Jewish News, Dec. 6, 2019

ISRAEL BONDS

CEO Israel Maimon talks about why Phoenix is perfect for a conference.

SENIOR LIFESTYLE

How isolated seniors can combat loneliness during the holidays.

Jewish Advisory Board: Building bridges for two decades

ELLEN O’BRIEN | STAFF WRITER

For 20 years, the Phoenix Police Department’s Police Chief’s Advisory Boards have been bridging the gap between the police department and minority communities in Phoenix. That includes the Jewish Advisory Board, which allows the Jewish community to stay connected with police resources and for community leaders to share concerns.

“The actual function of the board is multifaceted, but its primary function is to build a bridge between the Jewish community and the police department,” said Detective Michael Hillman, the Phoenix Police Department community liaison to the Jewish Advisory Board.

Paul Rockower, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix and a new member of the advisory board, says that the program is a unique opportunity for the Phoenix Jewish community to be heard.

“Good public diplomacy is about listening,” said Rockower. “The advisory board is showing that the Phoenix Police Department is listening to the concerns of the community, and it’s showing that we’re listening to their concerns.”

As the liaison to the Jewish Advisory Board, Hillman also benefits from a special connection to the Jewish community: He’s worked as an off-duty police officer at Temple Chai for 22 years. “I’m not Jewish, but I’ve been at the temple for so long that I tell people I’m the most Jewish Christian you’ll ever meet,” Hillman said.

The Jewish Advisory Board is one of 12 community advisory boards that regularly meet with the Phoenix Police Department. Other boards include

SEE JAB, PAGE 2

Month of anti-Israel activity at ASU sparks debate

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, students flooded a meeting of the Undergraduate Student Government at Arizona State University to debate a planned resolution in favor of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. The meeting came after a month of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incidents on campus.

The proposed resolution would have called on the ASU administration to divest from any Israeli companies that the university is currently invested in.

Although a vote on the resolution was delayed until the next student government meeting, around 60 students from Jewish organizations across ASU attended the event to speak out against the proposal.

Sarah Balis, president of the Hillel Jewish Student Center at ASU, was the first student to speak at the meeting.

Chanukah gift guide

Chanukah is on Dec. 22 this year, leaving you plenty of time to figure out what to get your family and friends. Take advantage of the waning hours of Cyber Week (wasn't it just Cyber Monday last year?) using our breakdown of online Chanukah gifts with a quirky twist, like this T-shirt sold by locally owned Schmattees. Go to Page 13.

ELLEN O’BRIEN | STAFF WRITER

Neta Galili debates the Israeli government’s policies in Gaza and the West Bank with Benjamin Cooper.

representatives of the African American community, the LGBTQ community and the refugee community in Phoenix.

According to Hillman, the program has been around for around 20 years, and has continually evolved based on the needs of the communities they represent. Each board works independently with a liaison to address that community’s specific concerns.

“Other advisory boards create initiatives, but we don’t necessarily do that,” said Rabbi Levi Levertov, chair of the Jewish Advisory Board. “Ours is more about communication, keeping communication lines open between ourselves in the community and also keeping the police department informed for things that we see that they might not take notice of.”

Each meeting of the Jewish Advisory Board includes a 20-minute presentation from an officer from the police department, followed by a round table discussion and dinner. At the most recent meeting, a representative of the Phoenix Police Bias Crimes Detail came to explain how hate crimes are investigated.

“We look for people from the police department who can come in and explain things, and then we can bring that message back to our congregations or our organizations,” said Alan Zeichick, vice

chair of the Jewish Advisory Board.

According to Levertov, the concerns of the community don’t change significantly from meeting to meeting, but it’s important to have police officers continue to listen and be aware.

“It’s nothing new in a sense. We talk about anti-Semitism or anti-Semitic attacks,” Levertov said. “That’s not new, but you know that the police department is addressing it.

uniformed police officer or patrol car stationed outside their building — all of these can be confusing to police officers who aren’t familiar with the Jewish community.

“The police do their best, but they can’t necessarily understand all those things,” Zeichick said.

As for Hillman, his relationship with the Jewish community makes it possible to respond quickly to an emergency. On the day of the Chabad of Poway shooting in April, members of the advisory board messaged Hillman about the tragedy. He reached out to commanders in precincts throughout Phoenix and asked them to send patrol cars to synagogues.

“It makes people feel a little bit safer,” he said.

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The board can also advise the police department about cultural differences and disagreements, Zeichick said. “Particularly in the Jewish community, we’re not all the same. Something that may be true with the ultra-Orthodox community here may not be true for the more secular Jews and vice versa.”

Differences such as some congregations celebrating one day of Rosh Hashanah while others celebrate for two, or different opinions on the importance of maintaining eruvs, or inconsistencies in whether synagogues want a

And when a big event or holiday is coming up, the board provides a channel of communication to ensure that security is a priority.

“With our heightened awareness of security throughout the Jewish world and throughout the world, the board has played a really instrumental role,” Levertov said. He noted the internal bridge-building that happens at board meetings, too.

“You sit with Jewish organizations that you would never really be sitting at a table with,” he said. “It’s not about Orthodox, Reform, Conservative. It’s about Jewish community. We’re all here for each other.” JN

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PUBLISHER | Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR | Liz Spikol

MANAGING EDITOR | Rich Solomon

STAFF WRITER | Ellen O'Brien

CONTRIBUTORS | Joel Zolondek

ADVERTISING SALES CONSULTANTS | Jodi Lipson

CIRCULATION | Bill Sims

GRAPHIC DESIGNER | Frank Wagner

Representatives from the 12 community advisory boards meet at an annual summit with the Phoenix Police Department. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT

“If USG wants ASU to remain a place where all students feel included, you must vote against any resolution that supports the BDS movement,” Balis told senators.

Jewish students had a variety of reasons for opposing the resolution.

“This whole resolution is absurd,” said Emily Kaplan, president of the ASU chapter of Students Supporting Israel. “It literally shuts down any connection, any chance to have dialogue.”

Jacob Wirtzer, ASU chapter president of Alpha Epsilon Pi, said that a student government meeting was the wrong place to have a productive discussion.

“In this setting, it’s hard to have any kind of debate because it seems like it’s very hard our side versus their side,” Wirtzer said.

Other students, including USG Senate President Dominic Frattura, argued that USG shouldn’t take a stance on any foreign policy issue.

Benjamin Cooper, the senator who sponsored the resolution, spoke in favor of his proposal at the end of the session.

“In the ASU charter, it says we are fundamentally responsible for the communities that we serve,” Cooper said. “As USG, we also share that responsibility.”

Cooper raised concerns about the university’s endowment fund, which is invested in a variety of companies that could hypothetically include weapons manufacturers, fossil fuel companies and technologies with the potential for human rights abuses.

“This frankly has nothing to do with the Jewish clubs that are here, it has nothing to do with pro-Israel clubs that are here. It has everything to do with what is actually occurring in the state of Israel and the university itself,” Cooper said. “I am a proud Jew, I’ve been raised my entire life Jewish and I will never let the allegation that my support for

the Palestinian cause is anti-Semitic weigh me down ... It’s just not true.”

A month of controversy

Debbie Yunker Kail, executive director at the Hillel Jewish Student Center at ASU, identified a series of four recent anti-Semitic or anti-Israel incidents in a statement emailed to members of the ASU Jewish community on Nov. 14.

Those incidents included anti-Semitic neoNazi flyers found on campus on Nov. 1, two opinion pieces published by The State Press on Oct. 17 and Nov. 6 that called on students to boycott Israel and a protest by Students for Justice in Palestine that disrupted an event with two veterans of the Israel Defense Forces.

Many Jewish students felt threatened and intimidated at the protest, and came to the USG meeting to oppose any further attempt to boycott Israel.

“As the president of the Jewish fraternity, from what I hear from my guys, it’s creating an environment on campus that’s unwanted and it’s completely unwarranted,” said Wirtzer.

Dr. Stanley Mirvis, assistant professor of history and the Harold and Jean Grossman chair in Jewish Studies at ASU, said Jewish students were thinking about these issues even before the last month of incidents.

“As a Jewish studies professor, I’ve had a lot of students that come to me feeling nervous and wanting perspective about things,” Mirvis said. “Jewish students on campus are very aware of what’s happening.”

Dr. Volker Benkert, assistant professor of German history at ASU, said that while protesters and supporters of the BDS movement have a right to free speech, that does not give them the right to disturb and intimidate students.

Nevertheless, “what I’m much more concerned about than the protests, and what the university has strongly condemned, is the presence of these clearly anti-Semitic flyers

Hillel Student President Sarah Balis addresses students gathered at the Hillel student center on Nov. 19.

PHOTO BY ELLEN O’BRIEN

MANDY PATINKIN IN CONCERT: DIARIES

Q&A: Israel Bonds CEO Israel Maimon

RICH SOLOMON | MANAGING EDITOR

Israel Maimon is the president and CEO of the Development Corporation of Israel, better known as Israel Bonds, the security invest ment option for anyone looking to invest in the Jewish state.

In addition to a legal career, Maimon also served in the Israel Defense Forces, eventually reaching the rank of major, and was cabinet secretary for two prime ministers.

This year’s annual Israel Bonds International Leadership Conference was held in Phoenix at the Arizona Biltmore from Nov. 14 to Nov. 17. With a theme of “Perpetuating a Tradition of Leadership,” keynote speakers included Ambassador Danny Danon, Israel’s UN ambassador; Elan Carr, U.S. special envoy on anti-Semitism; and Kimberly Yee, Arizona state treasurer.

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The Jewish News sat down with Maimon to learn more about the conference’s activities and the decision to host it in Arizona. The conversation has been edited for clarity and length. It’s been a week since the conference ended. How do you think everything went?

Truthfully, my spirit is still really uplifted from it. I’m not exaggerating — I’m an Israeli and I’m cynical — I was really excited and moved by the whole weekend. The spirit was one of familyhood. To be surrounded by people who are very committed to the state of Israel is a great privilege and honor for me. As a former secretary, to be around people that are coming from all over the state and volunteering, at their expense and during Shabbat, collaborating on work sessions and planning ahead on how to develop leadership in their regions, it was amazing to see. I’m still under the impact of that.

Was collaboration the purpose of the conference?

When we started planning, I said, “Let’s set goals. What do we want to achieve?” First, we wanted to achieve courage, we wanted to rejuvenate the leaders and the individuals in attendance as a team. Second, we wanted to give information, to expand knowledge. Even those who are very involved don’t know what is happening in other regions or in Israel. Our third goal was to bond together, not only with attendees but with us, the senior staff. And

when I look back, we accomplished the goals we wanted.

Why was Phoenix selected for the conference’s location?

I don’t want to flatter you, but Phoenix is a great, great place to be. If it had been in Vegas, or New York, or L.A., there would always be some kind of attraction or distraction causing people to leave. In Phoenix, the weather and options at the resort encouraged people to participate. We’ve been in Washington before, and in L.A., and people were always looking for distractions. The fact that this year attendees were here from Thursday to Sunday and only went out during their spare time to see Sedona or to hike, not during the conference itself, it was great.

The conference had a robust array of guest speakers including Ambassador Danny Danon, Special Envoy Elan Carr and State Treasurer Kimberly Yee, to name a few. What was the selection process like for choosing who would speak?

