Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 5-7-21

May 7, 2021 | 25 Iyar 5781

Candlelighting 8:04 p.m. | Havdalah 9:09 p.m. | Vol. 64, No. 19 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Tree of Life selects Daniel Libeskind as its lead architect

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Tikkun Leil Online offers wide range of learning options prior to Shavuot

Chosen Wine opens in Dormont

By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

T

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worshippers at the three congregations housed in the building: Tree of Life, Dor Hadash and New Light. It was the most violent antisemitic attack in U.S. history.

The search for a lead architect began in January. Libeskind was selected from a pool of 11 submitted applications for the project.

“It is with a great sense of urgency and meaning that I join the Tree of Life to create a new center in Pittsburgh,” said Libeskind, whose previous projects include the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa,

ikkun Leil Shavuot, the practice of staying up until dawn to study the Torah and other Jewish texts for the entire first night of the holiday, is an ancient and cherished tradition, according to Rabbi Amy Bardack, director of Jewish Life and Learning at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.

Shavuot commemorates the day God gave the Torah to the Jewish people, and Bardack said that Tikkun Leil Shavuot originated from the belief that some Israelites overslept on that auspicious day and missed the holy event at Mount Sinai. Others believe it to be our way of honoring the basis of Jewish tradition.

“One way of celebrating the receiving of the Torah is to take part in Torah study,” Bardack told the Chronicle.

So that’s just what the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh is planning, albeit a little early.

Shavuot begins Sunday evening, May 16, but the Federation is hosting a late-night virtual learning session, Tikkun Leil Online, on the night prior to the commencement of the holiday to ensure that those who do not use electronics on Shavuot are able to participate in the event. The same online format was offered last year in response to pandemic restrictions.

The online learning will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16, from 10 p.m. until 12:50 a.m. Sessions will be led and taught by local rabbis and other Jewish thinkers, and are open to all members of the community.

The Federation is sponsoring 22 sessions

Please see Libeskind, page 14

Please see Tikkun, page 14

LOCAL ‘And you shall love’

Kesher launches V’ahavt/a to fight racism Page 4

LOCAL The state of hate

 Daniel Libeskind

By Toby Tabachnick | Editor

ADL’s annual antisemitism audit Page 8

D

aniel Libeskind, the internationally renowned architect who designed the World Trade Master Plan in New York following 9/11, has been chosen as the lead architect to reimagine the site of the Tree of Life building.

Libeskind was selected unanimously by Tree of Life’s board of trustees and steering committee. The renovation of the Tree of Life building is part of the congregation’s REMEMBER. REBUILD. RENEW. campaign to commemorate the events of Oct. 27, 2018, when an antisemitic gunman murdered 11

Photo by Stefan Ruiz

keep your eye on PittsburghJewishChronicle LOCAL

A chat with Bill Peduto

FOOD

Kunefeh for Shavuot

THEATER

‘After Life’ at the Frick

Headlines Kosher wine store opens in Dormont — LOCAL —

By David Rullo | Staff Writer

I

t’s been written that a journey begins with a single step. But you don’t necessarily have to be home to take that first step.

Cynthia Craig and Curt Friehs, co-owners of Chosen Wine, the new kosher wine store located in Dormont, began their journey while visiting Israel. They visited the Jewish state in both 2016 and 2018 and were impressed by the wine they sampled, so different than the Manischewitz the couple associated with kosher wine.

“We were blown away by how good the wine was, particularly at the Dalton Winery.

We went up to the vineyards, and it was just out of sight,” Friehs said.

Craig credited that trip to the winery, which they went to on a whim, as providing the two with inspiration to get into the business.

While the idea of opening a kosher wine store might not seem that peculiar, the prelude to the partners’ business venture has enough zigs and zags for a binge worthy Netflix series.

The two met 15 years ago while working as librarians at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. Both consider Pittsburgh home, but neither were born in the city — Craig was born and raised in Eastern Ohio, about an hour from Pittsburgh and has lived in Florida for the last decade, and Friehs was born in Lawrence, Kansas, but grew up in Pennsylvania.

Craig was raised Presbyterian, but said she felt disconnected from organized religion before going to Israel, which stoked a deep interest in Judaism.

“The first time I went to Israel, I went to the Western Wall and I felt a really spiritual

p Cynthia Craig and Curt Friehs opened Chosen Wine, a new kosher wine store in Pittsburgh’s South Hills.

Photo by David Rullo

connection I wasn’t expecting,” she said. “I felt the presence of God, I felt something special that I hadn’t felt.”

Upon returning home, she started to attend Shabbat services and other activities at a Reform congregation in Gainesville, Florida.

Friehs said he grew up “confused,” referencing both his Jewish heritage and Catholic background. He credited the Hillel at the University of Pittsburgh where he attended college as helping to strengthen his Jewish faith.

He eventually found a home at North Country Reform Temple in Glen Cove, New York, where he served on the board of the trustees.

A recent car accident and appendectomy caused him to reevaluate his life and find something more fulfilling than what he had been doing.

“Curt and I spent a long time in higher ed as educators and librarians,” Craig said.

“I think we’re both ready for something different. We’ve already been successful, we both attained tenure and promotion in our

respective institutions. It felt like there’s got to be something else.”

The South Hills is home to about 20% of Pittsburgh Jewish households. While the majority of area Jews live in Squirrel Hill and adjacent neighborhoods, the decision to open a kosher wine store in Dormont makes perfect sense to Craig and Friehs.

“Nobody else is doing what we’re doing here,” said Friehs.

Thinking like true Pittsburghers, they realized that the various bridges and tunnels might prove a challenge to some South Hills Jewish community members that would like kosher wine but don’t want to make the journey to Squirrel Hill.

“A local business owner told us that people in Pittsburgh live in quadrants,” Craig said.

“We’re set up in a different quadrant [than Squirrel Hill].”

Craig and Friehs aren’t willing to concede the kosher wine market to strictly observant Jews.

They believe that another untapped source of customers are non-Jews who support Israel and want to experience some of what the country’s vineyards have to offer.

Friehs recounted a story about someone he met on a recent trip to a UPMC urgent care facility. When the employee found out about the store, he told Friehs of his affection for the country.

“He said, ‘I love Israel. My wife loves Israel.

We go to church, but is it OK to come to the store? We want to support Israel.’”

The store currently stocks selection from Israel’s Dalton Wines, Lanzur Wines from Chile, Bordeaux wines from Pavillon de La Rotonde and Palais de L’Ombrière, Chianti made by Borgo Bella and Cantina Giuliano, sparkling wines by En Fuego and Borgo Reale Prosecco Brut, as well as a few U.S. wines, including from Kedem and Baron Herzog.

Friehs said he and Craig spent a long time thinking of what to name the new store.

“I thought, ‘What name is going to be welcoming?’ They call it audacious hospitality in Reform Judaism. I wanted to make everyone feel welcome. I thought ‘Chosen’ is select, and we are God’s chosen people.”

Taking a cue from a story he heard about the Pizza Hut chain, Friehs wanted a short name that would fit easily on a sign. Chosen Wine hit all the right marks.

The partners are confident that this is the right time to open the store.

“We’re so glad things are opening back up after the pandemic,” Craig said. “I think people are just hungry for social interaction again. There’s a pent-up demand.”

Chosen Wine, located at 1517 Potomac Ave., is open 12-8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays from 12-5 p.m. PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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Headlines Shinshinim with a twist: New Masa program brings Pittsburgh youth to Israel

NEW webinar: 6 reasons why a Personal Wellness & Care Coordinator is Essential  The Greater Pittsburgh Jewish community is paired with the city of Karmiel and the Misgav region through, Partnership2Gether, a program of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

— LOCAL —

By Dionna Dash | Special to the Chronicle

W

ith the number of COVID-19 vaccinations increasing and international travel beginning to reopen, Israeli leaders have announced that, beginning in May, their country is eager to welcome visitors. For Pittsburgh youth, a new immersive seven-month experience offered by Masa Israel Journey and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh may be just the ticket.

The Masa Shinshinim program, which aims to integrate high school graduates into Israeli culture, is rooted in Israel’s traditional Shnat Sherut — a year of service during which Israeli high school graduates volunteer in Jewish communities around the world before starting their army duty.

Shinshinim usually bring Israeli culture to the rest of the world, but in Masa’s twist, American Jews will bring their culture to Israel.

The program was conceived by Debbie Swartz, the Israel and overseas planning associate at Pittsburgh’s Federation, who based the concept on her own experiences as a young adult in Israel.

“This is near and dear to my heart because I did a program like this is my 20s, Project Otzma, which was very formative for me,” Swartz said.

She brought her vision to Masa Israel Journey, which offers long-term Israel experiences to young Jews, and together they created the Shinshinim initiative, which will run from September to May. In addition to Pittsburgh, seven other North American cities have adopted the initiative, including Philadelphia, Atlanta, Toronto, Miami and Milwaukee.

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The program is designed for collegebound students aged 18 to 20 and focuses on volunteer work, education and quotidian Israeli life. Local participants will spend September in orientation in Pittsburgh, followed by a month in Tel Aviv with the North American participants from all seven cities, getting tours of Israeli attractions and learning Hebrew at an ulpan.

From there, Pittsburgh participants will head to their Partnership2Gether region of Karmiel/Misgav for four months to volunteer, teach English and speak on their experiences as Jews living outside of Israel.

The teens will work in an organic orchard at the Kishorit Kibbutz, a kibbutz for adults with disabilities; help at a school in the Karmiel Children’s Village, a home for children who had to be removed from their families; volunteer in the local Bedouin villages; and have traditional Shabbat dinners with Israeli host families. From March to May, the teens will return to Pittsburgh to volunteer with the Jewish Community Center and share their experiences.

Programs that connect Israel and diaspora Jewry are becoming increasingly crucial, according to Swartz.

“We have to take advantage of every opportunity we can to create a living bridge between Israel and our communities, and this is a unique tool to do that,” she said.

“The impact the participants will have on the people in Karmiel/Misgav and the personal impact they’ll undoubtedly have will reverberate long after they’re gone.”

Aya Ovadia, the Federation’s Partnership2Gether director, underscored the mutual benefit of this initiative.

“I think it’s very exciting for both sides,” Ovadia explained. “For American young adults, it’s a great opportunity to be part of

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Please see Shinshinim, page 15

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Headlines Kesher Pittsburgh launches anti-racism initiative — LOCAL —

By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

L

eah Levinstein was a visitor at a shiva house prior to the pandemic when another visitor turned to her and uttered a racist comment. Levinstein, 43, was blindsided. Even more startling to her, Levinstein recalled, was that shortly before attending the shiva, she had completed a training on what to do when encountering bigotry or ignorance, and still she said nothing.

“I had this perfect opportunity and I was struck with silence,” she said.

Nearly a year later, Levinstein was still brooding over the encounter. And so when she heard about V’ahavt/a, a local initiative focusing on anti-racism practices in the Jewish community, Levinstein enrolled.

“I know I need to do more work,” she said.

V’ahavt/a (Hebrew for “and you shall love”) is a nine-month cohort-based program created by Kesher Pittsburgh co-leaders Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife and Sara Stock Mayo. The program enables 22 participants to explore anti-racism within a Jewish framework. Between April and December 2021, national experts, including consultant AnnieRose London, will guide the group through webinars, chavruta-style discussions and opportunities for study.

day to day,” she said.

V’ahavt/a’s genesis occurred last summer when Fife and Mayo participated in the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, which led the spiritual co-leaders to action, said Mayo.

