Arizona Jewish Life Jan 2017 Vol. 5 / Issue 4 by JewishLifeMagazine

JANUARY 2017

JEWISH FILM FESTIVALS

TUCSON • JAN. 12-22 PHOENIX • FEB. 12-26

EYE ON EDUCATION Full-day k = literacy Education directory

HEALTH & FITNESS Choosing a fitness trainer 7 time-saving steps to meal planning

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 1

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Managing Director Private Wealth Advisor 522 Fifth Avenue, 10th Floor New York, NY 10036 212-296-6704 robert.stolar@morganstanley.com Source: Barron’s “Top 100 Financial Advisors,” April 20, 2015. Barron’s “Top 100 Financial Advisors” bases its ratings on qualitative criteria: professionals with a minimum of seven years of financial services experience, acceptable compliance records, client retention reports, customer satisfaction, and more. Finwancial Advisors are quantitatively rated based on varying types of revenues and assets advised by the financial professional, with weightings associated for each. Because individual client portfolio performance varies and is typically unaudited, this rating focuses on customer satisfaction and quality of advice. The rating may not be representative of any one client’s experience because it reflects a sample of all of the experiences of the Financial Advisor’s clients. The rating is not indicative of the Financial Advisor’s future performance. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors pays a fee to Barron’s in exchange for the rating. Barron’s is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, L.P. All rights reserved. © 2015 Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, a division of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC. Member SIPC. CRC1179133 04/15 8225582 PWM001 04/15 ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 3

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Arizona Jewish Life • January 2017 • Tishrei- Cheshvan 5777 • Volume 5/Issue 4

FEATURES

COLUMNS

COVER STORY

Chef’s Corner by Lucia Schnitzer

A Taste of Arizona by A. Noshman

Family Time by Debra Rich Gettleman

To Life by Amy Hirshberg Lederman

Phoenix

“On The Map” in Tucson and Phoenix

EYE ON EDUCATION

12th Annual West Valley Film Festival

Grab the popcorn – it’s film festival time!

FILM REVIEWS: “For the Love of Spock” in Tucson “A Tale of Love and Darkness” in

Tucson International Jewish Film Festival

schedule

Full-day kindergarten = literacy

Are you the parent of a child with a

Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival schedule

JEWS WITH ATTITUDE Colette Jobin: teaching kids her way

BUSINESS Glenn Hamer: advocate for education

Ins & Outs

retirement are…true comes to Chandler

Arizona Fine Art EXPO

a new home

Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix form joint venture

brunch honorees

Federation notes

91 93

Previews 94 Faces & Places

Calendar 98 77

Bertie Levkowitz: hidden child of the 79

JKIDS & TEENS TOO 83

Tivnu: Shaping young Jewish adults through social justice work

Kids & teens events calendar

8 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Israeli-American Council and

Federation donor appreciation and award 66

JLIVING

ACTIVE ADULTS

first time?

Family Time: Queen never carries

Choosing a fitness trainer for the

Maricopa County home show

Holocaust

Ilana Lea: no time like the present to commit to

can change our world

New year, new shoe

Retirement planning for couples

HEALTH & FITNESS

HOME & LIFESTYLE How Suite It Is! for designer Joy Bidnick

To Life! Challenging judgments about others

Taste of Arizona: Scott’s Generations finds

Education Directory

FOOD Chef’s Corner: Here’s to you!

planning 73 47

“Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project”

What’s new at Jewish schools

7 time-saving steps to clean eating meal

The report’s of ATC’s David Ira Goldstein’s

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Arizona Jewish Life • Tishrei- Cheshvan 5777 • Volume 5/Issue 4

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UPCOMING ISSUES Februar y 2017: Weddings March 2017: Camps and Real Estate

P U B L I C AT I O N A N D D E A D L I N E S Arizona Jewish Life magazine is distributed on the f irst of the month. Stor y ideas for features and special sections are due 45 - 60 days prior to publication.

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A Prince Hal Production ( TGMR18) 2016-2017 MediaPort LLC All rights reserved The content and opinions in Arizona Jewish Life do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers, staff or contractors. Articles and columns are for informational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, Arizona Jewish Life, and its agents, publishers, employees and contractors will not be held responsible for the misuse of any information contained herein. The publishers reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement of products or services.

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NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS AND THE VALUE OF PERSEVERANCE

Robert Philip

Cindy Saltzman

“My top three New Year’s resolutions for 2017 are to eat more ice cream, exercise less and always lose my patience at the Apple Store.” What? These were the three resolutions that a friend of mine recently shared while we were hiking. Of course I laughed, as she had told me earlier that day that she is a “chronic breaker of New Year’s resolutions.” She added, “Since I don’t usually achieve my lofty goals, this year I will make resolutions that I am sure to achieve.” As funny and self-defeating as her sentiment was, I got it. Most people do break their New Year’s resolutions by overeating, becoming complacent or losing their temper at one time or another. But as each new year approaches, those same resolutions are back on the table – with some new ones mixed in. There is always hope if you persevere. Because sometimes, we do lose that weight, run those five miles, write that screenplay or keep our cool at the Apple Store. Even the presidential candidates had their own version of New Year’s resolutions, as we witnessed during this past election. Calls for bipartisanship, promises of lower taxes, free education and world peace were at times almost numbing to hear – talk about lofty goals. Surely they knew from the outset that they would keep some of their campaign promises but not others. But like any of us making New Year’s resolutions, they are only human and their intentions were sincere (hopefully). It seems that the real value of New Year’s resolutions is not to remind us of how imperfect we are but to give us hope for a better future, armed with the knowledge that – through perseverance – we can change the things that cause us discomfort or unhappiness. That is the key. Perseverance is a ubiquitous theme in Judaism and throughout this January issue of Arizona Jewish Life. We hope that as you think about your own New Year’s resolutions, lofty or humble, that you are hopeful enough to believe in the words of the great media pioneer, David Sarnoff: “The will to persevere is often the difference between failure and success.” We at Arizona Jewish Life wish you an incredible 2017 and much success with your New Year’s resolutions for the coming year – or the next.

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Jewswith

Attitude

Colette Jobin: teaching kids her way

By Mala Blomquist

Colette Jobin was working 12½-hour shifts as a nurse in the NICU and raising three young children as a single mom when she realized – this is not going to work! She was working on patients’ charts thinking, “I am going to have to give this up!” when a fellow nurse named Colleen, out of the blue, said, “Colette, have you ever thought of teaching?” Colette immediately replied, “No!” Colleen continued, “You would be so amazing at teaching!” To which Colette replied, “Um..I have a career.” But the seed had been planted. Colette went home that morning, having worked all night, and was up with her children all day. That pattern repeated day after day. Work all night, stay up with the kids all day and sleep for a little while before returning to work. She thought “How am I going to keep this up long term – without sleeping?” The seed Colleen planted began to grow. Colette looked at her three little ones, ages 5, 3 and 1, and thought, “I’ve got to make some big changes. And as a Jewish woman, I am Sephardic, I have been raised knowing that women can completely reinvent themselves when needed. Women have that ability to completely turn everything over. That’s the way we’re raised. I could hear my parents, who had been long gone, in my head, reminding me that I was strong, I was Sephardic, I was able to turn this around at every step of the way – because Sephardic women could. So I did.” Colette is fluent in Spanish, French, English, Hebrew and a language called Ladino, essentially a combination of Hebrew and Spanish. Her ancestors fled the Catholic king and queen in the 1400s to the Pyrenees Mountains and hid among the foothills of both sides of Spain and France. “They created their own language to protect the culture, their Jewish identity, the religion; you name it. It was a way to survive. That’s where 14 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

my family comes from, so I am completely fluent in Ladino,” Colette explains. She has a master’s in nursing, a bachelor’s in Spanish, French and English literature and interpretation. She went to the Scottsdale Unified School District office and said, “I speak all these languages and I’m fluent, I taught my own kids, could you use someone like me?” The answer was yes. She started teaching for SUSD before she had her license because there was such a huge need for language teachers. They created a special contract with her so she could teach without a certificate. She took online courses and received the proper certification within a year. She began her career at a Title 1 school (a school that has a high number or high percentage of students from lowincome families) called Ingleside Middle School. She tripled their language programs for French and Spanish. “I loved that community,” says Colette fondly. “I would definitely still be teaching there if travel had not been an issue.” She is referring to when the Loop 101 freeway was under construction and the commute became too much. She relocated to Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale and that is where she teaches today. Her two remaining children at home (she has one in college) attend school there as well. They are all enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program at Desert Mountain. The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a non-profit educational foundation offering four highly respected programs of international education that develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills needed to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world. “Honestly, it’s been a phenomenal program. I teach the IB program, too! I see how hard we [as teachers] work together as a team in the IB program; we make sure that all of our courses are intertwined and that we have a lot of commonalities. I

teach French and Spanish and Latin, we still get together and make sure that we have novels in common, or history pieces in common, so that the knowledge builds. More importantly, we’re building bridges for the kids so that they can really embrace the entire world.” She believes that kids today understand how interconnected we all are on a global level. Empowering these students is part of teaching them, whether she has them two, three or four years and she believes that creating a bond with the children makes them want to learn more. “I think that’s a huge disconnect right now in the American system. Kids don’t have that bond with their teacher. They don’t have that trust. They don’t have that personal relationship, and I think that’s a huge tragedy right now in the American system.” She explains further, “It’s not on the heads of teachers, especially here in Arizona; we are poorly paid, we have 40-plus kids in every single classroom, we work through the day without a break, no lunch. We’re supposed to be superhuman. What gets sacrificed is that personal bond. To me, there is nothing better than the personal bond, connecting with a kid. That helps them realize that there’s something so much bigger out there and they need to discover it.” Teaching is a challenging profession, between the lack of support for the educational system from elected officials to standardized testing that puts so much emphasis on a single test. “I do not understand the system that shoves a final or high-stakes exam underneath kids nose’s that the kids have not had a chance to practice.” She believes that the children in her AP and IB classes do very well on their tests because of the consistency in her teaching practices and making sure that the kids are prepared.

But with all its flaws, Colette still believes strongly in public education as it has opened a lot of doors for her, even though she did not receive her education in this country. “My parents were the epitome of poverty. I was given opportunities to grow and educate myself, and as long as I made a [certain] GPA, my student loans were written off.” She went to the University of Madrid and Carleton University in Canada. “Technically, I should not be where I am! My own three children are living with a single mom, who is an immigrant and whose first language is not English. They should not be going to university. All the statistics say no, no how, no way!” Colette’s oldest child is attending college at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. With her strong belief that these children are our future, she approaches teaching her own way. “It’s about the kids, what they know, and how to help them achieve. It’s about them, it’s not about me, or my ego, or the school district, or the state, or the country. It’s not about anything but those kids that are in my class. I’ve made the conscious choice to close my door and focus on my babies in my class, in front of me, and keep the rest of it out.” Colette’s passion for teaching and her Jewish heritage are intertwined, “Part of my social responsibility as a Sephardi, I just want to get this message out there,” says Colette. “This is what I feel my life purpose is all about. I love my [own] kids and I love my kids in my classroom, and I believe with everything I am that they are capable, smart and have something [of value] to add. I want to empower them at every step of the way.”

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Business

Glenn Hamer: advocate for education

By Mala Blomquist

One of the most important issues on the ballot in a special election last May was Proposition 123. Its passing by Arizona voters means funding for the state’s unique K-12 public school system, which is comprised of both charter schools and traditional public schools. Thanks to the efforts of both business and education leaders in the community, Proposition 123 allows for the Glenn Hamer distribution of $3.5 billion to all Arizona public schools for the next decade. The funds will be used at each school’s discretion based on individual classroom needs. Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and vice chairman of the Arizona Charter Schools Association, emphasizes the notable impact of Proposition 123 on a national scale: “As far as we can tell, when you look at all 50 states, [Proposition 123] is probably the most new money injected into a K-12 system in any state last year. We [at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce] were very happy to play a role in its passage.” Proposition 123 stemmed from the unsettled legal case of Proposition 301, a proposal to raise state sales taxes for public school funding. Gridlocked in litigation, Proposition 301 failed to provide schools with the resources they desperately needed, necessitating the quick action provided by Proposition 123. “Given the complications surrounding school funding, this proposition gives us plenty of time to work on more equitable funding models without the constant pressures of legal action,” says Glenn. Proposition 123 supports Arizona’s K-12 public school system, providing funding to a multitude of traditional and charter schools. Students in Arizona benefit from open

enrollment, which means they can enroll in any school of their choosing, whether or not it is within their neighborhood district boundaries. “As a parent, I’ve lived that,” says Glenn. “I have three girls in public schools. Two are in charters, one is in a traditional public high school. Three girls, three very different personalities. One of the great things about this state is that you have a chance to match the school with the needs of the child.” Freedom of choice creates competition, which drives Arizona schools to provide a quality education. When asked about national ranking in public education, Glenn admits that Arizona hovers at the bottom when it comes to per-pupil funding: “That’s why we supported proposition 123. In terms of education performance, Arizona does a lot better than people recognize. For example, we are the only state in the country with three public high schools on U.S. News & World Report’s top 10 list.” Proposition 123 ensures that Arizona public schools continue the trend in excellence in education. “We have models that are working very well in both charter and traditional public schools. The name of the game is getting more resources and more kids into these high-performing schools,” says Glenn. More money per student also ensures

“As far as we can tell, when you look at all 50 states, [Proposition 123] is probably the most new money injected into a K-12 system in any state last year.” – Glenn Hamer

16 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

that more students get off of waiting lists and into those high-performing schools. It also encourages the success of low-income students. Per capita, more students attend charter schools in Arizona than in any other state. Proposition 123 gives much-needed support to charter schools, which do not benefit from property taxes as traditional public schools do. Glenn cites the unique success Arizona can claim in creating an atmosphere conducive to the growth of charter schools: “Arizona was a trailblazer. Charters now exist in most other states. What we’re seeing are some very successful networks expanding in Arizona and across the country. BASIS and Great Hearts [Academies] are expanding in other states.” He adds that BASIS has opened a school in China. Most Arizona charter schools currently receive $1,000 less per student than traditional public schools. Glenn and others at the Arizona Charter Schools Association are working to make sure that these schools get the resources they need to continue providing an excellent education. Proposition 123 provides an additional $300 per charter and public school student, what Glenn calls a “complete win-win. You have a lot of happy and relieved charter and public school operators.” Glenn says that Proposition 123 is a “textbook example” of what can be achieved when business, education and political leaders work together toward a common goal. He takes pride in the successful passage of Proposition 123, noting that, with the lawsuit off the table, additional resources and reforms will accelerate improvements in K-12 education in Arizona. Funding public education also ensures a skilled future work force. Glenn emphasizes the importance of matching the quality of Arizona’s K-12 system with the needs of employers, adding with a laugh, “As much as I love my girls, I don’t really want them sleeping in our basement in 20 years!” On a more serious note, Glenn notes that with the combination of freedom of choice, academic excellence and improved funding, “Arizona public schools have a lot to be proud of.”

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INS & OUTS

Scott Pelly and Mark Searle

Robert Harris

Scott Pelley receives Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism On Nov. 21, Scott Pelley, the managing editor and anchor of the “CBS Evening News” and correspondent for “60 Minutes” received the 2016 Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism from Arizona State University. ASU Provost, Mark Searle, presented the award to Pelly to recognize his journalistic integrity and values – similar to those of the school’s namesake. The room at the downtown Sheraton Grand Phoenix hotel was filled with business executives, civic leaders, media leaders, Cronkite School supporters and students. Pelly discussed what it takes to be a great journalist today, and the dangers that false reporting on social media and news aggregator sites pose. “Is terrorism the greatest threat to our country, or a recession?” Pelley asked the audience. “I suggest to you today that the quickest, most direct way to ruin a democracy is to poison the information. Those are the stakes that we have to address.” cronkite.asu.edu

Allstate Insurance office volunteers in the community Robert Harris, an Allstate Insurance agent in Scottsdale, which is independently owned and operated, is proud to volunteer with the Scottsdale Police Department - K9 Unit, the Scottsdale Police - Crime Prevention Unit, the Scottsdale Fire Department - Fire Prevention Unit and Foothills Animal Rescue of Scottsdale. “It’s an important way we give back to our community.” Mr. Harris is pleased to announce that The Allstate Foundation supported all four organizations with a $1,000 grant each in honor of his volunteer efforts in our community. agents.allstate.com/robert-harris-scottsdale-az

Stern Winery

New York Bagels ’N Bialys

Jewish National Fund (JNF-USA) announced on Dec. 16 that it had raised $6 million to help the nation recover with new fire trucks and life-saving equipment, and is working to regrow and regenerate thousands of lost trees. “Last month Israel experienced the worst fires in our Jewish nation’s history and the resources of Israel’s fire and rescue services were depleted,” remarked JNF-USA President Jeffrey E. Levine. “I say with great pride and much thanks that JNF-USA donors came forward to help meet the great need, purchasing 25 new trucks and with commitments for more on the way. Additionally, it was amazing to see how Israelis from all across the nation came together to help each other.” In Northern Israel, Michal Shiloah Galnoor, CEO of Western Galilee Now, a consortium of businesses in the north, described how innkeepers and kibbutzim opened their doors for anyone needing shelter from the fires: “It was so beautiful to see that hundreds of rooms were made available for free to anyone in Israel in need of a safe place to go. While we had our own fires and almost lost Stern Winery, the communities really came together – Jews, Arabs, and Christians – this is the power of coexistence.” jnf.org

New York Bagels ‘N Bialys opens second location New York Bagels ’N Bialys has opened a second location at 922 E Apache Blvd., in the heart of Tempe. The new storefront is located on the first floor of the 922 Place Apartments. They will serve their popular egg-a-bagels, Reuben sandwich and much more. They will also offer desserts such as the black and white cookie, Brooklyn Ding Dong, coffee cakes and pound cakes – all made at the Scottsdale location. Their Scottsdale location is at 10320 N Scottsdale Road. Both restaurants are open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch. nybagelsnbialys.com

JNF Donors and Israelis open their hearts during and after fires

Chai Judaica & Gifts now open

As life returns to normal in the weeks since devastating fires destroyed 10,000 acres of land and forests throughout Israel,

Chai Judaica & Gifts located at the Pollack Chabad Center for Jewish Life opened last month in time for Hanukkah shoppers. Chai

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Chai Judaica & Gifts

Ben Graff

Judaica & Gifts is the place to find the perfect gift for all of your special occasions. The items they carry include mezuzot, books, religious items, jewelry and everything in between. It is located at the Pollack Chabad Center for Jewish Life at 875 N McClintock Dr., Chandler. Gift shop hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from 9 am-2 pm; Wednesday by appointment only and Sundays 9:30-10 am and 12-12:30 pm. For more information, please contact the office at info@chabadcenter.com or call 480-855-4333. chabadcenter.com

Ben Graff elected to Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board Ben Graff, a land-use attorney with Withey Morris, PLC was elected to the Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board on Nov. 8 with 358,859 votes. Ben is an expert in a variety of scenarios and issues related to the water demands of Maricopa County and our various municipalities. Ben’s successful practice is sustained through his contacts with planning staff, appointed officials and elected officials in towns, cities and counties throughout Arizona. During law school, Ben was appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano to serve a two-year term as a Regent for the Arizona Board of Regents. Today, he serves as a Regent Emeritus, a precinct and state committee-person, and is involved with Valley Partnership, Arizona Forward and is a graduate of the Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy and Valley Leadership. The CAWCD Board is comprised of 15 unpaid members from Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties, each serving staggered 6 year terms. In total, five new board members were elected on Nov. 8. electbengraff.com

Garrett Holm hired as Special Abilities Coordinator Garrett Holm was recently hired as the Special Abilities Coordinator through a grant provided by the Jewish Community Foundation and Jewish Federation Aligned Process. Garrett will provide a bridge for individuals with special needs and their caregivers to access programs and services available within the community. His responsibilities will include the development

Garrett Holm

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

Tamm0 Rossman-Benjamin

of a community resource access platform, respite activities, and outreach programs. Garrett has served in a variety of professional and volunteer capacities since 1996, including his service as a teacher, school administrator, policy analyst and advisor to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Arizona, Director of Education and Training for CARF International and President of the Academy for Certification of Vision Education and Rehabilitation Professionals (ACVREP). Graduating in 1996 with a Bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Arizona, Garett continued his studies at Harvard University receiving a Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on social planning, policy and administration. During his graduate studies, Garett was selected as a Morris K. Udall Native American Policy Congressional Fellow and served under the Honorable Richard Gephardt of Missouri. In addition to his serving as the Special Abilities Coordinator, Garett is currently a first year law student at the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona. tucsonjcc.org

Winners of the 2016 Cohon Award are announced At the end of Nov. 2016, Rabbi Baruch Cohon, vice president of the Cohon Memorial Foundation announced that Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein and Tammi Rossman-Benjamin are the winners of the 2016 Cohon Award. Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein founded the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and serves as its president. Aided by ardent supporters from both faiths, he leads the fellowship in the rescue of countless victims of starvation and oppression, including many families of Holocaust survivors. Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, co-founder of AMCHA Initiative, builds unity with Jewish and non-Jewish organizations and individuals, to counter bigotry on college campuses. Her work led to the University of California’s landmark “Statement of Principles Against Intolerance” which condemned anti-Semitism in all its forms. An award ceremony will be held in early 2017. cohonaward.com ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 19

Eight myths about college admissions By Bryan Pisetsky, MS, IEC Certificate

EYE ON EDUCATION

t’s that time of year again. High school seniors across the country are feeling relieved as most would have completed and submitted their college applications by now. Therefore, it is time now to shift attention to the juniors, for this is an excellent time to start thinking about what they are looking for and what they are hoping to get out of their college experience. To help alleviate some of the stress with choosing where to apply, I have compiled just a few common myths about the admissions process.

“And yet not a dream, but a

20 Eight Myths About College Admissions 23 College Depot 24 Full-day Kindergarten 26 Are you the Parent of a Child with a Disability? 30 What's New at Jewish Schools

mighty realitya glimpse of the higher life, the broader possibilities of humanity, which is granted to the man who, amid the rush and roar of living, pauses four short years to learn what living means” —W.E.B. Du Bois

34 Education Directory

MYTH #1: There are bad colleges and there are good colleges.

There is no such thing a bad college. Educational institutions must be accredited regularly to make sure their academic standards are up to par. There are, however, colleges that might be a bad match for you, but those schools might be fantastic for somebody else. Wipe all preconceived notions about colleges from your mind and when you are looking at schools, ask, “Does this school fit my personality?” “Does it match my educational background?” “Will it help me meet my goals?” Just because you haven’t heard the name before, doesn’t mean it is not a good school.

MYTH #2: Colleges only choose the “best” students.

Not true at all. Remember, there is no formula. Colleges are trying to build a class, so maybe they need a violin player but you play the sax. Or maybe the last slot came down to you and a child of a faculty member. And who defines “best” by the way? Colleges consider many things, so don’t take a rejection personally.

MYTH #3: I must go to a prestigious university to get a great job or get into graduate school.

Nonsense. This may have once been the case, but colleges and universities have really upped their game over the past decades, making it more difficult for potential employers or graduate schools to solely rely on the name of your college. What will be key, is how well you do in college – both in terms of academics and in campus life. There is no evidence to suggest that only graduates from Ivy League schools will be the happiest, most successful, most humanitarian among us.

