Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman, Congregation Kehillah, Scottsdale ”Share some with others – we all can use some more sweetness in life! Congregation Kehillah does a honey tasting. There are so many delicious varieties of honey. They come from diverse sources and have diverse qualities, but all are sweet, much like the precious individuals I have the pleasure of…
The road was open, and gorgeous snow-covered mountain tops were in my view. However, every time I needed to change lanes, I asked my Mom to help me since I was in an unfamiliar car and couldn’t see well out of the rear-view mirror. We were driving up to Vail to stay at the gorgeous Sonnenalp…
The Jewish holiday of Sukkot, or as The Daily Show host John Stewart calls it, “The Hebrew word meaning how many holidays can the Jews fit into one month?” follows so quickly on the heels of the 10 Days of Awe from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur that it seldom gets the love it deserves. This…
Cooperation and collaboration are key concepts in any community – concepts that are sometimes talked about more than they are put into practice. But three synagogues in the Valley have got it right. This year the Cutler-Plotkin Heritage Center (122 E. Culver St.) in downtown Phoenix will be host to Congregation Merkhaz Ha’Iyr, Congregation Or…
The Entin family is deeply enmeshed in the Judaic fiber of Phoenix, so heading to shul for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is just another thread of their family life. Rabbi Isaac Entin is principal of the Phoenix Hebrew Academy, a Jewish day school for kindergarten through middle school. Dvora Entin is coordinator of Aleinu…
Bess and Paul Ecelbarger may not be what our grandparents would have called a typical Jewish couple. While Bess was born and raised in a Jewish family in Rockland County, NY, Paul’s family was non-Jewish and rooted in Tucson. However, they are raising their children in a Jewish home and are active members of Tucson’s…
Rabbi Leitner energizes Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley As he nears his first anniversary at Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley, Rabbi Kenneth R. Leitner says, “My greatest joy has come from introducing a phenomenally successful family night service.” Rabbi Leitner is not alone in his feelings about his new congregation’s family service, which…
As part of a new initiative for 2013-14, Congregation Anshei Israel is offering free tuition and is waiving the registration fee for religious school for kindergarten-age children. This offer is available to the entire community (members and non-members of the synagogue) and Anshei Israel is the only synagogue to do so in Tucson. Kindergarten and…
Valley Beit Midrash has announced a new executive director for the coming year. Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz recently arrived in the Valley to begin his tenure at the 6-year-old educational collaborative, replacing Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, who moved to California. Though only 31 years old, Rabbi Yanklowitz has been included in the rankings of America’s Top 50…
DAY SCHOOLS Yeshiva High School of Arizona (YHSA) 602-266-1213 | azyeshiva.com Head of School Rabbi Gavriel Goetz announces the addition of Rabbi Yonah Wohlgelernter to the staff of YHSA. Rabbi Wohlgelernter, who is currently a member of the rabbinic faculty at the Phoenix Community Kollel and holds a master’s degree in education from Johns Hopkins…
