By Debra Rich Gettleman, December 2014 I got these pink boxing gloves for Hanukkah last year. They were the only gift that really spoke to me. Well, along with the complete set of Dick Van Dyke DVDs. (That’s funny. If you abbreviate Dick Van Dyke, it’s the same as DVD. Hmmm.) Anyway, both gifts were…
By Staff, December 2014 Hanukkah, or dedication in Hebrew, commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem following the triumph of the Maccabees over the Syrians (who had outlawed Judaism) in the second century BCE. The miracle of the Temple’s meager one-day supply of oil lasting for eight until a new supply could be…
By Janet Arnold , December 2014 Phyllis Novy has a long career of teaching and theater. She taught English to teenagers for 15 years at South Mountain High School in Phoenix and was also education director for Phoenix Children’s Theatre, which provided theater opportunities for young people for more than 50 years in the Valley….
By Sarah Chen, December 2014 At age 88, Arizona author Sheldon Sid Brodkin has achieved longevity threefold: in marriage, in health and in business. Equally sharp and optimistic when envisioning the future as when recalling the past, Brodkin personifies the spirit that has propelled him through his World War II Navy service, his 60-year career…
By Mylan Tanzer, December 2014 Whether we like it or not, every now and then we get a serious reminder of where we live and how our very normal daily routine of work, school, family, stating our opinion and going wherever we want whenever we want is anything but normal in this neighborhood. Israelis’ normalcy…
By Janet Arnold, December 2014 The problem with trying to interview Rick Bronson is that you’ll be laughing so hard, you won’t be able to write anything down. Believe me – I know! I sat down to interview Rick at his newest comedy club, House of Comedy, in north Phoenix last month. I’m old fashioned…
By Janet Arnold, December 2014 Of the 12 guys on Mark Medoff ’s championship high school basketball team, one became a grocery store manager, Mark himself became a writer/producer/director/actor/professor and the rest became doctors or lawyers. Perhaps that’s because he grew up in the largely Jewish community of Miami Beach, FL. “Most people think there…
By Janet Arnold, October 2014 Emily Bear, hailed as a 13-year-old piano prodigy, has been called the next Mozart. She composes, orchestrates and performs in a wide variety of styles. After spending time with Emily, Quincy Jones remarked, “With the ability to seamlessly move from classical to jazz and bebop, she shows as much musical…
By A. Noshman, November 2014 Thou shalt love Chinese food as thou love thy bagel. I think it’s the 11th commandment, or at least it should be. There is an undeniable affinity for Chinese food among Jewish people. So much so, that there are jokes about it, and it’s a tradition for many on Christmas….
