Jewish News, Oct. 10, 2024 by jewishaz

HEADLINES | 6

COMMUNITY TASHLICH

About 100 people gathered at Roadrunner Park for the ancient ritual

10, 2025 | TISHREI 18, 5786 | VOLUME 78, NUMBER 1

Finding a name, restoring a legacy; Operation Levi helped local family right a wrong

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

When Erika Parsel answered the phone at her desk at Temple Kol Ami in Scottsdale several months ago, she thought it was another routine call.

“Hello, this is Erika. How can I help?” she said, her standard greeting as an executive assistant. But the voice on the other end was anything but routine.

“Are you Erika Parsel?” the man asked. Hesitant, she replied yes.

“Please don’t hang up,” he said. For a moment, she thought she should. But she stayed on the line.

Over the next few minutes, as the man — who introduced himself as Shalom Lamm — began recounting details of her family history, Parsel realized this was no scam. It was a story about her greatgrandfather, a man whose life and death her family had long believed to be a mystery.

“He told me not to worry because this was a good phone call,” Parsel recalled. “So while he talked, I typed. I almost hung up multiple times, but I’m so happy I didn’t. He just knew so much about me. He said, ‘Please hear me out.’”

The man Lamm spoke of was Meier Levi, the son of Isaac Levi and Rebecca Silberberg. He had served as a Landsturmmann (conscripted soldier) in the German army during World War I and was killed in battle on December 29, 1917. His body was laid to rest at the Warmeriville German Military Cemetery in northern France.

HEADLINES | 7

MACCABI GAMES

Valley athletes shined at the JCC Maccabi Games in Tucson

Jewish Free Loan celebrates 75 years of giving the community ‘a hand up, not a handout’

In the 1940s, a group of philanthropic Jewish gentlemen in Phoenix began a grassroots effort to provide loans to community members in need without charging interest, inspired by passages in the Torah. In 1950, Jewish Free Loan (JFL) was officially incorporated as a recognized nonprofit organization, transforming from a

volunteer-based operation working out of private homes to a small office space in the new Jewish Community Center (JCC) on Maryland Road in Phoenix.

Tina Sheinbein, International Association of Jewish Free Loans (IAJFL) coordinator and past executive

Window on our world

Rosemary Abrami likes to look at the window at Beth Emeth Congregation in Sun City West, which displays a vivid scene of Sukkot. See page 11.

MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSEMARY ABRAMI

The staff of Jewish Free Loan, from left to right, Rhonda Keene, accounting manager; Cindy Golisch, public relations coordinator; Fredi Brown, services coordinator; Ellen Friedman Sacks, executive director; Laurel Perlow, administrative coordinator and Shayna Millman, director of development. COURTESY OF JEWISH FREE LOAN

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

But despite his Jewish heritage, Levi was buried beneath a cross.

Before this call, Parsel and her family knew almost nothing of what had happened to him. He had left when his children were young and ended up in the German military. His story was largely absent from family memory.

Levi was the father of Parsel’s grandmother’s second husband, Leo. Though the two weren’t related by blood, “Leo was my grandfather in every way,” Parsel said. “I even named my son after him. My grandfather was a very important human to me.”

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Lamm is the co-founder of Operation Benjamin, a nonprofit that works with the American Battle Monuments Commission to identify American Jewish soldiers buried under Latin crosses in overseas U.S. military cemeteries. Many of those mistakes were the result of Jewish soldiers deliberately listing themselves as Protestant or Catholic on dog tags, hoping to avoid being singled out if captured by the Nazis.

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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,”

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

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

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“These were true errors,” Lamm explained in an interview with CNN. “America really tried to get it right, but when you had someone who put a ‘P’ or a ‘C’ for Protestant and Catholic on their dog tag, they did that to protect themselves. If you were captured by the Germans, that was really terrifying. We need to look back and realize America did a great job overall, but naturally some were missed. Our job is to come back after all these decades and do the right thing.”

Jew,” the colleague said. “I know we’re doing World War II, but this has to be a Jew. He was a German fighting for Germany in World War I.”

“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.

member of her community, which makes her a great addition.

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.

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.

overwhelming, but undeniable.”

“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.

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Operation Benjamin has corrected more than 30 headstones, but Levi’s case was different. He wasn’t American, and his service wasn’t in the U.S. Army.

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One of Lamm’s colleagues came across the headstone and called Lamm.

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“The name was backwards and misspelled, but it was clearly a German

That discovery sparked the creation of Operation Levi, a sister project dedicated to finding Jewish soldiers from World War I who had been mistakenly buried under crosses in German cemeteries around the world. Its mission is simple but profound: to give those men the Jewish burials they never received.

There was another family the organization was waiting to hear from, but because Parsel was the first to pick up the phone, Operation Levi now bears her great-grandfather’s name.

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.

When Lamm reached Parsel, he asked for her family’s permission to name the new nonprofit after Levi. Parsel called her mother and other relatives to share what she had just learned.

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.

“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.”

“He had all the receipts,” she said of Lamm’s documentation. “It was

“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.

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.

For Parsel, the connection was deeply personal. Her grandfather Leo passed away in 1989, her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor who lived with her the last five years of her life, in 2019. To now have a window into Leo’s father’s life, and to see him remembered properly, felt like honoring them as well.

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.

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

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.

Stern looks forward to sharing insights

“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.”

“I went from smiling to bawling my eyes out within minutes,” she said. “Thank God I didn’t hang up. My grandmother’s voice was the next thing I heard in my head, telling me I have to do the right thing.”

Stern looks forward to sharing insights

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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“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

Sophie Stern at her high school graduation in 2022

OF SOPHIE STERN

Erika Parsel and her family traveled to France to attend the Jewish funeral of her great-grandfather who was incorrectly buried under a cross. Pictured from left to right are Volksbund Sec. Gen. Dirk Baken, Aaron Parsel, Erika Parsel, Aden Parsel and Leo Parsel.

COURTESY OF ERIKA PARSEL

director of JFL in Phoenix from 2008 to 2020, remembered coming to the JCC in the 1960s to swim and attend BBYO.

“I remember on Sunday mornings, if you went into the main entrance area, there were always people sitting on the couches, and they were there waiting to go upstairs to meet with the committee to plead their case for why, and what, they needed their loan for,” she said.

In the beginning, loans were typically for $10, $15 or $25 and were used for necessities such as housing, food, clothing and also for starting businesses and resettlement costs for Holocaust survivors.

Carole Zeichick, president of the board of directors at JFL, shared something that someone told her recently: “When the organization started 75 years ago, the money that was donated at that early time is still in circulation because you put it out, they pay it back and then you put it out again.”

To celebrate its 75th anniversary, JFL

In May, Parsel and her family traveled to northern France and saw Levi’s grave for the first time. Operation Levi organized a Jewish funeral service for him more than a century after his death.

“None of our family had ever been to his gravesite before this,” Parsel said. “It was incredible, emotional, overwhelming. It meant so much to us.”

The ceremony fulfilled the nonprofit’s mission: to provide fallen Jewish soldiers with a proper Jewish burial. For Parsel, it also brought healing.

“I believe in their system,” she said. “It’s an amazing program and they’re amazing. Everyone who works for them, they do it with their heart, all of it. They’re working hard to right a very big wrong.”

Changing a military headstone is no small matter. Lamm explained that the American Battle Monuments Commission

will host “Latkes & Loans presents: JFL75” on Dec. 7 from 5-8 p.m. JFL will also play a key role in hosting the annual 2025 IAJFL Conference in October, which brings Jewish free loan agencies from around the world to share best practices and address current needs.

In the past 27 years, JFL has distributed almost $9.6 million to Valley residents. Currently, JFL has $2 million in active loans in the community, representing

requires extensive proof.

“The amount of proof we’re required to deliver is really huge,” he said. “It’s really tough, and it should be. We’re changing something for eternity.”

But he sees the effort as sacred work.

“Our research often gives families new information about their loved ones. We know everything about these guys — their schools, their friends, their sports, their dreams. We’re introducing families to shadowy figures and bringing them back to life. They were real flesh-and-blood human beings.”

That mission resonates deeply with Parsel, who now feels a renewed connection, not just to her great-grandfather but to her entire family’s story.

For Parsel, the journey began with a phone call she almost didn’t take. It led her across an ocean to stand before a grave that

approximately 400 households, according to Ellen Friedman Sacks, executive director, who succeeded Sheinbein.

Sacks explained that the amount loaned over the years is significantly greater, but they only started incorporating an automated loan management system in the mid-1990s; prior to that, information was kept in handwritten ledgers. The 1990s were also the time JFL began

for more than a century bore the wrong symbol. Now, thanks to Operation Levi, her great-grandfather rests under the Star of David.

And though she isn’t related to Levi by blood, Parsel knows his story is part of her.

“I loved my grandparents more than anything,” she said. “This work honors them, too. It’s all connected.”

For Lamm and Operation Levi, the work of restoring names, restoring dignity and ensuring that Jewish soldiers, whether American or German, are remembered for who they were, continues.

For Parsel and her family, it means something even simpler: knowing the truth and finally being able to say goodbye. JN

For more information, visit operationbenjamin. org/operation-levi.

The new officers of Jewish Free Loan as reported in the The Phoenix Jewish News on June 8, 1951.

COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS ARCHIVES

Carole Zeichick, president of the Jewish Free Loan board of directors. COURTESY OF JEWISH FREE LOAN

Tina Sheinbein, International Association of Jewish Free Loans (IAJFL) coordinator.

to have employees; before then, it was a volunteer-run organization.

