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October 22, 2004/Cheshvan 7 5765, Vol. 57, No. 8
Kollel expands faculty, services
STEPHANIE N. HENSCHEL
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 Rabbi Elimelech Adler has been hired by the Phoenix Community Kollel to act as the assistant director of teen programming. Adler and his wife Chani, right, will move to the Valley from New Jersey, along with their two children. Photo courtesy of Rabbi Zvi Holland |
According to Rabbi Zvi Holland, the expansion is designed to meet a need.
"In each area, the demand for services has grown," Holland said.
Rabbi Elimelech Adler will arrive in the Valley from New Jersey with his wife Chani and their two children. Once settled, Adler will assume the role of assistant director of teen programming.
In his position, Adler is expected to focus his time on the five Jewish student unions in Valley high schools. The unions are part of a national network aimed at giving Jewish public school students "something Jewish," according to its Web site, www.jsu.org.
Holland said the Kollel hopes to double the number of student unions in the Valley in the next year.
"We're hoping the addition of Rabbi Adler will help to expand that scope," Holland said.
Adler said, "I'm extremely excited," noting the last week has been hectic due to the impending move.
Cindy Landesman is also joining the Kollel as the director of women's programming.
"More and more we realized that Valley Jewish women want women's programming," Holland said. "Other community kollels have found this is a very important aspect."
Holland said there had been women's programming available before, but the addition of a faculty member will help to focus programming.
Landesman is no stranger to the Kollel. A graduate of Michlalah Yerushlayim-Jerusalem College for Women, she is married to Rabbi Raphael Landesman, director of teen programming.
With all the events the Kollel holds every year, the time has also come to add a program coordinator, Holland said. The coordinator, a staff position awarded to Noelle Lustig, will be responsible for organizing such events as the Kollel's Discovery seminar.
In another new development, Rabbi Ariel Shoshan will now preside over Friday Shabbat services at Aish Hatorah, 14435 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale.
"When we first came to town, one of the first things that happened was people (in North Scottsdale) said, 'Don't forget us,'" Holland said. "Very early on we were hearing about North Scottsdale."
Holland said the Kollel rented space in the area for the last two years. Classes were available, but not services.
"We have enough support and we felt it was time to add services," Holland said.
Services began Oct. 15. To find out more about the services, or to volunteer or sponsor programs, call Aish Hatorah, 602-433-0300.