The JEWISH FEDERATION OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA has hired CLAUDIA LOPEZDIAZ as the new office assistant. LopezDiaz will have a variety of administrative duties in addition to serving as receptionist. She earned a Bachelor of Science in physiotherapy at the University of Cape Town and is currently completing her dissertation… Read more »
JOEL BRESLER, a resident of Oro Valley, has published a new comedic novel, “The Moskowitz Code” (Tasfil Publishing, LLC), in which Mike Moskowitz finds his life turned “tush-over-teakettle” when his doctor makes a typo in his medical record. Bresler’s previous books include “Sunderwynde Revisited” and “Letters to be Read… Read more »
STEVEN MECKLER won a national Silver ADDY Award from the American Advertising Federation for color photography for his “School Lunch Trays” entry, published in Edible Baja Magazine. The competition included entries from 180 AAF clubs throughout the United States. The AAF announced the awards at its annual gala, held… Read more »
Rabbi Shemtov’s 60th birthday surprise On Monday, May 15, close to 60 men participated in Shacharit morning prayers at Congregation Young Israel as a surprise for Rabbi Yossie Shemtov in honor of his 60th birthday. Shemtov is executive director of Chabad Tucson and senior rabbi of Young Israel of… Read more »
The JEWISH HISTORY MUSEUM/HOLOCAUST HISTORY CENTER presented the Dr. Barry A. Friedman Volunteer of the Year Award to DAVYA M. COHEN at its annual meeting on May 4. Cohen, a volunteer docent at the museum, taught middle school shop for 35 years in Southfield, Mich., before moving to Tucson… Read more »
CARING SENIOR SERVICE, which provides services to the elderly and disabled, has opened a Tucson location, owned and operated by CINDY and LEE SHELLER. Cindy Shelller has more than 23 years of experience in the healthcare industry, with the last 14 years in home health care, including six years… Read more »
Congregation Anshei Israel confirmation Congregation Anshei Israel held its 2017 confirmation ceremony during Shabbat services on Saturday, May 6. Temple Emanu-El confirmation Temple Emanu-El held its 2017 confirmation ceremony during Shabbat services on Friday, May 19. Congregation… Read more »
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY and BANNER-UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER recently added LILAH MORRIS-WISEMAN, M.D., to Banner-University Medical Group, the practice plan composed of faculty physicians at the UA College of Medicine-Tucson. Morris-Wiseman specializes in treating thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal gland disorders using minimally invasive endocrine surgical techniques.… Read more »
Tucson Hebrew Academy graduates at Reid Park. Back row (L-R): Elana Goldberg, Jonah Parnaby, Shira Dubin, Ryan Spitzer, Eliana Tolby, Daniella Lee, Eliana Siegel, Darian German, Ellah Ben-Asher, Samuel White, Breanna Yalen, Liliana Isaac, Eli Graizbord Michelson, Ava Leipsic; front row: Niles King, Rio Lederer, Samuel Goldfinger, Samuel Siegel, Aiden Glesinger, Joshua Quigley, Ryan Berkej, Gabriel Ruskin, Noah Fleisher (Interstate Studio) Tucson Hebrew Academy graduation Tucson Hebrew Academy held its eighth grade graduation on Wednesday, May 10. With 23 graduates, the ceremony was held at the Tucson Jewish Community Center to accommodate the large crowd of family and friends. Tucson Hebrew High graduation Tucson Hebrew High held at its 39th… Read more »
Two pieces by LYNN RAE LOWE, “Ein Sof Ohr” and “Genesis: The Second Day” were chosen for a biennial juried exhibition, “Somehow, Somewhere, Someone & Something,” May 4-Aug. 12 at the Sid Jacobson JCC in East Hills, N.Y.… Read more »
Community commemorates Yom HaShoah Some 200 people attended the Jewish community’s 2017 Yom HaShoah commemoration on Sunday, April 23 at Temple Emanu-El. The event, organized by the Jewish History Museum, explored the theme of “Art and Totalitarianism: 80 Years After the ‘Degenerate Art’ Exhibition” and included a Holocaust survivor… Read more »
Rabbi Thomas Louchheim At the invitation of Rep. Martha McSally and the Office of the Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives, RABBI THOMAS LOUCHHEIM of CONGREGATION OR CHADASH will open the House of Representatives with prayer as the guest chaplain on Wednesday, May 17 at 12 p.m. (EDT). INTERFAITH COMMUNITY… Read more »
STEVEN MECKLER won a District Gold ADDY Award for color photography for “School Lunch Trays” published in Edible Baja Magazine, in the American Advertising Federation’s District 12 competition. The district includes advertising federation clubs in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and El Paso. Two “aluminations” by LYNN RAE… Read more »
THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA has hired MELISSA HALL as office and facilities manager. She will transition from her current position as executive assistant at the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona, where she has worked for the past 16 years, and will support both JFSA and JCF… Read more »
(Left) Kip Perkins from the Physics Factory (with their Physics Bus) lights propane-infused bubbles on the hand of a Tucson Hebrew Academy fifth grader. THA converts STEM to STEAM Some 1,200 people visited Tucson Hebrew Academy’s third annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Festival on Sunday, March 26. Jennifer Lehrfeld, STEM coordinator and science department head at THA, included an art component this year, turning STEM to STEAM. The festival’s hands-on exhibits included… Read more »
BARRY M. COREY was selected by the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona as the 2017 recipient of the Buddy Amos Founders Award. The award honors an individual, couple or family that helped found a nonprofit organization and has demonstrated inspirational leadership in the areas of community service, philanthropy, mentoring,… Read more »
DARKAYNU, Tucson’s Jewish Montessori preschool, will add a toddler program (ages 1-3) for the coming school year. The school is also adding special enrichment workshops in art, music and gymnastics for students ages 3-6. For more information, visit darkanyutucson.com or contact Esther Becker at 790-2784. INVISIBLE THEATRE will present… Read more »
LORI RIEGEL, MJEd, has been selected to present her doctoral research at the Harvard Graduate School of Education 2017 Student Research Conference and the 2017 Joint Conference on Research in Jewish Education, co-hosted by the Network for Research in Jewish Education and the Association for the Social Scientific Study… Read more »
Dining Out in the Northwest More than 30 people joined the Jewish Federation Northwest Division on Tuesday, March 21 at Guadalajra Grill at 7360 N. Oracle Road. “We crammed into a long table — split about evenly between young families and couples/seniors/individuals” for an evening of “good old fashioned… Read more »
BRYAN DAVIS, executive director of the Jewish History Museum & Holocaust History Center, was elected to the board of the Council of American Jewish Museums for 2017-2018. THE TUCSON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER has expanded its hours. It is now open at 5 a.m. weekday mornings, with earlier classes in… Read more »
