Yearly Archives 2018

(JTA) — In 2014, early on in a three-year stint spent living in Israel, songwriter Ben Fisher took a vacation to Japan. Sitting in a hotel room in Tokyo, he spontaneously wrote a song about the founding of Tel Aviv — in about 15 minutes. The story goes that… Read more »

(JTA) — A former guard at a Nazi concentration camp was deported to Germany overnight from the United States, where he had lived for decades. Jakiw Palij, 95, had lived in Queens, New York. He served as a guard at the Trawniki concentration camp near Lublin, Poland, during World… Read more »

Like many heavily Orthodox sections of Brooklyn, Borough Park has been served for decades by an all-male volunteer ambulance corps called Hatzalah. The corps caters to a religious Jewish community with particular needs and customs — including one custom that can increase the tension for some patients in already… Read more »

Carlos Galindo-Elvira

On Aug. 12, 2017, the nation was gripped by the shocking scene of hundreds of white supremacists taking to the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia, bellowing racist and anti-Semitic chants. While some wore polo shirts and others waved Nazi flags, their message was clear: non-whites and minorities have no place… Read more »

Myles K. Beck

Myles K. Beck received the Edwin N. Sommer Award from Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity at its 2018 International Convention in Los Angeles on July 14. The award is presented occasionally to a ZBT alumnus for “selfless dedication to the ideals of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity.” Beck is a 1967… Read more »

Elder Camp volunteer Rina Ornela Ybarra and Ofelia Morales, a seven-semester veteran of Elder Rehab, show off arts and crafts creations.

J’s one-day adult camp lets grown-ups in on summer fun Thirty-seven campers joined the Tucson Jewish Community Center’s one-day adult camp on July 29, enjoying traditional camp activities such as a talent show as well as a variety of class options, including cooking, yoga and J-Wave Glide-Fit… Read more »

Hochberg-Lappitt Rachel Hochberg and Andrew Lappitt were married on July 8, 2018 at The Wilshire Grand Hotel in West Orange, New Jersey, with Rabbi Cecelia Beyer officiating. Rachel is the daughter of Sharon and Mark Hochberg of Plainview, New York. She graduated from the University of Arizona, receiving a… Read more »

Susannah Castro recently joined the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona as Women’s Philanthropy director. She brings over 15 years of experience in nonprofit administration, including posts focused on community outreach, development, and public relations, most recently as director of operations for the Star Foundation. In August 2015, she founded… Read more »

Mitzvah Magic, a program that provides baskets of Jewish holiday goods and everyday basics three times a year for local Jewish families in need, is a win-win, says longtime volunteer Iris Posin, who is co-chairing the program this year with Andra Karnofsky. Not only do families receive items that… Read more »

Look for some new directions in arts and culture programming at the Tucson Jewish Community Center with the addition of a dynamic duo of new managers, Katie Spector and Jeremy Thompson. Together they will focus on enriching community development, using innovative and creative ways to bring more people and… Read more »

Each year, the Jewish Federations of North America invites professionals and lay leaders to participate in a mission that highlights the unique challenges, programs and impact of federations’ overseas funding. In mid-July, Melissa Goldfinger, Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona 2019 Campaign chair; Leslie Glaze, JFSA Women’s Philanthropy Campaign chair;… Read more »

The Jewish History Museum, open by appointment only during the summer, will reopen Friday, Aug. 31, with a new core exhibition, “Meanings Not Yet Imagined.” “Meanings Not Yet Imagined” is the final stage of a curatorial project that began with the installation of the Holocaust History Center’s “Intimate Histories”… Read more »

Three concerts at Temple Emanu-El this fall offer a mix of jazz, classical and what can only be described as “an instrument petting zoo.” “First, we’re bringing in two really genre-bending jazz bands on Aug. 25,” says Robert Lopez-Hanshaw, choir director at Temple Emanu-El. The headliner is Resurrecting Id,… Read more »

“I just need to know, just what makes you glow.” —Jacob Spike Kraus, What Makes You Glow Tucson High School for Jewish Studies (Hebrew High) graduated 10 students at its 40th commencement in May. The seniors planned their own Glow-themed celebration, facilitated by Hebrew High Co-chair Sarah Artzi. “Throughout… Read more »

The Tucson Jewish community will hold its annual Project Isaiah food drive benefiting the Community Food Bank from Aug. 24-Sept.20. The project, timed to coincide with the High Holy Days, is named for the Prophet Isaiah. When asked why we fast on Yom Kippur, he responded, “Is it not… Read more »

Thirteen members of the Tucson Jewish Artists will present a group show, “Simcha,” in the Fine Art Gallery at the Tucson Jewish Community Center Aug. 26-Oct. 3. The group, which numbers around 25 visual artists, meets several times a year under the auspices of the Tucson Jewish… Read more »

Michael McDonald

Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona CEO and President Michael McDonald will be the guest speaker during the annual Taste of Or Chadash, which starts next week. On Tuesday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m., McDonald will discuss how nonprofits navigate paradoxes to accomplish charitable missions. “Feeding Tzedakah: Charity and… Read more »

Esther Becker will present the annual Women’s Academy of Jewish Studies women’s book brunch on Sunday, Sept. 16 at Congregation Chofetz Chayim. She found this year’s book by a happy accident. “Several weeks ago in Jerusalem, Rabbi and I were searching for a specific bookshop with the… Read more »

Recent Israeli high school graduate Ron Benacot’s get-to-know-you video for the Tucson Jewish community is rich with sight gags: see her jump up and down as she plays fetch with her impassive dog, or step up to hefty barbells only to lift the lighter weights they conceal (see www.bit.ly/ronvid).… Read more »

ARIZONA REPERTORY THEATRE www.theatre.arizona.edu • 621-1162 Arizona Repertory Theatre is a unique theatre company within the University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television. ART presents six productions each season with over 100 performances from September through May. Modeled after professional theatre companies, ART consists of students… Read more »