Shavua Tov
As we enter the new year, I am filled with deep gratitude for our Tucson community and the J. I am filled with pride in what we accomplished together in 2025.
This past year reminded us of what is possible when community, vision, and purpose come together. We had the honor of hosting the JCC Maccabi Games and Access, welcoming thousands of athletes, families, and volunteers and showcasing Tucson on a national stage. We launched the inaugural Z3@Tucson, creating space for meaningful conversations about Jewish peoplehood and the future of our community. We proudly welcomed participants in Arts for All to the J, affirming our commitment to inclusion and creative expression for all abilities. At the same time, the ongoing strength of Camp J, our Early Childhood Education programs, and J Care along with the growth of our Healthy Aging Programs continued to enrich lives across generations, every single day.
As we begin this new year, we also look ahead with excitement and intention. In the coming months, we will take an important step forward as we prepare to pass our new strategic plan, one that will guide our work, sharpen our focus, and help ensure the Tucson J continues to thrive for years to come. A new year always brings new possibilities, and we are ready to meet them together.
There is powerful resonance in where we are in our Jewish calendar. This morning, we concluded the reading of Bereshit, the book of beginnings. Next Shabbat, we begin Shemot, and with it the enduring journey from slavery to freedom. It is a reminder that transformation is possible, that courage and faith can shape a different tomorrow, and that communities move forward when they move together.
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks taught us, “The future is not something we enter. The future is something we create.” That wisdom speaks directly to this moment. The future of the Tucson J will be created by the choices we make, the relationships we nurture, and the values we live every day.
As we measure our lives, as Seasons of Love so beautifully asks us to do, we know the answer lies in love, service, and community. And with hope in our hearts, we say Bashanah Haba’ah in the year ahead may it be a year of health, meaning, growth, and continued connection.
As we begin 2026 may we look forward to all the possibilities that are ahead, you never know what is around the corner, in the words of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim Something’s Coming.
Thank you for all you do to make the Tucson J a place of belonging, purpose, and possibility. I look forward to all we will create together in the year ahead.
With gratitude and hope,
Cochenu b’Achduteynu | כחינו באחדותינו | Our strength is in our unity.
Am Yisrael Chai | עם ישראל חי
Bring them Home Now I מחזירים אותם הביתה עכשיו
Todd Rockoff
President + CEO, Tucson J
