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Michael Soto advocates for allyship between the LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities

Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan said he understands Jewish fear after visit to Israel

AUGUST 8, 2025 | AV 14, 5785 | VOLUME 77, NUMBER 23

As online bullying on nation’s campuses increases, ASU Jewish leaders remain optimistic but vigilant SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

hile antisemitic assaults and acts of vandalism have decreased on college campuses nationwide, bias is growing in less visible ways. Online harassment, cyberbullying and antisemitic rhetoric in student publications and digital spaces have risen, according to a new report from Hillel International. “Any decrease in the worst type of campus antisemitic incidents is heartening; however, the overall tally is still far too high,” Debbie Yunker Kail, executive director of Hillel at Arizona State University (ASU), told Jewish News in an email. “I hope that in the coming year we will see a further decrease across the country of all types of incidents.” At ASU, where one of the largest Jewish student populations in the country is supported by groups such as Hillel and Chabad, a strong relationship between these Jewish leaders and ASU administration has helped. “We are here for any student who wants to report an incident, and we’re confident in our partnership with university administrators that all reports are taken seriously. When we have seen online incidents, they have been handled swiftly,” Yunker Kail said. Chabad at ASU Director Rabbi Shmuel Tiechtel also expressed confidence in ASU’s

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JFCS’ cuts will not hit Jewish programs SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

ewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS) is in the process of implementing significant cuts, mostly to its behavioral health programs and staff. None of the organization’s Jewish programs will be affected, JFCS President and CEO Lorrie Henderson told Jewish News. Those include holiday programs, emergency financial assistance, counseling for the Jewish community, Holocaust survivor services, career services, hospital chaplaincy, senior concierge and older adult services. “Since its inception in 1935, JFCS has provided vital needs based social services to the Jewish community,” JFCS Jewish Program Manager Kathy Rood told Jewish News. “JFCS continues to provide vital programs that serve the most vulnerable in our community.” “These programs are vital to the Jewish community in Phoenix because they offer The Jewish Family & Children’s Service Glendale Healthcare Center, one of its largest culturally sensitive support for individuals clinics in the Valley, faces closure. COURTESY OF JEWISH FAMILY & CHILDREN’S SERVICE and families facing life’s challenges, including financial hardship, mental health needs and crisis situations,” JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment and Creative Aging Director Jennifer Brauner told Jewish News. “They help strengthen the community’s resilience by providing local, accessible resources that uphold Jewish values.” Jewish programs are funded through a combination of grants and donations. SEE JFCS, PAGE 3

‘Life is not about stuff ’

Home coach Robyn Friedman saw for herself at a young age the negative effect “stuff” can have on a person. See page 10. PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBYN FRIEDMAN

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Tens of thousands march in rain in Sydney New videos of 2 Israeli hostages in About 60% of Jews think they will be less safe under Mamdani and prefer other as Gaza aid crisis renews pro-Palestinian Gaza raise concerns that they are facing protests starvation with no deal in sight candidates, poll finds

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about her Judaism with her fellow council members and speaking out for her rights CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and beliefs. about her Judaism with her fellow council SOPHIE said JonSTERN Meyers, director of ADDPC. She already has some practice at CONTINUED FROM 1 members and speaking out for her rights “Our hope is PAGE to create and promote advocating administration, which “will continue for herself. beliefs. opportunities for people to be embraced, and working with the Jewish community lead“One time, I was in class and someone said Jon Meyers, director of ADDPC. She already has some practice at ers on campus so that every student feels become part of the community and find called me the R-word “Our hope is to create and promote advocating for herself.and I told him not safe, secure and comfortable.” equitable opportunities wherever they to. The teacher was in the hallway and opportunities for people to be embraced, “One time, I was in class and someone Thus far, he has not heard from his might live,” he said. another student repeated the word,” she become part of the community and find called me the R-word and I told him not students about an increase in online Meyers first came to know Stern said. Rather than letting the situation go, equitable opportunities wherever they to. The teacher was in the hallway and harassment. through her mother, Amy Silverman, who she told her theater teacher, who was able might live,” he said. another student repeated the word,” she In Yunker Kail’s view, “Jewish life is read her personal essays about raising a to intervene. Meyers first came to know Stern Rather than letting the situation go, thriving” at ASU. daughter with Down syndrome on KJZZ, said. “If someone has a disability, saying through her mother, Amy Silverman, who she her theater teacher, who was able The annual r epor t fr om Hillel National Public Radio’s Phoenix affiliate the told R-word is like saying the F-word,” read her personal essays about raising a to intervene. International paints a complex picture. station. said. daughter with Down syndrome on KJZZ, Stern “If someone has a disability, saying While overt incidents like assaults and Meyers was so captivated by the essays While performing in the musical National Public Radio’s Phoenix affiliate the R-word isJewish like saying the F-word,” acts of vandalism dropped significantly Blue tents thatset heup reached outHERE to Silverman, andlast thefall, which for the Let Be Light event celebratedshe on campus at “Hairspray,” hadlifeanother occasion station. Stern said. State University in Tempe. COURTESY OF CHABAD AT ASU during the 2023–2024 academic year, Arizonatwo became friends. to tangle with the offensive word, which Meyers was so captivated by the essays While performing in the musical the total number of antisemitic incidents That’s how Stern first learned of the appears in the script. in 2022 that he reached out to Silverman, and the she had another occasion Sophie Stern at her high school graduation remains disturbingly high. In total, 1,853 open council seat, but there’s no doubt “Hairspray,” COURTESY OF SOPHIE STERN “That’s really bad and my friend said two became friends. to tangle with the offensive word, which incidents were recorded on campuses she earned her position, Meyers said. on stage. I was not OK with that, so I Heart Can’t Even Believe It: A Story of That’s how Stern first learned of the itappears the script. Sophie Stern at her high school graduation in 2022 nationwide — an increase of over 500 To become a council member, Stern went to in the director and told her it was Science, open council seat, but there’s no doubt COURTESY OF SOPHIE STERN Love and Down Syndrome,” “That’s really bad and my friend said from the previous year, and a jump from had to apply and demonstrate that she had a bad word for people with disabilities, she earned her position, Meyers said. Silverman’s book about her daughter. it on stage. I was not OK with that, so I Heart Can’t Even Believe It: A just 289 in the 2022–2023 academic year. something valuable to contribute, he said. but Story of she wouldn’t take it out,” Stern said. * To become a council member, Stern When Gesher’s speakers’ bureau, Damon to the director and told her it was Science, Love and Down Syndrome,” This rise reflects a broader shift in “She’s on the council because she went She let her mother know about the had to apply and demonstrate that she had Brooks & Associates, was asked to find a bad word for people with disabilities, Silverman’s book about her daughter. where and how antisemitism manifests deserves to be on the council,” he said. conflict and they were able to convince something valuable to contribute, he said. but she wouldn’t take it out,” Stern said. a speaker about Down syndrome for an on college campuses. Only a few pro-PalStern is creating a life and career as a the director of the need to remove the When Gesher’s speakers’ bureau, Damon “She’s on the council because she She let her mother know about the event this spring, Hummell first asked estinian campus encampments appeared member of her community, which makes word Brooks & Associates, was asked to find from the script. deserves to be on the council,” he said. conflict and they were able to convince Silverman to speak, thinking Stern might nationwide during the most recent acaher a great addition. a speaker about Down syndrome for an “My friend Al was next to me when Stern is creating a life and career as a the director of the need to remove the be too young. demic year. Instead, the battleground Stern graduated from McClintock I told the director and he gave me the event this spring, Hummell first asked member of her community, which makes word from the script. They decided instead that Stern should has moved online — into chat rooms, High School in Tempe last year and now biggest hug ever and said that he loved Silverman to speak, thinking Stern might her a great addition. “My friend Al was next to me when tell her own story; it’s a real bonus that anonymous message boards, social media attends Glendale Community College, me so much,” Stern said. Sadly, Al died be too young. View of Arizona University’sfrom campus ELLEN O’BRIEN SternState graduated McClintock I told the director andPHOTO heBY gave me the she is not afraid of public speaking. posts and digital publications. with a focus on dance. She is a regular in a car crash on Oct. 24, 2021. They decided instead that Stern should High School in Tempe last year and now biggest hug ever and said that he loved “It’s not the same when ** someone “What we saw this past year was there Israel.performer at Detour Company Theatre, “That was hard; it’s very hard to get Falk noted that spikes in antisecontent that Hillel said met its criteria tell own story; it’s a real bonus that attends Glendale Community College, me so much,” Stern said. Sadly, Al died tries her to tell a person’s story for them,” was a penalty for antisemitism at many mitic aincidents Scottsdale theatre often company for adults emotions out and I such was very, very upset,” she is not afraid of public speaking. on campus followed for antisemitic rhetoric, as demonwith a focus on dance. She is a regular in a car crash on Oct. 24, 2021. universities,” said Jon Falk, Hillel’s vice globalwith Hummell said. intellectual, and said. or Jewish students who or national attacksdevelopmental against Jews, izing she Zionism “It’s not the same when someone performer at Detour Company Theatre, “That was hard; it’s very hard to get president of Israel engagement and con- such as Additionally, helping people with physical disabilities.of Pennsylvania supportOn the recent anniversary of his death, tries the firebombing Israel. to tell a person’s story for them,” a Scottsdale theatre company for adults emotions out and I was very, very upset,” disabilities fronting antisemitism, in an interview Gov. Josh jobs was one of the reasons In Shapiro’s fact, whenhome, Stern or attended her firstWhile Stern made a cake often and took the killing these materials blur ittheto the Hummell find said. with intellectual, developmental and she said. with Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “And of Israeli for acquiring the bureau. Unemployment council meeting in January, she couldn’t crash site. embassy staff in Washington, line between political expression and hate helping people with physical disabilities. On the recent anniversary of his death, in Additionally, so what it did is it took a lot of these D.C. wait the disability community is upwards to tell people of her involvement with don’t know how did negait without disabilities speech, “I Hillel maintains that Ithey find jobs one of the reasons In fact, when Stern attended her first Stern made a cake and took it to the of 75% and of that was incidents that would have happened on percentage, 75% are andsurrounding share information about tively its crying. so proud of myself,” she said. for acquiring the bureau. TheDetour tensions the she IsraelimpactI’m Jewish student life. “Each Unemployment council meeting in January, couldn’t crash site. campus, and it moved them*Best online.” of MagazineHamas willing and able to work — but upcoming shows. Amy Hummell, executive director of ready, wartointell Gaza continue to influence with article/publication incident met Hillel’s in the disability community is upwards wait people of her involvement “I don’t know how I did it without haven’t been given the opportunity, The impact of digital antisemitism, campus “There’s *Annual Directory 75% are no questionto that is going Gesher dynamics. According theshe Hillel criteria for an Disability antisemiticResources, incident byagreed con- that of 75% and of that **Annual Directory percentage, Detour and share information about its crying. I’m so proud of myself,” she said. however, is no less damaging. Students report, to antisemitic thrive,” Meyers “She’s very Stern is aone good fit forofADDPC because Hummell said. articles said. and publicataining at least element antisemitic *Bestand of Magazine ableof to work — but upcoming shows. **Best Magazine Amy Hummell, executive director of ready, willing and report feeling isolated, harassed even tions gregarious “People have it in them to speak up but and passionate of her Falk ability to self-advocate. rose by 50% over the past about year, the language,” said. haven’t been given the opportunity, “There’s no question that she is going Gesher Disability Resources, agreed that Directory targeted by classmates online**Annual for expressknow how, and often they’re not matter toThese her.” include Hummell a book 40 to that 61 incidents. Nationally, Hillelco-hosted International says itsevent don’t WWW.JEWISHAZ.COMfrom things Hummell said. to thrive,” Meyers said. “She’s very Stern is a good fit for ADDPC because ing their Jewish identity or support for campus cheered on. Sophie has family support withisMeyers few years agoyear, for “MyWWW.JEWISHAZ.COM Stern looks sharing insights op-eds andforward studenttonewspaper advocacy working.a “Over the past “People have it in them to speak up but gregarious and passionate about the of her ability to self-advocate. don’t know how, and often they’re not things that matter to her.” Hummell co-hosted a book event WWW.JEWISHAZ.COM OFFICE HOURS has family support Stern looks forward to sharing insights with Meyers a few years ago for “My cheered on. Sophie HEADLINES ...........................................2 SOPHIE STERN

