Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 8-24-2018

P I T TS B U R G H

August 24, 2018 | 13 Elul 5778

h

Candlelighting 7:46 p.m. | Havdalah 8:45 p.m. | Vol. 61, No. 34 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

NOTEWORTHY LOCAL Teenager spends summer planting ‘Seeds of Peace’ Thanks to her work, the organization may soon have a home in Pittsburgh.

Jewish Heritage Night adds kosher hot dogs, first pitch lottery

Pittsburgh’s ‘shinshinim’ are here

By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

F

to Joshua Avart, account manager for the Pirates: With more than 600 people attending the game because of Jewish Heritage Night and 450 people signed up for the barbecue, they counted the highest number of participants since the event first began.

Adam Hertzman, director of marketing for the Federation, said he hoped increasing visibility of Jewish Heritage Night would be a way of showing more people what the Jewish community has to offer.

“I hope that people who haven’t met [or] connected with the Jewish community before realize that there are so many ways to connect with the Jewish community in Pittsburgh that fit their individual needs and the way they identify as Jewish,” Hertzman said. “I hope this is a small part of showing

ollowing an unexpected overnight stay in Manhattan when their connecting flight from Ben Gurion International Airport was canceled, Hadar Maravent and Raz Levin arrived in Pittsburgh last week to begin a year of service in the Steel City.

With various communal partnerships already established, the objective, explained Maravent and Levin, will be to create significant connections between local residents, Israel and Israeli culture. The 18-year-olds are the city’s latest installment of shinshinim, young Israeli emissaries sent to diaspora communities by the Jewish Agency for Israel.

(Shinshin is an amalgamation of shnat sherut, the Hebrew phrase for “year of service.”)

“We’re here to really bring our Israeli story to the community, mostly through education and youth,” said Maravent.

“We both love Israel, and Israel is a major part of our lives, and I think that both of us can bring Israel here in a really meaningful way,” echoed Levin.

The two teens, who have deferred their commitment to the Israel Defense Forces for a year to be in Pittsburgh, are participating in a joint program between the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and the Jewish Agency. The program enables recent high school graduates to travel worldwide and disseminate information regarding the Jewish state and Israeli culture through volunteering in Jewish schools, synagogues, summer camps and community organizations, said Adam Hertzman, Federation’s director of marketing.

Being in Pittsburgh is a welcome opportunity, said the teenagers, who apart from engaging in a year-long preparatory seminar prior to leaving Israel, acquainted themselves with American culture by binge watching “Breaking Bad” and “This Is Us.” Such cultural consumption was aided last week by a several hour stopover in New York City, where Maravent and Levin visited Times Square and Central Park before boarding a

Please see Baseball, page 16

Please see Shinshinim, page 16

Page 2 LOCAL Famous house has Jewish past

Venturi house that garnered headlines was a storied home.

Page 3 FOOD

 Richard Wilson, winner of the new lottery to throw the first pitch at the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jewish Heritage Night, ceremonially gets the Aug. 16 game against the Chicago Cubs started.

Insider tricks dinner

Photos courtesy of Dave Arrigo, Pittsburgh Pirates

By Lauren Rosenblatt | Digital Content Manager

F These tasty kitchen hacks aren’t for kids.

Page 15

$1.50

or the first time, members of the Pittsburgh Jewish community were able to enjoy kosher hot dogs at PNC Park, a stadium many natives call one of the best in the country but that doesn’t normally offer any kosher food options.

The hot dogs were part of a pregame barbecue hosted by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for the seventh annual Jewish Heritage Night on Aug. 16, just one of the tactics organizers added this year to increase participation and reach a wider demographic. They also created a new lottery system to choose a member of the community to throw out the first pitch, rather than selecting a high-profile Jewish leader.

The efforts to bring more people to the ballpark seemed to be successful, according

keep your eye on PittsburghJewishChronicle NATIONAL

Bibi ally becomes vocal critic

WORLD

Changing of Baku’s Jewish guard

WORLD

Israeli’s avocados wow Europe

Headlines Local teen to plant ‘Seeds of Peace’ in Pittsburgh — LOCAL —

By Toby Tabachnick | Senior Staff Writer

W

hen Alexandra Friedlander, 16, first heard of a camp in Maine that focuses on bringing together teens from diverse backgrounds to engage in conflict resolution and dialogue, she was eager to enroll.

The program, sponsored by the nonprofit organization Seeds of Peace, was right up the alley of the then 10th-grade student who had founded her own dialogue initiative for middle and lower school students at her school, Winchester Thurston.

Though Friedlander did not live in one of Seeds of Peace’s five core locations — Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Syracuse, N.Y., and the state of Maine — from which the camp typically draws its campers, she nonetheless began emailing its program director, arguing her case for admission.

Her efforts paid off, and from July 24 to Aug. 12, Friedlander and three local educators attended the camp. They are now poised to create safe spaces for dialogue in Pittsburgh.

Seeds of Peace was founded in 1993 by John Wallach in the days following the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians.

The camp, located in Otisfield, Maine, brought together American Jewish teenagers along with teens from Israel, Egypt and the Palestinian territories for typical camping activities along with opportunities for dialogue. While the camp still offers an international program, it has added a second session for American teenagers.

Acceptance to the camp is competitive, with about 5 percent of applicants chosen to attend. Friedlander was the only camper

P I T TS B U R G H

SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 410-902-2308 TO ADVERTISE Display: advertising@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 724-713-8874

P I T TS B U R G H

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Email: newsdesk@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org BOARD OF TRUSTEES Evan Indianer, Chairman Andrew Schaer, Vice Chairman Gayle R. Kraut, Secretary Jonathan Bernstein, Treasurer David Ainsman, Immediate Past Chairman Gail Childs, Elizabeth F. Collura, Milton Eisner, Malke Steinfeld Frank, Tracy Gross, Richard J. Kitay, Cátia Kossovsky, Andi Perelman, David Rush, Charles Saul GENERAL COUNSEL Stuart R. Kaplan, Esq.

2 AUGUST 24, 2018

p Marissa Tait and Alexandra Friedlander

from Pittsburgh selected, and one of only five who do not live in one of the organization’s core cities.

Friedlander enlisted three local educators to accompany her to the camp; they in turn were required to attend their own sessions while there: Marissa Tate, youth advisor at Rodef Shalom Congregation and director of youth programming at Congregation Beth Shalom; Mary Martin, a faculty member at Winchester Thurston; and Rachel Libros, teen and family manager of Repair the World Pittsburgh.

Friedlander’s zeal for productive dialogue is palpable, and it is that enthusiasm that convinced the director of Seeds of Peace to accept her into the program.

“I was first exposed to dialogue later in the game — last year,” explained Friedlander. “But it is important to get kids involved earlier. I founded a program with third- and sixth-graders

h

Photo by Toby Tabachnick

at my school, which meets once a month. When I told the director of Seeds of Peace what I had been doing, he said I could apply.”

Reggie Miller, director of U.S. programs for Seeds of Peace, was impressed with Friedlander.

“Alexandra is very passionate about the broader scope of the work we do,” said Miller.

“She was very persistent, in terms of trying to make this a reality for herself and potentially opening doors for a lot of other folks.”

Friedlander described the Seeds of Peace program as “a conflict resolution camp, with international counselors and staff ” that is “focused on problems in the United States,” with issues of identity at the foundation of the discussions.

A main objective of the program “is to bring together folks who normally wouldn’t have the opportunity or reason to come together

in the same space,” according to Miller.

Each day, campers engage in small group dialogue sessions, sharing personal experiences and competing narratives. Consensus of opinion is not a goal; rather, emphasis is placed on learning dialogue techniques to facilitate listening and understanding the perspectives of others.

When camp concludes, the campers and educators are expected to use their experiences to create inspired programming back at their schools and in their wider communities.

The 178 campers attending the program this summer came from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and a diversity of ethnicities, races and religions.

“This was the most inclusive environment I had ever been in in my whole life,” said Friedlander.

The program provided instruction to the campers in “skills they are not learning in other places,” such as “trust and cooperation,” said Tait.

If Friedlander and the educators who accompanied her can get some momentum in Pittsburgh through the utilization of the tools they gained at camp, Pittsburgh could be added to the roster of Seeds of Peace’s core cities, Miller said.

“It’s incredible how a 15-year-old put herself out there and made this happen,” said Tait. “Alexandra is intelligent, kind and tenacious. This was a huge accomplishment, and a beginning for Alexandra to bring new tools into Pittsburgh. We have time now to think about what we’re going to do and what that’s going to look like — time to digest what we learned and to think about our best moves.” PJC Toby Tabachnick can be reached at ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

5915 Beacon St., 5th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Main phone number: 412-687-1000

Subscriptions: 410-902-2308

Jim Busis, CEO and Publisher 412-228-4690 jbusis@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org EDITORIAL Joshua Runyan, Editor-in-Chief 215-832-0744 jrunyan@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

h

Angela Leibowicz, Community/Web Editor 412-687-1047 aleibowicz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org Toby Tabachnick, Senior Staff Writer 412-228-4577 ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org Adam Reinherz, Staff Writer 412-687-1000 areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org Lauren Rosenblatt, Digital Content Manager 412-228-4547 lrosenblatt@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org Jonah Berger, Intern 412-687-1000 jberger@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org ADVERTISING Phil Durler, Senior Sales Associate 724-713-8874 pdurler@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

DEVELOPMENT Barry Rudel, Development Officer 412-215-9157 brudel@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org PRODUCTION Jeni Mann, Director Rachel S. Levitan Art/Production Coordinator BUSINESS Bill Sims, Director of Circulation 410-902-2315 Devorah Neuman, Circulation subscriptions@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 410-902-2308 Published every Friday by the Pittsburgh Jewish Publication and Education Foundation 5915 Beacon St., 5th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Phone: 412-687-1000 FAX: 412-521-0154

Manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs sent to the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle become the property of this publication, which is not responsible for the return or loss of such items.

The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle does not endorse the goods or services advertised or covered in its pages and makes no representation to the kashrut of food products and services in said advertising or articles. The publisher is not liable for damages if, for any reason whatsoever, he fails to publish an advertisement or for any error in an advertisement.

Acceptance of advertisers and of ad copy is subject to the publisher’s approval. The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle is not responsible if ads violate applicable laws and the advertiser will indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle from all claims made by governmental agencies and consumers for any reason based on ads appearing in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE, 5915 BEACON ST., 5TH FLOOR PITTSBURGH, PA 15217 (PERIODICAL RATE POSTAGE PAID AT PITTSBURGH, PA AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES) USPS 582-740

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines Squirrel Hill house that made headlines has Jewish history — LOCAL —

By Lauren Rosenblatt | Digital Content Manager

T

ucked back on Woodland Road sits a house that recently made local headlines and quite a splash among architecture communities. The house, hidden from the street but known by those connected to it as a place for friendly gatherings and warm connections, was built by renowned architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown in the 1980s and is a talking point among many architects and preservationists for its unique post-modern style.

But, outside of that circle, the house has a surprisingly Jewish history as well.

Commissioned by the late Betty and Irving Abrams, the house tells a story of a Jewish family that has roots stretching far back in Pittsburgh’s past.

Designed as a retirement house for the couple, the house was put up for sale earlier this summer after Betty Abrams passed away in February. Since then, the future of the house has hung in limbo. The new owners filed for a demolition permit due to what they say is significant damage to the structure. That move prompted preservationist activists to nominate the house as a city historic landmark in order to prevent or delay demolition.

The Abrams chose the plot of land for their

p Betty and Irving at Al Mercur’s Nut House, a former nightclub in Millvale.

home in 1979 and remained involved in the design of the house until it was completed in the early ’80s, according to documents from the Rauh Jewish History Archives. Eric Lidji, director of the Rauh Jewish History Program and Archives, said the materials trace a love story between Betty and Irving that culminates in the creation of their home.

In her eulogy for Irving, who passed away in 2003, Betty wrote, “I liked him because he was just fun to be with. He was able to build houses with me; shop with me; grocery shop with me — just spend wonderful quality time with me as well as share many mundane moments.”

Betty, likely a Taylor Allderdice graduate, according to Lidji, and Irving, a Shady Side Academy graduate, began dating before going off to separate colleges and were later

p Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown designed a house for Betty and Irving Abrams in a unique post-modern style. The house was built to be a retirement home for the Abrams. Photos courtesy of the Rauh Jewish History Archives

married by Rabbi Solomon Freehof from Rodef Shalom Congregation.

Betty’s parents, Abe and Helen Ohringer, owned a furniture store in Braddock for nearly 50 years. The couple was very involved in the Jewish community — Helen was the first woman in the country to raise $100,000 for Israel Bonds and a major partner with Hadassah, according to documents from the archives. The Ohringers also donated $50,000 to Hillel Academy to buy the school’s building on Beacon Street.

The archives do not go into much detail about Irving’s parents, Lidji said.

The house on Woodland Road was the

location for several gatherings, parties and celebrations and Betty adored her husband’s ability to always act as the “perfect host,” according to several lines from her eulogy.

For the Abrams, the archived documents suggest, designing the house was just as eventful and exciting as living in and hosting guests once the house was complete. In a letter to her parents after a visit to the house while it was being constructed in 1981, one of the Abrams’ daughters described it as their own “original Venturi.”

