June 12, 2020 20 Sivan 5780 Volume 76, Issue 12
Arts & Culture ..................11, 13 Commentary ..........................6 Letter to the Editor .............. 12 Local ..............................3, 5, 11 Obituaries ......................... 3, 18 Our Town .............................. 19 Shlicha’s View .......................17 Synagogue Directory............17 UPCOMING PUBLICATIONS June 26 July 10 PLANS CHANGED? Staying longer? Leaving town? Remember to update your subscription accordingly.
PHYLLIS BRAUN AJP Executive Editor
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etired attorney Anne Hameroff, the new chair of the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona, wants to see the Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona work together in ways that make them “more nimble and responsive” to meet the overall philanthropic desires of their donors. It’s a goal she will be working toward with Deborah Oseran, JFSA board chair, and Graham Hoffman, president and CEO of both organizations, along with other community leaders. Born and raised in Tucson, Hameroff celebrated her consecration, becoming a bat mitzvah, confirmation, and marriage at Temple EmanuEl. She grew up spending time at the Tucson Jewish Community Center and got involved in Jewish communal leadership when her children, now in their early 30s, were small, eventually serving as board chair of the Tucson J from 2005-2006. She has served on the JCF board for seven years. Although Federation and Foundation have always worked together, she explains, they have been very separate in their core missions, with Federation raising annual campaign funds and See Hameroff, page 2
Emanu-El gives Rabbi Appel car parade sendoff she adds, it was a good time to move on to the next stage. She will be heading to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in a few weeks to serve as an interim rabbi at Congregation B’nai Israel, which also is in merger talks with another congregation. “I’ve very much enjoyed being the rabbi here in all the roles I’ve fulfilled,” says Appel, who joined Emanu-El in 2013 as associate rabbi, then became rabbi educator, and stepped up to lead the congregation after Rabbi Samuel Cohon resigned in 2017. “It’s a wonderful sacred community, and the Southern Arizona Jewish community is also wonderful,” says Appel. Her Tucson years helped her develop her skills as a hiker, as well as allowing her to try out “some crazy things” as a rabbi. She explains this mostly involved telling others to go forward with
PHYLLIS BRAUN AJP Executive Editor
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emple Emanu-El staged a car parade on Sunday morning, May 31, for community members to say goodbye and thank you to Rabbi Batsheva Appel, who is leaving Tucson after seven years with the synagogue. Stephen Shawl, an Emanu-El board member, took photos of hundreds of carloads of people who stopped by during the coronavirus pandemic-inspired socially distanced two-hour event. Appel received the well-wishers wearing a face mask because of COVID-19, and long sleeves because of an allergy to sunscreen. She and Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg, who was on hand in case either the rabbi or congregants needed moral support, sat under shade structures volunteers had decorated. Appel, who elected not to re-
Rabbi Batsheva Appel sits outside Temple Emanu-El May 31 as community members drive up to say goodbye.
new her contract with Temple Emanu-El, explains that the congregation was at a transition point, with plans underway to merge with Congregation Or Chadash, and she felt it would make it easier if she stepped aside. For her own rabbinic career,
See Appel, page 4
Jewish community stands up for racial justice PHYLLIS BRAUN AJP Executive Editor
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he Southern Arizona Jewish community has joined communities across the globe in expressing outrage at the murder of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. And it is grappling with how best to support the struggle for racial justice. On June 4, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and Jewish Community Foundation issued a community statement headlined “We Stand Together against Racism, Hatred, and Bigotry and Remember George Floyd.”
It read, in part, “We join all who mourn Floyd’s death and the deaths of countless others killed because of racism, hate, and bigotry. “We stand in solidarity with our Black family members within and beyond the Jewish community to fight for racial equity and the rights of all people to live without fear. “We must take bold action to uphold the most sacred Jewish value of pikuach nefesh, the sanctity of life. Our tradition prizes the preservation of life over all other values and obligations — and recent events call upon us and all communities of conscience to mobilize and demand justice. The ethics of our ances-
Photo courtesy Tony Zinman
Beat The Heat .............. 16 Celebrations............ 14-15
New JCF chair advocate of impact investing
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INSIDE
Tony Zinman, co-founder of Tucson Jews for Justice, attends a candlelight vigil in Tucson June 1, one week after the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapoolis.
tors remind us that, ‘it is not our
CANDLELIGHTING TIMES: June 12 ... 7:13 p.m. • June 19 ... 7:16 p.m. • June 26 ... 7:17 p.m.
See Justice, page 8
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HAMEROFF
constituents in expanding their Jewish social networks, continued from page 1 he says, which presents an opportunity to facilitate the work allocating that money in the of “network weavers” who community, and Foundation would identify people with focused on individuals’ ensimilar interests and demodowment gifts and donor adgraphics, creating broadened vised funds, stewarding their peer groups that can engage in Anne Hameroff more general philanthropic Jewish experiences and social goals. Often, community members are experiences together. involved with both organizations. As There also is a great deal of interest JFSA and JCF work together ever more in Jewishly organized social justice and closely, while adhering to confidentiality community service activism, Hoffman rules, “we can better understand a per- says. son’s overall vision as to how they want Current and prospective parents and to help their community, whatever that grandparents showed significant interest community is,” she says. JCF fund hold- in raising children Jewishly, both culturers support many causes in the greater ally and religiously, although more so community as well as the Jewish commu- culturally, he says. There also is considernity, locally and globally. able interest in learning about and travelOseran notes that JFSA and JCF are ing to Israel, Jewish holiday celebrations, engaged in an aligned examination of and spiritual experiences outside of synatheir grant processes and planning and gogues. allocations work. With so many Jewish Hameroff is “a brilliant businesswomagencies facing operational challenges an and outside-the-box problem solver,” due to the coronavirus pandemic, “it’s Hoffman says, who brings to the table imperative to design new ways to deliver “valuable and unique perspectives, both services and accomplish our mission,” in terms of her experience as a philanshe says. thropist and in the context of some of “With the Foundation and Federation the passion she has put behind mobiliznow having a single CEO, and the orga- ing and motivating the Foundation to nizations working closer and closer to- explore and move forward in the impact gether, I can’t think of anyone better suit- investing arena.” ed than my good friend Anne Hameroff Impact investing, he explains, is an to chair the Foundation board,” says Jeff evolving field that looks at how organizaKatz, JCF immediate past chair. “Anne tions such as Federation and Foundation is not only smart and creative, she leads can shape their investments in ways that by example and has a keen sense of how are not only aligned with advancing Jewto get things done. The world of philan- ish and social values, but also will have thropy is changing fast and I can’t think competitive returns. of two better people than Anne Hameroff “Anne has been very involved in an and Deborah Oseran to be leading our organization called JLens,” an impact community at this critical time.” investing partner for the Jewish commuEssential to the work of the two orga- nity, Hoffman says. nizations in the coming year, Hameroff The Foundation also is looking at says, will be synthesizing the data from other impact investing offerings through the Jewish community visioning survey its investment advisor, SEI. These could that took place online in February and enable the Foundation, for example, to March, created by Rosov Consulting LLC have an investment option targeted toin conjunction with a local steering com- ward needs in Pima County for affordmittee, which she chaired. able housing — such as mortgages for The pandemic scuttled plans to hold a those who otherwise could not afford series of community shareback meetings them — parks, and the environment. to present and get feedback on the survey Through such investments, the Foundata, says Hoffman, who adds that plans dation can “both meet a similar investare underway to present the information ment return to our other fixed income and get feedback online, likely through investing strategies, and also afford our Zoom meetings. stakeholders and ourselves the ability to While community feedback will be see these community assets be preserved essential to developing priorities, Hoff- and grow, while adding additional value man says, some preliminary findings in the community,” Hoffman says. “In have bubbled to the surface. Highlights impact investing, they call that a double include a strong interest among many bottom line.”
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LOCAL / OBITUARY Patty Vallance, champion of Jewish community, fire foundation, dies at 62 PHYLLIS BRAUN AJP Executive Editor
Photo courtesy Stuart Mellan
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he Southern Arizona Jewish community lost one of its most energetic and beloved volunteers when Patty Vallance, 62, died June 3, 2020. “We lost a one-of-a-kind force for good,” Stuart Mellan, former president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, wrote on Facebook. “She wore her Jewish identity proudly,” Mellan said, referencing the Star of David she wears in the photo at right, posing with Israeli and Tucson-area firefighters in 2016 as part of the Firefighters Beyond Borders program she helped create. “Patty Vallance was ‘all-in’ when it came to devoting herself to our community — and she did so with great creativity and will. When she would call me with ‘I have an idea ...” I knew it was time to sit down and listen — because her ideas were never small! “In our community she was the moving force behind: • the Jewish Federation’s Make a Difference Day that for many years mobilized our Jewish community and partners such as the Tucson Police Department to take on projects annually. We won national recognition — received a grant from the Paul Newman Foundation and were on the cover of USA Today as a result of her leadership; • the Jewish community response to Hurricane Katrina, where we took a lead in the Tucson community response; • the 1st Rate 2nd Hand Thrift Store; • her beloved Tucson Fire Foundation and its Endowment Fund, when she seeded (provided the initial funding) through our Federation — and established it at our Jewish Community Foundation. Numerous programs came out of this effort. “Our Jewish Community Relations Council recognized her with the Margie Fenton Award and the Federation gave her numerous awards,” Mellan said, “but truthfully she neither sought recognition, nor would any recognition, no matter how great, capture her greatness. “They say that none of us are irreplaceable ... mostly I believe that to be true. But there will never be another Patty — and our world is so blessed for her presence on this planet.” A petite dynamo, known for her high heels and ready smile, Vallance wrote a children’s book in 2012, “Born to Wear Blue,” with proceeds benefiting the Greater Tucson Fire Foundation to help provide firefighters with cancer screenings and confidential crisis and counseling services. More recently, she was the driving force behind Safe Shift Estate Sale/Resale, which also benefited the fire foundation.
Patty Vallance, center, with firefighters during a 2016 trip to Israel. Vallance was a driving force behind the Greater Tucson Fire Foundation’s Firefighters Beyond Borders program, which sent Southern Arizona firefighters to Israel and brought Israeli firefighters here to learn from one another.
“Patty Vallance of blessed memory Amid the shock of her sudden passhad adopted ALL firefighters and their ing from post-surgical complications, families with an amazing skill set,” accolades from Tucson friends on Facesaid Mike McKendrick, chairman and book include descriptions of Vallance as founding trustee of the Greater Tucson “a spitfire,” “a gift,” and “a treasure.” Fire Foundation and a retired assistant “From the smallest simple need chief with Tucson Fire Department. or request to the largest community Vallance was born in Marinette, Wiscause, Patty Vallance took it on. She consin, to George and Hazel Schmitt, did not let obstacles stand in the way and raised in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, gradto move forward to help those in need. uating from Peshtigo High School. She May her memory inspire us all,” said earned a bachelor’s degree from CarBeverly Sandock. thage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. “A light has gone out. The world lost Patty Vallance “She held a variety of jobs,” says her a Lamed Vavnick,” said Lori Riegel, son, Zev, “but her last major involvement before becom- using the Hebrew phrase for one of the 36 righteous ing a professional volunteer and ball of energy she’ll souls who exist in every generation, according to Jewbe remembered for, was with theater.” She taught high ish mysticism. school drama and was active in the theater scene in Pla“A huge loss to all those who knew her and benefitcerville, California, where Zev and his sister, Noa, were ed from her creativity, empathy, compassion, love, and born. desire to repair the world — Tikkun Olam. Her energy Wanting her children to connect with their Jewish was infectious. She will be missed but will leave behind heritage, Vallance drove 196 miles daily to take them to the concept that ‘if you build it they will come,’” Karen a Jewish day school in Sacramento, she told the AJP in Faitelson said. 2014. The family moved to Tucson in 2000. Due to COVID-19, funeral services on June 5 were While serving as president of the board of the B’nai for the family only, with Rabbi Billy Lewkowicz officiatB’rith Strauss Manor on Pantano, an apartment complex ing. Vallance was honored with a ride on the Last Alarm for low-income seniors, Vallance shared her philosophy Foundation fire truck — an honor she had arranged for with the AJP. “Some days I just make soup and that’s a friend and fellow fire foundation supporter in January enough,” she said. “Everybody has the ability to give. It’s — and community members were invited to drive past not always about writing a check or volunteering for an before the funeral. organization … it’s that quiet philanthropy that everyMemorial contributions may be made to the Greater body does that keeps you right in the world. You look Tucson Fire Foundation Endowment Fund held at the around and see what one thing you can do because you Jewish Community Foundation, https://jcftucson.org/ heard another person. It all goes back to ‘If not now, donate-1 or 3718 E. River Road, #118,Tucson, AZ 85718; when? If not me, who?’” Memo: GTFF Endowment.
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Hundreds of Temple Emanu-El members and friends joined a car parade May 31 to wish Rabbi Batsheva Appel bon voyage.
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continued from page 1
their bold plans, such as Musical Director Robert Lopez-Hanshaw involving the entire community in a 2018 Hanukkah Cantata, or Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg hosting a recent Havdallah Hootenanny. Another unusual program Appel remembers fondly was an art midrash that allowed people to interpret Jewish concepts and texts through art instead of just through words. Not long after arriving in Tucson, Appel took interim rabbi training through the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Reform rabbinic leadership organization. The training, she says, is helpful for a rabbi of any congregation, but was particularly useful for her in the last few years. Appel spent many of her formative years in the South — her father was an engineer with Boeing, and the family lived in Florida, New Orleans, and Huntsville, Alabama. In addition, from 2006-2009, as director of rabbinic services for the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, she was the rabbi for more than 25 underserved congregations of all denominations in an eightstate area in the South. She is excited to be headed back to the South, but leaving Tucson, she says, is bittersweet. “I’m sad that she’s leaving. She’s really been a rock these past seven years,” says Hochberg, noting that Cohon resigned 10 days before Rosh Hashanah. “It was a lot of pressure on her and she handled it as gracefully as a person could. “She’s a very caring person and she is someone who
really pays attention to other people,” says Hochberg. She’s also very organized, “a strong leader, and a demanding leader, but not a harsh one.” Mona Gibson, Emanu-El’s immediate past president, echoes Hochberg, calling the rabbi “rock-solid throughout her entire tenure.” “She was an emotional and spiritual support for our entire congregation, and for me, personally. She was great, and we will miss her terribly.” Rabbi Appel “deeply cares about issues of social justice,” says Emanu-El President Scott Arden, “and has a sense of humor, once you get to know her.” “She is able to connect Torah to everyday life, which is one of the basic things we like to see at Temple,” he says, adding that she is “data-driven and practical.” One of Appel’s last acts for Emanu-El will be to officiate at Ethan Glassey’s bar mitzvah ceremony on June 13, which will be held via Zoom and Facebook Live. Lauren Glassey, Ethan’s mother, explains that at first, Ethan wanted to postpone his ceremony so family from out of town could attend. “Of course we still don’t know when that will be possible,” she says, and Ethan wanted to celebrate with Appel. "He really wanted to be called to the Torah,” rather than reading from his books, Glassey adds, and Appel was able to lend one of the synagogue’s scrolls to the family. Having made the decision, says Glassey, “We’re really excited. We went through rehearsal [last] week with rabbi and Marjorie, and my daughter will be participating as well as my husband. We have the Torah in the home, and there’s something very special about that, even during these times.”
LOCAL
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM AND REPAIR SHOP
JHM and Paisanos Unidos offer legal advice and food to immigrant community SOFIA MORAGA AJP Intern
Photo: courtesy Laurie Melrood
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aisanos Unidos (Citizens United) is an immigrant self-defense organization that works to inform members of the immigrant community about their rights while living and working in the United States. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jewish History Museum has partnered with the organization to provide an outdoor space in which it can practice social distancing but continue to offer help to the community. Laurie Melrood, a JHM member and one of the organizers for the Paisanos Unidos events, reached out to the museum when the health situation in the county took a turn for the worse. “They were very excited about being able to help,” Melrood said. “Overall this has been a supportive collaboration.” The museum’s executive director, Sol Davis, had been looking for a way to take action in the Tucson community, and this opportunity was the perfect fit. “We want to take our ideas as a museum beyond representation to action,” Davis says. “And that’s not a traditional or conventional move for a museum.” “The commandment to welcome and embrace the stranger is a bedrock element of our tradition, one that the JHM takes seriously in our programming and partnerships,” says Guguletho Moyo, JHM director of operations. “Our values call on us to view others as created B’tzelem Elohim, made in God’s image.” The COVID-19 pandemic forced the museum to close to the public. However, its main exhibit, Asylum/Asilo, shared ideas that can now be seen in real time during these biweekly meetings. Providing support for migrant communities is an important goal of the museum, Davis says. “Their enthusiastic support enabled us to get the project off the ground,” Melrood says. “For me the museum is like a big Abrahamic tent — open and welcoming and attentive to the needs of their visitors. I like this Yiddish saying: “Di gantse velt iz eyn shtot” — The whole world is one town. I’m grateful the museum sees it that way too.” Every other Sunday, Melrood and the Paisanos Unidos organizers bring in lawyers to speak on a pro bono basis to the attendees about different issues they might be facing. The group has covered power of attorney, notaries, health services access, and this week, Ivelisse Bonilla discussed labor rights.
