Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 8-14-20 by Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle

August 14, 2020 | 24 Av 5780

Candlelighting 8:00 p.m. | Havdalah 9:00 p.m. | Vol. 63, No. 33 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

NOTEWORTHY LOCAL Coming of age A nonagenarian bat mitzvah

Local congregations ready for an unprecedented High Holiday season

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Brandeis study measures COVID-19 impact on Jewish Pittsburgh

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LOCAL A Jewish star at CMU

By David Rullo | Staff Writer

sanctuary on site for different components of the holiday service,” according to Falcone. The leadership of the congregation is even considering using public parks or other outdoor spaces. “Of course, this is all aspirational,” he said. Rodef Shalom will not require tickets for services this year — nor will any other congregation whose leadership spoke with the Chronicle for this article, although some may require preregistration because of capacity concerns. Temple Sinai’s services will all be online, said Rabbi Darryl Crystal, the congregation’s interim senior rabbi. On Rosh Hashanah morning, the congregation will host both a tot and a family service. “We’re developing out in the next week how everything else will flow,” Crystal said. One idea Crystal is considering is recording videos for various aspects of the

tress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is having a more significant impact on young Jewish adults in Pittsburgh, aged 18-34, than originally predicted, according to Raimy Rubin, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s manager of impact management. A new study showed “troubling numbers when it came to their response about how they are coping with the pandemic and if they felt they required mental health services,” Rubin said. The statistics are part of “Building Resilient Jewish Communities,” a new $10,000 study conducted by the Marilyn and Maurice Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies (CMJS) at Brandeis University’s Steinhardt Social Research Center and paid for through a grant from the Jewish Community Foundation. Conducted May 19-June 15 of this year, the study documents the impacts of the pandemic to help Jewish communal organizations best meet the evolving needs of those they serve, Rubin explained. “Federation knew we needed to do an assessment of the community,” he said. “We had been in touch with the individual agencies that we fund to understand what service providers are seeing on the ground but we but didn’t have a great way to connect with individual community members.” The answers provided a snapshot of the needs of various demographics. Reponses showed that Jewish young adults, for example, were the most likely demographic to feel lonely. In fact, Rubin said, “red flags were raised” around all the mental health effects felt by that age group.

Please see Holidays, page 14

Please see Brandeis, page 14

Rachel Mandelbaum, cosmologist Page 4  The sanctuary of Beth El Congregation of the South Hills is one of many across the area that will remain empty this High Holiday season due to COVID-19.

WORLD

Photo by Toby Tabachnick

A ‘once-in-a-millenium scholar’ By David Rullo | Staff Writer

A Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz dies at 83 Page 11

mid the anxiety and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing is guaranteed: This High Holiday season will be unlike any other. “The plans are not 100% formalized, but we are not returning to the building and having High Holy Day services,” said Rodef Shalom Congregation’s senior vice president, Matthew Falcone. “The intent, though, is that we will be able to utilize the building in some way.” The Reform congregation, like others in the city, is striving to find a balance between protecting the health of its members and finding new, meaningful ways to engage worshipers this year. “We’ve talked about ideas to use Rodef Shalom’s ample outdoor space. We’ve thought what it might look like to activate some of that space for worship. We’ve also looked at using the main sanctuary and the other

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Virtual fundraising

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Kesher expands

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Headlines Jewish nonprofits learn to fundraise in a virtual landscape — LOCAL — By David Rullo | Staff Writer

o Roi Mezare, fundraising is about relationships. “Without a meaningful relationship there is not going to be a meaningful gift,” explained Mezare, associate director of major gifts at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. “Luckily, in 14 years with Federation, I’ve formed a lot of meaningful relationships.” Those relationships, Mezare said, “are part of a very committed community that cares deeply.” Federation and other Jewish nonprofits have had to adapt their fundraising techniques — and in some cases, alter their goals — due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At least for now, gone are the days of large Super Sunday events, when throngs of volunteers call hundreds of donors. Gone, too, are the carnivals featuring food, booths and magic shows. Instead, fundraisers are using tools like Zoom to stay in touch with potential donors. Some even maintain connections using the out-of-fashion telephone. “The form of communication has changed,” Mezare said. “Instead of doing it face-to-face, you have to do it via phone or Zoom or FaceTime. If the relationship is there, though, then the form of communication doesn’t impede it.” Federation’s numbers add validity to Mezare’s claim. This year’s Community Campaign raised $13.6 million. “I believe that’s the second best we’ve ever done in our 100-plus years,” ventured Federation Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer Brian Eglash. “We also had more increased dollars than we had over the last few years.”

p The Jewish National Fund has been forced to pivot from events like its Tree of Life award presentation (pictured here from 2017) and find new ways to connect with potential donors because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Photo by Lauren Rosenblatt / PJC

Though Eglash prefers human contact when meeting with community members, he knows that is not possible right now. “So, this is the next best thing.” The Federation is a “relationship-based fundraising organization,” Eglash said. “I’ve reached out to well over 100 people and had some really incredible conversations on Zoom, on Microsoft Teams and over the phone.” Federation has had success with its legacy giving program as well.

“Our [Jewish Community] Foundation had one of the best years in its history, with a little bit over 22 million new dollars into the Foundation,” Eglash said. “We have a Grinspoon Life & Legacy program where we partner with 19 local institutions. Over the last two years we’ve had over $26 million in expectancies. This year alone over 240 people left legacies through letters of intent.” Most of Federation’s contributions come from individuals, Eglash noted, adding that

the impetus for giving is the donor’s “deep care for the community.” “Starting in March, when things were collapsing in the stock market and people’s businesses were really struggling, some people still increased their giving,” he said. “They felt like, as bad as it is for them, there’s someone else out there more challenged. I’m talking numerous examples, not one or two people.” Please see Fundraise, page 15

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Headlines 90-year-old Shirley Grossman comes of age with bat mitzvah celebration — LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

hirley Grossman had a big weekend planned. She made Friday night dinner for 15 people, Saturday lunch for 25, hosted Congregation B’nai Abraham’s Shabbat virtual service in her Butler-area home, read from the Torah, recited the haftarah and delivered a speech about what it meant to celebrate her bat mitzvah on Aug. 8, days after marking her 90th birthday. “She’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met, that’s for sure,” said her daughter Helene Goldstein of the South Hills. “I called her and I told her we were going to bring challahs. And she says, ‘I have it taken care of. I’m making them.’ She made them this morning.” “Shirley is just one of those very rare individuals you just can’t help but admire and look up to,” said Ben Vincent, B’nai Abraham’s caretaker. “She didn’t have a bat mitzvah when she was younger. She was just one of those folks who sailed along and was Jewish but really embraced it later on.” Prior to her big day, Grossman told the Chroincle her bat mitzvah speech would focus on “a little bit of my younger life, when I was exposed to Judaism and never learned a thing,”

there, who’s going to be on Zoom, people that have really brought me to this point in my life.” Decades before Grossman sent out personalized invitations to her coming of age ceremony, she began her Jewish journey in Greensburg, where as a child she and her family attended services. After marrying her husband, the late Lawrence Grossman, she moved to Butler and began frequenting Congregation B’nai Abraham. “When he was living, yeah, we went to synagogue, and we celebrated the holidays together and so on and so forth — the p Shirley Grossman and great-grandaughter, Adeline Laurel family was very close, and Trivilino, celebrated Addie receiving a Hebrew name at we were always together Grossman’s bat mitzvah. Photo courtesy of Helene Goldstein for every occasion — but I wasn’t as active in the synaand then go from there “up to the present gogue as I am now,” she said. “I mean, I think time.” She also planned to offer considerable I’m the head of every committee there is.” There’s truth to Grossman’s assessment, gratitude to “everybody who is going to be

as listing the entirety of her B’nai Abraham involvement would be nearly impossible, explained Vincent. “She is sort of the matriarch of our congregation,” he said. “She is a board member. She is the house chairperson. She works on the memorial tablets. She serves as the administrative assistant. When she speaks, things get done. She is sort of the cornerstone of our community.” Working with Grossman in various capacities at the synagogue has been not only fun but instructive, noted B’nai Abraham’s spiritual leader, Cantor Michal Gray-Schaffer: “We are supposed to be lifelong learners and she certainly is a shining example of that.” Whether it’s mastering Hebrew literacy or the ability to read from a Torah scroll, Grossman has inspired others in the congregation, continued Gray-Schaffer. “I’ve started rabbinical studies because of her,” said Vincent. “She’d been encouraging me.” Like many bat mitzvah celebrants, Grossman has collected a fair number of gifts in recent days, but despite receiving jewelry from her daughter, flowers from friends and a number of cards, Grossman said her celebration would be a chance to recognize others. Please see Grossman, page 15

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Headlines Jewish cosmologist is a star at CMU — LOCAL — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

achel Mandelbaum has always asked why. “From when I was a pretty young child, I was interested in learning how stuff worked,” she said. In elementary school, she read reams of books about science and the scientific method. Today, the Princeton University alum, mother of three and Orthodox Jew is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, living the science she once explored as a child. “I’m an observational cosmologist,” she explained. “We use information from telescopes to learn the history of the universe for the last eight, nine billion years.” For Mandelbaum, it’s more about the physics of the equation than the history that’s been captured, the science learned over time. “You’re looking to the why — what are the physical laws that make our universe look like this? Everything else is secondary to that,” Mandelbaum said. Her cosmology teachings — the work of explaining an expanding universe — are mostly for graduate students seeking PhDs. Mandelbaum said her explorations of science and faith “are totally compatible things.”

“Learning the physics of the universe, researching to learn more about it is entirely in the spirit of being a practicing Jew,” she said. “The sets of questions don’t overlap but that sense of asking ‘Why?’ is something I tend to do in many aspects of my life.” Mandelbaum moved to Pittsburgh about eight years ago from New Jersey, where she served as a research professor at her alma mater. (Her eldest daughter, who is 19, attends Princeton as well, though she’s leaning toward computer sciences instead of physics.) Speaking to Mandelbaum, you’d think she was just another college professor in a city ripe with them. That’s just not the case, her colleagues said. “She’s one of the reasons I came here,” said Scott Dodelson, the head of the physics department at Carnegie Mellon University, who came to Pittsburgh from Chicago about three years ago. “She’s kind of world-renowned. She’s the best at what she does … and she’s incredibly thoughtful, on a different scale than the rest of us.” To illustrate, Dodelson pointed to the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration, a group of roughly 1,000 thinkers and academics Mandelbaum helps lead. About five years ago, before Mandelbaum was leading the group, federal policies appeared to restrict colleagues from certain countries — Iran and Syria, to name two — taking part in the work.

p Rachel Mandelbaum Photo courtesy of Rachel Mandelbaum

Mandelbaum wasn’t going forward excluding anybody based on their nationality. “Rachel basically said, ‘We’re not doing this — we can’t let this meeting discriminate against our colleagues,’” Dodelson said. “She works in a field [where] she’s one of the world leaders. I’m a little in awe of her work.” Mandelbaum’s work is a little heavy for a layperson to digest, though she approaches it voraciously. “Weak gravitational lensing, the deflection of light by mass, is one of the best tools to constrain the growth of cosmic structure with time and reveal the nature of dark

energy,” she wrote in a paper published in 2018 by Annual Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysics. “I discuss the sources of systematic uncertainty in weak lensing measurements and their theoretical interpretation, including our current understanding and other options for future improvement.” “I’m sorry to say that the intro is a bit less accessible than I remembered,” she quipped, when sending the Chronicle the research paper. Fred Gilman, a professor of theoretical physics who served as dean of CMU’s Mellon College of Science from 2007 to 2016, is glowing when he speaks about Mandelbaum. “She is a scientific superstar,” Gilman said. “A great teacher, advisor and mentor for students at all levels,” he added. “A wonderful person and colleague.” Dodelson said the fact that Mandelbaum is identifiably Jewish, keeping kosher at school events or wearing a head covering, is a big part of how she’s seen. And her act of being Jewish in the university setting sends a powerful message. “Academics have reservations about religion, in general,” Dodelson said. “The fact that she’s so open is impressive — it tells people, ‘You can be what you want to be.’” PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

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Headlines Pittsburgh TikTok influencer brings friendship to far-away fan — LOCAL — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

t’s a friendship born on TikTok. Brandon is a 19-year-old Pittsburgher, a Jew and a star on the Gen Z-saturated social media platform. He boasts 1.4 million followers, making him a popular influencer in the region. Tate Hayes is a 9-year-old Tennessean who’s on the autism spectrum. Shouts of “grilled cheese!” brought them together. Tate first saw Brandon on TikTok about a year ago and was entranced by the young man’s humor, which often revolved around noshes ranging from pickles and garlic knots to lentil soup and, yes, famously, grilled cheese sandwiches. Brandon’s pastime was far from half-hearted or off-handed; one video about eating cheese pizza surpassed 10.2 million views. Tate’s mother reached out to Brandon on Instagram. Within no time at all, Brandon was recording a video for Tate’s ninth birthday in March, shortly before the pandemic broke out. “They ended up FaceTiming together — it made Tate’s life,” said Shannon Hayes, Tate’s mom. “Imagine if you were a kid and the person you watched on TV made you a video. It changed him — it gave him confidence.”

