Jewish News, March 15, 2019

HELPING HANDS

NCJW members give their time to volunteer at domestic violence shelter Sojourner Center

Security director at Ina Levine JCC expands emergency response procedures

You can never be too careful. With that thought in mind, Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus Director of Security Jimmy Wasson is working with Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, other Jewish community organizations and local law enforcement to introduce a new community-wide initiative to adapt and respond to various emergencies.

“Having a vigilant mindset is what allows us to be effective in knowing what to prepare for,” Wasson said.

While security always has been paramount at the Ina Levine JCC, the response initiative was launched after the October shooting at the Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha synagogue in Pittsburgh that killed 11 people. Wasson began working with Federation to introduce the response initiative, tentatively called the Community Emergency Response Unit.

The unit is developing response plans for multiple hypothetical situations from active shooters to natural disasters.

“We’re making sure that if, God forbid, something like that happens we’ll have a comprehensive response to get the community healing as quickly as possible,” said Bob Silver, a former Federation board chairman.

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Scottsdale resident joins lawsuit against Airbnb over West Bank policy

In the wake of Airbnb’s policy to delist 200 Israeli-owned rental properties in the West Bank, Scottsdale resident Joel Taubman has joined a lawsuit against the company for what he describes as blatant anti-Israeli action.

“I joined the lawsuit to end Airbnb’s discriminatory policy that stops Jews from using the site for travel to Judea and Samaria,” Taubman said.

A crowd fills downtown Phoenix restaurant The Duce during a Purim 2018 celebration. The Duce will hold another adultsonly party this year. There will also be many family-friendly gatherings across the Valley, including a community Purim Carnival at the Valley of the Sun JCC. Read more on Page 7. PHOTO

NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER

NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER

Scottsdale resident Joel Taubman is suing Airbnb for delisting 200 Israeli homes in the West Bank.

AIRBNB

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Zell Aron & Co. is representing Taubman and four others in the lawsuit. The lawsuit was formally announced in January. The San Francisco-based law firm claims the vacation company’s policy toward Judea and Samaria, which was introduced in November 2018, violates the Federal Fair Housing Act and California law.

The suit was filed on behalf of Efrat residents Eve and Earl Harow. Due to Airbnb’s new policy, the Harows can’t rent out their property using the company, something they had been doing for a few years.

The law firm now is representing Jewish Americans who wished to take action against Airbnb. Taubman, a project manager for the real estate investment trust company Crown Castle, joined the suit just before it was publicly announced.

Founder of Zell Aron & Co., L. Marc Zell, said Airbnb’s policy is only affecting Jews and Israeli citizens. A recent search on Airbnb’s platform shows there are still listings in Arab and Palestinian towns in the region that are not owned by Jewish or Israeli citizens.

In a statement from Airbnb, the company said that it has been criticized by many in the global community for doing business in the region “because no one

should profit on lands where people have been displaced.”

The statement also introduces a framework to evaluate other listings in occupied territories. The framework states that Airbnb will treat each situation individually, consult with experts, assess any potential safety risks and evaluate whether its listings contribute to existing human suffering.

Taubman, who has used the platform to visit Israel in the past, said the policy is hypocritical. He has seen listings in other parts of the world such as Turkishcontrolled Northern Cyprus and wartorn Yemen. At press time, those listings remain posted.

“It is inconceivable that Airbnb would at the same time alter its long-standing policy against complying with the antiSemitic BDS movement by delisting Jewish/Israeli accommodations in Judea and Samaria, while continuing to permit Arab homeowners located literally across the road to participate in the Airbnb program,” Zell said.

Airbnb stated that it is not boycotting Israel and does not support the BDS movement or any boycott of any Israeli company. Its policy affects just the 200 listings in the West Bank and not the 20,000 throughout Israel, which include areas in Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.

Shortly after announcing the lawsuit,

Amnesty International released a 96-page report, “Destination: Occupation,” stating that Airbnb and similar countries were contributing to and profiting from “the maintenance, development and expansion of illegal settlements, which amount to war crimes under international criminal law.”

“I am disturbed to hear that Amnesty International is demanding Airbnb to prevent Jews from booking rooms in places like the Jewish Quarter of ancient Jerusalem,” Taubman said.

A travel advisory was issued by the U.S. State Department on Dec. 28 stating that terrorism, potentially violent civil unrest and possible armed conflict were among the main dangers.

Airbnb also is facing backlash from Florida and Texas for its delisting policy. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called for state sanctions against Airbnb in January. Texas officially boycotted Airbnb earlier this month, making it the first American company to be boycotted by the state over BDS concerns.

Taubman said he hopes that more people will see the danger of this policy.

“I hope the courts rule swiftly in our case to prevent Airbnb from extending their discrimination to the foot of the Western Wall, the holiest site in the world for the Jewish people and a place dear to my heart,” Taubman said. JN

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Wasson, a retired Scottsdale Police lieutenant, was hired as security director when the campus implemented new security procedures in 2017.

one aspect of a potential emergency. Silver said each task force offers a framework to help the Jewish community be five steps ahead of any dangerous situation.

An example Silver provided was how the response initiative is developing a comprehensive communication plan

after two consultants from the Secure Community Network (SCN) assessed the campus’ security situation.

SCN is a nonprofit organization created in 2004 by Jewish Federations of North America to disseminate Homeland Security initiatives and provide security consultation to a variety of Jewish organizations.

Currently, the campus has its own security team, uniformed Scottsdale police officers and a keycard to enter the building.

Police officers and firefighters often lead and participate in events. For example, two officers led a bicycle safety course for students of The Valley of the Sun JCC’s Early Childhood Center.

Silver said being a part of the police community is constantly strengthening the relationship between the two groups.

“The first thing we wanted to do was secure our facilities and now this response unit feels like a natural progression,” Silver said.

Every month, Wasson runs hypothetical situations, also called “tabletop scenarios,” to develop comprehensive plans that go beyond simply improving security. Each tabletop scenario also extends to how the community would shelter people, provide crisis counseling and even raise and distribute aid.

The response unit has developed several small task forces that are specific to assisting

that specifically makes sure the right information is being released to the community and clamps down on rumors.

These resources are not exclusive to the Jewish community. Wasson and Federation is working on how the scenarios could be implemented in other communities across the Valley that may experience any kind of disaster.

“We want to be a good neighbor in the community, so it’s playing out all these tabletops to find out what we can do to assist whoever might need our help,” said Federation President and CEO Marty Haberer. “If something were to happen weather-wise, and say a church was hit particularly hard, what would our role be?”

The hope, of course, is that these resources will never be used. All three of the men were quick to say that at this time there haven’t been any security threats against the campus or any specific Jewish organization in the community. But if the unthinkable does occur, an emergency response will be available to deal with the crisis.

Wasson said he hopes everyone in the Jewish community will remain vigilant and communicate any potential threats no matter how small they may seem.

“The community is a force multiplier and we’re all responsible for each other’s safety,” Wasson said. “That vigilant mindset that we talk a lot about is what helps us be better at securing this building and this community.” JN

Scottsdale police officers teach bike safety to students at the Valley of the Sun JCC’s Early Childhood Center.

PHOTO BY NICK ENQUIST

Help Wanted

Sojourner Center finds a new champion in NCJW

JANET PEREZ | MANAGING EDITOR

Following a meeting in which domestic violence was the main topic of discussion, members of the Arizona section of the National Council of Jewish Women are mobilizing to volunteer for and be champions of the Sojourner Center.

Located in Phoenix, Sojourner Center has been providing support to women and their children who are victims of domestic violence for more than 40 years.

Each year, the Arizona NCJW holds a panel discussion to talk about issues relating to the wellbeing of women and families. This year’s panel discussion, “The Untold Stories of Domestic Violence,” featured Julie Peterson, senior director of programs at Sojourner Center.

“After hearing the shocking domestic violence statistics presented at the November meeting, NCJW members were inspired to donate items and volunteer at Sojourner Center,” said Deborah Jacobs, NCJW’s volunteer coordinator at Sojourner. “We help by volunteering at the facility and donating clothing, household items, toiletries, furniture and other items.”

On March 10, NCJW members will be volunteering their time at Sojourner’s Donation Center.

“The discussion not only … increased awareness and understanding of domestic violence, but it also sparked action with NCJW members,” said Carrie Borgen, executive director of Sojourner Center. “This weekend, a group of volunteers from NCJW will spend several hours working in the resource center, sorting donations in our warehouse and choosing items to display in our retail area.”

