Gardens held special meaning in the life of Marga Silbermann Randall.
After the Nazis had taken everything from her family, she would visit gardens near her small town in Germany with her grandfather, she recounted in a 2004 interview with Doug Oster for WQED’s OnQ Magazine.
The shadow of the Holocaust hung heavy over Randall’s early years.
After enduring Kristallnacht, her family went into hiding in Berlin. One day, her father received a phone call that the Nazis were coming to arrest him. The patriarch hung up the phone, had a heart attack and died.
One of the last families to leave Germany in 1941, Randall, her mother and sister escaped first to Paris, then Spain and Portugal before arriving in New York and eventually settling in Pittsburgh.
Randall moved to the South Hills after first living in Squirrel Hill. She married Jordan Randall, raised a family and became a member of Temple Emanuel of South Hills.
A 1981 trip to Germany inspired her to devote her life to Holocaust education. She spoke in Europe and locally about her experiences. She was honored by Seton Hill
University for her work in Jewish/ Christian interfaith relations.
The gardens she visited with her grandfather, though, were never far from her mind. When Temple Emanuel began a renovation in 2003 that included a courtyard, she saw an opportunity to create a living memorial to the Shoah.
What Randall established in 2004 was more than a simple flower and plant bed that people passed on their way into the building. Included among the various flora are two benches, one inscribed with the word “Remember” in English, the other with “Zakhor” in Hebrew.
Between the two benches is a plaque designating the place where ashes collected by Randall from Auschwitz-Birkenau are buried.
Another large stone is etched with a Star of David and the names of the large concentration and death camps that existed during World War II.
Randall died in 2005, a year after the Holocaust Memorial Garden was started at the synagogue.
On Sept. 6, in the hours approaching Shabbat, members of Temple Emanuel, along with Randall’s family, commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Holocaust Memorial Garden.
Duquesne law professor works
By David Rullo | Senior Sta Writer
Rona Kaufman wanted to counter the misinformation that has been dominating university campuses even before Oct. 7
Kaufman is an associate professor at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law at Duquesne University, where she teaches constitutional law, employment discrimination, family law, gender and the law and children and the law.
She said that she was aware of a wave of antisemitism and anti-Zionism spreading across academia, which, at the time, wasn’t seen in the student population but was growing among academics and professors.
Last year, she started to shift some of her attention to combating the problem. She had already submitted two proposals to conferences to talk about anti-Zionism in academia before Oct. 7.
When Hamas broke a cease-fire and attacked Israel on Oct. 7, Kaufman wasn’t sure those presentations would still be necessary.
“I thought that what happened on Oct. 7, I thought anyone that watched what happened, would see with such clarity that hatred of Israel is hatred of Jews and that these are one and the same and that these presentations I was planning would be superfluous and there would be no need for them,” she said.
Lenda volorei ciendi non re nus
Courtesy of Pixabay
Rona Kaufman is producing videos that she hopes will help reclaim the history and importance of Zionism as part of Jewish identity. Screenshot by David Rullo
Lynn Ruben and Marga Randall’s son Bob stand in Temple Emanuel of South Hills Holocaust Memorial Garden.
Photo by David Rullo
Headlines
Shinshinim arrive in Pittsburgh eager to serve community
By Adam Reinherz | Senior Sta Writer
Two Israeli teens are in Pittsburgh for a year of teaching, learning and growing. The Shinshinim — Shanny and Almog, whose last names are withheld due to security concerns — told the Chronicle that although they arrived in Squirrel Hill just days ago, they’re eager to begin working with local organizations and youth groups.
“I want to impact people’s lives in a good way,” Shanny said.
The word Shinshinim is an amalgam of shnat sherut (year of service).
Shanny framed her upcoming year as one of “shlichut” (emissary work) and credited those who previously undertook similar efforts in Pittsburgh and elsewhere.
“I feel really grateful for all of the many people who have already gone to shlichut or are doing their shlichut right now. I’m grateful for these people because what they did shaped my life,” she said.
the year working with local organizations and youth groups.
on it,” Almog said. “It’s a direct order from our security.”
said with a laugh.
As for theater, Almog said she loves dancing, directing and “everything that has to do with being on stage.”
She also loves meeting new people.
Casey Weiss, Community Day School’s head of school, praised Shanny and Almog and said the two will “infuse our community with a deep understanding and appreciation for Israeli culture.”
CDS plans on employing the teens’ talents through “experiential learning involving cooking, art, baking, singing and dance,” Weiss said. “These fabulous young women will further a love of Israel among our students and staff. We are honored to host them and learn from them.”
The Shinshinim can’t wait to begin that learning process.
“We want to reach as many people in the community as we can,” Almog said.
“We want to be a source of strength to the community,” Shanny said. “Also, when we go back to Israel we want to bring the Jewish life in Pittsburgh to Israel and be a living bridge between them.”
“Sitting on the plane, on the way here, it hit me,” Almog said. After a year of preparation, “you get to the point where you’re actually doing it and it’s very exciting.”
Shanny and Almog, both 18, are the newest members of the Shinshinim program. Operated by the Jewish Agency for Israel — and in local partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh — the program enables high school graduates to spend a year serving Jewish communities worldwide. Last year, Pittsburgh’s four Shinshinim worked at Community Day School, taught at religious schools and participated in public programs.
Moran Tuti, Federation’s Shinshinim coordinator, said Shanny and Almog will spend
As a lead-up to their Pittsburgh adventure, Shanny and Almog said they spoke with last year’s Shinshinim and heard about this “amazing” community and the relationships built.
“I feel really proud to be a part of this journey of the Jewish people,” Shanny said.
The program has taken on new meaning post-Oct. 7.
“Especially this year, I think it’s very important for Jewish people all over the world to be united,” Almog said.
Creating connections isn’t as easy as it once was, though. The Jewish Agency advised the Shinshinim to avoid college campuses and Chabad houses, Shanny and Almog said.
“We also can’t wear anything with Hebrew
The new instructions aren’t “to annoy us,” Shanny said. “It’s for our safety, so we understand it.”
In spaces they’re permitted to operate, Shanny and Almog will create meaningful connections, Tuti said.
The young women have wide-ranging interests.
Shanny studied chemistry and biology in high school and enjoys hiking and traveling. She’s visited Nepal twice with her family and trekked all 636 miles of the Israel National Trail. She enjoys dance, competitive gymnastics, singing, wall climbing and painting.
“I have a lot of hobbies,” Shanny said. Almog studied theater and chemistry.
“I like chemistry, but it’s not very interesting to talk about with people,” she
SUBSCRIPTIONS
subscriptions@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
412-687-1000, ext. 2
TO ADVERTISE advertising@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 412-687-1000, ext. 1
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Email: newsdesk@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Evan H. Stein, Board Chair
Derek Smith, Treasurer
Gayle R. Kraut, Secretary
Evan Indianer, Immediate Past Chair
Gail Childs, Dan Droz, Malke Steinfeld Frank, Seth Glick, Tammy Hepps, Judith Kanal, Cátia Kossovsky, Charles Saul
GENERAL COUNSEL
Stuart R. Kaplan, Esq.
Jim Busis, CEO and Publisher 412-228-4690 jbusis@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
Given all that transpired during the past year, “I feel like a lot of people here are having a hard time hearing what’s going on in Israel,” Almog said. “I want them to know that they can always come to us and talk to us about it. We experienced it in Israel and we want people to know that people are living in Israel. They’re not just depressed, or staying home or not living their life. We want people to understand that even with everything that’s going on, people in Israel feel strong, they still want peace and still believe in life.”
There’s also something else people should know, Shanny added.
“We are friendly,” she said. “People can come up to us and talk to us.” PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
Published every Friday by the Pittsburgh Jewish Publication and Education Foundation 5915 Beacon St., 5th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Phone: 412-687-1000
POSTMASTER: Send address change to PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE, 5915 BEACON ST., 5TH FLOOR PITTSBURGH, PA 15217
(PERIODICAL RATE POSTAGE PAID AT PITTSBURGH, PA, AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES) USPS 582-740
Manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs sent to the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle become the property of this publication, which is not responsible for the return or loss of such items.
The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle does not endorse the goods or services advertised or covered in its pages and makes no representation to the kashrut of food products and services in said advertising
the advertiser will indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle from all claims made by governmental agencies and consumers for any reason based on ads appearing in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle
Shanny and Almog are joined by Federation’s Shinshinim Coordinator Moran Tuti, center.
Photo by Adam Reinherz
Headlines
Pennsylvania expands its impact
By David Rullo | Senior Sta Writer
Doug Mastriano helped reshape Pennsylvania’s political landscape — but not in the way he intended.
Take the case of Sue Berman Kress, for example, who credits the 2022 governor’s race between Republican Mastriano and Democrat Josh Shapiro for her involvement with Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania. “I felt that Doug Mastriano was such a danger, such a threat, that I wanted to be active and do something,” she said.
At the time, Mastriano, who was and continues to serve as a state senator, had aligned himself with Christian nationalism and was running ads on Gab, a social media platform known as a haven for white nationalism, antisemitism and other extremist content. He eventually left Gab, but before he did, new accounts to the site automatically followed Mastriano’s campaign.
During the governor’s race, Mastriano’s wife, who is not Jewish, sparked controversy with the comment, “In fact I’m going to say we probably love Israel more than a lot of Jews do.”
Berman Kress helped organize Jewish voters to support an ad campaign that targeted Mastriano and partnered with the DJOP. The ads were titled “Vote like religious freedom depends on it.”
“We needed a place to have the donations run through and DJOP was a really great landing spot for that,” she explained.
A short time later, Berman Kress and fellow Pittsburgher Marla Warner were asked to join DJOP’s board.
“I think they’re a really solid organization with good values,” Berman Kress said.
Started in 2008 in Philadelphia by Jill Zipin, her husband Howard Zipin and other concerned Jewish citizens, DJOP quickly became a statewide organization.
The political action committee uses its voice to speak about Jewish principles it would like to see more strongly represented in national government, the DJOP’s website says. It has supported a
woman’s right to choose, freedom from gun violence, a clean green environment, affordable health care and education, as well as a strong and secure Israel.
The PAC hosts speaker events and opportunities to meet candidates in small gatherings as fundraisers, and it offers educational programs that are free and open to everyone, mostly on Zoom.
One August Zoom event was titled “Project 2025: Everything You Need to Know.” Another focused on judicial elections.
Berman Kress said that DJOP also has become a resource for Democrats who hold office.
“They’ll call us and say, ‘What is your community thinking about such and such? How are you feeling about this?’ In terms of the vandalism that happened in the fall, they might call us and say, ‘What do you need?’ or ‘How is your community responding?’” she said.
DJOP also has experts available to talk to politicians about Israel.
“We might get a call from someone saying, ‘Tell me about the West Bank. What’s with the settlements in the West Bank?’ and we can educate them as candidates,” Berman Kress said.
For fellow DJOP board member Marla Werner, the threat of Mastriano becoming governor also was a motivating factor.
“It called for a new moment of getting involved, that we could no longer sit on the sidelines and wring our hands,” she said. “We had to actually jump in and get involved.”
Werner first got involved with the DJOP while helping organize the ad campaign against Mastriano.
“It was a great connection,” she said. “We knew immediately that the work they were doing was fantastic and the kind of work we wanted to be doing more long term than just one election cycle.”
Werner pointed to the relationships created by the organization’s members with local politicians and elected leaders as an important part of the DJOP’s work.
After Oct. 7, she said, U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio reached out to Werner to see if she had any family members affected by the Hamas terror attack in Israel, and to
see Outreach, page 15
Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania board members Marla Warner (center left) and Sue Berman Kress (center right) stand with Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis (left) and Gov. Josh Shapiro (right).
Photo courtesy of Sue Berman Kress
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.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 14
Join Tree of Life Congregation for Torah Studio, featuring David Zubik, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. 9:45 a.m. Rodef Shalom Congregation, Levy Hall, 4905 Fifth Ave. treeoflifepgh.org.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 15
Join the Brotherhoods of Temple Sinai and Rodef Shalom Congregation for a Brunch & Panel Discussion with state Sen. Jay Costa and state Rep. Dan Frankel, who will share their thoughts on how we can participate in the democratic process most e ectively during election years and in o -years. 10 a.m. Temple Sinai, 5505 Forbes Ave. Pre-registration: $18 per person (by Wednesday, Sept. 11); $22 per person at the door. templesinaipgh.org/ programs-events.
Join Chabad of Squirrel Hill for a Women’s Mini Retreat. Enjoy a day of workshops, crafts and words of inspiration to help prepare for the High Holidays. 11 a.m. 1700 Beechwood Blvd. $54. chabadpgh. com/retreat.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 15
Join the Jewish community for a “Bring Them Home Vigil” in support of the hostages still being held by Hamas. The vigil will start with calling the names of the IDF soldiers who were killed in the last week, followed by one minute of silence. Noon. Corner of Murray Avenue and Darlington Road.
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.
MONDAY, SEPT. 16
Empowered Citizenship: Understanding Hate Speech and Crime, a community safety forum led by the U.S. Attorney’s O ce, local and federal law enforcement, Jewish Federation community safety, and a University of Pittsburgh law professor, will help community members recognize their rights, responsibilities and best practices, while providing a more informed perspective on hate crimes and hate speech prosecution. 5:30 p.m. Jewish Community Center Levinson Hall B. Register at 1027healingpartnership.org/empoweredcitizenship.
MONDAYS, SEPT. 16, 30
Join Rodef Shalom Congregation for Wise Aging: High Holy Days. Consider and discuss “Asking for
and Granting Forgiveness: How the Conversation Changes as We Grow Older.” This experience is designed for Jewish adults 55 and older. $18. 7 p.m. rodefshalom.org/wiseaging.
MONDAYS, SEPT. 16–DEC. 30
Join Congregation Beth Shalom for a weekly Talmud study. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org.
Join Temple Sinai for an evening of mahjong every Monday (except holidays). Whether you are just starting out or have years of experience, you are sure to enjoy the camaraderie and good times as you make new friends or cherish moments with longtime pals. All are welcome. Winners will be awarded Giant Eagle gift cards. All players should have their own 2024 mahjong cards. Contact Susan Cohen at susan_k_cohen@yahoo.com if you have questions. $5. templesinaipgh.org.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 18
Chabad of Monroeville invites you to spend an hour playing mahjong and other games. Play, shmooze, learn a word of the Torah, say a prayer for Israel and nosh on some yummy treats. Free. 7 p.m. RSVP is required: SusanEBurgess@gmail.com, or text or call 412-295-1838. 2715 Mosside Blvd. jewishmonroeville.com/mahjong.
