Daniel Perez The Hillel Foundation, that ubiquitous symbol of Jewish life on college campuses in America and across the globe, turns 90 this year. I know this because it came up in a recent exchange I had with the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation’s executive director, Michelle Blumenberg. I’m an alumnus,… Read more »
Norman Neipris, 85, died Oct. 15, 2013. Born in Malden, Mass., Mr. Neipris graduated from Malden High School and attended one year at the University of New Mexico. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Three weeks after he was discharged, he married his wife, Judith,… Read more »
Rabbi Israel Becker Names are very important in Judaism. When parents give a name to a child it should be carefully chosen. The names of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and all the 12 tribes of Israel were specifically chosen not only to commemorate an event but to trigger a response within us… Read more »
Tova Kinderlehrer and her husband, Micah Simmons, are hoping to draw 10 Jewish families to their farm in rural Pennsylvania. (JTA) For most of the seven years Tova Kinderlehrer lived with her young family in Pittsburgh, she wished she were somewhere else. Her son wasn’t doing well in school, her husband’s construction career had stalled and Kinderlehrer, though part of a “massive” urban community, felt isolated. She dreamed of escape.… Read more »
Statistics can be overwhelming and the results can be taken out of context. Tucson rabbis and academics sought to put the recent Pew Research Religion & Public Life Project’s “A Portrait of Jewish Americans” into perspective during a panel discussion at Congregation Anshei Israel on Nov. 3. “Before we… Read more »
In honor of “Thanksgivukkah,” as some are calling the joyous mingling of Thanksgiving and Chanukah this year, these dessert options present a new twist on sweet potatoes and pumpkin. The pumpkin challah bread pudding can be made pareve. GLUTEN-FREE SWEET POTATO CHEESECAKE Daphna and Eyal Ron, co-owners of Tucson’s… Read more »
The Klezmatics (L-R): Frank London, Matt Darriau (back), Lisa Gutkin, Lorin Sklamberg, Paul Morrissett The Klezmatics are coming to town for a concert at the Fox Tucson Theatre on Thursday, Dec. 5. Since the band’s formation more than 25 years ago, the Klezmatics have led a renaissance of the Eastern European Jewish music known as klezmer. They have performed in more than 20… Read more »
Tucson has been earmarked as one of five U.S. communities facing serious Israel delegitimization challenges. Noam Gilboord, director of community strategy for the Israel Action Network, a project of the Jewish Federations of North America and the Jewish Council of Public Affairs, came here from New York last month… Read more »
In reference to Rabbi Stephanie Aaron’s article on the Gettysburg Address (“My line, and Mitch’s, in the Gettysburg Address,” AJP 10/25/13), I feel a statistical correction is warranted. The 50,000 figure of men lost in the battle should more accurately refer to the total casualties estimates, which include all… Read more »
David Raichlen Happiness sure is popular in Tucson. Esther Sternberg, M.D., and David Raichlen, Ph.D., two Jewish professors at the University of Arizona, addressed the subject as part of the recent Happiness Downtown Lecture Series, held at the Fox Tucson Theatre. The UA College of Social and Behavioral Sciences presented five… Read more »
Paul Fisher What do you see when you look at the word “E K O R T S”? Here’s a clue: It’s a rebus, which Paul Fisher describes as “an enigmatic representation of a name, work, phrase or idea, by pictures, words, prepositions, groupings, comparisons or contrasts; or where a punning… Read more »
Cantor Avraham Alpert Cantor Avi Alpert will speak on “Jewish Music Around the World” at Hadassah Southern Arizona’s luncheon on Sunday, Dec. 8 at noon at McMahon’s Restaurant, 2959 N. Swan Road. The presentation will include video and vocals. Alpert, the cantor at Congregation Bet Shalom, holds a bachelor’s degree in music… Read more »
A new adult educational collaboration, “The Buzz,” will begin next month with a community discussion, “That’s Funny … You don’t LOOK Jewish: Being Jewish in America Today” with Amy Hirshberg Lederman. The series is a collaborative effort of the Coalition for Jewish Education of the Jewish Federation of Southern… Read more »
Shira Ledman Five years ago, when Shira Ledman took the helm at Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona, her husband, Bob, relocated with her to Tucson. Now it is her turn to follow her husband, a professor of business, as he takes a job with South University in Austin,… Read more »
Rabbi Gershom Sizomu As the first black rabbi from Sub-Saharan Africa, Rabbi Gershom Sizomu, chief rabbi of Uganda and leader of the Abayudaya Jews, may seem like an anomaly to some, but his commitment to Judaism is staunch. “I grew up in eastern Uganda with no electricity or water,” Sizomu told around… Read more »
The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, in partnership with The Jewish Federations of North America, is mobilizing a communal response to the super Typhoon Haiyan, which has wrought widespread destruction in the Philippines. JFNA today opened a mailbox for Federations to support relief efforts by the American Jewish Joint… Read more »
Aaron Micah Green, son of Rachel and Jonathan Green, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Congregation Anshei Israel. He is the grandson of Fay Green of Tucson, Barry Green of Fort Worth, Texas, and Renata and the late Ralph Limmer of Huntsville, Ala. Aaron… Read more »
Lauren Janae Grabell, daughter of Ellen Eichler-Grabell and Lawrence Grabell, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Congregation Anshei Israel. She is the granddaughter of Bernard Eichler and the late Molly Eichler of Millburn, N.J., and Lisa Grabell and the late Allan Grabell of Tucson.… Read more »
Benjamin Joseph Rivera, son of Rachel Rivera and Dennis Rivera, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Nov. 9 with Congregation Or Chadash at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. He is the grandson of Miriam Effron of Shoreline, Wash., Stephen and Clydean Troner of Tucson, and the late… Read more »
JENNIFER P. SCHNEIDER, M.D., Ph.D., has published “Understand Yourself, Understand Your Partner: The Essential Enneagram Guide to a Better Relationship” with co-author Ron Corn, M.S.W.… Read more »