Sojourner’s resource center provides for all of the organization’s programs, such as crisis shelter, transitional housing, workforce development and community outreach.

“Many of those who come to our crisis shelter have fled from a highly lethal situation and arrive with only what they are wearing,” Borgen said. “We provide clothing, shoes and other necessities for them.”

In the retail area, anyone participating in Sojourner’s programs can earn vouchers to purchase items from the store.

“For those who have experienced domestic violence, it can be healing and

Carrie Borgen is executive director of Sojourner Center. PHOTO COURTESY OF SOJOURNER CENTER

HEADLINES

empowering to be able to make decisions and provide for their families as they rebuild their lives,” Borgen said. “By sorting and organizing, NCJW is helping us to be the best possible stewards of our donations.”

Sojourner’s work was not new to some members of NCJW. Jacobs said she and other NCJW members have volunteered there in the past and continue to do so.

“We hope this will be the first of many ‘Done in a Day’ volunteer opportunities we offer each year,” Jacobs said.

In 2017, Jewish Family & Children’s Service announced that Sojourner Center would now operate as an affiliate subsidiary organization of JFCS, maintaining its own 501(c)(3) status. This agreement was aimed at increasing Sojourner Center’s efficiency and effectiveness, and position JFCS as a leading domestic violence services provider in Arizona.

“Some of our members were aware of this alliance,” Jacobs said. “Sojourner Center is one of the nation’s largest and longest-running domestic violence shelters, so some of our members may

have been [more] aware of the program based on this fact.”

Borgen was less familiar with NCJW, but is now thrilled to have it as a new ally.

“I knew of NCJW, but did not fully understand all that they did as changemakers in our community,” Borgen said. “I am truly grateful that they have become champions for Sojourner Center and those who are most vulnerable.”

Helping Sojourner Center is a natural fit for NCJW, Jacobs said, as both groups’ mission statements align in key areas.

“Sojourner recognizes that domestic violence is not just a women’s crisis but a public health crisis that impacts the entire family,” Jacobs said. “Solutions to the domestic violence problem must involve not just sheltering but broadening the solution to advocacy, education, and community alliances.

“NCJW recognizes that issue awareness is key, action is crucial and advocacy is essential to making positive social change. We are inspired by Sojourner’s work to combat the horrific and ongoing domestic violence crisis.” JN

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Let’s Brunch!

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NCJW members, from left, Terri Jonas and Deborah Jacobs volunteering at Sojourner Center.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NCJW

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East Valley teens dazzle NYC

| SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

This year, I had the honor of shepherding 12 Arizona members of Chabad’s CTeen of the East Valley to New

e Maccabi School

Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy As To Students

e Maccabi School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

e Maccabi School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

2,600 participants from 23 countries, was electrifying and inspiring. Participants from around the world assumed Arizona is a huge state with a booming Jewish community because of the enthusiasm and excitement the East Valley group proudly displayed.

“I’m still in shock that it happened,” said Reut Ben-Ezer, who joined the trip for the first time. “I had so much fun connecting with new friends and learned so many new things.”

The weekend included a traditional Shabbat in the heart of Crown Heights; hands-on workshops and lectures about Judaism; and the annual Times Square takeover, featuring Jewish pop star Yaakov Shwekey.

High school freshman Talia Breyer proudly represented our chapter by emceeing the exciting Midtown event in front of thousands.

“It was such an amazing experience,” Breyer said.

The theme of the Shabbaton was “I-Matter,” reminding teens to see their inherent value. On Sunday, the convention packed the Brooklyn Armory to watch a dazzling show at the annual banquet. This time, the East Valley was

represented by Aaron Stein, who delivered an emotional speech about the challenges he faces in Arizona. Stein studies at a public high school with only a handful of

Jews. He struggles with keeping kosher, as well as dating only Jewish girls. He took home the International Leader of

“I’m going to be honest, this was the best weekend of my life,” Stein said.

Fifteen teen speakers shared personal stories of struggle and strength in the face of adversity.

Then Adam Neumann, CEO of WeWork, offered a message of his own.

“The secret of my life and success is keeping Shabbat,” Neumann said. “Disconnecting from the world for 25 hours and connecting to something greater than myself makes me who I am. ... If you come away with one thing today, I hope it’s that you disconnect to connect.”

Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, chairman of CTeen, also offered words of comfort: “You may feel like a minority, but remember: There is no such thing as a small Jew. I hope you take the energy you gained this weekend and carry it into every aspect of your lives back at home.”

With more then 500 chapters in 23 countries, CTeen creates a nurturing environment where giving to others encourages self-discovery. Open to all Jewish teens regardless of affiliation, the network’s mission is to empower tomorrow’s next generation of leaders through Jewish education. JN

RABBI TZVI RIMLER

Youth attending CTeen International Shabbaton mob Times Square. PHOTO PROVIDED BY CHABAD OF THE EAST VALLEY

Time to party with Purim celebrations across the Valley

NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER

Although Purim is on March 21, the days before and after the holiday will feature events for kids and adults across the Valley.

Beth El Congregation will kick off the holiday with a “Magical Purim” on Wednesday, March 20, inspired by the success of movies like “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” and “Mary Poppins Returns.”

“In general we have found that applying a theme to certain religious programming at Beth El has worked really well for us and serves as an attraction for members of our congregation, particularly kids and younger families to attend,” said Beth El Cantor Jonathan Angress.

Ahavas Torah: The Scottsdale Torah Center will host an undersea-themed party. Lindsay Cohen, who worked on the planning committee for the Purim

celebration, said they wanted their members to feel as if they had escaped a desert and wandered into an oasis.

Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez

“The best part about Purim as a family holiday is that it provides the perfect opportunity for all ages and stages to embrace the energetic and playful nature of the day while still focusing first and foremost on the four mitzvos that we must perform,” Cohen said.

Chabad of Phoenix will host its own “Purim Under the Sea” celebration on March 21.

After Purim, there will be more celebrations for families to partake in.

On Saturday, March 23, the Phoenix restaurant The Duce will host its Purim party at night. The restaurant’s owner, Steve Rosenstein,

said last year’s Purim party packed the house.

“Everybody really lets their hair down, it was a lot of fun,” he said.

Below is a list of some of the Purim events taking place next week:

Wednesday, March 20

‘A Magical Purim’: 4:15-7 p.m., Beth El Congregation, 1118 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix. Enjoy kids activities, themed characters, a magic show, family Megillah reading, and a pizza party. Adult Megillah reading to follow dinner by Brad’s Mobile Pizza Oven at 7 p.m. Cost is $15 for adults and $10 for kids. Register at bethelphoenix.com/ purim2019 or call 602-944-3359.

Everyone is dressed in a variety of costumes at Ahavas Torah 2018 Purim party.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY AHAVAS TORAH

Understanding Omar

Freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), the Somali-American politician who made history last fall by becoming one of just two Muslim women to ever be elected to Congress, bemoans that she’s misunderstood. Who can blame her?

For those who need a recap, Omar was called out during her congressional campaign for supporting the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. She subsequently pledged her opposition to the effort — but then reversed course and embraced BDS as a valid form of anti-Israel criticism. She found herself in hot water again last month, as she engaged in political discourse via Twitter — never a wise move — and claimed that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was taking aim against her criticism of the Jewish state because “it’s all about the Benjamins, baby.”

As with her BDS charade, when forced to apologize for her statement, Omar embraced the concept of shared dialogue and claimed that she abhors the kind of anti-Semitism her original tweet seemed to invoke. She claimed that she never meant to say that Jews and, by extension, the national state of the Jewish people, control politics through their money. The apology was heralded as an example of the good that comes from cross-community interactions.

Just days later, Omar struck again, when she was asked about the controversy. While we may never know what is truly in her heart, her remarks offer substantial proof that when it comes to anti-Semitism, Omar is indifferent at best, or a practitioner at worst.

“I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country,” she said, a clear swipe at AIPAC and Israel, one that harkens back to the tired — and frequently deadly — trope that Jews, and their dual loyalties, are inherently suspect.

The denunciations of her newest outrage came fast and from practically all corners of the political universe, except from certain elements of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) tried to corral her caucus into passing a resolution condemning anti-Semitism, it embarrassingly faltered. Prodded by Omar and several allies on the left, who used the affair to further gin up animus against AIPAC, what the House of Representatives ended up passing became a watered-down rebuke of hatred in all its forms, even as it included a remarkably strong condemnation of anti-Semitism.

