Jewish News, May 17, 2019

JEWISH VETERANS

The national commander of Jewish War Veterans came to Phoenix in an effort to increase outreach

Ducey signs bill to amend anti-BDS law

NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER

Last month, a bill that bars government contractors from participating in a boycott of Israel or Israeli-controlled territories was signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey.

Senate Bill 1167, sponsored by Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale, was introduced in January to amend a previous anti-BDS law, House Bill 2617, which was signed in 2016. HB 2617 disallowed anyone who received a government contract from participating in boycotts, divestments or sanctions (BDS) actions against Israel. It required businesses in government contract positions to submit a written certification stating that the business was not currently boycotting Israel and would not do so in the future.

Sole proprietors were also affected by HB 2617. Individuals contracted by a state entity would have been required to agree to the anti-BDS clause even if they had no interactions with Israel.

After a federal court blocked the 2016 law in September 2018 citing a possible violation of the First Amendment, the state moved to appeal.

Boyer’s legislation alters the previous law so that the ban on BDS activities only applies to state government contractors with more than 10 employees, and would only be enforced if the contract were for at least $100,000. It now also exempts sole proprietorships from complying.

Boyer said HB 2617 was designed to cement Arizona as an ally to Israel and that SB 1167 will mitigate any confusion as to who will be affected by the law.

SEE BDS, PAGE 3

SPECIAL SECTION | 11

SUMMER COOL

A guide to current and upcoming blockblusters that the whole family can enjoy while staying cool

Report: AntiSemitism rises for third year in a row

ccording to the most recent data released by the Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitic incidents are increasing throughout the country and in Arizona. For the third year in a row, Arizona has seen a rise in anti-Semitic

Last month, the ADL released its annual “Audit of AntiSemitic Incidents: Year in Review, 2018,” which reported a national total of 1,879 anti-Semitic incidents across in 2018. This marks 2018 as the year with the third-most incidents on record since the ADL started tracking such

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data. Nationally, the number of total incidents dropped slightly; in 2017, the audit recorded 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents.

The ADL’s audit classifies all incidents into three categories: assault, harassment and vandalism. 2018 marked the deadliest known assault on the Jewish community with the Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. The ADL reported the shooting as one incident in the audit. The ADL’s standard methodology is to cluster multiple victims into one incident when an action targets a single group in a discrete time and place.

From 2015 to 2018, there has been a 700% increase in reported anti-Semitic incidents across Arizona. In 2015, the ADL Arizona recorded four incidents of anti-Semitism; in 2018 there were 32.

ADL Arizona reported 20 incidents of harassment and 12 incidents of vandalism. ADL Arizona Regional Director Carlos Galindo-Elvira said that one positive drawn from the report is that ADL Arizona had no recorded incidents of anti-Semitic assaults in 2018.

The Arizona portion of the audit noted spikes of anti-Semitic behavior in certain parts of the year. Twelve of the 32 incidents occurred in the final three months of 2018. In December alone, there were six representations of swastikas leading up to Chanukah.

Of all the reported incidents throughout 2018, the majority of them took place in the Phoenix area.

The ADL broke down the variety of locations where anti-Semitic harassment and vandalism took place. Locations included private businesses and retail establishments, private homes and public areas such as parks, streets and schools.

Twenty-one percent of last year’s antiSemitic incidents took place in K-12

ciplined by the school’s administration. Paradise Valley High School’s principal, Ian Deonise, condemned the action in a letter to the community.

“This reprehensible and embarrassing display is not indicative of our student body, nor the learning environment at PVHS,” he wrote. “This was an isolated incident of extremely poor judgment by a small group.”

In one incident at a Glendale middle

FROM 2015 TO 2018, THERE HAS BEEN A 700% INCREASE IN REPORTED ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS ACROSS ARIZONA. IN 2015, THE ADL ARIZONA RECORDED FOUR INCIDENTS OF ANTI-SEMITISM; IN 2018 THERE WERE 32.

November elections. Phil Lovas, who previously served in the Arizona House of Representatives in both the 4th and 22nd districts, also had promotional materials defaced with swastikas.

Neither Schweikert nor Lovas are Jewish.

“Extremists feel emboldened way more than they ever did in the past,” GalindoElvira said. “Along with a more hostile rhetoric toward Israel. Combining these two, it promotes these anti-Jewish stereotypes that are now really in the public discourse.”

He added that the internet allows people to communicate more quickly than ever before and facilitates anti-Semitism.

“I’m often asked by reporters what the Jewish community can do to safeguard themselves from anti-Semitism,” Galindo-Elvira said. “Awareness of these activities helps saves lives, so we encourage more reporting. Vigilance is our best friend.”

schools, including anti-Semitic comments made by teachers and students bullying their Jewish classmates.

In February 2018, Paradise Valley High School students were photographed lying on the ground in a way that formed a swastika. The students were quickly dis-

school, one student yelled at another, “You’re a Jew. I’m going to burn you!”

There were also three anti-Semitic incidents involving local politicians in 2018. U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, of Arizona’s 6th District, had a campaign sign defaced with a swastika just before

In its audit, the ADL recommends numerous policies for combating antiSemitism. While the bulk of these involve legislative action and increased efforts from law enforcement, two of the recommendations can be implemented at the community or individual level, like speaking out against all forms of hate and promoting anti-bias and bullying prevent programs in schools. JN

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“This new bill makes it crystal clear that as an individual, if you have a sole proprietorship, then you can boycott to your heart’s content, if that’s your thing,” Boyer said. “But if a business that matches the guidelines we’ve set in this bill has taken a position against the state of Israel, then we’re just simply saying that’s fine you can do that, but we decided to make a policy not to do business with you.”

The senator said that Arizona has a strong relationship with Israel as a trading partner. Last year the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Israel Business Initiative signed a memorandum of understanding. That partnership focused on supporting economic and commercial ties between Arizona and Israel.

Proponents for the new law are happy to see Arizona take a strong stance against BDS. Jake Bennett, president of the Grand Canyon State Caucus, a bi-partisan PAC committed to building a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, said that SB 1167 is a victory for religious tolerance.

“Arizona is on the side of right and liberty,” Bennett said. “The BDS movement is not aimed at ‘policy reform’ as its proponents misleadingly tell some crowds. It is aimed at the elimination of Jewish life in Israel and of the state of Israel itself.”

The law does have its critics, though.

Kathy Brody, legal director for the ACLU of Arizona, said while the organization is glad the new law will mean that fewer people and organizations will have to sign the written certifications, she feels this new version is attempting to undermine the ACLU’s lawsuit against HB 2617. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Sedona attorney Mikkel Jordahl, a sole proprietor who felt the law violated his freedom of speech.

The ACLU views requiring contractors to sign these anti-BDS certificates as compelled speech.

“I think that this is the state legislating the law in such a way to avoid any further constitutional challenges,” Brody said. “We view this as an admission that the law in place is unconstitutional and we see this as the state throwing its hands up in the face of this decision that it lost last year.”

SB 1167 may make the ACLU’s challenge moot, however, as the issues raised by the Jordahl lawsuit would no longer be valid.

Changing whom the law applies to could allow the state to win an appeal against Jordahl and the ACLU. However, Brody is confident that the suit will continue. “Based on our conversations with the lawyers for the state of Arizona, I currently believe that the hearing will occur.”

The hearing is scheduled for June 6. JN

On Tuesday, April 16, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a new anti-BDS bill into law.

Shelley Cohn inducted into AZ Women’s Hall of Fame

NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER

For Shelley Cohn, the immediate past board chair of the Arizona Community Foundation, being inducted into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame was quite a shock.

“I have been a regular attender of AZWHF’s celebration event for years and all of my heroes have been the living award winners,” Cohn said. “I was just stunned and honored and pleased to hear the news that I would be a part of this great organization.”

Cohn was inducted into the Hall of Fame for her decades-long commitment to Arizona’s arts community. She was formally honored on Wednesday, May 1, at the Arizona Heritage Center in Tempe at Papago Park. Cohn was one of eight women hon ored at the event. Four of this year’s inductees were in the Living Legacies category and the other four were in the posthumous category of Historical Legacies.

The awards are presented to women who “have left a lasting legacy in their fields and contributed to the history and diversity of Arizona,” according to the organization.

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs served as the hon orary chair of this year’s event.

Cohn is originally from a small town in New Mexico, where hers was the only Jewish family. The Cohns moved to El Paso, Texas, to find a larger Jewish commu nity. It was in El Paso that Cohn discov ered her lifelong commitment to

philanthropic endeavors.

