Welcome to town: Zev Berger

By Benjamin Weiss

Zev Berger was born in Buffalo, New York, where his grandfather served as president of the conservative congregation and the principle of the Hebrew Loan Society. His father was the president of both the Kadimah School and Young Israel of Buffalo for a combined 25 years. He studied in the now-closed Yeshiva of Hamilton and spent a year at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel. He went to college at the University of Chicago and graduate school at the University of Michigan.

How long have you been in Tucson? Only since August 2021!

What brought you here? I accepted a job at the University of Arizona in the Political Economy & Moral Science department as an assistant professor.

Where did you move from and how is Tucson compared to it? I moved from Center City Philadelphia. Tucson is very tight-knit. Just goes to show you that everyone counts!

Currently reading/learning: Hilchos ribis (the prohibition of lending money on interest) in the Code of Jewish Law and Charles Mills’ Racial Contract.

A hobby: I’ve been a runner for 10 years now. Tucson winters are the best running I’ve done in my life!

Tzedakah: I research inequality. If you and your spouse each make 80k a year, you’re earning more than 85% of people in the U.S. That just puts in perspective the imperative of tzedaka for me. In fact, for our wedding, my wife and I asked for donations to be given to charity instead of gifts.

A favorite Mitzvah/holiday: With all due respect, eruv (the enclosure that allows carrying outdoors on Shabbat). It’s all about community!

A cherished Jewish memory: My father would periodically take me to visit his rabbi from New York, Yaakov Kret. He was a former rosh yeshiva in Bialystok, Poland, who served as Rabbi at the Old Broadway Synagogue. It was always very special. He treated my questions with the same gravity as anyone else’s, even though I was only 4-yearsold!

Jewish app on phone: Zmanim (for Jewish calendar times) and Kosher GPS (for a nearby synagogue, mikvah and restaurant).

Go-to Yiddish or Hebrew word: Vos iz dos? (=what’s this?!)

A historical Jewish figure: So many! Mark Rothko. Jewish art doesn’t need to be bad!

Chabad: of Tucson, exclusively!

Comfort food: I do it rarely because it’s unsustainable, but batter-fried Cod with tartar sauce on a pretzel bun.

Kvetch: Overly long davening (prayer service).

Kvell: Kugel

Happiness: Figuring out a hard question.