HEADLINES | 9
SPECIAL SECTION | 14
CARS, NOT CASH
CHARITABLE GIVING
Chabad looks for car donations
Those facing illness aren’t alone
DECEMBER 17, 2021 | TEVET 13, 5782 | VOLUME 74, NUMBER 8
$1.50
Jewish community center gala draws large crowd
Arizona teachers, school districts adjust to new Holocaust education legislation
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NICOLE RAZ | STAFF WRITER
his year’s Mar tin Pear Jewish Community Center's fundraising gala brought together about 460 people in person after last year’s pandemic-induced pause. It was Dan Noble’s first time out in a big crowd since last March. “I just want to show support,” he said. “I’m not Jewish, but I have a lot of Jewish friends, and I’ve always enjoyed the events I’ve gone to (at the MPJCC).” Noble, a doctor who has been involved in Arizona’s COVID response, said he has great concerns about the pandemic but felt relatively safe. He got his booster shot a week before the gala. Aaron Vakneen also attended the gala. He’s been to several other large gatherings over the past two years and said it is important to come together now more than ever. “You see the smiles, the laughter, the hugs and kisses — you’ve missed a lot of that these last two years. I think these galas and the events coming back, even though we’re taking the appropriate precautions, we’re able to come together as a community” he said. “It’s remarkably important to come out of this and be stronger than ever.” The Dec. 4 event, which took place at the Arizona Biltmore, honored two community members, enjoyed a steady hum of schmoozing, featured an auction and moved a chunk of the crowd to sing and dance along to tunes by corporate entertainer Michael Cavanaugh. Neal Kurn was the second recipient of the William S. Levine Family Community Excellence Award, named after local philanthropist Bill Levine, who donated the funds to open the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus. Kurn was honored for his many contributions to the Jewish community during his time leading and/or guiding SEE GALA, PAGE 2 the Jewish Federation of Greater
NICOLE RAZ | STAFF WRITER
im Klett has taught about the Holocaust for 20 years. When her Holocaust Literature class debuted at Dobson High school in 2001, it was only the second of its kind offered in a public Arizona high school. Having a whole class dedicated to Holocaust education has been “a real luxury,” she said. And for the last three years, it’s been a year-long class rather than the original semester course. “It sounds crazy because I have a year, but the hardest part is I still have to limit myself in what I can do,” she said. “Trying to choose the best of what I think is out there — that’s been the most difficult for me.” With Arizona recently mandating Holocaust education, many teachers around the state are now making some of those same tough decisions: How much time should be spent on the subject? What material should be featured? How does the subject get the attention it deserves with limited time and resources? In 2020, the Arizona State Board of Education made a rule change requiring students to receive instruction on the Holocaust at least twice during their secondary schooling. Then in July, Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation mandating that Arizona’s public schools teach about the Holocaust and other genocides at least twice between seventh and 12th SEE EDUCATION, PAGE 3
Kim Klett works with teachers in Bosnia in 2018 through her work with the Educator’s Institute for Human Rights. COURTESY OF KIM KLETT
Mountain menorah Temple Emanuel of Tempe’s men’s club lit the menorah atop Tempe Butte or “A Mountain” for Chanukah. To see more community photos, go to p. 22. COURTESY OF JENNIFER LEGRAND
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