Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 2-12-21 by Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle

February 12, 2021 | 30 Shevat 5781

Candlelighting 5:34 p.m. | Havdalah 6:35 p.m. | Vol. 64, No. 7 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Jewish Pittsburgh plans for a safe Purim — online and in person

NOTEWORTHY LOCAL Judicial aspirations

Work moves mostly online, but continues for 412 Black Jewish Collaborative

Meet George Heym and Zeke Rediker

By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

distancing will be in place throughout. “We’ve planned it all out to keep it as safe as possible,” said Turkewitz. Purim 2021 marks almost a year since many congregants have seen each other in person. People are looking forward to just being together, even in a limited and distanced capacity, added Turkewitz. Purim 2020 fell on March 9. Approximately one week later, shutdowns began across Pennsylvania. Congregation B’nai Abraham was slated to hold its Purim spiel on March 13 — the Butler-area congregation marks the holiday on the Friday closest to its Hebrew date — but once lockdowns were in place, the spiel was shelved. “We were supposed to be doing ‘The Jewish Princess Bride,’” said Cantor Michal GraySchaffer, spiritual leader of B’nai Abraham. “It was going to be our biggest one yet.” The skit called for heroes, villains, a princess, a pirate, a witch, a wizard and of course

ince its 2019 inception, the 412 Black Jewish Collaborative has sought to bring people together for meaningful conversation and action. Prior to the pandemic, those efforts often involved in-person gatherings. Small group dinners and discussions provided intimate settings for members of Pittsburgh’s Jewish and non-Jewish Black communities to fraternize, learn each other’s histories and develop relationships. Once the pandemic arrived, however, gathering largely shifted online. During the summer’s protests some members met up across the city, but most connections occurred virtually, said Laura Cherner, a 412 member and director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Community Relations Council. In response to seemingly weekly incidents of racial injustice nationwide, 412 members went online to express “solidarity, love and support to each other,” said Josiah Gilliam, a 412 founder and the coordinator for the city of Pittsburgh’s My Brother’s Keeper. Months removed from the summer, 412 members still check in on one another, but the group as a whole has made efforts to broaden its reach. Esther Terry, a 412 founder and board member, helps post content to Facebook. The goal is keeping the group involved in relevant local and national conversations concerning racism or anti-Semitism, and also ensuring “Jews of color are part of that conversation,” she said. The group also is hoping to attract new members online. As an example, on Feb. 3, the collaborative, in partnership with The Frick Museum, 1HoodMedia and Emmy

Please see Purim, page 14

Please see 412, page 14

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LOCAL Neighborhood book store expands

Amazing Books moves to Forbes Ave. Page 4

LOCAL

 David Perelman as Achashverosh leads his court toasting Vashti in ‘Hamanton: A Butler Purim Shpiel’ at Congregation B’nai Abraham in 2019. Photo by Kim Csonka By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

Budding young journalists

Youths’ social action passion projects Page 5

$1.50

ending gifts to others is one of Purim’s sweetest traditions. Between stuffing bags with fruit and baked goods, and delivering those packages to friends and family, the Purim practice of mishloach manot builds camaraderie by reminding both the giver and recipient of communal bonds. It’s for that reason Ken Turkewitz, interim executive director of Congregation Beth Shalom, is looking forward to overseeing a Purim basket drive with nearly 650 participants. “Community building is a really important part of this for us,” said Turkewitz. Over the course of two Sundays, Turkewitz and volunteers will bag and deliver prepackaged, individually wrapped items across the city. First, on Feb. 14, registered teams of no more than four people will pack contents at designated stations inside Beth Shalom’s ballroom. Then, on Feb. 21, volunteers will drop off the treats. Masking and social

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LOCAL COSA’s tikkun olam

LOCAL Protecting Jewish Pittsburgh

STREAMING ‘Pretend It’s a City’

Headlines

George Heym and Zeke Rediker seek seats on the bench — LOCAL — By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer

wo Jewish lawyers are among those seeking judgeships for Allegheny County’s Court of Common Pleas. George Heym, a member of Shaare Torah Congregation, said his campaign is driven by a personal connection to the bench: Nearly 40 years ago, Heym appeared before it as an orphan. As the subject of a highly publicized custody battle, Heym was thrust into the judicial process at age 11. Ultimately, Judge Paul Zavarella settled Heym’s guardianship matters and the young boy’s course was set. “Based on the law at the time, Judge Zavarella, who is no longer with us, should have reached a particular conclusion based on the state of law, but he did not do that,” Heym said. “He thought outside the box. He basically authored an opinion, which bears my name — In re Heym — and changed the way the law was interpreted, and at the same time, had a huge positive impact on my life. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know where I’d be. I don’t know if I would be an attorney, or running for judge — most likely not.” Following Zavarella’s decision, Heym was raised by Rabbi Benjamin and Miriam Nadoff —stalwarts of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, said Heym — before attending the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Heym graduated cum laude and joined the Office of the District Attorney of Allegheny County, where he served as a prosecutor in homicide and child abuse cases before eventually opening his own criminal defense practice. “During my 20-plus years in the court system, I’ve literally spent almost every day in a courtroom,” Heym said. “I’ve done

 George Heym

Photo courtesy of George Heym

around 100 jury trials, and hundreds and hundreds of non-jury trials, so I really feel that I have the experience necessary to do the things that need to be done in the Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.” Heym, a Squirrel Hill resident and married father of three, said voters should consider not only the reasons why someone is running for judge, and that person’s experience, but also how that candidate will impact others’ lives. “I want a system that’s fair for all people — and let’s be honest, our system was designed in a manner that does not provide equal access to all people,” he said. “We have systemic racism. We overincarcerate people. And those are things that judges can have a huge impact on. It’s important that people know that you’re not just voting for some guy that is going to have no effect on your life. Judges have a huge effect on every community, including the Jewish community.” Heym, 52, has participated in the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Mitzvah Day and is an active supporter of Community

 Zeke Rediker

Day School. He and his wife regularly cook and deliver meals to people with newborns or have experienced hardship or loss through Bikur Cholim of Pittsburgh. Heym also is a National Trial Lawyers Top 100 trial attorney, one of American Institute’s top 10 DUI/DWI attorneys in Pennsylvania and is highly recommended by the Allegheny County Bar Association. ••• Zeke Rediker, a Kesher Pittsburgh member, said his candidacy was fueled by earlier experiences as a judicial law clerk. After attending Cornell University, University of Oxford and the University of Michigan Law School, Rediker joined Reed Smith before taking a two-year leave to serve as a federal law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn and at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Detroit. The clerkships provided opportunities to work on several high profile cases, said Rediker, including the Department of Justice’s prosecution of the Fédération Internationale

Photo courtesy of Elect Zeke Rediker

de Football Association (FIFA) and the civil rights case against Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples in the wake of Obergefell v. Hodges, a U.S. Supreme Court case legalizing same sex marriage. Following his clerkships, Rediker returned to Reed Smith, where as a senior associate in the firm’s global commercial disputes group, and as a member of its Pittsburgh’s office, he represents clients in the financial services, health care, life sciences and technology industries. Rediker also provides pro bono services largely related to criminal justice and fair housing. Working closely with clients, often in pro bono settings, is a reminder of the judiciary’s critical role, explained Rediker. “We need judges who are going to be compassionate, who are going to be thorough, who are going to follow the law, and perhaps most importantly, are going to have an intimate understanding of the Please see Judges, page 15

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Headlines Social action at Rodef Shalom ascends to next level — LOCAL — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

alem Leaman knows a thing or two about tikkun olam, the Jewish concept of repairing the world. And that’s exactly the modus operandi of his work as chairman of Rodef Shalom Congregation’s new Community Action and Social Action Committee, better known as COSA. “One of the main objectives — and this is tough to do in a pandemic — is to get people together, generating boots on the ground,” said Leaman, a Boston-bred department store industry worker who first moved to Pittsburgh in 1984. “It comes from the Torah: ‘Take care of the stranger, take care of the stranger in your midst.’ “If you subscribe to a faith,” he added, “be it Jewish, Christian, Muslim — those commitments are found in the writings of all the great Western faiths. It’s humanity.” COSA has accomplished a lot in Pittsburgh since forming in October. Its members led a winter coat drive for Pennsylvania second lady Gisele Fetterman’s Free Store in Braddock and managed to pull in more than 200 coats and associated goods, including caps hand-knit by members. After that, members led a holiday toy drive with Holy Cross Church, an Episcopal congregation in

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 From left: Sylvia Wilson, Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal; Salem Leaman, Rodef Shalom Congregation; and Rev. Torrey Johnson, Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal with boxes of donated toys Photo by Carol Leaman

Homewood, and took in roughly $1,000 in toys and gift cards for the season. When the committee wasn’t focused on those two drives — both of which exceeded initial expectations, Leaman said — it also recruited Rodef Shalom members to volunteer to work with the Jewish Family and Community Services’ refugee

assistance program. “This needed to be done so we’re doing it,” Leaman told the Chronicle. A congregational “executive summary” of the group’s existence provides even more context. “Rodef Shalom has a reputation and a presence in our city. We should do more,

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both as a congregation and as individual members of that congregation to live up to that reputation,” the summary states. “Our members should be in the community, pursuing peace under the banner of RSC. We should be seriously involved in the Black, Latino and poor white communities.” Especially in the wake of the massacre at the Tree of Life building, the congregation is determined to have an ongoing program to reach out in “meaningful ways” to thank and help the Greater Pittsburgh non-Jewish community, according to the summary. The group’s next act? A food drive with East End Cooperative Ministry. COSA will be taking donations at the synagogue — with dates still yet to be confirmed — of non-perishable food and canned items, or funds in the form of VISA or MasterCard gift cards, Leaman said. Rodef Shalom Rabbi Aaron Bisno said he’s incredibly proud of the way COSA is taking the tikkun olam message to new heights. “Tikkun olam, the repairing of our world, is central to the understanding of what it means to be a Jew,” Bisno told the Chronicle. “All the more so, in this time when we all feel so isolated from one another, the importance of tikkun olam brings us together, restoring our world to wholeness.” PJC Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

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Headlines Amazing Books and Records readies new location on Forbes The new space, previously occupied by the consignment shop Avalon Exchange, is more than two times the size of his current store. By David Rullo | Staff Writer The added space will allow him to display books he has had to keep in storage in the or Eric Ackland, it all really basement, and perhaps realize a few other began with love. ideas on his wish list. Ackland, the owner of Amazing Since opening his Squirrel Hill locaBooks and Records, was living alone in New tion in 2014, Ackland has wanted to host a York. He was laid off for the first time and writers’ workshop, but lack of time and space slowly rebuilding a freelance copywriting prevented him from doing that. business, when he received a message “At the new location, I thought I could from a divorced woman in Pittsburgh with tear out the walls where the dressing rooms three children. She had seen his profile are and have space for a 12- to 15-person on an Orthodox Jewish dating site he had classroom,” he said. “When I was showing joined but that he hadn’t thought about the space to my wife, she said, ‘You know in a long time. it’s COVID time. No The two began one is going to want corresponding and to come in for classes. Ackland was soon But if you leave the visiting the Steel stalls, you could have City and getting to socially distanced know his future wife, classes.’ I thought, Tzipora, and her ‘That’s a great idea,’ so, children. As their I’m leaving the stalls.” relationship deep“That’s for the ened, Ackland wanted future, though,” to get engaged but Ackland said. For was worried about his now, he is working ability to support his on plans to move the would-be family. store, shelf by shelf, “I had no idea from its current how to pull this off,” location without Ackland said. “If having to close. anyone ever needed Ackland has spent  Eric Ackland commissioned artist a nice Jewish boy Joe Mruk to create a poster with his the last six years to bring home the new store address. reconfiguring his Photo provided by Eric Ackland business and working kosher bacon, it was her. She blew my mind because she said, ‘I 70 hours a week to ensure it stays afloat. was raised to believe that livelihood comes He still has a second shop downtown and from Hashem; if you’re the right guy, I’m has experimented with locations in the sure God will provide.’” South Side and Oakland, both of which he Then, in 2013, Ackland’s grandparents eventually closed. died, leaving him a small inheritance. When One business strategy that has been he happened to stop into Awesome Books, successful, he said, is his “buy three books, a pop-up bookstore on Liberty Avenue get one free” concept. downtown, the owners mentioned they were “It’s increased the average purchase by trying to sell the store and its sister location 30%,” Ackland said. “People really stretch on Penn Avenue in Garfield. Ackland was to buy the third book so they can get the intrigued, but hesitant to pursue it. fourth book free.” He mentioned the store to Tzipora, to Ackland was so pleased with the results he whom he was now engaged. She pushed began offering the same sort of deal online him in the right direction, Ackland said; as a “Lit Love Box” subscription service. he bought both the downtown store and Subscribers tell Ackland which authors they the inventory in the East End location, and are interested in and he puts together a box Amazing Books and Records was born — at of books. Buyers essentially receive a free least in concept. book with each box sent. Because he would be closed during The service has helped keep the store Shabbat, Ackland wanted to open a second in business during the pandemic when location in Squirrel Hill. He began his shoppers were forced to stay home or were search for locations, with a focus on Forbes hesitant to visit stores. Avenue. He couldn’t find anything suitable As Ackland expands his business and there at the time, but soon found his current grows his family, which now includes location, next to Pinsker’s Books & Judaica five children, he is convinced his wife was on Murray Avenue. right all those years ago when she said, Next month, though, Ackland will be “If you’re the right guy, I’m sure Hashem moving Amazing Books and Records. He will provide.” PJC finally found a location at 5858 Forbes Ave., David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ in the block he originally targeted when he pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. bought the business.

