In honor of Independence Day, the Southwest Torah Institute is offering “Proudly American, Devoutly Jewish, Thriving at Both,” a free multimedia presentation, at www.tucsontorah.org. The 50-minute presentation is written and presented by Rabbi Israel Becker. “With this on-line presentation, you will find a refreshing look at the Jewish experience… Read more »
(L-R) Isaac Zolot, Sarah Cassius, Zohar Amar and Maya Collier celebrate Tu B’Shevat, the birthday of the trees, during a break at Tucson Hebrew High. Tucson Hebrew High will start off its 2014-15 school year with last-minute registration and the first night of classes on Tuesday, Aug. 12 at its host facility, Congregation Anshei Israel. At 6 p.m., incoming freshmen and new students will meet the faculty and join an opening program and pizza… Read more »
The Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) released a study guide titled "Zionism Unsettled" with a companion DVD. NEW YORK (JTA) — The Jewish world has been shaken by the decision of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to divest from three companies that it claims “further the Israeli occupation of Palestine.” The denomination has placed itself squarely on the side of the divestment movement that seeks to hold Israel solely… Read more »
“Freeing Your Mind,” painting by Julian Dombrowski It was an exciting day for Julian Dombrowski and his family in early May, when he was accepted into an online graduate program in creative writing at Southern New Hampshire University. Dombrowski, 32, is wheelchair-bound with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a muscle disease that begins in childhood. The illness affects… Read more »
Kristin Taft For the 400 school-age children attending Camp J at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, camp is an opportunity to make friends and beat the heat; however, for the 33 children in the Camp J Inclusion Program, it is also an opportunity to put their “special needs” labels aside and… Read more »
Congregation Bet Shalom at Masada. Back row (L-R): Debbie Rich, Helena Lamb, Debbie Belden, Norm Rubin; middle row: Paul Araiza, Tom Alpert, Cantor Avraham Alpert, Bernie Engelhard, Donna Popp, Kathy Rubin, Mesha Seckbach; front row: Keith Belden, Pedro Fajardo, Elinor Engelhard, Carol Alpert, Ezra Alpert, Nicholas Popp Would you expect to find a Torah scribe atop the mountain fortress at Masada? That’s what happened during Congregation Bet Shalom’s Musical Mission to Israel, June 2-12. Just one day after our grandson Nicholas celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at Robinson’s Arch at the Kotel, he had the opportunity, along… Read more »
Rachel Fraenkel, mother of Naftali Fraenkel, cries over the body of her son, during the joint funeral for three murdered Jewish teens in the Modiin cemetery, on July 1, 2014. (Flash 90) MODIIN, Israel (JTA) — They were their mothers’ sons. They were all of our sons. They were dear boys. They were martyrs for Israel. They were funny, clever, creative. They are the messengers of the Jewish people in heaven. The joint funeral Tuesday of Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaar and… Read more »
Tucson Hebrew Academy eighth grade students partcipate in a team-building activity on the beach in the Hof Ashkelon region, recording their thoughts on the trip. Back, (L-R): Rafe Centuori, Jacob Anderson, Max Silverman, Adrian Lehrman, Benjamin Manninen, Avin Kreisler (obscured); front: Rochelle Felix, Dreo Polonski, Sapir Curiel, Alexis McKinstry, Emily Youngerman, Heidi Sexton, Alyssa Lee (Courtesy Tucson Hebrew Academy) When Tucson Hebrew Academy eighth graders Emily Youngerman and Alyssa Lee first spotted the Western Wall in Jerusalem, they squealed to each other, “Look! It isn’t just a picture anymore!” While most Tucson eighth graders finished up their year with paperwork and exams, the THA eighth grade class spent… Read more »
Eileen Leigh Margaritov, 59, died May 29, 2014. Ms. Margaritov was born in Buffalo, N.Y. and grew up in Hightstown, N.J. She graduated from the University of Arizona in 1976. For the past seven year, she worked at Ventana Systems as a senior manufacturing associate. She was senior team… Read more »
After coaching Maccabi Tel Aviv to a European Championship, David Blatt appears headed to the NBA. (Moshe Shai/FLASH90) LOS ANGELES (JTA) — In 1981, David Blatt moved to Israel in pursuit of a path of lifelong worship — to play professional basketball.Now, more than 30 years later, Blatt is leaving Israel to make a different, and totally unprecedented, form of aliyah — to leave the ranks of Israeli basketball to… Read more »
