Tagged Congregation Bet Shalom

Tucson International Jewish Film Festival’s ‘Feeding Our Souls’ documents local shul’s farm project

A Congregation Bet Shalom member shows off eggs laid by the shul's chickens, in the short film 'Feeding Our Souls." (Courtesy Tucson International Jewish Film Festival)

Congregation Bet Shalom members young and old — but mostly young — are featured in a short film, “Feeding Our Souls,” that will debut as part of the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival. But the chickens are definitely the stars. Raising chickens has been a central part of the… Read more »

Midbar chickens come home to roost at Congregation Bet Shalom

Youngsters rehome chicks they raised to the Midbar Farm chicken coop at Congregation Bet Shalom on March 5. (Debe Campbell/AJP)

Eighteen pullets — and perhaps the odd rooster — came home to roost in their new coop at the Congregation Bet Shalom Midbar (desert) Farm on March 5. The baby chicks were with four families until they were large enough to occupy the coop, which volunteers built from donated… Read more »

Bet Shalom’s midbar (desert) farm project goes to the chickens

Volunteers pitch in with chores at Congregation Bet Shalom’s Tu B’Shevat Farm Festival Feb. 9. (Courtesy Cong. Bet Shalom)

Congregation Bet Shalom’s first Tu B’shevat Farm Festival brought about 80 community members of all ages together, including congregants, University of Arizona Hillel Foundation students, youngsters, and young adults connected to local farms and outdoor education programs. “The Midbar Project is a way for our people to connect with… 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 »

Lynn Saul

Lynn Saul, 73, died Feb. 22, 2019. Ms. Saul was the daughter of the late Samuel and Ruth Saul. Her passions included writing and teaching poetry. Survivors include her partner, Joseph Antone; son, Kevin (Nicole) Koch of Tucson; daughter, Erica (Carol Anderson) Moore of Minneapolis; siblings, Wendy Saul of… Read more »

Find hidden treasures in synagogue gift shops

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 »

Tucson J, partners to mark Kristallnacht anniversary

"Kristallnacht: Shattered, Yet Unbroken" mandala by Robert Wertz

Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, refers to the windows broken at  synagogues, homes, and Jewish-owned businesses that were plundered and destroyed during a wave of violent anti-Jewish pogroms on Nov. 9 and 10, 1938 throughout Germany, Austria, and the Czech Sudetenland. The event is commonly thought to be… Read more »

For artist, writer and community volunteer Anne Lowe, there is no off season

Anne Lowe (Micheal Romero)

Between heading local organizations or sitting on  boards, volunteering with humanitarian efforts or creating art, Anne Lowe, 70, finds time for everything and shows no sign of stopping. For nine years, she served as Northwest Jewish Connections coordinator (later Northwest Division director) and outreach director for the Jewish Federation… Read more »

With new programs and staff, local Jewish schools ready to kick off a new year

School days are right around the corner, and community students have much to look forward to in the new school year. Tucson Hebrew Academy students will notice physical changes from the outside to the inside for the school’s 45th anniversary. Refreshing the building exterior, water fountains and restrooms is… Read more »

Jewish meditation practice can help expand the spirit

Brian Yosef Schacter-Brooks, right, leads a recent meditation in Sedona, Arizona.

Integral Jewish Meditation is a synthesis of the best traditional meditation modalities, brought together into a simple practice that is easy to learn, yet radical in its effectiveness, says Tucsonan Reb Brian Yosef Schacter-Brooks, who developed the program. It includes chanting, focused intention, contemplation of sacred text, body movement,… Read more »

Author will discuss historical novel at brunch

Author Paul Boorstin will discuss his novel, “David and the Philistine Woman,” at a brunch on Sunday, April 29 at 10 a.m. at Congregation Bet Shalom. Critics compare the novel, which reimagines the Biblical story of David and Goliath, to Anita Diamant’s “The Red Tent.” The program is co-sponsored… Read more »

Bet Shalom scholar to explore Jewish history and ethics

Rabbi Elijah Schochet (left) and Rabbi Avraham Alpert at Alpert’s ordination, May 29, 2017.

Rabbi Elijah Schochet will return to Congregation Bet Shalom as scholar-in-residence March 16-17, with a trio of topics exploring thorny issues in Jewish history and ethics. He will start the weekend with “The Jewish Civil War” at the 5:30 p.m. Shabbat service on March 16, exploring the schism between… Read more »

Cantor becomes rabbi, and Bet Shalom plans gala in celebration

Rabbi Avraham Alpert of Tucson speaks at his ordination at the Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles on May 29. (Photo: Aly Blue Photography)

Congregation Bet Shalom will celebrate the recent ordination of Rabbi Hazzan Avraham “Avi” Alpert next month at a gala event. Alpert says he’s both humbled by the attention and excited because the event supports his mission of reaching out to the entire Jewish community. Alpert’s personal journey began when… Read more »

Hadassah plans 20th Adopt-a-Roadway cleanup

Hadassah Southern Arizona women and men will once again perform the mitzvah of tikkun olam, repairing the world, by cleaning the roadways around the Tucson Jewish Community Center, on Sunday, March 5, from 8-10 am. This event will mark the 20th year that chapter members have participated in the… Read more »

In focus 6.10.16

Happy birthday, Israel The Weintraub Israel Center capped off Tucson Celebrates Israel Week with a family-friendly Yom Huledet L’Yisrael (Happy Birthday Israel) party at the Tucson Jewish Community Center on Sunday, May 15. The event included Israeli party games, party favors and birthday cake.       Lag B’Omer… Read more »

Rabbi/author to discuss Jewish genetic links

Rabbi Yaakov Kleiman will present “The DNA Connection — Modern Jews and the Ancient Hebrews” on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at noon at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Kleiman is the director of the Center for Kohanim in Jerusalem and the author of “DNA & Tradition: The Genetic Link to… Read more »

Bet Shalom scholar to examine anti-Semitism, ethics

Rabbi Elijah Schochet

Rabbi Elijah Schochet will be Congregation Bet Shalom’s scholar-in-residence Oct. 23 and 24. He will speak on “The Value of a Jewish Life,” exploring both superficial and deep reasons behind anti-Semitism, at the Shabbat evening service on Friday, Oct. 23 at 5:30 p.m. At the Oct. 24 Shabbat service… Read more »