When we started, we said, “What do we want? Israel Bonds content isn’t enough.” You want inspirational stories. Elan Carr opened the conference and he was amazing. The messaging, the way he presented the challenges and what should be done, I think it unified the

Daryl Segal and Chairman of the Board Howard L. Goldstein.

challenges and reasons for optimism.

people, it was a strong message to begin the conference.

And then on Sunday, we had an Oscar winner come from a different angle — he gave inspiration about the entertainment in Israel becoming a force; TV, cinemas, all kind of platforms are being transported from Israel to United States.

We had a helicopter pilot that is a mother now, with two kids, speak. She is still flying and improving herself. Her talk was an angle about women improving themselves and breaking the glass ceiling.

Not all of it was Israel Bonds content, but it was all relevant to Jewish people. It gave a lot of inspirational stories about women and leadership, and I think it contributed very much to what we are doing.

You’ve been CEO for three years now. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

The engagement, connection and importance we give to leadership as a necessity to develop the next leadership of Israel Bonds and the next leadership of the Jewish people. Put aside Israel Bonds — to face the challenges of the Jewish people, I think the most important thing is developing leadership in the Jewish people. Less people involved in Jewish activities means less people connected to the state of Israel, namely the young generation. My accomplishment is we have a very committed new leadership made of the young generation. A third of the conference’s attendees were new leadership.

Me and my team also changed the conversation within Israel Bonds. We added to the conversation the necessity of having new investors. We were doing great with existing investors, you know a high percentage of people reinvest. But have to have new investors, after all the aim is to connect the support of Israel to the Jewish people. This is another accomplishment, and going forward, this is still a goal.

Can you share any other future developments for Israel Bonds?

We will have more focus on the big picture and development of new leadership. I don’t care if the leadership we train and develop go to other organizations, if they learn from us and leave to go elsewhere. I don’t care. As an Israeli and as a former secretary, I don’t care if we train them and they leave. I couldn’t be more proud. Because they are still leading in the Jewish community and we are still training a generation of new leaders.

We also want to become more tactical. We want to expand what we’re doing on the West Coast, for one. In January, we will open an office in Phoenix. We really want to have a direct presence in areas.

What would you tell someone who asked about investing in Israel Bonds?

You can pick many investments, but if you are close in your heart to Israel and you want to support it, there is one investment that is very easy to make. It’s a great way to show your support for Israel. It starts with $36 online. It’s very easy to buy online and open an account, you can even do it through our app now. And you’re investing, not giving to charity, so you get your money back with interest. That’s what is unique about Israel Bonds. We have had a few events with the great Warren Buffet — who was speaking at an event for us free of charge — and he said, “You know guys, I’m not a bond guy, I’m not a great investor in bonds. I’m into equity. But I am into two kinds of bonds. The first is Treasury bonds from the United States because I care about my country and I care to develop the economy of the U.S. The second is Israel Bonds. Why? It’s a great country, with great minds and a great entrepreneurial spirit.”

And I always say, if its great for the best investor of the 20th century, it’s good enough for everyone else. There is a thirst for a better connection with Israel, and Israel Bonds is one of those ways. JN

Dec. 25, 2019 - Jan. 19, 2020

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- New York Times

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FBI: Hate crimes decline, Jews still targeted

ERIC SCHUCHT

The FBI’s newly released 2018 Hate Crime Statistics Act report shows the number of hate crimes down slightly — including those targeting Jews — following three consecutive years of increases.

That said, Jews remain the most common victims of religiously motivated hate crimes, according to the Anti-Defamation League. That’s been true since the FBI began issuing the report in 1991.

And 105 of those crimes against Jews were violent in nature, an increase from 73 the previous year.

There were 55 fewer hate crimes reported in 2018 than 2017 — 7,120 compared to 7,175. However, the figures may be impacted somewhat because of decreased reporting from law enforcement, with 110 fewer agencies participating in 2018 than in a record-high 2017.

Religion-based hate crimes comprised 21.8% of all hate crimes, with 57.8% of religion-based crimes targeting Jewish people or Jewish institutions in 2018. There were 835 crimes targeting Jews in 2018 versus 938 in 2017.

The highest number of religion-based crimes targeting Jews was 1,109 in 1996. Those hate crimes started to decline in 2008 and began to rise in 2015. More than 1,000 additional hate crimes were reported in 2017 than 2016, with a 37% spike in anti-Jewish crimes.

While the total number of hate crimes reported declined, the FBI’s statistics may be low, with 16,039 law enforcement agencies submitting reports, down from the record number 16,149 that participated in 2017.

Of the jurisdictions reporting, 87.4% noted no hate crimes. That includes at least 85 cities with populations exceeding 100,000 people and the entire states of Alabama and Wyoming. Of the reporting agencies, 83 agencies in Arizona affirmatively reported zero hate crimes. This includes the cities of Chandler, Lake Havasu City, Goodyear, Prescott Valley and Arizona State University’s Tempe campus.

In addition to Alabama and Wyoming, over 87% of all agencies that participated affirmatively reported zero hate crimes, causing further criticism of the accuracy of the results.

ADL CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt called for support of legislation that would further combat hate crimes.

“Our nation cannot address crimes that we are not measuring. ADL is working with our coalition and other civil rights, education, and interfaith partners to make sure cities report credible data. This starts with training our nation’s law enforcement officers to identify, report, and respond to those targeted by hate violence,” Greenblatt said. “ADL calls on the FBI and Department of Justice to take similar steps with local law enforcement agencies and the courts to address underreporting of hate crimes.”

Looking at available FBI numbers since 1996, the total number of hate crimes is below the high of 2001, when 9,730 were reported.

The latest report shows 59.5% of all singlebias hate crime incidents were race-based in 2018, with almost half of the crimes committed against African Americans. Hate crimes against Hispanics increased by 14%, climbing for the third year in a row. LGBTQ individuals also saw an increase by almost 6%, with a 42% jump in hate crimes directed at transgender individuals.

In Arizona, 102 agencies were eligible to report, with just 19 filing incident reports for 166 hate crimes. That represents a 25.6% increase from 2017 and a 20% increase from 2016. Of the crimes reported, 34 were characterized as religion-based.

The report also showed 2018 had the highest number of hate crime murders since the FBI began tracking and reporting hate crimes in 1991, with 24 murders. Contributing to that number were the 11 worshippers murdered in the shooting at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh.

Hate crime statistics are voluntarily submitted by thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country and compiled annually by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. The program was originally created in 1929 to help law enforcement gather consistent information across different departments.

The report defines a hate crime as “a committed criminal offense which is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias(es) against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity.”

“It is unacceptable that Jews and Jewish institutions continue to be at the center of religion-based hate crime attacks,” Greenblatt said. “We need to take concrete action to address and combat this significant problem. We strongly urge Congress to immediately pass the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer National Opposition to Hate, Assault, and Threats to Equality (NO HATE) Act. By improving hate crime training, prevention, best practices and data collection, we can stem hate crimes nationwide.” JN

Additional reporting by Rich Solomon.

Phoenix synagogues come together for Chanukah singalong

ELLEN O’BRIEN | STAFF WRITER

"AChanukah miracle in its own right.”

That’s how Paul Rockower, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix, describes the Phoenix Sings Chanukah Sing-aLong, hosted by Congregation Beth Israel, which brings together eight cantors or cantorial soloists from eight different synagogues on Dec. 8.

“For the past two years, the Jewish people have just experienced tragic event, tragic event, tragic event,” said Cantor Seth Ettinger of CBI, the director and producer of Phoenix Sings. “It’s so easy for people to come together to support their wider community during a tragic event, but how often do we really get to come together in celebration?”

Starting at 3 p.m., the singers will perform solos, ensemble pieces and duets of well-known Chanukah songs. Participating musicians and congregations include Ettinger, Cantorial Soloist Suzanne Guinane of Temple Emanuel of Tempe, Cantor Jonathan Angress of Beth El Congregation, Cantor Baruch Koritan of Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, Cantorial Soloist Mike Robbins of Beth Ami Temple, Cantorial Soloist Susan Colin of Congregation NefeshSoul, Cantorial Soloist Sharon Friendly of the Desert Foothills Jewish Community Association, Cantorial Soloist Erica Erman of Congregation Kehillah and accompanist Jackie Huber. (Congregation Ohr Tzion assisted with preparations and was also going to participate, but their cantor won’t be

in town during the concert.) Programs will be provided so that audience members can sing along.

“Whether you are Jewish, not Jewish, whether you know Hebrew, whether you don’t know Hebrew, these are going to be songs that everybody can sing along to,” Ettinger said. Rockower praised the concert’s mission of bringing people together during happy times.

“I think it speaks volumes to the connectedness of our community and our ability to come together to celebrate together for joyous events like Chanukah,” he said. “That’s the best way to connect community, through music and

Smile On Seniors celebrates 10 years

On Nov. 17, Smile On Seniors of Arizona celebrated 10 years of programs for seniors at its annual benefit fundraiser. Since Rabbi Levi and Chani Levertov started the program in 2009, it has expanded from one-on-one visits to a wide range of services, some of which reach hundreds of seniors a month.

Frances Lipsman lives in a retirement community in Scottsdale and has been participating in SOS programs for three years.

“It’s a fantastic group,” Lipsman said. “It’s so heartening to see young people do so much for seniors.”

When Levertov moved to Arizona in November 2009, he knew that he would start a program for seniors. But initially, it was only focused on visits to homebound seniors.

“Our narrow-minded vision was really just one-on-one visits,” Levertov said. “We weren’t thinking about the big picture of senior life in Arizona.”

When Levertov realized that the homes for seniors didn’t have the resources to do a Chanukah celebration, SOS evolved and began bringing more programs, activities and classes to retirement communities.

“Our goal was really just to offer more opportunities

for people to engage, socialize, study, grow and be a part of the community,” Levertov said.

Today, SOS’ programs include movie nights, deli nights, kosher cooking workshops, lunches, Super Bowl parties, date nights and holiday programming in addition to visits from volunteers, therapy dogs and Rabbi Levi and Chani.

For all of its work, SOS relies on the help of volunteers and donors.

Nancy Mendelsohn starting volunteering in 2013 after she saw the need for volunteers and programs in her mother’s assisted living facility.

“I’m very passionate about seniors, especially seniors being alone and not having enough company, enough activities or people they can talk to,” Mendelsohn said. “I’ve gone through a lot with my own parents, and it was very, very difficult.”

Over the years, Mendelsohn has seen the organization grow as new programs are added and more seniors and volunteers join. She started out visiting seniors with her therapy dogs, and now organizes volunteers to play in weekly mahjong games at assisted living facilities. She also cooks for the monthly Shabbat dinners, which have grown from around 100 seniors when she

food and culture and celebration of the holiday.”

At the end of the concert, all participating clergy will come together to sing and to light the menorah. Guinane is especially looking forward to that moment.

“It’s a special melody, and to be together in community with so many and to sing those blessings together, I get chills just telling you about that,” Guinane said. “When you get that many Jews together, all singing the blessings, there’s something really special.”

The concert and menorah lighting will be followed by a sufganiyot buffet.

“I can’t wait to see that — I hope I get at least one,” Guinane said.

Steve and Linda Bandler are underwriting the concert in memory of Steve’s mother, Sylvia, who passed away on Nov. 4.

“The essence of Mom was that she was a strong, independent and mobile woman,” Steve said. “She loved the performing arts, and she loved Chanukah, too. She loved eating my potato latke and lighting candles with the kids.”

“She would have been there if she could,” Linda added.

Ettinger plans to make the Phoenix Sings concert an annual Chanukah tradition, and Guinane is onboard.

“It’s wonderful to have a space to be out-loud-andproud Jewish,” she said, “and to have a space where we can all come together and celebrate the miracle of the oil.” Guinane said. JN

started to an average of 250 each month.

“I go to the dinners now and I know so many people, so many seniors, whereas I probably wouldn’t have had many senior friends without it,” Mendelsohn said. “We learn so much from each other.”

Lipsman makes it her business to go to the Shabbat dinner every month. “When you see all the seniors there and everything is homemade and you’re made to feel so welcome, that’s quite a feat,” she said.

Mendelsohn sees the difference it makes for volunteers, seniors and the community.

“I don’t know anybody in this town whose parents are using it who aren’t thrilled,” Mendelsohn said. “It really bridges the gap. It helps so many seniors and so many families, and it has really built community.”

While 10 years marks a milestone for Smile On Seniors, the organization isn’t done growing. Long term, Levertov plans to build a center dedicated to SOS programs. For now, the organization is adding to the current building to be able to provide more programs on site.

“The idea is to just keep growing, keep offering services and meeting new people,” Levertov said. “More and more people are learning about it just by word of mouth.” JN

Seth Ettinger and the Shir Joy Youth Choir rehearse “We’re All Made of Stars” for Sharing the Light, a different holiday concert featuring Congregation Beth Israel and Pilgrim’s Rest.

PHOTO BY ELLEN O’BRIEN

on campus,” Benkert said. “This is where ASU draws a clear line and all organizations involved are in clear condemnation.”

Benkert praised ASU for its handling of the protest. He said that dialogue is possible because of the university administration’s efforts to mitigate conflict and condemn hate speech and violence while protecting freedom of speech.

Overall, students felt proud of how the Jewish community on campus came together in response to events in the last month.

“Our Jewish community at ASU has been really good at putting out a united front,” said Jacklyn Schur, vice president of the university’s Hillel chapter. “By collaborating with all of the different Jewish organizations, the response been really strong and that has given the students a better sense of community.”

The protests have made other students more determined to host and attend events on campus.

“It makes me more inclined to go, even to shabbat, which is something that I would go to every week anyways,” said student Bella Schneider. “When I see an op-ed or people protesting, I know it’s even more important to show up.”

And when current events have run their course, SSI has plans to reach out to Palestinian students and establish a dialogue.

“We’re not going to stop putting on events just because we have people who want to disrupt us,” Kaplan said. “That’s more of a reason to put on events, because we’re not about having a one sided story. We want to talk to Palestinians and invite them to have conversations with them.”

While the fever pitch of current events will eventually die down, Jewish students will continue to be aware of these issues. “Even last year when BDS wasn’t on the docket, it was very much in the mind of Jewish students in the wake of what happened in Pittsburgh, in the wake of the growing anti-Jewish violence in America,” Mirvis said.

A chance for dialogue

After the USG meeting, around two dozen students gathered in the front of the senate chamber to debate and discuss the situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Neta Galili, an Israeli student and Chabad student leader, went straight to the front of the room at the end of the meeting to confront Cooper, the sponsor of the resolution. After an hour of debate, she felt relieved that the

two sides had the opportunity to each share their point of view.

“That we are willing and able to talk now, it’s amazing,” Galili said.

Mirvis noted that compared to other college campuses, ASU has much more subdued rhetoric around the BDS movement and anti-Semitism.

“That’s not to say that we don’t have to always be very vigilant and always be trying to educate our students about how to perceive these things,” Mirvis said. “But I feel that at ASU, we’re not getting as extreme of a reaction to these things as other places right now.”

Morgan Fox, a Chabad student leader, said that the discussion afterwards was more important than the USG meeting itself. “I was able to talk with multiple people from the other side, multiple senators to really understand where they’re coming from. And I think that was very important,” Fox said.

Mirvis and Benkert say students are eager for dialogue and a nuanced perspective.

“There were many voices at the student government meeting who called for better understanding, for learning from each other rather than deepen these divisions,” Benkert said. “Those voices are loud and clear.” JN

Sarah Balis applauds after Danny Goldberg speaks in response to USG Senator Benjamin Cooper.

Alpha Epsilon Pi President Jacob Wirtzer speaks to students before walking to the University Senate meeting. PHOTOS BY ELLEN

House bill to aid survivors

The Holocaust not only took the lives of millions of Jews, it also took their assets. More than 70 years after the defeat of Nazi Germany, many survivors have still not recovered what they are owed under their families’ insurance policies that covered property, accounts and tangibles which were stolen from them — totaling perhaps as much as $25 billion of unpaid claims, including interest.

Last week, legislation with bipartisan support was introduced in the House of Representatives to allow Holocaust-era insurance beneficiaries to sue in federal courts to recover their unclaimed payments. The legislation, which also has a companion bill in the Senate, would remove time and other bars to the pursuit of those claims and would enable surviving families to seek recovery of the insurance benefits that international insurance companies have kept for themselves since World War II.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), a co-sponsor of the Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2019, said that “97 percent of the approximately

800,000 policies held in 1938 have yet to be honored.”

“Preventing Holocaust survivors and their families from collecting on documented policies is truly outrageous and cruel,” she said. “But allowing these global insurance corporations to hold on

they don’t have appropriate, supportive documentation of their claims. That argument, of course, ignores the fact that Jews who were rounded up in their homes, transported by cattle car and in forced marches, and who survived death camps or escaped to the forests were unlikely to

MORE THAN 70 YEARS AFTER THE DEFEAT OF NAZI GERMANY, MANY SURVIVORS HAVE STILL NOT RECOVERED WHAT THEY ARE OWED UNDER THEIR FAMILIES’ INSURANCE POLICIES.

to this unjust enrichment is an offensive revictimization that cannot be allowed to stand.”

The insurance companies say they aren’t avoiding payment of legitimate claims. Instead, they say that what is keeping survivors from qualifying for benefits is that

have kept their insurance papers in order.

“Of course we have no documents,” one survivor said. “For obvious reasons.”

The new legislation recognizes those ‘obvious reasons’ and challenges the insurance companies’ unreasonable documentation demands. “Victims of the

Protecting our community begins at home

Our Jewish community has focused heavily in the past several years on safety and security issues. With the rise in anti-Semitic incidents here and abroad, and mounting concerns about the reach and influence of purveyors of hate and discrimination, we need to be vigilant and proactive, and prepared to do everything necessary to insure the well-being of our community.

But focus on those broader concerns should not obscure recognition of the need to protect individuals within our Jewish community from all threats, including those within the community. In a recent study by the Safety Respect and Equity Coalition, it wasn’t surprising to learn that women are more often the victims of sexual harassment rather than men. But it was surprising to learn that victimization happens across all levels of power within Jewish organizations, and is perpetrated by individuals who hold varying roles within those organizations.

According to Lisa Eisen, president of the Coalition, Jewish organizational

response to reported sexual harassment within their ranks has been uneven. Thus, she says, when women within Jewish organizations stepped forward with stories of harassment, leaders, including rabbis, “were often passive to complaints … or did nothing in

within Jewish spaces can make it difficult to differentiate between what is and is not appropriate and to address sexual harassment when it occurs.” And the study adds, “Harmful responses to disclosures were especially common when the perpetrator was a donor or lay leader.”

Holocaust and their families should be compensated for unpaid policies that were specifically set aside for times of trouble — not to enhance the profit margins for the insurance companies,” Wasserman Schultz said. “This legislation would provide the critically important financial support to these victims who were forced to endure the worst that humanity has inflicted on a people.”

We applaud this bipartisan action. The legislation is another step by a Congress that reflects sensitivity to the precarious plight of Holocaust survivors, and follows Congressional action in 2016 that launched a five-year $12 million government initiative to provide support for needy survivors. Those funds, channeled through Jewish Federations of North America, marked the first time that the U.S. government allocated social service funds specifically for Holocaust survivors, and has been very successful.

The new effort to enable survivors to unlock the vaults of insurance companies for covered losses is a positive step. We urge passage of the legislation. JN

Jewish organizations to take hold. In the meantime, Eisen notes that gender disparity in leadership of Jewish organizations creates another problem: Not only are men the cause of most harassment problems, they are also essential to any solution — and that doesn’t always work, since many male leaders struggle to figure out the correct reactions to reports of harassment. To make matters worse, many men feel unsafe being alone at work with women colleagues or socializing with them outside of work, for fear of being accused of sexual harassment. Eisen’s solution: increased education and sensitivity training, and “I think we just have to have the conversations.”

response,” leaving some women feeling that their “complaints [were] ignored, minimized or laughed at.”

According to the study, the structure of Jewish institutions can even foster harassment: “The informal, familial and sometimes unprofessional environment

The Coalition survey found that while 70% of employees in the Jewish nonprofit sector are female, only 30% of Jewish nonprofits are led by women. With slow turnover at the top of Jewish organizations, it will take some time for significant female leadership of major

The lesson from the Coalition study is clear: As we continue to work to assure the safety of our Jewish community writ large, we also need to focus upon the safety and dignity of the professionals and volunteers who sustain the work of our communal organizations. That is both the right and moral thing to do. JN

VICTIMIZATION HAPPENS ACROSS ALL LEVELS OF POWER WITHIN JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS, AND IS PERPETRATED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HOLD VARYING ROLES WITHIN THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.

The importance of inclusion

RABBI JOSHUA LESSER

In overt and in subtle ways, so many of our Jewish institutions and communities have let dominant narratives dictate who is a Jew. Too often, Jews of color enter Jewish space that has been shaped by assumptions of whiteness that transform safe, communal and warm spaces into places fraught with curiosity, exoticization and discrimination. When white Ashkenazi Judaism is the accepted unexamined beacon of who a Jew is in our communities, we inadvertently prevent many Jews and their families from being able to fully participate in Jewish life. Not only do we render these Jews and their family members invisible — or worse, unwelcome — we are also not able to address adequately their needs or their spiritual yearnings.

Embracing Jews of varied races and ethnicities is about our survival and our thriving as a people. We all benefit from shifting the dominant narrative. When there is greater inclusion, our communities are enriched and vibrant. We are more authentic in our diversity, and that has tremendous cultural and spiritual benefits for all of us.

Too often, even the well-intentioned desire to “become more inclusive” is framed in ways that feel charitable or altruistic. This

perspective treats Jews of color and multiple ethnicities as if they are either in need of our acceptance or should be grateful for it. The framework we need to adopt is that there are multiple Jewish identities and origins, all of which are components of Jewish peoplehood.

At Congregation Bet Haverim, I have sought to deepen our awareness of the vast richness of Jewish civilization that extends beyond Eastern Europe. We began to learn from the global Jewish community and to incorporate an array of Jewish lore, rituals, music and prayer forms into our worship services, and family and adult education. This global approach has created entry points for Jews of different ethnicities to feel welcomed. For example, a bar mitzvah of Indian and Jewish heritage requested that we incorporate the piyyut Ahot Ketanah, which emerged from the Indian Jewish community, at his bar mitzvah. He had experienced it as part of our High Holiday ritual and remembered that we honored his heritage, and he felt affirmed.

It is important to incorporate prayers from Yemen, Uganda or India, and to learn about those Jewish communities. That learning,

however, doesn’t always shift how people in our communities are actually treated. We must ask: How does the community represent itself? Who are the community’s leaders? Who takes an active part in communal ritual life? Who serves on the board? Who are the people giving sermons, singing in the chorus, teaching our children? How are Jews represented visually in the collateral materials of the community and on the walls? If there is a lack of diversity, it must be recognized and addressed.

