Families & Lifestyles

 “Creating Balance in Life,” a workshop presented by the JFCS Aleinu Network and the Shalom Center, will be held 8:30 a.m.-noon Wednesday, April 6, at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 

“Good Food, Good Mood: How food affects us” is the topic of a lecture to be presented by Cactus ORT at 1 p.m. Monday, March 28, at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 

• Web Only

My love of Italian cuisine was honed at a very early age — there was no lack of Italian restaurants, pizzerias and bakeries. If I had to pick my favorite Italian pastry, it would be no contest — I am #teamcannoli all the way.

“There is nothing as sad as seeing your own child failing,” said Jeanette Strickstein, whose son Jacob was falling behind in his fourth-grade class at a Scottsdale public school.

• Web Only

WINGDALE, N.Y. — The sky is clearing after a damp morning at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, and kids are emerging from their cluttered bunks.

Award-winning cookbook author Amelia Saltsman will present a cooking demo and tasting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. She will introduce a few recipes from her new cookbook, “The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen: A Fresh Take on Tradition,” and will be available to sign copies.

Next Shabbat, March 4-5, Hillel at ASU will sponsor Hillel Shabbat across the Valley. During Shabbat services, students or other Hillel representatives will speak to local congregations about Jewish life on the Arizona State University campus and their involvement in Hillel.

Award-winning cookbook author Amelia Saltsman will present a cooking demo and tasting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. She will introduce a few recipes from her new cookbook, "The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen: A Fresh Take on Tradition," and will be available to sign copies.

Single women over age 40 are invited to a panel discussion on dating, to be held 10-11 a.m. Thursday, March 3, at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.

The League is, without a doubt, the best place for Jewish teens to be on a Sunday night, when 80 teens from local Valley Jewish youth groups come together to play basketball, eat pizza and cheer on friends. Many more attend just to socialize and be part of the excitement. 

The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix is offering limited need-based financial scholarships for Jewish children in Maricopa County to attend Jewish day and overnight summer camp in the United States. Applicants must be in grades K-11 for the current school year. Requests must be “last-resort” funds, supplementing financial aid provided by the camp, family, synagogue and all other possible sources.  

Aleph Bet Preschool and Kindergarten will hold an open house 3-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, at the school, 2110 E. Lincoln Drive, Phoenix. The school offers classes for children ages 18 months through kindergarten. 

Rabbi Pinchas Allouche will present “Toward A Stress-Free Life” at the next Jewish University of Scottsdale meetup, 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.

With the first pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training in Arizona and Florida next week, sports fans’ thoughts turn to the national pastime. Rabbi Jason Bonder, who heads the religious school at Temple Emanuel of Tempe, has a particularly strong tie to the sport, having played in the single season of the Israel Baseball League back in 2007. 

Students, administration, teachers and parents at the Phoenix Hebrew Academy recently participated in the Magen Yeladim International Safety Kid program.