Jewish National Fund Appoints Jonathan Breakstone to JNF Arizona Board
Jewish National Fund has named Jonathan Breakstone to the JNF board in Arizona. He is a published author and has a
bachelor’s degree in molecular genetics from the Weizmann Institute of Science.
“His passion for Israel, his expertise in fundraising and his knowledge of our community will be invaluable in helping us reach our goals,” says Dr. Seymour Rife, president of the board of JNF Arizona.
With a strong connection to Israel, Jonathan served as Arizona area director for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (2006-2012) and founded the Arizona-Israel Business Council in 2013. His relationship with JNF began eight years ago when he attended the Arizona Breakfast for Israel.
“The greatest thing we can do to help Israel continue to thrive is to export the brilliance and technologies of its people,” Jonathan says. “Israel’s discoveries and innovations must be shared with the world, and I look forward to doing just that in Arizona through JNF.”
Recently JNF announced its plan to share JNF’s involvement in water renewal with regions that experience severe drought and water scarcity. JNF has been at the forefront of water management and conservation in Israel for three decades, increasing the country’s total water supply by 12% and helping Israel become a leader in water reuse.
A dual citizen of the U.S. and Israel, Jonathan is a regional director at JDR Consulting. He and his family belong to Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale.
jnf.org/about-jnf/in-your-area/western-zone/arizona
Temple Solel Names Benjamin Davis Executive Director
Benjamin Davis has joined Temple Solel of Paradise Valley as executive director.
He comes to Temple Solel from Chicago following a national search. He has served in Jewish leadership and advocacy positions for the past 10 years, including acting as a skilled executive director, program leader, musician and fundraiser.
Benjamin’s Jewish leadership experience began as a rabbinical student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia, PA, where he attended from 2005-2009.
“We are thrilled to have Ben join our Temple Solel family,” says Randall Udelman, president of the synagogue’s board of trustees. “Ben’s deep Jewish experience and wide-ranging skills set him up perfectly to succeed with the rest of our talented staff and loving congregation.”
Benjamin holds a master of music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a bachelor of music from Illinois Wesleyan University. He is also a certified nonprofit accounting professional.
480-991-7414 ext. 124 | templesolel.org
Bureau of Jewish Education Promotes Myra Shindler
Myra Shindler has been promoted to director of the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Phoenix. Having served as principal of the BJE’s Phoenix High School of Jewish Studies (Hebrew High) for the past 23 years, she assumed her new role on Aug. 1 after the retirement of longtime director Aaron Scholar.
She remains principal of Hebrew High, serving as one of three BJE department heads. Linda Feldman serves as family educator, and Elaine Hirsch heads the Adult Learning and Resource Center.
Hebrew High offers the only program in the Valley for Jewish teens of all affiliations to meet and interact weekly with hundreds of their peers. It is an academic as well as a social experience.
The BJE offers programs for all stages of life including Jewish Baby University for expectant parents; Baby and Me Shabbat; Jewish Marriage University; Interfaith classes; Jewish Lifelong Learning Adult Education classes; The Passages Lecture Series featuring world-renowned speakers; an annual Jewish Women’s Symposium; ACT – Action, Connect, Think – for adults in their 20s and 30s; and educator conferences.
The BJE is home to a Jewish Community Library/Resource Center, housing more than 11,000 Judaica books, DVDs and CDs, on the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.
480-634-8050 | jewished@bjephoenix.org | bjephoenix.org
Jewish Community Foundation Names Dean Scheinert to Board
The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix recently elected Dean Scheinert, CFA, to its board of directors and as chair of its investment committee.
Dean is a wealth-management consultant with The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank. Prior to joining U.S. Bank, he was executive director at JP Morgan Private Bank. Following a 30-year investment career in the capital markets and alternative investments, Dean and his family relocated to Phoenix from New York in 2012.
Since 2014, Dean has served on the JCF investment committee. He succeeds Jeff Kravetz, who served on the JCF board since 2011 and as JCF’s investment committee chair since 2013. Dean serves many other local boards in both the Jewish community and the community at large.
“We are delighted to welcome Dean to the foundation board,” says JCF Chair Beth Jo Zeitzer. “Dean’s financial acumen, experience and his overall community engagement make him a welcome addition to the board of directors.”
jcfphoenix.org
Gregg Luchs Joins Temple Kol Ami as Cantorial Soloist
Temple Kol Ami has named Gregg Luchs as its cantorial soloist. Gregg most recently was the soloist at the Reform Temple of Laguna Woods in California, where he served from 2006 to 2015. Some of his previous affiliations in California include Congregation Havurim in Temecula, the Eretz Alliance in Reseda and Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks, where he began his cantorial work in 2000.
A native of New York City and a lifelong Yankees fan, Gregg holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from Yeshiva University, Cardozo School of Law. After a successful 15-year legal career, Gregg began his career in the cantorate.
