Jewish high holidays a time of reflection, connection
BY TRACY HOUSE
Five-year-old Max Saltzman loves being Jewish.
Max likes to wear his kippah, or yarmulke, and help people in need. On a recent drive, his mom, Sarah Saltzman, gave a water bottle and snacks to a homeless person on the street. Max was inspired and thought it would be a good idea to drive around and provide water and snacks for others.
“I think a big part of being Jewish is all about doing good things and being a good person,” Sarah said. “So that’s what we’re trying to instill in our son.”
For Max, showing goodwill and respect is interwoven in his Jewish identity, as is anticipating the celebration of the September high holidays—Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, on Monday, Sept. 14, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, on Tuesday, Sept. 23. These holidays are “the launching pad for the new year,” according to Rabbi Mendy Deitsch of the Chabad of the East Valley.
Deitsch has a special place in Max’s heart, and considers the Chabad his second home. As these holidays approach, Sarah said she and her family will be reading about them, cooking traditional dishes and attending services at the shul, or synagogue.
“We like to read the books, we like to talk about it,” she said. “He likes to help me cook, make things with apples and honey, and the Challah is round during Rosh Hashana. At school they’ll be learning about it and studying it.”
As a general rule, Judaism is centered on the home.
“It is definitely a time when people come together at the synagogue and pray together and celebrate the holiday together,” Deitsch, said. “There is power in
numbers.”
“You don’t want to be alone, on these holidays,” said Eileen Shapiro of Sun Lakes. “You want to be encompassing and make sure everyone has the opportunity to celebrate the holiday with similar traditions.”
The Rosh Hashana special service includes the sounding of the shofar, a ram’s horn. “It is sounded in the synagogue to remind us that the time has come for us to call out from the depths of our being to God,” Deitsch explained.
Challah, a Jewish egg bread that is customarily braided, and apple dipped in honey are traditional foods—turkey or brisket of beef, potatoes and Matzo ball soup—to celebrate Rosh Hashana.
“As in other religions, there are certain dinners and food,” Shapiro said. “We generally will have for Rosh Hashana a holiday dinner and invite a few couples over.”
Following Rosh Hashana is Yom Kippur, which is celebrated with fasting and prayer.
“Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement— the day that we fast and spend the entire 25 hours focused and concentrating on our connection that we have to the Almighty,” Deitsch said.
After the fast, Shapiro will head to a friend’s home. “It’s a more casual thing in that you’re not suppose to cook or work that day. It tends to be cold items, like tuna or egg salad. Things that can be prepared a day or two before.”
The seven-day holiday of Sukkot in October ends the holiday season. A sukkah, a hut, is built in which congregants sit and eat during the Sukkot.
“I would love people to have an understanding that it is beautiful for us to live a more meaningful and more deeper
Chompie’s honors Jewish Day of Atonement
Chompie’s, Arizona’s New York Deli will have its annual Yom Kippur Break-the-Fast takeout menu. Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, begins at sundown Tuesday, Sept. 22, and ends at sundown Wednesday, Sept. 23.
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Following a time of fasting, families and friends gather to break the fast with traditional Jewish food.
Chompie’s Break-the-Fast Yom Kippur
takeout menu features a variety of holiday classics to enjoy at home. Gourmet smoked fish, house-made deli salads and fresh challah are just a couple of the local favorites. Gluten-free friendly dessert options are also available.
For those feeding a crowd, there are fish, salad, fruit and dessert platters available for a minimum of 12 people.
For all take-out offers, provide the nearest Chompie’s 24-hour notice to ensure the order is ready. Visit www.chompies. com to view the complete menu.
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life and sometimes we have to dig a little deeper to get there,” Deitsch said.
“This time of year, the Jewish New Year, is a perfect time to utilize the time to reflect, and to find meaning, to find inspiration and to live a more inspired, in-depth life. A lot of it comes about, not by focusing on oneself, it comes about by
Chandler Jewish congregations
Chandler has a growing Jewish community. Several congregations call the city home.
Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation (SLJC), meets at chapel house. www. sunlakesjewishcongregation.org/ sisterhood/sisterhood.html
Pollack Chabad Center for Jewish Life 875 N. McClintock Dr., Chandler (480) 855-4333 or visit www. chabadcenter.com
Potluck, Peace Walk, concert celebrate Peace Day
The Potluck and Labyrinth Peace Walk, followed by Celia Concert will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20.
The International Peace Day is a day of global ceasefire and nonviolence. In recognition of this day, Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center will hold its celebration in Apache Junction. An address will be provided upon RSVP. Bring a chair for seating.
For more information, call the Rev. Julianne Lewis at (480) 593-8798. To RSVP, visit www.interfaith-community.org.
focus on the other, the more inspired we become. So by being part of a community and being there for someone else, that enhances our lives as well.”
Tracy House is a freelancer for SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at news@ santansun.com.
Temple Havurat Emet Meets at Lecky Center of the Robson Library 9330 E. Riggs Rd., Sun Lakes Call Charlotte at (520) 836-0867 or Bobbi at (480) 940-9960
Temple Beth Sholom 3400 N. Dobson Rd. Suite A, Chandler (480) 897-3636
Beth Shalom Messianic Fellowship 532 E. Ray Rd., Chandler (480) 299-5580
First Baptist Church of Sun Lakes
A
Church of Joy Committed to the perfect Word of God, living under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and worshiping with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
Dr. Marc Drake, Senior Pastor invites you to join in our traditional worship service at 9535 E. Riggs Road Sun Lakes, Arizona 85248
480-895-1088 www.fbcsl.org
Sundays:
Bible Study: 8:30 am | Worship: 10:00 am
Wednesday: Prayer & Bible Study: 6:30 pm
Chandler has a growing Jewish community, who will celebrate high holidays this month.
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Join temple family for High Holy Days
The public is invited to join Temple Havurat Emet in celebrating Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The services will include Shofar Choir.
• Yizkor and concluding service at 5 p.m. Tickets are included in T.H.E.’s annual membership and the cost for nonmembers is $75 per person. Uniformed military are free; family members of the temple’s members are $50.
Deadline to purchase tickets is Tuesday,
Shofar Choir has been practicing for months to prepare for the final blast as Yom Kippur concludes. Submitted photo
Sept. 8. For information and reservations, call Gigi at (480) 785-7767 or Jean at (480) 802-0185.
For more information, visit www. templehavuratement.org.
Selichot services set for Chabad of the East Valley
Start the High Holiday season with a spiritual journey through the Selichot service as 12:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 6. The recital of the traditional Selichot song with meditative singing will take place at the Pollack Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Chandler. Light refreshments will be served.
“Selichot is an experience all Jews should take an active part in it,” said Rabbi Mendy Deitsch. “We open our doors to the entire Jewish community.”
For more information contact Deitsch at (480) 855-4333.
Spiritual Reflections
Grief is normal
BY JEAN NEWELL Sun Lakes United Methodist Church Associate Pastor
For many, grief is like the proverbial “elephant” in the room. It’s there, but no one wants to talk about it. Why is that? Is it because it means one is weak? Is it a fear of being vulnerable in front of others? Is it because of the pain of the loss? Is it because of a feeling of guilt for what one perceives was left unsaid or undone? It’s all of this and so much more.
Grief is unique to each individual. Some people are overwhelmed with a rollercoaster of feelings, while others deny any experience of grief.
My father passed away in 1980—a little more than two months after the birth of my son, who had been named after both of his grandfathers. It was the first time in my adult life that someone close to me had died. At the time, I was a young mother with a new baby and two other children. Life was already a whirlwind of activities, so when dad died in the hospital after heart surgery, it was simply “one more thing on my plate.” It wasn’t until a year later that I truly grieved his passing because of a dream I had in which he died in my arms. I woke up yelling, “No, not again!” It took a year for his death to truly “sink in.”
it “all together!” I began grieving her loss the day she died. I remember having this overabundance of energy and not knowing what to do with myself. I ended up going to her apartment at the care center and beginning to pack up her things. In the days to come, I became “spacey!” I like to think of myself as being organized and relatively logical, but all of a sudden I was forgetting things that needed to be done. If I didn’t write myself notes, I’d miss appointments I had not only scheduled, but had written in my Daytimer. I missed paying my mortgage, something I have never, ever done in the 33 years I’ve owned a home. It wasn’t until I took a class about the grief process that I understood that what I was experiencing was a normal part of the process. Grief continues to be an “elephant” in the room, but now it is not something to shy away from...not something to fear. Grief is normal. Grief is—simply—the cost of love.