MYTH #4: The more expensive the school, the higher the quality.

College education is going to cost a lot no matter what. But just because a school is expensive, does not mean it offers a better education. The cost of attendance listed on college websites does not tell you about the quality of the program, but rather the size of endowments or state subsidies. It certainly does not speak to whether the school would be a good match for you. Continued on page 22

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EYE ON EDUCATION Furthermore, you should never let the price tag sway you from applying. Always keep in communication with the financial aid office.

MYTH #5: I need to go to a local school because it is cheaper.

Not necessarily. Per the Federal Student Aid website (studentaid.ed.gov), The Department of Education awards about $ 150 billion in grants, work study and low-interest loans to over 15 million students. Private schools also tend to have more money on hand to use for scholarships and therefore have the capacity to meet most, and in some cases all, of your needs.

MYTH #6: Good test scores are key to college admission.

Nope. Transcripts are what colleges value most. They not only want to see your grades but the courses you took. Did you challenge yourself ? How well did you do in your most difficult courses? These are the questions being asked by admissions officers. Additionally, they are looking at your extracurricular activities as well as college essays. Increasingly, colleges are putting less emphasis on test scores. In fact, over 900 colleges are test optional and the list keeps growing.

MYTH #7: There’s a secret strategy that will guarantee admission.

Also no. There is no secret strategy that will ensure admissions. There is also no secret formula held by admissions officers to determine admission. Just be yourself. No need to get a letter of recommendation from a senator or CEO if they don’t personally know you. Admission officers are quick to see through any gimmicks or attempted strategies and will often pass those applications by.

Where Students Want to Become the Best They Can Be

MYTH #8: I don’t know what I want to major in so I can’t really choose a college.

It’s OK to enter college without a major; most colleges ask that you declare by the end of your sophomore year. And most college students will change their major at least three times before graduation. Another interesting fact is that there is only a 1 in 10 chance you will be doing something related to your major 10 years after college. If you would like further college admission advice, contact Bryan at bryan@collegeknowledgeaz.com or 520-329-2620. Source: College Match. 11th Edition. Steven R. Antonoff Bryan has over four years of college admission experience as well as a master’s degree in counseling and guidance with a college student personnel specialization. He also completed a certificate in Independent Educational Consulting from the University of California, Irvine.

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EYE ON EDUCATION

College Depot By Lee Franklin

ollege isn’t just a dream, it’s a plan. Just ask Griselda and Breanna Rivera, a mother-daughter duo from Phoenix who turned their college dreams into reality with help from Phoenix Public Library’s College Depot – a free, one-stop shop for assistance with college admission, scholarships and financial aid. Griselda, who didn’t complete high school, wanted a better education for her daughter, so she sought out College Depot. Inspired by her daughter’s college success – and with the support of College Depot – Griselda earned her GED (General Education Development test) and is now pursuing a master’s degree.

“We could have never imagined going to college if it weren’t for [the] help. I am forever grateful for College Depot!” says Griselda. If you want to go to college but aren’t sure where to start, follow in the footsteps of Griselda and Breanna and visit College Depot on the second floor of Burton Barr Central Library in downtown Phoenix. The library is accessible by city bus and light rail. College Depot has been serving the Phoenix community for more than seven years, providing a comprehensive range of free, bilingual (English/Spanish) college-access services to more than 17,000 middle school, high school and college students, as well as adults, that includes: • Individualized college planning

• Workshops, summer programming and field trips • Access to current online and onsite materials and resources • Aptitude assessments • One-on-one guidance completing college applications and navigating the financial aid/scholarship application process According to the Center for the Future of Arizona, 65% of Arizona jobs will require post-secondary education and training by 2020. To attract high-wage jobs, a highly qualified workforce with a quality education is critical. Research shows that while half of individuals from high-income families have a bachelor’s degree by age 25, just one in 10 from low-income families does. Helping families break the cycle of poverty through education while improving college attainment rates is how Phoenix Public Library is transforming our community. OTHER PHOENIX PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS OFFER A BRIGHT FUTURE In the fall of 2014, College Depot launched the “ReEngage Phoenix” program to help those between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor working. This population is often referred to as “opportunity” or “disconnected” youth and faces a significantly higher rate of chronic, long-term unemployment. Studies show that Phoenix has a “disconnected youth” rate of one in five young adults. ReEngage Phoenix helps youth and adults identify the measures they can take to obtain a high school diploma or GED. ReEngage Phoenix participants receive a customized education plan and access to a provider database (including requirements, enrollment dates and costs) designed to assure a good geographic and cultural fit. The program also offers ongoing followup, support and encouragement. In January 2015, Phoenix Public Library launched a unique resource called Career Online High School (COHS). Part of the world’s first accredited, private online school district, COHS is designed to reengage adults into the education system and prepare them for post-secondary education or the workforce by helping them earn a high school diploma and a credentialed career certificate in their chosen career path. College Depot is located on the second floor of Burton Barr Central Library at 1221 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix. Call 602261-8847 or visit phoenixpubliclibrary.org/collegedepot for more information. Lee Franklin is the community relations manager for the Phoenix Public Library.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 23

Full-day kindergarten = literacy

n Nov. 16, 2016, Adam Goodman, president & CEO of Goodmans Interior Structures in Phoenix, co-authored an op-ed piece titled “Make full-day kindergarten an optional grade in state” in The Arizona Republic with Phil Francis, retired chairman & CEO of PetSmart and John O. Whiteman, president of the Whiteman Foundation and former CEO of Empire Southwest. Adam states, “We wrote the piece because third-grade reading is one of the most important indicators for academic and lifelong Adam Goodman success. Before third grade, students are learning to read. After third grade, students are reading to learn. Without proficient reading skills by fourth grade, students are ‘on a glide path to poverty,’ according to Ralph Smith, executive vice president of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.” Results of the 2016 AzMERIT showed that only 46% of Arizona’s third graders score “proficient” or “highly proficient” in third-grade reading. “There are even more ominous achievement gaps among minority and at-risk populations,” says Adam. “As someone who Phil Francis cares deeply about Arizona’s future, I find this to be unacceptable.” “The most impactful investment Arizona can make to improve third-grade reading attainment is full-day kindergarten,” says Adam. “We don’t have to implement it all at once; that would be fiscally irresponsible. We propose to gradually introduce funding by starting in the areas with the highest need first. Thanks to Expect More Arizona’s Arizona Education Progress Meter, anyone can clearly see that there is an alarming discrepancy from county to county in terms of grade John O. Whiteman

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reading proficiency. We’d prioritize the most urgent regions first and phase in the others over time.” Kindergarten as an optional full-day grade will help to improve literacy, a key goal of the Arizona Education Progress Meter, which is endorsed by more than 30 education and business groups, including Expect More Arizona, the Center for the Future of Arizona and the Governor’s Office of Education. The following article by the co-authors previously referenced appeared in The Arizona Republic on Nov. 16, 2016. Arizona has never treated kindergarten as a full-day grade. State Senator Steve Smith recently described the history of kindergarten in Arizona: “Former Governor Janet Napolitano’s ‘All-Day K’ was simply a funding scheme to double-fund a 2.5 hour program, without standards for accountability or achievement.” Today’s energy and commitment to early literacy have given Arizona’s business and education leaders the courage and strength to coalesce around making kindergarten an optional full-day grade. Calvin Coolidge once said, “There is no dignity quite so impressive and no independence quite so important as living within your means.” We agree. We propose a five-year phase-in of kindergarten as an optional full-day grade, beginning with a $20 million investment in 2018, $40 million investment in 2019 and measured increases annually through statewide implementation in 2022. By investing first in schools with the highest free/ reduced-price lunch populations, we will make the greatest impact, early, while being fiscally responsible,

measured and expanding the opportunity annually to align with available resources. There is agreement that high-quality kindergarten as an optional full-day grade is the best investment Arizona can make to produce third-grade readers and position students for success. From Expect More Arizona’s commitment to Arizona’s third graders being proficient in reading and math to The Arizona We Want’s goal of high school students who are “college-career” ready, we know that Arizona’s first education priority must be making sure children are able to read by third grade. The best way to accomplish this goal is by making kindergarten an optional full-day grade for Arizona, and a choice for every family. Greater Phoenix Leadership, the Arizona Business Education Coalition and Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery have all shared that kindergarten as an optional full-day grade is a critical component for improving literacy and education. ASU’s President Michael Crow recently said, “[Full-day kindergarten] is a high-priority investment that can pay clear and powerful dividends for decades to come.” Kindergarten as an optional full-day grade will provide Arizona’s youngest, most-ready learners with the investment from our legislature and standards from our State Board of Education that are required in our 21stcentury economy and —Adam Goodman, president globally competitive & CEO of Goodmans Interior environment. Last year, a coalition Structures in Phoenix of superintendents wrote, “While school districts have a myriad of needs ranging from aging school buses and outdated text books to ever-growing student-teacher ratios and STEM education aspirations, there is no greater priority than kindergarten classroom time to develop effective social skills, teach the fundamentals of English and math, and set trajectories for future success.” For those who feel focused, measured investments are “not good enough,” we’d urge them to not let perfect be the enemy of better. For those with billion-dollar wish lists, one thing is certain: If everything is very important, then nothing is important. There are many big conversations taking place around education funding in Arizona, from expanding Proposition 301 to a full cent when it expires in 2020 to Greater Phoenix Leadership’s “Project 456.” The first question that must always be answered is, “How will any new dollars be spent?” We respectfully ask all Arizonans to join in supporting the call, as reflected by Tolleson Elementary Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hightower: “It’s time for Arizona to make kindergarten a fullyfunded grade so that every child, no matter where they live or how much money their family makes, is positioned for literacy by third grade and lifelong success.”

"The most impactful investment Arizona can make to improve third-grade reading attainment is full-day kindergarten."

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EYE ON EDUCATION

Are you the parent of a child with a disability? What you need to know about the education system By Heather R. Pierson

s the parent of a child with a disability, it is important to understand your child’s rights within the educational setting. However, the laws and processes governing the rights of students with disabilities can be overwhelming and difficult to understand. Generally, if a public school receives federal funds, three laws protect the rights of students with disabilities: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”). The most common laws referenced and applied by schools are the IDEA and Section 504. The IDEA is the federal law that generally governs special education services within public schools. A public school’s obligations under the IDEA can be broken down into five major areas: u Child find (identify and locate) v Evaluation w Eligibility determination x Individualized education program y Procedural safeguards This article explains the different laws that apply to public schools and addresses the child find responsibilities of all public schools, also known as public education agencies (PEA), under the IDEA. WHAT IS THE ADA? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects students with disabilities from discrimination by public entities (Title II). Students enrolled in public schools (including charter schools) are covered by Title II, which prohibits disability-based 26 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

discrimination by all state and local governments, regardless of whether the entities receive federal funds. A student has a disability if s/he has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity, has a record of such an impairment or is regarded by the school as having such an impairment. Such a student is protected from discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, a school cannot deny admittance, deny an equal opportunity to participate in all school activities or fail to ensure effective communication with the student because of a student’s disability. Practically speaking, Title II requires that a school make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices and procedures and/or provide auxiliary aids and services to ensure that students with disabilities can participate in school in the same ways that students without disabilities are able to participate.

EYE ON EDUCATION There are some exceptions. For instance, if a school can demonstrate that a modification would cause a fundamental alteration to a program, then it will not be required to make the modification. (A school should not rely on the exception without consultation with legal counsel). WHAT IS THE IDEA? The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides federal funds to state education agencies (the Arizona Department of Education) and local education agencies (school districts/charter schools) to ensure that students who meet the eligibility requirements for IDEA coverage receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) through the provision of special education and related services. Students who are eligible for IDEA coverage must have a written individualized education program (IEP) drafted by an IEP team. The requirements for eligibility, members of the IEP team and components of the IEP itself are set out in the Arizona Administrative Code at R7-2-401, et al. For many students with IEPs, FAPE will require accommodations be provided to the student; these accommodations would likely also be necessary under Title II of the ADA and/or Section 504. Therefore, if the accommodations necessary to obtain FAPE are written into an IEP, the school will generally have met its obligations under the ADA and/or Section 504. For instance, if a student with a disability requires special transportation in order to have an equal opportunity to participate in the school’s programs and activities, that transportation would be required as a reasonable modification to policies, procedures and practices under the ADA and, if the student has been determined eligible under the IDEA,

would be included in the student’s IEP. If the transportation is provided pursuant to the IEP, the school has also met its ADA obligations. WHAT IS SECTION 504? Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disability (including students) by recipients of federal financial assistance. The courts have determined that the definition of disability and all of the obligations created under the ADA also apply to individuals covered by the Rehabilitation Act. Therefore, a public school that receives federal funds has the same obligations under Section 504 as it has under Title II of the ADA. However, Section 504 as it applies to students also has many procedural similarities to the IDEA. For instance, a student who has a disability (as defined in the paragraph discussing the ADA) must be evaluated and a Section 504 plan drafted in much the same way that a student who qualifies for special education or related services under the IDEA must be evaluated and an IEP drafted; the school has an obligation under Section 504 to provide FAPE to the student. Schools must convene a 504 team to discuss the student’s disability and the accommodations/ modifications necessary to ensure that the student will have access to FAPE. PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ OBLIGATION FOR CHILD FIND UNDER THE IDEA Under the IDEA, PEAs have an affirmative obligation to identify, locate and evaluate students with disabilities who Continued on page 28 ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 27

EYE ON EDUCATION are in need of special education and related services, a process called “child find.” The PEA in which the parent resides is responsible for child find activities unless: > The student is enrolled in a charter school or PEA that is not a school district. In that case, the charter school or PEA is responsible for child find activities; or > The student attends a nonprofit private school. In that case, the boundary in which the private school is located is responsible for child find activities. For example, if you reside in District A and your child attends a nonprofit private school in District B, then District B is responsible for child find activities. If you reside in District A and your child attends a for-profit school in District B, then District A is responsible for the child find activities because your child attends a for-profit school. If you believe your child has a disability and would like him/ her to be evaluated, you should contact the PEA responsible for child find. If your child attends a school in your home district or a charter school, contact your child’s classroom teacher. If your child attends a private school, contact the special education department of the district with the child find responsibilities. In either case, you should submit your inquiry in writing, including the date. Just because you request an evaluation, the PEA is not required to evaluate your child; the PEA only has an affirmative obligation to evaluate children who it believes have a disability and require special education and related services because of that disability. If the PEA determines that an evaluation is not warranted, it must issue a prior written notice delineating the reasons for the decision. If the PEA determines that evaluation is warranted, it has an obligation to conduct a review of existing data to determine what areas of evaluation are needed. Furthermore, the PEA does not have an obligation to evaluate a child because a pediatrician or other outside professional has made the recommendation. While such information will be considered, it is not the determining factor in deciding whether to evaluate a child for special education and related services. Again, if the PEA determines that it will not evaluate a student, then it must issue a prior written notice explaining the determination. Heather R. Pierson is an attorney with Udall Shumway PLC whose focus is on special education and disability-related matters. This article should be used for informational purposes only. It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice regarding Education Law matters, please feel free to contact Udall Shumway PLC at 480-461-5300, visit udallshumway.com or contact an attorney in your area. Udall Shumway PLC is a full-service law firm in Mesa, Arizona. We assist individuals, families, businesses, schools and municipalities in Mesa and the Phoenix/East Valley. 28 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 29

What’s new at Jewish schools

Arizona Jewish Life asked the state’s Jewish schools to share “What’s new?”

REGISTRATION FOR TEMPLE KOL AMI ECC BEGINS FEB. 5

JCC’S EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER STARTS GRANDPARENTS CLUB

Temple Kol Ami Early Childhood Center is accepting registration for the 20172018 school year beginning Feb. 5. The program is open year-round with full-time and part-time hours for children ages 8 weeks through pre-kindergarten. The school offers a highly qualified staff and a Judaic and secular curriculum. Please contact Debbie Glassman at 480-951-5825 for additional information. The Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center has started a Grandparents Club. It’s a fun way to keep the children’s grandparents (local and out of town) up to date and involved with how their grandchildren are growing and learning at the Early Childhood Center. Each month they send The ECC Times, a grandparentspecific e-newsletter, filled with lots of photos from all their fun, enriching activities. They also host several grandparent-grandchild specific activities throughout the year. The official launch of Grandparents Club happened at the ECC’s second annual Grandparents Shabbat that was held on Nov. 18, 2016. The event was a huge success with more than 250 grandparents and special guests enjoying brunch and welcoming in Shabbat with their grandchildren. For more information on the ECC call 480-659-7769 or email earlychildhood@vosjcc.org.

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Students at Pardes Jewish Day School perform experiments in preparation for STEAM night.

FULL "STEAM"AHEAD FOR PARDES JEWISH DAY SCHOOL

OPEN HOUSE AT DARKAYNU TUCSON JEWISH MONTESSORI JTO RAISES FUNDS FOR NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS

Pardes Jewish Day School will be holding a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) night on Feb. 9. They held their inaugural STEM night last year and it was a huge success. This year they are adding an arts component where the music teacher will be making musical instruments with the students and the art teacher will be decorating them. All grades will be participating. Students in grades K-4 will participate in hands-on activities such as bridge building, tessellations, activities with marshmallows and more. The 5-8 graders will conduct experiments with teachers and recent graduates. Science fair exhibits will be judged during the event and will remain on display in the Sanctuary. The PTechs will be filming the event and the Phoenix Astronomical Society will be bringing telescopes for star gazing in the evening. For more information, contact the school at 480-991-9141 or visit pardesschool.org. Darkaynu Tucson Jewish Montessori currently serves children ages 3 to 6, but is planning to expand in the near future to be able to welcome toddlers who are confidently walking through age 3. Visit this unique school during their open house on Jan. 22 from 1-3 pm. For more information, call the school at 520-591-7680 or visit darkaynutucson.com. The Jewish Tuition Organization ( JTO) raises funds from individuals and corporations through Arizona’s dollar-for-dollar private school tuition tax credit. The credit allows for Arizona state tax liabilities to be redirected to the JTO. The amount of the tax liability that can be redirected is up to $1,087 for individuals and $ 2,173 for married couples; corporations and insurance companies are not limited to the amount they can redirect. More than 90% of the money JTO raises goes to need-based scholarships for children to attend six participating Jewish day Schools. The schools participating in the JTO’s programs include Desert Jewish Academy, Pardes Jewish Day School, Phoenix Hebrew Academy, Shearim High School for Girls, Torah Day School of Phoenix and Yeshiva High School of Arizona. All JTO scholarships are need-based. For more information, call 480-634-4926 or visit jtophoenix.org. ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 31

EYE ON EDUCATION CHANDLER JEWISH PRESCHOOL ADDS NEW CODIRECTOR

As the Chandler Jewish Preschool continues to grow and meet the needs of the community, they announced that Mrs. Masha Rimler has recently joined the CJP team as co-director. Masha received her Master’s in Education from Mercy College in Brooklyn, NY. Masha is excited to join the staff and the preschool looks forward to her enhancing the program with her inspiration and knowledge. The CJP is located at the Pollack Chabad Center and can be reached at 480-855-4333 or info@chandlerjewishpreschool. com.

CONGREGATION ANSHEI ISRAEL’S ESTHER B. FELDMAN KINDERGARTEN GOES HI-TECH

The class at Congregation Anshei Israel’s Esther B. Feldman Kindergarten has new technology, a Smart Board and computer on which they can learn new things. A Smart Board is an interactive whiteboard that uses touch detection for user input. The teacher

Ballerina Dreams • Open Enrollment • Small Class Sizes • Nurturing Environment • Renowned Facility • Effective Curriculum • Ages 3-Adult

2326 E. Indian School Rd. • 602.957.3364

www.ballettheatreofphx.com

Students at Congregation Anshei Israel’s Esther B. Feldman Kindergarten enjoy their new Smart Board.

32 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

and students use it to enhance lessons in math, geography, art, writing, science and so much more. So Smart! To find out more information on the CAI preschool and kindergarten program visit, caiaz.org.

AY D TOn R U tio TO in ac

E Aampu L DUe the c E H Se SC

A WORLD CLASS

education GROUNDED IN JEWISH VALUES

For more information, please contact Bethany Spector, Director of Admissions, at 480-991-9141 or admissions@pardesschool.org.

Pardes Jewish Day School 12753 N Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85254

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS Pardes admits qualified students of any race, national and ethnic origin, or sexual orientation to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Pardes does not discriminate on the basis of race, national and ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

The Solel : A Welcoming Place to Preschool Play, Love and Grow!

At The Solel Preschool, your child will engage in hands-on learning experiences, build Jewish identity, and develop a strong sense of self. Join our community today!

For more information and registration materials go to www.solelpreschool.org or call (480)991-4545 and ask for Leslie, Director of Early Childhood Education.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 33

EDUCATION DIRECTORY

Ballet Theatre of Phoenix

Jewish Free Loan

2326 E Indian School Road, Phoenix 602-957-3364 • ballettheatreofphx.org We provide excellent classical ballet instruction that trains the whole dancer, in order to help our students understand themselves, not only as an artist and performer, but also as a person. Ballet is a means of expressing ones’ soul through technique and the freedom of movement it engenders.

Limmud AZ

10632 N Scottsdale Road #584, Scottsdale 4802067466 • limmudaz.org Nurtures and supports people in their Jewish discoveries, providing them with informal mentoring and educational experiences. Limmud provides a wide variety of Jews with numerous points of connection to Jewish life, including intellectual, spiritual, emotional, familial and communal. Limmud’s promise is “wherever you find yourself, Limmud will take you one step further on your Jewish journey.”

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3443 N Central Ave. #707, Phoenix 602-230-7983 • jewishfreeloan.org

Foothills Academy

Elementary Campus 4720 E Lone Mountain Road, Cave Creek 480-292-9819 Middle School/High school 7191 E Ashley Hills, Scottsdale 480-488-5583 foothillsacademy.com Provides an expanding array of opportunities for students through classwork, online study, school organizations and involvement in local and global communities – to allow s tudents to develop leadership skills. Our teachers help our students find the path to success as they grow, according to their interests and learning styles. Our graduates have the skills to succeed at higher education, and go on to bigger things, perhaps even in helping solve world problems.

Provides interest-free student loans and post-college education debt consolidation loans to members of Arizona’s Jewish community. Up to $28,000 (distributed over four years) is available. Interest-free loans are also available for Jewish day school, Jewish preschool and Israel experiences.

Madison Elementary School District

5601 N 16th St., Phoenix 602-664-7900 • madisonaz.org Madison School District is a destination school district in the heart of Phoenix that is Internationally Accredited by AdvancED. Established in 1890, Madison provides a program of public education from pre-kindergarten through grade eight, offering a variety of signature programs for students to ensure extraordinary learning for all.

EDUCATION DIRECTORY

New Way Academy

Pardes Jewish Day School

5048 E Oak St., Phoenix 602-629-6850 • newwayacademy.org Founded in 1968, New Way Academy is a K-12, accredited independent school specializing in students with learning differences such as dyslexia, ADHD, and executive functioning difficulties. New Way offers small class sizes, individualized instruction, on-campus therapists, and numerous sports and after school opportunities, allowing students to blossom academically and socially.

Rancho Solano Preparatory School

9180 E Via de Ventura, Scottsdale 480-646-8200 • ranchosolano.com Rancho Solano Preparatory School is a PreK-12 independent school for high achieving students. Children of all ages thrive within a stimulating and welcoming international learning community that offers a highly individualized education experience. We cultivate in our students a passion to learn and the ingenuity to thrive in a global society.