p Brandon Max

p TikTok screenshot provided by Michael Schroeder

Photo provided by Brandon Max

That’s part of the fun of the platform, said Brandon — who goes by the nom-de-web Brandon Max and can be seen on TikTok at @itsbrandonmax. And it’s a mission that’s incredibly important to him personally. “My goal is to inspire people,” Brandon told the Chronicle. “Brandon Max is my character. He’s a kid who loves to embarrass himself and make people smile.” Brandon doesn’t have time for the haters. On the internet, there are many. People have gotten political, and sometimes ugly, about everything from Judaism to wearing a mask to protect others from COVID-19. “I want to stay positive,” Brandon said, “and show people it’s OK to be different.” Brandon’s father, a long-suffering Buffalo Bills fan who prefers to remain anonymous, said he sees a strong Jewish tradition in what Brandon is doing online. “There’s a lot of Jewish humor there,” said Brandon’s father, who is recognizable to many in the local Jewish community when they spot him in Brandon’s short videos. “My parents loved the Borscht Belt comedians and Brandon’s picked up on that. It’s clean but funny.” “And Jews with food? I mean, c’mon,” he added, with a laugh. While Brandon is quick to talk about the importance of the TikTok platform as an outlet, especially during COVID-19 quarantining, his father also is quick to crack jokes

p Tate Hayes

Photo by Shannon Hayes

with the humor that has gotten the family so much attention. “1.4 million followers?” his father asked. “That’s a hell of a lot more than a minyan, I can tell you that.” Brandon, who grew up here, is also quick to cite his Pittsburgh roots. Despite being back and forth between Florida and Pennsylvania due to an autoimmune illness, Brandon stresses he bleeds black and gold as much as the next guy raised in the city. “I want people to know I’m from here,” Brandon said. “And I’m proud to be from here.” Shannon Hayes is proud of Brandon, too, and said the young man should pat himself on the back for being such an upstander. “He’s just been such a good little influence and a great friend to someone who otherwise would never have known him,” she said. “[It’s important] to be able to look to someone else who’s a little different and say, ‘He’s my friend.’ As a parent, what else do you want? It makes you feel like you child is loved and included.” Shannon is ready to make just one request about the grilled cheese theme, though. “I have to ask Brandon’s dad to get Brandon to say, ‘Tate, why don’t you take off that shirt and wash it?’” PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

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Headlines Kesher Pittsburgh innovates for year ahead — LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

s congregations and institutions prepare for an unprecedented High Holiday season, Kesher Pittsburgh, an independent post-denominational community founded by Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife, announced several changes, including the welcoming of local Jewish educator and activist Sara Stock Mayo as a co-leader of High Holiday services and a teacher at Kesher Kids. Mayo will help shepherd the Kesher community through continued growth, said Fife. Given their shared vision, and prior collaboration, the new partnership was timely, explained Fife. Through conversations about “what we desire, and what’s possible in terms of Jewish life and making community together,” the two realized “now is the moment” to join forces. Partnering prior to the High Holiday season was a logical next step, echoed Mayo, a member of Bend the Arc Pittsburgh, as well as co-leader of Pittsburgh’s Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, a group that builds relationships between Muslim and Jewish women. “Keshira and I have worked together a little bit, and have had a very good chemistry when working together, and the more

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who currently runs the improvisational theater company Pittsburgh Playback Theatre and offers Rosh Chodesh programming for teens at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, said that her background and professional experience will be of benefit both in leading services and working with youth at Kesher. “There’s many different ways that people look at worship, but for me, in my experience, the kinds of people that I want to engage — and I think that I would most probably attract — are people who want to come to have an experience. They want to come into the room and have a real connection with p Left, Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife; right, Sara Stock Mayo Photos courtesy of Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife something greater than themselves,” said Mayo. “Whether it’s through music or worship, or chanting, or we talked, it just seemed like a lot of our regardless of age or affiliation. community, they’re looking to reach beyond visions were aligned,” Mayo said. “We are really gearing ourselves toward “I want to give a lot of kavod to Keshira being at the intersection of spirituality and what they can do on their own, and it’s about because this has really been her brand social justice,” said Fife. “It doesn’t make sense transformation.” and she is the one who started the to be a community that’s just based around In addition to welcoming Mayo, Kesher community,” Mayo added. demographic. It has to be around shared is preparing a slate of hybrid educational With shared interests in spirituality and values and shared commitment to making programs. With options for virtual classes and social justice, the two Jewish professionals community, and to standing for things.” physically distanced in-person gatherings, there are looking to empower current Kesher Mayo, a former musical director/cantoconstituents while welcoming new members, rial soloist and chaplain at Temple Sinai Please see Kesher, page 15

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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 SUNDAY, AUG. 16

Join Bend the Arch Jewish Action: Pittsburgh for “Elections and Voting: The Moral Imperative,” a panel discussion about the importance of being involved in the electoral process and why our faith traditions should point us to being more involved electorally. The panel will include Rabbi David Evan Markus, deputy chief counsel in the New York state judiciary, judicial referee in New York Supreme Court and rabbi at Temple Beth-El of City Island, New York; Rev. Liddy Barlow, Southwestern Pennsylvania Christian Associates; Imam Chris Caras, Islamic Center of Pittsburgh; Rev. Richard Freeman, Resurrection Baptist Church; and moderator Sara Stock Mayo, spiritual leader and cantorial soloist. 7 p.m. RSVP at pittsburgh. bendthearc.us. q SUNDAYS, AUG. 16, 23, 30;

SEPT. 6, 13

Join a lay-led Online Parashah Study Group to discuss the week’s Torah portion. No Hebrew knowledge is needed. The goal is to build community while deepening understanding of the text. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q MONDAY, AUG. 17

The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh presents its ongoing Conversations Series, featuring Betty Cruz, president and CEO of World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. 12 p.m. To register and for more information, visit hcofpgh.org. q MONDAYS, AUG. 17, 24

Join Beth El Congregation of the South Hills for their 4th Annual Current Events Speaker Series with an at-home happy hour. Happy hour begins at 7 p.m., lectures start at 7:30 p.m. For more information, including topics and registration link, visit bethelcong.org.

Join Temple Sinai for “21st Century Judaism.” Explore the dynamism and evolving issues in the Jewish community today. 7 p.m. For more information, including topics, and to register, visit templesinaipgh.org.

Today,” Rabbi Danny Schiff addresses five 21st century legal debates from the perspective of Jewish legal sources. Explore “Coronavirus in Jewish Law,” the last class in the series, where you can earn CLE ethics credits or social work continuing education units. 8:30 a.m. For more information, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org.

q MONDAYS, AUG. 17, 24, 31;

q MONDAY, AUG. 24

q MONDAYS, AUG. 17, 24, 31

SEPT. 7, 14

Join Rabbi Jeremy Markiz in learning Masechet Rosh Hashanah, a tractate of the Talmud about the many new years that fill out the Jewish calendar at Monday Talmud Study. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q WEDNESDAYS, AUG. 19, 26

Jewish Community Foundation Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff will explore the current state of Jewish love and marriage and where it all might be headed in “21st Century Love & Marriage in Judaism.” 10 a.m. For more information, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org. Join Classrooms Without Borders as they discuss the book “How to Be an Antiracist” every Wednesday in August at 4 p.m. on Zoom. RSVP each week to receive the link. This book club is geared toward educators and open to all. Educators attending this program are eligible to receive Pennsylvania Act 48 continuing education credits. For more information visit classroomswithoutborders.org. q THURSDAY, AUG. 20

Classrooms Without Borders, in partnership with Rodef Shalom Congregation, is excited to offer the opportunity to watch the film "There Are No Lions in Tel Aviv" and engage in a post-film discussion with the film director, Duki Dror. CWB scholar Avi Ben-Hur will open the discussion. Free. 3 p.m. For more information and to register, visit classroomswithoutborders.org. q FRIDAY, AUG. 21

Like any legal system, Jewish law is dynamic. It responds to new societal issues as they arise. In “Jewish Law

Happy 60th Anniversary

The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh presents the next installment of its Conversations Series. Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh Director Dr. Lauren Bairnsfather will speak with Jason England on the theme “The Power of the Individual.” England is an assistant professor of English at Carnegie Mellon University who has written extensively on race, sports and societal issues. 12 p.m. To register and for more information, visit hcofpgh.org.

q SUNDAY, AUG. 30

Join Partnership2Gether for a virtual tour of Karmiel/Misgav by tour guide Adi Zarchi of Karmiel. Learn about the history, culture, narratives and people that have shaped that region in Israel. 12 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jfedpgh.org. q TUESDAY, SEPT. 8

Enjoy a side of Israel you have never seen with the help of a licensed tour guide on the ground in Israel. Join a “busload” of people from across the opportunity and experience the thrill of Israel right from your very own home. $50. The virtual tour begins each day at 4 p.m. with a virtual dinner and coffee hour following. Mon-Fri. Presented by Jewish National Fund. For more information and to register visit jnf.org.

Leket Israel: A webinar with Joseph Gitler, founder of Leket Israel will focus on what Leket is doing to address food insecurity and food waste during the coronavirus pandemic. Leket is supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Community Campaign, so the webinar will highlight both the issue of food security and Federation’s impact. 12 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jfedpgh.org.

q WEDNESDAY, AUG. 26

q SUNDAY, SEPT. 13

Grab your knitting supplies, a puzzle or some laundry that “needs folded” and join Moishe House Pittsburgh to listen to and discuss Episode 1 of the podcast “The Heart.” 7 p.m. Visit Moishe House’s Facebook page for more information, including a link to the podcast. q THURSDAY, AUG. 27

Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for “FedTalks: Community Strength in a Time of Crisis” featuring Michael G. Masters, national director and CEO of the Secure Community Network. The annual meeting will include a report of the Pittsburgh Jewish community’s strengths and achievements as well as details on

Chabad of the South Hills presents a PreRosh Hashana Creative Canvas Painting, outdoors and socially distanced in its parking lot. All children aged 3-11 are welcome, $8/child. 3 p.m. For more information and to register, visit chabadsh.com. q WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16

Join the Jewish Federation online for This Is Us: 2021 Community Campaign Kickoff and help launch the 2021 Community Campaign. This first-time virtual event is partnered with The Jewish Federations of North America, featuring Eugene, Sarah and Dan Levy. 1 p.m. Learn more at jewishpgh.org/this-is-us. PJC

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New Light Congregation invites you to attend the second concert in their Sing a New Light series: “Making Light: A Zoom Comedy Hour.” The concert series honors the victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting of Oct. 27, 2018. 8 p.m. To register, visit https://bit.ly/makinglightcomedy.

q MONDAY, AUG. 24-FRIDAY, AUG. 28

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Headlines Sisters sweeten the season by baking for a cause — LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

early a decade after first leveraging chocolate chip cookies for cancer research, Toby and Casey Lazear fired up their oven again for the greater good. On Aug. 1, the Fox Chapel sisters hosted a bake sale, complete with 1,200 individually wrapped items, to support the Brennan Center for Justice. Given the nonpartisan law and policy institute’s commitment to reforming, revitalizing and defending the United States’ systems of democracy and justice, supporting the organization was a logical choice at this time, explained Toby, 20. For months, as thousands nationwide called out racial biases and systemic injustices, Toby, an incoming junior at The Pennsylvania State University, Schreyer Honors College, and Casey, an incoming freshman at Indiana University Bloomington, scoured the internet researching how best to support the Black Lives Matter movement. The two sisters spoke with family and friends about race-related topics and utilized social media to disseminate ideas, but they wanted to do more. It wasn’t the first time the sisters felt that way.

p Toby and Casey Lazear at the bake sale

Photo courtesy of Toby Lazear

When they were 8 and 10, after seeing a commercial about a children’s hospital, Toby and Casey decided it was important to give back, so with help from their family, they scheduled a bake sale, knocked on doors in their cul-de-sac adjacent neighborhood in Indiana Township and spread the word about the event. Their efforts proved so successful that the Lazears held two more bake sales in subsequent years, ultimately raising nearly $5,000 in the process.

When the sisters recently reflected on that period, they realized their 2020 bake sale could benefit from the fact that the family now lived on a main road in Fox Chapel. Long gone were the days of taping Microsoft Word-created-flyers to street poles as the only means of broadcasting beyond one’s network. The new house, and social media, enabled increased traffic, explained Toby. Their grandmother also “was a massive help,” said Casey, 18. “She was 24/7 baking,

always had good ideas, and brought all of her friends that she plays bridge with to purchase the baked goods.” Given the current pandemic, “I’ve been home a lot playing duplicate bridge online,” so when Toby and Casey asked for help, “I said of course,” said Bunny Kerr, the Lazears’ grandmother. “This put structure in my day and I like it.” The Lazears clearly knew who to call. Affectionately referred to as “BB” by her granddaughters, Kerr, 75, is a consummate baker. Hours prior to speaking with the Chronicle, she made pistachio thumbprints. The day before, she baked chocolate chip cookie brownies. “If somebody is kind enough to send me a recipe and it’s easy enough, I’ll bake it,” said Kerr. With their grandmother by their side, like she had been for earlier iterations of the bake sale, the sisters began to work. Among the items made were triple decker brownies; Reese’s Peanut Butter cookies; confetti bars with Cap’n Crunch, Froot Loops and Rice Krispies; raspberry peach bars; chocolate banana bread; blueberry zucchini bread “and a few classics like chocolate chip cookies and M&M’s cookies,” said Toby. “Toby never thought we had enough so we kept baking and baking,” said Kerr. “My Please see Sisters, page 16

nfortunately, once again a major community crisis, this time the coronavirus pandemic, is underlining the necessity of a local Jewish newspaper and website that keeps you informed about — and in touch with — the Pittsburgh Jewish community. We’re responding to this crisis with all hands on deck (even if it’s from our homes) to bring you what you need to know and want to know about our community: organizations, events live or virtual, plans canceled or postponed, hardships and help, friends and neighbors.