Other technological changes happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the introduction of Zoom for the interview process. Sacks called that a “silver lining.”

Rabbi Aviva Funke, campus rabbi and director of education for Hillel at Arizona State University, interviewed over Zoom for her loan.

“The process was welcoming, supportive and encouraging, and the repayment process feels the same way — easy and understandable,” she said. “They’re allowing us to make our payments back in a way that continues to allow us to feel financially secure.”

Zeichick said that they have more flexibility with the monthly payment amount than a traditional bank.

“My favorite line is, ‘This is the minimum amount.’ If someone can afford to pay more, go ahead and do it; then we can turn around and give it to someone else. If they have trouble paying, let us know,” she said. “We don’t want people to be struggling. We want it to be comfortable for them, so that they can get ahead.”

During the loan application process, a potential borrower and their guarantor(s) will meet with two members of JFL’s board of directors for an interview. Before March of 2020, that always happened in person.

“Even after the world reopened, we maintained our online interview process because we found it makes the process much more accessible and provides everyone who is participating a sense of comfort, being in surroundings that are familiar,” said Sacks. “People are feeling very vulnerable, and we want to make sure that we protect everybody’s confidentiality and that we honor what they are feeling and what they may be going through at any given time, and Zoom has allowed us to do that in many ways.”

Confidentiality is a central tenet of the organization, and every employee signs

a form before they start, acknowledging that a slip in confidentiality is a fireable offense. “We cannot fool around with the issue of confidentiality,” said Sheinbein.

Protecting their clients’ anonymity was one of the reasons they stayed at an office in the Phoenix Financial Center, located at Central Avenue and Osborn Road, for so long before moving to the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus in 2021.

“To be in a community location where people can find us and that is so accessible and safe on so many levels, is really a blessing,” said Sacks. Since there are so many reasons people visit the campus, it isn’t apparent that someone is there seeking the services of JFL.

There are many reasons why people come to JFL for a loan, including, but not limited to, home and car repairs, medical and dental expenses, education, summer camp, adoption, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and travel to Israel.

Sacks said that they also have food and gas gift cards that they can hand out to people waiting for an emergency loan to be processed, which can often be done as quickly as the next day.

Emergency loans don’t need a guarantor, Zeichick explained. “They can get up to $3,600 without a guarantor, $5,000 requires one guarantor and between $5,000 and $10,000 requires two.”

In the aftermath of the pandemic, there was an uptick in emergency loans due to surging rental costs. Now, however, the number of loans seems evenly distributed between emergency needs, education and general loans for life expenses, Sacks said.

“Over my tenure, the most significant growth seems to be even between help meeting basic needs and education expenses,” she said.

In fact, Sacks’ first experience with the interview process was doing student loan interviews.

“It was amazing to see the impact that approving the loan would have for these families and being able to pay for education,” she said. “But it was also inspiring to hear the goals and dreams of the younger members of our community and what they were about to embark on,

“I HOPE WE TAKE THE LESSONS LEARNED OVER THE LAST 75 YEARS AND USE THEM TO EVOLVE JEWISH FREE LOAN INTO A PROGRAM THAT WILL CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE NEXT 75 YEARS AND BEYOND.”

ELLEN FRIEDMAN SACKS

and to feel the overwhelming sense of community.”

Sheinbein shared two stories of loan recipients that have stuck with her over the years. One was a single father of a 3-year-old daughter seeking an emergency loan because he could not afford his utility bill and his water had been shut off.

“We were able to pay the bill so he could get his water turned on,” she said. When he was leaving, she motioned to the water bottles they had been drinking from and told him he didn’t have to buy bottled water; he could use the tap. “He turned to me and said, ‘No, tonight my daughter gets a bubble bath.’ I didn’t even think about what’s so special for a three-year-old is to have that bubble bath she missed.”

Another one of her stories surrounded a mysterious baby picture that arrived at the office one day. The office administrator brought it over to show Sheinbein and was puzzled by the photo; the card that accompanied it didn’t provide an explanation.

“I looked at the card and I said, ‘Oh my goodness. That’s our baby!’ and I explained that the baby was the result of an IVF loan we had made,” she said.

donor to JFL.

These types of donors Zeichick calls “full-circle people.” “I love them and there are lots of them. They can relate to what’s happening to people and appreciate the situation,” she said.

“I would love to one day be a fullcircle person,” added Funke. “They’ve been there for us, and they’re going to continue to be there for this community, and I’m grateful for the resources they provide.”

Donors Ira and Sara Bernstein realized the value of JFL when Sara was diagnosed with cancer in 2017. With mounting medical bills, Sacks, a friend of the couple, suggested JFL as a resource if they needed assistance, which fortunately, they did not.

However, the couple stated that this awareness led to empathy. “We decided that we would open up a fund to help people with their medical expenses,” said Sara. “But in the last few years, it has been opened up to help with emergency assistance.”

Ira shared an expression he learned from Sacks, that a loan from JFL is “a hand up, not a handout,” and he feels that donating to JFL is a gift that keeps on giving.

Zeichick shared a more recent story. “I did an interview the other day for a young woman who just moved to Arizona, and in a state of desperation, she took out some title loans and they’re charging 500% interest,” she said. “We were able to help her figure out how much she needs to pay off those title loans, and then by paying us once a month, with no interest, she’s got this extra money in her pocket so she can pay down other bills that have been piling up.”

In 2010, Arizona banned “payday” or predatory loans with extremely high interest rates; however, businesses are now allowed to offer short-term loans using a vehicle title as collateral. If approved, the lender holds the title while the borrower continues driving the car. To repay the loan, the borrower must pay the principal amount plus interest, often exceeding an APR (annual percentage rate) of more than 300%.

Zeichick said that the client was so thankful to be out from under those highinterest loans, she told her that once she was fiscally stable, she would become a

“If we can help somebody, and they can get over that hump, they pay it back,” he said. “That money is now available to help the next person. And to me, that’s powerful. The gift truly can live on for generations to come.”

In addition to donors and grants, Sacks credits the board for ensuring that JFL stays financially strong and that funds are available in reserves to help the community weather any unforeseen or challenging times.

“I’m honored to get to do this every day; it’s something I feel very passionate about,” she said. “I hope we take the lessons learned over the last 75 years and use them to evolve Jewish Free Loan into a program that will continue to respond to the needs of our community for the next 75 years and beyond.”

Added Sheinbein, “I want the magic of what, and who, we are to continue regardless of what year it is and what the situation may be that the community is facing.” JN

For more information, visit jewishfreeloan.org.

Jewish leaders condemn Tucker Carlson’s remarks at Charlie Kirk memorial in Glendale

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

ewish leaders in Arizona, and nationwide, condemned a portion of Tucker Carlson’s remarks made at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, saying the far-right commentator invoked antisemitic tropes when he likened the conservative activist’s assassination to the crucifixion of Jesus.

Carlson, speaking before thousands at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Sunday, Sept. 21, related what he said was “my favorite story ever:”

“So it’s about 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, and Jesus shows up and he starts talking about the people in power, and he starts doing the worst thing that you can do, which is telling the truth about people, and they hate it and they just go bonkers.

“And I can just sort of picture the scene in a lamp-lit room with a bunch of guys sitting around eating hummus, thinking about — what do we do about this guy telling the truth about us? We must make him stop talking. And there’s always one guy with the bright idea, and I can just hear him say, 'I’ve got an idea. Why don’t

we just kill him? That’ll shut him up, that’ll fix the problem.’”

Critics said the language echoed the antisemitic charge that Jews killed Christ, and, by implication, tied Jews or Israel to Kirk’s murder.

Three local rabbis spoke to The Arizona Republic about Carlson’s rhetoric.

“Tucker Carlson’s bigoted blood libel reflects Carlson’s own extreme hatred and idiocy,” Rabbi Andy Green of Congregation Or Tzion in Scottsdale said. “This is a dog whistle. I think the people who are aligned with Carlson when it comes to conspiracies about Jews heard that, and even though he didn’t say it explicitly, it was sufficient.”

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, president and dean of Valley Beit Midrash in Scottsdale, said Carlson repeated “an antisemitic trope that has led to blood libels throughout history … these are real dog whistles.”

Authorities have charged a 22-year-old Utah man, acting alone, with Kirk’s killing. Still, conspiracy theories blaming Israel

spread widely online, and many felt that Carlson was amplifying them.

The theory advanced by far-right influencers gained so much traction after Kirk’s death that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly denied the allegations twice, first while being questioned on NewsMax, a far-right TV network, and again in a video address that he posted online.

“Tucker Carlson has a huge platform, and he’s using that platform to expound lies and falsehoods,” said Rabbi Mindie Snyder, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix. “We are very sad that some people are using this incident, and this tragedy, to sow dissent and repeat old antisemitic tropes.”

Kirk lived in Scottsdale and led Turning Point USA, headquartered in Phoenix. Within the Jewish community, opinion about him was divided, Green noted.

“Our Jewish community is diverse. While some saw Kirk as an advocate and others

considered him a provocateur, every congregant, every colleague, every Jew I know, laments the rise of political violence in our nation and offers comfort to the Kirk family and to all those who knew and loved Charlie,” Green said.

Rabbi Pinchas Allouche of Congregation Beth Tefillah in Scottsdale considered Kirk a close friend. He wrote a tribute to him soon after his death, saying that Kirk “chose life … and fought for freedom, faith, family and the dignity of every human being.”

Max Abrahms, a political scientist focusing on terrorism, who is a Republican, tweeted that he was most unnerved by Carlson’s prominence within the party.

