Events

War Crimes: The World is Watching, TJMHC Exhibit Opening Sunday, Oct. 2

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 »

Our Community is Stronger When We Gather as One: Southern Arizona Jewish Community Celebrates Shabbat at the Tucson J Together

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 »

Ronstadt Generations to Bring a Legacy of Heart and Soul to the Fox Theater

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 »

Guest Columnist: Rosh Hashanah Reminds Us That We Have the Power to Change

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 »

Wyatt Earp’s Jewish connection and more included in a new documentary

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 »

Vibrant Jewish life on the Tucson Hebrew Academy campus

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 »

JFSA Women’s Philanthropy raises funds to address food insecurity at Connections

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 »

The sound of music in art: Kinesthetic artist Howard Kline

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, founder of OPI Nail Lacquers, to headline Federation Connections 2021

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 »

Jewish History Museum virtual benefit to honor Rabbi Stephanie Aaron

Rabbi-AaronRabbi Stephanie Aaron speaks June 6, 2017 at the Jewish History Museum in Tucson. [Photo: Steven Michael Braun)

“Be Strong and of Good Courage” (Deuteronomy 31:7) is the title for the Jewish History Museum’s 10th annual fall benefit, which will be held virtually on Sunday, Nov. 1. This year’s benefit honors Rabbi Stephanie Aaron of Congregation Chaverim. “I think of Rabbi Aaron as my primary partner in… Read more »

Tucson J plans physically distant Sculpture Garden opening

j-sculpture-garden_Cutline: New and established works will be on display at the Tucson Jewish Community Center’s Sculpture Garden opening on Oct. 25. (Photo: Jacob Kaufman)

The Tucson Jewish Community Center will hold a physically distanced opening for its Sculpture Garden on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The Sculpture Garden, created in 2009, includes new and established artists and is a cornerstone of the J’s arts programming. The opening will feature nine new… Read more »

Amplifying Voices series to examine junction of Black and Jewish identity, community

(L-R) Professors Marc Dollinger, Jerome Dotson, and Gil Ribak will kick off the Amplifying Voices series with a Zoom discussion of Dollinger’s book, “Black Power, Jewish Politics” on Oct. 18.

This month, the Tucson Jewish Community Center will launch Amplifying Voices, a six-part virtual series designed to help explore the intersectional relationship between Black and Jewish identity and community. The series will begin Oct. 18 at 4 p.m. with Professors Marc Dollinger of San Francisco State University and Jerome… Read more »

UArizona Poetry Center, with support of Hurand Connection Fund, to launch virtual Institute for Inquiry and Poetics with U.S. poet laureate

Joyce HarjoU.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo (Shawn Miller)

The University of Arizona Poetry Center, part of the College of Humanities, is launching a new, virtual Institute for Inquiry and Poetics. The inaugural convening, offered in partnership with the Hurand Connection Fund, will feature U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo and poets Jennifer Foerster and LeAnne Howe, editors of… Read more »

UA Music+Festival focuses on artists who bridge classical and popular music

jeremy-huw-williams-paula-fan-1024pxJeremy Huw Williams, baritone, and Paula Fan, pianist, perform at the St. Augustine Cathedral in Tucson on Oct.13, 2015. (Solaris Photography)

The Fred Fox School of Music at the University of Arizona College of Fine Arts will present its 13th annual Music+Festival, featuring the music of George Gershwin (1898-1937), Steve Reich (b. 1936), and William Bolcom (b. 1938), from Oct. 9-12. All festival events will be online, with free admission.… Read more »

Taika Waititi adapting anti-Semite Roald Dahl’s work is exactly what we need

Taika Waititi will write, direct and executive produce two series based on the work of Roald Dahl for Netflix, starting with "Charlie and the Chocolate Factor." (Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

This story originally appeared on Alma. Netflix just announced that the Academy Award-winning Maori-Jewish filmmaker Taika Waititi will write, direct and executive produce two series based on the work of author Roald Dahl for the streaming platform. The first is based on “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” focusing specifically… Read more »