Posts By PHYLLIS BRAUN - AJP Executive Editor

Despite years of being a Jew in a Jewish family, Jewish tradition and, more specifically, Jewish practice often feel very alien to me. Shabbat meals, Shabbat services, Jewish prayers and rituals.  And despite being a bat mitzvah and many years a student in Hebrew school, there is little that… Read more »

ASHER SUSSER, former visiting scholar in modern Israel studies at the University of Arizona, has a new book, “Israel, Jordan, and Palestine: The Two-State Imperative,” which will be published this month by Crown Books/Brandeis University Press. DAVID MONTEFIORE has posted several YouTube videos in honor of Chanukah, featuring selections… Read more »

Dr. Joshua Langert, son of Dr. Richard and Peggy Langert of Tucson, and Leah Friedman, daughter of Geoffrey and Sharon Friedman of Leawood, Kan., were married on Sept. 4 at Oakwood Country Club in Kansas City, Mo. Joshua is the grandson of Sally Julian and the late Cantor Charles… Read more »

A daughter, ELIZA LILLY FRIEDMAN, was born Sept. 30, 2011, to Marcy and Jacob Friedman of Tucson. Grandparents are Barbara and Larry Subrin of Tucson and Joan Friedman of Phillips Ranch, Calif.  … Read more »

GAVIN STARR COHEN, son of Lori and Russell Cohen, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 7 at Temple Emanu-El. He is the grandson of Janice and Jerry Hungerford of Tucson, and Desmond Cohen of Irvine, Calif. Gavin attends Esperero Canyon Middle School, where he is an… Read more »

EMILY MORGAN PETERS, daughter of Karen and Eric Peters, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Dec. 31 at the Tucson Jewish Community Center with Congregation Chaverim. She is the granddaughter of Ron and Richard Wagner of Albuquerque, N.M. and Eleanor and Daniel Peters of Brookville, N.Y. Emily… Read more »

Joan Elder in front of one of the Blessing Project exhibits

And all that jazz Jeff Lewis, past president of the Tucson Jazz Society, was responsible for bringing world-renowned Israeli jazz pianist Tamir Hendelman to Tucson on Nov. 19. The previous month, Jeff was watching a PBS airing of Barbra Streisand’s “One Night Only at the Village Vanguard” and knew… Read more »

Lillian Kaplan Hameroff, 95, died Dec. 16, 2011. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mrs. Hameroff worked in offices through the Great Depression, and helped her family rescue relatives from Europe prior to the Holocaust. After World War II, she met U.S. Army soldier Harry Hameroff. They married, moved to Buffalo,… Read more »

Josephine Lightman

Josephine Lightman, 89, died Dec. 13, 2011. Mrs. Lightman was born in Chicago and raised in New York City. Survivors include her husband of 64 years, Al; children, Steven (Megan) Lightman and Lori Lightman, both of Tucson; and three grandchildren. Services were held at Congregation Or Chadash. Graveside services… Read more »

Henry Eason, 92, died Dec. 12, 2011. Mr. Eason served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He taught math for many years at John F. Kennedy High School in Plainview, N.Y. and at Pima Community College in Tucson. Mr. Eason volunteered at Jewish Family &… Read more »

After I offered parenting advice to Jewish mothers in these pages a while back, a couple of readers asked if I had advice for Jewish fathers. One asked whether there was a stereotypical “Jewish Father.” I dislike all stereotypes whether based on gender or religion so I prefer to… Read more »

The Tucson chapter of Brandeis National Committee will hold its annual book sale at the Foothills Mall from Jan. 13 to 22. The sale will feature more than 50,000 books, including collectibles and first editions. “Someone said it takes a village,” says Meg Sivitz, Brandeis book sale chair, “but… Read more »

It’s not just the free popcorn that draws hundreds of moviegoers to the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival, which will run for its 21st year at the Tucson Jewish Community Center Jan. 12-22. It’s the lineup of films, from dramas to comedies to animated shorts, with themes that are… Read more »

The Jewish History Museum will hold the grand opening of its fourth annual ketubah exhibit on Sunday, Jan. 1 from 2 to 4 p.m. The exhibit will be on display Jan. 4 through Feb. 5 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. and Fridays from… Read more »

Kenneth Bob

  David Ben Gurion, who later became the founding prime minister of Israel, was the leader of the Labor Zionist movement that led the pre-state Jewish Palestine community and provided the core values to the emerging state. It was not a coincidence that when it was necessary to establish… Read more »

Transportation programs for local Jewish seniors are increasing, thanks to grants from the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s Senior Task Force. This grant program is a major expansion of services for the Jewish elderly that began last year when the Federation funded Jewish Elder Access, which is administered by… Read more »

Janet Lang and Jim Peebles

Tucsonans Barry and Janet Lang have teamed up with Jim and Sandy Peebles to launch the “Lang/Peebles $60,000 Fill the Shelves Challenge” to benefit the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. One in four children in Pima County is at risk of hunger. Increased demand, coupled with decreased government… Read more »

Donald and Joan Diamond

To recognize the continuing leadership of Joan and Donald Diamond in supporting the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s philanthropic efforts, JFSA has named one of its annual campaign events the Joan and Donald Diamond Lead Gifts Event. Thirteen years ago, Joan and Donald Diamond hosted what would become the… Read more »

Michael Wexler (left) and Andrew Isaac

Drive ATVs across the Golan Heights. Take a segway tour of Jerusalem. Climb Masada. Take speed boats near Caesarea. Float in the Dead Sea. Spurred by the success of the Young Women’s Mission to Israel in 2010, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona created the first Young Men’s Mission… Read more »

The Women’s Philanthropy Advisory Council of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona is accepting nominations for the Sixth Annual Bryna Zehngut Mitzvot Award, recognizing an outstanding Jewish girl who is currently a high school junior or senior. The award, named for the late community leader, will honor a teen… Read more »