Jewish News, February 21, 2025 by jewishaz

HEADLINES | 4

JCRC LEADER LEAVES

Paul Rockower resigns as the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix

WEED WORKS

Scottsdale consultants help seniors understand the ins and outs of using cannabis

CJP invites nonJewish allies to the antisemitism fight

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

For many American Jews, Oct. 7, 2023 has come to be seen as a sad dividing line, marking the day they began to see antisemitism as something that could touch them and their children, something they hadn’t felt before.

“It is certainly not a secret that worldwide, antisemitism has become more of a problem than any of us were aware of before Oct. 7,” Center for Jewish Philanthropy (CJP) of Greater Phoenix CEO Richard Kasper told Jewish News.

Jewish college students, for example, “are encountering antisemitism in ways that their parents certainly did not,” he said.

In response to this new reality, CJP will take a more direct role in the fight against antisemitism with dedicated staff and programming.

“This is such a significant concern for the Jewish community that it felt appropriate that we begin to dedicate more resources to better support our community,” Kasper said.

Since its creation, CJP’s mission has been “to energize and sustain Jewish life and leadership.” Implementing this new role will further that mission, according to Kasper.

“This work is about preparing our community to act from a position of strength and pride,” he said. Part of that strength will come from fostering relationships with leaders and educators outside the Jewish community.

“Rather than just swatting away incidents of antisemitism when they occur, we will be building relationships that help avoid them in the first place,” Kasper said.

Farming, food and the magic of ‘worm poop,’ PJ Library celebrates Tu B’Shevat

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

After an hour at the Arizona Worm Farm on Sunday afternoon, a couple of dozen Jewish kids knew a few facts about worms, or at least two.

“Worms do not have teeth. Why does that matter? There’s nothing in here that can bite you,” Zach Brooks, co-owner of the farm, explained to kids and their parents peering into a large container of worm-filled soil.

This was a pretty important piece of information, given that the kids were about to stick both hands into the pile and scoop out some worms to give them a good hard look. Some were excited to get their hands dirty, while others hung back a beat before digging in.

Next, he told the kids to hold their breath and count to three. “Worms can’t do that because they don’t have lungs,” Brooks said, before reminding them to breathe again. Though the kids were still listening, most were giving their attention to the wiggling, pink creatures in their hands.

And that was just the beginning of the tour.

The farm’s worms, chickens, goats, vegetables and compost piles were all on display for “Tu B’Shevat at the Worm Farm,” organized by PJ Library, a program of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix, on Sunday, Feb. 2. SEE FARMING, PAGE 3

Elevating kosher cuisine

Phoenix catering company, M Culinary Concepts, offers kosher catering across the Valley. See page 11.

On Tuesday, Feb. 4, CJP hosted its first “Combating Antisemitism” event at the Butterfly Wonderland theater in Scottsdale. Attendees watched “Tragic Awakening: A

SEE FIGHT, PAGE 2

Jacqueline van Maarsen, Anne Frank’s best friend, dies at 96

diaspora minister tells US Jewish leaders he opposes

ceasefire and hostage deal

Ben Brooks, 5, holds up a carrot he’s going to wash and eat.

said Jon Meyers, director of ADDPC.

“Our hope is to create and promote opportunities for people to be embraced, become part of the community and find equitable opportunities wherever they might live,” he said.

Meyers first came to know Stern through her mother, Amy Silverman, who read her personal essays about raising a daughter with Down syndrome on KJZZ, National Public Radio’s Phoenix affiliate station.

about her Judaism with her fellow council members and speaking out for her rights

She already has some practice at

about her Judaism with her fellow council members and speaking out for her rights

“One time, I was in class and someone called me the R-word and I told him not to. The teacher was in the hallway and another student repeated the word,” she said. Rather than letting the situation go, she told her theater teacher, who was able

She already has some practice at

“If someone has a disability, saying the R-word is like saying the F-word,” Stern said.

2023 Phoenix Jewish News Print Dates

Meyers was so captivated by the essays that he reached out to Silverman, and the two became friends.

“If someone has a disability, saying the R-word is like saying the F-word,” Stern said.

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Meyers was so captivated by the essays that he reached out to Silverman, and the two became friends.

That’s how Stern first learned of the open council seat, but there’s no doubt she earned her position, Meyers said.

While performing in the musical “Hairspray,” she had another occasion to tangle with the offensive word, which appears in the script.

New Look at the Oldest Hatred,” a 2024 documentary that seeks to find and understand the key motives for creating and promulgating antisemitism through a series of discussions between Rabbi Raphael Shore, the film’s producer, and Rawan Osman, an Arab Zionist and self-proclaimed “reformed antisemite.”

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Both Shore and Osman were on hand Tuesday night to answer questions after the showing.

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Alma Hernandez, a Jewish legislator from Tucson, came, as did Dan Bachus, the Jewish CFO of Grand Canyon University, a Christian institution. Joining them were State Senator John Kavanagh, Goodyear Councilmember Laura Kaino and Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan, none of whom are Jewish.

That’s how Stern first learned of the open council seat, but there’s no doubt she earned her position, Meyers said.

friends, she recounted how good it felt when they checked in with her after Oct. 7.

To become a council member, Stern had to apply and demonstrate that she had something valuable to contribute, he said.

While performing in the musical “Hairspray,” she had another occasion to tangle with the offensive word, which appears in the script.

“That’s really bad and my friend said it on stage. I was not OK with that, so I went to the director and told her it was a bad word for people with disabilities, but she wouldn’t take it out,” Stern said.

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Shore said he hopes the film is seen by non-Jews, who “need to understand to get on the right side of history.”

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In introductory remarks before the film, Rachel Hoffer, CJP’s immediate past board chair, expressed her gratitude for people outside of the Jewish community who “have stood up, spoken up and who have taken a stand. We know that this is not just a Jewish issue.”

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CJP Director of Belonging and Antisemitism Initiatives, Jennifer Starrett, who organized the event, invited Arizona’s current legislators, school board members, business, community and faith leaders, hoping non-Jews would take an interest in a topic important to the Jewish community. The tactic seemed to work.

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To become a council member, Stern had to apply and demonstrate that she had something valuable to contribute, he said.

“She’s on the council because she deserves to be on the council,” he said.

Stern is creating a life and career as a member of her community, which makes her a great addition.

“She’s on the council because she deserves to be on the council,” he said. Stern is creating a life and career as a member of her community, which makes her a great addition.

“We filled that room with lots of potential allies and supporters, which was great. We want to develop those relationships and create strong support for our Jewish community, so that we aren’t fighting these issues alone,” Starrett told Jewish News.

“Having so many community leaders who are not Jewish show up for something that the Jewish community really cares about, but they likely don’t think about much, was rewarding. To look at the audience and only recognize about half the faces made me feel that we are on our way to achieving something,” Kasper said.

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“Jews who didn’t have those allies and only saw the more negative side, especially on social media, were afraid. My hope is that through this programming, we can decrease that fear by showcasing how much support we have in the wider community,” she said.

Stern graduated from McClintock High School in Tempe last year and now attends Glendale Community College, with a focus on dance. She is a regular performer at Detour Company Theatre, a Scottsdale theatre company for adults with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities.

In fact, when Stern attended her first council meeting in January, she couldn’t wait to tell people of her involvement with Detour and share information about its upcoming shows.

Before stepping into her new position, Starrett developed programming focused on engaging the Jewish community. She’s excited to broaden that engagement to people outside of it, too. Pulling from her personal experience with non-Jewish

In fact, when Stern attended her first council meeting in January, she couldn’t wait to tell people of her involvement with Detour and share information about its upcoming shows.

She let her mother know about the conflict and they were able to convince the director of the need to remove the word from the script.

One of the next steps for Starrett is to form an antisemitism taskforce to decide what type of programming will be most effective. She said that CJP would continue to work in tandem with organizations like the Anti-Defamation League Arizona and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix, both of which focus on antisemitism, while providing the Valley’s Jewish community with even more resources to combat antisemitism and educate the non-Jewish community about the issue. JN

“There’s no question that she is going to thrive,” Meyers said. “She’s very gregarious and passionate about the things that matter to her.”

She let her mother know about the conflict and they were able to convince the director of the need to remove the word from the script.

“My friend Al was next to me when I told the director and he gave me the biggest hug ever and said that he loved me so much,” Stern said. Sadly, Al died in a car crash on Oct. 24, 2021.

Heart Can’t Even Believe It: A Story of Science, Love and Down Syndrome,” Silverman’s book about her daughter. When Gesher’s speakers’ bureau, Damon Brooks & Associates, was asked to find a speaker about Down syndrome for an event this spring, Hummell first asked Silverman to speak, thinking Stern might be too young.

They decided instead that Stern should tell her own story; it’s a real bonus that she is not afraid of public speaking.

“That was hard; it’s very hard to get emotions out and I was very, very upset,” she said.

“My friend Al was next to me when I told the director and he gave me the biggest hug ever and said that he loved me so much,” Stern said. Sadly, Al died in a car crash on Oct. 24, 2021.

“That was hard; it’s very hard to get emotions out and I was very, very upset,” she said.

On the recent anniversary of his death, Stern made a cake and took it to the crash site.

“I don’t know how I did it without crying. I’m so proud of myself,” she said.

On the recent anniversary of his death, Stern made a cake and took it to the crash site.

For more information, visit phoenixcjp.org/ what-we-do/combating-antisemitism.

“There’s no question that she is going to thrive,” Meyers said. “She’s very gregarious and passionate about the things that matter to her.”

Stern looks forward to sharing insights

Amy Hummell, executive director of Gesher Disability Resources, agreed that Stern is a good fit for ADDPC because of her ability to self-advocate.

“I don’t know how I did it without crying. I’m so proud of myself,” she said.

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

Hummell co-hosted a book event with Meyers a few years ago for “My

Amy Hummell, executive director of Gesher Disability Resources, agreed that Stern is a good fit for ADDPC because of her ability to self-advocate.