Groceries for distribution to the immigrant community are set outside the Jewish History Museum, June 7.
Bonilla has a private practice but says she is always glad to help when an opportunity like this comes her way. “Knowledge is power,” Bonilla says. “It is important for people to know their rights, if not, then what is the law here for?” Bonilla is a native of Puerto Rico and conducted the meeting completely in Spanish — twice. During each event the organizers have to split the group of attendees in two, letting only a certain number of people into the museum courtyard at a time because of COVID-19 restrictions. Apart from offering legal advice, Paisanos Unidos also is providing much-needed groceries to the families that attend. On Sunday, each group consisted of about 15 people, all sitting in chairs spaced at least six feet apart, and all wearing face masks. “Face masks are required to enter the meeting and it is mandatory to wear gloves when they pick up the food,” Melrood says. Monica Belsco, one of the main organizers for these events, knows that her community needs help now more than ever. “This help we are providing is important because there is a big part of our community that is afraid to be in organizations,” Belsco says. “They have to know that it’s okay to ask for help.” At each meeting, the families get a box with beans, rice, tortilla flour, and anything they might have specifically requested from the organization. Members from Paisanos Unidos and another organization, the Guatemala Acupuncture and Medical Aid Project, buy the groceries the day before the meetings with money donated by faith groups and individual donors. The organizations plan to continue offering legal advice and food for as long as funding allows. To donate, visit www. guamap.net.
Sofia Moraga is a student at the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
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June 12, 2020, ARIZONA JEWISH POST
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COMMENTARY Orthodox women are using Instagram to fight racism, on and offline SHIRA HANAU JTA
Photo: Instagram
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hevi Samet started her Instagram livestream by letting out a long, deep breath. “How are you?” she asked her co-presenter and fellow Instagrammer Shoshana Greenwald. “So, so nervous,” Greenwald replied. “So nervous, so nervous,” Samet echoed. “I just want to address that briefly: Shoshana and I are literally doing this with our hearts in our throats.” The two women were about to begin an hourlong discussion of racism and their journeys in learning more about anti-racism education through Instagram. The Orthodox Jewish mothers had thought about organizing a discussion like this for months. But after the killing of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, and the protests that unfolded in response, they felt they needed to speak up about racism even more fiercely — and finally, people were listening. “Something is happening,” Greenwald told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “I feel like I’ve been here shouting,
Shoshana Greenwald and the fashion brand Mimu Maxi are using Instagram to talk about racism in the Orthodox community.
like fellow Jews we need to confront our racism! And all of a sudden I feel like people in my community are starting to hear it.” The last week has seen numerous examples of Orthodox Jews joining the national conversation on race sparked by the Floyd protests. Orthodox Jews in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, organized a protest Sunday, one week after an Orthodox man marched arm in arm with two black elected leaders at a protest in
Queens. But perhaps the most visible and extensive evidence of the shift is coming on Instagram, the visual social media network favored by many Orthodox Jewish women. The platform has long served as a gathering place for women to talk among themselves, sharing moments of grief and joy as well as recipes and modest fashion tips. Connections forged there in simpler times are now turning into pathways for challenging discus-
sions about race and where Jews fit in, with a small cohort of women leading the way. Many of them see themselves as reluctant activists, drawn to serving as conduits to black educators and writers for their insular communities. “We think of this whole livestream as a b’dieved,” Samet said at the beginning of her conversation with Greenwald, using an Aramaic term used in discussions of Jewish law to refer to a non-ideal situation. Greenwald traces her awakening to a moment two years ago when she happened on a post by a black woman named Rachel Cargle. Cargle, a public intellectual and lecturer who hit 1 million followers on Instagram this week, frequently posts images and stories about white supremacy and anti-racism education in the United States. “I did an incredibly uncomfortable deep dive … it was a very difficult awakening for me,” Greenwald said. She started doing research about the history of white supremacy in America, reading books and articles about anti-racism and following other black See Instagram, page 10
Stop using Israel as an excuse for not supporting Black Lives Matter MAAYAN BELDING-ZIDON ALMA
T
ake a moment where you were heard about the Tree of Life synagogue
and remember when you first shooting at the in Pittsburgh. I
was in Tel Aviv getting ready to go to the movies after Havdalah. I didn’t end up going — I spent the whole night glued to the news, like so many of us did. I replayed the events over and over in my mind, but when I did, it wasn’t Tree of Life that I was picturing — it was my
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ARIZONA JEWISH POST, June 12, 2020
synagogue. Scrolling through my news feed the next day, every Jew I knew was changing their profile picture, posting news and prayers and stories about how the deceased reminded them of their uncle, their bubbe. Next to all that, as if in a parallel universe where Jews were not shot for being Jews, the rest of my friends were posting pictures as if it were any other Sunday: mimosas at brunch, walking the dog, the last glimpses of fall foliage. The worst part, though, were the nonJews who did acknowledge the shooting — but who rushed to condemn the Zionist occupation of Palestine in the same breath. As if the dead daveners in Pennsylvania were in some way guilty for Israeli security actions halfway around the world. How dare they, I thought. How dare they rush to qualify their solidarity when our dead aren’t even in the ground? If we expect people to show up for our pain, we have to show up for theirs. And for black people in America, the pain of police brutality is not only counted in the death toll: Its shadow hangs heavy over all people of color in every interaction with the police, in every city and town across America, every day.
In 2016, Jewish voices from across the U.S. political spectrum came out in opposition to the platform of the Movement for Black Lives, which claimed that U.S. military aid to Israel makes the U.S. complicit in “the genocide taking place against the Palestinian people.” Many progressive Jewish organizations denounced only this section and endorsed the rest of the platform, calling for an end to mass incarceration, demilitarization of the police, etc. Other, mostly small-c conservative Jews seized on this as an opportunity to distance themselves from Black Lives Matter as a whole. The platform’s antagonism toward Israel was the ultimate proof that the movement was, in fact, a threat to everything “we” stand for — in essence, a threat to the assimilation of Jews into undifferentiated American whiteness. Far more common than those who denounced Black Lives Matter outright, though, were those who silently took a few steps back from the movement. You know who you are. You know that there’s racism in America; you’re against it, obviously, but you really, really don’t want to get into an internet fight about Israel. Maybe you’re a college student who See Support, page 12
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JUSTICE duty to complete the work; but neither may we neglect it.’” Expressing support for peaceful protest, the statement decried “violence and wanton destruction” and offered support for local residents and businesses that suffered damage during protests against police brutality May 29. “While we pray for a more just, racially equitable, and peaceful world — we also recognize the critical role each of us must play in making it so,” the statement concluded. Co-signers included Congregation Anshei Israel, Institute for Jewish Services and Study of SaddleBrooke, Jewish Family & Children’s Services, Temple Emanu-El, Tucson Hebrew Academy, Tucson Jewish Community Center, and The University of Arizona Hillel Foundation. Floyd’s death was the latest in a string of a dozen infamous deaths of black men and women at the hands of police in the United States in recent years, with Floyd’s pleas for air, captured on video, echoing Eric Garner’s cries of “I can’t breathe” in New York in 2014. The most recent deaths include Ahmaud Arbery, shot by a retired police officer and his son while out for a jog near Brunswick, Georgia, in February, and Breonna Taylor, shot in her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky, in March. The statement from JFSA/JCF included information about a June 6 Celebration of Black Lives on the University of Arizona campus organized by the Black Student Union, but stopped short of encouraging attendance because it was scheduled for Shabbat, as well as the potential risk of COVID-19 exposure. On June 5, the Jewish History Mu-
Photo: Sofia Moraga,/ AJP
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Thousands attended a Celebration of Black Lives at the University of Arizona June 6.