A longtime Arizona resident, Cohn served as the executive director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts from 1985 to 2005. She began working at the Commission in 1976.

“For 29 years, I was in state government and my job was to connect artists and arts organizations with communities,” Cohn said. “In doing that, I was able to work with many artists whose careers started with the work that they did with the Arizona Commission on the Arts.”

After she retired from the commission, Cohn acted as a consultant for multiple organizations’ arts and culture programs, including the Flinn Foundation, the Tucson Pima Arts Council, the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, the Rhode Island Arts Council, the South Carolina Arts Council, the Washington State Arts Council, the Minnesota Arts Board, KAET Channel 8, the Kentucky Arts Council and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Cohn also served as interim CEO for the Scottsdale Cultural Council from 2006 to 2008. She taught classes in arts entrepreneurship and arts and public policy at Arizona State University between 2006 and 2010.

Cohn was chosen one of the Jewish News’ “Best of Jewish Phoenix: Women”

She served on the board of directors for ACF since 2008 and was then elected to be the foundation’s chair in 2017. Currently, Cohn works as president of the board of trustees for the Desert Botanical Garden, is the chair of Hillel at ASU’s Life & Legacy giving program, and is a current board member of Childsplay, where she previously served as president.

Cohn was proud she was able to mentor emerging leaders and helped foster their commitment to the larger community.

Her term as chair of the ACF has ended. Her time as president of the board of trustees for the Desert Botanical Garden is also ending. Although she is a little sad that she’ll be leaving, she said that there is great leadership ready to take charge at both organizations.

She plans on taking time to herself before choosing her next project.

“I am in a very enviable place now about thinking what’s next on the horizon for me,” Cohn said. “But right now I am taking a break. There are some things I want to do for myself and then I will see what emerges that captures my imagination and commitment.” JN

Federation grants $1.7 million, adds more recipients

LEISAH WOLDOFF | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix has announced $1.7 million in allocations for 2019. The funds, from Federation donors and sponsors, will be used to help strengthen Jewish life and help Jews in need locally, in Israel and around the world.

This year, Federation worked to open the grant process to more community organizations, said Barry Markson, chair of the Planning & Allocations Committee (PAC). “We sought new or innovative programs that were burgeoning and prepared to grow. In addition to providing grants to our strategic partners, day schools and Israel partners, we looked for programs where our funding would provide the help these organizations needed to grow their ideas and programs serving our community.”

The Federation expanded its scope to other community organizations that weren’t funded in the past “in an effort to reach more people and engage with even more of the community,” Markson said. “We were excited to see the new programs that applied and we are excited to be a part of some of the most innovative programs that benefit our community.”

These programs were awarded a total of $32,000:

Greater Phoenix Jewish Community Archives Project: ($1,000) The Arizona Jewish Historical Society will use the funds to preserve and store archival information pertaining to local Jewish history. This includes underwriting the cost of supplies as well as transcription services for new oral histories.

Founder 3: ($15,000) The Minkoff Center for Jewish Genetics program will test individuals for the BRCA gene mutation/abnormality as well

Shelley Cohn was inducted in the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame on Wednesday, May 1. PHOTO COURTESY OF SHELLEY COHN

as raise awareness and provide genetic counseling.

Better Together: ($5,000) This program is a collaboration between Pardes Jewish Day School and the Bureau of Jewish Education. It provides monthly interactions between Pardes eighthgraders and senior citizens.

Shabbos Project Arizona: ($1,000) This program includes the Great AZ Challah Bake, the Men’s Shabbat Project event and Shabbatons.

The Women’s Leadership Institute: ($10,000) This project of The Women’s Learning Center provides leadership training and matches participants with mentors who are leaders in the local Jewish community.

Allocations were awarded in Federation’s four core impact areas: Enriching Senior Lives, Engaging the Next Generation, Supporting Israel and Jewish Communities Worldwide and Building Community.

These core impact allocations totaled $606,843, which includes the new Building Community recipients listed above.

Enriching Senior Lives: Senior services received $141,583 for the Federation Senior Rides Program ($77,000), continued funding of the JFCS Federation senior concierge position ($36,083), Smile on Seniors programs ($13,000 in Phoenix and $5,000 in the West Valley), religious services at Kivel Campus of Care ($4,500) and the Bureau of Jewish Education Wise Aging program ($6,000).

Engaging the Next Generation: Programs to engage the next generation received $94,500, for programs by the Friendship Circle – Young Adult Circle ($4,500), Hillel at ASU and Jewish Arizonans on Campus for Israel Advocacy on Campus ($40,000), J Teen Connect AZ ($10,000), Moishe House Phoenix ($10,000) and Federation’s NowGen program ($30,000).

Supporting Israel and Jewish Communities Worldwide: To fulfill the Federation’s mission of caring for Jews in need in Israel and around the world, $338,760 was awarded to the Jewish Agency for Israel ($113,500) and its Youth Futures program ($50,000), the American Jewish Joint Distribution Community ($163,500) and the Ethiopian National Project SPACE program, which provides

Ethiopian-Israeli youth with intensive after-school scholastic assistance to improve their academic performance. ($11,760).

Additionally, $979,520 in allocations were made to Federation’s Strategic Partners. These agencies are the Bureau

of Jewish Education ($50,000), the East Valley JCC ($74,340), Gesher Disability Resources ($30,330), Hillel at ASU ($75,600), Jewish Family & Children’s Service ($237,600), Valley Beit Midrash ($20,700) and the Valley of the Sun JCC ($490,950).

These agencies are supported as partners for their longevity and impact in the community, as well as their breadth of programming, according to a press release.

Jewish Day School partners received a total of $103,675, each receiving $145 per student enrolled. The schools are Desert Jewish Academy ($4,205), Pardes Jewish Day School ($40,600), Phoenix Hebrew Academy ($16,095), Shearim Torah High School for Girls ($5,655), Torah Day School of Phoenix ($33,060) and Yeshiva High School of Arizona ($4,060)

In addition, $10,000 was allocated to the community sponsorship fund, which “allows Federation to donate and become sponsors of local Jewish events that did not request funding but add diversity and richness to our Jewish community,” Markson said.

Federation allocations are reviewed and recommended by the Planning & Allocations Committee and approved by the Federation board of directors.

“We take our job as stewards of our donors’ gifts very seriously, said Markson, “and we are proud to fund and partner with so many wonderful organizations each year.” JN

Just some of of the hundreds of women who attended the Shabbat Project’s Shabbos Shuk and Great AZ Challah Bake on Oct. 26, 2017. Shabbos Project Arizona received funds from the Federation earlier this year.

Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix’s Life & Legacy program secures $31.4M

NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER

Four years after the Life & Legacy program launched in the Valley, the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix, along with 12 community partners, secured legacy commitments from the community with an estimated value of $31.4 million. The Foundation announced the amount at its annual Legacy Celebration on May 9.

The Life & Legacy program is a national initiative that was launched in 2012 by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, a nonprofit based in Massachusetts. Its goal is to assist Jewish communities in integrating after-lifetime giving into their cultures. The gifts benefit Jewish entities such as day schools, synagogues and social service organizations. Life & Legacy has secured more than 22,000 legacy commitments and nearly $1 billion in future gifts.

Since partnering with Life & Legacy in 2015, the Foundation has dedicated $700,000 to the program. The Harold Grinspoon Foundation matched that investment with an additional $500,000 for a combined $1.2 million to help secure future gifts.

“In four years, $700,000 became something valued at more than $31 million. That is a return on our investment of more than 4,000 percent,” said Foundation President and CEO Richard Kasper at the Legacy Celebration. “We could not have achieved this kind of success without the hard work of our partner organizations and the vision and support of the Foundation’s fantastic board of directors.”

The 12 community partners are Arizona Jewish Historical Society, Congregation Or Tzion, the East Valley JCC, Hillel at ASU, the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix/Valley of the Sun JCC, Jewish Family & Children’s Service, Jewish Free Loan, the Minkoff Center for Jewish Genetics, Pardes Jewish Day School, Temple Chai, Temple Emanuel of Tempe and Temple Kol Ami.

Together, the organizations secured more than 750 legacy commitment gifts. National Director of Life & Legacy Arlene Schiff congratulated the Foundation and its partners at

the Legacy Celebration.

“You are not alone in your desire to ensure that the impact your organizations have in this community continues to the next generation and beyond,” Schiff said. “Life & Legacy is currently partnering with 57 other communities to ensure that there are strong, vibrant communities across the country.”

Rachel Rabinovich, the Foundation’s Life & Legacy program director, helps community partners with their campaigns.