Hummell co-hosted a book event with Meyers a few years ago for “My

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They decided instead that Stern should tell her own story; it’s a real bonus that she is not afraid of public speaking.

“It’s not the same when someone tries to tell a person’s story for them,” Hummell said.

Additionally, helping people with disabilities find jobs was one of the reasons for acquiring the bureau. Unemployment in the disability community is upwards of 75% and of that percentage, 75% are ready, willing and able to work — but haven’t been given the opportunity, Hummell said.

“People have it in them to speak up but don’t know how, and often they’re not cheered on. Sophie has family support

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Sophie Stern at her high school

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Rawan Osman answers a question as Rabbi Raphael Shore looks on Tuesday, Feb. 4. OURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS

From left to right, Doug Weiser, Rachel Hoffer and Jason Morris were three of the host committee members who helped bring the event to the community.

COURTESY OF DANIEL FISCHPAN

All 50 spots were booked moments after Marcy Lewis, PJ Library’s program director, announced the event.

Five years ago, Lewis went looking for a Phoenix farm to host an event where kids could learn about farming, food production and sustainability. When she found the Arizona Worm Farm she did a double take. Nancy Brooks, Zach’s wife and co-owner of the farm, had been her younger sister’s preschool teacher.

“Tu B’Shevat is about planting, and when I found a worm farm, I thought, ‘You can’t get much cooler than that, especially for kids.’ Then I found out that the Brooks, a Jewish family I knew, owned it and it became a perfect circle — it was meant to be,” she told Jewish News.

Moreover, Lewis was a kid who never missed the opportunity to jump in a mud puddle and get her hands dirty. As a preschool teacher, she taught a few earthworm lessons. A worm farm was the perfect place for the PJ Library kids to get their hands dirty, too.

“I love that the whole farm is so kid friendly. They learned about sustainability and planting. They get to pick and eat carrots, learn where food comes from and how important the whole process is,” she said.

After Brooks finished explaining worm anatomy, he let them feed some young chickens by tossing a handful of larvae into their pens. Then he asked one of life’s big questions: “Who’s ready to touch some worm poop?”

Though most kids responded with a chorus of “Ew, gross,” they got on board pretty quickly.

“To have good soil, we have to have little, teeny, tiny, microorganisms — little, little teeny, tiny bugs growing in our soil,” he told them. He showed them bins filled with dark, rich soil, explaining it started as garbage and natural waste about a year earlier. The worms got to it, making it useful and, as a bonus, taking the smell out of it. Next, he took them to show all the produce the farm grows with the wormy soil, even letting them pluck carrots from the ground, wash and eat them and compost the leftover green bits on top, restarting the whole process.

Brooks is passionate about the process. After helping take his computer consulting company public several years ago, he started a master’s program in sustainability at Arizona State University. But he didn’t want another job; he wanted “to learn about climate change and make a difference,” he told Jewish News.

He left the program and bought 10 acres in South Phoenix to start his worm farm. His mission was to turn garbage into food.

“I knew we could demonstrate sustainable living in a community and beyond,” he said.

Not only does the farm sell worms, compost and veggie transplants, it also offers classes in sustainable backyard

farming every weekend that attracts well over 100 attendees. Local caterers and a City of Phoenix environmental service company bring food waste to the farm, where it is composted and turned into usable soil.

It’s a lot of work, and the summer can be brutal, but “most days, it’s a lot of fun,” he said.

Brooks led the kids to a huge compost pile and let them race to the top. As they slid back down to the ground, they ended up with bits of compost in their shoes and pockets.

“That’s what happens on a farm,” he laughed.

Anna Taylor and Sophie, her daughter, stood outside the goat pens watching as several kids, including Taylor’s son, went

inside to pet and feed three goats.

“This seemed like it would be a nice way to spend a Sunday, even though I had no idea this place was even in Phoenix,” Taylor told Jewish News. “I’m glad we came because it’s very educational and the kids love it.”

Erin Deuble agreed that she and her son, Zev, were learning a lot. To exemplify the point, Zev stated that worms have no teeth.

“This is the coolest farm, but I never knew it existed,” Deuble told Jewish News. She was one of the first to sign up when PJ Library announced the event.

“It said ‘worm’ so I knew we had to come,” she laughed. JN

For more information, visit arizonawormfarm.com.

Marcy Lewis sets up a welcome table at the Arizona Worm Farm.

COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER OLSON

Zach Brooks, left, gathers kids to talk about worms as they prepare to dig down into soil to examine them. COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER OLSON

Kids climb the big compost pile at the Arizona Worm Farm. COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER OLSON

Lily Dudek, left, and Sophie Taylor make hats to wear on the tour of the farm. COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER OLSON

JCRC leader and ‘itinerant soul’ leaves lasting mark on Jewish relations with wider community

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

When Paul Rockower arrived in Greater Phoenix in early 2019, the nation’s Jews were a bit on edge. Two years earlier, white supremacists held tiki torches and chanted “Jews will not replace us,” at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The following year, a far-right extremist shot and killed 11 Jews and injured six more in a Pittsburgh synagogue. These events and others reverberated even in faraway Arizona.

“It was a very tumultuous time with a lot of insecurity for the Jewish community when I arrived,” Rockower told Jewish News.

Now, after six years as the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix (JCRC) — the longest time he’s spent in any one place — Rockower announced his resignation at the end of January. He is confident that the organization he leaves behind will be all the stronger for the important relationships he helped to foster during his tenure.

Rockower spoke to Jewish News about what brought him to the desert and how he built up a lasting network of support that will outlast him, a cast filled with both Jewish and non-Jewish community organizations, elected officials, law enforcement and media.

Fresh from conducting public diplomacy abroad, Rockower took over as the executive director of the JCRC and set his sights on using the Jewish community’s “soft power” (ability to convincingly shape opinions using culture and values) to connect and make common cause with other marginalized communities in the Valley.

For more than a decade, Rockower honed expertise in diplomacy, having held public diplomacy positions ranging from the U.S. State Department to the Israeli Foreign Ministry to an Indian Ministry of External Affairs initiative. After living and working in Israel, the Czech Republic, Morocco, Taiwan, India, Argentina, Mexico, France and Colombia,

as well as the U.S., he became a natural at connecting with people of all backgrounds.

“I took the job at JCRC realizing that my background, my skill set, would be of value for the Jewish community and other vulnerable communities to get us through some difficult times,” he said. Reflecting on the last six years, he can see the fruition of the work that he’s done “to keep the Jewish community more secure by building stronger partnerships, stronger alliances, with different faith and ethnic communities.”

Rockower and his skills have been valued by those he worked closely with, including JCRC Board Chair Alan Zeichick.

“Paul built the JCRC to what it is today — really making a difference to our community by tackling antisemitism and extremism, working with the general media, building bridges, engaging in public diplomacy and influencing public policy,” he told Jewish News in an email.

In the beginning, Rockower got to know the Valley’s Jews and Jewish organizations while he was also meeting leaders of Asian, Black, Hispanic, Muslim and various faith communities. It wasn’t long before he would bring some of these leaders together.

In the wake of the two mass shootings over one weekend in the summer of 2019, one that killed 22 and injured more than two dozen at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas and another at a popular nightclub in Dayton, Ohio, that killed nine people and injured 20, Rockower worked with the First Church UCC (United Church of Christ) Phoenix to host a candlelight interfaith vigil to mourn the victims of the shootings.

“We wanted to help the Jewish community share its sadness and grief

alongside other faith communities of the Valley,” Rockower said then.

“Paul understands deeply that protecting the Jewish community requires a commitment to justice for all,” Deputy Regional Director of Anti-Defamation League Arizona Sarah Kader told Jewish News in an email.

In the months that followed, JCRC organized community events, such as an interfaith concert featuring Black gospel and Jewish liturgical music with Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, and a justice event with the ACLU of Arizona and the Arizona Faith Network to discuss prison reform.

“Paul tirelessly worked to unite Arizona’s diverse communities, fostering understanding and connection where it once seemed impossible,” Arizona Faith Network Executive Director Rev. Katie Sexton-Wood told Jewish News in an email.

In 2021, Rockower’s commitment was recognized with the Arizona Faith

Paul Rockower, second from right, in Washington, D.C. in 2022, for a Black-Jewish Cohort trip to the Holocaust Museum and African-American History and Culture Museum. COURTESY OF PAUL ROCKOWER

Paul Rockower was awarded the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award last April for his work to protect the Jewish community and other vulnerable communities.

Network’s Peacemaker in Action award.

In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down and sadly, conspiracy theories about the culpability of Chinese Americans rose. JCRC signed a letter of solidarity and support for the Chinese American and Chinese communities promulgated by its parent organization, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Rockower shared the letter with the heads of local Asian American and Chinese American Valley organizations.

John Lee, the president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Arizona, responded in kind.

“I was thrilled to read the above letter and am deeply appreciative of your timely support when Chinese communities across the U.S. are experiencing difficulties and discrimination due to the rapid spread of the dangerous coronavirus. Only true friends show up in hard times.”

Another motivation for taking the JCRC job was that Rockower was chomping at the bit to fight antisemitism. He watched the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally while living in Morocco.

“I realized that all my work abroad didn’t matter if things domestically weren’t working,” Rockower told Jewish News in 2019. “I really felt like I wanted to get my hands involved here in America, in a community, and to try to work toward fighting antisemitism.”

On that front, too, he would get his chance.

Arizona politicians like U.S. Congressman Paul Gosar and Arizona State Representative Wendy Rogers made several antisemitic statements publicly in the last few years and openly fraternized with Holocaust deniers such as Nick Fuentes. Rockower pushed back in the media, something he understood how to do from his time in press offices and as a journalist.

He also understood when the media should not get involved. One accomplishment he’s proudest of is keeping media attention out of the hands of a group of hatemongers in 2021.

He got wind that Neo-Nazis were planning a rally in Phoenix that April, hoping to make a ruckus. He convinced media outlets not to cover it. Thus, it fizzled quickly into about 30 minutes of a few people marching around and yelling racial slurs.

