Our Town

MARILYN FORSTOT, a Sahuarita resident, recently published a novel, “More Precious than Rubies,” available as an e-book through amazon. com. Set during and after the American Revolution, the novel shows early American life from a Jewish perspective. Forstot is a member of Beth Shalom Temple Center of Green Valley,… Read more »

The TUCSON JEWISH COMMUITY CENTER announced its 2014-15 board of directors at its annual meeting on May 13. BARNEY HOLTZMAN, managing director of Tucson law office Fennemore Craig, will be board chair. Holtzman, who has served on the JCC board since 2000, is also a board member of Ben’s… Read more »

(L-R) Front kneeling: Adrian Lehrman; front row: Rachel Badalov, Alyssa Lee, Rochelle Felix, Dreo Polonski, Or Shenkar, Sapir Curiel, Rebecka Sokoloff, Heidi Saxton, Emily Youngerman, Lola Maas, Rivkah Selmon, Alexis McKinstry; back row: Noah Meyer, Avin Kreisler, Rafe Centuori, Benjamin Manninen, Jacob Anderson

Tucson Hebrew Academy graduation Tucson Hebrew Academy held its eighth grade graduation on Thursday, May 8. Based on their academic achievements, the graduates had a variety of high school options from which to choose. This year’s graduates will move on to University High School, St. Gregory College Preparatory School,… Read more »

STUART SHATKEN was elected president of the board of trustees of the JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA. He has served as a JCF trustee since 2010. An attorney, he was vice president of a large real estate firm in New York for many years. In Tucson, he has… Read more »

The Tucson Jewish Youth Choir, led by Cantor Janece Cohen, performs.

Israel 66 Celebration About 500 people attended the Israel 66 Celebration held Wednesday evening, May 14, at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Coordinated by the Weintraub Israel Center, which is a joint program of the JCC and the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, the event included children’s activities, Israeli… Read more »

SCOTT H. GAN, a shareholder of Mesch, Clark & Rothschild PC, has been elected a member of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. The academy was founded in 1990 to recognize outstanding appellate lawyers and promote the improvement of appellate advocacy and the administration of the appellate courts. Membership… Read more »

TEMPLE EMANU-EL PRESIDENT BONNIE GOLDEN recently joined 100 other presidents and presidents-elect from Reform congregations at the Union for Reform Judaism’s 16th Annual Scheidt Seminar. They discussed solutions to everyday congregational problems, explored Torah-based governance, improved leadership skills and networked. Speakers — and study partners — included URJ President… Read more »

(L-R) Donald Diamond, honorary capital campaign chair, with former JCC chairs Lex Sears, Tom Warne, Lynda Rogoff, Brenda Viner, Bill Viner, Dick Belkin, Larry Haas, Fran Katz and Gerry Tumarkin break ground for the JCC’s new sports and wellness facility upgrade. (Courtesy Bolchalk Frey Marketing)

JCC renovation groundbreaking The Tucson Jewish Community Center held a groundbreaking ceremony April 29 to usher in the renovation and expansion of the facility. Along with creating a larger space for gym equipment and classes, the renovation will allow the JCC to increase programming options. The 100,000 square foot… Read more »

ROBYN SCHWAGER has joined the JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA as a legacy officer. Schwager was the development director for the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation for six years and prior to that, volunteered for the Catalina Foothills School District, Tucson Hebrew Academy, Satori Schools, Congregation Young Israel… Read more »

Pictured are Beth Alpert Nakhai, Yom HaShoah co-chair (seated on bimah); and at the candelabra, left to right, Cathy Borinstein, representing the office of Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild; survivor Annique Dveirin, her granddaughter Haley Dveirin, and son, Keith Dveirin.Pictured are Beth Alpert Nakhai, Yom HaShoah co-chair (seated on bimah); and at the candelabra, left to right, Cathy Borinstein, representing the office of Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild; survivor Annique Dveirin, her granddaughter Haley Dveirin, and son, Keith Dveirin. (Simon Rosenblatt)

                Yom HaShoah About 250 people attended the community Yom HaShoah commemoration, “Diplomatic Acts of Conscience and Courage,” on Sunday, April 27 at Temple Emanu-El. Along with a candlelighting ceremony honoring local survivors, the afternoon event featured a lecture about Gilberto Bosques,… Read more »

Bob Elliott, former All-American University of Arizona basketball player, will sign copies of his book, “Tucson: A Basketball Town” on Saturday, April 26, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., at IT’S GREEK TO ME restaurant in Catalina, located at 15920 N. Oracle Road, Suite 120 (in the Catalina Pointe Shopping Center). INVISIBLE… Read more »

Congregation Chofetz Chayim Yochanan Gordon and Rabbi Israel Becker held a mock sword fight as Gavriel Aronov snapped a photo at Congregation Chofetz Chayim’s Purim party on Sunday, March 16. The event, which included dinner and a professional magic show, was attended by more than 80 people.   Temple… Read more »

Rodney Glassman

Former Tucson City Councilman RODNEY B. GLASSMAN, J.D., Ph.D., has joined Ryley, Carlock & Applewhite, a Phoenix law firm, to lead its external affairs and government relations practice. Glassman was most recently acting town manager of Cave Creek, Ariz. The Tucson office of RBC Wealth Management announced that the… Read more »

Filmmaker TAMAR HALPERN will participate in a Q&A following the Loft Cinema’s screening of the documentary she co-directed, “Llyn Foulkes One Man Band,” on April 24 at 7 p.m. Halpern, who lives in Los Angeles, spent her teen years in Tucson, graduating from Tucson High School. She is the… Read more »

SUSAN SILVERMAN has been selected as interim coordinator of the JEWISH FEDERATION OF SOUTH­ERN ARIZONA LGBT JEWISH INCLUSION PROJECT. Silverman succeeds Ellen Freeman, who has retired but will continue to work with the project as a lay leader. Silverman also serves as an interim consultant for Growing Alternative Resource… Read more »

Native Tucsonan GAYLE GALE received a certificate of recognition from the city of Los Angeles for her Kids for Peace tile mural “The Market of Peace, Happiness and Good Health,” created with 75 second graders from Hancock Park elementary school in Los Angeles and children from around the world.… Read more »

(L-R): Lynn Bultman, JCC senior vice president and CFO; Phyllis Braun, AJP executive editor; Kristin Taft, JCC director of special needs services. (Lori Riegel/AJP)

Operation Sandwich Employees of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and the Tucson Jewish Community Center packed sack lunches on Monday, Feb. 24, for Operation Sandwich, a program that feeds homeless people at the Southside Shelter. Started by Jill Rich, Operation Sandwich provides lunch for 50 homeless people three… Read more »

BRENNA LACEY will hold a solo exhibit of drawings, paintings, prints and other media at the Jewish Community Foundation, with a wine and cheese reception on Wednesday, March 26 from 5:30-7 p.m. (RSVP to promise@jcftucson.org or 577-0388). The reception is hosted by JCF and The Drawing Studio. Lacey, a… Read more »

This year, EEGEE’S has designated Interfaith Community Services as the primary recipient of its annual coupon booklet program. Each booklet will be available for a $7 donation and contains $48 worth of monthly discounts on eegee’s food purchases. ICS will receive 75 percent of proceeds from coupon booklets offered… Read more »

MARLENE BURNS will be showing her work, including many Judaic paintings, at ASU Gammage through May 4. The auditorium, a Frank Lloyd Wright building on the Arizona State University campus, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The show will be open to the public on Mondays, 1-4 p.m., during performances… Read more »