The Squirrel Hill AARP will welcome Athletico Pivot’s chief medical/physical therapist Sarah Jones to its September meeting. Jones will discuss how seniors can safely improve their balance. Refreshments will be served. 1 p.m. Rodef Shalom Congregation, Falk Library, 4905 Fifth Ave.
WEDNESDAYS, SEPT. 18–DEC. 18
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.
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.
WEDNESDAYS, SEPT. 18; OCT. 16; NOV. 20; DEC. 18
Join AgeWell for the Intergenerational Family Dynamics Discussion Group at JCC South Hills the third Wednesday of each month. Led by intergenerational specialist 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 will be thought-provoking, with tools to help build strong relationships and family unity. Free. 12:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 19
Join Chabad of Squirrel Hill for a Women’s Farbrengen, an evening of Chassidic songs and stories on the topic of “Stepping into the Light.” Enjoy
Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle Poetry Contest
Our readers are invited to submit poems to the Chronicle’s Poetry Contest. Winning entries will be published in our Oct. 4 issue. The theme is “One year since Oct. 7.”
Three winners will each receive a $54 gift card to Pinsker’s Books and Judaica, supplied by an anonymous donor. All submissions must be received no later than Sept. 20.
hot drinks and desserts. 7 p.m. 1700 Beechwood Blvd. $10 suggested donation. chabadpgh.com/farbrengen.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 20
Join Rodef Shalom Congregation Cantor Toby Glaser for an abridged 20s-40s Kabbalat Shabbat service. Get to know other Pittsburgh young Jewish professionals and close out the week with wine, a nosh and great company. Registration required. Free. 7 p.m. rodefshalom.org.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 21
Join Temple Sinai for Jewish Caroling: The Music of Carole King, Carole Bayer Sager and Carolyn Leigh, with Rabbi Deborah Zecher. Free and open to the public. Reservations and donations appreciated. 7 p.m. 5505 Forbes Ave. templesinaipgh.org/ programs-events.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24
Join Chabad of the South Hills to hear Moria Azulay and Or Barak present Faith and Resilience: Israel after October 7. Moria served as a combat soldier in the Jordan Lions Battalion and is a social media content creator, who has been creating content for Israel advocacy organizations. Or served as combat support in the Gaza divisions. He is a photographer and is a producer of music videos and films. 7 p.m. $18 suggested donation. Address given upon registration. chabadsh.com/Israel.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 26
The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh is pleased to welcome Alex Kor and Graham Honaker for A Blessing, Not a Burden: The Story of Two Holocaust Survivors, Eva and Mickey K 6 p.m. Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Ave. eventbrite.com/e/995324782217?a =oddtdtcreator.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
Join Temple Sinai and Rodef Shalom Congregation for guest speaker Rabbi Michael Zedek, dessert, reception and service with Rabbi Daniel Fellman, Cantor David Reinwald, Rabbi Sharyn Henry, Cantor Toby Glaser and the Temple Sinai and Rodef Shalom combined choirs. 7:30 p.m. Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Ave.
Everyone is invited to Temple Ohav Shalom for a Selichot Sound Bath. Prepare for the Jewish New Year with havdalah and a meditative soundscape featuring singing bowls and other healing instruments. To relax on the floor, bring your own mat, blanket and comfort items. Chairs and a limited number of mats will be provided. RSVP required. 8 p.m. 8400 Thompson Run Road, 15101. forms. gle/1ezybsvudP8dmjp26.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 29
Bring your family for a pre-high holiday challah bake, complete with crafts, storytelling and a shofarmaking workshop. 1 p.m. $10/child. Chabad of Squirrel Hill, 1700 Beechwood Blvd. chabadpgh.com/ kidscooking.
Join Rodef Shalom Congregation for “Taking Miracles Seriously: A Journey to Everyday Spirituality,” the 2024 Ruth and Bernard Levaur Contemporary Lecture with guest speaker Rabbi Michael Zedek. This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and reservations are encouraged. Reception to follow. 7 p.m. 4905 Fifth Ave. rodefshalom.org/levaur.
Join the Jewish community for a “Bring Them Home Vigil” in support of the hostages still being held by Hamas. The vigil will start with calling the names of the IDF soldiers who were killed in the last week followed by one minute of silence. Noon. Corner of Murray Ave. and Darlington Road.
MONDAY, OCT. 7
Join the Jewish community to mark the first anniversary of Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel. Gather in front of the JCC to commemorate the lives lost, people injured and hostages taken. No registration necessary. Free and open to the community. 6:30 p.m. JCC Squirrel Hill, 5723 Darlington Road. jewishpgh.org/event/ october-7-commemoration.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 9
Join the Squirrel Hill AARP for a lunch brunch. Noon. Ritters Dinner. RSVP to Gerri Linder before Oct. 3 at (412)421-5868. PJC
Join the Chronicle Book Club!
The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle invites you to join the Chronicle Book Club for its Sept. 22 discussion of “The Singer Sisters,” by Sarah Seltzer. From the Jewish Book Council: “Journalist and cultural critic Sarah Seltzer has written a remarkable debut novel that taps into her deep well of knowledge about feminism and rock history. 'The Singer Sisters' is about two generations of a folk-rock dynasty and the sacrifices these female artists must make in the pursuit of their dreams."
What to do
Buy: “The Singer Sisters.” It is available at some area Barnes and Noble stores and from online retailers, including Amazon. It is also available through the Carnegie Library system.
Email: Contact us at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org, and write “Chronicle Book Club” in the subject line. We will send you a Zoom link for the discussion meeting. Happy reading! PJC
— Toby Tabachnick
Guidelines: Poems must be submitted to newsdesk@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. Please type “Poetry Contest” in the subject line. The poem must be in a Microsoft Word file. No PDFs or handwritten entries will be accepted.
• One submission per author.
• Must include the author’s name, address, phone number and email address.
• Poem should reflect the theme of “One year since Oct. 7.”
• Unpublished poems only. PJC
“The chief protagonists, though ‘antagonists’ might be a better word, are 1960s folk legend Judie ... and her nineties-era, black nail polish–wearing, alt-rock daughter, Emma. This ingenious story weaves in fascinating subplots about other members of their talented clan as it explores the conflict between being a mother and writing great songs.”
The author may join us for the meeting.
Your hosts
Toby Tabachnick, editor of the Chronicle
David Rullo, Chronicle senior staff writer
How it works
We will meet on Zoom on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 1 p.m.
Headlines
On X, Tucker Carlson hosts ‘historian’ who says the Nazis didn’t mean for the Holocaust to happen
Right-wing pundit Tucker Carlson used a recent episode of his online talk show to interview a self-proclaimed “historian” who promoted falsehoods about the Holocaust, according to JTA.
The episode of Carlson’s eponymous show on the social network X earned plaudits from the site’s billionaire owner, Elon Musk, who wrote in a since-deleted post that it was “Very interesting. Worth watching.”
In the interview, Darryl Cooper, author of a Substack with around 112,000 subscribers, told Carlson that the Nazis were simply in over their heads.
“In 1941, they launched a war where they were completely unprepared to deal with the millions and millions of prisoners of war, of local political prisoners,” he said during the 138-minute conversation. Cooper then suggested that the murder of millions in the camps was an unintended consequence of Hitler’s unpreparedness for war, contradicting documented historical fact that it was the explicit goal of the Nazi regime’s Final Solution and carried out through a vast system of mass murder that included extermination camps, gas chambers, military units dedicated to mass executions and firing squads.
“They went in with no plan for that and
they just threw these people into camps. And millions of people ended up dead there,” Cooper told Carlson on the episode, which was posted on Monday. It was part of a larger argument Cooper made that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, rather than Hitler, was the “chief villain” of World War II because “he was primarily responsible for that war becoming what it did, becoming something other than an invasion of Poland.”
Meta panel rules that ‘from the river to the sea’ is not inherently antisemitic
Pro-Israel groups decried a ruling by Meta’s independent oversight body last week that social media posts containing the phrase “from the river to the sea,” a longstanding Palestinian rallying cry, shouldn’t be automatically removed, JTA.org reported.
The Oversight Board, a Meta-funded panel made of experts and lawyers overseeing content moderation for Facebook and Instagram, ruled the phrase can continue to be used as an expression of solidarity with Palestinians as long as it’s not accompanied by calls for violence, praise for dangerous organizations or what company policy considers hate speech.
In its ruling, the board said that because the phrase can have multiple meanings, the context in which it is used must be considered.
“While it can be used by some to encourage and legitimize antisemitism and the violent elimination of Israel and its people, it is also used as a political call for
Today in Israeli History
Sept. 16, 1949 — Israel joins UNESCO
solidarity, equal rights and self-determination of the Palestinian people, and to end the war in Gaza,” the board said.
The slogan is a reference to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea encompassing the State of Israel and the Palestinian territories. It has proven popular in pro-Palestinian messaging both online and at in-person demonstrations. In the six months following the war’s outbreak, Facebook saw a 50-fold increase in the use of the phrase, according to the Oversight Board.
Portland, Maine, city council unanimously votes to divest from companies that do business with Israel
The city council of Portland, Maine, voted unanimously last week to divest from companies that do business with Israel, becoming the fourth U.S. city to pass such a measure since the outbreak of the IsraelHamas war on Oct. 7, according to JTA.
The resolution, passed after a raucous public comment session in which supporters outnumbered opponents, calls to “divest the City of Portland from all entities complicit in the current and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and occupation of Palestine.”
The Portland legislation included a list of dozens of companies from which the city will divest after the law is enacted. Mayor Mark Dion indicated that he will sign it.
“I try to align what I believe and try to figure out what is right and just. And I’m going to vote to support this,” Dion, a former
sheriff who is also a voting member of the council, said following public comment.
He added that while he understood Israel’s “desire for retribution,” he believes that “our role collectively is to grab their shoulder and say, ‘It’s enough. It’s simply enough.’ And pull them away. And that’s sometimes the greatest act of friendship you can do for someone you hold dear, as I hold my friends in the Jewish community.”
Munich police kill man who brandished gun near Israeli Consulate and 1972 Olympics massacre commemoration
Police in Munich say they thwarted a potential attack on Jewish targets last week after they shot and killed a man who had a gun near the Israeli Consulate and a museum that documents World War II history, JTA.org reported.
The man appeared to have been carrying a long-barreled firearm and shot at police officers, who returned fire, according to Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann. There were no other injuries.
Police have not offered details on the suspect. But some German media outlets were reporting that he was an Austrian teenager whom police had previously investigated for alleged ties to Islamic extremism.
Germany’s public broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, verified videos shared online that show a younger male carrying a rifle fitted with a bayonet before the shootout. PJC
Compiled by Jarrad Saffren
Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.
Sept. 13, 1993 — PLO, Israel sign
Oslo Accords
President Bill Clinton holds a White House signing ceremony for the Oslo Accords between the Israelis and Palestinians. Israel’s Yitzhak Rabin and the PLO’s Yasser Arafat famously shake hands.
Sept. 14, 2014 — Ex-Justice Abdel Rahman Zuabi dies
Abdel Rahman Zuabi dies at 82. A judge on the Nazareth District Court for 20 years, he becomes the first Arab justice on Israel’s Supreme Court when he fills a nine-month vacancy in 1999.
Sept. 15, 2009 — Goldstone presents Gaza war report
Judge Richard Goldstone presents his U.N.-sponsored report criticizing the actions of Israel and Hamas in the 2008-09 Gaza war. In April 2011 he acknowledges flawed methods and recants suggestions that Israel intentionally killed civilians.
Israel joins the Paris-based U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Israel quits UNESCO in 2018 after repeated accusations back and forth regarding abuses and denials of history.
Sept. 17, 1978 — Egypt, Israel sign Camp David Accords
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin sign the Camp David Accords, brokered over 13 days by President Jimmy Carter. The accords lead to the March 1979 peace treaty.
Sept. 18, 1918 — Swimmer Judith Deutsch is born
Champion swimmer Judith Deutsch is born in Vienna, Austria. She joins fellow Austrian swimmers Ruth Langer and Lucie Goldner in refusing to go to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and later makes aliyah.
Sept. 19, 2014 — Filmmaker Avraham Heffner dies Filmmaker Avraham Heffner dies at 79 in Tel Aviv. He made his acting debut in 1964’s “Hole in the Moon.” He wrote and directed “But Where Is Daniel Wax?” — considered Israel’s greatest movie by some scholars. PJC
— WORLD —
Headlines
Film and Sept. 17 discussion to broaden awareness of caregiving
By Adam Reinherz | Senior Sta Writer
Parenting isn’t easy. Caregiving is even harder. An upcoming screening and discussion is hoping to ease burdens by raising awareness and effectuating policy change.
On Sept. 17, the Family Forum — a group led by The Branch, in partnership with the Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh and Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh — is hosting a free in-person 7 p.m. screening at the Squirrel Hill JCC of “Unseen: How We’re Failing Parent Caregivers & Why It Matters.” Released in 2022, the 53-minute documentary details the challenges faced by parent caregivers of children with disabilities.
Alison Karabin, The Branch’s community and partnerships director, hopes the upcoming event will raise awareness of the inordinate pressures faced by caregivers.
“They are living it day-to-day,” Karabin said. “They should be seen.”
“People don’t often know what it means to be a full-time caregiver, which leads to a lot of others in the community just really not understanding the issues,” Amanda Dyer, the film’s co-director and producer, said by
phone from Nashville. “Caregiving takes place behind the scenes, a lot of times at home, behind closed doors.”
The documentary masterfully captures caregivers’ exhaustion, joy and silent undertakings.
Screening the film is an opportunity for people to observe these realities, “build compassion around this issue and come together to find ways to support the caregivers in our community,” Dyer said.
Approximately 16.8 million people in the U.S. care for special needs children under 18 years old, according to Caregiver Action Network.
Those efforts take an astounding physical, emotional and economic toll. National Survey of Children’s Health found that only 44% of mothers and 52% of fathers who care for kids with special needs report being in excellent or very good physical and mental health — among caregivers of children without special health care needs, 63% of mothers and 67% of fathers report being in excellent or very good physical and mental health.