“It’s a cultural shift in giving,” Rabinovich said. “We’re asking people who care enough to support an organization if they would consider a legacy gift.”

The Legacy Celebration also honored the 2019 Endowment Book of Life Signers, donors who fund either a current or future gift through the Foundation for the benefit of Jewish-sponsored agencies, organizations, synagogues or programs that have been important to them during their lives. Thirteen new names and seven new pages were added to the Endowment Book of Life.

At the end of the evening, Rabbi Sherre Hirsch, senior rabbinic scholar at Hillel International, took to the stage as the event’s featured speaker. She spoke about redefining success and how one can find a “soul” purpose.

“I was really inspired by the Life & Legacy participants, and they are already active philanthropists and leaders in the community,” Hirsch said. “This was a moment to really inspire them and see what other ways they can not only give back, but continue to be both inspirational and aspirational for all of us, including myself.”

The Foundation plans to continue supporting their partner organizations with their Life & Legacy initiatives.

“The commitments and actions of the people in this room have helped to ensure that this Valley of the Sun will have a living, breathing, dynamic and vibrant Jewish community for our children, for our grandchildren and for our great grandchildren,” said Life & Legacy team member Barry Shapiro. “And that, my friends, is a powerful legacy.”

Editorials

Yom Hazikaron

Fifty-six years ago, the Israeli Knesset established Yom Hazikaron as the Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers. It is poignantly observed the day before Yom Ha’atzmaut — Israeli Independence Day — to make clear how intertwined personal sacrifice is with the existence of the state. Over time, Yom Hazikaron was extended to include commemoration of Israelis killed in terrorist attacks. It is a solemn day, marked by a nationally observed moment of silence and sirens. Although entirely secular in nature, Yom Hazikaron has taken on religious-like observance with programming, rituals and memorial prayers.

For more than a decade, a growing but still small group of Israelis and Palestinians have held a joint Yom Hazikaron ceremony designed to commemorate the “universal tragedy” of lives lost on both sides of the struggle. Similar joint ceremonies have been held in the Diaspora. Opposition to the effort has been intense. In Israel, the prime minister’s denial of entry permits to Palestinians who wanted to attend this year’s event was overruled by the state’s high court. And opposition to similar joint commemoration programming in the Diaspora has been vocal and emotional — particularly this year, as Yom Hazikaron came on the heels of the most concentrated rocket attack on Israel from Gaza in five years, killing four Israelis.

The opposition has a good point. No matter how worthy the effort to acknowledge the pain of others, Yom Hazikaron is not the right day to make that statement. Empathy and reconciliation are like peace — who can be against them? But there are two very clear problems with joint Yom Hazikaron events.

First, Israelis and Jews around the world should be able to mourn their dead without having to make a broader statement about common humanity and aspirations for a more enlightened future. There is nothing wrong with showing undivided respect for the sacrifices of those who died in defense of the Jewish state or were killed simply because they were Israelis on the one day set aside for it. While there have certainly been innocent Palestinians killed in the conflict, and their loss is no less tragic, there are other days and times to mourn those losses that won’t distract from or dilute the solemn, innerfocused commemoration of Yom Hazikaron.

Second, many Palestinians killed over the years have been terrorists who targeted Jews for destruction. Those killers deserve no commemoration, no mourning and no tribute. And purported efforts to honor all who lost their lives and to focus on hope and nonviolence as part of joint programming reflects a remarkable insensitivity to the memory of the more than 26,000 Israeli souls mourned on Yom Hazikaron.

There is a time and place for everything. Those who died in defense of the Jewish state or who were killed in acts of terror because they were Israeli deserve the singular honor of Yom Hazikaron. JN

What’s the end game?

Last week, around the oneyear anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Iran announced it would restart a portion of its halted nuclear program. The Trump administration responded by announcing “new” sanctions. Both moves contain their share of smoke and mirrors —as Iran’s “restart” will likely remain within the nuclear agreement, and the U.S. sanctions duplicate others already in place. Which begs the question: What is the intended end game?

efforts to improve his regime’s nuclear weapons delivery capability. Similarly, the administration’s new tariffs on China have markets, farmers and the business world confused, and worried that the threat of reciprocal tariffs will bring higher prices for American consumers and hard times for American businesses.

So where is this all headed? Are we seeing an irrational, uninformed and wholly reactive set of foreign policy moves, or is there a method, purpose and direction to the in-your-face

sent a “clear and unmistakable message” of U.S. resolve, one can’t help but wonder whether the muscle flexing is really necessary or is simply a recognition that traditional diplomacy with Iran has not succeeded and that shifting national attention to potential confrontation will somehow mask the failure.

Unfortunately, the Democrats in Congress haven’t been much help in crafting a more deliberate agenda. Instead of seeking to help guide the administration through ever-mounting inter-

Our concern isn’t limited to dealings with Iran. The United States first raised the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela to a high priority, only to drop the plan when the Venezuelan military refused to abandon the Maduro government. And what began as bellicose criticism of North Korea and its “Rocket Man” leader has now morphed into what appears to be docile accommodation, as Kim Jong Un moved from his much ballyhooed meetings with President Trump to unmistakable

confrontations being pursued by the Trump administration?

When it comes to Iran, although the much-criticized 2015 deal was flawed, we also know that a year of enhanced U.S. sanctions pressure has not reduced Iran’s regional meddling nor prompted any changes in the country’s malign policies and activities. Indeed, Iran’s threat to Israel grows worse as Teheran takes steps toward going nuclear. While the administration’s dispatch of a carrier strike group and bombers to the region may have

VOICE YOUR OPINION

national difficulties, they have chosen to focus almost full-time on the alleged corruption of the president and his family, and are now seeking to hold the attorney general and other government leaders in contempt for failing to cooperate with congressional committees. And heated talk of impeaching the president continues, even as Democratic leadership tries to tamp it down.

The threats and crises — real and manufactured — have been unsettling and destabilizing. And there’s no end in sight. JN

ONE CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHETHER THIS MUSCLE FLEXING IS REALLY NECESSARY OR IS SIMPLY A RECOGNITION THAT TRADITIONAL DIPLOMACY WITH IRAN HAS NOT SUCCEEDED.

Commentary

Anti-Zionism is the ‘new’ anti-Semitism

STEPHEN J. SAVITSKY

In the face of another murderous attack on a U.S. synagogue, Jewish Americans are again reeling. Six months after the slaughter of Shabbat worshipers in a peaceful community in Pittsburgh, our community was struck again. We are now mourning Lori Gilbert-Kaye, who was shot dead in her synagogue on the final day of Passover. We are grieving, infuriated and alarmed, as well we should be.

This isn’t supposed to happen in America. I’ve heard from friends with young children and grandchildren who never thought much about anti-Semitism that they’ve begun to feel unsafe. Synagogues are hiring guards, adapting their protocols for an ugly new reality.

It’s clear that we must grapple with the hatred that seems to have seeped from social networks, the internet and into more mainstream communities, infecting those susceptible and fueling toxic anti-Semitic rage. Yet there’s another form of antiSemitism that threatens all Jews. I fear we’ve become desensitized to it because it’s veiled as political speech or opinion. I’m talking about the spread of anti-Zionism.

Let’s recognize that this hidden antiSemitism can be as pernicious as open hatred. It’s time to address the antiZionist movement that’s being tolerated, and even supported, in our political dis-

course. It’s particularly prevalent among students. The college campus is the newest battleground, and in too many ways, we’ve ignored the threat it poses.

The heart of Zionism is the establishment of a Jewish state in the land that is now Israel. Since then, Israel has become the strongest and most visible expression of the Jewish people, and of Jewish existence in general. Anti-Zionism would deny our very right to be.

Why aren’t more American Jews troubled by anti-Zionism? There are those who make the distinction between antiZionism and anti-Semitism, presumably in good faith. They say they support the Jewish homeland but that the Palestinian community is disadvantaged. They take issue with the way Israel was settled. Or they disagree with current Israeli politics. All of these points are arguable.

But the survival and strength of Israel isn’t negotiable. Anti-Zionism, in both theory and practice, is the demand to erase the Jewish character of the State of Israel. The most immediate practical outcome of anti-Zionist thinking is the eradication of our existence. If you deny Israel’s right to sovereignty, you deny all Jews just as surely as the most noxious anti-Semite.

To examine the most harmful manifestation of anti-Zionism, look no further than the BDS movement. Its stated goal is to choke off Israel’s economic and

social growth through boycotts of Israeli products and businesses. What’s more, the movement is fueled by misinformation and outright lies. And at its core lies a stunning hypocrisy; most of the actions it favors, like boycotts of West Bank industrial businesses, only serve to harm thousands of Palestinians employed there.

