jewish Innovation at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater at SLautman@UJFT.org

Alene Jo Kaufman

On Sunday afternoon, March 26, the community’s Shinshinim, Alma Ben Chorin and Aya Sever, visited Kehillat Bet Hamidrash/Kempsville Conservative Synagogue (KBH), for an afternoon of cooking, eating, music, and trivia.

KBHers from pre-teen to seniors broke into groups in the KBH kitchen to prepare an Israeli-themed feast in honor of Israel @75. The kitchen was filled with the wonderful aroma of shakshuka, borekas, Israeli rugelach, Israeli salad, and tahina – aromas matched only by the energy and conversation. When the food was ready, everyone quickly regrouped in the social hall for the feast, more Israeli music, and

Calling ALL Graduates!

Graduation season is almost here, and Jewish News is ready to celebrate Jewish Tidewater’s students as they graduate from high school, college, and graduate schools.

To help us do so, please submit, along

with a photo, the following information by Friday, May 12 about your graduate:

• Name

• School

• Awards, special notes

a trivia game. Everything was delicious! Jewish Tidewater is fortunate to have these Shinshinim. They are articulate, upbeat, knowledgeable, and awesome cooks. They took part in every part of the afternoon, including the planning, cooking, and clean-up. KBH is grateful to United Jewish Federation of Tidewater for bringing the Shinshinim program to the community and for ensuring that every organization which would like to program with them has the opportunity to do so. Nofar Trem acted as the liaison between Aya Sever and Alma Ben Chorin and KBH. As one congregant said, “These women are wonderful representatives of Israel. Todah rabah for being a part of our community.”

• What’s Next (college, grad school, job)

• Parents

Send to news@ujft.org with Graduate in the subject line. You will receive an email acknowledging receipt. Thank you!

Chesapeake Bay Academy

Help your child gain skills and build confidence this summer at CBA’s Summer Enrichment Camps.

On-campus small group and online individual options include Intensive Reading, Math and Technology, Summer Learning, Supportive Math and Academic Therapy.

Half and full day options are available for first through eighth grades. Afternoon recreational activities featuring makerspace creations, athletics, and art and music support a well-rounded camp experience.

Three- and six-week programs offered June 20 - July 28. Register online at cba-va.org

One Happy Camper offers special grants and funding for new campers

The Foundation for Jewish Camp is offering up to $1,000 per child to assist of-age kids’ financial ability to attend a Jewish sleepaway camp — for the first time. This program is specifically for children new to the world of Jewish sleepaway summer camps and the wonderful opportunities they get to experience at one. This is a perfect way to jump in the waters.

One Happy Camper provides funding for kids who meet the criteria, with a variety of grants and dollars to help all families give their kids an unforgettable experience. Apply and learn more at Jewishva.org/ one-happy-camper

Jewish Museum and Cultural Center in Portsmouth offers varied events

Steeple to Steeple: Saturday, May 13, 9 am -3 pm

The Zelma G. Rivin Wonderful Wednesdays Summer Music Series: Begins on Wednesday, July 19, 7:30 pm

Dinner and auction: Sunday, August 27

Every May in Olde Town Portsmouth there is the event known as Steeple to Steeple. This is a multi-block walking tour of eight churches and one synagogue. The one synagogue is Chevra T’helim which houses The Jewish Museum and Cultural Center. Tickets for Steeple to Steeple, which includes lunch at St. John’s are $22 in advance and $25 at the gate on 206 High Street. Proceeds from this event will go to EDMARC Hospice for Children. Only 100 tickets are available at www.stjohnsportsmouth.org

JMCC’s Summer music series known as The Zelma G. Rivin Wonderful Wednesdays Summer Music Series begins Wednesday, July 19 with the Hardwick Chamber Ensemble followed on July 26, by the Glencoe Lads. Yevgeny Dokshanksy and Richard Masters, known as The Jewish Life Duo will perform at the museum on Wednesday August 2. The series concludes on Wednesday, August 16 with Bagels and Fraylox. Every concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Jewish Museum located at 607 Effingham Street in Portsmouth. Tickets for the entire series can be purchased at $75 or for $25 per concert at www.jewishmuseumportsmouth.org

The Museum’s dinner and silent auction will take place on Sunday, August 27, at Uno’s Pizzeria and Grill located at 5900 East Virginia Beach Blvd. in Norfolk.

