Arizona Jewish Life February 2018 Vol. 6/Issue 5

FEBRUARY 2018

2018 WEDDINGS Trends & Fashions

Popular Podcast "The Hustle Sold Separately" host Matt Gottesman

PIANIST

JEFFREY SIEGEL Bringing the masters to the masses through his Keyboard Conversations

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 1

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 5

Arizona Jewish Life • Februar y 2018 • Shevat-Adar 57 78 • Volume 6/Issue 5

28

FEATURES COVER STORY

Jeffrey Siegel: Bringing the masters to the masses 32

JEWS WITH ATTITUDE

Matt Gottesman: Focused on the journey 12

32

BUSINESS

Neal Cash: Behavioral Health Activist Ins & Outs

FRONT & CENTER

Valley of the Sun’s own Music Man Thunderbird Artists February Festivals

FOOD

Chef’s Corner: Love is in the air Taste of Arizona: Nee House Chinese

40

HOME & LIFESTYLE

A shared love of wine collecting The rise of the Israeli wedding dress designers

ACTIVELY SENIOR

Arizona Senior Olympics Dr. Mona Morstein: Helping Master Your Diabetes February is American Heart Month

42

14 16

38 40

42 44

46 48

50 52 54

JKIDS & TEENS TOO

Family Time: Scromiting Purim Events Kids Calendar

56 58 60

ISRAEL

Dr. Sharon B. Megdal: Proponent for water policy Technion’s World Tour

48 6 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

61 63

COLUMNS

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

42 44 56 64

WEDDINGS Building a future together Love, Israeli Style What’s trending in weddings Device-free wedding lets everyone experience the moment Forming our relationships backwards The chuppah: as unique as you are Wedding Directory

18 20 22 24 26 28 30

JLIVING To Life! The Sound of Silence 64 Brandeis National Committee -Phoenix 2018 Book & Author Luncheon 66 Federation notes 69 Faces & Places 70 Previews 72 Calendar

74 ON THE COVER: JEFFREY SIEGEL PHOTO BY PETER SCHAAF

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A rizona Jewish Life | Shevat-Adar 5778 • Volume 6/Issue 5

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8 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Take this opportunity  to celebrate a commitment to removing barriers, celebrating diversity and connecting with our Jewish values.  Together, we can foster a more inclusive Jewish community that emphasizes the value, dignity, and capabilities of each and every individual.

FEBRUARY IS

Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month

Visit our website to learn about events that are taking place in February - gesherdr.org Gesher Disability Resources (formerly Council For Jews With Special Needs) is a Qualifying Charitable Organization for the Arizona State Tax Credit. Donations of up to $800 per couple filing jointly or up to $400 for an individual can receive a dollar-fordollar tax credit when filing in Arizona.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 9

I Cindy Salt zman Publisher

have been reading a lot about marriage this past month in preparation for our special section on weddings. The big debate? Is the state of marriage better or worse today than for past generations?

One interesting theory was that the history of marriage corresponds with Maslow’s classic “hierarchy of needs.” Specifically, how marriage in the 1800s was comparable to the “lowest need” in the hierarchy, akin to that of the physiological need to eat and drink.

As time has progressed, so too has marriage through the levels of Maslow’s pyramid: the need for safety, love and belonging, esteem, to finally – as a result of a more affluent and automated society – couples are looking for self-actualization through marriage.

At the risk of disappointing, there is no clear winner of which generation can claim to have the happiest marriages. Whether one was married a century ago, where the challenges were more rudimentary, to today, where the challenge in a “plugged in” world is to invest the time and energy to meet each other’s expectations.

The good news is that having a happy life, whether married or not, is achievable. All of the experts agree that one’s happiness is deeply affected by the strength and health of the close relationships we experience.

This brings me to the photo of the little bamboo plant that has been in my office for a couple of years. I never replanted it or did much to nurture it, and its stalk had started to rot. A few weeks ago, I took it home and noticed that one good shoot was starting to sprout, so I got rid of all the decaying parts, put it back in a clean container and placed it in the center of our kitchen table, surrounded by other plants. Not surprisingly, it began to thrive. Healthy relationships are vital to our wellbeing.

That is true for the happiest of people, and apparently even for a little neglected bamboo plant that is now “feeling the love.”

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 11

Jewswith

Attitude

Matt Gottesman

“It was fascinating to be around Jewish life and the love and community aspect of it. I dove into the core of who we are – and it was amazing to see. It was very spiritual to me and something I needed to better understand myself.”

– Matt Gottesman

12 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Matt Gottesman: Focused on the journey

By Mala Blomquist

Four years ago Matt Gottesman experienced great loss – both personally and professionally. The advice his father gave to him during this tumultuous time “spoke to my soul,” Matt says. “He said to me, ‘You come from an entrepreneurial family, we all do our own thing, we are very independent. I’m not going to tell you what to do, but if you were ever really going to run your race and do things your way, now would be the time to do so.’ ” Since that talk with his father, Matt has been running his race. He became the founder and editor-in-chief of Hustle & Deal Flow™ (hdfmagazine.com), an online blog and magazine that documents the journeys of founders and creators worldwide, and has since merged into a bigger media company he co-founded with business partner and fellow online publication creator, Case Kenny of PRSUIT.com.

The two have since formed their podcast, The Hustle Sold Separately,

a weekly podcast featuring business leaders, entrepreneurs, celebrities, entertainers, athletes and more and has amassed over 1 million downloads. Together, along with all of their social media, Matt & Case reach nearly 10.5 million people per month.

He also continues to consult companies across a variety of industries helping them reach more of their intended markets and grow in their bottom-line revenue, as well as administer a private Facebook page of more than 625 entrepreneurs from all over the world.

Having been a writer, himself, “behind the scenes” for the past 20 years, Matt wanted to create a platform based on being around entrepreneurs, big brands, startups and venture capitalists. “Usually in media, I was finding that they were glamorizing ‘overnight success’ and I was thinking of my own journey and all the parts the world doesn’t see,” explains Matt.

“I wanted the world to see others’ journeys – people who I thought were doing really interesting things around the world with their companies and their brands. … They are like the rising stars you don’t know about – but you should.”

Hustle & Deal Flow™ is a content, influencer and marketing platform with more than 23,000 followers on Facebook and 133,000 followers on Instagram. “I wanted to have an audience so that anytime something gets launched, I can impact companies and I can impact people,” says Matt.

Matt explains the origin of the unique business names.

“There was a movie called ‘Hustle & Flow.’ I like the word hustle because it signifies the hunger entrepreneurs have to get up, create and go to work on their brands/companies/ideas and even themselves. I like ‘deal flow’ because it’s cognizant of the startup and venture capital world.” As for the name for the podcast, it came from the quote, “The dream is free, but the hustle is sold separately.”

Concurrently, while Matt was building his businesses, he also realized the importance of a having a balanced life. “I had left Judaism for some time, and I wanted to start getting back into my culture,” he says. He met with Rabbi Jordan Brumer of Jewish Arizonans on Campus every Monday night for a year, learning about his history and culture. “It was fascinating to be around Jewish life and the love and community aspect of it,” says Matt. “I dove into the core of who we are – and it was amazing to see. It was very spiritual to me and something I needed to better understand myself.”

While he pursued both his business and spiritual journeys, he wanted to find a way to give back, not just financially but using his God-given talents and skill set to help people.

“When you do that, magic happens,” says Matt.

He says that sometimes the best advice for entrepreneurs is for them to get out of their own way.

“When you do what you do really well and you love what you do, it’s easy. It’s saying no to the things that you don’t do as well as someone else,” says Matt. “You can do as many things as your capacity allows you to do – as long as they are aligned with your values and why you’re doing them. It really is not about the destination; it is about the journey.”

To follow Matt’s journey, visit mattgottesman.com, hdfmagazine.com, or follow him on social media @hdfmagazine and @mattgottesman on Instagram.

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Business

Neal Cash:

Behavioral Health Activist

all. “What do you need?” has been Neal’s typical question interacting with behavioral Neal Cash is a realist about health providers. behavioral health. When Cenpatico When Cenpatico became the Integrated Care rode into Tucson, county’s RBHA, Neal switched he and Community Partners of roles from CEO of CPSA to a Southern Arizona changed direction. board member and consultant of The Centene Corporation, a Fortune CPI. As chief strategy officer, he 500 company, owns Cenpatico. now focuses on acquisitions and For 18 years Neal served as CEO/ advocacy for behavioral health in president of CPSA. As a nonprofit Arizona, talking mental health community-based agency, which needs to legislators and the many managed treatment of serious mental contacts he’s made over the years. illness through its local providers, And Neal touts the new CPSA was the Regional Behavioral agency he helped to create, which Health Authority for Pima County Cenpatico manages. from 1995 to 2015.

The agency acts as the Cenpatico, which consolidates preferred housing provider for general medical care and behavioral Cenpatico, recognizing that longhealth services across the United term housing stability is essential States, was awarded the new RHBA for the recovery of people with contract by the Arizona Department serious mental illness. of Behavioral Health Services in “We even visit high utilizers 2015. of mental health care in their “We could have shut our doors or homes,” notes Neal. value what we’ve already done,” says Striving to expand their Neal Cash Neal. scope, CPI’s first acquisition in CPSA kept its doors open March was Assurance Health and became Community Partners, Inc., transitioning from and Wellness, founded by Fletcher McCusker, another mental managing to providing treatment for serious mental illness. In health advocate in Tucson. addition, CPI offers support, wellness programs, rehabilitation “We initially set them up. We’ve been a catalyst for an and substance abuse prevention programs to its clients. The integrated model, although we didn’t provide general medical agency runs two 16-bed residential facilities in Tucson, Desert care,” says Neal.

Garden for crisis intervention and Desert Mountain for critical Mutually beneficial to both entities, the acquisition afforded longer-term care.

CPI a greater presence throughout the state. Assurance – with Advocating for those without a voice, those marginalized clinics in Tucson and Phoenix, and in rural areas from Yuma to individuals, has been key to Neal’s career choice. A Brooklyn, Bisbee – was the first integrated care clinic licensed in Arizona, N.Y. native who grew up in housing projects until age 13, meaning primary contact care is combined with mental health he graduated from Syracuse University in 1972. That year he services under one roof. came to the University of Arizona to earn a master’s degree in “Health care has to be a right, not an entitlement,” says Neal, rehabilitation counseling. “and it’s inclusive of the mind and body. The brain is one of our “My grandparents emigrated from Russia in the early organs.”

1900s,” says Neal. “My dad was a marine in World War II, and For Neal, his continued commitment stems from later worked as an air traffic controller. Mom took in some “remembering my roots and how important it is to leave the secretarial work at home. My parents weren’t overly religious, world a better place. I’ve been very fortunate to pursue a career but they taught me Jewish values that are part of my DNA.” that has allowed me to do that.”

Now a grandfather in his mid-60s, he and his wife belong to For more information on the services offered by Community Congregation Chaverim in Tucson. Although he became a bar Partners, Inc., visit communitypartnersinc.org. mitzvah in a Conservative New York synagogue, these days he’s mostly non-practicing.

His passion is about improving mental health care for

By Sheila Wilensky

14 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 15

BIZ

INS INS INS & & OUTS OUTS & OUTS

Carol Kern

Mark Robert Gordon

Fit 6-7-8’s Raquel Kahn

JFCS board member honored with Spirit of Philanthropy Award Carol Kern, a board member with Jewish Family & Children’s Service, was honored recently at the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ 2017 Celebration of Philanthropy Luncheon.

Carol received the Spirit of Philanthropy Award, which publicly recognizes volunteers who exemplify the philanthropic spirit through their contributions of time, effort and resources. Carol has been a volunteer board member with JFCS since 2005.

“On behalf of Paul E. Stander, M.D., MBA, our board chair, and the other members of our Board of Governors, we congratulate Carol Kern for being recognized with the Association of Fundraising Professional’s Spirit of Philanthropy Award,” says Lorrie Henderson, Ph.D., MBA, president and CEO of JFCS. “Carol is an invaluable part of our volunteer leadership here at JFCS. Her ability to collaborate with other members of our Board of Governors to carry out JFCS’ mission is truly exemplary. We can’t think of anyone more deserving.”

“I am humbled to have received this award and even more so knowing the nomination came from the team at Jewish Children & Family Service,” says Carol, “It has been my distinct pleasure to serve on this board of directors and being a part of the good work that the organization does in our community.” jfcsaz.org

Mark Robert Gordon is running for Secretary of State Mark Robert Gordon will be holding his Secretary of State Campaign Kickoff on Feb. 17 from 3-5 pm at the Arizona Latino Arts & Cultural Center, 147 E Adams St. in Phoenix.

He is an Arizona native and life-long resident. Mark spent much of his youth participating in programs at the old Phoenix Jewish Community Center, Beth El and Phoenix High School for Jewish Studies. He earned degrees from Princeton University, Columbia University School of Law and Harvard University.

His national law office that’s headquartered in Washington, D.C., advises governments, candidates, political parties and 16 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Arizona Helping Hands

nonprofits about federal issues. He recently served as an elections specialist on the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office’s bipartisan transition team.

Mark has logged hundreds of pro-bono hours for nonprofits, arts organizations and civil rights/anti-discrimination matters.

He also has worked in the entertainment industry as an actor, writer, director, producer and print model. markrobertgordon.com

New dance-inspired fitness studio opens in Scottsdale A new dance-inspired fitness studio opened in Old Town Scottsdale in January. Fit 6-7-8 strives to help women transform themselves from the inside out by building confidence and physical strength through fun workouts disguised as sexy, high-energy dance routines. The studio allows women of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds to express their inner diva in a safe, accepting environment. Fit 6-7-8 is the first fitness facility in Arizona to be accredited to offer the highly sought after Vixen Workout, an accredited dance fitness program that originated in Miami and has grown to international fame.

According to Fit 6-7-8’s owner Raquel Kahn, “Since being involved in the fitness industry the past eight years, I’ve learned that while traditional gyms are key to good fitness, they don’t serve women well, often making them feel small and uncertain. I created Fit 6-7-8 to bridge the gap and provide women a safe place to build both their bodies and physical confidence.” fit678.com

Living Spaces donates 245 beds to Arizona Helping Hands Three semi-trucks loaded with twin beds were delivered to Arizona Helping Hands on Jan. 9. The beds were donated by Living Spaces through their “Buy One Give One” program. During October, for every customer who purchased a qualifying Revive

Nathanael Gregory Myers

Caitlin Dixon

mattress, the company donated one to AHH to support their work providing boys and girls in foster care a safe place to sleep.

Dan Shufelt, president & CEO of AHH says, “In 2017, we gave 2,908 children in Arizona’s foster care system a bed or crib. These children have faced turbulence and disruption in their short lives, and a bed is the most important item we can provide – a spot of comfort, a safe haven. We are so appreciative of the team from Revive by Living Spaces who have made a commitment to support our work.”

Living Spaces also sent a team of employees to unload the trucks and move all of those beds into the Arizona Helping Hands warehouse. This was the second drive supporting AHH, following up on 162 beds that were donated in August 2017. azhelpinghands.org

Buffalo Exchange Emerging Artist in Performing Arts Award winner Buffalo Exchange, a privately owned, family-operated fashion resale retailer based in Tucson, announced Nathanael Gregory Myers, an artist/dancer/musician, as the recipient of the 2017 Buffalo Exchange Emerging Artist in Performing Arts Award.

As this year’s winner, Nathanael received a $10,000 cash award during a ceremony on Jan. 24, at the University of Arizona Poetry Center.

The Buffalo Exchange Arts Award was established by Buffalo Exchange owners Kerstin Block and her late husband, Spencer Block, to encourage creativity, innovation, and excellence in the arts. Held at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, this Fund for the Arts has awarded almost $200,000 to individuals in the Southern Arizona art community since 1994.

“We created the Arts Award because we believe art is essential to the well-being of the community,” says Buffalo Exchange Founder Kerstin Block. “We’re proud to support Nathanael, an up-and-coming multi-medium artist in Southern Arizona who is clearly committed to giving back.”

Nathanael is a graduate of the University of Arizona, holding a BFA in studio art with an emphasis in two-dimensional art. He currently works at Starbucks and the Museum of Contemporary

Allie London

Art Tucson, and dances with Artifact Dance Project. nategmyers.com

Two new executive staff members join The J The Tucson Jewish Community Center has hired two new executive staff members. Caitlin Dixon is the new director of philanthropy and Allie London is the newly appointed director of marketing.

Caitlin is a native of Tucson. She attended the University of Arizona where she received her Bachelor of Arts in family studies and sociology. She then attended graduate school at Arizona State University and received her master’s degree in nonprofit leadership and management. Caitlin is a tenured development professional with a proven track record in fundraising and development. She has been instrumental in helping to raise more than $20 million for Arizona nonprofits such as; YWCA of Southern Arizona, United Way of Southern Arizona and The Phoenix Symphony. In Caitlin’s free time she loves hanging out with her family and friends and enjoys frequenting local music venues.

Allie is responsible for overseeing and managing marketing, communications and public relations.

A native New Yorker, Allie relocated to Tucson from Chicago in 2014. She has since served as the program officer for The Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona, and the director of marketing for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson.

“I am passionate about nonprofit causes and excited to use my experience and skills gathered over two decades in marketing and communications to benefit The J and the Tucson community,” said Allie, who received her Bachelor of Arts in politics and journalism from New York University.

Allie, a passionate animal rights advocate, is vegan and mom to three young rescue dogs and two rescue cats. tucsonjcc.org

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 17

20 Love, Israeli style 22 Wedding Trends 2018 24 Unplugged wedding 26 Forming our relationships backwards 28 The chuppah 30 Wedding directory

Building a future together “A Jewish wedding has the potential to be one of the most powerful Jewish rituals.

