Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 7-5-19 by Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle

July 5, 2019 | 2 Tamuz 5779

Candlelighting 8:35 p.m. | Havdalah 9:43 p.m. | Vol. 62, No. 27 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Millennials harvesting ideas to grow Tree of Life

NOTEWORTHY LOCAL On a mission

Waterfront steakhouse employee fired after anti-Semitic post

Area women visit Latvia and Russia to consider past, present. Page 2

By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

LOCAL

Now, that group of about 10 twentysomethings has launched the Tree of Life Young Jewish Community, with the aim of providing connection for young Jewish adults and ensuring the continued relevance of TOL*OLS. Today, the engagement of millennial Jews in congregational life is unusual. Only 3 percent of Jews in Pittsburgh between the ages of 18 and 34 are dues-paying members

Yokoso Japanese Steakhouse employee was fired from the Waterfront restaurant after sharing an anti-Semitic post on social media. The image depicted the inside of an oven with the words “Jewish bunk bed for sale.” “We thought it was really important to fire him because that doesn’t reflect the views of the restaurant or anyone who works here, so we had to let him go,” said Sydney Rickert, a manager at the steakhouse. “We didn’t want that to represent us. We didn’t want anybody to think we are anti-Semitic so we had to do what we had to do.” Jeff Kim, general manager and owner of Yokoso, called the post “inexcusable,” and said, “nothing can make up for it” in a Facebook message. “Please know that his comments and views do not reflect the values of the restaurant and its employees. His employment has been terminated. No forms of discrimination or prejudice are tolerated at Yokoso. Yokoso is a family establishment, and everyone from all walks of life are welcome here,” added Kim. Joshua Sayles, Community Relations Council director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, commended Yokoso’s response. “We are appreciative to Yokoso for taking this as seriously as they did and for acting as swiftly as they did to let the rest of Pittsburgh know that this won’t be tolerated in their establishment,” Sayles said. “When activities like this Facebook post are left unchecked, that’s when anti-Semites feel emboldened and more similar incidents like this take place. Unfortunately, we don’t have to look beyond our own community to know what

Please see TOL, page 14

Please see Employee, page 14

Very old school

Rabbi’s undershirt serves double duty. Page 3 LOCAL Stanley Cohen dies at 84 Humanitarian remembered for efforts to help Jews worldwide. Page 4

$1.50

 Some of the founding members of the Tree of Life Young Jewish Community, from left: Adam Danenberg, Roxanne Rudov, Alana Rudkin, Andrew Exler and Lindsay Migdal. Photo provided by Andrew Exler By Toby Tabachnick | Senior Staff Writer

fter grieving during a week of funerals for their fellow congregants, straining to process the surreal and horrific murders at their synagogue, a group of millennials who had grown up at Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha came to a stark realization: They needed to take responsibility to continue the spiritual and communal legacy of the congregation that they love.

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LOCAL Torah mantle has unique past

WORLD New use for old house

MUSIC Memphis soul with an Israeli twist

Headlines Eastern European mission affords chance for observation and reflection — LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

wenty Jewish women traveled from Pittsburgh to Eastern Europe in an effort to appreciate history and observe current life in Latvia and Russia. The June 16-23 women’s philanthropy mission, which was coordinated by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, was “meaningful” both in its ability to showcase “where the dollars given to the JDC or Jewish Agency go,” and in providing an opportunity “to meet and talk to the members of Jewish communities in other parts of the world,” said Teddi Horvitz, the trip’s co-chair. Broken into two parts, the weeklong expedition began in Riga, Latvia, before moving to St. Petersburg, Russia. Days later, several participants extended their stays with a subsequent excursion to Moscow. Having the chance to tour the region and meet young Jewish leaders countered many assumptions, explained Sue Berman Kress, chair of women’s philanthropy. “There’s a narrative we remember that [as a Jew] you needed to leave Russia, but when we were in St. Petersburg we saw what happened to the families who didn’t leave and for one reason or another are acknowledging their Judaism and have come back, and it’s wonderful,” said Berman Kress, who traveled along with her 20-year-old daughter. For many of the attendees, there was a common heritage in Eastern Europe. “It’s a place where so many of us have our ancestral history. It’s a place that so many of our ancestors left for one important reason

or another, and now we get to go back and see what Jewish life looks like there now,” Berman Kress added. That sense of return particularly resonated with Essie Garfinkel, a participant who traveled with three of her daughters-in-law. Decades prior to last week’s mission, Garfinkel and her husband were among a group of seven Pittsburghers who, in 1986, traveled to the former Soviet Union in hopes of aiding Jewish Refuseniks. Back then “Jews were in terrible straits. It was a dark time,” Garfinkel said. “Jews were being put in prison and not allowed to leave.” While diplomatic efforts were being made both in the United States and internationally to remedy the situation, on-the-ground tactics were occurring as well. The Garfinkels and their five fellow travelers clandestinely worked in concert with other covert groups to assist Soviet Jews. Lists were kept as to what residents there needed, and each visiting delegation would pick up where the previous left off. Whether it was bringing jeans to sell on the black market or medicines that were typically unavailable in those parts, the actions were dangerous, Ray Garfinkel explained. Apart from transporting items, risky operations included secret ceremonies where the Pittsburgh contingent, which included two rabbis, visited Soviet Jewish residents at home and performed illegal religious weddings, Essie Garfinkel noted. “We would hold a talis over their heads and the rabbis would conduct the ceremony,” she said. Given what transpired and what was at stake, that trip was “a life-changing experience.” Three decades later, Essie Garfinkel

p Members of the Pittsburgh delegation gather with partners at the Jewish Agency in St. Petersburg where they braided challah together in preparation for Shabbat. Photo courtesy of Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

recounted those stories during bus rides and evening discussions with fellow travelers. To have those tales transmitted in such setting was remarkable, said Horvitz, who journeyed with her mother on the Eastern European mission. On the one hand, here are these accounts that are being shared, and on the other hand, “here we are meeting openly with Jews and talking in synagogues and talking to teenagers who go to day schools or participate in their JCCs,” Horvitz said. “I grew up in the 1980s and knew about the Refuseniks, but to hear the stories from people back then, from some of the women who were really involved in the Refusenik movement, and to hear their

experience of going to Russia and secretly meeting with Russians,” it was really special. Whether listening to events from the 1980s, or learning the interests of younger travelers who were unfamiliar with that period, the recent mission provided a unique and intergenerational experience, Berman Kress said. “The group dynamic was one of the special parts of the mission,” agreed Jessica Brown Smith, Federation’s senior director of development. Each participant was able to perceive matters “through a slightly different lens, but we were able to bond and talk about Please see Mission, page 15

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Headlines Rabbi’s undershirt doubles as old school GPS — LOCAL — By Toby Tabachnick | Senior Staff Writer

either hill nor bridge nor heat nor lack of phone could prevent Rabbi Mendel Rosenblum from trekking from Mt. Lebanon to Squirrel Hill so he could celebrate two Shabbat simchas, transpiring on the same day but more than 8 miles apart. “There is a Yiddish saying that you can’t dance at two weddings,” said Rosenblum, director of Chabad of the South Hills. “I wanted to prove them wrong.” Rosenblum faced a dilemma that many people would have found unsurmountable. On Saturday, June 22, he wanted to be with his South Hills congregation for morning services because the son of close friends, and founding members, was being called to the Torah for an aliya the day before his wedding at a traditional aufruf. The rabbi needed to be there — especially because he was unable to attend the wedding the following evening, when he would be on his way to New York City for his first grandson’s bris. But Rosenblum also needed to be in Squirrel Hill. His extended family was in town, as was the extended family of his wife, Batya — a rare occurrence. Rosenblum’s

 Rabbi Mendel Rosenblum displays his undershirt that doubled as his GPS when he trekked to Squirrel Hill from Mt. Lebanon on Shabbat. Inset: Google map shows the distance and time. Photo by Toby Tabachnick

niece had just married Batya’s cousin earlier in the week, and everyone was together to continue the celebration on Shabbat. “Batya was the matchmaker for this couple, so we had a deep connection to

the wedding in addition to just our family connection,” Rosenblum said. So, although he couldn’t be in both places at once, the rabbi set out to at least be at both places on the same day.

The problem was getting to Squirrel Hill from Mt. Lebanon. Because of the Shabbat prohibitions against operating or riding in a motor vehicle, his only means of transportation was by foot. Although he knew a couple people who had done the walk previously, “they were younger,” noted Rosenblum, 48. The walking directions he found on Google and on MapQuest turned out to be complicated. Although driving from Mt. Lebanon to Squirrel Hill is pretty straightforward — either through the Fort Pitt or Liberty tunnel, then onto the Parkway — walking the route is a different matter entirely. “It required many quick turns, and walking down stairs,” Rosenblum explained. He realized he needed to bring along directions, which also posed a problem: he could not carry them on Shabbat. Rosenblum came up with a creative solution. Prior to Shabbat, he wrote out the directions with a permanent marker on his undershirt, and then wore that undershirt for reference on his journey. At about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, after the last l’chaim to the bride and groom had been said at Chabad of the South Hills — and after Please see GPS, page 15

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Headlines Local humanitarian remembered for his work with the Jewish community — LOCAL — By David Rullo | Staff Writer

tanley Cohen, a Pittsburgh native recognized for his humanitarian work and the tireless efforts he made for Jews throughout the world, died on June 22. He was 84. Cohen was the president and chairman of the board for the Pittsburgh Jewish National Fund. Board President Steve Schwartz recalled that, “The board of trustees looked up to him for guidance and insight during his time as president. During Stanley’s presidency locally, JNF was a thriving fund, having the capabilities to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Israel.” While at JNF, he created the “Guardian of Israel Award” which, according to Amy Cohen, the fund’s director, “best exemplifies the highest standard of devotion and service to our community and the state of Israel.” Twenty-five Pittsburghers have received the award since it was created. More than 1,000 trees have been donated to Israel as part of Cohen’s work with JNF. Cohen also served on the board of directors

of B’nai B’rith International, the oldest Jewish service organization in the world. In 1995, he created the B’nai B’rith Cuban Jewish Relief project. The not-for-profit’s mission includes bringing religious materials to the Jewish population in Cuba, as well as medicine and other necessities. His son, Andrew, remembers that, “after he retired he worked full time for the Jews in Cuba. That was his work and his passion.” According to Rhonda Love, vice president of programming for B’nai B’rith International, “When B’nai B’rith began its Cuban Jewish Relief Project … the Jewish community was just emerging from decades of struggle to preserve its traditions and culture. B’nai B’rith was one of the first humanitarian organizations … to spearhead the bright revival of Jewish life in Cuba. Stan served as chair of the project and was an integral part of the project’s goal to bring humanitarian relief and hands-on support to the Cuban Jewish community.” Cohen wrote about why he felt moved to help the Cuban Jewish community. “I traveled alone to Cuba. The Soviets had taken $6 billion out of the Cuban economy. Life was very hard. I found desperate need. The synagogues were in disrepair. The main synagogue in Havana was falling apart and

the entire Jewish population was in need.” His work in the southern hemisphere wasn’t confined to Cuba. L ove explained, “He was instrumental Stanley Cohen in creating the B’nai Photo provided B’rith Communities in Crisis project [while] serving as the chair of the Brother’s Brother Foundation, which receives donated medical supplies and pharmaceuticals from drug manufacturers.” The project brought aid to the people of Argentina and was expanded to other countries in Latin America, where it continues today. While working with Brother’s Brother, Cohen visited Nicaragua and El Salvador, bringing supplies and assessing needs. While there, an earthquake occurred. Cohen worked with various agencies to provide food from the H.J. Heinz Co. Cohen was detained briefly by the KGB during a mission to the Soviet Union with the United Jewish Federation. As part of the mission, “we provided religious supplies to the Jewish community. I worked with the ‘Refuseniks,’ persons wanting to immigrate to Israel. The KGB detained me for

