'Last Jewish Cowboy' Couple Honored with Newly Named Award Local Congregation Joins National Orthodox Union Women's Initia
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HEADLINES | 4 SPECIAL SECTION | 14 RODEO CAMP & SCHOOL GUIDE Meet the Jewish girl who's Kids study Torah playing Miss Teen Rodeo Arizona Dungeons & Dragons OCTOBER 18, 2019 | TISHREI 19, 5780 | VOLUME 72, NUMBER 2 $1.50 ‘Last Jewish cowboy’ Local congregation joins national couple honored with Orthodox Union women’s initiative LEISAH WOLDOFF | CONTRIBUTING WRITER newly named award s Beth Joseph Congregation joins the rest of world Jewry in NICK ENQUIST | STAFF WRITER Acelebrating Simchat Torah next week, it will also join more than 40 North American synagogues that aim to make Simchat he owner of Cholla Cattle Co., Harvey Dietrich has been called Torah more meaningful for women. T“Arizona’s last Jewish cowboy.” But to only mention Harvey For the second consecutive year, the Phoenix congregation is Dietrich’s work as a rancher would be telling half the story. He and his participating in the Orthodox Union Women’s Initiative Simchat wife, Marnie Dietrich, have been a driving force for multiple communal Torah Together program, which provides shiurim (classes) for organizations and charities. women on Simchat Torah morning. This year, the Arizona Jewish Historical Society will honor the Dietrichs These classes, taught by local female scholars, are held during with its annual heritage award. aliyot, the period in the service where, at Orthodox congrega- When asked how it felt to receive the award, Harvey Dietrich said, tions like Beth Joseph, all the adult men at the service are called “Oh, I’m sure there are people who deserve it more than me.” to the Torah. Lawrence Bell, the executive director of AZJHS, said such a reaction The idea for the initiative was sparked by a sense that women were is common for the Dietrichs. Despite their work for multiple civic and looking for a meaningful experience on Simchat Torah morning Tzipi Turner will teach the Simchat Torah charitable organizations, he said, they shy away from the spotlight. Together class at Beth Joseph on Oct. 22. “They both are silent givers and are people that do good but in a SEE WOMEN, PAGE 3 PHOTO COURTESY OF TZIPI TURNER quiet kind of way,” Bell said. “They don’t need, want or even expect a lot of recognition in return. Jewish tradition says that you do not ask for recognition when you do good deeds because otherwise it’s self-serving.” The annual heritage award is given to people who demonstrate I don’t think we’re in excellence in philanthropy and community service. Some of the Phoenix anymore organizations the Dietrichs have supported include the Mayo Clinic Local Jewish entrepreneur Alan Gellman, owner of Wall Cancer Center, the T-Gen Cancer Research Institute, the Jewish National Sensations, spent six-and-a-half years developing a Fund, Hillsdale College, the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival and product before he was ready to sell it. Now his murals the Phoenix Art Museum. transform backyard spaces here and across the country. Read more about his business journey on Page 16. The Dietrichs are longtime members of Congregation Beth Israel. Both PHOTO COURTESY OF WALL SENSATIONS of them are also longtime members of the AZJHS, where Harvey Dietrich SEE COWBOY, PAGE 2 KEEP YOUR EYE ON jewishaz.com INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL ISRAEL Romania will open its first Holocaust Israeli artists and designers Israeli research centers studies ‘Can you museum since the end of WWII represent at Tokyo festival send Alexa voice commands on Shabbat?' HEADLINES COWBOY Dietrich — 15 at the time — began a summer after leaving the airline. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 job at a meat packing plant owned by friends In the ’80s, Marnie Dietrich was the lead of his father. He would get picked up for work designer of a Los Angeles firm called Canal at 3 a.m. & Chaffin. He was promoted to cattle buyer at 19 and Paying tribute to the Dietrichs comes at the has since devoted himself to the profession. same time the AZJHS has announced a name When he moved to Phoenix, he worked with change for its annual award. It will be named Grouskay. after Jerry Lewkowitz this year. Even after 70 years of working, Harvey Lewkowitz, who is the founding president of Dietrich has no plans to stop. the AZJHS, was the inaugural honoree of the 2019 Phoenix Jewish News “As long as I have the passion to do what I heritage award when it was presented for the print dates Harvey and Marnie Dietrich will be honored with do and I wake up every morning with a pur- first time in 2010. He served as the organiza- the Arizona Jewish Historical Society’s Jerry tion’s president for four terms. Lewkowitz Heritage Award. pose then I don’t see a reason to retire,” he January 4 June 7 Lewkowitz retired from the AZJHS’ active PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARIZONA JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY said. “In fact, I never dreamed about retiring. January 11 June 21 board of directors this year. serves on its board of directors. I only dreamed about working.” “In honor of the retirement, we thought January 18 August 9 Bell said that Harvey Dietrich’s profession In 2015, the National Cowboy & Western that it would be nice to name the award January 25 August 30* was certainly unique and wasn’t something Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City honored after him,” Bell said. “He has been the guid- that most would think of as a customary Harvey Dietrich with the Chester A. Reynolds February 1 September 6 ing light of our organization and the force Jewish career. Award for “unwavering commitment to February 8 September 13 behind it.” “This event is fun because it allows us to Western principles.” Although the Dietrichs may not think they February 15 September 20 celebrate what makes the Jews in Arizona so In 2014, the Arizona National Livestock deserve the award, they are happy to serve an February 22 September 27 great,” Bell said. “One of the questions that Show honored him as the Arizona Pioneer organization that has done so much for the AZJHS asks is what is it that makes Jews in Stockman. March 1 October 4 community. Arizona distinct? Certainly, this agricultural Harvey Dietrich said he feels fortunate to March 15 October 18 “[The AZJHS] represents a history of what history is one of those elements.” be in the business for so long and to be able Jewish people have contributed to the state,” March 29 November 1 The AZJHS has honored other Jewish cow- to have made an impact for the community. Harvey Dietrich said. “It’s an investment in April 5 November 15 boys, including Aubrey Grouskay. In addition Marnie Dietrich has also had a storied career. the past and a significant investment in the to being a rancher, Grouskay was an advocate Born in Davenport, Iowa, she always had an April 12 December 6 future for our children. We can show them for the historical society. His boots and saddle artistic side to her and worked to become an April 19 December 13 that our people really made a difference in reside at the Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage interior designer. She graduated with honors May 3 December 20 Center. from California State University. this state.” JN May 17 Harvey Dietrich has worked in the ranching When she left college in the 1970s, she *Annual business since he was a teenager. His family took a job as a flight attendant for Continental The award ceremony will take place at the Monterra May 31 Directory at Westworld in Scottsdale on Saturday, Nov. 16. moved to Los Angeles from Boston after Airlines. She eventually returned to her passion Attendees are encouraged to dress in “Western his father needed a change in climate for his of interior design and enrolled in UCLA’s chic/cocktail” attire. For more information, visit WWW.JEWISHAZ.COM worsening asthma. After the move, Harvey graduate program in architecture and design azjhs.org/HeritageAward.html. .................................... OFFICE HOURS HEADLINES 2 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday Local/national/Israel 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday 12701 N. 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