It is a reminder of the power of love and union.”

R

abbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, president and dean of Valley Beit Midrash in Phoenix and twice named one of America’s Top Rabbis

by Newsweek, shared that perspective with Jewish Life readers in an article about lifecycle events in 2015.

Our Wedding Section this month is an exploration of that power of love and union. We look beyond the celebration itself. Successful couples base an enduring relationship on commitment and a shared vision of the future.

For those ready to step into that future together, we offer both traditional and innovative ways to make this memorable day your own.

Following are some of the traditions of a Jewish wedding:

18 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

MIKVAH – In the days before the wedding, brides and grooms each may visit the mikvah (ritual bath) to mark this important transition in their life from being single to being married.

The solitude of immersion can also provide an island of peace and contemplation during an otherwise hectic, though joyful, time.

ERUSIN – The ancient betrothal ceremony includes two blessings – one over wine and one reserving the couple for each other – and the ring ceremony.

KETUBAH – Wedding contract or statement of obligations; often an artistic document that takes a prominent place in the couple’s new home CHUPPAH – The wedding canopy symbolizing the Jewish home the couple is about to create together NESUIN – the formal marriage ceremony including Sheva Brachot, the seven blessings.

BREAKING OF THE GLASS – At the conclusion of the ceremony, the groom steps on a wine glass wrapped in cloth to symbolize the remembrance of sorrow at our moment of greatest joy.

YICHUD – The bride and groom proceed to the “yichud (seclusion) room,” where they spend a few minutes alone.

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 19

Love, Israeli Style

By Mala Blomquist

R

achel Shamir and Moshe Raccach have a unique love story. They spent most of their young lives in the same country, Israel, although it took until later in life for them to meet. They met online, although not on a dating website, but on Motke, “like an Israeli Facebook” Rachel describes.

It was on this site that Moshe saw a photo of Rachel and sent her a message asking for her phone number. “I said ‘Why not?’” says Rachel. “I didn’t read about him online. I didn’t know anything about him; I didn’t know he was from Arizona, that he was a professor – he just seemed like a nice guy from his picture. So, I gave him my phone number.”

When Moshe called, and she saw that his phone number was from America, and he told her he lived in Arizona, she didn’t answer with a reply he expected. “What do you want from me?” was Rachel’s response. “I live in Israel. I have a quiet life.”

But Moshe was not discouraged, and after talking on the phone for the next two months, he traveled to Israel to stay with his brother, and to meet Rachel in person.

At the end of his visit, since the two had hit it off so well, he decided not to return to America but to make aliyah instead. This was actually Moshe’s second aliyah. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and came to Israel as a child with his father and brother.

He studied at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and enrolled in the IDF. He moved to the states with his first wife and children to get his Ph.D. in microbiology at Cornell University. He’s resided in the United States for the last 40 years. In contrast, Rachel was a Hebrew teacher and during her first marriage traveled the world teaching.

After her divorce, she “started to live a quiet life” in Israel. “I come from a big family,” she explains. “My mother was born in Israel, and my parents were very involved with the founding of Israel.” Rachel has four grown children and nine grandchildren who all live in Israel. She and Moshe lived for two years in her house on a small moshav (cooperative agricultural community) not far from Netanya.

One day Moshe asked Rachel if she would like to get a green card. Her reply was simply, “I don’t mind.” So Moshe made the arrangements, and they came to Arizona. The two were married by a judge in Mesa in 2014, and they renewed their vows the following year in Las Vegas.

Last summer, the couple made a trip to Prescott Valley to escape the heat and ended up buying a home there. They are enjoying their retirement together and travel to Israel often. Their hope is to one day live half of the year in Israel and half in Arizona.

“Moshe is Israeli in his soul,” says Rachel. “I was lucky to find him at my age – it doesn’t happen every day, I don’t think.” I’m sure Moshe considers himself lucky too!

Moshe and Rachel in Prescott Valley.

The couple in Israel.

Moshe and Rachel on their “second” wedding day in Las Vegas.

20 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 21

What’s trending in Weddings

By Mala Blomquist

NAVY IS THE NEW BLACK Gaining popularity as an alternative to formal black, navy is showing up in everything from invitations to bridesmaid dresses. This deep hue has timeless appeal whether in an uber-elegant or bohemianthemed wedding. Navy pairs nicely with bold colors such as burgundy, coral and bright yellow and with softer tones of mint, peach and pink, so that it can work for any season. Also, metallic accents of gold, silver and copper will pop on a navy background.

PLANNING A wedding

can be overwhelming. Just a simple internet search

can result in thousands of photographs on Pinterest

alone. Each year, wedding

planners come up with

what they think some of

the hottest trends will be in their industry. Here

are a few ideas of what’s trending for 2018:

IF IT FEELS GOOD …

Details matter when trying to enhance your guests’ experience and texture is a big trend in these details. Invitations incorporating fabric, acrylic, leather and metal in a layered effect get guests excited about what’s to come. Place cards made of metal, wood or stone; a variety of tabletops at the reception and assorted or laser-cut linens all add to the “feel” of the wedding.

22 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION There has been a shift from the rustic weddings of couples saying their vows in barns with mason jar candles to more formal affairs in settings with architectural ambiance.

Empty warehouses, industrial lofts, museums and sheltered rooftops are all places that couples can get creative with their own “space.”

BIG BLOOMS Hanging installations are still going strong, creating a great dynamic in the space, but florists are getting more requests for tall pillars to stage and display flowers. Having a massive arrangement on either side of the aisle that can then be transported to the reception location is a great alternative to immovable arches. Bridal bouquets are also getting bigger and bolder incorporating larger blooms like peony, dahlia and hydrangea. Or, ditch the live blooms in favor of one giant perfect paper flower. Brides can also forego the veil for a crown of live or artificial flowers.

DAZZLING DESSERTS Wedding cakes will never be replaced, but 2018 will see more dessert bars at wedding receptions. The sheer variety of desserts makes the options endless. Dessert shots, ice cream, popsicles, pies, s’mores, cookies, donuts, macarons, cream puffs, cake pops and cupcakes are just some of the sweet treats guests can enjoy.

Candy buffets can be matched to your wedding colors and can become instant party favors when you invite your guest to fill a bag to take home.

COPPER AND CHROME = THE METALS OF THE MOMENT Metallic elements always add a pop of sparkle and elegance to any festive occasion. The popular rose gold is taking a back seat to a more industrialized copper look this year. Copper is a very affordable material and looks great when reflecting candlelight, so it’s a go-to material for lanterns and tea-light holders. Chrome has gained popularity with a rise in the ’70s influenced home décor, with the trend carrying over to the wedding industry.

PANTONE PURPLE IS IN The Pantone color of the year has always influenced what’s to come in wedding trends. This year’s Ultra Violet will provide a bright swatch of color to invitations, wedding bouquets, bridesmaid dresses, bridal flats and glassware. Even amethyst crystals might make an appearance in décor.

LET US ENTERTAIN YOU Couples are coming up with creative ways to entertain their guests. Hiring magicians, aerial acts, caricature artists, tarot card readers or palm readers help create an unusual and memorable experience. Photo booths are also evolving. There are GIF-maker booths that allow guests to apply fun filters over animated portraits – other photo booths generate instant scrapbooks and flip books.

Create a hashtag for your wedding and have your friends share their photos on Instagram.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 23

Device-free wedding lets everyone experience the moment

By Anne Kleinberg

A

fter your wonderful wedding is over, the recollections of your big day will be etched into your heart and mind forever. While no doubt you will have myriad photos and films to look at again and again, it will be the memories that you carry inside that will be the most exceptional: the gleam in your father’s eye; a loving touch on your shoulder; the admiring glimpse of someone you haven’t seen for ages. Those will be your most treasured mementos.

With all the planning, you may not have considered one element that can affect the atmosphere. How do you want to treat the use of digital devices at the wedding? Do you want to risk a phone buzzing (assuming your guests have the sense to turn off the ringers), a camera clicking or an iPad blocking the view?

People today tend to be so totally involved with their devices that they often miss the real-life experiences happening around them.

There are endless examples on the Internet of how devices have interfered with the sanctity of the marriage ceremony. In Israel where I live, it is perfectly acceptable to be on your phone before, during and after the ceremony. I witnessed a man answer a call and speak on his phone as he was walking up to the chuppah to bless the couple and offer one of the Sheva Brachot (Seven Blessings). No one but me seemed horrified.

24 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Not long ago I hosted a bride and her family on the day of her wedding. I own Casa Cala, a boutique bed & breakfast in Caesarea, and brides spend the day here getting ready and then the night following the ceremony with their new husbands.

I’m not shy about saying that the place is gorgeous, and the photographs taken here are stunning.

This particular young woman had lost her mother to cancer only six months earlier. Her aunt is an acquaintance of mine, and when I heard that they were looking for a lovely location to get ready, I jumped at the chance to offer Casa Cala at a huge discount. I wanted to in some small way contribute to that girl’s happiness. The aunt accepted with gratitude, and it was indeed a very exciting time.

When I saw the video that was made here and at the wedding, I was incredibly touched. My house had never looked better, and the bride was truly glowing. While the video played, the girl was speaking: about her husband to be, their love, their family and how important the day was to her. I was moved to tears and couldn’t wait to share the video on my Facebook page. But I couldn’t get it to share. I reached out to her and asked what I was doing wrong. She answered me in the most apologetic, but sincere, way. She was very, very sorry; she really loved her time here, the whole experience of being at Casa Cala was amazing, but she felt the video was private and she had posted it only to certain people close to her.

She implored me to understand that while she very much would like to promote my business, she wanted the film to be viewed only by the people she chose.

Naturally, I understood and was touched by her explanation.

My business will certainly survive without that video, while her sensitivity and the thought that went into her wedding left a very strong impression on me.

But as I looked back at the video, I realized there wasn’t one camera or mobile phone or tablet in the hands of any of the guests. Her friends and family were there for this couple in body and soul, totally reveling in the moment and not getting lost in capturing it on their digital devices.

There are endless examples of how devices have ruined intimate moments: flashes going off interfering with the photographer’s equipment; cameras shoved at you when you’re trying to concentrate on what’s happening; people walking around with iPads covering their faces asking other guests to move out of the way.

Danese Danese Creations Creations SERVING ARIZONA SINCE 1971

Your wedding is not only about the party; it’s about the joining of two people who have decided to commit their future to one another. You are about to walk over the threshold to the next phase of your life with one very special person, and you have chosen to share that experience with the people you love most in this world. Doesn’t the moment of that union deserve every ounce of concentration? Shouldn’t the focus of everyone’s eyes and thoughts be on you and your husband to be? Don’t you want to sip wine from the glass that he holds out to you, and watch as he slips the ring on your finger and see, out of the corner of your eye, your mum wiping away a tear without your friends madly clicking away at their mobile phones, tweeting their live and up-to-theminute broadcasts?

While I wouldn’t consider suggesting you shun all photographic documentation, I would implore you to live each moment in the moment. Maybe you want an unplugged wedding. Leave the photo-taking to the professionals and find a way to encourage your guests to be there for you – without a device in their hands.

If you chose to do this, there are some really lovely and creative ways to let your guests know that you would like them to totally be there for you – and to please leave their devices at home, or at least turn them off during the most significant moments.

One option is to let guests know early on, and then ever so slightly remind them again on the day of the wedding. Include a cute line about “No mobile phone or cameras please until after the chuppah” in the invitation. Perhaps a poem or haiku written by you or a talented friend? A basket at the entrance of the venue with a note for them to kindly drop their phones in until the ceremony is over? (They probably won’t, but it will remind them to at least shut them off.) Certainly, an icon of a mobile phone with an X over it printed on the escort cards should get the message across.

Going a bit to the extreme consider labels on the back of all the chairs in the venue where the ceremony takes place: “We’re so happy you’re here. But please consider our feelings and don’t use your digital devices. We want you to enjoy the moment with us – not capture it!”

If you don’t mind the reference to devices preceding your ceremony, you could ask the rabbi or officiant to request that phones be turned off and cameras put away. There are plenty of sources out there for unplugged wedding ideas, and you can purchase ready-made signs from Etsy.

This is your day. The exclusion of intrusive phones and cameras is well within your prerogative. However, if you’ve thought about it and you truly don’t mind device participation then go for it!

Create a wedding hashtag, let them click away and have a ball.

But if you would like to preserve the intimacy and sanctity of your wedding, or a particular part of it, then definitely express your wishes so that your guests know how you feel.

Anne Kleinberg, a former New York interior designer, had an epiphany and moved to Israel. The design career segued into writing: lifestyle journalist, cookbook author and novelist. Anne’s latest passion is Casa Cala – Casa Caesarea – an awarding-winning bed & breakfast catering to brides and international guests in her luxurious villa on the golf course in Caesarea.

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 25

Forming our relationships backwards

By Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP

T

he divorce rate in the United States continues to hover around 50%, and the dissolution incidence when one or both of the parties have been previously married is about 65%. This is a national travesty. The amount of emotional angst and money spent, not to mention the extent of trauma brought to the involved children, is immeasurable.

Finding a partner has never been easier. Numerous websites facilitate making a connection with a prospective mate. Two generations ago one typically met their prospective spouse at a bar, dance, or was “fixed up” by a mutual friend or family member. Today a few mouse clicks may be all that is needed to begin a relationship.

Despite the technology-aided matchmaking, relationships are not lasting any longer than before – and things are likely to get even worse. The reason for this is that more than ever before we are developing our relationships in a backward manner.

Ask any relationship expert or any couple happily married for a while, and they will say that a successful long-term marriage is based, in large part, on compatible values and principles, positive personality characteristics, commitment to the relationship, effective communication and SEX enjoying each other’s company. While sex is important, it is not part of the basic foundation COMMUNICATION of the relationship; passion is a wonderful benefit of a solid relationship.

COMMITMENT Not that long ago, couples courted and premarital sex was frowned upon. These PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS couples were, in fact, building a firm foundation for their future relationship, as they focused on the primary tenets of a successful long-term union.

SOLID, BASIC VALUES AND PRINCIPLES Diagrammatically, successful relationships look like a pyramid, with the union soundly grounded on shared values and principles: SOLID, BASIC VALUES AND PRINCIPLES Sex Communication PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS Commitment COMMITMENT Personality Characteristics COMMUNICATION Solid, Basic Values and Principles SEX

Today, many relationships are formed in a backward manner. Given the ease of connecting, “hookups” are common. Some current sites such as Tinder are expressly aimed at creating sexual liaisons.

In a relationship that begins primarily due to a sexual connection, the important factors such as values and commitment become secondary. The sexual attraction blinds the individual to problems that may exist in their bedmate with regard to personal values, personality characteristics and communication. Such a relationship, diagrammatically, looks like an inverted pyramid, balancing precariously on sex: Solid, Basic Values and Principles Personality Characteristics Commitment Communication Sex Is it any wonder, then, that relationships founded on lust ultimately teeter and collapse? Let’s get back to the “good old days” and form solid, long-lasting intimate relationships right side up.

If you are in a relationship and are considering marriage, consider the following: 26 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

What is his/her family like?

Do his/her parents respect each other?

Does he/she respect his/her parents?

W hat is his/her view on the sanctity of marriage?

How does he/she communicate?

How does he/she handle money?

How does he/she run his/her house or apartment?

How does/would he/she raise children?

How does he/she handle change, frustration and disappointment?

How does he/she resolve conflict?

How willing is he/she to consider your needs?

Does he/she overuse drugs and/or alcohol?

How willing is he/she to compromise?

All of these questions, and perhaps several more, need to be contemplated before one decides to make a lifelong commitment to another person. Simply being good in bed doesn’t cut it. A relationship founded primarily on lust will last, if you are lucky (and really sensual), at most 18 months. Successful long-term relationships, per the “pyramid,” must be built from the ground up.

Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP is a licensed psychologist who practiced in the Paradise Valley area for nearly 40 years. He worked with children, adolescents, parents, adults and couples. He is the author of several books including How Come I Love Him But Can’t Live With Him? Making Your Marriage Work Better.

LarryWaldmanPhD@cox.net

All Soleri Windbells... are perfect gifts for any occasion, but two models forever commemorate a particular ceremony when they ring: The “Bride & Groom” or “Love Birds” wedding bell!

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6433 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd. Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 27

W

The chuppah: as unique as you are

By Michele Schwartz

28 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

hile other girls dreamt of the elegant wedding gowns they would someday wear, when I was young, I dreamt about my chuppah. To me, the chuppah represents the doorway into the heart of the couple married beneath.

The chuppah is the most recognizable symbol of a Jewish wedding. Meaning “covering” in Hebrew and open on all four sides as Abraham’s tent was to welcome strangers from all directions, the chuppah represents the future home of the bride and groom. Unlike many other Jewish ritual objects such as the tallit or mezuzah that follow Biblical commandments, the only rule about the construction of a chuppah is that it be a temporary structure made by human hands.

Other than that, it’s yours to create. Symbolic or fun, adorned or simple, it represents who you are, or aspire to be, as a couple.

Whether the chuppah is small and intimate holding you, your groom and your officiant, or roomy enough for the entire wedding party to join you underneath the canopy, you have the freedom to decide. It can be freestanding or held over you by honored family and friends – the chuppah symbolizes you and those you hold dearest.

It is a mitzvah to beautify all Jewish ritual objects (hiddur mitzvah), and the chuppah is no exception. For example, a bride who was an artist by trade sent square fabric pieces to all of her wedding guests asking each to write or draw a blessing for her and her soon-to-be husband. The pieces were stitched together forming their wedding canopy, and it now hangs as a piece of memorable art in the couple’s home alongside their ketubah.