It also feeds into anti-Semitism by threatening Israel’s self-determination and demonizing our right to defend ourselves.

Most government leaders recognize BDS for what it is. Twenty-six states have adopted legislation that acknowledges the anti-Semitic nature and impact of BDS actions. At the federal level, initiatives like S. 720, introduced by Sen. Ben Cardin, and H.R. 1697, offered by Rep. Peter Roskam, command broad bipartisan support.

To help stem the rising anti-Semitism that can spur violence, we must demand action from government and community leaders. We should also call out casual incidents of anti-Semitism and raise our voices when established institutions or congressional representatives indulge in anti-Semitic tropes and conspiracies. We must challenge the gradual revision of Jewish history, including the horrors of the Holocaust, that is growing around the globe. We must educate our friends and colleagues about anti-Semitism and its roots, as many who aren’t directly affected by it may not even recognize anti-Semitic

images or myths.

Turing Award-winner Judea Pearl, father of murdered journalist Daniel Pearl, recently raised his voice against the lies and distortions of the BDS movement. Pearl announced he would renounce his status as a distinguished alumnus of NYU after the school honored its chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine for the “extraordinary and positive impact” of its work, which includes the boycott of Zionist student clubs. Pearl publicly decried SJP’s “intimidation tactics” that have made him and others feel “unwelcome and unsafe on our own campus.”

Those are important words. “Unwelcome and unsafe” is how it feels when ignorance and casual anti-Semitism begin to metastasize into something more dangerous.

It all begins and ends with Israel. The truth is that Israel is among the most open, diverse and innovative countries in the world — and certainly in the Mideast region. But even if that weren’t true, there is no human being who can deny our right to exist — without fear or persecution. Until anti-Zionist activism is revealed for what it really is, there can be no end to anti-Semitism. JN

Stephen

A message to Poway, from Pittsburgh, six months later

TOBY TABACHNICK | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Iran into an old friend about three weeks after the Tree of Life massacre, a former Pittsburgher, who wanted to talk about the events of Oct. 27, when a white supremacist gunman murdered 11 Jewish congregants during Shabbat services. In particular, she wanted to know about one of the survivors, someone with whom she had grown up.

“Is she doing OK?” my friend asked. I snapped back: “None of us is doing OK.”

Then I silently thought, or maybe said out loud, “That’s not even the right question.”

My friend was well-meaning, and I realized almost immediately that my response was out of line, especially because I also had been guilty of spouting platitudes since Oct. 27. How many people had I interviewed who witnessed the unimaginable, or whose loved one was brutally murdered, with whom I began the conversation with the now absurd question: “How are you?”

None of us were OK. Instead, our

feelings could be catalogued like a sideways and distorted al chet

We were depressed, we were angry, we were confused.

We were questioning our faith, we were questioning our security, we were questioning our place in America.

We were anxious, we were skittish, we were scared.

Yes, we felt the love of tens of thousands of other Jews and non-Jews from around the globe, who have reached out to us and held our hands, and sent us money, and erected memorials to honor

the martyrs slain by an anti-Semite in what should have been their safe place. We felt the love. And we told the world that love is stronger than hate.

But what could we say to each other?

Are there words that offer social connection and salutation, that convey that we care, without sounding hollow or ridiculous?

Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, the spiritual leader of Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha, told me in the days following the shooting that sometimes using no words is SEE

J. Savitsky, president of Bnai Zion Foundation, is a former chairman and president of the Orthodox Union, and has served in many leadership positions in the Jewish community. He is also the president and chairman of the board of ATC Health Care Services.

TORAH STUDY

What quest are you on?

PARASHAT EMOR, LEVITICUS 21:1 - 24:23

RABBI JEREMY SCHNEIDER

Last week, the film “Tolkien” was released in theaters. I admit, I was excited. I am a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy novels “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” A movie exploring Tolkien as a young student, imagining what early life experiences contributed to and inspired him to write those great body of works, was interesting to me.

The story of “The Lord of the Rings” is one of the great myths of literature. A reluctant hero, in this case the Hobbit, Frodo, is called away from his day-to-day peaceful life and sent on a difficult quest. He overcomes numerous obstacles, both external and internal, to successfully complete the quest — in this case, to destroy the ring. He is successful, but in his success he is profoundly changed. He can never go back and live the life he once lived.

The story of Frodo and the ring is a classic myth. By myth, I do not mean

something make-believe. On the contrary, a myth teaches profound truths about the human condition. A myth may not be literally true, but it reflects a real human truth. A person is called on a quest, reluctantly leaves, faces great personal dangers, eventually succeeds and is forever changed by the experience.

In a sense, stories from our Torah are built around the same myth. Again, a myth is not necessarily a falsehood. It may be literally true, but it always reflects human truths. Moses, for example, was a very successful family man. He was married and working as a shepherd, raising two sons far from his birthplace in Egypt. He was seemingly satisfied with his life. One day he spotted a bush, which burned but was not consumed. He approached the bush to see what a wonder it was. God called to him from the bush, sending him on a quest. He would appear before

Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt, from slavery to freedom. Moses tried every argument to avoid the quest. He stuttered and could not speak, he argued that the people would not believe him. He begged God to send someone else. But when God sends us on a quest, it is difficult to say no. In the end, Moses led the Israelites out of slavery to freedom. He led them to Mt. Sinai and became the great lawgiver.

It is the same story as Frodo and the ring. This should not be surprising, for J.R.R. Tolkien was deeply Christian, and saw his epic as reflecting truths about good and evil in the religious world. There is something universal about this myth. Each of us is called to a quest or mission in our lives. Often, we have to leave what is familiar or comfortable to succeed at our particular mission. We face obstacles and setbacks, and are often discouraged. In the end, we succeed. However, the quest itself changes us in profound ways. We are never the same person we were before we began our mission.

MAY 17 - 7:05 P.M.

MAY 24 - 7:10 P.M.

SHABBAT ENDS

MAY 18 - 8:05 P.M.

MAY 25 - 8:11 P.M.

Our particular quests may not be the material for great works of literature. We may not be called to destroy a ring of evil, or to lead a people from slavery to freedom. It may be something simpler: raising a particular child, starting a particular business, doing some act of goodness in the world, volunteering or pursuing some God-given talent or gift. But, in pursuing our particular quests we come out changed. Perhaps that is the reason why this myth is so appealing. In the end, “The Lord of the Rings” is not about Frodo, and our Torah portion is not about Moses. We watch these movies and read these books, because they are both about us and our quests to find and make meaning for ourselves in this world! JN

MESSAGE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

the right choice, that a hug is the way to go. Hugs are good, but not always appropriate, especially between those who are strangers — regardless of the fact that they share the distinction of having been part of Jewish Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2018.

I, for one, have been unable to find the words. I still stutter as I begin conversations, slipping into the familiar social constructs of language as I continue to meet with those flooded with sorrow so that I can try to tell their stories.

“People in mourning tend to use euphemism,” notes writer Zadie Smith in “Elegy for a Country’s Season,” an essay published in 2014. “The most melancholy of all the euphemisms: ‘The new normal.’… We can’t even say the word ‘abnormal’ to each other out loud: it reminds us of what came before.”

I will say it. The situation that Jewish

WE HAVE SEEN THE WORST OF HUMANITY, AND NOW SO HAS POWAY. BUT WE HAVE ALSO SEEN THE BEST, IN THE AFTERMATH, IN THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF SO MANY.

a daughter of one of the 11 Jews murdered here, telling me how difficult her family’s seder would be this year without her dad. It was almost too much to bear.

Pittsburgh has found itself in since Oct. 27, 2018, is abnormal. What came before, the complacent and upspoken conviction that our community was safe, is gone — if not forever, then certainly for the foreseeable future.

We have seen the worst of humanity, and now so has Poway. But we also have seen the best, in the aftermath, in the unwavering support of so many, and that has helped to ease the pain. Yet the pain persists as we go about our daily lives in our new abnormal state.

As the weeks and months passed, we resumed the celebrations that are the

lifeblood of our people. A communitymenorah lighting outside the Tree of Life building was at once a reaffirmation of our dedication to our values and a melancholy reminder of those who were not there to celebrate. By Purim, we were ready for the shpiels and the carnivals, while we continued to be haunted by the knowledge that life for us is different now.

Then came Passover.

At my own family’s seder, I read the Haggadah’s words that in every generation there are those who want to kill us. I simultaneously recalled the words of

Passover was difficult for many of us in Pittsburgh, but on the eighth day, any bandage straining to cover our deep and personal wounds was harshly ripped from our communal skin when we heard the news of the shooting at the Chabad of Poway.

We gathered together outside the Tree of Life building again in vigil, six months to the day after our own antiSemitic attack.

We are grieving with you, Poway. We feel your loss in our bones. We offer you love, and we offer you solidarity. But I weep as I tell you, there are no words. JN

Rabbi Schneider is the spiritual leader of Temple Kol Ami and the immediate past president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Phoenix.

Toby Tabachnick is the senior staff writer of the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle. Since Oct. 27, she has written more than 30 articles about the Tree of Life massacre. This piece was originally published by San Diego Jewish World.

Find area congregations at jewishaz.com, where you can also find our 2019 Community Directory.

RABBI JEREMY SCHNEIDER

Beat the heat with these summer blockbusters

NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER

Summer is around the corner and that familiar, unforgiving, Phoenix heat is coming with it. While lounging by a pool is always an option, sometimes only the power of a movie theater’s industrial air conditioner can cool everyone down. The only questions are, what’s playing now? What’s coming out? Will they be family-friendly? We’ve compiled a list of current and upcoming blockbusters the whole family can enjoy.

NOW IN THEATERS

Shazam!

Released April 5

PG-13

Warner Bros. Pictures

Superhero movies are reliant on big spectacle and large budgets, but this modest DC film is a funny and heartfelt take on the genre. The movie stars Asher Angel — a Scottsdale native who spent much of his early acting career performing at the Desert Stages Theatre — as Billy Batson, a young teen who can turn into a powerful superhero (Zachary Levi) by shouting “Shazam!” It’s very much like the movie “Big” but with superheroes and monsters. What makes this movie stand out is the emphasis on the importance of familial bonds, which isn’t something we see as often in superhero films. If the movie theater’s AC unit can’t cool you down, the film’s winter setting definitely will.

Avengers return, along with many characters that have been introduced over the course of the franchise’s 23-film saga. Expect overthe-top action scenes, a heavy use of CGI and that trademark MCU wit. It’s easy to see why this movie has already crossed the $2 Billion mark worldwide. Be warned though, “Avengers: Endgame” clocks in at just over three hours, and there’s no great time to go to the bathroom.

COMING SOON

Aladdin

Release date: May 24

Rated PG

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Here we have a liveaction remake of the 1992 Disney animated masterpiece. “Aladdin” brings aboard the charismatic Will Smith as the Genie, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine and Mena Massoud as Aladdin. Purists might say that this new film can never compare to the original classic, but Disney has been successful with its other liveaction remakes. This movie serves as a great excuse to introduce the Disney Renaissance to younger audiences.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Release date: May 31

PG-13

Warner Bros. Pictures

The Godzilla franchise has come a long way from a man in a rubber costume wrecking a model of Tokyo. Its newest entry looks to be explosive and fun, joining all of the famous Toho monsters to duke it out. Starring Millie Bobby Brown from the hit show “Stranger Things,” this new Godzilla movie looks to be the epitome of the summer blockbuster.

Men in Black: International Release date: June 14

PG-13

Sony Pictures Releasing

Reuniting the chemistry of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson for another science fiction action adventure, “Men in Black: International” brings back the bizarre franchise of secretive government agents who fight aliens. This film seeks to expand the franchise’s in-story universe by taking Hemsworth and Thompson around the world to battle a gang of mischievous aliens.

Avengers: Endgame

Released April 26

PG-13

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

This isn’t just a superhero movie, but rather a superhero epic. Worthy of comic legend Stan Lee’s great imagination, it’s another entry in the wildly successful Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here the Avengers work together to try and fix what the mad titan, Thanos, did in “Avengers: Infinity War.” The original

Released May 10

PG

Warner Bros. Pictures

This movie is based on the Japanese phenomenon Pokémon that became popular in the ’90s. “Detective Pikachu” is a quirky film starring Ryan Reynolds as the titular character. He works with up-and-coming actor Justice Smith to solve a mystery in Ryme city, a land where humans and the adorable, magical animals live together in harmony. While a much smaller film in scope, it’s sure to be a hit with young kids and fans of the property.

The Secret Life of Pets 2

Release date: June 7

PG

Universal Pictures

“The Secret Life of Pets 2” is a sequel, continuing the 3D-animated hit story of a dog named Max. Max and his friends, who are also pets, lead secret lives after their owners leave for work or school each day. Filled with great comedic talent like Patton Oswalt, Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish, this funny sequel looks to be a hit with kids and pet lovers alike.

Toy Story 4

Release date: June 21

Walt Disney Studios

Motion Pictures

Pixar is reuniting all the classic toys from their first film to continue the story of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest. This time the gang embarks on a road trip with their owner, Bonnie, and a new toy named Forky. Tom Hanks, Woody Allen, Joan Cusack and most of the original cast return, along with a few new voices such as Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele and Keanu Reeves. JN

Detective Pikachu

PHOTO COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES

PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES

PHOTO COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES RELEASING

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES

PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES

PHOTO COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES

PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES

PHOTO COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES

MEN’S PROFESSIONAL PANEL

Thursday, May 30 | 7pm

VIP reception option available at 6pm

Panelists share their professional journeys and how being Jewish plays a role in their personal, philanthropic and professional lives.

As Arizona faces shrinking industry workforce, one company seeks alternative solution

RICH SOLOMON | MANAGING EDITOR

A25th anniversary is a sign of success for most companies. It’s something to be proud of, a signal that things have gone well thus far.

For Jewish News columnist Bob Roth, managing partner of Cypress HomeCare Solutions, it only made him think about the future.

“We just celebrated our 25th anniversary, and I’m looking into the next 25 years and saying to myself, ‘How do I remain relevant? How do we differentiate and be able to continue to

go into clients’ homes and assist them as needed. But new reports about the industry were concerning to Roth.

“Our state, the statistics are pretty daunting. The Arizona Department of Health Services has published information that the group of people 65 and older is going to increase 174%, from 880,000 in 2010 to 2.5 million in 2050.”

As the demand grows, however, the supply is decreasing. “In Arizona, between 2016 and 2017, it was the first year that Arizona declined in direct care workers,” Roth said. “We

“I REALLY ENJOY WHAT I DO, BEING ABLE TO HELP FAMILIES. AND I GET TO BE MORE AVAILABLE TO MY CLIENTS NOW. I GET TO BE A RESOURCE TO HELP THEM THROUGH THE JOURNEY OF THEIR LOVED ONES. AS THEY GET INCREASING NEEDS, THEY CAN GET GOOD DIRECTION FROM ME.”

— BOB ROTH

care for this population?’”

Pardes

$18

That kind of forward-thinking has been a hallmark of Cypress’ success. Roth has always approached the caregiving industry with innovation in mind. “We introduced a caregiver training lab 15 years ago. We were the first that I’m aware of, in the entire country, to do that,” he said.

Cypress’ novel approach to employee preparation garnered the company awards and positive attention. But that was the past, and with eyes on the future, Roth is doing something unprecedented. That award-winning training program? Gone. The direct care employees who Cypress sends into homes to assist clients? They’re gone, too.

Cypress, like most caregiving agencies, relied on direct care workers to

went down almost 1,600 workers. We’re experiencing a workforce shortage.”

Cypress, for all its success, was no exception. Roth knew his biggest challenge moving forward would be staffing.

Enter Honor, a home care company that runs Honor Care Network, a national network that allows home care agencies to share employees. Once Roth was confident that this could be a solution to his workforce shortage, Cypress became Honor’s newest partner.

Honor took over the recruitment, hiring and training of direct care employees — Honor calls them Care Pros — for Cypress. The caregivers Cypress had on payroll were let go and re-hired by Honor. “They’re paying

GEOFF BALON Legal advisor to the Mesa Police Department

JAY FEITLINGER Founder & CEO of StringCan Interactive

Moderated by BEN ELLIS Founder and designated broker of E & G Real Estate Services

JONATHAN HOFFER Managing partner of SMS Financial

GREG SALTZ Founder of GPS Retail Advisors

them nicely, and giving them opportu nities to have 401ks and encouraging career lattices,” Roth said.

tap into this same large pool of active caregivers, providing much-needed relief in an industry that struggles with retention and turnover.

“By sharing a caregiver pool across multiple agencies in a given geographic region,” explained Jessica Gilmartin, Honor’s chief marketing officer, “we’re able to give caregivers access to steady work that allows them to stay in the career they love.”