— LOCAL —

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Headlines Jewish youths’ passion projects combine social action and technology — LOCAL — By David Rullo | Staff Writer

acob Bernstein was frustrated with the partisan rhetoric he was seeing on television and reading online. “Politics, right now, can be a bitter topic,” Bernstein said. “People are often turned away by it. I think that sometimes it’s good to have a middle ground and to be open to different perspectives about the same issue.” The Upper St. Clair High School junior has always had an interest in civics, he said. It was this passion, and what he saw on cable news channels like CNN and Fox, that led him to create the website “That Political Kid.” Bernstein writes the blog posts on his website with a non-partisan, neutral point of view, he said, attempting to present both sides of an argument and to, hopefully, educate his readers.

His audience is made up of both Democrats and Republicans. He has received an email from a Trump supporter who expressed appreciation for the way Bernstein lists facts and analyzes situations without political bias. Democrats, he said, have told him that as well. “That’s one of the most rewarding parts about it for me,” Bernstein said, “because I just enjoy being able to help both sides in a way.” Bernstein, who began writing his political blog during the first impeachment trial of Trump, not only pens the columns but created the website himself. He promotes it through Instagram. The 17-year-old is learning as he goes but has already figured out how to move younger viewers from his Instagram page to his website. “The images — I’ll admit, they’re not Please see Youths, page 15

 Upper St. Clair teen Jacob Bernstein sports a T-shirt promoting his political website.

Photo provided by Jacob Bernstein

 Sasha and Ezra Kranson edit their podcast “Concerning Climate.”

Photo provided by Rachel Kranson

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Calendar Submit calendar items on the Chronicle’s website, pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. Submissions also will be included in print. Events will run in the print edition beginning one month prior to the date as space allows. The deadline for submissions is Friday, noon. q FRIDAY, FEB. 12 Set the mood for Valentine’s Day weekend by joining the University of Pittsburgh’s Jewish Studies Program for “Sexting American Jewish History,” a virtual conversation that will celebrate the publication of a special edition of American Jewish History looking at how sexuality shaped the history of American Jews and Judaism. 1 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jewishstudies.pitt.edu. q FRIDAY, FEB. 12 – MONDAY, FEB. 15 Join the National Council of Jewish Women for their Thriftique February Furniture Sale. 125 51st St. Open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-3p.m. ncjwpgh.org q FRIDAY, FEB. 12 – MARCH 8 The Zionist Organization of America: Pittsburgh is accepting applications for its Israel Scholarship Program. Open to local Jewish teens in qualified programs who will be a junior or senior in high school in September 2021. Three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded. Applicants will be judged on their involvement in Jewish organizations, volunteerism and on an essay about Zionism and Israel. Applications accepted through March 8. For information and applications, please contact ZOA executive director, Stuart Pavilack, at stuart.pavilack@zoa.org or 304-639-1758. q SUNDAY, FEB. 14 Bring your sweetie along and join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for Cooking2Gether: Let’s Make Kanafeh. Learn how to make this delicious Middle Eastern dessert in a Zoom session led by Israeli friends from Karmiel/ Misgav. 12 p.m. jewishpgh.org/event Classrooms Without Borders presents “The Escape from Novogrudok,” a conversation with Michael Kagan, Betty Cohen and Tamara Vershitskaya. Learn about a daring escape from the Novogrudok labor camp in Belarus via an underground tunnel. 2 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/events Virtual Klezmer workshop and concert featuring Craig Judelman and Sasha Lurje. Open to instrumentalists and vocalists of all levels. Dive deep into the relationship between instrumental and vocal style. What gives Yiddish or klezmer music its unique flavor? How do you transfer Yiddish vocal style to an instrument? 2 p.m. schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/event q SUNDAYS, FEB. 14, 21, 28; MARCH 7 Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for the virtual bus tour, “The Secret Jews of Majorca Island.” The series will include “Medieval Majorca,” “CryptoJudaism,” “Chuetas,” “Rebirth & Renewal” and “Taste of Spain.” 3 p.m. https://tinyurl.com/jewish-spain Join a lay-led Online Parashah Study Group to discuss the week’s Torah portion. No Hebrew knowledge is needed. The goal is to build community while deepening understanding of the text. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q SUNDAYS, FEB. 14, 21, 28; MARCH 7, 14 What does Jewish tradition have to say about God, Torah, mitzvot, suffering, messiah, Israel? In this special course, Pittsburgh Rabbis on Jewish Belief, Jewish Community Foundation Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff will host 14 Pittsburgh rabbis, each teaching a session on fundamental aspects of Jewish belief. 10 a.m. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org. q MONDAY, FEB. 15 Join the Women of Temple Sinai Cooking Class, featuring guest chefs from the community and Temple Sinai with recipes from around the world.

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All are welcome. 6:30 p.m. templesinaipgh.org/ programs-events q MONDAYS, FEB. 15, 22 Beth El Congregation of the South Hills presents its Winter Speaker Series. For a complete list of speakers, topics and times, and to register, visit bethelcong.org/events. q MONDAYS, FEB. 15, 22; MARCH 1, 8 Join Rabbi Jeremy Markiz in learning Masechet Rosh Hashanah, a tractate of the Talmud about the many new years that fill out the Jewish calendar at Monday Talmud study. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q MONDAYS, FEB. 15, 22; MARCH 1, 8, 15 Most people associate the term “Haftarah” with opaque prophetic reading on Shabbat morning. This course, Haftarah, will attempt to make the opaque sparkle. Choosing selectively from the most interesting Haftarah portions, Jewish Community Foundation Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff will seek to imbue meaning in these powerful prophetic passages. 9:30 a.m. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org. q TUESDAYS, FEB. 16, 23 Classrooms Without Borders presents the weekly book discussion of “Learning from the Germans: Race and the Memory of Evil” with Dr. Josh Andy. 4 p.m. Join the book’s author following the discussion. 4 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/events q TUESDAYS, FEB. 16, 23; MARCH 2, 9 Treating Jewish jokes as text, From Sinai to Seinfeld invites students to analyze and interpret the evolving concerns, styles, rhythms, preoccupations and values of the Jewish people that lie buried deep in words that make us laugh as Jews, and that bond us as a people. $50 per person, includes all books and materials. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org. q TUESDAYS, FEB. 16 – JUNE 1 What is the point of Jewish living? What ideas, beliefs and practices are involved? Melton Course 1: Rhythms & Purposes of Jewish Living examines a variety of Jewish sources to discover the deeper meanings of Jewish holidays, lifecycle observances and Jewish practice. Cost: $300 per person, per year (25 sessions), includes all books and materials. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org. q WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for “Rising Crime in Israel’s Arab Communities: Urgent Concern and Complex Realities?” Why did crime in Arab society escalate in recent years? What are the challenges related to police enforcement and deterrence? How does this issue affect daily life in Arab communities? Hear more from Makbulla Nassar and Aya Mana. 12 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jewishpgh.org/event. Moishe House presents Bread and Beer: The Grains of Ancient Life. Helena Nichols, the director of the Biblical botanical garden in Pittsburgh, teaches the first course in the Moishe House plant series. The course will include adapted recipes so that students may try their hand at ancient recipes in their own homes. 7 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/moishehouse.pittsburgh. Designed for parents to learn five key safety messages in abuse-prevention that they can communicate to their child or teen, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh presents the webinar “Safeguarding Youth from Abuse.” Topics will include consent, body safety, respecting boundaries, healthy relationships, and online safety. Parents will leave with language to open conversations with their children and teens about

safety from a strengths-based perspective, and tips for how to best support their resilience. 8 p.m. jewishpgh.org/event q THURSDAY, FEB. 18 Classrooms Without Borders, in partnership with Rodef Shalom Congregation and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, is honored to welcome filmmaker Ferne Pearlstein and Holocaust scholar Dr. Michael Berenbaum to convene a post-screening discussion of the film “The Last Laugh.” 4 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/events The New Community Chevra Kadisha of Greater Pittsburgh will hold its 16th Annual Adar 7 Dinner, via Zoom. Maggie Feinstein, 10.27 Healing Partnership director will present “Moses on Mt. Nebo: Pivot and Purpose.” 6:30 p.m. Join the Women of Rodef Shalom for the discussion “Bodies, Gender, & Sex Positivity.” What’s the difference between someone’s genital configuration and their gender? What does it mean to be cisgender or transgender? How does sexual orientation relate to gender? What do all the letters in LGBTQIA2S+ stand for? What does it mean to be “sex-positive,” and how does sex-positivity relate to other social justice issues? Dr. Kit Stubbs of The Effing Foundation will provide a safe space to discuss these topics and answer your questions. 7 p.m. https://us02web q THURSDAY, FEB. 18; MONDAY, MARCH 8 Beth El Congregation presents Oy Joy Labs 2021: L’Chaim, L’Chaim — To Life! Do you find yourself asking “Why?” and “How?” Are you eager to find a deeper meaning? Are you now the “go-to person” for family and extended family to be there for answers? Are you trying to put into words “the reasons and what to do” for your children or grandkids in a home where there is Judaism and perhaps another religion? Join Beth El for this threepart series. 7 p.m. For a complete list of guests and to register, visit bethelcong.org. q THURSDAYS, FEB. 18 – MARCH 18 Join the 10.27 Healing Partnership and Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife for Jewish Style R&R — Rachamim and Resilience. This series of weekly interactive workshops will be an opportunity to engage in classes that will build on Jewish values, core concepts of resiliency, and mindfulness tools as a way of expanding our resiliency toolbox in this next year. This program is being offered at no cost and is open to all ages. 7 p.m. For more information, visit 1027healingpartnership.org/events. q THURSDAYS, FEB. 18; MARCH 4, 18, 25 The University of Pittsburgh Jewish Studies Program presents the four-part series “Shazam! Jewish Biblical Texts Transformed by the Power of Pictures” featuring artist-in-residence Ben Schachter. 7:30 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jewishstudies.pitt.edu. q THURSDAYS, FEB. 18; MARCH 18; MAY 6; JUNE 17 We live in a time of multiple challenges. Controversial issues and struggles confront us daily. But the truth is that Jews have never desisted from addressing tough problems. In this year’s CLE series, Rabbi Danny Schiff will dive into “Tense Topics of Jewish Law.” Each topic raises significant concerns in our contemporary lives. And Jewish law has something to say on them all. With CLE/CEU credit: $30/session or $150 all sessions; without CLE/CEU credit: $25/ session or $125 all sessions. 8:30 a.m. For more information, including a complete list of topics, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org/continuing-legal-education. q SUNDAY, FEB. 21 In observation of Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month, Temple Sinai is hosting a “Moth”like storytelling celebration hosted by Alan Olifson of Moth Pittsburgh Storyslam fame. Listen to a string of compelling stories about disAbility told by Temple Sinai members. 2 p.m. Free and open to the public.