Rockower didn’t do this alone. He formed a coalition with 26 other groups — including the African American Christian Clergy Coalition, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Valley Interfaith Project, the Arizona Faith Network and the Phoenix Holocaust Association — to deny the neo-Nazis their goals of attention and amplification, Rockower said.

“Given how precarious this situation could have been, this represents quite a victory against hate,” Rockower said.

However, when antisemitic events happened and attention was warranted, the JCRC responded quickly and visibly, even in other parts of the state.

In the summer of 2021, Congregation Chaverim and Chabad On River in Tucson were vandalized.

“The JCRC used its network of relationships to coordinate responses and rally support for the Tucson Jewish community from law enforcement, Jewish organizations, local elected officials and different faith and ethnic communities,” Rockower said.

The media treated the incidents as “a blip” because it was vandalism under cover of night. Thus, JCRC reached out to various faith communities and local elected officials to “educate them on the Jewish community’s sense of vulnerability at the trends beyond the singular incidents. We call attention to these incidents with emails, social media, op-eds and direct exhortations to our allies to get involved and stand with us in solidarity,” he wrote.

Rockower always impressed the need for solidarity among Jews and other marginalized groups, creating a “safety in numbers” paradigm.

Kader, one of his most valuable partners in fighting antisemitism over the last few years, appreciated his strategy.

“I met Paul on my first day at ADL, and could immediately tell he was a

mensch. From his insightful words, to his comforting yiddishkeit, Paul has been able to successfully navigate challenges and meaningfully build relationships in a way only he can,” she told Jewish News in an email.

Detective Michael Hillman of the Phoenix Police Department also became one of his trusted colleagues. Hillman said that Rockower made him a better person and a better detective.

“Paul is an amazing humanitarian, man and friend. The Arizona Jewish community is losing a true mensch,” Hillman told Jewish News in an email.

The FBI’s Phoenix field office has also worked closely with Rockower. Last year, he traveled to Washington, D.C., where he was given the Director’s Community Leadership Award.

Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis said that Rockower’s work with vulnerable communities had been invaluable in protecting Jews and other minorities.

“We need a Paul in all 50 states,” Davis told Jewish News last April.

JCRC also uplifted positive stories of the Jewish community in the secular media. His networking with journalists helped amplify stories about Jewish holidays and traditions, and highlight Jewish organizations and rabbis to talk about antisemitism on campus and fallout after Oct. 7. Rockower said he loved amplifying

these voices.

He’s put his heart and soul into the JCRC; “it’s my baby,” he said.

In a Facebook post, Rockower said he’ll miss “the desert wildflowers, the vivid blooming cactus flowers and the majestic solitude” of Arizona. He will also miss the JCRC board, who gave him a lot of latitude and helped keep his “itinerant soul” in one place for a long stretch.

“I remain forever grateful to the stellar JCRC board of directors, who gave me space to run some of the most strategic, innovative work in the fight against antisemitism and extremism,” he wrote.

Congregation Kehilla Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman, a JCRC board member, is also grateful to him for “his intellect, his discernment, his vision” after working with him closely over the last six years.

“During a most difficult time in the life of our community, Paul envisioned what could be in terms of protecting the Jewish community, developing key alliances and deep, meaningful relationships with community leaders,” she told Jewish News.

Both she and Zeichick credited Rockower with building a respected and sustainable organization.

“Like a booster rocket, it’s time for Paul to fall back to Earth — his job here is done,” Zeichick said. JN

For more information, visit jcrcphoenix.org.

HOPE GALA

JFCS celebrates 90 years in Arizona

MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

In 1935, a small group of women who were part of the local chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women in Phoenix created a social service agency that, over the years, would change the face of child welfare in the state of Arizona.

That was the beginning of Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS) in Arizona, which, in addition to providing Jewish community services, helps the entire community with services for children and families, integrated health, older adults, substance abuse counseling and recovery and victims of domestic violence.

Supporters came together at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa on Jan. 17, to celebrate this milestone at the “Brighter Tomorrow Celebrating 90 Years of JFCS” luncheon.

“Ninety years ago, Jewish women created this organization, and it’s continued,” said Peter Moraga, event chair and JFCS Governance Board member. “Do you think back then that they knew how many lives and families they would impact over the years?”

Moraga shared that in the last year

alone, 50,000 lives have been “positively impacted” by JFCS.

Many of those lives are children referred to JFCS by the State of Arizona Department of Child Services (ADCS).

According to the JFCS website, “We assist parents in Maricopa County who have children currently residing in foster care. Staff members protect the rights of children and work with them to create an environment that serves their needs.

Parents receive training, case management and skill building. Staff, family and DCS work as a team toward returning children home safely.”

“JFCS provides incredible, critical services to my community,” said JFCS Governance Board Chair Janice Dinner.

“Including helping foster children graduate, learn skills, gain employment, provide housing and other essential services.”

According to the Arizona Department of Child Safety, as of February 2024, there were 10,900 children in foster care in Arizona.

Dinner introduced the keynote speaker,

Andrew Bridge, a local attorney who became an advocate for children’s rights, who uses his personal experience in the foster care system to drive change. As a member of the Arizona Foster Care Review Board, he advises Arizona’s juvenile court on the safety and wellbeing of individual children in the state’s care.

Bridge spent more than 11 years in foster care, starting at the age of seven.

“I was taken from my mother as she was from hers,” said Bridge. “Born into a long line of unforgiving poverty, she spent her childhood raised between children’s homes, juvenile justice facilities and her home.”

He explained that his mother, Hope, like her mother, father and every generation before her, never went to college or graduated high school. She met a man when she was 16, married him when she was 17 and had Bridge shortly after her 18th birthday.

When Bridge was a toddler, his parents went to prison in Los Angeles for writing bad checks and he went to live with his grandmother. When he was five, his

mother was released, and he went back to live with her.

“Over the next two years, she enrolled in beauty school and planned our future,” he said.

But her mental health was declining, and she became convinced that the voices in her head were from men determined to steal her son from her.

One evening, Hope gave him money to walk from their motel to the store and buy milk. As Bridge returned, a sheriff’s patrol car pulled up.

While his mother screamed and cried with a woman outside their motel room, he was loaded into a car by a social worker and taken to MacLaren Children’s Center (MacLaren Hall) in El Monte, California. MacLaren was closed as a foster care facility in 2003. Since its closure, many who spent time at the center have come forth with stories of mistreatment, abuse and neglect.

He was given shoes and clothing to change into. “I was told to surrender everything that I was wearing and what was

The crowd at the Brighter Tomorrow Celebrating 90 Years of JFCS luncheon. COURTESY OF DANA GIBBONS PHOTOGRAPHY

in my pockets,” he said. “It was the last of my identity and the last possessions I had.”

A few days later, he saw his mother again, in court, and they were not allowed to interact.

“The deliberation lasted for only about five minutes,” he remembered. “My mother’s custody was removed, and I became another child in the system. What I remember most is the loneliness and wondering how long I could hang on.”

He said no social worker, lawyer or judge asked him if he had any other family. He would have answered that he had a grandmother, great uncle, great aunt, cousins and others on his father’s side.

“JFCS definitely would have asked this question, and I would have gone home,” he said. “Instead, I stayed in the system for the next 11 and a half years. A counselor would have helped me with the sadness I felt but could not explain. Those here today would have pushed my education plan, therapy and found a foster family to be trusted. They would have given me what I needed to feel safe and have some sense of security.”

He said that if he had one of the counselors in that ballroom that day by

his side, they would have been there to argue that the MacLaren was not the “right place for a six-year-old, or any child for that matter.”

Bridge is also a New York Times bestselling author. His memoir “Hope’s Boy” and “The Child Catcher: A Fight for Justice and Truth” chronicles his role on the team of lawyers representing the children of the Eufaula Adolescent Center, a violent institution in the rural South, against the State of Alabama.

When he turned 18, he earned a scholarship to Wesleyan University in Connecticut and then attended Harvard Law School. He was the first in his family to attend college, and one of the few foster children to do so.

“But being one of the few doesn’t make the past go away,” said Bridge. “If JFCS had been there with me during those almost 20 years, I would have had someone to talk to and trust. The result of that goodness being there is that a child will remember that for the rest of their life.” JN

For more information on Jewish Family & Children’s Service, visit jfcsaz.org; for information on Andrew Bridge, visit andrewbridgeauthor.com.

Andrew Bridge shared his story of being in the foster care system for more than 11 years.

COURTESY OF DANA GIBBONS PHOTOGRAPHY

Peter Moraga leads a toast in honor of Jewish Family & Children’s Service 90th anniversary.

COURTESY OF DANA GIBBONS PHOTOGRAPHY

“Scottsdale for All” replaced with “Scottsdale for Some”

BARRIE S. | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

On Feb. 11, 2025, City of Scottsdale

Mayor Borowsky, Vice Mayor Dubauskas and Councilmembers Graham, Kwasman and Littlefield voted, without discussion or fact-based research, to eliminate the Office of Diversity dedicated to equal opportunity and educating citizenry that we are “Scottsdale for All” and stronger for it. Thank you sincerely to councilmembers Whitehead and McAllen for passionately advocating for resident priorities and voting against this measure. Unfortunately, the others voted according to their personal ideology rather than what is in the best interest of Scottsdale and its residents. They ignored that over 50 residents spoke and hundreds wrote in strong opposition, with only two speaking in favor. To what end, I ask?

Ordinance #4662 will require merit-based hiring (Scottsdale already hires based on merit) and end quota-based hiring (Scottsdale doesn’t do that and if it did, it is already illegal). This ordinance is therefore unnecessary. So, I ask again — to what end was “Scottsdale for All” killed, a program that stands for respect, kindness, civility and empathy?

