I live in a neighborhood known for its Christmas festival. Several years ago, I wrote an essay for this paper, describing our decision to build a giant dreidel for the festival, and reflecting on the experience of living here. That essay ended with this thought: Sometimes a giant dreidel… Read more »
Local
At Stone Soup event, local teens to celebrate giving
“Something magical began to happen among the villagers. As each person opened their heart to give, the next person gave even more. And as this happened, the soup grew richer and smelled more delicious.” — from “Stone Soup” by Jon J. Muth The B’nai Tzedek Tucson Jewish teen philanthropy… Read more »
Author to highlight history of Inquisition in America
Sandra Toro, author of several historical novels including the recently published “Secrets Behind Adobe Walls” (Gaon Books), will shed light on the little known activities of the Spanish Inquisition in America in a lecture on Thursday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. The talk, hosted by Chabad of Tucson, will… Read more »
‘Simpsons’ producer to open 22nd annual film festival
The 22nd annual Tucson International Jewish Film Festival, featuring almost two dozen comedies, dramas and documentaries about everything from music to bagels to the healing power of dolphins, will be held Jan. 10-20. A pre-festival kick-off will be held Sunday, Jan. 6 at 2:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. at… Read more »
Mystic shawl at heart of family documentary
A new video biography, “The Black Shawl — Chana Fels’ Journey Remembered,” provides chilling details of Jewish life in Poland during the Nazi occupation. The story, narrated by Chana’s son, Moses Sterngast, follows the journey of two Jewish women, Chana Fels and her mother, Sara Fels, as they experience… Read more »
Desert-Mountain Region vp to install Hadassah officers
Hadassah Southern Arizona will install its 2013 slate of officers, including co-presidents Iris Sapovits of Green Valley and Corinne Forti of Tucson, at a luncheon on Thursday, Dec. 20 at noon at Skyline Country Club. The installing officer will be Sheilah Wagner of Phoenix. Wagner joined Hadassah in the… Read more »
New partnership to create Holocaust History Center in Tucson
The Holocaust Education & Commemoration Project of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and the Jewish History Museum are opening a new exhibit space at the museum dedicated to Holocaust history. The newly renovated space will be located in an 1880s Arizona Territorial house directly north of the museum… Read more »
For local men, volunteering on IDF base satisfying way to see, support Israel
Longtime Tucson friends Alan Dankwerth and Mike Jacobson had both been to Israel before. But their trip in October was different. Leaving their wives behind, they spent a couple of weeks working at an Israel Defense Forces base in northern Israel, not far from the Golan Heights, through the… Read more »
In Tucson, JFNA vp stresses unending support for communities in need
When TV cameras have already left scenes of tragedy at home and in Israel, the Jewish Federations of North America is still on the scene. That’s what William C. Daroff, vice president for public policy and director of JFNA’s Washington office, emphasized at a Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona… Read more »
Reminder: AJP carrier delivery will begin Dec. 14
In our last issue, we announced that starting with the Dec. 14 issue, the Arizona Jewish Post is changing from mail to carrier delivery. Here’s a reminder — and a few new details. Carriers for the Arizona Daily Star will handle the delivery, but you do not need… Read more »
New Torah to highlight CAI’s yearlong anniversary events
Congregation Anshei Israel has commissioned the creation of a new Torah as part of a yearlong celebration of its 83rd anniversary, or “Second Bar Mitzvah.” A kick-off event, the “Mitzvah 613 Torah Fair” on Sunday, Dec. 16, will allow participants to fulfill the 613th commandment by sharing with others… Read more »
Temple Emanu-El offers new interfaith program
Temple Emanu-El is offering a new program for interfaith families, “Stepping Stones to a Jewish Family.” Stepping Stones is designed to introduce interfaith families to Judaism and Jewish rituals, synagogue life and community participation in a relaxed, informal way. Temple Emanu-El is partnering with the Tucson Hebrew Academy on… Read more »
Tucson’s lone IDF soldiers elicit pride and prayers at home
The firing of missiles from Gaza into Israel and Israel’s Nov. 14 killing of Ahmed Jabari, the chief of Hamas’ military wing, initiated the call-up of Israel Defense Forces’ reserves. The situation escalated over the following week, and since Nov. 21, a precarious cease-fire has taken hold. For members… Read more »
Hanukkah Mall Madness returning to Park Place
Shalom Tucson will hold its ninth annual Hanukkah Mall Madness event for children and parents on Sunday, Dec. 2, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Park Place Mall. Local synagogues and Jewish agencies will present activities and crafts, including dreidel games, holiday card-making, sand pictures, menorah placemats and face… Read more »
AJP switching to home delivery
The Arizona Jewish Post is changing its home delivery system to better serve our readers. Beginning with the Dec. 14, 2012 issue, the AJP will be carrier-delivered … Read more »
Personal connections enhance JFSA men’s mission to Morocco
“Casablanca” brings to mind an almost mythical film in an exotic locale, conjuring up images of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman parting on a foggy airfield. But Casablanca is a real place where Jews have lived as far back as Roman times. Sixteen Tucsonans witnessed the vibrancy of Morocco’s… Read more »
In Tucson talk, pundit says Congress key to Israel policy
It doesn’t matter who the president is when it comes to U.S. policy toward Israel. When political pundit Micah D. Halpern made that statement in his talk, “Making Sense of the Middle East: A Post-Election Analysis,” at a Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona leadership campaign summit on Nov. 8,… Read more »
Chance Tucson meeting evokes memories of Poland
Adina Bar-El, Ph.D., a children’s book author from Hof Ashkelon, Israel, came to Tucson last week to talk about the power of stories — and ended up discovering tales of her own family’s past. On Friday, Nov. 9, Tucsonan Bill Kugelman attended Bar-El’s Heartbeat of Israel breakfast talk at… Read more »
New ‘switcher’ AZ tax credit may double funds for JETCO
A new Arizona state tax credit allows taxpayers to double their donations to the Jewish Education Tax Credit Organization, JETCO — without costing them a penny. Earlier this year, the Arizona legislature passed SB1047 to give children enrolled in public schools the opportunity to switch to private schools by… Read more »
Jewish Tucsonan shot on Jan. 8 responds to Loughner sentence
After 22 months, Suzi Hileman finally got to step into a courtroom and confront Jared Lee Loughner, the man who killed six people and wounded her and 12 others who’d come to meet with Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords at a Tucson Safeway on Jan. 8, 2011. “I have wanted to… Read more »