Brittany Reilly, a member of the board of Please see House, page 19

Be Our Guest At Temple Sinai! Free & Open To The Community ROSH HASHANAH Sunday, September 9

7:45 PM Erev Rosh HaShanah Service

Tuesday, September 11

10 AM Rosh HaShanah 2nd Day Morning Service

YOM KIPPUR Wednesday, September 19

1:30 PM Minchah Afternoon Service 2:45 PM Beit Midrash 4 PM I am Jonah in collaboration with Attack Theatre 5:15 PM Yizkor and N’ilah 7:15 PM Break Fast: a light snack to break your fast

5505 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217 (412) 421-9715 www.TempleSinaiPGH.org

TOT SERVICES — FREE & OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY

A SPECIAL EREV ROSH HASHANAH DINNER

Looking for an informal, inviting way to teach your little ones about High Holy Days? Join Rabbi Keren Gorban for a fun, active service of stories, singing, and dancing for families with children ages 0–5.

We invite you to join us for a special catered Erev Rosh HaShanah Dinner on Sunday, September 9 at 6:15 PM. Come have a relaxing, friendly meal with us before our Erev Rosh HaShanah Service.

Erev Rosh HaShanah: Sunday, Sept. 9, 5 PM Rosh HaShanah: Monday, Sept. 10, 8 AM Rosh HaShanah: Monday, Sept. 10, 4:30 & 5:15 PM (Community Family Service & Tashlich in Frick Park)

Kol Nidre: Tuesday, Sept. 18, 5:30 PM Yom Kippur: Wednesday, Sept. 19, 8 AM

RSVP Requested

Please contact Lynn Corbett at (412) 421-9715 ext. 113 or LynnC@TempleSinaiPGH.org with your name, number attending,

and age of tot(s).

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Our dinner menu includes Homemade Chicken Soup Grilled Chicken Breast Seasonal Vegetarian Pasta Mixed Green Salad Challah, Dessert, and Wine Cost: $24 per person $10 per child (ages 6–12) FREE for kids 5 and under RSVP: Judy Rulin Mahan at (412) 421-9715 ext. 110 or Judy@TempleSinaiPGH.org.

Reservations will close at 5 PM on Tuesday, Sept. 4.

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

AUGUST 24, 2018 3

Headlines JHF series focuses on ‘imaginative’ community designed for older adults — LOCAL —

By Lauren Rosenblatt | Digital Content Manager

I

magine a grocery store equipped with magnifying glasses to read small text and built-in steps to reach the top shelves; or a restaurant that offers an “early bird” special that includes a guest speaker and a cooking lesson; or an online food delivery service that packages your order based on a “heart-healthy” diet.

These are just a few of the ideas that participants discussed in a recent Jewish Healthcare Foundation conference on nutrition for older adults. The 85 attendees talked about different aspects of nutrition, from how older adults think about and access food to how caregivers and facilities aid them in maintaining a healthy diet, to how communities can improve places like grocery stores and restaurants to better cater to older adults.

“It really does take a village to nourish a senior,” Leslie Bonci, the owner of the nutrition consulting company Active Eating, told participants at the end of the day-long event.

Now, she continued, they had to combine all of their ideas and resources to “create something that is comprehensive for every senior.”

The event, called “Ordering Up Health & Nutrition for Seniors,” was part of a larger JHF series, “Senior Connections Charrette,” made up of five sessions to help older adults in different aspects of life, including exercise, housing and geriatric healthcare.

The series began in summer 2016 and will end in October with a final session on behavioral health.

Karen Wolk Feinstein, executive director of JHF, said organizers chose to call the series “Charrette” because of its meaning in architecture that it’s time to put your best model forward and then discuss which ones to implement. Each session was designed to encourage brainstorming in break-out groups about barriers and successes in the community and possible solutions and goals.

“The sense is that we’ve been relatively unimaginative,” she said. “What would a community look like if it was really designed for seniors?”

At the end, Feinstein said they will connect ideas from each charrette and put them into action with Age-Friendly Pittsburgh, an organization working to make the city more accessible and welcoming for older adults.

In Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, about 28 percent of adults are 65 years or older, according to the 2017 Greater

Pittsburgh Jewish Community Study, released in February.

During last week’s session, participants focused on both the clinic side, including chronic disease management, long-term care and creating an informed team of caregivers, and ways the community can get involved, from pharmacies to farmer’s markets.

They also discussed food insecurity and malnutrition, something that isn’t often recognized in older adults, according to many conference attendees. Matthew Bolton, director of the Jewish Family and Community Services Squirrel Hill Food Pantry, said that of the 12,000 individuals the food pantry serves monthly, about 300 of them are older adults.

Sharan Weir, director of dining at Weinberg Terrace, said collaboration among the staff and training is crucial to making sure older adults in senior-living facilities are eating properly. For example, she said, if a resident is having trouble using utensils, they can bring in an occupational therapist to help, or if a resident cannot swallow their food, they can bring in a speech pathologist.

“You have places where someone says, ‘Well she didn’t eat … maybe she’s not hungry.’ Well, it’s not that she’s not hungry, it’s that she can’t eat, or she doesn’t know who to ask,” Weir said. “A lot of what it

comes down to is hearing what people want and what they like and what they don’t like it.

And you have to be sincere about it.”

Weir and executive director Rena Becker said the charrette helped reinforce that a lot of their ideas were on the right track. One thing they plan to implement, Becker said, was changing the name of food committees to “Let’s Dish.”

At the end of the charrette, many attendees determined that one important step to take was to connect many of the services already in place, helping organizations reach more people and foster more connections.

“One of the greatest outcomes of today was the creation of a community around this issue,” Nancy Zionts, chief operating officer and chief program officer for JHF, said after the event.

For Zionts, the connections formed are just as important as the ideas brought to the table, especially because when talking about improving quality of life for older adults, so many people have a personal story that partly shapes their thinking. It helps to turn concepts from an “abstract noun” to a real person.

“Everything’s up in the air,” she said. “And we can rethink everything.” PJC Lauren Rosenblatt can be reached at lrosenblatt@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

JCC of Greater Pittsburgh 123rd Annual Meeting Thursday, September 6, 2018 6:30 PM Katz Performing Arts Center 5738 Darlington Road Featuring the film Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel Free and Open to the Public

4 AUGUST 24, 2018

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Calendar >> Submit calendar items on the Chronicle’s website, pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

Submissions will also be included in print.

Events will run in the print edition beginning one month prior to the date as space allows.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, noon. q EVERY WEDNESDAY EVENING Heal Grow and Live with Hope, NarAnon meeting from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Beth El Congregation, 1900 Cochran Road; use office entrance. Newcomers are welcome. Call and leave a message for Karen at 412-563-3395. q FRIDAY, AUG. 24 Chabad of Squirrel Hill will host a Loaves of Love event from 9 to 11 a.m. at 1700 Beechwood Blvd. Women will bake two loaves of challah and will have the opportunity to learn from Sue Berman Kress on how to make special round beehive challahs in honor of Rosh Hashanah. Refreshments will be served, and High Holiday inspiration will be shared as the dough is rising. The cost is $10 per woman. q SATURDAY, AUG. 25

AND SUNDAY, AUG. 26

The movie “Not the Last Butterfly” is the story of a San Diego artist’s dream to work with communities to paint 1.5 million ceramic butterflies to remember the 1.5 million children murdered in the Holocaust. The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh will host three screenings, and Cheryl Rattner Price, founder and executive director of the Butterfly Project from California, will attend all. All screenings are free and open to the community. The Aug. 25 screenings are at 8:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. at The Holocaust Center, 826 Hazelwood Ave.; the Aug. 26 screening is at 1 p.m. at The Hollywood Theater in Dormont. Visit jfedpgh. org/butterfly-film-screening to register and for more information. q SUNDAY, AUG. 26 A Day in the Park with Pittsburgh Young Judaea for kids in grades 2-12 will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Mt. Lebanon Main Park, 900 Cedar Blvd. Enjoy a fun afternoon of sports, arts and crafts and fun with friends.

For more than 100 years, Young Judaea has brought together thousands of Jewish youth from across the country and around the world — of every religious, cultural and political persuasion, through a shared commitment to Jewish values, Jewish pride and love of Israel. Visit tinyurl.com/yc2pasux for more information. The event is free for members and $5 for nonmembers. Contact pghyj@youngjudaea.org for more information and to register. q TUESDAY, AUG. 28 Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh invites the community to the grand opening celebration of the Herman Lipsitz Building and barbecue dinner at 5:30 p.m., preceded by a SIX13 a cappella concert at 4:15 p.m. q WEDNESDAY, AUG. 29 Rabbi Barbara Symons will discuss the book “The Ruined House” by Ruby Namdar at the Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd. The discussion will be held twice: from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 7 to 8:30 p.m. The discussion is free and open to the community. No registration is required. Visit MonroevillelIbrary.org for more information.

Congregation Ahavath Achim (The Carnegie Shul), in cooperation with South Hills Jewish Pittsburgh and co-sponsors Beth El Congregation, Hadassah, the Jewish Community Center and Temple Emanuel, will present the film “Making Trouble: Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women,” at 7 p.m. at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont. The movie features six female comic performers of the last century, Molly Picon, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Joan Rivers, Gilda Radner and Wendy Wasserstein, through interviews with experts, scholars and entertainers and rare film and television clips. The evening is free and includes popcorn and soda. Visit southhillsjewishpittsburgh.org for tickets. q THURSDAY, AUG. 30 The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s 2018 annual meeting, FED Talks: Ideas to Power an Inspired Community, will include insights from three guest speakers who will offer creative ideas for Jewish communities.

The community is invited to the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave. The presentation will be 7 to 8 p.m.; a dessert reception (dietary laws observed) will follow from 8 to 9 p.m. Visit jfedpgh.org/annual-meeting for information about the program and speakers. The charge is $10 per person when registering online at jfedpgh.org/annual-meeting. Online registration will be available until noon, Monday, Aug. 27. At the door, admission will be $20 per person. Contact 412-992-5251 for more information and to discuss disabilityrelated accommodations. Sign language interpretation of the proceedings and largeprint agendas will be available. q THURSDAYS, BEGINNING AUG. 30

Deray unexpectedly became an observant Jew. Her first book, “Kugel, Chaos and Unconditional Love,” is a humorous collection of stories on family life, marriage, growth, female empowerment, gratitude and faith.

Deray is also the founder of Woman2Woman Toastmasters. Light refreshments will be served. The program is at 7 p.m. at 5898 Wilkins Ave. There is a $5 per person charge.

RSVP to Sharyn Stein, 412-521-5231 or sshop47@aol.com by August 31. q THURSDAY, SEPT. 6 Cub Scout Pack 1818 will hold its annual signup night at Shaare Torah, 2319 Murray Ave., from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Pack 1818 is inclusive and observant and features camping, fishing, Pinewood derby, boat races and adventures. Contact bgelman@comcast. net for more information.

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh will hold its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Katz Performing Arts Center, Robinson Building. The meeting is free and open to the community. The meeting will be followed by the screening of “Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel.” Call 412-521-8010 for more information. q WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12 Squirrel Hill AARP invites the community to a program at 1 p.m. being held at Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha, at the corner of Wilkins and Shady avenues. In addition to a business meeting, discussions will be held on the group’s community service projects, monthly lunch out and health report. Greenburg native

q WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 19 In collaboration with Attack Theatre, Temple Sinai will present “I Am Jonah,” a fresh and thoughtprovoking approach to the story of Jonah featuring dance, music and narrative at 4 p.m. at 5505 Forbes Ave. The program is appropriate for all ages and is free and open to the community.

Visit templesinaipgh.org/i-am-jonahcollaboration-attack-theatre for more information.

Cathi Rhodes, a Patsy Cline tribute singer, will perform Cline’s hit songs. Nonmembers are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served. Contact Marsha Stern at sternmjs@ msn.com for more information. q SUNDAY, SEPT. 16 Chabad of the South Hills and co-sponsors Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh and PJ Library will hold a Mega Challah Bake 4 Kids at the South Hills JCC, 345 Kane Blvd. from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The holiday program will feature a “Build-a-Torah” workshop. RSVP at chabadsh.com. Contact 412-344-2424 or mussie@chabadsh.com for more information. The charge is $5/child before Sept. 2 and $8/child after. PJC

Israeli Dancing will be held at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh every Thursday, except holidays. Beginners of all ages are welcome in the JCC Kaufmann Dance Studio with a special teaching session from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Open dancing follows until 10 p.m. The charge is $3 per person and $2 for students. q MONDAY, SEPT. 3 Beth El Congregation hosts its monthly First Mondays program with Rabbi Alex Greenbaum from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. featuring guest Ram Kossowsky presenting Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean. There is a $6 charge.

Visit bethelcong.org for more information and call 412-561-1168 to make a reservation. q TUESDAY, SEPT. 4 Chabad of the South Hills will hold a preHigh Holiday lunch for seniors at noon, including honey cake and a presentation by Asti’s Pharmacy. There is a $5 suggested donation; the building is wheelchair accessible. Call 412-278-2658 to preregister and visit chabadsh.com for more information. q WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 5 The Temple Sinai Book Club will meet at 1:15 p.m. in the Lockhart Lounge. The selection is “Judas” by Amos Oz. Contact Anne Faigen at 412-422-9580 for more information or visit templesinaipgh.org/temple-sinai-bookgroup. There is no charge.

New Light Congregation Sisterhood invites the community to an evening with Chana Gittle Deray, inspirational speaker, blogger, author, wife and mother of nine. Through her pursuit of creating a life truly worth living

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

AUGUST 24, 2018 5

Ideas to POWER an Inspired Community 2018 Jewish Federation Annual Meeting Connect With the Ideas of Three Innovative Guest Speakers

ERIC FINGERHUT

President & CEO, Hillel International, Washington, D.C.

RABBI NINA BETH CARDIN Community Rabbi, Educator, Author & Environmental Activist, Baltimore, Md.

RABBI JEREMY WEISBLATT Temple Ohav Shalom, Allison Park, Pa.