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Henderson praised JFCS donors for their consistent support of Jewish programming, and the organization as a whole. “We have some of the most loyal and dedicated donors you could ever ask for. Our supporters are with us through thick and thin, not just for Jewish programs but for all of them,” Henderson said. “The community support JFCS has received over the years, has made all of these services possible,” Rood agreed. “There has never been a time, as the present, when community support has been so critical.” Henderson reflected that JFCS was started by a small group of Jewish women volunteers who were excluded from other organizations. Thus, they created their own but decided not to apply the same exclusions to the rest of the community. “At JFCS, we don’t discriminate against anyone. That’s our great core value,” he said. Unfortunately, funding for behavioral health programs comes from Arizona’s Medicaid system, known as the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), which suffers from chronic underfunding, Henderson said. The cost cuts, which include the closure of one of JFCS’s largest clinics in Glendale, and the elimination of more than 40 staff positions, will primarily affect programs serving individuals living with severe and chronic mental health conditions. Roughly 90% of those impacted live at or below the poverty line. “You can only sustain trying to make up for the lack of state funds through grants and fundraising and belt tightening for so long,” Henderson said. “There was no longer any solution that would cover that.” Henderson said JFCS has been str uggling for years to cover the shortfall caused by AHCCCS’s stagnant reimbursement rates. The state has not conducted a valid rate study since 2017, many universities have made significant changes to better clarify and enforce their policies and codes of conduct,” said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International, in a statement. “When universities step up and enforce their rules, Jewish students and all students benefit from a safer, more inclusive campus environment.” That reflects ASU’s experience, where the administration “is committed not to have antisemitism here,” Tiechtel said. Earlier this year when ASU, along with 60 other colleges and universities, received a letter from the U.S. Department of Education, which warned there would be consequences for undercutting Title VI protections for Jews on campus, Jewish leaders like Tiechtel and Yunker Kail released a statement of their JEWISHAZ.COM

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despite a requirement to do so every five years. A subsequent study, a few years ago, was widely regarded as inaccurate — even AHCCCS expressed dissatisfaction with the findings. “The state has known about this problem for a long time,” Henderson said. “We’ve done a lot of advocacy with AHCCCS, the legislature and the governor’s office because there’s no other good answer. We’re hoping at some point that people get it.” JFCS is not alone in facing these financial pressures. The Arizona Council of Human Service Providers, a network of nearly 100 organizations that serve close to a million Arizonans, reports that up to 40% of its member organizations have had to cut budgets, lay off staff, dip into reserves or close programs. Alluding to the fact that many similar organizations are also making deep cuts, Henderson said, “Everyone is feeling the pain.” The situation worsened several months ago with the implementation of AHCCCS’s “8-minute rule,” a billing guideline for outpatient therapy services aimed at curbing fraud, waste and abuse that instead has caused further harm to providers. If a service falls below the eight-minute threshold for a billable unit, the provider may not be able to bill for that time. “The rule reduced our revenue for case

own defending the university from such charges. Other Jewish signers were Ariel Anbar, ASU Jewish Faculty and Staff Association chair and Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, thendirector of ASU Jewish Studies. That statement acknowledged that, while antisemitism is a reality faced by Jewish students and faculty on some college campuses in the United States, “ASU is not one of those campuses. As leaders of organizations that support the Jewish experience at ASU, we have consistently found that ASU’s campus culture enables Jewish students, faculty and staff to thrive.” “We don’t feel antisemitism on campus now, and things are way better than they were shortly after Oct. 7,” Tiechtel said. Still, to remain vigilant, Hillel collects

management services by almost 30%. It’s just brutal. That was the final hit. We probably could have been OK without it,” Henderson said. With fewer case managers, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, therapists and even administrative staff like grant writers, JFCS expects service delivery to be severely constrained. Henderson said the organization has been forced to trim expenses repeatedly over the years, but the current cuts go deeper than ever before. “I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ve cut back so far it will be difficult for us, but I don’t see any other solution but a reimbursement rate increase,” he said. He also fears that the situation will deteriorate further in light of recently passed Congressional Republican cuts to Medicaid funding. In an interview with The Arizona Republic’s EJ Montini, Henderson talked about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ regulations and suggested that further cuts will likely mean “the dire situation that exists in Arizona will get even worse.” “We’ve been doing our work for more than 90 years. It’s a tough combination, and I’m trying to preserve as much as I can. Hopefully we can have some rate increases before tragedy hits,” Henderson said. “In Arizona a lot of times there has to be a tragedy before anything changes,” he added. He hopes it doesn’t take a rise in suicides or other mental health crises before politicians decide to fund AHCCCS adequately. As he continues to meet with state officials and advocate for rate increases, Henderson said his priority is to preserve JFCS’s most essential services. “I have to do everything I can to preserve the most needed services,” he said. “I want JFCS to continue for another 90 years.” JN

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and verifies data on antisemitic incidents through student reports, university bias portals and external monitoring platforms such as ReportCampusHate.org, a joint project of Hillel, the Anti-Defamation League and the Secure Community Network. Falk underscored the importance of accuracy. “I care deeply that every incident is counted,” he said. “That’s what the Jewish people have been doing for centuries. We care about counting, and we want to count correctly, and so that’s what we’re doing every day.” JN For more information on Hillel at ASU, visit hillelasu. org; for Chabad at ASU, visit jewishasu.com. This article incorporated reporting by Jewish telegraphic Agency.

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AJJ speaker promotes allyship between Jews and LGBTQ+ communities SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

uring Pride Month in June, Michael Soto, president of Equality Arizona, the oldest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, led a virtual presentation advocating for allyship between the LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities, arguing that it is the strongest path to safety for both. “The only way through hate is for communities of people to stand together, to get to know each other better, to talk with one another and share our lives, to break bread together and to start working to reinforce our common humanity,” he said during Arizona Jews for Justice’s (AJJ) “Cultivating Local Jewish Allyship” program on Friday, June 20. Soto, who transitioned in the late 1990s, faced discrimination when he came out while studying at Arizona State University (ASU). He hoped to go to medical school after college, but was dissuaded after he discovered how much animus there was towards his gender identity. “People really didn’t understand who

trans people were, and there was a lot of intimidation, harassment and sometimes even violence,” he said. Ultimately, that experience “lit a fire in me to stand up for people and make sure that no other student, no other person, had that experience of not getting to pursue their dream because of discrimination.” Eventually, Soto returned to ASU and received his Master of Arts in Justice Studies. He is currently enrolled in the department’s doctoral program, where he focuses on pluralism as the antidote to extremism. Soto dove in by talking about the current state of affairs in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the state, as well as what’s happening on the federal level. Equality Arizona focuses on working with elected leaders to create and enact policy. However, in the last legislative session, they were reduced to fighting against several bills, including those keeping trans people from updating their birth certificates, outlawing gender-affirming

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Michael Soto, president of Equality Arizona, wants Jews and LGBTQ+ people to get to know one another. COURTESY OF ARIZONA JEWS FOR JUSTICE

care and disallowing schools to honor trans students’ names or pronouns. Arizona is far from the only state writing these kinds of bills. Across the country, 923 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced. That dwarfs the number of similar bills introduced only four years ago. In 2021, only 143 such bills were attempted, signaling a significant and frightening shift in Soto’s view. “We should all always be wary of any time our government tries to erase the basic human rights and dignity of any people, it’s a slippery slope. When one group begins to lose rights, we see that starting to bleed over into other groups,” he said. This is why he is seeking allyship with the Jewish community, in particular. He said he knows Jews have a history of facing government repression. “I feel a real kinship with the Jewish community right now, as a trans American, seeing the ways that the government can weaponize the law against a small group of people,” he said. He talked about the historic allyship of Jewish and Black people during the Civil Rights era, and hoped that Jews and LGBTQ+ people could forge a similar alliance. “Together, the LGBTQ community and the Jewish community would be quite a force to be reckoned with,” he said. He acknowledged that one of the big impediments to allyship is the lack of knowledge between the two communities, exacerbated by misinformation, which negatively impacts both groups. “It’s really important to get to know people,” he said. He offered several ways to jump in immediately and learn some

JEWISH NEWS

basic facts, including reading books or listening to podcasts by Jewish or trans people, or attending each other’s events. “It’s in relationship building, where we get to see each other as human beings,” he said. Soto said it’s critical for both communities to learn more about one another at a time when antisemitism and transphobia have become widespread and acceptable. He learned after Oct. 7 that every Jewish person he knew was personally connected to someone who was harmed that day, so it’s incumbent on people seeking allyship with the community to learn something about Jewish history and keep up with current events in the Middle East. He highlighted the work of Queers Against Antisemitism, a group formed after Oct. 7. He also implored Jews to get to know the LGBTQ+ community in the same way, by sharing space and listening to their challenges. Statistics released by the AntiDefamation League and the FBI show that bias crimes against Jews and LGBTQ+ people have been on the rise in the last few years. Last year, 33% of American Jews said they have been a personal target of antisemitism and one in five hate crimes is now motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ bias. “We have this very sad common thread of needing to defend our humanity. It’s time to step up and ask each other, ‘What can I do to be your friend? What can I do to be your ally? How can we let you know that you’re not alone and that you have friends and supporters who are here to stand by you?’” JN For more information, visit arizonajewsforjustice. org. JEWISHAZ.COM