Economically, this is a bad idea. Telling the world our city doesn’t value everyone is bad for Scottsdale. Consider the negative impact on tourism alone. Scottsdale hosted

OPINION

11 million visitors from around the world in 2024, and we know that corporate meeting planners, sports teams and individuals will not go where they, or their membership, are not welcome. Consider that this elimination will negatively impact attracting people to live and work here, employees to work for the city and businesses and their employees to relocate here. Scottsdale is in stiff competition with many desirable and welcoming cities.

As a Jewish Scottsdale resident, I am offended, horrified and disappointed by councilmember Kwasman’s comments and his (and the others’) support of this ordinance. Kwasman posted on X that DEI “poison will be rooted-out of our beautiful city.” Kwasman would do well to remember that in the 1930’s, Jewish citizens were rooted out of society in Germany and throughout Europe. Ironically, that intolerance to diversity is what Kwasman has brought to the city council and Scottsdale. Strange that Kwasman wants to root out respect, kindness, civility and empathy — the keystones we teach and expect of our children. His post is even stranger and inconsistent with his comments when recently sworn in as a councilmember, “on behalf of the Jewish community of Scottsdale, thank you for trusting

me. Thank you for allowing us to be so much a part of the fabric of this community.” I understand Councilmember Kwasman also asked the city council to consider adopting a formal definition of antisemitism, which would be consistent with the goals of the Office of Diversity; yet he hypocritically supported eliminating this office.

Again, I ask to what end for this needless dismantling of this office and the “Scottsdale for All” inclusivity programs that stand for including people of all faiths, abilities, ethnicities, sexual/gender orientation? Respect, kindness, civility and empathy are values that are important for tourism, business and building a safe and caring community. Scottsdale already hires based on merit and abides by all state laws. No additional ordinance was needed.

February 11, 2025, was truly a sad day for Scottsdale. Residents, tourism and businesses are listening and so are our children. JN

Barrie S. is a resident of Scottsdale.

Jewish News welcomes opinions about relevant matters in our community. We seek to provide a respectful community forum on issues that are important to our readers. The views expressed in this opinion piece does not necessarily reflect the views of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix or the Jewish News.

Adam Kwasman shows disregard for others

JASON ALEXANDER | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Scottsdale City Councilmember Adam Kwasman recently posted on X that DEI “poison will be rooted-out of our beautiful city.” His comment referred to an image of Scottsdale’s LOVE statue, surrounded by a diverse group of residents.

Many people found Kwasman’s “poison” comment insensitive, others found it cruel and discriminatory. Kwasman’s comment was so noteworthy it was covered by the Arizona Republic, Fox10 News, Scottsdale Independent, Scottsdale Progress, Phoenix New Times and Jewish News.

I was disappointed how Kwasman responded to the negative media coverage. He explained, rationalized and defended his comment: “There have been email campaigns targeted at me that are complete mischaracterizations.” Kwasman penned an op-ed on inclusivity and claimed he will stand shoulder to shoulder against intolerance.

One thing Kwasman did not do was simply apologize for his hurtful words. Any claim to defend against discrimination feels hollow, when minimizing someone else’s perspective on words like “poison.” Kwasman values content of character, and

this is good insight into his.

It’s not the first time Kwasman dismissed points of view that ran counter to his own, and tried to quiet those voices.

On January 21, 2016, Kwasman was a first-year law student at ASU. The class topic was statutory vagueness, and how context changes the meaning of words. A student asked about Senator Ted Cruz’s campaign comment that Donald Trump represents “New York values.” The professor expressed that some people felt Cruz’s comment was antisemitic. Kwasman burst out in vehement defense of Cruz, calling the professor’s opinion “ridiculous” and exclaiming “your words affect other peoples’ lives!”

Kwasman recorded the class and quickly turned it into a national incident by releasing the audio to Fox’s Sean Hannity. That same day, Kwasman was a guest on “The Conservative Circus,” where he spoke against liberal professors spreading bias, saying, “I wasn’t going to let him get away with poisoning people’s minds.” There’s that word again.

Kwasman went on to say that if he were still in the State Legislature, he would have

started immediately finding every way he could to cut the university’s budget. What better way to marginalize different opinions than to defund those with which you don’t agree?

Ironically, ASU under Dr. Michael Crow has been a national leader in allowing all points of view to find expression. Just last month, ASU defended the right to free speech when thousands of students protested College Republicans United’s activities on campus.

I was raised Jewish by New York parents. I personally agreed with the law school professor that Cruz’s comments felt antisemitic. Countless times over the years I have heard “Jew York City” and similar slurs. Whether Cruz intended his comments to be antisemitic, or just a dig at East Coast liberals, their interpretation by others as antisemitic is a real, and valid, feeling.

In Kwasman’s first month in office, he has already had a complaint filed against him with the attorney general for an open meeting law violation. He has used parliamentary procedures to block colleagues from speaking in favor of Scottsdale’s Sustainability Plan. And, on the morning of

his inauguration, he attended a fundraiser hosted by a zoning attorney, despite his campaign promises to eschew support from zoning attorneys.

Kwasman is right, words do affect other people’s lives. Particularly words like “poison” coming from an elected official.

Kwasman is showing his privilege at work by marginalizing other views. His insensitivity shows why diversity, equity and inclusion programs are important. Protection from discrimination should not rely on the subjective opinion of a tall, middle-aged, financially secure, able-bodied white man. Instead of showing leadership, Kwasman is showing his lack of emotional intelligence, and his poor content of character. JN

Jason Alexander is a 15-year Scottsdale resident, father of two teens in local schools, software engineer and small business owner.

Screenshot of Adam Kwasman’s X account and Scottsdale for All image. COURTESY OF SCREENSHOT

The modern chains of servitude: Lessons from the slave’s ear

RABBI YISROEL ISAACS

PARSHAH MISHPATIM:

EXODUS 21:1 - 24:18

They say the best time to start thinking about your retirement is before the boss does. Some people never want to retire. In parshah Mishpatim, the Torah presents the scenario of the servant who refuses to resign.

The Jewish slave, according to Halacha, is a thief who cannot afford to pay restitution and is compelled by the court to become a slave to make restitution with his labor.

After he has served his maximum of six years, he can go free.

Instead, in this case, he declares his intention to remain in servitude, and the Torah says that his ear is pierced against a door frame. Detecting the unexplained fact that the ear lobe is singled out for this cosmetic modification, the Talmud provides a reason that appears incomplete: “Didn’t his ear

hear,” asks God, by the implication of His commanding this ear-piercing procedure, “that I declared on Mount Sinai ‘to me alone are the Bnei Yisrael slaves,’ but not slaves to other slaves?!”

It is wrong for a person to intentionally enslave himself. Initially, this slave’s mistake was to steal, and his enslavement followed involuntarily. Since he did not choose that outcome, his ear is not bored at that point. It is only bored when, after six years, he opts to extend his slave status instead of ending it. By rejecting freedom, the Jewish slave compromises his divine servitude.

Moderns submit to more subtle forms of servitude. The contemporary, digital forms of dependence, available in ever-increasing abunda — not to mention our relationships, productivity and quality of life.

Ironically, one of the most influential forces behind today’s ubiquitous devices revealed in a 2014 interview with the New York Times that he knew this better than anyone else and raised his children with the corresponding caution. “‘So, your kids must love the iPad?’ I asked Mr. [Steve]

Jobs, trying to change the subject. The company’s first tablet was just hitting the shelves. ‘They haven’t used it,’ he told me. ‘We limit how much technology our kids use at home.’”

How do we control this modern master? In his 2024 book, “The Anxious Generation,” Jonathan Haidt seeks to prove that the epidemic of mental illness in American teenagers and young adults — including misery, anxiety and self-harm — is due to their spending an increasing amount of time online and on social media.

Interestingly, he found that religion was one factor that immunized teenagers from these adverse effects. While Haidt does not hypothesize which aspect of religion mitigates the harm of excessive screen time, one book review, entitled “Only God May Have the Answer To The Smartphone Mental Health Epidemic,” articulated my first reaction.

Its non-Jewish author describes his first long-awaited Shabbat dinner experience, and he thought that he was well prepared except that he’d forgotten to leave his cell

FEBRUARY 21 - 6:00

FEBRUARY 28 - 6:06 P.M.

SHABBAT ENDS

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phone in the car. “We were a few centuries ahead with this digital-detox thing,” his host said, and based on Haidt’s findings, the author concludes that the “outside world is steadily catching up with this rabbinical wisdom.”

The story of the slave’s ear piercing is a reminder that sometimes we choose servitude without even realizing it. In today’s world, it’s not chains that hold us back — it’s screens, notifications and the endless scroll. While these distractions may be more concerning for the young, we all need a way to break free. Perhaps, in embracing the wisdom of Shabbos, our gift to the world, we can reclaim true freedom and prioritize meaningful, divine connection and our real-life relationships over modern distractions. JN

We are all made “B’tzelem Elokim” (in the image of the Divine)

ADAM KWASMAN | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

On Feb. 11, 2025, the Scottsdale City Council ensured that we remain a place where every resident and employee is judged by their individual character, not by divisive policies that promote group identity.

Our decision to repeal the city’s overtly political Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program does not halt the celebration of Scottsdale’s rich diversity, nor did it touch crucial constitutional nondiscrimination protections.

Tempers have flared and much ink has been spilled creating a narrative meant to scare Arizonans. Those promulgating mistruths singled out the only observant Jewish member of the council, notwithstanding its 5-2, supermajority vote, maliciously referencing Nazi Germany to a decision that solidifies content of character over color of skin and reinforces equal justice under the law. (No other council members received such criticism or needed a police escort to their vehicles, following the meeting.)