We also must think about how people are treated when they walk into the building. We have regularly sent our community communications with these five guidelines:

1. Avoid making assumptions about gender identity, sexual orientation, religious identity, Jewish background, race or reasons for joining us.

2. Respect a person’s identity and selflabel, and respect a person’s chosen name and pronouns. Do not comment about whether a name sounds Jewish or not.

3. Do not comment on whether someone looks Jewish or not.

4. Do not assume people want to only speak about their identity, particularly when

Protecting women should be the priority

RABBI RICHARD HIRSH

When the Jewish world cycles back to our founding generations, we find in the Torah behavior by the patriarchs that is awkward as well as disturbing. Three times the Torah presents a story about a husband and wife traveling as strangers through an alien culture. Each story involves the husband passing off his wife as his sister, to avoid harm coming to him — with no apparent concern for the potential harm that could come to the wife.

In Egypt, Abraham fears that the Pharaoh will kill him in order to possess Sarah. To secure his safety, Abraham asks that Sarah say she is his sister, not his wife. Many years later, in Gerar, Abraham again says of Sarah “she is my sister,” allowing King Abimelech to procure her as his consort. And a generation later, when Isaac and Rebecca also find themselves in Gerar, Isaac tells “the men of the place” that Rebecca is his sister.

Each of these biblical stories includes an

intervention that avoids an illicit consummation. But the behavior of Abraham and of Isaac remains troubling even for traditional Jewish commentators, who feel compelled to offer an explanation. Some imagine a convoluted lineage in which Sarah technically emerges as some distant “half-sister” of Abraham. Others imagine Abraham stalling for time, until the famine that has brought them to Egypt is ended and they can escape — counting on God’s intervention to protect Sarah in the interim.

Such interpretations protect the patriarchs from being accused of lying; the vulnerability that the husbands create for their wives seems to be of little or no account. Put differently, traditional commentators, while noting behavior that exposes women to potential abuse, find a presumably more important concern to which the risk to women is acceptably subordinated. We must think differently,

understanding women’s need for protection from abuse as a human right, and making sure our laws reflect that understanding.

An example of how protection of women may still be considered a secondary concern is the current resistance in the U.S. Senate to take action on the Bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act which passed the House of Representatives in April as HR 1585.

The original 1994 bipartisan VAWA has previously been reauthorized three times, in 2000, 2005 and 2013, each time with improvements that offered additional protections for women. Why then don’t all senators agree to support the companion bill to the bipartisan VAWA? What are the concerns to which the risk to women is acceptably subordinated?

While there are a number of expanded protections in the 2019 VAWA, a primary source of opposition is the issue of guns.

their identity is different from yours. Engage them in conversation and get to know them. Be engaging rather than curious.

5. Do not expect a guest to immediately become your resource on understanding their identity.

Having representation matters internally. When we had more than one Jewish person of color sit on the board, issues pertaining to race within the congregation were addressed organically. Everyone’s awareness was engaged in a natural and relational way. It also helped to shift the “who is a Jew” narrative without always needing to be explicit. Recently, a black Jewish teenager told me that when he was a child, it was meaningful for him to see a black Jewish woman have an aliyah. Not only did it help him envision having a bar mitzvah, but it encouraged him to become a gabbai rishon in our community years later.

It also matters externally. For instance, when our first vice president, a Jew of color, represented the synagogue at a memorial service for Coretta Scott King, other Jews of color noticed, and people of color interested in Judaism took note and showed up at the

The Bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act closes the “boyfriend loophole,” meaning that those already found guilty of dating violence and/or stalking would be prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.

In the United States, an average of 52 women a month are victims of gun violence perpetrated by an intimate partner. And the majority of women killed in acts of domestic violence are killed by guns. What VAWA seeks to do is to keep guns out of the hands of perpetrators and to remove access to guns from those whom the courts have found willing to harass, abuse and injure women. Restricting those convicted from access to guns is an important step toward tightening VAWA’s protections for women.

But rather than focus on protecting women (and children) from domestic violence, some

Are we a camp or a community?

PARSHAT VAYETZEI GENESIS 28:10-32:3

RABBI ARTHUR LAVINSKY

fter stealing his father’s blessing intended for his elder brother Esau, Jacob is forced to flee his home to escape his brother’s wrath. Along the way, he finds a place to sleep and he has a dream in which he sees angels ascending and descending a ladder based on earth that reached to the heavens. When he awakens, he declares, “This is nothing but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” At this point, Jacob was the young idealist, trying to balance life’s challenges with his quest for spirituality.

Toward the end of the parsha, once again Jacob sees angels. But many years have passed and he is both older and wiser. He is now a husband and father of a large family. Jacob is about to meet his brother after all these years and he is understandably afraid. The text states: “And Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him. And Jacob said when he saw them: ‘This is God’s camp.’ And he called the name of that place Mahanaim (camps).”

According to my colleague Rabbi Marc Angel (an interesting name considering the

LESSER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

synagogue understanding that they would likely be welcome. By having Jews of color in visible leadership positions, Congregation Bet Haverim was able to participate in forums that were largely for people of color. We were often the only Jewish voice represented in those important spaces.

It also makes a difference if our communities are involved in justice issues around racial equity. For Jewish leaders who have worked on issues of racial justice, I have noticed that some of us have a tendency to distance ourselves from Jews who have less experience in challenging racism. We can be frustrated and even dismissive of “white” Jews who are reluctant to examine their privilege. I strongly believe that this is the work in which we must engage. We must cultivate patience, listening and a way

subject matter), this confrontation with the angels was not the idealistic, hopeful experience that Jacob had experienced as a young man. This was not a group of angels who connected heaven and earth. These were angels coming to offer Jacob courage as he was about to meet Esau. Jacob called the place Mahanaim — camps, i.e., a military encampment. This wasn’t a time for idealistic dreams; it was a time to prepare for war.

AHe quotes Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, who commented on the difference between a camp (mahaneh) and a community (edah): “A camp exists as a defensive tactic. Those within the camp are surrounded by enemies; their physical existence is threatened so they come together to protect themselves. A community, by contrast, is united not by fears of external enemies, but by a shared worldview, a shared desire to live happy, good lives. During the course of life, we sometimes feel that we are in an edah; we live among people we trust and like; we strive for similar goals; we try to link heaven and earth by living our earthly lives with a keen sense of the spiritual. Yet there are other times when we feel that we are in a mahaneh; we are threatened, our families are in peril. We unite in order to defend ourselves.”

The question we might ask is, “Does today’s Jewish community more closely resemble a mahaneh (a camp) or an edah (community)?” I submit that tragically, world Jewry is more like the former — a camp that constantly feels threatened and

continuously guards itself from attacks. Jews have been attacked by extremists on both the right and the left. There have been mass shootings in synagogues and individual assaults against conspicuously Jewish men and women (mostly Orthodox) by hoodlums. European Jews have not been this vulnerable since World War II. And American Jews are on constant guard against potential murderers, both from the political right and left.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that there are, tragically, many Jews who have wittingly or unwittingly joined forces with anti-Semites who seek to eradicate the Jewish state and the Jewish people. It boggles my mind that there are Jews who support BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) against Israel and who have decried the move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and who lament the fact that the U.S. recently recognized that Israel has a right to settle historically Jewish lands in Judea and Samaria. There are, therefore, attacks from within that should cause us all great concern.

Some people delude themselves into thinking that anti-Semitism and antiZionism are unrelated. Nothing could be further from the truth. Earlier this month, the University of Toronto Student Union opposed serving kosher food on campus because keeping kosher is ostensibly “proIsrael.” Also, recently, students at ASU wearing emblems of anti-Israel organizations and waving signs tried to shut down an event

HIRSH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

to speak of these issues that is encouraging and helpful, rather than shaming.

There is a great deal of ground to cover, and it can feel daunting. Yet this work is essential, and it is also rewarding. The more these values, principles and approaches become part of our communities, the more authentic and whole we become. A commitment to shift the culture around race will result in benefits that radiate well beyond race. This approach is a sacred obligation, and I believe it is a key both to our survival and how we will thrive. JN

Rabbi Joshua Lesser is the spiritual leader of Congregation Bet Haverim in Atlanta. This piece is an excerpt from an essay originally published on the website Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations, an initiative of Reconstructing Judaism. The full version can be found there.

opponents of VAWA have seized on the “boyfriend loophole,” diverting the discussion from how best to ensure the safety of women at risk to a focus on how to ensure that anyone, even a convicted abuser, should have the right to own a gun. The Bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act risks being held hostage by those for whom an unrestricted right to own guns will always be the governing concern — even when it leaves their mothers, sisters, daughters and granddaughters exposed to an increased risk of violence and of death.

The biblical patriarchs were similarly more concerned about their own well-being than protecting their wives from mistreatment. In privileging gun ownership over protection for women, some legislators seem ready to repeat ancient history: displacing protections

at the Memorial Union during which two injured Israeli soldiers were scheduled to speak. Universities, which are supposed to embrace the free exchange of ideas, have become hotbeds of intolerance and Jewhatred in the guise of anti-Zionism.

Of course, not every criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic or even anti-Zionist. Israel, like the United States, is an imperfect country and sometimes needs to be reminded to live up to its highest ideals. But as Jews we would do well to act like an edah (a community) and join forces with those who support the State of Israel, which also happens to be the strongest democracy in the Middle East.

We would do well to heed the words of Hillel in Pirkei Avot: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, then when?” It is high time for us to stand up for Jews, to support the only Jewish state (especially when Jews are threatened the world over) and to live proudly as the children of Israel. JN Rabbi Arthur Lavinsky, retired pulpit rabbi and Navy chaplain, is former president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater

for women for the sake of promoting the exercise of power by men.

Commenting on Abraham’s passing off Sarah as his sister, one commentator suggests that “no one should rely on a miracle in a dangerous situation. One should secure protection in every way that one can.”

The Bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act — bill S.2843 — is one such protection. It is our responsibility to urge our senators to assure that the protections that VAWA affords to women should be the priority.

The stakes are too high to rely on a miracle. JN

Rabbi Richard Hirsh is a member of Jewish Women International’s Clergy Task Force to End Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community. JWI is the leading Jewish organization working to end violence against women and girls.

Phoenix.

Find area congregations at jewishaz.com, where you can also find our 2020 Community Directory.

Senior Lifestyle

Making the decision: Some signs to watch out for

Determining that your aging parent or loved one is in need of assistance may be one of the most difficult decisions you will ever make. You may be met with resistance; you may find yourself in a nowin situation.

Whatever the case, an increasing number of families will face such quandaries this holiday season. For out-of-town visitors, the condition of their elderly relative(s) may come as a shock. For those already intimately involved with caregiving responsibilities, the holidays and the onset of winter can bring about a number of emotional needs of our loved ones that can bring even more challenges.

This year, as we roll into the holidays, be on the lookout for signs that your aging relative may be in need of some assistance. Look especially for signs of change; changes in health, mood and living conditions can all be important indicators.

In addition, family members should be speaking with the people who see their aging relative(s) on a daily basis to find out if they have noticed any recent changes.

Below, we list some signs of change that

may indicate that new decisions may have to be considered.

