Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 5-13-22 by Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle

May 13, 2022 | 12 Iyar 5782

Candlelighting 8:10 p.m. | Havdalah 9:15 p.m. | Vol. 65, No. 19 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

NOTEWORTHY LOCAL The passing of a community stalwart

Chantze Bulter dies at 99

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NCJW Pittsburgh embraces role Kollel and as ‘community ally’ as abortion Pittsburgh ‘crisis’ looms Jewish community honor five scholars after ordination By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

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realignment task force. Conversations between participants spanning nearly 60 years in age acknowledged that NCJW Pittsburgh is “white-led and that we have a responsibility to unlearn some of our biases and understanding as we approach our work,” Glickman said. Internal discussions, dialogue with other NCJW sections nationwide and a 2019 report from the City of Pittsburgh’s Gender Equity Commission helped local members reach several conclusions, Kate Rothstein, NCJW Pittsburgh’s programming and communications manager told the Chronicle shortly after the realignment process began. It became clear that NCJW Pittsburgh must increase its advocacy for gender and racial equity, but that the manner of doing so needed to change. The organization had to act “with, not for,” interim Executive Director Sara Segel said. Moving forward, NCJW Pittsburgh must become “more inclusive and focused on addressing some of the systemic issues that we have when we go about doing our work,” Glickman said. NCJW Pittsburgh leaders point to the

ore than 200 members of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community celebrated the ordination of five local scholars at a Chag HaSemicha program, a first for the Kollel Jewish Learning Center. The May 8 program was an opportunity to highlight the accomplishments of Pittsburgh’s young Jewish scholars and thank the community for enabling their achievements, Associate Rosh Kollel Rabbi Doniel Schon said. The event, held at Shaare Torah Congregation, celebrated Rabbis Yossi Berkowitz, Binyomin Bauman, Moshe Gans, Shmuli Mandelbaum and Chananel Shapiro on receiving Yoreh Yoreh, a level of rabbinic ordination permitting the rabbis to decide daily halachic matters, such as those concerning kashrut. Carey Balaban, a professor of otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and longtime supporter of the Kollel, described the event as a “convocation,” and praised the scholars on their ordinations. Before receiving Yoreh Yoreh, Berkowitz, Bauman, Gans, Mandelbaum and Shapiro each held Rav U’Manhig ordination, a lower level of semicha. Receiving Yoreh Yoreh required them to study lengthy portions of the Shulchan Aruch (a 16th-century code of Jewish law) and travel to Baltimore for a series of three tests with Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, a nationally recognized Jewish legal authority who serves as head of Agudath Israel of Baltimore and rabbinical supervisor of the Star-K kashrut certification agency.

Please see NCJW, page 14

Please see Kollel, page 14

It’s time to start moving

 Demonstrators gather downtown on March 3 for an event organized by Tracy Baton, director of Women’s March Pittsburgh. NCJW Pittsburgh was a community partner.

Photo courtesy of Mark Dixon

The benefits of exercise to older adults

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LOCAL Raise a glass to live music and comedy

City Winery comes to Pittsburgh

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Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

or 128 years, NCJW Pittsburgh has advocated for the rights of women, children and families, but the most critical moment in the Jewish group’s history may be happening now, incoming President Andrea Kline Glickman said. If the leaked draft opinion proves correct, and the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, 50 years of work will vanish, Glickman said. For the organization founded in 1894, and dedicated to social justice issues, the prospect of losing legal access to abortion across the country is not only cataclysmic but contrary to public opinion. Fifty-nine percent of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to Pew Research Center. Within the Jewish community, that figure balloons to 83%. “We are at a crisis moment here,” Glickman said. “In our current world, so much is at risk. Our democracy is at risk.” An organization like NCJW Pittsburgh bears responsibility for effectuating change, the group’s leaders explained. Doing so, however, requires a paradigm shift. Months ago, members convened a

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LOCAL Cannabis law at Pitt

NATIONAL Orthodox Judaism and abortion

FOOD Ukrainian Jewish food

Headlines Chantze Butler, community stalwart, has died at 99 — LOCAL — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

maternal icon in Pittsburgh’s Orthodox Jewish community has died. Chantze Butler, a mother of four who famously helped establish Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh and Kollel Jewish Learning Center while seated at her dining room table, died last month at the age of 99. Services were held on April 26 at Beit Shemesh in Israel. “My mother left a lasting, loving legacy for the Jewish community of Pittsburgh,” said her son, David Butler, who grew up in Pittsburgh but now lives in Maryland. “She was among the last members of a generation who were instrumental in building and sustaining Jewish life and institutions in the city, and who helped cultivate the warm and embracing Pittsburgh Jewish community we are all so proud of. We will miss her. But her legacy will live on.” Born Feb. 22, 1923, in Boston to parents from what today is Israel, Butler moved to Pittsburgh around 1946, according to Magisterial District Judge Danny Butler, her nephew. She lived her Pittsburgh life on Bartlett Street, in what became an ancestral home that now houses the family’s fifth generation. Even in her later years, Butler would sit in the big house and play her many grandchildren online in Scrabble, family members recalled. Butler’s late husband, Donald, who predeceased her by almost a decade, ran several businesses along with his brother Abraham, including a publishing company that printed “This Week In Pittsburgh,” a magazine frequently found in area hotels, and the Pinsker’s storefront on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill, which they owned from the 1960s to the 1980s,

p Chantze and Donald Butler

Danny Butler said. She taught extensively, and spoke Hebrew fluently, friends of the family said. “She was the purest kind of Jewish educator — any kid, any class, any time,” said Nina Butler, her niece. “There was something about being in her presence that put you at ease,” Nina Butler added. “It wasn’t a heavy-handed thing at all. It was about being a loving parent.” Rabbi Daniel Yolkut, whose Congregation Poale Zedeck Butler attended, remembered Butler’s warmth. He recalled hosting Torah classes in her home. “The table was always set. There was always that kind of hospitality — from another era, almost,” Yolkut said. “She was probably the most gracious person I’ve ever met — warm to everyone she met.”

Photos courtesy of the Butler family

Yolkut also stressed that, outside of the familiar Pittsburgh settings, Butler became something of “a pioneer in hosting Jewish families.” If an Orthodox boy was coming to Pennsylvania to woo a Pittsburgh girl, he would know that the Butlers’ house was the place to visit for a comfortable and religious stay, Yolkut said. Years later, Butler helped form a foundation that found temporary housing for people visiting Pittsburgh for family members’ medical procedures. The arrival and departure of house guests “was endless,” Danny Butler said. “It’s hard to imagine, but some guests stayed for months and months.” “Her own children referred to [guests] as their own brothers and sisters,” Nina Butler added.

Rabbi Raphael Butler, Butler’s son, said the family house “was always an open house of guests, of responding to those in need.” “My mother was able to get into the hearts and minds of everybody with her compassion, her love,” added Raphael Butler, who lives in New York. “[My parents’] whole lives were ‘What could I do for others?’” To that end, several family members pointed out that Donald and Chantze Butler helped start the Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh before they even had children who could attend it. “She was truly a remarkable person,” Danny Butler said, “And her smile endured until the end.” PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

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Headlines For older adults, it’s time to start exercising again — LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

ony Benintend’s commitment to exercise led to an ironic outcome: If he hadn’t regularly attended step aerobics, power and core classes at the South Hills Jewish Community Center, his knees wouldn’t have bothered him so much — yet that discomfort likely saved his life. Benintend, 75, found a community of likeminded peers at the South Hills JCC’s Silver Sneakers program, he said, but when group exercise classes became more physically taxing he visited his doctor. During the checkup, Benintend described his knee pain and shortness of breath. The latter resulted in his medical team finding three blocked arteries. One month later, he had triple bypass surgery. With that now behind him, Benintend is back at the South Hills JCC thrice weekly — exercising, socializing with friends and benefiting from “highly qualified instructors,” the Peters Township resident said. Had it not been for the JCC’s talented and attentive staff and members, “we might not be having this conversation,” he added. The instructors make sure people do things “safely and correctly,” and the members themselves offer positive encouragement. Collectively, it makes a person feel like they “want to be there.” Exercise for older adults promotes independence, reduces the risk of falling, dying from coronary heart disease and of developing high blood pressure, colon cancer and diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exercise also helps combat physiological changes like muscle loss in seniors, according to Dr. Terence Starz, former chairman of the division of rheumatology at UPMC-Shadyside Hospital. For seniors, staying physically active isn’t as easy as it may have been when they were younger, Starz noted. Whether because of muscle weakness or diminished confidence, a “vicious” cycle ensues within the body and mind where decreased muscle loss and physical activity lead to reduced socialization, increased isolation and distress among seniors. Mt. Lebanon resident Norina Daubner has “bad shoulders and not wonderful knees,” she said, but she follows a routine to “keep everything running.” Each week, Daubner, 83, attends aqua aerobics and Zumba gold classes twice, tap dancing once and meets up with friends another time to exercise, all at the South Hills JCC. “Exercising is important in giving you a sense of well-being,” she said. “When you exercise in a group environment, you meet people with similar interests. The social aspect keeps you engaged with other people.” There are plenty of days when staying at home and reading a book is more appealing than attending an exercise class, but she still

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p A JCC member pushes to reach new heights.

Photo courtesy of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh

signs up and goes. “I know it’s good for me,” she said. Daubner’s routine, though, is not typical among seniors. CDC researchers estimate that nearly 74% of adults above age 50 are not regularly active. Nancy Zionts, chief operating officer and chief programming officer of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, said the Pittsburghbased organization has long promoted wellness, but around 2016 began holding a series of conversations with community partners about increasing opportunities for seniors. At the time, there were several studies regarding social isolation among older adults and the public health risks associated with physical inactivity, and the JHF began identifying ways to engage older adults in “outdoor exercise and in connections among community,” Zionts said. As part of its “Senior Connections Initiative,” the JHF issued multiple grants aimed at increasing opportunities for older adults to meaningfully engage in various exercise and recreation programs throughout the year. One outgrowth of those grants was the creation of the Virtual Senior Academy, a free online educational platform for adults 50 and up to connect throughout the Pittsburgh region (VSA has since expanded and is now run by AgeWell at the JCC). Another grant enabled the Allegheny County Parks Foundation to create a mobile-friendly application of maps, text and images highlighting curated walks and events for seniors. A third grant, Zionts said, allowed Pittsburgh-based nonprofit Venture Outdoors to develop opportunities specifically intended for adults above age 50, including “Fit with a Physician.” Designed in partnership between Dr. Terence Starz, Venture Outdoors, JHF and the Allegheny County Medical Society, “Fit with a Physician” invites seniors to participate in 1-mile walks in local city and county parks alongside volunteer health care professionals. A typical program lasts between 60 and 90 Please see JHF, page 15

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Headlines Pittsburgh’s first Festival of Books to be held this weekend — LOCAL — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

he plan to place Pittsburgh a little closer toward the center of the nation’s literary scene, blossoming opportunities for readers and writers alike, has come to fruition. On May 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., East Liberty will go book-crazy as the neighborhood hosts the first-ever Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books. “The vision, the dream, came true,” said Marshall Cohen, whose idea to hold a book festival both for in- and out-of-towners sparked the festival last year. “We were able to generate a lot of support and a lot of authors of great diversity … As of this morning, more than 1,700 people have registered for things. The notion that Pittsburgh could do this, be home to a free festival of books, it’s coming true.” The festival, indeed, seems to have a little bit for everybody — and age is no barrier. Famous native son Billy Porter is headlining the festival, but this isn’t an adults-only affair. Children as young as 3 would be appropriate listeners for a story time session to be held at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s East Liberty branch, one of the festival strongholds, according to event co-founder Laurie Moser. For those who consider themselves Jewish

MAY 13, 2022

p Marshall Cohen

Photo courtesy of Marshall Cohen

historians, there’s a panel on the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s popular “Chutz-Pow” series. For others, author Eliza Griswold will talk at Duolingo HQ about fracking in Western Pennsylvania and their book, “Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America”; in another corner, WQED will produce a puppet show, Moser said. Author Ken Gormley, president of Duquesne University, will talk about his book “The Heiress of Pittsburgh.” Taylor Allderdice High School alum Nathaniel Philbrick will tackle his “Travels with George: In Search of Washington and His Legacy.” Poets like Judith Robinson, Michael Simms and Lynn Emanuel will appear at forums at Bakery Square, one of several locations

p Laurie Moser

Photo courtesy of Laurie Moser

hosting the event. The list runs on and on. Moser is well-positioned to know a good book event when she sees it. The Pittsburgher worked with Beginning With Books in that organization’s heyday, helped found the Race for a Cure in 1993, and even counseled Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle leadership as a former member of the newspaper’s board. “I love literacy,” she said. “I’m an avid reader, and I love to start new events — I think this is going to be a really fun day.” Cohen, who is Jewish and a book collector from Shadyside, also stressed that, though the festival only runs for one day, “there’s 364 other days we want to promote literacy.” He pointed to the festival’s work with

