January 15, 2021 | 2 Shevat 5781
Candlelighting 5:01 p.m. | Havdalah 6:04 p.m. | Vol. 64, No. 3 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
Shulamit Bastacky, Holocaust survivor who connected to thousands, has died at 79
NOTEWORTHY LOCAL A life devoted to education
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Mental health professionals on COVID-19 front lines strive for work-life balance By David Rullo | Staff Writer
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David May-Stein retires
In July 1944, the Soviets freed Vilnius from Nazi rule. Unsure whether Bastacky’s parents had survived the war, the Polish nun who endangered her own life to save Bastacky’s bundled up the toddler and placed her on the banks of a nearby body of water. A Lithuanian man discovered the child and delivered her to a Lithuanian Catholic orphanage. After Bastacky’s father was freed from a labor camp, he returned to the place he’d deposited the baby years earlier but couldn’t find her. So he kept searching. “By instincts, by luck, I don’t know what guided him, he walked into this orphanage,” Bastacky told the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh in 2012. He called out her first name, but the malnourished child didn’t reply. Finally, after noticing her birthmark, Simon Bastacky discovered his daughter. The young girl was sent to a rehabilitation facility for Holocaust survivors, and after gaining enough strength, eventually enrolled in Polish elementary and high schools.
eep into the pandemic, mental health professionals continue to help their clients battle depression and anxiety, cope with the stress of job loss and financial worries and deal with other, more serious conditions exacerbated by the virus — all while trying to manage their own mental health and find work-life balance in an environment that completely changed 10 months ago. “Life changed pretty significantly the day we were told to go home and stay there for an indefinite period of time,” said art therapist Angelica Joy Miskanin. “I’m a therapist who is also a parent. So, what changed was not only starting to do virtual sessions and work from home but also be there for my 5-year-old who was home with me.” Her situation, she said, reflects that of many therapists who now must perform a juggling act, working from home while ensuring patient confidentiality and still being attentive as a parent. Miskanin, who works with Jewish Family and Community Services, feels lucky, she said, because, although her sessions are now virtual, she had preexisting relationships with most of her clients. Establishing relationships with new clients through telehealth sessions is not her preference, but now is part of the job. “I wouldn’t say it’s been a barrier being on-screen, but it doesn’t allow me to provide materials for my client or help facilitate whatever it is we would be working on in a session,” she said. Private therapist Neal Holmes has adapted some of his procedures to fit therapy sessions
Please see Bastacky, page 14
Please see Mental Health, page 14
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LOCAL Getting to know Noah’s wife Sarah Blake and her novel ‘Naamah’ Page 4
Shulamit Bastacky, center, is joined by students and teddy bears at Community Day School in 2019. Photo courtesy of Community Day School
By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer
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LOCAL Little Night — big impact
JCC helps local businesses Page 5
hulamit Bastacky’s childhood was spent in hiding. As an adult, though, she was anything but covert. During her years in Pittsburgh, Bastacky, a Holocaust survivor who died Jan. 1 at 79, spoke with thousands of students in scores of public settings. The conversations, which often recounted Bastacky’s haunting childhood, were unforgettable. In a classroom, at a library or over lunch, listeners learned how two months prior to Bastacky’s birth on Aug. 25, 1941, in Vilnius, Lithuania, the Nazis occupied the Lithuanian capital and quickly began murdering its Jewish population. Terrified about their newborn’s chance at survival, Bastacky’s parents, Simon and Dora, gave their baby away. Bastacky was taken in by a Polish Catholic nun, who, at great risk and for nearly three years, kept the Jewish child hidden in a cellar. “The only human touch I experienced was from the nun who saved me,” Bastacky told students at Aurora High School in 2013.
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LOCAL JCBA expands
LOCAL ‘Club crazy’ Jewish Pittsburgh
FILM ‘Some Kind of Heaven’
Headlines Newly retired David May-Stein reflects on 30 years in Pittsburgh education
David May-Stein, second from right, and family
— LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer
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hirty years ago, David May-Stein entered a classroom at Langley High School. Just one decade removed from his own time as a high school senior, May-Stein wanted to connect with the students seated before him, share knowledge and positively influence young adults the way his instructors had influenced him. May-Stein knew how to achieve his aims, and classroom activity was only one piece of the puzzle. In order to deliver optimal instruction,
Photos courtesy of David May-Stein
educators must place themselves and their families first, said May-Stein, 56. So first at Langley, then at every other institution where May-Stein worked during his three-decade tenure with Pittsburgh Public Schools, the educator adopted and shared the philosophy he’d learned from his own mentor Robert Pipkin. Placing one’s self and family first “conveys the human side of what we do,” said May-Stein, who on Dec. 31 retired as PPS’ chief of school performance. “As educators we work so closely with one another, and with our students, it becomes another extension of family,” he said. “It’s hard for non-educators to understand the level of commitment and mental investment
David May-Stein, center, with students at Pittsburgh Colfax K-8
that educators put on one another, and certainly the children they teach or support. “In order for people to do that day in and day out — which is absolutely what we want them to do — they must take care of themselves first because if they don’t, then ultimately the mental investment and physical commitment, the 24 hours spent thinking about your classroom, is going to fail.” Most recently, the pandemic brought many classroom challenges to the fore, he said. COVID-19 highlighted vast inequalities among students, as well as the difficulties of reopening. “We hear stories of teachers dying, and grandparents falling to this terrible disease, that could have been preventable,” he said. “There are multiple perspectives on how
children are affected by COVID,” he added —perspectives that will be enhanced by future research. For now, though, educators, administrators, officials and parents must determine a collaborative and safe course. Thankfully, many lessons have been learned from the experience thus far. “A lot of great things happened by accident,” he said. Whether it’s students and teachers finding new ways to communicate, or seeing some of the benefits of remote learning, “there are things we should study from this and determine if various successes or strategies that worked in one school need to be replicated.” Please see May-Stein, page 15
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Headlines Jewish Cemetery and Burial Association expands reach
p Agudath Achim Cemetery-Beaver Falls
— LOCAL — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chroicle
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he Jewish Cemetery and Burial Association of Greater Pittsburgh (JCBA) is setting its sights big for 2021. The organization, founded in 1992, is fresh off a 2020 reorganization spurred
p WWII Memorial-Tifereth Israel Cemetery-New Castle
on by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and has recently acquired 10 new cemeteries to manage or help manage. That roughly doubles its current total of cemeteries managed or overseen to 21 parcels throughout Western Pennsylvania. The JCBA also has received and continues to receive tremendous support — both financially and spiritually — from Greater Pittsburgh’s broader Jewish community, said
Barry Rudel, the JCBA’s executive director. “We’ve welcomed so many new gifts at many levels and the community is really taking the critical issue of protecting these sacred grounds very seriously,” Rudel told the Chronicle. “People are increasingly sensitive to the importance of our mission.” That especially seems to be the case in the series of “small but mighty” communities that ring Pittsburgh, many of whose Jewish
Photos provided by Barry Rudel
communities have dwindled or disappeared, JCBA leaders said. The JCBA has received support and cooperation from places as far-flung as Beaver Falls, which has more than 200 Jewish graves; Johnstown, whose six parcels have 1,200 Jewish graves; and New Castle, whose two parcels have more than 800 Jewish graves, Please see JCBA, page 15
The talks are FREE and open to the public!
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Headlines Beth Shalom Speaker Series kicks off Jan. 20 with author Sarah Blake — LOCAL — By David Rullo | Staff Writer
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eeling “trapped” after the 2016 election inspired Sarah Blake to write her first work of fiction, “Naamah: A Novel,” about Noah’s wife. After the election of Donald Trump, the idea of writing about a woman stuck in the middle of a flood sent to destroy the world, and being forced to care for her family while tending to an ark full of animals resonated with the author. “I felt pretty lost, trapped, stranded and had been writing poems about her and just couldn’t stop them,” Blake said. “I couldn’t stop thinking about her and I was like, ‘How would Naamah get out of this situation?’ Or, ‘If I gave her ways to get out, how would she respond?’” Blake will appear virtually Wednesday, Jan. 20, as part of Congregation Beth Shalom’s Speaker Series. The free program is presented by Derekh, the Edward and Rose Berman Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh, the Jewish Book Council and White Whale Bookstore, and is underwritten by Seth Glick and his wife Carolyn Slayton. Naamah is a minor character in the Torah — her name is only mentioned once, and not in relation to the story of the flood. “There’s a lot of room left in that story, a lot left out,” Blake said. In addition to the popular Genesis story, in writing her novel Blake also relied on the Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish work considered canonical by Ethiopian Jews and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. It was from this lesser-known work, not the Torah, that Blake learned Naamah’s name as well as other details, such as information on various moon cycles. While the novel focuses on Naamah, Blake said readers will learn a lot about the lives of Noah and the couple’s sons and daughters-in-law. The story also depicts what it was like to care for the animals that joined the family on the ark — animals that continued to have baby animals during their time at sea. Before writing “Naamah,” which was awarded the 2019 National Jewish Book Award for Debut Fiction, Blake published two books of poetry: “Mr. West,” a lyrical biography of Kayne West and, as part of the Wesleyan Poetry Series, “Let’s Not Live on Earth.”
Author Sarah Blake will appear at Congregation Beth Shalom’s speaker series on Jan. 20. Photo by Nina Subin
It was through poetry Blake, who lives in that led Blake to find England with her husband inspiration from Naamah and son, grew up in as well as to other New Jersey in an interwomen in the Bible. faith family with parents “I’d been writing poems who were atheists. Blake where I was trying to still identified culturreclaim some of the women ally as Jewish, thanks to that I’d been a little dismisattending various life cycle sive of as a child, women events of Jewish family like Eve or Sarah,” whom members. Now, she celeshe didn’t consider to be brates Chanukah at home “strong, amazing women and has taught her son I identify with from other about Yom Kippur and places in history. I wanted Rosh Hashanah. to go back as an adult and The hardest part of the see why I’d been dismissive book to write, she said, was Sarah Blake wrote her first of these women. I’d been the eventual discussion work of fiction, “Naamah: reading them through a between her protagonist certain lens and actually, A Novel,” about Noah’s wife. and God, an event she there is another way to look at them that was acknowledges didn’t take place in either the more like the same kind of joy and empow- Torah or Book of Jubilees. erment I got from these other women.” “It was the most intimidating part of the
book,” she said. “I knew the whole time I was writing towards it but didn’t know how I would write once I got there. It’s still intimidating when I look back but I’m always relieved when I reread the passage. I’m like, ‘I did OK.’” This year, in addition to Blake, Beth Shalom’s Speaker Series will feature Neal Bascomb, author of “Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler’s Best”; Ariel Sabar, author of “Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man and the Gospel of Jesus’s Wife”; New York Times bestselling author Janice Kaplan, who will discuss her work “The Genius of Women: From Overlooked to Changing the World”; and Talia Carner, author of “The Third Daughter: A Novel.” Glick and Slayton founded the Speaker Series four years ago when they realized that Pittsburgh didn’t have a series highlighting Jewish Book Council authors. “We wanted to create a series that we would want to attend,” Glick said, who worked in the book business for over a decade. Typically, Speaker Series authors are chosen at a three-day event in New York sponsored by the Jewish Book Council, Glick said. This year, due to COVID-19, authors presented their works on Zoom. “It was definitely harder,” he said. “Being able to talk to them afterwards is a large part. Most people have some Pittsburgh tie, which makes an immediate bond. You can play the whole Squirrel Hill, Jewish geography thing. In person, you get a flavor for what their presentation is going to be like. And on Zoom, so much of that is lost. It almost feels a little more rehearsed and distant.” While the pandemic may have made the selection of authors different from previous years and forced the series online, Glick and Slayton think there may be a silver lining in the cloud. “It gives a chance for people from all over the world to attend these events,” Glick said. “Because it’s free and open to the public, we really hope that word spreads and people from outside of Pittsburgh attend.” As for Blake, she understands the desire to find solace in a good book as an escape from an anxiety-laden world. “What I learned most from Naamah,” she said, “is that we deserve the escape we crave.” PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
New York Jewish Week acquired by 70 Faces Media
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o longer financially viable on its own, the New York Jewish Week — which has provided local news coverage for Jews in the New York City area for 46 years — has been acquired by 70 Faces Media, the nonprofit parent company of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Kveller, Alma and My Jewish Learning. The pandemic hit the New York Jewish
4 JANUARY 15, 2021
Week hard, and the paper’s ad revenues plummeted, according to a report in The New York Times. In July, the paper ceased publishing a print edition and moved its operations entirely online. It also had to lay off employees. Many other Jewish newspapers have either had to shut down operations entirely or move solely online in recent years. The Jewish Journal in Los Angeles suspended its print editions last
fall. Boston’s The Jewish Advocate has stopped publishing. Two Jewish newspapers in Chicago both ceased operations in 2019. Philissa Cramer, editor-in-chief of JTA, said 70 Faces Media’s acquisition of the New York Jewish Week could be a model for other struggling local newspapers, and a way to keep local Jewish news alive in other communities.
