Yearly Archives 2014

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the AIPAC Policy Conference was another rhetorical tour-de-force by this most silvered-tongued of Israeli leaders. There were applause lines for almost everyone. Once again, Netanyahu promised to defend Israel against an Iranian nuclear threat and to be beholden to no other nation in… Read more »

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Questions of personal status are among the most sensitive issues in Judaism and thus require responsible rabbinic leadership. That is one reason why there was such an outcry last year when Israel’s Chief Rabbinate refused to allow my teacher, Rabbi Avi Weiss, to vouch for the… Read more »

Newly ordained rabbis from Hebrew Union College's class of 2013 in Cincinnati celebrate with their ordination certificates outside the historic Plum Street Temple. (Janine Spang)

NEW YORK (JTA) — Dear Friend, I understand you’re thinking of becoming a rabbi. Mazel tov! Getting into a seminary shouldn’t be too hard. During the decade between the mid-1990s and mid-2000s, four consequential new rabbinical schools opened in America: the liberal Orthodox Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in Riverdale, N.Y.; the Conservative movement’s… Read more »

Col. Dr. Eyal Fruchter, head of the IDF Mental Health Department, said he does not see increased violence among members of the Israeli army, but his recent work in attention bias modification supports other research by Professor Golan Shahar about Israeli desensitization to violence.

Fifteen seconds. That’s how long a resident of Sderot has from the time a Code Red alert is announced until a Palestinian rocket strikes the town or is intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. In other southern Israeli communities, one might have 30 seconds, maybe even a… Read more »

(JTA) — After a Polish court tossed out a government regulation permitting kosher slaughter in 2012, Poland’s $500 million ritual slaughter industry was expected to be brought to its knees. Evidence shows, however, that not only was kosher slaughter still being performed in Poland as recently as this month,… Read more »

Nickolay Lamm's cousins play with a prototype of the Lammily doll. (Courtesy Nickolay Lamm)

 NEW YORK (JTA) — Almost exactly 55 years after Barbie made her debut at the American International Toy Fair, a more realistically proportioned alternative to the iconic fashion doll has become a crowdfunding sensation, raising more than $400,000 in a week and a half to begin production. The Lammily doll,… Read more »

In light of a ship caught carrying aggressive weapons, aimed at terrorizing his fellow countrymen, the leader delivered a firm message, warning that neither his country “nor the world community of nations can tolerate deliberate deception and offensive threats on the part of any nation, large or small. We… Read more »

Washington – In the past week, I had the honor of spending several days with Ami Ayalon, a decorated Israeli war hero and former commander of the Israeli navy and head of the Shin Bet security service from 1995 to 2000. Ayalon was in the United States to address… Read more »

LOS ANGELES (JTA) — During shiva for my mother, my father gathered my brothers and me to share a letter in which she expressed some musings and last wishes. The letter also said that as the sole daughter, I had inherited her jewelry box. In the room in which… Read more »

Jaden Blake Boling, son of Kim Boling of Tucson and Tim Boling of Bedford, Ind., will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, March 15 with Congregation Cha­verim at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. He is the grandson of Marcia and Ken Light of Tucson and the great-grandson of… Read more »

Alexa Contreras, daughter of Alizda Garma and Moises Contreras of Rio Rico, Ariz., will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, March 15 at Temple Emanu-El. She is the granddaughter of Elda and Alfonso Garma of Nogales, Ariz., and Silva and Moises Contreras of Nogales, Sonora. Alexa attends Wade… Read more »

Alexis Hailey Feder, daughter of Anita and Bradley Feder, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, March 22 with Congregation Chaverim at Loews Ventana Canyon. She is the granddaughter of JoAnn Angeles and Jerry and Elayne Feder, all of Tucson. Alexis attends Esperero Canyon Middle School. She enjoys… Read more »

Orson Menashe Lyons, son of Hilary and Patrick Lyons, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on March 22 at Congregation Anshei Israel. Orson is a student at BASIS Tucson North. He enjoys chess, biking and reading. For his mitzvah project, he mentored students with Junior El Tour for the… Read more »

Jacob Elijah Peters, son of Annette Hillman and Tom Peters, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, March 22 at Congregation Or Chadash. He is the grandson of Charles Hillman and the late Donna Hillman of Palm Desert, Calif., and the late Robert and Jean Peters of Chicago.… Read more »

(L-R): Lynn Bultman, JCC senior vice president and CFO; Phyllis Braun, AJP executive editor; Kristin Taft, JCC director of special needs services. (Lori Riegel/AJP)

Operation Sandwich Employees of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and the Tucson Jewish Community Center packed sack lunches on Monday, Feb. 24, for Operation Sandwich, a program that feeds homeless people at the Southside Shelter. Started by Jill Rich, Operation Sandwich provides lunch for 50 homeless people three… Read more »

A son, ARI NATHAN WERT­LIEB, was born Jan. 2, 2014 to Rebecca Light and Josh Wertlieb of Phoenix. Grandparents are Marcia and Ken Light of Tucson and Lorre Polinger and Dr. Donald Wertlieb of West Newton, Mass. Great-grandmothers are Betty Light of Tucson, Geraldine Polinger of Palm Beach, Fla.,… Read more »

BRENNA LACEY will hold a solo exhibit of drawings, paintings, prints and other media at the Jewish Community Foundation, with a wine and cheese reception on Wednesday, March 26 from 5:30-7 p.m. (RSVP to [email protected] or 577-0388). The reception is hosted by JCF and The Drawing Studio. Lacey, a… Read more »

This year, EEGEE’S has designated Interfaith Community Services as the primary recipient of its annual coupon booklet program. Each booklet will be available for a $7 donation and contains $48 worth of monthly discounts on eegee’s food purchases. ICS will receive 75 percent of proceeds from coupon booklets offered… Read more »

Merle Supowitz, 80, died Feb. 24, 2014. Born in Stubenville, Ohio, Mr. Supowitz moved to Johnstown, Pa., as a child and graduated from Southmont High School. After graduating, he joined the Navy. After the Navy, he relocated to Tucson and founded Merle’s Automotive, which he sold later in his… Read more »

Nellya Sare, 86, died Feb. 27, 2014. Mrs. Sare was preceded in death by her husband, Ruvin, and son, Samuel. Survivors include her son, Moysey Sare of Tucson; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Graveside services were held in the Congregation Anshei Israel section of Evergreen Cemetery with Rabbi Yossie… Read more »