Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 2-5-21

February 5, 2021 | 23 Shevat 5781

Candlelighting 5:26 p.m. | Havdalah 6:27 p.m. | Vol. 64, No. 6 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Abraham Twerski, rabbi and psychiatrist, has died at 90

NOTEWORTHY LOCAL Seeking seats on the bench

Vaccination frustration: Jewish Pittsburgh struggles to find shots

Local Jewish attorneys run for judge

By David Rullo | Staff Writer

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LOCAL

community]. There has been a tendency the past 40 or 50 years for observant people to go into secular professions. Before, it was rare, because of the old ideas that all secularism is anti-religious. That has gradually changed.”

Twerski relocated his family to Pittsburgh and completed his psychiatry residency at the University of Pittsburgh Western Psychiatric Institute. He spent two years serving on the staff of a Pennsylvania state hospital before being named as the head of the department of psychiatry at the now-defunct St. Francis Hospital in Lawrenceville.

The rabbi and psychiatrist founded the Gateway Rehabilitation Center in 1972. The drug and rehabilitation center launched in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, has expanded to include 22 locations in both Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Twerski estimated that he helped more than 40,000 people recover from substance abuse through rehabilitation at the center over more than 40 years.

“Dr. Twerski is our founder, inspiration leader and the person we think of every day as we execute our mission and vision,” said Gateway Rehabilitation Center CEO James Troup.

While most of those who received treatment at Gateway Rehab weren’t Jewish,

imone Shapiro and her husband hope to spend Passover with their two grandsons, but because of a delay in getting their COVID-19 vaccines, that may not be possible.

The boys have been in Israel since making aliyah over two years ago. They will be coming back to the States for the holiday.

“We don’t know when they’ll be coming home again,” Shapiro said. “If we’re not vaccinated, I don’t know how we’ll see them.”

The Shapiros’ tale is familiar to many in the Pittsburgh Jewish community: While the husband and wife qualify to be vaccinated because of their age, they have been unable to get an appointment.

“I reached out to my primary medical provider and a friend who is a doctor,” Shapiro recounted. “I registered on the UPMC website. I went to the Allegheny Health Network website and signed up. I signed up on the state’s website. I went to CVS, Rite Aid, Giant Eagle and the Allegheny County website.”

None of those attempts were successful.

Undaunted, Shapiro tried to get the vaccine from McKeesport Family Health Center, Hilltop Pharmacy, Hometown Pharmacy, the East Liberty Health Center and “many, many, many other places.”

So far, her efforts have been met with unanswered phones, messages not returned, and long waits in website queues, only to learn that the number of doses available had already been exceeded.

Pennsylvania’s initial eligibility pool included long-term care facility residents and those working in the medical field; as of Jan. 19, the pool was expanded to

Please see Twerski, page 12

Please see Vaccination, page 12

Keeping kids connected

 Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski

By David Rullo | Staff Writer

PJ library continues outreach through pandemic Page 3

LOCAL The creative life of Abbey Farkas

From ‘The Great British Baking Show’ to ‘Sesame Street’ Page 4

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hasidic rabbi, acclaimed psychiatrist, prolific author, founder of Gateway Rehabilitation Center —underlying all his accomplishments was Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski’s intrinsic belief in the value of humanity.

“He would say, ‘We have to recognize that every individual is a gem,’ that was his favorite word,” remembered Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel, executive director of The Aleph Institute in Pittsburgh. “He would never throw anyone away. He would say, ‘We just have to polish them off and wipe away the dust.’”

Twerski died Sunday, Jan. 31, in Israel from COVID-19 at the age of 90.

Born Oct. 6, 1930, in Milwaukee, Twerski had deep roots in the Chasidic community. He was a scion of the founder of the Chernobyl Chasidic dynasty, Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twerski, and the grandson of the Bobover Chasidic Rebbe.

Twerski married his first wife, Golda, and served as an assistant rabbi to his father before graduating from medical school at Marquette University in 1960.

An outlier among his Chasidic peers, Twerski decided to enter medical school in the 1950s.

“I was a trailblazer,” he told the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle in a 2010 interview. “Now it’s more common; there are many physicians and other professionals [in the Chasidic

Photo provided by Rabbi Abraham Twerski

keep your eye on PittsburghJewishChronicle LOCAL

The rabbis who blessed Congress

FOOD

Chocolate cake in a hurry

MUSIC

Sing a New Light

Headlines Three local Jewish attorneys vie for seats on the bench — LOCAL —

By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

V

oting season isn’t over. With eyes on the May 18 primary, three local Jewish attorneys are seeking positions on the bench.

Jill Beck, a Temple Sinai member, is running for judge of the Pennsylvania Superior Court.

Given her previous experience and longstanding commitment to public service, Beck said she’s “ready to start on day one.”

As a civil litigator at Blank Rome, and earlier in her work with the nonprofit KidsVoice, Beck represented vulnerable and underserved members of society, including children and victims of domestic violence.

The Squirrel Hill resident said her 10 years as law clerk for the Honorable Christine Donohue on Pennsylvania’s Superior Court and Supreme Court gave her insight into the judiciary’s critical role.

“The Superior Court is an errorcorrecting court, which means it reviews the decisions of the Courts of Common Pleas and decides, looking through a very narrow lens, whether the decision below was right or wrong,” said Beck. “To me, that is an extremely important function. It is part and parcel of giving people their day in court, to know that there is a secondary level of review, to ensure that justice was done and that the correct decision was reached.”

Beck has drafted more than 500 decisions “of the very kind that I will get to decide if elected to the Superior Court,” she said. “So I know very well exactly how much work it is to do this job and to do it right. That’s one of the things that motivates me to run for this court. It’s important that the job is done thoroughly and the review is complete

 Jill Beck

Photo courtesy of Elect Jill Beck

because otherwise justice is denied.”

If elected to the 10-year post, Beck said she’ll “put in the time” to “make sure that the job is done right.”

Beck, 41, is a married mother of two and active volunteer. She has participated in the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Good Deeds Day, organized a program to furnish food-insecure children with backpacks filled with school supplies and serves on the board of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition.

••• Marc Daffner, a member of Beth El Congregation of the South Hills, is running for judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.

With 28 years of practice, and having handled thousands of cases statewide, Daffner said he’s perfectly suited for the position of judge.

 Marc Daffner

Photo courtesy of Marc Daffner

“I haven’t just stayed here at home in Allegheny County,” he said. “I’ve seen and experienced the best and the worst that at least half of our state has to offer. I know what works. I know what doesn’t work. And that’s really put me in touch with people from all walks of life which is also important. As a judge you can’t just live life in a vacuum and expect to perform the job adequately on the bench — you need to know about people.”

His three decades of legal practice has focused on criminal defense, family law and commercial litigation. He is the founding member and managing attorney of Daffner & Associates, and if elected to the 10-year position of judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Daffner said he will have an opportunity to continue directing people to positive paths.

“I tell clients all the time that after I get them out of trouble ‘I never want to see you

 Bryan Neft

Photo courtesy of Carver Murphy

again unless it’s a social call or something like that,’” he said. “I want people to get their act together. Being a judge will allow me to do that.”

In addition to being named a Pennsylvania “Super Lawyer,” a peer-review placement of the top 5% of Pennsylvania attorneys, Daffner, 52, was named one of the Top 100 Criminal Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers. A resident of the South Hills, Daffner is a married father of three, who has written two books, and participates in several community organizations including Rotary Club, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Animal Friends, and has coached youth hockey. In raising funds for Special Olympics Pennsylvania, Daffner has regularly participated in Pittsburgh’s Polar Bear Plunge.

Please see Judges, page 13

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Headlines PJ Library helps families connect to Jewish roots from home during pandemic — LOCAL —

By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

D

anielle West thought it would be fun for parents and children to make a terrarium together. Rabbi Ron Symons suggested tying the project to Israel.

The two Jewish professionals hammered out details: They pulled a child-friendly map of Israel for online viewing, filled zip-close bags with soil and purchased 240 succulents. After packing and distributing kits, West’s and Symons’ efforts bloomed on Jan. 28 when more than 50 parents and children participated in a Tu B’Shevat-related PJ Library program.

During the hour-long family celebration, attendees connected through Zoom, created terrariums and discussed the Jewish state and arbor-related holiday.

With questions like “Which season do you like trees best in?” West guided children through a conversation about planting, leaf texture and the 15th day of Shevat.

That day, on the Hebrew calendar, is a marker for the start of spring, because even though it’s too cold to plant trees outside in Pittsburgh, in Israel the weather is rainy and perfect for growth, said Symons.

 Danielle West distributes kits for the PJ Library Tu B’Shevat terrariums program.

Photo by Adam Reinherz

Terrarium making on Tu B’Shevat is the eighth program PJ Library Pittsburgh has hosted since the start of the pandemic.

The series, called “Home to Home Celebrations of Jewish Life,” is an effort to “make doing Jewish things at home

accessible to families,” said West.

Along with Tu B’Shevat, the organization has created kits for parents and children of all ages to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Shabbat, Havdalah and Chanukah. Each kit contains

holiday-related materials, as well as crayons, markers, a journal and white cotton sheet to help designate a space for family gathering.

“The idea is that parents shouldn’t have to look around their house to find anything,” said West. “We know parents don’t have the capacity to do that right now. We know they want to do Jewish, they want to have those moments, but taking the time to find a glue stick or crayons is more than many parents can do right now.”

With a husband who travels frequently for work, Squirrel Hill resident Amira Wolfson said the responsibility of bringing Jewish holidays and teachings into the home has largely fallen on her.

PJ Library Pittsburgh, and its “Home to Home” series, has been a “real bright spot in a time when we have hunkered down,” said Wolfson. “It’s giving our kids an opportunity to engage in something that is meaningful, and to connect to Jewish heritage and principles we hold dear as a family.”

Wolfson’s children are 7 and 5. Along with creating terrariums for Tu B’Shevat, the family has participated in other PJ Library programs including challah baking and micro-sukkah making — during which families strung together battery-operated Please see PJ Library, page 13

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Headlines From British baking to ‘Sesame Street,’ video editor Abbey Farkas adds creative touch — LOCAL —

By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

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rior to slicing into a perfectly baked ring of cake, Paul Hollywood of “The Great British Baking Show” says savarin requires liqueur for moistening.

Mary Berry tells viewers the Chantilly cream complements the orange booze.

Meanwhile, more than 3,600 miles from the videographers, makeup artists and television professionals inhabiting the lush surroundings of England’s Welford Park, Pittsburgher Abbey Farkas cuts footage, inserts graphics and adds the subtlest of captions.

Farkas’ efforts, like caramel shards atop yeasted cake, are the finishing touches in a collective process. Pre-pandemic, video editors like Farkas may have sat alongside producers or other creatives while paring down clips for a program like “The Great British Baking Show.” These days, however, work is mostly performed at home or in largely isolated spaces.

There is still collaboration, though — along with some silver linings in the ways people now must interact — but on the whole the process is different, Farkas said.

Most of Farkas’ work now concerns remote

 Abbey Farkas

Photo courtesy of Abbey Farkas

conferences for companies and other organizations, animating text or shapes that provide viewers an optimal virtual experience. The products have a different feel than a series

promo for PBS’ “Beyond a Year in Space,” but the objective, and requisite skill set, is similar.

With each project, the goal is providing an emotional charge, explained Farkas, so

To celebrate Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and Jewish Residential Services are highlighting the diverse and authentic stories and experiences of local Jewish community members with disabilities.

Our son, Noah, has a rare genetic syndrome called Pitt Hopkins. With only 1,500 people diagnosed in the world, our family can feel incredibly isolated at times. Our family craved a space that was safe and where Noah would be accepted, so we decided to reach out at our local temple. We learned that it was okay to speak up and that people wanted to accept Noah but needed education and guidance. By giving our family this safety and confidence, we have been able to successfully tackle larger community outings. If we hadn’t been provided that safe space, we would still be isolated and, ultimately, given fewer people the gift of knowing this happygo-lucky, kindhearted boy.

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whether it’s compressing Scott Kelly’s year aboard the International Space Station into 30 riveting seconds or determining how many between-scene sparkles to include in a spot for “Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas,” the decisions require technical and aesthetic expertise.

Farkas studied film and video at Penn State University, but their interest in the art goes back further: “I started editing when I was 13 on a computer I got with my bat mitzvah money — turned out to be quite the investment in my future,” Farkas said.

After graduating Penn State in 2011, Farkas interned with the Altoona Curve, a Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and learned Adobe After Effects, an application used in filmmaking and television production. Following Altoona, the Pittsburgh resident worked on independent and studio films, both on set and in post-production.

“Overall, it sounds much cooler than it was, but I did get to see Tom Cruise and Werner Herzog in person,” said Farkas.

In 2012, Farkas began a more than six-year tenure with Interface Media Group, a post-production house in Washington, D.C. One of the highlights of that job was Please see Farkas, page 13

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Headlines Blessing Congress: The history of Jewish prayer on Capitol Hill — NATIONAL —

By Eric Shcucht | Washington Jewish Week

M

ore than 400 rabbis have led opening prayers in Congress, and Howard Mortman can tell you about them all. In the dead of night as his family slept, Mortman pored over congressional records, looking up every single prayer ever given in the House and Senate to find the ones led by rabbis. Mortman’s quest took six years.

“This is going to sound weird, [but] it really was for fun,” said Mortman, 54, a McLean, Virigina resident. “Everybody needs a hobby. Some people do stamp collecting. Others do coin collecting. I track rabbis who pray in Congress.”

In October, Mortman published “When Rabbis Bless Congress: The Great American Story of Jewish Prayers on Capitol Hill.” Since 1789, the House and Senate have employed a chaplain to begin each day’s proceedings with a prayer. Occasionally, a guest chaplain fills in. And 635 times, Mortman said, those guest prayers have been led by a rabbi.