It’s time for truth. Here was a complete list of the Scottsdale Office of Diversity and how it was affected by the new ordinance (in parentheses):

• Oversight of the ADA Transition and Self-

Evaluation Plan (not affected)

• Facilitating the city’s ADA Liaison Group, which collaborates to share best practices and address ADA complaints and concerns in different areas (not affected)

• American with Disabilities Act and Title VI Compliance and annual reporting (not affected)

• Investigating complaints and enforcing the city’s Anti-Discrimination Ordinance (not affected)

• Providing administrative staff support to the Human Relations Commission (commission remains intact)

• Leadership of the employee Diversity Advisory Committee (employee diversity advisory will come from HR)

• Oversight of Employee Resource Groups (employee resource will come from HR)

• Providing voluntary topic-based training focused on inclusion and respecting all people (employee resources will come from HR)

• Lead/coordinate cultural celebrations and events within the organization and community (cultural celebrations/holidays, like MLK Day, Black History Month and Juneteenth will not be affected, while programs like the “Scottsdale for All

Storytime,” affecting children as young as 0-5, promoting radical intersectionality, will be cut)

• Professional development for city staff in the form of professional memberships, conferences/trainings and participation in community events (bureaucratic feedback loops reduced)

• Coordinate the Mayor’s Ability Awards program for individuals with a disability (not affected)

This is not the Nazi takeover of Scottsdale.

Scottsdale has always been, and will continue to be, a welcoming and inclusive city — not because of top-down, politicized mandates, redundant staff trainings or bureaucratic overreach, but because of the character of its residents.

Prior to the meeting, I attempted to gather a mincha (afternoon prayer) minyan of Jewish meeting attendees, from across the political spectrum, in order to promote Jewish unity in a divisive political time. The response I received from a prominent local rabbi was, “DEI is my mincha.”

Attitudes such as this only lead to further division. Politics, whether conservative or progressive cannot define us. We are G-d’s

A NOTE ON OPINION

people. No matter our politics, we are “Am Echad.” At the end of the day, our mantra can neither be “MAGA” nor “Resist,” but rather “Kiddush Hashem.”

The voters overwhelmingly elected a new majority to lead the city of Scottsdale in a new direction. I was humbled to place first out of all candidates running in the November general election, and I intend to keep my promises of reducing homelessness, promoting public safety and adopting a transparent and accountable government that respects the individual, no matter their race, creed, gender or preference.

As your city councilman, I will always fight discrimination, bring people together and uphold the principles of equality and justice. Those are American values. Those are Torah values. JN

Adam Kwasman is the first Orthodox Jew to be elected to the Scottsdale City Council.

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

Rabbi Yisroel Isaacs is director of the Greater Phoenix Vaad Hakashruth, rabbi at Beth Joseph Congregation and director of the Jewish Enrichment Center.

area congregations at JewishAZ.com, where you can also find our 2025 Community Directory.

Rabbi Yisroel Isaacs COURTESY OF RABBI YISROEL ISAACS

Celebrations Special Section

Phoenix catering company hopes to elevate kosher cuisine

BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

Toward the end of 2019, Michael Stavros, M Culinary Concepts’ vice president of business development, reached out to Susan and Saville Levy, owners of Simply Scrumptious Catering.

The Levys were retiring, and Stavros realized there was no new company coming in to fill the void of mid-range to high-end kosher catering in the Valley. He contacted the Levys to see if they would be willing to consult, “to help us build a program, so we didn’t make mistakes,” he said.

They agreed, and Stavros got the ball rolling — until it stopped in March 2020.

“Enter the pandemic,” he said. “That shelved the idea for quite a while. And toward the end of 2021, we realized things are starting to go in the right direction and it’s time to pick this up again.”

In January 2022, M Culinary catered its first kosher event for Jewish National Fund-USA at The Clayton House in Scottsdale.

“It was a big success, and we were off and running,” said Stavros.

He explained that the company wanted to elevate kosher catering into the fine dining space, which is being done in other markets but hasn’t really caught on in the Valley — yet. Sourcing appropriate products is challenging, and so is the kosher catering learning curve; he said they soon realized that they knew one-tenth of what they needed to know.

“Thankfully, we had a great teacher in Susan (Levy) and a great guide in Rabbi Zalman Levertov and his team at Chabad,” he said. “They’ve been very generous with their knowledge and information and helped guide us through the process.”

Levertov provides the kosher supervision and a mashgiach (kosher supervisor) whenever they need one. Stavros has also worked with Rabbi Yisroel Isaacs, director of the Greater Phoenix Vaad HaKashruth, a kosher supervising agency in Phoenix.

Stavros explained that they are “a la minute” caterers, meaning that the food is being prepared fresh, on demand, not pre-cooked and reheated.

“For the majority of the time, we’re cooking on site, building outdoor or portable kitchens as needed under the supervision of our mashgiach,” said Stavros.

They also have a brick-and-mortar kosher kitchen located on the property of an event space in the heart of downtown Phoenix. Stavros said they were searching for space to build a kosher kitchen when

MALA

Kosher appetizers for guests at a wedding catered by M Culinary Concepts.

they entered into an exclusive catering partnership with the venue, which had an additional vacant building on site, and it worked out perfectly.

“We do quite a bit of business in downtown Phoenix as it is, but we needed a location that could access the rest of the Valley, close to highways and major streets,” he said. “Our hope is to bring more Jewish and kosher events to downtown Phoenix. They’re primarily held in the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley areas.”

In addition to the kosher kitchen and warehouse for its kosher equipment, M Culinary operates out of a more than 31,000-square-foot cold storage and distribution facility in North Phoenix.

They have the adaptability to serve dinner for two in a private residence, all the way up to serving 200,000 people over the course of the WM Phoenix Open. Stavros said that when they started working with the golf tournament in 2000, there was one corporate tent where they fed about 1,100 people over five days.

“For our kosher catering, we’re happy

to provide in-home private catering, celebrations of mitzvahs, milestones and weddings as well as non-profit fundraisers, galas, corporate events and conference events,” he said.

Stavros said they have started partnering with local hotels and resorts to help them offer kosher catering at their properties without interrupting daily services.

“Hotels can’t always kasher their kitchen for kosher events because that would cut off their ability to service the rest of the property during that time,” he said.

executive, and Kosher Chef Daniel Rivera from Borough Park in Brooklyn. Both are Jewish.

“One of the things that drew us to him (Chef Rivera) when he applied for the position, was that he had the same idea to elevate kosher catering — it was synergistic.”

Stavros shared that growing up, “food was everything.” His mother’s side is Jewish of Russian Hungarian descent and his father’s side is Greek Orthodox.

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He explained that they could either use a secondary kitchen that they have on site or bring a portable kitchen to set up in an available area of the resort. That way, the property can continue its non-kosher operations while M Culinary prepares kosher cuisine.

The resort can then decide whether to serve the food or have M Culinary do it all.

“The kitchen was the heart of the home, and every family conversation was who could be louder to get their point across,” he joked.

From a young age, he learned that food is the connector for all of us, and it creates a bond between people that doesn’t exist in other ways.

ONE N. SAN MARCOS PLACE, CHANDLER, AZ 85225 480-857-4453

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“We have very well-trained servers that know what to do with all the equipment to make sure that there’s no crossing of meat and dairy, that treif (non-kosher food) never enters our kosher kitchen and that everything is brought back and cleaned correctly.”

Stavros said the “final pieces” of the kosher puzzle were bringing in Kalie Petrovsky, kosher sales and development

“It’s deeply personal for me to serve other people and to be able to serve the community at this level. Being able to surprise and delight them with our cuisine and service means the world to me,” he said. “Dining is an experience that involves all of your senses, and leaves you feeling truly satisfied when you’re done, and there’s very few experiences in life that are like that.” JN

For more information, visit mculinary.com

Staff plate vegetable kabobs in M Culinary’s kosher kitchen.

Funfetti Cupcakes

FRANCINE COLES | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Ican’t say that I understand what happens to people when they see funfetti cupcakes, but it’s like this light starts to shine in their eyes, they get a little dewy thinking about days gone by and they start to salivate. Ok, yes, I’m talking about me. But, maybe you too?

The point is that there is something nostalgic about these cupcakes, almost like you’re at that hometown bakery that you grew up going to.

I’m going out on a limb here, but anything with rainbow funfetti sprinkles will evoke that reaction. These cupcakes are easy to make and so much fun! The kiddos will love to help you with these pretty babies for any celebration!

This recipe begins with creaming soft butter with oil. Take note that the butter must

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

• 1/2 cup oil

• 1 & 1/2 cups sugar

• 4 eggs, room temperature

• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

• 3 cups cake flour (See Chef’s Notes)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 & 1/3 cups buttermilk

• 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line 24 cupcake tins with liners. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the softened butter and oil together until they become homogenous, about 3 minutes. This will not work if your butter is not completely room temperature.

Slowly add the granulated sugar to the oil and butter, beating on high until the mixture is light and fluffy and turns a very pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs in, one at time, scraping down the bowl in between each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Beat the mixture on high for 3 minutes more to incorporate as much air as possible.

In separate bowl sift together the cake flour, salt and baking powder. Alternate mixing the dry ingredients and buttermilk in 4 batches, starting with the buttermilk and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in the sprinkles until well mixed. Use a large cookie scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup to split the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake tins and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cupcakes are lightly golden brown and spring back when pressed. Take out of the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

be at room temperature, or you’ll never get the butter and oil to become homogenous. Then you add sugar, eggs and vanilla. The cake flour, baking powder and salt get whisked together and added to the batter, alternating with buttermilk (see my Chef’s Notes about cake flour and buttermilk).

Finally, fold in the rainbow sprinkles (my favorite part)! Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, bake and let cool while you make the buttercream.

The frosting is a traditional buttercream — butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and a touch of milk are all you need. Transfer it to a pastry bag and pipe some swirls to the top of each cupcake.

Now it’s time to let your inner child loose. I give you permission to eat as many of these as your heart desires!

For the frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 & 1/2 pounds powdered sugar

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 4 tablespoons whole milk

For the frosting:

In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add in the vanilla, salt and a tablespoon of milk one at a time. If the frosting seems to be getting too runny, stop adding milk. Beat for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fit with a large star tip and frost the cooled cupcakes. Top with rainbow sprinkles or leave plain. Enjoy!