But even as we deploy more resources we are being hit by the same ƮǞȲƵ ƵƧȌȁȌǿǞƧ ǏȌȲƧƵȺ ƊȺ ƊȲƵ ȌɈǘƵȲ ȺǿƊǶǶ ȁȌȁٌȯȲȌ˛ɈȺ ƊȁƮ ƦɐȺǞȁƵȺȺƵȺ‫ خ‬ We depend heavily on advertising. If organizations cancel events, they don’t advertise them. When businesses close and their ƧɐȺɈȌǿƵȲȺ ǶȌȺƵ ƧȌȁ˛ƮƵȁƧƵ‫ ة‬ɈǘƵɯ ƧɐɈ ƊƮɨƵȲɈǞȺǞȁǐ‫ خ‬yȌ ȌȁƵ ǲȁȌɩȺ ǘȌɩ long the upset of normalcy will last. That’s why we need you, our readers and supporters, now more than ever. Please help us continue our mission of bringing you the Pittsburgh Jewish news you rely on and now need more than ever. Help us tell the story of our community in crisis, and how once again we will show amazing resilience to continue to thrive into the future. Your emergency gift today helps make this possible and helps connect increasingly isolated people in our community, ǞȁƧǶɐƮǞȁǐ ɈǘƵ ƵǶƮƵȲǶɯ ƊȁƮ Ǟȁ˛Ȳǿ‫ خ‬ Thank you.

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Headlines “unintentionally” — after a recent game against the Texas Rangers. “In the world today of COVID, I adapted our elbow bump, which we do after wins, to create some distance with the players,” Christenson said in a statement last week. “My gesture unintentionally resulted in a racist and horrible salute that I do not believe in. What I did is unacceptable and I deeply apologize.” Decker said he accepted Christenson’s apology but that he should be educated on the issue and suspended nonetheless. “Actions have consequences. That’s not cancel culture, that’s life,” Decker said. Decker took issue with the A’s response for saying it “looked like a Nazi salute.” “No, he did a Nazi salute. He did a Nazi salute twice,” Decker said. “Let’s not sugarcoat around it … I really, really despise their response. I hate every half-measure response Major League Baseball always makes.”

— WORLD — From JTA reports

Former Major League player Cody Decker says anti-Semitism is ‘rampant’ in pro baseball

Former pro baseball player Cody Decker said that anti-Semitism is “rampant throughout baseball” and that an Oakland Athletics coach should be suspended for making a Nazi salute after a game. Decker, who played briefly for the San Diego Padres and for Israel’s national team in the World Baseball Classic, spoke candidly on the topic with TMZ Sports. He detailed several instances over the course of his career in which he was singled out for being Jewish and called Jewish slurs by fans and teammates. Decker said that while playing a minor league game against the Frisco Rough Riders in Texas, several members of the opposing team called him and fellow Jewish teammate Nate Freiman “kikes.” He also said he was fired from a team the day after being called into a coach’s office to “explain my Judaism to him because he was born again Christian.” And in 2012, Decker said he was at a bar with teammates when a group of girls asked him to leave the table when they found out he was Jewish. The talk was spurred by a recent incident involving Oakland A’s bench coach Ryan Christenson, who was widely criticized for making a Nazi salute — he claims

Captain of Israel’s hockey team signs to play in Oswiecim, otherwise known as Auschwitz

When the captain of Israel’s ice hockey team takes the ice for the coming season, he will be just a short walk from the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp where Nazis murdered nearly 1 million Jews during the Holocaust. Eliezer Sherbatov, 28, signed to the local team in Oswiecim, the Polish name for Auschwitz. He told Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli newspaper, that he had felt welcomed and was not fearful that hockey fans would wield anti-Semitic taunts the way that Polish

football fans have drawn criticism for doing. “People here in Poland are happy that a Jew from Israel came to play for Auschwitz,” he told the newspaper. “I am happy to make this history, and of course want to help not forget the Holocaust.” Sherbatov said he would be especially motivated to help the team succeed because of the dark history that unfolded less than two miles from its home rink. “I have a great deal of motivation because it is Auschwitz,” Sherbatov told Yedioth Ahronoth. “I want to win the championship, the Polish Cup and the continental title, and then everyone will know the one who did this is a Jewish-Israeli.” Sherbatov has played hockey since moving from Israel to Canada as a child. He is the captain of Israel’s national team, which is mostly composed of non-professional hockey players. “People would hear that I’m from Israel and they would laugh, but then see me on the ice and realize how fast and strong I am,” he said in an interview last year with the Israel Sports Excellence Foundation.

Study: Jews worshiped less, gave more to charity last month

During the pandemic, Jews have attended virtual services, read scripture or prayed less often than other Americans, and they have given charity and volunteered at higher rates. Eighty percent of American Jews don’t want special exemptions for houses of worship to reopen — essentially the same

percentage as Americans as a whole (79%) and American Christians (74%). Those figures come from a new survey by the Pew Research Center. It found that 17% of American Jews had attended virtual prayer services in the last month, as opposed to 33% of all Americans and 49% of Christians. Before the pandemic, 61% of American Jews attended services in person with at least some regularity, as opposed to 57% of all Americans and 78% of American Christians. Many American congregations, including many synagogues, have transitioned to virtual services. But Orthodox Jews, who attend services at the highest rates regularly, cannot hold services on Shabbat online because of prohibitions on the use of technology. The survey found that 57% of Jews have donated to or volunteered with a charity during the pandemic, as opposed to 38% of all Americans. Over a third of Jews have helped friends and neighbors with errands and childcare, essentially the same rate as Americans overall. In addition, 36% of American Jews have prayed at least weekly during the pandemic and 20% have read scripture, as opposed to 55% of Americans overall who have prayed weekly and 29% who have read scripture weekly. Like Americans as a whole, large majorities of Jews have gotten through the pandemic by watching movies and TV, going outdoors or talking to friends and family on the phone or via video. The study was conducted July 13 to 19, and surveyed 10,211 U.S. adults, including 250 Jews. The overall margin of error was 1.5%, while the margin of error for Jews was 8.8%. PJC

This week in Israeli history

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U.S. Assistant War Secretar y John J. McCloy notifies Leon Kubowitzki of the World Jewish Congress that the U.S. military will not bomb Nazi death camps or their infrastructure despite being able to do so.

The day after the deadline for settlers to leave the Gaza Strip, soldiers and police start carrying out Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan for disengagement from the area, approved by the Knesset in February.

Aug. 16, 1966 — Israel obtains Iraqi MiG-21

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Aug. 14, 1944 — US rejects bombing death camps

Aug. 15, 2005 — Gaza evacuation begins

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Operation Diamond, Israel’s plan to obtain a Russian-made MiG-21 fighter jet, succeeds when Iraqi pilot Munir Redfa lands at Hatzor Air Force Base in return for a $1 million bounty and other benefits.

Aug. 17, 1898 — First conference of Russian Zionists held

A few weeks before the Second Zionist Congress, 160 Russian Zionists meet secretly in Warsaw, where organizer Ahad Ha’am wins support for his call for a Jewish cultural renaissance before Zionist political actions.

Aug. 18, 2000 — Archaeologist Claire Epstein dies

Archaeologist Claire Epstein, a London native who began working on excavations in 1948 and discovered the culture of the Chalcolithic Period (4500 to 3300 BCE) in the Golan, dies at age 88 at Kibbutz Ginossar.

Aug. 19, 1856 — Michah Joseph Berdichevski is born

Scholar Michah Joseph Berdichevski is born in Ukraine. He publishes in German and Yiddish but is best known for his Hebrew work, including a lengthy debate with Ahad Ha’am about Hebrew literature.

Aug. 20, 1920 — Yishuv publishes first medical journal

The first Hebrew-language medical journal in Palestine, Harefuah (Medicine), begins publishing quarterly under the auspices of the Jewish Medical Association of Palestine. It is still published monthly. PJC

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Headlines Adin Steinsaltz, acclaimed scholar who made the Talmud more accessible, dies at 83 — WORLD — By Ben Harris | JTA

abbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, the acclaimed scholar whose landmark translation of the Talmud enabled a vast readership to access one of Judaism’s most canonical texts, has died. Steinsaltz died Aug. 7 at 83 in Jerusalem. Steinsaltz’s monumental translation of the Babylonian Talmud made the arcane rabbinic debates and folkloric tales easier to comprehend, unlocking the wonders of Talmud study for those lacking a highlevel Jewish education. The project took 45 years to complete. Steinsaltz not only rendered the forbidding Aramaic text into modern Hebrew, but integrated his own commentary into the sparse language of the original, filling in gaps in the text that had previously required deep familiarity with the internal mechanics of talmudic discourse to decipher. A new English version of the Steinsaltz Talmud by the Koren publishing house, and a free version of the translation available on the website Sefaria, further expanded Steinsaltz’s reach. “The Talmud was never meant to be an elitist book,” said Arthur Kurzweil, the author of two books about Steinsaltz and a board member of the Aleph Society, which raises funds to support the rabbi’s work. “It was meant to be for everybody. So Rabbi Steinsaltz spent 45 years trying and succeeding to make that happen.” Described as a once-in-a-millennium scholar, Steinsaltz was renowned for his prodigious intellect and tireless work ethic. He was reputed to put in 17-hour workdays. Authoring a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud alone put him in a category alongside Rashi, the medieval French scholar whose commentary on the Bible and the Talmud, composed 1,000 years ago, is considered the most authoritative. But Steinsaltz also wrote another 60 books on topics ranging from Jewish ethics to theology to prayer to mysticism. He also helped establish educational institutions in Israel and the former Soviet Union. Born to secular parents in Jerusalem in

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work was driven by a desire to educate large numbers of Jews about their heritage. “Let my people know,” was his favorite slogan. “The Talmud is the central pillar of Jewish knowledge, important for the overall understanding of what is Jewish,” Steinsaltz told JTA in 2010 on the occasion of the completion of the translation. “But it is a book that Jews cannot understand. This is a dangerous situation, like a collective amnesia. I tried to make pathways through which people will be able to enter the Talmud without encountering impassable barriers. It’s something that will always be a challenge, but I tried to make it at least possible.” The completion of the translation was accompanied by a global day of Jewish learning connecting 360 Jewish communities in 48 countries. The event has since become an annual affair. Steinsaltz’s work was long deemed controversial. His Talmud departed from longstanding conventions, introducing punctuation and paragraph breaks, altering the pagination and placing his own commentary in the space around the main text p Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz inspects an English- that had previously been the language translation of the Talmud based on his domain of Rashi. annotations on June 4, 2018. Rabbi Elazar Shach, a Photo via Wikimedia Commons/SoInkleined via JTA leading haredi Orthodox rabbi in Israel, called Steinsaltz 1937, Steinsaltz embraced Jewish prac- a heretic and forbade his followers from tice as a teenager. Though his father was reading his works, apparently out of concern an irreligious socialist, he sent his son to for some passages in two works on the Bible study Talmud with a tutor at the age of 10. that Steinsaltz subsequently agreed to modify. Steinsaltz’s intellectual gifts were evident Shach insisted that all of Steinsaltz’s work early, when he became the youngest school was heretical, however, another eminent principal in Israel at 23. 20th-century authority, Rabbi Moshe In 1965, Steinsaltz founded the Israel Feinstein, approved of the Steinsaltz Talmud. Institute for Talmudic Publications, the same In 1998, Jacob Neusner, a Conservative rabbi year he began his Talmud translation. His and noted scholar of Judaism, published a

250-page book entitled “How Adin Steinsaltz Misrepresents the Talmud.” Steinsaltz was also criticized for accepting the leadership of a modern-day Sanhedrin, a recreation of the ancient rabbinic body. Steinsaltz resigned the post in 2008 out of concern for potential breaches of Jewish law. But none of that slowed Steinsaltz’s embrace as an unparalleled scholar of Judaism, both in the Jewish world and beyond. He was awarded the Israel Prize, Israel’s highest cultural honor, in 1998, along with the inaugural Israeli Presidential Award of Distinction, the French Order of Arts and Literature, and a 2012 National Jewish Book Award. He was invited to deliver the prestigious Terry Lectures at Yale University and was a scholar in residence at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. In 2016, he was invited to a private audience with the pope. Among his best-known works beyond the Talmud translation is “The Thirteen Petalled Rose,” an introduction to Jewish mysticism first published in 1980. A follower of the Chabad Hasidic movement, Steinsaltz also authored several books on Tanya, one of the group’s core texts. In 2018, he published a translation and commentary on the Five Books of Moses. Despite his massive intellectual achievements, Steinsaltz often appears slightly disheveled in public and had a playful streak. Kurzweil recalled an appearance at a Long Island yeshiva at which Steinsaltz encouraged the students to do everything they could to make their teachers’ lives miserable, and even suggested a source book where they could find difficult questions sure to flummox them. “He’s a troublemaker and he’s got a gleam in his eye at all times,” said Kurzweil, who served as Steinsaltz’s driver during his visits to New York. “He’s up to mischief sometimes. He likes to question everything.” Long plagued by ill health, Steinsaltz suffered a stroke in 2016 that left him unable to speak. “Jewish learning is created by the Jews and is also creating the Jews,” Steinsaltz said in 2010. “When you learn, you learn about yourself. So learning one page of the Talmud is equivalent to two or three sessions with a psychoanalyst. That’s why people are interested — Jewish learning is a mirror into our soul.” PJC

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Opinion What Adin Steinsaltz and Pete Hamill taught us all Guest Columnist Gary Rosenblatt

wo of my longtime heroes died this past week. On first glance, they seemed as different as two men could be. One, widely considered to be a holy man, followed a lifelong spiritual path. He had a gentle manner and sought to bring a deeper level of knowledge to Jews everywhere by making the sacred texts accessible to all. The other, born Catholic, gave up religion at a young age, and for much of his life was a hard drinker who sought to subdue his violent nature. But both men reached wide audiences with words that touched people’s hearts, and they were deeply admired because they shared a commitment to authenticity, truth-seeking and compassion. Of the same generation, they each died where they were born, in the cities with which they were identified throughout their lives — cities which they personified in many ways.

