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Southeastern Virginia | Vol. 58 No. 18 | 30 Sivan 5780 | June 22, 2020
Jewish Seniors in Tidewater
6 JCC finds ways to connect with kids
6 Jewish Changemakers applications open
19 —page 7
5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462-4370 Address Service Requested
Kurt Rosenbach 1923–2020
Non-Profit Org. US POSTAGE Paid Suburban MD Permit 6543
23 Simon Family JCC expands hours
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COVID-19 Testing Before Some Tests & Procedures
upfront
Jewish news jewishnewsva.org
Published 20 times a year by United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
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R
ecent weeks have been extremely difficult for our country.
can all rise together for the greater good of future generations.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of the United
We must all embody the values for which we advocate by deep-
Jewish Federation of Tidewater is appalled and angered by the
ening relationships on a personal level with people of different
death of George Floyd at the hands of offi-
backgrounds. Not only will our lives be
cers in the Minneapolis Police Department.
enriched, but we will also become better
Our sorrow is further compounded by the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia,
We in the Jewish
and more impactful allies and partners. To this end, our Jewish Community
another act of ugly and violent racism, and
community know
Relations Council plans to launch a
the many others whose names and faces we
all too personally
Combating Hate Task Force in the coming
must memorialize. Fifty-six years after the
and painfully
months to provide opportunities for the
historic signing of the Civil Rights Act, we must commit to standing in partnership and solidarity with our sisters and brothers in the Black community and collectively
the dangers of unchecked hatred,
strive to stamp out racism and prejudice in
particularly
all its forms. We in the Jewish community
when it becomes
know all too personally and painfully the dangers of unchecked hatred, particularly when it becomes institutionalized within the structures of society. Our Jewish tradition compels us to seek
institutionalized within the structures of society.
Jewish community to reflect, learn, and discuss our individual and communal roles in dismantling systemic racism and anti-Semitism. We invite you to join us in this work. To learn more about the new
Civil rights icon, Congressman John
recognizes that justice has been denied for far too long—has implored all people
Sit in. Stand-up. Vote. Be constructive, not
community to reengage in tough conversations about how we can
destructive.” We join Congressman Lewis in his call, and we pray
end systemic racism, hatred, anti-Semitism, and bigotry, so we
that, through justice, peaceful solutions are found.
Special Section: Senior Living. . . . . . . . 7
LIFE & LEGACY® supports Jewish institutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
In Memoriam: Kurt Rosenbach. . . . . . 19
Camp JCC goes virtual . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Simon Family JCC expands hours. . . . 23
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Lewis—whose call for peaceful protests
of the solution. Now is the time for the
Jewish Changemakers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Amy Levy, President Alvin Wall, Treasurer Stephanie Calliott, Secretary Betty Ann Levin, Executive Vice-President jewishVA.org
CRC director, at mzuckerman@ujft.org.
of goodwill to: “…Organize. Demonstrate.
Upfront . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Terri Denison, Editor Germaine Clair, Art Director Lisa Richmon, Staff Writer Sandy Goldberg, Account Executive Ronnie Jacobs Cohen, Account Executive Marilyn Cerase, Subscription Manager Reba Karp, Editor Emeritus
Task Force, contact Megan Zuckerman,
justice, and we are committed to being part
Contents
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
Friday, June 26/4 Tammuz Light candles at 8:10 pm
“Find what you can and can’t do. Figure out where you’re needed. Find a new hobby or start a business. I wanted to write a book about my father, so I did.” —page 10
Friday, July 3/11 Tammuz Light candles at 8:10 pm Friday, July 10/18 Tammuz Light candles at 8:08 pm Friday, July 17/25 Tammuz Light candles at 8:05 pm Friday, July 24/3 Av Light candles at 8:00 pm Friday, July 31/10 Av Light candles at 7:54 pm
jewishnewsva.org | June 22, 2020 | Jewish News | 3
BRIEFS 800 rabbis and cantors indicate support of peaceful protest against racism More than 800 rabbis and cantors, including the leaders of three major denominations, signed a statement in support of peaceful protest against racism and in memory of George Floyd. The statement invoked Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, an iconic Jewish civil rights activist who marched with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. It was written and distributed by the Reform movement’s Religious Action Center, a political advocacy organization that has a long history of civil rights activism. “Mr. Floyd was a victim of the nation’s long history of brutality against people of color, and particularly Black men,” the statement reads. “Protests are a just response to all-too-familiar anger, frustration, and pain. I stand for the right to peaceful protest and call on our nation’s law enforcement and elected officials not to interfere with this bedrock First Amendment expression.” Among the signers are Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism; Rabbi Hara Person, chief executive of the Reform movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis; Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, chief executive of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly; and Rabbi Deborah Waxman, president of Reconstructing Judaism. (JTA) AIPAC says it stands with the Black community in equality struggle The American Israel Public Affairs Committee issued a public statement in support of the black community, saying the recent death of George Floyd is a “shattering reminder of the injustice and inequities that Black Americans still endure in our society.” AIPAC also sent a letter to its AfricanAmerican members saying it was “horrified” by the Floyd killing. “The scourge of racism, intolerance and inequality must end,” the pro-Israel lobby said in a statement. “AIPAC is deeply and unshakably committed to the core American values of equality, freedom and justice,” the
statement continued. “We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Black community in its ongoing struggle for the same rights and respect to which all Americans are entitled.” (JTA)
Newark mayor wants to ban white supremacists from city The mayor of Newark plans to ask the city council to approve an ordinance declaring white supremacist groups to be terrorists and ban them from the city. Mayor Ras Baraka announced that he would seek to have the city establish a database of existing American hate groups and outlaw any actions they seek to conduct in the city. Hate groups would be defined as any that “vilify entire groups of people based on immutable characteristics such as race or ethnicity,” and would include Nazi groups, white supremacists and the KKK. “For this country to heal, we must begin to legally challenge the insidious and dehumanizing tenets of white supremacy, once and for all. We must stand up forcefully against racism and have the courage to take on the legal challenges an ordinance such as this will attract,” Baraka said in a statement. (JTA) Robert Kraft’s Genesis Foundation awards 26 grants A global campaign founded by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft that targets efforts to delegitimize Israel will award grants to 26 Israeli and international nonprofit organizations. The funding is part of Speak Out for Israel, the campaign announced by Kraft last year upon receiving the Genesis Prize, the “Jewish Nobel,” through the Genesis Foundation. The $1 million prize was directed toward the campaign. During his acceptance speech, Kraft also announced a $20 million personal donation to seed the creation of the new Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism. As part of the Speak Out for Israel initiative, NGOs will introduce advocacy and awareness campaigns to engage international audiences, including diplomats, legislators, reporters, activists, students, and members of the academia and the arts community. Grantee organizations
4 | Jewish News | June 22, 2020 | jewishnewsva.org
will expand their work with Jews in the Diaspora, volunteers in developing countries, and engagement with communities prone to anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish bias, Genesis said in a statement. Many of the organizations have adapted their strategies to respond to the spike in anti-Semitic sentiment that has accompanied the coronavirus pandemic. The Genesis Prize was started in 2013 and is financed through a permanent $100-million endowment. The annual award honors “extraordinary individuals for their outstanding professional achievement, contribution to humanity and commitment to Jewish values.” Previous winners include former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and musician Itzak Perlman. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg received a lifetime achievement award from Genesis in 2018. (JTA)
