Valley View

The fourth annual Desert Gathering Jewish Music Fest (DGJMF) will offer a rich diversity of musical styles – roots-rock, soul, Americana, classic rock and traditional Jewish song. The free outdoor event will take place noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix.

“Fueling Extremism in a Wired World,” an event sponsored by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and co-presented with Scottsdale Community College, will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21, at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.

Dan Fellner, a three-time Fulbright Scholar to Eastern Europe, will give a lecture about Jewish life in the region 4-5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at the East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler.

Jewish Women’s Circle, a project of Chabad of the East Valley, will host a Mega Challah Bake at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Pollack Chabad Center for Jewish Life, 875 N. McClintock Drive, Chandler.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix is launching a new initiative geared toward professional women.“Ladies First: Jewish Women Leading the Way” is an informational networking and learning series featuring panels of women who are leaders in both their career and the local community.

The Phoenix Community Kollel will host “Cooking for the King,” a pre-Rosh Hashanah cooking demonstration for women, featuring Chef Renee Chernin of Jerusalem. During the two-hour demonstration, Chernin will share cooking tips and discuss health benefits of the food she prepares, as well as the story of her path from insecure cook to cookbook author. The event starts at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Orange Tree Golf Resort, 10601 N. 56th St., Scottsdale.

The Council for Jews with Special Needs will host “STEM Sunday,” an afternoon to explore STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – with games, toys, apps, crafts and other activities, 1:30-3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.

Women from throughout the East Valley will gather to experience the making of their own holiday challah, at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, at Chabad of Mesa, 941 S. Maple. Cost is $7. To register, email Chabad​mesa@gmail.com or call 480-659-7001.  

A 2016 Legislative Candidate Forum and Book Signing presented by the Council for Jews with Special Needs and The Arc of Arizona will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.

The fall session of Jewish Marriage University – a course for married, engaged and serious couples hosted by the Bureau of Jewish Education – will be held 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sundays, Sept. 11 and 25, with an additional class for interfaith couples 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21. 

The Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center is introducing “Me & My Dad,” a program for fathers and their children in pre-K through second grade.

Registration is open for the fall semester of Women’s Jewish Learning Center courses. These include “Joan’s Class: Jewish Literature and Jewish Life,” which is named in memory of former student Joan Beren, to be held 10 a.m. Mondays beginning Sept. 12; “Weekly Parsha with S’fat Emet,” 2 p.m. Mondays beginning Sept. 12; “Tuesday Morning Talmud,” 8 a.m. Tuesdays beginning Sept. 6; and “Smart, Short, Sweet: Pirkei Avot,” 10 a.m. Tuesdays beginning Sept. 13.

PJ Library Phoenix, a program of Valley Beit Midrash, has received a grant from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, in partnership with the Jewish Tuition Organization, Council for Jews With Special Needs and the Bureau of Jewish Education, invite the Jewish community to join them on Sunday, Aug. 28, as the Arizona Diamondbacks host Jewish Community Day at Chase Field.

The Valley of the Sun JCC has opened its new aquatics center. Phase I opened in mid-May, with the completed renovation of the center’s existing competition-size pool. The pool now has 10 lap-swim lanes and a new filtration system. Phase II, which added an activity pool, splash pad and climbing wall, opened July 21.

An introductory session of “Foundations of Jewish Family Living: Jewish Values for Parents to Share with Their Children” will be offered 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, at Congregation Beth Israel, 10460 N. 56th St., Scottsdale. Childcare will be available.

After experiencing a pool accident in their family that had a happy ending after CPR was implemented, Rabbi Yossie and Baila Semel organized a CPR course for the community two years ago. The company that led the training, Heart Savers Inc., suggests that CPR training is done every two years so the Semels are coordinating another session.

The Bureau of Jewish Education will offer a seven-part “Introduction to Judaism” class 7-8:15 p.m. Mondays beginning Aug. 8. The class is for both Jews and non-Jews to understand the basic tenets of Jewish life and will be taught by Bob Westle. The cost is $75.  

Jewish News has won a 2016 Rockower Award for Excellence in Jewish Journalism from the American Jewish Press Association, receiving a first place award for Outstanding Digital Outreach in Division B, for newspapers with a circulation of 14,999 or less. This is the second consecutive year Jewish News has won this award, which is for the newspaper’s use of its website, jewishaz.com; Facebook; Twitter; blog and JN Now newsletter. Staff members who work on these efforts are Salvatore Caputo, Becky Globokar; Jeannie Quiggle and Leisah Woldoff. The award will officially be presented at the Rockower Awards banquet in Washington, D.C., in November, in conjunction with AJPA’s annual conference.     

Camp Gan Israel of Phoenix will host a Kids Loaves of Love Mega Challah Bake at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 28, at Chabad of Arizona, 2110 E. Lincoln Drive, Phoenix. 

Mahj Meetup – an afternoon of friendly competition for all skill levels of mahjong – will be held 1-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, at Beth El Congregation, 1118 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix. Call Nanci Siegel Manson, 602-944-3359, ext. 123. 

Project Jewish Love will host a Shabbat dinner for singles 7:30-10:30 p.m. Friday, July 22, at Congregation Beth Tefillah, 10636 N. 71st Way, Scottsdale. Jewish singles age 40 and older, of all backgrounds and affiliations, are welcome. Cost is $36. Reservations required at projectjewishlove.com.

A free screening of “Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Home Front” will be shown at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, at Ahavas Torah, 13402 N. Scottsdale Road, Suites B140-150, Scottsdale.

 “Cuba: In Focus,” a program hosted by JDC Entwine, will be held 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 28, at the Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave.