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P I T TS B U R G H
January 11, 2019 | 5 Shevat 5779
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Candlelighting 4:56 p.m. | Havdalah 5:59 p.m. | Vol. 62, No. 2 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
NOTEWORTHY LOCAL Federation sets up shop in new home Technology Drive location offers new opportunities, expanded workspace.
Studying community: Congregations Pittsburghers finding ways to address worship beyond the bounds of shul donations while moving past attack By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer
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Page 2 LOCAL Friendships from afar
The Pittsburgh Secular Jewish Community celebrates Passover.
Photo provided by Susan Forrest
and relevancy may be what brings dozens of people to Fife’s monthly Shabbat gatherings eshira haLev Fife breezes through and holiday services, those who are Jewish, the Squirrel Hill coffee shop, her as well as those who she says are “Jew-ish” signature waist-length dreadlocks — not necessarily identifying as Jews, swinging behind her. It is easy to see how but nonetheless connected to the Jewish her friendly, dark eyes and gentle, earnest community through friends or family. smile could put just about Most of those who attend anyone at ease. Kesher services, held typiThis is the first She is 40, but appears years cally in a room at Winchester in a 10-part series, younger: hip and new-agey, Thurston School in Shadyside, exploring the wearing her spirituality on her see it as their primary data of the 2017 sleeve, punctuated by a distinct worship community, forgoing Greater Pittsburgh aura of the mystical. membership at traditional Jewish Community Fife, the spiritual leader of brick-and-mortar synagogues. Study through the the worship community Kesher The 2017 Greater Pittsburgh people it represents. Pittsburgh, stands in stark Jewish Community Study, contrast to most other area commissioned by the Jewish Jewish clergy. She is not a rabbi Fe d e r at i on of G re at e r or a cantor, but rather a Hebrew priestess, Pittsburgh and conducted by researchers ordained in 2017 by the Kohenet Hebrew at Brandeis University’s Cohen Center Priestess Institute in Falls Village, Conn. for Modern Jewish Studies, found that She is enthusiastic and sincere when about 35 percent of Jewish households in describing Kesher: “We are post-denom- Greater Pittsburgh belong to a synagogue or inational, noninstitutional/independent. “another Jewish worship community of some We are priestess and peer-led, we are every- type.” While 19 percent of Jewish houseone-friendly, we are musical, magical holds in Greater Pittsburgh are dues-paying and connective.” members of brick and mortar congregations, On her website, Fife describes herself as “a 17 percent choose alternative models of community weaver, reclaiming ancient prac- Jewish worship communities. tices in ways that are resonant and relevant Many of these alternative communities in the modern day.” The search for contemporary resonance Please see Study, page 14 By Toby Tabachnick | Senior Staff Writer
Oct. 27 attack spurs long-lost friends to find survivor. Page 3 LOCAL History of little-known school
The Pittsburgh School for Reform Judaism was established decades ago to meet a unique need. Page 5
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ore than $8 million has been donated to funds established by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and the three congregations targeted in the Oct. 27 attack that killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue building. The money has not yet been disbursed, however, due to a desire for patience and best practice, said leaders from Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha, New Light Congregation and Congregation Dor Hadash. “These are special donations. They require a great deal of thought and a great deal of conversation to determine the right way to make a distribution,” said Stephen Cohen, New Light’s co-president. “We have looked at how other mass shooting distributions have been made and are strongly guided by the procedures and protocols adopted by these other tragedies.” Having spoken to those unfortunately familiar with mass shootings, they said, “the process goes much slower than we like,” and there is a balancing act at play, echoed Sam Schachner, Tree of Life’s president. “While the outside world is understandably interested in funds and donations, we are still very much in the process of healing,” said Ellen Surloff, Dor Hadash’s president. In the days following Oct. 27, donations surged. A GoFundMe page created by Johns Hopkins student Shay Khatiri surpassed $1 million dollars by Nov. 1. Gifts resumed steam around the holidays, and continue to come “in any which way,” said Barbara Caplan, New Light’s co-president. GoFundMe, Facebook and the congregations’ websites have provided donors worldwide giving opportunities. “We are eternally grateful for the donations,” said Cohen. Please see Funding, page 15
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