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For more information, visit templesinaipgh.org/event/ jdaimstories2021.html#. The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh is pleased to partner with PJ Library to offer an online youth reading of “Hidden.” The graphic novel centered on the story of hidden child during the Holocaust will be discussed. Appropriate for students age 9 and up. The session will also include the opportunity to learn about and connect with a local Pittsburgh hidden child survivor. A limited number of books will be offered free of charge, on a first-come-first-serve basis. 4 p.m. For more information, visit hcofpgh.org/events. Join the Pittsburgh Jewish community for a conversation with Rabbi Denise L. Eger. She will discuss her new book, “Mishkan Ga’Avah: Where Pride Dwells,” and share how the Pittsburgh Jewish community can better celebrate and empower members of the LGBTQ+ community. 8 p.m. tinyurl.com/where-pride-dwells q WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24 The Holocaust has played an increasingly significant role in Western culture, most specially in post-Holocaust ethical discourse. Classrooms Without Borders presents a four-part series, “The Ethical implications of the Holocaust: A lecture series with Dr. Michael Berenbaum.” 4 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/events In celebration of Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month and Jewish Disability Advocacy Month, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh presents “A Conversation with National Disability Advocacy & Inclusion Leader Matan Koch.” 5:30 p.m. For more information and to register, visit jewishpgh.org/event. q THURSDAY, FEB. 25 The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh presents the next installment of its Conversations Series with guest Jon Prince. His relationship with Holocaust survivor Helen Bayer was forged a few years ago from a chance meeting in a parking lot, blossoming into a close friendship that lasted until her passing in late 2020. 3 p.m. hcofpgh.org/events Celebrate Purim with Classrooms Without Borders and Rabbi Jonty Blackman. 4 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/events q THURSDAYS, FEB. 25; MARCH 4, 11 The Mishna, the Oral Law in written form, is one of the greatest works of the Jewish people. In this survey course, Jewish Community Foundation Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff will provide a comprehensive overview of this singular, foundational work. Co-sponsored with Derekh at Congregation Beth Shalom. 9:30 a.m. For more information and to register, visit foundation.jewishpgh.org/mishna. q SUNDAY, FEB. 28 Classrooms Without Borders, in partnership with Rodef Shalom Congregation and the Maltz Museum of Jewish History, is honored to bring Professor Susan Neiman, author of the book, “Learning from the Germans: Race and the Memory of Evil,” to our community of educators and learners. 1 p.m. classroomswithoutborders.org/events Moishe House presents Grief Workshop (part 2): The Earth Can Hold Us. In this second workshop, discussions will include why stones are a Jewish tool for holding grief and memory, how the earth can help us hold the pain we carry, and briefly cover the concept of Yahrzeit. 7 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/moishehouse.pittsburgh. q WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3 Beth Shalom Congregation’s Derekh Speaker Series welcomes five authors from across the country. Ariel Sabar will discuss “Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man and the Gospel of Jesus’s Wife” 7:30 p.m. Free. For more information, and to register for the Zoom event, visit bethshalompgh.org/ speakerseries. PJC

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Headlines PZ security guard has deep connections to community he protects — LOCAL — By David Rullo | Staff Writer

nthony Sage has claimed the Jewish community as his own, even though he never had a bar mitzvah, never converted, and never blessed wine or read from the Torah. Instead, Sage stands guard each Saturday morning outside Congregation Poale Zedeck in Squirrel Hill as its members celebrate Shabbat. He has found his place keeping watch, serving each week as the congregation’s security guard. “People know when they come to PZ, they see me standing out front, it gives them peace of mind,” Sage said. “They can go inside; they can have their services. It gives them that three hours. That’s what makes it rewarding.” For Sage, public safety is more than a weekend gig. He is also a trained paramedic, works as a fireman and takes calls for the 911 service in Mercer County. The first responder knew he wanted to help people before he was old enough to vote. At 16, Sage was volunteering as a fireman in Monroeville but felt stymied by his inability to contribute as much as he desired because

he was not yet an adult. He became an emergency medical technician after learning that, even as a high school student, that certification would provide opportunities for  Paramedic a larger role. Anthony Sage In 2016, Sage Photo provided by Anthony Sage began his relationship with the Jewish community, working as a school resource safety officer at Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh. The Murrysville resident worked at the school for two years. He left Hillel after he received his paramedic certification, although he occasionally covered a shift there when needed. “And then Tree of Life happened,” Sage remembered. Hillel principal Rabbi Sam Weinberg reached out to Sage after the Oct. 27, 2018, massacre, asking if he was interested in working as a security guard at Poale Zedeck, the Orthodox synagogue where he was a member. “I said yes because I knew about 90% of

This week in Israeli history — WORLD — Items provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.

Feb. 12, 1958 — First Basic Law is enacted

The Knesset votes 96-0 for the first of a series of basic laws that fill the role of a constitution. Basic Law: The Knesset outlines election procedures and the rules and functions of the parliament.

Feb. 13, 1955 — Israel announces purchase of Dead Sea Scrolls

Prime Minister Moshe Sharett reveals that Israel, through the efforts of two Hebrew University faculty members, has paid $250,000 to purchase four of the first seven Dead Sea Scrolls found in Qumran.

Feb. 14, 1896 — Herzl publishes ‘Jewish State’

Theodor Herzl’s pamphlet “Der Judenstaat” (“The Jewish State”) is published in Vienna with a print run of 500 copies. French and English translations soon follow.

Feb. 15, 1975 — Cairo Jewish leader Salvator Cicurel dies

A former leader of Cairo’s Jewish community, 1928 Olympic fencer Salvator

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Cicurel, dies. He kept his retail empire after Israel’s independence but had to sell after the 1956 war and left for France in 1957.

Feb. 16, 1910 — Children’s author Miriam Roth is born

Miriam Roth, who elevates children’s literature in Israel, is born in Slovakia in the AstroHungarian Empire. She makes aliyah in 1931 but doesn’t begin writing her 23 children’s books until the 1970s.

Feb. 17, 2013 — Musician Shmulik Kraus dies

Shmulik Kraus, one of Israel’s most influential musicians, dies of swine flu in Tel Aviv at age 77. Beyond a solo career, his collaborators included Esther and Avi Ofarim, Arik Einstein, and Josie Katz.

Feb. 18, 1947 — Britain asks UN to sort out Palestine

Amid rising intercommunal violence, the British government asks the United Nations to decide the future of Palestine, leading to the partition plan the U.N. General Assembly approves Nov. 29, 1947. PJC

the members because a lot of them go to Hillel,” Sage said. “I knew the kids. I knew everybody, so I felt the need to do it.” Sage has provided security at PZ ever since then, except for those months when the synagogue was closed due to COVID-19. “That was horrible because Saturday is like my social hour,” Sage said. “I get to see everybody and keep up with everything in town. That’s the real reason I do it, because I get to see everyone.” In fact, Sage said he fell in the love with the community while working at Hillel. “I was embraced with open arms,” he said. “It was a somber day when I left.” Sage feels connected to the school, he said, and is proud that he left a mark where he could — like teaching CPR to the day care instructors, for instance. Sage’s feelings toward the community he helps secure are obvious even in the pronouns he chooses when speaking about Jewish Pittsburgh — peppering his phrasing with “our” rather than “their.” “The running joke is that I could probably be Jewish by now,” he said. “I’ve been assimilated into the culture. There are people who will say to me, ‘Hey, what holiday is this we’re celebrating?’ It’s pretty funny.” Sage built relationships with both the staff and parents at Hillel, Weinberg recalled.

“Anthony was a wonderful security guard,” he said. “He cared deeply about the kids and went beyond the call of duty to make sure everyone was safe. He was mindful of his job, always trying to find ways to improve and innovate.” Sage still works at the school from time to time conducting Stop the Bleed and CPR training, Weinberg said. “He became very much a part of the culture,” Weinberg said. “He was more than a security guard, which was very comforting for the kids, especially after Tree of Life.” Sage has both a passion and dedication to protect the Jewish community, said Shawn Brokos, the director of community security for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. “As an EMS worker, he is especially busy — especially these days — and yet he carves out time every Saturday to help keep the members of Poale Zedeck secure,” she said. “The members I have spoken to all speak so highly of him and he has become entrenched in their lives. He is absolutely vested in his role as security at PZ and has built wonderful relationships with many of its members.” Sage exemplifies the best of humanity, Brokos said: our capacity to care for and Please see Security, page 15

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Headlines

From Toastmasters to Israeli stamp collecting, Dan Askin makes his mark — LOCAL — By Justin Vellucci | Special to the Chronicle

ou can find out what you need to know about Dan Askin’s work in the Jewish community by joking with him about group thinking. “I don’t go for boards,” laughed Askin, a quick-witted and self-deprecating Baltimore native who started giving back to Pittsburgh shortly after moving here 46 years ago. “If I want to do anything, I’ll go out and do it.” The Squirrel Hill-based health and life insurance worker by day — “I do people, not things,” he says, proudly — has been conducting his “after work” activities this way for decades, with groups as varied as Congregation Beth Shalom, Israeli stamp hobbyists and Toastmasters International. Askin joined the downtown Pittsburgh chapter of Toastmasters International, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting communication and public speaking, in 1986, back before some of the members there today were even born. In the era of COVID19, the group continues to meet twice a month via Zoom. About 15 years ago, Toastmasters in Pittsburgh started inviting charity and

 Dan Askin

Photo by Lisa Seligman Photography

nonprofit figures to give five- to sevenminute speeches during off-meeting weeks of its “Dawn Patrol,” so named because it meets before the work day begins. Members would bring filled-out checks with the “To” space blank, and vote on the speeches that hit them hardest; the “winner” went home with most of the pot. Pittsburgh members of the Dawn Patrol

estimate they have made about $1,500 in charitable donations to date. This year, the group didn’t want COVID-19 to alter its annual tradition, and with participants from a number of groups taking part in this year’s online speech competition, Pittsburgh’s Jewish community was wellrepresented — thanks in no small part to Askin. Representatives touted the work of the Hebrew Free Loan Association and the Jewish Assistance Fund. (The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle also participated in the event.) “It’s really interesting to see what people are up to and how people are committed to things and just do them,” Askin said. When Askin is not being charitable through a public speaking organization, he extends his efforts elsewhere. About 30 years ago, he took to shaking up Conservative Judaism rites at Beth Shalom. “Women didn’t get to do much then, and that became a cause célèbre,” he said. He ushered in a new service in the building’s smaller sanctuary dubbed the “Library Minyan.” It ran for two decades. “There, women were partaking in the service and doing things from the front of the synagogue,” Askin said. “It has made a world of difference.” Even within the Library Minyan, Askin was not a traditional leader; instead of

pontificating from the bima, he liked to stand in the back, handing out prayer books to everyone who entered the service. “I don’t want to organize things — I don’t like saying, ‘You do this, you do that,’” he said. Years ago, he joined the American Philatelic Society, a stamp-collecting hobbyist concern; shortly after serving as treasurer of the Pittsburgh chapter, he went out on his own and formed a local group around collecting Israeli stamps. Askin served as the executor of a local stamp collector’s will and had to disperse $10,000 to Jewish groups. Soon after doing that, he visited Masada in Israel. After a brief rainfall, he saw a double rainbow at the site in the Negev Desert. “That told me what we did with the money was the right thing,” he said. Even today, he is modest and self-effacing about his leadership roles. At Toastmasters, his fellow members jokingly call him “El Presidente” but Askin, when pressed about the nickname, redirects praise to members who are sharpening their skills in English as a second language. Askin has at least one vocal promoter in his corner — his wife, Ronna. Ronna Askin worked for 20 years for UPMC Please see Askin, page 15

SPONSORED CONTENT

MEDICAID LONG-TERM CARE LOOKBACK PERIOD AND PENALTIES This is one in a series of articles about Elder Law by Michael H. Marks., Esq. Michael H. Marks is an elder law attorney with offices in Squirrel Hill and Monroeville. Send questions to michael@marks-law.com or visit www.marks-law.com. Nursing home care for elderly or disabled patients (long-term care) costs $10,000 or more a month around here. No one wants to or hopes to go to a nursing home, but sometimes it’s necessary. Long-term care is usually for an indefinite, permanent placement, going forward (though technically any stay more than six months can qualify). If you are headed toward expensive longterm care in a nursing home, there are really only three ways to pay: (1) pay yourself, also called private payment; (2) pay with a private long-term care insurance policy, if you had the opportunity and foresight to buy it; or (3) pay through a public benefit program such as Medicaid or VA Aid and Attendance benefits. Medicaid benefits are most often relevant for long-term nursing home care. Medicaid pays for almost 2/3 of all nursing home residents. However, a nursing home stay may not be your only choice. The shift toward Medicaid-paid home care instead of care in a nursing home is huge and ongoing. For home care, the same financial rules apply. Medicaid has many restrictive rules that govern who is financially eligible, Including the “look back period,” and penalties for gifting. Here’s what they’re all about Medicaid’s most important rule is that you have to spend almost all your own money on your own

8 FEBRUARY 12, 2021

care first, before they start to pay anything for you. Rule number two, therefore, is that you’re not allowed to just give away anything of value as a gift, because then you’ve violated rule number one.

relationships. You can ordinarily make any gift to a spouse. You may be permitted to gift your home and sometimes other kinds of property to a caregiver child, a disabled or There are rules - and then there are exceptions. blind child or a child under 21, or a sibling Elder law attorneys can help clients make gifts co-owner, under specific rules, or in trust as part of Medicaid planning – in a planned, for the sole benefit of any other disabled thoughtful, strategic, intentional way, with person. You’re always able to make gifts to a qualifying Special Needs Trust for the benefit predictable, helpful results. of a disabled or special needs beneficiary. Medicaid doesn’t look back forever – only for a period of five years prior to the date of the What is the result if you do make a prohibited application – the so-called “five year look back gift within five years before you apply? You period.” You have to turn in your financial records, become ineligible for Medicaid for a penalty and they will review your statements etc. looking period of ineligibility corresponding to how for two things: to make sure you have disclosed much longer you could have paid for yourself all your assets, and that you haven’t made any with that money or property, if you hadn’t given it away. The uncompensated value significant gifts within the last five years. amount is divided by the average statewide A gift is a transfer of valuable property or rights cost of nursing home care in Pennsylvania made without receiving adequate consideration this fiscal year. Right now, the average cost or compensation in return. Any portion that you’re not paid for is called “uncompensated value.” Gifts that are made within the look back period can cause penalties.