“There was a time when Tucker was known for debating,” Abrahms wrote. “Now he’s known for dog whistles, blaming everything on Jews, heaping praise on fake-historian Hitler apologists and denying Hamas is a terrorist group, JN

This article incorporated reporting from Jewish Telegraphic Agency and The Arizona Republic.

Casting off regrets, community Tashlich brings Phoenix Jews together for reflection

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

n a sunny Sunday afternoon in late September, about 100 people gathered at Roadrunner Park in Phoenix for an ancient ritual with a modern twist. Sponsored by Valley Beit Midrash (VBM), Arizona Jews for Justice, the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix (CJP) and PJ Library – Phoenix, the annual community Tashlich brought together Jews of all ages, backgrounds and denominations for prayer, reflection, laughter and renewal.

Tashlich, which takes place between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is a ritual in which Jews symbolically cast away their sins by tossing items into a natural body of water. The practice is rooted in verses from the Book of Micah, which says God will “cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” At Roadrunner Park, with ducks swimming on a placid lake, the tradition came to life in a joyful way.

Children played basketball and kicked around a soccer ball while adults mingled over plates of kosher vegan food. In one

corner, Marcy Lewis, PJ Library program director, invited children to write down their regrets on slips of paper that they could later crumple and toss into the water. The sound of laughter mingled with the smell of food against the background of the park’s greenery, set the stage for an afternoon that balanced spirituality with celebration.

After time for eating and kibbitzing, Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, VBM president and dean, called everyone to gather near the water’s edge. He explained the steps of the ceremony: first, reciting traditional blessings together; second, tossing something into the lake — this time, city-approved duck food — to represent mistakes and regrets; and third, a new addition: a “reverse Tashlich.” Participants were invited to pick up litter from the park, transforming repentance into tangible environmental action.

“This is the first year we’ve added the reverse Tashlich,” Yanklowitz said. “I think it’s important to pair our spiritual commitments with caring for the world around us. This is something that’s been catching on in recent years, and I love that we can model it here in our community.”

For Yanklowitz, who has led community Tashlich gatherings in Phoenix for the last seven years, the event is about more than ritual; it’s about building bridges.

“We have Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and secular Jews here today. Everybody’s here, and that’s awesome,” he said, gesturing to the multigenerational crowd. “During the High Holidays, everyone goes to their own shul or denomination, or maybe they don’t go at all. We want to come outside the institutions and come together as a broader community. It keeps growing every year.”

Children clustered around Yanklowitz as he encouraged them to share reflections. He asked what they liked about themselves or their friends. One child said he appreciated his friend’s creativity, while another mentioned her mother’s baking skills. When asked what they wanted to hold onto in the coming year, a boy said simply, “my sister,” drawing smiles from the adults.

And when it came time to name regrets, the children’s responses carried the kind of honesty only kids can muster. Several joked that they regretted not yet pushing their siblings into the duck pond, a plan they said they were “ready to regret.” Laughter rippled through the group, especially when a parent chimed in with a more serious wish: “I’m ready to throw away all cell phones.” The crowd erupted in cheers

and applause.

That mix of humor, reflection and sincerity captured the spirit of the afternoon.

Attendees said they were drawn not only by the chance to observe the tradition, but also by the opportunity to do so in a community setting.

Deb Winegarden, who attended with friends, said, “It’s a beautiful thing to do.”

For Dede Sandler, the family-friendly atmosphere stood out. “It’s a way to teach my daughter the tradition while being with family and friends. And it’s also just a beautiful day at the park,” she said.

Sheryl Bronkesh said she had looked forward to attending. “It sounded like a wonderful event, and everything VBM does is meaningful,” she said.

Eva Flaster reflected on the deeper purpose of the ritual. “We need the world to get better, so we need to do this,” she said.

And for Stacy Palestrant, a CJP board member, Tashlich remains one of the most beloved observances of the season. “I love it because we’re outside, and I love the idea of tossing away my sins and misgivings and starting fresh for the new year,” she said.

The event’s multigenerational character was evident throughout the afternoon. Children ran back and forth between games and the ritual, while older participants stood chatting in small groups, sharing their hopes for the year ahead. Couples sat together on picnic benches, enjoying the food and the company, while others walked the park’s paths with bags in hand for the reverse Tashlich cleanup.

For Yanklowitz, the joy of the day was seeing Jews from across the spectrum come together. “This is a way to reflect on our character and our community’s character,” he said. “And it’s also just a way to offer free food, free fellowship and a space for people to feel connected.”

With laughter still echoing across the park, and the gentle ripples of tossed regrets spreading across the lake, Phoenix’s community Tashlich closed not just with prayer but with the promise of a shared, hopeful beginning to the new year. JN

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

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz encouraged kids to think about what they liked about themselves and what they were willing to let go of. COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS

People symbolically throw away their sins at the community Tashlich on Sunday, Sept. 28. COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS

Valley athletes shined at JCC Maccabi Games in Tucson

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

This summer, nearly 1,000 Jewish teen athletes gathered in Tucson for the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games & Access, a week of Olympic-style athletic competition, community service and celebration of Jewish life. Among them were 18 athletes from the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center delegation, who not only held their own in tough competition, but returned home with more than 30 medals and memories to last a lifetime.

“The kids absolutely crushed it this summer,” said delegation head Alexa Freitag. “What made it extra exciting is that our athletes weren’t a full team. Everyone was mixed in with kids from different teams from all over. They were meeting one another 20 minutes before they started competing together.”

Despite being split into mixed teams, Valley athletes dominated across the board, earning medals in basketball, soccer, tennis, swimming and more. Swimming proved to be the standout sport, with more than 20 medals claimed by Valley competitors alone.

For freshman tennis player Jacob Rabinovich, the games became a breakthrough moment. Paired with a doubles partner from Kansas, Rabinovich adapted quickly and went on to win gold.

“The experience was incredible, not just winning but being able to play and having the opportunity to be partners with a friend of mine was an incredible experience,” Rabinovich said.

“Maccabi is Jacob’s happy place and he doesn’t want us hanging around,” said his mother, Rachel Rabinovich. “He kept us updated on his success by text. When he shared the news about his win, I was over the moon.”

Though she didn’t attend his matches this summer, she did join him at the opening ceremonies. Last year, the family accompanied Jacob to Detroit, where he made his Maccabi debut.

“Seeing him in a Jewish camp setting was so meaningful,” she said. “Jacob was first introduced to tennis at Camp Ramah, and now it’s his passion.” He’s on the court seven days a week and plays on the freshman team at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix.

For the Rabinovich family, medals are wonderful, but what matters most is the community. “The winning is great, but he’s there to soak in the socialization and being with other Jewish kids and Jewish tennis players. That’s really key,” his mother said. “The win was icing on the cake. Being immersed in Maccabi for five days is what he loves.”

For Freitag, stories like Rabinovich’s capture the heart of the games, which

are about much more than athletic excellence. They’re about Jewish pride, identity and friendship.

The Valley delegation has been rebuilding since the COVID-19 pandemic, when participation dropped. At one point, Freitag managed a twotiered system of athletes; however, today there is only one team. She hopes this summer’s success inspires renewed momentum.

Recruitment is about to get underway for 2026. Freitag typically begins outreach in November, making personal pitches at BBYO events, Hebrew High, Pardes Jewish Day School and other Jewish teen community hubs.

“It’s always a competition for kids’ summer schedules,” she explained. “We need to get in early.”

Location is another factor. Tucson’s July 27–Aug. 1 dates this year fit perfectly between school sessions for most Valley athletes, while the host city also provided a relatively close travel option. Next summer, the host sites will run Aug. 2–7, overlapping with local school calendars. Despite the challenge, Freitag is optimistic.

“For next summer, we picked Toronto to appeal to a wider audience,” she said. “It has the international draw, and we’re hoping the weather will be a little cooler than Tucson, where outdoor games had to wrap up by noon.”

The JCC Maccabi Games trace their roots back more than a century to the Maccabi Movement, which began in 1895 in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey) with the founding of the first all-Jewish gymnastics club. By the end of World War I, more than 100 Maccabi-style clubs had spread across Europe and beyond.

The North American JCC Maccabi Games were launched in 1982, with just 300 teen participants. Today, thousands of Jewish athletes between ages 13 and 17 come together each summer in one of several host cities.

The Games are co-sponsored by the JCC Association of North America, Maccabi World Union, Maccabi Canada and Maccabi USA, whose mission is to “build Jewish pride through sports and promote support for Israel, Zionism and Jewish continuity through athletic, educational and cultural experiences.”

The 2025 Tucson Games exemplified that mission. Alongside the competition, athletes participated in service projects, stayed with local host families and celebrated together at evening social events. The concurrent Maccabi Access Games offered athletes with cognitive and developmental disabilities their own

space to compete and connect.

For the city of Tucson, hosting the games was a demonstration of inclusivity and the strength of its Jewish community. A huge number of volunteers, donors and local families contributed to the effort, ensuring athletes felt at home.

As the Valley delegation reflects on its medal haul, Freitag is already focused on what comes next: building participation, expanding opportunities and making sure every Jewish teen athlete who wants the Maccabi experience gets it.

“Winning is exciting. We’re coming off a great year so I’m hopeful that people will want to participate again next year,” she said.

For athletes like Jacob, the joy comes from the combination of competition and Jewish community. JN

For more information, visit valleyofthesunj.org/ maccabi.

Rachel Rabinovich is director, special projects at the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix. Jewish News is published by the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix, a component of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix.

Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center delegation for the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games & Access in Tucson is flanked by two of their coaches as they pose in front of pictures of past teams. Back row from left: Coach Jonas Berkowitch, Elan Hart, Bond Kierman, Joey Nektalov, Ronen Abayev, Liam Hale, Sam Hoberman, Aiden Hale, Leo Steinway, Gio Cammarata, Ari Hart, Jacob Rabinovich and Coach Ben Ii Arqueros. Front row from left: Bella Arqueros, Elian Guakil, Hannah Bernat, Sara Klein, Hillel Sinykin, Evan Steinway and Uzi (Caleb) Zamir.

COURTESY OF RACHEL RABINOVICH

Jacob Rabinovich, right, and his tennis doubles partner pretend to bite into the gold medal they won in Tucson. COURTESY OF RACHEL RABINOVICH

Duet: Partners in Health & Aging, which provides services to family caregivers and aging adults free of charge, recently announced that it will recognize Bob Roth, managing partner and co-founder of Cypress HomeCare Solutions, with its Rev. Dr. Dosia Carlson Legacy Award on Nov. 9, at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort.

The award honors the legacy of the late Carlson, Duet’s founder, “who dedicated her life to ensuring dignity, compassion and independence for older adults.”

Roth was selected for his “tireless advo-

The Bisbee city council tabled a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza on Sept. 16. The seven-member council agreed in an executive meeting to table the resolution indefinitely.

The resolution was authored by freshman council members Pete Skinner and Trish Damon. Mayor Ken Budge and other council members opposed the measure, with support from Arizona State Representatives

On Sept. 14, Jewish National Fund (JNF)-USA partnered with Beth El Phoenix to honor local first responders. Nearly 50 fifth- through seventh-grade students, staff and congregants attended the “Shared Values: Honoring our Heroes” program. The event featured singing, prayers and remarks from students and staff. Additionally, congregants shared their personal memories of 9/11, including one member who worked as a paramedic in New Jersey when the attack happened. The ceremony was attended by Phoenix

Phoenix author and Congregation Kehillah member Ellen Akilov has released her latest children’s book, “Taking My Fish for a Walk,” a lighthearted story inspired by her faith and a real conversation with her son.

“Judaism has always taught me the value of curiosity, though as an adult it can sometimes be hard to hold onto.

The Catalyst Fellowship launched by Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and Repair the World hopes to be more than a professional development opportunity. The two organizations argue that the program is a launchpad for Jewish professionals “to lead with intention, act with purpose and deepen their communities’ commitment to service.”

Over nine months, the fellows, including Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona Young Leadership Manager Nate Weisband, built expertise in service learning, received training and mentorship from national educators and piloted new or expanded service programs in their communities. The idea behind the fellowship is to build a network

cacy for aging services” according to a press release, “and his decades of leadership exemplify her vision.”

“I am deeply humbled to receive The Rev. Dosia Carlson Legacy Award,” Roth said in the release.

“Caregiving has always been personal to me, it began with the privilege of caring for my own parents and stepmom, and it continues every day through the work we do at Cypress HomeCare Solutions. To be recognized in Rev. Carlson’s name, someone who lived a life of compassion and service, is

Alma Hernandez and Consuelo Hernandez, citing both legal and community concerns.

StandWithUs Regional Director Jake Bennett, working in coalition with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix and Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona in Tucson, submitted a formal letter of opposition and testified before the council. StandWithUs is an inter-

Police Department Detective Dave Osborne, who was given a certificate featuring Jewish National Fund-USA and the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-JNF 9/11 Living Memorial in Jerusalem. It is the only memorial site of its kind outside of the United States that lists the names of all the victims who perished on that infamous day.

“Thank you very much for this unexpected honor,” said Osborne. “It has been a privilege to protect your community over the last 10 years. I had no idea there was a 9/11 memorial in Israel before today.”

When my son asked me about taking a fish for a walk, it sparked my imagination, and I ran with the idea,” Akilov told Jewish News in an email.

The book begins with a child’s simple question: “What if you could take your pet fish outside for a walk?” From there, a world of possibilities unfolds, inviting readers to laugh and explore the power

of leaders who can translate ideas into action and reshape the role of service in Jewish life.

At the core of the fellows’ training and programs is Jewish learning. Catalyst fellows are taught how to apply this Jewish education to infuse service with meaning and purpose.

“One of the most valuable takeaways was gaining practical tools and real-life examples for infusing a Jewish lens into service work,” said Weisband in a press release. “The Catalyst gave me the framework and confidence to ground service and community engagement in Jewish values with intention and clarity.”

Weisband and other fellows said the Catalyst offered them help meeting needs with tested programs, microgrants and a

profoundly meaningful.”

Inspired by his mother, in 1994, Bob cofounded Cypress HomeCare Solutions, a family-owned and operated home care agency.

Roth has been recognized by Phoenix Business Journal and AllThrive 365 (Formerly Foundation for Senior Living) for his work in the home care industry. In 2017, Roth was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey to the Arizona Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging, becoming the first home care agency owner to serve on the Council in its 40-year history.

national pro-Israel organization.

Rabbi Benzion Shemtov of Chabad of Cochise County, Pastor Jim Cleveland of Community Church of Warren in Bisbee and Jewish community members Douglas Levy of Tucson and Jonathan Breakstone of Scottsdale joined other Bisbee residents to urge the council to reject divisive rhetoric, emphasize Israel’s defensive war against

Established in 2009, the monument pictured in the photograph — an American flag waving and transforming into a flame of liberty and hope with a base that includes a piece of metal from the ruins of the Twin Towers — is meant to attest to the connection between the State of Israel and the U.S. JNF-USA also hosted its annual 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the Jerusalem memorial, which was attended by U.S. and Israeli leaders, including U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, first responders, victims’ families, Americans travel-

of imagination. With colorful illustrations and a story rooted in everyday family life, the book is designed for children and adults alike.

“This book is a playful reminder for children and adults alike to stay curious,” Akilov said.

“Taking My Fish for a Walk” encourages children to ask questions and share

network equipped to lead impactful Jewish service of values-aligned peers.

After creating a program in Tucson, Weisband said it wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance of the fellowship and the microgrant.

“The fellowship gave me the knowledge and the confidence to put together a program that includes Jewish and educational components. The microgrant funded the school supplies for 400 students, lunch and t-shirts for the volunteers and speakers to wear and feel like they were doing good for the community “b’yachad” (together),” he said.

Some found the fellowship was the moment to turn personal passions into community initiatives. Others uncovered new approaches

“Bob Roth is a household name in the aging services community. He pours his heart and soul into his work, and he lives out his values every day. His leadership and advocacy embody the spirit of Dosia Carlson’s legacy,” said Duet Executive Director Ann Wheat, in a press release. JN

regional threats and highlight Hamas’ responsibility for initiating the conflict.

“Municipal bodies should not be weaponized to spread misinformation and division against our community or against Israel,” Bennett said in a press release. “We are grateful to Mayor Budge, the council and community members who stood against this misleading resolution.” JN

ing abroad and U.S. students attending Alexander Muss High School in Israel. JN

their imaginative ideas, she said. JN

The book is available in paperback through independent bookstores and online retailers.

to familiar challenges. For some, the program provided a new way to reach underserved groups.

Fellows said they connected deeply during virtual learning and especially when meeting in person at the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly. JN

Bob Roth is a columnist for the Jewish News.

Bob Roth is pictured with the Rev. Dr. Dosia Carlson. COURTESY OF BOB ROTH

Phoenix Police Department Detective Dave Osborne accepts his certificate presented by Jose Tafla from Beth El’s security committee.

Nate Weisband led a program in Tucson with the help of the Catalyst Fellowship. COURTESY OF JEWISH PHILANTHROPIES OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA

Ellen Akilov pictured with her new children’s book. COURTESY OF ELLEN AKILOV

Bob Roth to receive Duet’s legacy award

9/11

Bisbee

Sukkot: From oy to joy

RABBI ALICIA MAGAL PARSHAH SUKKOT, CHOL HAMOED, SHABBAT: EXODUS 33:12 - 34:26

Sukkot (“booths” or “huts” in Hebrew) is a joyous holiday when Jews all over the world build temporary dwellings with roofs made of branches and leaves. These huts harken back to two different eras: the first following the Exodus from Egypt when the Children of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years in temporary dwellings; the second refers to a time hundreds of years later when the Children of Israel entered the Land of Israel and lived as farmers and shepherds. At the time of the fall harvest, the whole community came together to help. Everyone would go to the fields and sleep in little booths on the threshing floor so they wouldn’t have to go all the way back to the houses each evening. This is the setting of the story of Ruth and Boaz. Those two reasons for building small

temporary booths are conflated together, enabling us to feel as if we are reliving ancient history.

It’s also a nature holiday as the last of the three yearly harvest festivals in the agricultural cycle of ancient Israel. People would bring a portion of their produce from their farms and flocks as gratitude offerings to the Temple in Jerusalem and would camp out in the surrounding hills.

Our custom is to invite the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs into the sukkah. We traditionally invite Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David as honored guests, one on each night of Sukkot.

According to more recent custom, matriarchs are also included in this practice of ushpizin, mystical hospitality, including Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Miriam, Deborah, Ruth, Devorah, Esther and Hannah. We invite family and friends to help decorate, celebrate, eat and sing in the sukkah. I always ask the guests to say whom they would invite from their personal history. I had a violinist friend who invited Jascha Heifetz. One woman invited her two grandmothers, who had

died in the Holocaust. You can invite anybody, and it can get very crowded with the energies of all these wonderful people! Then we have a commandment which is probably the easiest to fulfill: to sit and dwell in the sukkah. The most recognizable symbols of Sukkot are what is called the Four Species, the lulav and the etrog. The lulav consists of three varieties of plants — a palm frond, myrtle branch and willow. They are bound together next to the etrog, or citron, a lemon-like citrus fruit. After saying a prayer, you wave the four species, shake them in different directions and bring them to your heart, as you are in the center.