“When Rabbis Bless Congress” tells who these rabbis were and, with a captive audience, what they had to say to the nation’s lawmakers.

“In many ways these stories reflect the melting pot of all the different American Jewish stories,” Mortman said. “You can glean stories from

 Rabbi Alvin Berkun of Tree of Life Congregation leads a prayer in the US Senate.

Screenshot from C-SPAN

their prayers that reflect that moment in time.

So prayers that were given during the Vietnam War reflect our troops overseas. Prayers that were given after 9/11 reflect that moment of fear and fighting back against terror.”

No rabbi was asked to speak in Congress until the eve of the Civil War. And he said no.

Rabbi Solomon Lansburgh of Washington Hebrew Congregation was invited by the speaker of the House, but the rabbi, a native German speaker, didn’t believe he was fluent enough in English to address Congress.

So Lansburgh recommended Rabbi Morris Jacob Raphall, of New York. On Feb. 1, 1860, when the House was choosing a speaker, he stood before the representatives and addressed God: “Thou who makest peace in Thy high heavens, direct their minds this day that they may, with one consent, choose

The Jewish Women’s Foundation is pleased to announce its 2020 Jewish and general community grants

the man who, without fear and without favor is to preside over their assembly.”

Newspapers took notice of the historical first. Raphall’s prayer was the lead story in the Alexandria Gazette on Feb. 9, 1860, and was reported in the New York Times and Philadelphia Press. Mortman quotes historian Jonathan Sarna, who wrote: “The Churchman, unofficial organ of the Episcopal Church, responded ‘with extreme sorrow, and almost disgust’ to the rabbi’s prayer. It described his appearance in Congress as ‘no less than the official rejection of Christianity by the Legislature of the country.”

As more and more rabbis took part in the tradition, the practice became less controversial.

A century later, Rabbi Joachim Prinz spoke at the 1963 March on Washington, right before the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. Two years later, Prinz was back as a Senate guest chaplain. On May 7, 1965, he took note of Israel’s 17th Independence Day, a week away.

“May all the peoples acknowledge Israel’s right to be, to work, and to create, knowing that there is room enough for Arabs and Jews to live together in harmony,” Prinz said.

Rabbi Alvin Berkun, who led Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh for 30 years, was given the honor of leading congressional prayer twice: In 1991, he led a prayer in the Senate at the invitation of Pennsylvania Sen.

Arlen Specter, and in 1993, he led the House of Representatives in prayer at the invitation of Rep. William Coyne.

The experiences were “powerful,” Berkun told the Chronicle, speaking from his home in Florida.

“I’m a first generation American,” he said, “and from that perspective, it was moving that I could be taking part in government in the United States.”

In his book, Mortman groups together rabbis with similar backgrounds. Six were Auschwitz survivors, including Rabbi Laszlo Berkowitz, founding rabbi of Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, where which Mortman is a member.

Fifty-five served in the military, such as Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff, of Washington. He was part of a group of veterans who advocated for creating the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Resnicoff led the closing prayer at the monument’s unveiling in 1982 and has led opening prayer in Congress 17 times, the most of any rabbi.

Only 14 of the 441 rabbis who prayed with Congress were women. The first was Sally Priesand, the first woman ordained as a rabbi in the United States. She offered a prayer in the House on Oct. 23, 1973, the same day the first article to impeach President Richard Nixon was offered.

Please see Blessing, page 13

JEWISH COMMUNITY Jewish Family & Community Services $30,000 National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburgh Section/Center for Women $30,000 JFunds $10,000 Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh $10,000

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FEBRUARY 5, 2021 5

Calendar Submit calendar items on the Chronicle’s website, pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. Submissions also will be included in print. Events will run in the print edition beginning one month prior to the date as space allows. The deadline for submissions is Friday, noon. q FRIDAY, FEB. 5 – MARCH 8 The Zionist Organization of America: Pittsburgh is accepting applications for its Israel Scholarship Program. Open to local Jewish teens in qualified programs who will be a junior or senior in high school in September 2021. Three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded. Applicants will be judged on their involvement in Jewish organizations, volunteerism and on an essay about Zionism and Israel. Applications accepted through Mar. 8.

For information and applications, please contact ZOA executive director, Stuart Pavilack, at stuart. pavilack@zoa.org or 304-639-1758. q SATURDAY, FEB. 6 Join Beth El Congregation for a Whiskey Rebellion Virtual Happy Hour with Wigle Whiskey and special guests Todd DePastino, historian. $72 per person.

Your ticket includes a flask of Wigle Whiskey, the makings for an Old-Fashioned cocktail, and a spirited romp down Whiskey Lane. 7 p.m. RSVP by 1/27. bethelcong.org Join New Light Congregation for “Sing a New Light Presents the Choral Torah: 5 Books in 4 Parts.”

Guided by Josh Ehrlich, the music will take a Magic School Bus-style ride through the Bible, complete with musical detours presented by The Four Hermaneutics. 7 p.m. Free. bit.ly/choral-collective Shaare Torah Congregation presents Virtually Hilarious with comedian Eli Lebowicz. $36 per screen. 8:30 p.m. RSVP at office@shaaretorah.net.

Zoom link will be provided by email prior to event.

To register, email office@shaaretorah.net.

q MONDAYS, FEB. 8, 15, 22; MARCH 1

q THURSDAYS, FEB. 11, 25; MARCH 4, 11

Join Rabbi Jeremy Markiz in learning Masechet Rosh Hashanah, a tractate of the Talmud about the many new years that fill out the Jewish calendar at Monday Talmud study. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org.

The Mishna, the Oral Law in written form, is one of the greatest works of the Jewish people.

In this survey course, Jewish Community Foundation Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff will provide a comprehensive overview of this singular, foundational work. Co-sponsored with Derekh at Congregation Beth Shalom.

9:30 a.m. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org/mishna.

q MONDAYS, FEB. 8, 15, 22; MARCH 1, 8, 15 Most people associate the term “Haftarah” with opaque prophetic reading on Shabbat morning.

This course, Haftarah, will attempt to make the opaque sparkle. Choosing selectively from the most interesting Haftarah portions, Jewish Community Foundation Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff will seek to imbue meaning in these powerful prophetic passages. 9:30 a.m. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org. q MONDAY, FEB. 8 Join Classrooms Without Borders in Israel — virtually. Monthly tours with guide and scholar Rabbi Jonty Blackman via Zoom.

7 p.m. For more information and to register, visit classroomswithoutborders.org. q TUESDAY, FEB. 9 Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for “Can I Support Israel but Disagree with Its Policies?” a fascinating webinar with Neil Lazarus as he discusses how to support Israel despite your views on its policies. 12 p.m. jewishpgh.org/event The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s education outreach associate, Emily Bernstein, interviews.

Joshua Andy, the 2016-’17 Holocaust Educator of the Year. Andy teaches at the Upper School at Winchester Thurston. 3 p.m. hcofpgh.org/events Classrooms Without Borders presents a weekly book discussion of “Suzanne’s Children” with Joshua Andy. 4 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org

q SUNDAY, FEB. 7

q TUESDAYS, FEB. 9, 16, 23; MARCH 2, 9

Join Temple Sinai’s Brotherhood for a Brotherhood Brunch for Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month, a unified effort among Jewish organizations to raise awareness and foster inclusion of people with disabilities and their families in Jewish communities worldwide. Kristin Ahrens, deputy secretary for Pennsylvania’s Office of Developmental Programs, will discuss empowering people with disabilities. Free. 10 a.m. To register, visit templesinaipgh.org/programs-events.

Treating Jewish jokes as text, From Sinai to Seinfeld invites students to analyze and interpret the evolving concerns, styles, rhythms, preoccupations and values of the Jewish people that lie buried deep in words that make us laugh as Jews, and that bond us as a people. $50 per person, includes all books and materials. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org. q TUESDAYS, FEB. 9 – JUNE 1

Join a lay-led Online Parashah Study Group to discuss the week’s Torah portion. No Hebrew knowledge is needed. The goal is to build community while deepening understanding of the text. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org.

What is the point of Jewish living? What ideas, beliefs and practices are involved? Melton Course 1: Rhythms & Purposes of Jewish Living examines a variety of Jewish sources to discover the deeper meanings of Jewish holidays, lifecycle observances and Jewish practice. Cost: $300 per person, per year (25 sessions), includes all books and materials. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org.

q SUNDAYS, FEB. 7, 14, 21, 28; MARCH 7, 14

q WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10

What does Jewish tradition have to say about God, Torah, mitzvot, suffering, messiah, Israel? In this special course, Pittsburgh Rabbis on Jewish Belief, Jewish Community Foundation Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff will host 14 Pittsburgh rabbis, each teaching a session on fundamental aspects of Jewish belief. 10 a.m. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org.

Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for the annual winter gathering of Pittsburghers. Log on with your fellow snowbirds for an engaging evening with New York Times columnist Bret Stephens. $10 and minimum $500 commitment to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s 2021 Community Campaign. 5 p.m. foundation.jewishpgh.org/snowbird

q SUNDAYS, FEB. 7, 14, 21, 28; MARCH 7

q MONDAYS, FEB. 8, 15, 22 Beth El Congregation of the South Hills presents its Winter Speaker Series. For a complete list of speakers, topics and times, and to register, visit bethelcong.org/events.

6 FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Temple Sinai presents Prayers for Comfort in the Pandemic: A Service of Remembrance, Healing, and Hope. The service will share traditional prayers, music, reflection, and modern readings. 7 p.m. templesinaipgh.org/programs-events Beth Shalom Congregation’s Derekh Speaker Series welcomes Neal Bascomb who will discuss “Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress and a Legendary Cat Beat Hitler’s Best.” 7:30 p.m.

Free. For more information, and to register for the Zoom event, visit bethshalompgh.org/speakerseries.

q THURSDAYS, FEB. 11 – MARCH 18 Join the 10.27 Healing Partnership and Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife for Jewish Style R&R — Rachamim and Resilience. This series of weekly interactive workshops will be an opportunity to engage in classes that will build on Jewish values, core concepts of resiliency, and mindfulness tools as a way of expanding our resiliency toolbox in this next year. This program is being offered at no cost and is open to all ages. 7 p.m. For more information, visit 1027healingpartnership.org/events. q FRIDAY, FEB. 12 Set the mood for Valentine’s Day weekend by joining the University of Pittsburgh’s Jewish Studies Program for “Sexting American Jewish History,” a virtual conversation that will celebrate the publication of a special edition of American Jewish History looking at how sexuality shaped the history of American Jews and Judaism.

1 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jewishstudies.pitt.edu. q SUNDAY, FEB. 14 Bring your sweetie along and join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for Cooking2Gether: Let’s Make Kanafeh. Learn how to make this delicious Middle Eastern dessert in a Zoom session led by Israeli friends from Karmiel/ Misgav. 12 p.m. jewishpgh.org/event q SUNDAYS, FEB. 14, 21, 28; MARCH 7 Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for the virtual bus tour, “The Secret Jews of Majorca Island.”

The series will include “Medieval Majorca,” “CryptoJudaism,” “Chuetas,” “Rebirth & Renewal” and “Taste of Spain.” 3 p.m. https://tinyurl.com/jewish-spain q MONDAY, FEB. 15 Join the Women of Temple Sinai Cooking Class, featuring guest chefs from the community and Temple Sinai with recipes from around the world. All are welcome. 6:30 p.m. templesinaipgh.org/programs-events q WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for “Rising Crime in Israel’s Arab Communities: Urgent Concern and Complex Realities?” Why did crime in Arab society escalate in recent years? What are the challenges related to police enforcement and deterrence? How does this issue affect daily life in Arab communities? Hear more from Makbulla Nassar and Aya Mana. 12 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jewishpgh.org/event.

Moishe House presents Bread and Beer: The Grains of Ancient Life. Helena Nichols, the director of the Biblical botanical garden in Pittsburgh, teaches the first course in the Moishe House plant series. The course will include adapted recipes so that students may try their hand at ancient recipes in their own homes. 7 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/moishehouse.pittsburgh.

Designed for parents to learn five key safety messages in abuse-prevention that they can communicate to their child or teen, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh presents the webinar “Safeguarding Youth from Abuse.”

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Topics will include consent, body safety, respecting boundaries, healthy relationships, and online safety. Parents will leave with language to open conversations with their children and teens about safety from a strengths-based perspective, and tips for how to best support their resilience. 8 p.m. jewishpgh.org/event q THURSDAY, FEB. 18; MONDAY, MARCH 8 Beth El Congregation presents Oy Joy Labs 2021: L’Chaim, L’Chaim — To Life! Do you find yourself asking “Why?” and “How?” Are you eager to find a deeper meaning? Are you now the “go-to person” for family and extended family to be there for answers? Are you trying to put into words “the reasons and what to do” for your children or grandkids in a home where there is Judaism and perhaps another religion? Join Beth El for this threepart series. 7 p.m. For a complete list of guests and to register, visit bethelcong.org. q THURSDAYS, FEB. 18; MARCH 4, 18, 25 The University of Pittsburgh Jewish Studies Program presents the four-part series “Shazam!

Jewish Biblical Texts Transformed by the Power of Pictures” featuring artist-in-residence Ben Schachter. 7:30 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jewishstudies.pitt.edu. q THURSDAYS, FEB. 18; MARCH 18; MAY 6; JUNE 17 We live in a time of multiple challenges. Controversial issues and struggles confront us daily. But the truth is that Jews have never desisted from addressing tough problems. In this year’s CLE series, Rabbi Danny Schiff will dive into “Tense Topics of Jewish Law.” Each topic raises significant concerns in our contemporary lives. And Jewish law has something to say on them all. With CLE/CEU credit: $30/session or $150 all sessions; Without CLE/CEU credit: $25/ session or $125 all sessions. 8:30 a.m. For more information, including a complete list of topics, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org/continuing-legal-education. q SUNDAY, FEB. 21 In observation of Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month, Temple Sinai is calling all storytellers to share your disAbility experience during a “Moth-like” event. The deadline to register to tell your story is Jan. 31. To sign up to be a storyteller or for more information, please contact lisaglederer@gmail.com.

