Jewish News, March 7, 2025 by jewishaz

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Phoenix Symphony to host Yom HaShoah ceremony in April

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

Last May, Sheryl Bronkesh was chatting with an acquaintance, Mary Jane Rynd, at a dinner hosted by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Someone briefly interrupted to congratulate Bronkesh, president of the Phoenix Holocaust Association (PHA), on the well-attended Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) event that had just taken place. Rynd asked what the event was all about. Bronkesh explained, then offhandedly confided to Rynd that she dreamed of honoring the dwindling number of living Holocaust survivors someplace “spectacular,” before it was too late.

“Could you imagine survivors walking down the aisle at Symphony Hall?” Bronkesh asked. The next day, she awoke to an email from Rynd, who it turns out is a Phoenix Symphony board member, informing her that she had reached out to Peter Kjome, symphony president and CEO. She was intent on making Bronkesh’s dream come true.

On Sunday, April 27, PHA will host its annual community-wide Yom HaShoah Commemoration for the first time in its history at Symphony Hall, in partnership with the Phoenix Symphony.

“I’ve told some survivors and they are incredulous. They just can’t believe it!” Bronkesh told Jewish News. After hearing the news, one stunned survivor immediately showed Bronkesh the goosebumps appearing on her arm. Others were excited even though they regretted that their late husband, wife or relative couldn’t share the experience. Still, the overall delight grew significantly after discovering that all of the survivors will sit in a place of honor on the symphony’s stage.

SEE CEREMONY, PAGE 2

Bibas family honored and mourned in Scottsdale

As the crowd gathered in the evening on Thursday, Feb. 20 to mourn the deaths of the Bibas family, who had died in captivity in Gaza, at an event organized by Shevet Shemesh — Israeli Scouts of Arizona, news broke that of the bodies returned to Israel earlier that day; none were Shiri Bibas.

The four coffins returned Thursday morning were supposed to contain the remains of Shiri Bibas, her two young sons Kfir and Ariel and 84-year-old Oded Lifshitz.

“During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage. This is an anonymous, unidentified body,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement. “This is a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organization, which is obligated under the agreement to return four deceased hostages. We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all our hostages.” (On Feb. 22, forensic officials confirmed that a body returned to Israel on Feb. 21 was Shiri Bibas.) SEE BIBAS, PAGE 3

Senior summer fun

The Jewish Family & Children’s Service Center for Senior Enrichment and Creative Aging offer a variety of classes. See page 12.

MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER BRAUNER

Orange balloons were released with prayers and messages written on them. COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS

ISRAEL

Last year’s commemoration at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus in Scottsdale was attended by more than 500 people. With too few seats, some people ended up sitting on the floor. Bronkesh was overwhelmed by the size of the crowd and by the fact that this year, the 80th anniversary of World War II’s end, shines a light on the small population of living Holocaust survivors.

The symphony’s theater can hold up to 2,241 people. Bronkesh will be “over the moon” if half that many people — enough to fill the lower level — come.

The fact that Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was already scheduled for the same Sunday didn’t worry Kjome, who told Jewish News the concert would proceed as planned at 2 p.m., three hours before the Yom HaShoah commemoration begins.

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“Beethoven’s Ninth is the single most popular piece in the orchestral repertoire, so we expect to have many people coming to our concerts that weekend,” he said. Exhibits related to Yom HaShoah will be set up in the lobby of Symphony Hall, showcasing the upcoming Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center.

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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

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.

who perished during the war, including a work by Gideon Klein, composed just 10 days before his transport from Terezín to Auschwitz, will be part of the event.

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

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

“It’s so important to be able to honor their contributions,” he said.

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

Kjome found it inspiring to speak to local survivors Oskar Knoblauch and Esther Basch and suggested that the musicians could do the same in preparing for the late April performance.

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“Thus, anyone who comes to any of the weekend concerts will be able to learn more about the Holocaust and Yom HaShoah,” Kjome explained.

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Anyone who registers for the Yom HaShoah commemoration, which is free of charge, can also get a 20% discount on the regular concert. All Holocaust survivors can attend for free.

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The symphony added Paul Hindemith’s “Symphonic Metamorphosis” to the afternoon concert. The German Hindemith was declared “degenerate” by the Nazi regime.

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Kjome wanted to have music play a role in the commemoration itself. “We did some investigation of potential music for the Phoenix Symphony musicians to perform,” he said. The work of composers

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

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

The commemoration will include a procession of local Holocaust survivors, a candle-lighting ceremony to remember the six million murdered Jews, remarks by a survivor, an invocation by a local rabbi, music, prayers and the presentation of PHA’s Annual Shofar Zachor Award for outstanding contributions to Holocaust and genocide education. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, who is Jewish, has already confirmed that she will attend.

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.

said in a press release. Goodman is also a member of the Greater Phoenix Jewish community.

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

Kjome emphasized that an important goal for the Phoenix Symphony is to be “an integral and indispensable part of the community.” Working with community organizations like PHA is critical to that goal.

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.

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

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

“Our mission is focused on enriching our community through extraordinary musical experiences. In this case, while music is a part of it, it’s only a part of a greater whole,” he 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.

Last year’s Yom HaShoah commemoration included clergy members from other faiths. Bronkesh said this year she’s heard from many more who will attend, some of whom will accompany a survivor during the lighting of candles.

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.

“It is a privilege for the Phoenix Symphony to work together with the Phoenix Holocaust Association on this important event. We invite our entire community to join us, as we stand together in remembrance and unity,” Phoenix Symphony Board Chair Adam Goodman

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.

Bronkesh said she’s extremely grateful to Kjome and the symphony for making this event happen — for her, but more importantly, for the survivors. Her parents were both survivors, and her commitment to PHA comes from carrying their memories forward. With a location that can hold so many people, she hopes to see a broad swath of the Valley, both Jewish and nonJewish and young and old.

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.

“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.

Kjome, who has been touched by Bronkesh’s dedication, added a personal perspective.

“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.”

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.

“This was Sheryl’s dream, and we’re working together to make Sheryl’s dream come true.” 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.”

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.

To RSVP for Phoenix’s 2025 Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration, visit the phoenixsymphony.org/show/beethovens-ninthsymphony or phxha.com/remember.

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

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

Holocaust survivor Arthur Rothstein and fourthgeneration survivor Eva Markowitz light a candle at Yom HaShoah 2024 commemoration.

KEVIN CROSSE OF ARIZONA IMAGING

View of a performance of “Resurrection Mixtape” from the Phoenix Symphony’s 2023-24 season. COURTESY OF TAVITS PHOTOGRAPHY/PHOENIX SYMPHONY

Shiri Bibas and her two young sons Kfir and Ariel were taken hostage in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack and became recognizable faces of the captives’ plight and the movement to free them. Their husband and father, Yarden Bibas, was taken captive separately and released alive earlier this month.

Perry Buckman and Mirla G. Raz stood on the sidewalk holding up a banner with all the hostages’ faces on it as people arrived at Cactus Park in Scottsdale.

Buckman made the banner after Oct. 7, 2023, and tries to take it to as many events involving Israel as possible. He said he canceled an appointment that afternoon so he could attend the vigil.

“Everyone needs to know that people are still alive. Innocent civilians need to be back with their family and friends,” he said.

Debbie Ginsborg-Hajec recently moved to Scottsdale and was walking Thursday morning at a different park, when she came across a woman wearing a yellowribbon hostage pin. After the two women embraced, she told Ginsborg-Hajec about the event that evening.

“I came here looking for community, in search of people to share this with,” she said. She admitted that earlier in the day she wondered about the remains in the coffin and if they would be able to be identified. When she heard about the mother’s body not being returned, she said, “It’s so disheartening, but not surprising from them (Hamas).”

Rabbi Aviva Funke, principal of the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix’s Hebrew High, videotaped the crowd and said, “Look at this incredible community. We are broken together and we can heal together. We are one people, no matter what.”

Members of Shevet Shemesh ushered people to the basketball courts where Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix and Pardes Jewish Day School Community Shlichah (Israeli emissary), Sapir, addressed the crowd.

“On this horrible day, it means everything to see all of you here,” she said. She spoke about the news regarding Shiri Bibas, in case anyone was not yet aware, and also shared a message for Kfir and Ariel.

“I hope that one day they will forgive us for not being able to rescue them in time.”

She proceeded to do a countdown for the crowd to release dozens of orange balloons, a color that has become a symbol for the two redheaded boys, with notes and prayers written on them.

“To the Bibas family, and for the other hostages, we pray they will come back home. As these balloons were released, the sky will open and God will hear our prayers,” said Rabbi Shneor Fagan of Chabad Israeli Center Arizona in Phoenix.

Fagan then led the crowd in prayer and began singing “Am Yisrael Chai” (the people of Israel live). Many were crying,

others were comforting one another and many mothers held their children tight, kissing the top of their heads through tears.

After the song, Funke jumped on a bench and yelled to the crowd, “We will not be defined by our darkest moments. We will be defined by the good we do in this world.”

Draped in an Israeli flag, Alla Rosenfield came to “honor the Bibas babies who are no longer a part of this world to shed their light.” She was born and raised in Russia and never thought she’d see something like what happened on Oct. 7.

As the crowd dispersed, Ben Metelits and his wife, Fernanda, lingered and talked to other attendees. The couple moved to Arizona in 2016.

“My wife found out about the event,

and I wanted to support her and the community,” he said.

They were looking for ways to become more involved in the Jewish community, how to find out about other events for Israel and Fernanda wanted to find a Hebrew teacher. Sapir shared resources with the couple and thanked them for coming to the vigil.

Before she walked away, she told them, “I’ve been here for five months, but my heart is still there (in Israel).” JN

This article incorporated reporting from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

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

A crowd gathered at Cactus Park in Scottsdale for a vigil for the Bibas family. COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS

Perry Beckman, left, and Mirla G. Raz hold a banner with all the hostages’ faces. COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS

RABBI AVIVA FUNKE

Scottsdale native offers advice to Jewish college students in new book

MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

If Blake Flayton had been asked what it meant to be Jewish when he was growing up in Scottsdale, he probably would have responded with the phrase “tikkun olam,” or repairing the world. So, it made sense that as a teen he wanted to be a progressive activist, go into Democratic politics and do everything he could in various social justice spaces.

He attended George Washington University (GW) and interned on Capitol Hill for his congressman. He also worked on several presidential campaigns and for various movements in the D.C. area, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, climate justice, criminal justice reform, racial equality and more — until “the strangest things began to happen,” he said.

