I am an optimist by nature, but 33 years in Israel have taught me not to be when it comes to subjects like politics or the short-term prospects for the Middle East. Unfortunately for my family, myself and my country, this pessimism proves me right most of the time. April 29 was the end of…
This year’s bar and bat mitzvah cohort at Temple Chai was challenged by Rabbi Bonnie Koppell to choose topics and then craft Ten Commandments related to their choice. The rabbi explains, “On Shabbat one of the members of the clergy sits with the group and studies Torah. When it was my turn the Torah dealt…
After 49 very happily married years to his wife, Ellen, Steve Rosenbaum has fallen in love again – and Ellen is all for it. This time Steve’s love affair is with Arizona Friends of Israeli Scouts, a program he chairs and enjoys with Ellen’s heartfelt support, commitment and dedication. The Rosenbaum’s back story in the…
“Personal accountability!” my husband, Mark, and I chimed out in sync at a Saturday morning family school session at our synagogue. “Taking responsibility for one’s actions.” We’d been asked by our rabbi to name something we’d learned from our parents and hoped to pass along to our kids. Lots of parents had good answers: “work…
A Top 10 semifinalist for 2014 Arizona Teacher of the Year, Amy Furman never even intended to be a teacher until she encountered the 1990s evolution of teaching theory to focus on meeting the needs of all students. Since 2001 Amy has taught 7th grade language arts at Aprende Middle School in the Kyrene Elementary…
We probably didn’t need the recent Pew study on Jewish practice and behaviors to know that many Jewish youngsters end their Jewish education with a bar/bat mitzvah. Some pick up again when they go to college; many more wait until they have children of their own before they re-engage. Others never return to the Jewish…
PLAYING THE MIM Kids enjoy getting into the music by playing one of the many instruments available in the Experience Gallery at the Musical Instrument Museum. The 4-year-old Phoenix museum was named by USA Today Travel as the fourth best museum for families in the country. mim.org | 480-478-6000 BUTTERFLY WONDERLAND The largest butterfly pavilion…
Looking for love in a focused manner can be a laborious undertaking. Accordingly, it’s possible that you’re encountering obstacles because of time constraints due to other responsibilities. But remember, it’s vital to devote enough concentrated effort to this important endeavor to be successful in your search for a partner. When I entered the online dating…
With Pesach behind us, our house has remained spotlessly cleaned and organized in the wake of our pre-Pesach cleaning. Right? Of course right! Most of us will drag that word out to sound like riiiiight. How is it that all our well-intentioned plans to keep the house neat, organized and in order have failed so…
The first Freedom Seder was celebrated April 4, 1969, on the one-year anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr. Since that time, Freedom Seders have embraced the stories of people of color, refugees and others who have fought for basic human dignity. Honoring the spirit of the ancient story of the Jews’ exodus…
