Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 8-27-21 by Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle

August 27, 2021 | 19 Elul 5781

Candlelighting 7:41 p.m. | Havdalah 8:40 p.m. | Vol. 64, No. 35 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

JFCS helps resettle Afghan refugees in Pittsburgh

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LOCAL

Rabbi Walter Jacob honored at dedication of Jewish learning center in Germany

Cards for our military

By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

NOTEWORTHY LOCAL It’s all happening at the Zoo Meet new Pittsburgh Zoo director, Dr. Jeremy Goodman Page 2

N other U.S. organizations or companies may qualify for the new P2 status. Afghans who are allowed to leave Afghanistan for the U.S. will be flown to Virginia, where their paperwork is processed, before the refugees are relocated to a final destination. Pittsburgh is one of the cities identified to receive some of the approximately 53,000 Afghan nationals who will arrive in the States as part of the SIV program. Those refugees will be assisted by JFCS, a local affiliate of HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society), a national resettlement agency working with the U.S. government. “Evacuation is critical, as political stability put these American heroes and their families in grave danger,” said JFCS President and CEO Jordan Golin at an Aug. 17 press conference. So far, JFCS has been notified that it will be assigned two families, said Ivonne Smith-Tapia, JFCS’ director of refugee and immigration services. One family is already in the city, having arrived on a travel visa rather than as part of the SIV program. But Smith-Tapia expects JFCS will be assigned

early eight decades after the collapse of the Nazi regime in Europe, German Jews and elected officials dedicated a new space for the continuance of Jewish studies and worship in Potsdam, Germany. The new European Center for Jewish Learning at the University of Potsdam includes a synagogue, the first in post-war Potsdam; the School of Jewish Theology of the University of Potsdam; and Germany’s two rabbinical seminaries — the Abraham Geiger College, modeled on the North American Reform seminary, and the Conservative Zacharias Frankel College. As part of the Aug. 18 dedication ceremony, the building that houses the Abraham Geiger College — the first liberal rabbinical seminary in Continental Europe since the Shoah — was named after Rabbi Walter Jacob, rabbi emeritus at Rodef Shalom Congregation. Jacob co-founded the college in 1999. The event drew nearly 250 attendees, including German President Dr. FrankWalter Steinmeier and Minister-President of the State of Brandenburg Dietmar Woidke. German politicians, who joined European Jewish leaders as they carried Torah scrolls into newly dedicated spaces, decried antisemitism. “It makes me angry that antisemitism, antisemitic hatred and incitement to hatred are once again openly manifesting themselves in Germany, of all places, and have been doing so for years,” said Steinmeier, according to the German Press Agency. “Even 76 years after the end of the National Socialist terror regime, the opening of Jewish

Please see Refugees, page 14

Please see Jacob, page 14

Former Pittsburgher helps support our troops Page 5

 Kabul and other cities fell under Taliban rule as the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kenneth Jasik By David Rullo | Staff Writer

LOCAL

The art of Smadar Livne

Israeli artist coming to Shadyside art festival Page 18

uring the United States’ nearly two decades in Afghanistan, tens of thousands of Afghan nationals gave assistance to the American military and American companies that offered support to their country. Now that America is withdrawing its troops and the Taliban is in control of the government, those nationals — whose occupations ranged from translators to truck drivers to cafeteria workers — fear for their lives, as well as the safety of their families. The Biden administration is working to help Afghans in danger of Taliban reprisal flee the country. Those eligible for U.S. aid include people who qualify for the Special Immigration Visa program — created by Congress to assist people in Afghanistan and Iraq targeted for retribution because of their work with the U.S. — as well those who have been given a new, Priority 2 (P-2) refugee status. According to Allie Reefer, a spokesperson for Jewish Family and Community Services, the SIV status is available to Afghans who worked for the U.S. government or military for at least one year. Those who worked for

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LOCAL How ’bout them apples?

LOCAL A focus on Israel at Temple David

LOCAL ‘Farewell’ to summer interns

Headlines Dr. Jeremy Goodman takes reins at Pittsburgh Zoo — LOCAL — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

nce, in the middle of a Rosh Hashanah service, a zoo curator entered a synagogue, accompanied by — this is true — an African black-footed penguin suffering an epileptic seizure. No, the curator did not come to pray for the arctic bird’s salvation. Rather, she was looking for guidance from Dr. Jeremy Goodman, at the time the director of the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, New Jersey. Also a veterinarian, Goodman instructed the curator to administer Diazepam, a sedative that treats anxiety, muscle spasms and seizures, and presumably the penguin was inscribed in the Book of Life. The Zoological Society of Pittsburgh’s board of directors announced that it has selected Goodman to serve as the eighth director of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. He will succeed Dr. Barbara Baker, who served the zoo for 31 years and announced her retirement in June. The zoo opened in 1898. Goodman, who assumes his new role Oct. 1, has served as the executive director of the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island, the nation’s third-oldest zoo, since 2013. Before that, Goodman left his mark in the field by turning around the aging Turtle Back Zoo, and serving as assistant director of the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana. Goodman, who previously worked in a private veterinary practice near the Jersey Shore, holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Rutgers University and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Tufts University. Just as important as his resume, he

Donna Hudson, board chair of the Zoological Society of Pittsburgh, said Goodman was selected after a global search led by a board committee and executive search company DHR Inter nat iona l, because “after having a longtime director, what we really wanted was someone who could come in and hit the ground running.” “We needed someone who is a change-maker — and Jeremy has a track record of that,” Hudson added. “We were looking for someone who could come in, take all the good stuff and bring it into the future. “He’s a visionary.” When visiting Pittsburgh recently, Goodman paid a visit to Rabbi Daniel Wasserman, who, like Goodman, grew up in  Dr. Jeremy Goodman Photo couresy of Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium northern New Jersey. As the two already have a told the Chronicle, is his role as a father warm relationship — Wasserman officiand a Jew. And he is happy to make ated at Goodman’s wedding many years ago Pittsburgh his new home. — Goodman said he anticipates his family “The Pittsburgh Zoo is certainly one of the will worship at Shaare Torah Congregation top 10 in the country and it’s a really great in Squirrel Hill. opportunity, from a professional standpoint. “It’s always special when you have a relaFrom a personal perspective, I have heard tionship with someone and you haven’t seen such great things about Pittsburgh,” said them in a long time and you’re able to pick Goodman, who was born in Chicago and up just where you left off,” Wasserman said. grew up in New Jersey. “It is a great, great Goodman and his family “are doers,” place to live and it’s got a strong Jewish said Wasserman, who, coincidentally, is a community — which is important to me and volunteer scuba diver at the Pittsburgh Zoo my family. We went out there for Shabbos — he dives into the tanks to clean…and to and felt right at home.” entertain passersby.

“It’s my ‘me time,’” Wasserman said. “It’s the only time of the week where my phone doesn’t ring.” Goodman and his wife, Marina, whom he met during his last year at Tufts, have three children, ages 23, 20 and 16. His 16-year-old daughter plans to attend Taylor Allderdice High School in Squirrel Hill, Goodman said. Marina Goodman is a former financial consultant who now teaches mathematics, and is the author of “Why Should I Stand Behind the Mechitza When I Could Be a Prayer Leader?,” a book about the role of women in Judaism and questions she asked on her own spiritual odyssey. Goodman’s eldest son has cerebral palsy and autism, and lives with his parents; his younger son was previously involved with the Friendship Circle in New Jersey. Driving down Murray Avenue and seeing the prominent placement of Friendship Circle in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill brought a smile to Goodman’s face, he said. “Our son is very much looking forward to doing Friendship Circle again,” Goodman said. Rabbi Mordy Rudolph, who heads Friendship Circle in Squirrel Hill, said “so much of what we are trying to accomplish at Friendship Circle is that it’s front and center in the community.” Its prime location “certainly was intentional from our end,” Rudolph said. “I think the fact that it does help someone feel more welcomed speaks volumes about what Friendship Circle is,” he added. Goodman, who identifies as “modern Orthodox,” has made concessions in his zoological and veterinary work due to his religious beliefs. While a doctoral student at Tufts, for example, Jewish law prohibited him from spaying, neutering or treating animals on Shabbat. Please see Zoo, page 15

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Headlines With the holidays approaching, some picks for apple picking — LOCAL — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

Photo by Olha Pashkovska via iStockphoto

o harvest or not to harvest? As COVID-19 stretches to the end of its second year, that may be the question among area Jews who want a bite of a fresh apple to go with a spoonful of honey on Rosh Hashanah, which starts at sundown on Sept. 6. The Greater Pittsburgh area has answers to both questions, with family-owned orchards offering “pick-your-own” experiences for those who care to venture outside, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh serving up a more virtual celebration. Apple picking season started last week at Simmons Farm, which, this fall, also offers pumpkin and fresh flower picking, according to Scott Simmons, whose family’s business has been selling farm-grown goods in the South Hills for more than 100 years. It’s been located in its current spot in McMurray for the past 75 years. Right now, what’s available for picking are Ginger Golds — which “have a nice, sweet flavor,” Simmons said — and Dandy Reds, a cousin of the MacIntosh. The farm’s most popular variety — Fuji apples — are not currently being offered for picking. Apple picking at Simmons runs from 9

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a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday In the North Hills, there’s Soergel Orchards — but that might be a better option in late September, said Eric Voll, the company’s vice president. Soergel’s recently wrapped up its strawberry picking season and expects to have 12-to-14 varieties of apples for customers later next month — just keep an eye on its website.

“The selection will vary day to day, of course,” Voll told the Chronicle. “But people will be able to get out and enjoy their weekend here.” In Monongahela in Washington County — about 15 miles from downtown Pittsburgh — the apple picking season runs for all of September and October at Triple B Farms, another local favorite. The farm, which bills itself as being “worth the drive since 1985,”

also offers pumpkin picking, children’s entertainment and hayrides. Again, though, check the website for selections, or sign up for farm text notifications on the website. Triple B Farms will be hosting some members of the local Jewish community when Temple David in Monroeville sponsors an apple picking event there on Sept. 26, with a light lunch planned for 11 a.m., according to the congregation’s website. For those not comfortable with mingling outdoors, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has your number. Its 11th Annual Apples & Honey Fall Festival will run from Aug. 22 through Sept. 5, and will be mostly online or hybrid. This year, the festival will feature holiday-themed arts and crafts, videos and songs, and — if your child provides a sketch or coloring page — free ice cream from Baskin Robbins in Squirrel Hill. “There’s online activities and recipes and other things about the holiday,” Federation spokesman Adam Hertzman told the Chronicle. “We were not able to do something in person this year because of COVID, so we wanted to do something virtual that families could do at home.” For more information, visit jewishpgh. org/event/11th-annual-apples-honeyfall-festival. PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

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Headlines Beth El and Temple Emanuel collaborate on new South Hills teen experience — LOCAL — By David Rullo | Staff Writer

new educational initiative for Jewish teens in the South Hills has been launched through a collaboration between Temple Emanuel of South Hills, a Reform congregation, and the Conservative Beth El Congregation of the South Hills. Rabbi Aaron Meyer of Temple Emanuel described the supplemental Jewish studies program as “informal Jewish education with good food and good friends,” for students in grades eight through 12. The new program will offer an alternative to J Line, a partnership the two congregations had with the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh that began in 2017. Rabbis from Temple Emanuel and Beth El formerly served as teachers at J Line, as did Chris Herman, the JCC’s division director of Jewish Life, and educator Barak Naveh. “I think there’s no doubt that the professionals who came to the program had a great relationship with the kids,” Meyer said. “It was certainly convenient for the synagogues to outsource the administration of our high school programming.” But when it became apparent that J Line’s

student body was comprised of mostly Temple and Beth El families, Meyer said, “we recognized the possibility of bringing the program back in-house to meet the needs of our families at a reduced cost.” J Line of South Hills was created “in response to the ever-changing needs of high school students and their connection to the Jewish community,” Meyer continued. “We recognized then as we do now that kids in the public school system are friends and neighbors, regardless of congregational affiliation, or lack thereof.” The new program will offer Temple Emanuel and Beth El teens the opportunity to deepen relationships with each other, as well as those with the congregations’ rabbis, as it will be centered on an evolving conversation as opposed to lessons driven by an instructor, Meyer said. The joint program will take place at the two synagogues. Its 90-minute classes will be held on Sundays, after religious school, and will be taught together by the congregations’ rabbis. J Line classes are scheduled for weekdays. The decision to hold the sessions on Sundays was made after input from South Hills teens and their parents, Beth El’s Rabbi Alex Greenbaum said. Many of the teens targeted for the program are already at the synagogues on Sundays working as madrichim, he said.

Now, “they can go to religious school, work in the religious school, volunteer in the religious school, eat some pizza with the rabbis and we can do our education and we don’t have the same overhead. You don’t have to pay the two rabbis. We’re trying to make sure the costs are reasonable.” Moreover, it’s challenging for teens to take classes on weekday evenings. “What we found was that on Wednesday or Monday nights, these kids have so much homework, so many extracurriculars,” Greenbaum said. “They are so tired. They’ve been sitting in the classroom all day.” Greenbaum said the new teen program will include preparation for confirmation — but the experience will be different than what it was in the past. “We realize that confirmation today is not the confirmation of my day,” Greenbaum said. “Your child’s confirmation is not their grandparents’. Rabbi Jessica Locketz” — who stepped down from her pulpit at Temple Emanuel last month — “used to say that confirmation is an affirmation that you’re continuing to be a part of the Jewish community. We believe that.” While Temple Emanuel and Beth El have partnered to create a new experience for South Hills teens, that doesn’t mean the end of J Line in the South Hills. The JCC’s Herman said that J Line

continued to be successful during the pandemic and that 24 teens were registered throughout the year. The JCC, he said, is committed to J Line, and has created a new position that will help support the program. “The suburban Jewish teen life director position will work with our suburban partners to increase teen engagement in those communities and will be coordinating J Line South Hills with me over the first year and then take over after that,” he said. Herman said he believes in multiple on-ramps for meaningful teen experiences and that some families may choose to participate in both programs. He also sees opportunities for the two programs to collaborate. “We’re stronger collectively than we are independently trying to engage the South Hills community,” he said. “I hope there are opportunities to collaborate, whether its around Chanukah or Purim or some other experience that’s teen or family related. Beth El and Temple Emanuel are strong partners.” J Line’s first trimester will begin in October. The program will run through March. The new Beth El/Temple Emanuel teen experience begins Sept. 19 and runs through May 1. Both are planning for in-person classes. PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

BE OUR GUEST AT TEMPLE SINAI FOR THE HIGH HOLY DAYS! TOT SERVICES Looking for an informal, inviting way to teach your little ones about the High Holy Days? Join Rabbi Keren Gorban for a fun, active service of stories, singing, and dancing for families with children ages 0–5. Erev Rosh HaShanah: Monday, Sept. 6, 5 PM (Labor Day) Rosh HaShanah: Tuesday, Sept. 7, 8 AM Kol Nidre: Wednesday, Sept. 15, 5:30 PM Yom Kippur: Thursday, Sept. 16, 8:15 AM Masks are required for anyone above the age of two years. All services are subject to change dependent on local health conditions/restrictions. Please check our website for updates and our current COVID policy. *For security reasons, Cards of Admission are required. 5505 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217 (412) 421-9715 www.TempleSinaiPGH.org

