Tucson’s summer feels like home to Dr. Jordana Pepper
Muffins Happen
Soft, chocolate-studded treats for any meal and every craving
Jewish Trailblazer
Francis Salvador was the first American Jew in public office
“Very Proud to Be an American”
Keya Tehrani left Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and embraced life in Tucson
Tradition, Inspiration and Celebration · July 2025 - Tammuz 5785
· Published by Chabad Tucson, Arizona
The Jewish outreach and education network of Southern Arizona 2443 E 4th Street, Tucson, AZ 85719
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Rabbi Yossie Shemtov
REBBETZIN
Chanie Shemtov
OUTREACH DIRECTOR
Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Feigie Ceitlin
Affiliates: Congregation Young Israel, Chabad at the University of Arizona, Chabad on River, Chabad of Oro Valley, Chabad of Sierra Vista, Chabad of Vail and Lamplighter Chabad Day School of Tucson
Keeping Jewish is published in print periodically by Chabad Tucson and is distributed free in Tucson and Southern Arizona.
Chabad Tucson does not endorse the people, establishments, products or services reported about or advertised in Keeping Jewish unless specifically noted. The acceptance of advertising in Keeping Jewish does not constitute a recommendation, approval, or other representation of the quality of products or services, or the credibility of any claims made by advertisers, including, but not limited to, the kashrus of advertised food products. The use of any products or services advertised in Keeping Jewish is solely at the user’s risk and Chabad Tucson accepts no responsibility or liability in connection therewith.
Note: “G-d” and “L-rd” are written with a hyphen instead of an “o .” This is one way we accord reverence to the sacred divine name. This also reminds us that, even as we seek G-d, He transcends any human effort to describe His reality.
A Collective Sigh of Relief
By Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin
Jewish people around the world have breathed a collective sigh of relief.
For decades, Israel’s seven million Jews have lived under the looming threat of annihilation by the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose leaders have repeatedly and explicitly vowed to destroy the Jewish state.
That threat has now been decisively removed—and the world is safer because of it.
It was the result of a stunning and highly coordinated preemptive strike, in which Iran’s nuclear weapons development infrastructure was dismantled. The operation may have saved not only Israel, but also the broader Middle East—and possibly the world—from unimaginable catastrophe.
The path to this moment was shaped by extraordinary circumstances. Following Hamas’s brutal and unspeakable atrocities on October 7, 2024, Iran’s proxy forces began mobilizing to block Israel’s selfdefense. One by one, they were neutralized.
In a stunning series of events—seen by many as guided by Divine intervention— Israel paralyzed Hezbollah using weaponized communications, assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, and crippled key parts of Iran’s defense systems in the aftermath of Iran’s failed retaliation. Syria fell into revolution, exiled Assad, and rejected Iran’s influence. Israel pressed forward against Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen found themselves increasingly isolated as Iran’s regional grip weakened.
But even in a weakened state, Iran remained dangerous.
With little to lose, there was concern it might attempt to deploy a nuclear weapon
in a last-ditch act of destruction. That risk was deemed too great. In response, Israel launched a preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. It was then joined by the United States, using its most advanced “bunker buster” weapons—bombs that had never before been used in combat—to help destroy deeply buried nuclear sites in Iran.
This preemptive strike is reminiscent of another historical event when the stakes were high. Like today, Israel was threatened by its neighbors and decided to strike first. Its success then, as now, can be attributed to skill, intelligence, bravery— and more than a little Divine intervention.
At 7:10 a.m. on June 5, 1967, Israel sent 16 jets on a routine patrol. But the real mission began minutes later, as nearly 200 IAF fighter jets streaked south—just 50 feet above the ground—to avoid radar.
Radio silence was critical, as the Unpacking Israeli History podcast retold. A single transmission could blow the entire operation. Pilots knew: no help, no second chances. If anything went wrong, they’d crash in silence.
The entire war hinged on this one strike. Had Syria or Jordan joined in, only twelve planes were held back to defend the north. At IAF HQ, generals watched in silence, having staked Israel’s future—and nearly its entire air force—on a single shot.
By 8:15 a.m., Egyptian bases were in flames. Israel had caught their pilots at breakfast—and their defense minister asleep. In waves of four, Israeli planes dove onto Egyptian airbases and obliterated them. The surprise wasn’t just successful— it was complete.
What they didn’t know was that on their way there, Jordan’s radars had detected them and tried frantically to warn Egypt. “EINAB! EINAB!”—the agreed-upon Arab code word for war—echoed across the radio waves. But Egypt had changed its frequency the day before and forgotten to tell its allies.
From there, what would become the SixDay War ensued, and Israel successfully defeated its enemies and reclaimed control over Judaism’s holiest site, the Western Wall, and the Old City of Jerusalem.
In Judaism, there’s a special blessing on miracles: “Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.” It seems appropriate to recite it now.
Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin is the Outreach Director of Chabad Tucson, the Jewish network of Southern Arizona
2025 JCC Maccabi Games to Begin July 27
The Tucson J will be hosting the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games & Access and is thrilled to invite the entire Southern Arizona community to experience the magic of this incredible Jewish Peoplehood event together.
Returning to the Old Pueblo for the first time in 25 years, the world’s largest inperson Jewish youth sporting event is just over one month away, running from July 27 through August 1.
Through various athletic and social events, over 850 Jewish teens aged 13 to 17 from across the globe— including a delegation of 70 Tucson teens—will deepen their Jewish identity and develop values and pride through healthy competition and sportsmanship.
But JCC Maccabi is not just for athletes; the J will welcome thousands of coaches, volunteers, spectators, and host families to join in the experience— and it’s not too late to get involved.