Honor also uses technology to streamline the caregiving process. Gone are the days when bundles of paperwork were kept in locked cabinets and employees had to drive to a remote office to review their clients’ needs. Honor uses a secure app to allow the natural supports of clients and the employees who work with them to see critical information and updates.

“Our app provides detailed instructions to Care Pros about their clients and expectations for their upcoming visits,” Gilmartin said. “Then, at the end of each visit, our Care Pro uses

Upcoming Special Sections

the app to leave behind care notes, which are immediately emailed to the client’s approved account members. This provides immense peace of mind

The app also utilizes locationtracking to see if employees are close enough to client homes to make it to their shift on time. 30 minutes before a shift starts location-tracking turns on, and if the app registers that a caregiver is likely to be late then it will notify Honor immediately so a replacement employee can be sent out.

According to Gilmartin, this means that Honor’s rate of late arrivals or no-shows is exceedingly low, in stark contrast to industry standards.

Roth believes that taking the employment portion of the workload away from Cypress allows his company to spend more time on the client interaction side of things.

“I really enjoy what I do, being able to help families,” he said. “And I get to be more available to my clients now. I get to be a resource to help them through the journey of their loved ones. As they get increasing needs, they can get good direction from me.” JN

Family Matters

Is downsizing really necessary?

BARBARA KAPLAN | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Now that your last child has left home, are you wondering if downsizing is a good idea? Are you torn between leaving your home and making some changes that would give you what you think you need and want?

I have always been uncomfortable with the term “downsizing.” It has always had a negative connotation for me. It’s really about change and what you want to do with the change. I believe this can be a time in life to begin anew, to reflect on where life has taken you and how we can create a setting to live in that is more suitable — a space that speaks of the changes that have occurred and a time to examine what is working and what isn’t.

Many people look forward to down-

sizing — moving from a larger family home to a smaller, easier-to-manage residence. This usually occurs when people retire or when their children have gone. They suddenly feel that their homes are too large to live in by themselves. Their needs are less and they don’t want as much responsibility in caring for a home, both inside and outside.

Stop! Don’t rush into any decision. Look around and decide where you would like to live. Picture yourself living in the new neighborhood. Imagine having less rooms or space than you have been accustomed to. Plan how you will arrange your life in the smaller spaces — which pieces you’d keep and which ones you’d give away or sell.

If, on the other hand, you would rather new-size, changes can be made to stay in the same house that will give you the feeling of a new home.

Many believe it is a perfect time to redecorate or just make small changes, such as turning a child’s room into an office, an exercise room, a closet with space for packing for trips or a hobby room.

Many need larger areas when their families grow through the marriages of their children. And then, of course, grandchildren arrive. Suddenly, there are more people around the dining room table and more time spent with visits from family. It might even be a time to entertain more and invite old friends to visit so that you’ll need extra bedrooms.

If the living and dining rooms are connected, they can be combined to create a great room for entertaining and watching television. The family room then becomes a larger dining room. Using rooms differently may by enough change so that moving isn’t

Mazel Tov to the Pardes Class of 2019!

necessary. You might even examine the things you have longed to have in your home, such as a home theater, meditation area, music room or library.

Often a face lift is all that is needed to give a feeling of newness. New flooring, new paint and rearranging the furniture is enough to create the desired setting. If you want to splurge you can add new cabinets and hardware.

True, this can be a time of starting over. And there are many ways to do this. Most importantly, it is the time to determine what is new for you. Remember, rooms have no feelings, but you do! JN

Barbara Kaplan, IFDA and Allied ASID, is a Phoenix-based interior designer and the CEO of Barbara’s Picks, an online resource for interior design. For more information, visit barbaraspicks.com.

5 things to know before going solar

Like it or hate it, there is no avoiding it. The summer months are upon us and we know exactly what that means. Soon, our days will be spent solely in the pool or in an air-conditioned room. We will use oven mitts to drive and our mantra of “it’s a dry heat” will echo throughout the city. It also means one more thing… high electric bills. Although there is no escaping the tripledigit weather, going solar can help alleviate the financial burden of tolerating the upcoming months. Here is more on what you need to know.

Save energy, save money

As Valley residents may know, summer electric bills can make up a large portion of your monthly expenses. Imagine all the other ways you could spend your money if your bill was significantly reduced or eliminated altogether. Interestingly, many solar system owners see negative utility bills a few months each year, meaning the utility company actually pays them for the energy used.

Environmental benefits

Going solar doesn’t just help your wallet. Unlike conventional energy, which relies on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, solar energy does not emit any harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. In fact, a typical residential solar panel system will eliminate three to four tons of carbon emissions each year. That’s the equivalent of planting more than 100 trees annually.

Credits and incentives

Qualified residents who install solar may be eligible for both state and federal incentives. The state of Arizona provides a 10% tax credit of up to a $1,000 in order to offset the cost of installation. Additionally, homeowners can take advantage of a 30% federal tax credit through the end of 2019.

How it all works

So how do they even produce energy?

Solar photovoltaic panels are made from silicon cells that join together to form a circuit. When the sun shines onto a solar panel, photons from the sunlight are absorbed by the panel’s cells. This creates an electric field across the layers and causes electricity to flow.

Factors to consider

Phoenix averages 3,872 hours of sunshine per year, thus making the Valley of the Sun a prime choice when it comes to maximizing the use of solar energy. After all, more direct sunlight equals more energy. However, there are other several factors that could affect energy production including the location of the panels, condition of the roof, orientation of the sun, quality of equipment, excessive shading and outdoor temperatures. JN

Joe Cunninham is the co-founder and director of operations at Sunny Energy. For more information, visit sunnyenergy.solar.

JOE CUNNINGHAM | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

National commander of Jewish War Veterans visits Phoenix

NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER

Jewish War Veterans National Commander Dr. Barry Schneider believes that the veterans’ organization is the Jewish community’s best kept secret, and he’s working to change that.

“We’re facing a similar problem that all veterans’ groups are facing, and that’s with declining membership,” Schneider said. “Most of those groups, including ours, are comprised of World War II veterans, and sadly most of them are passing away. We need to engage our Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and make JWV applicable to them.”

One of Schneider’s focuses as the national commander is to make sure that underrepresented Jewish veteran communities gain more public attention.

“National commanders have rarely traveled outside of New York, Pennsylvania, Florida or New Jersey,” Schneider said. “The posts outside of those regions need to know that the national command realizes they exist and that they’re an integral part of the organization.”

The national commander has also visited JWV posts in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Colorado and Washington State. He wants the smaller JWV communities to know that they are

From May 1 to 3, Schneider visited Arizona to tour and review JWV posts in the Phoenix and Tucson areas. There are four active JWV posts in Arizona; three located in the Phoenix metropolitan area and one in Tucson. Founded in 1896 by Jewish veterans of the Civil War, JWV is the longest-running continuous veterans’ group in the nation. Schneider has served as the JWV’s national commander since August 2018.

During Schneider’s visit to the area, he was honored at Scottsdale Post 210 as the installation officer for the post’s new officer installation and gala brunch.

“It was a significant event, highlighting both the culmination of a busy year of increased public presence in the city, as well as looking forward to an expansion in membership and activities for the year to come,” said Rochel Hayman, the commander of JWV Scottsdale Post 210.

Schneider also toured both the Phoenix VA hospital and the Arizona State Veteran Home, met with Jewish and veterans’ groups at Arizona State University and addressed a Boy Scouts of America Grand Canyon Council roundtable.

appreciated. “We cannot exist without this part of the world, and the national command needs to know that there is a world of Jewish veterans outside of the East Coast.”

Schneider hails from St. Louis, Missouri, and now lives in Fort Worth, Texas. He was elected as national commander at the JWV’s 123rd annual national convention in Tampa, Florida. He is a retired Air Force major with 20 years of military service.

Schneider didn’t know about the JWV until he joined in 1994. He soon became a lifetime member and then became the commander of Post 775 in Fort Worth. Later, he served as department commander for Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma from 2012 to 2014 and as a national executive committee member from 2014 to 2016.

The JWV has approximately 15,000 members, with veterans who served in World War II up through currently active soldiers. As the national commander, Schneider — along with the JWV’s national executive committee — works to represent Jewish veterans on Capitol Hill.

On March 12, Schneider presented the

JWV’s legislative priorities for 2019 before a joint hearing of the House and Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Schneider’s testimony outlined the need for increased funding for veteran suicide prevention programs, and for protecting student veterans from predatory for-profit colleges.