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“Jewish media is experiencing the same absolute crisis that other local news has, and it’s been exacerbated during the pandemic,” Cramer told the Times. “To imagine local Jewish communities without robust coverage is a shame, and I’d like to be part of a solution that can imagine a sustainable pathway.” PJC — Toby Tabachnick PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG
Headlines Little Night gift cards to provide big assist to JCC and local merchants — LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer
A
lthough they’re calling it little, the aim is still big. Organizers of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh’s Big Night are ensuring that despite a tongue-in-cheek name change this year to “Little Night,” the annual celebration and fundraiser will boost the community center as well as local businesses. With COVID-19 hurting so many people, including local merchants, it made sense to find a way to support both the JCC and Pittsburgh-area businesses, explained Cheryl Gerson, a past Big Night chair. Along with Cathy Reifer, another past Big Night chair, Gerson encouraged Little Night committee members to purchase gift cards from local merchants and then donate those cards to Little Night’s silent auction. Gerson, Reifer and others purchased gift cards, and received donated gift cards, from merchants in Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Point Breeze, Highland Park, East Liberty and Garfield. The businesses range from home goods to restaurants to clothing, and are all
e.b. Pepper and Cathy Reifer in front of e.b. Pepper clothing boutique Photo courtesy of the Jewish Community Center of Pittsburgh
owned by independent retailers, said Cathy Samuels, JCC’s chief development and communications officer. “Because of COVID-19 and the lockdowns,
people were extremely careful about congregating, and as a result many of these businesses didn’t get the normal foot traffic, and didn’t do the amount of business they
would have done during a regular holiday season,” said Samuels. “We at the JCC, as well as many of our board members and past Big Night chairs, felt strongly that this was a time to support local independent businesses.” “Supporting these businesses seemed like a nice thing to do,” echoed Gerson. JCC’s Little Night will be held virtually on Jan. 23. Days earlier, the donated gift cards will be available for bidding during Little Night’s online silent auction. As in years past, funds raised by the silent auction will support the JCC, which, since March 2020, has faced unusual hardship due to the pandemic, explained Samuels. Despite periods of closure, the JCC nonetheless continued helping the community by providing a range of services, including blood drives, free virtual programming and meals to combat food insecurity among Allegheny County’s older population. “The JCC has experienced operating losses during the past 10 months,” said Samuels. The money raised at Little Night will not only help offset those expenses, but ensure “the JCC can keep its doors open in the future.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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AVOIDING ONLINE DO-IT-YOURSELF ESTATE PLANNING MISTAKES This is one in a series of articles about Elder Law by Michael H. Marks., Esq. Michael H. Marks is an elder law attorney with offices in Squirrel Hill and Monroeville. Send questions to michael@marks-law.com or visit www.marks-law.com. Some people tend to be do-it-yourselfers. Others are not. When surgery is needed, we go to a doctor, and not try it ourselves. But for a home project or car repair, some of us might try. Online do-it-yourself estate planning websites to prepare your own Will, Power of Attorney or trust have grown in popularity. Trying to do it yourself, however, can definitely lead to problems you - and those you leave behind - will regret.
“What could go wrong?! You just fill in a few blanks, and sign your name, without attorney fees…” BUT, what’s at stake is everything you’ve ever worked and saved for. It’s too important to take chances that your efforts will accomplish your goals. The dangers of messing it up are real. What could go wrong in using an estate planning website? Plenty! Crafting a good estate plan, and preparing a sound and appropriate Will, Power of Attorney or trust, profits from the training, knowledge, experience, skill, perspective and advice of an estate planning professional. We do more than just draft documents. We advisie clients about alternatives and choices. We see hidden pitfalls that are not apparent to a non-lawyer. We answer questions and provide guidance. We provide practical suggestions and context -what to do and knowing what not to do. It’s not just about writing the document properly,
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it’s about weighing and considering all the factors and issues, recognizing potential problems and traps, and choosing the right path and strategy, before even starting to write. So many of my clients think their estate planning will be truly simple, because they are not yet aware of the decisions, intricacy and factors that are essential. They don’t yet know what they want or need. Trying to save a buck by doing it yourself - online or otherwise - can bring litigation and expense for your family, and conflict instead of harmony at the worst possible time. Losing a loved one is hard enough without these complications. Here are some of the most common and expensive mistakes that people make when they try to do their own estate planning. No Clear Statement Of Testamentary Or Dispositive Intent. A will must indicate clearly your intent that it is your Will, intended to leave your property at death to those named. It should not merely be, and not merely, for example, a statement of future wishes or actions.
should raise your kids? Overlooking A Special Needs Trust For A Disabled Beneficiary. Very counterproductive and can leave a beneficiary worse off. Requires expertise to design and implement. Bad Choice Of Executor. It’s an important job. An example of how to screw it up? Appoint kids who don’t get along to be Co-executors. Power Of Attorney Not Properly Executed. The financial power of attorney in Pennsylvania must be signed, witnessed and notarized in just the right way to be valid. Power Of Attorney With Inadequate Or Excessive Powers. We do our best to decide and predict in advance what powers an Agent under Power Of Attorney should or should not have.
Here are some mistakes that people make by inserting provisions that should NOT go into a will.
No Trust For A Minor. Leaving a bequest to a minor without trust provisions results in an imperfect arrangement called a “Guardianship for a Minor.”
Illegal Conditions. You can’t make a bequest contingent upon a stipulation that unlawfully discriminates or limits someone’s personal choices in a legally protected way, e.g. no inheritance if you marry so-and-so. Funeral Instructions Only in the Will. The best way to get the funeral you prefer is to tell those who will be around after you what funeral arrangements you want or don’t want. Don’t just rely on writing only in your Will.
Conclusion? For the sake of your family and their future, commit the resources – time, energy and money – that your efforts deserve. You can’t afford NOT to do it right.
helping you plan for what matters the most
Leaving Out A Residuary Or Remainder Clause. People sometimes include specific bequests or gifts, but neglect to give away everything else that may remain. Forgetting To Appoint An Executor. People writing their own will can fail to appoint someone to be in charge. Or, they might not name and appoint a backup, substitute or successor.
Leaving One Dollar To A Beneficiary You Want To Exclude. Don’t do it. It gives them standing in the case or to object that they otherwise would not have.
www.marks-law.com
412-421-8944 4231 Murray Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217
No Guardian Named for a Minor. What can be more important than deciding who
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With the increasing costs of long-term care, having the help of a legal professional when planning for your family’s future can help you make better decisions that can result in keeping more of your money. We help families understand the strategies, the benefits, and risks involved with elder law, disability and estate planning. Michael H. Marks, Esq. michael@marks-law.com member, national academy of elder law attorneys
Leslie A. Dutchcot, Esq. leslie@marks-law.com
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Calendar q MONDAYS, JAN. 18, 25; FEB. 1, 8, 15
q THURSDAYS, JAN. 21-MARCH 18
Join Rabbi Jeremy Markiz in learning Masechet Rosh Hashanah, a tractate of the Talmud about the many new years that fill out the Jewish calendar at Monday Talmud study. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org.
Join the 10.27 Healing Partnership and Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife for Jewish Style R&R — Rachamim and Resilience. This series of weekly interactive workshops will be an opportunity to engage in classes that will build on Jewish values, core concepts of resiliency, and mindfulness tools as a way of expanding our resiliency toolbox in this next year. This program is being offered at no cost and is open to all ages. 7 p.m. For more information, visit 1027healingpartnership.org/events.
q TUESDAY, JAN. 19 Classrooms Without Borders is excited to embark on its second Jewish Heritage Series with CWB scholar Avi Ben-Hur and guest speakers. The communities covered include Britain, Turkey, Argentina, France, India and more. 2 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org
q TUESDAYS, JAN. 19, 26; FEB. 2, 9 Classrooms Without Borders presents a weekly book discussion of “Suzanne’s Children” with Dr. Joshua Andy. 4 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org
The Jewish Pittsburgh History Series, sponsored by Rodef Shalom Congregation, will present Rodef Shalom Rabbis: J. Leonard Levy, Pacifist by Martha Berg, Rodef Shalom archivist. Rabbi Levy served the congregation from 1901-1917, a period of historic growth. There is no charge to attend this Zoom event. 7 p.m. For details and to register, follow the Jewish History Series link at www.rodefshalom.org. q TUESDAYS, JAN. 19 - JUNE 1
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.
What is the point of Jewish living? What ideas, beliefs and practices are involved? Melton Course 1: Rhythms & Purposes of Jewish Living examines a variety of Jewish sources to discover the deeper meanings of Jewish holidays, lifecycle observances and Jewish practice. Cost: $300 per person, per year (25 sessions), includes all books and materials. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org.
q SUNDAY, JAN. 17
q WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20
Grief Workshop (Part 1): Creating Sacred Community will be the first Moishe House Pittsburgh event in a series led by community member Ami Weintraub. The goal of these workshops is to explore grief rituals within Judaism so participants can obtain tangible tools for dealing with the loss and grief we are experiencing as a society and as individuals. 7 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/moishehouse.pittsburgh.
Join resident teaching artist Susan Stein for From Frederick Douglass to Ta-Nehisi Coates. Explore and analyze literature created by African American writers and thinkers. Read excerpts from well-known and lesser-known texts and use them to discuss the legacies of enslavement. 4 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org
q SUNDAYS, JAN. 17, 24, 31; FEB. 7, 14 Join a lay-led Online Parashah Study Group to discuss the week’s Torah portion. No Hebrew knowledge is needed. The goal is to build community while deepening understanding of the text. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q S UNDAYS, JAN. 17, 24; MONDAYS, FEB. 8, 15, 22 Beth El Congregation of the South Hills presents its Winter Speaker Series. For a complete list of speakers, topics and times, and to register, visit bethelcong.org/events. q MONDAY, JAN. 18 Join Classrooms Without Borders for Hear Our Voices: MLK Day of Learning with the Maltz Jewish Heritage Museum and The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia, a full day of events and virtual museum tours, open to all learners. 11 a.m. classroomswithoutborders.org Join Beth El Congregation of the South Hills for First Mondays with Rabbi Alex. This month will feature Shoshana Nambi, Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion rabbinical student from Uganda. 12 p.m. For more information and to register visit bethelcong.org.
Join Moishe House Pittsburgh to write a letter and brighten a friend’s dark winter day. They will even provide stationery, envelopes, and stamps! How convenient. 7 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/moishehouse.pittsburgh. Beth Shalom Congregation’s Derekh Speaker Series welcomes five authors from across the country. Sarah Blake will kick off the series, discussing her latest novel “Naamah,” which retells the story of the great flood from the perspective of Noah’s wife. 7:30 p.m. Free. For more information, and to register for the Zoom event, visit bethshalompgh.org/speakerseries. q THURSDAY, JAN. 21 Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for “Is Israel and Zionism Still Relevant in 2021 to American Jews?” — another fascinating webinar hosted by Neil Lazarus. 12 p.m. For more information, visit jewishpgh.org/event. Classrooms Without Borders, in partnership with Rodef Shalom Congregation, is excited to offer the opportunity to watch the film “Kishon” and engage in a post-film discussion with the film’s producer, Arik Bernstein, and CWB scholar Avi Ben Hur. 3 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/Kishon
q FRIDAY JAN. 22; THURSDAY, FEB. 4 What are you doing in June 2022? The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh hopes that you will be in Israel with them and hundreds of others from Pittsburgh’s Jewish community. To learn more, join Federation for a Zoom info session. Young adults are invited to attend a special session on Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. Adults should plan to attend on Jan. 22 at noon or Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jfedpgh.org. q SUNDAY, JAN. 24
q T HURSDAYS, JAN. 28; FEB. 4, 11, 25; MARCH 4, 11 The Mishna, the Oral Law in written form, is one of the greatest works of the Jewish people. In this survey course, Jewish Community Foundation Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff will provide a comprehensive overview of this singular, foundational work. Co-sponsored with Derekh at Congregation Beth Shalom. 9:30 a.m. For more information and to register, visit foundation. jewishpgh.org/mishna. q S UNDAYS, JAN. 31; FEB. 7, 14, 21, 28; MARCH 7, 14 What does Jewish tradition have to say about God, Torah, mitzvot, suffering, messiah, Israel? In this special course, Pittsburgh Rabbis on Jewish Belief, Jewish Community Foundation Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff will host 14 Pittsburgh rabbis, each teaching a session on fundamental aspects of Jewish belief. 10 a.m. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org. q MONDAYS, FEB. 1, 8, 15, 22; MARCH 1, 8, 15
Interested in learning more about a unique gap year program in Israel and Pittsburgh? While serving as a shinshinim you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in Israeli life and culture, do tikkun olam in Karmiel Misgav, meet with other cohorts across the country, and more, all while having the experience of a lifetime. Open to anyone aged 18-20 in September. Learn more at the MASA Pittsburgh Shinshinim program information session. 11 a.m. jewishpgh.org/event Classrooms Without Borders invites you to attend Ghetto Fighter’s House “Talking Memory” international online lecture series for a special program in commemoration of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 60th Anniversary of the Eichmann Trial: “Between Eichmann and Demjanjuk: Two Holocaust Trials in Israel” — A conversation with Prof. Hannah Yablonka and Dr. Tamir Hod. 2 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org q MONDAY, JAN. 25 Classrooms Without Borders, in partnership with the American Association of Teachers of German, the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in New York City, and Germany Close Up, invites you to screen the short film “Masel Tov Cocktail” and join us for a post-screening discussion with the filmmaker Arkadij Khaet. 12 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org q WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27 Classrooms Without Borders invites all educators to learn from acclaimed writer and Holocaust Survivor Primo Levi during a TEACH-IN for International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Levi was the author of several books, novels, short stories, essays and poems. classroomswithoutborders.org. Classrooms Without Borders presents the first in their four-part series, Ethical Implications of the Holocaust, presented by Dr. Michael Berenbaum. 4 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh presents a special, one-night program with Julie Kohner. Kohner will discuss her parents’ book, artifacts, and her mother’s landmark appearance on “This Is Your Life.” 7 p.m. hcofpgh.org/events
