Local

Local Jewish pediatrician hails climate change education, conference

Not only is climate change a hot topic, it coincides with Judaism’s long-held value of caring for the environment. “We have an obligation to God as stewards of the earth to not destroy the planet,” says Eve Shapiro, M.D., a local Jewish pediatrician who’s on the board of the… Read more »

Jewish youth choir seeks members for new season

The Tucson Jewish Youth Choir, led by Cantor Janece Cohen, is seeking singers for its 14th season. The group, for ages 7-14, performs at major events throughout the Tucson community, such as Tucson Meet Yourself, the Jewish Food Festival and the Israel Festival. Singers also participate in a choir… Read more »

Concert to aid Interfaith Community Services

Alexander Tentser and Anna Gendler

Classical pianist Alexander Tentser and his wife, Anna Gendler, a violinist with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, will perform classical and romantic works by Mozart, Schumann, Mendelssohn and Chopin in a concert to benefit Interfaith Community Services. The duo will perform on Saurday, Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. at Rincon… Read more »

Shostakovich, JCC talk to kick off TSO season

George Hanson

The Tucson Symphony Orchestra opens its 85th season on Oct. 4 with music director and conductor George Hanson on the podium. Maestro Hanson, now in his 18th year leading the TSO, is opening the season with an all-Russian program, “Victorious Shostakovich!” He will give a talk on the program… Read more »

Rabbi to speak on immigration reform at Hadassah luncheon

Rabbi Thomas Louchheim will present “Immigration Reform: A Jewish View” at Hadassah Southern Arizona’s opening luncheon for the 2013-14 season, on Sunday, Sept. 29 at noon at McMahon’s Restaurant, 2959 N. Swan Road. Louchheim was ordained in 1987 and has been the spiritual leader of Congregation Or Chadash since… Read more »

New branches expanding Tucson Jewish Community Library

The Tucson Jewish Community Library is now part of the Tucson Association of Jewish Libraries, a joint project of the Coalition for Jewish Education of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and the Tucson Jewish Community Center. The library, on the second floor of the JCC, has joined with… Read more »

LGBT pride service to be held at Scottish Rite Cathedral

Tucson’s 5th Annual Multi-Faith Pride Service with the theme “Sacred Presence” will be held Sunday, Oct. 6 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 160 S. Scott Ave. The Wingspan Multi-Faith Working Group and the LGBT Jewish Inclusion Project, a program of the Jewish Federation of… Read more »

From broadcast career to Jewish community, local retiree stays in the game

Although known for his adventurous spirit, Dick Belkin has never been a motorcycle enthusiast. So his wife, Sherry, was surprised when he hopped on their son-in-law’s bike and said, “Let’s go for a ride.” They never left the curb. (Courtesy Dick Belkin)

                      Once known as Captain Six and later as a captain of the broadcast industry, Dick Belkin was a pioneer in television. Since retiring 25 years ago, he brought that same entrepreneurial spirit to the World Trade Center in… Read more »

Tucson pilot program shows possibilities of Affordable Care Act

Mike Cracovaner, CEO of New Pueblo Medicine, explains the accountable care organization concept. (Deborah Mayaan)

Many people wonder what will happen as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2011 is put into effect, with coverage for currently uninsured people beginning Jan. 1, 2014. Mike Cracovaner and two other members of the local Jewish community are part of a team developing new approaches… Read more »

Social, legal facets of bullying topic for author, Yale law grad

Emily Bazelon (Nina Subin)

Emily Bazelon doesn’t hesitate to take on big social issues. “I was raised to see Judaism in terms of ethical precepts,” Bazelon told the AJP. The author of “Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy” will speak in Tucson on… Read more »

Bet Shalom youth leader part of MLK event

(L-R): Tayvien Williams, Vianney Careaga, Marissa Pena and Rachel Mayer at the Tucson Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington on Aug. 28. (Frank Youdelman)

Armory Park was the scene of the Tucson Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington on Aug. 28. Around 150 people listened as four young people, representing African American, Native American, Hispanic and Anglo societal groups, read segments of Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous “I… Read more »

Spiritual quest focus for Women’s Academy

Southwest Torah Institute’s Women’s Academy for Jewish Studies will hold a free brunch and presentation, “Where is G-d leading me?” with Esther Becker on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 9:30 a.m. at Congregation Chofetz Chayim. Becker’s talk is based on “The Map Seeker: One Woman’s Quest” by Leah Kotkes, the… Read more »