of nursing home care, or the divisor amount, is $364.90 per day, $11,099.04 per month. If you made a gift of $100,000, you’d become ineligible for about nine months. A key question is when the period of ineligibility starts to run. It generally begins when you would first otherwise be eligible for Medicaid in every other way, but for the penalty period of ineligibility caused by the gift itself. We often try to manipulate the start of the penalty period of ineligibility for strategic advantage. Note that the penalty is not limited to five years; technically, it can go on for much longer. The rules are actually more detailed and complicated than described here. At Marks Elder Law, we help people every day with issues like these. I invite your questions and feedback. Please let me know how I can help you and your family.

helping you plan for what matters the most

You are always allowed to make some gifts, up to a maximum of $500 per month (not $500 per person to more than one recipient, just $500 total per month in gifts.) There are exceptions to the ban. You won’t be penalized if you can show that a transfer is made with the intention to obtain fair market value, or exclusively for purposes other than to qualify for Medicaid. As a practical matter, these are often very difficult arguments to win. You can also avoid a penalty by showing undue hardship under the requirements, or if the gifted property is returned to you.

www.marks-law.com

412-421-8944 4231 Murray Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Other exceptions are often based on family

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

Leslie A. Dutchcot, Esq. leslie@marks-law.com

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Headlines — WORLD — From JTA reports

Former secretary at Nazi death camp to stand trial

Prosecutors in Germany have indicted a 95-year-old woman who served as a secretary to a Nazi death camp’s commander during the Holocaust. The woman, identified under German privacy laws only as Irmgard F., is charged with complicity in the murders of 10,000 people at Stutthof, a camp in occupied Poland. She will be tried in juvenile court because she was under 21 when she worked at the camp. The indictment against the woman, who reportedly resides in an old-age home north of Hamburg, is based on testimonies from survivors of the camps who are now living in the United States and Israel. About 65,000 people were murdered at Stutthof. Germany has prosecuted several accused accomplices to Nazi war crimes since the 2011 conviction in Munich of former concentration camp guard John Demjanjuk, who had been living in the U.S. before being arrested, deported and tried for his role at the Sobibor concentration camp. He was found guilty as an accessory in the murders of nearly 30,000 Jews at the camp and died in 2012. The Demjanjuk case set a precedent that being a guard at a death camp was sufficient to prove complicity in murder. But the number of

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people present at the camps who are still alive and able to face prosecution is dwindling. The indictment against Irmgard F. resulted from a five-year investigation, prosecutors said.

Paris City Council adopts IHRA definition of anti-Semitism

The City Council of Paris endorsed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism, becoming the first capital city in the world outside Israel to do so officially, according to a statement by the Israeli Embassy in France. Only a few of the 163 delegates objected in the vote by a show of hands to the resolution. Hundreds of anti-Semitic incidents occur annually in Paris. The definition has been a source of ongoing debate in the United States and beyond. Its text lists as examples of anti-Semitic classic tropes alongside some forms of vitriol against Israel, including comparing its policies to Nazi Germany and “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.” The definition also states that “criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.” In 2019, the French parliament’s lower house passed a resolution endorsing the IHRA definition. The United States, UK, Germany, Romania, Canada and Australia are among the dozens of governments that have adopted the IHRA definition.

Bipartisan bill would join US and Israel in PTSD research

A slate of Democrats and Republicans, including two Jewish military veterans, introduced a bill that would establish a grant program for American universities and nonprofits to team up with Israeli counterparts to research post-traumatic stress disorder. Its sponsors in the U.S. House are Democrats Elaine Luria of Virginia and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania and Republicans Michael Waltz of Florida and Lee Zeldin of New York. Luria and Zeldin are Jewish and Houlahan’s father is Jewish; all three are veterans. In the Senate, the sponsors are Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, and Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican. “Too many of our bravest men and women come home with invisible wounds from the trauma they experienced while fighting for our country,” Luria said in a release. “Congress can uphold its end of the promise by facilitating groundbreaking research to find treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder.” Zeldin, the lead spokesman on Israel issues for Republicans, said in the same release, “It’s estimated that 20 US veterans per day take their own life, oftentimes due to the invisible wounds of war and we cannot afford to waste any time. Inspiring further research collaboration between our two nations will establish an international brain trust invaluable to the servicemembers of both our great countries.”

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Swastikas painted in front of Jewish fraternity house

Police in California are investigating after a Jewish fraternity at the California Polytechnic State University reported finding swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti painted outside its house. The symbols were scrawled in front of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house in California’s San Luis Obispo County, campus authorities said. “We awoke to multiple swastikas and antisemitic statements spray-painted on and in front of our house,” the fraternity wrote in an Instagram post. The post did not show images of the graffiti described in the post. University President Jeffrey Armstrong and other officials said in a statement that the incident was reported to the San Luis Obispo Police Department and an investigation is underway, according to The Tribune of San Luis Obispo County, which is located about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. “Let us be perfectly clear: behavior that promotes any form of hate and seeks to make members of our community feel unsafe and unwelcome — especially in their own home — has absolutely no place in our community,” the university president’s message said. In 2018, Cal Poly made the news because of a push to increase funding to all student groups except those with a “Zionist ideology.” PJC

FEBRUARY 12, 2021 9

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

My Bat Mitzvah Is Dedicated To Anne Frank Ann Moliver Ruben, Ph.d. I dedicated my Bat Mitzvah to Anne Frank. This is the poem that I read to those who attended my celebration. I hope that Anne Frank heard it too!

Myanmar’s tiny Jewish community is rattled after military coup — WORLD — By Ben Frank | JTA

She never had a chance To laugh and to dance She was cooped up inside With much pain to hide. Because the Nazis took her away I am here for her this fine day My Bat Mitzvah is for her wonderful spirit Down deep in my heart I hope she can hear it. Anne Frank prayed that one fine day women would be equal in every way Her diary’s words wondered out loud Why women live under a gloomy cloud. She wrote wonderful words to remember not just this June but long past December “Why? oh why? are women seen as inferior?” These questions appear in her diary’s interior. I tell you dear Anne on this wonderful day We feel okay and not inferior in any way We panted and chanted each Monday night Our Torah, Haftorah ‘till we got it right. I can still feel my husband’s warm hands putting the tallis (the prayer shawl) around my shoulders as a part of the ceremony on June 16, 1995. It was another experience in my life that I shall cherish forever. Yes, Anne, I made it my business back in May To say the words that you couldn’t say Dear God, thank you so much for paving the way To have this Bat Mitzvah for Anne Frank today. The next year, my husband and I visited Anne Frank’s home in Amsterdam. It gave me so much pleasure to leave a copy of my poem with them. They told me it would become a part of their permanent Anne Frank Collection. Had she lived, Anne Frank would have turned 75 the year prior. Her diary has sold millions of copies in more than 55 languages since it was first published in Dutch in 1947.

Anne Frank will always be my hero. 10 FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Headlines

leader of Myanmar’s tiny Jewish community, reacting to the military coup that has rocked the nation, recalled witnessing “the brutality of the Military” in his Southeast Asian country in 1988. “But since 2015, I never thought I or my children’s generation” would ever “witness this again,” Sammy Samuels wrote on Facebook. “But I was wrong.” He called Sunday’s coup “a sad day for Myanmar.” Samuels, who keeps the keys of Musmeach Yeshua synagogue in the nation’s largest city, Yangon, once known as Rangoon, has been instrumental in holding together the community of about a dozen families. Following in the footsteps of his father, Moses, Samuels has maintained the site as a haven for Jewish visitors and tourists. The coup is the latest turn in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, where the military took over the government and announced a yearlong state of emergency. The junta detained the democratically elected leader, Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, on transparently thin criminal charges, put up roadblocks, suspended communications and closed down the airport. The action ends nearly a decade of fledgling democracy in Myanmar that saw the country become a popular tourist destination. And it throws into relief a history of colonial and post-colonial turmoil. Several thousand Jews thrived there when the country was under the mantle of the British Empire. Musmeach Yeshua, which means “brings forth salvation,” was built in 1854 and rebuilt in 1896. The oldest tomb in the nearby Jewish cemetery dates back to 1876. British rule ended when the Japanese bombed Rangoon on Christmas Day, 1941, and invaded the country at the outset of World War II. Many Burmese Jews fled to India and never returned. Burma achieved independence in 1948 and established cordial relations with the new State of Israel, mostly due to the friendship between prime ministers, David Ben-Gurion and U Nu. The latter was the first head of state to visit Israel after its founding. A warm relationship exists between the two countries, including Israel selling arms to Myanmar over the years. Israel aided Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis in 2008. In 1962, a brutal military coup that installed a dictatorship took place. The military nationalized businesses, causing most Jews to emigrate. The army suppressed freedom of speech and political parties, and the country fell into economic ruin. The army jailed or kept in house arrest Suu Kyi, the daughter of a beloved independence leader. Tourists were advised not to mention her name; guides never did. She spent nearly

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15 years in detention between 1989 and 2010, when she was released. Suu Kyi emerged from house arrest and in 2015 her party, the National League for Democracy won a decisive election victory. The military honored the results and Suu Kyi appeared to be the de facto national leader. She played a vital role in Myanmar’s transition from military junta to partial democracy in the 2010s, though she was condemned internationally for defending the military campaign — labeled a genocide by human rights groups — against the Rohingya minority. In 2006, Samuels and his father founded Myanmar Shalom, a boutique travel company. They designed and arranged tours that included Buddhist stupas, Hindu temples, Christian churches and Muslim mosques, along with the last remaining synagogue and cemetery. After his father died in 2015, Samuels, in his late 30s, has represented the Jewish community at interreligious councils and often met with Suu Kyi on matters of interfaith dialogue. Samuels had graduated with high honors from Yeshiva University and worked at the American Jewish Congress in New York. Returning to Yangon, he organized Chanukah candlelighting ceremonies that often drew several hundred government leaders. For these few Jewish locals and the Jews working at the American and Israeli embassies, the synagogue stands as the focal point for Jewish travelers and conveys a message to the world: “We are still here.” Usually no one shows up for a daily minyan, though a minyan frequently does take place — either the result of someone having to recite a memorial prayer, or when a small group of American, Israeli or Australian Jews arrive during the tourist season. When that happens, Samuels frantically calls the few Jews in the city to come quickly to the synagogue and meet the guests in the building, one of 188 sites on the list of Yangon heritage structures. The two-story, white stone synagogue is located at No. 85 26th St. At the main street entrance, visitors can see above the walls an archway with a seven-branched candelabra. Inside that wall sits a Jewish star. The bimah, surrounded by wooden benches, stands in the middle of the sanctuary, which features a balcony. Over the years, the Samuels raised funds to paint and keep the house of worship in good repair. An international outcry to sanction the military over takeover is growing. Whether tourism rebounds after the pandemic recedes may depend on whether the military pulls back or the world forgets. In 2019, when global outrage about the treatment of the Rohingya was building, Samuels told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about the related decline in tourism. “A lot of people start to boycott traveling to Myanmar, but when we say tourism, it’s not just about us, a tour company, or the hotel or airline. It involves the tour guide, taxi driver, hotel bellman,” he said. “They should not be punished for what happened.” PJC PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Last summer at camp was a blast!