12753 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 480-991-9141 • pardesschool.org

Mathnasium

Arcadia, Scottsdale, North Scottsdale and Paradise Valley 480-739-1652 • mathnasium.com Children don’t hate math. They do hate being confused and intimidated by math. Mathnasium is a math ONLY learning center dedicated to teaching math in a way that makes sense to students in grades 2-12. Each student is given both verbal & written assessments of their math skills. We then create a learning plan custom made for them, based on the assessments. Then our specially trained instructors help them overcome their math “anxiety” and build the confidence they need to succeed. We teach math in a way that makes sense to each individual student, regardless of grade level.

Over 20 years of academic excellence. Independent K-8 school with over 300 students. Rigorous secular education with an integrated Jewish education. Experienced faculty; small class size; student-focused learning. Newly renovated campus; technology, art, PE, music and Spanish offered. Daily Kosher lunch program. Member of the Mountain Valley Athletics League.

The Solel Preschool

6805 E McDonald Dr., Paradise Valley 480-991-4545 • solelpreschool.org The Solel Preschool is a great place to play, learn, and grow! We provide a structured learning environment based on the goals of Reform Judaism and developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood education. We encourage children to explore the world, while developing small and large muscle coordination, eye-hand coordination, language skills, a strong sense of selfesteem and fostering a positive Jewish identity. Children experience a wide variety of activities including art, music, movement, water play, sensory play, manipulative play, stories, and quiet time. These activities will foster development of pre-math skills, pre-reading skills, and social skills, all of which will help to prepare children for their elementary school years. ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 35

-22 12 -26 . AN 12 N J FEB. O CS IX TU OEN PH

By Mala Blomquist JANUARY AND FEBRUARY ARE BIG MONTHS for film aficionados in Arizona. We host two of the longest-running Jewish film festivals in the country. The 26th annual Tucson International Jewish Film Festival presented by the Tucson Jewish Community Center will run from Jan. 12 through 22 and the 21st annual Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival will run from Feb. 12 through 26. These two festivals may not have many films in common this year – they are only showing three duplicates – but both festivals don’t shy away from films with controversial topics. This includes the opener for this year’s Tucson festival, “The Price of Sugar.” It’s a Dutch/German/ South African co-production about Dutch-Jewish sugar plantation owners who were also slave holders in Surinam. “There was discussion among the committee whether we should even show the film – Jews as slave owners? – but it ended up being our opener,” says Tucson International Jewish Film Festival Committee Chair Steve Zupcic. “By looking at the topic ourselves, rather than avoiding it, we become honest about history and it gives strength to our discussion of things like the Holocaust.” Bob Segelbaum, executive director of the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival, remembers one controversial film in particular. “A few years ago, we showed the film ‘Forgiving Dr. Mengele.’ The board

36 JANUARY 2017 ||ARIZONA ARIZONAJEWISH JEWISHLIFE LIFE

was almost lynched. People were so upset.” He says the theory was to forgive Dr. Mengele, to get it out of our system and move on. “The director was highly criticized, but the film was excellent.” Choosing films for these festivals is a painstaking process, whether they are controversial or not. In Tucson, the committee looks at more than 80 films to pick out the best of the best for the festival. “Our entire committee of 15 to 16 people watches every film and then we argue over which ones should percolate to the top,” says Steve. “Although our festival can often be heavy with documentaries, we pick [those] that transcend National Geographic. [Some are] controversial, with real-life people like ourselves, our families. We choose documentaries that have intense emotional value.” In Phoenix, the planning for next year begins a week after this year’s festival closes. Two artistic directors find and screen the films. If one of the two has a favorable opinion about the film, then it goes to the screening committee. “We have three screening committees: one for the east Valley, one for the west Valley and one for the Scottsdale area,” says Bob. The committees of 12 to 14 members meet independently on a weekly basis, screening year-round until September or October. By the end of October, the films are chosen based on votes. Food movies are usually added to the lineup. What would a Jewish film festival be without food? This year, Tucson is celebrating two foodie films with special events. The first features “The Pickle Recipe” a film about a stolen pickle recipe. “We are serving a good deli lunch with lots of pickles,” jokes Steve. The second event is based on the film “The Search for Israeli Cuisine” and wraps up the festival. “Israel is a real hotbed of culinary diversity, with Jews from all over the world bringing their foods with them,” says Steve. “[In the film,] a renowned chef goes on a journey to discover all the innovations being created in Israel today – this goes way beyond Andrew Zimmern [the Travel Channel’s host of “Bizarre Foods”],” says Steve. There will be a multi-cultural Israeli buffet before the film showing. Phoenix isn’t hosting any foodie film events

this year but is combining forces with the East Valley Jewish Community Center and the City of Chandler to bring a special theatrical production of the play, “Life In A Jar: The Irena Sendler Project” to Chandler Center for the Arts on Jan. 12. (For more information, see page 50.) The film version of the play is part of The Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival’s “Films in the Schools” community outreach program and is shown to high school students in public and private schools throughout the Valley and the state. Community outreach extends to Tucson with the showing of “Suited,” a film about the Bindle & Keep tailor company in Brooklyn that makes custom suits for the transgender and LGBTQ community. “This film is being used as a fundraiser and all [proceeds from] ticket sales are going to ‘Camp Born this Way,’” says Steve. Camp Born This Way is a camp for transgender and gender-creative youth and their immediate families where they can experience a weekend free from bullying, harassment and judgment. The Tucson film festival is the only Jewish film festival in the country that features LGBTQthemed films in its annual lineup. Although individual themes vary greatly, one common criteria for films shown at the festivals is that they have some Jewish theme or connection. “They don’t have to be religious or cultural – just something people can relate to,” says Bob. With the diversity of all the film subjects and the fact that they came from all over the world, one would think it would be difficult to find an overarching theme to the festival; but one has emerged in Tucson: “Division and reconciliation,” says Steve. “More specifically, the search for reconciliation, because that active searching for reconciliation can be more important than whether or not it is found.” Going to the movies can be an escape, providing entertainment or planting a seed for further thought or discussion. Whatever your preference, you’ll find amazing films at both the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival and the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival. See you at the movies!

ARIZONA ARIZONAJEWISH JEWISHLIFE LIFE | JANUARY 2017 37

Leonard Nimoy’s son honors Spock legacy, father’s trek By Michael Fox

hen Leonard Nimoy announced in 1949 that he wanted to be an actor, and was leaving Boston for Hollywood, his Russian-Jewish parents were stunned. “My grandfather said that he should take up the accordion,” says Adam Nimoy, Leonard’s son and the director of the new documentary “For the Love of Spock.” “You could always make money with the accordion. Those were Max Nimoy’s words of wisdom to my dad, if the actor thing didn’t work out.” He needn’t have worried. Not because Leonard eventually made it after 15 years of bit parts in movies and TV shows, thanks to “Star Trek.” Or because his talent and curiosity propelled him into singing, photography, poetry and film directing. Nimoy had a deeply ingrained work ethic, independent of the arts, that perpetually drove him. From folding chairs at the Boston Pops and selling vacuum cleaners in his hometown to installing aquariums in Los Angeles, Nimoy was determined to support himself and his family. But his ambitions assuredly lay elsewhere. “He had a tremendous hunger to achieve, which was the dream of his parents coming over here, to achieve something in American society,” Adam explains. “This is why he was so able to relate to Spock. My dad felt like an outsider, of a minority, of an immigrant background in a very defined neighborhood of Boston with other immigrants, and with a desire to assimilate himself into the greater culture.” 38 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Nimoy, who died in 2015 at the age of 83, is front and center in “For the Love of Spock,” which will be shown on Jan. 14 at 7:30 pm at the Tucson Jewish Community Center as part of the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival. The public often conflates an actor with a role. The documentary is willfully guilty of that, too, delving into Leonard’s personal life only so far as it relates to Spock or Adam’s relationship with his dad. But it does include the story of how Nimoy took a childhood memory of seeing elders in synagogue making the “shin” gesture and adopted it as a Vulcan greeting. “He was very connected to his Jewish roots and very proud of his Jewish roots,” Adam says during a recent visit to San Francisco. “He repeated the story of the Spock salute hundreds of times, literally, with great pride about where he got it – that Spock is an embodiment of some of Judaism.” Adam notes, “It’s become a universal symbol. My dad, through Spock, has spread this tradition of Judaism to the

world. The magnitude of that fact alone, that so many people all over the planet salute my father with a ‘shin,’ is just mindboggling to me.” Of course, not everything Leonard did endeared him to his son. Driven to make the most of what might be a short-lived gig on “Star Trek” – NBC canceled the show after three seasons, in fact, although it found greater success in syndication – Leonard accepted every personal appearance he was offered. “It took a toll on us, we had challenges we had to deal with without him around, without his involvement in the family,” Adam explains. “His career was number one. This is what caused a lot of friction between the two of us because I just didn’t feel like I had that much of his attention early on. He had a great love and respect for the fans, but trying to get him to look at me was very challenging for me.” Alas, that experience continued beyond Adam’s adolescence. He was at UC Berkeley in the late 1970s, on his own path to getting a law degree, when Leonard made a stop at Wheeler Hall on a college speaking tour. “I waited for him to finish,” Adam recalls with painful clarity. “I thought we were going to go to dinner together. He came up the aisle, signed some autographs and came up to me and said, ‘I have to catch a plane. I got another commitment I got to make tomorrow in Los Angeles, and I’m leaving.’” “I was devastated,” Adam says. “‘What am I, borscht?’ It wasn’t until later in his life that it was less about Leonard and his career and more about ‘what’s going on with my kids and my grandchildren.’” Adam and Leonard were estranged for a stretch, exacerbated by the actor’s drinking and his son’s drug use. When asked if it was difficult to forgive his father, he doesn’t hesitate. “No, because I’m in 12-step [program], and that’s a huge part of what 12-step’s all about.” Resentments and setbacks play only a passing role in “For the Love of Spock,” which is an unabashed tribute to Leonard’s contributions as an actor and a man of a character who was and is widely embraced for embodying intelligence, science, fairness and integrity. (And for being different, of course, and living on the margins of mainstream society.) The film omits Leonard’s record as a major benefactor of Jewish causes: the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, a childhood center at Temple Israel of Hollywood and the career counseling center at Beit T’Shuvah, a Jewish recovery house. It also leaves out the degree to which Leonard passed down his pride and love of being Jewish. “I would say that I am more religious than my father was,” Adam says. “I like to study the Torah; I like to go to services on a regular basis on Friday night. Particularly the weekly Torah study has been very meaningful to me over the past couple of years. It’s just mind-boggling to me about the divine inspiration of the written word and how it always applies to something going on in my life. This is what enriches my life, and brings new meaning to my life.” The Tucson International Jewish Film Festival will feature the first showing in Arizona of “For the Love of Spock,” presenting a unique opportunity for film festival attendees and “Star Trek” fans alike. Michael Fox is a San Francisco-based film reviewer

12TH ANNUAL WEST VALLEY JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL JANUARY 28-30

The 12th Annual West Valley Jewish Film Festival will be held on Jan. 28-30 at Beth Emeth Congregation, 13702 W Meeker Blvd., Sun City West. The festival has a musical theme this year. There will be moments of recollection, gratitude, joy and warmth. Heroes will emerge and icons will be recognized. The three films to be shown are “Dough,” “Deli Man” and “Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem.” Tickets for each film are $12 if purchased at the door. Tickets bought in advance are $10 per film or three films for $25

DOUGH Saturday, Jan. 28, 6:30 pm This heartwarming, funny story is about Nat the old London baker and his young Muslim apprentice Ayyash. When Ayyash (who deals drugs on the side) accidentally drops his marijuana into the mixing dough, the Challah starts selling off the shelves. Watch as prejudice is overcome and a devoted friendship develops between the old baker and his young assistant.

DELI MAN SUNDAY, JAN. 29, 6:30 PM Come meet Ziggy Gruber the “Deli Man” from Houston, Texas. In this documentary he will delight you with stories past and present of the Jewish Deli experience. He will take you from NY’s 2nd Ave Deli, The Stage Deli, Katz’s and Carnegie Deli to Jewish Deli’s cross the USA. Nostalgia, fun and tradition will be reflected in these scrumptious foods.

THEODORE BIKEL: IN THE SHOES OF SHOLOM ALEICHEM MONDAY, JAN. 30, 7 PM Theodore Bikel whose diverse career spanning years as actor, musician, folk singer and activist reflects on the life and stories of Sholom Aleichem. In this thoroughly entertaining and memorable film Theodore Bikel will have his audience laughing and clapping. A brief commentary of each film will precede its screening, and complimentary refreshments will be served after each screening. ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 39

january 12-22,2017

TUCSON INTERNATIONAL JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

2017 FILM SCHEDULE

SADDLEBROOKE KICK-OFF > SUNDAY, JAN. 8, 3:00 PM, $5

Encore screening of

MARVIN HAMLISCH: WHAT HE DID FOR LOVE (2013, USA, 85 min., English)

Composer, conductor, genius, mensch - Marvin Hamlisch was as close to a modern day Da Vinci as it gets. Co-presented by Northwest Division, Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona Desert View Performing Arts Center • 39900 S. Clubhouse Drive, Tucson

OPENING NIGHT AT THE LOFT > THURSDAY, JAN. 12, 7:00 PM, $10

SUNDAY, JAN. 15, 3:30 PM

SUITED

(2016, USA, 77 min., English)

Bindle and Keep is a small tailoring company in Brooklyn that’s making big strides in the LGBTQ community. Suited provides an insight into how gender is defined in society today. Owners Rae and Daniel only care about one thing: making their clients feel confident. All proceeds benefit Camp Born This Way

THE PRICE OF SUGAR

SUNDAY, JAN. 15, 7:00 PM

(2013, Netherlands/Germany/South Africa, 120 min., Dutch & Sranan Tongo with subtitles)

(2015, USA, 15 min., English)

(HOE DUUR WAS DE SUIKER)

The epic story of two sisters in 18th century Suriname: one who is house slave to the other. Mini-Mini wants nothing more than to make her sister Sarith happy - until love gives her a life-changing opportunity. Made possible by the Bob Polinsky Memorial Media Arts Fund

FRIDAY, JAN. 13, LUNCH AT NOON, FILM AT 1:30 PM

THE PICKLE RECIPE & DELI LUNCH

ELLIS

In this short film, French artist and “photograffeur” JR examines the early days of Ellis Island through the eyes of a fictional immigrant, portrayed by Robert DeNiro.

showing with

DRAWING AGAINST OBLIVION (ZEICHNEN GEGEN DAS VERGESSEN)

(2015, Austria/Germany/Poland, 67 min., German with subtitles)

(2016, USA, 97 min., English)

Joey, a down-on-his-luck DJ, plots to steal his grandmother’s top-secret recipe in order to save his daughter’s bat mitzvah. Join us at noon for a dill-icious deli lunch before the film! $24 general, $15 with season pass

SATURDAY, JAN. 14, 7:30 PM

FOR THE LOVE OF SPOCK

26th Annual TUCSON INTERNATIONAL JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

(2016, USA, 111 min., English)

This out-of-this-world documentary explores the origin of one of television’s most beloved characters. Directed by Leonard Nimoy’s son, Adam, the film captures the essence of what Spock has meant to generations of fans. Featuring interviews from Star Trek casts, past and present!

January 12-22, 2017 SUNDAY, JAN. 15, 1:00 PM MOOS

(2016, Netherlands, 91 min., Dutch with subtitles)

Fun, quirky and inspiring, Moos is determined to follow her dreams of theater school, despite the obstacles tossed up by her meddlesome family.

Artist Manfred Bockelmann has an extraordinary vision. Using charcoal, he recreates the faces of child victims of the Holocaust in order to honor and preserve their memories. Following the film - Artistic Responses to the Holocaust: A conversation. Co-presented by Tucson Symphony Orchestra

MONDAY, JAN. 16, 1:00 PM

APPLES FROM THE DESERT

(TAPOUKHIM MIN HA’MIDBAR) (2014, Israel, 96 min., Hebrew with subtitles)

Frustrated by the constraints of her current life, Rebecca runs away from home and the restricting conditions that living there entails. Apples from the Desert shows that families must sometimes confront one another’s beliefs in times of conflict. MONDAY, JAN. 16, 3:30 PM

MORGENTHAU

(2013, USA, 141 min., English)

The Morgenthau family has been in the forefront of the 20th century’s biggest movements, serving under FDR, combatting genocide, and serving the public for more than 30 years.

Please be advised that all films are unrated and may contain content that is unsuitable for children under the age of 13. For the comfort of all our patrons, please refrain from wearing fragrance to screenings. All films shown at the Tucson J unless otherwise noted. Purchase tickets at tucsonjcc.org or call 520-299-3000

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THE J’S BALLROOM CONTAINS CLOSEDLOOP HEARING ASSIST TECHNOLOGY

MONDAY, JAN. 16, 7:00 PM

THURSDAY, JAN. 19, 5:00 PM

JOE’S VIOLIN

(2016, USA, 24 min., English)

A Holocaust survivor donates his cherished instrument to an inner-city school, where a twelve-year-old girl gives it new life.

showing with

THE PEOPLE VS. FRITZ BAUER (DER STAAT GEGEN FRITZ BAUER)

(2015, German, 105 min., German/English/ Yiddish with subtitles)

A thriller about the German district attorney who discovers evidence of Adolf Eichmann’s whereabouts. Based on true events, Fritz Bauer brings this largely unknown criminal case to life.

SURVIVING SKOKIE

(2016, USA/Poland, 66 min., English)

Neo-Nazi thugs threaten to march in the Illinois neighborhoods where hundreds of Holocaust survivors have settled. This inspiring true story tells of a community that stood up against the spectre of hate.

THURSDAY, JAN. 19, 7:30 PM

WHO’S GONNA LOVE ME NOW?

(MI YOHAV OTTI AKHSHAV?)

Presented by Sarah Iden & Marc Herman in memory of Lola and Marvin Herman

TUESDAY, JAN. 17, 5:00 PM

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE (SIMON SAGT ‘AUF WIEDERSEHEN’ ZU SEINER VORHAUT)

(2016, Israel/UK, 85 min., Hebrew & English with subtitles)

After learning that he is HIV positive, Saar must re-examine his life and relationships. Who’s Gonna Love Me Now provides an insight into life with HIV and highlights the importance of family and community. Featuring a cameo appearance by Reveille Men’s Chorus! Presented by J Pride

(2015, Germany, 84 min., German with subtitles)

FRIDAY, JAN. 20, 1:30 PM

Being a 12 has its challenges, especially for Maximilian. He’s in love with his rabbi, his parents are newly separated, and a possible circumcision may occur because of his father’s religious beliefs. This adorable coming of age story is also laugh-out-loud funny. TUESDAY, JAN. 17, 7:30 PM

ON THE MAP

(2017, USA, 85 min., English)

Maccabi Elite’s historic 1977 win over the Soviet basketball team in the European Champions Cup solidified Israel’s position in sports and in the world. Taking place a few years after the massacre in Munich, this improbable victory helped boost an entire country’s morale. Featuring interviews with Tal Brody, Bill Walton and others. Presented by Mary & Barry Ganapol

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18, 5:00 PM

WOUNDED LAND (ERETZ PTZUA)

FERMIN: GLORIAS DEL TANGO

(2014, Argentina, 117 min., Spanish with subtitles)

A man suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder communicates his feelings and emotions to his psychiatrist via the lyrics of tango songs. A strong doctor/patient bond is formed that affects both of their lives for the better. SATURDAY, JAN. 21, 7:30 PM

MY HERO BROTHER

(2016, Israel/India, 78 min., Hebrew with subtitle)

Pairs of siblings, each having a member with Down syndrome, embark on an extreme journey through the Himalayas. This heartwarming documentary about overcoming challenges and discovering what it means to love unconditionally. With filmmaker Yonatan Nir in attendance. Presented by the Weintraub Israel Center

(2015, Israel, 80 min., Hebrew & Arabic with subtitles

This taut Israeli thriller pits long-time police partners against one another. Kobi’s moral and professional values are tested when he is forced to keep a terror suspect alive for questioning. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18, 7:30 PM

THE THIRD HALF

(TRETO PULVUREME) (2012, Republic of Macedonia/Czech Republic/USA, 113 min., Macedonian/ German/Ladino with subtitles)

Sports have a funny way of coinciding with historic moments. Based on a true story, The Third Half demonstrates Macedonia’s passion for football during World War II. As the Nazis advance, the team rises up with their country behind them.

CLOSING NIGHT SUNDAY, JAN. 22, 6:00 PM

THE SEARCH FOR ISRAELI CUISINE

(2016, USA, 120 min., English)

Celebrated Philadelphia chef, Michael Solomonov, has created a mouth-watering culinary travelogue, profiling chefs, home cooks, vintners and cheese makers to properly celebrate the diversity that is Israel. Join us for a special closing night “wrap” party and multi-cultural Israeli buffet before the film! $18 with Season Pass, $36 General Admission.

Presented by Fay Green and Family

All films shown at the Tucson J unless otherwise noted.

TICKET PRICES: Season Pass $140 Opening Night at the Loft $10 General Admission $9

Students/Seniors/JCC Members $8 6-pack $45 Group Admission (25 tickets) $150

PURCHASE TICKETS AT TUCSONJCC.ORG OR CALL 520-299-3000 ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 41

Natalie Portman adapts Oz’s “Love and Darkness” with melancholy soul “A

Tale of Love and Darkness” may seem like a nondescript and even coyly evasive title, but in fact it expresses the essence of Natalie Portman’s textured film of Amos Oz’s book. An unfailingly sensitive though necessarily compressed adaptation of Oz’s acclaimed 2004 memoir, the movie portrays the author’s nurturing yet fraught childhood with his immigrant parents in Jerusalem in the years just before and after the declaration of the State of Israel. Amos possesses both character and potential, but there are

42 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

rocks in the path of every promising child. Almost every frame of “A Tale of Love and Darkness” is imbued with a brooding, ominous tension that derives in large measure from pre-war Old Country suffering, the nascent nation’s Holocaust trauma and Amos’s mother’s depression. Shot in a hard-edged, anti-nostalgic palette of black and green, the story unfolds in a constrained world where both the past and the future exert immense weight on the present. That said, Portman infuses her richly engrossing feature directorial debut with welcome dashes of poetry and humor. “A Tale of Love and Darkness” is part of the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival and will be shown on Feb. 23 at Harkins Shea 14 theater in Scottsdale. Amos (Amir Tessler) is an exceedingly smart and empathetic child, instilled with a love of books and words by his academic father Arieh (Gilad Kahana) and an appreciation for the allusive power of fables by his quietly adoring mother Fania (Portman). Because the viewer (likely) knows that Amos will grow up to be a great writer, we immediately presume that Arieh is his primary influence. In one of the film’s most rewarding turns, we come to realize that Amos received the gift for storytelling from his mother. Amos doesn’t make that connection either, until much later. Even an observant child can’t recognize or understand the import of most events as they happen, whether they are as familiar as his paternal grandmother’s perennial disapproval of Fania or as dangerous as foraging for empty bottles on the outskirts of Jerusalem during the War of Independence. Although Fania, Arieh and Amos are tightly connected, they also inhabit private universes. Arieh is subsumed by his goal of being a popular scholarly author, first reveling in the publication of his esoteric debut and gradually frustrated by the reality of his modest place in the world. Fania’s inner life is deeply mysterious, with dark memories of her youth in Poland alternating with curious dreams, or fantasies. She has a recurring vision of a hunky, sandy-haired kibbutznik, a “new Jew” and the diametric opposite of her husband (who is a spiritual descendant of the yeshiva butchers of the shtetl). Amos, who was born in Jerusalem (as was Portman, more than four decades later), tries to make sense of everything, from the late-night U.N. vote for the partition of Palestine and the creation of Israel to the Neanderthal schoolyard bullies who take his sandwich to his mother’s catatonic fugues. The film’s guiding light, Amos navigates this terrain with uncommon aplomb and resourcefulness. The impact of “A Tale of Love and Darkness,” though, is in its evocation of the currents of memory, sorrow, dread and pride that swirl through mid-century Jerusalem’s streets. The elderly Amos (voiced by Moni Moshonov), a welcome albeit melancholy presence, provides occasional, wise narration about his city as well as his parents. “Jerusalem,” he muses at one point, “is a black widow who devours her lovers while they are still inside her.” It’s a metaphor, yes, but it could be a synopsis for a parable that Fania might tell Amos. Ultimately, “A Tale of Love and Darkness” is about the power – and the limits – of stories to change our lives.

