Adina Lytle and Elliya Griver at Congregation Anshei Israel's Hamentaschen for Hunger event on Feb.26. (Yvonne Ethier)
The joy of Purim commemorates the survival of the Jewish people from a plot to annihilate them in ancient Persia, as recorded in the Megillah, the Book of Esther. But the joy goes beyond the events of ancient times. Jews have survived over and over again, in a world… Read more »
Merrill Broad, 89, died Jan. 23, 2017. A longtime Tucson resident, Mr. Broad was born in Uniontown, Pa., the youngest of three siblings. He joined the Navy at the end of World War II, serving on the USS Thompson as secretary to the ship’s commander. When his service ended,… Read more »
Michelle Blumenberg and Richard Green at the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation. High Holiday leader For 35 years, Richard Green led the Conservative service for the first day of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur at the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation. A student rabbi from the Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles conducted the Reform service. Growing up in Omaha, Green… Read more »
Dr. Eliezer Diamond Congregation Anshei Israel will host scholar-in-residence Dr. Eliezer Diamond on Friday, Nov. 11 and Saturday, Nov. 12. Diamond is an associate professor of Talmud and rabbinics at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He teaches courses in rabbinic literature and introductory, intermediate and advanced Talmud studies. He is the author of… Read more »
Rabbi Ruven Barkan
Rabbi Ruven Barkan says his first and second grade teacher at Tucson Hebrew Academy “introduced me to God.” Morah Brandwein (the title means “teacher” in Hebrew) spoke to her students in glowing terms of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people. “She planted a Jewish seed in my… Read more »
Members of Congregation Anshei Israel’s “off the beaten path” Israel mission in June harvested leeks for Leket Israel, an organization that distributes surplus food to the needy. (L-R): Aaron Leonard, Rabbi Robert Eisen, Ron Gray, Margo Gray, Katherine Leonard, Ann Anovitz, Michelle Sigafus, Eugene Kellogg, Michael Schoenholz, Paul Hoffman. Seated, Aurora Kellogg (Courtesy Rabbi Robert Eisen)
Congregation Anshei Israel’s 11-day mission to Israel in June was no ordinary tourist trip. Instead of focusing on history and popular sites, the itinerary delved into the culture, problems, agriculture and technology of modern Israel. Rabbi Robert Eisen says that this is the fourth time he has taken congregation… Read more »
The Falkow family in 1955, clockwise from left: Lynne, Bess, Cantor Maurice, Richard and Deena (Courtesy Congregation Anshei Israel)
During holiday musaf services at Congregation Anshei Israel, Jack, Alan and Ian Strauss ascend the bimah to recite the priestly blessing. As the son-in-law, grandson and great-grandson of the late Cantor Maurice Falkow carry on their patriarch’s legacy, they cover their heads with their prayer shawls, raise their arms… Read more »
Congregation Anshei Israel will present its third annual “Wisdom of Jewish Tucson” adult education series on Wednesdays, February 10, 17 and 24, from 7-9 p.m. This year’s program, “What We Need to Know About … Islam, Mormonism & Catholicism” provides an opportunity for interfaith conversations and greater understanding of… Read more »
Gil Hoffman As the chief political correspondent and analyst for The Jerusalem Post, Gil Hoffman has a profound understanding of the nuances that make Israeli politics complex and, at times, confusing. On Friday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 14, Hoffman will share his insights as scholar-in-residence at Congregation Anshei Israel. Having… Read more »
Linda Roy, an educator at Congregation Anshei Israel for 30 years, died April 15, 2015 at age 66. Ms. Roy, a native of Southern California, came to Tucson in the early 1980s from San Bernardino, Calif. It was in Tucson that she “explored her Jewish heritage through her deep… Read more »
Joey Weisenberg Joey Weisenberg grew up in Milwaukee, performing in blues clubs at the same time he was preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. Now 33, Weisenberg has transferred his musical and spiritual passion to nigunim (wordless Jewish melodies), and will be musician-in-residence at Congregation Anshei Israel during the weekend of Nov.… Read more »
Rabbi Charles Sherman Rabbi Charles Sherman, author of “The Broken and the Whole: Discovering Joy after Heartbreak” will speak at Congregation Anshei Israel on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. In the book, published in March to critical acclaim, Sherman writes about his journey dealing with a severely disabled son and the… Read more »
The Anshei Israel group at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem. Top row (L-R): Dani Bregman, Charlotte Bregman, Sandy Yalen (below Charlotte), Rebecca Herschberg, Renee Hulsey, Emelia Bregman, Breanna Bregman. Bottom row: MeMe Aguila, Lois Bodin, Phil Bregman, Gabe Herschberg, Eliane Herschberg, Aaron Herschberg, Debby Eisen. Not pictured: Jay King, Kris King, Herb Meshel, Bill Yalen and Rabbi Robert Eisen (Photo by Rabbi Robert Eisen) Congregation Anshei Israel’s 2014 Family Mission to Israel began with a flight that left Tucson at 6 a.m. on June 25. We arrived in Israel the following day at 1:30 p.m. Seeing the first sights of Israel from the plane as we approached Tel Aviv made the tiredness of… Read more »
Aliya Markowitz with Cubby Graham, charity: water school partnerships manager, at the organization’s office in New York City In the spirit of infusing the ethic of tikkun olam, repairing the world, into the process of becoming B’nai Mitzvah, many synagogues now require their students to complete a mitzvah project in addition to learning Hebrew and chanting from the Torah. Students typically choose their own projects based on… Read more »
Rabbi Robert Eisen speaks at a “We Stand With Israel” rally at Congregation Anshei Israel on Aug. 7. An air raid siren wailed through Congregation Anshei Israel. On the southern wall of the sanctuary, a video showed people scurrying for shelter and lying down in the middle of a plaza, covering their heads. “In Israel, you only have 15 seconds to save your life,” an announcer intoned… Read more »
Sarah Artzi Congregation Anshei Israel has appointed Sarah Artzi as interim religious school administrator. In this new role, Artzi will oversee day-to-day operations of the school and its teachers. Born and raised in Tucson, Artzi is a lifelong member of CAI. She is the daughter of Sue and the late Saul… Read more »
Rabbi Ben Herman We have now reached the series of Torah portions that is a mathematician’s dream. After all, this section of the Torah is called Numbers! In Parshat B’midbar, a census is taken of the Israelite men of military age who would later conquer the Land of Canaan. The total count… Read more »
Nichole Chorny After an extensive national search, Congregation Anshei Israel has appointed Nichole Chorny as cantorial soloist. Chorny will be responsible for conducting congregational services and will coordinate and/or conduct life-cycle events and the B’nai Mitzvah program, in collaboration with Rabbi Robert Eisen. She will also develop and coordinate educational programs… Read more »
“Phoenix 1” serigraph by Shraga Weil Congregation Anshei Israel will hold a “Festival of Israeli Art Show and Sale” Feb. 13 to 16 to benefit CAI’s youth and education programs. More than 1,500 works of art by over 100 known and upcoming Israeli artists will be on display. Presented by Safrai Gallery of Israel, the… Read more »
As part of its quest to continue as “the heart of Conservative Judaism in Southern Arizona,” says Rabbi Robert Eisen, Congregation Anshei Israel is launching a search process for one or more professionals to fill the roles of cantor and educator. “Our mission statement is wordy (CAI shall serve… Read more »