Can’t wait to see you in Summer 2021! “Way to go, J&R! You delivered a home run under the most challenging of circumstances. Your commitment to our children and their physical, mental and emotional well-being will forever be recognized and appreciated.” —Parent of J&R Day Campers, Summer 2020

For information about J&R Day Camp, Performing Arts Camp, Specialty Camps and South Hills Day Camps: Rachael Speck • rspeck@jccpgh.org For information about EKC overnight camp: Aaron Cantor • acantor@jccpgh.org

J C C P G H D AY C A M P S .C O M • e M M A k A u f M A n n C A M P.C O M PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

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FEBRUARY 12, 2021 11

Opinion Reframing ‘dual loyalty’ — EDITORIAL —

ast week, we were critical of NBC News’ mean-spirited suggestion that Anne Neuberger, President Joe Biden’s pick for deputy national security adviser on the National Security Council, would not be able to judge Israel in a professionally objective manner simply because her family foundation is a major donor to AIPAC. Though NBC News didn’t use the term “dual loyalty,” the thinly veiled accusation was clear. But why is the assertion of “dual loyalty” so sensitive? And what is the history of the ugly accusation? The notion that Jews are disloyal to whatever country they live in — and instead primarily loyal to other Jews, Israel, or a secret Jewish cabal — is an age-old calumny put to powerful use against Alfred Dreyfus in France, and of course

in Nazi Germany. But the idea of Jews as untrustworthy, secretive and having multiple agendas can be found as early as the Middle Ages. This long history, which has often resulted in violence, explains why, when the charge of dual loyalty is invoked against Jews, even obliquely, the Jewish community and its member organizations respond quickly and emphatically, as they should. But maybe it’s time to reexamine the notion of dual loyalty, and to acknowledge how it is regularly celebrated in the context of the great American experiment. The United States is a nation of immigrants. Our cherished land of opportunity has a larger percentage of immigrants than any other country in the world. Most proudly become U.S. citizens. Yet they often retain a connection to the countries they’ve come from, whether that’s represented as an Italian flag keychain or a shamrock button

on a backpack. And we regularly celebrate those historical connections through heritage parades, music festivals, food and drink carnivals — as joyful reminders that one can be an American, love this country, be loyal to it, and still pay tribute to historical origins. Pittsburgh has a long history of celebrating diverse cultures, from its longstanding International Folk Festival to the Nationality Rooms in Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning. Our Jewish community understands this mix of influences and identities. We encourage the sharing of traditions, whether through a Sephardic cooking demonstration or a class on Jewish Russian culture. And, of course, we have a meaningful connection to Israel, fostered in school curricula, synagogues, family traditions and ventures like Birthright. These strong bonds and connections do not compromise our patriotism. They complement it — giving us a broader

appreciation of who we are. Yet, with the notable historical exceptions of unfair victimizations of certain ethnic groups during World Wars I and II, the Iran Hostage Crisis and following 9/11, the non-Jewish appreciation for a culture or nation of origin is not contextualized as dishonor to the United States or as a threat to one’s patriotism. On the contrary, to be proud of one’s heritage and grateful to the country that welcomed immigrants to safety seems entirely natural and expected. But it is consistently viewed with suspicion when Jews do it. America needs to find ways to put Jewish loyalties, which may be multiple, in the same context as other American loyalties. Meaningful connection with one’s history and heritage is a good thing. It amplifies our American experience, which heightens our appreciation for everything this great country provides to us. PJC

We’re running out of time to preserve endangered Jewish languages Guest Columnist Sarah Bunin Benor

can’t stop thinking about Flory Jagoda, Joseph Sassoon and Kitty Sassoon – three American Jews in their 90s who died last

week. As an Ashkenazi Jew, I do not share their family backgrounds. But their deaths hit home for me, as they were among the last native speakers of endangered Jewish languages — languages I’m helping to document before it’s too late. Flory Jagoda devoted much of her life to preserving one of those languages. She grew up in Bosnia speaking Ladino, also known as Judeo-Spanish, which her ancestors had

maintained since their expulsion from Spain in 1492. She survived the Holocaust in part through her musical skills, playing accordion and singing in Serbo-Croatian. For decades, she wrote and performed Ladino songs, maintaining the Sephardic folk traditions of her Nona (grandmother), innovating on them and bringing them to a wider audience. Jagoda’s music introduced me to Ladino and ignited my interest in Jewish languages.

In my fifth-grade class at Jewish day school, my classmates and I learned her catchy tune “Ocho Kandelikas” (Eight Little Candles) along with Hebrew and English Hanukkah songs. As a teenager, I heard Jagoda perform at a Jewish Folk Life Festival — of which she was a founder — and purchased a cassette of hers, “La Nona Kanta” (The Grandmother Please see Benor, page 13

Don’t give up now! There is light at the end — and in the middle — of this tunnel. Guest Columnist Jeffrey Finkelstein

veryone is pretty sick of looking at screens, no matter whether we are watching television, going to school or visiting with friends online. Between winter weather and social distancing guidelines, a lot of Pittsburghers may be feeling trapped in their own homes. As COVID-19 case numbers climbed this winter and hospitals stressed their limits, it became easy to feel discouraged. In this dark time, I want to remind you of all the people who are helping and why we can’t give up now. Many have heard Jewish Federation leadership and volunteers speak over the years about the importance of the Federation’s Community Campaign in addressing critical needs in our community. Even in normal times, the Campaign helps people facing food insecurity. The Campaign gives seniors the support they need to live a safe, dignified life connected to the Jewish community. The Campaign helps to instill Jewish values in our children and to bring meaning to young adults by connecting them to Jewish life in a way that they find personally fulfilling. The 12 FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Campaign enables the Federation to work toward full inclusion of people with disabilities, marginalized communities and others who would not be able to participate fully in Jewish Pittsburgh without support. By giving together, the Community Campaign enables donors to help more people. For example, just in the past year, the Campaign funded Federation’s Jewish Community Security team, and this team secured a new community security grant that will bring much-needed strength to our community’s security. Because of the Campaign, Jewish Federation coordinates efforts among Jewish agencies to make care better and more efficient. When the pandemic struck worldwide almost a year ago, these needs that Jewish Federation’s donors support did not disappear. On the contrary, COVID-19 and the ensuing economic challenges exacerbated many of the needs Jewish Pittsburgh already had. With our Community Campaign serving as our bedrock, the Jewish Federation was able to redirect dollars from in-person programming that had been canceled to COVID relief. Based on the strength of the Campaign, some generous donors contributed additional one-time commitments enabling the Jewish Federation to distribute more than $7.5 million for COVID-19 relief efforts since April 2020. This money has addressed brand

new needs in health and wellness, emergency funding and food insecurity, physical space needs for proper social distancing, building up capacity at the Jewish agencies on the front lines, and maintaining Jewish identity for people isolated from Jewish life. The impact of these dollars is not just theoretical. We hear from real people every week about how support from the Jewish Federation has improved their lives. Take, for example, Ruth Skeegan. As a resident at the Jewish Association on Aging, she faced a challenging time when COVID-19 restrictions were put in place. Nationwide, 39% of COVID-19 deaths occurred in nursing homes, according to a December 2020 report on NBC News. Because of Jewish Federation funding, JAA was able to outfit its staff with personal protective equipment, install a stateof-the-art air filtration system and hire the additional staff needed to keep Ruth alive and connected to her daughter, Carol. Ruth visits Carol virtually every day and was even able to celebrate her 100th birthday with a virtual party hosted by JAA staff. Ruth is just one of tens of thousands of Pittsburghers whose lives have been touched by Jewish Federation donors. People like Kevin, a mostly nonverbal man with intellectual disabilities in group care who received the technology he needed to have virtual family visits while living in his group

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care home supported by Jewish Residential Services. People like Ron and Julie, who visited Jewish Family and Community Services’ Squirrel Hill Food Pantry for the first time in their lives, to find a caring staff ready to connect them to the help they needed. People like Eli and Tahlia, college students who found new ways to connect virtually to Jewish life on campus through the Edward and Rose Berman Hillel Jewish University Center. Enough great things are happening in Pittsburgh to fill an entire issue of this newspaper. If you feel defeated, if your ears are sore from mask-wearing, or if you just wish you could grab a bite at your favorite restaurant — you are not alone. Our community is stronger together, and every Jewish organization has found innovative ways to continue providing and, in some cases, improving services and programs. So the next time you think, “What’s the point?” remember Ruth, who got to celebrate her 100th birthday with family thanks to the generosity of others. Continue to practice social distancing. Order takeout from a locally owned restaurant. Please support the Jewish Federation Community Campaign so we can keep saving lives. PJC Jeffrey Finkelstein is President and CEO of Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Opinion Life so fleeting and life endlessly evergreen Guest Columnist Dionna Dash

y dog’s name was Solomon Samson Dash. He had a nose longer than his face and could be calmed by listening to my family sing “Ma’oz Tzur” on Chanukah. We once pinned a kippah on his head and brought him to our synagogue for a pet parade. He loved sweets, even the kosherfor-Passover ones, and his German Shepherd stature echoed his kingly namesake. He was Jewish through and through. My dog died at the beginning of July 2020. His neck gave a funny little twist and his

Benor: Continued from page 12

Sings). I still listen to those songs and now share them — especially my favorite, “Laz Tiyas” (The Aunties) — with my students when I teach about Jewish languages. My students read an article about Jagoda’s work to promote Sephardic language and culture just a week before she died. While Jagoda is among the last generation of native Ladino speakers, young people have continued her language preservation work, as we see in Devin Naar’s archive of Ladino letters, books and other historical treasures; Bryan Kirschen’s Ladino research and classes; and Sarah Aroeste’s contemporary Ladino music and children’s books. Due to these efforts, American Jews tend to know about the language. When I ask audiences which Jewish languages they have heard of, they generally mention Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino. People are less familiar with other Jewish languages, including Judeo-Shirazi (from Iran), Judeo-Malayalam (from India) and

throat made a rattling groan, and even now, I still believe I witnessed the moment his soul left his body. My family and I wore kippot and recited Psalm 23 over his still frame and I freaked out when I found out he had to be cremated because Jews don’t do that! The very next day, we drove up to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, to a farmhouse that was clean and fur-free and didn’t smell so eerily of the past 12 years. The first day we were there, it rained heavily. I ran and let the violent shivers cleanse my empty hands and fragmented thoughts. The mornings brought crisp air and fog rolling off the mountaintops. Someone said Solly would’ve loved the open land and the new smells and I hoped suddenly and desperately that his soul wouldn’t turn into a dybbuk because we

hadn’t covered up the mirrors in our house before we left. In the nights, we roasted marshmallows and gazed into the midnight expanse. My brother explained how the stars we see are already dead by the time our eyes capture them, and I thought about how something departed could still seem to light our whole world. When we finally made it up to the peaks surrounding the canyon, my mind pictured Solly in the shadow of the valley of death below. My labored breathing had almost nothing to do with the climb up, and the edge of the trail I was balancing on seemed increasingly unstable. Yet the air smelled of wildflowers and slight condensation, and only the rustle of the leaves and the calls of low-flying hawks dipped into the silence. I

stepped back a bit onto firmer ground. Standing atop that mountain, surrounded by trees that had been there for decades before me and would continue to be there for decades after, I felt grounded. I stood in that dichotomy of life so fleeting and life endlessly evergreen and I accepted it all. Later that day, my mom told me she had seen Solly in the woods on the way back down. He had told her that he was OK, and it was time to let him go, and when I closed my eyes that night, my nightmares of barking Jewish demons ceased. Those seven days were a shiva. Not the traditional ones we held for my grandmother or my uncle, but one of quiet acceptance and world-altering mourning. We shared

Jewish Neo-Aramaic (from the Kurdish region) — all critically endangered. The many endangered dialects of Judeo-Arabic have been documented to varying extents, from Egypt to Morocco, from Syria to Yemen. And some young people are keeping the music alive, such as Neta Elkayam, A-WA and Asher Shasho Levy for Moroccan, Yemenite and Syrian traditions. Even so, most American Jews have never heard of JudeoArabic. Whenever a speaker dies, we lose an opportunity to learn and teach more about the nuances of this rich language and culture. Joseph and Kitty Sassoon died of COVID-19 within 12 hours of each other, months after their 76th anniversary. Both were children of Baghdadi parents who spoke Judeo-Arabic natively. Growing up in Rangoon, Burma and Calcutta, India, Joseph and Kitty spoke multiple languages, but their parents spoke Judeo-Arabic when they didn’t want the children to understand. As many American-born children of immigrants know, this means they picked up snippets of the language. As adults, living most recently in Los Angeles, Joseph and Kitty spoke Hindi and English

together and did not have much opportunity to use Judeo-Arabic, but their granddaughters remember them using some words and phrases. Kitty used pet names for grandchildren, like “abdalnuana” for boys and “abdalki” for girls (both literally meaning “penance” like the Hebrew “kapara”) and frequently said “mashallah” (what God has willed) when expressing pride and joy. Joseph called his mother Umm Shalom (mother of Shalom, her first son), in line with JudeoArabic convention, and hurled joking insults at grandchildren, such as “harami” (thief) and “mamzerim” (bastards — a Hebrew word used in several Jewish languages). The Sassoons are characteristic of speakers of endangered languages. Unlike Jagoda, they did not devote their lives to cultural preservation. And they had varying degrees of knowledge of the language — Joseph grew up speaking more Judeo-Arabic than Kitty. While language documenters would prefer fluent speakers, even semi-speakers can provide important information, particularly when the language is severely endangered. Every day, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, more speakers of endangered

languages die. If we don’t interview them now, we will lose our opportunity forever. Fortunately, several organizations have been doing this important work, including the Endangered Language Alliance, the Jewish Language Project and Wikitongues in the United States and the Mother Tongue Project in Israel. This is not just a Jewish issue. Of the 7,000 languages of the world, about half are now endangered. Organizations like these are our last hope to record them before the last speakers are gone. We can all get involved by donating funds, volunteering or connecting the projects with speakers of endangered languages. May the memories of Flory Jagoda and Joseph and Kitty Sassoon be a blessing — and a wakeup call: We must act now to preserve their languages and cultures while we still can. PJC