“On the Map” revisits Israel’s hoop dreams By Michael Fox

mericans of a certain age fervidly recall the “miracle on ice” at the 1980 Olympics. Three years earlier, Israelis celebrated their own iconic sports moment – also involving the Soviet Union. Los Angeles-based filmmaker Dani Menkin grew up in Tel Aviv, so he was naturally a fan of the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team. In 1977, as the undersized squad defeated one historically strong team in the European league after another, every Israeli became a Maccabi supporter. “When Maccabi Tel Aviv was facing the Russians, who didn’t want to play against Israel, we understood this was bigger than basketball,” Menkin recalls. “If we beat the Russians, and back then the Russians symbolized everything that was against our country, it united us. It crossed politics. It crossed sports rivals. Even Hapoel’s fans were fans of that team because it represented Israel.” The director of the feel-good documentaries “39 Pounds of Love” and “Dolphin Boy,” Menkin was approached by an Israeli TV station to research a potential film about Maccabi Tel Aviv’s remarkable 1977 run. (I’m being vague so as to avoid spoilers.) Menkin was amazed that no one had already told the story, and gratified that he would be the one to do so. “I can almost say that I worked on it for 40 years, because this really was part of my life,” he says. Entitled “77-78,” the film debuted on Israeli TV in the fall of 2015. Meanwhile, as Menkin traveled around the U.S. with his fiction film, “Is That You?,” he discovered that hardly any Americans knew about the Maccabi team – or its immense impact on Israeli national pride in the lingering aftermath of the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics and the extensive casualties in the Yom Kippur War. So Menkin paired up with L.A. producers Roberta Grossman and Nancy Spielberg on a version of the Continued on page 46

The film takes its title and spirit from Maccabi Tel Aviv star Tal Brody’s exuberant pro-Israel declaration, “We are on the map,” following an emblematic victory.

Miki Berkovich and Tal Brody with European Cup Trophy, April 1977

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 43

VENUES:

Harkins Shea 14, 7354 E Shea Blvd., Scottsdale Harkins Chandler Fashion 20, 3159 W Chandler Blvd., Chandler Harkins Arrowhead Fountains 18, 16046 N Arrowhead Fountains Ctr. Dr., Peoria

ON THE MAP Phoenix Premiere

Documentary - (USA) 88 minutes, English

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Sun. Feb. 12, 3 pm Chandler - Sun. Feb 19, 3 pm Peoria - Wed. Feb. 22, 7 pm

Producer Nancy Spielberg brings this fast-moving, emotional, and awe-inspiring documentary, recounting how the 1977 Maccabi Tel-Aviv basketball team, that no one thought could win, toppled the four-time defending Soviet team in the European Basketball playoffs, putting Israel firmly on the map. Featuring interviews with the Jewish-American athletes who made history, combined with the pulse-pounding action of a high-stakes game with an incendiary political situation at the height of the Cold War, this is a film that honors Israeli heroes, mesmerizes fans of the game, and captures the spirit of a nation triumphant and victorious against all odds. GUEST SPEAKERS: Harkins Shea 14: Dani Menkin, director

A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS Drama - (Israel) 95 minutes, Hebrew w/ English subtitles

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Thurs. Feb. 23, 7 pm Academy-Award winning actress Natalie Portman makes her directorial debut with Israeli author Amos Oz’ beloved and best-selling memoir. Fania struggles to raise her son in Jerusalem on the eve of Israel’s independence and during the early years of the country. Struggling internally with a married life of unfulfilled promises as well as integration in a foreign land, Fania battles inner demons and longs for a better world for her son. Multilayered, touching, and beautifully rendered, the film examines a fleeting moment in Israeli history through a deeply personal lens.

KAPO IN JERUSALEM Arizona Premiere Drama - (Israel) 93 minutes, Hebrew w/ English subtitles

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Wed. Feb. 15, 7 pm Peoria - Mon. Feb. 20, 7 pm Chandler - Wed. Feb. 22, 7 pm

Bruno, a doctor, and Sarah, a pianist, are Holocaust survivors attempting to build new lives in Jerusalem. Trouble appears when rumors begin to spread about Bruno’s sadistic role as a kapo (block captain), and doubt begins to nibble at Sarah›s heart as she tries her best to believe in him and support him. Unfolding in a series of monologues from Bruno, Sarah, and the people who knew him during the war, a complex portrait of Bruno emerges that neither exonerates nor condemns him for his past actions. Based on a true story, this film is a riveting examination of the moral grey zones that people facing life or death must negotiate in order to maintain a sense of humanity.

FEVER AT DAWN Arizona Premiere Drama - (Hungary) 96 minutes, Hungarian, Swedish & Hebrew w/ English subtitles

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Sun. Feb 12, 7 pm Chandler - Sun. Feb. 22, 3 pm

July 1945. Miklos is a 25-year-old Hungarian who barely has survived Nazi camps only to be given a death sentence - he has tuberculosis and just six months to live. But Miklos didn’t survive the war only to drown from within, so he declares war on his own fate. While at a rehabilitation camp, he acquires the names of the 117 Hungarian women also recovering in Sweden, and he writes a letter to each of them in his beautiful cursive hand. One of these women, he is sure, will become his wife. Based on the letters of the director’s’ parents, this film is a tale of passion, striving, doubt and faith, and the redeeming power of love.

44 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

TICKET PRICES:

$11.00 for adults ($13.00 at the door) / $7 for students (ID required, 25 yrs & under); $150.00 Festival Pass (see all 18 movies) For more information about tickets, ticket packages or group discounts, call 602-753-9366, or visit gpjff.org WHERE’S POPPA?

Comedy - (USA) 83 minutes, English

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Thurs. Feb. 16, 7 pm

New York attorney Gordon has absolutely no personal life. Instead, all his time outside work is spent caring for his senile, demanding and utterly infuriating mother who undermines all of his prospective love interests. Finally, he meets a woman unafraid of her, nurse Louise Callan. For them to get married, Gordon’s mother must go. But when his brother refuses to help, Gordon must find a way to dispose of the old woman, whether that means finding a nursing home or taking more extreme measures. Carl Reiner, the much-lauded director closely associated with the homey values of situation comedies, shocked, surprised, and, in some cases, delighted his admirers with a jet-black, entirely un-PC comedy that is pure 1970s and sure to mine laughs almost half a century later.

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

Comedy - (Germany) 82 minutes, German, w/ English subtitles

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Tues. Feb. 21, 7 pm

12-year-old Simon Grünberg has a lot to deal with at a difficult hormonal age. Since the recent divorce of his parents, life has been like a tennis match, with Simon being volleyed back and forth between his separated parents. Complicating matters, the family is religiously divided: Simon’s newly-observant father insists his squeamish son sacrifice his foreskin before his bar mitzvah, while liberal-minded mom is fed up with her ex’s pious posturing. Complicating matters is the arrival of Rebecca, a beautiful young rabbi who steals the hearts of both father and son, and whom the young Simon is determined to win with the help of his two best friends. A delightful, story of pubescent awkwardness, this film is a riotous, infinitely relatable, story of family dysfunction, first love and coming of age.

THE SECOND TIME AROUND Arizona Premiere

Romantic Drama - (Canada) 107 minutes, English

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Tues. Feb. 14, 7 pm

Katherine Mitchell didn’t think she would fall in love again after the death of her husband, certainly not with someone as abrasive and grumpy as Isaac Shapiro. But after breaking her hip and convalescing in a retirement residence, against her will, she soon discovers that Polish tailor, Isaac, shares her passion for music and the happiness it brings. But family problems and unforeseen illness threaten both their blossoming relationship and Katherine’s lifelong dream of going to the opera in Milan. Heartwarming and thoroughly romantic, this film shows it is never too late to fall in love and start over.

SABENA HIJACKING Arizona Premiere

Docudrama - (Israel) 104 minutes, English and Hebrew w/ English subtitles

SCREENINGS: Peoria - Sun. Feb. 19, 3 pm Chandle - Thurs. Feb. 23, 7 pm Scottsdale - Sun. Feb. 26, 3 pm

On May 8, 1972, members of Black September, the armed wing of the Palestine Liberation Organization, hijacked Flight 571 from Brussels to Tel Aviv. Based on a true story and previously undiscovered audio recordings of the calm and collected English pilot, this film recounts the previously untold story of what took place on the flight during the 30 hours of nerve-racking captivity. The film channels the English pilot’s view of the events and elaborates on them with cinematic reenactments, archival footage and exclusive access to three revered Israeli political leaders (Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak and Shimon Peres) who were in charge of the rescue effort, as well as Therese Halsa, the only surviving hijacker.

BABA JOON

MOOS

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Thurs. Feb. 16, 3 pm Peoria - Sun. Feb. 19, 7 pm

SCREENINGS: Chandler - Sun. Feb. 26, 3 pm

Drama - (Israel) 91 minutes, English, Farsi and Hebrew w/ English subtitles

Romantic Comedy - (Netherlands) 91 minutes, Dutch w/ English subtitles

Israel. Father Yitzhak is proud to maintain the same turkey farm that his own now-ailing father built when the family moved from Iran to Israel. He hopes to pass it on to his own son, Moti, but the stubborn boy has other ideas which includes fixing up cars rather than taking over the family business. The arrival from America of Yitzak’s brother fuels the increasing tension between father and son. The account of generational fighting is a universal portrait of conflict that resonates universally.

Moos has only one aspiration: to be admitted to a prestigious performing arts academy. When she fails her audition, she gets a job at the cafeteria instead and, encouraged by a handsome and flirtatious singing teacher, starts taking private lessons. But it’s when her longtime childhood friend, Sam, arrives as a surprise guest from Israel, that Moos gets the jolt she needs to examine her life and the choices she’s made. With Sam back, Moos realizes that she’s put her life on hold to take care of others, and she needs to follow her own dreams before it’s too late. Throw in some romance, and this film is an inspiring story of a young girl›s search to find her voice and, in the process, herself.

A GRAIN OF TRUTH Arizona Premiere

TO LIFE Arizona Premiere

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale Wed. Feb 15, 3 pm

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Tues. Feb. 14, 3 pm

Israel’s first full-length film in Farsi sensitively explores intergenerational relations within an Iranian-Jewish family living in Southern

Thriller - (Poland) 108 minutes, Polish, w/ English subtitles

Former star of the Warsaw prosecutors’ office, Teodor Szacki has ended his career and marriage to start a new life in a sleepy southeast Polish town. Seen as an outsider by the close-knit community, he faces suspicion when called in to get to the bottom of the brutal murder of a well-known social activist whose body is discovered outside a former synagogue. As the trail of victims grows, and the killer remains elusive, tempers flare and rumors run rampant among some of the locals who believe these are Jewish ritual killings. Aided by a veteran police detective, reluctant female prosecutor and local rabbi, Teodor must unravel the painful tangle of Polish-Jewish relations and solve the enigmatic case while facing a rising tide of public and media hysteria.

LAUGH LINES Arizona Premiere

Drama - (Israel) 96 minutes, Hebrew w/ English subtitles

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Wed. Feb. 22, 7 pm

When Hannah learns that her beloved husband Froike has only a few months left to live, she decides they should die together. Froike, however, has other plans, and with the help of their granddaughter he gives his wife a new lease on life. Moving out of her old house, befriending a young man and opening herself up to new experiences, Hannah proves to herself and those around her that youth is more than just about one’s age, it is a state of mind. This film is a heartwarming comedy about families, love and the art of staying young while growing old.

INDIGNATION

Drama - (USA) 96 minutes, English

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Sun. Feb 20, 7 pm Peoria - Sun. Feb. 26, 3 pm

Based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Philip Roth’s 2008 novel, this film follows Marcus Messner, a brilliant working class Jewish boy from New Jersey, who travels on scholarship to a small, conservative college in Ohio in 1951, thus exempting him from being drafted into the Korean War. Once there, Marcus’s growing infatuation with his beautiful classmate and his clashes with the college’s imposing Dean, put his and his family’s best-laid plans to the ultimate test. An elegant adaptation of Roth’s personally inspired emotional story that proves a masterful reminder of the power of fighting for your ideals.

WÜNDERKINDER Phoenix Premiere

Drama - (Germany) 97 minutes, German w/ English subtitles

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Sun. Feb 19, 7 pm Chandler - Tues. Feb 21, 7 pm Peoria - Thurs. Feb 23, 7 pm

The moving story of three exceptional child prodigies - two Jewish, one who is not - whose innocent world is turned upside down during World War II. Living in Poltava/Ukraine in 1941, the three children want nothing more than to one day perform at Carnegie Hall and all share one great love: music. When the Nazis invade, they are forced to use their musical skill, their undying friendship and an abundant amount of courage to try to survive a grown up world gone mad. A rare and mesmerizing Holocaust drama told primarily from a child’s point of view, but is not a children’s movie.

Drama - (France) 104 minutes, French w/ English subtitles

In postwar Paris, Hélène, a young Auschwitz survivor, attempts to rebuild her life while searching for Lily and Rose, her two friends from the camp. When the women are finally reunited, they share a vacation in 1962 in the vibrant seaside resort of Berck-sur-mer, reconnecting and enjoying the intimacies of life, love and faith. Despite their shared grief and sorrow, each woman refuses to sacrifice her happiness to the past. An emotionally complex film about the sustaining power of friendship paints a soaring depiction of three women and their unyielding courage against the darkest tragedies.

ROSENWALD

Documentary - (USA) 95 minutes, English

SCREENING: Chandler - Sun. Feb. 12, 3 pm Scottsdale - Sun. Feb. 19, 3 pm Peoria - Tues. Feb. 21, 7 pm

Driven equally by the Jewish ideal of tzedakah (charity), the writings of Booker T. Washington, and an increasing awareness of racial inequality in American society, Sears CEO Julius Rosenwald dedicated his newfound enormous wealth and prestige to joining with AfricanAmerican communities in the South in the days of segregation to build over 5,300 schools and establish the Rosenwald Fund for the support of African American artists and intellectuals. This film brings to light how one person – a modest man, successful businessman and unsung Jewish hero – did his very best to keep the spirit of tikkun olam alive and help repair the world around him.

REMEMBER

Drama - (Canada) 95 minutes, English

SCREENINGS: Chandler - Mon. Feb 20, 7 pm Scottsdale Thurs. Feb 23, 3 pm

Burdened with memory loss and his beloved wife’s recent passing, 90-year-old Zev Guttman is in a race against time to find personal catharsis and overdue justice. Having seemingly suppressed the wartime horrors of decades earlier, he is prompted to track down his fugitive Nazi tormentor by fellow Auschwitz survivor Max, a wheelchairbound resident of their New York City nursing home. Seizing on an elaborate mission of vengeance, Zev embarks on a cross-country odyssey to find the former commander responsible for murdering their families, who they now believe to be living somewhere in the country under an assumed identity. As Zev closes in on his target, his manhunt is complicated by his own constantly crumbling sense of self. Directed by Atom Egoyan, This film braids together themes of mourning and self-denial in an intensely paced and intricately plotted story.

THE LAW Arizona Premiere

Drama - (France) 90 minutes, French w/ English subtitles

SCREENINGS: Scottsdale - Mon. Feb. 13, 7 pm

Simone Veil is the Jewish French-born lawyer and politician who survived Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen to emerge as a leading champion of women’s rights. After World War II ends, Veil rises through the ranks of national government to become Prime Minister Jacques Chirac’s health minister in 1974. The driving force behind a then-controversial law to legalize abortion in the 1970’s, Veil faces strong opposition from the Catholic Church and her own factionalized party in pushing for landmark legislation to decriminalize abortion in France. Fighting for survival during the Holocaust prepared Veil to withstand a campaign of vile personal and anti-Semitic attacks, as the unflappable lawyer maneuvers around the religious and moral minefields at the forefront of the women’s rights battle.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 45

film for American audiences. He had seen their documentary “Above and Beyond,” about the American Jewish pilots who joined the fight for the new Jewish state’s survival before and during the war of 1948. The legendary Maccabi Tel Aviv team had likewise benefitted from an infusion from the U.S.: It boasted six American players. “On the Map” is a delicious compilation of archival footage, much of it from personal collections and never seen before, interwoven with new interviews with NBA retired player and commentator Bill Walton and former NBA commissioner David Stern. Far more insightful and pleasurable are Menkin’s interviews with the American players, who weren’t good enough to play major minutes in the NBA but achieved stardom, if not immortality, in Israel. The film takes its title and spirit from Maccabi Tel Aviv star Tal Brody’s exuberant pro-Israel declaration, “We are on the map,” following an emblematic victory. One is tempted to conclude that Menkin, an effusively enthusiastic man whose

Moshe Dayan congratulated Maccabi Tel Aviv players, left to right, Moti Arosti, Aulcie Perry and Miki Berkovich. PHOTO BY SHMUEL RAHMANI

positivity is reflected in his films, internalized the optimism of 1977. “I call our company Hey Jude Productions,” he says, “not only because I’m a big fan of the Beatles, and Paul McCartney specifically, but because of the line, ‘Take a sad song and make it better.’ If you want hard stories, if you want to be depressed, you just have to [turn on] the news. What I’m trying to do is bring more optimistic stories, that have some darker layers but at the end of the day – and this is my philosophy not about filmmaking but about life – we are here to make it better.” “On the Map” will be shown Jan. 17 at 7:30 pm at the Tucson Jewish Community Center as part of the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival and Feb. 12, 19 and 22 as part of the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival. Director Dani Menkin will be a guest speaker at the showing on Feb. 12 at 3 pm at Harkins Shea 14 theaters in Scottsdale.

SHORTS There will be six “shorts” in this year’s Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival lineup. The following short films will be shown with some, not all, of the features films.

AND THEN, VIOLENCE In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attack and rising anti-Semitism, a Parisian law student and her family fear the future of Jewish in France.

AVE MARIA

An Israeli settler family drives their car into a convent in the West Bank just as the Sabbath comes. (Israel, 2015, 15 minutes, Hebrew w/ English subtitles)

(France, 2016, 15 minutes, French w/ English subtitles)

46 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

BARK MITZVAH

A mockumentarystyle short film follows a Jewish family as they throw an extravagant, comingof-age celebration… for their dog. (USA, 2015, 8 minutes, English)

EVA & MOE

A box filled with decades-old family movies is unearthed in a basement’s dusty corner. (USA, 2016, 8 minutes, English)

SECOND WATCH

The interaction between an Israeli reserve soldier and a bored Jordanian soldier at a remote post along the IsraeliJordanian border. (Israel, 1995, 14 minutes, Hebrew w/ English subtitles)

JOSEF & AIMEE

The magical love story about two Jewish children orphaned in the south of France during WWII. (Canada, 2014, 6 minutes, French w/ English subtitles)

Arizona Theatre Company presents "Fiddler on the Roof" PHOTOS courtesy Tim Fuller

It’s not often someone takes three years to retire after the word is out.

The reports of ATC’s David Ira Goldstein’s retirement are…

true

By Mary Ann Bashaw

But such is the case with David Ira Goldstein, who has reached the 25-year mark as artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company – after he announced his retirement in 2013. This time, he means it – but not before Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) takes on its biggest production in 30 years with “Fiddler on the Roof,” which wrapped a month-long run in Tucson this past December and runs through January at the Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix. This is ATC’s 50th season, its golden anniversary, so why not shoot for the stars with one of the most beloved and well-known plays of modern history, known to millions the world over? “It’s simply one of the greatest musicals ever written – a work of genius with a great score and so many beautiful songs, each one a whistleon-the-way-out-of-the-theater number,” says David. The play, which first ran on Broadway in New York in 1964 (to rave reviews – it won nine of its 10 Tony Award nominations), is based on the book by Joseph Stein set in the Pale of Settlement of 1905 Imperial Russia. Both sets of David’s grandparents came from Russia. He cites a little-known fact that there were 5.2 million Jews in Europe and Russia around 1905, 4.9 million of whom lived in Pale of Settlement. What appeals to David is that “the book is based on no one particular story. Stein created ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 47

a whole community. He put together characters and situations and managed to juggle four different love stories with overarching themes of tradition, faith, family, the diaspora and the tragedy of people being forced out of their homes.” He notes that the story echoes the relevance of what is going on in the world today, referencing the news photos of the little Syrian boy in the back of an ambulance after the bombing of his village and the current talk of mass deportations from the U.S.

While it’s still a story with plenty of laughs and joy, David says that “my hope is that when people come and see the staging, they will get a sense of what it feels like to be forced from their homes. We Jews know better than most what that feels like.” Like the best works of art deeply rooted in a particular time and place, David says that what distinguishes this production is that “I really tried to infuse it with a deep sense of the Jewish religion. The more authentic you are with rituals and behavior, the more universal it becomes.” He adds that a third of the cast is Jewish and that everyone spent a lot of time studying the nuances of those rituals for their parts, making sure they are correct and realistic, with a distinctly Jewish flavor. ATC’s own special stamp on the production is to be as specific as possible so people recognize it as something David calls “truly human.” Tackling “Fiddler” has always been on David’s bucket list. It’s an expensive show to put on, especially with a run in both Tucson and Phoenix. It takes 51 people to make the curtain go up for each show: a cast of 28, an orchestra of 12 and a crew of 11. It will end up costing more than $1 million, a testament to its popularity, especially with a large, loyal and supportive Jewish audience. As a nonprofit, David says ATC will be happy to break even. Casting for such a production is a challenge and a joy. David 48 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

cites the necessity for casting a wide range of types of people, for parts that range from children through adults to the elderly who add their “own particular tam, or flavor.” Some actors are from Tucson, others from Phoenix and Seattle. (David put on “Fiddler” in Seattle’s Village Theatre for the 2012-13 season.) Eric Polani Jensen “is perfect for [the role of ] Tevye, with his booming voice, sense of humor and enormous heart,” says David. Eric is half Hawaiian, which gives him what David calls “that dark, swarthy look.” Other outstanding cast members imbue their characters with their own particular experiences as immigrants. When the topic of retirement arises, David sounds as though he is finally reconciled to the concept. He says he has loved the job of artistic director, but that juggling the role between Tucson and Phoenix has been a major challenge, noting that he has spent “half my life away from my wife, Michelle.” Michelle Robbins works with KJZZ, National Public Radio’s member station in Phoenix. “Twenty-five years is a good, long run as artistic director,” says David. “I’m eager to give up the drive, but also to give someone else a chance.” He would like to direct and teach. He also looks forward to spending some time on the Oregon coast, in cooler climes. He and his wife have a small place in the town of Yachats, which has a winter population of 650; David and Michelle will round out the summer population of 2,000.