Yom Ha’Atzmaut: a community celebration

Sunday, April 30, 1 – 4 pm, Sandler Family Campus

Joel Bond

On May 14, 1948, Jewish communities in Tidewater and around the world realized their dream of securing a state that ensures Jewish safety and security. In the 75 years since then, Israel has become a beacon of innovation, democracy, and hope.

When Tidewater marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel with Yom Ha’Atzmaut, among the many participants will be the Jewish Community Relations Council. The JCRC is especially excited to share this year’s community festival with the greater Tidewater community.

More than 2,000 Virginians are expected to attend Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day celebration. Authentic Israeli food, the Shuk – showcasing art, jewelry, and crafts – along with games, art, and more, will provide a taste of Israel right here in Tidewater.

The Truman Library Institute’s traveling exhibition, Harry S. Truman and the Birth of Israel, unique to this year’s festivities, will be on display. The exhibit makes it possible to step inside Truman’s recognition of the State of Israel and the details surrounding this momentous piece of history.

At the Festival, the community’s historical timeline, created in partnership with the Jewish Museum & Cultural Center in Portsmouth, Ohef Sholom Temple, and other members of Jewish Tidewater, will explore the connection between Israel and the Tidewater Jewish community. The timeline highlights Tidewater’s parallel Jewish history with that of Israel, 1873 to 2023. Community members are all invited to contribute to the timeline and add notes about personal and family histories.

For more information on Yom Ha’Atzmaut, visit JewishVA.org/arts-ideas/israel-fest

To learn more about the Jewish Community Relations Council, contact Joel Bond at jbond@ujft.org

For more information about future Israel Today events, visit JewishVA.org/Israel-Today, or contact Joel Bond, JCRC director, at JBond@UJFT.org

Camel rides at Israel Fest.

Born to play Rachmaninoff: Pianist Olga Kern

Sunday, May 7, 2:30 pm, Sandler Center

Kern is now appreciated as an interpreter of many great composers, but she holds a special place in her heart for Rachmaninoff. This year, as part of the worldwide celebration of the composer’s 150th birthday, she will share that love in a solo recital at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, presented by the Virginia Arts Festival, where she serves as the Connie & Marc Jacobson Director of Chamber Music. “When you play his music,” says Kern, “it’s so inspiring because you feel like he is there with you, to help you. It’s always been this way for me—Rachmaninoff’s music has always helped me through difficult situations. The music just hits me.”

She’s not alone. Generations have loved Rachmaninoff’s music, which has ignited emotion in film soundtracks from The Seven

Year Itch to Groundhog Day. Even pop music has adopted the composer’s unforgettable melodies, including the 1945 Frank Sinatra hit Full Moon and Empty Arms, which takes its theme from Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony. And 1970’s pop star Eric Carmen had such a success with his ballad All by Myself, which lovingly steals the theme of Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto, that he penned another song based on a Rachmaninoff melody a year later, Never Gonna Fall in Love Again.

Tickets are on sale at VAFest.org , by phone at 757-282-2822 or in person at the Festival Box Office, 440 Bank Street, Norfolk. Tickets are also available at sandlercenter.org , by phone at 757385-2787 or at the Sandler Center Box Office, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach.

She was born to play Rachmaninoff” may seem trite, a well-worn phrase used to describe an artist with an extraordinary gift for interpreting the works of that composer. But for pianist Olga Kern, her first experience with Rachmaninoff was literally in the womb.

“My mother played Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto so often during her pregnancy,” she recalls. “She said I would kick when she played it. Later, when I was 15 and started to learn to play this concerto myself, I had an eerie sense that I already knew it.”