Each of the different greens has a different shape which reminds us of a part of the body. The palm leaf reminds us of our spine, how we walk in the world, how we run to do the commandments. The myrtle is like the eye, with small almondshaped leaves. It represents how we look at the world through this lens of holiness. The willow leaf is a longer oval like the mouth. This symbolizes how we express ourselves with words which should be

full of blessings. The etrog is shaped like the heart, demonstrating that good deeds and acts should all come from the heart. At the end of Sukkot is Hoshana Rabbah, waving of the willows that makes a sound like rain, and it is then that a prayer for rain is recited. In Israel, which is the season when the rain starts.

Sukkot follows closely after the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement. The week of sitting in the sukkah is like a gestation period after the Ten Days of Awe when we resolved to make changes in our lives. One joke is that it is a movement “from oy to joy.” During Sukkot we come inside into a small space, a kind of spiritual cocoon. At the end of the week, we emerge like the butterfly to try our new wings, feeling purified and ready for the new year with new and better choices. JN

Rabbi Alicia Magal is the spiritual leader of the

A ‘yes’ vote on Prop. 409 will strengthen our regional health system

JERRY BIEN-WILLNER | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Maricopa County has always been a place that balances growth with community. We have maintained this balance by supporting institutions that meet today’s needs while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges — even as our region remains one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the nation. Few institutions embody this spirit, or are more important, than Valleywise Health.

Generations of families have known Valleywise as the “county hospital” or by the iconic tower on East Roosevelt Street. But what many don’t realize is just how deep Valleywise’s contributions run in our community.

This is the system that has built and sustains

nationally recognized centers of excellence: the Arizona Burn Center, which treats burn victims from around the Southwest. The system also includes a Level I trauma center for adults and children, and one of the Valley’s leading behavioral health networks. It is the place where thousands of doctors and nurses have been trained, many of whom choose to remain in Arizona, building their careers in an industry that is experiencing critical shortages. In fact, about 75% of physicians trained through Valleywise programs stay to practice in our state, which is a remarkable retention rate that benefits every Arizonan. Valleywise is also the safety net for those who have nowhere else to go for healthcare. That means families in crisis — whether from an accident, a medical emergency or a behavioral health challenge — can receive world-class care regardless of their income level. Valleywise fills a vital role that complements other medical providers.

In one of America’s fastest-growing regions, Valleywise must cope with rising demand for behavioral health and outpatient services in outdated facilities. It’s at a crossroads. The system needs reinvestment, and Proposition 409 is the fiscally responsible way to provide it.

This bond will allow Valleywise to continue modernizing its facilities, expanding access to mental health treatment, and building more efficient, community-based clinics in the communities where people live and work.

As a former mayor, I know that investments like Prop. 409 are more than bricks and mortar. They ensure safety and the wellbeing of our entire community. Valleywise is where our first responders are taken when they are injured in the line of duty. It’s where burn victims from across the Southwest receive lifesaving treatment. And it’s where people in the grips of serious mental illness

can get the care that keeps them, and our community, safe.

Supporting Valleywise is a bipartisan cause. In 2014, more than 63% of Maricopa County voters said ”yes” to replacing a 50-yearold hospital, modernizing the nationally acclaimed Arizona Burn Center and building community health clinics. They recognized then, and now, that Valleywise is an essential piece of the local health system and safety infrastructure.

Voting “yes” on Prop. 409 honors Valleywise’s legacy while ensuring it can serve future generations. It’s an investment in our families, our economy and the health of our entire community. I urge my fellow Maricopa County residents to join me in supporting this important ballot measure. JN

Jerry Bien-Willner was mayor of Paradise Valley from 2018 to 2024 and is a member of Temple Kol Ami in Scottsdale.

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

Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley.

Find area congregations at JewishAZ.com, where you can also find our 2026

Rabbi Alicia Magal COURTESY OF RABBI ALICIA MAGAL

Jerry Bien-Willner COURTESY OF JERRY BIEN-WILLNER

Jewish Tucson writer’s work celebrates ‘philosophy of kindness’

MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

Tucson resident and author Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford originally wrote “What Color is Your Hand?/ De qué color es tu mano?” 24 years ago, after a poignant moment with her 4-year-old grandson, Jordan.

She and her husband, Daniel, had taken Jordan to Legoland in California on vacation. When Rivera-Ashford was helping her grandson in the restroom and as he was holding onto her hand, he suddenly said, “Nani, my hand is not the color of your hand, and your hand is not the color of my hand.” Her grandson’s mother was a refugee from Angola, Africa, so his skin is darker than hers.

“He was in a state of distress, so I came up with this little story to acknowledge the difference and to add some beauty, some deliciousness,” she said as she compared their skin colors to coffee and cream and chocolate and milk.

“It was quite an experience for us,” she said. “That’s how my writings come about, from either traumatic experiences, loss or tremendous joy.”

This is Rivera-Ashford’s first selfpublished work and her fifth bilingual children’s book. Her previous titles include “Raulito: The first Latino Governor of Arizona / El Primer Gobernador Latino de Arizona,” “My Nana’s Remedies / Los Remedios de mi Nana,” “My Tata’s Remedies / Los Remedios de mi Tata,” and “Hip, Hip, Hooray, it’s Monsoon Day / Ajúa, Ya llegó el Chubasco!” She also wrote several books for Disney to accompany the animated film “Coco.”

She had pitched the book to publishers in the past, but it was never accepted. “I thought, okay, I’ve got enough name recognition out there that I think I’ll be good doing this on my own, and I decided to jump in and make the investment,” she said. “Sometimes it’s hard but I have to keep reminding myself, and maybe it is like that for many of us, that everything comes at the perfect time.”

Her books have won numerous awards, including from the International Latino Book Awards, annual awards given to authors, translators and illustrators for books written in English, Spanish or Portuguese. “What Color is Your Hand?” has been named as a finalist in several categories in this year’s awards, which will culminate in a ceremony on Oct. 25. The naming of the finalists coincided with National Hispanic American Heritage Month, running from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

Born into a pioneering Jewish family,

she grew up in Nogales on the U.S.Mexico border.

“My parents and my grandparents belonged to Temple Emanu-El and I made my bat mitzvah there,” she said. In 2020, Emanu-El and Congregation Or Chadash consolidated to form Kol Ami Synagogue in Tucson.

She said growing up, she experienced both Jewish and Catholic traditions because of the women from “across the border” who helped take care of her.

“They taught me how to pray the rosary, so I grew up bilingual, bi-cultural, bi-religious and today my philosophy is kindness — there is no need for temples or complicated philosophies,” she said. “My brain and my heart are my temples.”

She spoke about her approach to preserving cultural traditions, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging “the beauty and deliciousness of culture,” including food, music, art and language and “promoting the blending of all of the ingredients that we come from.”

Rivera-Ashford admitted she does things unconventionally. She doesn’t have a publicist or an agent and before becoming an author, she was a bilingual preschool and elementary teacher, as well as a translator/interpreter.

“What Color is Your Hand?” contains elements not typically found in children’s books — including QR codes that link to inspirational songs.

Rivera-Ashford said that the song “Imagine” by John Lennon was something that came “to my mind and to my heart” while working on the book, so she included lines in the story carrying that theme, such as, “Imagine what it would be like if all the birds and butterflies in the whole wide world were only one color.”

She included QR codes so readers could listen to “Imagine” in both English and Spanish in addition to codes for eight other songs, such as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “What a Wonderful World.”

“The section at the back of the book is called ‘Songs for Humanity,’ and I included a quote by Victor Villaseñor on ‘walking stars,’” she said. Villaseñor is an American writer, best known for the national bestselling book “Rain of Gold,” which details his family’s spiritual and cultural roots as they journey to find a better life in America.

Another unique element in the book is a two-page dedication to the memory of Gabriel “Gabe” Zimmerman,

a fellow Tucsonan who worked for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

The first congressional staff member to lose his life while at work, Zimmerman was killed on Jan. 8, 2011, during a shooting at a “Congress on Your Corner” event at a grocery store in Tucson. The shooting left six dead and wounded 13, including Giffords, who is Jewish.

In his honor, a room at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center has been named the Gabriel Zimmerman Meeting Room to commemorate his act of selflessness and courage. The tragedy left an impact on Rivera-Ashford, and she has wanted to honor Zimmerman in her own way. She felt that adding the memorial in this book was fitting.

“It exemplifies what he stood for and who he was. He was the director of constituent services and community outreach and helped all kinds of people,” she said. “That page is just beautiful with pictures of Gabe when he was young, and his parents gave me their blessing to do this.”

Those pages also include illustrations by the artist, and Tucson native, Walter Thompson (a pen name), who worked on the entire book.

Thompson attended school with Rivera-Ashford’s oldest son Aaron, and she is also friends with Thompson’s mother-in-law, Ramona Grijalva, the late Tucson Congressman Raúl Grijalva’s wife.

She had long admired Thompson’s art and purchased T-shirts and posters from him in the past. She also shared some of her books with him for his two children.

“I wondered if he would be interested in illustrating the book, so I asked him

if he’d like to read the story and let me know and he said, ‘Absolutely!’” she said. “He would send me little doodles, and it just developed from there. It was a dream working with him.”

