Valley View

The board of directors of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix (JFC) has selected a new chair, two new board members and several new officers.

The Desert Foothills Independent Film Festival will run Fridays, July 7-Aug. 25, at the Desert Foothills Library, 38443 North Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek.

On July 9, the Friendship Circle of Arizona will host a raffle to fund new and innovative programs for the children in the Valley who have special needs.

Young Israel of Phoenix will hold a

Marty Haberer started as the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix’s executive director this past March, marking his 31st year in Jewish communal service, which he refers to as “a lifelong adventure.”

Congregation Kehillah, a nine-year-old independent synagogue that purchased its first permanent home at the end of 2016, has started remodeling of the interior and exterior of the new facility, located at 5858 E. Dynamite Road in Scottsdale.

Tomchei Shabbos, an organization that collected kosher food to distribute to individuals and families in need for Shabbat and holidays, announced last week that it will dissolve as of Friday, May 26.

The security director of the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus in Scottsdale will be expanding his role to provide expertise to other Valley Jewish organizations.

Bacharachs to leave the Phoenix Kollel: The Phoenix Community Kollel has announced that Rabbi Dan Bacharach, rosh kollel and dean, and his wife, Dina, will be leaving the kollel and move to Baltimore. The Bacharachs moved to the Valley from Chicago in December 2013 to become a part of the Kollel. Dina ran TLC: Torah Learning, Creativity, a program for young Jewish women; helped coordinate the annual Great Arizona Challah Bake and Shabbat Project; and administered the Arizona Jewish Freebay and Arizona Jewish Moms Facebook pages. The kollel, which provides educational programs and activities, also partnered with the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project in making the Israel trip for Jewish moms available for women in the Valley and coordinated the local participation in “70 Days for 70 Years” in 2015, which commemorated the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

Jewish Women’s Circle to hold brunch in Peoria: Jewish Women’s Circle of the North West Valley will hold a dairy brunch in preparation of Shavuot, 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 23, at a private home in Peoria.

Beth Emeth Congregation hosted its first West Valley Yom Hashoah commemoration on April 24 with more than 300 attendees.

Jana Boomersbach will be the keynote speaker at the Arizona Jewish Historical Society annual meeting, 11 a.m. Sunday, May 21, at the Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center, 122 E. Culver St., Phoenix.

“Par-Tee with the J,” a “Caddyshack”-themed golf tournament, will be held 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at TopGolf Scottsdale, 9500 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale. The event, chaired by Debbie Berkowitz and Sara Schneider, includes appetizers, desserts and drinks. Cost is $100 per player. Register at vosjcc.org.

Bassem Eid, a political analyst for Israeli TV and radio and former Palestinian human rights activist, will present two lectures this month through Valley Beit Midrash.

A Lag B’Omer celebration hosted by Chabad of Arizona will be held 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, May 14, at Castles -n- Coasters, 9445 N. Metro Parkway East, Phoenix.

The Women’s Leadership Institute, a project of the Women’s Jewish Learning Center, invites the community to a Celebration of New Leadership, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, at The New Shul, 7825 E. Paradise Lane, Scottsdale.

Camp Rimon will hold a Sunday Funday event from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, May 7, at the East Valley JCC, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. The event is open to the community and will feature camp activities such as sports, drama, music and art. Cost is $20 per child. To register, email Camp Director Jeff Hast at hastj@evjcc.org by May 4.

The Jewish Community Foundation will hold a celebration recognizing its 2017 Endowment Book of Life signers and Life & Legacy donors from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.

The Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center and PJ Library will hold a Yom Ha’atzmaut Super Sunday in the Hallway to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, April 30, at the VOSJCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Children will learn about Israel’s history and make Israeli flags at this free community event. Call 480-634-4949 or email youth@vosjcc.org.

Gesher Disability Resources (formerly the Council for Jews With Special Needs) will host its second annual special needs community dance 7-10 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. The evening will include snacks, a deejay, a photo booth and dancing. The dance is open to the community and is for ages 18-plus. Admission is $5, caregivers and volunteers are free. Visit the Council for Jews With Special Needs Facebook page.

“On the Trail of Nazi Art Thieves,” a discussion with David and Hannah Lewis, will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. The discussion is sponsored by VOSJCC in partnership with the Phoenix Art Museum. David Lewis, co-founder of the Commission for Looted Art in Europe and founder of the internationally renowned Schorr Collection, and his wife, Hannah, a Holocaust survivor, speak on recovering and restoring looted works of art. They will also share their perspectives on today’s London Jewish community. Cost is $10 for the general public; $5 for JCC and Phoenix Art Museum members using code VOSJCC at vosjcc.org/lootedart.

ervice organizations, clergy, police and community leaders will gather in Scottsdale on April 28 to affirm the community’s commitment to treating people the way they would like to be treated, to helping those in need, and to embracing the rich culture of all the people of Arizona and the southwest.

The Arizona Jewish Historical Society will open its new exhibit, “Love & Marriage: The Cultural Evolution of Jewish Weddings from 1912 to 2016” at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 30. The exhibit will feature information on rituals, traditions and customs as seen through wedding gowns, objects, artifacts, and telling stories of real people’s life experiences. Because the Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center, where the exhibit will be displayed, was home to Congregation Beth Israel, the first synagogue in Phoenix, and the First Chinese Baptist Church, both are represented. The gallery will be open noon-3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and by appointment. Admission is a $5 donation. Visit azhjs.org or call curator Jeffrey Schesnol at 602-241-7870.

The Israel-American Council of Arizona (IAC-Arizona), the Shevet Shemesh chapter of the Israeli Scouts and the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix will commemorate Yom Hazikaron (Israel Memorial Day) at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 30, at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.