— LETTERS — ‘Belated eulogy’ resonates

I was so touched by Toby Tabachnick’s article “Belated eulogy” (Feb. 5). She captured so perfectly how we feel about our actions when we’re young and the regret we feel so many years later. I have similar regret because I missed the maturity at the time to “do the right thing,” finding out that I couldn’t resolve my actions many years later in life. Thanks for sharing and trying to find a resolution. You’re not alone. Beth Stutzman Squirrel Hill

Make the effort to say ‘thank you’ while you still can

Thank you for the beautiful and very poignant article “Belated eulogy” that appeared in last week’s Jewish Chronicle. I really felt for that little girl ... and for the regret of an important opportunity lost. The piece resonated so much with me because I had experienced something similar. I began college with the longtime dream of becoming a teacher. During a freshman-year practicum that entailed working in a real classroom, however, I realized teaching was not for me. Hence, halfway through my freshman year, I suddenly had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I had always kind of liked writing, so I decided to take a creative writing class just for fun. And that professor changed my life. I thought about her off and on during my many years working as a writer, but it wasn’t until PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Please see Dash, page 15

Sarah Bunin Benor is a professor of contemporary Jewish studies and linguistics at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. She directs the Jewish Language Project and edits the Journal of Jewish Languages. This article was first published by JTA.

my first children’s book was under contract that I finally decided to get in touch and thank her. When I Googled her ... I found her obituary. I ultimately managed to connect with her daughter and send her a note saying how much her mother had impacted my life. But I will always regret that I didn’t attempt to reach out years earlier. I guess one good thing about being a writer is that you can sometimes make it right-er by putting your thoughts and appreciation into written words. I paid tribute to my professor in the acknowledgments in my book. You have done likewise for this lovely woman in the beautiful piece published in the Chronicle. It is so important to make the time and expend the effort to say “thank you” while you still can. It is far better than living with regret — and depriving someone of knowing what an enormous difference they made to you. Ellen Roteman Lakewood Ranch, Florida

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

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Address & Fax: Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 5915 Beacon St., 5th Flr., Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Fax 412-521-0154

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FEBRUARY 12, 2021 13

Headlines Purim: Continued from page 1

a giant. There were going to be sword fights, rodents and even a poison game. Rehearsals had been held for months, but one day before the March 13 performance B’nai Abraham tabled the program. Now, nearly a year later, the Butler-area congregation will resurrect “The Jewish Princess Bride” through Zoom. The virtual show will include 10-12 performers and has been revised to work online, said Gray-Schaffer. Like so many other congregations, Beth Samuel Jewish Center, with congregants located in Sewickley, Moon, Beaver and Aliquippa, has heavily relied on Zoom. In addition to services, the Ambridge-area congregation held online movie nights, author events and culinary parties. For Purim, in lieu of its regular in-person carnival, Beth Samuel will have children download and use GooseChase, a scavenger hunt app, for a day of home-based, Jewish-related fun. At Temple David in Monroeville, virtual and in-person Purim activities will be combined through a prerecorded online sing-a-long, megillah reading and interviews of “behind-the-scenes Purim characters,” as well as collecting cans of food for distribution at Crossroads Presbyterian Church.

Gathering food for donation is a tradition the congregation holds dear, said Rabbi Barbara Symons. Along with sending mishloach manot and reading the megillah, distributing matanot l’evyonim (gifts to the poor) is one of the main ways to mark Purim. Consistent with its mission of enriching Jewish life on campus, Hillel JUC will reach students through a pre-Purim online costume ball as well as an in-person opportunity for spreading holiday joy, said Dan Marcus, Hillel JUC’s CEO and executive director. “We are providing the material for individuals to make mishloach manot in their own space,” said Marcus. In addition to providing contactless delivery between students, Hillel JUC will mail Purim packages to students who have not returned to Pittsburgh because of the pandemic. On Feb. 2, the Orthodox Union and Rabbinical Council of America released “Purim Guidance for Shuls and Communities,” which begins by recognizing the “sobering milestone of a year since the arrival of the pandemic on these shores” and encourages readers to follow public health guidelines. Regarding mishloach manot, the Orthodox groups — citing the CDC’s advice that “cooking or preparing food and delivering it to someone, with a mask and proper social distancing, is a very low-risk

activity” — suggest that when delivering or receiving mishloach manot, “visit and greet guests outside the home and leave the package on the front porch or outside the apartment door.” As for megillah readings and Purim prayer, the document notes that congregations should hold in-person services “only with proper masking and social distancing, in accordance with local regulations and guidelines.” Young Israel of Pittsburgh, an Orthodox congregation in Squirrel Hill, hasn’t determined logistics regarding Purim activities yet, said Rabbi Shimon Silver. He expects, though, that megillah readings will occur in person, as the holiday-related mitzvah cannot be fulfilled online unless one has a kosher scroll and reads along. After nearly a year of a global pandemic, the Purim narrative is more relevant than ever, said Yael Eads, Rodef Shalom Congregation’s director of informal Jewish life. “The story of Purim is a story of hope,” she said. “We’re looking forward to this year being different than last year, and looking forward to more opportunities and experiences for people to get outside again and see others.” To that end, Rodef Shalom and Beth Shalom have scheduled a combined in-person fully outdoor Purim carnival on Feb. 21. Open only to members of the

congregations, the two-hour event will bring 100 registrants together for a safe and largely familiar holiday event. “There will be games, entertainment and prizes,” said Eads. “You will see a lot of the same things you’re used to seeing at a Purim carnival, just in a different way.” Prior to the pandemic, Purim carnivals were typically loud, densely packed and somewhat chaotic family events. This carnival will reflect safe practices, Eads explained. “Every group, or family, will have a guide or group leader taking them from station to station.” As people wait to migrate between areas, performers will keep families entertained. Masks will be required at all times. Before participants leave, there will be Purim treats available, but they will be the “absolutely last thing,” said Eads. “They’ll be sealed to go. We are not encouraging any eating or drinking in the Rodef parking lot.” A Purim carnival — albeit altered — represents, in a small way, “resilience and the ability to overcome the challenges that are out there,” said Eads. “Purim carnivals are a fun, joyous experience that kids look forward to every year. They’re a highlight for most kids, so I think it’s nice that we can do this in a safe way for families.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

 Esther Terry

p The 412 Black Jewish Collaborative board during a Zoom meeting

412: Continued from page 1

Award-winning producer Emmai Alaquiva, participated in a takeover of The Frick’s Instagram page. With the museum’s permission, 412 and its partners told “unique stories around social justice and equity,” said Gilliam. “The Frick obviously has a brand, and they have a very specific audience on Instagram,” said Terry. “Some of those people may or may not know about these organizations, or 14 FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Screenshot courtesy of Esther Terry

the 412 Black Jewish collaborative, so one of the immediate benefits in a social media takeover is that you are pushing awareness.” Whereas a typical 412 post reaches between 100 and 200 users, each of the two takeover posts reached approximately 900 users. Those numbers are encouraging, Gilliam said. Moving forward, 412 hopes to work with additional groups because, by leveraging each other’s accounts, there’s greater opportunity for not only clicks but quality engagement, he added. “Part of what we want to do is build bridges across communities,” said Terry, noting that the intention is to increase impact and

create new partners. In the process of making meaningful connections, 412 aims not only to raise awareness about the past year’s history but to highlight positivity as well, said Gilliam: “There’s also good news, and inspiring history, and stories that encourage and build up.” Cherner, and Federation, are hoping to share some of those positive ideas in the coming months through videos and other digital content. The goal is more than simply showcasing local successes and friendships. It’s about helping people create meaningful relationships within their own lives and

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Photo courtesy of Esther Terry

networks, said Cherner. Relationships created through 412 are part of a larger shared fabric, spanning years, between the non-Jewish Black and Jewish communities in Pittsburgh. That special friendship was clearly evident following the Oct. 27 shooting at the Tree of Life building, said Adam Hertzman, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s director of marketing. The non-Jewish Black community provided “unbelievable support for the Jewish community,” and there was a recognition that the Jewish community could do more to support the Black community at large, said Hertzman. Through efforts like those occurring at 412, the hope is that the communities continue strengthening each other, continued Hertzman: “It’s so critical given the huge number of issues of common concern that we maintain.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines Judges: Continued from page 2

communities that they serve,” he said. Rediker grew up in Squirrel Hill and graduated from East Hills Elementary, Frick Middle, and Taylor Allderdice High School. He attended Emma Kaufman Camp, played basketball at the Squirrel Hill Jewish Community Center, and went to Hebrew school and celebrated his bar mitzvah at Congregation Dor Hadash. As connected as Rediker feels to Squirrel

Youths: Continued from page 5

always original — but my account basically functions as a news outlet, using hashtags, capitalizing on the business of Instagram, because there are a lot of competitors,” he said. Bernstein’s mother, Natalie Bernstein, said the website is an outlet for her son, who was stymied by the family’s “no political talk after 7 p.m.” rule. “All he talks about is politics, day in and day out,” his father, Eric, said. “There’s only so much I can absorb but he loves it. The website took hold as a platform for him to reach people.” Politics and journalism are two of Bernstein’s passions, but they are not the only ones. He also loves music, and has performed virtually with Temple Emanuel of South Hills, playing piano for Shabbat services. Despite his many interests, his father believes Bernstein eventually will be headed to law school. “Law school is something I lean toward right now because I really like politics, but

Security: Continued from page 7

protect one another despite differences in religion, race or politics. “It is a reminder that security is a collective effort, a commitment to compassion by all of us as good citizens to watch over one another despite any differences we may have,” she said. While Sage would welcome the opportunity

Dash: Continued from page 13

pictures and memories of time spent playing in snow and chasing rabbits, and the flood of emotion in me rivaled even Noah’s storied torrent. After the week had passed, both the sky and my thoughts had cleared. There’s an Anne Frank quote I first read in eighth grade that I’ve been thinking about recently: “The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Hill, he also remains passionate about the East Hills. East Hills Elementary provided an introduction to Pittsburgh’s diverse communities and taught Rediker that, as an adult, it was essential to give back, he said. To that end, he has worked with state Rep. Ed Gainey (District 24) and Adidas on the “East Hills Back to School Drive.” The collaboration, established about five years ago, provides backpacks and school supplies to underserved families in the East Hills. Rediker has also helped residents receive winter clothing through a partnership

between the NCJW and East Hills community leaders, he said. Rediker, 33, is a married father of one. “Most mornings I wake up and I say, ‘I’ve got a new baby, and I’m running my first political campaign — I’m absolutely living my dream right now,’” said the Squirrel Hill resident. “It is just such a privilege to get to know so many interesting people from all different walks of life,” added Rediker. “To get to know their families, to get to know the issues they care about, to get to know how they think that the court system can be improved in Allegheny County — that I think has been

the best part of the campaign for me.” Rep. Dan Frankel (District 23), serves as honorary chair of Rediker’s campaign. Rediker has been endorsed by Gainey, Rep. Emily Kinkead (District 20), Rep. Jessica Benham (District 36), County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam and City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, and labor unions including the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 66 and United Steelworkers (USW) District 10. PJC

I can’t decide if I’m going to be a politician or just participate from the sidelines,” the teenager said. Bernstein is not alone in creating an innovative way to reach his peers on meaningful topics. A few miles away in Squirrel Hill, siblings Sasha and Ezra Kranson have created the podcast “Concerning Climate.” The pair promote the show, which is available on Spotify, as “a podcast led by kids about the climate crisis where we interview experts and activists.” Ezra, 11, said he decided to create the program after watching the film “I Am Greta,” a documentary about teen Greta Thunberg and her efforts to combat climate change. “It really roused us into action,” he said. His sister, Sasha, 14, overheard Ezra talking about the idea and asked if she could co-host. Ezra agreed and “Concerning Climate” was born. It is no surprise that podcasts is their chosen platform. Ezra spends time listening to science-based and information shows, and Sasha enjoys storytelling podcasts. They both appreciate the portability of podcasts. “I like that you can listen to them when

you’re doing other things like folding laundry or doing chores or are just bored,” Sasha, a ninth-grader at Pittsburgh CAPA said. Ezra, a Community Day School sixthgrader, agreed, adding that he enjoys listening to podcasts in the car. Guests on “Concerning Climate” have included scientists and politicians. Fulbright Scholar Alex Kolker, Jordan Fischbach, codirector of the RAND Climate Resilience Center, and Pennsylvania State Rep. Summer Lee (District 34) have all been featured on episodes. Not bad for two kids acting as their own researchers, writers, producers and hosts. Their mother, Rachel Kranson, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh, said that Sasha and Ezra are deeply concerned about the future of the planet. “Instead of just worrying, the youth are taking responsibility and doing something about it,” she said. “I couldn’t be prouder of my kids for being part of that movement and working to solve the problems caused by earlier generations.” The advent of new technology has leveled the journalistic playing field, allowing anyone with an interest in journalism or

a passion for a subject to begin disseminating their message, explained Point Park University’s Center for Media Innovation Director Andrew Conte. “We’ve really seen a democratization of information over the past decades,” Conte said. “Basically, around the invention of the iPhone and other smartphones. Everyone who has a smartphone has the ability to be a publisher or broadcaster.” Teenagers, he said, are particularly adept at new forms of technology. And while everyone now has access to programs allowing them to create content, Conte said it is still important that future journalists learn the basics. “At the Center for Media Innovation we teach them how to use the technology to tell stories that are well researched, robust, accurate and free of bias,” he said. Sasha and Ezra have not told many friends about their budding broadcasting careers, but the ones who know are impressed. “The friends I’ve told,” Sasha said, “are pretty excited about it.” PJC

to serve the community on a more regular basis, or be hired as a paramedic in Squirrel Hill, for now, he appreciates the opportunity to help keep PZ members safe and the chance to feel part of the community. “You don’t get this anywhere else,” Sage reflected. “Which is why it’s so awesome to have the chance to be at PZ.” PJC

