Meet Us

Rabbi Stephanie Aaron

Rabbi Stephanie Aaron has led Congregation Chaverim for over 35 years. Rabbi Aaron is married to Dr Jack Aaron. She has accompanied him on his medical missions to Costa Rica, Brazil and Kenya. She is the mother of four children and she’s been blessed with two grandchildren, Harry and Aaron. For many years Harry, who is five, was in charge of smiles on the upper West side in Manhattan. Aaron, his 18 month year old brother, is following in his footsteps.

Rabbi Aaron has led trips to Poland and Israel on the journey called the March of the Living for the past 16 years. She does this out of her dedication and belief that we must take a stand against prejudice, hatred, violence, bigotry, and discrimination. She is a member of three book clubs, and she is a constant advocate for the power of literacy in all of our lives. Rabbi Aaron enjoys studying Torah, reading, and growing hibiscus and other flowers and plants both indoors and outdoors in her free time. She is proud to be a third generation Rotarian, the first woman in her family to be a Rotarian. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona.

Education Coordinator Dana Helfer

Dana Helfer (she/her) grew up in Denver, CO and has made Tucson home for the last 20 years. With a Master’s Degree in Community Development from University of California at Davis, Dana has spent the last 28 years working in the fields of food justice and organic farming. She has facilitated community building and educational programming for youth and adults in several non profits in California and Arizona including the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. Since 2013, she and Paul have stewarded Rattlebox Farm - a small organic farm in southeast Tucson. After 10 years of growing market vegetables as a family business the farm has transitioned to a community partnership with other farmers. The farm now supports growing vegetables and seed saving and aspires to host opportunities for Jewish ritual and land connections. Dana has been involved in Chaverim, primarily as a parent with children in Religious School, for over 8 years. She is grateful to contribute to, learn and grow with the Chaverim community.

Cantorim Tom Cracovaner

Tom Cracovaner is a lifelong Tucsonan and Chaverim member. As an active participant in the congregation, he has served on the festival and finance committees and the board of directors and has also taught religious and Hebrew school. He is a recording artist musician who has toured and performed many genres of music and loves to sing. Tom is a film and theatre actor in plays, musicals, movies, TV, YouTube, sketch comedy and commercials and earned eligibility in the Screen Actors Guild for a national television commercial appearance. He is a nationally awarded and published poet and fiction author who is revising his first novel for publication. He enjoys travel, sports, gardening, hiking and loves his wife and family.

Cantorim Paul Tumarkin

Paul Tumarkin grew up in Tucson and has been a member of Chaverim since the late 1990s. He began playing guitar in the third grade, took a hiatus for a brief stint with the alto saxophone, and then re-initiated his relationship with the instrument when he was a junior in high school. He has been playing ever since and finds sharing music and song to be one of the greatest joys of life.

“Playing and singing by myself is deep meditation,” he says. “Playing and singing with others is all about deep connection.”

He began song leading when he was in college working summers at the J-CC Ranch Camp in Elbert, Colorado. He has been playing and singing with the children and grown-ups (and grown-up children) of our congregation for over two decades.

Staff and Leadership

We are lucky to have such a fantastic group of individuals dedicated to the Chaverim family. If you’re interested in taking a more active role in shaping the future of congregation, let us know! We look look forward to your help.

Staff

Rabbi Stephanie Aaron
Education Director - Rabbi Stephanie Aaron
Education Coordinator - Dana Helfer
Cantorim - Tom Cracovaner and Paul Tumarkin
Office Manager - Curtis Endicott

Board Members

Allen Brailey, President
Suzy Gershman, Vice President
Suzanne Baron Helming, Treasurer
Rebecca Crow
Alma Hernandez
Consuelo Hernandez
Linda and Martin Horowitz
Rick Oestreich
Ann ReVelle

Meet Us

Meet Us

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