Trip cancellations due to coronavirus cost Israeli economy $200-million The cancellation of trips for Jewish youths and young adults due to the coronavirus crisis will cost the Israeli economy about $200 million. Trips for about 60,000 young Jews planned for the spring and summer have been canceled, Israel’s business daily Calcalist reported. The heritage trips include programs sponsored by Birthright Israel-Taglit, Masa, and Jewish schools and youth groups. The estimated loss does not include revenue from air travel. Israel closed its borders to the entrance of non-citizens on March 18. It has twice pushed back reopening to foreigners, with a tentative date set to allow in non-citizens for July 1. The Ministry of Interior approved special visas to people attending Masa’s long-term programs in Israel, with a mandatory 14-day quarantine. The Israel Experience-Educational Tourism Services Ltd., which organizes many of the heritage trips including Birthright, told Calcalist that it has lost $40 million in revenue in the past four months and put 75 percent of its employees on unpaid leave. (JTA)
E.U. asks U.S. to join new Middle East peace effort The European Union’s foreign policy chief effectively rejected President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan and asked the United States to join a new international effort to broker a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. Josep Borrell said Monday, June 15 that the Trump plan has created a “certain momentum where there was nothing,” according to The Associated Press, and the momentum “can be used to start a joint international effort on the basis of existing internationally agreed parameters.” The Trump plan does not respect those parameters, Borrell implied. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas joined in, calling for a “multilateral format” that allows “both sides to speak and negotiate with each other.” Borrell and other EU foreign ministers in a call with Mike Pompeo warned the U.S. Secretary of State that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank would endanger the prospects of a two-state solution and stability in the Middle East. Borrell and the foreign ministers did not offer details on what a new international peace effort would look like. (JTA) Mike Pompeo calls on Israel to stand with U.S. against China Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking to the American Jewish Committee, urged Israel to stand with the United States against China. “Standing up to the Chinese Communist Party is a growing challenge to the United States, to Israel, indeed to all free people,” he said in an address Sunday, June 14 to the AJC’s annual Global Forum, which was moved online because of the coronavirus pandemic. Pompeo alluded to Trump administration unhappiness with Israel for its expanding commercial ties with China, which U.S. officials believe offers the Asian nation a back door to obtain intelligence on Israeli and U.S. military capacities. “Beijing’s opaque military buildup, reckless indifference to its internal obligations, and disinformation campaigns endanger us all,” he said. (JTA)
tidewater Jewish Foundation
National initiative tops $1-billion in commitments
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Tidewater Jewish organizations secure more than $20.6-million in legacy commitments through LIFE & LEGACY® initiative
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hree hundred and twenty-five local donors have made 550 legacy commitments to support the Tidewater Jewish community since LIFE & LEGACY began three years ago. These commitments are part of a collaborative endowment building effort that includes eight Jewish organizations and congregations, the Tidewater Jewish Foundation, and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s LIFE & LEGACY initiative, the goal of which is to provide future financial stability.
325 Local donors have made gifts through LIFE & LEGACY
Participating Organizations • Beth Sholom Village • Chabad Lubavitch of Tidewater • Congregation Beth El • Ohef Sholom Temple • Strelitz International Academy • Temple Emanuel • United Jewish Federation of Tidewater / Simon Family Jewish Community Center • Jewish Family Service
Contact us to see how much we can save you! Your trusted financial partner offers a full suite of personal and commercial insurance options. “We have been thrilled with our participation in the LIFE & LEGACY program,” says Linda Peck, executive director of Ohef Sholom Temple. “The training, along with the program’s structure and resources helped us build a case, train solicitors, hold ourselves accountable, and get results. To date we have 77 new gifts which will increase our endowment over $3-million in time.” In less than eight years, LIFE & LEGACY has motivated more than 17,000 donors in 63 communities across North America, including Tidewater’s Jewish community, to commit more than $1-billion in current and after-lifetime assets to the Jewish organizations. In challenging times like these, endowments provide the financial stability to meet evolving needs. Legacy commitments ensure that organizations that are providing impactful programs and services, during both calm and turbulent times, have the necessary resources to adapt. “The cooperation and collaboration fostered by LIFE & LEGACY as local organizations work to a shared goal of endowment building is especially critical now,” says Arlene D. Schiff, national
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director, LIFE & LEGACY. “Even in the midst of so much disruption and uncertainty, we are witnessing many generous and committed donors stepping up to give back to the Jewish organizations that have played and are playing an important role in their lives.” A complete list of Jewish Tidewater’s LIFE & LEGACY participating organizations and the donors who support them can be found at jewishva.org/life-legacy. “Providing Jewish organizations with a strategy to help secure their longterm financial goals is absolutely vital,
especially now in the middle of an economic crisis,” says Harold Grinspoon, HGF founder. “Supporting our Jewish institutions is critical to ensuring future generations are able to enjoy our rich culture and heritage.” To learn how you can be part of securing Tidewater’s Jewish future, call Kaitlyn Oelsner, Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s director of philanthropy, at 757-965-6103, koelsner@ujft.org, or visit foundation.jewishva.org.
jewishnewsva.org | June 22, 2020 | Jewish News | 5
Bill’s Legacy Lives Forever Norfolk business owner Bill Goldback valued good health and great arts performances.
Children and young adults First Person
This isn’t just for you, it’s for us too… Nofar Trem
A
Before he died in 2007, Bill arranged for a Hampton Roads Community Foundation bequest to provide grants for performing arts and medicine in Hampton Roads. Goldback grants are helping Chesapeake Care, Hampton Roads Community Health Center, Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Young Audiences of Virginia do excellent work. Thanks to Bill’s generosity he will forever help people in his home region. Connect your passions to the future by ordering a free bequest guide. Learn how easy it is to leave a gift for charity. Adding Charity to Your W or IRA ill
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www.leaveabequest.org (757) 622-7951
s we began to plan for a very different looking summer and reaching out to families in new ways, we realized that our plans and the work we were doing weren’t just for the families, they were for us, too. Being stuck at home has been emotionally draining for all of us. Smiles from the children, small talk with the parents, sharing stories and laughter feeds our soul and makes us love our jobs. Last month we drove around Tidewater to drop off summer buckets to children from Camp JCC and Kids Connection. After many long days, we didn’t feel exhausted, we felt rejuvenated! Seeing children and creating smiles, invigorated us and encouraged us to keep moving during a time when it seemed the whole world stopped. Here are some stories about those bucket drops (some names have been changed for privacy purposes).
I
ran up to the door, left the bucket on the porch and rang the doorbell before dashing back to my car. I watched as a man opened the door, looked at the bucket and looked at me. I said “Hi! I’m with the JCC and we left something there for the kids!” As I was getting into my car,
I watched him take out the note and saw the smile that flashed across his face. I realized then that I needed to get out there and see the families as much, if not more, than they needed it! —Sierra Lautman, director of Jewish Innovation, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
W
hen I arrived at A.J.’s home he was so excited to see me that he darted off his porch to try and hug me. His mother and I reminded him that we had to give space and not hug. He exclaimed, “I haven’t seen you in a year!” I simply smiled and said, “Buddy it only feels like a year, because that’s how much we miss you at the JCC.” —Ayanna Johnson, Camp JCC & Kids Connection
U
pon pulling up in the Horev family’s driveway, I felt a rush of excitement to see Omree and Arbel. I rang their doorbell, and I felt my inner child start to brace for the conversations. The girls and their dad came to the door, and before I could say hello and introduce myself the children anxiously picked up the bucket. Omree, started to read the note, and Arbel proceeded to show me the rocks she has collected and
Emilia and Olivia Crawford creating chalk art after their bucket drop.
painted. I interacted with the girls for about 10 minutes, and within that time, I experienced a vast amount of emotions from their expressions of gratitude and joy for seeing a friendly and familiar face that does not live within their household. —Latricia Allen, Camp JCC & Kids Connection Soon we will share our calendar and platform for virtual summer programming. All programs, live and on-demand, are free. Be sure to register children or grandchildren (even those who may live in a different state), at campjcc.org so that we can continue connecting, learning, and laughing together. For questions about Virtual Camp JCC opportunities which begin on July 6, and other virtual summer offerings taking place now, contact Nofar Trem, manager of youth and teen experiences, at ntrem@ujft.org.
Young adults: Are you a Changemaker? If so, then the Jewish Changemakers Fellowship is for you!
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he Jewish Changemakers Fellowship is a three-week online leadership experience, July 6–July 24, free of charge for current and aspiring Jewish leaders, 20–25 years old, focusing on career development, networking, and making a difference in the community. Young adults seeking meaningful Jewish experiences over the summer, but with more limited opportunities due to the global pandemic, will earn $500 when they
6 | Jewish News | June 22, 2020 | jewishnewsva.org
complete the program requirements. The entire experience is guided by the public narrative leadership model developed by Harvard professor Marshall Ganz, which brings values to action through three different types of narratives: Story of Self, Story of Us, and Story of Now. Leading—particularly during these challenging times—requires understanding our own individual story, our collective story and what’s happening in the world today.
Each day of Changemakers is guided by a big question. For example: How do I find my authentic voice as a leader? What is my role in the story of the Jewish people? How might we address the urgency of this moment? The application takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and is available at www. jewishchangemakers.org. The application process closes on Friday, June 26 at 5 pm.
g n i r v o i i L n Se
Supplement to Jewish News June 22, 2020 jewishnewsva.org | June 22, 2020 | Jewish News | 7
I thought to myself,
“Never Again!”
Senior Living Dear Readers,
T
oday’s ‘seniors’ are some of the most active people I know. Whether concentrating at work or relaxing in retirement, ‘busy’ and ‘engaged’
At first, I didn’t think it would be too bad. . . When
the stay at home order began, I thought, “That’s not a big deal. I don’t go out too often anyhow.” I thought of it as a snow storm threat and loaded the cupboards with soup and pasta thinking it wouldn’t last more than a few weeks. But as the days and weeks dragged on, I watched the news and started getting scared. The housekeeper who I have come once a week canceled. My doctor said I shouldn’t go out because of my heart condition, and so the only person I saw each week was the grocery deliveryman, and that was only through the window. Every day was the same. I watched the news, read my book, and did crossword puzzles. I felt the worry and loneliness slip in like a cold draft. I could hear the masked worry in my daughter’s voice when she told me, “Everything will go back to normal soon.” I started losing track of the days and began questioning if I had taken my medication or eaten lunch. This really gave Groundhog Day a new and frightening meaning. • What if I did get sick? Would I be able to get help? • How long will this last?
• When will I be able to get out to see church family again?
are more than buzz words for the over 55-year-old set. And, the articles in this section
After 6 weeks, I’d had enough. I didn’t survive the fight in Korea and work 40 years to spend my retirement alone and scared. It was time to do something about it. I couldn’t be isolated any longer. When I called Commonwealth Senior Living, they asked why I decided to call today. I joked that between the loneliness and toilet paper shortage, I decided it was time to make a move.
prove the point.
I moved in mid-May and have been patting myself on the back ever since. I no longer have to worry about anything! The food is great. The place is spotless, and the truth is they treat me like a king. They even put my picture up on the Wall of Valor with the rest of the retired military guys. It’s good to be part of a community again.
added each week. Page 9.
Can you relate? Call us for a copy of our complimentary guide: “Is it Safe to Move Now?” 757-347-1732
Lisa Richmon spoke with Alan Bartel and Gloria Siegel, two very involved members of Tidewater’s Jewish, art, medical, and fun communities. While you’re reading about these two very inspiring people on page 11, consider if you could keep up with them! When the Simon Family JCC reopened its doors for fitness activities earlier this month, among all of the members, seniors were signing up fast to take classes, swim, and work out. The opening has been so popular, in fact, that classes and hours have been
Just before COVID-19 shut down the immediate world in March, Beth Sholom Village completed its latest renovation. While celebrations had to be put on hold, moving into and using the newly appointed spaces took place without fanfare, but with much appreciation. The article on page 14 offers a quick look at the facility utilized by rehab patients, as well as long-term residents. Sandy Tabachnick moved to Tidewater in 1987 and, among other things, immersed herself in the Jewish community. Now, she’s a LIFE & LEGACY® donor. Ronnie Jacobs Cohen’s profile of this caring senior is on page 16. In February, famed Israeli wildlife photographer Amos Nachoum visited Virginia Beach to speak at the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film after the showing of the film about him, Picture of His Life. At age 65, he’s back at it, going for another dip into freezing water. Page 18.
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Senior Living
Local and Experienced…a winning combination!
The Joy of the J You can’t keep a good senior down.
W
hen the Simon Family JCC opened on Monday, June 8, seniors bounced back in real numbers. Even with the necessary implemented regulations and other logistics, “overjoyed” was the overall response. In particular, Silver Sneaker students say they are thrilled to be reunited with Regina in her Fit and Fab class. “All of our classes are or can be appropriate for seniors, with modifications—yes, even Tony’s Bootcamp,” says Yolanda Muhammad, an instructor at the J. “We make the class fit the student, students don’t fit the class.” Popular classes such as Hatha Yoga, HIIT, Zumba Toning, and Spin are back on the schedule in the building and some under the tent outside in the parking lot facing Lake Sandler. ZOOM classes continue to be a popular alternative for those who aren’t ready to return in person to the building. Over the past 10 weeks, the JCC Membership Department called all 1,928 Silver Sneaker members to check in, see how they’re doing, and to find out if the JCC or Jewish Family Service could help them in any way. They also informed them of the online fitness classes offered while the building was closed. To view class schedules, videos, and more, go to simonfamilyjcc.org.
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jewishnewsva.org | June 22, 2020 | Seniors | Jewish News | 9
Senior Living That 70’s Show: Senior trailblazers shine in the age of engagement Lisa Richmon
F
reedom and fulfillment can be dubious soulmates. Being free doesn’t necessarily mean getting up in the morning with no place to be
and no one to answer to. That would be the antithesis of rewarding for certain local seniors who continue to blaze new trails and seek challenges physically, artistically, and altruistically. For these impact-driven elders among us, filling
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the day without purpose will never quite cut it. Listen up millennials, Gen X, Gen Y —and younger baby boomers. Alan Bartel is a 78-year-old retired cardiologist who recently published a book, bikes 120 miles each week, and plays flute with dedicated amateur and professional musicians, including various members of the Virginia Symphony. In 1973, Bartel and his wife Dolores, (of blessed memory) were warmly welcomed by Tidewater’s Jewish and medical communities. The young cardiac specialist came from Duke University to develop the area’s first cardiovascular program. At the time, there were no young cardiologists, or any type of dedicated cardiac prevention services available. Bartel retired 46 years later satisfied in knowing he built a private practice consisting of 25 cardiologists and helped pioneer the area’s top cardiac program. Bartel confesses his concern for fellow physicians who do a poor job at retiring. “All they know how to do is work. They are so committed to their medical profession and no other interests are developed. Then they have nothing to do. I hear this a lot. ‘Some day I’ll play golf.’” The problem with that line of thought, says the flute playing cyclist, is that “you invest in the golf clubs and the golf coach,
and then you’re stuck. What if you don’t like the game, or you discover that your personal injury profile isn’t suited for golf.” When orthopedic issues forced Bartel to give up racquetball, his first love, he knew golf wasn’t a good fit and switched to tennis where he had the same ankle issues. “Racquetball was my passion, but I can still ride a bike. It doesn’t hurt my back or my ankle and it’s challenging. I usually ride 20 miles five or six days a week.” Bartel puts on his doctor/coach hat for professionals who want to find fulfilling activities with psychosocial and physical benefits, before they retire. His buffer against aging: “Find what you can and can’t do. Figure out where you’re needed. Find a new hobby or start a business. I wanted to write a book about my father, so I did.” Over the decades, Alan and Dolores Bartel were involved in just about every local Jewish agency. Dolores was committed to people with disabilities and started a program for young adults. She died in May. “We have two sons who are hearing impaired. At my wife’s shiva, Rabbi Roz was wearing a mask and they couldn’t read her lips,” says Bartel. Bartel’s buffer needs a buffer. Playing the flute is another deep passion, one that he misses while following CDC
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Senior Living
Alan Bartel
guidelines. “I haven’t played with any of my string players or pianists in a while because any one of us could be an asymptomatic carrier. I’m not willing to take the chance of exposure through the flute,” he says. As a member of a Klezmer band, he enjoys playing at Beth Sholom Home and various synagogues such as Ohef Sholom Temple (where he is a member), as well as more secular venues. Bartel is a member of Virginia Arts Festival’s board of directors and over the last several years, he and his fellow musicians have produced an annual musicale for 160 people at the art organization’s building in downtown Norfolk. “This gives me a lot of joy,” says Bartel. Engaged living is not the same as keeping busy. Staying engaged can be community leadership, creative expression, establishing a new business, or tackling a new physical activity within your limitations. For Gloria Siegel, it’s all of the above. Siegel is known for her boundless energy, personal pizzaz, and long-time sweet spot for Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, where she continues to serve on the screening committee. “My aunt was like a mother to me, and when I had my retail business, and was heavily involved in the Jewish community, she said ‘Gloria you have to slow down and learn to appreciate things more.’ I blew her off. I wasn’t ready to hear it.”