Celebrate Community Leaders

CYNTHIA D. SHAPIRA

2018 recipient Emmanuel Spector Memorial Award

NANCY D. ZIONTS

2018 recipient Doris & Leonard H. Rudolph Jewish Communal Professional Award

THURSDAY, AUG. 30 • KELLY STRAYHORN THEATER 5941 PENN AVE., PITTSBURGH, PA 15206

7–8 p.m., Program • 8–9 p.m., Dessert Reception Dietary laws observed, valet parking available Registration & details: Visit jfedpgh.org/annual-meeting Cost when registering online: $10 • Cost at the door: $20

The full inclusion of people of all abilities is a core value of the Pittsburgh Jewish community.

To discuss disability-related accommodations or event details, call 412.992.5251.

The annual meeting is underwritten by a grant from the Lillian and Dr. Henry J. Goldstein Annual Meeting Endowment Fund of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Jewish Community Foundation.

Zionts photo: David Bachman

Today. Tomorrow. Together.

6 AUGUST 24, 2018

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines Lauder helped make Netanyahu prime minister, but now publicly opposes him — NATIONAL —

By Ben Sales | JTA

I

t’s gotta hurt when the guy who used to fund your political career writes two op-eds criticizing you in The New York Times.

Benjamin Netanyahu would know — that’s what’s happening to him right now.

Last week, Netanyahu was the target of a scathing column by Ronald Lauder, the cosmetics heir who heads the World Jewish Congress. Lauder lamented Israel’s recent nation-state law, which Netanyahu defends as a safeguard of Israel’s Jewish character but critics see as a slap in the face to the country’s minorities. Lauder wrote that Israel’s turn to the nationalist right is betraying its — and the Jewish people’s — commitment to democratic, humanistic ideals. “The Jews of the new era have fused our national pride and religious affiliation with a dedication to human progress, worldly culture and morality,� Lauder wrote. “Conservatives and liberals, we all believe in a just Zionism and a pluralistic Judaism that respects every human being. So when members of Israel’s current government unin-

Advice with distinction 3URXG WR EH UHFRJQL]HG E\ )RUEHV IRU KHOSLQJ FOLHQWV SXUVXHbZKDW PDWWHUV PRVW

tentionally undermine the covenant between Judaism and enlightenment, they crush the core of contemporary Jewish existence.�

It’s the second time Lauder has taken to the pages of The Times to lambaste Netanyahu’s agenda. In March, he lamented the demise of the two-state solution under Netanyahu and the power of Orthodox parties in Israel, warning that “by submitting to the pressures exerted by a minority in Israel, the Jewish state is alienating a large segment of the Jewish people.�

Lauder may fear Netanyahu’s policies now.

But without Lauder’s support, it’s possible Netanyahu never would have been prime minister at all.

In 1996, the first time Netanyahu ran for the office, he was a major underdog facing a 30-point deficit to incumbent Shimon Peres.

Yitzhak Rabin, Israel’s prime minister, had been assassinated months earlier by a Jewish extremist opposed to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Beyond the national sympathy for Rabin’s Labor Party, some saw Netanyahu as complicit in the incitement that led to the assassination. A month beforehand, he participated in an anti-Rabin rally where some people waved photos of Rabin in an S.S. uniform and chanted that he was a traitor. It was Peres’ election to lose.

Enter Lauder, a Netanyahu ally since the

While being ranked #34 in Pennsylvania CZ`'PSCFT is truly an honor, I’m QFSIBQT NPTU QSPVE UIBU JU SFŗFDUT NZ commitment to addressing the full range of my clients’ needs and helping them BDIJFWF XIBUà T NPTU`JNQPSUBOU Who you choose to work with as a wealth manager has never been more DSJUJDBM * IBWF UIF FYQFSJFODF BOE BDDFTT to global resources you need to help you pursue what matters most—for today, UPNPSSPX BOE GPS HFOFSBUJPOT UP DPNF I’m honored by the trust that is placed JO NF CZ NZ DMJFOUT FWFSZ EBZ "OE * look forward to continuing to serve with EJTUJODUJPO

man nicknamed Bibi was Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in the 1980s.

Lauder reportedly was a major donor to Netanyahu’s 1996 run. More crucial, he brought Republican campaign strategist Arthur Finkelstein to work on the campaign.

Finkelstein came up with the slogan “Peres will divide Jerusalem� in peace negotiations — and it worked. A stark attack ad, complete with a black screen, red text and ominous narration, warned that Peres had failed while a Netanyahu victory would mean a “secure peace.� A string of suicide bombings in the weeks before the election damaged the public’s faith in Peres, and Netanyahu won in a shocking upset, beating Peres by 1 percent.

Lauder remained in Netanyahu’s corner for more than a decade, at one point even offering to buy every unsold copy of one of Netanyahu’s books. In 1998, Netanyahu enlisted Lauder to pass on sensitive messages to then-Syrian President Hafez Assad in a failed attempt to broker a peace pact.

During Netanyahu’s 1999 re-election campaign, when Lauder chaired the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the mogul praised Netanyahu’s economic policies in a speech to the Shalem Center, which some took as an endorsement of his candidacy.

Police investigating Netanyahu for corruption reportedly questioned Lauder last year about gifts he has given the prime minister.

So why the falling-out? In 2011, Israeli Channel 10 aired an unflattering investigation into Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, accusing her of an inappropriately extravagant lifestyle. Lauder has a partial stake in the channel, but refused to pressure Channel 10 to drop the segment.

In the meantime, Bibi got a new benefactor: Sheldon Adelson. In 2007, the casino mogul and Republican mega-donor threw his heft behind Netanyahu. Adelson funds Israel Hayom, a free daily newspaper that supports the prime minister. Adelson also donated to President Donald Trump’s campaign, helping bridge the two leaders.

Since Trump took office, Lauder reportedly has tried to use his rapport with Trump, Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to restart peace talks. But the effort so far has gone nowhere.

So now Lauder has taken twice to the op-ed pages of The Times, slamming the man he once helped bring to power. “Israel is a miracle,� Lauder wrote last week. “The Jews of the diaspora look up to Israel, admire its astonishing achievements and view it as their second home. However, today some wonder if the nation they cherish is losing its way.�  PJC

Murray Avenue Kosher 1916 MURRAY AVENUE 412-421-1015 • 412-421-4450 • FAX 412-421-4451 PRICES EFFECTIVE SUNDAY, AUGUST 26-FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2018 Candle Lighting Time Friday, August 24, 2018 • 7:46 p.m.

MEAT SPECIALS

We are now taking your Holiday meat and poultry orders: 412-421-1015.

Rosh Hashana Menu 5779 • 2018 APPETIZERS Chopped Liver Gefilte Fish Pink & White Teriyaki Salmon

Are you getting the advice you need to HJWF ZPV DPOĹ–EFODF GPS ZPVS GVUVSF 5PHFUIFS XF DBO Ĺ–OE BO BOTXFS

SOUP Chicken Broth Mushroom Barley Chicken Noodle Matzo Balls Kreplach

KUGELS Potato Kugel Noodle Kugel Apple Kugel Carrot Kugel Zucchini Kugel 4X6 SMALL • SERVES 4 9X12 1/2 STEAM • SERVES 15 9X16 FULL STEAM • SERVES 40

-FF 0MFJOJDL Managing Director–Wealth Management 8BMOVU 8FBMUI .BOBHFNFOU (SPVQ 6#4 'JOBODJBM 4FSWJDFT *OD 5600 Walnut Street Pittsburgh, PA 15232 412-665-9914

VCT DPN GT

'PSCFT #FTU JO 4UBUF 8FBMUI "EWJTPST MJTU JT DPNQSJTFE PG BQQSPYJNBUFMZ Ĺ–OBODJBM BEWJTPST *U XBT EFWFMPQFE CZ 4)00, Research and is based on in-person and telephone due diligence meetings to measure factors such as: quality of practice, industry FYQFSJFODF DPNQMJBODF SFDPSE BTTFUT VOEFS NBOBHFNFOU XIJDI WBSZ GSPN TUBUF UP TUBUF BOE SFWFOVF /FJUIFS 6#4 'JOBODJBM 4FSWJDFT *OD PS JUT FNQMPZFFT QBZ B GFF JO FYDIBOHF GPS UIFTF SBUJOHT 1BTU QFSGPSNBODF JT OPU BO JOEJDBUJPO PG GVUVSF SFTVMUT Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited QFSGPSNBODF SFQPSUT 3BOLJOHT BSF CBTFE PO UIF PQJOJPOT PG 4)00, 3FTFBSDI --$ BOE OPU JOEJDBUJWF PG GVUVSF QFSGPSNBODF PS SFQSFTFOUBUJWF PG BOZ POF DMJFOUĂ T FYQFSJFODF "T B Ĺ–SN QSPWJEJOH XFBMUI NBOBHFNFOU TFSWJDFT UP DMJFOUT 6#4 'JOBODJBM 4FSWJDFT *OD PĹĄFST CPUI JOWFTUNFOU BEWJTPSZ TFSWJDFT BOE CSPLFSBHF TFSWJDFT *OWFTUNFOU BEWJTPSZ TFSWJDFT BOE CSPLFSBHF TFSWJDFT BSF TFQBSBUF BOE EJTUJODU EJĹĄFS JO NBUFSJBM XBZT BOE BSF HPWFSOFE CZ EJĹĄFSFOU MBXT BOE TFQBSBUF BSSBOHFNFOUT *U JT JNQPSUBOU UIBU DMJFOUT understand the ways in which we conduct business and that they carefully read the agreements and disclosures that we provide to UIFN BCPVU UIF QSPEVDUT PS TFSWJDFT XF PĹĄFS 'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO WJTJU PVS XFCTJUF BU VCT DPN XPSLJOHXJUIVT 'PS EFTJHOBUJPO disclosures, visit VCT DPN VT FO EFTJHOBUJPO EJTDMPTVSFT 6#4 'JOBODJBM 4FSWJDFT *OD JT B TVCTJEJBSZ PG 6#4 "( .FNCFS '*/3" 4*1$ h 6#4 "MM SJHIUT SFTFSWFE &YD@%$@ *4 &91

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG  

ENTREES BEEF Single Cooked Beef Brisket Stuffed Cabbage TURKEY Roast Turkey Leg Roast Turkey Breast Whole Roast Turkey with Stuffing

CHICKEN Whole Roast Chicken Sherry Mushroom Boneless Breast Chicken Roast Chicken Legs Roast Chicken Breast Stuffed Boneless Chicken Breast Honey Mustard Glazed Leg Honey Mustard Glazed Breast

SIDE DISHES Kasha & Bows Carrot & Prune Tzimmes Candied Sweet Potatoes Bread Stuffing Farfel & Mushrooms Wild Rice w/Cranberries Roasted Vegetables Fruit Salad 4X6 SMALL • SERVES 4 9X12 1/2 STEAM • SERVES 15 9X16 FULL STEAM • SERVES 40

Store Hours Sun. 8/26-Wed. 8/29 • 8 am- 6pm

Tues. 9/4• 8 am- 6pm

Thurs. 8/30 • 8 am- 8pm

Wed. 9/5• 8 am- 8pm

Fri. 8/31 • 8 am- 3pm

Thurs. 9/6 • 8 am- 8pm

Sun. 9/2 • 8 am- 6pm

Fri. 9/7 • 8 am- 3pm

Mon. 9/3 • 8 am- 4pm

Sun. 9/9 • 8 am- 6pm

See our window sign or shop in store for our specials.

Orders for cooked foods must be placed by Tuesday, September 4th and picked on Friday, September 7th, or Sunday, September 9th by 1 p.m.

TO OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS WE WISH YOU A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR. HOMEMADE SALADS & SOUPS DELI PARTY TRAYS

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

We Prepare Trays for All Occasions UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF VAAD OF PITTSBURGH

CATERING SPECIALISTS DELICIOUS FRIED CHICKEN WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES.

AUGUST 24, 2018 7

Headlines Azerbaijan’s only JCC sold off in painful blow to a dwindling community — WORLD —

By Cnaan Liphshiz | JTA

B

AKU, Azerbaijan — About one year after Bella Regimov’s two children left their native country for Israel along with many of her friends and relatives, she began feeling socially isolated.

On her own in Azerbaijan’s familyoriented society, the 76-year-old was losing “the will to get up in the morning” following their immigration in the early 2000s, she said.

But in 2006, things turned around. That year, she started volunteering at the Jewish community center that the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, or JDC, had opened two years earlier in this capital city of the Caucasus republic.

“This became my home, my real home,” Regimov said of The Jewish House, a crumbling building on a busy street bordering the Baku Railway Station. “I come here first thing in the morning and I stay to close the place.”

Since she started volunteering, Regimov has come to depend on the center for social interaction, a sense of purpose and even exercise: She walks at least two miles a day to the center and back to her home in Baku’s

8 AUGUST 24, 2018

p Arnold Zeligman, left, teaches Hebrew to Bella Regimov, wearing a head cover, and other students at The Jewish House in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Photo by Cnaan Liphshiz

old Jewish quarter. In the summer, she walks briskly to minimize her exposure to the scorching sun, slowing down only under the shade of the buildings featuring the city’s ubiquitous beige sandstone tiles.

But this month, Regimov and dozens of

others of elderly Jews in Baku will have to leave the building that houses the city’s only Jewish community center. JDC has sold it to streamline its expenses in a city with a dwindling Jewish community.

The sale is part of a broader effort by JDC

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

to respond to shifting Jewish community demographics, the New York-based group said. In the case of Baku, whose Jewish population has shrunk from 16,000 to 8,000 since 2000, JDC will move its offices to a much smaller space, a JDC spokesperson said.

Many Azeri Jews have left for Russia and Israel in search of opportunities unavailable under the nepotist economy of Azerbaijan, an oil-rich country where many residents nonetheless live in abject poverty.

As the community shrinks, Regimov and other elderly Jews value even more the institutions that have been their solution to loneliness.

“Please tell them not to take this away from us,” she said. “It’s my reason for getting up in the morning, and I’m not the only one.”

The Jewish House, at 13,000 square feet, includes an auditorium, workshop rooms, classrooms and space for exhibitions.

JDC said the new space is about five times smaller, but will have space for activities and a day center for seniors.

Still, Shaul Davidov, who has headed The Jewish House since its opening, said the change means the “end of an era” for his community.

Please see JCC, page 17

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines Europe is going bananas over this Israeli guy’s avocados — WORLD —

By Cnaan Liphshiz | JTA

A

MSTERDAM — Last year, Ron Simpson was still managing talent for a living.

But within just a few months Simpson, a 34-year-old Jewish marketing professional and producer from Amsterdam with no experience in running a restaurant, launched an international chain of eateries with a partner. It is so wildly popular and innovative that seasoned food critics are celebrating it as a cultural symbol and zeitgeist indicator.

As it turns out, all Simpson and partner Julien Zaal needed to take this Dutch capital city’s oversaturated restaurant sector by storm was a small space, a good concept and an Instagram account.

Oh, and avocados. Lots of avocados.

About 10,000 succulent, Hass avocados each week, to be exact.

Each item on the menu at their line of restaurants, The Avocado Show — there are two in Amsterdam and another opening in Brussels — is pretty much based on the creamy fruit from Central America.

In addition to avocado salads, avocado pancakes, egg dishes and smoothies, there’s an avocado burger: The meat is sandwiched between two peeled halves sprinkled with sesame to resemble buns. The cocktail department features Guaca Mary and Avo Daiquiri. And for dessert, you can have ice cream, mousse and waffle (take a wild guess as to what flavors are on offer.)

At about noon each day, dozens of patrons — many but not all millennials — queue up at the entrance to The Avocado Show’s main restaurant near the bustling Albert Cuyp market in south-central Amsterdam. On a quiet side street, the mix of locals and tourists patiently wait for a table.

There are only 50 seats, including some on a bright pink velvet couch. Large plants and

shiny tables balance out the gray concrete walls. On a wall are three shelves sporting 12 brightly illuminated glass tubes containing avocado seedlings.

Despite the humble setting, The Avocado Show generated a media frenzy in Holland and beyond. It was featured in hundreds of articles in dozens of languages, with mainstream newspapers in places as far flung as New Zealand reporting about its opening.

The Avocado Show’s success stunned experienced observers of the local restaurant sector.

“Had someone told me last year that he’s opening a restaurant based on avocado, I would have declared him insane,” Mac van Dinther, the food critic of the highbrow Volkskrant daily, said. “Maybe that’s part of the reason for The Avocado Show’s success: It makes people curious about it.”

The restaurant’s drab decor seems to only sharpen the focus on the actual dishes. Some feature elaborate flower-shaped structures, with thin avocado slices acting as petals and bright purple beet strips simulating the styles. In others, layered avocado rectangles — forming elaborate patterns reminiscent of paintings by the Dutch illusionist artist M.C. Escher — hedge seaweed and salmon salads sprinkled with crispy fried sesame.

“This is why we call ourselves The Avocado Show, man,” Simpson said. “The show is on your plate.”

Even when it follows the same pattern, each dish is different, distinguishing itself from other creations in subtle or drastic ways. Many patrons and critics praise the dish’s culinary virtues.

Booker Jennings, a recent high school graduate from Denver, Colo., said his stack of avocado pancakes was the healthiest he’s ever had and “not something you can get at home.” His travel buddy, Mark Gardner, said the lean bacon at The Avocado Show “is so fresh, so good. The best I’ve had.”

Please see Avocado, page 17

Optical Outlet is Now Part of

LAPPEN EYE CARE Pittsburgh Second Location • Now Accepting New Patients Dr. Jonathan Lappen, Optometrist Now Provides: • Comprehensive Medical Eye Care (Glaucoma/Cataracts/Macular Degeneration/ Diabetic Retinopathy Management) • Same Day Eye Emergency Services • Total Family Vision Care Including Exams for Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses • Most Vision and Medical Insurance Accepted:

NVA DAVIS

VBA EYEMED

VSP UPMC-VISION

Call for your appointment today

(412) 421-9274 4048 Beechwood Blvd. • Pittsburgh, PA 15217

LAPPEN EYE CARE Pittsburgh is your Neighborhood source for all CONTACT LENS needs Dr. Jonathan Lappen specializes in the fitting and evaluation of all types of contact lenses Multifocal Lenses: Both soft and gas permeable Toric Lenses: For the correction of astigmatism Scleral Lenses: New technology for the correction of: Dry Eyes

Keratoconus

Irregular Cornea

Same or next day filling of most contact lens presciptions

We Welcome “The Difficult to Fit” Contact Lens Patient

ADAT SHALOM

Memorial Services will be held on Sunday, August 26 B’nai Israel Cemetery in Penn Hills • 10:00 a.m.

Beth Jacob Cemetery in New Kensington • 11:30 a.m.

B’NAI ISRAEL BETH JACOB CEMETERIES

For more information, Please call the Adat Shalom office at (412) 820-7000 or email jrook@adatshalompgh.org

Cneseth Israel Cemetery HOLIDAY VISITATION p Ron Simpson, looking at camera, at his Amsterdam restaurant, The Avocado Show, last week.

Photo by Cnaan Liphshiz

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Monday, September 3 (Labor day) • 9 am–12 pm There will also be someone there to assist with the prayers.

Contact: Helene Burke 412-521-1050 | Anchel Siegman 412-362-0928

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

AUGUST 24, 2018 9

Headlines — WORLD — From JTA reports

Cleveland Jewish federation appoints its first female president The Jewish Federation of Cleveland appointed Erika Rudin-Luria as top executive, making her its first female president.

On Aug. 14, the federation announced that Rudin-Luria, its current senior vice president and chief strategy officer, would succeed Stephen Hoffman, who is retiring.

With Rudin-Luria as its first woman president, the Cleveland federation will join some 40 percent of Jewish federations in the United States and Canada with women in the top professional position, according to the Jewish Federations of North America.

But among so-called major federations with large budgets, as defined by JFNA, only 9 percent have women in the top position as of 2015.

According to the Cleveland federation, its 2018 campaign raised $32.7 million.

Rudin-Luria, 44, has been working for the federation, which coordinates community fundraising for Israel and local needs, in various capacities since 2001 and will start her new position on Jan. 1.

Houston’s Jewish federation appointed Avital Ingber as CEO last year and Philadelphia’s federation tapped Naomi Adler as its top exec in 2014. Jennifer Gorovitz, the first woman to lead a major

American Jewish federation, stepped down as the CEO of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco in 2014.

According to EJewishPhilanthropy.com, some 70 to 80 percent of total federation employees in North America are women.

Rudin-Luria is married to Rabbi Hal Rudin-Luria, who serves at B’nai Jeshurun, a Conservative synagogue in Pepper Pike, Ohio.

Israel’s Supreme Court doubles sentence of policeman Israel’s High Court has doubled the prison sentence of a border policeman who shot and killed an unarmed Palestinian teenager during a Nakba Day riot outside of Ramallah in 2014, Haaretz reported.

He had previously been sentenced to nine months incarceration and a 50,000 shekel ($13,600) fine under a plea deal.

On May 15, 2014, Ben Dery and other members of his Border Police unit were sent to the Beitunia checkpoint outside Ramallah to contain Palestinian demonstrations. Despite being under orders to use rubber bullets, Dery switched to live rounds and shot 17-year-old stone-thrower Nadim Nuwara in the chest, killing him.

Dery’s “degree of negligence was significant and warranted prison time,” stated Justice Daniel Tepperberg.

The case stands in stark contrast to that of Israeli infantryman Elor Azaria, who was convicted of shooting and killing an injured Palestinian terrorist as he lay on the ground

CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR IN OUR BEAUTIFUL SANCTUARY DOWNTOWN 810 FIFTH AVENUE

2018 HIGH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE Sun.

Sept. 2

Selichot

7:30 AM

–––––––

Mon.

Sept. 3

Selichot

7:30 AM

5:30 PM

Tues.

Sept. 4

Selichot

7:40 AM

5:30 PM

Weds.

Sept. 5

Selichot

7:40 AM

5:30 PM

Thurs.

Sept. 6

Selichot

7:30 AM

5:30 PM

Fri.

Sept. 7

Selichot

7:30 AM

5:30 PM

Sun.

Sept. 9

Erev Rosh Hashana

7:30 AM

5:30 PM

Mon.

Sept. 10

1st Day Rosh Hashana

9 AM

5:30 PM

Tues.

Sept. 11

2nd Day Rosh Hashana

9 AM

5:30 PM

Tues.

Sept. 18

Erev Yom Kippur Kol Nidre

7:40 AM

6:20 PM

Wed.

Sept. 19

Yom Kippur Yizkor

9 AM

SHOFAR BLOWING

7:45 PM

PLEASE BE OUR GUEST — NO TICKETS REQUIRED Stanley J. Savage, Rabbi Ira Michael Frank, President For Information, call the office at 412.471.4443 A HAPPY AND HEALTHY ROSH HASHANA AND GOOD WISHES TO ALL FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR

BETH HAMEDRASH HAGODOLBETH JACOB CONGREGATION

810 FIFTH AVE. | PITTSBURGH, PA 15219 | 412.471.4443 10 AUGUST 24, 2018

on March 24, 2016. Following a public outcry, Azaria’s 14-month sentence was eventually reduced by one-third and he was released from prison after nine months. The case divided Israeli society on the issues of the Palestinians and the military.

Israeli police rejected Azaria’s request for a gun license last week, stating that he posed a danger to the public, Ynet reported.

Malaysian prime minister defends his right to be anti-Semitic Anti-Semitism is an artificial construct created to silence critics of the Jews, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said.

“There is one race that cannot be criticized. If you are anti-Semitic, it seems almost as if you are a criminal,” Mohamad said in an interview with the Associated Press on Aug. 13, denying that he disliked Jews, as such.

“Anti-Semitic is a term that is invented to prevent people from criticizing the Jews for doing wrong things.

“When somebody does wrong, I don’t care how big they are. They may be powerful countries but if they do something wrong, I exercise my right of free speech. They criticize me, why can’t I criticize them?”

Mohamad, an avowed anti-Semite, was sworn in as prime minister in May, nearly two decades after he last held office. He is well known for his anti-Semitic rhetoric, writing on his personal blog in 2012 that “Jews rule this world by proxy.”

In 2003, speaking at the Organization of

the Islamic Conference summit in Kuala Lumpur, he said that “1.3 billion Muslims cannot be defeated by a few million Jews.

There must be a way. And we can only find a way if we stop to think, to assess our weaknesses and our strength, to plan, to strategize and then to counterattack. We are actually very strong. 1.3 billion people cannot be simply wiped out. The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million.”

He has also said, “I am glad to be labeled anti-Semitic. … How can I be otherwise, when the Jews who so often talk of the horrors they suffered during the Holocaust show the same Nazi cruelty and hard-heartedness towards not just their enemies but even towards their allies should any try to stop the senseless killing of their Palestinian enemies.”

He wrote in his 1970 book “The Malay Dilemma” that “the Jews are not merely hooknosed, but understand money instinctively.”

In 2007, Mohamad was not in office when he announced the creation of a war crimes tribunal that would focus on victims of abuse in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

At 92, he is the world’s oldest elected leader. He previously served as prime minister from 1981 until 1999.

Despite the controversy surrounding his remarks, he told AP that he didn’t particularly care about his legacy or how he would be remembered.

“Frankly I don’t care. I won’t be around,” he said. “When I am dead, it doesn’t matter anymore.” PJC

This week in Israeli history Jaffa as part of the first railroad project in the Ottoman-controlled Levant, the JaffaJerusalem railway line.

— WORLD — Items provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.

Aug. 24, 1954 — Bank of Israel established

The Knesset passes the Bank of Israel Law in a 55-0 vote with 14 abstentions. The law sets up the bank as the central financial authority for the country.

Aug. 25, 1918 — Leonard Bernstein born

Leonard Bernstein, one of the most prolific composers and conductors in American history, is born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to Ukrainian-Jewish parents. His music is deeply influenced by his Boston synagogue, where he also is introduced to Zionism.

Aug. 26, 1903 — Protocols published

“The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” the most widely distributed anti-Semitic publication in history, is first published in Znamya, a Russian newspaper. Plagiarizing the dialogue from an 1864 political satire by Maurice Joly, “Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu,” the pamphlet most likely was written in late 19th-century Paris.

Aug. 27, 1892 — Jaffa-Jerusalem rail line opens

The first passenger train arrives in Jerusalem from

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Aug. 28, 1898 — Second Zionist Congress convenes

The Second Zionist Congress convenes in Basel, Switzerland, with 400 delegates, nearly double the size of the First Zionist Congress a year earlier. The new participants include Theodor Herzl’s father, Jakob, and Chaim Weizmann.

Aug. 29, 1967 — Fourth Arab League summit starts

The Fourth Arab League Summit convenes in Khartoum, Sudan, and runs until Sept.

1, mostly under the leadership of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Participants agree that all measures should be taken to regain lands controlled by Israel after the Six-Day War and that the oil-rich countries will finance an increased Arab military presence in the region.

