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JANUARY 21, 2022 | SHEVAT 19, 5782 | VOLUME 74, NUMBER 10
Rabbis may live out of state, but still view Arizona congregations as their own NICOLE RAZ | STAFF WRITER
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abbi Stephen Einstein was happy to retire in 2012. For 36 years, he had been the pulpit rabbi of Congregation B’nai Tzedek, which he founded in Fountain Valley, California. But just two years into retirement, he was called back to the bimah. For the past seven years, Einstein has traveled to Yuma to provide High Holiday services — except for 2020, when he provided services virtually. Congregation Beth Hamidbar in Yuma is one of a few Arizona synagogues that are served by rabbis living out of state. For many years, student rabbis helped out in Yuma, a small city about 200 miles southwest of Phoenix. But in 2014, congregation leadership was looking for somebody more seasoned. The congregation worked with the Union for Reform Judaism, the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion to identify the right fit. “Here Rabbi Einstein was: experienced, skilled and can roll with things — all the things you want in a veteran rabbi. We knew he would be a great fit for Yuma,” said Rabbi David Fine, who was the small congregations’ specialist at the URJ at the time. Einstein was happy to continue “to be of service” and enjoy the parts about being a rabbi he loved most — leading services — without having to do any of the parts he didn’t enjoy as much, like making operational decisions, attending board meetings and so on. He also SEE RABBIS, PAGE 2
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American Friends of Magen David Adom local leaders step back after 20 years NICOLE RAZ | STAFF WRITER
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fter 20 years at the helm, Barbara Zemel and Jay Bycer are taking a step back as co-presidents of American Friends of Magen David Adom’s Phoenix chapter. “Twenty years is a long time chairing an organization,” Zemel said. “We’re tired. We’re in our 70s and it’s dayenu, as we say. We’re proud of what we’ve done and it’s time to pass the torch.” Phoenix is the only remaining city with an AFMDA chapter. The organization will now transition to a different structure to match what exists in other states. Catherine Reed, CEO of AFMDA, said the organization changed its chapter structure to one of regional boards in 2014, but Zemel and Bycer were doing such great work that the organization left Phoenix unchanged. The organization’s primary role is to raise money for Magen David Adom, Israel’s national ambulance, blood-services and disaster-relief organization, as well as Israel’s representative to the International Red Cross. MDA is the only organization mandated by the Israeli government to serve in this role, but it is not a government agency and it relies on donors for funding. SEE AFMDA, PAGE 3
Barbara Zemel, left, and her husband Barry. COURTESY OF AMEIRICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM
Phoenix real estate market frenzy to continue in 2022 It looks like the housing market is going to remain crazy this year. To learn more, go to p. 18. ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS/ PASTORSCOTT
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