LIVE your life. Before COVID-19 did what nobody could convince her to do, Siegel had a full schedule as a senior fitness specialist for the City of Virginia Beach at several local recreation centers teaching multiple fitness classes, up to six days a week. A swimmer for 30 years, often at the Simon Family JCC, Siegel prepared for her 60th birthday by training for her first triathlon. With the swimming part nailed down, all she had to do was learn the biking and running. “Once you start training for your first, you can’t do just one,” says Siegel. Siegel has completed nine since then, including one with her daughter, a runner. “My daughter ran, I swam and rode. Training for these events is what got me started biking.” What many don’t know is Siegel’s profound impact on seniors in the local Parkinson’s community. Twelve years ago, Siegel was already well into her second career as a popular senior fitness specialist when her husband, Melvyn was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. “When my husband got the diagnosis, I didn’t know anything about the disease. At the time, there were no national exercise programs available to our community. I started to do my research. Because movement and exercise are essential, I hired a personal trainer and started creating little things to do to help. That’s when people with PD asked me to work with them.”
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Senior Living continued from page 11
Siegel got certified in Scottsdale, Arizona, participated in other programs, and visited hospitals to observe physical therapists working with patients. “Word got out, and neurologists started sending people to my class. My phone was ringing off the hook. There were articles in the Pilot. I couldn’t handle it myself and hired an assistant. I trained her over the years and now she has her own business completely devoted to people with Parkinson’s. “I was my husband’s caretaker for 10 years. I have a pretty good idea of what it takes to help people living with this disease.” Siegel, a late-blooming activist, says she discovers purpose as she ages. “I had to take a leave of absence from teaching before Mel died. When I returned, all the notes, kind words, and hugs from so many students took my breath away. I always thought I was the one helping them, but they were the ones empowering me. “This quarantine put the brakes on my life. Not just mine. All people like me, who live alone, who had a very busy life. Suddenly the door is slammed shut, and I couldn’t leave my house,” says Siegel. “I kept hearing we’re in the population who are going to die. Until then, I never thought of myself as old, as I have always been vibrant and active.” Siegel says she’s forging a new identity now, “finding what’s meaningful to me. I’m still figuring it out. I think of what my aunt said when I was in my 40s. Either age, or this virus has led me to search for who I am. I have a profound sense of gratitude for all that I have.” Before COVID-19 struck, she taught Silver Sneakers fitness classes, which are offered as a wellness benefit for secondary insurance. Her new modality is perfectly suited for anyone with mobility issues, not just people with PD. Siegel is ZOOMING her way back, teaching chair yoga. “It’s wonderful for breathing and movement and is really quite powerful,” says Siegel. “Now that I’ve been home on quarantine, I have deepened my personal yoga practice and take long walks. I’m also going back to my vegan cooking
Gloria Siegel.
This quarantine put the brakes on my life. Not just mine. All people like me, who live alone, who had a very busy life. Suddenly the door is slammed shut.
roots,” says Siegel. “I think I’m going to approach the synagogues or local community churches to teach chair yoga for their members as a service-free class. “I always like to take on new challenges. If I fail, I can just use the excuse that I’m old.”
Senior Living Amid pandemic, these young Jews and their elderly friends are finding new ways to connect
W
hen the COVID-19 pandemic began, 15-year-old Samantha Renzulli immediately thought about how it would affect her elderly friends at Jewish Senior Services, a long-term care facility in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Renzulli had met some of the residents through Better Together, a school-based Jewish intergenerational program, and she worried about their isolation. So, she and her fellow students at the Merkaz Community High School for Judaic Studies resolved to find new ways to maintain connections to the seniors. Since mid-April, students’ families have paraded in long caravans of decorated cars around the residence every Friday as residents and staff look on from balconies. They’ve also delivered more than 130 bouquets of donated flowers for residents, and a trove of books, toys and toiletries for staff members and their families. On Mother’s Day, Renzulli and her young friends shared with the seniors a “musical mitzvah mashup” video they created especially for them. In normal times, Better Together, a project launched in 2014, pairs together young Jews and older Jews for meaningful in-person interactions. Middle- and highschool students from Jewish day schools, Hebrew schools, and Jewish youth groups meet with the residents of senior centers or groups of seniors from local synagogues. Congregation Beth El and Ohef Sholom Temple have participated in the program with Beth Sholom Village residents. (JTA)
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jewishnewsva.org | June 22, 2020 | Seniors | Jewish News | 13
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t Beth Sholom Village, cleanliness is paramount. The recent renovation at the skilled nursing and rehab center located in Virginia Beach, completed days before lockdown in March, has already impressed visitors and residents. With the cosmetic and functional changes made, and standard of care untouched, it’s easy to see that inspiration can co-exist with compliance—even in a setting designed for a vulnerable senior population. One big change was the installation of showers in every patient room, inside private and modern bathrooms. This upgrade serves residents and caregivers in ways that include safety, access, and privacy. The addition of more natural light, new floors and furnishings, attractive light fixtures, and a calming, neutral color palette on the walls increase the feeling of ‘home’ at BSV. “This is someone’s home, whether they’re here for rehab, or for long-term health care. There’s no reason the space shouldn’t feel like home and be beautiful,” says Marcia Brodie, BSV director of marketing, “We are delighted every time a family member says, ‘I’d love to have a shower this nice in my home.”’ On the skilled care/rehab side, both gyms were fully renovated and enlarged. That means all new equipment,
New nurses station at BSV.