While caregiving can lead to the deterioration of a parent’s physical and mental health, there’s also the financial burden.
Nearly 16% of respondents indicated difficulties paying for a child’s medical expenses — among parents whose children do not have special health care needs the
figure was 7%.
“Unseen” shares the stories of several caregivers who face near 24/7 tasks. Interviewees describe sleeplessness, physical attacks and isolation all stemming from caregiving.
Karabin said parent caregivers will understand the challenges presented on screen. She hopes community members come to the JCC on Sept. 17, watch the movie and learn how to help others.
Parents who care for children with disabilities often experience demands that will last a lifetime.
These caregivers “don’t want pity, they want understanding,” Karabin said. “The system is fundamentally broken, but there are ways for communities to step up.”
Karabin pointed to efforts from “individual synagogues and groups” but said she would “love to see a conversation across the entire Jewish community.”
The Sept. 17 program is a start.
Registration is available at https://rb.gy/ epbf9v. PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
“Unseen: How We’re Failing Parent Caregivers & Why It Matters” Courtesy of “Unseen: How We’re Failing Parent Caregivers & Why It Matters”
Headlines
Bnai Emunoh Chabad welcomes Mendel and Chana Friedman to
Mendel Friedman, though, has deep roots
The oldest of 12 children, the rabbi can trace back his Pittsburgh lineage on his mother’s side five generations. His great-great-grandfather, Rabbi Sholom Posner, immigrated from Russia to Pittsburgh in 1943 to open the city’s first Jewish day school, which evolved into Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh.
His father became rabbi at Bnai Emunoh
when the younger Friedman was just 11. He remembered early services there, where the age of those worshipping skewed a little older.
“Now, it’s still thriving, but it’s a lot of new people,” Mendel Friedman said. “There are a whole new generation of Greenfielders coming here.”
After attending Yeshiva Schools in Squirrel Hill, Mendel Friedman studied at
By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle
Bnai Emunoh Chabad recently welcomed a new, but familiar, face to its leadership ranks.
About 11 years after celebrating his bar mitzvah at the Greenfield shul, Rabbi Mendel Friedman has returned to his native Pittsburgh to take both religious and administrative leadership roles there.
On Sept. 1, Friedman started serving as assistant rabbi and director of operations of Bnai Emunoh Chabad. He also will work as director of the congregation’s Camp Gan Israel program.
Chana Friedman, the rabbi’s wife, is serving as the shul’s program director and has started teaching Judaics to eighth graders at Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh. She previously taught at SKA Girls High School and HAFTR Elementary School in New York.
Mendel Friedman’s father, Elchonon Friedman, continues to serve as Bnai Emunoh’s senior rabbi.
“It’s new and exciting — there are a lot of new opportunities,” Mendel Friedman said.
Yitzy Idell, Bnai Emunoh’s president, feels the young rabbi — Mendel Friedman is 24, his wife is 22 – will help attract more young
families to the shul. More than a dozen families, some of them new teachers at Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh, already have joined this year.
That growth also is fueled by Greenfield’s working-class backbone and the affordability of many of the neighborhood’s homes — especially when compared to Squirrel Hill.
Idell remembers first attending services at Bnai Emunoh about 10 years ago, after moving to Pittsburgh. When the rabbi would take out the Torah on Shabbat, children would line up for a lollipop. Most weeks, about six kids would walk to the bimah for the treat, Idell recalled.
“Now, there’s 50 kids,” he laughed. “There’s been a massive shift in the age of the families coming in.”
The younger Friedman, though, has his work cut out for him, Idell said.
“Rabbi Friedman’s going to focus on growth,” he said. “We want somebody who’s going to be in the weeds, doing the work, every day.”
Chana Friedman, a lifelong New Yorker until late August, grew up in Five Towns, New York, the informal group of villages and Nassau County communities on the southern shore of Long Island. She studied in Brooklyn.
The couple is living with their young daughter, Batya, in Greenfield.
— LOCAL —
p Rabbi Mendel and Chana Friedman with baby Batya
Photo courtesy of Bnai Emunoh Chabad
Home Improvement
Declutter bathrooms in 6 simple steps
By Family Features
Due to their small size and heavy usage, bathrooms can become messy, cluttered areas for many families. For those with smaller bathrooms, storage solutions can be even harder to find. Consider these organization tips to make your bathroom a clean and functional space for every member of the family:
Assess the mess: Go through all the cabinets and drawers to clear out unused makeup, health care products and medications. Make sure the items you keep are used on a regular basis. Items used sparingly should be placed in an alternate location.
Go vertical : Medicine cabinets can quickly get stuffed when combs, toothpaste and other toiletries are stored horizontally. Use organizer cups with suction adhesives to contain items vertically and save space.
Hang up in style: Old coat racks and ladders make perfect solutions for larger families to hang multiple towels. Snag an old one from a thrift store and paint
it a bright hue, like red or turquoise, for a stylish bathroom accent piece.
Avoid spills and squirts: Hair products,
such as gels, mousses or hairsprays, can create sticky, tough-to-clean messes if liquid escapes the container in a drawer or cabinet. Avoid such mishaps by placing these types of items in plastic tubs instead of directly in the drawer or on a shelf.
Divide and conquer: Bathroom drawers can become unruly if not organized. To keep items separate and tidy, insert dividers, such as those used for kitchen utensils. These often come in fun materials, such as bamboo or stainless steel, to add a fresh look.
Assign cabinets or drawers: Try to use a large enough cabinet so each member of the family has his or her own space or drawer. This can help limit the number of items high-maintenance family members can bring into the small area. Plus, it makes it easier for everyone to find their things. PJC
Find more tips to transform your bathroom into a clean, organized environment, regardless of its size, at eLivingtoday.com.
Kathy Campbell Owner
Image courtesy of Pixabay
Home Improvement
Kimicata Brothers Inc.
As a Realtor® with nearly two decades of experience in the Pittsburgh area, I’ve seen firsthand how a few thoughtful touches can make a world of difference when selling your home. Whether you’re aiming to get top dollar or simply hoping for a swift sale, preparing your home to appeal to potential buyers doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are some no- and low-cost tips to get your home market-ready.
that can make a big impact. It sets a positive tone before buyers even step inside. If your front door is looking a little tired, a fresh coat of paint in a warm, neutral color can do wonders.
4. Create a pleasant ambiance
1. Clean and organize
First impressions matter. Start by decluttering every room. This doesn’t mean you have to go full minimalist, but tidying up and reducing the number of personal items on display can help buyers imagine themselves living in the space. Organize closets, cabinets, and other storage spaces —buyers will look there! They also understand that this is a time of major transition so it’s completely acceptable to have moving boxes, as long as they’re neatly stacked and kept out of the way as much as possible.
A deep clean is essential. Make sure to clean all surfaces, including baseboards, door frames, and those often-overlooked areas like ceiling fans and light fixtures. If your carpets and rugs have seen better days, consider a professional cleaning, which can be much more affordable than replacing them.
2. Take care of minor repairs
Before putting your home on the market, it’s crucial to address any minor repairs that you may have been putting off. Loose doorknobs, wobbly handrails, slow-draining sinks and clogged gutters are all small issues that can leave a negative impression on potential buyers.
These items are almost guaranteed to come up during a home inspection, and if you have the ability to handle them in advance, everyone is better off. Buyers will feel more confident about the overall condition of the home, and you can avoid the possibility of price negotiations or delays.
3. Boost curb appeal
Your home’s exterior is the first thing potential buyers will see, so it’s crucial to make it inviting. Start by tidying up your yard. Mow the lawn, trim bushes and pull any weeds. Adding a fresh layer of mulch to garden beds can give the landscaping a polished look without breaking the bank.
A new welcome mat is a small investment
Buyers often make decisions based on how a home feels, and scent plays a big part in that. Avoid overpowering plug-in air fresheners, which sometimes can be too strong. Instead, opt for subtle reed diffusers or place a cotton ball with a few drops of essential oils in each trash can to keep things smelling fresh. Scents like lavender, citrus or vanilla are usually safe bets. Grind a few slices of lemon in your garbage disposal to remove food build-up and leave it smelling clean. Don’t forget to let in natural light by washing all your windows, doors and mirrors until they sparkle. Clean windows not only brighten your space but also suggest that your home is well-maintained. Raise the blinds and throw back the curtains before any showings and let the sun shine in!
5. Light it right
Lighting can make or break the mood of a room. Replace any burnt-out bulbs, and consider switching all your bulbs to either warm white or cool white. Consistency in lighting color helps create a cohesive and calming environment. Also, make sure your light fixtures are dustfree and gleaming.
6. Small touches that matter
Sometimes it’s the little things that make a big difference. A fresh coat of paint on walls, or even just on the trim, can make your home look newer and well cared for. And don’t overlook the power of cleanliness — freshly laundered towels in the bathroom, a neatly made bed and clean countertops can make your home feel more inviting. Keep bathroom vanities and bedroom nightstands tidy by tucking toiletries in a drawer or caddy and wrap up charging chords.
Final
thoughts
Preparing your home for sale doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive. By focusing on these no- and low-cost tips, you can create an environment that’s welcoming, well-maintained and appealing to buyers. Remember, the goal is to help potential buyers see your home as their future space. PJC
Melissa Reich, Realtor®, Green and SRES certified, works at RE/MAX Realty Brokers. She can be reached at 412-2158056 (mobile), 412-521-1000 (office), or at pghluxuryhomes@gmail.com. pittsburghhomes.com
Home Improvement
By Family Features
To understand the mood of a room, look no further than its walls.
Wallpaper can add instant texture and flair, and today’s DIY-friendly options make it easy to create inspired spaces with little fuss.
The key to successful wallpapering is in the preparation. Clean, dry walls are a must, and any holes or cracks should be filled and sanded. To avoid paste that absorbs into porous surfaces, take time to apply a light, even coat of primer before beginning.
Choose a corner or space behind a door as your starting point. Mark your starting point using a level to draw a vertical line from floor to ceiling. Next, cut a length of wallpaper several inches longer than the height of your wall from the baseboard to ceiling.
Apply paste or activate the adhesive according to the manufacturer’s directions. Be sure to fully cover or dampen the paper surface; dry spots may result in unsightly bubbles.
Begin smoothing the paper onto the wall using the vertical line as a guide. Begin at the ceiling and smooth using a brush or plastic smoothing tool. If you encounter wrinkles
or bubbles, gently lift the paper and smooth, relaying the paper as you go.
With each strip, you should end with several inches above the ceiling joint and below the baseboard line. Ensure the paper has firmly adhered top to bottom then trim using a sharp blade. Smooth each seam as you go.
Continue this process around the room, aligning your paper pattern as needed.
If it isn’t possible to completely match the pattern, focus on the middle third of the wall, which is most likely to be at eye level.
To maneuver corners, cut a slit in the paper overhanging the ceiling and floor. This allows the paper to lay flat for a smoother finish.
When you round back to your starting point, overlap your original strip of paper
with the final strip. Make a single cut for a clean, crisp seam. Gently wipe away excess adhesive from the trim and seams.
To prevent rips and ripples, allow paper to dry completely — at least overnight — before replacing furniture and hanging artwork to complete your space. PJC
Find more easy home improvement tips and ideas at eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
Home Improvement
Use your mudroom for less household mess
By Family Features
Often positioned near the primary point of entry, mudrooms are a popular addition to many family homes. These organizational dynamos are the perfect place to catch muddy boots, backpacks, sports equipment and dirty paws before they make it all the way into the main living areas.
Luxurious mudrooms in high-end homes can sometimes boast custom cabinetry, full bathrooms, laundry facilities, showers for pets and direct pantry access.
Regardless of whether your mudroom is an actual room or just a small space near the front door to hang bags and jackets, the organizational basics are the same:
Corral clutter : One of the most important items in any mudroom is storage for shoes, pet supplies, backpacks, sporting equipment and other items. If built-in storage isn’t in your budget, put up a sturdy shelving unit with a bin or basket for each family member.
Get hooked: Securely anchor a row of strong hooks along the wall for coats, hats, scarves or other seasonal accessories that
Mud happens: Mudrooms are meant to handle dirt so nix the carpet and lay down tile or hardwood flooring. Pick a stylish rug to catch dirt in its tracks while also adding a design element to the space.
everyone has a place to sit while removing shoes. Slide a few baskets or bins underneath as an alternate location for storing backpacks and other gear when not in use.
Take command: Create a family command center by adding a small cabinet or desk with a corkboard above. It makes for a perfect spot to stash keys, charge cell phones, open mail, sort school papers and post the family calendar. PJC
Find more organization tips and tricks at eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
Home Improvement
4 tips to maintain your grill
By Family Features
Regular maintenance is important for ensuring the performance and longevity of your grill. By properly maintaining your outdoor cooking appliance, you can prevent rust, extend its lifespan and ensure it cooks food safely.
Neglecting grill maintenance can lead to the buildup of grease and food particles as well as decreased cooking efficiency, safety hazards and necessary repair or replacement. A clean grill typically produces better-tasting food by preventing the transfer of unwanted flavors from previous meals.
By taking the time to properly care for your grill with these tips, you can help ensure its performance and longevity.
Clean and season the grates
Regularly cleaning and seasoning grill grates can help keep them in top condition. Start by heating the grill to a high temperature to burn off leftover food and grease. Once hot, use a grill brush to scrub away residue. After cleaning, rinse grates thoroughly with water and dry thoroughly. Once dry, apply a thin layer of cooking oil to prevent rust,
keep food from sticking, maintain the flavor of your food and ensure even cooking.
Inspect and clean the burners
To ensure efficient heat distribution and prevent flare-ups, it’s important to
inspect and clean your gas grill’s burners. Before cleaning, turn off the gas supply and disconnect the propane tank. Remove the burners and check for any signs of damage or corrosion. Use a wire brush to clean debris or buildup and a thin wire or
paperclip to clear any clogs. After cleaning, reassemble burners and check for proper alignment. Make sure there are no gas leaks and the burners ignite properly.
Check and replace parts as needed
To extend the lifespan of your grill, regularly check and replace any worn or damaged parts. Inspect components, such as the ignition system, cooking grates, control knobs and propane connections for signs of wear and tear, rust or loose connections. If you notice any issues, replace the parts as soon as possible.
Protect your grill from the elements
If you have a grill cover, use it whenever your grill is not in use to shield it from rain, snow and the sun’s rays. If you don’t have a cover, consider investing in one or store your grill in a sheltered area away from strong winds and extreme weather conditions. Regularly clean your grill’s exterior using mild soap and water. Avoid using abrasive cleaners that can damage the finish to help prevent rust, corrosion and other damage caused by exposure to the elements. PJC
Find more tips to make the most of grilling season at eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
Home Improvement
5 Steps to babyproof your home
By Family Features
Your little one’s on-the-go adventures mark a huge milestone for his or her development and your family. Before you allow your baby to trek freely from room to room, get your home ready for a child on the move with these safety steps and precautions:
Prepare before the birth
First-time parents are likely to embark upon a new life filled with late nights, sleep deprivation and a world of stresses they’ve never experienced or considered. Prepare your home before the baby is born to avoid the panic of waiting until the last minute.
Tour like your tot
The first step toward ensuring your home is ready for a mobile child is to see the world from the same level. Take a crawling tour around your home to see things that may be in the way or discover hazardous items that are within easy reach. Use all of your senses to assess any potential dangers.
Latch it up
Protect your little one from sharp
objects and heavy items by installing child protection latches on all cabinets and drawers. For an added layer of
Evaluate leaning objects
Bookshelves, bedside tables and the items placed on them, such as television sets and other large appliances, can be a threat to the safety of a small child trying to pull him or herself up and balance on two feet. Ensure these items are properly secured or keep them put away unless in use to avoid them being pulled on top of your child.
Other safety measures
To properly prepare your home for a mobile child, don’t forget to take steps such as:
• Covering electrical outlets with safety plugs
• Placing safety gates at the top and bottom of staircases
• Installing fireplace screens
• Adding foam padding to sharp furniture corners and edges
• Placing a soft cover over the bathtub waterspout
• Removing blinds with looped cords or installing safety tassels and cord stops
• Stocking your first aid kit
protection, keep any sharp objects and harmful chemicals in high places only adults
• Putting non-slip pads under rugs PJC Find more tips to child-proof your home at eLivingtoday.com.
Temple Emanuel’s Rabbi Aaron Meyer opened the program, invoking the often-repeated Jewish concept that “we are a people in whom the past endures, in whom the present is inconceivable without moments gone by.”
The evening, he said, was a mix of melancholy and gratitude, remembering those who made the garden possible. He noted the numerous temple events that took place in and around the garden.
Acknowledging the waning sun shining in the courtyard, Rabbi Emeritus Mark Mahler recalled the outdoor Shabbat services of the past hosted with the garden as a backdrop.
Mahler, who was Temple Emanuel’s senior rabbi when the garden was created, recounted Randall’s biography and acknowledged the contribution of Lynn Ruben, who he said was the “tender and keeper” of the garden.
It was Ruben who selected each type of flower in the garden and worked to maintain it, with a dedicated group of volunteers, over the last two decades.
Mahler said that it was Randall’s mission to ensure the Holocaust not be forgotten.
“Marga, you have fulfilled your mission,” he concluded.
B eth El Congregation of the South Hills Rabbi Alex Greenbaum spoke of why a garden in the South Hills had meaning.
“Remembering the Holocaust may start with us, but it doesn’t end with us,” he said. “We are still here and simply surviving is not the goal. It is a means to an end. We survive to thrive.”
Greenbaum told those in attendance
Kaufman:
that there is no such thing as an innocent bystander.
“If we are standing by, then we are guilty. Why is a Holocaust memorial garden pertinent today? Because if we don’t remember, who will?” he asked.
When Ruben took the podium, she thanked the volunteers who helped create and maintain the garden.
“ There have been so many people who played such an important role,” she said. “This is not just one person or group.”
Ruben explained the deep symbolism of all of the flowers and plants in the garden.
Flowers with bright red blooms represent power and military, deep red blooms the blood of the Shoah’s victims. White flowers stand for freedom and survival, yellow for hope and pink for rebirth.
like what you’re doing for years. How can we support you?’” she said.
Continued from page 1
Kaufman now calls that belief “naïve,” and acknowledged that the opposite happened: The level of hostility and anti-Zionism that some academics have participated in has been “unprecedented,” she said.
So, Kaufman increased her level of involvement. She spoke at Duquesne University in a talk hosted by the Jewish Law Student Association and began responding to an online group of women law professors with about 2,000 members.
One member, in particular, she said, was “constantly spewing blood libels.”
Kaufman spent much of her time on defense, responding to the charges leveled by the member, unable to tell the Jewish side of the story.
Worse, this was taking place while Kaufman’s daughter was serving in the Israel Defense Forces.
It left Kaufman feeling helpless.
“One evening, out of sheer frustration, I jumped on Zoom…I had a Zoom meeting by myself in my kitchen and recorded it and posted it on Facebook and explained about genocide,” she said. “I did a few of those and posted them on Facebook.”
Academic Engagement Network, an organization of professors across fields who agree that Israel has a right to exist, saw Kaufman’s videos and liked what they saw.
“They reached out and said, ‘Hey, we’ve been wanting to make educational videos
Soon, AEN sent a videographer to assist Kaufman in creating a series of professional videos.
Kaufman said the videos are meant to counter the misinformation that has been dominating campuses and cover a wide range of topics: Israel to Zionism; antisemitism to Judaism.
Given that she’s a law professor, it isn’t surprising that Kaufman also discusses
Forget-me-nots remind visitors to never forget while bleeding heart plants recall the heartbreak of the Holocaust. Red sage, in straight vertical lines, represents prison bars and soldiers. Dusty millers symbolize those who protected Jews, while evergreen shrubs recall the trees used as cover by those able to escape the Nazis’ atrocities.
Interspersed throughout the garden, Ruben explained, are sweet potato vines.
“They are symbolic of the potato peels that the concentration camp survivors managed to dig and scrounge out of the Nazi garbage pits and, by eating those peels, stayed alive,” she said.
Recalling when Randall traveled to Germany and brought back ashes, Ruben said, there was never a question that the garden progenitor wouldn’t complete her mission.
Israel is doing during the war.”
Portions of the videos have been released on various social media platforms including Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. The goal, though, is to get people to migrate to Kaufman’s YouTube channel, where the full-length videos reside.
“That’s the goal for people who are curious and want to understand more and want a non-propaganda explanation of these issues,” she said.
“I am interested in sharing the factual story of the Jewish people and our history, the story of Israel and what Israel is doing during the war.”
–RONA KAUFMAN
the intersection between these topics and various legal issues.
“The first one I released through AEN was on the campus protests. That’s First Amendment civil rights law,” she said. “I’ve been teaching discrimination for years, which is civil rights. I teach constitutional law, as well. So that is a very easy fit for me.”
Above all else, she said, creating truthful videos without spin is what matters most to her.
“It’s important to me that the videos are well sourced,” Kaufman said. “I have no interest in spreading propaganda. I am interested in sharing the factual story of the Jewish people and our history, the story of Israel and what
The dream, she said, is for high school and college students to watch the videos and get introduced to an accurate narrative.
Interestingly, Kaufman said the primary audience she’s developing the videos for is the Jewish community.
“College campuses and college professors are actively teaching that Israel is a settler, colonialist, genocidal, apartheid regime,” she said. “It’s become so mainstream and none of it is true. The difficulty is that so many Jews really don’t know why that’s not true.”
Kaufman believes that Jewish education in the United States has, at least to some extent, failed.
“If our kids are going to college believing
“She never took no for an answer,” Ruben said. “Marga took her garden trowel and some Ziploc bags and went to Auschwitz. She proceeded to dig up the ash pit and put the soil in the Ziploc bags and slipped it into her purse. No one in customs said anything, no one questioned her.”
Noting the significance of Randall’s work and the Holocaust Memorial Garden, Meyer recited words from the Babylonian Talmud.
“ Today, know upon whose shoulders you stand,” he said. “We each stand on the shoulders of giants, for today, in this place of memory, we ensure that we will never forget.”
PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsurghjewishchronicle.org.
Israel is a settler, colonialist, genocidal, apartheid regime then we have failed,” she said. She’s working with the Jewish Emancipation Project — a grassroots collective of community leaders, academics and volunteers — to try to correct the issue. She hopes her videos might be part of the solution because, she said, if the Jewish community doesn’t know its own story, then there is little hope of countering the lies being spread against it.
Jewish students who took part in the encampments on campuses across the country are perfect examples of this, she said.
“It is so sad to have these Jews in these encampments fighting against Israel because they think that we’re committing these horrific crimes, which is untrue. What a source of shame for them,” she said. “To be Jewish is a source of shame for them because they’re so misled.”
Kaufman would like to help pull these young people back into the community and help them develop a sense of Jewish pride.
So far, she said, the feedback she’s received has been mostly encouraging, although there have been a few negative emails. One missive called her Islamophobic; another, from a Jewish professor, said Kaufman didn’t speak for her.
For the most part, though, people have appreciated what she is doing.
“It’s very positive. I’m very thankful,” she said.
Kaufman’s YouTube channel can be viewed at youtube.com/@ronakitchen7601. PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
p Temple Emanuel of South Hills Rabbi Emeritus Mark Mahler addresses those in attendance celebrating the 20th anniversary of the congregation’s Holocaust Memorial Garden.
Photo by David Rullo
p Temple Emanuel of South Hills Holocaust Memorial Garden contains ashes and dirt from Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Photo by David Rullo
Headlines
Outreach:
Continued from page 3
ask what he could do to help support the community.
“It’s because of my role at DJOP that I have become a trusted source to many of our elected officials,” she said.
The DJOP, which endorses candidates, has felt supported by many of the state’s elected officials, Werner said, including Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey.
One candidate previously endorsed by DJOP will not be endorsed this cycle: U.S. Rep. Summer Lee.
Lee has been an outspoken critic of Israel. In March, more than 40 local rabbis and cantors signed an open letter to Lee accusing her of “divisive rhetoric” which they said they perceived as “openly antisemitic.” That letter followed an October open letter from the spiritual leaders to Lee, which took issue with Lee’s opposition to a House resolution standing with Israel and condemning Hamas.
Friedman:
Continued from page 7
[The DJOP] has supported a woman’s right to choose, freedom from gun violence, a clean green environment, a ordable health care and education, as well as a strong and secure Israel.
Both Werner and Berman Kress acknowledged that the Israel/Hamas war presents complex issues, but said it hasn’t strained the DJOP’s relationship with most politicians, primarily because the organization “leads with Jewish values.”
“There aren’t many Jewish people that I know who would say, ‘I just don’t care what’s happening to the Palestinians,’”
Berman Kress said. “So, if we have a congressional candidate, who, like Kamala Harris said, ‘What’s happening to the Palestinians in Gaza is tragic, its overwhelming and heartbreaking,’ there’s no Jewish person who would align with DJOP that doesn’t agree with that. We all think
Yeshivas Ohr Eliyahu Lubavitch Mesivta of Chicago, then moved to California. He was ordained by the West Coast Rabbinical Assembly in Los Angeles.
Mendel and Chana Friedman married about 18 months ago and were living in Brooklyn.
“New York’s interesting,” Mendel Friedman laughed. “Crown Heights, where we were, it was the beating heart of Chabad.
it’s heartbreaking.”
Where there might be a fissure, she explained, is when a politician believes what is happening in Gaza is entirely Israel’s fault.
“We don’t have any candidates like that,” she said, pointing to whom DJOP is endorsing this election cycle.
Werner said the organization sides with any candidate who is consistent with its core values.
As the organization grows, its influence continues to rise.
Werner joined several other DJOP members at the Democratic National Convention last month. Her daughter was
But, I’m a Pittsburgher, a small-city boy. I like this style better.”
Chana Friedman said coming to Pittsburgh after living in New York City has been a refreshing change of pace.
“It’s very different here,” she said. “I feel people here are a lot nicer.”
the youngest delegate from Pennsylvania.
“It was such a fun week for her,” she said. “The two of us are political junkies.” Werner also serves on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and was a member of Shapiro’s inauguration team.
For Werner, who wasn’t involved in politics before the Shapiro election, the opportunity to serve and help Jewish democratic politicians has been an eye-opening experience and something she urges everyone to do.
“We are working to build a Pittsburgh support group for DJOP, to get more people locally more involved in the work that we’re doing, especially leading up to this critical election,” she said. “Their participation can be everything from helping to support these candidates by hosting events, attending events, door knocking, phone banking or just being given the talking points necessary to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot in Pennsylvania.” PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
everyone together.”
It’s difficult to calculate the growth of the congregation since Chabad took ownership of Bnai Emunoh Synagogue more than a decade ago. Somewhere between 70 and 100 families have moved into the Greenfield neighborhood and become members of the shul, Idell estimated.
SHABBAT
The Friedmans said they loved meeting people from Greenfield’s Jewish community during a Labor Day barbecue the congregation held near Bartlett Playground in Schenley Park.
Bnai Emunoh previously held Labor
“Not every person coming to an event will be a member,” he said. “But I consider them a part of the whole Bnai Emunoh family.”
The synagogue on Murray Avenue offers
“Rabbi Friedman’s going to focus
on
growth. We want somebody who’s going to be in the weeds, doing the work, every day.”
–YITZY IDELL
BETH SHALOM’S NEW JUNIOR CONGREGATION PLUS LED BY HAZZAN BARBARA BARNETT
Have fun and be part of a community of your friends while learning, improving and mastering synagogue prayers together.
Starts Saturday, September 14, 2024
2nd & 4th
Saturdays Each Month
10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Congregation Beth Shalom 5915 Beacon St., Pgh, PA 15217
Read Torah Have an Aliyah Did we mention Prizes?
Day events — a wine-tasting session, a thank-you dinner for former shul president Judah Cowen. But this year’s event was so well received, organizers already are thinking about what they’ll be doing this time next year.
The Labor Day barbecue “was a way to welcome new families,” Idell said. “And we also wanted to take the opportunity to welcome this great, young rabbi. So, it was a win-win.”
“There were a lot of people, and new people, from the community,” Mendel Friedman said. “It was really great to see
children’s after-school programs and two Camp Gan Israel summer programs — one for boys and one for girls.
This year, Greenfield also will launch a new yeshiva — Bais Medrash Chabad Pittsburgh, a post-higher education institution for rabbinical students. Rabbi Elchonon Friedman is leading the school. About 30 students, only two of them local to Pittsburgh, currently are enrolled. PJC
Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.
www.pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
US should seek Khaled Mashaal’s extradition
lives in Qatar, to answer the charges.
On Sept. 3, federal prosecutors unsealed a criminal complaint originally filed under seal in February in which they charged six senior members of Hamas with planning and carrying out years of murderous terrorist attacks in Israel, including the Oct. 7 massacre.
In the six-month period that the complaint was under seal, three of the six men charged — Ismail Haniyeh, Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa — were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza (Deif and Issa) and a bomb in Tehran (Haniyeh). That leaves Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, who continues to hide in the tunnels of Gaza; Ali Barakeh, a senior Hamas official based in Beirut; and Khaled Mashaal, another senior Hamas member who
The seven-count indictment was made public at a politically sensitive time for the White House, as the Biden administration continues efforts to save cease-fire talks in the Gaza war even after the devastating murder by Hamas of six hostages, including 23-year-old Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Prosecutors have little hope of extraditing either Sinwar or Barakeh at this time, but Mashaal in Qatar presents a different story.
Qatar is a U.S. ally but does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
As such, there is no traditional mechanism in place for the U.S. to “demand” Mashaal’s extradition. But the lack of a formal extradition treaty does not end the matter.
Friendly allies are supposed to cooperate with one another, particularly on sensitive issues. Qatar’s willingness to serve as a safe
haven for terrorists has been an uncomfortable sticking point in its relations with the West and has clouded that country’s efforts to play the “honest broker” in the multi-level negotiations between Israel and Hamas. It is time for the United States to confront that issue directly with Qatar and the Mashaal indictment presents a perfect opportunity to do so.
The indictment lays out a decades-long criminal enterprise by Hamas and the indicted leaders that includes conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens, conspiracy to finance terrorism, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction resulting in death and conspiracy to support terrorism resulting in death. The charges cannot get much more serious than that.
A U.S. request to extradite Mashaal from Qatar to answer the charges will enable the
administration to show just how seriously it takes the criminal process it has initiated and its willingness to act in support of its repeatedly declared outrage over the multiple cold-blooded murders by Hamas of U.S. citizens. And it will bring to a head the challenge to Qatar’s immoral willingness to provide safe harbor to terrorists.
If Qatar refuses to cooperate, the U.S. has remedies. Among other things, it could impose secondary sanctions against any person, entity or country that does business with, harbors or supports Hamas leaders who are already under direct sanction from the U.S. The administration needs to call out Qatar’s coddling of terrorists and bring an international criminal to justice. The administration should seek Mashaal’s extradition from Qatar and insist that he answer the charges regarding his murderous activities. PJC
Why do Ashkenazi Jews name babies after deceased relatives? A rabbi responds.
Guest Columnist
Rabbi Daniel Cohen — EDITORIAL
Have you ever looked at a child and seen not only the soul in front of you but also someone you loved and lost?
When my mother died at the age of 44 from a sudden brain aneurysm, I struggled with remembering her as she lived. The last images in my mind were her final days in the hospital.
Thank God, slowly, beginning with the funeral, shiva and in the years since, I have learned to celebrate her life, cherish her love, mine the moments we shared and channel her values.
As a rabbi guiding families through tragedy, I know my journey is not unique. We all grapple deeply with the suddenness of loss and seek ways to immortalize and honor someone who is no longer physically with us, but we know in our hearts lives in us and through us.
In Ashkenazic tradition, one of the greatest expressions of love is naming a newborn in
memory of someone who has passed away. A name in Judaism is not merely a form of identification, but an opportunity to manifest the soul of a loved one who is no longer physically present.
When I married my wife, Diane, and we had our first child, we named her Sara Malka, after my mom. In those moments, we knew spiritually it was the right thing to do to elevate my mother’s spirit. But recently the magnitude of this gesture blew me away.
My daughter Sara Malka is now in her early 30s, married with three children of her own. I asked her how her name impacted her and she shared with me:
“I have a sense that your mother is always with me and watching over me. I know that she liked being Jewish and grew in her faith and observance and that has helped strengthen my connection to God. I think about her as a mom and how she was so welcoming to people. I really feel she is with me.”
It is awe-inspiring when I think of how a choice of a name can be mainly woven into my daughter’s life. My mother, of blessed memory, serves as a guardian angel for my daughter and enriches my daughter’s life with deeper meaning and purpose.
Jewish Pittsburghers should not be silent in the face of politicians’ antiIsrael sentiments
In his recent opinion piece, Rabbi Mark Goodman asserted that the time that “local politicians went out of their way to defend and protect the Jewish community…has more or less passed” (“We might not like it, but local politicians have a right to criticize Israel,” Sept. 6).
The first reason he gives is because “Israel’s heavy-handed and endless war in Gaza… has rendered [Israel] unpopular.”
The second reason, he opines, is the way the Jewish community has reacted to local politics.
The suggestion that it is excusable for local politicians to be less inclined to defend and protect the local Jewish community because of decisions of the Israeli government is very concerning. Furthermore, if this is the sentiment among certain local politicians, what reaction would be expected from the Jewish community?
I am all for open and respectful dialogue, but can the Jewish community allow itself to sit in silence and accept politicians who no longer feel the need to go out of their way to “protect the Jewish community”?
Rabbi Goodman references the petition for an anti-Israel referendum that was recently
Fueling generations to come
It did not happen by accident. It is not simply enough to bestow a name on a child or grandchild in the hopes that the memory of a loved one lives on. A person’s soul lives in us when we invoke their values and their life story. We speak of my mother often; every year I mark her yahrzeit and reflect on her spirit.
When meeting with b’nai mitzvah families, I encourage the young person to learn about who they are named for and write about that person. Our names can serve as a North Star connecting us to our past, present and future.
Naming a newborn can also align a child with the destiny of Israel and the Jewish people. In fact, since Oct. 7, many newborns have been named Beeri, Nir, or Oz, after kibbutzim that were affected.
Our youngest daughter, Shalhevet, was named in memory of the baby Shalhevet Techiya Pas, daughter of Yitzchak and Oriya Pas, who was murdered in Hebron in Israel on March 26, 2001. We did not know the family personally but felt moved to connect our family, and specifically our youngest child, to the destiny of this holy city and our people.
When she became a bat mitzvah, we visited Hebron. Yitzchak Pas spoke to our family. He
expressed his gratitude for creating another light for his daughter through our daughter. We did not know each other, but the souls of his child and ours were bound and blessed forever.
Shalhevet is now a senior at Stern College and planning on moving to Israel in summer 2025. When I asked her what her name meant to her, she replied: “Shalhevet did not have the chance to grow up, experience the beauties of life, forge relationships, and explore the world — I can only hope to make her proud by making the most of the life I have been given.”
Shalhevet Pas lives in and through our daughter Shalhevet.
Souls soar when we bestow a name on a newborn in memory of a person and elevate their values in our lives. We should all channel the light of those who came before us and fuel their souls for many generations to come. PJC
Daniel Cohen is the senior rabbi of Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford, Connecticut. For more info and to contact him visit rabbidanielcohen.com. This story originally appeared in the Forward. To get the Forward’s free email newsletters delivered to your inbox, go to forward.com/ newsletter-signup.
defeated. Although he says he “was glad it was defeated” he adds that he was “profoundly uncomfortable with the rhetoric and the dialogue around it.”
I am not sure which rhetoric he is referring to, and it is possible that there was rhetoric which would also concern me. But by and large, were it not for the activism of the local Jewish leaders and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh (whom he calls upon to exercise caution), we may be having a different conversation — a conversation about Jewish Pittsburgh dealing with an extremely antisemitic referendum on November’s ballot.
While I agree that a positive long-term relationship with local government should be sought, I strongly disagree with Rabbi Goodman’s suggestion that the Jewish community of Pittsburgh is somehow responsible for his observation that local politicians no longer go out of their way to protect and defend the Jewish community.
Rabbi Henoch Rosenfeld Pittsburgh
Please see Letters, page 17
Chronicle poll results: Vigils related to Israel
Last week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an electronic poll the following question: “Have you attended a vigil or other Jewish community event related to Israel in the past week?” Of the 175 people who responded, 72% said no and 28% said yes. Comments were submitted by 31 people. A few follow.
I watched on TV and on the internet.
Is anti-Zionism antisemitism?
The unity and support of our Pittsburgh community is uplifting and so very meaningful!
For whatever reason, I don’t connect emotionally to these kinds of gatherings. However, for those who do, I think they’re really important and I’m glad to see that they have been so well attended.
Have you attended a vigil or other Jewish community event related to Israel in the past week?
To achieve peace, Israel must stand firm
Continued from page 16
Everyone, Jews and non-Jews, politicians and rabbis, have a right to criticize Israel. What they don’t have is a “right” to amplify the propaganda spewed by the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hamas and expect us to swallow it without question (“We might not like it, but local politicians have a right to criticize Israel,” Sept. 6).
In his op-ed, Rabbi Mark Goodman references “Israel’s heavy-handed war in Gaza” and “aimless violence” and says that Israel is not conducting the war “morally.” Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, fought in combat zones around the world and was in Gaza throughout the 2014 conflict. Presumably, he is a man who understands war. Kemp has publicly and unequivocally stated, “Based on my experience and observation, the IDF does more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare.”
As for the specious claim of “aimless violence”: Please remember, Israel did not start this war. Oct. 7 was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. Are we expected to “go like sheep to the slaughter” and then be again blamed for not defending ourselves? The way to prevent repeated attacks, which Hamas has boasted it will do again and again, is by completely defeating Hamas. This will end the war.
Regarding the claim that “it is evident to many” that Israel’s objectives toward Gaza can only be obtained through diplomacy rather than war: Please remember, in a desire for peace, Israel completely left Gaza in 2005, removing all settlements and turning the country over to Gazans who elected Hamas, a terrorist organization. Hamas then began a 19-year attack, shelling the communities on Israel’s side of the border, culminating in the brutal, sadistic attack against civilians on Oct. 7, breaking the cease-fire that was in place at the time.
To quote the Lubavitcher Rebbe, “…past experience proved that retreating from territory does not serve to soften the enemy, but is interpreted as weakness and an invitation for additional pressure.” That is what we are seeing now. The more Israel capitulates, the more Hamas demands. The more Israel stands firm, the more chance there is for real peace, which is what every Israeli Jew wants.
Everyone is entitled to oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza
Simone Shapiro Squirrel Hill
Rabbi Mark Goodman’s op-ed was the most reasonable and important piece I have read in the Chronicle since Oct 7 (“We might not like it, but local politicians have a right to criticize Israel,” Sept. 6).
Yes, we support Israel’s right to exist. Yes, we mourn for those who died on Oct 7. And, yes, we want the hostages home.
But there are many Jews and non-Jews who vehemently oppose the Netanyahu regime’s mass murder of innocents and total destruction of their country. Everyone, including our elected officials, are entitled to these very humane feelings and words without being labeled antisemitic or anti-Zionist. I applaud them.
Ellie Siegal Belle Acres, Pennsylvania
I am too old to participate in a largegroup event. I pray for all victims in my home.
I am concerned about the spread of COVID in highly dense areas.
I didn’t attend only because, unfortunately, there was nothing organized in my area. I definitely would have otherwise.
There is no greater comfort than being in a large group of diverse Jews in our community coming together in a spirit of unity around a common cause and purpose.
I livestreamed the funeral of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, z”l.
I was too scared. The lefties are very antisemitic right now.
We need to continue to show up and support our Jewish community in Pittsburgh and our homeland Israel.
Gathering in times of crisis is vital to the future of the Jewish people. PJC
Compiled
by Toby Tabachnick
Chronicle weekly poll question: Who won the Harris/Trump debate? Go to pittsburghjewishchronicle.org to respond. PJC
Is Israel’s military approach the best option?
Each week, the Chronicle prints eloquent articles and opinion pieces on the war in Israel/Gaza. Most of them follow a consistent theme: The safety and future of Jews here and around the world depends on solidarity with Israel and ongoing support for its war in Gaza and its actions in the West Bank (for example, “Standing up to the Noise,” Sept. 6).
Since last Oct. 7, more than 1500 Israelis and 40,000 Palestinians have died, many of them non-combatant women and children. Thousands more have been disabled for life. According to some Israeli military and intelligence leaders, it is unlikely that this has had much impact on thwarting future actions against Israel and, in fact, may be having the opposite effect. Moreover, even the most passionate supporters of Israel’s actions know that previous wars between Israel and the Palestinians have not produced long-term safety for either side. There is ongoing concern within Israel, the United States and around the world about this military approach — where Israel has overwhelming power compared to the Palestinians — versus a political/diplomatic approach, which would necessitate compromise to bring on a better future for everyone. The debate asks which of these approaches respects our time-honored values: democracy, equality, human rights, safety and prosperity for us and all the world’s communities.
Judging by the majority of articles and letters in the Chronicle, the Pittsburgh Jewish community favors continuation of Israel’s military approach. I would pose the following question: Over the past 75 years, has this worked? Has it made Jews safer? Is it bringing us support in the eyes of the world?
As we approach our sacred time of annual self-reflection, should we not at least take a few moments to ask ourselves: Is there a better way?
Robert Kraftowitz Point Breeze
Can evil be ‘nuanced’?
Yasher koach to Ellen Roteman for her excellent response to Sen. John Fetterman’s spokeswoman Cindy Adams, who felt compelled to tell an interviewer that she did not agree with her boss on Israel and Gaza (“Fetterman staffer’s ‘nuanced’ views not so nuanced,” Aug. 30). Ms., Adams went on to explain that she belonged to the more “insightful” younger generation whose views of the region are “much more nuanced.”
I would like to add and point out to Ms. Adams that there is no “nuance” in evil, the likes of which is the hallmark of Hamas. We recently witnessed this evil, in all its horror, with the brutal murder of six beautiful Jewish souls, held hostage for over 300 days, as they were about to be rescued. Once again, Ms. Adams, Hamas’ ideology and tactics represent pure evil. There is no “nuance’’ here!
Helene Wishnev Pittsburgh
Correction
In “Hundreds turn out for Pittsburgh vigil after 6 hostages murdered in Gaza” (Sept. 6), the following quote should have been attributed to Rabbi Daniel Fellman, not Rabbi Daniel Yolkut: “We, the Jewish people, are living in a deep, dark tunnel, a tunnel filled with fear and pain and sorrow, a tunnel that desperately needs to be destroyed so that we can see the light again. One of the ways we do that is to come together. One of the ways that we get out of that tunnel of fear is to look around and see among us friends and hope and possibility, and to recognize that when we pray for the hostages, we don’t mean just those being held in Gaza. We mean all of us.” The Chronicle regrets the error. PJC
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.
Life & Culture
Traditional chicken soup with matzah balls or noodles
By Jessica Grann | Special to the
I’ve considered sharing this recipe for chicken soup for some time but was held back by the idea that everyone probably already has their own favorite version. Yet once upon a time, I had to learn to make this soup, along with other customary recipes for Shabbat and chagim, so I decided to publish some traditional recipes for others who are looking to learn them. Perhaps your mother didn’t cook, or you weren’t raised with Shabbat or with a bubbie who taught you how to make the basics. Maybe keeping kosher is new to you or you’re starting your own home and learning to cook for the first time. I wasn’t raised eating matzah ball soup, potato kugel, schnitzel, chopped liver or gefilte fish, but after 20 years of trial and error, I can lay out a strong Ashkenazi Shabbat meal that gives seasoned home cooks a run for their money.
This recipe is versatile because it’s not just about matzah balls. With this broth, you can make chicken noodle soup and chicken rice soup. You can change the spices to make more exotic flavors, like Yemenite chicken soup, or use the leftover chicken and broth to whip up my previously published Greek Avgolemono soup or my chicken pot pie. Make this your own. If that means adding zucchini or dill, you should do that.
This recipe makes a big pot of soup, but don’t shy away from making it even if you are only feeding yourself. You can freeze containers of it so that you have something nourishing to eat if you’re under the weather. I measure the broth and freeze it in 1- and 2-cup containers so that I can use it as needed when cooking rice or making a sauce or gravy.
The ingredients used for chicken soup are almost identical in every recipe, but the cooking technique to yield a clear yet golden broth follows.
This is one of the most important cooking staples in any home kitchen, and it’s also one of the meals most appreciated by others.
Chicken stock
Serves 10-12 people
1 3-pound whole chicken or 3 pounds of chicken pieces on the bone
8 quarts water (32 cups)
5-6 small or 2 large yellow onions
5 stalks of celery
5 whole large carrots
3-4 whole cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
7 whole peppercorns
7-10 flat leaf parsley stems
2 cloth Sack’n-Boil bags
Optional:
3 parsnips
2 large cubes of sweet potatoes or squash
This is not difficult to make, it just takes lots of love and a bit of time.
Use Sack’n-Boil bags for this recipe; you can get them online and in kosher stores. They are a game-changer for soups, especially chicken soup. They are stringy, cheesecloth bags that keep the chicken inside while boiling so that there is no need to strain the soup before serving.
Place the whole chicken, or chicken pieces, in one bag and tie the top. You can buy cut-up soup chicken, but if that’s not available and you don’t have a whole chicken, just use the legs and thighs for the soup.
I have a 16-quart soup pot. You can use a 12-quart pot but it will be near to overflowing when full, so be careful that it doesn’t boil over.
Put the bagged chicken into the empty pot.
Slice the ends off the onions but leave the skins on, and put the onions into the second boil bag, tying once. Place them in the pot. Onion skins are the trick to a beautiful, golden broth.
Wash the celery and cut the bottom ends off; you can use the leafy tops in the soup. Cut the ends off the carrots and peel them. If you have a large pot, you can put the carrots and celery in whole, but if they are too long, cut them into 5- or 6-inch pieces and place them in the pot, then add 3 or 4 whole peeled garlic cloves. If you don’t care for garlic you can omit it.
Add 8 quarts of cool water to the pot; it may seem like a lot of liquid, but it boils
down a lot after cooking for a few hours. Add the salt and peppercorns to the pot and put it on the stove on medium-low heat to simmer covered for 1 hour. Starting the soup on medium-low heat is one of the best tips that I can offer. This allows for the flavor to seep out from the bones and you won’t get that greasy brown foam that needs to be skimmed off the top. When you remove the lid after 1 hour of simmering, the water will look almost clear; there will be some gentle bubbles from the heat, but it will not be boiling.
Add the washed bunch of parsley at this point, and dill if you like.
Keep the soup uncovered and raise the heat to medium; cook for an additional 2 hours. Medium heat will keep the soup at a gentle boil; this is when the flavor and color will start to come out into the broth, but it will remain clear.
Use a spider skimmer or very strong slotted spoon to carefully remove the chicken and onion bags from the broth and put them into a casserole dish to cool.
Strain out the carrots, celery, garlic cloves and any parsley leaves, leaving only broth in the pot. This is the best time to do a taste test. If the broth seems too intense, add 1 cup of hot water at a time to get it where you like it. If it tastes weak, let it gently boil for a half-hour to see if the water reduces and the flavor improves.
When the onions have cooled enough to touch comfortably, wring out the onion bag with your hands over the pot to get every last bit of broth, which will add richness and flavor to the soup, then discard the bag. If the flavor is not as strong as you’d like, add a cube of consommé or 1-2 tablespoons of the powdered version. This can affect the clarity of your soup slightly, but it’s worth it to get the flavor. If you add consommé, you probably won’t need to add additional salt.
Note about vegetables: If you use parsnips, add them in the beginning. If you prefer a soft carrot, you can serve the carrot that you used for the broth. For those who like firmer carrots and celery, cut the desired amount of additional vegetables, usually 2-3 more stalks of celery and 2-3 whole carrots, and add them into the broth to cook at a gentle boil
for a half-hour before making the matzah balls. You can also add squash or sweet potato cubes; both take about a half-hour to soften in the soup, so they are well cooked but not disintegrating. If you’re making this broth for a Yemenite or lentil soup, you can add whole tomatoes to the broth when you put the parsley in and allow them to cook for 2 hours before removing them from the pot.
If you already have a matzah ball recipe that you love, use that. I’ve tried more than 20 different recipes for homemade matzah balls and nothing tastes as amazing as the boxed versions. They come with 2 packets of matzah meal mix per box and each packet makes about 6 nice-sized matzah balls. Make 2 packets if you’re serving more people; just follow the instructions on the box and refrigerate for at least a half-hour before forming and cooking them. You can cook them in plain water and add them to the soup bowl when serving. Doing this is supposed to keep your broth clear, but I love how they taste when cooked in the soup and I don’t find that it makes my broth cloudy. If you cook them in the chicken broth, turn the heat up to medium-high and add the matzah balls to the boiling broth, cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes.
If you wish to serve your soup with noodles, cook the noodles separately in plain water as per the cooking instructions. Most chicken soups call for some form of egg noodle; I rinse them in cool water after cooking and set them aside to add in later to each bowl. When you cook noodles in the soup, the broth can get a bit gloppy, especially on the reheat. Since I like to freeze a portion of the broth, I avoid cooking noodles in the broth.
As for the chicken that has been cooling on the counter: When it is cool enough to touch, untie the bag and remove the chicken from the bones and discard the skin, bones and cartilage. You can add all of the chicken back into the soup pot or add it into each bowl for those who want it; or, you can wrap it up and use it in another recipe.
Enjoy and bless your hands! PJC
Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.
Chronicle
— FOOD —
p Traditional chicken soup
Photos by Jessica Grann
Life & Culture
He escaped the Nazis and created Britain’s first memorial to their victims. Now this artist
By Shira Li Bartov | JTA
Fred Kormis, a German-Jewish artist whose life and work spanned two world wars, created Britain’s first memorial to victims of Nazi persecution — but his name has been largely forgotten.
Kormis’ memorial will be united with many of his other sculptures and prints in an upcoming exhibition at London’s Wiener Holocaust Library, dedicated to shedding light on the littleknown artist. The display, which also marks the reopening of the Wiener Library’s gallery after a months-long renovation, will run from Sept. 20 through Feb. 6, 2025.
Kormis’ works trace the upheavals that haunted his life. Born Fritz Kormis in Frankfurt in 1894, he had just won a scholarship to the Frankfurt Art School when World War I erupted. He was conscripted into the Austrian army, wounded and captured on the Eastern Front. He spent the next four years in a prisoner-of-war camp in Siberia.
Kormis continued his art in confinement, including a collection of woodcut prints shown in the exhibition. He managed to preserve those prints — mainly portraits of other prisoners — even as he escaped Siberia in 1920 and made his way back to Frankfurt.
In Weimar Germany, he was gaining renown as a portrait sculptor when his life imploded again with the rise of the Nazi Party. Though he was not religiously observant and his name did not clearly indicate Jewish heritage, Kormis felt compelled to reveal he was a Jew, according to the Wiener Library’s senior curator Barbara Warnock.
“Partly, it was an ethical question for him to reveal himself to be Jewish,” Warnock told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “Also, his wife, Rachel Sender, came from an Orthodox Jewish family and her sister Sidonie, known as Toni, was a politician in Weimar Germany and was known to be Jewish — so I think another motivation was solidarity with the wider Sender family.”
Kormis’ art was labeled “degenerate” and pulled from galleries while he and his wife fled the country. In 1934, the relatively impoverished couple arrived in London to rebuild their lives. It was not the last time Kormis would start his career over — during World War II, an air raid destroyed his studio and most of the work he had produced in Britain.
The repeated destruction of Kormis’ art is
partly to blame for his little-known name, said Warnock. But the churn of loss that marked his life did not stop him from working, with a decades-long focus — ever since his days as a prisoner of war — on capturing and memorializing humans in captivity.
That preoccupation intensified as he learned about the Nazi concentration camps, and he struggled continuously with what he viewed as the impossible task of artistically representing the Holocaust. His efforts culminated in 1969 with a set of five sculptures in London’s Gladstone Park, a memorial to “prisoners of war and victims of concentration camps” between 1914 and 1945.
The memorial depicts five prisoners, four seated and bound and a fifth standing with his gaze thrown up to the sky. Kormis said these men represented phases of his experience in captivity: the stupor after being captured, longing for freedom, fighting despair, losing hope and finding it again. He also observed that many others never emerged from despair.
The memorial, housed in a park far from the city’s center, predated Britain’s first official Holocaust memorial by more than a decade. The Hyde Park Holocaust Memorial opened in a public garden near Buckingham Palace in 1983, following an intense public debate about the site’s appropriateness, and has been the location of official ceremonies annually since.
Now, British lawmakers are locked in debate over the planned creation of a more expansive memorial to be located near the seat of government; officials say they are committed to carrying out the plan, but their critics have challenged the memorial’s design and location.
Warnock hopes that the Wiener Library’s showcase of Kormis’ memorial and his other works — along with personal records, correspondence and photos from his life stored in the library’s archive — will bring public attention to his art and its reflection of 20th-century history.
In line with the pattern of Kormis’ life, his memorial arrived perhaps at the wrong time — a period when traditions of memorializing the Holocaust were less developed and broadly recognized, muting the impact of his work.
“When you talk to people who live in the local area, which I have done a bit, they’re all very aware of it,” said Warnock. “But I don’t think it had a huge impact, and then any impact that it did have has been rather forgotten. So people often aren’t aware that it’s there and that it is a memorial to victims of concentration camps.”
Season of Hope at the JCC
Join us for a meaningful and uplifting Season of Hope as we celebrate the High Holidays together. From special services to community gatherings, there's something for everyone to re ect, renew and reconnect.
An Evening with Mohammad Darawshe
Faculty Member of the Shalom Hartman Institute
Wednesday, September 18, 7-8:30 pm • JCC Squirrel Hill
What is life like being an Israeli Arab? How do you create a shared society with Israeli Jews?
Mohammad Darawshe is also the Director of Strategy at Givat Haviva Center for Shared Society. He will share personal stories and discuss his work with Givat Haviva and its impact on Jewish-Arab relations to foster dialogue and mutual respect in Israel and beyond.
Start the New Year with a Mitzvah Pack Care Kits for Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, October 3, 3-4:15 pm • JCC Squirrel Hill
Sunday, October 6, 2-3:15 pm • JCC South Hills
Join us to pack care kits with food and toiletries that will be delivered to our neighbors in need of kindness during this season of hope.
Yom Kippur Community Conversation
Saving the World, One Life at a Time
Saturday, October 12, 3-4:45 pm • JCC Squirrel Hill
A community conversation on how we might meet our responsibility in addressing one of society’s most pervasive and challenging issues –the opioid epidemic.
Celebrating Simchat Torah Family Shabbat Dinner
Friday, October 25, 5-6:30 pm • JCC Squirrel Hill
Our Season of Hope will culminate with a family-friendly Simchat Torah Shabbat dinner along with our colleagues at PJ Library and the JCC’s Early Childhood Development Center.
This event will include an age-appropriate acknowledgment of the yahrzeit for the events of October 7, 2023.
For more information and to register for events scan HERE: jccpgh.org/event/season-of-hope
Or contact Rabbi Hindy Finman • h nman@jccpgh.org
p Fred Kormis in his studio in the 1980s Photo courtesy of Wiener Holocaust Library Collections
Life & Culture
At the time, he was employed by the Walt Disney Company, which had a lab at CMU’s campus.
By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer
After adopting a weighty subject as a passion project, Moshe Mahler is eyeing a potential Academy Award. The Carnegie Mellon University assistant teaching professor’s animated short documentary, “The Art of Weightlessness,” was named Best in Show at SIGGRAPH, an Oscar-qualifying computer animation festival.
The Academy will shortlist 15 films in December. Mahler isn’t holding his breath.
“I made this film for a very modest amount, and you’re often in competition with films that might have a budget of a million dollars for example,” he said.
There’s also the element of “campaigning,” he said. Getting the flick in front of as many Academy members’ eyes as possible takes time and money. Mahler, 43, is “navigating” the process, but said a potential prize wasn’t the reason for making the film.
“I learned a long time ago that you want to work on stuff that you would want to see yourself,” he said. “Yes, you want it to be appealing to other people, but if you work backwards from like, ‘Oh, I’m going to make this because it’s going to appeal to the Academy to win an Oscar,’ that’s a really bad artistic conceptual space to think from.”
Mahler began working on “The Art of Weightlessness” seven years ago.
“I was working on all these corporate projects, and they were fun and rewarding in different ways, but not necessarily creating art for art’s sake,” Mahler said. “I had been looking for something.”
In 2017, Mahler met Bill Shannon, an artist and performer born with a degenerative hip condition who developed ways of expressing himself by dancing and skateboarding on crutches.
Mahler set up a small studio in the basement of his O’Hara Township home and interviewed Shannon. Several hours of footage were paired down to about 13 minutes. Mahler then began storyboarding. Thanks to a grant, he hired a CMU student and narrowed the film to nine minutes — its current length. In 2019, production started. More grants enabled Mahler to hire more students and help the project progress. Finally, in November, the film, which cost $15,000 to make, premiered at Pittsburgh Shorts, a festival operated by Film Pittsburgh. Several months later, “The Art of Weightlessness” won Best in Show at
SIGGRAPH, a festival frequented by artists and researchers.
Mahler, a member of Adat Shalom Synagogue and Temple Emanuel of South Hills, is pleased with the film’s success and said he’s happy people are appreciating its lessons and reconsidering matters of ability and identity.
Within “The Art of Weightlessness,” Shannon describes aging, his relationship to movement and how skateboarding and crutches enabled expression. The subject’s voice is paired with animated scenes.
Months remain until a shortlist of films is announced for the upcoming Oscars. Last year, 114 films qualified in the category — shorts must be 40 minutes or less, including all credits, according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Mahler is moving through the process. Where he and his film will land, he isn’t sure. But that isn’t the point, he explained.
“The Art of Weightlessness” spends nine minutes tackling hefty subjects by demonstrating an individual’s lifelong growth.
“I think the big takeaway is that we think of evolution as the thing that takes millions of years across the human race. But I think there’s more of a microcosm of evolution that happens over people’s lifetime,” Mahler said. “That is part of the meaning and the celebration of what life is. It’s not just that life is hard, it’s what makes life compelling too.” PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
p Stills from “The Art of Weightlessness”
Courtesy of Moshe Mahler
p Moshe Mahler
Photo courtesy of Moshe Mahler
Life & Culture
Kosher wines to complement the fall holidays
Guest Columnist
Uriel Marcovitz
What is it about autumn when it comes to wine? For many, it means, “Let’s stop drinking white wines and drink only red.” As for me, I drink white wine year-round.
In the wine world, fall is the harvest season, a critical time when grapes are picked at their peak ripeness. This is followed by crushing and fermentation, marking the start of wine production for the year. Fall is also when wine enthusiasts b egin to enjoy heartier, full-bodied wines like cabernet sauvignon, syrah and oaked chardonnay, which pair well with richer, seasonal foods like roasts and stews. It’s a time of celebrations, wine festivals and v ineyard visits, as well as the release of special wines for the upcoming holiday season.
Kosher wines for the fall typically align with seasonal preferences for richer, fuller-bodied wines that pair well with hearty fall foods and Jewish holidays like R osh Hashanah, Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Here’s a breakdown of what makes kosher wines suitable for fall and why to choose each type.
Characteristics of fall kosher wines
Full-bodied reds
Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec, shiraz: These are popular during the cooler months because they offer bold flavors, tannins and a higher alcohol content, which pair well with autumn’s richer dishes like brisket, roast meats and stews.
Why? Fall cuisine often includes roasted meats, root vegetables and dishes with spices and gravies. Full-bodied red wines complement these robust flavors.
Rich whites
Chardonnay, viognier, chenin blanc: Heavier white wines that are often oaked or have a creamier texture are a great choice for those who prefer white wine but still want something substantial for the cooler weather.
Why? These wines work well with fall dishes that incorporate flavors like squash, cream-based sauces, or baked goods, as well as lighter poultry dishes.
Sweet wines and dessert wines
Late-harvest wines, Moscato, ice wines and port-style wines: For Rosh Hashanah, when it is traditional to eat sweet foods to symbolize
a sweet new year, sweeter wines like Moscato or dessert wines can easily be chosen. Why? Sweet wines are commonly served during Rosh Hashanah meals alongside apples dipped in honey, honey cakes and other sweet desserts, making them a perfect seasonal match.
Sparkling wines
Prosecco, cava and Champagne-style sparkling wines: Sparkling kosher wines are often served during festive occasions, making them a popular choice for holiday celebrations in the fall.
Why? The bubbles and lightness offer a celebratory feel, and sparkling wines pair well with appetizers, salads and lighter courses.
Kosher wines for fall holidays
Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year emphasizes sweet foods, and sweet wines (Moscato) or fruit-forward reds (merlot) help enhance the symbolic foods like apples and honey, pomegranates and honey cakes.
Sukkot: During this harvest festival, meals are eaten outdoors in a sukkah, and dishes feature seasonal produce. Kosher wines that reflect the richness of fall harvest, like earthy reds (Bordeaux blends) or robust whites (chardonnay), are perfect companions.
Simchat Torah: This holiday is marked by celebration and joy, and festive, easydrinking wines like sparkling varieties (Champagne) and lighter-style reds (syrah) can be an easy decision.
wine producers to consider for fall
Covenant Wines: Known for its highquality reds, especially cabernet sauvignon, which is great for fall.
Hagafen Cellars: Offers both full-bodied
reds and rich whites that work well for
: Produces a variety of wines at different price points, including bold reds and dessert wines perfect for
ecanati Winery : Based in Israel, it produces award-winning kosher wines, including robust reds like cabernet
Choosing kosher wines for the fall offers a unique opportunity to savor wines that perfectly complement the rich flavors of seasonal cuisine and the deeply-rooted traditions of the Jewish holidays. As the cooler eather sets in, these wines bring a sense of warmth and comfort, enhancing festive meals with their depth and complexity.
Whether you’re celebrating Rosh Hashanah with sweet wines to symbolize a prosperous new year, or enjoying full-bodied reds during Sukkot feasts under the stars, kosher wines in the fall emphasize richness and boldness. They elevate each occasion, making every gathering more vibrant and meaningful. With flavors that evoke the harvest and pair beautifully with traditional dishes, fall kosher wines add an extra layer of joy and celebration to these important moments. PJC
Uriel Marcovitz is a former restaurateur in Pittsburgh. He studies wine with the Court of Master Sommelier and holds advancedlevel sommelier status.
Kosher
Photo by PhotoMIX Company via Pexels
Danni and Andrew Valinsky joyfully announce the birth of their son, Milo Elias Valinsky, born on Aug. 30, 2024, in Pittsburgh. Milo Elias is named in loving memory of his late great-grandfather, Marvin Valinsky and his late great-greataunt Edith Pearlman. Proud grandparents are Alisa Fall (Lee Schwebel) and Michael Caplan, and Nicole and Howard Valinsky, all of Pittsburgh. Great-grandparents are Fran and David Fall of Pittsburgh, Douglas and the late Barbara Caplan, formerly of Pittsburgh but currently residing in Arizona, Mira Cohen and the late Sanford E. Cohen, both of Pittsburgh, and Toby Valinsky and the late Marvin Valinsky, formerly of Pittsburgh but now residing in Florida.
HDavid (Pittsburgh) and Jamie (Los Angeles) Frankel joyfully announce the birth of their son, Jesse Robert, born on Aug. 23, 2024, in Chicago. Grandparents are Deborah Loevner Frankel and Randy Frankel, Terri Greenberg (Squirrel Hill/South Hills) and Julie and Joel Mayer (Los Angeles). Jesse’s middle name is after his greatgrandfather, the late Bob Loevner of Squirrel Hill. PJC Elul: A time
21:10 – 25:19
ave you ever found something that didn’t belong to you? What did you do with it? Did you leave it where it was? Did you keep it? Or, did you attempt to find the owner?
According to our tradition, all of these options could be correct depending on what it was that you found. Was the lost item an ordinary or common one, like pieces of fruit dropped and scattered or coins that obviously fell out of a pocket? Keep it. Did the lost item have any identifying marks, like patterns made in processed wool? Return it. Was the lost object new but could be easily replaced? Keep it. Did the lost object have sentimental value, like homemade bread, or appear to be well-worn and loved, like a favorite paintbrush? Return it.
Why all this talk about lost objects?
What to do with lost (and found) objects is one of the many things addressed in this week’s Torah portion. Specifically, we read: “If you see your neighbor’s ox or sheep gone astray, do not hide yourself from it; you must return it.” (Deuteronomy 22:1) We can all picture the scene: You are standing in your field watching your flock when a sheep you have never seen before wanders over. What do you do with it?
According to the text, two things: Don’t hide from it, and return it. OK. Returning it we get. But what does the text mean when it says, “do not hide yourself” from it? It can’t truly mean “hiding,” as we traditionally define the word — we think of running away from what scares us, of trembling in a corner as our heart races when we hear loud noises in our basement in the middle of the night. Or we think of children’s games such as hide-and-seek — the fun that comes from hiding so well that you can’t be found.
But perhaps there is another way to understand what it means to hide: Perhaps to hide, one needs only to close one’s eyes. We may still be visible to whomever or whatever we have encountered, but we can no longer see them. In fact, one does not even have to close one’s eyes to avoid seeing. Too often, we pretend not to see. For if we choose not to see the wandering sheep or ox, then we are
Pittsburgh's premiere klezmer band, available for parties, events and concerts. Klezmer, jazz, popular and classical music.
To listen and find out more, go to janicecoppola.com or contact Janice at janicecoppolatimes10@gmail.com or call (412)735-5973
not responsible for returning it to its rightful owner, right? Our tradition doesn’t let us off the hook that easily. By stating that we cannot hide ourselves, the Torah commands us not to be indifferent. We are obligated to return what we find, especially if it has value to the one who lost it. We cannot leave it, or even keep it; we must seek out the owner to give back what is rightfully theirs.
In truth, it is unlikely that any of us will encounter lost sheep or oxen. But there are many modern scenarios that may fit the bill. How many times over the years have we left things in places and forgot where we left them? Who hasn’t misplaced glasses or keys, lost schoolbooks or important papers, or left platters at someone’s house? We hope that those things will be returned to us, and it is likely that they will be.
But what of the things we lose that aren’t of a physical nature? Sadly, we lose friendships, romantic relationships. We misplace trust and responsibility. We cause smiles to fade by using hurtful words. We ruin special moments by doing the wrong thing, by acting insensitively. Holy moments lost — these are much harder to return. But we are obligated to try.
As we near the High Holy Days, we strive to make things right, to return the items that we have found and collected during the past year. For some of us, the task is no more difficult than returning power tools to a neighbor or giving back a book on loan. But for all of us, the personal stuff is much harder. How do we return emotions and feelings? We return by turning to each other, repairing relationships and healing through kindness and forgiveness. This is the work of teshuvah, of repentance. It is not a coincidence that teshuvah, often defined as “repentance” can also mean to “return.” Our tradition gives us this month of Elul to prepare ourselves for the High Holy Days. May we use this time to repair the loose, frayed and even broken strings of connection to those who matter most to us. May we return to the rightful owners our gifts of trust, love and friendship as we enter the New Year together. PJC
Rabbi Jessica Locketz is a rabbi at Rodef Shalom Congregation. This column is a service of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Clergy Association.
Rabbi Jessica Locketz Parshat Ki Tetzei Deuteronomy
Obituaries
SCHINDLER: Alan Schindler, on Sept. 4, 2024. Loving child of Dr. Samuel Schindler (deceased 1984) and Janet (Ziff) Schindler (deceased 2015). Cherished brother of Dr. Marilyn (Schindler) Stolar of New London, Connecticut. Adored cousin of Phyllis (Miller) Feinert, Steven Feinert, Errol Miller, Esq., Dr. Michael Landay, Dr. Stephen Landay — all currently or previously residing in Pittsburgh; Marjorie Ziff-Levine, Dr. Harvey Ziff, Nancy Ziff, Joan (Popkin) Goldenberg (deceased), Ivan Popkin (deceased) — all currently or previously residing in Philadelphia. Loving uncle of Andrew Stolar of New Haven, Connecticut. Alan was born in 1947 in Pittsburgh, where he resided until his death at age 77. He graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics at Bethany College in West Virginia. He did post-graduate coursework in law and in elementary education. Alan loved his work experience as a summer day camp counselor for the youngest campers at Camp Deer Creek. He was a career tax preparer for H & R Block; year after year, his clients asked to be put on Schindler’s list. Alan was passionately interested in the business and history of sports; especially Pittsburgh teams, as well as two “dynasties”: the Green Bay Packers of the ‘60s, and the Boston Celtics of the ‘80s. He also possessed expertise in the political history of the USA from the ‘60s until recent times. He enjoyed reading, listening to folk music, listening to stand-up comedy routines, watching movies and documentary television programming. The most prominent feature of Alan’s essence was his witty and subtle sense of humor. His greatest joy in life was to say something that would elicit a laugh. He will be remembered for his humble and unique one-liners, and for his beautiful mind. An online memorial gathering of Alan’s family and friends will be held in early October, date/time to be determined. For more information, and to obtain access to the memorial gathering, please send an email to perpetual345@yahoo.com. Contributions may be made to Children’s Health Fund (childrenshealthfund.org/donation/). Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. schugar.com
SEIDENSTEIN: Phyllis Levy Seidenstein. On Sept. 6, 2024, Phyllis Levy Seidenstein, beloved “bride” to her Beau, the late Bernard Seidenstein, and daughter of the late Katie Levy Bell and the late Jack Levy passed away. Phyllis, or “Nanny,” as she was known by, was the most loving, supportive, glamourous and family-oriented woman. Phyllis leaves behind her three adoring children: Judy Tobe of Squirrel Hill, Jeffrey Seidenstein of Henderson, Nevada, and Robin Zukerman (the late William) of Monroeville; and was also “mom” to Stephen Tobe and the late Janice Levy Larson. Phyllis was the proud Nanala of Marla Werner (Michael), Scott Tobe (Becca), Matthew Tobe (Leslie), and Kevin Zukerman. And an incredibly proud great-Nanala to her great-grandchildren: Kaylee, Ethan, Ella and Ben Werner, Laila and Asher Tobe, and Bella and Dylan Tobe. Phyllis also leaves behind her brother, Alan Levy (Heather) and sister-in-law, Mari Levy delValle. She had many cherished friends and extended family who will miss her loving, sweet nature, her glamorous presence and her kind, generous spirit immensely. Nanny taught us all how to love and be loved. She will be missed dearly. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Cneseth Israel Cemetery. Contributions in Phyllis’ memory may be made to the Jewish Association on Aging, 200 JHF Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15217 or the Jewish Assistance Fund, P.O. Box 8197 Pittsburgh, PA 15217. schugar.com
WEITZ: Alan Weitz, on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. Beloved husband of the late Merle Weitz. Devoted father of Jonathan (Gail) Weitz, Melissa (Neil) Chonofsky and David (Judith) Weitz. Brother of the late Harold (Shirley) Weitz. Loving grandfather of Julianna, Haley, Josh, Melayna and Benjamin. Also survived by a sister-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews. Alan and his father had owned a kosher meat market for decades on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Homewood Cemetery. Contributions may be made to National Parkinson’s Foundation. schugar.com PJC
Cheryl
David &
Bernard
Marilyn
Harvey &
Linda
Janice Mankin
Joan Privman
Simma & Lawrence Robbins
Richard, Mindy, & Logan Stadler
Richard, Mindy, & Logan Stadler
Edith Flom Schneider
Edith Flom Schneider
Eileen E Snider & Family
Mitchell Toig
David Wolfson
Contact the Development department at 412-586-2690 or development@jaapgh.org for more information. THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS —
Sunday September 15: William Phillip Clovsky, Arleen Cohen, Charlotte J Goodman, Samuel M Hepps, Samuel Jacob Miller, Anna Singer, Jewel Steinberg Surloff, Esther Zinman
Monday September 16: Donald Baker, Belle Borofsky, Norma Davis Brodell, Jacob Broudy, Israel Louis Gordon, Herman Horowitz, Hyman J Jacobs, Morris Kalson, Theodore Kohut, Morris Mandel, Mollie Markowitz, Samuel M Rosenzweig, Frank Rubenstein, Besse Schugar, Jacob Schwartz, Abraham I Silverman, David Sinaiken, Joseph Slinger, Esther Wishnovitz
Tuesday September 17: Max Breverman, Harvey Deaktor, Isadore J Ficks, Etta Glass, Howard Sylvan Guttman, Ethel Kanselbaum, Norris Lee Lipman, Isreal Miller, Sidney Pariser, David Vinocur, Mary Weintraub
Wednesday September 18: Morris Abrom, Michael Balmuth, M .D , Jacob Berman, Mendel Binstock, Ben Cartiff, Martin David Gillis, Goldie Harris, Simon Jonas, Esther Friedberg Levy, Charles Papernick, Charlotte Levy Pollack, Louis A Robins, Florence H Szobel, Cyril Freda Wolfson
Thursday September 19: Ben Astrov, William Flom, Aaron Green, David Lester, Francis Nadler, Mamie Grace Rosenbloom, Pauline Roth, Shiffra Schneirov, Pauline Naomi Shorr, Mendel Silverman, Edith Symons, Emanuel L Wasser
Friday September 20: Regina Berg, Ethel Borovetz, Celia Grudzinsky Catz, Joseph Gelman, Lillian Ohringer Girson, Louis Goldberg, Barbara Goldstein, Louis Hershenson, Herbert Isaacs, Leon Kweller, Leon Lappin, Pearl Beck Levy, Norma Lewis, Essie Jacobs Marcus, Martin S Morrow, William Richman, Rose Leib Rothman, Mollie Steinman, Selma Volkin, Joseph Weitzman, Belle Strauss Wilder
Saturday September 21: Justine Becker, Pessie Esman, Nathan Glantz, Leah A Gluck, Toby Goldberg, Martha Hirsch Green, Bess Z Kaufmann, Morris Kessler, Leah Tobias Levy, Rose Mikulitzky, William Miller, David Pecarsky, Goldie Rubin, Lena Ruttenberg, Estelle Rae Sable, Martin S Taxay, M .D ., Joseph N Verk
Beth Jacob Cemetery – Duquesne
A Jewish community emerged in Duquesne in the years after 1891, when Andrew Carnegie purchased and later enlarged the Duquesne Steel Works. Founded in 1901, Beth Jacob Congregation used rented quarters until 1907, when it built its first shul. At the ceremony held in 1908, congregants marched from Conlin’s Hall to the new synagogue, Torahs in hand. Attendees included Rabbi Aaron M. Ashinsky of Congregation Beth Jacob (Pittsburgh) and Rev. Dr. J. Leonard Levy of Rodef Shalom Congregation.
Beth Jacob Congregation opened a 2.5-acre cemetery in Mifflin Township in 1904, two miles from town. The first burial was Edward Brown in 1904. The grounds have been dutifully kept by longstanding chairman Allan Gross and his dedicated committee. This 200 grave hillside cemetery, still active, is all that is left of the once thriving Duquesne Jewish community. The general population Duquesne doubled over the first two decades of the 20th century. Beth Jacob was destroyed in a fire during Passover 1922. The congregation rebuilt. Dedicated in 1925, with several hundred members in attendance, this was the shul’s Golden Era.
New Chesed Shel Eme th Cemetery
A thriving commercial district on First Street included many Jewish-owned businesses Several of these businessmen and professionals organized an informal social group called “The Ten Guys.” With their wives, they purchased a plot of land outside of Ligonier and built a small lodge that each member’s family could use for a portion of the year. While most of the older Jewish families in Duquesne lived in the city center, some lived in a newer section called Duquesne Place.
is eld of graves, established in 1913 in Shaler Township when Old Chesed Shel Emeth ran out of space, demonstrates our sacred mission to bury the indigent. In addition, four separate burials of damaged prayer books and other sacred texts, a service provided to the community by the JCBA, were held in 2007, 2013, 2018, and 2021.
The population of Duquesne has been sharply declining since reaching a peak of more than 21,000 people in 1930. The mills, and the downtown core, both central to Jewish Duquesne are just faint memories. Congregation Beth Jacob closed in 1977.
The synagogue was demolished in 2016 and congregational records are housed within the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center.
Beth Jacob Cemetery was turned over to the JCBA in 2024.
For more information, please visit our website at www.jcbapgh.org, email us at office@jcba.org or call the JCBA at 412-553-6469.
If you would like more information on free burial in Chesed Shel Emeth for those who are indigent, please contact us at the information provided below.
Jewish Association on Aging gratefully acknowledges contributions from the following:
D’Alessandro Funeral Home and Crematory Ltd.
“Always A Higher Standard”
Dustin A. D’Alessandro, Supervisor • Daniel T. D’Alessandro, Funeral Director 4522 Butler St. • Pittsburgh, PA 15201 (412) 682-6500 • www.dalessandroltd.com
“ e world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.”
Headlines
3 Israelis killed in terror shooting at crossing between West Bank and Jordan
By Emanuel Fabian | Times of Israel
Three Israeli men were killed in a terrorist shooting attack at the Allenby Bridge Crossing between Jordan and the West Bank on Sunday morning, authorities said.
The attack was carried out by a Jordanian truck driver who had arrived from Jordan. The crossing, also known as the King Hussein Bridge, is the West Bank’s sole crossing with Jordan.
The three victims were named Yohanan Shchori, 61, a father of six from the West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Efraim, Yuri Birnbaum, 65, from the settlement of Na’ama, and Adrian Marcelo Podzamczer, from the settlement city of Ariel.
According to the military and Israel Airports Authority officials — the latter of which manages the land crossing — the gunman got out of the truck he was driving during an inspection at the terminal and opened fire at several of the crossing’s workers, killing three.
IAA security guards returned fire at the terrorist, killing him.
He was identified by Israeli security sources as Maher Dhiab Hussein al-Jazi, 39, a Jordanian national from the southern Jordan town of Udhruh, east of Petra.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said its medics treated the three men at the scene, but were forced to declare their deaths.
Footage circulating online purported to show the moment of the attack.
The Israel Defense Forces described the shooting as a terror attack. It published an image of the handgun used by the terrorist.
IDF sappers dispatched to the scene later ruled out suspicions that the truck in which a terrorist arrived had been rigged with explosives, the military said.
Terror groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad both welcomed the attack.
Hamas hailed the attacker as “one of Jordan’s brave men.”
In a statement, it said that the attack was a “natural response to the holocaust carried out by the Nazi Zionist enemy against our people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and its plans for the Judaization of the Al Aqsa mosque.”
The terror group further called on people in Arab and Muslim countries to rise up
in support of Palestinians.
On its Telegram channel, the PIJ described the attacker as a “hero” and said the assault is an “expression of the sentiments of the Jordanian people and the Arab and Muslim peoples towards the brutal massacres committed by the enemy.”
“This heroic attack and similar ones are the only response that the American administration understands,” the statement added, accusing the United States of being an “accomplice” to Israel. Israeli and Jordanian authorities both announced that the crossing had been closed until further notice following the deadly shooting attack.
The Jordanian interior ministry also said that authorities had begun an investigation into the attack.
The IAA said that in addition to the closure of Allenby Bridge, the other land crossings with Jordan — the Rabin Crossing near Eilat and the Jordan River Crossing near Beit She’an — were closed at the request of security authorities.
Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty in 1994 and have close security ties. Dozens of trailers cross daily from Jordan, with goods from Jordan and the Gulf that supply both the West Bank and Israeli markets.
Palestinians can only use the Allenby Bridge Crossing to enter Jordan from the West Bank, while Israelis generally use the Rabin and Jordan River crossings.
Violence in the West Bank has surged in the past year, following the Oct. 7 Hamas terror onslaught in southern Israel, in which some 1,200 people were massacred and 251 were taken hostage.
Since Oct. 7, troops have arrested some 5,000 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 2,000 affiliated with Hamas.
According to the Palestinian Authority health ministry, more than 670 West Bank Palestinians have been killed in that time. The IDF says the vast majority of them were gunmen killed in exchanges of fire, rioters who clashed with troops or terrorists carrying out attacks.
During the same period, 32 people, including Israeli security personnel, have been killed in terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank. Another six members of the security forces were killed in clashes with terror operatives in the West Bank. PJC
Gianluca Pacchiani and Agencies contributed to this report.
p Yuri Birnbaum (left), Yohanan Shchori (center), and Adrian Marcelo Podzamczer, killed in a terror shooting attack at the Allenby Bridge Crossing, Sept. 8, 2024
A WEEK. Sign up on the right hand side of our homepage. pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
Sign up on the right hand side of our homepage. pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
Sign up on the right hand side of our homepage. pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
Life & Culture
New archaeological research shows siege on Masada lasted just weeks, not
years
By Jackie Hajdenberg | JTA
The legend of Masada is etched into Jewish lore: For years, the story goes, ancient Jews held out in a desert fortress against their Roman foes.
Now, researchers from Tel Aviv University have determined that the first-century siege on Masada in southern Israel lasted just weeks, upending a long-held narrative about Jewish perseverance against steep odds.
The main account of the siege comes from the Roman-Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who described extended anticipation as the Romans prepared to attack, then a drawn-out resistance before the Jews atop Masada committed suicide rather than being captured.
But using drone technology and 3D renderings, they hypothesized that the construction of the wall and camps around Masada took about two weeks, and the siege itself likely lasted between four and nine weeks.
“The narrative of Masada, the Great Jewish Revolt, the siege, and the tragic end as related by Flavius Josephus, have all become part of Israeli DNA and the Zionist ethos, and are well known around the world,” one of the lead researchers, Guy Stiebel of Tel Aviv
University’s Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology, said in a statement.
“The duration of the siege is a major element in this narrative, suggesting that the glorious Roman army found it very difficult
to take the fortress and crush its defenders,” he added. “For many years it was assumed that the siege took three long years, but in recent decades researchers have begun to challenge this unfounded belief.”
Stiebel and Hai Ashkenazi used drones and modeling to create what Tel Aviv University said was “the first objective, quantified analysis of the Roman siege.”
The researchers used aerial photography to examine Masada and the surrounding area, focusing on the water systems, trails leading to and from the fortress and the Roman siege system. Their focus was on the Romans’ siege system, which left unusual evidence because of Masada’s geographic isolation and arid desert environment.
“Based on the ancient historical testimony it is clear that once the assault ramp was completed, the Romans launched a brutal attack, ultimately capturing the fortress within a few weeks at the most,” Ashkenazi said. “This leads us to the conclusion that the entire siege of Masada lasted no more than several weeks.”
The legend of Masada has been
foundational for Israeli identity. The fortress site near the Dead Sea is a major tourist destination as well as the historic site for inducting Israeli soldiers responsible for contemporary Jewish self-defense.
The tourists and officials were drawn to a compelling story of Jewish resistance at a time of oppression. During the First Jewish Revolt against Rome from 66 to 70 CE, a group of Jewish zealots sought safety on Masada, the desert palace and fortress constructed by King Herod I. Following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, they were joined by Jews from other parts of the region who sought refuge from the Romans. In 72 or 73 CE, approximately 8,000 Romans laid siege to Masada, building a wall and ramp encircling the fortress. According to Josephus’ writings, the nearly 1,000 people on the mountain chose to take their own lives rather than let the Romans reach them.
The duration of the siege is not the first element of the story to be challenged by contemporary scholars. Some have concluded that Flavius Josephus’ account of a mass suicide is unlikely to be true. PJC
Aerial view of the ruins of Masada, a fortress built by Herod the Great on a clifftop in the desert of what is now Israel
Photo by Getty Images
Community
Rally for hostages
Community members gathered on the corner of Murray and Forbes avenues on Sept. 8 to demand the return of an estimated 101 hostages held in Gaza. The captives have remained prisoners of Hamas since Oct. 7.
captives).
NCSY
Summer Sizzler
Several hundred supporters of NCSY met at the Butler Gardens on Aug. 28 for the annual
Congrats and keep growing
an opportunity to celebrate awardees, elect and install a board
directors and highlight organizational and communal accomplishments.
p (redeeming
p
Photos by Adam Reinherz
Summer Sizzler. The backyard barbecue supports the Central East region of NCSY.
p
p
Photos by Sanford Riemer
The Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh held its 129th Annual Meeting on Sept. 4. The event was
of
p President and CEO Jason Kunzman touts the JCC’s growth and communal impact.
Photo courtesy of Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh
p
Photo courtesy of Chabad House on Campus
We must protect this house
Chabad at Pitt helped students affix mezuzot to dorm room doorposts.
Find all your tailgating favorites here— and score FREE gas & groceries!
