Posts By PHYLLIS BRAUN - AJP Executive Editor

Goldie Shapiro

Goldie Shapiro, 93, died Oct. 6, 2020. Goldie was born in New York City in 1927 to Isidore and Rachel Grushka, immigrants from what is now Poland, who were active members of the Workmen’s Circle (now named the Workers Circle). The family lived in the Bronx until she was… Read more »

Tucson International Jewish Film Festival’s ‘Feeding Our Souls’ documents local shul’s farm project

A Congregation Bet Shalom member shows off eggs laid by the shul's chickens, in the short film 'Feeding Our Souls." (Courtesy Tucson International Jewish Film Festival)

Congregation Bet Shalom members young and old — but mostly young — are featured in a short film, “Feeding Our Souls,” that will debut as part of the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival. But the chickens are definitely the stars. Raising chickens has been a central part of the… Read more »

Woman of the Wall founder Anat Hoffman to give talk for COC Sisterhood

Anat Hoffman

Congregation Or Chadash Sisterhood will host Anat Hoffman, executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center and founder of Women of the Wall, via Zoom on Sunday, Jan. 24, at 11 a.m. Hoffman will present “If You See Something — Say Something,” which she calls “an invitation to speak… Read more »

Allen Berns

Allen Berns, 92, died Jan. 5, 2021 of complications related to COVID-19. Originally from Chicago, Allen was a 25-year resident of Tucson. He retired young and enjoyed life. Allen had the gift of gab and made friends everywhere he went. As Al would say, “You have one go around… Read more »

To truly see

Rabbi Sam Cohon

What does it mean to be able to really perceive, not just observe? How can we look at a troubled period and see not just the facts, but the meaning? As we enter a new secular year, how can we best learn to use the complicated mess of this… Read more »

Tucson Jewish community members honored among 40 Under 40

Melissa Zimmerman

Melissa Zimmerman, LMSW, CCTP, BHP, vice president of clinical services at Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona; Isaac Rothschild, a managing partner at Mesch Clark Rothschild; and Robin Glicksman, DBH, LMSW, chief clinical officer at Escalera Health, are among those honored recently as “40 Under 40” by… Read more »

Business briefs from AJP, JCF/JFSA, Tucson J and CCC

Eric Jabloner has joined the Arizona Jewish Post as an ad sales representative contractor, selling digital advertising. Jabloner grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, and attended the University of Arizona, receiving a B.A. in drama production in 1979. He worked as a scenic artist for the Arizona Opera Company and the… Read more »

Telemedicine pioneer Ronald Weinstein gets lifetime achievement award

  Ronald Weinstein, M.D., director of the national award-winning Arizona Telemedicine Program and a professor of pathology, was recognized with a lifetime achievement award by the Phoenix Business Journal at the 2020 Health Care Heroes virtual event Nov. 9. An international pioneer in the field of telemedicine, Weinstein founded… Read more »

P.S. columnist publishes new coffee table volume

What do Laura and George Bush, Hillary Clinton, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Joseph Lieberman, Geraldo Rivera, Itzhak Perlman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jerry Reinsdorf, and Alex Trebek have in common?  They are all highlighted with local Tucsonans in Sharon Klein’s new coffee table book, “Let’s Schmooze About Your News: Reflections of the P.S.… Read more »

Rahmat Aziz, 93, dies

Rahmat Aziz, 93, died Nov. 28, 2020 Mr. Aziz was born in the Punjab to Bibi and Jon Mohammed. He grew up in a small village, always motivated to expand beyond its boundaries, and saw education as a way out. His love of learning and passion for reading drove… Read more »

Six virtual Jewish film festivals to catch this winter

A scene from "Feeding Our Souls," a Tucson-based documentary that is part of the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival

Virtual Jewish film festivals are providing film buffs with a smorgasbord of options to lift hearts and minds during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The 30th anniversary of the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival, already underway, begins its streaming of “Standing Up, Falling Down” with comedy stars Billy Crystal and… Read more »

With real-life travel curtailed, Tucsonan’s Jewish travel podcast is unique opportunity

A travel group (minus leader and photographer Tom Price) on tour in Fez, Morocco, once a major center of Jewish life. (Photo courtesy Tom Price)

International travelers seeking new and exciting experiences can depart today from Tucson, or anywhere, at no cost, with no passport, and with no travel restrictions. All that’s required is an Internet connection, a digital device, some curiosity, and one’s attention for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. “Around… Read more »

Marvin Glassberg dies of Covid pneumonia at 84

Marvin Glassberg, 84, died Dec. 31, 2020 at Peppi’s House Hospice in Tucson from Covid pneumonia, surrounded virtually by his loving family. Born in Spring Valley, New York, he moved to Tucson with his parents, and graduated from Tucson High School and the University of Arizona. He had a… Read more »

A story we missed: Green Valley temple members bake bagels to aid Oregon wildfire relief

Gary Melton of the Beth Shalom Temple Center in Green Valley forms a bagel as part of a men's club fundraiser in November 2020. (Photo courtesy Mike Finkelstein)

Editor’s note: There’s no denying 2020 has been a tough year, and we’re sorry we missed this noteworthy story from last month. Enjoy! Over the Nov. 8 weekend, members of the men’s club at Beth Shalom Temple Center in Green Valley came together for a bagel making fundraiser for… Read more »

Morton Kranitz

Morton Kiel Kranitz, 94, died Dec. 11, 2020. He was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a successful shoe salesman before entering the automotive business. He was the longtime proprietor of Kranitz Automotive Group (later Mort’s… Read more »

Esther Starr

Esther Tannenhaus Starr, 95, died Nov. 24, 2020. Born in New York, on December 21, 1924, she raised her family in Freehold, N.J. prior to relocating to Tucson in 1986. She was a committed volunteer throughout her life; devoting her time and energies to a variety of auxiliaries, hospitals… Read more »

Melvin Margolis

Dr. Melvin Burton Margolis, 87, died Dec. 26, 2020. He was born in Chicago on June 20, 1933, to the late Hyman and Ida Margolis. Melvin was the beloved husband of the late Letty Berman Margolis for 56 years. Melvin served active duty as a dental officer with the… Read more »