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Headlines Former Pittsburgher uses cards to remind soldiers their service matters

Call us FIRST. Familiar Innovative Respectful Sensitive Trustworthy

p Laura Landerman-Garber stands beside thousands of cards ready to be sent

Photo courtesy of Laura Landerman-Garber

— LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

uring his deployment, at the height of the War in Afghanistan, Lt. Col. JJ Johnson discovered a place of respite. Located inside a nondescript building run by the chapel, Jack’s Place was an air-conditioned room with comfortable chairs and free Wi-Fi. Spaces like these weren’t easy for American troops — who were either deploying to or from Afghanistan — to come by. The room was a place for relaxation, recalled Johnson, now an Air Force intelligence officer and legislative fellow at the U.S. House of Representatives. But it also housed constant reminders of appreciation for the daily sacrifices being made by the troops and their families. It was “loaded to the gills with care packages,” said Johnson, who ended up volunteering at Jack’s Place during his deployment. Those packages, sent to military personnel by both family members and strangers from across the United States, contained cookies and gifts, and — most importantly to Johnson — cards. Written largely by strangers and illustrated by children, the notes extended holiday greetings, birthday wishes and statements of gratitude. While supervising Jack’s Place as a volunteer, Johnson prominently displayed the cards, which, he said, were critical for soldiers’ morale. “When you are a military member your whole life is on your back — literally on your back,” Johnson said. “You feel alone so much.” Seeing cards from around the world “makes all the difference.” When Laura Landerman-Garber first started sending holiday cards to troops almost 18 years ago, she was hoping to reach soldiers, PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

who, like Johnson, were far away from home. The idea was born out of tzedakah, she said. As a child, Landerman-Garber’s family attended Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh. Her parents, Ethel “Inkie” Landerman and Edgar Landerman, often volunteered throughout the community and at the congregation. Giving back was always important, Landerman-Garber said, so nearly two decades ago, prior to a Thanksgiving dinner, she declared to her family that the “ticket to turkey” was through writing. As a result, while sitting around the dining room table in their Hollis, New Hampshire, home, the group began drafting letters to soldiers. The effort picked up steam, and through the years the Landerman-Garber clan was joined by neighbors and friends, who sent cards to the Wounded Warrior Project, New Hampshire Veterans Home and the Naval Hospital. Before long, thousands of cards and letters were being sent worldwide and soon Landerman-Garber established a nonprofit called Holiday Cards for our Military - NH Challenge. Donations to the nonprofit help pay for postage, Landerman-Garber said. Four years ago, Emily Landerman, of Fox Chapel, told coworkers at A. Martini & Co. about her sister’s project. Landerman’s colleagues at the family-owned regional construction services and general contracting company quickly got on board, she said, and helped send several thousand cards in the last few years. The need to support the troops and their families is even greater during the pandemic, which has brought new challenges to military members, according to LandermanGarber. For instance, while holidays are typically a time that some members of the military are able to travel home, that was

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AUGUST 27, 2021 5

Calendar Submit calendar items on the Chronicle’s website, pittsburghjewishchronicle. org. Submissions also will 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.

help edit your profile, take a new photo if needed, give advice about matches and share favorite dating app stories. 2 p.m. facebook.com/moishehouse.pittsburgh

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. 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org.

q SUNDAYS, AUG. 29;

SEPT. 5, 12, 19, 26

SUNDAY, AUG. 29

Join Classrooms Without Borders, The Ghetto Fighters House, South Africa Holocaust and Genocide Foundation for a discussion with Loung Ung, author of the bestselling memoir and the critically acclaimed 2017 Netflix original movie directed by Angelina Jolie, “First They Killed My Father.” For more information, visit classroomswithoutborders. org/loung-ung.

Chabad of Greenfield invites you to attend their Pre-Rosh Hashana Family Fun Day. Enjoy a shofar factory, crafts, food rides, Kona Ice truck and more. Fun for all ages. Suggested donation $18 per family. Magee Park. 12 -3 p.m. chabadofgreenfield.com Have you been frustrated on dating apps this summer? Is it because your pandemic dating skills are rusty, or just because conversations never seem to go anywhere? Join Moishe House Pittsburgh for their “dating app clinic.” They will

MONDAY, AUG. 30

Join Beth El Congregation for its Speaker Series with guest Seth Kibel. Kibel will present “The Jews of Tin Pan Alley,” exploring the lives and music of celebrated Jewish songwriters, whose achievements would come to dominate that body of work known as the “Great American Songbook.” Classic recordings, rare video clips and “live” performances from the instructor will make this program as exciting as the music itself. 12 p.m. bethelcong.org Chabad of the South Hills welcomes Yosef Hashimi, who will share his fascinating story, “From Mohammed to Zion.” Born to an Afghani Muslim father, a direct

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descendant of Mohammed, and an American-Jewish mother, Yosef is now an Orthodox Jew and vice president at IBM. This event marks the first yahrzeit of Rabbi Ephraim Rosenblum, OBM. $8. 7 p.m. chabadsh.com/event

diverse couples from the same city. Learn more at one of three information sessions: Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.; or Sept. 14 at noon or 6 p.m. jewishpgh.org/honeymoon-israel

q MONDAYS, AUG. 30;

Bring the parsha alive and make it personally relevant and meaningful. Study the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman. 12:15 p.m. bethshalompgh.org/life-text

SEPT. 6, 13, 20, 27

Join Congregation Beth Shalom for a weekly Talmud study. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 1

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh invites you to attend its 126th Annual Meeting. Broadcast live via Zoom and in person with limited seating at Levinson Hall, with advance registration required. 5:30 p.m. RSVP at ralley@ jccpgh.org. jccpgh.org/event/jcc-126thannual-meeting. q WEDNESDAY SEPT. 1;

TUESDAY, SEPT. 14

See Israel with the one you love. Honeymoon Israel is open to couples of all cultural, racial, religious, gender and sexual identities who are looking to create connections with each other and to Jewish life. Open to couples with at least one Jewish partner. Each trip includes 20

WEDNESDAYS, SEPT. 1, 8, 15, 22

THURSDAY, SEPT. 2

Please join Jewish Residential Services for Guardianships and Alternatives, an informative program featuring Gerri Sperling, attorney from Strassburger McKenna Gutnik and Gefsky. Sperling will outline the basics of guardianship in Pennsylvania. Elysia Mancini-Duerr, staff attorney at Disability Rights Pennsylvania, will speak about alternatives to guardianship, including powers of attorney, mental health powers of attorney, health care advance directives, having a circle of support, health care representatives, and limited/emergency guardianships. 5 p.m. For more information, go to jrspgh. org/events/.

Please see Calendar, page 7

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Calendar Calendar: Continued from page 6 q

THURSDAYS, SEPT. 2-JUNE 30, 2022

The Alan Papernick Educational Institute Endowment Fund presents Continuing Legal Education, a six-part CLE series taught by Foundation Scholar Rabbi Dr. Danny Schiff. Earn up to 12 CLE credits. Each session is a stand-alone unit; you can take one class or all six. 8:30 a.m. With CLE credit: $30/session or $150 all sessions; Without CLE credit: $25/session or $125 all sessions. For a complete list of dates and topics, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org/ continuing-legal-education. q

THURSDAY, SEPT. 9

of Jewish Heritage, Liberation 75 and sponsored by Dr. Daryl Miller, is excited to offer the opportunity to watch the film “Love It Was Not” and engage in a post-film discussion with the film director and writer, Maya Sarfaty in conversation with CWB Scholar, Avi BenHur. 3 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/ love_it_was_not q

SUNDAY, SEPT. 12

Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for its 2021 annual meeting “Open Windows.” This year’s honorees are Meyer “Skip” Grinberg and Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel. 5:30 p.m. jewishpgh.org/ annual-meeting Avi Ben Hur unpacks the causes and core issues that relate to the ArabIsraeli Conflict. The goal is to make

Classrooms Without Borders, in partnership with the Maltz Museum

the subject accessible to educators and give them the tools with which to grapple in the classroom with the subject and with breaking news. Each section will be accompanied with suggestions for further exploration. 2 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/arab_ israeli_conflict Bake your own chocolate babka and a delicious challah for Shabbat with Chabad of the South Hills at the Mega BabkaChallah Bake. Pizza and crafts. Ages 3-12. $8/child before Aug. 30; $10 after Aug. 30. Outdoor event. For questions contact mussie@chabadsh.com. Event is co-sponsored by PJ Library. 4:15 p.m. ChabadSH.com/challah q

MONDAY, SEPT. 13

Join Classrooms Without Borders for a

virtual tour of Israel with guide and scholar Rabbi Jonty Blackman via Zoom. 4 p.m. For more information and to register, visit classroomswithoutborders.org. q

THURSDAY, SEPT. 23

In cooperation with Tali Nates, founder and director of the Johannesburg Genocide & Holocaust Centre, Classrooms Without Borders begins a new Museums and Memorial series. Alongside CWB scholars, travel with museum historians, experts and contemporary witnesses to 10 different regions to explore the history behind the exhibits, discuss the nature of memory and memorials, and discover how the world remembers the Shoah and honors the lives we lost. 2 p.m. For more information and to register, visit classroomswithoutborders. org/holocaust_museums_and_memorials_ around_the_globe. PJC

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AUGUST 27, 2021 7

Headlines Temple David’s religious school shifts focus to Israel congregation as its spiritual leader, is also its director of education. Temple David’s religious school students By Sarah Abrams | Staff Writer are grouped into “grade clusters”: pre-K to 2nd; 3rd to 5th; 6th to 7th; and 8th to abbi Barbara Symons hopes that 10th. Each cluster has its own day-to-day students will begin an ongoing rela- curriculum while focusing on the same tionship with Israel as a result of a fundamental ideas coinciding with the curriculum shift at the Temple David Weiger yearlong theme, Symons said. This year, religious school. those fundamentals will include having a Four years ago, the Monroeville congre- connection to Israel as a means of strengthgation implemented a six-year curriculum ening Jewish identity; studying Israel as an cycle for its religious school students. emotional, intellectual and creative pursuit; Since the six-year cycle began in 2017, and being lovingly critical of Israel as a sign yearlong topics have included values, holi- of an authentic relationship. days, sacred texts and life cycles. This year, The Israel curriculum will also emphasize the topic will be “authentic Israel,” said the concept that American Jews can have a Symons, who, in addition to serving the home both in the U.S. and in Israel, and feel a connection to both places, she said. Guest speakers will be invited throughout the year to discuss the Jewish state and share personal stories. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Symons said, “made it all the more important to teach about Israel in an authentic, loving and honest way.” “I am well aware that we can stay safe and we can focus on geography, statisp Temple David Weiger religious school students tics, demographics and enjoying Israeli dance, pre-pandemic Photos courtesy of Rabbi Barbara Symons political structures, but that is

— LOCAL —

“For those who are going to Israel, we really need to think about what we want to experience,” she said. “It can’t only be about ancient Israel and the physicality of Israel, but also the humanity of Israel.” One of Symons’ upcoming sermons for the High Holidays, titled “Now Boarding: Flight 18 to Tel Aviv,” will take listeners on a flight into Israel — describing passengers with different religious backgrounds  Temple David religious school students pre-pandemic and political philosophies, but all travelling not authentic Israel,” she added. “It doesn’t to the same destination, she said. open our hearts to Israel — it opens our “I am hoping to bring this forward to intellectual capabilities to Israel.” every cohort and corner of Temple David,” The religious school students will look Symons stressed. “We have to think about at honest reporting about Israel, according how to present this to both our kids and our to Symons, and students will scrutinize parents so that they engage with the curricheadlines that may be misleading or ulum. We want them to have the ability to altogether wrong. reach out to other resources, identify bias, Temple David is encouraging its members love Israel and have the longing to either go, to sign up for the Jewish Federation of or to go back.” PJC Greater Pittsburgh’s Mega Mission, which is planned for June 2022, or Temple David’s Sarah Abrams can be reached at sabrams@ own trip to Israel in March 2022, she said. pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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Headlines Pittsburgh Federation contributes to Haiti earthquake response

he Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh announced that it will provide a $5,000 emergency grant to help victims of the earthquake that struck southwestern Haiti on Aug. 14. The funds will flow through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), which, according to a press release, already has supplies on the way to Haiti. “In 2010, I had the privilege of traveling to Haiti with a national group of Federation leaders to witness the destruction from that earthquake and our collective response,” said Jeffrey Finkelstein, the Federation’s president and CEO, in a prepared statement. “Once

again, we are able to provide this critical support to assist our overseas partner organizations on the ground.” JDC is providing medical supplies — including wound care, surgical instruments, fluids, IV starters, sutures, gloves, masks, face shields and clean linens — to local hospitals. Working through its longtime partner, the Afya Foundation, JDC is shipping materials to a hospital in Aquin. As the extent of the damage unfolds, JDC, which has worked in Haiti since 2010, will continue to assess emerging needs. “We are heartbroken over the tragic loss of life in Haiti and send our prayers to a people and nation in mourning yet again,” said JDC

p Afya’s first shipment of nearly 1,300 pounds of medical supplies worth $84,000 left on a JetBlue flight on Aug. 17. Photo courtesy of the Afya Foundation

CEO Ariel Zwang in a prepared statement. “It’s all the more fitting, and poignant, that we are doing this work during the Jewish month of Elul, when we engage in introspection and work to mend the broken parts of our personal and collective lives,” Zwang added. Pittsburgh’s Federation is among several Federations in North America providing aid to Haiti, according to the press release. The Pittsburgh Federation’s grant is part of longtime support for disaster relief; the Federation also provided assistance for the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. PJC — Toby Tabachnick

PPS sets start date for students at Sept. 3, avoiding conflict with Rosh Hashanah

ittsburgh Public Schools has finalized its start date. Students in grades pre-K-12 will return to classes on Sept. 3. The first day for teachers will be Aug. 30. And the last day of school is set for June 16. The schedule changes were approved on Aug. 18 by a 9-0 school board vote after a weeks-long process of shifting start dates. Classes were originally scheduled to begin on Aug. 25, but on Aug. 8, PPS officials said the start date would be moved to Sept. 8 to “lessen the strain of wearing masks during the hot days of summer.”