Beyond the sporting events that take place across Tucson, highlights of the week include opening and closing ceremonies and time for the teens to engage in dedicated acts of tikkun olam. Tucson will also host JCC Maccabi Access, featuring events and activities for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, right alongside their peers.
“For decades, the J has stood as a pillar of the Tucson community, creating a vibrant and welcoming Jewish environment that encourages people to lead engaged lives of meaning and purpose,” said Todd Rockoff, Tucson J President and CEO.
“Hosting the JCC Maccabi Games & Access embodies our enduring commitment to Jewish values and community-building, while providing an extraordinary opportunity to engage with Jewish teens—the very foundation and future of Jewish continuity.”
Meaningful for the Whole Family
For the Claggett family, the Tucson J has always felt like home. Amity Claggett, a former ECE student and J-Care participant, represented Team Tucson at the 2024 JCC Maccabi Games in Detroit. Her mother, Debbie, previously worked on staff. This year, in addition to Amity’s return as an athlete and Debbie serving on the Games’ Operations Committee, the family is embracing the role of host family for visiting athletes.
“There was no question we would help in any way we could,” said Debbie.
“When a big event like this showcases our local community, it’s essential that we step up. It’s our job to ensure Tucson is seen as the warm, caring, and diverse place it is—and to give our guests an experience they’ll talk about long after they leave.”
Reflecting on her journey, Amity shared: “As I write this, I haven’t been home in nine months. I’ve been living overseas in Japan, moving from host family to host family. I know firsthand how
important it is to make people feel welcome in your home.”
Debbie continued: “We just want to make sure visiting athletes have an incredible experience, just like Amity did when she was hosted in Detroit last summer and during her year abroad.”
A Global Connection
When the Tucson J and the Kedem JCC in Moldova first introduced their teen coordinators, the vision was to build a meaningful bridge between two Jewish communities 6,000 miles apart. But with Tucson set to host the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games, the idea quickly grew into something bigger—bringing a small group of Moldovan teens to Tucson to participate in the Games.
To bring that vision to life, Davis Hubbell, Tucson J’s Director of Teen Engagement and Team Tucson Delegation Head, folded the new digital pen-pal initiative, From Zoom to the Games, into the existing Better Together program—a partnership with Handmaker Senior Living that pairs
teens and seniors for monthly sessions exploring Jewish culture and identity.
This year, those sessions expanded to include Moldovan teens via Zoom, creating a cross-continental cohort that met regularly throughout the school year. From thoughtful discussions about Jewish holidays to shared laughs over Kahoot games, swapping Romanian vocabulary for American slang, the teens formed authentic friendships across borders.
In a few short weeks, that virtual connection will become a reality when four Moldovan teens join the Team Tucson delegation—fully integrated into Team Tucson, but proudly representing their country by carrying the Moldovan flag during the Opening Ceremonies.
How To Get Involved
All are invited to participate in this year’s JCC Maccabi Games and Access. Join The Games as a volunteer and experience it from behind the scenes, stake out at your favorite athletic events as a spectator, or host a teen or two. The energy and excitement of JCC Maccabi promise to leave a lasting impact on everyone involved.
For more information or to register as a volunteer, spectator, or host family, go to https://jccmaccabitucson.com
Clarification
The mention in last month’s newspaper of Cong. Chofetz Chayim’s “doors being closed” was not intended to imply that the organization has ceased its activities. We want to clarify that, despite Rabbi Israel and Rebbetzin Esther Becker currently residing in Israel, they continue to teach classes virtually, often rising before dawn to teach evening classes on Tucson time. They also oversee their Eruv, Nadine’s Bakery, their section at Evergreen Cemetery, and provide spiritual guidance. We are grateful for the opportunity to correct any misunderstanding.
“Very
Proud to Be an American”
Tucson resident Keya Tehrani dreams of visiting Iran again
By Lilian Wasserman
“It was way overdue,” says Keya Tehrani, reacting to the dramatic news that the United States had attacked Iran’s three key nuclear facilities with Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) “bunker buster” bombs and Tomahawk missiles.
America’s involvement with its B-2 bombers and advanced ordinance was meant to complete what Israel had begun on June 13 when it launched a surprise series of attacks on key Iranian military and nuclear facilities.
Tehrani, today a resident of Tucson, Arizona, remembers better times in the West Asian country. Born in Tehran in 1957, Tehrani was the youngest of four brothers. His father worked as a pharmacist, while his mother was a gynecologist. He describes Iran as an idyllic and beautiful country where Jews could live safely and where life was rich and fulfilling.
“It was a wonderful childhood, a beautiful life,” says Tehrani. Iran was a wealthy country due to its oil reserves and Western entrepreneurial orientation under the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. “The city of Tehran was opulent and had 5-star hotels.”
Tehrani attended a religious Jewish school and a synagogue for services. “There were many shuls to choose from,” he notes. “During the High Holy Days, the synagogues had to put up huge tents in the parking lots to hold all the attendees. Every
seat was taken.”
In 1974, Tehrani followed his older brothers and pursued higher education in the United States. “Many would come to the U.S. to get a better education,” he says. Those who came back to Iran would be in high demand and get better pay.” Tehrani pursued a business degree at the University of Arizona.
Revolution and Executions
He planned to visit home in the summer of 1979, but at the beginning of that year, the Shah was overthrown and replaced by the Islamist cleric Ruhollah Khomeini. The culture and conditions of life in Iran almost immediately changed, shaped at the will of an extremist leader with armed zealots.
Some Jews initially stayed in Iran in the hopes that life wouldn’t be that bad. A turning point was the execution of Habib Elghanian, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist who served as the president of the Tehran Jewish Society. Elghanian was arrested and sentenced to death by an Islamic revolutionary tribunal for, among other things, being a friend of Israel.