Chef’s notes: If you can’t find cake flour, substitute by measuring out 3 cups of regular flour. Remove 6 tablespoons flour and add in 6 tablespoons corn starch. Sift 2 times then use in place of regular flour. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make a substitute! Basic ratio: 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice + 1 cup milk of choice = 1 cup buttermilk

To make buttermilk, simply measure the vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup. Fill the cup with milk up to the 1-cup line. Stir to combine and let the mixture rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes before using.

Do not over mix the batter! This can dry out your cake and cause the sprinkles to bleed into the batter! JN

Francine Coles is a food blogger based in Phoenix. Find more of her food insights and recipes at thefancypantskitchen.com.

The finished product ready for a celebration. COURTESY OF FRANCINE COLES

LOCAL BUSINESS SPECIAL SECTION

Scottsdale consultants on a mission to show that ‘weed works’

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

Ten years ago, Randi Sobel had a lot to learn when she began helping her mother manage pain from several health issues, primarily Multiple Sclerosis, with cannabis. At the time, she was navigating medical marijuana dispensaries in both Arizona and Illinois, which had only just legalized its use. Her parents were snowbirds, thus bouncing between Chicago (where Sobel then lived) and Scottsdale.

“My mom was deteriorating and I needed to understand medical cannabis to help my parents understand it,” Sobel told Jewish News.

At that time, dispensary employees were well-informed about the medical efficacy of their product, she said. Many were patients themselves. One such Arizonan helped guide Sobel’s mother in her switch from narcotics to cannabis as her analgesic. She never returned to an emergency room to deal with pain after that. Still, there were other fires to put out. For example, Sobel had to explain

to home care aides and hospice workers how to work with someone who used cannabis as medicine.

A year ago, Sobel and her husband, Robert, started WeedWorks Consulting, a Scottsdale concierge service for seniors looking to understand the ins and outs of using cannabis. The company was built upon the lessons the couple learned from Sobel’s mother’s experience.

“We want to help other people not have to navigate the hell that we went through for a decade with my mom, the back and forth and the fighting,” Sobel said.

The potential need for their services is large. More than 100,000 Arizonans use marijuana for medicinal reasons and nearly a quarter of the licenses for such use are held by people over the age of 60, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

However, not only is there still a lot of confusion among seniors about their choices, but that confusion extends into understanding what’s allowed in the

state’s senior and assisted living facilities. State law allows facilities to restrict medical marijuana in terms of storing, maintaining or administering it, as well as limiting where and how it can be consumed.

In trying to find an assisted living community for her mother, Sobel ran into these issues a lot. Her first question was always about medical cannabis policy.

“I know every single senior living community within 30 minutes of where my parents lived in Arizona because we had to go to every single one. We had to talk to them. We had to learn their policies, whether it was to do with my mom’s behavior or with her medicine — we learned them all,” she said.

WeedWorks is designed to answer seniors’ every question about cannabis. After all, long before the company was created, Sobel has been answering questions from seniors beyond her mother, including friends’ parents, assisted living residents and people she meets in dispensaries.

“I watched so many seniors struggle in the dispensary, their heads down completely confused, and ‘budtenders’ would push inappropriate products, so I jumped in and talked to them,” she said.

In 2018, Sobel was seated at her mother’s table when the caregiver filling out labels for a pillbox asked if it would be OK to use the word “weed” in place of “marijuana” to save space.

“Of course. Weed works,” she replied. Sobel realized the full implication of what she’d said and understood that she had just named her future company. After spending years helping her mother, she wanted to help others, though just how to do that would take a few more years to develop. Earlier in her career, she worked with disabled people who wanted to live independently, was an activity director for a nursing home and helped seniors with their living options for a home health care company.

They moved to Scottsdale in 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Arizona had legalized marijuana for recreational use, but dispensaries were closing their doors. Licensing became less onerous and Sobel said it was easier to sell products without any expertise. She was frustrated and shared that frustration with others who felt the same. Still, it focused her and she saw the direction her company would take in terms of providing education to seniors who were both needy and bewildered.

Sadly, her mother passed away late in 2023.

“She closed her eyes and took her last breath. It was peaceful, and I credit it to the cannabis because I’ve watched family members who have had to go down that path with morphine. I’m not opposed to it, but everyone should have this option if they want it,” she said.

Last year, Sobel and her husband created a Cannabis 101 program to get seniors

past any stigma they still associate with marijuana use and explain how it works in their bodies. Dispensaries have hired them to do presentations and reach out to customers. They’ve partnered with home care and hospice companies. Veteran and cancer support groups have asked for their guidance. Doctors have begun sending their patients directly to them.

Robert Sobel said that being able to talk to people at the dispensaries to help match ailments to products ensures that the senior’s experience will be a good one. If they got the wrong product or the wrong dose, they would simply give up. Thus, the company hosts Weed Wednesdays and Medical Mondays in addition to its individual concierge services.

Both Sobels are Jewish but unaffiliated. Still, senior Jews immediately recognize their Jewish identity at every presentation, something that always cracks them up.

WeedWorks hosted a booth at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center’s Senior Expo late last year and is looking to hold its own expo for seniors next fall. They also give free presentations to senior living facilities.

They’ve been in touch with Cannabis Jew Magazine, an Israeli publication, which is working on bringing 40 cannabis experts from around the globe to Israel.

Given that Israel has been at the forefront

of cannabis research, they’re looking forward to being included.

Whatever else the future holds for the company, Randi Sobel is focused on helping seniors.

“It’s the most underserved community

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY TO FIGHT HUNGER

Hunger is often the most visible sign of poverty, and caring for the poor requires extending our reach beyond our immediate circles. Support our Hunger Relief work this season and help us reach those most in need. Support the Creighton Community Foundation’s efforts to alleviate hunger in diverse, low-income communities.

when it comes to medical cannabis; nobody’s focusing on them,” she said. “Our mission is to normalize this plant.” JN

For more information, visit weedworksinc.com.

Randi and Robert Sobel work with seniors to help them understand how to use cannabis. COURTESY OF DENNIS MURPHY

Scottsdale’s Kitchen 18 now has kosher noshers covered

MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

At the beginning of January, Rabbi Jordan Brumer, owner of Kitchen 18, a kosher restaurant in Scottsdale, decided to expand his offerings based on requests he had been hearing from patrons. He transformed a storeroom in the restaurant into NOSH 18, a mini market offering “grab-and-go” kosher items.

“I’ve gotten a lot of requests from both local community members as well as travelers,” said Brumer. “We do a lot of our business from tourists and travelers. They want to pick up some bakery items, candies or deli meats. They pop in for a challah or a sourdough. A lot of people are just grabbing a thing here, a thing there.”

Customer Gillian Harari moved to Scottsdale from New Jersey and was excited when Brumer opened the shop. “It’s the only place that I can find kosher candy and cookies,” she said. “It makes hosting Shabbat easier — it feels like home.”

Brumer was a customer himself at Kitchen 18 before becoming the owner in May 2021. Prior to that purchase, he founded and ran Jewish Arizonans on Campus (now Olami Arizona), which his wife, Risa, now runs.

He said that he kept about 90% of the business the same as it was before, making some minor tweaks “here and there.”

“We have return customers, so I didn’t want it to feel like a completely different place for them; I wanted it to be familiar,” he said.

Once they realize it is there, many people dining in the restaurant will take advantage of the market, he said.

“They’ll run in and grab a few things, a bottle of milk, a package of cookies, a

candy platter, some salami — whatever it may be,” he said.

Chabad of Scottsdale Rabbi Yossi Levertov oversees the kosher certification in the market as well as the restaurant.

Brumer said he had to reach out to those in his kosher food network to find new vendors offering various products, including dairy, for the store he normally would not order for his restaurant, which serves meat.

“It’s mostly procured from the East Coast,” he said. “I work with a bakery based out of Brooklyn and a candy store based out of New Jersey. I have a trucking company based in Jersey City that takes four days to get here, so it’s relatively easy to get stuff.”

He explained that the closest kosher market is Imperial Market and Deli in Phoenix. Fry’s Food Store at Tatum and Shea Boulevards in Scottsdale has a kosher section, but Brumer said he carries products that you will not find at Fry’s.

Brumer said they are continuously adding new items, “trying to get a feel for what the community wants.” He encourages community members to let him know if there is something they are having a tough time finding or something they would like to see him selling. He said they are adding rotisserie chicken to their offerings based on multiple requests.

Kitchen 18 also caters for b’nai mitzvah, weddings and corporate events. It offers Shabbat takeout, and patrons can place orders prior to Friday from the regular menu or a Shabbat menu for pickup.

“For people who are doing Shabbat takeout, they can now add more bakery products or candies for their Shabbat meals,” he said.

He stocks up on fresh baked goods like

challah, rugelach and babka for customers coming in on Friday before Shabbat.

Brumer had no experience in the restaurant business before he bought Kitchen 18 in 2021, and he joked that his kids used to like to come to the restaurant, but now they are sick of it.

All kidding aside, he said he’s learned a lot.

“It’s a long day, with a lot of responsibilities and you have to juggle a lot of hats,” he said. “But I enjoy it. I enjoy meeting new people, the operations and being in the kitchen. I’m just having a good time.” JN

For more information, visit thekitchen18.com.

Rabbi Jordan Brumer stands at the entrance to Nosh 18, a mini market located inside Kitchen 18 in Scottsdale.

Chanukah party in the

Building bridges

Parades and mitzvot

New year, new friends

Big night out

Remembering Oct. 7

BBQ for veterans

Young mentors

themselves

and Rabbi

Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley sing "Lu Yehi," a Hebrew song that speaks of hope for peace during a commemoration service, Remembering Oct. 7, 2023, to honor those murdered in the Hamas attack on Israel last year.

National recognition

You deserve a happy hour

Justice for immigrants

Temple Kol Ami Executive Director Nancy Drapin was recently recognized for her leadership at a national professional conference. A Senior Member is a certified credential by the National Association of Temple Administrators for those who are distinguished as experts in the field of synagogue management.