Join the Pittsburgh Jewish community for a conversation with Rabbi Denise L. Eger. She will discuss her new book, “Mishkan Ga’Avah: Where Pride Dwells,” and share how the Pittsburgh Jewish community can better celebrate and empower members of the LGBTQ+ community. 8 p.m. tinyurl.com/where-pride-dwells q WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24 In celebration of Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month and Jewish Disability Advocacy Month, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh presents “A Conversation with National Disability Advocacy & Inclusion Leader Matan Koch.” 5:30 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jewishpgh.org/event. q THURSDAY, FEB. 25 The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh presents the next installment of its Conversations Series with guest Jon Prince. His relationship with Holocaust survivor Helen Bayer was forged a few years ago from a chance meeting in a parking lot, blossoming into a close friendship that lasted until her passing in late 2020. 3 p.m. hcofpgh.org/events PJC

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Headlines 2020 polling errors, dissected — NATIONAL —

By Jesse Bernstein | Jewish Exponent

W

hen it comes to the 2020 presidential election, it’s all over but the shouting. Joe Biden has taken office as the 46th president of the United States. But what actually happened?

Where did Democrats make gains, and where did Republicans do the same, and why?

How can it be that, in many cases, overestimation of the Democratic margin was even more egregious than the much-discussed mistakes in 2016? And what do the finer points of voting and polling patterns mean for Jews?

All these questions were the subject of a Jewish Battleground Coalition webinar hosted

by Jewish Democratic groups in Wisconsin, Texas, Minnesota, Michigan, Georgia, Florida and Pennsylvania. The two speakers at “Blue Wave/Red Shift: Trends in Polling & the Jewish Vote from 2020 & Beyond” discussed the 2020 election polling via Zoom on Jan. 27.

Brandishing a seminar’s load of charts, graphs and maps, pollsters Jefrey Pollock and Ira Sheskin tried to explain it all. Democratic Jewish Outreach of Pennsylvania Chair Jill Zipin moderated the event along with Samuel Edelman of the Israel on Campus Coalition.

Pollock, who is a sought-after pollster JC Opn News 2021 candidates FIN_Eartique and 2/1/21liberal 4:19 PM for Democratic

organizations, didn’t offer comforting assessments for Democrats.

Biden and the Democrats may have won the House, the Senate and the presidency, Pollock said, but the monumental GOP turnout ensured that the Democrats’ majority was the slimmest of the postwar era. It wouldn’t have taken much of a flip for a radically different outcome; according to Pollock, Biden wouldn’t have been elected if the pandemic hadn’t taken discussion away from the strength of the economy prior to March 2020.

“If you look at the numbers there, we’re talking about 44,000 votes,” Pollock said, directing his audience to a red and blue map.

“If they had flipped the other way, Biden loses, and Donald Trump is president of the United States.”

Dramatic overestimation of the Democratic margin by public polls in key states, Pollock said, was avoided by private polling by outfits like his own, Global Strategy Group. Still, questions remain as to why, after four years of tinkering by public pollsters, an error of more than six points in Wisconsin in 2016 became an error of almost eight points in 2020.

Pollock discounted commonly held explanations about Trump voters reluctant to tell pollsters about their preferences, pointing out that similar overestimations of the Democratic margins were made in races featuring Republican senatorial candidates PageSteve 1 like Daines and Joni Ernst.

A rechargeable hearing device for

morning news to late night tv

p Jefrey Pollock discusses reasons why the polls were wrong in 2020.

Screenshot by Jesse Bernstein

“There’s no evidence for a shy Trump voter,” Pollock said.

John McLaughlin, whose McLaughlin & Associates has polled for the Republican Jewish Coalition, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, was not at the webinar, but shared Pollock’s skepticism about the “shy Trump voter.”

But where Pollock sees flawed methodology as the reason for bad polling, McLaughlin sees a deliberate attempt to undercount Republican voters. McLaughlin accused numerous polling companies and media outlets of purposely publishing fake polls as a suppression tactic meant to convince Republican voters to stay home.

“They basically start with a narrative and then manufacture polls that are either skewed by sample or demographics,” McLaughlin said.

Pollock and Sheskin saw it differently.

Sheskin, a professor of geography at the University of Miami and director of the Jewish Demography Project, posited that a mistrust of institutions kept Republicans from taking part in polls. And neither he nor Pollock believed the overstatement of Democratic margins was the result of deliberate malice.

Rather, they provided evidence that there were flaws in sampling methodology.

When it came to polling Jewish voters, Sheskin demonstrated how subtle differences in question formation could lead to different outcomes in getting voters to identify as Jewish.

Those differences in questions by pollsters from RJC, J Street and the Associated Press, Sheskin showed, could have drastic consequences.

Some question formations could result, for instance, in a higher percentage of Jewish voters who call themselves “Jews of no religion,” a group that tends to vote Democratic.

But other polls that only yield Jews with specific religious affiliation might skew Republican. Either way, a non-representative sample is the result, Sheskin cautioned.

On winning messages for Jewish voters in 2022, Sheskin and McLaughlin came to similar conclusions, identifying support for Israel as key for any candidate. But American Jews, they concluded, are more likely to base their vote on the economy than Israel. PJC Jesse Bernstein is a staff writer with the Jewish Exponent, a Chronicle-affiliated publication.

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Headlines For rabbis, vaccine eligibility can come down to guesswork — NATIONAL —

By Hannah Dreyfus | JTA

T

he email offered what felt like a lifeline to the dozens of rabbis in the Chicago area who received it last week. “Vaccines are now available for clergy,” an official with the Chicago Board of Rabbis wrote, passing along a link to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Days later, some of those rabbis were rolling up their sleeves to get the shot that would start to make their pre-pandemic lives possible once again. Lizzi Heydemann, rabbi and founder of Mishkan, a nondenominational congregation in Chicago, marked her vaccination with a Facebook post accompanied by a translation of the Shehecheyanu prayer: “That we lived and stood up and reached this time.”

But Heydemann, 40, hadn’t been eligible for the vaccine under Illinois’ current guidelines, which permit clergy in health care settings to get the shot, but not others.

Rabbi Reni Dickman, the Chicago Board of Rabbis executive vice president who sent the email, realized she might have misunderstood the guidelines, which appear in different forms in different places online, after she got a flurry of confused replies.

“I thought rabbis were included in [phase] 1A but then I realized, no, most of us are not,” she said, saying that she clarified to those who had reached out to her that only rabbis who fit the description of a “frontline healthcare worker” were eligible for the vaccine. But she said, “Rabbis have called me saying that they heard otherwise.” Others, like Heydemann, were able to sign up and complete their vaccine appointments without a hitch.

The saga points to a challenging dynamic in America’s vaccine rollout: Confusing guidance and a patchwork of rules and providers mean that rabbis are left to figure out where they fit in, and the answers can vary depending on the day, state and interpretation of local rules.

Underlying the tumult is a more

ideological debate about whether clergy should be considered frontline workers, regardless of where the majority of their pastoral duties are carried out.

“Clergy work in a variety of frontline caregiving settings that don’t include healthcare or schools,” said Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, chief executive of the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism, associations for Conservative rabbis and synagogues. The responsibility to perform lifecycle events — including funerals — should make vaccinating a clergy “a priority,” he said.

Heydemann said she’d performed funerals during the pandemic and noted the vaccine would allow her to facilitate bar and bat mitzvahs in person. “It’s been heartbreaking not to be in the same room with families for these milestones,” she said.

Rabbi Mark Dratch, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Council of America, a large network of Orthodox rabbis, said he sees both attending synagogues and the pastoral support of clergy as essential services. Some Orthodox rabbis involved in preparing bodies for burial were able to register for the vaccine under the category of funeral directors, he said.

“Clergy provide spiritual and emotional support for members of communities — in that way, they’re frontline workers,” he said.

“Physical health is most important, but a feeling of connectedness is important for someone’s psychological stability.”

The guidelines in New York, which at this point do not extend eligibility to clergy who are not healthcare workers or educators, have been “frustrating” to local rabbis who feel they “can’t fully perform their pastoral duties,” said Dratch. “All that being said, we are committed to following the rules established by each jurisdiction.”

Nonetheless, certain New York pulpit rabbis have been able to receive the vaccine.

Rabbi Joshua Stanton, the rabbi of East End Temple on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, said he called “several people in the New York State system to make sure he was really eligible” before signing up and receiving his first dose of the COVID-19

vaccine earlier this month. New York is administering the vaccine to educators and, aside from his pulpit responsibilities, Stanton teaches several times a week at his synagogue’s Hebrew school, which offered an in-person option for families.

“I don’t want to be jumping the line,” said Stanton, 34. “The state has a plan in place for who should get vaccinated when, and I didn’t want to get in under any exception.” Once he discovered that education professionals who instruct in a range of settings were eligible, he took his shot. “We made sure it was kosher and we moved ahead.”

But Stanton said he was “very surprised” to learn several colleagues received the vaccine despite not being chaplains or teachers.

“These are highly reputable folks — they’re not known for trying to find shortcuts in the system,” he said. “I’m sure they had a good reason to move ahead.” Different people have different approaches, he added. “I guess it’s correct in a technical sense that all clergy are frontline workers in some capacity.”

The question of eligibility is not only circulating among Jewish clergy — in Chicago, a group of Christian ministers publicly received the vaccine at Rush University Medical Center this week in order to reduce hesitancy among communities of color most affected by the virus.

Neither the Rush University Medical Center nor the Illinois Department of Public Health returned requests for comment about how clergy members were able to qualify for the vaccine under the current state guidelines.

Vaccinating clergy in order to encourage more widespread acceptance of the vaccine is a tactic other states are also implementing, even if those clergy wouldn’t otherwise qualify for the initial phase of distribution.

Rabbi Micah Peltz, senior rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, received his first dose over two weeks ago after the Virtua Health System specifically reached out to local clergy.

Peltz, who authored the Conservative movement’s statement on the ethics of vaccine distribution, was “very sensitive

to not jumping the line.” In the statement, he concludes that it is forbidden by Jewish law to use personal connections or financial means to get the vaccine before others.

But after confirming that the invitation from the local health system was legitimate, Peltz, 42, took the opportunity. “The hospital wanted to send a strong message to the public about the importance of getting the vaccine. I wasn’t going to say no,” he said.

In Israel, too, public health officials tapped leading rabbis to be vaccinated early and publicly as a strategy for getting their followers to take the vaccine as well.

But weeks before Peltz was vaccinated, two Orthodox rabbis faced criticism in New York City after they were among the first people vaccinated there.

Rabbis Hershel Schachter and Mordechai Willig got their vaccines from ParCare, a network of clinics that is under investigation for distributing vaccines outside of the state’s prescribed rules. Schachter, who is 70 and became eligible shortly after receiving the vaccine because of his age, said he would not have taken the shot had he known it was illicit.

Peltz said the situation had gotten “more complicated” since he first penned his opinion.

Among his congregants, he has witnessed a lot of confusion about how and when to register and why certain people are receiving the vaccination before others. “I would revise it to simply say once one’s cohort is up, you should go get your vaccination,” he said.

Rabbi Avi Anderson, 33, rabbi of the Orthodox Young Israel Aish of Las Vegas, said that though Nevada’s guidelines for distribution were unclear, he asked if clergy were eligible and got a yes from authorities.

“I presented a letter that I’m clergy and that my job includes teaching and leading people at in-person services,” said Anderson. “They accepted it. The process was actually very simple.”

After his own experience, Anderson was inspired to help other local rabbis get vaccinated as well. He stopped short of posting his vaccination picture on Facebook. “Maybe soon,” he said. PJC

Racial Justice Summit hosts session condemning Israel

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or at least the fifth consecutive year, a session disparaging Israel was featured at the Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit.

The summit was held virtually this year, on Friday, Jan. 22, and Saturday, Jan. 23. In previous years, it was held at the Presbyterian-run Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in East Liberty.

Among the sessions at this year’s summit was a lecture titled “Demilitarize PGH: Ending the Exchange of Violent Practices from Pittsburgh to Palestine.”

The lecture was described in promotional materials as “a teach-in about police militarization and the training exchanges between U.S. police departments and the Israeli military. The Pittsburgh Coalition to End the Deadly Exchange will share research on these exchanges of ‘worst

8 FEBRUARY 5, 2021

practices’ including mass surveillance, brutal suppression of dissent and racial profiling.

Coalition members will explain the extent of local, regional and national law enforcement participation in Israeli-run training exchanges, parallels in police brutality, and the campaign to end these exchanges.”

Speakers were scheduled to “share examples of how the U.S.-Israel relationship reinforces racist surveillance and policing, which permeates different facets of civic life in both countries like criminal justice and education.”

Facilitators of the session included Darnika Reed, education rights advocate and organizer with the Pittsburgh Coalition to End the Deadly Exchange; Krystle MG Knight, community organizer for the Thomas Merton Center; Daniel Galvin, an organizer

with Pittsburgh Coalition to End the Deadly Exchange and Vets for Peace; and Daniel Klein, an organizer with Pittsburgh Coalition to End the Deadly Exchange and co-founder of Jewish Voice for Peace Pittsburgh, which supports the BDS movement against Israel.

Other members of the Pittsburgh Coalition to End the Deadly Exchange include IfNotNow Pittsburgh, which promotes placing conditions on military funding to Israel; the Pittsburgh chapter of the national organization CAIR, which has “a long record of anti-Israel activity,” according to the Anti-Defamation League; Friends of Sabeel North America, which appeared on an ADL list of the 10 most active anti-Israel groups in the U.S.; and the Democratic Socialists of America, which supports the BDS movement.

On its Facebook page, the Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Coalition to End the Deadly Exchange claims that police in Allegheny County are being trained by Israel in “worst practices,” including “shoot-to-kill policies,” racial profiling and “massive spying and surveillance.”

The Racial Justice Summit has included anti-Israel voices since 2017. At the 2019 summit, during a panel presentation dubbed “Rewriting the Narrative: Reimagining the Future,” Susan Abulhawa, a PalestinianAmerican novelist, explained the launch of Zionism as “a political movement that was conceived by wealthy Jewish businessmen in Eastern Europe” and shouted down Jewish people in the audience attempting to refute her allegations. PJC — Toby Tabachnick PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines — WORLD — From JTA Reports

Republican Jewish Coalition: Taylor Greene’s comments about Jews ‘indefensible’

The Republican Jewish Coalition said the latest revelation about anti-Semitic conspiracy theories embraced by Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene are “indefensible and unacceptable.”

In 2018, Greene speculated that the Rothschild family may have used a laser beam from space to start a devastating California forest fire, as a means to profit from it.

“We rightly opposed Marjorie Taylor Greene in her primary election for Congress and proudly supported her GOP opponent, Dr. John Cowan,” RJC director Matt Brooks said last week.

At the time that the RJC backed her opponent, Greene was already controversial because of her embrace of the QAnon movement, which peddles wild conspiracy theories, some with anti-Semitic themes.

Brooks said it was too early to say whether the RJC would once again back a primary against Greene, because no one has yet declared they would run against her. Greene is popular in her district.

Brooks also would not say whether the group would advocate for Greene’s removal from U.S. House of Representatives

committees. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California named Greene to the Education Committee this week, spurring outrage from Democrats, in part because she has in the past embraced theories that some school shootings were staged.

The RJC in 2019 backed the removal of another Republican, Steve King of Iowa, from committees because of his record of statements sympathetic to white supremacist views.

Kosovo to open embassy in Jerusalem after Israeli recognition

Kosovo, a Muslim-majority territory that only part of the world recognizes as a country, intends to open an embassy in Jerusalem after it formally establishes diplomatic relations with Israel.

Foreign Minister Meliza HaradinajStublla and her Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi signed an agreement, Radio Free Europe reported.

Under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel has made considerable diplomatic efforts to have countries with embassies in the Tel Aviv region move them to Jerusalem, as the U.S. did in 2018.

“Recognition by Israel is one of the greatest achievements for Kosovo, coming at a key moment for us, thanks to the United States of America, our common and eternal ally,” Haradinaj-Stublla said in a statement Jan. 29 ahead of the signing ceremony.

The U.S. and Israel are among 117

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

Feb. 5, 1879 — Engineer Pinhas Rutenberg is born

Engineer Pinhas Rutenberg, credited with bringing electricity to British Mandatory Palestine, is born in Ukraine. He moves to Palestine in 1919 and builds out the grid, including hydroelectric plants of his own design.

Feb. 6, 2001 — Israelis directly elect Sharon prime minister

Israelis vote directly for prime minister for the third and last time and the only time without electing the Knesset. Likud’s Ariel Sharon wins with more than 62% against Labor incumbent Ehud Barak.

Feb. 7, 1974 — Gush Emunim is established

Followers of Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook launch Gush Emunim (Bloc of the Faithful), a settler movement determined to establish a permanent Jewish presence in the lands captured in June 1967.

countries that recognize Kosovo, a landlocked nation in what used to be Yugoslavia.

China, Russia, India, Spain and Morocco are among the countries that have not, for fear of encouraging unilateral independence declarations in territories they control.

Lawmaker who blamed Jews for Holocaust quits commission

A Lithuanian lawmaker who had suggested that Jews share the blame for the Holocaust resigned as chair of the parliament’s historical memory commission.

Valdas Rakutis faced criticism over his comments, made during a speech in parliament on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, including a rare rebuke from the U.S. ambassador.

Rakutis cited his desire to “reduce tensions between home and abroad” when he announced his resignation.

“There was no shortage of Holocaust perpetrators among the Jews themselves, especially in the ghetto self-government structures,” Rakutis had said in the speech.

“We need to name these people out loud and try not to have people like them again.”

Efraim Zuroff, the Eastern Europe director at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which also protested Valdas’ remarks, said he was not convinced that Rakutis’ decision to step down from the committee’s leadership reflected regret.

Rakutis’ speech, Zuroff said, “contained

Feb. 9, 1994 — Israel, PLO sign 2nd agreement

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Five months after signing the Declaration of Principles for the Oslo process, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat sign an agreement on Palestinian self-rule in Gaza and Jericho.

Feb. 10, 2009 — Netanyahu wins by finishing second

Tzipi Livni’s Kadima wins 28 seats in the election for the 18th Knesset, but Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, with 27 seats, is the effective winner because it is better positioned to form a coalition.

Feb. 11, 1986 — Sharansky reaches Israel

After eight years in a Siberian labor camp, Anatoly Shcharansky is released to American custody in Berlin and flies to Israel, where he arrives under his newly adopted Hebrew name, Natan Sharansky. PJC

Prestigious Russian university fires lecturer who denied Holocaust

A prestigious university in Moscow said it would fire a professor who denied the Holocaust on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Vladimir Matveyev, a lecturer on international relations, told teachers from the St. Petersburg region that “no gas chambers were found to kill people in concentration camps,” “the gas was used by the Germans for disinfection” and “Six million dead Jews are a fiction.”

In a statement that same day, the stateowned university, known as RANEPA, said it “cannot accept” the lies told by Matveyev.

Matveyev was not representing the university on the video call in which he made the remarks, RANEPA said, and was participating outside his professional duties.

Menachem-Mendel Pevzner, a rabbi from St. Petersburg, said his office is pressing charges against Matveyev for hate speech and Holocaust denial, which are illegal in Russia, the news site Jewish.ru reported. PJC

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Feb. 8, 2005 — Second Intifada is declared over

A summit among Israel’s Ariel Sharon, the Palestinian Authority’s Mahmoud Abbas, Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak and Jordan’s King Abdullah II declares the end of the Second Intifada after more than 1,000 Israeli and 4,000 Palestinian deaths.

all the elements that are official policy in Lithuania,” whose official historians have faced allegations of whitewashing and excusing local complicity in the Holocaust.

“But the fact that it was done on International Holocaust Remembrance day, in parliament, and that there was an international uproar about it made it impossible to keep Rakutis as chair of the committee.”

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FEBRUARY 5, 2021 9

Opinion NBC News stumbles

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— EDITORIAL —

ast week, NBC News published an online story by correspondent Ken Dilanian about Anne Neuberger, President Biden’s new deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology on the National Security Council. It was not well-received by Jewish groups, to say the least.

At issue was Dilanian’s suggestion that Neuberger — who has served for the past two years as director of cybersecurity at the National Security Agency — might be compromised in her ability to be objective about Israel because her family foundation gives money to AIPAC. Dilanian’s piece built

on an initial investigative report by David Corn in Mother Jones, but unlike the Mother Jones article, the one published by NBC News quoted only anonymous sources in its attempt to suggest that Neuberger might not be unbiased.

Dilanian wrote that “installing a top cyber official in the White House who has strong ties to an organization that represents the interests of the Israeli government could cause some people to question the impartiality of the policy process, [sources] said.”

AIPAC and the American Jewish Committee, among other Jewish groups, quickly objected, calling NBC News out for invoking the anti-Semitic stereotype of dual loyalty, and demanding that the article be retracted. In response, NBC News

investigated the reporting and posted a statement online: “NBC News conducted a review and has determined that [this story] fell short of our reporting standards. In order to warrant publication, it needed on-the-record quotes from critics, rather than anonymous ones. The article should have also included more views from those who believe that donations to AIPAC do not represent a conflict. And it did not give Neuberger adequate time to respond to our reporting.”

Given that admission, many expected the story to be taken down from the NBC News website. It wasn’t. Instead, NBC News moved the story to its online archives but left it accessible, “in the interest of transparency with our readers.”

Clearly, NBC News should never have

published the unprofessional article in the first place, and the processes behind the reporting and vetting of online articles must be examined. Why did a news correspondent think it was acceptable to be so unbalanced in a news piece? Why didn’t an editor catch the lack of balance and the use of anonymous sources? Has NBCUniversal’s pandemic-related layoffs and pay cuts had an impact on the resources available to ensure high-quality work?

NBC’s behavior in this incident feeds the narrative of biased journalists running amok and harms the reputation of reporters and editors who are genuinely working hard to be fair and accurate. Let’s hope that even if NBC News is not saying so explicitly, there is plenty of soul searching going on internally. PJC

The GOP’s Marjorie Taylor Greene problem Guest Columnist Jonathan S. Tobin

T

wo years ago, House Republican Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had no trouble in doing the right thing when it came to policing extremism in his caucus. But as calls grow for him to do something about Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), McCarthy is failing to respond. That the QAnon supporter with a history of backing a wide variety of lunatic conspiracy theories, including believing that the 9/11 attacks were faked and those with clear anti-Semitic themes like her claim that California wildfires were caused by space lasers linked to the Rothschild bank, stands unrebuked by her party is not only a disgrace.

It’s also a gift that will keep on giving to their Democratic foes until McCarthy acts.

His hesitancy to do so isn’t just a profound and indefensible mistake; it’s also a product of a changed political landscape in which both major parties seem neither able nor willing to deal with extremists within their rank. In a tribal culture war in which the goal is to brand all opponents as beyond the pale, the two sides have come to believe that punishing one of their own is giving their opponents an undeserved victory.

In early 2019, things were very different.

After tolerating Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) for years, his defense of “white nationalism” and “white supremacy” was finally a bridge too far for the GOP. With the strong support of other Republicans—though not then President Donald Trump—McCarthy removed King from all committee assignments. The following year, the party establishment went all out to support a primary challenge to King that resulted in his defeat, ending the problem that his continued presence in the House posed for Republicans.

At the time, McCarthy’s exemplary discipline of King stood in stark contrast to

10 FEBRUARY 5, 2021

As a growing number of prominent members of the [Republican] party, as well as the Republican Jewish Coalition, have said, denouncing Taylor Greene and her wildly extremist stands is an imperative.

the way House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was handling the Democrats’ extremism problem.

When freshman House member Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) was exposed for having tweeted anti-Semitic memes about friends of Israel buying the support of Congress (“It’s all about the Benjamins”) and accusing Jewish legislators of dual loyalty, there were calls for Democrats to mete out the same discipline to her. But after criticizing Omar, Pelosi punted on any effort to rein her in. Not only did Omar escape censure for her calumnies, but she was rewarded with a coveted spot on the Foreign Relations Committee. She and the other radical Democratic BDS movement supporter Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) became, along with fellow “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), the rock stars of their party, feted by late-night TV comedians and given spots on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine along with their enabler Pelosi.

In the ensuing two years, the ranks of the “Squad” have expanded with their members no less extreme. Tlaib and new addition Jamal Bowman (D-N.Y.) both spread the blood libel about Israel cruelly denying the COVID-19 vaccine to Palestinians, despite the obvious falsity of the charge. But thanks

to the U.S. Capitol riot and the way it has helped focus public attention on right-wing extremists, nobody is paying attention to AOC and her friends.

Why then isn’t the GOP House leadership acting quickly to make clear that Taylor Greene does not speak for Republicans and they want nothing to do with her?

Blame it in part on the way the election and its aftermath further polarized American politics. In the wake of the events on Jan. 6, Democrats have seemed intent not just on impeaching Trump for his role in setting the riot in motion. They have also inflated a violent mob egged on by those who told them an election was being stolen into an “insurrection” they now wish to link to everyone who raised questions about the election results. Rather than focus on the actual extremists who took part in the violence or even just on Trump’s dubious efforts to overturn the results even after his legal options for challenging them had been exhausted, the left’s goals have become far more ambitious. They clearly want to make the Capitol violence the seminal event of recent history and to leverage it as a club with which they can beat anyone who dissents

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from their agenda for the foreseeable future.

With a partisan mainstream media behind them and Big Tech oligarchs also assisting in this effort, Republicans feel besieged and delegitimized. The GOP base is angry about the way Trump and conservatives are being censored by the left’s media allies. Moreover, they point to the Democrats’ hypocrisy with respect to condoning violent extremists, such as those who took part in hundreds of “mostly peaceful” Black Lives Matter demonstrations last year that turned into violent riots in cities throughout America.

Many on the right, even those who are opponents of white supremacists and anti-Semitism, are in no mood to sacrifice one of their own in order to placate opponents who will give them no credit for doing so — just as they got none for what they did to King.

That explains why Taylor Greene is getting support from rank-and-file Republicans that King, who was arguably not nearly as out-of-control or threatening, never received. And with her declaration that Trump, who still retains the sympathy of many of the 74 million people who voted for him three months ago, is backing her, McCarthy seems to be reasoning that getting rid of her will anger Republicans more than it will appease the rest of the country. With Democrats now threatening to vote to expel Taylor Greene from her two committee assignments if the Republicans don’t do it first, the GOP leadership is being put in a position where it will be damned by some of their supporters for meekly acquiescing to Democrat demands if they act against her and damned by everybody else if they don’t.

Like the constitutionally questionable effort to impeach Trump, the Democrats’ goal is not so much to punish Taylor Greene as to embarrass and divide the Republican Party.

But to understand the source of Republican reluctance is not to condone it. As a growing number of prominent members of the party, as well as the Republican Jewish Coalition, Please see Tobin, page 11

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Opinion Belated eulogy Editor’s Desk Toby Tabachnick

B

etty Pierce was not Jewish. But to a 6-year-old girl desperately in need of nurturing, she most definitely was a surrogate Jewish mother.