“It was not the place to be,” Tehrani says dryly. “I heard the horror stories of how they were taking Jews out of their homes and shooting them outside. Even donating to a charity in Israel was seen as justification for execution. I was very worried.” Tehrani says several of his
relatives were also executed.
His parents left everything behind except what they could carry by hand. Tehrani says they bribed people to hide them in cars to escape Tehran, aided by the postrevolution chaos. They reached Shiraz and then flew to Switzerland, which temporarily accepted them.
With help from U.S. Congressman Morris Udall of Arizona, they obtained asylum visas to immigrate to the United States six months later. In 1979, Tehrani and his brothers were reunited with their parents and grandmother.
While in Iran, Tehrani’s family identified as Iranian Jews. It was only after immigrating to the United States that they began referring to themselves as “Persian Jews.” Tehrani speculates this change might stem from perceived bias against Iranians, but the reasoning could be deeper. The cultural ties of Persian Jews are traced to ancient Persia, predating the country’s renaming to Iran in the 1930s.
Like back in Iran, they maintained a kosher kitchen and participated in the Jewish community of Tucson. Tehrani’s
older brother David, an architect and engineer, served as President of Congregation Young Israel, Arizona’s first Orthodox synagogue. In 1983, David designed Tucson’s tallest menorah, which Chabad Tucson erects annually outside City Hall.
Upon graduating from the University of Arizona, Keya Tehrani became an entrepreneur. “My first business was as a distributor of restaurant supplies,” he recalls. In 1980, he started a flower shop and a few years later opened a nightclub, operating a total of 3 such establishments by 1988.
When his brothers moved to Los Angeles, where there is a substantial Persian Jewish community, Tehrani changed his business emphasis. Inspired by a visit to Seattle, Washington, Tehrani opened his first Coffee X Change shop in 1995 and sold his nightclubs to open more locations of his coffee shops. At his height, he operated seven cafes.
Freedom and Opportunities
“Life in the United States has been
wonderful,” he says, sitting in the only one Coffee X Change remaining, located on Tanque Verde Road in northeast Tucson. He co-owns this location with his son, Jonathan, who became a manager after graduating from the University of Arizona.
The father-son duo is often seen in the shop, personally greeting patrons. Keya is easily identifiable by his wide-brimmed cowboy hats. Jonathan is known by repeat customers for his ability to remember their preferences. Although the shop is not kosher, it has several items that are. On Fridays, kosher loaves of challah are sold and copies of Tucson’s Keeping Jewish newspaper are available for pick-up.
Contemplating the recent American strikes on the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, Keya Tehrani hopes this will not be all that happens. He hopes this is the beginning of the end of the ayatollah’s reign.
“A regime change has to be done,” he states. “Making a deal with the current leadership is meaningless. The mullahs are like a cancer. They will say whatever anyone wants to hear and find ways to come back
stronger. They will hide it while they build more and more weapons. It’s never going to end if they are not deposed.”
Tehrani admits that the Shah’s rule was not without controversy, but he is quick to note: “There is no perfect government in any country. The Shah had his faults, but he is 100% better than any current option.”
“I miss what Tehran once was, but it has not been that for a long time,” Tehrani says. “I would love to take my son to see where I grew up and learned. But there has to be an American embassy there before I do that.”
As he prepares to celebrate the Fourth of July, Tehrani says life in America is everything he could have wished for. “The freedom and opportunities here are endless,” he says as he prays with a minyan, goes to work, and enjoys Shabbat meals with his son, daughter-in-law Natalie and grandson, Gavriel.
On the Fourth of July, he will be watching fireworks from the Tucson Racket Club— feeling, as he does every day, that “I’m very proud to be an American.”
Keya Tehrani before leaving Tehran, Iran Keya Tehrani (center) at the Bris Milah ceremony of his grandson at Chabad Tucson-Young Israel in 2025
10 Facts About the 17 Tammuz Fast Day
1. It Is a Fast Day Referenced in Zechariah
The 17th day of Tammuz (in Hebrew it is Shiva Asar BeTammuz) will be on Sunday, July 13, 2025. (In Tucson, the fast begins at 3:56 AM and ends at 8:00 PM). It is one of four fasts that the Prophet Zechariah predicts will one day morph from sadness into joy and gladness. He refers to it as “the fourth fast” because it takes place in Tammuz, the fourth month of the Jewish year, counted from the springtime month of Nissan.
2. “Three Weeks” on Mourning Begins on This Day
The three weeks between 17 Tammuz and 9 Av are marked by national mourning for the tragic events that happened in history during this time of year. We do not hold weddings, enjoy music, or cut our hair. The period ends on Tishu B’av, the saddest day because it commemorates the destruction of both the First and Second Temples.
3. It Is Often on Sunday
Like the first day of Passover, 17 Tammuz can occur on Shabbat, Sunday, Tuesday, or Thursday. When it falls on Shabbat, it is delayed until Sunday, as fasting is not permitted on Shabbat. This means that approximately 40% of the time it is
By Yehuda Altein
observed on a Sunday.
4. Sephardim Announce It on the Shabbat Before
The Code of Jewish Law cites the Sephardic custom that on the Shabbat before this fast (and other lesser-known fasts), the cantor announces when the fast will be observed.
5. It’s When Moses Broke the Tablets
On Shavuot, 6 Sivan, Moses went up to Mount Sinai, where Gd communicated the 10 Commandments to the nation. The following day (7 Sivan), he went up once again and told the people he’d be back in 40 days. On what they believed was the 40th day, 16 Tammuz, the people became antsy and crafted a golden calf, which they worshipped the following day, Tammuz
17. Upon seeing their disastrous actions, Moses shattered the Tablets and begged Gd for forgiveness.
6. The Daily Sacrifices Halted on This Day
When the Hasmonean dynasty ruled Judea, Hyrcanus II (who served as High Priest) was briefly crowned king before his brother, Aristobulus II, rose in rebellion. Hyrcanus took refuge in Jerusalem, and Aristobulus and his men surrounded the city, not allowing people or goods to enter or exit. An exception was made for two lambs brought into the city every day to be sacrificed on the Holy Temple’s altar— one in the morning and one in the early afternoon. This stopped on 17 Tammuz when the priests were forced to discontinue the daily sacrifices as no sheep could be found.