14 | Jewish News | Seniors | June 22, 2020 | jewishnewsva.org
a bathroom, and a full kitchen with upgraded appliances for functional testing. Staff can effectively assess and prepare someone recovering from a stroke or hip surgery, as they perform activities of daily living necessary to transition back home. “The last screw went in and the pandemic hit,” says Brodie. A lockdown is costly, isolating, and vexing in many ways, but better tolerated in a bright space with inviting furnishings and an outdoor area to enjoy fresh air. The specialized memory unit, the Sholom Unit’s new patio area is fenced in for safety, but looks like any outdoor terrace with a grill, big chairs, space for wheelchairs to spread out, and even more natural light. When the nursing facility was built in 1980, like all others, it was built as a medical model. “Healthcare has transformed and Beth Sholom was poised to transform with it, creating a hospitality model that delivers great care with great outcomes,” says David Abraham, BSV CEO. “Now you will start to see this play out in more Jewish and non-Jewish facilities.” The renovation included touching up the common areas with fresh paint and new furniture. “When people walk in the door, they often comment, ‘It smells so good in here,’ or ‘this isn’t what I would expect.’” says Brodie. Andrea Mantel’s mother, Kathy moved
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into Beth Sholom Village’s Sholom Unit in late April, as the pandemic shuttered everyone. Mantel is a senior designer at Ethan Allen Home in Virginia Beach. She can’t visit her mother due to the lockdown, but drops things off and appreciates, among other things, the overall look and feel. “When you first walk in, you might think it’s a hotel lobby, not a nursing home. It’s very inviting.” Mantel cared for her mother at home for six years during a slow and painful descent into Alzheimer’s. She was on the waiting list for six months and learned early on why BSV was the only facility she would trust to care for her mother. “I went to visit every single nursing home in this area. I have two college degrees. Nothing could have prepared me for what I learned. Beth Sholom couldn’t take her
at the time, but what was amazing was how they treated me during the interview process. Beth Sholom is a 10.” Mantel was impressed even before there was a room available for her mother. “Dawn Orcutt was amazing. She checked in with me and made me feel I wasn’t forgotten. Now that my mother lives at Beth Sholom, when I call to speak to a nurse, they always come to the phone. And, they arrange Face Time since I can’t visit. “When you’re on waiting list, that’s one thing. But when they call and say they’re ready to take her, it’s a tear of the heart. ‘I really have to do this.’ Decision hits you when that bed is ready. I was crying, calling my cousins. I felt so guilty,” says Mantel. “But within 24 hours after the move, I got six calls. One each from the Cantor, a social worker, her physical therapist, the head nurse, and someone from the recreation therapy department. They asked about her. What she likes and what she doesn’t like. That’s when I knew she (I) was going to be ok. I don’t know what I would do without them.” This is part of a series of articles highlighting local and overseas partner agencies that are beneficiaries of the United Jewish Federation Tidewater’s annual Community Campaign.
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jewishnewsva.org | June 22, 2020 | Seniors | Jewish News | 15
Senior Living Sandy Tabachnick: LIFE & LEGACY® donor Ronnie Jacobs Cohen
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16 | Jewish News | Seniors | June 22, 2020 | jewishnewsva.org
andy Finberg Tabachnick grew up in Ashland, a small town in northeastern Ohio that was also home to Ashland College, a college founded by the Evangelical United Brethren Church. The Finbergs were one of 10 Jewish families in this small town of 15,000 and Sandy and her older sister, Rochelle were two of just three Jewish students attending Ashland schools. Tabachnik’s parents were not particularly religious and did not attend services regularly, but stressed the importance of living Jewishly. The family belonged to B’nai Jacob, a conservative synagogue in Mansfield, Ohio, 13 miles from their home, where Tabachnik and her sister enjoyed attending Sunday School every week. One cold Sunday morning held a particularly fond memory for her. “My father skidded on an icy patch in our driveway and landed in a ditch,” she recalls with a chuckle. The young sisters insisted their father quickly call a tow truck so they wouldn’t miss school and spending time with their Jewish friends. Both girls attended Camp Galil, a kosher Orthodox camp founded as part of the Zionist Youth Movement, just over the Pennsylvania border. When applying for college, a sizable Jewish population was a prerequisite, and marrying someone Jewish was expected. Less fond memories of anti-Semitism and avoidance by others were also part of the fabric of growing up in this non-Jewish environment. The little girl next-door was not allowed to play with the young Sandy and, in high school, she was the object of proselytizing efforts by a missionary student attending Ashland College. Tabachnick and her former husband moved to Omaha, Nebraska, a “welcoming and warm Jewish community” where he was executive director of the JCC of Omaha for two years. From there, he accepted the position of executive director of the JCC of Akron, and they raised
Sandy Finberg Tabachnick.
a family. Tachachnick is proud of the accomplishments of her three children. Phyllis, her eldest, who works in wealth management in Chicago, visited Israel with a teen group during her high school years, remains committed to Jewish causes, and is supportive of and involved in Jewish organizations. Her son, Scott, is principal of an elementary school in southern Vermont, and Diane, her youngest, is a Physician Assistant who heads a psychiatry unit in southern Vermont. Her youngest child had just graduated from college in 1987 and Tabachnick accepted a position in Tidewater, selling commercial advertising for Cox Communications. “It was a good job and I was delighted by the opportunity to meet a group of educated, generous, liberal, and intelligent new friends in the Virginia Beach area,” she recalls. Drawing from her love of theater and theatrical experiences in high school and college, Tabachnick auditioned for and was awarded professional roles in several Discovery Channel re-enactments. She also played the grandmother in The Children’s Hour performed at the Little Theater of Norfolk and received a rave review in The Virginian-Pilot from Montague Gammon III. Tabachnick was nine years old in 1948
Senior Living when Israel was proclaimed a nation. She recalls fundraising efforts taking place at her synagogue and, as a young adult, she loved to teach Israeli music and dancing, which she had learned during her summers at Camp Galil, at other camps and Sunday school. Tabachnick had never traveled, but had always wanted to visit Israel. In 1991, she and another woman from Tidewater joined a national Federation trip to Israel. She felt completely safe with this Jewish group and, as her eldest daughter before her, realized a deeper connection and
strengthened support for “Eretz Yisrael” and the work done on its behalf by Jewish Federations. She was an active member of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Community Relations Council and served on the board of directors of Jewish Family Service. Her steadfast advice remains “to find something of interest that you can support and do so. The rewards are great.” Sandy Tabachnick is a LIFE & LEGACY® donor who has made multiple endowed gifts, supporting the future of the Jewish community.
How seniors can protect their health and finances during the pandemic
T
hroughout the coronavirus pandemic, health officials have been clear and consistent in their message to seniors: While anyone can fall victim to COVID19, those who are 65 and older are in an especially high-risk group. That’s why older Americans need to be especially careful and—in the case of the very elderly—family members may need to step in to make sure they are taking the right precautions, says Chris Orestis, president of LifeCare Xchange. “As with just about everyone, coronavirus is touching all areas of the lives of seniors, from health to finances to how they socialize,” Orestis says. He offers a few tips on things seniors and their families can do: Prioritize healthy practices. Follow health guidelines. Wash your hands, avoid touching your face, and sanitize surfaces. “Social distancing and staying in place have become important new additions to our lifestyle because avoiding contact with infected people is the surest way to prevent contracting the virus,” Orestis says. “Grocery stores and retailers have set up senior-only shopping hours, and seniors should take advantage of those. In addition, food delivery services can bring take-out meals or groceries to your home.” Trust nursing homes. “Despite the tragic deaths that occurred at Life Care Center’s nursing home in Kirkland, Wash., the nursing home industry has
been working around the clock in every community to protect their residents,” Orestis says. “If you have a loved one in a nursing home, do not go visit,” Orestis says. “Stay in touch remotely through a cell phone, computer, or the staff to help the nursing home avoid contamination.” Know what financial resources are available. “We’ve experienced a stock market drop, but It is important at times like this to not ‘panic sell’ and lock in your losses,” Orestis says. He points out there are still safety nets and even financial opportunities that can help seniors. Social Security income, Medicare, and Medicaid payments remain unchanged. Income from annuities remains guaranteed. Beware of scams. Seniors often are prime targets of scams, and with their heightened level of distress, could be even more susceptible than usual, Orestis says. “Be on the lookout for such things as emails from imposters of the CDC asking you to open a link or download a list telling you where positive cases are in your area,” he says. “No one is sure how long this crisis will last or what the outcome could be,” Orestis says. “But the most vulnerable members of our population can protect themselves by following smart health practices, avoiding unwise financial decisions, taking advantage of financial safety-nets, and being on the lookout for scams and bad information.”
