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 »
Jennifer Tamara Mendelsohn, 39, died Dec. 4, 2019. Ms. Mendelsohn was born in Tucson. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Archie and Marjorie Mendelsohn of Tucson, Richard Temple of Kansas City, and Miriam Temple of Tucson. Survivors include her parents, Steven and Karen Mendelsohn; and brother, Jason… Read more »
Alvin Kivel, 93, died Nov. 30, 2019. Mr. Kivel was born in Loma Linda, California, and moved to Tucson when he was 2. He attended Mansfeld Jr. High and Tucson High School, graduating in 1944. After high school, he joined the Navy and then returned to Tucson to attend… Read more »
Hal Arkowitz, Ph.D., age 78, died Nov. 16, 2019. Dr. Arkowitz was an emeritus associate professor of psychology at the University of Arizona. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and his B.A. from New York University. His work was dedicated to understanding… Read more »
A son, Asher Jax Goldstein, was born Oct. 15, 2019 to Steffany and Joseph Goldstein of Scottsdale. Grandparents are Ellen and David Goldstein and Tess and Mark Holcomb, all of Tucson.… Read more »
Aaron Chase Handler, son of Marla and Steven Handler, celebrated becoming a bar mitzvah on Nov. 16, 2019, at Congregation Or Chadash. He attends Orange Grove Middle School and plays on the basketball team. Aaron enjoys baseball, basketball, football, and Camp Interlaken in Wisconsin. For his mitzvah project, he… Read more »
John W. Polacheck, M.D., 77, died Nov. 25, 2019, in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Polacheck was born on April 10, 1942 in Milwaukee, where he grew up with his parents, Walter and Shirley Polacheck, and his younger siblings Linda, Mary, and Tom. After graduating as the valedictorian from Riverside High… Read more »
Abigail Rose Stadheim, daughter of Suzie and Chad Stadheim, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Dec. 7, 2019 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Leah and the late Frederick Richter of Tucson, and Myrna and Robert Stadheim of Sun Lakes, Arizona. Abigail attends Orange Grove… Read more »
Rabbi Stephanie Aaron I was humbled and inspired to travel Nov. 3-6 with other rabbis and cantors to El Paso and Juarez, along with staff from HIAS (formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) and T’ruah, a rabbinic organization for human rights, to visit detained immigrants near the U.S.-Mexico border. These are my… Read more »
Harry Victor Katz, 81, died Oct. 31, 2019, in Coral Gables, Florida. Mr. Katz was born on June 14, 1938, in Los Angeles, where he spent the first 26 years of his life with his parents, Alfred and Lillian Katz, and his brother, Roger Katz. He attended John Marshall… Read more »