Acknowledged as one of the world’s great pianists, the first woman ever to win the coveted Gold Medal in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Kern comes from a musical family: both of her parents were pianists; her brother is a conductor and composer; and her great-grandmother Vera Fedorovna Pushechnikova was a mezzo-soprano. The musical connection with Rachmaninoff began with that great-grandmother: once at a performance where she was to sing Rachmaninoff songs, her accompanist became ill. Rachmaninoff, performing in the same town, heard of her plight and volunteered to take the accompanist’s place.

Kern’s grandfather kept the program from the concert, a faded reminder of that fateful brush with the great composer.

Kern began studying piano at the age of five. Beginning at just 11 years old, she entered international competitions, winning shelves full of awards including first prize at the first Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition.

In 2001, Kern boarded a flight for Fort Worth, Texas where she became the first woman to win the Van Cliburn Gold. A documentary about the competition, Playing on the Edge, chronicled her fierce determination and the overwhelming ovation that greeted her performance of…Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, the piece so familiar to her from before her birth.

Kern’s international career was launched: performance after performance, in solo recitals, and with great orchestras. Reviewers reached for new superlatives, writing glowing reviews like this one from The Boston Herald: “There were no cannons firing inside Symphony Hall, but Kern shot off plenty of rockets with her reading of Rachmaninoff’s showy Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Kern played like every note mattered, and she convinced this reviewer that she deserved every bit of her competition victory.”

Cantor Elihu Flax to receive award

Sunday, May 7, 10 am, Rodef Sholom, Newport News

Beth El Men’s Club’s Blue Yarmulke Person-of-theYear is Cantor Elihu Flax. He, along with the honorees from Temple Israel in Norfolk and Rodef Shalom in Newport News, will be honored at a brunch followed by the award ceremony. Cantor Flax has been serving as the Men’s Club ritual director and continues to be an active member of the Men’s Club board.

To register for the breakfast and ceremony or place a Tribute ad to honor Cantor Flax, go to https:// tinyurl.com/y68zbay6

Barbara Ann Jones Amdusky

Norfolk – Barbara Ann Jones Amdusky

passed away peacefully in her home on April 7, 2023. She was 86 years old.

Barbara was born November 8, 1936 in (Berkley) Norfolk, Va., to the late John Paul Jones and Lydia Mae Wicker Jones, and was raised by her grandparents Granville Price Jones and Rebecca Parks Jones. She worked as a bookkeeper for many years and had a love for flowers, jewelry, and spending time in Florida.

She was predeceased by her husband, Howard (Moose) Amdusky, and brother, John Paul Jones Jr. She is survived by her loving daughter Sabrina Babb; son Michael Amdusky (Laura) and her three special grandsons, Zackery Babb, Zachary Dent, and Adam Amdusky. She is also survived by her sister-inlaw Delores Jones, sister-in-law Carol Faye Kahn and special friends Glenda Giovannoni and Frances Kane.

Marriage to Moose on February 14,

1967 brought her a large extended family with whom many special celebrations were shared. Her loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled, but memories that will never be forgotten.

A graveside service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk. The family requests donations be made to Sentara Hospice, the SPCA or the charity of their choice. Online condolences can be made to the family at www.hdoliver. com

Stuart Engel

Norfolk – Stuart A. Engel, 76, passed away on April 15, 2023 in Norfolk, Va.

He was a loving husband to his wife Nancy of 54 years, a caring father of two boys and proud grandfather of four granddaughters. Martin and his wife, Alison, Paige (14), and Elle (11) of Greenwood Village, Colo. and Lee and his wife, Jennifer, Grace (17), and Maddie (14) of Roswell, Ga. Stuart was a beloved uncle and cousin.

He was proceeded in death by his parents Rosalind and Jack Engel of Norfolk, and his sister Helene Shipowitz (Stanley).

Stuart married his high school sweetheart, Nancy, and they remained in Norfolk their entire life except for Stuart’s Air Force reserve service. Stuart created strong friendships that became a part of his extended family.

Stuart graduated from Granby High School. He was an entrepreneur and a small business owner. He was active in B’nai Brith and enjoyed playing softball. His love of sports created the center for many family trips. He was active in his sons’ lives growing up, attending countless little league, school, and other sporting events.

