Category: Shabbat Message

This week’s Torah portion, Tazria-M’tzorah, brings us into the world of illness and our response to those who are afflicted.  The text describes various forms of skin disease and other infections of people, clothing and even houses. In those ancient days, people with skin affliction were exiled outside the camp and only reintegrated into the community if the High Priest declared the person “clean” again.    We can deeply sympathize with the afflicted person who is cast out.  “…his clothes shall be rent, his head shall be left bare…and he shall call out ‘Unclean! Unclean!’…Being unclean, he shall dwell apart, his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” (Lev. 13:46)   We are fortunate that the rabbis of old viewed illness in quite the opposite way. They urge the community to rally around the person, offering love and support. In fact, the morning prayers in our siddur include Bikkur Holim, the important mitzvah of visiting the sick. This is considered an important aspect of gemilut hasadim, acts of loving-kindness toward members of our community and beyond.   It is understandable that we might be unsure as to how we can best support and connect with someone who is ill. We should be guided by our own common sense, information from the ill person’s closest family, and any requests for privacy. Rather than a visit, we can fulfill this mitzvah by bringing meals or offers to be of help in other ways such as grocery shopping or yard work. The point is to assure the person who is ill (and their family) that a loving community cares for them and does not want them to feel isolated or shunned.   This week’s Torah portion teaches us of customs related to the Temple and the Priesthood which fulfilled the needs of an ancient community. We are grateful to the rabbis who changed the fear of illness to the very human response of comforting and holding near those who are ill.

This week’s torah portion reminds us not only of our responsibility to support and uplift those who may be struggling, but the role community plays in individual and collective wellness. At the Tucson J, just as the Torah guides individuals and the community in supporting those facing physical and spiritual challenges, we too strive to create a space where every person is seen, supported, and welcomed.    We began the week Sunday with a powerful community commemoration of Yom HaShoa, “Liberation: Life After Loss” in partnership with the Tucson Jewish Museum + Holocaust Center, Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona, and Jewish Family + Children Services of Southern Arizona. Nearly 300 people joined us in the Paul + Alice Baker Ballroom to hear local Holocaust Survivors share their personal stories of liberation and honor their courage, hope, and resilience. On Tuesday, the community gathered for Yom HaZikaron to honor Israel’s fallen heroes and victims of terror, including those lost on October 7th. The ceremony included prayers, stories, and speakers from guests in our community, inspiring us to pause, reflect, and remember. On Sunday, we will come together in celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut and we hope you’ll join us — kiddos in Early Childhood Education got in the spirit this week painting Israeli flags.

Also this weekend, teens in BBYO had their 8th and final Better Together event of the year with their friends at Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging, where they put together 72 care packages to be sent to Israel in collaboration with the Mandell JCC in Hartford, Connecticut, and the Koby Mandell Foundation in Israel. And speaking of teens, 50+ athletes (and their families!) from the JCC Maccabi Team Tucson got together for a Pickleball Lunch meet-and-greet to gear up for the quickly approaching games — have you signed up to be part of it?!    Out at the pool, the Stingrays Swim Team participated in the annual Silver vs. Teal Intrasquad dual meet. After plenty of close races and relays, team Teal pulled out the tight victory over team Silver, 603-592 with help from top scorers Azion (Team Silver with 97 points) and Ally (Team Teal with 78 points). Joining in the aquatics fun is a great way to stay cool this summer — learn more about the Stingrays and check out our offerings here.

On Monday, we proudly hosted AgeWell Day — an opportunity for community members 60+ to connect, socialize, and engage with resources and learning that help foster healthy, vibrant living! With a resource expo and many different class options, the day was full of fun.    Yesterday, Tucson J staff and their friends and families stopped by the Fine Art Gallery for the opening reception of “Make Jewish History at the Tucson J” — an art show featuring the works of our talented team! Be sure to check it out through May 25th.    We hope you felt supported on your wellness journey at the J this week and look forward to another week full of community ahead. Shabbat Shalom.

