Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 10-20-23 by Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle

October 20, 2023 | 5 Cheshvan 5784

NOTEWORTHY LOCAL 'Hate can't win'

Synagogue shooting survivors bring inspiration to local high school

Candlelighting 6:15 p.m. | Havdalah 7:12 p.m. | Vol. 66, No. 42 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Pittsburgh synagogue shooting Local university commemorated through Torah students grapple study, volunteering and self-care with proPalestinian messages on campus By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer

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T “In the past few years, few experiences have been as gently healing for me as sitting with others in the community, working over a text together,” he said. “It is a way of saying everything we want to say without having to find the words.” Those seeking to develop their voice to advocate for stronger gun legislation can attend one of several programs. On Oct. 22, Squirrel Hill Stands Against Gun Violence will partner with Repair the World Pittsburgh, CeaseFirePA and the 10.27 Healing Partnership for an in-person workshop on “how to tell your own story in order to move stronger gun legislation forward.” “Building relationships with other people and hearing their stories is one of the most effective ways to steer people’s point of view,” said Dana Kellerman, policy director for Squirrel Hill Stands Against Gun Violence. A similar but separate event on Oct. 26 will embolden attendees to tell their story by understanding its place within the broader context of gun violence.

he sidewalk leading from Forbes Avenue to “the Fence” on Carnegie Mellon University’s campus is peppered with directions to the “Violins of Hope” exhibit at the school’s Posner Center. The exhibit tells the story of instruments played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. It will be housed at CMU until Nov. 21, and the violins will be played in several local concerts. The “Violins of Hope” project aims “through lessons of the Holocaust, [to] demonstrate humanity’s amazing ability to rebound from even the darkest depravity,” according to promotional materials. But on Oct. 9, just two days after Hamas entered Israel and savagely murdered more than 1,400 Israelis — mostly civilians — and wounded 3,000 more, pro-Palestinian students painted the Fence, a university landmark, with messages that seemed to support terrorists. “76 years of occupation” was emblazoned along the wall in red, white, green and black paint. The Pan-Arab colors were first adopted by the Palestinian Liberation Organization in 1964 to be used for a flag for what it hoped would be a future nation. The other side of the Fence bore the message “Free Palestine.” The university does not oversee the painting of the Fence, according to Peter Kerwin, CMU’s director of media relations. Rather, the Fence is “student governed,” he said, with rules applied by the Student Government Graffiti and Poster Policy. Students are allowed to paint messages on the Fence between midnight and 4 a.m.

Please see 10.27, page 10

Please see Students, page 10

LOCAL Talking to kids about the war

Day schools offer space for dialogue and prayer Page 4

LOCAL Meet Joe Rockey

Allegheny County executive candidate comes to Federation forum Page 5

$1.50

 Survivors of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting at the fourth commemeration event, Oct. 27, 2022 Photo by Toby Tabachnick By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

ommunity members are encouraged to study Torah, volunteer and practice self-care in memory of the 11 people murdered in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. In conjunction with the fifth commemoration of Oct. 27, 2018, area groups are partnering on various activities designed to promote spirit and service. On the morning of Oct. 27, the 10.27 Healing Partnership will host virtual Torah study with teachers from around the world. Then, to mark the yahrzeit of the 11 people killed (18th of Cheshvan), the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill will host in-person learning on the evening of Nov. 1. Maggie Feinstein, director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, said she hopes to see a diverse representation of community members during Torah study. Eric Lidji, director of the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives at the Heinz History Center and an organizer of the educational initiative, noted the benefit of diversity in study.

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Headlines Summer Lee calls for ceasefire in Israel and ‘occupied Palestine’ — LOCAL —

“Hamas is currently holding almost 200 civilians, including American citizens, hostage in Gaza. Now more than ever, we need leadership in Congress to demand their immediate release and reaffirm Israel's right to defend itself.”

By Toby Tabachnick | Editor

.S. Rep. Summer Lee and four other progressive Democrats introduced a resolution Monday calling for an immediate ceasefire in “Israel and occupied Palestine.” Lee, who represents Squirrel Hill, is co-sponsoring the Ceasefire Now resolution along with Reps. Cori Bush (Missouri), Rashida Tlaib (Michigan), André Carson (Indiana) and Delia C. Ramirez (Illinois). The resolution states that “between October 7 and October 16, 2023, armed violence has claimed the lives of over 2,700 Palestinians and over 1,400 Israelis, including Americans, and wounded thousands more,” and calls for the Biden administration “to immediately call for and facilitate deescalation and a cease-fire to urgently end the current violence.” There is no mention in the resolution of Hamas terrorism, and it does not call for the release of the estimated 200 hostages from several countries that Hamas abducted during its Oct. 7 attack on Israeli civilians. The resolution urges the United States to send and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza but does not call for humanitarian aid to be sent to Israel. Reps. Jamaal Bowman (New York), Bonnie Watson Coleman (New Jersey), Jesús “Chuy” García (Illinois), Jonathan Jackson (Illinois), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York), Ilhan Omar (Minnesota), Ayanna Pressley (Massachusetts) and Nydia Velázquez (New York) also have signed onto the resolution.

–LAURA CHERNER

p Rep. Summer Lee

Photo courtesy of summerlee.house.gov

After Israel suffered the deadliest attack in its history, it unleashed a bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground operation intending to eradicate Hamas. The Israel Defense Forces says it is trying to clear away civilians ahead of a major campaign in the north of the enclave, where the terrorists have extensive networks of tunnels and rocket launchers, The Times of Israel reported. Hamas, however, has urged people to stay in their homes. The Israeli military has released photos it said showed

a Hamas roadblock preventing traffic from moving south. Lee’s Ceasefire Now resolution is unlikely to gain much traction. President Joe Biden and the vast majority of Congress have expressed strong support for Israel and its right to self-defense. A bipartisan resolution introduced last week affirming unequivocal support for Israel and condemning the Hamas attack had more than 400 co-sponsors. Lee has not signed on to that resolution. Laura Cherner, director of the Jewish

Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Community Relations Council, said that it is imperative that members of Congress support Israel’s right to selfdefense and call for the safe return of the hostages. “Hamas is currently holding almost 200 civilians, including American citizens, hostage in Gaza,” Cherner said. “Now more than ever, we need leadership in Congress to demand their immediate release and Please see Lee, page 5

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Headlines Survivors of Pittsburgh synagogue shooting tell students ‘hate can’t win’ — LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

n a day in which Hamas called for global rage, three Jewish women thwarted the summons by exemplifying resilience, demonstrating vulnerability and encouraging difficult decision-making during a conversation with Canon-McMillan High School students. Organized by Meg Pankiewicz, a teacher at the school, the Oct. 13 program was scheduled long before the war in Israel began. The program, which included a conversation with Carol Black, Audrey Glickman and Jodi Kart, was intended to mark five years since the Oct. 27, 2018, attack at the Tree of Life building. Black and Glickman survived the shooting; Kart’s father, Melvin Wax, was among 11 Jews murdered during Shabbat services. Given Hamas’ recent attack in Israel, though, the conversation was even more necessary, Pankiewicz told students. “Just this week, we have seen vicious attacks on the Jewish state of Israel and calls for violence against Jews,” she said. “As someone who has taught the Holocaust for over 20 years, had close relationships with Holocaust survivors and am now currently obtaining my Ph.D. in Holocaust and genocide studies

p From left: Carol Black, Audrey Glickman, Meg Pankiewicz and Jodi Kart on Oct. 13

from Gratz College, a private Jewish college, I am often kept awake at night wondering if we have learned anything from the past.” Thanks to Pankiewicz and the presenters, Friday’s discussion — which occurred on the same day that former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal called for “application” of jihad — was a chance to mine past events for new meaning. Black, Glickman and Kart recounted their memories of the Pittsburgh synagogue

shooting, the friends and loved ones lost and the power of future generations. Black, a member of New Light Congregation, told students that she heard gunfire during services that morning, retreated to a dark closet and hid for nearly an hour until she was rescued by SWAT members. Her brother, Richard Gottfried, was one of the 11 Jews murdered by an antisemitic gunman.

Photo by Adam Reinherz

“It was the worst day of my life,” Black said. Glickman, a member of Tree of Life Congregation, recounted that she was leading services when it sounded like “something big and metal fell.” “It was an automatic weapon that we heard, and we took off,” she continued. “That’s when all hell broke loose.” Glickman said that she and fellow Tree of Please see Survivors, page 11

ISRAEL HERITAGE ROOM University of Pittsburgh

THE 2023 ISRAEL HERITAGE ROOM LECTURE Dr. Hila Nehushtan will present

Paradoxical Bodies: Responsibility, Morality and Culture in Weight Loss Surgeries in Israel

Co-sponsored with the Jewish Studies Program of the University of Pittsburgh

Sunday, November 5, 2023, 4:00 p.m. Dr. Hilla Nehushtan

In the English Heritage Room, 144 Cathedral of Learning Mission Statement The purpose of the Nationality and Heritage Room Committees, the Nationality Committees, and affiliating organizations is to preserve and promote ethnic traditions, further intercultural understanding and appreciation of the national or heritage groups they represent through the Nationality Rooms and events, performances, lectures, films, or exhibits

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OCTOBER 20, 2023

Headlines Pittsburgh’s Jewish day schools recommit to security as Israeli war rages — LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

ar in Israel is prompting swift educational responses in Pittsburgh. Since Hamas’ Oct. 7 heinous attack on Israel, local Jewish day schools have redoubled efforts to ensure students, staff and families are safe and secure. Community Day School educators recognized that with nearly 48 hours elapsing between Saturday’s attack and Monday’s start of school, students would have varying levels of knowledge about the situation in Israel, Ilana Kisilinsky, CDS’ director of marketing and communications, said. Administrators met the evening of Oct. 8 to “plan what Monday would look like,” she said. The biggest priority is “supporting staff and students and families, while also being cognizant that everything going on is ageappropriate,” she continued. “Our thought is that it’s best for the children to be in their routine as much as possible but also give them space during the day to talk about current events if they want.” Following students’ arrival Monday morning, several “brief words were said about the situation” during designated prayer time. After services, students and staff sang “Hatikvah.”

“Usually we do not recite it during tefillah (prayer), but we felt the need during this time to do so,” Kisilinsky added. The Jewish day school representative credited Duquesne University’s Kara E. McGoey, a professor at the university’s school of education, as well as JFCS’ Director of Clinical Services Stefanie Small, with providing on-site mental health resources to staff, students and families. The school also has contacted alumni “who are either in Israel or whose children are in Israel,” Kisilinsky said. For many parents, she continued, security remains the primary concern. “In these moments, specifically when we see antisemitism globally, we are concerned about antisemitism at home,” Kisilinsky said. “We have made sure to reassure parents that there’s no credible threats and that we are taking security extremely carefully, as we always do.” Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh officials had a similar reaction. “First and foremost, when tragedy struck, the safety and security of our students was our No. 1 priority,” Hillel Academy’s Principal Rabbi Sam Weinberg said. Before Monday’s start of school, Hillel Academy administrators consulted with mental health professionals “both locally and abroad to make sure our response was trauma-informed,” he said. “At the same time, we wanted our students to be able to express grief

and mourn in whatever way they felt.” A Monday morning tehillim rally for students in grades one through 12 provided a collective space to address the war through familiar behavior, he explained. “Prayer has always been a response of the Jewish people,” he said. Weinberg credited Tair Gelerenter and Ayelet Setbon — Israeli teenage emissaries — with mobilizing student responses. “Over the years we’ve had many shlichim, bat sherut and students who are now lone soldiers. We’ve been checking in on them because that’s what family does,” he said. Weinberg said the 75-year-old school has long touted its ties between students, staff and alumni. “This moment only reinforces our belief that Hillel Academy is a family,” he said. Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum, Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh’s head of school, said that before restarting classes Tuesday morning — Yeshiva was off Monday, Oct. 9, as part of Sukkot break — administrators and members of the security team met with Shawn Brokos, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s director of community security. Additional security protocols were established “out of an abundance of care,” he said. “We want to make sure that we are being vigilant.” Dr. Yisroel King, a behavioral intervention

specialist, spoke to Yeshiva’s parents and teachers about mental health-related concerns. Each conversation conveyed that “our assumption is that we are in this for the long haul, and that this is not going to be a couple-days event,” Rosenblum said. “Most importantly, we talked about the Jewish, Torah, spiritual response to events like this.” Three days after the Yom Kippur War began in 1973, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, stressed the need to stay positive, and said, “Happiness breaks all boundaries,” according to Chabad.org. Rosenblum said the commitment to positivity is because “wars are psychological and the enemy is trying to kill us not only physically, but demoralize us.” Yeshiva is doing its part to hearten constituents. Along with encouraging families to attend the Federation’s Oct. 8 gathering at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill, Yeshiva staff urged people to increase their performance of “Torah, tefillah and tzedaka,” Rosenblum said. “We believe that what we do here affects the outcome there.” What occurred, and is occurring in Israel, is serious, “but we must keep the spirits going,” he said. “We must dispel darkness through light, and try to stay positive.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

Prayers for Israel: Gathering and Service

Vote Yes!