Afterward, several parents and community activists voiced concern that starting school on Sept. 8 — the second day of Rosh Hashanah — would mean that some Jewish students would be absent on the first day of school. The newly approved Sept. 3 start date represents a compromise, according to Sylvia Wilson, PPS board president. “Of course, the school district listened to all the complaining about it starting on Wednesday, the second day of Rosh Hashanah,” Wilson told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. “Anyone taking off that second day

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would miss the first day of school, so that was part of the compromise. But, in addition, we’re still allowing for some time to get the kids on the buses.” The updated calendar for the 2021-2022 school year will allow time to implement transportation strategies to address a bus driver shortage, according to an Aug. 18 letter from Anthony Hamlet, PPS superintendent, to PPS families and staff. In the letter, Hamlet said that PPS’ priority is to have all students back in classrooms, among their teacher and peers, five days a

week. He also acknowledged that “any change at this late date causes families to scramble and make adjustments.” Accordingly, the school board approved additional support for families requiring assistance, finding care during the eight weekdays between Aug. 25 and Sept. 3. Additional information about how families can access those supports was made available online and in a parent update on Aug. 20. PJC — Adam Reinherz

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

August 27, 2001 — PFLP commander is assassinated

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Secretary-General Abu Ali Mustafa is killed when helicopter-fired missiles strike his office in Ramallah. Israel takes responsibility for the assassination.

August 31, 2004 — Bus bombings in Beersheba kill 16 Israelis

Bombs explode on a pair of buses 100 yards apart along Beersheba’s Ranger Boulevard shortly after they leave the central bus station. Sixteen Israelis, including a 3-year-old, are killed, and 100 others are injured.

September 1, 1967 — Arab League signs 3 ‘Nos’

August 28, 1965 — Physicist Giulio Racah dies

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Physicist Giulio Racah dies at 56 during a visit to the city of his birth, Florence, Italy. His work on atomic spectroscopy earned himself and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem international recognition.

August 29, 1897 — First Zionist Congress opens

Led by Theodor Herzl, the First Zionist Congress opens in Basel, Switzerland. It declares that “Zionism aims at establishing for the Jewish people a publicly and legally assured home in the Land of Israel.”

August 30, 1987 — Cabinet Halts Lavi production

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The Israeli Cabinet decides to end production of the Lavi fighter jet. The Lavi (“Young Lion”) was doomed by cost overruns and by an agreement not to sell the aircraft to other countries.

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

The Arab League summit in Sudan ends with the signing of the Khartoum Resolutions, best known for the “Three Nos”: no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with Israel and no peace with Israel.

September 2, 1953 — Israel begins Jordan River project

Israel starts work on a project to divert some of the water of the Jordan River at the B’not Yaakov Bridge in the north to irrigate the Negev and generate electricity. Syria’s protests halt the project within weeks. PJC

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines — WORLD — From JTA reports

Argentina Marks 100K COVID-19 deaths with Jewish tradition

Argentines placed stones in front of a government building — echoing the Jewish ritual of placing small rocks atop gravestones — to mark the country crossing the 100,000-death threshold from COVID19, JTA reported. “The March of the Stones” in Buenos Aires developed spontaneously through social media protests of how the Argentine government has handled the pandemic. Those who marched on the Casa Rosada government building carried stones inscribed with the names of COVID victims, whose numbers have climbed to more than 110,000. At the main site, stones were placed in a plaza. Among the stones visible in social media posts was one for Rabbi Baruj Plavnick, who died at the age of 69. He had volunteered his synagogue as a vaccination center and declined vaccination opportunities before he was eligible. The government collected the stones for use in a future permanent tribute site.

Yeshiva student shot and killed in Denver

Four young men were arrested for shooting and killing a Jewish yeshiva student in Denver during a violent crime

spree, although police said there’s no indication antisemitism motivated the crime, JTA reported. Victim Shmuel Silverberg, 18, was an Orthodox Jew from University Heights, Ohio. He was killed outside Yeshiva Toras Chaim, the religious school where he was studying. Police said he ran from his attackers, who chased him inside the school after shooting him. Police said the shooting was part of a random string of crimes committed that night by the four men. Earlier that night, the group allegedly shot and robbed another man. They are also suspected of stealing a car and robbing a business during the spree. A fifth suspect is at large.

Major wildfire near Jerusalem contained

A large wildfire near Jerusalem that was considered contained reignited two days later, requiring additional firefighting efforts, The Jerusalem Post reported. Evacuated residents were allowed to return home except in some areas in Ramat Raziel and Giv’at Ye’arim and at the psychiatric hospital Eitanim on Har Eitan. More than 6,000 acres were burned in the mountains of Jerusalem. About 150 Fire and Rescue teams worked with the Israel Air Force, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, Home Front Command, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, and Palestinian Authority firefighting teams from Jericho and Ramallah to contain the fire.

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More than 1,500 firefighters participated. “The devastation is unimaginable,” Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg said. “There is extensive damage to the environment. Entire ecosystems have been completely destroyed. The nature of the Jerusalem mountains [means it] will have a hard time rehabilitating itself.”

Could Mayim Bialik wind up hosting “Jeopardy!” solo? The possibility is reportedly on the table

Two weeks after Mayim Bialik said being selected to host primetime specials of “Jeopardy!” was “beyond anything I ever imagined could happen,” the Jewish actress is taking on an even more prominent role on the beloved game show. Bialik is hosting the first three weeks of the regular season after Mike Richards, the producer originally selected to succeed Alex Trebek, stepped down amid a backlash over his past comments, which included offensive statements about women and Jews. Bialik is also being considered for the fulltime position, CNN quoted a source close to the process as saying. Earlier, the producers of “Jeopardy!” had said that Bialik’s other commitments would make it impossible for her to be the sole successor to Trebek, who died in November 2020 of pancreatic cancer. Sony Entertainment Studios, which produces the show, says it will announce additional guest hosts in the coming weeks.

Their choice of Bialik, who had starring roles on “Blossom” and “The Big Bang Theory,” has also drawn some criticism over her past stance on vaccines. In a 2012 book, Bialik and her ex-husband wrote that they had not vaccinated their children. Three years later, she announced on Kveller that her children were in fact vaccinated and that she supports vaccines. Bialik, who regularly writes about her Jewish identity and practice, produced a series of videos for MyJewishLearning this year.

IDF troops compete in international Capture the Flag Tournament

Forty-five Israel Defense Forces troops from the joint Cyber Defense Division were among the teams from 10 countries participating in an international Capture the Flag cyber tournament hosted by U.S. Army Cyber, The Jerusalem Post reported. Israel’s team placed second in the event, which involves the teams defending their cybersecurity systems from would-be hackers — a take-off of the staple child’s game where two teams seek to retrieve the opposing team’s flag from their territory. “This was a great way to train our people in a new environment that they are not used to, and take their skills and test them in a new environment,” said Lt.-Col. O, a senior officer in the JCDD. “It’s four to five hours where your mind is tested in the most extreme way to find new challenges.” PJC

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Opinion You may be supporting an ideology that fuels antisemitism Guest Columnist David Bernstein

am here to remind you that you may be inadvertently promoting an ideology — I’ll refer to it as Critical Social Justice (CSJ) — that is practically hardwired to produce anti-Zionism and antisemitism. The latest outrage — and they are coming fast and furious — is an article in The Daily Beast by reporter Tirhakah Love, who went on an anti-Zionist rant at the announcement that the gameshow “Jeopardy!” would be hosted by Mayim Bialik, a proud Jewish actor. Love stated: Speaking of gods and shady behavior, Bialik loudly proclaimed her donation toward bulletproof vests for the genocidal Israeli Defense Forces back in 2014 just out of ‘a need to do something.’ After facing backlash, she quieted for a time until May of this year, where she self-identified as a ‘liberal Zionist’ who, like many other celebrities, spouted bothsidesism.

Love also said in a Tweet that Zionism is “a faux ethno-religious liberation movement that is staunchly imperialistic as it’s an extension of British colonialism and an articulation of white supremacy.” “White supremacy” applied to the IsraelPalestinian conflict? Where have I heard the term White supremacy before? Earlier this week, I co-authored a piece about the new “Liberated” California Ethnic Studies Curriculum that deems Israel a “settler, colonialist state.” It draws heavily upon the Critical Social Justice lexicon, instructing teachers that the “goal is for your anti-racist teaching to be sustainable, and to be part of a larger movement.” A curriculum that would have been laughed out of the classroom just five years ago is now the only game in town in the most populous state in the union. Like avocado toast and the Real Housewives of Orange County, it’s coming to your state, too. Some of my progressive Zionist friends are in denial about how CSJ ideology fuels antisemitism. One Jewish advocacy professional said to me, “From what I have seen there are people with no connection to any nefarious educational race theory who for example — believe Israel is a white colonial power.” When does such denial turn to

willful ignorance? It takes quite a mental feat to rationalize the frequency and intensity of the anti-Zionist onslaught and to pretend that there’s no relationship between a rapidly spreading ideology that holds a binary perspective on race and racism, and the groundswell of condemnation of Israel using identical language. Newsweek Deputy Editorial Editor Batya Ungar Sargon points out “what’s new is the ubiquity of such discourse in mainstream American media. In the past, we didn’t see ‘Israel’s colonialist project’ in Washington Post headlines, or MSNBC headlines insisting that ‘The latest Israel-Palestine crisis isn’t a “real estate dispute.” It’s ethnic cleansing.’” Why are so many progressive Zionists turning a blind eye to CSJ ideology’s propagation of anti-Zionist attitudes? Some have bought into a version of CSJ ideology themselves. They insist that every decent human being must believe what they believe about race and gender. They cannot fathom how an ideology that claims a monopoly on the truth when it comes to race and racism might also claim a monopoly on the truth when it comes to Israel and the Palestinians. See, once you stipulate such inviolable truths, you are sanctioning others to invoke the same unwavering certainty to

all manner of issues, including in the way they think and speak about Israel. There are also progressive Zionists who aren’t true believers in the ideology but want to position the pro-Israel community firmly inside the progressive tent. They advance the claim that Jews, too, are oppressed and should be a member in good standing of the intersectional club. They seek to influence the progressive discourse on Jews and Israel. That’s a worthy goal. But it’s mostly falling on deaf ears. CSJ ideology itself has become so pernicious and so widespread that we have little chance to move the needle on progressive perspectives on Jews and Israel. It’s time for progressive Zionists to face reality: They just aren’t that into you. And even on those rare occasions when the stars line up exactly so, and a progressive Zionist influences someone’s thinking on the far left or otherwise improves the representation of Jews, we pay a dear price for supporting an ideology that will continue to fuel anti-Zionism for generations to come. It just ain’t worth it. PJC David Bernstein is the founder of the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values and is a former CEO of Jewish advocacy organizations. This piece first appeared on The Times of Israel.

The Torah on my mind amidst the Afghanistan horror Guest Columnist Brian Burke

here are two pieces of Torah that have been on my mind over the past few days as the scenes of horror in Afghanistan unfold: He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: You do not need to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it (Pirkei Avot 2:16) So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and her mother, her brothers and all that belonged to her — they brought out her whole family (Joshua 6:24) The United States went to war in Afghanistan in the fall of 2001 to get the al-Qaeda members responsible for orchestrating the 9/11 attacks and to defeat the Taliban government that aided them. In the two decades since, the original counter-terrorism mission morphed into various other operations and aims, including counter-insurgency and nation-building with the help of NATO and regional allies. Experts and policy makers will continue to debate the merits, strategic goals, successes, costs and lessons of the war, but a few things are clear. We spent a trillion dollars. We trained, equipped, supplied and paid the Afghan security forces. Government institutions were created with American funding

12 AUGUST 27, 2021

and political and diplomatic support. Thousands of American men and women made the ultimate sacrifice. Many thousands more have injuries and scars from their service, both physical and psychological. Four American presidents (and others in their respective administrations), two Republicans and two Democrats, have, to varying degrees, lied and made horrific blunders during the course of America’s longest war. George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden all share responsibility for what happened over the past 20 years. A few recent events led directly to what we are seeing today. Donald Trump decided to enter into direct negotiations with the Taliban, sidelining the corrupt and ineffectual — yet internationally recognized and U.S.-backed — Afghan government. The February 2020 agreement reached in Doha set a timeline for U.S. withdrawal and stated the Taliban would be committed to talks with the Afghan government. The Taliban, to no serious person’s surprise, did not abide by the agreement and continued attacks on Afghan forces. Biden, who has undone countless Trump policies, decided to largely stick to the agreement’s timetable for the withdrawal, claiming last week that his only options were either doing so or vastly increasing the number of American troops in the country to fight a Taliban no longer bound by the treaty. Trump opened the door for the U.S. government and military directly talking to the same people who hid those responsible for 9/11 and thousands of attacks on American troops in Afghanistan. Biden owns the ongoing withdrawal debacle.

Chaos, disaster, and incompetence are just a few of the words I can think of to describe the past several days. Yes, the Afghan military, trained by U.S. and NATO troops for two decades, largely fell apart. Yes, the Afghan government crumbled. Yes, the administration claimed they planned for every scenario (which is clearly not true). None of it matters. We were never going to be able to “finish” much of the work in Afghanistan. However, there is one task we must complete: getting every single Afghan who helped us out of Afghanistan. At the beginning of the Book of Joshua, the Israelite leader sent two spies into the city of Jericho. They were aided by a woman named Rahab, who hid them from the king of Jericho’s soldiers. The spies told Rahab to gather her family in her house and that they would be spared during the subsequent attack on the city. Before the aforementioned pasuk, Joshua told the spies to go to Rahab’s house to get her and her family “as you swore to her” (Joshua 6:23). The spies made Rahab a promise. Joshua made sure the Israelites kept their word. The United States made a promise to tens of thousands of Afghans. We have a sacred and moral obligation to our Afghan allies who worked with the U.S. military and State Department as interpreters, translators and support staff, and in countless other roles. Their lives, and the lives of their family members, are in grave danger. Other high-risk Afghans, including women’s rights activists and those who worked for American and international NGOs and

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media organizations, must also be included in the evacuation. Bureaucratic red tape preventing Afghans eligible for Special Immigrant Visas or any other means of leaving must be cut. Get these people out. Do the paperwork later. Prior to departing her home, the Israelite spies tell Rahab “if a hand is laid on anyone who remains in the house with you, his blood shall be on our heads” (Joshua 2:19). Rashi writes that this means “the guilt of his killing will be upon us” — that the spies would be responsible for someone in Rahab’s family dying as they were the ones who assured her the family would be safe during the Israelite attack. Few things have made me more upset and ashamed than what we have seen over the past several days. This disgraceful withdrawal might go down as one of the darkest events in modern-American foreign policy. The only thing that could bring a shred of respect to this catastrophe is our government keeping its word to the allies who helped us. American credibility is on the line, but more importantly are the lives of thousands. We are responsible for these Afghans. Their country is back under the control of a fanatical terrorist regime. The least we can do is get them out and welcome them to another country they risked their lives for. 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. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Opinion 3 days of rioting shattered Crown Heights. 30 years of peacemaking helped put it back together Guest Columnist Eli Cohen

t was a beautiful sunny afternoon in Brooklyn this week, when my neighborhood came together for “One Crown Heights,” a day of music, entertainment, rides and activities for children and community conversation. The peaceful and joyous nature of the day, with the full diversity of the community on display, stood in contrast to the events of 30 years before. For three days in 1991, starting Aug. 19 in the aftermath of a terrible car accident that killed Gavin Cato, a child of Caribbean descent who lived in Crown Heights, the neighborhood was shaken by a riot, encouraged by outside agitators and directed against the Jewish community. An out-of-control mob murdered Yankel Rosenbaum, a yeshiva student. Over the years since, Black and Jewish leaders, including Rabbi Chanina Sperlin of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council and the late Reverend Clarence Norman, met regularly to anticipate problems and establish a framework to diffuse potential tensions. In time, their efforts developed into “One Crown Heights,” an effort that set out to change the media narrative about their neighborhood from “racially

tense” — as evening news reports always described it — to a community that teaches unity to the entire city and beyond. Their work has some important lessons for the broader community in these times of racial turmoil. Above all, we have learned about the responsibility of leaders — elected officials and religious and community leaders. In 1991, jealousy, resentment or political considerations allowed certain people, from inside the community as well as outside, to use words that exploited neighborhood tensions and incited violence. Too often, in today’s political climate, we see people defined by their membership in certain racial, religious or economic classes. In Crown Heights we have found a way to come together and have conversations about difficult issues, such as policing, gun violence, changing neighborhoods and cultural differences. We walk away with a better perspective about another’s viewpoint — or find out that we agree and share the same concerns. And it works with children, too. Before the pandemic, there was a series of hate crimes directed at Orthodox Jews in our neighborhood and others. My close friend, Geoffrey Davis, founder of the James E. Davis Stop Violence Foundation, came to my office. “What are we going to do about it?” he asked. Many of the incidents involved young people, so I suggested, “Let’s go talk to the kids and see what’s going on.”