On Yom Kippur, Kesher Pittsburgh welcomed diversity, equity and inclusion specialist Erika Gold Kestenberg for a conversation about antiracist practices. Mayo later began an anti-racist book club through Kesher Pittsburgh, a monthly program “for white Jews to learn how to be better allies to Black and brown people,” she said.  Kesher Pittsburgh’s Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife and Kesher Pittsburgh Sara Stock Mayo during last summer’s Black Lives Matter continued focusing on demonstrations Photo courtesy of Sara Stock Mayo anti-racism within the Fife hopes those in the cohort will challenge Jewish community and applied for a grant themselves — not just by asking difficult from the Nathan Cummings Foundation’s Rise Up Initiative. Now that funding has questions, but through internal analysis.

Many Jews are drawn to social justice, been received, V’ahavt/a can offer particiFife said, but activism doesn’t always involve pants an opportunity to build relationships, heal internalized oppression and process taking to the streets.

“Part of it is how we are with each other the relationship between racism and

antisemitism, said Fife.

Drew Goldstein, a Kesher Pittsburgh regular, was immediately drawn to the program, finding it to be a natural extension of Kesher Pittsburgh’s activities.

“All the programs and any of the opportunities to learn that have come from the partnership between Keshira and Sara Stock Mayo have been threaded with the social impact of what’s happening around our community, our country and the world,” said Goldstein.

Like many Jews, Fife and Mayo have a deep interest in social justice, but their uniqueness is in bringing people along with a “gracious Jewish lens,” said Goldstein, an O’Hara Township resident.

“They’re able to meet you where you are,” he added.

Goldstein is looking forward to learning more about anti-racism, and said he’s confident V’ahavt/a will provide an opportunity for personal introspection.

As exciting as it is to participate in the inaugural cohort — Fife said there is a waiting list to join — Goldstein is most enthused about talking with others in the group and the possibilities of collective growth.

Added Goldstein, “We are so fixated on what divides us that we’ve lost the ability [to see] what unites us.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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Headlines New venue, same mission for JFCS citizenship clinic — LOCAL —

By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

A

t the turn of the 20th century, Bob Rosenthal’s maternal grandparents, Abe and Rose Claitman, left what is now Ukraine, for America. Around that time, George and Ann Rosenthal, Bob Rosenthal’s paternal grandparents, left Russia, also for America.

“Where would I be if they hadn’t come over?” asked Rosenthal. “I’m darn glad they did, and I feel I can help other people come here and lead a good life.”

On May 2, Rosenthal, 78, leafed through paperwork, deciphered questions and aided individuals as part of a Jewish Family and Children’s Services citizenship clinic hosted

by Rodef Shalom Congregation. JFCS holds these citizenship clinics in a few locations, and often at Rodef Shalom. Designed to help refugees through the lengthy naturalization process, the clinics are an opportunity to assist parties with applications, remember personal histories and better other people’s futures, Rosenthal said.

Approximately 8 years ago, Rosenthal heard about the clinics from a fellow member of Rodef Shalom, who told him volunteers were needed. Rosenthal volunteered and found it so gratifying that he returned

 Silhouette of refugees

regularly to lend a hand at other Rodef Shalom-based clinics, which he believes is of particular importance.

“I know there are people who are in need, some in desperate need, to find a good life,”

Photo by AndreyPopov via iStock

he said. “Some of the people I’ve helped in the past were born in refugee camps. Some spent 20 years in refugee camps before they could get out.”

John Cavicchio, JFCS’s Pro Bono and

Family Law coordinator, who oversaw the program, said Rosenthal isn’t alone in his sentiments and that there’s a benefit to doing Please see JFCS, page 15

I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you and our neighbors on City Council. Together, we are confronting Pittsburgh’s greatest challenges: • • • •

Fighting for clean air, land, and water, and for climate justice Building an equitable, inclusive, and growing economy Reimagining public safety Building a prosperous educational system for every student

Let’s keep working together!

Erika Strassburger

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MAY 7, 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

SUNDAYS, MAY 9

Join the Ghetto Fighters House and Classrooms Without Borders for PolishJewish Relations through the Lens of the Camera, a discussion with awardwinning director and a second-generation Holocaust survivor Slawomir Grunberg.

2 p.m. Free. classroomswithoutborders. org/ghetto-fighters-may-9 q

SUNDAYS, MAY 9, 16, 23, 30; JUNE 6

Join a lay-led Online Parashah Study Group to discuss the week’s Torah portion. No Hebrew knowledge is needed.

The goal is to build community while deepening understanding of the text. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q

MONDAY, MAY 10

Join Pittsburgh Chapter of Hadassah and Hadassah Greater Detroit for Raiders of the Lost Art: The Hidden Jews of Ethiopia. Rabbi Josh Bennett of Temple Israel will share the amazing story of the hidden Jews of Ethiopia. He will explore the history of the Ethiopian Jewish community and discover the roots of an African Jewish presence in the ancient Aksumite Kingdom. 11 a.m. $10. hadassahmidwest.org/GDraiders 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

q

Join Temple Sinai for “Making Our Days Count with Rabbi Karyn Kedar (via Zoom).” Rabbi Kedar will discuss the period between Passover and Shavuot, called the Omer. She will teach seven spiritual principles for the seven weeks of the Omer: decide, discern, choose, hope, imagine, courage, pray. These principles can offer a path from enslavement to freedom, darkness to light, constriction to expanse. 7 p.m. templesinaipgh.org q

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.

MONDAYS, MAY 10, 24; JUNE 7, 14

Throughout our history, Jews have never shrunk from a good argument and we have had plenty of them — from the moment we got out of Egypt until today. In the course Top Ten Disputes, Rabbi Danny Schiff will take a close look at the top 10 disputes of Jewish history. How did they start? What made them so contentious? And how were they ultimately resolved? Five sessions for $25. 9:30 a.m. For more information and to register, visitfoundation.jewishpgh.org/ top-ten-disputes. q

TUESDAYS, MAY 11, 25

Classrooms Without Borders continues its newest Israel seminar, “Bachazit” — On the Frontline. The sessions highlight challenges facing Israel and the individuals or organizations that are grappling with issues including the integration of minority groups into the high-tech sector, the struggle for LGBTQ rights, programs that assist Israelis injured during their military service, the fight against racism in Israeli society and more.

2 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/ frontline-israel q

ONDAYS, MAY 10, 17, 24, 31; M JUNE 7

MONDAYS, MAY 10-MAY 31

TUESDAYS, MAY 11-JUNE 1

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.

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WEDNESDAYS, MAY 12-MAY 26

Are you curious about contemporary Israel beyond the headlines? Rabbi Danny Schiff will host the series Israel in Depth about the realities of Israeli society in 2021. Six sessions for $30. 10:45 a.m. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org/israel-in-depth. q

WEDNESDAYS, MAY 12-JUNE 2

Chabad of the South Hills presents “This Can Happen,” a new JLI class. Join them as they demystify the Jewish idea of a perfect world and discover a practical path for reaching it in our lifetime. Try the class for one week for free. For more information, go to chabadsh.com or call 412-344-2424. q

THURSDAY, MAY 13

Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh as it welcomes Pittsburgh mayoral candidate Mike Thompson for a conversation. Free. 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit jewishpgh.org/event. q

THURSDAYS, MAY 13; JUNE 17

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. 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

SATURDAY, MAY 15

Moishe House of Pittsburgh presents Shabbat Unplugged in Mellon Park.

Bring a picnic blanket, your mask, any entertainment you’d like to have (instruments, crafts, books, etc.) and anyone who likes a good park hang.

Children are welcome. Snacks will be provided. 3 p.m. facebook.com/ moishehouse.pittsburgh Registration is open for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Tikkun Leil Online. 10 p.m. Free. For more information, visit jewishpgh.org/event.

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TUESDAY, MAY 18

The Jewish Pittsburgh History Series, sponsored by Rodef Shalom Congregation, will feature a presentation by Matthew Falcone, Rodef Shalom’s senior vice president. His topic will be The Rodef Shalom Building: Architecture and Art. There is no charge to attend this Zoom event. 7 p.m. For details and to register, follow the Jewish History Series link at rodefshalom.org. q

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19

Join Repair the World Pittsburgh and hear firsthand stories from a range of environmental justice students and stewards at Midrash for Social Change: Environmental Storytelling. 7 p.m. rpr. world/Storytelling Join Pittsburgh’s Jewish young adult book club for this virtual come-as-you-are event and discuss “The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother.”

Free. 8 p.m. jewishpgh.org/event q

THURSDAY, MAY 20

Join JFCS virtually as they celebrate a year of inspiration in action at their 2021 Annual Meeting. 7 p.m. Free. jfcspgh.org/ annualmeeting Rabbi Barbara Symons will review the book “Homesick,” by Eshkol Nevo, at both 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. This is a “warm, wise sophisticated novel,” per Amos Oz. Go to templedavid.org/athome to get the links for the Zoom review or call the Temple office at 412-372-1200. q

MONDAY, MAY 24

Join Beth El Congregation of the South Hills for First Mondays with Rabbi Alex Greenbaum. This special pre-Memorial Day edition will feature guest Eric Lidji, director of the Rauh Jewish Archives.

He will discuss the hidden Jewish neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. 12 p.m. Free. bethelcong.org q

FRIDAY, MAY 28

Join Moishe House Pittsburgh for a backyard Shabbat dinner. Enjoy Thai food and a bonfire. Registration is capped at 10 people. Say Shabbat prayers at 8:30 before wrapping up at 9. facebook.com/ moishehouse.pittsburgh PJC

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Headlines Mayor and mayoral candidate Bill Peduto discusses candidacy with Jewish group — LOCAL —

By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

P

ittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto thanked the Jewish community for supporting his decades-long political career and said he hopes to continue the relationship for another 4-year term.

Peduto’s comments were made during an April 29 conversation with Laura Cherner, director of the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. The 70-minute dialogue, which was the second in a series of Federationhosted talks with Pittsburgh’s mayoral candidates, addressed Peduto’s desire to seek a third term as mayor, efforts to create equity in Pittsburgh and Peduto’s position on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.

“My goal is simple. I’m running one last time to finish the job that I started and to be able to hand off to the next mayor a city that is greater than at any time it has been in my time on this earth,” he said.

According to Peduto, completing “the job” involves bolstering equity, opportunity and sustainability throughout the city, and ensuring that Pittsburgh is on track to

p Mayor and mayoral candidate Bill Peduto

achieve various goals by 2027.

“We’re well on our way of having a city where every child has the opportunity for pre-K education, where our water system is not only a modern system for the next 50 years, providing us with clean publicly owned water, but a smart system as well that is meeting goals of energy conservation, [and] that we meet all of our goals of climate change,” he said.

Similarly, in the coming years, the hope is to have a park within a 10-minute walk of every Pitttsburgher and to create new

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Peduto said these efforts will largely be achieved through the One PGH plan, an effort to foster partnership between the city’s nonprofits, corporate community and largest philanthropies.

Between UPMC, Highmark, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Pittsburgh, $115 million dollars will be contributed, during the next five years, to building a more equitable city, said Peduto.

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description of the One PGH plan by asking the mayor to describe his administration’s efforts to bolster racial equity within the city.

Peduto replied that even prior to the 2020 demonstrations, Pittsburgh was a national leader in addressing equity.

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Peduto said the Office of Equity relies on best practices and adopts a comprehensive view.

“Much of the conversation in equity is based around disparity in housing, disparity in education, police/community relations, and those are the ones that get the most attention, but what leading cities understand is that equity affects everything,” said Peduto. “It’s 50 years of red line through banking that prohibited people to be able to start their own business or own their own home, which denied the ability to break out of cycles of poverty and to create wealth. That is an issue of equity. That is why we’re now partnering with our banks to put the money into the neighborhoods that had been left behind before.”

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MAY 7, 2021 7

Headlines The state of hate: ADL’s 2020 audit on antisemitism — LOCAL —

By David Rullo | Staff Writer

D

espite the COVID-19 pandemic, and months of restricted activities, the number of antisemitic incidents in the United States remained high in 2020, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s annual audit on antisemitism.