It was the late 1960s. Betty was my family’s housekeeper, a necessary addition to a household headed by a man putting in long hours at work and a woman who was dying of cancer.

She kept our house clean, prepared meals, did the laundry. After my mother passed away, Betty took on a larger role. She was now the one who greeted me when I came home from school, read to me, tucked me in at night. She was the one who gave my life some sense of normalcy when I was not feeling normal at all. I was the only kid I knew who did not have a mother, and I felt like an oddity. Let me tell you, that is an unsettling feeling for anyone, and especially for a young child.

I loved everything about Betty. Her melodic voice, which I can still hear clearly in my head. Her chin-length

Tobin: Continued from page 10

have said, denouncing Taylor Greene and her wildly extremist stands is an imperative.

Even if Republicans have good reason to feel aggrieved about the way they’ve been treated, all of the efforts to change the subject from Taylor Greene to Omar or the BLM rioters amounts to nothing more than

salt-and-pepper hair. I loved her smile. I loved how on summer days, she would sit with me in the backyard and make chains of clover flowers, and how she would let me stitch on a cloth napkin as she did the mending. In fact, when Mother’s Day rolled around, and all my classmates decorated hand-made cards for their moms, I gave the one I made to Betty.

I can say without an ounce of exageration that Betty Pierce saved me.

My father remarried in 1970, giving me the best of all possible step-moms, and about two years later, Betty stopped working for us. I don’t know why for sure, but suspect now that she felt less useful once my step-mother entered our home.

Anyway, one day, suddenly, Betty was just out of my life. And I admit, she soon went mostly out of mind.

Once, in 1983, while home from college on a break, Betty phoned our house, asking to speak with me. I was out at the time, but Betty asked that I call her back and she left her phone number.

This part is very hard for me to write. I never called her.

I suppose I can blame that decision on immaturity, or selfishness. I remember

feeling like it would be awkward to talk to her after so many years had passed, thinking that making conversation would be difficult.

And, there was that perennial excuse of the young: I was so busy.

I had no regrets about not calling Betty until about 10 years later, as Rosh Hashanah was approaching and I was in my early 30s.

Suddenly, it became critical to me to get in touch with her and to apologize for ignoring her for so many years when she had been so good to me when I needed her. I called information — this was before the internet — trying to get her phone number, but came up empty. I also realized that she would have been at least 80 years old by that time. I wasn’t even sure she was alive.

As the years passed, and I thought of Betty from time to time, I would Google her name and my hometown to see if I could find any information about her.

Nothing ever came up.

Until last week.

I don’t know what motivated me, but after many years of not searching for her, I once again typed Betty’s name in my browser’s search bar along with the word “obituary,” thinking I might find a death notice from the 1990s with at least some information

about her life.

My heart sank when, sure enough, an obituary from a funeral parlor in my hometown came up with her name and the date of her death: March 5, 2017. She was 104.

All those years I could have made a more deliberate effort to find her and I didn’t really try.

The obituary was brief, listing only that she was predeceased by her husband, Joe — whom I remembered — and that she had no survivors. I am heartbroken to think she may have died alone.

I have since scoured the internet, and have found no other information about Betty, except what may have been her last address, a senior living facility that looked pretty nice from the website. I have found a small bit of consolation in that.

I wish I could go back a few years and call her, visit her, maybe comfort her as she comforted me all those decades ago.

But all I can do now is correct the record here: It is not true that Betty Pierce, age 104, had no survivors.

She had at least one. PJC

whataboutism. As David Harris, head of the liberal-leaning American Jewish Committee aptly pointed out, anti-Semitic extremism exists on both the left and the right, but the lack of action against the former can never excuse a failure on the part of the GOP to deal with its Marjorie Taylor Greene problem.

The dilemma here is, after all, not merely political. We have already seen what happens when anti-Semitism is normalized with respect to BDS supporters and others on the

left. If Republicans were to act in a manner as to allow Taylor Greene to pretend that she has a place in the mainstream of her party, it would send an unmistakable signal to those who peddle anti-Semitic, violent and dangerous conspiracy theories that half the country backs them even if it isn’t true.

Trump’s petulant unwillingness to plainly condemn extremists at every opportunity enabled his opponents to portray him as an anti-Semite, even if that was palpably false.

But House Republicans are in no position to send equivocal messages when the extremist in question is a member of their own caucus.

They must unambiguously ostracize Taylor Greene — and soon. If they don’t, they will be in no position to complain if Democrats and the liberal media make her the face of the GOP in coming years. PJC

Correction

1 4 3 1/2 1 1/2

One of the recipes for the Webster Hall Coffee Cake (“What happened to the Webster Hall Coffee Cake?” Jan. 29, 2021) was incomplete, missing several eggs. The correct recipe is below. The Chronicle regrets the error, as well as any overly dry cakes resulting from it.

by Elaine Kahn Light

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter 1 cup sugar 6 eggs 2 egg yolks, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla

— LETTERS — As an out-of-state subscriber to the Jewish Chronicle I wanted to comment on the high quality reporters you have on staff.

I thoroughly enjoy both Adam Reinherz and David Rullo. Their creativity and sensitivity to all stories is appreciated.

Thank you.

Robert Kimmel Detroit, Michigan PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor in chief of JNS, where this piece first appeared.

teaspoon lemon flavoring cups sifted, all-purpose flour teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt cup mixed candied fruits and raisins cup slivered almonds

Preheat over 375 F. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Blend in three of the eggs and one egg yolk. Mix well. Add remaining eggs and egg yolk and continue to blend thoroughly. Add vanilla and lemon flavoring.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Blend flour slowly into egg mixture, a little at a time. Stir in mixed fruits. Spread nuts evenly on bottom of greased 10-inch tube pan and pour batter.

Bake about 1 hour or until done. PJC

Gugelhopf

Praise for Chronicle writers

Toby Tabacnick can be reached at ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

We invite you to submit letters for publication. Letters must include name, address and daytime phone number; addresses and phone numbers will not be published. Letters may not exceed 500 words and may be edited for length and clarity; they cannot be returned.

Mail, fax or email letters to:

Letters to the editor via email:

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letters@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

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Fax 412-521-0154

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pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

FEBRUARY 5, 2021 11

Headlines Twerski: Continued from page 1

Twerski is recognized as having called out addiction problems in the Jewish community. It was a task for which he was lauded and one which left a lasting impression on his granddaughter, Chaya Ruchie Twerski.

“My grandfather used to pray on Saturday mornings in Chabad and when we would walk home from synagogue, every single Shabbos was the same thing. Cars would honk, people would roll down their windows and shout, ‘Sending our love,’ or ‘Five years clean, Dr. T.’ It was a beautiful experience and that’s what we grew up with.”

Both Chaya and her brother Chaim now live in Israel and visited Twerski often during the last several weeks.

“We were the ones that God chose to be here with him,” she said. “It doesn’t even come close to what he was able to do for us.”

Chaim is thankful that the Hadassah Medical Center allowed the two to visit their grandfather, despite the COVID-19 virus.

“They took care of him,” he said. “They let us in to the COVID ward, even with all the overwhelming pressure and stress.”

Chaim remembered Twerski as a father figure.

“My parents were divorced,” he said. “We lived with my mother and had a great life. He

raised us. He never raised his voice. We were in awe of him. He was a great, great man.”

Twerski’s interests ran beyond helping adults combat addiction. He worked with Pittsburgh resident Mike Pasternak in the early 2000s, helping to create the program Transitions for boys from Orthodox homes dealing with addiction issues.

“He was an amazing person who cared about everyone,” Pasternak remembered.

“Every day I spent with him was an experience seeing someone be the ultimate mensch, caring for everybody.”

In 1996, Twerski turned his gaze to the issue of spousal abuse in the Jewish community. He authored the book “The Shame

Vaccinations: Continued from page 1

include adults 65 and older and anyone between the ages of 16-64 with a host of high-risk conditions, including cancer, chronic kidney disease, sickle cell disease, Type 2 diabetes, COPD, Down syndrome and heart conditions, as well as immunocompromised individuals, those classified as obese or severely obese, pregnant women and smokers.

As of Jan. 21, Pennsylvania was one of 17 states still in Phase 1A of the vaccine’s rollout, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation. For many in the Pittsburgh Jewish community, the process of actually getting a shot has been stymied by a limited supply of the vaccine, miscommunication and technological challenges.

Bryna Siegel Finer is in her 40s but qualifies for the vaccine now because she is immunocompromised.

“The only reason I was able to get it was because I have a friend who was at home and could basically click on the computer for me because she didn’t have anything else to do,” said Finer, who lives in Swisshelm Park. “I have a full-time job; I couldn’t be home all day clicking for an appointment.”

Finer thinks the ability to be vaccinated depends on access and privilege.

“If you are privileged enough to be home all day clicking on the computer; if you’re savvy enough to figure out the system; if you have access to a car and can drop everything to go that day or the next day, then you can get the vaccine,” she said. “If you don’t have all of those things, then you’re not getting it right now.”

For some, having access to all those things still does not guarantee getting inoculated.

Joan Weiss Stein, 65, was trying to help both her sister-in-law, 79, and brother-in-law, 82, register to get vaccinated when the state expanded the eligibility pool to include her.

She grabbed her computer and immediately went to a link to the Allegheny Health Network provided by a friend. “It was like a miracle,” Stein said. “We got on and we all got appointments. It was a Sunday and we got scheduled for our first appointment the following Tuesday. They scheduled our following shot for three weeks later. Everything was wonderful.”

The three even received email confirmations of their appointments.

12 FEBRUARY 5, 2021

 Pennsylvania Vaccine Dashboard, Feb. 1, 2021

Elation soon turned to disappointment when Stein opened another email from the health care provider explaining that the link she used was sent out inadvertently and was only intended for AHN healthcare workers.

Because of the mistake, their appointments were canceled.

“We went back to square one,” she said.

Since then, Stein has gone to the health. pa.gov website every day.

“The first day I went there were 10,623 people in front of me,” she said. “I’ve had to wait four hours and 23 minutes, only to learn there are no available appointments.

I go on the website now no fewer than 10 times a day.”

Long waits, canceled appointments and limited capacity are not the only complaints with the registration websites.

Dana Hirsch Himmel is included in the high-risk group because she suffered a heart attack a year-and-a-half ago. She was confused and flummoxed by a website meant to be easy to understand.

“I went to the state’s website and it takes you to this little map that has all these dots and no explanations,” she said. “As someone who has worked in marketing, how do you have any

Screenshot from health.pa.gov

sort of visual without a key to what it means?”

Eventually, Himmel learned of a clinic in Monroeville where she and her in-laws were able to make appointments. But they were notified later that those appointments would have to be canceled because that clinic only was providing shots for health care workers.

Himmel is frustrated because what should be a straightforward process has become a treasure hunt dependent on chance or influence.

“It sort of becomes this game where it’s like, who do you know?” she said. “People will put stuff on Facebook like, ‘Oh, I heard of somewhere — private message me if you want to know.’”

Those frustrated by the system cast blame on federal, state and local health care officials.

Mistakes initially made at the federal level were compounded by Pennsylvania, Stein said.

“The state opened up Pandora’s box without knowing what was inside,” she said. “It was entirely irresponsible for the state to open up the eligibility when they know they have not completed vaccinating the [initial group of] people in 1A.” What was missing in Pennsylvania was a plan, said Shapiro, and “then simply

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Borne in Silence: Spouse Abuse in the Jewish Community.”

“I don’t think there is any question that my constantly beating the drum has brought it out,” Twerski told the Chronicle in 2010.

“There is no question my efforts have paid off in the long run. More women are now getting help. There are more organizations and more hotlines, and there is more education among rabbis.”

The Orthodox rabbi was willing to step beyond Jewish dogma when necessary. He supported Alcoholics Anonymous, despite some of the Christian thought associated Please see Twerski, page 20

sticking to that plan.”

Pennsylvania Department of Health Deputy Press Secretary Maggi Barton, in a written response to an inquiry from the Chronicle, said the department “designed the vaccine plans to ensure that vaccinations happen in an ethical, equitable and efficient way.”

Barton urged residents to have patience, pointing out that the amount of vaccine currently available is limited but that there will be more in the future.

As of Feb. 1, according to Barton, “providers have administered more than 1,008,025 vaccines across the state.”

Those numbers pale compared to need.

There are currently 4 million Pennsylvanians eligible to receive the vaccine, meaning the state requires 8 million doses. To date, Barton said, Pennsylvania has received 1.5 million doses.

Barton recommended that residents continue to wear masks, wash their hands, social distance and download the COVID Alert PA app while waiting for the state to receive an adequate supply of vaccines.

A silver lining amidst the frustration has been the community working together to help access vaccines.

One leader in the Pittsburgh Jewish community who has reached out to help is Deborah Winn-Horvitz. The president and CEO of the Jewish Association on Aging was planning a vaccine clinic for its health care employees and residents when she realized that many Holocaust survivors around Pittsburgh might still need to be vaccinated. As a result of her efforts, five survivors were scheduled to get the vaccine on Feb. 3.

While the hunt for the COVID-19 vaccine has caused anxiety and worry for many, Lynn Rubenson might have found a simple solution.

“When it was announced that anyone 65 and older could receive the vaccine, I started doing what everyone else was doing, which is feverishly looking for where I could find an appointment,” she said. “Then I thought, this is ridiculous. I hate to say it, but Pennsylvania has been lackluster in the way they’ve been running their website and providing information, so I’ve decided to take my own best advice: Wait a couple of weeks. I think then we’ll see it open up. What’s another month?

I’ve been waiting this long.” PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines Judges: Continued from page 2

Bryan Neft, a member of Beth El Congregation of the South Hills, is running for judge of the Pennsylvania Superior Court.