Rivera-Ashford is already thinking about her next book, which she admitted has also been in her head for a while. She likes the title “Albondiga Today, Matzah Balls Mañana,” a play on the names of two soups from both her Mexican and Jewish heritage.

She said she makes both soups based on her Jewish grandmother’s recipes. When she was interviewing former Governor Raúl H. Castro for her book, “Raulito: The first Latino Governor of Arizona,” she would always bring him and his wife soup when visiting.

“I’d go once a month, and every time I went, I would take some kind of soup for them because they were elderly,” she said. “I asked them both once, ‘Have you ever had matzah ball soup?’ They said that although they had heard of it, they had never had it. I made them some and they really liked it.”

Rivera-Ashford said this was an important lesson in sharing traditions and the positivity that can come from learning about another’s culture.

“We need to share with each other; accepting and learning about our differences and embracing what we can,” she said. “We can’t always embrace something that is different; it doesn’t always work for us. But if we can’t embrace it, we can respect it. We don’t have to reject it.” JN

For more information on Roni Capin RiveraAshford’s books, visit butterflyheartbooks.com.

Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford in her Tucson home with her bilingual children’s books. COURTESY OF RONI CAPIN RIVERA-ASHFORD

Sukkot window inspires reflections on Jewish continuity for one local senior

SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

For more than two decades, Rosemary Abrami has usually sat in the same seat at Beth Emeth Congregation in Sun City West, a small but faithful presence in the sanctuary on Friday nights and Saturday mornings.

From her vantage point, her eyes often wander to one window in particular. It displays a vivid scene of Sukkot, the harvest festival that began on the evening of Oct. 6th this year. The centerpiece shows three figures gathered around a table in a sukkah. Above them, an etrog and lulav rest in the colored glass, while a Torah glows in the panel below.

“It’s such a beautiful example of Jewish continuity,” Abrami said. “That window has a story, and it connects generations, just like Judaism itself.”

The Sukkot window was not always part of Beth Emeth. Its story began in Chicago, in the Albany Park neighborhood, where Beth Jacob Synagogue once stood. The synagogue eventually closed, and when the building was decommissioned, the windows were sold off.

One of those windows caught the heart of Irving Pliskin, a longtime Beth Emeth member. His father, Abraham Pliskin, had been a hazzan for more than 60 years, finishing his career at Beth Jacob. To honor him, Irving and his wife, Mildred, bought the Sukkot window and had it mounted in a backlit frame in their Sun City West home.

Years later, as Irving faced the end of his life, he made a decision.

“He knew he was dying and wanted it to be in a place where it would be treasured,” Abrami said.

The window was given to Beth Emeth, where Max Gimpel — who designed the building and its stained glass — was asked how best to display it. He chose a spot above the choir, where the light would bring out its colors without clashing with the existing design.

As Abrami reflects on the window, she thinks about the many congregants who may no longer know the Pliskins

personally. For her, that does not lessen its significance.

“The window used to be in Chicago, and then it came to Arizona,” she said.

“The shul in Chicago no longer exists, but the window does and the Jewish community does. No matter where Jews move, they carry their memories and artifacts with them.”

That sentiment echoes through her own life. Born in South Africa, Abrami has long been attuned to the ways Jewish families carry their heritage across continents. She recalled, with particular tenderness, a pair of Shabbat candlesticks that belonged to her grandmother.

“When my grandmother died, her daughter inherited them. When she died, they passed to me,” Abrami said. “When I left South Africa to come to America, the candlesticks were in my handbag, not in my checked luggage. They aren’t fancy, they’re just brass candlesticks, but they came from Lithuania to South Africa and now to America. They are a symbol of continuity. When I die, they will go to my niece in Sydney, Australia.”

Rosemary Abrami enjoys reflecting on the significance of continuity within the Jewish community.

At 78, local psychologist is still ‘fit and flexible’ thanks to 20 years of yoga

MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

emi-retired Jewish psychologist Dr. Larry F. Waldman has always been into fitness. At 78, he works out most days, alternating between weights and aerobic exercise. But 20 years ago, Waldman was introduced to a new form of fitness: yoga. He was working out at the gym at the now-closed La Camarilla Racquet, Fitness & Health Club in Scottsdale, when Lisa Gilbert, a yoga instructor who also happened to be a fellow therapist, approached him and encouraged him to try a class.

“We talked about the four components to fitness: strength, aerobics, flexibility and balance. She said I had the first two down, but what about the other two?” he said. “I was in my late 50s and thought, ‘I’m strong, I’m OK.’”

He admitted being hesitant at first

because he was under the impression that yoga wasn’t for older men, and he also thought the goal of the poses was to turn you into a pretzel.

While attending her class, Gilbert would correct his form and talk about movement, breathing and meditation. As a psychologist, he said that “struck a chord” and the more he did it, the more value he saw in yoga.

In 2019, when he retired from his fulltime mental health care practice, he and his wife of 54 years, Nan, bought a home in California to spend the summers near their only grandchild. (They now have two grandchildren.)

Waldman started teaching yoga at their condominium complex in California, and two years ago, he began a certification program at Scottsdale Community College. He completed the program in May 2024.

“Out of the initial cohort of 16 of us, six of us graduated,” he said. “I was the only male, and I was the oldest by far; the next person closest to me was 20 years younger. So, I got certified and now I’m

“I’M ONE OF THOSE TEACHERS WHO DO THE MOVE ALONG WITH THE STUDENTS, I DO ENJOY IT.”

LARRY F. WALDMAN

totally kosher.”

With his certification, he began teaching seniors yoga weekly at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center (VOSJ) in Scottsdale. He credits Gilbert with what he is doing now, and he even gets to call her a co-worker, as she is a fellow fitness instructor.

“We had a reunion,” he said. “I started here the first Friday of February, and that’s when I surprised her.”

Since he was in California from June to September, he returned to teaching classes on Oct. 1. Waldman emphasized how much practicing yoga helps seniors with the basic activities of daily living.

“It’s good for bone health and to prevent falls. That’s what the balance is for — to prevent falls,” said Waldman. He explained that a fall can be “the beginning of the end,” especially for older woman because after menopause their bones become more porous and brittle due to a sharp drop in estrogen, making bones fragile and prone to fractures.

He suggested incorporating balance moves into your daily routine, such as standing on one leg while brushing your teeth. “You’ve got the sink to steady you, if necessary,” said Waldman.

He said yoga also helps with flexibility and he sees the importance of it at his

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Larry F. Waldman COURTESY OF LARRY F. WALDMAN

weekly Brandeis National Committee Phoenix Chapter Canasta game. Whenever a card falls to the floor during the card game, the others always call on Waldman to pick it up because he is usually the only one who can reach it.

Waldman also shared another story about the benefits of yoga in relation to home repairs. He was visiting a friend in California when he went to wash his hands and discovered the water was off. His friend said that the pipe was cracked and that a plumber was coming in the morning.

He showed Waldman the part and confessed that he couldn’t get under the sink to fix the pipe. He also said that it was going to cost him $300, $125 for the plumber to show up and $175 for the minimum charge for labor.

“I said, ‘Do you have a wrench?’ and the whole thing was probably fixed in less than 10 minutes,” said Waldman. He joked that he told his friend it would only be $150.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

Objects like candlesticks or stained glass, she believes, are not just relics but vessels of meaning. “These objects are visual reminders and give us emotional context,” she said.

Abrami’s eye for detail does not end with windows. She is known to notice when silver ritual objects in the synagogue need polishing, and she has taken the task on herself.

She likes things to look their best, but it also gives her the opportunity to examine them closely and think about their beauty and history.

That same care informs the way she engages with the Sukkot window. Especially in the days before the festival, she finds herself lingering on its imagery of togetherness, tradition and sacred objects passed down.

“There’s so much sadness at the moment,” she reflected. “It’s nice to think of beauty.”

Flexibility also helps when he and his wife are traveling, as they often have to walk and climb in some of the out-of-the-way places they like to visit. They went to India and Uzbekistan this year.

He said his wife stays active playing pickleball and working out at Orangetheory Fitness. Waldman is also a certified personal trainer and trains with his wife, “when she lets me,” but he doesn’t mind working out alone and will incorporate yoga moves into his gym time.

In his spare time, Waldman is also a professional speaker, consultant, adjunct professor and author of eight books.

Although he joked that he’s not into teaching yoga “for the money,” he hopes to continue doing so as long as he is able.

“I’m one of those teachers who do the move along with the students,” he said. “I do enjoy it.” JN

For more information, visit valleyofthesunj.org.

More than art, the stained glass is testimony in Abrami’s view. It is the survival of a fragment of a Chicago synagogue that no longer stands, given new life in Arizona. It is the devotion of a son honoring his father’s service to Jewish song and prayer. It is the ongoing presence of a community that, even as it changes, carries its memories forward.

As Sukkot approaches, the window’s image of people gathered in a sukkah feels especially poignant. The sukkah itself is a temporary structure, fragile and exposed, yet it has been built and rebuilt for thousands of years. Like the candlesticks in Abrami’s handbag, or the stained glass carried from Chicago to Sun City West, it reminds Jews that continuity does not depend on permanence, but on care, memory and the willingness to carry forward what is precious.

Every Shabbat, from her seat in the sanctuary, Abrami can look at the window and see the truth of her sentiment. JN

Larry F. Waldman, far right, teaching a yoga class at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center.

When a fall happens in silence: The hidden danger

BOB ROTH | COLUMNIST

his autumn, as daylight shortens, we are reminded of something families too often overlook: one fall can change everything. While September marked Fall Prevention Awareness Month, the danger doesn’t stop once the calendar turns. For older adults, fall risk is with us year-round and it grows more serious as days grow darker and colder.

