Post-Its

Op-Ed: I’m not your mitzvah project

Comedian and inclusion advocate Pamela Schuller (Courtesy of Pamela Schuller)

(JTA) — I have Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary movements and noises called “tics.” My Tourette’s is relatively mild at this point, but I went through a turbulent adolescence when Tourette’s was the most defining thing about me. Between the constant movements and the loud, uncontrollable… Read more »

Valentine’s Day: An ideal date for Jewish weddings?

This kippah will be distributed at the wedding of Lena Silver and Aaron Wolfson. (Courtesy of Silver and Wolfson)

LOS ANGELES (JTA) — In December, around the time my wife and I were celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary, we received an invitation to an outdoor Jewish wedding to be held on Valentine’s Day 2016. Printed on a red postcard affixed with a heart postage stamp, the couple, Lena Silver… Read more »

John Koretz

John E. Koretz, 76, died Jan. 16, 2016. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Carol Provol Koretz; children, Jim “JK” Koretz of Northbrook, Ill., and Leslie Koretz Heros of Tucson; brothers, Allan (Tracy) Koretz of Las Vegas, and Bill Koretz of Sun Valley, Idaho; and four grandchildren. Services… Read more »

Roberta White

Roberta White, 88, died Jan. 16, 2016. Born in Chicago and raised in Minneapolis, Mrs. White graduated from North High School. When her brother Alvin returned from World War II, he introduced her to Mandell White. They were married in 1947 and built a series of successful businesses in… Read more »

Roslyn Sirota

Roslyn Sirota, 91, died Jan. 13, 2016. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and raised in Connecticut, Mrs. Sirota graduated from The Teacher College of Connecticut and taught in a two-room schoolhouse until moving to Tucson in 1947. She earned master’s degrees in education and art history at the University of… Read more »

Tucson businessman and wife killed in plane crash

Shockwaves were sent throughout the Tucson community on Jan. 18 following the death of local businessman and philanthropist Donald Baker, 59, co-owner of commercial real estate firm Larsen Baker L.L.C., and his wife, Dawn Hunter-Baker, 55, in a plane crash. Baker was piloting his Cessna Citation 525, returning to… Read more »

Lyle Tumarkin

Lyle Yi Tumarkin, daughter of Joanna Norman and Paul Tumarkin, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 30 at the Jewish Community Center with Congregation Chaverim. She is the granddaughter of Linda and Gerald Tumarkin of Tucson. Lyle attends the Civano Middle School, trains in gymnastics, and… Read more »

Stella Salmon

STELLA BITAR SALMON, daughter of Sosan Moussa and Stewart Salmon, celebrated becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 9 at Congregation Bet Shalom. She is the granddaughter of Joan Tobias Salmon and the late Dr. Sydney Salmon, and George and Magdalien Moussa, all of Tucson. Stella attends Basis Tucson… Read more »

Donald Baker

Donald Lee Baker, 59, died Jan. 18, 2016, in an airplane accident with his wife, Dawn Hunter-Baker, while returning from a conference in Deer Valley, Utah. Mr. Baker moved to Tucson 30 years ago. He was raised in Venice Beach, Calif. He was the co-owner of Larsen Baker LLC,… Read more »

Sebag-Teboul

Jacques and Renee Claire Sebag of Tucson announce the engagement of their daughter Lena Sebag to Keith Teboul, son of Helen Teboul of Dunlap, Ill., and the late Guy Teboul of Paris, France. Lena is an owner/partner of Belle Destination Weddings & Events, Inc., of Maui, Hawaii, where she… Read more »

Elana Beth Goldberg

Elana Beth Goldberg, daughter of Lisa and Ben Goldberg, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 16, at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Mimi and Jerry Sisk of Palos Verdes, Calif., and Karen and Bill Goldberg of Tucson. Elana attends Tucson Hebrew Academy and… Read more »

Ruth Ferleger

Ruth Ferleger, 88, died Dec. 9, 2015. Mrs. Ferleger grew up in Philadelphia and moved to Tucson in 2001. Mrs. Ferleger was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Arthur. Survivors include her children, Faye (David) Wolsky of Tucson and Leonard (Donna Kruman) Ferleger of Pittsburgh; and… Read more »

Jerome Snyder

Jerome Allen “Jerry” Snyder, 78, died Dec. 12, 2015. Born in Louisville, Ky., Mr. Snyder graduated from Tucson High School in 1955. He graduated from the University of Louisville and was employed by the Social Security Administration for his entire working life. In 1963, Mr. Snyder married Barbara Ziblat.… Read more »

Bernadine Lerman

Bernadine “Bernie” Lerman, 96, died Dec. 15, 2015. She lived in Wisconsin and taught special education until moving  to Tucson in 1980. Mrs. Lerman was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Jacob “Jack” Lerman, and her daughter Judith. Survivors include her daughters Sharon (Barry Mates) Chaimson… Read more »

Joseph B. Cohen

Joseph B. Cohen, son of Nancy Cohen and Stephen Cohen, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on Dec. 19, at Congregation Or Chadash. He is the grandson of Janet Gagnon of Tucson; Alan and Susan Cohen of Palm Springs, Calif.; and Warren and Pat Henderson of Dunbarton, N.H. Joseph… Read more »

Sam Wolsky

Sam Wolsky, 91, died Dec. 5, 2015. Born in Chicago, Mr. Wolsky married Bobbie shortly after his service in the Coast Guard. He owned a furniture and appliance business called Wolsky Brothers with his brother Nat, and later a catalog showroom in Chicago called Oak Supply. In 1994 Sam… Read more »

Minerva Rein

Minerva “Min” Rein, 90, died Nov. 21, 2015. Born in Philadelphia, Mrs. Rein was raised in Baltimore and lived in Tucson for the past 55 years. In 1951, after a blind date, she married Milton Rein of New York City, who died in 1984. Mrs. Rein was active in… Read more »

Allen Erenberg

Dr. Allen Erenberg, 72, died Nov. 20, 2015. Born in Chicago, Dr. Erenberg attended the University of Illinois College of Medicine and graduated in 1967 with an MD degree. He received his neonatology training in Torrance, Calif., served in the United States Air Force Medical Corp for two years,… Read more »

Seena Ponemon

Seena Brodkin Ponemon, 83, died Oct. 31, 2015. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mrs. Ponemon had lived in Tucson since 1974. Survivors include her sons, Edward Ponemon of Tucson and Lawrence Ponemon of Traverse City, Mich.; sister, Marcia Brodkin Perlstein of Canoga Park, Calif.; and brother, Sheldon Sid (Sally) Brodkin… Read more »