Months ago, Ester Leutenberg told her husband, Jay, she was concerned about young children and teens’ reactions to the restrictions and uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. “Our twin grandsons could not have a high school graduation ceremony; young people of all ages were either struggling with virtual… Read more »
Special Sections
JDC Hanukkah candle-lightings on Facebook to connect Jews worldwide
As a way to connect Jews during the pandemic’s second wave, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee will unite on Facebook with different Jewish communities worldwide through a Hanukkah candle-lighting video each night of the holiday at 5 p.m. EST. The holiday begins on the night of Dec. 10.… Read more »
Drive-in Hanukkah events are planned around the Tucson metro area
Updated 12.7: The Dec. 13 concert planned by Congregation Or Chadash, Temple Emanu-El and the Tucson Jewish Community Center has been canceled. An email from Temple Emanu-el read, in part, “Due to the rise in Covid cases in Pima County, and new county restrictions for gatherings, we have made… Read more »
Communal menorah lighting will kick off Olson Center online Hanukkah party
It doesn’t matter if you spell it Hanukkah, Chanukah, or some other variation – The Ruth and Irving Olson Center for Jewish Life is celebrating the holiday this year. The Northwest Division of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona is bringing its annual Hanukkah party online, on Monday, Dec.… Read more »
Local Chabads to host ‘The Kosher Baker’ for Zoom demonstration
Chabad of Oro Valley and Chabad Tucson will host renowned cookbook author Paula Shoyer, aka “The Kosher Baker,” for a Hanukkah cooking demonstration on Zoom on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. “When I spoke to Paula last week, I told her I was looking for a recipe that… Read more »
Surprise package adds to CHAI Circle 16th annual retreat, held online
CHAI Circle held its 16th annual retreat, “A Day of Connecting and Self-Care,” on Sunday, Nov. 8 through Zoom, with 33 participants. With CHAI standing for “Cancer, Healing, and Inspiration,” the circle is a support group for women with cancer in the Jewish community, whether they are newly diagnosed… Read more »
UA professor emeritus to speak on ‘My Research Journey with COVID-19’ for Maimonides Society
Eyal Shahar, M.D., MPH, will present “My Research Journey with COVID-19” online for the Tucson Maimonides Society, Thursday, Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. Shahar is a professor emeritus at the University of Arizona. His past research and teaching focused on epidemiology and methoodology. He has coauthored publications about the… Read more »
What your financial advisor wants you to know about Medicare: How to cut through the hype and make your best decision
If you are an American age 65 or older, you are very likely aware that we are now in the Medicare annual election period. The weeks from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 are when Medicare beneficiaries are able to add or change their Medicare insurance for the coming calendar year.… Read more »
High Holiday profiles: Local environmentalists’ passion stems from Jewish roots, family
The year 2020 has brought us face-to-face with many significant obstacles, from the global coronavirus pandemic to issues of racial injustice. Among the challenges that we are confronting is climate change, which forces us to ask ourselves, “How will we leave the environment for future generations?” In time for… Read more »
Childhood tales of oppression spur environmental advocate
The echoes of oppression in Jewish history have shaped Lori Ann Burd’s strong sense of Jewish identity and desire to do good in the world. “I am so privileged, and have come from these people who fought so hard just to survive,” says Burd, 39. “I have literally no… Read more »
Water researcher links arid regions of Arizona, Israel, and Jordan
Sharon B. Megdal, Ph.D., director of the Water Resources Research Center at the University of Arizona, was not always interested in water. She studied economics, planning to work in public policy, and became immersed in the world of water as part of that journey. “A lot of people just… Read more »
At Tumamoc Hill lab, Tucson native explores past, future of the Sonoran Desert
Benjamin Wilder, Ph.D., 36, is director of the University of Arizona Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill, a job that connects him deeply with his Tucson roots. Wilder was born and raised in Tucson. His father, Janos Wilder, is an award-winning chef and owner of the local DOWNTOWN Kitchen +… Read more »
Environmental Education Exchange founder Markowitz empowers kids
Neil Markowitz, 61, has been a contributing member of the Tucson community for over 25 years. His work in founding and running the Environmental Education Exchange (E3) as well as the time he gives to Jewish organizations has made an impact felt across the region. Markowitz has been working… Read more »
Torah and science come together for UArizona climatologist
Growing up in the 1970s it was almost impossible not to be surrounded by environmental movements. The first Earth Day was held in April 1970 and many people were concerned with saving forests and protecting the air, land, and water from pollutants. Gregg Garfin, Ph.D., was no exception. Garfin,… Read more »
UArizona’s Dr. Sternberg studies how office environments affect workers’ health
Esther Sternberg, M.D., has been a pioneer in the field of wellness in the workplace. Her research on how the built environment affects worker’s health and productivity has been a great tool for architects, building managers, and other researchers expanding the field. Sternberg was born and raised in Montreal,… Read more »
Partnerships with Israel, Mexico key to UArizona’s global environmental strategy
Joaquin Ruiz, Ph.D., the University of Arizona’s first vice president for Global Environmental Futures, gets excited about the work of its partners around the world, such as farmers in Israel’s Arava region. “There are a bunch of kibbutzes in the Negev that are growing stuff on rocks and with… Read more »
Doing this daily Jewish ritual has helped me cope with coronavirus
This story originally appeared on Kveller. On March 8, in a bustling and noisy bagel shop in Lawrence, New York, I stood alongside nearly 30 women to recite a prayer called the Hadran. This is a prayer said upon completion of a Talmud tractate, a feat most women never achieve.… Read more »
Tucsonans’ ‘Way to Be’ designed to help people examine, transform lives
With all the chaos and uncertainty in the outside world in recent months, many people are looking for ways to stabilize their inner lives. Tucson-based authors Shari Gootter, MA, LPC, CRC, and Tejpal, MA, MBA, have written a book, “Way to Be: 40 Insights and Transformative Practices in the… Read more »
Retired doctor turned rabbi shares joy of Jewish knowledge with Tucson
Judaism has always been a large part of Howard Schwartz’s life, but only after moving to Tucson did he truly fall into his role as a teacher of Jewish beliefs. The doctor turned rabbi uses his time post-retirement volunteering at different synagogues to give lectures on Judaism, and has… Read more »
JFCS continues services to seniors during pandemic
During the coronavirus pandemic, Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona’s Older Adult and Adult with Disability Services programs have continued to provide robust services for the community. These programs include the Trusted Advisors Project, Jewish Elder Access, and Select Care. Through the Trusted Advisors Project, JFCS provides short-term care management… Read more »