Reminders, Resources + Learning Each week we share resources for more learning:   This week’s resources: Skin Tips from the Torah by Jennifer Traig (BimBam) Table for Five (Salvador Litvak, Accidental Talmudist) Yom Ha’Atzmaut: Israeli Independence Day (My Jewish Learning)   Last week’s resources: The Deepest Response of Love by Blu Greenberg (My Jewish Learning) Shemini: The Kosher Animal Song (BimBam) Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.

On Shabbat, we will read the designated text for the seventh day of Passover, which comes from Exodus and highlights how the sea split for the Israelites and the Israelites made their way to freedom. Toward the end of this week’s portion, we find the Song of Sea.

When Pharaoh’s horses came with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and the Eternal brought the waters of the sea back upon them, and the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, Miriam, the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women came out after her with timbrels and with dances. – Exodus 15:19-20

Let’s imagine this moment… the Israelites have just miraculously made their way through the sea that split only after they began walking through. They have made it to dry land, in a space that is unfamiliar to them. What must this moment have been like? Joy, relief, fear, and uncertainty.

And what does Miriam do? She leans into the emotion of the moment and invites the women to join her in choosing joy through song and dance. Music and dance are essential expressions of joy and connection in Jewish life. In Jerusalem and other cities across Israel, it is not uncommon to see Breslover Hasidim joyfully dancing in public. Every year, on the holiday of Simchat Torah, we dance with the Torah scrolls. The words, WE WILL DANCE AGAIN, became a symbol of resistance and hope for freed hostage, Mia Schem.

As we move into Shabbat and the last days of Passover, I invite you to lean into this joyful moment, this small slice of our story. Yes, we were slaves. Yes, we suffered. Yes, we continue to pray for healing for our broken world, and for the remaining 59 hostages to come home. And, yes, today, we choose Jewish joy. Shabbat Shalom.

As we moved through Passover this week at the J, we found many moments of Jewish joy as we celebrated the holiday and found meaning in the “every day” work that makes our community so special — including a birthday celebration that took place in a Body Pump class (where else does that happen but the J?!). 

JCare kiddos made and ate their own Charoset in the demo kitchen and Early Childhood Education, with the help of several Tucson J leaders and our Taglit Day Program participants, commemorated Passover with an interactive, theatrical Passover Story! 

Over fifty family members and Taglit participants joined us in the J’s Fine Art Gallery for Taglit Parent Night, an opportunity to connect, socialize, snack, and hear about important and exciting developments coming to the program, including more vocational training launching this summer! 

As we make our way from Passover, Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom HaAtzmaut are on the horizon. Be sure to join us for meaningful programming with our community partners, and check out this important film October 8 at AMC theaters, with Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona, too. 

We hope you found moments of joy at the J, at home, and in the world around you, this week. Shabbat Shalom. 

Reminders, Resources + Learning Each week we share resources for more learning:  This week’s resources: Kisses Sweeter than Wine: Understanding the Song of Songs (My Jewish Learning) by Rabbi Adam Greenwald Counting the Omer: The Basics of the Jewish Ritual (BimBam) Last week’s resources:  Commandments and Commander: How Do We Hear and Respond? by Rabbi David A. Lyon (Reform Judaism) Tzav: Increasing Gratitude by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb (Orthodox Union) Parshat Tsav: Picnics at the Temple (BimBam)Tucson J Passover Resources   Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.

Our days are marked by rituals that help make meaning of our days. When we wake up, perhaps enjoy a morning cup of coffee and check the news, our professional or volunteer work, the calls we make to family or friends, and then our evening routine. For many, ritual is central to Jewish life. In this week’s Torah portion, Tzav (Hebrew for “And God commanded”), we continue to learn about ancient rituals, the sacrificial practices for a sin offering, homage offering and burnt offering. Sacrifices were how the Jews of antiquity connected with God, the community and themselves.

