Issuu

October 9, 2026 | 28 Tishrei 5787

Candlelighting 6:31 p.m. | Havdalah 7:28 p.m. | Vol. 69, No. 41 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Chabad Antisemitism in schools program serves takes center stage at Pennsylvania Senate hearing kosher meals, community connection

NOTEWORTHY LOCAL The art of Aaron Gorson

New book celebrates the Pittsburgh painter

Page 2

HISTORY Pursuing a cemetery mystery

p Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s David Knoll testified before a Sept. 30 Pennsylvania Senate public hearing on antisemitism in Harrisburg. Screenshot by David Rullo By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer

Third of a three-part series Page 4

WORLD Terror in the skies

The flydubai miracle

Page 5

LOCAL A lifetime of Jewish art

Ilene WInn-Lederer exhibits at Beit Kulanu

Page 16

peaking at a Sept. 30 public hearing on antisemitism in Harrisburg, David Knoll called on Pennsylvania lawmakers to consider the challenges confronting Jewish communities. The hearing was held by the Senate Majority Policy Committee. Knoll, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s associate vice president of public affairs, spoke on the first of two panels testifying at the hearing, along with Andrew Goretsky, senior regional director of the Anti-Defamation League in Philadelphia, and Jason Holtzman, chief of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Jewish Community Relations Council. A second panel included Andrea Martin, commissioner of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, Naomi Rodriguez, a parent educator and researcher, and Julie Webb, an educator and parent. Knoll was the only Pittsburgh representative at the hearing, which focused on antisemitism directed at students in K-12 and on college campuses. Sen. David Argall, chair of the Majority Policy Committee, opened the hearing by acknowledging that “antisemitic incidents are growing at unprecedented levels.” “According to the ADL’s 2025 audit of antisemitic incidents,” Argall said,

“Pennsylvania recorded 281, the fifth highest number in the nation.” That number, he noted, reflects Pennsylvanians who have been threatened, intimidated or harmed because they are Jewish. Schools, he said, have become “flashpoints for antisemitism.” “The 2026 antisemitism campus report card informs us that half of our non-Jewish students have reported witnessing or experiencing antisemitic behavior over the last year,” Argall said. The senator went on to list incidents at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University, as well as in K-12 schools in Philadelphia . The purpose of the hearing, he said, was “to listen, to learn, to hear from the experts, to hear from the local Jewish Federations, from educators, from parents.” Knoll was in Harrisburg for both the hearing and Federation’s Community Relations Council’s Interfaith Harrisburg Day of Advocacy. He began his testimony by recalling many of the antisemitic incidents that have occurred on Pittsburgh college campuses since Oct. 7, 2023, and the effects they’ve had on students. Please see Senate, page 10

Special section coming Andy Dean/Adobe Stock

Oct. 16

p Spaghetti and meatballs are prepared. Photo courtesy of Chabad of the South Hills By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

new South Hills-based program is delivering kosher food as a quasi-communal hug. Kitchen of Kindness, an initiative of Chabad of the South Hills, enables volunteers to cook and deliver homemade meals to individuals experiencing hardship. The program, which started Sept. 6 at Chabad of the South Hills, is intended to provide community members with nourishment and “show them that they’re not alone and we’re here for them,” Rabbi Levi Rosenblum, a youth director at Chabad of the South Hills, told the Chronicle. “People like to give back,” fellow youth director Hindy Rosenblum said. This is a “way to give.” During its first meeting, Kitchen of Kindness brought together about 10 participants to prepare spaghetti, meatballs, Please see Kitchen, page 10

Headlines Pittsburgh painter Aaron Gorson revisited in new book and talk — LOCAL— By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

painter known for capturing early 20th-century Pittsburgh is receiving renewed attention. Aaron Gorson, a Lithuanian Jew who moved to Pittsburgh via Philadelphia, is the subject of Maxwell King’s “Fire in the Night Sky.” King, an author and former Philadelphia Inquirer editor, who has penned biographies of Fred Rogers and John Kane, discussed his newest book on Sept. 22 at the Heinz History Center. “Gorson was a really big deal in this town,” 115 years ago, King said. “He was the leading industrial landscape artist of his time. He made his fame painting the steel mills.” More than simply putting images on canvas, Gorson “got Pittsburgh,” King said. He understood “in a really gut way what was so powerful about Pittsburgh culture and the Pittsburgh environment back at the beginning of the 20th century.” Gorson painted Pittsburgh between 19031921, a period when Pittsburgh “dominated the world in the production of steel, not just quantity of steel, but quality,” King said. “Steel was utterly changing civilization. Everything in the 19th century was wood and iron. In the 20th century, everything became steel. Bridges could be 20 times as long because they were made of steel — opening up America. Buildings could be 30 times taller because of steel infrastructure, leading to the building of metropolitan areas all over the country, fueling the change from an agrarian society to an urban society. Ships became steel — they could carry literally 40 or 50 times as much