But for Schneider, the most important work the JWV does is on the local level. JWV members attend funerals for soldiers and provide a flag folding ceremony; they volunteer at homeless shelters and are

involved with the community in other ways.

Late last year, JWV Post 210 helped create Cub Scout Family Pack 210, which is the nation’s first shomer Shabbat and kosher pack for both boys and girls.

JWV Post 210 and the Cub Scout pack marched together in the Phoenix Veteran’s Day Parade in November 2018.

“It’s that level of involvement that will help build our presence,” Schneider said. “And just like any organization, we have to ask people to join.” JN

Jewish War Veterans National Commander Dr. Barry Schneider attends Scottsdale’s Post 210 for officer installation brunch.

"WE CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT THIS PART OF THE WORLD, AND THE NATIONAL COMMAND NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A WORLD OF JEWISH VETERANS OUTSIDE OF THE EAST COAST."

—DR. BARRY SCHNEIDER

TUESDAY, MAY 21

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. This month, explore paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. Free. For more information, contact Harriet at 480.481.7033 or harrietc@vosjcc.org

Events

SATURDAY, MAY 18

WLCOT Game Night: 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m, Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. The Women’s League of Congregation Or Tzion is hosting its first game night. Come play poker, mahjong, rummy cube, charades and more. Food and drinks will be provided. Register at congregationortzion.shulcloud.com/event/ wlcot-board-game-night.html

Yom Ha’atzmaut Festival: 4:30-9 p.m., Moon Valley Country Club, 151 W. Moon Valley Drive, Phoenix. DJ, kids' activities (face painting, balloon artist, bouncy house, henna artist), photo booth, teen zone and fun for adults. Kosher food and bar available. Tickets available at eventbrite. com/e/celebrate-israel-71-yom-haatzmautfestival-tickets-59799038534

Aleph Bet Preschool & Kindergarten

Garden Party: 6-8 p.m., House of Diamonds, 13637 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix. Join Aleph Bet for a fun evening out at the beautiful House of Diamonds’ patio. Enjoy great food, drinks, entertainment, friends and an art auction in this oasis of quiet and greenery in the heart of Phoenix. For more information, visit AlephBetaz.com/GardenParty.

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, just come. This free program is intended for players with prior experience. Be sure to bring your current mahjong card and a set if you have one. 480-897-0588.

WEDNESDAYS

‘The Valley News’: 10-11:30 a.m., Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. The class focuses on current events and is led by Dr. Michael Epner. No registration required.

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Ladles of Love: 9 a.m.-noon, East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Volunteers prepare kosher meals to deliver to homebound individuals. Drivers also needed. To sign up, visit bit.ly/Ladles2019

TUESDAY, MAY 21

Terrific Tuesdays season-ending luncheon: Noon, East Valley JCC at Ocotillo Grille, 3751 S. Clubhouse Drive, Chandler. Ages 55-plus. Suggested donation: $4. 480-897-0588 or adrian@evjcc.org

THURSDAY, MAY 23

Class on the Book of Samuel: 9 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Led by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Free. Registration required: evjcc.org/ open-beit-midrash

Talmud class: 10 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Led by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Topic: Tashlich and Kapparot: Two Mysterious Customs. Cost: $14. Registration required: evjcc.org/ open-beit-midrash

Speaker series: 11 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Speaker: Marty Haberer, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix. Topic: The American Jewish Experience. Cost: $14, includes kosher lunch. Registration required: evjcc.org/open-beit-midrash

Understanding Human Suffering: Theological, Moral & Spiritual Explorations: 1-2 p.m., Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. In this session, Rabbi Shmuly will explore Jewish sources on pain and suffering and explore various theological approaches to understanding how one can spiritually respond to their own pain and suffering. Cost: $18. Registration required: valleybeitmidrash.org/event/understandinghuman-suffering-theological-moralspiritual-explorations

THURSDAY, MAY 30

Class on the Book of Samuel: 9 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road,

Chandler. Led by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Free. Registration required: evjcc.org/ open-beit-midrash

Talmud class: 10 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Led by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Topic: Idols or Art: Sculptures and artistic creativity in Jewish life. Cost: $14. Registration required: evjcc. org/open-beit-midrash

Speaker series: 11 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Speaker: Rabbi Michael Beyo, EVJCC CEO. Topic: Italian Classical Sculptures and the Torah: Part 1. Cost: $14, includes kosher lunch. Registration required: evjcc.org/ open-beit-midrash

Federation NowGen/Business & Professionals Group: Men’s Professional Panel: 6-8 p.m., Pardes Jewish Day School, 12753 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Panelists share their professional journies and how being Jewish plays a role in their professional, personal and philanthropic lives. Panelists: Geoff Balon, legal advisor to the Mesa Police Department; Jay Feitlinger, founder and CEO of StringCan Interactive; Jonathan Hoffer, managing partner of SMS Financial; Greg Saltz, founder of GPS Retail Advisors; with Moderator, Ben Ellis, founder and designated broker of E & G Real Estate Services. $18 per person, includes light snacks. Dietary laws observed. Register at 480.481.1752 or jewishphoenix.org/menspanel

Family

MAY 28- AUG. 2

Shemesh Camp at The J: Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Sign up for all the different types of camps, which include superhero week, Israel week and much more. Information: vosjcc.org/ shemeshsummer2019

Camp Rimon Gadol: Camp days are 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday; extended care available 7-9 a.m. and 3:30-6 p.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Camp Rimon Gadol is designated for grades kindergarten through ninth. Register: camp@evjcc.org

Camp Rimon Katan: Camp days are 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday; extended care available 7-9 a.m. and 3:30-6 p.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Weekly signups available. Campers’ days start with a camp-wide welcome, camp songs and continues with big smiles from playing games, making art, music, sensory play, scientific discovery, cooking and exciting weekly themes. Your child will be engaged in developmentally appropriate activities in our NAEYC Accredited program, and cared for by our expert staff. Day Camp Rimon Katan is for those aged: 2-year-old through prekindergarten. Register at camp@evjcc.org

Wellness

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Minkoff Center for Jewish Genetics

Hereditary Cancer (BRCA) Screening

Event: 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. The screening event is designed to be an educational session led by cancer genetic counselors from the Phoenix community. Prior to undergoing genetic testing, individuals attending the education session will have the opportunity to learn more details about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and the implications of undergoing genetic testing. Register at jgdcaz.org

Seniors

THURSDAY, MAY 16

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!

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 Caplan prior to Saturday-morning services. A light breakfast will be served. For more information visit congregationortzion.org or call 480-342-8858.

EVERY SATURDAY

Torah Express: Noon, Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. On Shabbat mornings, during the congregation’s Kiddush lunch, join Rabbi Caplan and other Jewish professionals and teachers from the community for an in-depth study of the Torah portion of the week. No RSVP required. For more information visit congregationortzion.org or call 480-342-8858.

FRIDAY, MAY 17

Motown Shabbat: 6 p.m., Temple Emanuel of Tempe, 5801 S. Rural Road, Tempe. Service with Shabbat prayers set to Motown tunes. The Shabbatones, and cantorial solist, Suzanne Guinane, will provide the songs/prayers. All are welcome. No RSVP required. For more information visit congregationortzion.org or call 480-342-8858.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

Ru’ah Tefilah: 9:35 a.m., Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Join Cantor Rubinstein for a 30-minute learning minyan, which will review the structure and choreography of Shabbat morning worship. No RSVP required. For more information visit congregationortzion.org or call 480342-8858. JN

Gerrit Dou’s ‘Man Smoking a Pipe’ an example of a painting from the Dutch Golden Age, which will be featured by Phoenix Art Museum docents. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

On ‘Broadway’

David Buehrle and Raymond Cusick star as Eugene and Stanley, respectively, in Desert Stages Theatre’s production of Neil Simon’s “Broadway Bound.”

Swim for it

Valley of the Sun JCC member Murray Sharkey accomplished his goal to swim 1,000 miles before his 80th birthday. He celebrated by presenting a $500 donation to Valley of the Sun JCC Director of Corporate Giving Andrea Quen for The J’s Smile Scholarship Campaign, making The J’s quality preschool, camp, membership and programming available to all regardless of financial status. Gifts can be made at vosjcc.org/smile

Happy birthday, Israel

Young students from Temple Kol Ami’s religious school make mock passports to Israel at their carnival celebrating Israel's 71st year.