seum/Holocaust History Center issued a statement from its staff and board, saying, “As a Jewish institution that exists to honor the lives lost to state sponsored and citizen condoned murders during the Shoah, we stand against the abusive state force that we witnessed in the horrific murder of George Floyd. The shock of the murder is made worse still by complicit officer bystanders allowing the killing of a human being they have a duty to protect. There are no words strong enough to condemn the pervasive violence against Black people.” The statement from the museum spoke of Black Jews being made “invisible within the American Jewish experience,” and called on all “to work toward a deeper understanding of the ways this destruc-
tive ideology [of white supremacy] operates in American society, how so many of us benefit” from the white privilege that grows out of it, and “how we can dismantle it.” The museum statement said it would pause operations for a one-week shiva period to grieve and reflect, and provided links to ways community members could begin to deepen their commitment “to listening to Black voices and honoring Black life in our country and community.” The local statements followed a June 2 letter signed by 130 Jewish organizations nationwide, calling for government and law enforcement to investigate all the officers involved in Floyd’s death and to institute sweeping law enforce-
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ARIZONA JEWISH POST, June 12, 2020
ment and criminal justice reforms. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the umbrella body that sets consensus on issues for American Jewish public policy, organized the letter. Derek Chauvin, the officer who pinned Floyd down with his knee on Floyd’s neck, was charged with thirddegree murder and second-degree manslaughter with culpable negligence on May 29. The charge was upgraded to second-degree murder on June 3, allowing the Minnesota attorney general to charge the other three officers on the scene, who offered no assistance to Floyd, with aiding and abetting murder. All four were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department after Floyd’s death. The Minneapolis City Council has since voted to disband its police department and replace it with “a transformative new model of public safety,” according to Lisa Bender, council president. Sol [formerly Bryan] Davis, JHM executive director, notes that in fall 2019 the museum launched a “Compelling Futures” membership group, inviting people who were interested in the museum’s social justice work to “join us in creating a more just, equitable and liberatory future.” Now, he says, the museum will create “a particular strand of that collective focused on racial justice, solidarity, and allyship.” A large part of that focus, he notes, will be on what the Jewish community is doing internally. “It’s often a sort of reflexive, outward looking thing, what’s the Jewish community doing for the black community, but what is the Jewish community doing to create more inclusive spaces for Black Jews and other Jews of Color? What about the racism that happens within Jewish communities and Jewish institutions?” Indeed, a national Jewish community
RE-OPEN Your World
virtual rally scheduled for June 4 was postponed after organizers realized they had not invited organizations that are led by and serve Jews of Color. Michelle Blumenberg, UA Hillel executive director, says she and her staff have meetings scheduled with student leaders via Zoom, and programming to address racial justice will be on the agenda. “Within the Hillel world, among staff, there’s lots of discussion about how do we show up in this moment,” she says, with the situation compounded by COVID-19. Blumenberg also noted that MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger was matching donations to Campaign Zero, which aims to end police violence in America. Tony Zinman, a co-founder of Tucson Jews for Justice, attended both a candlelight vigil downtown on Monday, June 1, and the UA rally June 6, and spotted a few other members of his group at the events. After the Monday evening vigil, where he said the main message was that the way to make change is to vote and get involved, he commented that all seemed to welcome his Tucson Jews for Justice sign. The June 6 rally
drew thousands of people and the performances and speeches, he says, were inspiring. Steve Zupcic, a Jewish community volunteer, spread the word to people in the Jewish community about a Black Lives Matter Car Caravan on June 6 for those who needed a “COVID-safe and senior friendly” alternative to the UA rally. State Rep. Alma Hernandez, a former JFSA Jewish Community Relations Council coordinator, also responded to the outcry for racial justice, and to other people’s responses in return. At age 14, Hernandez had an encounter with a police officer at her high school — the officer pushed her down with a knee on her back — which left her with spinal damage and inspired her to work with Gov. Doug Ducey to secure better training for police working in schools (see https://azjewishpost.com/2019/tucsons-hernandez-wins-de-escalationtraining-for-school-cops). On May 28, she vented frustration with racial insensitivity on Facebook, posting, “Stop telling #POC how to feel about failed leadership and responses to the murders of black men and wom-
Celebrate love on the 5th Anniversary of Marriage Equality
en. Stop telling those of us who have been brutally attacked or unjustly arrested by police how to feel.” Rabbis who spoke about racial justice to their congregations after George Floyd’s death include Batsheva Appel of Temple Emanu-El, Helen Cohn of Congregation M’kor Hayim, and Sam Cohon of Congregation Beit Simcha. M’kor Hayim is launching a new social justice task force, with at least one-fourth of its members involved. Many joined the car caravan on June 6, some with signs on their cars that read “Jews for Justice” and “Jews Against Anti-Semitism and Racism.” “It’s important for this to be not just the black community that’s standing together around these issues,” says Graham Hoffman, JFSA and JCF president and CEO. In the coming weeks, he says, the Jewish community must make sure “that we don’t lose sight of this issue or become fatigued by it,” but instead begin to tackle the systemic societal issues that perpetuate racial injustice. “It shouldn’t be the responsibility of the black community alone to advocate for that.”
DEADLINE FOR GREETINGS IS TUESDAY, JUNE 19 The Arizona Jewish Post is pleased to offer our readers an opportunity to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 26, 2015 decision on marriage equality with a personal greeting in the AJP’s June 26, 2020 edition. $5 from every ad purchased will be donated to JPride, a joint program of the Tucson Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona.
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educators on Instagram. The research led her to become more outspoken about racism, both in her life offline and on her Instagram. “I found that it was a privilege for me to not speak up about racism,” Greenwald said. Not long after beginning her research on anti-racism, she stopped posting pictures of her children to her Instagram page and started posting exclusively about fighting racism and anti-Semitism. Samet’s awakening followed a similar path. An educator, she originally used Instagram as a way to share lessons about the Torah. But she quickly came to see Instagram as a way to learn “from people who I would not normally have the opportunity to meet in my relatively insular life.” She started exploring accounts with a focus on body positivity and intuitive eating and soon found herself following a number of black women who posted about their experiences with racism. Soon Samet was following black activists and educators like Cargle. “It’s so easy in the frum [traditionally observant] community to say what does this have to do with me, this isn’t my problem,” Samet said. “I feel like where you have privilege you have responsibility.” The Orthodox community is insular by nature and mostly white. For those who live most of their lives within the community — living among Orthodox Jews, shopping in Orthodox neighborhoods or at kosher stores, and working with other Orthodox Jews — they may
rarely have a significant interaction with a person of color. “The insular nature of the frum community really contributes to the racist ideologies I see being shared in the community, and people think it’s OK because it’s culturally accepted,” Samet said. She gave an example of the way her peers talk about their housekeepers. “Like, oh my lady’s available, do you want her? You can’t lend her out, you can ask her if she’s interested in additional hours of labor,” Samet said. “But you can’t pass her around like an object.” Like Greenwald and Samet, Chaya Appel-Fishman, a lawyer and mother, has been using her account to amplify black voices. In a story from a week ago, she gave suggestions on how to be anti-racist, like explaining to those who make derogatory comments about black people why their comments were inappropriate, and how the Yiddish word for a black person was disparaging. “I use this platform to talk about (mostly) what it’s like to be an observant career woman and mommy,” she wrote in one image last week. “So all this talk now about racism and social justice is really throwing some people for a loop.” Mimi Hecht, a founder of the modest fashion brand Mimu Maxi, posted a picture of herself at a rally last week in Nyack, New York, as well as a number of stories about racism and the Jewish community. She noted her own discomfort with discussing the topic. “This is not a Jewish issue. Just because I am sharing this as a Jewish woman, and as much as my personal identity inevitably plays a role in how I address this, racism is a cultural, societal, and systemic issue that goes way beyond any one community,” she wrote.
The four women and others sometimes intersect in the comments sections of each other’s posts, or on others posted by Orthodox women weighing in on the protests. After one account, JewishWomentalk, posted a criticism of Blackout Tuesday, the day when many Instagram users turned their feeds into statements of support for black Americans, Greenwald responded firmly. “This post is devoid of empathy,” she wrote. “This is about Black people being targeted and murdered. Yes Jewish people are scapegoated too but this is not about us.” Both Samet and Greenwald said they had faced pushback for speaking out about racism in the Orthodox community. Greenwald said it had been socially isolating at times being known in her politically conservative community in Brooklyn as the liberal one. Both women have received critical comments and messages in response to their posts about racism. “People will say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know you were so liberal,’” Samet said. Still, Samet believes that Orthodox women may be more open to changing their perspectives because they tend to have more positive interactions with other women of color than Orthodox men. She pointed to her own experiences having long, personal conversations with nurses at the hospital where she gave birth to her children. “I don’t know that my husband’s ever had that opportunity, just because his circles just run differently,” she said. Samet and Greenwald said sensitivity around anti-Semitism can sometimes make it harder for Jews to confront their own racism.