HEADLINES LOCAL

NEA board rejects proposal to cut ties with ADL after backlash from Jewish orgs SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

n Friday, July 18, the National Education Association’s (NEA) board of directors rejected a controversial proposal passed earlier this month by its delegates to sever ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), following mounting backlash from Jewish organizations nationwide — including the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix (CJP) and Scottsdale synagogues Congregation Beth Israel and Congregation Or Tzion. The original proposal, passed during the NEA’s Representative Assembly in early July, called on the nation’s largest teachers union to stop using, endorsing or publicizing any materials from the ADL. Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix CEO Richard Kasper took A view of the national headquarters of the National Education Association in WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Specifically, it targeted ADL resources on part in the final panel of the ADL Desert conference this spring. Sarah Kader, Washington, D.C. left, sits next to him. COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS antisemitism and the Holocaust. Though the measure was non-binding the climate within NEA that allowed this and would not have had a direct impact to #DroptheADLFromSchools, which educators and students. on school curriculum, which by local accuses the ADL of pro-Israel bias. “The effort to exclude ADL’s voice measure to pass,” read a letter spearor state agencies typically set, it was a The measure’s passage sent shockwaves from educational spaces at a time of sky- headed by the ADL and signed by CJP symbolic hit against the national Jewish through Jewish communities, with many rocketing antisemitism — including in and 400 more Jewish organizations and "Where there is no bread, there is no Torah; where there is no Torah, there is no bread." organization echoed the campaign seeing it as a disturbing signal to Jewish K-12 classrooms — speaks volumes about —Pirkei and Avot 3:17 SEE NEA, PAGE 7

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JEWISH NEWS

August 8, 2025

HEADLINES LOCAL

Arizona sheriff says he understands Jewish fear after visit to Israel MALA BLOMQUIST | MANAGING EDITOR

n May, Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan and his wife, Stacie, visited Israel for the first time. He was invited by his friend Larry Mizel, co-founder and chair of the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem. “When I got back, one of the things Larry asked me was to do something with what I learned there, so I got together with George Weisz, some of his friends and some rabbis, and we sat down, talked and I told them, ‘I’m here as the sheriff to do whatever I can to keep you safe.’” (Weisz is the chairman of the board of Scottsdale Community Bank and a stalwart in the Jewish community in the Valley.) Sheridan, a Catholic who grew up in New York, spent most of his time in Jerusalem and admitted while walking through Old Jerusalem he saw a different reality from what he had seen portrayed on television before the trip. “I see Muslims sitting there drinking tea with Jewish guys and everyone just

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August 8, 2025

seems to be getting along just fine,” he said. “They have shops next to each other and they’re chatting, they’re having fun.” Many people told the sheriff he would have a “life-changing” trip, including Chad Willems, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office chief of staff. Willems visited Israel for the first time in December 2024 with the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF), a charitable organization affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), on a trip with Republican leaders, elected officials, consultants and lobbyists. The sheriff said he paid for his trip himself. Sheridan shared two moments that were very emotional for him. One was visiting Masada, the site of a final holdout of Jewish rebels during the First JewishRoman War. “I went to Catholic school for 12 years, and I’d never heard that story. That’s something that should be told because it gave me a good idea into the psyche of the Israelis, how much they value their

Chad Willems at the Western Wall in Jerusalem during his December 2024 trip to Israel. COURTESY OF CHAD WILLEMS

freedom to practice the religion that they choose and that they were willing to die instead of being captured and put into slavery,” he said. The other was being in the City of David on Pilgrim’s Road, a recently excavated 2,000-year-old stone path that connects the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus is said to have cured the blind man, to the Temple Mount. “It’s still an active archaeological dig, and it’s really the only place in the world that they know, for sure, that Jesus walked down that road, so did Mary and Joseph, and I was blown away,” he said. He said there were also other emotional encounters on the trip. One was during a visit to the Western Wall on Shabbat. He joked that he was the only person wearing a cowboy hat within a thousand miles. He approached a rabbi wearing a yellow ribbon pin on his jacket and asked if he could have it. The rabbi agreed. “I said, ‘Would you pin it on me?’ And he did. I promised him I won’t take it off until the last hostage is returned,” said Sheridan. Then, at one of the dinners he was invited to, he sat next to Ruby and Hagit Chen, parents of 19-year-old AmericanIsraeli hostage Itay Chen, who was killed on Oct. 7, and his body has yet to be returned. The Chens explained that they live in Massapequa, Long Island, and their son had dual citizenship and felt it his responsibility to help Israel, so he signed up for the Israel Defense Forces. There were other parents attending the dinner who also lost their children on Oct. 7. Although Sheridan did not have a

JEWISH NEWS

chance to visit the sites of the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, Willems did. “We went down to Kibbutz Be’eri and stood in a woman’s house, that she doesn’t live in anymore, and she was telling the story about how her husband and two kids survived and there’s dried blood on the wall. Then we went walking around the neighborhood and it looked like a movie set. Like it wasn’t real,” he said. He said he was outraged seeing footage about the attacks on television, but he didn’t anticipate how hard it would be to see these places in person until he was there. It was the same at the Supernova music festival site. He told the tour guide that he was interested in seeing what the monument looked like, but she replied, “There’s no monument.” “Getting there and seeing the makeshift memorials that the families had done, and it was only a bunch of American tourists and the families. That was hard,” he said. He also said it was extremely quiet at the site until the cannon fire began. “Because you’re so close to Gaza, I thought we were under attack, but there was a line of trees and they (the IDF) had cannons set up in these trees and they were firing into Gaza,” said Willems. Sheridan also experienced the effects of the war when he was preparing to head to the airport to return home. An air-raid siren went off, but when he looked out his hotel window, everyone was walking around like nothing was happening. A missile launched from Yemen had hit just outside the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. JEWISHAZ.COM

HEADLINES LOCAL

Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan and his wife, Stacie, left, in Jerusalem.

NEA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

congregations nationwide. “With antisemitism surging globally, efforts to delegitimize the ADL are a troubling reminder of the threats our community faces. At a time when violence against Jews and the marginalization of Jewish voices are becoming disturbingly routine, we must be visible and vocal in defending the institutions that protect our safety and uphold our values,” CJP CEO Richard Kasper told Jewish News in an email explaining the decision to sign the letter. Sarah Kader, Deputy Regional Director of ADL’s Desert Region, which includes Arizona, said the letter signed by CJP was a much-needed affirmation of support for Jewish educators and students. “At ADL, we are so grateful that our Jewish communal colleagues nationwide are supporting us, but more importantly, speaking out about such an important issue related to antisemitism that is affecting Jewish educators, students and all Americans,” Kader told Jewish News in an email. “And of course, here in Arizona, we are incredibly thankful to CJP for their

COURTESY OF SHERIFF JERRY SHERIDAN

support and signature. Our partnership is strong in good times and in bad, and their voice in this fight shows just that.” Kader didn’t mince words about the implications of the original proposal. “With antisemitism at record high levels, it’s profoundly disturbing that a group of NEA activists would attempt to further isolate Jewish colleagues and push a radical, antisemitic agenda on students,” she said. Kim Klett, a Mesa-based Holocaust educator and teacher trainer, weighed in on the importance of retaining access to ADL-affiliated resources, particularly Echoes & Reflections, a Holocaust education initiative co-sponsored by the ADL, Yad Vashem and the USC Shoah Foundation. “A lot of teachers use Echoes & Reflections for curriculum,” Klett told Jewish News in an email. “I facilitate teacher programs for them, and think it is the gold standard of Holocaust education, along with USHMM (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum). I seriously hope that this negativity from NEA does not discourage teachers from using our fabulous materials.” According to the ADL, its educational

“They closed the airport for an hour, and the only reason they closed it was because of all the debris from the bomb crater, which we drove right by,” he said. “I don’t even think the flight was delayed.” He marveled at the resiliency of the Israelis when such events occurred. Willems also commented on the resilience, strength and unity of the Israelis he met and talked to as his group walked the streets and markets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. “Everyone had some connection to losing someone (on Oct. 7). Again and again, everyone had experienced some sort of loss, whether it was a hostage or someone was killed,” he said. “The fact that it’s so small and seemingly fragile geographically, but the people are so resilient and strong.”

“I’d love to take my grandkids back and just show them what it’s really like to have a nation of people that are all together,” said Sheridan. He said the trip was a great experience and he would go back in a heartbeat, but now that he’s home his job is to keep everyone as safe as possible. He said he has experts on his team in security, and he offered up their services to the Jewish community. He also plans to meet with other community leaders and rabbis in the future. “With all the antisemitism that’s out there in this country today, I understand the fear that the Jewish people have just going into a Jewish deli — you never know what’s lurking outside,” he said. “I understand that fear, so I’d like to help alleviate some of that.” JN

programs reached more than five million Jewish and non-Jewish students in 2024 alone, offering content on antisemitism, the Holocaust and Jewish identity. The NEA board’s decision to reject the proposal came with a carefully worded statement from NEA President Becky Pringle, who clarified that the board’s action did not amount to a blanket endorsement of the ADL’s work. “Not adopting this proposal is in no way an endorsement of the ADL’s full body of work,” she wrote. “We are calling on the ADL to support the free speech and association rights of all students and educators.” Still, major national Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Federations of North America and the American Jewish Committee, welcomed the board’s decision and urged the union to communicate clearly with its members about how such proposals can be harmful. “While teachers’ unions have little power to dictate curriculum, divisive campaigns to boycott reputable, centrist Jewish organizations and educators normalize antisemitic isolation, othering, and marginalization of Jewish teachers, students and families in our schools,” the

joint statement read. Some resolutions supportive of the Jewish community were also passed at the NEA Assembly, including one encouraging the celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month and another calling for the use of the “Combatting Antisemitism Toolkit” and “Screening Out Hate” checklist, which help educators, students and families respond to antisemitic incidents. Kader summed up ADL’s message to teachers in Arizona and across the country: “You are in charge of shaping young minds and protecting students. You must condemn antisemitism and utilize education to give all students a brighter future. Now is the time to speak up and not be silent. At a time when antisemitism has surged in schools and among young people, the best way to denounce antisemitism and all forms of hate is to protect and include Jewish students.” JN This article incorporated reporting from Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Jewish News is published by the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix, a component of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix.