For Talmudic scholar and teacher Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, who died at 83, it was Jerusalem, the most holy city. His magisterial writings touched the heavens above, describing the spiritual world of angels as well as the history, mystery, heritage and traditions of Jewish life. For high-school-dropout journalist and author Pete Hamill, 85, it was New York City, and especially Brooklyn; his columns and reporting reached down to lift up the often-ignored underdogs of society, telling their stories of grit, sacrifice and determination — the essence of The Greatest City in the World. For someone who describes himself as a “Jewish journalist” in a way that is intended to mean more than a journalist who happens to be Jewish, I deeply admired how Rabbi Steinsaltz and Pete Hamill, each in his own way, educated and inspired people through the written word, and did so with clarity and compassion. I never met Pete Hamill. I started reading his columns in the tabloids when I came to New York for college, and he helped me understand the city. He was one of several reporters who instilled a love of journalism in me back then, reflecting the romantic

notion of having a platform at a vibrant, big-city newspaper. Though Hamill could be blunt and tough, he was able to touch one’s emotions without being overly sentimental. And over time I came to appreciate his seemingly effortless style — writing lyrical essays on deadline, the poetry of New York. When I heard that he died, I searched my bookshelf for the first collection of his columns, published in 1971, which includes sections on Brooklyn, Vietnam (where he reported for two years), politics, boxing and New York. It’s titled “Irrational Ravings” — a quote from Spiro Agnew, referring to Hamill’s writings, and cited by the author with pride. “In general, my sympathies are with underdogs and against abstraction, authoritarianism and unnecessary cruelty,” Hamill wrote in one of the essays. “I am a free man, a New Yorker, a Democrat and an American. And I would gladly give up the last three descriptions to retain the first.” His comments on writing a newspaper column resonate with me. He noted that “the best a column can hope to do is present a fragment of an event or an idea, hope to move the reader for a few random moments, and remind him of the gathering darkness

before he moves on to” the comics pages. He goes on to describe “these fragments” as “an attempt to discover something about the world and something about myself.”

‘A Holy Mission’

I learned a lot about myself in my encounters with Rabbi Steinsaltz, having been blessed to meet with him a number of times over the last four decades. And whether it was for an interview, an informal discussion or attending one of his lectures, I always came away feeling in awe of the range and depth of his knowledge and inspired by his wisdom, his warmth and modest manner. Surely, he will be remembered most for his monumental, 45-year-long project of translating the entire Talmud from Aramaic into modern Hebrew, along with his own commentary, and then into English. He was hailed as a genius, a modern-day Rashi. But with his intellect and seemingly endless energy and curiosity, he also wrote more than 60 books, ranging from Kabbalah, theology and mysticism to botany and zoology. For all of his brilliance, the rabbi was self-effacing, claiming his Talmud project Please see Rosenblatt, page 22

Thank You, Mr. Ambassador! Guest Columnist Brian Burke

mbassador Dani Dayan recently returned to Israel after four years of service as the Consul General of Israel in New York. Dayan was the chief diplomat representing Israel in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Ohio. His work with a diverse array of Jewish and non-Jewish communities, organizations, politicians, activists, and civil society groups from across the political, racial, ethnic, and religious spectrum earned universal plaudits. While his accomplishments garnered much praise, the one word I and so many others could use to sum up Ambassador Dayan is mensch. As a student at Pitt, I had the privilege of getting to meet Ambassador Dayan twice in person at the Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh. In October 2017, I was given the honor of interviewing the ambassador at an event sponsored by Hillel’s Israel club, Panthers for Israel. In what was one of the highlights of my college experience, I got to speak with Ambassador Dayan about relations between Israel and American Jewry, Jewish pluralism, Israeli politics and foreign policy, and his work at the Consulate General in New York. Ambassador Dayan was nothing but gracious and respectful during our interview and the subsequent Q&A session. While I disagreed with some of his positions, Ambassador Dayan’s willingness to address any topic, honesty, and deep commitment to Jewish peoplehood were evident. A day after the tragedy at Tree of Life,

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dozens of students gathered at Hillel to cry, talk, pray, or just attempt to breathe. A few hours before the community vigil at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, Ambassador Dayan and a few members of his team came to Hillel. There were no cameras, reporters, or events planned for that cold and dark afternoon. He did not have to come to a place where students, those with no positions of authority or influence or on the boards of the countless Jewish organizations he had built relationships with, congregated, let alone speak with any of us there. But he did because he is a true mensch. I got to speak briefly with the ambassador that day. It meant the world to me as a Pittsburgher, student leader at Hillel, and above all else a fellow Jew to know that Ambassador Dayan and the government and people of Israel were with us. Am echad b’lev echad, one nation with one heart indeed. Ambassador Dayan’s acclaimed work with Jewish communities and organizations across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, was, in some ways, a surprise. Born in Argentina, Ambassador Dayan is a secular Jew and security and diplomatic right-wing hawk. He lives in Ma’aleh Shomron, a West Bank settlement in the Samaria region, and previously served as a leader of the settlement advocacy Yesha Council. However, Dayan is a prime example of never judging a book by its cover. He is socially liberal and a true advocate for pluralism in the Jewish state and creating a deeper and stronger relationship between Israeli and American Jews in which each side recognizes the importance and necessity of the other. So much for the religiously conservative right-wing settler stereotype. I believe Ambassador Dayan represents exactly the kind of Israeli that we as American Jews need to cultivate as political and civil

society allies: security and diplomatic hawks, but those with broadly liberal views who could become advocates for greater Jewish pluralism and peoplehood in Israel. When it comes to the relationship between Israel and American Jews (or at least those among us for whom the Israeli rabbinate, rabbinical courts, and oftentimes disparaging views of non-Orthodox Jews and movements elicit sadness, anger, and frustration), too many on the Israeli political right discount many elements of our community because of its majority non-Orthodox composition. The dwindling Israeli left might say all the right things when it comes to pluralism but has little to no influence on government policy (the traditional left-wing Zionist parties have a grand total of six seats in the 120-seat Knesset; two members of the Labor Party joined the current coalition government and serve as ministers). Also, many in this camp do not know how to speak “Jewishly” on these issues because of the overwhelmingly secular nature of the left. The growing Israeli political center and parts of the right are where we as American Jews need to build strong relationships centered around peoplehood and mutual responsibility. We will likely never change the minds of those in the Haredi parties, among conservative religious Zionists, or even the ruling Likud party. However, I am hopeful that positive changes can happen. Besides better-known centrist leaders like Alternate Prime Minister/Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, there are political figures on the right like Dayan who could become true partners in creating a new 21st century relationship by influencing Israeli government policy and public opinion. Diaspora Affairs Minister Omer

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Yankelevich of the Blue and White party, the first female Haredi government minister in Israeli history and on the right-flank of her party; former IDF Chief of Staff and Defense Minister Moshe “Bogie” Ya’alon (number two in the opposition Yesh Atid-Telem); Avigdor Lieberman, the chairman of the right-wing Yisrael Beytenu party and former government minister; and Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel of the Derech Eretz faction, are just a few examples of current political figures who are further to the right than most American Jews vis-a-vis the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and who are not household names, but as members of a broad center-right ideological camp could be just the partners we need. Ambassador Dayan leaves behind an American Jewish community deeply divided in an election year. We argue about who should win in November, Israel, Jewish identity, denominational differences, and just about everything else. Some point to overarching chasms between Israelis and American Jews and fret about the future of this critically important relationship. However, I believe Ambassador Dayan personifies a vision of hope about what can be when we remember kol Yisrael arevim ze baezh, all of Israel is responsible for one another. Kol Hakavod, Mr. Ambassador! You will be missed. PJC Brian Burke is a Pittsburgh native and 2019 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where he studied political science, history, and Jewish studies. In college, he was involved with Hillel and the David Project, holding several leadership positions including president of the Pitt Hillel Jewish Student Union in 2018. Like many early 20-somethings, he is figuring out what comes next amidst the health and economic uncertainties of these times. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Opinion The 19th Amendment, 100 years later Guest Columnists Teddi Horvitz Kelly Nestman

s we continue to grapple with a pandemic that has disproportionately affected communities of color, we have been forced to reckon with systems in our country that perpetuate racism and racist ideas. The electoral process and voting rights are no exception. We are in an unprecedented presidential election season with misinformation about voting rights at every turn. In the midst of the chaos, we are confronted with the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment and its legacy. At the National Council of Jewish Women-Pittsburgh Section, we have been reexamining and unlearning what we think we know about the 19th Amendment, including the idea that it “gave all women” the right to vote. We have been taking these “unlearned” notions and trying to understand how they affect the women, children and families that we work with through our programs. We have also used these notions to identify key advocacy areas and action items to ensure equitable access to the

electoral system through NCJW’s Promote the Vote, Protect the Vote Campaign. This allows advocates to build on the legacy of the 19th Amendment and the 1965 Voting Rights Act through action and advocacy. The 19th Amendment was the result of dedicated, strong and passionate women from across the country. Women were not “given” the right to vote. They claimed it. They fought, starved and died for it. But when the 19th Amendment was ratified, it was not a celebration for all women in this country. Black women were still often excluded from voting and the mainstream suffragette movement. Native American, Latina and Asian women were not always able to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment due to individual state laws and restrictions. The Voting Rights Act was not passed until 45 years later, on Aug. 6, 1965. The intentional barring of non-white people laid the foundation for future exclusion and discrimination of people of color from voting rights, which we still see today. In fact, we see these exclusions play out in very real ways. We see voter suppression, unsafe in-person voting, lack of voter resources in Black and brown communities, misinformation about the validity of mail-in and absentee ballots and even the threat of “pushing back” the election. There are still people who live in this country who cannot vote in some states — including citizens of U.S. territories, individuals with mental

— LETTERS — Blessing of sight often overlooked

It’s very easy to take our senses for granted. As Joni Mitchell says, “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” The blessing of sight is often overlooked. However, in an instant, it can vanish. David Rullo’s interview with Sandy Greenberg in “Hello Darkness, My Old Friend” (July 31), recounting the friendship between Greenberg and Art Garfunkel, is a cautionary piece, and one that personally struck close to home: Sandy Greenberg was a childhood friend to many in my family and, after all, Buffalo is a big small town. Three years ago during an annual ophthalmological exam, I was diagnosed with narrow angles, a condition that can lead to glaucoma and sudden blindness. We are incredibly fortunate that treatments and surgery are now available to correct this otherwise disastrous and lifechanging condition. Yet, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, of the large number of adults who report having eye problems (64%), only 13% of them have seen a doctor for an eye exam. The 2020 End Blindness prize that will award $3 million to the deserving team needs to focus on public awareness of necessary ophthalmological yearly exams, especially for those 40 years and older, to correct what is now a preventable blindness condition. Dori Oshlag Squirrel Hill

Notable events ignored in Chronicle feature

I have been mystified for some time by the events that the Center for Israel Education provides the Chronicle (“This Week in Israeli history,” ongoing). I wondered why the dates were not notable in Jewish history, rather than being limited to Israeli history. How, in fact, can the two be separated? They can’t — as a regular reading of the feature clearly demonstrates. The CIE notes, for example, the Aug. 4 publication of an article by Mordecai Kaplan “laying the groundwork for Reconstructionist Judaism.” How, one might ask, is that related to Israel history? Ah, the item cleverly closes with what no doubt is a barely noticed phrase — Kaplan’s article “includes Zionism as a key component.”

Correction In “Studying Community: Youth groups provide meaningful opportunities for Jewish engagement “ (August 7), Beth Schwartz was identified as president of Temple Emanuel. Schwartz is vice president. The Chronicle regrets the error. PJC PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

health issues and convicted felons. The celebration of the 19th Amendment is filled with a complicated history. In an effort to undo and unlearn the damage inflicted upon generations of people of color in this country, we must call attention to the racist, inequitable systems we rely on for our public elections. Yes, the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment is important history. But it also reminds us that there is more to be done. As people who benefit from white privilege, we understand that we must do more to ensure voting rights for everyone and cannot remain silent. At NCJW, our guiding principle tzedek tzedek tirdof, or “justice, justice shall you pursue,” drives us to advocate for this change because we believe that equality is a core Jewish value. As a result, we have identified a few key ways that the Jewish community can use this anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment as a call to action: Register to vote and request a mail-in ballot. You can do this online at votespa.org. Due to the delays that the postal service is experiencing, make sure that you send in your ballot as soon as possible or by Oct. 20, 2020, at the latest. For this election, your postage is paid for, so no need for a stamp. Don’t forget to remind your family, friends and neighbors, too. Volunteer to work the polls if you can. Part of protecting the vote includes being aware of warning signs of voter obstacles at the

polls. If you would like more information about these warning signs or volunteering at the polls with our Protect and Promote the Vote Campaign, feel free to contact us. Call your legislators to encourage them to support the passage of voter registration reforms. In Pennsylvania, these can include automatic voter registration and same day voter registration. Voter registration reforms increase voter turnout, benefit underrepresented communities and make voter rolls more accurate and less expensive to maintain. Research, listen, unlearn. As we experience a culture that struggles with racial identities and intersections, it is important to listen to Black and brown individuals and communities about what they are asking for to increase voter turnout. This means researching anti-racist practices and using them to unlearn what we have internalized about voting rights, elections and who gets to participate in this system. If you want to join us on our journey of unlearning, check out our “What I’m (Un)Learning” initiative on social media. For more information, go to our website, ncjwpgh.org. PJC Teddi Horvitz is president of NCJW Pittsburgh Section. Kelly Nestman is program manager of the Center for Women, NCJW Pittsburgh Section.