With the help of the mayor’s office, Geoffrey and I visited half a dozen public schools. In each we went onstage with six or eight children and held a public conversation in front of a couple of hundred of their fellow students. We spoke about differences, about violence, about causes for resentment. In one school a young student started crying as she told of bullying and other suffering that she had endured and that she felt was a cause for other young people to act out. The school guidance counselors told us that it was the first time this troubled child had opened up. Then Geoffrey published “Love Yourself Love Each Other,” a children’s book. Based on his interaction with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, it describes a key lesson that the Rebbe had taught him and his brother James (later to become a city councilman) and how that inspired much of their work against violence. Davis asked me to join him in reading his book at a preschool in predominantly Caribbean East Flatbush. When we sat in a circle on the carpet with the 3-year-olds, one of the little girls pointed at me — in my Hasidic black hat and long beard — and said, “I’m scared of you.” After we read, with me playing the part of the Rebbe, the girl stroked the sleeve of my jacket and said, “I’m not scared anymore.” None of that trust or understanding was visible on those three awful days in 1991. But in 2021, it was all smiles as children, Black and white, Jewish and non-Jewish, bounced on inflatable rides, did arts and

crafts and enjoyed Hasidic music and a steel pan band. Most striking was the diverse array of the groups working together — Crown Heights Youth Collective and Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and the Jewish Children’s Museum. Police Community Affairs officers and the cure violence group, Neighbors in Action. Richard Green, of the Crown Heights Youth Collective, embraced the musician and educator David Lazerson as they each received an award. Thirty years ago, they had responded to the riots by helping kids play basketball together and enjoy Lazerson’s interracial band — Dr Laz and the Cure. On stage, Rabbi Bob Kaplan of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York asked the crowd to pause and remember the losses of 1991. We didn’t and couldn’t ignore the pain of those injured in the riot, nor the trauma of the survivors. Antisemitism is still a recurring phenomenon. Racism is a reality. Unity is fragile. But this past Sunday’s event was another step forward in promoting understanding and good relations in our community. Hopefully there will be many more opportunities going forward. PJC Eli Cohen is the executive director of Crown Heights Jewish Community Council and a coordinator of One Crown Heights. This piece first appeared on the New York Jewish Week via JTA.

Chronicle poll results: Schools and masks

ast week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an electronic poll the following question: “Do you think that schools should mandate that all students and staff must wear masks?” Of the 378 people who responded, 86% said “Yes, in all cases.” About 11% said that decision should be left to the school boards and parents of each school district. Only 7 people (less than 2%) said “No in all cases.” Seventy-eight people submitted written

comments. A few follow.

public health issue.

I think all schools should require vaccination for children old enough and for all staff and faculty. But since children under 12 can’t be vaccinated yet, then mandatory masking is also appropriate.

I do think there will be kids who should be exempt from wearing masks and it should be on a case-by-case basis.

Until the virus has subsided we need to utilize all available methods to reduce transmission, especially as it Do you think that schools should mandate relates to the delta variant.

It’s much better to err on the side of safety than to regret infecting someone else by ignorance.

that all students and staff must wear masks? 11.20% That decision should be left to the school boards and parents of each school district.

1.07% Not sure.

1.87% No in all cases.

It is a shame that this has turned into a partisan political battle. Public health is inherently political, but it doesn’t have to be partisan. At this time, yes. And the decisions should be on a wide area basis, e.g., county, and not per school board.

85.87% Yes in all cases.

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If they mandate other vaccinations, this should also be mandatory for everyone’s safety. I feel that we have a responsibility to keep our whole country as healthy as possible. The pandemic should never have been a political issue. It is a

This week’s Chronicle poll: Are you vaccinated?

Scan the QR code, or go to survey. zohopublic.com/zs/cxBUMi to respond.

It’s an easy thing to do to help try to control COVID.

Our liberties should be preserved in America and our freedom of individual choice for the health of our bodies protected. PJC — Toby Tabachnick We invite you to submit letters for publication. Letters must include name, address and daytime phone number; addresses and phone numbers will not be published. Letters may not exceed 500 words and may be edited for length and clarity; they cannot be returned. Mail, fax or email letters to:

Letters to the editor via email:

Website address:

letters@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Address & Fax: Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 5915 Beacon St., 5th Flr., Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Fax 412-521-0154

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AUGUST 27, 2021 13

Headlines Refugees: Continued from page 1

additional families as well. “We’re planning as if we’re going to receive more than a handful of families,” she said. “We won’t see hundreds of people arriving at the same time, but this is going to be a slow process of refugees arriving for a long time, especially because the government is expanding its criteria of who can apply for resettlement.” The Afghans relocated to Pittsburgh will receive the same services and support JFCS offers to other refugees, including help with critical needs like housing, clothing and basic essentials, Smith-Tapia said. To meet those needs, JFCS is working with several other organizations, including the Greater Pittsburgh Christian Association of Southwestern Pennsylvania, The Global Switchboard, Ansar of Pittsburgh, United Way, the Salvation Army and Casa San Jose. The refugees will also receive long-term assistance, Smith-Tapia said, such as referrals to appropriate agencies so they can be enrolled in benefits programs, and help navigating doctor appointments. They will

also be provided with information about COVID-19 vaccines, and offered help enrolling children in school. Golin said that refugees receive enough financial support from the U.S. government to cover them for three or four months. JFCS helps them find jobs during this period so that they are financially stable once the government’s resettlement funding is up. They also have other resources available to help beyond the initial three months. The refugees, however, know that the aid will eventually end. “From day one when they arrive,” Golin said, “they are very much aware that the clock is ticking.” The process of being approved to enter the United States as part of the SIV program is complicated, and includes completing medical checkups and getting required vaccinations, said Noorulhaq Fazly, a refugee employment specialist with JFCS. In 2016, Fazly was admitted into the U.S. from Afghanistan through the program, along with his wife and two children. In Afghanistan, he worked for the U.S. Department of State’s embassy in Kabul. Even so, it took two years and eight steps — each requiring documentation and verification — for Fazly and his

family to be allowed into the U.S. Unlike the new incoming refugees, Fazly was able to choose the city where he wanted to be relocated to when he came to the U.S. Originally he intended to move to Orange County in Southern California. But he changed his mind and decided to make Pittsburgh his home after watching a presentation about the city that was provided to SIV refugees. Though the process to enter the United States under the SIV program has been expedited, Fazly said it most likely will still take at least six months, and the refugees will have to fulfill the same requirements as before. Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, the director of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Governance and Markets at the Graduate School for Public and International Affairs, is working with a group of Pitt graduate students to help former U.S. workers leave Afghanistan. The former advisor to the Department of Defense and the United Nations said she’s received over 1,000 requests for help from Afghans attempting to leave the country as part of the SIV program. The first step in the process is getting a letter from their former employer, which, for many, can be difficult.

Jacob: Continued from page 1

institutions and synagogues on German soil is still anything but a matter of course,” Woidke acknowledged. Jacob, speaking from his Pittsburgh home as he was unable to travel to Germany due to pandemic restrictions, said that while the Abraham Geiger College accomplished its mission “perfectly well in much humbler quarters,” the new space “puts us into a different framework.” Located at the University of Potsdam, the buildings housing the new European Center for Jewish Learning were built in 1769 based on plans by famed German architect Carl von Gontard, according to Hartmut Bomhoff of Abraham Geiger College. Additionally, the historic space formerly housed a palace administrator and court gardener, and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin.” The elaborately designed buildings welcome thousands of visitors each week, Jacob said, and now that the European Center for Jewish Learning will occupy those quarters, visitors can better appreciate the

 German President Steinmeier

14 AUGUST 27, 2021

 Walter Jacob Building in Potsdam, Germany

efforts to rebuild European Jewry. What the ceremony collectively represents is that “we have succeeded in all of the things we were trying to do,” he said. “Not only do we have a rabbinic school that combines Reform and Conservative Judaism very successfully,

Photo by Tobias Hopfgarten

but we also have a very good Jewish studies program at the University of Potsdam.” The School of Jewish Theology was founded at the University of Potsdam in 2013, putting Jewish theology on equal footing with Christian and Islamic theologies at the college.

 German President in new synagogue

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“People were saying, ‘Can you help me? I worked for this place 12 years ago and can’t find this organization,’” said Murtazashvili, a member of Congregation Beth Shalom. “These organizations go out of business, they go bankrupt, merge — a lot of legitimate nonprofits merge with other nonprofits in the development world all the time.” As a result, she said, some organizations that had a large presence a decade ago no longer exist. Murtazashvili’s students and other volunteers are working to track down former employers for Afghans trying to leave the country. She hopes to continue the work as long as it is needed, but many of her students, volunteering during summer break, will have to return to classes soon. She’d like to hire a full-time staff person to help continue the work, but needs funding. The university has been supportive of her work, she said, and is trying to find donors to fund the program. “We don’t want to over-promise and under-deliver,” she said. “This has to be handled professionally.” PJC David Rullo can be contacted at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. Much of Jacob’s work to rebuild post-War German Jewry occurred after he stepped down as senior rabbi at Rodef Shalom, a role in which he served for four decades. Jacob said that having the building housing the seminary named for him is a “great honor, undeserved.” His efforts belie typical notions of retirement, said Rabbi Aaron Bisno, senior rabbi of Rodef Shalom. During Jacob’s 90th birthday celebration last year, Bisno said that Jacob not only envisioned and helped build the Abraham Geiger College, but he also reestablished rabbinic education and encouraged a renaissance of Jewish life across Europe. The Aug. 18 Potsdam-based ceremony makes clear that age and time don’t have to be impediments to accomplishment, Jacob said. “I could have given up,” he said. “Others could have given up. We could have said that it’s too ambitious for Europe, that it wouldn’t work. Well, all these things will work if you put the imagination and the energy into it.” “If you really want to do something, and keep at it, it’ll happen.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

Photo by Sandra Scholz

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Headlines Zoo: Continued from page 2

“In every zoo I’ve worked in, we put protocols in place about Shabbos,” Goodman told Mishpacha magazine last year. “The staff knows I’ll leave the answering machine on, so maybe my wife or I will hear it. I can’t treat animals on Shabbos, but sometimes the staff will drive to my house to ask for direction about what to do.”

Goodman said the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is a bigger operation than what he leads in Providence — the Pittsburgh zoo’s approximately 70 acres and roughly $20 million budget are “about 70% larger” than Roger Williams Park Zoo. In Providence, Goodman was also a champion of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, or AZA; he served as a member of the AZA’s Annual Program Management Committee and is an experienced AZA Accreditation Inspector.

That could prove relevant in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium dropped a nearly three-decade membership with the AZA in 2015 after a disagreement over elephant handling, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Hudson, the Zoological Society board chair, said Goodman “will bring new perspective and experience to advancing our AZA accreditation, renewing our lease with the city, creating and updating exhibitions, and engaging the community in new ways in

p Some cards sent to soldiers

Cards: Continued from page 5

hard to do last year. In that so many service members could not reconnect in person, “Cards can be something concrete for them to hold onto,” she said. Johnson, who serves as the vice president of military and veterans affairs at Holiday Cards for our Military - NH Challenge, said mental health struggles affect military members worldwide. According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, a policy action center, 30% of active duty and reserve military personnel deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan

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Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

Photos courtesy of Laura Landerman-Garber

have a mental health condition requiring treatment. Moreover, nearly 25% of military members have symptoms of at least one mental health condition, and almost 10% of military members have diagnoses of two or more mental illnesses, according to Psychology Today. “These are not just people down range, but also people down the street,” Johnson said. Whether a soldier is stationed overseas or domestically, the holiday season could potentially be another period of isolation because of the pandemic’s resurgence, so Landerman-Garber, Johnson and volunteers at Holiday Cards for our Military - NH Challenge are trying to remind troops, and their families, that their military service is valued, and they aren’t alone.

Whether a soldier is in Utah or on the other side of the world, it’s important they know their service and sacrifice is appreciated, said Johnson. Landerman-Garber noted that after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, the nonprofit sent 10,000 cards to National Guard members who were stationed in Washington D.C. Captain Rabbi Elisar Admon, a Squirrel Hill resident and U.S. Army chaplain, called the cards a “morale booster.” Soldiers can “sometimes feel lonely, and small things like these help a lot,” he said. When someone sends a card it forges a connection, said Landerman-Garber, who cited a message sent from Ashley, an 8-year-old from Hollis, New Hampshire, as an example.

