Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, the 65-year-old media company and the only newspaper covering the Valley Jewish community, was purchased by Phoenix residents Jaime and Jeff Stern from Florence and Paul Eckstein on March 31. Jaime Stern succeeds Florence Eckstein as publisher.

The families of both the buyer and seller have lived in Phoenix for five generations and are both active in the local community.

“We are delighted to be handing the reins of our weekly newspaper, website and community directory to the next generation,” said Florence Eckstein, whose family has owned and operated Jewish News for 52 years. Eckstein has been publisher since 1981; her parents, Cecil and Pearl Newmark, were publisher and editor respectively, from 1961-1981.

Jaime Stern has 12 years of leadership in the senior housing industry and ran a large life care community in the west valley. Stern and her family are active in the Jewish community and she has served on many boards of Jewish community organizations.

“We are excited to build on the solid foundation established by the Newmarks and Ecksteins and continue the ethical honorable and important work they have done with sophistication and grace,” Stern said. “We intend to strengthen Jewish News’ relationship with readers and advertisers and to engage a larger demographic of our growing community in print, and through our website and social media.”

Stern will retain the Jewish News’ award-winning staff.

M.B. Goldman Jr. founded Jewish News in 1948, the year Israel became a state.

Over the decades, Jewish News has grown from a 4-page monthly print newspaper to a full- service media company publishing a weekly print subscription newspaper; annual magazine- style community directory; and website, jewishaz.com.

Jewish News’ former co-owner Paul Eckstein is a member of the law firm of Perkins Coie. New co-owner Jeff Stern is a physician and partner at Academic Urology, a west valley medical practice group.

On April 12, Jewish News published a special issue celebrating the 65th anniversaries of both Israel and Jewish News. For information, contact Jaime Stern at 602-870-9470, or email jstern@jewishaz.com.