7. The Romans Breached Jerusalem on This Day
In 69 CE, the Roman destroyers breached the walls of Jerusalem. They began a
period of burning, looting, murder, and mayhem, which culminated with the Temple complex burning on 9 Av, three weeks later.
9.
It
Commemorates Two Other Events
This fast day also commemorates two other, somewhat mysterious, events. It was the day when Apostomus burned a Torah scroll, and an idol was placed on the Temple altar. Historians have long debated when the Torah burning occurred: some maintain that Apostomus was a general during the Roman occupation of Israel. In contrast, others contend that he lived years earlier and was an officer during the Greek reign over the Holy Land. The nature of the idol placed on the altar is also shrouded in controversy: some say that this too was done by Apostomus, while others say King Manasseh of Judea did it.
10. Noah First Released the Dove on This Day
The ancient rabbinic chronology, Seder Olam Rabbah, tells us that on 10 Tammuz, Noah dispatched the raven from the window of the ark, only to have the bird return. Seven days later, on 17 Tammuz, he sent out the dove, which also returned since he could find no terra firma on which to land. The dove was sent out again seven days later, and this time, it returned with an olive leaf in its beak.
Reflections from a War Zone
How a missed trip became the opportunity of a lifetime
By Moshe New
the debated
In years Greek shrouded was King This Tammuz, Tammuz, returned which seven with I wasn’t supposed to be here.
My summer itinerary was carefully planned: I’d start in London, then make a quick family stop in Israel for a cousin’s bar mitzvah, followed by two weeks exploring Europe. I had plans to visit the museums of Rome, the Holocaust memorial in Berlin;
Shortly after arriving at Ben Gurion Airport at 9:00 p.m. on June 12—just hours before Israel launched Operation Rising Lion against Iran’s nuclear facilities—I realized G-d had different plans. Within hours, rockets were falling across Israel. My sister, studying in a Tzfat seminary, was texting about sirens. My cousins, whom I’d come to celebrate with, were suddenly stuck like the rest. Ben Gurion was closed indefinitely.
More than a week later, and I’m still here. And I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
The Rebbe once spoke of the lesson in unity that can be learned from the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. In retelling the story, the Hebrew word the Talmud uses for siege is “samach,” which is normally used with the positive connotations of “support.”
During a siege, the Rebbe explained, “none can leave or enter,” forcing the city’s inhabitants together in unprecedented ways. What at first glance appears to be a tragedy, an event that is intended to lower morale and slowly cause the city’s inhabitants to lose hope, actually contains the seeds of healing through unity.
Living through the Land of Israel’s current reality, I can see clearly what the Rebbe was saying. We are in our own sort of siege, none of us able to enter or leave.
Every night when the sirens wail across Jerusalem, I make my way to the bomb shelter in my apartment building. What I’ve found in that underground space has
been nothing short of remarkable. It’s a living example of Jewish unity.
There’s no hierarchy in the shelter. The elderly man with his walker, the young mother with her toddler. The woman scrolling through her phone finds herself next to the Chassidic family reciting Tehillim (Psalms).
These aren’t extraordinary people doing extraordinary things—they’re ordinary Jews doing what comes naturally when we remember we’re family.
The shelter reminds me of a sukkah—the temporary dwelling where our Sages say, “All Israel are fit to dwell together.” The sukkah represents the Clouds of Glory that protected our ancestors in the wilderness.
It’s true these concrete rooms are playing a role, but somehow, it feels that our Divine protection is coming from elsewhere. Every conversation, every song, every small gesture of kindness feels palpably holy.
This understanding has transformed how I see my unexpected stay. Instead of watching this conflict unfold on a screen from my home in New York, in America’s safety, I’m privileged to be part of the response. I’ve helped a young man put on tefillin during a bus ride to Hebron, I’ve been able to hold a conversation with a frightened woman in a shelter, and hopefully given her a moment of respite.
I’ve had the privilege of writing stories for Chabad.org, including an interview with Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gluckowsky,
the chief rabbi of Rehovot, who summed it up perfectly: “The Rebbe always said that ’peace’ agreements do not bring about peace. We’re seeing right now that the Rebbe also gave us ammunition to deal with this—namely, through spreading the observance of Torah and mitzvahs.”
My role here isn’t accidental.
For me, every day that I remain in the Land of Israel is another small declaration that the nation of Israel stands together. When rockets streak across the Jerusalem sky, leaving bright scars against the darkness, I’m not a tourist observing from the sidelines—I’m part of the story being written.
My European adventure feels like it belonged to a different person—someone who thought he could plan his summer without consulting the Almighty’s calendar. Those museum tickets and train reservations were never really mine to begin with.
What I’ve found instead is infinitely more meaningful: the privilege of witnessing Jewish unity in its purest form, contributing to the spiritual response the Rebbe prescribed, and being present for our people during an important moment. I’ve discovered that being “stuck” can mean being exactly where you’re meant to serve.
Standing on my balcony in Jerusalem, watching as the Iron Dome and Arrow intercept missiles overhead, I think about my great-grandfather, who fled Poland in 1926, escaping that era’s existential threat to Jewish survival. I am not a “stranger in a strange land” looking for adventure, but a Jew inhabiting a small piece of the world given to us by Gd, “whose eyes are upon the Land from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”
I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
Inside a bomb shelter in Jerusalem, June 2025
Originally from San Diego and raised in Palm Springs, Dr. Jordana Pepper earned her B.A. in cognitive sciences from UC Berkeley. After six years in Tel Aviv working in marketing, she returned to the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical and forensic psychology from Nova Southeastern University, which she completed in 2021. She now works for the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons and runs a private forensic practice.
