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Temple
Emanu-El's
Let the countdown begin!
The congregation of Temple Emanu-El is The next year will be
celebrated with special programming, exhibits, Centennial
Gala at the Hilton El Conquistador Resort Celebrating
a century as the leader of Judaism in Arizona, Temple Emanu-El, the first
Jewish congregation in Arizona, celebrates its 100th anniversary
with a festive gala Saturday night, March 20th at 6 pm at the
Hilton El Conquistador Resort. The Centennial Celebration will honor all
of Temple’s Past Presidents and Joan and Donald Diamond for
their vision, leadership, and the dedication they have provided over these 100
years. This, sparkling, historic occasion—Emanu-El was founded two
years before Arizona achieved statehood—will feature dinner, live music and
dancing, and a multi-media program with tales from the Temple’s remarkable
history and dynamic present. All
are invited to this once-in-a-century event! For more information on
attending, offering a tribute, and supporting this historic evening contact
Jill Rich at jbr@dakotacom.net
or call (520)349-0174. For
100 years Temple Emanu-El has been the pioneering synagogue in Arizona, and at
the forefront of innovation, Jewish education, and social action in Southern
Arizona. On March 20th, 1910 thirteen members of the Tucson Jewish
community gathered at the home of Mrs. Joseph Ferrin to organize the first
Jewish organization in the territory of Arizona. The original name of
the new congregation was The Hebrew Benevolent Society, which quickly became
Temple Emanu-El. Today
Temple Emanu-El is one of the largest congregations in the state, and has one
of the finest Adult Education Academy programs in the country, as well as the
most successful Outreach Program in the Southwest. Its Strauss Early
Childhood Education Center is widely recognized for its excellence, and
Emanu-El’s extensive and creative worship and music programs are unmatched
in Arizona. Emanu-El’s clergy has been instrumental in founding many
of the institutions of Jewish life in Tucson, including the Judaic Studies and
Hebrew programs at the University of Arizona, and the Tucson Multi-Faith
Alliance. In addition, the Social Action program at Temple provides
assistance to hundreds of people annually. Centennial
Shabbat with guest Rabbi Eric Yoffie, Friday, March 26th at 7:30 pm Temple
Emanu-El, Arizona’s first Jewish congregation, celebrates its 100 year
anniversary at a special, Centennial Shabbat Service with guest
speaker, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, Friday,
March 26th. The
7:30 pm Shabbat service is free and open to all. Rabbi
Eric H. Yoffie is the President of the Union for Reform Judaism, the
congregational arm of the Reform Jewish Movement in North America. The Union
represents 1.5 million Reform Jews in more than 900 synagogues across the
United States and Canada. Among his many areas of leadership, Rabbi Yoffie has been a pioneer in interfaith relations and has launched Movement-wide dialogue programs with both Christians and Muslims. In 2005, he was the first Jew to address the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Later that year, he harshly criticized the Religious Right for its exclusionary beliefs but in 2006 he accepted the invitation of the Rev. Jerry Falwell to address the students and faculty of Liberty University, where he spoke frankly of areas of agreement and disagreement. In 2007 Rabbi Yoffie was the first leader of a major Jewish organization to speak at the convention of the Islamic Society of North America. Each month, articles on the history of Jews in Tucson and of Temple Emanu-El will be posted on this page, in honor of the Temple’s 100th anniversary in 2010. |