This Saturday night, Jews around the world will participate in a Passover Seder. Seder is Hebrew for “order” and the Seder is a set order of rituals to help us retell the story of Passover. With Passover starting tomorrow night, this Shabbat, the Shabbat before Pesach, is known as Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Shabbat. In some communities, during the afternoon of Shabbat HaGadol, it has become a ritual to read through part of the Haggadah (book that we read during the Passover Seder). As part of the second Seder, we will begin the ritual of sefirat ha’omer, Hebrew for “counting the omer,” the period of counting up each day, the seven weeks between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot.

At the core, Tzav is about the importance of ritual in Jewish life. In the times of wandering in the desert and while the Temple stood in Jerusalem, sacrifices were the way to “do Jewish.” Since the destruction of the Temple thousands of years ago, the rabbis of the time, created a structure of prayer and a new set of rituals to replace those sacrifices. As history continued to evolve, new rituals were added to mark these times. To this day, Jewish ritual continues to evolve, and Jews around the world are both practicing ancient rituals and creating new rituals to make meaning of our 5,000+ year old tradition. In Tucson and across Southern Arizona, we are a link in the chain, connected with people of antiquity and Jews around the world today and into the future.

Speaking of Jewish rituals, have you heard: a very exciting annual one —  JCC Maccabi Games® & Access  — is coming to Tucson July 27th and there’s a way for everyone in our community to get involved in making the games the best yet! Have you signed up to participate, host or volunteer? Over the weekend we had the pleasure of welcoming 41 Delegation Heads from all across the country to Tucson for a preview of what’s to come for the 2025 Games. It was a successful and enjoyable two days, providing an opportunity to showcase our exceptional venues, review our plans and progress in detail, discuss specific aspects of the upcoming week, and offer a glimpse of the warm Tucson hospitality they and their teens will experience upon their return this summer.

While the Delegation Heads were busy, our own local delegation, Team Tucson, along with others from the J community, had the opportunity to attend the Tucson Roadrunners Hockey Team nonprofit showcase game for team bonding and a whole lot of fun! 

On Sunday, over 100 curious and creative kids joined us at the J for another favorite annual tradition – STEAM Sunday, put on by our fantastic Early Childhood Education team! It was a beautiful day for exploring all things Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math and we are proud to be a place families come to learn, play, and grow!  

With Passover and all the ritual that comes with it upon us, we welcomed over 30 PJ Library kids and families for the PJ Library Glitter Passover Experience on Sunday afternoon for a very sparkly celebration complete with velcro Seder-plate-making, delicious Passover-inspired snacks, and Jewish community!  As we move into Shabbat and Passover, we encourage you to reflect on the role of ritual in your daily life, and in what ways ritual plays a role in your Jewish identity. And, we invite you to Count the Omer with us on Instagram or Facebook. Beginning this Sunday, each week, we will share the blessings for the week ahead on our feeds, and each day we will count together in our stories.  Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach! Wishing you a meaningful and joyful time of ritual and reflection.

Reminders, Resources + Learning Each week we share resources for more learning:  This week’s resources: Commandments and Commander: How Do We Hear and Respond? by Rabbi David A. Lyon (Reform Judaism) Tzav: Increasing Gratitude by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb (Orthodox Union) Parshat Tsav: Picnics at the Temple (BimBam) Tucson J Passover Resources  Last week’s resources: Parshat Vayikra: Why were Ancient Sacrifices Important? (BimBam) The Truth Of Social Justice by Rabbi Justin David (My Jewish Learning)  Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.

This Shabbat, we start the book of Leviticus, Vayikra. It deals with the laws of sacrifice, which were practiced in regard to the Sanctuary.

Although, we no longer have a Temple, there are still nuggets of wisdom we can garner from this parasha. Everyone, from high priest, to chieftain, to the common man, is instructed on how he shall ask for forgiveness for his sins, either by sacrificing an animal of his flock or by bringing choice meal and oil to offer up to the Lord. A priest must offer up a bullock, a ruler must offer up a goat, and so on. 

