When Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona announced its inaugural Jewish heritage event, “Jews at the Zoo,” they hoped for a good turnout. What they got was a community affirming that connection, pride, and coming together matter.
“First latke of the season!” exclaimed one of the almost 400 guests at the Hanukkah-themed party at the Reid Park Zoo on Sunday, Dec. 7, as they bit into a morsel of fried-potato bliss.
Children rode the carousel or visited the face-painting station. Guests of all ages mingled, sipped, and nibbled, with hot chocolate, fruit and cookies alongside a latke bar with a variety of toppings. There were also packaged kosher and gluten-free snacks on hand.
“Jews at the Zoo” was co-chaired by Shelley Pozez and Doug Vaughan.
“We have a passion for the Jewish community and everything that the Jewish community stands for, and we have a passion for the zoo,” Vaughan explained.
The turnout, a capacity crowd for the event space, “has exceeded all expectations,” he added.
“We’re thrilled about that,” Pozez said.
The zoo was a “linchpin,” said Vaughan, a unique opportunity to bring people from many different Jewish organizations together, including some who’d never visited the zoo before.
For Claudia Merems, who attended with her friend Stephanie Chapman, it was an opportunity to reconnect with her Jewish heritage.
Chapman has been a good friend, Merems said, keeping her informed about events in the community.
When Chapman learned about “Jews at the Zoo,” her response was, “Yes, please!” It combined a chance to see the ZooLights display with a good cause, she explained.
Tina Ponteras wanted to learn more about Jewish heritage firsthand. A cultural exchange teacher at Pistor Middle School, Ponteras, who is from the Philippines, said she is teaching her students about Jewish culture and the Holocaust.
The zoo event was “a very good avenue for me to learn more, not just reading books. I wanted to learn more by experiencing the culture itself, the food, people — they’re so nice,” she said.
Nicki Scovis, a board member at Tucson Hebrew Academy, was one of many who eagerly awaited the THA choir’s performance.
“It was really important to watch our son perform,” Sara Lopez said, adding that the evening was also the start of her younger son’s Hebrew birthday, so it was a way to give the kids a fun outing.
Chloe Shear was there to see her daughter perform and, as a newcomer to Tucson, to meet more people in the Jewish community.
“We love the zoo and to be with friends,” Taylor Winfield said, adding that her family enjoys opportunities to be with others in the Jewish community.
Longtime community member Linda Behr came with her granddaughter, Sam.
“Sam lived in New York, and every time she would come here, we would come to the zoo, so it had really good memories for us,” Behr said, adding that it was a fun way to kick off the Hanukkah season.
Marcy Abrams, a former nanny, brought one of her former charges to the event. They’d been to the zoo together, but it was her young companion’s first time in a Jewish environment.
“I’m Jewish and so I like to attend these events,” Abrams said, adding that it’s appreciated “when you’re a minority and everyone has the chance to be in one place.”
For Michael “Mikey B” Barnett and his son, Max, the event was about “family, camaraderie, community.”
As the THA kids performed, many audience members sang along, with some, like Melissa Oberman-Hall, reminiscing about their children’s time in the choir.
“The most important thing that we do at JPSA is work to build Jewish life here at home and strengthen Jewish life here at home. That’s what this is, and we couldn’t have done it without you,” President and CEO Hava Leipzig Holzhauer told the crowd.
After a high-energy dance party for the kids, guests had the chance to tour the ZooLights, featuring more than 100,000 strands of light.
“Hanukkah time is coming, we’re unique lights, each of us, but all together, we shine brighter. Unity is incredible and we certainly feel it here tonight,” Leipzig Holzhauer said.