“I’ve had the long goodbye, but the search [for my replacement] is active, so that’s how I know it’s real,” says David. “And I got to do ‘Fiddler.’” Mary Ann Bashaw, of Phoenix, is an editor and writer.

Arizona Theatre Company presents Fiddler on the Roof – Jan. 6-29

Herberger Theater Center, 222 E Monroe St., Phoenix Box office: 602-256-6995 or arizonatheatre.org Tickets: $60-$85; performance times vary

JANUARY 6 – 29

“ONE OF THE GREATEST MUSICALS IN HISTORY.” - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

One of the world’s most acclaimed and talented classical musicians...

ITZHAK PERLMAN JANUARY 12, 2017 THURSDAY | 7:30PM

Don’t miss your chance to see this performance!

BOOK BY

JOSEPH STEIN PRODUCTION SPONSORS: JOANIE FLATT & MICHAEL FLATT THE SHAPIRO FAMILY PHILANTHROPIC FOUNDATION

MUSIC BY

JERRY BOCK

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! mesaartscenter.com

LYRICS BY

SHELDON HARNICK

ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY AT THE HERBERGER THEATER CENTER

222 E A S T M O N RO E S T REE T, P H O E N I X , A RIZO N A 850 0 4

ARIZONATHEATRE.ORG / BOX OFFICE: 602-256-6995

SEASON SPONSOR: P H O E N I X C O N V E N T I O N C E N T E R & V E N U E S

BOX OF F I CE: 4 80.64 4 .6500 | ONE E. MAI N ST. MES A , A Z 852 0 1

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 49

New Irena Sendler exhibit at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes in Fort Scott, Kansas. Photo Credit: Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project 50 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Life in a Jar:

The Irena Sendler Project comes to Chandler By Mala Blomquist

The Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival, East Valley Jewish Community Center and City of Chandler have joined together to present a special production of the play “Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project.” A public performance of the play will be held on Thursday, Jan. 12 at the Chandler Center for the Arts. This performance is part of the city’s Celebration of Unity, a series of events held in Chandler every January to honor community heritage and diversity and to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This dynamic play touches on the Holocaust, ethics, education, respect and unsung heroes, with a message of tolerance and hope. The performance will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the current cast, director and some of the original cast members who started the Irena Sendler movement. According to the “Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project” website (irenasendler.org), the movement began in 1999 in a classroom in rural Kansas. Mr. Norman Conard, a high school teacher, encouraged three students to work on a year-long project that would, among other things, align with their classroom motto, “He who changes one person, changes the world entire.” Conard showed the three students – Megan Stewart, Elizabeth Cambers and Sabrina Coons – a clipping from a U.S. News & World Report article on Irena Sendler that stated she had provided hiding places for over 2,000 children during World War II. Since he had never heard of this woman or her story, and to confirm the accuracy of such a claim, he encouraged his students to research the story further. They discovered the truth: that Irena Sendler was a nonJewish social worker who went into the Warsaw Ghetto, rescued Jewish children and placed them into homes of Polish families or hid them in convents and orphanages. ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 51

She made lists of the children’s names and put the lists in jars, which she then buried in a garden in the hopes of digging them up one day to tell the children of their true identities. The students went on to write a performance based on the life of Irena Sendler. Since that humble Kansas beginning, “Life in a Jar” has been performed hundreds of times all over North America and Europe. The Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival uses the film version of “Life in A Jar” as the cornerstone of its Films in the Schools youth outreach program, where carefully trained presenters bring films into public and religious schools and present information to students in grades seven to12. “Life in a Jar” is used to teach about the Holocaust. Film allows young people to learn on a different level; characters, stories

and concepts that may seem difficult to understand come alive on the screen. The film is a valuable teaching tool in history classes, as well as social studies, language arts and characterdevelopment courses and focuses on understanding instead of memorization. The film and study guide are free to schools. Educators can also encourage students to write something for an essay contest; a gift card will be awarded to the winner. “The Films in the Schools program has been visiting schools throughout the metropolitan area and elsewhere over the past 10 years,” says Bob Segelbaum, executive director of the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival. “We have a strong Photo from the play “Life in a Jar: presence in the East Valley and the Chandler school district is The Irena Sendler Project.” very active in the program.” PHOTO CREDIT: Life in a Jar: The Irena is Sendler Project For the Wednesday, Jan. 13 production (which not open to the public), 800 Chandler-area high school students will arrive by bus to attend an assembly and free presentation of the play. Since the school program began more than 10 years ago, the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival has shared this film with over 3,500 secular and religious school students.

Public Performance Details for “Life In A Jar: The Irena Sendler Project.” WHEN: Jan. 12, 6:30-8 pm WHERE: Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N Arizona Ave, Chandler TICKETS: $10 general admission; $5 Student (up to age 25) CONTACT: 480-897-0588 or hastj@evjcc.org

Rhythm of the Dance: The National Dance Company of Ireland Sunday, February 12 · 3pm

The King: The Music of Elvis Sunday, January 22 · 3pm

Full season listing

ChandlerCenter.org 480.782.2680 52 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Pump Boys and Dinettes

Art Garfunkel: In Close-Up

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Saturday, March 11 · 7:30pm

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Arizona Fine Art EXPO By Susan Kern-Fleischer

The big white tents are up, the artists have arrived and the air is full of creativity. Renowned artists from across the globe are making the beautiful Sonoran Desert in north Scottsdale home for 10 weeks as they create original pieces of fine art during the Arizona Fine Art EXPO. Now in its 13th year, this popular event takes place from 10 am to 6 pm daily from Friday, Jan. 13 through Sunday, March 26 at 26540 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and Jomax Roads, next to MacDonald’s Ranch. Produced by the award-winning Thunderbird Artists, the Arizona Fine Art EXPO features 110 patron-friendly studios within a 44,000-square-foot space, where guests have a rare chance to meet the artists, see them in action and learn about their passion, inspiration and techniques.

A Deep Respect for Nature One artist traveling to Scottsdale for the EXPO is Dennis Doyle, an acclaimed photographer who loved nature as a kid, lost his connection to it as an adult, then rediscovered his deep respect for it after 54 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

leaving a successful career in construction. Dennis grew up in Lake Tahoe, Nevada back when it was a small community of people who loved the mountains. He was an adventurous kid who loved being outside and often camped out in the meadows. As a teenager, he would take his Leica camera with him wherever he went to photograph the scenic landscapes that surrounded him. That all changed when he took a job working in a darkroom developing forensic 8-by-12-inch glossies for police departments and district attorneys. For several years, he saw the most gruesome images a camera could capture. His most famous case, on which author Joseph Wambaugh based his bestselling book, The Onion Field, involved two Los Angeles police officers who were kidnapped and taken to an onion field near Bakersfield. One of the officers was fatally shot and the other escaped. “It was very serious work and I got to see how ugly humanity could be,” Dennis says. “I learned the technical side of my craft, but there was no time or place for creativity.” When he was 25, he started working in construction and later worked for a large homebuilder in Lafayette, California. For more than two decades, he built

multi-million-dollar homes for celebrities, CEOs and other wealthy clients. Living in Walnut Creek, California, most people would say Dennis had it made. But his fast-paced lifestyle lacked passion. “Money is a cruel mistress,” he says. “I decided to quit my job and go back to pursuing my passion for photography.” Joking that he is “downwardly mobile,” Dennis lives the life of a semi-vagabond, dividing his time between traveling in his RV and living in Lake Tahoe. An avid skier and hiker, he has rekindled his love for nature and photography – and this time he’s determined never to let that go. “Now I have a much deeper understanding about what’s important for me in life,” he says. “Just sitting outside on a rock

Sulpher Mining District, by photographer Dennis Doyle

Mono Lake, California, by photographer Dennis Doyle

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 55

Sculptural wall art pieces by Ross Mazur

under the moonlight makes me happy.” This will be Dennis’ fourth year exhibiting at the Arizona Fine Art EXPO. He plans to display a combination of color and black-and-white photography of trees and old abandoned farmhouses along with flowers, petroglyphs and ancient building remnants from Canyon de Chelly.

Sculpting Paper into Unique Wall Compositions Sedona artist Ross Mazur is new to this year’s show but not to Thunderbird Artists. The talented artist, who is spiritual in his Jewish faith, began exhibiting in Thunderbird Artists’ weekend festivals in 1987. He credits the family-run business with helping him gain valuable exposure for his mixed-media work. Like Dennis, Ross started his career in photography. A Chicago native, he served in the Korean War and later received a scholarship to the Chicago Art Institute. He then spent more than 20 years working as a commercial photographer, shooting everything from food to fashion but specializing in furniture. “I became an interior designer by virtue of the furniture 56 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Sulpher Mining District, by photographer Dennis Doyle

“She was a fantastic talent. She really changed our lives when she took her first paper-making workshop in 1980. Because of her, I am doing work that I love. I’ve worked with a lot of media, but I really love the tactile aspect of the paper.” –Ross Mazur

photography,” says Ross. “I was always setting up rooms for photo shoots and I had a good feel for design.” Concurrently, Ross collaborated with his wife, Marcia, first sculpting clay, then creating handmade paper and mixed media sculptural wall compositions. They were an instant success. “We were perfect together, always knowing what the other was thinking and working so well together,” says Ross. “People could not tell which one of us created a piece.” He adds that Marcia had a great spontaneity to her work. The couple opened an art gallery, Mazur & Mazur, outside of Highland Park, Illinois, and watched their careers soar. “At that time, hand-made paper art was just exploding. It was really phenomenal,” he says. “We sold all over the world and we even had our paper wall sculptures in Christie’s gallery in New York.” Then everything stopped cold after 9/11. “It was a very tough time,” says Ross. “I started doing large, air-brushed paintings and abstracts. I’ve really had many

different styles during my career,” Ross says. While Marcia had retired, she still created small pieces while Ross continued creating larger, more complex artwork. “I kept challenging myself to create better pieces each time,” he says. Sadly, Marcia passed in 2004. It was a huge loss, not only for Ross and his family, but for the art community and collectors worldwide who loved her work. “She was a fantastic talent. She really changed our lives when she took her first paper-making workshop in 1980,” he says. “Because of her, I am doing work that I love. I’ve worked with a lot of media, but I really love the tactile aspect of the paper.” Ross creates textured sheets of pressed cotton fiber matrix, resulting in a heavy, durable paper lavishly embellished with acrylics in an infinite range of colors and sizes. Multiple pieces are layered, four to seven inches in depth, to create freeform sculptural paintings in a large format. During the Arizona Fine Art EXPO, Ross will exhibit colorful, contemporary mixed-media wall compositions, sharing a booth with bronze artist Paula Yates. Season passes for the Arizona Fine Art EXPO cost $10, $8 for seniors and military and are free for children under 12. Parking is free. For more details about participating artists or events during the show, call 480-837-7163 or visit ArizonaFineArtEXPO.com. ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 57

CORNER

By Lucia Schnitzer Photo by Matthew Strauss

Lucia Schnitzer and her husband, Ken, own Pomelo (a full-service restaurant), Luci’s at The Orchard and Splurge (a candy and ice cream shop), all at The Orchard Phx, 7100 N 12th Street, Phoenix. They also own Luci’s Healthy Marketplace, 1590 E Bethany Home Road, Phoenix, which they opened in 2009 in Lucia’s honor after her successful battle with breast cancer. 58 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

HERE’S TO YOU!

It’s a new year, which means a new chapter. An opportune time to reflect, and project, what we want different for ourselves in the upcoming year. I had an epiphany this past summer while sitting at the beach and had clarity on what needed to change for me. Being a wife, mother and business owner, I’d forgotten to take care of myself, and I realized that to nurture everyone around me fully, I had first to do the same for me. I started walking and watching my calorie intake and I lost twenty pounds. I not only feel healthier physically, I feel amazing emotionally and elevated spiritually. So one of the things I started to do is make these tasty protein rice bowls that left me feeling full and satisfied. Using whole grains instead of refined grains are much healthier and contain higher amounts of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, phytochemicals and fiber, which will help you feel fuller longer which helps with maintaining your weight. You can also add an egg or avocado to increase the protein and fiber to your meal. A great way to kick off the New Year is by adding these power bowls to your menu. Artist Bryan Nash Gill, z”l, said, “Strict concentration on the making, the process, is more important than the result.” Enjoy this New Year by paying more attention to yourself; enjoy the process of refining the best you can be.

Thai Basil Beef and Lemongrass Rice Bowl Lemongrass Rice ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk 1 cup water 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 1/4 cup fresh lemongrass, chopped 1-2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped (if desired)

Directions:

To make the rice, add the coconut milk and water to a medium size pot. Bring to a low boil and then add the rice, sesame oil and lemongrass. Stir to combine, then place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook ten minutes on low and then turn the heat off completely and let the rice sit on the stove, covered for another 15-20 minutes. After 15-20 minutes remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork and stir in 1-2 tablespoons chopped peanuts (if desired). While the rice is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine the carrots, mini bell peppers, Thai red pepper (or another mini bell pepper), green onions, honey, lime juice and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Toss well and set aside. Heat a large wok or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and when the oil is hot, add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 15-30 seconds, then add the beef. Season the beef with black pepper and brown all over, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Once the beef is browned, add 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce and 1 cup of fresh basil. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce coats the beef, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup fresh basil. Divide the rice evenly among four bowls, top with equal amounts of beef. Add the carrot and pepper mixture on top of the beef. Garnish with chopped peanuts, fresh basil and toasted sesame seeds.

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Thai Basil Beef ingredients:

2 large carrots, cut into matchsticks 4 mini bell peppers, sliced 1 red Thai pepper, sliced (if too spicy, substitute another mini bell pepper) 2 green onions, chopped 1/2 teaspoon honey juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving 2 tablespoons sesame oil 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated 1 pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken) pinch of black pepper 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided 1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce 2 cups fresh basil leaves, sliced or chopped, divided, plus extra for garnish Toasted sesame seeds plus chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish

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FOOD RESTAURANT REVIEW

taste of

Arizona

J.C.H.’s Smoked English Kipper

Scott’s Generations finds a new home By A. Noshman

There’s a happy ending to this story, I promise. For 28 years, Scott’s Generations, a marvelous Jewish deli, has been serving hungry diners from the same Phoenix location, but that has come to an end. It’s the last Jewish business to leave the once-robust strip mall at 7th Street and Missouri Avenue that housed the likes of Karsh’s Bakery and the Israel Connection (a Judiaca shop). Gone are the gray faux-granite tables, the well-worn booths with no padding left and the wall-mounted photos of celebrities who frequented the deli. No more grabbing a quick sandwich, buying a menorah next door, then taking 10 extra steps to the bakery to pick up the best chocolate babka to take home. The end of an era is always sad. But I did promise a happy ending and I am pleased to announce that Scott’s Generations – unlike the other businesses – has not closed for good. The deli is relocating and reopening Jan. 6 on the northeast corner of 7th Street and Glendale, near the Safeway. The two-mile move lets them not only keep serving loyal customers who swear by Scott’s Generations, but also attract new customers to this happening corner. They are rehanging the old photos and schlepping the sports memorabilia long-time diners will recognize; but everything else will be brand new. Prices are staying the same, a big part of this deli’s charm: good food at reasonable prices. 60 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

THIS MONTH’S RESTAURANT

Scott’s Generations (new location)

742 E. Glendale Road #142, Phoenix scottsgenerations.com

Contact A. Noshman at a.noshman@azjewishlife.com

The restaurant’s name evokes the ownership story, a familyowned New York kosher-style delicatessen that makes you feel like family, too. It is the site of gatherings and celebrations, the caterer of many family affairs. My brother always orders Scott’s fabulous sliced roast beef and gravy by the pound for his annual Hanukkah party. The menu will be the same, but there’s also the opportunity to expand it a bit because of the new kitchen. They are also keeping the deli counter, where you can buy lox, chopped liver, salads and all sorts of goodies to take home. Over the course of several end-of-an-era visits, I tried these dishes:

Nancy’s French Dip $12.50

(Mouthwatering roast beef served on a club roll with fries and au jus) I was expecting the same roast beef that my brother gets for his Hanukkah party, but this was different: thinly sliced, almost shredded, wetter, made more for a handheld sandwich than for a knife and fork. I asked if I could substitute a potato pancake for the fries and the server said, “You mean a latke?” “Yes, please,” I responded sheepishly, knowing I should have asked that in the first place. I loved the soft bread, which acted like a sponge for the au jus. The latke was crisp, a bit peppery, and also spent time in the au jus.

The New Yorker $12.50

(Corned beef & pastrami, coleslaw and Russian dressing piled high on your favorite bread served with pickles and American fries) It’s a big sandwich for sure, but what I like about it is that it’s not one of those ridiculously monstrous concoctions that’s impossible to fit in your mouth; you can actually finish it without taking half of it home. The pastrami has a wonderful, smoky flavor that combines well with the salty and tender corned beef. The coleslaw is fresh and sweet, with a nice vinegar bite. I chose rye bread. The American fries are an excellent, crispy, brown wedge/waffle-cut potato combination. In the end, you are stuffed and happy.

J.C.H.’s Smoked English Kippers $10.95

Nancy’s French Dip

(Pan-fried with sautéed onions, served with your favorite bagel and choice of butter and jelly or cream cheese) There is quite a selection of smoked fish on the menu and I was pleasantly surprised to find this item. I inherited my love of kippers from my father. I never understood how this English classic came to be a favorite of a Jewish boy from Alabama; but you couldn’t mistake the Sunday morning aroma wafting from the kitchen as he made one of his favorite breakfasts. Scott’s Generations’ take on this dish is to crispen the skin in a pan and smother it with delicately sliced sautéed onions. It’s a delectably smoky, generous serving (watch out for bones) that’s maybe not for everyone – but I encourage smoked-fish lovers to give it a try.

I also had a bowl of matzah ball soup, but I’m not going to write about it. While nobody can top my sister-in-law’s, Chompie’s makes the best matzah ball soup – by a mile – I’ve ever had in a restaurant. By the time you read this review, Scott’s Generations will be open for business in its new location. You should go – then tell me how the new place measures up. You’re going to find the same people, the same family atmosphere and the same good food they have been serving for 28 years. Breakfast and lunch are served until 5 pm; and they will happily cater your event. I wonder if they knew when they selected the word “generations” for the name that generations to come would enjoy it, too.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 61

Home & Lifestyle

Joy Bidnick 62 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Photos courtesy of Life Moments Photography

How Suite It Is!

for designer Joy Bidnick By Melissa Hirschl

Scottsdale resident Joy Bidnick is blessed to have a career she is head over heels in love with. Her 13-year-old home design business, “How Suite It Is!”, is booming and she enjoys a continuous stream of requests for her talent and innate knowledge of the industry. Whether it's revamping a room, creating a unique wall unit, updating lighting or gutting a house, Joy possesses a natural-born ability to create a stellar look. “I look on the internet, design rooms, preview furniture at showrooms and do a lot of research for my clients, so that keeps me going 40 hours a week,” says Joy. “I never advertise; all my clients are from word-of-mouth. I forge a bond with them and get repeat business, often one room at a time. The best thing for me is when my clients love what I did for them; it is the biggest compliment. I love what I do – and I love the people I do it for.”

To achieve her much-sought-after results, Joy uses general contractors but also provides touches like wood stains, plumbing fixtures and lighting, according to her clients’ desires. Some clients want her to bring samples to them because they feel overwhelmed. Other clients just want her to go shopping with them and serve as a guide. “Either way, I want their homes to be a reflection of them, not me,” she says. “In this profession, you have to have superb interpersonal skills and also be a great listener. I have the confidence to make the decisions they are basically too scared to make.” A muse by nature, Joy admits to always having been fascinated by art and design since elementary school. “I was always seeking out art contests, as well as craft, drawing and ceramic classes.” She wanted to be a part of anything creative happening around her. No bolt of lightning led Joy to pursue interior design. Her career developed in a serendipitous way – one day at a time. Impressed with her design artistry, visitors frequently wanted ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 63

I never advertise; all my clients are from word-

of-mouth. I forge a bond with them and get

repeat business, often one room at a time. The her to create similar aesthetics in me, though, because I was a stay-atbest thing for me is when my clients love what their own homes. From friends home mom raising two kids.” I did for them; it is the biggest compliment. I and family to neighbors and the As her kids got older and more love what I do – and I love the people I do it community at large, her talent independent, Joy finally agreed to garnered attention and she gained take the plunge. The kicker was for.” traction. that Kathy was getting out of the What really lit a match to business. But as with many fairy her career was a conversation tales, there was the proverbial with Kathy Stephens, the owner of Childscapes Interiors, a silver lining: Kathy gave Joy the “keys to the kingdom,” which Scottsdale/Chandler store specializing in high-end children’s included access to mural-painting materials, wallpaper, fabrics furnishings. Kathy, who liked Joy’s sense of design, asked Joy and custom bedding. “She mentored me in every which way and basically gave me the business without the…building,” says Joy. to go into business with her. “It was never the right time for

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the art of organization

After 13 years in the ever-changing world of design, Joy says she has experienced a full spectrum of trends, fads and furnishings. Furniture, woods and fabrics are lightening up and even traditional designs have a more modern flair. “People are [moving] away from brushed silver toward chrome or gold metallic finishes, which are gaining in popularity,” says Joy. “I have been pulling out oversized tubs and utilizing that space to make larger and grander showers. Rain heads or shower heads coming out of both walls really open up space and make for a very upscale bathroom.” She also creates custom glass mosaics for kitchen backsplashes. According to Joy, most people fall into the transitional style of design – a cross between traditional and contemporary. “Some homeowners want very modern and angular lines, with bright colors in furniture and flooring,” says Joy. “Sometimes people don't take my advice on what will look best and that's a challenge for me. In the end, all that matters is that they like it.” To stay current on the latest buzz in the industry, Joy frequents the Design Center in Phoenix. She also attends the annual five-day blockbuster Las Vegas Market Show, a veritable Disneyland for designers. She gleans ideas from the home design website houzz.com and suggests clients visit it, too. “They can create an idea book to share with me so I can get a sense of their style.” Joy also devours a wide variety of design magazines and occasionally sits on design panels, as she did two years ago. “I was part of a seminar put on by Pacific Manufacturing [upholstered furniture] with seven other designers,” says Joy. “They wanted our input and it was a great way to network and get resources from other people.” To stay on top of her game, Joy attends educational classes sponsored by design centers such as Helser Brothers, a Chandler manufacturer of window-treatment hardware. “They launch new products, give you ideas and inspiration and I learn what's new and trending,” she says. Client Deb Rochford of Phoenix appreciates Joy's passion and professionalism. “Interior renovations are a test of patience,” says Deb. “Having an ally who will guide you and be honest…makes a difference. Joy is a pleasure to work with and has fabulous taste and professionalism. As a busy working mom, Joy made my renovation seamless.”