I find it endearing that the man sacrificing an animal, must lay his hand on the head of the animal. Commentaries say this is to denote that it is the man’s property that is being given, and as he presses his hands between the horns of the animal, he designates that this is his substitute. I wonder if there isn’t another, more subtle reason. By laying my hand on the head of a fur-covered animal, I would feel its warmth, its softness, and its vitality. Almost petting it. How much harder it would be to sacrifice this living creature to expiate for my own sin!

Then we come to the lowest form of sacrifice: a mixture of choice flour and oil that is burned on the altar. One commentary says that these items represent what has come by work: the flour comes from grain and must be milled, and the oil comes from olives that must be cultivated and pressed.

I am particularly aware of the democratic obligation of the sacrifices offered up to the Lord. No one is exempt from this mitzvah. We all must give from our livelihood. Not only does this make an equality of people, but it also makes each feel he has importance.

Each of us in our Jewish community, whether in our synagogues, organizations, cities, states, nations, or world, has equal importance to each other. As we are obligated to perform mitzvot, so are we obligated to acknowledge the community of our Jewish people. Am Yisroel Chai!

This week’s Torah reflection reminds us of the importance of community and shared responsibility. Here at the Tucson J, we embody that spirit of connection and contribution through a variety of meaningful programs for people of all ages and identities. Whether through sports, art, or education, each of us has a part to play in strengthening our community. Just as the sacrifices in Vayikra were acts of connection and community, so too are the programs at the J, bringing us together for the purpose of fostering our individual and collective wellness and building a brighter future for us all. 

On Sunday, Jennifer Lorch Selco, Sr. Director of Jewish Life + Engagement, and Suzette Joffroy, PJ Library Parent Connector, traveled to the PJ Library Conference in Springfield, Massachusetts where they gathered with over 250 colleagues from communities that also receive the gift of PJ Library. Jenn had the special opportunity to share a lunch meeting with Harold Grinspoon, PJ Library founder and philanthropist, and Winnie Sandler Grinspoon, Harold Grinspoon Foundation President, to discuss successes and goals in our community. Highlights of the conference included: reflecting on the idea of PJ Library stories as mirrors and windows (seeing ourselves reflected in the story and learning about those with a different experience), networking with colleagues, and hearing from different stakeholders of PJ Library. 

Passover preparation and celebration continued this week with a very special Passover Seder for Early Childhood Education kiddos and a Seder Plate art activity in JCare that will continue next week as they make air dry items to put on top of their plates! Also in JCare this week — homemade applesauce making! 

Participants in our Movement/Arts Immersion Healthy Aging program have been working diligently with the Sonoran Glass School on fused glass art projects; recently, staff had the opportunity to join in, and yesterday, both staff and participants were delighted to see their completed pieces displayed in a special art show. 

Also yesterday, community members joined us in the Baker Ballroom for the Maccabi World Union Exhibition, “Unbroken: Israeli sports in light of the October 7th events,” which explored the stories of Israeli athletes following the events of October 7th. Daniella Ironi, the Shlicha of the JCC Maccabi Games (coming this summer right here in Tucson!) was in conversation with Dan Kurtz from Maccabi USA. Looking to get involved in JCC Maccabi? There’s a role for everyone! 

From Taglit’s yoga session, to volleyball and peewee tennis, all week long we fostered physical wellness! As we make our way toward summer, there are so many ways to get moving at the Tucson J. Beat the heat in the pool, pop in for a personal training session, sign up a new Tennis or Pickleball clinic, or make friends in a basketball league. 

However you learn, play, and grow with us, your presence makes our community a vibrant, strong, and connected one! Shabbat Shalom.

Reminders, Resources + Learning Each week we share resources for more learning:  This week’s resources: Parshat Vayikra: Why were Ancient Sacrifices Important? (BimBam) The Truth Of Social Justice by Rabbi Justin David (My Jewish Learning)  Last week’s resources: Parshat Pekudei in Four Minutes (BimBam) God Is In The Details by Rabbi Eliezer Shore (My Jewish Learning) Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.

