Jewish News, May 5, 2023

INSTAGRAM INFLUENCER

Elizabeth (Lizzy) Savetsky, an Orthodox Jewish social media influencer, spoke in Scottsdale

Refugee expert shines light on resettlement at genocide conference

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

The week of April 17-21, the 11th annual Rosenbluth Family Charitable Foundation Genocide Awareness Week (GAW) brought together genocide scholars and survivors, as well as artists and activists, for an educational initiative involving lectures, exhibits and storytelling on Tempe’s Arizona State University campus.

The annual week-long event sought to understand how the international community responds to genocides, both those that are ongoing and any that might be brewing. Participants look to the past for future guidance, while also honoring people affected by genocide.

Naomi Steinberg, vice president of U.S. policy and advocacy for HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) — a Jewish American nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian aid and assistance to refugees — was in Tempe as a first-time presenter and participant at GAW. (It was actually her second trip to Tempe; her first happened when she was 10 and she came with her family to cheer on Pennsylvania State University in the Fiesta Bowl.)

Steinberg first became interested in the topic of refugees when, during a high school future leaders’ summer trip, she met a Cambodian refugee. In the course of telling her personal story, the woman described watching her sister be tied to a tree and left to die, plagued by swarms of tiny insects.

SENIOR LIFESTYLE

“Getting Good at Getting Older” with Rabbi Laura Geller, JFCS matches Holocaust survivors with services and more.

Greater Phoenix’s Jewish community celebrates Israel’s birthday

Amakeshift shuk lined the far side of the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus’ parking lot on Sunday afternoon, serving as the entrance for the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center’s community-wide celebration of Israel’s 75th birthday. A multitude of Israeli flags and vendors selling Jewish or Jewish-inspired merchandise, everything from jewelry and clothing to arts and crafts, was just the first taste of what was in store for all who attended.

Approximately 2,000 people shrugged off the afternoon heat — the temperature hovered around 100 degrees, making it the hottest day of the year thus far — and came out to hear live music, play games, jump in bounce houses and discover all that Greater Phoenix’s Jewish community has to offer.

Early on, a community youth choir, made up of kids from Congregation Beth Tefillah (CBT), Congregation Or Tzion, Pardes Jewish Day School, Temple Kol Ami, Temple Chai and The New Shul and led by Temple Chai Cantor Ross Wolman, sang “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem.

“Israel is a promised gift and it is our home, our place, and today we are here cherishing the gift of Israel,” Hebrew High Principal Rabbi Aviva Funke told the crowd before the kids sang on the stage where an hour later the Little Chef Klezmer Band performed.

Temple Chai singer Layla Raizer, who is 10 but happily anticipating her 11th birthday in 10 days, said she normally likes to sing by herself but also loves singing in the choir.

“I really love singing Taylor Swift songs, but ‘Hatikvah’ is good too,” she said.

CBT singer Audrey Allen, 10, said she also likes singing. She is getting ready to star in Pardes’ musical “Matilda” SEE BIRTHDAY, PAGE 3

Sharing with students

Local lawyers shared practical tips on navigating potential observance issues with the Jewish Law Students Association at Arizona State University. See page 18.

Hundreds of academics and institutions, including Yad Vashem, condemn Polish government’s attack on Holocaust historian

Speaking to Israel’s Knesset, Kevin McCarthy demurs on judicial overhaul and warns against China

Disney+ series ‘A Small Light’ tells the Anne Frank story from the perspective of the woman who hid her

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEREMY ROVINSKY

Layla Raizer holds up her blow-up hammer she picked up at Congregation Or Tzion’s table at the community-wide celebration of Israel’s 75th birthday.

Much as we all wish it were, genocide and mass displacement are not features unique to the past, Steinberg said in the course of discussing the advocacy HIAS has done on behalf of the Muslim Rohingya people, who have faced genocide at the hands of Myanmar’s military.

“This is one of the largest contemporary genocides happening as we speak and to ignore it would be at our own peril. It’s a black eye on the international community,” she said.

There are a million refugees languishing

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

on Wednesday, where she will play the title role.

Her mother, Shelly Allen, said it was nice to be able to gather as a community after COVID.

“It’s good to be together again — even if it might have been more pleasant earlier in the day,” she laughed.

She especially enjoyed looking through the shuk and seeing the live camel. James, a 40-year-old camel who was brought by Carter’s Farm Mobile Petting Zoo and Ponies, is fully retired but his presence provided a little Israeli ambience. Though James no longer offers rides, he welcomed much petting by the kids and was the star of a number of selfies and family photos.

Another way to entice families to visit as many of the organizations’ tables set up across Pardes’ activity field as they could, were paper passports handed to kids as they entered the shuk. Each passport had space for multiple stamps that the nearly 50 Jewish organizations could fill. When kids approached tables looking for stamps, parents could follow behind and meet organization representatives and take information about each.

Organizations also had more than colorful stamps and informational brochures at their tables. Most offered kosher candy, coloring sheets and crayons or something else to entertain the kids while the adults chatted and schmoozed.

PJ Library passed out paper cat masks for kids to decorate with colorful stickers and offered dozens of PJ Library books for kids to choose from and take home. Phoenix’s CTeen chapter of the Chabad Teen Network handed out nuts and bananas, encouraging people to make Israeli acai bowls, joked Director Rabbi Tzvi Rimler. The Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix, which helped support the celebration, passed out sheets with illustrated step-bystep instructions on how to tie shoelaces into the shape of a Star of David.

Olami at Arizona State University set up a game of “‘Jew’Pardy,” which was broken down into various categories testing kids’ level of knowledge about Israel. The difficulty of the questions increased with the age of the player. Risa Brumer, one of Olami’s leaders, gave several hints to the younger kids who wanted to try their hand.

in Bangladeshi camps, but Steinberg explained that thanks to the effort of the Biden administration, things are finally starting to improve in terms of resettlement of Rohingya refugees. She was not at liberty to give specific numbers, but said there is reason for optimism in the midst of a massive human rights disaster.

Many conference participants attended the Phoenix Holocaust Association’s Yom HaShoah commemoration on Sunday, April 16, at Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale. The first day of the conference, which coincided with Yom HaShoah, featured Phoenix Holocaust

“We’re about Jewish education and everyone’s learning,” she told Jewish News.

Jewish National Fund of Arizona promoted opportunities for teenagers to attend its Alexander Muss High School in Israel. Chaparral High School junior Jordan Floyd greeted people and told them of her experience attending the school the first semester of the 2022-23 school year; she returned to Scottsdale at the end of 2022.

She had never heard of Alexander Muss until she was returning from her bat mitzvah trip to Israel in eighth grade and a flight attendant told her about the school. Ironically, this didn’t happen on an El Al flight but on the second leg of her American Airlines flight that departed from Prague. Floyd determined then that she would try to attend the school at some point in high school, and she did.

“I found a Jewish community made up of people from all over the world at Alexander Muss,” she said.

The Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix (BJE) also had some educational materials to give away. The shelves next to its table had a plethora of books on every imaginable topic on the State of Israel and were free to anyone who wanted to take one. There were also Hebrew books for people studying the language and topographical maps for kids to fill in with a host of glittery and reflective stickers of various shapes and colors, “to show the diversity of the land,” Funke said.

Jewish Family & Children’s Services offered some Israeli education as well, with a little archeological dig at its table so that kids could dig into some sand and find the different types of fossils that have been discovered under various Israeli cities.

Rabbi Gavriel Goetz, the head of school for Yeshiva High School of Arizona, bragged that his table was literally “the coolest” for offering Otter Pops to those who stopped by. Many a hot visitor was visibly relieved to get the cold treat, perhaps proving his joke correct.

Phoenix Hebrew Academy (PHA) set up a miniature version of a photo booth for families, the background for which was a drawing of an Israeli flag made by the preschool students. After a few minutes, the photo strips were ready to be picked up and carried home as a memento.

survivor Marion Weinzweig. Thus, while many other issues were discussed during the week, the Holocaust was never far from the conversation.

Rightly so, Steinberg said. GAW and gatherings like it are essential.

“We’ve all read reports on how many young people don’t know about or believe Holocaust history. As we get further from that event, it’s easier to forget its lessons. It’s important to take a beat and recognize what happened, what it led to and where we are today.” JN

To learn more about HIAS, visit hias.org.

“A printed picture is almost like a museum relic in this day and age,” said Rabbi Barach Harris, PHA’s head of school, as he passed them out.

Ashira Rosen, whose two children attend PHA, moved to the area from Michigan last August. Though she has met several other parents and is joining the board of Young Israel of Scottsdale, she thought the afternoon was a wonderful opportunity to get out and “check out” all the other Jewish organizations she didn’t yet know.

“I loved getting to know everyone and also the chance to see all the local artists that brought their work so I can start supporting them,” said Rosen.

Several organizations generally appeal to an older cohort of people, but they found ways to attract the younger visitors with more than passport stamps.

For example, Kivel Campus of Care, a Jewish independent senior living and assisted living facility, was still filled with coloring pages, puzzles and photo cubes for the kids. Crystal Tang, a therapist and volunteer coordinator for Kivel, greeted people happily and said she was very excited and grateful to be able to interact with the community in person again after the last three years of COVID-19.

The East Valley Jewish Community Center (EVJCC) highlighted its Lone Soldier Project, which offers support for members of the Israel Defense Forces without immediate family in Israel. At the table, people wrote greetings and messages of thanks and signed a poster that will be mailed to a lone soldier center in Israel. EVJCC was joined by the Jewish War Veterans, Sun Lakes Post 619.

Gilat Ben-Dor, a Judaic artist and author, was thrilled to learn about the offerings of Phoenix Holocaust Association and 3G-AZ, a group of local third-generation Holocaust survivors.

“I’m the granddaughter of survivors and I loved learning that they go into schools and teach that history. We owe it to our grandparents and all those who perished in the Holocaust to live out the ‘Never again’ message,” she said. JN

‘CAREaVAN’ full of young Jewish do-gooders heads to Northern California in June

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

Ari Simones was a relatively shy kid in high school, so when he was a high-school sophomore and heard about a new summer volunteer opportunity for Hebrew High students, he thought it sounded like a good way to meet a few new people and grow his small circle of friends.

“We were on a bus for two weeks and all got really close. Some of the work was hard, physical labor, but there was a lot of fun stuff, too. We went river rafting, which was great. While we were working, we would sing songs and tell stories,” Simones said.

After he went to college, he returned to chaperone three subsequent CAREaVAN trips.

“It was amazing because it was like getting to do it all over again, even though I had more responsibilities!”

More than 20 years later, Simones has maintained friendships with several of the people that joined him on that maiden CAREaVAN voyage, and he’s a board member for the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix (BJE).

CAREaVAN was developed for the BJE’s Hebrew High students by Myra Shindler, BJE executive director. Now it is open to all Jewish teens throughout Greater Phoenix.

The purpose is to do a bit of traveling and sightseeing while spending days volunteering for different organizations, earning community service hours and having fun while doing it. This year, CAREaVANners will be bussing up the California coast to San Francisco and back.