The findings were released during an April 27 Zoom webinar during which the ADL reported 2,024 incidents against American Jews last year, down 4% from 2019. Still, 2020 was “the third highest year for incidents against American Jews since the ADL started tracking such data in 1979,” said Deb Leipzig, ADL’s vice president of leadership.

For the second year in a row, Pennsylvania had the fifth highest number of antisemitic incidents in the nation, behind only New York, New Jersey, California and Florida.

For purpose of the ADL’s audit, antisemitic incidents were classified in three broad categories: harassment, vandalism and assault. In total, there were 1,242 harassment incidents, 751 vandalism incidents and 31 assaults reported cross the nation.

COVID-19, which led to Jews and other minorities being scapegoated for purportedly spreading the virus, impacted the findings, Leipzig said.

The pandemic changed life as we know it, but it didn’t stop hate, according to ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, who noted that the statistics showed an average of more than five antisemitic acts per day for every day of the year.

“Antisemites are elusive,” he said. “AntiJewish hate is often thought of as the oldest hatred. It is really the most persistent virus because it adapts and mutates and finds new vulnerabilities to exploit for spreading its toxin.”

Zoom bombing — where unwanted intruders interrupt a video-conference program — is a new medium for antisemitism, Greenblatt said, and is partly responsible for a 40% increase in incidents at Jewish institutions compared to 2019.

While 2020 saw a 10% rise in antisemitic vandalism, assaults dropped 20% from 2019, and there were no fatalities, according to the ADL.

GET THE

 ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt spoke about the organization’s 2020 audit of antisemitic incidents titled “Fighting Hate from Home - 2020 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents & the State of Antisemitism in the U.S.” Screenshot by David Rullo

“While the absence of similarly deadly incidents in 2020 is encouraging, we can’t and will not let our guard down,” Greenblatt said. “As we saw during the recent insurrection at our nation’s capital on Jan. 6, where antisemitic slogans and racist symbols were omnipresent as those militants marauded through our Capitol…extremist threat in this country remains high.”

Stay-at-home orders, a reduced number of daily commutes and school closures likely affected the number of antisemitic incidents, said Oren Segal, vice president of the ADL’s Center on Extremism. There were 161 reported antisemitic incidents at non-Jewish K-12 schools in 2020, a 61% decrease from 2019. Classes were Zoom

bombed 22 times with antisemitic language and swastikas.

American colleges and universities experienced 128 antisemitic incidents, Segal said, a 32% drop from the previous year.

He stressed the importance of reporting all occurrences of hate.

“The way we can inform policymakers and advocate for better policies and practices is through good reporting,” he said. “The better the data, the better prepared we will all be to strategize about ways to mitigate antisemitism and all forms of hate.”

In Pennsylvania, there were 101 antisemitic incidents reported last year, a 7% decrease from 2019, but still the third highest year on record for the commonwealth.

Allegheny and Lehigh Counties each reported five incidents, behind only Philadelphia (39), Montgomery (17) and Delaware (8) counties. In total, Western Pennsylvania reported 11 incidents in 2020.

“They’re not happening in the middle of the state where there’s not a lot of Jewish people,” noted Shira Goodman, regional director of ADL Philadelphia. Those committing acts of bias and hate are doing so against people they know, she said, which “means we have a lot of work to do.”

While Pennsylvania hasn’t had a mass antisemitic attack since the murders at the Tree of Life building in 2018, the commonwealth reported 22 antisemitic incidents at Jewish institutions, including synagogues, Jewish Community Centers, retirement homes and schools — a 120% increase from 2019 and the second year in a row that incidents more than doubled.

“What the numbers tell us is that we have to remain vigilant, and that extremism is on the rise,” said James Pasch, regional director of the ADL’s Cleveland office which covers Western Pennsylvania.

Combating hate doesn’t have a simple solution, he said, noting that the ADL now conducts anti-hate programs in more than 30 Western Pennsylvania schools and will soon be hiring a community engagement coordinator for the region.

The ADL, Pasch said, will continue to work closely with the Jewish community in Pittsburgh, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, area synagogues and non-Jewish leaders and government officials.

“We’re going to be working with our school districts, we’re going to be working with the government and we’re going to work with Jewish and non-Jewish not-for-profits,” he said. “We’re going to use a combined approach across the whole community to tackle what we’re seeing.”

The webinar, “Fighting Hate from Home: 2020 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents & the State of Antisemitism in the U.S.,” can be viewed on the ADL’s YouTube channel. The Pennsylvania report, “Fighting Hate for Good,” can be found at cleveland.adl.org/ antisemitism2020-pa. PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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Headlines NAACP report: University president accused of antisemitism was subjected to racism — NATIONAL —

By Ben Sales | JTA

I

n the latest developments in an ongoing controversy at Linfield University over the firing of a tenured Jewish professor who accused the school of antisemitism, a report from the local branch of the NAACP found that the Oregon school’s president was subjected to racism at the school.

In addition, the school’s president, Miles K. Davis, told the Chronicle of Higher Education that he had in fact made a comment about the size of Jewish noses to Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, the professor who was fired this week. Davis had previously denied making the comment, and an investigation into him had concluded based on his denial that the comment could not be substantiated. He told the Chronicle of Higher Education that his comment had been informed by his time in the Middle East.

Davis invited the NAACP to investigate whether he was subject to racist treatment after he was accused both of antisemitism as well as sexual assault. Last week, the faculty of Linfield’s College of Arts and Sciences overwhelmingly called for his resignation.

The Anti-Defamation League and Oregon Board of Rabbis also asked him to resign.

The NAACP report, published Friday and sent to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, says Davis was treated unfairly due to racism at the school. Davis is Linfield’s first Black

— WORLD — From JTA reports

Oregon Holocaust memorial defaced with swastikas and antisemitic slurs

A Holocaust memorial in Portland, Oregon, was defaced with swastikas and antisemitic slurs.

Police discovered the vandalism covering a wall of the memorial in the Washington Park neighborhood and appearing elsewhere near the memorial, the local NBC affiliate KGW reported. There are no suspects.

The memorial was created by Holocaust survivors who lived locally and includes names of their family members who perished in the war, Judy Margles, the director of the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, told the news station.

“It’s very twisted. It’s very visceral, I have to say, when you hear about something — I think my whole body just went numb,” Margles said, describing her reaction when police alerted her to the vandalism.

The city’s mayor, Ted Wheeler, condemned the vandalism.

“The damage to the Oregon Holocaust Memorial is heartbreaking, and it’s particularly painful that it happened during Jewish American Heritage Month,” Wheeler said on Twitter. “I denounce hate crimes, anti-Semitism, and white supremacy.”

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

p Miles K. Davis, Linfield University’s president, denies saying anything antisemitic.

Photo courtesy of Linfield University

president, and the report said that since 1970, no Black people have been elected as faculty trustee or faculty executive chair.

At Linfield, the report says, “deeply-held resistance to Black leadership and culture fueled the ferocity of resistance to organization change.” The report also said that Davis had not had time to “build a rapport with the faculty and staff ” at Linfield because he needed to make changes quickly.

“We find that President Davis has been subject to numerous instances of unfair treatment since his arrival in July 2018, and this unfair treatment of personal attacks were due to being a Black man,” the report says.

“President Davis has been accused of being divisive, intimidating, combative, aggressive, disrespectful and abusive. This coded language plays off racist and toxic stereotypes with a long history in this country.”

Pollack-Pelzner — whose case has become a cause celebre among American academics — did not agree to speak with the NAACP for its investigation, and the report does not substantively address his termination or his allegations, relying instead on the independent investigation that could not substantiate them.

Top rabbi was suspended by Reform movement in 2000.

His former synagogue now knows why.

CCAR during its investigation in 2000, according to a letter sent to congregants by its current senior rabbi, Angela Buchdahl, and the synagogue’s senior leadership.

“We are devastated that a member of our clergy could abuse our (or any) pulpit and position of power within our community the way that Rabbi Zimmerman did,” according to the letter. “[W]e will discuss with the leadership of the CCAR and HUC how we can do better as a wider community to protect survivors and hold the perpetrators accountable.”

The CCAR’s failure to disclose the nature of Zimmerman’s behavior has sparked “institutional self-reflection,” the group said in a statement quoted by the Forward.

According to the Forward, Zimmerman lives outside Dallas, where he was senior rabbi of Temple Emanu-El from 1985 to 1996. After his suspension in 2000, he went on to serve as vice president of Birthright Israel and rabbi of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons. He did not respond to requests for comment.

Grenadier Division of the SS, also known as the 1st Galician. It was a force set up under German occupation auspices comprised of ethnic Ukrainian and German volunteers and conscripts. The marchers held banners displaying the unit’s symbol.

The Kyiv march by about 300 people was an import from the western city of Lviv, which for several years has hosted such events. A day earlier, hundreds attended a larger Embroidery March there.

Ukraine has a large minority of ethnic Russians, who oppose the glorification of Nazi collaborators. Such actions were taboo in Ukraine until the early 2000s, when nationalists demanded and obtained state recognition for collaborators as heroes for their actions against the Soviet Union, which dominated Ukraine until 1991.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry and Ukrainian Jews, who according to a 2020 demographic study number about 47,000, have protested the veneration of the 1st Galician and other collaborators. But the collaborators’ popularity has soared following the 2014 war with Russia.

President Vlodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, condemned the embroidery marches, which had been conducted legally.

“We categorically condemn any manifestation of propaganda of totalitarian regimes, in particular the National Socialist, and attempts to revise truth about World War II,” he said Friday in a statement. PJC

New York’s Central Synagogue is investigating sex abuse allegations against its former senior rabbi, Sheldon Zimmerman, and asking why a top Reform rabbinical body appeared to cover up the nature of his behavior when it suspended him two decades ago.

In 2000, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, or CCAR, suspended Zimmerman following what it vaguely described at the time as “personal relationships” that violated ethical codes. Shortly after he resigned as president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the Reform seminary.

This fall, Central Synagogue launched a probe in which three women came forward and alleged sexually predatory behavior by Zimmerman in the 1970s and ’80s, the Forward reported. Zimmerman was Central Synagogue’s senior rabbi from 1972 to 1985.

The complainants include a former teacher at the synagogue who said she was manipulated into a sexual relationship with Zimmerman, who was her boss, and a second victim who said she was 17 when Zimmerman first began to fondle and kiss her.

Two of the women had also spoken with

Hundreds in Ukraine attend marches celebrating Nazi soldiers

Hundreds of Ukrainians attended marches celebrating Nazi SS soldiers, including the first such event in Kyiv.

The so-called Embroidery March took place in the capital on the 78th anniversary of the establishment of the 14th Waffen

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Please see Report, page 20

MAY 7, 2021 9

Headlines At least 6 Americans, including 3 teenagers, among victims in Israeli stampede one had anything negative to say about him.”

Morris was a graduate of the Marsha Stern Talmudic Academy in Washington Heights.

The neighbor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the teenager has two younger siblings who live at home. Their father, Aryeh, is the comptroller for a local company.

Also killed was Yosef Amram Tauber, 19, of Monsey, a student at the Brisk yeshiva. A relative said that he left for Israel to attend the yeshiva “for the first time last week” — after the country again relaxed COVID-19 restrictions.

“His parents were nervous to send him away,” the relative said, adding that he had never before been to Israel.

Tauber had an older sister who a neighbor said is to be married in August. There are also several younger siblings. Tauber’s father, Zvi Tauber, is a rabbi of a congregation in Chester, New York.

The neighbor said that Tauber, who was known as “Yossi,” was always “full of spirit.”

“The family lived here a long time,” she said, adding that the teenager had attended a local boys yeshiva, Yeshivas Maor Yitzchak.

Another neighbor said that he had graduated recently and that “a big part of his class” had accompanied him to Israel to study at the yeshiva.