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Propel Andrew Street High School, whose students will read their works on the KDKA Stage. “We didn’t just want literacy,” Cohen said. “We want to help broaden it — this is about all the community … and all of this is free.” Cohen and Moser get excited when talking about the festival’s programs. Journalist Paul Martino is scheduled to be speaking with historian Barbara Burstin, who wrote a book on former Mayor Sophie Masloff. Just last week, “Mary Lou Williams: Music for the Soul” was voted the winner of the 2022 Jazz Journalists Award for Biography/ Autobiography of the Year. Not so coincidentally, the book’s author, Deanna Witkowski, also is set to present at the festival. There will also be plenty of opportunities to buy books. Autumn House Press, Bridge & Tunnel Books, LuLu Press, Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures and the University of Pittsburgh Press are just a few of the groups planning to peddle their wares at Bakery Square. All in all, though, Cohen feels the festival already has accomplished one of its biggest goals: bringing national attention to Steel City creators. “We’re trying to raise the visibility of Pittsburgh as a city,” Cohen said. PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

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Headlines Jewish attorney to teach Pitt’s first ‘Cannabis in the Law’ course — LOCAL — By David Rullo | Staff Writer

ennsylvania has a habit. More than 740,000 patients and caregivers have registered to receive medical marijuana since it was legalized by the state in 2016, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Advisory Board. That number represents more than $4.8 billion in sales and more than 56 million products dispensed in the state. The selling of marijuana is big business, and it isn’t going away anytime soon. Some states, like Colorado and New Jersey, have already decriminalized the purchase of marijuana for personal use, and Pennsylvania lawmakers have discussed the possibility of legalizing recreational use of cannabis here. In fact, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman — who is running for the Democratic nomination for Senate — has advocated for a change to the law. While the debate about whether the decriminalization of marijuana will continue, one thing is clear: There will be a bevy of new legal issues with which the next generation of business owners and lawyers will have to grapple. The University of Pittsburgh School of Law has joined with Leech Tishman

partner Michael Sampson to offer an inaugural “Cannabis in the Law” course to be taught next fall. Sampson has represented businesses in the cannabis industry over the last decade, and he thinks it’s an interesting area of the law. “In particular,” he noted, “because cannabis is still federally illegal. There’s a myriad of complex, unique and cutting-edge legal questions out there.” The new course is needed, Sampson explained, because at one time there was an attempt to wall off the cannabis industry. That is no longer possible, he said. “I don’t think you can say any longer, ‘As a lawyer, I’m not going to interact with the cannabis industry.’” New lawyers, he said, will need to understand the unique challenges. Sampson said that while several universities are offering courses related to the marijuana industry, they tend to remain in the agricultural departments. Pitt, though, has stepped to the forefront by exploring the interesting and challenging legal issues inherent in the industry, he said. Several themes have and will continue to develop as the industry matures, Sampson explained, noting regulations that vary from state to state; the intersection of state and federal law; the issue of whether universities can or will accept funding from cannabis companies; and collective

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Photo courtesy of Michael Sampson

bargaining by athletes over marijuana usage in professional sports. That’s before taxation and federal banking issues are even considered, he said. Sampson, who joined Leech Tishman to help reconstitute its insurance coverage practice and grow its cannabis practice, said it’s a misnomer to think that there is such a thing as a “cannabis lawyer,” pointing out that it’s a multibillion-dollar, complicated industry that touches a variety of other industries and legal fields.

For example, he said, a lawyer may be negotiating a lease for retail space for a cannabis dispensary. As part of the lease, the landlord may want to reserve the right to enter the property and inspect it. “That makes sense if you have a candy store,” he said, “but the ability of a landlord to enter into any part of a cannabis dispensary may not be permitted under state law.” Another important developing legal issue, Sampson said, might be how a state business handles a possible recall. Normally, that would be the Federal Drug Administration’s responsibility, but since cannabis is still illegal federally, that isn’t an option. The cannabis business is a great model when considering more generic legal issues covered in a specific application, Sampson said. “A contract is a contract is a contract but what type of protections can you put into the contract so that the other side or court may not feign surprise down the road and get out of it because it deals with cannabis which is an illegal substance,” he said. Teaching at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law has provided Sampson, a native Pittsburgher, the opportunity to return to his roots. His father, who died in 2020, was a statistics professor at Pitt for 40 years. “I had a fabulous relationship with my Please see Cannabis, page 15

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LONG-TERM CARE OPTIONS, BENEFITS AND MISTAKES TO AVOID This is one in a series of articles about Elder Law by Michael H. Marks., Esq. Michael H. Marks is an elder law attorney with offices in Squirrel Hill and Monroeville. Send questions to michael@marks-law.com or visit www.marks-law.com.

The cost of long-term care can take away a lifetime’s worth of work and saving. Don’t make mistakes that can cost you everything. Start by understanding the basics and the strategic alternatives open to you. Paying for Long-Term Care: There are only three ways to pay for long-term care: private long-term care insurance (which few people have); government benefit programs like VA benefits or Medicaid; or pay for it yourself. Levels of Care: At first a long-term care patient might still be at home, getting care from private caregivers, family or others (where care might even still be free). Second, a long-term care patient might need to go to an Assisted Living Facility or Personal Care Home, to get assistance with activities of daily living due to physical or cognitive limitations. Third, a long-term care patient might need a Nursing Home, either because of acute illness, or advanced inability for self-care. Nursing home care of course costs the most, so strategic planning when nursing home care is needed - often to get long term care Medicaid - saves the most. A fourth option is when Medicaid pays for nursing services in people’s homes. However, it’s often difficult to get sufficient hours of care from homebased Medicaid services, and it can be much harder to protect assets and still qualify.

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Medicare vs. Medicaid: It is also important to distinguish between Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare pays for doctors, hospitals and prescription drugs, if you are entitled to it because you worked and paid into the system, without regard to your finances. However, Medicare does not pay for longterm care, only for short-term care in a nursing home following a hospital stay. Medicaid is not an entitlement program. You have to apply, be approved and found eligible based on both disability – medical need – and financial need. Long term care Medicaid is intended for people who need certain care, but don’t have money to pay for it. Note: Medicaid does NOT pay for assisted living in Pennsylvania. But don’t give up hope. There’s a lot that an elder law lawyer can do for you to help you get the care you need while still saving lots of your money. It’s never too late to try. I regularly help patients and families in emergency cases on the doorstep of the nursing home, or even after admission. You DON’T need to have acted five years in advance. Don’t make the mistake of not trying or finding out what you can do. Applying for Medicaid is a complex, bureaucratic, paperwork intensive exercise into foreign territory. Adding an expert guide can make all the difference. Medicaid’s rules are set up to force you to spend down almost all of your own money on your own care first, before they start to pay anything for you. You do get to keep and protect certain amounts of exempt, protected, “non-countable” resources, in different amounts for different categories of assets. Gifting: If you make any significant gift during the so-called “five year look back period” prior

to applying, it will interfere with and delay your eligibility. That doesn’t mean that we don’t use gifts and gifting in our strategies. We do, frequently, but in planned, thoughtful, strategic ways. Also, some kinds of gift transfers are exempt from the rules against gifts. Married vs. Single: When a single, unmarried person is entering nursing care, I can typically help them save about half of whatever is left at that time - which is better than losing it all! The rules get more complex for married couples, but also offer more opportunity for strategic planning for asset protection. Medicaid counts all the assets belonging to either spouse as potentially available to the Medicaid applicant/ nursing home spouse. Just putting assets in one name or the other is not sufficient protection. (Income is counted separately, though. The community

spouse” staying at home in the community gets to keep his or her income, often creating profitable planning options.) When one spouse of a married couple is going into the nursing home and the other is staying at home, I can usually still help them save almost everything that they have, except for just the cost of implementing the plan ! VA Benefits: VA benefits can also be available for qualifying veterans and their spouses and can especially help to pay for home care and assisted living. The resource limits are much more generous than Medicaid’s, though the benefits are more modest. At Marks Elder Law, we help people every day with issues like these. I invite your questions and feedback. Please let me know how I can help you and your family.

helping you plan for what matters the most

With the increasing costs of long-term care, having the help of a legal professional when planning for your family’s future can help you make better decisions that can result in keeping more of your money. We help families understand the strategies, the benefits, and risks involved with elder law, disability and estate planning.

www.marks-law.com

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Michael H. Marks, Esq. michael@marks-law.com member, national academy of elder law attorneys

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MAY 13, 2022

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh presents

A NIGHT OF JEWISH LEARNING FREE & OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY Community-wide Jewish learning with well-known local rabbis and thinkers

SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 10PM–1AM JCC SQUIRREL HILL 5738 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Darlington Entrance

jewishpgh.org/tikkun Vaccinations required (honor system, no check-in) No registration necessary

Full inclusion is a core value of Jewish Pittsburgh. The Jewish Federation welcomes invitees of all abilities, backgrounds, races, religious affiliations, sexual orientations and gender expressions. Please discuss accessibility accommodations with Cheryl Johnson, cjohnson@jfedpgh.org.

MAY 13, 2022

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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 SUNDAY, MAY 15 Celebrate 74 years of Independence for the Jewish state of Israel with the Pittsburgh Jewish community while enjoying Israeli culture and cuisine at Yom Ha’atzmaut: A Taste of Israel. Sample Israeli cuisine, participate in joyous Israeli dancing, have fun with the kids at an arts and crafts table and bring a picnic blanket so you can spread out on the grass and enjoy the day. $10 per person; kids under 10 are free. Noon. jewishpgh.org/event/yom-haatzmaut-2. Classrooms Without Borders presents Checkmate: Making, Playing and Picturing Chess in the Holocaust with guest speaker Rachel Perry. Chess was played, made and pictured during the Holocaust by individuals in extremis. When escape routes were closed off and the endgame seemed near, chess allowed artists to symbolize their feelings of agency and entrapment, as both players and pawns. 2 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/talking-memorycheckmate-making-playing-picturing-chess-holocaust. q SUNDAYS, MAY 15-JUNE 19 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. 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q MONDAYS, MAY 16-JUNE 20 Join Congregation Beth Shalom for a weekly Talmud study. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q TUESDAYS, MAY 17, 24 Sign up now for Melton Core 2, Ethics and Crossroads of Jewish Living. Discover the central ideas and texts that inform our daily, weekly and annual rituals, as well as life cycle observances and essential Jewish theological concepts and ideas as they unfold in the Bible, the Talmud and other sacred texts. $300. 9:30 a.m. foundation.jewishpgh.org/melton-2. q WEDNESDAY, MAY 18 Many Pittsburgh area schools are proud to offer a constructivist, or Reggio Emilia-based program, but what does that mean, and how can this philosophy inform and elevate your home life and parenting? Join Liza Baron, JCC ECDC director for Bringing Reggio Emilia Home and discuss ways to bring the innovative preschool practices home to help enrich your child’s at-home environment. Noon. ncjwpghevents.org/upcoming-events. Join the Squirrel Hill AARP chapter for its monthly meeting. All seniors are invited to attend and hear Darlene Hart, social services operations director at Lifespan in Homestead. She will cover the multitude of options including caregiver support, protective services and various meal programs provided by Lifespan. For further information, please contact Marcia Kramer at 412-656-5803. Rodef Shalom Congregation, Falk Library. 1 p.m. q WEDNESDAY, MAY 18; TUESDAY, MAY 31 The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh presents the VR documentary “By the Waters of Babylon,” a story of composers who created hope in a time of darkness and a modern-day string quartet dedicated to shining a light on their legacy. This limited screening event is a collaboration between the filmmakers, the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh, Chatham University and Point Park University. Screenings take place on May 18 and 31. Space is

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limited, advanced registration required. 7 p.m. Buhl Planetarium at the Carnegie Science Center. $0-$36. hcofpgh.org/events.

DEMOCRAT STEVE IRWIN: DELIVERING REAL, PROGRESSIVE RESULTS

q WEDNESDAYS, MAY 18 -JUNE 22 Bring the parshah alive and make it personally relevant and meaningful. Study the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman. 12:15 p.m. bethshalompgh.org/life-text. Join Temple Sinai to study the weekly Torah portion in its hybrid class available on Zoom. Open to everyone. Noon. templesinaipgh.org/ event/parashah/weekly-torah-portion-class-viazoom11.html. The new six-week Rohr Jewish Learning Institute course, The Values That Shape Judaism’s Civil Code, examines a number of key legal issues that disclose fundamental ethical considerations that serve as the engine of Jewish civil law. Class offered in person or at Chabad of the South Hills. $95 individual/$170 couple. 7:30 p.m. chabadsh.com. q WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 Working Mothers of Yesteryear and Today, a collaborative conversation with AgeWell and NCJW MomsWork, will examine the challenges working mothers face today, what they’ve faced in the past and how to make a difference for those in the thick of it. 1:30 p.m. ncjwpghevents.org/upcoming-events. q WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 Save the date for the National Council of Jewish Women Pittsburgh’s Spring Event. Guest speaker Tammy Thompson, founder of Catapult Greater Pittsburgh, will discuss how love, support and policy can pave a road to prosperity. Outgoing President Teddi Jacobson Horvitz will be honored, and new President Andrea Kline Glickman will be installed. 7 p.m. Rodef Shalom Congregation. Registration coming soon. ncjwpghevents.org/upcoming-events. q TUESDAY, MAY 31 The Arab-Israeli conflict plays a large (some would claim outsized) role in current events. This course aims to unpack the causes and core issues that relate to the Conflict. The goal is to make the subject accessible to educators and to give them the tools with which to grapple in the classroom with the subject at large and with breaking news. 2 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/arab_israeli_conflict.

