CONGREGATION OR CHADASH’S SEVENTH GRADE YOUTH PHILANTHROPY PROGRAM donated $5,500 raised throughout the year to programs that strengthen the rights and enhance the well-being of individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. At the congregation’s annual meeting May 7, the students gave $3,500 to the GLS Education Network Safe Schools Project, which provides training for teachers, counselors and administrators to address sexual harassment and bullying of LGBT high school students. Wingspan received $2,000 for camp programs for transgender and gender nonconforming youth and their families.
KERI LAZARUS SILVYN is starting a law practice with her father, Larry Lazarus, and her professional mentor, Frank Bangs. The firm, LAZARUS, SILVYN AND BANGS, will practice in the areas of land use and development law, with offices in Tucson and Phoenix. Silvyn was a partner at Lewis and Roca LLP, where she worked for more than 13 years. Silvyn is president of the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona and chair of the board of Imagine Greater Tucson.
NICHOLE CHORNY, a teacher and cantorial soloist at CONGREGATION ANSHEI ISRAEL, was recently awarded the national Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Chorny was also named Southern Arizona Oustanding Judaic Educator of the Year by the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona at its annual meeting and awards celebration May 10.
FRIENDS OF THE IDF ARIZONA CHAPTER hosted Avi Issacharoff, Palestinian and Arab affairs correspondent for Ha’aretz, at an event last month in Paradise Valley. FIDF National Director Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yitzhak (Jerry) Gershon, FIDF President Julian Josephson and FIDF Regional Direcor Nir Benzvi also attended, along with more than 100 supporters of the group. A Tucson FIDF event will be held in the fall.