Start spreading the news

From left: Hospice of the Valley Director of Community Engagement Lyn Sue Cooney; Arizona Jewish Historical Society Executive Director Lawrence Bell; Valley Newsroom teacher Dr. Michael Epner; Bureau of Jewish Education Director of Adult Learning Elaine Hirsch; and BJE Executive Director Myra Shindler pose to celebrate the Valley Newsroom's donation of $1,000 to three organizations. Every year, the Valley Newsroom class donates to three charities of its choice.

Marking Yom Hashoah

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.

Holocaust survivor and author Marion Weinzweig, pictured with her daughter Cindy Katz, was the featured speaker at the East Valley JCC Yom Hashoah commemoration, held May 2 at the East Valley JCC.

PHOTO BY LEISAH WOLDOFF

RYLEE FAITH COHEN

Rylee Faith Cohen will become a bat mitzvah on June 1, 2019, at Congregation Or Tzion. She is the daughter of Liza and Michael Cohen of Scottsdale.

Grandparents are Laura and David Sharpe of Scottsdale; Renee Cohen of Scottsdale and the late Lawrence Cohen.

For her mitzvah project, Rylee is volunteering at Arizona Helping Hands, where she collected art items for children and families in the foster

A student at Desert Canyon Middle School, Rylee enjoys tennis, spending time with friends and makeup art.

JUSTIN ASHER FRIEDLANDER

Justin Asher Friedlander will become a bar mitzvah on June 1, 2019, at Congregation Beth Israel. He is the son of Janet Baratz of Scottsdale and Robert Friedlander of Scottsdale.

Grandparents are Joan and Robert Baratz of Paradise Valley; Shirley and Daniel Friedlander of Waukegan, Illinois, and Dublin, Georgia.

For his mitzvah project, Justin volunteered with KEEN: Kids Enjoying Exercise Now. He played sports and participated in exercise activites with children who have physical challenges.

A student at Sunrise Middle School, he enjoys basketball, bowling, football, rubik's

Stewart Kristal of Scottsdale, age 88, passed away April 29, 2019, after complications from a fall. He was born Feb. 26, 1931, in Joliet, Illinois, to Belle and Herman Kristal, immigrants from western Russia. His father died when Stewart was just 6 and he was lovingly raised in Streator, Illinois, by his mother and older siblings, Ben, Sarah, Annette and Mildred. Stewart met his wife of 66 years, Toba Press Kristal, when both were in high school. They attended the universities of Illinois and Wisconsin together where Stewart earned his degree in pharmacy. After service in the Army Medical Corps in Germany, Stewart and Toba moved first to Ottawa, Illinois, and then in 1963 to Phoenix. There he opened his first pharmacy, Kristal Drugs, and eventually went into partnership with his dear friend, Lanny Lahr, in four more K&L pharmacies. He was one of the founding members of the independent pharmacy group United Drugs, and was one of the first in Arizona to introduce computers into pharmacy management.

Stewart loved to travel. He and Toba drove through many parts of Europe and visited Israel, China, Russia, Egypt, Vietnam, India, Cuba and Thailand. He particularly enjoyed sampling varied cuisines, especially desserts. Over the last seven years, Stewart volunteered with the Navajo Elementary School Volunteer Reading Program for children with reading difficulties. The kindness that was the hallmark of his character was especially helpful with the most challenging students.

Stewart is survived by his adoring wife, Toba; his loving children, Scot Kristal, Steven Kristal, and Jill Kristal Feuerstein; daughter-in-law Theresa Kristal and son-in-law Peter Feuerstein; grandchildren Rachel Kristal Topscher (Mike), Betsy Feuerstein, Benjamin Feuerstein, Joseph Kristal, Hayden Kristal and Emma Kristal; and great-grandchildren Alyss and Evelyn Topscher. A dear gentle man and true mensch has left us and will be terribly missed by all who were lucky enough to have known him.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Navajo Elementary School Volunteer Reading Program, 7501 E. Oak St., Scottsdale, Arizona 85257. Arrangements have been entrusted to Green Acres Mortuary & Cemetery. Please visit greenacresmortuary.net for information.

TY SPENCER PENNYPACKER

Ty Spencer Pennypacker will become a bar mitzvah on May 18, 2019, at Temple Chai. He is the son of Melissa Schaffer and Jay Pennypacker of Scottsdale.

Grandparents are Sharon and Alan Bulman of Phoenix and the late Spencer Shaffer; John Pennypacker of Mesa and the late Betsy Pennypacker.

For his mitzvah project, Ty is on the Boys Team Charity League and donates much of his time to various charities. Miracle League holds a special place in his heart. Ty enjoys working with kids with disabilities and has done most of his charity work in this field.

A student at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy, he enjoys golf, baseball, basketball and reading.

SASHA EVE VANN

Sasha Eve Vann will become a bat mitzvah on May 11, 2019, at Beth El in La Jolla, California. She is the daughter of Karin Zell and Eric Vann of La Jolla, California.

Grandparents are Linda and Howard Zell of Scottsdale, and Nancie and Richard Vann of La Jolla, California.

Our beautiful mother, Gloria Topper, 91 years young, passed away on Sunday morning, April 14th, 2019. She had been a resident of Brooklyn, Queens and Massapequa, Long Island, until moving to Paradise Valley in 1972. For the past seven years, Gloria had made Sagewood her home. She brought many smiles to the residents of Sagewood and Acacia Nursing Center by visiting with her sweet dog, Briget. Her children, Robin Schneider (Harlan) and Elliot Topper (Pamela), will love their mother into eternity. Her dear son Mark Topper passed away in 1994, and her husband of 49 years, Samuel “Jerry” Topper, passed away in 1996. Gloria’s family meant everything to her. The last few days of her life continually surrounded by those who loved her so much. Adored by grandchildren Mikelle Belfore, Sarette McIntosh, Richard Schneider, Aleah Miles and her tender great grandchildren, Samuel, Max, David, Hannah, Lylah, Joseph and Weldon. All who brightened up her life. Gorgeous Gloria will be missed beyond words. Donations in her memory may be made to Temple Kol Ami. Arrangements by Sinai Mortuary.

MERRICK ALAN FORMAN

Merrick Alan Forman, 57, died May 6, 2019. He was born in Phoenix. He is survived by his mother, Dolores I. Forman; and sisters, Hilary Adams and Lexi Forman.

Services were held on May 8, 2019, at Beth Israel Cemetery and were officiated by Rabbi Martin S. Scharf.

Arrangements by Sinai Mortuary of Arizona.

Memorial contributions can be made to a charity of your choice. JN

BAR/BAT MITZVAHS

ASK THE EXPERT

Q: What is all the hype about Opportunity Zone Funds? Is the tax savings really that compelling?

A: Many have stated this program represents the greatest tax reduction opportunity of our generation. When modeled against a standard investment using the same underlying rate of return and time assumption, an opportunity zone investment produces more than 2x the net return on investment.

Q: Where did this tax reduction program come from?

Q: Who can I work with and how is my money invested?

A: While the recent buzz surrounding Opportunity Zones have spurred plans for many new Funds, there are few qualified funds open, available for investment and ready for you to take advantage of.

One option is the Caliber Tax Advantaged Opportunity Zone Fund, LP which opened in 2018 and has begun investing directly into a diversified portfolio of real estate assets in qualified zones throughout the Southwest growth markets. You can learn more about the fund at opportunity.caliberco.com

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Caliber - The Wealth Development Company is a full-service real estate investment company specializing in commercial, residential, multi-family, self-storage and hospitality properties.

Since its inception in 2010, Caliber has more than $225 million in invested equity across the southwest with more than $375 million of assets under management. Caliber’s investment cycle is managed 100 percent in-house through its five business units: Investment, Construction & Development, Property Management, Brokerage and Hospitality. Operating under the principles of integrity, responsibility, discipline and transparency, Caliber provides its more than 400 accredited investors with well-managed, diverse, asset-based investment strategies.

A: Opportunity Zones were enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed on December 22, 2017. The driving force behind the tax code changes was to incentivize economic growth in designated communities where new real estate and businesses can thrive.

Q: Is any taxable capital gain eligible for the program?

A: Short and long-term capital gains derived from any source –sale of a business, a real estate asset, stocks you own, etc. – are eligible for the program benefits. Investors who “wait and see” on this program will miss out, as the gains must be invested within 180 days of being realized to qualify.

Keep in mind real estate investment requires the right team, an operating history, and a track record of success.

Q: Are there options for my other forms of capital?

A: Yes! Caliber has become a leader in real estate private equity investment in Arizona and can help you find the right options to grow your wealth or generate stable income from your capital. Give us a call at 480-295-7600 or connect with us on our website to setup a conversation with the Caliber team.

Caliber CEO + Co-Founder, Chris Loeffler