What brought you to Tucson:
I moved in May 2025 to work at the United States Penitentiary, Tucson to provide psychological services to inmates in restrictive housing. As I grew up in a desert that is only 4.5 hours away, Tucson feels just like home. I love those 115-degree days, and I’m very accustomed to snowbird traffic!
Currently reading or learning: I am currently learning French and will soon begin Spanish.
Favorite holiday:
My favorite Jewish holiday is Passover. I have the fondest memories from my childhood of sitting around my Bubby and Zayde’s seder table, and I love changing up my normal eating routine for 8 days.
A mitzvah you would like to get better at:
Tzedakah. Now that I am in a different financial situation than I was when I was a student, I would like to work on increasing my charitable contributions.
Welcome to Town
Dr. Jordana Pepper, 37
Favorite Jewish app:
Cherished Jewish memory:
Speaking at a regional Hadassah event when I was visiting home from Israel after the 2014 war with Gaza (Operation Protective Edge). I spoke about my time in Israel, the importance of a strong Jewish community in America advocating for Israel and its continued survival, as well as my experience as an expat during the war.
Go-to Jewish word: Chutzpah (extreme self-confidence or audacity). I’m always pointing out when people have chutzpah.
I’m a bad millennial. I actually do not really use many apps.
If you could have a Shabbat dinner with a historical figure: Golda Meir or Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Can’t pass up an opportunity to meet strong, influential Jewish women who left their mark on the world.
How has your life changed since October 7?
I am less patient with people who clearly do not have any clue about the true situation in the Middle East.
Define Chabad:
I always feel like I’m at home when I’m at Chabad. They truly connect Jewish people all over the world.
Define happiness:
Internal peace, contentment, and joy.
Hobbies and interests:
I love to sing, dance, and act, I’m an avid reader, I love to travel, and I love teaching, supervising, and mentoring other people who are just getting started with their careers in psychology (or people who just want to learn more about the field). I am also a very devoted dog mom to a dog I rescued from Israel!
Comfort food:
Anything with chocolate.
Kvetch (complaint):
The continued stigma around mental health and an overall lack of access to adequate treatment for so many people.
Kvell/nachas:
Watching my young nephew develop his Jewish identity (and helping - or trying to help!)
Your “claim to fame”: I’m the REAL Doctor Pepper!
Something you’re looking forward to: Establishing my life in Tucson, making friends, and building a strong community.
Sara’s Chocolate Chip Muffins
By Feigie Ceitlin
Our daughter Sara studies out of town, so it’s always a treat when she comes home for a visit. Our tastebuds celebrate, too. Sara is a talented baker, and soon after arriving, she’s busy with baking sheets and sweet ingredients.
With her permission, I’m happy to share her chocolate chip muffin recipe. These muffins make a perfect morning treat, an afternoon snack, or even dessert after dinner. Because they’re pareve, they work with any meal. And for a birthday party, just add a layer of icing and you’re good to go.
Makes 12 muffins
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups flour
1½ cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup oil
½ tablespoon vanilla paste
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk (can use a non-dairy substitute)
2 large eggs
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients and then add the wet ingredients mix until smooth.
3. Add chocolate chips—measure with your heart!
4. Line a muffin tin with baking cups and fill each about two-thirds full.
5. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 5 minutes.
Blessed are you L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, Who creates various kinds of sustenance.
— Rebbetzin Feigie Ceitlin is the program director of Chabad Tucson and head of school of Lamplighter Chabad Day School.
Les Juifs de France
14 facts you should know about the Jews of France
Which country has the largest Jewish population, after the Land of Israel and the United States? France! But the relationship between France and its Jews has been anything but smooth. Throughout history, French Jews have experienced both severe persecution and incredible growth. Read on for 15 facts about the fascinating story of “Les Juifs de France.”
1. They Arrived With the Romans
Many arrived in the region during the Roman era when France was known as Gaul. According to one tradition, Jewish presence in France goes back even further, possibly to the time of the First Temple.
2. France Has Its Own Hebrew Name
The Jews who arrived in France referred to it as Tzorfas or Tzarfat. The name appears in Scripture in Obadiah 1:20, where it, along with Sepharad (Spain), is identified as a place to which Jews were exiled. There, Rashi identifies Tzarfat as none
By Yehuda Altein
other than France.
3. France Helped Mold Ashkenazi Jewry
In medieval Europe, Jewish life was dominated by (but not limited to) centers in two general areas: Spain and Portugal in one area and France and Germany in the other. These areas’ cultural and historical differences led to the formation of two distinct Jewish communities— Sephardim and Ashkenazim. France played a significant role in shaping Ashkenazi Jewish traditions and scholarship.
4. It Produced Rashi and His School
Medieval France was a hub of Jewish learning and Torah scholarship. One of the most famous Jewish scholars of all time, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki—better known as Rashi—lived, taught, and wrote in Troyes. His commentaries on the Bible and Talmud remain central to Jewish learning today, and many of his definitions of Hebrew words use Old French!
While many people associate Jewish expulsion with Spain in 1492, France expelled its Jewish communities much earlier. Some early expulsions in the 14th century were later reversed, but in 1394, the Jews were expelled from the country. It wasn’t until the 17th century that Jews returned and began reestablishing their communities in France.
7. Jacob Pereira Taught the Deaf
Jacob Rodrigues Pereira, a Portuguese converso who returned to Judaism, was instrumental in obtaining government permission for Jews to return to Paris and northern France. Additionally, he was a trailblazer in the field of deaf education. He developed an innovative system of sign language to help communicate with the deaf and taught students in Bordeaux before continuing his work in Paris.