“I always like to say, if you had told me maybe five, six years ago, that I would be doing this as a Jewish pro-Israel activist writing a book about antisemitism on college campuses, I would have said that you were insane,” Flayton told a crowd gathered in the social hall at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus on Feb. 4. He was there to promote his upcoming book, “10 Things Every Jew Should Know Before They Go to College: An Illustrated Guide,” coauthored by Emily Schrader, an AmericanIsraeli journalist and social activist. The Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix presented the program along with other Jewish community organizations.

The first “strange thing” of note happened in the summer after his first year of college. There was a pride parade in D.C. that Flayton was looking forward to participating in.

“A couple days before the rally, the organizers put out a press release saying that they were banning the rainbow flag from the march if it had a Star of David in the middle,” he said. “I remember being shocked at this, unable to wrap my head

around why, or what, could have possibly led to this decision.”

In the press release, they said it was because the Star of David on the rainbow flag looked like the flag of Israel and was a “nationalist symbol.”

Then, there was an incident on GW’s campus involving two intoxicated freshman students coming back from a party. The one filming asked, “What are we gonna do to Israel?”

The student being filmed turned around and said, “We’re gonna bomb Israel, you Jewish people. Pieces of s---.”

“What shocked me most about this incident wasn’t the fact that it happened, because drunk teenagers say stupid things all the time,” said Flayton. “It was the fact that afterward, in the spaces where I was on campus, there didn’t seem to be a lot of anger or people being upset at what had happened. Instead, there seemed to be anger at the Jewish community for reacting.”

At the time, a friend of his posted on Instagram, “Why are we doing so much to stand up for this community when they’ve done nothing to stand up for other people?”

Then, an organization supporting survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment on campus published a document accusing Israel of being the worst state sponsor of sexual violence in the world.

“They said that Zionists would not be welcome in their organization. Meaning if you were a student who had experienced sexual assault and harassment and you happened to believe that Israel had a right to exist, you would not find community at GW,” he said.

Shortly after, there was an event organized by the Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter and also co-sponsored by various progressive organizations to rally for better wages for the custodians at GW.

Flayton said that representatives from

Students for Justice in Palestine showed up and started talking about how deeply interconnected the issue of not being paid enough at an American university was to the horrible oppression of Palestinians in the West Bank.

“As is the case with all of these examples, and there were more — we’d be here all night if I talked about just what happened during my freshman year — just being in these very far left spaces, I didn’t know that they were antisemitic,” he said.

He explained that he believed antisemitism was a problem of the right, citing the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the white supremacist shooting at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue.

“I was very shaken up and a little confused because every time I mentioned my concerns about the way that people were talking about Israel, the way that people were banning Zionists from their organizations and the way that people were treating the Jewish community, I was called terrible names and was silenced. I felt socially excluded from the friends that I had at the time,” he said. “That led to the opinion piece I was lucky enough to get published in the New York Times.”

In it, he talked about what he perceived as a growing problem of antisemitism on college campuses. Thousands of students, parents and professors from across the country contacted him and wanted to know more about his story.

“At the time that it came out, I probably could have been persuaded that antisemitism on the left was not a very big issue, that I was being dramatic or reactionary and students may still say silly things about Israel on college campuses, but they’ll grow out of it,” he said. “But then I contrasted the reaction I got from the Jewish community, which was overwhelming, to the reaction I received on campus, which was total silence.”

When the pandemic happened, he was

able to finish his degree without returning to campus.

He made aliyah in 2022 because he said the American left was rapidly becoming anti-Zionist.

“Although I believe in many of the same principles that the American left does, I cannot be in a political movement that believes that the Jews have no right to a country,” he said.

In Israel, he said he realized there would be a left wing that was intrinsically Zionist.

Flayton built an online following of tens of thousands from around the world. He launched a podcast, “We Should All Be Zionists,” with former Knesset member and author Dr. Einat Wilf in 2023.

“I realized that the truest expression of a secular Jewish identity is to live in Israel because by speaking Hebrew, by going to the IDF — which I will be very soon — and by raising children and even complaining that the supermarket is closed on Saturdays, I am still living a thoroughly Jewish life, a thoroughly Jewish existence, something that I could not get here,” he said.

He said his first year in Israel was spent fighting for the values that tikkun olam actually taught him growing up, such as the importance of democracy, pluralism and diversity.

“So, Emily and I decided to write this book because we understood that the key to anti-Zionism, to curbing the problem of antiZionism, was more Zionism,” said Flayton. “And that means more Zionist education for young Jews.” JN

“10 Things Every Jew Should Know Before They Go to College: An Illustrated Guide” is available on Amazon.

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

Harush is a matzah maker from Shlomit (Gaza region). Right now, Yedidya is serving in the IDF, while his factory (employing 55 people) and community remain at risk. Choose this matzah for your Seder table and stand with Israel in a tangible way.

order: https://tinyurl.com/42jaecra or contact Adena Friedman: 310-936-5948 or at adenafriedman@gmail.com

Board Members

Shanah Tovah from Rabbi Shmuly and the VBM Board & Staff!!

Valley Beit Midrash wishes everyone a shana tovah, a happy new year ﬁlled with joy and love. We invite you to join us in pursuit of improving lives in our communities through transformative learning and action. Here’s how you can plug into our work this year:

Staff Members

1. Learn with us at our upcoming classes. We have multiple pluralistic o erings each week and options for both virtual or in-person learning.

2. Serve with us and volunteer with Arizona Jews for Justice to help uplift the most vulnerable members of our community.

3. Reach out if you are looking for internship or fellowship opportunities for teens and young adults. We would be thrilled to tell you more about our leadership development programs.

4. Become a Legacy donor. By joining the Jewish Education Legacy Society of Valley Beit Midrash you will ensure VBM has the ability to provide engaging learning opportunities and save lives in our communities for many years to come.

We hope this year will be a time of renewal and growth and that we will experience many joyful moments together in the year ahead.

Outreach Coordinator: Brandon Nahsonhoya Senior Jewish Educator: Rabbi Marc Gitler

Program Manager: Karri Bernstein Development Associate: Shulamit Monina

Fellowship Coordinator: Ben Mazur, R.J.E

Education Assistant: Cody Fitzpatrick

Program Associate: Isaac Blumenthal

Program Associate: Zack Sapinsley

Temple Chai speaker talks addiction, stigma and spirituality

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

ore than two decades ago, Temple Chai Rabbi Bonnie Koppell became aware of the spiritual expression in the 12-step world that she found to be meaningful. She was curious to dig down and learn more about the impact 12-step programs were having on the broader culture. In fact, she included some of that knowledge in a series of High Holiday sermons about encouraging spiritual exploration beyond only the temple tradition.

“I wanted to show how the teachings of the 12 steps can align with Jewish wisdom,” she told Jewish News.

In that series of sermons, she also spoke of the reluctance of many in the Jewish community to acknowledge the problem of addiction, due to the shame and stigma attached.

“I’d like to use this Rosh Hashanah, when we come together as a community, to break this silence and to acknowledge that our community also includes indi-

viduals who are chemically dependent. I have been inspired by AA, and I feel strongly that even those who are not physically addicted can use these 12 steps as an aid to their own spiritual growth,” she wrote.

On Sunday, March 16, Temple Chai will present “Stigma in the Jewish Community: What’s the Big Secret About Addiction?” The event features Rabbi Dr. Chaim Tureff, author of “Recovery in the Torah: Models of Spirituality and Healing,” director of STARS, an organization that helps individuals struggling with addiction and the spiritual guide for Soberman’s Estate, an addiction residential men’s treatment center in Cave Creek.

“There’s a belief that addiction is a goyishe thing that doesn’t plague the Jewish community. That is just wrong on many levels,” Tureff told Jewish News.

He has worked in the field of addiction and substance abuse for 19 years, and said when he first started, he got a lot of pushback in the Jewish community. It is an idea that still persists, but he’s found that more people are now open to hearing about it.

“I guarantee that a majority of the people who come to my talk will know someone struggling with addiction. The fact is they know someone, even if they don’t realize they know someone,” he said.

“THERE’S

Tureff’s path to this work was not straightforward. When he started out in college, he intended to have a career in athletics, but “God had a different plan,” he said. After a bad car accident that required several surgeries, Tureff’s mother and honors thesis advisor (an African American Methodist minister) encouraged him to become a rabbi.

Having dealt with addiction in his family from an early age, he felt a connection to working with people struggling with addiction. He decided to get a doctorate and wrote his dissertation about integrating spirituality into recovery work.

Tureff, who has lectured on this topic for many synagogues throughout the years, said that Temple Chai stands out for its support of the 12-step program JACS (Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons and Significant Others). JACS, along with Temple Chai’s Shalom Center, is a co-sponsor of the March event.

“The Shalom Center has always been a cutting-edge leader in the healing movement,” Koppell said. It offers programming for bereavement, caregiving and mental health awareness as part of its mission. It was founded 30 years ago by Temple Chai member Sharona Silverman, and has been led by Koppell for the last decade.

In 2019, Temple Chai co-sponsored

an event with the Jewish Addiction Awareness Network (JAAN), a non-profit that works with clergy, community organizations, lay leaders and individuals to raise awareness of the addiction epidemic, and increase support and programming for Jewish lives impacted by this disease.

“This is an issue I personally care about, and we’re fortunate that the congregation saw there was a need,” Koppell said. Every year, on the afternoon of Yom Kippur, Temple Chai has a healing service. Koppell has invited various people to address the topic of addiction, one of whom shared her story about heroin addiction.

“It was a powerful and impactful service,” Koppell said. “People were deeply moved.”

Still, many people don’t feel comfortable talking to clergy, and many clergy don’t know how to respond when approached, Tureff said.

“People feel they’ll be judged and many times, they will be,” he said.

During the March event, he will give general advice, offer practical applications and point to Jewish sources on dealing with addiction. He’ll also be “doing a lot of listening.” Usually, at this type of talk, he finds people will want to share their stories.

Koppell has two goals for the event. The first is to bring awareness to the topic of addiction in the Jewish community, and the second is to provide comfort, support and resources to those experiencing addiction challenges.

“We want to remove the shame and stigma and open up a space to show it’s something we can, and should, talk about. These are real members of our community, whom we want to embrace into the fold,” she said. JN

Rabbi Dr. Chaim Tureff will speak about addiction, recovery and Judaism in March at Temple Chai. COURTESY OF RABBI DR. CHAIM TUREFF

Métis man makes the rounds among Greater Phoenix Jews

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

Ryan Bellerose, a member of the Métis nation (recognized by the Canadian government as one of the country’s official aboriginal peoples), was in Greater Phoenix the last week of January to speak to a number of Jewish groups, though he is not Jewish. Bellerose has become a vocal pro-Israel advocate because he sees Jews as another group seeking Indigenous rights, similar to the Métis.