p Author Maxwell King, left, and Heinz History Center CEO Andy Masich discuss painter Aaron Gorson. Photo by Adam Reinherz

p Aaron Gorson, self-portrait

cargo because they were steel. Airplanes, automobiles, implements of war, machine goods, the things that people had in their homes, stoves, refrigerators, everything became steel.” Gorson appreciated the majesty of steel and depicted it through his idealized portraits of the mills. And though the painter is best remembered for his commitment to showcasing industrialization, he actually had dedicated himself to portraits in Philadelphia first, King said. It was there, in the City of Brotherly Love, that Gorson’s life forever changed, King continued. J. Leonard Levy, a patron of Gorson’s, recognized the young painter’s talent and helped him enroll in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The Philadelphia-based institution, according to King, was the” leading art

several private collectors have passed them down from generation to generation because the works represent “their history as a family,” King said. North Side resident Susan Benn told the Chronicle she appreciated learning more about Gorson given her family’s Lithuanian Jewish history and former life in Philadelphia. King’s presentation was not only inspiring but offered a “whole new way of looking at Pittsburgh,” she said. Pittsburgher Ellen Roth described the event as “marvelous” and called King a “very thoughtful researcher and excellent presenter.” The talk was another reminder of how a talented Jewish artist “brought the steel mills to life.” PJC

school in America.” Levy then sent Gorson to the Académie Julian, a private art school in Paris, but when Gorson returned, Levy had moved to Pittsburgh to become the rabbi at Rodef Shalom Congregation. “Gorson was struggling, and he let Levy know that. So Levy brought Gorson here to do two huge canvases, each one 7-by-12 feet, to go on either side of the bimah in the front of the synagogue,” King said. Though the canvases were lost — presumably after Rodef Shalom’s move from downtown to Oakland — much of Gorson’s other work remains. King said he viewed nearly 100 paintings by Gorson as part of writing “Fire in the Night Sky.” Most of the works are “still in western Pennsylvania,” and though many are held by museums, institutions and universities,

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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

5915 Beacon St., 5th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Main phone number: 412-687-1000

Subscriptions: 412-687-1000, ext. 2 SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 412-687-1000, ext. 2

Jim Busis, CEO and Publisher 412-228-4690 jbusis@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

TO ADVERTISE advertising@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 412-687-1000, ext. 1

EDITORIAL Toby Tabachnick, Editor 412-228-4577 ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Email: newsdesk@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org BOARD OF TRUSTEES Evan H. Stein, Chair Evan Indianer, Vice Chair Derek Smith, Treasurer Gayle R. Kraut, Secretary Gail Childs, Dan Droz, Malke Steinfeld Frank, Karen Gal-Or, Seth Glick, Cátia Kossovsky, Charles Saul, Lynn Zelenski

Adam Reinherz, Senior Staff Writer 412-687-1000 areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org David Rullo, Senior Staff Writer 412-687-1000 drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org ADVERTISING Amy Weiss, Account Executive (412) 613-0697 aweiss@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

PRODUCTION Jeni Mann Tough Production Manager Carl Weigel Art/Production Coordinator Subscriptions subscriptions@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 412-687-1000, ext. 2 Published every Friday by the Pittsburgh Jewish Publication and Education Foundation 5915 Beacon St., 5th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Phone: 412-687-1000 POSTMASTER: Send address change to PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE, 5915 BEACON ST., 5TH FLOOR PITTSBURGH, PA 15217 (PERIODICAL RATE POSTAGE PAID AT PITTSBURGH, PA AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES) USPS 582-740

Manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs sent to the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle become the property of this publication, which is not responsible for the return or loss of such items. The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle does not endorse the goods or services advertised or covered in its pages and makes no representation to the kashrut of food products and services in said advertising or articles. The publisher is not liable for damages if, for any reason whatsoever, he fails to publish an advertisement or for any error in an advertisement. Acceptance of advertisers and of ad copy is subject to the publisher’s approval. The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle is not responsible if ads violate applicable laws and the advertiser will indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle from all claims made by governmental agencies and consumers for any reason based on ads appearing in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.

GENERAL COUNSEL Stuart R. Kaplan, Esq.