Most people associate the term “Haftarah” with opaque prophetic reading on Shabbat morning. This course, Haftarah, will attempt to make the opaque sparkle. Choosing selectively from the most interesting Haftarah portions, Jewish Community Foundation Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff will seek to imbue meaning in these powerful prophetic passages. 9:30 a.m. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org. q TUESDAY, FEB. 9 The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s Education Outreach Associate, Emily Bernstein, interviews Dr. Joshua Andy, the 2016-’17 Holocaust Educator of the Year. Andy teaches at the Upper School at Winchester Thurston. 3 p.m. hcofpgh.org/events q TUESDAYS, FEB. 9, 16, 23; MARCH 2, 9 Treating Jewish jokes as text, From Sinai to Seinfeld invites students to analyze and interpret the evolving concerns, styles, rhythms, preoccupations and values of the Jewish people that lie buried deep in words that make us laugh as Jews, and that bond us as a people. $50 per person, includes all books and materials. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org. q WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10 Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for the annual winter gathering of Pittsburghers. Log on with your fellow snowbirds for an engaging evening with New York Times columnist Bret Stephens. $10 and minimum $500 commitment to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s 2021 Community Campaign. 5 p.m. foundation.jewishpgh.org/snowbird Beth Shalom Congregation’s Derekh Speaker Series welcomes Neal Bascomb who will discuss “Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress and a Legendary Cat Beat Hitler’s Best.” 7:30 p.m. Free. For more information, and to register for the Zoom event, visit bethshalompgh.org/ speakerseries. PJC
www.pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 6 JANUARY 15, 2021
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Headlines Rauh Jewish Archives tells the curious story of Pittsburgh’s Jewish clubs
The Duodecim Club at the William Penn Hotel in 1916
Concordia Frolics: The cast of the 1931 edition of Concordia Frolics
Photos provided by the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives
essentially family reunions funneled into the structure of traditional clubs, with regular By David Rullo | Staff Writer meetings, dues and bylaws. They even kept minutes of ere your great-grandparents their activities. founding members of the “They have picnics, they Concordia Club? Did your have events where kids could grandfather play basketball or swim as a run around and where adults member of the Sable Club? Maybe your could sit and chat,” Lidji said. aunt attended dances held by the Minyun or “It was just presented in a way Duodecim club. that’s really unique.” “Jewish Pittsburgh has always been club Lidji’s interest in these family crazy,” said Eric Lidji, director of the Rauh clubs sparked the idea of the Jewish History Program & Archives at the Rauh delving deeper into Senator John Heinz History Center. their history. Incoming board Pittsburgh was home to hundreds of Jewish chair Seth Glick suggested clubs between the First and Second World expanding the idea to include a Wars, Lidji said. Because of their popularity, broader range of clubs to make and the fact that the history of these clubs is the project more inclusive. largely unknown by the So, what general population, the defines The members of the Somer Sommerman Boys Club at their annual picnic in Unity, Pa. in 1924 Rauh Jewish Archives a club? will be highlighting Lidji has a stories of Jewish club life few ideas in Western Pennsylvania and shared them in Another defining aspect of a club was that it and professional was often blurred. One of throughout 2021. a recent Rauh Jewish had officers who ran elections, collected dues, the most successful Pittsburgh athletic clubs “The thing that’s Archives newsletter. scheduled meetings, drafted bylaws and more. was The Coffey Club — organized around interesting about the A club, he said, has a Every good club also required a club- the game of basketball — whose reputation Pittsburg h Je wish name that represents its house, or at least a meeting place, Lidji said. extended beyond the Steel City, said Lidji. community is that members’ shared iden- Youth clubs, often centered around sports, Membership in clubs provided a sense of the institutions of tity — although it might met at locations like the Emma Kaufmann belonging at a time when Jews were facing Jewish Pittsburgh were be hard to discern Settlement House or members’ homes. Adult strong cultural discrimination. Ironically, promoting club life what identity the Boy clubs met at spaces like the Concordia Club Lidji said, he has heard stories about people heavily — the Hebrew Rangers, Go-Getters or or Westmoreland Country Club. being kept out of the Jewish clubs for not Institute, the Emma Hyfohist Club shared The creation of these clubs often were a meeting certain requirements. Kaufmann Settlement by their names alone. reaction to Jews’ exclusion from places like “That’s an interesting part of the story, An invitation to the Enoch Hous e and t he Rauh Club’s seventh annual Often the meaning of the Duquesne Club and the Pittsburgh Club. too,” he said. YM&WHA all acted as basketball banquet and dance “in the names has been lost In fact, some youth clubs of the era named The Rauh will be highlighting various sponsoring agencies for the smoky city.” to history, especially themselves the “Dukane Club,” Lidji said. “It’s Pittsburgh Jewish clubs in its weekly newsthe clubs,” Lidji said. those with forgotten hard to tell if they’re doing it as a joke or not.” letter, telling the tale of this largely forgotten The Jewish Criterion, a predecessor to acronyms, like CCG. Clubs named after the A club was more than a group of people part of Jewish Pittsburgh history. So, if the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, allotted local public figures that sponsored them are getting together on a regular basis, Lidji said. your great-grandmother was the recording many inches to covering the clubs, with club easier to figure out. It had a purpose. The Classical Cleff Club, secretary for the Ad-A Girl club, or your leaders submitting paragraphs informing “There was the Louis Little Club, the for instance, was created in 1923 by a group grandfather belonged to the Char-Ming readers of their weekly activities. Ralph Schugar Club. These were all Jewish of Jewish women who wanted to learn more Club, the Rauh wants to hear from you. The clubs fell into three broad areas of success stories that the kids kind of looked about the great composers. You can share your family’s club stories at interest for Jewish life in the early 20th up to and were hoping for someone to help Most of the clubs were local, although rjarchives@heinzhistorycenter.org. PJC century: social, athletics and family. The buy their uniforms and give a little money so occasionally there was interaction across David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ latter were unique to American Jews of that they could host events and things like communities, especially with athletics, where Ashkenazi descent, Lidji said, and were that,” Lidji explained. the line between amateur, semiprofessional pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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Headlines Sheldon Adelson, megadonor to Israel and Republicans, is dead at 87 — NATIONAL — By JTA Staff | JTA
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heldon Adelson, the billionaire casino magnate whose philanthropy had an unparalleled influence on American and Israeli politics and Jewish causes, has died at 87. Adelson, the chief executive of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, had an especially outsized influence in Las Vegas, the seat of his global gaming empire where many Jewish institutions are named after him and his wife, Miriam. Adelson was a megadonor who set records for his political giving to Republicans. In his final years, he was also a significant supporter of President Donald Trump. A newspaper he owns, the Las Vegas ReviewJournal, was one of the only newspapers to endorse Trump in 2016. He also had enormous influence in Jewish philanthropic circles, pouring millions into the Jewish identity-building program Birthright Israel and backing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with his support of Israel Hayom, a free daily newspaper seen as supportive of the Israeli leader. Adelson started Israel Hayom in 2007 to compete
Sheldon Adelson in Las Vegas in 1998.
with other dailies that are less friendly to the right and its success — it is now Israel’s mostread — has been considered instrumental to Netanyahu’s continued success. Born in Boston in 1933, Adelson was known for his deep and polarizing involvement in local, national and international
Murray Avenue Kosher
Photo by Mark Peterson/Corbis via Getty Images via JTA
politics, especially his support for Israel and the Republican Party. His aggressive approach resulted in conflict at times: In 2019, a federal judge ordered him to pay millions of dollars in fees to the National Jewish Democratic Council for using what the judge called “legal
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Headlines Neo-Nazis, QAnon and Camp Auschwitz: A guide to the hate symbols and signs on display at the Capitol riots — NATIONAL — By Laura E. Adkins, Emily Burack | JTA
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he sweatshirt, spotted amid the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol, seemed designed to provoke fear. “Camp Auschwitz,” it read, along with the message “Work brings freedom” — a rough translation of the message that greeted Jewish prisoners at the infamous Nazi concentration camp. The back of the shirt said “Staff.” A photo of the man wearing the sweatshirt was just one of the images of hateful symbols that have circulated from the mob, whose violence led to five deaths and wreaked havoc on Congress. Confederate flags and nooses were among the overt hate signs that the insurrection brought into the Capitol. Other slogans — on flags, clothing or signs — were code for a gamut of conspiracy theories and extremist ideologies. Here’s what you need to know about them and the far-right movements they represent.
p A noose hung by rioters on January 6, 2021 Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images via JTA
QAnon slogans
Several members of the mob wore or carried signs invoking the pro-Donald Trump QAnon conspiracy theory, which is laced with anti-Semitism. QAnon, which began in 2017 and has gained millions of adherents, falsely alleges that an elite cabal of pedophiles, run by Democrats, is plotting to harvest the blood of children and take down Trump. Trump has praised the movement and espoused its baseless ideas. Here are some of the QAnon symbols present in the Capitol on Wednesday.
‘Q’
“Q” represents the purported high-ranking government official who shares inside information with QAnon followers through cryptic posts on fringe websites. QAnon followers often wear T-shirts emblazoned with a huge Q — and several of them were part of the Capitol mob.
‘Trust the Plan’
As Q’s supposed predictions have proven false over the years — including the election of Joe Biden, which Q predicted would not happen — many QAnon followers became disillusioned. Others told them to “trust
the plan” and place their faith in QAnon’s theories. The phrase has become one of the conspiracy theory’s slogans. “Trust the Plan” logos were also visible in the Capitol, referring to the “plan” QAnon followers believe is happening.
‘Save the Children’
Messaging related to saving children is a core tenet of QAnon because it alleges a global pedophile ring. At the Capitol, one woman carried a representative sign saying “The children cry out for justice,” referencing children who QAnon conspiracists falsely believe have been abducted by Democrats and progressives, including the Jewish billionaire financier George Soros.
Neo-Nazis
Prominent Holocaust deniers and neo-Nazis were part of the Capitol mob. A far-right activist known as Baked Alaska livestreamed from inside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. Another extremist, Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist who leads the far-right Groyper Army, was said to be in the room
Prominent Holocaust deniers and neo-Nazis were part of the Capitol mob. A far-right activist known as Baked Alaska livestreamed from inside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.
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p A man wearing a ‘Camp Auschwitz’ jacket
with him. Fuentes denies this but was outside the Capitol on Wednesday. The Neo-Nazi group NSC-131 also joined the insurrection, according to reporter Hilary Sargent. NSC stands for Nationalist Social Club and has small regional chapters in the United States and abroad. The 131 division is from New England. In a video, one participant can be seen brandishing a flag with what some Twitter users identified as a swastika, though it isn’t entirely clear.
Confederate flags and nooses
Other flags on display were associated with long histories of white supremacy. At least one protester carried a Confederate battle flag into the Capitol building. Meanwhile, nooses — a prominent symbol of racist violence — were placed outside. In one instance, after members of the mob started destroying camera equipment from The Associated Press, they made a noose out of the cords, according to BuzzFeed News reporter Paul McLeod.
Anti-government militia symbols
Flags bearing the phrase “when tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty” (a version of a quote dubiously attributed to Thomas Jefferson) and the Roman numeral III also were seen. “III” is the logo of the Three Percenters, also known as the III% militia, an antigovernment militia founded in response to the election of President Obama. The ADL defines the Three Percenters as “extremists who are part of the militia movement.” Another symbol favored by militias is a coiled snake above the phrase “Don’t Tread on Me,” known as the Gadsden flag, which symbolizes support for gun rights and individual liberties. The symbol, emblazoned on
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Seen on Reddit via JTA
a flag, has been used as well by the Boogaloo Bois, a loose affiliate of anti-government militias that comes armed to protests. They are known to wear Hawaiian shirts (not as yet seen at the march) or camouflage (which was very much on display). The Boogaloo movement, which aspires to start a second civil war, gained prominence last year when its members showed up to anti-lockdown protests and racial justice marches. At least one man wearing a shirt advocating for a civil war was present at the Capitol, though it’s unclear if he was an adherent of the Boogaloo Bois. The Oath Keepers, an anti-government group like the Three Percenters, according to the ADL, were in D.C. and at a similar protest in Arizona on Wednesday.
Other far-right symbols Proud Boys
Members of the Proud Boys, the violent far-right group that Trump told to “stand back and stand by” during a September presidential debate, wear black-and-yellow Fred Perry polo shirts along with red Make America Great Again caps. (Fred Perry, a U.K. brand, has said it would stop selling the shirts because of their association with the group.) Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes, who said he quit the group in 2018, was spotted in the D.C. crowd. The group’s current leader, Enrique Tarrio, was ordered to leave the city earlier this week after being arrested on weapons charges.
Kek flags
“Kek,” a phrase that has roots in online gaming, has taken on new meaning on the far right. According to the Southern Please see Hate, page 15
JANUARY 15, 2021 9
Headlines — WORLD — From JTA reports
Johns Hopkins teaching assistant who wrote about flunking ‘Zionists’ defends her fairness record
A teaching assistant at Johns Hopkins University defended what she called her fair treatment of students after she debated online the merits of giving Zionists “all their points” in exams. Rasha Anayah, a graduate student in the chemistry department at the Baltimore school, launched into the debate on Twitter on Nov. 15, the Forward reported. “Ethical dilemma: if you have to grade a zionist students exam, do you still give them all their points even though they support your ethnic cleansing?” she wrote. “Like idk.” Anayah put the question up to a survey, in which 77% of the respondents replied, “Free Palestine! Fail them.” Commenting on the result, she wrote, “Like I agree but also too many of you want me to get fired.” Contacted by the Forward, Anayah told the paper, “I have always acted with the utmost integrity and fairness. I am a dedicated teacher and scholar with a commitment to social justice and to my role. My record as a teaching assistant is a testament to these facts.” The campus chapter of the Hillel Jewish group called on students to step forward if
they believe that Anayah had lowered their grades unjustly. Faculty at Johns Hopkins are looking into the case, the Forward reported. Howard Libit, the executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, told the Forward that he was unaware of any student who believes Anayah has unjustly lowered their grades.