“From time to time, I leave the ‘res’ (reservation) and go around talking about Indigenous rights, identity and the importance of authentic identity. I noticed that there’s another group that has very similar challenges to my people — you guys,” he told a small group of Jews gathered at the Arizona Jews for Justice (AJJ) office in Scottsdale on Jan. 29, for “A Native-Jewish Dialogue with Arizona Jews for Justice.”

“You maintained your nation in exile. You maintained your identity. It pushes home to me that we are very similar.”

In 1869, the Canadian government pushed the Métis — Bellerose’s ancestors among them — out of their native Red

River region of what is now Manitoba. They have been unsuccessful in their attempts to return home.

Bellerose grew up in northern Alberta in the Métis settlement of Paddle Prairie, far from any Jewish community. Not only did he not meet any Jews until college, but it was there that he learned about the political controversy surrounding Jewish support for and ties to Israel. On campus, he tangled with a pro-Palestinian protester who blocked his path to a class, and he witnessed insults towards a Jewish acquaintance wearing a t-shirt in support of the Israel Defense Forces.

“I remember thinking that it was so stupid and irrational. I decided to find out what was going on,” he said.

That was more than 20 years ago. He became an outspoken pro-Israel advocate and rose to prominence within Jewish circles when he launched a successful proIsrael organization, Calgary United With Israel, in 2013. He later worked for B’nai Brith Canada as its advocacy coordinator for Western Canada.

In a 2017 opinion piece for Tablet Magazine, Bellerose used anthropologist José Martínez Cobo’s definition of “Indigenous people” to describe the Jewish relationship to the land of Israel and counterclaims of colonization.

Israeli-American Coalition (IAC) Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs Jake Bennett has long admired Bellerose’s no-holds-barred style of Israel advocacy. When Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix Executive Director Myra Shindler was looking for speakers for her Passages series, Bennett suggested Bellerose.

“Based on feedback I’ve gotten so far, Ryan has had a tremendous impact during his brief visit to Phoenix, especially in his discussions with high school and college students and young professionals,” Bennett told Jewish News.

“Based on the universally accepted markers of indigeneity — language, land, blood, culture and spirituality — our ethnogenesis as a people was in the Land of Israel, and that makes us Indigenous to that place, just

as Ryan’s people are Indigenous to Red River in Canada,” Bennett said.

Bellerose admires that Jews have been able to keep their identity intact through centuries of exile. He spent years volunteering to advance the rights of Native Canadians, including urging tribes not to sell their land to provincial governments at below-market value.

He bemoaned the fact that many native peoples have lost their language and culture, and said the fact that Jews have not is something to take pride in.

“When I started doing this, I thought, ‘This is a great example to my people.’ Honestly, we get a little jealous because you have an ability to manifest a bit of your identity that we don’t have,” he said. JN

This article incorporated reporting from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Ryan Bellerose, center, poses with Myra Shindler and Jake Bennett. COURTESY OF JAKE BENNETT

Joel K. Heriford, Shareholder

High school contest celebrates local Holocaust survivors

In December, the Arizona Jewish Historical Society (AZJHS) announced it was preparing to hold its third annual Oskar Knoblauch Holocaust Impact Video Creator Contest. AZJHS will collect video entries from Arizona high school students until March 28.

High school students are encouraged to create a three-to-four-minute video using the story of an Arizona Holocaust survivor to educate people about the Holocaust in a creative way.

“This contest does a great job of helping the student to understand, remember and apply what was learned from a local survivor. Students’ synthesis and analyze testimonies, then creatively become

solution-based thinkers,” said Tony Fusco, AZJHS’ associate director of Holocaust programming, in a press release.

AZJHS also provides training and materials for educators, including a $500 cash stipend for training participants and having at least one student submit an entry.

The top three videos in group and individual categories will be given cash prizes and a copy of Knoblauch’s book “A Boy’s Story, Man’s Memory.”

The competition will accept entries from Arizona students in grades 9-12. All entries may include one or more of the following criteria: role playing/acting, oral presentation, poetry, music/performance, interview or art/photography. Each entry

Scottsdale rabbi lights menorah at Western Wall

On Dec. 28, Rabbi Pinchas Allouche, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Tefillah in Scottsdale, received the honor of being asked to light the menorah of the Western Wall in Israel on behalf of the Arizona Jewish community and Jews in the Diaspora.

Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich, the chief rabbi of the Western Wall and Israel’s holy sites, has partnered with Allouche on different projects, such as helping Holocaust survivors and providing Jewish education to Israeli children.

“When he (Rabinovich) heard that I was in Israel, he bestowed upon me this tremendous honor,” Allouche told Jewish News.

He found it especially profound to light the menorah “just a few feet from where the original menorah was lit in the first and second Temples — 3,000 years ago and nearly 2,000 years ago, respectively — and where the story of Chanukah unfolded with the Maccabees’ miraculous victory over the Greeks and the subsequent re-inauguration of the Temple,” Allouche said.

Four Arizona families and several of their relatives attended the lighting that night.

After Allouche lit the menorah, the crowd began to sing the words in Psalm 90:

“G-d, how long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,

Tucson’s Jewish museum announces new initiative, director

Lyn Davis was recently named head of the Rabbi Joseph H. Gumbiner Community Action Project, a new Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center initiative. It was inspired by the social activism of Gumbiner, one of Tucson’s founding rabbis, and will collaborate with various diverse groups in Tucson to promote human rights.

Davis, the former Jewish Community Relations Council director, hopes to draw on her decades of experience as a Jewish communal professional and her knowledge of political and cultural landscapes to foster education, dialogue and advocacy within Tucson’s Jewish and broader communities.

Gumbiner led Tucson’s Temple Emanu-el from 1942 to 1947, during the final years that the congregation was located on S. Stone Avenue, in the building now known

as Tucson Jewish Museum.

“Rabbi Joe” was a vocal critic of endemic racism throughout the United States, including in Tucson. Discouraged by the treatment of African American servicemen returning home from World War II, he helped found the Tucson Inter-Racial Council and worked to reduce tension and build relationships between races and among interfaith groups. This advocacy was not universally popular, as many people felt that his inter-racial and intergroup work would threaten the position of Jews in the wider community.

The Gumbiner Project’s work is grounded in the Museum’s foundational values of zachor (remembrance), tzedek (justice), khavod (honor), kehillah (community) and limmud (learning).

The Gumbiner Project is considered by Davis and museum staff to fulfill an integral

AJC pays tribute to legal professionals

The Arizona region of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) will pay tribute to four legal professionals at its annual Judge Learned Hand (JLH) Awards luncheon on Tuesday, March 11, at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix.

must include a portion of an oral history from the provided collections.

There are individual and group categories. All qualifying work will be reviewed by a panel of judges composed of Holocaust educators.

In the contest’s inaugural year, there were a total of 18 entries in the group and individual categories. The students produced videos that attempted to create empathy and understanding.

Helios Education Foundation, Phoenix Holocaust Association and Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix are all co-sponsors of the contest. There will be an awards ceremony on Sunday, May 18, at AZJHS. JN

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor of the Lord our G-d rest upon us and establish the work of our hands for us.” (Psalms 90:12-17)

On Facebook, he reflected on the experience and wrote about his hope for the future.

For more information about the contest and to view last year’s entries, visit azjhs.org/azjhs-oskarknoblauch-impact-video-creator-contest-3.

“May all of our prayers be answered, may our collective lights dispel the darkness of our world, and may we all witness the lighting of the Menorah in our Third Temple, with our ultimate redemption arriving speedily,” he wrote. JN

part of the museum’s mission.

“So many of the challenges that we face in our community – including threats to our health, welfare, safety and civil rights – cut across religious, ethnic, and cultural identities. By recognizing our issues of

Lee Stein, of Mitchell Stein Carey Chapman; Stephen Richer, former Maricopa County Recorder; Denise I. Young (posthumous), first director of the Arizona Capital Representation Project; and Alexis Danneman, of Perkins Coie, will be honored for their professional achievements and dedication to civic and philanthropic causes and organizations.

common concern and working in coalition, we have the opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient community,” Davis said in a press release. JN

To learn more, visit tjmhc.org/gumbinerproject.

AJC’s Judge Learned Hand Awards luncheon recognizes individuals within the legal profession. Established in 1964, this program honors those who have contributed to the legal community and whose work reflects the integrity and broad humanitarian ideals exemplified by Hand. The honorees are selected by an independent selection committee of judges, law professors and practitioners. JN

Arizona Jewish Historical Society announced its third annual Oskar Knoblauch Holocaust Impact Video Creator Contest. Knoblauch, wearing a black sweatshirt, stands in the center of the photo.

Rabbi Pinchas Allouche lit the menorah at the Western Wall on a recent visit to Israel.

COURTESY OF RABBI PINCHAS ALLOUCHE

Photos from left: Rabbi Joseph H. Gumbiner invites the choir from Prince Chapel AME (still active next door to Tucson Jewish Museum) to sing from the bimah of Temple Emanu-el, 1943; Rabbi Joseph H. Gumbiner (19071993); Gumbiner is arrested in Jackson, Mississippi for sitting in a coffee shop with Black and White clergy, 1961; Gumbiner and rabbinical colleagues in Selma, AL, 1965.

OF TUCSON

Jewish vets welcome convert commander

Retired Navy Lieutenant Commander Dr. Julian Wyatt, author of “Becoming Jewish,” will be the featured speaker at the Jewish War Veterans Copper State Post 619 Installation Luncheon, on Sunday, March 16. The event will be chaired by Bety Dar and take place in the new Oakwood Country Club Recreation Center in Sun Lakes.

Wyatt, newly elected Post 619 Commander, is a native of Worcester, Massachusetts. He served 30 years in the United States Navy, from 1980 to 2010. His highest military award was the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq.

“After formal education at a parochial school, I became a nomad and studied

various faiths and traditions. I fell in love with the self-help teachings of Mussar (a Jewish practice of moral conduct, instruction and discipline) and the Kabbalah. That’s where everything began,” Wyatt said in a press release.

He sought out a local synagogue after visiting Haifa, Israel, in 1979. He converted to Judaism in 2007 and became a bar mitzvah in 2010. His “vision quest” is described in his book, available on Amazon.

Wyatt will speak about his 30 years in the U.S. Navy, and how both his military and civilian colleagues embraced him with open arms when he became Jewish. Often, he was the senior Jewish person at a duty station

or on a ship and became the Jewish lay leader. “Basically, I held all worship services and worked closely with our chaplains for emergencies and deaths,” he said.