— WORLD —

By Stewart Ain | JTA

Among the 45 people killed in the crush of bodies at a Lag b’Omer celebration in northern Israel were at least six Americans with ties to the New York area.

They included 19-year-old yeshiva students from northern New Jersey and Monsey, New York, as well as a 13-year-old boy who had moved to Israel with his family.

The New Jersey student, Nachman Doniel Morris, had flown to Israel in September to study at Yeshivat Shaalvim in central Israel, after the Israeli government made special provisions to allow yeshiva students to come to the country despite restrictions on travel because of the pandemic.

Morris was in the crowd of tens of thousands that gathered at Mount Meron to mark the Lag B’Omer holiday Thursday night when a stampede on a crowded ramp led to the deadliest civilian disaster in Israel’s history.

“The Morris family are pillars of the Bergenfield-Teaneck community,” said a neighbor. “I have known [Nachman] since he was six. He was a rising star as a student in the Jewish world. He was a sweet boy. No

p Shraga Gestetner of Monsey, New York, was among those killed in the tragedy in Courtesy of Twitter via JTA Meron.

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May 10, 1948 — Meir, Jordan’s King meet

Golda Meir travels in disguise to Amman to meet with King Abdullah in the hope of keeping Transjordan out of the forthcoming war against Israel. But the king says he must go along with his Arab neighbors.

May 11, 1953 — Dulles travels to Middle East

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A suicide bomber kills 15 Israelis and wounds 55 others at a Rishon LeZion pool hall while Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is meeting with President George W. Bush in Washington to jump-start peace talks.

May 8, 1936 — Haile Selassie arrives in Haifa

Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, who fled his country six days earlier as Italian invaders advanced, reaches Haifa. He regains his throne after World War II, and Ethiopia in 1956 becomes the second African country to recognize Israel.

May 9, 1998 — Dana International wins Eurovision Dana International, a trans woman, performs the techno-pop song “Diva” in Birmingham, England, to

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U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles arrives in Cairo to begin a 2½-week factfinding mission to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, India, Pakistan and Libya for the new Eisenhower administration.

May 12, 1965 — Israel, W. Germany begin diplomatic ties

Israel and West Germany exchange notes establishing official diplomatic relations, completing a process of increasing connections that began with Israel’s acceptance of Holocaust reparations in 1952.

May 13, 1975 — Israel, U.S. sign economic pact

The United States and Israel sign a wideranging economic agreement focusing on four areas: industrial cooperation; elimination of double income taxation; loan guarantees for investments in Israel; and increased trade. PJC

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Headlines Meron: Continued from page 10

“All the kids here in the neighborhood are heartbroken, crying about the tragedy,” he said. “Nobody can believe what happened…

This is a wonderful family and a really special boy — he always wanted to be learning.”

Also killed in the stampede was Shraga Gestetner, a 35-year-old singer from Monsey.

Married and the father of five, he was in Israel visiting relatives. His mother, Shoshana, was reportedly raised in Bnei Brak.

Born in Montreal, Gestetner in recent years gravitated from music to business. He was buried Friday afternoon on Jerusalem’s Har Hamenuchot after Israeli officials put out a call for locals to attend, because Gestetner’s family was all abroad.

Other American victims who were identified include: • Menachem Knoblowitz, 22, of Borough Park, Brooklyn. He was engaged to a young woman from Lakewood, New Jersey, according to social media.

• Rabbi Eliezer Tzvi Joseph, 26, of Kiryas Joel, New York. A Satmar Hasid, he was the father of four children.

• Eliezer Yitzchok Koltai, 13, who had lived in Passaic, New Jersey, before moving to Jerusalem with his family.

• Yossi Cohen, 21, of Cleveland, Ohio, who was a student at the Mir Yerushalayim yeshiva.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Another victim was Chaim Rock, 18, of Beit Shemesh, a student at the Mir Yeshiva in Mod’in Illit. Rock’s great-grandparents were the late Zalman and Evelyn Shapiro of Pittsburgh.

Misaskim, an Orthodox Jewish non-profit organization that provides services for the care of the dead and the needs of mourners, has established a hotline for Americans who have been trying to contact immediate family members in Israel and need assistance. Its phone number, for immediate family only, is (718) 854-4548. In addition, the organization is assisting those with flights to Israel.

A spokesman for the Israeli Consulate in New York said his office had contacted all of the families of those killed in the tragedy and had made “special arrangements for families wanting to travel to Israel. We have made it easier for them to go … without having to go through all of the COVID-19 procedures.”

Meanwhile, El Al is offering assistance to first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, children and spouses) of those killed if they live in the United States, England, France or any other country from which El Al offers direct flights to Israel. It is offering each family up to two free tickets, with the exception of the port tax.

Scott Richman, regional director for the Anti-Defamation League in New York and New Jersey, said the organization was “distraught and saddened by the loss of life.” PJC

p A photo of Nachman Doniel Morris, a student who died in the stampede at Mount Meron in Israel on Lag b’Omer, was shared on social media. Photo courtesy of Twitter via JTA

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

MAY 7, 2021 11

Opinion Confronting domestic abuse — EDITORIAL —

D

uring the past year, home has been a safe haven for most people. It was the comfortable refuge from the deadly pandemic, which predominantly spread when people interacted outside their protective bubbles. For others, however, particularly those who are victims of domestic abuse, home was akin to a prison with a different kind of danger, one with little chance of escape.

The issue was crystalized in a report on domestic abuse released last week by Jewish Women International (JWI): “Under stayat-home orders, survivors find themselves quarantined with their abusers. And when it is difficult, if not impossible, to engage with others outside of the home, survivors have fewer means to escape an abusive relationship. For survivors with children, the dangers

of pandemic lockdown are multiplied.”

The JWI report, “2020-2021 National Needs Assessment of Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community,” calls for re-examining “our reliance on systems that have not been serving survivors of domestic violence well, like the civil and criminal justice systems, the child welfare systems, the government benefits systems, and our economic and employment systems. None of these systems were developed with the safety or independence of survivors in mind. Instead, we have long been shoe-horning the needs of survivors into these inadequate systems.”

The ugly prevalence of domestic abuse cannot be overstated: • On average, nearly 20 people per minute are victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in the United States. This equates to more than 10 million women and men over the course of a year.

• One in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have

experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime.

• One in 5 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

• One in 7 women and 1 in 18 men have experienced stalking victimization during their lifetime in which they were fearful that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.

These are, of course, national statistics.

More particularized statistics for the Jewish community are hard to come by. The JWI report does, however, cover abuse issues unique to the Jewish community, among them withholding a “get,” or divorce decree, and puts the Jewish community and its leaders “at the heart of the long-term healing and help that Jewish survivors need.”

In addition to encouraging relevant Jewish institutions to “incorporate victim-centered trauma-informed domestic violence training

into curricula,” the report urges each of us to “make certain survivors are included in and not shunned by the community. That they are invited to Shabbat meals, welcomed at the Jewish Community Center, and know their children are safe in a school that supports them spiritually and educationally.

That friends are still friends. That they are not in danger of losing their community as they rebuild their lives.” This is something we can all strive to achieve.

If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic abuse in Pittsburgh, contact the Women’s Center & Shelter’s 24/7 hotline at 412-687-8005, or connect with an advocate by texting 412-744-8445 or by visiting WCSCanHelp.org and clicking Chat for Help. Other help for victims of domestic abuse can be found by calling the National Domestic Abuse hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (JCADA) at 301-315-8040. PJC

What will it take for me to go back to synagogue?

Guest Columnist Gary Rosenblatt

W

hen I was very young, what motivated me to go to shul on Shabbat morning was the fire station two houses away from the synagogue.

My dad was the rabbi of the only congregation in Annapolis, Maryland, and shul attendance was a family affair. If I behaved during services, my big brother would take me to the fire station afterward, and sometimes the firemen let me sit at the wheel of the hook and ladder truck. That made my week.

In recent days I’ve been thinking a lot about my various experiences with shul attendance over the years. The sad truth is that though I am fortunate enough to have received my second COVID vaccine more than a month ago, I haven’t been back to shul, and I’m not sure why. But the weather is getting warmer and I’m running out of excuses.

It’s ironic because these last few years I’ve really enjoyed shul — the services, the rabbis, the people, the singing. In my early years, not so much.

As kids, learning to read Hebrew and becoming familiar with the prayers, the goal at services was to be the fastest.

When I was about 10, I attended a family wedding in New York and stood in awe as I took in the sight of what seemed like hundreds of men in black hats and dark suits swaying fervently as they recited the afternoon Mincha prayer. I zipped through the silent Amidah and was waiting for the service to continue.

A few minutes went by and then a few more minutes until it seemed everyone had finished.

I asked my brother what the holdup was, and he pointed to a very short older man, eyes closed, still in fervent prayer.

“That’s Rav Aharon Kotler, the head of one of the biggest yeshivas in the 12 MAY 7, 2021

I know I’m not alone in my ambivalence about going back to shul now. I’ve talked to friends about it and they, too, seem a bit mystified about what keeps some of us home. world,” he told me.

“What’s taking him so long?” I asked.

“Can’t he read Hebrew?”

As I got older, I learned about the importance of kavanah, or intention, putting one’s heart and mind into the words we were saying as we prayed. But during my teenage years, prayer for me was associated more with obligation than choice.

Starting when I was 11, I attended a yeshiva in Baltimore through high school and lived during the week at the home of my maternal grandparents. My grandfather, a European-born, Yiddish-speaking Talmudic scholar, had his own shul on the first floor of the large cottage house. I lived in the attic, and once I became a bar mitzvah, I was needed most mornings to help ensure a minyan of 10 men.

I’d know my presence was required because one of the shul-goers would ring a loud buzzer and hold it down for what seemed like minutes while I got up, less than enthusiastically, and dressed in a hurry. I attended out of a sense of duty, and I admit that if an 11th person showed up, I was tempted to go upstairs and back to bed.

The association of annoying alarms and shul attendance continued when I got to Yeshiva University. I soon learned that loud “minyan bells” were rung every weekday

morning in the dorm to wake us up for services; attendance was mandatory. The first couple of weeks we would wake up with a jolt from those bells. But somehow, after that we didn’t seem to hear them anymore.

One teenage bit of mischief came about in Annapolis on Rosh Hashanah when I was about 15. The shul was packed, and my friend Michael (whose father was the cantor) and I chose an arbitrary spot in the service and stood up from our front-row seats. There was a rustling and stirring behind us as, gradually, the entire congregation of several hundred rose, following our lead. As soon as everyone was up, we sat down, and they did the same. We did this a few times before my dad, seated facing us in his white robe on the bima, subtly signaled his displeasure Over the years as an adult, with shul attendance no longer coercive, I have been blessed to have belonged to three synagogues (in the three states where we lived) that were true houses of prayer. Each in its own way was special, but they all had active and devoted members committed to Torah and led by learned, exemplary rabbis. And in each of the shuls, what I have enjoyed most in the service is when our joined voices blend in song, stirring a kind of transcendent feeling of collective prayer and community.

Those peak moments make the shul-going

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

experience something to cherish.

Then came COVID. Houses of worship were closed, the virus was all around us, and we had no choice but to stay home. I missed the rhythm of walking to and from shul on Friday evening and Shabbat morning, feeling part of the spirit of the kehillah (congregation), and often lingering after services to catch up with friends.

But I became accustomed to staying home, and that had its own pleasant pattern: sleeping later, praying at home, spending more time with my wife and, when the weather allowed, meeting up with friends — six feet apart — on a bench outside.

I know I’m not alone in my ambivalence about going back to shul now. I’ve talked to friends about it and they, too, seem a bit mystified about what keeps some of us home. We know that going back would be good for the congregation, and probably for us, even though the prospect of COVIDlimited attendance, singing and socializing is less than appealing.

Are we just lazy or fearful of becoming sick? Or have we become dependent on the safety and security of keeping close to home?

