“Photograph 51,” a play about Jewish scientist Rosalind Franklin, will be staged at Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway Blvd., from Feb. 20 to March 22. Written by Anna Ziegler and directed by Sabian Trout, the production takes on the puzzle of DNA. Franklin, born to an affluent London… Read more »
Yearly Archives 2014
Abe Chanin, former AJP publisher, Star sports editor, dies
Abe Chanin, a former publisher of the Arizona Jewish Post, longtime Arizona Daily Star sports editor, University of Arizona professor, author and historian, died Feb. 1 in Albuquerque, N.M. He was 92. Mr. Chanin co-published the Arizona Post, as it was then known, with his wife, Mildred, from 1956… Read more »
JCC plans 5th annual Sculpture Garden exhibit
Twelve additions to the Tucson Jewish Community Center’s Sculpture Garden will be unveiled on Sunday, March 9, 1-3 p.m. at the opening of the 5th annual Sculpture Garden exhibition, which features the work of artists from Tucson and across the country. “The goal was to find sculptures that would… Read more »
Disabilities focus for HYLT event
Handmaker Youth Leadership Team will hold a multi-generational event with a disabilities awareness theme on Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m. Youth volunteers and Handmaker residents will learn strategies for communicating with people who have hearing loss, how daily life is affected by vision loss and how daily life… Read more »
Rudner to brandish soft-spoken wit at UA Hillel benefit
Rita Rudner is your typical housewife. She washes dishes, makes beds, folds laundry … then she dashes off to her sold-out show in Las Vegas. “Actually I am making the beds right now,” said Rudner, from her beach home in Dana Point, Calif., which is currently for sale. “We… Read more »
For rescuer’s daughter, tale is life’s work
“From Darkness to Light,” the theme of the 2014 Connections brunch, raises the question of individual responsibility to others — a Jewish value — regardless of the risk. Jeannie Smith, the daughter of Polish Righteous Among the Nations rescuer Irene Gut OpDyke, will be the keynote speaker at this… Read more »
Liberal Judaism alive and well, says Yoffie
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism, supports what he calls “passionate pluralism” in the Jewish world — not one right way of being Jewish. He’s coming to Tucson as Temple Emanu-El’s scholar-in-residence from Thursday, Feb. 27 to Saturday, March 1 “to combat stereotypes that… Read more »
PCC to share joy of ‘Fiddler’ with community
Working on Pima Community College’s upcoming production of “Fiddler on the Roof” has been “an absolute joy,” says director Todd Poelstra. “More than anything we’ve done, this event, from the first moment we announced it — it’s just been a positive response. ‘Oh, that’s one of my favorite shows… Read more »
To the bat cave! with Israel Center lecture
What do the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and the Israel Defense Forces have in common? Bats. Yes, that’s right. A dozen species of these nocturnal flying mammals have made their summer home in a collection of abandoned army bunkers along the border with Jordan. And… Read more »
Israelis should show John Kerry some gratitude
John Kerry is not the first U.S. secretary of state trying to broker peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Nor the first to be rewarded with angry Israeli response for his efforts. James Baker, for one, is still perceived today as one of the secretaries most hostile to Israel. Kerry,… Read more »
Boycotting Israeli companies is anti-Israel
NEW YORK (JTA) — The hostile intentions of the international boycott, divestment and sanctions movement toward Israel are clear. But some believe it is possible to be pro-Israel while supporting just a little BDS — boycotting Israeli businesses located on the West Bank but not those within pre-1967 Israel.… Read more »
As confab nears, AIPAC still trying to figure out its legislative agenda
WASHINGTON (JTA) — The highlight of AIPAC’s year is the final day of its annual policy conference, when thousands of activists ascend Capitol Hill to lobby for the passage of the organization’s legislative priorities. But just three weeks before the conference, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is facing… Read more »
Non-Orthodox say pluralist conversion institute not living up to promise
JERUSALEM (JTA) — In the years after he moved to Israel from Uruguay in 1995, Rabbi Mauricio Balter brought nearly 500 South American families to the Jewish state, some of whom settled near his home on the northern coast. A handful of the new arrivals were not Jews by… Read more »
My valentine to American Jewish men
(JTA) — On Valentine’s Day, I’d like to sing the praises of American Jewish men. I’m aware it’s a rather large group, but that’s the point: The United States is a sea of plenty for Jewish men. Whereas in Britain, where I grew up, there are only about 300,000… Read more »
Israeli breast cancer survivor filling a niche with nipples
KFAR SABA, Israel (JTA) — Michelle Kolath-Arbel squeezes a nipple, rolling it in her fingers with a look of mild disgust. This model, which Kolath-Arbel ordered from China two years ago for $50, is thick and crude and took three months to arrive in the mail. “It was hard,… Read more »
Sochi ready for Jewish arrivals
(JTA) — Soft sand and turquoise beaches make Sochi a lovely holiday destination, but this coastal Russian city is less than ideal for providing religious services to large numbers of Jewish visitors. With few native Jews and only one resident rabbi, the Black Sea resort of 400,000 residents would… Read more »
In focus 1.31.14
A Tucson Tu B’Shevat More than 100 people attended a Tu B’Shevat celebration on Thursday, Jan. 16 sponsored by the Weintraub Israel Center, the Tucson Jewish Community Center and the Congregation Or Chadash religious school. The holiday is known as the “New Year for the Trees” and the event… Read more »
Maya Grace Levy
Maya Grace Levy, daughter of Nanci and Douglas Levy, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Feb. 15 at Temple Emanu-El. She is the granddaughter of Ginette and Ronnie Ogur of Syosset, N.Y., and Judith and the late Alan Leonard Levy of Greenwich Village, N.Y. Maya attends Tucson… Read more »
Jacob Frazier Goode
Jacob Frazier Goode, son of Tracy and Joel Goode, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Feb. 8 at Temple Emanu-El. He is the grandson of Gail and Michael Goode of Tucson, Flo Frazier of Reading, Pa., and Doug Frazier of Florida. Jacob attends Esperero Canyon Middle School,… Read more »
Weisz-Stantus
Deborah Weisz, daughter of Shelly Abell and Dan Weisz of Tucson, and Kyle Stantus, son of Connie and Paul Stantus of Libby, Mont., announce their engagement. Deborah, a graduate of Arizona State University, is a development officer at Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation. Kyle, also a graduate of Arizona State… Read more »