“I had also thought that as a Jewish person, every generation going back had been persecuted and my ancestors hadn’t enslaved anyone, so I was exempt,” said Greenberg, who works at a Holocaust museum. “Whether I like it or not, I benefit from white privilege.” Greenberg frequently posts about anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism she has encountered in the social justice world. Samet said she has warned several people about it as they delve deeper into those kinds of accounts. “I have to admit that it can be a huge turnoff,” Samet said. But they also view their role as helping Orthodox women understand how to enter social justice spaces respectfully. They suggested that followers reach out to them with questions rather than reaching out to black women at the moment. “You quiet yourself, you quietly listen, you read the room, you see where the person is coming from,” Greenberg said in the livestream. “If there’s a term you don’t understand, if you have Instagram, you have Google,” Samet added. “Don’t go into the comments and ask what is this.” For both women, their Jewishness is inherently connected to the need to fight racism — and their decision to speak up about it, even when it’s uncomfortable. “Tzedek tzedek tirdof,” Samet said, quoting the Hebrew verse that means “justice, justice, you shall pursue.” “That mandate to pursue justice, it’s not like oh when you see justice, wave hi at justice, it’s like pursue it. That’s active, that’s not passive.”
Shira Hanau is a reporter at JTA. She was previously a staff writer at the New York Jewish Week and has written for the Forward, Columbia Journalism Review, and the Harvard Divinity Bulletin.
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ARTS & CULTURE / LOCAL From ‘Son of Sam’ to busting scams, TV reporter’s memoir is a wild ride KAYE PATCHETT Special to the AJP
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atthew Schwartz of KVOA News 4 Tucson shares more than 40 behind-the-scenes stories from his 37-year career as a hard-hitting journalist in his newly published memoir, “Confessions of an Investigative Reporter” (Koehler Books). Hard hits come with the territory. He’s been swung at with a baseball bat, hit by a thrown bottle, arrested, and spit on. But, he says, “I like what I do.” Schwartz joined KVOA in April 2013 as an investigative reporter with 30 years’ experience, including 20 at WWOR-TV News in New York City. He’s interviewed five presidents, spoken with then-businessman Donald Trump six times, covered four New York mayors, the 9/11 attacks, and the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. He also conducted an exclusive interview with notorious ’70s New York serial killer David Berkowitz, known as “Son of Sam.” His 200plus professional awards include four New York Emmys. In his book, he credits his mother, Shirley Schwartz, a militant Zionist, with imbuing him with a passion for justice from an early age. When an older child called him a “dirty Jew,” she confronted the perpetrator’s family. It didn’t happen again. “My mother dragged me to civil rights rallies when I was young,” he continues. “She had me read books about
civil rights and civil injustices.” Now 66, Schwartz has investigated airlines, fraudulent businesses, public employees, and college and pro sports. He’s often the last resort for victims of defaulting contractors, scammers, medical malpractice, and other injustices. He gets personal satMatthew Schwartz isfaction when his stories make a difference. “I can think of three instances when scam artists were sent to prison,” he says. “Confessions” tells how, in 2000, President Clinton signed the “Safe Air Travel for Animals” act following Schwartz’s 1998 investigation about pets harmed or killed during airline transportation. Many of the stories took place in Tucson. When Schwartz revealed in 2013 that dogs at Tucson Greyhound Park were drugged
and mistreated, activists took up the cause, and in 2016 Governor Doug Ducey signed bills to end greyhound racing in Arizona. Schwartz also has shined his spotlight on the Pima County Board of Supervisors, University of Arizona sports figures, and many others, as he relates in page-turning detail. Schwartz moved to Tucson following a professional hiatus due to the illness and death of his mother. After his long stint in New York, and as an investigative reporter on WFTS-TV in Tampa, Florida, he was attracted by an offer from KVOA. “I got spoiled by the warm weather in Tampa,” he says, “and I missed being on the air.” Though not a practicing Jew, on arriving in Tucson he called the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona to request information about the area. “The lady I spoke with was really helpful, and she invited me to speak to some Jewish men’s clubs,” he says. “The people here are very friendly.” There are many scams in Tucson aimed at senior citizens, Schwartz says. “I like to do those stories [on the air] so they don’t fall for them. It’s a great feeling when people approach me and say, ‘Thank you for everything you do for the community.’” A book signing and discussion is scheduled at Mostly Books, 6208 E. Speedway Blvd., July 18, noon-1 p.m. Call 571-0110 for details. To suggest a story, email mschwartz@kvoa.com. Kaye Patchett is a freelance writer in Tucson.
June 12, 2020, ARIZONA JEWISH POST
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feels alienated by the BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) activism on your campus. Maybe you’re a proud Zionist who deleted Dua Lipa’s new album from your Spotify library after she reposted an anti-Israel screed. Maybe you haven’t thoroughly thought out your position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and you’re just sick of people expecting you to take sides just because you’re Jewish. Whatever the reason, you’re one of those people who just wouldn’t be comfortable rolling up to a Black Lives Matter protest with your Star of David necklace out, knowing that you might run into someone holding a Palestinian flag. I see where you’re coming from, I really do. And I’m here to tell you that you need to show up anyway. I am an Israeli citizen and a proud Zionist. I oppose BDS because I believe full civil rights and security for Palestinians will only be achieved through Israeli-Palestinian dialogue and trust building. By the same token, I cannot refuse to engage with Black Lives Matter. The history of racism and white supremacy in the United States is violent and painful, like that of Israel and Palestine. No American of good conscience can simply opt out of racism in America — no more than Israelis can simply ignore the existence of Palestinians or vice versa. I am Jewish, I am Israeli, but I am also a white American. My history and identity is inextricably tied to the history of slavery and the ongoing oppression of black people and all people of color. A more just America will never be possible without a deep reckoning with what divides us, and that conversation cannot even begin while white police officers have their guns aimed at
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black people’s heads. Black and Jewish Americans have a common enemy on the rise: white supremacy. At present, more black people are immediately threatened by white supremacy than white Jews. In the long haul, though — and Jewish history teaches us to always keep an eye on the long haul — dismantling white supremacy is essential for the safety and security of American Jewish communities as well. Solidarity across racial and ethnic lines is never easy. If it were, we’d already be doing it. Fortunately for the American Jewish community, we are blessed with an abundance of Jews of color, and specifically black Jews, who are already leading the conversation on race and the Jewish community: MaNishtana, Rabbi Sandra Lawson, Michael Twitty, Amadi Lovelace, Tema Smith, Rebecca Pierce, and so, so many more. White Jews, our job during this historic moment is to show up not only for our black fellow Jews but all black Americans in their hour of need — and to lift them up as treasured leaders and members of our communities at all times. White supremacy is a much bigger threat to American Jews than BDS is to the State of Israel, but even if it weren’t — even it were not in our self-interest as Jews to stand in solidarity with black America against hate and bigotry — I would join the protests anyway, because as an observant Jew, I am obligated to do so by the Torah. Because black people were made in the image of God. Because my black brother’s blood is calling out from the ground. Because I cannot stand idly by while my black neighbor’s life is threatened. Because it matters. Maayan Belding-Zidon is a writer and pluralistic Jewish educator. She lives with her Israeli wife and three cats in Rishon LeZion. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the AJP or its publisher, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona.
ARTS & CULTURE For some small kosher food purveyors, the coronavirus era is boom time BEN HARRIS JTA
Photo: Mike Tintner
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ike many small business owners, Ian Yosef Hertzmark’s small flour operation saw a precipitous drop when the coronavirus pandemic hit the Unites States in March. Almost overnight, Hertzmark’s Migrash Farm, which produces certified kosher flour from grain grown in the Chesapeake Bay region, lost virtually his entire wholesale business after local restaurants and bakeries were shuttered by public health authorities. But while many companies continue even now to suffer from dramatic drop-offs in business, Migrash Farm saw its fortunes rebound almost as quickly as they had sunk. By the middle of the month, the farm’s lost orders had been made up more than twofold as retail customers rushed to buy up dry goods wherever they could. “It just kept going and going and going,” Hertzmark told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “We’ve just been filling the flour void and milling our heads off. It’s pretty awesome.” Crises create opportunities, and the coronavirus pandemic is no exception. For local food purveyors, these are boom times. With supermarket shopping suddenly a health-threatening endeavor and some pantry staples hard to reliably procure, local food producers have seen a surge of interest. And for those with a stable supply chain and the ability to sell online, the coronavirus has proven to be good for business. Hertzmark has both. Over the last few years, Migrash Farm (Hebrew for for “field”) has emerged as the nexus of an emerging local grain economy in the mid-Atlantic region. Hertzmark personally grows grain on a 30-acre parcel in Randallstown, Maryland, where he lives with his wife and children, and buys from five other local growers. He then mills it all in an old barn whose foundation dates to the Civil War and sells it online and at local farmers markets. “The wave of local grains is coming,” Hertzmark told JTA in February. “The large-scale centralized system is showing its weaknesses.” Those words now seem prescient. As the pandemic gained steam earlier this spring, major flour suppliers found themselves unable to cope with rising demand
Ian Yosef Hertzmark at his farm in Randallstown, Maryland, in February. His sales of flour have more than doubled during the pandemic.