Swastika graffiti painted on wall of Jewish cemetery near Auschwitz
An unidentified individual scrawled a swastika and the Nazi SS symbol on a wall of a Jewish cemetery in the city of Oświęcim, Poland, near the site of the former Auschwitz concentration camp. The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum posted a picture of the graffiti on its Twitter account, noting it was near the former death camp that the Nazis built there in 1940, and where they murdered more than a million Jews. The incident is “painful” and a reminder that “we need to keep fighting against all forms of hatred,” the museum wrote. The images were removed shortly after they were discovered. The Nazis murdered 3 million non-Jews in Poland, in addition to 3 million Jewish Poles — half of all the Jews they murdered throughout Europe. Poland has seen a resurgence of rightwing nationalist sentiment in recent years. However, the glorification of Nazi ideology and symbols, which is common throughout
much of Eastern Europe and beyond, is relatively rare in Poland.
Food courier in France refuses to serve Jews, kosher restaurant owners say
Two kosher restaurants in the city of Strasbourg, France, said they were declined service by at least one delivery man, who allegedly said he does not want to serve Jews. Both incidents happened amid a partial lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has limited restaurants to offering only take away meals delivered by couriers. The delivery man who allegedly refused the kosher eateries service was working for Deliveroo. It is not immediately clear whether both incidents involved the same employee, the news site DNA reported. At the first restaurant, the employee arrived to take out an order to a patron and asked the restaurant’s staff what sort of restaurant it was. They told him it served Israeli cuisine, to which he replied: “I don’t serve Jews” and said he was canceling the order, Raphaël Nisand, a lawyer representing that restaurant, told DNA. Later in the day, a second kosher restaurant was also declined service by a Deliveroo employee, DNA reported. The owners of both restaurants complained to police of discrimination and alerted the Consistoire, French Jewry’s organization responsible for religious services, and the National Bureau Against Anti-Semitism. A Deliveroo spokesperson wrote in an email that the firm “takes a zero tolerance approach
to any form of anti-Semitic language,” adding that the “rider will have their contract with Deliveroo ended with immediate effect once we have carried out the necessary due diligence to confirm the reports.”
Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden’s Homeland Security nominee, meets with Jewish groups to discuss anti-Semitism
Alejandro Mayorkas, the Jewish Latino nominee for Homeland Security secretary, met via Zoom with Jewish groups concerned about the rise of the extreme right wing and the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration policies. Participants described the 90-minute meeting as mostly a listening session by Mayorkas. Two said the Jewish groups wanted the Department of Homeland Security to do more to combat rising anti-Semitism on the right. Anti-hate groups have faulted the Trump administration for rolling back the tracking of far-right groups. “There is so much more in the DHS portfolio in terms of what it could be doing to combat white supremacy, prevention and investigation side,” one of the participants said. White supremacists were among the marauders who raided and looted the Capitol last week in a bid to overturn Joe Biden’s defeat of President Donald Trump. Mayorkas, a deputy Homeland Security secretary during the Obama administration, has said he sees Jews as a priority in need of protection. PJC
This week in Israeli history — WORLD — Items provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.
Jan. 15, 2014 — Israel joins CERN as full member
A ceremony at the Geneva headquarters of the European Organization for Nuclear Research marks Israel’s new status as the 21st full member of the organization known as CERN, home of the world’s largest particle accelerator.
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Jan. 16, 1948 — 35 soldiers are slaughtered in convoy
All 35 Haganah soldiers in a convoy bringing supplies to the blockaded Gush Etzion settlements are killed in a day of fighting with Arab troops. Nearby British troops report the bodies’ mutilation.
Jan. 17, 1986 — Israel, Spain establish diplomatic ties
Spain becomes the last Western European nation to open diplomatic relations with Israel. Establishing ties with Israel is a condition for Spain to gain admission to the precursor to the European Union.
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Jan. 18, 1991 — Iraqi Scuds strike Israel
The morning after U.S.-led allied forces launch airstrikes on Iraq at the start of the Persian Gulf War, eight Iraqi Scud missiles hit Israel before dawn. Seven people are wounded.
Jan. 19, 2010 — Hamas military leader is assassinated
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a senior Hamas military commander and the founder of its Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, is killed in his hotel room shortly after his arrival in Dubai. The Mossad is blamed.
Jan. 20, 1942 — ‘Final Solution’ is planned at Wannsee
Nazis convened by Gestapo head Reinhard Heydrich at a villa in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee draft the plans for the “Final Solution” for European Jewry: forced labor and slaughter by the millions.
Jan. 21, 1968 — Merger forms Labor Party
Mapai, the dominant political party during Israel’s first two decades, joins with two smaller left-leaning parties, Ahdut Ha’avoda and Rafi, to form the Labor Party at a conference chaired by Golda Meir.. PJC
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Opinion I survived the Capitol attack. Now there’s work to be done. Guest Columnist U.S. Rep. Susan Wild
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n Jan. 6, 2021, in the midst of unfolding chaos — the sounds of gunfire and shattering glass echoing around me — I made one of the toughest phone calls of my life. I FaceTimed my 27-year-old son and 24-year-old daughter, Clay and Addie, to see their faces and to tell them how much I loved them. While I tried hard to steady my voice and project some semblance of confidence, I had never experienced the kind of terror I felt in that moment. Let’s be clear on what took place last week: Domestic terrorists — armed with guns, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) including pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails, tear gas and other weapons — stormed the United States Capitol and brought democracy to a halt. Breaching one layer of security after another, they reached the doors of the House chamber — pounding on the doors and breaking glass to try to force their way in. As revealed by the images that have since been broadcast across our country and around the world, a thin line of officers had to rely on their own bodies and a makeshift barricade of nearby furniture to keep the violent mob from overrunning them and breaking into the House chamber — an outcome which, according to every indication, would have resulted in a massacre. It’s a miracle that more people didn’t lose their lives. As Reuters journalist Tim
Bourg stated, “I heard at least three different rioters at the Capitol say that they hoped to find Vice President Mike Pence and execute him by hanging him from a Capitol Hill tree as a traitor. It was a common line being repeated. Many more were just talking about how the VP should be executed.” Vice President Pence, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the representatives on the floor were escorted out as the mayhem broke out. But those of us up in the gallery found ourselves trapped. Officers trained their weapons on the doors behind us. Feeling a sharp surge of panic as I tried to process what was happening, I sheltered under my seat. My colleague and friend Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado — a veteran who was awarded the Bronze Star for valor in combat — gripped my hand and assured me that we would make it out alive. In the tension of the moment, I lost track of time. I couldn’t tell whether five or 30 minutes had passed since the officers had shouted instructions to retrieve gas masks under our seats and start crawling toward escape on the far side of the gallery. Finally, we were able to evacuate under their protection. Members who had served in the military and had experience with gas masks from their days in combat — Rep. Crow, Rep. Ruben Gallego and others — helped civilians adjust the equipment. With officers leading the way, we filed out through the long, labyrinthine hallways of the Capitol, eventually reaching our secure location — a large committee conference room. We stayed sequestered in that location for hours as Capitol Police worked to regain
control and track down all those who had spread out across the complex. Photos and videos captured by resolute journalists show the nature of these individuals and the ideology that motivated them: the neo-Nazi wearing clothing emblazoned with “Camp Auschwitz” — only one of myriad anti-Semitic and racist symbols and paraphernalia proliferating throughout the crowd; the nooses left hanging across the complex, and the gallows the perpetuators had set up outside; the Confederate flags carried inside the Capitol; the white supremacist “OK” and Nazi salutes; the phrase “Murder the media” etched into one of the Capitol’s doors; acts of theft, vandalism and desecration committed in offices and on the floor of the chamber; and, most importantly, the violence — violence resulting in the deaths of five people and scores of serious injuries, including the death of a brave Capitol Police Officer, Officer Brian Sicknick, who died protecting his country against those who would betray it. Those who attacked the Capitol were not patriots. They are traitors with blood on their hands. They must be treated as such and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But to pretend that this event somehow happened in a vacuum — the work of the individuals who participated in the physical breach alone — would be profoundly false. Earlier that same day, after all, the president had whipped the crowd into a frenzy, reiterating his false and destructive claims that the election had been stolen and telling his supporters to “walk down to the Capitol” and saying, “Our country has had enough. We’re
not going to take it anymore.” “Fight!” he told them. After lying for months about the election and the possibility of overturning the results, the president and those objecting to the election’s certification in Congress had led their supporters to expect an impossible outcome. When the mob stormed the Capitol that afternoon, they were trying to prevent us from doing our constitutional duty. But late that night, after midnight and into the early hours of the next morning, I was back on the House floor with my colleagues to do my duty. Critically, Congress was interrupted but not stopped. The will of the American people prevailed. I believe we must take immediate steps to ensure that this president does not do further damage to our democracy in the last weeks of his term. But these immediate steps, while necessary, are insufficient. Once this chapter has passed and the new administration is in place, my colleagues and I must work to make our democracy stronger over the long run, to address the culture of violence, xenophobia and intimidation that has taken root in our society. And, regardless of political affiliation, we must all make clear that what happened this week will never be allowed to happen again. Our country deserves better. The attack on the Capitol was an attack on our nation and an insult to every American. We must, and we will, rise above it. PJC Congresswoman Susan Wild was the first woman elected to serve Pennsylvania’s Seventh Congressional District in the House of Representatives and the only Jewish federally elected Pennsylvania official. The former Allentown solicitor lives in the Lehigh Valley.
PA Republicans vs. the will of the voters: We all lose. Guest Columnist State Rep. Dan Frankel
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any of us watched with churning stomachs as Pennsylvania state Senate Republicans blocked a duly-elected member of their body from taking his oath of office last week, but not because we were surprised. The majority party of our state legislature had decided — long before Democrat Jim Brewster’s election victory was certified and sent to the General Assembly — that keeping their grip on power would require more than strong candidates, good ideas or powerful messaging. The Senate’s Republican leadership last used the same tactic to thwart the will of the voters just two years ago. Lindsey Williams, a Democrat, in 2018 emerged as the winner of a hard-fought state Senate race, flipping her district after beating back a groundless GOP court challenge to her candidacy. Not so fast, Senate Republicans said. They sent Sen. Williams a letter acknowledging that she had received the most votes, but claiming she was not eligible to hold the office she had won. After a weeks-long outcry and a mountain of evidence in Sen. Williams’ favor, 12 JANUARY 15, 2021
Republicans withdrew their meritless objections, and she took the oath of office. And then there’s redistricting. Our statewide elections have long showed that Pennsylvania is one of the most evenly divided states in our nation. But since Republicans gained the power to control redistricting in 2000, they’ve had nearly uninterrupted control of majorities in the Pennsylvania House and Senate. When they drew up new state legislative maps in 2012, they created districts cutting right through 221 towns and municipalities, despite a constitutional prohibition against the practice. The 2011 Congressional map, also drawn by legislative Republicans, was considered one of the most gerrymandered in the country, until a 2018 lawsuit forced its redrawing. Fair Districts PA, a nonpartisan redistricting reform group, created a plan to remove partisan influence from the redistricting process that was nearly enacted in 2018. But Pennsylvania Republicans added a last-minute “poison pill” to the measure to kill it. Since then, they’ve blocked action on any similar attempts at reform. And don’t forget voting rights. Democrats have fought for decades to make it easier to vote, but Republicans blocked our every bill. Instead of easing the voting process, they’ve sought to do the opposite. In 2012, they forced through a bill that would bar people from voting if they
couldn’t produce certain forms of identification. They argued that the bill would protect against voter fraud, but then their House leader was caught on tape describing the Voter ID law as a strategy to help win Pennsylvania for Mitt Romney. The courts threw the law out. In 2018, Gov. Tom Wolf finally made a deal with Republican leaders to allow Pennsylvanians to easily vote by mail. Republicans agreed to it only when Wolf accepted a change that was expected to hurt Democrats at the ballot box: ending straight-ticket voting. Though COVID-19 hadn’t entered the landscape when the vote-by-mail measure was signed into law, this change enabled more than 2.5 million Pennsylvanians to vote safely and securely in the 2020 election without the need to enter a polling place. When Joe Biden edged out Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, Republican state legislators changed their tune and pledged to repeal the law — except for the part that removed straight-ticket voting. Meanwhile, Pennsylvanians have never found themselves more desperate for an engaged legislature. They are losing their homes, their jobs and their businesses. They are fearful of the pandemic, and distraught over the loss of loved ones. They feel helpless as their children fall behind in school. They need our help, and we are stuck in protracted battles over the 2020 election. Many of us are guilty at times of idealizing this flawed nation of ours. No, our systems are
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not fair. Our programs do not work as well as they should. Our justice is not blind. Our people don’t have an equal shot at prosperity or even safety. But if we cannot agree to honor elections and submit to the will of the voters, then we cannot even begin to make our state and nation better, stronger and more just. Sadly, even when these repeated attempts to undermine our elections fail, their effect is corrosive. Not only are voters losing faith in our elections across the ideological spectrum, but each bold new attack on our system seems to pave the way for an even more audacious assault in the next round. In Sen. Brewster’s case, it took certification from the Department of State and rulings from both the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and a U.S. District Court to get Senate GOP leaders to seat a Demorcrat who won the most votes. What will it take next time? The voters of Pennsylvania Senate District 45 made their choice, and he should have been seated along with every other Republican and Democrat sworn into office last week. If Republicans believe they have a better candidate to represent that district, they can put that candidate before the voters in four years. That’s how it’s supposed to work. PJC Dan Frankel, a Democrat, represents the 23rd District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG
Opinion On solidarity: Winners of the Chronicle’s first poetry contest
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he Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle thanks all those who submitted poems to its first poetry contest. Our judge, award-winning poet Yehoshua November, said he was impressed with the quality of the entries and, in fact, named three runners-up in addition to the winner in the adult division: first runner-up, “Solidarity” by Sara London; second runner-up, “Untitled” by Jonathan Robison; and third runner-up, “How to Get Rich in Jerusalem” by Ilan Chaim. The winning poet in our teen division is Ada Perlman for her poem “A Pause in Time.” The winning poet in our adult division is Dionna Dash for her poem “Body and Soul.” Poets were asked to write on the theme of “solidarity” in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which falls this year on Jan. 18. In addition to their poems being published below, each winning poet received a $54 gift card to Pinkser’s Judaica, courtesy of an anonymous donor for whose generosity we are grateful.