In 2016, Wyatt began the Prison Yoga Project Phoenix as a way of helping to reduce recidivism and give incarcerated people tools of yoga and meditation to navigate stress, anxiety and depression. He currently works for Mindfulness First, a nonprofit in Scottsdale. The organization goes into K-12 schools and teaches mindfulness to children and staff.

As a certified health and life coach, Wyatt also helps veterans and their families with post-traumatic stress disorder and

Bronfman Fellowship includes Phoenix student as part of new program

Emma Schwarz of Phoenix was selected by the Bronfman Fellowship for its first cohort of Jewish college students to participate in Campus Commons: Building Bridges with Jewish Wisdom, a program that seeks to empower students to use Jewish values and wisdom to enhance social cohesion on their campuses and beyond. This cohort of 31 college students with diverse Jewish backgrounds come from 27 campuses across 13 states and Canada.

Schwartz is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University majoring in human and organizational development, and minoring in creative writing and business.

“ I’m super involved in Chabad and Hillel, and in my free time, I love to rock climb and go backpacking,” Schwartz said

Evening with StandWithUs

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, Chloe Levian and Gabriel Ivker, two representatives from StandWithUs, an international nonprofit Israel education organization founded in 2001, gave a presentation to a small group of attendees at Congregation Or Tzion in Scottsdale. Jewish students and what challenges they might face at college or in high school, specifically antisemitism, was discussed. Levian and Ivker highlighted the historical roots of antisemitism and how this prejudice

in a press release.

Schwartz and the other students began their semester-long program with a multi-day immersive, in-person seminar on Jan. 12.

Designed by a team of top educators at The Bronfman Fellowship, Campus Commons is a response to the rise in polarization, social instability and isolation on college campuses, particularly for Jewish students. The program seeks to help participants cultivate their own agency and gain real-world, actionable skills to foster environments where people can build relationships across differences. In a survey of incoming Campus Commons participants, 90% said they believe that greater understanding between people is possible on campus.

evolved. They shared personal experiences, illustrating the everyday realities many Jewish students encounter, while also emphasizing the importance of advocacy and education in fighting hatred.

Attendees were encouraged to share their thoughts, with the idea fostering a sense of community and collective responsibility in addressing antisemitism. Also in attendance was Taylor M. Silverman, Hillel at Arizona State

Mayor Gallego named as changemaker

On Monday, Feb. 24, CNBC named Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego to its CNBC Changemakers: Women Transforming Business list. The list spotlights women who have helped their organization or business reach significant financial milestones and results.

Gallego is the third Jewish mayor in Phoenix’s history and told Jewish News in 2020, “I feel honored and blessed by the support of the Greater Phoenix Jewish community.”

This is the first time CNBC has named an elected official to their list.

“I am honored to be selected alongside 49 other women leaders as a 2025 Changemaker,” Gallego said in a press release. “It’s no secret that we need more women at the helm of social, organizational and economic progress — and I’m fortunate that Phoenix voters believed in this early when they elected and then re-elected me as their mayor. Together, we’ve transformed Phoenix’s economy and business landscape — ushering in incredible, high-wage career paths and creating strong workforce pipelines in the semiconductor and health

When asked to select what skills and opportunities they were most interested in developing through the program, 90% prioritized growing their ability to navigate differences and manage difficult conversations, and nearly as many emphasized the importance of building a network of like-minded peers. Also highly rated were learning with expert faculty and engaging more deeply with Jewish texts and teachings. The vast majority were interested or strongly interested in the opportunity to think about how to bring back what they learn on Campus Commons to their campuses.

“I am thrilled to welcome the first cohort of inspiring students to Campus Commons,” said Becky Voorwinde, CEO of The Bronfman Fellowship, in a press

University’s associate director. She shared insights on Hillel’s resources and emphasized the importance of allies for Jewish students within their institutions.

StandWithUs offers workshops, resources and legal support to ensure that Jewish students feel heard and supported, the organization’s representatives said. JN

For more information, visit standwithus.com.

reintegration back into civilian life. “I believe strongly that if you have a gift, you must find a way to serve others. Every day I live tikkun olam,” he said. JN

care spaces.”

In 2019, Gallego played an instrumental role in bringing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to the Valley. Its $65 billion investment to Phoenix, created thousands of jobs in the Valley.

Since then, more than $77 billion in private investment in the semiconductor, battery, electric vehicle, clean energy and biomanufacturing sectors has been made in Arizona. Gallego established a series of partnerships between the City of Phoenix and Maricopa community colleges and

release. “These motivated young people give me much optimism for the future. In their applications to the program, many of the participants expressed a special passion for cultivating pluralistic Jewish spaces, and for having productive conversations around heated topics regarding Israel and antisemitism within the Jewish community.” JN

state universities. The Valley is now home to Arizona’s first registered apprenticeship program in the semiconductor industry, and the City of Phoenix’s workforce board is the first to sponsor a registered apprenticeship program in this industry. JN

Dr. Julian Wyatt, newly elected Jewish War Veterans Post 619 Commander, author and Bronze Star recipient, will speak about his military career and becoming Jewish.

Information table for attendess at the Jan. 28 event.

COURTESY OF CAROLYN LEFF

Emma Schwarz profile picture on LinkedIn.

Mayor Kate Gallego COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR KATE GALLEGO

Hamas has made me hate. How can I pray for peace?

RABBI MARC KATZ | JTA

I’m beginning to come to terms with the fact that I am feeling hate — an unsettling, unfamiliar emotion for me.

And I’m not alone. Congregants who have viewed themselves as peace-loving, balanced and open have talked about the murder of Shiri Bibas and her children, the locked caskets, the unidentified body in place of Shiri’s, and the fact that two of the remaining hostages were made to attend the ceremony where their brethren were freed with vitriol. These congregants spit out invective against Hamas, but it doesn’t stop there. “Maybe it would just be better to burn the whole place down,” they say, only to catch themselves with looks of horror.

I never thought I would be here. I’ve often admired the compassion and love shown by members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, who forgave Dylann Roof for shooting and killing their fellow parishioners. If I were in a similar position, could I tap into this well of compassion? Could I see the radical humanity of even the most evil individuals?

Judaism may preach forgiveness, but unlike its Christian counterpart, it’s not so quick to demand it. Judaism allows for hate, it makes room for it, because it understands that it must, but at the same time it puts guardrails around it to ensure it does not consume us.

The first thing that Judaism demands of hate is that it must have a reason. We are often taught that hatred is what caused God to destroy the Second Temple. But the hatred that brought about the destruction of Jerusalem was a specific breed, sinat chinam, baseless hatred. In Hebrew the word chinam means free. It’s unearned hatred. It’s being despised not for what you have done, but for who you are. It’s the

OPINION

kind of hate that has grown so big that the cause is almost forgotten. A hatred without a base has no platform on which to build redemption.

This indeed is a dangerous kind of hatred. But there are plenty of other times in Jewish history, text and liturgy that statements of hatred seem to be tolerated in light of great evils done to us. We are told to blot out the memory of Amalek, who tried to destroy our ancestors while we wandered in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt.

Our Haggadah preserves our ancestor’s call for vengeance against their oppressors during the Middle Ages. We may diminish our wine during Passover when we recall the plagues, but each day we proudly recite the Song of Sea (Exodus 15) where we call God a “man of war” and praise God for throwing a horse and chariot into the water.

Christianity may preach turning the other cheek, but Judaism takes a more nuanced approach. It can hold the need for peace, forgiveness and reconciliation alongside the very human need to look at those things and scoff, “Not yet, maybe not ever.”

But how can we hate? Is there a healthy way?

I have found two texts instructive on this front.

The first comes in the most unlikely of places: the commandment to avoid hatred in the first place. Leviticus 19:17 reads, “Do not hate your brother in your heart.” While often we focus on the first clause, the command, I’ve always believed that it’s the second phrase that matters more. Picking up on the words “in your heart,” the medieval commentator Maimonides recalls the story of Amnon and Absalom. After Amnon rapes Absalom’s sister Tamar, Absalom stews in his hatred. He never confronts his brother. He seeks no justice. His animosity festers. It grows rotten inside

Letter to the editor

I am responding to the editorial by Barrie S. (“Scottsdale for All” replaced with “Scottsdale for Some,” Feb. 21, 2025) where she lamented the loss of DEI in Scottsdale stating that the Office of Diversity is “dedicated to equal opportunity.” I have always been in favor of the D and I, that is diversity and inclusion. I believe these to be essential values reflected in the Jewish community. But the E stands for equity, that is guaranteeing equal

OUTCOMES, not equality which means equal OPPORTUNITY.

Equity dictates that immutable characteristics such as skin color, ethnicity, gender, etc., define who is accepted to a medical school or hired for a corporate office. Under such a policy, Jews should not occupy more than 2% of a professional school, corporate office, etc. Proponents of equity consider life to be a zero-sum game, such that if Jews occupy more

him until one day, he rises up and kills his brother. This leads to his downfall. Soon he finds himself spinning out of control in open rebellion against his father, King David. The story ends with Absalom’s death and a family in complete ruin.

Hatred is dangerous because it rots you from the inside. It’s been described as drinking poison you intend for another. In our world, it’s shameful to feel hate, so we keep it bottled up. But shame is fed through silence and it festers if unattended. In a perfect world, when we speak of our hurt and anger it will lead the one who wronged us to seek reconciliation. Knowing that’s impossible with Hamas, the best we can hope for is that someone will hear our pain and acknowledge it. We have to find productive ways to let it out.

The second teaching comes from another surprising place. The Torah tells us that despite hating our enemy, we must return his lost oxen to him if we find it (Exodus 23:4). Furthermore, if you see your enemy’s donkey struggling under its burden you need to help it (Exodus 23:5). Ideally, this will initiate a rapprochement. But the Torah doesn’t say this. It is possible to go through all the trouble of helping your enemy’s animals and remain foes.