from home bakers. There was no shortage of wheat in the country, but millers were reportedly struggling to reorient their businesses to serve the consumer market, fighting each other for the 5-pound paper bags needed to package retail quantities of flour and the space on trucks to deliver it. Hertzmark saw the first signs of the problem in midApril after Passover, the eight-day holiday in which eating fermented grains is traditionally prohibited, when his customers rushed to restock their pantries. As the pace of orders began to grow, Hertzmark was forced to reach beyond his regular stable of local suppliers — first to an organic grower in New York, and then to Kansas, where last month he secured 10,000 pounds of grain that he expected would be milled and sold within two weeks. At one recent farmers market, Hertzmark had to take two vehicles to transport all his pre-ordered flour for pickup. “The line to pick them up started at 9 a.m. and was roughly 30 people deep until the market closed at 2,” he told JTA. “We didn’t stop handing people their flour until about 2:20, and we still had a quarter of the people not show up to claim their flour. It’s been crazy.” Hertzmark grew up in Denver and studied botany
and wildlife ecology at Colorado State University. Early in his career, he worked as a landscape ecologist and habitat specialist for the state of Colorado and the U.S. Geological Survey. As he grew more religiously observant, he came to appreciate the natural overlap between Judaism and his professional interests. “You’re remembering the consistent recreation,” Hertzmark said of the blessing recited over wine on Friday nights. “And that just whacked me on my head, especially in light of my job, which was looking at and identifying patterns in nature.” Hertzmark went on to become a fellow at Adamah, the Jewish farming program in Connecticut, and work as the farm manager at the Pearlstone Jewish retreat center near Baltimore. He later trained as a kosher butcher and worked for the kosher pastured meat producer Grow & Behold for six years. His former employer has also seen its fortunes rise during the pandemic. Naftali Hanau, who runs the Brooklyn-based meat company, has added butchers, warehouse staff, and customer service representatives to his payroll since the crisis hit. For the first time in the company’s 10-year history, he imposed limits on how much customers could buy at a time. But unlike kosher meat, the availability of which has been relatively stable during the pandemic, flour has been in short supply for months. At bottom, this is simply a function of heightened demand: People are baking more now. Since flour is shelf stable, it was an appealing choice for consumers who were also stockpiling beans and pasta, particularly in the early weeks of the pandemic. Hertzmark harbors no illusions that the big players won’t get their act together eventually. The longer-term impact he expects will be felt in changed consumer habits: Will customers return to restaurants en masse when they open? Will they give up the reclaimed domesticity of freshly baked bread? Will they return to commodity flour once they’ve tasted the difference from a small local miller? “I am not an outright capitalist, but I do believe in market forces and I do believe that to a certain extent, we are in a watershed moment in terms of consumerism and consumption,” he said. “I’m sure there are a lot of people that want to go back to the way it was. But there are a lot of people who have had their eyes opened.”
June 12, 2020, ARIZONA JEWISH POST
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Undeterred by COVID-19, couple plans Israeli wedding in less than 24 hours RON KAMPEAS JTA WASHINGTON ina Abrahams and Amit Bigler knew the coronavirus pandemic would have an impact on their wedding, which was already taking place in Israel, far from their home in New York. But they didn’t expect to have their guest list whittle down from 330 to about 20 — and for those 20 guests to attend the ceremony in different shifts, so that no more than 10 guests were present at the same time. That’s exactly what Abrahams and Bigler had to do, however, after the Israeli government temporarily outlawed gatherings of more than 10 people to combat the spread of the virus. They would put together their wedding in less than a day. Couples around the world have had to downsize their wedding celebrations as countries impose strict rules to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 400,000 people worldwide. In Israel, at least one couple gained attention for circumventing the regulations by holding a wedding ceremony in a supermarket, where 100 people are permitted. More often, however, couples say they are shrinking their weddings in order to go forward with celebrations at a time of great uncertainty. The Tournelles Synagogue in Paris typically hosts four or five wedding ceremonies every week. But on March 15, with the coronavirus toll rising in France, its iconic,
Photo: Nadav C.J.
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Nina Abrahams and Amit Bigler are married after completely changing their wedding plans due to the coronavirus outbreak.
cavernous sanctuary had just one wedding — with just a few guests. Rabbi Chalom Zana, a Chabad rabbi from the suburb of Bourget, said the couple had considered postponing but went ahead at his urging. “I told them it’s a matter of continuity and recommended they do the ceremony as planned, and just postpone the party,” Zana said. “At first there was some heaviness in the air, but I found it appropriate. After all, a rabbi’s job is to explain the procedure to the couple and also the significance of the contract into which they are entering. The fact that the event was at all happening symbolized the Jewish people’s commitment to continuity despite all circumstances.” For Abrahams, 26, and Bigler, 27, the
choice to rush their wedding was easy to make. “We just wanted to be together,” Abrahams told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency by phone from Israel a day after her nuptials. But executing their plans was anything but simple. They had coordinated every detail for their March 23 ceremony and party with their venue, Ella, in the Israeli town of Ness Ziona. And they had stuck with those plans even as it became clear that their 70 guests from overseas, including Abrahams’ siblings, would not be able to attend. But on March 14, more than a week before their wedding date, Israel announced that it would ban gatherings of more than 10 people. The pair decided they couldn’t wait longer.
Abrahams, who served in the Israeli army before returning to her native New York, rushed to the mikvah to do a ritual immersion done traditionally before Jewish weddings. Then she and Bigler drove around Israel in the middle of the night in search of an outdoor spot. Ultimately they realized that Bigler’s uncle, who lives in the town of Gedera, had a backyard that would do. Catering and DJ arrangements were off the table, so as the pair filled out lastminute paperwork, relatives picked up fruit, cheeses, cakes and sandwiches at a nearby market. Bigler’s mother found a saxophonist to play during the wedding ceremony. The couple then rushed to get ready and take photographs before the ceremony took place less than 24 hours after they had decided to make it happen. “Although so many were missed, the wedding was intimate, meaningful and beautiful,” the bride’s mother, Miriam Abrahams, wrote about the experience. She and her husband had arrived in Israel just days before the country began requiring a 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving from overseas. Nina and Amit, she added, “have remained calm and positive and turned lemons into limonana!” The couple, who met on the JSwipe dating app in 2018, indeed found a silver lining in the small attendance. “We’re both kind of shy people,” Abrahams said, “so we were both also happy and a little relieved not to have something so big.”
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I
f you’ve ever noticed how thirsty you get when it’s hot outside, that’s because your body’s natural water content evaporates more quickly in warm weather. It’s not just your mouth that gets parched, however; your entire body, including your skin, can feel the impact of climbing temperatures. Skin is an essential organ that needs special attention and care. After all, not only does your skin tell the true story of your health and age, it provides a protective barrier to the rest of your body. Keeping your skin supple, soft and well-hydrated helps ensure it doesn’t dry and crack, which is just as possible during the warm summer months as in winter. Use these tips to create a healthy summer skin care regimen. Use proper sunscreen. The sun can dry out and damage your skin quickly even on an overcast day, and more so if you’re near water, where reflections can magnify its intensity. Protect your skin from burning and drying out by using sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 any time you venture outdoors. Remember to check the sunscreen’s expiration date to ensure you’re actually being protected. Moisturize often. Make moisture part of your daily routine, not just when you get out of the shower, but through-
out the day. Shorten bathtub and shower time. It may seem contradictory that spending more time in the tub or shower strips your skin of moisture, but prolonged heat does exactly that. Keep your bathing time brief to minimize the chance of dehydration. Exfoliate. Take time to regularly exfoliate, which removes dead skin cells and makes it easier for moisturizer to penetrate and reveal healthy-looking skin. Be sure to exfoliate gently and adjust your exfoliation schedule to your skin’s unique needs so you don’t irritate it. Hydrate frequently. Applying lotion is an external strategy for maintaining your skin’s natural barrier, but you can also keep your skin hydrated from the inside out. When you’re dehydrated, the body pulls water from any source it can, including your skin. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least 8-11 8-ounce glasses of water a day, and keeping a bottle of water on hand at all times can provide easy, on-thego hydration. Consume hydrating foods. Similar to upping your water intake, you can increase your body’s overall water content by eating the right kinds of foods. Many types of produce have a high percentage of water, like berries, melon, cucumbers and zucchini. For more information, visit www.remedyderm.com.
SHLICHA’S VIEW
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AREA CONGREGATIONS Photo: Inbal Shtivi
Many congregational events described below have been suspended or are being conducted virtually. Contact congregations for more information.
These are some of the thank you cards Inbal Shtivi received during her time as the Southern Arizona Jewish community shlicha.