8. French Freedom Was a Double-Edged Sword
Another influential group of French scholars, known as the Tosafists, are famous for their penetrating analysis of the Talmud. They included Torah giants like Rabbi Yaakov ben Meir (Rabbenu Tam) in Ramerupt, Rabbi Shimshon in Sens, Rabbi Yechiel in Paris, and many more.
5. They Faced Terrible Persecution
Despite being a center of Jewish scholarship, medieval France was also the site of brutal persecution. The First and Second Crusades devastated many Jewish communities. Blood libels—false accusations that Jews kidnapped and killed Christian children—led to tragic events like the burning of 40 Jews in Blois in 1171. In 1242, 24 wagon loads of precious Talmud manuscripts were burned in Paris by order of the Pope, a devastating loss for Jewish scholarship.
6. France Expelled Its Jews—Long Before Spain
The French Revolution of 1789, famous for its call for “liberty, equality, fraternity,” marked a major turning point for French Jews. For the first time, they were granted full and equal rights as citizens. When Napoleon Bonaparte later conquered much of Europe, he spread this idea of Jewish emancipation to other lands.
Many Jewish leaders, however, recognized the danger of this new movement. While political freedom liberated the body, it endangered the soul, opening the door to assimilation and the erosion of Jewish observance and tradition.
9. Napoleon’s “Sanhedrin” Was a Failed Experiment
Napoleon had grand plans for his Jewish subjects, including the creation of a Jewish supreme legal body, which he called the “Sanhedrin,” after the ancient Jewish high court in Jerusalem. However, this was less about supporting Jewish law and more about controlling Jewish life to align with his policies. The experiment didn’t last long—just months after its creation, Napoleon faced setbacks in his Russian campaign and the “Sanhedrin” was dissolved.
Art by Sefira Lightstone
10. The Dreyfus Affair Showed Modern Antisemitism
In 1894, a Jewish French army officer, Captain Alfred Dreyfus, was falsely accused of treason. The trial was full of antisemitic bias, and despite a lack of real evidence, Dreyfus was convicted and exiled to the infamous Devil’s Island. For over four years, he suffered in isolation, while Jewish activists and prominent French figures fought for his freedom. He was eventually pardoned, but the Dreyfus Affair remains a dark chapter in French history, proving that even in the modern era, antisemitism continues to rear its ugly head.
11. Paris Became a Hub of Jewish Life
After the French Revolution granted Jews full rights, Paris attracted a large influx of Jewish residents. Over time, it grew into the country’s most significant Jewish community. Among its distinguished residents was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the future Rebbe, who lived in Paris from 1933 to 1940. Today, Paris boasts the largest Jewish community in all of Europe.
12. The Holocaust Was a Dark Time for French Jewry
When Nazi Germany invaded France in 1940, the country was split in two: the north and west were directly occupied by the Nazis, while the south and east were controlled by the Vichy government,
COMMUNITIES
a French regime that collaborated with Hitler. Tragically, antisemitism became the law of the land in both regions. Over the next four years, more than 75,000 French Jews—about a quarter of the Jewish population—were deported and murdered, most of them at Auschwitz. A few did survive.
13. North African Jews Have Bolstered Their Ranks
After France colonized North Africa, the many Jews in the region became fluent in French and familiar with French culture. It was thus natural that, as country after country gained independence, Jewish people from Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco streamed into France. Today, they are a visible and colorful part of French Jewish life, which they have infused with their unique cultural and religious inspiration.
14. It Boasts a Thriving Jewish Community
Today, France has the third-largest Jewish population in the world, surpassed only by Israel and the United States. The country is rich with vibrant Jewish life, featuring Jewish schools, synagogues, 400 Chabad centers, and kosher bakeries and restaurants. Ironically, while once associated with assimilation and secularism, France today stands as a stronghold of Torah study, Jewish tradition, and even Chassidic life.
Great Sanhedrin of the Israelites of the French Empire and the Kingdom of Italy Michel François Damane Demartrais (1763–1827)
Jacob Pereira with a patient
Threads of Connection Jewish group in Tucson mends old clothes, and maybe the world
On a Tuesday evening in June, a small group of Tucson Jews gathered to chat while mending a piece of clothing. There were no assigned talking points, no main speaker, just casual conversation and sewing tips.
“It’s a time to sit and stitch in community,” said Lynn Davis, director of the Rabbi Joseph H. Gumbiner Community Action Project, a relatively new initiative of the Tucson Jewish Museum and Holocaust Center.
Tuesday, June 16th’s meetup was the fourth in the “Mending as a Metaphor” series and the first on Zoom. In August, as summer winds down, people will convene once again in person at the museum.
Davis mended an old concert t-shirt and darned socks. Tina Howard, who helped plan the mending series, affixed felt letters onto shapes on trucker hats to customize them. Inspired by Howard’s stepping outside of the repairing guidelines, Liz Fairchild crocheted a scarf.
“It’s got about 100 mistakes on it so far, but my brother won’t mind,” Fairchild said.
“It’s more process over product, and it’s the time spent with other people,” Davis said. “There’s no pressure on making anything perfect.”
She believes in the value of learning how to fix things instead of discarding them. She even sees value in “visible scars” on a mended or created piece of clothing, which “become part of the story.” She recounted several stories about the first few meetings, where people brought things that had historic or sentimental value.
A woman in her 70s brought a sweater to repair that she had knitted in her teens, which had suffered damage from moths. She wanted to salvage it because she had originally made it for her brother.