Rabbi Aviva Funke, associate director of BJE and principal of Hebrew High, said part of the trip’s appeal is a taste of independence. “So many kids who go on this program really have not had a chance to travel without their family. On this trip they have to manage their own time, their laundry, their packing and cleaning up after themselves,” she said.

Before the trip, those who have signed up attend group meetings to talk about their interests so that they’re part of building the experience, Funke said.

“The feedback we’ve had is that they didn’t realize how much need this world has, and this trip helped them realize they can make a difference,” she said.

Hebrew High students have volunteer experience thanks to their monthly mitzvah program. Additionally, the day before leaving, everyone on the trip volunteers somewhere local. This year, before heading to California, the kids will help out at St. Vincent de Paul’s food pantry in Phoenix.

Over the last two decades, Shindler has grown a large philanthropic network that she can call on to make new connections when she needs them. And she has many good memories.

One of Shindler’s most notable trips was in 2006, the summer following the Hurricane Katrina disaster. That year nearly 40 kids signed up, but instead of riding the bus to New Orleans, they flew while the bus loaded with supplies met them in Birmingham, Alabama, a fivehour drive from the devastated city.

Shindler, who always packs loads of kosher food for the kids, packed frozen kosher beef into dry ice. When the TSA questioned her about the contents of her bag, she tried to demur but ended up having to put frozen kosher sloppy joes on the conveyor belt to be checked for illicit materials before she could carry it onto the plane.

When they landed, she took the kids to visit civil rights monuments before taking the bus to volunteer at food banks in Atlanta and Memphis, finally arriving in New Orleans.

“After Katrina, I felt the need to go there and the kids signed up because they felt it too,” said Shindler.

In the fall of 2018, California’s Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed the northern town of Paradise. The next summer CAREaVAN went to offer assistance.

The volunteers worked in a warehouse sorting all the clothing and other items that had been donated. Displaced people were still living in their cars and the kids helped other volunteers distribute water. Afterward, Shindler took them to see Paradise, where “everything was burned out,” she said.

Most trips aren’t quite as dramatic, but every year at some point after an eighthour day of volunteering, the kids receive some information about what their work means to the organization or individual they’ve helped. A food bank might let them know how many meals they’ve made for some number of families, while an environmental group tells them the impact of their work on a habitat.

One trip to Los Angeles was spent pulling out invasive plant species along the Los Angeles River in the hopes the indigenous species would return. Shindler happened to be watching a national news program and learned that thanks to the work of CAREaVAN, and many others, indigenous birds and fish were returning.

Sometimes the impact is immediately visible.

Shindler remembered one summer day in Seattle that CAREaVAN kids spent cleaning up the backyard of an elderly man, who had fallen on hard times. His wife became ill, then he did too and soon enough, all the things he had collected over the years overwhelmed his yard. He had essentially become a hoarder. The kids spent the day disposing of everything into a large metal dumpster. When he saw his yard clear after so many years, he

started to cry.

“He took a picture with the kids and was in tears just thanking them,” Shindler said.

During another day of that trip, the owner of their hotel watched as the kids gathered after breakfast to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to take to a homeless encampment. He asked what they were doing and when they told him, he was so impressed that they would come all the way from Phoenix to do service projects, that he gave them $100 to take to the homeless and $100 to keep for themselves.

COVID-19 made the trip impossible in 2020 and 2021 and last year was a rebuilding year.

“We used to get to 25 on average. Since COVID shut us down for a couple of years, now we’re still struggling to build it back,” said Shindler.

The cost of the trip pays for all expenses, including housing, transportation, food and entertainment. There’s usually a day at an amusement park or river rafting and sometimes both.

This cadre of teens primarily had Zoom b’nai mitzvah, and their process of learning Torah and being a part of a Jewish community might seem somewhat disconnected, Funke said.

“COVID completely upended our Jewish engagement. I’m hoping that our programs, whether it is volunteering, Hebrew High or CAREaVAN, these kids realize that socialization, transformation and growth go hand in hand. We want them to learn so they can grow and become more of who they want to be,” said Funke.

For his part, Simones hopes that when his two young children are old enough, “God willing, it will still be around. It was one of the best summer experiences I was a part of.” JN

To sign up for CAREaVAN, visit bjephoenix. org/2023-summer-careavan.

Last summer in Nevada, at Three Square Food Bank, CAREaVAN participants organized and packaged more than 2,800 pounds of donated food. COURTESY OF HEBREW HIGH

The importance of annual and bi-annual charitable giving to safeguard our future

DOTI does Earth Day at Temple Chai

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

Nona Siegel cares deeply about the environment. She has a degree in environmental science, follows a vegan diet and is a founding member of Temple Chai’s Eco Chai group, the Phoenix Reform synagogue’s “green team.”

The last few years, Eco Chai lost its step after the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered in-person activities and sapped its energy.

How are you feeling about your finances lately? Between inflation, rising costs of goods due to supply chain challenges and the general state of the economy, money can be an incredibly stressful topic these days. I have spent time wondering where I should cut back to ensure I’m setting my family up for financial success and it’s definitely not an easy task.

“It kind of fizzled over time. We paused and paused and paused and when we came back, there was no one on campus and we didn’t even recycle anymore,” Siegel said.

The pandemic also overlapped with a number of temple transitions: a new senior rabbi, a new executive director and plans for a new building. Trying to revive the group in the midst of so much change was a challenge because people felt pulled in many directions.

“Lots of people are very engaged in social justice, but the environmental piece is pretty fundamental to all of that,” she said.

Thus, she and other members were determined to get the gang back together and green their synagogue.

Statistically, in times of financial stress, philanthropic gifts are one of the first expenses individuals cut in an effort to save money. On the surface, it makes sense. These are often “gifts of the heart,” not necessities. Many individuals make donations with any “extra” money they have after they’ve covered their basic needs like food, utilities and other less essential but still important items. But, while it is smart to safeguard our personal finances, Judaism also instills in us the value of looking out for others and caring for our community. With this in mind, it’s imperative that we look at charitable giving the same way that we look at saving and investing.

In the course of Siegel’s brainstorming with Temple Chai Cantor Emerita Sharona Feller, the two decided to start with a recycling and composting project on Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of the Trees. Considered a minor holiday with no prescribed mitzvot, it is often celebrated by planting trees locally or in Israel. But with concern over global warming in the past few decades, it has become thought of as Jewish Earth Day.

“We’re always in the season of a Jewish holiday and some, like Tu B’Shevat, work well with the theme. All of Jewish belief is about life and supporting life for the next generation, which is really the energy of this project — saving this world as we have been gifted it for the next generation,” Siegel said.

This is a widely accepted dogma of the Reform Jewish movement. According to a 2008 survey of Reform congregations in North America, about 95% of them have initiated or planned some type of greening of their facilities.

Temple Chai members to reduce garbage and learn composting skills.

In creating the cart’s panels, they painted on one an image mirroring the temple’s new Torah covers. Malka Wolman, a teacher in the early childhood center, asked her students to save things that could be used to decorate the cart, such as bottle tops, buttons, glass beads and seashells. The idea was to recycle items that might otherwise be destined for the trash.

“Some of the older kids are starting to learn that plastic is one of those materials that stays on our planet for a very long time, and we want to do something to make our planet a better, more hospitable place for their children,” Wolman said.

On Tu B’Shevat, the kids decorated one panel with their upcycled materials and another with their thumbprints. Whenever there was an epoxy fail with a bottle top or button, Wolman was there to set it right again.

When we choose to make a donation to a nonprofit, we are not only helping others and the world as the Torah instructs us, but we are also safeguarding our own wellbeing. It’s possible that your gift is going straight to work to help that organization provide services to those who need them immediately. Your contribution may also be helping to compensate the staff who work tirelessly for our community, ensuring that they can meet their own basic needs. As time goes on, annually or bi-annually making these gifts becomes more like an investment in your own future. As you put money into charitable causes, you are ensuring that these organizations can continue to thrive in the harshest of economies. Your own family may very well need that type of investment down the line. Having worked, and now as a volunteer, for Jewish Free Loan, I have had numerous encounters with local individuals and families who generally never faced financial distress until all of a sudden, they did. So many people utilizing the services of nonprofits all around the

Meanwhile, congregant Howard Silverman built the wooden wheeled cart and placed the panels on it. DOTI’s debut was Earth Day, April 21, which was on Shabbat this year.

“Every day, but especially on Shabbat, we want to be respectful and life affirming,” said Siegel.

The food served during the Shabbat/ Earth Day nosh was plant-based, organic, local and sustainable, and all dishware and waste were composted with the help of DOTI.

Children’s Cancer Network supports children and families throughout their cancer journey with programs and services designed to provide financial assistance, promote education, encourage healthy lifestyles, and create an awareness of issues they face related to childhood cancer.

“It is important to us, both in our physical space and in our operations and programming, that our Jewish values are reflected and lived out, including caring for the earth. And while there are financial considerations , such as long-term savings due to things like LED lighting, solar or reduced paper usage, the most important thing to us is living out our values and our mission and doing so in a sustainable way,” said Rabbi Emily Segal.

Serving over 800 families annually, Children’s Cancer Network strives to address the highest priority needs just when they are needed most. Our intention is for each family to realize they are not alone in their fight. Giving hope to Arizona’s children and families is our goal.

Make a di erence today by choosing Children’s Cancer Network for your charitable tax credit donation.

For the last three decades, the Union for Reform Judaism’s General Assembly has advocated for its leadership to guide congregations and congregants to preserve the planet. “Greening Reform Judaism” is the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism and the Department of Synagogue Management’s digital entry point for environmental advice.

The temple’s board allows any member who wants to opt in to paying a $36 or $72 sustainability fee and the money will go towards an environmental benefit like planting a garden or a more substantial composting effort.

$400 for those that file as individuals and $800 for those who file jointly will be returned to you, dollar for dollar, on your Arizona State Taxes.

Questions? Contact Patti Luttrell at Patti.luttrell@childrenscancernetwork.org or 602-717-9139 | childrenscancernetwork.org

Eco Chai’s first step was to create DOTI, aka Don’t Trash It, a little recycling and composting cart on wheels that will appear at certain events, inviting

Siegel is enthusiastic about the possibilities. “The environment has been my passion for a long time. I’ve been a nudger on the issue for a long time,” she laughed. She’s also happy that the youngest Temple Chai members are as involved in the project as the older ones.

Donate today at childrenscancernetwork.org/donate

“As kids become aware of the climate crisis they will ask us, ‘What have you been doing? If you’ve known this all

Greater Phoenix area never thought they would be in a position to need assistance until one small decision or something out of their control turned their finances upside down. “I never thought it could happen to me,” is a common phrase I’ve heard throughout my career as a nonprofit professional. I’ve also heard, “I’m so happy this organization exists,” or “I’m so grateful for this community.”

this time, why are you saying now it’s our generation’s turn to save the world? Where were you all this time?’” she posited.

DOTI represents a small step towards a cleaner future, but the little cart also literally epitomizes Temple Chai’s children.

“The children come to services and

As we head into tax season, please consider making a charitable contribution to an organization that is important to you.

