The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and Congregation Anshei Israel will cosponsor an event in participation with local rabbis, open to the entire Tucson community on Thursday, Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. at Congregation Anshei Israel, located at 5550 E. 5th St. Organizers welcome people of all ages, backgrounds… Read more »
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Tucson multifaith service set for July 31: Prayers for Peace in the Middle East
A multifaith service, “Prayers for Peace in the Middle East,” cosponsored by Temple Emanu-El and the Weintraub Israel Center will be held Thursday, Juy 31 at 7 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El. Cosponsors include the Tucson Board of Rabbis. Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Sikh and other denominational pryaers and songs will… Read more »
Jewish community aids migrant women and children in Tucson
Amid national publicity on Central American migrants – from pro/con protests to faith-based assistance — the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona stands firm. JCRC has long been involved in border issues, says director Bryan Davis, noting that Jews were once strangers dealing with… Read more »
Tucson January 8th Foundation launches national search for permanent monument design team
The Tucson January 8th Memorial Foundation is launching a national search for a design team to create a permanent memorial to the January 8, 2011, mass shooting that wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, killed six people and injured 13 others. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was released today to select a… Read more »
Massive terror tunnel discovered in Tucson’s partnership region
On July 23, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona reported, the IDF discovered a massive terror tunnel extending from Gaza into the Israeli town of Netiv HaAsara. Netiv HaAsara is part of Tucson’s Partnership2Gether region of Kiryat Malachi/Hof Ashkelon. Tucson and the region have a longstanding relationship, and several families… Read more »
‘Borscht Belt Boys and Girl’ coming to Invisible Theatre
Invisible Theatre will kick off its Sizzling Summer Sounds cabaret series at Skyline Country Club with “Borscht Belt Boys and Girl,” featuring Jeffrey Haskell, Jack Neubeck and Katherine Byrnes, July 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. Susan Claassen, director of Sizzling Summer Sounds and creator… Read more »
PSA discoverer crusades against prostate cancer test
In 1970, Dr. Richard J. Ablin discovered the PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, which has been widely used as a screening test for prostate cancer since 1994. That test, he says, is a terrible mistake — a disaster that spawned a multi-billion dollar industry and has destroyed millions of men’s… Read more »
JFSA Northwest plans midsummer potluck
A potluck “Meet, Greet and Eat” brunch for “summer sunbirds” on July 20 will be a chance to connect with other Jews and build community on Tucson’s northwest side, says Anne Lowe, director of the Northwest Division of the Jewish Federation. The event is for singles, couples and families.… Read more »
STI Spirit program reprises ‘gold’ theme
The Southwest Torah Institute’s long-running Dr. Paul W. Hoffert Spirit Program returns to Tucson Sunday, Aug. 10 through Friday, Aug. 22. The Spirit program offers two weeks of yeshiva-style learning, open to all Jewish men and boys ages 8 and up. Participants can study virtually any topic of Jewish… Read more »
Southwest Torah Institute July 4 message mixes patriotism, Judaism
In honor of Independence Day, the Southwest Torah Institute is offering “Proudly American, Devoutly Jewish, Thriving at Both,” a free multimedia presentation, at www.tucsontorah.org. The 50-minute presentation is written and presented by Rabbi Israel Becker. “With this on-line presentation, you will find a refreshing look at the Jewish experience… Read more »
Hebrew High set for registration/1st night
Tucson Hebrew High will start off its 2014-15 school year with last-minute registration and the first night of classes on Tuesday, Aug. 12 at its host facility, Congregation Anshei Israel. At 6 p.m., incoming freshmen and new students will meet the faculty and join an opening program and pizza… Read more »
Living with muscular dystrophy, Tucson man inspires
It was an exciting day for Julian Dombrowski and his family in early May, when he was accepted into an online graduate program in creative writing at Southern New Hampshire University. Dombrowski, 32, is wheelchair-bound with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a muscle disease that begins in childhood. The illness affects… Read more »
At the Tucson Jewish Community Center, making sure camp is inclusive
For the 400 school-age children attending Camp J at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, camp is an opportunity to make friends and beat the heat; however, for the 33 children in the Camp J Inclusion Program, it is also an opportunity to put their “special needs” labels aside and… Read more »
Bet Shalom Musical Mission to Israel hits the high notes
Would you expect to find a Torah scribe atop the mountain fortress at Masada? That’s what happened during Congregation Bet Shalom’s Musical Mission to Israel, June 2-12. Just one day after our grandson Nicholas celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at Robinson’s Arch at the Kotel, he had the opportunity, along… Read more »
Tucson Hebrew Academy 8th graders bond on Israel adventure
When Tucson Hebrew Academy eighth graders Emily Youngerman and Alyssa Lee first spotted the Western Wall in Jerusalem, they squealed to each other, “Look! It isn’t just a picture anymore!” While most Tucson eighth graders finished up their year with paperwork and exams, the THA eighth grade class spent… Read more »
Tucson holds memorial service for Israeli teens
About 250 people came together Tuesday at the Tucson Jewish Community Center for a memorial service for three Israeli teenagers kidnapped June 12 and found murdered Monday. The service was organized by the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, the JCC and local clergy. Against a backdrop of photos of… Read more »
‘Storyteller’ is focal point for local sculptor’s one-man show in Santa Fe
Tucson sculptor David Unger will have a one-man show July 4-31 at Bill Hester Fine Art in Santa Fe, N.M. The show will feature more than 30 of his bronze sculptures, and Unger is particularly excited about his life-size piece, “The Storyteller.” “The Storyteller” can hold children in its… Read more »
Passion for Torah infuses CCC/STI Israel trip
My wife, Lyn, and I recently returned from the Congregation Chofetz Chayim/Southwest Torah Institute 2014 Israel Experience, filled with enthusiasm for the trip and the many unique experiences we shared with a group of 13 led by… Read more »
Combined grants program awards more than $410,000
This year, the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona and the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona combined multiple grant programs into one, the 2014 Community Impact Grants. Through the new, aligned grants program, the JCF and the JFSA awarded more than $410,000, which includes $268,472 to Jewish organizations in… Read more »
UA doctor: We all have good days and bad days
When people in their 70s or 80s walk into a hospital emergency room with no obvious physical symptoms, medical residents often think their problem must be brain impairment. But that’s “nonsense,” said Ole J. Thienhaus, M.D., of the University of Arizona department of psychiatry, speaking at the “Aging and… Read more »