In addition to learning about Kaplan’s article, your readers might — if they found it of the slightest interest — have learned the birthdate of an obscure Israeli politician, and the date of death of an equally obscure composer. What they would not have read was one word about one of the great tragedies of Jewish history: the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. Apparently that lacked a sufficient connection to Israel to be worthy of the CIE’s attention. But that shouldn’t have missed the Chronicle’s attention too. Surely your readers are worthy of a more a comprehensive look at Jewish history than what the CIE can conceive of. The Bialystok Ghetto uprising began on Aug. 20, 1943, and Leopold Zunz was born on Aug. 10, 1794. Since neither is amenable to an easy connection to Israeli history, I assume the CIE will overlook them both. Will the Chronicle do the same? The CIE may be a useful resource for the Chronicle, but it certainly isn’t a sufficient one. Finding notable dates in Jewish history is not a formidable task. I hope the Chronicle will broaden its search so that it will more effectively achieve what I assume is its intent — to offer its readers glimpses into their rich history. Ann Sheckter Powell Pittsburgh

Still waving to cyclists, but gave up the Harley

In regard to “Life is a chai-way for these Jewish bikers” (Aug. 7), I drove a Harley until I was 80 (I am now 95). I stopped because I couldn’t lift it anymore. Also the helmet became too heavy. I wished there was a Jewish group then. I still have my jacket and trousers, if anyone wants them. They are fairly short.

A small Jewish world

Marion Damick Squirrel Hill

Pittsburgh was my home for many years, but I now live in San Diego. Because of COVID-19, I haven’t met many people in my new retirement community. Our menu often has lox and bagels and pastrami sandwiches. Occasionally, even matzah ball soup. There are Shabbat services but they’ve been cancelled because of quarantine rules. But I have been waiting to make my first Jewish friend. Guess who introduced us? My daughter was visiting me outside and reading the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle to me. A gentleman strolled by on his walker and said, “Oh, a Yiddishe maideleh is reading to her mameleh!” So the Chronicle introduced me to my first M.O.T. here in Paradise Village. Thought you’d like to know. Beverly King Pollock aka “Quoth the Maven” (Chronicle columnist 1967-’78) San Diego, California

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AUGUST 14, 2020 13

Headlines Holidays: Continued from page 1

services. “If we don’t do tashlich in person then we’ll have a guide to do it. We may take it to the next level and not just send out materials but do a little ‘helper video.’” “As part of our interpretation and understanding of the Torah text, we have come to the understanding that we are to live by the commandments, rather than die by them,” Temple Emanuel of South Hills Rabbi Aaron Meyer said, supporting his congregation’s decision not to hold physical services this year. “Choosing life has become more poignant in the age of COVID-19.” To ensure its goal of “crafting the most meaningful High Holiday experience and preserve human life,” the congregation has crafted a hybrid model that employs YouTube, Facebook Live and Zoom, and in-person experiences for tashlich, a cemetery remembrance service and neighborhood shofar blowing events. “While we agonize over every different parameter within the decision, keeping our values front and center made this the clear choice,” said Meyer, echoing the feelings of many of the local congregations that have opted not to host in-person services. Temple Ohav Shalom in Allison Park is following its “Summer of Hope” — which featured guest speakers for online Shabbat services — with an experience called “Fall into Faith: The High Holy Days of Comfort.” “We’re looking at the High Holy Days as a transformative experience,” and finding ways to bring the “essence” of the High Holidays to members in a safe way, explained Temple Ohav Shalom’s Rabbi Jeremy Weisblatt. The congregation has plans to incorporate

Brandeis: Continued from page 1

Rubin was quick to state that a statistic for a particular demographic should not be examined on its own, but rather should be compared to the corresponding data of other demographics. For instance, while 9% of 18to 34-year-olds said they needed and did not get mental health services, 2% of 34- to 49-year-olds and only 1% of 50- to 74-yearolds responded similarly. That number drops to 0% in the 75+ demographic. Through that comparison, Rubin explained, “we can definitely say with confidence that that’s the demographic [young adults] that we need to focus on in terms of mental health.” Another key finding of the study, according to Rubin, is that economic need is greatest “for the people who were in need before the pandemic. Those that were in need before got hit the worst.” Individuals and families that considered themselves well-off may have experienced a downturn in their financial fortunes, Rubin noted, but “those that said they didn’t have enough money beforehand were, by far, the highest number of people to say their financial situation got worse.” “I was surprised to hear there wasn’t a lot of

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visual tefillah into the services as well as make prayer books available to members. All Pittsburgh area congregations, in fact, are working to ensure members have access to prayer books and, in some cases, yizkor candles and other holiday needs. Congregation Beth Shalom also will be virtual for the High Holidays, streaming its services. The Conservative congregation will, however, “have a small handful of people” in the sanctuary “to conduct the service,” according to Ken Turkewitz, the congregation’s interim executive director. In an email to its members, Beth El Congregation of the South Hills announced that High Holiday services would be “happening remotely to allow for social distancing.” A few miles away, the other South Hills Conservative synagogue, Congregation Ahavath Achim in Carnegie, will have in-person services. The congregation is currently accepting reservations and has plans to Zoom its services for those unable to attend. Due to capacity restrictions, Shaare Torah, an Orthodox congregation in Squirrel Hill, plans to host several services throughout the day, according to Rabbi Daniel Wasserman. The services will be “in our main sanctuary and in our social hall and there will, possibly, be an outdoor option, plus some predetermined social dwellings throughout the city at predetermined spots and times on the second day,” Wasserman said. Details still need to be finalized, but Wasserman said services would be shorter than usual to “facilitate multiple services.” The need for social distancing and capacity restrictions may require Shaare Torah to do something atypical for the congregation. “Someone may come and we may tell them we don’t have room in that service

for them,” Wasserman said. “It’s not something I’m happy about. People are more than welcome to come but we may not be able to accommodate them.” If worshipers come and there is no room, Wasserman said, they will be asked to wait to see if everyone expected arrives, or told that they can attend the next service with space available. Like Shaare Torah, all of the Chabad centers in the Pittsburgh area are planning in-person High Holiday services. “We’re going to have organized services, obviously with social distancing and masks, if that’s still the requirement,” said Chabad of Squirrel Hill’s Rabbi Yisroel Altein. “This year, we are asking people to register and let us know they’re coming so that we know we are within capacity and, if people are coming together, a family, we’ll be able to maximize the space we have with social distancing.” Chabad of Monroeville is sending out a High Holiday registration form, Rabbi Mendy Schapiro explained. The form will explain that there will be no Zoom services and that there are plans to celebrate the High Holidays in person. The space where those services will be held, though, has not yet been determined. “There are two options we’re looking at: an indoor space with more limited crowds and possibly two services; option two would be an outdoor location we have within the community. Whoever signs up through our website will receive the information a few days before leading up to Rosh Hashana.” “Nothing is confirmed except that we will be doing a regular service in the sanctuary that will be highly limited,” said Chabad of the South Hills’ Rabbi Mendy Rosenblum. “The most we can fit in the space is 40 people. That’s going to be reservation-only even though Chabad is usually wide open.”

Rosenblum also plans to offer an abridged service multiple times throughout the day, based on the number of people interested, that will include the “essence of davening.” Rabbi Ron Symons pointed out that the goal of this year’s High Holidays “is to maintain social distancing while ensuring connection.” Several hundred people have attended the Jewish Community Center’s Center for Loving Kindness High Holiday programs the last several years. This year, Symons, who heads the Center for Loving Kindness, is working on “Rosh Hashana in the Park,” to be held at the Henry Kaufmann Family Park in Monroeville. The physically distanced program “is dependent on what we are allowed to do and what is in the best interest of the community.” Already decided, Symons explained, is Yom Kippur’s Zoom program, called “High Holidays of Hope.” “We’re going to explore the lessons the Jewish community of Charlottesville, Virginia learned during and after the Unite the White rally of 2017,” Symons said. Temple Sinai’s Crystal recommends that no matter where you celebrate the High Holidays you prepare to make the time special. “You may want to get flowers, you want to make sure your devices are silenced,” the rabbi said. “You might want to think about the clothes you wear.” Another suggestion from the rabbi is plugging your computer into your television and watching the service on a big screen. “Sanctifying the space is really important.” PJC

new need,” said Aviva Lubowsky , the director of marketing and development for Hebrew Free Loan Association of Pittsburgh. “That may speak to the fact that the Jewish community as a whole has more resources available. I think that there are some protective elements in the Jewish community.” On the other hand, Lubowsky was not surprised to learn that people “who already had need were hit doubly hard.” HFL has seen repeat borrowers during the pandemic, she noted, lending credence to the study’s numbers. One positive finding in the study is that seniors seemed to be weathering the coronavirus outbreak relatively well. Social isolation, for instance, was not a major stressor for the demographic. Those numbers are in line with much of what is being found on the national level, Rubin explained, but he credits the Pittsburgh Jewish community with recognizing early on that “seniors were a high risk group” and “working to ensure they weren’t socially isolated.” Nor were seniors experiencing a disproportionate amount of financial concern. “We did not find a tremendous amount of need in seniors,” Rubin said, in contrast to the 18- to 34-year-old group which did feel “a tremendous amount of concern for the future.” “That makes sense,” Rubin said. Seniors “are going to be more financially secure.

They are going to have their savings lined up. They’re not going to be as worried about their financial futures as young adults are right now with everything being so volatile.” One of Federation’s roles is to coordinate care “across Jewish agencies to make sure that we’re getting rid of areas of overlap and, where there are beneficiary agencies, to make sure we’re taking advantage of them as a community,” explained Adam Hertzman, the Federation’s director of marketing. The Federation, he said, is working to ensure that families in crisis, “who often have a set of needs that are connected,” meet those needs through coordination across agencies. “To give you an example, when someone loses a job, they don’t just necessarily need employment assistance,” Hertzman said. “They may need food assistance; they may be thrown into food insecurity. They may need mental counseling or have physical health needs. They may need support for kids in the house. There is a whole set of connected needs. It’s more important than ever that we’re connecting all the dots.” Pittsburgh is one of 10 communities where the Brandeis group conducted COVID-19 studies, according to principal investigator Janet Krasner Aronson. The other regions included Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Greater MetroWest New Jersey, Palm Beach and South Palm Beach County,

St. Louis and Washington, D.C. The Pittsburgh survey was conducted in May, when the pandemic’s grip on the region seemed to be lessening, and captures a moment in time for the community — a time when other factors, too, began to affect people’s thoughts, including the upcoming presidential elections and the George Floyd protests, according to Aronson. “The conversation about what people were worried about shifted,” she said. “It expanded. We can’t separate that from what was going on with the pandemic.” Despite the conditions on the ground, Aronson said, the survey is valid. “We can learn a lot from it.” She said that if the survey were conducted at a later date, first summer camp and then concerns about the start of school would be larger issues. The study was based on 1,293 people from lists provided by the Federation that were culled from local large Jewish organizations. The value of the survey is to give a “direction about where to direct resources and attention,” Aronson said. “We know everyone is affected by this in different ways,” Rubin offered. “We want to understand how this is going to affect the Jewish community in the next year.” PJC

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David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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Headlines Fundraise: Continued from page 2

Since March, Federation has allocated $1.6 million in direct COVID-19 response. The money has come from a reallocation of existing Federation dollars as well as additional donations. The Jewish National Fund campaign director for Pittsburgh, Jeff Koch, has not had the opportunity to develop longterm relationships with donors. He started working at the agency in November, four months before COVID-19 forced the closure of most businesses and social distancing. He calls himself “a relationship-building person — that’s who I am. Nothing is going to replace getting to meet with someone face-to-face.” Koch said he wants to learn about people: “I want to hear their story. I want to hear their connection to Judaism and Pittsburgh and how that correlates to their love for Israel.” Because COVID-19 has made physical meetings impossible, JNF has “pivoted and gotten creative,” Koch explained, pointing to the organization’s annual Breakfast for Israel which moved online this year and featured

Grossman: Continued from page 3

“Between my cantor and Ben Vincent, they have taught me so much — much, much more Judaism than I ever knew — and it just made me appreciate my Jewishness,” she said. Life cycle events are best cherished in

