Nitay Bar, left, and Yuval Malka listen to speakers at their lehitraot party on May 6, 2026. (Photo: Phyllis Braun/AJP) I’m sitting down to write my final communication as Southern Arizona’s senior community shlicha, and I honestly can’t believe the time has come. It feels like only yesterday that Nitay and I arrived here, but looking back at everything we’ve been through together, it also feels like a whole… Read more »
Senior Community Shlicha Yuval Malka (front) and Junior Community Shlicha Daniella Ironi with the Banai family — Uri, Noam, and Boaz — who performed at the 2025 Yom Ha’aztmaut festival in Tucson (Photo courtesy Weintraub Israel Center) Yuval Malka, Southern Arizona’s senior community shlicha (Israeli emissary), and Daniella Ironi, junior community shlicha, have been planning events for two of the most important dates on the Israeli calendar: Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, and Yom Ha’aztmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, known collectively as the spring “Yamim” (Hebrew for… Read more »
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 »
Hiking throughout Israel helped Gabe Melson connect with the land. (Courtesy Gabe Melson) This summer, local teen Gabe Melson went on a meaningful and inspiring journey to Israel through the Ramah Israel Seminar, supported by the Shaol & Evelyn Pozez Endowment Fund held at the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona. Before his departure, Gabe met with Yuval Malka, Southern Arizona’s Senior… Read more »