A past president of the Allegheny County Bar Association and a member of the group’s gender bias subcommittee, Neft has spent decades practicing commercial litigation, health care and toxic tort law. His career has been dedicated to creating fairness and equity, he said.

If elected to the Superior Court, Neft said

PJ Library: Continued from page 3

lights and designed a pipe cleaner and paper hut for figurines. That project inspired Wolfson’s children to ask if they could rebuild the sukkah every day for almost two weeks straight.

PJ Library activities provide families a fun way to connect with the Jewish community, and also a means for adults to build friendships, said Wolfson.

Before each program, West erects a table in the Forbes Avenue parking lot beneath the Squirrel Hill Jewish Community Center.

Parents then drive through and quickly retrieve materials. During the exchange, West greets each driver, regardless of weather — last week the table was relocated due to wind and cold.

It was through a parking lot pickup that West and Wolfson developed “a charming

Farkas: Continued from page 4

“seeing a wide variety of work,” said Farkas, 31. Between making videos for government organizations or politicians, and working with clients including PBS and National Geographic, “it allowed for a really broad range of experiences.”

By 2018, Farkas had risen to the role of editor at IMG. “The editor is the person who brings all the pieces together,” said Farkas. It’s the last step in the process, and requires someone who can work with the blueprint, script and

Blessing: Continued from page 5

“Once again, we consecrate ourselves to the task of building a better world,” Priesand said. “Those who sit here have been granted positions of authority by their fellow citizens. May they use their power wisely and for the good of all.”

Mortman didn’t plan to write a book at first. Initially, it was curiosity that drove him. He is director for communications at C-SPAN, which televises raw footage of the Senate and House floors.

“I basically watch C-SPAN for a living,” he said.

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he will continue upholding those principles.

“The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a very diverse electorate at the end of the day,” Neft said. “The people in northeast Pennsylvania are very different from the people that are in southwest Pennsylvania, and very different from those that are in Philadelphia.

As a judge on the appellate court, everybody comes into the courtroom with a blank slate.

You see people from all walks of life ... and people have to know that you believe in that.

“Being a member of the community like I have, and participating in community service to make sure that the underprivileged are served, gives you that insight to

be able to help people when they come into the courtroom.”

Neft sees the role of judge as someone who acts as “a public servant” who is “there for the taxpayers,” he said. The job requires “being diligent, being expeditious with decisions, and making sure that every person that comes in that courtroom gets an opportunity to be heard.”

But beyond those responsibilities, serving as a judge on the Superior Court requires integrity, said Neft, 56.

For nearly 15 years, the married father of three has served in leadership roles on the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Board of

Governors and championed issues affecting women, people of color and LGBTQ+ members of the legal profession. Neft also chaired the committee responsible for drafting the ACBA’s Code of Professionalism for the Bar Association. Within the Jewish community, he’s held multiple volunteer positions, including Young Adult Division leader for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and board member of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh. PJC

friendship,” said Wolfson.

Building relationships with families has reminded West how difficult it can be for many parents to meet these days. Through virtual get-togethers, like the holiday-related celebrations, or “Touch Base Tuesdays” and “Under One-derful Wednesdays,” PJ Library is “really working to find new and different ways to be social and connect people,” she said.

“Many families feel pandemic-induced stress with balancing work with child care and managing their own kids’ anxiety, stress and social isolation,” said Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh President and CEO Jeffrey Finkelstein. “For these families right now, PJ Library is more important than ever in relieving family stress and in continuing to connect kids to Jewish life when almost everyone feels disconnected. The Jewish Federation is proud to be the sole local sponsor of PJ Library books in Pittsburgh.”

PJ Library Pittsburgh is funded with support from the Federation’s Community Campaign in conjunction with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. The Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh serves as PJ Library Pittsburgh’s “implementing partner,” said West, and collectively, the organizations ensure quality programs and Jewish literature are available to families, regardless of background, knowledge or level of observance. Years before participating in holiday-related Zoom programming, the Wolfsons received books each month from PJ Library.

“I am married to a Squirrel Hill-born Jewish boy, who is an only child, and when our daughter was born in 2013, my in-laws signed us up to get PJ Library books,” said Wolfson.

Two years later, when Wolfson’s son was born, the family added another subscription.

The extensive collection of books from PJ

Library has helped to raise children “with a general belief system that is rooted in Judaism,” Wolfson said.

“I was born and raised Catholic, so I don’t have the knowledge and experience of being in the Jewish faith,” she continued.

“And not only are we a multi-religious household — my husband is Jewish, I am African American.”

Wolfson said she and her family do not belong to a synagogue, and that PJ Library is “our way of connecting Judaism to the kids.”

She encouraged other families, regardless of faith or background, to build meaning through PJ Library’s many offerings.

“The biggest thing is to support it, connect with it, ask about it,” added Wolfson. “You don’t have to be Jewish to find its value and enjoyment.” PJC

graphic elements and “take all of those pieces and put them into something cohesive.”

Near the end of 2018, Farkas and their wife returned to Pittsburgh to be closer to family. Coming home began a stretch as a freelancer, which continues today.

At first, finding clients was challenging — people were more inclined to rely on those who worked in-house — but the pandemic altered the landscape in some ways. With so many people working remotely, clients cared less about whether someone was located in New York City, Washington, D.C., or even Pittsburgh.

“Putting files in Dropbox is putting files in Dropbox,” said Farkas. “You can do it from

anywhere with good internet connection.”

In recent months, Farkas has reconnected and collaborated with former colleagues, some of whom are now scattered across the Midwest. Moving forward, however, Farkas is hoping to develop closer connections in the Pittsburgh area — and in doing so, bring their work full circle.

As a child, Farkas and their “bubbe” spent hours watching PBS programs including “Lamb Chop’s Play-Along” and “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

“I would sit in front of the TV and my bubbe would tell me to move back,” said Farkas.

As an adult, when the opportunity arose to work with PBS, “it was one of the coolest

and greatest experiences of my career,” said Farkas. “I believe in their mission and their programming, so getting to work with the people who also believe so strongly in their programs and mission was really cool.”

While working for PBS again would be great, Farkas is now focusing on growing a list of local collaborators, a lesson familiar to generations of PBS viewers.

“I see video creation as a communal experience,” said Farkas. “And it’s all the more rewarding when you do it with people who are your neighbors.” PJC

Over the years, Mortman developed a fascination with the opening prayer.

“It looks like nothing else that happens throughout the day,” he said. “There’s no partisan rancor. There’s no arguing. It’s a straightforward kind of a unifying moment.”

Mortman said he took notice whenever a rabbi led prayer. In 2014, he started keeping track on a spreadsheet, like a sports fanatic tracking player stats. He documented their names, synagogues, hometowns and other details. His curiosity eventually led him to delve into the history of the tradition. He searched through C-SPAN’s video archive, which dates back to 1979, and looked through Congressional Records, the official record of the proceedings and debates of Congress. The

Library of Congress has made a vast majority of these records available to search online for free, which Mortman said enabled him to conduct research from his computer at home.

Mortman said he always dreamed of writing a book, but he never knew on what. But after he saw that very little had been written about the history of prayer in Congress, it dawned on him that this was the book he was meant to write.

“The exciting part was doing something that no one’s ever done before. The frightening part was, I hope I get it right. I’m not a professional academic. I’m not a professional historian. And I am not a rabbi,” Mortman said. “So I wanted to make sure I get both the history right and the Jewish part of it right,

and knowing that, ultimately, it’s my record keeping that tells the story.”

Mortman said he aimed appeal to any history lover, Jews and non-Jews alike. Studying this history can help people better understand the intersection of religion and government.

“In my opinion, this is a part of Congress that just deserves more attention and interest,” Mortman said. “This book is the story of hundreds of rabbis who have opened Congress with prayer, stories that have never been told before. Rabbis who have never gotten the attention I think they deserve.” PJC

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

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

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

Eric Schucht is a writer for Washington Jewish Week, where this first appeared. Toby Tabachnick contributed to this story.

FEBRUARY 5, 2021 13

Life & Culture Chocolate espresso cake an easy solution when pressed for time — FOOD —

By Jessica Grann | Special to the Chronicle

H

ave you ever needed to get a dessert together and felt really stressed for time? Here’s a solution: my go-to, one-bowl chocolate cake recipe. It has two easy hacks, which means you can mix this up and have it baking in the oven in about five minutes. It also happens to be one of my favorite cakes because it’s so versatile.

Just dust it with powdered sugar and it’s lovely. You also can make a quick chocolate ganache to drizzle over the top, or fully frost it with your favorite vanilla buttercream or cocoa powder icing.

Chocolate espresso cake Photos by Jessica Grann

Serves 12-16

Ingredients: 1 box devil’s-food cake mix 1 package instant chocolate pudding 1 cup sour cream or vegan sour cream 4 large eggs ½ cup avocado oil or neutral vegetable oil ½ cup water 2 teaspoons espresso powder or instant coffee 1

cup chocolate chips 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract Powdered sugar for decorating.

Optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts

Bernita Buncher The officers, board and staff of the American Technion Society (ATS) are saddened by the loss of Bernita Buncher, of Pittsburgh, Penn. She was the President of the Jack Buncher Foundation, carrying on the traditions of giving championed by her father, Jack z”l. Ms. Buncher was a Technion Guardian, a designation for those who have reached the highest level of commitment. She and the Foundation supported numerous impactful projects at the Technion. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her children Amy Rubinoff, Caryn Rubinoff, Michael Rubinoff, and Daniel Rubinoff, and the entire family.

American Society for Technion - Israel Institute of Technology Steve Berger, President Zahava Bar-Nir, Chair of the Board Michael Waxman-Lenz, CEO Joey Selesny, Senior Director of Development

14

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Place oven rack on the middle shelf and preheat your oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, oil, water and espresso powder and mix until well combined. You can mix this by hand but it’s a thick batter, so for speed I suggest using a hand mixer, which will take about 2 minutes.

Stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla by hand. If you’d like to add nuts, add them at this time. Lightly grease a Bundt or tube pan.

Pour the batter in using a rubber spatula and smooth the batter so that it is level in the pan.

Place the cake in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before turning out onto a large plate.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

The easiest way to do this is with a mesh wire strainer. Place 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar into the strainer, and tap gently until you reach your desired amount.

Optional chocolate ganache Ingredients: 1 cup heavy cream or 1 can coconut cream (do not substitute with half-and-half or milk) 1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips

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1

(if you want to make this recipe pareve, I recommend California Gourmet chocolate chips) pinch sea salt

Fill a saucepan with a few inches of water to boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer.

Place a medium-size bowl that is a little wider than the saucepan on top, so that it sits a few inches above the simmering water but is cradled by the saucepan.

Pour cream and chocolate into the glass bowl and stir until it combines.

Spoon the ganache over the cake while it is warm; it will solidify if left to cool. If it gets too hard to spoon out, place the bowl over the simmering water to warm it up again.

Once the ganache is on the cake, you can sprinkle chopped nuts, sprinkles or small candies on top of the frosting. If you don’t use the ganache recipe for this cake, tuck it away for a later date. PJC Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.

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Life & Culture No joke: Jewish comic wants to open comedy venue in Pittsburgh church — COMEDY —

By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

D

id you hear the one about the goodhearted Jewish comedian who went to buy a church in Pittsburgh?

No, that’s not a joke. That’s our story.

Steve Hofstetter, a Los Angeles-based comedian originally from the East Coast, is in the process of purchasing a church in Stanton Heights to help buoy the region’s comedy scene. He’s calling his project the Steel City Arts Foundation or, more appropriate to a comedy moniker, Steel City AF. “I found this building and the more I looked at it and did my research on the city, the more it made sense,” Hofstetter told the Chronicle.

The former Stanton Heights United Methodist Church and rectory boast more than 13,000 square feet on about half an acre of land, according to current real estate listings.

The main chapel, which Hofstetter envisions as a comedy space with seating for up to 300, is set up as an art studio; the basement is a recording studio, both used by the owner who bought it after the church closed. The main house is updated and ready for moving in.

Hofstetter, who wants to host comedy and arts events at the former church as well as offer housing there for visiting comedians, looks at the site — current asking price: $1.235 million — and sees a huge opportunity.

Pittsburgh presents great potential for touring comedians, Hofstetter said. It is within a six-hour drive of 18 different comedy markets and a “short flight” to about half the population of the U.S. and Canada, he said. Its low cost of living and great access to arts and culture also make it attractive.

“I’ve always really liked Pittsburgh — it’s

 The church at 4721 Stanton Avenue is slated by comedian Steve Hofstetter (inset) to be the home of Steel City Arts Foundation

Photo by Google Street View; Steve Hofstetter photo by Mark Feocco

probably one of the nine or 10 cities in the U.S. where I’d consider living,” Hofstetter said. “It’s a wonderful place for a comedian to be based. It’s a cool city.”

Hofstetter stressed, however, that all of his plans are tentative. The deal has not yet closed, and he added, above everything, he is highly aware that almost all of the properties around the church site are residential. He doesn’t want to become a thorn in anyone’s side.

“There’s a lot of interest [about the housing] and I’ve already gotten more than 100 messages from people being like, ‘When can I move in?’” he laughed. “But we want to be a good neighbor.”

To that end, Hofstetter is committed to attending community meetings and discussing use of the site with neighbors.

Kaitlyn Brennan, president of the Stanton Heights Neighborhood Association, sits on his board of directors. (Jewish comedian Elayne Boosler sits on his board as well.)

“We’re working hard to communicate our ideas and listen to theirs,” Hofstetter said.

“We don’t want to dictate ‘Here’s what we’re going to do’ as much as we want to listen.”