Interns end summer stint at Chronicle he Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle was fortunate to host two interns this summer: Sarah Abrams, a sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University, and James Musial, a senior at Georgetown University. Both interns were compensated by the Pittsburgh Media Partnership, a collaborative of news organizations from in and around Pittsburgh, founded in early 2020 with the goal of supporting and maintaining a vibrant local media landscape. The Chronicle was one of PMP’s founding members. Abrams, who is from Long Island, New York, served this summer as a staff writer for the Chronicle, conducting interviews

order to further enhance and grow our zoo.” Baker, the outgoing president and CEO, will hold the honorary title of president emeritus in recognition of her many contributions to the zoo’s growth and development. She will be available as needed to consult with board officers and Goodman through the end of 2022 to ensure a smooth transition. PJC

Apt that garnered national attention. At CMU, she is working on a double major of professional writing and economics and politics. She is editor-in-chief of the Tepper Policy Review Economics Journal, and a Pillbox editor for The Tartan, CMU’s student newspaper. Musial, who is from p Sarah Abrams p James Musial Sewickley, was the Chronicle’s Photo courtesy of James Musial Photo by Stacy Abrams digital content associate, and writing many articles and news briefs, focusing on expanding the Chronicle’s social including a profile of former astronaut Jay media presence. He designed and launched PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Scrawled across a piece of paper were the words: “Dear warrior, I am very lonely but when somebody loves me I feel better. How about I love you?” Even an 8-year-old can share something profound, Landerman-Garber said. “She recognized an ache, understood what made her feel better and offered that as a gift to someone who, in all likelihood, she will never meet.” Each year, thousands of cards are sent, and every single message counts, said Landerman-Garber, because “if that card wasn’t written, then it never would have been received.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewischronicle.org.

the Chronicle’s new Facebook group, “Chronicle Connects: Jewish Pittsburgh,” and posted multiple Facebook, Instagram and Twitter messages every day. He was also responsible for assembling and distributing the Chronicle’s three weekly electronic newsletters. Following graduation, Musial hopes to begin a career in social media journalism, employing his skills in journalism, marketing and graphic design. Both Abrams and Musial were outstanding additions to the Chronicle’s editorial team and made significant contributions. PJC — Toby Tabachinck AUGUST 27, 2021 15

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AUGUST 27, 2021 17

Life & Culture Israeli artist to showcase at Shadyside’s art festival — ART — By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

fter nearly a year and a half of being surrounded primarily by canvas and paint, Smadar Livne is excited to finally be back in the company of people. Livne, an Israeli-born Maryland-based painter, will be among those showcasing their work on Aug. 28 and 29 at the 24th annual Shadyside…the Art Festival on Walnut Street. The free outdoor event will bring artists and art lovers together for a weekend of mingling, shopping and learning about each other. Speaking from her Owings Mills, Maryland, home, Livne said she is looking forward to reconnecting with Pittsburghers. A veteran of the Shadyside show and other similar festivals, Livne has showcased her work nationwide for nearly three decades. She said she appreciates the “conversation and energy” between artists and patrons at art festivals, and after so many months away, it will be good to enjoy them once again. Born in Beit Oved, a moshav located in central Israel, Livne was raised by hardworking parents who “helped build the country,” she said. Their example, as well as her academic pursuits, helped shape her identity as an artist. After completing her army service, Livne studied architecture before earning additional degrees in fine art and literature. Those disciplines coalesce in her colorful paintings, which have a philosophical bent. The pieces created by Livne, a self-described “storyteller,” contain rich images — her subjects include Shabbat candlesticks, Jerusalem cityscapes, classical musical instruments and Hebrew letters. Occasionally, she tucks away full sentences of Hebrew text inside the work. Whether it’s a passage from the Torah, Kabbalah, Maimonides or Judah Halevi, the words are part of each painting’s message. “My creation is my language,” she said. “Smadar and her work express pure emotion,” said Elizabeth Dashiell, a publicist with Howard Alan Events, a Florida-based producer of juried art and craft shows. “Everyone who sees it gets a different feeling.” Dashiell has known Livne for years and witnessed the strong connections passersby form with the artist and her paintings. “When people come to our shows, there’s not one person who isn’t moved by something they see,” said Dashiell, adding that Livne’s work extends beyond art. “You are seeing someone’s internal thoughts, feeling, emotions — the full range of human experience has been poured into that work,” she said. Livne said that after nearly 30 years of weekend shows, being grounded by the pandemic has been difficult. “I love to travel,” she said. “With art shows, I travel and meet new people...COVID was shocking. A year-and-a-half ago all of my art shows were canceled.” The pandemic required Livne, a full-time artist, to pivot. She began reaching out to clients through email and renewing connections online. The efforts proved successful: Not only was she able to sell her work, but she also gained perspective; after decades

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p “Noach Ark” by Smadar Livne

of packing up and traveling to shows in different cities each weekend, she realized she needed to slow down. “I feel like I want to take time for myself,” she said. Her three daughters are spread out across the United States, and she has a grandson in Florida. The desire to spend more time with family is guiding her travels now, she said. But despite reducing her appearances at future events, Livne is still creating new work and building lasting relationships. “I’m slowing down running to art shows, but not slowing down my creations,” she said. “I hope people will learn to reach me, and come to me and not me go there.” To wit, Livne extended an open invitation to her home-based studio. “You can see other pieces that I never bring because they are so large — I can’t fit them into my car...Shows are for small pieces that fit into homes,” she said. Noting that Owings Mill is only a fourhour drive from Pittsburgh, Livne added that even if people aren’t able to join her at the Shadyside show, they can stop by during a future trip out east. “Come for a tour and say hello,” she said. “My place is open, and nobody should be intimidated or worried. They shouldn’t feel they have to buy anything. Just come and say hello. I will take you through a road of history and philosophy in a contemporary way.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

p Smadar Livne stands before one of her paintings

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All images and works by Smadar Livne

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Life & Culture Yes, Italian tennis star Camila Giorgi is Jewish. And her favorite book is ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ — SPORTS — By Marvin Glassman | JTA

his week Camila Giorgi won the National Bank Open, Canada’s most prestigious tennis tournament, and it was a milestone for two reasons: First, it was the first major title win in the 29-year-old’s career, and a huge upset — she was ranked 71st in the world before beating No. 6 Karolina Pliskova in the finals. Second, Giorgi became the first Jewish player to win the event in 56 years, since American Julie Heldman took what was then called the Canadian Open in 1965. Founded in 1881, the Canadian Open is the second oldest tennis tournament behind only Wimbledon. Even Giorgi was surprised she pulled it off. “I think I didn’t have the opportunity [to win the tournament] in these years,” she told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in her broken English following the match. Reports have swirled for years that Giorgi might be Jewish, and that she was considering obtaining Israeli citizenship to play for the country’s team in the Fed Cup — a World Cup-style tournament. She confirmed to JTA that her parents, Argentines who immigrated to Italy, are Jewish. In fact, her favorite book is “The Diary of Anne Frank.” “The book moved me because I am Jewish, but also because she was such a good person who saw the good in people,” Giorgi told JTA. Although Heldman did not see Giorgi win the National Bank Open on television, the former champion said she knew of the Italian player and her Jewishness and was “elated” to learn of her victory. “The feat speaks well not only of Giorgi’s desire and talent, but of the popularity of tennis around the world and the Jewish Diaspora,” Heldman, now 75 and a grandmother, said from her home in Santa Monica, California. “There are not as many Jewish people in Italy as elsewhere, so Giorgi’s title indicates that anyone around the world, including Jews, are capable of accomplishing outstanding achievements in tennis or any other field,” added the former champion,

 Camila Giorgi serves the National Bank Open final at IGA Stadium in Montreal, Aug. 15, 2021.

who was ranked as high as fifth in the world in 1969 and last month was inducted into the International Tennis Hall Of Fame. The National Bank Open title moved Giorgi’s world ranking to 34 and continued a hot streak: She has won 16 of 20 matches since the French Open in late May and reached the quarterfinals for Italy at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this month. Giorgi credits her success to her father, Sergio, who fought in Argentina’s 1982 Falklands War and has been her coach since she first picked up a racquet — at age 5. The father-daughter team is one of several that have led to success in professional tennis. Heldman’s late mother, Gladys, was an icon in her own right — she founded World Tennis magazine and helped launch the women’s tour in the 1970s. Claudia and Sergio Giorgi immigrated to Italy from La Plata, Argentina, prior to

Camila’s birth in 1991. The young Camila took lessons starting at 5 and won many junior tournaments. By 9 she was offered a tennis scholarship by the renowned coach Nick Bollettieri and would go on to win many more junior events. As Giorgi’s ranking rose through the years, she was selected for Italy’s Fed Cup team. However, in 2012, Giorgi was not high enough on the depth chart to make the squad, and her parents were wooed by Israeli officials, seeing Giorgi as a possible No. 2 behind Shahar Peer, according to Raphael Gellar of Israel Sports Radio. Ultimately Giorgi decided to compete for Italy, and she has played in the Fed Cup for her native country since 2014. Along with winning the National Bank Open, Giorgi has upset several No. 1-ranked players in her career, including former stars Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and

Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Caroline Wozniacki. Giorgi reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2018, losing to Serena Williams. “What is so impressive about Giorgi is that at age 29, she is able to adapt and transform her game in a way to enable her to beat high quality players in Montreal,” said Cindy Shmerler, a New York Times writer and former editor of World Tennis. Off the court, Giorgi credits her mother — who designs her on-court outfits — with giving her an appreciation for art and other things to take refuge in away from the grueling professional sports world. With nearly half a million followers, she has become an Instagram model as well. “I love my life. I want to do well in tennis, but tennis is just my work,” Giorgi said. “In the end, I know my family loves me and I enjoy art, the museums and stores, so my life is in balance.” PJC

Nazi reference made at Bethel Park school board meeting

nother school board meeting, another Nazi reference. During a school board meeting on Monday, Aug. 23, the Bethel Park School District voted 7-2 to require all students, faculty, staff and visitors to wear masks inside district buildings. The vote reversed a previous 7-1 vote that decided masks would be recommended but not required. According to a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, during an outburst following the vote, one attendee yelled “Dobos and her

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Nazis are out.” Pamela Dobos is the school board president. The Nazi reference is the third such event during recent school board meetings in Western Pennsylvania. At successive Fox Chapel Area School Board meetings earlier this month, false equivalencies were made to 1938 Germany and Joseph Mengele. A Nazi salute was also made by an attendee at one of the Fox Chapel meetings. Nazi analogies to COVID restrictions have been made nationally as well. On Aug.

23, House Republican Rep. Randy Weber of Texas compared Nancy Pelosi to the Gestapo. “I call her Gestapelosi,” he said. “Gestapelosi has decreed that members must wear masks or get fined.” Speaking about the Fox Chapel incidents, the director of the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, Laura Cherner, said these types of comparisons normalize antisemitic behavior and are a form of Holocaust denial. “If you truly understand the gravity of the Holocaust and its lasting impact on the

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Jewish community and our families, you would not so flippantly use Nazi symbols or Heil Hitler. It’s deeply offensive,” she said. Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh Director Lauren Apter Bairnsfather agreed with Cherner. “This is the opposite of the Holocaust,” she said. “We’re talking about a public health crisis and trying to address it in a way that works. The Holocaust is about killing people. This is saving people.” PJC — David Rullo AUGUST 27, 2021 19

Life & Culture ‘Hit & Run’: Star, co-creator of ‘Fauda’ brings the action to NY in new series — STREAMING — By Esther D. Kustanowitz | Contributing Writer

he newest hot Israeli series on Netflix, “Hit & Run,” is as good and as satisfying as most American TV suspense dramas, but with some Israeli accents: The initiating accident happens in front of Loveat, a popular organic coffee shop in Tel Aviv. The victim is a U.S.-born dancer at the renowned Batsheva Dance Company. And her husband is a tour guide, as familiar as those who have led many of us around the Holy Land for decades. But because this guide, Segev, is played by Lior Raz — the lead actor and co-creator of another Netflix hit, “Fauda,” as well as a co-creator of this one — we know what’s ahead: guns, brutal violence, blood, deception, glowering looks and murky moral choices as Segev becomes a one-man suicide squad. All nine episodes of the bilingual “Hit & Run” (it’s in both English and Hebrew) became available on Netflix this month. Each is between 40 to 58 minutes. (This article includes no major spoilers.) The hit-and-run accident, though shot from a distance, shockingly conveys the sudden violence of what a fatal car accident looks like. More than that, it starts a chain reaction of events that convinces Segev the hit was intentional and personal, part of a vendetta carried over from his former life as a mercenary. The affable tour guide dusts off his special-ops skills and doggedly pursues the truth from Tel Aviv to New York City, trusting no one other than himself and a few longtime confidants, whether they like it or not. As the series advances, the emotional core of Segev’s motivation gets muddled. His drive becomes obsessive revenge — due process and other consequences to his actions be damned. Segev (whose name means “greatness” in Hebrew) leaves “antihero” in the rearview mirror, with the trail of corpses behind him

p Lior Raz as Segev Azulai in “Hit & Run”

Photo provided by Netflix via J. The Jewish News of Northern California

far outnumbering his regrets or positive qualities. Anyone who helps him suffers. There is a lot of casual neck-snapping as Segev, drawing on his special-ops training, treats most every situation as a war zone with its own set of “all’s fair” rules. When he takes to the streets, he’s generally looking to proactively crack skulls to find the information he’s looking for. Refreshingly, most of the episodes buck the trend of presenting women as only “damsels in distress” or love interests. They are not adorned, objectified or romanticized, but instead are present because they are eminently capable. For example, Segev asks Tali (the excellent Moran Rosenblatt, basically a second lead in the series) for help because she’s his cousin, and as a police officer, she is well positioned to investigate things for him. She is assertive in doing so, working hard and late into the night despite being six months pregnant. (Pregnancy becomes a bit of a ticking time bomb in the series — call it a “Chekhov’s pregnancy” — and also functions as a callback to Frances McDormand’s pregnant

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police chief in “Fargo.”) And then there’s Naomi. Although she did date Segev 20 years ago, she’s now a journalist for New York Magazine, and that’s why Segev seeks her out. Naomi in particular gets self-assertive lines that are powerful, such as “I made this happen” and “I’m good at everything I do.” She doesn’t doubt herself, and while she wants to help Segev because they’re friends, she’s also unapologetically in it for the glory that will be hers if she convinces her bosses to print the story. Naomi (Sanaa Lathan) wears a Star of David frequently and, when questioned about it because she is Black, takes the opportunity to remind everyone that Jews come in all colors. Her husband also seems to be pressuring her Jewishly; he wants them to go to Puerto Rico, to “do a little tikkun olam and make Rabbi Rachel happy.” Who is Rabbi Rachel, why do they need to make her happy and what tikkun olam opportunities are there in Puerto Rico? These are also cliffhangers — although less important to the overall plot — with no answers. In addition to many overhead shots and

camera pullbacks (providing new perspectives on Raz’s shaved pate), there are a lot of voyeur-style shots through giant skyscraper windows. Is there a mastermind watching, or are these shots simply misdirecting the audience? In any regard, after a while, the fancy camerawork feels manipulative and overused, as if a young director making his first big-budget production suddenly had a host of high-tech tools at his disposal. (Or maybe someone got a discount on drone rentals.) It’s interesting that “Hit & Run” became available on Netflix the same weekend as “The Suicide Squad” opened in theaters and dropped on HBO Max. The latter is a DC Comics movie that centers on a band of supervillains who are sent on “impossible” missions in exchange for time off their sentences. It’s certainly more violent and graphic than “Hit & Run,” but Segev’s special skills and sociopathic tendencies would undoubtedly have come in handy during Suicide Squad missions. While exploring this idea, I came across a Suicide Squad comics storyline from 1990 in which the squad sneaks into Jerusalem seeking to catch or kill international terrorist and mad scientist Kobra. Who better to lead them through Jerusalem than a mercenary–turned– tour guide–turned–vengeful angel? Yes, Segev! (Or maybe Doron, Raz’s character in “Fauda.”) Segev and Doron would likely have thrived in a comic-book storyline peppered with characters such as the Hayoth (superpowered Israeli commandos), Dybbuk (an artificial intelligence member of the Hayoth) and Col. Hacohen (of the Mossad). And when Ramban, the Suicide Squad’s kabbalistic magician, has a long talk with Dybbuk about morality and the true nature of good vs. evil, Segev and Doron undoubtedly would have their own opinions to share about the ends, the means and what is justified in a time of national or personal war. PJC

