Local

Coming to TSO, Bell honors violin’s Jewish past

Joshua Bell with the Gibson ex Huberman Stradivarius (Photo: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco)

Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell will play with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Tucson Music Hall. The program of romantic classics will include the overture to Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro,” Grieg’s “Wedding Day at Troldhaugen,” the “Wedding March” from Men­delssohn’s “A… Read more »

Local experts share tools for coping with bullying

Bullying is an issue of concern nationally; in a 2011 study, 44 percent of 10- to 17-year-olds reported being bullied. Awareness of this problem is on the rise in response to recent violent incidents, including school shootings and highly publicized cyberbullying. To address parents’ concerns, two local Jewish organizations,… Read more »

Support group to aid mothers of disabled

A support group for Jewish mothers of children of any age with disabilities will hold its inaugural meeting later this month. In a letter to prospective participants, organizer Joyce Stuehringer, who has an adult son born with a disability, wrote of her hope that in discussing common experiences, “we… Read more »

JFSA-Northwest introduces chair exercise

The Jewish Federation-Northwest will offer Healthy-Steps chair exercise classes on Tuesday mornings from 9 to 10 a.m., beginning Feb. 12. The gentle whole body workout is set to big band, jazz and swing era music. Based on the Lebed Method, it includes deep breathing, slow stretching and therapeutic exercises.… Read more »

JFSA Maimonides to tour ‘Deadly Medicine,’ hear survivor

Holocaust survivor Klara Swimmer tells her story to a group of Tucson area high school students during the Air National Guard 162nd Fighter Wing’s Holocaust Remembrance event, March 17, 2009. (Photo: Staff Sgt. Jordan Jones)

Tucsonan Klara Swimmer was a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Hungary when she read a book about Madame Curie that set the course of her life. “I decided that I wanted to do something similar she did and that was medicine.” Swimmer, 88, didn’t allow the Holocaust to knock… Read more »

‘Holocaust Survivor Cookbook’ author to speak

Joanne Caras, author of “The Holocaust Survivor Cookbook” and “Miracles & Meals”

Chabad of Tucson will host an evening with cookbook author Joanne Caras on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. at Congregation Young Israel. Caras’ cookbooks, “The Holocaust Survivor Cookbook” and its sequel, “Miracles & Meals,” memorialize lives lost in the Holocaust. The Port St Lucie, Fla., resident collected more… Read more »

JFSA transportation grant includes more shuls

Three years ago, transportation programs for Jewish seniors (60+) and adults with disabilities were begun through grants from the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s Task Force for Seniors and Adults with Disabilities to Congregations Or Chadash and Bet Shalom. Last year Congregations Anshei Israel, Chaverim and M’kor Hayim and… Read more »

Wildcat’s Pasternack to join Hillel dinner

Joe Pasternack (University of Arizona)

University of Arizona Assistant Basketball Coach Joe Pasternack will talk about this year’s top-10 Wildcats team at the UA Hillel Foundation alumni and friends’ dinner on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 6:45 p.m. Pasternack is in his second year as UA assistant coach under Coach Sean Miller. The event, which… Read more »

“Too Jewish” to celebrate with live broadcast

Robert Klein will headline a live radio broadcast celebrating the 10th anniversary of "Too Jewish" (Courtesy Temple Emanu-El)

The “Too Jewish” radio show with Rabbi Sam Cohon and Friends will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a live radio variety show broadcast from the Fox Theatre on March 2 at 7:45 p.m., featuring comedian Robert Klein along with Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, U.S. Rep. Ron Barber, Amy Hirshberg Lederman,… Read more »

Brandeis University arts expert to present ‘Truth or Beauty’

Scott Edmiston

The Brandeis National Committee will host its annual University on Wheels event on Thursday, Feb. 7, at 9 a.m. at Skyline Country Club. Scott Edmiston, director of the Office of the Arts at Brandeis University, will speak on: “Truth or Beauty: The Need for Art in the 21st Century.”… Read more »

JFSA hires campaign manager

Bryan Pisetsky

Bryan Pisetsky will join the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona as campaign manager full time beginning April 3. He will relocate to Tucson from California with his wife, Kira, and two children. Pisetsky’s professional career has included an outreach fellowship with the Las Vegas Hillel Center for Jewish Student… Read more »

Jewish camp fair will feature reps from overnight camps

Temple Emanu-El will host the annual Jewish Camp Fair on Sunday, Feb. 3, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Camp directors from more than 15 Jewish camps will be on hand to meet with parents and children from the entire Jewish community. Camps from across the United States will… Read more »

Classes to explore Israel, past and present

The Weintraub Israel Center and Temple Emanu-El will present “Israel: Past and Present,” a five-week adult education series beginning Feb. 4. Classes will meet at Temple Emanu-El on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. The topics are: Feb. 4: “Israel’s Cultures, Past and Present” with Ken Miller, University of Arizona staff… Read more »

JFSA sponsors Birthright summer 2013 trip

The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona is sponsoring a Birthright Israel trip for young professionals, graduate students and upperclassmen in June 2013. If you are 20-26 years old, grew up in Tucson or live here now (including attending the University of Arizona), and have never been to Israel on… Read more »

Lederman speaker for JFSA winter residents event

The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona will hold a reception for winter residents on Thursday, Feb. 14 at 5 p.m. at the home of Randee and Myron Jacobs. Casual attire is suggested. The guest speaker will be Amy Hirshberg Lederman, who will present “Every Family Has a Story to… Read more »

Kickboxing, heart health talk on tap for YWC

The Young Women’s Cabinet will kick off a healthy new year with its winter event on Wednesday, Feb. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. The evening will include a cardio-kickboxing class and a discussion of heart health with Claudine Messing, vice president of… Read more »

‘God is to be found everywhere,’ says Temple’s Bilgray scholar

Rabbi Arthur Green

Rabbi Arthur Green has forged his own spiritual path for a half-century. A preeminent authority on neo-Hasidism, mysticism and Jewish spirituality, Green will be in residence at Temple Emanu-El from Feb. 7 to 9 as the distinguished scholar for its 2013 Arthur T. Bilgray lecture series. Recognized as one… Read more »

Matisyahu bringing acoustic tour to Rialto

Matisyahu

Matisyahu, the no-longer-Hasidic reggae superstar, will bring his first acoustic tour to Tucson on Wednesday, Jan. 30, performing at the Rialto Theatre. The concert will feature acoustic renditions of tracks from his latest album, “Spark Seeker,” in addition to some fan favorites. While in Santa Monica earlier this month… Read more »

Bet Shalom 30th: Celebrating Rabbi Billy and Ada Lewkowicz

Rabbi Billy Lewkowicz

Congregation Bet Shalom will celebrate its 30th year by honoring Rabbi Philip (“Billy”) Lewkowicz and his wife, Ada, at a gala dinner on March 3. “Rabbi Billy has been associated with our congregation as a guest speaker, participant in study groups and panel discussions and especially as our religious… Read more »