Hofstetter has a history in comedy philanthropy. He formed a nonprofit group to benefit comedians — the Martin Foundation — after the death of his father, who applauded the trade and helped

Hofstetter cut his young teeth on comedy records as the younger Hofstetter grew up in New York. He’s also been involved with the Socially Distant Social Club, a virtual place for comedians to get a paid gig during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But is there any particularly Jewish meaning to Hofstetter’s Pittsburgh venture?

“What it means is I’m gonna have to get on a cherry picker and take a cross down,” Hofstetter laughed. “We’ve talked to another church about donating it — but it’s coming down.” PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

‘The Choral Torah’ casts new light through online concert — MUSIC —

By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

T

he story of “The Choral Torah: 5 Books in 4 Parts,” which New Light Congregation’s Sing A New Light will present on Feb. 6, actually starts at a Jewish summer camp in the Berkshires.

There, Josh Ehrlich, a New Jersey native with an ear and a love for music, was writing songs for the camp choir when the camp’s director, former Pittsburgher Ethan Linden, started leading groups with daily aphorisms from the Bible. Ehrlich’s interest was piqued.

“All of a sudden, it galvanized into this excitement about what it could be,” Ehrilch told the Chronicle.

Ehrlich, who started studying in New York at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2020 to become a cantor, will help lead the online program, which, organizers say, will help listeners “dig deep into our oldest text

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 Josh Ehrlich

Photo provided by Josh Ehrlich

in search of new music.”

But Ehrlich said the performance is not simply just about singing or reciting the literal words of the Torah.

“The sort of ‘big picture’ version is to get

people excited about the words,” Ehrlich said, “and also to appreciate all the things you miss when [Torah] is translated into English.”

The “‘Magic School Bus’-style ride” through the Bible will be performed by Ehrlich, Leilah Rosen and the all-sibling musical ensemble The Four Hermaneutics.

“At heart, the Torah is a piece of music,” according to promotional materials. “Its words are notated in ornate calligraphy like an ancient score and transmitted by cantillation. What’s more, we are commanded in its final chapters to ‘Write for yourselves this song; teach it to the children of Israel and place it in their mouths.’”

By day, Ehrlich works as a composer, lyricist, arranger, accompanist, music director and music educator in New York City. With a bachelor’s degree in linguistics from Yale University and a master’s in composition from Rutgers University, Ehrlich orchestrates for musical theater productions, bands and choirs at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires and The Leffell High School. He

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

made his off-Broadway debut with “The Imbible: Day Drinking.”

But Ehrlich says he is incredibly proud of his work on “The Choral Torah,” which he composed in 2018 and 2019.

“I’m kind of happy to show people the diversity of the book itself — but also the diversity of what you can do with it,” he said.

Sing A New Light is an ongoing program created in memory of those who were killed during the massacre at the Tree of Life building on Oct. 27, 2018. Among the murdered were three members of New Light: Dan Stein, Richard Gottfried and Melvin Wax. Stein and Gottfried were founding members of New Light’s choir.

Admission to the program, which is supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale, is free but advanced registration is required at singanewlight.org. PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

FEBRUARY 5, 2021 15

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The Taj Mahal is Western PA’s finest Indian restaurant. Its numerous awards, designations, recognition (by no less than the Indian Embassy and delegation) and sheer volume of business, both in the restaurant and through its renowned catering, is evidence for that fact. They have also been featured in numerous cooking exhibitions, taste testings and even on television. From their incredible lunch buffet (served 7 days a week), to their dinner specialities and their exquisite classic catered weddings (oftentimes for more than a 1,000 guests), the Taj Mahal’s reputation and legacy has grown to incredible heights. So whether it’s lunch, dinner or a catered event, the Taj Mahal stands ready to serve you.

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ADVERTISE IN THE RESTAURANT SECTION RESERVE YOUR SPACE no later than NOON FRIDAY. Contact Phil Durler, Senior Sales Associate 724-713-8874 • pdurler@pittburghjewishchronicle.org PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

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FEBRUARY 5, 2021 17

Celebrations

Torah

Bar mitzvah

From God’s voice to the prophet’s ear — and to our own Rabbi Daniel Yolkut Parshat Yitro Exodus 18:1 — 20:23

P

Maxwell Edward Farber will become a bar mitzvah on Feb. 6 at Rodef Shalom Congregation.

Max is the son of Julie and Joshua Farber and big brother to Zachary, Jacob and Samantha.

His maternal grandparents are Zelda and the late Dr. Edward Curtiss of Pittsburgh. His paternal grandparents are Nancy and Shelley Farber also of Pittsburgh. Max is a student at Dorseyville Middle School. PJC

C A N T O R I A L P O S I T I O N AVA I L A B L E Pittsburgh’s Reconstructionist Jewish Congregation, Dor Hadash, is seeking a singer to serve as cantor for the Fall 2021 High Holidays.

Duties would comprise chanting prayers for Rosh Hashanah (2 days) and Yom Kippur services in collaboration with lay service leaders.

Compensation will be commensurate with experience.

Please provide a resume, cover letter, and references to admin@dorhadash.net by February 22.

arshat Yitro contains the foundational experience on which all of Judaism rests — the revelation at Sinai. We repeat this section twice annually: this week, during the reading of the Torah, and in a few months on the festival of Shavuot, when we calendrically relive those events.

Our tradition always pairs the Torah reading with a haftarah that thematically parallels the primary reading. When challenged to find the analogue to Sinai, our Sages chose prophetic readings that dealt with the personal revelatory experiences of great prophets: Isaiah for Yitro, and Ezekiel for Shavuot. However, the two readings are starkly different: Isaiah’s description of his angelic dedication to prophecy is terse and almost matter of fact, while the opening chapter of Ezekiel is lush with detail, with an almost hallucinogenic tint to Ezekiel’s breathless verbal rendering of the mind-altering experience of revelation.

The Talmud is aware of this strange dichotomy, and offers the following intriguing distinction: “Rava said: All that Ezekiel saw, Isaiah saw as well. To what may Ezekiel be compared?

To a villager who saw the king. And to what may Isaiah be compared? To a city-dweller who saw the king” (Chagigah 13b).

Rava teaches that while the experience that both prophets beheld was identical, the presentation of them in scripture is quite different, just as two viewers of the same royal retinue may describe what happened to them differently. Maimonides in his philosophical work “The Guide for the Perplexed,” suggests that the city-dweller and villager are similes reflecting different levels of spiritual development, and that Isaiah was on a mystically superior level to Isaiah.

Strikingly, the Maharsha (R. Shlomo Eideles, 16th-century Poland) does not understand this as a simile, but rather as a biographical observation about both prophets. Isaiah grew up in Jerusalem as a

royal relative, while Ezekiel, according to the Maharsha, was a native of the village of Anatot. (This seems to be predicated on a Midrashic tradition that teaches that Ezekiel was a close relative of the prophet Jeremiah, who the Tanakh does indeed identify as a

Parshat Yitro contains the foundational experience on which all of Judaism rests — the revelation at Sinai.

native of Anatot.) While the mystical revelation was indeed identical, the sophisticated and aristocratic Isaiah described it in a subtle, understated fashion, while Ezekiel’s rural and more humble origins, untouched by the pomp and circumstance of the royal court, led him to describe the angelic vision in a much more excited, almost naive way.

This observation about the perception of revelation is relevant for the Torah as a whole.

Torah and the system of halacha makes objective demands of every Jew, which are identical. How we experience those mitzvot, though, is a highly personalized experience, and God expects us to observe His normative commands in a way that binds us to him filtered through the unique lens of our own experience. PJC Rabbi Daniel Yolkut is the spiritual leader of Congregation Poale Zedeck. This column is a service of the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Pittsburgh.

Did You Know?

Mount Zion Jewish Cemetery - Borough of Sugarcreek, Venango County The first Jewish settlers arrived before the oil boom. Moses Koch came to Franklin about 1839 and left for Erie in 1842, becoming an important leader. With the discovery of oil, the population boomed. A group of mostly German immigrants chartered Congregation Emanuel in 1865, the first Jewish congregation in Western Pennsylvania outside of Pittsburgh. In 1870, Mount Zion Hebrew Burial Association of Franklin purchased a one-acre piece of property in Sugarcreek Township for the cemetery. The earliest burials were in 1871.

The Jewish population of Franklin peaked in 1873 at 175 people. As oil fields in northwest Pennsylvania were depleted in the 1880s, the economy of the region stalled and many Jewish merchants left the area. In 1915, a new group of residents voted to revive the dormant congregation after a lapse of nearly forty years and hired a rabbi. By about 1940, though, Congregation Emanuel had dissolved for a second time and some of its members had joined the Tree of Life Congregation in nearby Oil City.

As Sugarcreek grew, its municipal office was built directly across Fox Street from the cemetery. The cemetery, with 100 graves, has been wonderfully and beautifully cared for by the Borough of Sugarcreek for over thirty years.

The Jewish Cemetery and Burial Association of Greater Pittsburgh has been involved since 2020.

JCBA’s expanded vision is made possible by a generous grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Jewish Community Foundation

18 FEBRUARY 5, 2021

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Obituaries FELMAN: Leonard S. Felman. On Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, Leonard S. Felman passed away at the age of 85 peacefully surrounded by loved ones. Leonard was born Oct. 14, 1935, in Pittsburgh, and was a graduate of Kiski Prep in 1953 and University of Miami in 1957. Leonard married the love of his life, Doni, in 1964 and raised three children in Squirrel Hill. He was an entrepreneur who owned several businesses in his lifetime. Diaper services to car dealerships to insurance consulting to being an active board member at Florida Atlantic University, Leonard left a legacy of associates and friends throughout his life who continually kept in touch and admired him as a kind, giving, intelligent and compassionate person. If you knew Leonard you knew about his most recent passion, the book he was writing detailing his amazing life in a way that cannot be captured here. Leonard was preceded in death by his mother, Ida, and father, Ruben. He is survived by his wife and best friend Leona (Doni), sister Susan Zelton (Bob), children Robyn Garner (Mike), Jacy Hunt, and Bill Felman (Amy); grandchildren Bryan (Sonya) Zlotnik, Hayley Zlotnik, Joshua Zlotnik, Lindsey Zlotnik, Emily Hunt, Ethan Hunt, Cara Felman, and Gabe Felman, as well as two great-grandchildren and many nephews and nieces. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Services will be private, because Leonard would throw a fit if too big of a deal was made, on Sunday Jan. 31, 2021. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Jewish National Fund. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com INDIANER: Stephen Herman Indianer passed away peacefully at home in Naples, Florida, on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021. Steve, a lifelong resident of Florida, will be remembered for his love of cars and music and for his friendly nature. He graduated from Miami Palmetto High School and then was among the youngest to earn his real estate license, which wasn’t difficult given that he had a photographic memory. Steve, always a deep thinker, loved writing, poetry and the creative use of words, even carrying a Scrabble set with him to engage others on a moment’s notice.

He later found that he loved to drive so much that he became a taxi driver. Steve collected records and loved attending concerts. He also loved to play pool and to go bowling, especially with his younger brothers. Steve never met a stranger, speaking with everyone he met and listening to their stories and offering his friendship. Steve is survived by his parents Paul and Nina Indianer of Miami and his mother, Julie Darwin (Fred Goldin) of Naples. He is also survived by his five siblings and their families, Dori and Lee Wexelbaum of Naples; Gary and Adi Indianer of Naples; Sunny Kroser of Kentucky; Tamara Indianer and Angie Quadrini of Natick, Massachusetts; and Evan and Adrienne Indianer of Pittsburgh. He is also survived by his step-brother Aaron and Debbie Feldman of Charlottesville, Virginia, and their family.

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LAINE: Delores (Dee) Laine, an incredibly special mom, grandma and GG passed away on Jan. 21. Her children, Mitch Laine (Tish Liggett) of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Karen Lazar (Lee) of Chicago, remember a loving, caring, wise and independent woman who always stayed true to her beliefs and values. Joined in those thoughts are her grandchildren, Stephen Lazar (Lindsey Harr) of Brooklyn, New York, and Wendy Kerschner (Brian) of Chicago, Illinois. Her love was also embraced by her great-grandsons, Judah and Nate. Dee was pre-deceased by her husband of 60 years, Chuck, who died 16 years ago, on the same date. Services and interment were private. Contributions in celebration of Dee’s life can be made to The New Riverview for programming activities, 52 Garetta Street, Pittsburgh PA 15217. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com PORTNER: Elaine Sharon Portner, age 80, died peacefully on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. She was born in Detroit in 1940, the daughter of the late Genevieve and Harry Portner. She was the beloved wife of Paul A. Pilkonis for 38 years.

She was the devoted mother of Daniel Blank (Eve), Michael Malloy (Marie), Judith Blank and Rebecca Blank; the caring stepmother of Julia Bear (Ran); the loving grandmother of Marc Malloy, Maximilian Malloy, and Cole Blank; and the attentive step-grandmother of Ella Bear, Adam Bear, and Oren Bear. Elaine’s life centered around her attachments to others, foremost her immediate family, but also including close relationships to multiple nieces and nephews and numerous cousins and their children. She lavished care and concern on her family and adored her grandchildren who were an ongoing source of joy and pride. She also maintained a close circle of friends with whom she shared many memorable moments.

Elaine had a lively intellectual life. She enjoyed books, puzzles and good conversation. Friends and family appreciated her trenchant observations, pointed wit, mischievous sense of humor and contagious laugh. She was admired for the whimsical poetry she wrote on behalf of family and friends for celebratory occasions. Her generosity of spirit and loving attitude were felt by all. Her commitment to family and relationships also informed her professional life. She graduated from the University of Michigan, and after receiving her advanced degrees (MSW and PhD) from the University of Pittsburgh, she was a member of the faculty for several years in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, most notably in the Family Therapy Clinic. Elaine’s reputation as an excellent therapist and teacher was recognized by colleagues and trainees. When she moved from academia in the 1980s, she established a private practice in psychotherapy for the last several decades of her life, where she continued to treat families, couples, and individuals who benefited from her care. In this time of COVID-19, there will be no visitation or funeral service.