• Personal hygiene problems like poor grooming, a sloppy appearance, infrequent bathing

• Home in disarray or needing to be cleaned

• Weight loss or weight gain (check for spoiled food or insufficient food in the home)

• Failure to manage medications or medical appointments

• Increased difficulty with mobility (such as climbing stairs or using a bathtub)

• Changes in judgment, mood or overall behavior

• Increased forgetfulness (check for unopened mail or unread newspapers)

• Missed bill payments or other financial difficulties

• Unusual or extravagant purchases that are out of character

• Decreased social activities or failing to maintain friendships

• Struggles with basic tasks such as eating, dressing, walking, cooking, managing medications

• Not maintaining outside friendships or interests

BOB ROTH | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

• Erratic attitude, paranoia, refusing to communicate, abusing alcohol or drugs

• Suffering from consistent memory lapses, confusion, loss of reasoning skills, difficulty answering questions, gets lost walking or driving, inability to find the right word

• Signs of physical illness, such as black and blue marks, bed wetting, dehydration, problems swallowing

Failure to do anything when you notice these conditions will create even greater difficulties down the road.

When making decisions about getting assistance for a loved one, don’t be tempted to take on all the responsibility yourself. It is important to understand that caregivers need care, too. The idea that taking on the responsibility for an ailing or aging parent means that the caregiving adult child does everything by themselves, while simultaneously continuing to meet the demands of their own lives and families, is simply unrealistic.

In our busy world, caregiving is already a complicated task, but when multiple family members are involved, the complexities

can lead to confusion, frustration and miscommunication. Who will take responsibility for what tasks? Often the majority of the work is delegated to the family member who has the most available time. Caregivers placed in this position harbor resentment which leads to the demise of family relationships, the most important support system the loved one so desperately needs.

In this situation, a compromise is usually the best course of action for the loved one and the entire family.

The primary caregiver may feel unappreciated or victimized because other family members feel he or she is not providing the best care. While neither side may want to be seen as “giving in,” it may be in the best interests of the loved one to compromise.

Outside evaluations from physicians or case or care managers may also prove helpful in deciding on the best course of action. Many loved ones would prefer to remain at home if the cost of care is not prohibitive or if the care necessity does not exceed what can be provided.

Many times, a trained personal care provider can provide the majority of

care when skilled nursing is not needed. Families should know that there are many options available for assistance. These include in-home care, day care, family counseling and other services.

The best course of action is to have a game plan. The family needs to sit down and assess their loved one’s needs and evaluate if they have the skill sets within the family unit to care for their loved one, or if they need to seek outside assistance. Decisions involving care for a loved one should not be hurried or rushed. The family should take their time and weigh all the options available to them.

So, this holiday season, take inventory with your loved ones, especially those loved ones who are sitting around the holiday dinner table.

Take note of some of the signs that I have outlined for you above. If you recognize any of these signs, then this is a good the time to begin having the conversation about “making the decision” to provide them with some caregiving assistance. JN

Bob Roth is the managing partner of Cypress HomeCare Solutions.

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Jewish War Vets hold logo contest

CAROLYN CONTE

The Jewish War Veterans of the USA is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a contest. It is holding a logo design competition with a reward of $500 and a feature in the next issue of its publication, “Jewish Veteran.” Submissions, welcome from any individual over 18, must be emailed to Christy Turner at cturner@ jwv.org by January.

JWV is the longest-running veteran’s service, according to its website.

“We are the only consistently running veteran’s service organization, so it is a very exciting milestone,” JWV Public Relations Coordinator Cara Rinkoff said.

JWV was founded in 1896 by a group of Jewish Civil War veterans, who responded to discrimination and diminution of their service record. Since then, JWV has fought for recognition of Jewish veterans nationwide.

The group has advocated for things like the Star of David on gravestones, religious protections in the 1944 G.I. Bill and the

establishment of the National Museum of American Jewish Military History.

The JWV is a military group with a military focus, said Rinkoff, but they are also invested in justice for the Jewish community as a whole. In September, for example, the JWV called on Chancellor Timothy White of San Francisco State University to respond to some online comments made by a professor about Zionism.

“We have three things other vet orga nizations don’t: We are close to Israel, we fight anti-Semitism and we publicize that Jews have fought for this nation since the Revolutionary War,” said JWV National Commander Harvey Weiner.

Weiner wants Jews to be proud of the fact that they have served in every war in a greater proportion than the general public.

After all the contest entries are in, the winning logo will be used for the JWV anniversary in 2021.

Guests of the 2020 February JWV Executive Meeting will vote upon the contest submissions. JN

Maravilla Scottsdale Helps Families Tackle Complex Topics

Experts at Maravilla Scottsdale encourage older adults to engage in open, honest discussions about their well-being and future care needs with their adult children and whether a retirement community setting is an option they may wish to consider.

According to Sandra Dangelo, Executive Director of Maravilla Scottsdale, no matter how independent, vibrant and self-su cient someone may be today, the question of “what if” lingers. The financial responsibility and possible care needs of a loved one can take a toll on the family.

“With planning and the knowledge of all available resources, the family can find peace of mind, said Dangelo. “The subject may not be an easy one to broach, but we can help families tackle this complex subject, allowing folks to make better informed decisions.”

Sandra suggests that previewing retirement communities with family members can jump-start di cult conversations about future needs. Scheduling visits to learn more about the lifestyle and services o ered within senior living environments can provide family members with tremendous insight into a loved one’s preferences, as well as educate the entire family as to the various housing and care options available.

Maravilla Scottsdale, for example, o ers accredited independent living, assisted living and memory care programs. Accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), a three-year CARF accreditation parallels a five-star rating in the hospitality industry.

Here, independent seniors seeking maintenance-free living to complement their active and engaging lifestyle can choose from a variety of spaciously designed one- and two-bedroom residences in boutique-like atmosphere. When needs change and grow, residents enjoy the assurance of quality care and services o ered at Maravilla Scottsdale’s licensed assisted living and memory care.

Learn more about the lifestyle o ered at Maravilla Scottsdale at an upcoming Lunch & Learn on Tuesday, December 17 at 11:30am. To RSVP, please call 480.269.1952 or visit MaravillaScottsdale.com.

This piece originally ran in the Baltimore Jewish Times, a Jewish News-affiliated publication.

Jewish War Veterans National Commander Dr. Barry Schneider visits Phoenix earlier this year. PHOTO BY NICK ENQUIST

Area Agency on Aging provides these and other services to help older adults remain in their homes. There are more than 1,000 older adults on the waiting list for this essential assistance. With your support, we can lift the year long wait and provide critical services to more seniors in our community.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Your generous Arizona Charitable Tax Credit donation of $800 will make an immediate impact on the life of a homebound older adult by providing home care services for 10 weeks. Your $400 donation will provide those services for 5 weeks. Thank you for investing in our community. Your Arizona Charitable Tax Credit donation to Area Agency on Aging will make a critical di erence to older adults who are waiting for home care servcies.

Lifting the wait can make the di erence – Your support can make the di erence.

Donate online: www.aaaphx.org

Call direct: 602-264-2255

Mail your donation: Area Agency on Aging 1366 E. Thomas Road, Ste. 108 Phoenix, AZ 85014

Isolated seniors don’t have to be lonely during the holidays

ARNOLD SCHWARTZ AND DEBORAH MULLER

Shrinking social circles, life changes, kids and grandchildren living across the country … it all often leads to isolation for older adults, which is especially poignant around the holidays when many seniors feel heightened levels of loneliness.

While others are opening gifts, gathering around the table for a large family dinners and toasting the coming year at festive gatherings, some older individuals don’t experience the holidays as they used to and this leads to feelings of isolation and sadness.

Fortunately, there are several ways one can prevent such social isolation, either for yourself or the senior in your life.

First, realize that while expectations are high and comparisons run rampant, you don’t need to feel any pressure to make real life a Hallmark movie. Second, redefine what makes a family during the holidays. Your bridge or mahjong group, fellow synagogue members or even the person in the next room at the retirement community are not only great “stand-ins” for family, they can also become wonderful friends who are just like family. Lastly, don’t let loneliness feed on itself — the best way to deal with it is to override your instinct to isolate yourself.

Consider these activities or opportunities as a fun and festive way of engaging with others over the holidays (and actually, all throughout the year):

1. Dine out: Resist the ease of microwave cooking or DoorDash delivery and grab a meal with others. Not only does one get a tasty treat and can explore new restaurants, dining out with one or more people can allow for more intimate conversation and deeper connections. I have an older friend who asked an acquaintance who had nothing to do on a recent holiday to join her in eating out.

The friend mentioned it to another and within a couple of days, they had a group of 12 to dine out.

2. Take a hike: Exercise releases endorphins essential to elevating one’s mood. The fresh air, great views and chance to make new trail friends with healthy habits are additional benefits. Even if you don’t make a new best friend on a hike, you are moving your body, which is always a good thing. The Valley offers many different hiking groups across a range of difficulty. I have another friend who, with his wife, leads a McDowellSonoran hike every Christmas Day. They started several years ago with a handful of individuals and the group has now grown to over 40 people. Attend a Chanukah service : Dig deeper into your religion and rediscover the meaning of the oil, the Maccabees, the traditional foods and accoutrements of the Festival of Lights with like-minded people who also attend. Spiritual care is an important component of self-care and well-being.

4. Lend a helping hand : Whether serving in a soup kitchen, helping organizations such as Toys for Tots, visiting a hospital or walking dogs on Dec. 25, volunteering places you among many other people and warms one’s heart. My synagogue gets a group together to volunteer at the annual Salvation Army Christmas Dinner. There’s no possible way to feel lonely when helping others who are less fortunate feel less lonely as well. And afterwards, some of us go out for Chinese! JN

Arnold Schwartz is a member of Beth Ami Temple of Paradise Valley, a boutique synagogue for active adults. For more information about the congregation or its regular activities, visit bethamitemple.org. Deborah Muller is a public relations consultant for several Valley organizations.

*Consult your tax advisor – The Area Agency on Aging is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization qualifying for the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit under the Arizona Department of Revenue. Our Tax ID number is 74-2371957. Our Qualifying Charitable Organization (QCO) number is 20044.

Waiting isn’t easy, but if you are waiting for home care services including bathing, personal care, grocery shopping and laundry help, any wait is too long.

©2019 Area Agency on Aging | 1366 E. Thomas Road, Ste. 108, Phoenix AZ 85014 24-Hour Senior HELP LINE 602-264-HELP (4357) | aaaphx.org

Coping with Holiday Depression

Chanukah Gift Ideas2019

WITHOUT CHEATING: Do you know when the first night of Chanukah is this year? Go ahead, take a guess.

It’s Dec. 22! You’ve actually got some time to figure out what you’re going to surprise your friends and family with this year, gathered around the candlelight. That doesn’t mean you should drag your feet here, necessarily, but it’s not exactly go-time yet. For you go-getting gift hunters out there, this list is for you. The absolutely definitive list of the Chanukah presents sure to tantalize and delight.

“Hershel and the Hannukah Goblins,” by Eric Kimmel, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

It’s only the best children’s book about the holiday! Follow Hershel as he braves a succession of increasingly fearsome goblins, intent on ruining Chanukah for the whole town. You can find “Hershel and the Hannukah Goblins” on amazon.com for $17.99.

“The Jewish Cookbook,”

by Leah Koenig

You can find every manner of chicken, brisket and other staples in Leah Koenig’s new cookbook, out this year from Phaidon. Better yet, many of the recipes are drawn from the far corners of world Jewry, rendered with love and beautiful color photographs. For $35.99 from Target, that’s a bargain.

