“In A Different Key,” a documentary that tells the stories of various people on the autism spectrum, will debut in Arizona at the Sedona International Film Festival on June 15.
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What do former Arizona Governor Rose Mofford, actor Gary Coleman, writer Kurt Vonnegut and songwriter Leonard Cohen all have in common? Sadly, they all died from a fall.
During the pandemic, we have collectively increased awareness of what the experts in their fields had on their radar all along. The epidemiologists were predicting this pandemic. Public health experts have been bracing for problems caused by underfunded infrastructure. And health care expert…
Tucked between a dance school and a 60’s retro lounge on a quiet street in Tucson, sits a small Middle Eastern and African foods store. But Al Basha Grocery isn’t just a place to get kosher meats and hard-to-find ingredients.
By the time Neal Bendesky had his bar mitzvah, he knew that as much as he loved sports, he was better suited to sports management than as an athlete on the field of play. And while that saved him from the injuries prone to athletes, decades of working in a high-profile career in marketing an…
It’s a busy day in the emergency room when an elderly lady with advanced dementia and pneumonia is wheeled in by ambulance. She is at death’s door. I introduce myself to her two daughters as the emergency physician and notify them of their mother’s critical condition.
Josh Liber thought he knew everything about horses. They have been a big part of his life since he was 8 years old, when he dreamed of being a cowboy. He took riding lessons, competed in rodeos and moved to Kentucky to immerse himself in the world of horse racing.
Ian and Alexa Sachs with their new twin son and daughter and dog.
To speak about infertility is taboo. It always has been and probably always will be. This is why we are sharing our experience.
Six-year-old “A” (name withheld upon request) was growing up plagued with anxiety. Living in a community in central Israel, his mother “S” told JNS that her now ex-husband, the boy’s father, was both physically and mentally abusive towards his son.
Lani Harrison of Scottsdale is risk averse when it comes to her kids. But when she learned Moderna would be starting a trial for a children’s vaccine against COVID-19 in Phoenix, she didn’t hesitate to try and enroll her children, ages 8, 6 and 4.
Eva Markowitz, 11, hugged her grandparents for the first time in over a year the week before Passover.
As a career nomad I have had the joy of experiencing life from coast to coast. Each new job brought me to a new community in which to live and work. For some, the idea of making numerous cross-country moves over the span of five decades would be a frightening proposition. For me, it was the …
As the saying goes, “Aging isn’t for the faint of heart,” and fitness is how we make sure that our heart, and the rest of our body, stays strong. The list of fitness options is endless. The key is to find what you enjoy and keep moving.
With vaccines opening up to more people across the state, there is a sense that the end of the pandemic might finally be in sight. While health care professionals promote vaccines as the quickest way to achieve that end, they warn against declaring victory too soon.
As increasing numbers of people get vaccinated, pre-pandemic behavior is becoming more common. Still, Passover will be challenging for some this year, whether because they haven’t been vaccinated, they’re unable to travel or they’ll be separated from family and friends.
Next week I will make brisket and charoset and set the table with fine china. But this Passover will be very different than any other. It will mark the first that my mom, Thelma Kurzweil, will not be at my seder.
After her brother unexpectedly died at age 56 in September 2019, Helene Harty Miracle struggled to deal with her grief. She quickly had to shift gears to take over his business responsibilities and meet the needs of his employees. At the same time, the single mom was also about to become an …
Rabbi Aviva Funke misses the sound of other people humming and singing along to her music.
Chani Levertov always appreciates getting a pregnancy announcement from a friend or family member. “There’s absolutely room in my heart to be joyous for them, as well as feeling sad feelings for my struggle,” she said. “There’s always room for both.”
It took Ahron Cohen a few months to figure out his next move after leaving the Arizona Coyotes as its president and CEO in May. All he knew was that he “wanted to do interesting things with interesting people,” he said.
Linda Luth, 68, is not shy about telling her story of surviving cancer. But when she was approached last year by a friend to share it at 2nd Act’s annual fundraiser, she hesitated. She was vaguely familiar with the organization, which funds grants for cancer survivors, publishes their storie…
I recently subscribed to the “Nutrition Action Healthletter,” published by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. It’s the world’s largest-circulation healthy eating newsletter, bringing the latest nutrition news to more than half a million readers.
Do you like pristine white-sand beaches, turquoise blue water and gorgeous ocean sunsets? Do you dream about unwinding and experiencing a laid-back “island time” vacation? Do you enjoy good food with a water view?