What would get me back to shul? No, it’s not the prospect of visiting a nearby fire station after services. It’s the chance to ignite a spark of faith and commitment, and time to take the next step back on the long path toward normalcy.

So there I was, on Saturday, back in synagogue. Sitting alone, at least six feet away from others, and wearing a mask, felt isolating at first, like praying alone in a room despite the others around me. But gradually the mood lifted and the familiar comfort of the prayers — and the warm (if muted) greetings from fellow congregants — made me feel at home again. I could get used to this. PJC Gary Rosenblatt was editor and publisher of The Jewish Week from 1993 to 2019. This piece was first published by JTA. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Opinion An Election on a Jewish holiday: A challenge to overcome Guest Columnist Arielle Frankston-Morris

W

hen I learned that the Pennsylvania Primary Election would be held on May 18, I was frustrated.

A quick glance at a calendar won’t sound alarms for the vast majority of Pennsylvanians. That’s because many calendars miss the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.

For Orthodox and traditionally Sabbath observant Jews like myself, May 18, the second day of Shavuot, means no writing, no driving or taking buses, no working. And that means no travel to the polls. No careful darkening of ovals with blue or black ink. Instead, thousands of Pennsylvanians will be swaying in holiday prayer, enjoying festive meals with family and celebrating the giving of the Ten Commandments on

Mount Sinai.

The calendar clash was actually brought to my attention by a synagogue rabbi many months back. With a most admirable commitment to voting and civic engagement, he was distressed. I have worked with this rabbi on fruitful advocacy activities and get out the vote campaigns and he was entitled to his disappointment and subsequent musings: How do we feel about the selection of this date? And the operative question, what do we do?

My years working as the executive director of Teach PA prepared me for this. Teach PA organizes Jewish day schools and their communities, advocating for resources and programs so these schools can be safe, affordable and good quality.

Preserving Jewish communities and Jewish heritage through education underlies our mission. We work to strengthen our voice and then exercise it, by voting and engaging our legislators.

As a nonpartisan organization, we

Or if you savor the in-person voting experience, go to your county elections office before Election Day, request your mail-in ballot in person, and vote right there on the spot.

We’ll work in the future to reduce conflict between religious practice and voting in person. A safe voting experience is treasured by so many individuals and families and is an incredible way to model voter responsibility and excitement.

With strong voter engagement, more Pennsylvanians have a voice. We must take this opportunity to show that despite challenge, we are up to the task. A calendar might miss our holiday, but there’s too much at stake to miss this election.

Request your mail-in ballot at pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsentee Application/#/OnlineAbsenteeBegin. PJC Arielle Frankston-Morris is the executive director of Teach PA. For more information, visit teachcoalition.org/pa.

J Street remains committed to Israel’s security

— LETTERS — Praise for J Street conference, concern for the future

I just celebrated my 86th birthday by attending (virtually) another wonderful J Street Conference. As always, the wide scope of the speakers was impressive, from President Abbas to Elizabeth Warren, speaking eloquently for the support of Israel and a two-state solution. The conference strengthened both my own connection to Israel and my hope for the eventual creation of a Palestinian state. Israel has all of my affection and admiration for its accomplishments. I am concerned about its commitment to what I see as Jewish values. I have been a strong Zionist all my life, but am discouraged at the lack of progress toward the establishment of a Palestinian state. The video of life on the West Bank was overwhelmingly discouraging. This human rights issue continues year after year and seems to have been put on the back burner while the occupation continues. There is room for compromise on both sides, but at present, instead of compromise we are talking annexation and destroying homes.

Where, when, how will this be settled?

Phyllis Dreyfuss Pittsburgh

Supporting a strong relationship between the U.S. and Israel

I’m inspired by the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle’s editorial staff for its recognition of the significance of the Deutch/McCall letter to the Congressional Committee on Appropriations in support of renewing the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which provides $3.8B in security assistance for Israel. As the editorial board pointed out, this letter (signed by over 75% of congressional representatives) reinforced that bipartisan support for Israel remains strong and steadfast, and that those within Congress who seek to undermine the U.S./Israel relationship are a fringe minority. I’d like to express a special thank you to Western Pennsylvania’s local congressional representatives, including Reps. Conor Lamb, Guy Reschenthaler and Mike Kelly for signing the letter, and also recognize Rep. Mike Doyle, who sent his own letter to the Committee reinforcing his commitment to the U.S.-Israel MOU. May we continue to work together to fight back against anti-Israel politicians and groups that single out and demonize Israel, and work hard to ensure that our members of Congress know that bipartisan support for Israel is important to their constituents. In our community, we don’t have to agree about every decision that the Israeli government makes in order to advocate for a strong U.S./Israel relationship, and to support U.S. aid to Israel, which ensures that Israel has the ability to support itself, by itself. In the words of the Talmud, all Jews are responsible for one another. May we all take responsibility to ensure that we care and protect one another by investing our time and energy in strengthening our community through positive and productive engagement, and supporting a strong U.S./Israel relationship.

Julie Paris Squirrel Hill

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educate our constituent communities across the commonwealth about registering with whatever party they’d like and voting however they’d like … but to register and vote. Stop kvetching, start voting, we scream from carpool lines and on robocalls!

But what happens when barriers exist, making exercising your voice harder?

We educate.

We are lucky in Pennsylvania to have a safe and efficient way to make your voice heard when you can’t get to the polls. All Pennsylvanians can vote by mail and your vote will count.

So, is an election on a Jewish holiday, when many cannot go to the polls, frustrating?

Yes, it is. But we’re up for this challenge — the challenge to get our friends and family and school and synagogue communities to take these extra steps: Go online, request a mail-in-ballot and when you receive it, vote safely and efficiently from your own home.

In a recent editorial (“Resounding bipartisan support for Israel,” April 30) about the Deutch-McCaul letter expressing support for the continued funding of U.S. security aid to the state of Israel without added conditions, the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle went out of its way to criticize J Street and its support for Betty McCollum’s “Palestinian Children and Families Act.” Unfortunately, the editorial’s criticisms were based on inaccurate representations of both J Street’s position and the bill itself.

The editorial made two incorrect claims about J Street and the bill: that the DeutschMcCaul letter was written as a “direct response” to the McCollum bill, and that the bill is a “fig leaf for a more nefarious goal” like cutting security aid to Israel. Both of these assertions rest on an unfortunate misreading of both the bill and the letter.

The Deutsch-McCaul letter was in no way written as a response to McCollum’s bill.

This is clear not only because the letter was circulating for weeks before the McCollum bill was introduced, but also because the bipartisan sentiment in support of ongoing aid to Israel according to existing U.S. commitments does not conflict with the McCollum bill in the slightest.

The McCollum bill does not call for any cuts to or conditioning of aid to Israel. It does call for increased transparency around how security aid to Israel is used, and for end-use restrictions to ensure that while Israel should receive every dollar of the U.S. security assistance already committed to it, this assistance can only be used for legitimate defense purposes — and not for the seizure of Palestinian land, the demolition of Palestinian homes or the arbitrary detention of Palestinian children. These restrictions are not a “fig leaf ” for a more nefarious goal — if anything, they are preventing American taxpayer dollars from being spent on harmful activities for which they are not intended, and which ultimately undermine the prospects for peace and make Israel less safe.

J Street is committed to Israel’s security and to its future as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people, living in peace and security alongside a future Palestinian state. Our goal in supporting the new McCollum legislation is to help make absolutely sure that U.S. security assistance is used to advance that goal, and not to undercut it. What’s radical and nefarious about that?

Mark Fichman Pittsburgh 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:

letters@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

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

Fax 412-521-0154

Website address:

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pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

MAY 7, 2021 13

Headlines Libeskind: Continued from page 1

Canada, in a prepared statement. “Our team is committed to creating a powerful and memorable space that addresses the worst antisemitic attack in United States history.

“When my parents, survivors of the Holocaust, and I came as immigrants to America, we felt an air of freedom as Jews in this country,” he continued. “That is why this project is not simply about ‘Never Again.’ It is a project that must address the persistence of antisemitism and the intolerance of our time and affirm the democratic values of our country.”

In addition to commemorating the massacre of Oct. 27, 2018, the reimagined space at the corner of Wilkins and Shady avenues will include spaces for worship, reflection and classrooms, as well as exhibitions and public programs of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh.

Studio Daniel Libeskind will collaborate with Pittsburgh-based Rothschild Doyno Collaborative on the project.

“Our collaboration with Daniel Libeskind will not be the culmination, but is the beginning

of our efforts to create a Makom Kodesh, a safe and sacred space, for all who wish to be a part of our community,” said Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers of Tree of Life in a prepared statement.

“Our new and reimagined space will not only serve the needs of our congregation, but will offer an open space to our neighbors and the broader community — here in Pittsburgh, across the country and around the world.

The space will be welcoming and accessible for people of all abilities and backgrounds, offering safe and secure places to learn, cultivate partnerships, remember and reflect.”

Seven members of Tree of Life were murdered on Oct. 27: Joyce Fienberg; Rose Mallinger; David Rosenthal; Cecil Rosenthal; Bernice Simon; Sylvan Simon; and Irving Younger. The three members of New Light who were killed were: Dr. Richard Gottfried; Daniel Stein; and Melvin Wax. Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz of Dor Hadash also was killed that day. Two other worshippers, Andrea Wedner, a member of Tree of Life, and Daniel Leger, a member of Dor Hadash, were seriously injured, as were six police officers.

“This is an exciting next step in this long process of rebuilding,” said Wedner, Mallinger’s daughter, in a prepared statement. “I am looking forward to entering

“ Our team is committed to creating a powerful and memorable space that addresses the worst

”

antisemitic attack in United States history.

— DANIEL LIBESKIND

a new Tree of Life building without fear or hesitation.”

Tree of Life’s multi-million dollar REMEMBER. REBUILD. RENEW. campaign will also focus on partnerships with community organizations, including the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh. Other plans include joint educational programs and the creation of a center dedicated to eliminating hate.

“It is humbling to be trusted and have the opportunity to support this courageous community for which today’s announcement is an important step in the healing process,” said Daniel Rothschild, senior principal of Rothschild Doyno Collaborative, in a prepared statement. “Daniel Libeskind brings a unique perspective to creating

meaningful architecture. We are very excited about Tree of Life’s selection of Studio Libeskind and we are honored to be their partners in expressing hope, resilience and renewal to the future building and site.”

Drs. Ellen Stewart and Jeffrey Cohen, and Linda and Jeffrey Solomon are serving as co-chairs for the REMEMBER. REBUILD. RENEW. campaign. The campaign’s honorary cabinet includes actors Tom Hanks and Billy Porter, as well as Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Joanne Rogers, wife of the late Fred Rogers.

Joanne Rogers died in January at 92. PJC

 Rabbi Danny Schiff

 Rabbi Yisroel Altein

 Cantor Michal Gray-Schaffer

 Rabbi Yaier Lehrer

 Rabbi Keren Gorban

to represent our Jewish community,” he said.

“This is one of those nights where you’re a kid in the candy store.”

Added Jeff Finkelstein, president and CEO of the Federation, “One important insight from the past year is that expanding events online can bring in audiences we don’t usually see at in-person events. Tikkun Leil Online will gather an amazing, diverse audience that

includes some people who prefer for a variety of reasons to connect to Jewish life virtually.”

Adam Hertzman, a Federation spokesperson, noted that the online format makes it difficult to estimate the number of people who will tune in.

“There’s such a wide variety of content,” Hertzman said. “Things we think are going to be super-successful and engaging are not

always well-attended and things we don’t think will do well are packed.”

That said, “If we learned anything from the pandemic,” Hertzman said, “there’s a significant amount of people who want to engage in Jewish life from their home.” PJC

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

Adam Reinherz contributed to this story.

