As Jewish people, we are connected with a global Jewish peoplehood past and present; as a Jewish Community Center, one way we maintain and deepen that connection is by strengthening our bond with other JCC’s in the JCC Movement. On Sunday, March 26, the Tucson J had the honor… Read more »
On Sunday, March 26, Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA) reintroduced Super Sunday, the largest annual, one-day fundraising event for the organization. The event, shuttered in 2020 due to the COVID outbreak, returned this year and raised nearly double its goal of $60,000. A total of $118,785 will be… Read more »
Thomas Alan Louchheim was born on February 9, 1957, in Los Angeles, California, the third child of Sandy z”l and Marlene Louchheim. He graduated Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Finance in 1979. Tom remained in Washington, where he… Read more »
Congratulations to the THA students who brought home awards at SARSEF last weekend! SARSEF is the Southern Arizona Research, Science, and Engineering Fair. Sixth graders in Mrs. Lehrfeld’s class worked tirelessly throughout the third quarter to identify personal interests and research topics, ultimately coming up with a testable scientific… Read more »
Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA) and other partner organizations warmly welcome the newest little members of our community with a wonderful box full of baby items and resources about the Tucson Jewish community. JPSA Interim CEO Emily Richman explains, “JPSA is involved in every stage of… Read more »
As a result of recent community work around the Jewish Community Ecosystem of Southern Arizona, the Tucson J has is pleased to announce the hiring of a Director of Community Engagement. Naomi Sandweiss has accepted and after working remotely, recently begun her position at the Tucson J. The position… Read more »
Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA) has selected a cohort of 10 women to take part in the MOMentum Year-Long Journey, a program for mothers raising Jewish children 18 years and younger that includes an 8-day trip to Israel. The 10 women selected are Shelly Kippur (co-chair), Emily… Read more »
Kol Ami Synagogue is overjoyed to welcome Rabbi Malcolm Cohen to our clergy team. He was installed on Friday, March 10, 2023, with over 250 congregants and guests in attendance. We welcome everyone to come visit and meet Rabbi Cohen at Kol Ami, where our mission is to enliven… Read more »
After several months of work from a dedicated team of parent volunteers, Tucson Hebrew Academy’s (THA’s) newly renovated Sebold Library was unveiled during Love of Reading week. The ceremony involved a visit from the Library Fairies, who taught the students about properly caring for books before bestowing upon them… Read more »
Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA) welcome Jennifer Lightman this week as Vice President of Marketing and Communications. Jenny and her husband Brett recently moved from Philadelphia where she served as the Director of Communications and Special Projects for Perelman Jewish Day School. “We are incredibly excited to have… Read more »
Lights… camera… action! The Tucson International Jewish Film Festival opens January 12, with in-person and virtual screenings and post-film programs for select films through January 22, and virtual screenings of each and every film continuing through January 31. The Festival returns in 2023 with in-person events after two years… Read more »
As a result of strategic planning arising from community study data, and an education workgroup of rabbis and community leaders convened by the Jewish Philanthropies of Southern AZ (JPSA) in 2020, the Tucson J is intentionally enhancing Jewish learning opportunities for youth and teens through formal and informal channels… Read more »
Over 1,200 women philanthropists from 80 communities around the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Israel came together at Jewish Federations of North America’s (JFNA’s) three-day International Lions of Judah Conference in Phoenix, where they raised a collective $24.2 million supporting Federations’ mission to build flourishing Jewish communities. The conference… Read more »
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 »