But the homogenization of the condemnation and concomitant minimization of the direct critique of Omar herself left a lot to be desired in the eyes of many. As a result, the Democrat-led resolution was perceived as a mealy mouthed condemnation that satisfied no one. Anti-Semitism is a serious problem. We need to call it out, expose it and condemn its proponents no matter where they sit on the political spectrum. Our community has a voice. We cannot be afraid to use it to defend ourselves, our legitimacy and our timeless values. JN

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Belgium in blackface

In largely Roman Catholic countries, Carnaval bears a superficial resemblance to the upcoming Jewish festival of Purim. It is a raucous time of merrymaking and frivolity, where pieties are overturned and authority has its pants pulled down. The “celebration” comes immediately before the austere 40 days of Lent, traditionally marked by fasting, abstinence and penitence in the run-up to Easter.

But there are limits to acceptable frivolity. Adults need to understand that. And there is no justification for the flamboyantly anti-Semitic float in the recent Carnaval parade in the town of Aalst, Belgium. Rather, defenders of the float’s hateful portrayal demonstrate a familiar blindness to how easily parade organizers tapped into the poisonous anti-Semitism that Europe perfected in the 2,000 years leading up to the Holocaust.

The offending float was dominated by two giant puppets of hook-nosed haredi Orthodox Jews in shtreimels, sidelocks

and garish pink suits. They held out their hands, perhaps for money, while standing on gold coins and bags of money. One had a rat on its shoulder. The float has been denounced as vile and hateful, everywhere except in Aalst itself.

Pascal Soleme, a member of Vismooil’n, the group that created the float, tried to justify the obscenity: “I think the people who are offended are living in the past, of the Holocaust, but this was about the present,” he said. “There was never any intention to insult anyone. It was a celebration of humor.”

For those who are struggling to understand how the governor and attorney general of Virginia could have worn blackface, not in the 1950s or 1920s, but in the 1980s, a glimmer of an answer might be found in the contorted “logic” of how Vismooil’n came to the idea of their float. Rising costs made the group think that they might have to take a year off in 2020, a sabbatical or in Dutch “Sabbat

Year” as the name of their float, virulently anti-Semitic stereotypes of hook-nosed Jews grabbing for money apparently seemed only natural.

Writing in The Atlantic, Eliot A. Cohen recalled a similar float that rolled down the streets of Marburg, Germany, in 1936. “Anti-Semitism, or, to speak more plainly, Jew hatred, is the animus that never dies,” he wrote. “Like some malignant virus, it always lies dormant, ready to wake. Like other viruses, it may be, at various times, more or less virulent, more or less lethal. There probably will not be a massacre of Jews in Belgium in the next few years. What happened a few years after the float rolled down the streets of Marburg requires no elaboration.”

And lest you think that the Aalst parade limited its offensiveness to Jews, they also included white men in blackface and other idiots wearing whitehooded KKK-like costumes. Which just goes to show that old hatreds, even in jest, die

Correction

ORT schools still open in US

In the Feb. 22 issue of the Jewish News, the article “National director of ORT Russia to visit Valley” incorrectly stated that all three of ORT’s educational facilities in the United States were shut down. Only the ORT facility in Chicago has closed. ORT facilities remain open in Los Angeles and New York City. We regret the error.

GETTY IMAGES/TOMASSEREDA

In memory of the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

MARCIA BRONSTEIN

My grandmother Rose worked in a sweatshop when she arrived in the U.S. as a 15-year-old. She even had the needle marks on her nails to prove it.

It was there that the sewing machine sewed through her fingers many times. She was appreciative of the work, though, as it was that job that allowed her to stay in America and send money home to her family in Russia.

Rose, then known as Ruchel Rabinowitz, left Minsk with a caravan of others who were walking out of Russia through its frozen heartland, heading to brighter futures. She had a ticket for a crossing to America on the Cunard Line, purchased for her on Jan. 27, 1923, by her sister Anna in Brooklyn.

Rose made it to Riga, Latvia, on March 21, 1923, where $108 awaited her, money that her sister had sent through the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society of America (HIAS). According to the paperwork in family files, the payment would be made “when the payee presents himself” at the European HIAS office.

On April 12, 1923, Anna mailed a letter from Brooklyn to the American Consul in

Riga on my grandmother’s behalf.

“Dear Sir: Please read this plea from an anxious young woman and may you be inclined to act favorably in her behalf.

My sister, Ruchel Rabinowitz, whose present address is c/o HIAS Riga, has been waiting over three months away from her home and among strangers, for her visa and passport to the U.S. Soon her stay in Riga will become illegal and she will be penniless because of her forced detention. Doubtless, you are doing all within your power to aid people who are placed in such unfortunate positions, nevertheless, I shall pray every night until this letter reaches your own hands and that you will do something to soften the misery of one sister in Riga and the other here.

The necessary papers for obtaining the visa have been in your office for three months and your favorable action in this case will earn for you the undying gratitude of two sisters.

Please kind sir, help us.”

My grandmother did finally arrive at Ellis Island on July 4, 1923, on a ship that had set sail from England. She was reunited with her sister in New York

and they both held piecework jobs in a sweatshop, while attending night school, learning English, going to dances with young men and enjoying life in the new world — where they didn’t have to worry about Cossacks, pogroms or being recruited into the Russian Army. Rose sent money to her parents every month and believed in the American dream.

She was like so many of the young women who worked in sweatshops in the U.S. in the early 20th century. In March, the month of the anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, we think about those who died on March 25, 1911, in the garment factory located in the Asch Building in Washington Square in New York City.

Many of the workers, like my grandmother, had recently arrived from Europe and held piecework jobs in the factory. And they were trapped — they had no opportunity to escape from the flames as the building collapsed. The doors were locked by managers to prevent stealing and people from leaving the building. The single fire escape quickly collapsed from the fire and the firefighters’ ladders were

too short to reach the eighth, ninth and 10th floors. Many of the young female workers jumped into safety nets but were killed as the nets ripped upon contact.

The fire spread rapidly and, in the end, 146 workers — overwhelmingly young girls — were killed.

This catastrophe touched the entire New York City area and the nation. The grief in immigrant communities soon turned to anger as the causes of the fire were discovered. Abhorrent working conditions were exposed, and the public demand for changes was fervent, as the causes were preventable. Renewed energy was poured into the labor movement to improve women- and immigrant-rights in the workplace.

We remember those who lost their lives and their dreams in the flames. May their memories be for a blessing and may we find the fortitude still today to advocate for laws that protect workers, women and immigrants. JN

A former Knesset member’s primer on Israeli elections

RONEN HOFFMAN

Israel’s political system is actively preparing for the general elections expected to take place on April 9, 2019. The campaign for Parliament is underway, and the Israeli political system is starting to look like a boxing arena, with large parties viciously attacking one another, and small parties struggling for political survival.

The Israeli electoral system and its dynamics encourage new parties to enter politics every time there is an election. Israel is a parliamentary democracy headed by a prime minister. The Israeli parliament

(the Knesset) is made up of political parties representing the entire political spectrum. Currently, there are 11 parties in the Knesset; the right-wing Likud party is the largest among them with 30 Members of Knesset (MKs). Parliamentary democracies require the formation of coalitions after every round of elections, and since there are 120 members in the Knesset, a majority coalition of at least 61 MKs is needed to form a government. Israeli politics is therefore determined and driven by blocs of parties rather than being dominated by

a single large party.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the head of Likud, has been prime minister since 2009. He and Likud have won the last three elections and managed to form a stable political majority bloc of right-wing, religious and nationalist parties. To fend off attacks from the opposition and the media over corruption allegations, Netanyahu is leaning on demagogic populism to create a simplistic narrative that labels anyone who does not support him and his government as “weak,” “surrendering

to Palestinian terror,” and “dangerous to Israel’s security.” The prime minster has also accused the media and the Israeli police of participating in a “left-wing conspiracy to overthrow the government.” Netanyahu’s tactics have succeed in dramatically influencing public opinion. Until relatively recently, no political rivals seemed capable of challenging Prime Minister Netanyahu’s hold on power. Polls have also suggested that Netanyahu’s

Marcia Bronstein is a regional director of AJC. This article originally appeared in the Jewish Exponent, a Jewish News-affiliated publication.

Why give Mishloach manot on Purim?

PARSHAT VAYIKRA, LEVITICUS 1:1–5:26

Iwould like to share a letter written in 1951from Lubavitcher Rebbe, which I recently came across.