Tree of Life names Barb Feige as new executive director — LOCAL —

ollowing a national search, the board of trustees at Tree of Life *Or L’Simcha Congregation has named a new executive director to oversee and help guide the synagogue as it plans for the future. Barb Feige, who will start July 1 as TOL*OLS’s new executive director, is a nonprofit management professional with more than 25 years of experience. “On behalf of our Board of Trustees, I am excited to announce that Barb will be joining Tree of Life in this full-time leadership capacity,” said Sam Schachner, board president of TOL*OLS, in a prepared statement. “We look forward to working with her in the weeks and months ahead as we plan for the High Holidays, the memorials and tributes that will mark the one-year commemoration honoring the victims of last October’s tragedy, and assisting in creating and then implementing the plan for our future.” Feige graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University and attended graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh. For the past 16 years, she worked for the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, serving as the deputy director and director of administration. After leaving the ACLU-PA in January, Feige said, she was looking for a new challenge.

4 JULY 5, 2019

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Chronicle wins Rockower Awards

female president. The only child of two Holocaust survivors, Feige has been deeply involved in Jewish community organizations, having previously worked for the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and the United Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. She serves on the board of the Hebrew Free Loan Association and has served as a board member of Hillel Academy, Prevention Point Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle. She is a recipient of the Sonia and Aaron Levinson Community Relations Award of p Barb Feige By Saul Markowitz the United Jewish Federation. For the last 18 months, Feige “I very much wished to return to work has been a mentor for the Legacy Heritage in the Jewish community and felt that way Fund’s OnBoard program, which helps young before the Oct. 27 tragedy,” she said in a board members of Jewish organizations learn prepared statement. “That event had a further the skills to provide effective governance. impact on what I wanted to do next. To be Feige replaces Bill O’Rourke, who has able to use my skills for this greater good — served as interim executive director at to help TOL manage the challenges ahead TOL*OLS since February. and to help the community heal — will be a TOL*OLS is temporarily conducting professional challenge and a personal honor.” services and business operations at Rodef Feige is a member of Shaare Torah Shalom in Oakland. PJC Congregation, an Orthodox congregation in Squirrel Hill, where she served as its first — Toby Tabachnick PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

bringing certain items they claimed were not permitted.” He worked on the board of other not-forprofit Jewish organizations as well, including Israel Bonds and The Holocaust Commission at the United Jewish Federation. In 2004, Cohen was awarded the National Man of the Year award from B’nai Zion. While he will be remembered for his international work, Cohen strove to make a difference locally as well. He was a board member at Tree of Life synagogue and served on other local boards. Cohen spent 37 years leading his family’s business with his brother Paul, the Art. R. Cohen Co., an international store fixture and display company. Paul Cohen remembered him as a “wonderful brother. We were in business together for 40 years. What a wonderful relationship we had.” His son, Andrew, recalled his father, “had a very, very positive view of the world and for everybody. He especially loved his family.” In addition to his son and brother, Cohen is survived by his grandson, Samuel, as well as nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. PJC

he American Jewish Press Association announced the winners of the 38th annual Simon Rockower Awards for Excellence in Jewish Journalism. The awards honor achievements in Jewish media published in 2018, and were presented at the Rockower Awards Banquet in conjunction with AJPA’s annual conference on June 25 in St. Louis, Missouri. Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle Senior Staff Writer Toby Tabachnick received first place for her story “Israeli Jews, Arabs finding common ground at Pittsburgh-inspired center” in the category of excellence in interfaith relations reporting among newspapers with a circulation of 14,999 and below. She took second place for “Eleven dead, six injured in anti-Semitic attack at Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha” in the excellence in news reporting category among newspapers with a circulation of 14,999 and below. PJC — Adam Reinherz

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Headlines By the sweat of your brow… The Jewish community of the Kiski Valley faded in the early 1960s. No one knows what happened to the ark. Larry Rubin donated the Torah to the Kollel Jewish Learning Center in 1993. The parochet followed the Bremans and a few other Kiski Valley families to Beth Jacob Congregation in New Kensington. It covered the ark in the weekday chapel. New Kensington had one of the larger small-town Jewish communities in this area, boasting 735 people at its peak. But it, too, eventually shrank. It merged with the once mighty B’nai Israel of East Liberty in 1995 to form Adat Shalom in the North Hills. About a decade ago, someone at Adat Shalom found the parochet and contacted Joseph E. Breman, a grandson of the Leechburg pioneer. The younger Breman had grown up in Leechburg but was by then living on a small ranch outside Grand Junction, Colorado. He had the parochet sewn into a Torah mantle, sized to fit to an unusually tall scroll that had been salvaged from a Jewish community in Europe after the Holocaust. The scroll now fills the ark at Congregation Ohr Shalom, Grand Junction’s only synagogue. Each time it is brought out for kol nidre, Breman reflects on his roots in the Kiski Valley. Breman’s family and friends had been skeptical of his move out west. But one year, his father, Theodore Breman, visited for Rosh Hashana. Services were held in a large room that doubled, at the time, as a Montessori. “When services were over, you picked up the books and you put them away,” the younger Breman recalled in an oral history. “And you took the chairs, and you folded them, and you put them away. Because tomorrow it’s going to be a Montessori school. My father started to cry. Because it was a mirror image of what happened at the VFW in Leechburg. You put the books in a box that you were going to take away. You fold up the chairs, because they belong to the VFW. And you leave. He looked at me and he said, ‘Joe, if I was 10 years younger, I’d be living here.’” PJC

— LOCAL — By Eric Lidji | Special to the Chronicle

hortly before World War I, Joseph H. Breman moved his growing family to Siberian Avenue in Leechburg, Pa. They had been living in the Hill District, where Breman was a fruit huckster. In Leechburg, he started a small produce store that evolved — or “pivoted,” in our idiom — into Breman’s Trucking Co. and the associated West Penn Garage. The move was a drastic change of milieu. The Hill District had thousands of Jewish families and all the amenities associated with such a homogenous population. Leechburg had 63 Jews in 1927 and only 55 by 1940, according to the American Jewish Yearbook. For those two editions, the Yearbook’s statistical department attempted to survey the population of every Jewish community in the United States. It’s a fair bet Breman filled out the survey sent to Leechburg. It’s also safe to assume that some of the population loss can be traced to his family: younger relatives who left town once they came of age. Some time after Breman died in 1944, his family commissioned a parochet in his memory. It covered the ark of the Kiski Valley synagogue. This unnamed synagogue — a shtiebel, really — occupied the second floor of Rubin’s Department Store in Vandergrift. It was a schoolhouse and a place to have a minyan when someone needed to say Kaddish. Unable to afford anything fancy, the Jewish community had hired a local carpenter to build the ark. A cantor was also too expensive, so they hid a turntable behind the ark and played chazunnus records. For big events, like the High Holidays or the occasional bar mitzvah, the community rented out the local VFW Hall, Sons of Italy Hall or Marconi Club, and then a few guys would have to lug the ark down the steep steps of the store. Lugging is the only way small communities survive. Every second of Jewish life in the Kiski Valley depended on the Bennetts, Bremans, Brauns, Coopers, Gordons, Millers, Morrissons, Rubins and others. Expenses of time and effort mattered more than money.

GET THE

p In the ark of Congregation Ohr Shalom in Grand Junction, Colorado is a Torah mantle memorializing Joseph H. Breman of Leechburg, Pa.

Photo courtesy Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives

Eric Lidji is the director of the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives at the Heinz History Center. He can be reached at eslidji@ heinzhistorycenter.org or 412-454-6406.

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Calendar >>Submit calendar items on the Chronicle’s website, pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. Submissions will also be included in print. Events will run in the print edition beginning one month prior to the date as space allows. The deadline for submissions is Friday, noon. q SATURDAY, JULY 6 Beth Shalom hosts Noam Sienna as its Scholar in Residence at 12:45 p.m. Sienna will lead a study session examining gender through the lens of Jewish text in the Helfant Chapel. Between minhah and ma’ariv Sienna will give a shi’ur examining LGBTQ+ identities in the Talmud. Dessert will be served. Free and open to the community. For more information and to RSVP visit http://bethshalompgh.org/noam-sienna/ q SUNDAY, JULY 7 Beth Shalom hosts Noam Sienna as its Scholar in Residence. Sienna will discuss his book “A Rainbow Thread: An Anthology of Queer Jewish Texts from the First Century to 1969,” at 10 a.m. in the Eisner Commons. The book will be available for purchase and signing. A light breakfast will be served. Free and open to the community. For more information and to RSVP visit http://bethshalompgh.org/ noam-sienna/ q WEDNESDAYS, JULY 10, 17, 24, 31 “Heal, Grow and Live with Hope” NarAnon and NA meetings every Wednesday evening at Beth El Congregation, 1900 Cochran Road, 15220 at 7:30 p.m. Come to office/school entrance at the end of the building to be buzzed

in. Call Karen at 412-563-3395 and leave a message for more information. q WEDNESDAY, JULY 10

q THURSDAY, JULY 11, 18, AND 25 Thursday Evenings in My Garden offers weekly conversation and exploration about everyday spirituality for healing, growth, creativity and innovation. Thursdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Come once or come weekly, friends are welcome. Check http://bethshalompgh.org/thursdayevenings-in-my-garden/ for location and confirmation of upcoming dates. q SATURDAY, JULY 13 Say goodbye to Shabbat and hello to the new week at a Havdallah Bonfire beginning at 8 p.m. Enjoy singing, smores and good friends. Contact moishehousepgh@ gmail.com for more information. Moishe House events are intended for young adults age 22-32. q TUESDAY, JULY 16 Pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at summertime…when you attend the Make Your Own Pizza Party from 7-9 p.m.,

1916 MURRAY AVENUE 412-421-1015 • 412-421-4450 • FAX 412-421-4451 PRICES EFFECTIVE SUNDAY, JULY 7-FRIDAY, JULY 12, 2019 Candle Lighting Time Friday, July 5, 2019 • 8:35 p.m. TAKE-OUT SPECIALS

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SHABBOS SPECIAL 2 Roasted Chickens 1 Qt. Chicken Soup 4 Matzo Balls

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q TUESDAY, JULY 30 Enjoy a classic Game Night at Moishe House from 7-9 p.m. Bring your favorite game or play one of theirs. As always, snacks and drinks will be provided. Contact moishehousepgh@gmail.com for more information. Moishe House events are intended for young adults age 22-32. PJC

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Celebrate Jewish Christmas in July. MoHoHo, Merry Jewmas (in July)! Join Moishe House for this twist on the traditional Shabbat celebration. Eat Chinese food and Christmas cookies, with plenty of eggnog to wash it down! Welcome in Shabbat with services in the living room at 7:30 and then adjourn to the dining room for dinner. If you would like to participate in a White Elephant gift exchange, bring a silly wrapped gift, something you find in your house or $5 or under. Moishe House events are intended for young adults age 22-32. Please sign up on OneTable: http://bit.ly/2RuIYKM

Moishe House is heading to Nerd Nite Pittsburgh. Nerd Nite is a monthly lecture event that strives for an inebriated, salacious, yet deeply academic vibe. It’s often about science or technology, but by no means is it limited to such topics. And it’s definitely entertaining. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/ L4YMyskvommHLEq96. Moishe House events are intended for young adults age 22-32.

