Posts By PHYLLIS BRAUN - AJP Executive Editor

The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Women’s Philanthropy will hold its annual welcome and board installations this month. The event will serve as an update as Women’s Philanthropy continues to raise awareness to help end sex trafficking in the Tucson community and beyond. The event will take place Wednesday,… Read more »

The Weintraub Israel Center and the Greater Tucson Fire Foundation will present “Israeli Response and Readiness —Terrorism and Natural Disasters,” a meet and greet and Q&A with the senior officials who develop and implement Israel’s emergency preparedness, response and recovery services, on Monday, Oct. 19, from 5:30-7 p.m. at… Read more »

The Tucson Jewish Community Center and Chabad Tucson will present the 2nd Annual Mega Challah Bake on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. in the Tucson J ballroom. The event is part of the global Shabbos Project. Other local partners include numerous synagogues, the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern… Read more »

Leah Goldstein, author of "No Limits"

The Tucson Jewish Community Center and Tucson Medical Center will present the second annual Family Wellness Festival on Sunday, Oct. 18 from noon-4 p.m. at the Tucson J. Pavilions throughout the J will be organized around themes such as safety, physical activity, health and wellness, food and literacy. Exhibitors… Read more »

A painting and wine class served as more than just a fun night out with friends in the Jewish community this past week. An organization called “Moishe House Without Walls” has been established in Tucson and post-grads from the University of Arizona and beyond are relishing its opportunities. “Every… Read more »

(JTA) — As the new school year gets underway, Jewish educators are making decisions regarding how best to teach about Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most begin with the premise that Jewish students should learn to support Israel and defend its government. Throughout the year, their lesson plans will… Read more »

(JTA) — The rise of a new global power usually creates tensions with the incumbent superpower, and the United States-China duo is no exception. At their summit last week in Washington, D.C., Presidents Barack Obama and Xi Jinping spoke of progress in some areas, such as cyber espionage and… Read more »

(JTA) — As Hurricane Joaquin gained steam off the southeastern coast of the United States, the question has begun to circulate online: Are Jews allowed to take down their sukkahs in the case of a storm? Sukkot, which began Sunday, runs through this Sunday evening. Hurricane Joaquin, the first… Read more »

(JTA) — Former Rep. Eric Cantor apparently just missed becoming the first Jewish speaker — second in line to the presidency after the vice president. An aide to Boehner, the Republican House of Representatives speaker who is quitting, dropped the bombshell last Friday: Boehner had wanted to step down last year,… Read more »

TEL AVIV (JTA) — Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas took plenty of shots at each other. But in their dueling dueling speeches to the United Nations General Assembly, the Israeli prime minister and Palestinian Authority president directed much of their fire at the same target: the assembled world leaders. Netanyahu… Read more »

Bernie Sanders

Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for president in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, will hold a rally in Tucson on Oct. 9. The Vermont senator will speak at 7 p.m. at the Reid Park DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, 920 South Concert Place. Gates will open… Read more »

(JTA) – All anyone attending the United Nations General Assembly opening seemed to want to talk about was the threat posed to the world by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. That was much to the consternation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who argued in his speech… Read more »

Christians United for Israel will host Sen. John McCain for a town hall meeting on “U.S. Policy in the Middle East in the Aftermath of the Iran Nuclear Agreement” on Saturday, Oct. 3 at noon at Victory Worship Center, 2561 W. Ruthrauff Road. McCain will address the impact this… Read more »

Editor’s note: this article was written before Dustin Fleischer’s bout on Sept. 26, which he won with a first round knockout.  (JTA) – When welterweight Dustin Fleischer enters the ring on Saturday evening, he’ll will be wearing his late grandfather’s gold Star of David necklace with a red jewel… Read more »

Chaverim cemetery dedication Congregation Chaverim dedicated a new sign and consecrated an expanded section of Evergreen Cemetery on Sunday, Sept. 6. Pictured (left to right): Naomi Present, Jill Shover, Jack Aaron, Ann Revelle, Rabbi Stephanie Aaron, Bob Schwartz, Judith Brown, Dina Rosengarten and Dave More.   Rosh Hashanah at… Read more »

REBECCA CROW has been named director of education for CONGREGATION CHAVERIM. She is a past director of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s department of outreach, past president of the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation and Congregation Cha­verim, and has over 30 years experience as a social worker in… Read more »

Shelley Heyman and Larry Fleischman announce the engagement of their son, Michael Fleischman, to Rachael Shulskie, daughter of Pat and Dennis Shulskie of Clawson, Mich. Michael is the grandson of Doris Fleischman of Tucson, Charlotte Morris of West Palm Beach, Fla., and the late Al Fleischman, Sara and Henry… Read more »

CLARE LINDNER, M.D., has joined the University of Arizona department of pediatrics and Banner Children’s — Diamond Children’s Medical Center as a pediatric nephrologist. Lindner received her medical degree from Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University. She completed her residency in pediatrics from Cohen Children’s Medical Center of… Read more »

Morris R. Gardner, 94, died Sept. 14, 2015. A 40 year resident of Tucson, Mr. Gardner was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He received a Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Toronto. Survivors include his wife, Bette; children, Erica (Larry) Gray of Denver and Larry (Lynn) Gardner… Read more »

Shifrette (Shiffy) Diana Cohen, 84, died Sept. 14, 2015. Born in Chicago, Mrs. Cohen graduated from Marshall High School in 1948. She met and married her husband, Bob Cohen, in 1951. She was a teacher and administrator in Jewish education at Anshe Emet and Solomon Schechter day schools in… Read more »