“Quirky enough to be interesting.” That’s what Kari Marsh thought when she first heard about Harvest912, a small nonprofit that provides shoes and foot care for unhoused people. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania, Harvest912 was looking to start a Tucson branch. Harvest912 got its start when founders Kit and Tad… Read more »
Healing the World
After Lobbying in D.C., Jewish Latino Teen Coalition Cohort Petitions to do More
Each spring, Tucson’s Jewish Latino Teen Coalition (JLTC) heads to Washington, D.C., to lobby lawmakers on a topic they’ve chosen and spent months researching. JLTC convenes 10 to 12 high school sophomores and juniors annually to foster multicultural understanding and political advocacy. Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona and U.S.… Read more »
JFCS to Hold LEAH Workshop to Raise Awareness About Elder Mistreatment
LEAH (Let’s End Abusive Households) is a crucial program operated by JFCS of Southern Arizona, dedicated to supporting Jewish survivors of interpersonal violence. This initiative addresses a critical need within the Jewish community, offering compassionate assistance and resources to those who have experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault, and other… Read more »
A Mezuzah to Provide Continuity for Jewish Domestic Abuse Victims
This story first appeared in Jewish News (greater Phoenix). Alex Shapero witnessed the emotional response of Jewish victims of domestic abuse to seeing a new mezuzah on their doorpost and immediately understood two things. The first is that a symbol as simple yet powerful as a mezuzah can demonstrate… Read more »
Empowering Jewish Interpersonal Violence Survivors: LEAH and MyZuzah
Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona (JFCS) through its Let’s End Abusive Households (LEAH) program has forged a powerful partnership with MyZuzah to uplift Jewish survivors of interpersonal violence. This collaboration focuses on providing kosher, fair-trade mezuzahs to individuals and families who have endured interpersonal abuse, offering… Read more »
Holocaust Survivors and German Officers: Healing through Dialogue and Remembrance
In a poignant display of reconciliation and remembrance, German Defense Intelligence Liaison Officers, Lt. Colonel Bocklet and Colonel Busch, alongside their spouses, were warmly welcomed as special guests to the weekly meeting of Holocaust Survivors at Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona (JFCS). Holocaust Survivor, Wanda Wolowsky,… Read more »
Tucsonans on Israel Missions Witness Devastation and Unity
Sadness, anger, hope, and resilience. Todd Rockoff, president and CEO of the Tucson Jewish Community Center (JCC), felt all these emotions and more on a JCC Association Board Solidarity Mission (JCCA) to Israel in January. “I felt a great pull to be there,” he says, to bear witness and… Read more »
It’s Human to Want to Give
Arizona. California. Israel. Peru. Boston. No matter what state, country, time zone or zip code, I call my mother every day. And at 97, she still answers the phone with energy and excitement. Calling home was a decision I made over two decades ago to intentionally stay connected to… Read more »
The Sharif Family Arrives in Tucson: A Refugee’s Story
Note: The names in the story have been changed. The Sharif family arrived to Jewish Family & Children’s Services (JFCS) in early January of 2022 after months of upheaval and uncertainty. JFCS’s Reception & Placement Case Manager, Omed, met them at the airport upon their arrival. He helped the… Read more »
On the Ground in Krakow: Assisting Ukrainian Refugees in Poland
I recently returned from two weeks in Krakow, Poland, volunteering with the team at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Krakow in their terrific effort to assist Ukrainian refugees. I traveled to Poland with my brother, Bruce Jacobson, who lives in South Carolina. Our contact was Jonathan Ornstein, Executive… Read more »
Doctors, pilots and Holocaust survivors try to thwart Israel’s plan to deport African migrants
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Holocaust survivors and rabbis, as well as doctors and some airline pilots, are among the Israelis who say they will try to thwart Israel’s plan to deport thousands of African migrants, even if it means taking them into their own homes. The latest group to come… Read more »