Stuart enjoyed family and friends, movies and traveling, making many great memories and stories over the decades. He found great pride in his family and loved to visit his boys and granddaughters.

He survived a horrific car accident more than 20 years go, which limited his activities.

A graveside service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery, followed by a meal of condolence at Altmever Funeral Homes.

Donations may be made to Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, Betty and Jerome Shure Hospice and Judaism Fund, www.JFSHamptonRoads.org

Marilyn Goldman

Norfolk – Marilyn W. Goldman, 94, of Norfolk, passed away April 14, 2023.

She was the second of two children born to Abraham and Dora Wolowitz of Shenandoah, Pa.

Sent to Norfolk by her father after obtaining her journalism degree from Penn State University, she met and married Daniel Goldman where they raised three sons, Dean, Jeff, and Lon.

Never lacking an opinion, a pointed question, nor shying from a juicy debate, Marilyn’s favorite dinner course was always politics. An avid and vocal progressive, she came well-prepared with facts and was passionate in her advocacy.

Unusual for her time, Marilyn was focused and driven to be a successful businesswoman. She headed an

employment agency. She was editor of The UJF News. Later she became editor to the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce magazine; which evolved into the regional chamber magazine, Tidewater Virginian, where she was appointed publisher. While retired and serving on the board of Family Services, she was named by her board peers to one last career move, interim CEO.

Though she won many awards and recognitions for her work successes, her greatest passion and pride were her grandchildren Haley, Ari, Madeleine, and Brett. She was cheerleader, counselor and role model to them. All were golden in her eyes, as was she to them.

Marilyn loved a good party, family gathering and Jewish holiday celebration where she would engage in her usual pointed questions and provocative conversations. She also loved a good scotch and large cup of vanilla ice cream. On doctor’s orders from her favorite physician, her daughter-in-law Ilene, she had one each daily. She attributed this prescription to her longevity and health.

A graveside service took place at Forest Lawn. Donations are requested to a favorite charity. Altmeyer Funeral Home.

Suzette DeBell Rashkind

Virginia Beach – Suzette DeBell

Rashkind, 75, a tiny woman with an enormous heart, passed away on April 1, 2023, after tenaciously battling numerous medical issues that strapped her strength but never her spirit nor sense of humor.

She will always be so lovingly remembered by her husband of 50 years, Alan; her two sons and their wives, Graham (Cameron) and Doug (Dawn); her four grandchildren (to whom she was “Gra’ Suzy”) Ethan, Lucas, Harper, and Zoe; her two brothers and their wives, Jeff (Mary) and Steve (Diane); her brother-in-law, Mike Rashkind, sister-in-law, Lee Rashkind, and sister-in-law, Lisbeth Rashkind Hartzell; all her nieces, great nieces, nephews, and great nephews, including all their acquired spouses; and her incredibly extensive network of great friends, far too numerous to list here, but you know she loved you too.

Suzette was born to and raised by her beloved mother, the late Lois DeBell,

OBITUARIES

in Charlottesville, Va., and enjoyed a wonderful childhood there. As would be the case throughout her life, she was immensely popular, but never a “mean girl.” She was the head cheerleader of the junior varsity and varsity cheerleading squads at her high school, Rock Hill Academy, was a teen reporter on the local radio station, and was the first Miss Teen Dogwood Festival, crowned by the reigning Miss Virginia. She spent two years at Longwood College, rooming with two who would become dear lifelong friends, Joyce Eatmon and Sandra France. Suzette left as a student in good standing to return to Charlottesville, where she worked, with her mother, at VEPCO. Then her friends Marilynn and Tommy Gale set her up on the world’s greatest blind date with Alan, and their first date, fittingly, was to attend Homecoming at RandolphMacon College, the college she would wind up visiting so many times as Alan’s spouse and Graham’s mother.