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Contact Joy at How Suite It Is! at 602-339-3515. ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 65

NEW YEAR, NEW SHOE BY TORI ROSENBLUM

January is a magical time when we celebrate a new year, new start, new you. Can you think of a better start to your 2017 makeover than from the feet up? It’s time to give in to your shoe obsession and load up on the season’s must-have boots, booties and heels.

66 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Let’s start with a trend carrying over from sportswear to footwear. Velvet can be luxurious and feminine on a beautiful pump or strappy heel. It can also turn up the attitude on a funky bootie or sneaker. For a killer retro vibe, try a velvet ankle boot in navy or burgundy. Which brings us to our next trend: burgundy. Your favorite shade of wine is making its debut on day and evening shoes. Leather, velvet and suede styles are made even richer in beautiful burgundy hues. This deep red makes for the perfect pop of color. For the woman with a bold sense of style, try leopard print on for size. This animal print is fierce on any silhouette and acts as a neutral. Instead of a nude pump or black bootie, swap in a leopard shoe for a daring change. A more sophisticated ensemble craves a pointed-toe pump. The chic silhouette can refine any material from sequins to leather. It is the top trend of the winter season! In this case, beauty is pain after a long time on your feet. Here’s a tip: consider giving your toes a rest by choosing your pointed-toe pumps for a sitdown dinner. Now let’s take a turn to a more practical shoe. Block heels have always offered support and comfort, but now they offer hip fashion. Whether you choose a pump, boot, or strappy style, you can’t go wrong with this season’s hottest heel. It’s safe to say, block heels are the new stilettos. As I’m sure you’ve already noticed this winter, booties are a key style for chilly weather. Lucky for us, we don’t have to worry about extreme cold here in the desert, so we are updating the standard silhouette by showing off our toes. Peep-toe booties are perfect for Arizona winters. If you’re looking for a little more coverage, overthe-knee-boots are bigger, better and taller than ever. These babies are perfect for keeping warm and effortlessly on-trend. O-T-K boots, with or without heels, have been spotted on our favorite celebrities and fashion icons, styled with oversized sweaters and skirts. Start this year with your best-dressed foot forward. No matter which of these top trends you choose, you’ll walk into 2017 in style.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 67

Maricopa County Home Show By Mala Blomquist

Is 2017 the year that you tackle that major home remodel? Or are you just looking to plant a small herb garden in the spring? Whatever home improvement project you are contemplating, chances are you will find the resources you need to get it done at the Maricopa County Home Show happening on Jan. 13-15 at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. The home show happens five times a year and always features a special exhibit or guest celebrity. This time, the “tiny home” craze is in the center spotlight with the Tiny Home Street of Dreams. These micro homes are all 400 square feet or less and make home ownership affordable – and portable. All of the tiny homes on display will be available to view and tour and the exhibit is included with admission to the show. One of the most enjoyable aspects of these shows are the DIY workshops and presentations. There are seminars on furniture flips, repurposing salvage items and even a demonstration on how to turn and old door into a bar. Learn how to install artificial grass and putting greens. Or, get your hands dirty during a cabinet painting demonstration where audience participation is welcome! There are even cooking demonstrations and wine tasting. If getting your hands dirty with actual dirt is more your thing, you’re in luck. The home show has rosarians on hand from the Metro Phoenix Rose Society offering advice plus demonstrations on planting and pruning. If you want to leave 68 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

your garden to the experts, you are covered there, too. Just bring pictures of your backyard and measurements and you can receive a complimentary landscape consult from a professional horticulturist. If shopping for home décor is more your style, there are local artisan located throughout the show that offer one-of-a-kind, handmade, recycled or reclaimed items that would make a perfection addition to your home. This show is also helping to celebrate the Arizona State Parks system’s 60th anniversary. Attendees can learn about familyfriendly “Diamond Anniversary” events all year long at parks throughout the state and receive a free state park pass. And with the money you save on parks fees for a day, you can buy a raffle ticket for the “Heroes Raffle.” Enter to win over $15,000 in prizes while supporting the 100 Club of Arizona. The 100 Club provides immediate financial assistance to families of public safety officers and firefighters who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty, Whether you go to the home show with a specific project in mind and a list of vendors to talk to, or you are just going for the inspiration and ideas, there is something for everyone at the Maricopa County Home Show.

Maricopa County Home Show – Jan. 13-15 Arizona State Fairgrounds 1826 W McDowell Road, Phoenix maricopacountyhomeshows.com Hours: 10 am-6 pm Fri & Sat, 10 am-5 pm Sun. Tickets: $8 adults, $3 ages 3-12, ages 2 & under free. Discounts include senior morning and customer and military appreciation. Check website for details.

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To advertise advertise@azjewishlife.com 602.538.2955

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HEALTH & FITNESS Ilana Lea: No time like the present to commit to lifelong fitness – at any age! By Mala Blomquist

INSIDE 70 Illana Lea 73 7 time-saving steps to clean eating meal planning 76 Choosing a fitness trainer 70 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

lana Lea, the founder and owner of Enerjoy Fitness in Scottsdale, teaches women of all ages the importance of a healthy body – and the peace of mind that follows. Ilana has run her fitness studio for six years, but she has trained people in the Valley, from all walks of life, for 20 years. “I specialize in lifestyle coaching and fitness training, which means all my clients get into shape for the long term,” Ilana says, describing her emphasis on lifestyle changes that lead to physical and mental health. Ilana’s lifelong interest in fitness started early. “Since the age of 12, I’ve always wanted to educate people about fitness,” says Ilana. “I was always [fit and] active myself and I believe it is my calling in life…to help other people get there, too!” She studied in Israel, where she received her B.A. in physical education. She also competed in aerobic competition (a competitive sport originating from traditional aerobics), becoming a national champion in Israel. Ilana has been participating in fitness and figure competitions for over 20 years and encourages women of all ages to do the same. At Enerjoy, even women in their 60s and 70s compete in figure competitions where, unlike bodybuilding, the emphasis is on muscle definition, not size. “This is my theory and it’s proven me right. I get women on stage with almost nothing on. I persuade people, but they’re always happy they did it!” says Ilana. “For me, it’s not about winning, though if they win a medal, that’s great. It’s about stepping up and getting healthier and feeling better about yourself.” Ilana helps clients of all ages foster the right attitude toward physical fitness. “Given the right nutrition and correct exercise in the right environment, I feel the physical body can get better and better and healthier and healthier. I see that in myself and in my clients,” many of whom are over age 60. Her oldest client is 80. Continued on page 72

“Given the right nutrition and correct exercise in the right environment, I feel the physical body can get better and better and healthier and healthier. I see that in myself and in my clients.” – Ilana Lea

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 71

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“You have to know how to build [clients] up to it,” says Ilana. At Enerjoy, “they feel safe and [are reassured] that they aren’t going to hurt themselves.” She provides a supportive environment where women can encourage each other and commit to establishing a healthy lifestyle without the attitude of a “quick fix. That is not my thing,” says Ilana. Ilana supports her clients in all areas of health and wellness. Enerjoy staff include a nutritionist, a naturopathic doctor and a professional stretcher to help prevent injuries. She encourages clients, particularly those in their 40s and 50s, to be aware of common hormonal changes that can sometimes affect their fitness progress. She also offers private and small-group training, fitness and nutrition geared toward competition and kickboxing.

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Ilana at the International Physique League Arizona championship held in Mesa in May, 2016.

While Enerjoy emphasizes the development of healthy physical fitness habits, Ilana also stresses how she and her trainers encourage a healthy attitude about body image and physical appearance. She notes that society can be cruel to women over 40, making them feel they’re “not as special, not as beautiful, not as alive, not wanted as much. I’m constantly telling them, ‘Look, you guys, it’s not true.’ You need to see that you’re beautiful and better than ever. It doesn’t matter what society thinks.” Enerjoy attracts women of all ages for good reason. Ilana celebrates the human body and the beauty of every individual. “I have a strong passion for the human body and the capacity to see beauty in everybody,” she says, noting that “everything gets better” with a sustained commitment to lifelong fitness and a healthy lifestyle. “As long as you’re breathing, you can make these changes!” Enerjoy Fitness is located at 16447 N. 91st St., Suite 104 in Scottsdale. Call 480-510-8547 or visit enerjoyfitness.com.

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7 time-saving steps to clean eating meal planning By Michelle Dudash, RND, Cordon Bleu-certified chef and author of Clean Eating for Busy Families

PROPERLY STOCK YOUR KITCHEN.

A stocked pantry is the most important thing to help get nutritious meals on the table in minutes. Always keep on hand: a couple proteins, one dinnertime vegetable, whole-grain rice.

BE ON YOUR GROCERY LIST A-GAME.

Keep a piece of paper stuck to the fridge where you can jot down ingredients the moment you realize you’re running low. You can also use Google Docs or your favorite app.

TUNE INTO HOW MANY MEALS YOU’LL NEED EACH WEEK.

Each week determine how many dinners you’ll be at home. Then work backward and you’ll know what you need to plan for. Plan on a cook-onceeat-twice recipe that covers at least two meals.

STORE YOUR GO-TO RECIPES IN ONE PLACE.

Photocopy your favorite recipes and store in an easily accessible place – a binder, recipe box or folder, so come time for meal planning and cooking, all you have to do is pick and choose. For recipes “in your head,” write the ingredients that you don’t always have on hand on a notecard. Planning ahead can be as detailed as writing out a monthly or weekly calendar of dinner menus, or as free-spirited as having three fresh proteins and vegetables on hand for the week for dinnertime. Plan your meals (and grocery shop) on the weekends, so you have everything you need for weekdays.

DEVELOP A GROCERY SHOPPING ROUTINE.

Avoid doing your big shopping trip after a long workday when you’re hungry and tired before dinner. That is just asking for trouble. About

grocery delivery: just do it. After you consider the impulse items you curtailed, car mileage and your time, you probably can’t afford not to. In addition to traditional grocery store delivery, some companies – even the actual growers – specialize in local produce. There are also online stores that ship shelf-stable groceries anywhere.

MAKE ONE-POT AND MAKE-AHEAD MEALS WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

Prepare one-pot meals containing a vegetable, protein and perhaps a starch or complex carb – they are a lifesaver, time saver and dish saver! Dust off your slow cooker. Nothing better than coming home to a clean kitchen and homemade meal.

MAKE FREEZER MEALS.

A night off from cooking, yay! Besides a fresh hot meal, a homemade freezer meal comes in second. But first, you must plan on making a double batch of said recipe, so you can freeze the extra batch.

Download Michelle’s free clean eating grocery list at michelledudash.com.

Michelle Dudash, RDN, Cordon Bleu-Certified Chef

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HEALTH

FITNESS

PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 40 minutes YIELD: 4 servings, 1 1/2 legs each (with 2/3 cup

vegetables)

INGREDIENTS 2 pounds chicken legs (about 5-6)   1 1/4 pound red potatoes (about 16 small potatoes), quartered

SHEET PAN CHICKEN DINNER

By Michelle Dudash, RDN, Cordon Bleu-certified chef and creator of Clean Eating Cooking School: Monthly Meal Plans Made Simple I love one-pot wonders…and sheet pan wonders! Protein, vegetables and a side starch all cook together in the oven. Depending on the season, feel free to swap out almost any vegetable for the peppers, like carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts or anything else you have on hand. Simple cooking method, easy clean up, big-time flavor. What more could you ask for?

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1 medium red bell pepper, diced   1 cup diced onion   2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil     2 teaspoons all-purpose salt-free seasoning 1/2 teaspoon salt   black pepper 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 400°F convection. For easier clean up, line a large sheet pan with a non-stick baking pat or parchment paper. Place the chicken in a single layer on one side of a sheet pan and the potatoes on the other side of the pan. Place the peppers and onions in the middle of the pan. Drizzle the oil all over. Sprinkle the seasoning, salt and pepper all over. Bake until the chicken is browned and cooked through,

COOK ’S NOTES:

The best places to buy industrial-style sheet pans include big box retailers and restaurant supply stores. Gourmet kitchen stores sell them as well, but at a higher price. Calories 443; Fat 20g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 101mg; Sodium 414mg; Carbohydrate 32g; Fiber 4g; Protein 34g; Vitamin A 21% DV; Calcium 5% DV; Vitamin C 87% DV; Iron 18% DV PER SERVING:

about 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle the vinegar on the chicken, peppers and onions. Transfer chicken to a plate and stir the vegetables. Continue to roast the vegetables for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and fork tender.

Recipes adapted with permission from Clean Eating Cooking School: Monthly Meal Plans Made Simple.

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HEALTH

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Choosing a fitness trainer for the first time? Here’s what you need to know By Jim Crowell

hen it comes to choosing a fitness trainer, options abound. Unfortunately, many of those options aren’t good ones. Here are some tips to help you choose the right trainer to help you achieve your 2017 fitness goals. Before you start, determine your current fitness level. Are you overweight, under-motivated, tired? Are you driven, inspired, where you want to be health-wise? Once you decide to proceed, you’re ready to research and select a fitness trainer who has a successful track record of working with others like you. I used to be a coach. I have seen fellow coaches who are brilliant with certain types of people but poor with others. When you are doing your research you need a few questions:

1 2 3

What type of clients do they work with? Visit their websites, social media feeds and read their brochures. Does anybody look like you? What are their clients saying about them? Ask people who have worked with that trainer to get an accurate picture of their abilities. How does the public see them? Look at reviews from different sources, like Yelp, Facebook and Google Reviews to gain better insight into the trainer’s style and success.

Now it’s time to speak to various trainers. Personally, I prefer to talk to them in person. I want to see what the facility looks and feels like. As a potential new client, I want to evaluate the level of customer service. Consider these questions:

4 5 6

“How will you help me?” They should conduct an initial assessment to determine how/where to start and what kind of program fits your needs. “Have you worked with other clients like me? How did you help them?” Ask for examples of former clients’ experiences and results. “How will you know if I’m improving?” Too many trainers don’t track clients’ progress. Make sure they use a digital system to track your ongoing efforts and results.

The fitness trainer-client relationship is important to your success. It should be based on mutual comfort, confidence and trust. Best of luck! Jim Crowell is director of operations for OPEX Fitness at 7826 E. Evans Rd. in Scottsdale. Contact OPEX Fitness at 480-699-3045 or visit opexfit.com. 76 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Trainers at OPEX Fitness work with their clients on their fitness goals.

Active Adults

Retirement planning for couples

Your financial life encompasses more than your assets. It includes your goals for the future and how you want to live right now. When it comes to retirement, the decisions you make today can have a huge impact on what retirement will be like. And, since retirement involves both you and your spouse or partner, it’s important that both of you be involved in planning for it.

Planning together has proven benefits

According to a UBS Investor Watch survey,* when both spouses are involved with key retirement decisions, they’re happier and more optimistic about their future. But if you’re like most couples, just one of you is making most of the decisions, and that often causes the less involved spouse to feel anxious about retirement. Putting in a little extra effort now can pay off for both of you. If you’re not already planning for your retirement together, here are some tips to help you get started.

Six suggestions to help couples plan for retirement:

1. Decide what’s important

A good first step is to come to an agreement about your goals in retirement. Ask yourselves, what do you want your wealth to accomplish? What do you dream about doing one day? And, here’s one question that couples often forget to consider: What’s happening now that can impact your financial future? For example, are you helping support adult children or your parents? You can think through these important questions together and create a plan to pursue your goals once both of you agree on them.

2. Find a risk tolerance you both can embrace According to Investor Watch,* women are often more conservative than men when it comes to investing. Work together to find a comfortable balance between your spouse’s risk tolerance level and your own. Couples report that this is the most satisfying approach when it comes to planning for retirement.

3. Don’t forget long-term care planning

Life expectancy continues to grow, and many of us are spending more years in retirement. This makes issues like healthcare and eldercare more important than ever. Start having conversations now about developing a long-term care plan for both of you. For example, do you envision staying in your home as long as you can? How heavily will you rely on family to provide your care? How do you intend to fund future health

This is what memory care is all about. It’s not to say that dementia isn’t an emotional and challenging disease. It’s just that when you see the human instead of the disease you don’t see sadness. You see life. You see history. You see achievements. You see family. You see love. And that’s how we see it at Hawthorn Court. We can help you with the challenges you’re facing. Please join us for a personal tour. Call 480.367.8999 to schedule.

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and long-term careyour costs? strategy for Social Security 4. Coordinate

Even if you’re not counting on Social Security as a major source of income in retirement, it’s important to know that couples have various options to consider. Making informed decisions before you start taking Social Security can lead to significantly higher benefits over the course of your retirement. Discuss the best option to maximize your Social Security benefits with a financial advisor.

5. Keep both of you in the know

It isn’t always easy for both of you to be involved in every financial decision, especially when it comes to managing your accounts. But, it’s good for both of you to know the following: • Your net worth • Your assets, liabilities, insurance, property and financial accounts

• Where each of these items is held • How to access your money once you retire

UBS Investor Watch reveals that this is the most important step couples can take to keep from feeling stressed about retirement. Make it a point to review investment statements together. Check in with each other to see if it’s time to adjust your strategy, and make sure you are both involved in conversations with your financial advisor, as well as your lawyers and accountants. You should talk on a regular basis to make sure you have the information you need, your goals are aligned and you’re pulling in the same direction.

78 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Advice. Beyond investing.

Your financial life encompasses much more than your investment strategy. It includes your goals for the future and how you want to live right now. UBS is committed to addressing all of your needs – giving you the confidence to pursue all of life’s goals. Jules R. Freeman is the Senior Vice President - Wealth Management at UBS Financial Services, Inc. located at 4800 N Scottsdale Road #4500, Scottsdale. Contact Jules at 888-817-8045 or 480-443-5499. * 2Q 2014 UBS Investor Watch.

ºThe information contained in this article is based on sources believed to be reliable, however, its accuracy and completeness are not

guaranteed by UBS Financial Services Inc. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as the basis for an investment decision.

In providing financial planning services, we may act as a broker-dealer or investment adviser, depending on whether we charge a fee for

the service. Financial plans provided free of charge are a service incidental to our brokerage relationship and the service terminates upon delivery of the plan. We provide financial planning services as an investment adviser for a separate fee pursuant to a written agreement, which details the terms, conditions, fee and scope of the engagement. Note that financial planning does not alter or modify in any way the nature of a client’s UBS accounts, their rights and our obligations relating to these accounts or the terms and conditions of any

UBS account agreement in effect during or after the financial planning service. Clients are not required to establish accounts, purchase products or otherwise transact business with us to implement their financial plan. Should a client decide to implement their financial plan with us, we will act as either a broker-dealer or an investment adviser, depending on the service selected. For more information

about our financial planning services for a fee, please see the Firm’s Financial Planning Disclosure Brochure. UBS Financial Services Inc., its affiliates, and its employees do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should speak with their independent legal or tax advisor regarding their particular circumstances.

Insurance and annuity products are issued by unaffiliated third-party insurance companies and made available through insurance agency subsidiaries of UBS Financial Services Inc.

Long-term care insurance may have a number of particular exclusions, limitations, reduction in benefits or other terms under which

the policy may be continued in force or discontinued. For costs and complete details of the coverage, please contact your UBS Financial Advisor.

The premiums initially listed on long-term care policies are not guaranteed and may change over the lifetime of the policy.

As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, we offer both investment advisory and brokerage services. These services

are separate and distinct, differ in material ways and are governed by different laws and separate contracts. For more information on the distinctions between our brokerage and investment advisory services, please speak with your Financial Advisor or visit our website at ubs.com/workingwithus. 160208-4671_S

Bertie Levkowitz: hidden child of the Holocaust BY MALA BLOMQUIST TUCSON RESIDENT BERTIE LEVKOWITZ WAS BORN IN HOLLAND IN 1942. When she was three months old, her parents handed her over to total strangers so that they could go into hiding. That was when Bertie would receive the title that would follow, shape and haunt her for the rest of her life: “hidden child of the Holocaust.” It all started in 1940, when Bertie’s parents were newlyweds (they were married on July 4, 1940, and were the first Jews to be married under occupation), an SS officer told her mother that he wanted their apartment. He told her that he had someone who would take care of it while they went east. She told the officer, “We are not going east,” to which he replied, “Mrs. Goslinski, all the Jews are going east.” At this point, all the Jews in Holland who had been rounded up were still in camps. Holland was under the occupation of the more severe SS, rather than a military occupation, because of its close proximity to Germany and the Germans’ intention to annex it. Bertie’s daughter, Helene Levkowitz Goodman, explains what happened to her great uncle, Bert Magnus, whom her mother is named after. “He was going to pick up some winter clothes from an uncle who was in the clothing business. A Nazi sympathizer instigated a conversation with Bert on the train and he changed the [course of the] conversation and got him to say something

nasty about Hitler. He followed Bert to the uncle’s home and he was arrested that night. They personally drove him across the border; this was in November. We have the admittance document to Buchenwald on February 1, 1942. He was writing a letter once a week saying ‘I’m healthy.’ But then the other side of the family received a death notice April 1, stating that he had died at the end of March.” It was then that the family realized that these were not work camps in the east. Bertie’s father, Herman, had been in a pre-selection camp, but he was released on medical leave. He was supposed to have an operation and check himself back in. He didn’t. Her parents couldn’t let themselves get swept up, but there were not a lot of places to hide in Holland. It was a small country, and people were afraid. Bertie explains, “They found an apartment with a wonderful man, but a 3-month-old would jeopardize everybody. They were desperate at that point to find a place for me.” Helene explains the struggle, “The first people who were supposed to hide my mother, when they went to give her to them, the mother was willing, but the husband said ‘I’m going to check with the police to see if this is allowed.’ At which point they said no, never mind, because of course, it wasn’t, it was punishable by death for you and your entire family!” At the last minute when they were about to give up, someone

In a photograph from 1942, Bertie is held by her mother, Hetty Goslinski. This was the photo that Bertie’s father, Herman Goslinski, kept with him while away at a work camp. ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 79

said: “I heard you need to hide your child.” Bertie explains, “They got directions on how and where to leave me, and that was done, and they were very lucky they got me back 3½ years later. I had a lot of addresses, a lot of movement, but I was saved and so were they. I had over 40 addresses, they think.” Whenever it got “too hot,” she would be relocated. Bertie explains the process, “As soon as you get to bond a little, they’d take you somewhere, distract you. Next thing you knew; you were with strangers again. All those strangers somehow stayed in touch. I remember walking through the town where I was born, where my parents lived after the war, and someone said ‘You’re Bertie.’ I’m not sure how they knew because I had a phony hiding name. ‘You were with us during the war for a while.’ They recognized me when I was 8 or 9!” The couple that Bertie ended up with, and who would eventually reunite her with her family, were Mr. and Mrs. Gnirp. Mrs. Gnirp became known as Oma Sweetheart to the family, essentially becoming an extra grandmother. “We have pictures of my great grandparents going on vacation with her. She took pictures of my mother in various seasons, so we know she had my mother for quite a while,” says Helene. “Do I remember [anything from] the actual hiding, no. Not in my brain, in my gut,” reflects Bertie. “What I have, and it took years, we all grew up, all us survivors, being told we’re lucky. You kept it out of your conversation, we didn’t talk about it, nobody wanted to hear about it – if you wanted to know the truth [you were told] ‘You were lucky.’” A turning point for Bertie happened when she attended the Hidden Child Foundation/ADL International Conference of Child Survivors and Their Families, the first conference for hidden children held in Washington, D.C. “The first speaker who was a hidden child, stood up and he said, ‘All of our lives, we’ve been told that we were lucky.’ At that point you could hear a pin drop,” says Bertie. “He was talking to every one of us. ‘I’m here to tell you, we weren’t lucky. Lucky wasn’t being born over there during that time. Lucky was being born in Buenos Aires or Canada.’ He was the first person to take that burden off [of us]. You grew up with a black box inside that you couldn’t open – with all these horrors of fear and abandonment and violence.” What Bertie learned at that conference and from talking to other hidden children were the emotional scars that were left from being abandoned at such a young age, “The younger ones universally had the problem. If you took a kid who had four, five or six years with parents who loved and validated them, taught them to love, trust and bond, you had a kid who went through a really crummy time but had those emotional skills developed and could use them for the rest of their lives,” she explains. “We lost that ability. Most of us never got it. We’re mostly very successful and had coped, don’t get me wrong. But there is that insecurity and lack of sense of self-worth and all that kind of stuff, and needing to belong and adapt and please, it goes across that whole group of kids and adults – because it just didn’t happen. You grew up with no TV, you heard a little radio, you listened to adults talk. Kids were seen and not heard. All you heard was this endless conversation of before the war and after the war. There was this huge divide in the world, no continuity. Just this big huge black hole that you didn’t understand or could put into words.” COLLECTING ARTIFACTS Helene has taken on the position of family archivist and has been gathering documents and photos and piecing together stories. Bertie previously donated some of her childhood items to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as part of a 1991 exhibit on hidden children including the “take care of me” note on her as a baby and a yellow Star of David that the family had to wear until they went into hiding. The museum flew out a curator to Helene’s home in Oxnard, California this past July to retrieve more of the extensive collection. There is an urgency from the museum to collect such artifacts and retrieve stories before the remaining survivors pass 80 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

The Magnus family is what is believed to be a 1910 photograph. Johanna Magnus (Jacobs) is the young girl in the center. Rose Magnus is standing behind her. Johanna was Rose’s baby sister.

