Local

UA Music+Festival focuses on artists who bridge classical and popular music

jeremy-huw-williams-paula-fan-1024pxJeremy Huw Williams, baritone, and Paula Fan, pianist, perform at the St. Augustine Cathedral in Tucson on Oct.13, 2015. (Solaris Photography)

The Fred Fox School of Music at the University of Arizona College of Fine Arts will present its 13th annual Music+Festival, featuring the music of George Gershwin (1898-1937), Steve Reich (b. 1936), and William Bolcom (b. 1938), from Oct. 9-12. All festival events will be online, with free admission.… Read more »

Sukkah installation at JHM promotes human rights

jhm_clamor_in_the_desertDetail of Mirta Kupferminc‘s “Clamor en el Desierto/Clamor in the Desert” installation at Tucson’s Jewish History Museum.

The Jewish History Museum and Holocaust History Center is hosting “Clamor en el Desierto/Clamor in the Desert,” a new work from artist Mirta Kupferminc. The sukkah installation is imbued with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights presented in dozens of languages, and invite the community into active care of… Read more »

AZ Board of Education makes Holocaust education mandatory

holocaust_educationHolocaust survivors (L-R) Pawel Lichter, Theresa Dulgov, Sidney Finkel and Wanda Wolosky testify before the Arizona House of Representatives education committee, Jan. 27, 2020.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect passage of the rule change Oct. 26. Holocaust education became mandatory in Arizona as of Oct. 26. The Arizona State Board of Education passed a change to the Arizona Administrative Code’s sections R7-2-301 and R7-2-302, the minimum courses of study… Read more »

Watch: Video of community awards and Federation annual meeting

The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona presented its Community Awards Celebration & Annual Meeting 2020 on Tuesday, Sept. 15 as a Zoom meeting, with 110 people attending. With large in-person meetings still restricted to help slow the spread of coronavirus, the Federation for the first time held this annual… Read more »

Check out the AJP Advertising Directories

business_directory_promo_1024

As part of the Arizona Jewish Post’s pivot to an all-digital platform, we’ve introduced new monthly ad directories. On Sept. 11, we kicked things off with two directories: L’Shana Tova Tikatevu 5781, featuring Rosh Hashanah greetings from community members and organizations, and the September – October 2020 Business Directory.… Read more »

JFSA and JCF to partner with SVP Fast Pitch program

Fast-Pitch-Finalists-on-StageFinalists from Social Venture Partner Tucson’s Fast Pitch 2017 celebrate on stage at the main event. (L-R) Danielle Figeuroa of Youth on Their Own, Liz Hernandez of Project Safe Place at Jewish Family & Children’s Services, Lisa Shipek of Watershed  Management Group, Amalia Luxardo of The Florence Project, Sean Cronin of Stories That Soar! at Literacy Connects, L’Don Sawyer of St. Luke’s Home, and Jennifer Moore of Abbie School (Social Venture Partners Tucson)

The Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona are collaborating with Social Venture Partners Tucson to grow and advance its Fast Pitch program, which helps local nonprofits raise funds, boost awareness, and build their capacity. In Fast Pitch, which debuted locally in 2015, SVP staff and volunteers… Read more »

THA to honor Mellans with Tikkun Olam award

Nancy and Stuart Mellan

Stuart Mellan, longtime leader of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, and his wife, Nancy, will be the honorees for Tucson Hebrew Academy’s 2020 Tikkun Olam Celebration. “Then and Now: Celebrating 25 Years of Leadership” will be presented as a YouTube video on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m.… Read more »

The Arizona Jewish Post transitions to digital

As of our Sept. 11, 2020 issue, the Arizona Jewish Post has pivoted to become an all-digital publication. All content, including articles, life cycle announcements, advertisements, and opinion pieces will be featured online at azjewishpost.com. Why the change? On July 17, 2020, the board of directors of the Federation… Read more »

Chabad to present Mega Challah Bake online

Southern Arizona’s Mega Challah Bake will be held in your own kitchen this year — with Chabad providing live instructions and entertainment via Zoom, plus ingredients for those who want them. “It has been a delight to organize and host the Mega Challah Bake of Tucson over the past… Read more »

High Holiday profiles: Local environmentalists’ passion stems from Jewish roots, family

A view of the Arizona Desert Laboratory from atop Tumamoc Hill, with the sprawl of Tucson beyond it. (Photo Paul Mirocha)

The year 2020 has brought us face-to-face with many significant obstacles, from the global coronavirus pandemic to issues of racial injustice. Among the challenges that we are confronting is climate change, which forces us to ask ourselves, “How will we leave the environment for future generations?” In time for… Read more »

Childhood tales of oppression spur environmental advocate

lori_ann_burd_460pxLori Ann Burd

The echoes of oppression in Jewish history have shaped Lori Ann Burd’s strong sense of Jewish identity and desire to do good in the world. “I am so privileged, and have come from these people who fought so hard just to survive,” says Burd, 39. “I have literally no… Read more »

Water researcher links arid regions of Arizona, Israel, and Jordan

Sharon Megdal, Ph.D.

Sharon B. Megdal, Ph.D., director of the Water Resources Research Center at the University of Arizona, was not always interested in water. She studied economics, planning to work in public policy, and became immersed in the world of water as part of that journey. “A lot of people just… Read more »

Environmental Education Exchange founder Markowitz empowers kids

Neil Markowitz

Neil Markowitz, 61, has been a contributing member of the Tucson community for over 25 years. His work in founding and running the Environmental Education Exchange (E3) as well as the time he gives to Jewish organizations has made an impact felt across the region. Markowitz has been working… Read more »

Torah and science come together for UArizona climatologist

Gregg Garfin, Ph.D.

Growing up in the 1970s it was almost impossible not to be surrounded by environmental movements. The first Earth Day was held in April 1970 and many people were concerned with saving forests and protecting the air, land, and water from pollutants. Gregg Garfin, Ph.D., was no exception. Garfin,… Read more »

Grants from Jewish Community Pandemic Relief Fund continue

In March, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and Jewish Community Foundation, along with local families, launched the Jewish Community Pandemic Relief Fund to help community members facing financial challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since March, the fund has raised more than $404,000 and its task force has… Read more »

JCC reopens fitness center after five months, moves cultural programming online

tucson_J_social_distancing_1024pxThe number of people in any space at the Tucson Jewish Community Center is limited to allow for social distancing. (Courtesy Tucson Jewish Community Center)

The Tucson Jewish Community Center reopened its fitness center on Aug. 28, following a decision from the Arizona Department of Health Services that allowed gyms in Pima County to resume operations with safety measures in place. The J’s fitness center had been closed since late June, when it briefly… Read more »

UArizona’s Dr. Sternberg studies how office environments affect workers’ health

Esther Sternberg, M.D.

Esther Sternberg, M.D., has been a pioneer in the field of wellness in the workplace. Her research on how the built environment affects worker’s health and productivity has been a great tool for architects, building managers, and other researchers expanding the field. Sternberg was born and raised in Montreal,… Read more »