While raising her sons, she always served as room mother, was a Kings Grant PTA volunteer and president, a Kings Daughters chapter volunteer and president, and unofficially the worlds’ greatest mother. Once she became an empty-nester, she increased her volunteer activity, leading to employment at Chesapeake Bay Academy for 19 years as its special events coordinator. There she was the moving force behind its very successful annual auction and was a tireless supporter for all things CBA, where Doug had once attended and where he now works. Suzette co-chaired the recently successful Chesapeake Bay Academy Capital Campaign. At the same time, she was also a key figure in the family’s commitment to Randolph-Macon.

She enjoyed nothing more than spending time with her family, DeBells and Rashkinds, and of course her heart was so warmed by time spent with her grandchildren. If anything rivaled her love of family, it was her commitment to friends. If you ever became a friend of Suzette’s, which happened with so very many, then you became a close friend about whom she cared deeply, and forever. Her newest close friends were Cora, Carmen, Naiza and Raquel, nurses

who gave Suzette such loving care these last months, for which the family is so appreciative.

A memorial service, officiated by Rabbi Michael E. Panitz, was held at Temple Israel. The service was preceded by a private burial. H. D. Oliver Funeral Apts.

The family requests donors consider making a new dear friend, or re-establishing a connection with a dear friend, in memory of Suzette’s dedication to friendship. If inclined to make a contribution in her memory, contribute to Chesapeake Bay Academy, RandolphMacon College, a local Food Bank, or another non-profit of the donor’s choice.

Betty Joyce Hurwitz Rothman

Raleigh, N.C. –Betty Joyce Hurwitz

Rothman passed away in a Raleigh hospital after a long illness on March 29, 2023.

She was born February 13, 1948 to Louis Hurwitz and Eva Cogan Hurwitz in Norfolk, Va. She graduated from Old Dominion University and taught elementary school at Jacox Elementary. Once she moved to North Carolina, she continued to teach as a popular substitute in elementary schools. More recently, she was very involved in her local chapter of the Civitan Club. Betty was often described as very sweet and kind, and never hesitated to help her family.

Betty was predeceased by her husband, Leon Rothman, who she cared for tirelessly for many years due to his battle with Multiple Sclerosis. She is survived by her sister, Sherrill Hurwitz, of Norfolk, Va., and her sons Martin and Eric (Alicia) and her grandchildren Sophie, Shaley, and Reagan, all of Raleigh.

She was laid to rest March 30, 2023 at Raleigh Hebrew Cemetery.

Dr. Norman Salzberg

Elkton, Md.– Dr. Norman Salzberg, 84, passed away on April 10, 2023.

He was the son of Aaron and Bertha Salzberg and the brother of the late Leon Salzberg and his twin brother the late Charles Salzberg.

Norman grew up in Norfolk and attended Maury High School. He attended George Washington University

and received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Brigham Young University in Utah. He had been living and practicing in Elkton, Md. for the past several decades.

Norman had a love for classical and jazz music and was an excellent pianist. He had a love for his extended family and was always warm and welcoming. He loved treating his many patients and

thoroughly enjoyed his profession. He is survived by his sisters-in-law Joyce Salzberg and Gail Salzberg. His nieces and nephews Brenda Gelfand, Arlene Soussan (Ralph), Edward Salzberg (Lisa), Alisa Kidd (Scott), Adam Salzberg (Sarah) and many great nieces and nephews. Funeral services took place graveside at Forest Lawn Cemetery. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments.

• Family owned and operated since 1917

• Affordable services to fit any budget

• Advance funeral planning

• Professional, experienced, caring staff

• Flexible burial options

• Flexible payment options

Approved by all area Rabbis and Chevrah Kadisha

Chris Sisler, Vice President, Member of Ohef Sholom Temple, Board member of the Berger-Goldrich Home at Beth Sholom Village, James E. Altmeyer, Jr., President, James E. Altmeyer, Sr., Owner

SAVE THE DATE

CALENDAR

APRIL 26, WEDNESDAY

The film, Life in Stills, followed by a conversation with costar and Photohouse owner, Ben Peter. Presented by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, & Community Partners’ 12th annual Israel Today Series, in partnership with the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film. 7:30 pm. At the age of 96, Miriam Weissenstein never imagined that she would be facing a new chapter in her life. When her late husband’s life’s work was destined for demolition, she and her grandson, Ben, forged a special relationship to join forces to save the shop. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org

APRIL 27, THURSDAY

Mames Babegenush, Klezmer band. 7:30 pm. Perry Pavilion, Norfolk. Tickets: $25 and up. Tickets and information: vafest.org or 757-282-2822. See page ??

