The Tucson Jewish Community Center’s Taglit day program for young adults with developmental disabilities is flourishing, with 41 participants and a substantial waiting list. Taglit also has a summer camp program for middle and high school youth with disabilities, which served 24 campers in 2024. The Tucson J’s day… Read more »
Sam Golden and Ellie Hutchison have announced their engagement. Sam is the son of Bonnie and Norm Golden, both of Tucson. Sam graduated from Arizona State University majoring in music composition. Now a professional musician, he runs Holiday Heart Studio, a recording and production studio in St. Louis. Ellie… Read more »
Some years ago, I had a 93-year-old client who was depressed. Try as I did to interest her in attending programs in the medical day care program where I worked, she resisted. One day, in response to my encouragement, she made a comment that has stayed with me ever… Read more »
As the few weeks of our “winter” chill give way to mild, sunny days in Tucson, we have the opportunity to celebrate trees, plant seeds and try new fruits as we celebrate Tu B’Shvat, the New Year for Trees. Growing up in Connecticut, I remember my mother hosting an… Read more »
“Israel is held to a uniquely harsh standard by the world, facing relentless criticism and misinformation in the media. When other nations take military action for their security, they are met with understanding — yet when Israel does the same, it is vilified”, says Rabbi Sara Metz of Congregation… Read more »
In 2015, Miriam Ruth Black saw a news report about Syrian refugees trudging across Europe, seeking safety. She noticed a little boy among the crowd. “I thought, ‘There’s my dad,’” says Black, whose father was orphaned in a Ukrainian pogrom at age 4. “I saw my father as he… Read more »
After Colton Zuckerman, a freshman at The Gregory School in Tucson, was diagnosed with leukemia in October, his family decided to encourage blood donations across the country. “Our goal is, by the end of this, to have put 10 times the volume back in the blood bank than what… Read more »
Marc Blitzstein (1905–1964) was a groundbreaking American composer whose work reflected both his commitment to social justice and his rich musical heritage. Known for his versatility, Blitzstein made significant contributions to both the classical and musical theater worlds, with works that conveyed a deep sense of purpose and cultural… Read more »
Acclaimed songstress Neshama Carlebach is coming to the Tucson J, Saturday, March 1 from 7:30-9:00 pm. The performance, titled BELIEVE, is part of the 2024-2025 Beth and Mike Kasser Patron of the Arts Signature Event Series and presented in loving memory of Ray Lederman. Neshama, daughter of the… Read more »
Jay Baruch, M.D., was an English major in college before he went to medical school. This may have made him, in his own words, “a very neurotic medical student,” but it also gave him an unusual skill set. Amid the organized chaos of life as an emergency room physician,… Read more »
The mental health crisis among men in America has reached critical levels: one in 10 men experience depression or anxiety, yet less than half seek treatment. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, men account for about four times the number of completed suicides compared to women in… Read more »
Dozens of Tucson Jewish community members fanned out across the city on Jan. 20 for a Day of Chesed. Chesed means “kindness” in Hebrew. Volunteers participated in various service projects, such as packing care kits for people experiencing homelessness and donating blood to the American Red Cross. The Day… Read more »
The Hebrew word “chesed” is often translated as “loving-kindness” or simply “goodness.” The Tucson Jewish community’s Day of Chesed on Jan. 20 will offer many ways to do good in our community, from a clothing swap to visiting with Handmaker residents. The Day of Chesed is organized by L.… Read more »
Hava Leipzig Holzhauer was due to start her role as President and CEO of Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona in December 2023. After the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel, she jumped in early upon request, joining meetings remotely to help the community deal with the antisemitism that soon… Read more »
It’s possible that this article you are about to read was written by a robot. I’m not saying I’m a robot, I’m saying the article could have been written by a robot. For those who are unaware, there is a technology available on the internet called ChatGPT, a form… Read more »
There was excitement in Tucson’s Jewish community when Jeremy Kneller-Hernandez announced on social media that he plans to open an East Coast-style deli here, filling a void in the local culinary scene. Kneller-Hernandez grew up in Tucson and spent summers in New York visiting his maternal grandparents. He waxes… Read more »
M. David Ben-Asher, M.D., died peacefully in his sleep, on December 28, 2024, in Tucson, at the age of 93. He was born in Newark, N.J., to Dora and Samuel Ben-Asher on June 18, 1931. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Syracuse University and his Doctor of Medicine… Read more »
Emily McDonnell and Brad Cohen of Chapel Hill, N.C. were married on November 7, 2024. The wedding took place in Tucson at The Oasis at Wild Horse Ranch with Rabbi Yosef Lopez (Tucson) officiating. Emily is the daughter of Lewis and Esther (Tucson and Kayenta), and Brad is the… Read more »
Dr. Bryan Shumaker and his wife, Linda, were winter residents in Southern Arizona for six or seven years before becoming full-time residents in November. They sold their house in northern Michigan and settled into a home in Dove Mountain. Southern Arizona’s dark skies and its astronomy community are a… Read more »
“I’d like to help you, because you helped me.” What a strange way to start a conversation. And even stranger was the fact that the woman who walked into my office and said that was a complete unknown to me. My mind did the panic-scan where I mentally cycled… Read more »