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q FRIDAY, JULY 19

q THURSDAY, JULY 25

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SUNDAY SPECIAL Bucket of Fried Chicken

it’s perfect every time. Moise.. Contact moishehousepgh@gmail.com for more information. Moishe House events are intended for young adults age 22-32.

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Beth El Congregation will host its monthly lunch program, “First Mondays with Rabbi Alex” featuring Laurie Zittrain Eisenberg. She is a board member at Tree of Life and is a historian who teaches in the history department at Carnegie Mellon University. She will present “Comforting Objects and Art in the Wake of the Tree of Life Shooting.” Visit https://bethelcong.org/events/ first-mondays-2019-08-07/ for more information and to RSVP.

Enjoy a classic Pittsburgh summer activity, Movie in the Park with Moishe House at Flagstaff Hill beginning at 8:30 p.m. The film will be Captain Marvel. Snacks provided. Moishe House events are intended for adults age 22-32.

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Headlines Joined by Poway rabbi, Danon calls on world to declare war on anti-Semitism — WORLD — JNS

he United Nations General Assembly met last week to discuss growing anti-Semitism at the initiative of Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, who has enlisted the support of the United States, Canada and European Union countries. More than 90 countries participated in a discussion that included hundreds of guests from the Jewish community in the United States, as well as from Jewish and pro-Israel organizations. “The sounds we heard at Pittsburgh and Poway do not allow us to act with restraint,” said Danon, referring to the shootings at the Tree of Life building and Chabad of Poway in Southern California. “The world’s approach to eradicating anti-Semitism must be like that of modern warfare. It must attack on multiple fronts,” he added. Danon called on countries to implement

p From left: Chabad of Poway Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon, and Hannah Kaye and Randi Grossman (the daughter and sister of Lori GilbertKaye, who was shot and killed in the Poway attack). Photo courtesy of

Israel Mission to the U.N.

legislation to educate their population in identifying anti-Semitism: “Leaders of the world — all the allies of the Jewish people — will take that pledge today, and every

day, to fight the war on anti-Semitism until anti-Semitism is gone.” Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was wounded in the shooting attack in Poway, was invited

to address the discussion in person. “In far too many places around the world, Jews are becoming more vulnerable,” he said. “They are paying a shockingly high price to keep themselves safe. Since the horrific attack at our Chabad center, I have made it my personal mission to harness the tools used for spreading darkness and hate for spreading love and light. To fight darkness not with more darkness, but with a great big light.” The rabbi was accompanied by the daughter and sister of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, who was murdered in the shooting at the San Diego-area synagogue. U.N. Secretary General António Guterres opened the discussion by stating, “We must tackle the tsunami of hatred that is so visible and violent across the world today. I guarantee you that I will continue to call out anti-Semitic racism and other forms of hatred loudly and unapologetically.” Just a week later, several spray-painted swastikas and slurs were found in the San Diego neighborhood of La Jolla on sidewalks, the road, construction signs and houses. San Diego police are investigating. PJC

Labour readmits key Corbyn ally who said British party is too apologetic on anti-Semitism — WORLD — By Cnaan Liphshiz | JTA

key ally of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who was suspended from the British party for saying it is “too apologetic” over anti-Semitism has been readmitted. A party ethics panel warned lawmaker Chris Williamson last week for saying earlier this year that when it comes to Labour’s anti-Semitism problem, its deniers “have backed off too much, we have given too much ground, we have been too apologetic.” Labour suspended Williamson in February pending an ethics review. The remark was another twist in a three-year saga over the proliferation of anti-Semitic hate speech in Labour’s ranks and internal splits on whether to address the problem. Labour is being investigated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, a government watchdog, for thousands of cases of anti-Semitic hate speech in its ranks since 2015. The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the suspension was “the right move, if long overdue.” Its vice president, Amanda Bowman, called the reinstatement an “utter disgrace” and “yet more damning evidence” for the rights commission inquiry. Since his election in 2015 to head Labour, Corbyn has fought allegations that his critical attitude toward Israel and alleged

p Labour MP Chris Williamson in 2018

tolerance of anti-Semitism have injected Jew-hatred into the heart of the party. On Tuesday, The Times of London demonstrated how Twitter accounts advocating for Corbyn shared the same backstory presenting the authors as descended from Holocaust survivors. In 2009, Corbyn called Hamas and Hezbollah his friends and said that Hamas

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Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

is working to achieve peace and justice. In 2013, he defended an anti-Semitic mural. In 2014, he laid flowers on the graves of Palestinian terrorists who murdered Israeli athletes in Munich in 1972. The following year he said British “Zionists” don’t understand British irony. In February, Williamson booked a room in Parliament for a screening of a film

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by activist Jackie Walker titled “Witch Hunt” about her suspension from Labour over anti-Semitism. Earlier that month, nine lawmakers quit the party, criticizing the leadership’s handling of anti-Semitism. One of them, Luciana Berger, tweeted in response to Williamson’s words, saying “This is what I have left behind. It’s toxic.” PJC JULY 5, 2019 7

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JULY 5, 2019

Headlines — WORLD — From JTA reports

Gaza arson balloons cause 20 fires in one-day blitz At least 20 fires started by incendiary balloons sent from Gaza were burning in southern Israel on Thursday. Some officials put the number of fires set from Thursday morning until late Thursday afternoon at 24, the largest number of fires started by the arson balloons in one day since the attacks became an almost daily occurrence last spring, the Times of Israel reported. Most of the fires have burned agricultural fields, grasslands and woodlands. Two of Thursday’s fires were ignited in the courtyards of residential homes, the Kan public broadcaster reported. There were no injuries reported. Two of the fires broke out in the Be’eri Forest, which has already been gutted by Gaza arson attacks. Israel on Tuesday halted the transfer of fuel into Gaza following the rise balloon attacks. Israel’s Meretz party becomes country’s first to elect an openly gay leader Israel’s Meretz party became the first to elect as its leader an openly gay person. The left-wing party picked Nitzan Horowitz as its new head last week in Tel Aviv.

Horowitz, a former journalist who served in the Knesset in 2009-2015, defeated incumbent Tamar Zandberg. “Meretz doesn’t treat members of the LGBTQ community as fig leaves,” he said following his election. “We will fight for our freedom to live a free life and have equal rights in this country. The new party leader said he would prioritize fighting religious coercion and supporting social justice in his new role. There have been reports that former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who announced on Wednesday that he would form a new political party, is looking to form a coalition with the Labor and Meretz parties. Earlier this month, Israel got its first openly gay government minister when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Amir Ohana to serve as justice minister. Miriam Adelson hopes there will be a biblical ‘Book of Trump’ It isn’t news that Sheldon and Miriam Adelson are big fans of President Donald Trump. The Republican mega-donors gave millions to Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016. But Miriam Adelson took it one step further on Thursday. The Israeli-American physician compared the president to biblical prophets in an article in which she asked why he has not enjoyed higher support among American Jews. “That this has not been the case (so far, the 2020 election still beckons) is an oddity that

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will long be pondered by historians,” Adelson wrote in an an article for Israel Hayom, of which she is the publisher. “Scholars of the Bible will no doubt note the heroes, sages, and prophets of antiquity who were similarly spurned by the very people they came to raise up.” She went on to say she wished there would be a biblical book named after Trump in the future. “Would it be too much to pray for a day when the Bible gets a ‘Book of Trump,’ much like it has a ‘Book of Esther’ celebrating the deliverance of the Jews from ancient Persia?” Adelson asked. Last year, Trump honored the Israeli-born Adelson with a Presidential Medal of Freedom, noting her career in medicine and philanthropy. Picasso painting sold by family escaping the Nazis can remain at the Met A Picasso painting sold under duress by a German-Jewish businessman as he escaped the Nazis can remain at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, an appeals court ruled. The court rejected appeals by the great-grandniece of Paul Leffmann, saying his family waited too long to demand the return of Picasso’s “The Actor.” It would be unfair to force the Met to give it up, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled last week, Reuters reported. Leffmann and his family fled Nazi Germany for Italy in 1937. The following year, Leffmann sold “The Actor” to two art dealers

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NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson gets baptized in Israel NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson had a great time on his first trip to the Holy Land. Fox News reported that the Houston Texans’ star was baptized in the Jordan River, at the same place where tradition says Jesus underwent the rite. He also told fans on Instagram that he went tubing in the Sea of Galilee and saw St. Peter’s Church in Capernaum. “I am truly in awe of this wonderful land and the wonderful people who live here,” Watson said. His trip was sponsored by America’s Voices in Israel, which brings American celebrities to the Jewish state for a week to combat negative perceptions of the country. PJC

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

July 5, 1950 — Law of Return enacted

The Knesset passes the Law of Return on the Jewish anniversary of the death of Theodor Herzl. The law offers an open immigration door to all Jews, formalizing a policy in place since May 1948.

July 6, 1989 — Bus attack kills 16

Palestinian Islamic Jihad member Abed al-Hadi Ghanem seizes control of the No. 405 bus from Tel Aviv and steers it over a cliff outside Jerusalem, killing 16 people and injuring 17 others.

July 7, 1957 — Eliezer Hoofien dies

Dutch-born Eliezer Siegfried Hoofien, who provided the Jewish community and the state of Israel a half-century of financial leadership at the Anglo-Palestine Bank and its successor, Bank Leumi, dies at age 76.

July 8, 1958 — Tzipi Livni born and all the time online

for $12,000 in order to escape to Switzerland. “The Actor,” created during Picasso’s “Blue Period” in 1904-’5, was donated to the Met in 1952. The museum acknowledged the prior ownership of the Leffmann family in 2011, a year after the family began legal action to have the painting returned. Laurel Zuckerman, Leffmann’s great-grandniece, is the executor of the estate of Leffmann’s wife, Alice. Zuckerman sued for more than $100 million in damages for the painting. The U.S. District Court in Manhattan ruled in February 2018 that the Leffmann family did not adequately show that the late businessman sold the masterpiece under duress, which would have mandated its return to the family.