Bertie in hiding at the Gnirp’s home in Groningen, Holland. Actual date unknown. All the photos from when Bertie was in hiding were dated 1944.

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An Aug. 1942 document signed by an SS officer giving Hetty (Henriette) permission to move into her parent’s home with daughter Bertie (Berti). Bertie’s father was in a work camp at the time. Bertie, taken at the Gnirp’s summer home in Norg, Holland. Ibertus (Bert) Magnus’ birthday photograph taken Sept. 23, 1941. On the back of the photo is an inscription to his mother, Rose Magnus. Bert was Bertie’s uncle and namesake; he was murdered before she was born.

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on. What makes their families’ memorabilia even more valuable is the fact that there are not many artifacts that came out of Holland. “Holland lost a small number overall, but it lost the highest percentage of Jews. The Jewish community was completely wiped out. Between 80-90% percent of the Jewish community, basically [was gone],” says Helene. Helene explains further, “When I gathered books and memoirs published by relatives in Holland and Israel – there are these family trees. You can look at it and see 80% of the family tree

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 81

gone in various concentration camps. You can see how amazing it is that our little branch of the family survived on both sides!” In addition to her mother, Helene’s grandparents, great-grandparents and a great aunt all survived. A simple postcard with a powerful message was one of the artifacts Helene’s surviving great aunt, Sari Magnus, contributed, “My great aunt, her name was Johanna Jacobs, she wrote a postcard on the train on her way to Auschwitz. She tossed it off the train and wrote on it, ‘If found, please mail.’ Somebody mailed it, and it’s addressed to some underground address, not a family address. It was delivered to the family and Sari had kept it. It said ‘We know, this is the end. We are of courage. Our fevers are broken. We have food because of what you sent us. We are on a train with 25 people lying sick and dying all around us. We are trying to keep our spirits up.’” Some of the other items Helene donated include the arrest photo of Bert, a photo of Bertie and her mother that her grandfather kept with him in the work camp, photos of her grandfather and cousins in the work camp all wearing tweed coats and yellow Stars of David, more photos of Bertie as a hidden child, a document signed by an SS officer allowing her grandmother to move in with her parents because you had to have permission to move, fake ID cards for food rations that her grandparents had, and documentation showing that her grandfather had relinquished his main form of transportation –

his bicycle. Although it is difficult to part with these priceless mementos, Helene says, “The museum can preserve it in a way that we cannot, and make it available to scholars and people all over, and share it in perpetuity. They give us museum quality duplicates, both digitally and physically. You can see original notations on the back because there copying is so good. You can see the original handwriting on the back of photos – amazing things like that come out.” An interesting perspective on the donation from a Jewish approach, the Kaddish, is the Jewish memorial prayer. As Helene explains, “The idea is that you’re doing a mitzvah to speed their way, their good name and their place in the hereafter. All of our families, were religious before the war, even if we’re not today. They didn’t, after the war, have someone to do that for them. You’re pledging to do a good deed in their name. I kind of look at donating, the push to get people to donate as the generation is dying off. It’s the ultimate good deed, because it’s the deed of perpetuity. When you give charity, it’s not permanent.” By donating these precious items to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Helene, Bertie and their surviving family members have ensured the permanence of their family’s stories for millions of people to see, learn from and remember.

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s d i K too & Teens

FAMILY TIME

Queen Never Carries: An un-P.C., anti-feminist fairytale By Debra Rich Gettleman

I have to admit it. For many years, traveling anytime between Thanksgiving and New Years left me feeling a lot more like a curmudgeonly Mr. Potter than an optimistic George Bailey. But I have happily turned the corner on holiday despondency – and I have three gallant gentlemen to thank for my elevated state. As a young mom – or rather, as an older mom of young children – traveling with my family was a lot like herding cats while carrying a small village on my back. After years of being weighed down by car seats, strollers and port-a-cribs, we switched to backpacks, pillows and various sports equipment. Next, it was MP3 players, laptops and ginormous shoes that made every bag I toted feel like a load of bricks. I felt downtrodden as I loaded heavy luggage on and off baggage racks and suitcase conveyer belts. I looked anything but graceful as I yelled at the boys to stay with me while frantically racing to departure gates wielding all of our possessions and my cheaply made roller bag that tipped over every few feet. The mere thought of a vacation requiring air travel would send me into a psychosomatic state of hives, emotional instability and pseudo-panic attacks. But no more! This holiday season, while traveling through the airport on yes, the busiest travel time of the year, I suddenly noticed a newfound lightheartedness and buoyancy. At first, I attributed this to my newly acquired TSA pre-check status. (It’s amazing how elated one can feel when not having to remove his or her shoes in the security line.) But it was bigger than a mere TSA status. As I dance-stepped through the crowded terminal, clad in jeans, a light sweater and carrying my small, leather pocketbook, I glanced to either side of me and smiled with glee. To my right was my 12-year-old son, Eli. On his back was his extra-large Flash backpack stuffed with all of his shoes, clothes and electronics. In one hand, he grasped his Phoenix Suns pillow and cell phone. In the other, he pulled my cheap roller bag, stopping to level its course after it toppled at every turn. ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 83

To my left, my 16-year-old “Queen never carries,” or For several years, we’ve had a hardson, Levi, carried his duffle “QNC.” I initiated it after bag of personal belongings, a fast rule in the Gettleman household. realizing that, although I would backpack filled with text books, never have a frilly little female to assignments and school supplies, It’s called, “Queen never carries,” or accompany me to the shopping and my unusually large makeup mall or with whom I could watch valise filled with all of my insipid chick flicks or sneak “QNC.” I initiated it after realizing necessary hair, skin and cosmetic away on spa days, I did have accoutrements (many of which three uber-tall, strapping male that, although I would never have a I confess were larger than the companions who were more 3-ounce, carry-on versions I was frilly little female to accompany me than capable of doing my heavy supposed to have packed ahead lifting. of time but ended up mindlessly When I come home from the to the shopping mall or with whom throwing into a suitcase as my supermarket, I text my arrival husband Mark sat outside in the and one, two or three of my I could watch insipid chick flicks car honking to remind me that male roomies rush out to the car we should have departed half an to carry in my groceries. After or sneak away on spa days, I did hour earlier). a long day of auditions or the Mark lugged his suitcase, closing of a show, my trio always have three uber-tall, strapping male computer satchel and my black meets me, ready to cart in my hole of a tote filled with all costumes, props and various companions who were more than of my files, books, laptop and other items so I can enter the enough food for an army in case house unburdened. capable of doing my heavy lifting. we suddenly found ourselves QNC has made my life stranded in Coeur d’Alene, significantly less stressful, Idaho with no procurable improved my herniated disc sustenance in sight. and made me way less resentful For several years, we’ve had a at having to do a boatload of hard-fast rule in the Gettleman household. It’s called, soul-sucking, homemaker tasks I never dreamt would occupy so much of my daily routine. Like osmosis, my QNC rule has seeped into my family’s collective psyche – and without any nagging, nudging or strident declarations from me, the boys have intuitively begun to apply the QNC rule to all Endless Opportunities to Move, Learn, and Excel! circumstances in which I might be inclined to lift, hoist or heave anything heavier than a light jacket or handbag. This recent vacation prompted a stark revelation. “From this point forward,” I marveled, “I will never have to lug a suitcase, duffle bag or computer bag through an airport.” I looked up and the terminal lights twinkled gleefully as angelic music filled the walkway. I floated effortlessly toward our departure gate, a beatific glow radiating from my countenance. My world was perfect. USAG Certified Staff USA Gymnastics Member I smiled graciously at the gate agent as I victoriously handed Club since 1995 her our boarding passes. She matched my broad smile and said, “I’m so sorry, but this flight isn’t until tomorrow. You’re all booked to fly on Thanksgiving afternoon, not today.” Just when you think you’ve made it in life, reality intrudes, reminding you that yes, Virginia, there is no Utopia, free lunch or Garden of Eden – but there’s still QNC.

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84 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Debra Rich Gettleman is a mother, blogger, actor and playwright. For more of her work, visit unmotherlyinsights.com

Kids & teens too

Tivnu: Shaping young Jewish adults through social justice work

2016-17 Tivnu participants David, Sophie, Noah and Yoni proudly pose in front of a Habitat for Humanity home they helped construct in the Cully neighborhood, along with Tivnu Construction Coach Erik Brakstad (second from right).

By Shuly Wasserstrom

Ten years ago, it was just gaining traction. Then it became a trend. But today taking a gap year between high school and college is the norm. Teens who choose not to go straight to college have dozens of options for what to do with their time. Some travel, some work and some join programs like Portland’s Tivnu, a gap year program that explores connections between Jewish life, social justice and community service. Although relatively new, with its first year in 2014, Tivnu has become established as a one-of-a-kind program for 17- to 20-year-olds. Participants live together in a house in Northeast Portland, intern at various organizations and volunteer their time to hands-on social justice activism. Jewish programming and outdoor-focused trips are also offered throughout the year. Nadav Furgang, a Massachusetts native, participated in the

program last year and says the experience was life-changing. He spent the year dividing his time among three internships – at Habitat for Humanity, Sisters of the Road Cafe and Living Room, a part of Central City Concern. Nadav says he was originally drawn to the program because he wanted to spend his gap year volunteering. To attend, he deferred from Middlebury College, where he is now a freshman. The Vermont college actually encourages students to defer and take a gap year, Nadav says. In college now, Nadav says the year in Portland equipped him with life experience he wouldn't otherwise have. “It’s not a program meant to prepare you for an intense academic setting, but it helps you mature and learn to manage your life,” he says. “Having done a variety of hands-on work during my year in Portland has helped me handle big assignments in school better.” ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 85

Nadav says his time on Tivnu gave him tools to begin an independent life as an adult. “There’s a great balance of support and independence on the program,” he says.

Nadav says his time on Tivnu gave him tools to begin an independent life as an adult. “There’s a great balance of support and independence on the program,” he says. At Sisters of the Road cafe, he learned a sense of community, but it wasn’t always easy. “It’s a cross between a food kitchen and a cafe, and most people pay for food with barter, so I was in the kitchen working alongside people who worked to eat,” he says. “But it was great to have a support system within Tivnu, since the placements are tough and challenging.” He made lifelong friends on the program and credits the communal living for preparing him better for living in the dorms. The housemates cook and eat together two to three times a week, including Shabbat. “We didn't just get lucky that we all got along so well. The program did a good job knowing how to help us work and live together,” Nadav explains. The cohort from last year, made up of eight people, was only the second, giving each student an opportunity to make an impact on the program going forward. “Everyone had a say in how we wanted it to run so it could be best the experience for those involved,” Nadav says. Steve Eisenbach-Budner started the program two years ago out of a desire to create an experience for young people that would combine Jewish practice with hands-on work.

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azjewishlife.com 86 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Tivnu was the first Jewish gap year program in the United States, Steve says. “Most Jewish gap year programs are in Israel. But I figure these young adults will end up living in the United States, so it's important to give them the option of an intensive practicum in Jewish life here.” He wanted to offer young adults a rich Jewish experience that was also about social justice and making the world a better place. “Pieces of our Jewishness can contribute to young adults becoming more competent adults,” he says. “In high school, it's all about academics. Tivnu is much more than that, and different kids get to shine in different ways.” The program aims to be holistic, starting with head, heart and hands. This often means teaching a whole set of skills that many young Jewish adults don't have. Almost all of the participants work for Habitat for Humanity as a core part of the programming. While most graduates of the program will likely work in a professional capacity other than physical labor, Steve sees value in teaching those skills to strengthen a sense of self. “It’s valuable for both men and women to learn a sense of confidence in their bodies. To be able to build a house is a really profound thing,” he says. Steve says he sees growth and change in the participants during their nine months in Portland, and hears the same from parents. “Soon after I created the program, I found that as much as it's about Judaism and social justice, it's also very much about supporting the kids as they grow into adulthood.” By the end of the program, each participant has given around 1,000 hours to the community. As Steve points out, with eight participants, that's 8,000 volunteer hours, the equivalent of four full-time jobs. Organizations where the participants volunteer are extremely appreciative. "We've formed strong relationships with many different nonprofits as they've grown to appreciate the great work that our participants are contributing. We're trying to help these organizations build their capacity so they can do more of the great work that they're already doing,” Steve says. The program hopes to double in size next year, expanding to a second house and eventually to another city. Steve says grant money from various foundations makes it possible for more than half of Tivnu participants to receive tuition assistance. There are also two scholarship options for members or alumni of BBYO or Jewish community centers.

Gap Year Registration

Tivnu: Building Justice Registration is open for 2017-18 gap year cohort. Priority application deadline (including a $4,000 early bird discount): Jan. 1 Standard application deadline (with a $2,000 discount): March 1 Final deadline: April 25. TIVNU: 503-232-1864 | steve@tivnu.org | tivnu.org

Kids & teens too

y r a u n a J s t n e Ev

Ongoing:

CLUB J AT THE VALLEY OF THE SUN JCC

Provides after-school programming ranging from sports to cooking and crafts to Israeli culture and more for those in K-8. Transportation from nearby schools available. Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-634-4949 or youth@vosjcc. org, vosjcc.org.

J CARE AT THE EAST VALLEY JCC

Parent drop-off or bus transportation from area schools for grades K-7. Includes homework club, cooking, Israeli culture, dance, sports, gymnastics and more. Early pick-ups from Kyrene schools on Wednesday early dismissals. East Valley Jewish Community Center, 908 N Alma School Road, Chandler. Contact Jeff at 480-897-0588 or hastj@evjcc.org, evjcc.org.

J-CARE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM AT THE TUCSON JCC

Includes a variety of activities, Homework Hangout program (help from education specialists), arts, sports or teens can hang in the Youth Lounge. Bus transportation from schools available for K-12. Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E River Road, Tucson. Contact Scott at 520-299-3000 ext. 192 or szorn@tucsonjcc.org, tucsonjcc.org.

Through Jan. 9

WINTER CAMP RIMON at the East Valley Jewish Community

Center, 980 N Alma School Road, Chandler. Field trips, themed activities, sports, art projects, cooking, science and more. 9 am-3:30 pm; extended hours available. Daily and weekly pricing. 480-897-0588 or evjcc.org.

Jan. 2-6 & 16

FIT-N-FUN DAY CAMP at Xtreme Gymnastics, 15821 N 79th St. #3, Scottsdale from 9 am-3 pm; extended hours available. Gymnastics, trampoline, group challenge activities, obstacle courses, team sports, inflatables and more. For ages 3-12. Half- and full-day options. $49-62 daily rate; $199-$256 weekly rate. Reservations required. 480-5963543 or xtreme@xtremegymnastics.com.

Jan. 6, 13, 20 & 27

MOMMY & ME ROCK SHABBAT at Temple Kol Ami Early

Childhood Center, 15030 N 64th St., Scottsdale from 9-10:30 am. Teacher-led class for moms and their children ages infant to 2 years. Moms connect and share experiences while their children learn and grow. Classes are just $5 per class (or $35 for a 10-class pass) for Temple Kol Ami members. Non-members pay $10 per class (or $75 for a 10- class pass). For registration or information contact 480-951-5825 or tkaecc@templekolami.org.

Jan. 9

J AFTERSCHOOL ENRICHMENT REGISTRATION Open

at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale at 10 am. Sign up your child today for programs in art, cooking, karate, sports, science and LEGO engineering and robotics. Limited spots available. 480-634-4949 or youth@vosjcc.org.

Jan. 9, 16, 23 & 30

PARENT-TOT CLASS for ages up to 24 months and their parent(s). Participants sign songs, make art projects, read stories, have a snack and share parenting advice. Free. 9-11 am at Congregation Anshei Israel, 5550 E 5th St., Tucson. 520-745-5550 ext. 229 or lynne@caiaz.org.

Jan. 11

COLLEGE READINESS WORKSHOP at the Tucson Jewish

Community Center, 3800 E River Road, Tucson at 6:30 pm. Learn how to choose a college that’s right for you, scholarship and financial aid tips, essay writing tips and how to make the transition to college. Free. 520299-3000 or tucsonjcc.org.

CAI KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE for the 2017-18 school year at Congregation Anshei Israel, 5550 E 5th St., Tucson from 7-8 pm. Meet Director Lynn Falkow-Strauss and classrrom teacher Ronnie Miller to learn about the coming year and curriculum. Free. 520-745-5550 ext. 229 or caiaz.org.

Jan. 14

K’TON TIME at Congregation Anshei Israel, 5550 E 5th St., Tucson

from 10:30-11 am. This fun & lively 20-minute service led by Gabby Erbst includes songs, prayers, stories & games; playground time for kids & schmoozing time for parents; kid-friendly kiddush. Geared to families with kids ages 1 to 6, but every family is welcome! 520-745-5550 or rabbi@caiaz.org.

PARENT’S NIGHT OUT AT XTREME GYMNASTICS,

15821 N 79th St. #3, Scottsdale from 6-10 pm. Leave your kids for a fun-filled Saturday evening of gymnastics fun, games and group activities while you go out and have a lively time of your own! For ages 3-12; open to non-members. $24/individual, $58/family. Reservations required. 480-596-3543 or xtreme@xtremegymnastics.com.

Jan. 18-Feb. 8

PARENTING WITH LOVE AND LOGIC TECHNIQUES

at Congregation Anshei Israel, 5550 E 5th St., Tucson. A four-week parenting course that combines the Parenting with Love and Logic Program with other well-known methods of empowering parents to create strategies that work for each individual. 6:30-8:30 pm. $88 for four-week course. 520-404-9300 or parentinginpeace@gmail.com.

Jan. 20

FAMILY SHABBAT DINNER at Temple Emanu-El, 225 N Country

Club Road, Tucson from 5:30-8 pm. Shabbat dinner at 5:30 pm of kosher chicken and sides (vegetarian upon request). Then an energetic, musical Shabbat service for the whole family at 6:30 pm, followed by dessert oneg. All are welcome; please RSVP for the dinner. Diner is $12/adults, under 13 free. 520-327-4501 or mila@templeemanueltucson.org.

Jan. 22

BIKE-A-THON presented by Yeshiva High School of Arizona at Mountain View Park 8625 E Mountain View Road, Scottsdale. Rides range from 2 ½ to 35 miles and start at 10 am. All riders receive a Bikea-thon T-shirt. Register at azyeshiva.org. ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 87

L iving

TO LIFE!

Challenging judgments about others can change our world

By Amy Hirshberg Lederman

My cell phone rings and Mom’s name flashes on the screen. “I’m ashamed of myself,” she whispers into the phone. “Oh, hi Mom. About what?” I ask. My mother typically begins our phone conversations as if we have been talking for a while. “I played bridge today and was stuck with a real dud for a partner,” she says. “Her name was Alice and she barely talked to me. She couldn’t keep her mind on anything and kept checking her cellphone, which never rang, by the way, which is why I don’t want one.” “Good call about the cellphone,” I assure her. Though maybe not such a good call about Alice, I think to myself. A bit of back story: My mother has a tendency to judge people (and evidently cellphones) by outward appearances and first impressions. True, we all make assessments of others based on how they look, dress, talk, even eat, but her quick judgments have always been a problem for me. “So what happened, Mom?” I ask, ready to defend Alice even though we have never met. “We played bridge and just like I suspected, she was terrible,” she says. “She didn’t concentrate on the game for more than a minute and kept looking at the door as if she couldn’t wait to get out of there. I kept reminding her that it was her turn.” My mom was silent for a moment, then continued, “But after the game, a woman came up to her and asked how she was doing. ‘Not so good,’ Alice whispered. ‘I’m waiting to hear from my doctor about my kidneys. They aren’t working right and I may need dialysis.’” My mother was shocked. It had never occurred to her that her “dud of a partner” might have been worried or scared about her health. Mom was ashamed – of herself and of how quickly she had misjudged the situation. “I got up and went over to Alice and told her that I was going to think of her all weekend and hope that she gets good news,” said Mom. With tears in her eyes, Alice thanked her. What started as Mom’s unwarranted assumption ended in the beginning of a friendship. That Monday, Mom called Alice and learned that she wouldn’t need dialysis after all. Mom hung up, but not before telling Alice that she looked forward to seeing her again soon – and she meant it. It’s so easy, and so very human, to judge another person, culture, race, gender or religion without really knowing much about them, their values and their reality. The critical judge who lives within each of us creates a story or generalization about another person or culture, which is often based more on perception and rumor than on fact. But it is that story that becomes the foundation upon which we base our future thoughts and actions. The real crime is what happens to us when we unfairly judge others. Unfair assessments limit our ability to learn and appreciate different people or cultures. They break down the connections

88 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

and common humanity we all share by erecting barriers between us. And they restrict our ability to grow and become compassionate human beings. In the end, unfair judgments about others reflect more on our own character than they do on the person whom we are judging. Challenging our judgments about others can change our world in positive ways. That is why the Torah commands us to “love your neighbor as yourself,” which is further refined in Pirkei Avot as: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.” That rule works for me, because I hate being judged by others! The bottom line is that if I don’t want others to judge me based on the choices I make or the way I live, then I have to be open to others in the same way. Simply put: Unless I am willing to be open-minded to others’ choices, decisions and ways of life, I won’t be able to judge them fairly. I love that my Mom came to a similar conclusion without the benefit of reading Leviticus or Pirkei Avot. Because in the end, we all stand to grow and learn if we follow the sage words written by Rabbi Hillel over 2,000 years ago: “Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place.”