A Pause in Time
Quietly we sat in the intersection Melting from the hot June sun Pausing just for a moment To remember lives that were lost
Say their names: George Floyd Breonna Taylor Tony McDade Antwon Rose And many, many others Though we sat in stillness The chirp of the crosswalk signal played on Yet no one crossed Penn Avenue And the silence persisted It was that pause in time On a summer Shabbat, my day of rest Yet, how could one rest? But for this one moment, we did That morning we read the Parsha Hashem taught the Israelites to number themselves And on that day at the sit-in, I counted too One thousand people at the crossroads Demonstrating that we can no longer move forward as usual And after that moment? We were louder than ever ‘No justice, no peace’ escaped our lips And we would continue each Shabbat
— LETTERS — In-marriage should be encouraged
After the Pony Express finally delivered my Dec. 25 Chronicle two weeks late (this was the first issue we received in four weeks), I had to respond to Jonathan Tobin’s commentary on Jewish outreach organizations that are incensed that programs like Birthright are having success with the increase of in-marriage of Jews (“Is there on something wrong with a program that encourages in-marriage?”). The biggest issue facing the liberal Jewish movements is intermarriage. It is actually hastening their decline as many of these families are Jews by identity but of no faith. We should not be encouraging intermarriage. A 2013 Pew study showed that only the Orthodox Jewish community is growing. Most Orthodox children marry within the Jewish community and have larger families. When I started working for my current employer, I had to have something notarized that another employee executed for me. When he asked what it was for, my wife and I explained that we were guaranteeing a lease for our son in Brooklyn who was studying at a yeshiva. He asked what a yeshiva was, and we explained it to him. He then told us he was half Jewish. Without skipping a beat, my wife asked which half. He said his mother was Jewish. He was 100% Jewish and knew nothing about Judaism. I suggested he consider a trip on Birthright as it’s free and Israel is an awesome place. My fear, though, is that he may be a lost cause. The sad reality is there are people like my colleague who have no clue about being Jewish or their heritage. This is a failure of the more liberal Jewish movements, and accepting this is tantamount to throwing in the towel. We should not condone intermarriage but work to reduce it. This also would be in the best interest of the more liberal movements as it will provide them with Jews who want to be engaged with Judaism and who will be not torn between raising children as Jews or outside our faith. Andrew Neft Upper St. Clair
Praise for Western PA legislators
Jan. 6 was a day that will be long remembered (“I don’t recognize our country today’: Members under siege in Congress,” online, Jan. 6). President Trump, an angry mob of rioters and a compliant group of Republican legislators presented their latest and most aggressive challenge to our democracy. As leaders of J Street Pittsburgh, we are grateful for the Western Pennsylvania representatives and senators who showed courage and leadership in the moment. Pennsylvania’s election was challenged by most of the House Republican delegation and Sen. Josh Hawley and his colleagues. In the ensuing debate, Western Pennsylvania’s representatives in the House and Senate spoke to these objections and spoke the truth. These Pennsylvania congresspeople met and exceeded their obligation to truth, democracy and the people they represent. In this telling moment for our democracy, Rep. Conor Lamb showed presence and courage PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG
until September Yet I kept thinking back to that moment When the crosswalk signal began to chirp And one thousand people sat silently in an intersection That Shabbat when we turned a moment into a movement — Ada Perlman
Body and Soul
Can legs pray Like palms can? Can knees weep with unspoken doubt How eyes leak While calves listen discerningly to divine orations As ears absorb And thighs ring with songs of indebted praise Like mouths declare? Perhaps prayer is movement, time marching forward Sacred action of legs pumping and shoes hitting solid ground Or p erhaps standing stagnantly
prayer
is
legs
Breathing fractals of defiant hope into harsh October air While others speak words to their gods Sanctified simply by the promise of brethren bodies await outside A shield of security awake with life Or maybe prayer is simply our hearts beating Each morning as we awaken anew And each night as we fall asleep again Synchronized to t he ste ady rhythm of humanity Tapping out dreams, fears, wants identical Through babbles and screams and cousin tongues Have you ever seen troubled water without its bridge above? A parallel protector, sticks and stones that gently unite For people once fell, and the only way to rescue them was a collision of worlds Because palms can join, Legs can climb, And backs can even build bridges But not alone Never alone — Dionna Dash
in speaking the truth. In the face of invective from several of his “colleagues,” he clearly showed why these objections were without any foundation and were the repackaged lies and ravings of President Trump and his supporters. Furthermore, he clearly pointed to the deep ties between the electoral objections and the mob attack on the Capitol. “That attack today — it didn’t materialize out of nowhere. It was inspired by lies — the same lies that you’re hearing in this room tonight. And the members who are repeating those lies should be ashamed of themselves. Their constituents should be ashamed of them.” Sen. Casey bluntly and eloquently spoke, denouncing “this attempt to disenfranchise the voters of Pennsylvania based upon a lie.’’ He then made the case for accepting the electoral vote in unequivocal, plain terms. Rep. Doyle spoke forcefully for rejecting the objections, defending Pennsylvania’s election. He noted the gross hypocrisy (he kindly characterized it as “illogical”) of his Republican colleagues. “I feel compelled to point out to my colleagues that the same voters who sent them to the 117th Congress cast their votes for the president by marking the very same ballots which were read by the very same ballot scanners and monitored by the very same election workers, yet our colleagues who signed the brief only want to invalidate the presidential votes.’’ We are also grateful to the five Pennsylvania Republican Congressmen and Sen. Pat Toomey who also opposed the objection. While Toomey, a Republican, did not call out the lies, he presented a compelling and logically sound argument for why the objection to the Pennsylvania vote should be overturned. He said: “Joe Biden won the election. It was an honest victory with the usual minor irregularities that occur in most elections … We witnessed today the damage that can result when men in power and responsibility refused to acknowledge the truth. We saw bloodshed because the demagogue chose to spread falsehoods and sow distrust of his own fellow Americans.” In our current political environment that was very helpful. We appreciate his words and vote. Mark Fichman Daniel Resnick Fred Zuhlke On behalf of J Street Pittsburgh
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JANUARY 15, 2021 13
Headlines Bastacky: Continued from page 1
In 1959, in order to escape Europe’s continued anti-Semitism, Bastacky’s parents sent her to live in Israel. In 1963, the family reunited when, after Bastacky’s parents relocated from Poland to Pittsburgh, Bastacky moved to the United States. As a student at the University of Pittsburgh, Bastacky earned a master’s in social work, then worked for decades forging bonds between people. Following retirement, Bastacky increased her involvement with the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh and regularly spoke about the impact of her childhood. “She was gregarious, extremely extroverted, interested in what was going on around her and opinionated, and I say all of this with so much affection,” said Lauren Bairnsfather, the Holocaust Center’s director. “She did not hold back. She was completely herself.” Those qualities endeared her to many people, said Amy Gold, information and referral specialist at AgeWell at the JCC. More than 15 years ago, Gold met Bastacky during lunch at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh. “I was new to the program,” Gold said. “Shulamit recognized I was new and she reached out. She wanted to figure out how to connect, and after discovering that I was a social worker, she just wanted to sit and talk and learn more about me.” That conversation led to many others. “Shulamit was the one with the interesting story, and a life filled with compassion and
Shulamit Bastacky and Julie Paris enjoy a visit together.
motivation,” Gold said. “I wanted to learn more about her, but she was always interested in learning about other people.” When Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh students visited Bastacky at her home at Forward Shady Apartments in 2019, Bastacky “treated them like honored guests,” said Yikara Levari, assistant principal at the Jewish day school. “The experience left quite an impression on the students.” Almost 20 years ago, Marilyn Messina, a former math and English teacher at Shenandoah Elementary School in Penn Hills, invited a Holocaust survivor to class. Her students had finished reading Lois Lowry’s “Number the Stars,” and Messina phoned the Holocaust Center seeking a speaker. When Bastacky arrived, her presence immediately resonated with students, and the two women
Photo courtesy of Julie Paris
soon developed a friendship, Messina said. Through the years, Messina often drove the survivor to and from speaking engagements throughout Western Pennsylvania. In each setting, Messina saw bonds develop as Bastacky engaged her audience. “She was always about love, and appreciation and caring,” said Messina. “She could have been a person that was full of bitterness and ask ‘why did this happen to me,’ but she never did that.” Her qualities made it easy for students — whose own lives were very different from Bastacky’s — to immediately connect with the Holocaust survivor, said her friend Julie Paris: “Shulamit offered listeners a sensitivity, openness and understanding.” After a student once asked her what revenge she sought following World War
Mental Health: Continued from page 1
now conducted on Zoom or through a telephone call. “I never thought, at this stage in my career, that I would take notes on voice inflection, tone, intonation, the way a person makes a pause on the phone or the way a person expresses themselves on video or with their body movements,” Holmes said. “I have to be more astute to those nonverbal clues.” There has been a marked increase in mental health needs since the beginning of the pandemic, he said. “There’s definitely been a twofold increase,” he said. “It’s so intense that I now have a waitlist. Anxiety symptoms are increasing, depression, OCD are increasing. The reason they’re increasing is because, as human beings, we’re social creatures, we’re a social species. And we don’t have that opportunity to connect with people the way that we used to connect.” Daily schedules have been disrupted for many therapists working to manage their personal responsibilities while accommodating their clients. “I do see a lot of clients later in the evening than I did when I was in person,” Miskanin said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean I start my day later. It’s demanded even more flexibility in terms of schedule. I really strive to maintain some set of boundaries around when I’m working and when I’m not, but it’s 14 JANUARY 15, 2021
JFCS staff enjoys art therapy, helping combat stress during the pandemic. Photo provided by Angelica Miskanin
difficult being at home when those lines are blurred all the time.” Holmes also recognizes the need to create a separation between work and home life. “At the end of the day, it’s important to me that I put away that computer, that I close it down and move myself out of that space into a different space,” he said. “It’s the sense of placement that’s really important. “My husband knows after I finish a session to give me like an hour to chat about casual, superficial stuff,” he continued. “At that point in time, I don’t want to talk about anything that’s serious.” Mental health professionals have had to
constantly pivot since the pandemic began, said Maggie Feinstein, director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership. “They’ve had to figure out what room to work from, figure out what space they can use, figure out the best way to support people who are in a crisis, who are in really difficult times, while also attending to their own crises and their own needs,” she said. In addition to the 50 minutes a therapist usually spends with a client, there is time that goes into preparing for a session, she said. Pre-pandemic, that meant reviewing charts and meeting notes from previous sessions. Now, in addition to those tasks,
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II, Bastacky replied, “Education, education, education. We have to fight intolerance and hate with the opposite. Instead of hating, put love in your heart and see how wonderful things happen.” That message resonated with Community Day School students during the several times Bastacky spoke there, said Avi Baran Munro, CDS’ head of school. Her audiences ranged in size and location, but whether in classrooms, lecture halls or community centers, Bastacky filled each space. Her story was remarkable but so too was her message and the way she shared it, said Messina. She knew what it was like to be a child with nothing, no one to play with and no one to touch. That’s why she collected and distributed teddy bears, delivering them to hospitalized children or women in shelters to help facilitate connection, said Messina, who served as a compassionate caregiver during Bastacky’s final days. The value of friendship and the lasting effect one person could have on another regardless of circumstance or age were matters Bastacky understood at her core. When Bastacky was 14, she reunited a single time with the Polish Catholic nun — a woman Bastacky continuously credited as the reason for speaking with so many individuals. “I remember she wanted me to stand on a chair,” Bastacky said in 2012. She wanted to “see me at eye level.” It was important for her to see “who is this young person whose life she saved.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. a therapist often has to accomplish other things as well, like preparing meals for children who are at home. “That’s an extra level of challenge,” Feinstein said. “One of the important parts is, how can we help people feel safe? This is a brand-new challenge for the professionals in their own life space, head space, so they can feel that safety and really be present in the session.” The need for mental health help, Feinstein said, is now greater than the current system was built to handle. Still, “one of the inspiring things is, we’re seeing crop up some very innovative, creative thoughts,” she said. “We don’t have to do things the way we’ve always done them. We can adapt and change.” The virus has added another layer of challenge onto a profession that already required creativity, presence and focus, Miskanin said. She has found the need to set boundaries that allow her the freedom to recharge. “I really do try and keep the weekends for myself,” she said. “It gets fuzzy, though, and sometimes it’s tricky. It’s not quite as cut and dry as leaving the office and heading home.” She has found a path that helps her maintain balance. “I continue to see my own therapist,” she said. “I’m very open about that. My nuclear family and staying very steady with my care and attention to them has been a priority. I return to that as a source of strength and hope and focus.” PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG
Headlines May-Stein: Continued from page 2
Extrapolation, and applying lessons learned in one environment to another, was the hallmark of May-Stein’s career. In one of his first positions, May-Stein served as a homebound teacher traveling to students’ residences or to Children’s Hospital to meet with individuals unable to attend school because of illness or injury. “The difficulty of those circumstances helped me understand the challenges our kids come to school with every day,” he said. That work also shed light on local economic disparities. “I didn’t experience poverty as a white Jewish male growing up in Squirrel Hill,” he said. “I didn’t experience poverty at any level, and I certainly didn’t understand it until I went into students’ homes.” Serving as a homebound teacher, and later working at the Secondary Alternative Education Center during the mid-1990s, helped shape May-Stein’s outlook on education. “I quickly learned that no matter what circumstances are for kids, no matter what, every single student wants to be successful,” he said. Teachers must create a learning environment “where kids could feel safe to do it, where they don’t feel humiliated for not being able to complete a skill.” Relationshipbuilding and gaining trust through listening are “some of the best ways we as educators can do this, because no matter the circumstance,
“ I quickly learned that no matter what circumstances are for kids, no matter what, every single student wants to be
”
successful.