“Greetings and Blessing,

“You are surely aware that one of the explanations of this mitzvah is that by observing it we rectify a corresponding transgression committed by some of our people in the days of Achasverosh. As you are familiar from the Megillah, Achasverosh arranged a sumptuous banquet. The food and drinks served at this feast were not kosher. At the same time, degrading use was made of the holy vessels of the Beth Hamikdosh , which were in the custody of the Persian conquerors. Nevertheless, some Jews participated in the banquet and partook of the trefah, non-kosher food. Therefore, when we commemorate the downfall of Haman and the frustration of his murderous plans after the Jews had completely returned to G-d, we celebrate the festival also by a sending each other Shallach Monos of ready-to-eat food and drinks, thus demonstrating our loyalty to G - d in general, and to His laws of Kashruth, kosher in particular.”

There is a more profound explanation also.

Persia, in the days of Achasverosh, was the mightiest empire in the world. It also boasted of the most advanced civilization of those days. On the other hand, the Jewish people at that time were in despair. The Holy Land and the Beth Hamikdosh lay in ruins. The opinion was widely circulated that G‑d had abandoned His people. This was supported by miscalculations purporting to show that the period of 70 years’ exile prophesied by our prophets was at an end, yet the promised liberation had not come.

This, in fact, was one of the reasons why Achasverosh made that pompous feast and dared to profane the holy vessels.

Under the circumstances, when the head of the mightiest world empire and civilization arranged the royal feast, inviting to it representatives of all nations,

the Jews among them, many Jews could not resist the temptation. They were not deterred by the fact that this banquet was to mark the beginning of a new “era” of complete assimilation and were deluded by the friendly slogan of “no compulsion.” Thus they became a party to the profanation of the holy vessels.

Symbolically, the profanation of the holy vessels of the Beth Hamikdosh marked also the desecration of the Divine soul which forms the sanctuary of every Jew and Jewess. The purpose and mission of this Divine spark is to light up one’s immediate environment and one’s share in the world at large with the light of the highest Divine ideals. Far from fulfilling their soul’s mission upon this earth, those weak Jews lent aid and comfort to the forces of assimilation and darkness. By partaking from the “food” of Achasverosh they contaminated both their bodies and souls.

Purim, therefore, reminds us not to be carried away by the outer sparkle of foreign civilizations or cultures, and not to be misled into assimilation by the

notion that it appears to be in no conflict with our spiritual heritage.

We are a unique people, as stated in the Megillah: “There is one people (although) scattered and spread among the peoples of the world, (yet) their laws are different from those of other peoples.”

We have preserved our unity and uniqueness despite our being dispersed in the world, because we have preserved our laws.

It is by preserving our Torah and Mitzvoth that we Jews in general, and our youth in particular, can best contribute toward the enlightenment of the world at large and bring real happiness to ourselves, our people and humanity as a whole.

Wishing you all a very happy and joyous Purim. JN

coalition remains stable.

On Feb. 20, however, a dramatic new development took place, with the potential to cause Netanyahu’s defeat after more than 10 years in power. Two parties from the political center — both medium in size, one that has been active for seven years and one that was just established — decided to merge into a single large united party.

The more established of the two, Yesh Atid, headed by Yair Lapid, has deep political roots in Israel. Lapid is a charismatic and talented politician, who has succeeded in winning public support for the role of prime minister and solidifying his image as someone who can actually govern instead of Netanyahu. Lapid’s major handicap is that he is not a former general, which undermines the chances of any candidate to become prime minister given the security military narrative dominant in Israeli society.

The second party in the new merger is headed by Benny Gantz, the 20th Chief of General Staff of the IDF. Even before the merger, the polls showed that the public perceived Gantz to be as suitable for prime minister as Netanyahu. Gantz and Lapid also enlisted two other former Chiefs of Staff in the top list of the new party to appeal to Israeli voters who may be growing tired of Netanyahu, but still want a party with strong national security bonafides. This could transfer many votes from the moderate right to the center bloc, changing the political equilibrium for the first time since 2009. Lapid and Gantz have agreed on a rotation in their role as prime minister in the event their new Blue and White party wins the elections. Meanwhile, the political system is expected to continue experiencing turmoil. On Feb. 21, Netanyahu decided to form an alliance with extremist right wing party Otzma Yehudit, which is attempting to get into the Knesset;

this was part of his strategy to keep the power of the hard right bloc ahead of the election. A day later, America’s largest Israel advocacy organizations responded to this move by issuing an extraordinarily rare rebuke of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. “The views of Otzma Yehudit are reprehensible,” the AJC and AIPAC said in a joint statement. “They do not reflect the core values that are the very foundation of the State of Israel.”

On Feb. 28, Israel’s Attorney General announced that he decided to indict him on corruption charges. In response, Netanyahu argued that the attorney general has surrendered to a conspiracy to topple his government in an illegitimate coup attempt. Netanyahu’s conspiracy theories could have significant implications: If he succeeds in convincing the public that he is being illegitimately persecuted, he might gain more political support to help him win the elections and remain prime

minister even if he is indicted.

Alternately, if he is seen as disrespectful of the judicial system and willing to trample the foundations of government to survive politically, he may lose support of the moderate Israeli right. Provided that Gantz and Lapid can maintain their center right image until election day, they could gain appeal as an alternative to Netanyahu among Likud voters who supported Netanyahu in the past.

More dramatic events may occur between now and election day, but it is already clear that, for the first time since the beginning of the “Netanyahu era,” new political momentum poses a genuine challenge to him. JN

Rabbi Yossi Levertov is director of the Chabad Jewish Center in Scottsdale.

RABBI YOSSI LEVERTOV

Ronen Hoffman, a 2018-2019 Robert A. Fox Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Program on the Middle East, is a former member of the Knesset. He served as a member of Israel’s Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee as well as the chairman of the subcommittee on Foreign Affairs and Public Diplomacy.

PURIM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

‘Esther Poppins Purimspiel’: 7 p.m., Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Bring a box of mac & cheese to use as a Grogger and donate to tzedakkah “Just 3 Things.” RSVP: sabrams@templechai.com

Megillah Readings: 7:20 p.m., Ahavas Torah: The Scottsdale Torah Center, 13402 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Followed by a free “break-the-fast,” shpiels and fun; free babysitting from 7:20 to 9:30 p.m.; additional late night Megillah reading at 10:15 p.m. Information: 480-467-4593

Thursday, March 21

Purim class: 9 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Led by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Purim nosh. Free, but a reservation is required. Information: 480-897-0588 or webbc@ evjcc.org

Interactive Megillah reading with discussion: 10 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Led by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Cost is $14 and includes Purim nosh. Reservations required: 480-897-0588 or webbc@ evjcc.org

Purim Experience: 11 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Performance by The ImproVables, an improvisational comedy troupe based in Sun Lakes. Cost is $14 and includes a festive Purim meal. Wear a costume to be entered in a raffle. Reservations required. Information: 480-897-0588 or webbc@evjcc.org

‘Purim Under the Sea’: 4:30-7:30 p.m., Ahavas Torah: The Scottsdale Torah Center, 13402 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Food and fun for the entire family, along with a photo booth and dunk tank. Wine only please and no mermaid costumes. Babysitting and supervised play will be provided free of charge for children under the age of four. Information: 480-467-4593

‘Purim Under the Sea:’ 6:15 p.m., Chabad of Phoenix, 2110 E. Lincoln Drive, Phoenix. Chabad of Phoenix will be hosting a Megillah reading and a bubble show. A dinner buffet and sushi will be provided. There will be live

music. Costumes are encouraged. Cost is $15 for adults, $10 for children and free for children under the age of 3. RSVP: chabadaz.com/underthesea

Saturday, March 23

‘ Phoenix 2019 Purim Party’: 7:30 p.m., The Duce, 525 S. Central Ave. Phoenix. Tickets are $35. No RSVP required. Must be 21 or over. Information: theducephx.com

Sunday, March 24

Purim Carnival: 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Temple Emanuel, 5801 S, Rural Road, Tempe. Activities include a petting zoo, carnival games and face painting. Come in costume! Entrance is free; wristbands and tickets required for activities and food.

“Community wide Purim Carnival”: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. A family friendly day of fun with a super hero-themed costume parade, carnival rides, bouncies, games, Tot and Teen Zones and more! Presented by Flader Wealth Consulting Group-RBC Wealth Management. Everyone is welcome! Admission is free. Information: vosjcc. org/purim2019 JN

Beth El Congregation Cantor Johnathan Angress is dressed as Captain Hook as part of the temples 2018 Pirate theme. PHOTO PROVIDED BY BETH EL CONGREGATION

Exhibit shows how legendary directors were changed by WWII, Holocaust

Just a few years before World War II began, Hollywood Golden Age director George Stevens was helming fluffy fare such as “Swing Time” and “Vivacious Lady” starring Ginger Rogers.

