Hanukkah is a minor holiday on the religious calendar, but it has become an important time to celebrate Jewish joy and express Jewish pride. There are many Hanukkah happenings around Southern Arizona this year, with festivities starting several weeks before the first candle on Friday, Dec. 4. Many congregations will celebrate Shabbat Hanukkah on Dec. 4. Here’s a roundup of events (check the Community Calendar or your favorite synagogues/organizations for additions): Saturday, Nov. 14 5-8:45 p.m.: Kol Ami Synagogue’s Festival of Jewish Joy is not primarily a Hanukkah event, but there will be an artisans’ market featuring Hanukkah gifts… Read more »
JFCS to Mark 80 Years of Service With Block Party, Mural Reveal
Members of the Holocaust Survivors group that meets at Jewish Family & Children's Services of Southern Arizona got a preview of the new JFCS mural on Sept. 22. (L-R:) Severin Szperling, Theresa Dulgov, mural artist Pen Macias, Sara Lichter (wife of survivor Pawel Lichter, of blessed memory), Sidney Finkel and his partner, Barbara Agee. (Photo courtesy JFCS) Jewish Family & Children’s Services (JFCS) is commemorating its 85th year of delivering essential social services to individuals and families of all backgrounds with the gift of a large-scale mural to the Southern Arizona community. The artwork by local muralist Pen Macias, painted on an exterior wall of… Read more »
How to Show Up for a Woman Facing Cancer: Advice from the ‘Pink & Purpose’ Panel
TTC's Oct. 6, 2026, 'Pink & Purpose' panel included, from left, Lindsey Baker, who navigated breast cancer in her mid-30s; genetic counselor Alexa Cook; and clinical psychologist Rina Fox. (Willo Art Photography by Christy Pickrell) At times, building community starts with a simple conversation. At Pink & Purpose, an event hosted by Tucson Torah Center (TTC) Tribe in Tucson on Oct. 6, more than 60 women came together to learn about breast and gynecological cancers, hear from local Jewish professionals working in the cancer… Read more »
Faith in Fair Elections: Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center Earns Ignition Grant to Strengthen Voter Confidence
Pima County Recorder Gabriela Cazares-Kelly speaks about mail-in ballots at the Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center on Sept. 24. At right is Pima County Elections Director Constance Hargrove. (Photo courtesy TJMHC) Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center has been awarded an Ignition Grant from A More Perfect Union, making it one of only 50 Jewish organizations nationwide, and one of only two in Arizona, selected to lead nonpartisan work protecting the 2026 midterm election. The grant funds TJMHC’s Faith in… Read more »
Men Build Connections on ‘L’Dor V’Dor at the Shore’ Fishing Trip
The L'Dor V'Dor at the Shore group returns from a morning of fishing off Coronado Island. Yotam Shmargad, 42, is happy he joined the Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona L’Dor V’Dor at the Shore fishing trip — and not just because he caught an ocean whitefish. Coordinated by JPSA Young Leadership Manager Nate Weisband, the trip, which brought together 33 men from across generations… Read more »
Z3@Tucson Returns November 15
A panel discusion at Z3@Tucson in 2025 featured, from left, Chloe Loos, director of Arts + Culture at the Tucson J, Dr. David Hazony, director of the Z3 Institute, and Dr. David Graizbord, Ph.D., director of the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Arizona On Sunday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Tucson J will host the second annual Z3@Tucson, themed HaTikvah Shelanu, Our Shared Hope, one of several Z3@ gatherings taking place in communities across the country. It is presented in partnership with the Weintraub Israel Center, a program… Read more »
Managing Grief in its Many Forms
Erika Frost of Thema Hospice leads a Growth through Grief class at Handmaker on Oct. 6, 2026. (Photo: Nanci Levy/Handmaker)
“Grief is love with nowhere to go.” These poignant words were shared by Erika Frost, grief support specialist at Thema Hospice, during the first session of a four-week class series being offered at Handmaker this month. By the time people reach their 70s, many have experienced the loss… Read more »
Of Blessed Memory: Dr. Nathaniel Bloomfield
Dr. Nathaniel Bloomfield passed away peacefully on Oct. 12, 2026 at age 95. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Joseph and Henrietta (Namen) Bloomfield, he was predeceased by older brothers Richard and Daniel and is survived by younger brother David (Chicago). Ned served in the U.S. Army and pursued a… Read more »
TTC Plans “Pink & Purpose” Panel Discussion Highlighting Cancer Awareness
(L-R:) Lindsey Baker, Alexa Cook, and Rina Fox will be the panelists for TTC Tribe's "Pink and Purpose" event. Tucson Torah Center's TTC Tribe hosts a Pink & Purpose panel on women's health and cancer awareness on Tuesday, October 6.… Read more »




