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December 27, 2002/Tevet 22 5763, Vol. 55, No. 18
Gan Elohim celebrates its first bar mitzvah
LEISAH NAMM
Managing Editor
December marked a new milestone for Temple Gan Elohim - its first bar mitzvah.
The Reform congregation in Glendale, founded in March 2001, celebrated its first bar mitzvah with Benjamin Weinsoff, son of Lori and Bruce Weinsoff of Glendale, who was called to the Torah on Dec. 7. Rabbi Lester Frazin officiated at the service, which focused on the Torah portion of Miketz. This Torah portion was significant to the congregation because of its focus on dreams, said Lesley Hafalia, Gan Elohim president. "This is a dream come true for a lot of people who have worked very hard," she said.
The congregation's second bar mitzvah, Jonathan Tupper, son of Stephanie and Brian Tupper of Peoria, is scheduled for Dec. 28, with Rabbi Albert Plotkin officiating.
"It turned out great that the two rabbis who have been helping us out all along have committed themselves to the (b'nai mitzvah) of these kids," Hafalia said.
Gan Elohim, with 90-plus families, currently holds three Shabbat services a month, primarily led by Frazin and Plotkin, in addition to Hebrew school and adult education. Starting in January, the temple's family services - held the first Friday of each month - will be preceded by a bring-your-own Shabbat dinner.
Also beginning in January will be a Saturday morning service, to be held once every other month in 2003. "That's another step," Hafalia said.
More than 60 children, kindergarten-confirmation level, are currently enrolled in Gan Elohim's religious school. Mona Gower teaches the Hebrew classes for fourth graders and older and Abe Schwarz tutors the bar and bat mitzvah students. Next year, three-four children will be ready for their bar or bat mitzvah, Hafalia said. Gan Elohim also has a monthly Torah Tot program for preschoolers.
Over the next couple of years, Hafalia said she foresees "some nice steady growth" in the congregation.
Among the areas surveyed in the 2002 Jewish Community Study of Greater Phoenix, 5,500 Jewish households live in the Northwest Valley, which includes Glendale, Peoria, ASU West, Sun City and Sun City West.
"My reaction (to the study) was that that may be today, but we're one of the fastest growing areas in the Phoenix metropolitan area," Hafalia said. She expects that when new families move to the Valley, with those numbers of Jewish households and the presence of a multigenerational congregation on the west side, "they're not going to think that there are no Jews here on this side and it may entice them to move here."
The congregation meets at Dove of the Desert United Methodist Church, 7201 W. Beardsley Road, in Glendale. Call 623-210-7435.
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