Politician Tzipi Livni is born in Tel Aviv. After serving as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s foreign minister, she leads Kadima to the most seats in the 2009

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Knesset election but can’t form a government. She creates the Hatnua party in 2012.

July 9, 1967 — Concert celebrates war victory

Leonard Bernstein conducts the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at a concert on Mount Scopus to celebrate the cultural unification of Jerusalem after the June 1967 war.

July 10, 1895 — Nahum Goldmann born

Nahum Goldmann, a founder of the World Jewish Congress and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, is born in Lithuania. He is best known for initiating Israel’s negotiations with West Germany over reparations for Nazi crimes.

July 11, 1920 — WIZO founded in London

Rebecca Sieff, Vera Weizmann and Edith Eder found the Women’s International Zionist Organization at a conference in London attended by representatives from England, Palestine, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Russia and South Africa. PJC

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Headlines Barcelona’s oldest house is now a Jewish cultural center — WORLD — By Alan Grabinsky | JTA

ucked away in one of the narrow streets of this city’s El Call neighborhood, a former Jewish ghetto that these days houses upscale shops and restaurants, sits the oldest residential house in Barcelona — a nondescript white stone building full of history. The house was owned originally by Astruch Adret, a Jewish businessman who was forced to sell the property and convert to Catholicism in 1391, when Jews were savagely murdered after being accused of causing the Black Plague. Over the years, it served variously as a funeral parlor, “music house” and brothel. Today it’s called Casa Adret and houses a four-story Jewish cultural center that attracts hundreds of visitors a month. It’s also the headquarters of Mozaika, an award-winning magazine seeking to revive Barcelona’s Jewish culture. Casa Adret has become a torchbearer for contemporary Jewish identity in a city that is facing obstacles as it seeks to restore its Jewish heritage. Graffiti swastikas show up in the news, and there was an active neo-Nazi bookstore until recently. Following the jihadist attacks in the Catalonia region in 2017, the community’s chief rabbi encouraged local Jews to buy property in Israel, saying Jewish life in Barcelona was “doomed.” The founders of Mozaika, all in their late 30s, faced another challenge: Most of the organized Jewish communal life in Barcelona is Orthodox-focused, but they wanted to cater to a more diverse group. “When we started this whole project, we wanted to break away from inward-centered slant of the community press and talk to a wider, non-Jewish audience. No one was doing this at the time,” said Victor Sorensen, a political scientist and one of the five founding members of the project. Sorensen, born in Venezuela in 1982 to a Norwegian father and Mexican mother,

p Mozaika draws hundreds of visitors to its weekly events on Jewish culture.

moved to Barcelona when he was 4 years old. He attended a tiny Jewish school that had about 10 students per class, and then a public high school. Moving into a non-Jewish educational setting, he experienced culture shock. “Most of my classmates had never met a Jew in their lives, they didn’t know what being a Jew was and were filled with very old, Catholic stereotypes,” Sorensen said. Following a trip to Israel in the early 2000s, Sorensen became active in Atid, a small Reform community founded in the 1970s by Argentine Jews. At Barcelona University, he studied political science and Semitic and Arabic philology, and became involved in the leadership of the Atid community. At the same time, he sought a more independent and unaffiliated voice. So in 2009, Sorensen and five fellow Jews started organizing salons and came up with the idea of a publication that would speak to a young, non-Jewish crowd. “We wanted to deal with sensitive topics, like the role of Jews in the Catalonian nationalist movement or the status of Jews

p One of Mozaika’s most popular programs is Toldot, which connects a mostly non-Jewish crowd with foods from across the Jewish Diaspora.

Photos courtesy of Toldot/Instagram)

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under the Franco regime,” Sorensen said. The outward focus did not fit in well with most of the institutionalized community. According to founding member Manuel Valentin, a historian specializing in Jewish persecution in Barcelona during and after the Spanish Civil War, Jews in Spain have kept a historically low profile, especially during the end of the 20th century, largely because of scars left from Franco’s authoritarian reign. “All synagogues and Jewish centers were closed between 1939 and 1949,” Valentin, a genealogy buff who has traced his family’s crypto-Jewish past, said in the 700-year-old house’s slick renovated kitchen. “And after that, the country was run by a hyperCatholic regime which, although outwardly open to Jews and Israel — Franco wanted to get close to the United States after World War II — drew its inspiration from Italian fascism. So Jews lacked a voice in public life.” As a direct challenge to this silence, one of the collective’s first actions was to plaster massive posters with faces of Jewish victims of the civil war throughout Barcelona’s streets. The first edition of the magazine was low quality and published in small numbers (no more than 100 copies), but over the years — with the help of private donors and some funding from the city of Barcelona — Mozaika turned into a unique editorial operation. One of its editions is a 500-page tome called “Erets Catalunya,” which recounts Barcelona’s Jewish history from the third to the 21st century. Each regular issue contains personal and historical essays, poems, artistic photographs and reported articles. The project also branched out into other cultural undertakings, all under the Mozaika brand. Their members organize Sefer, the only Jewish book festival in Barcelona, and run Salaam Shalom, an initiative seeking to establish interfaith dialogue with the city’s Muslim community — a controversial undertaking after the 2017 Las Ramblas attack. But its most successful program is Toldot, which invites participants into private kitchens to taste food from the Jewish

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Diaspora and mostly attracts an international, non-Jewish crowd. One of the group’s founders, a Mexican Jew of Syrian descent named Monica Buzali, also experienced a shock when she moved to Barcelona to study history. “Back in Mexico I had no problem stating publicly that I’m Jewish,” she said, “but in Barcelona I’ve found that people keep it to themselves.” According to Buzali (who is married to Valentin), for the non-Jewish crowd, a Jew is a “mythic creature.” But food, she said, can be a way to bridge that gap and create an intimate and safe setting to talk about heritage. At first, most of these initiatives had no fixed venue and took place in different parts of the city. But in 2017, Sorensen met a wellknown economist who worked as a council member in the Catalonian government (who did not want to share his name). The economist had been living with his family in the Adret house and was moving out. He offered it to Mozaika as a space for a fraction of its real rent. This is how, in January 2018, Casa Adret opened to the public. Since then it has hosted two to three events a week, including some controversial talks, for example by Jews who are sympathizers of the Catalonian independence movement. Today Mozaika stands out in the Spanishlanguage Jewish media for its literary bent and chic design. And its members also are involved in European-wide Jewish initiatives: Buzali is involved with a food-sharing program in Holland called “Oy Vey,” and Sorensen and Valentin work full time on the board of the European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Heritage and Culture. In the end, their goal is to bring Jewish identity out in the open. “What we have in Barcelona is an identity issue,” Valentin said. “If you keep your identity private and hidden, it’s like it doesn’t exist. We are not ashamed to be Jewish. We are here to stay.” PJC JULY 5, 2019 11

Opinion Gary Rosenblatt’s legacy — EDITORIAL —

ast week, Gary Rosenblatt, the editor and publisher of the New York Jewish Week, announced his retirement. In the world of Jewish journalism, the news was significant. It marked the beginning of another chapter in the development of our profession. Rosenblatt, 72, is stepping down after 26 years at the New York Jewish Week, and an earlier two-decade run of leading the Baltimore Jewish Times and its then-affiliated publications in Detroit and Atlanta. During his near half-century run, Rosenblatt served as a mentor to a generation of Jewish journalists whom he influenced with his calm yet rigorous professionalism. Or, as the Baltimore Sun put it in 1996, Rosenblatt is: “a dedicated, thoughtful journalist, deeply familiar with Judaism and Jewish culture.” Rosenblatt’s career in Jewish journalism included both the best and hardest times for

p Gary Rosenblatt

Photo courtesy of Youtube

our industry. In the 1970s and ‘80s, advertisers were competing for space in Jewish newspapers that could expose them to a tight-knit geographic and social community of potential customers. Indeed, some readers bemoaned the fact that their Jewish newspaper was so “full of ads” that there wasn’t enough space left for the news, opinions and information they needed in printed copy. During those years, Rosenblatt’s

leadership and focus helped convert Jewish newspapers from collections of social announcements and press releases to what we recognize today as balanced journalism and informed commentary. In the ‘90s and ‘00s, Jewish newspapers became more professional, with better writing and a broader and more nuanced view of the world that went beyond the parochial. But they were also the years in which the cable revolution, followed by the internet revolution, made it more difficult for print journalists — and not just Jewish journalists — to meet an increasingly accepted high standard of quality. Falling ad revenue and declining subscriptions hit many papers hard, leaving fewer resources for innovation. Newspapers were required to confront the reality that for our increasingly dispersed and assimilated Jewish communities, the Jewish weeklies arriving before Shabbat (and sometimes late) had less of a draw. So Rosenblatt innovated, as have we.

Although the frantic pace of technological change and robust development of alternative sources of Jewish news forced adjustment, some things remain constant. For example, our readers still want to know about the goings on in our local, national and international community, still want to learn, and still want to read the Jewish news and opinions on issues that are important to them. We, and the many Jewish journalists who provide information and perspective to our increasingly diverse readership, remain committed to building community, by serving the vital purpose of informing and knitting together generations of Jews across wide geographic regions — in print, online and through social media. And for that, we recognize and applaud the professional approach and thoughtful innovation that Gary Rosenblatt helped introduce to a generation of readers and journalists. We pledge to continue his exemplary legacy. PJC

Pride and inclusion mark step toward equality Guest Columnist Lisa Goldstein

n a recent Friday night, I wore a black T-shirt with “Proud Mom” in rainbow letters, and had a (temporary) glitter tattoo on my arm that read “Love is Kosher.” My 14-year-old son wore a rainbow T-shirt and had a rainbow sweatband on his wrist. We weren’t participating at Pride festivities in downtown Pittsburgh; we were at synagogue for Temple Emanuel of South Hill’s first Pride Shabbat.

My son — who came out as gay in elementary school — said the service made him feel more welcome in the temple community. That feeling is one of the reasons why our synagogue created a LGBTQ+ Task force; the goal is to ensure that our community is truly welcoming and inclusive. This same feeling is why I became active in youth group at the local and regional level when I was in high school. Organizers and peers ensured that my deafness didn’t preclude me from participating or feeling a part of the group. I wanted my son to experience this, too, so when I found out that Keshet — an organization that works for the full equality of all LGBTQ Jews and families in Jewish life — was hosting an East Coast Shabbaton for LGBTQ and ally Jewish teens, I encouraged him to go. But what teenage boy listens to his mother?

Luckily mine does … sometimes! I continued to bring up the Shabbaton occasionally, each time saying it would be good for him and to please think about it. Just before the deadline, he acquiesced, saying he knew he had to push himself. Last March, he traveled to where it was held, knowing no one. The first day he was shy. The following morning, he tried to break out of his shell. Spoiler alert: He started having fun. In recounting the weekend afterward, he shared two meaningful experiences that included a friendship circle. Throughout the weekend, the kids broke out into the same small groups to check in with each other and have a safe space to talk. Shy teenagers befriended outgoing ones, and people made sure others were included.

