B’nai Mitzvah

JYOTIE “JOJO” EDEN STEINBECK, daughter of Batsheva Hayes and Trey Steinbeck, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, April 22 with Congregation Or Chadash at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. She is the granddaughter of Judith Scher of Santa Barbara, Calif. JoJo attends Tucson Country Day School, where… Read more »

MADISON REGINA BALLIS, daughter of Tami and Mark Ballis, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, April 1 at Temple Emanu-El. She is the granddaughter of Sheila and Hal Rimer of Palm Desert, Calif. Maddie attends Esperero Canyon Middle School. For her mitzvah project, Maddie has created special… Read more »

ALMA HERNANDEZ, daughter of Consuelo and Daniel Hernandez, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, April 8 at Congregation Chaverim. Alma is a second-year graduate student at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona. She is also the Jewish Community Relations… Read more »

LEO FELIX HELMING, son of Suzanne Baron Helming and Bruce Helming, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, March 18, 2017 with Congregation Chaverim at the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation. He is the grandson of Martha Baron and the late Allen Baron, and Carol and Bob Helming,… Read more »

NAOMI GRACE HOLTZMAN, daughter of Barney and Kyra Holtzman, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on March 25, 2017 at Congregation Chaverim. She is the granddaughter of Barbara Holtzman and the late Stuart Holtzman of Tucson, and Michael and Linda Padden of Anchorage, Alaska. Naomi attends Orange Grove Middle… Read more »

JENNIFER FAYTHE WEISMAN celebrated becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017 at Congregation Chaverim. Weisman studied with Rabbi Stephanie Aaron for a year to prepare for the ceremony. Weisman shared the day with family, including her husband, Scott; daughters, Hannah (16) and Amelia (10), and parents, Jerry… Read more »

ZACHARY DEUTSCH, son of Jill and Michael Deutsch of Chandler, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, March 4 at Temple Emanuel of Tempe. He is the grandson of Judy and Larry Deutsch of St. Louis, Mo., and Susan and Michael Cohen of Sun Lakes, formerly of Tucson,… Read more »

Brian Belakovsky, son of Anjelina Belakovskaia and Lawrence Bernstein, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Feb. 4, at Temple Emanu-El. He is the grandson of Liliya Belakovskaya of Tucson. Brian attends Basis Tucson North where he is on the honor roll and a member of the school’s… Read more »

Sophia Violet Silverman, daughter of Kris and Ben Silverman, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 21 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Rosalyn Silverman of Lake Worth, Fla., and Linda Robertson of Tucson. Sophie attends BASIS Tucson North and attended Tucson Hebrew Academy… Read more »

Jessica Maia Frankenberg, daughter of Viviana and Nathan Frankenberg will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Jan. 21 at Congregation Bet Shalom. She is the granddaughter of Teresa and the late Henry Frankenberg of East Meadow, N.Y., and Arnoldo and the late Rosa Waysburt of Asuncion, Paraguay. Jessica attends… Read more »

Rona Emet Medovoi Klotz, daughter of Marcia Klotz and Leerom Medovoi  will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Dec. 17 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Ciporah Medovoi, of Los Angeles, Calif., and Martha and Robert Klotz, of Denver, Colo. Rona attends Orange Grove Middle School,… Read more »

Elijah Ivan Nogales, son of Celina Alday and Reuven Shorr, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Congregation Chaverim. He is the grandson of Alisa and Kenneth Shorr, Celina and Tony Nogales, and Patricia and Ken Wagner, all of Tucson. Elijah attends Robins Elementary School… Read more »

Levi Nathan Mendel, son of Pamela and Stuart Mendel, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Congregation Anshei Israel. Levi attends Tucson Hebrew Academy. He enjoys reading, chess and math. For his Mitzvah project, he is raising funds for the American Cancer Society.… Read more »

Audrey Reese Ecelbarger, daughter of Bess and Paul Ecelbarger, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, Nov. 12 at Temple Emanu-El. She is the granddaughter of Judi and Bob Rubin, Laura Ecelbarger, and Mark Thaler, all of Tucson. Audrey attends Gridley Middle School where she is an honor… Read more »

Darian Joseph German, son of Sophie M. German, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Nov. 5 at Temple Emanu-El. He is the grandson of Caryll and John McCarthy of Tucson. Darian attends Tucson Hebrew Academy where he participates in Mock Trial. He enjoys art, teen choir and… Read more »

Aubrey Makenna Stellajean Zadorozny, daughter of Sara and Steven Zadorozny, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, Nov. 5 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Gary and the late Linda King, Maria and the late Peter Zadorozny, both of San Diego and the great-granddaughter of… Read more »

Benjamin Aaron Sargus, son of Tamara Sargus and Bryan Sargus, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Temple Emanu-El. He is the grandson of Sheila and Ken Sommerman of New York, N.Y., and Karen and Larry Sargus of Canal Winchester, Ohio. Ben attends Basis Tucson… Read more »

Gabriel Alexander Friedman, son of Diana & Rick Friedman, celebrated becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Congregation Or Chadash. He is the grandson of Barbara and Joseph Friedman of New York, N.Y., Norman Statland of Sarasota, Fla., and Marilyn Statland of Florham Park, N.J. Gabriel attends… Read more »

JERUSALEM (JTA) — The world’s oldest man, 113-year-old Yisrael Kristal, a Holocaust survivor living in Israel, celebrated his bar mitzvah a century late. Kristal, of Haifa, celebrated the rite over the weekend with his two children, grandchildren and nearly 30 great-grandchildren, The Associated Press reported. He was recognized as… Read more »

Liliana Jade Isaac, daughter of Nina and Andrew Isaac, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Sept. 17 at Congregation Anshei Israel. She is the granddaughter of Dr. Seth and Sharon Weintraub of Jacksonville, Ore., the late Frances Sydney, and Barbara and Chuck Isaac of Phoenix, and the great-granddaughter… Read more »