Josh Frank, author of the forthcoming graphic novel Giraffes on Horseback Salad — an adaptation of a lost collaboration between the Marx Brothers and Salvador Dalí — has spent his life preparing for such a project. This consisted of watching every Marx Brothers movie so that the nitty-gritty…
The 761 mile-long Rhine River has played a huge role in European history as it flows from the Swiss mountains to the North Sea. It is simultaneously a major water and rail corridor, tourist attraction and home to medieval castles, battlefields, vineyards and commerce.
College is pressure cooker for many young adults, a time when they face isolation, depression, anxiety and other mental health and wellness challenges.
Like many Jews, Shari Ungerleider was tested for Tay-Sachs disease while she was pregnant with her first child, Evan. Tragically, the results were misread and Ungerleider was assured she wasn’t a carrier.
Summer is a time for both you and your pet to enjoy the sunshine and outdoors, but along with the fun, the season also offers up situations that can endanger your pet.
In late April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released findings showing a 15 percent increase in autism spectrum disorder over previous estimates. But Arizona bucked this trend by reporting a slight decrease.
Lauren Saks barely breaks a sweat as she jumps and squats while cheering on a panting crowd via her headset. You’d never know the leader of Fall into Fitness, a free group exercise class offered by the city of Phoenix through its FitPHX initiative, once avoided exercise.
In 2014, the Alzheimer’s Association designated June Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month in order to support those with Alzheimer’s and those caring for them, in addition to promoting early detection. This year, the monthlong observance culminates on the summer solstice, June 21, with Th…
Jessica Knight was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in September 2013. Married to a marine, Knight and her family moved around every couple of years. At the time of her diagnosis. they were living in Vienna, Virginia, and Knight hadn’t yet connected with a synagogue.
Have you ever just wished for a crystal ball, an opportunity to peer into the future for a concrete fact to help make a decision? Does this 60-minute window give me enough time to make a connecting flight? Should I travel ahead of schedule based on the weather forecast of treacherous driving…
When is it OK to lie to someone you love?
It’s not an unusual sight to see a bubbe sewing, knitting or crocheting a special something for her grandchild. But for Nita Quint, who has 43 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, sewing personalized fabrics for them is an extraordinary feat of patience.
At the age of 90, Suzy Ressler still comes into work every day.She owns Mrs. Ressler’s Food Products, which she founded in 1954 with her husband, Emerich, soon after they arrived to the United States. They started with only one employee by selling chopped liver and, in the decades since, exp…
Today, more than 5 million people are living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias in the United States, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. About 80 percent live at home and are cared for by about 15 million unpaid, informal caregivers — often spouses or adult children. And while imp…
Jesse and Shira Charyn decided to open their own assisted living home, Shalom Home, after watching Shira’s grandmother, Clara Esther Shinder, move from one facility to the next, never receiving the care or attention she needed.
If my 20-year-old self could see me now — living in the Valley of the Sun, where it is bathing suit season 10 months of the year, and surrounded by women ... Wait, let me explain.
Congregation Kehillah’s Helping Hearts and Hands Committee recently started a program to help congregants share previously owned medical equipment.
From the fear and endless jargon to the paperwork and financial questions, being diagnosed with cancer is an overwhelming experience. Creating a support and information network is often an important first step, and now Valley cancer patients and their families have one additional resource to…
The Valley of the Sun JCC (The J) and Whole Foods are teaming up to offer free nutritional shopping tours to help educate people about the benefits of eating organic and whole foods.
When Janet Arnold, the Creative Aging coordinator for Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS), showed up for a Memory Cafe event in Surprise, she wasn’t sure what to expect. But it turned out to be an emotional experience.
For parents, there is nothing more painful than watching their newborn baby suffer and being powerless to help.
Raise your right hand (put your smartphone down first) and repeat after me: “I am ready for a digital detox.”
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.
When it comes to weather, Minnesota is the opposite of Arizona. In the depths of winter, Minnesota residents hunker down in their homes and wait for the spring thaw to comfortably enjoy the great outdoors. Of course, here in Arizona, we hunker down in the summer months when temperatures can …
It’s tough to see Mom and Dad moving into the stage of life where they need additional care. But just because they’re getting older doesn’t mean you have to “put them in a home.”
The Valley could have one of the first synagogues in the nation to go vegan.
