Post-Its

Sharon Roffman

Sharon Iris Roffman, 61, died June 3, 2016. Born and raised in Tucson, Ms. Roffman graduated from Rincon High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Arizona. She worked for many years in the health care field, first as a medical assistant to several… Read more »

Brownie Ebner

Brownie Ebner, 104, died May 10, 2016. Mrs. Ebner was born in Providence, R.I. but raised in New York City. Until she retired, her jobs were mostly secretarial, culminating with her position at a local Tucson high school. She was active in the Pioneer Women (the Labor Zionist women’s… Read more »

Bernard Amster

Bernard A. “Bernie” Amster, 66, died May 10, 2016. Mr. Amster was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He lived in Arizona for 47 years where he was a purchasing agent and entrepreneur. Mr. Amster was preceded in death by his brother, Steven Howard Amster. Survivors include his daughter, Melissa (Patrick)… Read more »

Fred Brickman

Fred Edward Brickman, M.D., 70, died May 19, 2016. Born in Chicago and raised in New Orleans, Dr. Brickman was a member of the first graduating class of Benjamin Franklin High School in 1964. He earned a chemistry degree at Washington University and a medical degree at Louisiana State… Read more »

Kiersten Jada Belkoff

Kiersten Jada Belkoff, daughter of Sandy Stein and Kenneth Belkoff, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on June 4 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Howard Stein and the late Celina Stein of Tucson, and the late Michael and Shirley Belkoff of Hillside, N.J. Kiersten attends… Read more »

Sid Lachter

Sid Lachter, 75, died May 12, 2016. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Mr. Lachter received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Manitoba. He went on to practice law in Minnedosa and Neepawa, Manitoba. His interest in politics led him to run for the Parliament of Canada in 1972 and… Read more »

Alex Soloway

Alex Soloway, 95, died May 12, 2016. A resident of Tucson since 1943, Mr. Soloway was a prominent builder in the Catalina Foothills with his father, Jacob. Mr. Soloway was preceded in death by his wife, Helen. Survivors include his daughter, Eleanor of Los Angeles; sisters, Lee, Edith and… Read more »

Katherine Marguerite Zinn

Katherine Marguerite Zinn, daughter of Erin Samuels, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on May 14 at Temple Emanu-El. She is the granddaughter of Elizabeth Samuels of Tucson and Douglas Woods of Shepardsville, Ky. Katie attends Pistor Middle School where she is in honors classes, on the yearbook committee,… Read more »

Being Jewish: It’s not just for holidays, milestone moments

Almost every person can recall the myths they accepted as fact as a child, until a knowledgeable adult, dictionary or Google has proved them otherwise. I used to believe that bats are blind. (While they do use echolocation at night, they still have functioning eyes.) Another myth I believed… Read more »

Lawrence Berg

Lawrence Edward Berg, 86, died in Myrtle Beach, S.C., April 25, 2016. Mr. Berg was born in Mount Vernon, N.Y. He served in the U.S. Army from 1948-1952 in Okinawa, Tokyo and Germany.  Afterward, he attended Ohio State University, where he met his first wife, Edith. He headed a… Read more »

Stan Boas

Stan Boas, 94, died April 25, 2016. Mr. Boas moved to Tucson from Chicago in 1959.  His field of expertise was in furniture sales. Survivors include his children, Marcia of Tucson and Denise of Tempe. Graveside services were held in the Temple Emanu-El section of Evergreen Cemetery. Memorial contributions… Read more »

Pearline Kaufman

Pearline Kaufman, 85, died April 9, 2016. Mrs. Kaufman was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Kaufman. Survivors include her children, Rhonda Kaufman, Barry Kaufman and Neil Kaufman; and two grandchildren. Graveside services were held in the Congregation Anshei Israel section of Evergreen Cemetery with Rabbi Samuel M.… Read more »

Alexa Dorf

Alexa Dorf, daughter of Rachel and Rick Dorf, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on May 14 at Congregation Anshei Israel. She is the granddaughter of Becki and Richard Fink and Judy and Michael Dorf, all of Tucson. Alexa attends Esperero Canyon Middle School. She is on the dance… Read more »

Noah Zvi Fleisher

NOAH ZVI FLEISHER, son of Andrea and Jason Fleisher, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on May 7 at Congregation Or Chadash. He is the grandson of Rhoda and Nate Miller of Tucson, Roma Fleisher and Bruce Favish of Los Angeles, Sander Fleisher of Tucson and Tanya Fleisher of… Read more »

Rachel Sydney Rudner

RACHEL SYDNEY RUDNER, daughter of Monica and Eric Rudner, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on May 7 at Congregation Anshei Israel. She is the granddaughter of Gail and Calman Rudner and Alberto and Sara Mirta Bien-Willner, all of Tucson.  Rachel is the great-granddaughter of Florence Liebeskind and the… Read more »

Martin Elliot Sodomsky, M.D.

Martin Elliot Sodomsky, M.D. (Marty), 79, a resident of Chandler, Arizona, passed away on Thursday, March 31, 2016 at Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center after a long battle with complications of lung disease. He was born to Gloria and Arthur Sodomsky on January 23, 1937 in Winnipeg, Manitoba,… Read more »

Herman Grunstein

Herman Grunstein, 93, died March 30, 2016. Born in Paterson, N.J., Mr. Grunstein served in the U.S. Air Force medical corps from 1942-45. Following the war, he opened a fabric store with his father in Paterson. In 1954 he married Claire Weiss and they worked together at fabric stores… Read more »

Murray Leonard

Murray Leonard, 93, died March 27, 2016. Born in Scranton, Pa., Mr. Leonard grew up in the Bronx, N.Y. During World War II, he was a PFC in the US Army (83rd Reconnaissance Troop, 83rd Division), participating in the Battle of the Bulge, sustaining injuries and awarded a Purple… Read more »

Bella Ruth Wexler

Bella Ruth Wexler, daughter of Allison and Michael Wexler, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on April 16 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of Charlene and Samuel Wexler of Chicago and Susan and Jerry Zandman of New York. Bella attends Esperero Canyon Middle School and is… Read more »

Rabbi’s corner: Our partnership in the Lord’s ministry

Rabbi Thomas Louchheim

Back in March, I had two possible meetings to attend, occurring at the same time. One was a Jewish Federation meeting and the other was a zoning hearing at City Hall. I told representatives from both that I would be out of town visiting family. Both times I hung… Read more »