MAKE A DATE WITH THE STATE AND JOIN YOUR LEGISLATORS IN RICHMOND

JOIN VIRGINIA JEWISH ADVOCACY DAY on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7; SIGN UP REQUIRED BEFORE MONDAY, JANUARY 29.

Spend a day with your fellow Jewish community members, making an impact by using your voice to educate Tidewater's Delegates and State Senators, advocating on the topics of importance to the Jewish community. Sign-up at: JewishVA.org/DWTS

Some of the issues on the table for this year‘s Virginia Jewish Advocacy Day include combating antisemitism, maintaining security funding for our Jewish institutions, and making sure that the Virginia Israel Advisory Board continues to help Israeli companies build and grow their U.S. operations.

For more information, please visit JewishVA.org/DWTS or contact Julie Kievit at JKievit@ujft.org or 757-965-6112. 

BEYOND BORDERS: UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY OF THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT

10-WEEK COURSE on TUESDAYS, 6:45 PM • BEGINS JANUARY 16 • ONLINE ONLY 

Examine maps, media documents, original speeches and the famous "Balfour Declaration" with new eyes, as we study the roots of the conflict between Jews and Arabs over the modern State of Israel. Taught by Dr. Amy K. Milligan, this course encompasses the return of the Jews to the land, the role of the British, the Cold War, the rise of Palestinian nationalism, the 1967 War, and the post-1967 vision for a “Greater Israel” — including the initial rise of Islamic fundamentalism.

From religion and culture to history, politics, economics, identity, and survival, the material is designed to encourage discussion and debate, helping students have a better understanding of the historical context of the current Israel-Hamas war.

Course cost: $295. Receive $100 off by using the discount code JFS100 before January 6. Additional scholarships are available upon request. JewishVA.org/Melton for more info and to register. 

EMPOWER STUDENTS (AND FAMILIES) AGAINST ANTISEMITISM SERIES

SUNDAY, JANUARY 7 at 2:00 PM • SANDLER FAMILY CAMPUS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 7:30 PM • ZOOM

Join fellow high school and college students — and their families — in the second installment of the "Empowering Students" series.  

The next session is in-person at the JCC: "BeAware, Situational Awareness on Campus and Beyond" with SCN Regional Security Advisor, Mike Goldsmith. He will lead a student-specific training followed by roundtable discussions. 

The third session, held over Zoom, "Israel: A Quick Historical Refresher" will be led by long-time senior professional of AIPAC, Ambassador Brad Gordon, as he provides a fast-paced history of Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Both events are FREE to the community, but require pre-registration. Visit JewishVA.org/EmpoweringStudents to sign up. 
This program is present by the Konikoff Center for Learning, as a part of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and community partners’ Israel Today.

SAVE-THE-DATE AND BUY TICKETS TO VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF JEWISH FILM

FEBRUARY 18 - 28 • VARIOUS THEATERS AND VENUES

One of the longest-running Jewish film festivals in the country educates and engages Jewish and non-Jewish alike by presenting world-class film premieres inspired by Jewish or Israeli history, heritage, and values. Our vision is to create shared experiences and connections through film and cultural programs inspired by Jewish legacy and values.

Films this year include: Remembering Gene Wilder (Saturday, Feb 24), The Catskills (Sunday, Feb 25), The Story of Annette Zelman (Wednesday, Feb 28) and "A Celebration of Israeli Short Films" in memory of the victims of 10/7 (Sunday, Feb 18). For the complete list of films, all trailers, and ticketing, visit JewishVA.org/FilmFest. 

Kids Night Out Babysitting is available at the Simon Family JCC for the BIG Saturday Night Celebration of Jewish Film. Registration required in advance. Space is limited. Register at JewishVA.org/KNO.

Full Festival passes are available for $60 and include entry to all events. Festival Passes must be purchased by Thursday, February 1, 2024.

"STARS AMONG US" PODCAST IS LIVE

 HOLOCAUSTCOMMISSION.ORG/STARSAMONGUS

The Holocaust Commission of the UJFT has released a 10-part podcast series, titled "Stars Among Us," which can be found on the commission's website. A months-long endeavor, the podcast brings to a new medium the stories of Holocaust survivors, rescuers, liberators and their family members who resided in Hampton Roads. 

Each of the episodes include people who were depicted in the stunning coffee table book, To Life: The Past is Present, which was published last Spring. 

Here is a link to the podcast on the Holocaust Commission's website, where you can read show notes, view images of the subjects, and find links to additional resources. You can also find "Stars Among Us" on your favorite podcast venue, including Apple, Spotify, and others. 

For more information, contact Elka Mednick. 

ISRAEL CONNECTION CLUB NOW COMING TO YOU! HOSTS NEEDED

YOU CHOOSE: SUNDAYS (5PM) OR THURSDAYS (6PM)  •  AT YOUR HOUSE!

Israel Club has evolved! Shinshinim Maya and Naomi will bring their love and knowledge of all-things-Israel directly to your home.

As a host, you provide snacks, a comfortable space, and a minimum of 6 kids. Maya and Naomi will bring games, recipes, music, crafts, great energy and more! SIGN UP here. 

Together your kids will discover what Israel’s unique geography is like, talk about (and taste!) the wonderful foods of Israel, see images and learn about the wildlife there, learn about inventions from Israel (and do projects to honor them!), learn about Israel's leading artists while working on crafts inspired by them, and of course discuss some of Israel’s rich history.

Visit the Israel Connection Club page to sign up to host — JewishVA.org/IsraelClub; reach out to Nofar Trem for any questions, 757-321-2334.