This week, we read Parshat Pekudei (Hebrew for “Amounts of”) which describes the accounting of the gold, silver, and copper shekels donated by the community for the building of the Mishkan (the portable sanctuary that travels with the people through the desert).  

Amongst other uses, the gold supported the community’s work to build the Mishkan; the silver was used for “casting the sockets of the sanctuary and the sockets for the curtain”; and of the copper, “he made the sockets for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.” This reading details the careful account of these offerings and how they contributed to each important detail of the Mishkan’s purpose and appearance. 

I connected this reading with the Tucson J’s community efforts to build our own “Tent of Meeting” with a purpose to create a home for Tucsonans of all ages, abilities, faiths, and identities. We are able to serve our community because of its support. One way we honor this responsibility is by publicly and transparently communicating how we do this and the accounting of this “building” to our community partners.  

Thinking about the Disability Program Services department, our staff serve youth and adults with developmental disabilities. Our community’s support provides this opportunity, and we feel an obligation to account for our work and share this with our stakeholders. More importantly, we see the service we provide as a privilege and the accounting of our work as part of our obligations to the participants, their families, and our Tucson J community.  

As we enter into Shabbat, be mindful of your different Tents of Meeting and who has helped construct them. Each piece of gold, silver, and copper that was collected to build your community has contributed to your life and the opportunity you have to impact others. 

As we think about the building of the mishkan and the J as our own Tent of Meeting, it is easy to make the connection that the work of community building is holy work and each of us plays an important role in it by participating in programs, attending events, donating, volunteering, or simply spreading the word about what we do! Our tent at the J aims to provide the foundation for a lifelong journey of learning, friendships, and holistic wellness anchored in a strong community.

To learn more about how we can deepen our work and serve our community better, we sent six Tucson J leaders to the JCC Western Regional Conference Sunday through Tuesday in San Jose, where they had the pleasure of being welcomed by incoming CEO of JCC Association, Barak Herman, and hearing a fascinating keynote about how to leverage AI in JCC’s from Adam Tachner, former Chief Legal Officer, VP Corp Dev & Finance at Groq. The group also partook in workshops including Resetting the Table: Speaking Across Conflict, The Building Blocks of an Inclusive Community, Messaging & Communication: Creating and Pitching your Key Messages, and visited the Peninsula JCC campus for a session called Connecting with Values.

Back on campus, staff got in the Passover spirit with a Top Chef: Charoset competition and Early Childhood Education joined the fun with a matzah bake! It’s safe to say there’s no shortage of culinary arts here at the J – Taglit cooking club and J-Care participants also made fun and healthy treats this week! 

The J, like the mishkan, is also adorned with beautiful things! A new show opened in the Fine Art Gallery on Sunday — Perspectives in Fiber: Fiber Artists of Southern Arizona. The work explores contemporary themes from broad landscapes to closer views, with an emphasis on the Sonoran Desert, family heritage, abstracts and geometrics, social commentary, and, art-to-wear. Be sure to stop by if you haven’t seen it! 

As we move toward Passover we invite you to think about your own journey and the role you play in the communities you are part of. Shabbat Shalom.  

Reminders, Resources + Learning Each week we share resources for more learning:  This week’s resources:Parshat Pekudei in Four Minutes (BimBam)God Is In The Details by Rabbi Eliezer Shore (My Jewish Learning)  Last week’s resources:Six Days Shall You Work by Sam Berrin Shonkoff (My Jewish Learning)A Blueprint for Healing by Hanna Perlberger (Chabad) Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.

This week, we read Parashat Vayakhel (Hebrew for “And he gathered”) which highlights the power of community coming together for a shared purpose. After receiving instructions for building the Mishkan (the portable sanctuary that travels with the people through the desert), the Israelites are each instructed to bring gifts from their hearts—materials, skills, and spirit—contributing in ways that reflect their unique abilities. In fact, at one point in this week’s portion, Moses even tells the people they don’t need more gifts because so many have given from their hearts! The result is a physical sacred space and represents the people’s unity and generosity.