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Amy Hirshberg Lederman has written more than 300 columns and essays that have been published nationwide. amyhirshberglederman.com

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L iving

Israeli-American Council and Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix form Joint Venture

At the IAC Arizona Center community kick-off event, IAC Shishi Israeli, more than 300 people enjoyed a unique Israeli-style Shabbat dinner program.

On Nov. 18, 2016, the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix and the Israeli-American Council (IAC) announced a major joint venture agreement that promises to enrich Jewish life in Arizona and more closely connect the Jewish-American and Israeli-American communities in the region. With the launch of the new partnership, the IAC opened its 11th regional office and has assumed management of the federation’s popular Israel Center, forming the IAC Arizona Center. It is located on the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus in Scottsdale. Shahar Edry, the former director of the Israel Center at the Federation, has been named IAC Arizona Regional Director. Both organizations thank Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson for their vision and support in establishing IAC Arizona and the joint venture as part of the IAC’s expansion nationwide. “This partnership marks a significant step forward in our organization’s rapid growth, and sends a clear message about the powerful unity and synergy between our communities. We believe that replicating this IAC-Federation collaboration model will bring a new wave of Israeli- Americans into the Jewish American community,” said IAC Co-Chair and CEO, Shoham Nicolet. “From Boston to Washington, D.C., from Tenafly, N.J. to Arizona, the IAC is engaging with our Jewish American partners in unprecedented ways, highlighting how 90 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Israeli-Americans and Jewish-Americans can mutually benefit by working closely together.” Federation President & CEO Stuart Wachs believes the partnership will capitalize on the strengths of both organizations, and ultimately increase connections and engagement between the local Jewish and Israeli-American communities. “This joint venture will enable two organizations already doing fantastic work engaging Phoenix’s Israeli-American community to do even more,” says Wachs. “With our combined resources and brand recognition, the IAC and the Federation will be able to serve the community more broadly, advancing our shared values and interests.” For many years, the federation’s Israel Center has offered an array of programming to integrate Phoenix’s Israeli-American community with the local Jewish community. By combining forces with the IAC, the two organizations will leverage their capabilities, connections, skill sets and leadership to provide better services, more community support, and a stronger bond with the State of Israel. The partnership also brings the entire portfolio of IAC programs and community building expertise to Arizona and could serve as a hub of IAC activity for the entire Four Corners region that consists of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

Federation donor appreciation and award brunch honorees By Tal Peri

“I've only been here for a short while, but I travel a lot and have seen many Jewish communities. I ask you: 'where have you guys been hiding?’ I mean, you are truly special. You are great,” complimented veteran IDF soldier Izzy Ezagui at the end of his speech as guest speaker at the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix Donor Appreciation and Awards Brunch, that took place at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center on Dec. 11. Izzy Ezagui returned to the IDF after losing an arm The annual event is the federation's way of saying “thank you,” once a year, to during Operation Cast Lead. local members of the community who contribute. One such contributor is former NBA player Joel Kramer, who received a Medal of Honor for over 30 years of donating both money and time to Phoenix and statewide Jewish communities. The medal was given to Kramer by longtime friend Len Miller who, over 30 years ago, gave him his first job after his official retirement from professional basketball, as an accountant at CBIZ, Inc. CBIZ is one of the biggest companies of its kind in Arizona. “One of the best business decision of my career,” said Miller about hiring the then almost inexperienced Kramer, who became a partner in the company in only six years, and has also been on the board of the local Jewish Federation the past 25 years. In his speech, Kramer described humorously how he was almost “dragged” at the time, as a young NBA recruit, to donate $1,000 a year to the Jewish Federation, and later to more and more responsibilities. “I was joking, of course,” he said after the ceremony, “sometimes you need mentors to put you on the right path to what it is you already know you are supposed to do. You don’t sit on a board, any board, for 25 years if you're not The women of Congregation Or Tzion received the convinced this is the place you want to be, and these are the Bella Latchman Community Service Award. things you want to do. However, maybe by giving me this medal they try to hint that they have had enough of me. I don't know. I'm not going anywhere, though.” "I remember soldiers in my unit Other recipients of awards at the ceremony were the women of Congregation Or Tzion, led by Linda Moskowitz, who received the Belle thinking I'm a crazy American Latchman Community Service Award for “Project Isaiah.” The project collected 2,700 pounds of food, which was distributed through the low-cost kid, just because I came to Israel food pantry, “Kitchen in the Street,” and to hungry children in schools all and volunteered. When I asked over the Valley. The Lee Amada Young Leadership Award was given to Lily Behboodi, who has established herself, for the past five years, as a rising to go back, after I lost the arm, power in the local Jewish community. But, above all, the ceremony will be remembered due to the appearance of for them it was just another crazy guest speaker Izzy Ezagui. Now 28, and living in New York, this young man thing. But I just knew I had to of Canadian-Cuban origins, who grew up in Miami, wowed the crowd. finish what I started. " Izzy was on vacation in Israel with his family when he was first exposed ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 91

to a terror attack, and later as Izzy witnessed by an during another visit decided to exchange on social media, “I join the IDF. In 2008, during still see photos of me every “Operation Cast Lead” in the once in a while on Facebook, Gaza Strip, Izzy was hit by and people comment and say, shrapnel and lost his dominant ‘I’ll never go to war with this arm. That did not change his guy by my side, he can't have decision to go back to active my back,’ and almost always combat service, even though there is someone who served all the medical personnel and in my unit responding, ‘You army officials said it couldn't don't know what you're be done. In 2011, Izzy, back in saying, I was in the army an IDF uniform, received the with him and I will put my highest honor that an Israeli life in his hand anytime.’ Medal of Honor recipient Joel Kramer. soldier can receive outside the Some of these people I have battlefield from then-Israeli not seen in years, but they President Shimon Peres. Izzy still feel so strongly about still serves yearly in his old unit’s reserve force, and often travels me. In a way, that is why I keep doing what I do.” through Jewish communities in the U.S. and the world sharing When Izzy was told he would be receiving the award from his story and encouraging people to contribute to the state of President Peres, he was in the middle of IDF command school Israel. “It's an incredibly strong country,” he says, “but they also and was angry because if he left, he would miss 10 days of need a lot of help.” training. “My commanding officers had to threaten me with jail “I remember soldiers in my unit thinking I'm a crazy time,” he explains. “But on that stage, they had dozens of other American kid, just because I came to Israel and volunteered,” soldiers who received awards, but Major General Benny Gantz, Izzy said after the ceremony. “When I asked to go back, after who was the IDF chief of staff, chose to mention me. I think I lost the arm, for them it was just another crazy thing. But that was the first time I realized the great responsibility I now I just knew I had to finish what I started. Not let anything carry. I'm not going to back away from that.” and anyone decide for me what I can and can't do. I've been Tal Peri is a writer and photographer, originally from Israel, who know through many exams to prove I can hold my own in combat.” resides in Phoenix. Apparently others feel that he can hold his own as well,

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FEDERATION NOTES

Looking forward to 2017 By Stuart Wachs

As we start 2017, I want to thank everyone for the support you gave, through federation, to our community and to Jewish communities around. The federation truly touches more Jewish lives, directly and indirectly, here in Phoenix, across the country and around the globe, than any other Jewish organization. Your support makes an enormous difference. In 2016, the federation continued to grow our core impact areas of Senior Services, NowGen and Israel Advocacy. We also expanded support to our strategic partners. Below are some highlights of the impacts you helped make happen: - Allocation of $58,000 to provide rides for our community’s seniors so they can maintain their independence and attend social and Jewish activities. The need is so great that the federation is looking to significantly increase funding for the program through campaign growth and work with foundations. Also, the federation has helped connect more than 2,000 seniors to needed services. - Creation of a regional IAC office, IACArizona. The federation partnered with the Israeli American Council to create the regional office located at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus. This collaborative effort will bring significantly more resources to our community and region to engage our local Israeli-American community and the general community around Israel. - Engagement of hundreds of young Jewish adults who were previously not connected with any Jewish organizations or programs, as well as the launch of Shalom Phoenix, welcoming young adults new to our Phoenix Jewish community. The federation’s NowGen program has engaged over 1,000 young Jewish adults in 2016. As we look forward to 2017, and beyond, federation leadership has created a seven-year “road map” to guide us in increasing our impact and to demonstrate to donors how the impacts can exponentially grow as our campaign grows. The road map outlines how, through your support, we can play a role in providing a strong foundation for our strategic partners, make major inroads into our core impact areas and add two more impact areas in coming years. We look forward to sharing this road map with the community and towards your support. Be part of the excitement! Get involved, provide support and share in the joy of giving and creating. Here is to a great 2017 for everyone in our community! Stuart Wachs is president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix.

FEDERATION MATTERS Your donation to the Federation impacts thousands of lives... • Caring for Jews in need and building vibrant Jewish communities • Increasing understanding and support for Israel • Engaging young Jewish adults with their Jewish identity and community • Helping seniors age in place with Jewish dignity

Your gift matters

Helping Jews in need and building vibrant Jewish communities here, in Israel and throughout the world. 480.481.1757 | jewishphoenix.org/donate

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 93

PREVIEWS AN AFTERNOON WITH SPEAKER AND AUTHOR MARTY BROUNSTEIN

Shadow Rock United Church of Christ at 12861 N Eighth Ave., Phoenix and Congregation Merkaz Ha-Iyr will be hosting a special program at 11:30 am on Jan. 29 featuring Marty Brounstein, author of Two Among the Righteous Few: A Story of Courage in the Holocaust. He brings a true interfaith story of courage, compassion, and rescue about a Christian couple in the Netherlands named Frans and Mien Wijnakker who, despite much risk and danger, saved the lives of over two dozen Marty Brounstein Jews during the Holocaust and World War II. Marty also has a meaningful personal connection to this story and its heroes, which he reveals in his engaging storytelling presentation. A book signing (just $15 for the book) follows the presentation. Marty has been on an unexpected journey in sharing this special story in a variety of venues and a dozen other cities beyond his home base of the San Francisco Bay Area, now well into its 6th year. He is back again in the Valley for a speaking series on this special story that will continue through March. For more information, call 602-993-0050 or visit martyabrounstein. com.

Values, and Community. Taste of Judaism is an exciting learning opportunity for anyone who is simply curious about Judaism or who wants to deepen knowledge and gain understanding of Jewish culture, history, rituals, community, and practice. In addition, the class includes delicious "tastes" of traditional Jewish foods prepared by Temple Emanu-El's Women of Reform Judaism. The sessions are free and open to all, regardless of religious background, but you do need to pre-register. Taste students routinely say they have fun, feel very welcome, and emerge more knowledgeable and inspired to learn more. Rabbi Cohon attributes the success of Taste of Judaism to Temple Emanu-El’s strong commitment to make Judaism fresh and interesting, The Jewish Community Center is located at 3800 E River Road, Tucson. To register and for more information, call the Temple Emanu-El office at 520-327-4501.

ITZHAK PERLMAN AND NAVAH PERLMAN COMING TO MESA ARTS CENTER

Violin virtuoso, Itzhak Perlman is coming to the Mesa Arts Center at One E Main St. in Mesa for one evening on Jan. 12 at 7:30 pm. Perlman will be accompanied by pianist Rohan de Silva. Their performance will include pieces from Vivaldi, Beethoven, Schumann and Stravinsky. Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to his irrepressible joy for making music. Ticket prices range from $50-$90 and are available through the Mesa Arts Center box office at 480-6446500 or online at mesaartscenter.com. On Feb. 16 at 7:30 pm, Itzhak’s daughter, Navah Perlman, will perform and recount her journey growing up with her famous father. An accomplished pianist, Navah has performed with chamber music groups, major orchestras around the world and with her father at the White House. Tickets to her performance range from $30-$70 and can be purchased through the information for the Mesa Arts Center above.

TASTE OF JUDAISM AT THE J

Temple Emanu-El and Tucson Jewish Community Center join forces to bring the celebrated class, “A Taste of Judaism,” to the Tucson community on Jan. 8, 16, and 22 from 2-4 pm. Taught by Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon and Rabbi Batsheva Appel, the Taste of Judaism is free and open to all – Jewish or not. In the last 17 years, approximately 5,800 students have taken advantage of the wonderfully accessible Taste of Judaism classes. An open, interactive exploration of the history and practice of Judaism, the class meets in three two-hour sessions covering the topics of Spirituality, 94 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

“THIS IS HUNGER” EXHIBIT COMING TO TUCSON

The Tucson Jewish Community Center is proud to host “This Is Hunger,” a national touring exhibit that will be in Tucson from Jan. 5-8. This first-of-itskind free exhibit will bring Tucsonans face to face with the stark realities of hunger through state-of-the-art storytelling techniques and interactive elements. “We often think of hunger in stereotypes, such as the homeless person walking down the street, but the reality of hunger in Tucson is much more complex,” said Todd Rockoff, president and CEO of the Tucson J. “This exhibit gives us an opportunity to engage the whole community with an incredible experience that will change the way you look at hunger. We want to help everyone understand that those who are hungry can be your neighbor who just lost her job or the teenager at school who can’t concentrate properly because he isn’t eating enough nutritious food at home.” To raise awareness about the prevalence of hunger in Tucson, the Tucson J partnered with MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger to bring “This Is Hunger” to a local audience. The exhibit features black and white portraits by an internationally renowned photojournalist and the stories of dozens of Americans who have had difficulty putting enough nutritious food on the table each day. Through digital and hands-on activities, “This Is Hunger” takes participants on a compelling journey that draws them into the real-life circumstances of these individuals and deepens their awareness about who in America struggles with hunger and why. Visitors are then encouraged to educate others and advocate for change. “This Is Hunger” is housed in a 53-foot-long double expandable semitrailer that, when parked and opened on both sides, provides nearly 1,000 square feet of exhibit space. The exhibit is on a 10-month national tour that is stopping in more than 30 cities across the country. For free ticket reservations and tour times, visit thisishunger.org.

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L iving

FACES & PLACES JEWISH MOM RECOGNIZED - Director General of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs Dvir Kahana (left) and JWRP Co-Founder and President Cindy Zitelman (right) recognized Lauren Buchwald as The Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project’s 10,000th Momentum trip participant at an event on Dec. 13. At this event, some 450 Jewish mothers from six countries around the world, many of whom – including Buchwald – were on their first visit to Israel, celebrated their life-changing journeys.

BAND LIGHTS UP DOWNTOWN - As an official sponsor of this year’s APS Electric Light Parade, Michael Pollack’s float dazzled crowds on Dec. 3, with its oneof-a-kind 10-piece band showcasing Pollack himself on drums and his bandmate stars’ Jesse McGuire, Joey Trujillo and Doc Boles.

FAMILY FUN WITH THE JTO - The Jewish Tuition Organizations first Family Fun Day on Nov. 13 was a great day of fun for approximately 400 attendees. Families had the opportunity to speak with schools supported by the JTO and learn about JTO scholarship opportunities. The event was held at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus in Scottsdale.

Circle of Sapphire Members, from left, Toni Dusik (Arizona board president), Sue Rothberg, Carol Knoppow, T. Lungwitz, Randi Jablin, Marlene Shapiro and Renee Resler at the Jewish National Fund’s Arizona Women for Israel Luncheon held on Dec. 7 at Chateau Luxe in Phoenix. Ethan Zohn, “Survivor” winner, cancer survivor and advocate for Israel was the keynote speaker.

96 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Q&A WITH MICHAEL POLLACK - More than 75 real estate and finance professionals attended the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix Business & Professionals Q&A with Michael Pollack on Nov. 10 at the Biltmore Financial Center. Participants had the opportunity to network with other professionals and learned from Pollack’s 43 years of experience in real estate. From left: Business & Professionals Chair Eliot Kaplan with Michael Pollack and Federation Board Chair Steven Schwarz.

LADIES FIRST- More than 50 women attended the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix’s Ladies First event on Dec. 1, an engaging and inspiring evening of advice, stories and personal anecdotes from a panel of top-level, female Jewish entrepreneurs. Panelists included Aly Saxe, Lucia Schnitzer and Beth Jo Zeitzer with Kathy Sacks as moderator. Photo by Amanda Garcia.

ON BROADWAY - Karen and Jay Bycer got to their seats early for the closing night of “Beautiful: The Carol King Musical” at ASU Gammage in Tempe. Photo by Leni Reiss

HONORING BILL LEVINE - More than 750 people attended the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center’s gala honoring Bill Levine on Nov. 19 at the Arizona Biltmore. The evening raised over $1.2 million for The J and its programs. From left: Amy & Andrew Cohn, Susan & Bill Levine and Rachel & Jonathan Hoffer.

MINISTRY MEETING - Leni Reiss visits with former Phoenix resident Joel Rebibo, news editor of Hamodia’s English language weekly, prior to a press conference at the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

ART GALORE - Among the artists displaying wares at Hidden in the Hills in late November was Lori Greenberg (“bead maker/jewelry builder”) pictured with her husband Steve. The 20th annual event is a studio art tour coordinated by the Sonoran Art League. Photo by Leni Reiss

TUCSON GROUNDBREAKING - The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new building, The Harvey and Deanna Evenchik Center for Jewish Philanthropy, on Dec, 4th.Stuart Mellan had the honor of digging the first shovel of dirt. Photo by Damion Alexander

GEM OF AN EVENING - Susan Greenfield and Hugh Emmer flank host Ed Marshall at the annual E. D. Marshall Jewelers holiday event in Scottsdale. Photo by Leni Reiss

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | JANUARY 2017 97

JANUARY CALENDAR Through Jan. 21

Jan. 13

Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World Selected Artworks of Beth Ames Swartz at the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, 122 E Culver St., Phoenix. Beth Ames Swartz has had a remarkable artistic career for over fifty-five years including more than seventy museum and gallery exhibitions, three books, five catalogs, numerous critically acclaimed national reviews and three traveling museum exhibitions. For more information, contact Jeffrey Schesnol at 602241-7870 or jschesnol@azjhs.org.

The American Musical at Embassy Suites 5001 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 9:30 am-12:30 pm. Presented by Brandeis National Committee. Assistant Prof., Department of Theater Arts at Brandeis University, Ryan McKittrick, will discuss the evolution of the American musical from its roots in the 19th century through the 20th century to current Broadway hits. $43 for presentation and breakfast. 440-503-3339 or bncphxreg@gmail.com.

Through Jan. 29

Maricopa County Home Show. See page 68.

Illuminations: Aleph to Tav at the Tucson Jewish Community Center Fine Art Gallery, 3800 E River Road, Tucson. A mixed-media exploration of the Aleph Bet by Lynn Rae Lowe. 9 am-9 pm Mon.Thur. and 9 am-6 pm Fri. & Sun. Artist’s reception on Dec. 4 from 2-4 pm. For more information, visit tucsonjcc.org or lynnraelowe.com.

Jan. 13-15

U.S. $3 adults, free or Carefree residents. 480837-5637 or thunderbirdartists.com.

Jan. 21 Humor Day in Sedona at the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, 100 Meadow Lark Dr., Sedona. Workshop featuring Richard Zoglin, senior editor and theater critic at Time Magazine and an evening program of local comedy talent. Free for workshop; $15 ($12 in advance) for evening program. Call 928-204-1286 for reservations.

Jan. 24

Sculpture & Wine Festival in Fountain Hills at 16810 E Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills from 10 am-5 pm. A unique celebration of sculptors gathering from across the globe. $3 admission. 480-837-5637 or thunderbirdartists.com.

Schmooze & Pastry with Chani at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 11 am-noon. Enjoy homemade pastries and stimulating conversation with Chani. A collaboration with Smile On Seniors. Contact Chani at 602-4927670 or chani@sosaz.org.

Jan. 1

Jan. 13-March 26

Jan. 26

New Year’s Day Auction at J. Levine Auction & Appraisal, 10345 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale at 11 am. Whether you’re looking to get your hands on the best items in the southwest or consign your items to the most sophisticated buyers, our New Year’s Day auction is a must attend event. Free mimosas and paddles. 480448-2236 or jlevines.com

Arizona Fine Art EXPO. See page 54.

Gain the Edge Negotiation Training at Perkins Coie, 2901 N Central Ave. #2000, Phoenix at 5:30 pm. Join Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix Business & Professionals Groups and learn how to gain the edge in any negotiation. The event features national negotiation expert Martin Latz, author of Gain the Edge! Negotiation to Get What You Want. First 50 registered, receive a free copy. $36 professional; $18 student includes beer, wine and appetizers. Dietary laws observed. Register at jewishphoenix.org/gaintheedge.

Jan. 5-8 “This is Hunger” exhibit coming to Tucson. See page 94.

Jan. 6 NowGen Shabbat Hop at Temple Emanuel, 5801 S Rural Road, Tempe at 6:30 pm. An optional Rock Shabbat service featuring Shabba-Tones jazz/rock band is followed by a private kosher dinner at 7:30pm. Rock Shabbat lasts one hour and includes dancing with the Torah and a short story. $10 per person. Registration closes Wed., Jan. 4 at 5pm: jewishphoenix.org/ shabbathopjan.

Jan. 6-29 Fiddler on the Roof. See page 48.

Jan. 8, 16 & 22 A Taste of Judaism. See page 94.

Jan. 12 “Life In A Jar: The Irena Sendler Project.” See page 50. Itzak Perlman coming to the Mesa Arts Center. See page 94.

Jan. 12-22 Tucson International Jewish Film Festival. See page 36. 98 JANUARY 2017 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Jan. 15 Community Open House at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 10 am-2 pm. New state-of-the-art weight room, demonstrations, membership deals, activities and prizes. Free. 480-483-7121 or vosjcc.org.

Jan. 17, 24 & 31 Jewish Studies at Beth Emeth Congregation, 13701 W Meeker Blvd., Sun City West at 9:30 am. Rabbi Leo Abrami will teach classes about the Jewish faith. Free; sign up each week by calling 623-584-7210.

Jan. 19 JNF Arizona Tree of Life Award Dinner at the Camby Hotel, 2401 E Camelback Road, Phoenix from 7-9 pm. Honoring Tree of Live award recipient Dr. Michael Crow and Golden Branch Tree of Life recipients Ann and Ted Zinman. $180/ young professionals (under 40)/ /nonprofit professionals/clergy/ASU professors; $350/ general admission. Register at 480-447-8100 ext. 932 or jnf.org/aztol17.

Jan. 28-30 12th Annual West Valley Jewish Film Festival. See page 39.

Jan. 29

An Afternoon with Speaker and Author Marty Brounstein. See page 94.

Feb. 8 Jewish Genetic Diseases Annual Luncheon at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 11:30 am-1:30 pm. Rabbi Joe Black will share his personal story and perform his music. $54/person. To register, call 480-668-3347 or jewishgeneticsphx.org.

Feb. 9

NowGen Happy Hour at Linger Lounger Lounge, 6522 N 16th St., Phoenix from 6-8 pm. Enjoy games, drinks, and catching up with friends while learning how to get involved in the Jewish community. Register at jewishphoenix.org/ happyhourjan.

Ladies First: Rising to C-Level at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale at 6:30 pm. The third presentation in the Ladies First series will feature woman executives sharing their stories. Tickets at $18 at the door or $10 if preregistered. jewishphoenix.com.

Jan. 20-22

Feb. 12-26

Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival at 101 Easy Street, Carefree from 10 am-5 pm. Features more than 165 juried fine artisans from throughout the

Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival. See pages 36.

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