Gregg’s musical background includes participating in a myriad of musical genres, from performing in musical productions to singing in bands, choirs and other vocal groups. A classically trained baritone, he studied with John Ostendorf and Erik Thorendahl in New York, Patricia Kaufman in Philadelphia and Diann Alexander in Los Angeles. He has an extensive background in acting and dance as well, including performing for two seasons with the College Light Opera Company while an undergraduate. He later appeared on Broadway with Rudolf Nureyev and the Boston Ballet in “Don Quixote.”
While living in Raleigh, N.C., Gregg was first exposed to Hebrew liturgy set to acoustic guitar music, which sparked a desire to immerse himself in Jewish music. He says his work with Debbie Friedman before her death was his greatest musical inspiration.
Gregg and his wife, Sharon, have two adult children, Shannon and Ryan.
480-951-9660 | templekolami.org
Barbara’s Picks: A Design and Lifestyle Resource
Interior designer Barbara Kaplan of Design Dimensions has opened her invaluable “little black book” and is sharing highlights of the collection of connections she has made through the years. Her new website, Barbara’s Picks, offers design and lifestyle resources to the consumer and includes “the best of the best,” a listing she has culled and refined as a reigning maven in her field.
She explains that while her expertise is in the area of design, she can’t physically create, manufacture, deliver and install. Rather than keep her resources to herself, she has enlisted carefully vetted vendors with whom the public can connect directly. Her fast-growing site also includes interior designers, beauty salons, restaurants, spas, travel agents and boutiques. Vendors pass a rigorous interview process to be included as one of Barbara’s picks and then pay “a fair price” to join the site, which includes information, illustrations and links to websites. There are monthly vendor meetings, media opportunities and special events. Eye-catching decals are available for vendors to display at their places of business.
Barbara’s Picks, which she says is succeeding beyond her wildest dreams, is evolving not only as high tech but “high touch.” Visitors to the site have the option of rides in luxury chauffeured vehicles (champagne on board!) to tour showrooms and visit with vendors, including Arizona Jewish Life advertisers The Buffalo Collection and J. Levine Auction and Galleries.
barbaraspicks.com | 480-998-5088
Jewish Montessori Preschool Opens in Tucson
Tucson Jewish Montessori, Tucson’s first Jewish Montessori preschool, opened Aug. 31 at 5150 E Fifth St.
Founded by Rabbi Israel and Esther Becker, classes are aimed at 3-to-6-year-olds, and run from 9 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday for the 10-month school calendar, with additional child care available before and after classes.
“Our focus is honoring the path of every child, with practical life skills and Jewish learning integrated into the Montessori system,” says Rabbi Becker. “King Solomon advises us in Proverbs 22:6 to ‘educate the child in the course of his path; even when he will be old he will not depart from it.’ King’s Solomon’s direction is exemplified in the Montessori method of guiding each child individually. This is an important part of our objective to combine the best of Montessori with the values of our Jewish heritage for both general and Judaic subjects.”
Developed in Italy in 1897 by Dr. Maria Montessori, the Montessori method emphasizes direct experience, investigation and discovery for children.
“Through hands-on learning in a mixed-age classroom, children in the Montessori system learn to see cause and effect,” says Esther. “They learn to see the results of their actions in a very positive way. They learn to take responsibility for their actions. … The ethical behavior that Montessori stands for will be presented in a way that blends with our Jewish heritage. Both systems are child-centered.”
520-591-7680
The Tucson J Announces New Staff Hires
The Tucson Jewish Community Center welcomes three new staff: Director of Development Kristin Schwartz, Early Childhood Education Co-Director Joline Riddle, and Children & Youth Assistant Director Oren Ribach.
Kristin is a seasoned program-development professional, with a track record of creating one of the most successful anatomical gift donation programs in the state. A fourth-generation Arizonan, Schwartz began her career cultivating mindfulness both as a facilitator/instructor and as a therapist providing interventions for those enrolled in social services. Her professional pursuits evolved into building and developing broader programming in hospitals and medical centers for more effective partnering with community agencies and support for anatomical gift donations. Kristin holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona in psychology, a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, and a doctorate in clinical psychology.
A native Tucsonan, Joline earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education from the University of Arizona and continued her education with a master’s degree in early childhood education, which was followed by her certification in educational administration. Most recently she was an instructor and supervisor at the University of Arizona, College of Education. Prior to that Joline worked as an inclusion classroom teacher in grades K-3 for 10 years in the Tucson Unified School District. She has developed, created and administered an early childhood facility and successfully integrated children with disabilities into general education classrooms.
Oren was an administrative assistant and paralegal for a busy immigration law firm for three years prior to his pursuit of education-related vocations. As an educator, Owen was a high school teacher and yearbook advisor; he also spearheaded athletic programs for middle and high school students including varsity girls’ volleyball, junior varsity boys’ basketball, yoga and physical education electives. This is Oren’s fourth year teaching Hebrew, Jewish history and the life cycle to Congregation Or Chadash fifth graders. A Tucson native, Oren is a graduate of The College of Wooster in Ohio, where he majored in philosophy with a minor in classical civilizations.
520-299-3000 | tucsonjcc.org