Knesset member Sharren Haskel, as well as Temple Sinai’s Rabbi Emeritus Jamie Gibson. Nationally, JNF created Spectacular Sunday, a streaming event on Facebook and YouTube, which marked the biggest day of fundraising in the history of the organization. The speakers featured in that program included Gal Gadot, Mark Spitz and Sen. Joseph Lieberman. From Aug. 24-28 the nonprofit is offering virtual tours of Israel. Pittsburghers continue to donate to JNF, according to Koch, noting that “there are still some people who feel very strongly that ‘I give, and I give for a reason, and I plan on giving you the same support.’” Others have been forced to cut back on their giving, though. “There’s other people who say, ‘Jeff, I’d love to continue my support. I may have to give a little bit less this year,’” Koch said. “People are looking at their finances, looking at the stock market. The conversation has led to them saying, even if they can’t do it this moment, ‘when things hopefully level out again, I really look forward to meeting you.’” For Friendship Circle Pittsburgh Executive Director Rabbi Mordy Rudolph, fundraising, like programming, can be summed up by

one word in the age of coronavirus: adaption. “The only thing that’s certain is uncertainty,” Rudolph said. “Everything changes constantly. There is, obviously, sensitivities with businesses that have supported us in the past. Some folks we know, just from being part of the world around us, are struggling.” Friendship Circle’s programs engage youth and adults with diverse abilities in a full range of social activities. The organization’s largest fundraiser, Friends All Around, was scheduled for April. It did not take place as planned. “We lowered our expectations, didn’t have a physical event. It ended up being a virtual event where we sent out a tribute book, paying tribute to our graduating seniors and tried to accomplish as much of the mission of the event as we could,” Rudolph said. The reconfigured fundraiser was able to reach its amended goal, according to the rabbi. And, while the forecast fundraising goal was lower, so were the associated costs. The nonprofit has worked to pivot from live, in-person fundraisers. “Federation has been very helpful, increasing their allocation this year due to COVID-19 and other foundations have stepped up or increased

support,” said Rudolph. When the opportunity presents itself, Friendship Circle has engaged the community. A case in point was its drive-by carnival at Schenley Park. The nonprofit has also continued to communicate its message. “There’s a story posted on our window so you can read that and connect,” said Rudolph. “It’s allowing the feeling of community to happen.” The pandemic has presented one opportunity Friendship Circle has attempted to leverage: It is selling face masks — dubbed Communicator Masks and designed in collaboration with iKippah and donated by Marc Tobias — that allow deaf individuals to read the lips of those wearing them. While Jewish not-for-profits have had to adjust their practices and goals, the Federation’s Eglash believes the community will survive and thrive. “Pittsburgh is a special place,” he said. “When you add the heimish aspect of the community, it’s really amazing. Our community’s incredible, and we are resilient, we’re going to get through this and we will be stronger as a result.” PJC

the company of loved ones, so Grossman planned to cling tightly to what she could last week. Almost four years to the day of her husband’s death, Grossman wore the same tallis he wore when celebrating his own bar mitzvah nearly 80 years ago in New Castle. But as much as the service offered a nod to the past, it was all about the future, explained

Grossman. Along with becoming a bat mitzvah, Grossman planned to spend the Shabbat service celebrating her 3-year-old great-granddaughter Adeline Trivilino, of Canonsburg, who would be receiving a Hebrew name. “I am so thrilled about that, because she is special to me,” said Grossman. Marking these moments together is a

blessing, noted Goldstein, Grossman’s daughter: “There’s so many people my age that don’t have their parents. I know how lucky I am and how blessed I am and how fortunate I am. It couldn’t be more special, that’s for sure.” PJC

Kesher: Continued from page 7

will be numerous options for connectivity and learning for members of all ages, explained Fife. Launched in 2019, Kesher Kids is the Kesher community’s part-time Jewish education program. Predicated on ageappropriate experiential learning, students within the community’s four groups (from kindergarten to sixth grade) will meet weekly (initially online, but in-person when safe to do so) as well as work on monthly outdoor tikkun olam projects. Chaim Steinberg, a local Jewish educator and Young Judaea Pittsburgh advisor who previously taught at Kesher Kids, will return to provide the experiential component while Fife will deliver “the Jewish values piece,” she said. This will be complemented by the addition of Mayo, who with her drama therapy and spiritual direction backgrounds, will be “bringing movement and body practice, and a traumainformed approach to content.” As much as there’s an emphasis on educating children within the Kesher community by “embedding anti-oppression skills into the learning,” adults will experience their own opportunities for enrichment beginning on Yom Kippur, continued Fife. With a specific focus on teshuva, Judaism

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“ We are really gearing ourselves toward being at the intersection of spirituality

”

and social justicee.

— KOHENET KESHIRA HALEV FIFE

and anti-racism, Kesher members of all ages can look forward to a meaningful holiday season: “There’ll be anti-racist story time for the youngest kids, things to engage middle and high school age kids, and adult conversations happening.” Kesher isn’t the only community to augment its High Holiday offerings. Given the pandemic, congregations throughout the country are strategizing how best to reach congregants while the pews remain unused. Kesher Pittsburgh, with its lack of a permanent brick-and-mortar building — services and gatherings are streamed from Fife’s Regent Square home — plans on hosting both virtual and in-person programming during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

“We’re very excited to do tashlich and havdalah on the water, and to be having conversations around decolonizing land and water and our relationship to environmental justice while we do embodied ritual in a safe and distanced way,” said Fife. At the end of Yom Kippur “we will be having a sacred car-cacophony where people can come to a parking lot and experience havdalah and a final shofar blast” during which participants can sound their own shofars together. Within each setting measures will be taken to ensure safety, but whether it’s tashlich on the water or havdalah in a car, “we want to give people ways to see each other in person and to have embodied experiences,” said Fife. “Judaism is so embodied

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David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

and we can be embodied by ourselves. But there’s something really powerful about hearing other voices. Even if we’re in the car and we just hear the waft of havdalah, to hear the sounds of other voices, to hear the sounds of other shofars, to see the candle in person, it matters.” Fife is excited about the new programs and changes, and looks forward to many more throughout the year, even if the outcome means a different type of Kesher community. When in-person gatherings largely ended months ago, she explained, there were those who said that digital connection wasn’t their forte and that they would rejoin Kesher after the pandemic. “This is not to say that those folks won’t be welcomed back, of course they’ll be welcomed back, but if they’re holding the expectation that they’re going to return to what we did in February, hopefully they’ll be pleasantly surprised to see how much growth and change has occurred,” said Fife. “The shape of our community and the faces of our community are changing, the conversation is evolving and growing week on week when we come together to light candles or we come together each month for Shabbat. We’re changing and growing with the times.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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Life & Culture Food for thought: Memories of naunte and marble cake — FOOD — By Moishe Siebzener and Deena Ross

I grew up in Manhattan, living on the seventh floor of an apartment building, while my Nana (grandmother) lived on the sixth floor of the same building. I remember watching TV regularly at my Nana’s apartment when I needed to take a break from my parents. My Nana was always there to listen when I needed to talk and always made me feel so loved. My favorite memory of my childhood is Friday afternoons, when my Nana came up to our apartment for cake and tea. Every week, my Nana was charged with whipping up a cake for the whole family to enjoy as a pre-Shabbat treat. Her go-to cake was a marble pound cake. I still remember daydreaming about Friday cake while sitting in math and biology

class and running out of school on Fridays to get home for cake with Nana. — Deena Ross

6 large eggs 3 cups cake flour ¼ cup cocoa

Naunte ½ pound honey 1 ½ pounds walnuts ½ cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray Bundt pan well to avoid cake sticking. Beat sugar and margarine for 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla, salt and eggs. Beat for 3 minutes. Add cake flour and beat for a final 2 minutes. Place 1 cup of batter into a separate bowl and mix in cocoa. Pour vanilla batter into Bundt pan. Place large spoonfuls of chocolate batter in the middle on the vanilla batter. With a knife, marble the chocolate batter into the vanilla batter. Bake for one hour, or until a knife/toothpick can be removed from the cake with no batter. Remove from pan, cool and enjoy! PJC

On a low fire, simmer sugar and honey until a low boil. Add nuts and stir until the mixture becomes a gooey paste. Then, pour the mixture onto a parchment sheet and flatten until ¼-inch thick. Place in the refrigerator to cool. Once completely cooled, break or bend off pieces as desired. Enjoy! Marble Pound Cake 2 ¼ cups sugar 1 ½ cup softened margarine 1 tablespoon vanilla ¾ teaspoon salt

Sisters: Continued from page 9

husband was happy. He didn’t mind all of the baking because he got to sample everything.” As the trio discovered, there are a few logistical issues to preparing 1,200 items. Apart from having to start baking weeks prior to sale, when it came to storage, the group packed their own freezers as well as one belonging to a friend of Kerr. Also, for cleanliness purposes, the three bakers decided to wrap each of the 1,200 pieces individually. When asked how much plastic wrap was used in the process, Kerr replied, “No clue, but I went through a lot of butter, flour, sugar and eggs.” 16 AUGUST 14, 2020

p One of 1200 treats.

Photo courtesy of Toby Lazear

On the day of the bake sale, instead of pricing each item separately, the sisters asked for a donation and allowed people to take whatever they liked. The model proved successful. With nearly $4,000 raised at day’s end, the Lazears had only 100 items remaining. Though there is now plenty of room in the freezers, the sisters said they each plan on bringing some leftovers back to school to give to friends who donated from afar. Social distancing, mask wearing by all, repeated hand sanitizer use, and considerable rain, also marked the event. The takeaways were apparent, explained Kerr: “When your grandkids are 18 and 20 there’s not a whole lot

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Moishe Siebzener and Deena Ross are owners of Creative Kosher.

you can do to contribute to them, and this was one thing that I could do and it made a difference for them, and they appreciated it and that was great.” But while rejoining her granddaughters for another fundraiser was fun, the real treat was seeing them embody a particular lesson. “I found this poster years ago and it reads, ‘Ten two-letter words to live by: If it is to be, it is up to me,’” said Kerr. “The girls know that I feel this way, that if you want something to happen you have to make it happen.” It’s a message that’s relevant regardless of age, continued Kerr: “People should know they can make a difference.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Photo by Magone/iStockphoto.com

As a child, my siblings and I looked forward to making naunte with my grandmother for Passover. We would see our mother take out the all the Passover utensils, the wooden bowl, a red-handled chopper for chopping nuts and the mixer beaters my sister was sure to lick the batter from. With each item taken out of storage, we would get more and more excited because we knew it was almost time to make naunte with our grandmother. The day before Passover, my grandmother would arrive with all the ingredients to make our beloved naunte. As we cooked, the smell of sugar, honey and nuts boiling would make our mouths water with anticipation of our favorite treat. Once the mixture was boiled correctly, we would each take a turn pouring the mixture onto aluminum foil and then my grandmother would place the foil in the fridge to cool. That night, my siblings and I would sneak downstairs to fight over who got that year’s first gooey bite of naunte. While my grandmother passed away many years ago, her tradition lives on. Naunte is not only a family staple at our Passover meals, we eat naunte year-round. — Moishe Siebzener

Photo by Qwart/iStockphoto.com

ometimes food goes beyond just taste and nutrition. Particular dishes can evoke powerful and dear memories — another reason to heat up the stove and get busy in the kitchen. Here are two memories, and two recipes, from the owners of Creative Kosher, a Pittsburgh-based kosher catering service.

Life & Culture ‘An American Pickle’ is half-sour, still charming bite of Jewish magical realism — STREAMING — By Jordan Hoffman | Times of Israel

et’s talk, for a moment, about pickles. I don’t just mean a thin warm disc pressed atop a hamburger, and I don’t mean un petit cornichon that rolls off the side of a salad. Not one of those enormous cucumbers sloshing in a plastic pouch of weird green liquid, either. I mean a pickle. A pickle you don’t just taste, but you hear. When you pull a gherkin brined in salt and vinegar and spices (I like black peppercorn) out of a barrel, take it home in a glass jar, then reach in deep past the knuckles, grab it, chomp into it, and it snaps, you know what to expect. A full sour sensation slowly cascades over you; an undertow pulling you back to the pungent troubles and tragedies of our ancestors. “An American Pickle” — streaming on HBO Max — is a silly, slim movie produced by and starring Seth Rogen, written by Simon Rich and adapted from one of his short stories. (The director, Brandon Trost, is a cinematographer known for successful mid-budget movies, making his solo feature-length debut.) At 82 minutes this is more of a snack than a meal, but it is packed with flavor. Despite a limited cast, a preposterous story and the worst “fake New York” in a while — it was filmed largely in Pittsburgh — it still has its charms as a magical realist Jewish fable. We begin in the Old Country, the muddy

