Adam Rubin Adam Rubin, Ph.D., a rabbinic student from the Ziegler School of Rabbinical Studies in Los Angeles, will lead services at Congregation Bet Shalom during the weekend of May 4-6. Rubin will lead Friday evening services at 6 p.m., which will be followed by a dinner, and will participate in… Read more »
Rebecca Goodman, director of leadership development of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, has announced that she will be leaving Tucson and her position at the Federation in December 2012. She and her husband, Ted, will be moving to Indiana where he will be taking a position as assistant… Read more »
The Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona has announced its 2012 grants. The William and Doris Rubin Endowment Fund, which focuses on helping those in need move toward self-sufficiency, played a pivotal role in this year’s grants, providing about 80 percent of total funding available. Over the past five… Read more »
The Weintraub Israel Center will hold its annual Yom Hazikaron memorial service in honor of fallen Israeli soldiers and victims of terror on Wednesday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. The program will include an honor guard from the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, prayers,… Read more »
The Steven A. Lightman Family Foundation has announced its 2012 call for grants. The Lightman Foundation is a supporting foundation of the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona. Qualifying organizations are nonprofits whose services and programs make a difference in people’s lives. Organizations may be from Tucson or around… Read more »
Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging will present monthly events celebrating life-long learning in May, June and July. The program will kick off with “Between the Lines: A Conversation with Local Authors” on Thursday, May 10 at 1:30 p.m. Sheila Wilensky, associate editor of the Arizona Jewish Post, will… Read more »
Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona will hold a “BEad Inspired” night of fun, social action and tasty treats on Wednesday, May 2 at 7 p.m. at the home of Melissa Goldfinger. Participants can make a bracelet for Beads of Courage and one for themselves or… Read more »
The Senior Task Force of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona has changed its name to Task Force for Jewish Seniors and Adults with Disabilities. The task force has created a survey to assess the needs and interests of local Jewish adults with disabilities, which will be online through… Read more »
The Olga and Bob Strauss Center for Early Childhood Education at Temple Emanu-El will be starting a Spanish bilingual preschool program for 3-,4- and 5-year-olds beginning Aug. 1. The program was requested by ECE families. Zoila Scott, who will implement the Spanish immersion program, has a bachelor of science… Read more »
The Tucson Cardozo Society of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona will present a breakfast seminar, “Ethics and Professionalism,” with speakers Stanley Feldman, Dennis Rosen and Lowell Rothschild, hosted by Mark Rubin, on Thursday, May 3 at 8:30 a.m. the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.… Read more »
The new ramp makes it easy for wheelchair-bound members of the congregation to come up to the bimah for an aliyah. The dream of wheelchair-bound congregants at Congregation Anshei Israel — to ascend to the bimah like everyone else — has become reality. The congregation’s new wheelchair-accessible ramp, which bridges the previous divide, was dedicated at a Saturday morning Shabbat service on March 24. “I’ve been extremely frustrated that people… Read more »
Young Jews entering the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau Extermination Camp in Poland during the 2010 March of the Living. (March of Living International) NEW YORK (JTA) — Bernhard Storch grew up in a Jewish family in Silesia, near Poland’s border with Germany. Like many Polish Jews, he moved quickly from town to town as the Nazis advanced in 1939, trying to avoid capture. Before long he was caught and sent to a… Read more »
NEW YORK (JTA) — The teacher stands in front of the sparse classroom, its walls bare and paint peeling. “This school looks like a prison,” one of my fellow travelers whispers. Many of the children are huddled in coats; schools in this neighborhood do not have heat, and the… Read more »
WASHINGTON (JTA) – Amid the election season tumult, behind-the-scenes campaigns are also underway for who will be the next top Democrats on two key congressional committees — with Jewish lawmakers in the running for both leadership slots. Two veteran congresswomen, Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.),… Read more »
Eva Vavrecka contemplating the horrific living conditions that her mother and grandparents endured in the forest to survive World War II. (Bruce Konviser) TRSICE, Czech Republic (JTA) — Nearly 70 years after a Czech Jewish family sought refuge from the Nazis by retreating into a nearby forest and relying on non-Jewish locals for help, an American high school teacher has helped erect a permanent monument to their memory. Last week, several dozen… Read more »
After 21 years, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks is retiring as Britain's chief rabbi. (United Synagogue) (JTA) — The search to replace Britain’s powerful longtime chief rabbi has gone international, but even as resumes are gathered and interviews conducted, some are questioning whether the position is still relevant and what it means today for the Anglo Jewish community. As chief rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks brought… Read more »
(JTA) — Tributes and statements of profound respect and admiration are pouring in for Elan Steinberg, former executive director of the World Jewish Congress, who died April 6 of complications from lymphatic cancer. He was 59. “Elan’s premature death will leave a huge void in the Jewish world,” said… Read more »
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Every Friday night, Scott and Theresa Johnson host Jewish Shabbat dinners for lone Israeli soldiers. The meal begins after sundown, preceded by the Kiddush blessing over the wine and singing of “Shalom Aleichem,” the traditional Hebrew song greeting the Sabbath. There’s one catch, however, made evident… Read more »
Fans of Beitar Jerusalem FC celebrate a win in the State Cup in Ramat Gan Stadium on May 13, 2008. (Kobi Gideon/FLASH90/JTA) JERUSALEM (JTA) — Sports fans aren’t the only people lately paying attention to Israeli soccer. A string of ugly incidents has caused Israelis to focus on the problems of violence and racism within the sport. In mid-March, thousands of Hapoel Tel Aviv fans rioted on the field after their… Read more »
The following excerpt written by Mike Wallace is from “I Am Jewish: Personal Reflections Inspired by the Last Words of Daniel Pearl.” © 2005 Dr. Judea and Ruth Pearl. Wallace was senior correspondent on “60 Minutes” and was a reporter for CBS News for more than four decades. (JTA)… Read more »