In 1945, he was in Germany, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army heading a film unit and capturing some of the first footage of the horrors of Dachau as the camp was liberated. Stevens’ life and art would never be the same.

“From Hollywood to Nuremberg: John Ford, Samuel Fuller, George Stevens” is a film from French movie director and historian Christian Delage. His movie tells the story of three filmmakers who documented World War II and the liberation of the camps, which was used as evidence during the Nuremberg trials.

Next month, the film will be screened during Scottsdale Community College’s (SCC) Seventh Annual Genocide Awareness Week. Prior to the film’s screening, SCC recently launched a multimedia exhibit, “Filming the Camps, From Hollywood to Nuremberg: John

Ford, Samuel Fuller, George Stevens,” based on the film. The exhibit is curated by Delage. The free exhibit is on display in the lobby of SCC’s Student Center.

“This is the largest exhibit we’ve ever had,” said John Liffiton, director of Genocide Awareness Week at SCC. “It’s over 2,000 square feet and consists of multiple televisions with information on them, as well as artifacts and documents.”

The exhibit will be on display through April 30 as part of a partnership with the Memorial de la Shoah, SCC and the Center for Holocaust Education and Human Dignity of the East Valley JCC.

The opening reception for the exhibit featured Jacques Fredj, executive director of Memorial de la Shoah in Paris and Gerrit Steenblik, the honorary consul of France in Phoenix.

The exhibit explores the filmmakers’ experiences during and after World War II, the footage they captured of Nazi atrocities, and the impact the war had on their careers. It also contains film and photographs of World War II, clips from

in 1944.

COURTESY OF THE MARGARET HERRICK LIBRARY, ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES, BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA

the filmmakers’ pre-war careers, and artifacts on loan from Samuel Fuller’s family and 20th Century Fox’s archive.

“We know what American soldiers saw when they liberated Nazi concentration camps, because it was documented on film — by professionals,” said EVJCC board member Fred Wabnik. “Who they were, the historical importance of their work, and the effect it had on them is told in this remarkable exhibit. I attended the opening and I’m going back several times to take it all in.”

Stevens and his 44-man unit of Hollywood professionals, captured footage of the Normandy invasion before being sent to Dachau to film American troops liberating inmates of the concentration camp. His camera caught haunting images of gaunt Jewish inmates, stacked bodies and mass graves. With his personal camera, Stevens also filmed what it believed to be the only color film of the liberation.

“George Stevens underwent a major career change after the war,” said Michael Rubinoff, a historian and faculty member of the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts at Arizona State University. “Instead

of making the RKO musicals, he turned to far more serious subjects.”

After the war, Stevens directed “Shane,” “Giant” and “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Rubinoff will be on a speakers’ panel to discuss the film “From Hollywood To

Nuremberg: John Ford, Samuel Fuller, George Stevens,” after its screening at SCC on April 10.

He pointed out that when Stevens’ Dachau footage was shown to the public soon after the war, a narrator spoke about the prisoners being Hungarian, Polish and Jewish, rather than explaining that all of the prisoners were Jewish regardless of nationality.

“Those were Hungarian Jews in the camp. You didn’t have Hungarian Catholics who were just all of a sudden in a German slave labor camp,” Rubinoff said. “So that was one of the real problems. They were not correctly labeling things.”

John Ford, the famed director of prewar Western films such as “Stagecoach” and “The Grapes of Wrath,” filmed the Battle of Midway and the D-Day invasion, where he was shot and wounded. Despite filming from positions where he was an easy target for the enemy, Ford would later call himself a coward.

Ford edited Stevens’ concentration camp footage into a documentary that was used as evidence against the Nazis during the Nuremberg Trials.

As for Ford’s post-war career, his characters became more complex and conflicted. The shoot ‘em ups were gone and he began a serious exploration of the plight of Native Americans, such as in his final film “Cheyenne Autumn.”

Samuel Fuller is a different story altogether. He was not a Hollywood director. He was just a Jewish kid from Massachusetts who joined the Army. Fuller was assigned as an infantryman to the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, nicknamed “The Big Red One.” He faced fierce combat in North Africa, Sicily, Normandy, Belgium and Czechoslovakia. In 1945, as his unit liberated the Falkenau concentration camp in Germany, Fuller was ordered by his commanding officer to film the horrors in the camp. Fuller used a 16 millimeter camera his mother had sent him.

After the war, Fuller became a director and put out mediocre films at best — except for one movie. “The Big Red One” was based on Fuller’s own wartime experiences and opened to rave reviews in 1980. One scene depicts a soldier carrying the body of a dead Jewish child just minutes after he had given him an apple. JN

Director George Stevens, front right, talks to a member of his camera crew as the prepare to film in France in 1944.

COURTESY OF THE MARGARET HERRICK LIBRARY, ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES, BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA

FAMILY MATTERS

Between two worlds: the double life of 4-year-olds

ERICA RIMLINGER | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Dr. Amy Winkelstein is a pediatrician respected by peers and parents alike. Her younger patients, however, are not always so impressed, as one 4-year-old patient made clear with a question for the doctor.

“He asked why I wasn’t fully grown yet,” Winkelstein remembered, “because I’m 5 feet tall.”

Who are these small people with soaring imaginations and brutally honest observations? They are 4-year-olds, and their inner and outer worlds are changing rapidly.

Anatomy of a 4-year-old

Four-year-olds travel seamlessly between two worlds, with valid passports to the realms of toddlerhood and school, dependence and independence, and imagination and reality.

“The 4-year-old in some ways is very similar to an adolescent, meaning they’re going through a time that’s very exciting. They’re exploring, they have this newfound independence, but at the same time they’re all of a sudden going to flip and be very dependent on parents,” Winkelstein said. This can be challenging because parents have grown used to situations where children are dependent on them for assistance in their daily lives. But as kids get to be 4, she said, they really can do so much independently: use the toilet, dress, eat, entertain themselves and play independently.

“That leads to them — appropriately, developmentally — pushing back against the limits that parents are imposing on them in terms of safety and routine,” she said. “They have their own opinions now.”

Masters of storytelling

And they can share those opinions with eloquence

“Four-year-olds have clauses and descriptions, long, drawn-out stories and conversations,” said Shawn Gardiner, a Head Start inclusion class teacher. “With a 3-year-old, it may be one word. Threeyear-olds are still at, ‘I want that,’ or, ‘Want that.’”

Winkelstein said 4-year-olds “can have a reciprocal conversation very well about many different topics. You really can have a dialogue. You can ask them about their birthday party, you can ask them about school, you can ask them about something they were playing, so they really have more of a concrete understanding of language use. They can tell a story to you, they can recount past experiences. They can even use past

GETTY IMAGES/WEEKEND IMAGES INC.

tense, because that’s a more mature language use.”

Ready to learn

At age 4, it’s beneficial for kids to be enrolled in some type of school, Winkelstein said. That school could be a full-day daycare that also encompasses preschool or a community-based preschool that meets for a few hours three times a week.

What is important, she said, is that they have a school experience that gives them independence, that time away from their caregiver to think on their own, have new experiences, navigate social interactions, learn how to sit for circle time, follow directions and interact with other adults.

“They start to have what we call earlyschool readiness skills,” Winkelstein said.

At age 4, children can tell you their full name. And they can learn their date of birth, parents’ names, their address and phone number. They also can begin to count objects in front of them as opposed to reciting numbers from memory. They can use scissors, begin to pedal a tricycle, hop well and climb. They also can brush their own teeth. And at age 4, true interactive play begins to develop between a child and his or her peers.

Four-year-olds “can join into group play and are getting better at turn-taking and sharing,” said Dr. Mihee Bay, a neurodevelopmental pediatrician. “They can understand rules now and are starting to be able to play board games. They become more aware of others’ emotions and can show sympathy. They also like to make others happy.

“Their imaginative pretend-plays become more elaborate, and they can distinguish between reality and makebelieve,” Bay said. “They can carry out reciprocal conversations and answer whytype questions. They grasp the concept of time better now and can use future or past tense. They are able to express their feelings or emotions using words.”

