Four Southern Arizona synagogues have recently joined the Jewish Community Roundtable and the Synagogue-Federation Dialogue: Beth Shalom Temple Center in Green Valley, Congregation Beit Simcha, Chabad of Oro Valley, and Chabad of Sierra Vista. The Jewish Community Roundtable and the Syn-Fed Dialogue facilitate unified action, coordinate scheduling and calendar sharing, maintain a forum for discussion, prioritization, and resolution of items impacting Jewish life, and evaluate and measure the impact of community priorities to efficiently apply resources. They are comprised of professional representatives of the Jewish agencies, as well as rabbis, administrators, and synagogue presidents.
Get to Know the New Members:
- Since 1995, Beth Shalom Temple Center (BSTC) has functioned as a synagogue and center of Jewish programming in Green Valley, offering Shabbat, Festival and Holy Day Worship Services; weekly Torah Study and other Adult Education opportunities; pastoral and emotional support for members’ lifecycle needs; active Sisterhood, Men’s Club, Social Action and Program Committees; and outreach to the general community. BSTC welcomed Rabbi Norman T. Roman to guide their congregation in 2020.
- Rabbi Ephraim Zimmerman returned to Tucson in 2012 to establish Chabad of Oro Valley. It proudly serves Tucson’s growing Northwest community.
- Chabad of Sierra Vista was established by Rabbi Benzion Shemtov in 2016 to provide residents of Cochise County with weekly Shabbos and Jewish holiday services. Chabad of Sierra Vista also presides over lifecycle events, as needed.
- Two years ago, Congregation Beit Simcha was established with Rabbi Samuel Cohon as its spiritual leader. The congregation boasts membership of almost 100 families.
Prior to the admission of the four new synagogues, participating synagogues included Congregation Anshei Israel, Congregation Bet Shalom, Congregation Chaverim, Congregation Choftez Chayim, Congregation M’Kor Hayim, Congregation Or Chadash, Congregation Young Israel, the Institute for Jewish Services & Study at Saddlebrook and Temple Emanu-El.