The true measure of success was when my son said he wants to go back next year. He’s also keeping in touch with Keshet friends on social media. I knew this wouldn’t be enough. It shouldn’t be enough. No one should have to go somewhere else to find community. A cursory check of local congregations finds LGBTQ+ inclusion woefully lacking. As Rabbi Ruti Regan said in a recent webinar on inclusion and pride, you can’t build a Jewish community without acknowledging LGBTQ+ Jews and Jews with disabilities. In valuing all our people as much as God does, our community needs to act like LGBTQ Jews, disabled Please see Pride, page 20

LGBTQ Israelis are still fighting for equal rights. Anti-Israel activists are trying to erase us. Guest Columnist Hen Mazzig

n 2019, Israel is a pretty great place to be gay. Our country just finished a month filled with hundreds of LGBTQ Pride events around the country, and Israel is one of the few places in the Middle East where being out and proud won’t jeopardize your life. But things have not always been this way. The Israeli LGBTQ community did not receive the legal protections we have as a gift, and the vision of David Ben-Gurion certainly did not include getting Tel Aviv to top the charts of the most sought after city for Western gay tourists.

12 JULY 5, 2019

Brave Israeli LGBTQ people marched and fought for our rights and for acceptance. We still do, but we are in a much better place than where we were 10, 20 or 30 years ago. However, the Israeli LGBTQ community does not enjoy full equality. We are still unable to get married in Israel, and adoption and surrogacy laws are still discriminatory against us. But while progressive Israelis continue to fight for LGBT rights, disingenuous critics of Israel have accused Israel of committing a “gay propaganda war.” Rather than helping in our struggle, or acknowledging that our progress has been dearly won, these activists cry “pinkwashing,” claiming that our country treats us wonderfully to cover up for the occupation of the Palestinians. By contrast, pinkwashing has a different meaning for Israeli LGBTQ people. As a

Tel Aviv-based LGBTQ-rights activist who frequently visits campuses and communities in North America and Europe, I can see how this term was lost in translation. When most Israelis use the term pinkwashing, they are referring to the slippery actions of Israeli politicians – politicians who will meet with, speak to and use LGBTQ rights in Israel to tout their progressive bona fides, while not taking any legislative action that would actually help our situation. When Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with LGBTQ activists earlier this year, for the first time in 10 years, he used this meeting for PR purposes — while not promising or committing to anything that will advance our struggle for equality. In fact, when the same-sex surrogacy law was presented to the Knesset last July, after he promised to support the bill, Netanyahu did

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not fail to fail the Israeli LGBTQ community. This hypocrisy is the reason why many in the Israeli LGBTQ community are upset with the Israeli government. It is also why tens of thousands of people joined a protest against the government just last year. But when organizations like CODEPINK, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel and other groups discuss the issue of pinkwashing, they are not really interested in supporting the Israeli LGBTQ community or advancing our struggle. Instead, they are trying to silence us in their efforts to delegitimize our country. This is part of a well-known set of tactics anti-Israel activists use to weaponize painful and serious issues in Israel against the very Please see LGBTQ, page 15

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Opinion — LETTERS — Tikkun Olam Please We are tired of seeing photographs of anti-Semites from the House of Representatives in the Chronicle. Let’s not argue about what we call the places at the border where children are separated from their parents under desperate conditions. Let’s get together under the leadership of our rabbis and do something effective. Let’s heal the world! Jamie Benjamin and Larry Gesoff Pittsburgh

Democrats Can’t Overplay Hand

The Chronicle featured many articles in the June 28 edition that offer commentary on the reference to the Mexican border humanitarian calamity as emanating from “concentration camps” which intern children of those who come to the United States seeking asylum. As one whose paternal grandparents were murdered by the Nazis, I join those who take offense at the phrase being used to characterize the cruel and inhumane treatment of innocent young victims of an immigration calamity. The Democrats secured impressive victories which I cheered in the mid-term election of 2018 and their prospects look good for 2020 to wrestle the presidency away from the man who has done so much to savage our character, our values and the prestige and reputation that we once enjoyed throughout the world. Ours is no longer a nation which reveres human rights, and nowhere is this more evident than at the border in which children are taken from their parents as a deterrent to immigration that is not welcome by the administration. If the Democrats overplay their hand, veering too far to the left, blindly embracing the extreme rhetoric of individuals like New York U. S. Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and her pal, Michigan U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who promises to impeach the (expletive), we could find ourselves in the grip of the abnormal president for another four years. As former nightly political commentary program host Bill O’Reilly used to say, I pray that the Democrats will “wise up.” Oren Spiegler South Strabane Township

AOC Correct with Concentration Camp Charactertization

I was disappointed but not at all surprised to see the PJC editorial page once again devote its space to spreading the latest right-wing faux outrage. This time the target was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (D-NY) who last week accurately described immigrant detention centers on the southern border as concentration camps. While today the phrase “concentration camp” may most often invoke memories of the Nazi death camps of the Holocaust, those are not the only concentration camps used in modern history. Racist and hateful governments across the globe have used concentration camps in order to dehumanize, oppress, and, purge their lands of religious, ethnic, and racial minorities viewed as “undesirable.” This country’s own government previously has used concentration camps to imprison and kill Native Americans and, more recently, to detain Americans of Japanese descent during World War II. Concentration camp literally means “a place where large numbers of people are deliberately imprisoned in a relatively small area with inadequate facilities.” This is an apt description for the cages currently holding young children who are being deprived of toothbrushes, blankets, medical care and other basic necessities of life. While these detention centers are not being operated with the goal of killing those being held, at least seven children in U.S. detention have died in recent months and the descriptions of the conditions inside these facilities are nothing short of horrific. Neither the Jewish people nor any other group owns a monopoly on suffering. Recognizing current humanitarian crises does not betray our memory of those of the past. Instead of lecturing Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, the PJC could use its pages to bring attention to the horrors being inflicted on innocent children on our border right now and informing its readers of actions that can be taken to aid those who are suffering. These children, and their parents, have done nothing more than flee their homelands, where they have faced violence, seeking refuge in our country. All Americans, and certainly those of us in the Jewish community, easily should be able to empathize with such a plight. Perhaps the PJC’s editorial staff should be more concerned with, and offended by, the policies coming out of the White House than the congresswoman’s Twitter feed. Noah Jordan Shadyside

Brusso column ignorant about immigration

Aaron Brusso’s column about his employee, Armondo, who was deported as he was an illegal alien shows ignorance on his part. First of all, there are many people who immigrate to the U.S. legally. We should have more sympathy for them than someone who came through our border without the proper authorization and through an area other than a legal port of entry. Second of all, Armondo was paying taxes. Under whose tax ID number? If he was not documented, he would not have been issued one or able to get one through the proper channels. Third, if Bet Torah was employing an undocumented worker for 20 years, they have broken the law and should face the proper penalties. Surely they should know what prevailing U.S. law is, especially if they have used legal counsel for this case. While Armando may have been an upstanding citizen, as far as Brusso is concerned, he PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

did break our laws as did the synagogue. America is a nation of laws and they need to be enforced. Because someone wishes to come here and violate our sovereignty by entering illegally does not mean they should be allowed to stay when they are caught. Not too many Mexican citizens are persecuted by their government or are fleeing civil war. Someone seeking asylum needs to either go to the next safest country to apply or go to a U.S. embassy or council to apply. That is international law and how the rest of the world works. They cannot cross the border without going through a legal port of entry with proper documentation. Brusso should understand that Torah teaches us to uphold the laws of the land we live in with few exceptions. Harboring a criminal invader and employing him may not be in the spirit of Jewish or U.S. law. Andrew Neft Upper St Clair

Tobin column missed mark about concentration camps

In his column of June 28, Jonathan Tobin refers those who use “concentration camps” to describe the “detainment camps” at our southern border as disingenuous. But it is Tobin who is disingenuous. He conveniently ignores that FDR, Harry Truman, and other government officials used that term to describe the camps where U.S. citizens of Japanese descent were imprisoned during WWII. In fact, Truman used the term long after the horrors of the Holocaust had been revealed, knowing full well the implications of his choice of words. The fact is, there are brutal concentration camps and those that are less oppressive. But the inconvenient truth is that when you concentrate specific groups of people in camps and deny them due process, you have concentration camps. And when you forcibly separate children from their parents and imprison them, you are brutal. Charles Smolover Wynnewood

Supporting all movements

In last week’s Chronicle, there was a letter to the editor extolling the virtues of Chabad while sharply criticizing the Reform and Conservative movements. While I’m a Conservative Jew and love my synagogue, I also support with words, and at times actions and money, other Jewish movements, including Reform congregations and Chabad. We shouldn’t be in the mode of tearing down Jewish movements. I’m glad when people find a home in Judaism, wherever it is. We need to support one another. No one synagogue, no one movement, is going to appeal to all Jews. Diversity in Judaism is a good thing. The author states that the Conservative and Reform movements need to do less with cultural and social justice in order to become more relevant. I couldn’t disagree more. There are Jews yearning for that kind of social action from their synagogues. I’m glad there are synagogues that offer that. Certainly there are ways for Reform and Conservative synagogues to improve. However, the one thing they don’t need to do is to become more like the Orthodox or Chabad. Those other options already exist. Close to home, my synagogue — Beth El Congregation of the South Hills — is not becoming less relevant. Our membership is growing, not declining. We have strong leadership, both professional and volunteer. We have diverse programming, including social action and adult education. No one is denied membership because of inability to pay dues. That said, we will never be the synagogue that someone who wants an Orthodox or Reform setting will want to join. And that’s a good thing. The threat to Jewish movements is not losing their members to other Jewish movements. It’s having them become unaffiliated with all movements. Our efforts should be toward building up and supporting all Jewish movements. Paul Barkowitz Pittsburgh

Kosher consideration

It is exciting that the Pittsburgh community is getting more kosher choices, and wonderful for the Jewish Chronicle to get the word out (“New kosher restaurant opens,” June 21). I would like to provide some feedback to the article. While it is true that there is currently no Israeli-style locations with a schwarma spit, to state that there is not “anyplace to go” with the family, as the restaurant’s owner said, does a disservice to the other kosher establishments that are in the area. The article missed a great opportunity to remind the community of all the kosher options, while allowing what the new restaurant, Hamsah, brings. Cafe Eighteen is Vaad-certified, and we have a variety of delicious, fresh foods, including salads and dips (with our own hummus, tahini and eggplant) as well as soup, chicken and vegetable choices, as well as a full sushi menu. Showcasing growth in kosher resources benefits the whole community. Baila Cohen Squirrel Hill We invite you to submit letters for publication. Letters must include name, address and daytime phone number; addresses and phone numbers will not be published. Letters may not exceed 500 words and may be edited for length and clarity; they cannot be returned. Mail, fax or email letters to:

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JULY 5, 2019 13

Headlines TOL: Continued from page 1

of brick-and-mortar synagogues, according to the 2017 Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Community Study, commissioned by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. That lack of engagement mirrors national trends. Millennials are less interested in joining Jewish institutions or observing Jewish rituals than their parents, according to a 2013 Pew survey of American Jews, which found that 32 percent of millennials self-identified as “Jews of no religion.” But after the funeral for Rose Mallinger, the last victim of the Tree of Life massacre to be buried, several young adults gathered for lunch to talk about the future of their shul. “I grew up at Tree of Life, and I knew I wanted to get more involved than just showing up for the High Holidays,” said Andrew Exler, 29, a tax and accounting specialist, and the president of the TOLYJC group. His family are longtime members of the congregation, and his parents were married there. “We want to keep things going,” he said. The newly formed group will be planning social events, Shabbat dinners, educational programming and opportunities for interfaith engagement. It will be open to those ranging in age from 22 to 40. Zach Schwartz, a 28-year-old business development professional, went to Hebrew school and celebrated his bar mitzvah at TOL*OLS. “In many ways, it was home to me and to some of the other families in the group,” said Schwartz, vice president and treasurer of TOLYJC. “It was a place of communal belonging for us, for me.”

