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The beautiful fall weather in Arizona is right around the corner, which means we’ll start seeing an uptick in weddings around the Valley.

The groom was 60 years old and the wedding was seven years ago, yet the magic and romance of the moment continues to inspire not only the couple themselves, but also the 800 witnesses to that momentous occasion — many of them complete strangers.

With the High Holidays just around the corner, now is a natural time for reflecting on the mitzvot performed throughout the year and to pause and consider what more can be done in the coming year.

Jewish families around the world begin Rosh Hashanah meals by dipping apples in honey, symbolizing their hope for a sweet New Year. They also drizzle honey into holiday cuisine.

Each year, as the High Holidays approach, much thought is given to spiritually preparing for the holiday, reflecting on the past year and making plans for the New Year. A great deal of time also goes toward planning the holiday meal, from the food to the guests. But how can all these considerations be incorporated together? One local designer thinks it starts with the table.

Between food allergies, kosher laws, finicky children and other dietary constraints, putting together a healthy High Holiday meal that everyone enjoys can be tough. To help, here are some Rosh Hashanah foods from a number of traditions, along with suggestions for where to find organic and/or locally sourced options.

With summer almost over and the Jewish New Year less than a month away, many Valley Jews will be reconnecting with their synagogues, some of which are welcoming new clergy and saying goodbye to others.

Social interaction is part of being a happy, healthy human being. But all too often, we get caught up with family and work. We forget to go outside and get connected to our neighbors.

Monsoon season always has a way of keeping Valley residents on their toes. Newcomers are always surprised by the storms’ ferocity, while longtime and native Valley residents tend to forget the damage they can cause.

We’ve all seen the progression from corded landlines to mobile phones, and from mobile phones to smartphones. Now we’re witnessing smart homes emerge, changing the way we live

After her husband Jerry died, Harriet Vogel started writing letters to him.

s people become empty nesters or retire, they are finding themselves looking around at the space they occupy and realizing it no longer suits their needs.

The Valley’s real estate market is as hot as our soaring summer temperatures. Unique to Arizona, our real estate market is exceptionally strong for both buyers and sellers. This is a rare market opportunity that will benefit both sides of a transaction. This, in addition to low down-payment options and relaxed lending regulations, are attracting more buyers to the market. As a result, with more buyers, sellers are able to sell their homes for more money and in less time. This combination only adds to the traditionally busy Arizona summer market.

If you can finish this advertising jingle — “When it says Libby’s, Libby’s, Libby’s on the label, label, label, you will...” — you are most likely a baby boomer and can remember canned mush posing as vegetables that you could not even get the dog to eat.

To find the Shanghai Jewish Center on a recent trip to China, I drove by a guarded gatehouse, past a series of windowless buildings to a large white villa with an elegant marble staircase and grand portico. Inside the brightly lit foyer, a Chinese woman escorted me through heavy wooden doors to what must have been the living room, but was now furnished with eight tables and a wine cabinet. Two businessmen — one in a kippah — chatted quietly over their dinner.

Your child has turned 12, she’s in sixth grade, and suddenly your mailbox, or your inbox, is filling up with invitations. Some are plain and others extravagant, but all bear the same message – your child has been invited to a bar or bat mitzvah!

The Memorial Day weekend signals the start of the summer resort season here in the Valley. As the snowbirds head back north to escape the heat, resilient Arizonans get the opportunity to experience many of the beautiful luxury resorts the Valley has to offer – at steep discounts. Take a look at our Summer Staycation Resort Guide and find a summer resort package you and your family can enjoy.

It was 1980 and I was new at school. I wore purple my first day, because everyone liked purple, and I tried to be friendly without looking desperate.

NEW YORK – The campers wake up in their cabins on Friday morning, dress and go to breakfast. Next comes a range of activities – arts and crafts, archery, kickball.

As part of process to involve the public in identifying unmet needs of older adults in Maricopa County and how best to serve them, the Area Agency on Aging has scheduled public hearings at three Valley locations from March 6-8.

When my son announced that he was planning to ask his girlfriend to become his wife, my husband and I were ecstatic. We had waited a long time for this moment and quickly made arrangements to join the couple for the formal engagement.

Camp Shemesh holds ‘sneak peek’: Camp Shemesh will offer a preview of its activities at a sneak peek event 1:30-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.

Jewish preschools in Phoenix and Scottsdale are making a point to include grandparents into their preschool world.

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In the summer of 2010, with just hours to go before campers arrived for the first day of the first season of Eden Village Camp, director Yoni Stadlin got some bad news from the health department: A procedural issue had delayed the issuance of a permit and the camp could not open as scheduled.

Everyone has that one friend or family member with a messy home so crammed with possessions, it’s ready to explode. The rooms and pantry are disorganized, and objects are strewn across the house. They say they will clean it up, but year after year, you attend the holiday party and the house is a big mess. What better gift for that person than a way to get their home and bulging closets organized?

This story is about Magda Herzberger. She is a concentration camp survivor who is 90 years old and is unique. Some concentration camp survivors understandably do not write and speak about the Holocaust. It is too difficult. But Magda does. She is speaking at a private university in Phoenix this month.

As the adult child of a senior, Alison Betts watched her widowed mother become more and more frustrated trying to find and schedule service providers to come to her home.