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Renown Jewish Arizona Chabad rabbis attend annual Jewish conference in New York journalist to receive ASU honor in February SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER
SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER
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artin Shultz first crossed paths with longtime CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer decades ago in Phoenix when the latter was a journalist covering both Israel and national politics. At that time, Shultz was very active in the Greater Phoenix Jewish community, chaired the Anti-Defamation League Arizona and served on Congregation Beth Israel’s board. After getting to know Blitzer a little, Shultz “found him to be a mensch.” Thus, Shultz was delighted to learn that Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication planned to award Blitzer its 41st Award for Excellence in Journalism in February. Shultz also once chaired ASU’s alumni association and is still a member of the board of trustees. “In the 1980s and ‘90s, Phoenix was no longer just a little desert city but an emerging presence and from a Jewish community perspective, we also had an emerging impact on Jewish issues in America. Wolf was here to cover those stories on several occasions. It’s fabulous that he’s the Cronkite honoree this year,” Shultz said. Shultz is not alone in his interest in Blitzer’s honor. “We have heard from people who have identified themselves as members of the Jewish community, who are excited that Wolf is being honored,” Cronkite School Dean Dr. Battinto L. Batts Jr. told Jewish News. “These are people who have known him for some time because of his connections to Greater Phoenix and are looking forward to attending the luncheon, which is really great,” he said. Though Batts quickly clarified SEE HONOR, PAGE 2
The annual Chabad “class picture” in Brooklyn.
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hirty-six Chabad rabbis from across the state of Arizona joined more than 6,000 others from around the world for the annual International Conference of ChabadLubavitch Emissaries. The conference, also known as the Kinus Hashluchim, brought rabbis and lay leaders from all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 countries and territories around the world to Brooklyn, New York, from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, for four days of workshops and networking. “It’s a great time to recharge and
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connect with people going through the same challenges as you. It’s an opportunity to share ideas, see friends in person and brainstorm new, creative programming together,” Chabad of the East Valley Director Rabbi Mendy Deitsch told Jewish News. He has been a regular at the conference for the last 20 years. The Chabad mission of “inspiring and bringing Judaism to the masses is proving to be more important, especially today,” he said. The event is cast as celebratory
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and welcoming, with Chabad rabbis meeting from far and wide, urban and remote, but this year was tinged with tragedy. Not only did fallout from the war in the Middle East hang over the attendees but just days before the conference began, Abu Dhabi-based Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan was buried in Israel, after being murdered in Dubai at the age of 28. Tucson Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin attended a private reception for rabbis from the United Arab Emirates. SEE CONFERENCE, PAGE 4
Engage The Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center has a full calendar of events for kids, teens, adults, seniors, couples and families. See pullout on page J1.
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