Tucson Hebrew Academy (THA) is committed to the Jewish value of Gemilut Chasadim (acts of loving kindness). Every week, they recognize their student’s mitzvot (acts of kindness) by giving out the Honorable Menschen Awards at a school-wide gathering called Oneg Shabbat. It is there that two students from lower… Read more »
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is always a welcome, bright spot as the days grow shorter and the nights chillier. Even here in Tucson, where the nights are not quite as chilly as elsewhere this time of year. The Hanukkah celebrations started early this year at Handmaker. Residents had… Read more »
Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center (TJMHC) has hired Ori Tsameret as Programming & Education Director. A recent Magna Cum Laude graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans, Ori comes to TJMHC with an impressive background in educational, cultural, and museum work. His focus areas in both his academic… Read more »
Community leaders from 16 different Jewish community agencies across Southern Arizona met Thursday, October 27, at the second Jewish Ecosystem of Southern Arizona meeting in an effort to “build an infrastructure to promote collective decision making and learning,” according to Todd Rockoff, Tucson J. President and CEO. The Ecosystem… Read more »
The University of Arizona administration and I have worked closely in the past weeks to begin to address critical issues in the wake of recent tragedy, when Professor Thomas Meixner was shot in the building across the street from Hillel on Yom Kippur by a known antisemite. May Dr.… Read more »
Leaders from Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA) joined over 1,200 Jewish communal leaders in Chicago at Jewish Federations’ three-day General Assembly, where they set the shared Jewish communal agenda for the year ahead and heard from a diverse array of voices on critical issues facing the North American… Read more »
Jews for Fontes/Mayes, a group formed for the 2022 election, hosted Adrian Fontes, candidate for Arizona Secretary of State, and Kris Mayes, candidate for Arizona Attorney General at an event on October 30. Approximately 50 people attended the event, and over $22,000 was raised for the candidates. Chabad Rabbi… Read more »
The Arizona Center for Judaic Studies will present a free screening of Where Is Anne Frank with director Ari Folman, one of Israel’s most acclaimed filmmakers, on Sunday, Nov. 6. Where Is Anne Frank brings the famous diary of Anne Frank to the big screen from an unusual perspective,… Read more »
This past Yom Kippur, tragedy struck the University of Arizona campus when beloved professor Thomas Meixner was senselessly murdered by a former graduate student. The shooting occurred very near the UArizona Hillel building, while 25 students, six staff, and a guest rabbi were participating in Hillel’s afternoon Yom Kippur… Read more »
Rosh HaShanah begins the evening of September 25. Yom Kippur begins the evening of October 4. Southern Arizona’s congregations welcome you to celebrate the High Holy Days and hope each of you find a congregation in the Southern Arizona Jewish community that will help you greet the New Year… Read more »
Through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), the Arizona Department of Homeland Security (ADHS) recently awarded nearly $500,000 to five Southern Arizona Jewish organizations for security infrastructure upgrades. The five organization awardees are Congregation Chofetz Chayim, Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging, Hillel Foundation at University of Arizona, the… Read more »
Donna Moser, Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award Recipient Donna Moser, a Lion of Judah member for 23 years, will be honored with the prestigious Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award at the 2022 International Lion of Judah Conference, December 11-13, in Phoenix. The award commemorates the contributions of the founders of the Lion of Judah, Norma Kipnis-Wilson and Toby Friedland (of… Read more »
Anne Hameroff, JPSA Co-Chair Following up on last week’s announcement of a new Interim CEO, Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA) announced today that Anne Hameroff has accepted re-appointment as Board of Trustees Co-Chair, a position she will hold until May 2023. Hameroff will continue to work alongside C0-Chair Bruce Ash to help… Read more »
Along with the sweetness of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, there comes the opportunity for reflection and renewal. In the spirit of the season, the Tucson J is elated to welcome renowned political speechwriter and author Sarah Hurwitz to campus for two community events Sunday, September 18. Sarah’s… Read more »
Our community is stronger when we gather in celebration, in prayer, in song, and when we make motzi together. The entire Tucson Jewish community is invited to join with many of Tucson’s congregations and educational institutions for a communal Shabbat experience on Friday, September 9 (13 Elul 5782) from… Read more »
Meet Miriam Ruth Black, author of Shayna, at the Tucson Jewish Museum (TJMHC) on Thursday, Sept. 15 at 6pm, at a program presented in partnership with the Tucson Jewish Community Center (with a virtual event to be scheduled at a later date). Miriam Ruth Black won the Midwest Independent… Read more »
Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA) has announced that Chief Development Officer Emily Richman will also now serve as Interim CEO. She will maintain her duties as CDO during this time with additional support from both her colleagues and members of the Board of Trustees. “Even in her… Read more »
The Tucson Jewish Community Center (the J or the Tucson J) is expanding its Healthy Aging Programs with the rollout of Mind + Body Elder Care and Parkinson’s Fitness Program in August and September. With one in five persons being over age 65, elder adults comprise over 20% of… Read more »
Rabbi Kleinman Growing up in Tucson, Alanna “Lonnie” Kleinman did not know any female rabbis or any religious leaders who identified as LGTBQ. Now Kleinman is joining a much more diverse rabbinate, one that more fully reflects the fullness of Jewish communities. On May 22, almost 50 years after Rabbi Sally… Read more »
This spring, Handmaker learned that they had received two Arizona Daily Star’s Reader’s Choice awards for 2021; one for Best Skilled Nursing/Rehab Facility and one for Best Continuing Care Retirement Community. As the community outreach coordinator at Handmaker for nearly seven years, this does not surprise me. My office… Read more »
