“Israel is held to a uniquely harsh standard by the world, facing relentless criticism and misinformation in the media. When other nations take military action for their security, they are met with understanding — yet when Israel does the same, it is vilified”, says Rabbi Sara Metz of Congregation… Read more »
The mental health crisis among men in America has reached critical levels: one in 10 men experience depression or anxiety, yet less than half seek treatment. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, men account for about four times the number of completed suicides compared to women in… Read more »
Dozens of Tucson Jewish community members fanned out across the city on Jan. 20 for a Day of Chesed. Chesed means “kindness” in Hebrew. Volunteers participated in various service projects, such as packing care kits for people experiencing homelessness and donating blood to the American Red Cross. The Day… Read more »
The Hebrew word “chesed” is often translated as “loving-kindness” or simply “goodness.” The Tucson Jewish community’s Day of Chesed on Jan. 20 will offer many ways to do good in our community, from a clothing swap to visiting with Handmaker residents. The Day of Chesed is organized by L.… Read more »
Hava Leipzig Holzhauer was due to start her role as President and CEO of Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona in December 2023. After the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel, she jumped in early upon request, joining meetings remotely to help the community deal with the antisemitism that soon… Read more »
Dr. Bryan Shumaker and his wife, Linda, were winter residents in Southern Arizona for six or seven years before becoming full-time residents in November. They sold their house in northern Michigan and settled into a home in Dove Mountain. Southern Arizona’s dark skies and its astronomy community are a… Read more »
“I’d like to help you, because you helped me.” What a strange way to start a conversation. And even stranger was the fact that the woman who walked into my office and said that was a complete unknown to me. My mind did the panic-scan where I mentally cycled… Read more »
Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center is thrilled to announce a new initiative, the Rabbi Joseph H. Gumbiner Community Action Project. Inspired by the social activism of one of Tucson’s founding rabbis, the Gumbiner Project fulfills an integral part of the Museum’s mission, that of collaborating with diverse people… Read more »
Chip Rosenfeld says Oct. 7, 2023, was “a watershed moment” that inspired him to get more involved in Tucson’s Jewish community. The retired physician was surprised by how deeply he felt “that was my people” under attack. Rosenfeld and his wife, Sara, attended a community Shabbat gathering at the… Read more »
For ten years, the Z3 Project – which began at the Oshman Family JCC as a conference and has now grown to include Leadership Labs and a think tank – has been empowering Jewish community leaders and lay people to reimagine Jewish engagement for the 21st century by uniting… Read more »
Three lines of text about an obscure, ancient ritual changed her life. Rabbi Sharon Brous told this to a crowd of more than 250 gathered on Sunday, Nov. 17 at the Edgar B. Berger Performing Arts Center for “Community in Unity,” an event presented by Jewish Family & Children’s… Read more »
Ask any Tucson Hebrew Academy (THA) 8th grade graduate about their Jewish capstone trip, and you’ll hear their experience was awe-inspiring, magical, and indescribable. The THA 8th grade Jewish capstone trip is truly a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The trip deeply connects students with their Jewish heritage by connecting classroom teachings… Read more »
Hosting the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games and Access in Tucson this summer will be a true community effort. More than 1,000 volunteers, 350 host families, and up to 100 local athletes ages 12-17 will be recruited to join staff members of the Tucson Jewish Community Center in creating a… Read more »
Earlier this fall, Tucson Hebrew Academy (THA), in partnership with the Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center, launched a new exhibit, Tucson Hebrew Academy: The First 50 Years. Serving Tucson families for more than fifty years, THA was founded by the Levkowitz and Leonard families in response to Rabbi… Read more »
Each spring, Tucson’s Jewish Latino Teen Coalition (JLTC) heads to Washington, D.C., to lobby lawmakers on a topic they’ve chosen and spent months researching. JLTC convenes 10 to 12 high school sophomores and juniors annually to foster multicultural understanding and political advocacy. Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona and U.S.… Read more »
On Wednesday, October 23, Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center (TJMHC) hosted an opening reception of the Allen & Marianne Langer Contemporary Human Rights Exhibit. The new exhibit is titled Witnessing Violence: Help or Harm? Witnessing Violence examines the uses and abuses of images from violent atrocities, particularly as… Read more »
Each fall, the Southern Arizona Jewish community comes together to donate non-perishable food items, filling bins across local synagogues and Jewish agencies for the Project Isaiah High Holiday food drive. These contributions are then delivered to the Community Food Bank (CFB), where they are distributed throughout Southern Arizona to… Read more »
Birds are wild animals that are accessible to everyone, everywhere,” says Dan Weisz. The Tucson native rediscovered his love of birding, or birdwatching, when he retired eleven years ago from a career as a public school administrator. Exploring new or bygone pursuits in retirement reminds Weisz of being in… Read more »
It probably wasn’t his old jogging habit that helped Murray Manson reach age 100 in August. That just ruined his knees, he says. Murray, who now walks with a cane, attributes his longevity to luck. His wife, Honey, suspects it may have something to do with eating a healthier… Read more »
One of the most incredible things about the Tucson J is that it does not stand out here in the Sonoran Desert alone – it is part of global network of community centers united in shared mission and vision, each of them serving the unique needs of their local… Read more »
