“I am a survivor. That comes with a survivor’s obligation to represent one and a half million Jewish children murdered by the Nazis. They cannot speak. So, I must speak on their behalf.” Tova Friedman was one of the youngest people to emerge from Auschwitz. After surviving the liquidation… Read more »
In the words of Abraham Joshua Heschel, “You have suspended the trivialities of thinking that stultify unique learning experiences. You have a passionate regard for the marvel that is everywhere!” So wrote Sue Cohen, president of the Beth Shalom Temple Center Sisterhood, in a thank you card presented to… Read more »
If I were to ask the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival committee members, whom I have the pleasure of working with to create this signature community-wide event, about the three films from this year’s line-up that they each found most meaningful, it’s unlikely I’d get any duplicate answers. That’s… Read more »
UArizona Hillel’s annual fundraiser is less than three weeks away–on February 11–and we are thrilled that Head Football Coach Jedd Fisch will be our special guest at the opening mini-plenary. Our signature event–Come Home to Hillel–is a truly unique and fun night out. Unlike any other fundraiser (or friendraiser) in… Read more »
Jewish Family & Children’s Services (JFCS) of Southern Arizona is proud to participate in the fifth annual International Refugee Shabbat, which takes place February 3-4, 2023. Founded by HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society), it is a moment for congregations, organizations, and individuals in the United States and… Read more »
Chesed in Judaism is kindness, but it is also much more. It means acts of freewill, generosity of spirit, and assisting people and the world in ways that create a positive, meaningful difference. We are taught as Jews that a foundational aspect of the entire world lies in such… Read more »
Over 1,200 women philanthropists from 80 communities around the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Israel came together at Jewish Federations of North America’s (JFNA’s) three-day International Lions of Judah Conference in Phoenix, where they raised a collective $24.2 million supporting Federations’ mission to build flourishing Jewish communities. The conference… Read more »
Over 200 people attended Tucson Hebrew Academy’s annual Tikkun Olam fundraiser honoring Dr. Jill (z”l) and Dr. Herschel Rosenzweig and their many contributions to THA, the Jewish Community, and the greater Tucson area. Over the years, the Rosenzweigs have shown genuine acts of generosity, with a strong emphasis on… Read more »
Stuart Brody will present a Gallery Chat, “Reflections on a Recent Visit to Auschwitz: The Psychology of Collaboration and the Crisis of Current Political Narratives“ at the Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center on Friday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. In his talk, which falls just after the anniversary of… Read more »
Today’s 24-hour news cycle has allowed the world to witness war crimes, almost in real time. Since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the world has seen many unspeakable acts unfolding before us almost daily on the screens of our televisions, tablets, and telephones. As we witness this… Read more »
The sense of community and energy was palpable as more than 270 community members of all ages gathered on Friday, September 9 (13 Elul 5782) at the Tucson J for a communal Shabbat dinner and celebration. Guests lit candles as they arrived, before joining Shabbat services led by Congregations… Read more »
An incredible evening of music, family, and community will take place at the Fox Tucson Theatre on Sunday, October 23rd at 4 pm. Featuring four generations of the talented Ronstadt family and a special welcome by Linda Ronstadt, “The Ronstadt Family in Concert” will benefit Jewish Family & Children’s Services of… Read more »
Amy Hirshberg Lederman, guest speaker at upcoming JPSA Advanced Gifts/Summit dinner Amy Hirshberg Lederman will be a guest speaker at Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona’s (JPSA’s) Campaign Summit & Advanced Gifts Dinner, October 25, 2022, details are forthcoming. It’s that time of year again. Backpacks and school binders tumble off the shelves at Target, crossing guards in bright orange vests… Read more »
When Josephine Marcus ran away from home in 1880, it is hard to imagine just how shocked her California-based parents must have felt. Teenage Josephine dreamt of becoming an actress and a dancer. These weren’t exactly the plans made by her Jewish immigrant family and Hollywood didn’t yet exist.… Read more »
Adar was a busy month at Tucson Hebrew Academy (THA)! THA, together with the JCC and Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA) collected food for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona in the Chai (18) days leading to Purim! Mishloach Manot : משלוח מנות , also called a Purim basket, is a… Read more »
Tucson Hebrew Academy is gearing up for Hanukkah! To celebrate, our teachers and students have planned fun and meaningful activities to take place over the eight-day festival that include: Starting the day with an all-school Hanukkah candle lighting. Making Hanukkah Judaica in Art class (ceramic oil jugs, Hanukkiot, and… Read more »
Registration for the 2021 JFSA/JCF Joint Annual Meeting is now closed. We will post a video online after the meeting has taken place. We hope to see you at future events. The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona (JFSA) and Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona (JCF) will hold… Read more »
Hundreds of women came together on March 14, 2021 at Connections, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s (JFSA) signature Women’s Philanthropy event, to honor the Jewish community’s continued philanthropic work and address the growing problem of food insecurity in Southern Arizona in ways both big and small. After a year unlike any other, hunger is… Read more »
Howard Kline is a kinesthetic artist. “Music inspires my art,” he says, and it has been a major influence on his paintings. Visual artists work with their sense of touch or sight, but Kline warms up and initiates his day in the studio by first stepping into a soundproof… Read more »
Suzi Weiss-Fischmann The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s signature Women’s Philanthropy event, Connections, will be headlined this year by Suzi Weiss-Fischmann. Born in communist Hungary to Holocaust survivors, Weiss-Fischmann learned Hebrew in secret as a child. After promising her mother she’d keep kosher and observe Shabbat each week, she immigrated first… Read more »