Of course, there are practical considerations before you get too far down the path of personalization.

How tall is your venue? Are there any height restrictions? Do you want a freestanding chuppah or a hand-held one? Or do you want it suspended from above?

If it is going to be hand-held, do you have four honorees with the stamina to hold the chuppah over your heads for 35 minutes or more? Are the poles made of a material easy for your honorees to hold? Are the poles a sufficient height to go over the head of the tallest person standing under it?

With the practical questions answered, let’s move to the fun questions. These will help you create a chuppah that represents your union.

Do you want to have a tallit as the canopy of your chuppah? If so, do you own one with sentimental value or do you want to borrow a family heirloom? For my wedding, we used my future stepson’s bar mitzvah tallit, which helped make him feel included in our new home and an important member of the new family we were creating.

I am fortunate in my work to see many beautiful chuppot every day! I’ve seen chuppot completely covered in sunflowers and one made of simple branches but standing under a stunning indoor tree. From exotic fabrics to tallitot to an array of flowers and even one adorned with colorful kites, the sky is the limit on what you might use. Add LED lights, hang a chandelier in the center, string with tea lights or stand underneath a skylight for natural lighting. It’s all up to you!

Dream about your fairytale dress, but take time to dream about your chuppah as well.

Imagine the magical moment when you stand underneath it with your beloved, then let those feelings drive your creativity.

Michele Schwartz is a Jewish life cycle event expert and publisher of Modern Jewish Wedding planner and website. This story originally appeared in Modern Jewish Wedding (themodernjewishwedding.com) and is reprinted with permission. It has been edited to fit Jewish Life’s style.

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Jeffrey Schesnol, Madrikh Officiant jschesnol@azjhs.org ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 29

WEDDING DIRECTORY Arizona Jewish Historical Society Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center 122 E Culver St., Phoenix 602-241-7870 • azjhs.org Beautifully restored historic venue is available for weddings, b’nai mitzvah and celebrations. Open to people of all faiths. Main hall has original hardwood floors and 10-foot arched windows; also a museum gallery and lovely outdoor garden terrace.

Cosanti Originals, Inc. 6433 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Paradise Valley 480-948-6145 • cosanti.com Soleri Windbells, by the late Paolo Soleri, are perfect gifts. Every time they ring, their sound reminds the recipient of the occasion for which they were presented. Imagine the everlasting impression left by either the “Bride & Groom” or “Lovebirds” wedding bell models that Paolo Soleri designed to commemorate weddings!

Casa Cala Tal 3 St., Golf Residence, Caesarea, Israel +972(0)4-610-0228 • casacaesarea.com Bridal Suites by Anne Kleinberg. Casa Cala is part of Casa Caesarea, a boutique Bed & Breakfast in a private villa atop the golf course in Caesarea. Bridal preparation and honeymoon suites and spectacular scenery for wedding photography. For guests arriving for a wedding in Israel, Casa Caesarea is ideal.

Danese Creations 3902 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix Phone: 602-955-1313 • danesecreations.com Danese Creations is the ultimate in custom designing, alterations and tailoring for men and women. Scylvia is a 3rd generation master designer and tailor in business since 1971. If it doesn’t fit, she is the “fairy godmother of fashion” and will make it fit. She will also custom make anything.

Congregation Beth Tefillah 6529 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale 602-488-7534 • bethtefillahaz.org Stunning, brand new, state of the art Synagogue featuring a 250-seat sanctuary, 1,000-square-foot pre-function gallery, 2,500-square-foot banquet hall, spacious outdoor courtyard and kosher commercial kitchen.

30 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Embassy Suites by Hilton Scottsdale Resort 5001 N, Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 480-421-5544 • scottsdale.embassysuites.com Our newly renovated resort provides an amazing backdrop for weddings and receptions. The Paloma Garden can hold up to 400 guests with a waterfall and bistro lighting. Our banquet chefs add personalized touches to each event and can create kosher offerings.

Complimentary made-to-order breakfast is included with each stay.

WEDDING DIRECTORY Levi Catering, LLC 3375 E. Shea Blvd. #C2, Phoenix 480-251-6745 • levi.catering Leave your next event in good hands by allowing Levi Catering to help. With menus that cater to all dietary needs we make the planning that much easier! We serve all types of food such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, all organic and kosher! Our custom menus are not only created for your taste, but also your budget!

McCormick Ranch Golf Club 7505 E. McCormick Pkwy., Scottsdale 480-948-7011 • mccormickranchgolf.com/weddings-banquets Majestic views of Camelback Mountain and the Palm Course combined with extraordinary service and delicious cuisine make McCormick Ranch Golf Club an exceptional choice for those in search of a beautiful country club wedding venue. We can accommodate ceremonies and receptions of up to 350 guests.

Michael’s Creative Jewelry 4843 E. Ray Road, Phoenix 480-598-0306 23233 N. Pima Road #111, Scottsdale 480-515-1200 michaelscreative.com Michael's specializes in custom-design jewelry. Our wedding rings offer vision, romance and value. They are the perfect expression of love and a long life together. You can choose from hundreds of

pre-designed styles, or have a custom ring made, exactly to your specifications.

Onyx Body Shaping & Slim Spa 13802 N. Scottsdale Road #119, Scottsdale 480-652-3322 • onyxbody.com We offer a weight loss program which is approved by the FDA. Our Electro-Slim treatments work to detox your body, as well as improve circulation and rehabilitate your muscles. We have proven results with our weight loss and wellness programs. Our mission is to guide you through a program that fits your goals, timeline and budget.

The Orchard Phx 7100 N 12th St., Phoenix 602-633-2600 • pomelophx.com Stop your search for the perfect venue! The Orchard Phx is perfect whether you are looking to host a company event, birthday party, bridal shower or wedding – we do it all!

Weddings & More Jeffrey Schesnol, Ordained Officiant 14747 N. Northsight Blvd. #111-437, Scottsdale 336-215-7762 • weddingsandmore.org Choose your personalized, custom, unique ceremonies performed for interfaith, secular, or Jewish wedding or your basic simple easy wedding. Also performs all lifecycle celebrations; baby naming, bar/ bat mitzvah, or memorial.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 31

Jeffrey Siegel

32 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

DO YOU LOVE CLASSICAL MUSIC?

Or, do the names Beethoven, Bach and Brahms intimidate you?

Either way, Jeffrey Siegel’s Keyboard Conversations allow everyone – from the avid music lover to the novice – to truly enjoy a classical concert experience.

Keyboard Conversations are “concerts with commentary,” as Jeffrey puts it.

They are first and foremost concerts because each musical piece in the program is performed in its entirety. “What I like to think of as the ‘plus’ is that prior to the performance of each work I talk to the audience a bit about the music, with some excerpts out of context,” explains Jeffrey. “I do this with the hope that when I sit down to play the piece straight through, the listening experience is more enriched and focused than it might otherwise be, and that it also provides an attractive and accessible introduction to these great works for somebody who might be hearing their first concert.”

Jeffrey has been sharing Keyboard Conversation with audiences for half a century. He began in his native Chicago at Northwestern University and has since traveled to cities across the country and abroad to London, England. The next season at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will mark 40 years that he has been coming to the Valley.

“As I think back over the more than 50 years that I have been doing these concerts with commentary, I think the need for great music and what great music offers the thinking, feeling person is greater today than it has ever been,” he says. “We’ve become robots, with our cell phones and computers. What really great music does is to transport one, move one, deeply affect one, as only great music can – (it) is more important for a human being now than ever before.”

PHOTO BY PETER SCHAAF

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 33

LOVE OF MUSIC FROM THE START Jeffrey started playing the piano at the age of 5. His mother always told him that from infancy he had an acute sensitivity and reaction to great music. Perhaps this stemmed from his surroundings.

His father was a string bass player with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and he lived on a street in Chicago where many musicians, some of the symphony, resided. “The joke in Chicago was that you had to pass an audition to live on that street,” jokes Jeffrey.

He went to public high school in Chicago and made his professional debut when he was 15. He won a statewide competition, and the prize was to be soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. “I played the third Beethoven piano concerto with them,” remembers Jeffrey. “The joy of playing this great piece of music sort of focused my desire to try to be a classical pianist.” As a result of that experience, he attended The Julliard School in New York, and he’s been in that city ever since.

The first three or four decades of his career he was primarily in “white tie and tails” performing formal concerts where he would not say a word to the audience. “You play, you bow, you take the check and you leave,” says Jeffrey. Jeffrey’s path began to change when he was inspired by watching “Young People’s Concerts” on CBS televised from Lincoln Center. These concerts were led by a conductor who would say a few words about the piece of music 34 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

before the performance. The conductor was Leonard Bernstein.

GUIDANCE FROM LENNY In November of 1988 Jeffrey was playing a series of concerts with the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center. At the same time, Leonard Bernstein (Lenny as he insisted on being called) was conducting a program of his own music. The two men were seeing each other during various rehearsal times and one morning Jeffrey came in to rehearse and Lenny was in the room next to his.

“It was 8:30 in the morning and he already had a glass of scotch in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other,” says Jeffrey.

“He knew about the Keyboard Conversations and he asked me a lot of questions. At the end, he said, ‘I’ve heard a lot about how you do these programs, Jeffrey, I know it’s great to be here in white tie and tails as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic, but I’m telling you that these Keyboard Conversations are the most important work that you are doing. I beg you, always make time to do them because you are doing them the right way, you’re doing them the way I used to do them.’ That was the last time I saw him; he died a couple of years later.”

They also discussed how difficult it is to talk about music in a way that’s engaging, without being overly scholastic. “We became musicians to communicate in tones – not words about tones,” explains Jeffrey. “I learned a great deal from him as for how to do this, and we talked a great deal about what not to do. He was a

“I think the need for great music and what great music offers the thinking, feeling person is greater today than it has ever been.”

– Jeffrey Siegel great influence on me.”

In celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday this year, Jeffrey is performing a special “Bernstein Birthday Bash” that will feature music from “West Side Story” and “Candide.” But especially compelling is the inclusion of an unpublished piano piece of Bernstein’s. How Jeffrey happened to get this particular piece is an interesting story.

The biographer of Bernstein, Humphrey Burton, attended one of Jeffrey’s concerts and he came backstage to tell Jeffrey, “You know you are doing exactly what Lenny was doing, only you’re doing it for piano literature,” and he invited Jeffrey to have lunch with him the next day.

At the end of lunch, Humphrey casually told Jeffrey he has with him an unpublished piano piece of Bernstein’s called “Meditation on a Wedding” and asked Jeffrey if he would he like a photocopy of it? “As a result of Humphrey’s appreciation of what I was doing with my Keyboard Conversations and following, if you will, the Bernstein manner, he gave me this unpublished piano piece of Lenny’s, which is about three minutes long,” says Jeffrey. “To the best of my knowledge, it is still unpublished, and I am the only one who has a copy of it.”

This piece will make its Arizona premiere at the “Bernstein Birthday Bash” concert April 3 at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. The program will feature three American Jewish composers: Bernstein, Aaron Copland and George Gershwin.

PHOTO BY STEVE PURCELL

Bernstein played Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” American work for the piano more than any other American composition.

“He played it frequently and recorded it twice,” explains Jeffrey.

“Gershwin made a solo piano arrangement of it, that’s what I will be playing. It was a great favorite of Lenny’s and I thought it would fit the program – works of three American Jewish composers, perhaps the three greatest Jewish American composers of the 20th century.”

INTRODUCING CLASSICAL MUSIC Since music education has been cut from schools for many years now, a large segment of the population has not been exposed to classical music. These people get to be adults and realize that they are missing something and they want to give classical music a try. Because of the informal nature of Keyboard Conversations, people come to these programs.

“I get a lot of first-time listeners of all ages, not just children, but senior citizens who are hearing their first concert,” says Jeffrey.

“It is so important … the first exposure to classical music be positive and engaging. Once that seed is planted – of listening to great music – (it) becomes something they have for the rest of their life.”

When Jeffrey plays for a group of young people, he plays a shorter program tailored to the attention span and the interest of a younger audience. He plays pieces with descriptive titles like the ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 35

“Flight of the Bumble Bee” or “Diary of a Fly.” Jeffrey says one of the greatest compliments he ever received came from an 11-year-old boy who came backstage after one of these concerts. “He said, ‘Hey, Mr. Siegel, I just have to tell you – Beethoven’s not that bad.’ I got through to him that Beethoven’s not that bad. I feel like I’m doing something worthwhile. I feel I’m accomplishing something.”

Another memorable occurrence happened during a question and answer session, which Jeffrey holds after every concert. A 9-year-old boy broke free from his mother’s grasp and shouted, ‘Mr. Siegel, how many hours a day did Bach have to practice?’ That is a question I will always remember.” Luckily for Jeffrey, everyone was laughing so hard, including himself, that he did not have to actually answer the boy.

When you ask Jeffrey if his own children are musicians, his response is, “They are normal.” Both went to Northwestern University and they used to say to their classmates, “My dad is coming to play a concert, he’s going to talk to us about the music.” If their friends were trying to decide on whether or not to attend, his kids would add “he’ll take us out to dinner after.” Jeffrey jokes that as more and more of their friends started to enjoy coming to the concerts, “My dinner bills kept getting larger and larger.”

Jeffrey’s son currently lives in the same neighborhood in Chicago where he grew up. “The neighborhood that I grew up in was mostly a Jewish neighborhood, but not Orthodox,” Jeffrey says. “Now if I am there and I am not wearing a skull cap, I am the oddball.”

Jeffrey during the 1968-1969 season of Keyboard Conversations

“It is so important … the

first exposure to classical music be positive and

engaging. Once that seed is planted – of listening to

great music – (it) becomes something they have for the rest of their life.”

~ Jeffrey Siegel

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THE APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE Bernstein would say, “Music expresses the inexpressible.” That is the challenge when Jeffrey presents his concerts – to find the words to draw the listener in, to make the experience more than what Bernstein used to call “an ear wash of sound.” Every piece of music has that challenge.

“The one thing about the piano repertoire is that it’s a vast treasure house of musical riches,” says Jeffrey. “In a lifetime you can’t even know it all, let alone play it all. Whether it’s a Chopin piece or a Beethoven work, or Mozart, you can very often talk about the musical ingredients and how the composer ‘cooks up’ the piece with these musical ingredients. There is usually something about every great piece of music which makes it what it is, and that’s what you want to share with the audience without boring them with a lot of technical details.”

One of Jeffrey’s favorite venues to perform at is the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. The “devoted audience” is always a combination of people who have been coming for many years and those that are novices to classical music. “It’s a wonderful place to play; the audience is listening with rapt attention and they even laugh at my jokes,” says Jeffrey.

The Scottsdale Center also boasts something unique to the venue – the Keyboard in the Sky. This technology consists of a camera about two stories above the stage that shoots down on Jeffrey’s hands on the keyboard. There is a screen going across the stage that shows his hands as he plays. “The audience gets an extra dimension that they normally would not have,” explains Jeffrey. “It adds a visual element to my program that is not available in other venues.”

Jeffrey does about 85 performances of Keyboard Conversations annually, including a series in London. He admits that when he began the program, he never intended to put his white tie and tails away, but that what’s happened.

“It just simply has taken me over,” he admits. “I think Bernstein was right; it has been the most gratifying and perhaps necessary work that I can be doing.”

A celebration in song and dance honoring Bernstein’s 100th birthday featuring selections from “Mass”, “On the Waterfront,” “West Side Story” and more.

Chieko Imada and Mary Beth Cabana have teamed up to create original choreography that weaves together Mr. Bernstein’s music in a contemporary and unique fashion.

For more information, visit tucsondesertsongfestival.org.

Bernstein at 100 Celebrations in Arizona

“Tahiti For Two” Presented in partnership with Tucson Symphony Orchestra Feb. 2-4 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson

Leonard Bernstein at 100 is the world-wide celebration of the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein, the composer, conductor, educator, musician, cultural ambassador and humanitarian, officially beginning on Aug. 25, 2017, Bernstein’s 99th birthday, and continuing through his 100th year until Aug. 25, 2019.

A program of musical theater opens with Shostakovich’s orchestration of a song from a Russian musical based on the tune, “Tea for Two” and continues with Bernstein dances from “On the Town” and finally the concert version of “Trouble in Tahiti,” his one-act opera from the early ’50s about life in suburban America.

For more information, visit tucsondesertsongfestival.org.

“Candide” Performed by the Arizona Opera Jan. 27 & 28 at Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. in Tucson Feb. 2-4 at Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St. in Phoenix

ASU Chamber Singers: “Bernstein and His Circle” Feb. 10 at Katzin Concert Hall on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe

Arizona Opera celebrates composer Leonard Bernstein’s centennial with the company premiere of “Candide.” Fastpaced, funny, and philosophical, this Tony award-wining Broadway smash is now considered an operatic masterpiece.

Based on the novella by Voltaire, the naïve Candide sets off to explore the world, beset by an endless series of comedic disasters.

For more information, visit azopera.org.

“Bernstein and Ballet” featuring the music of “West Side Story” Performed by Ballet Tucson Feb. 2-4 at Stevie Eller Dance Theater, 1713 E. University Blvd. in Tucson PHOTO BY JACK MITCHELL

David Schildkret conducts the Arizona State University Chamber Singers in a concert honoring Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday with music by Bernstein, Samuel Barber and others. For more information, visit music.asu.edu/events.

The Festival Orchestra: “Beethoven & Bernstein” Feb. 25 at La Casa de Cristo Church, 6300 E. Bell Road in Scottsdale Musicfest honors the centennial of Leonard Bernstein with his exciting and powerful “Chichester Psalms.” The concert’s second half further celebrates Bernstein’s compositional legacy with performances of other beloved

works. The composer’s daughter, Jamie Bernstein, joins Maestro Moody and the musicians to provide personal insight into her father’s extraordinary career and compositions.

