From the Desk of Anne Lowe | Vice President of Programming for the Northwest Tucson Jewish Community ⋆ JCC Tucson

From the Desk of Anne Lowe | Vice President of Programming for the Northwest Tucson Jewish Community

July 11, 2025

From the Desk of Anne Lowe | Vice President of Programming for the Northwest Tucson Jewish Community

The parsha Balak, is especially intriguing, where Balak, a King of Moab is frightened by the great horde of the Israelites he sees before him. He sends for Balaam to curse these people, but instead Balaam is forced by the Lord to praise them. Along the way we meet a talking donkey!

So let’s suspend disbelief and go even further into believing that a talking donkey could have happened, especially in a time of manna from heaven, and clouds of lightning, and rivers that divide and drown our enemies.

In thinking about talking donkeys, I remembered the adorable one in the book and movie Shrek. My parents and grandparents spoke Yiddish to each other, but we children received just a smattering of Yiddish words in our household. My parents wanted us to be all-American, so English was predominant in the house. Yet the word shrek rang a bell in my head, and when I asked the internet, “Is shrek a Yiddish word?”, it answered affirmatively. Shrek or shreklech is Yiddish for fear, fright or monster, obviously referring to the green ogre named Shrek in the tale.

And then I learned that the writer of the story Shrek, was William Steig. Steig was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1907, and grew up in the Bronx. His parents were Polish-Jewish immigrants from Lemberg, Austria-Hungary. So, no doubt, Steig knew the story of Balak and the talking donkey! Hence, the story of Shrek has somewhat of a touch of Torah!

I realize that I have made some assumptions in this piece today, but we Jews just love taking a story and dissecting it, discussing it, and coming to quasi-agreements.

Hopefully, your Shabbat and the week to follow will be filled with a magical sense of delight with an intriguing parsha, perhaps a good story or two, and a friendly discussion in English, or Yiddish or Hebrew!

The torah portion of Balak is filled with mystery, prophecy, and a surprising reminder about the power and sanctity of sacred spaces. In the parsha, we come across the now-famous words uttered by Balak: “Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkenotecha Yisrael” — “How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel.”

This blessing reminds us that the holiness of a place is not about its grandeur, but what happens inside. At the J, we strive to be one of those “tents” — a space where all are welcome to bring their full selves, and where every program, class, gathering, and moment of connection helps create a kind of modern-day mishkan — a community center built intentionally on belonging and shared purpose.

This week, our CEO + President Todd Rockoff brought the holy work that happens in our “tent” outside of it as he shared about the J as a guest speaker for Tucson Young Professionals and imparted lessons about the value of non-profit work as “for impact,” the importance of volunteerism, and why it is fulfilling to build a career around what you are passionate about.

The magic of Camp J continued, this week focused on the value of Hatmada, Hebrew for “persistence/grit.” In Wilderness, campers practiced building a tent, putting together a campsite using natural resources, and learned all about working together to accomplish something challenging. Even in Cooking there are lessons to be learned about persistence — campers grated and peeled potatoes to make delicious latkes! Campers in Discovery designed and built mazes for marbles, in Art they made mosaics, and in Kadima (sports) campers practiced the weekly virtue with Handball and Basketball Knockout. A highlight of the week was bringing in Unit Head Alma’s Mariachi band, Los Changuitos Feos, for a special concert. The middle and highschoolers who are part of the band offered an amazing demonstration of perseverance — it takes a lot of practice to perform! Our oldest campers in Tiyul ventured all the way to San Diego this week, staying at our sister JCC in La Jolla. They explored the La Jolla Cove Cliffs and San Diego Zoo, took a swim at the beach, tested their courage at the Belmont Amusement Park, and made a visit to Legion Rugby HQ where they met a former pro and Team USA player who exemplified the value of perseverance.

In our Disability Program Services “tent,” participants have been engaging with American Folklore this month with a series of fun and imaginative activities inspired by larger-than-life legends like Paul Bunyan, Sasquatch, Mothman, and other iconic folklore figures. And today, they enjoyed a Friday Summer Concert with local folk band, Rave Review.

As we welcome Shabbat, we invite you to think about what makes your spaces sacred. How do you find holiness in your spaces and in your lives? May your “tents” be places of beauty, blessing, and connection. Shabbat Shalom.