When my mother passed away a little more than a year ago, it was a whole different story. Her heath had been declining for quite some time, so I thought I was “prepared” for her passing. I thought— being a pastor—I had it “all together!” The truth of the matter was I didn’t have
Jean Newell joined Sun Lakes United Methodist Church as associate pastor in July. She was associate pastor at Green Valley United Methodist Church in Henderson, Nevada, for the past three years. Newell earned a master’s degree from NAU and worked as an educator for many years before graduating from Fuller Theological Seminary in California in 2002. She was ordained a full elder and served as an associate pastor at a Mesa Methodist church and solo pastor at two Phoenix-area congregations before moving to Nevada.
Spiritual Reflections
Share your spiritual reflections
The spiritual leaders of SanTan Sunarea churches, temples, mosques and other religious and spiritual gathering places are invited to contribute their Spiritual Reflections in essay format by sending their thoughts, enlightening insights and other writings of a spiritual nature to news@ santansun.com.
Be certain to put “Spiritual Reflections submission” in the subject line. Include your first and last name, title and facility name, address, phone number and website. Spiritual Reflections are printed on a space-available basis, and submission does not guarantee print. The opinions represented in this column are those of the author and not those of the SanTan Sun News.
WEDNESDAY: Bible Study 12 Noon & 7 p.m. SUNDAY: WORSHIP 10 a m
Pastor Jean Newell. Submitted photo
Moore simulcast speaks to women
Christ Life Church in Tempe will act as a host site for LifeWay Christian Resources Saturday, Sept. 12, for live Internet streaming simulcast event for women featuring well-known author Beth Moore from Wichita, Kansas.
Living Proof Live, sponsored by Nashville-based publishing company LifeWay Christian Resources, will feature Moore’s storytelling and Bible teaching.
Dove Award-winning musical artist Travis Cottrell, who also serves as worship pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, Tennessee, is slated to lead worship for the event. This event will both challenge and
encourage women to grow deeply in their faith. Join 250,000 women around the world for this live, global, Internet streaming event. The church is located at Christ Life Church, 1137 E. Warner Rd., Tempe.
It is $20 to register for the event before Monday, Sept. 7. The price rises to $25 through Friday, Sept. 11, and $30 at the door the day of the event.
There will be light refreshments and lunch served by Honey Bear Bar B Que. Register at www.christlifechurch. org.
SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS
Call ahead to confirm information, as details occasionally change after print. If you have a recurring monthly support group or meeting you would like listed in Spiritual Connections, email complete details to news@santansun.com.
SUNDAYS
Celebration Service
10:30 a.m. Sundays
All with peaceful beliefs are welcome to this inclusive, loving, thriving UNITY Community. Join the group at 10 a.m., proceeding the service, for fellowship. Youth and toddlers meet during service. Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center, 952 E. Baseline, Suite 102, Mesa. Info: (480) 593-8798, www.interfaith-community.org
Kids’ Sunday School
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sundays
Unity of Chandler, 325 N. Austin Dr., Suite 4, Chandler. Info: (480) 792-1800, www. unityofchandler.org
Lift Your Spirit
10 a.m. Sundays
Hear inspirational messages and music. Unity of Chandler, 325 N. Austin Dr., Suite 4, Chandler. Info: (480) 792-1800, www. unityofchandler.org
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
7:30 a.m. traditional worship
9 a.m. traditional worship and choral music
11 a.m. contemporary worship with live Christian rock band
There is also a service at 12 p.m. Wednesdays.
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 901 W. Erie St., Chandler. Info: (480) 899-7386, www. saintmatthewschurch.org.