Whether the donation is made for general support or to take advantage of the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit, your generosity will impact the local community and potentially safeguard your own future. Together, we can use this time of year, and the end of the calendar year, as a chance to assess how we can better support the community as a whole and thus support our own friends and families for years to come. JN

see the cart with their fingerprints on it and know that they’re part of the future of our world and our congregation,” Wolman said. JN

Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s reporting contributed to this article.

For more information, visit templechai.com.

Malka Wolman (left) and Nona Siegel (right) stand next to the DOTI recycling/composting cart in front of Temple Chai. COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS

Jessielyn Hirschl is a community member working in the nonprofit sector.

Jessielyn Hirschl

HIRSCHL

Personalized hearing care STARTS

Personalized hearing care STARTS

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AFMDA hosts Orthodox Jewish influencer in Scottsdale

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Hearing care should be part of your overall health regimen, just like going to the dentist or eye doctor. HearingLife can help you begin your journey to better hearing. HearingLife is a national hearing care company that operates nearly 700 hearing care centers in the U.S. Our revolutionary new hearing devices give the brain more of the relevant information it needs. You may have improved speech understanding and the ability to remember more. Enjoy the convenience of rechargeability and Bluetooth® connectivity.

Hearing care should be part of your overall health regimen, just like going to the dentist or eye doctor. HearingLife can help you begin your journey to better hearing. HearingLife is a national hearing care company that operates nearly 700 hearing care centers in the U.S. Our revolutionary new hearing devices give the brain more of the relevant information it needs. You may have improved speech understanding and the ability to remember more. Enjoy the convenience of rechargeability and Bluetooth® connectivity.

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

Elizabeth (Lizzy) Savetsky, an Orthodox Jewish social media influencer who entered the national spotlight in the fall of 2022 when she left season 14 of the reality television series “The Real Housewives of New York’’ after reportedly receiving a plethora of antisemitic messages, was hosted by the Phoenix women’s division of American Friends of Magen David Adom (AFMDA) at Congregation Beth Tefillah in Scottsdale on April 23, for a conversation on antisemitism and how social media can be used to support Israel.

“I’m here to talk about how passionate I am about Israel and, of course, the shocking and disturbing rise of antisemitism and antisemitic hate crimes,” Savetsky told Jewish News.

The Orthodox influencer became an advocate on both topics while building a large social media following, primarily on Instagram, where she has roughly 225,000 followers. Like most influencers, she is open about many aspects of her personal life, including the negative feedback she has received for being uncritically supportive of Israel. Her policy is to never criticize the Jewish state, she said.

“It’s impossible to separate my life journey and being an influencer from why these things are important to me,” she said.

During Israel’s war with Gaza in May 2021, “things really started to explode in terms of the hate that I was receiving online and for the first time, I realized that my public persona could endanger myself and my family,” she said. “Unfortunately, saying I am a Zionist is something that creates controversy.”

Some Jews on social media have also criticized Savetsky for not dressing modestly despite being part of a Modern Orthodox Jewish community. However, she hopes that her Instagram page represents the idea that “Jews come in all different packages — that our preconceived notions of what an Orthodox Jew is or what a Conservative or Reform Jew is, are not necessarily true.” She’d like her followers, no matter their spiritual path, to “stay true to themselves, because at the end of the day, the only person you are going to need to make happy is yourself.”

At Sunday’s gathering, she also had some words of advice for any young Jews hoping to become influencers: Don’t go in thinking you’ll get rich. The public is looking for authenticity and will see through anyone who thinks it’s an easy job,

she said. Instead, having something unique to say or being able to share your passions, as she does for fashion, Judaism and Israel, is the key to gaining a loyal following. Additionally, it’s important to be open to the possibility of change. When she first started her Instagram account, she mainly focused on fashion and “being a fashionable mom,” but it soon evolved into “teaching about Judaism and sharing my passion for Israel. Fashion is still very important but also more of an accessory to the rest,” she said.

Sarah Langert has been following Savetsky on Instagram for years, and when she heard the influencer was coming to town, she quickly signed up to listen to what she had to say.

“I really appreciate some of her Israel advocacy and antisemitism work and she’s opened my eyes to different perspectives on how to be an advocate,” Langert said.

Dana Luksenburg is another of Savetsky’s many Instagram followers who attended Sunday’s event.

“When it was announced that Lizzy was coming, I was very interested to come and hear her speak, especially with all the current events that are going on with antisemitism,” she said.

Event co-chairs Jessica Rosenblum and Rachel Scotch heralded Savetsky’s success with the crowd.

“The energy in the room was palpable. People were engaged and excited to be there and Lizzy was a powerful speaker. She was so friendly and mingled with almost every single guest,” Rosenblum said.

Savetsky added that she was eager to promote the work of Magen David Adom, Israel’s national paramedic and Red Cross service. The organization includes roughly 30,000 volunteers from varying religious and cultural backgrounds, which demonstrates “the unity that you actually see and feel when you’re in Israel, when what we see in the media is controversy and divisiveness,” she said.

She also felt inspired seeing the Phoenix division’s “gorgeous young board of women who have made this cause their priority,” she said. One hundred and fifty people attended Sunday’s event with Savetsky. Being in Arizona with so many young women who feel proud of Israel and their Judaism was wonderful, especially given that her goal as an influencer is to inspire young women, she said.

Lizzy Savetsky atop a Magen David Adom Medicycle.

OF AFMDA

Multiple efforts in Jewish sovereignty have self-destructed after 75 years. Can Israel defy history — again?

DR. MIJAL BITTON AND DR. MASUA SAGIV | JTA

Last week marked Yom Haatzmaut, our beloved Israel’s 75th birthday — the day on the Hebrew calendar when David Ben-Gurion proclaimed “the natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate” by establishing a Jewish state in the land of Israel. Together with countless Jews around the world, we express our gratitude to be alive at this moment in history when the Jewish people have sovereignty and a nation to call their own.

But on this anniversary, Yom Haatzmaut’s special prayers and festive afternoon barbecues fail to capture the fraught feelings many of us are experiencing. Jews across the globe in all our different peculiarities and particularities — from all political orientations, religious and secular, progressive and conservative, for and against the judicial overhaul being proposed by the current government — are reeling.

The past few months of terrible turmoil in Israel surrounding the judicial overhaul proposal have shown us how fragile our singular and precious Jewish state is. While Israel’s history is replete with instances when external forces threatened its people, this moment is unique in revealing internal threats to its democracy and social cohesion. We have seen toxic hatred rising among Israeli Jews, with fears of a civil war at an all-time high.

How, then, are we supposed to celebrate Israel on its 75th birthday?

The answer to this question lies at the heart of Jewish history and reveals that now is the moment for a new Zionist revolution led by both Israeli and Diaspora Jews.

Zionism was never just about establishing a Jewish state. It was about defying Jewish history. In 1948, when Ben-Gurion and his fellow Zionist leaders declared Israeli independence,

it was nothing less than a radical assault on diasporic Jewish history. It defied the thousands of years of Jews being a minority in other countries, subject to the whims and caprice of other rulers. It defied the image of the weak and defenseless Jew. It even defied Jewish tradition itself, which for centuries was understood by many of its adherents to demand passivity by Jews as they waited for divine deliverance.

For two millennia, Jewish existence was one of vulnerability and victimhood — most often either hiding who we are or suffering for it. The Zionism of 1948 defied diasporic Jewish history by giving Jews power, self-determination and sovereignty to respond to external threats and establish a Jewish state.

Understandably, most of the work of early Zionism was focused on mere survival — establishing a state, providing safe refuge to the millions of Jews fleeing inhospitable lands and contending with enemy countries sworn to destroy the new nation. It succeeded beyond any of the wildest imaginations of its founders. The first 75 years of Israel, in which it has become a powerful and thriving state, are a testament to the success of Zionism in defying diasporic Jewish history.

But the next 75 years of Zionism present and impose on us a different task: To be Zionists today means we must defy a different chapter of Jewish history — one that might be called sovereign Jewish history.

Historians and educators have pointed out a critically important pattern in the history of Jewish self-rule. There are two pre-modern eras in which the Jewish nation enjoyed sovereignty in the land of Israel: at the end of the 11th century BCE with the Davidic Kingdom and the first Temple in Jerusalem, and in 140 BCE when the Hasmonean dynasty

reestablished Jewish independence in Judea. But as each approached their 75th year of existence, each started to disintegrate because of internal strife and infighting. The Davidic reign over a united Israel effectively ended when it was split into the two competing kingdoms of Judea and Israel. The Hasmonean kingdom began to fall apart due to infighting between the sons of Alexander and Shlomtzion, the rulers of Judea in the first century BCE.

Sovereign Jewish history tells us that at around the 75th year, experiments in Jewish self-determination faced the most dangerous threat of all: self-destruction.

On its 75th birthday, Israel and its supporters face the internal tensions of sovereignty: What does it mean for Israel to be both a Jewish and democratic state and a home to all its citizens? How can Israel be both at home in the Middle East while modeled on Western democracies? How should its leaders balance majority Jewish culture with minority rights?

The concerns of the old Zionism certainly still exist: how to pursue peace even as Jewish vulnerability and safety continue to be threatened. But they take on a new character in this day and age, forcing us to ask how we can manage and

A NOTE ON OPINION

embrace conflicting visions of Jewishness and Israeliness while nurturing social solidarity and cooperation across deep and painful divides.

This Yom Haatzmaut comes at a moment of rupture. But the current crisis in Israel represents an opportunity – a moment for our generation to ensure this rupture defies the pattern of sovereign Jewish history. The generations before us proved that we can rewrite diasporic history, turning a tale of vulnerability and weakness into one of strength and power. Our generation and those that follow must likewise defy sovereign Jewish history and prove that we can protect our Jewish state from the internal threats it faces. Our generation’s task is to overcome our divisions and not let fraternal hatred destroy our shared home.

On this 75th birthday, then, let us learn from our past and look forward toward a new future. Let us continue to celebrate the incredible success by writing a new chapter in the magnificent story of Israel and Zionism. JN

We are a diverse community. The views expressed in these opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of the officers and boards of the Jewish Community Foundation, Center for Jewish Philanthropy, Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, Cleveland Jewish Publication Company or the staff of the Jewish News. Letters must respond to content published by the Jewish News and should be a maximum of 200 words. They may be edited for space and clarity. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters and op-ed submissions should be sent to editor@jewishaz.com

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

In this handout from the GPO, David Ben Gurion, who was to become Israel’s first prime minister, reads the Declaration of Independence May 14, 1948 at the museum in Tel Aviv, during the ceremony founding the State of Israel.

COURTESY OF ZOLTAN KLUGER/GPO VIA GETTY IMAGES

The one that doesn’t fit in

Have you ever been the kid in the corner? The one that doesn’t quite fit in?

There are many reasons why we might not fit in. Maybe it’s our socioeconomic status or we are stricken with an illness that makes others shy away or whisper behind our backs; it might be our beliefs or convictions, or it might just simply be that we don’t fit the norm (whatever that might be). I believe that almost everyone has had such an experience at some point. How did it make you feel? Frustrated, lonely — maybe even angry?

If we look closely at our surroundings, I am sure all of us know someone who tries to belong but has a hard time finding a way in. Often, we need to look harder because those people easily fade from our awareness. We forget to notice them; they “disappear” unless they lash out — and then, of course, we all too often blame it on them.