Perhaps this text is teaching something else. In Jewish law there are two types of commandments we might fulfill. Some are completely in our control, like prayer or Shabbat, which are time bound and we choose to observe. Others we encounter by luck. We gain merit by doing them but don’t always have the opportunity to do them every day. Among this second category is the lost oxen or the stumbling donkey. Imagine one’s joy at gaining the opportunity to return this lost property or help this struggling animal, but imagine one’s chagrin at realizing that it means

doing a favor for one’s enemy. Yet if we let hatred become so all-consuming that we pass the chance to perform the mitzvah, we let our enemies rob us of our opportunity to fulfill our ethical mandate. Our hatred of them clouds our ability to do what we think is right. They have won by changing us. Hamas is my enemy, but I refuse to let them change me. I pray every day for Hamas’ destruction. And unlike our ancestor Bruriah, who taught to limit our prayers solely to ones where evildoers repent and change their ways, my prayers this week often include much darker ends. But in my brokenhearted anger and rage I remain steadfastly myself. When push comes to shove, I can’t let my hatred of Hamas fundamentally transform me. If Israel needs to go back to war to wipe out Hamas, so be it. But hatred is not a Rubicon. In the ensuing war, I must couple that feeling with compassion for innocent lives, a hope for a quick end to the violence and prayer for an enduring peace. JN

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

than 2% of a medical school class, it is because Jews are therefore ‘’privileged’ and “oppressors” that benefited from a structurally racist society.

No matter how hard an individual Jewish student worked or studied or is financially disadvantaged, her spot must go to someone else. Of course, qualified Jews are not the only ones hurt by equity. So are Asians, men or any group not seen as “the oppressed.”

It is a very small step from saying

A NOTE ON OPINION

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

Jews are unfairly overrepresented in a profession to the idea Jews are therefore part of a cabal that has controlled access to coveted spots in society.

Americans are finally discovering the pernicious effects of equity and are fighting back against it. It is about time, and the concept of equity should be eliminated everywhere, including Scottsdale.

Michael A., Scottsdale

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

for

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

Background: Hamas terrorists prepare to give bodies of the Bibas family and Oded Lifshitz, Israelis abducted on Oct. 7, 2023, and later killed, to the Red Cross in Gaza, Feb. 20, 2025.

Two halves of the onyx

RABBI DOVBER DECHTER

PARSHAH TETZAVEH:

EXODUS 27:20 - 30:10

Imagine sitting through four hours of Uncle Hymie’s stories — it’s about as pleasant as glass grinding in your ear. Do you know someone who dreads the holidays? Is it because they feel they will be forced to sit at one table with their family? We bear the discomfort of the situation to make Bubbe, Zeidy, Mom or Dad happy. But sometimes we wish we were a million miles away. We wish we were with people who think like us. Who live like us. Who are more pleasant to be around and spend time with.

Which got me thinking. What makes a family unit? Or a social unit? What type of commonality breeds true harmony and cohesiveness? Do we need to be the same to be able to appreciate sitting together at the company get together?

I noticed a pertinent message in a small nuance often overlooked in the Torah; the

High Priests clothing. As with everything the Torah felt important to record, there is a personal nugget of direction to be found, even though the garments have not been worn for thousands of years.

The High priest wore an apron with shoulder straps attached. At the point where it connected to the breastplate, there were onyx stones. One for each shoulder. The names of the 12 tribes were engraved in them. This would be for a remembrance and a source of merit for the people.

They were engraved “in the order of their birth” (Exodus 28:10). Simple enough, right? But how did that actually look?

Two great medieval Rabbis envisioned this differently. Rashi understood it to mean that they were in the order of their birth. One stone had the elder six and the other the younger six, in order. Rambam (Maimonides) understood that it was written in order of each mother’s children, and alternating between stones. Leah had the firstborn, so all her sons are written, followed by Bilhahs family, then Zilpah and finally Rochel. So, the right one would have Reuven, and the left one would have Shimon and so on.

This does not seem like a very significant disagreement to spend our word count on. But thinking a little deeper into this will give us some critical perspective.

Unity has different looks. Following the standard order of birth gives us a standard and orderly presentation. Everyone is where they are supposed to be, doing what they are supposed to be doing. No one stands out even though there are differences. We look to the common goal and ignore the things that can separate us. As the Lubavitcher Rebbe once told someone, “If there is one thing we don’t agree upon, there are another 612 that we do agree on. Let’s focus on those.” This would be very helpful to not only tolerate but also appreciate others in our sphere.

There is another element of unity we must equally keep in mind as well. Maybe even more often. This is when the names are divided by their mothers’ families and alternate between stones. Here we begin to see them and distinct individuals. Brought up differently, thinking differently, behaving differently. Not seeing eye to eye on critical issues. Defining issues. And yet they are all on the same two stones, intertwined

with each other. Because here we began to see how we all make up a complete unit specifically because we are different. A tapestry is all the more beautiful when it expertly combines colors and shades to produce an inspiring image. We need each other because we all promote another truth of G-d. We, with all our differences, and as a result of our differences, make up this earth that G-d calls His garden.

So if Uncle Hymie or Aunt Sadie start getting to you at the Pesach Seder, remember, we can overlook the one (or two or sometimes three) thing that divide us, and turn the conversation to the 612 things that we connect over.

Or even better, appreciate that they too have a G-dly truth they are expressing. We need that variety to paint this world into the truly beautiful masterpiece it is. L’chaim! JN

We couldn’t save the Bibas boys, but we can still choose life

MEG KEENE | JTA

For Jews, the world has stilled. In Israel the streets are lined with people holding flags and orange balloons, holding each other. In the diaspora we hold our breath, staring at our screens, frozen.

The endless conversations I have with other Jewish mothers, the connection and community that keeps us buzzing behind the scenes of raising children and running our careers and caring for our families — today it’s silenced. WhatsApp, text threads, DMs: empty.

Baruch dayan emet. May their memories be a revolution. May you have a long life. There is nothing else left to say. Ariel and Kfir Bibas are gone. Oded Lifshitz is gone. On Feb. 21, Israel announced that Shiri Bibas was missing, her body having not returned from Gaza that day. A mother, with eyes like our own. A baby. A preschooler. A great-grandfather who spent his life fighting for peace. Each a whole world, extinguished or lost. On Feb. 20, the bodies of the boys and of Lifshitz were handed over by their Hamas killers, in a violent mockery of our grief. Their caskets were paraded like trophies, presented in front of a bloodied banner.

And the world continues, silent and largely uncaring.

Recently, my 6th grade son had a unit on Israel. He was proud to be something of a subject matter expert — the only Jew in his class. When they had their final test, he came home in tears. He’d had one question marked wrong, and he didn’t understand why. The question was: “What is the word for Jews living outside the Jewish homeland?” His teacher wanted him to pick “diaspora,” but he chose “exile.” “I thought about it a lot,” he said. “Exile felt correct.”

And today, I can see he was right. For those of us in the diaspora, it’s never felt more like galut, like exile. Our hearts are in Jerusalem, but our bodies are here.

After Oct. 7 there were mornings where I’d hear new details — I’d read about the way children were slaughtered in front of their parents, parents massacred in front of their children. I’d see images of tiny Jewish bodies incinerated. And I’d stand up from the breakfast table, smile tightly at my children, shut the door to the bathroom and fall to the floor, dry heaving. The pain was more than my body could hold; it was poison that it wanted to purge.

But then, like every other Jewish mother, I would stand up, wash my face and return to my kids. We had children to raise. We had babies trapped in Gaza to fight for. We had

to defer our sorrow.

But in the cold light of this morning, none of our children are left in torture tunnels. The last of our babies have been returned momentarily to the light, till they are given back to the earth. And somehow we have to move forward.

For weeks Jewish mothers have asked each other, “If the Bibas children have been killed, how do we go on?” And today the answer is clear to me: We don’t. We stop.

The bodies of Shiri, Ariel, Kfir and Oded have been returned to us. And there is nothing we can do but feel the agony as it rips through our bodies. Tomorrow, maybe, we can act. But today we hold still.

Jewish mothers tried to keep the Bibas family alive with the strength of our communal love and longing. We wore orange to try to get the world remember the flamehaired boys, we shared pictures of the family in Batman pajamas and the horrific video of their capture. We made sure they were not forgotten, and we tried to will them safely home.

It’s the same thing I do when I fly: I try to keep the plane aloft with the power of my mind. But a greater power is guiding the plane — the forces of aeronautics. And today we realize the same jagged truth. For

all of our collective hope, we never had the power to keep Ariel and Kfir alive. What we had was love, prayer and collective magical thinking. We had already lost them, but in our hearts and minds they were still alive.

That is the power of our tribe, unbroken for thousands of years. We have collective memories, joys and sorrows. And today, two red-headed boys become part of our history, a story we will never stop telling.

Today, a nation mourns, in Israel and in exile. Jewish mothers everywhere know that the nightmare has come round again, our deepest fears slashed across the news. But still, somehow, we choose life. We turn our eyes back towards our children, we wipe our faces, and we get up off the floor.

We say “Am Yisrael Chai” like a triumphant mantra. But the reality of how the nation of Israel lives is mundane. Pouring cheerios. Teaching the Shema. Singing “Hatikvah.” Driving to Hebrew school. Comforting our children in the dark. And then waking up with them as dawn breaks, each and every morning. JN

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

Rabbi Dovber Dechter is the co-director of Chabad of Downtown Phoenix.

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

Rabbi Dovber Dechter COURTESY OF RABBI DOVBER DECHTER

Summer schedule offers seniors more changes to age creatively

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

Eileen Landau has lost count of the number of classes she’s taken with the Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS) Center for Senior Enrichment and Creative Aging. Thus far, her favorite is watercolor painting, partly because of the instructor’s expertise.

“She’s the best teacher I’ve had, and I have been taking art classes since I moved to Phoenix five years ago,” she told Jewish News.

Landau takes her art seriously, so the last thing she wants to hear from the instructor is a simple “That’s pretty,” or

other vague compliment that offers no valuable critique.

“I want to hear how I can make it better, and my Creative Aging teacher does that with a deft hand. She also gives beginners a good foundation,” she said.

The quality of instruction is also something JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment and Creative Aging director Jennifer Brauner points to as a reason for the success of the classes her program has offered the last few years.

“The teacher is important and our participants are so appreciative. A lot of them have taken similar classes in other places but tell me they’ve not taken a class like this before, and part of that is down to our exceptional teachers,” Brauner told Jewish News.

Brauner recently released the summer schedule of Creative Aging classes, including watercolor painting, Tai chi a nd line dancing, which will be held at Congregation Beth Israel (CBI) in Scottsdale for a second year. Almost

SUMMER, PAGE 14

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Creative Aging watercolor painting class at Congregation Beth Israel. COURTESY OF JENNIFER BRAUNER

“CHORDially Yours” singers. COURTESY OF JENNIFER BRAUNER

Phoenix fire engine, ‘one fine piece of design,’ celebrates 300th birthday

MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

When visitors to the Hall of Flame

Museum of Firefighting in Phoenix begin a tour, one of the first exhibits is a unique piece of “senior” equipment adorned with a birthday helmet and balloon. The piece is a 1725 Newsham Manual Fire Engine, and “she” is celebrating her 300th birthday.