Falls are not rare events. One in four Americans over 65 experiences a fall each year, and they are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in that age group. But here is what doesn’t always make the headlines: many falls never get reported at all.

In recent years, new kinds of “ambient” monitoring technologies have emerged, systems that can detect unusual sounds or patterns of movement. Unlike pendants

and wearable buttons, which are only effective when they are worn, these tools can capture what families don’t see. Too often, older adults forget to wear their devices, or choose not to, because they find them uncomfortable or stigmatizing. As a result, when a fall occurs, help does not come until it is too late.

I have seen this firsthand. A friend once told me his mother did not need additional monitoring because she wore her medical alert necklace. The problem was she was not wearing it the day she fell. Hours stretched into days before she was discovered. By then, the damage was immense: weeks in the hospital, weeks more in rehab and a lasting loss of independence.

Stories like hers are not unique. About 30% of older adults live alone and when a fall happens in silence, discovery can come far too late.

Technology can provide an extra layer of protection, but it’s only part of the answer. The environment inside the home matters just as much. Cluttered hallways,

loose rugs and poor lighting are common hazards that can easily be addressed. Stairs, once harmless, can become treacherous with age. Even bathrooms, places we rarely think about as dangerous, are among the most common sites of falls because of wet floors and slippery surfaces. Simple changes like grab bars, non-slip mats and walk-in showers can make an enormous difference.

Another factor families often underestimate is resistance to using assistive devices. Many older adults feel embarrassed or “old” when asked to use a cane or walker. But when chosen properly and introduced with care, these tools don’t take independence away, they preserve it. I once knew a man who had collected canes but resisted the idea of using a walker. With gentle encouragement from his physical therapist, he finally agreed. The result was remarkable: the frequent falls stopped altogether.

Over three decades of home care, I have learned that fall prevention is not a onetime checklist. It is an ongoing process

of creating safer spaces, supporting loved ones as their needs change and embracing the tools that can bridge the gaps between visits from caregivers or family.

The harsh truth is that many falls happen in silence, unwitnessed, unreported, sometimes undiscovered for hours or even days. But silence doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Families can take steps today: clear the pathways, adapt the home, encourage the use of devices and consider technologies that add another layer of safety when no one else is there.

If there is one message, I hope caregivers and families take away, it’s this: do not wait until after a fall to act. A single fall is rarely “just” a bruise or a broken bone. It’s often the beginning of a downward spiral. Every measure we put in place, whether it’s safer bathrooms, better lighting, mobility aids or monitoring systems, can help older adults stay not just safe, but independent, in the place they love most: home. JN

Bob Roth is the managing partner of Cypress HomeCare Solutions.

Bob Roth COURTESY OF BOB ROTH

Seeing the invisible: How advanced imaging technology is transforming breastconserving surgery

DR. SOMMER GUNIA, D.O. | SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

As a breast surgeon, one of the hardest conversations I have with patients is telling them we didn’t get all of the cancer during surgery — and that we’ll need to go back in. It’s an outcome that happens in about 20% of breast-conserving surgeries across the country. Even when we do everything right, cancer cells can hide at the margins, and we often don’t find out until days later when the pathology results come back. It’s discouraging, not just for the patient, but for the whole care team.

A new imaging tool called Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is changing the way surgeons approach breast-conserving surgery. This advanced technology uses non-ionizing, nearinfrared light to generate images, providing the ability to view breast tissue at the microscopic level during surgery, offering real-time feedback on whether cancerous tissue remains.

We can now visualize tissue structure down to just two millimeters, into ducts, vessels and glands, right there in the operating room. We can use OCT to evaluate the edges of the tissue being removed (the margins) to see if any cancer cells remain. What traditionally required up to 10 days of waiting for pathology results can now be assessed immediately, enabling better decision-making while the patient is still in the operating room.

One of my patients, Jean D., a 69-yearold woman from Scottsdale, came in understandably anxious after discovering a lump during a routine mammogram. She had heard about women needing second surgeries and was concerned about the same outcome. After discussing her options, she felt comfortable going into surgery knowing that I use this advanced imaging technology in the operating room.

Jean’s surgery was successful the first time, and she was able to proceed to radiation without delay. Today, she’s back to hiking and enjoying life.

That’s the goal for every patient. Breast cancer treatment should be effective without unnecessary disruption to someone’s life. Traditional tools like X-rays, ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have limitations in the operating room. This advanced technology provides

cross-sectional, 3D images with a resolution 10 times greater than conventional imaging and 100 times higher than an MRI.

Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2021, OCT is being used across different practices like ophthalmology, cardiology, neurology, dermatology, gastroenterology and dentistry to provide non-invasive, high-resolution, cross-sectional images of tissues for diagnosis and monitoring of diseases, but its application in breast-conserving surgery is particularly impactful. By giving surgeons real-time insights into tissue margins, we are empowered to make better decisions in the moment that lead to better outcomes while offering patients greater confidence in their care.

I believe that healing isn’t just about removing the disease, it’s about helping people feel whole again. With innovations like OCT imaging, we’re one step closer to making that possible for every patient, every time. JN

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, for more information, visit nationalbreastcancer.org.

Dr. Sommer Gunia, D.O., is a breast surgical oncologist with HonorHealth Cancer Care and Comprehensive Breast Center of Arizona. She is dedicated to bringing the highest level of breast care to the Valley by incorporating her expertise in the newest technologies and advancements available for both the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Dr. Sommer Gunia, D.O. COURTESY OF HONORHEALTH

Andrew Cuomo apologizes to Orthodox Jews for past handling of COVID-19 restrictions

JOSEPH STRAUSS | JTA

Andrew Cuomo apologized Wednesday, Oct. 1, for having “caused pain in the Jewish community” during his term as governor, citing decisions he made regarding COVID-era public health restrictions.

The apology came on the eve of Yom Kippur and in the form of a video shared with Orthodox rabbis who soured on Cuomo when he was governor and now may be considering endorsing him in his mayoral run.

“We could have done better, and for that, I am truly sorry,” Cuomo said in the video. “My intentions don’t change the impact, and I sincerely ask for your understanding. On this holy Day of Atonement, I am committed to learning these lessons.”

Cuomo’s relationship with Orthodox

Jews had dimmed when he sought to enforce pandemic restrictions on gatherings in neighborhoods like Borough Park and Midwood — singling out haredi Orthodox communities, critics said.

That October, the haredi umbrella body Agudath Israel of America sued him for discrimination.

In the video, which was shared with Orthodox rabbis, Cuomo said he’d “made decisions with the best of intentions to protect health and save lives.”

But he said he understood why they had not always landed well.

“I recognize that some of those decisions caused pain in the Jewish community because we did not always fully consider the sensitivities and traditions that are so deeply important,” Cuomo said.

The video marked Cuomo’s first public

apology for his handling of COVID-19 restrictions in Orthodox neighborhoods, where Cuomo imposed heavier restrictions due to high positivity rates that limited synagogue attendance seen as essential to religious and cultural practices. He has reportedly done so previously in meetings with Orthodox leaders and also said in an interview with VIN News before the primary that he “absolutely could have done more to meet with and talk to community leaders and rabbis” to ensure “their concerns were addressed.”

The apology comes days after Eric Adams, whose support from Orthodox Jews helped him win the 2021 mayoral election, ended his campaign for reelection. Cuomo has nabbed endorsements from an array of Orthodox organizations and community activists in the days since

Adams dropped out, though many others have yet to endorse a candidate.

Cuomo is now in a three-man race against democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, who is polling third. Sliwa and his supporters have pointed to Cuomo’s COVID controversy — including on social media on Tuesday, Sept. 30 — in hopes of steering Orthodox voters away from Cuomo. (Sliwa also called attention to Cuomo’s pandemic executive order requiring nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients, seen as a contributor to high death rates in the facilities.) Both men are positioning themselves as the right challenger to take on Mamdani, the frontrunner and Democratic nominee.

“Cuomo’s team must’ve forgot Cuomo labeled the Jewish community as Dirty Disease Spreaders and barred them from religious gatherings, while going on the news each day and lighting fires of Antisemitism,” wrote one Sliwa supporter, who is a retired NYPD lieutenant, Wednesday morning, Oct. 1, before Cuomo’s video was shared publicly.

“Cuomo targeted Jewish communities during COVID and his deadly executive order led to the deaths of 15,000 seniors,” Sliwa wrote Tuesday, Sept. 30, adding that “New York is moving forward.”

Some Orthodox Jews have responded positively to the apology.

“Finally Andrew Cuomo is saying what we were waiting for,” one user wrote. “A real apology. Thank you.”

For others, like X user Eli Steinberg, the video was too little too late:

“Cuomo’s ‘apology’ would perhaps mean more if he didn’t wait until his political career was about to end and he wasn’t reciting it straight off a script,” Steinberg wrote. JN

Cuomo’s apology came on the eve of Yom Kippur and in the form of a video shared with Orthodox rabbis.

VIA X

Special anniversary

Passover BBQ

Bringing communities together

For the love of pickleball

After the fire

Super Bowl snacks

Releasing

Expertise for mommy & me

and meaningful conversations over a Passover

Sharing stories

from Nazi Germany in the 1930s.

On Wednesday, April 9, the Valley of the Sun JCC Intermediate Pickleball League finished its nine-week tournament. For one day every week, during the course of the competition, participants played six games. Harriet Colan, longest tenured full-time employee at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, and pictured in a lavendar t-shirt, shows off her

Remembering Nova

Congregation Beth Tefillah members mixed it up with various costumes at the Purim Party in March.

