P.S.

Jewish travel abroad In their travels, Marcia and Michael Zaccaria seek out Jewish venues, observances and connections. In 2010, it was Turkey; in 2011, India; and 2013, Morocco. From Aug. 26-Oct. 14, the couple flew to South Asia to visit Ladakh (India), Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet (China). The Zaccarias… Read more »

Bill and Wendy Fishkind with the Cessna 182 at Lanseria Airport in South Africa

Bucket list check-off For Bill and Wendy Fishkind, African travel has always been on their radar; however, for two weeks in September, they traveled on the African continent without radar. Bill and Wendy are both licensed pilots. They flew commercially from the United States to Johannesburg. Once there, they… Read more »

A “throwback” photo of Marlyne Freedman from her Omaha days

Omaha Jewish Reunion A reunion usually refers to a high school, college, or family gathering. From Sept. 12-14, Marlyne Freedman attended the first-ever Omaha Jewish Reunion. Born and bred in the “Gateway to the West,” Marlyne took this three-day trip down memory lane. The weekend included social, educational, and… Read more »

Simon Esbit at Yad Vashem

Israel summer travel 2014 In addition to synagogue summer missions, which have been covered in AJP first-person accounts, Tucsonans traveled to Israel for diverse reasons. Here are highlights of some of their sojourns: From the end of January through the beginning of June, Simon Esbit, 17, participated in Tichon… Read more »

TribeFest 2014 From March 16-18, six Tucsonans — Pamela Epstein, Dave Hausler, Marina Kandova, Ari Magill, and Amy and Ben Pozez, accompanied by Sarah Langert, Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona leadership development and public relations director, traveled to New Orleans for TribeFest 2014. This biennial national event, organized by… Read more »

Lara and Kim Gould

Troop appreciation On Jan. 8, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Young Women’s Cabinet hosted its second annual Mahj and Mitzvahs event at the Tucson Hebrew Academy. With 55 in attendance, including YWC co-chairs Dana Goldstein and Sarah Singer, the group played the Chinese tile game and assembled care… Read more »

Roxy (left) and Clio Cartin love to help their mother make recipes from PJ Library’s “The Children’s Jewish Holiday Kitchen.”

Another Taglit-Birthright Israel milestone Now in its 15th year, Birthright has sent over 360,000 young adults from 64 countries to Israel. More participants traveled this winter than in any other single season. ­From Jan. 2-14, the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation sent 30 students on the program, accompanied by… Read more »

Barbara Levkowitz with her youngest great-granddaughter, Halle

Jewish Cuba From Dec. 9 to 18, Barbara Esmond traveled on Road Scholar’s “Shalom Cuba” bus tour. Sixteen participants explored the Jewish heritage of this island nation. The group carried donations of school, medical and religious goods to augment government rationing and short supplies. The American Jewish Joint Distribution… Read more »

Andra Karnofsky and Chuck Gannon with Andra’s Chanukah dessert creation.

Making history come alive On the crisp morning of Sunday, Nov. 17, Barry Friedman led a Jewish pioneers tour of Tucson’s Evergreen Cemetery. Friedman, board president of the Jewish History Museum, began by making a disclaimer. He is not a historian, but rather a retired doctor who finds history… Read more »

Jared Bowen post-New York marathon

Tennis anyone Last month, Mary Alderman traveled to Israel for the eighth time, one of 24 participants on the Israel Tennis Center’s 5-Star Israel Experience. The ITC is a nonprofit organization that since 1976 has been helping children and teens living in poverty, new immigrants, at-risk youth and those… Read more »

Pattie Feder, Tucson Padres business/merchandise manager, with the team’s mascot, the “Swinging Friar”

The last first pitch Tucson Padres general manager Mike Feder, “Mr. Baseball” to many in our city, was in the news throughout the summer, yet we heard little of the proverbial “woman behind the man,” his wife, Pattie Feder. It was fitting that Pattie was invited to throw out… Read more »

Annie Stein (left) and Iris Sapovits with dolls donated to Hadassah University Hospital-Ein Kerem.