To the editor

Parshah Emor tells us a truly tragic and devastating story: A man went out among the Israelites, the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man. The Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the Name and cursed — his mother’s name was Shlomit, daughter of Divri, of the tribe of Dan — and they brought him before Moses. They placed him in custody until the Lord’s verdict would be pronounced to them. And the Lord spoke to Moshe: “Take the one who cursed outside the camp. All the people who heard him shall lay their hands on his head and then the whole community shall stone him.” (In VaYikra 24:10-15).

Who is this man and what caused him to do such a drastic thing to curse and fight? We are never told his name! Instead, he is introduced to us right away as someone who does NOT fit in. He is a “hybrid” — son of a father whose nation were the Egyptian oppressors — who somehow ended up with the people of Israel. But when the people organize their living quarters in the desert encampment according to tribal lineage, he doesn’t belong, since tribal identity is determined by the paternal lineage!

This turns into tragedy when his maternal tribe, of Dan, outright rejects him when he tries to pitch his tent with them, claiming

to follow the letter of the law. “Each man dwells under his banner, assigned by the house of his fathers” (cf. Numbers 2:2, Rashi on Lev 24:10). Where will this man pitch his tent and have a chance to belong?

I find this heartbreaking. So far, he is part of the journey and clearly was brought up within the people of Israel, but he doesn’t quite fit all the criteria, so we leave him in limbo — ousted — we don’t even learn his name! He is solely known for what makes him the outsider, the problem.

If we follow the ancient Midrash things get even worse. Deep in his heart, he actually wants to belong and instead of giving up, he stands up and tries to fight for his rights. Rashi tells us, “He thereupon went into the judicial court of Moses to have the matter decided and came forth declared to be in the wrong. He then stood up and blasphemed” (Sifra, Emor, Section 14 1). He tries to protest, he tries to seek justice, only to be let down again and rejected by the court. Devastating. I find myself empathizing with him, getting to the point of cursing! He lashes out and again we put him down. This time society makes sure we get rid of him. He gets the death sentence.

Yet there is something unusual about how the punishment is executed: “All

the people who heard him shall lay their hands on his head” (Lev. 24:14). This reminds us of the expiation ritual of Yom Kippur. The high priest needs to lay his hands on the goat to transfer the sins of the community and to affect atonement. Is the Torah voicing a critique here? There is something to atone for here in this story. If not communal guilt, then at least indifference and intolerance? Think about it, this story could have ended so very differently if someone hadn’t just gone by the strict letter of the law but showed some compassion, creating a space for this individual to belong.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Who do we stigmatize and exclude and why? Let’s reconsider and find out how to create a space for those who don’t fit all our preconceived norms. Maybe it’s us and our perspective that needs to change, not them. JN

It seems rather unfortunate that one of your readers chose to attack the wonderful — and certainly innocuous — piece you published (“Jewish women conservatives ‘on the map’ in Greater Phoenix” April 7, 2023).

Thank you to Mr. Helfgot for sending his letter to the editor (Letter to the Editor, April 21, 2023) about our organization, Jewish Women’s Conservative Forum (JWCF). It perfectly illustrates the schism in the Jewish community today and the hate some on the left espouse for the right, all the while promoting slogans like “hate has no place here.”

Reasonable people can differ about the social issues he outlines, but it is very clear that Mr. Helfgot has no interest in discussion. Mr. Helfgot knows his ideas cannot withstand careful scrutiny, so he calls for censoring and cancelling us by shunning JWCF within the Jewish community. He is judge and jury as to what Jewish values are and that conservatives don’t fit the bill.

JWCF rejects this hate. We promote the active exchange of all views in the open marketplace so that the most sound ideas can rise to the top. This is especially true in our country today, which is experiencing a frightening increase in anti-Semitism on the left — an increase that is often underreported by the mainstream news media and the ADL. We Jews need to honor and respect each other and work together to confront this new existential challenge. JWCF intends to be part of this community effort.

What is even more unfortunate was his resorting to attack their decision to have their political voices heard by referencing Judaic values. Correction: a fraudulently misrepresentation of his own version of Judaism. Others have said it before, but it needs to be said again: This angry curmudgeon is certainly entitled to his own opinion (something he laments you allowing them to have) but he is not entitled to his own truth.

Better that he would have displayed some intellectual integrity by suggesting that what he hates even more than the political views ostensibly espoused by this conservative women’s forum was his problem with the religion itself — because much of what he attributes to Jewish values is tripe. Judaism is rather clear cut. It is called Halacha. Certainly, he has the right to choose from the menu as he sees fit, and ignore whatever he conveniently opts to. He, however, does not possess the moral right to redefine it. And as for his endeavor to sully the group because of the conservative politicians who they might identify with — well, by that very measure he needs to stand tall and confess to being in bed with some of the most anti-Jewish and anti-Israel charlatans out there. In fact, they could have written his diatribe for him.

I fully support those students who were shocked by the images and the hate (“Graphic images comparing Holocaust to abortion spark angst and protest at University of Arizona” April 21, 2023) that they experienced from College Republicans United.

Dear Mr. Helfgot,

I am grateful for your clear, grounded and articulate response to the article “Jewish women conservatives ‘on the map’ in Greater Phoenix” (Letter to the Editor, April 21, 2023). I was deeply disturbed reading about these people and couldn’t find the words to express my reaction. I agree that their attitudes do not reflect Jewish values of welcoming the stranger, respecting others and justice, justice ... (you know the rest). The whole article made me cringe. I am so despondent at the state of our country and as a Jewish worship leader for 20+ years, I can’t reconcile what we study and teach with people in our community (and our congregations) who act and speak in ways contrary, indeed anathematic, to Jewish core values. Thank you very much for responding publicly and for saying what I was too flummoxed to express.

I’m sure many others agree with your insights, as I did when I read it.

Susan Colin, Tempe

However, I strongly disagree with Sarah Kader and anyone else who sees these issues as political because, IMO (in my opinion), it’s religious. As Jews, we are to abide by the Torah and Talmud which clearly state the killing of innocent children is murder. Further, it is also a law from the 7 Noahide Laws for ALL mankind. If the mother’s life is in serious danger, then abortion is required.

It’s time that so many of these “political” issues that come up so frequently are re-looked at from our Torah perspective, as brought down by Hashem (God), Moses and so many of our sages over time.

If a Jew takes a position that isn’t consistent with expert, QUALIFIED, Rabbinical laws and policies, then said Jew needs to return to the source and do his/her homework. Positions that are not soundly based on our Torah are terrible as they often influence people away from God and Torah unconsciously.

This is the real debate that needs to occur.

David Almoslino, Phoenix

Rabbi Nitzan Stein-Kokin is the spiritual leader of Beth El Congregation in Phoenix.

RABBI NITZAN STEIN-KOKIN PARSHAH EMOR:

LEVITICUS 21:1 - 24:23

Rabbi Nitzan Stein-Kokin PHOTO COURTESY OF RABBI NITZAN STEIN-KOKIN

Dorothy Gaynor, Lynn Kahn, Phyllis Kaminsky, Jettie Kootman and Laurie Schwartz

The board of the Jewish Women’s Conservative Forum

Meir Jolovitz, Phoenix

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Holocaust survivor Oskar Knoblauch stands next to his holographic-like video as part of The USC Shoah Foundation’s “Dimensions in Testimony” exhibit at the Arizona Jewish Historical Society.

COURTESY OF THE ARIZONA JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

Afew years ago, when Rabbi Laura Geller was still the senior rabbi of Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills, California, she began to notice that many of her older congregants had started to drift away and she wanted to know why. At the time, she was also contemplating what her life after retirement might look like. So, she and her husband, Richard Siegel, decided to take the questions they were already posing to themselves and ask them of other seniors.

So began a listening journey that would result in “Getting Good at Getting Older,” a National Jewish Book Award finalist published in 2019.

Gathering small groups in private homes, Geller and Siegel spoke to about 250 congregants about what keeps them up at night, what gets them up in the morning and, without a job and colleagues, who they turn to for community.

“What we discovered is that people have fears of becoming invisible and becoming

But he doesn’t regret calling Barry, who he thinks did a good job with the story. Still, he wonders if there will be ramifications for going public.

HEADLINES

Shephard, who belongs to Temple Chai in Phoenix, referred to himself as a “Joshgo-to-temple-a-few-times-a-year” and said his friends are much more involved in the Jewish community.

and all the other things happening in world, this is deeply unsettling,” he Jewish News.

schools,” she said.

Rabbi Laura Geller helps people ‘get good at getting older’

“I didn’t even consider contacting ADL. It didn’t enter my mind. I would have called Paul (Rockower) if I knew about JCRC.”

“It starts creeping into your head that someone might target you after being on the news. But I don’t want to come off as complaining, either. I don’t want to sound like I’m the old man at the deli sending back the soup because it’s too cold,” he said.

Congregation Or Tzion Rabbi Andy Green learned about the incident from Feinberg and a few other members of the synagogue, which is located about a mile from the school. Green reached out to anyone directly affected by the incident.

“So much of offering support is letting vulnerable people know they are alone,” he said.

This is the focus for ADL and JCRC, “We have to play the long game. know things like this will happen but we learn and move forward is important,” Kader said. JN

“Between the ‘Day of Hate’ mishegoss and all the other things happening in our world, this is deeply unsettling,” he told Jewish News.

Feinberg got involved because “our Jewish children should feel safe in their

isolated. Your friendship network changes as you grow older and people that used to return your calls don’t anymore. People were concerned about purpose — “What

But he doesn’t regret calling Barry, who he thinks did a good job with the story. Still, he wonders if there will be ramifications for going public.

“It starts creeping into your head that someone might target you after being on the news. But I don’t want to come off as complaining, either. I don’t want to sound like I’m the old man at the deli sending back the soup because it’s too cold,” he said.

Feinberg got involved because “our Jewish children should feel safe in their

will I do all day?” — and about becoming, “God forbid,” dependent,” Geller told Jewish News.

On May 3, Geller will present some

of her findings about the importance of continually building relationships, making a difference, getting involved and giving back at an invitation-only Lion of Judah “Cocktails and Conversations” event.

“So much of offering support is letting vulnerable people know they are not alone,” he said.

For more information on the ADL’s “No Place Hate” program, visit adl.org/no-place-hate.

This is the focus for ADL and JCRC, too.

“We have to play the long game. We know things like this will happen but how we learn and move forward is important,” Kader said. JN

For more information on the ADL’s “No Place for Hate” program, visit adl.org/no-place-hate.

“After hearing Rabbi Geller’s presentation at the International Lion’s Conference in Scottsdale this past December, we thought she would be the perfect speaker for our upcoming event,” said Gail Baer, vice president of philanthropy for the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix.

Geller’s book investigates the period between midlife, when people build careers and raise families, and “frail old age” — what gerontologist Barbara Waxman termed “middlescence.” Just as adolescence came to be understood as a distinct stage of life, neither childhood nor adulthood, the longevity patterns of this century have constructed something new at the other end of the age spectrum.

