Our Town

People in the News 8.17.18

Myles K. Beck

Myles K. Beck received the Edwin N. Sommer Award from Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity at its 2018 International Convention in Los Angeles on July 14. The award is presented occasionally to a ZBT alumnus for “selfless dedication to the ideals of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity.” Beck is a 1967… Read more »

In focus 8.17.18

Elder Camp volunteer Rina Ornela Ybarra and Ofelia Morales, a seven-semester veteran of Elder Rehab, show off arts and crafts creations.

  J’s one-day adult camp lets grown-ups in on summer fun Thirty-seven campers joined the Tucson Jewish Community Center’s one-day adult camp on July 29, enjoying traditional camp activities such as a talent show as well as a variety of class options, including cooking, yoga and J-Wave Glide-Fit floating… Read more »

Business briefs 8.17.18

Susannah Castro recently joined the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona as Women’s Philanthropy director. She brings over 15 years of experience in nonprofit administration, including posts focused on community outreach, development, and public relations, most recently as director of operations for the Star Foundation. In August 2015, she founded… Read more »

People in the news 7.13.18

ALLEN D. EL, a rising senior at The Gregory School, was chosen from among 250 people to serve as one of two American Legion of Arizona Boys State primary delegates to American Legion Boys Nation in Washington, D.C., later this month. In D.C., acting as Boys Nation senators, the… Read more »

Business brief 7.13.18

RONALD M. LEHMAN, ESQ., has opened LEHMAN LAW PC, after more than 30 years practicing with Bossé Rollman PC and its predecessors.  Lehman received his B.A. from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and his J.D. from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. He is a… Read more »

People in the news 6.29.18

Tucson native NIKKI BAIM, a sophomore in the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, has won the 2018 Walter S. and Syrena M. Howell essay competition for “The Sports Department of Corrections: How false reports by ESPN criminalized the University of Arizona… Read more »

Business briefs 6.29.18

NANCY WALTER SCOTT has joined FIT BODY BOOT CAMP’s Foothills location to lead the Fit Body Forever program, a fitness program designed for adults 55+. She is certified as a functional aging specialist by the Functional Aging Institute in West Lafayette, Indiana. Foothills Fit Body Boot Camp is located… Read more »

In focus 6.15.18

Nathan Rix, right, “passes the torch” of leadership to Maya Levy.

Tucsonans continue NFTY regional leadership Maya Levy was elected president of the NFTY Southwest Region in April at the NFTY Spring Kallah in Mesa, Arizona, succeeding Nathan Rix, another Tucsonan.… Read more »

People in the news 6.15.18

Steven Meckler

Tucson photographer STEVEN MECKLER will receive the American Advertising Federation Silver Medal Award at the Tucson Advertising Hall of Achievement event on Sept. 6 at Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort. The Silver Medal is a nationally recognized award that honors men and women who have made significant contributions… Read more »

Business briefs 6.15.18

Rabbi Batsheva Appel

TEMPLE EMANU-EL’s board of directors has announced that RABBI BATSHEVA APPEL will continue as the congregation’s sole rabbi. Her title will be “rabbi” rather than “rabbi educator,” and she will provide oversight of the Kurn Religious School and the Jewish Lifelong Learning program (formerly the Adult Education Academy), rather… Read more »

Business briefs 6.1.18

DR. JANIS WOLFE GASCH, founder and director of ARIZONA HEARING SPECIALISTS, is retiring after more than 35 years in private practice. She will transition the practice, which she founded in 1981, to two of her longtime staff, Greg Swingle, Au.D., and Kristi Hesse (Swingle), Au.D. Gasch has been active… Read more »

In focus 6.1.18

Temple Emanu-El confirmation Temple Emanu-El celebrated the confirmation of nine students at Shabbat services on Friday, May 18. The confirmands are, alphabetically, Rachel Borrego, Javier Dittmar, Carter Mann, Samuel Ramirez, Bela Rein, Samir Rein, Sydney Ruskin, Eve Spiegel, and Katherine Zinn.… Read more »

In focus 5.18.18

Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, right, presents Temple Emanu-El’s commemorative plaque to Rabbi Richard Safran (Steve Shawl)

Rabbi Richard Safran honored with ‘Love and Laughter’ Temple Emanu-El held a brunch with the theme “Love and Laughter” on Sunday, April 29 to honor its adjunct rabbi and Tucson’s longtime community chaplain, Rabbi Richard Safran. The event, held at Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort, included entertainment from… Read more »

People in the news 5.18.18

Miriam Arden placed as a semifinalist at the 35th Annual National Shakespeare Competition in New York City on April 23, Shakespeare’s birthday, competing against 55 students from around the country. Arden, the daughter of Susan Brish and Scott Arden, and a junior at Catalina Foothills High School, won the… Read more »

Business briefs 5.18.18

GABRIELLE ERBST has been named director of admissions at TUCSON HEBREW ACADEMY. A native Tucsonan and the first alumnus in this role, Erbst has been THA’s director of student support services for the past four years. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s in… Read more »

In Focus 5.4.18: Israel@70

The University of Arizona Marching Band takes the stage after leading the opening parade. (Yossi Lasko)

Some 4,500 people attended “Israel@70: A Living Bridge,” a festival celebrating Israel’s 70th Independence Day, on Sunday, April 22 on the Jewish community campus. The free festival organized by the Weintraub Israel Center included live entertainment, food, kids’ activities, a shuk (market) featuring local Jewish organizations and other vendors, and… Read more »

In Focus 5.4.18

Seated (L-R): Walter Feiger, Sidney Finkel, Barbara Agee. Standing: Yulia Genina, Naama Potok (Mrs. Frank), Ann Arvia (Mrs. Van Dann), Harold Dixon (Mr. Kraler), Annique Dveirin

Holocaust survivors meet “Anne Frank” cast Three actors from the Arizona Theater Company production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” spent the morning with Holocaust survivors at Jewish Family & Children’s Services on Tuesday, April 24. The actors and the survivors talked about their relationship to the production and… Read more »

Business briefs 5.4.18

MARY ELLEN LOEBL will receive the 2018 Arizona Education Association Partners in Education Award. Loebl is coordinator of “Making A Difference Every Day: The Homer Davis Project” for the Jewish Community Relations Council of the JEWISH FEDERATION OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA, which provides weekend food packs and other assistance for elementary school… Read more »

People in the news 5.4.18

Tu Nidito Children and Family Services will honor SOOZIE HAZAN and MAYA LURIA along with Lani Baker, Jenine Dalrymple and Judy Wood as the 2018 Remarkable Moms at the nonprofit organization’s annual gala, The Remarkable Celebration, on Saturday, May 12 at the Westin La Paloma Resort. For more information,… Read more »

In focus 4.20.18

Fran Katz

Katz completes eighth Boston Marathon Jewish Federation Senior Vice President Fran Katz completed her eighth Boston Marathon on Monday, with a finish time of 4:07:34, qualifying her for next year’s race. She showed up for work bright and early Tuesday morning, unscathed. “I’ve never run in conditions like that… Read more »