Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA

Norfolk, located in the Hampton Roads (or Tidewater) region in Virginia, is a true hidden gem! Where else can you live in a tight-knit Jewish community and be within an hour of multiple beaches, Colonial Williamsburg, prominent Universities, major scientific research centers (including NASA), and the largest Navy base in the world?

Hampton Roads, which loosely describes Southeastern Virginia from near Williamsburg all the way to the Oceanfront, is a beautiful area with a warm, loving community just a drive or train ride from Baltimore and NYC. The frum community mostly lives in the Norfolk neighborhood of Ghent, a vibrant, walkable, and affordable area near downtown. Close to jobs and transit, homes within the eruv are in the 400-600s, and the community is adjacent to major hospitals including a well-regarded children's hospital (CHKD).

We currently have one dairy cafe and a meat restaurant/deli, Cold Stone Creamery, Krispy Kreme, Cinnaholic, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and other local establishments under VAAD supervision. A wide range of kosher products is sold in major grocery stores (Wegmans, Publix, Trader Joe’s, etc.) across the area, including the community’s Harris Teeter with multiple dedicated kosher sections. Establishments in Baltimore and Lakewood make recurring deliveries across the region.

Founded in 1946, B'nai Israel Congregation is the oldest continuously operating Orthodox synagogue in the region. Our neighborhood also includes a Chabad shul and a thriving Kollel. Another Chabad shul is located at the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, only a 25-minute drive away. We have two elementary schools, a middle school, a boys' high school, and a girls' high school. Please contact us for further details on tuition waivers/discounts and government support programs. We look forward to hearing from you and welcoming you to our growing community soon!IncentivesFirst-year shul membership dues waived
First-year tuition waived (for qualified families)
Discounted JCC membership if enrolled in a community school.