Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Ruth Westheimer promises she won’t talk about sexual satisfaction in her March 8 presentation at the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Women’s Philanthropy annual Connections brunch. Best known as “Dr. Ruth,” Westheimer is an American sex therapist, media personality, author, radio and television talk show host, and Holocaust survivor.… Read more »
(L-R) Rabbi Thomas Louchheim of Congregation Or Chadash, Bryan Davis of Tucson’s Jewish History Museum, and Pastor Margaret Redmond McFaddin of Prince Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church speak at the ‘No Hate No Fear’ solidarity rally Jan. 12 in Barrio Viejo. Photo Courtesy JHM
About 160 people filled the forecourt of Tucson’s Jewish History Museum on Sunday, Jan. 12, for a “No Hate. No Fear” solidarity rally organized by the museum and its next-door neighbor, the Prince Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The rally was a response to rising anti-Semitism in the United… Read more »
Janice Kaplan What began as a challenging idea — to spend a full year living gratefully — became a life-changing experience for author, magazine editor, and producer Janice Kaplan. Her inspirational memoir, “The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Transformed My Life” (Dutton 2015) reached the New… Read more »
Artist Lisa Amie Sturz manipulates a puppet representing Cantor Izo Glickstein as she narrates ‘My Grandfather’s Prayers.’ Photo courtesy Red Herring Puppets
Relocating her well established Red Herring Puppets studio from North Carolina to Tucson last year was a big move for Lisa Amie Sturz. She brings to the Old Pueblo 40 years of experience in building, performing, and directing puppetry for film and television, theater, museums, educational institutions, and special… Read more »
Chabad of Oro Valley will host a community-wide event addressing safety and security on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 2 p.m.. The Oro Valley Police Department will present an “active shooter response” class to provide attendees with strategies for dangerous situations. Since the recent violent attacks against Jewish communities, including… Read more »
Miriam Peretz, left, and Rachel Valfer of the Ladino Project will perform ‘MADRE’ in Tucson on Feb. 2.
The Jewish History Museum is sponsoring “In Diaspora We Are Many,” a festival that explores the Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish cultures. The festival will take place Friday, Jan. 31 through Sunday, Feb. 2. This is the museum’s first Sephardic and Mizrahi festival. “We are holding a Sephardic and… Read more »
Graham Hoffman Donor centrism has become a rallying cry in the Jewish philanthropic giving space. For many modern donors, the ability to see the impact of their funds is essential to their charitable involvement. This results-driven mindset marks a shift from the more hands-off approach taken by prior generations, in which… Read more »
The ultra-Orthodox make up some 13% of Israel’s population. The main cities in which this largely secluded population lives are Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, with large ultra-Orthodox communities in Elad, Betar Illit, and Modi’in Illit. There also are ultra-Orthodox communities in mixed cities such as Sefad, Ashdod, and Tiberius.… Read more »
‘Irises in Bloom’ by Lily Rosenberg, 21 x 24 inches, giclee
The Tucson Jewish Community Center Gallery will present “Elements of Nature through the Artist’s Eye: The works of Lily Rosenberg and Lisa Mishler” Feb. 2–March 14. An artist reception will be held Sunday, Feb. 9, 1:30-3 p.m. Rosenberg uses acrylic paint in a contemporary impressionistic style to express her… Read more »
Women inPower fellows (L-R) Marian Schiltz, Robin Kelley, and Debbie Boggs engage in a self-reflection activity on values.
The Tucson Jewish Community Center launched its 2020 Women inPower Tucson leadership program with a brunch orientation session Jan. 12. The fellows chosen for the pilot program funded by the JCC Association are Elise Bajohr, Debbie Boggs, Gabby Erbst, Katie Filous, Katharine L. Gerst, Maya Horowitz, Robin Kelley, Shannon… Read more »
Thomas Sayler-Brown and John Linder at the Bahai Gardens in Haifa Destination: Israel From Nov. 20-Dec. 5, Thomas Sayler-Brown and his husband, John Linder, traveled as first-timers to Israel. Sayler-Brown, chair of the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation board, planned their itinerary, and did research for a future JPride group trip. The pair are drawn to urban settings, with Thomas… Read more »
Bonnie Schock has been selected as the new executive director of the Fox Tucson Theatre, beginning March 9. Schock comes to Tucson from Red Wing, Minnesota, where she has been executive director of the Sheldon Theatre of Performing Arts since 2015. Along with a Bachelor of Arts from The… Read more »
A Dutch artist is installing a light display commemorating the Holocaust in 150 municipalities ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Daan Roosegaarde’s “Light of Life” project features dark spaces with stones that light up briefly. Roosegaarde chose the theme of stones because Jewish custom is to place them on… Read more »
After cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, women get down to the business of playing mah jongg at a Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona event Jan. 8.
A multi-generational group of more than 100 women gathered Jan. 8 at the Harvey and Deanna Evenchik Center for Jewish Philanthropy for an evening of food and drink, mah jongg — with many newcomers learning the game— and giving, hosted by the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Young Women’s… Read more »
Sarah Katz, 97, died Dec. 25, 2019. Mrs. Katz moved to Tucson from Skokie, Illinois in 1971. She worked at Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging for 25 years, until her retirement. Mrs. Katz was predeceased by her husband of more than 50 years, Jerome Katz. Survivors include her… Read more »
Diana Jo (Zieger) Leeds, 83, died Dec. 26, 2019 in Phoenix. Mrs. Leeds was born in Philadelphia and grew up in New Jersey. She moved to Phoenix in 1953, finished at North High and met her eventual husband, Ron, at Arizona State University. After their marriage, Mrs. Leeds taught… Read more »
Gerald “Jerry/Big D/Grand D” Vegodsky (1929 – 2019) Gerald Vegodsky was born Feb. 12, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York. He married the love of his life, Ruth, in 1950. He was a proud veteran of the Army and did his military service from 1951-1953. He and Ruth moved to… Read more »
Esther Sherberg is the only civilian to be honored with transport toward her final resting place in The Last Alarm Foundation fire truck.
Esther Sherberg, a longtime Tucson resident and Jewish community volunteer, died Jan. 9, 2020, at the age of 86. Services were held Jan. 10 at Evergreen Mortuary, with Rabbi Robert Eisen of Congregation Anshei Israel officiating. Interment was in St. Louis, Missouri. Ms. Sherberg was born Oct. 1, 1933… Read more »
Dr. Jonathan Kay joined Arizona Glaucoma Specialists in June 2019, after graduating from the University of Houston College of Optometry in May 2019. He joined his father, Jeffrey S. Kay, M.D., who founded the practice in 1987, as well as his brother, David B. Kay, M.D., who joined the… Read more »
Emily Miller Grant and David Shapir have announced their engagement. Emily is the daughter of Jennifer Miller Grant and Ron Grant and Stephanie Pearmain, all of Tucson, and the granddaughter of Donna Grant and Gordon Waterfall, Merrill and Virginia Grant, Lee Miller and the late Jerry Miller, and Lee… Read more »