Tikkun: Continued from page 1

over three, one-hour time slots — everything from a deep dive into the Merkavah (mysticism) on whether Ezekiel was a visionary “or just crazy,” with Rabbi Seth Adelson of Congregation Beth Shalom, to a timely session titled “Where was God during the coronavirus pandemic?” with Rabbi Levi Langer of the Kollel Jewish Learning Center.

Bardack will be presenting a session on themes related to tikkun olam in the Talmud.

That session runs in the first time slot, from 10 to 10:50 p.m. Tikkun olam, as a concept, she said, has evolved and developed since biblical times.

“It was first used in the Mishnah,” Bardack said. “In modern times, it was revised in the 1950s as universal values and social justice. Not to give a spoiler alert, but we’re going to look at the meaning of tikkun olam in the beginning.”

Federation leaders hope people will participate in the big event before the holiday.

“The holiday itself demands a meal and all sorts of other activity,” said Rabbi Danny Schiff, the Federation’s foundation scholar, who is helping organize the program. “Doing it the night before finds some people more freely available.”

Federation’s Tikkun Leil Shavuot program has been a mainstay in Jewish Pittsburgh since its launch in 2009. Last year, the event drew hundreds more than could have been accommodated in person, according to Schiff, who said that one of the benefits of Zoom-style, online presentations was that people tuned in from distant locals like Canada and as far south as Florida.

The Federation is hoping last year’s recipe for strong attendance can be repeated. To that end, this year’s program includes more Pittsburgh-based rabbis and scholars, Schiff said, including more female speakers.

“We always strive to have a real diversity 14 MAY 7, 2021

 Rabbi Amy Bardack and the others pictured will be among those leading virtual learning sessions at the Federation’s Tikkun Leil Online File photos

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Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

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Headlines Shinshinim: Continued from page 3

everyday life in Israel, and it will give them a perspective they didn’t have before. For us as Israelis, it’ll be very interesting to see Israel through their eyes.”

The Partnership2Gether program is an initiative of the Jewish Agency for Israel to connect Israeli society with worldwide Jewry, pairing cities in Israel with cities all

JFCS: Continued from page 5

this type of work.

“Knowing you are generally able to help someone, that’s the reward,” he said.

Due to the pandemic, this was the first time JFCS offered a citizenship clinic online, according to Allie Reefer, JFCS’ public relations specialist. Cavicchio said the program began with a “standard video chat call” and then transitioned into secure breakout rooms where volunteers, staff and clients could maintain privacy while going through

over the map. This marks the third year that the program will send Shinshinim from Israel to Pittsburgh, yet the first time that Karmiel/Misgav residents will host Shinshinim from Pittsburgh.

“Here in Israel, being a Jew is something very obvious for us, it’s part of our daily lives,” Ovadia said. “I think it will be important for the kids in the Children’s Village especially to learn how it is to be a Jew in other places in the world.”

The Jewish Community Center of Greater

Pittsburgh helped realize this program, and will conduct the September orientation and the final three-month segment once the teens return home. The participants will work with Israeli Shinshinim on the JCC’s Second Floor, a hub for teen engagement. From March to May, they will create Israel-themed content for the JCC’s after-school program and organize a team experience for Yom Ha’atzmaut.

Chris Herman, director of the JCC’s Second Floor, said he hopes the program will strengthen the teens’ leadership skills

and Jewish identities.

“We’ve had two successful years of Israeli Shinshinim coming to Pittsburgh so far, and we hope to have that same impact in Karmiel/Misgav, not just for the participants, but for the families, both in Israel and here in Pittsburgh,” he said.

More information about the Masa Shinshinim program can be found at jewishpgh.org/masa-Shinshinim. PJC

the application.

“This can be extremely specific and confusing, and may be overwhelming, for someone with language or cultural barriers,” said Cavicchio.

Rosenthal agreed and cited the application’s intricacy. For example, form N-400, a 20-page application for naturalization, asks not only about an individual’s marital or educational history, but also prior involvement in genocide, torture or military service.

Rosenthal, a Rodef Shalom board member, credited the congregation’s Community Outreach and Social Action Committee with

providing volunteers for the clinic. These are people who aren’t necessarily attorneys, he said, but come from “different walks of life” and wish to “do good through social action.”

Cavicchio said the volunteers have all completed document-specific training and that legal staff was available to answer questions.

JFCS has a proud history of assisting refugees and immigrants, said Reefer. As recently as the past 6 years, JFCS has filed more than 1,000 citizenship applications, she said. Jordan Golin, JFCS’ president and CEO, said that whether it’s managing paperwork, clarifying documents or holding clinics, the collective effort bears a critical lesson.

“In addition to their ability to efficiently guide people through the process of becoming Americans, the clinics’ use of volunteers sends a message to immigrants that they are wanted and valued by their neighbors,” he said.

Rosenthal hopes people understand the refugee story didn’t end decades ago.

“These are people who are fleeing their homeland because they have to,” he said.

“They’re in danger one way or another and it’s a good thing to help them.” PJC

Dionna Dash is a writer living in Pittsburgh.

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

Peduto: Continued from page 7

mayoral candidate and State Rep. Ed Gainey, Cherner posed both her own questions and those submitted by viewers. Following an audience-submitted query, Cherner told Peduto “some groups support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement as a way to put economic pressure on Israel” and asked the mayor about his views on the BDS movement.

“I don’t support it,” said Peduto. “The far left has this agenda that basically wants to be able to recognize Palestine but has an anti-Zionist side — it doesn’t recognize the Jewish world to have its own state. And so when they push this agenda what they’re doing is they’re basically saying...Palestine should have its own state, that Israel should be criminalized and that the world should gather around like we did in South Africa with apartheid in order to be able to make that happen. But what they don’t say is Israel should have its own state, and they refuse to say that.”

Peduto acknowledged that “looking at world affairs, that’s a little bit higher than my pay scale as a mayor. But I’ve been to Israel.

I drove by the West Bank. I have been to Tel Aviv...and I’ve been to Jerusalem, where the respect between each of the different

p Mayor and mayoral candidate Bill Peduto speaks with Federation’s Laura Cherner

religions is present on a daily basis. I don’t know what Israel’s solution will be. I tend to believe that there can be a two-state option.”

Peduto said that in his position he’s had to keep activism at arm’s length.

“As a mayor you can’t be an activist. You have to be a mayor. There are two completely different jobs, and they are mutually exclusive. A mayor has to be a pragmatist,” he said, and even though one should fight against parties who seek to strip constituents of their rights, government officials have other responsibilities.

“At the end of the day, the garbage has to be picked up Monday morning,” he said.

“When that light turns green, you have got to

assure the people those other lights are red.

And when you wake up in the morning and your kid is brushing their teeth, you have to ensure that the water that they’re drinking is clean. You don’t get to be a representative, or a counselor, or Congress member and just pontificate about ideas.”

Peduto said that from his early days decades ago as District 8 Councilperson Dan Cohen’s chief of staff until now, he’s worked to build relationships and improve the quality of life in Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods.

He thanked the Jewish community for supporting him throughout his career and closed by tearfully addressing the Oct. 27, 2018 attack at the Tree of Life building.

Screenshot by Adam Reinherz

“The trauma of 2018 was real. It affects me to this day. Those were my friends too,” he said. “I still have some work to do, and I really hope to get the support in order to be able to finish the job.

“I love my job. I hate politics, and I wish there was a better way to apply for this job than the meat grinder process that we have to go through,” Peduto said.

A final Federation-sponsored conversation is scheduled with mayoral candidate Mike Thompson on May 13. Information is available at jewishpgh.org/crc. PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

Beth Shalom hires new executive director

C

ongregation Beth Shalom has hired Robert Gleiberman as its new executive director. He will join Beth Shalom staff ’s on May 1.

Gleiberman comes from North Carolina, where he served for 10 years as executive director at Temple Beth Or in Raleigh, and for 11 years at Temple Israel in Charlotte.

Additionally, he co-owned a kosher market and deli in Charlotte for several years.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Robert Gleiberman Photo provided

In a letter to the congregation, Debby Firestone, president of Beth Shalom, and Kate Rothstein, executive vice president and chair of the executive director search committee,

touted Gleiberman’s “customer service oriented perspective,” noting that he has also worked with tenants and with an early learning center.

“His experience managing a staff, his easy-going manner, and his background in Conservative Judaism will all make him an excellent fit here at Beth Shalom,” the letter stated.

Gleiberman was selected by the search

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

committee from a pool of several dozen candidates and the congregation approved his hiring at a special congregational meeting on March 30.

Gleiberman and his wife, Lynn, are currently in the process of moving from Raleigh to Pittsburgh. He will succeed Ken Turkewitz as executive director. PJC — Toby Tabachnick MAY 7, 2021 15

Life & Culture Kunefeh: A special dessert for Shavuot — FOOD —

By Jessica Grann | Special to the Chronicle

K

unefeh, knafeh, kunafa — it can be spelled many different ways, but it all adds up to magic.

This is a dairy dessert, made with butter, cream and cheese, and scented with rose water and orange blossom water. Perfumed desserts are common in the Middle East and in Northern Africa. I adore them and their very exotic flavors, but if you are not accustomed to the taste, feel free to use lesser amounts of the rose and orange blossom water.

This dessert is perfect to serve for Shavuot and at life cycle events, for a brit milah or a bar or bat mitzvah. I won’t lie to you: It’s often saved for holidays because it takes time to prepare.

There are four main steps before the kunefeh is pieced together, baked and drenched in sugar syrup: making the simple sugar syrup; whisking up a semolina pudding; mixing a cheese filling; and preparing the pastry dough.

The recipe can be prepared a day in advance and baked right before serving. It is best served hot from the oven so that the cheese center is melted.

I suggest gathering all of the ingredients at once, because several of them are used in more than one step.

Kunefeh Simple sugar syrup: 2 cups white sugar 2 cups water Juice from half a lemon 1 tablespoon rose water 1 tablespoon orange blossom water

Add the sugar, water and lemon juice to a sauce pan and bring to a soft boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and let simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, stir in the rose water and orange blossom water and set aside.

Cheese filling: 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons white sugar ½ tablespoon rose water

Combine in bowl and set aside.

Semolina pudding: 1 ½ cups whole milk ¾ cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons white sugar 3 tablespoons fine semolina 1 teaspoon corn or potato starch, dissolved in 1 teaspoon of water

Put 1 teaspoon of water in a small glass or bowl, and stir in the starch until it is dissolved.

Over medium heat, combine the milk, cream, sugar and semolina flour, whisking together until combined. Add in the starch mixture and stir. Slowly bring the pudding to a soft boil, then reduce the heat, whisking constantly for about 3 minutes, being 16 MAY 7, 2021

careful not to let it scald. Remove from heat and set aside.

Pastry crust: 1 1-pound package of frozen kataifi shredded pastry dough, thawed (available in Middle Eastern and Greek markets) 2 sticks melted butter, or 1 cup ghee ⅓ cup unsalted ground pistachios for garnishing

Thaw the kataifi pastry dough in the refrigerator overnight, or on the counter for several hours at room temperature.

Melt the butter over low heat and pour it through a strainer draped with cheesecloth to remove all of the milk solids. Strain the butter immediately into a Pyrex after it is melted, and set aside.

Place the kataifi, which looks like angel hair pasta, into an extra-large bowl. Slowly pull the pastry apart (it will almost triple in size). Once it’s fluffed up, pour the melted butter over it and mix well with your hands.

Some people prefer to use gloves during this process, but I like to feel the pastry so that I know it is mixed well. This step can take 4-5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 F, and place the wire rack in the middle position.

Grease a large 12-inch round metal cake pan with butter, or two 8-inch metal cake pans. If you’re not expecting a large crowd, it’s best to prepare two desserts using the 8-inch pans, freezing one before baking it. When you need it, just thaw and bake. If you don’t have either size of the round pans, you can use a 9x13-inch rectangular glass baking dish.