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the worst-case scenario looks like for that.” Just hours after the June 23 anti-Semitic image was posted, Brad Orsini, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s director of Jewish community security, had already been contacted nearly 25 times, he said. Such an inundation of texts and emails was appropriate and appreciated, he explained. “This is exactly what we want the community to do, to report these signs of hate so we can figure out if they’re a real sign of hate or not,” said Orsini. “The day is gone where we ignore this.” Regardless of medium or context, “we want everything,” he continued. “No matter what the circumstances are, these signs of hate need to be reported because we need to determine what the true threat is out there, whether it’s just a really stupid thing by

“ I grew up at Tree of Life, and I knew I wanted to get more involved than just showing up for

”

the High Holidays.

— ANDREW EXLER After the events of Oct. 27, he said, “it was not even a question that we would do something; it was definite. It’s horrible to say it, but what happened drove me to action, to make sure that Tree of Life has a legacy.” Schwartz is hoping to ensure that “the synagogue and the community as a whole has a place to come together to be Jewish.” The fledgling group has encouragement and support from the leadership of the congregation. “We have a wonderful group of congregants who bring energy and creativity to our synagogue,” said Sam Schachner, president of TOL*OLS. “We don’t see them simply as young adults. They are vital members of our congregation, have tremendous ideas and a passion to create change. “I suspect that the Oct. 27 attack galvanized them to increase their involvement and make a difference as it has for many in our synagogue,” Schachner continued. “We have already added one of the members of the TOLYJC to our board of trustees, and we

will do everything we can to support their efforts on behalf of the synagogue.” Kari Semel, 26, is originally from Cleveland, but is now in town working on a graduate degree in social work at the University of Pittsburgh. She has embraced TOL*OLS as her new home. A third-generation Jewish Federation employee — she interned at Cleveland’s Federation and then took a job at the Federation in Louisville — Semel wanted to be a part of what she sees as a pivotal step in reinvigorating the young adult Jewish scene in Pittsburgh. “I wanted to create the community that I wanted to be a part of,” she said. Her background in social work has clarified for her the importance of coming together as a community to heal from a trauma. “I’m coming in as an outsider,” she said. “I’m not from here, but I’m focusing on trauma response. This is an important way for people to heal as a community. It’s a good way to reconnect with our generation and to move forward together and help each other heal.”

“ When activities like this Facebook post are left unchecked, that’s when anti-Semites feel emboldened and more similar incidents like this

”

take place.

— JOSHUA SAYLES someone who is not very evolved and very aware of what’s going on, or the worst-case scenerio that it’s a true threat.” The fired employee was identified as Stephen

Guyer of Munhall by the Tribune-Review. Guyer told the paper the post was “a huge mistake,” and said, “I can’t read real well and my eyes are very bad. I thought [the meme] was

TOLYJC events are in the early planning stages, but organizers are committed to provide interfaith programming in connection with the International Day of Peace on Sept. 22. Held each year on Sept. 21 (which falls on a Saturday this year) the International Day of Peace is observed around the world providing a shared date for people to commit to peace. The young adults at TOL*OLS are “uniquely positioned to be leaders” in the fight against hate speech and for religious respect, said Alana Rudkin, 29, interfaith and ritual chair of TOLYJC. After Oct. 27, “it’s become the Tree of Life of the world, and people want to be involved,” she said. “We need to get young people together to have a stake in the game. How can we think of our synagogue as being a 21st-century synagogue?” Rudkin, along with Schwartz, are “rallying a team of interfaith leaders and a steering committee” to plan an event in conjunction with the International Day of Peace. “In the aftermath of Oct. 27, there was a real energy among the young people,” said Rudkin, who is a third-generation member of TOL*OLS. “We were shaken awake. At that critical time, I wanted to be part of engaging the younger demographic of Jews in the synagogue. We didn’t feel we had a stake because we went just on High Holidays.” That is going to change, said Rudkin, a strategic communications consultant. The new group will be finding ways looking to “serve the synagogue that always served us,” she said. PJC Toby Tabachnick can be reached at ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. something about a Danish bunk bed. My life has been ruined now. I would never disrespect Jewish people intentionally. I love all people no matter their race, color or religion. I made a mistake and I’m very sorry for the outcome.” A phone number listed for Guyer was no longer working as of June 26. Rickert described her former colleague as “an outlier” whose behavior opposed the restaurant’s culture. Since coming to Yokoso nearly a year ago, she said, “I haven’t had anybody be like that. I haven’t had to deal with anybody being racist or anti-religion of any sort.” “I recognize this cannot have been easy and am sorry for any pain that his actions or words have caused,” wrote Kim. Added Rickert, “We just want to apologize and let you guys know that something like this will never happen again.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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Headlines A California gamer who called himself ‘Adolf Hitler (((6 Million)))’ threatened to kill Jews. Then he was let out on bail. — WORLD — By Gabe Stutman | JTA

23-year-old East Bay man who threatened on a gaming website to murder “over 30” Jews and police officers wants his gun back. Ross Farca of Concord, California returned to court this week to contest a restraining order that would extend a prohibition on his possession of firearms. Farca was released on bail days after his arrest on June 10. The move shocked the local Jewish community: According to a police investigation, Farca professed admiration for the Poway and Christchurch shooters, assembled his own AR-15-style assault weapon, and on a gaming website detailed a plan to mow down “clusterf***s of Kikes.” Jewish Vocational Service in San Francisco, circulated an email with Farca’s mugshot, warning recipients to contact police if they saw him. One congregation hired a professional guard for Shabbat services on June 21 and requested an increased police presence, according to a community-wide email. A group of anxious parents and grandparents from the East Bay Jewish community who attended a preliminary hearing in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez on Tuesday wanted to know why

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what is our response as women and leaders in the Jewish community.” During a closing conversation, reflections were shared. Senior participants expressed how moved they were by the interest of their junior

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drinking lots of water — the rabbi set out for Squirrel Hill, wearing black pants, a white shirt, a baseball cap, and a vital undergarment. Comfy black shoes completed the look. Rosenblum memorized the first several steps of the directions, then used his undershirt for guidance. “I wrote the directions in a way so they

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citizens fighting for equal rights. While LGBTQ Israelis are accused of being nothing more than a propaganda tool, Israeli Mizrahi Jews are being re-branded by these activists as “Arab Jews” or “Palestinian Jews.”

magazines,” Farca wrote in his tagline, according to police. “Wanna see a mas[s] shooting with a body count of over 30-subhumans?” He anticipated he could “probably get a body count of like 30 kikes and then like five police officers, because I would also decide to fight to the death.” In a press release, police said a search warrant of Farca’s Concord home at the time of his arrest turned up an illegally assembled AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, several high-capacity magazines and “Nazi literature, camouflage clothing and a sword.” Farca was arrested and booked into Contra Costa County Jail on felony charges. Farca did not stay in custody for long. On June 13, Judge Goldstein reduced the bail, according to court records. The following day, Farca posted bond. Rafael Brinner, director of Jewish Community Security with the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation, said he was encouraged by how swiftly authorities arrested Farca after receiving a tip from the FBI, which “averted a developing threat.” Brinner also said authorities continue to be “focused on mitigating any threat [Farca] might pose” after his release. Farca’s next scheduled court date for the criminal charges is July 30. PJC

Farca was released on bail in the first place. One father in the group described Farca as looking “creepy” and “disturbed.” “I sat behind him in the courtroom while he was talking quietly with his lawyer,” said the individual, who wished to be identified only as a “concerned East Bay Jewish parent” out of fear of being targeted. “Reading about his boasts of body counts, I thought — this man wants to kill my son.” According to the county bail schedule, standards for being held without bail are quite high and include crimes such as aggravated murder and possession of a deadly weapon by a prison inmate. “Under the law, he’s allowed to make bail,” said Scott Alonso, a spokesperson for the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office. “It’s a very high burden to ask a judge to keep a defendant in custody on no bail.” Still, Alonso said, “the charges in this case were very serious.” He said as part of the conditions of Farca’s release — in addition to a prohibition on handling firearms — he is subject to search and seizure by police “any time day or night.” Farca’s bail was initially set at $225,000 and approved by Judge Anita Santos on June 12. But in a hearing the following day, presided by Judge David Goldstein, the bail amount was lowered by $100,000. Alonso said the judge reduced the bail because two charges were related to the

same weapon, and the California Penal Code prevents “stacking” of punishments related to the same criminal behavior. An emergency order that has kept guns away from Farca since his arrest expires on July 1. He appeared in court with a private attorney on June 26 to protest the new order, sought by the Concord Police Department, that would continue the prohibition through July 15. Police Department Lt. Mike Kindorf, who helped prepare the emergency order, said the suspect appears ready to “oppose and fight our request.” Farca was arrested following a tip to the FBI that he made online threats to commit a mass shooting and boasted that he possessed an assault rifle, according to a court filing. Farca used the screen name “Adolf Hitler (((6 million)))” on the video game site Steam to inveigh against Jews. He threatened an attack that would exceed the number of victims in the April 27 shooting at a synagogue in Poway, California, in which one woman died and three were injured. He said he would do so while “wearing a Nazi uniform” and livestream it, like the shooter who killed 51 people and injured 49 in March during two consecutive terrorist attacks at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Farca said he would add “Nazi music.” “I have a fully semi automatic weapon AR15 with multiple high capacity

peers, and younger travelers noted how inspired they were to “see the commitment and dedication from the older women who were involved in the community either through Federation or other organizations,” Horvitz said. Such is the goal of Federation missions, explained Adam Hertzman, Federation’s director of marketing. “A trip like this is an amazing chance

for the donors to connect with each other and their Jewish heritage, but also a way to understand in a more personal way how meaningful the Jewish Federations of North America’s support for surviving Jewish communities is,” he said. Whether it is touring Eastern Europe or participating in a different mission, “the idea of the trip is to do some sightseeing and visit places that are interesting and fun

and offer some Jewish sightseeing, but also to see the impact of the work that is at the core of what Federation does, which is to reconnect people with Jewish life in a way that’s meaningful to them, whether that’s in Pittsburgh or in Jewish communities around the world.” PJC

were facing me,” he said. “It was very easy.” The route took him up Banksville Road, where Chabad of the South Hills is located, to Crane Avenue, to Saw Mill Run, then to Warrington Avenue, followed by several small side streets, to Carson Street. Then, over the Hot Metal Bridge, to the bike path, through a parking lot, and onto Greenfield Avenue, and over the Greenfield Bridge. From there, it was a familiar hike to Pocusett Street, then on to Phillips Avenue, near Wightman Street, where his family awaited him.