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JEWISH NEWS

August 8, 2025

HEADLINES COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Arizona Jewish Academy wins accreditation status Scottsdale’s Arizona Jewish Academy (AJA) was recently granted accreditation status by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). WASC is one of the six regional accrediting agencies in the United States, and works closely with the Office of Overseas Schools under the U.S. Department of State. The non-denominational Jewish high school completed a detailed school report and hosted an initial visit by fellow educators to examine the school program in relation to student learning and well-being based on the WASC criteria. That initial visiting report

was reviewed by the WASC Commission, which summarized schoolwide strengths and growth areas for continuous improvement. “It feels great to be recognized and appreciated for creating an environment of academic excellence and personal growth at Arizona Jewish Academy,” AJA Head of School Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Sneiderman said in a press release. “WASC Accreditation is a tremendous milestone for Arizona Jewish Academy,” said AJA Board President Dr. Ariella Friedman in a press release. “It reflects the tireless work and aspirational vision of our school leadership, staff, families, benefactors, educational

colleagues and community supporters.” WASC noted several areas of strength, including connection and alignment with the local Jewish community’s values and priorities; dynamic school growth; strong school leadership; supportive school environment; high academic standards; and a good range of course offerings to meet students’ academic needs. “We are incredibly proud of what WASC accreditation represents: the exceptional quality and value that our school offers and our community’s ability to provide an outstanding general and Jewish high school education and environment for our teens,”

Classroom at Arizona Jewish Academy. COURTESY OF ARIZONA JEWISH ACADEMY

Friedman said. Through the WASC ongoing accreditation cycle, the school conducts an in-depth self-study, normally every five or six years, hosts a visit by fellow educators and engages all stakeholders in a follow-up process of implementing, monitoring and refining the resulting schoolwide action plan. JN For more information, visit azjewishacademy.org.

JNF-USA donor event shines light on rebuilding efforts in Israel In May, more than 200 people gathered at the Hilton North Scottsdale at Cavasson for Jewish National Fund -USA’s (JNF-USA) Donor Society Appreciation event, where attendees showed their support for Israel and learned about JNF-USA’s rebuilding initiatives throughout the country. The event was co-chaired by Lesley and Dr. Eli Hammer and Julee Landau and Dr. Robert Shahon. Shai Davidai was the keynote speaker. Davidai is an Israeli professor at Columbia Business School, who has devoted much of his time to combating anti-Zionism on college campuses. Davidai shared his memories of how he started this work. “I saw what was happening, and I knew it was wrong,” he said. “I thought to myself, ‘Somebody should say or do something

about this.’ And I looked around and noticed that no one else was going to.” Local resident Lesley Hammer spoke of her daughter’s own experiences with antisemitism at University of WisconsinMadison. “What should have been a time of personal growth, discovery and achievement, was marred by the very real presence of hate,” Hammer said. “She walked across campus and encountered swastika flags and antisemitic graffiti, and on some occasions, even witnessed swastika stickers being placed around the student union. It was a surreal and painful experience for a young Jewish woman trying to find her place in the world — only to be confronted with this dark part of history being evoked so openly, in what should have been a place of learning and

growth.” Crystal Tjahja, an Arizona State University student, also spoke. Tjahja recently attended JNF-USA’s Caravan for Democracy Student Leadership Mission, an eight-day, fully subsidized trip for student leaders beyond the Jewish faith who have never been to Israel. “Caravan for Democracy was much more than just a tour around Israel,” said Tjahja. “It was a life-changing experience that not only deepened my connection to the nation and its people, but also strengthened my understanding of the resilience and strength that runs through the heart of Israel.” Local lay leaders also discussed how JNFUSA is supporting Israel’s rebuilding efforts post-Oct. 7. Through the organization’s “Build Together” plan for Israel’s south and “Reimagine” plan for the north, JNF-

USA is partnering with Israelis in the region to repair, rehabilitate and renovate damaged communities. “Your philanthropy is playing a role in rebuild- Crystal Tjahja speaks at Jewish National Fund-USA ing the kibbutzes donor event in May. COURTESY OF JEWISH NATIONAL FUND-USA decimated by terrorists,” said Julee Landau. “It is critical that emergency response centers are built in the north and the south, that psychological trauma centers be expanded, fire and rescue equipment provided and medical centers built. Together, our work has just begun.” JN For more information, visit jnf.org.

Jewish founder of First Place AZ announces major grant First Place AZ, a nonprofit focused on residential, health care and employment options for adults with autism and/or developmental disabilities, recently announced a $600,000 grant over three years from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting vulnerable populations. The annual commitment will assist with research, housing initiatives and leadership development programs, said Denise D. Resnik, the Jewish founder, president and CEO of First Place AZ. “This grant is supporting new residents at the First Place–Phoenix apartment property, while fueling a marketplace of options

through the First Place Global Leadership Institute. We are committed to developing inclusive communities that open doors for more people living with autism and/or developmental disabilities who too often are underrepresented in data and underestimated in their abilities,” she said in a press release. “Renee and I look for organizations that move the needle,” Bob Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, said in a press release. “First Place AZ is doing more than talking about change — they are building it, one apartment, one leader and one breakthrough at a time.” Funding for the first year will be directed

toward supportive housing for First Place families, who will work in collaboration with Arizona State University’s (ASU) College of Health Solutions. Additionally, it will fund ASU student internships in order to build the next generation of leaders interested in people with autism and developmental disabilities. “We know it’s challenging to find quality housing and employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. First Place AZ provides not only housing to address their needs, but programs that promote more productive, connected and joyful lives,” Renee Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, said

Friendships abound at First Place–Phoenix, where an impromptu game of foosball is always a reason to gather. COURTESY OF SYDNEE SCHWARTZ

in a press release. JN For more information, visit firstplaceaz.org.

Scottsdale Arts honors Sternberg family with naming rights Scottsdale Arts recently received an endowment from the Sternberg family and honored family members with naming rights for a Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts gallery. The Center Space gallery was identified with the names of Dr. Wendy L. Sternberg, Mrs. Anne G. Sternberg and Dr. Frank G. Sternberg. Signage at the gallery notes the family’s support of “dynamic and everlasting Judaism.” “We are deeply grateful to the Sternberg family for their generous support of Center 8

August 8, 2025

Space,” said Natalie Marsh, director of Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation, the Scottsdale Arts department responsible for curating the gallery, in a press release. “Their commitment to accessible art experiences ensures creativity and culture remain open to everyone in our community. This partnership helps us continue to uplift Arizona-based artists and engage visitors of all backgrounds.” Center Space is a dynamic, multipurpose gallery that features multiple exhibitions each year. The gallery emphasizes creative participation and community engagement,

often encouraging visitors to explore their inner artists. Richard Kasper, CEO of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix, worked closely with the late Wendy Sternberg for nearly a decade, assisting her in developing a legacy plan that would be meaningful to her and to her community. “Dr. Sternberg spoke with great pride about her decision to support Scottsdale Arts,” Kasper said in a press release. “Knowing her gift would help bring the arts to countless future generations was a tremendous source

JEWISH NEWS

Scottsdale Arts recently honored the Sternberg family with naming rights for the Center Space gallery, located inside Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. COURTESY OF BRIAN PASSEY

of comfort and pleasure as she neared the end of her life.” JN For more information, visit ScottsdaleArts.org. JEWISHAZ.COM

RELIGIOUS LIFE

SHABBAT CANDLE LIGHTING AUGUST 8 - 7:03 P.M. AUGUST 15 - 6:56 P.M.

TORAH STUDY

A lesson in acoustics RABBI MENDEL VAISFICHE PARSHAH VA’ETCHANAN: DEUTERONOMY 3:23 - 7:11

oshe is giving the Jewish people his final address. Beginning last week, the fifth Rabbi Mendel Vaisfiche book of the Torah, COURTESY OF RABBI MENDEL VAISFIC D e u t e r o n o m y, marks Moses’ divine repetition of the last few decades he spent guiding and shaping the Jewish nation. This week, he recounts, among other things, the story of Mount Sinai and the giving of the Ten Commandments. Moses retells the commandments and offers a brief but vivid description of the scene at Sinai: the fire, the clouds, the unearthly sounds and the awe and fear of the people as they heard the Almighty’s voice. A profound discussion followed, and in his recounting, one phrase stands out: “A great voice, never to be repeated.” Commentaries abound on the mean-

ing of these words. One, found in the Midrash, teaches that the voice of G-d at Sinai had no echo. At first glance, this is puzzling. An echo is a natural occurrence, when sound waves bounce off hard surfaces and return to the listener. The stronger and louder the sound, the more pronounced the echo. The divine voice being the most powerful sound ever heard, should have had its echo reverberate across the entire world? But an echo only happens when a sound clashes with something and then bounces back. The Rebbe explains that G-d’s voice at Sinai didn’t bounce off anything, it penetrated everything. Unlike any other sound, G-d’s voice did not collide with the world. It didn’t hit and rebound; it seeped into every fiber of creation. It entered within it and infused it. That’s why there was no echo. Nothing resisted it; nothing sent it back. And the truth is: that moment never really ended. Even today, when a Jew studies Torah, the words we speak impact the world. The

sounds of Torah, though seemingly soft and human, actually change and purify the environment. The full effect of this transformation will be revealed with the coming of Moshiach, but the shift is happening now, with every word we learn and every mitzvah we do. The miracle of the echo-less voice wasn’t just a phenomenon, but a message. G-d could have chosen a voice like any other. He could have delivered the Ten Commandments with an echo, and the message would still have been heard and received. But He didn’t. Because He was teaching us something foundational about Torah, spirituality and the Jewish mission: Divinity should not clash with the world. It must become one with it. Spirituality isn’t meant to remain isolated in a sanctuary or be reserved for holy moments. G-d’s presence cannot be confined to a synagogue or a page of a prayer book. A religion that lives only within four walls cannot survive for long. G-d must be welcomed into our homes,

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present in our workspaces, felt in our sports arenas and even recognized in our political discourse. Even more than that, our relationship with G-d cannot remain external — something we look at, visit occasionally or admire from a distance. It must be internal. Yes, we perform mitzvot using physical items: a bris on a physical body, Shabbat with candles and wine, the Mikvah with water. But the message is deeper still: G-d, Torah and Judaism are not meant to float above our lives or orbit around us — they are meant to become our essence. Because that is who we truly are: not just people who do Jewish things, but Jews to our very core. JN Rabbi Mendel Vaisfiche is director of adult education at Chabad of Scottsdale and a certified mohel based in Scottsdale.