Over the past few months, many Tucsonans traveled from the climes of Southern Arizona to similar ones in Israel. Here is a sampling of their varied sojourns: From April 13 to May 13, Iris Sapovits, co-president of Hadassah Southern Arizona, and Annie Stein, Hadassah’s Israel, Zionist and International Affairs… Read more »

Sue Ross with her grandson Aiden Glesinger at the Green Tie Gala.

Happy 65th Birthday, Israel! Israel was not created in order to disappear — Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. —John F. Kennedy Tucson celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, with extra flair this year. Besides highlighting Israel’s innovations… Read more »

(L-R) Michelle Goodman, Ital Ironstone and Jessica Setton (of Phoenix) at the BBYO International Convention

Area BBYO teens at D.C. convention Michelle Goodman, 16, a junior at St. Gregory College Preparatory School, and Ital Ironstone, 18, a senior at City High School, attended BBYO’s International Convention in Washington, D.C., from Feb. 14-18. BBYO comprises AZA (Aleph Zadik Aleph) and BBG (B’nai B’rith Girls). Joining… Read more »

Sarah and Leonard Schultz ride an elephant bareback in the water at Luang Prabang, Laos.

Travel odyssey Around the world in almost 80 days. From Aug. 19 to Nov. 2, Sarah and Leonard Schultz boarded 15 flights to 10 countries in 76 days. Booked online through AirTreks, the couple traveled from west to east, taking only carry-on luggage, and chronicling their journey with an… Read more »

The Collier Bar Mitzvah group at the Davidson Center in Jerusalem: (L-R) Jack Aaron, David Aaron, Carol Collier, Naomi Present, Rosalie Rellin (back), Rabbi Stephanie Aaron (front), Maya Collier, Randie Collier, Joel Collier, Shelby Collier, Roger Collier

Winter Birthright Israel After finishing final exams, 30 University of Arizona students embarked on the Winter Taglit-Birthright Israel Hillel experience. Nine of the participants hail from Tucson — Michael Evenchik, Allie Healy, Emily Healy, Lauren Katz, Daniel Millstone, Benjamin Offenhartz, Nathan Sacks, Zachary Sattinger and Alyssa Silva. “The reasons… Read more »

Julie Feldman, center, with her children, Rachel Dveirin, left, and Haley Dveirin.

Prayer book donation Congregation M’kor Hayim is a small but mighty synagogue. Comprised of approximately 60 members, the group uses Tucson Hebrew Academy’s Beit Midrash (house of study) for its Friday night services and Shabbat morning Torah study. Discovering that the prayer books for THA second through fourth graders… Read more »

(L-R) Arnie and Rhea Merin and Hilda Kamenetz at the Cardo in Jerusalem

Handmaker helping hands In May, Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging launched the Handmaker Youth Leadership Team. Its mission is to increase volunteer opportunities to enrich youth, address community needs and develop a lifetime commitment to service. The group, ages 11-18, currently has 15 members. Participants learned about the… Read more »

Lady Liberty shines her light on Lions of Judah: Angie Goorman, Karen Faitelson, Fern Feder, Robin Pozez, Diane Weintraub, Linda Tumarkin, Sharon Klein, Melissa Goldfinger, Brenda Landau (JFSA) and Judy Berman. (Not pictured: Marilyn Einstein, Deanna Evenchik and Janet Lang)

Conventioneering in the Big Apple “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” — Margaret Mead From Sept. 10 to 12, a dozen Lions from Southern Arizona roared at the international Lion of Judah convention of female philanthropists in… Read more »

Emily and Ashley Feig on a camel in the Judean Desert

Under rabbinic supervision Leroy and Bobbie Feig waited two years for Congregation Anshei Israel’s Rabbi Robert Eisen to lead another congregational tour to Israel, which he did from June 18 to 29. Just as the rabbi is inspired by seeing Israel through the eyes of others, the Feigs wished… Read more »