At last December’s conference, Geller

Rabbi Laura Geller

COURTESY OF RABBI LAURA GELLER

led two “overflowing” seminars on the topic.

“A lot of people want to talk about this and learn how to engage the experience, the talent, the passion, the resources of this age cohort,” Geller said. The day after her own book on this time of life was published, it was number one on Amazon’s Jewish life section.

The book was also a kind of bookend to the seminal “Jewish Catalog,” the series of guides to “do-it-yourself”

Judaism that Siegel had co-edited decades earlier. It was a best-seller for the Jewish Publication Society and attracted young Jews by popularizing an ethos of pluralism and gender egalitarianism.

Because Siegel and Geller were now themselves part of a cohort of older Jewish Americans facing new issues, “Rich really felt that we needed another Jewish catalog about how to navigate the challenge of growing older,” Geller said.

Sadly, while working on the book, Siegel was diagnosed with cancer and passed away before its publication. He was in the strange position of working on a book about getting older, a privilege he wouldn’t experience for himself. Ironically, the couple researched things for the book, like end-of-life issues and how to plan a funeral, that they used to deal with their personal situation.

“When Richie really did get sick, he had a really good death because there was nothing we hadn’t already talked about. A good death is if you’re lucky enough to be able to die at home, surrounded by people you love and there is nothing left unsaid. I’m very grateful for that,” Geller said.

During their listening campaign, Geller was surprised by how many people hadn’t had some of those tough conversations with their adult children. The book provides a how-to toolkit for people for that and many other topics, including making friends, giving back, getting involved, leaving a legacy and telling one’s story before it’s too late.

After the book’s publication, Geller was invited to speak at synagogues and Jewish community centers across the country. Once COVID-19 restrictions made travel impossible, she started doing virtual presentations.

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“It was a wonderful opportunity to visit lots and lots of places because the cost was so much lower, and I spoke to at least 100 places virtually,” she said. Sometimes it was to a group of 20 people and sometimes more than 100. Despite the size, it was clearer with every conversation how much people wanted to talk about their fears and hopes.

During the Q&A period, someone might ask for advice on how best to downsize their households or give things away. Another person might chime in to say what they had done. Though these people might be in the same congregation, they didn’t know each other well enough to ask these questions before Geller’s appearance prompted them.

“Through these conversations, they were able to help each other because, even though we are the curators of our own lives, the truth is we are all figuring

out what it means to be in this new life stage and we can really help each other do that,” Geller said.

While promoting the book, Geller kept learning, and if she were writing it again, she would likely spend more time writing about loneliness and isolation, she said.

A majority of people she’s spoken with want to stay in their homes, but that might entail several changes in terms of creating or modifying their community. A focus on building intergenerational connections can assist with that goal.

She also has a message for the Jewish establishment that focuses most of its resources on families with young children, which she calls “a myopic view.”

“I’m also part of the Jewish future with my experience, my wisdom, my resources, my talent, my desire to serve and my need to be in connection with different generations. That’s an asset in the Jewish community and to the extent to which the Jewish community doesn’t acknowledge it — they’re losing an incredibly important talent pool and that challenges the Jewish future,” she said. JN

“Getting Good at Getting Older” is available at Amazon.com.

Jewish News is published by the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix, a component of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix.

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“I’M ALSO PART OF THE JEWISH FUTURE WITH MY EXPERIENCE, MY WISDOM, MY RESOURCES, MY TALENT, MY DESIRE TO SERVE AND MY NEED TO BE IN CONNECTION WITH DIFFERENT GENERATIONS ."

RABBI LAURA GELLER

JFCS matches Holocaust survivors with services

MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

On April 16, at Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale, Holocaust survivors holding candles entered the synagogue’s sanctuary in a procession commemorating Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. It was the first in-person Yom HaShoah program since 2019, said Sheryl Bronkesh, president of the Phoenix Holocaust Association, the organization that presented the event; almost 20 survivors were in attendance.

“There are approximately 60 survivors in the Greater Phoenix area and another 20ish in the state, with the majority of those in Tucson,” Bronkesh told the Jewish News. “We assume there are others who may have been child survivors, but they don’t consider themselves survivors.”

According to The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), there are more than 260,000 survivors located across the world. Founded in 1951, the Claims Conference negotiates for and disburses funds to individuals for the suffering and losses resulting from persecution by the

Nazis. In 2023, the Claims Conference will distribute approximately $625 million in direct compensation to survivors and another $750 million in grants to over 300 social service agencies to provide home care, food and medicine.

There is no fee to apply for compensation

from the Claims Conference, yet some people need assistance completing the forms. That is where Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS) comes in.

“JFCS counselors and caseworkers provide case management and advocacy for Holocaust survivors in the Greater

Phoenix area,” said Kathy Rood, program manager of Jewish Community Services for JFCS. “Caseworkers assist with applications to the Claims Conference and team members also assist with applications to organizations such as KAVOD and SEE JFCS, PAGE B7

Holocaust survivors and others gather at Congregation Beth Israel for Holocaust Remembrance Day.

PHOTO BY DANIEL FISCHPAN

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Barbara Lewkowitz just wants ‘to get things done’

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

This May, the City of Phoenix plans to start cleaning up The Zone, a large homeless encampment in central Phoenix. The closure is in response to a March decision by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge to clean the area up by July after business owners sued the city, claiming adverse effects.

That decision, along with a New York Times profile spotlighting the plight of the business owners, pushed homelessness — an intractable and ever-expanding issue — back onto the public agenda. However, the question of what is to become of the people who have been living in The Zone for days, weeks or even months is one that city officials don’t yet have an answer for.

Some people who have noticed an increase in the number of homeless people in or near their neighborhoods might be sighing with relief, applying the old “out of sight, out of mind” dictum, but Barbara Lewkowitz, longtime stalwart of Greater Phoenix’s Jewish community, says simple aphorisms are not the answer.

“People need public services, showers, food, health care, an address to qualify for public benefits, etc. Maybe you’ve removed people physically, but they aren’t gone and they still have needs,” she told Jewish News.

Lewkowitz, now retired from her CEO position at Justa Center, a day resource center for homeless seniors, still has her own consulting firm and has been thinking about housing insecurity since the late 1990s, when she first took a job at YWCA of Maricopa County (now YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix), which encompassed Haven House, a transitional housing facility for women and children. She has also served on the City of Phoenix’s Strategies to Address Homelessness Task Force.

People living in The Zone and other encampments need emergency help, but there simply aren’t enough emergency beds in Greater Phoenix, she said. Even large organizations dedicated to providing services for homeless people, such as Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS), are usually full.

“Maybe you go to CASS at 3 p.m. when they open but there aren’t any beds available; then you have to think about where you’re going to spend the night, so you look for an encampment,” she explained.

In addition to ordinary health care services, many people without reliable housing need mental health care, especially those who have suffered trauma that might affect their ability to hold a job or interact with people regularly.

Combine the enormous need with scant resources and it’s easy to understand

why people get burned out working on the Gordian knot that is homelessness.

“It’s not always successful work,” Lewkowitz said. “It’s not like you can say, ‘Well, I solved the homeless crisis,’ because there’s not a one-stop solution to it.”

That doesn’t discourage Lewkowitz, though, and it doesn’t deter the other six members of Beth El Congregation’s Social Action Committee (SAC). The Phoenix congregation has long been active in assisting people in need, but once Rabbi Nitzan Stein Kokin came aboard in 2019, the SAC honed in on big issues like homelessness.

Being located in Central Phoenix, Beth El congregants have seen a big increase in people living on the street. As of January 2022, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Arizona was 13,553, an increase of nearly 25% since 2020, and has steadily risen since 2017, according to Arizona Department of Economic Security’s Homelessness in Arizona Annual Report 2022.

“The secret to helping the homeless population is first to figure out exactly what you can do and what you’re willing to do,” Lewkowitz said. In her own career, she has been involved in many types of advocacy but believes

the biggest benefit she brings to Beth El is her organizational skills and many connections with organizations like CASS, Arizona Friends of the Homeless, Human Services Campus and others. She said each member of the SAC brings a host of similar connections.

“The thing that’s brought us strength is our partnerships,” Lewkowitz said.

Stein Kokin agreed, adding that SAC’s small size makes it a more effective force to organize events and “activate the congregation — everybody can take a job and they’re flexible in decision making.” The group is behind such congregation endeavors as partnering with Arizona Kosher Pantry to feed homeless people; providing food to Vista Colina, a CASS family shelter; delivering truckloads of clothing directly to Native American Connections; collecting and distributing thousands of bottles of water; and more.

SAC members also meet regularly with the City of Phoenix and agency officials, including Councilwoman Betty Guardado, her research and policy director, Michael Angulo, Councilwoman Laura Pastor and Lisa Glow, CASS CEO, to discuss ways to be better neighbors and find solutions to homelessness throughout the city.

CASS is currently working to convert an old hotel to a new homeless shelter, and Glow has a need for donated items and volunteers, which Beth El can provide. The politicians ask congregants to attend city council meetings and offer their opinions on funding issues.

“The first level of tzedakah is giving someone what they need,” Stein Kokin said. “That’s the simplest stuff and I think that’s where many of us are. We collect items, give money and we’re done. Then we’ll do it again. But the next step is to start changing the system, which is the highest level of tzedakah, to help someone take care of themselves, which means becoming active in local politics, doing advocacy work and educating myself and my community on an issue.”

“Utilizing our ability to make connections and to talk to people is how we can reach the next level as Jews making an impact on this crisis in Arizona so we can have long-lasting change rather than just one day in which we make sure people are fed,” Lewkowitz said.

Stein Kokin, who has been in Phoenix only a few years, said she is still teaching herself the political system. Lewkowitz, on the other hand, started her career working at the Arizona legislature and was one of a handful of people who developed the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Arizona’s Medicaid system, which is where her first big insight on homelessness came from: Housing is also health care.

“We’ve benefited from Barbara’s work on the ground,” Stein Kokin said, making the attention-averse Lewkowitz blush. She loves organizing and implementing ideas, and she takes an active role in much of the social justice work the Jewish community does, both inside and outside of Beth El — she just doesn’t like talking about herself.

“Other people like to get awards and recognition but I just like to do my thing and get stuff done,” Lewkowitz said.

Not only does she do what she can to make Phoenix a better and more just city, she likes that she was able to involve her sons in the work just as her parents did for her, and is grateful for the support of her husband, Geoffrey Gonsher. Seeing her grandparents’ dedication in establishing a Jewish community in Arizona also helped form the person she is now, which is not exactly what she imagined while studying biology in college.

“Initially, I thought I might go to medical school, but now I’m really glad with the career I had and the opportunities to help people,” she said. JN

For more informaiton on Beth El Congregation’s Social Action Committee, visit bethelphoenix.com/ social-action.

Barbara Lewkowitz attends the opening of Ruth Place, a trauma recovery center for survivors of sexual assault and exploitation. COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS

“IT’S NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL WORK. IT’S NOT LIKE YOU CAN SAY, ‘WELL, I SOLVED THE HOMELESS CRISIS,’ BECAUSE THERE’S NOT A ONE-STOP SOLUTION TO IT.”

