Interfaith minister Grace Hartman blesses pets (Courtesy Grace Hartman)
Growing up in a Conservative Jewish home in Newton, Massachusetts, with her parents and brother, Lois Gail Esterman did all the right things. She attended Hebrew school through eighth grade, became a bat mitzvah, went to Hebrew high school and a Hebrew teacher’s college. She started her career as… Read more »
Tammy Strobel stands before colorful gift items on display at Congregation Anshei Israel’s gift shop. (Yvonne Ethier)
A few years back, my good friend Fran was giving me details on her upcoming adult bat mitzvah. “No gifts,” she said emphatically. As I smiled and nodded, inwardly my mind was abuzz — where could I find the perfect present? I didn’t have to look far. In what… Read more »
(L-R): Bruce and Donna Beyer, Amy and Thomas Allen Brannock, and Billie and Thomas Brannock at Skyline
Country Club, Oct. 20, 2018 (Steven Palm Photography)
Amy Rebecca Beyer, daughter of Bruce and Donna Beyer of Tucson, and Thomas Allen Brannock, son of Thomas and Billie Brannock of St. David, Arizona, were married on Oct. 20, 2018, at Skyline Country Club with Rabbi Batsheva Appel officiating. Attendants included Lisa Beyer of San Francisco, sister of… Read more »
Elise Bajohr, program manager for older adults and adults with disability services at Jewish Family & Children’s Services, talks with a client. (Courtesy Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona)
As people grow older, family relationships and resources change. “Solo seniors” is a term for older adults who feel that they do not have a significant other to act on their behalf if or when needed. Reasons vary and may include lack of family and friends in close proximity,… Read more »
Handmaker residents Sarah Segal (left) and Marcie Sutland with Congregation Or Chadash fifth-grade student Alex Strizver on Jan. 27. Courtesy Nanci Levy/Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging)
Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging recently celebrated Tu B’Shevat, known as the New Year for the Trees, with representatives of three local synagogues. Rabbi Batsheva Appel of Temple Emanu-El led a talk about the holiday on Friday, Jan. 18; Rabbi Stephanie Aaron of Congregation Chaverim led a Tu… Read more »
Residents work on an art project as part of Handmaker’s “Around the World” program. (Angela Salmon)
Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging offers a variety of enrichment opportunities for residents, many of them open to the public. Monthly Handmaker Lectures Each month from October-April features lectures by a rabbi, Judaic studies professor or other local Jewish educators on a topic of their choosing, related to… Read more »
Kathy Hamel lifts weights at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. (Courtesy Tucson Jewish Community Center)
Whether you want to stay fit, learn a new artistic skill or enjoy concerts and lectures, the Tucson Jewish Community Center’s jam-packed schedule has you covered. Some classes are designed specifically for seniors; others are “open to everyone ages 18-100.” Here are some options for those with a yen… Read more »
Uptown Cheapskate owner Heather Martinez’ love for resale fashion started as a hobby. Now, five years later, her dream became a reality. “I always had an interest in fashion and wanted somewhere to express it. I now run Uptown Cheapskate. It’s been such an exciting journey so far,” says… Read more »
"Struck: A Husband's Memoir of Trauma and Triumph" Douglas Segal’s “Struck: A Husband’s Memoir of Trauma and Triumph” is a riveting book. It’s heartbreaking, inspiring, unflinchingly honest, and often funny as hell, which is something of a surprise in a book that starts off with the author’s wife and 12-year-old daughter caught up in a horrific car… Read more »
Michael Hammer, Ph.D. (left), and Baowei Chen, Ph.D., examine cells in which the WIF-1 gene is silenced. (Kris Hanning)
Glioblastoma is a deadly brain cancer that grabbed headlines for claiming the lives of Sens. Edward Kennedy and John McCain. Michael Hammer, Ph.D., and a team of University of Arizona researchers have discovered that the disease could be “tricked” into sparing more of its victims. The researchers looked for… Read more »
Steve Brass, right, teaches a student ‘stun and run’ self-defense techniques. (Courtesy Steve Brass)
The dawn of a new year is a great time to refresh our personal safety toolboxes and begin looking at our world with new eyes. How often do you discuss your personal safety with your family members? What happens if your home is robbed, you are attacked on the… Read more »
Jewish Tucson Concierge Carol Sack with some of her creations. (Debe Campbell/AJP)
A skill Carol Sack attained as a young girl of 10 has become a lifelong treasure that brings pleasure to many. Carol Sack has crocheted a Noah’s ark-full of animals and dolls over her lifetime, an activity she now practices daily as a meditation. She gives her creations, large and… Read more »
Mikhl Baran with some Kinder Ring campers. (Courtesy of Sharon Strongin/Camp Kinder Ring)
Editor’s note: JTA published this article in February 2018. Marc Rauch, director of Camp Kinder Ring, assures the Arizona Jewish Post that Mikhl Baran, now 96, taught at the camp “throughout the summer of 2018 and plans to return in 2019. He is truly an icon at Kinder Ring,… Read more »
New tax reform laws will be effective for the 2018 tax season. Estate planning is impacted, but will revert to the prior rules after 2025. It is wise for anyone with an estate plan or will to review documents to ensure they continue to carry out your intent. Net… Read more »
Anyone who owns property — personal or commercial — may find themselves in need of legal services. A personal property attorney can represent you in a dispute over transfer of moveable property, such as a car, a piece of furniture, or even stocks and bonds. This differs from real… Read more »
Anjulie Pfeifer wanted her office at Jewish Family & Children’s Services to feel homey. (Micheal Romero)
Visiting counselor Anjulie Pfeifer’s office is like visiting grandma’s house. Or going to a hipster coffee shop. Or seeing Smokey Bear’s cabin. At least that is what her clients at Jewish Family & Children’s Services say when they walk across the threshold of her office. Scenic paintings line the… Read more »
Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona volunteer Louise Good, right, is a classroom reading tutor at Homer Davis Elementary School. (Danielle Larcom)
Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of four articles on how the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona allocates funds. The first, in the Oct. 12 issue, focused on youth and family education programs at synagogues. The second, in the Nov. 23 issue, focused on national and… Read more »
The Hebrew Free Loan Association of Tucson helps community members thrive. (Courtesy Hebrew Free Loan Association of Tucson)
The Hebrew Free Loan Association of Tucson has been around since 1947. Although it provides an invaluable service — granting interest-free financial assistance to those in need — its longtime president, Phil Bregman, has often called the association “the best kept secret in town.” But in the past nine… Read more »
Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Jewish Community Relations Council volunteers (L-R) Judy Gomez, Jim Rich, Jill Rich, Leslie Shire, and Rod Rodin (back) work with other local faith communities to support TIHAN’s Poz Café program.
T ucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network‘s Poz Café program provides a monthly gathering for people living with HIV. Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona funds a lunch annually and, along with local synagogues, provides volunteers to shop for food, cook and serve meals. More than 25,000 meals have been served and… Read more »
Barbara Russek’s success with roses took her by surprise.
Even as the menorah shines its brightest these last three nights of Hanukkah, our eight-day Festival of Lights is starting to wind down. Presents have been opened and latkes savored. Hanukkah 5779 will soon become a sweet memory. So, what are your plans for the rest of December? How… Read more »