Weighted Blanket

We don’t make a commission from selling weighted blankets. But man, those things are awesome. These heavy, form-hugging blankets have to be felt to be believed. Find one at laylasleep.com for $99.

JESSE BERNSTEIN | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

e Chanukah Store

Largest selection of Chanukah items in Arizona!

Chanukah Gift Ideas, 2019

Natural Beeswax Chanukah Candles

Take your chanukiah to the next level with the sweet, honey aroma of beeswax candles. They burn for over an hour, fit most candlesticks and come in packs of 45. Just $11.95 on amazon.com.

Fit Smart Yoga Mat

Menorahs, candles, books, toys, paper goods, collector’s items, and so much more!

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GIVE A MEMORY

Do you have something that belonged to someone you love sitting in a drawer. A ring that a daughter love to try on?

A Fathers wedding band? A Grandfathers watch?

Bring your memory in and let Burland’s clean it up and put it in a box for you. It’s a treasure you can give that will always put a smile on the face of a loved one.

Maccabot

The Maccabot is a dancing Chanukah robot, presumably brought to life with the spirit of the holiday (also 3 AA batteries). It’s 8 inches tall, comes with spinning laser lights and plays “I Have A Little Dreidel,” “Chanukah Oh Chanukah” and “Al Hanisim.” All of this for $19.95 from traditionsjewishgifts.com.

It’s almost 2020, and you or someone you love haven’t given yoga a try yet? Rectify that with this ridiculously high-tech yoga mat that rolls itself up, gives you extra grip as you get sweatier and “comes with bonus yoga routines, powered by Women’s Health, that you can hear using your smart speaker.” Just $89.95 on amazon.com.

Russ & Daughters New York Brunch

Memories are Priceless.

Making new and old memories for over 40 years. 6102 N 16th St, Ste #10, Phoenix, AZ 602.277.7900

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Tues-Fri: 10am-6pm • Sat: 10am-4pm • Sun-Mon: CLOSED

Ready for this? This Russ & Daughters’ brunch for six, available on amazon.com for $140, includes one pound of Gaspe smoked salmon, one pound of all-natural cream cheese, six assorted bagels, one chocolate babka, one pound of custom roast coffee, one ceramic coffee cup and an insulated tote bag. No need to make the trek to New York! Bring Russ & Daughters wherever you want. This is an out of the box gift, but it’s a guaranteed splash.

Otterbox Phone Case

The Otterbox phone case has been a really solid, functional Chanukah gift for a long time. They’re wonderfully durable, helping countless phones over the years survive all manner of drops. The newest versions are thinner, and not quite as unwieldy as Otterbox cases of the past. They come in blue, pink, black and ocean green. Get it on amazon.com for $22.20.

Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug

This mug, which can be controlled with the Ember app, keeps your hot drink at the exact temperature you prefer (between 120 and 145 degrees). Set the mug on the charging coaster, and get an hour of battery life for the mug. Never take that unexpected lukewarm sip of coffee again. Get it on amazon. com for $69.90.

Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is nearly ubiquitous at this point, but there’s a reason for that: it’s awesome. A combined pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, saute, yogurt maker and warmer. Easy to use, easy to clean and extremely durable. Find an Instant Pot on amazon.com for $67.99.

Apparel with chutzpah

How can you look trendy, show pride in your culture and put a little personality into your appearance? Schmattees, a Phoenix-based shirt company, is the solution to the problem you didn’t know you had. With an array of styles and quips to choose from — “If you can’t say anything nice... say it in Yiddish,” “Salty like the dead sea” and “Oy to the world” are all good, but our favorite is “I love it when you call me big macher” — you can find something suitable for the whole family. Prices start at $18 on amazon.com JN

e Camby Ballroom, a beautifully appointed space adorned with crystal chandeliers, can accommodate up to 450 guests - perfect for bat mitzvahs, holiday parties, weddings and special events. Your guests will feel like royalty from the moment they step through the doors.

e Camby Hotel o ers unique indoor and outdoor venues, equipped with the latest technology and exceptional professional services.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT EVENT SPECIALIST KELSEY MCGU ANE AT 602-522-6630 2401 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85016

Talking philanthropy with adolescents: Sparking a memorable conversation

ANDREA COHEN

Philanthropy isn’t a topic of conversation that necessarily has a right and wrong answer. Starting a dialogue with a teen with the question, “If you could donate to any organization to help solve a problem or issue, where would you direct that gift?” opens the door to a wonderful conversation about our values and shared concerns.

Often, when we try and talk with our tweens and teens, discussions are less about perspective and more about being right. Children have very valuable and, at times, strong opinions about what problems in the world they want to help solve. Even if you aren’t ultimately going to involve your child in the decision as to how you will be allocating your families charitable dollars, you can certainly engage them in the conversation. Talking about giving is important and it is a significant conversation that will show them you sincerely value their opinion.

Giving conversations also allow your children to learn more about what motivates you and your family.

From the youngest age, we are conditioned to give tzedakah. Annually in Jewish preschools across the Valley, tzedakah boxes are made out of reclaimed food containers (my favorite is a small-sized can of Pringles). We are taught that the Jewish people give tzedakah because it is a mitzvah. We are taught that giving tzedakah will help us fulfill the mitzvah of tikkun olam; repairing our world.

The why of giving philanthropically is not a new lesson or concept in our Jewish community. But there has been a tremendous rise of opportunities for giving and engagement for children. And with these new opportunities, we adults have begun to learn that our children have much to teach us about philanthropy.

In generations past, most charitable organizations only created opportunities for engagement for donors who were giving at a high level. Now, organizations are realizing that kids are powerful forces for change. Organizations now focus on empowering children to use their voices, hands and limited dollars. Our children have different problem-solving strategies and aren’t limited by the constraints of “doing it because that is the way we have always done it.” Our children have a world view that

is informed by the belief in tikkun olam.

Our children know more about current events, not because they are assigned to bring in articles and discuss them in school, rather because their friends are sharing articles with them online. They are bright, inquisitive and truly do care about our world. We absolutely can and should engage them as philanthropists at an early age.

We should be taking advantage of these teachable moments as Jewish teachable moments. When we engage in conversations about social justice and giving, we should remember to tie this work back to text and Jewish values. As parents and educators, grounding good behavior in our Jewish roots and values is an opportunity we shouldn’t pass up. Hebrew and Yiddish allow us to identify positive actions with a Jewish label. Whether we refer to it as philanthropy or tzedakah is situationally dependent.

Upon becoming a bar or bat mitzvah, the Jewish Community Foundation works to engage teens by helping them establish their own lifelong charitable giving fund. Teens donate at least $500 (usually from what they have received in gifts) and a charitable endowment fund is established in their name. The fund is invested with the Foundation’s assets and every year for the rest of their life, they will give away a portion of their fund to organizations of their choice. Teens are empowered as grant makers at a young age and will be reminded of the experience of becoming a bar or bat mitzvah annually.

When these young fund-holders enter high school, they are invited to participate as strategic philanthropists as members of the Youth Philanthropy Board. This group works to identify values that will inform their giving, determine their funding focus, seek out potential grantees and ultimately decide how to grant $10,000 into our community. Significant opportunities exist in our community for involving teens and tweens in giving, and as adults it is our responsibility to guide our children toward these opportunities. JN

Andrea Cohen is the youth philanthropy director of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix. For more information about tzedakah opportunities for tweens and teens and the B’nai Tzedek Youth Philanthropy Program, contact acohen@jcfphoenix. org or 480-699-1717.

Foothills Food Bank is registered 501 (c) 3 Corporation. Under Arizona State Law, we are a Qualified Charitable Organization, Code 20514, and donations to us qualify for Arizona Tax Credit, and/or charitable deduction.

480-488-1145

www.foothillsfoodbank.com

Foothills Food Bank is registered 501 (c) 3 Corporation. Under Arizona State Law, we are a Qualified Charitable Organization, Code 20514, and donations to us qualify for Arizona Tax Credit, and/or charitable deduction.

480-488-1145

www.foothillsfoodbank.com

Foothills Food Bank is a registred 501 (c) 3 Corporation. Under Arizona State Law, we are a Qualified Charitable Organization, Code 20514, and donations to us qualify for Arizona Tax Credit, and/or charitable deduction.

How to make your $800 Donation Cost You $0 And Help End Homelessness for Arizonans

$0

advisor about your specific situation.

Hundreds of cyclists join 20th ‘Wheels of Love’ charity ride

SIMONE MASHA | JNS

The luggage-handlers at Ben-Gurion International Airport saw an increase in the number of bicycles coming in and out, as an expected 500 participants from 12 countries arrived to participate in the five-day “Wheels of Love” 2019 charity bike ride, with as many as 125 riders joining from the United States alone. The ride, this year celebrating its 20th anniversary, raised much-needed funds for Israel’s only pediatric rehabilitation hospital: ALYN Hospital Pediatric and Adolescent Rehabilitation Center in Jerusalem.

us jewishaz.com

This year’s event took place from Nov. 10 to Nov. 14, with different routes beginning and ending all over the Jewish state.

The ride was started by a group of nine people in Israel who used to live in New York, Denver, Chicago and London. They first peddled from Jerusalem to Eilat in the year 2000, procuring $65,000 for the hospital.

That year not only marked the first charity ride, but also the start of the Second Intifada and the burst of the dot.com industry in the United States. As such, there were some very underemployed tour guides and business people in Israel with the time to devote to organizing such an endeavor.

“We were all surprised by the success of the first ride,” said Steve Zerobnick, one of the original participants. “We raised far more than I ever envisioned. Given this success, it seemed to me that we had a responsibility to try and replicate it, and grow the ride. Figuring out how to run the ride was complicated, but because I work in tourism and the Second Intifada made my business suffer, I had a lot of time to work to experiment.”

In 2001, the bike ride had grown to 47 participants. It was organized and imple-

mented by the Ride Organizing Committee made up of the original participants. As the event expanded, committee members would ride the route ahead of time to make sure that Israel’s often rough roads and terrain were doable for the average person.

Chaim Zlotogorski, originally from New York, recalled that “after the second ride, I think we understood that it had significant potential. There were a few of us who are startup people and understood that if we focused on the ‘product’ as we would in a business and delivered the best product possible, we could be successful.”

By 2002, the ride saw double the number of participants.

Two decades later, that figure has grown to 500, many of whom are return riders. Six parallel routes are now offered, each one crafted differently depending on the type of cycling road or trail and the level of difficulty.

One route allows for leisurely cycling in the morning and visiting interesting tourist sites in the afternoon, while another, the “Challenge Route,” has cyclists peddling more than 130 kilometers (about 80 miles) daily, with steep, long mountain climbs.

There is even a non-bike trail for friends and spouses who prefer their own two feet rather than two wheels.

This was the third year that Boston resident David Levenfeld went along for the ride. “The sense of camaraderie, the personal challenge of the physical aspects of the ride, and the unmatched way to see and visit Israel, are the reasons that bring me back again,” he said. “To see literally hundreds of people from all over the world come together in support of the same cause amazes me.”

ALYN is Israel’s only pediatric

*This is an example. Consult your financial

Participants in the “Wheels of Love” charity ride in Israel. PHOTO BY TOMER FEDER.

rehabilitation hospital and a world leader in the field of rehabilitation of children with a wide range of physical disabilities, in which multidisciplinary expertise has been developed in rehabilitative treatment of children and youth. In addition to the range of advanced rehabilitation services, the hospital, which was founded 85 years ago, has recently inaugurated a groundbreaking innovation center, ALYNovation, for adapting solutions and developing technological accessories for the children.