Askin:

done in this community,” she laughed. She sums up her husband nicely. “I think he’s an exceedingly generous human being — he’s always looking for ways to help people,” Ronna Askin said. “He’d rather not do things the committee way. He just wants to be the guy out there doing the stuff.” PJC

Continued from page 8

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

but is better known as a Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh committee member dedicated to Israeli sister region Karmiel/Misgav, a board member of the Hebrew Free Loan Association, and a key cog in the establishment of Community Day School. “I can’t even tell you how many things I’ve

heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.” I used to think that I understood this quote, that surely bright yellow daffodils blooming in the summer and snowflakes dancing down in the winter could make us smile for a time, but I never knew nature to be so healing, so restorative, so spiritual, and I feel profoundly grateful that I experienced its power, even if it was an experience streaked with pain. Since I’ve been back at school, I’ve been going on long walks, ranging anywhere from four to 12 miles. I don’t take a set course, I

just put on some music and wander. Around 6 p.m., as I begin to meander back to my apartment, the sky paints itself in brilliant colors, a different collage every evening. Often, I stop and just watch the cottoncandy clouds and the fading sun and I think about stars that die quickly but shine long and a merciful God who sculpted such timeless beauty and granted us eyes with which to see it. I think about souls’ safe passages and prayers whispered into the sound of paws scratching velvet ears. I used to see God in Jewish objects and spaces, in pinned-on kippot, family-filled synagogues, and the neat Hebrew lettering of printed prayers.

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

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

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

Justin Vellucci is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

Yet it seems now that God is equally in nature, holding the paintbrush that colors the sunsets, sprinkling the water that quenches the buds’ thirst, coughing up the fog that collects on the mountains like rings of smoke from a cosmic pipe — and maybe even shepherding the souls of those who lacked covered mirrors and funeral processions and burial rites to greener, endless pastures. PJC Dionna Dash, originally from Philadelphia, attends the University of Pittsburgh, where she studies communications and linguistics and serves as the vice president of Pitt Hillel’s student board. FEBRUARY 12, 2021 15

Life & Culture

Fran Lebowitz series elevates art of complaining moved to New York, which included cab driver and cleaning lady. Many of her friends made more By Sophie Panzer | Contributing Writer money as waitresses, but she refused to work in a restaurant. ran Lebowitz knows why she’s angry. “You could not get a shift in a “I have no power, but I am filled restaurant unless you slept with the with opinions,” the writer, humorist manager,” she explained. and social critic laments in director Martin She also refused to rent an apartScorsese’s “Pretend It’s a City.” The Netflix ment in the East Village, though series, which was filmed before the pandemic that was where many of her peers and consists of several free-flowing converlived at the time, and opted for a sations between Lebowitz and Scorsese on pricier home uptown because, she various topics, is an ode to a bygone era, a said, she didn’t want to get raped changing New York and Lebowitz herself. on her way home. Lebowitz opines to Scorsese, an old friend, Lebowitz is not particularly reliabout art, culture, sports, her upbringing, gious, but she offers her takes on the #MeToo movement, technology and her Judaism’s prohibition of bacon, her friendships with artists. Most of the discussions great-grandfather’s experiences immialso somehow involve moving to New York, grating through Ellis Island and how living in New York, being annoyed by New she kissed her Nancy Drew book when York and why she will never leave New York. she dropped it on the ground as a child She skewers social media use, travel and because she loved books so much the subway, but reserves her most withering she thought the Hebrew school rules scorn for “wellness,” a trend she believes about kissing dropped prayer books must have originated in California that applied to secular volumes as well. convinces people to take part in physical She remembers one particularly activities usually reserved for prisoners of nasty encounter when she presented war. There is a shot of her gawking in horror her driver’s license to a woman at young women wearing fitness gear and issuing fishing licenses during a vacahauling tires down the sidewalk that pairs tion on the West Coast. At the time,  Fran Lebowitz in ‘Pretend It’s a City’ on Netflix Photo courtesy of Netflix she said, West Coast IDs had photobeautifully with these remarks. graphs, but East Coast ones did not. “She goes, ‘What’s the matter, you People who know and love Lebowitz will don’t have photographs on your license in To celebrate Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and Jewish Residential Services are find this series comfortingly on-brand. Those Jew York?’ I was really shocked. I said ‘No.’ highlighting the diverse and authentic stories and experiences of local Jewish who are not familiar with her work, espe- ‘Why not?’ I said, ‘Because we can read.’” community members with disabilities. cially younger audiences, will be entertained The series is generally at its best when by her persona and offered a fascinating viewers get a glimpse of the true friendship cultural history of a New York long gone. between Scorsese and Lebowitz. During Scorsese occasionally lets Lebowitz’s past their visit to the New York Public Library, I have been an active member of the interviewers — Alec Baldwin, Spike Lee, Olivia their aura of celebrity melts away and they Jewish Community in Pittsburgh all Wilde and others — stand in for himself. The become two regular old New Yorkers chatof my life. Growing up with a gradual friends’ conversations are interspersed with ting about their immigrant heritage amid hearing loss, accumulating to fully deaf clips from Lebowitz’s lectures and interviews stacks of genealogy records. by age 18, I never let it limit me in any over the years, footage of celebrities that come For all it’s charms, “Pretend It’s a City” is way. Israeli Folk Dancing was a passion up in conversation, old advertisements and too long. Lebowitz’s relentless complaining, of mine. I danced barefoot to feel other materials that create a viewing experience though witty, starts to grate if the episodes the vibrations of the music. I danced like thumbing through a scrapbook. are binged too quickly. The series would in, performed, choreographed, and One of the best episodes in the series is “Board have been a fantastic documentary, but at directed the Israeli Dance Group for the Pittsburgh Folk Festival for many of Estimate,” where Lebowitz offers some of seven episodes it feels endless — like a visit years. I have taught at Jewish religious the most refreshingly candid commentaries to an eccentric relative that drags on for schools throughout Pittsburgh, for over about the links between money, gender and art more time than you bargained for. It’s worth 25 years. I was the 2018 recipient for available in contemporary entertainment. your time, especially if you need something the Grinspoon Award for Excellence She claims her troubles are a result of diverting to fill endless days of quarantine, in Jewish Education. I did not let my hating money but loving things. She loved but fair warning: Pace yourself. PJC disability define me or limit me; I chose writing until she got her first paid writing to embrace the privilege of living. Sophie Spanzer writes for the Jewish assignment, when she began to hate it. She discusses the odd jobs she took when she Exponent, an affiliated publication. — SHARON JO SERBIN

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Celebrations

Torah

Bar mitzvah

You shall be holy people to Me Jacob Matthew Capezzuto will become a bar mitzvah on Feb. 13, 2021, at Rodef Shalom Congregation. Jacob is a seventh-grader at Community Day School, which he has attended since kindergarten. Jacob loves hockey. He has been playing since he was 4 years old and currently plays the winger position for the Steel City Ice Renegades. Jacob also enjoys biking with his friends and going on family vacations to the beach. Jacob is the son of Matthew Capezzuto and Naama Balass. He is the older brother of Maya Capezzuto and the grandson of Igalj and Dalia Balass and Vincent and Dorothy Capezzuto.

Birth Pittsburgh residents Wendy Bennett and David Coulson are thrilled to welcome their beautiful granddaughter, Miryam Ilanit, born Dec. 31, 2020. Miry and her three brothers, Iggy, Pal and Mo, live in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, with parents Bud and Becky Coulson. Maternal grandma is Pat Gordon of Purchase, New York, and great-grandmas are Felice Gordon of Princeton, New Jersey, and Jeanne Coulson of Comptche, California. We remember and miss Mark Gordon, Alvin Gordon, Bill Coulson, Lainey Koski and Harriet, HB and Buddy Bennett.

Wedding Abigail Blatt and Eric Yoffee were married Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, at a small ceremony in the backyard of the groom’s childhood home in Squirrel Hill. Rabbi Seth Adelson officiated. Abigail is the daughter of Sarajane (Shane) and the late Hanoch Blatt of St. Louis, Missouri, and the granddaughter of Thomas Freund and the late Joan Freund of Wellesley, Massachusetts, and Lea Blatt and the late Moshe Blatt of Holon, Israel. Abigail earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication from Principia College and completed her law degree at Elon University. Eric is the son of Carol Beth and Michael Yoffee of Squirrel Hill, and the grandson of Phyllis Subar and the late Seymour Subar of West Bloomfield, Michigan, and the late Barbara and Bill Yoffee of Silver Spring, Maryland. Eric earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and a minor in Jewish Studies at Penn State University’s Smeal College of Business and is presently an advertising operations specialist for GMMB in Washington, D.C. Participating in the ceremony were the bride’s and groom’s parents, the groom’s siblings, Max Zack and Alana Yoffee and the groom’s bubby, Phyllis Subar. The couple is residing in Silver Spring, Maryland. PJC

Did You Know?

fter the sensory overload of Sinai, parshat Mishpatim provides a moment to catch our breath, an opportunity to reestablish some boundaries and achievable expectations as mortal human beings, to regain solid ground in the world of the everyday. Having just experienced the overwhelming thunder, lightning and smoke of the Divine Presence, it’s oddly comforting to read: “Ela ha-mishpatim”/“These are the rules” — even if we take issue with some of them. So what are these mishpatim? The “aseret ha-dibrot”/“Ten Pronouncements” received at Sinai came down as non-negotiable moral

apologize, ask how to make amends, commit to taking those actions, and finally have the integrity to complete the agreed-upon actions in a timely way. The person who was wronged must overcome their anger at the damage done, find the compassion to forgive the one whose negligence caused it, then willingly work with that person to agree on a satisfactory restitution, and finally offer gratitude when the restitution is made. In order to restore shalom/“peaceful balance” to their relationship, both parties must negotiate in good faith. Some mishpatim not in the “if-then” form still serve the ethical purpose of fostering healthy relationships between people by giving not only a rule, but also a reason for it: “Do not take bribes, for bribes blind the clear-sighted and pervert the pleas of those who are in the right” (Ex. 23:8); “Do not oppress the foreigner, for you know the feelings of the foreigner” (Ex. 23:9).

In essence then, parshat Mishpatim challenges us to understand and accept our role as active daily partners with each other and God in creating and maintaining a holy and ethically viable society. directives: “Do not murder!” But many of the mishpatim are “if-then” statements, implying a role for human judgment. They are about ethical behavior, how to act in specific circumstances: “If someone lets his animals loose to graze on another person’s land and allows them to graze the field or vineyard bare, then he must compensate that other person for the damage his livestock caused” (Ex. 22:4). Although the Torah contexts may seem foreign to us now, it’s possible to apply many of these thought processes to daily situations we might encounter: “If someone parks his car on a hill without setting its emergency brake and his car rolls down and smashes his neighbor’s fence, then he must compensate that person for the damage the car caused.” However, “if-then” mishpatim are not just about repairing physical damage. They’re also about repairing relationships between people! Both sides take emotional risks. The person who caused the damage must overcome the reluctance to admit they were wrong, find the courage to approach the neighbor about it,

Both the mishpatim and aseret ha-dibrot are also about the relationship between Israel and God, but in different ways; and language offers a clue. During the revelation at Sinai, Israel is identified as a group: God’s “am segulah”/“treasured people” and a “goi kadosh”/“holy nation” (Ex. 19:5-6). But in parshat Mishpatim, the verse “You shall be holy people to Me” (Ex. 22:30) uses the term “anshei kodesh,” literally “persons of holiness,” to describe Israel’s relationship to God. This subtle distinction teaches that Israel’s collective status as God’s “holy people” is continually informed by how each Jewish person individually acts toward other Jews and toward non-Jews. In essence then, parshat Mishpatim challenges us to understand and accept our role as active daily partners with each other and God in creating and maintaining a holy and ethically viable society. PJC Rabbi Doris J. Dyen is the spiritual leader for the independent Makom HaLev community. This column is a service of the Greater Pittsburgh Rabbinic Association.