The Blue Card, for emergency financial assistance, and the Henry Schein Oral Health Program for free dental services.”

When JFCS first launched its Holocaust Survivor Services program (HSS), the biggest hurdle was learning how to submit claims on behalf of survivors, said Rood. Compared to other communities, Arizona had no formal connection to any of the related organizations, so there were no relationships with staff and very little guidance on their application processes.

meaning their income is less than $24,980 annually.” Many survivors came to this country after World War II and worked in menial jobs. Tiny pensions from those jobs, social security and Medicaid simply cannot keep up with the financial needs of this aging population.

Survivors also have higher rates of chronic conditions and illnesses, according to a study by the American Medical Association. They are more likely to have hypertension, kidney disease, cancer and dementia, compared to peers in the same age group who did not live through the Holocaust.

Another organization created to assist survivors with medical emergencies, or even day-to-day needs, is KAVOD. KAVOD partners with JFCS and other organizations across the United States to provide aid by paying a provider directly or by purchasing a gift card from a grocery store or pharmacy to prevent any cash outlay by the survivor.

Sometimes Rood also needs to call in help from the community, as was the case when a revision was made to the “German Pensions for Work in Ghettos Law” (often shortened to ZRBG). ZRBG is a German Holocaust reparation law available to survivors who were employed during their internment in Nazi ghettos annexed to the Third Reich. The law was first created in 1997, expanded in 2002 and then revised in 2013. Although not a Claims Conference program, the organization campaigned for its improved implementation so that all eligible survivors would be recognized.

Now in its 23rd year, the JFCS HSS program has built a strong relationship with the Claims Conference and has additional support from Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona in Tucson, the organization that provides guidance for the management of home care services.

The Blue Card receives funding and donations to provide direct and indirect financial assistance for rent, food, medical and dental expenses, hearing aids and small home improvements to help survivors stay safe and independent in their homes.

“When we identify a need, we refer survivors eligible for Blue Card services to Kathy at JFCS,” said Bronkesh.

According to their website, “of the nearly 3,000 Holocaust survivor households The Blue Card serves, nearly 70% live alone and struggle to afford basic needs, such as adequate food and healthcare and more than half of them fall 200% below the federal poverty line,

“JFCS staff joined together with local law firms as part of a national effort to assist Holocaust survivors in applying for this reparation,” said Rood. About 40 survivors in the Greater Phoenix area received case management from JFCS and pro-bono legal assistance when completing their applications. “When challenges have risen, the community rallied together.”

As the needs of the aging survivor community have increased over the years, so has the group of survivors the team serves.

“It is an honor to work with and provide support to our local Holocaust survivor community,” said Rood. “JFCS’ support of the community now extends far beyond Maricopa County. The HSS team works with 40 to 50 Holocaust survivors throughout Arizona each year.” JN

For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/ our-services/jewish-community-services/ holocaust-survivor-services/.

“JFCS COUNSELORS AND CASEWORKERS PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT AND ADVOCACY FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS IN THE GREATER PHOENIX AREA.”

KATHY ROOD

LEGAL AFFAIRS

Bankruptcy 101

MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people who can no longer pay their debts to creditors can get a fresh start by either liquidating assets to pay down the debt or creating a repayment plan.

Jewish News reached out to the following local bankruptcy attorneys with questions about the process: Adam Nach of Lane & Nach P.C.; Diane L. Drain of the Law Office of D.L. Drain, P.A.; Carolyn Tatkin of Radix Law; and Alan Meda of Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A.

What is the difference between bankruptcy options?

There are several types of bankruptcies, usually referred to by their chapter in the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Nach briefly defined the types of bankruptcy options:

• Chapter 7: A liquidation of all nonexempt assets. Generally, any person or entity can file.

• Chapter 9: A reorganization for municipalities and only municipalities can file.

• Chapter 11: A reorganization for individuals or companies. Generally, any person or entity can file.

• Chapter 11 Sub V: A reorganization for individuals or companies that qualify as a small business. Generally, only a person or entity with a small business and less than $7,500,000 in debt can file.

• Chapter 12: A reorganization for farmers. Generally, only a person or entity with debt less than about $11,000,000 can file.

• Chapter 13: A reorganization for individuals. Generally, only individuals with debt less than $2,750,000.

• Chapter 15: A reorganization for foreign companies outside the United States that qualify under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

“Choosing which chapter suits a particular individual or business is sometimes a complicated decision and must be carefully weighed,” said Tatkin. “There is usually a relatively clear choice.” Chapter 7 bankruptcy is the most common type of bankruptcy and is sometimes referred to as “liquidation bankruptcy.” It is also the most basic and usually quickest way to discharge debts. Sometimes a reorganization type of bankruptcy under Chapter 13 or Chapter 11 makes more sense and puts less nonexempt property at risk.

What are the main causes for bankruptcy?

Nach said the leading causes for individuals to file bankruptcy are medical debt, job loss, divorce or tax claims.

Drain said there is another fairly new item to add to the list of reasons for bankruptcy — fraud.

“Scams have been around for thousands of years, but the sophistication of scams grows with the use of technology,” she said. “Even though the debt was a scam, the consequences, such as large withdrawals on credit cards, will not be forgiven. The innocent individual still owes the debt and must find a way to pay it.”

Bankruptcy should remain something people should want to avoid but it is not always something they should avoid, said Tatkin.

“When things start to take a turn for the worse, most people wait longer than they should to consider bankruptcy options,” she said. She also noted money saved in qualified retirement plans, like 401K accounts and IRAs, is protected in bankruptcy. Most people can keep their homes and their equity. Some (but not all) inheritances are also protected. But some people will go through their entire nest egg or sell their homes to avoid the perceived shame or stigma of bankruptcy, leaving them financially vulnerable and emotionally spent.

“It is intended to help honest, but unfortunate, people who need a fresh start,” she said. “Considering bankruptcy is often the most responsible thing a person can do.”

Bankruptcy also gives rise to an automatic stay that precludes creditors from pursuing litigation or enforcing judgments and liens upon assets. Until a bankruptcy court orders differently, no mortgage company, bill collector or creditor may interfere with the debtor or any of the debtor’s assets. “There is the peace of mind knowing that creditors will no longer be calling you in the middle of the night,” said Meda.

What are the alternatives to bankruptcy?

Sometimes debt settlement is the best alternative to bankruptcy for individuals who have too much to lose or who are ineligible to file a bankruptcy case (sometimes caused by a prior bankruptcy filing).

“Many creditors will accept considerably less than the full amount that is owed on a debt,” said Tatkin. These negotiations are unique based on each specific creditor and each circumstance. She added that tax consequences are important to examine, as forgiven debt is considered ordinary income and must be reported to the IRS.

For decades “debt relief or management companies” have offered to help people settle their debts. “The majority of these debt management companies are scams,” warned Drain.

She said that many charge very high fees (which are required upfront or paid monthly), pay a few creditors and usually don’t pay what they agreed to but instead close and start a new management company under a different name.

Bankruptcy is always a last resort. Individuals and businesses should evaluate whether payment plans can be negotiated with a particular creditor before considering bankruptcy as an option, added Meda.

What are some of the long-term ramifications after claiming bankruptcy?

Bankruptcy remains on a credit report for 7-10 years, affecting the individual’s ability to open credit card accounts and get approved for loans with favorable rates.

“Most people are concerned about their credit, and there can be a stigma for many years, but eventually, credit can be repaired,” said Meda.

Bankruptcy may impact the individual’s ability to gain access to loans in the future and may impact their credit rating, added Nach.

“By the time most people consider bankruptcy, their financial obligations are already in default and their credit has already been negatively affected,” said Tatkin. “Once the overwhelming debt is discharged in bankruptcy, people are generally relieved to see that their credit scores can recover quickly.”

How has the pandemic impacted bankruptcy filings in your practice?

Initially, it was expected that the pandemic would cause an increase in bankruptcies. However, the attorneys all noted that this was not the case.

Drain said that before the pandemic, the number of clients she saw followed a seasonal path. The pandemic changed that norm. “People were able to get money from the government for various reasons,” she said. “Mortgage, credit cards and student loans went into forbearance and people started questioning their choices about employment, housing, relationships, etc. Therefore, the bankruptcy filings became completely unpredictable.”

Tatkin added that creditors were willing to work with people like never before. “The tidal wave of filings many expected has not come to pass,” she said. But she noted that consumer bankruptcy filings have recently begun to increase due to higher interest rates and the cessation of COVID-era programs.

Nach echoed that sentiment, “Company bankruptcies have increased recently due to the slowdown in the economy and increase in interest rates. It is also expected that individual cases will rise.”

Meda noted that Chapter 11 Subchapter V was created at the onset of the COVID19 pandemic to make it easier for small businesses to reorganize in bankruptcy.

“As we work our way away from the pandemic, many businesses have utilized Chapter 11 Subchapter V as an effective and efficient tool to restructure debts under the protection of the Bankruptcy Code,” he said.

“I am just glad that our forefathers were insightful enough to include bankruptcy in our Constitution,” said Drain. “Everyone should have an opportunity for a fresh start when bad things happen.” JN

fact or circumstance.

From left, Alan Meda, Diane L. Drain, Carolyn Tatkin and Adam Nach. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALAN MEDA, DIANE L. DRAIN, CAROLYN TATKIN AND ADAM NACH

Observing Jewish law as a practicing attorney

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

Jeremy Rovinsky has always held firm when it comes to spending Purim with his family rather than at work. Although it’s a holiday that doesn’t prohibit observant Jews from driving, using technology or other work-related things, Rovinsky views it as an important day to set aside exclusively for his wife and kids. It’s simply one of his “red lines.”

Rovinsky told the Jewish Law Students Association at Arizona State University all about the importance of drawing similar red lines when they embark on their own law careers, which can otherwise easily become all consuming.

Rovinsky was one of three local Jewish attorneys to address the students on practical tips in navigating potential observance issues, such as taking time off for Jewish holidays, keeping kosher in the office, looking visibly Jewish at an interview, etc., that they may encounter at some point in their career. ASU law student Madeline Salvatierra organized the April 4 panel.

Jordan Kroop, a bankruptcy attorney at Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones in Phoenix, told the students he hadn’t had any problems in his firm because he has always been upfront about not being available on Jewish holidays and advised the students not to apologize for doing the same.

Kroop said it wasn’t always so easy to show his Jewish identity when he was in law school because at that time, there was a need to conform to preconceived notions of who lawyers were — namely white, male and probably Protestant. He even experienced antisemitism in a way he suspected was unlikely for the aspiring lawyers before him, given that the legal profession is notably more open minded and sensitive to cultural differences than it once was.

He added another small wrinkle when he told the audience about becoming

observant later in life, after already building his career. He was a bit nervous the first time he came to the office wearing a kippah but found that nobody batted an eye. After that, Kroop realized he simply had to let people know who he was and what his boundaries were and they were respected.

Rovinsky, a prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, grew up Reform but was already observant and wearing a kippah by the time he went to law school. He brought his family to Arizona in 2013, when he had the opportunity to take a judicial clerkship.

He spent most of the last decade in academia, where the school schedule

makes being observant a bit easier. For the last six years, he also served as a judge pro tem (substitute) while teaching.