Each of the many communities we are part of thrives when we share our strengths. Here at the J, we each give to our community in different ways. Whether we have taken on a leadership role on the board, a committee or task force, or we’re a friendly face at an early morning workout or volunteer at an event – there are many ways to be involved and help to build up our community. Just like in Vayakhel, there is opportunity for each of us to give from the heart in a way that feels meaningful to us. In a world that often feels fragmented, Vayakhel reminds us that when we gather with intention, we create something greater than ourselves.

As Shabbat approaches, I invite us to reflect: What gifts do we bring to our shared space? How can we recognize and celebrate the diverse contributions that make our community whole? Let’s take a moment this week to appreciate those who build—whether with their hands, their hearts, or their presence—and consider how we, too, can give back.

May this Shabbat bring you rest, connection, and the joy of knowing you are part of something meaningful.

Just like the mishkan we encounter in Parashat Vayakhel, the Tucson J is a place we come to gather together — and the vibrant spirit of our community dwells inside! Vayakel is also the first place in the Torah where we are commanded to keep Shabbat. As you read on about all the JOY we shared during another busy week at the J, remember that amidst all the action of our daily lives, we must also make time for rest. 

We started our week at the Tucson Festival of Books where we had a blast connecting with new people, saying hello to familiar faces, and sharing our excitement for the upcoming JCC Maccabi Games happening right here in Tucson! Speaking of JCC Maccabi, our Team Tucson teens met up for bowling in one of many social and community-building events to come as the Games near!

Our creative endeavors shined this week as a new show was hung in the J’s Fine Art Gallery (join us this Sunday for the opening of Perspectives in Fiber with Fiber Artists of Southern Arizona!) and staff members joined Director of Healthy Aging, Linda Travis, for a Fused Glass Workshop with the Sonoran Glass School as an extension of their partnership with our Healthy Aging program!

Following the theme of art and art appreciation, at the spring Patron of the Arts Gathering, Patron of the Arts co-chairs, Lee Surwit and Janis Gasch welcomed everyone to a lovely reception at the Tucson Museum of Art. Todd Rockoff, Tucson J President + CEO, thanked everyone for their continued support and introduced the fall artist-in-residence with theatre dybbuk, including performances of Dracula, Annotated. The group also enjoyed an exclusive tour of the Kasser Family Wing of Latin American Art!  

A new friend, Rosie, from Pawsitive Therapy dogs, joined students in Early Childhood Education, and as the weather has grown warmer, our littlest members at the J hit the pool for a head start on swim lessons! 

This Shabbat, remember, everyone belongs here at the Tucson J and we rejoice in the diversity of our community — thank you for being a unique and special part of it! Shabbat Shalom.

Reminders, Resources + Learning Each week we share resources for more learning:  This week’s resources:Six Days Shall You Work by Sam Berrin Shonkoff (My Jewish Learning)A Blueprint for Healing by Hanna Perlberger (Chabad) Last week’s resources:Seeing the Golden Calf by Sarah Gershman (BimBam)Parshat Ki Tissa (My Jewish Learning)  Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.

“Mistakes are the portals of discovery” – James Joyce

Our portion this week, Ki Tissa, is full of memorable moments: raising funds to build the Mishkan (Tabernacle), Israelites are instructed to keep Shabbat, receiving the Ten Commandments, worshipping the golden calf, and Moses smashing the tablets.

Throughout the portion, we’re provided with examples of people making mistakes, people reacting to mistakes, and how mistakes can help shape who we are. While maybe the biggest mistake is Aaron and the Israelites’ creation and worship of a golden calf, Moses also illustrates a number of mistakes from potential gaps in leadership and instruction to Aaron and the Israelites to his reaction to their mistake when he smashes the tablets. 