INBAL SHTIVI Weintraub Israel Center
Y
es, it is true. We are going back to Israel, ending our shlichut [outreach; literally, “sending out”] in Southern Arizona. It has been a remarkable and a challenging year, and my family and I are extremely grateful for the experience. We were blessed to be chosen to take part in the important shlichut project, bringing Israel to life here, and learning so much about the Tucson and general American Jewish community. Yes, the global pandemic situation of the past few months necessitated some difficult decisions to be made, but I am reflecting with great joy on the months that preceded it. I was excited to work with all synagogue, cultural, and educational community institutions during the year, and made new and meaningful personal and professional friendships that will last, I hope, forever. I look back with satisfaction on the meaningful discussions we had — with me and with the shinshinim [teen emissaries] — about Israel and its meaning and value to the community. Sharing my family story at different events was important for me. Sharing and hearing from Holocaust survivors was extremely deep. Attending Shabbat services of all forms was transformative. Working in a new professional environment, with extremely talented and dedicated colleagues, was illuminating. Bringing a variety of in-depth Israel content to different settings was a pleasure. And above all, living in a different cultural and physical environment was eye-opening. I would like again to thank the community and its professional and lay leadership for their trust and support during this time. I am going away with much sadness, but full of energy and commitment to tell the story of American Jewry, and in particular the story of the community here in Southern Arizona, back in Israel. Especially, I would like to thank Ron and Diane Weintraub, who had the vision to create an Israel program that will serve the entire community. I hope that my short time here was as meaningful to the community, as it was for me and my family. I invite all to stay in contact and send a note when planning a visit to Israel. I wish everyone a great and peaceful summer. Facebook: Inbal Shtivi Email: inbal.shtivi@gmail.com Inbal Shtivi has been the community shlicha (Israeli emissary) for Southern Arizona and director of the Weintraub Israel Center, a joint project of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and the Tucson Jewish Community Center.
REFORM
CONSERVATIVE
Congregation anShei iSrael
5550 E. Fifth St., Tucson, AZ 85711 • (520) 745-5550 Rabbi Robert Eisen, Cantorial Soloist Nichole Chorny • www.caiaz.org Daily minyan: Mon.-Thurs., 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.; Fri., 7:30 a.m.; Sun. and legal holidays, 8 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. / Mincha: Fri., 5:45 p.m. / Shabbat services: Sat., 9 a.m., followed by Kiddush; Tot Shabbat, 1st Fri., 5:45 p.m.; Family Service, 3rd Friday, 5:45 p.m.; Holiday services may differ, call or visit website. / Torah study: every Shabbat one hour before Mincha (call or visit website for times) / Talmud on Tuesday, 6 p.m. / Weekday Torah study group, Wed., 11 a.m. beverages and dessert provided.
ORTHODOX Congregation Chofetz Chayim/SouthweSt torah inStitute
5150 E. Fifth St., Tucson, AZ 85711 • (520) 747-7780 Rabbi Israel Becker • www.tucsontorah.org Shabbat services: Fri., Kabbalat Shabbat 15 minutes before sunset; Sat. 9 a.m. followed by Kiddush. / Mincha: Fri., 1 p.m.; Sat., 25 minutes before sunset, followed by Shalosh Seudas, Maariv, and Havdallah. Services: Sun., 8 a.m.; Mon. and Thurs., 6:50 a.m.; Tues., Wed., Fri., 7 a.m.; daily, 15 minutes before sunset. / Weekday Rosh Chodesh services: 6:45 a.m.
Congregation young iSrael/ChaBad of tuCSon
2443 E. Fourth St., Tucson, AZ 85719 • (520) 881-7956 Rabbi Yossie Shemtov, Rabbi Yudi Ceitlin • www.chabadoftucson.com Daily minyan: Sun. and legal holidays, 8:30 a.m.; Mon. and Thurs., 6:30 p.m.; Tues., Wed., Fri., 6:45 a.m. / Mincha and Maariv, 5:15 p.m. / Shabbat services: Fri. at candlelighting; Sat. 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush. Mincha, Maariv, and Havdallah TBA.
ChaBad on river
3916 E. Ft. Lowell Road, Tucson AZ 85716 • (520) 661-9350 Rabbi Ram Bigelman • www.chabadonriver.com Shabbat services: Fri., Mincha at candlelighting time, followed by Maariv. / Sat., Shacharit service, 9:30 a.m. / Torah study: women, Wed., 2 p.m.; men, Tues. and Thurs., 7 p.m. Call to confirm.
ChaBad oro valley
1171 E. Rancho Vistoso #131, Oro Valley, AZ 85755 • (520) 477-8672 Rabbi Ephraim Zimmerman • www.jewishorovalley.com Shabbat services: 3rd Fri., 5 p.m. Oct.-Feb., 6 p.m. March-Sept., all followed by dinner / Sat., 10 a.m. study session followed by service.
ChaBad Sierra viSta
401 Suffolk Drive, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 • (520) 820-6256 Rabbi Benzion Shemtov • www.jewishsierravista.com Shabbat services: Sat., 10:30 a.m., bimonthly, followed by class explaining prayers. Visit website or call for dates.
REFORM
Congregation Beit SimCha 2270 W. Ina Road, Suite 100, Tucson, AZ 85741 • (520) 276-5675 Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon • www.beitsimchatucson.org Shabbat services: Fri., 6:30 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m., with Torah study at 9 a.m; monthly Shabbat morning hikes.
Congregation Chaverim
Congregation m’Kor hayim 3888 E. River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718 (Tucson Hebrew Academy) Mailing Address: P.O. Box 31806, Tucson, AZ 85751 • (520) 305-8208 Rabbi Helen Cohn • www.mkorhayim.org Shabbat services: 2nd and 4th Fri., 7 p.m. / Torah study, 2nd and 4th Sat. 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Congregation or ChadaSh 3939 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85718 • (520) 512-8500 Rabbi Thomas Louchheim, Cantor Janece Cohen www.orchadash-tucson.org Shabbat services: Fri., 6:30 p.m.; 1st Fri., Friday Night LIVE (Sept.-May); 2nd Friday, Tot Shabbat (Sept.-May), 6 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m. / Torah study: Sat., 8:30 a.m.
temple emanu-el 225 N. Country Club Road, Tucson, AZ 85716 • (520) 327-4501 Rabbi Batsheva Appel • www.tetucson.org Shabbat services: Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m./ Torah study: Sat., 8:30 a.m. except when there is a Rabbi’s Tish.
temple Kol hamidBar 228 N. Canyon Drive, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 • (520) 458-8637 www.templekol.com Mailing address: P.O. Box 908, Sierra Vista, AZ 85636, Friday night Torah study group: 6 - 7:15 p.m. / Shabbat services: Fri., 7:30 p.m.
TRADITIONAL-EGALITARIAN
Congregation Bet Shalom 3881 E. River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718 • (520) 577-1171 Rabbi Hazzan Avraham Alpert • www.cbsaz.org Shabbat services: Fri., 5:30 p.m. (followed by monthly dinners — call for info); Sat. 9:30 a.m., Camp Shabbat (ages 6-10) 10 a.m.-noon, followed by Kiddush lunch; 12:30-2 p.m. CBS Think Tank discussion led by Rabbi Dr. Howard Schwartz and Prof. David Graizbord; monthly Tot Shabbat (call for dates) / Weekday services: Wed. 8:15 a.m. / Hagim 9:30 a.m.
OTHER
Beth Shalom temple Center
1751 N. Rio Mayo (P.O. Box 884), Green Valley, AZ 85622 • (520) 648-6690 Rabbi Norman Roman • www.bstc.us Shabbat services: 1st and 3rd Fri., 7 p.m. / Torah study: Sat., 9:30 a.m.
handmaKer reSident Synagogue
2221 N. Rosemont Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85712 • (520) 881-2323 www.handmaker.com Shabbat services: Fri., 4:30 p.m., led by various leaders, followed by Shabbat dinner; Sat., 9:30 a.m., led by Mel Cohen and Dan Asia, followed by light Kiddush lunch.
JewiSh arizonanS on CampuS 2146 E. 4th Street Tucson, AZ, 85719 • (520) 834-3424 • www.myjac.org Shabbat hospitality and social events for UA students with Yosef and Sara Lopez. Shabbat services on request.
5901 E. Second St., Tucson, AZ 85711 • (520) 320-1015 Rabbi Stephanie Aaron • www.chaverim.net Shabbat services: Fri., 7 p.m. (no service on 5th Fri.); Family Shabbat, 1st Fri., 6 p.m. / Torah study: 2nd Sat., 9 a.m., followed by contemplative service,10 a.m.
