Special Sections

UA research center studies the relationship between humans and dogs

Black Labrador Sisu spends her days in the laboratory, helping conduct research. (Shane Tarquinio/AJP)

Sisu is a black Labrador. She wears a red collar and has sweet eyes and spends her days on the third floor of the University of Arizona anthropology building, assisting in research at the AZ Canine Cognition Center. Sisu mills around the lab, getting pats from lab coordinators and… Read more »

Jewish Family & Children’s Services to present sizzling ¡FlaMÉXico! at the Fox

Jacome Flamenco performs ¡FlaMÉXico! at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. (Ani Collie)

¡FlaMÉXico!, a multicultural evening of music and dance created by Tucsonan Chris B. Jácome, will come to the Fox Tucson Theatre next month as a fundraiser for Jewish Family & Children’s Services. The Sunday, Sept. 8 extravaganza will highlight Spanish-influenced music, with a classical prelude. JFCS is dedicating the… Read more »

Gal Gadot to play Hedy Lamarr in series

It’s official: Gal Gadot will portray Jewish actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr in a Showtime limited series. The cable network made the announcement on Aug. 9. Gadot had been rumored as the leading candidate for the role for about a year. The Israeli actress and her husband, Yaron Varsano,… Read more »

Longtime Tucsonan gives heart and soul to the Jewish community

Linda Tumarkin poses with the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s mission statement inside the Harvey and Deanna Evenchik Center for Jewish Philanthropy, June 27, 2019. (Román Urias/AJP)

Linda Tumarkin, 79, has been an active volunteer in the Tucson Jewish community since shortly after moving to town in 1971, including three terms as chair of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and four terms as chair of the Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council. She was on the… Read more »

After 41 years, Tucson Hebrew High undergoes evolution

Students in last year’s senior class at Tucson Hebrew High work together on an assignment. (Debe Campbell/AJP)

Tucson High School for Jewish Studies, better known at Tucson Hebrew High, will undergo an evolution as it launches its 41st year in August. Still in development, the Jewish teen network will unfold as the year progresses, says Rabbi Ruven Barkan, THH director. “The success of this past year… Read more »

Local volunteer’s love for teaching is a good fit for P2G

Shelley Lipowich, right, employs science, nature, and technology to build bridges between students in Tucson and Israeli classrooms while volunteering for Weintraub Israel Center’s Partnership2gether school twinning program. (Courtesy Lipowich)

Shelley Ann Lipowich, Ph.D., says she’s taught “for 150 years … everything from pre-kindergarten to post-doctoral, and I’ve had a ball.” She got her first taste of the Old Pueblo when it truly was a little village. She attended Sam Hughes Elementary as a child, “when Plumer Avenue was… Read more »

‘Spirit’ offers free Jewish learning for men and boys

(L-R) Rabbinic student Avrohom Luban talks with Tucsonans Max Lazar and Al Gordon during a ‘Spirit’ study session in 2014. (Courtesy Southwest Torah Institute)

The 2019 Dr. Paul W. Hoffert Spirit Program, a free Jewish learning opportunity for men and boys from the Southwest Torah Institute’s Naomi Adir Center for Torah Education, begins July 28 and runs through Aug. 11. In morning or evening sessions, individuals or groups can study the topic of… Read more »

Elder Rehab powers retired Tucsonan toward the century milestone

Lee Chutkow accepts an award certificate from Elder Rehab coordinator Sharon Arkin, recognizing his nine semesters of continuous participation. (Courtesy Arkin)

Lee Chutkow, M.D., 92, has a goal: To reach his 100th birthday. In pursuit of that goal, Chutkow, a retired psychiatrist, classical music maven, and Shakespeare and poetry buff, keeps his mind and body active through the Elder Rehab program at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Five years ago,… Read more »

New school year brings exciting programs to Tucson Jewish community

Local Jewish educators are gearing up for the new school year, which starts next month. Here are some of the new programs awaiting students. Congregation Anshei Israel is introducing a new, integrated youth education program, B’Yahad (Together). B’Yahad will provide experiential learning opportunities for students of CAI’s religious school… Read more »

JFCS workshops give Holocaust survivors from Russia end-of-life guidance

L-R: Iosif Beskin, Gregory Tselnik, and Raisa Moroz examine advance directive documents at a workshop. (Courtesy Raisa Moroz)

This summer, Jewish Family & Children’s Services conducted a series of workshops on advance directives and ethical wills for the 40 Russian-speaking Holocaust survivors in the Tucson community. Nearly half attended. “It is not in Russian culture to talk about final days or what would happen with a person… Read more »

Here are 6 favorite Jewish foods you should stop eating

A bagel with lox and cream cheese is supremely unhealthy. The bagel alone has the nutritional equivalent of five slices of white bread. (Fudio/Getty Images)

With summer barbecue season finally here, Americans everywhere will be firing up their grills and feasting on their favorite foods. But many of our culinary indulgences come with a cost. We’re not just talking about foods that are overly salty, fatty and sugary. There are foods that actually raise… Read more »

Is there enough creativity in your life?

New research suggests Americans may be picking up paint brushes over remote controls. Two-thirds of adults in a recent survey say they seek to use their creativity more in life, and 77 percent would rather give up their Netflix subscription for a year than their favorite creative hobby. The… Read more »

In the Swiss Alps, locals and haredi Orthodox tourists find ways to get along

Cyclists near Arosa with the mountains in the background, June 4, 2014. (Tim De Waele/Getty Images)

AROSA, Switzerland (JTA) — A calmer, safer and more beautiful place than this Alpine skiing town is difficult to imagine. In summer, cyclists abandon their unlocked mountain bicycles (there’s virtually no crime here) outside cafes surrounded by wild coniferous forests. They enjoy reasonably priced regional treats on terraces whose… Read more »

Singapore, once more: Tucsonan finds Jewish community still thriving

Susan Wortman and Jack Pinnas in front of Maghain Aboth Synagogue in Singapore. Note the large silver mezuzah on the doorframe. (Anne Lowe)

Four years ago, my husband, David, was asked to teach aviation law in Singapore for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Naturally, I went along for the trip. While there, I spent five weeks researching the Jewish community in that Southeast Asian country. When I returned to Tucson, I presented many PowerPoint… Read more »

For beach-lover, Shabbat at Chabad of Monterey makes great memories

L- R: Rabbi Dovid, Motty, Binie, Mendy, Zevi, Yossi, Moshe, and Rivky Holtzberg near Chabad of Monterey (Courtesy Binie Holtzberg)

As Shabbat approaches, Jews throughout the world exchange warm wishes of “Shabbat Shalom.” But how do we achieve that transformative Sabbath peace? As I discovered during my stay last summer on the Monterey Peninsula, Rabbi Dovid and Rebbetzin Binie Holtzberg, directors of Chabad of Monterey, extend hospitality to all… Read more »

Proper techniques for flossing your teeth for optimum oral health

Flossing your teeth every day removes food particles, plaque, and debris that brushing can’t reach. This helps you keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible. Additionally, flossing can help you avoid bad breath. Holding the dental floss Break off about 18 to 24 in (46 to 61… Read more »