CORINNE SIERRA BELKOFF, daughter of Sandy Stein Belkoff and Kenneth Belkoff, celebrated becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, June 19 in Jerusalem with Cantor Janece Cohen of Congregation Or Chadash officiating. She is the granddaughter of Celina and Howard Stein of Tucson, and the late Shirley and Michael Belkoff… Read more »
ALEXIS SAVANNAH BELKOFF, daughter of Sandy Stein Belkoff and Kenneth Belkoff, celebrated becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, June 19 in Jerusalem with Cantor Janece Cohen of Congregation Or Chadash officiating. She is the granddaughter of Celina and Howard Stein of Tucson, and the late Shirley and Michael Belkoff… Read more »
Congregation Chofetz Chayim’s 2010 Spirit program scholars (L-R): Frankie Snaid of Savannah, Ga.; Ben Tziyon Eisenberg of Rochester, N.Y.; Boruch Wasser of East Bruswick, N.J.; Dani Semel of Queens, N.Y. (Not pictured: Moshe Morgenstern of Queens, N.Y.) This summer, Tucson’s Jewish men can experience one-on-one or intimate group learning, yeshiva-style, without leaving town. Congregation Chofetz Chayim is offering up to 100 men two weeks of free Torah study through its Spirit program. Spirit participants will study with students from Rabbi Israel Becker’s alma mater, The Rabbinical… Read more »
Gilad Shalit supporters call for his immediate release on the “True Freedom Flotilla,” a New York event held June 24 that was organized by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. (Michael Priest/JTA Photo Service) Some 100 to 200 passengers in all, they came as members of a self-described True Freedom Flotilla intent on promoting a Middle East-related humanitarian mission. Instead of breaking the Israeli blockade of Gaza, however, as was the goal of the flotilla of ships that was intercepted May 31 by… Read more »
Carol Karsch From blogs to social media to e-blasts, modern journalism is about more than just getting the story. Jewish newspaper editors and publishers from around the United States gathered to discuss those topics and our niche’s future direction at the American Jewish Press Association conference at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort… Read more »
Judith “Yehudit” Lerman, 64, died June 20, 2010. Born in Chicago, Ill., Mrs. Lerman grew up in Milwaukee, Wisc., and celebrated her Bat Mitzvah in 1953. During college, she spent one summer in the south registering blacks for voting rights. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a… Read more »
LORI RIEGEL, Temple Emanu-El Youth Education Director, will attend the Mofet Institute Seminar for Community Leaders and Educators in Israel later this month. The program is designed to build leadership and management skills and strengthen ties between leadership in Israel and the Diaspora. EEGEE’S is holding its annual coupon… Read more »
Irving Silverman with Jagger If “Jagger” evokes an image of the frenzied gyrations of the Rolling Stones lead singer, the Tucson dog bearing his name had an opposite, calming effect on 90-year-old Irving Silverman, who participated in dog therapy with Jagger at Tucson’s St. Joseph’s Hospital. Following surgery for a benign brain tumor… Read more »
Joanne Lefty, 79, died June 9, 2010. Along with her husband, Mrs. Lefty co-owned the Shoe City Shoe Store in downtown Tucson for 30 years. Mrs. Lefty was preceded in death by her husband, William. Survivors include her son, Marty (Kathy) Lefty of Glen Ellyn, Ill.; stepsons, William F.… Read more »
Louis Getz, 74, died June 8, 2010. Born in Altoona, Pa., Mr. Getz taught mathematics at Syosset High School for 35 years. After retiring, he moved to Tucson and taught at Pima Community College. Survivors include his wife, Sandra; son, Mark D. (Rene) Getz of New York City; brothers,… Read more »
Beatrice M. Martin, 92, died June 5, 2010. Born in Boston, Mass., Mrs. Martin was a former educator and philanthropist. Mrs. Martin was preceded in death by her husband, George in 1996. Survivors include her children, Roberta (Robert) Friedman of Bellevue, Wash., and Avraham (Sarah) Martin of Sefad, Israel;… Read more »
Max Mindes, 81, died June 4, 2010. Born in New York City, Mr. Mindes retired in 1995 after 31 years of civil service at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Rhoda; children, Irving (Terry) Mindes and Louis (Pam) Mindes, both of Tucson, and Robert… Read more »
More than 700 people reportedly attended a rally outside the Israeli Embassy of London supporting Israel in the wake of the flotilla incident, June 2. (Adrian Korsner/JTA Photo Service) Prague (JTA) — As thousands of protesters condemned Israel’s blockade of Gaza in cities across Europe, reactions within Jewish communities ranged from mild concern to alarm. On Saturday, June 5, 6,000 protesters marched in Germany, 20,000 in France and 2,000 in London against Israel’s actions in the May 31… Read more »
I was nearing the end of my interview with writer Barry Kluger. The media executive, whose columns often run in the Scottsdale Republic and occasionally in the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, had just published his first book, “A Life Undone: A Father’s Journey Through Loss.” Kluger lost his… Read more »
Interfaith Community Services, a volunteer-based nonprofit founded in 1985, is holding its second annual “Freedom from Hunger” food drive through June 27. “The shelves of ICS’s food bank get barer in the summer,” says ICS Executive Director Bonnie Kampa, who notes that the agency provided food to 25 percent… Read more »
Hebrew High Class of 2010 (L-R), front row: Sharon Glassberg, director, Coalition for Jewish Education; Andrew Irving Berger; Brianna Paige Finkelstein; Jenna Brynn Langert; Ashley Robert Brio. Second row: Bryan Davis, Hebrew High Principal; Jeremy Fenn; Erica Esther Bee; David Richelson; Yonatan Meir Twena. Third row: Jacob Sheldon Kotz; Samuel B. Silverman; Carly Levy; Erin Olitzky. Fourth row: Sam Rubin; Nate Sacks; Bonnie Segal; Ron Grant, senior class faculty The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s Coalition for Jewish Education held two graduation ceremonies last month, for Hebrew High and the Tucson Melton Adult Mini School.… Read more »
The Herzliya marina, where many of Israel's wealthy class dock their boats. (Moshe Shai/JTA Photo Service) Herzliya Pituach (JTA) — Some of the wealthiest Israelis live on Galei Tchelet Street in this coastal town on a narrow road that seems to groan under the weight of its many mansions. Rooftops and balconies of the grand homes peek out from beyond the walls covered in oleander… Read more »
David E.H. Gershon What should I buy for the children of the Hamas terrorist who tried to kill my wife? I’m sorry, some context is needed. Let me explain. In the summer of 2002 Hamas, targeting both Israelis and Americans, struck a cafeteria at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The blast, triggered by… Read more »
Hadar Susskind Watching the video of the Israeli Navy Commandos rappelling onto the Marmara was for me — as for many people — full of anxiety and sadness. Sadness that Israeli soldiers, in the same uniforms I once proudly wore, were put in such a terrible situation and subject to violent… Read more »
Michael B. Oren Israel’s interception of the flotilla attempting to break the Gaza blockade has been the focus of massive international attention — and condemnation. In the melee of interviews, editorials and images, the basic facts of the incident have often been obscured. Segments of the American Jewish community were rendered confused… Read more »