Oftentimes, when we look at mistakes, we look at them negatively and focus on the fact that they happened or how they shouldn’t have happened. Unfortunately, due to a variety of factors, many grow up with the misconception that mistakes are inherently bad. Some of that is by design. Our brains are wired to remember negative experiences more than positive ones. The reason for that, though, is that it is a survival mechanism. It’s thought to have evolutionary roots for us to be able to remember negative experiences, like mistakes, so that we can learn, grow, and be less likely to repeat them. So, while mistakes may have a negative feeling, they’re designed to be held onto as a positive, growth-oriented tool.

When reading the portion in that light this week, I’m reminded of my time as Camp Director and working each summer to teach and train my staff about the power of mistakes. We would talk about the importance of not always swooping in to rescue because if we solve things for young people, how do they learn to do this on their own when we’re not there? 

A key piece of that was helping teach and model mistakes for our campers. We focused on how to use challenges and mistakes as opportunities to teach problem solving and learning by helping teach smart things to do and say when making mistakes and solving problems. We would spend time talking about how handling mistakes in a positive and constructive way is an essential life skill, how we can better model how to make mistakes and how to react to them when we make them. Reacting to mistakes “skillfully” – acknowledging or owning the mistake and keeping a growth mindset about them. I’d often say: “It’s not just whether we make mistakes; it’s what we do when we make them.”

In Ki Tissa, we read about the Israelites and Moses all acknowledging their mistakes, returning to the path they intended to be on, and how they learned from their mistakes to grow and kept reminders to not make the same ones.

An American industrialist once said, “the only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.”

Even if not working at camp, we can all continue to work to react to mistakes more skillfully.  Even if not modeling for kids around us, acknowledging or owning our mistakes is something anyone around us can learn from — it helps foster trust, and maybe most importantly, can help reframe mistakes for ourselves. This Shabbat, let’s all try to focus more on the positive outcomes that mistakes can bring and work to find the ways we can continue to learn and grow from them.

This week at the J, the Purim festivities continued! How did you celebrate?!

On Sunday, PJ Library families with little ones ages 0-2 had a pre-Purim Bring Your Own Baby Playdate  with costumes, snacks, and goodies — and many new friends and connections made! 

Our teens in BBYO gathered for the second-to-last Better Together program of the school year with residents at Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging where they made Purim masks, exchanged mishloach manot (Purim gift baskets), celebrated their Jewish pride, and enjoyed one another’s company across generations. 

On Wednesday, we partook in one of our favorite traditions of the year: the Early Childhood Education Purim Parade! The costumes were cuter than ever, groggers were shaken energetically, many parents joined in, and the sun came out to shine on the celebration! And Thursday, participants in our Taglit program had the pleasure of listening to a complete reading of the Megillat Esther (Purim Story) in Hebrew by Arik Shem Tov from Chabad of Tucson, done in an astonishing 18 minutes! 

Donned in costume today, kids in Spring Break School Days Out wrapped up the week with s’mores in the Sculpture Garden — a tasty end to the holiday week which also included field trips to Ben’s Bells, Dave + Busters, lots of games and sports in the beautiful spring weather, and so much more! 

It’s a busy and exciting time of year here at the Tucson J and there’s so much to do this season — including stopping by and seeing us at the Festival of Books this weekend (there’s a Flash Sale and Refer-a-Friend Special not to be missed!). As we make our way from Purim to Passover next month, we encourage you to join us for more events and programs like our Community Passover Seder. 

After a wonderful week of celebration, we are wishing you a weekend of rest and renewal. Shabbat Shalom. 

Reminders, Resources + LearningEach week we share resources for more learning: This week’s resources:Seeing the Golden Calf by Sarah Gershman (BimBam)Parshat Ki Tissa (My Jewish Learning) Last week’s resources:Parshat Tetzaveh: Priestly Gold is the New Black by Patrick Aleph (BimBam)What is Shushan Purim (My Jewish Learning)? Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.