For more information, visit azmusicfest.org.

“A Tribute to Leonard Bernstein” Co-presented with the Phoenix Chamber Music Society Feb. 26 at the Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. in Scottsdale The opening concert of the Phoenix Chamber Music Society’s 9th Annual Winter Festival brings music of American master Leonard Bernstein.

For more information, visit phoenixchambermusicsociety.org.

“West Side Story” in Concert Performed by the Phoenix Symphony March 2-4 at Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St. in Phoenix Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of “West Side Story” with a full performance of Bernstein’s legendary smash hit. In a new production, acclaimed Broadway vocalists will offer a fresh take on this poignant and provocative classic, renowned for its miraculous fusion of song and dance.

For more information, visit phoenixsymphony.org.

“Leonard Bernstein at 100: A Musical Celebration” Performance by pianist Jeffrey Siegel April 3 at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St. in Scottsdale “A Musical Celebration” features stunning pianistic arrangements of songs from Bernstein’s “West Side Story” and two American masterpieces by composers who greatly inspired him: Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and Copland’s “El Salon Mexico.”

For more information, visit scottsdaleperformingarts.org.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 37

Allan Naplan

FRONT & CENTER

Valley of the Sun’s own Music Man

By Leni Reiss

Allan Naplan introduces a Festival Orchestra concert at Arizona Musicfest.

PHOTO COURTESY ARIZONA MUSICFEST.

H

e’s living proof that “America’s Got Talent” – and he definitely has “The Voice!” He is Allan Naplan, executive and producing director of Arizona Musicfest, the unique concert experience based at various venues in and around North Scottsdale.

Prior to his current position, and following his professional singing career, Allen served in senior management roles with the Minnesota, Madison, Pittsburgh and Houston opera companies. As an operatic baritone, he had performed with companies nationwide including the Santa Fe, Ithaca, Tulsa, Virginia and Nashville operas.

A Massachusetts native, Allen grew up surrounded by the sounds of music. His mother was the music teacher at the local Jewish day school and his father, an educator, ran the children’s services. “There was no question where I was headed,” he acknowledges. “Our home was immersed in Judaism and the arts.” He grew up in the Jewish musical tradition and the classics.

“I gravitated toward it – and it has become my lifelong work and passion.“ Allen remembers attending one of Leonard Bernstein’s last performances at Tanglewood.

“The experience defined my future. There was no question as to where I was headed!”

At the Ithaca College School of Music Allan earned degrees in both vocal performance and music education, combining his talent and craft to create an impressive amount of Jewish music, with more than one million copies of his work sold since 1994.

These include “An American Anthem,” introduced at the 10th anniversary 9/11 Ground Zero Memorial in New York City and his choral works have been performed at The White House, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Hall, and in the 2002 Academy Award-nominated documentary, “SING!” He is a two-time winner of the Guild of Temple Musicians “Young Composers Award.”

In 2013, Allan and his wife, Christina, and their sons, Jonah and Elliot, moved to the Valley, where he had been “head-hunted” to accept the prestigious post with Musicfest. This was a transition from “just opera,” he notes, “to running a whole multi-musical operation,” involving “a lot of on-the-job training.”

When Allan took on the post, Musicfest already had a 22-year history here in the Valley, but it had a considerably smaller presence, with some 7,000 attendees per season. That number has since nearly tripled with Allan running the show. He explains that the artistic level “always was high, but we needed to increase marketing efforts and concentrate on

38 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

improving the patron experience.”

To that end, he has concentrated on several challenging aspects.

“We had the opportunity,” he explains, “to raise the standards across the board by significantly professionalizing the staff, adding venues including the Musical Instrument Museum, the Pinnacle Presbyterian Church and La Casa de Cristo, and upgrading the ticketing procedure.”

Allan’s efforts have paid off. Musicfest is experiencing an annual 20% growth in ticket sales, and he believes “The trajectory is huge.

We barely are scratching the surface Valleywide. We anticipate lots of future growth.”

The 2018 Arizona Musicfest runs from Jan. 26 to March 16 and features Chita Rivera and Tommy Tune, Michael Feinstein, Pink Martini and much more.

Segments of Festival Orchestra Week, Feb. 18-25, Allan notes, will have special resonance for Jewish audience members. For instance, on Feb. 23 Maestro Robert Moody leads the Festival Orchestra in George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” featuring Israeli-American jazz star Tamir Hendelman. Also on the program are selections from Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide” and “West Side Story.” On Feb. 25 the orchestra honors the centennial of Bernstein with his monumental “Chichester Psalms.”

This busy artist/entrepreneur says that he enjoys “a wonderful relationship” with Temple Chai, where he serves as a cantorial soloist at monthly Shabbat services. Temple life is a constant for him, Allan says, along with spending time with Christina, a paralegal now retired from the opera world, and their boys. A Naplan family tradition, he shares with a smile, is that he and Christina often sing their sons to sleep.

Center DanCe ensemble

Fantasies and Fairy Tales

featuring Cinderella Rocks!

A perfect introduction to the magical world of dance for young audiences.

MATINEES – MARCH 3 & 4 at 2 pm

Shakespeare AT THE HERBERGER

Photo by Tim Trumble

featuring the tragic tale of Othello

EVENINGS – MARCH 2 & 3 at 7:30 pm MARCH 4 at 5 pm STAGE WEST – HERBERGER THEATER CENTER 222 East Monroe Street – Phoenix, Arizona - Downtown FOR TICKETS call (602) 252-8497 or order online: www.herbergertheater.org ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 39

FRONT & CENTER

A

rt season is in full swing this month with two juried art shows featuring acclaimed artists, wine tastings, delicious edibles, live musical performances and plenty of inspiration!

Thunderbird Artists February Festivals

By Susan Kern-Fleischer Thunderbird Artists hosts its 7th annual Waterfront Fine Art & Wine Festival on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 9, 10 and 11 at 7135 E. Camelback Road in downtown Scottsdale, and a week later, the Gilbert Fine Art & Wine

Festival takes place Feb. 16, 17 and 18 at the Gilbert Civic Center, 90 E. Civic Center Drive in Gilbert. Both arts festivals are open from 10 am to 5 pm each day.

Denise Colter, Thunderbird Artists’ vice president, said

both festivals will offer a diverse selection of original paintings, sculpture, glass, wood carvings, jewelry, photography and mixed media pieces.

“The Scottsdale Waterfront is always a big draw for our

GLASS ARTIST BREAKS THROUGH HIS FEAR

Bobby Harr’s junior high school teacher told him he would never be an artist. While he was always creative, that remark not only kept him from discovering his talent, he wouldn’t go near a museum or art gallery unless he was invited to go with friends.

Today, Bobby is a successful glass artist who will exhibit his Judaica, wall art and men’s accessories at both Thunderbird Artists’ shows this month.

“I didn’t create my first piece of art until I was 48 years old, when I gave myself permission to find the right medium,” says Bobby. “I was watching a PBS program showing Dale Chihuly blowing glass, and that was before he became famous. Something just clicked and I knew I wanted to learn how to create glass art.”

Finding someone to teach him, however, was a challenge, especially because most of the renowned glass artists worked for large production companies in other states.

“I read books, watched cassettes and tried to teach myself until I found help from a local glass shop,” he said.

After experimenting with different techniques, he was drawn to fusing glass, a technique that involves cutting flat sheets of glass, layering it and cooking it in a kiln for several hours between 1,400 and 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bobby was active in the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix many years ago. He also has taught glass art at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, and his work has been featured in the Jewish Museum in New York City and the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

He said lately people can’t get enough of his mini-menorahs and Judaica wall art.

“I think people are looking for pieces that are different from their grandparents’ Judaica,” he says, adding that his cufflinks for men also are in demand.

40 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Waterfront Fine Art & Wine Festival in Scottsdale

patrons, and we’re equally excited to expand our venue location to include Gilbert this year,” Denise says. “As one of the East Valley’s fast-growing communities, we think Gilbert is a great fit for residents seeking fine art.

JEWELER IS LIVING HER DREAM

For as long as she can remember, Cindy Bolin wanted to be an artist. As a child, she looked up to her older sister, who was painting at that time. She went to art camp in Flint, MI, and later studied at the University of California at Santa Barbara, exploring many mediums, including pottery, printmaking and painting.

She didn’t find her true passion until she began to experiment with metalsmithing to create jewelry.

“My father had taught me to solder,” says Cindy. “I purchased a torch, hand tools, a rolling mill, copper, silver and I set up a bench in my studio. I tried to imagine what I wanted to wear and I would draw designs and write phrases for inspiration, all while focusing on my metal fabrication skills.”

Today, she still sketches her designs and tapes drawings and stories onto the walls of her studio to keep her motivated. Working with a collage of sterling silver, copper, gold and various precious and semi-precious stones, she solders, etches, hammers and sculpts pendants, earrings, bracelets, rings, belt buckles, key chains and other art objects. She will exhibit her newest designs at Thunderbird Artists’ Scottsdale Waterfront festival.

She finds inspiration for her work from her childhood in Michigan, her life in California, her travels and her love of big band music, which she credits her mother for.

“I find working with metal is a great way to tell a story,” Cindy says, adding that she also strives to make her pieces comfortable.

“Women aren’t dainty Victorian flowers – they have full and busy lives. I try to construct jewelry and accessories that are comfortable, durable and age well,” she says.

One way she accomplishes this is by using a rolling mill to thin out metals. “It makes the piece lighter,” says Cindy. She also uses a sander, a buffer and other hand tools to “sculpt down” the metal in certain areas.

Cindy was raised in a mixed family, but has fond memories of going to synagogue with her favorite aunt and cousins.

“For me, God is always there,” she says. “The Jewish faith has always been around me through my family and friends.”

Admission to both arts festivals is $3 for adults, and free for children 17 years or younger. For more details, call 480-837-5637 or visit ThunderbirdArtists.com.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 41

CORNER

Love IS IN THE AIR Recipe and photo by Lucia Schnitzer

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.

42 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

This month, my wonderful niece Elianna is getting married!

It’s hard to believe that she’s all grown up and ready for this pivotal moment in her life. I still remember 13 years ago when Elianna and my niece Sarah were flower girls at my wedding.

They were so small, and their big, bright eyes looked upon me as if I were a real-life princess. Isn’t that what it’s all about for us girls, anyway? We grow up dreaming and waiting for that moment when we can wear our dream dress, marry our dream guy and have our dream wedding. Obviously, it’s so much more than that in the end. It’s committing to living a life with someone that has similar values and goals as you. It’s giving sometimes more than taking, and loving them even when it’s hard at times to like them. Being married to my “dream guy” has given me more than I could have ever imagined. Through the good, bad and ugly, he is still right there – and we still care about and love each other deeply. There’s no real secret to a successful marriage; it just takes patience, communication, mutual respect and faith; and when that’s not always consistent, the desire to make the changes necessary to make it work.

Commitment and desire.

This cute and delicious treat is a fun alternative to the classic chocolate-dipped strawberry. It’s healthy, with the right amount of sweetness – perfect for sharing with your sweetheart.

Mazel tov to all the brides and grooms! May you be blessed with health, love, family and all things that are good for a long and happy life together.

berries. Slice off a bit of the tip of each strawberry so it can stand up.

Place the chocolate in a separate small bowl and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds. Continue melting in 10 second increments, if necessary, until completely melted.

Place the crushed peanuts in a small bowl and set aside.

Dip the bottom of each strawberry into the chocolate, then roll in the crushed peanuts. Place on a parchment lined pan and refrigerate while you make the filling.

Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add peanut butter, vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until well combined and smooth; adding more powdered sugar and/or peanut butter to taste.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #2D decorating tip (or a plastic zipper bag with a corner cut off will work too). Fill each strawberry with the peanut butter cheesecake mixture, then sprinkle with festive sprinkles or more crushed peanuts. Place finished strawberries on a serving tray and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: Prepared stuffed berries can be made and refrigerated up to 4 hours in advance.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries Ingredients 30 medium to large fresh strawberries, washed & dried 8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped Crushed peanuts, for garnish 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup powdered sugar Decorative sprinkles, for garnish Instructions Cut the top and leaves off of each strawberry. Use a small sharp knife (or melon baller) to carefully hull the center of the

GREAT WITH BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER

WANDER NO MORE

azjewishlife.com ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 43

FOOD RESTAURANT REVIEW

Mongolian Beef

Welcome to good Chinese food

If I had a nickel for all the times I’ve been asked where to get good Chinese food, I could afford to send you all to China. Since no one gave me any nickels, I will instead direct you to a local establishment I’ve enjoyed over the years.

It’s a neighborhood place, in a strip mall, as most good Chinese restaurants are. There are zero decorations except for some stock photo posters scattered about, and this is typical of a place whose focus isn’t décor, but whose focus is beautiful food. There are fish tanks, not aquariums, but tanks of live fish inside that are ingredients for those craving seafood. It’s not a special-occasion restaurant, but it definitely is the answer to, “Where can I get good Chinese food?” There are large round tables available with a Lazy Susan in the middle for big groups, and they are often in use.

The restaurant’s name, Nee House, is a play on words … well Mandarin words. Ni hao (pronounced nee how) is how you say “Hello” in Chinese. So, in a way, the name of the place, Nee House, welcomes you. Get it? While we are on the subject of language, English does not seem to be the first language of the serving staff, and I love that. It’s a no-nonsense, no chitchat, “Are you ready to order?” kind of place. It’s family run, and you will be left alone to eat so if you need anything after your food arrives, better speak up or wave your arms because they’ve moved on to other customers.

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THIS MONTH’S RESTAURANT

Nee House Chinese Restaurant $$-$$$ 13843 N. Tatum Blvd. # 15, Phoenix 602-992-3338 neehousephoenix.com

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

Roast Duck (half) $12.99

(Crispy roast duck, chopped up, served with house special sauce) What is most amazing, is the generous portion on the plate for the price of this gourmet treat. If you love duck, you are certainly going to enjoy this. I wouldn’t say it was crispy, but it was juicy, tender, deliciously salty, and there was plenty of it.

Over the course of several visits, this is what I had:

Steamed Fish (market price)

(Steamed fish garnished with scallions and cilantro in the house soy sauce) I know this dish isn’t for everyone, but if you love seafood, it doesn’t get any fresher than this. I watched them catch my dinner with a net, and then waited patiently for it to arrive.

Chinese-style steamed fish is probably one of the healthiest ways to eat fish, and it is covered with fresh scallions that have been lightly sautéed, with fresh cilantro on top. The soy sauce does have salt in it, but you can choose how much or how little of it to spoon onto your plate.

Tonight’s fish is Tilapia ($11.99/lb.) and it arrives whole, head on, bones in, covered in a pile of delicious greens and sitting in a brown sauce. The meat is extremely tender and moist and slides right off the bones with hardly any effort. All you need is a spoon to ladle the fish, the veggies, and the sauce over the accompanying white rice. The fish seemed to range from 2 – 3 pounds and I believe they vary the selection during the week. If you love fish, this is a must try.

Mongolian Beef $11.99

This is a traditional presentation of sliced beef, onions, carrots, scallions, all in a brown sauce that is sweet and a little spicy. The meat is super tender, and the veggies are cooked perfectly. This is a popular dish here, and you can’t go wrong.

Don’t be afraid to order your level of spice – from hot to mild.

Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce $10.99

(Sliced eggplant lightly fried and stir-fried in a spicy garlic sauce topped with scallions) I love eggplant, any way it comes, but if you’re telling me you’ve prepared it in a wok with garlic, bring it on. This dish is surprisingly hot! I don’t mean spicy; I mean eggplant retains heat like a baked potato. Let it cool a bit and then enjoy the rich, sweet, garlicky flavor of eggplant that melts in your mouth.

I’m not sure why they call it spicy because I really didn’t detect that.

Chicken Chow Mein $11.99

(Chicken, cabbage, carrots, celery, onions and bean sprouts with egg noodles) This is a warm noodle dish with very tender pieces of sliced, white-meat chicken in a medley of Chinese vegetables. It’s total comfort food. To me, this was more like lo mein because the noodles are soft. I was searching for lo mein which was not on the menu, and the server indicated that their chow mein was more like lo mein – and she was right.

As is typical of Chinese restaurants, there are no desserts offered except for the fortune cookie delivered with your check, but really you are stuffed anyway. It is common practice in China to order more food than your group can eat; it’s a sign of generosity, and I would add that it is also fun. This way, you get to try different things and if there is one thing that is great the next day it is Chinese leftovers. Some people reheat, some like it cold, I do both.

At Nee House, the food comes quickly, each dish as it becomes ready, like a little parade coming by with something new to see and eat. Parking is easy which is always nice. If you don’t have time to dine in, everything they offer is also on their takeout menu. Their hot tea is delicious and they have a full bar. Now you owe me a nickel for telling you where to get good Chinese food.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 45

A shared love of wine collecting

By Lila Baltman Dr. Richard Witlin and Nancy Weinman in the "special jewel" of their home.

46 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

W

henever guests pay a visit to the Sedona home of Dr. Richard Witlin and his wife, Nancy Weinman, the one room in the house that Richard insists on being the “official tour guide” for is their beautiful, one-of-a-kind wine cellar.

“Especially when it’s really hot outside, I have a great time walking our guests into the cool, climate-controlled, 55-degree wine room and showing them the hundreds of different wine bottles that Nancy and I have collected over the years,” says Richard. “With the specialized features we have built into the wine room, including LED displays and custom bottle racks, along with the many wonderful bottles of wine to talk about, the wine room is a special jewel within our home.”

