Jessica Reese The Tucson Jewish Community Center Special Needs Initiative in partnership with Jewish Family & Children’s Services, with support from the David and Lura Lovell Foundation, will hold a professional development summit, “Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health: The Intersection of Treatment” on Thursday, Feb. 28, 8:15-3 p.m. The keynote speaker… Read more »
The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona is accepting applications for scholarships to Jewish overnight summer camps for the summer of 2019. The need-based scholarship is funded by the Mo and Frances Beren Family Scholarship Fund and the Loebl Family Scholarship Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona.… Read more »
Leonard Dinnerstein, a professor emeritus at the University of Arizona, known as one of the foremost scholars of anti-Semitism in America, died Jan. 22, 2019 at the age of 84. Mr. Dinnerstein served as a professor of history at the UA from 1970 through 2004, and as the… Read more »
The Hava Tequila speakeasy opens Saturday, Feb. 2 for the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s annual Young Leadership gala. “This year we are having live music, which I think people will be really excited about,” says co-chair Samantha Minkus. The 1920s-theme and the Jewish History Museum venue bring sophistication… Read more »
The Rabbi Samuel S. and A. Irma Cohon Memorial Foundation will present three awards at its 2018 award ceremony, which will take place at Congregation Beit Simcha’s Shabbat service on Friday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. The award recipients, who will describe their work at the ceremony, are Phyllis… Read more »
Susan Miller Invisible Theatre will bring Jewish playwright Susan Miller’s latest off-Broadway play, “20th Century Blues,” to Tucson to round out its 48th anniversary season, April 23-May 5. Miller has won two Obies, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and countless other awards. The play, which debuted off-Broadway in November 2017, centers on four… Read more »
Andrew Schulz (University of Arizona)
In concert with the University of Arizona strategic plan, Andrew Schulz, dean of the College of Fine Arts, last week was named the inaugural vice president for the arts to carry out a re-imagined vision of the UA and Tucson as an international destination for fine arts. “Arts, culture… Read more »
Myriam Moscona
The Jewish History Museum will co-sponsor a poetry reading on Wednesday, Feb. 27 in Spanish, English and Ladino with acclaimed Mexican poet Myriam Moscona. Joining her on stage will be the translators of her book, “Tela de Sevoya” (“Onioncloth”), Jen Hofer and John Pluecker. They are co-founders of Antena,… Read more »
Rabbi Marcus Breger (left) and Morris ‘Mac’ Benisch at Anshei Israel’s 1968 groundbreaking (Congregation Anshei Israel)
Congregation Anshei Israel will hold a “L’Door V’Dor: 50 years on 5th Street” gala next month. Organizers dubbed the event the “L’Door V’Dor,” a play on l’dor v’dor, the Hebrew phrase for “from generation to generation,” because it is a chance to honor those who helped open the doors… Read more »
Sarah Bunin Benor Editor’s note: This article has been updated Jan. 25 to show that all lectures will be held at Temple Emanu-El. Temple Emanu-El’s 35th annual Bilgray Lectureship will center on language and names, with Sarah Bunin Benor, Ph.D., as the scholar in residence. The free series features three lectures, Feb.… Read more »
Laurence Kutler talks with Tucson Hebrew Academy first graders, Jan. 8. (Debe Campbell/AJP)
Laurence Kutler, Ph.D., left Florida’s beaches and retirement to join Tucson Hebrew Academy as the head of school on Jan. 8. “Highly regarded in the Jewish day school movement, he has earned a reputation for working closely with students, faculty, parents and the community as a collaborative team builder… Read more »
George Hanson The Tucson Jewish Community Center, in partnership with Tucson Desert Song Festival, will present a panel discussion, “What Is Latin Style?” on Monday, Jan. 28, 7-8:30 p.m. Desert Song Festival Director George Hanson will lead a discussion with guests including Tucson Symphony Orchestra Music Director Jose Luis Gomez, local… Read more »
Ariel Goldberg Editor’s note: This article was updated Jan. 30 to clarify Goldberg’s volunteer work in the social justice realm. Ariel Goldberg, Zuckerman Fellow and curator of community engagement at the Jewish History Museum, will present “Social Justice Through Writing and Curating” at Congregation Or Chadash on Thursday, Jan. 31 at… Read more »
Lori Ann Burd In honor of Tu B’Shevat, the Secular Humanist Jewish Circle will host Lori Ann Burd, environmental health program director and staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, a Tucson-based national conservation group focused on endangered species protection. Her talk will take place Saturday, Jan. 26, at 1:30 p.m.… Read more »
Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Women’s Philanthropy will host Filling Empty Bowls Feb. 13.
Filling Empty Bowls is a new interactive event for Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s Women’s Philanthropy, hosted by its Pomegranate Division. The event on Wednesday, Feb. 13 promises opportunities for creative fun, food, drinks, and a chance to enjoy connecting with women of all ages. The evening kicks off… Read more »
Tucson travelers enjoy a wine-pairing luncheon at Israel’s Golan Heights Winery, Oct. 17, 2018. Visible from left, front: Jil Feldhausen, Edward Feldhausen, Lawrence Kinet, Michelle Kinet, Wendy Weinberg, Jeff Weinberg. From front right: Janice Brundage, Dawn Gunter, Steve Wool, Debe Campbell. Weintraub Israel Center)
Viniculture isn’t new; it’s perhaps as old as history itself. The first winery discovered dates back to 4100 BCE in Armenia. Some wine historians date the origins of winemaking back as early as 8000 BCE. Grapes are one of the seven biblical species (Deuteronomy 8:8). With 221 mentions in… Read more »
Friendly Pines Camp will hold a free sleepaway camp information night on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 7-8:30 p.m., at Homewood Suites by Hilton, 4250 N. Campbell Ave. For more information, call 928-445-2128 or visit www.friendlypines.com. The Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block was awarded a $100,000 technology grant from… Read more »
Israeli Amnon Weinstein, who has restored more than 60 violins that survived the Holocaust, will be in Tucson for Violins of Hope Feb. 17. (Daniel Levin)
Israeli violin maker Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshi have spent the last two decades locating and restoring violins from the Holocaust as a tribute to those who were lost, including 400 of their own relatives. Amnon calls these the Violins of Hope. Violins of Hope will be at… Read more »
‘Mazal Tov’ by Marlene Burns. ‘Most often used when offering congratulations or wishing good luck, Mazal Tov has a deeper message. Mazal means an alignment of the stars. Our tradition sees our mazal as the influence of the stars trickling down on us,’ says Burns. (Marlene Burns)
The Beth Shalom Temple Center Art Gallery will present “Sacred Intention” by Tucson artist and educator Marlene Burns, Feb. 1-April 1. A reception with the artist will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 3, following the temple’s monthly bagel breakfast. Burns has been a professional artist… Read more »
Julia Lewenfisz-Gorka, Wojciech Zielinski, and Marta Ormaniec portray Ora, Abraham and Luba Lewin in ‘Who Will Write Our History.’ (Anna Wolch)
The Jewish History Museum and Holocaust History Center will join hundreds of partners on Sunday, Jan. 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, for a global screening event of “Who Will Write Our History.” The film will be shown at 200 venues in 40 countries; U.S. locations include the United States… Read more »
