Metro Faded memories Former Hill District synagogue has vestages of Jewish past
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THE JEWISH CHRONICLE thejewishchronicle.net DECEMBER 22, 2011 KISLEV 26, 5772
Vol. 55, No. 32
Pittsburgh, PA
Obama speaks at Biennial
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Braunstein to focus on oral history as new director of Holocaust Center BY TOBY TABACHNICK Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Dale Lazar
Lynn Magid Lazar cradles the Torah of Women of Reform Judaism as she is installed for her second term as president of the affiliate of the Union for Reform Judaism.
Jewish Pittsburgh had prominent role at convention BY LEE CHOTTINER Executive Editor
WASHINGTON — Pittsburghers played a prominent role in the just-completed 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism. Temple Sinai sent a 40-member delegation, making it the 12th largest to attend the biennial convention, which attracted more than 5,000 participants from North America, the United Kingdom, Israel and Australia. One Temple Sinai member, Lynn Magid Lazar, was installed for her sec-
ond consecutive term as president of the Women of Reform Judaism. And two Pittsburghers, Lazar and Rabbi James Gibson, were among the few participants who met President Obama Friday following his historic address to the convention. The convention also marked a milestone transition in the Reform movement. It was the last for Rabbi Eric Yoffie as president of the URJ. He will retire early next year and be succeeded by Rabbi Richard Jacobs, recently the senior rabbi of the Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, N.Y.
In a meeting with reporters at the biennial, Jacobs pledged to uphold the URJ’s support for Israel, saying the movement has “a robust Zionist commitment at the core.” But he also pledged to continue fighting for the movement’s social justice values in the Jewish state, even if they converge with the positions of the Israeli government. “We live our values in the Reform movement; our values are about Israel as a vital pluralistic, democratic state,” Jacobs said. He added that the URJ Please see Biennial, page 19.
The Holocaust Center of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has named Joy Braunstein as its new director. Braunstein, who has already started her new job, plans to focus on finding ways to keep the Holocaust Center relevant for years to come, as the numbers of survivors are dwindling. Although there are between 120 and 140 survivors living in the greater Pittsburgh area, many are in their 90s, and are unable to share their experiences in a formal way. “The Holocaust Center relies heavily on first-person accounts,” Braunstein said. “But our speakers’ bureau only has four or five survivors now that can go out and tell their stories. We will need to find another way to get their stories told.” Braunstein, who has been an environmental blogger for the Chronicle, comes to the Holocaust Center from The Rachel Carson Homestead Association, where she served as its executive director since March. Prior to her work at Rachel Carson, she was the senior manager of planning and fund distribution at the federation from 2006 to 2008. Although she has no formal training in Holocaust studies, she is working to become educated in the field. “The Holocaust Center has expertise in Holocaust education, and I intend to avail myself of internal resources,” Braunstein said. She also plans to audit a university class on the Holocaust, as well as participate in a weeklong intensive course off-site, possibly at either Columbia University or Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. This year, the Holocaust Center’s proPlease see Braunstein, page 19.
B USINES S 15/C L AS SIFIED 17/O BITUARIES 18/C OMMUNITY 13 O PINION 6/R EAL E STATE 16/S IMCHAS 12/S TYLE 10
Times To Remember
KINDLE SABBATH CANDLES: 4:39 p.m. EST. SABBATH ENDS: 5:43 p.m. EST.