“We don’t know what day she was built, of course, so we’re basically treating every day as her birthday and we’re making a big fuss,” said Mark Moorhead, curator of education at the museum.

Moorhead has been at the museum for almost 20 years, and the pumper was there when he arrived. He knows it belonged to a private estate in the north of England and probably served a village nearby, but he’s not exactly sure how the piece ended up in the collection of the biggest firefighting museum in the world.

Jewish volunteer, Ira “Jim” Goode, said, “I’m impressed that the Newsham has lasted this long and that it’s been so well taken care of.”

Goode was a firefighter in Chicago for 25 years and worked as a remodeling contractor. He builds exhibits and does maintenance at the museum and uses his woodworking skills to craft wooden “Thin Red Line” flags that hang on its walls. The black-striped flag with a prominent red line is a symbol used by fire departments to show respect for those injured and killed in the line of duty.

Goode explained that when the Newsham was in operation, it could pump about 60 gallons a minute. The “hand pumper,” as it’s called, has two handles on either side and firefighters would pump the water out from a hopper in the back through a metal spout or “branch pipe.”

Moorhead added that before hand pumpers were invented, communities fought fires with a “bucket brigade.”

“You’d line up everybody in town and you’d pass the buckets. They’d even get the kids involved,” he said. “Some places had an ordinance where you had to have two or three buckets on your front porch or back steps.”

However, as populations grew and people began living more closely together, there became a real incentive to find a way to fight fires more effectively.

“The beginning of the modern fire service was in the 1600s, with these manual hand pumpers — and they really worked,” said Moorhead. “Look at our 300-year-old beautiful lady. She seems primitive, but when you compare it to taking buckets of water and trying to feebly throw them on the fire, that’s a huge leap forward when you can get

60 gallons of water a minute onto a fire.”

He said it was appropriate that the Newsham ended up in Phoenix because the Valley is actually known for its cutting-edge innovations when it comes to firefighting.

One example is a call center in the museum that still monitors the Phoenix Fire Department’s calls. Moorhead said it was used in the field from the 1950s to the 1980s and was put together by firefighters using “cannibalized equipment.”

“It was so ingenious and innovative that people came from all over the world to check this technology out and take it back to their hometowns,” he said.

Moorhead also mentioned the contributions of two late fire chiefs, Alan Brunacini of Phoenix and Gray Crabtree of Glendale, who started the Automatic Aid System, which is considered the gold standard for emergency service delivery.

The system dispatches the closest fire department to an emergency, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries.

“If I am walking through the museum,

which is in Phoenix, and I fall over with a heart attack and somebody calls 911, it’s probably going to be the fire station in Tempe, that’s just a couple blocks away, that’s going to come because they are closest,” he said. “My boss, Chuck (Montgomery, the museum’s executive director), likes to say, ‘It’s one big fire department; the only difference is the name of the town on the door and maybe the color of the fire truck.’”

SEE BIRTHDAY, PAGE 14

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The 1725 Newsham Manual Fire Engine. COURTESY

Jim Goode is a volunteer at the Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting in Phoenix. COURTESY OF JIM GOODE

SUMMER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

immediately after she posted the list, one class sold out.

The partnership with CBI has opened up the six-week classes to people who otherwise might not have known about them, Brauner said.

“We thought it was important to partner with JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment and Creative Aging and donate our space, to ensure that there is senior programming available for our community. This includes CBI members, but truly focuses on the broader senior community,” CBI Chief Communal and Executive Officer Robin Roeder told Jewish News in an email.

“We started with a small musical program, ‘CHORDially Yours,’ and saw what a great impact it had. It was only natural for us to want to expand the program offerings,” she said.

Donna Harris loves singing with CHORDially Yours and even lends a hand by emailing information and updates. Having more Creative Aging classes at CBI has been a big help for her as she doesn’t like driving too far as she’s gotten older.

Harris is a regular hiker, determined “to put one foot in front of the other, even if it aches,” and enjoys the physicality of the tai chi class.

“Tai chi uses muscles I don’t normally

use. As you age, the balance, stretching and breathing techniques are really helpful,” she told Jewish News.

Raymond Sol, the 84-year-old tai chi teacher, is able to connect with the students because “I am one of them,” he told Jewish News. He enjoys sharing health tips with them, including the importance of finding a way to relax throughout the day. But the focus is always on the exercise itself.

“Tai chi offers an emphasis on balance and stability, something that is critical for people my age. If we fall, our injuries can be catastrophic,” he said.

Tai chi instruction offers differing amounts of movements, Sol teaches 64, which is a lot to learn, and likely explains part of the reason he gets so many repeat customers in his classes.

“They get a lot more out of a second or even a third class and keep improving,” he explained. He teaches five or six days a week and credits that for keeping him moving and flexible, something he shares with his students.

As much as she enjoys the exercise, Harris values the social connection the classes provide most.

The people she meets in class are “all in the same boat,” so to speak. Loneliness is a real problem for older people, and the camaraderie she and her classmates gain has been meaningful. People smile at one another, go to lunch together and,

sometimes, become friends.

“Older people aren’t listened to or looked at. But with these classes, people treat you like a human. You feel it, and that’s valuable,” she said.

Landau agreed that the social interaction from the classes has changed people’s lives for the better.

“The older we get, the fewer our connections. I know there have been several women, and I hear them talking about loneliness, and the effect is more lasting than we realize,” she said.

Brauner understands this phenomenon and hopes the Creative Aging classes fill a valuable need.

“As seniors get older their world gets smaller. Any opportunity to meet new people, and to learn, is important to give to them,” she said.

The classes offered have received a lot of positive feedback, but she’s always open to new ideas. For example, she’s considering a senior hip-hop class once she gets more input from people.

“You never know. I’m open to anything. I want to make it fun for people, so they want to come back for more,” she said. JN

To learn more and register, visit jfcsaz. org/our-services/older-adults-services/ class-calendar.

BIRTHDAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

And when it comes to fire trucks, both Moorhead and Goode have their favorites in the museum’s collection.

“I’m an engine man myself, not a truckie,” joked Goode. “But one of my favorites is a parade carriage decorated really nice, built in New York City for the city of Derby, Connecticut.”

Moorhead added that it’s nicknamed Cinderella because visitors often comment it looks like what the soon-to-be princess took to the ball. He explained that ornate parade vehicles often weren’t functional but kept to “show off” during community events.

“My favorite piece in the whole museum is right across from the lady that just turned 300,” said Moorhead. “She’s from 1844, built in Philadelphia, for the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. She’s really fancy, beautifully designed with murals and handles that fold up into this V shape when you store it in the station.”

He admits that the Newsham is more of a plain Jane when compared with some of the more ornate vehicles on exhibit.

“She’s not the most elegant or fancy because of the color of the bare wood, but she is one fine piece of design and we are terribly fond of her.” JN

For more information, visit hallofflame.org.

Optimal estate planning: The advantages of revocable living trusts over wills and POD designations

MARK BREGMAN AND STEVE TUTNICK | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

The decisions you make when planning your estate may have a profound impact on the future security and wellbeing of your loved ones. Navigating the complexities of asset distribution, probate and beneficiary management requires a comprehensive educated analysis. A Last Will and Testament is a fundamental component of estate planning, allowing you to designate an administrator and specify beneficiaries for your estate.

However, this document alone may not avoid the sometimes cumbersome and public probate process. On the other hand, Pay on Death (POD) beneficiary designations offer a means to bypass probate but lack a central administrator to manage the estate. To achieve the optimal balance of efficient asset distribution, probate avoidance and centralized administration, a revocable living trust is a more effective solution. This estate planning tool provides the necessary flexibility, control and security, ensuring that your wishes are honored and your loved ones are protected.

Neither a Last Will and Testament nor a trust effectively handles IRA distributions, and a beneficiary designation will not always manage your accumulated wealth the way you intend. Thus, a good estate plan utilizes many strategies to effectively pass on your wealth and values in a way that benefits your loved ones and satisfies your desire to be remembered as someone who took care of your family in a thoughtful and meaningful way.

A Last Will and Testament can designate an administrator, known as the personal representative (or executor in

some other states), and specify the beneficiaries who receive portions of the estate.

However, a Last Will and Testament must undergo the probate process, which may be cumbersome, time-consuming and subject to public scrutiny.

“Probate” is the legal procedure that validates the Last Will and Testament, approves the person named as the personal representative, with or without bond, determines who are the intestate heirs if the will is not valid and resolves disputes arising during administration.

Pay on Death (POD) beneficiary designations (sometimes referred to as TOD designations if dealing with investment accounts) facilitates the direct transfer of bank accounts or investment accounts, to named beneficiaries upon the account holder’s death, thereby avoiding the more difficult probate process. Although a POD designation may avoid probate, it does not provide for an administrator to manage the distribution of assets. Relying on direct transfers using POD designations may cause chaos if there are outstanding debts, specific bequests, a need for a decisionmaker over the timing of distributions and other administrative needs, such as paying the decedent’s last income taxes and any estate income taxes that may become due. POD designations are best used in extremely simple estates and when there are other sources from which debts, expenses and taxes may be paid.

A revocable living trust allows you (“the grantor”), to transfer ownership of your assets into a trust during your lifetime. The grantor maintains control

over the assets, serves as the initial trustee, determines how to distribute the assets (usually to yourself) and appoints a successor trustee to assume responsibility upon your death or incapacity. All tax consequences (income and deductions) of trust assets are reported on your 1040, simplifying the tax administration of a trust.

A significant advantage of a revocable living trust is the ability to designate one or more trustees to manage the distribution of assets to multiple beneficiaries when and how you determine best suit your values and intentions, including the ability to avoid a conservatorship in the event you are unable to continuing managing your own affairs, typically because of age-related infirmities. This arrangement facilitates managing your estate in accordance with your wishes, without court intervention unless there is a dispute.

In summary, while a Last Will and Testament can appoint a single administrator and specify multiple beneficiaries, it must still undergo the probate process, which can be burdensome and public. Pay on Death (POD) beneficiary designations offer a method to avoid probate but lack an administrator to comprehensively manage the estate. The most effective strategy to have a single administrator for multiple beneficiaries, while avoiding probate, is to establish a revocable living trust. This estate planning tool provides the necessary flexibility, control and efficient asset distribution, ensuring that your wishes are meticulously honored and your loved ones are safeguarded. JN

Mark Bregman has been an estate planning attorney for over 40 years. He can be reached at mabregman@dbfwclegal.com or 602-254-6008. Steve Tutnick recently joined Dyer Bregman Ferris Wong & Carter, PLLC’s estate planning group and may be reached at srtutnick@ dbfwclegal.com or 602-254-6008.

