Women prepare care packages for the wives of IDF soldiers at Tucson Torah Center's Oct. 20 event at Handmaker. (Photo: Nanci Levy) “I haven’t been here since my grandmother lived here” is a comment frequently shared by visitors attending Handmaker’s recent community events. When they look around, they are usually amazed at how much Handmaker has changed since their last visit. What began as a 40-bed non-profit nursing home over 60… Read more »
Residents and guests enjoy a holiday meal at Handmaker. For over 60 years, Handmaker has made it possible for residents, along with family and friends, to enjoy kosher holiday meals and holiday services at Handmaker. For more than half of that time, Mel Cohen has been leading the Shabbat and holiday services, with help from Dan Asia, Mike… Read more »
SandRuby Community Programs has been providing care for adults and respite for their caregivers for many years. Part of the Handmaker Family of Services, SandRuby provides a safe, social environment for older adults, where they are surrounded by friends and trained and loving staff, and have the opportunity to… Read more »
Did you know that every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood? It’s vital for surgeries, cancer treatments, chronic conditions, and emergency care. Whether it’s whole blood, red cells, platelets, or plasma, each lifesaving donation begins with one generous donor. Because blood and platelets cannot be manufactured, volunteer… Read more »
JPSA young leadership volunteers and Handmaker residents with the boxes of school supplies they packed for Homer Davis Elementary School, June 1, 2025 (Photo courtesy JPSA)
Volunteering is rejuvenating and “good for the soul,” said David DiCosola, one of 18 volunteers from Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona’s Young Leadership Division who joined Handmaker residents on Sunday, June 1, for a service and learning program. Nate Weisband, JPSA Young Leadership Manager, created the pre-Shavuot program to… Read more »
In the spirit of honoring their elders, engaging in hiddur p’nai zaken, teens from Tucson Hebrew Academy and BBYO have been meeting monthly with Handmaker residents since September as part of the Better Together intergenerational program. One Wednesday morning each month, residents eagerly waited in the Grand Foyer or… Read more »
Handmaker has hosted countless events and programs in the Great Room. For the last several years, attendees of programs held there have frequently commented that the program was good, but the speaker was difficult to hear or the image on the screen was hard to see. This was very… Read more »
Nanci Levy, Handmaker community outreach coordinator, with Hanukkah latkes she made for residents and staff on Dec. 11. (Photo: Angela Salmon/Handmaker)
Despite the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, residents and staff at Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging celebrated Hanukkah last month. Rabbi Richard Safran led a nightly menorah lighting for fellow residents in the Rubin Assisted Living Neighborhood. Nanci Levy, community outreach coordinator, cooked up potato latkes for… Read more »
From left, Rabbi Yossie Shemtov of Chabad Tucson with Handmaker Director of Food and Facility Services Mike Felde, Pastry Chef Julie Ogroski, and Executive Chef Claire Wilmouth (Photo: Faye Gandolfi)
Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging has announced a partnership with the ongoing Chabad of Tucson Kosher Meals on Wheels program. By providing affordable kosher meals to those in need, this collaboration helps tackle the issue of food insecurity in the local community. The program will provide glatt kosher… Read more »
Still making Thanksgiving plans? Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging, in partnership with Chabad Tucson, is offering glatt kosher Thanksgiving meals prepared by Handmaker chefs. To order, call 881-2323 by Nov. 20. Chabad Tucson and Handmaker note that Meals on Wheels is a subsidized kosher meal option, and various… Read more »
Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging reisdent Sophia Bowman hugs daughter Gretchen through the "hugging booth" plastic divider, with son Kevin looking on. (Photo courtesy Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging)
For the last month or so, residents of Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging have been enjoying visits with friends and family outside in one of the courtyards, 6 feet apart, and masked, per COVID-19 safety precautions. “We even have a hugging booth, so residents can hug their visitors… Read more »
Gianna Lampert, left, and Ruth Cooper
Gianna Lampert, a teen participant in the Tracing Roots program that brings together students from the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s Hebrew High and residents at Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging, is the 2020 winner of the Better 2 Write contest sponsored by the Legacy Heritage Better Together… Read more »
Marcia Silberman Light, 71, died June 13, 2020 after a short battle with acute myeloid leukemia, just two days shy of her 51st wedding anniversary. Mrs. Light was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, the oldest daughter of Arthur and Shirley Silberman. She attended Belleville Township High School and… Read more »
As a precaution against the spread of COVID-19, aka the coronavirus, Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging has canceled all outside programs and events at least through the end of March. Handmaker is also limiting visitation, as per recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the Center for… Read more »
The late Fred Fruchthendler, left, with Jewish Family & Children’s Services’ President and CEO Carlos Hernández at the 206 JFCS Celebration of Caring event on April 10, 2016, which marked JFCS’ 75th anniversary. (Photo courtesy Jewish Family & Children's Services)
I remember when I first met Fred Fruchthendler. It was my first interview with the board of Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona for the position of president and CEO. After an hour or so of many tough and thoughtful questions, a voice that had not yet… Read more »
Skylar Naomi Dehnert, daughter of John and LeeAat Dehnert, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah on March 9 at Congregation Or Chadash. She is the granddaughter of George and Tamar Mednick of Saratoga, California, and Janet Dehnert of Tucson. Skylar attends The Gregory School, where she achieves high honor… Read more »
A view from the lobby of the Harvey and Deanna Evenchik Center for Jewish Philanthropy, home of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona (Martha Lochert)
Editor’s Note: This is the last 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, looked at national and… Read more »
Northwest residents brought their menorahs for a community-wide lighting to celebrate the last night of Hanukkah, Dec. 9, at The Ruth and Irving Olson Center for Jewish Life in the Northwest. Northwest celebrates last night of Hanukkah On Sunday, Dec. 9, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Northwest Division held its annual family Hanukkah party at The Ruth and Irving Olson Center for Jewish Life. Some 85 people attended, including members of Tucson Hebrew Academy’s choir, who performed, led by… Read more »
50th-anniversary celebration Marshall and Susan Rubin celebrated their 50th anniversary, which was officially on Aug. 11, with a party Oct. 21 for family and friends. About 55 people attended the party, held at Culinary Dropout, including the Rubin’s adult sons and their families, who live in Tucson, and Susan’s… Read more »
Handmaker will host a series of six art talks by docents from the Tucson Museum of Art beginning this fall. The talks, organized by Ellie Eigen and the Tucson chapter of the Brandeis National Committee, are open to those who have signed up for the series through the BNC,… Read more »