“I was in many different courts during that time and it really enhanced my teaching to bring in real-world experiences. It was also a lot of fun. I wanted it to fire up my classes but it actually fired me up and that’s why I made the move to become a prosecutor,” he said.

Though he was getting asked to sub for judges more often, he always turned down offers that fell on holidays. Purim usually brought multiple requests but he always said no.

“That’s a standard I set for myself to spend time with my family. I gave up the opportunity to handle some cool cases and make more money because of it but that was fine,” he said.

In the past, he was able to curtail most of his work on Chol HaMoed, the intermediate days of Passover and Sukkot, but that changed when he became

HELEN (CHANA) GOLDSTEIN

a prosecutor and his workload grew exponentially.

“This year, I had to work on those days just to keep my head above water,” he said.

The one advantage is that everyone in his office knows that Rovinsky is a team player who is flexible when he can be. That helps when it comes time for him to take days off for religious reasons because his colleagues appreciate his hard work and want to be understanding in turn.

Additionally, he has shown up every day wearing his kippah and people know he’s a committed Jew. However, because his faith is so identifiable, he’s extra sensitive and respectful when dealing with colleagues, judges and defendants “because I know when people look at me, they assume I’m representing the entire Jewish people,” he said.

Students were also curious about how to deal with keeping kosher when so many work meetings involve lunches

Pictured from left: Madeline Salvatierra, Helen Goldstein, Lori Brown, Jordan Kroop and Jeremy Rovinsky

COURTESY OF JEREMY ROVINSKY

PRACTICE OF

FAR, FAR OUTWEIGHS THE CHALLENGES THAT IT POSES AS A PRACTICAL BASIS.”

 Bribery

 Counterfeiting

 Embezzlement

 Computer / Intellectual Property Crimes

 Securities Fraud

 Money Laundering

 RICO

 Environmental Crimes

 Antitrust (Civil and Criminal)

and dinners.

Helen (Chana) Goldstein, a corporate lawyer focusing on mergers and acquisitions, said it’s her biggest challenge.

“The hardest thing is food, hands down. American business runs on food and golf,” she said. Originally from London, Goldstein has lived in Arizona for eight years and during that time, she’s attended many client and office lunches and dinners at restaurants, where she must be satisfied with a glass of water.

She once went for lunch with a group that included a judge. To avoid hunger, she took a small salad of lettuce, tomatoes and carrots in a box she kept discreetly on her lap. Every so often, she took a small bite. On the way out of the restaurant, the maître d’ pulled her aside to chide her, saying it’s unacceptable and not to do it again.

She tries to steer client meetings to coffee instead, where she can do the same amount of work in 45 minutes over a cup of coffee as she can over a twohour dinner. She also suggests activitycentric things colleagues can do together instead of food-centric things. However,

restaurants can’t always be avoided, so she fills up beforehand or goes hungry and powers through, she said.

“The value that my Torah observance brings to my practice of law, far, far outweighs the challenges that it poses as a practical basis,” she told the students.

Whatever skills she has as an attorney are powered by her Judaism. “It’s my battery pack,” she said.

Rovinsky’s prosecutorial workload, combined with the classes he still teaches on the side, have affected his work-life balance.

“I try to learn a certain amount of Talmud every day and it’s more difficult now. We’re understaffed and this is important work,” Rovinsky said. This work trap is something many young lawyers will surely fall into, and he advised students to draw their own red lines.

“It’s easy for a young lawyer to get wrapped up in an identity of ‘what you do’ becoming ‘who you are.’ To avoid burnout, it is important to separate those two things. Maintaining interests outside of the law is important, whether that’s religious commitment, a family or something else. The law makes it difficult to be a normal person and live a balanced lifestyle, so draw those red lines early,” he said. JN

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Playing for fun and funds

Alpha Epsilon Pi, a Jewish fraternity at Arizona State University, hosted a March dodgeball tournament to raise funds for Gesher

Resources.

Holiday hike

Temple Solel congregants gather before a Passover hike with Raker Religious School, reliving the exodus story.

Posing at Passover

Families enjoyed a Passover seder at the Early Learning Center at the East Valley Jewish Community Center. PHOTO COURTESY OF PAM MORRIS

Singing our hearts out

Three Pardes Jewish Day School students perform in “Squirm,” the school’s spring musical theater performance for kindergarten through fourth-grade students that took place before Passover.

OF GABBY ASTROSKY

Keeping the memory alive

Phoenix Holocaust Association (PHA) President Sheryl Bronkesh (left) is pictured presenting Arizona Rep. Alma Hernandez (right) with a Shofar Zakhor Award, recognizing her service in educating the community about the Holocaust. PHA’s community-wide Yom HaShoah Commemoration 2023 took place at Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale on April 16.

OF DANIEL FISCHPAN

This COMMUNITY page features photos of community members around the Valley and the world. Submit photos and details each week to editor@jewishaz.com by 10 a.m. Monday.

Hosting Shabbat

This month, Daniel Fischpan hosted Shabbat for 14 people at his home with the help of OneTable and Congregation Kehillah Young Adults. As a mortgage broker, he found himself fielding many questions about buying a home for the first time.

Featured Event

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10

Floranthropy 2023

6-7:30 p.m. Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Join the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix’s Women IN Philanthropy and Dani Christakos of the Flower Garage for a flower-arranging class. Everyone will take home a floral arrangement and make additional arrangements to be delviered to the Sojourner Center, for survivors of domestic abuse, in time for Mother’s Day. Cost: $100 per person. For more information, visit phoenixcjp.regfox.com/floranthropy-2023.

Events

SATURDAY, MAY 6

Kids Night Out: 6-10 p.m. Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Kids ages 5-13 can enjoy an ice cream social with fun activities. Cost: $40 for members of the VOSJCC, $55 non-members. For more information, visit vosjcc.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 7

Yom Ha’atzmaut Celebration: 10-11:30 a.m. East Valley Jewish Community Center, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Families are invited to join the Early Learning Center at the East Valley JCC to celebrate Israel’s 75th birthday with a water slide, sensory play and treats. Cost: Free, registration required. For more information, visit evjcc.org/ israel-birthday/.

Israeli Music Lecture on Collaborations/ Duets: 12-2 p.m. Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley, 3400 N. Dobson Road, Chandler. Join Jason Hecht for a discussion on various Israeli and American music artist’s collaborations and enjoy some music. Cost: Free. For more information, visit tbsev.org/ calendar/.

“Matilda, Jr.”: 2 & 6 p.m. Pardes Jewish Day School, 12753 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Join Pardes for its spring musical performed by students in grades 2-8. Cost: $12 per person. For more information, visit pardesschool.org/spring_musical_tickets/.

Israeli Film Series: All day. Online. Join the East Valley Jewish Community Center for the film, “Rashbi’s Secret.” Cost: Free. For more information, visit evjcc.org/film/.

TUESDAY, MAY 9

Lag B’Omer Celebration: 5 p.m. McCormickStillman Railroad Park, 7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale. Join Chabad of Scottsdale for live entertainment, music, activities and a BBQ. Cost: Free; food available for purchase. For more information, visit chabadofscottsdale.org/park.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10

CBT’s May Jewish Book Group: 6-9 p.m. Congregation Beth Tefillah, 6529 E. Shea Blvd,. Scottsdale. Join CBT for a discussion about the book, “Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn.” Cost: Free. For more information, visit bethtefillahaz.org.

THURSDAY, MAY 11

Everything You Wanted To Know About Judaism But Did Not Know Who To Ask: 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Advent Episcopal Church, 13150 W. Spanish Garden Dr., Sun City West. Join Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan of Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley for this interfaith discussion. Cost: Free; reservation required by May 9. For more information, call 623-9773240 or 623-584-0350.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 12-14

Documentary Film Series: All day.

Online. Join the Arizona Jewish Historical Society for a free online streaming of the documentary, “Menachem Begin: Peace and War.” For more information, visit azjhs.org/ documentary-film-series.

TUESDAY, MAY 16

Happy Hour: 6-7:30 p.m. Buck & Rider North Scottsdale, 7015 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix.

Join the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix’s Business & Professional network along with Arizona Jewish Lawyers Association for an opportunity to network and meet other lawyers. Cost: Free; registration required. For more information, email Jennifer Starrett at jstarrett@phoenixcjp.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 21

AZJHS Annual Meeting Honoring Dr. Robert Kravetz: 11 a.m. Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center, 122 E. Culver St., Phoenix. The Arizona Jewish Historical Society will honor Dr. Robert Kravetz, retired gastroenterologist and medical historian, at its 2023 Annual Meeting. The event will also feature keynote speaker, genealogist Emily Garber, who will present “Sharing Our Stories: The Wellspring of Jewish Resilience.” Cost: $40 for AZJHS members, $50 for non-members. A kosher dairy brunch will be served. For more information, visit azjhs.org.

MONDAY, MAY 22

“Shabbat: A Day to Create Yourself:” 9 a.m. Pardes Jewish Day School, 12753 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Join Pardes and Project Inspire Arizona for a live-streamed presentation featuring South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein as he discusses his new book, “Shabbat: A Day to Create Yourself.” Cost: Free: all attendees will receive a gift book, but registration is required. For more information, visit projectinspireaz.com/ rabbi-goldstein.

SUNDAYS

B.A.G.E.L.S: 9-11 a.m; last Sunday of the month. Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Grab a bagel and a cup of coffee at Bagels And Gabbing Every Last Sunday and enjoy some time with your friends and make new ones. You must register to attend. Bagels and coffee will be provided. Cost: Free for members, $5 for guests. For more information and to register, visit vosjcc.org.

WEDNESDAYS

Mahjong: 1-3:30 p.m. East Valley Jewish Community Center, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. For all skill levels. Free; registration required at evjcc.org/mahjong.

THURSDAYS

Storytime at Modern Milk: 9:30 a.m. Modern Milk, 13802 N. Scottsdale Road, #163, Scottsdale. Storytime for babies,

toddlers and preschoolers. Integrates children’s books and songs while giving parents new ideas for play. Cost: $5. For more information and to register, visit modernmilk.com/after-baby.

Meetings, Lectures & Classes

SUNDAYS

Chassidus Class: 9 a.m. Online. Learn about the Chasidic movement with Rabbi Yossi Friedman. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Jewish War Veterans Post 210: 10 a.m. Online. Any active duty service member or veteran is welcome to join monthly meetings, every third Sunday. Cost: Free. For more information, email Michael Chambers at c365michael@ yahoo.com.

Sundays are for the Family Weekly Feed: 3-5 p.m. Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe. Join Arizona Jews for Justice and AZ HUGS for the Houseless every Sunday to serve food to those in need. For more information and to RSVP, email Arizonajews4justice@gmail.com.

Anxiety in the Modern World: 6 p.m. Online. Learn the secrets of the Torah for living stressfree in the current environment with Rabbi Boruch of Chabad of Oro Valley. Cost: Free. Tune in using this link: zoom.us/j/736434666. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

MONDAYS

Ethics of Our Fathers: 7 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Zalman Levertov. Tune in at: bit. ly/2Y0wdgv. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Quotable Quotes by our Sages: 7 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Shlomy Levertov. Tune in at: JewishParadiseValley.com/class. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Partners in Torah: 7:30 p.m. Online. Join a growing group of inspired learners with Project Inspire. Cost: Free. Tune in at: us04web.zoom. us/j/3940479736#success, password is 613. For more information, email Robin Meyerson at robin@projectinspireaz.com.