Eastern European land of “Schlupsk,” where Herschel Greenbaum (Rogen) digs ditches with broken tools and swoons for a woman (Sarah Snook) too broke to buy a smoked fish. These are people who suffer with a smile, and dream of a better future for their offspring. They marry and, surviving a Cossack raid, come to America. Herschel takes a job chasing rats at a pickle factory, and one day he falls in a vat of brine, which preserves him in salty stasis for 100 years. Rip Van Winklestein emerges in modern Brooklyn as a miracle of science, and the doctors trace down a man the same age as Herschel: his great-grandson Ben, also played by Seth Rogen. Ben is a friendly, but somewhat introverted, would-be creator of socially conscious apps. He lives alone, his parents having died in an accident, thus leaving him enough money to remain gun shy about actually showing his ideas to investors. While Herschel is at first impressed with his distant offspring (he does, after all, own upwards of 25 pairs of socks) he quickly becomes disgusted by his prevaricating nature. When Ben refuses to take action upon seeing the awful state of the Greenbaum family plots (the cemetery blocked by a Russian “Cossack” vodka billboard), the elder Greenbaum breaks away, and the pair begin a series of coyote-and-road-runnerstyle acts of one-upmanship. I know it sounds crazy to say “and here’s where it gets far-fetched” about a movie based on surviving for a century in a pickle

barrel, but when the tone shifts from fantasy to satire, it quickly goes downhill. Scenes lampooning “Brooklyn blogger culture” are painfully tone-deaf. The jokes don’t land, are a tiny bit insulting, and don’t even understand how social media really works. Luckily, anything that feels too phony can be explained away — this is a fable, remember, and not to be taken seriously. Also, at such a short running time, not many story beats last very long. And to the film’s benefit, what does work is what occupies the spotlight most of the time: Seth Rogen, in a surprisingly good double performance. Rogen, whom I have kvelled over in the past, has long established himself as one of our better comedic actors. While “An American Pickle” is hardly “Richard III,” there is more serious acting done here than in many of his typical slacker-stoner comedies. As Herschel and Ben outfox one another in their ridiculous schemes, things ultimately climax at a synagogue in what I swear is a very touching and extremely Jewish moment of redemption. The younger Ben, extremely secular, finds if not a love for, then at least a personal connection to, the religion of his people in the ending scenes. There’s some extra-cinematic significance to all this, considering the brouhaha that surrounded Rogen while promoting the film. Chances are this very juicy story of the moment will soon fade — unless I’m wrong, in which case it will grow into the ultimate

example of internecine Jewish disagreement, studied in textbooks for years. In case you’ve missed “The Rogen Affair,” it began when he appeared on a podcast with Jewish host Marc Maron and said that his Jewish education intentionally misdirected him about Israeli history. The two very funny men commenced jawing and joking in the brash style that usually works for them, but did so in a context-free way with such a sense of security that they forgot that people without their fuller understanding of Jewish history would be listening. The far-left anti-Zionist blog Mondoweiss quickly printed a sensationalist headline, and soon Seth Rogen was being championed by the very eager (and disquietingly vast) hordes of Israel-haters ready to anoint Rogen as “one of the good ones.” What I personally find so indisputably perfect about all this is that his mother soon swooped in behind the scenes to yell at him, and force him to speak with Isaac Herzog, head of The Jewish Agency. He’s a good son, he did what he was told, but he later admitted he only did it to make his mother happy, and he still stands by what he actually said. These are serious topics and Hollywood stars do have a significant influence, but Seth Rogen’s mother (who is very funny on Twitter) grabbing her world famous son by the ear as the defender of the faith is something that really speaks to me. And this cross-generational misunderstanding, at least I find, makes “An American Pickle” a little bit sweeter. PJC

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Celebrations

Torah

Bat mitzvah

Constructing new heights to scale when the mountains are unattainable Rabbi Daniel Yolkut Parshat Re’eh Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17

P Paige Elyse Solomon, daughter of Sheila and Brett Solomon, will become a bat mitzvah at Adat Shalom Synagogue on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. Grandparents are Debbie and Dennis Roth, Maxine Solomon and the late Larry Solomon. Paige was originally planning to become a bat mitzvah in May 2020, but due to the unforeseen consequences of COVID-19, she opted to learn a new Torah portion and will now have her special service in person with close family and via Zoom for out of town family and friends. PJC

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arshat Re’eh introduces a dramatic ceremony that our ancestors were tasked with performing upon their triumphant entry into the Land of Israel: “Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse ... And it will be, when the Lord, your God, will bring you to the land to which you come, to possess it, that you shall place those blessing upon Mount Gerizim, and those cursing upon Mount Eival. Are they not on the other side of the Jordan, way beyond, in the direction of the sunset, in the land of the Canaanites, who dwell in the plain, opposite Gilgal, near the plains of Moreh?” As fleshed out in greater detail in Devarim 27, the Kohanim and Levites were to lead the people in a public affirmation of the values of the Torah, blessing and maledicting respectively those who upheld or violated those values. This was to take place on the two mountains mentioned above, Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival, which are located on the hilltop range in the heartland of the Land of Israel. (In one of the most amazing Israeli archaeological discoveries of the last half century, Dr Adam Zertal of University of Haifa has made a very convincing argument identifying the altar commanded by the Torah to be built as part of the ceremony on Mount Eival.) However, there is an issue hotly debated in rabbinic literature about this ceremony. On the one hand, the Torah is clear about the location. At the same time, Devarim 27:2 implies that this covenantal ceremony is to take place immediately on entry into the Land, “on the day you cross the Jordan.” These are seemingly irreconcilable: Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival lay miles and miles from the Jordan, across enemy territory that would require weeks and weeks of intense warfare to fall under Jewish control. There are a number of different approaches to solve this dilemma, but the most fascinating is that of the Talmudic sage Rabbi Elazar: “They formed two mounds of earth and named one Mount Gerizim and one Mount Eival” (Jerusalem Talmud, Sotah 7:2). Rabbi Elazar believed that at that point, indeed, Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival proper were not accessible to the Jewish

people, but rather than abandon the mitzvah, they created faux mountains to be able to retain the spirit and letter of the Torah. This reconstruction, imagining our ancestors freshly arrived in the Land, heaping up earth to be able to immediately express their commitment to God and his Torah, is profoundly moving. One of the many unsettling aspects of the world of COVID-19 is the thwarting of so many of our plans and goals. The inability to actualize things important to us — in our religious lives, our families, professionally — has caused a vertigo and at times paralysis. Rabbi Elazar teaches us that even when the mountaintops that are our goals are inaccessible, we should not succumb to a feeling of defeat. Instead, we need to in the meantime creatively construct new heights to scale within the confines of our present reality.

Rabbi Elazar teaches us that even when the mountaintops that are our goals are inaccessible, we should not succumb to a feeling of defeat. In four weeks, we will welcome the new year of 5781. Many of us have unfulfilled stirrings of bettering ourselves as parents, children, grandparents or spouses, of growth in our commitment to the Torah, by integrating values like Torah study, daily prayer, Shabbat observance, kashrut and mikveh, but that for a variety of reasons feel like those destinations lie for us behind enemy lines. As descendants of the mound builders, we should remind ourselves that fulfilling aspiration is indeed attainable, even if we may need to form the short-term goals ourselves. PJC Rabbi Daniel Yolkut is the spiritual leader of Congregation Poale Zedeck. This column is a service of the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Pittsburgh.

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Obituaries BALSAM: Alan Edward Balsam passed away June 14, 2020, at 2:19 a.m. in Baptist Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky, at the age of 66. He was buried in the Poale Zedeck Cemetery in Pittsburgh on June 15, 2020, at 3 p.m. He attended Hillel Academy and graduated, then went on to study at Sh’or Yoshuv Rabbinical Institute in Far Rockaway, New York. His career was mostly in sales and management. His favorite quote: “Stay away from negative people, they find a problem for every solution” —Albert Einstein. He enjoyed sports and most of all studying Torah. His mother was the late Helen (Pearstein) Balsam. His adopted father Alan F. Balsam and his stepmother Betty B. Barlow (Balsam) reside in White Oak, Pennsylvania. Due to the pandemic virus, limited services were permitted. Rabbi Daniel Wasserman officiated. Memorial donations may be sent to Anshei S’Fard Synagogue, 3700 Dutchmans Lane, Louisville, KY 40205. COHEN: Allan Cohen, on Friday, July 31, 2020. Beloved husband of Lois Cohen for almost 66 years. Beloved son of the late Frank and Esther Cohen. Beloved father of Lawrence (and his wife Kristin) and Norman (and his wife Anne). Beloved brother of Arthur Cohen (late Lois). Also, eight grandchildren, Frank, Sarah, Kelsey (Anthony Brach), Ian, Molly, Evan, Joe and Kate and one great-grandchild, Kira (Brach). Also

survived by nieces and nephews, Frayda Cohen and Herb (and his wife Sue) Cohen and great-nieces, Mara and Esther Cohen. Private graveside services and interment were held at Beth Shalom Cemetery on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020. Contributions may be made in memory of Allan Cohen to Equal Justice Initiative, 122 Commerce St., Montgomery, AL 36104 (eji.org). Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com COHEN: Malkah (Rosenthal) Cohen, 92, mom and wife of 61 years to the late Dr. Melvin L. Cohen, passed away peacefully at home in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 27, 2020. Malkah was born and raised in Pittsburgh, daughter of the late Ida and Marcus Rosenthal of Squirrel Hill, where she graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in biology. She began working as a medical illustrator as well as a Hebrew School teacher at the Tree of Life Congregation. She married Dr. Melvin Cohen in 1950 and eventually moved to Phoenix in 1957. Malkah was a formidable life force — smart, witty, fun, feisty, strong and opinionated. Together, Malkah and Mel with Phoenix Children’s Hospital left a lasting legacy with their dedication and hard work in pediatrics. Malkah will be missed by her four children, Ellen Harper (Tom), Dr. Joseph Cohen (Julia), Jan Hancock and Tammie Cohen

(the late Dewey Stark); her grandchildren, Danny and Chad Harper, Hunter and Taylor Hancock (Tommy Mac); and her brother Eliezer Rosenthal (Joy). Malkah was sisterin-law to Marcia Cohen Solomon (Mel), the late Stanford (Jean) Cohen and aunt to 10 nieces and nephews, including the late Cecil and David Rosenthal. Malkah Cohen’s family had a private family burial arranged by Sinai Mortuary and Mt. Sinai Cemetery, officiated by Cantor Ross Wolman of Temple Chai. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Malkah Cohen’s memory to: Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation, 2929 E Camelback Road, Suite 122, Phoenix, AZ 85016 (602-933-4483; GiveToPCH.org) or Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014 (602-530-6992; hov.org/donate). ELINOFF: Bernice Shirley Elinoff, 93, peacefully at home, surrounded by family on Aug. 3. Beloved wife of the late Milton Elinoff; mother of Marjorie, Joseph, Sharon, Howard and Ilene, Jeffrey and Beth; and grandmother (BeBe) to Alec, Emily, Michael and Andrew. Daughter to the late Henrietta and Joseph Zwick. Sister to the late Aaron and Rose Zwick, and Fredrick and Kathryn Zwick. Sister-in-law to the late Sam and Clarice Elinoff, Yetta and the late Saul Elinoff, the late Max Elinoff, the late Rebecca and Irving Coleman, the late Esther and Oscar Kravitz, the late Edith and Edward Spungen, and the late Bernard and Esther Elinoff. Also survived by many

nieces and nephews. Services and interment private. Contributions may be made to The Western Pennsylvania Auxiliary for Exceptional People, 3259 Kennett Square, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or Chabad Squirrel Hill, 1700 Beechwood Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com FINK: On Wednesday, July 29, 2020, Robert David Fink, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away at the age of 75. Bob was born on March 23, 1945, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Irving and Helen Fink, and he was married on Oct. 30, 2006, to Karen (Jenkins) Fink, who survives him. He is also survived by his son, Brian; daughter, Stacy Mages; son-in-law, Todd Mages; and grandchildren, Megan, Amelia and Benjamin. His siblings, Annette, Stanley and Marvin, predeceased him. Bob recently retired from his insurance brokerage business and moved to Delray Beach, Florida, where he and Karen lived the good life by the pool, taking walks with their dog JJ, dining with life-long friends and vacationing with family. A private ceremony was held, and donations in Bob’s name can be made to the Hillman Cancer Center or a charity of your choice.

Please see Obituaries, page 20

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AUGUST 14, 2020 19

Obituaries Obituaries: Continued from page 19

GREENWALD: Alan Greenwald, on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020, beloved husband for 66 years of Sally Greenwald; loving father of Jay (Pam) Greenwald, Mark (Marcia) Greenwald and Ellen (John) Missry; brother of the late Walter (Amy) Greenwald and Marion (Michael) Shapiro; adoring grandfather of Micayla, Ariel, Gavri, Jed and Zeke Greenwald, and Julie and David Missry. Also survived by several nieces and nephews. The family thanks Kellie Schneider and Amy Dukes at Ahava Memory Care for their dedication and devotion. Service and interment private. Contributions in Alan’s memory may be made to Hadassah Medical Organization, 40 Wall St., New York, NY 10005. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com GUTTMAN: Muriel S. Guttman, 97, of Pittsburgh, passed away on Aug. 9, 2020, at home, surrounded by her family. Wife of the late Howard S. Guttman. Daughter of the late Dr. Maurice and Sarah Saul Schermer of Sharon, Pennsylvania. Loving mother of three sons, Alan (Sara), James (Sara) and Richard (Lori). Grandmother of Marla (Matthew Covey), Jeremy, Laine (Matthew Mallet), Daniel, Andrew and great-grandmother to Wesley Mallet. Her family was her life and she influenced us all with her wisdom and passion for life.

