JN Scottsdale natives Casille Kristol and Scott Lorsch love hosting their friends and neighbors for Shabbat. Every week, they pass out candles, offer a smorgasbord of kosher food, play games and, in every way they can, provide Jews of all levels of observance with a safe space to relax and unplug.

“We sit around and eat. Our friends enjoy hanging out, not doing much,” Lorsch told Jewish News. One regular he’s known since high school really enjoys having a reason to put his phone away. Lorsch said his friend likes coming to a place where he knows there’s good food and he can “just be.”

Being responsible for creating such an easy atmosphere for so many has “been a blessing for us,” Lorsch said.

As important as it is, Shabbat isn’t the only way the young couple serves the Jewish community. Recognizing how essential a mezuzah is to a Jewish household, they have recently launched ScrollUp Phoenix, an offshoot of Chabad Young Professionals’ ScrollUp, an initiative to offer inexpensive mezuzot to Jews. Ordinarily, a kosher scroll for a mezuzah costs around $100, but as members of Chabad Young Professionals, they’re able to procure kosher scrolls for $35 a piece. One need only mention Lorsch’s name when ordering and it will be sent to him. He will then arrange to put it on the buyer’s doorpost.

“Hosting Shabbat, holidays and helping with a mezuzah really gives us a lot of fulfillment,” Lorsch said.

Though both Lorsch and Kristol grew up in Scottsdale, they didn’t officially meet until adulthood. Once a couple, they discovered parts of their lives, including family and friends, that overlapped.

Their official meeting happened at a ski retreat, and it turned out to be a bit star-crossed as Lorsch, thinking himself clever, ended up offending Kristol. She ignored him for the next three years. Fatefully, they met again at a Tu B’Shevat celebration where they hit it off. Lorsch told her he was like one of the olives traditionally eaten on the holiday. He started off a bit bitter but with some time for ripening, and maybe a little squeezing, he turned out well.

This article originally appeared in the Jewish News. To read more, please CLICK HERE.

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