B’nai Mitzvah

Bar Mitzvah: Eithan Moss

Eithan Samuel Moss will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Kol Ami Synagogue. He is the son of Kol Ami Executive Director Sean Moss and Kerry Moss. Eithan attends Sonoran Science Academy.  Whether he’s working toward his Eagle Scout rank, tending to his tomato… Read more »

Bar Mitzvah: Nathan Jacob Goldstein

Nathan Jacob Goldstein will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on November 15, 2025, at Kol Ami Synagogue. He is the son of Adam and Dana Goldstein. Nathan attends Orange Grove Middle School. His hobbies include baseball, football, golfing, skiing, and following his favorite teams. Nathan also likes spending time… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: Anna Cohen

Anna Cohen will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, Oct. 25. 2025 at Kol Ami Synagogue. She is the daughter of Noah Cohen and Havah Haskell z”l. Anna attends Esperero Canyon Middle School. She loves music, animals, national parks, and Japanese anime. For her mitzvah project, Anna is… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: Liora Lee Abrams Dunn

Liora Lee Abrams Dunn will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah at Kol Ami Synagogue on Saturday, October 18, 2025. She is the daughter of Rina Abrams-Dunn and Christopher Dunn. Liora attends Desert Sky Middle School, and she is also enrolled in the Madrichim training program at the Kol Ami… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: London Ahava Emerson

London Ahava Emerson, daughter of Jordan Emerson and Dr. Miriam Geoffroy, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah at Congregation Anshei Israel on Nov. 22, 2025. She is the granddaughter of Randy Emerson and Bonnie Sedlmayr-Emerson of Tucson, and George and Irina Gurevich of Scottsdale. London is a seventh grader… Read more »

Bar Mitzvah: Parker Ingvoldstad

Parker Bennett Ingvoldstad, son of Nils and Hadyn Ingvoldstad, and grandson of Sheldon Stone will become a Bar Mitzvah on 11/23/24 at Chabad of Oro Valley. Parker attends Dove Mountain CSTEM school and is in the 8th grade. He is a member of the National Junior Honor Society. He… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: Alyssa Engler

Alyssa Engler celebrated becoming a Bat Mitzvah on November 9 at Congregation Bet Shalom. She is the daughter of Elizabeth Engler. Alyssa attends Tucson Hebrew Academy, where she is student council vice president. She is a competitive gymnast and hopes to continue this path all the way through college.… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: Livia Aronson

Livia Aronson will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on October 26th at Kol Ami Synagogue on Country Club Rd. She is the daughter of Randy Aronson & Geren Thurston. She attends Cross Middle School, where she is a member of the National Junior High School Honor Society, a clarinet… Read more »

Bar Mitzvah: Michael Green

Michael Green celebrated becoming a Bar Mitzvah on October 19, 2024, at Kol Ami. He is the son of Robin and Dale Green. Michael has been a dynamo since the day he was born when the pediatrician stated that Michael was the most active newborn he had ever seen.… Read more »

Bar Mitzvah: Miles Larcom

Miles Cooper Larcom will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on May 26, 2024. Miles is the son of Guy & Danielle Larcom, and brother of Jax. Miles’ grandparents are Shirley & Jerry (z”l) Strauss, Ruth & Donald Walker, and Richard Larcom. Miles attends Esperero Canyon Middle School where he… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: Avey Lopez-Hanshaw

Avey Marie Lopez-Hanshaw (Aviva Miryam bat Azriel) will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, January 28th, 2023 at Congregation Kol Ami on Country Club Rd. She is the daughter of Dr. Elise & Mr. Robert Lopez-Hanshaw, and the granddaughter of Donna Greenwood, Manuel Lopez, and Karen & Mark… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: Sawyer Sevy

Sawyer Belle Sevy will become a Bat Mitzvah on September 17, 2022 This service will take place at the beautiful 3C ranch in Oracle, Ariz. Sawyer will be surrounded by friends and family and the service will be lead by friend and mentor Marjorie Hochberg. Sawyer is the daughter… Read more »

Bar Mitzvah: Matthew Meislin

Matthew Meislin is called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on September 3rd, 2022, at Kol Ami. Matthew is the son of Justin and Georgina Meislin and the grandson of Harvey and Lori Meislin. Matthew is in 8th grade at Orange Grove Middle School, where he enjoys playing… Read more »

Bar Mitzvah: Benjamin Aronson

Benjamin Thurston Aronson completed his Bar Mitzvah on April 30, 2022. Although he read his Torah portion through Congregation Or Chadash’s Zoom services in April 2020, he was grateful for an in-person service and celebration with his family and friends. This belated event was performed at a family home,… Read more »

An Amazing 115-Year-Old Tallit Renews Judaism in Tucson

Sometimes a Jewish ritual object takes on a life of its own. It can trace the history of an entire family, even an entire portion of the Jewish people. When that object is returned to regular religious use, it symbolizes the eternal vitality of Judaism. So it is with… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: Hannah Aviva Ellentuck

Hannah Aviva Ellentuck celebrated becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Dec. 20, 2021. The service took place in her backyard led by Rabbi Avi Alpert and her mother, Cantor Emily Ellentuck of M’Kor Hayim. She is the daughter of Max and Cantor Ellentuck, of Tucson, and granddaughter of Wayne and… Read more »

Bar Mitzvah: Sawyer Charles Lazarus

Sawyer Charles Lazarus

Sawyer Charles Lazarus celebrated his Bar Mitzvah on August 7th, 2021 at Congregation Anshei Israel. He is the son of Emily and Adam Lazarus and the grandson of Ellen and Larry Z”L Yasmer and Sandy and Joel Lazarus of Davie, Florida. Sawyer is a rising seventh grade student at… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: Sage Elise Wexler

Sage Elise Wexler

Sage Elise Wexler was called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on April 24, 2021 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the daughter of Allison and Michael Wexler, of Tucson, and granddaughter of Charlene and Sam Wexler of Chicago, and Jerry and Sue Zandman of Lido Beach, NY.… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: Celeste Grace Bergantino

Celeste Grace Bergantino

Celeste Grace Bergantino will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on April 10, 2021 at Congregation Or Chadash (soon to be Kol Ami). She is currently in eighth grade at the Gregory School. She loves dance and art. Celeste is the daughter of Tamar and JR Bergantino.… Read more »

Bat Mitzvah: Abigail Rose Hanley

Abigail Rose Hanley

Abigail Rose Hanley celebrated becoming a Bat Mitzvah on May 22, 2021 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the daughter of Todd and Rebecca Hanley and granddaughter of Richard and Shana Oseran and Pat Dale, all of whom live in Tucson. Abigail attends the Gregory School, where she is… Read more »