Mark Bregman COURTESY OF DYER BREGMAN FERRIS WONG & CARTER PLLC

Steve Tutnick COURTESY OF DYER BREGMAN FERRIS WONG & CARTER PLLC

Marjorie T. Desmond Your Personal Legacy Lawyer

What happens when an LLC member dies

ALLISON L. KIERMAN | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Death is always complicated. It involves emotional and logistical considerations and management. When an owner (typically called a member) of a limited liability company (LLC) dies, it exacerbates the difficulties for the surviving family and LLC members. In addition to bearing the loss, they must determine whether the LLC can or even should continue, how to value the business and who inherits the company and/or its value.

These questions are just a few of the issues that should be considered as part of an LLC business plan. Failure to address these issues could result in conflict within the business, conflict within the family or even the closing of the business.

To truly answer what happens to an LLC after a member dies, you must consider a number of factors and their interactions, language of the company’s operating agreement and the personal estate plans of the deceased.

LLCs and operating agreements

The structure of an LLC is one of the elements that creates complexity when determining the outcome after an LLC

MUCH LIKE PLANNING FOR YOUR PERSONAL ESTATE, IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OWNER, YOU ALSO NEED TO PLAN FOR WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BUSINESS IF YOU PASS AWAY.

member’s death. LLCs provide substantial flexibility in addressing matters of ownership, management and financial rights, which are primarily governed by a contract called the operating agreement. The execution of an operating agreement is not usually mandated by state law, but it is often the most critical component when dealing with an LLC member’s death. In the absence of an operating agreement specifying the members’ intentions about what should happen upon their death, the surviving members and the deceased member’s heirs must rely primarily on an agreement among them or a lawsuit. For optimal control and intentionality, the members should make these decisions in advance and carefully document them in their LLC operating agreement, as well as their personal estate planning documents. In addition, it is crucial to ensure

that there are no conflicting provisions in these documents that could create ambiguity about a member’s wishes.

Some operating agreements incorporate provisions for transferring assets upon specific triggering events, including a member’s death. These provisions are often called buy-sell provisions. Buy-sell provisions, along with other provisions in the operating agreement, may treat LLC membership interests as bifurcated into management/decision-making interests and financial interests. It is not uncommon for LLC members to structure their rights in unique ways regarding how management authority is shared and how profits and losses are split. Moreover, in some cases, an operating agreement can restrict the type of ownership interest that an heir receives at the time of a member’s death to one of these two categories rather than transferring complete financial and management rights. Alternatively, a buy-sell provision may give the surviving members the option to purchase the deceased member’s interest at a fair price.

State law

If an LLC does not have a plan for how to manage the company upon a member’s death, Arizona state law sets the default rules. First, the interests of the LLC may have to be probated before any decisions can be made or any financial accounts can be accessed. Second, under Arizona law, typically, the deceased member’s interest passes to their estate or designated heirs, but those heirs do not automatically gain management rights. Instead, they receive only financial rights unless the remaining members unanimously consent to grant them managerial authority. This means, the spouse or children may not have any say in the operation of the LLC, how much money is distributed or when profits are distributed.

The surviving members must often negotiate with the deceased member’s estate to determine how to proceed. In some cases, the business may have to dissolve if there are no provisions allowing it to continue or if the members cannot agree on a buyout. Arizona law allows for the continuation of an LLC if the remaining members take action to do so, ensuring business continuity. To avoid uncertainty, Arizona business owners should establish a clear succession plan within their operating agreement

to specify how ownership and management should be handled in the event of a member’s death.

Estate plans

You can protect your business legacy by implementing business succession planning.

Important questions to ask:

• Who can manage the business after the deceased’s death?

• Are there any specific licenses that are required for someone else to take over the business?

• Who has access to important business information and finances?

• Who can continue with payments or employee paychecks, at least on a shortterm basis?

• Who should profit upon the death of the member?

• Can the business be sold and if so, to whom?

• What happens to long-term or loyal employees?

• Will any children take over the business? If so, are they buying or being gifted it?

Each of these questions should be answered and documented in a writing to be clear to everyone.

Much like planning for your personal estate, if you are a business owner, you also need to plan for what happens to your business if you pass away. Understanding business succession and creating a comprehensive plan can allow your company to thrive in your absence. Don’t leave anything to chance. JN

Allison L. Kierman is the managing partner of Kierman Law, PLC (kiermanlaw.com), an estate planning law firm based in Scottsdale. She also serves on the board of directors of Congregation Beth Israel.

Allison L. Kierman COURTESY OF ALLISON L. KIERMAN

California dreaming

Several staff members of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix traveled to Los Angeles in January for the Jewish Federations of North America regional gathering. Back row from left are Kaylie Medansky, Kay Campanella, Sarah Ben Harush, Jennifer

Richard Kasper, Andrew Gibbs and Rich Solomon. Front row from left are Sheryl Press and Gail Baer.

The lucky ones

Time for tea

Cookie

Shifris was presented Arizona Jews for Justice’s Justice Champion Award for Excellence in Service & Character in late January from Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz.

More than a meal

Mazel tov Cantor Noa!

On Tuesday, Feb. 25, Temple Kol Ami’s board of trustees unanimously voted to extend Cantor Noa Shaashua’s contract for five more years.

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.

From left, Marvin Kline, Lori Roth, Marci Beliak, David Weinstein, Mark and Susie Magier, Sharon Cohn, Pat Singer and Tina Firetag are pictured at Smile on Seniors’ “Not Just Lunch and Music” event on Tuesday, Jan. 8.

Starrett,

Harriet Colan, office manager at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, third from right, led a group VOSJCC members on a day trip to the English Rose Tea Room in Carefree in February.

Phoenix Holocaust Association observed International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a presentation by Georgia Hunter, author of “We Were the Lucky Ones.” Pictured from left are Hunter, Sheryl Bronkesh, Leslie Feldman and Busy Philipps. COURTESY OF DANIEL FISCHPAN,

Featured Event

THURSDAY-FRIDAY, MARCH 13-14

Purim at Chabad of Arizona: Times vary. Chabad of Arizona, 2110 E. Lincoln Drive, Phoenix. Join Chabad for a variety of Purim activities including Inflatable Purim (6 p.m. on March 13), Purim Feast (4:30 p.m. on March 14), Megillah readings (March 13 and 14) and Purim Bash (10:30 a.m. on March 14). For more information, visit chabadaz.com/purim2025.

Events

SUNDAY MARCH 9

“Happy Purim”: Online, all day. Join the East Valley Jewish Community Center for its Israeli Film Series exploring the holiday in an ultra-Orthodox community in Jerusalem. Cost: Free; registrants will receive the link the evening of March 8. For more information, visit evjcc.org/film.

Annual Purim Carnival: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Temple Emanuel of Tempe, 5801 S. Rural Road, Tempe. Join TEOT for games, bounce houses, BBQ lunch, DJ, costume contest, parade, vendor fair and more. For more information, visit emanueloftempe.org/purim-2025.

March Café Europa: 1-3 p.m.. Beth El Phoenix, 1118 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix. Join Phoenix Holocaust Association for a social and support program for survivors, family and friends. Entertainment by cabaret singer and musician Joe Bousard. For more information, visit phxha. com/CONNECT.

Purim Palooza for Families with Littles: 4 p.m.. Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Join Or Tzion Rabbi Green and Cantor Rubinstein for the story of Purim, songs, crafts, hamantaschen decorating and more. Cost: Free. For more information, visit otaz.org/ littlespurim.

The Jews of Spain: Past, Present, Future?: 4:30 p.m. Chabad Jewish Center of North Phoenix, 22044 N. 44th St., Phoenix. Join Chabad for a presentation by Moises Hassan-Amselem, born in Seville of Moroccan and Algerian heritage, is an honorary lecturer on Holocaust studies and antisemitism at the University “Pablo de Olavide” in Seville, Spain. Part of the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix’s Passages series. Cost: $25. For more information, visit bjephoenix.org/programs/passages.

MONDAY MARCH 10

Mapping the Pro-Israel Landscape: Allies, Enemies and the Road Ahead: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.. Chompie’s, 9301 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale. Join speaker Dillon Hosier, CEO of Israel-American Civic Action Network for a presentation. Cost: $31 per person. For more information, contact lks19@cox.net.

March 10-April 30

Jewish Culture & Heritage Festival: Times vary. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. School House Road, Cave Creek. Join Foothills Library for presentations on Jewish cuisine, the Holocaust, family events, an art exhibit and more. For more information, visit dfla.org.

THURSDAY MARCH 13

Purim Mardi Gras 2025: 6-8 p.m. Congregation Or Tzion, Join Or Tzion for a Mardi Gras themed Purim party with Megillah reading, food, drinks and beads. For more information, visit otaz.org/ purim25.

Wicked Purim: 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Temple Kol Ami, 15030 N. 64th St., Scottsdale. Join TKA for a musical retelling of the story of Esther. For more information, visit templekolami.org.

Purim Under the Stars!: 6:45 p.m. Private residence; location provided upon RSVP. Join Chabad of Ahwatukee for an outdoor celebration with Megillah reading, food and fun for all ages. For more information, visit chabadahwatukee.com/stars.

Celebrate Purim: 6:50-9 p.m. Valley Beit Midrash, 7580 E. Gray Road, Scottsdale. Join VBM and Arizona Jews for Justice for Megillah reading, kids activities and a buffet dinner. $25 adults, $10 children, free for ages 4 and under and VIP members. For more information, visit valleybeitmidrash.org.

Purim Celebration: 7-9 p.m. Beth Emeth Congregation, 13702 W. Meeker Blvd., Sun City West. Join Beth Emeth for Megillah reading and entertainment. Each family will receive a mishloach manot basket to take home. Cost: Free. For more information, visit bethemethaz.org.

FRIDAY MARCH 14

Purim Comedy Show: 4:30 p.m. Chabad of Mesa, 941 S. Maple, Mesa. Join Chabad for a comedy show, sushi and Megillah reading. For more information, visit chabadmesa.com.

Single and Mingle Purim: 5:30 p.m. Temple Emanuel of Tempe, 58-1 S. Rural Road, Tempe. Join TEOT for a happy hour, games and nosh. Cost: $18. For more information, visit emanueloftempe.org/event/single-and-mingle-purim.