The journey took about three hours, and he arrived none the worse for wear. “It was a very beautiful day, and for a lot of the walk, the weather was pleasant,” he said. The high that day was 75 degrees. The hardest challenge was going up and down some pretty steep hills. Other than that, he said, the walk was “extremely manageable. There was no point in the walk when I felt that I wouldn’t make it. It was more doable that I anticipated.” Because he could not bring water along

for the hike, the rabbi was pretty thirst when he arrived in Squirrel Hill. “But it was never unbearable at all.” While Rosenblum would not repeat the jaunt as a “joy walk,” he said, he would consider doing it again “for a serious reason.” “If I have to do it again, I won’t need the undershirt. The experience is etched into my mind.” PJC

Similarly, the painful issues facing African asylum seekers in Israel are being used by anti-Zionist activists who usually focus on the Palestinian conflict but will jump on the bandwagon of anything that can be used to taint Israel as a bad country. These activists are using our pain as a means to advance their biased agenda. What is the reason for their fixation on

all of these issues? Is it actually meant to promote underprivileged communities, or attack us for our nationality? Truth is, activists who exploit our social struggles to promote their political agenda are all too willing to sacrifice their own progressive values to turn Israel into a pariah. To join with them, even if we believe that the issues they are discussing are real,

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This article originally appeared in the Jewish News of Northern California.

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

Toby Tabachnick can be reached at ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

would be a dangerous mistake. We cannot and should not join campaigns that were designed to erase us and shun us from progressive circles. We must be louder and speak for ourselves, especially when so many are eager to speak over us. PJC Hen Mazzig is a speaker, writer and activist, who wrote this op-ed for JTA. JULY 5, 2019 15

Life & Culture South Hills book club connects communities — BOOKS — By David Rullo | Staff Writer

belong to a unique book group. That is to say, I’ve been told I belong to a unique book group. Until recently, I simply thought I belonged to a book club that met weekly in a public location in the South Hills. What I have come to find, though, is that everything about this study group — from where we meet, to how and what we read, even to its membership — is unusual. It’s probably best if I start at the beginning, and you can decide for yourself just how unique my group is. Several years ago, a friend from Temple Emanuel of the South Hills asked if I wanted to study Martin Buber’s “I and Thou.” He explained that he had attempted to read it but found the prose somewhat obtuse. I had a similar reaction when I first picked it up, so I agreed. We decided to meet at The Galleria of Mt. Lebanon. If you’re familiar with the mall you know it’s not unusual to find South Hills Jewish men and women there walking laps, playing mahjong, taking meetings, having lunch. In short, it’s where the South Hills Please see Book, page 20

p Members of the South Hills book club

Photo by David Rullo

Southern Avenue plays driving Memphis soul with an Israeli twist — MUSIC — By David Rullo | Staff Writer

he sound of Memphis was built by Stax Records. Wilson Pickett, Booker T. and the MG’s, and Sam & Dave are just some of the acts that came to be identified as “Memphis soul.” The music from the famed label mixed unison horn lines, guitar, bass, a driving beat and background vocals inspired by gospel church bands. Hot, soulful and urban, it was the perfect sound for the corner bar on a hot, summer night. Southern Avenue’s debut album was released by Stax. The retro sound paid homage to the label’s past, while adding their own twists to the familiar sound. The band features singer Tierinni Jackson, her sister Tikvra on drums, keyboardist Jeremy Powell and Ori Naftalay on guitar. Naftalay is an Israeli-born guitar player who moved to Memphis in 2013 to take part in the International Blues Challenge. He advanced to the semifinal round and, while he didn’t win, he decided to make the city his home base. He hired the Jackson sisters for a solo band he was fronting when he was searching for a singer. “I was looking for the best singer in Memphis. Everyone told me about Tierinii [Jackson], and she told me about her sister.”

16 JULY 5, 2019

The three played in the guitarist’s solo project, the Ori Naftalay Band, before deciding to work together as a band. “Working together and sharing experiences is way better than living it on your own,” the guitarist explained. He views his collaboration with the Jackson sisters as supernatural, “When I changed band members it was a really low moment in my life. I was asking God what is the reason that this is happening? I knew there had to be a reason. When I met the girls, I realized this was God’s answer. It was what I was waiting for my whole life. Once we decided to work and sacrifice together, everything started rolling in a very positive way.” The band’s new album, “Keep On” was released on May 10 by Concord Records. Recorded at the legendary Sam Phillips Recording Studio, it features several noted guest musicians from Memphis. The CD continues to explore the southern-soul sound of the first album. It highlights depth and feeling over technical flash. “We wanted to showcase our songwriting,” Naftalay explained. “We don’t care about solos or showing how good we are. We’ve done that before.” While Naftalay’s influence is American and British blues and jazz, his Israeli upbringing continues to inform his playing. “I’m not a purist. I moved from blues to

jazz, to rock, to psychedelic and progressive stuff. When I was 21, I started to learn classical guitar from Shlomo Ydov [a famous Israeli singer/songwriter]. This is why Southern Avenue has such a unique sound.

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If the band worked with a different guitar player from Memphis, it would sound like a Memphis blues band.” “Where and how I grew up and what I’ve seen and experienced and heard and overheard it’s in every note and everything I do. That’s what makes us unique.” While the band is proud of the album, Naftalay pointed out that the band’s live shows are a different medium. “A live show should be the best live show you can see. We see this as a spiritual event. When we play live, we give everything we’ve got. Our songs talk about things. We don’t talk about the sun or the moon, we talk about real-life things and try to elevate you. The shows are very personal to us and different every time. We give it all. This is our life.” In the end, Naftalay believes that things happen for a reason. “In Israel everyone lives close. There is nowhere to run or hide. It’s hard to believe in God. But when I took the leap and came here, I’ve toured almost all the states and been through what people haven’t been through in their whole life. I can tell you I believe in God. My story is proof and I can’t deny it. I don’t know how I made it so far before. When you leave your house, leave your country, then you’re in the grace of God, you’re dependent on Him. There are so many things that have made me more spiritual through touring.” Southern Avenue returns to Pittsburgh on July 10, playing Club Café. PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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Torah

Federation sends more than $650,000 Korach a source of ongoing to Christchurch, New Zealand controversy — LOCAL —

ollowing the attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15, which left 49 people dead, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh immediately launched a fundraising effort to support the Muslim community there. Last week, it sent more than $650,000 to Christchurch, including $60,000 raised by Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha. “We opened this emergency relief fund in solidarity with the Christchurch and local Muslim communities, after the Pittsburgh Muslim community was so helpful and supportive after the attack on our own religious institutions last year,” said Brian Eglash, chief development officer of the Federation in a prepared statement. “None of us here anticipated this incredible outpouring of support from around the world.” Through its New Zealand Islamophobic Attack Fund, the Federation raised more than $600,000. The fund closed on March 31 and, on June 25, the Federation wired the money to the New Zealand Jewish Council. The funds will be held by the Christchurch Foundation. Distributions will be made by the Muslim Advisory Panel. “The total was way more than we anticipated,” said Adam Hertzman, director of marketing for the Federation. “The money came from all over the world, mostly not from Pittsburgh.” Although the fund was only publicized on Facebook, the Federation receive more than 4,000 separate donations for its New Zealand

Islamophobic Attack Fund. Separately, Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha launched its own fundraising effort for Christchurch, raising more than $60,000. That money was consolidated with the Federation’s funds, then wired together to New Zealand, for a total of $666,430.55. “The Jewish Federation often serves as the central fundraising entity for Jewish Pittsburgh, so we are grateful to Tree of Life * Or L’Simcha for trusting us to find the right partner in New Zealand,” said Jeffrey Finkelstein, president and CEO of the Federation, in a prepared statement. “The New Zealand Jewish Council is an all-volunteer organization, and we thank them for being such diligent and caring partners.” The funds will be used to help the welfare of the victims and their immediate family, specifically for counseling and other support services, educational and vocational training, medical treatment and financial planning services, according to Hertzman. Some of the funds also will be used to support joint Muslim/Jewish programming, he said. “As a community who experienced an act of hate against us, we sadly understand all too well the pain that the Muslim community in New Zealand must be feeling,” Finkelstein said. “If there is a silver lining to this hateful act, it is the amazing outpouring of people who care, showing the worldwide support for the Muslim community in New Zealand.” PJC — Toby Tabachnick

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Cantor Henry Shapiro Parshat Korach Numbers 16:1-18:32

n this week’s parsha, we are in the middle of what biblical scholar Everett Fox calls the “Rebellion Chronicles.” It may be a stretch to call previous grumbling and complaining about food a rebellion. And last week’s report of the land of Canaan certainly played on fears and insecurity of the Israelites. Neither rises to the level of open resistance as does this opening narrative. It exhibits all the classic signs of rebellion — a power play, political struggle, a significant group of followers, a strong, even egotistical personality. It begins as Korach, a Levite, confronts his cousin Moses and questions his leadership. He cleverly puts forward the proposition that since Israel is to be holy nation, all of them individually are just as qualified as Moses to lead. This turns the original collective ideal of a holy people on its head that rather than working toward a common goal, that it justifies an individual’s qualities and rights. In making such a case in this way, Korach raises doubts about his own motivation. In the previous parsha, G-d commands Moses Sh’lach l’cha. Sh’lach (send) is the Hebrew command verbal form and the extra l’cha emphasizes the command. So it could be interpreted as “you yourself send.” Just so in the parsha Lech L’cha, could be a command for Abraham to “you go yourself.” But the Torah portion begins Vayikach Korach, not in the word form above because Korach was not commanded. So it is often translated as Korach “betook himself.” The phrase usually has the footnote, “Hebrew ambiguous.” The ambiguous Hebrew is a

reflection of the ambiguous and questionable motivations of Korach. The rebellion of Korach and his followers could be interpreted many ways by the rabbis and commentators. But rather than outright condemnation, Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of the Fathers holds up the story as an object lesson on how to judge differences of opinion in the community. “Every dispute which is for the sake of Heaven, will in the end endure. Any controversy which is not motivated for sake of Heaven, in the end will not endure. What is a dispute for the sake of Heaven — those between the schools of Hillel and Shamai. What is considered a dispute against Heaven — the one by Korach and his band.” Korach was motivated by self interest and so did not leave anything of worth. The arguments between Rabbis Hillel and Shamai became the basis of Jewish thought and law because they respected each other’s opinion and their goal was understanding and elevating Torah. Enduring controversy. You can interpret this to mean never ending disputes or something we must suffer through on a regular basis. But in a Scientific American article, research has shown being around people who are different from us makes us more creative, more diligent and harder working. Conflict is in human nature. There’s a rabbinical saying that just as our faces differ so too do our opinions. We can find the positive as in Pirkei Avot, that working toward larger goals is the way to live day-by-day and leave a lasting legacy. PJC Cantor Henry Shapiro is the cantor at Parkway Jewish Center. This column is a service of the Greater Pittsburgh Rabbinical Association