Helping your 4-year-old thrive

According to the experts we asked, parents with 4-year-olds are challenged to find balance among a lot of conflicting needs. Parenting a 4-year-old can be a juggling act between guidance versus freedom, structure versus downtime and social engagement versus the everstrengthening pull of technology.

“The American Academy of

Pediatrics recently came out with a new recommendation — or, I should say, a reaffirmation — about the importance of unstructured play,” Winkelstein said.

That, she saids, is a social science finding that “stands the test of time. You can look back 50 years on what we thought was important to kids, and you can look ahead 50 years from now, and it’s going to be the importance of unstructured play.”

That entails “really giving your child the opportunity to explore, imagine and letting their imagination direct what they do. It’s priceless. That’s the most important thing.”

Bay added, “Once they are in preschool their days are already pretty structured.” Therefore, parents should allow plenty of “down time to just relax and engage in creative play.”

The “terrible twos” may have passed, and tantrums may have diminished, Bay continued, “but a 4-year-old can still be quite noncompliant and uncooperative, although they understand the rules and expectations.”

“They’re still in the developmental stage of learning to exercise self-control and regulate their emotions, and they’re beginning to assert independence,” she said. “Parents can deal with the difficult parts of 4, setting limits by teaching them simple rules and consequences. They understand.”

And, she added, don’t forget to “praise positive behavior so it can be reinforced.”

Enjoy this age

Despite the challenges, there’s a lot to love about 4. The joys of parenting a 4-year-old — playing with them, reading to them, listening to their stories — are the very activities that best foster their growth. So, most of all, enjoy.

And although she occasionally fields observations about her height during her visits with 4-year-olds, Winkelstein said they are “absolutely, hands down, one of my favorite age groups.”

She says she loves “their growing sense of independence and confidence. But at the same time, they are not selfconscious at all. They haven’t been affected by the opinions of others around them, and so their responses and the dialogue are so genuine, thoughtful and just so entertaining, but enlightening all at the same time. Their innocence is what I love so much.” JN

Tripped out: A mother and daughter set out to find the perfect college

JESSICA GREGG | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The summer before my daughter’s junior year of high school, a pile of college look books covered our front table. It was a collection of magazines and postcards with clever slogans and beautiful photos of other people’s happy, healthy and presumably smart children who were now advertising their school to my 15-year-old.

By day, the pile grew. At one point, I thought it might avalanche and sweep us away, and I realized Leeannah and I needed a plan.

Many years before, I had taken a detour from my writerly life and worked as a graduate support director for Sisters Academy of Baltimore, a middle school for girls who live in the city’s southwest neighborhoods. I helped the eighthgraders and their parents apply to public and private high schools. I dropped off students for school visits and listened to their reactions when they returned. I helped parents fill out financial aid forms and coached their daughters through essays.

Would this knowledge be helpful to my daughter and me? The college application process has changed dramatically from the time I was a prospective student. Kids today often apply to 10 or more schools, attend accepted students’ weekends to help determine their final choice and await financial aid packages to offset the

high cost of college.

Leeannah attended a large public high school with a great track record for advanced placement classes, but whose guidance counselors had long rosters of students to oversee. She had a high GPA and had just been elected class president. But she hated standardized tests and they hated her right back. So, in addition to looking at colleges, we had to figure out

if she needed an SAT tutor. We had a lot of work ahead of us and I knew what I would have told my students to do.

“Let’s go on a college road trip,” I told my daughter.

Lessons on the go

Ask any rising high school junior where they want to attend college and they

usually give one of two answers: California or Florida. Leeannah is truly her own person; she wanted to go to school in Boston.

As she pictured a wonderful winter city with a great collegiate reputation, I pictured the costs of flights back and forth or the hours in a car taking her to and from school. Before we traveled all the way to Boston, I asked her to make a list of schools that were closer, like maybe in Philadelphia, which she would like to check out first.

“It’s a process,” I said.

This was what I used to tell mothers when their daughters had their eyes on a certain high school but they thought a different school was a better fit: Sometimes Mother knows best.

“Apply to both schools and see what happens,” I always said. If a parent liked a certain school, then it definitely went on the list to be explored.

This is how we ended up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, at Franklin and Marshall. Leeannah was certain that she wanted an urban school, but I wanted her to look at all the options just to be sure. In my mind, Franklin and Marshall was a perfect choice for her — it had an enviable liberal arts curriculum, a good record on diversity for a small school and lots of great leadership opportunities for students. I pitched it as an experimental control, the liberal

SARA FRANKLIN, ILLUSTRATION

arts college stacked against the large and mostly public universities.

“How did you know for sure that you want a big university if you don’t check out at least one small school?” I asked her.

In truth, Franklin and Marshall had everything my college didn’t. I graduated from University of Maryland College Park at a time when the school was transitioning from its party days to the powerhouse university it is now. My major, journalism, was selective, but many weren’t and there was little community outside of Greek life. That homey campus feel was something I longed for from my high-rise dorm, so naturally I wanted it for my daughter, too. Only she didn’t.

“Too small and boring,” Leeannah said after the tour.

“It’s a process,” I said. “Choosing a school is a process.”

We ruled out University of Pennsylvania before we even set foot on campus; the SAT requirements would be too daunting. The next school on her list was Drexel University, which has gorgeous architecture and a sterling internship program … and which gave her a gut

reaction during what had to be the hottest, most boring college tour on record. Until that day, Drexel had been her dream. Once she saw it, she changed her mind. And that was really bumming her. The road

great jump-start to college selection was turning into a big trip of turnoffs. Mother knows best? Hmm, what did I know? If this had been my old job, exasperated parents would be calling me.

WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE A GREAT JUMP-START TO COLLEGE SELECTION WAS TURNING INTO A BIG TRIP OF

MOTHER KNOWS BEST? HMM, WHAT DID I KNOW?

trip had made her less worried about the SATs and more interested in researching majors, but she was disappointed that none of the schools we had visited felt like good fits for her.

That night in our hotel room, she sullenly texted friends and I debated the wisdom of this trip. Three schools down and all we had succeeded in determining was what she didn’t like. “It’s a process,” I offered again, but the words sound lame even to me. What I thought would be a

How it all turned out

Leeannah now laughs at the memory of our road trip. Touring those two colleges “were the two worst moments of the college process,” she said from her dorm room when I called her a few weeks ago. “They both equally sucked in different ways.”

Harsh, but OK.

“We had to have done something right,” I said. “You are in college, after all.”

SKATE, RATTLE & ROLL Summer Camp 2019

“Yeah,” my daughter said. “We started early and we broke it down enough, so I didn’t have to do everything in senior year.”

“It was a process,” I said.

“It was,” she said.

She also liked that I only let her apply to five colleges; some of her classmates applied to 15 and more, making their final choice that much harder. But in truth, it was hard to get her to add other schools to her list once she set foot on Temple University’s campus. With its connection to the Philadelphia community, study abroad programs and Division 1 sports, she fell in love with it immediately. Even better, she applied as a test optional candidate and the money we would have used for an SAT tutor paid for a threeweek leadership camp at Temple the summer before her senior year. That led to great scholarship opportunities.

All’s well that ends well, I guess. Or, we applied some good lessons, learned some new ones and my daughter is happy.

Now, her 15-year-old brother just has to figure out where he wants to go to school. JN

Gilbert Location Dates: May 29- July 23rd

Peoria Location Dates: June 3rd-August 2nd

Arcadia Location Dates: June 3rd-August 2nd

TURNOFFS.

Focus on Business

What to do when your child doesn’t like to read

ANN DOLIN

Does your child hate to read? Are you frustrated that they would rather play on their phone or watch TV? Are you tired of arguing about reading? If so, you’re not alone. Many parents struggle with a reluctant reader.

What most parents do with this problem is to argue. They force their kid to read as part of their homework, which turns reading into a burden and actually makes kids even more resistant. So how do you encourage reading when it’s the last thing they want to do? Here are six ideas.

Be a detective

The first step is figuring out what interests your child. Does your son or daughter love baseball? Looking up stats on their favorite player and reading their bios is definitely reading. And so are the articles in Sports Illustrated for Kids.

Once you get your child hooked, find related books like “Katie, Batter Up!” by Coco Simon or the “Baseball Great Series” by Tim Green. These will get your children reading without even realizing it.

Dig into a series

Even the most reluctant readers will latch onto a series such as “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” or engage in the short passages of “The Guinness Book of World Records.” Don’t worry about whether the book is a classic or top-notch literature. The point is to get your child reading. And when a child enjoys a book, she’ll often seek out the next in the series.