Aug. 30, 1944 — Harold MacMichael ends term in Palestine

Rattled by numerous attempts on his life and fearing for the safety of his family, Harold MacMichael resigns as Britain’s fifth high commissioner to Palestine after more than six years, a period of increasing restrictions on Jewish immigration. PJC

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

AUGUST 24, 2018 11

Opinion Rashida Tlaib’s shifting positions — EDITORIAL —

R

ashida Tlaib, the Democratic candidate for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, supports positions that are becoming familiar for candidates from the Bernie Sanders wing of the party: Medicare for all, the abolishment of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and free college education, among her domestic policies. But Tlaib, an attorney and former state representative who is expected to be elected to fill the seat vacated by civil rights icon Rep. John Conyers, has offered a flurry of conflicting statements on Israel and its conflict with the Palestinians that are worrying.

Tlaib is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants and, with no Republican opposition, will likely become the first female Muslim member of Congress. The 13th District, which includes much of southwest Detroit, is among the bluest in the nation. As a state representative, she built a record of shrewdly representing her constituents against wealthy interests.

In her majority-minority district, voters may be able to identify with Tlaib’s comparison of discrimination faced by civil rights-era African-Americans with the conditions of Palestinian life under Israeli control, no matter how much we may disagree with that characterization. And that’s the compar-

p Rashida Tlaib, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Michigan, recently called for a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Photo courtesy of Rashida for Congress

ison Tlaib has been making in pushing for a one-state solution to the conflict.

“I absolutely believe ‘separate but equal’ doesn’t work,” she said on “Democracy Now!” in reference to the Jim Crow-era laws

ensuring unjust treatment of blacks. “That’s something that I believe. … But I can tell you, if it was something of possibility for a two-state solution, absolutely. Do I think it may work? … I don’t know, because I’ve

seen that, you know, South versus North didn’t work for us.”

While her analogy is fuzzy, what’s clear is her desire to have the United States punish Israel for what she perceives as wrongdoings by the Jewish state. Indeed, she is ready to push for a cutoff of U.S. aid to Israel “if it has something to do with inequality and not access to people having justice,” she told Britain’s Channel 4. “For me, U.S. aid should be leverage.”

Interestingly, these weren’t quite her positions before the primary. J Street PAC contributed to her campaign on the basis of her support of a two-state solution and U.S. aid, and opposition to the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. (She had endorsed the legality of BDS without saying that she supports it.) Late last week, however, J Street, after “closely consulting” with Tlaib’s campaign, took the unprecedented step of rescinding its endorsement of her.

The J Street post-primary move is essentially meaningless, given that the “proIsrael, pro-peace” organization helped her win a primary in a race with no Republican opposition come November. But it does mean that Tlaib is now further to the left than even J Street, which sees itself more as a critic of the current Israeli government than a friend. That Tlaib will likely be sworn in as a U.S. congresswoman should give us all pause. PJC

Summer is a time for Jewish unity and saving Jewish lives Guest Columnist Karma Feinstein-Cohen

W

orking for Jewish unity should have been an imperative for Jews the world over this summer. All summer long Islamic terrorists in Gaza have been sending incendiary kites in order to set fire to Israeli farmland and forests. The terrorists have also been launching barrages of missiles aimed at Israeli civilian neighborhoods. One firebomb balloon landed in the yard of a kindergarten in the southern Israeli moshav of Tkuma. All of this while the Jewish people were in the midst of the very season when we mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple.

To make matters worse, there were reports of Jews in the United States and in Britain seemingly showing more concern for our adversaries than our fellow Jews. News headlines about Kaddish being recited for Hamas terrorists, Birthright participants being led off tours to learn about “the occupation,” and Jewish summer camp counselors conspiring to teach their campers the Palestinian narrative seemed all too frequent this summer.

That is why the news that a Magen David Adom ambulance was donated by a coalition of synagogues in suburban Philadelphia was

12 AUGUST 24, 2018

All Jews, no matter what their political views, religious ideas or countries of residence, must support efforts to care for those Jews who need medical attention. especially encouraging and heartwarming to hear just before Tisha B’Av. Unfortunately, at this time, Israelis need to know that Magen David Adom ambulances must be depended upon once again to save the lives of Jews.

The Talmud Bavli in Sanhedrin 37a states: “Anyone who saves the life of one of the children of Israel, the verse ascribes him credit as if he saved an entire world.”

The season when we mourn the destruction of the Temple is a time each year when we are reminded that the Jewish people lost our sovereignty and our homeland because of baseless hatred and infighting. Because we could not and would not show concern for one another, Jerusalem was destroyed and taken from us.

This ambulance effort was so inspiring in

part because it involved multiple synagogues from Reform to Orthodox. The fact that Jews cared enough about Israelis to spend their time and money on emergency equipment is a perfect tikkun olam (repair of the world).

The Talmud introduces the Aramaic phrase, kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh, meaning all of Israel are responsible for each other.

This is a lesson one would have hoped that we had learned in the aftermath of the Holocaust.

Israel’s enemies work every day to destroy her. Through its Hezbollah and Hamas proxies, Iran has as its main objective to murder Jews and complete the work that Hitler and the Nazis began.

All Jews, no matter what their political views, religious ideas or countries of residence, must support efforts to care for those

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Jews who need medical attention.

Jewish unity is of the utmost importance and this most recent of ambulance donations beautifully showed that it can be a reality. Far too many of us who feel strongly one way or the other about the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria often find ourselves in near endless political debate about these and related matters, and so we forget to pause when something happens that we should all celebrate.

Sure, one can think that one Israeli ambulance can’t change the world. It seems to me that ancient Jewish wisdom would disagree with that view.

Today’s Jews should not allow our differences of opinion to stop the vital work that needs to be done, which we know too often has happened in our past. One way to make things better may be for Zionist organizations to spend less time enthusiastically pointing out what some other organization is doing wrong and instead concentrate some attention on trying to catch other Jews doing something right.

We should all hope to see many more projects that include Jews of all backgrounds and that have such an important focus as the effort to save Jewish lives. PJC Karma Feinstein-Cohen is the executive director of World Herut, an international movement for Zionist pride and education.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Opinion We must introduce Jewish kids to ‘Rabbi Google’ Guest Columnist Elchanan Poupko

J

ewish schools need to teach their students how to use the internet as a Judaic resource. There is no Jewish knowledge that can be imparted to students that is not available to them on the Internet.

In fact, many of the things that can be taught to adults already exist in cyberspace.

Today’s education is not about knowledge.

It is about skill. One of those foundational skills preparing children for the world they will live in is helping them navigate a web of almost infinite knowledge. Therefore, Jewish schools must take the time to teach Jewish students the vital skill of navigating the internet for Judaic answers, or as some call it: asking “Rabbi Google.”

With the vast amount of knowledge in cyberspace, children need to know how to find what they want — what platforms of knowledge are appropriate and helpful, and which ones are not; when you can ask “Rabbi Google,” and when you may want to ask an actual person. As an adult who considers himself proficient in Judaic knowledge, I often find it shocking when I see how hard this may be. When searching for a dvar Torah on the weekly parshah I will often find a site which is not clear if it is a Christian ministry’s site or an Orthodox one. When looking for information on matters of Jewish law it is often hard to discern between a site that is dedicated to informative presentations and that which is more commercial and agenda driven. Jewish kids must be taught in a supervised way how to find the answers to the questions they are looking for, and that those answers are available online.

Rabbi Google is available at all times.

Furthermore, I had the pleasure of introducing my students to various online tools that empower them as young Jews and which

can be with them for the rest of their lives.

Websites such as Chabad’s Jewish birthday online calculator; Bat and Bar Mitzvah calculators; the vital information about the Holocaust and the world that was lost on Yad Vashem’s site; MyZmanim, which tells you the Jewish times of the day; the Kosher GPS app that shows the locations of kosher restaurants in your vicinity; Brachot.org, which tells you the blessing for any given food; Sefaria.org, containing almost every Jewish text; and a host of other sites are vital to living as a Jew in the 21st century.

Schools are there to prepare children for the real world. Nothing prepares Jewish children for the 21st century as much as showing them what online resources are available to them no matter where they are.

The Torah mandates in the Book of Exodus that the poles used to carry the Ark of the Covenant must never be removed — even when it is parked. The poles that are meant to keep the Ark portable must be in position even during the times in history in which the Ark is stationed for more than 300 years. Commentaries explain that this is to teach us the need for the Torah to be ready to travel wherever the Jewish people go, at any time, without warning.

The German poet Heinrich Hine referred to the Torah as “the portable homeland of the Jews.” We need to make sure that Jewish education is adapted for the 21st century and that Jewish children and teens, who spend much of their lives in cyberspace, know that the good tents of Jacob are there for them whenever and wherever they are.

Much of today’s world lives in cyberspace.

Judaism should not be left out of it. Young Jews should be taught to properly navigate what is rightfully theirs. PJC Rabbi Elchanan Poupko is a teacher and bipartisanship activist. His recent TEDx talk, “The High Price of Political Polarization,” focused on the impact polarization has on society. He lives with his wife in New York City.

— LETTERS — Doyle has done the right thing Guest columnist Julie Paris is “disappointed and shocked at [Rep. Mike] Doyle’s continued support of H.R. 4391, the Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act” (“Rep. Mike Doyle, a friend of Israel, should take his name off H.R. 4391,” Aug. 17). She claims the bill is only intended “to single out and demonize the Jewish state.” The rest of her argument makes two claims.

First, she impugns the motives of the sponsors of the bill, claiming they want to “restrict funding critical for Israel’s continued existence.” The motives of the sponsors are irrelevant.

The substance of the bill is what is relevant. Furthermore, she agrees that Doyle’s motives are “caring when it comes to Israel’s security needs.”

Second, she asks, “What about Israel’s enemies?” They engage in bad and possibly worse behavior. The column engages in what can best be described as “what aboutism.” That’s the tactic of changing the subject from the question on the table (detention of Palestinian children in this case) to something else. I would never deny that there are Palestinian abuses, but that does not excuse Israel’s behavior.

The question on the table is about Israeli behavior. Why? Because the United States can influence Israeli behavior more than the other side. Because Israel can and should be held to this high standard, regardless of the behavior of others in the region. The State Department reported “a significant increase in detentions of minors in 2016, and that Israeli authorities continued to use confessions signed by Palestinian minors, written in Hebrew.” It also highlighted the “renewed use of administrative detention against Palestinians, including children, a practice in which a detainee may be held indefinitely, without charge or trial, by the order of a military commander or other government official.”

No one is excusing others who violate human rights, but we expect Israel to meet its own high standards. I expect my congressman to do that as well, and am glad he is courageous enough to take a position on this issue.

Mark Fichman J Street Pittsburgh board member

Doyle’s stance not surprising

It is not hard to see Rep. Mike Doyle (D-District 14) cosponsoring a bill like the Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act for many reasons (“Rep. Mike Doyle, a friend of Israel, should take his name off H.R. 4391,” Aug. 17).

First of all, he is unopposed in his reelection campaign. He is thus able to let his true colors shine, and he is beholden to the alt-left — many of whose groups are anti-Semitic — for most of his funding and positions.

Second, he has a very unrealistic view of the situation in the Middle East. He was involved in the Northern Ireland negotiations and falsely believes the same formula can translate to Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians. He is misguided in believing that the Palestinian Authority truly wants peace. They do not, as their ideology calls for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people.

Third, he votes with the Democratic Party almost all the time. Based on his record, he is in lockstep with the party’s leadership, and the party is no longer a friend of Israel and the Jewish people. Just look at Sens. Bernie Sanders and Corey Booker, and the party’s new rock star, congressional hopeful, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Andrew Neft Upper St. Clair

Shame on Doyle

Shame on Rep. Mike Doyle (D-District 14) for the way he defended co-sponsoring H.R. 4392 by claiming it’s a human rights bill that will help lead to peace (“My consistent support for Israel,” Aug. 10). This bill accuses Israel of torturing Palestinian children and requires the U.S. State Department to submit annually to Congress detailed certification that no U.S. funding is used for the detention of Palestinian children.

The bill is based on biased and flawed documentation. There is no mention in the bill of Hamas or Palestinian responsibility for sending their children into war zones, filling them with hatred of Jews, sending them on missions to kill Israelis or of murdering Jewish children in their beds.

In the guise of a human rights bill what we actually have is an updated blood libel co-sponsored by our own congressman.

Doyle should remember what Golda Meir said: “Peace will only come when the Arabs will love their children more then they hate us.”

Sheldon Shapiro Squirrel Hill We invite you to submit letters for publication. Letters must include name, address and daytime phone number; addresses and phone numbers will not be published. Letters may not exceed 500 words and may be edited for length and clarity; they cannot be returned.

Mail, fax or email letters to:

Letters to the editor via email: letters@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Address & Fax: Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 5915 Beacon St., 5th Flr., Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Fax 412-521-0154

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Website address:

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

AUGUST 24, 2018 13

Life & Culture A former opera singer fuses African-American and Yiddish music — MUSIC —

By Josefin Dolsten | JTA

A

nthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell has performed Yiddish music around the world. He is part of a musical duo that creates new interpretations of classic Yiddish songs. In 2017, he even won the Yiddish version of “American Idol.”

Still, the singer gets one request consistently that has nothing to do with Yiddish or klezmer music: to perform traditionally African-American music.

“I always got a little defensive about that because if I’m going to literally perform my blackness for an audience, I want it to be on my terms. I don’t want the terms dictated to me,” the 37-year-old former opera singer, who is black and Jewish, said.

In “Convergence,” Russell aims to do just that, melding Jewish songs, mostly in Yiddish, with traditional African-American tunes. The album, released last week, is a collaboration between Russell and Veretski Pass, a klezmer instrumental trio.