The way Richard and Nancy explain it, the fun of opening up an old bottle of wine is a little bit like time traveling and taking a warm, nostalgic trip down memory lane. When they open up a bottle from 1990, for example, they’ll stop and think about where they were that year and try to remember what they were doing. Sipping wine, while sharing memories is a delicious combination.

And if ever there was a couple with a definite talent and combined “eye for design,” this is it. Dr. Witlin is a renowned ophthalmologist, and Nancy Weinman is a distinguished architect who owns Weinman Architectural Services in both Sedona and New York City.

Located adjacent to the dining room, the couple designed their long, narrow, walk-in wine cellar with tall, glass walls so that everyone can see directly into the room while dining, and enjoy looking at all the different wine bottles with their pretty labels.

In fact, their guests enjoy looking into the wine room so much, “It’s almost like being in a library looking at all the

books,” laughs Nancy. “Our wine room gives everyone a lot to read and talk about while eating dinner.”

Sharing their passion and love for wine collecting has been a “really fun adventure that has taken us all around the world” adds Richard. “If you ever want to travel to a beautiful place where the people are nice and friendly, go to a place where they make wine.”

Their trips have not only taken them to several, first-rate wineries around Arizona and nearby Napa Valley; the couple has also traveled to stunning vineyards across France, Italy, Spain, Chile, and coming up this spring, they’re eagerly anticipating their very first trip to wineries across Israel.

They say their wine cellar will soon include several bottles of both kosher and non kosher wine from Israel. They’re looking forward to buying both.

The company they hired to help with the design and building of their customized wine cellar was Wine Cellar Experts in Scottsdale. Owned by professional sommelier and wine cellar design specialist, Rick Benson, Richard

The custom-designed wine cellar in the couple's Sedona home. and Nancy say they appreciated the way that Rick and his team were able to individualize the wine cellar for them. For example, one unique feature that Wine Cellar Experts created for Nancy was a built-in storage cabinet where she can now store her fur vests and jackets. The 55-degree temperature in the cellar is not only ideal for storing wine, it’s also ideal for storing fur.

Collecting and drinking wine with friends is a shared passion that Richard and Nancy say they look forward to enjoying for many years to come. Their favorite quote about wine that best sums up their feelings is the famous quote from Galileo: “Wine is sunlight held together by water.”

For more information about building a customized wine cellar in your home, contact Wine Cellar Experts at 480-922-WINE (9463) or visit winecellarexperts.com

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 47

The rise of Israeli wedding dress designers

By Anne Kleinberg There was a time, not so long ago, when the words Israeli haute couture could be considered an oxymoron. There was nothing elegant or sophisticated about evening dresses.

And bridal gowns? A profusion of puffiness and petticoats!

But times changed. Dramatically. In a country known as the Start-Up Nation, the bridal industry has captured the world’s attention and is reported to be valued at billions of shekels. The wedding gown creations of Israel’s designers are nothing less than stunning, and they are being paraded onto the world’s catwalks and red carpets. The names of these houses are uttered in hushed, revered tones on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.

While the center of the bridal dress district was once Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv, it now expands out into trendy Jaffa, the southern coastal city of Ashdod and beyond.

And although Israeli brides tend to rent their gowns (for considerably less money than buying), many designers sell in bridal salons throughout the world as well as via the internet. The shops vary from small, personalized boutiques run by classically trained dressmakers to empires run by businesswomen and their daughters.

48 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

LIHI HOD is a graduate of Shenkar College and the House of Dior under the guidance of John Galliano. Lihi established her Tel Aviv studio in 2010 and has become a rising star in the industry. Her designs are fresh, romantic and relaxed, allowing brides to feel comfortable, yet sexy, as they enjoy their weddings. Gowns feature exquisite fabrics, delicate details and a playfulness that ranges from fairytale to movie star glamour. It is clear that Lihi’s brides love her and her designs.

It’s no wonder that IRENA BURSHTEIN has a large international following – she radiates an aura of kindness and elegance. Her bridal dresses seem to reflect her attitude about fashion: romantic, sexy, precise sizing, nothing sparkly or overly provocative. A graduate of Shenkar College, it was clear to her all along that she would open up her own shop and cater to women who wanted to look beautiful.

Her favorite fabrics are silk sateen, lace and silk chiffons (often combining different colors to create an amazing blend), sometimes delicately embellished with Swarovski crystals.

MIRA ZWILLINGER has been in business for more than 20 years, recently joined by her daughter Lihi. Her signature designs may incorporate organza and sequins, silk tulle with hand embroidery and crystals. There is a sense of sweet but sensual, lovely yet exciting with cascading veils, top and skirt separates, off-shoulder and strapless fashions. Femininity abounds.

GALIA LAHAV is of Russian descent, born into a family of dressmakers. From a modest beginning creating ivory lace appliques to establishing a design house saturated in extravagance and luxury, a Galia Lahav gown is not for the faint of heart. Her collections epitomize a golden age with evocative names like Ivory Tower, La Dolce Vita, Empress, Lourdes and Les Reves Bohemians. Pearls cascading down a graceful back, mermaid tails, fringes, feathers and ruffles embellish her dresses.

BERTA BALILTI was born in Egypt, emigrated to Israel with her family as a small child and parlayed her degree from the famed Shenkar College in Tel Aviv into a world-renowned bridal dress empire. She describes her designs as “avantgarde,” and they certainly exude sexiness and daring, femininity and elegance with their plunging necklines, flowing trains and delicate veils.

The house of NATALI SISAURI has exploded in popularity with a newly expanded showroom in Ashdod. While her roots in fashion and dressmaking come from classic European training and an admiration for the masters of haute couture, Natali is totally in touch with her brides who want to be sexy and alluring on the most important day of their lives.

She will sit with them and patiently listen to their wedding dress dreams while she gently guides them toward designs that will suit their bodies and personalities.

Lace, exposed backs and form-fitting dresses evocative of Hollywood opulence are her signature looks.

A bride-to-be contemplating the most important dress she will wear in her life would be welladvised to check out the dazzling designs coming out of Israel – with orders being shipped around the world, one’s location no longer presents a problem. Or just fly over for a visit and a fitting!

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 49

Actively Senior

Arizona Senior Olympics:

Motivate seniors with fun fitness

By Mala Blomquist and Irene L. Stillwell

as the Arizona Lifelong Fitness Foundation. ALFF is an all volunteer-run organization and has expanded its programming into other areas of fitness and health training that are enhanced by the annual Arizona Senior Olympic Games.

At the beginning of each year, millions of Americans make resolutions to improve their health. Seniors are a large part of the population that resolve again and again to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle; but just like the rest of the population, most do Sharon Salomon didn’t set out to become a competitive not keep those resolutions. powerlifter; she just Arizona Senior Olympics wanted to be able to do was begun to give seniors a military (straight-leg) the motivation necessary push-up. to begin – and continue “I hired a trainer for –an active and engaged the first time in my life to lifestyle. help me get strong enough The Arizona Lifelong to do a military pushFitness Foundation up,” explains Sharon. “I produces the Arizona always knew I was strong, Senior Olympic Games or stronger than most each year to motivate and other women, but after we foster social engagement started working out, the and to award and trainer said, ‘You’re really recognize individual strong.’” efforts. Seniors who Sharon reached her goal participate are encouraged of doing the push-up – to train year-round for Sharon Salomon and she just kept going. “I the sports of their choice. really found something I Individual sports include enjoyed,” she says. “I liked swimming, skiing, cycling, picking up heavy things so I just kept doing it.” running, and track and field. Team sports such as softball, She is 73 now and will compete in her eighth Senior basketball and volleyball provide both individual recognition Olympics on Feb. 24. Sharon is also competing in a “regular” and the social engagement. The 2018 Arizona Senior Olympic powerlifting competition on Feb. 10, where she will be the Games offer 31 sports. Competition brackets are divided into oldest person competing. Arizona holds the only Senior five-year age groups so that everyone competes with people Olympics that allows women to compete in powerlifting. who are within five years of their own age. An awards ceremony recognizes outstanding accomplishments in each sport.

Sharon has always enjoyed exercise. She ran track and played The Arizona Senior Olympics began in 1982 as the City basketball in high school and volleyball in college. Her current of Phoenix Senior Olympic Games, but by 1984 word of the workout routine consists of lifting with a trainer on Monday, event had spread and seniors came from all over the state Wednesday and Friday at Foothills Acceleration and Sports to participate. The name was changed to Arizona Senior Training and going to the Chris-Town YMCA for aerobic Olympics in response to that state-wide interest. Although the exercise on her off days from weight training. games were started as a City of Phoenix program, other cities “I like to move around and do sports,” she says “I’m began supporting the event, which became an unusual example competitive.

I like the opportunity to push myself and see how of inter-governmental cooperation. far I can go.”

When the recession began in 2008, the Arizona Senior Olympics was cut from the City of Phoenix budget, prompting the Board of Directors to file for nonprofit status

Sharon Salomon – Powerlifting

50 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Bernard Savitz

Bernard Savitz – Table Tennis

Bernard Savitz has been playing competitive table tennis for 30 years. In 2002, he was ranked the number one player in Arizona. He has competed on and off for the last 16 years in the Senior Olympics, always winning a silver or gold medal.

The last two years he has won a gold medal in doubles with his partner George Davis. They will be returning on March 11 to try and win a third gold medal.

His table tennis skills have also earned him some fame. “I was involved with the movie ‘Forrest Gump.’ I gave lessons to all the movie stars, writers and people at Paramount,” says Bernard. “I brought some friends with me and we gave an exhibition, and then gave lessons to Tom Hanks Sally Field and Gary Sinise.”

He thought that he might be cast to play table tennis opposite Hanks in the film, but since the match was set in China and as Bernard says,” I didn’t look Chinese enough,” they cast his friend, who was from the Philippines, instead.

Bernard usually practices twice a week at the Phoenix Table Tennis Club or the Granite Reef or Via Linda Senior Centers.

Sometimes he can squeeze in a third practice, but often he is too busy with his other commitments. He is the cantor and spiritual leader of Congregation Shomrei Torah. He is also an ordained rabbi.

This March, Bernard is being awarded an honorary doctorate of music by the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. “It is being given to me, according to Chancellor Dr. Arnold Eisen, ‘For my 45 years of dedicated service to the cantorate and the Jewish community.’” Looks like March is going to be an exciting month for Bernard!

The Arizona Senior Olympics will run from Feb. 17 through March 18 at venues throughout the state. For more information, visit seniorgames.org.

With so many things to do, we suggest getting an early start on your want-to-do list.

There’s a lot to do at The Village at Ocotillo Senior Living Community — clubs, events, socializing, and more.

So, go ahead and make your want-to-do list.

But please don’t include a bunch of chores.

We’ll take care of most of those for you.

We invite you to see all that The Village at Ocotillo has to offer (including assisted living services if needed) at a complimentary lunch and tour.

Please call 480.558.0246 to schedule.

I n de p e n de n t & A s s i s t e d L i v i ng

990 West Ocotillo Road • Chandler, AZ TheVillageatOcotillo.com • 480.558.0246

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 51

Actively Senior

Dr. Mona Morstein:

Helping Master Your Diabetes Dr. Mona Morstein

By Melissa Hirschl

A worldwide epidemic at crisis levels, diabetes is estimated to affect 600 million people by 2035. To combat the potentially devastating consequences, Mesa resident and naturopathic doctor, Mona Morstein, ND, DHANP, has put out a clarion call aimed at altering that trajectory. Her new 560-page book, Master Your Diabetes, A Comprehensive, Integrative Approach for Both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes consists of sound evidence, supported by scientific and medical studies and analyses, practical resources and real-world advice that empowers diabetes sufferers to harness their health and live full, vibrant lives.

“Writing this book has been a long process, with starts and stops over quite a few years,” says Morstein. “It’s amazingly exciting that it is finally done. This book gives you the information you need to be a victor in your relationship with diabetes, not a victim.”

This comprehensive, integrative diabetes guide for patients, caregivers and medical practitioners provides relevant and informative reading for anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and demonstrates how they can maintain control of their blood sugar levels to prevent and reverse existing diabetic complications. Filled with insights and guidance, MYD discusses conventional care and introduces the “The Eight Essentials” adhered to in the Low Carb Diabetes Association, a nonprofit of which Morstein is the founder and executive director. The Essentials consist of: a whole food/low carb diet, exercise options, good sleep hygiene, stress management, healing the gut, environmental detoxification, supplementation and medications.

52 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

“All of the Essentials are important to consider in treating diabetes patients,” Morstein explains. “For example, environmental toxins are proven to cause obesity and insulin resistance, and impaired gut bacteria promotes systemic inflammation. The whole body is connected.”

Morstein’s fascination with natural medicine came about when she was earning her Bachelor of Science in Foods and Nutrition from Arizona State University in 1984. Her defining career moment came about soon after, when she spent time observing local ND, Dr. Michael Cronin. “I decided then and there, I wanted to pursue naturopathic medical school,” she says.

A graduate of National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, OR, Morstein did her residency there, before setting up a private practice in Montana for 13 years. A move to Arizona brought new career opportunities. She worked at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe as chair of nutrition, gastroenterology professor and clinical supervisor in their outpatient clinic. She is now back in private practice at Arizona Integrative Medical Solutions in Tempe.

Ironically, Morstein’s own bouts with OCD as a teenager, accompanied by recurrent seizures led her to the alternative world of naturopathic medicine. “I totally stopped eating refined sugar,” she explains, and miraculously both symptoms went away. Herbal tea healed my recurrent intestinal upsets and led me to pursue nutrition and natural healing.”

It may come as a surprise that diabetes wasn’t always on Morstein’s radar. What set her sights on becoming a diabetes expert was an event that happened as a new doctor in Montana. “I did not pick up on the symptoms of a diabetes patient,” she says. Realizing her blind spot, she contacted

the clinic of Dr. Richard Bernstein, author of Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution, who let her shadow him for a week. The experience was invaluable, as it set the stage for Morstein to incorporate his diabetes treatments with aspects of naturopathic modalities.

According to Morstein, there are six underlying philosophical tenets of naturopathic medicine: First Do No Harm, the Healing Power of Nature, Remove Obstacles to Cure, Treat the Whole Person, Doctor as Teacher and Prevention. Working with patients at her Tempe clinic, Morstein uses integrative testing, nutrition, natural supplemental, hydrotherapy, counseling on lifestyle and the Essentials, homeopathy and vertebral manipulation.

“Dr. Morstein treats the whole body, taking a comprehensive approach to keeping me healthy, and living a practical yet meaningful life with a chronic disease,” says patient Sara Pinson. “Diabetes is a complex disease, and Dr. Morstein not only educated me, but listened to my concerns with a whole heart.”

For more information, contact Dr. Morstein at Arizona Integrative Medical Solutions at 480-284-8155 or visit azimsolutions.com. Master Your Diabetes is available on Amazon or through Chelsea Publishing at 802-295-6300.

To access a wide range of helpful tips, facts and recipes geared toward Jewish holidays and lifestyles, contact the Jewish Diabetes Organization at jewishdiabetes.org.

PLEASE CALL 480-376-2218 SCHEDULE A PERSONAL TOUR TODAY!

ANDARA

a Senior Lifestyle community INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING 11415 N. 114TH ST. | SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85259 W W W.S E N I O R L I F E S T Y L E. C O M

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 53

Actively Senior

February is American Heart Month

When you think of February, your thoughts turn to Valentine’s Day, love and heart-shaped boxes of candy. The American Heart Month was created so you spend some time also thinking about ways to keep that muscular organ in your chest going strong. About 2,200 Americans die each day of cardiovascular disease. Many believe that heart disease affects more men than women, so the National Wear Red Day (this year on Feb. 2) was created in 2003 to raise awareness about heart disease being the number one killer of women.

There are many interesting facts found on the American Heart Association’s website (heart.org) about American Heart Month:

-The first American Heart Month, which took place in February 1964, was proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson via Proclamation 3566 on Dec. 30, 1963.

-The Congress, by joint resolution on that date, has requested the President to issue annually a proclamation designating February as American Heart Month.

-At that time, more than half the deaths in the United Stated were caused by cardiovascular disease.

-While American Heart Month is a federally designated month in the United States, it’s important to realize that cardiovascular disease knows no borders. Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading global cause of death with more than 17.3 million deaths each year.

-That number is expected to rise to more than 23.6 million by 2030.

We posed some heart-related questions to Nathan Laufer M.D., FACC. Dr. Laufer is the founder and medical director of the Heart & Vascular Center of Arizona. He is board certified in internal medicine, cardiology and interventional cardiology and has been in practice since 1984.

54 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Following are the questions and Dr. Laufer’s answers:

What are the risk factors for heart disease?

There are five main risk factors for heart disease: smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol (especially the bad cholesterol or LDL) and genetics.

What can someone do to lower his/her risk of heart disease?

Obviously, we can’t do anything about the genetic risk of heart disease. However, the other four can be controlled. Diet and exercise lower blood pressure and cholesterol and can limit diabetes.

How does diet impact heart health?

A strict low-cholesterol and low-carb diet will lower blood cholesterol, blood sugar and can decrease weight. In turn, this will then decrease the chance of developing plaque in the coronary arteries. Even if there is plaque present, a lowcholesterol diet will lower blood cholesterol which will lower the fat in the plaque, stabilizing it. This action will lead to a more scarred plaque with less fat in it, which is less likely to rupture and cause a heart attack.

What is the connection between high blood pressure and heart disease?

High blood pressure can cause stress and strain on the coronary artery, which can trigger the development of coronary plaques. Also, the heart muscle would be working against a higher resistance, which can eventually weaken the heart muscle and cause congestive heart failure. Finally, high blood pressure is one of the important risk factors for developing stroke by triggering plaque development in the carotid arteries.