Reread a favorite book

Did you know that students improve their reading fluency when they read a passage or book three times? Repeated readings help with automaticity.

Moreover, comprehension and fluency are boosted when the student reads books slightly below the current reading level. If your child tends to gravitate toward easier books, allow it.

Use the five-finger rule

Some parents make the mistake of

choosing a book for their child that is too hard. If you’re unsure if the book is too difficult, use the five-finger rule. If your child mispronounces five or more words on one page, the book is too hard. If she or he misses four words, reading will be a challenge, but can be done. In that case, consider reading the book together; you read two pages and your child reads one. If only two or three mistakes are made, the book is at the child’s level. If the child reads all the words on the page fluently, the book may be a bit too easy, but for some reluctant readers, this is fine.

Unplug the electronics

Block out time each evening for reading. That means turn off the television, put down the iPhone and tablet, and have your child sign off Snapchat or Instagram. Similar to “D.E.A.R” in school, use 15 or 20 minutes before bedtime to “Drop Everything And Read.” This is a great time to instill the love of reading without the distractions of technology.

Relax and read without criticizing

Take time to sit back, relax and read aloud with your kids. Take turns, laugh together and enjoy the moment. As much as possible, don’t correct your child’s mistakes unless they detract from the meaning of the story. As soon as kids feel pressured or judged, they’re less willing to do the task at hand.

When your child begins to associate reading with evening relaxation and the fun of delving into a page-turning book, he or she will be more likely to read independently and for pleasure later on.

Just remember, each child is different and reading is not something to be forced or thrust upon them. Encourage reading by introducing a variety books and materials. If you feel as though there may be more behind your child’s reluctance to read, consider getting a reading tutor.

Ann Dolin is a former teacher and current founder and president of Educational Connections Tutoring.

California Jewish camp to try all-gender cabins

After attending a few LGBTQ family weekends at Camp Tawonga in California, Jonathan Brunn felt ready to attend sleep-away camp there. But Jonathan’s mom, Nancy, was nervous.

Jonathan, 10, has identified as nonbinary — a gender identity that falls somewhere outside the category of male or female — since age 3. Because of that, the San Francisco child has been subjected to bullying at school.

But it didn’t happen at Camp Tawonga, which has been ahead of the curve in welcoming nonbinary and LGBTQ campers and staff.

It turns out that Jonathan isn’t the first nonbinary camper to attend the Jewish camp near Yosemite National Park, and certainly won’t be the last. To accommodate the increasing number of kids like Jonathan, Tawonga will have two all-gender cabins this summer.

While the move is pioneering, it isn’t precedent-setting: According to the Foundation for Jewish Camp, Habonim Dror’s Camp Moshava in Maryland has offered all-gender cabins since 2017, and the foundation itself offered the option to camp counselors attending its Cornerstone Seminar last year.

In the summer of 2016, Jonathan first attended “A Taste of Camp,” a five-night session for younger campers going to sleep-away camp for the first time. While Jonathan’s mom and camp staff had decided beforehand to place Jonathan in a girls’ bunkhouse, the cabin-mates took it upon themselves to call the bunkhouse “all-gender” to make it more inclusive.

The decision to create two such cabins came about organically, according to camp director Becca Meyer. In the last several years, Tawonga had added allgender restrooms and started a “beyond the binary” campfire in addition to separate girls’ and boys’ campfires. Meyer estimated that about 20 of the 600 campers chose the third option last year.

“Tawonga has a long history of only offering girls’ and boys’ cabins, but it’s become clear in recent years that that

doesn’t work for all kids,” Meyer said. “So we wanted to create another option so that all kids can live in a cabin that reflects their gender identity.”

The two cabins (one for children going into fifth and sixth grades and one for seventh and eighth) will accommodate 12 campers and be offered during the fourth session of camp as a pilot program. After that, a decision will be made about making the arrangement permanent.

Unlike the boys’ and girls’ cabins, the all-gender cabins will have a no-nudity rule. Campers can choose to change in the bathroom, in their sleeping bags or behind a privacy curtain.

As for staff, Meyer said that a lot of counselors have expressed interest.

“We haven’t decided yet, but they will be excellent counselors who get additional training in working with diverse campers,” she said.

Meyer added, “As we approach our 100th anniversary (in 2025), we’re doubling down on our commitment to social justice and inclusion, and offering all-gender cabins is one way we’re doing that.”

The response in the Tawonga community has been overwhelmingly positive, Meyer said.

“It’s so heartening to see so many of our campers, alumni and parents expressing their enthusiasm for the pilot and showing their support,” she said.

That includes Jonathan, who is now even more excited to return to Tawonga.

“Since my cabin will be all-gender, no one has to feel left out. Everyone will be included,” said Jonathan.

Nancy Brunn said that while there are plenty of summer camps for kids like Jonathan, she wants her child to have the Jewish summer camp experience.

“Sometimes I’ll talk to parents of other trans and nonbinary kids who think camps for those kids are their only option,” Brunn said. “To hear that the Jewish community has a place that is so welcoming makes the world feel a little more expansive.” JN

New Phoenix Jewish News print dates

March 1

March 15

March 29

April 5

April 12

April 19

May 3

May 17

June 7

June 21

July 12

August 9

September 6

September 13

September 20

September 27

October 4

October 18

November 1

November 15

December 6

December 13

December 20

WWW.JEWISHAZ.COM

CALENDAR Events

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

Lip Sync Battle: 6 p.m., Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Celebrate Purim with Congregation Or Tzion at our Lip Sync Battle! The event will also include food trucks and a megillah reading. Costumes are encouraged. RSVP at tinyurl.com/ot-purim

Meetings, Lectures & Classes

MONDAYS

Mahjong Mondays: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Every Monday except on Jewish or legal holidays. You are invited to come and play, no RSVP is necessary.

SUNDAYS, MARCH 24

Blanket Boosters: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Beth El Congregation, 1118 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix. Join the Beth El Blanket Boosters as they create beautiful mitzvah blankets to donate to local children in crisis. Information: 602-684-2606 or blanketboosters@bethelphoenix.com.

TUESDAYS, MARCH 19 & 26

Knitting Circle at The J: 1:30 p.m., Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Share the pleasure of knitting and crocheting. Can’t knit? We’ll teach you. No reservations required. Information: 480-481-7033 or harrietc@vosjcc.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 19

Art All Around Us: 11 a.m.-noon, Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Share the world of art with docents from the Phoenix Art Museum. Free. Information: 480-481-7033 or harrietc@vosjcc.org

Terrific Tuesdays: 10-11:30 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Speaker: Merle Nudelman. Topic: Ekphrastic Poems. Ages 55-plus. Suggested donation is $4. Information: 480-897-0588 or adrian@evjcc.org

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

Learn About Jewish Genealogy: 10-11:30 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. “Heading Offshore and Using DNA.” Taught by Judi Gyori Missel. Cost is $15. Bring a laptop. Register: 480-897-0588 or webbc@evjcc.org

Mahj Meetup: 1-3:30 p.m., Beth El Congregation, 1118 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix. Bring your card and join us for a friendly game of mahjong on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. All skill levels are welcome, including beginners. There is no charge and snacks are provided. Contact: events@bethelphoenix.com or 602-944-3359

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

Purim class: 9 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Led by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Purim nosh. Free, but a reservation is required. Information: 480-897-0588 or webbc@evjcc.org

Interactive Megillah reading with discussion: 10 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Led by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Cost is $14 and includes Purim nosh. Reservations required: 480-897-0588 or webbc@evjcc.org

Purim Experience: 11 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Performance by The ImproVables, an improvisational comedy troupe based in Sun Lakes. Cost is $14 and includes festive Purim meal. Wear a costume to be entered in a raffle. Reservations required. Information: 480-897-0588 or webbc@ evjcc.org

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

Simchat Shabbat: noon-1p.m., Congregation Beth Israel, 10460 N. 56th St, Scottsdale. Join Gesher Disability Resources for our monthly special needs Shabbat service. Simchat Shabbat is a free and joyous service where all are welcome.

RSVP: 480-629-5343 or jacquelyn@ gesherdr.org

Health & Wellness

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

Lunch & Learn at The J: Male Fitness

After 65 – Myths, Facts & Solutions: 11:30 a.m.-noon, Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. J Fitness Director Joe Green has a highly regarded approach to health and fitness with cutting-edge solutions. Bring your most pressing questions and learn the inside tips and strategies that he uses for continued success. Bring a dairy lunch or stop at milk + honey. Free, but registration required by March 18 at vosjcc.org/fit65.

Children & Families

MARCH 18-22

Shemesh Spring Break Camp at The J: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. No school, no worries. We have fun-filled days of STEM activities, sports, swimming, arts, games, weekly field trip and more. Grades K-4. For pricing and additional information, visit vosjcc.org/shemeshcamps.

Shabbat

FIRST SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH

Kavana Café: 8:45 a.m., Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. This is “an informal opportunity to learn” with Rabbi Micah Caplan prior to Saturday

TUESDAY, MARCH 26

Terrific Tuesdays: 9:30-11:30 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Speaker: Jerry Millman. Screening of ‘GI Jews: Jewish Americans in World War II.’ Ages 55-plus. Suggested donation is $4. Information: 480-897-0588 or adrian@evjcc.org

A group of Jewish soldiers stand around a Jewish chaplain's flag. Written on back of the photo is 'end of war for 104th Inf. 1945.’

morning services. A light breakfast will be served.

EVERY SATURDAY

Torah Express: noon, Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. On Shabbat mornings, during the congregation’s Kiddush lunch, join Rabbi Micah Caplan and other Jewish professionals and teachers from our community for an in-depth study of the Torah portion of the week.

FRIDAY MARCH 15

Desert Foothills Jewish Community Association Program: 7 p.m., at a north Scottsdale location. After a Shabbat service, we will have a Spring Musicale with Sharon Friendly, our cantorial soloist, accompanied on keyboards by Deb Offenhauser. The program will include the American Song Book, Broadway show tunes, Jewish songs, etc. Dues are $60 per year. Information: Andrea Malkin, 480-664-8847

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

Traditional Minyan: 9:30 a.m., Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Rabbi Nate Crane will lead a traditional Shabbat morning service with full p’sukei d’zimra, Amidah with repetition and Torah study.

Seniors

TUESDAYS THROUGH FRIDAY Jewish Family and Children’s Service Center for Senior Enrichment: 9:30

a.m.-2:30 p.m., The Palazzo, 6250 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix. Free programs are open to seniors who live at The Palazzo, as well as the entire senior community. Come in and spend your day with us. We offer transportation services, as well as a daily lunch. For more information, please call JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment at 602-943-2198.

FRIDAYS, ONGOING

Taste of Shabbat with Nurit Avigdor: 11:30 a.m.-noon, The Palazzo, 6250 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix. Open to the community. Contact JFCS Senior Center for questions at 602-943-2198.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

Mature Mavens Dinner: 5 p.m., Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Make new friends as you meet for dinner and socialize. Dinner is separate checks. Please contact Bunnye at 602-371-3744 for our current schedule of restaurants and reserve your place.

Arts

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

JFCS Classic Jewish Movie for Seniors: 12:30 p.m., Bureau of Jewish Education, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 206, Scottsdale. The film is ‘The Man in the Glass Booth.’

Doggone it

Clifford the Big Red Dog visits the East Valley JCC Early Childhood Learning Center as part of the school’s Scholastic Book Fair and Waffle Love breakfast.

Happy day

From left, Linda Zell, executive director of the Jewish Tuition Organization, meets Emmy Awardwinning actor Henry Winkler during the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix’s MEGA event. Winkler was the keynote speaker.

Take a hike

The Valley of the Sun JCC’s Hiking Club enjoys a brisk hike at Pinnacle Peak. The 39 degree weather did not stop this crew. The club holds its hikes on the last Sunday of each month.

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

LEO LAHR ROTH

Leo Lahr Roth will become a bar mitzvah on March 16, 2019, at Temple Chai. He is the son of Heather Lahr and Brad Roth of Scottsdale.

Grandparents are Marlene and Lanny Lahr of Paradise Valley; Ken and Robin Roth of Paradise Valley; and the late Diane Roth.

For his mitzvah project, Leo volunteered his time at Desert Stages Theatre. He volunteered in the tech booth for numerous youth productions over the past year. Leo is a student at Pardes Jewish Day School and enjoys sports, including football, soccer and basketball, and attending sporting events.

MAX PETER WITTENBERG

Max Peter Wittenberg will become a bar mitzvah on March 30, 2019, at Congregation Or Tzion. He is the son of Stacie and Aaron Wittenberg of Phoenix.

Grandparents are the late Sherryl and Peter Winegarden; and Phyllis and Judge Charles Wittenberg of Toledo.

For his mitzvah project, Max volunteered with SC del Sol and the Special Olympics. Once a week, Max joins the Special Olympic athletes for an hour of running, kicking and shooting. The beauty of the program is that it is a peer-driven environment in which Max is able to give his time and provide guidance, mentorship and friendship in a fun, lively and energetic

Max is a student at Pardes Jewish Day School and enjoys playing soccer, reading,

On Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, Donald S. Novicoff, loving husband, father of two children and adoring “Papa” of one grandson, passed away at age 78 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Don was born on Dec. 30, 1940, in Lincoln, Nebraska to George and Rose (Wolff) Novicoff. He received his bachelor’s degree and later his master’s degree in accounting and finance from the University of Nebraska/Lincoln in 1965. As a longtime resident of Omaha, Don was a successful and respected business owner and after moving to Scottsdale in 2003, Don used his knowledge and skills as a stock trader. After meeting Carolyn Dolgoff Novicoff at an AZA dance on Sept. 8, 1956, they were married on Aug. 26, 1962, and together they raised two daughters, Amy and Wendy.

Don had a passion for anything sports-related and he was an avid Nebraska Cornhusker fan his entire life. He also loved to travel and he and Carolyn were able to explore the entire world together. He was the happiest when he was spending time with his family and close friends but his greatest joy was being Aiden’s grandfather and watching him grow. He was known for his quick wit, his devotion to his family, and his kind and compassionate spirit.

Don was preceded in death by his father, George, and his mother, Rose. He is survived by his wife Carolyn, his two children, Amy (Curt) Fackrell and Wendy (Robert Davis) Novicoff, his beloved grandson, Aiden Fackrell, his sister Elaine Nachman and many nieces, nephews and cousins. A funeral service was held on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, at Sinai Mortuary in Phoenix, Arizona. Donations may be sent to the TGen Foundation, 445 N. Fifth St., Suite 120, Phoenix, Arizona 85004.

JACK ALEXANDER MASON

Jack Alexander Mason will become a bar mitzvah on April 6, 2019. He is the son of Lisa and Jarrod Mason of Phoenix.

Grandparents are Rita and Dennis Onofrio of Las Vegas; Karen and Murray Riss of Memphis; and Ronni and the late Roy Mason. For his mitzvah project, Jack participated in the inaugural Project 34 baseball charity event that helps raise money for people who have experienced spinal cord injuries. Jack is a student at Explorer Middle School and enjoys baseball, football and basketball.

Robert Fihrer, 76, passed away on Feb. 18 in Scottsdale.

Robert graduated from Queens College and was a recruiter for the tech industry. Having lived in New Jersey, New York and Illinois, Robert relocated with his family to Arizona in 1985 and never looked back. Robert will be fondly remembered by friends as a dedicated New York Yankees fan, wine enthusiast, dog lover, storyteller and music man. He found joy in good books, a great bottle of wine and a delicious treat — usually an ice cream sandwich or piece of seven-layer cake.

Madeleine Sundell Fischer was born Feb. 25, 2019 in Ypsilanti, Michigan. She is the daughter of Lauren and Brian Fischer of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her grandparents are Celia and Maury Feuerman of West Bloomfield, Michigan; and Christa and Alan Fischer of Chelsea, Michigan.

THANK YOU

Robert was predeceased by his beloved wife, Linda Fihrer, who was the center of his world. He is survived by his daughter, Sarah Waschler, son-in-law Jeffrey Waschler and their daughters, Abigail and Sydney Waschler. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and will be missed greatly.

To our readers for supporting Jewish News’ advertisers!

Mt.

Selling Below current market value !!! 2 Single plots in the highly desired Temple Chai Section. May be upgraded to a companion (burial for 2) space through the cemetery.

Judi Glass 602-448-4099

judi@mccabeworld.com

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JANET PEREZ | MANAGING EDITOR

It’s become a depressingly familiar rite that parents must go through with their children every time there is a mass shooting. But for Jewish parents, the massacre at a synagogue in Pittsburgh has burned with the anguish of thousands of years. Children have heard and talked about shootings in schools and malls, but talking about a shooting

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