HEADLINES | 5
SPECIAL SECTION | 12
MISSING PROM
PASSOVER
Local teens talk pandemic
Savory brunch recipes
MARCH 26, 2021 | NISAN 13, 5781 | VOLUME 73, NUMBER 15
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JCF and Federation B’nai mitzvah find ways to ‘squeeze set to join forces meaning’ out of Zoom celebrations as a single L organization NICOLE RAZ | STAFF WRITER
SHANNON LEVITT | MANAGING EDITOR
T
wo key Jewish organizations in Greater Phoenix are set to join forces in order to increase their impact to the benefit of the community. On March 18, the boards of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix and the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix announced a unanimous vote to become “a single operating entity.” While that new entity is yet to be named, it will retain the missions of both existing organizations: community philanthropy and support. The Foundation assists donors to plan and establish funds for legacy giving. The Federation raises donations for the benefit of Jewish organizations in the community. By combining resources and having a single leadership team, they can do more with less. And while the resources will now grow under one roof, the funds of each organization will continue to be legally segregated. More than a year ago, Federation and Foundation leadership formed a task force with key community players to investigate the efficacy of integrating the organizations. Jonathan Hoffer, chair of the task force, was an officer on both boards when the process began and brought a unique perspective to the vetting process. While the two organizations have different business models, Hoffer said, those models are very complementary and it makes sense to bring them together. “The whole concept is that one plus one equals three,” he said. “Together they can better serve and effectively strengthen the community.” Hoffer pointed out that an enormous amount of time and energy is spent by SEE INTEGRATION, PAGE 2 both organizations on financial
iza Golden knows how to throw a party. She threw a bash for about 130 people for her daughter’s bat mitzvah in 2014 and again for her son’s bar mitzvah in 2017. But there would be no party for her youngest son, Nadav, after his bar mitzvah last August. The COVID-19 pandemic’s social distancing requirements wouldn’t allow it. “We decided to have a Zoom bar mitzvah,” she said. “What happened was a much better — beyond-our-dreams — experience.” The pandemic has changed the look and feel of b’nai mitzvah, and several area rabbis say the rite of passage has become even more meaningful to families and kids because of the changes. Up until now, certain aspects of a bar or bat mitzvah have been pretty standard, said Rabbi Mendy Deitsch of Chabad of the East Valley. “You get up, you say a certain amount of passages and a speech — but not every kid wants to have a bar or bat mitzvah like that,” he said. The pandemic’s forced isolation and use of technology has created the flexibility for kids to connect with their ceremony in new ways. Some kids want to sing or read a poem, for example, and now they feel empowered to “celebrate the moment” however it SEE MITZVAH, PAGE 3 feels most authentic to
Jordanna Schreck holds the Torah on her bat mitzvah on May 2, 2020. PHOTO BY SHERI SCHRECK
Reflecting on a year of loss Jodi Amendola shares the story of her mother’s losing battle to COVID-19 to remind people what's at stake. To read more, go to p. 10. PHOTO BY JENNIFER STARRETT
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