SATURDAY MARCH 15

Encountering the Second Trump Presidency: 10 a.m. Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Join Temple Chai for a discussion led by Dr. Steven Windmueller exploring the implications of the second Trump presidency through the lens of the Jewish vote, Jewish communal interests and societal priorities. For more information, visit templechai.com.

The Lessons of Purim for Today: Survival, Pride in Our Identity, Strength in Time of Crisis: 10:15 a.m. Sun Lakes Chapel Center, 9230 E. Sun Lakes Blvd. N., Sun Lakes. Join Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation for a discussion by Rabbi Irwin Weiner. Cost: Free. For more information, contact 480-584-5909.

SUNDAY MARCH 16

1st Annual Mah Jongg Tournament: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Beth Emeth Congregation, 13702 W. Meeker Blvd., Sun City West. Join Beth Emeth for four rounds of play with cash prizes. Cost: $50 per person; registration closes March 9 at noon. For more information, call 623-584-7210.

Israeli Dancing: March Dance Fest: 2-4 p.m. Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley, 3400 N. Dobson Road, Chandler. Join TBSEV for a dance class open to all levels. Cost: $8 non members, free for TBSEV members. For more information,

visit tickettailor.com/events/templebethsholom oftheeastvalley/1566517/r/jphoenix.

MONDAY MARCH 17

Game Day: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Join Brandeis National Committee-Phoenix Chapter for a day of games featuring canasta, mahjong, bridge and more. For more information, visit brandeisphoenix.org.

TUESDAY MARCH 18

Mercaz USA Speaker Dr. Yizhar Hess: 4 p.m. Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Join Or Tzion for a discussion about why your vote matters in the World Zionist Congress election. For more information, visit otaz.org/mercaz.

THURSDAY MARCH 20

Parkinson’s Wellness Day: 9:15 a.m.-12 p.m. Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Join the VOSJCC for a morning dedicated to those living with Parkinson’s disease and the caregivers who support them. Cost: Free. For more information, visit valleyofthesunj.org/ parkinsons-wellness-day.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Shabbat

FRIDAYS

Shabbat in the Park: 10-11 a.m. Cactus Park, 7202 E. Cactus Road, Scottsdale. Join the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix monthly for music, parachute play, crafts and a

family Shabbat experience. For more information, visit bjephoenix.org.

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

Shabbat at Beth El: 7:15 a.m. and 5:45 p.m on Zoom; 9:30 a.m. at Beth El Phoenix, 1118 W. Glendale. Ave., Phoenix or livestreaming on YouTube. Celebrate Shabbat with songs, blessings and teachings with Rabbi Stein Kokin the first Friday of every month. Special guests will be welcoming Shabbat during the remainder of the month. For more information or to join, visit bethelphoenix.com.

Erev Shabbat Service: 5:30 p.m. Online. Rabbi Alicia Magal will lead a service livestreamed for members of the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley. Cost: Free. For more information and to obtain the Zoom link, visit jcsvv. org/contact.

Shabbat Service: 5:30-6:30 p.m.; Oneg at 5 p.m. Temple B’rith Shalom, 2077 Brohner Way, Prescott. Join Temple B’rith Shalom for a musical and spiritual Shabbat service. For more information, visit brithshalom-az.org.

Shabbat Services: 5:30 p.m. nosh, 6:15 p.m. service; morning service has varying dates and times. Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. For more information, contact Joan Neer at jneer@templechai.com.

Pre-Shabbat Kiddush Club: 6 p.m. Online. Say Kiddush with Rabbi Mendy Levertov. Cost: Free. Use this link: ourjewishcenter.com/virtual. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Shabbat Services: 6 p.m; 9:30 a.m. Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Services are also live streamed at otaz.org/ livestream. For more information about services, events and membership, visit congregationortzion.org or call 480-342-8858.

First Friday Shabbat Services: 6:15 p.m.; Oneg at 7:15 p.m. Valley Unitarian Universalist, 6400 W. Del Rio St., Chandler. Join Congregation NefeshSoul for Friday night services the first Friday of each month in the sanctuary building of Valley Unitarian Universalist. For more information, contact Jim Hoffman at 480-329-3316.

Shabbat Services: 6:15 p.m; 10 a.m. Congregation Beth Israel, 10460 N. 56th St., Scottsdale. Services held in the Goldsmith Sanctuary. Participants must pre-register by Thursday at 5 p.m. Priority will be given to members first and then guests. If there are more requests than available seats a lottery system will be used. For

more information or to make a reservation, visit cbiaz.org/shabbat-services.

Kabbalat Shabbat and/or Shabbat morning service: 6:30 p.m.; 10 a.m.; dates vary. Congregation Kehillah, 5858 E. Dynamite Blvd., Cave Creek. Join Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman and cantorial soloists Erica Erman and Scott Leader either in person or via Zoom. For safety reasons, please register ahead of time. For dates, visit congregationkehillah.org/event/. Register by emailing info@congregationkehillah.org.

Shabbat Services: 7 p.m. Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, 12202 N. 101st Ave., Sun City. Services are followed by an Oneg. Services are live-streamed on YouTube. For more information and to get the YouTube link, visit tbsaz.org or call 623-977-3240.

Shabbat Services in Sun Lakes: 7-9 p.m. Sun Lakes Chapel, 9240 E. Sun Lakes Blvd. North,

Sun Lakes. Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation conducts Reform Shabbat services on the second Friday of each month. New members welcome. For more information, call 480-612-4413 or 480-580-1592.

Shabbat Services with Beth Ami Temple: 7 p.m. Services held at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix, 4027 E. Lincoln Dr., Paradise Valley. Join Beth Ami Temple Rabbi Alison Lawton and Cantorial Soloist Michael Robbins as they lead Shabbat services twice a month. For more information, visit bethamitemple.org.

Third Friday Shabbat: 7-9 p.m. Group meets at a North Scottsdale location. The Desert Foothills Jewish Community Association hosts a Shabbat service followed by a program. Contact 602487-5718 for more information. JN

Sivan Rose Gruber will become a bat mitzvah on March 29, 2025, at Temple Solel. She is the daughter of Shlomit and Rob Gruber of Phoenix.

Sivan’s grandparents are Tina and David Robbins of Phoenix; her great-grandparents are the late Beverly and Joseph Sirotkin; the late Sylvia and Harry Robbins; and the late Peggy and Syl Heinemann.

For her mitzvah project, Sivan is raising money to buy instruments to donate to Rosie’s House: A Music Academy for Children, providing underserved children with access to musical instruments.

A student at Arizona School for the Arts, Sivan enjoys playing the guitar and piano, hanging out with friends and traveling/spending time with family. JN

Ronald Martin Carter, Sr., passed peacefully after a long, well-lived life on Feb. 18, 2025. Born and raised in Chicago on Nov. 18, 1925, to Anna Press and Jack E Carter. He attended Senn High School, fought in World War II, built a career as a pharmaceutical executive and raised a family. He is predeceased by his beloved wife, Joy W Carter (2016), and survived by his younger brother Allen; two sons Ron, Jr and Craig; six grandchildren Sean, Rachel, Whitni, Lindsay, Andrea and Heather, who lovingly called him “Poppa;” and five great-grandchildren Oliver, Esme, Paloma, Grayson and Gabriella.

Our Dad possessed a brilliant mind and steadfastness to the end of his remarkable life spanning nearly a century. He faced challenges with incredible courage and dignity without self-pity, always moving forward with resilience and fierce stoicism. Shaped by the defining events of his generation, his humility, work ethic, frugality, loyalty and impeccable sensibility defined his personality and character. He was always a gentleman but tough as nails and worked tirelessly to provide for his family.

Dad briefly attended the University of Illinois during WW II as an ROTC student before answering the call to join the U.S. Army. He was a scrawny 125-pound seventeen-year-old needing his mother to co-sign the enlistment papers. He arrived in the European Theater of Operation on Christmas Day 1944, as a replacement rifleman in the 95th Infantry Division assigned to carry the 20-pound Browning Automatic Rifle.

He became part of a special reconnaissance team known as “The Commando Platoon,” pulled from various divisional regiments that swept across northern Germany during the waning months of World War II. He fought on the front lines for 110 days. He received the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star and numerous European Theater service medals.

During his service, he sustained an accidental gunshot wound from a fellow soldier and was evacuated to England before being sent back to the United States. After his medical discharge, he returned to Chicago and enrolled at the University of Illinois, where he met the love of his life at a sorority dance. A combat veteran at 20, and shy of 21, Dad once again needed his mother’s written permission — this time to wed.

Dad and Mom shared a love story that lasted 70 years. She affectionately called him “Ronnie,” and when asked about the success of their marriage, Dad often joked, “I never thought about divorcing your mother — murder, a thousand times.” He laughed the loudest at his own jokes, which his sons always found annoying!

Their devotion was unwavering, built on a deep respect for each other’s individuality and a shared love of family. They delighted in spoiling their grandchildren, traveling the world and making lifelong friends — Chris and Sue in London and Wolfgang in Germany — who remained in touch until his passing. Dad was a self-described Anglophile who loved trips to Great Britain. He also appreciated Asian and Russian cultures, and their home was filled with mementos from Dad’s and Mom’s worldwide travels.

Dad was a principled man of honor and integrity, guided by reason, with a voice that commanded attention. A practical man with a no-nonsense approach to life, he often imparted wisdom through straightforward advice, such as his famous saying to his sons and grandchildren: “If you can’t pay cash, you can’t afford it.” Poppa was a sage to his grandchildren, always the best person to ask for pragmatic advice, though you could expect it to come even if it came without sugarcoating! This practicality and his attention to detail influenced us all with his wisdom, perseverance and the importance of making informed, rational decisions. It wasn’t until later in his life that we learned about some of Dad’s childhood passions. At a young age, he was an avid lover of books, took piano lessons as a child, enjoyed classical music and, as a young teenager, worked as a copyboy at one of the Chicago daily newspapers. He was considered an intellectual giant among his peers, possessing a sharp memory and a vast knowledge of literature, current affairs and world history.

Dad’s frugality became legendary. We were amused to learn he was an avid coupon cutter. When he could no longer drive due to blindness, he insisted on accompanying us to grocery stores, comparing prices at Safeway, Fry’s and Sprouts. If blueberries — his favorite — were a nickel cheaper at another store, we made the extra trip, even if the time and gas cost negated the savings! Now, our parents rest side by side at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. Their grave markers tell the story of their lifelong devotion: his reads “Together 70 Years” and hers, “Always Loving and Caring.”

SIVAN ROSE GRUBER

BAT MITZVAH

Ronald Martin Carter, Sr.

now open at

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