OPINION

Commentary

On Monday my son was sworn into the IDF. I spent that afternoon protesting the Israeli government. RABBI DANIEL GROPPER | JTA

n Monday, my son was inducted into the IDF. He started thinking about joining as a hayal boded, a “lone soldier” (someone who makes aliyah alone with the intention of serving) while in high school. After his friend was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Nova Festival, his decision became clear. The time was now. As a Zionist, a rabbi and a father watching my son come into his own as an adult, I’m deeply proud of him. On the same day as my son was handed a rifle and a Bible and sworn in, I made my way down from Westchester County into Manhattan, to join hundreds of other concerned rabbis, American Jews and Israeli Americans to protest outside the Israeli consulate. We called for Israel to let a surge of food and other aid into Gaza now, for the hostages to be released unconditionally and immediately and for an end to the war. I had never spoken at a rally before, but when Rabbi Jill Jacobs of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights invited me, the time

felt right. This might seem odd. But in fact, it makes perfect sense to me that I was (and am) publicly criticizing the Israeli government when my son is serving in the IDF. My stake in the future of Israel as a democratic state with a moral army is greater than ever. This week, we begin reading from the book of Deuteronomy. It is Moses’ swan song. In his final days, he imparts wisdom to the people of Israel. Yet it is a book of contradictions. Moses takes credit for things suggested to him in the Book of Exodus. And events that took place in Numbers are recalled differently than how they originally occurred. Things are not quite as they seem. The same seems to be true in Gaza. Photos are shared without their full context; reports of Hamas stealing food are later revised by the IDF itself. In this blizzard of ideological fiction, how are any of us supposed to know what’s true? How are any of us to know what is the right thing to do? Here is what we do know. There is hunger

and starvation in Gaza. We need to state this loud and clear. We know that even when aid makes it in, it’s often only fit young men who have any shot at fighting for it. The aid isn’t reaching many who need it. Too many have not eaten in days. Hospitals in Gaza say they have cut meals from three a day to one. I expect my son to uphold the concept of purity of arms that is at the heart of the IDF’s moral code. I pray that the words in the Torah, upholding the ideal that each person is made b’tzelem elohim, in the image of God, will guide him. I pray that the most often quoted sections of Torah, to care for the powerless and to love your neighbor — all neighbors — remain forefront in his mind. Everyone, especially innocent victims caught in the crossfire of this quagmire now over 660 days long, deserves freedom from want and freedom from fear. So standing outside the Israeli consulate in New York City, I called on the government of Israel to do all they could to avert a deterioration of the crisis. I called on the

government of Israel to abandon the mistaken idea that withholding aid weakens Hamas. I called on Israel to do that which is counterintuitive: Flood Gaza with food. It’s the right move morally. It’s the right move strategically. I spoke as a rabbi who loves Israel, who wants Israelis to be safe and who desperately wants this war to end — a Jew who desperately wants the hostages home. Finally, I spoke as a father, who wants my son, and everyone’s children, to be safe, which I know will only happen when there is a just peace and a long-term political solution that protects the human rights of everyone in that land, no matter their ethnic, religious or national origin. This is my prayer for Israel, and for my son: Bring the hostages home. Surge aid into Gaza. End the war. Achshav. Now. JN The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

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‘Life is not about stuff,’ says Scottsdale home coach SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER

ome coach Robyn Friedman tells all her clients, whether they’re ready to hear it or not, “Life is not about stuff. It’s about memories, personal connections and inviting people in.” After all, that’s the philosophy she’s embraced in her own life. Friedman, 60, saw for herself at a young age the negative effect “stuff” can have on a person. Her grandmother was a hoarder. She remembers rooms in the house that were inaccessible thanks to all the stuff. Decades later, the Jewish home coach does not pussyfoot around on this issue, even with her senior clients — some of whom have hoarding tendencies. In her business, Inspired Home Coaching, she assists people of all ages who are moving, buying or selling a home or organizing or redesigning their current home. That often involves eliminating things, sometimes a lot of things. Being from New York, Friedman says she’s up front and direct with everyone.

“I tell clients, ‘You pay me hourly and I don’t want your story,’” she quipped. Her client Eydie Mandell attested to Friedman’s directness but said it’s tempered by kindness and empathy, something she experienced firsthand. After Mandell’s son, Brandon, passed away in 2022, she hired Friedman to help with both organizing and donating Brandon’s belongings and reimagining his room. Brandon was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy when he was 8 years old, and used a motorized wheelchair. He had other medical equipment and loved collecting things. Some time after he passed away, Mandell and her family realized they couldn’t keep his bedroom as a shrine. “It was sad to keep going in there, because everything reminded me of him. I wanted my memories, but my family and I were crying every time we went in the room,” she said.

Photo of a home office after Friedman helped organize it. COURTESY OF ROBYN FRIEDMAN

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Home coach Robyn Friedman talking to a client about a remodel. COURTESY OF ROBYN FRIEDMAN

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SPECIAL SECTION SENIOR Friedman was able to organize his things for donation and convert the space into a guest room. “There were a lot of tears, but Robyn was realistic, and it made us all feel better,” Mandell said. “Robyn has a good heart and listens to your story, but she’s not going to sugarcoat things; she’s going to hold the line.” “When I leave, I want people to feel cleansed,” Friedman said. Thirty years ago, Friedman moved to Scottsdale from New York, where she had worked in fashion. Her new desert home didn’t have many fashion opportunities, so she transitioned to interior design. However, after taking a job with a local designer, she didn’t feel inspired by the work. “This person was charging a lot of money, but everything looked the same,” she said. Still new to the Valley, Friedman put an advertisement in the Jewish News in hopes of meeting other Jewish Arizonans with similar interests. She was also looking for some input on a career shift. She began calling herself a home coach and soon started helping people with home cleanouts, moves and remodels. Many people contacted her for help with their elderly parents’ moves. “I do so many different things that I call myself a home coach not a designer. I help with mindset, change how my clients feel about stuff, tell them not to give it power or energy,” she said. Julia Moon runs a business helping seniors transition into new living situations, and she often brings Friedman in to assist with the move. She appreciates Friedman’s directness because it’s delivered with tact and kindness. She recalled how Friedman approached one client with dementia. “Robyn took the time to help her go through all of her things, even though the client kept saying she wanted to keep everything. Robyn calmly and respectfully worked through it all with her,” Moon said. Even when Friedman discovered one morning that the client had unpacked everything she had put in containers for donation and put it away, she “took it in stride,” Moon said. “Robyn’s direct but she’s calm and approachable.” Over the years, Friedman found that when people have a lot of stuff, it paralyzes them. Her passion is “helping people get unstuck, helping them go from overwhelmed to relieved.” Some of her clients are very wealthy, but that doesn’t prevent them from falling into the same traps, even hoarding. Sometimes,

she’s found, wealthy clients hoard because they’re afraid of losing it all. Not long ago, she was working with a client on her $3 million home on McDowell Mountain. Friedman walked in and was struck by two things: the gorgeous view and the fact that so many boxes hadn’t been unpacked after a year. “She clearly didn’t want to let things go,” Friedman said. Friedman started going through the boxes immediately, stopping only when she found a box filled with old Tupperware containers. She told her client she was making an executive decision and throwing them away. The client didn’t want her to because she sometimes used them for storage. “I grabbed her arms and looked into her eyes and said, ‘You can buy more at the Dollar Store if you need to in the future. Let’s make space.’ She cried and thanked me for reminding her that she could do that,” Friedman said. That client still calls her whenever she’s feeling stuck or afraid to let something go. Friedman is often called back in by clients, whether that’s because they’re remodeling, moving or downsizing. “Once I help you one time, it gives you energy,” Friedman said. Clients have turned her name into a verb when they organize their things, saying they’re “Robynizing” their closets, rooms or houses. Mandell hired Friedman again when she sold her house and also when she wanted ideas for decorating her new place. “She can move things around so it seems new. She just looks at the room and knows where everything goes, but she definitely asks for your input, too,” Mandell said. Friedman had to use her skills on herself when she downsized after divorce. She realized she had saved her son’s trophies from his childhood, even though he’s 30 now. She asked if he wanted them but when he said no, she didn’t hesitate before tossing them out. “I’m teaching people how to get rid of stuff. People hold onto everything, especially as we age. We think our kids will want it, but they won’t. If they want it, let them have it now,” she said. She is working on a book sharing her process. That’s the legacy she wants to leave her kids, rather than a bunch of things. “Everyone owes it to themselves to take a deep dive into how they live. Don’t let your desire to hang onto your stuff ruin your life,” she said. JN For more information, visit inspiredhomecoaching.com.

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Embracing the gift of time: A reflection on living with purpose BOB ROTH | COLUMNIST

ately, I’ve found myself reflecting deeply on the true value of time. It’s one of the most precious resources we have, and how we choose to spend it shapes the quality of our lives. In a world full of distractions, from the constant hum of social media to the relentless pace of daily life, it’s more important than ever to pause and consider what truly matters. For me, that center is family. The traditions we pass down through generations remind us to nurture relationships and live with purpose. As Jim Croce beautifully sang in “Time in a Bottle:” If I could save time in a bottle/The first thing that I’d like to do/Is to save every day/‘Til eternity passes away/Just to spend them with you. Those lyrics capture the essence of cherishing every moment with the people we love. While we can’t hold on to time, we can choose how we fill it.

As we cross the halfway mark of the year, I’m reminded of the importance of pausing, recharging, reflecting and renewing. Life moves fast, and if we don’t intentionally slow down, we risk missing the very moments that give it meaning. Recently, my wife, Susie, and I spent eight incredible days in Avon, Colorado, whitewater rafting the Eagle River, hiking the Beaver Lake Trail, soaking in the Iron Mountain Hot Springs, playing tennis and visiting our friend’s breathtaking Diamond Star Ranch. These weren’t just activities. They were moments to reconnect, with nature, with each other and with ourselves. Spending uninterrupted time with my life partner of 36 years gave me the space to reflect, check in and realign. Friends, money, business deals, they come and go. The only currency we truly own and control is our time capital. The older I

Bob and Susie Roth during their rafting trip on the Eagle River in Colorado.

get, the more I understand that protecting that capital isn’t selfish, it’s essential. I’m learning to slow down, lead with heart and protect what matters most: my time. Not everything that can be done needs to be done. Every “yes” to something unimportant is a “no” to what truly matters. That might mean turning down a meeting to spend time with one of my daughters, calling an old friend or choosing a quiet walk in nature over another hour of emails.

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Slowing down gives me space to think more clearly, make better decisions and appreciate the present. Too often, we mistake busyness for productivity. But being busy isn’t the same as being purposeful. The moments that stay with us aren’t the ones spent racing from one obligation to the next. They’re moments of connection, reflection and presence. This renewed focus isn’t about my own life; it’s a reminder for all of us. If you don’t have family nearby, remember countless older adults would cherish your companionship and a listening ear. Whether it’s a relative, a neighbor or someone you meet through volunteering, these connections are life-affirming. In my work with older adults, I see every day how powerful human connection can be, how it lifts spirits, eases loneliness and brings meaning to life. The wisdom of older generations is a treasure chest within reach, if we just take the time to ask, listen and learn. In the end, we don’t control how much time we have. But we do control how we spend it. The memories we create, the relationships we nurture and the difference we make, these are the real measures of a life well lived. As you look ahead to the coming months, consider where your time capital is going. Is it being invested in things that matter? Or is it spent on things that will soon be forgotten? Let’s embrace the gift of time, live with intention and make every moment count. Whether it’s planning a trip with a loved one, saying yes to a spontaneous adventure or simply sitting in the quiet company of someone who matters, these are the real measures of a life well lived. And as Jim Croce reminded us of more than 50 years ago, there will never seem to be enough time to do the things we want to do once we discover them. The key is to start now. JN Bob Roth is the managing partner of Cypress HomeCare Solutions. JEWISHAZ.COM

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Hats off to honorees

Digging some dirt A big thank you Passover BBQ Special anniversary Can have your autograph? WhoI are supposed Ready foryou the beach! Congratulations Cookie to be?

