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Tucson Hebrew Academy

Tucson Hebrew Academy
Location
Map
3888 East River Road

Tucson
,
Arizona
85718

United States
Coordinates32°16′31″N 110°54′36″W / 32.275266°N 110.909907°W / 32.275266; -110.909907
Information
Other nameTHA
TypePrivate school
Religious affiliation(s)Jewish
Established1973 (1973)
FounderJack Levkowitz
Head of schoolArthur Yavelberg
GradesK–8
GenderCo-educational
Enrollment175
Websitewww.thaaz.org

Tucson Hebrew Academy (THA) is a private, co-educational, Jewish day school in Tucson, Arizona, United States.

History

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Tucson Hebrew Academy (THA) was founded in 1973[1] by couples Bertie[2] and Jack Levkowitz, a native of Tucson, Arizona; Betejoy and Arthur Oleisky; and Judy and Dave Leonard. Oleisky, the Conservative rabbi of Congregation Anshei Israel, had decried the lack of a Jewish day school in Tucson during a 1971 Yom Kippur sermon. After the committee balked at the idea of setting up the school according to the tenets of Orthodox Judaism, THA was founded with the intention of accepting students from a wide swath of the local Jewish confessional community, along with setting high standards for general education. The Levkowitzs later served on the school's board of directors.[1][3] THA's new campus was funded by Payless Shoe Source founder Louis Pozez,[4] and the school is a beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona.[5]

In a November 2011 ceremony emceed by Richard Carmona and featuring Nevada congresswoman Shelley Berkley as guest speaker, THA board members bestowed the Tikkun Olam (lit. 'Repairing the World') award to congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.[6] Ron Barber and Stephanie Aaron accepted the award on behalf of Giffords,[7] who was recuperating after having been nearly assassinated in a mass shooting the previous January.[6][8]

Enrollment

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THA is a private school.[9] Student rolls had been in slow decline, with 199 enrolled in the 2001 school year, 196 in 2004[10] and 175 enrolled in 2011.[7]

Academics

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Located at 3888 East River Road in Tucson,[11] THA is an accredited Jewish day school.[7] It received recognition from the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program in 2005.[12][13] THA regularly hosts STEM fairs, with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Pima Air & Space Museum, and the International Dark-Sky Association being among the fifty exhibitors in 2016.[14]

Faculty

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As of July 2021, Johanna Shlomovich is THA's head of school.[15]

Community

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THA opened its doors to the Tucson Jewish community for High Holy Days prayer services.[16] The school inaugurated its first Torah scroll on March 17, 1996. The scroll was written in Romania by a Polish-trained sofer (scribe; lit. 'counter') around the time of the end of World War I.[17]

The THA choir was one of two Jewish choirs, along with the Tucson Jewish Youth Choir, which performed at the Tucson Meet Yourself festival.[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b Braun, Phyllis (September 13, 2019) "THA Tikkun Olam Dinner to Celebrate co-founder Bertie Levkowitz", Arizona Jewish Post. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  2. ^ (November 21, 2019) "THA Honors co-founder Bertie Levkowitz", Arizona Jewish Post. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  3. ^ Sandal, Inger (December 26, 1998) "Dr. Levkowitz Dies; Helped Set Up Hebrew Academy", ProQuest 389326867 Arizona Daily Star. Tucson. ISSN 0888-546X Retrieved May 4, 2025. (subscription required)
  4. ^ (March 1, 2008) "Funeral Notices", ProQuest 389078260 Arizona Daily Star. Tucson. Retrieved May 4, 2025. "Louis retired to Tucson, AZ in 1983 to devote his time to his family and philanthropic activities ... From the new campuses for Tucson Hebrew Academy and the Jewish Community Center, the development of the Tucson Jewish Community Foundation, an executive committee member and life board member of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and several other organizations, Louis touched the lives of many people."
  5. ^ Velez, Tiana (May 21, 2006) "Angels With Deep Pockets", ProQuest 389085554 Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved May 5, 2025. "The federation is the fund-raising, administrative and planning organization for a variety of social-service and education agencies within the local Jewish community. It serves five main agencies including the Tucson Hebrew Academy and the Tucson Jewish Community Center."
  6. ^ a b (October 27, 2011) "THA Tikkun Olam Award to Honor Giffords", Arizona Jewish Post. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c (November 4, 2011) "U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Honored by Tucson Hebrew Academy: Tikkun Olam Award to Recognize Giffords' Commitment to Public Service", ProQuest 902437850 Federal Information & News Dispatch. Washington, D.C. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  8. ^ Lacey, Marc; Herszenhorn, David M. (January 9, 2011) "In Attack's Wake, Political Repercussions", The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 Retrieved May 4, 2025. (subscription required)
  9. ^ Kozolchyk, Abbie; Abbott, Nate (April 16, 2025) "Tucson, Ariz.: Western Skies and Competitive Home Prices: Living In", ProQuest 3190475944 The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2025. "Private Schools: The Gregory School, Salpointe and Tucson Hebrew Academy.
  10. ^ Bustamante, Mary (June 24, 2004) "Demand Is Growing", ProQuest 237130960 Tucson Citizen. ISSN 0888-5478 Retrieved May 5, 2025. "Tucson Hebrew Academy's enrollment has remained steady in the past three years with 199 students attending in 2001-02 and 196 expected in the fall."
  11. ^ Shelton, Shelley (August 15, 2006) "Shalom Tucson Presents Chance to Connect Sunday", ProQuest 389174001 Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved May 4, 2025. (subscription required)
  12. ^ Huicochea, Alexis (September 17, 2012) "Education Notes", ProQuest 1082430203 Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved May 5, 2025. (subscription required)
  13. ^ (October 5, 2005) "Honors and Awards", ProQuest 202748442 Education Week. Vol. 25, no. 6. Editorial Projects in Education. Bethesda. ISSN 0277-4232 Retrieved May 5, 2025. (subscription required)
  14. ^ Huicochea, Alexis (March 28, 2016) "Tucson Hebrew Academy Hosts Science Fair", ProQuest 1082430203 Tribune Content Agency. Retrieved May 5, 2025. "Tucson Hebrew Academy will host a science, technology, engineering and math fair on April 3 ... Exhibitors include the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Pima Air & Space Museum, Southern Arizona Rocketry Association and the International Dark-Sky Association.
  15. ^ "Faculty & Staff". Tucson Hebrew Academy. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  16. ^ (September 28, 2000) "Rosh Hashana Services Throughout Tucson", ProQuest 389260490 Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved May 5, 2025. "Erev Rosh Hashana, 7 tonight at Tucson Hebrew Academy ..."
  17. ^ Haussler, Alexa (March 18, 1996) "Academy Consecrates Its 1st Torah", ProQuest 389364013 Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved May 5, 2025. "The Tucson Hebrew Academy dedicated its first sacred biblical scroll yesterday ... The academy's new torah was written in Romania near the end of World War I by a scribe who was trained in Poland ..."
  18. ^ Engelken, Claire (October 9, 2008) "Tucson, Meet (and Eat) Yourself!", ProQuest 237214007 Tucson Citizen. Retrieved May 4, 2025. "Expect traditional performances, plus a recently added 'Meet the Street and Youth Culture' series of events that includes hip-hop dance groups, a high school steel drum band, two Jewish choirs and a graffiti artist ... Tucson Hebrew Academy Choir ..."
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