Hospital staff regularly treat children from overseas and advise medical institutions worldwide on treatment and care, as well as on innovative solutions developed at ALYN.

“We have a unique approach to the treatment of children with disabilities,” said Dr. Maurit Beeri, director general of ALYN. “Our hope is that every child reaches their maximum development potential, and we believe that advanced medicine is just the beginning.”

“Medicine must partner with rehabilitation therapy, family support and a fair chance to education if we are to succeed in providing a child with a future of possibilities,” she explains. “This partnership is afforded to us by the annual ‘Wheels of Love.’ The funds

raised allow us to give the children the treatments and therapies they require, rather than limit the care to the basic needs that are covered by the Israeli national health-care system. Every additional penny goes toward additional therapists, a wider selection of emotional support modalities, innovative interdisciplinary projects and extra handson care.”

This year, the event was expected to bring in $3 million with riders raising money independently or as part of a team.

Edward Joyce, a resident of New York City’s Upper West Side Manhattan and captain of The Grumpy Roasters — a team of 21 that started out in New York — is quick to rave about his experiences.

“We all support and encourage each other for a common cause and have a great time,” he said. “The last day when we cycle onto the ALYN Hospital grounds is tremendously emotional. Upon finishing, you are elated to have completed such a rigorous endeavor, and when you see the kids that are waiting for you at the end of the race, you realize that what you have done pales in comparison to their accomplishments, and the drive they have day in and day out.” JN

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Featured Event

THURSDAY, DEC. 12

ADL Trivia Night: 6:30 p.m., Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. Trivia night hosted by the Anti-Defamation League’s Young Leadership Committee. Ages 21 and up. Tickets: $20 individual registration, $80 team registration of up to 5 people. Ticket includes one drink and appetizers. All proceeds benefit the ADL. To register, visit support.adl.org/ADLTriviaNight.

Events

SUNDAY, DEC. 8

Tour @ Phoenix Art Museum: 12:30–2 p.m., Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. Learn about the Phoenix Art Museum’s permanent collection from the artist, Leia Steingart. Museum entrance fee may apply. For more information, contact Nicole Garber at 480-481-7024 or nicoleg@ vosjcc.org. To register, visit vosjcc.org/programs.

SUNDAY, DEC. 15

Blood Drive: 8 a.m.-noon, Temple Emanuel of Tempe, 5801 S. Rural Road, Tempe. Men of Emanuel will host the Vitalant bloodmobile in the synagogue’s parking lot. Visit bloodhero.com and enter templeemanuel as the sponsor code to sign up. For more information, call 602-565-3492 or email scaputo@yahoo.com.

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. No RSVP is necessary. This free program is intended for players with prior experience. Be sure to bring a current mahjong card and a set if you have one. For more information, visit evjcc.org or call 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.

THIRD SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH

Jewish War Veterans: 10 a.m., Arizona State Veterans Home, 4141 N. S. Herrera Way, Phoenix. Scottsdale Post 210 welcomes all Jewish veterans to its monthly meetings. Refreshments served at 9:30 a.m. Call 602-256-0658 for more information.

SATURDAY, DEC. 7

Rides for Toys: 5-8 p.m., I-17/101 Target Parking Lot, 2727 W. Agua Fria Freeway, Phoenix. Children can ride on a City of Phoenix fire truck or police car in exchange for donating a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item (size newborn to 8-year-old boy or girl). Donations will go to at-risk children at Valley charities.

SUNDAY, DEC. 8

Healing Handiwork: 1-4 p.m., Temple Chai Small Sanctuary, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. For more information, contact Nona at nona.siegel@gmail. com or 602-326-8851. No charge.

The Jewish Genealogy Group: 1:30-3:30 p.m., Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Meeting devoted to learning, problem solving and answering research questions. Internet access will be available. For more information, visit azjhs.org/ Genealogy.html.

Conversations with the Rabbi: 6 p.m. East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Rabbi Michael Beyo, EVJCC CEO, and Dr. Jaswant Sachdev of the Sikh Community discuss “Responding to Hate.” Free, reservations required. To register, visit evjcc.org/conversation.

MONDAY, DEC. 9

The Torah Case for Reparations: 1-2 p.m., Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Speaker: Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein. Suggested donation: $18. Register at VBMTorah.org.

There’s a Riot Goin’ On: Violence in Rabbinic

Thought: 7-8:30 p.m., Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Speaker: Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein. Suggested donation: $18. Register at VBMTorah.org.

MONDAYS, DEC. 9 AND DEC. 23

Caring for our Loved Ones: 7 p.m., Temple Chai Small Sanctuary, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. A Jewish support and resource group for families and caregivers. No charge, but donations welcomed.

TUESDAY, DEC. 10

Alzheimer’s Support Group: 10–11:30 a.m., Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. This group is for caregivers only. For more information, call 480-481-7090.

Museum @ the EVJCC: 10-11:30 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Speaker: Phoenix Art Museum docent Kathryn Heffernan. Subject: “More Than Just a Window.” $4 suggested donation. For more information, email adrian@evjcc. org.

Book Signing: 6-8 p.m., Tanzy at Scottsdale Quarter, 15257 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. A conversation and interview with Eve Rodsky, author of “Fair Play.” Copies of the book will be available for purchase for $20 (cash only). For more information, visit igenparenting.com/fair-play-book-signing.

TUESDAYS, DEC. 10 AND DEC. 17

Hope for Today: 3:30-4:30 p.m., Temple Chai Small Sanctuary, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Spiritual program of recovery for those who suffer from the debilitating effects of chronic pain and chronic illness, based on the Twelve Steps of AA. For more information, contact cpa-az@cox.net.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 11

Generations After: 11-12:30 p.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. A party to celebrate family traditions. Bring a friend or family member, a story about a special holiday tradition, a favorite song and a favorite recipe. Free, reservations required. To register, call 480-897-0588 or visit evjcc.org/generations-after.

THURSDAY, DEC. 12

Open Beit Midrash class: 9 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. The Life and Tragedy of King David, taught by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Free, registration required. To register, visit evjcc.org/open-beit-midrash.

Talmudic Heroes: 10 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Taught by Rabbi Michael Beyo. Cost: $14. To register, visit evjcc.org/ open-beit-midrash.

EVJCC Speaker Series: 11 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Speaker: Rabbi Herschel Brodie of Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley. Topic: Speaking for the Outsider: The Parallel Cases of Elisha Ben Abuya and Ruth. Cost: $14 ($20 after Dec. 8), includes kosher lunch. To register, visit evjcc.org/open-beit-midrash.

SUNDAY, DEC. 15

Ladles of Love: 9 a.m.-noon, East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Volunteers cook and deliver meals. To register, visit evjcc.org/ ladles-of-love.

Israeli Movie Series: 3 p.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Screening of “Torn,” a documentary about a Polish Catholic priest who discovers that he was born to Jewish parents. Suggested donation: $5. To register, visit evucc.org/ movie-series.

MONDAY, DEC. 16

Breast Cancer Support Group: 6:30 p.m., Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Support group for Jewish women in their journey through all stages of breast cancer, including treatment and recovery. For questions or to RSVP, contact Jessica Knight at jessicabcgroup@outlook.com or 202-359-6835.

Living through Loss: 4:30-6 p.m., Temple Chai Small Sanctuary, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. No charge, but donations are welcome.

TUESDAY, DEC. 17

Arts & Culture @ the EVJCC: 10-11:30 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Speaker: Cantor Jonathan Angress of Beth El Congregation. Topic: From the Bimah to Broadway. Suggested donation: $4. For more information, email adrian@evjcc.org.

The Battle for Jerusalem, 100 Years in One Hour: Conflict, Geopolitics & Chanukah: 7:45-9 p.m., Makor Synagogue, 13402 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite A120, Scottsdale. Jake Bennett presents the modern history of Jerusalem and relates it to the story of Chanukah. No charge. To register, email Office@myMakor.org.

TUESDAYS, DEC. 17 AND DEC. 31

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group: 10-11:30 a.m., Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. This grassroots group will meet every other Tuesday. Free and open to the community. Patient care not available during the group session. For more information, contact the Desert Southwest Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association at 1-800-272-3900 or alz.org/dsw.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18

“But Now God is Not One”: Kabbalah as the Cry of a Broken World Longing for Redemption: 1-2 p.m., Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, 12202 N. 101st Ave., Sun City. Speaker: Dr. Nathaniel Berman Suggested donation of $18. Visit valleybeitmidrash. org for more information.

A Poetic Mythology for our Age of Anger? The Furious Emergence of Gods, Devils, and Human Beings in Kabbalah and its Lesson for Today: 7-8:30 p.m., Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Speaker: Dr. Nathaniel Berman. Suggested donation: $18. Register at VBMTorah.org.

JACS: Support Group for Jewish Alcoholics, Addicts, and their Friends and Family: 7:30 p.m. Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. For more information, call the Shalom Center or email jacsarizona@gmail.com.

THURSDAY, DEC. 19

The Life and Tragedy of King David: 9 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Free, registration required. To register, visit evjcc. org/open-beit-midrash.

Talmudic Heroes: 10 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Cost: $14. To register, visit evjcc.org/open-beit-midrash.

EVJCC Interfaith Series: 11 a.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. President Gary Smith of the Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints will speak about their history, tenets and current challenges. Includes kosher lunch after the presentation. $14 ($20 after Dec. 15). To register, call 480-897-0588 or visit evjcc.org/ open-beit-midrash.

People of the Book Group: 2 p.m., Temple Chai Small Sanctuary, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. A discussion about “Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love” by Dani Shapiro. RSVP to ssilverman18@gmail.com.

Family MONDAYS

Breakfast Babies: 9-10:30 a.m., The Brunch Café, 15507 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale. A fun-filled morning gathering for parents and grandparents with babies or toddlers. Complimentary coffee and a chocolate-covered strawberry with the purchase of any meal. Includes a story time picture book reading. Call 480-3987174 or visit brunchcafe.com for more information.

Baby dance classes: 9:15-9:45 a.m., Arizona Sunrays Gymnastics & Dance Center, 15801 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. For babies who are walking up to age 2 ½. This baby dance class is a fun introduction to music, movement and dancing. Babies will dance to the music while using all kinds of different props and toys. Parent/grandparent participation is required. Free. Advanced registration not required, limited to first 20 children who arrive. Call 602992-5790 or visit arizonasunrays.com for more information.

THURSDAYS

Baby dance classes: 9:30-10 a.m., Arizona Sunrays Gymnastics & Dance Center, 15801 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. For babies who are walking up to age 2 ½. This baby dance class is a fun introduction to music, movement and dancing. Babies will dance to the music while using all kinds of different props and toys. Parent/grandparent participation is required. Free. Advanced registration not required, limited to first 20 children who arrive. Call 602992-5790 or visit arizonasunrays.com for more information.

MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS

Baby gym classes: 9-9:30 a.m., Arizona Sunrays Gymnastics & Dance Center, 15801 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. Parents (and grandparents) are invited to bring in their babies, ages 6 months to 18 months. This parent-child class uses tumbling mats, balance beams, parallel bars and trampolines. Work on strength, balancing and coordination with your baby. Free. This is a “drop in” class; advanced registration is not required. Call 602-992-5790 or visit arizonasunrays.com for more information.

WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS

Baby gym classes: 9:30-10 a.m., Arizona Sunrays Gymnastics & Dance Center, 3923 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. Parents (and grandparents) are invited to bring in their babies, ages 6 months to 18 months. This parent-child class uses tumbling mats, balance beams, parallel bars and trampolines. Work on strength, balancing and coordination with your baby. Free. This is a “drop in” class; advanced registration is not required. Call 602-992-5790 or visit arizonasunrays.com for more information.

Shabbat

FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH

First Fridays: 6:30-8 p.m., Beth Emeth Synagogue, 13702 W. Meeker Blvd., Sun City West. Begins Nov. 1. Traditional Friday night services with a twist; each month a special aspect, theme or prayer from the Shabbat evening liturgy is focused on. Questions about the service, and Jewish prayer in general, will be answered to help each person. No fee, open to everyone, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. For beginners and experienced members. For more information, call 623-584-7210 or email bethemethaz@gmail.com.

FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY 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-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 Micah 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.

SATURDAY, DEC. 21

Sippy Cup Shabbat: 10-10:45 a.m., Congregation

Kehillah, 5858 E. Dynamite Blvd., Cave Creek. This special Shabbat morning is designed for parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles of toddler age children and is open to all families in the community. Welcome the first day of winter and prepare for the beginning of Chanukah with Shabbat music, dancing stories and more. RSVP to Renee by Dec. 18th at 602-369-7667 or via email at info@congregationkehillah.org.

MONDAY, DEC. 23-FRIDAY, DEC. 27

Winter Camp Ages 2-pre-K: Camp Rimon Katan at the East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. For more information, visit evjcc.org/ camp.

MONDAY, DEC. 23-FRIDAY, JAN. 3

Winter Camp Grades K-9: Camp Rimon Gadol at the East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. For more information, visit evjcc.org/ camp.

Chanukah

SUNDAY, DEC. 8

Ezras Cholim 1st Chanukah Gift Boutique & Expo: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Ezras Cholim, 7118 N. 7th St., Phoenix. Chanukah expo with gifts, food, local Jewish vendors and raffles for Chanukah prizes. Free admission. Please bring non-perishable food for Chanukah food drive. Call 602-492-4989 for more information.

Chanukah in the Park: 3-5 p.m., Desert Breeze Park, 660 N. Desert Breeze Blvd. E., Chandler. Arts, crafts and a Chanukah celebration hosted by the East Valley JCC’s Camp Rimon and Early Childhood Learning Center. Free. For more information, visit evjcc.org/youth.

SUNDAY, DEC. 15

Storytime with Temple Emanuel of Tempe: 1 p.m., Changing Hands Book Store, 6428 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe. Celebrate Chanukah with stories and songs with Rabbi Dean Shapiro from Temple Emanuel.

TUESDAY, DEC. 17

Baking Class: 7 p.m., East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Holiday baking class with chef Melinda. Registration required. Tickets: $18. Register at evjcc.org.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18

Family celebration: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Temple Emanuel of Tempe, 5801 S. Rural Road, Tempe. Celebrate Chanukah with latkes, crafts, dreidl derby and a singalong.

FRIDAY, DEC. 20

Chanukah lunch for seniors: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Center for Senior Enrichment at The Palazzo, 6250 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix. Lunch and menorah lighting with Rabbi Nitzan Stein Kokin from Beth El Congregation. Musical entertainment by Gal Drimmer, an Israeli guitarist and vocalist. Cost: $10. To RSVP, contact carol.goldstein@jfcsaz.org or call 602-943-2198.

EVERY NIGHT OF CHANUKAH

Town of Carefree Chanukah Celebration:

5:30 p.m., Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. Menorah lighting will be led by a different community group or family each night. First night festivities hosted by Temple Chai and the Jewish Social Group of Cave Creek and Carefree. Gift bags will be available for children every evening. For more information, visit christmasincarefree.com/menorah-lighting.

Seniors

FRIDAY, DEC. 27

New Year at The Palazzo: 1 p.m., Center for Senior Enrichment at The Palazzo, 6250 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix. Performance by singer/ impersonator Tom LaGravinese. Champagne and cake will be served. Free. To RSVP, contact carol.goldstein@jfcsaz.org or call 602-943-2198.

Arts

MONDAY, DEC. 9

BNC Roz Fischer Concert & Conversation: 1 p.m., Palo Cristo Church, 3535 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley. Child prodigy Ethan Yang, age 16, will perform classical violin music. He will be accompanied by award-winning pianist Wei Xing. Refreshments will be served. Tickets: $7 at the door. No reservations required. For more information, contact Joan Sitver at Joansitver @ aol.com.

WEDNESDAYS, FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, DEC. 25-JAN. 19

Old Jews Telling Jokes: 2 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. start times, Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix. The Off-Broadway comedic performance visits Phoenix. For more information about the show or to order tickets, visit playhouseinfo.com or call 602-252-8497. JN

Upcoming Special Sections

That’s a rap!

Beth Ami Temple’s fifth annual “Rap with the Rabbi” took place on Nov. 2 with approximately 40 members in attendance. A lively discussion with the rabbi was held.

Where’s your Jewish News? Sea of Galilee Edition

Frank and Stephanie Thier visited Israel and Jordan in October and took this photo before visiting a kibbutz

Correcting the record

Where’s your Jewish news? Greenland Edition

Jan Scheer and Gerry Elgarten left Scottsdale, with the Jewish News, looking for cooler weather. They

Getting out the vote

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs spoke about the importance of registering to vote at an event hosted by the National Council of Jewish Women Arizona on Nov. 19.

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.

Dr. Bjorn Krondorfer, Janice Friebaum, Bogdan Bialek, Sheryl Bronkesh and Dr. Anna Cichopek-Gajraj attended a reception for Bialek hosted by the Phoenix Holocaust Association on Nov. 13. The reception followed a Nov. 12 screening of Bialek’s documentary “Bogdan’s Journey,” which tracks his efforts to persuade the people of Kielce, Poland, to confront the painful history of Europe’s last Jewish massacre.

There is only us

More than 50 people attended “There Is No Them; There Is Only Us,” an open community event hosted by Temple Chai and the Jewish Addiction Awareness Network on Nov. 19 to raise awareness about substance abuse and mental health in the Jewish community.

PHOTO

CAMERON SHAI BROOKS

Cameron Shai Brooks becomes a bar mitzvah on Dec. 30, 2019, in Israel. A member of Temple Chai, he is the son of Cindy and Adam Brooks of Scottsdale.

Grandparents are Marion and Dennis Schepps of Houston, Texas; and Susan and Barry Brooks of Phoenix.

For his mitzvah project, Cameron will organize the annual whiffle ball tournament at the JCC.

A student at Mountainside Middle School, Cameron

Phyllis E. Anatole passed away peacefully on October 31, 2019 at the age of 87. She leaves behind son and daughterin law, Michael and Debbie Anatole; daughter, Ellen Anatole; grand-daughter and grandson-in-law, Elana and Jordan Levine; grandson and grand-daughter-in-law Jesse and Amanda Anatole; and great-grandchildren, Kyrian and Rowyn Levine.

Phyllis’ motto was, “I love fun,” and she most certainly did. She was a devoted wife to Ronald M. Anatole, zichrono liv’racha. She overcame every obstacle life presented with grace and a positive attitude that was an integral part of her being. She had a sharp, dry wit, and an everpresent smile. She was a Woman of Valor, who loved her family, and changed all of their lives to the better. She was blessed with strength, and blessed all who knew her with courage, graciousness and kindness. Memorials will be private.

Dania Chait became a bat mitzvah on Nov. 23, 2019, at Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley. She is the daughter of Claudia and Jaime Chait of Chandler.

Grandparents are Esther and Ismael Cortez; and Mercedes and Juan Chait.

For her mitzvah project, Dania will be collecting socks, T-shirts and monetary donations accepted through the synagogue office for the Lone Soldier Project.

A student at Willis Jr. High School, Dania enjoys the outdoors, hiking, exploring the desert, painting, swimming, singing and reading.

Sylvia Naomi Bandler died peacefully on Nov. 4th, 2019. She was born Sept. 4, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York to Anna and Joseph Weintraub. She was first and foremost a devoted mother and grandmother. After receiving her master’s degree in social work from ASU in 1984, Sylvia helped countless individuals and families as a licensed clinician at Camelback/ St. Luke’s Hospital, specializing in chemical dependency, especially with adolescents.

Alexander Michael Geyser became a bar mitzvah on Nov. 23, 2019, at Congregation Beth Tefillah. He is the son of Lisa and Jeff Geyser of Phoenix.

Grandparents are JoAnne Pacheco of Salt Lake City, Utah, and the late Patrick V. Pacheco; and Joyce Geyser of Phoenix and the late Dr. Michael Geyser.

For his mitzvah project, Alexander volunteered downtown at Central Arizona Shelter Services, where he and his family passed out ice, drinks and towels to the homeless. Alex also volunteered at the Vista Colina Homeless Shelter and stocked their food pantry, brought diapers for the babies and art supplies for the children, and brought daily supplies for the families there. Alex will continue these mitzvot as lifting others brings joy to his life.

A student at Pardes Jewish Day School, Alexander enjoys photography and playing basketball, football and soccer with his Pardes team. JN

OBITUARY

Aaron Steven Sak, 82, of Scottsdale, Arizona, formerly of Highland Park, died peacefully November 2 in Scottsdale.

Beloved husband of Sharon (née Gersten); wonderful father of Barry (Susan) and Lorel; proud zayde of Andrea and Jamie; loving brother of Jerry (the late Barbara); and dear uncle of Brian (Randi) Sak, Brian (Stacy) and Anthony Rothman.

Aside from her family, Sylvia’s greatest joy was traveling, which took her to all continents, including Antarctica. Her vast travels were an example of Sylvia’s philosophy to seize life’s opportunities regardless of age.

She is survived by her three sons and their wives, Mack and Lori Bandler, Steven and Linda Bandler and Ron and Laura Bandler; her grandchildren, Zachary (Meg), Aaron (Nikki), Adam (Jessica), Kyle (Leah), Jillian, Emma, Griffin, Andrew and Madison; and her two great grandchildren, Rex and Lucio. She is also survived by her sister, Harriet Dolgin, brother Martin Weintraub, nieces and nephews.

Sylvia was laid to rest on Nov. 7th 2019 at Beth Israel Memorial Cemetery in Phoenix. The family gratefully asks that any donations be made to the Congregation Beth Israel Camp Stein Scholarship Fund. May her memory be a blessing.

Florene Feldman Weitz, 77, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away on Nov. 13, 2019. She was a loving wife to Frank Weitz; parent to Beth Weitz Katz (David) of Phoenix, Arizona and Andrew Weitz of Boca Raton, Florida; and Grammy to Bennett and Brett Katz and Chloe, Cameryn and Carly Weitz. She had a thriving career in Milwaukee as co-owner of the Purple Ticket Sellers, providing estate sales to most of the North Shore community. She was an avid antique collector and dealer. Her home was an ongoing collection of beautiful things. Florene will be remembered as always one with a great sense of style. Florene was a warm, loving person and a friend to all who came across her path. She loved to travel. We will miss her smile, laugh and her style.

Donations can be made in Florene’s memory to: UMOM New Day Centers, 3333 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix, AZ 85008 or at umom.org.

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Educators, parents, grapple with talking to children about trauma

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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