Media making a difference

“The Last Bully: Stopping Epidemics of Violence” is the 2013-14 theme of the first Media Making a Difference film series, sponsored by the Aurora Foundation, Tucson International Jewish Film Festival, Loft Cinema and the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding. “Submit the Documentary: The Virtual Reality of Cyberbullying” will… Read more »

Tucson Jewish educators join forces with Phoenix for jump on new year

Tucson Jewish educators at a statewide conference in Phoenix Aug. 11. Bottom row (L-R): Teena Serlachini (Congregation Or Chadash), Rina Liebeskind (Or Chadash education director/Hebrew High); second row: Deborah Witchey and Ashley Hall (Or Chadash), Maya Collier, Hila Lamdan, Michaela Davenport and Page Confino (Congregation Chaverim), Justin Iaconis (Or Chadash); third row: David Weintraub (Or Chadash), Jason Moore (Chaverim), Cantor Janece Cohen and Cindy Weintraub (Or Chadash), Nancy Auslander (Congregation Anshei Israel), MeMe Aguila (Anshei Israel/Chaverim), Naomi Present (Chaverim education director), Daniella Bardack (Anshei Israel), Julie Unger Zorn and Scott Zorn (Or Chadash); fourth row: Oren Riback, Lily Peters, Rebecca Groff, Jared Erman and Caleb Groff (Or Chadash), Renee Hulsey (Anshei Israel), Noga Panai (Or Chadash/Hebrew High), Rabbi Ben Herman (Anshei Israel education director), Bryan Gordon (Anshei Israel); fifth row: Ariel Nadler (Or Chadash), Devin Hulsey (Anshei Israel)

On Sunday, Aug. 11, 34 Jewish educators and directors from the religious schools of Congregation Anshei Israel, Congregation Chaverim, Congregation Or Chadash and Tucson Hebrew High boarded a chartered bus for the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus in Scottsdale to join educators from around the state for the first… Read more »

Project Isaiah food drive for needy underway

Project Isaiah, the Jewish community’s annual High Holidays food drive benefiting the Community Food Bank, begins today and runs through Sept. 30. The project is named for the Prophet Isaiah, who when asked why we fast on Yom Kippur, responded, “Is it not to share your bread with the… Read more »

Multi-faith Humane Borders blessing planned

Humane Borders will hold its second annual multi-faith “Blessing of the Fleet,” giving thanks for the trucks that service its desert water stations, on Sunday, Sept. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the House of Neighborly Services, 243 W. 33rd St. in Tucson. Participants will include Rabbi Ben… Read more »

92Y holiday webcast to feature Tucson native

Tucsonans will have the chance to see Tucson born-and-bred Rabbi Jen E. Krause, who lives in New York City, lead High Holiday services at the 92nd Street Y. Services will be webcast live via www.92Y.org/HHLive and will also be available to military personnel at Davis Monthan Air Force Base… Read more »

New UA Hillel staffers foster identity, diversity

Positive Jewish experiences in college may predict greater future involvement with Judaism. And if that’s the case, the new director of student life at the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation, Ryan Wolo­shin, says he’s raring to go. Woloshin arrived on campus from Virginia in mid-July. He will focus on… Read more »

Hadassah reaching out to members under 45

Hadassah Southern Arizona will form a young women’s special interest group this fall for women 45 and under. “There are a lot of younger people who are members but don’t really use their memberships. We’d like to get them to come out, get involved and make some positive changes… Read more »

Firefighters to get anti-terror training in Israel

(L-R) Stuart Mellan, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona; Capt. Mark Lytle, Green Valley Fire District; Capt. Rich Johnson, Tucson Fire Department; Lt. Thomas Tucker, Tucson Airport Fire District; Mike McKendrick, chairman, Greater Tucson Fire Foundation; Capt. Kyle Canty, Northwest Fire District; and Battalion Chief Kelly McCoy, Northwest Fire District, outside the JFSA office (Phyllis Braun/AJP)

The Greater Tucson Fire Foundation has announced Firefighters Without Borders, a two-week mission that will send local Arizona firefighters to Israel in October to learn from their Israeli counterparts. The firefighters will travel as private citizens, but their resumes reflect expertise with nearly a dozen local fire departments and… Read more »