What is the difference between good and bad cholesterol?

Good cholesterol, or HDL, takes cholesterol from the coronary artery plaque and deposits it into the liver where it is broken down. Bad cholesterol, or LDL, helps trigger the development of coronary artery plaque. LDL cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for coronary artery disease and heart attacks. More specifically, the dense particle portion of LDL

has the highest risk factor for developing coronary artery disease. This particle can be measured by subfractionating the total LDL cholesterol.

What are the warning signs of heart disease?

The warning signs are different for men and women. In men, the classic symptoms are chest pressure, heaviness Dr. Nathan Laufer or tightness, occasionally with radiation to the neck or left shoulder, or down the arm. It can be associated with nausea and sweating. When the symptoms occur with exertion, it is called angina. If it occurs at rest, it could signify the beginning of a heart attack. In women, symptoms are significantly different. They can sometimes be confused with postmenopausal symptoms. They are sometimes described as chills, sweats, shortness of breath, or nausea. These symptoms tend to be more nonspecific, and the diagnosis is sometimes missed.

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 55

K I D S

and teens too!

KIDS FAMILY TIME

Scromiting

By Debra Rich Gettleman

Have you noticed your teen compulsively taking hot showers or baths lately? Has he been complaining of abdominal pain, nausea, or unexplainable vomiting? Well, there’s a new syndrome in town and it’s hard to recognize and diagnose, and maybe even harder to treat.

As marijuana legalization spreads across the country, doctors are noticing an increase in Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). CHS is a newly diagnosed syndrome caused by longterm use of various forms of marijuana. And it’s not pleasant.

CHS sufferers present at emergency rooms with uncontrollable vomiting and nausea. They’re often screaming in pain while vomiting, which has caused docs to nickname the syndrome “scromiting.”

It’s so new and so hard to recognize that most patients visit the emergency room three to five times without getting a proper diagnosis.

In a recent article in the San Francisco Gate newspaper, Dr. Roneet Lev, the director of operations at Scripps Mercy Hospital commented that she sees at least one patient a day with CHS. CHS is tough to diagnose, and there hasn’t been much research on it up to this point. Without a major epidemiological study to refer to, it’s nearly impossible to estimate how many people suffer from CHS or to evaluate the success of various treatments. At this time, the only real cure seems to be stopping the use of marijuana permanently.

The hot bath part of this is kind of interesting. It starts off as a learned behavior that alleviates some of the nausea. But it quickly seems to morph into a compulsive behavior where people spend hours of their days steeping in the tub. Frankly, this sounds kind of ... awful to me.

I get that marijuana is legal in a lot of states, and I know that tons of folks praise the weed for its relaxing and medicinal purposes. But a new study out of the University of Michigan just surfaced stating that nearly one-quarter of teens are using pot. The staggering 24% of 8th-, 10th- and 12thgraders surveyed in the recent U of M research also showed that fewer and fewer high schoolers see pot as a bad thing or recognize any “great risk” in smoking it.

Students are vaping marijuana and nicotine in greater numbers, and it seems hard to deny that legalization has helped increase those statistics. But every day when I drive to work I see a Weedmap billboard that insists that the rate of youth marijuana usage in Washington and Colorado has remained unchanged despite pot legalization in 2012. We’re facing a new dangerous syndrome of scromiting, the percentage of teens using pot keeps increasing, and the medical research acknowledges serious risks of smoking pot for adolescent brain development. So who’s telling the truth?

As an obsessive knowledge seeker, I started looking into the billboard claim. After all, it does sound kind of counterintuitive. Now I’m not going to argue statistics with anyone. That’s a no-win situation. But I will say that the way the statistics were gathered to make that claim are questionable and the research I looked at suggests that the numbers did actually increase, but because the time frame of the survey was so small, the statistical significance was arguable.

Full disclosure, I’m a square. I’m a Midwestern girl with basic Midwestern values. And I’m cautious. I’d rather my kids get high on life than weed. So until someone can prove to me that my kid isn’t headed to the ER scromiting, or losing brain cells, I’m not gonna be the poster child for marijuana, and I’m not gonna believe every billboard I see driving down the freeway.

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

56 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 57

Purim Events

The festival of Purim commemorates the salvation of the

four; $2 per additional person. Register at 480-634-4949

Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot “to

or youth@vosjcc.org.

destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old,

Hamentaschen for Hunger at Congregation Anshei Israel,

infants and women, in a single day.” It is celebrated with

5550 E. Fifth St., Tucson at 3:30 pm. Designed to satisfy

Megillah readings, gifts of food, charity, feasting and

both the body and the soul! Individuals or families make

merriment. Purim begins at sundown on Feb. 28 through

their own hamentaschen (take & bake). A set-up of dough

March 1.

(enough to make about 12 hamentaschen), rolling pins,

Feb. 7

cutters, fillings, a disposable baking pan and instructions

Costume Fun for Purim at the East Valley Jewish

Manot bags and Purim greeting cards. “Set-ups” are $18

Community Center, 980 N. Alma School Road, Chandler

each; attendees may purchase more than one set-up.

from 4:30-5:15 pm. Listen to the story of Queen Esther, and

Proceeds will be divided between the Tucson Community

enjoy songs and costume making. For more information,

Food Bank, LEKET (the national food bank of Israel) and

visit evjcc.org/event/costume-fun-for-purim.

CAI’s Youth Programs. Feel the mitzvah … do the mitzvah!

Feb. 18

RSVP a must by Feb. 12. For more information, visit caiaz.

Purim Palooza at Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 9:3011:30 am. Guests are invited to come in costume or to

are provided. Materials also available to decorate Shalach

org/hamentaschen-for-hunger-feb-18-2018.

Feb. 22 Purim Baskets and Dinner Masquerade at the East Valley

make their own during this family-friendly celebration. Free

Jewish Community Center, 980 N. Alma School Road,

for J family members; guests are $5 per family of up to

Chandler. Purim raffle baskets and dinner masquerade –

58 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

fun for the whole family! For more information, visit evjcc. org/event/purim-baskets-and-dinner-masquerade.

Feb. 25 Community-wide Purim Carnival at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 11 am-3 pm. A family friendly day of fun with carnival rides, bouncies, games, face painting, Teen Zone, Beer Garden, local performances and more!

Presented by Flader Wealth Consulting Group-RBC Wealth Management. Everyone welcome! Admission is free.

For information, VIP options and discounts on rides and attractions, visit vosjcc.org/purim2018.

Purim Carnival at Temple Emanuel of Tempe, 5801 S. Rural Road, Tempe from 10:30 am-1 pm. Carnival games, petting zoo, face painting, Klezmer band, costume contests and more. Free admission; fee for activities. For more information, visit emanueloftempe.org.

Feb. 28 Purim Pandemonium at Congregation Anshei Israel, 5550 E. Fifth St., Tucson from 5-8 pm. Free fun, free food, free drinks… everyone is invited to come dressed in costume for this festive occasion. This year’s theme: Superheroes!

Bounce houses, carnival games & prizes for kids. Pasta dinner with sides at 5:30 pm; The “whole” Megillah at 6:13pm; costume parade & hamentaschen. It’s all free; RSVP a must by Feb. 23. For more information, visit caiaz. org.

Purim in the Holy Land at Fountain Hills Community Center, 13001 N. La Montana Dr., Fountain Hills. Celebrate Purim Israeli style with shwarma, falafel, wines of Israel, Jaffa juice, Israeli music, photos at the Western Wall and more. For more information, visit jewishfountainhills.com.

March 4 Purim Extravaganza & Carnival at Temple Emanu-El, 225 N. Country Club Road, Tucson from 10 am-noon. Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon, Rabbi Batsheva Appel, Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg, and many volunteers will sing the story of Esther, Mordechai, King Ahashverosh and Haman as the story has never been sung before. Purim Carnival will follow immediately after. For more information, visit templeemanueltucson.org.

12701 N Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85254 vosjcc.org | 480.483.7121 ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 59

KIDS CALENDAR

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.

learning experience with Israeli teens. Free. No RSVP required. For more information, call 520-577-1171 or rabbi@cbsaz.org.

Feb. 4, 11 & 18 BABY SITTING TRAINING at Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 1-5 pm. Our American Red Cross certification course prepares boys and girls ages 11-15 with the knowledge and skills to safely and responsibly care for infants and children, including techniques to prevent and deal with misbehavior and how to develop a babysitting business, show leadership and model respect. It also includes basic first aid and CPR, as well as a take-home binder filled with fun ideas and games to help entertain children. All three classes are mandatory to receive certification and first aid card. Members: $125; guests: $175. Register at 480-634-4949 or youth@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 Corey at 520-2993000 ext. 256 or ccravens@tucsonjcc.org.

Feb. 2 TOT SHABBAT, service 5:45 pm; dinner 6:15 pm at Congregation Anshei Israel, 5550 E 5th St., Tucson. Special Kabbalat Shabbat Service for young families to welcome the Sabbath with stories and songs, followed by kid-friendly Shabbat dinner. $25 per family (2 adults & up to 4 children). Additional adults $10 per person. RSVP to Kim, 520-745-5550 ext. 224 or edasst@caiaz.org.

TOT KABBALAT SHABBAT at Temple Emanu-El, 225 N Country Club Road, Tucson from 6-7 pm. Child-centered service with songs, stories and music led by Rabbi Batsheva Appel. Shabbat dinner of kosher chicken and sides (vegetarian upon request), followed by dessert oneg on the playground. $10 adults, under 13 free. 520-327-4501 or templeemanueltucson.org.

Feb. 2, 9, 16 & 23 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.

Feb. 3, 10, 17 & 24 CAMP SHABBAT for ages 6-10 years at Congregation Bet Shalom, 3881 E. River Road, Tucson from 11 am-1 pm. A wonderful, fun, 60 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Feb. 5 & 20 FRIENDLY PINES CAMP INFORMATION NIGHT on Feb. 5 at Courtyard by Marriott Scottsdale Salt River, 5201 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale from 7-8:30 pm and Feb. 20 at AZ Air Time, 13802 N Scottsdale Road #145, Scottsdale from 6:30-8 pm. The Director of Friendly Pines Camp in Prescott, Kevin Nissen, will offer a very informative and helpful presentation and discuss all the emotional and physical benefits that children experience when they attend a summer sleepaway camp. All of your questions about sleepaway camp will be answered. 928445-2128 or friendlypines.com.

Feb. 5, 12, 19 & 26 PARENT-TOT CLASS for ages up to 24 months and their parent(s) at Congregation Anshei Israel, 5550 E 5th St., Tucson from 9-11 am.

Participants sign songs, make art projects, read stories, have a snack and share parenting advice. Free. For more information, contact 520-745-5550 ext. 229 or lynne@caiaz.org.

Feb. 11 KIDS IN THE KITCHEN at Chabad of the East Valley, 875 N McClintock Dr., Chandler at 12:15 pm for children in grades 1-6 to experience the joy of kosher cooking. Children will have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves, cook, bake, and decorate fabulous foods, take home their own handmade creations and collect delicious recipes in their own recipe book. $12/per class. RSVP to youth@chabadcenter.com.

Feb. 17 FAMILY OLYMPICS at Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 6:30-8:30 pm. Get your family into the Olympic spirit with a little family-friendly competition. Group games, mom and dad races, kids’ contests and more! Snacks included.

Price per family of up to four members, members: $35; guests: $50; $5 per additional person. Register at 480-634-4949 or youth@vosjcc.org.

Feb. 28 K-1ST GRADE OPEN HOUSE at Tucson Hebrew Academy, 3888 E. River Road, Tucson from 9:30-11 am. Tucson Hebrew Academy is enrolling for the 2018-19 school year! Engage with teachers and see THA in action with a tour of the building. For more information, contact 520529-3888 or visit thaaz.org.

Israel

Dr. Sharon B. Megdal: Proponent for water policy

She came back from that trip thinking about Sharon B. Megdal, Ph.D., the similarities between couldn’t have guessed she Arizona and Israel. “We’re would end up as the director both semi-arid, face water of The University of Arizona scarcity, have growing Water Resources Research economies, have large and Center when she earned her vibrant agricultural sectors; doctoral degree in economics … what can we learn from from Princeton University. But each other in terms of some interesting twists and policy and management? turns in her career led her to I knew over the years that where she is now. there had been a lot of She originally came to exchange over agriculture Arizona for a job in the and irrigation methods. economics department at the I wanted to focus on the University of Arizona in the policy and management Sharon B. Megdal late ’70s. In the mid-1980s approaches,” says Sharon. she was appointed by thenOver the next few governor Bruce Babbitt to years, she worked on the Arizona Corporation Commission. “My name was in the funding for a workshop to be held in Tucson discussing water right place at the right time, and I was appointed to what is an policy. In 2009, she brought together people from the United elected position,” explains Sharon.

States, Israel, Mexico and Palestinian territories. Since that The Corporation Commission regulates privately owned workshop, she has been to Israel a dozen times, all on business. water companies; “I see water projects, I meet with the top level water officials, the position introduced her to water issues. From 1991 to academics and so forth,” says Sharon.

1994 she was the executive director of the Santa Cruz Valley “What I have been able to accomplish, which I am both Water District. She worked in consulting for awhile, then in proud of and pleased about, is that I’m kind of a bridge – I 2002 she was offered the position of associate director of the have developed enough expertise about what’s going on there Water Resources Research Center at UA. that I can talk about it and help people understand it here.

“I made director a little over two years later,” says Sharon. “It I’m helping spread the word about good practices in water was a circuitous route getting into water from a very applied management.” on-the-ground perspective. Getting into a university position, One of Arizona’s interests in Israel’s water practices involves not from what I studied in grad school – it’s all been on-thetheir desalination process. “Not all of Israel’s desalination job training.” activity is seawater; they do a lot of what is called ‘brackish’ Her “on-the-job training” became international when she water,” says Sharon “This water that has a lot of salt in it, too went to Israel in 2006. much to drink or use on crops, but it’s not bad water if you

By Mala Blomquist

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 61

Sharon Megdal, center, with fellow Central Arizona Project board members Jennifer Brown and Mark Taylor at the ‘Cutting-Edge Solutions to Wicked Water Problems’ conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, September 2017. Photo courtesy Jennifer Brown

take some of that salt and minerals out.” This process is not as expensive as the desalination of seawater, and you reclaim about 85% back as usable water.

As Arizona is growing, and the people in charge of water are looking at how to meet the needs of all the regions in the state going forward, desalination of brackish water is one option.

Another option, and Sharon admits that this sometimes sounds far-fetched to people, is to create an agreement with Mexico to help fund water desalination – maybe with water from the Sea of Cortez. California also has been exploring desalination along the Pacific coast of Mexico.

“There is even some talk about piping that water up north, or maybe doing an exchange with Mexico where Arizona could take some more water from the Colorado River in exchange for funding the production of desalinated seawater in Mexico. This has been discussed for over a decade now,” says Sharon.

Fundamentally it comes down to economics and how serious the water situation is. Israel began desalination after some really severe droughts in the late ’90s and early 2000s.

They had to do something to expand their water. Sometimes a crisis spurs on action.

Luckily, Arizona has a good system for groundwater management in areas like Tucson and Phoenix. These cities have adopted policies to cut down or eliminate the over drafting of the aquifers.

One of Sharon’s big concerns is that people generally take water for granted. “When you ask someone, ‘Where does your water come from?’ I prefer the answer to not be, ‘Out of the tap,’ ” she says. She wants people to become more informed 62 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

because everyone is a “water stakeholder.”

Do you realize that 40% or so of the water used in the state of Arizona is Colorado River water? Arizona gets water from the river from where it runs along the western edge of our state; the river’s water is also brought into central Arizona by the Central Arizona Project canal. The CAP is designed to bring about 1.5 million acre-feet of water from the Colorado River to Central and Southern Arizona every year.

Even if Arizona has a wet winter, water scarcity can still be an issue. Weather and precipitation conditions in Colorado and Wyoming and other areas that feed the Colorado River have a major impact on water resources in our state.

“A more educated public would see the connections between the different regions and climate patterns – so people would understand better when they might be asked to pay more for water or cut back on their water use,” explains Sharon. “One of my concerns is that we haven’t prepared the public well enough for conditions that we might find ourselves in. We have limited resources and -Sharon Megdal potential shortages with the Colorado and replenishment of groundwater that is quite complex. How do we continue to grow, but make sure going forward that we have a sustainable water future? That’s the priority, and it doesn’t come easy.”

Sharon’s economics background had her working with tax policy initially, and now she realizes that’s what still drives her professionally.

“I want to make a difference in policy,” she says. “I want to do some things that help with either understanding the opportunity for better policy; or helping to implement those better policies. Water ended up being a very good place for me.”

"How do we continue to grow, but make sure going forward that we have a sustainable water future? That’s the priority, and it doesn’t come easy.”

Technion’s World Tour She also enjoyed listening to Dean Kamen, inventor the Segway Human Transporter and founder of FIRST (For The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is a major Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). source of the innovation and brainpower that drives the FIRST is a program to interest students in science, technology, Israeli economy. Technion people, ideas and inventions make engineering and math (STEM). This year it will serve more immeasurable contributions to the world including lifethan 300,000 students ages 6-18 in more than 60 countries saving medicine, sustainable energy, computer science, water around the world. conservation and nanotechnology.