Interment at Homewood Cemetery will be private. A memorial service will be held at a later, safer date. Donations may be made in Elaine’s name to the Jewish Association on Aging. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com Please see Obituaries, page 20

Jewish Association on Aging gratefully acknowledges contributions from the following: A gift from …

In memory of …

A gift from …

In memory of …

Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Milton Abes

Lois Fishman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Minnie Sokole

Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Leah Canter

Edward M. Goldston. . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Brown

Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William D. Orr

Jerry Gordon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samuel Gordon

Annette Alper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Irwin Alper

Audrey Hatfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bertha Lieber

Faye Bleiberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diane Friedman

Amy R. Kamin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samuel Kamin

Faye Bleiberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack I. Mallinger

Rita Reese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frances Barniker

Faye Bleiberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Esther Mallinger

Anne D. Rosenberg . . . . . . . . . .Jacob Rosenberg

Judith Blumenfeld . . . . . . . . . .Morton Blumenfeld

David Rosenberg. . . . . . . . . . . Edward Rosenberg

Dr. Stanley Cohen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara F. Cohen

David Rosenberg. . . . . . . . . . . .Minnie Rosenberg

Roberta Feldman . . . . . . . . . .Josephine Feldman

David Rosenberg. . . . . . . . . . . . .Jacob Rosenberg

Joan Finkel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miriam Silberman

Lois and Ira Rubin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Max Elinoff

Joan Finkel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benjamin Silberman

Eileen Snider. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dan Snider

THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS — Sunday February 7: Leonard Chasick, Israel Fineman, Harry Frank, Rachel Goodman, Lena Gordon, Louis Kantor, Esther Lehman, Freda Levine, Sarah Lurie, Herman Ryave, Rose Schwartz, Anna E. Shapiro, Tillie Shillit, Samuel Toker, Jack Wagner, Jeffrey S. Weiss, Sylvia Wittlin Monday February 8: Isaac Apple, Fannie Binstock, Morton Blumenfeld, Alfred Devon, Josephine Feldman, Reva Hankin, Albert F. Klein, Joseph G. Lazear, Moishe Ofshinski, Serrae Roberts, Ben Simon, Louise S. Sobel, Ida J. Wilner, John Wirtzman, Annette Wolk Tuesday February 9: Anna Friedman, Louis Friedman, O. Hicks Friedman, Fanny Gitelman, Jack Morris Glantz, Ann R. Hendel, Milton B. Krupp, Joseph Lewinter, Celia Lipsitz, William Mintz, Ruth Brill Moldovan, Celia Rofey, David M. Rosenberg, Samuel Earl Schugar, Rose Sherry, Bennie Silverman, Henry Singer, Tillie Tex Wednesday February 10: Abraham B. Amper, Philip Anolik, Sophie Auerbach, Gertrude Brody, Leah Canter, Esther Covel, Anne M. Darling, Harry Friedman, Mendel Helfand, Morris Herr, Julius Skigen, Mary Davis Solomon, Esther Spiro, Sidney Stark, David Zytnick Thursday February 11: Meyer Borofsky, David Brown, Morris Goldberg, Gertrude Grossman, Edward Haims, Leeba Hausman, Lillian Hoffman, Abram Katkisky, Helen Klein, Sam Lavine, Jacob Levine, Max Malkin, Morris Malt, Minnie Rosenberg, Rachel Sheffler Shuklansky, Abe Weiner, Louis Weiss, Gussie Wolf Friday February 12: Bessie Taback Americus, Louis Cohen, Isadore Dektor, Rachel Eisenberg, Dora Feldman, Sarah R. Fineman, Ida Goldberg, Adolph Graff, Jacob Horewitz, Joseph R. Kaufman, Isadore Libson, Milton Emanuel Linder, Morris T. Mason, Ben Neiman, Anna Goldie Pearlman, Martha Trachtenberg, Anna H. Wolfe, Ann Yecies aturday February 13: Milton Abes, Max H. Barnett, Izzy Brown, Harry Cohen, Joseph Cohen, Sarah Finkelstein, Leonard M. Friedman, Norman B. Goldfield, Sadye Goldstein, Minna Hohenstein, David Kaplan, Dr. Edward Kaplan, Sarah Kaufman, Rose G. Klein, Isaac Rosenberg, Bertha B. Rosenfeld, Joseph Rosenthal, Blanche Schultz, Celia Soloman, Samual Spokane, Ruth Steiger, Isaac Zuckerman

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FEBRUARY 5, 2021 19

Obituaries Obituaries: Continued from page 19

SCHONBERGER: Roslyn Schonberger, 92, of White Oak, passed away Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. She was born Jan. 24, 1928, in McKeesport and was the daughter of the late Maurice and Pearl (Jacobs) Greenfield. She was the wife of the late William Schonberger who passed away Oct. 1, 2019. Roslyn was a member of Gemilas Chesed Congregation. She was a former secretary for a Naval officer in Norfolk, Virginia, and had previously worked at the former Gimbels in Eastland, Byers Children’s Store in McKeesport and the A&P in the 10th Ward where she grew up. She is survived by her daughters, Lisa Schonberger of White Oak and Debra Stachowicz of Myerstown, grandchildren Ethan and Jana Stachowicz, brother, Seymour Greenfield of White Oak, and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sisters Annabel Davis and Lillian Halpern.

Graveside service took place Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, at the New Gemilas Chesed Cemetery,

White Oak. Rabbi Mendy Shapiro officiated.

Arrangements are by Gilbert Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1638 Lincoln Way, White Oak, 412-672-6322, Troy J. Gilbert, director. Condolences may be made at Gilbertfuneralhomeandcrematory.com.

SCHWARTZ: Charles “Chuckie” S chwartz, formerly of Pittsburgh, passed away on Jan. 17, 2021, in Venice, Florida. He was 77 years old. He was the son of the late Milton “Mickey” and Bert Schwartz. He is survived by his wife Rose (Grasso) Schwartz; devoted father of Mindy (Chad) Thompson and Jennifer (Shawn) Mars; brother of Barbara (Bob) Welsh and Susie (Howard) Abel; brother-in-law of Denny (Cindy) Grasso; cherished Papa of Hailey Thompson, Reese Thompson and Ezra Mars; former husband of Ellen Schwartz; and adoring uncle to many loving nieces and nephews. Chuckie was a graduate of Taylor Allderdice High School and the University of Pittsburgh. He is best remembered as the owner of Charles Catering. For over 50 years, he brought joy to many families through catering their special events. He was known

Real Estate

as the unofficial mayor of Squirrel Hill who was often seen running up and down Murray Avenue in his white apron. His well-earned retirement afforded him the time to have weekly visits with his daughter Jennifer, son-in-law Shawn, and grandson Ezra.

It was a joy to watch him keep up with his grandson. Our dad thoroughly enjoyed the last year living in Florida where he felt like he was on vacation every day. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Chuck’s memory to: JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry 5743 Bartlett St., Pittsburgh, PA 15217, 412-421-2708, jfcspgh.org/how-youcan-help. After all, what better way to honor our dad than to provide food to others as he always did? Or: Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, 412-621-6566, rodefshalom.org/give.

TEPPER: Bernard J. Tepper, 95 of Cincinnati (previously from Pittsburgh) passed away on Jan. 27, 2021. Bernard was born in Pittsburgh, was a veteran of World War II and proud owner of United Baking Company of Pittsburgh. He has lived in Cincinnati for the past 10 years. Bernard was preceded in death by his wives, Betty Edison Tepper

Twerski: Continued from page 12

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20 FEBRUARY 5, 2021

with the 12-step program.

Vogel, who hosts AA meetings at Aleph Institute, recalled that Twerski was a vocal supporter and encouraged the program in the community.

The author of over 60 books, Twerski often mixed the spiritual with the secular, writing about the Torah, psychology, addiction and self-help — including two books he co-authored with “Peanuts” creator Charles Shultz.

Rabbi Yisroel Rosenfeld of the Lubavitch Center of Pittsburgh said that Twerski’s ability to combine the spiritual and earthly was rare.

“He was an unusual kind of person,” Rosenfeld said. “A person that was down to earth, but at the same time very spiritual. He had a foot in and was able to reach out and be effective in the entire world.”

Twerski’s deep roots in Chasidism affected his worldview, said Rosenfeld.

“He was respected and honored by everyone because he did what he could in terms of tikkun olam and seeing how to affect the entire world, religious Jews and non-religious Jews, Jews and non-Jews. People would come to synagogue not knowing what to do but they would want to be here because of the deep respect they had for him.”

Rosenfeld said he will miss Twerski’s gift for song.

“He had a beautiful voice and was a great composer of songs,” said Rosenfeld. “He instructed his family he wanted no eulogies made at his funeral — instead they should sing one of the songs he composed. He would sing it very often here. He led the services here in the most beautiful way.”

In spite of the demands of his globally

and Marcella (Tootsie) Tepper and his son David Tepper. He is survived by his daughter Arlene Shuller (Ron), his grandchildren Betsy Shuller, Scott Shuller (Erin) and Joshua Tepper (Shifra) and his great-grandchildren Ethan Shuller, Elle Shuller, Eliana Tepper and Atara Tepper. Donations can be made to Etz Chaim Synagogue, 8100 Cornell Road, Cincinnati, OH 45249 or Adath Israel or the charity of your choice.

WEINSTEIN: Jacob “Jack” Weinstein, age 90, of Squirrel Hill and Shadyside passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Phyllis Moravitz Weinstein, with whom he had three sons. He is survived by his sons, Dr. Gary Weinstein and family, Rabbi Sam Weinstein and family and Robert Weinstein and family. He also is predeceased by his second wife Beverly P. Harlich Weinstein. In addition, he is survived by other beloved family members. A special thank you to the dedicated caregivers from Home Instead who were devoted to Jack. Services and interment at Homewood Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com PJC

recognized career, Twerski found time to contribute to local Jewish life in Pittsburgh.

He served as a founding vice president of the Kollel Jewish Learning Center and as president of the Lubavitch Center. His successor, Charles Saul, studied often with him.

“I used to learn with him every single day at 6:30 in the morning until 7:15 a.m. on all sort of Judaic studies,” said Saul. “We would always encourage him to tell us stories about his history, substance abuse. He was a fountain of knowledge. So unique.”

Saul’s debt to the rabbi runs deeper than Torah knowledge, however. He and his wife were members of Beth Israel Center before meeting Twerski when the rabbi spoke at their synagogue. The pair, who had two children and planned no more, were so inspired

by Twerski that they decided to deepen their involvement in Judaism.

Saul now has seven children, and credits Twerski’s influence for his expanded family.

Chaim Twerski remembers his grandfather as a person who knew people would stumble.

“My grandfather told me, ‘You’re going to make mistakes in life. You’re allowed to make mistakes. Please don’t make the same mistakes I made. Learn from my mistakes. Make your own mistakes. That’s what we’re here for, to not make the same mistake twice.’”

Looking back on his life, Twerski told the Chronicle in 2010 that he had no regrets.

“I can’t think of anything I would have done differently,” he said.

Twerski is survived by his second wife, Gail Bessler Twerski, three sons — Isaac, Ben and Shlomo — his daughter Sarah and a large extended family. PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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FEBRUARY 5, 2021 21

Community ‘May it please the court?’

That’s sweet

p Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh students joined more than 300 high school teams across Pennsylvania in the PBA/YLD Mock Trial Competition. Photo courtesy of Yikara Levari

p Meira and Ziva Gummerman and Rob Dougherty participte in “Nourishing the Neshama,” a Jan. 14 online challah baking class facilitated by Kesher Pittsburgh and Rodef Shalom Congregation.

Photo courtesy of Sara Stock Mayo

CDS marks Holocaust Remembrance Day Community Day School eighth-grade students shared readings at the “Gary and Nancy Tuckfelt Keeping Tabs: A Holocaust Sculpture” with the theme “Be the light in the darkness.”

Macher and Shaker

p Rabbi Jon Perlman received a doctorate of divinity honoris causa from the Jewish Theological Seminary during a Zoom ceremony on Jan. 31. Perlman is rabbi of New Light Congregation.

Photo courtesy of Beth Kissileff

p Aviv Davidson, Ilyssa Bails, Ben Pinkston, Lily Feinman and Oren Gilboa observe a moment of silent reflection after lighting six candles to remember the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

Photo courtesy of Community Day School

Cooking up friendship Shavuah Tov from the South Hills

January’s Cooking Club at The Friendship Circle had an “out of this world” theme as friends gathered to make “galaxy popcorn” and “sushi aliens” on Zoom.

p Rabbis Emily and Aaron Meyer, of Temple Emanuel, and daughter Evelyn celebrate havdalah on Jan. 30.

Screenshot by Adam Reinherz

p Hannah Petrucelli and aliens on an outer plate

22 FEBRUARY 5, 2021

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

p Jeremy Elias shows off an otherworldly creation.

Photos courtesy of Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Community CDS hosts (virtual) House Party More than 350 people logged in to Community Day School’s virtual House Party on Jan. 30.

The online celebration honored the Weiss Sisters (Bari, Suzy and Casey Weiss and Molly Richter), all alumni of CDS, and helped support the Jewish day school.

p Bari Weiss

p CDS Board President Derek Smith picks up his House Party goodie bags with help from Logan.

p Casey Weiss

p Art teacher Jeremy Lerner and CDS seventh-grader Maya Amos collaborate on a painting that was put up for bid in the silent auction.

p Molly Richter

p Emcee and professional actor, singer and voiceover artist Samantha G. Harris (CDS Class of 2007) keeps the party going.

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p Suzy Weiss

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Photos courtesy of Community Day School

FEBRUARY 5, 2021 23

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