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3

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 Above, the finished kunefeh; 1) the kataifi pastry dough; 2) the pudding mixture added; 3) cheese added on top of the pudding; 4) the kunefeh with the final layer of kataifi before baking Photos by Jessica Grann

Put about ⅔ of the pastry mixture into the greased pan, spreading it evenly across the bottom and completely up the sides of the pan. I use the bottom of a measuring cup or a glass and push it down on the sides and the bottom to really compact the pastry and to keep the filling in place.

Pour in half of the pudding mixture, smoothing it evenly out with a rubber spatula, then sprinkle the cheese mixture evenly across the pudding.

Cover the cheese mixture with the remaining half of the pudding mixture, then sprinkle the remaining pastry over the top.

Gently press down the top pastry layer with the glass or measuring cup. If you spread the pastry all the way up the side of the pan, use your fingers to fold it down over the top, combining it with the layer that you just sprinkled. (Imagine closing the top of an envelope down to seal it — you will do the same thing with the pastry dough.)

If using a 12-inch or rectangular pan, bake

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for about 50 minutes, or until golden brown. If using an 8-inch pan, bake for 40-45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and pour about ⅔ of the syrup evenly over the pastry.

Cover the pan of pastry with a large plate, platter or cookie sheet.

Using oven mitts to protect yourself from a burn, quickly turn over the pastry so that it falls out onto the plate.

Pour out the remaining syrup, which will well up around the sides a bit (if it looks very syrupy, you can reserve some of it for a later use).

Serve while warm, using a sharp knife and a pastry server. You can garnish with ground pistachios before serving.

This recipe is complicated, but is truly worth the time and effort to surprise your guests with something so uncommon and exceptional. Enjoy! PJC Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.

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MAY 7, 2021 17

Celebrations

Torah

B’nei Mitzvah

What do you do when you simply don’t care?

Michael Bisno, son of Rabbi Aaron and Michelle Bisno and younger brother to Adam, will become a bar mitzvah on May 8, 2021 at Rodef Shalom Congregation.

Michael enjoys sports, including boxing and skiing, and loves attending URJ Camp Coleman in Cleveland, Georgia, in the summer. Michael is a seventh-grade student at Colfax Middle School.

Audra Layla Sahn will become a bat mitzvah on Saturday, May 8, at Am Shalom in Glencoe, Illinois. Audra is the daughter of Laurie Sharapan Sahn, formerly of Pittsburgh, and Nate Sahn. She has a sister, Jaina. Her maternal grandparents are Don Sharapan and Hedda Sharapan of Pittsburgh.

Her paternal grandparents are Dr. Leonard and Linda Sahn of Orchard Lake, Michigan.

Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel Parshat Behar-Bechukotai Leviticus 25:1 - 27:34

P

eople are often shocked by their own indifference to right and wrong. Men and women who have always preached morality and justice might find themselves on the wrong end of a string of misfortunes or disappointments and find themselves just too tired to care. Right, wrong, what’s the difference anyway.

People sometimes feel this way as a result of persistent poverty. Unable to climb out of what they feel is a pit of failures, they give up not only on success, but on being right.

It doesn’t seem to matter anymore. Others fall into this trap as a result of chronic illness, or loneliness, or an endless stream

living right and not wrong — that’s all Him. The mitzvot are His dearest wishes, and He entrusts them only to us. Not to the celestial angels, not to the natural world; only to us, His cherished, dear, mere mortals.

The truest reason to make the right choices in life is not because that’s how you get ahead but because that’s how you fulfill the purpose of your life. You are needed — urgently, indescribably needed — with an eternal need coming straight from the Creator of the universe Himself, and the mitzvot are what you are needed for. G-d got the world started in the six days of Creation, but He’s been looking for partners ever since then. We are His partners. Full, comprehensive partners. Our decisions affect Him and His plans exactly as His decisions affect us and ours. He prays for us to do the right thing just as we pray for Him to do what

Far more than we depend on G-d to provide our needs, G-d needs us to provide His needs.

Engagement Phyllis and David Kimel of Squirrel Hill are proud to announce the engagement of their son, Nathan, to Angela Millin, daughter of Angela and Thomas Millin of Millstone, New Jersey. Nathan is the grandson of Marilyn Gusky of Delray Beach, Florida, and the late Burton Gusky. He is also the grandson of Harriet Kimel of Boca Raton, Florida, and the late Abraham Kimel. Angela is the granddaughter of Joanna Balsamo of Hamilton, New Jersey, and the late Marco Balsamo. She is also the granddaughter of Betty Millin of Lakewood, New Jersey, and the late Joseph “Yogie” Millin. Nathan is a graduate of Penn State University with a B.A. in broadcast journalism and Angela, a graduate of the University of Miami with a BFA in acting. Nathan works in software sales and Angela is the director of business development for Harper + Scott, while also managing her co-founded company, Pure Batch. Though they met in New York City, they’ve recently relocated to the Strip District, and split their time as “young snowbirds” between Pittsburgh and their condo in Miami. Their wedding is planned for fall 2022 in Miami. We couldn’t be happier — they are a perfect match! PJC

of depressing news. Having always believed that doing good is the surest path to living well, such well-meaning people, when they suffer disappointments, may find themselves terribly discouraged and despairing of the benefits of doing the right thing.

What is a person to do at that point?

G-d declares in the Torah this week, “If you follow in my ways…” and a shower of blessings follows that opening. The Talmud illuminates the verse and explains, “In this case, ‘if ’ means ‘if only.’ Almighty G-d is imploring us to follow in His ways.”

A deeper look reveals an astonishing truth: Far more than we depend on G-d to provide our needs, G-d needs us to provide His needs.

And what are Divine needs? The performance of the mitzvot; the choice of right over wrong.

G-d has too often been portrayed as the Supreme Drill Sergeant in the sky, barking orders, setting the bar, demanding performance and handing out penalties to those who misbehave. As if the commandments He issues are for your benefit and your benefit only, He is perfect and isn’t really depending on your success. As if He would love you if you found purpose in your life, but His perfection has no need for your petty life lived right.

Literally, nothing could be further from the truth. The shining quality of G-d’s perfection is His ability to be vulnerable to us. He created us, we didn’t create Him. This whole universe was His idea, not ours. Morality and

we (imagine we) need Him to do. With the same intensity that a person might yearn for Divine intervention in the midst of a crisis, G-d years for our intervention where we can make a difference. The only distinction is that G-d’s yearning is infinite.

Our very existence is the biggest compliment. The fact that G-d put us here and keeps us here is His way of saying, “I need you.”

Hard times can put a damper on our energy and darken our moods. Tough times can be discouraging to our enthusiasm for doing what’s right and for sacrificing for a higher purpose. But knowing that the urgency of our lives and our choices comes not from our needs but from G-d’s, means that it never changes. Our self-worth comes from G-d’s faith in us, not from our own self-importance.

If G-d in Heaven, in front of the watchful eyes of all the angels, is imploring us to run our little corner of His world with kindness and wisdom, this means one thing: All the hard times, foul moods and bitter disappointments in the world can not diminish the glorious purpose of our days, our stories and the choices we make to write their most triumphant chapters. PJC Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel is executive director of The Aleph Institute — North East Region. This column is a service of the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Pittsburgh.

E s tat e N o t i c e

The Original

Sherman E. Elias, Deceased of White Oak, Pennsylvania No. 02-21-1553 Ruth Gordon, Executor; 3309 Smith Avenue, Pikesville, MD 21208 or to Bruce S. Gelman, Esquire, Gelman & Reisman, Law & Finance Bldg., 429 Fourth Avenue, Suite 1701, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

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

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Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jennie R. Jacobson Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacob Rush Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bessie Averbach Frani and Milo Averbach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harold Middleman Phyllis Cohen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Alan Cohen Pauline Dobkin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dora Sussman Pauline Dobkin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Barney Dobkin Randy Malt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Renee Malt Hart Sharon Snider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ed Snider Richard S. Stuart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jerome Supowitz Richard S. Stuart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edith Liberman Harold C. Weiss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Swartz Harold C. Weiss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phillip Weiss

THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS —

HABER: David Lee Haber, on Sunday May 2, 2021. Beloved husband of Dawn (Sprowls) Haber. Beloved father of Alyssa and Jason Haber. Son of Harvey and the late Rita Haber. Brother of Marc (Debbie) Haber and Edward (Sonya) Haber. Also survived by many nieces, nephews and in-laws. David was a partner of Weinheimer, Haber & Coco Law Firm until 2018. He was a proud graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Pitt Law. He loved coaching little league, soccer, softball and was an active supporter of many sports programs in the Mt. Lebanon School District. He was a lifelong fan of the Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and Pitt Panthers. He was an advocate for education, setting up a fund with his wife to honor his beloved in-laws to help kids fulfill their dreams of going to college. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and adoring dogs Bailey, Jasmine and Jackson. The family would like to thank all the doctors, nurses and physical therapists who cared for Dave, especially Dr. James J. Reilly, Dr. Tulika Ranjan and Dr. Richard Williamson. They were truly angels and provided the best care possible.

Graveside services and interment were held on Monday, May 3, 2021, at Temple Sinai Memorial Park, 7740 Saltsburg Road, Plum, PA 15239. Contributions may be made to the Sprowls College Scholarship Fund c/o of Washington County Community Foundation, 1253 Route 519, P.O. Box 308, Eighty Four, PA 15330 or Allegheny Health Network Greatest Need Fund. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, family owned and operated. schugar.com HOROVITZ: Jack Morton Horovitz (19342021), born in Pittsburgh, son of the late Charles and Bertha (Brown) Horovitz, passed away April 30, 2021. He is predeceased by his wife of 44 years, JoAnne Lang Horovitz. Jack went to Taylor Allderdice High School and was known by his good friends as “Ace.” He served in the Korean War and earned his CPA license at the University of Pittsburgh. He worked at the steel mill

to help pay his way through college. Jack shared his passion of music, food and love of animals with all who knew him. Whether hosting a pool party or sitting in the stands at a Steeler game, his wit and enthusiasm was guaranteed. Jack was a living, walking meme.

He is survived by his sisters Jean Segal and Ruth Rosenburg. He is predeceased by his brother Jerome (Jerry) Horovitz and his sister Lorraine Meyers. He will be missed dearly by his children, Daniel (Cheryl) Horovitz, Bernard (Deborah) Horovitz and Jennifer (Hayley Kile) Horovitz. He will be forever loved by his grandchildren Jane, Joseph, Lauren, Melissa and Katie. Graveside services and interment were held at William Penn Memorial Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com LIPSITZ: Morton Sidney Lipsitz, on Saturday, April 24, 2021, in Los Angeles, California.