Randi’s third favorite presenter was Professor Hossam The Technion World Tour is a three-year tour that takes Haick. He is the creator of the artificially intelligent nanoarray, supporters and donors around the world to see the innovations a device that can sniff out 17 specific diseases in a person’s happening at all of the Technion campuses. The first tour in breath. “When I went to Technion in 2010; he had just started 2016 went to the university in Haifa, Israel. In 2017, the tour working on it, and he showed my husband and me,” says Randi. visited the brand new Joan and Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell “It’s gotten a lot more advanced since then, and it is in trials Institute at Cornell Tech currently. He also located on Roosevelt Island, mentioned developing NY. And in 2018, the final patches that could be leg of the tour will travel placed on a person’s to Guangdong Technionskin and help with Israel-China tech triangle, diagnosing diseases.” the first Israeli university in Paul Stander was China. equally impressed with all of the presenters.

A highly engaged group As a Cornell alumnus, from the Phoenix area he is glad that Cornell participated in the October is collaborating 2017 tour – Randi and with Technion. “I Alan Jablin, Paul Stander was just impressed and Julee Landau. with the vision; the Randi Jablin is currently futuristic approach, Paul Stander and Randi Jablin the American Technion a combination of Society steering committee innovation and chair and has been involved with Technion for 10 years. She willingness to challenge – looking at new solutions and new started her involvement in 2008 as part of a two-year leadership ways of doing things – without any boundaries,” he says. “The development program called the 21st Century Club. “There scientists from Technion are so brilliant, Dr. Irwin Jacobs was were about 15 of us from around the country, and it culminated there – it was just an impressive gathering.” (Dr. Irwin Jacobs, in a trip to Technion in Israel in 2010,” says Randi. with his wife Joan, Cornell alumni, provided the transformative One of the conditions from her involvement with the 21st gift that enabled the creation of the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Century Club was that she take on a leadership position in Institute.) her own community. That led her to become the steering As a physician, he was aware of their biomedical research committee chair. She plans two to three programs a year for and had been a supporter. “I had been at an AIPAC conference donors and supporters in Phoenix. The Technion National in Washington, D.C., a couple of years ago and there were Board meeting will be held in Phoenix this coming March. people from Technion talking about the BDS movement Randi feels that Technion is at the forefront of solving most and how Technion’s achievements were making it hard for of the world’s challenging problems. “They have grad students people to boycott Israel,” says Paul. At that same conference, and undergrads working on security, health, medicine, finding the Technion-Cornell collaboration was announced, and cures for disease, technology, artificial intelligence and on and Paul mentioned that he was a Cornell alumnus. When he got on,” she says. home, he received a call from Technion. The relationship has She says some of the highlights from the tour were grown from a combination of what he refers to as “overlapping a presentation by Dr. Amit Goffer, Technion graduate, interests.” entrepreneur and inventor of ReWalk, a mechanical exoskeleton Paul is planning on going on the World Tour in China later for paraplegics, and his newest invention, UPnRIDE, which is this year. “I’ve never been to China, so I figured this would be a a mobility device that allows those confined to a wheelchair to good way to go for the first time,” he says. stand upright and be mobile.

By Mala Blomquist

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 63

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The Sounds of Silence

By Amy Hirshberg Lederman

One of the hallmarks of modern society is unrelenting noise. The persistent sounds of traffic, sirens, cell phones, television and unsolicited conversations are all part of contemporary life and “living out loud.”

We have come to accept as normative the constant bombardment of visual and auditory noise. From electronic devices which keep us plugged in, turned on and up to the minute with tweets and interruptions of all stripes to the incessant chatter in our heads, there is sparse refuge from sound.

Have you ever wondered why restaurants intentionally create noisy environments so that you have to scream to be heard by your dinner partner? The goal is not sound aesthetics but moving customers in and out more quickly to generate revenue. Ironically, a 2016 study by the Action on Hearing Loss found that over 80% of those surveyed had difficulty holding conversations while eating out, even got hoarse as a result, and tended to avoid loud restaurants whenever possible.

So, why do we seek and generate noise?

Why the instinct to turn on the car radio rather than drive in silence or fill the void of stillness in a conversation with mere chatter?

Theories range from the practical to the psychological and the spiritual and defy a short or simple answer. But a great deal has been written about how we use noise and conversation as a distraction to avoid dealing with inner conflict and issues that lie beneath the surface. Creating and seeking external stimuli allows us to circumvent our inner, more contemplative self.

Judaism views the ability to speak as the ultimate gift to humans. Speech separates us from other forms of life and enables us to fulfill God’s mission to be holy. But speech was given to us to be used purposefully, and only by balancing our speech with the ability to embrace silence do we gain wisdom.

The Jewish tradition has much to teach us about the idea of silence. The Shema, the

64 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

prayer which is at the heart of Jewish faith and tradition, opens with the words: “Listen/hear Israel, the Lord God is one.” One message we can glean from these words is that only when we become inwardly quiet, can we hear the wisdom within and around us that enables us to encounter and understand the divine.

Cultivating the art of listening offers us an opportunity to live with greater awareness and intention. When we minimize our need to respond verbally to the external world, we maximize our ability to reflect meaningfully on our internal world. When we refrain from automatically reacting with words of our own, we make room for the insights and understandings of others. As is written in the Ethics of the Fathers: “The vehicle for wisdom is silence.”

A wonderful reminder of our need for silence is the Jewish Sabbath. Shabbat is intended to help us turn down the volume of the world by freeing us from the din of computers and cell phones and the chatter of the workplace. It offers us a day of the week to intentionally seek quiet as a means of renewing ourselves. By eliminating work and technology, we can enter into a different state of being, one that Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel described as a “mine where the spirit’s precious metals can be found.” And, just as the body needs rest to be healthy, the soul needs silence to grow. As the Talmud says: “There is no better medicine than silence.”

Jewish sages valued silence as vital to living a meaningful life. This is beautifully described

by Rabbi Gamliel who said: “All of my life I was privileged to be in the company of the wise men of Torah and I learned from them that nothing is more valuable to productive living than silence.”

Appreciation for quiet, solitude and silence may be an attribute of aging. I know that my own need to limit the noise of life has increased with age, but I also know that the benefits of creating more quiet are discernible.

Being quiet is an invitation for others to share; it also provides the space for others to

The Jewish tradition has much to

teach us about the idea of silence.

The Shema, the prayer which is at the heart of Jewish faith and

tradition, opens with the words: “Listen/hear Israel, the Lord

God is one.” One message we can

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within and around us that enables us to encounter and understand the divine.

feel heard. And listening - to parents, children, friends and colleagues - can generate a deeper awareness and teach us much about life. I am often reminded of this bit of Solomonic wisdom, especially when speaking with my adult children: “Closing one’s lips makes a person wise.”

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

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Brandeis National Committee – Phoenix 2018 Book & Author Luncheon

The 28th Annual Brandeis National Committee, Phoenix Chapter, Book & Author Luncheon will take place on Monday, March 12 from 9 am-3:30 pm at The Sheraton Grand Phoenix at 340 N. Third St. in downtown Phoenix. There will be a panel of five bestselling authors featured: Tina Brown (The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983‐1992), A.J. Finn (The Woman in the Window), Kristin Hannah (The Great Alone), Tayari Jones (An American Marriage) and Steven J. Ross (Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America). The moderator for this event will be Lindsey Reiser, weekend news anchor at CBS 5 News.

Proceeds from the event, Brandeis Phoenix Chapter’s major fundraiser, will benefit the Sustaining the Mind Fund for research and scholarships in Neurodegenerative Diseases at Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts.

At the luncheon, the attendees will have an opportunity to meet and listen to the authors, purchase books and have them personalized. An added attraction for this event is the presence of a dozen vendors at the Boutiques section, which is open to the public.

The Book & Author Luncheon ticket is $125 with a $5 credit toward book purchases the day of the event. For more information, contact Carol Abrams, event chair at 480‐442‐9623 or bncphxba@gmail.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Tina Brown

The Vanity Fair Diaries 1983-1992 • Tina was born in Maidenhead, England, in 1953. She graduated from Oxford University.

• Born a British citizen, she became a United States citizenship in 2005 after emigrating in 1984 to edit Vanity Fair. She is legally titled Lady Evans.

66 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

• She is a journalist, magazine editor, columnist, talk‐show host and author of The Diana Chronicles, the bestselling biography of Diana, Princess of Wales.

• Editor‐in‐chief of Tattler magazine at the age of 25, she rose to prominence in the American media industry as the editor of Vanity Fair from 1984 to 1992 and of The New

Yorker from 1992 to 1998.

• Tina has been honored with four George Polk Awards, five Overseas Press Club awards and ten National Magazine Awards.

• She was a television hostess/interviewer of “Topic A,” a cultural and political television show, for CNBC. • In October 2008, she co‐founded and edited The Daily Beast.

• She launched Women in the World Summit to tell the stories of achievers and inspire women in all areas across the globe.

• Her latest book is a memoir as the publisher of Vanity Fair.

A.J. Finn (aka Dan Mallory)

The Woman in the Window • Dan Mallory is VP and executive editor of William Morrow.

• To distinguish between his roles as publisher and his role as author, Mallory will

release his novel under a pseudonym.

• He has written for numerous publications, including the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and The Times Literary Supplement.

• A native New Yorker, he lived in England for ten years before returning to New York City.

• A “taut and twisty thriller,” the book's set‐up recalls one of the Hitchcock’s classic films, “Rear Window.”

• This debut novel has been sold worldwide and will be available in 36 languages. The advance for this mystery was reportedly 7 figures. It is in development by Fox as a major motion picture.

Kristin Hannah

The Great Alone • Kristin is a former lawyer‐turned-writer who lives in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii with her husband.

• She began her writing career as a young mother and has never looked back.

• Her novel, Firefly Lane, became a runaway bestseller in 2009, a touchstone novel that brought women together.

•The Nightingale, her previous novel, was voted a best book of the year by Amazon, Buzzfeed, iTunes, Library Journal, Paste, The Wall Street Journal and The Week.

• The Nightingale was on the New York Times bestseller list for 20 weeks and on the NPR Hardback Fiction Bestseller list for 45 weeks.

• Published in 39 languages, The Nightingale is under development by Tri‐Star pictures.

• Kristin’s new book will have an initial printing of 1,000,000 copies.

Tayari Jones

An American Marriage • Tayari is a graduate of Spelman College, University of Iowa, and Arizona State University.

• Her first novel, the Atlanta Child Murders,

was written as a graduate student at ASU and won the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for debut fiction.

• She was a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award in Fine Arts from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, a United States Artist Fellowship, an NEA Fellowship and a Radcliffe Institute Bunting Fellowship.

• Booksellers named her 2011 novel, Silver Sparrow, a #1 Indie Next Pick. In 2016 it was added to the NEA’s Big Read Library of classics.

• Currently, an Associate Professor in the MFA program at Rutgers‐Newark University, Tayari has taught creative writing at the University of Illinois and George Washington University.

• She is the author of the novels Leaving Atlanta, The Untelling and Silver Sparrow.

Steven Ross

Hitler in Los Angeles • Professor of History at USC with degrees from Columbia, Oxford and Princeton Universities.

• Steven received a Pulitzer Prize nomination and a Film Scholars Award from the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences – the academic equivalent of an Oscar for his book Hollywood Left and Right: How Movie Stars Shaped American Politics.

• He has appeared on “The Today Show,” “ABC Evening News,” “Nightline,” CNN’s “American Morning” and “The Situation Room,” Fox News, NBC News and programs broadcast on Canadian, British, French, Swiss, German and Australian television – as well as numerous documentaries about Hollywood.

• He has lectured at universities throughout the United States, England, France, New Zealand and Australia.

• In addition to his academic day job, he directs the Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life.

• Steven’s new book is considered “a true‐life thriller about an episode [in history] that has been completely ignored.”

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 67

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68 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

FEDERATION NOTES Federation Notes: A Whole New Ballgame!

By Marty Haberer

So, we blinked and here we are already into the second month of 2018. That means we begin our campaign for Jewish needs anew, and it’s not the same old, same old. Our board recently adopted a new mission statement, To engage and strengthen a vibrant Jewish community while providing for Jews in need locally, in Israel and throughout the world.

The core values have been refreshed as well: Caring for Jews in need. Wherever Jews are hungry, need medicine, job training, a blanket or a roof over their heads… we are there. Our partner organizations JAFI and JDC are our boots on the ground in Israel, the former Soviet Union and around the world.

Enriching senior lives. At the heart of any Jewish community is the care and concern for our “age-advantaged” population.

Our goal is to help them age in place and with Jewish dignity through transportation, connection to services and funding for social programs for our seniors to sing, talk, eat and pray together.

Engaging the next generation. The Torah commands us to teach our children well, as do Crosby, Stills & Nash, for that matter. Engaging Jewish young adults in Judaic life and community ensures our Jewish future. To this end, we fund programs and services that encourage Jewish young adults to become involved in their community and to give Jewishly.

Community engagement. Federation is a conduit to build community and collaboration. We provide opportunities for the community to gather, celebrate, learn and rally together, including bringing the acclaimed “Violins of Hope” to our community for a yearlong series of events and concerts in 2019.

There is a Chinese saying that proclaims, “May you live in Interesting times.” These are very interesting times for our Jewish Federation and our Jewish community. Join us and let’s make these times a blessing for ourselves and our children…now and forever.

Marty Haberer is the executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix.

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S E C A F & PLACES

Jonathan and Rachel Hoffer, Dan and Tiffani Bachus, Jennifer and Steven Schwarz and Michelle and Bryan Kort with the Naked Cowboy of Times Square

IN A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND - The Valley of the Sun JCC transformed itself into the streets of New York for its New York State of Mind fundraiser on Dec. 2. More than 500 guests attended and nearly $300,000 was raised to support J scholarships and programs.

Photo credits: Sandra Tenuto Photography TIKKUN OLAM TOGETHER - On Dec.

14, 40+ mothers and daughters gathered for the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix’s new Tikkun Olam Together program. It is an initiative of Federation’s NowGen and Women Philanthropy divisions and provides cultural learning and togetherness opportunities for mothers and their daughters grades 6-9 as they work to improve the world.

Left to right: Shayna Ilyinsky, Ayelet Jaffee, Jordana Jaffee, Irina Ilyinsky and Tiffani Bachus.

Kori, Emma and Max Schwarz attended the event in support of their parents Jennifer and Steven, who were being honored with the Irv Shuman Award

Murray Goodman, Marlene Lahr, Dottie Goodman and Lanny Lahr

Jonathan Hoffer and Bryan Kort

Nancy Walker, J COO Kim Subrin, Debbie Berkowitz and Marcia Unell

BIG BIRTHDAY - Pauline and Paul Staman greet guests at a reception at Sagewood celebrating Paul’s 98th birthday. The nonagenarian says he has no complaints and no advice – except to do what he did and “marry a younger woman!” Photo by Leni Reiss 70 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Josh and Amanda Goldberg and Courtney and Michael Beller

TBS-EV AT KIVEL - The Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley religious school went to Kivel on Dec. 17 to help the residents celebrate Chanukah. The kids sang some traditional Chanukah songs and afterward spread out among the residents to play games.

VOICE OF LIFE – The Temple Chai youth choir, Kol Chai, under the direction of Cantor Ross Wolman, performed a mid-Hanukkah concert at Sagewood on December 16. Pictured with the cantor, from left are choir members Evan Yanow, Halle Garcia and Noah Berman.

Photo by Leni Reiss

THE RABBI SAID SO - On Jan. 11, Valley Beit Midrash welcomed Rabba Yaffa Epstein for two lectures. The first session, titled “Because the Rabbi Said So: Exploring Power and Authority in the Rabbinate" was hosted by the Jewish Community Foundation. The second, titled "On the Road Again: Travel as Transformation in the Talmud" was hosted

by Congregation Or Tzion.

PARTY AT THE POST - On Dec. 17, Scottsdale Post 210 of the Jewish War Veterans held a Chanukah party. Quilts of Valor members Bob Bernal, Rebecca Bernal and Cheryl Vorin presented Commander Rochel Hayman with a beautifully made quilt for her service during Operation Desert Storm. Entertainment was provided by choir members from Torah Day School in Phoenix, led by Rabbi Gedalia Goldstein.

BUILDING COMMUNITY - On Jan. 12, Valley Beit Midrash and the Anti-Defamation League of Arizona welcomed Rabbi David Sandmel for a lecture titled "Interreligious Engagement & Building Community in 2018" at Temple Chai. Photo courtesy ADL Arizona From left, Arizona Regional Director for the ADL Carlos Galindo-Elvira, Rabbi David Sandmel and VBM’s Shmuly Yanklowitz.

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PREVIEWS

MEMORY CAFÉ TO FEATURE BARBARA AND JACK HARRIGAN

Jewish Family & Children’s Service’s February Memory Café features Barbara and Jack Harrigan, a talented married couple who have been with the Prime Time Players of Mesa for 18 years. The program will be held at Beth El Congregation at 1118 W. Glendale Ave. in Phoenix on Feb. 1 from 10 to 11:30 am.

JUDY LAUFER

BARBARA AND JACK HARRIGAN

The duo performs "retro shows" featuring songs of Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Perry Como, Marilyn Monroe, Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney and others, complete with costumes and props. Jack has appeared with the C.C. Jones Band and Barb has won awards for her humorous monologues in public speaking contests. Together this couple delights guests and brings back memories of their favorites.

The Memory Café is a meeting place for those with changes in their thinking or memory, mild cognitive impairment or dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder, along with their care partners. Socialization is a key component to the cafés, as they are meant to be a place to relax, meet others and have fun. For more information, contact Kathy Rood at 602-452-4627 or kathy.rood@jfcsaz.org.

BETH AMI SPEAKERS SERIES WELCOMES JUDY LAUFER

Local author and publisher Judy Laufer will discuss her recent book Choices: The True Story of One Family’s Daring Escape to Freedom, a true story of her family's daring escape 72 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

from Hungary during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, as part of the Beth Ami Temple Speakers Series on Feb. 2 at 7:30 pm at Beth Ami Temple at 3535 E. Lincoln Dr. in Paradise Valley.

