Arts and Culture

Museum to honor Eilat-Kahn, second generation Holocaust survivor

Rosie Eilat-Kahn, left, with brother Phillip and parents, Holocaust survivors Meyer and Susan Neuman, upon the family’s arrival in Tucson in 1956. (Courtesy Rosie Eilat Kahn)
November 8, 2019 / Phyllis Braun, AJP Executive Editor

The Jewish History Museum/Holocaust History Center will honor Rosie Eilat-Kahn on Sunday at its 2019 Fall Benefit, “A Call to Courage.” “Rosie has been a leader among the second generation of Holocaust survivors in this community for decades,” says Bryan Davis, executive director of the museum. “She has coordinated… Read more »

A Jewish photographer has been capturing Alexander Vindman and his twin for nearly 4 decades

Carol Kitman first started photographing Yevgeny, left, and Alexander Vindman in 1980. (Carol Kitman)
November 6, 2019 / Josefin Dolsten, JTA

(JTA) — Carol Kitman remembers meeting Alexander and Yevgeny Vindman nearly 40 years ago in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. The brothers were about 4 1/2 years old and dressed in matching blue sailor outfits with navy caps. Kitman was instantly taken with the twins and asked to take their photo.… Read more »

Shlicha’s view: After 24 years, Israel still grappling with Rabin assassination

‘Yitzhak Rabin: Forged Identity’ by Martha L. Dunham was donated to the Sculpture Garden at the Tucson Jewish Community Center in 2011 by Jill and Herschel Rosenzweig. (Courtesy Weintraub Israel Center)
October 25, 2019 / Inbal Shtivi, Weintraub Israel Center

Next week, on Nov. 4, Israel will mark 24 years since the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Rabin, a leader, politician, and army commander, was killed by a Jewish assassin as he was walking down the stairs from the stage at what is now called Rabin Square… Read more »

There’s a long history of Jews playing Nazis on screen

(Kveller)
October 24, 2019 / Lior Zaltzman

This story originally appeared on Kveller. Taika Waititi’s satirical film “Jojo Rabbit” is finally out! It is set in Nazi Germany,  and the Jewish MaoLior Zaltzmanri director famously plays Adolf Hitler. “What better way to insult Hitler than having him played by a Polynesian Jew,” Waititi himself tweeted. When… Read more »

A new book takes readers on a journey through Jewish Latin America

Ilan Stavans and his new book, "Seventh Heaven" (Courtesy of Stavans/JTA Montage)
October 24, 2019 / Alan Grabinsky, JTA

MEXICO CITY (JTA) —More than 10 years ago, Ilan Stavans scandalized language purists of the Spanish-speaking world by translating a chapter of “Don Quixote” — into Spanglish. Since then, the so-called czar of Latino culture has become one of the most important interlocutors for Hispanics in the United States. In… Read more »

5 female Jewish superheroes everyone should know

(Collage by Alma)
October 24, 2019 / Cali Halperin

This story originally appeared on Alma. Over the past decade, comic books and superheroes have become a staple for mainstream pop culture. But did you know that they are super Jewish? The industry was created by Jews who were prevented from working at American newspapers in the 1930s by… Read more »

Celebrate 50th anniversary of Woodstock with outdoor concert at the Tucson JCC

Wayback Machine with special guest Shanti Foster (far left) and core members Beverly Seckinger, Jim Lipson, and Tom Woolley — from their ‘Barrio Jam’ CD cover (2004). Photo: Deo Wright
October 11, 2019 /

This summer marked the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, the music festival that brought half a million people together in 1969 to celebrate peace, love, and music. In celebration of this anniversary, the Tucson J is putting on J-Stock: an outdoor community concert featuring Eric Schaffer & the Other Troublemakers,… Read more »

Why a Christian Japanese-American artist painted a mural of Nazi fighter Hannah Senesh

Julie Robertson painted a mural of Hannah Senesh in downtown San Diego. (Courtesy of Robertson)
October 5, 2019 / Josefin Dolsten, JTA

(JTA) — Hannah Senesh may seem an unlikely motivation for Japanese-born artist Julie Robertson. But the 35-year-old Christian artist, who just spent four days painting a 30-by-40-foot mural of the late Jewish poet, learned about Senesh earlier this year and was struck by her bravery. A national hero in… Read more »

Storyteller Jordan Wiley-Hill brings talents, energy to Fox Tucson Theatre

Jordan Wiley-Hill, right, with Fox Tucson Theatre Executive Director Craig Sumberg and “Kit,” mascot of the Fox’s “Kids In the Theatre” program. (Courtesy Fox Tucson Theatre)
September 27, 2019 / Debe Campbell, AJP Assistant Editor

Professional storyteller Jordan Wiley-Hill joined Tucson’s Fox Theatre Foundation about a year ago to expand its youth programming known as Kids In the Theatre. Filling the new position of youth arts and culture program associate, he brings an extensive repertoire of performance art, education, and program development. Local community… Read more »

Four gorgeous Rosh Hashanah recipes from some of Israel’s top chefs

Sea Bass with Roasted Peppers and Herb Crème Filling. (Photo: The Edge Partners PR/JTA Photo Service)
September 27, 2019 / By Jessica Halfin, JTA

Rosh Hashanah menus, while traditional and delicious, can also get a little stale year after year. With Israeli food trending across the globe, now is a perfect time to add some authentic Israeli flavors to your holiday. We have gathered four exclusive recipes from some of Israel’s top chefs:… Read more »

Ruth Bader Ginsburg on why she did not retire during Obama’s term

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates in a discussion during the Library of Congress National Book Festival at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Aug. 31, 2019. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images)
September 26, 2019 / Emily Burack, JTA

NEW YORK (JTA) — It was a blunt statement in the midst of a cordial conversation: “I’m wondering why you’re here.” That was Nina Totenberg, the NPR legal affairs correspondent, to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Sept. 18 Moment magazine awards dinner, where the justice had… Read more »

‘Fiddler on the Roof’ in Yiddish makes a match
September 24, 2019 / Marcy Oster, JTA

(JTA) — It’s life imitating art over at New York City’s Off-Broadway production of “Fiddler on the Roof” in Yiddish. Stephanie Lynne Mason and Drew Seigla, who play the young couple Hodl and Perchik in the production, are engaged, the show announced Sunday on its Twitter feed. “We’re KVELLING!… Read more »