Tagged HEADLINES

High Holiday services in our community

Rosh HaShanah begins the evening of September 6. Yom Kippur begins the evening of September 15. Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur call to us through the piercing majesty of the sound of the Shofar, inviting us to renew our connection with ourselves, with our people, and with G-d. This… Read more »

August at Handmaker Assisted Living

Handmaker Assisted Living residents have been keeping busy with some new activities that are helping to expand their mind and body, giving residents new opportunities to learn about themselves and each other. Steve Hunt, Handmaker Administrator, began playing billiards with residents in the Rubin Assisted Living neighborhood last month… Read more »

Murray Keshner, art director, dad, painter, singer, and teacher dies

Murray Keshner and his wife Joyce

Murray Keshner, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather left this earthly plane early Saturday, July 31, just days before his 96th birthday. He was born August 2, 1925 in Brooklyn, NY. In his many roles as husband of 73 years, art director, dad, painter, singer, and teacher, he touched… Read more »

Community members speak: “Life in Mixed Cities”

Dr. Yizhar Hess, Vice Chairman of the World Zionist Organization

Southern Arizona Jewish community member Billie Kozolchyk shares her thoughts on a broadcast: I recently watched a discussion entitled “Life in Mixed Cities: What’s Next?” a part of the “Complicated Questions” series. I found it gripping and enlightening; I cried, laughed, and learned. The moderator, Yizhar Hess, a tenth… Read more »

Ray Tilden Davies, internationally renowned lecturer and Holocaust education trailblazer, dies

Ray Tilden Davies, March 4, 1928 – July 5, 2021

Internationally renowned lecturer and Holocaust education trailblazer Ray Tilden Davies died in Tucson on July 5, 2021 at the age of 93. “Ray Davies was a teacher who taught through his actions as well as his words. His deep commitment to advancing civil rights and struggling for social and… Read more »

Emily Ellentuck becomes certified cantor

Emily Ellentuck became a certified cantor through the Cantors Assembly in May 2021. Emily is the Cantor of Congregation M’Kor Hayim, where she has served as cantorial soloist, then cantorial intern, since 2009. Emily is also a teacher at the Tucson Hebrew Academy, where she has taught since 2006.… Read more »

A tribute to Uncle Marek

Since my parents died when I was young, Uncle Marek was my link to their shared past. My father’s younger brother, Marek was the only one alive in our family who witnessed the War and the Holocaust in Poland, the only one who could tell their stories. I have… Read more »

Elayna Direnfeld honored for contribution to civics education

Elayna Direnfeld

Elayna Direnfeld, Tucson native and local Jewish educator, received a 2021 Excellence in Civics Education Award and a cash prize of $350 from the Arizona District Court. Ms. Direnfeld teaches advanced placement U.S. government and advanced placement world comparative government at Basis Oro Valley High School in Tucson and… Read more »

Four synagogues join Jewish Community Roundtable and Synagogue-Federation Dialogue

Four Southern Arizona synagogues have recently joined the Jewish Community Roundtable and the Synagogue-Federation Dialogue: Beth Shalom Temple Center in Green Valley, Congregation Beit Simcha, Chabad of Oro Valley, and Chabad of Sierra Vista. The Jewish Community Roundtable and the Syn-Fed Dialogue facilitate unified action, coordinate scheduling and calendar… Read more »

In-person services resume at Handmaker

Handmaker Shabbat

What a blessing it was to welcome back Mel Cohen and Dan Asia to the Great Room at Handmaker Jewish Services for Aging for Shabbat this past month! After over 15 months of Virtual Shabbat Services over Zoom, everyone was thrilled to once again have Shabbat Morning services in… Read more »

A starry night: THA celebrates eighth grade graduation

THA graduates 2021

On May 12th, 2021, Tucson Hebrew Academy’s (THA) eighth grade class celebrated their graduation after a year unlike any other. The ceremony took place from 7 to 9 pm at the Park Place Event Space adjacent to the Park Place Mall. Around 120 attendees gathered to celebrate the twelve… Read more »

Staying for Good

Whenever he called me from the United States, my uncle asked the same question, “Do you think you’re going to stay in Israel?” As the decades passed, the question turned more and more into a jest. And now that I’ve lived in Israel for almost forty years, including marrying… Read more »

Tzedek Project: Voting in pursuit of justice

“I’m too busy.” “I don’t know enough about the candidates.” “My vote won’t count.” We’ve all heard these excuses for failing to vote, some from family, some from friends or acquaintances. The quasi-reasons annoy me or infuriate me, depending on the context. Voting has been around for centuries. Why… Read more »

Harriet Fruchtman Feldman, active synagogue volunteer and gardener, dies

Harriet Fruchtman Feldman

Harriet Fruchtman Feldman was born on February 7th, 1931, in Brooklyn, New York and was preceded in death by her husband Elliott Ivan Feldman in 1989. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.A. in Physical Education. In 1996, Harriet was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. This marked… Read more »