Profiles
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Oct 22, 2026
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2 min read
Rabbi Zalman Levertov came to Phoenix in 1977 with 5,000 Purim bags. Chabad now runs more than 25 locations.
Fifty years of Chabad of Arizona, and the family that built it.
Kehillah
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
Fran Frazin, the first woman to lead Congregation Beth Israel's board, has died at 90.
She also helped secure the land for Camp Pearlstein, now Camp Daisy and Harry Stein.
Hate
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
Hours after the Bondi Beach attack, hateful flyers appeared at the Tucson JCC.
Tucson police called it hate vandalism aimed at Jews and at police.
Campus
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
Someone smashed the windows of the University of Arizona Hillel. Police still have no suspect.
The building's director believes it was intentional.
Hate
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
Someone painted a swastika at the Anthem Park and Ride. Chabad of Anthem painted over it.
Volunteers found more graffiti while they worked.
Kehillah
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
Arizona has its first woman ordained by Yeshivat Maharat. She now works at the East Valley JCC, where her husband is CEO.
Rabbanit Karolyn Benger is the Orthodox women's program's 101st graduate.
Kehillah
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
Arizona's National Council of Jewish Women chapter quit the national group. It is now the Jewish Women's Action Alliance.
The split lets the chapter sue and file court briefs without national approval.
Hate
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
Tucson's Jewish federation asked 68 candidates about antisemitism. Hobbs and Biggs didn't answer.
Fewer than half the candidates responded to the federation's four questions.
Hate
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
Antisemitic incidents in Arizona fell to 69 last year. Incidents at shuls and Jewish institutions tripled.
The ADL's 2025 audit shows fewer incidents overall, but more of them at the doors of Jewish buildings.
Schools
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
Phoenix Yeshiva High School is building a $3.5 million expansion. It still needs $1 million.
The boys' school is adding a larger sanctuary, classrooms, a dining room and a dorm.
Schools
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
State auditors found problems in a third of the ESA dollars they checked. Nobody has published what Jewish schools receive.
Arizona's voucher program costs about $1 billion a year. Day schools are part of it.
Schools
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
A Deer Valley school board member said "Heil" at a public meeting. She is still on the board.
Kimberly Fisher refused calls to resign. Removing her would take a recall and about 25,000 signatures.
Security
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
Blocking the door of a shul is now a crime in Arizona. Hobbs signed it in June.
HB 4117 makes disrupting a religious service a misdemeanor, and a felony for repeat offenders, threats or groups.
Courts
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
The Casa Grande synagogue burned in March 2025. The church that burned months earlier is being rebuilt. The shul is not.
A Casa Grande man faces a federal hate crime charge over the fire at Khal Chasidim.
Courts
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Oct 22, 2026
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1 min read
A Glendale man pleaded guilty to threatening a Phoenix shul. Federal prosecutors charged him again.
Kevin Pyles is accused of posting an antisemitic flyer on the door of Sha'arei Shalom Congregation.