“The whole ethos of the project, at least for me was, if there was a historic AfricanAmerican Jewish music, if that was a real thing, what would it sound like?” he said in Please see Opera, page 20

p Anthony Russell started studying to perform in Yiddish in 2011.

OPEN HOUSE ~ YOU ARE INVITED

SHABBAT-B-QUE

We’re throwing our doors wide open to welcome you as we kick off the 2018–2019 year! Eat, schmooze, and enjoy the warmth of our family! ~ ASK US ABOUT PLEDGE! ~

LOOKING FOR A RELIGIOUS SCHOOL FOR YOUR CHILDREN? Meet with our school leaders to learn how, together, we can empower our children to explore the richness of Jewish life and tradition.

Friday, Aug. 24

Photo by Max Eicke

S’LICHOT FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

AN EVENING OF REFLECTION, DEVOTION, & JAZZ to help focus our intentions for the new year

SATURDAY, SEPT. 1•TEMPLE SINAI 5505 FORBES AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15217 7:30 PM Mincha•Light Refreshments•8:15 PM Maariv 8:30 PM Havdallah & S’lichot Service/Program QUESTIONS? Contact Nancy Conaway at (412) 421-9715 ext. 115, Nancy@TempleSinaiPGH.org, or visit www.TempleSinaiPGH.org/Slichot-Service.

5 PM gs, Dinner with kosher hot dogs, hamburgers, and veggie burgers; Cost: $5

featuring

(FREE for kids 5 and under)

7 PM Shabbat Evening Service

“The Afro-Semitic Experience (ASE) is a band beyond category — their music is an intricate tapestry of spiritual, world-beat, funk, jazz, cantorial, gospel, salsa, swing . . . soul-driven music.”

RSVP

Contact Judy Mahan at Judy@TempleSinaiPGH.org or (412) 421-9715 x110 by 5 PM on Tuesday, Aug. 21

Rabbi Jamie Gib

5505 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217 (412) 421-9715 www.TempleSinaiPGH.org

14 AUGUST 24, 2018

HOSTED BY

n, man Ber ra Lau tor son, and Can

en Gorba MEET OUR CLERGY! Rabbi Ker

innovation on inspiratio on inclusio

Temple Sinai is an inclusive community that embraces, supports, and values all people, regardless of ability or needs, to participate in every aspect of our Reform Jewish synagogue life. If you need an accommodation, please call Judy Rulin Mahan at (412) 421-9715 ext. 110.

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Life & Culture Insider tricks dinner slices skin side down, and cover the grill.

Cook the salmon to desired doneness, approximately 10 minutes for medium, depending on the thickness of the filet.

The second trick comes from a friend’s mom, an avid and skilled baker. “Nan,” as she is called by all generations in the family as well as others in their social circle, offered me a slice of her “coconut blender pie” when I last saw her. Intrigued, I inquired further.

She said it doesn’t require a crust, as it sort of forms its own, but it is also kind of custardy. And you throw the whole thing together in a blender in 5 minutes and pour it in the pie pan.

Well, I had to have a slice and I had to have the recipe. The traditional version appears below, but you could easily make this nondairy by swapping the butter for coconut oil and the whole milk for coconut milk. I used unsweetened coconut; if you use the sweetened variety, simply reduce the sugar to ½ cup.

I preferred this chilled, particularly in the summer, but there is certainly a contingent who likes it at room temperature or even a bit warm from the oven. Be sure not to slice it while it is piping hot or it will not hold its shape.

— FOOD —

By Keri White | Special to the Chronicle

I

recently discovered two fantastic tricks: One involves the grill, the other a pie.

I found the grill trick online while I was surfing around some food sites or maybe on Facebook — I blew past it before it really registered and only recalled it later that day.

So, first off, my thanks to whatever person or organization shared this trick; it will forever change the way I grill certain fishes.

And secondly, let me share my good fortune with you, dear readers.

Drum roll, please … The trick is to grill fish, in my case sockeye salmon, on top of lemon slices. This prevents the fish from sticking to the grill, and it infuses some wonderful flavor and moisture into the fish.

Sockeye salmon, which is currently in season, along with other varieties of wild salmon, is leaner and healthier than farmed fish. It is a more vibrant color and has minimal fat visibly running through the flesh. It also is trickier to cook, leaving less room for error, because it can dry out quickly.

When I asked the fishmonger about it, she advised me to bake it to avoid this issue.

But it was a beastly hot day and the oven was not happening. So I resorted to this lemon approach and it was a corker. The recipe follows.

Coconut Blender Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

3 eggs 2 cups milk ¾ cup sugar ½ cup flour ½ teaspoon baking powder Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1½ cups shredded coconut ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Tricky Grilled Salmon

Unlike many other grill preparations, this one does not involve a flip. The fish essentially roasts, face up, over the flame, but because it is sitting on the lemon slices, does not char or dry out. It also avoids the awkward step of flipping a large piece of fish and having it break.

Place the salmon in a shallow bowl or glass baking pan and pour the marinade over it. Allow it to sit for 30 to 60 minutes at room temperature.

Heat a grill to medium and place the lemon slices on the grill, close together, to form a platform on which to lay the salmon.

Carefully place the salmon on the lemon

Keri White writes for the Jewish Exponent, an affiliated publication of the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.

Photo by Solstizia/iStockphoto.com

1 pound skin-on wild salmon filet 1/3 cup favorite marinade — I used bottled honey chipotle vinaigrette, but you can use any combo of oil (olive, canola, coconut, vegetable, walnut)/acid (wine, lemon or lime juice, soy sauce, vinegar)/seasoning (garlic, salt, ginger, spices) 2 lemons, sliced in ¼-inch rounds

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-inch pie pan with oil.

Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix them thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into the pie pan and bake for 45 to 60 minutes until the pie is golden brown and firm through the middle.

The pie can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled. PJC

Photo by gbh007iStockphoto.com

Photo by Bet_Noire/iStockphoto.com

Serves two generously or four sensibly

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

AUGUST 24, 2018 15

Headlines Baseball: Continued from page 1

them that there are a lot of possibilities.”

Since PNC Park does not offer kosher food, Avart said he heard feedback from members of the Orthodox community that the best way to get them to the park was to offer food they could enjoy. For a $5 fee, attendees could select from a menu of kosher hot dogs, maple barbecue beans and cajun slaw catered by Smokey Nat’s BBQ. Tickets sold out before game day.

Although Rebecca Spiegel, president of Young Peoples Synagogue, has attended every Jewish Heritage Night, she said the kosher hot dogs were a welcome addition, especially since she normally travels several hours to get them.

“We go to Baltimore to see the Orioles just to get kosher hot dogs even though we’re not Orioles fans,” she said. “When I heard about [the barbecue] I was very excited. … I think it’s wonderful.”

(Progressive Field, which hosts the Cleveland Indians, also serves kosher hot dogs.)

As most members of the Jewish community chomped on hot dogs and enjoyed the scenic view of the river and the skyline from PNC Park’s picnic area, Richard Wilson stood on the field near home plate, “60 percent excited and 40 percent nervous” to throw out the first pitch in the game against the Chicago Cubs.

(The Pirates ended up losing, 1-0.)

For Wilson, a member of Beth Samuel

p Members of Temple Sinai performed the national anthem before the game at Jewish Heritage Night at PNC Park on Thursday, Aug. 16.

Photo by Lauren Rosenblatt

Jewish Center, which used a tour bus to ship congregants from Ambridge to the ballpark, “any day at the park is a great day.”

Before throwing his pitch, he changed his strategy at the last minute and threw the ball shorter than expected, but “at least it got there,” he said after. “I would love to do it again but I realize these kinds of things only come around once in a lifetime so I’ll just savor this one.”

In addition to the new perks, each year the Pirates give a hat or T-shirt designed in some way to represent Jewish culture, whether that is spelling out “Pittsburgh” in Hebrew or adding a Jewish star to the side of the hat as they did this year.

For Eric and Zach Miller, father and son, Jewish Heritage Night and its paraphernalia have become a source of bonding on multiple occasions. After attending Jewish

Shinshinim: Continued from page 1

rescheduled flight to Pittsburgh.

Since arriving in the city of black and gold, the Israelis oriented to their new surroundings by engaging in meet and greets, unpacking and walking the streets of Squirrel Hill.

“It looks like a movie,” remarked Levin.

Given their congeniality and prior endeavors, the easygoing duo will thrive in their communal roles, said Shani Turel, the program’s coordinator at Federation.

Maravent, who grew up in Karmiel — part of Pittsburgh’s Partnership2Gether region of Karmiel-Misgav — studied social science and biology in high school, was involved in a traveling dance troupe and is a past participant in the Diller Teen Fellows program, which brought her to Pittsburgh in 2016.

Levin, who grew up in Rosh Ha’ayin, a city 17 miles east of Tel Aviv, studied physics and computer science in high school, traveled to Lithuania as a young ambassador for the State of Israel, appeared on the Israeli television show “Israel’s Got Talent” and is a “tricker” (someone who participates in the sport of tricking, which partners flips, kicks, twists and other elements of gymnastics and dance).

“They’re very passionate about what they’re doing and Pittsburgh needs more Israel in it,” said Turel, who noted that Maravent and Levin were selected from hundreds of applicants for the one-year positions.

“I traveled to Israel in January of this year to interview candidates for our shinshinim 16 AUGUST 24, 2018

p Raz Levin (left) and Hadar Maravent, Pittsburgh’s shinshinim, arrived last week to begin a year of service to the Pittsburgh Jewish community.

Photo by Adam Reinherz

program. Both Hadar and Raz stood out from all the others. I was highly impressed with their intelligence, maturity, leadership skills and motivation. I can’t wait to see the amazing impact they will undoubtedly have on our community,” said Kimberly Salzman,

Federation’s director of Israel and overseas operations.

Although Maravent and Levin will benefit the greater community by planning and aiding activities such as the communitywide Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration, their

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Heritage Night a few years ago, Zach had several T-shirts that he later used when he attended the Maccabi games to play baseball. At the end of the games, players often exchange shirts to commemorate the event.

Zach traded his in for one from Brooklyn, N.Y., where his father grew up.

“It’s kind of cool that everything comes full circle, and this is connected with it,” Zach said.

The pair attended Thursday’s Jewish Heritage Night as a last hoorah before Zach left for college.

Benjamin Vincent and Philip Terman, both from Congregation B’nai Abraham in Butler, said they attended simply because they love the “whole schmear” of Jewish Heritage Night, from bringing community members together to connecting over their love of baseball.

“Jews are natural baseball fans, I think,” Terman said.

“It’s part of our culture,” added Vincent.

Rabbi Jamie Gibson, who was on the field before the game to join Temple Sinai in singing the national anthem, said he went to his first baseball game when he was 4, and his love for the ballpark hasn’t subsided since. More than that, he said, he loves that everybody comes together.

“It’s community, community, community.

That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “Take us out to the ballgame.” PJC Lauren Rosenblatt can be reached at lrosenblatt@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

primary focus will be building relationships at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh (through J Line, Diller Teen Fellows and The Second Floor programming), Community Day School and Joint Jewish Education Program (J-JEP), said Hertzman.

Additionally, at the year’s conclusion, the Israeli emissaries will spend the summer at Emma Kaufmann Camp in West Virginia, said Turel.

“We are thrilled to welcome Raz and Hadar to CDS for their year of service, with the goals of bringing our students closer to Israel and Israeli culture and nurturing in them a deeper understanding of its complexities and personal connection to their Jewish homeland,” said CDS Head of School Avi Baran Munro. “Already our faculty are impressed by the enthusiasm, maturity and experience of the shinshinim, and I think their impact on our children will be profound. I also hope they will take back to Israel some of Pittsburgh and the perspectives of our diaspora community.”

Rabbi Ron Symons, the JCC’s senior director of Jewish life, was equally enthused.

“We believe that one of the best ways we connect Pittsburgh teens with Israeli culture, Israeli history and a sense of belonging to the people of Israel at large is by helping them foster relationships with Israelis,” said Symons. “The shinshinim are scheduled to help make all of this happen. Our teens will be all the richer in their Israel experience because of their presence here.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz @pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines JCC: Continued from page 8

The organizations that run Jewish communal activities in Baku will find a new address there, he said, but “it means a painful loss” for Regimov and dozens of elderly Jews who come to The Jewish House daily to play cards, participate in arts and crafts lessons and study Hebrew.

“I don’t think they’ll come. It will not be the same,” he said.

Arnold Zeligman, an 86-year-old volunteer teacher of Hebrew at The Jewish House, is determined to resume his activity in the new space.

“But where will we have concerts? Where will we have a festive kabbalat Shabbat?” he asks. “I don’t see it happening, and it’s a very big shame.”

The Jewish House’s annual upkeep costs about $60,000, Davidov said.

Baku has two active synagogues in the old Jewish quarter. Both are small in comparison to The Jewish House and “our people don’t really feel like it’s their space there,” said Zeligman, whose only son lives in Israel.

His students are a dozen or so pensioners, who enjoyed the unplanned study break they were given last month while Zeligman spoke to a reporter. Watching him wrap his tongue around some of the best Hebrew-language words in his vocabulary, they crack jokes at his expense in Juhuri, the dying dialect spoken here by many Jews.

A mix of Farsi and Hebrew, it is the centuries-old language of the Mountain Jews — a stream of Judaism that is considered neither Sephardic nor Ashkenazi, and whose members have their own manner of singing scripture and songs. About half of Azerbaijan’s Jews are Mountain Jews.