Born in 1926, Mr. Lipsitz was raised in Pittsburgh and Braddock, Pennsylvania, where his family lived above a furniture store and next to a stable on Braddock Avenue. His father, Israel, rode on horseback in the early morning between 4 and 5 a.m. to purchase fruits and vegetables at a downtown market in Pittsburgh that he would later re-sell in Braddock. A few years after his graduation from Taylor Allderdice High School in Squirrel Hill, Mr. Lipsitz enlisted in the army on Feb. 21, 1945. He received a Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, World War II Victory Ribbon and Army of Occupation Medal for his service in occupied Japan. He was honorably discharged in September 1946 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. He retired from the Hilton Hotels Corporation in Los Angeles, California. Beloved brother of the late Rose Mallinger, Helen Baum, Sylvia Knee and Freda Leiss. Also survived by nieces and nephews. Graveside services and interment were held on May 2 at Shaare Torah Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com PJC

Sunday May 9: Dr. Henry H. Black, Abe Bortz, Ida Eisen, Mollie Klater, Macy L. Leuin, Sophia Meyer, Irwin Pariser, Betsy Sachs, Milton Sadowsky, Henry L. Schutzman, Herman S. Schwartz, Mary Sinaikin, Meyer J. Slotsky, Benjamin Solomon, Harry Tyson, Bessie Chait Weinberg Monday May 10: Henry M. Abrams, Maurice D. Azen, Joseph H. Breman, Isadore Brody, Irving Caplan, Ralph Covel, Theodore T. Davidson, Harry Feldman, Jennie Kramer, Donald W. Levenson, Anna Levy, Eva Cohen Roth Levy, Martin Lewinter, Bertha Esther Miller, Raymond Rosenson, Samuel Schwartzman, Lillian Staman, Jeanette Stern, Clara Stevenson, Rebecca Zwibel Tuesday May 14: I. Aleck Brand, Lillian Braun, Henry Cramer, Meyer M. Diznoff, Pesach Aaron Katz, Shirley Kress, Dorothy Natterson Maas, Edward Pearlstein, Abe J. Perlman, Mollie Reich, Emil Rosenthal, Rose Steinberg, Rose Stern, Esther Miller Swartz, Esther Weinberg, Milton Saul Weinberg, Rachel Dugan Weisberg Wednesday May 12: Ruth W. Braude, Lillian L. Halpern, Jennie R. Jacobson, Herman Lee Krouse, David Louff, Louis Mandell, Frances Simon, Dolores M. Stein, Dora Stein Thursday May 13: Bessie Averbach, Saul Caplan, Helen Unger Casar, Frances Fink, Louis Aaron Gernstat, Milton M. Goldstone, Sidney Harris, Mollie Greenberg Kalson, Esther Leipzig, Ben H. Liepack, Saul Linder, Adele Lundy, Kathryn Friedlander Miller, Dora Weiss Nach, Pearl R. Regenstein, Benjamin Saunders, Bessie Srulson, Saul Waxler Friday May 14: Fay Caplan, Lee Chajson, Myra Freeman, Robert Glasser, Tillie Helfant, Lawrence R. Katz, Maurice Kramer, Elaine A. Lefkowitz, Sam Moldovan, Jacob S. Rush, Dora Fineberg Smith, Morris B. Weiss, Lilyan Wiesenthal Saturday May 15: Ida Borovetz, Rose C. Cody, Samuel William Corn, Louis L. Edelman, David Eisenberg, Bessie Finkelstein, Eva Gold, Marsha Goldman, Lena Herr, Rose Gordon Labowitz, Sylvia A. Livingston, Frank L. Mandell, Julius Nydes, Hyman Roth, Milton M. Ruttenberg, Harry Siegman, Leonard Silverblatt, Harry F. Skirboll, Manuel Solomon, Yetta Spodek, Yetta Spodek, Hedwig Stern, Jerome Supowitz, Abraham Swadow

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

A Notable Personality • Nathan Liff-Pittsburgh

Born in Russia in 1900 and emigrating with his family as a toddler, Nathan “Natey” Liff was ever present in Pittsburgh’s colorful boxing history. As a newsboy he sold papers at the matches, and then got involved with fighting as a featherweight as a young man. By the early 20’s he was working local boxing star Harry Greb’s corner when he beat Gene Tunney at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

In the 1930’s, Natey ran the Eagles Nest in Millvale, a training facility that attracted local legend Billy Conn. Even Joe Louis worked out there when in town. Part lodge part boxing club, the Eagles Nest attracted area promoters Milton Jaffe and Art Rooney. Natey Liff managed and trained boxers, and promoted many bouts at Duquesne Gardens. He stayed close with Pittsburgh’s boxing community his entire life. A Squirrel Hill resident, Nathan Liff passed away in 2000 and is buried in Anshe Lubovitz Cemetery in Shaler Township.

For more information about JCBA cemeteries, to volunteer, to read our complete histories and/or to make a contribution, please visit our website at www.JCBApgh.org, email us at jcbapgh@gmail.com, or call the JCBA office at 412-553-6469 JCBA’s expanded vision is made possible by a generous grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Jewish Community Foundation

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MAY 7, 2021 19

Headlines Report: Continued from page 9

But Pollack-Pelzner told JTA that “there’s a real issue of institutional racism at Linfield” and said that allegations against white members of the board had never been investigated, while allegations against Black members had been. “If the NAACP would like to talk with me I would be happy to speak,” he said, but he noted that the group had not responded to a list of questions he and several other professors had sent them about the investigation.

The report’s only reference to the allegations of antisemitism comes in a rebuttal to the Jewish organizations that demanded Davis’ resignation. Pollack-Pelzner and two other professors accused Davis of making antisemitic comments about Jewish noses

and the Holocaust, but Davis denied the allegations. Due mostly to Davis’ denials, an independent investigation could not substantiate the allegations.

Based on that investigation, the NAACP criticized the ADL and Oregon Board of Rabbis for calling on Davis to resign. The ADL, the report says, “failed to conduct any independent investigation, preferring to simply believe the complaint despite the fact the University had already conducted an independent review. Further, the Oregon Board of Rabbis also called for the resignation of President Davis without talking with him or conducting an investigation of any kind.”

The local ADL representative did not respond to a call for comment on Friday.

Rabbi Eve Posen, president of the Oregon Board of Rabbis, told JTA that “the Oregon Board of Rabbis is interested and would be more than happy to work with the NAACP,”

but did not elaborate.

Reginald Richardson, the president of the local NAACP chapter, told JTA that he trusted the independent investigation of the antisemitism claims, and that PollackPelzner’s firing was outside the scope of the NAACP report.

“As I understand it from the documents we reviewed, the allegations of antisemitic comments were investigated by the university, so that was litigated and resolved,” he said. He said Pollack-Pelzner’s firing was “a personnel issue that I’m not a party to and I have no opinion one way or the other about it.”

Pollack-Pelzner’s firing has led to an outcry among professors worldwide.

Linfield by-laws require a lengthy process including multiple hearings, which did not happen in Pollack-Pelzner’s case. Davis told the Chronicle of Higher Education

that the school’s faculty handbook had “not been updated” and said a “number of things in that handbook that are not valid.”

He added that “Our legal representation feels very comfortable with the basis for his termination.”

The handbook was last updated in January of this year, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

An open letter signed by more than 1,800 professors says that Linfield denied PollackPelzner due process.

“Linfield has fired Pollack-Pelzner both as a punishment for his publicly holding the University responsible and as a warning to every other member of the faculty,” the letter says. His termination, the letter says, threatens to “set a precedent that will eviscerate the foundational principles of both free speech and of faculty governance on university campuses.” PJC

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MAY 7, 2021 21

Life & Culture Holocaust-themed opera to be presented outside at The Frick — THEATER —

By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

T

he concept was too good for Steel City Opera to ignore.

On May 16, the company will perform “After Life,” a 50-minute, one-act chamber opera, on the North Lawn of The Frick in Point Breeze — outdoors, in English, with natural lighting, without supertitles, and staged on a simple, 8-by-12-foot platform. The show, which is free to attend with pre-registration, starts at 6 p.m.

“It’s definitely going to be a lot different,” said Meghan Hilker, the company’s artistic director, who grew up in Pittsburgh’s South Hills. “It will be staged simply. It’s very conversational — and it’s not necessarily what you think of when you think of a big opera.”

In the play, whose music was written in 2015 by the American composer Tom Cipullo and whose libretto was prepared by David Mason, the spirits of Jewish writer Gertrude Stein and Pablo Picasso are conjured from beyond and reminisce about their World War II days. A young girl, a victim of the

 Jenifer Weber

Photos provided by

Steel City Opera

Holocaust, then appears as the conjurer to ask deeper questions about why some are remembered and others are not. The young girl is played by Jewish Pittsburgher Sarah Nadler, who is the cantorial soloist at Tree of Life Congregation.

Before the opera, there will be a brief presentation by Dr. Barbara S. Burstin, a Jewish studies scholar who has taught at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh and has worked alongside the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh.

Hilker admits Burstin’s presentation adds to the unconventional nature of the evening. “[Burstin] had no idea what to expect — we said, ‘Neither do we!’” Hilker said.

Steel City Opera is the region’s newest opera company, having debuted with the world premiere online of “Helen Martin: An American Moment.” The company does not have a physical space yet and will be making its live debut at The Frick.

“Our goal is to perform anywhere they’ll let us,” Hilker said. “We’re kind of a travelling show right now.”

Jenifer Weber will be playing the role of Stein in the Steel City Opera production of “After Life.” The Washington, Pennsylvania, native, who now lives in Point Breeze, studied at Indiana University-Bloomington and the University of Missouri.

She likes to joke that she made her operatic debut in kindergarten in Washington County.

“I sang a song about Hanukkah because there were no other Jewish kids in the school,” Weber laughed. “That’s where I got the bug.”

Weber admits that she struggled with the Holocaust content of the opera, and was deeply affected the first time she heard the opera’s score.

“It’s always a difficult subject to confront,” she told the Chronicle. “I even get teary now thinking about it. It’s a very difficult subject for me as a Jewish woman and a Jewish mother.”

Picasso will be played by Franklin Mosely,

h

who sings for the choir at Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran.

Hilker said the opera is being presented for a wide audience to digest.

“This is for everybody and anybody,” she said. “This is for people who know opera … and this is for people interested in the history.

This is for all ages. It’s content-appropriate

Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

“ It’s always a difficult subject to confront.

I even get teary now thinking about it.

It’s a very difficult subject for me as a

”

Jewish woman and a Jewish mother.

— JENIFER WEBER

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 Franklin Mosley

for kids and adults alike. We want to make opera for everybody.”

Attendees can register for free tickets at steel-city-opera.ticketleap.com and are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets and refreshments. Seating is not provided.

The presentation is sponsored in part by The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh. PJC

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22 MAY 7, 2021

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Community Grounds peeking t Jewish Cemetery and Burial Association of Greater Pittsburgh leadership observed maintenance work and enhancements at the Beth Abraham, Shaare Zedeck and Marks cemeteries in Carrick on May 2.

Photo courtesy of Jewish Cemetery and Burial Association of Greater Pittsburgh

Jewish Sports Hall of Fame scores online The Jewish Sports Hall of Fame of Western Pennsylvania held its annual gala on May 2. The virtual event honored Dr. Robert Chetlin, Kaitlyn (Orstein) Fife, Dylan Reese, Mark Haffner and Sherree Goldstein. Chetlin, an associate professor and clinical coordinator at Mercyhurst University Department of Sports Medicine, was recognized for his contributions to sports science. Fife, a 14-time NCAA Division III All-American at Washington & Jefferson College, was recognized for swimming. Dylan Reese, who suited up for the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes, was recognized for hockey. Mark Haffner, a nationally certified tennis instructor and life coach, received the Ziggy Kahn Award. And Sherree Goldstein, a Mt. Lebanon native and owner of Square Cafe, received the Manny Gold Humanitarian Award.

p Dr. Robert Chetlin

p Kaitlyn (Orstein) Fife

p Dylan Reese

p Mark Haffner

p Sherree Goldstein

Looking down and looking ahead

Screenshots by Adam Reinherz

And the winner is...

t Repair the World families met in Frick Park on April 25 in honor of Earth Day. Fifteen participants patrolled the park and filled six trash bags.

Photo courtesy of Repair the World Pittsburgh

In response to the problem of persistent medical errors, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation invited competitors to pitch patient safety and healthcare innovations. Startups from the U.S. and across the globe entered the Jewish Healthcare Foundation’s 2021 Healthcare Safety Challenge. Elemeno Health, from Oakland, California, won first place and received $25,000; Medsix, from Boston, Massachusetts, took second and won $7,500; READE.ai, from Pittsburgh, won third place and received $2,500.

p Dr. Karen Wolk Feinstein, president & CEO, Jewish Healthcare Foundation, asks a question during the 2021 JHF Healthcare Safety Challenge.

Screenshot by Adam Reinherz

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MAY 7, 2021 23

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