C A N T O R I A L P O S I T I O N AVA I L A B L E

Agudath Achim Cemetery Beaver Falls Located in Patterson and White Townships in Beaver County, Agudath Achim is the final resting place for Jews from Ellwood City, Midland, Aliquippa, Rochester, Beaver Falls, New Brighton, and West Aliquippa, all area towns with former Jewish communities. Agudath Achim Congregation was formed in Beaver Falls about 1879. The synagogue was built at Fifth Street & Sixth Ave in Beaver Falls between 1912-1914. The congregation later moved to New Brighton and then Chippewa. Six acres were purchased in 1906 for the cemetery. A memorial to the Holocaust is on the grounds, as is a reflecting garden and the very large Ten Commandments tablets that were affixed to the Chippewa building. Adjacent to Agudath Achim Cemetery is a family cemetery formerly owned by the SolomonSalmon Family. Agudath Achim Cemetery has been a longstanding valued partner of the JCBA. JCBA’s expanded vision is made possible by a generous grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Jewish Community Foundation

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Rabbi Doris J. Dyen Parshat Mishpatim | Shabbat Shekalim Exodus 21:1 – 24:18; 30:11-16

Pittsburgh’s Reconstructionist Jewish Congregation, Dor Hadash, is seeking a singer to serve as cantor for the Fall 2021 High Holidays. Duties would comprise chanting prayers for Rosh Hashanah (2 days) and Yom Kippur services in collaboration with lay service leaders. Compensation will be commensurate with experience. Please provide a resume, cover letter, and references to admin@dorhadash.net by February 22.

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FEBRUARY 12, 2021 17

Obituaries BACH: Jody Lynn Bach (Lopatin) passed peacefully Jan. 30, 2021, due to complications from COVID-19. She would have been 72 years old on Feb. 3, 2021. Jody was the devoted daughter of Anita Lopatin Smolover and Milton Lopatin (deceased); beloved mother of four sons: Sasha, Ari, Manni and Jamie. She was grandmother to 10: Samuel, Tyler, Marlon, Nelly, Mavis, Nicole, Kai, Ella, Emily and Norah. Brother and sister-in-law, Billy Lopatin and Rebecca Litman. Burial was at Beth Shalom Cemetery. She will be missed by all. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com BARTON: Gordon S. Barton, on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021. Beloved son of the late Sidney and Roberta Barton. Loving brother of his twin sister, Shelley Barton and Beverly Abajian. Nephew of Sybil Gass. Uncle of Camberly, Jason, Ariana, Robin (Jeff), Eric and Josh. Also survived by cousins, great-nieces and nephews, great-great-nieces and nephews and good friend, Darlene McKrell. Gordon was an avid sports fan who followed baseball and football. He was friendly, well-liked, generous, kind and engaged in any conversations with people and man’s best friend, dogs. Graveside services and interment were held at B’Nai Israel Cemetery. Contributions may be made to New Light Congregation, 5915 Beacon St., Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com BRESS: Alan Norman Bress, M.D., died on Jan. 31, 2021, at the age of 86. He loved and was loved deeply, and will be dearly missed by his wife of 64 years Jane Goldsmith Bress, his children and their spouses Kathy (Jerry Seidler) Rick (Debbie), and Karen (David) Phillips, and his eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren who all loved their “Papa,” as well as the friends and enumerable patients whose lives he touched. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, he was a graduate of Taylor Allderdice High School, Washington & Jefferson College, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He took his residency (and was chief resident) in internal medicine at Montefiore Hospital, and trained in oncology as a fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, before returning to Pittsburgh where he was an early pioneer, teacher and leader in the practice of oncology for 50-plus years, much of it in partnership with his brother James who survives him. He was known equally for his clinical brilliance and for the humanity — the respect, the candor, the kindness, and the good humor — with which he treated his patients and their families. Despite his monumental professional accomplishments, he counted his children as his greatest accomplishment and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as his greatest joy. Graveside services and interment were held at Homewood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Alan N. Bress Fellowship Fund at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Office of Development, Attn: Brooke Bifulco, P.O. Box 27106 New York, NY 10087 (https://secure2.convio.net/ mskcc/site/TR/GivingPages/Leadership Giving?px=4770868&pg=personal&fr_ id=3636). Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com 18 FEBRUARY 12, 2021

CALLET: Richard M. Callet, age 83, of Pittsburgh, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021. Beloved longtime companion of Gail Neft; loving uncle of Betsy Callet and Tobias Callet; son of the late Samuel Callet and Sadie Mendelson. Richard was born on March 8, 1937. He was a graduate of Taylor Allderdice, and was a lifelong Pittsburgh resident. Richard was involved in many aspects of business and civil service, most notably accounting and tax preparation. His love for animals made it second nature for him to offer a kind and loving home to his rescues. A lifetime Civil War buff, Richard made numerous trips to Gettysburg with his longtime companion Gail Neft. Services will remain private. Professional services trusted to D’Alessandro Funeral Home & Crematory, Ltd., Lawrenceville. dalessandroltd.com. CHARAPP: Adrianne Fay Charapp, 68, of Pittsburgh passed away Feb. 4, 2021, at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. Adrianne was the loving and dedicated daughter of the late Ann and Bernard Charapp, Pittsburgh, and the loving sister of Sheldon (Elaine), Lake Worth, Florida, and Michael (Charlotte), McLean, Virginia.; loving aunt to Leslie Charapp, Rockville, Maryland, Carl (Allison) Charapp, Annapolis, Maryland, Jamey (Brooke) Charapp, Potomac, Maryland, Barrett (Shawn) Beaty, McLean, Virginia, and Aaron (Zabrina) Charapp, New York, New York; loving great-aunt to Samey, Hallie and Reyna Charapp, Jacek and Ely Charapp, Zachary and Sarah Charapp, Annabella Rose and Tristan Beaty and Esme James Charapp. Crematory arrangements by the Cremation Society of Pennsylvania at Pittsburgh. Any remembrances should be memorial donations in Adrianne’s memory made to the National Kidney Foundation or a charity of the donor’s choice. FRIEDMAN: Sidney “Sid” Friedman, Ph.D. and research chemist, aged 95, the “Gentleman Jogger of Squirrel Hill,” passed peacefully Jan. 26 with family at his side, two months after his last grocery walk. Devoted husband of the late Sally, beloved father of Neal (Serena), Amy, and Daniel, and grandson Jesse, a neighborhood icon, recognized by many, always wearing trademark black socks and blue backpack as he walked, or jogged, around Squirrel Hill daily for 25 years. Up Beacon hill then down Bartlett (taking extra laps for stamina into his 90s), he returned home with a backpack of groceries after a stop in the library. He ran the Great Race 10k at age 72. A world traveler, Sid visited 50 countries on all seven continents, endowing his offspring with a love of travel. Along the way he rode a hot air balloon in Tanzania, ziplined at age 87 with his grandson in Alaska, climbed the Great Wall of China, and river-rafted in Nepal. Growing up in Massachusetts during the Depression he delivered groceries, worked in textile mills, his mother’s catering business and a ship yard. He saved pennies to buy chemicals from the pharmacy for his basement chemistry lab, using glass bottles from the neighborhood bootlegger. After Army service in WWII (Pacific theater) Sid took only four-and-a-half years to earn chemistry degrees from Purdue (BS) and Harvard (Ph.D.) on the GI Bill. A research fellowship at Mellon Institute brought him to

Pittsburgh, followed by 41 years as a research organic chemist for the U.S. Bureau of Mines, later the Department of Energy, where he began a routine of afternoon power walks. A true scholar and gentleman, kindly and full of stories, a supporter of good journalism, education, and the arts, may his life and memory inspire everyone to walk, to travel, and to learn. Remembrances may be made to the Jewish Federation, Congregation Dor Hadash, or the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Professional services entrusted to D’Alessandro Funeral Home & Crematory Ltd., Lawrenceville. dalessandroltd.com KATZ: Robert L. Katz passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, from COVID-19. He was 93. Born in Aliquippa on June 25, 1927, he was the son of the late Yolan and Adolph Katz; beloved husband of Clarice Mandell Katz; father of Ann (Mickey) McDonough and Marc Katz; brother of Gloria Wolf and the late William P. Katz; brother-in-law of Hinda and Harry Rosenbleet, grandfather of Aron Minkoff, Esq.; father-in-law of Sheri Minkoff; uncle of Denise (Wolf) Jacob, Alan Wolf, Bruce Wolf, Jodi and Eyal Muscal and Beth and Joe Gersten; and great-uncle of Jordan Muscal, Eva Muscal, Amoz Gersten and Raya Gersten. All will miss him dearly. Bob attended Aliquippa Public Schools and later Business College of Pittsburgh, now known as Point Park University. He loved Israel, was a frequent participant in Shabbos services, and later in life became deeply involved with, and observant of, Jewish customs and studies. Bob was president emeritus of Three River Lodge and was a lifetime treasurer of Pittsburgh Council of B’nai B’rith. He was instrumental in bringing the Homestead Hebrew Congregation to Congregation Beth Shalom, and lovingly maintained their history. He volunteered as a fundraiser for the United Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, and since 1972 was secretary and treasurer of the Homestead Hebrew Congregation Cemetery. Bob also worked out regularly, enjoyed attending classes on current events and learning about new topics, and greatly anticipated his weekly poker night with friends. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, services and interment will be private. Contributions may be made to Congregation Beth Shalom, 5915 Beacon St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15217 or B’nai B’rith, 1120 20th St. NW, Suite 300N, Washington, DC 20036 or other organization of donor’s choice. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com LATTERMAN: Bernard (Red) Latterman, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, at his Dithridge Street residence. Bernie would have been 94 on May 6, 2021. He was a proud Pittsburgher his entire life. He attended Colfax Elementary, Allderdice High School and the University of Pittsburgh. Bernie was a member of Phi Epsilon Pi Fraternity. He was an accomplished athlete with letters in several sports. Bernie served in the Navy and at the end of World War II he came home and married his college sweetheart, Rachel Raphael. They were married for 67 years. He presided over Northern Light Company, the family business on the North Side for 53 years. He was a lifelong member of Temple Sinai and very active in the Jewish community, the North Side

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

business community, and the Electric League of Western Pennsylvania. Bernie Latterman remained active playing tennis and golf and he was an avid sailor and skier. Travel was a big part of his life and good food a passion. After retiring, his lifelong woodworking hobby became a very serious interest. In his Lawrenceville studio he designed and built beautiful furniture that will be his legacy forever. Bernard was preceded in death by his parents, Ida and Sam Latterman, and his wife Rachel. He leaves behind siblings Earl and Marilyn Latterman, Velma (Viti) Friedman, Ellie and Bruce Feldman; his children, Jay Latterman, wife Joedda, and Ann Shalapobersky, husband Eli, of Israel. He adored his seven granddaughters and was truly proud of his seven great-grandchildren. Bernie was very close to his large loving extended family. Bernard Latterman’s life was devoted to his family, lifelong friends and the Jewish community. In honor of Bernie’s life the family encourages a donation to the arts in your community. Graveside services and interment were held at Temple Sinai Memorial Park. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com McSHEA: Jane Blair McShea, of Pittsburgh, died peacefully surrounded by loved ones at UPMC Shadyside Hospital in the early hours of Jan. 29, 2021, after waging a heroic two-year battle against metastatic leiomyosarcoma cancer. Born Nov. 14, 1964, at the U.S. Army Hospital in Bad Cannstatt, Germany, Jane leaves a legacy of having touched thousands of lives in supporting equal access to health care for low-income women, and advocating for international adoption. The oldest of four, Jane moved frequently as a child, as her father Tex served a distinguished 20-year career in the U.S. Army. His final assignment was at the Pentagon, and the family made Springfield, Virginia, their home. A lifelong fan of the Washington Redskins, one of Jane’s fondest memories was witnessing the 1982 NFC Championship Game, where the Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys on their way to winning Super Bowl XVII. Jane graduated from Lake Braddock High School in 1983, and received a B.A. in political science from Mary Baldwin College, Staunton, Virginia, in 1987. She truly came into her own at Mary Baldwin, serving as president of the College Democrats and president of her residential house. Jane pursued her interest in Democratic politics, securing a position in the office of U.S. Rep. James Bilbray (Nev.). It was there she met her husband and soulmate Bernie, and they enjoyed the receptions, happy hours, and summer softball games characteristic of Capitol Hill life. In the fall of 1994, they embarked upon master degree programs at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where Jane received her Master of Social Work in December 1995. Her career in social work spanned different populations, including premature babies and their families, patients recovering from orthopedic surgeries and traumatic brain injuries, and low-income women seeking basic gynecological care and well as assistance with crisis Please see Obituaries, page 20

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