Learning to Trust in God: 7:30 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Yossi Friedman. Tune in at: ChabadAZ.com/LiveClass. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Torah & Tea: 7:30 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Yossie Shemtov. Cost: Free. For more information, visit Facebook.com/ ChabadTucson.

TUESDAYS

Tuesdays at the J: 10-11:30 a.m. East Valley Jewish Community Center, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Join individuals and couples age 55 plus for presentations on a variety of topics. Cost: Free; registration

required. For more information, visit evjcc. org/tuesdays.

Let’s Knit: 1:30 p.m. Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Share the pleasure of knitting, crocheting, etc. outside the social hall in the campus. Can’t knit? We can teach you! Every level welcome. Cost: Free. For more information, visit vosjcc.org.

Maintaining an Upbeat Attitude: 7 p.m. Online. A class exclusively for people in their 20s and 30s, learn how Jewish Mysticism can help with your attitude with Rabbi Shlomy Levertov. Cost: Free. Tune in at: JewishParadiseValley.com/YJPclass. For more information, visit chabadaz.com

WEDNESDAYS

History of the Jews: 11 a.m. Online. Learn the Jewish journey from Genesis to Moshiach with Rabbi Ephraim Zimmerman. Cost: Free. Tune in here: zoom.us/j/736434666. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Torah Study with Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Online. Weekly study group explores that week’s portion and studies different perspectives and debates the merits of various arguments. Intended for adults, Torah study is open to students of all levels. For more information, contact the TBS office at 623-977-3240.

Happiness Hour: 11:30 a.m. Online. Class taught by Rabbi Pinchas Allouche that delves into texts and references culled from our traditions to address a relevant topic. For more information or to join, visit cbtvirtualworld.com.

Torah Study with Chabad: 12 p.m. Online. Take a weekly journey of Torah with Rabbi Yossi Levertov. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Lunch & Learn: 12:15 p.m. Online. Grab some food and learn with Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin. Cost: Free. Get Zoom link by emailing info@ chabadtucson.com. For more information, visit chabadtucson.com.

The Thirteen Petalled Rose: 1 p.m. Online. Kabbalah class that studies “The Thirteen Petalled Rose” by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, focusing on the many concepts of Kaballah and Jewish Mysticism and applying them to everyday life. For more information or to join, visit cbtvirtualworld.com.

Finding Strength After the Loss of an Adult Child: 5-6:15 p.m. Online. Join psychotherapist Susan Charney for a grief support group for those who have lost an adult child. The group meets on Zoom the first and third Wednesday of the month. For more information, visit templesolel.org.

CALENDAR

JACS: 7:30-8:30 p.m. Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. In person and via Zoom support group for Jewish alcoholics, addicts and their friends and family on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Cost: Free. For more information, email jacsarizona@gmail. com or call 602-692-1004.

THURSDAYS

Ladies Torah & Tea: 10:30 a.m. Online. Learn about the women of the Torah with Mrs. Leah Levertov. Cost: Free. Tune in at: ourjewishcenter.com/virtual. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Talmud - Maakos: 11 a.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Shlomy Levertov. Cost: Free. Tune in at: JewishParadiseValley.com/YJPclass. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Mindfulness Gatherings: 12 p.m. Online. Hosted by Hospice of the Valley via Zoom. Cost: Free. To join by phone, dial 1-253-2158782, meeting ID 486 920 2119#, to get the Zoom link or for further questions contact Gill Hamilton at ghamilton@hov.org or 602-748-3692.

The Science of Everything: 4 p.m. Online. Explore the most fundamental work of Chassidut: the Tanya, with Rabbi Boruch. Cost: Free. Tune in at: zoom.us/j/736434666. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Teen Discussions: 7-8:30 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Tzvi Rimler. Cost: Free. Tune in at cteen.clickmeeting.com/east-valley. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

MILESTONES

WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT

SATURDAYS

Saturday Mindfulness Gatherings: 9:30 a.m. Online. Hosted by Hospice of the Valley. To join by phone, dial 1-253-215-8782, meeting ID 486 920 2119#. To get the Zoom link or for more information, contact Gill Hamilton at ghamilton@hov.org or 602-748-3692.

Middle Eastern Percussion - Beginner Level: 12:45-1:45 p.m. One World Dance and Music Studio, 3312 N. Third St., Phoenix. Learn the fundamentals of Middle Eastern rhythms on tabla/doubek (drum), riq (tambourine) and zills (finger cymbals). Cost: $20 per class. For more information, visit oneworlddanceandmusic.com.

Book Discussion: 1:30-2:30 p.m. Online. Join Or Adam Congregation for Humanistic Judaism on the third Saturday of every month for a book discussion. For more information and to register, contact oradaminfo@gmail.com.

Seniors

MONDAYS

Fitness Xpress Series with Zoe: 11-11:30 a.m. Online. Presented by JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment. Workout features weight and band exercises as well as yoga poses. Exercises will be demonstrated standing, but can also be done sitting in a chair. Cost: Free. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/cse.

Sip & Schmooze: 11 a.m. milk + honey, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Sip on kosher coffee or tea, enjoy a pastry and schmooze every second Monday of the month. RSVP

LYNDSI RAE SHERMAN AND NATHAN OKH

Lyndsi Rae Sherman and Nathan Okh were married at Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage, California on Jan. 21, 2023.

The bride’s parents are Randi and Alan Jablin of Scottsdale and Lisa and Dave Sherman of Phoenix. The groom’s parents are Stella and Roman Okh of Fremont, California.

The couple met through JDate and honeymooned in Costa Rica, Tulum, Mexico and went on a Caribbean cruise. They live in Vista, California.

appreciated to chani@sosaz.org or 602-4927670. For more information, visit sosaz.org.

Featured Presentation: 12:30 p.m. Online. Join Smile on Seniors Mondays and Wednesdays to learn from a variety of presenters about topical issues, like Q&As with medical professionals, entertainers and lectures. Cost: Free. For more information, visit sosaz.org/virtual or email Rabbi Levi Levertov at levi@sosaz.org.

TUESDAYS

Movie Discussion Group: 11 a.m. Online. Join Smile on Seniors on the third Tuesday of every month hosted by Issy Lifshitz. Cost: Free. For full details and the movie of the month visit sosaz.org/virtual or email Rabbi Levi Levertov at levi@sosaz.org.

WEDNESDAYS

Fitness Fun with Zoe: 10-10:45 a.m. Online. Presented by JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment. Workout features light chair exercises with optional weights. Cost: Free. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/cse.

Chair Yoga with Zoe: 11-11:45 a.m. Online. Presented by JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment. 45-minute chair yoga class. No prior yoga experience required. Cost: Free. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/ cse.

THURSDAYS

Memory Cafe: 10-11 a.m. first Thursday; 1-2 p.m. third Thursday. Online. Presented by Jewish Family & Children’s Service. Program for those with changes in their thinking or

IRA PARSONS

Ira Parsons became a bar mitzvah on April 22, 2023, at Or Adam Congregation for Humanistic Judaism. He is the son of Bill Parsons and Audrey Skidmore of Scottsdale.

Ira’s grandparents are Jane Parsons and Chuck and Patti Skidmore.

memory, mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder, along with their care partners. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/our-services/ older-adult-services/memory-cafe/.

In the Kitchen with Benita: 12:30 p.m. Join Smile on Seniors on the fourth Thursday of every month for some delicious cooking or baking fun! Cost: Free. For full details visit sosaz.org/virtual or email Rabbi Levi Levertov at levi@sosaz.org.

FRIDAYS

Welcome Shabbat: 11-11:30 a.m. Online. Celebrate Shabbat with the JFCS Virtual Center for Senior Enrichment. Each week a different guest host will lead the program with song and celebration. Cost: Free. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/cse.

Sit or Stand Ballet Class: 12-12:45 p.m. Online. Presented by JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment. Jennifer Cafarella Betts and Friends from Ballet Theatre of Phoenix teach this class. Grab a chair or you can stand next to a chair or counter. Cost: Free. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/cse.

Musical Friday: 12:30 p.m. Online. Join Smile on Seniors on the first Friday of every month for a musical presentation. Cost: Free. For full details visit sosaz.org/virtual or email Rabbi Levi Levertov at levi@sosaz.org. JN

BARBARA SCHWEITZER

Eliana Stella Thomas will become a bat mitzvah on May 13, 2023, at Temple Kol Ami. She is the daughter of Michelle and Jonathon Thomas of Cave Creek; and sister to one brother, Max. Eliana’s grandparents are Victor and Carole Weintraub of Scottsdale and Frank and Carol Thomas of Scottsdale.

For her mitzvah project, Eliana baked and sold items to raise funds for Dancers Against Cancer, which provides support to dancers and their families who are impacted by cancer. A student at Sonoran Trails Middle School, Eliana loves to dance and is on the competition team at Adaptive Force Performing Arts in Scottsdale.

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For his mitzvah project, Ira gave public presentations to raise awareness and funds for “Lola Ya Bonobo,” the world’s only bonobo sanctuary. He also researched 450 years of forgotten Jewish American history and publicly presented his findings in “Goywashing History: From Bunker Hill to Boot Hill, the Jewish Contributions that Hollywood, Pop Culture and Textbooks Forgot.”

A student at the Digital Learning Center at Sunrise Middle School, Ira enjoys playing keyboard string and brass; entering STEM competitions; writing magazine articles; and taking courses for pre-college age students at John Hopkins and Purdue Universities. JN

Barbara Schweitzer of Sun Lakes died on April 25, 2023. She defied the odds by reaching 84 as she survived a ruptured cerebral aneurysm 45 years ago. Barbara was born in Brooklyn, New York to Pearl and Samuel Waltzer. She and her husband, Edward, moved to Sun Lakes in 1998 and were members of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

A retired executive secretary who still used shorthand for notes, Barbara enjoyed playing cards (especially hand and foot) with friends at Oakwood, watching Shark Tank, CNBC, game shows, eating out and shopping at bargain stores. Barbara was preceded in death by Edward; her parents, Pearl and Sam Waltzer; and brother, Herbert Waltzer. She is survived by her daughter, Sheryl Quen (Richard); son, Jeffrey Susswein (Berenice); twin sister, Rosalie Kurland; grandchildren Samantha and Zachary Quen and Elijah Susswein; and many nieces and nephews. Services were held on April 30, 2023, officiated by Rabbi Emily Segal and arranged by Sinai Mortuary of Arizona.

A frequent user of the NY MTA, Barbara never drove. As such, donations in her name can be made to Neighbors Who Care, 10450 E. Riggs Road #113, Sun Lakes, AZ 85248 or Center for Jewish Philanthropy, Senior Rides Program, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 201, Scottsdale, AZ 85254.

BAR MITZVAH

ELIANA STELLA THOMAS

BAT MITZVAH

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