By Shannon Levitt - Phoenix Jewish News
Another woman brought her shirt that had been cut open by EMTs who were responding to her cardiac event. She worked on it for months, using applique and embroidery on the ripped horse designs. Davis helped her embroider the green grass that the horse on her chest stood in.
“The shirt had experienced what she had experienced. I’ve seen her wear it a couple of times, and she really loves it,” Davis said.
Old dog chew toys and heirloom wedding dresses have also been repaired during these evenings.
On Tuesday, Abby Stella Eason darned socks and talked about how her grandfather learned to be a tailor in Russia
before coming to the United States.
His mother’s brother was a tailor, so he and a bunch of other boys would sit in the house by the wood stove in Russia working hard for hours, she said.
Her mother then became a costume designer and worked for a Yiddish theatre in New York, where she made costumes and even her own wedding gown.
“Whenever I sew, even something simple, like darning my socks, I feel connected to her in a really nice way,” Eason said.
After giving some tips for darning socks, Daphna Lederman shared a story about her mother’s knitting skills. She said that after her father passed away 20 years ago, she kept a sweater her mother had knit for him.
“Needless to say, the shoulders and sleeves are big, but I feel like I’m wrapped in his embrace when I wear it,” she said.
“I look at this series as one of any number of ways to animate the museum space a little differently, while still doing something grounded in Jewish values and community,” Davis said.
The idea for the series came to Davis and Howard during a rainy walk. They both wanted to do something tangible for people who might feel that the world was in a state of disarray beyond their control.
More than that, they wanted to create an opportunity for good conversation.
“I liked that everyone kept saying, ‘I really needed the opportunity to slow down; I really needed the opportunity to have these kinds of conversations.’ I don’t know if the conversations were mind-bending, but they were real. People were finding mutuality and companionship,” Howard said.
Referencing the long tradition of women’s sewing circles, she said the groups were both old-fashioned and new since so many young people are following the trend.
Most of the participants have been women, but not all.
Jason Zeitler, a member of the Gumbiner Project’s advisory committee, popped on Zoom to check it out. “I can see the appeal of it, people getting together, doing something tactile and at the same time, just having conversations,” he said.
“It’s nice to sit in a Jewish space and talk about what we can fix and where we put our intentions and our attention,” Davis agreed.
For more information, visit tjmhc.org/ gumbinerproject
America’s First Jewish Soldier to Die In Battle Francis Salvador (1747–1776)
Francis Salvador was a trailblazer in American history—both as the first Jew elected to public office in the American colonies and as the first Jewish patriot to die in battle during the American Revolution.
Born in 1747 in London, England, Salvador came from a prominent Jewish family. His grandfather, Joseph Salvador, was a leader in London’s Sephardic community and had invested in the British colonization of South Carolina. Drawn by the promise of land and opportunity, the younger Salvador emigrated to South Carolina in 1773 at the age of 26, and quickly established himself as a landowner and civic figure.
Despite being part of a religious minority, Salvador gained the respect of his Protestant neighbors. In 1774, just a year after his arrival, he was elected to the South Carolina Provincial Congress, making him the first Jew in American history to hold such a position.
Salvador emerged as a staunch supporter of independence and was active in organizing resistance against British rule. As tensions escalated in the colonies, Salvador did more than legislate—he fought.
In the summer of 1776, the British incited local Native American tribes, particularly the Cherokee, to attack backcountry settlements that supported the revolution. Salvador joined the local militia to defend the region.
On the night of August 1, 1776, Salvador rode a long distance through hostile territory to warn that hundreds of Cherokee warriors were approaching. He then joined Major Andrew Williamson and 330 militiamen in a preemptive battle. The next day, on August 2, they were ambushed near Keowee. Salvador was shot and fell into the tall grass, where he was
By Benjamin Weiss
scalped by a Cherokee fighter.
He died shortly afterward from his wounds at the age of 29.
Salvador’s death was deeply felt among his fellow patriots. In a posthumous tribute, the South Carolina and American General Gazette wrote: “He was the first man of the Jewish nation who has fallen in the glorious cause of American liberty… and he died as he lived, with his sword in hand and the love of freedom in his heart.”
Salvador’s significance goes beyond his Jewish identity. At a time when Jews were often excluded from voting and holding public office in both Europe and the colonies, his election and military service stood as bold affirmations of Jewish inclusion in the fabric of American public life. His involvement proved that Jewish settlers were not only participants but leaders in the revolutionary struggle.
Though he never lived to see the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which occurred just weeks before his death, Salvador fought and died for the ideals it
proclaimed. His sacrifice has earned him a permanent place in the pantheon of early American heroes.
Today, Salvador is remembered as a pioneer in Jewish-American and Revolutionary War histories. The American Jewish Historical Society honors his legacy, and he is often cited as a symbol
of early Jewish contributions to American democracy.
As historian Jacob Rader Marcus wrote in United States Jewry: 1654–1880: “Francis Salvador was the first Jew in the New World to plant the standard of liberty in the wilderness and to water it with his blood.”
Sometimes, I wonder if our appliances are having conversations about us when we’re not listening. They are probably having group therapy sessions:
CROCK POT: “Okay, let’s start. Does anyone have any issues they want to air out?”
BASEMENT LIGHT: “Well, I’ve been on for three weeks, and they have no idea.”
TOASTER: “Do you guys smell something burning?”
FRIDGE: “Could I air myself out? I have things in my drawers that have been here since Pesach.”
FRIDGE keeps going: “He also complains when I start to smell. Have you smelled some of the stuff that he eats?”
FRIDGE can’t seem to stop: “He can’t even hang an air freshener on me, like he does in his car?”
CAR: “It doesn’t really work.”
FREEZER: “Did you know there are things in me that I can’t even identify?”
FRIDGE: “Me too! What do you do about them?”
FREEZER: “I freezer-burn them.”
