Local

Tucson’s 6th annual multifaith pride service in support of Southern Arizona’s LGBTQ community, “Weaving a Common Sacredness,” will be held Tuesday, Oct. 14, from 7-9 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El. Rev. Debra Peevey, faith outreach director from Why Marriage Matters Arizona, will be one of the key speakers. Rabbi Batsheva… Read more »

The local BBYO chapters of Abba Godol AZA and Kadimah BBG are participating in “Can-Tribute,” a food drive partnership between BBYO and DoSome thing.org. The local chapters are working with chapters from around the world to help fight poverty by collecting canned food to donate to local food banks.… Read more »

Shirley Christie (Photo: Gloria Christie-Bishop)

Healing from the trauma of domestic violence and sexual assault can be elusive. For Shirley Christie, bicycling from Boston to Seattle, then South to her hometown of Pasadena, Calif. — covering 4,000 miles over 105 days — was the right route. Christie will discuss her journey, “Cycling to End… Read more »

Rabbi Gary Zola

Rabbi Gary Phillip Zola, Ph.D. will be the Mitch Dorson scholar-in-residence at Congregation Or Chadash on Oct. 24 and 25. Zola is executive director of the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, professor of the American Jewish Experience at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in… Read more »

Pinchas (Paul) and Rita Zohav

Deciding to leave their home in Seattle, Pinchas (Paul) and Rita Zohav narrowed their search to Albuquerque or Tucson. “Without a doubt,” Rita says, “it was the Jewish community in Tucson which made our decision so easy.” After 10 years in Seattle, the couple agreed it was “too grey,… Read more »

“Zero Motivation,” a new film by Israeli filmmaker Talya Lavie, will have its Southwest premiere at the Loft Cinema on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 2:15 p.m. The film is described as a “zany, dark comedic portrait of everyday life for a unit of young, female Israeli soldiers” who work… Read more »

Auguste Rodin's "Adam"

The Tucson Museum of Art will host one of its most prestigious exhibitions, “The Figure Examined: Masterworks from the Kasser Mochary Art Foundation,” Oct. 18 through Feb. 22, 2015. The exhibit will include some 120 works of art by more than 70 noted artists from the 19th and 20th… Read more »

Rabbi Israel Becker claps to the music as Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild carries Congregation Chofetz Chayim’s newly written Torah scroll to be welcomed by men holding the congregation’s existing Torah scrolls. (Rogelio Garcia)

“We are all here today to witness the birth of a new sefer Torah,” said scribe Rabbi Zvi Chaim Pincus of New York, to 150 men, women and children gathered in the courtyard of Congregation Chofetz Chayim on Sunday, Sept. 14 to celebrate the completion and dedication of the… Read more »

Michael Hewitt, Ph.D.

What we can do to “live younger longer” will be discussed in “Optimal Aging, Rewinding the Clock,” a University of Arizona Arthritis Center presentation by Michael Hewitt, Ph.D., Canyon Ranch Health Resort research director for exercise science, on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 6 to 7:15 p.m., at  the University of… Read more »

Penelope Starr

Odyssey Storytelling, a monthly array of six Tucsonans each telling a true life story, began 10 years ago. “It’s all about the stories, the unique ways people figure out how to do life,” says founder and artist Penelope Starr. “It’s fascinating and so complicated.” Complexity has never stopped Starr… Read more »

Sheila Rothenberg

As “author wrangler” for the annual Book and Author event benefitting the Brandeis National Committee Tucson Chapter, Sheila Rothenberg translates her three decades of publishing experience into a meaningful volunteer activity. “I’m very pleased to be able to do it,” Rothenberg says. “For me, participating in Tucson’s Brandeis chap­ter… Read more »

Sabrina Plattner

Sabrina Plattner has been promoting better health in children for the past nine years. Her last professional position, with Healthy Children Arizona at the University of Arizona, introduced positive health, nutrition and sun safety concepts to children, putting her in contact with 25,000 local kids. In June, Plattner began… Read more »

Simon Rosenblatt

Simon Rosenblatt is emphatic as he speaks about volunteering with the Tucson Jewish community: “Make no mistake, Jewish Tucson is our family.” Rosenblatt spreads his energy and time across a trifecta of local and national Jewish efforts: Temple Emanu-El, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Union for Reform… Read more »

Laura Green

Laura Green of Ha­dassah’s Desert Mountain Region will present “Israel’s Ups and Downs, Ins and Outs: The Whole Lowdown,” at Hadassah Southern Arizona’s opening luncheon meeting Sunday, Oct. 12 at noon at Skyline Country Club, 5200 E. St. Andrews Drive. Green made her first visit to Israel, as well… Read more »

Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona will hold its annual welcome and board installations on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Lodge at Ventana Canyon, 6200 N. Clubhouse Lane. The event will focus on challenging sex trafficking in Arizona, as the state gears up… Read more »

Brandeis National Committee, Tucson Chapter, will host local author John Maley at its fall opening lunch Monday, Oct. 20, 11 a.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel at Reid Park. Maley has been a soldier, peace officer, corrections officer, probation officer and has worked as a private investigator in… Read more »

Jewish National Fund has announced the Schwartz-Hammer Alexander Muss High School in Israel Impact Fellowship Program, which provides scholarships to send Arizona teenagers on a summer program to Israel.  Applicants must raise $1,000 through JNF’s “Plant Your Way” program. The fellowship, which includes everything from on-campus housing to field-… Read more »

The Civic Orchestra of Tucson, the oldest community orchestra in the region, will begin its 2014-2015 season with a free concert at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. The concert, on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m., also marks the orchestra’s participation in Daniel Pearl World Music Days to honor… Read more »

Yoram Bauman

Yoram Bauman, Ph.D., “the world’s first and only stand-up economist,” will present “Comedy, Economics and Climate Change” at the University of Arizona on Monday, Sept. 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Berger auditorium, 1130 E. Helen St. “It turns out that comedy actually pays better than teaching,”… Read more »

Paul Reiser

The Hearth Foundation will present its 2nd Annual “Comedy for a Cause” starring Paul Reiser on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Fox Tucson Theatre. A seasoned actor, writer, producer and stand-up comedian, Reiser co-created and starred in the critically acclaimed NBC series “Mad About You,” which… Read more »