Jewish News’ inaugural class of 18 Under 50 gathered to meet fellow honorees. Clockwise from left, Geoffrey Balon, Denise Kaye, Andre Ivory, Rabbi Barbara and Jerry Lewkowitz symbolically shoveled some Aviva Funke, Andrew Gibbs, Adam Metzendorf, Wiliam Koslow, Jennifer Starrett, Allison Kierman, Ian Sachs and Sarah Kader. COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS dirt at the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center’s Andreagroundbreaking Cohen, center, thanked the members SalkOFAZA (aLEWKOWITZ boy’s on Thursday, June 5. of COURTESY BARBARA ToddShulman Herzog, right, andright, Colton left, took part in Ellen Tuckman, andRahav, Helena Feldman chapter of BBYO) for hosting a bake sale to benefit theNathan Center Hamilton High School student Larah Flavier interviewed Jules Congregation Beth Tefillah’s Passover concert and BBQ last Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley member Nancy Urbach was the keynote speaker at the temple’s interfaith Holocaust Remembrance Day celebrated the 69th anniversary of their b’nai mitzvah in On Wednesday, April 9, the Valley of the Sun JCC Intermediate Pickleball League finished its nine-week tournament. For one day every week, Scottsdale’s Congregation Beth Tefillah members mixed it up for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix Camp Scholarship The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix hosted its annual Latino Jewish Seder last month to bring together the Jewish Volunteers gather for a photo on Tuesday, July 15 while making meals for people in need at an event co-hosted by Arizona Jews for Justice Employees of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Several staff members of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix traveled to Los Angeles in January for the Jewish Federations Cookie Shifris was presented Arizona Jews for Justice’s Justice Temple Kol Ami legacy donors showed up in force to celebrate at the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix’s Life & Legacy event From left, Marvin and Sandra Finkelstein, Rabbi Levi Levertov, Herb Spiwak, Ethel Schmall, SharonitsFriendly, Howard and Ilene Kornblue and Congregation Beth Tefillah’s Babyccino, a on mommy and Seated me group hosted byare Dr.Michael Abigail Gewirtz, during recent weekly Wyatt, Commander foratJewish War Veterans Post 619, forWar his month in Scottsdale. Watching the Super Bowl with Smile Seniors. from left and Elaine Kates, Thirteen Hamilton High School Air Force JROTC students recently attended a with Post 610 Jewish program. She how her family members save about 200 relatives and friends from Nazi Germany in the 1930s. February. Nathan traveled from New Orleans to join Tuckman during the course of 2. the competition, participants played six games. Harriet Colan, longest tenured full-time employee at the Valley ofJUSTICE the with various costumes the Purim Party in &March. Program. Their efforts help CJP hundreds of local campand Latino communities to share traditions, stories and meaningful conversations a 5. Passover Seder. and NowGen, ashared of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix. COURTESY OF ARIZONA JEWS FOR Phoenix (CJP) packed beach bags filled summer goodies of North America regional gathering. Back row from left are Kaylie Medansky, Kay Campanella, Sarah Ben Harush, Jennifer Starrett, Richard Champion Award for will Excellence insend Service Character in late on Wednesday, April COURTESY OF CENTER FOR JEWISH PHILANTHROPY OF GREATER PHOENIX Vicki Diamond atprogram Smile on Seniors’ “It’s Not Justhelped Lunch and Heart Health” event onover Feb. COURTESY OF SMILE ON SENIORS Tuesday meeting. Gewirtz is a Brad child psychologist and spoke about mindful parenting. COURTESY OF CONGREGATION BETH TEFILLAH inclusion in the 21st volume of Imprints of Honor. Here she is COURTESY OF CONGREGATION BETH TEFILLAH Janet Lottman and Leslie and Levy. COURTESY OF SMILE ON SENIORS Veterans’ meeting to learn about their time in the service. Each cadet paired up with a vet to hear their at Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale, where took Sun Jewish Community Center, pictured in arow lavendar t-shirt, shows Press off herand second-place COURTESY OF VALLEY OF THE SUN COURTESY JEWISHOF COMMUNITY CENTER COURTESY OFboth ESTHER ALLOUCHE ers camps across North America. OF KASSIDY PINE for atoPJJewish Library Phoenix (a program of CJP) giveaway. Kasper, Andrew Gibbs and Rich and Solomon. Front from left are Sheryl Gail Baer. medal. COURTESY OF JEWISH FEDERATIONS NORTH AMERICA January from Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz. COURTESY OFthey ARIZONA JEWS FOR JUSTICE COURTESY OF TEMPLE BETH SHALOM THE WEST VALLEY pictured getting histheir autograph for her book. story so they could laterOFbe able to share it with fellow cadets. COURTESY OF POST 610 JEWISH WAR VETERANS turns reading from Torah portion. COURTESY DONNA HARRIS COURTESYOF OF CENTERFOR FORJEWISH JEWISHPHILANTHROPY PHILANTHROPY OFOF GREATER PHOENI COURTESY CENTER OF GREATER PHOENIX

Holocaust remembrance For theBowl love pickleball Bringing communities together Hanging out and doing good California dreaming Celebrating aof legacy It’s good for your heart& Expertise for mommy me Super snacks

Sharing stories

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Passover Brunchproject with Tikkunthe Olam Together, a program of gang Heads the Center forup! Jewish Philanthropy

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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.

Smile hosted its of Greater Phoenix, worked to Leo, one ofon theSeniors newest members Jewish Active Mature Adults support the Bureau of Jewish of Temple Chai, wears a hard hat brunch social on Feb. 23. Education Greater Phoenix’s during the of Phoenix synagogue’s Pictured from are Ana Passover Food groundbreaking atDrive. its left newMothers home. Spence, Linda Lober, Michael and daughters packaged COURTESY OFholiday JEWISH NEWS andand Nancy Mendelsohn, candles greeting cards, Anand Silvey, Peter and Irene addeddrea them to the Passover food Baron, and Benita a Sonpackages thatIsy were delivered few abend,the David Termine and days before start of the holiday. Dave Shooten.COURTESY OF ANDREA COHEN

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Memorial Day poppies Jewish War Veterans Post 619 set up poppy tables at Fry’s Shavuot celebration Grab a bag New leader of Board of Rabbis Marketplaces where volunteers collected donations from generous Kol hakavod! The lucky ones left Rabbimishloach John Linder, Rabbi Kahn, Cantor Noa Shaashua, Rabbi Jeremy Schneider, Cantor Ross Wolman and Rabbi Segal shoppers overright, the Memorial weekend. Pictured is JWV Raya Sandler, and LylaDay Katz were among those who Post gave awayFrom Purim treats, manot, toStephen Congregation Or Tzion Rabbi Andy Green was recently announced as the new president of Emily the Greater Beth El Phoenix donated nearly 500 take a photo after leading the Reform community Shavuot and Yizkor service. 619 Judge Advocate Ron Siegel. senior living communities for Tikkun Olam Together’s mother-daughter service group on Sunday, March 2. Phoenix Holocaust Association observed International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a presentation Phoenix Board of Rabbis Executive Committee. The new committee is pictured from left: Rabbi Mindie Lunch gang boxes mac cheese and more than Mazel tov! by Georgia Hunter, author of “We Were the Lucky Ones.” Pictured fromof left are‘n Hunter, Sheryl Bronkesh, Snyder, co-treasurer; Beth El Congregation Rabbi Nitzan Stein-Kokin, vice president; Green; Congregation COURTESY OF RABBI JEREMY SCHNEIDER

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100host children’s books toaFISCHPAN, Vista Colina Smile on Seniors’ “Not Just Lunch and Fun” event with gameshow ScottCOURTESY Faver had big turnout. Leslie Feldman and Busy Philipps. OF DANIEL INVOKE VIDEO Beth Israel Rabbi Sara Mason-Barkin, secretary; and Temple Kol Ami Rabbi Jeremy Schneider, immediate In February, more people from all over Greater inLevertov, this Jonathan’s Walk4Friendship. Family Shelter inyear’s Phoenix for Purim. Pictured from leftthan are 700 Jackie Black, Stephanie Shink, Phoenix Barbara participated Allyn, Chani Bari Myden, Judy past president. Not pictured is Rabbi Mark Bisman, co-treasurer. COURTESY OF RABBI ANDY GREEN The event raised close to $87,000 for kids with special needs. COURTESY OF FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE COURTESY OF BARBARA Zuchman, Marcia Simon and Baila Spevak. COURTESY OF SMILE LEWKOWITZ ON SENIORS

More than a meal

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. COURTESY OF SMILE ON SENIORS

Reading stories

Every month, the women of Congregation Beth Tefillah’s Book Club delve into Jewish literature from around the world, reading fiction, non-fiction and everything in between — all through a Jewish lens. COURTESY OF ESTHER ALLOUCHE

Where is your Jewish News? Jerusalem edition Fran Richter proudly shows off her Jewish News in Jerusalem while participating in the Authentic Israel Volunteer program. COURTESY OF FRAN RICHTER

Holocaust remembrance Two days before attending the Holocaust Rembrance Day at Symphony Hall last month, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs invited Charlotte Adelman to her office to talk about her new memoir. Hobbs posted on her official Instagram a photo of the meeting. COURTESY OF GOVERNOR KATIE HOBBS’ INSTAGRAM

Mazel tov Cantor Noa! Shabbat Shalom Honoring the Baking with Benita Hike your own hike D.C. monuments That’s awork long time!

