Local

Congregation Chofetz Chayim has announced that “in response to yesterday’s shocking events,” it will  hold a prayer and perspective gathering tonight from 5 to 6 p.m. Rabbi Becker will speak and special Psalms will be incorporated into a special service. The gathering is open to men and women of… Read more »

The Jewish History Museum is looking for ketubot (marriage contracts), wedding attire and wedding photos to borrow for its third annual Ketubah Exhibit, which will be held Jan. 8 through Feb. 14, 2011. A fashion show of historic gowns will be held Jan. 9. A ketubah for display may… Read more »

Tucson Hebrew Academy has taken a more-than-proactive approach to bullying. “We deal with bullies all the time in life,” says Ronnie Sebold, THA director of admissions, noting that even adults often run into bullies, from the person who cuts you off while driving to a boss or co-worker who… Read more »

Five Tucson synagogues and six Jewish organizations have been selected to build endowment funding through the new Areivim Legacy Community Project, in partnership with the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona. “Since we created the Endowment Book of Life almost 20 years ago, the Jewish Community Foundation and the… Read more »

Capt. Isaac Greenberg

Captain Isaac A. Greenberg will present “Being Jewish in the Army and Afghanistan” at Congregation Anshei Israel’s Shabbat service on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 9 a.m. Greenberg, a native Tucsonan, graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2005 with a degree in international relations. He… Read more »

Joe Black

On Friday, Dec. 24, Temple Emanu-El will host recording star Rabbi Joe Black, who will perform at Chardonnay Shabbat services at 5:45 p.m. A frequent visitor to Tucson, Black is one of the most popular Jewish contemporary artists in the United States. He has shared his music with hundreds… Read more »

Imagine Greater Tucson, a community-based effort to identify shared values and create an action plan for the future of the region, will hold a Jewish community conversation in conjunction with the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona on Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Tucson Hebrew Academy. If you… Read more »

Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona will present “13 Extraordinary Women Tell Their Secrets” at a brunch on Sunday, Jan. 9, 10 a.m. at the Marriott University Park Hotel. The 13 women, who will have three minutes each to share their formulas for success in their… Read more »

Evie Pozez

Evelyn Shirley Whitebook Pozez was “always gracious and grateful to people around her,” says Stuart Mellan, CEO and president of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona. “First and foremost, I’ll remember her shining spirit and ever-present smile.” Mrs. Pozez, 84, died on Friday, Dec. 17, 2010. Born in Iowa… Read more »

Inspired by the Reshet network, Congregation Chaverim began a mentoring program in which established families invite new ones to family-friendly events, such as this Simchat Torah celebration.

Last year, Tucson was chosen as one of four pilot communities to participate in the National Reshet Network, a synagogue-strengthening program funded by the Covenant Foundation and coordinated locally by the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona. Reshet means “network” in Hebrew. In May, Rabbi Philip Warmflash, executive director of… Read more »

The 20th Annual Tucson International Jewish Film Festival, which will run Jan. 20-30, will open with “Who Do You Love,” a behind-the-scenes look at the brothers who started the legendary Chess Records, launching the careers of Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Etta James, Churck Berry and others. It will be… Read more »

Steve Solomon

Sometimes being Jewish is not enough. Sometimes, you have to be Italian too, to really send you over the edge. To find out more, the AJP interviewed playwright Steve Solomon, author and star of the award-winning show “My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish, and I’m in Therapy.” The show… Read more »

Dan Terris

Professor Dan Terris, director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life at Brandeis University, will speak at the Brandeis National Committee Tucson chapter’s annual University on Wheels program on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, which is co-sponsoring the program.… Read more »

Susan Gaeta

The Shaol Pozez Memorial Lectureship Series will present a unique event on Monday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Susan Gaeta will meld a talk and performance in “A Sephardic Musical Journey.” Gaeta’s first solo CD, “From Her Nona’s Drawer” (2009), features traditional Sephardic… Read more »

The Jewish History Museum is seeking ketubot (marriage contracts), wedding attire and wedding photos to be loaned to the museum for its third annual Ketubah Exhibit, which will be held in January 2011. The ketubot may be from any state or country and ‘need not be fancy’ to be… Read more »

The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s Young Leadership Cabinet will hold its inaugural party — the Hava Tequila Bash — on Saturday, Dec. 18, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. The JCC will cosponsor the event. Hava Tequila will offer a nightclub atmosphere… Read more »

Cirque Dreams founder Neil Goldberg

How did a nice Jewish boy — and Orthodox at that — create a theatrical circus? “Cirque Dreams: Illumination,” featuring swirling acrobatics, dazzling costumes and choreography, will run at UApresents for five shows at Centennial Hall Dec. 10-12. It all started on Broadway for Cirque Dreams creator and director… Read more »

Natasha Mozgovaya

International journalist Natasha Mozgovaya will deliver a lecture, “Israeli-Jewish Snapshot: Trends and Challenges in a Multi-Cultural Society,” on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. The event is part of the Israel Center’s “Heartbeat of Israel” series. Mozgovaya was born in the Soviet Union… Read more »

Cantor Janece Cohen leads members of the Kol Shirah choir at the Tucson Jewish Food Festival on Nov. 7, 2010. (Photo courtesey of Linda Levine)

Cantor Janece Cohen of Congregation Or Chadash, started a new adult Jewish choir in August with her friend Karla Ember, cantorial soloist at Congregation Chaverim. A month later Ember was brutally murdered. Recently, Cohen was considering a name for the new choir. “I thought of Kol Shirah, which means… Read more »

Jewish Addiction Support Services will present “Addiction: A Story of Recovery” with Dan Stone, LCSW, LISAC, CT, on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2-3:15 p.m.at the Dusenberry-River Library, 5605 E. River Road, Suite 105. Stone, a licensed social worker and substance abuse counselor, will share his personal journey of recovery. Like… Read more »