#NeighborhoodCongressman

AS OUR #NEIGHBORHOODCONGRESSMAN, STEVE WILL:

-Stand with President Biden -Protect a woman’s right to choose -Make sure everyone has access to affordable health care -Repair and expand our infrastructure

q FRIDAY, JUNE 3

ENDORSED BY:

The National Council of Jewish Women presents a free monthly working mom’s group as a place to get support personally and network professionally. Facilitated by Dionna Rojas-Orta. 12 p.m.ncjwpghevents.org/events/working-momssupport-group-drop-in-virtual-2022-06-03-12-00. q THURSDAY, JUNE 9 Classrooms Without Borders presents a post-film discussion of “The Fourth Window” with filmmaker Yair Qedar moderated by Avi Ben Hur. The film explores the life of Israeli writer Amos Oz. 3 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/post-film-discussionfourth-window.

Congressman Mike Doyle Governor Ed Rendell

Laborers District Council of Western Pennsylvania

Mayor Bill Peduto

Pittsburgh Plumbers Local 27

Allegheny County Democratic Committee

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 5

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald

Iron Workers Local 3

Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART)

Steamﬁtters Local 449

Boilermakers Local 154

q SUNDAY, JUNE 12 The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh welcomes Father John Neiman on what would have been Anne Frank’s 93rd birthday. Neiman first read Anne Frank’s diary when he was 10 years old. He will recount the story of his friendship with Frank’s father, Otto, and Miep Gies, as well as discuss the Holocaust. Q&A will follow. Presented both in person and online. 3 p.m. eventbrite.com/e/father-johnneiman-tickets-311834905597. PJC

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STEVE IRWIN IS COMMITTED TO LIFTING UP EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD, BLOCK BY BLOCK. AS OUR #NEIGHBORHOODCONGRESSMAN, STEVE WILL: Stand with President Biden Protect our right to vote Make sure everyone has access to affordable health care Repair and expand our infrastructure ENDORSED BY: Congressman Mike Doyle

Laborers District Council of Western Pennsylvania

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Mayor Bill Peduto

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 5

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Headlines Jewish music maven Michael Dorf bringing City Winery to Pittsburgh — LOCAL — By David Rullo | Staff Writer

conversation with jazz pianist Geri Allen convinced Michael Dorf that Pittsburgh would be a fitting location for his national chain, City Winery. “She’s a jazz great who died a few years ago,” Dorf said. “We were at a dinner party, and she was talking to me about Pittsburgh and how great the jazz scene was, what she saw as a musical community of great musicians and people who appreciate music and that there is an intellectual community. She was pro-Pittsburgh.” Dorf founded City Winery as a restaurant, winery and live music venue in 2008 after selling his previous business, New York City’s famed Knitting Factory. Pittsburgh’s City Winery will be housed in the Strip District’s new Terminal building and include seating for approximately 250 people. A fall 2022 opening is projected. The Pittsburgh location, Dorf said, is one of three new venues. The other two are in St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio. The amalgamation of spirits, live music and food also has locations in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hudson Valley, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. The enthusiasm Dorf has for the entertainment industry hasn’t abated after more than three decades in the business and is on full display when discussing City Winery. “We built, we think, a better mousetrap,” Dorf said. “Better venues, more attention to sound and sight lines. We’re really excited about Pittsburgh and the column-free space. It’s going to be beautiful — 250 seats and not a single obscured view.” Dorf highlighted the Meyer sound system and musical talent that City Winery features. The chain, he said, can maximize its reach by booking tours with national acts who might otherwise pass up cities like Pittsburgh but might consider a two- or three-day residency when packaged with other locations. City Winery will also host a 100-seat restaurant featuring recipes developed over

p Michael Dorf

Photo provided by City Winery

the last 13 years. “We’re a great place to come and dine,” Dorf said. “And the Terminal building itself — what a great adaptive reuse of an incredible space that I’m excited about.” And for days on the calendar when the venue is dark, Dorf said, City Winery can be used for b’nai mitzvah celebrations, weddings or any other private event “without the fear of a smelly bar, and with great catering.” Born in Milwaukee, to what he called, “liberal Jewish parents,” Dorf attended Washington University in St. Louis before founding the Knitting Factory with his bar mitzvah savings. The venue became known for showcasing experimental music on the forefront of rock and jazz, as well as poetry readings, performance art and stand-up comedy. Artists included John Zorn, Sonic Youth, Cecil Taylor and Ornette Coleman. While Dorf is proud of his history in the entertainment industry, he’s just as proud of his Jewish heritage. He said he’s worked to ensure his Jewish DNA was written into City Winery, noting that “tikkun olam” is featured on the company’s website. “We believe in the philosophy of repairing

the world,” he said. “We do it environmentally with all of our actions. We do it with how we treat our team and employees. We walk the talk. We love that. We have a great town square and as long as we can sell wine that we make, we’re able to do these things and be good corporate citizens.” Dorf said that City Winery also often lends its spaces to nonprofit organizations at significant discounts to help them turn a profit. That attitude of generosity is ingrained in City Winery’s staff. As part of onboarding, every employee gets a copy of Danny Meyer’s book “Setting the Table: The Transformative Power of Hospitality,” as well as Dorf ’s book “Indulge your Senses: Scaling Intimacy in a Digital World.” The goal, he said is to encourage City Winery’s staff to be warm and empathetic in their hospitality. “You can have a great meal, but if the service sucks, your memory isn’t going to be very good,” he said. Although Dorf has always had a passion for social justice and music, it was when he owned the Knitting Factory that his enthusiasm for wine grew to become more than a simple

hobby. When he sold the business in 2003 and began looking for investors in a new venture, his tagline was “Carnegie Hall with great wine.” City Winery is the embodiment of that tagline, he said — a cultural experience mixed with fantastic wine and food. Dorf ’s passion for repairing the world isn’t some sort of New Age wokeness. Since 1994, he has hosted what he calls “The Downtown Seder.” The annual event is now held in multiple cities and has featured names like Lou Reed, Lewis Black, Judy Gold, Laurie Anderson and Neil Sedaka. Because of the pandemic, Dorf said last year served as the seder’s “shmita year,” but he will bring it back and might consider Pittsburgh as a location for the event. He also founded a Hebrew school in New York. The unaffiliated Dorf wanted his children to have a true Jewish education, so he launched the Tribeca Hebrew school and ran it for three years before transferring control to another organization when he started City Winery. Dorf said his parents made him proud of his Jewish identity. “I’m not going to hide it, even if it gets me in trouble sometimes,” he said. His Hudson Valley Project was recently vandalized with swastikas painted on the walls. He said that wasn’t a coincidence, pointing out that the crimes happened after he called the Jan. 6 riots an insurrection. Despite the antisemitic incident, Dorf said he feels lucky to be in this country and have the ability to speak his mind. As for the first part of the tagline Dorf originally pitched, he’s realized that goal, too. “I created a Carnegie Hall concert series,” he said. “It’s a beneficiary for music education programs and it’s an annual tribute to a living artist by 20 artists doing their music. I’ve raised $1.5 million, so far.” And while Dorf has a lot to brag about, he’s more philosophical about his success. “I made some wine, and that ultimately changed my life,” he said. PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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MAY 13, 2022

Headlines Israeli unemployment hits 50-year low

— WORLD — In Antwerp, haredi Orthodox Jew overpowers, tackles attacker

It began like countless other antisemitic incidents in Antwerp: A man shouted insults and made threatening gestures at members of the Belgian city’s large Orthodox Jewish community, JTA reported. But the incident on May 1 took an unexpected turn. After the alleged perpetrator appeared to swing his arm to hit a Jewish man in haredi Orthodox garb, the would-be victim lunged back and overpowered his attacker, holding him on the ground until police took the suspect into custody. The attack, which the Shomrim Jewish community security unit said was antisemitic in nature, was filmed from a nearby balcony by a group of men, one of whom said excitedly: “They’re going to fight.” The spokesperson, who declined to state his name, also declined to provide information on the men shown in the video. He did say that at least 20 antisemitic incidents have occurred this year, “and this has made Antwerp’s Jewish community much more vigilant to these occurrences.” Antwerp has about 18,000 Jews, most of them haredi Orthodox.

Israel’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.9% in the first two weeks of April, down from 3.7% in the latter part of March, Globes reported, citing Central Bureau of Statistics data. That marks a 50-year low. The report indicated that there were 150,000 job vacancies and only 120,000 job seekers. Under a broader definition — which includes employees put on unpaid leave at the start of the pandemic who haven’t yet returned to work — unemployment fell to 4.4% in the first half of April; that’s down from 5.3% in the latter part of March. Workforce participation of the working age population declined to 61% in the first part of April, compared to 61.3% in latter March. The Bank of Israel Research Department projects 3.5% unemployment by year’s end.

Mexican couple hosted a Nazi-themed wedding

Mexican Jewish and antiracism groups are raising alarm after a couple married in a Nazi-themed wedding there, JTA reported. The wedding of the couple, who have been identified only by their first names, Fernando and Josefina, took place in Tlaxcala, Mexico,

on April 29 — the 77th anniversary of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun. In photos, the groom is dressed as a Nazi SS officer and the bridge is sitting on top of a Volkswagen Beetle painted in a camouflage pattern, draped in a Nazi flag and given a fake license plate with SS bolts. Fernando, whom Mexican media said is a public official, said the couple chose the Nazi theme because they venerate Hitler. “I understand that for many people, Hitler represents genocide, racism and violence. People, on the other hand, make judgments without having all of the facts,” the groom told Mexican news outlet Milenio. “Hitler was a vegetarian who rescued his country from famine and returned to his people the lands lost during World War I. His friends and family adored him. We were led to believe that Hitler was a racist, but he came to greet Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics.” The photos went viral on social media, prompting condemnation by local authorities and Jewish community leaders.

Food recall by Israeli company applies to products sold abroad

Strauss Group, which is one of Israel’s largest food manufacturers, announced a recall for products sold worldwide, including in the United States, The Times of Israel reported.

There are 101 items sold in the U.S., including chocolate, snack products, chewing gum, energy bars and candies. Strauss initially recalled multiple chocolate products made by subsidiary Elite because of possible salmonella contamination. The Elite products were distributed in the kosher market nationally, primarily in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California and Florida. Products also were sold directly to customers via Amazon.com, Fresh Direct, Passover.com and other retail online sites.

Direct flight between Israel, Egypt takes off

Air Cairo debuted on May 2 the first-ever direct flight between Tel Aviv and Sharm e-Shikh, The Jerusalem Post reported. The fight was the first time an Egyptian airline offered a flight from Ben Gurion Airport to Egypt. The flights are planned to operate three days a week. The route was agreed upon by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Egyptian Prime Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi when they met in September. “Israelis are very interested in flying out to Sharm e-Sheikh,” Diesenhaus Unitours CEO Hani Sobul said, adding that the first flight was “filled to the brim” with 170 Israelis. Diesenhaus Unitours represents Air Cairo in Israel. PJC

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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.

May 14, 1948 — Israel declares Independence

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This week in Israeli history

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David Ben-Gurion, the chairman of the Provisional State Council, reads Israel’s Declaration of Independence in Tel Aviv, tracing Jewish history and making the case for a Jewish state under international law.

May 15, 1947 — U.N. forms special panel on Palestine

At Britain’s request, the United Nations establishes its Special Committee on Palestine, which four months later recommends the partition of Mandatory Palestine into Jewish and Arab states with an international zone around Jerusalem.

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May 16, 1916 — Sykes-Picot Pact splits Ottoman Lands

Britain’s Mark Sykes and France’s Charles Georges Picot complete the secret Sykes-Picot Agreement to divide the former Ottoman territories in the Middle East after World War I. Palestine falls under British control.

May 17, 1948 — Soviet Union recognizes Israel

Hoping to gain a socialist ally in the Middle East despite opposing Zionism at home, the Soviet Union announces its recognition of Israel. The Soviets help Israel obtain arms through intermediaries, especially Czechoslovakia.

May 18, 1965 — Spy Eli Cohen is executed

Syria hangs Israeli spy Eli Cohen in a public square in Damascus. Cohen, who had infiltrated the highest levels of Syrian society and government as businessman Kamel Amin Thaabet, was arrested in January.

May 19, 1950 — Iraqi airlift begins

Two planes carrying 175 Jews leave Iraq for Israel via Cyprus at the start of Operation Ezra and Nehemiah, also known as Operation Ali Baba, which brings nearly 120,000 of Iraq’s 135,000 Jews to Israel by January 1952. PJC PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines For Orthodox Jewish groups, it’s wait and see on the reversal of abortion rights ASHINGTON ( JTA) — Orthodox Jewish advocacy groups are getting ready for a deep dive into state abortion laws — and a potentially delicate political balancing act. Laws severely restricting abortion in 26 states would no longer be subject to challenge if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, as it is now expected to do after a draft majority ruling was leaked last week to Politico. The landmark 1973 decision enshrined a woman’s right to an abortion. “The Orthodox Union is unable to either mourn or celebrate the news reports of the U.S. Supreme Court’s likely overturning of Roe v Wade,” read the statement from the group representing Modern Orthodox congregations. Indeed, the putative end of Roe v. Wade could pose a challenge for Orthodox groups that have increasingly found allies within conservative politics. On the one hand, many have aligned themselves with the so-called “religious right” on issues such as education, LGBTQ+ rights and Israel. On the other, halacha, the body of Jewish

face “serious health risk” if their pregnancy continues. A balancing act was evident as Orthodox groups responded last week to the Supreme Court news. The Orthodox Union’s lengthy statement emphasized that its stance toward Dobbs v. Jackson p People protest in reaction to the leak of the Supreme Court draft abortion ruling, in New York City Women’s Health Organization, on May 3. Photo by Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images) the case before the Supreme Court, is mixed, because the law that Orthodox Jews abide by, holds group opposes what it called “abortion that a mother’s life is paramount in consid- on demand” as much as it does restrictive ering whether a pregnancy should be seen bans on abortion. “Jewish law prioritizes the life of the pregthrough to term. That approach conflicts with Christian ideas about abortion that nant mother over the life of the fetus such have animated lawmakers in the 26 states that where the pregnancy critically endanwith abortion bans and severe restrictions. gers the physical health or mental health of All of the states’ laws have exemptions for a the mother, an abortion may be authorized, threat to the mother’s life, but there are vari- if not mandated, by halacha and should be ations that do not necessarily comport with available to all women irrespective of their how Orthodox Jews assess what constitutes a economic status,” it said in a statement. “Legislation and court rulings — federally threat. Georgia’s law, for example, bans abortion six weeks after fertilization and includes a or in any state — that absolutely ban abor“medical emergency” exemption, but explic- tion without regard for the health of the itly excludes mental health diagnoses, which mother would literally limit our ability to many rabbinic authorities would say consti- live our lives in accordance with our respontute medical need. Alabama’s law, on the sibility to preserve life,” the statement added. The more liberal Jewish religious streams other hand, explicitly includes mental health diagnoses in the exception for people who have for decades defended Roe v. Wade,

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— NATIONAL — By Ron Kampeas | JTA

and they expressed outrage at its apparent imminent repeal. But many Orthodox Jewish advocacy groups, as well as politically conservative Jewish groups, offered only guarded reactions to the leaked ruling, in part because they are likely to agree with it to some degree. A number of Orthodox groups have in the past said some states are too liberal in their allowances. Matt Brooks, the executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, had previously argued that American Jews worried about a conservative Supreme Court because of its potential abortion rulings held misplaced concerns because Roe was considered settled law. He declined to comment on the leaked ruling, saying it was not a finalized opinion. Brooks said he did not regret his counsel in presidential elections that Roe v. Wade was not in danger. “I was repeating what every justice had said during their confirmations, that Roe v. Wade was settled law,” Brooks told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Abba Cohen, the Washington director of the haredi Orthodox umbrella body Agudath Israel, noted that the draft ruling, authored by Samuel Alito, was not the final decision, and could be tweaked by the time the ruling comes down. Draft rulings may Please see Abortion, page 15

MAY 13, 2022

Opinion

he Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle invited the three lead candidates running for the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania’s newly created 12th Congressional District to submit opinion pieces prior to the May 17 primary election. Much of the district is now represented by Mike Doyle, a congressman since 1995, in the 18th District. The new 12th district was redrawn after the 2020 U.S. Census and is comprised of the city of Pittsburgh as well

as some eastern and southern suburbs, including parts of Westmoreland County. The Chronicle told the candidates that their opinion piece could be penned by either a supporter or by themselves and that they should address issues that might be of interest to Jewish voters. Below are pieces by Jerry Dickinson on his own behalf; State Rep. Dan Frankel for Steve Irwin; and Annie Weinberg on behalf of Summer Lee.

Among Dickinson’s endorsements are J Street; Paul Klein, Allegheny County Council; Chardaé Jones, former Mayor of Braddock; Abigail Salisbury, Swissvale Borough Council president; Michelle Kenney, mother of Antwon Rose II; and the American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee. Irwin’s endorsements include: former Mayor of Pittsburgh Bill Peduto; former Gov. of Pennsylvania Ed Rendell; U.S. Congressman

Mike Doyle; Democratic Majority for Israel; Allegheny County Democratic Committee; and Pro-Israel America. Summer Lee’s endorsements include: J Street; Sen. Bernie Sanders; Mayor of Pittsburgh Ed Gainey; U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar; U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib; and Justice Democrats. William Parker and Jeff Woodard also seek the Democratic nomination to fill the 12th District seat. PJC

Jewish security is not just a matter of policy: It’s personal Guest Columnist Jerry Dickinson

y support of the Jewish community is not influenced by political convenience. It is based on a personal connection and some shared experiences. My journey of identity and longing for a safe and secure home has been an enlightening struggle — and adventure. Over a decade ago, on a late summer night, I recall speaking with my adoptive father, Robert Dickinson, in the dining room of the foster home where I grew up. At that time, my father had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His likelihood of survival was low. But the conversation was revealing for other reasons. My father felt obligated, if he were to pass away, to divulge the events that led to my placement in foster care. I knew I was born to a Black father and white mother, but I was unaware of their devastating health conditions and extreme impoverishment. He explained that I was placed in the foster system with no intention of ever returning to my biological parents. I landed at his home after a few brief stops at emergency shelters. As my adoptive father eloquently states in our recent campaign ad, I arrived at his foster home “with nothing” and to watch me “grow was a miracle.”

There, I grew up and shared the same space with a multiracial Brady Bunch family of 11 foster children; white kids and Black kids, teenagers and toddlers, all coming from broken homes and tragic circumstances. Throughout our lives, we’ve experienced trauma, violence, addiction, incarceration and more. I also struggled to reconcile my home life with my social surroundings. Those struggles led to identity crises. I was a racial minority living in a large multiracial foster home. At the same time, I was a minority within the predominantly white community of Shaler Township. I was ridiculed at school, chastised in the neighborhood, and mocked for being “too white” by some or “too Black” by others. While I recognized, as a mixed-race man, that my ancestors were both European and African, I still struggled to reconcile the tragic history of the African diaspora’s slave trade with my ancestral history of European colonialism. Not only was navigating race and culture a complex journey but so was religion. We were raised Methodists. But, my older sister, Darcey, later married a Jewish man named Andrew, who had lived in Israel. She converted to Judaism. Our family gatherings turned into rich cultural and religious experiences. We celebrated everything from bat mitzvahs to baptisms. We spent time in Jewish synagogues and Methodist chapels. Class, race, religion and culture seemed to have no boundaries. Yet, I always longed for a space and place to cultivate my own identity amid a world that

— LETTERS — Federation supports shared society programs in Israel

Thanks for your wonderful article about the multi-synagogue program on the Akko Center for Arts and Technology, or ACAT (“Pittsburgh-inspired center helping to foster dialogue in Israel,” May 2). Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has been a proud supporter of this and many other shared society programs building bridges between Israelis of many different faiths and backgrounds. The Federation staff originally helped connect Manchester Bidwell Corporation with the key people in Israel interested in replicating this model. These relationships develop over long periods of time, so they are only made possible because of donor support for the Jewish Federation’s Community Campaign over many decades. David Sufrin Chair of the board, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

Criticism of AIPAC

I read with interest the column by Rabbi Jacob Herber entitled “Deplorable politicians, AIPAC and safeguarding Israel’s precarious security” (May 6). His argument was that it is perfectly fine for AIPAC to endorse and give money to congressmen who voted not to certify the results of the last presidential election. (They no doubt still assert that Trump really won and was the victim of fraud, even though that is a lie.) The rabbi’s rationale was that AIPAC’s support doesn’t matter because these congressmen are going to be reelected anyhow. And for him the only thing that does matter is they are friends of Israel. That logic is as tortured as it is false. Last week, I received a flyer in the mail that was a transparent attempt to slime Summer Lee who is running to be the Democratic nominee for Congressman Doyle’s seat. The flyer was from a group calling itself the United Democracy Project. A visit to UDP’s website reveals nothing about the organization, but a quick internet 12

MAY 13, 2022

didn’t seem to understand (or respect) my mixed-race heritage, diverse religious experiences, and non-traditional family upbringing. Amid these identity crises, I learned important life lessons that I carry with me today, the ability to listen to the other side, the capacity to empathize with those who are struggling, the desire to learn and better understand another person’s lived experiences and perspectives, and an eagerness to build consensus. It’s these shared experiences that allow me to see and understand some of — but certainly not all — the interests and struggles of the Jewish community. Indeed, I support the aspirations of the Israeli people to be free, self-empowered, prosperous, safe and secure. I believe the U.S. should continue to play a leadership role to build consensus and empower talks between the Israeli and Palestinian people. I believe the U.S. should help facilitate bilateral negotiations to achieve a two-state solution or a resolution agreed upon by the Israeli and Palestinian people. I oppose all forms of antisemitism, violence and discrimination against the Jewish community. The tragic Tree of Life incident forever changed our conception of safety and security. Likewise, I strongly condemn efforts to delegitimize Israel as a sovereign nation-state and homeland. I support the right of Israel, as a Democratic Jewish state, to exist in peace and security. I wholeheartedly echo Dr. Martin Luther King’s statement that “Israel’s right to exist as

a state in security is incontestable…[p]eace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality.” The Israeli government, one of the world’s most diverse coalitions of elected officials, is a symbol and beacon of the promise of multiracial and multiethnic democracies. We must do all we can to protect Israel from outside threats that attempt to delegitimize, destroy or erase its existence. As such, Israel has a right to defend itself from, among other threats, Iranian nuclear weapons or terrorist attacks by Hamas. I support funding the Iron Dome and continued U.S. foreign aid to Israel. Safety and security are not simply a matter of policy or politics for me — it is personal. I want my extended family in Rishon LeZion, outside of Tel Aviv, to be safe and secure. I want my Jewish nephew, Leo, who currently attends Hebrew University in Jerusalem, to be protected. I’m running for Congress because I believe that my religiously diverse and multiracial upbringing, international work as a Fulbright Scholar in South Africa, expertise as a constitutional law scholar, and experience bringing people together from different walks of life, put me in the best position to address the diverse interests and concerns of the region, including the Jewish community. PJC Jerry Dickinson is a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh and a Democratic candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District.

search shows that it is a Super PAC created by AIPAC. According to a recent article in Jewish Insider, $8.5 million of the $15.7 million UDP collected in the first quarter of this year was raised from AIPAC itself. Over $1 million of that money has been spent opposing four Democratic candidates in primaries around the country. All four are women, three are African American and one a Muslim American. Presumably, their offense is not their gender, ethnicity or religion, but that they said something about Israel that AIPAC did not like. The rabbi claimed that because of the limit of $5,000 on contributions by a nonprofit organization like AIPAC, it would have no influence. UDP was set up as a Super PAC, however, to get around that constraint. If it does not give money directly to or coordinate with a campaign, a Super PAC has no spending limit. There is no small irony in UDP using Democracy in its name given that AIPAC has endorsed the more than 100 Republican incumbents who are undermining our democracy. One thing I learned as an election observer in Latin America and Africa is that there is nothing more important for democracy than free and fair elections. And nothing is more important for having that kind of election than the voters having the confidence their ballots will be accurately counted. I think the rabbi needs to ask himself how effectively America would be able to help defend Israel’s democracy if we lose our own. Ambassador Dennis Jett (Ret.) University Park, Pennsylvania

Candidate choice for District 12 is clear

After reading the Chronicle’s excellent coverage of the three Federation-sponsored Q & A’s with the Democratic candidates for the 12th Congressional District, the voting choice is crystal clear. If the well-being of Israel and the U.S./Israel relationship is important to you, than Steve Irwin is the obvious choice. If not, either of the other two candidates will represent your point of view.

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Lou Weiss Pittsburgh PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Opinion For real progress, it’s Steve Irwin for Congress Guest Columnist State Rep. Dan Frankel

’ve known Steve Irwin for more than three decades, and I’ve watched him work to find solutions to intractable problems that stand in the way of equality, justice and progress in our communities. Again and again, I’ve seen Steve use creativity, persistence and moral clarity to find ways to help people, and that’s why the 12th District of Pennsylvania needs him in Washington. The challenges that our newly elected member of Congress will face are not new: drastic inequities, lack of economic opportunity, gun violence, health disparities, a broken justice system, impending environmental calamities, threats to reproductive rights and more. What’s unprecedented is how difficult it is to get anything through Congress to help. In many ways we are still suffering from the after-effects of the Trump years. Our interactions are sharper, our language is

less kind and our objectives have never seemed further apart. Navigating that landscape will take more than strong ideals and heartfelt positions; this is a time that calls for problem-solvers, who can find a way to make change and get desperately needed help to our communities now. Steve will fight and vote for progressive causes, but he’s not someone who will just talk the right talk and make the right votes. I got to work with Steve to advance progressive causes when he was chairman of Americans for Democratic Action, the National Jewish Democratic Council, and when he was executive vice president of the 14th Ward Independent Democratic Club. He promises, and delivers. Steve has been asked to step up again and again to help put progressive ideals into practice. He chaired the U.S. Civil Rights Commission for Pennsylvania, and he has held leadership positions in Sustainable Pittsburgh, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and the regional chapter of the Anti-Defamation League. As a member of the Pennsylvania Securities Commission, Steve made himself an expert on protecting

Main Street from Wall Street, testifying before Congress in an effort to advocate for tighter regulations. At every turn I have seen him bring people together to find common ground on challenging, complex issues and turn that consensus into real, tangible action on the issues that matter the most. Finally, I feel strongly that this community should be represented by a member of Congress that stands firm on Israel’s right to exist. My legislative district is entirely contained in the congressional district that Steve is seeking. It’s beautiful and diverse, and it includes one of the nation’s last concentrated city Jewish neighborhoods. To many of my constituents, the Holocaust doesn’t feel abstract or distant. That’s because many can trace their family trees through the horrors that took place 80 years ago. But it’s also because we are watchful for antisemitism that is all too present today. It was only three years ago that the deadliest antisemitic attack in the history of our country took the lives of 11 of our friends and neighbors as they worshiped. So far this year, we have seen half a dozen frightening instances of antisemitic

messaging targeting this community. Like many in Pittsburgh’s diverse Jewish community, Steve is clearheaded about the faults of Israel’s democratically elected government, but he does not waiver on the need for this safe haven. Campaigns are brutal, and anyone can see that efforts of passionate supporters of each of the three candidates have reduced them to caricatures, obscuring the fact that each is smart, decent, hardworking and wants to represent the 12th District in Congress for good reasons. I believe Steve is the right fit for the job, and I hope that voters will get the opportunity to get to know the kind and tireless champion for progressive causes whom I have known for more than 30 years. Steve is a brilliant, engaged, accordion-playing, dad joke-telling difference-maker. He leads with empathy, and he doesn’t give up. That’s why I’m proud to support Steve and strongly encourage you to vote for him on May 17. PJC State Rep. Dan Frankel, a Democrat, represents the 23rd District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Summer Lee: The just leader we deserve Guest Columnist Annie Weinberg

’m Summer Lee’s campaign manager. I grew up here, in Pittsburgh’s close-knit Jewish community, attending Dor Hadash, the small Reconstructionist congregation in Squirrel Hill where I became bat mitzvah. The things I learned from Pittsburgh’s Jewish community are the same things that call me to organize for a better democracy — and the same values that I have seen in Summer that make me know she is the leader our Jewish

communities need and deserve in this moment. There is no one more dedicated to fighting for our shared values with the courage, vision and compassion it will take to meet this moment — to fight antisemitism and anti-Blackness at its white supremacist core, and to build a more just and thriving future for all Pennsylvanians. Justice is woven into every part of my understanding of Judaism. Growing up, our social justice committee, which my father leads today, was always organizing events for HIAS, welcoming refugees or asylumseekers, or combating environmental justice issues. When I was studying Torah portions with Dan Leger, in each lesson, he would

find a way to connect it to “tikkun olam,” “the repair of the world.” As he says, “We pray with our feet, we pray with our votes. We might open a prayer book once in a while — some of us might do it more often than others — [but] the way we honor being connected with the Divine is by actively trying to make the world a safer, better, more wholesome place to live in.” That vision of justice is woven into every move that Summer has made throughout her life — as an organizer, legislator and community leader. That’s why, when her home school district was rated top 10 in the nation for disproportionate violence against Black students, she launched a successful initiative to

transform the Woodland Hills Schools Board. It’s why when George Floyd was murdered in 2020, she spearheaded the passage of urgently needed police accountability measures, even in the face of Republican obstructionism. It’s why as the first Black woman ever elected to the State House from Western Pennsylvania, she has worked tirelessly for economic, racial, reproductive and environmental justice. She has been an unwavering advocate for unions and workers’ rights to strengthen the right to organize, ensure paid sick and family leave, and raise wages. The second thing is leadership. Summer Please see Weinberg, page 15

Chronicle poll results: Antisemitism

ast week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an electronic poll the following question: “Have you experienced or witnessed any act of antisemitism in the past year?” Of the 145 people who responded, 74% said no and 23% said yes. Three percent said they weren’t sure. Thirty-one submitted comments. A few follow. What bothered me most about this incident is that the person who said, “I Jewed him down” didn’t even realize she was being antisemitic.

Have you experienced or witnessed any act of antisemitism in the past year?

Not sure

23% Yes

74% No

It is more subtle than it used to be at least for Western-looking Jews.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

At my age, antisemitism isn’t new, but the last time I experienced it was at grammar school on Easter when kids from a Catholic school yelled “Jesus killer” when I passed by. I live in a very cloistered environment where most of my friends and neighbors are Jewish. Given my lifestyle, it would be rare for me to experience antisemitism. Not directly toward me but directed at others in my community via social media.

Minor: Someone yelled a bit of an insult about being Jewish over a minor traffic delay I was part of at me. Personally ... no. On TV: Yes.

I see Jews supporting these groups, I think that they must be ignorant of our history.

I’ve seen lots of anti-Israel and anti-Zionist sentiment, which, at the end of the day, is the same as antisemitism. Without Israel, we Jews will have no chance of survival. When

We need to distinguish between personal antisemitism and political differences about Israel. The second is not antisemitism. I was in an online forum on racism sponsored by a Lutheran church. A minister in-

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

sisted that Jews were heavily involved in the slave trade and that we were in control of the media. Yes, from the left. A construction worker directing traffic on a job in the city told me they started early in the morning only to be halted when the police arrived because the neighbors complained that they did not want their brick street cut up by the sewer repair. She said, “You know how these Jews can be.” I told her that I was a Jew and set her straight about what she had said. She did apologize. PJC — Toby Tabachnick

Chronicle poll question:

Should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade? Go to pittsburghjewishchronicle.org to respond. PJC MAY 13, 2022

Headlines NCJW: Continued from page 1

group’s upcoming Spring Event as an indication of changes underway. While celebrating the contributions of several board members, including outgoing President Teddi Jacobson Horvitz, the June 1 program will welcome keynote speaker Tammy Thompson, owner of T3 Consulting, a social justice media company, and founder and executive director of Catapult Greater Pittsburgh, an organization dedicated to economic justice opportunities for people seeking generational stability. “Tammy Thompson has an incredible story to tell, and I am really looking forward to learning more,” said Leah Kamon, co-chair of the Spring Event committee and vice president of NCJW Pittsburgh’s board of directors. Thompson is an expert in the psychology of poverty and often speaks about her experiences on the path to prosperity. NCJW

Pittsburgh stands to benefit both from Thompson’s remarks at the Spring Event, as well as a partnership being built between Catapult Greater Pittsburgh and the Jewish group, Segel explained. While NCJW Pittsburgh is committed to increasing inclusivity, doing so doesn’t mean that the group is eschewing the contributions of longtime members. “We’re very mindful that we have a rich history of strong passionate advocates and leaders, women who have been involved for generations and have a seat at the table,” Glickman said. Whether welcoming younger members to the board or finding ways to engage with a larger audience, NCJW Pittsburgh is dedicated to operating in a way where “everyone is welcome and we have a very broad umbrella.” In fact, leveraging the expertise of so many diverse people bodes well for the organization’s future, Segel said. “We know that, generally speaking, millennials live their values out loud, especially when it comes to seeking gender and

racial equity,” she said. “The fact that NCJW is actively advocating for and addressing systemic changes with regard to reproductive rights, voting rights and affordable, high-quality child care, sparks a powerful connection with this younger generation.” Glickman, 49, was in her 20s when she joined NCJW Pittsburgh. She’s been connected for decades, she said, because “we do a really good job of listening, learning and adapting to what’s happening in our world while being true to our Jewish values and our mission.” Taking that approach, while playing a supporting role to partners who are doing the direct work within the community, is “the way we need to be as a community ally,” Segel said. Days ago, immediately following the Supreme Court draft opinion leak, Tracy Baton of Women’s March Pittsburgh organized a rally for abortion rights at the City County Building. Because of partnerships that NCJW Pittsburgh built with Baton, as well as Sydney Etheredge

Kollel: Continued from page 1

Berkowitz, Bauman, Gans, Mandelbaum and Shapiro completed their studies during the pandemic. The rabbis’ perseverance during such a devastating period is inspiring, Rosh Kollel Rabbi Levi Langer said. These scholars “live and breathe the teachings of the Torah,” but the community also helped the scholars along, continued Langer: “Our semicha is your semicha as well.” Kollel scholars spend nearly seven hours each day studying Torah, Talmud and rabbinic writings. Then, for approximately 90 minutes every night, they partner with community members on various Jewish study projects. Kollel President Fishy Milch said the Kollel’s partnership with Pittsburgh’s Jewish community dates to 1977. During a conversation at the dining room table of the late Donald and Chantze Butler nearly 45 years ago, it was decided that Pittsburgh should have a group of scholars whose responsibility was to learn Torah and aid the Jewish community’s spiritual development, Milch noted. Milch’s parents, Faithe and Morton Milch, recalled the Kollel’s early days and the growth of Pittsburgh’s Orthodox Jewish community throughout the last four decades. To see not only a program like this,

p From left: Rabbis Chananel Shapiro, Binyomin Bauman, Moshe Gans, Shmuli Mandelbaum and Yossi Berkowitz Photo by Adam Reinherz

but the number of young people now calling Pittsburgh home, is a “big zechus,” Faithe Milch said. Pittsburgh’s growing Orthodox community was noted in the 2017 Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Community Study. While 7% of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community identified as Orthodox in 2002, the figure increased to 9% by 2017. And, although 6% of Pittsburgh Jews age 65 and older identify as Orthodox within the 2017 tally, the number doubles to

12% for Pittsburgh’s Jews ages 18-39. Rabbi Sroy Levitansky of Beth Medrash Govoha, a yeshiva in Lakewood, New Jersey, with nearly 8,000 students, praised Pittsburgh’s former community leaders who saw early on that a kollel could transform Jewish life within a city. The kollel movement didn’t start until the 1980s — until then, most cities around the country were solely focused on growing their synagogues and Jewish day schools — so for

of Planned Parenthood of Western PA, NCJW Pittsburgh was able to quickly join public efforts and support those taking the lead, Segel said. NCJW Pittsburgh members, including Glickman, plan on continuing their work next week when traveling to Washington, D.C. for a national meeting and a May 17 demonstration in support of abortion rights, in front of the Supreme Court building. The potential erasure of women’s rights requires the need to “mobilize our advocates and leaders throughout the country,” Glickman said. Following an intentional model of playing a supporting role benefits NCJW Pittsburgh at home, Segel explained. When it comes to standing up and speaking out on behalf of women, children and families, “we are approaching our work in a different way,” Glickman said. “We are growing the pie, not narrowing it.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. Pittsburgh to appreciate the importance of this type of organization “says something powerful about this community,” Levitansky said. Past Kollel President Chuck Perlow said the “tremendous turnout” at the May 8 event testifies to the vision of past and present scholars and leaders. “The heart and soul of a kollel is its scholars,” Perlow said. Each of the five scholars honored and their families originally came from other cities, saw something special about Pittsburgh and decided to make this Jewish community home, he added. By doing so, they “lifted us, and for that we are eternally grateful.” Squirrel Hill resident Becca Knoll said she gladly attended the May 8 event, noting that between the organization’s classes and programming “the Kollel offers so much to strengthen Pittsburgh Jewry.” Fellow Squirrel Hill resident Judah Beck agreed, saying he was “happy to share” in the joy of everyone’s accomplishments. Receiving Yoreh Yoreh semicha in front of family, neighbors, study partners and friends “means the world to me,” Kollel scholar Rabbi Chananel Shapiro said. Jewish tradition teaches that the lineage of rabbinic ordination dates back to Moses at Mount Sinai, he added. It means “everything to me to be part of that connection.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

Join the Chronicle Book Club!

he Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle invites you to join the Chronicle Book Club for its June 12 discussion of “The History of Love,” by Nicole Krausse. From the publisher: “Leo Gursky taps his radiator each evening to let his upstairs neighbor know he’s still alive. But it wasn’t always like this: in the Polish village of his

MAY 13, 2022

youth, he fell in love and wrote a book…Sixty years later and half a world away, fourteen-year-old Alma, who was named after a character in that book, undertakes an adventure to find her namesake and save her family. With virtuosic skill and soaring imaginative power, Nicole Krauss gradually draws these stories together toward a climax of ‘extraordinary depth and beauty’ (Newsday).”

Your Hosts

Toby Tabachnick, editor of the Chronicle David Rullo, Chronicle staff writer

How It Works

We will meet on Zoom on Sunday, June 12, at noon. As you read the book, share your favorite passages on a Google Doc you will receive when you register.

What To Do

Buy: “The History of Love.” It is available at

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

area Barnes & Noble stores and from online retailers, including Amazon. Email: Contact us at drullo@pittsburgh jewishchronicle.org, and write “Chronicle Book Club” in the subject line. We will send you a Zoom link for the discussion meeting. Happy reading! PJC — Toby Tabachnick PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines JHF: Continued from page 3

minutes and includes discussions not only about flora and fauna, or the various benefits of exercise, but practical advice about bodily mechanics — like how to properly walk and avoid falling, Starz said. “Fit with a Physician” is a “lovely program,” said Valerie Beichner, Venture Outdoors’ president and CEO, who credited JHF with helping Venture Outdoors create new and robust opportunities since that initial grant. On April 11, JHF approved an additional $50,000 one-year grant to Venture Outdoors. The funding, Zionts explained, will support the growing need within the senior community for social connection and physical well-being exacerbated by the pandemic. Before the March 2020 shutdowns,

Cannabis: Continued from page 5

dad,” Sampson said. “I really wanted to pick up the phone and point out that we’re both professors.”

Weinberg: Continued from page 13

says to me, nearly every day: “This is a ‘we’ movement, not a ‘me’ movement.” She knows that building a democracy and community are not about any one candidate or campaign — it’s about all of us, taking action to show up for the people and places we love. It’s why she built unprecedented coalitions to make real change for working people and representation in our area. She doubled voter turnout in her first race, and has continued to expand the electorate ever since. As the cofounder and chair of UNITE, she has

Abortion: Continued from page 11

be subject to considerable revision, based on negotiations among the justices. “While Agudath Israel is closely monitoring this important — if irregular — development, the Jewish perspective on abortion is nuanced,” Cohen wrote in an email. “Thus, we would have to review the precise nuances of the final decision itself — how, for example, it treats abortion rights when the ‘mother’s life or health is endangered,’ or when the ‘mother’s sincerely-held religious beliefs allow or require’ her to seek an abortion,” Cohen said. “We would also have to carefully examine state statutes and prospective legislation on these matters. Only then can we responsibly determine the true impact of the Dobbs decision and future steps we might deem necessary.” The Coalition for Jewish Values, an Orthodox advocacy group that joined a friend of the court brief defending restrictive abortion laws in the current Supreme Court case, said on Tuesday a number of liberal Jews were PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reported that 24% of “community-dwelling Americans” age 65 and older are socially isolated and that 43% of adults aged 60 and older are lonely. Researchers noted that what was already a public health risk for older adults worsened throughout the pandemic. Less than two years after its 2018 poll on healthy aging, the University of Michigan reported that feelings of loneliness had dramatically increased among adults aged 50-80. Whereas 27% of the demographic felt isolated from others in October 2018, the number swelled to 56% between March and June 2020. Tap dancer and Crafton resident Mona Rush noted that once the pandemic began, she transitioned from group and private instruction at the South Hills JCC to online lessons. “It wasn’t great, but it worked,” Rush said. The online classes not only helped her

continue exercising, she added, but also preserved community. “We’ve formed bonds,” Rush said. “We are supportive of one another. We are friends.” One of the difficulties experienced by older adults during the pandemic was losing connections with their friends, noted Elaine Cappucci, wellness director at the South Hills JCC. For some people, “the only times they see each other is at the JCC,” she said, adding that the JCC has relied on the advice of health professionals in determining that classes should be held in person given the “value of seniors socializing while, before and after exercising.” There are many ways to create bonds as well as plenty of opportunities to find an activity or trainer “that you love,” Cappucci added. What’s important for older adults to know is that “exercise can be fun, and it

doesn’t have to be running miles and miles and lifting heavy weights. You can get a great workout seated or standing. Gyms aren’t all for 20-year-old muscle-bound people.” Starz, a JHF trustee, agreed, and recalled a lesson he learned from the senior member of his rheumatology group, the late Dr. Paul Caplan, who lived to be 107. “Dr. Caplan used to say you have to keep yourself physically and mentally active; you have to learn new things every day; and that you have to make effective transitions,” Starz said. After more than two years of the pandemic, it’s time for many older adults to transition and reincorporate exercise within their lives, he continued. For those who’ve done so, “it’s added a very positive dimension.” PJC

Sampson attended Community Day School before Taylor Allderdice High School and the University of Virginia, where he earned a minor in religious studies. After graduating from the University of Chicago Law School, he served as the assistant director of legal affairs for the Anti-Defamation

League and spent time in both New York and Washington, D.C. It was his wife — not a Pittsburgher by birth — who suggested moving back to Pittsburgh in 2003. His oldest child, who is now at Allderdice, attended CDS, and his youngest child is a student there now. Sampson’s family is affiliated

with Congregation Dor Hadash. The “Cannabis in the Law” course is full, and Sampson is anxious to begin teaching. “I’m just excited to get started,” he said. PJC

recruited, mentored and delivered for candidates up and down the ballot, welcoming tens of thousands of new voters into the political process, and playing a key role in electing slates of school board members, county councilors, judges and mayors. At Dor Hadash, we didn’t have a rabbi. Instead, the services were lay led, with members of our community stepping up each week to lead the services. Even if we didn’t think we were ready, the congregation encouraged everyone to play a role in creating our spiritual home. This taught me about who owns sacredness, wisdom, and expertise — all of us and no one. And Summer has taught me the same things in

her approach to democracy. This quote was on the wall in one of the rooms: “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” Whether it’s building the coalition that stopped a fracking proposal, winning elections up and down the ballot, or bringing community leaders to Harrisburg to co-govern and craft policy, Summer has never desisted from that work. Lastly, my Jewish faith has taught me about the need for solidarity, and Summer has embodied the power and possibility of true solidarity throughout her life. She has shown up for us standing up against antisemitism every day, mourning with our community in the aftermath of the Tree of Life, and working in deep

Annie Weinberg is the campaign manager for Summer Lee.

overstating halachic allowances for abortion. “The Jewish Bible identifies human life as a soul placed (breathed) within a body by G-d Himself, with inestimable sanctity and value,” the group said in a statement Tuesday. “That is the authentic Jewish view, as determined by rabbinic texts and legal codes stretching back to Sinai. We support Heartbeat Laws and other efforts to distinguish between tragic cases of abortion due to medical necessity, as compared to disregard for fetal life as simply the mother’s ‘choice.’” The OU statement decried what it called “extreme polarization” around the issue, which it said “does not bode well for a muchneeded nuanced result. Human life — the value of everyone created in the Divine Image — is far too important to be treated as a political football.” There was a lot for Orthodox groups to absorb about a ruling no one knew would be revealed this soon — the final ruling will likely come down in June — or that would be as far-reaching as the leaked opinion appears to be. A number of court watchers believed there would be a partial rollback of Roe v. Wade’s protections, but that the court would

fundamentally preserve the decision. Ultimately, if the draft decision stands, the Orthodox groups will have to reconcile not only the differences among the states’ laws, but also among rabbinical authorities. In a 2018 analysis in The Forward, Rabbi Elli Fischer, a historian of Jewish law, outlined nuanced differences among religious authorities regarding whether a diseased or deformed fetus could be aborted to spare a mother mental anguish, with some opposing it except in the most extreme circumstances, while others allowed it more broadly. A number of states have exemptions from certain abortion bans for rape and incest; others do not. There are also differences among halachic authorities over whether rape constitutes a reason to carry out an abortion. The late British chief rabbi, Immanuel Jakobovits, a Jewish legal scholar, said rape was not a reason for abortion. Rabbi Asher Lopatin, a Detroit-area Orthodox rabbi, told JTA that the late Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik, another halachic authority, ruled that rape in some cases would allow abortion. Lopatin, the founding rabbi of Kehillat Etz Chayim who is affiliated with politically

liberal Orthodox movements, said an end to Roe v. Wade might shake more politically conservative Orthodox Jewish groups out of their complacency on the topic. He noted for instance that some Orthodox rabbinical authorities have held that a diagnosis of the degenerative infantile disease Tay-Sachs in the fetus, coming with the likelihood of death by 5 years old, would justify an abortion — but that one would be banned under most of the state laws restricting abortion. “It’s hard to imagine that we’re living in a country where you cannot terminate that pregnancy and I think that there’s going to have to be a period where [Orthodox Jews] realize what this means,” he said. Many Jews live in Democratic-led states, Lopatin said, but substantial communities reside in conservative states, and would soon have to contemplate the necessity of an ailing pregnant woman having to travel long distances to a state that allows abortion. “Not all Jews are wealthy, and not all Jews really have the resources to go spend a week in New York,” he said. “People in the Orthodox world may not realize how this can really affect their lives.” PJC

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

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

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. partnership with Jewish community leaders for climate justice, immigrants’ rights and reproductive freedom. That’s why J Street, Bend the Arc, and Jewish community groups support Summer. We are facing grave challenges right now — repeated attacks on our democracy and our fundamental rights. We need leadership that understands that our struggles are interconnected. We must tackle antisemitism and anti-Blackness together, wherever they show up and root them out at their shared core, with courage and accountability. Summer Lee is that just leader for all of us. PJC

MAY 13, 2022

Life & Culture thinner vegetarian version to which they added smetana, a sour cream-like cheese. When Jews i m m i g r at e d to America, vegetable borscht overshadowed meat borscht. Many celebrated Jewish foods have their roots in Ukraine. Babka, the cake baked in loaf pans in America, is baked in high round pans in Ukraine. In both Ukrainian and Yiddish, baba means grandmother; babka means little grandmother. Some say this tall cake resembles grandma’s long skirt. Many Ukrainian Jewish recipes are well known to Ashkenazi Jews, particularly challah and stuffed cabbage. Made with nutty-flavored buckwheat, kasha varnishkes evolved into bowtie pasta flavored with caramelized onions. Often prepared with butter and served with smetana, potato latkes are beloved in

— FOOD — Linda Morel | Contributing Writer

hen Russia’s barbaric aggression against Ukraine began, Jewish aid organizations estimated that 200,000 Ukrainian Jews were integrated into the life of that country, making the Jewish community there the third-largest in Europe and the fifth-largest in the world. Since March, Jews have fled in droves, mostly to Israel. Feeling helpless, my husband and I sent money through the Jewish Federation. At Passover, we placed a beetroot on our seder plate in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Borscht, the gorgeous garnet-colored soup, gets its radiant hue from beets. Popular throughout Eastern Europe, borscht was not only invented in Ukraine but is its most famous food. However, original recipes were made from a bitter white root called borsh. Poverty prompted this unpleasant soup to become widespread. But during the Renaissance, people began preparing this recipe from much sweeter beets, retaining the original name. Eventually, Ukrainians of means added beef, beans and vegetables to the recipe. Jews created two different kinds of borscht: a thick, meat-based borscht and a

Congregation Beth Shalom presents

JOSH WARSHAWSKY

Photo by Sheviakova kateryna via iStock Photo

Ukrainian Jewish food: Remember the past through recipes

Ukraine. Jews created an oil-based version to eat with meat. This popular dish is served at Chanukah and throughout the year. But there are some Ukrainian Jewish foods unfamiliar to most Americans. Carrot and zucchini muffins are popular at Passover but are eaten all year, kotlety are meat patties

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Celebrations

Torah

B’nei Mitzvah

Shavous: The capstone of Passover

Ella Lilly Rofey Golomb, daughter of Dana Rofey and Adam Golomb of Fox Chapel, will become a bat mitzvah at Adat Shalom during Shabbat morning services on Saturday, May 14, 2022. Ella is the older sister of Ava and Nora and is the granddaughter of Nancy and Perry Rofey of Boca Raton, Florida, and Sandy and Lee Golomb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania. Ella is in the seventh grade at Dorseyville Middle School and enjoys running, swimming, and hanging out with her friends and family. For her mitzvah project, Ella designed a mural conveying kindness and unity with her One Day PGH classmates. This mural will be dedicated in memory of her great-grandmother Goldie to the memory unit at Harmony Nursing Home. Gabriella Sarit Kunzman is the daughter of Dana and Jason Kunzman, sister of Seth Kunzman, granddaughter of Nancy and Mark Kunzman and the late Linda Kunzman, and Paula Levine and the late Sheldon Levine. Gabi is in the eighth grade at Community Day School and loves to play all sports. Gabi volunteers at the JCC, is an avid supporter of social justice and brought the ADL program “No Place For Hate” to CDS. Gabi will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah at Beth Shalom on May 14, 2022.

Victoria Ann Pfendler is the daughter of Chip and Vanessa Pfendler. She is the granddaughter of Carol Cohen and the late Victor Cohen of Washington, Pennsylvania, and Harry and Barbara Pfendler of Pittsburgh. Victoria will become a bat mitzvah on Friday, May 13, 2022. She attends Dorseyville Middle School, where she is a seventhgrade honor student. She studies piano at Carnegie Mellon University Music Preparatory School. She loves playing golf and tennis and spending time with family and friends. For her bat mitzvah project, she is sewing pillowcases for Ryan’s Case for Smiles. Ryan’s Case for Smiles is dedicated to helping sick children cope with the stress of life-changing illnesses and injuries. Victoria’s whimsical pillowcases will be donated to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and the Ronald McDonald House.

Birth

Susan Spatter Mauder Breitenbach and David Breitenbach proudly announce the birth of their grandson, Jacob Alan Mauder, to parents Alexandra Marie Arrigo and Jeffrey Lee Mauder. Jacob was born on Dec. 6, 2021. His middle name, Alan, is in memory of his late grandfather, Craig Alan Mauder. He is the great-grandson of Sara Spatter and the late Samuel L. Spatter and the late George and Rochelle Mauder. PJC

Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum Parshat Emor | Leviticus 21:1 — 24:23

he Torah portion of Emor describes the Jewish holidays of the year; the Sages of Europe would say that a glow from all those holidays permeates this Shabbos. Therefore, it is appropriate to explore the relationship between two of those celebrations, Passover and Shavuos. Shavuos has several names: Zman Matan Toraseinu (“Time of the giving of the Torah”), Shavuos (“oaths” or “weeks”) and Atzeres (“capstone celebration”). We can certainly understand the time of Matan Torah. The meanings associated with Shavuos are also easy to understand. “Oaths” refers to the pledge every Jewish person made at the base of Mount Sinai, when they proclaimed, “Everything Hashem says, we will do.” The definition of Shavuos as “weeks” is also clear — the seven-week period leading to the holiday. But why is the holiday called Atzeres? How does Shavuos represent the capstone of Passover and the Exodus? Passover marked the birth of the Jewish nation. On Passover, Hashem energized Jewish souls for all time, as the Haggadah states, “And Hashem took them out of Egypt, not through an angel, not through a spiritual representative (saraph), not through an emissary; but through the Holy One Blessed is He in His Essence and Glory.” Hashem chose the Jewish people to be His people, taking from the depths of impurity to the heights of sanctity. It also required empowering the people to reflect His Kingship on Earth. This occurred with the giving of the Torah on Har Sinai. which changed the nature of reality. Until that time, spirituality was confined to the heavens. With the giving of the Torah, Hashem eliminated the barrier that separated the heavens from earth, so that holiness could permeate the physical world. For example, animal skin could be used for a Sefer Torah or Tefillin. Grain and animals could be offered as sacrifices in the Holy Temple. For the first time, spirituality (i.e., holiness) could be brought down within the confines of our mundane existence. Sefiros HaOmer (“Counting the Omer”)

serves as the link between Passover and Shavuos. The Omer was an amount of barley that was offered on the first day after Passover. During Sefiros HaOmer, we mark 49 days to Matan Torah. The word sefiros means “counting.” But it is also related to the word, sapir, meaning “shine.” During this time, we prepare to accept the Torah, not by engaging the Jewish soul; it already was sanctified at Passover. Rather, Sefiros HaOmer elevates the animal soul that enlivens the Jewish body. Chassidus teaches us that there seven emotional attributes: kindness, strength, beauty/harmony, victory, splendor, foundation and kingship. Each attribute is composed of all seven. Thus, the 49 attributes correspond to the 49 days between Passover and Shavous. Each day refines one of the animal soul’s emotional attributes. Yet why do we need to refine the animal soul when Hashem picked the Jewish neshama? The answer lies in the reason for creation itself! If Hashem just desired Jewish souls, there was no need for materiality. Rather, the giving of the Torah was primarily for the animal soul within the Jew. Only through the Torah can the Jewish neshama in a human body sanctify material world. With this we can understand another question. Every Jewish holiday is associated with a specific mitzvah. But there is no biblical mitzvah associated with Shavuos. Practices such as learning Torah all night and eating cheesecake are only customs, not commandments. Shavuos stands apart because the Torah applies to all areas of life. Furthermore, the animal soul plays a vital part in elevating the physical. Had the Sages declared learning Torah (or performing any other activity) to be a commandment, it would have been easy to miss the point of the holiday. Hashem gave the Torah so that Jewish souls in bodies could learn Torah and perform mitzvos, thereby elevating materiality and preparing it for the coming of Mashiach. Viewed from this perspective, Shavuos really serves as an Atzeres, as the capstone and culmination of Passover. PJC Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum is CEO of Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh and rabbi of Congregation Kesser Torah.

Congregational Manager (ICM) This position is for a Congregational Manager for Congregation Dor Hadash. The position is available beginning in August. The position will be 25-30 hours per week. The essential duties of the position include: • Being part of a dynamic management team responsible for implementing the policies and procedures of the congregation. • Provide managerial support to DH Board members who are supervising employees • Provide administrative support for special events as they arise and as requested by the President and Administrative Vice-President as part of the management team • Handling email communications with committees and board members; setting up virtual meetings and hosting some of them

• Keeping the Dor Hadash website up to date, including the calendar as well as the congregational directory • Provide technological guidance, support, and coordination • Assemble and assist with event guides for important occasions such as High Holidays • Managing the Schul Cloud data base and congregation website • Coordinate communication between committees and community • Coordinate with and provide support to the work of issues relevant to the congregation • Distribution of weekly congregation-wide emails notifying the congregation of upcoming events sponsored by the congregation and available in the community at large.

This is a salaried position for a contract term of one year, subject to renewal. The salary level is dependent upon experience and is negotiable. Email resume to vpadmin@dorhadash.net

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Obituaries BARISH: Stanley S. Barish passed away on Saturday, April 30, 2022. He was the beloved husband of Shirley Jean Barish; loving father of Nancy Moeller (Thomas Moeller), Richard Barish and Steven Barish; loving grandfather and Papa of Michael Moeller (Indra Moeller); loving great-grandfather of Ashton and Anthony; and loving brother-in-law of Gerald and Barbara Chotiner. He is also survived by many caring nieces, nephews and cousins. He was the son of the late Michael and Ottilie Barish, and brother of the late Ruth Leach and the late William Barish. Stanley enjoyed 79 years of marriage to Shirley. They sailed through life together — he was an avid sailor and always ready with a pun. He served as a lieutenant (j.g.) in the U. S. Navy aboard LST 325 on D-Day 1944 during WWII. His photography hobby at the time led to his photos of the war being accepted by the Library of Congress and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall. Stan was a Squirrel Hill merchant for many years, owner of The Fotoshop. His kindness and caring will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Services at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment private. Donations can be made to the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. 610 NW Riverside Drive, Evansville, IN 47708 or a charity of your choice. schugar.com CHAJSON: Dorothy (Platt) Chajson, on

Sunday, May 8, 2022. Born in Pittsburgh in 1935, and a lifelong resident, Dorothy (Platt) Chajson passed away at age 86. Daughter of the late Madelyn and Robert Platt; beloved wife of the late Lee Chajson; sister of Joel (Marcia) Platt; mother of Ellen Chajson (Mark Perkiss) and Howard (Gina) Chajson; and grandmother of Robert (Ally) Chajson, Evan Perkiss, Madison Chajson (Zachary Davidson), Nicole Chajson and Jacob Chajson. Dotty graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and pursued a career in education. She taught English in the Pittsburgh Area Public Schools and then became a docent at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, where she used her educational background to teach school groups. Dotty was a devoted daughter, niece, sister, wife, mother and grandmother, and a beloved aunt, cousin, and friend to many. Graveside services and interment were held at Beth Shalom Cemetery. The family requests that Dotty’s memory be honored with charitable contributions to the Susan G. Komen Foundation or the Jewish Association of Aging. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com KOTTLER: Ronald Kottler, on Saturday, May 7, 2022. Beloved husband of 64 years to Jean Kottler. Loving father of Dr. Bruce and (Randi) Kottler and Marc Kottler. Brother of the late Saul Cutler, the late Marceen Kottler, the late Jeanette Zuckerman and the late Rita Cohen. Grandfather of Lani Skelley, Brittany

and Madison. Ronald was a social worker and administrator with veterans in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Bay Pines, Florida. He was employed at Protestant Home for Children on the North Side and worked at Sewickley Valley Hospital as director of the Staunton Clinic. Ronald was the executive director at Jewish Family and Children’s Services, where he helped to relocate Russian immigrants into the local community. Ronald was a founding member of Temple Ohav Shalom. He enlisted in the military during the Korean conflict. Ronald took over for his mother with the Bikkur Cholim, which over time had raised and distributed $100,000 for the elderly and sick Jewish people in Pittsburgh, as well as the Angeles Nursing Home. He also helped to find housing and accommodations for recipients of liver transplants in Oakland. Ronald spent his childhood having many experiences and adventures in Squirrel Hill, which he loved to talk about. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel. Interment at Adath Jeshurun Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Marc Kottler Memorial Library at JFCS Pittsburgh, 5743 Bartlett St, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. schugar.com NATHAN: Dr. Susan Wimmer Nathan, on Thursday, May 5, 2022; born on May 16, 1941. Beloved wife of the late Robert L. Nathan; loving mother of Hope Anne Nathan; sister of Lynne Wimmer (late Dan Hudson) and the late Gayle Wimmer. Daughter of the late Emanuel and Frances (Bernstein) Wimmer. Sue was a graduate of

Colfax Elementary and Taylor Allderdice High School. She received her BA at Vassar College, her master’s at Boston University, and her Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. While pursuing her doctorate in Chicago, Sue met her future husband, Robert L. Nathan. They were introduced through her father, Emanuel Wimmer, and Bob’s aunt, Ruth Kaplan, who were acquainted through both families’ work in the steel industry. After their first date, Bob asked her out again, for the very next night (and the night after that, and the night after that). Sue had other plans, but ultimately relented. At the time of Bob’s death, they had been happily married for 54 years. Sue spent her life working for and with children. As a Clinical Child Psychologist, she spent over 25 years with Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, first in the Speech Department, and later with the Family Intervention Center, which responded in cases of suspected child abuse. In the late 1990s, Sue moved to Mercy Hospital, where she and several colleagues founded (and Sue named) A Child’s Place, a child advocacy center. Her colleague, Dr. Mary Carrasco, said, “Sue had an incredible ability to create an environment that was warm and welcoming for a child who has been through trauma. Through her Please see Obituaries, page 19

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On February 23, 2022, the IRS nonchalantly released 275 pages of Proposed Regulations which shocked the retirement and estate planning professional community. Since the passage of the SECURE Act at the end of 2019, many planners have been reeling over the ten-year payout requirement for inherited retirement accounts created by the Act, subject to limited exceptions. Families and their retirement and estate planners have been scrambling to minimize the greatly accelerated income tax burden caused by the tenyear payout rule and have been recommending in many cases (particularly with Roth IRAs) to wait until the end of the payout period to withdraw the funds from the inherited retirement account. The most devastating announcement under the Proposed Regulations was for beneficiaries of retirement accounts who inherited from retirement account owners already receiving Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)—those who reached their required beginning date for distributions prior to their death, i.e., the April 1st of the year after they reached age 72 or retirement, whichever is later. This group represents most retirement account owners, and these beneficiaries will likely be required to take annual distributions in the first nine years immediately following the year of the IRA owner’s death, and then be forced to take a lump-sum distribution for the balance of the retirement account in the final distribution year. These proposed distribution rules will apply to traditional

retirement accounts but not to Roth retirement accounts because Roth retirement accounts never have a required beginning date for distributions. If the Proposed Regulations are passed in their current form with respect to RMDs from IRA owners who reached their required beginning date before their death, our general recommendations to inherited retirement account owner beneficiaries are as follows: • Traditional Retirement Accounts: Consider your likely income tax bracket for the next ten years and then decide whether it is more advantageous to take roughly one-tenth the first year, one-ninth the second year, and so on or take advantage of the limited income tax deferral still available by taking the minimum amount out years 1- 9 and take out the balance in year ten. This strategy will most likely make sense on more modest retirement accounts ($500,000 or less) and averaging the income or strategically withdrawing the IRA in some other manner will likely make sense for larger IRAs. Each case should be evaluated based on running the numbers, and our group is well-positioned to help you with that analysis. • Roth Retirement Accounts: The advice for Roth retirement accounts is more straightforward. We recommend that Roth IRA beneficiaries wait until year ten and then take out the balance in year ten. Please note that the Proposed Regulations make life even more miserable than before when inheriting a traditional IRA while there are basically no

further changes for beneficiaries of inherited Roth IRAs. That is another reason the Roth IRA conversion will be good for large IRA owners. The Proposed Regulations provide important guidance for when a minor child is no longer considered a minor (age 21). They also clarify when a beneficiary is considered disabled (defer to the Social Security definition for beneficiaries ages 18 or older). This is a very big deal for IRA and retirement plan owners with beneficiaries with a disability. More on this in subsequent columns (if an individual has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that results in marked and severe functional limitations and that can be expected to result in death or to be of long continued and indefinite duration). There are also now common-sense guidelines if the beneficiary is less than 21. The Proposed Regulations provide important clarifications for planners regarding what language can and cannot be in a trust to qualify for stretch exceptions and/or the ten-year rule.

Proposed Changes The 2019 Secure Act changed when Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts must begin to age 72, from 70½. Under the House-passed version of SECURE Act 2.0, those mandated annual withdrawals wouldn’t have to start until age 73 in 2023, and age 74 in 2030, and age 75 in 2033. The delay in the start of RMDs provides a longer window after retirement

for retirement account owners to make Roth IRA conversions. The Senate proposal of SECURE Act 2.0 which has not yet been approved by the full Senate would raise the RMD age to 75 by 2030. It also would waive RMDs for individuals with less than $100,000 in aggregate retirement savings, as well as reduce the penalty for failing to take RMDs to 25% from the current 50%. Both the House version and the Senate version contemplate increased catch-up contributions of $10,000 per year for retirement account owners. The Senate version permits these increased contributions at age 60, and the House version allows increased contributions at age 62, 63, and 64. We will alert you to the approved Final Regulations which we anticipate being published later this year. However, we felt that it was crucial that you were aware of this pending additional change regarding inherited retirement accounts. If you would like a free copy of Jim’s book, The IRA and Retirement Plan Owner’s Guide to Beating the New Death Tax, simply call Erin Einwag at 412-521-2732.

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MAY 13, 2022

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Life & Culture Obituaries: Continued from page 18

work with A Child’s Place, Sue nurtured a large group of forensic interviewers and other staff. She had an inordinate ability to make a child feel safe, even in a terrible situation.” Sue remained with A Child’s Place until she retired. A Child’s Place will be creating an award for excellence in child advocacy in Sue’s honor. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Beth Shalom Cemetery. Contributions in Sue’s honor may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA.org) or A Child’s Place, PA (AChildsPlacePa.org). A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date. schugar.com SCHNEIDER: Florence Schneider, a 76-year resident of Pittsburgh, passed away Saturday, April 30, 2022, at the age of 95. Florence grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, the youngest of six children. Florence was a woman of many talents, fiercely determined, always ahead

of her time and incredibly accomplished. After graduating high school she moved to New York City on a scholarship to the American Academy of Theater Arts and later auditioned for the New York Children’s Theater where she played Peter Pan in their traveling tour. At the end of World War II she met her husband, Leonard Schneider, who was stationed on Cape Cod, and married him right before her 18th birthday. They moved to Leonard’s hometown of Pittsburgh in 1946 where they would contribute to the family hardware business, Schneider Hardware on Warrington Ave. Florence and Leonard bought plots of land in Squirrel Hill and built the first house on Fernwald Road. Florence taught modeling at the John Robert Powers school and later pioneered a storytelling program for Head Start in the 1960s. Florence got her degree in psychology at Chatham University studying the uses of puppetry with children in a hospital setting.

She also obtained her master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She later worked as a family therapist and taught workshops for mothers and their children in recovery centers. She was a social force to be reckoned with and started many social groups at The Atrium in Oakland, where she and Leonard later lived, such as a book club, a women’s support group, yoga, and knitting groups. She was a founding member of the Walkers and Talkers of Pittsburgh which would meet every week to walk in Schenley Park. Later in life she took up painting and attended many painting classes at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh in Squirrel Hill. She became a prolific artist, leaving behind more than 50 paintings. A fiercely independent woman, she was active until the end of her life but her congestive heart failure worsened in the fall of 2021. Florence is loved by many and survived by her three children, their spouses, four grandchildren, seven nieces and nephews, and many cousins. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 15, at 11 a.m., at The Atrium. In lieu of flowers, donations

can be made in Florence’s name to POWER: the PA Organization for Women in Early Recovery, where she spent many years volunteering. power-recovery.com/give-inmemory/. Professional Services trusted to D’alessandro Funeral Home & Crematory, Ltd., Lawrenceville. dalessandroltd.com SCHWARTZ: Betsy (Elizabeth Ann) Schwartz of Oakland passed suddenly on Sunday, April 24, 2022. Daughter of the late Dorothy Schwartz Unitan and Julius Schwartz; sister of David Schwartz of Chicago and Richard of Boston; also survived by five loving nieces and nephews and a grandniece. A 1967 graduate of Allderdice High School, Betsy managed the Squirrel Hill National Record Mart, owned the popular Watermelon Blues in Oakland and oversaw purchasing for the Pittsburgh Aviary in her later years. She was a dedicated crafter and discerning collector. She loved her friends and the Steelers. No funeral. Contributions welcome in her name to the Pittsburgh Aviary. Please see Obituaries, page 20

Podolier Cemetery-Reserve Township The Podolier Cemetery represents a landsman shaft, an organization of immigrants from a particular European town that resettled in America. Podolier societies existed throughout the United States to keep those from Podolia “along the valley” Region of west-central Ukraine close to each other and in support of one another. Pittsburgh’s Podolier Society was led by the founders Charles and Ethel Finesman, and generations of Levines that carried on the tradition of maintaining this small and very well-kept cemetery sandwiched in between WC #975 to its west and the old section of Kether Torah to its east. There are 105 graves, with the earliest dating to 1878. Finesmans, Reznicks and Waneticks, all old Pittsburgh names make up a significant percentage of those interred at Podolier. Private First-Class Joseph Solomon was killed in action on Aug. 8, 1944.

Jewish Association on Aging gratefully acknowledges contributions from the following: A gift from ... In memory of... A gift from ... In memory of... Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Maurice Azen

Denise Kaiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wolf Morris Kaiser

Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harry Berenfield

Sharon Knapp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E.H. Frankel

Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sheila Dobrushin

Sharon Knapp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A. Heller

Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sadie Mullen

Alan Korobkin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eva Korobkin

Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott Samuels Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott Samuels Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Celia Wedner Marlene Alpern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sylvia Shaer Cheryl & Garry Bloch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Henry Bloch Judith & Maurice Bourd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Bourd Marlene & Morton Cohen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Melvin Murman Lessa Finegold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abe Finegold

The PodolierCemetery was turned over to the JCBA in 2022.

Lessa Finegold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A. Mitchell Caplan

For more information about JCBA cemeteries, plot purchases, 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’sexpanded vision is made possible by a generous grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Community Foundation

Aaron Krouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Herman Lee Krouse Jon Levenson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donald W. Levenson Susan and Melvin Melnick . . . . . . . . . . Dorothy Natterson Maas Larry & Maxine Myer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .George Zeidenstein Ted Pinsker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rose Pinsker Sylvia Pearl Plevin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Calvin Plevin Lynn and Jeff Rosenthal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dolores K. Rubin Sandra Taxay Schanfarber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dr. William Reiner

Harold & Debra Goldberg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Penina R. Goldberg

Schlesinger & Seed Families . . Beatrice (Bibe) W. Schlesinger

Sheila R. Golding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rose M. Rudov

Eileen Snider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ed Snider

Geraldine Gomberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anne Marks

Sharon S. Snider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Max Snider

Robert & Kathleen Grant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bessie N. Harris

Leroy Supowitz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Goldie Love

THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS — Sunday May 15: Joseph Harry Berger, Jacob Brody, Greta Glasser, Lewis E. Hainick, Frances Shiner Miller, Nathan Neiman, Abraham Pincus, James Henry Podolny, Bella Ratowsky, Philip Rogers, Manuel Wilner Monday May 16: Anna Blitz, Ruth Pearlman Browarsky, Ruth Coltin, Jacob Gould, Martha Stern Green, Samuel C. Levy, Isadore Irwin Schaffer, Ruth Solomon, Shirley Solomon, Louis Wilder

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Obituaries Obituaries: Continued from page 19

SUPOWITZ: Gertrude Weinberg Supowitz, age 102. Beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother passed from this life on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Gertrude (“Gertie”) was known and beloved for the immense strength she showed her family, her community and her Judaism. Her parents, Bertha and Sam Weinberg, were both immigrants from Austria/Hungary. They had six children. Gertie was the youngest, 20 years the junior of her oldest sister. Gertie first lived on Penn Ave across the street from what is now the Heinz History Museum, and at the age of 3 moved with her family to Lawrenceville above their “Ladies & Gents” store on Butler Street. She

Recipes: Continued from page 16

by a cruel tyrant — a theme that has replayed throughout Jewish history. While it is unclear if Jews have a future in Ukraine, I’m trying to keep the memory of Jewish life there alive through food. Syrniki (cheese pancakes) | Dairy Yield: Makes about 8 syrniki

Equipment: Preferably a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl and electric mixer ⅓ cup flour, plus ⅓ cup 1 pound farmer cheese 2 eggs ⅓ cup sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ⅓ cup golden raisins 4-8 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more if needed

never lost her love of her Hungarian roots and of Lawrenceville. She was an adventurous “tom-boy” growing up. She tells the story of climbing to the top of a billboard on Butler Street to see how far she could see. After Arsenal Junior High School, she attended Schenley High School in Oakland. Growing up in the Depression, she understood the importance of making her own opportunities. She excelled in writing, music and athletics. A member of Schenley’s swim and diving team, she tied for first place in diving in the Pittsburgh All-City High School swim meet. She was the only female in the junior high and high school jazz/big band where she played the piano. She served as editor of the school newspaper. At 17, Gertie and her family moved to Hobart Street in Squirrel Hill. Her parents were founders of Poale Zedeck Congregation. She lived just a few houses away from her future husband, Albert Supowitz. Albert joined the Army and they were married at Fort Sill Oklahoma where he was first

stationed. Gertie learned to take shorthand in courtroom proceedings. They later moved to Camp Pickett in Virginia and Fort Jackson in South Carolina where she continued her shorthand work before Albert was sent overseas. Following the war, Gertie and Al found strength in one another and family was always their top priority. While Albert worked six days a week in retail, Gertie took care of the rest. Raising three children, she became handy at plumbing, wallpaper hanging, window washing, cement patching and gardening. Throughout her adult life, Gertie gave back to the Pittsburgh Jewish community. When Hillel Academy was first being formed, she helped Rabbi Shapiro organize the office. She was later president of the Keystone chapter of B’nai B’rith and a member of the Beth Shalom Sisterhood, where she was honored in 2013 for her years of dedication. By the time she turned 50 and the children were grown, Gertie was ready for new challenges. She returned to work at the Veterans Hospital in Oakland

where she rose to become secretary to the director. She loved helping veterans and she retired reluctantly at the age of 77. Within a week, she enrolled in undergraduate courses at Pitt and later took courses in Carnegie Mellon University’s adult education program until the age of 96. Gertie never lost her zest for life and exercise. She was still occasionally diving into her late 70s and regularly swimming her mile of laps at the Jewish Community Center into her late 80s. Until the age of 91, she took six mile-walks from her home in Squirrel Hill to downtown Pittsburgh. She is survived in life by her three children, Diane Simon (Mark), Louis Supowitz, Martin Supowitz (Linda); grandchildren Rachel (Chris), Chad (Maricarmen), Scott (Ellie), Ally (Philip) and Michael; and great-grandchildren Gabby, Jonah, Lucia and Sienna. Graveside services were held at Poale Zedeck Memorial Park. Contributions can be made to the Friendship Circle-Pittsburgh, or Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh. schugar.com. PJC

Accompaniments: yogurt, sour cream, preserves or berries

them to the other side until golden brown. Watch the pancakes carefully as they burn easily. Move them to paper towels to drain. Before the second batch, you may need to drain the oil from the pan as it could be dusted with flour, which may burn. If so, when cool, wipe out the pan with paper towels, and start again with another 4 tablespoons of oil. Serve immediately with yogurt or sour cream, preserves and/or berries.

lengthwise between the bones 2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and diced 5 carrots, peeled and sliced into circles 2 medium onions, diced 6 garlic cloves, minced 2 bay leaves 16 peppercorns ⅔ cup red wine vinegar ½ cup sugar Kosher salt to taste

Place ⅓ cup of flour in a flat-bottomed bowl. Arrange 2 layers of paper towels on a platter. Reserve. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large mixing bowl if using an electric mixer), crumble the farmer cheese. Add the eggs. Mix well until combined. Add ⅔ cup of flour, sugar and salt. Beat until the lumps disappear. Gently mix in the raisins. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of oil on a medium-low flame, adding more oil at any time, if needed. Using a soup spoon, ladle a heaping spoonful of pancake batter, and drop it into the reserved flour. Gently roll the batter around in the flour. Lift the batter ball and, with your hands, form it into a flat pancake. Shake off as much excess flour as possible. Move the pancake into the heated oil. Repeat, but don’t put more than 4 pancakes into the skillet at a time. Fry them until the bottom sides are golden brown and firm. With a spatula, flip

Ukrainian borscht American-style | Meat Yield: 3 quarts

When you chop beets, your hands turn red. I, therefore, rely on bottled borscht, enhancing it so even a Ukrainian grandmother would think it’s homemade. The only way she’d suspect the truth is that my hands are not stained. 2 (32-ounce) bottles borscht (made from beets, not from concentrate) 3 (14-ounce) cans beef stock 12 small pieces marrow bones 3 pounds short ribs for flanken, sliced

Three days before serving, place all the ingredients in a large stockpot. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for one hour, or until the meat and potatoes soften. Check the seasonings. If it’s too sweet, add a bit more vinegar. If it’s too tart, add a little sugar. Refrigerate and skim the fat from the top. Remove the bay leaves, bones and peppercorns. Serve hot. PJC Linda Morel writes for the Jewish Exponent, an affiliated publication where this first appeared.

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Community We remember

Celebrating Holocaust education The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh held its annual award ceremony to honor the winners of the 2021-2022 Waldman International Arts and Writing Competition and the 2021-2022 Holocaust Educator of the Year. The May 2 event was held at Chatham University’s Eddy Theatre.

p Members of Bnei Akiva of Pittsburgh gather after holding a tekes (ceremony) for Yom HaZikaron. The program memorialized Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. Photo by Ronit Weisenfeld

p Four of the seven American arts and writing winners with the Waldman Competition funders. From left: Diane Waldman, Sydney Finnigan, Ariana Caltagarone, Ryan Neal, Caroline Sweeney and Hal Waldman Photos by Melanie Wieland,

courtesy of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh

Presentation of the Sonia and Aaron Levinson Community Relations Award The Community Relations Council (CRC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh presented the Sonia and Aaron Levinson Community Relations Award to Todd Rascoe. The 2022 award recognizes Rascoe’s more than 10 years of volunteer service to the CRC. He brought his knowledge of Israeli politics and love for Jewish values to the council. In addition, Rascoe helped create the Joint Jewish Education Program, which provides pluralistic, innovative Jewish learning to children. The Jewish Federation presents the Levinson Award annually to recognize leadership in advancing intergroup relations in harmony with Jewish ideals of social justice. The presentation occurred at a meeting of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Council.

p Community Day School students light candles in remembrance of Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. Photo courtesy of Community Day School

We celebrate

p Todd’s daughter, Shira Rascoe — shown with her husband, Benjamin Weilerstein — accepts the award on behalf of her father, who died last year.

Meeting of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Council The Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Council met on May 4 at the Federation office.

p Community Day School students mark Israel’s independence with a flag-waving ceremony. Photo courtesy of Community Day School

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p From left: Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer Brian Eglash, CRC Chair Lawrence M. Lebowitz, Mayor Ed Gainey, CRC Director Laura Cherner and CRC Associate Dylan Groff

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p Mayor Ed Gainey with Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle CEO and publisher Jim Busis Photos by David Bachman

MAY 13, 2022

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