SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2024 AT 5:30 PM MST AT SANDERSON PAVILION IN THE CAREFREE DESERT GARDENS
101 EASY STREET, CAREFREE, ARIZONA 85377
(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Dec 22, 2024)
5TH NIGHT PHOENIX HOLOCAUST ASSOCIATION: Our original speaker, Jack Adler, suffered from a recent fall. We wish him a speedy and full recovery. Risa Stillman will be taking his place this evening.
Rise was the fourth child in a family of six children. She was born in Velke Komyaty, Czechoslovakia. In 1942, Rise and her cousins were taken by SS officers to a ghetto. Rise would not see most of her immediate family again. In 1944, Rise and her family were packed into cattle cars. When the train stopped at Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, she was separated from her relatives and never saw them again. At Auschwitz, her hair was shorn, a number was tattooed on her arm, and she was given a prison uniform. Shortly afterwards she was selected to dig trenches in Krakow. In October 1944, she was taken to Bergen Belsen to work in a potato field, where taking a potato could mean death. One of Rise’s last assignments was working in an underground munitions factory in a salt mine. After liberation in May 1945, Rise was taken to Sweden to recuperate. In 1948, she was able to emigrate to the U.S., where she moved to Ohio, married an American, and had a son. After her husband died, Rise moved to Arizona to be closer to her son. It is only recently that Rise has begun to tell her story of survival during the Holocaust. We want to thank Rise for sharing her story with our community!
We are honored to announce that Maricopa Supervisor Thomas Galvin, who was instrumental in securing funding for the new Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center, will be joining us this night.
The Phoenix Holocaust Association will be sponsoring delicious sufganiyot (traditional Chanukah jelly doughnuts) to complement the free hot coffee and hot chocolate that is served all eight nights during Chanukah in Carefree.
About Chanukah in Carefree: For the 8th year, Chanukah in Carefree will host its nightly holiday celebration on December 25, 2024, through January 1, 2025, in the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, Carefree AZ. The programs will begin at 5:30 pm each night, starting on the first night of Chanukah (December 25th.) This eight-night cultural community celebration of the festival of lights features a different program every night and serves the community by raising money for this year’s Spirit of Giving recipient, the Foothills Food Bank and Resource Center. We will be collecting food items, as identified on our website, along with donations to help support this amazing local charity that supports our community in so many ways. Chanukah in Carefree is generously sponsored by Kiwanis, Humana, APS, Spirit in the Desert and Temple Chai.
Please go to ChanukahinCarefree.com for more information on the event, our sponsors, contributors, live streaming links, the complete schedule, and ways to donate. We greatly appreciate your donations to make this annual community-wide event fun, festive, educational, and safe for the whole family. This is an outdoor event, free to attend and open to attendees of all denominations and faiths. Enhanced security measures will be in place.
About the Town of Carefree: Carefree, a picturesque community of over 3,700 residents nestled in the serene Sonoran Desert Foothills, is known as one of Arizona’s friendliest small towns. Since its incorporation in 1984, Carefree has embraced a unique desert lifestyle, blending harmonious architecture with a vibrant culinary scene, a thriving art community with numerous galleries, and a commitment to health, wellness and sustainability. The town hosts a variety of events year-round, from art festivals and farmers’ markets to outdoor concerts and non-profit fundraisers, all fostering a welcoming and engaged community. Whether you’re looking to live, visit or explore Carefree offers a peaceful yet enriching experience. Learn more about Carefree’s culture,
events and opportunities by visiting carefree.org or call 480-488-3686. PHOTO CREDIT: John and Amy Israel of KAVOD