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jewishnewsva.org | June 22, 2020 | Seniors | Jewish News | 17
Senior Living Famed Israeli wildlife photographer Amos Nachoum gets a thrilling documentary about his career—and his quest to get close to a polar bear
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Curt Schleier
I
sraeli wildlife photographer Amos Nachoum is part Jacque Cousteau, part Sir Richard Attenborough, part Don Quixote. At least that’s how Nachoum comes across in Picture of His Life, an enthralling new documentary about his quest to snap a photo of a swimming polar bear while swimming alongside it—something that has never been done. The film was featured at the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film in February. Nachoum and one of the film’s directors, Dani Menkin, spoke to an enthusiastic and impressed crowd at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts. Danger is a recurring theme in Nachoum’s work. The film shows him submerged face to face with a crocodile in Africa and sharing the Amazon with an enormous anaconda. His portfolio—full of close-ups of snarling seals, whales and sharks—easily explains why he’s achieved worldwide attention. The adventures have resulted in books and calendars and network television appearances. So why now, at age 65, when the documentary was shot last summer, go back into mosquito-infested terrain and slip into freezing water for one photo? Veteran wildlife cinematographer Adam Ravetch, who accompanies Nachoum on the trip and into the water, contends that part of Amos’ drive is “to stay relevant.” Another factor may be
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an outgrowth of his unhappy childhood. Nachoum’s sisters say the family did not grow up in a “peaceful household.” Their father participated in Israel’s War of Independence and emerged with PTSD. Nachoum was a member of an elite unit in the Yom Kippur War—one that suffered heavy casualties—and that also left its mark. Whatever spurs him on, Nachoum
So why now, at age 65, when the documentary was shot last summer, go back into mosquitoinfested terrain and slip into freezing water for one photo?
along with Ravetch and a small party that includes Inuit guides head to the Canadian Arctic in search of a polar bear. They have only a five-day window before weather will force them out. Veteran Israeli filmmakers Yonatan Nir and Dani Menkin successfully merge archival footage of Nachoum, the expedition, and interviews with family, friends and colleagues. The movie debuted virtually on June 19 on virtual cinema. For $9.99, viewers get a three-day window to watch, and the fee is shared with a local theater shuttered by the pandemic or any one of a number of Jewish film festivals across the county. (JTA)
in memoriam
Kurt Rosenbach June 5, 1923–June 6, 2020
T
idewater’s Jewish community lost a giant on Saturday, June 6 with the passing of Kurt Rosenbach. Kurt was equally a man of vision and action. More than all of his volunteer service—often as founder or chair, he continued to press the community to realize financial security and be innovative in programs and projects. In many ways, he altered the direction of the Jewish and greater Tidewater communities—and always for the better. Kurt was dignified, a mensch, kind, wise, smart, warm, articulate, passionate, beloved, a friend…and always impeccably attired. The following is excerpted from Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg’s eulogy of Kurt Rosenbach on June 8, 2020.
O
n May 19, 2006 at Ohef Sholom, on the occasion of the celebration of the 70th Anniversary of his Bar Mitzvah, Kurt shared the following legend from our tradition: There is a story that Honi Ha-Me’aggel once saw on his travels an old man planting a carob tree. Honi stopped and asked him when he thought the tree would bear fruit? “After seventy years” was the reply. “Do you expect to live seventy years and eat the fruit of your labor,” Honi asked? The old man answered: “I did not find the world desolate when I entered it and as my fathers planted for me before I was born, so do I plant for those who will come after me.” And then Kurt concluded his speech: “so, it is with that thought that all of us will hopefully plant a carob tree or two, that I thank you for being at my second bar mitzvah and extend an invitation to all of you to attend my third bar mitzvah at a future date to be announced. Amen and shabbat shalom.” I can think of no better story to illustrate the remarkable life and impeccable character of our beloved Kurt. For above all, Kurt was a planter, a man whose sole purpose in life was to improve upon the world as he found it and to build up his Jewish and Civic Hampton Roads communities for all
who would follow. Above all Kurt planted for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and for every other of the many thousands of people he befriended, mentored and helped in his near century of living. In his wise, gentlemanly, and purposeful way, Kurt guided us to do good and right by one another and to construct the institutions, structures and services that would sustain us for generations to come. He was a man of great strength, vision, and dedication, yet also of gentleness, humility, humor, and a bit of mischievousness as well (as you could tell by his invitation to his third Bar Mitzvah at a future date). Kurt was indefatigable in his quest to secure all of our future and we are grateful to God for the immeasurable gift of the 97 extraordinary years we were able to share with this incomparable mensch. There is no doubt that Kurt’s person and values were shaped by his childhood experiences. Although he did not like to talk about it, fortunately, Rose insisted he document his childhood, which he did in 2002 in exquisite detail. Kurt was born on June 5, 1923 in Kassel, Germany, a sizable city of 275,000 people. Prior to 1933, Kurt recalled “a pleasant, comfortable life with my parents, Felix and Frieda and my brother Hans…. My father had his own small retail business and we lived a typical middle-class lifestyle. Most of my friends were not Jewish and came from the nice neighborhood in which we lived, or from school…. “After Hitler came to power by being named Reichschancellor on January 30. 1933, which was also my mother’s birthday, changes came quickly. There was an ever increasing program of Jewish persecution, economic constraints placed on Jews, instances of physical violence and an onslaught of horrible propaganda against us.” Kurt recalls that gradually Christian people were afraid to associate with, or do business with Jews, which took its toll on his father’s business. This eventually necessitated its closure, forcing the family to
move from their home and finally, to flee to the United States in February of 1938, only after an elderly aunt secured their sponsorship. Less than a year later, the beautiful synagogue to which Kurt belonged and where he became a Bar Mitzvah on June 13, 1936, was destroyed along with many other synagogues, Jewish businesses, and Jewish lives on Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, November 9, 1938. Kurt reflected, “Sometimes, I have thought about the wrenching decision my parents had to make to uproot themselves, go to a strange country where they did not speak the language, with little money and no idea what they would do or face. But there was no alternative….” In spite of the hardship, Kurt considered he and his family to be among the more fortunate in that they survived. Throughout his life, he revered his parents for their sacrifices and resilience. After their arrival in the United States, the family settled in Baltimore and, while his parents struggled, Kurt’s new found Jewish American friends helped him learn English quickly and his sharp mind and determination enabled him to succeed in school, to graduate in accounting from night school at the University of Baltimore, and to pass the CPA exam on the first try! All the while, Kurt worked first with a paper route on Sunday mornings, and then at Bond Clothes in downtown Baltimore on Saturdays and after school, where he sold men’s furnishings. Following his graduation, he began his professional career at Schleisner’s Company fine women’s specialty store as an accountant. Advancing quickly, he became comptroller and director. It was during this time that Kurt’s life changed forever and for the good. He was set up on a blind date with the beautiful, smart, and vivacious Rose Rottenberg and, as you said, Rose, “you just clicked.” They shared many of the same interests and in short order were married at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. Kurt proved to be all Rose thought he would be—a wonderful husband and a doting and devoted father. They enjoyed 67 wonderful years of marriage filled with many dear friends; extensive travel, local arts and culture especially Kurt’s favorite—the opera; and
above all making a beautiful family. Kurt always believed in a good education and hard work as the keys to success and, throughout his adult life, he was tenacious. In 1955, Kurt accepted a promising business opportunity and he and Rose, along with 9-month-old Carolyn, relocated to Norfolk where he joined Rices Nachman in the finance department. Eventually he became the department store’s Chairman of the Board, and when he retired in 1985 after thirty years, he took a short-term job with Haynes that lasted 23 years. Kurt said the move to Hampton Roads was among the best decisions of their lives. He described his career as an active and fulfilling one, but he also believed wholeheartedly in the importance of being part of building Greater Hampton Roads. As a proud member of the Jewish community, he had a lot to offer the city of Norfolk and the arts, proudly never hiding the fact that he was Jewish. Over the years, Kurt was a leader in every arena of life. Just to highlight a few of the institutions he founded and/or helped to build: he served as chairman of the United Way of South Hampton Roads; founding president of the Downtown Norfolk Development Corporation; director of the Norfolk Foundation, which is now the Hampton Roads Community Foundation, and vice president of Greater Norfolk Corporation. He was truly instrumental in building up the downtown Norfolk and waterside districts we know today. In the Jewish community he served as president of Ohef Sholom Temple; founder and president of the Ohef Sholom Foundation; treasurer and Life Trustee of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation; executive committee and board member of the United Jewish Federation, and chairman of the Beth Sholom Endowment Fund. continued on page 20
