WILLIAM BENJAMIN GOODMAN, son of Nancy and Michael Goodman, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Sept. 24 at Congregation Or Chadash. He is the grandson of Estelle and the late Martin Abrams of Tucson, the late Gloria and William Goodman of Orlando, Fla., and Elaine and Allen… Read more »
TOREN TEVA WEBBER ROSENZWEIG, a Tucson native, son of Yvonne Webber and Dr. Ephron Rosenzweig, celebrated becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Sept. 3 at Congregation Beth Am in San Diego, Calif. He is the grandson of Nancy Webber of Richmond, Calif., the late Jerry Webber, and Carole and… Read more »
Norman Essex, 89, died Sept. 7, 2011. Born in the Bronx, N.Y., Mr. Essex served in World War II. Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Lillian; children, Merrill (Richard Meliska) Essex of Evanston, Ill., Randall (Christine) Essex of Rockville, Md., and Lauren (Richard) Essex of Del Mar, Calif.;… Read more »
Harvey Burton Evenchik, 82, died Sept. 5, 2011. Born in Elyria, Ohio, Mr. Evenchik graduated from the University of Arizona in 1951. He returned to Ohio to attend Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, where he received his master’s degree in business and also started his first business. Mr. Evenchik… Read more »
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (JTA) – If the Jewish Council on Public Affairs has its way, it won’t be the presidential election, the ailing economy, social justice or personal ethics that top the list of High Holidays sermon topics this year. The public policy group is hoping that the study… Read more »
Sol Hauer, 93, died Sept. 4, 2011. Mr. Hauer moved to Arizona in 1944 to work for the goverment and retired from the Internal Revenue Service. Survivors include his wife of 70 years, Trudy; and children, Michael (Maralyn) Hauer and Barbara (Lyn) Hauer-Doose, all of Tucson; three grandchildren and… Read more »
Jack Trustman, 88, died Aug. 29, 2011. Born in Keego Harbor, Mich., Mr. Trustman graduated from the University of Michagan. He served in World War II, including the Battle of the Bulge, and was decorated with two Bronze Stars. After moving to Tucson in 1959, Mr. Trustman owned an… Read more »
Jeanette Baras, 91, died Aug. 26, 2011. Born in Reading, Pa., Ms. Baras spent the first half of her life there and was a licensed practical nurse. She moved to Tucson in 1970 and was employed by Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging as a nurse. Later, she received… Read more »
Mel Brickman, 85, of Scottsdale, Ariz., died Aug. 26, 2011. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Brickman lived in Tucson for many years. He attended the University of Arizona and served in the U.S. Army in World War II. He was the general manager of several automobile dealerships as well… Read more »
Lester Allan Kohn, 54, died Aug. 15, 2011, in Seward, Alaska. Born in Chicago, Mr. Kohn attended Amphitheatre High School, where he played baseball, and attended the University of Arizona, majoring in chemical engineering. He was a resident of Alaska for 23 years. Survivors include his parents, Ned and… Read more »
WASHINGTON (JTA) — In recent months, the tensions that have characterized relations between the Obama administration and the Netanyahu government have largely receded into the background. The Obama administration is preparing to stand virtually alone with Israel at the United Nations in opposing the Palestinians’ statehood push. A consensus… Read more »
Lt. Lipaz Ela, Shelly Silverman and 1st Sgt. Tomer Bucher at the Birthright Israel reception
In my 20 years of writing this monthly column from September through May, the Rosh Hashanah issue has traditionally highlighted Israel summer travel. This article is no exception. Enjoy! • • • • • Another year, another Tucson Hebrew Academy eighth-grade Israel Discovery trip before middle school graduation. This… Read more »
Protests against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, like this one held in June 2011 by the Iran180 group, are expected to be part of the street theater that will accompany this week's happenings at the United Nations. (Iran 180) NEW YORK (JTA) — With the Palestinians set to submit their bid for statehood as the U.N. General Assembly convenes this week and leaders from around the world descending on New York, there’s going to be a lot going on. Here’s a rundown of what to expect in the… Read more »
Israeli specialists holding their shoes during a demonstration by doctors outside the Barzilai Medical Center in Asheklon, July 26, 2011. (Tsafir Abayov/Flash 90) JERUSALEM (JTA) — Thousands of Israeli doctors spent the last four months engaged in a nationwide strike, using work stoppages, YouTube videos and a final hunger strike by disgruntled medical residents to protest their wages and working hours. Now that the doctors’ strike is over, Israelis are debating whether a… Read more »
Audrey Brooks with a child at the Mevaseret Zion Absorption Center near Jerusalem. (Courtesy JFSA) The story is in the stories. That’s what I learned with 100 others from 37 other communities on the Jewish Federations of North America’s Campaign Chairs and Directors Mission to Moscow and Israel this summer. I heard stories of inspiration, intrigue, courage and hope. I learned that just as… Read more »
Rabbi Israel Becker “Shema Yisroel, Listen Israel!” are the first words uttered by the Kohane, or Jewish priest, in his inspirational speech to the soldiers of Israel before going into battle (Deuteronomy 20:2-3). The purpose of these words was to capture each soldier’s attention. The great medieval French Torah commentator, Rashi (Rabbi… Read more »
“Mr. Prime Minister, I know you are watching us now — I recommend you take a good look: What you see now, this enormous crowd, here and all across Israel, is not the public you know. This is no longer the public that agreed with any decision the governments… Read more »
For Lee Weissman, a Breslov Chasid in Irvine, Calif., the recent onset of Elul caps a spiritual journey he began a month earlier with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.Weissman, a teacher at the Tarbut v’Torah Community Day School in Irvine and a scholar of Southeast… Read more »
Breaking the fast has its own set of traditions. Ashkenazim usually break the fast with something salty, like herring, because they believe the fish restores salt lost by the body while fasting. Herring also was the cheapest fish in Eastern Europe, where the custom originated. Egg and cheese dishes… Read more »
Don’t let Maimonides catch you napping on Rosh Hashanah. His famous quote, “Awake, awake, you slumberers from your sleep, inspect your actions and return” — usually found in the High Holidays prayer book before the sounding of the shofar — is meant as the ultimate shluf alarm, his righteous… Read more »
