The Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival and Generations After are excited to co-host the Southwest premiere of the new documentary film, “The Return”, at the Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Historical Society on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 7:00pm.
“The Return” is the fascinating story of four young Polish women who were raised Catholic, only to discover in their teens they were actually Jewish. Alongside the film’s quartet of dynamic twentysomethings, Zucker invites audiences to explore a tiny but growing sector of young Poles attempting to pioneer an authentic Jewish identity with little knowledge of their long-buried ancestry in a country still regarded as a “Jewish graveyard.”
Before World War II, Poland was the epicenter of European Jewry and home to 3.5 million Jews. In the aftermath of the Holocaust and through the fall of communism in 1989, only an estimated 20,000 Jews remain.
The Return’s award-winning director Adam Zucker will be present at the premiere and conduct a post-film question and answer session with the audience.
More information at www.gpjff.org. Phone orders only: 602-753-9366
Celebrate Tu B’Shevat Wine Tasting Seder at 5:30 pm with premium French kosher wines, fruits and nuts, and rituals, followed by a festive dinner. Then at 7:30 pm Shabbat Shirah – the Sabbath of Song, celebrating the music of Jewish composers. All are welcome. Childcare available with RSVP by 1/20.
Celebrate the “new year” for trees. Enjoy fresh & dried fruits, & juices grown on trees from the Land of Israel; includes dairy dinner (tuna salad, chips, challah rolls) & dessert. No charge; however reservations are required by Jan. 20.
Jewish Family & Children’s Service is hosting a crisis and response training for professionals and paraprofessionals from Jewish faith-based organizations. The training will take place at Temple Chai, 4645 E Marilyn Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85032 on Tuesday, April 24 from 6 – 8:30 pm. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.
When a crisis occurs in the Phoenix Jewish community, these trained volunteers will be available to offer immediate support services to help those impacted cope with the aftermath of the crisis.
This three-hour training will give participants the opportunity to enhance their crisis intervention skills and gives the volunteers additional insight into the challenges faced by the community in the wake of a crisis situation.
Participants will leave the training with the skills to provide culturally sensitive responses to those in crisis, including those that have been victims of a hate crime, as well as a deeper understanding of how people heal through EMDR therapy.
The training session will be presented by Ira Dressner, Ph.D., LCSW, EMDR Consultant and Trainer, and Liana Dressner, MSW, LCSW, EMDR Consultant. Ira Dressner graduated from the Maxwell School of Public Affairs with a MPA and Ph.D. He has been a psychotherapist and counselor for 26 years and specializes in trauma. Liana Dressner graduated with her bachelor’s in social work and Master’s in Social Work from New York University.
The East Valley JCC in Chandler will present its first Klezmer Fest in January 2019, which features two community events.
The screening of the documentary “The Last Klezmer: Leopold Kozlowski, His Life and Music,” followed by a musical performance by the film’s director and Klezmer expert Yale Strom, will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10 at Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler.
A Klezmer Music Festival will take place noon-5 p.m. at the East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. The event will feature musical performances by Yale Strom, the Rural Street Klezmer Band and Jerusafunk.
The music festival will also include a Yiddish experience, with genealogy workshops, Yiddish poetry readings and songs, lectures and crafts. There will also be children’s activities, such as inflatables, face-painting and a petting zoo, as well as a Kosher Jewish Food Experience.
Tickets for the Jan. 10 event are $15. Tickets for the Klezmer Music Festival on Jan. 13 are $15, adults, $5 children up to age 12.
To purchase tickets, visit evjcc.org/klezmerfest or call 480-897-0588. Group tickets are available for $12 each for groups of 12 or more.