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in memoriam continued from page 19
Among others, he was the recipient of the Humanitarian Award of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities and the Lifetime Achievement Award of Volunteer Hampton Roads. It is no wonder, as Rose said, Kurt was everyone’s go-to guy in every realm of life unto the very last. Kurt didn’t do any of it for the titles or the recognition. Everything he did was to secure the Jewish and civic institutions he believed in to his core. I could spend a day talking about his great love for Ohef Sholom alone: how gratifying his life-long service to the Temple was to him; how he secured our present and future through his creation of our foundation; how he guided us through more than one crisis and long after he should have had to worry about it; how he was a friend to his rabbis and cantors, fellow officers, board members and congregants; how forward thinking he was in being open to new ways of worshiping and doing things even if he himself didn’t love them personally, but because they were for the betterment of the temple and its future; and how, through his 96th year, he would listen quietly at meeting after meeting and then clear his throat and stand up to speak to attentive men and women of all ages who did not want to miss any of his wise counsel. He was beyond touched that a service award is named in his honor and so proud of each of its recipients. There are no words of gratitude great enough to thank Kurt. Kurt loved our congregation, the Tidewater Jewish community, the City of Norfolk and greater Hampton Roads, but he did all that he did for another reason as well, and that was to be a role model to the family you and he created, cherished and adored, Rose. Kurt met every challenge and then some and we are all so much the better because of you and we are forever grateful. We will miss you more than we can ever say, but you will live on in the good deeds you performed and in the hearts of a grateful family, synagogue, community, and world who will cherish your memory forever. Zecher Tzadik Livracha. May the memory of the righteous, of our beloved Kurt Rosenbach, be always for a blessing. Amen.
Obituaries Evelyn Liskin Berger Norfolk—Evelyn Liskin Berger was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. to Ida and Joseph Liskin on February 13, 1923, and passed away June 10 at the age of 97. She accompanied her husband, James Berger, M.D., an Army surgeon throughout the country until settling with her family in Norfolk in 1954. She was an avid cook, a passionate and devoted mother to her three children and fully supported her husband’s career in medicine. She retained her avid “Brooklyn” spirit throughout her life no matter what her life circumstances or health, and was an incredibly strong and positive influence on her family. She managed to have a sense of humor and presence of mind even to her last moments. Her entire family considered themselves blessed to have had her presence in the family for so many years. She is survived by Keith (DeShawna) Berger, Jeff (Debbie) Berger, and Margie Berger, 9 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. A graveside service took place with Rabbi Lawrence Forman officiating. Seymour D. Glanzer Virginia Beach—Lt. Col. Seymour D. Glanzer, USAF Res., Ret., 95, died on June 3, 2020, in Virginia Beach. He was predeceased by his parents, Max and Beatrice Glanzer, his wife, Rita M. Glanzer, his sister, Roslyn T. Kahn, and his sister-in-law, Louise “Micki” Hoffman. He was born in Jersey City, N.J., but grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. After graduating at 16 from James Madison H.S., he attended Brooklyn College, but interrupted his studies to enlist in the U.S. Army for service in WWII on his 18th birthday (to the consternation of his mother). While in the Army, he attended Lake Forest College and the University of Chicago, under the Army Specialized Training Program, before being deployed overseas to the South Pacific and Philippines. Following the War, he completed his undergraduate education at Brooklyn College and went on to Brooklyn Law School, graduating in 1949. While there, he met Rita, whom he married in 1948. They remained
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together until her death, in 1998. During the Korean War he rejoined the military as a reserve JAG officer in the U.S. Air Force. He proudly served his country in that capacity for many years, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. He received the Meritorious Service Medal in 1978 for “exceptional professional skill and leadership while serving in important reserve positions including reserve Chief of the Administrative Law Division of the Office of the Judge Advocate General.” His civilian career included work for the former Interstate Commerce Commission in New York (where he was regional director of the Bureau of Enforcement) and later Washington, D.C., and the Federal Maritime Commission, both as administrative law judge and director of the Bureau of Hearing Counsel. He loved plants and gardening, and visitors to his home were regularly pressed to take several newly-planted cuttings or seedlings when they left. He took up distance running late in life, participating in and completing marathon races in Washington, New York, Boston, and elsewhere, all after the age of 55. He loved sharing stories related to his experiences and interests, usually with extraordinary detail. Nothing was more important to him, however, than his family, and nothing gave him more pleasure than being able to spend time with and do things for them. He moved to Virginia Beach in 2004 to be closer to his beloved grandchild. He is survived by his son, Lawrence Glanzer (and wife, Mary Anne), of Chesapeake, daughter, JoAyn Glanzer, of Arlington, Va,. grandson, Mark, and many nieces and nephews (and their children). The family express their gratitude to the Cardiac Care Unit of Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, the nurses, aides and staff of Beth Sholom Village, and the nurses and staff of Freda H. Gordon Hospice and Palliative Care, all of whom provided support, kindness and care during the final months of life. A graveside service will take place at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined. Contributions may be made to a local foodbank or homeless shelter. Online condolences may be shared with
the family at www.hdoliver.com.
Allen Joseph Gordon Virginia Beach—Allen Joseph Gordon, 89, died Tuesday, June 9, 2020, at home. He was a native and lifelong resident of Southeastern Virginia and was the son of the late Isaac Gordon and Mollie Friedman Gordon. He was predeceased by his brother, Tavia Gordon, and his sisters, Edith Lindsey and Sara Schutz. He graduated from Maury High School, obtained his undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary, his law degree from the MarshallWythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary, and was awarded a fellowship at New York University School of Law where he obtained a Masters in Laws (in Taxation). He served his country in the United States Army and was a veteran of the Korean War. He practiced law in the Tidewater area for over 60 years, was a founding member and former president of the Chesapeake Bar Association, and served as a Substitute Judge. He was a lifelong member of Congregation Beth El in Norfolk and a member of many other organizations. He was also a founding member of Hebrew Academy of Tidewater (now known as Strelitz International Academy). Survivors include his loving wife of 55 years, Barbara S. Gordon, his children, Michele Gordon and her husband, Pat Levy, of Greensboro, N.C., Suzanne Gordon, and her husband, Evan Rappaport, of New York, NY, and Erik Gordon and his wife, Samantha, of Hampton Roads, along with his brother, Daniel Gordon, of Norfolk, 10 grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. A graveside service took place. Memorial donations to Congregation Beth El, Beth Sholom Home of Eastern Virginia, or Strelitz International Academy. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts. Online condolences to the family at hdoliver.com. Alfred William Lehman Richmond—Alfred William Lehman was born on September 19, 1926 to Ethel and Max Lehman, Russian immigrants who settled in Richmond. He passed away on
Obituaries June 13, 2020. Alfred attended Thomas Jefferson High School and was the very 1st “First Captain” of the Thomas Jefferson High School Cadet Corps. Afterwards, he joined the Navy and attended the University of Richmond, Bethany College and graduated from UVA. He served the Navy and was honorably discharged as a Lieutenant Junior Grade. Alfred met his future wife, Gladys on a blind date. Alfred and Gladys married after a six month romance. Alfred and Gladys had four children and they continued to have a loving and happy family for 63 years of marriage. Alfred continually worked at Atlantic Electrical Supply Corporation, a company his father founded, from 1949 until retiring at 91 years young. Alfred was a man of integrity and had lifelong relationships with many of his customers. Alfred continued to play golf at least twice a week with his longtime friend and brother-inlaw, Dicky Flax. When Gladys was stricken with Alzheimer’s, Alfred visited her everyday while she was struggling through this disease. The love of his life died in December 2016. Alfred is survived by his four children, Dr. Robert Lehman, Laurence Lehman, Nancy Newman (Andrew), Richard Lehman (Amy Beth); and five grandchildren, Rebecca Newman, Michael Lehman, Brian Newman (Stacey), Jacob Lehman, and Ari Lehman; and great grandchild, Ella Newman. We will miss his wisdom, and gentlemanly manner but most of all your brilliant sense of, “what was that city in Arizona?…Yuma!” A graveside service took place.