On Tuesday, 25, Temple Kol Ami’s board of trustees Colton Rahav leads young families as they sing Shabbat songs at Congregation Beth Tefillah’s Mishpachti Jerry Lewkowitz, right, presented Alma Hernandez with the Lewkowitz Family Leader Award at Benita Sonabend, left, and Pinki Lifshitz demonstrate how to prepare black bean chocolate cake and Congregation Beth Tefillah’s youth directors, Rabbi Yisrael and Eden Kumer, led aRising leadership training for Jewish War Feb. Veterans Post 619 Past Commander Chuck Wolin and his son, Marine Seargent Ken Wolin, Temple Solel itsNoa annual fundraiser, “Solelebration,” on Saturday, Feb. 8., and unanimously voted to extend Cantor Shaashua’s Tot The program willhosted take place before Shabbat every month. COURTESY OF ESTHER ALLOUCHE theShabbat. Anti-Defamation League Desert’s Conference on Antisemitism in Tempe on Friday, April 11. tahini bread for Smile on Seniors “In the Kitchen with Benita” series on Feb. 25. COURTESY OFVETERANS SMILE ON SENIORS teens while hiking in Phoenix. The goal was to empower the teens to lead fun and engaging activities visit the Lone Sailor Monument on a trip to Washington, D.C. COURTESY OF JEWISH WAR POST 619 honored Rabbi John and Nancy Linder on their 17 years of leadership of the Paradise contract for five more years. COURTESY OF TEMPLE KOL AMI COURTESY OFBETH KASSIDY PINE for younger kids. COURTESY OF CONGREGATION TEFILLAH Valley congregation. COURTESY OF TEMPLE SOLEL

Where’s your Jewish News? Parents, babies and peace Shanghai edition On Tuesday, April 29, Congregation Beth Tefillah (CBT) member Eleanor Gross L.C.S.W. led CBT’s

Susan features Roberts brought an issue ofcommunity the Jewish to thecultivating Shanghai Time forserved tea with a smile Babyccino group inThis a mindful parenting sessionpage about releasing self-imposed limitations while This COMMUNITY page photos of members COMMUNITY features photos ofNews community Pickles This COMMUNITY page features photos of community members Jewishfeatures Refugees Museum in China. It is a museum commemorating the This COMMUNITY page features photos of community members inner peace and personal growth. This COMMUNITY page photos of community members Harriet Colan, office manager at the of the Sun Jewish Community Center, third from right, led a Women sharing a Valley Seder Jewish refugees whoSubmit lived in Shanghai during World War II after fleeing In March, Smile On Seniors hosted “It’s Not Just Lunch and Pickle Making.” Tables were full of seniors practicing the art of pickle making. around the Valley and the world. photos and details each members the Valley and the group VOSJCCwith members on a day trip to the English Rose Tea Room in Carefree in February. around the Valley and the world. Submit photos and details each Honoring Hiking kehilla Europe escape. On Sunday, March 23,victims Temple Solel hosted its annual Women’s Passover Seder. It was an evening of spiraround the the Valley Valley and thetoaround world. Submit Submit photos andworld. details each each Coffee campaign around and the world. photos and details Grab a sandwich! Mazel tov! ituality, song and shared tradition led by Solel Rabbi Debbie Stiel and including the vocals of Tamara Thursday, April 24, several Jewish organizations recruited volunteers for “Reading of Names” on Mahjong hangout On Sunday, April 6, 14 NowGen-aged individuals (22-45) came together for a nature walk through the week to editor@jewishaz.com by 10 a.m. Monday. Submitand photos and details week to This COMMUNITY page features photos ofcoffee community Valley the world. Submit photos Michelle Jameson, Director ofweaves U. S. Vets -Phoenix, happily accepted 163 heritage cans of collected bymembers around week the to editor@jewishaz.com by 10 each a.m. Monday. Lieberman. This special Seder together the rich tapestry of Jewish with the voices and COURTESY OF CONGREGATION BETH TEFILLAH

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

Yom HaShoah. Leahand Berenson ofwere the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix pictured here Reach 11 Recreation area. There snacks, drinks, friendship and beautiful weather foristhe hikers. This From left, Freeman Rosenblum, Alan Nathan, Glenn Miller, David Rosen, Keith Rezendes, Beverly Nathan Gloria Bold, right, Meredith Weisman-Amaral were honored with Kavod Awards on March 7 in and Shirley Jewish Friends War shared Veterans, an epic Post Shabbat 619.dinner Pictured and mahjong from leftnight, are John complete Hermann, with homemade Jameson, Nancy food, wine, Stutman desserts and experiences of women. reading the names of people murdered during the Holocaust. event was part of a NowGen Gather Grant where community members can apply to host a gathering to OF SMILE ON SENIORS Rosenblum are pictured at Smile on Seniors’ “Deli Night” event on Jan. 29. COURTESY appreciation of their service to Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley in Sun City. Charles and laughter. Gerson. Pictured from left are Sheri Schreck, Debbie Ater, Meryl Rose, Nancy COURTESY OFTurell, JEWISH WAR Sheryl VETERANS, Quen, POST 619 COURTESY OF TEMPLE SOLEL COURTESY OF JEWISH NEWS createFriedman, their ownAndi meaningful Jewish experience. OFTHE LEAH BERENSON COURTESY OF TEMPLE BETHCOURTESY SHALOM OF WEST VALLEY Julie Friedman and Penny Miller. COURTESY OF MERYL ROSE JEWISHAZ.COM JEWISHAZ.COM JEWISHAZ.COM JEWISHAZ.COM

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9, MAY 2, APRIL 11, 2025 APRIL 4, 2025 August July 18, 8, MARCH 7, 2025 MAY 23, MARCH 28, MARCH 21, 2025

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CALENDAR

Featured Event SUNDAY, AUG. 17 Challah Bake: 2-4 p.m. Beth Emeth Congregation of the West Valley, 13702 W. Meeker Blvd., Sun City West. Join Beth Emeth for an afternoon of challah making including 3-,4- and 6-braid challot and round ones for Rosh Hashanah. Cost: $18 members, $20 nonmembers. For more information, call 623-584-7210 or visit bethemethaz.org.

COURTESY OF BETH EMETH CONGREGATION OF THE WEST VALLEY

For an updated listing of events and resources, visit JewishPhoenix.com. Events FRIDAY, AUG. 8 Thoughts of a Jewish World War II Veteran: 10 a.m. Online via Zoom. Join the Arizona Jewish Historical Society for a presentation by Dr. Gerald Weiner about his involvement in the United States Navy, prior to V-J Day. For more information, visit azjhs.org/ ajhs-events-list. Back to School Shabbat: 5 p.m. Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Join Or Tzion for an age-appropriate service of prayers, songs and ruach. Geared towards families with children 6 and under. For more information, visit otaz.org/littles. A Dinner for Young Professionals: 7 p.m. Location provided upon RSVP. Join Arizona Jews for Justice for a Shabbat dinner for young professionals in their 20s and 30s. For more information, contact arizonajews4justice@gmail.com. SUNDAY, AUG. 10 Roz Goodell Religious School Open House: 10-11:30 a.m. Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Join Or Tzion for an open house to meet the teachers and enjoy bagels, games and prizes. For more information, visit otaz.org/rgrsenroll. 2nd Annual Summer Social in the White Mountains: 1-3 p.m. Park in PinetopLakeside. Join Chabad of Rural Arizona for bagels, music, crafts and more. Cost: $18 per person, $54 per family suggested donation; RSVP required. For more information, visit jewishruralaz.org/lakesidelunch. 2025 Jewish Community Day with the Diamondbacks: 1:10 p.m. Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. Join the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix for an afternoon of community and baseball as the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Colorado Rockies. Secure area available during the game with activities, giveaways, a photo booth and more. Cost $27 & up adults, discount for ages 15 and under; each ticket includes a free D-Backs Hebrew drawstring bag (limited quantity available). For more information, visit phoenixcjp.org/ diamondbacks. THURSDAY, AUG. 14 PHA Back to School Night: 5-8 p.m. Scottsdale Community College, 9000 E. Chaparral Road, Scottsdale. Join the Phoenix Holocaust Association and Scottsdale Community College Anthropology Department for an event for educators. Cost: Free; preregistration required. For more information, visit phxha.com. FRIDAY, AUG. 15 Welcome Shabbat Happy Hour: 5:30 p.m. Temple Chai, 4645 E Marilyn Road, Phoenix. If you are seeking a new Jewish home, join Temple Chai to enjoy a cocktail, connect 14

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with community and stay for Shabbat services. Preregister for a welcome gift. For more information, visit templechai.com. SUNDAY, AUG. 17 3GAZ Sunday Brunch: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Little Pickle, 2525 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. Join the Phoenix Holocaust Association for a chance to meet other grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. RSVP to 3GAZ@phxha. com by Aug. 16. For more information, visit phxha.com. Open House: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley, 3400 N. Dobson Road, Chandler. Meet the community and clergy of TBSEV and enjoy food, games, raffles and family friendly activities. For more information, visit tbsev.org.

MONDAYS Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Needlework, Desert Cactus Chapter: 10 a.m. The Oasis at Sagewood, 4555 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. The guild meets the third Monday of the month, adjusted when necessary to accommodate Jewish holidays. For more information, visit pomegranateguild.org. Mahjong: 1:30-3:30 p.m. East Valley Jewish Community Center, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Come play mahjong each week. For all levels. Cost: Free; registration required at evjcc.org/mahjong. Ethics of Our Fathers: 7 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Zalman Levertov. Use this link: bit.ly/2Y0wdgv. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Board Game Sunday: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Beth El Phoenix, 1118 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix. Join Beth El for an afternoon of fun. Bring your favorite game or use one of theirs. For more information, visit bethelphoenix.com.

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

MONDAY, AUG. 18 Disenfranchisement in the Nation’s Capital: 3 p.m. Online via Zoom. Join Arizona Jews for Justice for a discussion by Alla Hoffman, a D.C. native with Free DC about how Washington D.C. is governed and how our history is intertwined with the ongoing struggle for civil rights in the U.S. For more information, contact arizonajews4justice@gmail.com.

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

TUESDAY, AUG. 19 Young Adult Challah Bake: 6:30 p.m. Beth El Phoenix, 1118 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix. Join Beth El for an evening of baking and socializing for adults in their 20s and 30s. RSVP required. For more information, visit bethelphoenix.com/event/challah.

Meetings, Lectures & Classes SUNDAYS Chassidus Class: 9 a.m. Online. Learn about the Chasidic movement with Rabbi Yossi Friedman. Use this link: ChabadAZ.com/ LiveClass. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com. Jewish War Veterans Post 210: 10 a.m. Online. Any active duty service member or veteran is welcome to join monthly meetings, every third Sunday. Cost: Free. For more information, email Michael Chambers at c365michael@yahoo.com. Anxiety in the Modern World: 6 p.m. Online. Learn the secrets of the Torah for living stress-free in the current environment with Rabbi Boruch of Chabad of Oro Valley. Cost: Free. Use this link: zoom.us/j/736434666. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

Learning to Trust in God: 7:30 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Yossi Friedman. Use this link: ChabadAZ.com/LiveClass. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com. Torah & Tea: 7:30 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Yossie Shemtov. Cost: Free. For more information, visit Facebook.com/ ChabadTucson. Single Parent Zoom: 8 p.m. First and third Monday of every month. Join The Bureau of Jewish Education’s Family University single parents’ group for those looking to form friendships and build their support system with like-minded people. For more information or to register, visit bjephoenix.org/ family-university. TUESDAYS Let’s Knit: 1:30 p.m. Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Share the pleasure of knitting, crocheting, etc. outside the social hall in the campus. Can’t knit? They will teach you! Every level welcome. Cost: Free. For more information, visit vosjcc.org. Maintaining an Upbeat Attitude: 7 p.m. Online. A class exclusively for people in their 20s and 30s, learn how Jewish Mysticism can help with your attitude with Rabbi Shlomy Levertov. Use this link: JewishParadiseValley.com/YJPclass. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com.