The rest are Ashkenazim who came here

Avocado: Continued from page 9

Of course, not everyone is as positive about the menu. Van Dinther, the Volkskrant’s food critic, said that “from a culinary perspective, The Avocado Show has little to offer. It’s basically pieces of avocado with something on the side.” He gave the place 6 points out of 10, “which is not really a recommendation,” he said.

Simpson said the work that goes into making the dishes’ aesthetic, however, is more than a gimmick. It is an integral element of the firm’s marketing strategy, which occurs almost entirely organically on social media.

“The way it works, you give people a spectacular dish, they’re going to take a picture of it and probably share it on Instagram. If it looks good, their friends will come, too,” he said. “That’s basically our advertising strategy in a nutshell.”

In that sense, The Avocado Show’s success “is a direct result of social media,” Simpson said.

The Avocado chain has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram and 63,000 on Facebook — a formidable following in European terms. (For example, the

p Saul Davidov greets regulars at the entrance to The Jewish House in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Photo by Cnaan Liphshiz

before 1991, when Russia still ruled what is now Azerbaijan.

Fading and lacking an agreed-upon alphabet — the few Juhuri books in existence are divided into volumes using Cyrillic, Arabic, Hebrew and Latin — the pensioners’ native tongue is no use for communicating with grandchildren in Israel and beyond over Skype, and none of them is seriously thinking about moving to Israel as long as they are in good health, Zeligman said.

Michal Frank, the executive director of JDC in the former Soviet Union, said she “understands that it can be upsetting” to some in the community.

“We’re very attentive to their needs, but we need to adjust to demographic shifts and decreasing budgets for the good of all JDC clients,” she said.

In 2017, JDC spent more than $120 million — slightly over one-third of its

successful and established Belgian EXKi chain of 70 health food restaurants has just over 7,000 followers on Instagram and 43,000 on Facebook.)

Simpson, a native of the Tel Aviv suburb of Petach Tikvah, is the son of a British father and an Israeli mother. He moved with his two siblings and parents to Holland at the age of 4 because his dad took a job there with AT&T. Later he would attend college; Simpson says most of his friends from there ended up “very successful, very famous or both.”

But for many years he was “kind of figuring out what to do in life,” working in parallel as a journalist and talent agent as well as a barista, waiter “and just about any job you can imagine.”

Being Jewish, Simpson said, “meant that my friends would make fun of how, of course, I’m going to become some famous producer or businessman because there’s this stigma that Jews are good with money, right?”

And while the expectations placed some pressure on Simpson, he said “it also gave me a sort of confidence, I think that, yeah, sure, I can make it in business if I wanted. All I had to do was start.”

From social media, The Avocado Show began making a splash in mainstream media across Europe and beyond. Along with all

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

budget — on supporting Jewish communities in the former Soviet Union. This included funding for the Hesed program, which provided that year support to some 110,000 individuals from the neediest segments of the community.

JDC has had to direct extra resources to Russia and Ukraine, where most of the former Soviet Jews live, in order to meet growing needs. Since 2013, JDC has seen at least 6,500 Jews apply for its welfare programs in Ukraine, one of the most dramatic increases in reliance on JDC aid since Ukraine gained independence in 1991.

It was part of JDC’s response to a financial crisis that in 2014 hit the economies of both Russia and Ukraine in connection with their territorial conflict.

These socioeconomic developments coincided with a decrease in JDC’s available cash. The group’s assets dropped gradually

p A look at the Avocado Rose dish at The Avocado Show restaurant in Amsterdam.

Photo courtesy of The Avocado Show

the articles, the restaurant has been featured on Netherlands TV. And whereas it may well have been the world’s first all-avocado restaurant, Simpson’s chain is no longer the only one.

A month after the opening in Amsterdam, Avocaderia came to Brooklyn — and another location opened this spring in Manhattan.

The concept’s popularity is part and parcel of the broader monofood trend, which focuses on one versatile product for a full diet.

Millennials’ passion for avocados was also mocked, and celebrated, last year when an Australian millionaire, Tim Gurner, told an interviewer that young people would be in better financial shape if they spent less

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

from $711 million in 2014 to $644 million last year — a 10 percent decrease. And expenditures dropped accordingly, from $336 million to $311 million over that same period, according to its annual reports.

As needs increase elsewhere, they shrink in places like Baku.

At The Jewish House, the number of people receiving services, or clients, declined by half since 2005, according to JDC. There are currently some 900 elderly clients there.

Few younger Jews apply for aid.

This depletion is not unique to Azerbaijan.

It is being seen across the former Soviet region, where ailing economies and the erosion of democratic standards are prompting many Jews who resisted earlier waves of emigration to finally leave.

In the Russian Siberian city of Chelyabinsk, the JDC Hesed office has seen a decrease of 51 percent in the number of its clients from 2004. In Krasnoyarsk, another Russian city in Siberia, a 63 percent decrease in clients since 2004 resulted in JDC merging that city’s Hesed operations, servicing its 219 remaining clients, with the one in Novosibirsk.

In Belarus, after the number of clients fell by half, Hesed offices in Polotsk and Vitebsk merged.

Israel is certainly seeing the impact of this trend. Russia and Ukraine alone provided Israel with most of its immigrants in 2017 — the first calendar year in over a decade that this has happened. In Azerbaijan, many Jews leave for Moscow, where they can easily obtain work visas and where many wealthy Azeri Jews can help them put down roots.

Davidov, the head of The Jewish House, says he is aware of the bigger picture.

“We’ll soon be gone anyway,” he said. “Is saving a few thousand dollars a year really worth tearing all this down?” PJC

money on indulgences like avocado toast.

Simpson said he was moved by instinct, not the trends. He recalled that he and Zaal were talking about opening a restaurant and each made a list of favorite foods.

“Avocado was on both lists, so we went with that,” Simpson said.

The partners came up with the concept and model in under a week in 2016.

“Then we announced it on Facebook and it just took off from there at a speed that, frankly, none of us were prepared for,” he said.

Six months after opening their first restaurant in March 2017, the partners found an investor for going international in Shawn Harris, founder of the leading European exotic fruit and vegetable importer Nature’s Pride. She fronted The Avocado Show $5.7 million, allowing it to open in Brussels and in other cities soon.

Israel, which provides the restaurant with some of its fruits, is high on the chain’s shortlist for non-European destinations, along with Australia and South Africa, Simpson told the Volkskrant in September. But in the immediate future, The Avocado Show will focus on European destinations.

“To me,” he said, “it’s a story about two guys who wanted to do something they love and just didn’t spend too much time wondering if it’s actually a good idea.” PJC AUGUST 24, 2018 17

Celebrations

Torah

B’nai Mitzvah

A matter of perspective Ezra Dubowitz, son of Jay Aronson and Tamara Dubowitz, and grandson of Leslie and Jean Dubowitz and Karen and Richard Heilman, will become a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 25 at Congregation Beth Shalom. He will be going into eighth grade at Colfax K-8 where he plays soccer, swims and runs cross-country.

He also plays soccer for the Riverhounds Development Academy and swims with the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh Sailfish. Ezra enjoys playing piano, traveling, and doing handstands at the beach. In his free time, you can find him hanging out with friends or figuring out ways he can change the world through soccer. He has two sisters, Talia and Maayan, and a dog named Thabo.

Joseph Krokosky, son of Benjamin and Dana Krokosky, will become a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Aug. 25 at 10:30 a.m. at Rodef Shalom Congregation. Joseph lives in Monroeville with his dad, mom and sister, Juliet. He attends Shady Side Academy Middle School where he enjoys many things, especially science and robotics. He loves geology, building things and conducting science experiments. He additionally enjoys playing the saxophone in the jazz band.

Recreationally, Joseph enjoys many outdoor activities like hiking and biking, while he competes in soccer and baseball. PJC

BETH HAMEDRASH HAGODOLBETH JACOB MEMORIAL PARK

PRE-HIGH HOLIDAY CEMETERY VISITATION

Sunday, September 2, 2018 • 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Monday, September 3, 2018 • 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

PRESIDENT

Ira Michael Frank | 412.281.4064

VICE PRESIDENT AND CEMETERY CHAIRMAN

Sherman Weinstein | 412.352.5212

Rabbi Stanley J. Savage | 412.471.4443 CEMETERY CARETAKER

Robert McKivitz | 412.417.8636 100 Rosamond St. McKees Rocks, PA

Rabbi Levi Langer Parshat Ki Teitzei Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

I

n this week’s Torah reading, Ki Teitzei, we read of the importance of paying one’s workers on time: “On his day you shall give him his hire, nor shall the sun go down on it; for he is poor, and sets his heart on it.”

The Talmud renders this more literally as “he sets his life on it,” and explains: Your workers have climbed to the top of tall trees and taken other risks to earn their living; how can you callously delay paying them?

went to get himself a newspaper to do the crossword, a cup of coffee and a packet of cookies. He sat down at a table. A man wearing a business suit sat down opposite him; suddenly the man leaned across, picked up the packet of cookies, tore it open, took one out and ate it. Adams was astounded, but he didn’t say anything. He simply took out a cookie for himself. But a moment or two later the man did it again. He took another cookie.

“We went through the whole packet like this,” writes Adams. “When I say the whole packet, I mean there were only about eight cookies, but it felt like a lifetime. He took one, I took one, he took one, I took one. Finally, when

Your workers have climbed to the top of tall trees and taken other risks to earn their living; how can you callously delay paying them?

According to this idea, the Torah teaches us here to think of the other person’s perspective. As the employer, you simply need a job done and you’re willing to pay to get it done for you. But for your employee, it is a matter of putting food on the table and providing for the basic staples; they may even be risking their safety in order to earn their livelihood. Think about it from their perspective and you’ll pay your workers on time.

Writer Douglas Adams tells a story about the time he was a bit early for the train and

we got to the end, he stood up and walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief and sat back. A moment or two later the train was coming in, so I tossed back the rest of my coffee, stood up, picked up the newspaper and underneath the newspaper were — my cookies.”

It’s all a matter of perspective. PJC Rabbi Levi Langer is the dean of the Kollel Jewish Learning Center. This column is a service of the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Pittsburgh.

A Happy and Healthy Rosh Hashanah and Good Wishes to All for the Entire Year.

LEGAL NOTICE Letters of Administration have been granted in the Estate of NEIL EDWARD BLUMENFELD, deceased of Monroeville, Pennsylvania No. 4758 of 2018.

Thelma Blumenfeld, Executrix 210 Glenwood Dr. Monroeville, PA 15146 or Linda Tashbook, Esq. 5613 Darlington Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15217.

18 AUGUST 24, 2018

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Obituaries TUCKER: Jacqueline Tucker, retired school teacher and principal, died Saturday, August 18, 2018, of complications of dementia at Seasons at Southpoint in Durham, N.C. She was 79. The daughter of the late Milton and Elaine Green, the former Jacqueline Green was born in Coraopolis, Pa., and raised in Coraopolis and Pittsburgh.

A graduate of Taylor Allderdice High School and the University of Pittsburgh, she was a teacher for the Pittsburgh Public Schools and then, in 1972, became the first teacher for Community Day School, a Jewish day school in Pittsburgh. Ms. Tucker later became principal and head of school for Community Day School. She was a life member of Hadassah and board member of Zionist Organization of America. She volunteered for Family House, helping transplant patients both before and

after their surgeries. After retiring, she moved to Longboat Key, Fla., and then Durham. Ms. Tucker was an avid bridge player, and along with her husband, the late Robert Tucker, became a bridge life master. She enjoyed traveling with family and friends, entertaining and reading. Ms. Tucker is survived by her children, Jon Tucker, James Tucker (Valerie Hausman) and Amy (Peter) Sloane; her sisters Penelope (Paul) Levy and Joanne (Steve) Jacobs; and her grandchildren Joe Tucker, Harris Tucker, Gabriella Tucker, Andrew Tucker, Justin Tucker, Joshua Sloane (Sonia Silinsky Krupnikova), Jennifer Sloane, and Brandon Sloane. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment at Torath Chaim Cemetery, Gibsonia, Pa. Contributions in her memory may be made to: Community Day School of Pittsburgh, 6424 Forward Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217, or Alzheimer’s Association, PO Box 96011 Washington, D.C. 20090-601. schugar.com PJC

House:

mark, which essentially stops the bid for demolition while the commission reviews the nomination, according to Karamagi Rujumba, director of development and communications for PHLF. “We nominated this building because it’s a singularly important piece of architecture,” Rujumba said. “There’s a lot of architecture in that neighborhood that represents a distinct part of American building culture and this is one of them.”

Rujumba was referring to three other distinct houses on Woodland Road, two of which were also commissioned by Jewish families.

PHLF did not have an estimate on when the Historic Review Commission would consider the nomination.

The two sides have conflicting ideas about the role that PHLF could have played in restoring the house; Berkovitz said PHLF had the right of first refusal and chose not to restore the house, but Rujumba said the organization was never given the option to restore the house because the Abrams family decided to sell the property instead.

From Berkovitz’s perspective, it is unfair to be “imposing other people’s agendas” on the Snyders and the new home owners would have been just as happy if the organization had decided to restore the house. “[The Snyders] did step up, but they had a different use in mind for that property,” he said.

Preservation Pittsburgh is not involved in PHLF’s bid to nominate the house as a city historic landmark but the organization has been involved in spreading word about the house and trying to start conversations about alternatives to demolition, Reilly said.

Right now, she continued, “it’s all about striking a balance of options, if there are to be any.”

This type of back and forth is not unusual for private homes, said Jeremy Tenenbaum, director of marketing for VSBA Architects and Planners, the successor company for Venturi and Scott Brown’s architecture firm.