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Life & Culture ‘All the cliches on the table’: Germany’s ‘Friday Night Jews’ talk show uses humor to familiarize Germans with Jewish culture — TALK SHOW — By Joe Baur | JTA

“J

ude, Jude, Jude einfach nur ein Wort.” The phrase — “Jew, Jew, Jew is just a word” — comes near the start of the opening rap theme song to the German talk show “Freitagnacht Jews” (“Friday Night Jews”), a state-sponsored program aimed at broadening the German public’s understanding of Jews and questions of Jewish identity. The rap goes on to other punchy lines, such as “Antisemitismus ist in Deutschland Sport” (“Antisemitism is a sport in Germany”), before lapsing into a refrain of “Jude, Jude, Jude” like a kind of techno niggun. At the start of every episode, viewers join the show’s host, Jewish actor Daniel Donskoy, in the kitchen. He’s busy whipping up a mix of traditional Jewish dishes for his guests, like latkes and borscht, or Moroccan chraime, as taught to him by Shani Leiderman — the owner of the Israeli restaurant Beba in Berlin. Next, the episode’s guests are introduced. Joining Donskoy thus far at his roundtable have been figures such as Helene Braun, poised to be the youngest and first openly LGBTQIA rabbi in German history, and Sascha Chaimowicz, editor in chief of ZeitMagazin (the prestigious magazine of the widely-read Zeit newspaper), who has a German-Jewish father and a mother from Trinidad and Tobago. “We talk to [Sascha] about what it means to be Black and Jewish in a country where Lenny Kravitz doesn’t exist, where Drake doesn’t exist,” Donskoy says. While parts of American society are far more familiar with the basics of Jewish culture, humor and history — thanks in no small part to the ever-growing slate of TV shows and films with Jewish characters — Jewish representation in German media is largely limited to Holocaust films, deeply tying public perceptions of Jews to the tragedy or to Israel. In that context, “Friday Night Jews” is a radical and ambitious program. It recently finished up its first season of eight episodes, and while a second season has not been announced yet, viewers can watch the first online (in German). The show is just one of the German government’s many initiatives tied to a yearlong sponsored celebration of 1,700 years of Jewish life in Germany — a program that some local Jews have criticized amidst a wave of antisemitism plaguing the country. The series is equal parts irreverent and sincere. In the first episode, Donskoy openly jokes with his guests, author Mirna Funk and actor Susan Sideropoulos, about the concept behind the show — they call it “Jew porn” — and humorously embraces Jewish stereotypes about money. During a discussion about the invitations famous German Jews are receiving to appear at some of the 1,700 year celebration events, Funk quipped that she’s happy to appear for the money. “Let’s get all the cliches on the table!” PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

p Donskoy makes a toast with guests Helene Shani Braun, center, and Laura Cazes.

Photos by Christian Pries via JTA

p Actor Daniel Donskoy hosts “Friday Night Jews.”

Susan Sideropoulos says. That kind of direct humor generally makes Germans uncomfortable, but it’s a staple of the Jewishness Donskoy says he wants to celebrate. That brand of comedy was never a problem for him while living in London, where he performed in the play “Bad Jews” in the West End, he pointed out. The 31-year-old, who was born in Moscow and lived in Israel in his teenage years, now splits his time between London and Germany, where he appears in both English and German TV shows. He is one of thousands of Soviet refugees who make up a large part of Germany’s contemporary Jewish community — and who have a completely different culture than native German Jews who survived the Holocaust. “In Germany, could you imagine a play at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin called ‘Die Schlechten Juden’ [‘The Bad Jews’]?” he told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “That wouldn’t work and that is sad because it means we are denied parts of our humor.” The show closes with an “Ask A Jew” segment, offering non-Jewish viewers the opportunity to ask questions. Questions range from discussions on the police presence in front of Jewish institutions to whether or not Judaism is a religion, a nationality or both. (It is actually a history, answers Max Czollek, a Berlin-based author and poet who appeared in an episode.) One viewer writes in asking Donskoy about how he feels about circumcision, namely his own. After laughing, Donskoy says that he was circumcised on the living room table at his grandmother’s house, the same table where he eats dinner with her to this day. Czollek then asks if this is the grandmother that makes the good borscht they ate at the start of the episode, joking that it probably does not have any blood from Christian children in it. “That’s foreskin blood,” Donskoy replies, “it makes the soup really spicy.” The humor may land with Jewish audiences, but there are explicit nods to non-Jewish ones as well — pop ups on screen explain that Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights, and that “l’chaim” means “to

life” when the guests clink their glasses. Donskoy agrees that the strangeness of Jewish representation in German media is because Jewishness remains attached to the traumatic legacy of the Holocaust. In the first episode, he mentions a study that shows the first four terms that Germans think of when they hear the word “Jew” are “Holocaust,” “antisemitism,” “Hitler” and “Israel/Palestine.” This, Donskoy argues, is how a lot of German antisemitism starts; anyone who identifies as Jewish is immediately attached to “negative-driven” topics. “Antisemitism doesn’t need to be a person who says ‘I hate Jews.’ Antisemitism starts the moment you think differently about a person,” he said. “It’s not the person hates you, but a person attaches only negative-driven themes the moment they know you’re Jewish.” Donskoy spoke to JTA in between filming two projects, one of which is called “Faking H.” and is about the 1983 media scandal when a West German news magazine purchased the alleged diaries of Adolf Hitler for $3.7 million. The diaries were later revealed to be fakes. After a brief introduction to what the Jewish Telegraphic Agency is, Donskoy laughs and says: “That’s how Jews control the media.” Against the historic backdrop of German history, Jewish programs there geared toward non-Jews — either exclusively or in tandem with Jews — are still noteworthy events. The Central Council of Jews in Germany’s recent “Meet A Jew” program, in which German Jews told their stories to non-Jews, usually in classroom settings, garnered mixed reactions. Some celebrated the mission to increase non-Jewish Germany’s exposure to Jewish people; others felt the initiative, itself an evolution of an earlier “Rent A Jew” program, paraded Jews in front of Germans for their benefit. It recalled an earlier, more controversial exhibition called “The Whole Truth,” put on by the Jewish Museum of Berlin in 2013. The exhibition included a sign that read “Are there still Jews in Germany?” and included a Jewish person two hours every day outside of Saturday to answer questions. The response from Jewish audiences and German press covering “Freitagnacht Jews”

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has been mostly positive. “First, it’s great that there’s a show on German television where Jews aren’t playing the role of the victim,” said Rebecca Rogowski, a 24-year-old activist and Jewish studies student. On this point, Semra Kizilkaya, a 28-year-old linguist and activist engaged in Jewish-Muslim dialogue, agrees. “I enjoy the new perspective in discourse it sets about being Jewish in Germany today, and the plurality of voices it shows on even the very basic questions,” she said. “At the same time, it is one of the few formats in public television where a minority group sets their own agenda, acclaims their own voice, and for once, the others listen.” But Rogowski also felt the show confirmed certain cliches about Jews — like the idea of “two Jews, three opinions” — without offering clear and productive conversations about them. “Everyone was constantly interrupting and it was difficult for viewers to follow,” she says. She also wasn’t thrilled with where Donskoy took the conversation about “Jew porn” as cultural voyeurism — he noted that the term is an actual pornographic category. Still, 72% of the 54 people who responded to a poll she posted on Instagram said they liked the show overall. Kubra Dalkilic, a 25-year-old Islamic theologian and research associate at Forum Dialog in Berlin, says she likes the show and appreciates the insight into Jewish life and cuisine. She added that she feels like she can relate to the guests when they discuss their shared distaste for being reduced to their Jewishness. “As a Muslim woman, that’s something I can definitely understand,” she says. Rogowski hopes that “Freitagnacht Jews” continues to develop, showing non-Jewish Germans that Jews have fun, and “that although we have collective trauma, we don’t allow ourselves to be defined by it.” She wants to see the show promote pluralistic values that are core to her Jewishness. On that point, Donskoy clearly has her in mind. “Once you have a voice, you need to use it,” says Donskoy. “I as a person stand for a pluralistic way of living. Multiculturalism is something I really propagate and I live.” PJC AUGUST 27, 2021 21

Life & Culture Kosher offerings increasing at Giant Eagle — FOOD — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

ebecca Spiegel regularly visits three or four different stores to feed her kosher diet — meats at Murray Avenue Kosher or Costco, pre-packaged items at Aldi — and lots of other products at the Squirrel Hill Giant Eagle supermarket, which, over the years, has become a Murray Avenue landmark. Spiegel said “there’s been an increase” recently in the number of kosher items available at Giant Eagle; they increasingly take up more and more of the relatively small supermarket’s shelf space. “I think the reason for it is to compete with Costco and Aldi,” Spiegel told the Chronicle. “Both Costco and Aldi have a large line of kosher products. So does Trader Joe’s.” Spiegel is right about the increase, said Paul Abbott, who works in Giant Eagle’s corporate offices as the senior director of Market District. “As a general trend, pre-pandemic, the two-year view or the three-year view, kosher items’ growth is slightly better than overall foods,” Abbott told the Chronicle. “It’s slightly outpacing the trends.” Abbott said “mainstream groceries” are seeing an increase in manufacturers

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 A wide selection of kosher meat at the Giant Eagle in Squirrel Hill.

identifying their food and products as kosher. In certain neighborhoods, historic trends — kosher items in the Giant Eagle chain’s approximately 175 stores date back many years — are also growing. Abbott said a big part of that is Giant Eagle paying increased attention to trends — and demand. “We do look very closely at neighborhoods where our stores are located and follow needs accordingly,” he said. To come up with its kosher lineup, like any other product lineup, Giant Eagle looks at “syndicated data from our marketplaces and also our distributors,” internal data, “more anecdotal numbers,” discussion with select suppliers and “feedback from our store teams,” he said.

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Photo by Jim Busis

The stores carrying the largest selection of kosher products are Squirrel Hill, the Shadyside Market District, the South Hills Market District, the Waterworks Market District, and the Cochran Road location in Mt. Lebanon, Abbott said. He said he could not provide data on the number of kosher product suppliers who work with Giant Eagle — nor any change in them, though he said some of the chain’s largest specialty providers are Manischewitz, Kedem and Empire. Giant Eagle also partners with smaller, niche companies for its kosher stock, he said. Breslov is one of those smaller companies. Based in Columbus, Ohio, the group distributes kosher kitchenware items to Giant Eagles in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Rabbi William Goldberg, who helps head Breslov, said he sees increased demand for his company’s inventory as two-fold. “I think that there’s more of an awareness [of kosher items] in the non-Jewish communities,” Goldberg said. “And I think there’s growing demand in the Jewish community.” Breslov has been working — increasingly — with Giant Eagle for about 20 years, Goldberg said. “We started off with one or two stores and it’s grown since,” he said. Abbott said his company’s relationship with area kosher certification bodies, like the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Pittsburgh, preceded his involvement with Giant Eagle, and he could not place a date on when a decision was made for the two groups to start working together. He also said it’s “a little bit difficult to quantify” the number of kosher products made available in specific stores, the number of manufacturers or distributors providing kosher items, or the respective shelf space that is given to kosher foods in select markets. Giant Eagle store managers or staff were not available for comment. “There’s more mindfulness [about kosher products] from the manufacturers,” Abbott told the Chronicle. “We do our very best to be in tune with our community.” PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

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EXCITING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY WITH THE PA HEALTHCARE BENEFIT SUPPORT PROGRAM! https://phbsp.org/ Are you interested in a unique volunteer opportunity where you can make a significant difference in others’ lives? Join Pennsylvania Healthcare Benefit Support Program (https://phbsp.org/) and train to become a volunteer benefits counselor! Navigating the complex and convoluted world of healthcare to decide what medical and prescription drug coverage a person needs, or to apply for benefits, is a daunting task. For the average person, it can be an overwhelming process. For vulnerable individuals, it can be nearly impossible. Knowing what programs one might be eligible for, applying for coverage, and knowing how to use the coverage are tasks that require expert help. As a PHBSP volunteer counselor you will gain hands-on, valuable expertise in healthcare client case management with emphasis on healthcare insurance and healthcare benefits (both public and Federal Marketplace). You will help individuals across all socio-economic backgrounds, particularly vulnerable groups, understand and access vital healthcare benefits and healthcare! Become part of this amazing team of volunteer counselors who provide one-on-one client counseling, and who are making a difference in our region! Contact Bill McKendree, PHBSP Program Manager, for more information on how to become a Volunteer Counselor! Call: 412-266-8322 or Email: william.mckendree@phbsp.org

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Life & Culture Why are we still so obsessed with Hitler? An unconventional new documentary leaves the answer just out of reach — FILM — By Andrew Lapin | JTA

“I

s it possible to make a film like this without contributing to the Nazi Cinematic Universe?” This line of narration comes early in “The Meaning of Hitler,” a fiery new documentary about the persistent hold Nazism has on our culture, directed by Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker. It’s a cheeky reference to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a world shared by the comic book giant’s many onscreen superhero characters. Like Marvel fandom, Hitler and Nazi obsession encourages cultlike devotion to a sprawling, interconnected alternate reality — except the Nazi Cinematic Universe’s shared fantasy is that Hitler had the right idea about the Jews. Based on the classic book-length essay by the German journalist Raimund Pretzel (published under his pseudonym of Sebastian Haffner), “The Meaning of Hitler” is a globetrotting excavation into the heart of our society’s fascination with Nazis, antisemitism and fascist ideology. Why does he remain so visible today? Why have we anointed him as a figure of unique evil,

BETH HAMEDRASH HAGODOLBETH JACOB MEMORIAL PARK

p A still from the documentary “The Meaning of Hitler”

rather than an evil that could be replicated in the modern day? And why do so many people still seem to admire or — worse — unconsciously emulate him? Using Pretzel’s original text as a jumping-off point, Epperlein and Tucker throw side-eyes at the entertainment and political apparatuses that have propped up the Hitler myth in the decades since his bunker suicide. Their

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

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efforts, like the “Nazi Cinematic Universe” line, simultaneously hope to be sarcastic, self-deprecating and genuinely insightful. All of this is accomplished in an unusual style that mostly rejects the patient, structural framework of a standard documentary in favor of a free-associative approach more befitting an internet skim (or one of Leni Riefenstahl’s propaganda videos the film

takes care to dissect). Large text flashes on screen (words such as “Savior” and “Evil”) as we move through space and time at breakneck pace. The viewer sees archival footage, which collides with present-day memorials, YouTube videos and clips from Western art (from “The Producers” to “Star Wars”). We are in Hitler’s bunker; now we’re at the site of his birth; wait, now we’re at a World Cup celebration in France; now we’re driving down the empty COVID-afflicted streets of New York; now we’re at the site of the Sobibor death camp, which the Nazis took care to destroy any trace of, and which therefore makes a handy metaphor for the dangers of forgetting or denying the lessons of the past. We get some traditional biographical material on Hitler, too, and — this being 2021 — much discussion of present-day political moments that the filmmakers offer as parallels to fascist thinking, including Europe’s reactions to the migrant crisis; the rise of far-right nationalism in Germany and Poland; the Charlottesville march; and even former President Donald Trump. The directors know they are not the first to make any of these parallels: a cheeky opening sequence places its source material alongside Hannah Please see Documentary, page 25

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Life & Culture Federation raises record amount of funds

he Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has announced a record $52.6 million in 2020-2021 fiscalyear fundraising. “Thanks to our donors, volunteers and staff, this amazing achievement will help people in a time of unparalleled need,” said David D. Sufrin, chair of the Federation’s board of directors, in a prepared statement. “The growth of our Jewish Community Foundation will make Jewish Pittsburgh more resilient for years to come.” The $52.6 million total includes $13.675 million pledged to the Federation’s annual Community Campaign.

