Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 3-8-24

LOCAL

After widespread backlash, Summer Lee cancels CAIR appearance

By David Rullo | Senior Sta Writer

Rep. Summer Lee canceled her March 2 speaking engagement at the Council on American Islamic Relations Philadelphia annual banquet after facing harsh criticism for planning to speak alongside individuals who have engaged in antisemitic and homophobic rhetoric.

Both Jewish Insider and Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle published articles detailing the troubling remarks of the other advertised speakers at the event: author and former professional basketball player Ibrahim Jaaber, stand-up comedian Nadirah Pierre and keynote speaker Shaykh Yasir Fahmy.

In an email Jaaber wrote about the bombing of a Gazan hospital: “This is the best lies these demons could come up with to cover their horns,” invoking a centuries-old antisemitic trope.

lifestyle “destructive.”

Republican Dave McCormick, who is running against Democrat Bob Casey for his seat in the United States Senate, was the first to call on Lee, who represents District 12, to resign for agreeing to speak alongside individuals who spewed hate. In a video, McCormick said the voters of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania expect a higher standard from their leaders.

“They expect more than associating themselves with antisemites,” he said. “They expect moral leadership, moral clarity.”

A spokesperson for Gov. Josh Shapiro took issue with the hate speech that had been used by the trio and said leaders have a responsibility to both speak and act with moral clarity.

Tree of Life reveals founding board of directors

By David Rullo | Senior Sta Writer

The Tree of Life organization announced its founding board of directors, and it includes some familiar names to the Pittsburgh Jewish community.

Michael Bernstein, who served as the chair of the organization’s interim governance committee will continue in the position with the new board. He will lead a board whose members stretch across the Jewish communal, philanthropic, nonprofit, education and business worlds and includes members of the Tree of Life congregation, Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh and the Memorial Working Group, as well as honorary member First Lady of Pennsylvania Lori Shapiro.

Bernstein said board members were nominated by a group of individuals who have been involved with the Tree of Life organization, including those on the interim governance board.

In the same post, he accused Israel of wanting ‘GENOCIDE” and said the media was “Chucking and jiving for their Zionist masters.”

Pierre posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Oct. 7: “May Allah destroy them even worse than they have tried to destroy others.”

Fahmy has called Zionism a “sick, sadistic cult,” and has spoken against members of the LGBTQ+ community, calling their

“The governor believes there is no place in our commonwealth — founded by William Penn, centered on the values of tolerance — for religious intolerance, whether it be antisemitism or Islamophobia. This hateful, antisemitic rhetoric cannot be tolerated — and it should be condemned, not elevated by our political leaders,” the spokesman said.

State Rep. Dan Frankel, who represents Squirrel Hill and is a co-chair of the Pennsylvania Jewish Legislative Caucus, expressed disappointment with Lee and her

“We talked about what kind of board we wanted and the profile of those who we were looking to attract,” he said.

Once they started reaching out, he said, “Virtually everybody we asked agreed to participate.”

And while the Tree of Life is a “Jewishly rooted organization,” Bernstein said that the mission of the organization goes

Lenda volorei ciendi non re nus

Et odictiumqui andae amusam quistium si de net voloritat Page X

JFCS

Laurie MacDonald withdraws

Petitions

Dovid Taub’s podcast aims to keep

 Rep. Summer Lee

Photo by Maureen Kelly Busis

 Tree of Life building rendering with new memorial. The organization’s founding board of directors was named in March. Photo copyright Studio Libeskind

JFCS Program Helps Immigrants Acclimate to Pittsburgh

By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

Zuhal Gammar Adam Tebein was looking for a way to help.

The Sudanese citizen served as a nutrition worker in her native West Darfur for the better part of 15 years before the complications of tribal conflicts led her to immigrate to the United States.

She arrived at an airport in Philadelphia with her husband and children on Oct. 28, 2022.

After relocating to Pittsburgh, Zuhal met workers from Jewish Family and Community Services. They gave Tebein clothing and furniture and helped enroll her four children in school. Though JFCS’ Immigrant Workforce Program (IWP), they also helped improve her English skills and sharpen her resume.

Thanks to the program, Tebein started work as a nurse assistant at UPMC Mercy hospital on Jan. 16.

“My thanks and appreciation goes to the JFCS organization for their support — to me in particular and immigrants, in general,” she said.

IWP, a partnership between JFCS Career Services and the nonprofit group Literacy Pittsburgh, started in 2017 and has helped a growing number of immigrants to strengthen their English-language skills and prepare for the U.S. workforce.

“I like to say we’re serving the gaps between K-12, higher education and work,” said Carey Harris, Literacy Pittsburgh’s CEO. “Most of the reason (many immigrants) are coming to the U.S. is they want jobs, they want careers.”

Throughout the eight-week program, JFCS staff help participants format their resumes, write cover letters, prepare for interviews and work on their “elevator pitches.” In the end, this work helps many

new to the U.S. understand the expectations of area workplaces.

Literacy Pittsburgh provides English language support for participants, helping students master workplace vocabulary.

After switching to a virtual format in 2020 to meet the participants’ needs during the pandemic, the program continues to be held over Zoom. Becky Johnson, director of JFCS Career Services, said this lowers the barriers for attendance for many individuals, especially those with children or existing jobs.

The group also uses Zoom’s breakout-room feature to give participants more focused attention to their resumes, cover letters and more.

Johnson said organizers aim to schedule about three or four cohorts each year. Each cohort runs for about eight weeks and includes about 15 people.

The current cohort features 16 participants representing 12 different countries.

The jobs workers in these cohorts seek also vary widely.

Johnson said some immigrants to Pittsburgh had worked previously as doctors, IT professionals or engineers. Though language can sometimes be a barrier, IWP participants need to have a basic understanding of English, as no interpretation services are offered.

“They want to learn the process of navigating a job search in the U.S.A.,” said Bishnu Timsina, a JFCS career counselor. “And, as they go through the program, they learn.”

Pittsburgh has experienced waves in refugee populations in recent years, Johnson said — South Americans and Afghans, Congolese and Ukrainians. But the cohorts don’t always line up necessarily with the immigrant wave at certain times.

Johnson said she, in turn, has learned a lot through working with new generations of American immigrants.

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“I think there are so many myths and so many assumptions,” she said. “I think (people close to the IWP program) learn that these are people who are here to work.”

Leila, who prefers to not use her full name in print, said that IWP was one of the first programs she signed up for when she arrived from Tunisia.

The job search process initially was frustrating for her.

“I was lost,” she said. “I didn’t have any clues or idea how it works here.”

IWP, she said, helped her figure out how to navigate the local workforce.

“I learned the adequate techniques and skills that helped me to make my job search journey easier, smoother, and less stressful,” she said.

“It was the best decision I’ve ever made since I came to America.” PJC

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Allegheny County Council to vote on cease-fire motion

Allegheny County Council was scheduled to vote on a motion calling for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas at its regular meeting on March 5.

The meeting’s agenda states that the motion will urge “the United States Federal Government to work cooperatively towards an immediate de-escalation and cease-fire in Israel and Palestine as well as the release of all hostages.”

The language appears to equate the release of terrorists arrested by Israel with hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 and still being held in Gaza.

It does not mention the terrorist organization or the previous cease-fire in the region that was broken when it invaded the Jewish state, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 250 more.

The motion was introduced by Bethany Hallam and co-sponsored by Anita Prizio

Following a Feb. 20 council meeting, where more than 50 people spoke about the

By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

The first time Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez met Holocaust survivor Betty Grebenschikoff, Moreno-Rodriguez was in seventh grade.

“I had really no background in the Holocaust. I remember I was listening to Betty’s story, and she kept using this word, ‘Holocaust,’ MorenoRodriguez told the Chronicle.

Moreno-Rodriguez, who isn’t Jewish, grew up in New Jersey’s Atlantic City area.

Before hearing Grebenschikoff’s testimony, he never met a Holocaust survivor. Something about her story resonated, he said: “It stuck with me.”

As the years passed, Moreno-Rodriguez’s interest in the Shoah grew. During high school, he noticed the Holocaust was minimally mentioned in history courses. Later, after enrolling at Stockton University in Galloway Township, New Jersey, he pursued classes related to the Shoah and volunteered at the university’s Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center.

After receiving an undergraduate degree, Moreno-Rodriguez returned to Stockton to complete a master’s in Holocaust and genocide studies and took a job at the university’s Holocaust Resource Center. He now serves as its interim director.

Moreno-Rodriguez told the Chronicle he remembered the impact Grebenschikoff’s tale had on him as a seventh grader, how she gave him a copy of her book and how her story affected his life.

That’s why he’s especially proud, he said, to call her a good friend.

After enrolling at Stockton, “I ran into Betty here in the center,” he continued. “I was able to meet with her again and we

and is not overly incendiary), I signed on as a co-sponsor,” he said.

It is expected that hundreds of Allegheny County residents will sign up to speak at the meeting.

Given the time restraints of having that many people offer public comments, Councilperson Paul Klein has introduced legislation providing for time limits different than the regular three-minute time period usually allowed. It is believed that comments will be limited to one minute per person, but the published motion, available online, makes no mention of what the period may be.

possible motion, Grzybek told the Chronicle that he would not introduce a cease-fire motion, something he said he hasn’t done, only deciding to co-sponsor the motion

“Upon reviewing the motion language and verifying that it met the criteria I was looking for (calls for release of all hostages

Anyone who wished to offer public comments had to sign up at the Allegheny County Council website at least 24 hours before the meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

Check the Chronicle’s website after Tuesday’s County Council meeting for an update on if the motion passed. PJC — David Rullo

Holocaust scholar coming to Pittsburgh to share research on Latin America, Jewish refugees and little-known acts of heroism

Next week, Moreno-Rodriguez is visiting Pittsburgh to speak with area students and partner with the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh on a March 12 presentation at Chatham University’s Welker Room. Beginning at 6 p.m., Moreno-Rodriguez will discuss “Passages to Safety: Untold Stories of Jewish Refugees in Latin America.”

The topic, he told the Chronicle, has personal meaning.

“My parents are both Mexican,” he said.

When Moreno-Rodriguez began researching Latin America and the Holocaust, he kept encountering the story of the Dominican Republic and its willingness to save Jews.

Between 1938 and 1945, the Dominican Republic, led by dictator General Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina, admitted 645 Jews and issued approximately 5,000 visas to Jews, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial and Museum.

The story of Latin America and the Holocaust is larger, however, and history should pay greater attention to the role of Mexican diplomat Gilberto Bosques Saldivar, Moreno-Rodriguez said.

“You had this Mexican consul who risked his life, the life of his wife, his children, his staff members in Europe, by issuing these visas to escape to Mexico and other parts of the world,” Moreno-Rodriguez said. “He took this initiative along with his staff to rescue tens of thousands of people by issuing visas to Jews and Spaniards — [people] that wanted to flee the aftereffects of the civil war in Spain and Jews who were trying to escape Nazioccupied Europe.”

According to USHMM, apart from saving the lives of tens of thousands of Jews and refugees fleeing Spain, Bosques Saldivar also “rented a castle and a summer holiday camp near Marseille to house refugees, claiming that, under international law, the property constituted Mexican territory.”

Bosques Saldivar’s actions were significant, Moreno-Rodriguez said.

“For me personally, as a Mexican American, I have the honor of celebrating two types of histories: the U.S. history and Mexican history,” he continued. “I’m very proud of knowing Gilberto Bosques’ story and how he rescued Jews during World War II. And I’ve sort of made it my mission to not only tell his story but the story of how Latin America, in general, became this haven for many Jews during World War II.”

Emily Loeb, Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s director of programs and education, told the Chronicle she is excited for Pittsburghers to hear more about Moreno-Rodriguez’s work: “His research invites deeper engagement between Pittsburgh’s Jewish and Latinx communities by shedding light on our intertwined histories. His research also connects to our own local community, as we have a survivor who found refuge in Bolivia before settling in Pittsburgh.”

Within the seismic story of the Shoah, it’s vital for people to know that “Latin America was an important destination for Holocaust

survivors. It was an important refuge,” Moreno-Rodriguez said.

The upcoming visit to Pittsburgh is a chance to shed light not only on that aspect of the Holocaust but also on Bosques Saldivar’s contributions.

“One person can make a difference,” Moreno-Rodriguez said: “I give tours of our Holocaust Resource Center. I go out to school districts. We have more and more students who are from Spanish-speaking countries, who are in English as a second language courses. And this is just another avenue that we can explore as educators where we can tell students, ‘Look, you’re from Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Bolivia — let me tell you their role during the Holocaust.’”

When students can create personal connections to history that “changes someone, and it makes them so proud of where they came from,” Moreno-Rodriguez said. “And in a time when we’re trying to figure out who’s our neighbor, we are all neighbors, and we can all help each other out.” PJC

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

p Allegheny County Council chambers

Photo by David Rullo

p Mexican diplomat Gilberto Bosques Saldivar helped save thousands of Jews and refugees during World War II Wikipedia

p Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez

Photo courtesy of Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh

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 SATURDAY, MARCH 9

Tree of life Congregation is happy to announce the premiere of The Torah Studio The first special guest is Rector Jonathan Jensen of Calvary Episcopal Church. Jensen will engage with Rabbi Jeffrey Myers in a discussion of this week’s Torah portion. 9:45 a.m. 4905 Fifth Ave. treeoflifepgh.org.

q SUNDAYS, MARCH 10–DEC. 29

Join a lay-led online parshah study group to discuss the week’s Torah portion. No Hebrew knowledge needed. The goal is to build community while deepening understanding of the text. 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org.

Join Tree of Life Congregation at Rodef Shalom Congregation to create your own tie-dye T-shirt for our “Woodstock” Purim shpiel. Bring your own clean white T-shirt or purchase one for $5. 4905 Fifth Ave. treeoflifepgh.org.

q MONDAY, MARCH 11

Join Chabad of the South Hills for Torah and Tea Discuss joy, the deeper meaning of Purim and its relevance today with pray and songs for Israel. Delicious home bake goods and hot drinks. Join them at their new location, 1700 Bower Hill Road. 7:30 p.m. RSVP to batya@chabadsho.com.

q MONDAYS, MARCH 11–MAY 13

H. Arnold and Adrien B. Gefsky Community Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff presents Torah 2. Understanding the Torah and what it asks of us is perhaps one of the most important things that a Jew can learn. In Torah 2, Schiff will explore the second half of Leviticus and all of Numbers and Deuteronomy. 9:30 a.m. $225. Zoom. jewishpgh.org/event/torah-2-2/2023-10-09.

q MONDAYS, MARCH 11–DEC. 28

Join Congregation Beth Shalom for a weekly Talmud study. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org.

q TUESDAY, MARCH 12

Join the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh for Passages to Safety: Untold Stories of Jewish Refugees in Latin America. Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez, interim director of the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center and member of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education, will discuss Jewish refugees in Latin America during the Holocaust. Free but suggested donation of $10. 6 p.m. 5798 Woodland Rd, hcofpgh.org/event/ passages-to-safety-untold-stories-of-jewish-refugees-inlatin-america

q TUESDAYS, MARCH 12–MAY 14

Understanding and explaining Israel’s current position requires knowledge of history. In the 10-part course, A History of The Arab-Israel-Iran Conflict: All You Need to Know, Rabbi Danny Schiff will provide a full overview of the regional conflict that Israel has experienced over the last century. The cost of taking a course is never a barrier to participation. If price is an issue, please contact the organizer of this course so that we can make the cost comfortable for you. $145. 8 p.m. jewishpgh.org/series/ history-of-the-arab-israel-iran-conflict.

q WEDNESDAYS, MARCH 13–MAY 15

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh virtually presents two Melton courses back-to-back: “Ethics” and Crossroads.” In “Ethics,” learn how Jewish teachings shed light on Jewish issues. “Crossroads” will present an emphasis on reclaiming the richness of Jewish history. 7 p.m. $300 for this 25-session series (book included). jewishpgh.org/series/melton-ethics-crossroads.

q WEDNESDAYS, MARCH 13–DEC. 18

Bring the parashah alive and make it personally relevant and meaningful with Rabbi Mark Goodman in this weekly Parashah Discussion: Life & Text. 12:15 p.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org/life-text.

Temple Sinai’s Rabbi Daniel Fellman presents a weekly Parshat/Torah portion class on site and online. Call 412-421-9715 for more information and the Zoom link.

q THURSDAY, MARCH 14

Join the 10.27 Healing Partnership for a free Legal Appeals Process Educational Program focused on the next phase of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter trial. Professor David Harris, from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Law, will explain what appeals are and the function they serve, and what we should expect to see in the case moving forward. Free. 6-8 p.m. In-person or on Zoom. Room 202 of the Squirrel Hill JCC. Registration required at jewishpgh.org/event/legal-appeals-processeducational-program.

q THURSDAYS, MARCH 14–DEC. 5

Join Beth El Congregation of the South Hills for Hope & Healing on Zoom the first Thursday of each month, a 30-minute program led by Rabbi Amy Greenbaum. Chant, breathe, pray for healing and seek peace. Call Beth El at 412-561-1168 to receive the Zoom link. 5:30 p.m. bethelcong.org.

q THURSDAYS, MARCH 14–28; APRIL 11–18

Join Rabbi Amy Bardack and Dor Hadash member Charlie White for a morning Shabbat service study, a nine-session, in-depth study of the structure and content of the siddur, with a focus on the prayers of Shabbat morning. 7:30 p.m. Free for members; $120 suggested donation for nonmembers. In-person with a virtual option. congregationdorhadash.shulcloud.com/event/ class-on-shabbat-morning-services.html.

q FRIDAY, MARCH 15

Attend Allegheny County Youth Voting Huddle, a half-day summit for area high school students interested in learning about voting and civic engagement. Lunch, travel assistance, if needed, swag, gift certificates will be provided. Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Walters plan to attend.

11:30 a.m. Free and open to all area high school students. Carnegie Library, 4400 Forbes Ave. lwvpgh.org/ resource_library.

q SUNDAY, MARCH 17

Chabad of Monroeville invites you to BLT (Bagel, Lox, Tefillin), an in-person Tefillin club followed by breakfast. No prior experience necessary. Teffillin available for use. 9 a.m. 2715 Mosside Blvd. RSVP appreciated at chabad@ jewishmonroeville.com. jewishmonroeville.com/blt.

Join Jewish Studies at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University for Mizrahi Music, Feminist Perspectives: An Afternoon of Performance and Discussion. The event will include contemporary performances of Mizrahi women’s music, as well as scholarly discussions of the diverse musical styles of Jewish women from the Middle East and North Africa. Join us for lunch, wonderful music and conversation. Noon. Frick Fine Arts Auditorium, 650 Schenley Drive, 15260.

Get into the Purim spirit with Kids in the Kitchen and make festive hamantaschen to take home and share, plus enjoy a special magic show. 1 p.m. $10. Chabad of Squirrel Hill, 1700 Beechwood Blvd. chabadpgh.com/ kidscooking.

q MONDAY, MARCH 18

Join Chabad of Squirrel Hill for an evening of music, merriment, wine and desserts at their Women’s Drum Circle 7 p.m. $18. Chabad of Squirrel Hill. chabadpgh.com/drum.

q MONDAYS, MARCH 18; APRIL 1

Join the 10.27 Healing Partnership and practitioner Shawn Fertitta on the first and third Monday for Reikiinfused Sound Bathing. Immerse yourself in the soothing tones of crystal and Tibetan singing bowls. His experience is tailored to calm your mind, body and soul, promoting optimal healing. 10 a.m. South Hills JCC. 1027healingpartnership.org/reiki-infused-sound-bathing.

q TUESDAY, MARCH 19

Join Chabad of the Souths Hills for a pre-Purim seniors lunch including hamantaschen and a presentation

by Comfort Keepers on the importance of stimulating the mind. 1 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Wheelchair accessible. Chabad of the South Hills. chabadsh.com.

q WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

Join the Squirrel Hill AARP for its monthly meeting. The speaker will be Mary Bach. Refreshments will be provided. For further information, contact Marcia Kramer at 412-656-5903. 1 p.m. Rodef Shalom Congregation, Falk Library, 4905 Fifth Ave.

Join AgeWell for the Intergenerational Family Dynamics Discussion Group at JCC South Hills every third Wednesday of each month. Led by intergenerational specialist/presenter and educator Audree Schall. The group is geared toward anyone who has children, grandchildren, a spouse, siblings or parents. Whether you have family harmony or strife, these discussions are going to be thought- provoking, with tools to help build strong relationships and family unity. Free. 12:30 p.m.

q WEDNESDAYS, MARCH 20, APRIL 10

Join Congregation Beth Shalom, Rodef Shalom Congregation and Temple Sinai for their Israel Speaker Series, a collaborative series with different points of view. Check the website for speakers, location and topics. $18 for all speakers; $10 for one session. 7:30 p.m. bethshalompgh.org/ israel-speaker-series-first-session-is-monday-february-5.

q SATURDAY, MARCH 23

Join Tree of Life and Rodef Shalom and celebrate A Woodstock Purim. Purim fun will include a Purim service and shpiel with hamantaschen immediately following. 7:30 p.m. 4905 Fifth Ave. treeoflifepgh.org.

Join Chabad of Squirrel Hill for Havdalah followed by a Megillah reading and light refreshments. 8:30 p.m. 1700 Beechwood Blvd. chabadpgh.com.

q SUNDAY, MARCH 24

Chabad of Monroeville invites you to attend their annual Purim celebration in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel. Megillah reading, Israeli music, charity for Israel, your picture at the “Kotel,” orange juice squeezing, caricature artist, letters to Israel, Israeli wines,

Israel-themed crafts, interactive Israeli games and full Israeli breakfast buffet. 10:30 a.m. $18 adult/$12 child. Courtyard by Marriott, 3962 William Penn Highway, 15146. jewishmonroeville.com/purimisrael.

Join Chabad of the South Hills for a Purim celebration in Washington, Pennsylvania featuring a Megillah reading, delicious brunch, hamantaschen, and more. Free. 11 a.m. Location given upon RSVP. chabadsh.com/celebrate

Join Chabad of the South Hills for Purim in the Shuk Featuring a Megillah reading, candy shuk, henna artist, face paint, make your own spice blends, hamantaschen, Israeli-style dinner, Hebrew name bracelets, and more. Adults, $18; children, $12; family maximum, $54 chabadsh.com/purim.

q THURSDAYS, MARCH 28–APRIL 18

Bring your lunch and join Rabbi Jessica Locketz for Lunch Time Torah: Spring Holiday edition. Learn about the spring holidays — Purim and Passover. The March session will focus on Purim: its eclectic cast of characters, Hollywood-worthy plot and the diverse ways it is celebrated today. Offered in person and online. 1 p.m. 4905 Fifth Ave. $54 for non-members. rodefshalom.org/lunch.

q SATURDAYS, THURSDAYS

APRIL 6–MAY 9

The Healing with Nature Mosaic Project is designed to respond to the human experience of grief and loss through the healing power of nature and of creative expression. The six-week, 10 session program facilitated by mosaic artist, Laura Jean McLaughlin, will guide participants in the collective creation of a community mosaic mural, gathering shattered pieces together to tell a story of community healing and resilience. Saturdays, 1-3 p.m. Thursdays 4-6 p.m. Frick Environmental Center, 2005 Beechwood Blvd. Registration required. 1027healingpartnership.org/ healing-with-nature-mosaic-project.

q THURSDAY, APRIL 11

Create a beautiful Resin tray with handles and enjoy champagne and sweet treats with Chabad of Squirrel Hill at Resin and Rose. $40. 1700 Beechwood Blvd. chabadpgh.com/resin PJC

New changes to police staffing affect Squirrel Hill Zone 4 Station

— LOCAL —

Numerous changes went into effect on Feb. 26 at the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.

Officers now work four 10-hour days per week, resulting in an extra day off each week, an additional 52 days off per year. They will also get one hour each week of “wellness time” to be used during their regular shifts, to be used at their discretion.

Additionally, the Zone 4 police department will not be staffed from 3-7 a.m. During those hours, coverage will be assigned to Zone 5 on Washington Boulevard, meaning longer response time.

The change in hours is accompanied by new policies for how police will respond to calls.

A new online reporting unit and a new telephone reporting unit, operating between 7 a.m. and 3 a.m., are now being used, which will assign cases that do not require an in-person response from officers.

Officers are now expected to respond to 50,000 calls annually, rather than the current average of 200,000 calls.

In published reports, Pittsburgh Police Chief Larry Scirotto said having officers respond to every 911 call was “not the most efficient way to use our resources.”

Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

Community Security Director Shawn Brokos said that the changes in protocol mean that it’s important for the Jewish community to remain vigilant about safety and security and to practice good situational awareness.

The changes, she said, were communicated to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh before they took effect, and that the organization has already considered ways to mitigate potentially slower response times.

“We’ve done so much to make sure our community is secure,” she said. “We have a very layered approach, have great target hardening and have great community support from law enforcement and community leaders.”

She noted that the community has trained to protect itself while waiting for police to arrive.

“So, while I’m not happy with the changes, I think it’s a good time to reinforce in our community that we have come so far and our community is safe,” Brokos said. “We have infrastructure in place, and we can lean on one another and look out for one another.”

In another layer of security, Brokos said that Federation is readying a new virtual neighborhood watch beginning in Squirrel Hill.

Th e organization will soon solicit community members with doorbell monitors and start a registry, creating coverage to assist police and better identify suspicious activity. PJC

— David Rullo

Headlines

Groups working to support Israeli hostages and their families awarded 2024 ‘Jewish Nobel’

Five Israeli groups supporting Israelis held hostage in Gaza and their families will receive the 2024 Genesis Prize, the $1 million award known as the “Jewish Nobel,” JTA.org reported.

Presented annually since 2013, the award is given by the Genesis Prize Foundation and has historically gone to Jewish celebrities or public figures. More recently, the foundation has given the prize to organizations that together are tackling a crisis in the Jewish community, including in 2022 when it honored groups supporting Jews in Ukraine.

This year, the foundation turned again to a collective: groups working to support Israelis taken hostage when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which quickly became one of the central organizing groups advocating for the release of the hostages, will share this year’s prize with four other groups: JAFI Fund for Victims of Terror; Lev Echad; NATAL-The Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center; and OneFamily-Overcoming Terror Together.

The groups will not be allowed to use the prize money “to fund political activism, lobbying and other activities inside Israel not directly related to humanitarian

assistance,” according to the foundation. Instead, the prize is aimed at supporting medical and psychological treatment for former hostages as well as hostages’ families.

US announces first Gazan aid since

suspending UNRWA donations

During a visit to Jordan, Samantha Power, the U.S. Agency for International Development administrator, announced on Feb. 27 that Washington will give an additional $53 million in humanitarian aid to the World Food Programme and international nonprofits for Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and in Judea and Samaria, JNS.org reported.

“This brings the total amount of funding announced by the U.S. government since Oct. 7 to more than $180 million,” said Power, who also visited Israel and Judea and Samaria.

The funding appears to be the first new U.S. donation of humanitarian assistance to Gaza since the Biden administration suspended aid in January to UNRWA, the scandal-plagued, Palestinian-only refugee and social services agency under the umbrella of the United Nations.

The $53 million will cover “resources for food, shelter, water, medicine, sanitation, hygiene — all to the people of Gaza and the West Bank,” said John Kirby, a White House national security communications adviser. PJC

Compiled by Andy Gotlieb

We Prepare Trays for All

Headlines

Lee:

Continued from page 1

decision to speak “alongside individuals who have made antisemitic comments and praised the Oct. 7 attack.”

He urged her to reconsider her decision.

Additionally, the chairs of the Jewish Legislative Caucus — Frankel and state Sen. Judy Schwank — issued a joint statement noting that many in the Jewish community are afraid to wear kippahs in public and wonder if they should conceal their Jewish identity.

“They count on their representatives to lead by example and stand against all forms of hate,” the statement read in part. “We have grave concerns about an elected official joining individuals who have made openly antisemitic comments and praised the actions of Hamas following the attacks of Oct. 7.”

In an emailed statement, Bhavini Patel, who is challenging Lee in the Democratic primary, called on the congresswoman to cancel her speaking appearance.

“Summer Lee must immediately cancel her appearance with these extremists and apologize for agreeing to stand with them in the first place,” Patel said. “I am grateful to Governor Shapiro, Senator Casey and Representative Frankel for condemning this type of antisemitic and homophobic hate speech and I pledge to stand up to these fringe attacks in Congress, unlike Representative Lee.”

James Hayes, a Republican vying for the District 12 seat, said that Lee has “made her home with extremists her entire career.”

He said he wasn’t surprised that Lee would agree to share a dais with antisemites, calling her out for what he called her “hypocrisy.”

“She calls herself a feminist but will share a table with people who celebrate a sneak attack that included the rape and murder of Israeli women,” Hayes said in a statement. “She talks of a cease-fire while ignoring the fact that it was Hamas that broke the ceasefire in order to murder Jews.”

“Summer Lee says she rejects antisemitism but has yet to reject antisemites,” he added.

Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey remained silent on the controversy but condemned statements by CAIR’s Executive Director Nehad Hammad Awad following Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack.

Awad characterized the attacks as “self-defense” and said he was “happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land and walk free into their land that they were not allowed to walk in.”

“Oct. 7 was a brutal and vicious attack on innocent Israeli civilians,” Casey told Jewish Insider. “I unequivocally condemn the antisemitic and hateful comments made by CAIR’s leadership and any comments that celebrate the despicable acts of Hamas terrorists.”

J Street, which has endorsed Lee, did not issue a statement criticizing her scheduled appearance at the CAIR event, nor did it pull its endorsement from her, something noted by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

“J Street not only endorses her, but they’re also her top contributor according to Open Secrets,” AIPAC posted on X.

or elected officials as featured guests at the March 2 event.

Lee added that she doesn’t condone or endorse any of the speakers’ previous comments and condemns antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia and transphobia.

She then seemingly aimed at Patel.

“Any political leaders who want to use that as a political wedge between our marginalized communities and to demonize our country’s largest Muslim civil liberties organization should feel ashamed of trying to score cheap political points at the expense of a grieving community,” Lee wrote.

“The governor believes there is no place in our commonwealth — founded by William Penn, centered on the values of tolerance — for religious intolerance, whether it be antisemitism or Islamophobia.”

– A SPOKESPERSON FOR GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO

OpenSecrets is a nonprofit that tracks and publishes data on campaign finance and lobbying.

CAIR-Philadelphia attempted to dampen the criticism. It posted a tweet by its Executive Director Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu on the afternoon of Feb. 26 calling out Lee’s critics.

Tekelioglu accused Patel and McCormick of antagonizing CAIR and accused the media of taking comments made by CAIR’s leaders and speakers out of context.

The banquet, he said, already had registered 750 guests and expected more in response to what he called “attacks.”

Despite CAIR’s attempts, by the morning of Feb. 27, the political pressure forced Lee to rethink her position.

She issued a statement saying that she had only learned of the controversial comments made by those with whom she was scheduled to speak after they were publicly reported.

“I wanted to join this event with other members of Congress and elected officials to support our Muslim neighbors in the Commonwealth and across the country, who are desperate to be heard by their own elected officials and feel supported at a time of rising anti-Muslim hate and violence,” Lee wrote.

CAIR’s promotional materials for the event do not list any other members of Congress

She concluded by saying she wouldn’t attend the event so that the Muslim community wouldn’t be a victim of more “politically-motivated Islamophobia” and to ensure her “Jewish and LGBTQ+ constituents know their concerns are heard.”

Lee’s attempts to tap down the outrage of her decisions, including taking money from several sources who have made antisemitic comments in the past, don’t seem to have taken hold in the Jewish community.

On March 1, a group of students from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh led community members to deliver a petition to Summer Lee’s office that they had created and that had been signed by more than 1,000 people.

It calls for the immediate return of campaign contributions by what the petition labels “Hamas sympathizers and antisemites.”

The document specifically mentions Hatem Bazian, co-founder of Students for Justice in Palestine; Nehad Hammad Awad, executive director of CAIR; Zahra Billoo, executive director of CAIR California; and Osama Abuirshaid, executive director of American Muslims for Palestine.

The students message ended by saying antisemitism will not be tolerated in Pittsburgh and echoing a familiar refrain used after the

Oct. 27, 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and calling on Lee to take action: “[T]here is no place for hate here, and, as our representative, you will denounce hate wherever you see it.”

Julius Arolovitch learned of the petition through one of his friends who helped craft it, and helped find signatories for the document.

The CMU sophomore said the large number of people that signed the document shows how much people care about what’s happening and the concern over things like anti-Israel rallies that have taken place on campus.

He called the climate on campus following Oct. 7 “acute.”

“Friends of mine received death threats, were insulted in broad daylight by people passing by, like when we painted the fence at Carnegie Mellon,” he said. “Generally, the environment was one where people were afraid to be visually Jewish. I have an Orthodox friend who, instead of wearing a kippah, is wearing a baseball cap.”

CMU graduate student Ben Koby went with the group of students and citizens to deliver the petition.

He said that they did not meet the representative and instead spoke with office staff. The reception was polite and professional, he recalled.

Still, he said the proceedings were filled with anxiety and that there was a sense of foreboding while approaching the representative’s office.

The large number of people that signed the petition speaks to how the community is feeling, Koby said.

“I was thrilled they got that many. Honestly, it was more than I was expecting,” he said. “At the same time, it speaks to the seriousness of the issue and the level of discontent.”

For Arolovitch, that discontent doesn’t end with antisemitism. He said the people Lee has taken money from are anti-democratic and anti-American.

“I don’t think their values represent what our country believes, what is generally good for our country, and it is just absolutely appalling to me that someone would b e willing to compromise their values and take money from people like that,” Arolovitch said.

Of course, he said, there may be another option.

“Maybe she’s not compromising her values, which is even scarier,” he said. PJC

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Laurie MacDonald withdraws from 12th Congressional District race

The race for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional House District just got a little less crowded.

Laurie MacDonald withdrew from the race on March 4 during a court challenge filed by four Democratic voters that alleged “defects, other irregularities and [an] outright pattern of impropriety” in her nomination petitions.

As reported by WESA, MacDonald, who is the executive director of the Center for

Victims, told Commonwealth Court Judge Michael Wojick that she was withdrawing during an exchange that included the candidate saying, “I got my smackdown, didn’t I?”

MacDonald told the judge that she was both disheartened and dismayed that “there are so many dishonest people in the world.”

She made the remarks after an attorney for those challenging her petitions successfully argued that more than 700 signatures should be disqualified because a circulator hadn’t properly signed the petition pages.

The MacDonald campaign originally submitted 2,327 signatures.

The decision comes less than two weeks after MacDonald told the Chronicle that she was confident she had at least 1,000 good signatures, the minimum required to be on the ballot for the April 23 primary.

“It’s just busy work,” she said of the challenges at the time. “But we will get it done and we will be on the ballot.”

Attorneys for the objectors had said that if proceedings continued MacDonald would have had less than the minimum required.

MacDonald is barred from entering the race as an independent, under Pennsylvania’s

“sore loser” law.

MacDonald’s withdrawal means that incumbent Summer Lee and challenger Bhavini Patel are the remaining candidates in the Democratic primary.

The two are involved in a contentious race where issues of campaign financing and, most recently, Lee’s scheduled engagement at a CAIR Philadelphia event with three speakers who have made antisemitic comments. She withdrew from the event after pressure from several prominent Democrats. PJC

— David Rullo

Headlines

Holocaust, antisemitism scholar shares thoughts on communal responsibilities post-Oct. 7

— LOCAL —

By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

Scholar Michael Berenbaum has a comprehensive understanding of the Holocaust. Right now, he’s focused on the present.

“This is a difficult time in Jewish history and a difficult time in American history,” Berenbaum told the Chronicle. “We have to understand our situation and respond accordingly.”

For decades, the academician has helped American Jews and the wider public discern various truths and complexities regarding antisemitism and the Shoah. He is a distinguished professor of religion at American Jewish University and the director of Sigi Ziering Institute. He previously served as deputy director of the President’s Commission on the Holocaust, project director of the United States Holocaust Memorial and director of the USHMM’s Holocaust Research Institute.

Berenbaum is slated to visit Pittsburgh and offer his expertise in the coming weeks.

On March 12 at 6 p.m., the Californian will deliver a public talk at Duquesne University titled, “Why the Holocaust Still Matters.”

While in Pittsburgh, he’ll also speak with teachers from Classrooms Without Borders and, he said, “probably meet with my old friend Carole Zawatsky [CEO of Tree of Life, Inc.] and look at what they’re doing at the Tree of Life project.”

The latter is of particular interest, Berenbaum

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beyond the Jewish community and that it also reaches outside Pittsburgh. To that end, he said it was important to ensure the board shared that vision and would be able to reach beyond its core communities.

The new board begins its tenure at a time when visual progress is evident on the Tree of Life site.

Demolition started in February in preparation for the construction of a new structure designed by Studio Libeskind in collaboration with Rothschild Doyno Collaborative. It will house an educational center, a museum that explores the roots and manifestations of antisemitism in the United States and the official Oct. 27 memorial on the corner of Shady and Wilkins Avenues.

Tree of Life CEO Carole Zawatsky said that it was important to involve people who play invaluable roles in the local community as they enter the next stage of establishing the reimagined Tree of Life.

“We are delighted to officially welcome our esteemed board of directors to the new Tree of Life,” she said in a statement. “I am eager to work with them to move us closer to our vision of a society that champions building connection and inspiring courageous action to create compassionate communities.”

overwhelming communal resilience.

“It’s an example of how we do not let the haters win,” Berenbaum said.

For many, watching Pittsburgh from afar yielded an obvious message, he continued.

People of all faiths responded to the horror by saying, “This is not the community we want to be in. This is not what we want to have in our community.”

Support for the Jewish community postPittsburgh synagogue shooting was overwhelming but, more than five years later, a different story is unfolding.

Following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Israel’s military response, U.S. antisemitic incidents have dramatically escalated.

have demonstrated that museum makers tasked with finding new ways of fighting antisemitism must understand recent events when asking,

“What do you want the audience, the visitors, to take away?” Because whatever ideas people leave with are “a very important part of the experience.”

Berenbaum said he’s looking forward to visiting Pittsburgh, meeting with educators and sharing thoughts on the Holocaust and antisemitism. And though his work often places him in lecture halls, museums and intellectual spaces, his message is for the layperson.

continued, given his role as a museum maker.

In 2009, he and Edward Jacobs launched Berenbaum Jacobs Associates, a firm specializing in museum designs, exhibitions, memorials and other projects.

Whether it’s Tree of Life or another space, “I’m always interested in why and how they’re creating museums,” he said. “From my mind, the issue in creating museums is, what’s the story you have to tell? Where do you tell it? To whom are you telling it, and then with what?”

Coming to Pittsburgh and learning more about Tree of Life will be “very interesting,” Berenbaum continued, because “Tree of Life has become a symbol of both the worst and the best in America.”

Although the massacre of Oct. 27, 2018, was the most violent antisemitic attack in U.S. history, the aftermath demonstrated

In addition to Bernstein, members of the new board include:

• Meryl Ainsman executive director, the Philip Chosky Charitable Foundation and past chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

• Sheila Reicher Fine, chair of the Fine Foundation

• Max Gelernter, managing director of Barker Gilmore

• Steve Halpern, president of Woodland Management

• Alan Hausman, president of Tree of Life congregation

• Jason Kushner, managing director in corporate and institutional banking, PNC Bank

• Larry Lebowitz, shareholder, Dentons; board chair of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh

• Jeffrey Letwin, council at Saul Ewing; member of Tree of Life Congregation

• Ramsey Lyons, founder at Ramsey Lyons Design

• Warner Macklin III, chairman and managing director, FoxChase Advisors, LLC

• Kent McElhattan, chair of the McElhattan Foundation

• Jo Recht, president of Congregation Dor Hadash; member of the Memorial Working Group

• Sam Reiman, director, RK Mellon Foundation

In the three months preceding Jan. 7, the Anti-Defamation League tracked 3,291 antisemitic incidents — a 361% increase from the same period one year earlier.

Those incidents are “occurring in a context in which all sorts of hatred is found in our society, and permission to hate is felt in segments of the community,” Berenbaum said.

Extremists possess powerful tools, including social media platforms, to disseminate abhorrent claims, but there’s another aspect to the rise of hatred, the scholar said: “For a very long time, we had the idea that Israel was the cure for antisemitism. And we have a new reality in which Israel cannot only quench the fires of antisemitism but fuel the flames.”

Berenbaum said he began noticing this about 15 years ago.

The events of the past four months, he said,

• Diane Rosenthal, sister of David and Cecil Rosenthal, member of the Memorial Working Group

• Jeffrey Solomon, president of TD Cowen

• Lori Shapiro, first lady of Pennsylvania (honorary member)

• Andrew Stewart, partner at Silk and Stewart Development Group; chair of the Tree of Life Construction Workgroup

• B onnie Van Kirk, trustee, Chatham University

• Anthony Williams, head of school, The Neighborhood Academy Jeffrey Letwin has been involved in the project since its initial days. He joined the board after previously serving as the first chairman of the Tree of Life steering committee in 2019. He was also an exofficio member of the interim governance committee.

He said that the work of the reimagined Tree of Life is important to the community and the world beyond Pittsburgh, “This is the site of the most tragic event affecting every Jew in America,” he said.

He said that the board’s focus right now will include the ongoing capital campaign, in addition to most likely working with other groups and organizations in its mission to combat hate, like the Eradicate Hate summit.

Letwin thinks that the rise of anti-semitism,

“I want the average person to understand that we had generations of Jews, including my grandparents’ generation, that said ‘Shver tsu zayn a yid’, ‘It’s tough to be a Jew,’” he said. “I want people to develop a certain sense of resilience and toughness, what we would call a thick skin, and not give up Jewish pride, not give up their sense of community, and not let fear triumph.”

Tsipy Gur, founder and executive director of Classrooms Without Borders, said Berenbaum’s expertise will enable scores of educators to coalesce and consider new reactions to an age-old plight.

“We have to understand where we are, understand the responsibilities and what we have to do,” Berenbaum said. “I hope that my talks will illuminate that and will help people engage in those responses.” PJC

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

especially after Oct. 7, has amplified the need for the Tree of Life and its mission.

The Jewish community, he said, is dealing with the war in Gaza, the familiar antisemitism from far-right organizations and the new threat of antisemitism from the far-left.

The Tree of Life will reflect that.

“I think it makes it even more important,” he said. “We talked with Rabbi Myers in 2019, who was specifically interested in concentrating on anti-hate speech. That concept has to be fine-tuned to what’s happening now. We have developments now that go beyond what we originally conceptualized and includes more significant components of battling antisemitism and preserving Jewish history that deals with the Holocaust and other significant periods of antisemitic acts.”

For his part, Bernstein is enthusiastic about the future of the reimagined Tree of Life and the new board.

“I think it’s an exciting opportunity for us to move forward, and I think the board’s composition reflects the power in the region and beyond — that we were able to attract such capable and accomplished people who want to dedicate their time,” he said. PJC

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Photo courtesy of Michael Berenbaum

Tree of Life:

Headlines

Pittsburgh clergy deliver open letter to Rep. Summer Lee, denounce politician’s response to antisemitism

By Adam Reinherz I Senior Staff Writer

More than 40 area rabbis and cantors signed a letter denouncing Rep. Summer Lee for failing to meet “commitments” she made with local clergy last fall.

The letter, which includes signatures from spiritual leaders of diverse denominational streams, builds on a letter issued by the group months ago and states that in a meeting with Lee, the rabbis and cantors voiced their concerns about the politician’s “rhetoric and votes in relation to the events of Oct. 7 in Israel, the subsequent war, and the rise in antisemitism in America.”

During that fall meeting, “you promised us that you would call out antisemitism and temper your own language,” the letter continues. “Sadly, three months later, you have not followed through on those commitments.”

The clergy claim that, since that meeting, Lee has continued using “divisive rhetoric, which, at times, we have perceived as openly antisemitic.

Dear Representative Lee,

You have continued to oppose measures before the House of Representatives that condemned antisemitism, and you have continued to call for an unconditional cease-fire from one side of the conflict, a position that devalues the lives and beliefs of one group.”

Signers note that the representative has “accepted campaign contributions from people who have voiced virulently antisemitic sentiments, and while you eventually withdrew from speaking at the CAIR conference, you have, unlike President Biden and other elected officials, so far been unwilling to denounce the hatred and ugly language coming from the keynote speakers of that conference and the leadership of CAIR.”

Members of Pittsburgh’s clergy maintain that although Lee has criticized other candidates for contributions received, “The time is now to hold yourself to the very same standard you seek from others.”

Along with sharing their desire to continue the conversation, the clergy write, “We call on you to denounce antisemitism fully and frequently, including returning contributions and declining support from those who have voiced hateful views.”

Last fall, we wrote to you with concerns about your rhetoric and votes in relation to the events of October 7 in Israel, the subsequent war, and the rise in antisemitism in America. You graciously agreed to meet with us, and in that meeting, you promised us that you would call out antisemitism and temper your own language. Sadly, three months later, you have not followed through on those commitments.

Since that meeting, you have continued to use divisive rhetoric, which, at times, we have perceived as openly antisemitic. You have continued to oppose measures before the House of Representatives that condemned antisemitism, and you have continued to call for an unconditional cease-fire from one side of the conflict, a position that devalues the lives and beliefs of one group.

Furthermore, you have accepted campaign contributions from people who have voiced virulently antisemitic sentiments, and while you eventually withdrew from speaking at the CAIR conference,

Rabbi Aaron Bisno

Rabbi Alex Greenbaum

Rabbi Amy Greenbaum

Rabbi Andy Shugerman

Rabbi Barbara Symons

Rabbi Chaim Itkin

Rabbi Daniel Fellman

Rabbi Daniel Meisels

Rabbi Daniel Yolkut

Rabbi Dovid Kivman

Rabbi Eli Rothman

University presidents: Will you lead?

Rabbi Eli Seidman

Rabbi Eli Wilansky

Rabbi Eliezer Shusterman

Rabbi Emily Meyer

Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers

Rabbi Henoch Rosenfeld

Rabbi Howard Stein

Rabbi Jamie Gibson

Rabbi Jessica Locketz

Rabbi Jonathan Perlman

Rabbi Joseph Hample

The signers close by maintaining, “We, like you, want a just and fair end to the hostilities. We believe that the best result will come from open commitments to new behavior, to an end to division, and to a commitment to care for and protect all people.”

“This is a painful letter to be a part of. It was painful the first time last fall; it was painful this time. We really had high hopes,” Temple Sinai’s Rabbi Daniel Fellman told the Chronicle.

“In many ways, I agree with Summer Lee on many issues. Clearly, on the question of Israel and the war in Gaza we disagree, and while she is entitled to her view, she is not entitled to stoke the flames of antisemitism,” he said. “Her continued language and actions have created a real problem.”

Like Fellman, Shaare Torah Congregation’s Rabbi Yitzi Genack was among the clergy who wrote to Lee in October and met with her in November.

“During that meeting, we asked her to be more morally clear in calling out antisemitism,” Genack said. “Since then, she has continued to not be an ally in opposing antisemitism, and she has associated with people who have used clearly antisemitic rhetoric that she has not called out.”

It is imperative to recognize the “long history” of harmful language precipitating dreadful acts against Jews, Fellman told the Chronicle.

“We have seen this movie before: We know the ending. We know that if you don’t speak up when language turns to antisemitism then terrible things happen,” he said.

Congregation Beth Shalom’s Rabbi Seth Adelson told the Chronicle he signed the recent letter due to his disappointment with the elected official: “In her actions and her words, Rep. Lee continues to fail her Jewish constituents in acknowledging their pain and distress following Oct. 7.”

Congregation B’nai Abraham’s Cantor Michal Gray said her decision to join fellow clergy was driven by a sense of camaraderie.

“It’s important as leaders of the Jewish community, leaders of the Jewish spiritual community, for us to stand together and to stand up for Israel,” she said.

The Chronicle requested a comment from Lee. No reply was received before publication. PJC

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

you have, unlike President Biden and other elected officials, so far been unwilling to denounce the hatred and ugly language coming from the keynote speakers of that conference and the leadership of CAIR. So easily you have criticized campaign contributions to others; the time is now to hold yourself to the very same standard you seek from others.

We call on you to denounce antisemitism fully and frequently, including returning contributions and declining support from those who have voiced hateful views. We, like you, want a just and fair end to the hostilities. We believe that the best result will come from open commitments to new behavior, to an end to division, and to a commitment to care for and protect all people. Stand with us, reject the voices of hate, and together we can build the world for which we all pray. We look forward to continuing to dialogue with you.

Rabbi Kara Tav

Rabbi Mendy Rosenblum

Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel

Rabbi Nissan Zaetz

Rabbi Ron Symons

Rabbi Seth Adelson

Rabbi Sharyn Henry

Rabbi Shmuli Rothstein

Rabbi Yehudah Leib Welton

Rabbi Yisroel Altein

Rabbi Yisroel Rosenfeld

— LETTERS

The Feb. 26 riot at U.C. Berkeley, where a mob violently disrupted an Israeli speaker’s event, is a chilling reminder that antisemitism is surging in our nation, and college campuses are proving to be dangerous breeding grounds (“Some 200 anti-Israel activists force evacuation of Berkeley event,” online, Feb. 29). Jewish students were subjected to threats, insults and physical violence. Officials canceled the event after protesters smashed two windows and a door.

Our nation’s university presidents publicly wring their hands and say they are committed to “doing the work” to reduce antisemitism on their campuses, but that it is slow and difficult work. It is not.

When a speaker, in this case, Ran Bar-Yoshafat, is silenced by an antisemitic mob, the university president should simply immediately reschedule the talk, at the president’s invitation. The office of the president should host the talk. And the university president should attend the talk. This would demonstrate the university’s values and draw an unambiguous line against antisemitic hate.

University presidents: Will you tolerate antisemitism, or will you lead?

Todd L. Pittinsky

Port Jefferson, New York

Rabbis and Cantors of the Pittsburgh Metro Area

Rabbi Yitzi Genack

Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum

Rabbi Zalman Gurevitch

Rabbi Zalman Raskin

Cantor Barbara Barnett

Cantor David Reinwald

Cantor Laura Berman

Cantor Michal Gray Shaffer

Cantor Stephanie Greene Kaufman

Temple Sinai article hit the spot

Thank you so much for the recent article, “Rodef Shalom, Temple Sinai and ‘A Marvelous Example.’” My wife and I were members of Temple Sinai for many years before moving to Florida.

While I knew that TS was founded by members of Rodef, I never heard the back story until now. As these two congregations are now exploring collaboration a look at their history provides context for these talks.

My only complaint about the article is that it didn’t continue into the 1950s and beyond.

Bob Shumaker

Boynton Beach, Florida

We invite you to submit letters for publication. Letters must include name, address and daytime phone number; addresses and phone numbers will not be published. Letters may not exceed 500 words and may be edited for length and clarity; they cannot be returned. Send letters to: letters@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org or Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, 5915 Beacon St., 5th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15217

We regret that owing to the volume of correspondence, we cannot reply to every letter.

— LOCAL —

Chronicle poll results: Cease-fire resolutions

Last week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an electronic poll the following question: “Should local city and county councils consider resolutions calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war?” Of the 364 people who responded, 90% said no; 7% said yes; and 3% said don’t know. Comments were submitted by 137 people. A few follow:

Their focus should be on matters of their own cities and counties. Not international politics.

Only if all the hostages are released, and Hamas is not allowed to govern Gaza.

The only elected officials who should weigh in on the issue are our Congress and president. It makes little to no sense for local government to weigh in on one of the world’s most hotly debated geopolitical issues. If they did weigh in on Israel-Hamas, I expect them to cover every single geopolitical conflict in the world. But antisemitism and selective thought prevents them from any moral or good faith consistency.

It accomplishes little-to-nothing and mainly is just an exercise in far-left and anti-Israel virtue signaling. It contributes to our already excessive levels of intolerance, extremism and polarization.

Local politicians should stick to the issues that they have control over for the benefit of their constituents.

Too many civilians are getting hurt, losing homes and dying.

Israelis have to demolish Hamas but be more forgiving toward the Palestinians, especially women and children. It is sad to see children suffering.

City and county councils should refrain from meaningless, divisive gestures and focus on addressing the many pressing issues they were elected to fix.

Should local city and county councils consider resolutions calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war?

“An eye for an eye makes Israel blind.”

We need to be on the right side. Can you imagine any civilized country taking civilian hostages as bargaining chips?

These resolutions are not going to change anything in Israel, and all they are going to wind up doing is offending one group or another. Should the town council In Tel Aviv or Haifa start piping in on how the U.S. government manages America?

What Israel does is her business. No one country should tell the Israelis what to do. Such an action would be an exercise in futility. Only Israel and Hamas can decide how to move forward. Foreign opinion or pressure does not matter.

This tactic of using local councils to demonize Israel is a cynical ploy by those who seek to destroy her. They cannot get the traction that they want in Washington, so they are using otherwise sleepy meetings as a platform upon which to make a noisy, offensive scene and spew false and inflammatory statements.

Too complicated for a simple answer.

Holding aside my feelings about this issue, Gaza is a national issue, the work of the county council is a local issue.

I am not on board calling for a cease-fire unless it’s contingent upon Hamas releasing all of the hostages, dead or alive, so I can’t say I would be happy about a resolution unless it qualified it. But it is within the rights of any council to pass resolutions of any kind, isn’t it? As much as we might at times hate that.

Maybe they should stick to fixing their own failed policies.

They should stay in their own lane and pass resolutions that are actually their primary responsibility like salting and plowing the roads, fixing sidewalks, recycling, and making sure bridges don’t fall down. It’s not glamorous, but that’s their job. Foreign policy decisions, not so much.

What an absolute waste of taxpayer money for the county council to spend any time on something that they hold absolutely no sway over. All it did was stoke antisemitic sentiment. Who on the county council decides that this is acceptable?

Pay attention to the gun violence at home in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.

The primary is not secondary: Make a plan

Rothstein

I’m passionate about voting. I’ve voted in every election since I turned 18. Over the past 20 years, I’ve been a poll watcher, a poll protector, an emergency application and ballot runner for hospitalized people, and a poll worker.

My work with the National Council of Jewish Women involves advocating to protect democracy and promoting equitable voting. This work hits close to home for the 2024 primary.

My Jewish community, especially, needs to know that voting this year may require voting by mail because the primary is on Passover — Pesach I, the 15th of Nissan — or Tuesday, April 23. This means that if you think you’ll be busy hosting family, doing clean-up from the seder the night before, prepping for the second seder or observing the chag to the fullest extent, you won’t be able to vote in person.

So, if you are already registered to vote and have never voted by mail, you will need to apply for a mail-in ballot, get the ballot, receive the ballot by mail, mark it and then return it all before April 23. If you’re not registered to vote or your registration has lapsed, you’ll need to

register to vote first. Each step takes time, and the longer you wait, the busier the county voting office gets; if voting is important to you, and I hope it is, you should start this process today

As if that weren’t enough, if you wanted to vote in person on April 23 at your usual polling location, you might not be able to because dozens of polling sites in Allegheny County will be moving, many because they are located in Jewish facilities which will not be available on Pesach. This affects both Jewish folks and our non-Jewish neighbors. We also know that many poll workers, like me, and county election workers are being impacted.

How did all this come about? In early 2023, with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s backing, a group of legislators recommended moving the primary so it wouldn’t conflict with Passover. Several Pennsylvania senators introduced a bill that would have moved the elections to March. They argued that having the primary then would make Pennsylvania’s voting more meaningful. With one of the last primaries in the country, each party’s nominee has usually been established by the time of Pennsylvania’s vote. In contrast to the senators, Pennsylvania House legislators suggested an earlier date in April rather than March.

Neither the House nor the Senate would concede their proposed dates, so the original fourth Tuesday in April remains. Ironically enough, one reason the earlier April date was

It is a complex issue for which a great amount of knowledge and an understanding of history is needed before decisions can be made.

Their authority does not carry any weight other than potential goodwill for constituents. Our local leaders have a full plate already — and they’re failing to address problems here, let alone on the other side of the world.

Why would anyone think we have the right to tell another country what to do? Especially local city and county councils. This question makes no sense to me.

I am heartbroken at the extent of Israel’s retaliation against all residents of Gaza for the atrocities of Hamas.

I do not know what good this will do, although I support a cease-fire.

Local pressure for the federal government to use its power for peaceful means is significant. As a Jewish citizen, I would feel such respect for our local government to join in to pressure our government to demand a cease-fire.

Since neither local city nor local county councils have any foreign policy components or responsibilities whatsoever, the entire concept of calling for a Gaza cease-fire, or any cease-fire, is entirely absurd. PJC

— Compiled by Adam Reinherz

Chronicle weekly poll question: Do you believe that Haredi Jews should be conscripted into the Israel Defense Forces? Go to pittsburghjewishchronicle.org to respond. PJC

rejected by the Senate was because it was too close to Easter, not recognizing that April 23 is on Passover.

Admittedly, moving an election date is challenging. Polling locations need to be secured according to the needs and schedules of the facilities used. Schools, in particular, need as much lead time as possible. They set their calendars before the start of the school year and, if they are a polling location, they may be closed for students. Parents rely on these calendars to set their work schedules. Additionally, candidate deadlines and logistical deadlines must be respected and are determined based on the election date.

We know that the issue didn’t need to be a last-minute showdown. We should have known of this conflict since the time the primary was established on the fourth Tuesday of April — decades at least.

While it is unlikely to happen again soon since a late April Pesach/chag doesn’t happen too frequently (the next time under the current system is 2035), let’s ask our legislators to do better next time. They can include language that ensures they check each primary date two years in advance and institute a change by a week or two if the date occurs on a religious holiday.

The good news is that you can still vote using the following steps: Confirm your voter registration status and update or register as needed. If voting by mail, apply for a mail-in ballot.

Receive your ballot by mail. Mark your ballot. The only marks on the ballot should be your voting marks. Put your ballot in the secrecy envelope. Put the secrecy envelope inside the provided mailing envelope. Sign the mailing envelope, using your signature, and date the mailing envelope with the date you complete the ballot. Add postage. Mail your ballot or deposit it in the secure county-approved drop boxes the two weekends before the election, or take it to the elections counter on the first floor of the City County Building Downtown. You can also vote early at the county elections office, where you can register, get your ballot and vote in one stop. If voting in person on April 23, confirm your polling location, which may have changed.

Make a plan to vote. Remember, the primary is not secondary. In districts that are heavily weighted to one party, the primary might be the voting space where the position is effectively elected, and there are often important ballot initiatives to decide.

We don’t want to be disenfranchised when there are ways to make our vote count. I encourage you to vote the whole ballot and to make sure the Jewish vote remains strong. PJC

Kate Rothstein is the National Council of Jewish Women advocacy manager and League of Women Voters Faith-Based Committee volunteer co-chair.

Guest Columnist

Kate

Financial Planning

Judaism and financial planning

Back in the spring of 2016 when I announced my transition from Pittsburgh NCSY director to financial adviser with Hefren-Tillotson (now Baird), I was encouraged by the number of fond

wishes for success I received as I embarked on my new endeavor.

Of course, this was accompanied by several people wondering how I was leaving a role where I served as rabbi and led an organization focused on Jewish education to one filled with graphs and charts about stock portfolios and bond yields.

My response was that I was pivoting from advising people about their spiritual portfolio to directing their financial portfolios. In truth, there

are similarities between the two roles, and I have been blessed that many of the same individuals and families who trusted my counsel in spiritual matters have also turned to me for their financial planning needs.

The Talmud teaches that one can get a glimpse into the essence of a person (Bikeeso) through their wallet. How a person views money, uses money and talks about money tells you a lot about who they are. When advising clients,

I try to blend values that are found in Judaism into a financial planning perspective. Judaism and financial advising both place great emphasis on the future.

The value of “li dor vi dor,” passing from one generation to the next, is one that resonates in both worlds, as does charitable giving. Finally, consistency and small steps that build to something profound

Financial Planning

Goldberg:

Continued from page 10

are a powerful element at the core of Judaism and form the bedrock of a sound financial plan.

I can share a few examples of this confluence. One of the strongest small steps one can use to achieve financial success is funding a Roth IRA. While many are aware of and already funding Roth IRAs, did you know that you could open one for your child?

If you have a teen who is earning a legitimate wage, for example, from a part-time job, money can be put away that will grow tax-free for the rest of their lives.

If they earn $1,000 a year during the four years of high school and you put that money away for them into a Roth IRA during that time, at retirement they could have nearly $300,000 of tax-free money! (This assumes $4,000

invested from age 18 to age 68 grows at an average annual rate of 9%, and all dividends are reinvested.)

Of course, this is not limited to teenagers; funding Roth IRAs for young adult children or grandchildren could yield similar results and is a great tool to teach that small steps taken today can have a profound impact on the future. Think about that the next time you are getting ready to distribute Chanukah gelt!

Tzedakah (charity) is a core tenet of Judaism and one that also fits into a financial plan. As a result of recent changes to our tax laws and the increased standard deduction on tax returns, many argue that the tax benefit of charitable giving has largely disappeared. This can be true, but there are still ways that your charitable gifts could benefit both the organization of your choosing and your bottom line.

Many are at the stage in life when they are taking required minimum distributions

(RMD) from retirement plans that have been sheltered from the IRS, resulting in an additional tax burden. Sometimes, these distributions are not needed to support their lifestyle and are only taken because they are mandated, causing more frustration with paying taxes on these funds.

Instead, you can make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) directly from your retirement account to many charitable organizations that will satisfy the RMD and reduce your tax burden, all while still taking the standard deduction.

Planning for those who will come after you is a conversation I often have with clients. We only get three choices regarding where our money goes after we are gone: loved ones, charity or the government, and most people would rather increase the amount given to the first two and reduce the amount going to the third. Failing to plan rarely results in the desired outcome.

High net-worth individuals benefit

now from increased limits to the federal inheritance tax exemption, but this elevated exemption is set to reduce at the end of 2025. There are mechanisms that should be put in place today that will allow you to increase the impact your money has on future generations and continue to fulfill your values after you are gone.

These are just a few examples of where I still get to put my rabbi hat back on even while sitting in the financial adviser chair.

They are important topics, and I encourage you to consider not just the projections on spreadsheets and graphs but also how your money will help you fulfill the values you hold dear and impact those you love.

Please discuss with your financial/tax adviser before implementing any of the items discussed above. PJC

Ari Goldberg is a financial adviser in the Baird Pittsburgh office.

Dreaming

Financial Planning

The transformative power of giving: nurturing your wealth for a purposeful legacy

Guest Columnist

Scott E. Tobe

These days, it can often feel as though the world is more broken than ever. War, hatred, political polarization and economic upheaval are surging across the globe, and it’s all too easy to feel powerless and paralyzed in the face of this constant onslaught of bad news.

But as Jews — and even just as human beings — we nevertheless each have an obligation to do our part anyway in repairing the broken parts of our world.

The phrase tikkun olam, which means “repairing the world,” does not actually appear in the Bible. In fact, one of the earliest known usages of the phrase dates to the origin of the Aleinu (the concluding prayer of most Jewish services) in the third century. But modern Judaism has come to fiercely embrace this ideology, as we all do our best to bring positive change to a difficult world.

For those fortunate enough to possess the resources to fund philanthropy and charitable giving, the question often extends beyond simple wealth management to assessing the profound impact that philanthropy can have

on communities and causes.

In my extensive tenure as a financial adviser specializing in serving affluent clients, one theme has resonated consistently: the desire for wealth to transcend personal portfolios and create a lasting impact on the world. Charitable giving emerges not merely as a financial strategy but as a powerful tool to shape legacies, foster positive change and leave behind a meaningful imprint on society.

Crafting a charitable blueprint

The journey of philanthropy begins with introspection. What causes resonate deeply with your values? What impact do you wish to leave on the world? Financial advisers should engage clients in a collaborative process, helping them articulate a clear vision for their philanthropic endeavors. This introspective approach ensures that charitable giving aligns authentically with personal values, transforming wealth into a force for good.

Strategic philanthropy for maximum impact

While the impulse to give generously is commendable, strategic philanthropy introduces a level of intentionality that magnifies its impact. Together with clients, financial advisers should explore innovative ways to maximize the effectiveness of their charitable contributions. This involves identifying key areas of

focus, conducting due diligence on charitable organizations and employing financial strategies that optimize the impact of giving.

The power of donor-advised funds

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) have become a cornerstone of effective charitable giving strategies. These funds offer flexibility, allowing donors to contribute assets, receive immediate tax benefits and recommend grants to qualified organizations over time. DAFs provide a structured yet adaptable framework for strategic giving, allowing donors to be actively involved in the philanthropic process.

Collaborative giving: beyond the checkbook

Charitable giving is not solely about monetary contributions; it’s about leveraging skills, networks, and influence for a greater good. Along with their financial advisers, clients can explore avenues for collaborative giving, fostering partnerships with like-minded individuals and organizations. By combining resources and expertise, clients can catalyze systemic change and address complex societal challenges.

Elevating impact through endowments

For those committed to creating a lasting legacy, establishing charitable endowments

can ensure sustained support for causes dear to their hearts. Endowments provide a perpetual source of funding, safeguarding the longevity of philanthropic efforts and allowing clients to be remembered for their enduring contributions to society.

Conclusion: the legacy of purposeful wealth

In the tapestry of financial stewardship, charitable giving emerges as a thread that weaves together prosperity and purpose. For those blessed with abundance, the opportunity to channel resources toward tikkun olam is not just an option; it is a sacred Talmudic responsibility.

As we navigate the path of philanthropy, let us collectively embrace the potential of wealth to inspire change, to leave behind a legacy of caring and community engagement, and most of all, to truly begin repairing the world around us. PJC

Scott Tobe serves as CEO of Signature Financial, directing the vision of the firm and coordinating the overall efforts of the team. As a licensed financial adviser and a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy, Scott utilizes his experience, knowledge and education to provide comprehensive wealth management solutions and design charitable giving strategies for high net worth individuals.

Financial Planning

Make an impact through planned giving

Guest Columnist Roi Mezare

When I sit down with a family as a planned giving professional, the first thing I ask is what they want for the future based on their family’s most important values. Since I often know these individuals, I understand the causes they support, but I still want to know the “why.” Talking about why they care can lead to a truly meaningful conversation concerning not only their issues but also what is in their hearts and their vision for our Jewish community’s future.

Community Foundation does offer some complex ways to give, but planned giving can also be as simple as adding a simple provision to your will. More importantly, you can usually find no-fee experts (including at the Federation) who can work with your accountant, estate planning attorney or financial adviser to help you minimize your taxes and maximize your charitable impact.

Making a legacy gift can have significant tax advantages, but it can also involve your family in sharing your values and participating in philanthropy together during your lifetime. Some people think legacy giving “isn’t for me” for a variety of reasons. These include fear of complexity, the idea that you must be extremely wealthy to leave a legacy, the perception that you have to give cash during your lifetime and the perception that tax savings are minimal. Contrary to these misperceptions, anyone can have an impact after they are gone.

Planned giving is not as complicated as one might think. The Jewish Federation’s Jewish

You can also make a lasting impact on your community with relatively little money. The Jewish Federation’s foundation, for example, has endowments starting at $5,000. Any endowment enables you to continue your tradition of charity, which will live on in perpetuity. For some people, directing your life insurance policy to benefit a charity of your choice can provide a sizable endowment in the future for little investment today. Some organizations also provide incentives to give. For example, when you endow your gift to the Federation’s Community Campaign through life insurance, the Federation subsidizes half of your premium.

I sometimes hear from community members that they think planned giving requires them to have cash available during their lifetime. While giving cash on hand can certainly reduce taxes — for example, through the use of Jewish Federation’s donor-advised fund (DAF), which is essentially a charitable checking account — you may also choose to fund planned gifts through your will only after you pass away.

If you are looking for cash flow while

making an impact, some foundation products give you income during your lifetime and a charitable gift at the end of life, such as a “charitable gift annuity.” This philanthropic annuity, which has tax advantages, pays a steady fixed income for the rest of your life and then directs the remaining funds to support the causes you care about most. The Federation’s DAF has a low barrier to participation, requiring only $5,000 to start.

I have found that some families are surprised at how much they can save on taxes through planned giving products. Now is a particularly advantageous time to think about your legacy and to make changes to your will or estate plan. Changes in federal tax law that went into effect in 2023 (in the SECURE 2.0 Act) altered the retirement planning landscape and the tax code, opening several previously unavailable opportunities for tax savings. For instance, the rules changed for individual retirement accounts, enabling some additional tax advantages for charitable giving. Organizations like the Jewish Community Foundation will help you and your financial professionals find tax advantages specific to your situation.

You do not have to be Jewish to be interested in supporting Jewish causes to create legacy gifts. Many Jewish Community Foundation endowments support secular causes such as performing arts organizations or museums, and these endowments still

SPONSORED CONTENT

NINE LEGAL FACTS TO SAVE YOUR MONEY

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.

As an attorney, I often help my clients take legal steps to protect or save their hard earned money. I also advise clients about legal strategies to avoid losing or risking what they’ve worked and saved for. Legal issues almost always have bottom line monetary results.

I’m not a financial advisor. I can’t tell you how to invest or divest your money. But my work as your lawyer often affects your finances and wealth. Here are nine things you may not have known about common legal actions or principles that may either save you or cost you money.

JOINT AND TRANSFER ON DEATH ACCOUNTS

ARE TAXABLE IN PA. Many people think that because such accounts go directly to a beneficiary while avoiding probate, that they are not taxed. Not so! TOD and POD accounts, which are owned completely by the decedent at death, are fully taxable for PA Inheritance Tax. A joint account, on the other hand, or actual joint ownership of real estate for example, established more than a year before death, only results in tax on the part that’s inherited from the decedent by the survivors, e.g. one half on an account with two names, one quarter on an account with four names, and so on.

LIFE INSURANCE DEATH BENEFIT PROCEEDS

DO SKIP PAST THE TAX MAN IN HARRISBURG.

PA Inheritance Tax applies to most of what you may leave behind. One notable exception is life insurance death benefit proceeds on the life of the decedent. It’s not included for PA Inheritance Tax. (Another exception is for retirement money from someone less than age 59 ½.). For someone with millions and millions, life insurance is taxable for Federal estate tax.

JOINT AND TRANSFER ON DEATH ACCOUNTS

ARE NOT CONTROLLED BY THE WILL

Sometimes people confuse what is controlled by the Will and its terms and provisions, and what is not. Remember that TOD, POD and In Trust for accounts go directly to the named beneficiaries, as part of your signed written contract with the bank or financial institution, without regard to the Will at all. So what passes under the Will? Anything that you own and leave behind in your name only, without having named any beneficiary. Also, don’t make the mistake of listing dollar amount bequests in your Will, that won’t be paid because too many of your assets pass outside the scope of the Will, to TOD or POD beneficiaries.

HEALTH INSURANCE AND MEDICARE DO NOT

PAY FOR LONG-TERM CARE. This is a common misconception. Healthcare insurance and Medicare pay for hospitals, doctors and often prescription drug plans and other services, but not for long-term care in a personal care home or “assisted living” facility, or in a nursing home. Medicare may pay for short term nursing home care for brief time after a qualifying hospital stay, but that’s all. That’s when a long-term care patient who doesn’t have private long-term care insurance may need Medicaid, VA benefits or worst of all, without good legal advice, may have to pay themselves on a “self-pay,” “private pay” or “spend down” basis.

MEDICAID DOES NOT PAY FOR “ASSISTED LIVING” OR PERSONAL CARE HOME CARE IN PENNSYLVANIA. This is a state-by-state question. In PA, long-term care Medicaid pays for rehab, lengthy or indefinite care in a nursing home, and increasingly for care in a home setting, but does NOT pay for a residential stay in a personal care home or so-called “assisted living.” They aren’t actually healthcare facilities, and just provide assistance with activities of daily living. They are ordinarily all private pay (except for private long term care insurance or VA benefits) Compared to nursing homes that can be paid by Medicaid, the big advantage is a much higher quality of life.

YOU CAN SOMETIMES SAVE YOUR HOME EVEN WHEN GOING INTO THE NURSING HOME ON MEDICAID. Even though Medicaid generally prohibits gifts within five years prior to applying, (which means that you can’t ordinarily just give away your house to someone on the doorstep of the nursing home), there are certain exceptions, typically based on family relationships and equities. Even during the so-called prior “five year look back period,” or at the last minute, you are allowed to gift ownership of your home to, for example, your spouse, a “Caregiver Child,” a qualifying sibling co-owner, a disabled child, a purchaser for value, and others. And even for someone already in the nursing home who has to sell their house, I can usually help you save perhaps half or sometimes even almost all of the proceeds.

THE “SECURE ACT” OF 2019 WAS A HIDDEN TAX INCREASE ON THE VALUE OF INHERITED

IRAS. Under this new law, many people who inherit an IRA have to take out all the money and pay income tax on it, usually within 10 years, causing it to shrink, along with potential future growth - much sooner than previously required. There are exceptions for an IRA left to a spouse, minor child, disabled or

support Jewish Pittsburgh by helping to pay the expenses of having a foundation. (The Federation’s foundation charges a low annual fee that compares favorably with most competitive foundations.)

Many people who make planned gifts in their will are driven by a desire to leave a lasting legacy and positive impact — essentially exercising their moral authority long after they are gone by making their values and beliefs last forever. This desire often stems from a deep connection to a cause, gratitude for support received or a wish to memorialize a loved one.

The act of giving reflects a core Jewish value of commitment to social responsibility and our collective responsibility for each other, but it also reflects your responsibility to your family by passing your values to future generations and can inspire those generations to follow in your footsteps.

Ultimately, the decision to make a planned gift makes a difference in the world, and there are far fewer barriers than you may think to achieving this goal. Choose to leave a legacy today, and your values, your good deeds and your good name will live in on our Jewish community forever. PJC

Roi Mezare is a certified Chartered Advisor of Philanthropy and the associate vice president, development & foundation at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.

chronically ill person, or recipient not less than 10 years younger than the original owner.

YOU CAN REFUSE AN INHERENTANCE. You don’t have to accept ownership of something you don’t want to inherit, for example, minimally valuable real estate. To claim something is to say “I want that.” A Disclaimer is a legal document you can file to refuse or reject ownership of something.

AN ESTATE ITSELF MAY BE A SEPARATE

TAXPAYER THAT ALSO OWES INCOME

TAX. In addition to the decedent’s final personal tax return, the Executor and the estate itself as a separate legal entity may have to file “Fiduciary Income Tax Returns,” especially if you sold real estate through the estate or had other gains from e.g. sales of securities. The estate may or may not actually owe additional tax, but fling the return may be required anyway – and sometimes even generates deductions the individual beneficiaries can use to reduce their own personal income tax.

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.

Life & Culture

By Jessica Grann | Special to the Chronicle

Pasta primavera is one of my go-to favorites when I want a light meal with a lot of flavor.

This dish is an easy way to use up extra vegetables that you may already have on

hand. It’s also flexible flavorwise so you can add the vegetables that you love the most since they are the showpiece of the meal. The recipe is vegetarian or vegan if you leave out the cheese. It also makes an incredible cold pasta salad, which is even better if you allow it to rest overnight and soak up the flavor. This recipe serves two for dinner and can easily be doubled to feed four people.

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

Half a pound of any pasta cooked al dente to the instructions on the label

1 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts in water, drained and halved

1 orange or yellow pepper

1 cup of cherry tomatoes

1 cup of frozen peas

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

2 teaspoons of chicken-flavored pareve consommé

¼ cup of olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan or crumbled feta cheese, optional

You can choose any shape of pasta that you prefer. Cook it al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain and reserve about half a cup of the cooking water.

I really love my stovetop grill pan for cooking vegetables because it will give a beautiful “grilled” appearance to your vegetables, but you can absolutely make this in a regular sauté pan if you don’t have one.

You can use frozen artichoke hearts if you prefer, but you need to thaw them well before preparation. Whether you choose frozen or canned, you want to rinse them, cut them in half and let them drain any extra water onto a tray lined with paper towels. Let them rest for at least half an hour before cooking.

The artichokes are so tasty that I often serve them just on their own as a vegetable side dish. I like to place about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and place the heat on medium. It takes 2 or 3 minutes for the oil to warm and then you can add the artichokes, flat side down. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes. Remove them from the pan and lightly sprinkle red wine vinegar over the artichokes. You will most likely use less than a teaspoon of vinegar, but this little bit really makes the artichokes taste so good.

Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until they look like they are about to burst. Remove the tomatoes and put them aside with the grilled artichokes before adding the

bell pepper or other sliced vegetables to the pan to sauté.

Asparagus and zucchini also go well with this meal and if you don’t care for peas, you can omit them and replace them with a different green vegetable.

The key to cooking any of the vegetables is to watch them carefully. You don’t want them to taste raw or to be overcooked — they should look fresh, colorful and have a bit of bite to them. I chose to use orange bell pepper slices, so I cooked those last.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil if you feel that the pan needs it. Cook the peppers as suggested until they soften but still have a bite to them. Remove the peppers from the pan and add in the sliced garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. I’m a big fan of adding pareve consommé for flavor. A little goes a long way, and keep in mind that it’s salty.

This pasta is often made with a little chicken stock, but I needed to find a way to add that bit of extra flavor while keeping the recipe kosher. Two teaspoons is usually enough — add it to the sautéed garlic with ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water and the frozen peas. Cook for a minute or until the powder combines well with the water.

Pour this mixture over the cooked pasta and toss well until it’s evenly coated. Adding a little more of the reserved cooking water can help when getting this mixed. I suggest this step for any pasta with any sauce.

Sprinkle the grilled vegetables with a bit of kosher or sea salt before arranging them over the top of the pasta. You can add freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes for a bit of spice. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil if needed, and feel free to add fresh basil or herbs to bolster the flavor.

Serve immediately and with cheese, if desired.

If you are interested in using this recipe for cold pasta salad, allow it to cool before covering it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours. Add extra red wine vinegar to taste.

Enjoy and bless your hands! PJC

Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.

p Pasta primavera

Photo by Jessica Grann

Passover & the Primary

This year, Passover begins at sundown on Monday, April 22, and PA’s presidential primary is Tuesday, April 23.

If you’d like to vote by mail, request your mail ballot NOW and return it by 8 p.m. on April 23.

April 2024

All PA registered voters are eligible to request a no-excuse mail ballot by 5 p.m. April 16.

Your options to request a mail ballot include:

» Visit vote.pa.gov/ApplyMailBallot and request it online.

» Visit your county elections office, where you can apply for your mail ballot, receive it, complete it, and return it all in one visit.

» Complete a paper mail ballot application and send it to your county elections office.

Life & Culture

Getting to know: Dovid Taub

By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

Squirrel Hill resident Dovid Taub’s newest venture is like his past ones — it will make you laugh.

“The Parshah Rabbit Hole,” which is available as both a vodcast and podcast, employs Taub’s trademark idiosyncrasies. Puns, pop culture references and source sheets steer followers through a whimsical exploration of the weekly Torah reading.

Recorded from his studio, the series is an outgrowth of earlier textual inquiry, Taub told the Chronicle: “Occasionally, if I needed to give a class on something, I would go and look on Sefaria and be like, ‘What weird source sheets do I have?’”

The free, open-source, digital library of Jewish texts permits users to not only comb the corpus of rabbinic writings but isolate and compile selections for later reference.

“Sefaria is amazing. It’s like, in my opinion, the most important thing in Judaism in the past, I don’t know, how many years,” Taub said. “You’ve got all the commentaries on the side, and all the connected texts, and other things that mention the same thing, and you can go back in time, and forward in time and sideways in time.”

Click after click sent Taub on unexpected paths along Sefaria’s interface. He enjoyed the discoveries and began documenting his

electronic journey. Reviewing that digital trek prompted a familiar description.

“It’s a rabbit hole,” he said.

But Taub’s resulting weekly series doesn’t just piece together biblical references alongside antiquated rabbinic writings to explore Jewish takes on gremlins — a subject covered in “The Parsha Rabbit Hole: Bereishit.” Taub fills his work with excerpted video from familiar shows and movies.

After mentioning book banning, as he did in “The Parshah Rabbit Hole: Tetzaveh,” Taub references a clip from “Family Ties,” in which Steven Keaton, played by Michael Gross, tells his TV son Alex P. Keaton, played by Michael J. Fox, “To think that book banning is actually bringing us closer together.”

The clips are used to “control the pacing of the videos,” and ensure segments don’t “go too

long with a block of boringness,” Taub said.

The snippets, which include scenes from “Ghostbusters,” “Star Trek” or the musings of Pee-wee Herman, also reveal the creative’s frenetic thoughts: “I’ve probably got very, pretty severe, ADHD, but I don’t know, because I can’t get around to actually making the appointments.”

Taub, 42, grew up in Deerfield, Illinois.

“I think the best way to describe my upbringing is that my family was the only family in our Reform shul on Sukkos. So, we weren’t frum but we were pretty frum for not being frum: we weren’t Orthodox but we were fairly observant,” he said.

After high school, Taub attended yeshivot in Brooklyn and Miami. He moved back to suburban Chicago, lived with his parents and began making puppets.

Puppetry wasn’t always the plan; as a child, Taub envisioned himself becoming an animator.

“Guide for the Bored” is a more than 20-page collection of “stuff to look at while you’re supposed to be davening” on the High Holidays. “Shivim Panim L’Dreidel” is a 10-page text of “insights and variations on the classic Chanukah game.”

There isn’t a paywall separating the public from Taub’s work.

“I’m an artist. I’m a creator. I make things. I don’t know if I’m good at it, but I’m better at it than anything else I try to do. And what I’m not good at is business,” he said.

His videos have already attracted 500 subscribers. There’s an option to donate to support the content. Taub hopes users feel compelled to give.

The approach is a combination of self-awareness, nonchalance and keen understanding of hashgacha pratit (Divine providence).

For years, the pattern has netted numerous unexpected successes.

The problem, however, is that animation is “tedious and difficult, especially for somebody who doesn’t like sitting and doing things,” he said. Creating puppets “lets you just put the character on your hand and animate in real-time.”

Taub was a natural entertainer and quickly learned that puppets were a perfect medium to convey his talent.

In 2003, he and his friend Jonathan Goorvich developed “The Itche Kadoozy Show.”

Though initiated as “an experiment in puppetry,” the show resulted in more than 100 episodes, available on Chabad.org.

Taube introduced dozens of new characters over the years. Eventually, he taught himself Adobe Character Animator, a program that combines animation and puppetry by enabling users to create 2-D characters and animate them through motion capture.

His efforts resulted in various freelance assignments. But the difficulty with such employment, Taub told the Chronicle, is the deadlines: while trying to meet clients’ needs, he is also constantly thinking about personal passion projects.

A conversation with his wife Dena spurred a welcome distraction and new pursuit.

“Creative is a word that I use to describe myself all the time. Judaism is the thing that I’m passionate about. And it just kind of popped up and I wondered if that domain name is open,” he said.

It was, and Taub secured creativejudaism.com.

The site is a storehouse for Taub’s projects. There’s the “Rabbit Hole” series. There are also documents, including “Guide for the Bored” and “Shivim Panim L’Dreidel.”

Each, with their hilarious, thoughtful and sometimes irreverent takes, offer readers new access to Jewish holidays.

In 2003, Taub wasn’t sure where making a gray-bearded puppet named Rabbi Itche Kadoozy would lead, but two decades later thousands of viewers worldwide have deemed the gravelly-voiced creation surprisingly relatable.

More than a decade ago, Taub and his colleagues created Shmideo, a puppetry arts company. Since its founding, they have developed wacky, refined and entertaining work for clients, including Adobe, Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank and Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.

Something good can always result even if the outcome isn’t necessarily known, Taub explained.

A prime example occurred 13 years ago when he and his wife were planning their next move. They had lived in Brooklyn and England — where Dena is from — and were considering whether to relocate to Chicago, where Taub’s parents lived.

At the time, Taub’s brother was living in Pittsburgh.

“I don’t know how he got here,” Taub said. “But he and his family were living here.”

The possibility of being close to family prompted a visit to western Pennsylvania.

“My wife loved the hills, and just the landscape, the texture of Pittsburgh, the community. We just kind of fell in love with it instantly. We moved here. And then a couple years later my brother moved to New York, and we stayed here,” he said. “So, it was kind of a fluke, a happy fluke.” PJC

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

p “The Parshah Rabbit Hole” is available as a weekly vodcast and podcast. Image courtesy of Dovid Taub

p Dovid Taub sits in his studio.

Photo courtesy of Dovid Taub

Torah Celebrations

B’Nai Mitzvah

Joshua and Moriah Neiss were called to the Torah on March 2 as a bar and bat mitzvah at Temple Sinai. They are the children of Jessica and Jason, the sister of Ellia, and the grandchildren of Jeff and Dee Weinberg and Gerry and Mel Neiss. Both Josh and Moriah are fierce soccer players and love their dog, Archie. Josh is a seventh grader at Community Day School and Moriah is in 10th grade at Taylor Allderdice High School. PJC

5885

Squirrel Hill, PA 15217 phone #:

Every Tuesday buy 6

Burt Singerman, M.D., M.P.H.

Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association

“The [contributions for] the construction work [of the Tabernacle and the holy vestments] were enough for all the construction that needed to be made; there was a surplus.”

Shemos 36:7

There is an inherent contradiction in this verse: The contributions were either enough, or there was a surplus. Sforno suggests that if the contributions had been just enough, the craftsmen would have been under intense pressure not to waste anything. The Torah says that there was extra, so that they did not need to worry about using it all before completing it. Why would they not be precise in measuring the materials? The instructions included very precise measurements. Naturally, the materials were used in exact measure. One

share in the holy project. Hashem miraculously caused the surplus to be absorbed into the Mishkan and Bigdei Kehuna, so that nothing was left over at the end.

The extra verse is to impress upon us such sensitivity. Those who feel left out of a project, specifically a communal project, can feel lonely, excluded and abandoned. There must be a way to graciously accept the contribution of every single member of a community.

Perhaps Sforno would agree with this idea. On completing the work — having had more than enough to avoid skimping — the craftsmen saw that the materials were exactly enough. There was nothing left over. They saw this as a testament to Hashem’s sensitivity. They knew full well that there had been a surplus. Yet, every participant was able to claim that his donation, no matter how small, was used in the project.

A similar situation arose every year when the shekalim were collected. Every man had to contribute his coin toward the temple service. The entire collection was always far too much

Mazel

making an exact recipe goes to buy ingredients in the amounts she needs. She does not need to buy extra — unless she thinks she might make mistakes. Is it possible that this would have been on the minds of the construction workers of the Mishkan?

Or Hachaim poses more questions, which are not readily answered by Sforno.

• The terms, as mentioned, mean the opposite of each other. Either it was enough, or it was too much!

• The Torah does not usually say, “not only enough, but more than enough,” especially if the two have different meanings. Moreover, if this is what is meant, the Torah just could have said it was more than was needed.

• The entire passuk is superfluous. The Torah just told us two pesukim earlier that the people were bringing too much material. Those tasked with collecting it would not have complained about this until there was a surplus. Why does the Torah devote a full passuk here to the same theme?

to be used for the holiest service. There was a procedure known as Terumas Halishka. The entire collection was housed in a lishka, a chamber in the temple compound. At three junctures during the year, three hampers were scooped out. These coins were designated for the holiest service. The remainder was used for other communal services. There was always some surplus in both the Terumas Halishka, and the remainder, also known as Sheyarei Halishka. These were used for yet other aspects of communal services. An individual could think that his coin would not become part of the holiest service. This was a fallacy. Once the coins were donated to the lishka, the entire collection became consecrated as the donation of the collective Israel. Terumas Halishka represented everyone. It even included coins that were on the way but had not yet arrived.

• We could add: Why were the collectors so worried about a surplus? Could it not be put to some good use — especially if, as Sforno says, they would not wish to be constrained by the exact measures? It certainly looks like there was way too much.

Or Hachaim suggests something beautiful: The Torah demonstrates how much Hashem loves each and every one of the Children of Israel. Indeed, they brought too much material. There would be a surplus. Some donors would be disappointed. They might think that their contribution did not make it into the construction. They could feel that they did not have a

Nonetheless, one prominent family would wait until the procedure of Terumas Halishka and throw their coins right to the person scooping it out. He would push their coins into the scoop. The Talmud asks: What was their point? The coins would all become part of the collective Israel’s donation! The answer: to make the members of this family feel good.

There we have the lesson of the passuk, per Or Hachaim, being put into effect: to make each individual feel good. In this week’s readings, the precision of the materials for the Mishkan and Parshas Shekalim coincide. It must be an opportune moment to learn this lesson. PJC Rabbi Shimon Silver is the spiritual leader of Young Israel of Greater Pittsburgh. This column is a service of the Vaad Harabonim of Greater Pittsburgh.

Obituaries

JOPLING: Dustin George Jopling (Oct. 20, 2021–Feb. 7, 2024). Dustin George Jopling, son of Meredith and Jake Jopling of Dallas, Texas, passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 7, 2024. Dustin was a brave and courageous boy whose time with us was too short but whose impact was immeasurable. Born only 1 pound, 12 ounces, Dustin entered our world fighting, a tiny beacon of light amidst uncertainty.  From the very beginning, he radiated love and exuded joy to all who crossed his path. Despite facing numerous challenges, Dustin embraced life with unparalleled enthusiasm. His love knew no bounds, extending to people, dogs, books and airplanes — each one a source of wonder and delight for him. His beautiful smile had the power to light up even the darkest of rooms. Dustin lived every moment of his too-short life to the fullest, teaching us invaluable lessons about perseverance, courage and the enduring power of love. Though his time with us was brief, the impact he made will echo through the hearts of all who knew him or were touched by his remarkable journey. In Dustin’s 2 years and 4 months on this Earth, he transformed everyone he encountered, leaving behind a legacy of love, joy and inspiration. We take solace in knowing that his spirit will live on in the hearts of all who were privileged enough to share his journey. Dustin’s light will continue to shine brightly in our memories forever reminding us of the beauty and resilience of the human spirit. Dustin is survived by his loving parents as well as his grandparents, Peggy and Mark Jopling (of Mars, Pennsylvania), and Bonnie and Mike Grossfeld. He is also survived by loving aunts and uncles, Zach Jopling, Marc and Ashley Grossfeld, Emily and Brett Luskey, and his cousins Jacob, Jonathan and Sarah Grossfeld, and Caleb, Sydney and Olivia Luskey. The Dustin Jopling Memorial Fund (tinyurl.com/mre7a58j has been created in Dustin’s memory at the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation.

LEVY: Yvette A Levy was the beloved wife of the late Sidney Adelsberg and the late Bernard Levy, the beloved mother of Cindy (Paul) Lucas, Keith (Cindy) Adelsberg, Steven (Donna) Adelsberg, sister of Ruth Kramer and the late Samuel Bales. She had four grandchildren: Aaron Lucas (Deanna Buehrle), Sydnee Lucas (Kiko Velez), Sarah Adelsberg, and Justin Adelsberg, and two great-grandchildren: Margot and Avi Velez. She also had many loved nieces and nephews. Eve passed away on March 2, 2024, surrounded by loved ones. She leaves behind a legacy of love, intelligence, style, and cherished memories. Eve was born on Jan. 22, 1934, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Hyman and Sarah Bales. She was ahead of her time and received a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh (1956). Eve was always in the know. She was sharp, witty, stunning, elegant and a true fashion icon. Pittsburgh was home to her. The stories she had were rich and the friendships she had were deep. She was an avid bridge player, loved going to the movies, never turned down a shopping opportunity and, despite her small frame, could win any eating competition, especially if pizza and thumbprint cookies were involved. Eve loved and was so loved. Her legacy will be carried on through her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who loved their “Gigi” dearly and for the last several years ensured that her picture stayed on clear display in their room. Yvette, Eve, Evie, Y-vette, how lucky are we for the 90 years we had with you. And though that still doesn’t feel like it was enough, your memory will carry on as a blessing. A celebration of Eve’s life took place for close family and friends. Contributions can be made in her honor to the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, 1 N. Linden St. Duquesne, PA 15110, or a charity of your choice. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. www.schugar.com

LOFSTROM: Linda Jacobs Nee Lofstrom, originally from McKeesport, Pennsylvania, age 92, peacefully passed away on March 3, 2024, in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she relocated in 2009 to be near her children and grandchildren. She was the loving wife of the late Jerold E. Jacobs originally from Duquesne, Pennsylvania, beloved mother of Molly (Les) Polasky of Cincinnati, Ohio, John (Maria) Jacobs of Delaware, dear sister of the late Karin Broadhead, loving grandmother of Jerold C. Jacobs, Joseph Polasky, Daniel Polasky and Lilly Jacobs, and adoring “Mimi” to many.  Linda was a lifelong learner and education supporter. She was the first in her family to attend college, became an elementary educator in the East Allegheny, Pennsylvania school district and earned her master’s degree while teaching full time. She converted to Judaism before marrying the love of her life and served as a Temple David Sunday school teacher, director of the Sunday school where she was famous for delivering lessons through her puppet Obidiah Owl. She also served as Sisterhood president and was the first female congregation president. She has been a member of Temple Sholom since relocating to Cincinnati. Graveside services and interment were held at Temple Sinai Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society or an organization supporting public education. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. www.schugar.com PJC

Jewish Association on Aging gratefully acknowledges contributions from the following:

A gift from ... In memory of...

Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pearl Rosenberg

Sherwin E . Glasser . . . . . . . . . Clara Goldhammer

Linda Levine . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bertha Rosenfeld

Susan Melnick . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Julius J Maas

Carole Neiberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frances Lurie

Linda & Jeffrey Reisner & Family . . . . . .Sara Goldstein Davis

Fred Rubin Jacqueline Rubin

Martin, Andrea & Helene Sattler Edward Oring

Sunday March 10: Louis Cohen, Isadore Dektor, Ida Goldberg, Jacob Horewitz, Martha Trachtenberg, Ann Yecies

Monday March 11: Milton Abes, Leonard M Friedman, Dr Edward Kaplan, Joseph Rosenthal

Tuesday March 12: Samuel Barasch, Milton I Freedman, Dorothy Goldstein, Lee Radbord, Bertha Rosenfeld, Pauline Zalevsky

Wednesday March 13: Lewis Amper, Esther Eisenstadt, Maurice Finkelpearl, Lena Friedman, Hyman Gerson, Alice Goodstein, Ilse Halle, Sam Osgood, Rev Samuel Rattner

Thursday March 14: Raymond Friedman, Joseph Goldstein, Emanuel Horewitz, Charles Mervis, Martha Shapira

Friday March 15: Molly D Bloch, Esther Gardner, Harry Levy, Dorothy Schwartz, Max Shapiro

Saturday March 16: Harry J Benjamin, Joseph Canter, David H Goldberg, Rose M Hausman

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Today in Israeli History

March 11, 1911 — Justice Haim

Herman Cohn Is Born

 Israeli soldiers fill a sandbag for use in the fortification of the Bar-Lev Line in 1970.

By Moshe Milner,

Israeli Government Press O ce, CC BY-SA 3.0

March 8, 1969 — War of Attrition Begins Egypt launches a major offensive against Israeli positions on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal, starting the War of Attrition, which lasts until August 1970. Egypt aims to strain Israel’s resolve and economy.

March 9, 1932 — Naharayim Power Plant Opens

Pinhas Rutenberg and the Palestine Electric Co. open a hydroelectric plant at Naharayim, where the Jordan and Yarmouk rivers converge. It supplies much of the electricity in Palestine until Iraqi forces destroy it during the War of Independence.

March 10, 1960 — Ben-Gurion Visits Eisenhower

Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower meet for more than two hours at the White House on a range of issues while American Nazis and Arabs protest outside.

THaim Herman Cohn, who serves on Israel’s Supreme Court for 21 years, is born in Lubeck, Germany. He combines Jewish, Ottoman, Roman and British traditions to create Israel’s legal system in 1948.

March 12, 2004 — Poet Natan Yonatan Dies

Natan Yonatan, one of Israel’s greatest poets, dies at age 80. A native of Kyiv who grew up in Palestine, Yonatan almost immediately gained recognition after he started writing poetry in 1940.

March 13, 1881 — Czar Alexander II Is Assassinated

Czar Alexander II of Russia is assassinated in St. Petersburg. The response to the killing includes a rash of pogroms. His son and successor, Alexander III, enacts new restrictions on Jews and sparks mass emigration.

 The Cordoba Synagogue was the heart of one of the most important Jewish centers in medieval Spain. By JP Puerta, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

March 14, 1473 — Converted Jews Are Massacred in Cordoba

A massacre breaks out in Cordoba, Spain, against the city’s conversos — Jewish converts to Catholicism who were believed to practice Judaism in secret. The violence continues for several days. PJC

the Chronicle Book

he Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle invites you to join the Chronicle Book Club for its April 14 discussion of “Golda Meir: Israel’s Matriarch,” by Deborah Lipstadt. From The Times of Israel: “In this examination of the pioneering Israeli leader, Lipstadt succeeds in painting a visceral portrait of Golda Meir as a gifted orator and blunt negotiator, a pragmatic, single-minded and often inflexible leader who was wholeheartedly devoted to the Zionist mission.”

Your Hosts:

Toby Tabachnick, editor of the Chronicle

David Rullo, Chronicle senior staff writer

How and When: We will meet on Zoom on Sunday, April 14, at noon.

What To Do

Buy: “Golda Meir: Israel’s Matriarch.” It is available at area Barnes & Noble stores and from online retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It also has limited availability in the Carnegie Library system.

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. Registration closes on April 12.

Happy reading! PJC

— Toby Tabachnick

Bhavini Patel is the best choice to represent Pennsylvania’s 12th district in the U.S. Congress.

The upcoming primary election is of utmost importance to our Jewish community, which has faced enormous challenges over the last four months. We need a representative in Congress who hears our voices, understands our pain, and stands up for our community.

Bhavini has shown that she is the Congressional representative our district needs at this critical moment.

She has exemplified what it means to do gemilut hasadim, or acts of loving-kindness. She has stood shoulder to shoulder with us in our darkest hours, as we grieved recent events in Israel and in our own neighborhoods. She has come to our community vigils, talking with us and listening to the complex challenges we face.

Bhavini also personifies the Jewish and democratic values of kehilah (community), kavana (intention) and ometz lev (courage) by showing that she will unequivocally condemn antisemitism in any form and that she will support our President in ensuring that Israel can defend itself.

Bhavini understands that having a strong and secure ally in Israel is critical to achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.

And, as a second-generation American, raised by a single, immigrant mother from India, Bhavini has a unique sense of compassion for and understanding of the challenges working families face. Please join us in voting for Bhavini Patel in the Democratic primary on April 23*.

ENDORSERS

David and Meryl Ainsman

Rachel and Steven Albert

Peter and Deborah Alpert

Leslie and Michael Aronson

Bita Azhdam and Adam Perer

Lauren Baldel and Geoff Camp

Karen and Marshall Balk

Rabbi Judith Bardack

Danny and Neila Bendas

Sheri and David Berk

Ed and Rose Berman

Carin Blazer

Gidon and Dana Blitstein

Bev and Zack Block

Elana Bloom

Nina Butler

Debbie Cohen

Sari Cohen and Adam Pollak

Stacy and Dan Cohen

Dr. Robert and Elana Davis

Laura and Elliot Dinkin

Rachael Dizard

David and Allie Droz

Amy and Gary Dubin

Mitchell Dubin

Andrea Ehrenreich and Mike Regan

David Ehrenwerth

Sandy and Linda Ehrenreich

Rebecca Elhassid

Bryna Siegel Finer

Rodney Fink

Debby and Nate Firestone

Rachel Firestone and Jason Binder

Michael and Molly Fisher

Craig and Susie Frischman

Esther Gal-Or and Mordechai Gal-Or

Jeffrey Garrett

Ari and Rachel Goldberg

Lauren and David Goldberg

Andrea Goldschmidt

Dr. Heather Goldstein and David Chudnow

Dr. Brian and Michelle Goldwasser

Alan and Linda Gordon

Donna and Murray Gordon

Ilana Gritzewsky

Carol Sikov Gross

Meira Gumerman

Ronna Harris and Dan Askin

David Held

Tammy Hepps

Ehud Hershkovich

George Heym and Margolit Rosenkranz

Benji Himmel

Dana and Alan Himmel

Stuart G. Hoffman

Mark and Rhonda Horvitz

Jay and Yael Idler

Dr. Marc Itskowitz

David Jacobson

Gilit James

Linda and James Joshowitz

Judith Kadosh

Bud and Jane Kahan

David and Barbara Kalla

Janet and Michael Kamon

Leah Kamon

Manny and Judi Kanal

Karen Kantz

Stu and Laura Kaplan

Ellen and Bob Katzen

Rona Kaufman

Jeremy Kazzaz

Dr. Michael and Atara Kentor

Miles and Cheryl Kirshner

David Knoll and Rebecca Kentor

Gerald Kobell and Judy Kobell

Daniel and Gayle Kraut

Stan and Lynette Lederman

Jeffrey and Roberta Letwin

Mitchell and Rhonda Letwin

Sarah Levin and Ian Fishman

Abby Lipsitz

Aviva and Noah Lubowsky

Marjorie Manne

Bernard and Marsha Marcus

Jonathan D. Marcus

Dr. Yossi and Etti Martel

Rabbi Dani and Dori Meisels

Bernice and Jack Meyers

Michael (Mordechai) and Tova Milch

Philip and Leah Milch

Jaclyn Moldovan

Sara and Burton Morris

Moshe Nadoff

Dr. Elan and Lauren Norpavoor

Gregg Perelman

Gabriel and Hayley Perlow

Judy and Chuck Perlow

Chaya and Dr. Dean Pollack

Jeff Pollock

Charles Porter and Hilary Tyson

Andrea and Mike Regan

Todd Reidbord

Barbara Rosenstein

Kate Rothstein

Bill and Lieba Rudolph

Izzy and Devorah Rudolph

Jim and Louisa Rudolph

Charles and Sharon Saul

Ilana and Dan Schwarcz

Steve and Sharon Schwartz

Carolyn and Frank Schwarz

Haliel and Steven Selig

Dan and Barbara Shapira

David and Cindy Shapira

Josh Shapira

Danny and Shayna Shaw

Eitan Shelef

Julie and Bob Silverman

Jo and Arnie Sohinki

Marcia and Mel Solomon

David and Carol Steinbach

Steve Steingart

Chaim and Lindsey Strassman

Connie and Peter Sukernek

Steven H. Swerdlow

Carol Lynn Tabas

Michael and Yana Warshafsky

Jonathan Weinkle and Vita Nemirovsky

Drs. Miriam and Michael Weiss

Maggie Whelan and Drew Finer

Natalie and Brian Valen

Helene Wishnev

Selma Witchel

Holding court

Rosh Chodesh Society

Local politicians and community members gathered on the corner of Darlington Road and Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill to demand the release of an estimated 134 hostages held by Hamas. The March 3 demonstration marked 149 days since the hostages were violently abducted by Hamas terrorists.

p during the March 3 event.

p

Photos by Jonathan Dvir

Macher and Shaker

Lenny Silberman was appointed to the executive board of directors of the International Jewishnizing Jewish athletes globally for their exceptional achievements in sports and their significant

p his parents.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Exler

Kindergarten through fifth graders brought their creativity to the table during Rodef Shalom p

Photo courtesy of Rodef Shalom Congregation

Dr. Eric Anish was honored by Duquesne University for 20 years of service to its athletics programs. The ceremony was held moments before the Duke’s Feb. 28 men’s basketball game against La Salle.

p player Ethan Anish (“Jewish Mamba”), left; Duquesne University President Ken Gormley, second from right; and Duquesne Associate AD for Sports Medicine and Performance John Henderson, right.

Photo by Adam Reinherz

Jewish students celebrated the start of a new Hebrew month by joining Rosh Chodesh Society at Chabad at Pitt. The festive get-together featured waffles, fruit, bagels and lox.

Photo courtesy of Chabad House on Campus