Choices is an extraordinary story of a family who survives the tragedies of the Holocaust and rebuilt their lives with optimism, courage and love. Escaping the Soviet crackdown of a nascent revolution, the family relocates to Austria, where the kindness of a 16-year-old Catholic girl named Annemarie sets in motion a final journey to freedom.

The public is encouraged to attend this informative and entertaining evening of discussion. A brief Shabbat service will be held before Judy speaks followed by a question-and-answer session with the congregation. Light refreshments will follow.

Event is free but reservations are required, contact 602-9560805 or bethamitemple@hotmail.com.

TEXAS HOLD-EM TOURNAMENT IN TUCSON

One of Tucson’s biggest Texas Hold-em Tournaments opens its doors Feb. 10, at the historic Scottish Rite Cathedral at 160 S. Scott Ave. in downtown Tucson at 5 pm. The fourth annual Tournament and Casino Night is a festive evening featuring a delectable buffet dinner, cash bar, tournament, casino games, DJ, dancing and prizes.

For a $100 registration fee, Texas Hold-Em Tournament players can dine on a variety of entrées and desserts and compete to win the $1,000 Visa/MasterCard gift card grand prize. New this year, each player receives $5,000 worth of chips with the opportunity to buy more chips throughout the evening.

The Casino features slot machines, blackjack, roulette, poker, and craps tables. For $55, players receive $55 worth of chips and can purchase additional chips. The top five winners at the end of the evening receive gift cards to Tucson area fine restaurants.

PREVIEWS All proceeds benefit Congregation Or Chadash, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

For more information, visit texasholdemtucson.com.

NEW ART CLASSES OFFERED AT THE J

The Valley of the Sun JCC is offering new art programs with internationally recognized local artist and Scottsdale resident Jenny Forman Weinstein.

“As a local artist and sculptress, I am honored and excited to partner with The J to create an environment where participants have the opportunity to discover their artistic talents and showcase their finished works of art,” says Jenny. “I hope the pieces they create become treasured heirlooms passed down from generation to generation.”

Jenny works in mixed media sculpture and takes her inspiration from life-changing events. Her subjects are frequently JENNY FORMAN WEINSTEIN women, children or representations of the socio-political themes that affect their lives. Her works have been featured on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and CNN and in the Chicago Tribune.

Her first 4-week series with The J will teach adult participants how to mix paint and cut mirror and tiles to create a mosaic Seder plate for Pesach and a set of painted wine glasses. Classes will be held on Wednesdays, Feb. 14 through March 7, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. The session is $90 for J members and $120 for guests, plus $10 for art supplies. For more information and to register, contact 480-481-7024 or visit vosjcc.org/pesachart.

BUFFALO COLLECTION FEATURES PAINTER DAN DEUTER

Join Buffalo Collection at 7044 E. Fifth Ave. in Scottsdale for "Bison: The American West" an artist reception for worldrenowned, self-educated painter Dan Deuter Feb. 22 from 5:30 to 8pm. Dan will be creating of his masterful oil paintings throughout the show.

Dan lives comfortably between the past and the present. “I am happy to have lived when I have lived and glad to be as old as I am. This way of life is disappearing. Less than 7% live in the country now. I was dragged kicking and screaming into

DAN DEUTER'S PAINTING TITLED "STORM CHASERS"

the 21st Century.” Canvas provides the bones and oil paint is the blood with which Dan Deuter paints his experiences, memories, history and passion. Every painting is an expression of the history he loves and has experienced. It is his legacy, past and future.

For more information, call Michael Levenberg at 480-9463903, or email Michael@BuffaloCollection.com.

BREAKFAST FOR ISRAEL

Jewish National Fund Arizona’s Annual Breakfast for Israel will be held March 9 at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel at 2400 E. Missouri Ave. in Phoenix from 7:30 to 9 am.

Ambassador Danny Ayalon will be the keynote speaker.

He served as Israel’s Ambassador to the DANNY AYALON United States. While a Member of the Knesset, he also served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Playing a critical role in Israel’s decision to fund private aliyah, he also founded the nonprofit organization “The Truth about Israel,” which has educated millions of people about Israel.

Ambassador Ayalon serves on the boards of Tel Aviv University and the Lantos Human Rights and Justice Foundation in Washington, D.C. He is currently the Rennert Visiting Professor of Foreign Policy Studies at Yeshiva University.

The event is free but RSVP is required. For more information, contact Leila Nouri at lnouri@jnf.org or 480-447-8100 ext. 932.

ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 73

Through Feb. 4

FEBRUARY CALENDAR

Tucson Desert Song Festival Presents “Bernstein at 100” celebrates the life and music of Leonard Bernstein. Over a period of eighteen days, TDSF, in partnership with Tucson’s leading arts organizations, will present 30 events honoring Bernstein at 100. The festival will provide a rich and unusual context in which to experience Bernstein’s work. For more information, visit tucsondesertsongfestival.org.

Feb. 1 Memory Café to Feature Barbara and Jack Harrigan. See page 72.

Feb. 2 Beth Ami Speakers Series Welcomes Judy Laufer.

See page 72.

Feb. 2, 7, 13 & 22 Speaker and Author Marty Brounstein alks about his book: Two Among the Righteous Few. He brings a true interfaith story of courage, compassion, and rescue about a Christian couple in the Netherlands named Frans and Mien Wijnakker who saved the lives of over two dozen Jews during the Holocaust and World War II. Venues around the Valley. For more information, visit martyabrounstein.com.

Feb. 3, 10, 17 & 24 Shabbat Cholent Study at Shalom Home, 813 E. Glendale Ave., Phoenix from 11:30 am-12:30 pm. Join Shalom Home every Shabbat morning to learn and discuss the weekly Torah portion with a 2018 perspective. Come enjoy meat and vegan varieties of cholent (prepared with love and made from scratch) along with Shalom Home baked challah. For more information, contact Jesse at 480-619-3344 or shalomhomeaz@gmail.com.

Feb. 4 Tu B-Shevat in the Park at McDonald Park, 4100 N. Harrison Road, Tucson at 9:30 am. Program open to all in which attendees will participate in the stations of a Seder, Israeli dancing, a craft project, parsley planting, an environmental activity nature walk/”Pause & Pray” and snack.

For more information, visit caiaz.org.

Bread Bowls & Dips Cooking Class at Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, Tucson from noon-3 pm. Learn to make bread bowls to take to your Super Bowl Sunday party!

For more information, visit tucsonjcc.org.

Celebrating Music and Meditation with Brian Yosef at Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, Tucson from 2-3 pm. Take a journey into the present moment with piano, harmonium, chanting, Jewish spiritual enlightenment teachings and Hassidic stories with Tucson’s Brian Yosef. $10. For more information, contact 520-299-3000 or tucsonjcc.org.

74 FEBRUARY 2018 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE

Feb. 6

The Second Lebanon War: My Story of Survival at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale at 7 pm.

Former Lone Soldier David Sussman shares how he went from living in a van and following his favorite band to joining the Israeli army and how he survived being in the crosshairs of Hezbollah.

Members: $12 ; Guests: $15 and Students: $5.

Register at vosjcc.org/sussman.

Feb. 8, 11 & 18 The Children of Willesden Lane Book Talk at Arizona Jewish Historical Society at 7 pm on Feb. 8; LimmudAZ/Arizona State University TBA on Feb. 11 and at Scottsdale Public Library at 2 pm on Feb. 18. Community reading featuring the book by Mona Golabek. For more information, visit willesdenlaneaz.com.

Feb. 9 Gesher Disability Resources First Annual Community Luncheon at Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 11:30 am-1 pm. February is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month.

Join Gesher to welcome their featured speaker, Steph “The Hammer” Hammerman. If you have any questions or accessibility requests, contact 480-629-5343 or debby@gesherdr.org.

Feb. 10 Texas Hold-Em Tournament in Tucson.

See page 72.

Feb. 11 Limmud AZ at ASU Conference Center at Memorial Union, 301 Orange Mall, Tempe from 9 am-4 pm. Limmud AZ is a gathering of hundreds of Jews from all walks of life, all Jewish backgrounds, all lifestyles and all ages that offers a full schedule of workshops, discussions, arts, music, performances, text-study sessions, and much more – all planned by your Limmud AZ community of volunteers. For more information or to register, visit limmudaz.org.

Failure is Not an Option at Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 9-10 am. Presentation by Steph Hammerman who holds a Level 2 certification as a cross fit trainer, has cerebral palsy and is a cancer survivor. For more information, visit gesherdr.org.

Feb. 11-25 Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival. More than 20 films with Jewish themes will be shown at Harkins' theaters in Peoria, Scottsdale and Tempe. There will be five “shorts” in this year’s lineup. The short films will be shown with some, not all, of the feature films. For more information, visit gpjff.org.

Feb. 12 Sip and Schmooze in the Barn at the Orchard, 7100 N. 12th St., Phoenix at 11 am. Sip on kosher coffee or tea, enjoy a homemade pastry and Schmooze with great company at Luci’s Barn at the Orchard! For more information, contact 602-492-7670 or chani@sosaz.org.

Feb. 14-March 7 New Art Classes offered at The J. See page 73.

Feb. 15 Mega 2018 at Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas, 6333 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale starting at 7 pm. The Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix is honored to welcome noted television journalist and author David Gregory for an evening of inspiration, including the presentation of the Medal of Honor Award. $100 per person.

Registration required by February 7 at mega2018. org.

Feb. 18 Gesher Goes to the Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Pkwy., Phoenix at 1pm. Join Gesher Disability Resources for a trip to the zoo. For more information, visit gesherdr.org.

Exhibit Opening Reception: We RememberExtraordinary Experiences of Holocaust Survivors at Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center, 122 E. Culver St., Phoenix from 3-4:30 pm. Featuring a keynote address by Michael Berenbaum. Free.

RSVP to lbell@azjhs.org.

A Historic Evening with Eva Schloss at Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, Tucson at 7 pm. Enter the world of Anne Frank as told by Eva Schloss, her stepsister and childhood friend. Eva Schloss is traveling from England to Tucson to share her incredible story of survival and triumph. Pre-order an autographed copy of her memoir “Eva’s Story.”

For more information, contact 520-869-4971 or ChabadTucson.com.

Feb. 22 Buffalo Collection Features Painter Dan Deuter.

See page 73.

Feb. 28 Academy Awards Preview at The J at Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 1-2 pm. Walk the red carpet and join local film critic Nick Spake as he discusses the top nominees for 2017.

Guests are invited to cast their own ballots during this exciting hour. Complimentary coffee, tea and light bites served. Presented in partnership with Andara. Members: $7; Guests: $10. Register at 480-481-7024 or vosjcc.org/awards.

You may not be a

Through Dec. 31

SUPER HERO,

holiday standards. $10. For more information, visit tucsonjcc.org.

“Newsies” at Phoenix Theatre, 100 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix. 7:30 pm Tues-Sat; 2 pm Sat-Sun. A terrific show for the whole family! Packed with show-stopping choreography and a Tony Award winning score, Newsies is an extravagant, high-energy celebration of song and dance! For tickets, contact 602-254-2151 or phoenixtheatre.com.

Dec. 2 2017 Heritage Award at the Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center, 122 E. Culver St., Phoenix at 6pm. The Heritage Award will be presented to Stu and Nancy Siefer and Susan and Mark Sendrow. Fundraiser benefits the Arizona Jewish Historical Society. $200/person. To RSVP, New York State of Mind JCC Gala at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale at 6:30 pm. 2017 Annual Gala honoring Jennifer and Steven Schwarz with the Irv Shuman Award. Entertainment, cocktails, dinner, dancing and a live auction. Proceeds benefit J programs and scholarships. For more information, call Megan Montgomery at 480-481-1756 or meganm@vosjcc. org.

Dec. 10

Jewish Federation Donor Appreciation Brunch at Pardes Jewish Day School, 12753 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale at 10 am. Jewish Federation donors are invited to attend a light awards brunch featuring key note by Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Director of the Jewish Federations of North America, William Daroff. Free for Federation donors, but must register by Dec. 8 at jewishphoenix.org/thankyoubrunch.

but when you sign up for our NEW themed e-newsletters, Hanukkah Party hosted

by Or Adam at the congregationfeel president’s home.one. you just might like Enjoy fun and games while you celebrate the true meaning of the holiday – human courage and determination.

Call the temple office for more information at 480-865-4710.

WHY?

Holiday Boutique & Fair at Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 11 am-3 pm. Get the perfect gifts for your friends and family at The J’s Holiday Boutique & Fair. Kids’ cookie decorating and edible dreidels for Chanukah! Visit vosjcc.org for more information.

You can win some pretty great prizes FIRST PRIZE

A spectacular Shopping Spree Dec. 12

Dec. 4

Hamilton – the Play at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Chanukah begins at sundown.

Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale from 1-2 pm. An eye-opening discussion about Dec. 13 the transcendent piece of musical theater by Lin Manuel Miranda that is The Klezmatics to Perform MIM. resort A two-night stay for two atat atheluxury sweeping the nation and coming to Phoenix in January 2018. In this class, See page 73. you will find amazing discoveries about the play and the Jewish influence on Dreidels & Drinks – A Hanukkah Party at Goodmans Interior Structures, Alexander Hamilton. $12. For more information, visit bjephoenix.org.

Indians School Road, Phoenix at pm.choice All professionals are $180 donation1400 to aE.charity or scholarship of5:30 your welcome to celebrate Chanukah with the Jewish Federation’s Business & The Genius of Hollywood and Broadway Composer, Jule Styne at the Ina Professionals Groups. $18 professionals, $10 students. Includes appetizers, Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale cocktails and participation in a dreidel tournament. Register by Dec. 12 at from 2:10-3:40 pm. Presentation featuring the Academy Award and Once you are visit signed up jewishphoenix.org/dnd. for an e-newsletter – it’s FREE, we promise! – you will Tony Award winning songs of Jule Styne. $16. For more information, bjephoenix.org. automatically receive a digital copy of Arizona Jewish Life (a week before it hits the streets ) Latke Palooza at Temple Emanuel of Tempe, 5801 S. Rural Road, Tempe from AND be entered into the contest.

Dec. 5 5-8 pm. Latkes, dinner, dreidel games, carnival, crafts and more. For more information, contact 480-838-1414 or visit emanueloftempe.org.

Healthy for the Holidays Workshop Series at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road from 6:30-7:30 pm. Dr. Utash will be hosting a JUST FOLLOW THESE 4 EASY STEPS: Dec. 16 smoothie-making (and tasting) workshop that is unique and engaging. He 1. Log on to: AZJEWISHLIFE.COM/NEWSLETTER-SIGN-ME-UP Chanukah Party at Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley, 3400 N. Dobson will be demonstrating how to make smoothies and talking about the benefits 2. Selectcontact one of theRoad, manyChandler themed weekly or Open bi-weekly e-newsletters from 7 – 9 pm. to the community.

Bring your chanukiot, of fruits, vegetables and good nutrition. $15. For more information, candles and matches and join the festival of lights. Snacks and drinks Amy Dowe at 520-299-3000 ext. 251 or adowe@tucsonjcc.org.

3. Watch your inbox for confirmation that you are entered into the contest, provided. Cost is a donation to support Just 3 Things. For more information,

and that you are signed up for your FREE e-newsletter visit tbsev.info/calendar.

Dec. 7

SECOND PRIZE THIRD PRIZE

4. Sit back Dec. and enjoy your new e-newsletter and your 17 digital copy of Celebration ofArizona Heritage Jewish Concert Life Serieswhile at the Tucson Jewish Community Jewish Worship Group of the West Valley is offering a series of monthly you wait for the contest results.

Center, 3800 E. River Road, Tucson at 7 pm. Concert of Italian melodies, learning sessions taught by Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz. The first one will be Explore the Rhythm of Life at JFCS Memory Café. See page 72.

on the Jewish views of organ donation. It will be held at 7 pm at the Grace Community Church, 16165 Mountain View Boulevard, Surprise. There is no fee for the workshop; donations will be appreciated. Dessert and beverages will follow the presentation. For more information, contact Carol Loewith at caledcon@aol.com.

operatic arias, art songs and folk music. $10. For more information, visit tucsonjcc.org

Dec. 9

information and to RSVP, contact 602-944-2753 or rabbidov@chabadaz. com.

Hanukkah Party at Beth Emeth Congregation, 13702 W. Meeker Blvd., Sun City West at 2 pm. Dreidels to play with and latkes to eat. Please bring a new, unisex wrapped gift, per person, (at least $10 in value that you yourself would like to receive) for a holiday gift exchange. Call the synagogue for reservations at 623-584-7210.

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE (IT'S FREE) AND Dec. 8 & 15 EVERYTHING TO GAIN Jerusalem @ 50 at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale at 11:40 am. Mini-course covers GO TOthatAZJEWISHLIFE.COM/NEWSLETTER-SIGN-ME-UP Chanukah on the Lawn at the Biltmore Fashion Park, Center Lawn ,2502 E. Jerusalem’s history, ruins and alleyways from the time of the ancient city of Camelback Road, Presented by Chabad. Phoenix at 4 pm. Entertainment, King David through Today. $26. For more information, visit bjephoenix.org.

AND UP TODAY! menorahSIGN lighting, Chanukah craft, latkes, gelt and more. For more Holiday Magic: Holiday Songs by Jewish Composers at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, Tucson at 7 pm. Join Desert Melodies for a performance and history of Jewish composers who wrote

QUESTIONS? 602-538-2955 Dec. 24 Mazelpalooza. See page 73.

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ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | FEBRUARY 2018 75

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