The Federation has increased its fundraising total in recent years through expansions in government and foundation support, corporate sponsorship and private supplemental giving. The Federation’s fundraising success during the pandemic can largely be attributed to “the Federation’s strong annual Campaign, a core support base that enables fundraisers to secure the other revenue streams,” according to a Federation press release. “As the Jewish Federation’s COVID response showed, our Community Campaign ensures that we can meet the needs of vulnerable populations whenever Jewish Pittsburgh faces a crisis,” said Jan

Levinson, Community Campaign chair, in a prepared statement. The efforts supported by the Federation include aging and human needs; community programs and Jewish agencies that serve both Jews and non-Jews; Israel travel and local Israel-related programming; Jewish community life and Jewish learning; and national and overseas Jewish agencies that support Jewish life around the world, according to Federation officials. More than $6 million in COVID relief was distributed this year — part of $9.2 million since the pandemic began. Another record achievement: The Federation’s Jewish Community Foundation

grew to $335 million in assets under management because of additions of more than $26.9 million and investment growth. “This year’s fundraising total represents a monumental achievement at a critical moment for Jewish life,” said Jeffrey Finkelstein, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation, in a prepared statement. “I am so grateful that the outpouring of community support will help our city in a time of need and help to face future crises. We are lucky to be part of such a generous and caring Jewish community.” PJC

Documentary:

that David Irving — the one whose 1996 libel trial against Lipstadt infamously ended with a British court ruling that he was a Holocaust denier (and inspired the movie “Denial”). The filmmakers attend one of Irving’s distorted tours of Nazi death camps, during which they record him making all manner of antisemitic comments; they are appalled by what he stands for, and seem mainly fascinated that a man like him exists. Irving’s inclusion in the film is the exception, though. The other talking heads are a familiar who’s-who of reputable WWII scholars, including Saul Friedländer and Yehuda Bauer, both Czech-born Jews whose

personal Nazi survival stories inform their commitment to scholarship even in their advancing age, along with Nazi hunters Beate and Serge Klarsfeld, and assorted other experts and tour guides. All these figures who have devoted their entire lives to separating history from propaganda now must look on as the propaganda threatens to win out, and sensationalist documentaries about Nazis give way to ironic right-wing YouTube memes. Everywhere we go, we also see the boom mics and clapperboards that remind us we are watching a movie — a trick Epperlein and Tucker also employed in their previous documentary, “Karl Marx City,” which

investigated Epperlein’s father’s suicide in the former East Germany and which, like this film, was also a commentary on modern-day totalitarian forces. There, the filmmakers sought to make visible what the Stasi had repressed. Here, their deliberate presence has the feeling of a YouTube confessional, as they continually ask themselves what good their movie will do. Why take 90 minutes to warn everyone yet again about Hitler, they wonder, when every mention of him only seems to do more harm than good? Why, indeed. “The Meaning of Hitler” opened in theaters and on-demand Aug. 13. PJC

Continued from page 23

Arendt’s “The Origins of Totalitarianism,” Timothy Snyder’s “On Tyranny” and several other books that make up the new canon for cosmopolitans concerned about fascism. (Is this also, in a way, a Nazi Literary Universe?) A segment on antisemitism makes the surprising choice to juxtapose an interview with Deborah Lipstadt (recently nominated to be the U.S. State Department’s antisemitism envoy) with segments featuring disgraced British author David Irving. Yes,

— Toby Tabachnick

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Celebrations

Torah

Bar Mitzvah

Divine compensation for mitzvos

Aiden Gabriel Drucker, son of Casey and Steven Drucker, will become a bar mitzvah at Adat Shalom during Shabbat morning services on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Grandparents are Sherry and John Greenberg of Pittsburgh and Vivian and Dennis Drucker of Somers, New York.

Niv Zelig Friedman is the son of Shiri and Josh Friedman, brother to Lital and Arbel, grandson of Rabbi Stephen and Lisa Steindel of Pittsburgh and Michael and Vita Friedman of Surfside Beach, South Carolina. In eighth grade at Community Day School, Niv loves to make diving plays on the baseball field, find the back of the net in soccer games, block shots on the basketball court and read dystopian novels. He spends his summers at Camp Ramah and will become a bar mitzvah on Aug 28, 2021, at Congregation Beth Shalom.

Wedding David Berk and Sheri Letwin are thrilled to announce the marriage of their son Justin Berk to Talia O’Brien, daughter of Chuck and Ramie O’Brien of Pittsburgh. The couple were married in an intimate, joyous backyard ceremony on Aug. 14. Justin graduated from George Washington University and is currently employed by Schneider Downs Corporate Finance. Talia graduated from Thiel College and is currently employed as a project manager for Etna Borough. The newlyweds reside in Pittsburgh. PJC

By Rabbi Dovie Kivman Parshat Ki Tavo Deuteronomy 26:1 – 29:8

eople look forward to many different things. Family vacations. A good burger. A night out. But there’s one thing that every single working man and woman looks forward to: their paychecks. You know, that little slip of paper or transaction in your bank account that helps you breathe a little easier when it shows up. You work all week long, all month long. You know that all this hard work eventually pays off. Except when it doesn’t. Although this week’s Torah portion is chock-full of deep and important points, there is something vital to highlight from last week’s Torah portion, Parshat Ki Teitzei, where we are given the mitzvah to pay the wages of a worker on time and to not delay doing so (Deuteronomy 24:15). On the basis of the statement of our sages that God performs the same commandments which He commands us to perform — and that our service to God is likened to a worker working for their employer — we can conclude that the reward for following the mitzvos is our “payment” for our work. But if this is the case, then why does God

not give us such reward every time we do a mitzvah? Every time we finish a “job” we should be paid immediately. Yet we find that the ultimate reward for mitzvah observance will only happen in the era of Moshiach, speedily in our days. For thousands of years, Jews were doing mitzvos. Why are they all being made to wait for their reward? The answer is that all these “little” jobs are actually details and parts of one big operation. The goal — as expressed in the Midrash and in the book of Tanya by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi — is to make this world into a home for God, where He can be comfortable, so to speak. Every mitzvah a Jew does brings the whole world one step closer to achieving this. But it’s a combined effort. It’s a cumulative effort. Every single Jew, from Mount Sinai until COVID times, takes part in this task together. When this large-scale project is completed, God will not act tight-fisted when it comes to our well-deserved wages. Just as with the redemption from Egypt, our sages state that God did not prolong our stay there for even a moment, so too He will pay our salary without a moment’s delay, in the blink of an eye. PJC Rabbi Dovie Kivman is executive director of Chabad of Erie County. This column is a service of the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Pittsburgh.

Our family wishes your family a happy and healthy new year! The Busis Family Jim, Maureen, Ethan, Hannah, and Abigail

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Obituaries G R E E N WA L D : Arnold R. Greenwald, on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021, after a hardfought battle with cancer. B eloved husband of Jackie Greenwald. Loving father of Jeremy (Piper) Greenwald of Pittsburgh, Daniel Greenwald of Denver, Colorado, and Rachel Greenwald of Pittsburgh. Son of the late Gertrude and Arthur Greenwald. Brother of Michael (Kimberly) Greenwald of Destin, Florida, and Robin Bickerstaff of Southbury, Connecticut. Also survived by many beloved family and friends. Arnie was a quiet man of many talents. He was a trusted wealth manager at PNC Bank for most of his career, accomplished musician, runner, cyclist, and all-around good guy that dedicated much of his retired life as a volunteer. He put in countless hours at the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, Literacy Council, and Irish Classical Theater. He also volunteered at SHIM, Union Project, Montour Trail Meetup, and had his hand in a variety of Beth El causes and roles over the years. Graveside services and interment were held on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Beth El Section. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to any of the aforementioned organizations in Arnie’s memory. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com LANDAY: Bernice “Dolly” Landay, at home, peacefully, surrounded by family on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Beloved wife of the late Donald Landay. Cherished mother of Sus an ( R ob e r t ) Nitzberg, Judy (Brian) McGuire, and the late Fred Landay. Sister of Milton (Helen) Cohen and the late Ruth (late Henry) Hersh. Adoring grandmother of Michael (Laura) Nitzberg, Diane (Kyle) Adams, Eli Nitzberg, Daniel, Jacob, and Allie Ryave, Dylan and Taylor (Jeremy Salzman) Landay. Proud great-grandmother of Flynn and Emmett Nitzberg. True to her high school yearbook description, Dolly was always a “true and loyal friend to all.” Graveside services and interment were held at Beth Abraham Cemetery. Contributions in Dolly’s memory may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Pittsburgh Chapter, Cardello Building, 1501 Reedsdale Street #105, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family-owned and operated. schugar.com LEAVITT: Rosalyn Leavitt, born in Pittsburgh, on May 21, 1922, rose from humble beginnings to travel the world. Raised by their widowed mother, Roz and her brother, Sam, grew up in the Hill District. After their mother remarried, the family then moved to Oakland. During World War II, Roz worked as a stenographer and was also a junior editor at the American Jewish Outlook. After the war, Roz met and married Milton Leavitt of Worchester, Massachusetts. She then embarked on a life she could have never imagined as a youth, accompanying her husband around the globe as the PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

wife of a U.S. Foreign Service officer. Their first posting was the Philippines, followed by Germany-now with one child in tow, Indiawith two children in tow, South America and Thailand. The family then moved to Bethesda, Maryland. Upon Milt’s retirement, Roz and Milt settled in Miami Beach. After Milton’s death in 1995, Roz moved to Santa Monica, California, to be near her children, where she died, peacefully, at home, on Aug. 12. Preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, and her brother, Samuel Jamrom, Rosalyn is survived by her sons Charles and Adam, daughters-in-law Madeline Bloom-Leavitt and Lynn Holmes Leavitt, grandchildren Ben, David, Miles and Katherine, grand-daughter-in-law Lindsey Reckson (Ben) and great-grandchildren Ada and Maxine. Services and interment were private. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com SELKOVITS: Shanie T. Selkovits died peacefully at her home on July 30, surrounded by her daughters. Shanie was born Sept. 15, 1926, to attorney David Turets and homemaker and activist Leah Turets of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School at age 16 and earned a B.A. in English and business from the University of Pittsburgh. After graduation, Shanie worked as a copywriter and occasional model for various Pittsburgh department stores and advertising agencies. After a few years she took the bold step for her era of moving on her own to New York City, where she was a copywriter for leading New York agencies and lived in a women’s residential hotel off Madison Avenue. Upon returning to Pittsburgh a few years later, she resumed copywriting and a busy dating life...until family friends introduced Shanie to Dr. Sidney Selkovits. They became engaged three months after meeting, and in April 1954, Shanie wore a pale blue cocktail dress to marry Sidney at the Park Schenley in Oakland. Their first home was the “Mole Hole,” a basement apartment in the house they and their growing family soon occupied in its entirety. As her four daughters grew up, Shanie became very active outside the home, whether volunteering, working at village shops or helping to teach second grade at Sewickley Academy. She also returned to school, earning a master’s in literature from Carnegie Mellon University. Shanie was a profoundly loving and generous wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. She was a voracious reader and peerless wordsmith who dashed off witty poems to commemorate events that caught her eye and made up delightful stories to entertain her children, granddaughter and other close relatives and friends. She had an encyclopedic knowledge of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Although she would be the first to admit that cooking was not a great interest of hers, she made divine brisket. Shanie was predeceased by her beloved husband Sidney and eldest daughter Celia and her brother Maxim (Miki) Turets. She is survived by daughters Annie Selkovits (Ross Taylor) of Stamford, Connecticut; Letty Selkovits of New York City; Fran Dava Selkovits (David P. Benton) of Kyiv, Ukraine; granddaughter Leah Sidney Taylor of Stamford, Connecticut; and many close nieces and nephews spanning multiple generations. Burial was private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Pajama Program: pajamaprogram.org.

