B’nai Mitzvah

Samuel Ellis Jacobson

Samuel Ellis Jacobson, son of Jeffrey and Rachel Jacobson, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Feb. 15, with Congregation Or Chadash at the Jewish Community Center. Sam attends Tucson Hebrew Academy, and plays on basketball, football, and soccer teams. He enjoys travel. For his mitzvah project, he is collecting… Read more »

Bar Mitzvah: Connor Belakovsky

Conner Belakovsky

Connor Belakovsky, son of Anjelina Belakovskaia and Lawrence Bernstein, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 18, at Congregation Beit Simcha. He is the grandson of Liliya Belakovskaya of Tucson. Connor attends Esperero Canyon Middle School, where he plays clarinet in the band and is a member… Read more »

At Green Valley shul, 85-year-old brings dedication to second bar mitzvah

Bar mitzvah celebrant Stuart Tobin, center, with Michael Mussman and Sara Golan-Mussman at Beth Shalom Temple Center in Green Valley, Nov. 16. (Courtesy Marylou Tobin)

Stuart Tobin, 85, was called to the Torah to celebrate his second bar mitzvah last month at Beth Shalom Temple Center in Green Valley, surrounded by family and friends. The custom of a second bar mitzvah ceremony, which has grown in popularity, is based on Psalm 90:10, which says… Read more »

Aaron Chase Handler

Aaron Chase Handler, son of Marla and Steven Handler, celebrated becoming a bar mitzvah on Nov. 16, 2019, at Congregation Or Chadash. He attends Orange Grove Middle School and plays on the basketball team. Aaron enjoys baseball, basketball, football, and Camp Interlaken in Wisconsin. For his mitzvah project, he… Read more »

Abigail Rose Stadheim

Abigail Rose Stadheim, daughter of Suzie and Chad Stadheim, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Dec. 7, 2019 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Leah and the late Frederick Richter of Tucson, and Myrna and Robert Stadheim of Sun Lakes, Arizona. Abigail attends Orange Grove… Read more »

Ryan Aaron Rudner

Ryan Aaron Rudner, son of Eric and Monica Rudner, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Nov. 9 at Congregation Anshei Israel. He is the grandson of Calman and Gail Rudner and Alberto and Sara Mirta Bien-Willner, all of Tucson, and the great-grandson of Lidia Esses of Buenos Aires,… Read more »

Shinshiniyot celebrate b’not mitzvah

(L-R): Rabbi Batsheva Appel, Rotem Rapaport, Ron Benacot, and Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg

About 60 community members celebrated with Tucson’s outgoing shinshinyot (Israeli teen emissaries), Rotem Rapaport and Ron Benacot, as they were called to the Torah at Temple Emanu-El on Saturday, June 15. The young women had celebrated coming of age with parties in Israel, but neither had read from the… Read more »

Xela Magaly Keith-Chirch

Xela Magaly Keith-Chirch will celebrate having become a B’nai Mitzvah at a service on July 6, 2019, at Temple Emanu-El. Xela enjoys reading, swimming, dancing, acting, singing, drawing, and climbing trees. She was recently a member of the PJ Our Way National Design Content Team. She assists with classes… Read more »

Shinshiniyot b’not mitzvah to precede farewell

Rotem Rapaport (L) and Ron Benacot cherish their year as Israeli emissaries to Tucson. (Courtesy Weintraub Israel Center)

Weintraub Israel Center’s shinshiniyot (Israeli teen emissaries), Ron Benacot and Rotem Rapaport, will be called to the Torah as b’not mitzvah Saturday, June 15 at Temple Emanu-El.  “I had my bat mitzvah when I was 12,” said Benacot, “but where I grew up in Israel, it’s not common for… Read more »

Riley Danielle Strizver

Riley Strizver

Riley Danielle Strizver, daughter of Brad and Susan Strizver, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on May 18, 2019 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Paul and Judy Silverman, and David and Leah Peck, all of Tucson, and the late Robert Strizver. She attends Desert Sky… Read more »

Jenna Evelyn Strizver

Jenna Strizver

Jenna Evelyn Strizver, daughter of Brad and Susan Strizver, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on May 18, 2019 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Paul and Judy Silverman, and David and Leah Peck, all of Tucson, and the late Robert Strizver. She attends Desert Sky… Read more »

Logan Daniel Lazarus

Logan Daniel Lazarus, son of Emily and Adam Lazarus, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on April 6, at Congregation Anshei Israel. He is the grandson of Ellen Yasmer and the late Larry Yasmer of Tucson and Sandra and Joel Lazarus of Davie, Florida. Logan attends Orange Grove Middle… Read more »

Jared Bernard Matheson

Jared Bernard Matheson, son of Teresa and Brandon Matheson, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on March 16, at Congregation Anshei Israel. He is the grandson of Darlene and Robert Moen of Sartell, Minnesota; Susan Matheson of Tucson; and Debra and Landon Matheson of Chicago. Jared attends Tucson Hebrew… Read more »

Skylar Naomi Dehnert

Skylar Naomi Dehnert, daughter of John and LeeAat Dehnert, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on March 9 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of George and Tamar Mednick of Saratoga, California, and Janet Dehnert of Tucson. Skylar attends The Gregory School, where she achieves high honor… Read more »

Bethany Sarah Zashin

Bethany Sarah Zashin, daughter of Lisa Zashin and Todd Zashin will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Feb. 16 at Temple Emanu-El. She is the granddaughter of Marsha Rosenblum of Tucson, the late Robert Rosenblum, and the late Joyce Zashin. Bethany attends Tucson Waldorf School. She enjoys playing the… Read more »

Alex Stephen Rosenblum

Alex Stephen Rosenblum, son of Lenny Rosenblum and Elka Eisen, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Jan. 26 at Congregation Or Chadash. He is the grandson of Judy Rosenblum of Long Island, New York, and the late Stephen and Marcelle Eisen of Toronto and Stanley Rosenblum of East… Read more »

Michael Jurkowitz

Michael Jurkowitz, son of Dan and Lisa Jurkowitz, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Dec. 22, at Congregation Anshei Israel. He is the grandson of Chaya and Harvey Jurkowitz of Tucson and Joan and Andre Klein of Phoenix. Michael attends Alice Vail Middle School, where he plays… Read more »

Abigail Claire Cherkis

Abigail Claire Cherkis, daughter of Brenda Frye and Sergey Cherkis, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, Oct. 20, at Congregation Anshei Israel. She is the granddaughter of Norma Frye of Maricopa, Scott Frye of Gilbert, Margarita Lazereva of Tucson, and Alexander Cherkis of Brooklyn, NY. Abigail attends… Read more »

David A. Berk

David A. Berk, son of Debbie and Bill Berk, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, May 26 at Congregation Or Chadash. He is the grandson of Arlene and Marty Zuckerman of Tucson, and Sally and Mike Berk of Bonita Springs, Florida. David attends Orange Grove Middle School… Read more »

Talya Ruth Fleisher

Talya Ruth Fleisher

Talya Ruth Fleisher, daughter of Andrea and Jason Fleisher, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, April 28, at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Rhoda and Nate Miller of Tucson, Roma Fleisher and Bruce Favish of Los Angeles, and Sander Fleisher of Tucson. Talya attends… Read more »