Hamilton High School Air Force JROTC students recently attended a Post 610 Jewish War Veterans’ meeting to learn about their time in the service. Each cadet paired up with a vet to hear their story so they could later be able to share it with fellow cadets.

I’ll

take a big

after performing at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. Pictured is CJP’s Schlicha Sapir who introduced DJ Artifex to a crowd of more than 200 people.

Memorial Day poppies

August in

Women sharing a Seder

Strike!

Heads up!

Brunch with the gang

Big donation for Phoenicians in need

Passover project

Smile On Seniors hosted a “Chai Pins Bowling” event in early summer. Pictured from left are David Termine, Susan Hall, Janet Lottman, Sherri Foreman, Andrea Malkin, Len Krich and Dave Shooten.

check Lilach Mazor Power, Jewish entrepreneur, owner of the Giving Tree Dispensary and founder of the pre-roll brand Sneakers, hosted a $10,000 giveaway in February. Here, she presents a giant check for $10,000 to military veteran, Matthew Sabo.

Leo, one of the newest members of Temple Chai, wears a hard hat during the Phoenix synagogue’s groundbreaking at its new home.

Tikkun Olam Together, a program of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix, worked to support the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix’s Passover Food Drive. Mothers and daughters packaged holiday candles and greeting cards, and added them to the Passover food packages that were delivered a few days before the start of the holiday.

Smile on Seniors hosted its Jewish Active Mature Adults brunch social on Feb. 23. Pictured from left are Ana Spence, Linda Lober, Michael and Nancy Mendelsohn, Andrea Silvey, Peter and Irene Baron, Isy and Benita Sonabend, David Termine and Dave Shooten.

Back and Open House party on Sunday, Sept. 14.

On Tuesday, July 15, Beth El Phoenix and Arizona Friends of Homeless received three pallets of shelf-stable food and hygiene items from Convoy of Hope in Port Huron, Michigan. Volunteers handed the donated items out to people living on the street in Phoenix.

COURTESY OF BARBARA LEWKOWITZ

Shavuot celebration

On Sunday, March 23, Temple Solel hosted its annual Women’s Passover Seder. It was an evening of spirituality, song and shared tradition led by Solel Rabbi Debbie Stiel and including the vocals of Tamara Lieberman. This special Seder weaves together the rich tapestry of Jewish heritage with the voices and experiences of women.

New leader of Board of Rabbis

Congregation

co-treasurer; Beth

Congregation Rabbi Nitzan Stein-Kokin, vice

from

Congregation Beth Israel Rabbi Sara Mason-Barkin, secretary; and Temple Kol Ami Rabbi Jeremy Schneider, immediate past president. Not pictured is Rabbi Mark Bisman, co-treasurer.

Reading stories

Every month, the women of Congregation Beth Tefillah’s Book Club delve into

Robot pets for patients

Shabbat

Hike your own hike

Mazel tov Cantor Noa!

Baking with Benita

Honoring the work

Challah

That’s a long time!

and

Congregation Beth Tefillah’s youth directors, Rabbi Yisrael and Eden Kumer, led a leadership training for teens while hiking in Phoenix. The goal was to empower the teens to lead fun and engaging activities for younger kids.

Jerry Lewkowitz, right, presented Alma Hernandez with the Lewkowitz Family Rising Leader Award at the Anti-Defamation League Desert’s Conference on Antisemitism in Tempe

Parents, babies and peace

Babyccino group in a mindful parenting session about releasing self-imposed limitations while

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

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.

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

Greater Phoenix Board of Rabbis are pictured at The New Shul, preparing for the High Holidays and learning with New Shul Rabbi Elana Kanter.

Boys in blue

Rabbi Levi Levertov welcomes Phoenix police officers to Smile On Seniors’ “Shabbat with a Cop” event

BBQ gang

Pictured from left are Susan and Alan Polson and Hana and Norman Kahn. The foursome are enjoying Smile On Seniors’ Lag B’Omer BBQ in May.

SMILE

Mahjong hangout

Friends shared an epic Shabbat dinner and mahjong night, complete with homemade food, wine, desserts and laughter. Pictured from left are Sheri Schreck, Debbie Ater, Meryl Rose, Nancy Turell, Sheryl Quen, Julie Friedman, Andi Friedman and Penny Miller.

Lunch gang

Smile on Seniors’ “Not Just Lunch and Fun” event with gameshow host Scott Faver had a big turnout. Pictured from left are Jackie Black, Stephanie Shink, Barbara Allyn, Chani Levertov, Bari Myden, Judy Zuchman, Marcia Simon and Baila Spevak.

SMILE ON SENIORS

Pickles served with a smile

In March, Smile On Seniors

Jewish News’ inaugural class of 18 Under 50 gathered to meet fellow honorees. Clockwise from left, Geoffrey Balon, Denise Kaye, Andre Ivory, Rabbi Aviva Funke, Andrew Gibbs, Adam Metzendorf, Wiliam Koslow, Jennifer Starrett, Allison Kierman, Ian Sachs and Sarah Kader.

Kol Ami legacy donors showed

president; Green;

Todd Herzog, right, and Colton Rahav, left, took part in Congregation Beth Tefillah’s Passover concert and BBQ last month in Scottsdale.

COURTESY OF CONGREGATION

Holocaust remembrance

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley member Nancy Urbach was the keynote speaker at the temple’s interfaith Holocaust Remembrance Day program. She shared how her family members helped save about 200 relatives and friends

Benita” series on Feb. 25.

Hiking with kehilla

The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix hosted its annual Latino Jewish Seder last month to bring together

Jewish and Latino communities to share traditions, stories

Seder.

Watching the Super Bowl with Smile on Seniors. Seated from left are Michael and Elaine Kates, Janet Lottman and Leslie and Brad Levy.

Mazel

OF DONNA HARRIS

From left, Marvin and Sandra Finkelstein, Rabbi Levi Levertov, Herb Spiwak, Ethel Schmall, Sharon Friendly, Howard and Ilene Kornblue and Vicki Diamond at Smile on Seniors’ “It’s Not Just Lunch and Heart Health”

Grab a bag

Raya Sandler, right, and Lyla Katz were among those who gave away Purim treats, mishloach manot, to senior living communities for Tikkun Olam Together’s mother-daughter service group on Sunday, March 2.

Coffee campaign

Michelle Jameson, Director of U. S. Vets -Phoenix, happily accepted 163 cans of coffee collected by Jewish War Veterans, Post 619. Pictured from left are John Hermann, Jameson,

Stutman and Charles Gerson.

Congregation Beth Tefillah’s Babyccino, a mommy and me group hosted by Dr. Abigail Gewirtz, during its recent weekly Tuesday meeting. Gewirtz is a child psychologist and spoke about mindful parenting.

From left, Freeman Rosenblum, Alan Nathan, Glenn Miller, David Rosen, Keith Rezendes, Beverly Nathan and Shirley Rosenblum are pictured at Smile on Seniors’ “Deli Night” event on Jan. 29.

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.

OF SMILE ON SENIORS California

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

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.

The lucky ones

Phoenix Holocaust Association observed International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a presentation by Georgia Hunter, author of “We Were the Lucky Ones.” Pictured from

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.

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

Kindness, Courage and Joy Course: 10-11:30 a.m. Oct. 9, 16 and 23. Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, 12202 N. 101st Ave., Sun City. Join Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and discuss how understanding what kindness, courage and joy are can be the first step towards deepening a commitment to becoming fully human. Cost: $20 for members; $35 for nonmembers. Registration deadline is 12 p.m. on Oct. 6. For more information, visit tbsaz.org.

Mindfulness Gatherings: 12 p.m. Online. Hosted by Hospice of the Valley via Zoom. Cost: Free. To join by phone, dial 1-253-2158782, 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.

Jewish Baby University: 6:15-9 p.m. Sept. 11-Oct. 23. Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. Join the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix for a class for expectant parents. For more information, visit bjephoenix.org/baby-university.

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.

Shabbat

FRIDAYS

Tot Shabbat: 9:30 a.m. Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale 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: 5:45 p.m. on Zoom; 9:30 a.m. at Beth El Phoenix, 1118 W. Glendale. Ave., Phoenix or livestreaming at tinyurl. com/bec-livestream. Celebrate Shabbat with songs, blessings and teachings

with Rabbi Stein-Kokin and Cantor Sarah Bollt. 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.; followed by a light Kiddush lunch. Beth Emeth Congregation of the West Valley, 13702 W. Meeker Blvd., Sun City West. For more information call 623-584-7210 or visit bethemethaz.org.

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

Hannah (Honey) Klein

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 602-487-5718 for more information. JN

Hannah (Honey) Klein passed away on August 27, 2025. She was 84.

Born and raised in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Honey is one of three daughters of Lillian and Maurice Sadowsky.

Honey graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School and the University of Pittsburgh, where she was a member of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority. In 1969, Honey and her husband of 62 years, Louis (Lou) Klein, moved to Paradise Valley, where they resided for over 55 years.

Honey spent time as an elementary and Sunday school teacher. She enjoyed needlepointing and painting in her spare time. Honey was competitive and passionate about her hobbies including tennis, mahjong, poker and bridge. As a bridge player she achieved the coveted rank of Life Master.

Honey is survived by her three sons Marc, Alan and Jeff, and their families; four grandchildren Joshua, Alyssa, Gabrielle and Hailey; and her sister, Ellen Sadowsky.