SeCular humaniSt JewiSh CirCle
Congregation Kol SimChah
1245 E. 2nd St. Tucson, AZ 85719 • (520) 624-6561 • www.arizona.hillel.org Shabbat services: Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and alternative services two Fridays each month when school is in session. Dinner follows (guests, $8; RSVP by preceding Thurs.). Call for dates/times.
(Renewal)
4625 E. River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718 • (520) 296-0818 Mailing Address: 6628 E. Calle Dened, Tucson, AZ 85710, Shabbat services: 1st and 3rd Fri., 7:15 p.m.
www.shjcaz.org Call Sandee at (520) 271-6235 for meeting or other information.
univerSity of arizona hillel foundation
June 12, 2020, ARIZONA JEWISH POST
17
OBITUARIES In Memoriam — Sidney Hellring Sid Hellring, made in 1927 on July 8, and spirited in 2019 on June 21, remains in our hearts and fond memories. We have the history of our lives together. He left us with many photos, movies, slides, writings, and poems to recall our celebrations, our visits, our fun. We know his life philosophies. He walked the talk. Son of Rose and Carl Hellring, Sid was born at home in Irvington, New Jersey. Starting at age 8 he worked at Hellring Brothers, a locksmith and contract hardware firm in Newark. He graduated Belleville High School in New Jersey in 1944. From 8/23/45-9/21/47 he was a Coast Guard merchant marine, an 11th Airborne paratrooper, and a soldier in the army of occupation in Japan. In 1950, Sid moved his wife Evelyn (deceased) and his son Bruce (Phoenix) to Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He and his father established Ace Locksmiths. He was certified an Architectural Hardware Consultant and added the contract hardware line. He served as executive director of the local builders’ association and was an active Rotary and Elks member. By 1960 three children — Stuart (Meryl), Pittsburgh; Karen, Huntington Beach, California; and Lynn (Kevin), Texas — were born. Sid became the first scoutmaster of Ohev Sholom’s Boy Scout troop established March 31, 1958. On August 27, 1972, he married Lorraine Monti. Living his dream to settle in Arizona, we arrived in Tucson in late July 1973. Sid was employed as an AHC for O’Malley’s, Nelson Holland, and Doorways. In 1984, he earned a B.A. from the University of Arizona with a major in creative writing and a minor in finance. By the early ’80s, he propelled Hellring Accounting into the computer age. In May 1988, he received a Programming Specialist and Tutor award at a Pima Community College East Campus recognition dinner. In June 1988, he received a congratulatory letter as a Santa Catalina Villas Outstanding Older Adult from the Pima County Board of Supervisors. “Joie de vivre,” his favorite and most frequently used phrase, was evidenced in his smiles and raised arms while visiting the building sites of his homes; while designing and building a menorah, many sukkahs, and all the other handiwork that stands today; while tending his garden, indoor plants, and feeding the birds; while raising rabbits, ducks, chicks, canary, and dogs; and while visiting with his children and grandchildren. The joie de vivre of having his home filled with family and friends. Who knew how many would be
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ARIZONA JEWISH POST, June 12, 2020
at the dinner table or staying overnight? A ’60s black light room was a delight to his teenage boys and their friends. Our home provided a place for many who were in between moves, or who just needed a place of respite. He loved celebrating holidays and fun gatherings with friends, neighbors, and Anshei Israel’s Young Marrieds, Havurah and Couple Connections groups. When celebrants were numerous, tables were rented, signs made up and posted for easy navigation, and boxes decorated to accept gifts for exchange. By doing it his way, Sid led a joyful life. It is true he thought “everyone was entitled to his opinion,” but he understood and supported our need to do it our way. He listened to us. He offered the help he thought we may need. We listened to him. Many have expressed how he made an impact in their lives, or how grateful they were for his help when they needed it. I, his children, seven grandchildren, and five greatgrandchildren, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances, are blessed. We are encouraged to walk in our own stride as he did. Rest in peace and be proud of yourself Sid, as you have inspired and motivated us to put the joy of life in our everyday. Covid-19! We got this! When physical distancing restraints are lifted, a Memorial Kiddush will be held for Sid at Congregation Anshei Israel in Tucson. A Memorial Celebration for Sid and my mother, Trudy Monti, will be held in Williamsport. Memorial contributions may be made to Congregation Anshei Israel, Rabbi Eisen Fund RN or any charity that cares for birds, pets, animals, and plants. — Lorraine Hellring
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Ralph Duchin Ralph Charles Duchin, 88, of Tucson, Arizona, and Houston, Texas, died May 25, 2020. Mr. Duchin was born in New York City to the late Minnie and Jacob Duchin. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School and Brooklyn College and completed his master’s degree in geology from the Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin. Mr. Duchin, with his wife, Sally, was a longtime supporter of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and served as a board member. The Duchins also were ardent supporters of the University of Arizona Center for Judaic Studies, funding an annual lecture series. Additionally, Mr. Duchin was active in Desert Caucus, including serving as the president of the organization. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Sally Pomeranz Duchin; daughter, Susan Jo Duchin; sister, Barbara Duchin and brother, Hal Duchin. Services were held in Houston; a celebration of life will be held in Tucson at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice. Arrangements were made by Evergreen Mortuary, Tucson, and Levy Funeral Home, Houston.
Robert Lewkowitz Robert “Bob” Lewkowitz, 87, died May 23, 2020. Mr. Lewkowitz was born in Brooklyn, New York, on Aug. 17, 1932 to Arthur and Marian Lewkowitz. He graduated from New York University in 1954 with a degree in accounting, later becoming a Certified Public Account. Mr. Lewkowitz moved the family to Phoenix in 1969. He was preceded in death by his wife, Esther. Survivors include his daughters, Fran (Jeff ) Katz of Tucson and Jodi (Steve) Stein of Phoenix; brother Franklin (Karen) Lewkowitz of Scottsdale; and five grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona at www. jfsa.org/donate or the Comfort Food Pantry at www.communitytaxcredit.org. Obituaries printed free of charge may be edited for space and format. There is a nominal fee for photographs. Please inquire at 319-1112 for obituaries.
With support from the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and caring donors, Jewish Family & Children’s Services helps indigent individuals and their families with financial assistance for burial arrangements. For more information call (520) 795-0300 or email jefa@jfcstucson.org
OUR TOWN Bar mitzvah
People in the news A new book by Bonnie J. Golden, M.Ed, E-RYT, “Yoga for Holistic Healing: Poses and Sequences for Pain and Stress Relief ” (Callisto Media) is available for preorder on Amazon. Golden is the owner of Yoga in Balance, LLC, and www.yogawithbonnie. com.
Ethan Domnik Glassey, son of Lauren and Eric Glassey, will celebrate becoming a bar mitzvah on June 13, 2020 with Temple Emanu-El via Zoom and Facebook Live. He is the grandson of Judy Thomas of Tucson and Stan and Lori Thomas of Rockville, MD. Ethan attends Marana Middle School, where he is on the honor roll and active in cross-country, basketball, and track. He also enjoys dirt bike riding, camping, and welding. For his mitzvah project, Ethan is collecting toiletries to donate to Youth on Their Own, a nonprofit Arizona organization that supports the high school graduation and continued success of homeless youth.
Business briefs Arizona Theatre Company and Artistic Director Sean Daniels will partner with Florida Studio Theatre in developing a new play, “Tampa,” as part of The Playwrights Project, FST’s newly launched artistic initiative featuring 32 of the nation’s top playwrights, sketch comedy writers, and musical theatre developers. For more information about The Playwrights Project, visit www.floridastudio theatre.org. For more information about Arizona Theatre Company, visit www.arizonatheatre.org.
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UAPresents and Tucson Botanical Gardens are presenting a virtual series of “Concerts from the Gardens” on Thursdays at 6 p.m. The organizations postponed the series’ June 4 concert as part of the #theshowmustbe paused movement, to reflect and identify ways they can stand in solidarity with black artists and the entire black community. As a way of remembering the lives of black people like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others, both in recent and distant history, they encourage people to support Black Lives Matter, Tucson Reparations, Tucson Second Chance Bail Fund, and to explore anti-racism resources online. For more information, visit www.tucsonbotanical.org. The Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild is calling for entries for a virtual show, “We Who Serve,” to honor the men and women who have provided essential services to the community in the battle against Covid-19. The show, featuring art from first responders and other front-line workers, will be held July 23-Aug.30. Enter by July 10 at www.southernazwatercolorguild.com. For more information, contact Sue Ritz at barracks_cover@ hotmail.com or 345-9166, or Goldie Aguilar at shows@ southernazwatercolorguild.com. Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse is hiring. See the job listings at www.emergecenter.org or call Mariana Calvo at 795-8001, ext. 7023.
Mazel Tov
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ARIZONA JEWISH POST, June 12, 2020