Members of the Aitz Hayim Center for Jewish Living in Glencoe, Ill., show U.S. and Israeli colors at the 2012 Fourth of July parade in nearby Highland Park. (Todd Jacobs) LOS ANGELES (JTA) — Part “God Bless America,” part “Shabbat Shalom,” the Fourth of July this year falls on a Friday. In this land of religious freedom, how do we plan to observe both? As the sun sets over the “fruited plain,” will we be lighting Shabbat candles and… Read more »
"America's Got Talent" contestant Josh Orlian cracked up the show's judges with raunchy jokes. (Via YouTube) NEW YORK (JTA) — Josh Orlian cracked up the judges on “America’s Got Talent,” but his Orthodox day school wasn’t laughing. The 12-year-old kippah-wearing comic made his national television debut with a raunchyroutine packed with sexual innuendo. The show’s celebrity judges and studio audience seemed both stunned and entertained by… Read more »
(L-R): Rabbi Thomas Louchheim, cantorial soloist Nichole Chorny, Rabbi Batsheva Appel, Steven Seltzer, Cantor Avraham Alpert, Rebecca Crow, Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon and Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin on stage at Tucson's community service memorial for three murdered Israeli teens, July 2, 2014 (Courtesy Simon Rosenblatt) About 250 people came together Tuesday at the Tucson Jewish Community Center for a memorial service for three Israeli teenagers kidnapped June 12 and found murdered Monday. The service was organized by the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, the JCC and local clergy. Against a backdrop of photos of… Read more »
Demonstrators in Washington celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Hobby Lobby case, June 30, 2014. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Two decades ago the Jewish community united in support of landmark religious freedom legislation. Now the Supreme Court’s application of that law has Jewish groups divided. Leading Jewish advocacy groups denounced the court’s 5-4 decision Monday in theHobby Lobby case granting religious freedoms protections to companies, while Orthodox groups… Read more »
A community-wide memorial service for the three Israeli teens found murdered June 30 will be held Tuesday, July 1 at 5:30 p.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Naftali Fraenkel, 16, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Eyal Yifrah, 19, were kidnapped June 12 while hitchhiking near the West Bank settlement of… Read more »
At the hitchhiking spot in the West Bank where teenagers Eyal Yifrach, Naftali Fraenkel and Gilad Shaar were abducted, Israelis light memorial candles after the discovery of their bodies, June 30, 2014. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash 90) TEL AVIV (JTA) — A national ordeal here ended in tragedy as three Israeli teenagers kidnapped earlier this month were found dead near Hebron. The discovery of their bodies Monday night by the Israeli army and volunteer searchers brings to an unhappy conclusion the intensive effort to find the… Read more »
Natalie Rose Feldman, daughter of Judy Krentzel and Jon Feldman, celebrated becoming a Bat Mitzvah on June 14 at Congregation Chaverim. She is the granddaughter of Donna Silvey of Portland, Ore., and the late Ed Silvey; and Harriet Feldman of Tucson and the late Elliot Feldman. Natalie attends Doolen… Read more »
Emelia Parker Bregman, daughter of Daniella and Philip Bregman, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on June 28 with Congregation Anshei Israel at Congregation Mreshet Yisrael in Jerusalem. She is the granddaughter of Margaret Rebaza of Denver, the late David Southworth, and the late Harriet and Irving Bregman. Emily… Read more »
Ariana Margaret Deitch, daughter of Valerie and Michael Deitch, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, July 5 at Congregation Bet Shalom. She is the granddaughter of Nicholas Limberis and Margie Davenport of Vero Beach, Fla., Vicki Limberis of Melbourne Beach, Fla., and the late Melvin Deitch and… Read more »
MARILYN FORSTOT, a Sahuarita resident, recently published a novel, “More Precious than Rubies,” available as an e-book through amazon. com. Set during and after the American Revolution, the novel shows early American life from a Jewish perspective. Forstot is a member of Beth Shalom Temple Center of Green Valley,… Read more »