MONDAYS
The Art of Parenting
7:30 p.m. Mondays
Six-session course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute and presented by Rabbi Mendy Deitsch of Chabad of the East Valley, designed to help parents at all levels of Jewish knowledge develop their own parenting philosophies and techniques. Cost is $99. Pollack Chabad Center for Jewish Life, 875 N. McClintock Dr., Chandler. Info: (480) 855-4333, rabbi@chabadcenter. com
TUESDAYS
Career Connectors
9 a.m. to noon, fourth Tuesday of month Nonprofit organization connecting
professionals in career transition to highquality resources and hiring companies; each event includes professional career speakers with presentations on relevant job search topics, three to four hiring companies, networking, resume help, career coaches, LinkedIn coaches and business portraits. Central Christian Church, Gilbert Campus/Student Center, 965 E. Germann Rd., Gilbert. Info: www.careerconnectors. org, (480) 442-5806
Christian Business Networking, Tri-City Chapter—Chandler, Tempe, Mesa
Christian Business Networking, Chandler Bi-Monthly Chapter
7:30 a.m. second and fourth Tuesdays each month
Offers members the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and business referrals. Chandler Christian Church, Room C100, 1825 S. Alma School Rd., Chandler. Info: Maia, (480) 425-0624, www. christianbusinessnetworking.com
Grief Share
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays
A combination seminar and support group that meets weekly with people who understand because they have “been there” themselves. Fee for materials is $15, but scholarships are available. Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 739 W. Erie St., Chandler. Info: (480) 963-4127, www.htlutheran.com
HOPE—Help Overcoming Painful Experiences
7 p.m. Tuesdays
Free weekly small group sessions helping people overcome emotional pain caused by divorce, grief, addictions and more; free child care for children ages 10 and younger. Desert Springs Church, Room 106, 19620 S. McQueen Rd., Chandler. Info: hope4all@comcast.net, www. helpovercomingpainfulexperiences.org
Shalom Chapter of Hadassah 11:30 a.m. second Tuesday of each month Iron Oaks (Oakwood) Clubhouse, 24218 S. Oakwood Blvd., Sun Lakes. Info: Cyril, (480)
Jewish congregation sets meet and greet for new, prospective members
The Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation is hosting a meet and greet to introduce individuals to its organization from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18.
The social gathering will include a welcome by the president; Rabbi Irwin Wiener and Cantor Rhonda Polesky; meeting board members and committee chairs and learning about their roles; introduction to Sisterhood and Men’s Club; donation and social action; discovering the online Shpiel; listening to the renowned choir;
Monthly Women’s Fellowship 6:30 p.m. fourth Tuesday of each month
The monthly fellowship Bible study with the East Valley Chapter of Christian Women’s Devotional Alliance “ministers to women’s spiritual, emotional and physical needs.”
Best Western-Mezona 250 W. Main St., Mesa. Info: (480) 232-3773
7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays Twelve-step program for families and friends of addicts. Faith Community Church, 1125 N. Dobson Rd., Chandler. Info: www. nar-anon.org
WEDNESDAYS
Gong Meditation and Yoga Nidra
7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. third Wednesday Presented by Will Zecco, gong master. Bring yoga mat, blanket and pillow as desired. Love offerings will be accepted. Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center, 952 E. Baseline Suite 102, Mesa. Info: (480) 5938798 or www.interfaith-community.org.
“A Course in Miracles” with the Rev. Julianne Lewis
1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Wednesdays
The weekly group is an interactive time of learning and sharing, appropriate for course beginners, as well as long-time students of ACIM. Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center, 952 E. Baseline, Suite 102, Mesa. Info: (480) 593-8798, www.interfaith-community. org
Passover Seder; adult Bar and Bat Mitzvah, adult education and Hebrew classes; formation of new social groups and Chavarahs; trip to Israel and affordable dues.
For those who wish to attend should email Doris Codkind at Randor55@ gmail.com or call (480) 883-1378 or Jeff Spear at Jeff.Spear46@gmail.com or call (480) 556-1284.
The Art of Parenting
9:30 a.m. Wednesdays
Six-session course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute and presented by Rabbi Mendy Deitsch of Chabad of the East Valley, designed to help parents at all levels of Jewish knowledge develop their own parenting philosophies and techniques. Cost is $99. Chandler Jewish Community Center, 908 N. Alma School Rd., Chandler. Info: (480) 855-4333 or rabbi@chabadcenter.com
Panic Healing and Meditation
7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Wednesdays
Guided meditation and healing for those facing physical, emotional, mental or spiritual issues in their lives. Love offering requested. Unity of Chandler, 325 N. Austin Dr., Chandler. Info: (480) 792-1800
Grief Care
6:30 p.m. Wednesdays
A place to come share your feelings or just listen to others as we try to navigate through our grief. You don’t have to do it alone. Epiphany Lutheran Church, South Campus, old church building, 800 W. Ray Rd., Room 325, Chandler. Info: www. griefcareaz@gmail.com
Healing Prayer and Meditation Circle
7 to 8:15 p.m. Wednesdays
Guided prayer, affirmations and visualization for those facing physical, emotional, mental or spiritual issues in their lives. Love offering requested. Unity of Chandler, 325 N. Austin Dr., Chandler. Info: (480) 792-1800
