September 25, 2020 | 7 Tishrei 5781
Candlelighting 6:53 p.m. | Havdalah 7:50 p.m. | Vol. 63, No. 39 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
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Wishing you a meaningful Yom Kippur A different
NOTEWORTHY LOCAL A new rabbi but a familiar face Rabbi Cheryl Klein takes pulpit at Dor Hadash Page 2
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, first Jewish woman to serve on Supreme Court, dies at 87
Please see Ginsburg, page 14
Please see Appeal, page 14
Rabbi Elisar Admon becomes Army chaplain Page 4
LOCAL Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates in a discussion at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., Feb. 10, 2020. Photo by Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images via JTA
R Squirrel Hill teen’s cakes for a cause Page 8
uth Bader Ginsburg, the first Jewish woman to serve on the Supreme Court and a tireless advocate for gender equality, has died at 87. A fierce jurist known for her outsized presence and outspokenness, Ginsburg died from “complications of metastatic pancreas cancer,” the Supreme Court announced on Sept. 18. She had survived multiple bouts of different cancers over the course of two decades, vowing that she was healthy enough to continue her work and at times returning to the bench shortly after hospital stays. Ginsburg’s death came on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, six weeks before the presidential election and at a time of intense political polarization. Four years ago, the Republican-held Senate refused to consider President Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, but Senate Majority
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Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will attempt to fill any spots that open up on the court while President Donald Trump is in office. He repeated that pledge last Friday night following news of Ginsburg’s death. Trump has already appointed two judges, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, during his presidential tenure. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the minority leader, released a statement warning McConnell to wait out the election. “The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice,” said Schumer, who is Jewish. “Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.” McConnell used precisely the same words to justify delaying a Supreme Court nomination in 2016 following the death of Antonin Scalia, a conservative justice, much earlier in the election year than Ginsburg’s passing.
A mohel’s new mission
By Sarah Wildman | JTA
By Kayla Steinberg | Digital Content Manager
t’s the morning of the first day of Rosh Hashanah, and around 100 congregants arrive at Temple David. As they enter, they’re handed envelopes containing the “blue card.” They fold down tabs indicating the amounts of money they can contribute, and ushers collect the cards. Afterward, Temple David mails the remaining envelopes to those congregants not present for services. The annual High Holiday appeal is huge for Temple David: It accounts for about 10% of its annual income. And it’s no wonder why — the High Holidays draw regular minyan-goers and twice-a-year Jews alike. But for congregations around the world, the biggest fundraising time of the year poses new challenges due to COVID-19, prompting adaptations. This year, Temple David mailed congregants an extensive letter with a pledge card and return envelope, and Harvey Wolfe, the financial vice president, was scheduled to give a short talk at the morning Zoom service on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. “Most of our High Holiday appeal is a ‘thank you’ for the response of the 9congregation,” he said, previewing his speech. There’s an upside to the new structure. Since congregants don’t need to turn in the appeals on Rosh Hashanah itself, this year’s cards involve writing in place of tabs, which were a limiting factor. So, Temple David could put more items on the card, adding to the list of items people can dedicate, which includes a classroom and a leaf on the simcha tree. But this year also brings uncertainty. “I don’t have an anticipation,” said Adat Shalom Synagogue’s Rabbi Yaier Lehrer. “I have a hope that we will be successful. And that’s all I can do.” Adat Shalom’s usual pre-Yizkor request to donate after Yom Kippur will happen this year over Zoom. The Adat Shalom team is working to create an engaging service that fends off Zoom fatigue — otherwise, it fears
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PA construction grant for Rodef Shalom A casserole for break fast