This is the final part of a series on the Jewish agency volunteers who received 2018 Special Recognition Awards at the Jewish Community Awards Celebration, held May 10.
The Jewish History Museum recognized a pair of volunteers, Lynda Rogoff and Linda Tumarkin, for outstanding service, because they are such close friends and outstanding co-workers.
Rogoff and Tumarkin are the regular Wednesday docents and greeters, and make a fabulous team, says the museum’s director of operations, Lisa Schachter-Brooks. “Word must be out that Wednesdays is their day because it is the busiest day of the week,” she says, adding, “They gracefully handle large groups and manage both spaces easily. Both are also responsible for bringing people into the museum as visitors.
“They served on the Fall Benefit event planning committee and, of her own accord, Linda visited concierges at many local hotels to take brochures and to share the work of the museum. They bring their longtime love of and involvement in the Tucson Jewish community to their work here as community ambassadors at the Jewish History Museum.”
Rogoff moved to Tucson 40 years ago with her husband, Ed, and immediately began volunteering in the Jewish community. That is when she struck up an enduring friendship with Tumarkin. “So, it’s even more special to share this honor of recognition with her,” says Rogoff. She is a past president of the Tucson Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Women’s Division (now Women’s Philanthropy), a JFSA life board member and past JFSA Woman of the Year.
One of Rogoff’s many volunteer jobs, a couple of decades ago, was taking Holocaust survivors into local schools to speak. “It was such a haunting yet inspiring experience,” she recalls. “When the Holocaust [History] Center opened, I knew that I had to be there. It’s been incredible to see first-hand how we continue to honor the survivors, to teach students what happened and what continues to happen today.” Rogoff also loves talking about the JHM’s structure, which is the first synagogue in Arizona, built in 1910, and the history surrounding it. “We have a gem in our community that everyone must visit!”
Tumarkin arrived in Tucson in 1971 with her husband, Gerry, and young family. “We found a home with our wonderful, welcoming and growing Jewish community. I’ve had the opportunity to learn and grow personally through my continuous involvement, and to work with incredible people,” she says. Along the way, she served as Jewish Community Relations Council chair, JFSA president and, with Gerry, led five interfaith missions to Israel. She is currently on the Jewish Community Foundation board.
An enthusiastic “greeter” at the museum, she loves being there for many reasons. “It has given me the opportunity to constantly learn, to interact with fascinating people from all over the country and the world, to be an ambassador for our Jewish community, to work with an excellent staff, and the icing on the cake is to spend time with my best friend Lynda. I’m honored to share this award with her.”
The Jewish History Museum recognized a pair of volunteers, Lynda Rogoff and Linda Tumarkin, for outstanding service, because they are such close friends and outstanding co-workers.
Rogoff and Tumarkin are the regular Wednesday docents and greeters, and make a fabulous team, says the museum’s director of operations, Lisa Schachter-Brooks. “Word must be out that Wednesdays is their day because it is the busiest day of the week,” she says, adding, “They gracefully handle large groups and manage both spaces easily. Both are also responsible for bringing people into the museum as visitors.
“They served on the Fall Benefit event planning committee and, of her own accord, Linda visited concierges at many local hotels to take brochures and to share the work of the museum. They bring their longtime love of and involvement in the Tucson Jewish community to their work here as community ambassadors at the Jewish History Museum.”
Rogoff moved to Tucson 40 years ago with her husband, Ed, and immediately began volunteering in the Jewish community. That is when she struck up an enduring friendship with Tumarkin. “So, it’s even more special to share this honor of recognition with her,” says Rogoff. She is a past president of the Tucson Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Women’s Division (now Women’s Philanthropy), a JFSA life board member and past JFSA Woman of the Year.
One of Rogoff’s many volunteer jobs, a couple of decades ago, was taking Holocaust survivors into local schools to speak. “It was such a haunting yet inspiring experience,” she recalls. “When the Holocaust [History] Center opened, I knew that I had to be there. It’s been incredible to see first-hand how we continue to honor the survivors, to teach students what happened and what continues to happen today.” Rogoff also loves talking about the JHM’s structure, which is the first synagogue in Arizona, built in 1910, and the history surrounding it. “We have a gem in our community that everyone must visit!”
Tumarkin arrived in Tucson in 1971 with her husband, Gerry, and young family. “We found a home with our wonderful, welcoming and growing Jewish community. I’ve had the opportunity to learn and grow personally through my continuous involvement, and to work with incredible people,” she says. Along the way, she served as Jewish Community Relations Council chair, JFSA president and, with Gerry, led five interfaith missions to Israel. She is currently on the Jewish Community Foundation board.
An enthusiastic “greeter” at the museum, she loves being there for many reasons. “It has given me the opportunity to constantly learn, to interact with fascinating people from all over the country and the world, to be an ambassador for our Jewish community, to work with an excellent staff, and the icing on the cake is to spend time with my best friend Lynda. I’m honored to share this award with her.”