APRIL 30, SUNDAY

Community Celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s 75th birthday! 12–4 pm. Taste the cornucopia of flavors in Israeli food, a reflection of the diversity in the country’s population. Shop in the Shuk, the outdoor marketplace, create art, ride a camel, visit the “Jerusalem Petting Zoo,” and more. Ben Peter, the featured guest, is the grandson of the founding owners of the Tel Aviv PhotoHouse, a world-renowned private archive of historical photographs. Forww more information, to check out videos from last year, or to listen to a specially curated Israeli music playlist, visit Jewishva.org/ IsraelFest. See page ??.

MAY 7, SUNDAY

Jewish Family Service’s 19th Annual Run, Roll Stroll at 31st Street Park, Virginia Beach Oceanfront. 8 am. Register at runsignup.com/runrollstroll

MAY 8, MONDAY

HARRY S. TRUMAN

AND THE BIRTH OF ISRAEL

This exhibit steps inside President Harry S Truman’s decision to extend diplomatic recognition to the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, just eleven minutes after the State declared independence, and explores the decision and its impact 75 years after the United States became the first country in the world to recognize the new Jewish nation.

The Art of Israel surveys the history of the land through art objects. It begins with the building of King Solomon’s Temple, and continues with the Jewish catacombs, the synagogue mosaics, and the establishment of the modern State of Israel. This program follows the sweep of Israeli history while focusing on the visual arts and artists of recent centuries. 12 pm. Simon Family JCC. Free for JCC members with code MEMBERJAE at checkout, $5 for JCC guests; includes lunch. Register at JewishVA.org/JAE-AOI

MAY 9, TUESDAY

One Hundred Saturdays: In Search for a Lost World with Michael Frank. Online—watch from home. One Hundred Saturdays tells the remarkable story of 99-year-old Stella Levi, the vibrant world of Jewish Rhodes, the deportation to Auschwitz that extinguished 90 percent of her community, and the resilience and wisdom of the woman who lived to tell the tale. 12 pm. Presented by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, in partnership with UJFT’s Holocaust Commission. Online, free, and open to the community. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org

MAY 17, WEDNESDAY

Ticking Clock: Behind the Scenes at 60 Minutes with Ira Rosen. Writer and producer Ira Rosen reveals the intimate, untold stories of his decades at America’s most iconic news show. His story is a 60 Minutes story on 60 Minutes itself. When producer Ira Rosen walked into the 60 Minutes offices in June 1980, he knew he was about to enter television history. His career catapulted him to the heights of TV journalism, breaking some of the most important stories in TV news. Presented by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, 12 pm. $12 admission, $6 ages 55+, (lunch included). $27 for lunch and signed book. Special pricing for lunch and book ends May 10. For more information and to register, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest or contact Hunter Thomas at HThomas@UJFT.org

Send submissions for calendar to news@ujft.org. Be sure to note ““calendar” in the subject. Include date, event name, sponsor, address, time, cost, and phone.

CALENDAR Jewish News Digital Version — See the paper 3 days before the cover date:

LIFE IN STILLS

W E D N E S D A Y A P R I L 2 6 Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus

5000

P M 7 : 3 0

This heartfelt arthouse documentary film tells the story of Miriam Weissenstein (96) and her grandson Ben, who embark on an exciting, funny, and touching journey to save the legendary PhotoHouse and its nearly one million negatives that document the state of Israel's defining moments. A conflict between the sentiment of preserving history versus pushing it aside to make way for the new.

ben peter

FOLLOWED BY A CONVERSATION WITH An event of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, & Community Partners’ 12th Annual Israel Today Series and the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by Alma & Howard Laderberg.

Pre-registration is required for this FREE and open to the community event.

JewishVA.org/IsraelToday

Corporate Woods Drive, Virginia Beach