Local

Three Tucson rabbis representing the Orthodox, Reform and Conservative branches of Judaism presented their basic beliefs at a panel discussion at Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging on April 10. About 100 people, including Handmaker residents and members of the Tucson community, discovered more about the similarities rather than… Read more »

Tucsonan Anne Lowe created “Miriam Dancing With Her Timbrel” for the AJP, illustrating a poem she wrote some years ago. … Read more »

Child victims will be the focus of the annual community Yom HaShoah commemoration, sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, which will be held Sunday, May 1, at 2 p.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. This year’s program, “They Were Children… Read more »

(L-R) Cantorial Soloist Nichole Chorny, Rabbi Robert Eisen and Education & Youth Director Rabbi Ruven Barkan read the Megillah at Congregation Anshei Israel’s Purim Palooza party on March 23.

Snapshots of some local Purim celebrations around Tucson.  … Read more »

The Arizona International Film Festival, running now through May 1, is celebrating its 25th year with films from 25 countries. Revolving around the theme “Bridging Cultures,” 30 full length features and 58 shorts in a variety of categories are scheduled at nine downtown venues. Among the films is “Blind… Read more »

Hollywood scriptwriter Herb Tucker (David Alexander Johnston) explains to his girlfriend Steffy (Susan Kovitz) why he doesn’t want to get married again. (Tim Fuller)

Invisible Theatre will stage Neil Simon’s comedy, “I Ought to Be in Pictures,” April 19-May 1. Ticket information is available at 882-9721 or invisibletheatre.com.… Read more »

Two members of the Tucson Jewish Community Center’s department of children, youth and family engagement will lead a workshop on “active listening” at “Adolescence to Independence,” a conference on empowering youth sponsored by Arizona’s Children Association, which will be held at the Tucson J on Friday, May 6. Scott… Read more »

The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s board development committee, chaired by Eric Schindler, has recommended the following slate of officers for the 2016-2017 program year: Tom Warne, chair of the board; Eric Schindler, vice chair/board development; Helaine Levy, vice chair; Jim Wezelman, treasurer/secretary; Kathryn Unger, immediate past chair.  Also… Read more »

For local Jewish community organizations to reach and attract new members, specifically young Jewish adults, leaders must learn to use the tools of social media, such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. That was the message of “A Whole New World … Engagement of Young Adults and Young Families,”… Read more »

The Tucson Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s Northwest Division will co-host a family outreach event, “Northwest Fun in the Sun Day,” on Sunday, April 10, from 1 p.m. to 4 , at Canada Del Oro Riverfront Park,  551 W. Lambert Lane in Oro Valley. The event will include… Read more »

Marilyn Heins, M.D.

The Tucson chapter of the Brandeis National Committee will hold a high tea and installation of officers at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6 at Skyline Country Club, 5200 E. St. Andrews Drive. Dr. Marilyn Heins will speak on “The Joy of Aging,” humorously addressing the disadvantages of growing… Read more »

“In the Shadows of the Dreamers,” a dance commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, will be part of a University of Arizona School of Dance concert later this month to benefit the Holocaust History Center at the Jewish History Museum. The concert and reception will be… Read more »

Talya Simha Fanger-Vexler

Talya Simha Fanger-Vexler will be the featured speaker at a Hadassah Southern Arizona luncheon on Sunday, April 17, 11:30 a.m. at the Country Club of La Cholla. Fanger-Vexler will relate the story of courage and fortitude that took her from being injured as a passenger in a motorcycle crash… Read more »

The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Young Men’s Group will host its sixth annual Men’s Poker Tournament on Sunday, April 17 from 5:30-8 p.m. at Reilly Craft Pizza and Drink, 101 E. Pennington St. Proceeds will benefit PJ Our Way in Southern Arizona, an extension of the PJ Library… Read more »

Cherry Tomatoes And Salad Leaves ,Close Up

The Tucson Jewish Community Center will present a three-part Nutrition for Seniors series on Tuesdays, April 5, 12 and 19, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the demonstration kitchen. Led by Mary Atkinson, R.D., director of wellness at Tucson Medical Center and Laurie Ledford, M.S., R.D., wellness dietician at TMC, each… Read more »

The Tucson Jewish Community Center and Tucson Medical Center will host their second annual family triathlon on Sunday, April 17, starting at 8 a.m. The noncompetitive triathlon is designed for children and their adult mentors or families to enjoy together.  Parents or other adult mentors can register to swim,… Read more »

Three Tucson rabbis representing three streams of Judaism will participate in “This I Believe,” part of the  rabbi lecture series at Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging, on Sunday, April 10, from 3:30-5 p.m. in the great room at Handmaker. Rabbi Yossi Shemtov of Congregation Young Israel-Chabad, Rabbi Thomas… Read more »

When comedian Sam Morril encounters a heckler, something that happens when he performs on the road, he knows he has to tread carefully at first. He wants to make sure the crowd knows there’s a problem. “We notice the problem in the room way before the room does,” Morril… Read more »

Dennis Ross

As a former U.S. Middle East peace negotiator, Dennis Ross understands why ISIS continues to get recruits, even though those recruits know they will die soon and violently. “It appeals to those who feel completely disaffected; it appeals to those who are alienated, who feel left out. They create… Read more »

The Matza & More program sponsored by Jewish Family & Children’s Services brings Passover bags to Tucson-area residents who otherwise could not afford food and other items for a seder. From children to seniors, volunteers find significant connections in this longstanding program. Gary Cohen’s two sons, Grant, 11, and… Read more »