On Friday, January 14, Tucson Hebrew Academy (THA) students celebrated both MLK Day and Tu B’Shvat (which were both on Monday, January 17th this year) with a morning of volunteering and celebrating at Felicia’s Farm. Students started the day with prayer and learned about Felicia’s Farm. Upon arrival, each… Read more »
Welcome to the world, Talia Ellie Sharpe, born January 25, 2022, in Tucson, AZ. Talia was born to Lexy and Jeremy Sharpe. Talia’s grandparents are Neal and Felice Brooks, and Robert (Bobby) Z”L and Deborah Sharpe. She joins her big brother, Robbie.… Read more »
The recent commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day gave us the opportunity to remember the 6 million Jews and millions of others murdered by the Nazis and to reaffirm our commitment to education, community building, and advocacy. Once again, we declared, “Never again!” What You Do Matters: Lessons from… Read more »
Sure, it’s UA Hillel’s mission to help students create a vibrant, diverse, meaningful and empowered Jewish community on campus, but how does that really work? How does our mission come to life? Typically, student-directed ideas surface, and staff helps to curate experiences that meet their needs. A few examples:… Read more »
The first volume of “To Tell Our Stories: Holocaust Survivors of Southern Arizona,” published in 2015 by Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Southern Arizona (JFCS), is now available in a free e-book format on Smashwords. A free e-book version of volume two, which was first published in 2018,… Read more »
Last month, Handmaker was honored to be one of the organizations included in a philanthropic event called Mitzvah Fair. The Fair was put together by students from the Kol Ami Religious School (Legacy Synagogues, Or Chadash, and Temple Emanu-el of Tucson), and Congregation Anshei Israel’s Religious School before Winter… Read more »
The Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) and Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona (JFSA) are excited to welcome Emily Richman as our new Chief Development Officer and Amy Glass, PhD, as our new Vice President of Strategy & Community Impact. They are both great additions to the organizations as well as… Read more »
Ruthann Kornbleet Pozez passed away with her family by her side on Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. Ruthann was born July 13, 1926 in Kansas City, Kansas. She was predeceased by her loving husband of 61 years, Louis Pozez, her brothers, Seymour and Lawrence Kornbleet, and her parents, Hy and… Read more »
In December 2021, five local organizations received grants that totaled more than $65,000 from the Jewish Community Pandemic Relief Fund. The Jewish Community Pandemic Relief Fund was created at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak by the Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona to “meet the… Read more »
The Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona (JCF) is pleased to introduce the Impact Pool, a new investment pool option designed to increase the impact of your philanthropic funds through social impact investing and philanthropic stewardship. The role of the Impact Pool is threefold: To invest in a socially… Read more »
Their first daughter after four boys, Shari Pollak was born to Tali and Elie Pollak of Valley Stream, NY, at 6:58 AM on Nov. 17 at North Shore Manhasset hospital in New York. Shari weighed 7.1 lbs and measured 21 inches tall. She joins her four brothers Shua, age… Read more »
Tucson Hebrew Academy (THA) develops students who are highly skilled, creative thinkers with a spirited love of learning. This month, students exhibited that love of learning through their love of the arts. Music Lower School students at THA learn music fundamentals which allow them to pursue their music interests… Read more »
With heartfelt sorrow, we announce the peaceful passing of Bruce Donald Friedman on Dec. 19,2021. Bruce was predeceased by his wife Minnette Doris Marks Friedman who passed in December of 2020. They were happily married for over 63 years. Bruce is survived by his two sons Howard (wife Cara),… Read more »
Tucson has lost a devoted citizen and civil servant in the passing of retired Superior Court Judge Norman S. Fenton on January 5,2022, at the age of 98. Fenton was born in Brooklyn, New York and attended Syracuse University where he received his law degree and met his future… Read more »
The J’s Tucson International Jewish Film Festival has returned featuring 12 full-length films, six shorts, a mini-series, and eight post-film programs. Beginning Jan. 6 and running through Feb. 20, the Festival showcases an ample selection of independent and international films that celebrate Jewish culture and diversity and provide a… Read more »
Ari Pozez, son of Mitch and Robin Pozez married Dr. Debbie Shamsian in May, 2021, in New York City. The newlyweds have since relocated to Santa Monica, California, where Ari is practicing law and Debbie is a pediatrician.… Read more »
The Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center will hold a new session of “Teaching the Holocaust: Spotlight on Southern Arizona Survivors” on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 4-7 p.m. The virtual workshop will be led by TJMHC’s four Museum Teaching Fellows and is open to all middle school and high school… Read more »
Hanukkah at Handmaker Hanukkah came early this year! The Sunday night after Thanksgiving was the first of eight nights and days of celebration in every neighborhood in Handmaker. Hanukkah celebrations included nightly candle lighting and Hanukkah song singing, as well as lots of dreidel playing and holiday cookie decorating.… Read more »
Hannah Aviva Ellentuck celebrated becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Dec. 20, 2021. The service took place in her backyard led by Rabbi Avi Alpert and her mother, Cantor Emily Ellentuck of M’Kor Hayim. She is the daughter of Max and Cantor Ellentuck, of Tucson, and granddaughter of Wayne and… Read more »
In March of this year, researchers in Israel revealed newly discovered 2000-year-old Dead Sea Scroll fragments including the following lines from the prophet Zechariah: “These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates…” A member of… Read more »
