Special Sections

Rare illness, reconstruction and unwavering faith bring Israeli to Tucson

Yael Schwob

Yael Schwob, 21, of Rekhasim, Israel, suffers from arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a rare congenital disease that can cause severe bleeding episodes. The condition is difficult to treat and can be fatal. Yael’s AVM has manifested on her face, disfiguring her extensively. She and her father, Rabbi Yaakov Schwob, are… Read more »

UA student’s family honored for fighting mental illness

Sarah Ashford

The following is taken from a talk Sarah L. Ashford gave in September when she accepted the Daniel Moreno Recovery Award from the Aurora Foundation on behalf of her family. Her parents, Daniel Ashford and Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford, are both natives of Nogales, Ariz. Sarah is a descendant of… Read more »

With mega-menorah, Dutch Christians help Jews come out of their shell

The Christians for Israel menorah being mounted in Nijkerk near Amsterdam on Nov. 25, 2013. (Sara van Oordt, Christians for Israel)

BERLIKUM, Netherlands (JTA) — In a windswept parking lot near the North Sea shore, Klaas Zijlstra stands motionless as he admires his latest creation. It’s the first time he is testing the 36-foot menorah he has spent weeks designing and building in the shape of a Star of David… Read more »

Sweets to celebrate joy of ‘Thanksgivukkah’

In honor of “Thanksgivukkah,” as some are calling the joyous mingling of Thanksgiving and Chanukah this year, these dessert options present a new twist on sweet potatoes and pumpkin. The pumpkin challah bread pudding can be made pareve.  GLUTEN-FREE SWEET POTATO CHEESECAKE Daphna and Eyal Ron, co-owners of Tucson’s… Read more »

Downtown Tucson rocks new businesses — and welcomes the boom

From entertainment at the Fox Tucson Theatre to a cornucopia of new restaurants, to entrepreneurial innovations, downtown Tucson has been transformed — and more changes are on the way. “It’s been very gratifying and good for the Fox to offer significant programming downtown,” says Craig Sumberg, executive director of… Read more »

Themes and variations: Thrift store finds can make eye-catching displays

(Jenni Steinberg Pagano)

Want an interesting home that doesn’t look like you called a catalog company and ordered one of everything? Shop thrift stores! You can find very high-end items for low-end prices. You can make your house look like you’ve been all over the world or have inherited the collections of… Read more »

Series at JCC to focus on strategies for desert living

Watershed Management Group will hold three seminars in its “Simple Solutions for Sustainable Living” series next month at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. On Thursday, Nov. 7 at 6:30 p.m., Tory Syracuse will present “Responsible Home Ownership in the Desert,” focusing on strategies such as rainwater and greywater harvesting… Read more »

From clogs to birdbaths, gifts for gardening enthusiasts

(StatePoint)—Shopping for gardeners this holiday season? Here are a few ideas that will put a smile on the face of those green-thumbed family members and friends: Make a statement Upgrade a hobby wardrobe with gear that’s not only stylish, but functional too. If your gardener is still watering, hedging,… Read more »

Pass the cranberry latkes: When holidays collide

LOS ANGELES (JTA) — If the Pilgrims are lighting menorahs and the Maccabees are chasing turkeys, it must be Thanksgivukkah, as some have come to call the confluence of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah that will happen this year on Nov. 28. It’s a rare event, one that won’t occur again… Read more »

At Thanksgivukkah, celebrate uniqueness of the separate holidays

NEW YORK (JTA) — Some folks are taking the rare confluence this year of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah to heart, renaming it Thanksgivukkah, redesigning their menus for the occasion (latkes topped with cranberry relish anyone?) and refashioning ritual objects (a turkey-shaped hanukkiyah called the Menurkey is gaining traction on Kickstarter).… Read more »

New books: Marvelous menorahs, purple gorillas and back to ’64 Berkeley

The title aside, Esther the purple gorilla and friends celebrate the holiday in "Esther's Hanukkah Disaster." (Kar-Ben Publishing)

BOSTON (JTA) –A gift-giving, angst-ridden purple gorilla is among the characters who help enliven the Hanukkah celebrations in eight new holiday books for children, families and young adults. One, “With a Mighty Hand,” is not about Hanukkah but will be a treasured gift to add to a family’s bookshelves.… Read more »

Fall dining out: a cornucopia of pumpkins, fresh fish and cooking with love

Although we live in the desert, fresh fish has become a popular option on Tucson restaurant menus, as are more gluten-free dishes. Going with the flow of the latest food trends is key as area restaurants dive into fall. It’s pumpkin time at Gourmet Girls Gluten-Free Bakery/Bistro in Northwest… Read more »

B’nai Mitzvah projects reach beyond Tucson

Ryan Ballis, center, with award from the Wounded Warrior Project, is flanked by Quentin Irion, the group’s outreach coordinator (left) and Derek L. Duplisea, Wounded Warrior alumni director for the Western United States. (Courtesy Mark Ballis)

Each year, caring and energetic 12- and 13-year-olds contribute immeasurably to the social action efforts of the Jewish community in Tucson and around the world. These B’nai Mitzvah students participate in a “mitzvah project,” as these endeavors have come to be known, adding another layer of meaning to the… Read more »

Yom Kippur War: 40 years later

A week before Yom Kippur 1973, I moved from Hazerim air force base to Jerusalem to study history at Hebrew University. Yet it was life, not university, which actually taught me a history lesson. Early in the morning of Yom Kippur, I woke up amid the half-opened boxes to… Read more »

At 96, publication of kids’ book fulfills dream

On her 96th birthday, Betty Rosenberg Perlov became a published children’s author, fulfilling a decades-long goal. The Sept. 1 release of “Rifka Takes a Bow” capped a lifetime of creative endeavors for the nonagenarian great-grandmother . “I am so happy about the book, so happy,” Ro­senberg Perlov told JTA… Read more »

From broadcast career to Jewish community, local retiree stays in the game

Although known for his adventurous spirit, Dick Belkin has never been a motorcycle enthusiast. So his wife, Sherry, was surprised when he hopped on their son-in-law’s bike and said, “Let’s go for a ride.” They never left the curb. (Courtesy Dick Belkin)

                      Once known as Captain Six and later as a captain of the broadcast industry, Dick Belkin was a pioneer in television. Since retiring 25 years ago, he brought that same entrepreneurial spirit to the World Trade Center in… Read more »

Affordable Care Act basics: enrollment, costs, penalties

People may enroll in the state-based insurance exchanges beginning Oct. 1, with coverage to start Jan. 1, 2014. See www.healthcare.gov/mar ketplace/individual/. Who may enroll? People who are uninsured or who have insurance they buy themselves (such as those who are self-employed or retired early). It is not open to… Read more »

Tucson pilot program shows possibilities of Affordable Care Act

Mike Cracovaner, CEO of New Pueblo Medicine, explains the accountable care organization concept. (Deborah Mayaan)

Many people wonder what will happen as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2011 is put into effect, with coverage for currently uninsured people beginning Jan. 1, 2014. Mike Cracovaner and two other members of the local Jewish community are part of a team developing new approaches… Read more »

Media making a difference

“The Last Bully: Stopping Epidemics of Violence” is the 2013-14 theme of the first Media Making a Difference film series, sponsored by the Aurora Foundation, Tucson International Jewish Film Festival, Loft Cinema and the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding. “Submit the Documentary: The Virtual Reality of Cyberbullying” will… Read more »