JEWISH NEWS

Torah Studies: 7:30 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Mendy Levertov. Use this link: ourjewishcenter.com/virtual. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com. WEDNESDAYS Torah Study with Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Online. Weekly study group explores that week’s portion and studies different perspectives and debates the merits of various arguments. Intended for adults, Torah study is open to students of all levels. For more information, contact the TBS office at 623-977-3240. Happiness Hour: 11:30 a.m. Online. Class taught by Rabbi Pinchas Allouche that delves into texts and references culled from our traditions to address a relevant topic. For more information or to join, visit cbtvirtualworld.com. Lunch & Learn: 12 p.m. Online. Grab some food and learn with Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin. Use this link: Facebook.com/ChabadTucson. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadtucson.com. Torah Study with Chabad: 12 p.m. Online. Take a weekly journey of Torah with Rabbi Yossi Levertov. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com. Thirteen Petalled Rose: 1 p.m. Online. Kabbalah class that studies “The Thirteen Petalled Rose” by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, focusing on the many concepts of Kaballah and Jewish Mysticism and applying them to everyday life. For more information or to join, visit cbtvirtualworld.com. Grief Support Group: 5-6 p.m. Online via Zoom. Therapist Susan Charney MCW, LCSW, leads a grief support group every first and third Wednesday of the month virtually for individuals experiencing the loss of an adult child or sibling. In lieu of any fees for these sessions, donations to Temple Solel are appreciated. For more information, contact susancharneycounseling@gmail.com. History of the Jews: 7 p.m. Online. Learn the Jewish journey from Genesis to Moshiach with Rabbi Ephraim Zimmerman. Use this link: zoom.us/j/736434666. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com. JACS: 7:30-8:30 p.m. Online. Zoom support group for Jewish alcoholics, addicts and their friends and family on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Cost: Free. For more information, email jacsarizona@gmail. com or call 602-692-1004. THURSDAYS Ladies Torah & Tea: 10:30 a.m. Online. Learn about the women of the Torah with Mrs. Leah Levertov. Use this link: ourjewishcenter. com/virtual. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com. JEWISHAZ.COM

CALENDAR Talmud - Maakos: 11 a.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Shlomy Levertov. Cost: Free. Use this link: JewishParadiseValley.com/YJPclass. For more information, visit chabadaz.com. The Science of Everything: 11 a.m. Online. Explore the most fundamental work of Chassidut: the Tanya, with Rabbi Boruch. Use this link: zoom.us/j/736434666. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com. Mindfulness Gatherings: 12 p.m. Online. Hosted by Hospice of the Valley via Zoom. Cost: Free. To join by phone, dial 1-253-2158782, 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. Torah Portion Class: 7 p.m. Online or in person. Chabad Lubavitch of Fountain Hills, 16830 E. Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills. Join Rabbi Mendy Lipskier for a discussion of the weekly parshah and gain new insights to the Torah. For more information, visit jewishfountainhills.com. Teen Discussions: 7-8:30 p.m. Online. Learn with Rabbi Tzvi Rimler. Use this link: cteen. clickmeeting.com/east-valley. Cost: Free. For more information, visit chabadaz.com. SATURDAYS Saturday Mindfulness Gatherings: 9:30 a.m. Online. Hosted by Hospice of the Valley. To join by phone, dial 1-253-215-8782, meeting ID 486 920 2119#. To get the Zoom link or for more information, contact Gill Hamilton at ghamilton@hov.org or 602-748-3692. Book Discussion: 1:30-2:30 p.m. Online. Join Or Adam Congregation for Humanistic Judaism on the third Saturday of every month for a book discussion. For more information and to register, contact oradaminfo@gmail.com.

Shabbat FRIDAYS Shabbat in the Park: 10-11 a.m. Cactus Park, 7202 E. Cactus Road, Scottsdale. Join the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix monthly for music, parachute play, crafts and a family Shabbat experience. For more information, visit bjephoenix.org. Welcome Shabbat: 11-11:30 a.m. Online. Celebrate Shabbat with the JFCS Virtual Center for Senior Enrichment. Each week a different guest host will lead the program with song and celebration. Cost: Free. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/cse. Shabbat at Beth El: 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. JEWISHAZ.COM

Shabbat Service: 5:30-6:30 p.m.; Oneg at 5 p.m. Temple B’rith Shalom, 2077 Brohner Way, Prescott. Join Temple B’rith Shalom for a musical and spiritual Shabbat service. For more information, visit brithshalom-az.org. Shabbat Services: 5:30 p.m. nosh, 6:15 p.m. service; morning service has varying dates and times. Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. For more information, contact Joan Neer at jneer@templechai.com. Pre-Shabbat Kiddush Club: 6 p.m. Online. Say Kiddush with Rabbi Mendy Levertov. Cost: Free. Use this link: ourjewishcenter. com/virtual. For more information, visit chabadaz.com. Shabbat Services: 6 p.m; 9:30 a.m. Congregation Or Tzion, 16415 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. Services are also live streamed at otaz. org/livestream. For more information about services, events and membership, visit congregationortzion.org or call 480-342-8858. First Friday Shabbat Services: 6:15 p.m.; Oneg at 7:15 p.m. Valley Unitarian Universalist, 6400 W. Del Rio St., Chandler. Join Congregation NefeshSoul for Friday night services the first Friday of each month in the sanctuary building of Valley Unitarian Universalist. For more information, contact Jim Hoffman at 480-329-3316. Shabbat Services: 6:15 p.m; 10 a.m. Congregation Beth Israel, 10460 N. 56th St., Scottsdale. Services held in the Goldsmith Sanctuary. Participants must pre-register by Thursday at 5 p.m. Priority will be given to members first and then guests. If there are more requests than available seats a lottery system will be used. For more information or to make a reservation, visit cbiaz.org/ shabbat-services. Kabbalat Shabbat and/or Shabbat morning service: 6:30 p.m.; 10 a.m.; dates vary. Congregation Kehillah, 5858 E. Dynamite Blvd., Cave Creek. Join Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman and cantorial soloists Erica Erman and Scott Leader either in person or via Zoom. For safety reasons, please register ahead of time. For dates, visit congregationkehillah. org/event/. Register by emailing info@congregationkehillah.org. Shabbat Services: 7 p.m. Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, 12202 N. 101st Ave., Sun City. Services are followed by an Oneg. Services are live-streamed on YouTube. For more information and to get the YouTube link, visit tbsaz.org or call 623-977-3240. Shabbat Services 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.

Seniors MONDAYS Fitness Xpress Series with Zoe: 11-11:30 a.m. Online. Presented by JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment. Workout features weight and band exercises as well as yoga poses. Exercises will be demonstrated standing, but can

also be done sitting in a chair. Cost: Free. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/cse. Sip & Schmooze: 11 a.m. milk + honey, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Sip on kosher coffee or tea, enjoy a pastry and schmooze every second Monday of the month. RSVP appreciated to chani@sosaz. org or 602-492-7670. For more information, visit sosaz.org. Featured Presentation: 12:30 p.m. Online. Join Smile on Seniors Mondays and Wednesdays to learn from a variety of presenters about topical issues, like Q&As with medical professionals, entertainers and lectures. Cost: Free. For more information, visit sosaz.org/virtual or email Rabbi Levi Levertov at levi@sosaz.org. TUESDAYS Movie Discussion Group: 11 a.m. Online. Join Smile on Seniors on the third Tuesday of every month hosted by Issy Lifshitz. Cost: Free. For full details and the movie of the month visit sosaz.org/virtual or email Rabbi Levi Levertov at levi@sosaz.org. WEDNESDAYS Fitness Fun with Zoe: 10-10:45 a.m. Online. Presented by JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment. Workout features light chair exercises with optional weights. Cost: Free. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/cse. Chair Yoga with Zoe: 11-11:45 a.m. Online. Presented by JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment. 45-minute chair yoga class. No prior yoga experience required. Cost: Free. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/cse. THURSDAYS Memory Cafe: 10-11 a.m. first Thursday; 1-2 p.m. third Thursday. Online. Presented by Jewish Family & Children’s Service. Program for those with changes in their thinking or memory, mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder, along with their care partners. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/our-services/ older-adult-services/memory-cafe/. In the Kitchen with Benita: 12:30 p.m. Join Smile on Seniors on the fourth Thursday of every month for some delicious cooking or baking fun! Cost: Free. For full details visit sosaz.org/virtual or email Rabbi Levi Levertov at levi@sosaz.org. FRIDAYS 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.

Sit or Stand Ballet Class: 12-12:45 p.m. Online. Presented by JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment. Jennifer Cafarella Betts and Friends from Ballet Theatre of Phoenix teach this class. Grab a chair or you can stand next to a chair or counter. Cost: Free. For more information, visit jfcsaz.org/cse. Musical Friday: 12:30 p.m. Online. Join Smile on Seniors on the first Friday of every month for a musical presentation. Cost: Free. For full details visit sosaz.org/virtual or email Rabbi Levi Levertov at levi@sosaz.org. JN

Lou Klein

Lou Klein passed away on July 22, 2025. He was 87. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Lou was a Valley resident for over 55 years. Lou served in both the U.S. Army and Civil Air Patrol. When he left Pittsburgh, he started a chain of five optical stores in Columbus, Ohio, which he sold prior to moving to Paradise Valley. After working for two different chemical companies in the west, he started his own chemical company in Tempe in 1973. When the E.P.A. made it impossible to continue, he formed Production Packaging & Processing Equipment Co. to sell off the equipment he had been using. This became his largest business endeavor. Ten years later, he found a better location near Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport that he expanded twice. The new location was more convenient because of all the out-of-state customers that flew in. He became one of the largest packaging and processing equipment dealers in the country. In 2006, he decided to sell the facility on East Van Buren Street and retire. It took two 18-hour days just to auction off 50,000 square feet of inventory. Lou leaves the love of his life, Honey Klein, his wife of 62 years and three adoring sons: Marc, Alan and Jeff and their significant others. Lou also leaves four perfect grandchildren: Josh, Alyssa, Gabrielle and Hailey.

Sam Baker

Sam Baker, acclaimed children’s author, decorated Marine Corps officer, NOAA captain and lifelong learner, passed away peacefully in June at the age of 102. Though his life spanned more than a century, it was his final chapter — launched at age 95 — that captured the hearts of readers around the world. Born Leonard Samuel “Sammy” Baker in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1922, Baker lived through the Great Depression, served in the South Pacific during World War II and spent more than three decades with the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (now NOAA), retiring at the rank of Captain. He later worked with Brookhaven Labs and became the world’s first GPS salesman. It wasn’t until the passing of his beloved wife, Janet, that Baker picked up a pen and began writing stories for his grandchildren. What started as an act of love transformed into a mission to promote kindness, literacy and intergenerational storytelling. His debut book, “The Silly Adventures of Petunia and Herman the Worm,” was followed by a string of whimsical, heartfelt titles, including “Oscar the Mouse” and its bilingual edition, earning awards and media attention. Baker’s books have become staples in classrooms, libraries and homes across the country, praised for their warmth, humor and meaningful messages. Sam Baker is survived by his children, Sally and Michael, his grandchildren Alison and MIcki, and by the thousands of readers whose lives were touched by his stories. His books remain available at www.SamBakerBooks.com and on Amazon.

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