July 2, 2021 | 22 Tamuz 5781
Candlelighting 8:36 p.m. | Havdalah 9:43 p.m. | Vol. 64, No. 27 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
NOTEWORTHY LOCAL A survivor’s legacy
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Squirrel Hill Jewish community Pittsburgh remains cautious after recent Jewish attacks educators undergo youth mental health training By Dionna Dash | Special to the Chronicle
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sustained broken bones and was transported to the hospital. “In the whole Jewish community in Pittsburgh, there’s an underlying sense of concern and worry,” said the chair of Congregation Poale Zedeck’s security committee, Rocky Wice. “That’s a sad thing, but it’s a good thing. It makes people more vigilant and aware.” Brokos said she didn’t have new information about either of the attacks; however, other community members have come forward and reported that they were victims of a similar verbal assault on Friday, June 4. The assailant matched the description of the suspect in the June 6 incident, who was easy to identify, Brokos said, because of his physical appearance and the fact that he carried a walking stick. Brokos said witnesses reported an additional similar incident, but she did not offer
ighteen local Jewish professionals who work with young adults are now trained to be “mental health first aiders,” thanks to a recent program offered by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh in partnership with the Jewish Teen Education & Engagement Funder Collaborative — a national nonprofit that aims to increase teen involvement in Jewish life. The training was held in response to the alarming rise of mental health issues among teens and young adults, according to organizers. The Centers for Disease control has reported that suicide was the second leading cause of death among people ages 10-24 in 2019; for many young people, the pandemic and its attendant isolation created additional strain. Throughout June, Jewish educators and other professionals who work closely with young adults learned how to be “mental health first aiders.” The training, which included online preliminary work, two live Zoom classes and a concluding quiz, taught participants how to distinguish between typical adolescent development and signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, eating and substance-use disorders, and suicidal ideation. Participants received a certificate valid for three years upon completion of the training. The program was originally created by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, but was reimagined in a Jewish framework for the cohort of Pittsburgh professionals, many of whom work in local Hebrew schools and Jewish day schools.
Please see Security, page 14
Please see Training, page 14
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he Pittsburgh Jewish community remains vigilant and cautious after recent verbal and physical assaults in Squirrel Hill. The attacks took place following evening services on successive Sundays. On June 6, three members of the Orthodox community were verbally assaulted by an assailant identified as a 6-foot-tall Black male carrying a walking stick and shouting antisemitic obscenities directed at the victims. That incident took place in the vicinity of Beechwood Boulevard and Denniston Avenue, according to Shawn Brokos, director of community security for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. A week later, on June 13, an Orthodox man was physically assaulted near Murray Avenue and Bartlett Street by a Black male while walking home from Shaare Torah Congregation, Brokos said. The victim
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