— DAVID MAY-STEIN
from the University of Pittsburgh in April 2020. While May-Stein’s retirement signals the formal end of his PPS tenure, he doesn’t see himself as removed from the educational sphere. “I’m young. I’m not going to leave the workforce,” he said. “I believe that there is a lot of good work that can be done to impact children.” Along with helping students succeed, May-Stein would like to benefit fellow school leaders, as he noted within his 170-page dissertation, “An Exploration of Superintendent Perceptions and District Initiatives Related to Minority Student Success in Southwest Pennsylvania.” He writes that K-12 public school superintendents experience challenges beyond finances and board politics, including influencing other educators “that all students, specifically, minority students, can achieve at the same level as majority students.” There is also the difficulty of delivering and designing “rigorous and culturally relevant instruction and partnering with parents and the community to support students and families both in and outside of school.” Schools and their leaders face unique challenges, but each issue ultimately comes down to how best to develop and maintain a culture where students are “college-, careerand life-ready.” “There’s so much work to be done,” he said. PJC
anybody can be successful if you invite them into the process in a safe and authentic way.” While teaching at Allegheny Middle School, May-Stein came to better appreciate the challenges middle schoolers face, and at Knoxville Elementary School — while helping “build the school from scratch” — he was introduced to “what leading really looks like: from setting expectations, to carrying out those expectations, to shared responsibilities, teamwork and the challenges of making mistakes and owning them.” At Pittsburgh Colfax K-8 — a nine-year stretch he called “some of the most rewarding part of my career” — May-Stein learned, from a group of dedicated parents, the commitment needed to harness a school’s inherent value and demonstrate its worth to prospective families. “One of the beautiful things about Colfax at the time was that we had kids from all over the world,” he said. Students spoke 15 different languages, and
by partnering with students, families, teachers and staff, it netted an unparalleled opportunity to highlight multiculturalism through classroom instruction and extracurricular events, which in turn attracted families, he said. During May-Stein’s Colfax years, enrollment increased from 230 to 700 students. Additionally, the school expanded from K-5 to K-8, and a new building was built along with a glass bridge connecting the addition and former space. After Colfax, May-Stein accepted a position as assistant superintendent in PPS’ central office before ultimately becoming chief of school performance, where he oversaw and mentored administrators while working with PPS’ superintendent and executive cabinet to support the district’s educational goals. May-Stein spent much of the past 30 years on his own education. He earned a master’s in public management from Carnegie Mellon University in 1998 and a doctorate in education
have substantial Jewish populations. “That’s an area of Pennsylvania with more graves and less Jews than anywhere in the state,” Rudel said. Harvey Wolsh was president of the JCBA from 1997 to 2003. He recently came back as president to lead the organization in its newest growth spurt.
“I have to commend the Jewish Federation — they were the organization that fueled the transition to what JCBA has become,” Wolsh said. “You have to give credit to them for realizing these cemeteries need proper care.” In 2021, Wolsh said, he wants the JCBA to focus on maintaining the infrastructure of
Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.
Trump over the size of his gifts. In one of his final big purchases, Adelson reportedly paid $67 million for the mansion in Israel that was the U.S. ambassador’s residence until Trump moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. During the coronavirus pandemic, Adelson also gained attention for being
magnanimous to the thousands of employees of his casinos, whom he kept paying long after other Las Vegas casinos cut off paychecks to their workers. The extent of Adelson’s giving to causes and institutions he believed in has few equals in American philanthropy. He was the largest donor to Trump’s 2016 presidential bid, chipping in $25 million, and was the nation’s largest political donor in the 2012 election, at nearly $93 million. He also gave enormous sums of money
to pro-Israel causes. He has donated $127 million to Birthright Israel since 2007 according to IRS filings cited by the Center for Public Integrity. And he was a major backer of the Zionist Organization of America and Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum. Earlier in his career, he was a major funder of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, until he shifted his giving to more conservative pro-Israel organizations. Adelson was also a major supporter of drug addiction programs, a speciality of his wife
Miriam, a physician. A drug abuse treatment clinic in Las Vegas is named for the couple. “Sheldon was the love of my life,” Miriam Adelson said in a statement Tuesday. “He was my partner in romance, philanthropy, political activism and enterprise. He was my soulmate. To me — as to his children, grandchildren, and his legions of friends and admirers, employees and colleagues — he is utterly irreplaceable.” He is survived by his wife and five children. PJC
Hate:
Crusader crosses
has been adopted in recent years by white nationalists and neo-Nazis, to the dismay of its creator. “The fact that white nationalists and Nazis embrace it is a tragic misunderstanding,” Gerry Conway told Inverse. “It’s a misappropriation of the character and a blatant disregarding of reality.”
circumcision, and the intactivist movement often features anti-Jewish imagery. An intactivist comic book called “Foreskin Man” portrays blonde Aryan superheroes fighting Jewish mohels, who perform circumcision. There was a protester in front of the Supreme Court in October, and similar signs and outfits were seen this week in D.C. The Jan. 6 demonstration featured protesters carrying anti-circumcision signs reading “circumcision is the mark of the beast of satan” and “outlaw satan’s circumcision.” PJC
JCBA: Continued from page 3
Rudel said. There’s even support from out near Oil City and Titusville, which has about 600 Jewish burial sites. Few of these small towns still support synagogues, and do not
Adelson: Continued from page 8
Continued from page 9
Poverty Law Center, Kek is the “‘deity’ of the semi-ironic ‘religion’ the white nationalist movement has created for itself online.” The word is used alongside the meme of Pepe the Frog, a cartoon character that has been appropriated as a mascot of white nationalists. The Kek flag resembles a Nazi war flag, with a Kek logo replacing the swastika and the color green in place of red.
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The shooter who committed the 2019 massacre at a New Zealand mosque appropriated symbols of the Crusades, and they’ve become popular with other far-right, ethnonationalist groups. The symbols, such as medieval-style helmets or Templar and crusader crosses, are meant to harken to an era of white, Christian wars against Muslims and Jews.
The Punisher
The Marvel comic antihero The Punisher
Intactivists
Anti-circumcision activists, also known as “intactivists,” support banning all forms of circumcision. Jewish law requires
PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. existing and potentially new sites, everything from burial plots to pathways for visitors. “This is a fast-moving organization,” he said. “We’re going to be moving pretty quickly into 2021.” PJC
JANUARY 15, 2021 15
Life & Culture Solomonov brings Israel home with web series — FOOD — By Jesse Bernstein | Contributing Writerf
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ith his fleet of Philadelphia restaurants and three published cookbooks, chef Michael Solomonov, a former Pittsburgher, has made a strong bid to be the most prominent proponent of Israeli food in America. Now, the man once named the James Beard Outstanding Chef in America will look to bring the tastes of Israel to Americans through a new medium: a web series, which debuted on Jan. 13. “Bringing Israel Home,” hosted by Solomonov, will air weekly on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. through April 28, and will feature the chef in conversation with writers, students and fellow chefs. Solomonov and his interlocutor will tackle a different topic each week before diving into a cooking demonstration, with each recipe available to the public prior to the show’s airing. With “Bringing Israel Home,” Solomonov said, he’s able to do what he’s always aimed to do, even as the pandemic has kept him cooking in his home kitchen more than he ever dreamed. “I bring people to Israel physically, and I bring people to Israel emotionally with the food that I cook and the stories that we tell,” Solomonov said. “And now, we bring people virtually.” The first episode, which aired via Vimeo, featured “Haaretz” food journalist Ronit Vered and Via Sabra founder Avihai Tsabari, a childhood friend of the Solomonov family, with the trio cooking chicken thighs and pilaf. Remaining episodes will include interviews with the likes of cookbook author Adeena Sussman, baker Uri Scheft and the lead singer of Yemen Blues, Ravid Kahalani. Together with Solomonov, they’ll cook classic Israeli dishes like sabich, schnitzel and borekas. Each episode will use the evening’s dish as an entry point to conversations about the people, places and cultures that make up Eretz Yisrael. An episode featuring conversations with gap-year students, many of them introduced to Israel for the first time, features basic Israeli foods for the newcomer,
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Michael Solomonov samples some of the food that he’ll feature on his new web series. Photo by Michael Persico
like couscous and chopped salad; the episode with Osama Dalal, an Akko-based chef, uses a quirky fish schnitzel recipe to talk about the city’s long history of Jewish and Arab coexistence. “We’re so fortunate on this show to visit with an incredible lineup of people, who
will bring that sense of place and culinary discovery to us at home,” Solomonov said. The genesis of the show is fairly simple, according to Solomonov. Unable to travel to Israel to see his family and friends, and with more time on his hands than he’s had in years, “Bringing Israel Home” is as much
a way to stay sane as it is a venue for his cooking. There’s only so much time to be spent running restaurants that are operating at a fraction of their pre-pandemic capacity. “This is something that I kind of need to do,” Solomonov said. “I really am homesick, and introducing people to Israel is what I do.” He’s positive that the show would never have happened without the newly discovered time to devote to its production, nor without the void created by the impossibility of travel. Tsabari, who appears on many episodes, is the proprietor of several tour guide companies, and will give contextualizing information and stories for some of the dishes. As a young man, he was a friend of Solomonov’s brother, David, who was killed during his IDF service in 2003. The connections run deeper than that — Solomonov was friends with Tsabari’s sister, and Solomonov’s mother was Tsabari’s English teacher. “I can count on one hand the people who are as generous, as genuine and have a really, really big heart, like Mike,” said Tsabari, who lives in Hod HaSharon. On the episode dedicated to David Solomonov, which will stream on March 3, Solomonov will interview members of his brother’s unit and cook a lamb dish that was a family favorite. Like Solomonov, Tsabari sees a direct line between the new burdens of travel and the desire for a show like “Bringing Israel Home.” “The fact that now people are being told that they can’t come to Israel, even if they didn’t plan to come to Israel before, is now making them more eager to come here,” Tsabari said, even if “coming” to Israel doesn’t take them any further than their stovetops and ovens. Interested viewers can follow @bringingisraelhome on Instagram, and enter to win a private Zoom cooking class with Solomonov at the show’s homepage. “Bringing Israel Home” is supported by The Jewish Community Response and Impact Fund, Jim Joseph Foundation, Maimonides Fund, The Paul E. Singer Foundation and Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation; The Hub on My Jewish Learning and The Nosher are promotional partners. PJC Jesse Bernstein is a staff writer at the Jewish Exponent, a Chronicle-affiliated publication.
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Life & Culture Paradise eluded in ‘Some Kind of Heaven’ — LOCAL — By Sophie Panzer | JE Staff
I
n the opening scenes of “Some Kind of Heaven,” viewers are treated to the well-choreographed dance that is life in a Florida retirement community. A parade of golf carts zoom along in formation. A synchronized swimming group splashes merrily in a pool. Later, an instructor leads a line of women in a batontwirling routine. The message is clear: Everyone has a place here. So what happens to those who can’t find theirs? The documentary is produced by The New York Times and Darren Aronofsky, the director behind “Black Swan” and “Pi.” It is the feature directorial debut of Lance Oppenheim, a 24-year-old filmmaker whose Instagram account fairly screams “nice Jewish boy.” In interviews with various outlets, Oppenheim said he headed to The Villages retirement community in central Florida and showed up to as many clubs and events as he could to find his subjects and their stories. The community, founded by Jewish developer Harold Schwartz, markets itself as a Disneyland for seniors, and one retiree likens the beautiful grounds, social activities and robust dating scene to being in college again. While there’s nothing wrong with older adults keeping active and socially engaged in their later years, the residents of The Villages live in a bubble. Most of them embrace the
and opportunities to socialize, she feels lonely and homesick. Oppenheim captures Barbara’s precise and peculiar sadness at being alone in multiple crowded rooms; she is always a few beats behind at tambourine class or a few steps out of line when she goes dancing. She is also the only character who works full time, and the dreariness of working a desk while being surrounded by the trappings of wealth and leisure are evident on her face. Dennis is not technically a p A cheer squad in The Villages resident of The Villages; he’s a Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. van-dweller fleeing a California insularity and predictability. Others, after DUI fine and hoping to shack up with a coughing up quite a bit of money, find they wealthy lady friend. He showers at the pool have flown into a gilded cage. and frequents bars and dances as he searches The film follows the lives of four residents. for someone to offer him financial security. Anne and Reggie are a married couple Having lived most of his 81 years as whose vastly different approaches to retire- a drifter, he still dreads sacrificing his ment strain their relationship. Anne, an freedom for the comfort he craves as he athlete, takes naturally to days full of activ- ages. Although his gold-digging comes off ities and dominates the pickleball court. as slimy, his vulnerability is sobering — a Reggie, on the other hand, turns to illegal reminder of the dire straits that await those and recreational drugs as he pursues a who don’t, or can’t, plan for their futures vague sense of spirituality. Anne’s nerves while they still have time. The cinematography is gorgeous and fray as she struggles to make herself heard intimate, full of surprisingly strong and in her marriage and contends with Reggie’s coordinated bodies in motion, swaying increasingly severe delusions, which soon yield dangerous consequences. palm trees and cerulean swimming pools. Barbara is a widowed Bostonian who The last time anything this dreamily colorful moved to The Villages with her husband hit screens was when “La La Land” was before he passed away. Despite the fact that released back in 2017. she is surrounded by seemingly infinite clubs The juxtaposition between the manicured
golf courses and the pained looks on the subjects’ faces never lets you forget something is off. It’s as if Oppenheim is challenging the viewer to distinguish between the constructed beauty of a fake-historic town square and the genuine beauty of the hopes and joys of its pedestrians. At certain points, the portrayal of The Villages appears cloistered to the point of being oversimplified. The shots are scrubbed clean of any references to politics, with no lawn signs indicating the political divisions of the past four years. According to Business Insider, Republicans outnumber Democrats two to one in this community, and it has not been spared election-related turmoil and controversy. Sweeping this reality under the rug in order to create a more universal narrative arc is the easier, if not most accurate or satisfying, storytelling choice. It would have been interesting to hear from a resident whose political, racial or cultural background added another layer to their sense of alienation from their neighbors. Nevertheless, this intriguing, surreal documentary packs incredibly layered and nuanced stories into 83 minutes. The fact that Oppenheim was able to gain the trust of these retirees, who are separated from him by so many years, and portray their stories with such warmth reveals a level of empathy that is a pleasure to watch unfold on screen. “Some Kind of Heaven” will be available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Video and other platforms on Jan. 15. PJC Sophie Panzer writes for the Jewish Exponent, an affililiated publication.