Retreat to Carefree

Toys are treasure

Cooking with an influencer

Ruhama

a social media

and food

NowGen, a program of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix that connects Jewish adults in their 20’s through 40’s in community, philanthropy and leadership, hosted another successful happy hour on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at RnR Gastropub in Scottsdale.

COURTESY OF RABBI JEREMY SCHNEIDER

COURTESY OF NOWGEN

The Women of Congregation Beth Israel hosted its inaugural Women’s Retreat, held Dec. 13-15, at the Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree. In addition to Shabbat and Havdalah services, the 40 attendees made personalized Shabbat candlesticks, did a mitzvah project for Jewish Family & Children’s Service and participated in several learning sessions throughout the weekend.

Morning treats

the popular Instagram

on Sunday,

And the winner is...

for

Last month, Jewish Community Relations Council of Tucson Director Lynn Davis received the Arizona Faith Network’s Peacemaker in Action Award for 2024. Davis was recognized for her efforts to strengthen Arizona’s democratic norms and values and fighting antisemitism and extremism against all vulnerable communities in the state.

Chanukah and a Christmas tree

Mazel tov on a big first

Beautiful weather for a run

On Thanksgiving, Chabad of Fountain Hills members participated in the 40th Annual Fountain Hills Thanksgiving Day Parade. They gave out “The Good Card,” which encourages everyone to fill their lives with good deeds and observe biblical laws, kosher candy and charity boxes for tzedakah.

Shoshana Beran, left, and Nicole Pendergast became great friends participating in the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix’s (BJE) single parents’ zoom every month. Here they are together at the BJE’s Rosh Hashanah event for single parents. COURTESY OF

Temple Kol Ami Rabbi Jeremy Schneider and Cantor Noa Shaashua spoke and sang about Chanukah at the annual State of Arizona Christmas tree lighting at the Capitol with Governor Katie Hobbs, center, on Monday, Dec. 2.

the completion of the Phoenix 10K/Half-Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 10.

OF RABBI

Tikkun olam for Chanukah

Prized memento in the spotlight

Poppies

A new moon

Working together for Holocaust ed

Moms and daughters (in grades 6-10) from the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix Tikkun Olam Together service group brought donations to create Chanukah baskets for Arizona Kosher Food Pantry clients. They filled the baskets with latke mix, apple sauce, dreidels, gelt, candles,

For his swearing in as a new member of the Scottsdale City Council on Monday, Dec. 9, Adam Kwasman used his family’s copy of a Hebrew Bible published by the late Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz. Orit Kwasman, his wife, held the Bible for him.

On Monday, Oct. 7, Reverend Bruce Scott, left, director of program ministries for the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministries, presented Steve Hilton with a $5,000 gift for the Building a Legacy of Hope Capital Campaign. This is the first significant gift from the interfaith community in support of the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center, which should break ground next year.

Big Chanukah celebration for seniors

More than 200 seniors enjoyed last month’s Smile on

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

Smile On Seniors celebrated its 15th anniversary with a gala in December. Pictured from left are Chani Levertov, Leslie Levy, Dale Sachs, Donna Troisi, Benita Sonabend, Issy Lifshitz, Pinki Lifshitz and Rabbi Levi Levertov.

Jewish Professional Women came together on Dec. 17th, to kick off the Chanukah holiday with breakfast, some Chanukah torah study with Rabbi Aviva Funke and a gift exchange. COURTESY OF RACHEL RABINOVICH

park

Gesher Disability Resources hosted its annual Chanukah Party in the Park at Scottsdale Ranch Park on Dec. 8. The Friendship Circle joined and entertained the guests by singing and playing Chanukah songs. COURTESY OF GESHER

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz presented Rosetta Walker with Arizona Jews for Justice’s BridgeBuilder Award last month.

Seniors’ Chanukah party. Pictured from left are Wayne Peterson, Laurie and Dennis Checkoway, David and Ellen Tuckman, Donna Harris, Arlene and Barnett Lotstein. COURTESY OF SMILE

COURTESY OF ADAM KWASMAN

Hundreds enjoyed

at last month’s annual gala for the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center. Pictured from left are Gary Weiss, Adam Brooks, Beth Jo Zeitzer, Adam Nach and Ellen Lindzon.

Lovely November evening

Leah Levertov launched the Rosh Chodesh Society course to help women nurture their minds and souls, while enjoying delicious bites. Rosh Chodesh is celebrated on the first day of the new moon

CTeen Phoenix recently introduced its group of Solomon Leadership Fellows and Mentors for 2024-25.

COURTESY OF CTEEN PHOENIX

Brauner, left, celebrated

Mazel tov!

Rabbi Mendel Vaisfiche, center, celebrated the brit milah of Binyamin Moshe at Chabad of Scottsdale last month.

Little Chef Klezmer Band hosted a klezmer concert at Beth El Phoenix on Sunday, Nov. 3, featuring Miryam Coppersmith, a Jewish dance artist.

FRANK JACOBSON

Denise Israel, left,

Alicia Magal of the Jewish

COURTESY OF JEWISH COMMUNITY OF SEDONA AND THE VERDE VALLEY

Turning out

veterans Jewish War Veterans Post 619 members will collect donations for veterans on Veterans Day weekend at several East Valley Fry’s supermarkets. Pictured from left are Bob Howard, Arthur Uram, Elliott Reiss, Michael Dar and Dan Tilsner.

Shitrit,

influencer

blogger behind

account, RuhamasFood, led a cooking demo and recipe testing at Chabad of Scottsdale

Nov. 10. Shitrit is pictured second from the left. COURTESY OF DINA LEVERTOV

Featured Event

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

Lighting the Spark: 7:30-9:30 a.m. breakfast at The Clayton House, 3719 N. 75th St., Scottsdale; 6-8 p.m. evening event at a private residence in Paradise Valley. Join the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix for its annual campaign breakfast featuring speaker Mosheh Oinounou and a new evening event (AfterGlow) for young leaders ages 22-45. For more information, visit phoenixcjp.regfox. com/2025-spark or phoenixcjp.regfox.com/2025-spark-afterglow.

Events

THROUGH MARCH 2

Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival: Times vary. Harkins Theatre locations in Chandler, Peoria and Scottsdale. Enjoy films from all over the world with Jewish themes. For ticket information and a full schedule of the festival, visit gpjff.org.

FRIDAY, FEB. 21

Edward Steichen: Father of Modern Art Photography: 7 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 4027 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley. Join Beth Ami Tempe for a guest speaker and Shabbat services. For more information, visit bethamitemple.org.

SUNDAY, FEB. 23

JAMA Brunch Social: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Location provided upon registration. Join Smile On Seniors for a brunch with other Jewish adults in their 60s and 70s. Cost: $36; RSVP noon on Feb. 22. For more information, visit sosaz.org.

NY Kosher Deli Pop-Up: Noon-4 p.m. Chabad of Fountain Hills, 16830 E. Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills. Join Chabad for a 1/4 of deli meat (pastrami, corned beef or turkey) on rye bread with a pickle and side. Pre-order by noon on Feb. 21 to guarantee availability. For more information, visit JewishFountainHills.com/deli.

NowGen Community Garden Volunteering: 1-3 p.m. Community garden in downtown Phoenix, exact location provided upon registration. Join NowGen for an afternoon of planting, gardening and meeting new people. For more information, visit phoenixcjp.regfox.com/ nowgengarden.

Open House and Registration: 2:30-4:30 p.m. East Valley Jewish Community Center, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Join the Early Learning Center and the EVJCC and Camp Rimon for an open house. The event will include train rides, arts and crafts, snacks and registration deals. For more information, visit evjcc.org/ event/openhouse2025.

Gesher Bingo Fundraiser: 3-4 p.m. Temple Solel, 6805 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley. Join Gesher Disability Resources for an afternoon of bingo games. Proceeds benefit Gesher’s education program. For more information, contact info@gesherdr.org.

The Jewish World of Alexander Hamilton: 4:30 p.m. Congregation Kehillah, 5858 E. Dynamite Blvd., Cave Creek. Join Congregation Kehillah for a presentation by Andrew Porwancher. Part of the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix’s Passages series. Cost: $25. For more information, visit bjephoenix.org/programs/ passages.

TUESDAY, FEB. 25

Purim Talk with Rabbi Shimi Ash: 10:30 a.m. East Valley Jewish Community Center, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Join the EVJCC and Rabbi Shimi Ash from Chabad of Gilbert for a discussion “Do I Need to Believe in G-d to be a Good Person? Insights from the story of Purim.” Cost: Free; registration required. For more information, visit evjcc.org/event/ tuesdays-at-the-j-24-9.

The Italian Renaissance, the Jews and the Arts: 6:30 p.m. Online via Zoom. Join Arizona State University Jewish Studies for a discussion of "Renaissance Christian Art Meets the Hebrew Language." Cost: Free. For more information, visit jewishstudies.asu.edu/JSVisualArt.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26

The Art of Purim: 1 p.m. Online. Join the East Valley Jewish Community Center for a presentation by Nanci Kotz of Jewish Art Education depicting the story of Purim through wall paintings, illuminated manuscripts, groggers and contemporary artworks from around the world. Cost: Free; registration required. For more information, visit evjcc.org/artists.

SATURDAY, MARCH 1

Peace, Love and Chai: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Join Temple Chai for their annual fundraiser. For more information, visit templechai.com.

Martinis, Motors & Motown: 7-10:30 p.m. Location provided upon registration. Join Congregation Or Tzion for their annual fundraiser. For more information, visit otaz.org/martini25.

SUNDAY, MARCH 2

An Adventure in Space: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Beth El Phoenix, 1118 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix. Join Beth El Early Childhood Center for it’s annual preschool fundraiser with games, entertainment and a fun run. For more information, visit bethelphoenix.com/preschoolfundraiser.

Purim Puppy Party in the Park: 1-2:30 p.m. Location provided upon registration. Join Gesher Disability Resources for face painting, games, Purim songs, treats and puppy time. Cost: Free; register by March 1 at 10 a.m. For more information, visit gesherdr.org/events.

