Rabbi Batsheva Appel I am not a fan of “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein, although I used it in my teaching for years around Tu B’Shevat, needing a story that features trees. Every time I taught with the book, it made me uncomfortable. Designated the birthday of the trees, Tu B’Shevat… Read more »
Rina Paz, right, leads members of Tucson’s Shirat HaShirim Hebrew choir in a rehearsal. From left, Norma Torres, Norma Edgerton, Lorena Caspar, Armando Garcia, Ruby Rodarte and Crystal Rodarte
Rina Paz leads Tucson’s Shirat HaShirim Hebrew choir and does other volunteer work within the Jewish community. She grew up in Haifa, Israel, in a large family that was always singing and dancing. Ever since she was a little girl, she says, she has been living life as the… Read more »
Doris Fleischman, 92, died Jan. 11, 2020. Mrs. Fleischman was born in New York City and raised primarily in Los Angeles, where she met her husband, Alvin, on a blind date. They married in 1950, and had two sons, Larry and Marc. Due to Al’s career in the whiskey… Read more »
Thelma Bernice (Sporn) Goldberg died Jan. 10, 2020. Originally from New York, Mrs. Goldberg taught at John Jay High School in Cross River, New York, and Lamson Business College in Tucson. She also was active in B’nai B’rith and Hadassah. Mrs. Goldberg was preceded in death by her husband,… Read more »
Kenneth Martin Greenfield, 87, died Jan. 23, 2020. Born on Feb. 25, 1932, Mr. Greenfield was raised and lived in New York City and New Jersey. He moved to Tucson in 2000. A corporate attorney for most of his professional life, he graduated from Columbia University Business School and… Read more »
Sarah Katz, 97, died Dec. 25, 2019. Mrs. Katz moved to Tucson from Skokie, Illinois in 1971. She worked at Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging for 25 years, until her retirement. Mrs. Katz was predeceased by her husband of more than 50 years, Jerome Katz. Survivors include her… Read more »
Diana Jo (Zieger) Leeds, 83, died Dec. 26, 2019 in Phoenix. Mrs. Leeds was born in Philadelphia and grew up in New Jersey. She moved to Phoenix in 1953, finished at North High and met her eventual husband, Ron, at Arizona State University. After their marriage, Mrs. Leeds taught… Read more »
Gerald “Jerry/Big D/Grand D” Vegodsky (1929 – 2019) Gerald Vegodsky was born Feb. 12, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York. He married the love of his life, Ruth, in 1950. He was a proud veteran of the Army and did his military service from 1951-1953. He and Ruth moved to… Read more »
Esther Sherberg is the only civilian to be honored with transport toward her final resting place in The Last Alarm Foundation fire truck.
Esther Sherberg, a longtime Tucson resident and Jewish community volunteer, died Jan. 9, 2020, at the age of 86. Services were held Jan. 10 at Evergreen Mortuary, with Rabbi Robert Eisen of Congregation Anshei Israel officiating. Interment was in St. Louis, Missouri. Ms. Sherberg was born Oct. 1, 1933… Read more »
Emily Miller Grant and David Shapir have announced their engagement. Emily is the daughter of Jennifer Miller Grant and Ron Grant and Stephanie Pearmain, all of Tucson, and the granddaughter of Donna Grant and Gordon Waterfall, Merrill and Virginia Grant, Lee Miller and the late Jerry Miller, and Lee… Read more »
(JTA) — Gladys Bourdain, who convinced an editor to publish the first article written by her chef son Anthony, has died. Bourdain died in hospice on Friday in the Bronx, New York. She was 85. She worked for nearly 25 years as a copy editor at the New York… Read more »
Rabbi Sam Cohon The emergence of violent anti-Semitism as a widespread American scourge can leave no Jews with warm thoughts about the year that just passed. Until October 2018, just 15 months ago, there had never been a fatal attack on a synagogue in the United States. Now there have been two… Read more »
Marc Tanne and Bryce Megdal head back from the chuppah. (Photos: Chris Jorda Photography)
Cantor Bryce Megdal and Marc Tanne were married on Sept. 1, 2019, at Maple Country Club in Maplewood, New Jersey, with Rabbi Matthew Gewirtz officiating. Megdal is the daughter of Ronald and Sharon Megdal, Ph.D., of Tucson. Tanne is the son of Robert Tanne, D.M.D., of Scotch Plains, New… Read more »
A son, Asher Evan Cogan, was born Nov. 30, 2019 to Scott and Laura (Heisler) Cogan, in New York City. Grandparents are Michael and Barbara Heisler of Tucson and Jesse and Sandy Cogan of Livingston, New Jersey. Asher Evan is the younger brother of Leo Grayson.… Read more »
Conner Belakovsky Connor Belakovsky, son of Anjelina Belakovskaia and Lawrence Bernstein, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 18, at Congregation Beit Simcha. He is the grandson of Liliya Belakovskaya of Tucson. Connor attends Esperero Canyon Middle School, where he plays clarinet in the band and is a member… Read more »
Michael Elsner Michael Elsner, 65, died Dec. 9, 2019 of pancreatic cancer. Mr. Elsner was born to Sidney and Jean Elsner in Cleveland, Ohio, where he grew up. He graduated from the University of Arizona and earned a master’s degree and doctorate from American University. He taught sociology, criminology, and criminal… Read more »
Harold Feig Harold “Leroy” Feig, 83, died Nov. 25, 2019. Mr. Feig was born in the Bronx, New York, to Rose and Herbert Feig. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Mimi (Richard). Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Bobbie; children, Betsy (Fred) of Scottsdale, Marc (Aleda) of Phoenix,… Read more »
(JTA) — Richard Alpert, the spiritual seeker better known as Baba Ram Dass who first came to prominence as a confederate of the controversial LSD proponent Timothy Leary, has died. Albert, who was raised in a Jewish family in suburban Boston, died at his home in Maui on Sunday.… Read more »
Bar mitzvah celebrant Stuart Tobin, center, with Michael Mussman and Sara Golan-Mussman at Beth Shalom Temple Center in Green Valley, Nov. 16. (Courtesy Marylou Tobin)
Stuart Tobin, 85, was called to the Torah to celebrate his second bar mitzvah last month at Beth Shalom Temple Center in Green Valley, surrounded by family and friends. The custom of a second bar mitzvah ceremony, which has grown in popularity, is based on Psalm 90:10, which says… Read more »
A son, Benjamin Meyer Ritzo, was born Nov. 20, 2019 to Joe Ritzo and Emily (Schwartz) Ritzo of San Carlos, California. Grandparents are Shelley and Bob Schwartz of Tucson, Patti Livingstone and Todd Finkle of Spokane, Washington, Dale and Christine Ritzo of San Carlos, California, and John Hight of… Read more »