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JANUARY 15, 2021 17
Celebrations
Torah
Birth
The burden seems unbearable Rabbi Ron Symons Parshat Vaera | Exodus 6:2 - 9:35
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or many of us, it is so hard to make it through a day, a week or a month, given the burdens we face in our concurrent medical, economic, partisan and racial pandemics. It might be hard to complete a task, distinguish one day from the next, bear the challenge of physical isolation, make another meal or watch another news program. It is so difficult to go through these times. From our 21st-century perch, we can look back thousands of years to seek some Jewish wisdom on how to make it through. At the beginning of the Book of Exodus, we learn of Moses’ observation of our people’s burdens: “And when Moses went out to look upon his brothers, he saw their burdens” (Exodus 2:11). There is such a difference between the lives
learned later in life from his father-in-law, Moses began to delegate. According to Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Rabbi Yose the Galilean, “Moses saw heavy burdens put upon small people, and light ones on small people; men’s burdens on women, and women’s burdens on men; the burden an older person could carry placed on a youth, and the burden of a youth upon an older person. So Moses would from time to time step away from his retinue and rearrange the burdens, pretending that he was really trying to be of help to Pharaoh.” As it was in Moses’ day, so it is on ours. So many around us, around the country and around the world, have successfully rearranged the burdens. Look at our educators who, when safe, bring our children together for as normal as possible educational experiences. Look at our organizations that have retooled to provide food for the elderly. Look at our healthcare professionals and auxiliary workers who put themselves in the path of the
Eric and Shannon Goldstein of Sewickley are proud to announce the birth of their son, Jakob Presley Goldstein, on Dec. 21, 2020. Jakob’s grandparents are Allan and Karen Goldstein of Sewickley Heights and Highland Beach, Florida, and Mark and Sheila Grenadier of Mt. Lebanon. He joins brother Zakary, sister Brooke and brother Gavin. Jakob’s Hebrew name is Aron Pesach in loving memory of his great-grandfather Aaron Rovinsky and great-uncle Paul Goldstein.
Even though Moses was altruistic, it would
Engagement
As he learned later in life from his Jill and Michael Machen are proud to announce the engagement of their daughter Lindsay Alyse Machen to Michael David Abendroth, son of Catherine and Thomas Abendroth of Hershey, Pennsylvania. Lindsay’s grandparents are Jacqueline and Herbert Orlansky of Pittsburgh and the late Helen and Morris Machen of Pittsburgh. Michael’s grandparents are Patricia Strawbridge and the late Fuller Strawbridge of Baltimore and the late Marion and Robert Abendroth of Baltimore. Lindsay graduated from Bucknell University and Michael from Dartmouth College. They met in medical school at Pennsylvania State University. Both have pursued careers in ophthalmology: Lindsay completed residency at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary in Chicago followed by fellowship at Wills Eye in Philadelphia and Michael completed residency at Wills Eye. After completion of their training, both will be practicing in the Philadelphia area. A fall 2021 wedding is planned. PJC
have been impossible for him to carry the burdens of so many by himself. father-in-law, Moses began to delegate. we lead and the lives of the generations that came before us. We make our way through our burdens on sofas, with computers and with the help of the sciences while they made their way through in dirt huts, working in straw and clay and under the whip of the taskmaster. Despite the differences, there is something deep down in human nature that allows us to learn from Moses’ reaction. The 10th-century Midrash Rabbah asks and answers, “How did he feel when he looked upon them? As he looked at their burden, he wept, saying, ‘Woe is me for your servitude. Would that I could die for you!’” When our people — when our neighbors — are struggling, there are times when we wish that we could take on their burden and live their fate in their place. “Since no work is more strenuous that that of handling clay,” the midrash continues, “Moses used to shoulder the burden and help each worker.” Even though Moses was altruistic, it would have been impossible for him to carry the burdens of so many by himself. As he
virus to save lives. Look at our neighbors who take to the streets and social media to remind us of our moral responsibilities as we fight for equity. Look at our new frontline workers in the markets, stores and restaurants who help us meet our vital needs. Each one, every one, another Moses moving the burdens so that our neighbors can make it through. And so the midrash concludes, “The Holy One said, ‘You left your own concerns and went to look compassionately at the distress of Israel, behaving like a brother to them. So, I, too, will leave those on high and those below, and speak only with you.’” May the Moseses of our day have the same insight. May each one of us find the Moses within as we lift the burdens of our neighbors and perhaps be rewarded with the privilege of standing at our own burning bush. PJC Rabbi Ron Symons is the founding director of the JCC’s Center for Loving Kindness and Civic Engagement. This column is a service of the Greater Pittsburgh Rabbinic Association.
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Obituaries GREENBERG: Carole H. Greenberg passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021. Beloved wife for 61 years of Jack K. Greenberg; loving mother of Don E. (Sharon) Greenberg of Pittsburgh, and Diana R. Greenberg of Centreville, Virginia; sister of Michael (late Jeanne) Helioff of Boynton Beach, Florida; adoring Nanna of Anna Kristine Greenberg. Also survived by several nieces, nephews, and many cousins. Private graveside service, interment, and shiva. For more information please contact the family. Contributions in Carole’s memory may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated for 100 years, schugar.com. KRIFCHER: Dr. Emanuel (Manny) Krifcher (Moshe ben Meir ha Levi ve Devorah) passed away on Dec. 28, 2020. Manny was born in Havana, Cuba, on July 12, 1931, to Morris (Moises) Kriftcher and Dora Wilder Kriftcher. Manny, and his only sibling, Charles, spent their early years in “La Habana Vieja” the historic core of the Cuban capital. A lifelong passion for learning began as he attended the Centro Israelita, a Jewish school where classes were taught in Yiddish and Spanish, and where he graduated with a rich secular and Jewish education. Manny then began studying at the University of Havana, continuing to the prestigious University of Havana Medical School. During his youth, Manny developed a love of Judaism and Zionism, becoming a leader within the Beitar Youth Organization and later a founding member and youngest board member of the Patronato Jewish Center, the institution that was at the heart of Jewish life in Cuba, where he spearheaded the creation of the Patronato’s library. While a student at the University of Havana, Manny was elected president of the Jewish student organization. In 1957, with only a few credits left to earn his medical degree, the medical school in Havana was abruptly closed due to the intensification of the Cuban Revolution, and Manny completed his degree at the Central University of Venezuela in early 1959. Soon after earning his medical degree in Venezuela, he returned to the reopened medical school in Havana and finished his credits there, earning a second medical degree in January 1960. In 1953, Manny met the love of his life, Dorita Goldstein, at a Hanukkah party at the University’s Jewish Student Center. They married in 1958, at the Patronato, launching what became a lifelong epic love story that was a model for all around them, unrivaled in warmth, partnership, respect, and mutual admiration. They recently celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. In 1960, he began what became a 60-year relationship with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, leaving the balmy, tropical shores of Cuba for the sometimes-frigid environs of Pittsburgh to begin his internship at St. Francis Hospital and his residency at Presbyterian University Hospital. Specializing in internal medicine, nephrology and hypertension, Manny joined a prominent Pittsburgh medical practice. Manny and Dorita soon started a family and engaged deeply in the Jewish community in PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG
Pittsburgh, becoming ingrained members within the tapestry of the Squirrel Hill Jewish community, members of Congregation Beth Shalom and involved in many local and national Jewish organizations, charities, and institutions. Manny’s love for family was limitless and he was unwaveringly dedicated to providing an example to his children through his deeds and the manner in which he lived his life. Dedicating his professional life to medicine, Manny became a well-respected physician known for his outstanding diagnostic skills and his caring empathic bedside manner. He was known for not charging those who experienced financial difficulties and would spend hours with patients in an era when doctors were spending less and less time with them, and medicine had become a more impersonal field. He later became an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School where he continued to teach until 2019, at age 88. In 2005, Pitt Medical School established the Emanuel Krifcher, MD, Student Prize, given to a fourth-year medical student who has exemplified commitment to primary care and caring for the vulnerable adult. In 2004, he retired from his day-to-day medical practice and began a fulfilling retirement dividing his time between Pittsburgh and Surfside, Florida, where he reconnected with many of his old friends from Cuba. He enjoyed having time to pursue his lifelong love of learning, indulging in an array of intellectual pursuits, as well as further developing his artistic side through his love of painting, taking classes, and filling his home and gifting to his family his many works of art. And of course, he spent precious time with Dorita, his children, grandchildren, family, and friends. Manny was a light unto everyone he came across, always quick with a kind word, a humorous story, or a nugget of wisdom. He was a consummate gentleman and a true mensch. A loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend to all. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 62 years and lifelong partner, Dorita Krifcher; his children, Belinda and Adam Lehman of Potomac, Maryland; Danny and Jocelyn Krifcher of Potomac, Maryland; Edward Krifcher and Elena Simkovich of Pittsburgh; his grandchildren, Alon, Galit, Yael, Avital, Dahlia, Jessica, Leah and Noa, will all miss his amusing anecdotes, warm smile, and sage advice. He will also be missed by his brother and sister-in-law, Charles & Sara Krifcher of Boynton Beach, Florida. And many nieces, nephews, cousins and relatives in his extended family in the U.S., Israel and Cuba, as well as his many friends. The funeral took place on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, in Pittsburgh. Donations may be made in Emanuel Krifcher’s memory to the University of Pittsburgh Medical School Emanuel Krifcher, MD, Student Prize (giveto.pitt. edu); Congregation Beth Shalom in Pittsburgh (bethshalompgh.org); or the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh (jewishpgh.org). Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. family owned and operated. schugar.com
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In memory of …
Richard A. Katzive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Julius Katzive Richard A. Katzive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lillian Katzive Maeola L. Kobacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Louis Rapport Alan Korobkin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles Korobkin Leona Levine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacob Levine Leona Levine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bertha Rosenfeld Leonard & Joyce Mandelblatt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Abner Crumb Jean Metzger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeremias Becker Larry Myer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oscar Zeidenstein Harvey & Esther Nathanson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Bachrach Ellen Pearlstein & Steven Vecchio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Pearlstein Ellen Pearlstein & Steven Vecchio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeannette Pearlstein Paul & Diane Pechersky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mildred Pechersky Mr. & Mrs. Joel Platt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Madylene Platt Rhoda Rofey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Celia Rofey Rhoda Rofey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marlene Rofey Kaufman Ross Rosen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sylvia Rosen The Love and Rutman Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joel David Cohen Paula Rofey Singer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marvin L. Kaufman Dr. Susan Snider and Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Howard Snider Patricia A. Spokane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dorothy Schneirov Lois C. Waldman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newman Cohen Harold C. Weiss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeffrey S. Weiss Howard M. Weiss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Goldie Weiss Max Westerman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julius Rosenberg
THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS — Sunday January 17: Gertrude Berenfield, Nathan Bilder, Paul Carpe, Joel David Cohen, Lillian Cook, Minnie Farber, Morris Fleshman, Samuel J Frankel, Paul Freedman, Jennie Glick, Sanford K. Greenberg, Lipa Haimovitz, Edward Hertz, Anna Harr Krause, Harry Lautman, Madylene Platt, Dorothy Rosenthal, Dr.Eugene J. Schachter, Gertrude Silberman, Jacob W. Simon, Alvin Weinberger, Esther Pakler Weiss Monday January 18: Irving E. Cohen, Nettie Galanty, Phillip Harris, Edith Lazear, Rheba Markley, E.Harry Mazervo, Oscar Robbins, Rebecca Rosenfeld, Gertrude Schugar, Pauline Silberblatt, Abraham Ulanoff Tuesday January 19: Rebecca Broudy, Rubin Davidson, Leonard A Fleegler, Raymond Goldstein, Jacob Graff, William Randall Greene, Anna Grossman, Sarah Haimovitz, Tina Kaminsky, Anna Kart, Rose Klein, Betty Kuperstock, Anne Bilder Mallinger, Joseph Cliff Ruben, Ida Seminofsky, Jack C. Siegel, Al W. Wolf, Rose Blattner Zionts Wednesday January 20: Clara Deutch, Myer Feldman, Isadore F. Frank, Benjamin Harris, Bess M. Levenson, Albert Dale Malyn, Frank Miller, Sophie Paransky, Max Rosenfeld, Harry Schlesinger, Leon Stein Thursday January 21: Sidney J. Alpern, Samuel J. Amdur, Julius Belle, Beverly Renee German, Harry Kalson, Tillie Krochmal, Joseph H. Levin, Jeremy Marcus, Samuel Miller, Ida B. Shaffer, Edith Nayhouse Thorpe, Minnie Weller Friday January 22: Anna Cohen, Celia Cohen, Edythe B. Dickerman, Julia P. Farbstein, Katie Fireman, Jennie Gold, Sarah Goldstein, Ruth W. Gusky, Max Jeremias, Harry Kaplan, Marian Papernick Lindenbaum, Morris Lipkind, Alice Lipp, Manuel L. Mason, Harry Miller, Anna Schwartz, David S. Shermer, Albert Sherry, Ruth K. Slotsky Saturday January 23: Jennie Bluestone, Charles Fishkin, Ida Karp, Freda Lenchner, Katie Middleman, Lillian Myers, Louis Rosenfield, Rebecca Schutte, Meyer H. Siegal, Maurice Smith, Harry L. Steinberg, Roslyn Weinberg
Bernadette L. Rose-Tihey Funeral Director, Supervisor, Vice President
Same Staff, Same Location, Same Ownership, New Name Previously, “The Rapp Funeral Home.” 10940 Frankstown Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15235 www.rosefuneralhomeinc.com 412.241.5415
Did You Know? Workmen’s Circle Cemetery #45 – Shaler Township The Workmen’s Circle (Arbeiter Ring) Branch #45 was
For more information about the JCBA, to inquire about established in Pittsburgh in 1904. The socialist fraternal plot purchases, to view full histories, to volunteer, and/or to make a contribution please visit our website organization, whose original members were from Eastern at www.jcbapgh.org, email us at jcbapgh@gmail.com Europe, was first organized in New York in 1892 to or call the JCBA 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
Please see Obituaries, page 20
PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE
promote Jewish culture and to support Jewish labor and unions. Advocating “equal pay and equal human rights,” the Workmen’s Circle was associated with the Jewish Labor Committee. A notable burial includes Bess Topolsky, secretary of the Circle, managing editor of Pittsburgh’s Jewish Forward office and advocate for Jewish culture and the Yiddish language. Responsibility for the organization’s cemetery was assumed by the Jewish Cemetery and Burial Association in 2009.