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Jan & Ed Korenman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacob Kuperstock

Joyce Weinstein Levinson . . . . . . . . Dr. Larry A. Levinson

THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS — Sunday August 29: Isadore Ackerman, Sadye G. Adler, Anna Amdur, Milton Saul Baseman, Isadore Cohen, Arnold Deutelbaum, Harold Glick, Joseph Klein, Sylvia Lebenson, William Leibovitz, Isadore Liberman, Pearl Love, Lena Mandelblatt, Lena Morantz, Alick Portnoy, Sarah Rosen, Albert Ross, Morris Schachter, Elsie Skigen, Anne Skirboll, Hyman Stearns, Louis Herman Weiss Monday August 30: William Beck, Joseph Cohen, Helen Rosen Cowen, Rebecca Eger, Peter Glick, Rose Goldenson, Lucile F. Hanauer, Fannie Zweig Lando, Lillian Goldman Mason, Sam Perilman, Maurice Perr, Bessie Geber Rosenfield, Anna Rubin, Allan Schwartz, Morris Sigman, Jacob Silberman, Bennie Turk, Max Turk Tuesday August 31: Julius Altshuler, William V. Conn, Md, Adelyne Crumb, Julius Davis, June Y. Enelow, Fay Ruth Frank, Rebecca Green, Stanley Hohenstein, Charles M. Horovitz, Sarah Basia Horwitz, Max I. Levinson, Mary Ethel Miller, Mark J. Mundel, Charles S. Perlman, Adolf Siegel, Norman Sife, Sarah B. Simon, Herman Wolfe Wednesday September 1: Bess Abrams, Hanna Balkman, Abraham Bennett, Sara Cukerbaum, Israel Feldman, Eva S. Friedman, Max Garfinkel, Selma Halle, Sadie Jacobs, Sarah Levenson, Helen Markowitz, Theodore Miller, Albert Lt Rosenfeld, Albert Sleisenger Thursday September 2: Leo Morris Americus, Rose Berger, Nathan Drucker, Emma Faigen, Isaac Horn, Paul Kaufman, Emil Joseph Klein, Joseph Mirow, Benjamin Newberg, Abraham Ohringer, Samuel Patkin, Leonard Rosen, Leonard B. Rosen, David B. Saltsburg, Maurice Stern, Lawrence Norman Tunkle, Gertrude Wanetick, Edmund Wechsler, Ben Weiner Friday September 3: Bertram B. Biggard, Beckie C. Cadison, Harold Benjamin Cramer, Harry Doltis, Louis Gordon, Jr., Murray F. Hoffman, David Samuel Katz, Louise Mendelson, Emma Mersky, Lena Myer, Harry Silberman, Belle Simon, Sylvia F. Stern Saturday September 4: Robert Amper, Ida Bardin, Anna Bernstein, Joseph Morris Fisher, Rose E. Litman, Morris Merwitzer, Manuel Howard Neft, Reah Ogun, Rose Orr, Frances Pasekoff, Tybie Poser, Saul Seegman, Abe Sieff, Himie Simon, Abe Siniakin, Freda Weiss

JEWISH CEMETERY BURIAL ASSOCIATION O F G R E AT E R P I T T S B U R G H RESTORATION ✡ PRESERVATION ✡ CONTINUITY

A Notable Personality • J. Edgar Rosenberg

J. Edgar ‘Ed’ Rosenberg was clearly “a jack of all trades.” A graduate of Carnegie Tech in 1944, he served in the U.S. Army Engineers in Italy as a First Lieutenant in World War II. Ed worked for the Blawnox Corporation and then operated Rosenberg’s Department Store in Finleyville with his wife Mae for thirty-five years. The Rosenbergs were involved with the Beth Israel Center in Pleasant Hills. In later years, Ed became an accomplished professional artist, with over two hundred oil paintings to his credit. He was respected by fellow artists and art students. He even taught at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Business, no doubt imparting life skills and lessons. Edgar passed away in 2011 at the age of 89. He and Mae are buried at Beth Abraham Cemetery. JCBA endeavors to recognize veterans within our cemeteries with an appropriate service marker and US flag. We are working with Allegheny County and local municipalities, and with our valued group of JCBA volunteers. For more information about JCBA cemeteries, to volunteer, to read our complete histories and/or to make a contribution, please visit our website at www.JCBApgh.org, email us at jcbapgh@gmail.com, or call the JCBA office at 412-553-6469 JCBA’s expanded vision is made possible by a generous grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Jewish Community Foundation

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Please see Obituaries, page 28

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AUGUST 27, 2021 27

Obituaries Obituaries: Continued from page 27

SILBERMAN: Marianne Silberman, a native of Pittsburgh passed away on Monday, Aug. 16, 2021, at the age of 91, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Marianne was born in Germany in 1930 to Sigmund and Johanna Eichengruen Silberberg. She had one older brother, Heinz. In 1937, the family left Germany to escape the beginning of the Holocaust and settled in Providence, Rhode Island. Marianne’s mother passed away when she was 11 years old. Her father remarried (Martha) and moved to Pittsburgh to open a small bakery in Squirrel Hill: Silberberg’s Bakery.

Marianne worked at the bakery while in high school and eventually made it her lifelong career, managing the business portion of the bakery. It was Marianne who decided that every child who came into the bakery would receive a free cookie of choice which resulted in millions of smiles and memories still to this day. Marianne married Herbie and together welcomed their only son, Lenny. Marianne had a passion and commitment to the Jewish community highlighted by her presidency at Congregation Beth Shalom. As a lifetime board member, she was also a Sisterhood member. She, along with Herbie, took pride in their philanthropy by donating baked goods to Jewish and non-Jewish organizations. Marianne also served as president of the Sinai group of Hadassah and past vice president of the Pittsburgh chapter of Hadassah. She was a life member of Hadassah, National Council of Jewish

Women and Riverview Ladies Auxiliary. After retiring in 1996, the Silbermans moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. They joined Temple Chai and Marianne became involved in the Brandeis National Committee as a board member. Marianne enjoyed the tradition of celebrating Jewish holidays with family and friends. Four generations always enjoyed her magnificent cooking and her table was always set with the silver cutlery that was brought from Germany. Marianne was known for her sweet, kind and fun-loving spirit. She is preceded in death by her husband, Herbert and brother, Heinz. Surviving members of the family include: son, Lenny Silberman; nieces and nephews Joanie Small, Linda Denmark, Mark (Sharon) Silberberg, Michael (Wilma) Silbermann, Vivian Marcus, Robert (Robin) Randall, Judy McAllister and Nancy (Russell) Kovach; great-nieces and nephews: Jessica

(Greg) Powers, Jeremy (Sandy) Small, Howie Denmark, Joel Denmark, Adam Silberberg, Jason Silberberg, Aaron Silbermann, Elaine (Chris) Strand, Annalee (David) Bart, Lyndsey Kovach, Jennifer Kovach, CJ McAllister, Anthony (Natalie) Marcus and Judy (Alan) Isherwood. Marianne was also a great-aunt to Gabrielle Sikes, Isabel and Jacob Powers. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Interment was held at Beth Shalom Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Congregation Beth Shalom, 5915 Beacon Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217, beth shalompgh.org. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. family owned and operated. www.schugar.com

Please see Obituaries, page 30

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Life & Culture Obituaries: Continued from page 28

STOLZER: Dr. Bertrand Lubell Stolzer passed away at the age of 95 on Aug. 17, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. He was born in New York City to the late Harry and Rose (née Lubell) Stolzer on Sept. 4, 1925. He graduated from The Bronx High School of Science in 1942, earned his B.S. and M.D. from New York University in 1945 and 1947, and completed his residencies at Bellevue and Goldwater Hospitals. He married the late Pearl (née Peterman) in 1949 shortly before his induction as a captain into the United States Air Force. He completed basic training at Gunter Air Force Base in Huntsville, Alabama, and earned a fellowship to the “Strep Lab” at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he researched the medicinal applications of penicillin for strep throat and rheumatic fever for which he and his research team earned the Lasker Award for their findings. In 1955, Bertrand and his growing family moved to Pittsburgh, where he practiced rheumatology for more than 60 years at the H.M. Margolis & Associates Group at St. Margaret Memorial Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In collaboration with his colleague, the late Dr. Carl Eisenbeis, he helped create the Doris Palmer Arthritis Center, in memorium for the late Arnold Palmer’s mother. After 29 years of marriage, his wife Pearl passed away in 1978. He married his second wife, the late Shirley (née Zimmerman) Lederman in 1979, adding three more children to his large family. He also cherished his close friendship with the late Dolores Mannix Ryan. During his lifetime, Bertrand had a passion for music ,including listening to classical, folk and jazz, notably Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie and The New Orleans Preservation Hall Jazz Band. He loved animals and visiting the Bronx Zoo in his youth. He supported charities to save whales, chimpanzees, elephants and sea turtles. He enjoyed the stage and film productions of Mel Brooks and Woody Allen. He also savored ice cream, egg creams, Mallomars, pizza and salami sandwiches. Bertrand loved his family, friends, practicing medicine, his patients, and each of his 11 dogs throughout his 95 years of life. He was an avid baseball fan who attended New York Yankees

games as a youth, seeing Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio from the outfield bleachers at Yankee Stadium, and then a Pittsburgh Pirates fan who watched Roberto Clemente win two championships. For 25 years, he visited Cape Cod each summer with his children and grandchildren. Bertrand is survived by his children: Janice (late Andrew Morrison) of Cleveland, Susan (late Nathan Fishbach) of Milwaukee, Daniel (Julie) Stolzer of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; stepchildren: Maury (Lynda) Lederman of Boston, Ruth (Tim) Heeren of Boston, and Hal (Sharon Saltzman) Lederman of Pittsburgh; his grandchildren: Dr. Amy Zack, Peter (Kristin) Morrison, Ben Morrison, Jeffrey (Erica) Fishbach, Brian Fishbach, Michael Fishbach, Rachel Stolzer, Hanna Stolzer, Eli (Meg) Lederman, Dr. Molly (Dr. Eli) Miloslavski, Emily Heeren, Aliza Heeren, Craig Lederman, and Matthew Lederman; and many great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please donate to: The Bert Stolzer Arthritis Fund at UPMC St. Margaret, 815 Freeport Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15215. The Fund was established in his honor by his children, to create the Bertrand Stolzer Arthritis Center at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital, to further their dad’s lifelong passion for medicine and desire to enhance arthritis education in Western Pennsylvania, specifically by helping to make resources available for patient care and resident training at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital. SURLOFF: Paul Barton Surloff, 75, of Valencia, Pennsylvania, peacefully passed away on Aug. 20 surrounded by loved ones, after a difficult battle with cancer. Paul was born on February 19, 1946, to Bernard Surloff and Rowena (Gettleman) Surloff in Pittsburgh. After Paul graduated from Peabody High School in 1964, he pursued a degree in elementary education at Youngstown State University. Paul would later earn his master’s degree in K-12 education administration from the University of Pittsburgh. Paul was a dedicated public school teacher and administrator for over 40 years. Paul was the loving husband of Francine (Klein) Surloff; father of Brandon Surloff, Jenna (Pluese) Surloff, Andrew Surloff, and Tara (Newman) Surloff; brother of the late Jerry Surloff; grandfather of Brynn Surloff, Abigail Surloff, Reagan Surloff, and Alex Surloff; and is survived by his cousins, nieces and nephews. Paul was laid to rest in a private ceremony for family and friends at Adath Jeshurun Cemetery in Allison Park, Pennsylvania. Professional services by D’Alessandro Funeral Home

& Crematory Ltd., Lawrenceville. In lieu of material sentiments, please consider a memorial donation in his name to: Temple Ohav Shalom, In Memory of Paul Surloff, 8400 Thompson Run Road, Allison Park, PA 15101. dalessandroltd.com TITLEBAUM: Joseph Titlebaum, on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Former spouse of Adele Haffner Titlebaum. Loving father of Richard (late Joanne Lippert) Titlebaum, Amy (Howard) Allentoff, Steven Titlebaum and Debby (Avi) Neuman. Brother of the late Fannie Frank and Jennie Hausman. Grandfather of Jessica, Max and Sophie Titlebaum, Sarah, Noah and Eli Allentoff, Kirvayah, Anayah, Eliyah, Netivyah and Kliel Neuman. Also survived by nieces and nephews. Joe passed peacefully looking out at downtown Pittsburgh, the city he lived in for all of his 90 years except for when he served in Korea. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Shaare Torah Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Jewish National Fund, 6425 Living Place, #200, Pittsburgh. PA 15206. schugar.com WATZMAN: Ronald N. Watzman (1939-2021) was a vigorous advocate for Pennsylvania’s public school teachers. Ron liked to recall that when he began representing Pennsylvania public school teachers in 1968, not a single one made a five-figure salary. During his long career, he was able to improve their lives and livelihoods and enhanced their status in the communities in which they worked. Ron, 82, died at home in Mt. Lebanon on Aug. 19, surrounded by family members — taken too soon by a fastmoving, metastatic bladder cancer. He was helped immeasurably by the nurses and aides of the Gallagher Hospice and Angels for the Elderly who worked tirelessly to make him comfortable. Ron is survived by his wife Anne (Teplitz) Watzman, and their sons Jeffrey Alan (Jennifer ), of Westport, Connecticut, and their sons Jake and Alex; and Lawrence David (Harlika) and their sons Luc and Isaac of Columbus Ohio, and Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as his sister Marci (Watzman) Bartolotta, of Davie, Florida, whose daughter Shari and son-in law Dean live in Mobile, Alabama. Ron was born in Squirrel Hill but moved to Carnegie, Pennsylvania, at an early age where his parents, Milton I. Watzman and Esther (Cruso) Watzman, had moved when Milton

news JEWS CAN USE.

established a law practice there. Ron graduated from Carnegie High School as valedictorian of his class in 1958, received a bachelor of arts degree from the Pennsylvania State University in 1961 and went on to the University of Pittsburgh Law School where he graduated first in his class. Ron practiced several kinds of law over the decades, but labor law was his specialty. He represented the Pennsylvania State Education Association in various capacities from 1968-2010, first as a retained attorney, and later as in-house counsel during the last decade of his career. He confronted numerous legal challenges and was responsible for positive outcomes in several groundbreaking legal cases impacting labor and education law in Pennsylvania. He also mentored many PSEA staff members. He received several awards in recognition of his contributions — the Samuel Francis Symposium Award and the Lewis E Adler Award for outstanding contributions to Education in Pennsylvania. Over time, he received many tributes from admirers as well as the opposition. One attorney recently wrote, “I always considered you more than a worthy opponent, rather as a man who was fearless, courageous, spoke truth to power and was, at times, outrageously funny, as well as frightening to the opposition. In protecting your members, the fear of your skills made better administrators of them. It is my honor to have worked with you.” Ron and his family have been members of Temple Emanuel of South Hill for more than 40 years. After retiring in 2010, Ron began to volunteer with the Salvation Army, feeding people from a food truck parked weekly on the North Side Commons, as well as working in the Salvation Army’s Greentree warehouse. Ron’s greatest joy was family — wife, children and grandchildren — going to the beach or taking them to see their first Broadway plays. He loved golf, live theater, travel and a good joke. He had a wonderful sense of humor and infectious laugh that made people laugh along with him. He was fortunate enough after retirement to be able to travel to interesting places in Europe, Asia, Israel and Jordan. Graveside services and interment for Ron were held at the Mt. Lebanon Cemetery on Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Gallagher Hospice Foundation, 1370 Washington Pike, Suite 401B, Bridgeville, PA 15017; or Angels for the Elderly LLC, 5605, Marilynn Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15236. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com PJC

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Community Shalom to camp After a summer of fun-filled memories, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh’s James and Rachel Levinson Day Camp finished its final week.

p Slipping, sliding and smiling

p Eye on the ball

p It takes two to make a thing go right

Photos courtesy of Emma Curtis via the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh’s James and Rachel Levinson Day Camp

Onward and forward

p Building something great

p Andrea Holber, right, and her roommate Shira, take a break from the Onward Israel program and enjoy a Shabbaton at a kibbutz near the Kinneret. Photo courtesy of Andrea Holber

Lights, camera, action

p Cooking is art

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p Filmmakers from “Thanks to Her” visit Jewish Association on Aging

Photo courtesy of Tinsy Labrie via Jewish Association on Aging

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

AUGUST 27, 2021 31

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