Kurt M. Rosenbach Norfolk—Kurt Michael Rosenbach, 97, passed away June 6, 2020. A native of Kassel, Germany, he was the son of the late Felix and Frieda Sternberg Rosenbach. He was a graduate of the University of Baltimore, earning his BA in accounting and later his CPA degree. Kurt went on to work as comptroller for Schleisner Company (a women’s specialty store) in Baltimore. He moved to Norfolk in 1955
and began a 30-year-career with Rices Nachmans Department store as CFO, then executive vice president and finally as chairman and CEO. Following the sale of Rices, he began a 23-year career (as senior vice president) with Haynes Furniture before retiring in 2008. He was active in many local business and philanthropic organizations throughout the area including chairman of the United Way of South Hampton Roads, founding president of the Downtown Norfolk Council, president of Ohef Sholom Temple and the Ohef Sholom Temple Foundation; director of the Norfolk Foundation, member of the executive committee and board of directors for the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, as well as countless other groups and organizations. He was the recipient of the Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews (now known as the Virginia Center For Inclusive Communities),
the Lifetime Achievement Award from Volunteer Hampton Roads and numerous other awards for civic achievement. Kurt is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Rose R. Rosenbach of Norfolk, daughters Carolyn R. Perlman (Michael) of Richmond, Marcy R. Terkeltaub (Paul) of Virginia Beach, son Murray S. Rosenbach (Lisa) of Virginia Beach;
nine grandchildren; Jennifer (Jeremy), Erin (Greg), Melissa (Brian), Brandon (Callah), Jamie and fiance (Dustin), Staci (Jason), Stephanie (Joel), Melissa and Andie; two great grandchildren; Jacob and Jackson, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family. He was preceded in death by his brother Hans continued on page 22
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Obituaries continued from page 21
and daughter-in-law Kathy. A graveside service was officiated by Rabbis Rosalin Mandelberg and Lawrence Forman and Cantor Jennifer Rueben. Memorial donations to the Ohef Sholom Temple Foundation, Tidewater Jewish Foundation or the Hampton Roads Community Foundation. Online condolences may be offered at hdoliver. com or Kurtsfriends2020@gmail.com.
Felice Saks Norfolk—Felice Mae Saks, 86, died peacefully at home with her family at her side. She is a Norfolk native and the daughter of the late Abram and Jennie Levenstein Abram and was preceded in death by her husband Harvey Saks and her son Jules A. Stern. She was a graduate of Maury High School, West Hampton College, and earned her Masters Degree In English from Old Dominion University. She retired from Tidewater Community College as a professor of English and public speaking after 30 years employment. She was a member of Ohef Sholom Temple. Her love of poetry, literature, Stephen Sondheim, and Casablanca will be long remembered. But above all, she will be remembered for her kindness and compassion. Survivors include her loving daughter Alison Stern-Dunyak and her son-in-law, James Dunyak and her grandson, Alexander H. Dunyak, all of Cambridge, Mass., and several cousins and countless friends. A graveside funeral was held in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens with Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg officiating. Memorial donations to Doctors Without Borders, TCC Educational Foundation, or the charity of the donor’s choice. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts. Helen W. Shapiro Norfolk—Helen Bell Walker Shapiro, 79, passed away at her home in Norfolk on Monday, June 8, 2020, after a brief, but brave struggle with cancer. Helen was born in February of 1941 in Norfolk, Va. and grew up on Bute Street. At Maury High School she discovered a
lifelong passion for writing and research, and quickly put it into action as a youth reporter at the Virginian-Pilot. She earned a B.A. in English from the College of William and Mary, and an M.A. from the University of Virginia. She taught for several years at high schools in Philadelphia, Pa., and Charlottesville, Va., and was an instructor at Old Dominion University, Virginia Wesleyan, and other local colleges. She was active in numerous community organizations including Hadassah and the American Association of University Women. Helen was a selfless caretaker who was devoted to her family. She lovingly cared for her mother; she was a dedicated and steadfast partner to her husband, Sam; she raised two sons; and she loved time spent with her grandchildren. Helen was a lifelong learner who cultivated a rich variety of intellectual interests, including family history, genealogical research, art history, and culture. She was happiest pursuing these interests while traveling the world with her husband and sons. She was preceded in death by her father Clyde Sefton Walker and her beloved mother, Dorothy Busky Walker. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Dr. Samuel L. Shapiro of Norfolk; two sons, Stephen (Benoit Wohlgroth) of Bennington, Vermont and David of Washington, D.C.; and two grandchildren, Samantha and Nathan Shapiro. In recent years, she was happy to nurture ties with cousins Faye Drew and Paul Walker. A graveside ceremony was held for family at the Hebrew Cemetery, in Norfolk. Memorial donations to the charity of one’s choice. H. D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Online at www.hdoliver.com.
simon Family JCC
Simon Family JCC Expands Hours Monday–Thursday: 5 am–7 pm Friday: 5 am–6 pm Saturday–Sunday: 8 am–6pm
A
fter the first successful week of operations during Governor Ralph Northam’s Phase Two of reopening, the Simon Family JCC made the decision to expand its hours and to remove the requirement to register to use the Fitness Center. Registration for classes, open gym, pool, and pickelball slots are still required. “Our first week’s reopening went so smoothly, in part because we were prepared,” says Betty Ann Levin, Simon Family JCC executive vice president/CEO. “Our staff continues to be diligent about adhering to all regulations as put forth by the governor and the CDC in order to maintain a clean and safe environment for our members, as well as for our instructors and trainers.” In addition to the new hours, showers are available for use, although there is no towel service. Plus, nearly 50 classes are offered during the week–spread throughout the building and in the indoor and outdoor pools, as well as an additional 15 classes outside. The Fitness Center offers state-of-theart cardio and weight equipment. “Our members were so excited to return and they immediately asked for the
Zumba class.
Zumba class.
Signs are placed on machines to assure social distancing.
extended hours,” says Tom Purcell, Simon Family JCC Wellness director. “We are just thrilled that we can accommodate the requests, while maintaining safe distances between each member working out or taking a class.” Barb Gelb, a JCC member, says she was happy to return to the Campus to swim. “Everything was perfect,” she says. “It was so clean, signage was clear, and it was just a pleasure to be back.”
To view the class schedule, see all that is open, including The Cardo Café, register for classes and pool time, and read current guidelines for participation, go to simonfamilyjcc.org or call 757-321-2338. Fitness Center.
Indoor pool.
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