JANUARY 15, 2021 19
Obituaries Obituaries: Continued from page 19
LANDO: Patti Balch Lando; on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Beloved wife of the late Robert N. Lando. Cherished mother of Sandi (Jack) Welch and Mark (Rebecca) Lando. Grandmother of Jason, Brad, Matthew and Jessie. Great-grandmother of Greyson, Jackson, Claire and Noa. Our mom died two days after her 96th birthday. Ever since our dad died 17 years ago, Mom steadfastly believed they would be together again. A chocoholic, she pretended to limit her daily intake so she would look good when they were reunited. Note to Dad: Those endless tennis, golf and gin games are going to have break for dinner now ... don’t be late! There will be no visitation; graveside services and interment were private. Contributions may be made to Circle Camps for Grieving Children, 5267 Holmes St., Suite 305, Pittsburgh PA 15201. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com LEIBOWITZ: Michael L. Leibowitz, on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. Beloved father of Michael Venturella and Saleena Leibowitz. Brother of Jeffrey (Elizabeth Ivory) Leibowitz and Dena Leibowitz. Uncle of Brian, Joseph and Hannah Leibowitz. Graveside services and interment were held Mt. Hope Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com LICHTENBERGER: Edith (Bernstein) Lichtenberger, suddenly on Dec. 31, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she resided for the past 12 years after relocating from Pittsburgh. Beloved wife of the late Frank Lichtenberger. Edith was born in Pittsburgh on April 15, 1940, to the late Jacob (Yunk) and late Doris (Weinstein) Bernstein. She is preceded in death by her brother A. Leonard (surviving spouse Linda) Bernstein. Surviving are her loving children, Henry and Lisa Lichtenberger (Renee Salvatore) both of Las Vegas, her “Las Vegas Bonus Family” Moises and Patty Cornejo and their daughters Kimberly and Alexis, Francoise Kiza and Amparo Alvarez who each showered her with unconditional love, encouragement, and dignity, along with memories, activities and adventures that she cherished. Edith is also survived by nieces, nephews, grand-puppies and many loving friends. Mom — your spirit, never ending determination and resilience were an inspiration to us and we will
miss you. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her name to the charity of your choice. Due to COVID19, the burial in Pittsburgh was private. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com. MARCUS: William Benjamin Marcus, formerly of Pittsburgh, passed away at age 95 at his home in Hallandale Beach, Florida, on Dec. 20, 2020. He was preceded in death by his wife, Florence (Recht) Marcus and longtime partner, Irene Robbins. He is survived by his daughters, Gayle Mallinger and Janice Marcus, his grandchildren, Faythe Mallinger and Marc Mallinger, and Irene’s sons, Eric and Marvin. He was a proud WWII veteran and an avid Steelers fan. Services and interment were private. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com SAMBOL: Abe Sambol: Born April 5, 1922, of Squirrel Hill, passed peacefully at the age of 98, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Adoring husband of the late Jacqueline (Jackie) Sambol. Devoted father of Linda (Ron) Charapp of Pittsburgh and Fort Myers, Florida, the late Richard (Christine) Sambol of Sonoma, California, Jerry Sambol of Pittsburgh and Canice Sambol of Monroeville. Cherished grandfather of David (Betsy) Charapp of California, Kevin Charapp of Colorado, Corrine Charapp of Pittsburgh, Matthew (Jill) Sambol of California, Corbet (Brittany) Sambol of California and Ashley (Michael) Quail of Virginia. Adored great-grandpa of Arianna, Isaiah, Daniel and Will Charapp, Lily, Caden, Sydney and Sloane Sambol and Grant Quail. Predeceased by his sister, Esther (Jules) Levinson and his brother, Morris (Lena) Sambol. He leaves behind his special friend, Lillian Markowitz. After Abe graduated from Fifth Avenue High School, he served honorably in the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant during WWII where he spent the majority of his service overseas. When he returned, he met and married Jackie Lappin. She was perfect for the quiet and gentle Abe. They enjoyed each other’s company for over 50 years as they raised their children, traveled and worked together. He is best remembered as the owner of Stein’s Custom Kitchens and Baths with his very talented son, Jerry. As a certified kitchen and bath designer, Abe turned his customers’ dreams into realities. Graveside services and interment were held at Temple Sinai Memorial Park. Contributions may be sent to Weinberg Village, 300 JHF Drive,
Pittsburgh, PA 15217 or the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com SIMON: Carole Simon, age 82, of White Oak, died on Jan. 7, 2021. She was born in McKeesport on March 3, 1938, and is the daughter of the late David and Lillian Shermer and the wife of the late Martin Simon. She is survived by her daughter, Susan (Robert) Mitchell of White Oak; son, Jeffrey (Alicia) Simon of Colorado; sister, Judy (Marshall) Wolf of Cleveland, Ohio; granddaughters, Samantha Mitchell and Kelly Simon; and grandson, Robert Mitchell. A family gathering and service was held on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021 at Strifflers of White Oak Cremation and Mortuary Services, 1100 Lincoln Way, White Oak, PA 15131 (Sue Striffler Galaski, supervisor, 412-678-6177). Rabbi Howie Stein officiated. Burial was held at Tree of Life Cemetery in Versailles. Should friends desire, memorial contributions should be sent to: Temple B’Nai Israel, 2025 Cypress St., White Oak, PA 15131. SPIRER: Marion Shirley (Smith) Spirer, 95, formerly of Squirrel Hill, passed away peacefully on Jan. 3, 2021, due to COVID-19 complications, at Forbes Hospital in Monroeville. Born on March 8, 1925, inPittsburgh, she was the daughter of Abraham and Anna (Silverblatt) Smith and sister of Milton, Lester, and Phyllis, all of whom preceded her in death. Marion graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in 1942. She began her career as a clerk for her family’s business, A&B Smith Company, working on a contract for the federal government to support war efforts by creating precise maps for top secret missions. Marion later worked at Friedman’s Menswear in Squirrel Hill for 35 years as bookkeeper and department manager. After she retired, she became a dedicated volunteer at Shadyside Hospital, greeting patients and their families as they arrived early in the mornings each day for 14 years, and was awarded UPMC Shadyside Hospital Volunteer of the Year, 2000. She was a member of Temple Sinai since 1953. On Aug. 25, 1946, Marion married Albert Spirer, who preceded her in death, as did their son Gary. Marion is survived by her son Mark (Abigail); daughter-in-law Cheryll; grandchildren Jennifer, Jeffrey (Rachel), Jeremy, Stephanie (Joel), and Jaclyn; and great-grandchildren Ethan, Madison, Dakota, Carter,
and Jameson. Burial will take place in a private graveside ceremony at Beth Shalom Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to UPMC Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Fund or the charity of one’s choice. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com WNUK: Marshall Wnuk peacefully passed away on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, with his beloved son, Martin (Lisa Anthony) Wnuk by his side. Marshall is also survived by his sister Phyllis (late Larry) Tucker. He was the former spouse of the late Gloria Cannon Yahr. Marshall was the first-born beloved son (after five daughters) to the late Michael and late Florence (Fellman) Wnuk. Brother of the late Eleanor (late Ed) Kenan, late Rosalyn (late Aleck) Chizeck, late Lois (late Daniel) Braden, late Hermine (late David) Schwartz, late Irving (surviving spouse Catherine) Wnuk and late Gary (late Barbara) Wnuk. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins. Marshall grew up in the Hill District as a child before moving to Squirrel Hill. While attending Taylor Allderdice High School, Marshall joined the Gamma Phi Fraternity, and was a very good athlete, who played football, ran track and was a pitcher for the Squirrel Hill Bull Dogs baseball team. Marshall attended the University of Pittsburgh where he continued playing sports (intramurally) as a member of the Phi Epsilon Pi Fraternity. After college graduation, Marshall became a salesman. He sold pharmaceuticals for Johnson & Johnson, and then joined Broyhill Furniture in January of 1971 as a manufacturer’s representative selling to furniture stores in Western Pennsylvania and the surrounding area. Marshall developed close lifelong friendships with the other local Broyhill salesmen. Marshall was a huge sports fan who loved watching and attending (Pirates, Steelers, Pitt football, Pitt and Duquesne basketball) games throughout his life. Marshall had many friendships from living most of his life in Squirrel Hill and because he was an outgoing person, with a great sense of humor who had a great smile and was a fun, big — hearted guy. He loved spending time with his family and socializing with his friends. Private graveside services and interment were held at Temple Sinai Memorial Park. A celebration of Marshall’s life will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions in Marshall’s memory may be made to a charity of donor’s choice. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com PJC
IT’S amazing WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR.
Selling? Buyers are flocking to the ’s Business & Professional Directory To advertise, call 412.687.1047.
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JANUARY 15, 2021 21
Community Schleppers reap big haul Schleppers and walkers joined Congregation Beth Shalom on Jan. 3 for a Come Together Schlep-A-Thon. Despite rainy weather, gray skies and cool temperatures, participants
fearlessly circled synagogue grounds. Staggered starts didn’t prevent warmed spirits and fundraising efforts, as $20,000 was raised by 193 donors.
p Lily Feinman and Hannah Adelson race to finish.
p Yale Rosenstein gets cheered on by Marissa Tait and Judy Adelson.
p Congregation Beth Shalom Schlep-A-Thon enthusiasts
p Beth Shalom USY Teens Shuli Dernis, Ori Cohen and Jonah Rosenberg jump for joy. Photos courtesy of Kristin Zappone
It’s a family thing
Planting seeds for Temple David’s future
p University of Pittsburgh freshman Eli Anish and his father, Dr. Eric Anish, placed first and 11th at the Youngstown State Open on Jan. 9. Both competed in the Boys 3200 Meter Run. Eli finished in 9:34.47. Eric finished in 10:42.95. Photo courtesy of Dr. Eric Anish
22 JANUARY 15, 2021
p Minda and Joseph Raithel plant parsley for Tu B’Shvat during Tot Shabbat at Temple David. With a little bit of water, sunlight and luck the parsley will be ready for Passover. Photo courtesy of Temple David
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Community Winning in human relations
Saying Shalom to Shabbat at Temple Emanuel
Community Day School fourth-graders Marissa Steiman and Talia Sampson took first place in the City of Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations 2020 Human Rights Speaks Youth Creative Arts Contest in the physical art and written entry categories for grades 4-8.
p ECDC music teacher Rebecca Closson welcomes Shabbat.
p A winning piece
Photo courtesy of Community Day School
Heavy is the head that wears the crown
p After receiving their chumashim, Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh first-graders Sandy Banks and Raya Reinherz celebrate with cookies. Photo courtesy of Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh
p Rabbi Jessica Locketz marks havdalah by blessing the candle.
All together at the JAA
p Gerry and Danielle share a moment.
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Photo courtesy of the Jewish Association on Aging
p Rabbis Emily and Aaron Meyer wish all a good week, as their daughter Evelyn Screenshots by Adam Reinherz enjoys grape juice.
PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE
JANUARY 15, 2021 23
24 color
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Alle Kosher 80% Lean Fresh Ground Beef
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Price effective Thursday, January 14 through Wednesday, January 20, 2021.
Available at 24 JANUARY 15, 2021
and PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE
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