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Obituaries CHIGIER: José (Naomi) Chigier, of Squirrel Hill, on Thursday, June 27, 2019. Loving mother of Joseph of Pittsburgh, Benjamin of Boston, MA. and the late Jonathan. Also caring grandmother of Simon, Elise, Samantha, Noah and Rachael. Sister of the late Ellie Teurlings. Also survived by nieces and nephews. She was a trained teacher for children diagnosed with dyslexia. In 1979, she set up the first of the 75 teaching centers of the British Dyslexia Institute in the UK. She was also a Founding Member of the Women’s Division of the American Society for Technion and the President (1989-1991) of the Tuesday Musical Club in Pittsburgh. She is also a Founding Member of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Carnegie Mellon. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Homewood Cemetery. Contributions may be made to American Society for Technion, 108 Beechmont Road, Pittsburgh PA. 15206. www.schugar.com COHEN: Stanley G. Cohen, on Saturday, June 22, 2019. Stanley G. Cohen passed away peacefully at the age of 84. He is survived by his devoted son Andrew (Diana) Cohen, proud and adoring grandson Samuel “Sasha” Cohen; loving brother and lifelong

business partner Paul (Tila) Cohen; cherished uncle of Alan (Susie) Cohen, David (Jill) Cohen, Danny (Andrea) Cohen; great-uncle of Russell Cohen, Gil Cohen, Rebekah Cohen, Jacob Cohen and Sarah Cohen. Stanley was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Arthur and Fay Cohen. At the passing of his father, Stanley helped his uncles run the Art R. Cohen Company. His brother Paul joined him as partner and together, they successfully built upon their father and uncle’s store fixture and display business for 40 years. Stanley will be remembered for his humanitarian works as president of the B’Nai Brith Jewish Cuban Relief Project and his work with Brother’s Brothers, and was president and chairman of the board of the Jewish National Fund. Stanley worked tirelessly for 15 years to bring medical supplies to Jewish communities in Cuba. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Beth Shalom Cemetery. Contributions may be made in his honor to the Jewish National Fund, 42 East 69th Street, New York, NY 10021. www.schugar.com PJC

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Headlines Pride: Continued from page 12

Jews and LGBTQ Jews with disabilities are part of the Jewish people. We all bring something important to the conversation, she said. In the year since the LGBTQ+ Task Force was created, Temple Emanuel has added a LGBTQ+ Safe Zone widget on its website, posted Safe Space stickers in the building, purchased Keshet posters like one that outlines seven Jewish values for an inclusive Jewish

Book: Continued from page 16

Jewish community spends its time when the JCC isn’t open or not right for the activities they have planned. Even before our first meeting, another member from Temple Emanuel decided he’d like to join us. The three of us met on a Wednesday night with different versions of Buber’s famous work. Unsure of how to approach the book, we decided that we would read passages aloud and discuss our thoughts. Having two versions, neither in the native German, meant that we had a lot to ponder. The reading was slow. Each week, if we were lucky, we would get through a section. If we weren’t so lucky, we’d complete a paragraph. If the stars were against us, we’d end up rereading the section we discussed the previous week for added clarity. While

community (Respect, Love your neighbor as yourself, etc.) to hang on the walls, purchased LGBTQ+ books for the temple library, added Temple Emanuel to Keshet’s Equality Guide, converted a bathroom to be gender neutral, hosted a conversation with Evan Wolfson — founder and president of Freedom to Marry — on “Making More Progress for Gay & Transgender People in our Community, Pennsylvania, the US and the World: What Can We Do?” and held our first Pride Shabbat. My son declared that Pride Shabbat, which had a great turnout, was “perfect.” The task force made rainbow Shabbat candles and

put together a service that included kids and teenagers reading the seven Jewish values. We modified some prayers to make them more inclusive, like changing a word from “brothers” to kulanu, meaning all. Task force members read material from various sources, and the Temple Emanuel Band performed songs like an adapted version of “If We Only Have Love” with the lyrics, “If we only have love/Then Jerusalem stands/And then death has no shadow/There are no foreign lands…” Our work is far from done, but in just one year, we’ve made a lot of progress. As Rabbi Regan said, the Jewish

community has always been the only safe place from anti-Semitism. “If we discriminate against LGBTQ+ and disabled Jews, they have no place to be safe and valued. If we are not for ourselves, who will be for us?” she asked. We must match our words and deeds as we demonstrate our faith. Words read during our Pride Shabbat were never more poignant: “Beneath our uniqueness we are all bound together by our common humanity.” PJC

this was a laborious process, it was also the perfect pace for new members to jump in as they found out about the group. Our next participant joined a month or two into our reading. We had probably completed a dozen pages. This new member was a bit different than the three of us. He lived in Moon Township and was unaffiliated. Of course, his views were different than ours, who were all at different places on the Jewish spectrum of belief and observance. Our analysis of each paragraph and section grew longer as did our discussions before and after our weekly reading. Occasionally, people we knew would see us and ask what we were doing. Sometimes they would join us. Soon our group swelled, and we needed two tables to accommodate the crowd. Not everyone was a Temple Emanuel member. A couple from Beth El Congregation of the South Hills heard what we were doing and joined. It was, and is, a

porous bunch. Participants come and go as their schedules allow. The group has had doctors, college professors, retirees, engineers, writers and academics. Everyone in the group is Jewish, but not everyone is observant. The atheists among us have made the discussion interesting as we’ve studied “I and Thou” and “God in Search of Man.” I’m sure Buber and Heschel would find the observations both interesting and maddening! The conversations that take place around the book discussions have grown in length and depth and are now as important as the study itself. Vacations, illnesses, family, jobs are all discussed. We have created a community within a few Jewish communities in the South Hills. In fact, what began as an impromptu discussion among a few friends about a book we found challenging has now become as important to me as the weekly Torah study I attend.

This group, which is part book analysis, part study session, part beit din and so much more is a place where ideas flow without the restrictions of any preconceived notions. A passage about faith can suddenly become a discussion about the big bang and morph into a conversation about an upcoming trip to Machu Picchu someone is planning. Along the way the point of the narrative we’re discussing is never lost. I imagine we’re a lot like the Algonquin Round Table without the bite. Over the two and a half years we’ve been meeting, we’ve completed two books, started a third and have already begun discussions on what will follow. More importantly, we’ve found a community that supports and encourages one another. This is a group where the trip is much more important than the destination. PJC

Lisa A. Goldstein is a freelance journalist who lives in Pittsburgh.

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

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Community JNF Dinner Jewish National Fund-USA hosted its annual Tree of Life Award Dinner at the Omni William Penn Hotel on June 4. The event, co-chaired by Eva Tansky Blum and Howard “Hoddy” Hanna, honored Laura Shapira Karet, president and chief executive officer of Giant Eagle, Inc. with the Tree of Life Award for her dedication to the Pittsburgh community, JNF and Israel. The nearly 300 attendees were treated to keynote addresses by Pittsburgh natives Bari Weiss and her dad, Lou Weiss. The Tree of Life Award is a humanitarian award given in recognition of outstanding community involvement, dedication to the cause of American-Israeli friendship and devotion to the peace and security of human life. u From left: Howard ‘Hoddy’ Hanna (TOL event co-chair), Bari Weiss, James Roddey, Laura Shapira Karet, Eva Tansky Blum and Lou Weiss

p From left: Andrea Eller, Marian Ungar Davis, Maggie Levinson and Molly Braver Photos courtesy of JNF

p From left: Tom Karet, Lou Plung, Robin Bernstein and Andrew Eller

Jewish Women’s Foundation annual meeting The Jewish Women’s Foundation annual meeting was held on May 20, 2019, at Rodef Shalom Congregation. q Young Women’s Giving Society members Lisa Zeidner Marcus (co-chair), Rayna Sikov Gross, Kara DiBiase (co-chair), Jenn Batterton (co-chair) and Clair Marcus with JWF Executive Director, Judy Cohen (second from right). Photos courtesy of

t JWF past and current co-chairs, from left: Fern Schwartz, Judy Roscow, Lauren Goldblum, Marsha Marcus, Carolyn Hess Abraham, Joan Gurrentz, Lori Guttman, Paula Garret and Kathy DiBiase. Missing: Abby Grinberg, Pat Siger, Hilary Tyson and Suzanne Wagner.

Jewish Women’s Foundation

p JWF 2019 grantees included NCJW (the Center for Women), Yeshiva Girls Schools, Planned Parenthood, Allegheny Health Network, Tzohar Seminary, SETPoint, Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh, Angels’ Place, Women’s Law Project, Ruth’s Way, Three Rivers Rowing and Center of Life.

22 JULY 5, 2019

p From left: Deb Rice, Edgar Snyder, Cynthia Shapira and Daniel Onorato

p JWF annual meeting chair, Barbara Rosenberger, center, with Joan Ellenbogen, left, and Nancy Weissman

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Community Yeshiva Schools Dinner Yeshiva Schools’ 75th annual dinner took place on June 17 at the August Wilson center. The dinner, honoring the Legacy of Herman and Helen Lipsitz O”BM, launched Yeshiva’s partnership for the future.

u County Executive, Rich Fitzgerald addresses the crowd at the evening’s program.

p The Yeshiva Schools Boys Choir entertains the guests with an original song about 75 years of Yeshiva Schools.

p Nami Friedman presents Barbara Katch and Jamie Rosenthal with the evening’s honor.

Riverhounds present check The Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC presented more than $15,000 to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh on June 26. The soccer club raised funds by offering the Peace on the Pitch fundraiser, where local soccer clubs had the chance to play on the field at Highmark Stadium. The fundraising effort followed the Oct. 27 attack on the Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha, Dor Hadash and New Light congregations. In addition to supporting memorialization and education to help the community remember and honor the victims of the anti-Semitic attack, the funds will help enhance Jewish community security and mental health services.

p Yaakov Guterson, the evening’s emcee, entertains the crowd with this year’s original song, accompanied by Leibel Cohen.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

p From left: Jewish Federation Director of Marketing Adam Hertzman, Riverhounds Creative Director Susanna Yoffe-Crish, Federation CFO Milo Averbach, Jewish Community Foundation Director Dan Brandeis, Federation President & CEO Jeffrey Finkelstein, Riverhounds General Manager Kevin Johnston, Director of Jewish Community Security Brad Orsini, Federation Director of Development Operations Emily Richman, Riverhounds Director of Marketing Jordan Kay and Riverhounds Director of Communications Tony Picardi. Photo courtesy of Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

JULY 5, 2019 23

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