Nosh with Micah: Manischewitz Reimagined: 4:30-6 p.m. Pardes Jewish Day School, 12753 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Join Pardes for a presentation by Micah Sivah on sweet kosher wine and its cultural heritage and culinary applications in Jewish cuisine. Part of the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix’s Passages series. Cost: $36. For more information, visit bjephoenix.org/programs/passages.

Magen David Adom Second Annual Hope Gala: 5:30-8 p.m. Location provided upon registration. Join American Friends of Magen David

Adom for an evening honoring the heroes of Oct. 7. For more information, contact Elana Michael at 619-489-0329.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5

What does the Jewish Tradition Teach about Aging?: 12-1:30 p.m. Temple Emanuel of Tempe, 5801 S. Rural Road, Tempe. Bring your lunch and join TEOT member Shelley Stern for a guided discussion about aging. Cost: Free. For more information, visit emanueloftempe.org/ event/lunch-and-learn-stern.

SUNDAYS

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

THURSDAYS

Storytime at Modern Milk: 9:30 a.m. Modern Milk, 13802 N. Scottsdale Road, #163, Scottsdale. Storytime for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Integrates children’s books and songs while giving parents new ideas for play. Cost: $5. For more information and to register, visit modernmilk.com/after-baby.

Meetings, Lectures & Classes

SUNDAYS

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

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

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

MONDAYS

Kaballah: Jewish Mysticism: 10-11:30 a.m. March 3, 10 and 17. Temple Shalom of the West Valley, 12202 N. 101st Ave., Sun City. Join TBSWV Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan for this course on how the mystics thought the world began and how Jewish mystical ideas play a central role in Judaism. For more information, visit tbsaz.org.

Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Needlework, Desert Cactus Chapter: 10 a.m. The Oasis at

Sagewood, 4555 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. The guild meets the third Monday of the month, adjusted when necessary to accommodate Jewish holidays. For more information, visit pomegranateguild.org.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Single Parent Zoom: 8 p.m. First and third Monday of every month. Join The Bureau of Jewish Education’s Family University single parents’ group for those looking to form friendships and build their support system with like-minded people. For more information or to register, visit bjephoenix.org/family-university.

TUESDAYS

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

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

Torah Studies: 7:30 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Mendy Levertov. Use this link: ourjewishcenter.com/virtual. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

CALENDAR

WEDNESDAYS

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

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

Lunch & Learn: 12 p.m. Online. Grab some food and learn with Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin. Use this link: Facebook.com/ChabadTucson. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadtucson.com.

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

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

Grief Support Group: 5-6 p.m. Online via Zoom. Therapist Susan Charney MCW, LCSW, leads a grief support group every first and third Wednesday of the month virtually for individuals experiencing the loss of an adult child or sibling. In lieu of any fees for these sessions, donations to Temple Solel are appreciated. For more information, contact susancharneycounseling@gmail.com.

History of the Jews: 7 p.m. Online. Learn the Jewish journey from Genesis to Moshiach with Rabbi Ephraim Zimmerman. Use this link: zoom.us/j/736434666. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

JACS: 7:30-8:30 p.m. Online. Zoom support group for Jewish alcoholics, addicts and their friends and family on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Cost: Free. For more information, email jacsarizona@gmail. com or call 602-692-1004.

THURSDAYS

Interfaith Course on Jerusalem: 10-11:30 a.m. March 6, 13 and 20. Temple Shalom of the West Valley, 12202 N. 101st Ave., Sun City. Join TBSWV Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Rev. Bruce Scott, The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry director of program ministries, for a discussion on what makes Jerusalem exciting from both a historical and contemporary perspective by exploring the city and focusing on three sites. For more information, visit tbsaz.org.

Ladies Torah & Tea: 10:30 a.m. Online. Learn about the women of the Torah with Mrs. Leah

Levertov. Use this link: ourjewishcenter.com/ virtual. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

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

The Science of Everything: 11 a.m. Online. Explore the most fundamental work of Chassidut: the Tanya, with Rabbi Boruch. Use this link: zoom.us/j/736434666. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Mindfulness Gatherings: 12 p.m. Online. Hosted by Hospice of the Valley via Zoom. Cost: Free. To join by phone, dial 1-253-215-8782, meeting ID 486 920 2119#, to get the Zoom link or for further questions contact Gill Hamilton at ghamilton@hov.org or 602-748-3692.

Weekly Mahjong: 1-3 p.m. Temple Solel, 6805 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley. Join Temple Solel each Thursday afternoon for mahjong. Lessons available for beginners. Cost: Free. RSVP via email to dottiebefore@gmail.com so they know how many tables to set up.

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

SATURDAYS

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

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

GREEN ACRES DOUBLE DEPTH CEMETERY PLOT

In Temple Solel Section

This section is sold out, plots are no longer available for purchase

Includes opening and closing and transfer fees

Valued at $11,000, asking $7,900

Email: rsmgay@msn.com Call: 480-231-0165

Susan Schwartz Witten passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Scottsdale. She was born June 4, 1958, on Governors Island, Manhattan, New York City, to Ruth and Arnold Schwartz, the second of their three children.

While still a baby, her family relocated from New York to Minnesota, where she graduated from Edina West High School and then graduated (1981) from the University of Minnesota at Morris, majoring in French. During her time in college, she lived in France for nine months with a family with whom she maintained a life-long friendship.

After college, Susan briefly moved to Dallas, Texas, before traveling to South Africa where she lived for six months. Leaving South Africa, she went back to Dallas and then in 1984, moved to California. During that time, she married and gave birth to a daughter, Adrianna, in 1988.

A divorce resulted in Susan and Adrianna moving to Phoenix in 1990, where her parents had already relocated. In Phoenix, she began working as a preschool teacher and she loved working with young students at several different secular and Jewish preschool and kindergarten programs in Phoenix and Scottsdale. In 1994, Susan remarried and her husband, Dwayne, adopted Adrianna.

Susan, just like her father and her grandmother, was a gifted artist and enjoyed painting (oils and watercolors). In addition to her art, she also enjoyed hiking, plays, concerts and movies and was an avid reader of fiction novels.

In 2006, Susan suffered a spinal-cord injury as a result of an automobile accident, and she lived the rest of her life in a wheelchair as a quadriplegic. Although she could no longer teach on a regular basis, she maintained contact with her students by teaching occasionally for many years. And although she could no longer paint, she tried to keep as active as she could with continued ‘hiking’, various activities designed for people with physical disabilities, and she even went on cruises to Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska.

In spite of her quadriplegia, she maintained a positive attitude even though she could never quite figure out how to drive her wheelchair without running over someone’s toes. For many years after the accident, Susan lived at home with her husband being her primary caregiver and for the last 10 years, she lived in a skilled nursing facility in Scottsdale, where she enjoyed regular visits from her family and friends, going out for meals, going to an occasional movie and attending various holiday and family celebrations.

Susan was pre-deceased by her mother, Ruth Rubin Schwartz, and is survived by her father, Arnold Schwartz; her husband, Dwayne; her daughter, Adrianna Witten Bowers (Matt); two step-children Adam Witten (Eriko) and Alycia Witten Pyle (James); and six grandchildren (Nolan, Lincoln, Wyatt, Everly, Kei and Riku); her sister, Elizabeth Siegler (Mitch); her brother, Dr. Andrew Schwartz (Lisa); and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service was held on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, at Mt. Sinai Cemetery where she was buried near her mother.

Should you wish to honor Susan’s life and memory, the family requests donations to The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation or to Hospice of the Valley.

Florence Berger

Florence Berger, age 94, of Scottsdale, passed away early morning Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. She was born on November 5, 1930, in Brooklyn, New York, the second daughter of Dorothy and Samuel Abramson. Florence was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Martin “Marty” Berger, who passed on Nov. 21, 1997. Florence grew up in Brooklyn, New York. She married Marty on Dec. 5, 1948. Florence, Marty and their children, Susan and Steven, left their home in Flushing, Queens in 1967 to start a new life in Scottsdale. They were soon joined by Marty’s brother, Jerry, and his family and, later, his sister, Martha, and her daughter. All three families lived in the same townhouse development and were able to share their lives for decades. Florence loved family gatherings and having relatives so close by. She was a homemaker and also worked in retail, and for some time ran a secondhand shop with her sister-in-law, Shirlee. She loved being an aunt, great-aunt and great-great-aunt to the new generations that came along and was their beloved “Aunt Flo.” She enjoyed crafting, art, travel, playing mahjongg, spending time with her many friends and was an active member of Women’s American ORT for over 25 years. She loved to laugh and had a great sense of humor.

RACHEL DICKMAN AND DEVEN PILE

Laurie and Joel Dickman of Phoenix announce the engagement of their daughter, Rachel Dickman to Deven Pile, both of Scottsdale.

Parents of the groom-to-be are Jessica and Steve Pile.

Rachel graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Arizona State University and a master’s in counseling from Northern Arizona University.

Deven graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University. The wedding will take place in May 2025.JN

Florence is survived by her two children Steven Berger (Johnny Lopez) and Susan Berger; her nieces Deborah Loeb Bohren, Donna Zegerson (Harry) and nephews Michael Berger (Sharon), Daniel Klein, Roger Klein (Mahonri) and Stewart Klein (Lauren); and her great-nieces and nephews; and their children, her great-great-niece and nephews.

Services were held on Feb. 11 at Green Acres Cemetery at 401 N. Hayden Road in Scottsdale.

Memorial donations in Florence’s name may be made to ORT American (ortamerica.org), Phoenix Art Museum (phxart.org) and Temple Solel (templesolel.org).

Susan Schwartz Witten

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Individuals will be recognized for influencing the future of the Greater Phoenix area through their professional and personal achievements. Nominees must be 18 to 50 years of age and reside in the Valley. Judges will consider: a nominee’s professional success; community involvement; and commitment to the Jewish community. Nominees must identify as Jewish.

Make a nomination today for the 2025 class of 18 Under 50 award! Nomination deadline: 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, 2025. Any nominations received after that date cannot be considered