“When the house outlasts their original owners … the original people that commissioned or protected the house aren’t around to see the value in it,” Tenenbaum said. “The best way to protect private houses is not to build them.” PJC

Continued from page 3

directors at Preservation Pittsburgh, said the depth and organization of the material the Abrams kept, from blueprints to letters with the architects to plans for the interior, is indicative of how much the family cared for the home. “[Betty Abrams] was someone who had a sense of what she wanted and then had some creative insight,” Reilly said.

A 2004 article in Blueprint magazine suggested that because of Abrams’ strong drive to create the house as she wanted, the owners and architects had a brief falling out before the house was complete, and it took some time for Venturi and Scott Brown to visit the finished house.

Although the home was a “dream” for the Abrams, they were aware that it was designed specifically for them. In a tax appeal form from 1999, they described their home as “a single purpose house that works well for us but has limited appeal for resale.”

The Abrams family sold the house to William and Patricia Snyder earlier this summer, who later filed for a demolition permit because the work to restore the house was “too vast,” according to Sam Berkovitz, who has worked with both the Abrams and the Snyders.

Berkovitz, the owner of Concept Art Gallery, sold the Abrams a pop-art style mural

by Roy Lichtenstein that became just one of the many distinguishing features of the house.

Because of his work with the Abrams, he said he knew the house was in poor condition for several years, including issues with an indoor lap pool and a pond underneath the house.

“There were just a lot of maintenance issues that weren’t being addressed, historically going back, and that clearly contributed to the decay of the house and the enormous expense that it would cost to restore it,” Berkovitz said.

The Snyders also own the land next to the Abrams’ former home and are working to restore the house on that property, another distinguished piece of architecture designed

by Richard Meier.

In response to the demolition permit, the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation filed a nomination with Pittsburgh’s Historic Review Commission to designate the house as a city historical land-

PITTSBU RGH NEWEST ’S FUNERA L HOME

• Serving the Pittsburgh Jewish Community with Traditional Jewish funerals • Specially Developed Taharah Room with Mikva facilities for Chevra Kadisha • Accommodations for Shomer • Guaranteed advanced funeral planning LOCALLY OWNED and OPERATED

DEBORAH S. PRISE Licensed Jewish Funeral Director

1650 GREENTREE ROAD • PITTSBURGH, PA 15220 412.563.2800 • FAX 412.563.5347

SERVING Scott Twp., Greentree, Carnegie, Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair and Bethel Park

Lauren Rosenblatt can be reached at lrosenblatt@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

AUGUST 24, 2018 19

Headlines Opera: Continued from page 14

a phone interview.

An example of how he imagines that musical culture can be heard on “Rosie,� a work song written by African-American prisoners at a Mississippi State Penitentiary work camp in the 1940s.

Eventually it bridges into the sorrowful instrumental part from “Es Iz Shoyn Shpet�

(It is Already Late), a Yiddish song meant for newlyweds. The sorrowful melodies are mixed together skillfully and aided by Russell’s smooth bass voice.

Toward the end of the track, the voice of a newscaster is heard announcing the high incarceration rate of black men in the U.S. today, reminding the listener of slavery’s legacy.

Russell was inspired to write the track after the news broke that George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch coordinator, was acquitted of charges in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager.

Russell said the two musical traditions were a natural fit. One thing that helped, he said, is that many Jewish and AfricanAmerican songs are written in pentatonic scale, with five notes per octave. “When it came to melodies, and when it came to the text, they flowed together very well,� he said.

The two traditions have blended together well in his life, too. Russell, who grew up in a Christian family, said his childhood Bible studies helped him on his journey to becoming Jewish. “I have a very strong connection to narratives of the Bible, the Jewish scriptures, and I think this informed my decision to become Jewish because I was familiar with so many of the important narratives that make up Judaism,� he said.

Russell converted to Judaism in 2011, and four years later he married his longtime boyfriend Rabbi Michael Rothbaum.

The couple live in Maynard, Mass., a suburb about 22 miles west of Boston, near the synagogue where Rothbaum works, Congregation Beth Elohim in Acton.

After graduating from college, Russell worked as an opera singer for more than a decade, but never got his big break.

Rothbaum suggested that he explore Jewish music, but Russell dismissed the idea. But that initial response didn’t last long, and in 2011 Russell started teaching himself to sing in Yiddish.

He has traveled around the world performing Yiddish songs at cultural festivals, synagogues and academic events. He is also a member of the musical duo Tsvey Brider, in which he and musician Dmitri Gaskin create new music in Yiddish, including in the styles of cabaret, disco and pop.

A year after starting to pursue Yiddish music, Russell decided to combine it with African-American music. He juxtaposed the

“ If I’m going to literally perform my blackness for an audience, I want it to be on my terms. I don’t want the

�

terms dictated to me.

— ANTHONY MORDECHAI TZVI RUSSELL

Yiddish song “Der Gemore Nign,� in which a young homesick boy recites Talmud, with the African-American spiritual “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child.� “My idea initially was to have it as a dialogue,� he said. “Here are these two children — one black, one Ashkenazi Jewish in the world of the 19th century — both singing about their loneliness and alienation from their families.�

Russell performed the song at events, and it was well-received. Two years later he performed it with Veretski Pass and the collaboration that eventually led to “Convergence� was born.

Russell said the collaboration allows him to honor all the parts that make up his identity. “When I made a decision to become a Jew, it wasn’t a decision to completely leave entire parts of myself behind. Of course it was a decision to leave the bacon- and shrimp-eating parts of myself behind, which is very hard because it’s in my yerusha,� he joked, using the Hebrew term for inheritance. “But I still wanted to be very much myself as a black man, as somebody who is responsive to black culture and black history, that’s somebody who I wanted to be while I was also being Jewish. So it’s almost like the project is an outgrowth of that need to stay true to myself while making that very conscious decision to be Jewish.�  PJC

SAFEGUARDING YOUR PRESENT & FUTURE

We’re by your side so your loved one can stay at home.

Working with Marks Elder Law when planning for your family’s future can help you make better decisions keeping more of your money during your lifetime ( Ĺ­ ),Ĺ­3)/,Ĺ­ ( 5 # ,# -ĹˆĹ­ Crafting strategies that allow you to keep more of your assets during your lifetime; Exploring the many payment options for disability and longterm care services; Designing instruments that protect your assets from Medicaid spend-down requirements;

Whether you are looking for someone to help an aging parent a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance, Home Instead can help.

Ensuring that your affairs will be handled the way you want if you experience a serious injury or illness; and Administering your estate to ensure proper distribution of your assets while minimizing any taxes owed.

Home Instead CAREGivers can provide a variety of services. Some include:

SM

• Companionship Care • Personal Care

Proud Collaborative Partner with the Jewish Association on Aging

Call for a free, no-obligation appointment

412.646.1257 www.marks-law.com

• Meals & Nutrition • Transportation

412-421-8944

• Household Duties • Respite Care • Hospice Care Support Services

HomeInstead.com/567

4231 Murray Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

We help families understand the strategies, the benefits, and the risks involved with elder law, disability law and estate planning.

Michael H. Marks, Esq. michael@marks-law.com member, national academy of elder law attorneys

Linda L. Carroll, Esq. linda@marks-law.com

Each Home Instead Senior CareÂŽ JVERGLMWI SJ½GI MW MRHITIRHIRXP] S[RIH ERH STIVEXIH ÂŒ ,SQI -RWXIEH -RG

20 AUGUST 24, 2018

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Real Estate REAL ESTATE AGENT

FOR SALE OAKLAND ATRIUM CONDOMINIUM • $739,000 Rare Find! First Time Offered! Double unit on the top floor with a most magnificent view and large balcony. Enjoy 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a family room and den. Large eat-in kitchen and in-unit laundry. Building has many amenities. This is the space you want!

Call Me For All Of Your Real Estate Needs!

MURDOCH FARMS • $1,300,000 Exciting Grand stone 7 bedroom, 3.5 bath home with all the amenities. Formal living spaces with hardwood floors. Leaded and stained glass throughout, gourmet kitchen, glass doors from dining room lead to a fabulous patio and two car garage.Bonus of a great third floor that could be used for teenager or nanny suites. Close to universities, hospitals and Schenley Park. On Colfax and Allderdice School District.

SQUIRREL HILL • $650,000 • 5859 BEACON ST. Stunning 3 bedroom 2.5 bath condo. Open floor plan, granite/steel kitchen. Abundant storage, exercise room, 2 indoor parking spots. See with Pia Colucci 412-401-4282

Maureen States Associate Broker/Owner

SHADYSIDE PENTHOUSE • $2,900,000 Spectacular Flat. Approximately 6,000 sq. ft. including large terraces with 5 bedrooms, 4.5 designer baths. For the most discriminating buyer.

Cell: 412 377-7775

SHADYSIDE • $695,000 Wonderful home on a most desirable cul-de-sac. Large open spaces, 5 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths. Gourmet kitchen and 2 car garage.

Office: 412 241-4700 ext. 11

SHADYSIDE • 4748 WALLINGFORD ST. • SHADYSIDE • $1,150,000 Most elegant Tudor, park-like yard, amazing woodwork & stained glass.

6 bedroom 3.5 baths. Integral garage. See with Pia Colucci, 412-401-4282

maureenstates@neighborhoodrealtyserservices.net Put nearly 4 decades of proven experience to work for you!

Get the best of customer service and make the process easy.

CALL ME NOW! GET THE RESULTS YOU DESERVE! FOR RENT



FIND IT IN THE BUSINESS SERVICES

5125 Fifth Ave.

2 & 3 Bedrooms Corner of Fifth and Wilkins Spacious 1500-2250 square feet

”Finest in Shadyside”

412-661-4456

www.kaminrealty.kamin.com

JILL and MARK PORTLAND RE/MAX REALTY BROKERS 412.521.1000 EXT. 200 412.496.5600 JILL | 412.480.3110 MARK

FOR SALE

BUYING OR SELLING?

Squirrel Hill Condo

NOT A CENT TO BE SPENT • LIGHT & AIRY Open Plan, Well Fitted Spacious Living Area & Patio Stainless Steel Appliances (Kosher) 2 Bed, 2 Bath; Great Closets Amenities Include Pool, Jacuzzi, Sauna & Exercise Room Fully Fitted Social Room, Library & Guest Rooms

Price $318,000

Diana Wolpert (Cell) 412-352 0398 or 412-422-2414 COLDWELL BANKER SHADYSIDE

5996 Centre Avenue, Suite 301 • Pittsburgh, PA 15206

www.pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Business & Professional Directory AUTOS WANTED

AUTOS WANTED

724-287-7771 BUYING VEHICLE$ CAR$ TRUCK$ VAN$ SUV$ GOOD BAD WRECKED CA$H DENNY OFF$TEIN AUTO $ALE$

GARDEN & HOME MAINTENANCE Spruce up your yard on a one-time or regular basis; clean out house, basement, painting. Reliable service, with references. Call Scottie at 412-310-3769.

HELP WANTED

SHOWCASE YOUR PROPERTIES EVERY WEEK IN THE PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Bookkeeper Needed Looking for an experienced man or woman bookkeeper/payroll.

Needed urgently!

Part-time 2-3 hrs. $40 per 2 hours.

Contact Phil Durler to schedule your advertising

For more info, kindly email to: justin.smith3433@gmail.com

pdurler@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 724-713-8874 advertising@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

AUTOS WANTED LOVELY HOUSEKEEPER PLEASE CALL 412-3541007.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

AUGUST 24, 2018 21

Community The Friendship Circle The Friendship Circle hosted its annual End of Summer Camp last week with three fun-filled days of activities. On Monday there was a tour of the city on the Pittsburgh Trolley, lunch at Milky Way and then back for some fun art activities and a beach-themed snack. On Tuesday the campers went to Bodiography for a dance class, jumped up and down in the bounce house and had Rita’s Italian Ice as a snack. On Wednesday camp finished up with a gardening activity on the Friendship Circle roof and canvas backpack painting in the morning. In the afternoon campers took a trip to Frick Park where they played kickball and went to the playground. The day ended with water play and a foam party on the Friendship Circle roof and a refreshing snack from the Kona Ice truck. Overall, the week was so much fun the campers can’t wait for next summer!

p Touring the city on the Pittsburgh Trolley

p Outside Milky Way at lunch time

p Taking a break at Bodiography

p Everyone had a special treat at Rita’s

p On the field at Frick Park

22 AUGUST 24, 2018

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Photos courtesy of Friendship Circle

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Community 8th Annual Apples & Honey Fall Festival On Sunday, Aug. 19 at The Waterfront in Homestead, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh helped the community usher in Rosh Hashanah at the 8th Annual Apples & Honey Fall Festival.

u Sadie (left) and Izzy West, wearing Velcro suits, jumped for felt apples on the Velcro wall and displayed the fruits of their success.

p Yuval Dobzinski showed off a honey stick and a crafts project that he made at the Congregation Beth Shalom booth at the festival. The Apples and Honey Fall Festival provided a venue for many community organizations to offer activities and information to the public.

p Benjamin Lemkov checked out the buzzing bees and sampled Hannah’s Honey at the Apples & Honey Fall Festival. The festival was presented

by Shalom Pittsburgh, a Jewish Federation program that provides professional networking, social events and family-friendly programs for adults ages 22 to 45.

p Twins Noa (left) and Netta Dobzinski posed with honey sticks to usher in a sweet new year. Shalom Pittsburgh provided honey; Giant Eagle donated apples.

p Charlie Sohinki beat the heat by playing in the misting station at the Festival.

Photos by Josh Franzos

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

AUGUST 24, 2018 23

24 AUGUST 24, 2018

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG