Post-Its

Reid Kotwica

Reid Harris Margolis Kotwica, 36, died March 3, 2014 in West Hollywood, Calif. A Tucson native, Mr. Kotwica attended the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education in Hermosillo, Mexico for a year before transferring to the University of Arizona where he obtained a degree in Spanish, communications and… Read more »

Norbert Muhlrad

Norbert F. Muhlrad, 91, died March 11, 2014. Mr. Muhlrad was born in Vienna, Austria. A Holocaust survivor, Mr. Muhlrad escaped to the United States. and served in the U.S. Army Military Government during World War II. He worked as a sales rep for children’s clothing. Survivors include his… Read more »

In a world of names, searching for meaning

Rabbi Helen T. Cohn

When asked, “What is your name?” we generally respond with our first name or perhaps our full legal name. But each of us has many names, and occasionally it is worthwhile to consider what they are and what they say about us. Our names reveal something about our origins… Read more »

Jaden Blake Boling

Jaden Blake Boling, son of Kim Boling of Tucson and Tim Boling of Bedford, Ind., will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, March 15 with Congregation Cha­verim at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. He is the grandson of Marcia and Ken Light of Tucson and the great-grandson of… Read more »

Alexa Contreras

Alexa Contreras, daughter of Alizda Garma and Moises Contreras of Rio Rico, Ariz., will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, March 15 at Temple Emanu-El. She is the granddaughter of Elda and Alfonso Garma of Nogales, Ariz., and Silva and Moises Contreras of Nogales, Sonora. Alexa attends Wade… Read more »

Alexis Hailey Feder

Alexis Hailey Feder, daughter of Anita and Bradley Feder, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, March 22 with Congregation Chaverim at Loews Ventana Canyon. She is the granddaughter of JoAnn Angeles and Jerry and Elayne Feder, all of Tucson. Alexis attends Esperero Canyon Middle School. She enjoys… Read more »

Orson Menashe Lyons

Orson Menashe Lyons, son of Hilary and Patrick Lyons, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on March 22 at Congregation Anshei Israel. Orson is a student at BASIS Tucson North. He enjoys chess, biking and reading. For his mitzvah project, he mentored students with Junior El Tour for the… Read more »

Jacob Elijah Peters

Jacob Elijah Peters, son of Annette Hillman and Tom Peters, will celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, March 22 at Congregation Or Chadash. He is the grandson of Charles Hillman and the late Donna Hillman of Palm Desert, Calif., and the late Robert and Jean Peters of Chicago.… Read more »

Ari Nathan Wertlieb

A son, ARI NATHAN WERT­LIEB, was born Jan. 2, 2014 to Rebecca Light and Josh Wertlieb of Phoenix. Grandparents are Marcia and Ken Light of Tucson and Lorre Polinger and Dr. Donald Wertlieb of West Newton, Mass. Great-grandmothers are Betty Light of Tucson, Geraldine Polinger of Palm Beach, Fla.,… Read more »

Merle Supowitz

Merle Supowitz, 80, died Feb. 24, 2014. Born in Stubenville, Ohio, Mr. Supowitz moved to Johnstown, Pa., as a child and graduated from Southmont High School. After graduating, he joined the Navy. After the Navy, he relocated to Tucson and founded Merle’s Automotive, which he sold later in his… Read more »

Nellya Sare

Nellya Sare, 86, died Feb. 27, 2014. Mrs. Sare was preceded in death by her husband, Ruvin, and son, Samuel. Survivors include her son, Moysey Sare of Tucson; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Graveside services were held in the Congregation Anshei Israel section of Evergreen Cemetery with Rabbi Yossie… Read more »

Mallory Danielle Hulsey

Mallory Danielle Hulsey, daughter of Renee and Howard Hulsey, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, March 1 at Congregation Anshei Israel. She is the granddaughter of Sandra and William Yalen of Tucson. Mallory attends Tucson Hebrew Academy. She enjoys baskeball, art and drama. For her mitzvah project,… Read more »

Rebecca Michelle Dubin

Rebecca Michelle Dubin, daughter of Pamela Heiman Dubin and Matthew Dubin, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, March 8 at Congregation Anshei Israel. She is the granddaughter of Sandy and Elliott Heiman of Tucson, Barbara Dubin of Jarettsville, Md., and Henry Dubin of Knoxville, Md. Rebecca attends… Read more »

Victoria Hannah Yatsenko

Victoria Hannah Yatsenko, daughter of Tatyana Nemenman and Dmitriy Yatsenko, will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, March 8 at Congregation Chaverim. She is the granddaughter of Rita Divinskaya and Lev Nemenman and Anna and Yan Yatsenko, all of Tucson. Victoria attends Esperero Canyon Middle School, where she… Read more »

Levi Leonard Singer

A son, LEVI LEONARD SINGER, was born Jan. 12, 2014 to Sarah and Keith Singer of Tucson. Levi joins his sister, Celia Bea. Grandparents are Barbara and Michael Heisler and Paula and Daniel Singer, all of Tucson.… Read more »

Charles Jenefsky

Charles B. Jenefsky, 84, of Green Valley, Ariz., and Dayton, Ohio, died Dec. 30, 2013. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Jenefsky moved to Tucson at age 9. He graduated from Tucson High School and earned a degree in architecture at Arizona State University. Mr. Jenefsky served in the U.S.… Read more »

Milton Herman

Milton Herman, 86, died Jan. 12, 2014, in Phoenix. Born in Scranton, Pa., Mr. Herman attended Cornell University and enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Upon his return from the service, he completed his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Southern California in Los… Read more »

Laura Munday

Laura Munday, 87, died Feb. 17, 2014, in Phoenix. Mrs. Munday was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. She retired as assistant to the director for interscholastics at Tucson Unified School District. She was a member of Sabra-Aviv Pioneer Women. Mrs. Munday was preceded in death by her husband of 62… Read more »

Howard Katz

Howard Katz, 92, died Feb. 18, 2014, in Scottsdale. Born in Newark, N.J., Mr. Katz graduated from Montclair State Teachers College. He was a captain in the U.S. Army Air Corp, serving in World War II as a B-24 navigator. He received the Air Medal with three oak leaf… Read more »

Jewish history: improbable yet true fulfillment of prophecy

Rabbi Ephraim Zimmerman

Our Jewish history is extraordinary. According to the laws of nature, the course of our nation should have been drastically different. (You’ve probably gotten an email or two about this topic with the subject line reading FW: FW:). What is even more fascinating is that this incredible story was… Read more »