Muriel graduated from Penn State in 1943, where she met her husband, Howard. They married in 1945 and were married for 41 years until his death in 1986. After college, Muriel worked during WWII as a lab technician for the Army at Camp Reynolds, living in Sharon, Pennsylvania. They moved to Charleroi, Pennsylvania, in 1956, and to Pittsburgh in 1974. Muriel was active in many charitable organizations. She was a lifetime member of National Council of Jewish Women, LHAS, Hadassah, ORT and a longtime volunteer at the Monongahela Valley Hospital. She enjoyed traveling with her family and was an avid golfer and tennis player and bridge enthusiast. The family wishes to thank the wonderful caregivers who gave such loving care to Muriel over many years. Services and interment private. Donations in Muriel’s memory can be made to the Howard S. Guttman Family Philanthropic Fund at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, 2000 Technology Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, or to a charity of your choice. Arrangements entrusted to the Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com SNIDER: Myron Snider, on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, lost his courageous battle with ALS. Beloved husband of Eileen (Harris) Snider. Father of Alisa (Lisa) and Jeffrey Chotiner, Amy Snider and Adam Bernard and Beth and Jeffrey Elinoff. Grandfather and Zaidy of Jeremy and Marissa Chotiner and Michael and Andrew Elinoff. Son of the late Mildred and Dan Snider. Brother of the late Ed and

Jewish Association on Aging gratefully acknowledges contributions from the following: A gift from …

In memory of …

A gift from …

In memory of …

Marlene Alpern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eva Greenberg Patricia Cohen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nathan Fisher Richard Feder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gina Beckel Richard Glick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ruthe Glick Sharon Greenfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bette Olender Polak Mrs. Alvin Mundel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marie G. Mundel Frank and Judith Rubenstein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hinda K. Rubenstein Sharon Snider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Howard S. Snider Susan Snider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Howard S. Snider Claire & Morris Weinbaum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stuart D. Weinbaum Edris C. Weis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saul Weis

THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS — Sunday August 16: Andrew Cohen, Minnie Drosnes, Lena K. Friedman, Benjamin Heller, Elenora Soupcoff Heller, Hyman Herman, Norma Kalmenson, Phillip Lerner, Bessie Mallinger, Shirley Markowitz, Molly Pollock, David Rabinovitz, Meyer Maier Talenfeld, Jacob Wells, Joan Elise Ratowsky Whitley

Henya Snider, Sharon Snider and Susan and the late Howard Snider. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Myron was a board member of New Light Congregation and chairman of the cemetery committee. He was also past president of the Allegheny County Pharmacists Association. One of his goals in life was to make people smile, therefore the corny jokes were always abundant. Myron had many friends who loved and respected him. Services and interment private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Sivitz Hospice, 200 JHF Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 or ALS Society, 1416 Lincoln Ave., Millvale, PA 15209. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com STERN: Leonard C. Stern, passed away at the age of 97 peacefully on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020. He lived a happy, full life. He loved his work years, he loved retirement years, but most of all he loved his family. He always looked at the glass as half-full and not half-empty. Born in 1923 in Monessen, Pennsylvania, to Sam and Hilda Stern. He graduated from Monessen High School in 1940, and attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He interrupted his college career in 1943 and volunteered to become a soldier in WW II, where he became a weather cryptographer. He spent most of his military career in the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C., receiving weather from around the world. Later he was stationed in Ankara, Turkey, where he took over a radio station so American airplanes could fly over this country safely. After the war, Leonard returned to Northwestern and received his bachelor’s degree. He married his college sweetheart, Mary Jo Davis, in 1947 and they were blissfully married for 50 years. Mary Jo died after a long illness at the age of 72. After graduating college, Leonard returned to Monessen to join his father in his retail furniture business. While working in Monessen, Leonard realized the serious situation when the steel mills closed resulting

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ZUTI: Cheryl Zuti, on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. Beloved wife of the late Richard Zuti and Murray Grossberger. Beloved mother of Jamie Alderman. Stepmother of Greg Whiteman and Miro Zuti. Daughter of the late Callan Blank and Marion (Drucker) Topolsky. Sister of the late Ronald Blank. Grandmother of Mackenzie and Madelyn Alderman. Niece of David (Maureen) Drucker. Services and interment private. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com PJC

Please consider the Jewish Burial Grove at Penn Forest Natural Burial Park.

Monday August 17: Marion Jessica Blumenfeld, Helen Finkel Eger, Esther Fried, Max Hadburg, Lottie Heller, William Katz, Rose Lieber, Louis Olitzky, Bettie Olender Polak Tanur, Anita Ohringer Ruslander, Gabrielle Heliene Segall, Sam Weinberger

Wednesday August 19: Ruth E. Bell, Harry Gottesman, Eugene I. Hilsenrath, Frank Kress, William S. Mason, Rosa Perlstein, Dorothy Miller Ryave, Gertrude Siegel, Lillian Linder Silverman, Frank Solomon

in jobs disappearing. Leonard founded MIDA (Monessen Industrial Development Association) and together with representatives from five communities, they raised enough to buy the US Steel Plant in Donora, Pennsylvania. This accomplishment made it possible to provide 100 new jobs. Leonard later opened his own furniture store in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, which later sold to Arthur Moser. Being too young to retire, Leonard trained to be a business broker later starting his own broker business where he worked until 92. After several years, Leonard met Joni Ostrow and fell in love again for the second time. After dating for a few months, they were in a serious accident. Because Leonard had just sold his apartment and Joni just remodeled and moved into a new apartment, they decided to live together as a couple for the next 15 years. Leonard was an avid sportsman, taking up golf at the age of 80 and successfully making a hole-in-one when he was 85. Leonard is survived by his brother, Daniel Stern, the late Marjorie Ash and Ruth Schrag; his four children, Renee (Gerald) Myers, Joanne (Allen) Sosniak, Charles (Christine) Stern and Howard (Lisa Ciaccia) Stern; his grandchildren, David, Stacy, Michael, Samantha, Izabella, Angelina and Alexander and great-grandchildren, Avery, Jacob, Quinn, Alivia, Nadia, Liam, Noah and Eliot. Services and interment were private. Contributions may be made to Rodef Shalom Temple, 4905 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com

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AUGUST 14, 2020 21

Life & Culture ‘Painted Bird’ a study in brutality — FILM — By Jesse Bernstein | Special to the Chronicle

anya Yanagihara’s widely acclaimed novel “A Little Life,” the critic Daniel Mendelsohn wrote in a 2015 review in The New York Review of Books, had “duped” readers. Conditioned through various means to understand gratuitous suffering and anguish as evidence of depth, Mendelsohn wrote, readers had fallen prey to Yanagihara’s book. The novel, which follows four college friends through their trials in life and art in New York City, focuses primarily on the quiet one among them, Jude. Jude, Yanagihara reveals in piecemeal fashion, was subjected to sexual, physical and emotional abuse as a child, pinballing from abuser to abuser, each of them escalating the lurid cruelty. Even into adulthood, this cruelty persists, culminating in an ending where Jude is deprived of the person he loves most in the world. Then, he commits suicide. Responding to charges of unfairness in his review from Yanaighara’s editor, Gerald Howard, Mendelsohn wrote this: “Yanagihara’s slathering-on of trauma is, in the end, a crude and inartistic way of wringing emotion from the reader — an assaultive repetitiveness that can hardly claim to be one of the ‘techniques ... designed to lead us by degrees into a realm of authentic emotion and aesthetic bliss’ that Howard rightly mentions as a hallmark of a genuine novelistic achievement.” It is hard to avoid this sense of “assaultive repetitiveness” in watching “The Painted Bird,” a recent adaptation of Jerzy Kozinski’s 1965 novel of the same name. The movie, which can be streamed on Amazon Prime, briefly features Barry Pepper, Harvey Keitel, Stellan Skarsgård and Udo Kier, and is subtitled. During World War II, a young boy (Petr Kotlár) has been stashed away with his aunt, while his parents search for safety. He’s a good boy; he folds his clothes, eats

Rosenblatt: Continued from page 12

was “a hobby” and that he took on so many projects to ward off his naturally lazy nature. That the rabbi was an “ilui” (Hebrew for genius and master of Talmudic law) is a given. Less well known was his outgoing and intellectually playful manner. Whether speaking on a panel or chatting privately, there was an impish side to him, and he was given to making provocative comments, perhaps to prevent boredom — for his audience or himself. He often teased me about journalism, saying he was used to being misquoted in interviews. But he readily agreed to media requests for his time and views, and he had great patience, enjoying interactions with anyone and everyone. Gaya Bernstein, a physician in Riverdale, New York, first met Rabbi Steinsaltz more than 30 years ago when she and her family were living in Jerusalem. She and her husband, Lewis, enjoyed a close relationship 22 AUGUST 14, 2020

his soup and holds the bowl that catches the splattered blood of a decapitated chicken. When his aunt dies, he’s forced to take to the road, finding food and shelter wherever he can. What he finds more often is a world that needs him to be a Jew, or a “Gypsy” — even though it’s not clear whether he is either. Over the course of the movie, the boy wanders into a peasant village, where he’s savagely beaten and sold to a medicine woman, who assures everyone that he is both a Jew and a vampire; he’s raped, beaten and tortured p A young Jewish boy is the focus of “The Painted Bird.” by an older man, who the boy then kills by dragging him into a pit of rats; he watches a The flock pecks the bird to the death, and it miller gouge out the eyes of a servant whom spirals down to the ground. he suspects of sleeping with his wife; he’s Ah! The boy is the painted bird! He, too, beaten in the street by a German man, raped suffers at the hands of his fellow man, who and beaten by a young woman, delivered by cannot see that he is just like them, and another group of peasants into the hands punish him for it. of Nazi soldiers as a form of appeasement, What are we to make of this? The absurdity thrown into a bubbling trough of human of bigotry, that we could look at God’s random waste for dropping a Bible; and slapped by brushstrokes on any one of us as evidence of a street vendor, who calls him a Jew. He sees intolerable difference? That in-groups require suicides, rapes and murders, all rendered in a subhuman subject to understand themselves black and white. as fully human? Surely, none of these concluAll of this suffering is scaffolding to the sions are hard to come by, and they certainly central metaphor of the movie. One of the don’t require the overabundance of shocking only people who shows the boy tenderness evidence the movie provides. The scene with is a bird breeder (Lech Dyblik), who teaches the painted bird is 45 minutes into the movie; the boy how to catch the birds and care for there are two hours left. them. To teach the boy a lesson, or maybe One of the kinder Soviet soldiers who just for fun, the man paints a few lines onto briefly takes the boy in toward the end of the a common bird, and then releases the bird movie is played by Aleksei Kravchenko, who into the sky, where it joins its compatriots. starred as a young child in “Come and See” with him and she received the rabbi’s permission to translate his book on Psalms from Hebrew to English. When she pointed out that she was not a professional at translation, “he told me, ‘You understand what I’m trying to say, and that’s what I care about,’” she recalled. “I felt I was given a holy mission.” “We would have long talks and the conversation would sometimes seem to be all over the map,” she said. “But I would later realize he was just setting the stage, making me comfortable, and there was always a message by the end.” Arthur Kurzweil, a New York-based writer and publisher, wrote two books about his relationship with Rabbi Steinsaltz. The title of the first says it all: “On the Road With Rabbi Steinsaltz: 25 Years of Pre-Dawn Car Trips, Mind-Blowing Encounters, and Inspiring Conversations With a Man of Wisdom.” Kurzweil explained that he had been so impressed with the rabbi after reading an interview with him in 1978 that he volunteered to

help in any way he could. He was assigned to be the scholar’s driver on all of his trips to the U.S. “He was interested in everything,” Kurzweil said. “He had a great sense of humor and also was deadly serious.” He described the rabbi’s brief but memorable talk to an auditorium of high school yeshiva students in Long Island some years ago. His message: “Make the lives of your teachers miserable — ask them tough questions.” As he was leaving, the principal told the students not to take the rabbi literally. “At that point,” Kurzweil said, “Rabbi Steinsaltz walked back to the microphone and said, ‘I’ve been misquoted many times.’ And then he repeated his charge to the students and left.” In all of their times together, in conversations and at public events, Kurzweil said he never heard the rabbi preach to anyone or stress Jewish observance. “He wanted people to be more Jewishly knowledgeable. That’s what was important. He would quote from Disney and ‘Alice In Wonderland’ and other examples of pop culture. I suspect he wanted

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Photo courtesy of Silver Screen

(1985). Like “The Painted Bird,” “Come and See” follows a young boy as he’s subjected to forces beyond his control during WWII, witnessing horrors and violence of great intensity wherever he goes. “Come and See” rivals “The Painted Bird” in its brutality, but there is a reason that some consider the former to be one of the greatest anti-war movies ever made; rather than bludgeoning the audience with degradation and horror and leaving it that, “Come and See” shows more sustained interest in the people who suffer, especially evident in the frequent close-up shots of faces. A camera interested in faces can show you something human; not so for a camera that only finds such faces interesting when they’re broken. PJC Jesse Bernstein writes for the Jewish Exponent, an affiliated publication. to be relevant and entertaining. Once, after a lecture, he mused, ‘Maybe I should quote from Torah more.’” In 2016, just two days before a serious stroke robbed him of speech, Rabbi Steinsaltz had a private meeting with Pope Francis. Afterwards, the rabbi’s son asked his father what transpired. Kurzweil recalled what the rabbi told his son: “I told the pope that for too long we’ve been doing the cha-cha and we need to learn to tango.” After Rabbi Steinsaltz’s death, Kurzweil posted on his website a quote from the rabbi. I think Pete Hamill would find it fitting as well: “After I die, I really don’t care whether I will go to heaven or to hell. I also do not care at all about what will be written on my tombstone. All I care about is whether I have been able to touch people throughout my lifetime and cause them to grow more and more.” PJC Gary Rosenblatt is The New York Jewish Week’s editor at large. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Community Summer science

Shavua tov

Participants of the virtual Summer@CDS program learned about energy production by measuring energy output from at-home designed wind turbines. A competition was held to see who created the most efficient design.

p Rabbi Jessica Locketz of Temple Emanuel of South Hills says farewell to Shabbat with prayer and song. Screenshot via Facebook p Gavri Gilboa finishes a wind turbine designed from upcycled materials.

Back in the water

p A swimmer enjoys the recently reopened pool at the JCC Henry Kaufmann Family Park. Photo courtesy of Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh

p Ezra Braasch tests his design.

Photos courtesy of Community Day School

Having fun in the sun Campers at James and Rachel Levinson Day Camp expressed themselves through art and other creative activities.

Green thumbs are good

q All you need is love.

p Lilly Shevitz, left, and Sydney Crivella, right, help out at the CDS gardens where zucchinis, cucumbers and squash grow aplenty. Photo courtesy of Community Day School

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PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

p I’ll spread my wings and learn how to fly.

Photos courtesy of Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh

AUGUST 14, 2020 23

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