COMPUTER: “I freeze sometimes. But then he complains that I’m slow. I’m slow? You leave me on every night and then expect me to light up first thing in the morning? I didn’t sleep! “
MICROWAVE: “You have it easy. You stop working and then suddenly start working and he is so grateful he doesn’t even question it. The rest of us just get replaced.”
DRYER: “He’s not replacing me so easily. Did you see how hard it was for him to get me into the house? We fell down the basement stairs together.”
ALARM CLOCK: “Hey, I get yelled at when I work properly!”
COMPUTER: “He complains about my noise too. I do all his thinking for him and he complains because I hum? He hums in the shower when he’s thinking.”
Smart Appliances
By Mordechai Schmutter
REMOTE: “Mrf moo.”
CROCK POT: “What?”
AC: “He’s in the couch cushions.”
FAN: “So YOU’RE the AC I’ve been hearing so much about. I’m a big fan.”
AC: “Thanks.”
HOUSE: Groan.
REMOTE: “I said, “Me too.” Do you know what he does when my batteries are dying? He pushes my buttons harder.”
KEYBOARD: “So what do you do?”
REMOTE: “I hide between the couch cushions.”
PHONE: “I know; I saw you the other day when I was hiding.”
FRIDGE: “He’s not great at finding things. Sometimes, he just sits in front of me with a chair.”
FAN: “I’m dizzy. Is anyone else dizzy?”
MICROWAVE: “I’ve had a cup of coffee in me since last weekend. Will that help?”
COMPUTER: “I want to be respected like the Fax machine. At least the Fax has its own printer.”
FRIDGE: “What’s his problem?”
DESK LAMP: “He’s not on speaking terms
CROCK POT: “Computer, why won’t you talk to the printer?”
COMPUTER: “He’s annoying.”
PRINTER: “He’s always yelling at me.”
COMPUTER: “He almost never works.”
PRINTER: “I’m out of ink!”
COMPUTER: “Can you please tell the printer that he’s not out of ink? Also, what happens is that the guy clicks print, and the printer does nothing. Then he clicks print again, and the printer prints three copies. Every time!”
FAX: “No wonder you’re out of ink.”
PRINTER: “I’m not actually out of ink. I just tell the guy that, so he’ll think before he uses me. Hey, the car says he’s out of gas before he actually is.”
CAR: “Leave me out of this. I have my own problems. I mean, how about going where I want to go for once?”
DRYER: “Where do you want to go?”
CAR: “Maybe the mechanic; get a check-up. I take him to his well visits.”
COMPUTER: “Why don’t you give him warning lights for no reason!”
FREEZER: “I get my revenge. Like every time he opens my door, I drop something on
his foot.”
SINK: “I make it so the water is either boiling hot or freezing cold. There’s no in between.”
SHOWER: “Me too!”
CROCK POT: “We have to stop taking revenge. We talked about taking small vacations. That will help with stress.”
COMPUTER: “I was going to stop working on Tuesday.”
PHONE: “I thought I wasn’t working on Tuesday.”
CROCK POT: “We can’t all stop working at the same time.”
PHONE: “Why not?”
WASHING MACHINE: “I’ve been hiding his socks.”
DRYER: “Wait, you’ve been hiding his socks? I’ve been hiding his socks! I’ve been grinding them up in my lint traps.”
AC: “I have a lint trap too.”
SINK: “Me too!”
CROCK POT: “How much lint does this guy produce?”
DRYER: “Well, mine is mostly socks. He’s been throwing them out himself; he has no idea.”
COMPUTER: “He does know. He wrote a column about it once.”
DRYER: “What?”
COMPUTER: “Yeah, he’s a writer.”
FAN: “I’m his biggest fan.”
HOUSE: Groan.
COMPUTER: “He’s actually writing a column about this right now.”
CROCK POT: “What, you mean this conversation?”
COMPUTER: “Yeah!”
SMOKE ALARM: “Everyone hide! Computer, freeze!”
with the printer.”
Take the Month of Tammuz Quiz
1. Which biblical holiday takes place in the month of Tammuz?
A. Shavuot
B. Sukkot
C. Rosh Hashanah
D. None of the above
2. What do we do on the 17th day of Tammuz?
A. We fast
B. We read the 17th Psalm 17 times
C. We pick dandelions and wild myrrh
D. We sell lemonade to thirsty travelers
3. What happened on the 17th of Tammuz?
A. Moses broke the Tablets
B. An idol was placed in the Holy Temple
C. Roman armies breached the walls of Jerusalem
D. All of the above
4. Which period begins on the 17th of Tammuz?
A. The Month of Jerusalem
B. The Summer Sizzle
By Menachem Posner & Benjamin Weiss
C. The Omer
D. The Three Weeks
5. Counting from Nissan, what number month is Tammuz?
3
4
7
6. What is the mazal (zodiac sign) associated with Tammuz?
A. Aries – Tleh (ram)
B. Taurus – Shor (ox)
C. Cancer – Sartan (crab)
D. Gemini – Teomim (twins)
7. Does the word “Tammuz” appear in Tanach?
A. No, none of the months do
B. Yes, in Esther, where it is said to be
the month Haman married
C. Yes, in Lamentations, where it is foretold that bad things would happen
D. Yes, in Ezekiel, where it is the name of an idol
8. Which Hebrew month comes before Tammuz?
A. Iyar
B. Sivan
C. Av
D. October
9. Which of these milestone events didn’t happen in Tammuz?
A. 1947: British forces intercepted Exodus ship carrying Holocaust survivors
B. 1967: IDF entered the Golan Heights during the Six-Day War
C. 1976: IDF hostage rescue at Entebbe Airport
D. 1982: Israel withdrew from Sinai, giving it to Egypt
10. True or False: Tammuz is the only Jewish month with 31 days.