KEEP THESE LOCAL QUALIFIED JUDGES

Sunday, October 22 at 6:45 p.m. Congregation Beth Shalom

October 24 – Mail-In Ballots Sent November 7 – Election Day ALLEGHENY COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS

The Honorable

Eleanor L. Bush

The Honorable

Paul E. Cozza

The Honorable

Lawrence J. O’Toole

‫עו˘ה ˘לום במרומיו‬ The Honorable

Jill E. Rangos

The Honorable

Jennifer A. Satler

May God bring down peace from on high

The Honorable

Christine A. Ward

These judges are recommended for retention by the attorneys of the Allegheny County Bar Association.

Come together at Beth Shalom as we gather to say psalms and prayers for the safety of all civilians, for the protection of Israel’s soldiers, to mourn the dead, to pray for the safe return of the hostages, and for peace.

For more information, visit our Judicial Vote website at www.JudicialVote2023.org. Scan the QR code to view these ratings while voting. Paid for by the ACBA Judicial Excellence Committee (PAC), a political action committee of the Allegheny County Bar Association.

OCTOBER 20, 2023

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Headlines Candidate Joe Rockey meets Jewish community at Federation forum — LOCAL — By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer

epublican Joe Rockey, a candidate for Allegheny County executive, began his Oct. 11 Coffee and Conversations forum, hosted by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, discussing Israel’s war with Hamas terrorists. Rockey noted that he attended the pro-Israel rally held at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, organized by the Federation on Oct. 8. “To see the direct connection, the number of people who have someone in their family who is either defending Israel right now, or being called up to defend Israel, was really a powerful thing for me to see,” he said. He stressed his support for Israel’s defense and its rooting out of terrorism. The candidate, a 58-year-old Ohio Township resident and a retired chief risk officer at PNC Financial Services, joined Laura Cherner, director of Federation’s Community Relations Council, for a conversation that touched on many topics of interest in the race to replace County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Picking up on the theme of antisemitism, Cherner asked Rockey how, as county executive, he could address white supremacy and extremism. “Hate is unacceptable,” Rockey said. Cherner then questioned the candidate about how to best maintain the vitality of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods. Rockey

p Joe Rockey sat down with Laura Cherner for Coffee and Conversations on Oct. 11. Photo by David Rullo

noted that population decline and crime are two critical areas that the next county executive will have to confront. He said he has a five-point plan to address public safety. The safety of those working Downtown or in neighborhoods like the South Side, he said, affects the county’s businesses. “Our goal,” he said, “is to create Allegheny County as the safest, largest large municipality in the country. And that is what we will work to do.” Rockey said he planned to increase the county’s police force by 10% because many municipalities are unable to do so. If elected, Rockey said he would create a “jobs renaissance” to stop population decline

in the county, pointing to his six-point plan, which can be found on his website, voterockey.com. “People’s children and grandchildren have left this county to go to Charlotte or Tampa or Atlanta to get a job because they couldn’t get a job in this county,” he said. “That’s what we need to change.” Noting that recently there have been unexplained deaths in the county jail, Cherner asked Rockey what he would do to address flaws in the criminal justice system. The candidate noted that 16 people died over the last 30 months in the county jail and said that the county must create a detailed plan to address the problem,

including increasing medical and mental health services. “The reality is the mental health crisis begins before criminality or homelessness,” he said. “We need to, as a county, bring the mental health resources to bear across the entire county. We need to leverage the two large health systems in this county and hold them accountable to have the right level of resources available so that when someone is having a mental health challenge, they get the help before they end up in a homeless situation, or before they actually do criminal activity.” Asked about his six-point plan for job growth, Rockey noted that since the pandemic began, there’s been a massive onshoring process in the U.S., but that Allegheny County hasn’t taken part in much of it. President Joe Biden, Rockey said, has done a great job supporting industries to help the country succeed, but Allegheny County has not been a large enough part of that initiative. He said that $125 billion from the $1 trillion Inflation Reduction Act was dedicated to green jobs, but only one local project, in Turtle Creek, was given a loan to create 600 jobs. “That’s great,” he said. “I’m happy for it. That is way too little for Allegheny County.” Asked about infrastructure, Rockey noted that Allegheny County was only responsible for six bridges that have been rated as poor, but he acknowledged that infrastructure is a central issue for Please see Rockey, page 11

Lee: Continued from page 2

reaffirm Israel’s right to defend itself in the wake of the deadliest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust. Innocent lives, Israeli and Palestinian, depend on it.” Lee posted a condemnation of “Hamas’ horrifying attack on children and civilians” on Oct. 7 on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. But in that same post, Lee also called for “an end to the occupation” and a “de-escalation and end to this tragic cycle of violence.” Last weekend, Lee posted a series of tweets expressing sympathy for Palestinians in Gaza and condemning Israel for “human rights violations.” The Chronicle reached out to Lee requesting an interview. Her office said she was not available, but sent the following prepared statement: "The violence that continues to escalate in Israel and Palestine is devastating to watch. I once again strongly condemn the violence, terrorism, and hostage taking by Hamas that tore away the lives of over a thousand Israeli civilians. But we cannot allow innocent civilians in Gaza — including children — to continue to be collectively and inhumanely punished for Hamas' horrific actions, as we’ve already seen Israeli airstrikes kill thousands of civilians against PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

p Screenshot from Rep. Lee’s X account

international human rights law, and force hundreds of thousands of people out of their homes. Continued retaliation against civilians will do nothing to end this tragic cycle of violence. “It is important to remember that a ceasefire resolution would include the safe return of civilian hostages. That’s why

today, I’m joining Representatives Cori Bush (MO-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), André Carson (IN-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-04), and more of my colleagues to demand an end to the violence, a ceasefire, and the immediate passage of humanitarian aid to the 2.2 million people of Gaza who have been forced to live without food,

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water, and electricity." Lee’s office said she is working to co-sponsor a resolution condemning Hamas and calling for all hostages to be released immediately. PJC Toby Tabachnick can be reached at ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. OCTOBER 20, 2023

Calendar Submit calendar items on the Chronicle’s website, pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. Submissions also will be included in print. Events will run in the print edition beginning one month prior to the date as space allows. The deadline for submissions is Friday, noon. q FRIDAY, OCT. 20 The Squirrel Hill AARP chapter invites seniors to learn of the changes in the 2024 Medicare supplements, Part D, advantage plans and every competitive company on the market. The presenter will be Bonnie Bloom, manager of the Health Insurance Store. 1 p.m. Rodef Shalom Congregation, Falk Library, 4905 Fifth Ave. For additional information, contact Marcia Kramer, 412-656-5803. q SUNDAY, OCT. 22 Join Temple Sinai Brotherhood for a Brunch & Discussion: “Reform Zionism: Why Israel is Important to Reform Jews” with Rabbi Daniel Fellman. 10 a.m. $15 per person ($18 at the door)/ $5 to watch online. templesinaipgh.org/event/ brotherhood-brunch.html. q SUNDAYS, OCT. 22 – DEC. 3 Join Chabad of Squirrel Hill for its Men’s Tefillin Club. Enjoy bagels, lox and tefillin on the first Sunday of the month. 8:30 a.m. chabadpgh.com. q SUNDAYS, OCT. 22 – DEC. 17 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. q MONDAYS, OCT. 23 – DEC. 18 Join Congregation Beth Shalom for a weekly Talmud study. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q MONDAYS, OCT. 23 – MAY 13 H. Arnold and Adrien B. Gefsky Community Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff presents Torah 2. Understanding the Torah and what it asks of us is perhaps one of the most important things that a Jew can learn. In Torah 2, Schiff will explore the second half of Leviticus and all of Numbers and Deuteronomy. $225. Zoom. jewishpgh.org/event/ torah-2-2/2023-10-09. q MONDAYS, OCT. 23 – DEC. 4 Join H. Arnold and Adrien B. Gefsky Community Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff for Modern Jewish Philosophy. In this course, Rabbi Schiff will introduce the great Jewish philosophers of modernity and will make their important ideas understandable and relevant to today. $95. Zoom. jewishpgh.org/event/modern-jewishphilosophy/2023-10-16. q TUESDAYS, OCT. 24 – NOV. 14 Join H. Arnold and Adrien B. Gefsky Community Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff for The Jewish Calendar. Sometimes the holidays come “early” and sometimes the holidays come “late.” Why? In this series, Rabbi Schiff will explore the Jewish texts that gave rise to the Jewish calendar. How does the cycle of the Jewish year actually work, and what meaning does it offer to us? 9:30 a.m. Zoom. $55. jewishpgh.org/series/ the-jewish-calendar. q WEDNESDAY, OCT. 25 Join the 10.27 Healing Partnership at the Squirrel Hill JCC for a day of wellness, self-care and healing in anticipation of the fifth year Oct. 27, 2018, commemoration. A variety of free wellness opportunities will include an open arts studio, acupuncture, group improv, yoga and reiki-infused sound bathing. All members and non-members

of the JCC are welcomed. JCC, 5738 Forbes Ave. 1027healingpartnership.org/event/day-of-healingcommemorative-self-care. Join the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh for Hiding to Survive: Jewish Children in Krakow, Poland. How did Jewish children conceal their presence during the Holocaust and what effect did hiding have on child survivors? This talk will expand the story of Krakow Jews as told in the film “Schindler’s List” by zooming in on Jewish children’s experiences and what that conveys about the German occupation of Krakow, Poland. 5 p.m. Cathedral of Learning, room 501. ucis.pitt.edu/esc/events/hiding-survivejewish-children-krakow-poland. q WEDNESDAYS, OCT. 25 – DEC. 6 Join H. Arnold and Adrien B. Gefsky Community Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff for The God Class. Schiff will discuss Jewish views of God and how they’ve developed through the ages. 9:30 a.m. $150 Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Ave. jewishpgh. org/event/the-god-class/2023-09-27. q WEDNESDAYS, OCT. 25 – DEC. 20 Join AgeWell for an intergenerational family dynamics discussion group, led by intergenerational specialist/presenter and educator Audree Schall. Third Wednesday of each month. Free. 12:30 p.m. South Hills JCC. q WEDNESDAYS, OCT. 25 – DEC. 27 Bring the parashah alive and make it personally relevant and meaningful with Rabbi Mark Goodman in this weekly Parashah Discussion: Life & Text. 12:15 p.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org/life-text. Temple Sinai’s Rabbi Daniel Fellman presents a weekly Parshat/Torah portion class on site and online. Call 412-421-9715 for more information and the Zoom link. q WEDNESDAYS, OCT. 25 – MAY 15 The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh virtually presents two Melton courses back-toback: “Ethics” and “Crossroads.” In “Ethics,” learn how Jewish teachings shed light on Jewish issues. “Crossroads” will present an emphasis on reclaiming the richness of Jewish history. 7 p.m. $300 for this 25-session series (book included). jewishpgh.org/ series/melton-ethics-crossroads. q THURSDAY, OCT. 26 Join The Branch for its annual meeting as it welcomes the CEO of the Blue Dove Foundation to discuss transforming the way the Jewish community understands and responds to mental illness. 7 p.m. Sally and Howard Levin Clubhouse, 2609 Murray Ave. q THURSDAY, OCT. 26 Join the 10.27 Healing Partnership and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for our healing consciousnessbuilding forest bathing series at the Frick Park Environmental Center. We will take 90-minute gentle walks throughout Frick Park while nurturing our connection to the natural world through reflective practices. Forest bathing involves gentle walking in the woods in community with others and with trained forest bathing practitioners from the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, as well as trauma-informed staff from the 10.27 Healing Partnership. Meet at Frick Environmental Center, 2005 Beechwood Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15217. 10 a.m. Free. Registration required. pittsburghparks.org/event/forest-bathingfrick-environmental-center-8-25-2023/2023-09-28/. q FRIDAY, OCT. 27 The 2023 Commemoration Ceremony of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting will take place at 3 p.m. on Prospect Drive in Schenley Park. All are welcome.

q FRIDAY, OCT. 27 – SUNDAY, OCT. 29 Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s season opener tells powerful stories of tragedy, hope and human connection. The program’s central work, “Sounds of the Sun,” is a world premiere by Jennifer Archibald, which celebrates the life of Florence Waren, a Jewish dancer who lived in Paris and worked with the French Resistance during World War II. Also included is the emotional “Monger,” created by award-winning Israeli American choreographer Barak Marshall. The world premiere is presented in partnership with Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh. Byham Theater, 101 Sixth St. Tickets can be purchased at pbt.org. q WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1 Join Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle Senior Staff Writer David Rullo as he celebrates the publication of his book “Gen X Pittsburgh: The Beehive and the ’90s Scene.” Rullo will be joined by Beehive founders Scott Kramer and Steve Zumoff, as well as several of the people featured in the book. Performances by Liz Berlin, Phat Man Dee and Circus Apocalypse. Tiki Lounge, 2003 E. Carson St. Press only, 6-7 p.m. Public, 7-11 p.m. q WEDNESDAYS, NOV. 1 – DEC. 6 Chabad of the South Hills presents a new six-week JLI course, “The World of Kabbalah – Revealing How Its Mystical Secrets Relate to You.” Discover the core mystical and spiritual teachings of Kabbalah and their relevance to everyday life. Learn to think like a Jewish mystic and gain powerful insights to fuel deeper self-understanding and personal growth. 7:30 p.m. Chabad of the South Hills, 1701 McFarland Road. chabadsh.com. q SUNDAY, NOV. 5 Join H. Arnold and Adrien B. Gefsky Community Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff and Nina Butler for this

year’s Global Day of Jewish Learning – Pittsburgh Edition. As people gather for Jewish learning all over the globe, we will take part locally, focusing on the global theme of “The Values We Hold Dear” plus a light brunch. 10 a.m. $12. JCC Squirrel Hill, 5738 Forbes Ave. jewishpgh.org/event/the-valueswe-hold-dear. The Israel Heritage Room at the University of Pittsburgh presents its 2023 Heritage Room Lecture. Dr Hila Nehushtan will present Paradoxical Bodies: Responsibility, Morality and Culture in Weight Loss Surgeries in Israel. Co-sponsored with the Jewish Studies Program of the University of Pittsburgh. 4 p.m. in the English Heritage Room, 144 Cathedral of Learning. q THURSDAY, NOV. 9 Join the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh for A Conversation with Holocaust Survivor Albert Farhy, the first of the Elizabeth Sylvian Memorial Lectures, which address issues related to the Holocaust, including lessons still to be learned and implications for the 21st century. This program also marks the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht. 6 p.m. Chatham University’s Eddy Theatre, Woodland Road, 15232. The recommended donation for this event is $10, but registration is free and cost should not be a barrier to attendance. hcofpgh.org/events. q TUESDAY, NOV. 14 Join Temple Sinai for Songs of Hope with Cantor David Reinwald and author James Grymes, author of the book “Violins of Hope.” Several songs from the Holocaust will be performed by Reinwald, as well as on instruments from the Violins of Hope collection. Free and open to the public. 7 p.m. templesinaipgh.org/ event/songsofhope23.html. PJC

Join the Chronicle Book Club!

he Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle invites you to join the Chronicle Book Club for its Nov. 5 discussion of “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store,” by James McBride. From The New York Times: “The book is a murder mystery locked inside a Great American Novel. The story opens in 1972, with the discovery of a skeleton buried in a well in Pottstown, Pa. The identity of the corpse is unknown but the few clues found (a belt buckle, a pendant and a mezuza) lead authorities to question the only Jewish man remaining from the town’s formerly vibrant Jewish community. However, instead of a simple whodunit, the novel leaves the bones behind and swings back to the 1920s and ’30s, to Chicken Hill, the neighborhood in Pottstown where Jewish, Black and immigrant folks make their homes. It’s a community of people bonded together by the links of love and duty, and it’s here that McBride’s epic tale truly begins.”

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

Your Hosts:

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

How and When:

We will meet on Zoom on Sunday, Nov. 5, at noon.

What To Do

Buy: “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.” It is available at area Barnes & Noble stores and from online retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It is also available through the Carnegie

www.pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 6

OCTOBER 20, 2023

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Headlines Israeli rabbis are issuing guidance about how to adjust Jewish law during wartime — ISRAEL — By Jackie Hajdenberg | JTA

n a normal Shabbat, Orthodox Israelis turn off radios, silence cell phones and — if they have one — lay down their gun. Saturday was not a normal Shabbat. A week into wartime, Israelis had special dispensation from the country’s top rabbis to bear arms. They were told to leave communication devices on, albeit at low volume. And synagogues were instructed to make sure someone brought a phone. The decree from Israel’s Chief Rabbinate in advance of Shabbat offered a striking window into how war is changing the religious strictures that are typically baked into the cadences of Israeli life. In keeping with centuries of Jewish tradition, a wide range of rabbis are issuing opinions on everything from kosher food to transportation to the laws of how husbands and wives relate to each other. The opinions are almost all rooted in the core Jewish idea that pikuach nefesh, or the preservation of life, overrides nearly every other religious law. That principle is what made it not only possible but obligatory for Jews who are observant of halacha, or Jewish law, to break the laws of Shabbat in order to respond to Hamas’ deadly attack Oct. 7 — and to continue to depart from

Photo by yuri_yavnik / Adobe Stock

traditional halacha in certain circumstances. All of the Chief Rabbinate’s Shabbat decrees about keeping radios and phones on were meant to ensure that Orthodox Jews were able to hear safety alerts and instructions from Israel’s Home Front Command, which is responsible for civil defense. Israel is being barraged nonstop with rockets from Gaza, and is in the midst of the largest military reserve call-up in its history. The Chief Rabbinate also permitted departures from the country’s regular restrictions on public transportation. Most Israeli cities have never had public transit on Shabbat or

Jewish holidays due to opposition from haredi Orthodox lawmakers and voters. Its national carrier, El Al, also does not operate on Shabbat. So when Hamas attacked, on Shabbat and a holiday, public transportation across the country was not functioning. That meant reservists had to make their way to their bases on their own. This week, trains ran on Shabbat through select stations across the country due to the ongoing emergency situation, the Transportation Ministry announced Friday. The trains stopped only in Tel Aviv, at Ben Gurion Airport and Haifa — where the United

States had sent a ship to retrieve its citizens starting at 9 a.m. Sunday. Rabbis in Israel also granted permission for El Al to fly on Shabbat, marking the first time the airline has operated on Shabbat since the 1982 Lebanon War. The airline said in a statement that it had received permission from “relevant halachic authorities” to operate flights — two from the United States, one from Bangkok and one from Madrid — to carry reservists, rescuers, medics and members of the security forces “whose arrival into the country is vital.” Wartime has also, in some cases, prompted more stringent observance of Jewish law. Food prepared and served by the Israeli army must be certified kosher by the military rabbinate, so after 2,000 meals that it donated to Israeli soldiers were thrown away, the Tel Aviv hotspot Ha’achim asked Israeli president Isaac Herzog to help it get kosher certification. After retraining staff and overhauling its kitchen, the restaurant now produces and distributes meals to soldiers full-time. “I don’t eat kosher food, but I respect it,” co-owner Yotam Doktor told Israel Hayom. “Leaving our soldiers begging for food before they go into battle is an impossible situation.” While the interaction with Jewish law has been most stark in Israel, where the crisis is acute and where rabbinic authorities have influence Please see Rabbis, page 14

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Headlines — WORLD — Arch of Titus, Roman landmark celebrating Jerusalem’s ancient destruction, lit up in tribute to Israel

When Rome lit up a landmark in blue and white following Hamas’ deadly invasion of Israel, it joined many other cities and countries across the globe that have bathed their most prominent buildings in the colors of the Israeli flag, including the White House, the Eiffel Tower and the Sydney Opera House. The landmark Rome chose, however, isn’t its most iconic building, nor its biggest. But it does hold a special resonance for Jews. The Arch of Titus, in the city’s historic center, was built nearly 2,000 years ago to celebrate the eponymous Roman general’s conquering of Jerusalem and destruction of its Holy Temple. Erected about eight years after the conflict, it shows the soon-to-be emperor leading a procession of Roman soldiers and captured Jews bearing the spoils of the temple, including its menorah. On Oct. 10, the arch bore another Jewish symbol: an image of the flag of Israel projected onto its top. Beneath the arch, which usually requires an entry ticket, a crowd gathered waving Israeli flags. A similar scene played out in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate on Oct. 7, just hours after the beginning of the attack. Built in the late 18th century, the gate was draped with Nazi flags in 1933 after Adolf Hitler assumed power, and his stormtroopers marched and drove to it in chilling photos that were published worldwide. On Oct. 7, however, the gate was lit up with

an image of the Israeli flag and streaks of blue and white. “In solidarity with Israel,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz posted on X, along with the image.

Alex Bregman draws Star of David on hat during MLB playoff win

On a night when Dean Kremer became the first Israeli-American to start an MLB playoff game — while his parents’ country was at war, no less — fellow Jewish player Alex Bregman drew a Star of David on his Houston Astros hat for his own Oct. 10 playoff game, JTA.org reported. Kremer, who holds dual citizenship, did not fare so well in his historic start: The 27-year-old surrendered six earned runs in just 1.2 innings, and his Baltimore Orioles lost 7-1 to the Texas Rangers in a game that ended their once-promising season. Bregman, who has expressed his Jewish pride in the past and has been involved with Houston’s Jewish community, had more luck: In the fifth inning of Houston’s American League Division Series matchup against the Minnesota Twins, Bregman slugged a solo home run in a game the Astros won. Bregman followed in the footsteps of players such as Julian Edelman and Deni Avdija, who have also sported Jewish symbols on their uniforms after crises affecting Jews around the world.

US, Qatar reach ‘quiet understanding’ to stop $6 billion to Iran

The United States has reached a “quiet understanding” with Qatar to put a hold on

Today in Israeli History — ISRAEL — Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.

Oct. 20, 2013 — Buses promoting Women of the Wall are attacked

Haredi men hurl rocks at and slash the tires of buses bearing ads promoting female worship at the Western Wall. The ads, depicting women with prayer shawls and Torahs, come from Women of the Wall.

Oct. 21, 1967 — Warship Eilat is sunk

Forty-seven Israeli sailors are killed when Soviet-made missiles launched from Egyptian boats in the harbor at Port Said, Egypt, strike the destroyer INS Eilat, which is on a routine patrol in international waters.

Oct. 22, 1979 — High court rules against settlement

p After the 1979 court decision, Elan Moreh was moved to nearby land seized by the Israeli military and today is home to some 2,000 people.

For the first time, the Israeli Supreme Court rules against Jewish settlers. The court orders the Gush Emunim settlement of Elon Moreh dismantled for lack of evidence t hat it was established for security reasons.

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Oct. 23, 1998 — Wye River Memorandum is signed

Benjamin Netanyahu, p Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Yasser Arafat and Bill Clinton sign President Bill Clinton a memorandum consult during the recommitting to Wye River Plantation conference in Maryland the Oslo II agreein October 1998. ment of September By Sharon Farmer, White House 1995 after nine days of negotiations at the Wye River Plantation in Maryland.

Oct. 24, 1940 — Israel’s ‘moral compass’ is born

Yossi Sarid, a two-time Cabinet minister known as “Israel’s moral compass,” is born in Rehovot. He becomes the Mapai spokesman at 24 and serves as a speechwriter and an adviser for David Ben-Gurion, Levi Eshkol and others.

Oct. 25, 1976 — World Chess Olympiad opens in Haifa

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the president of the International Chess Federation, Max Euwe, open the 22nd men’s and seventh women’s Chess Olympiad in Haifa despite a Soviet-led boycott.

Oct. 26, 1994 — Israel, Jordan sign treaty

More than 4,500 people, including President Bill Clinton, witness Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Jordanian King Hussein sign a peace treaty at the Wadi Araba border crossing between Eilat and Aqaba. PJC

the scheduled transfer of $6 billion to Iran in exchange for five Americans released from detention on Sept. 18, JNS.org reported. The American move comes “as the U.S. and Israel scrutinize Iran’s role in funding and training Hamas,” CBS News reported. Hamas and Hezbollah leaders have praised Iran for its assistance in the attack, openly acknowledging that Iranian security officials helped plan Hamas’ devastating assault and gave it the go-ahead at an Oct. 2 Beirut meeting, per The Wall Street Journal. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers have coordinated with Hamas since at least August to create the three-pronged invasion by land, sea and air, according to the Journal.

Jewish man convicted of murder executed in Texas

Jedidiah Murphy, the Jewish man on death row in Texas whose fight to avoid the death penalty gained support from prominent Jewish activists, was executed on Oct. 10, JTA.org reported. Murphy, 48, was sentenced to death for the fatal 2000 shooting of 80-year-old Bertie Lee Cunningham in Dallas County during a carjacking. “To the family of the victim, I want to say I sincerely apologize for all I did. I hope this brings you closure,” Murphy said in his final statement, before reciting a psalm praising God. The execution, by lethal injection, came after a series of last-minute maneuvers aimed at sparing Murphy. He was granted a stay of execution by a

federal district court on Oct. 6, but the Attorney General’s Office filed an appeal to vacate the stay. On Oct. 10, his attorneys made another request for a stay, arguing that the drugs he was set to be injected with were damaged by smoke and extreme heat during a recent fire at a state prison, but that petition was denied. A last-minute petition to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied.

Fearing antisemitism, Europe’s largest Jewish school allows students to forgo uniforms

Europe’s largest Jewish day school has told students that they don’t have to wear their school blazers right now, with an identifying badge, amid heightened concerns about antisemitism following Hamas’ deadly terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, JNS.org reported. The nearly 300-year-old, co-educational, Modern Orthodox Jewish Free School in North London enrolls 2,000-plus students. At one time, it was the largest Jewish school in the world with more than 4,000 pupils. The head of school wrote to parents: “I think the badge of our school, which has been a safe haven for Jews for nearly 300 years, is important, but should students wish to not wear a blazer then I would understand that decision. As such, they will be optional for the next week.” The school also canceled “after-school detentions” for the week, per the email. PJC — Compiled by Andy Gotlieb

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Headlines 10.27: Continued from page 1

There have been 542 mass shootings this year in the U.S., according to the Gun Violence Archive. Since Jan. 1, more than 33,000 people died by gun violence. Fiftyfive percent of those deaths were suicides. “Improved treatment for mental health problems or suicidality might reduce certain types of mass shootings, but such policies may also reduce far more common forms of homicide, suicide and crime and may also improve economic productivity and social well-being,” the Rand Corporation reported in 2021. It’s essential for people to understand “the reasons why we have a gun violence problem,” Kellerman said. With that information, they can successfully craft an effective narrative; the outcome may involve telling a story through a letter to the editor or finding a way to speak to a neighbor or legislator to influence voting patterns, she added. The Oct. 22 program is in memory

p Rikel Rosenblum of Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh prays outside the Tree of Life building on Oct. 27, 2022. Photo by Adam Reinherz

of Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz, a member of Congregation Dor Hadash who was killed in the synagogue massacre. The various volunteer opportunities and sites were chosen “because of their

significance to those who were killed on Oct. 27 and their families,” Feinstein said. On Oct. 25, the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill is hosting a day of wellness and healing. Membership to the center is not

required to enjoy free yoga, acupuncture, group improv, reiki-infused sound bathing and an open arts studio. The 2023 communitywide Commemoration Ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. on Prospect Drive in Schenley Park. The confluence of Torah study, volunteering and self-care as a lead-up to the commemoration follows a commitment established by the Commemoration Working Group, Feinstein said. In remembering Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil and David Rosenthal, Bernice and Sylvan Simon, Dan Stein, Irving Younger and Melvin Wax, “the goal was to create a rhythm that was predictable,” Feinstein continued. “We want people to know what to expect and find some avenue that is healing.” PJC More information, including dates, times and registration, is available at 1027healingpartnership.org. Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

Students: Continued from page 1

As long as a student stands guard during those hours, no one is allowed to coat the Fence with a new message until the following midnight. Farida Abdelmoneum, a research assistant in CMU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, told WTAE that she represented a group of Palestinian supporters. She said they wanted to get media attention for what she called “the illegal occupation of Palestine.” “When people are just like, they reach a breaking point, and they’re going to retaliate, and it’s at a very heavy cost — which is not something we don’t condone at all. It’s extremely sad to see,” she told the television station. Abdelmoneum did not respond to the Chronicle’s attempts to reach her. Jewish students had painted “We stand with Israel” two days earlier, after learning of Hamas’ terrorist attack. Chabad of CMU Rabbi Shlomo Silverman said the students who painted the proPalestinian message didn’t paint over the Jewish students’ message; rather, another group had painted an unrelated message between the two. “Obviously, students are very upset that at a time when we need to be standing with Israel, standing against terrorism, standing against Hamas, that this is a slap in the face and it’s clearly not in the right taste,” he said. “Many students, faculty and staff are definitely not receiving it well.” After the anti-Israel messages were painted on the Fence, some Jewish students were concerned for their safety and then didn’t feel adequately supported by the administration, Silverman said. He pointed to an Oct. 9 statement from university President Farnam Jahanian, which read in part: “First and foremost, as a university community, we denounce violence, terrorism and extremism — in all its forms. Events of 10

OCTOBER 20, 2023

p Pro-Palestinian students at Carnegie Mellon University painted anti-Israel messages on campus last week.

this magnitude can be overwhelming and impact each person differently. During these moments, our community is at its strongest when we support one another.” The statement did not mention Hamas. Silverman said he and Daniel Marcus, executive director and CEO of Hillel Jewish University Center, both work to ensure that each Jewish student feels proud and strong. “They have a community,” Silverman said. “They have people they can lean on. That’s been our mission the whole time — do good deeds. We want peace and we’re here for you.” Marcus called the anti-Israel messages on the Fence “deeply disturbing” and said they shocked the Jewish student community and the wider community, as well. CMU alum Raphael Segal was so disturbed by the anti-Israel messaging that he spoke to the university’s alumni relations office. “It wasn’t just ‘Free Palestine,’ or ‘We want people to live in dignity,’ or something like that,” he said. “It was 76 years of occupation,’ which, as someone who has computers do math for me, seems to date back to approximately the 1940s. So, it’s not a question of who’s taking your passport all the way to Gaza City — that’s a message of elimination.” Segal said that he and another alum told university officials that this wasn’t simply about context — it affected Jewish students’ feelings of security on campus. “They seemed to get it,” he said.

By Thursday, Oct. 12, Jahanian released a new statement that read, “Terrorism is always and unequivocally unjustifiable and Hamas’s blatant disregard for human life and dignity is abhorrent.” The dueling Fence messages were just one salvo in what promises to be a long war aimed at the hearts and minds of local university students as Operation Iron Swords continues. On Oct. 9, more than 125 University of Pittsburgh students rallied in support of Israel at Schenley Plaza. That was followed by a smaller pro-Palestinian rally at the same location. Eitan Weinkle, president of the Student Coalition for Israel at Pitt, was one of the organizers of the pro-Israel rally. He said that the atmosphere on Pitt’s campus had been tense, partially because of a message by Chancellor Joan Gabel, which he called “horribly inadequate.” Gabel’s statement read, in part, that “another wave of darkness has emerged in the violence taking place in Israel and Gaza. These heinous acts are antithetical to our values.” She made no mention of Hamas or terrorism. Weinkle said that Gabel’s failure to condemn terrorism and antisemitism made “Jewish students feel unsafe on campus. We have seen students at other campuses be targeted for these reasons.” Like Jahanian, Gabel also disseminated a

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Photos by David Rullo

statement on Thursday, Oct. 12. In it, she referred to “the horrific and heartbreaking scenes resulting from Hamas’ unprecedented terrorist attacks against Israel and the innocent civilians.” Weinkle said Gabel’s second message was much better and expressed the tone many Jewish students had hoped to hear from the administration. On Friday, Oct. 13, hundreds gathered for a pro-Palestinian rally at Schenley Plaza. Deena Eldaour, an organizer with Students for Justice in Palestine at Pitt, told those in attendance that thousands of homes in her Palestinian village were destroyed by bombing, the Tribune-Review reported. The event, Eldaour said, wasn’t intended to be pro-Hamas; rather, it was a call for Israel to stop its military campaign against violence. Some of the signs held by those in attendance read “Justice for Gaza,” “Free Gaza,” “BDS is Justified” and “End All US Aid to Israel.” The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, which held a pro-Israel rally on Oct. 8 that was attended by more than 500, will hold a Community Vigil for Israel on Thursday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m. on Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park, near Phipps Conservatory. PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

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p Canon-McMillan High School students Eamon O'Donoghue and Kiersten Williams Photo by Adam Reinherz

Survivors: Continued from page 3

Life member Joe Charny retreated upstairs to a classroom filled with bags of clothing; they covered themselves in prayer shawls and hid. Eventually, Glickman and Charny managed to escape the building. “We used our wits,” she said. Kart said she learned of the attack from her son, who was a student at the University of Pittsburgh. The school had issued an alert, placed students on lockdown and announced that “there’s an active shooter at Tree of Life synagogue,” Kart said. “That’s where my dad was.” Kart said she headed to Oakland, searched for her father among the victims taken to UPMC Presbyterian and eventually arrived at the makeshift reunification center inside the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill, where she waited for hours. “One by one we were taken into a room with the medical examiner, FBI agent and police officer, and told our loved ones were no longer with us,” she said. The experience was “surreal,” Kart continued. “It was all very hard to understand what happened within a 12-hour period.”

Rockey: Continued from page 5

companies considering moving into the region. “So, we will improve infrastructure,” he said. “We will leverage the federal government’s infrastructure bill and we will fight for infrastructure dollars to make Allegheny County’s infrastructure better so we can bring more business here.” Cherner asked the county executive candidate about his long-standing position of not reassessing property values in the county. Reassessments most negatively affect those on fixed incomes and those who are financially challenged, he said, adding that he would fix the problems inherent in the property tax system, which have led to a backlog of appeals. “We’ve got to get ourselves to a point

p Students listen to a discussion between Meg Pankiewicz, Audrey Glickman, Carol Black and Jodi Kart on Oct. 13, 2023. Photo by Adam Reinherz

p Carol Black, right, speaks with Canon-McMillan students during a day-long program at Frank Sarris Public Library in Canonsburg. Photo by Adam Reinherz

“Look around and see the people that are around you. The people that you know care about you. They love you and they support you. That’s how I’m able to continue going.” –JODI KART Throughout their recollections, Black, Glickman and Kart fielded questions from Pankiewicz and the students. The presenters reiterated that their stories — and the tales of loved ones and friends who died during the shooting — didn’t end on Oct. 27. “I went back [to services] right away,” Black said. “I decided that the gunman got my brother, but he wasn’t going to get me. I was going to continue to live my life and do the things that I wanted to do. I choose not to live my life in fear. I won’t do that. I’m not going to give that to him.” Echoing Black, Kart told students, “You can’t let evil win. You can’t let hate take your life from you.” “Look around and see the people that are

around you,” she continued. “The people that you know care about you. They love you and they support you. That’s how I’m able to continue going.” Glickman tied the events of Oct. 27, 2018, to the war in Israel. “Hamas is known as a terror organization,” she said. “Its basis is hate the Jews, wipe them out.” “The answer can’t be hate wins,” Glickman stressed. “It also can’t be neutrality,” Pankiewicz told students. “There is no such thing as being neutral, because when you’re neutral, you’re still choosing to do something, and it’s nothing.” Pankiewicz referenced Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel.

Rockey called out the national DSA and its local chapters on X (formerly Twitter) for recent tweets about Israel that did not mention the terrorist group Hamas. where two houses on the same street are properly valued equally, as opposed to one being valued because it happened to be sold six years ago at a different rate than the one next to it,” he said. Throughout the nearly hour-long conversation, the candidate stressed that he is a centrist who understands the landscape and needs of Allegheny County. One topic not included in the conversation was the recent back-and-forth between

Rockey and Democratic opponent Sara Innamorato concerning her previous affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America. She belonged to the group in 2018 when she ran for, and won, her state house seat. Rockey called out the national DSA and its local chapters on X (formerly Twitter) for recent tweets about Israel that did not mention the terrorist group Hamas. He also highlighted Innamorato’s connection

“When you are silent, you are siding with the oppressor,” Pankiewicz said. “That is something you have learned throughout history that we can’t afford to do.” Following the discussion, Black, Glickman and Kart joined students for a catered lunch from Vincent’s Restaurant in South Pointe. The daylong program, which was held at Frank Sarris Public Library and included a screening of “Repairing the World: Stories from The Tree of Life,” was critical, students told the Chronicle. “It took one person to do the attacks at the Tree of Life synagogue. You really just have to be more aware and stop the spread of hate, because one person’s words are so much more powerful than you can imagine.” Eamon O’Donoghue, 18, said. “High school is such a hard, hard time of life for kids,” Kiersten Williams, 16, said. “There’s people out there that spread hate; and we think that the whole world is filled with hate because they’re the loudest ones. But there’s more good in the world than there is bad. The good people need to stand up.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. to the group. On Oct. 10, the Pittsburgh DSA chapter tweeted its “full and unequivocal support for the Palestinian struggle for freedom.” It also issued a statement calling for the “end of all U.S. military aid to Israel,” saying “the conflict can only end if the apartheid regime is lifted from the river to the sea.” By the time Rockey sat down with Cherner, Innamorato had denounced the group’s statements on X, saying that antisemitism was unacceptable and that Israel had the right to defend itself. She also said that she hadn’t been a member of the group since 2019. Innamorato will sit down with Cherner on Oct. 24 at 5:30 p.m. for a Coffee and Conversation session. PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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OCTOBER 20, 2023

Opinion The Hamas attack wasn’t the Holocaust. But it must be understood in terms of Jewish trauma. Guest Columnist Yehuda Kurtzer

hen unspeakable tragedy hits the Jewish people, we turn to memory — we ask not just, “what happened?” We also ask: “What does this remind us of?” Maybe refusing to heal from the tragedies of the past is pathological; maybe we are holding on too tight. Maybe it is epigenetic. Mostly, however, I see it as a coping mechanism developed over time, an interpretive strategy we use both to preserve our past and to create continuity. It makes it possible for a persecuted people to promise themselves they will survive whatever they face in the moment. “Never forget” is not merely a slogan to preserve the past; it is also a means of trying to ensure a future. And, sometimes, I think that our insistence on seeing the past reawakened in the present is a right that we have earned in blood. We are entitled to use our suffering however we would like, and if we find it helpful to keep it close, to use it as a means of understanding and thus surviving the present, we can and should do so. Throughout the last week, Jews have responded to the violent atrocities in Israel by analogizing Hamas’ horrific attacks to stories seared in our memories. I am sure you heard at least one version of the statistic that on Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas carried out the deadliest one-day attack on Jews since the Holocaust. The more liturgically oriented are reading from the biblical books of Lamentations and Job. Some have described the burned bodies strewn across southern Israel with the single word “pogrom,” evoking the sorrows of the Eastern European

Jewish experience. Throughout the week, I felt — and I continue to feel — that it is our right to see this story through the prism of our particularistic collective experience. Gideon Hausner, the prosecutor at Adolf Eichmann’s trial, called this “a historical principle stretching from Pharaoh to Haman.”

colleague, historian James Loeffler, cautions that constant analogies of present politics to history can become “willful weaponizations” to be used towards political ends. I’ve also written about these risks, which I worry about in particular when memory is marshaled for the sake of partisan politics. The greatest risk may be the

Throughout the week, I felt — and I continue to feel — that it is our right to see this story through the prism of our particularistic collective experience. Jewish tradition reserves the name “Amalek” for the worst of our enemies, suggesting that they share a lineage back to the biblical Amalekites whose unforgivable sin was to attack the Israelites from the rear, picking off the most vulnerable, refusing to spare the weakest and most weary. I do not need Hamas to be Amalek; our post-biblical sages tell us not to draw straight lines when it comes to connecting the dots between the historical Amalekites and contemporary villains. But the callous murder of infants, the snatching of Holocaust survivors, the vicious murder of young people dancing — all of this is Amalekite behavior. This theological vocabulary allows us to name and understand the depths of the depravity that are facing, and then to marshal our resolve to face it for what it is. Our Jewish souls demand it. I know that this sort of rhetoric is loaded and risky. I am writing this now precisely because I am seeing pushback online against it — suggestions that comparing this week’s events to the Holocaust distort the political realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or create permission for Israel to attack Gaza without constraint. My

temptation to weaponize our trauma by acting violently toward others. After all, after many of the tragedies of the Jewish past, the Jewish people had little of the power and military resources that Israel has today to respond in kind to our oppressors. The vocabulary of the Jewish past is rich and evocative, and there is always risk that it will be misused, that it will be mapped inappropriately in light of the agency we now wield. But sometimes, we need to take these risks. Sometimes, being a Jew in the world requires sustaining a relationship between our past, our present and our future. We are bidden to live in the present and feel burdened by the past. I want us right now to forgive our imperfect analogies, to lean into the instinct. I refuse to let anyone deprive us of the few interpretive tools we must make sense of what has befallen us. The fact that there was more talk on X about the prospect of Israel committing “genocide” in a military campaign that hadn’t started, than about the actual atrocities committed by Hamas which started this war, is an example of

antisemitic gaslighting. The bodies lie before us, and we are bereft; will our memory be taken from us, too? And I also feel that it is entirely possible to turn to these stories and to assert our own humanity without also dehumanizing the other. There are safeguards in place to help us. The State of Israel holds itself to the moral standards of modern warfare and its rule of law, and it knows it must — as in the stunted career of Gen. Ofer Winter, passed over for promotion because he cast the fight against Hamas as a “holy war” — constrain the application of theological paradigms to the practice of warcraft. The IDF knows the difference between error and intent in the killing of civilians in wartime, and it abides to the principles of proportionality. We can trust ourselves to do this, more than we think. More importantly, however, our victimhood has also been and can be a catalyst for our own self-reflection and growth. A small number of Jews have and always will turn outward and turn their rage into fantasies for revenge. These people need to be stopped. Most of us know, however, that the lachrymosity of our history has been material for the refinement of our moral sensibilities. The traumatic memories of our ancestors that we carry in our stories fuels our prayers and shapes our moral imagination. As we mourn this week — a Jewish people missing their children and forced to send others into battle, a Jewish people whose clothes are rent and whose faces are wet with tears, a nation that cannot sleep — we must allow ourselves the right to comfort ourselves with the bitter salve that our people has seen pieces of this story before. PJC Yehuda Kurtzer is president of the Shalom Hartman Institute. This article first appeared on JTA.

Hamas has always undermined Palestinian safety. The costs have never been more extreme Guest Columnist Danit Schinagel

he horrors we witnessed the weekend of Oct. 7 will be seared into the world’s memory for generations to come. A devastating attack carried out by Hamas, the standing government in Gaza and a proxy of the Iranian regime, served as a harrowing reminder that perhaps “never again” is less of a promise, and more of a platitude that has lost its effect. Amid such grief, it can be difficult to separate Hamas from the Palestinian people. But as Israel plans an intensive ground campaign in Gaza to root out Hamas, and Palestinian civilians in the strip experience an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, it has never been more important to remember that the two are not the same — and that the former actively undermines the goals, progress, and prospects of the latter. What is essential to understand is that given the opportunity to kill Jews or to work toward 12

OCTOBER 20, 2023

Palestinian autonomy, Hamas would choose the former every single time. One needn’t look further than Hamas’ founding charter, which explicitly calls for the annihilation of Jews, to corroborate this. And while there is often dissonance between a group’s intentions and its actions, Hamas has proven that among its priorities, destroying Jews will always transcend preserving Palestinian life. Just Saturday, U.S. President Joe Biden decried Hamas for using “innocent Palestinian families … as human shields.” There is nothing simple about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Since the Israeli army disengaged from the sliver of land in 2005, forcibly removing any Jewish presence in one of the most prominent concessions made to Palestinians since the establishment of Israel in 1948, the Palestinian civilians living inside Gaza’s borders have suffered. The source of that suffering is heavily disputed — again, there is nothing simple about it, and factors like a two-decade blockade imposed by both Israel and Egypt have inarguably contributed.

But what is simple is that while in a perfect world Gaza’s government, which has been controlled by Hamas since 2007, would prioritize peace and prosperity for its people, it has instead devoted vast portions of its economic funding — $100 million and then some in funds from Iran, for example — to planning and executing elaborate terror schemes against Israel, and more specifically, Jews. Crucially, those are schemes that Hamas knows will only harm Gaza’s civilians— as it knew when it drew up plans for the Oct. 7 invasion. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, after decades of cyclical conflict, that Hamas knew that Israel would respond to an outrageous provocation like that attack with deadly force, at great cost to civilian lives. Hamas must have known that its actions would evoke swift and emphatic condemnation from governments around the world. Hamas has such minimal regard for the lives of its citizens, that it can celebrate murdering more than 1,300 innocent Israelis despite knowing full well the toll the inevitable counterstrike would take on Palestinians.

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By proceeding with the attack regardless, Hamas has irrevocably set back the prospect of true Palestinian liberation. Palestinians know they cannot trust Hamas to work in their interest. Opinion polls have consistently shown that a majority of Gaza’s residents distrust the terrorist group as a governing body. 71% of respondents to a 2018 poll posted on Facebook by a senior Hamas official answered “yes” to the question of whether or not they would elect Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, who before 2007 had a governing role in Gaza in place of the Hamas government. Statistics from the Washington Institute have shown that a majority of Palestinians in both the West Bank and Gaza have expressed a desire for Hamas to cease their calls for Israel’s destruction, and instead focus on a viable two-state solution. A 2020 poll indicated that 40% of Gazaans said they would prefer to be a part of Israel than to be ruled by Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. Please see Schinagel, page 13

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Opinion Chronicle poll results: Friends or relatives living in Israel

ast week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an electronic poll the following question: “Do you have close friends or relatives living in Israel?” Of the 355 people who responded, 76% said yes and 24% said no. Comments were submitted by 76 people. A few follow.

Do you have close friends or relatives living in Israel?

My son is serving in the IDF right now. Yes, many relatives and colleagues and friends. One friend said, when I asked if he and his family were all right, “We’re OK, but the country is not.” I think that captures the situation. While I have no relatives living in Israel, I consider my friends the family I have chosen. As a result, my heart is filled with worry for those friends in Israel — and for all Israelis experiencing this brutal attack by Hamas. I pray that some miracle will occur and that peace will reign over the region. Thankfully, I have no relatives or friends in our homeland under siege, but I feel a kinship to all Israelis as my brothers and sisters. There are no words to properly

Schinagel: Continued from page 12

Yet Hamas has undermined paths to peace on several occasions since its rise to power — most notably, before last weekend, in 2000, when it spearheaded the Second Intifada following the Camp David Summit’s failed attempt at brokering peace. Instead of continuing negotiations with Israel, as any peace process would require, Hamas encouraged indiscriminate terror against Israeli civilians in a wave that lasted five years and further obscured any possibility of reconciliation. Far from being represented by Hamas in a quest for safety and autonomy, Palestinians have been collateral damage to the group’s oppressive and calculating regime. Hamas systematically fires rockets from — and stores artillery and other weapons in — buildings intended for civilian use, including schools and hospitals, a strategic move that forces Israel to compromise civilian life when retaliating with airstrikes targeting Hamas hot spots. For days, I have watched self-proclaimed humanitarians lend some semblance of legitimacy and validity to — and at times even celebrate — the atrocities carried out by Hamas terrorists. In Sydney, Australia, a large group of protesters chanted “gas the Jews.” At

24% No 76% Yes

I pray that Israel will be able to shut down the terrorist monsters once and for all. No other country in the world would be expected to endure such barbarity and live in constant fear.

characterize the atrocities and depravity that have been inflicted on innocent people.

I am saddened and horrified beyond words. The outpouring of support for Israel has been remarkable, but I am disgusted and distressed by those who continue to blame Israel without looking at the facts and history of what has been occurring for many years.

What happens in Israel affects every Jew everywhere.

I used to live in Pittsburgh. I was born and grew up in Squirrel Hill. For the past 43 years

Stanford, an instructor called Jewish students “colonizers” and minimized the Holocaust. All the while, Jews have been ridiculed and disparaged for calling out antisemitism and fearing its repercussions. I am an American, progressive Jew. The peaceful coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians is an objective that will always take precedence, for me, over the hatred that moments like this threaten to instill. I refuse to acquiesce to the terror, or to lose sight of the compassion and empathy at the core of Judaism. But it’s ironic to see alleged social justice advocates striving to justify the indiscriminate murder and abduction of innocent individuals — doubly so, since even in a hypothetical world where committing war crimes to achieve freedom might be considered a legitimate means to an end, Hamas would be the worst example to cite. The promise of Palestinian liberation is Hamas’ most powerful and effective red herring; the group preaches it while actively undermining it. As long as Hamas exists, Palestinian prosperity will not. PJC Danit Schinagel is a Jewish Venezuelan immigrant working as a writer for the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. This article first appeared on the Forward (forward.com). To get the Forward’s free email newsletters delivered to your inbox, go to forward.com/newsletter-signup.

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We are Am Yisrael — one people — and all Israelis are my brothers and sisters. The silence from many of our non-Jewish friends, neighbors and colleagues has been (overall) deafening.

We invite you to submit letters for publication. Letters must include name, address and daytime phone number; addresses and phone numbers will not be published. Letters may not exceed 500 words and may be edited for length and clarity; they cannot be returned. Mail or email letters to:

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Very worried about everyone, especially the hostages. My parents and family were Holocaust survivors so this is particularly terrifying for me. My heart hurts for the survivors who have been abducted.

I’ve lived in Israel and raised my family here. I am angry, hurting, want nothing except to make Gaza an empty parking lot. It is inconceivable that we will live peacefully next to butchers of infants, kidnappers of babies and grandmothers. It is either us or them. There is no opportunity for any moral equivalency here. Hamas’ attack on Israeli innocent citizenry living along its borders in peace defies all definitions of human behavior. We must continue to state succinctly and repeatedly that this attack is nothing short of moral depravity and cultural savagery. Israel owes it to its people and the world to destroy and eradicate this destructive, demonic disease and heinous hatred once and for all. PJC — Compiled by Toby Tabachnick

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Did you attend a rally, prayer service or any other type of event signifying solidarity with Israel following the Hamas terrorist attacks? Go to pittsburghjewishchronicle.org to respond. PJC

— LETTERS — Supporting the Palestinian narrative is a call for Jewish genocide

It was comforting to read some of the statements from Pennsylvania’s elected representatives in response to the horrific and barbaric attack by Hamas against Israeli civilians (“Pennsylvania’s politicians react to Gaza’s attack on Israel,” Oct. 13). Especially noteworthy were the statements by Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. John Fetterman, who both unequivocally denounced Hamas’ abhorrent attack. President Biden’s speech on Oct. 10 was exemplary in his support for Israel and the Jewish people. Many other national figures also spoke unambiguously in support of Israel and its right to defend itself. On the other side has been a despicable display of pure Jew-hatred: Thousands of cheerful marchers, participating in hundreds of demonstrations around the world, proudly supporting Hamas and its cause of eradicating Israel and the Jews. Some academics, such as Columbia University’s Joseph Massad, were overjoyed in the success of Hamas’ sadistic attack. Apparently beheading babies, burning children alive, raping women and murdering more than 1,000 civilians is a Palestinian Arab cause well worth supporting. National Students for Justice in Palestine, with a presence on more than 200 campuses, praised the attack as “a historic win for the Palestinian resistance.” Dozens of Harvard University student groups published a statement holding “the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence … the apartheid regime is the only one to blame.” And, of course, the Palestinian Authority, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, refused to condemn the genocidal attack. This is the same man who has denied the Holocaust, compared the Palestinian Arab situation to 50 holocausts and most recently has blamed the Holocaust on the Jews. The PA that he heads will be paying pensions for life (pay to slay) to the families of the Gaza terrorists for the exemplary service they provided to the Palestinian cause. Unfortunately, there were others, primarily from the progressive left, who either could not bring themselves to condemn this genocidal attack or, if they did condemn it, such as Rep. Summer Lee, felt the need to equivocate by making the most ludicrous, morally obscene arguments — arguments that could only be believed by those who are inexcusably ignorant (certainly not unprecedented in woke circles) or who are themselves antisemites. Where at one time woke comments and behavior might have been disappointing and disconcerting, and at other times disgusting and despicable, it has now reached the level of demonic and depraved. They calmly refer to Hamas barbarians as “militants,” talk about cycle of violence, call for a ceasefire, demand the end of U.S. government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid, and directly or indirectly blame Israel for Hamas’ barbarism. The lines have been drawn. “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free” is a call to wipe out Israel and its Jews, G-d forbid — a call for genocide. People on the progressive left have been made unequivocally aware that in supporting the Palestinian Arab narrative in the name of human rights they are, in fact, supporting the call for genocide against the Jewish people. Reuven Hoch Pittsburgh

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OCTOBER 20, 2023

Life & Culture Easy and delicious: Spinach and artichoke stuffed portobellos — FOOD — By Jessica Grann | Special to the Chronicle

hese stuffed portobello mushrooms are just the thing when you’re craving a gourmet vegetarian dinner and are pressed for time. I typically experiment a lot before I publish recipes, but this one was perfect on day one. I knew this recipe would be a hit when my husband (my resident taste-tester) took one bite to try it and asked to finish the entire piece on the spot. I served this with a side of cheese ravioli, but any simple pasta like orzo would be a perfect addition to the meal.

Spinach and artichoke stuffed portobellos Ingredients:

6 portobello mushrooms 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ of a medium onion, diced 2-3 garlic cloves, minced 1 8-ounce bag of washed fresh spinach 1 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts, sliced into quarters ¾ cup of ricotta cheese

Rabbis: Continued from page 7

over state law and policy, rabbis in the Diaspora have also issued opinions related to the war. In the United States, Rabbi Herschel Schachter, one of the leading Modern Orthodox rabbis, ruled last week that worshippers should insert Avinu Malkeinu into their Shabbat liturgy. The plaintive prayer is typically recited only during the High Holidays and considered at odds with the joyous tenor of Shabbat, when it is generally not recited. Notably, when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat, Avinu Malkeinu is still omitted from nearly all services. Within Israel, in addition to state rabbis

p Spinach and artichoke stuffed portobello ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese, divided ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs or matzo meal (optional)

Set the oven to 375 F and place the rack in the middle. issuing national decisions, respected rabbis with smaller public pulpits have begun considering wartime questions as well. Several of them have weighed in on the issue of kosher food for the armed forces. Rabbi Avraham Stav has authored books on Jewish law and is also an army reservist in the 439th artillery battalion, which is now called up for duty in Israel’s south. He has continued to answer questions from the front, including about the kosher status of homemade donated food sent to the army bases. Whether homemade food is kosher can be hard to ascertain, since there is no kosher certificate attached to a home kitchen, Stav wrote on Facebook. But he said that according to Jewish

Photo by Jessica Grann

Remove the stems and scoop out the gills of the mushroom. Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and diced onions. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the fresh spinach, stirring regularly until the leaves are wilted but still bright green. Add the minced garlic to the pan and law, if a person attests that their food is kosher, even with just a handwritten note, the food should be considered kosher, so long as there is no reason to suspect that the person was saying so out of ignorance or disdain. All the more so, he wrote, “out of sincere concern for observant soldiers.” Turning to another rabbi for a second opinion, Stav asked Rabbi Asher Weiss, one of the leading halachic authorities in Israel, who replied, Stav says, “Of course.” Another rabbi who has drawn attention for his wartime legal opinions is Yoni Rosensweig, an Orthodox rabbi who leads a synagogue in Beit Shemesh and has built a substantial following both due to his legal opinions and his mental health advocacy. Rosensweig, too, ruled that soldiers and others in need should be lenient when assessing the kosher status of homemade, donated food. But a ruling on another topic ignited a backlash. On the first day of the war, Rosensweig received a question about whether a man heading into battle could hug his wife goodbye

sauté for 1 or 2 minutes, until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the artichokes and cut each heart into quarters. Add the artichokes, ricotta cheese, ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and breadcrumbs to the pan and mix well. If you’re avoiding gluten, you can skip the breadcrumbs, but I like to add a small amount to hold the cheese filling together. Fill the mushrooms with the cheese stuffing and sprinkle the tops with the remaining tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. Place the stuffed mushroom caps into a baking dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The mushrooms should be firm but still fork-tender. Insert a sharp knife into the flesh of a mushroom; if it feels too firm, bake it for an additional 5 minutes. It doesn’t get easier than this. Boil some pasta or ravioli while the mushrooms are cooking and serve with a garden or Caesar salad. Enjoy and bless your hands! PJC Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh. if she was at a point in her menstrual cycle when touch would otherwise be prohibited under traditional Jewish law. Rosensweig’s answer, posted on Facebook, was clear: Yes, provided that the embrace was for comfort only. “There is no greater emotional need — both for the husband and for the wife — than this hug before embarking on a military operation to defend the people and the land,” he wrote. The backlash was swift. For days, Rosensweig fended off criticism and responded to questions about how he could rule in contravention of mainstream opinions about Jewish law. After several days, he sought to put an end to the fighting with a new post. “The reality is that I’m impressed that most of the public didn’t wait for me for this ruling at all. They did what they thought was right,” he wrote. “Those who wanted gave a hug, and those who didn’t — did not. And that makes sense. Because when you are right there, at that very moment, you do not call the rabbi, but do what you think is right.” PJC

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The JCC’s American Jewish Museum presents

Violins and Hope From the Holocaust to Symphony Hall Photo by Daniel Levin

An Exhibit of Photographs by Daniel Levin October 15–December 8, 2023

Artist Reception and Talk with Book Signing Music by the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra players Sunday, October 22 • 1-3 pm Free and open to the public JCC of Greater Pittsburgh • Squirrel Hill For more information: Melissa Hiller • mhiller@jccpgh.org Please RSVP to let us know you’re coming https://tinyurl.com/levinartreception

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Daniel Levin’s 43 photographs chronicle the work of Amnon Weinstein, the violin maker and restorer responsible for the discovery and repair of the violins making up Violins of Hope and for the vision of bringing these instruments’ remarkable stories to the public’s attention. Levin, who visited Weinstein’s Tel Aviv-based workshop to photograph the restorations in progress, is the only photographer to capture his masterful techniques to save them from being erased from history. The extraordinary stories behind the violins are provided by scanning a QR code that accompanies each image. Support for Violins and Hope is provided in part by the Heinz Endowments, the Opportunity Fund and individual support.

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OCTOBER 20, 2023

Life & Culture Director of Quantum Theatre’s ‘Flying Lovers of Vitebsk’ has ‘deep connection’ to Marc Chagall — THEATER — By Toby Tabachnick | Editor

ustavo Zajac’s artistic origin story begins in Buenos Aires, Argentina, when, at the age of 9, he was introduced to Jewish folk dance. Zajac began dancing in his school, which led to dancing in Jewish folk festivals, which, in turn, led to him becoming a Jewish folk dance teacher. Some years later, Zajac would be on Broadway as an assistant choreographer for “Fiddler on the Roof” starring Alfred Molina and for the Tonywinning revival of “Nine” starring Antonio Banderas and Chita Rivera. Now he’s in Pittsburgh, directing and choreographing “The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk,” a klezmer musical about artist Marc Chagall and his poet wife, Bella, produced by Quantum Theatre in conjunction with Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh. The show runs Oct. 26–Nov. 28 at Rodef Shalom Congregation. “The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk” takes its name from the Lithuanian city where Chagall was born in 1887 and from his relationship with Bella, which is celebrated in so much of his work. While his art depicts Chagall and his wife whimsically floating above a Russian village or the Eiffel Tower, the actual backdrop of their lives included some of the most devastating

p Gustavo Zajac Photo courtesy of Gustavo Zajac

years of Jewish history — including pogroms, the Russian Revolution and the Holocaust. In many ways, it seems beshert that Zajac, who describes himself as “very, very Jewish,” is at the helm of the production. He grew up in Buenos Aires, home to around 200,000 Jews, where he helped lead services at his Conservative congregation. He attended Jewish schools through high school and speaks fluent Hebrew. In college, Zajac studied international relations and, in 1994, was the recipient of a Watson Fellowship to research Jewish communities in Europe. Dance, though, continued to call to him, and when he finished his research in Europe, he turned to show business. After studying musical theater in New York for a year, Zajac returned to South America and served as the resident director for Broadway

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The Sally and Howard Levin Clubhouse 2609 Murray Avenue, PiFsburgh, PA 15217 October 26, 2023 at 7:00pm We are excited to welcome Jus2n Milrad, President and co-founder of the Blue Dove Founda2on as our keynote speaker. The mission of the Blue Dove Founda2on is to transform the way the Jewish community understands and responds to mental illness and addic2ons. Dessert will be served, dietary laws observed. Please RSVP to dhitchcock@thebranchpgh.org or call 412-325-0039 by October 24, 2023.

OCTOBER 20, 2023

p Dan Mayhak as Marc Chagall and Zanny Laird as Bella Chagall

shows running in Argentina, “looking after the shows for their entire run” after their directors left the country, he said. “Every time I worked with these directors, they kept telling me, ‘You have the talent to be a director yourself,’” he recalled. “And then one day, I realized I was not going to be the greatest performer in the world, and that I could maybe one day be a great director. I thought I had some limitations as a performer. But I saw myself having no limitations as a director, so I wanted to go for excellence.” Zajac honed his skills by working with “many great international directors that visited Argentina,” he said. “I processed that information, and they became my biggest university. They later took me to Broadway from Argentina.” Since then, Zajac has directed shows around the world, including in Japan and Korea. And he is no stranger to Pittsburgh. For the last 20 years, he has spent several weeks each summer teaching at Point Park University’s International Summer Dance program. Zajac’s enthusiasm for “The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk” is palpable. “I have a connection to Chagall,” he said. “A deep connection.” For one thing, the Jewish school he attended in Argentina was called Bami Marc Chagall. And as a teenage Jewish folk dancer, he performed a piece called “Chagall.” “When I was like 13 or 14 years old, I was already dancing to Chagall’s paintings,” Zajac said. What does it mean to dance to a painting? “It means that you extract the core of what the painting is about, and then you reproduce it. choreographically. You can extrapolate from one art to the other. The whole show introduced dancing animals and flying people. And there was a wedding. So there were all the elements from a Chagall collection introduced in a dance show.” That sensibility has stayed with him. When Zajac worked on the Broadway production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” he staged Tevye’s dream scene to evoke a Chagall painting. “The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk” builds on that work. “This is natural for me to work on [Chagall’s] art and work on his life because he is not a painter that’s foreign to me — he’s a painter that’s been with me for my entire life.” “The Flying Lovers,” Zajac said, has three

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Photo by Jason Snyder

main thematic lines: the story of how Bella and Marc Chagall met and how their relationship developed; the fraught history of Europe from the late 19th century through World War II; and the art of Marc Chagall. “I want the audience when they leave the theater to feel like they visited a Chagall exhibition without visiting an exhibition,” he said. The approximately 90-minute show features two actors and three klezmer musicians who are directed by Pittsburgher Doug Levine. Zajac has added familiar Yiddish songs to the show that he hopes will resonate with the audience. A violin that is part of the Violins of Hope collection will be used during the show. The instrument is more than 100 years old and arrived in the U.S. around 1931, brought by Harry Simon, who played for the Jewish community in New York. “I mean, how many more elements can we have in this experience?” Zajac said. “I’m feeling like we’re about to do something very big. And I’m hoping that other theaters nationwide catch on the chance to reproduce the show and take it to their communities as well.” Karla Boos, the founder and artistic director of Quantum Theatre, first saw “The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk” in 2017 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and knew then that she wanted to bring it to Pittsburgh. In a pandemic Zoom meeting with Zajac on another matter, she happened to mention the show. “The connection of him to Chagall became clear,” Boos said, and everything fell into place. “The creators allowed us to take it on — they made a version we could work with and they’re totally open to us doing what we think is best for the work,” she said. “They’re very moved by it being staged Rodef Shalom and as a part of Violins of Hope — that was super moving to them.” The play, Boos said, originally was written as “more of just a straight love story, I think — a great international love story, with a background of the war and tragedy — but it was a personal work of two very young people (writer Jamieson and director Emma Rice) when it was created, who were themselves in love. So, they were happy to see that it has found a place in the world that is, I would say, bigger. And we’re just really proud to be bringing it to Pittsburgh.” PJC Toby Tabachnick can be reached at ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

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OCTOBER 20, 2023

Torah The importance of praising another Rabbi Shneur Horowitz Parshat Noach | Genesis 6:9 – 11:32

T (The Chagall Musical) Musical ) By Daniel Jamieson and Ian Ross

Oct. 28-Nov. 26

his week’s Torah portion starts with the verse, “These are the offspring of Noach, Noach was a righteous man.” This raises a question: If we follow the natural flow of the text, it would seem that after the words “offspring of Noach,” the names of Noach’s sons would follow. However, the verse interrupts the flow of the narrative by speaking about the virtues of Noach. Why?

since they are acting negatively. But what about the one they are gossiping about — what did he do wrong? Speech reveals what is hidden in your thoughts and also has a special power to reveal what’s hidden inside a person. So when someone speaks negatively about another, he is revealing that person’s dormant evil. This is an evil hidden deep inside a person that usually has no expression — and by bringing it to the surface, it harms him. If that is so with evil, how much more so with good. When we praise another person, we bring out their hidden strength and this helps them with their life struggles.

The Torah is teaching us a very important lesson to always speak positively about others, and in this way we bring out their inner talents and strength.

Staged at Rodef Shalom Congregation Directed and Choreographed by Gustavo Zajac Music Direction by Douglas Levine

quantumtheatre.com/vitebsk

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The great commentator Rashi explains that since the Torah is mentioning the name of a righteous man, the Torah stops to praise him. What’s the purpose of this praise and why is it so important that the Torah needs to interrupt its narrative? And what can we learn from this for our own growth? The Talmud in Tractate Erchin 15B states that speaking evil about another person harms three people: the one who speaks, the one who listens and the one spoken about. We can easily understand why it harms the one who spoke and the one who listened

When G-d spoke Noach’s praises, he was bringing out Noach’s inner strength to be able to stand up to that evil generation and stay righteous. The Torah is teaching us a very important lesson to always speak positively about others, and in this way we bring out their inner talents and strength. It is this love and unity between Jews that also brings down great blessings from G-d. PJC Rabbi Shneur Horowitz is the director of Chabad Lubavitch of Altoona, Pennsylvania. This column is a service of the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Pittsburgh.

Federation board approves funds in support of Israel

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OCTOBER 20, 2023

he Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has raised nearly $5 million in support of Israel since the country was attacked on Oct. 7 by Hamas terrorists. That total includes $20,000 approved by Federation’s board of directors to be used as part of its Emergency Volunteer Project, which will provide economic support for several local doctors to go to Israel to help with the Jewish nation’s medical needs. Adam Hertzman, Federation’s associate vice president of marketing, said that four doctors were leaving for Israel on Oct. 16, while another two or three doctors would leave on Friday. Another $100,000 was approved by the board to be used in Karmiel, one of Federation’s Partner-ship2Gether regions, to repair bomb shelters in low-income areas. The board also approved $500,000 from the Federation’s annual campaign, Jewish Community Foundation unrestricted

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 Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

Courtesy of Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

dollars, and emergency and other funds to be directed to the Jewish Federations of North America’s Israel Emergency Campaign. That amount includes proceeds from the sale of a collection of gold coins donated by an individual who directed that they be used in the time of an emergency. The Federation will hold a public vigil in support of Israel at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19 at Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park near Phipps Conservatory. The vigil will feature Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, among other elected officials. PJC — David Rullo PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Obituaries GLICK: Marilee Glick passed away on Oct. 10, 2023. Loving mother to Betsy (John Warner) and Matthew Glick (Emily), sister to Barbara Klein and Sharon Alexander Keilly (David), aunt to Alex Klein (Laura), Anna and Sadie Keilly, and grandmother to Liam, Miles and Simon Glick. If you were or had a child in the city of Pittsburgh in the past 50 years chances are you knew Marilee. Having received her bachelor’s degree from Penn State and master’s degree from Duquesne, Marilee was a phenomenal educator and was happiest when nurturing kids. For four decades Marilee contributed to childhood development as a nursery school teacher at the JCC, a second-grade teacher and on to a math specialist with Pittsburgh Public Schools, a teacher and educational director at Temple Sinai Religious School, and five decades soaking up the sun all summer long as assistant director at J&R Day Camp. An avid lover of all things cultural, for years Marilee supported the Civic Light Opera and the Pittsburgh Broadway Series. She loved traveling, movies, cooking, reading and the beach. Once retired, Marilee continued her own education attending Osher classes. In September of 2018 Marilee was awarded with a Presidential Citation from the JCC, which recognizes individuals whose leadership and actions have demonstrated outstanding commitment and loving kindness to life at the JCC. In June of 2019 Marilee was honored with a bench in her name celebrating her impact on staff and campers at J&R Day Camp. Services were held at Temple Sinai. Interment B’Nai Israel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh: donate.jccpgh.org/donate (notate Donations in Memory of Marilee Glick) or checks can be mailed to 5738 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217 (please notate IMO Marilee Glick). Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com GOTTFRIED: Marcia (Singer) Gottfried, on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Beloved wife of Byron S. Gottfried for 64 years. Loving mother of Sharon Gottfried, Gail Gottfried and Susan Gottfried. Sister of Dr. Henry L. (Naomi) Singer and Dr. Mark I. (Judy) Singer. Grammy of Aaron Samuel Greenberg and Eliza Marie Greenberg. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Marcia was an elementary school teacher who loved enriching the lives of young children. She was a devoted member of Temple Sinai Congregation. Marcia was also an advocate for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. Most importantly Marcia loved her husband, children and grandchildren. She volunteered her time in service to many different organizations. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Temple Sinai Memorial Park. Contributions may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), action.aclu.org/give/now, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, 1 N. Linden St., Duquesne, PA 15110 or Temple Sinai, 5505 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217. schugar.com LEDERMAN: Adair Bloom Lederman of Rockville, Maryland, formerly of Pittsburgh, passed away on Oct. 11. She is survived by her son Richard (Ellen) Lederman and is the mother of the late David (Elizabeth) Lederman. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Aliza Lederman, Jacob (Elias) Lederman, Megan Lederman, Anastasia Lederman, Jesse (Emila) Lederman, and one great-grandchild, Amelia Lederman. Donations can be made to the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. PEARLMAN: Sheila B. Pearlman, on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. Wife of Howard; beloved mother of Ellen (David) and Richard (Mimi); grandmother of Daniel (Bibi), Jonathan, Andy (Jaime) and Nick; sister of Bette Rom (Howard z”l); and aunt to her children Ken and Cindy (Roger). Graveside services and interment were held at Homewood Cemetery. Contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital or to the charity of the donor’s choice. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com PJC

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Yolanda Willis, a ‘hidden child’ of the Holocaust who shared her story widely, has died at 88 — NEWS OBITUARY — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

olanda Avram Willis — a prominent Pittsburgher and Holocaust survivor who succeeded in several careers before blossoming later in life as a memoirist, historian and speaker — died Oct. 1, one day before her 89th birthday. In recent years, the Oakland resident suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Born Oct. 2, 1934, in Salonika, Greece, Willis was the first child of parents Salvator Avram and Karolla Bensousan Avram. Her brother Yannis arrived four years later. As a young child, Willis lived in the central Greek city of Larisa. World War II, however, broke out in 1940 and, by the spring of 1941, German forces joined by Bulgarian and Italian troops had invaded Greece. Willis and her family fled, first to Crete and later to several locations in Athens; she became what Holocaust educators later termed “a hidden child.” “The overall way that German occupying soldiers were behaving toward Greek Jews — it was frightening, appalling, sinister,” said A. Marty Willis, Willis’ oldest child. A former New Pittsburgh Courier reporter, he’s now

p Yolanda Avram Willis addresses a Holocaust Center audience during her book launch in 2017 Photo by Simone Shapiro

a publishing company staffer living in Falls Church, Virginia, a Washington, D.C., suburb. “She thought of herself as a ‘hidden child,’” said N. Robert Willis, her youngest child. “She was more than aware she was in danger.” In 2006, A. Marty Willis traveled with his mother, wife and 13-year-old daughter to Mt. Tilifos in Greece. “That was one of the places where they hid,” he said. “And we found this little chapel up in the mountains … where they had lit candles Please see Willis, page 20

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Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Betty Ainsman Susan Cohen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert (Bobby) Cohen William Feldman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Isadore Feldman Sherwin Glasser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jacob Joseph Kurtz Marjorie A . Halpern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Miriam Magadof Glantz Jean Horne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David Cohen Susan Neuwirth Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr . Seymour A . Herron Carole Kaufman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Albert Hendel Aaron Krouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Isadore Krouse Sheila M . Lawrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sylvia Steinberger Moskovitz Cindy & Harold Lebenson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael J . Niderberg Linda Levine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arthur Levine Sherry Marcus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sylvia Stern Faye Nickel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sylvia R . Melnick Arlene & Steve Sablowsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rae Sablowsky Edris C . Weis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Peter Shaffer Ruth Yahr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Miriam Yahr

Contact the Development department at 412-586-2690 or development@jaapgh.org for more information.

THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS — Sunday October 22: Milton Cohen, Rose Elinow, Fannie Titlebaum Frank, Elizabeth S . Kalovsky, Frank Mayer Marcosky, Dr . Geneva Markus, Mary Opter, Elaine R . Rubin, Morris Spector, Fae Velardi, Dorothy Weinberg, Harry Wishnev Monday October 23: Sol Feinberg, Isadore Feldman, Milton Gottlieb, Isadore Krouse, Sylvia R . Melnick, Minnie Toig Pearlman, Louis Rosner, Arthur Sonnenklar, Harry Sparks, Regina Brown Wand, Sarah Weinbaum Tuesday October 24: Pauline Berzosky, Anna Birnkrant, Leonard Farber, Hanna Ficks, Jeanette Kohen Kuperstock, Hannah Rae Levine, Barnett Marcus, Lillian Pretter, Henry Rosenfeld, Rae Sablowsky, Sam Schllessinger, Peter Shaffer, Meyer Shepman, Alberta Myers Walken, Adolph Weitzen, Miriam Yahr, Max Zweig Wednesday October 25: Vivian Cuff Boyd, Mildred Caplan, Frances Citron, Marcia Green Farbstein, Eva Frank, Reva Cohen Goldberg, Sarah B . Gordon, Lawrence L . Green, Rose K . Judd, Jacob Levinson, Samuel Nathan, Jerrilyn Ruth Perilman, Sara Recht, Sam Sambol, Herman Solow, David Srulson, Tobe L . Unger Thursday October 26: Arthur Levine, Solomon Linder, Jennie Rosen, Mayer Eli Ruben, Rose Shapiro, Freda Siegel, Dora Sriglitz Wechsler, Charles Weiss Friday October 27: Benjamin C . Brown, Evelyn Wolk Caplan, Ruben Cohen, Sarah N . Cohen, Dr . Bernard Cramer, Samuel T . Greenberg, Frank Grossman, Dr . Seymour A . Herron, Ida Kaplan, Dena Katzenberg, Morris Krantz, Minnie M . Lavine, Raymond Paul Lazier, Rebecca Paris, Adolph Roth, Nina Ruben, Anna Sadowsky, Leonard Schulhof, Helen R . Seiavitch, George Sherman, Doris Wechsler Saturday October 28: Goodman George Altman, Jacob L . Berkovitz, Leo Berkovitz, Sylvia Breman Braun, William Cohen, Sidney Leo Friedman, Jennie Gernstat, William Glasser, Helen B . L . Hersh, Norman Katz, Rachel Klahr, Arnold Klein, Nathan A . Kopelman, Phillip Levy, Edwin E . Lichtenstul, Michael J . Niderberg, Paul Numerosky, David Rosen, Meyer David Rosenthal, Harry H . Samuels

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OCTOBER 20, 2023

Obituaries Willis: Continued from page 19

and prayed for salvation and life and liberation.” After the war, Willis attended the American College in Athens, then came to the U.S. to study on a Fulbright Scholarship at Sweet Briar College. She later earned a master’s degree in chemistry at the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. As she and her husband, Richard, raised three children in Squirrel Hill, Willis racked up an eclectic resume — working as a chemist, a sociologist, a Westinghouse manager and, later, a management consultant. The Willises — whom friends called Yola and Dick — divorced in the 1970s. In 1992, Willis married Elliott Goldstein, a medical doctor, in Pittsburgh. Her middle child, Carla, died a few years ago. Growing up in Pittsburgh, the Willis children never saw their mother run or skip or hop a fence — all those little things that develop a kind of muscle memory in youth. “The war more or less robbed (Willis) of her whole childhood,” A. Marty Willis said. “The trauma can persist for generations afterward. Even people not directly killed or injured have suffered trauma because of the war.” Then, there was the book. As Willis embarked upon what some family members called “a decades-long journey of discovery,” she started her own oral history project. It later led to the publication of a book on her wartime experiences.

In 1996, Willis assisted in making a documentary on Holocaust rescues in Greece, “It Was Nothing, It Was Everything.” In 1998, she and 41 other survivors authored “Flares of Memory: Childhood Stories Written by Holocaust Survivors,” published by the Holocaust Center of the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh. Willis became a public speaker, particularly on the experience of hidden children and adults and the righteous gentiles and Jews who rescued them, according to her obituary. She attended and co-taught courses at Carnegie Mellon University’s Academy for Lifelong Learning and also served on the advisory board of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh. “I will forever be grateful and in awe of (Willis’) courage and willingness to write down and share her story as one of the few local survivors from Greece,” said Emily Loeb, director of programs and education at the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh. “Yolanda’s openness to sharing was critical to illustrate the full picture of what Jews across Europe experienced during the Holocaust.” “Yolanda was a beloved member of the local survivor community here in Pittsburgh — for as long as I can remember, she was always visible and engaged in our community,” added Christina Sahovey, operations manager for the center. Willis’ autobiography, “A Hidden Child in Greece: Rescue in the Holocaust,” was published in 2017. Thanks to formal testimony and Willis’ persistence, at least eight Greek citizens from Crete, who aided the Willis family during

World War II, were permanently memorialized at Yad Vashem in Israel as Righteous Among the Nations. Willis’ efforts, both in person and through her writings and speaking engagements, consistently helped to foster harmonious relations between the Jewish community and the Greek community in Pittsburgh and far beyond, A. Marty Willis said. “Her legacy will be that she educated a lot of people,” he said. “A lot of people wouldn’t even believe (Greece’s Holocaust narrative) without her.” As Willis raised her children, she became involved at Congregation Dor Hadash, her family said. “I remember Yolanda from those days as always cheerful, positive, and offering a smile and a story,” Dor Hadash member Dan Leger said. “Her witness as a Holocaust survivor assisted many in understanding the need to understand and prevent such horrors in the future.” Later, after meeting Rabbi Yisroel Altein, Willis started attending Chabad of Squirrel Hill services. “Certainly her involvement with Chabad was her increasing her involvement in the Jewish community,” Altein said. “She was, on one hand, a very strong personality. On the other hand, she was sweet, engaging.” Willis even served as a “surrogate grandparent” for Altein’s youngest children, Shaina and Leah, when they had special grandparent-related events at Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh, the rabbi said. N. Robert Willis, Yolanda’s youngest child,

said he reexamined his religious beliefs after meeting Altein. “Meeting Rabbi Altein got me to take a fresh look at our religion,” he told the Chronicle. “I re-learned what I had forgotten … and I started to re-think the religion from the point of view of an adult.” Michael Moritz, a pediatric nephrologist at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and father of 10, frequently invited Willis and her younger son to dinners and family events. “Even in her final moments, she was dignified and elegant — but she also was incredibly down-to-earth and present,” said Moritz, a Squirrel Hill Jew who sometimes attended services at Chabad of Squirrel Hill in its early days. “It was always an honor to have Yolanda over,” Moritz said. “She really added a lot to the household and I think she was a great role model for our kids to see.” Willis always valued education — and encouraged her children to learn the intricate and dark histories of World War II and the Holocaust. N. Robert Willis remembered his mother encouraging him to watch a fictionalized re-telling of the Holocaust on TV in the late 1970s. “Usually, it was, ‘Stop watching TV and do your homework!’” he said. “This time, it was, ‘Stop doing your homework and watch TV!’ She wanted us to learn this history.” Willis was buried Oct. 4 in Homewood Cemetery. Altein led the graveside service. PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

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OCTOBER 20, 2023 21

Life & Culture Court and courtship: A local lawyer’s second act as a wedding officiant — LOCAL — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

essica Miner (née Silverman) was raised Jewish in Allentown, Pennsylvania. While she’s not very religious, she wanted to include some items representative of her family’s faith at her wedding — a chuppah, for example, and the traditional breaking of a glass to close the ceremony. Her then-fiancé, Brandon, was raised Catholic, however, which the couple thought might have presented a conundrum for some rabbis. “Because we were interfaith, we couldn’t be married by a religious figure,” said Miner, a psychologist who lives outside of Hartford, Connecticut. “And we wanted it to be done by someone who knew us, to make it more special.” One of Miner’s relatives, Pittsburgher Ken Eisner, came to mind — and not just because he had a great way of expressing the nuances of the family’s Jewish faith. “He has always made Brandon feel very valued and seen,” Miner said. So, after a quick online registration as a minister, Eisner trekked from Pittsburgh to The Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station in Haddam, Connecticut, on Oct. 2, 2021, to lead a ceremony in front of 170 guests uniting the Miners in marriage. “He had a whole story about us — but he also imparted some wisdom from his own marriage to us,” she recalled. “He really took the time to know us. Even though he’s family, he spent time with us. He took it seriously.” Eisner was raised in Churchill, but stresses that he grew up at Congregation Beth Shalom. From a young age, he was active at the Squirrel Hill congregation and participated in United Synagogue Youth. He became a bar mitzvah there on the same day Pittsburgh Steeler Franco Harris caught the “Immaculate Reception.” (His father and brother went to the game.)

p Ken Eisner officiated at the wedding of Sara and Stephen Spruell.

Photo by Emily Rose Barron of EmilyyRosePhotography

After starting to raise his daughters, now ages 26 and 29, in Churchill, the family relocated to McCandless, about a mile away from Temple Ohav Shalom. Eisner has served twice as the congregation’s president. Eisner, 63, is debating what he’ll do after stepping out of the day-to-day of his private law practice. He briefly flirted with bartending. “But, every time I’m making drinks, I’m making a mess,” he laughed. After leading the Miners’ wedding ceremony in Connecticut two years ago, it dawned on him. “I thought, my parents always said to me, ‘You need to get to the simchas, you need to get to the good stuff ’ — and I’ve always

loved weddings,” Eisner said. “I’m like a paid wedding crasher. I don’t know why everyone’s not doing it.” Because the gig is part-time, Eisner picks and chooses the weddings he officiates. Since putting his biography on wedding sites like The Knot, he’s been inundated with interest. He’s done about 25 weddings or so in the last 18 months and plans to only do about 12 to 15 ceremonies a year from here on out. For one wedding, he was paired alongside a rabbi. Eisner likes to joke that he did color commentary while the rabbi gave the playby-play. Many of the weddings he officiates take place in country clubs, though he notes he wed one couple at a bowling alley. Eisner said he takes the work seriously, spending time with the couple and quizzing

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them with questionnaires. He even interviews friends and family members of the couple to get their story right. Eisner took on the Spruells as wedding clients last year. The West Virginia couple, who met in high school in Somerset County, wanted a storybook wedding at the recently renovated Hotel Morgan in Morgantown, West Virginia. Eisner led the nondenominational ceremony on Aug. 6, 2022, 13 years to the day that the couple started dating. Sara Spruell was attracted to Eisner because his biography mentioned that he dabbles in improv theater. “I’m not any good at it,” Eisner laughed. “But the experience has been really helpful.” Sara Spruell, a physician’s assistant, called Eisner’s ceremony, combined with the faux-industrial elegance of the Hotel Morgan, “perfect.” “For us, the wedding was more about celebrating with people we love and cherish,” she said, adding that Eisner peppered the ceremony with details from friends and family. “It flowed beautifully. It blew us all away.” “He was able to make it very personal,” added Stephen Spruell, a high school biology teacher. “And that’s what we were looking for.” The guests also were thrilled with Eisner, the Spruells said. One woman — Sara’s maid of honor, who also is her best friend from high school — already has asked Eisner to officiate at her wedding. The brideto-be booked Eisner before she even had settled on a date. “I think that speaks for itself,” Sara Spruell said. “It felt like he had known us our whole lives. We really enjoyed it, and I think that’s why other people enjoyed it. He just made it extra special.” The Mt. Washington couple Rebeka and Jeff Besong, whom Eisner married on July 8, agreed. “He asked us genuine questions about our story,” said Rebeka Besong, a Pittsburgh native and engineer. “Everything just felt more meaningful.” “He makes you feel very comfortable during these stressful times up to the wedding,” Jeff Besong said. Eisner is modest about his new gig. “I want the couple to be the center of attention — it’s my job to tell their story,” Eisner said. “There’s something really warm and inviting and playful about it. But, if every wedding isn’t special, I didn’t do what I set out to do.” Sam Sheffler grew up Jewish in Pittsburgh’s South Hills. Though today she lives an hour north of Miami, she and her husband-to-be, Alex Cires, got married Sept. 17 at Southpointe Golf Club in Washington County, 19 miles from Downtown Pittsburgh. “We couldn’t have been happier with Ken,” said Cires, who works remotely in Florida for UPMC as an actuarial director. “He exceeded all of our expectations and made our ceremony exactly as we wanted it.” PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

OCTOBER 20, 2023

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Community News on Sunday

Temple David’s Brotherhood hosted a lox and bagel brunch on Oct. 15. The event, titled, “What it’s like to cover Jewish pop culture in Pittsburgh” featured a discussion with Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Joshua Axelrod.

p Boys’ club

Photo courtesy of Marc Yergin

Still time to celebrate Sukkot

Repair the World Pittsburgh’s Fall ‘23 Service Corps members gathered inside the sukkah to celebrate the holiday.

Community Campaign Launched

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh hosted its 2024 Community Campaign Launch at Edgewood Club. The Oct. 12 event stressed the need to support Israel. Since opening an Israel Relief Fund, Federation has raised nearly $5 million.

p Community Campaign Event Chair Debbie Resnick speaks about the war in Israel.

Photo by Joshua Franzos

From Pittsburgh with love

Members of Israel Defense Forces’ Golani brigade received a shipment of drawings, letters and cards from Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh students. The handwritten messages detailed student support for the Israeli soldiers.

p Senior Fellow Em Duhamel, center, waves the lulav and etrog.

p Creating connection through construction paper

Violins of Hope concert

Insight inside the JCC

Photo courtesy of Repair the World Pittsburgh

Tuesday Musical Club hosted a free public concert that featured music written by composers who perished, survived imprisonment or lost family members during the Holocaust. The Oct. 10 concert at Rodef Shalom Congregation was performed using instruments from the Violins of Hope collection.

p Listeners hear music of the Holocaust.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Photo by Kirk Howe

Photo courtesy of Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh

Yisrael Klitsner, former diaspora affairs adviser to the Prime Minister of Israel, delivered an insider briefing on the situation in Israel. Before concluding the Oct. 11 event, Dr. Laurie Wasser-Klitsner recited a prayer for Israel’s soldiers. The communitywide program, which welcomed more than 125 attendees, was held at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill.

p Attendees stand and applaud Klitsner following his remarks.

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Photo by Adam Reinherz

OCTOBER 20, 2023

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