Tucson Hebrew Academy

{{Short description|Jewish day school}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox school | name = Tucson Hebrew Academy | image = | alt = | caption = | motto =  | motto_translation = | address = 3888 East River Road | city = [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]] | state = [[Arizona]] | zipcode = 85718 | country = United States | coordinates = {{Coord|32.275266|-110.909907|region:US-AZ_type:edu|display=inline,title}} | other_name = THA | former_name =  | type = [[Independent school|Private school]] | religious_affiliation = Jewish | established = {{Start date|1973}} | founder = Jack Levkowitz | closed =  | oversight = | us_nces_school_id =  | head_of_school = Arthur Yavelberg | teaching_staff = | grades = K–8 | gender = [[Mixed-sex education|Co-educational]] | enrollment = 175 | ratio = | campus_size = | campus_type = | colors = | athletic_conference = | mascot = | nickname = | accreditation =  | publication = | newspaper = | yearbook = | affiliation =  | website = {{URL|www.thaaz.org}} | footnotes = }}

'''Tucson Hebrew Academy''' ('''THA''') is a [[Independent school|private]], [[Mixed-sex education|co-educational]], [[Jewish day school]] in [[Tucson, Arizona]], United States.

== History == Tucson Hebrew Academy (THA) was founded in 1973<ref name="Olam">Braun, Phyllis (September 13, 2019) [https://azjewishpost.com/2019/tha-tikkun-olam-dinner-to-celebrate-co-founder-bertie-levkowitz/ "THA Tikkun Olam Dinner to Celebrate co-founder Bertie Levkowitz"], ''Arizona Jewish Post''. Retrieved May 4, 2025.</ref> by couples Bertie<ref>(November 21, 2019) [https://azjewishpost.com/2019/tha-honors-co-founder-bertie-levkowitz/ "THA Honors co-founder Bertie Levkowitz"], ''Arizona Jewish Post''. Retrieved May 4, 2025.</ref> and Jack Levkowitz, a native of [[Tucson, Arizona]]; Betejoy and Arthur Oleisky; and Judy and Dave Leonard. Oleisky, the [[Conservative Judaism|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]].<ref name="Olam"/><ref>Sandal, Inger (December 26, 1998) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/389326867 "Dr. Levkowitz Dies; Helped Set Up Hebrew Academy"], {{ProQuest|389326867}} ''[[Arizona Daily Star]]''. [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]]. {{ISSN|0888-546X}} Retrieved May 4, 2025. {{subscription required}}</ref> THA's new campus was funded by [[Payless Shoe Source]] founder Louis Pozez,<ref>(March 1, 2008) [https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/funeral-notices/docview/389078260/se-2?accountid=196403 "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."</ref> and the school is a beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona.<ref>Velez, Tiana (May 21, 2006) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/389085554 "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."</ref>

In a November 2011 ceremony [[emcee]]d by [[Richard Carmona]] and featuring Nevada congresswoman [[Shelley Berkley]] as guest speaker, THA board members bestowed the Tikkun Olam ({{lit|[[Tikkun olam|Repairing the World]]}}) award to congresswoman [[Gabrielle Giffords]].<ref name="Tikkun">(October 27, 2011) [https://azjewishpost.com/2011/tha-tikkun-olam-award-to-honor-giffords/ "THA Tikkun Olam Award to Honor Giffords"], ''Arizona Jewish Post''. Retrieved May 4, 2025.</ref> [[Ron Barber]] and Stephanie Aaron accepted the award on behalf of Giffords,<ref name="U.S.">(November 4, 2011) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/902437850 "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.</ref> who was recuperating after having been nearly assassinated in a [[2011 Tucson shooting|mass shooting the previous January]].<ref name="Tikkun"/><ref>Lacey, Marc; Herszenhorn, David M. (January 9, 2011) [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/us/politics/09giffords.html "In Attack's Wake, Political Repercussions"], ''[[The New York Times]]''. {{ISSN|0362-4331}} Retrieved May 4, 2025. {{subscription required}}</ref>

== Enrollment == THA is a private school.<ref>Kozolchyk, Abbie; Abbott, Nate (April 16, 2025) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/3190475944 "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.</ref> Student rolls had been in slow decline, with 199 enrolled in the 2001 school year, 196 in 2004<ref>Bustamante, Mary (June 24, 2004) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/237130960 "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."</ref> and 175 enrolled in 2011.<ref name="U.S."/>

== Academics == Located at 3888 East River Road in Tucson,<ref>Shelton, Shelley (August 15, 2006) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/389174001 "Shalom Tucson Presents Chance to Connect Sunday"], {{ProQuest|389174001}} ''Arizona Daily Star''. Retrieved May 4, 2025. {{subscription required}}</ref> THA is an accredited [[Jewish day school]].<ref name="U.S."/> It received recognition from the [[National Blue Ribbon Schools Program]] in 2005.<ref>Huicochea, Alexis (September 17, 2012) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/1082430203 "Education Notes"], {{ProQuest|1082430203}} ''Arizona Daily Star''. Retrieved May 5, 2025. {{subscription required}}</ref><ref>(October 5, 2005) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/202748442 "Honors and Awards"], {{ProQuest|202748442}} ''[[Education Week]]''. Vol. 25, no. 6. Editorial Projects in Education. [[Bethesda, Maryland|Bethesda]]. {{ISSN|0277-4232}} Retrieved May 5, 2025. {{subscription required}}</ref> 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.<ref>Huicochea, Alexis (March 28, 2016) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/1082430203 "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.</ref>

=== Faculty === {{As of|July 2021}}, Johanna Shlomovich is THA's head of school.<ref>{{cite web |title=Faculty & Staff |url=https://www.thaaz.org/faculty-staff |website=Tucson Hebrew Academy |access-date=8 July 2025}}</ref>

== Community == THA opened its doors to the Tucson Jewish community for [[High Holy Days]] prayer services.<ref>(September 28, 2000) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/389260490 "Rosh Hashana Services Throughout Tucson"], {{ProQuest|389260490}} ''Arizona Daily Star''. Retrieved May 5, 2025. "Erev Rosh Hashana, 7 tonight at Tucson Hebrew Academy ..."</ref> The school [[Inauguration of a Torah scroll|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]].<ref>Haussler, Alexa (March 18, 1996) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/389364013 "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 ..."</ref>

The THA choir was one of two Jewish choirs, along with the Tucson Jewish Youth Choir, which performed at the [[Tucson Meet Yourself]] festival.<ref>Engelken, Claire (October 9, 2008) [https://www.proquest.com/docview/237214007/ "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 ..."</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.thaaz.org/}}

[[Category:1973 establishments in Arizona]] [[Category:Schools in Tucson, Arizona]] [[Category:Private elementary schools in Arizona]] [[Category:Private middle schools in Arizona]] [[Category:Jewish day schools in Arizona]] [[Category:Private K–8 schools in the United States]]