Hebrew High is returning to Southern Arizona this fall. Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona is relaunching Hebrew High as “a community-built, student-shaped weekly Jewish learning and belonging initiative for grades 8–12,” according to organizers. Sessions will be held on Tuesday evenings, beginning Aug. 18. Molly Dunn,… Read more »
Handmaker activity assistant Shania Sponaas, left, and former activity assistant Gracie Soto participate in a Red Cross Blood Drive at Handmaker in June 2025. A single blood donation can save up to three lives by providing red blood cells, platelets, and plasma to trauma victims, surgery patients, and individuals battling chronic illnesses such as cancer and sickle cell disease. According to the Red Cross, someone in the U.S. needs blood every two… Read more »
Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona staff members, clockwise from top left: Sophie German, Sharon Glassberg, Ginger Doran, and Raisa Moroz “Trauma-informed care isn’t just for clinicians,” says Sophie German, BSW, CFSW, director of the older adult and community services departments at Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona. These include several financial wellness programs and Jewish holiday programs like Mitzvah Magic. “Most of the people that we… Read more »
Judith Manelis with Farfel (Photo: Steve Shawl) Who knew when I named my new dog Farfel seven years ago, that I would become a Judaic studies teacher to my non-Jewish neighbors? All I knew was that I wanted a dog to replace the female Yorkshire Terrier that I had lost 20 years earlier. Her name was… Read more »
Handmaker has been providing kosher meals to its residents and the community for over 60 years, and the Passover holiday is no exception. At Handmaker, observing Passover is a huge endeavor that requires the cooperation of staff, residents, and family members. The days and weeks leading up to Passover… Read more »
Dr. Ben Corn is an internationally recognized oncologist and co-founder, along with his wife, Dvora, of the Israeli-American nonprofit Life’s Door, dedicated to enhancing hope, meaning, and dignity in healthcare. As an internationally renowned oncologist, Dr. Ben Corn knows “it’s much sexier to pursue a cure for cancer than to try and instill hope.” “But I don’t think it’s any less gratifying,” he says. Corn is a professor of oncology at the Hebrew University School of Medicine in Jerusalem.… Read more »
Maternal mental health matters. That’s the main message of “You’ve Got This: A Pocket Guide for Maternal Mental Health,” a slim, easy-to-read volume by two local Jewish health care professionals, Robin Giles, a nurse practitioner, and Joy Subrin, a doctor of behavioral health. “During your… Read more »
For the ninth year, people of all ages and abilities are invited to hit the trail with the Tucson J, kicking off the season of light with movement and community for the annual Hanukkah Hot Cocoa Run on Sunday, Dec. 7. This year’s run features timed 5k and 1-mile… Read more »
Project Isaiah, the Jewish community’s annual High Holidays food and fund drive benefiting the Community Food Bank, begins on Monday, Sept. 8, and will continue through Friday, Oct. 17. The project is named for the Prophet Isaiah, who, when asked why we fast on Yom Kippur, responded, “Is it… Read more »
The role of a doula is traditionally associated with birth. Anita Kellman guides people at the other end of their journeys, as a certified end-of-life doula. Kellman provides physical, emotional and spiritual support to patients and their families, whether that means running errands, facilitating conversations or sitting vigil. Caring… Read more »
In recognition of Drowning Impact Awareness Month, Tucson Medical Center and the Tucson Jewish Community Center are partnering to host the annual Community Water Safety Day on Sunday, Aug. 24, from 1 to 4 p.m. The free event, hosted at the Tucson J, is designed to promote water safety… Read more »
Carlos A. Hernández As President Trump signed the Budget Reconciliation Bill into law on July 4, Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona is preparing for what could be significant changes to how the organization serves those most in need in the community. The legislation will cut federal Medicaid spending… Read more »
The Lamplighter Chabad Day School of Tucson, which serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade, blends authentic Jewish traditions and customs with diverse academic subjects. Until recently, however, the school lacked a key component of a well-rounded educational environment—a dedicated space for physical activity and play. That will change… Read more »
Olivia Mitchel The University of Arizona Hillel Foundation awarded Olivia Mitchel, a third-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, the Shirley D. Curson Medical Student Scholarship, a two-year award that provides $17,500 a year for a student’s third and fourth years of medical school. The… Read more »
Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona has launched a significant new partnership with Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Southern Arizona. The partnership will combine resources to better serve local families affected by childhood cancer and blood disorders. The collaboration has already begun making an impact through emergency… Read more »
For as long as I can remember, the portrait of my mother hung on the living room wall. First, it graced our apartment on the top floor of a two-family house in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Then, in fifth grade, we upscaled and moved into a one-family house. The painting… Read more »
Daniella Ironi is Tucson’s newest shlicha, or Israeli emissary, here to support this summer’s JCC Maccabi Games & Access® at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Ironi is helping design fun yet educational programs for the “Hang Time” space, where athletes will spend time socializing when they are not competing.… Read more »
Opening the curtain on its 34th year, the Tucson J International Film Festival starts on January 8, with in-person screenings and special events for select films through January 19, with most films streaming virtually from January 17 through January 31 for the Greater Tucson area. This year screenings will… Read more »
For the Afghan survivors impacted by combat that Jewish Family & Childrens Services (JFCS) serves, art is a powerful tool for healing—helping express through creativity what cannot be said with words. Annie Kunz, program supervisor, explains, “The mental and physical tolls of combat are complex and are compounded by… Read more »
The Tucson Jewish Community Center (Tucson J) presents the exhibition Au Naturel by the Sonoran Plein Air Painters, on exhibition from October 31 to December 1, 2024. As part of its Fine Art Gallery Season, the Tucson J is hosting an opening art reception on Sunday, November 3 from… Read more »
