Welcome to town: Sarah Lapidus

By Benjamin Weiss

It is a tradition I have continued into adulthood. My favorite holiday is Simchat Torah because I love dancing.

Cherished Jewish memory: Going with my father to services on Shabbat. I remember the comfort I felt being next to him. Sadly, he died when I was young, but I still feel his warmth and love for the Jewish community.

Jewish app on phone: Can you recommend one?

Go-to Yiddish or Hebrew word: Oy vey (Yiddish for oh no). I use it to express exasperation or when someone is doing something crazy. My roommate in college (not even Jewish) started saying it because she’d been hearing it from me so much.

Historical Jewish figure: I’m not well-versed in Jewish historical figures, but I learned about Golda Meir when I was younger. I also look up to more recent figures like Gloria Steinem.

Chabad:

I heard the Chabad Rabbi in Beijing once saying, “Just because I pray more than you, does not mean I’m a better Jew than you are. It just means I’m more observant. A Jew’s definition is measured by the soul, so we’re all equal.” I think that defines Chabad.

Tzedakah: I live my life trying to be kind to others and trying to be understanding of other people’s situations.

Happiness: Being in nature and around my friends.

Hobbies: Hiking, reading, dancing, building community.

Comfort food: My mother’s sopa de fideo, which is a recipe passed down to her from her Mexican grandmother. It’s a soup with a tomato base, meat and noodles. It also includes sliced plantains which sounds odd but is absolutely delicious.

Kvetch:

My only complaint about Tucson, besides the number of accidents I see on a daily basis, is a need for more salsa dancing events.

Kvell:

I’m proud of continuing to be a journalist despite how challenging it can be at times.

Claim to fame:

Making best friends wherever I go. I’ve lived in Colombia, France, China and many states in the U.S., and in every place, I make a best friend. The list is very long.

Looking forward to...

I’m really excited to get to know Southern Arizona communities and tell all the untold stories that need to be written about them.