HEADLINES | 5
SPECIAL SECTION | 18
STRONGER TOGETHER
CHANUKAH GREETINGS
On Dec. 11, Jewish women in Greater Phoenix turned out to support abortion access
Lone Soldier Project sends Chanukah greetings to lonely troops in Israel
DECEMBER 16, 2022 | KISLEV 22, 5783 | VOLUME 75, NUMBER 7
Get Jews, Muslims and Christians talking and maybe they won’t want to stop SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER
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ne hundred and forty Jews, Christians and Muslims will sit down together next month to discuss human dignity and how it is exemplified in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Quran for “Peoples of the Book,” the third in a series of interfaith events. This will be the first time Jews are taking part. The first two events created by the Crosier Fathers and Brothers, a Roman Catholic religious order, and the Sema Foundation, a community service non-profit founded by Turkish Americans, were “Friends of Mary” and “Jesus: Word and Spirit of God,” and focused on theological considerations between Christians and Muslims. Jewish partners were not included, but organizers said welcoming Jews at some point was a long-held desire. Rabbi Debbie Stiel of Temple Solel in Paradise Valley was the first Jewish clergy member to join the group and she felt a warmth from the others right away. Each event had a different configuration of planners, so it was easy for her to enter the group on equal footing without the sense of being late to the game. “I felt immediately there was a curiosity and an interest from them in learning more about Judaism,” she said. “It felt great to join and do some teaching — as well as some learning.” Interfaith dialogue is often held up as a good way to engender understanding, tolerance and even friendships. Leonard Swidler, Khalid Duran and Reuven Firestone in their 2007 book, “Trialogue: Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Dialogue,” stated its importance even more clearly: “We human beings today face a stark choice: dialogue or death!” SEE INTERFAITH EVENT, PAGE 2
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Hillel at ASU provides extra layer of comfort for students facing stressful time SHANNON LEVITT | STAFF WRITER
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hira Shecter knew she would only go to a college with a Hillel on campus. It was her biggest dealbreaker. She regularly attends her synagogue outside of Seattle and wouldn’t risk losing her connection to Jewish community — no matter where she ended up. “I didn’t want to lose that bit of myself because I really enjoy being Jewish,” she said. “I didn’t want to go to college where I couldn’t do Jewish things.” Shecter is a freshman this fall at Arizona State University, where she joined Hillel because it gave her “an immediate connection and a community to fall back on — just in case,” she said. Starting college is already a challenge for many students, especially those moving hundreds of miles from home. Add to that the lingering COVID-19 pandemic and increased antisemitism and it’s easy to understand why a young Jew could feel the need for something familiar. Rabbi Suzy Stone, Hillel at ASU’s senior Jewish educator and campus rabbi, has noted an uptick in students reporting a sense of isolation and loneliness since COVID. She said students are having more difficulty breaking out of their bubbles and making friends, which can lead to depression. “At Hillel, we help build community first and we try to receive students authentically, as their whole person,” she said.
Shira Shecter (in yellow) sits with her family during Hillel at ASU’s parents’ weekend brunch on Nov. 6. COURTESY OF SHANNON LEVITT
Even before the pandemic, as many as 20% of American children between the ages of 3 and 17 were experiencing mental, emotional, developmental and behavioral disorders, and some 17% of high schoolers reported seriously considering suicide, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Then COVID-19 arrived, exacerbating the problem with lockdowns, school shutdowns, peer isolation and, for some, the loss of a loved one, precipitating what U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy described as a “youth mental health crisis.” Stone is familiar with the research. “I am concerned about the general state of mental health of SEE HILLEL AT ASU, PAGE 3
The positive impact of Arizona’s nonprofits Nonprofits serve our community through programs and services that meet the diverse needs of our state. See page 14. PHOTO: SDI PRODUCTIONS/ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS/GETTY IMAGES
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