OCTOBER 9, 2026

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

OCTOBER 9, 2026

Headlines Tomashpilers and Podoliers — HISTORY — By Eric Lidji | Special to the Chronicle

ccording to community lore, the First Podolier Independent Society had to acquire its cemetery in Reserve Township through a judge because the original landowner refused to sell to Jews. In an attempt to prove or disprove this story, I spent a few hours sorting through property records in the County Records Office downtown. I found a plat map created after 1956. It listed the First Podolier Independent Society cemetery as two parcels — the caretaker building with a burial ground behind it. The Daughters of Israel Cemetery Association was chartered in 1917 with the purpose of starting a cemetery. It purchased the back plot from Kaiser Torah in June 1917 for $900. At the time, a German immigrant named Joseph Wuesner owned the house. In early September 1919, Wuesner sold the house to Samuel Katz, Harry Frank and Ben Frank, serving as trustees for the First Tomashpiler Independent Society. During the worst days of the Russian Civil War, the shtetl of Tomashpil in the Podolia province of Ukraine suffered greatly at the hands of the Volunteer Army. As described at the time in a book-length report by Yiddish writer Nokhem Shtif, “In September 1919 Tomashpil was overrun by the Second Kuban Labinsk Cavalry Regiment, which launched a pogrom lasting five days straight. A delegation of two Christians traveled to Vafniarka, which was the nearest train station, and complained to General Rozenshild von Paulin. The general sent a field court to Tomashpil. When they arrived, the commander of the Labinsk Regiment summoned some Jews, and ordered them to write a letter attesting that his regiment had done no wrong to the Jews.” A few months before this humiliation, some Tomashpilers found each other in Pittsburgh. They formed a landsmanshaft and applied for a charter in early June 1919 as the First Tomashpiler Independent Society. They finalized the incorporation in late September, about three weeks after buying the house. These dates suggest that they purchased the house through trustees because they were not yet a legal corporate entity. As the Tomashpilers were pursuing incorporation and purchasing property in the summer of 1919, two members of Daughters of Israel formed a new group called Zionim Lamass. For years, I have seen the name

p Photograph of religious services held by the First Podolier Independent Society on the occasion of the opening of the auditorium of the Irene Kaufmann Settlement House, c. 1928 Photo courtesy of the Rauh Jewish Archives

Zionim Lamass in various notices. I always assumed it was a Zionist group, that “Lamass” was some Yiddish word for society. The local Yiddish newspaper Der Volksfreund published a notice in June 1919, announcing the formation of Zionim Lamass. It described the organization as a group of Jewish women dedicated to the great mitzvah of caring for abandoned dead. They met at the Cneseth Israel synagogue. Zionim Lamass obtained a charter in October 1920 with the mission “to erect tombstones or other demarcations for indigent Jewish decedents.” One day, flipping through Holladay’s “A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testment,” I found reference to a verse in Ezekiel where “tzion” means “gravestone.” Zionim Lamass (L’meit) is Hebrew for “Gravestones for the Dead.” Zionim Lamass started strong. By November 1919, it had set headstones on 18 unmarked plots at Beth Abraham, Chesed Shel Emes and “the Romanian cemetery,” likely New Light. And then, nothing. Within the next few years, the Daughters of Israel sold its cemetery, and the Zionim Lamass faded considerably from the local press. Whatever it was these groups were planning came to pass on March 18, 1922. There were two transactions that day. Katz, Frank and Frank sold the house to the First Tomashpiler Independent Society for $1. The Daughters of Israel sold its burial plot to the First Tomashpiler Independent Society for $1,000 but held rights to a 16-by-100-foot section. Now the First Tomashpiler Independent Society owned the entire property. As pogroms spread beyond Tomashpil throughout the entire province of Podolia, more

Jewish refugees arrived in Pittsburgh. The First Podolier Independent Society began sometime in the late teens or early 1920s and made its first burial at the First Tomashpiler Independent Society cemetery in May 1921, when founding member Katy Kurland died. The Podoliers made another burial that October and two more in June 1923. They staked a stronger claim to the cemetery in 1923, when they dedicated a chapel on the property. The First Podolier Independent Society officially applied for a charter from the state in April 1924, using the services of a young Jewish lawyer named Benjamin Lenchner. A few weeks later, the First Tomashpiler Independent Society sold the house and the cemetery to the same Benjamin Lenchner for $1. In early January 1925, Lenchner sold the house and the cemetery to the First Podolier Independent Society, noting that the Daughters of Israel retained an interest in the 16-by-100foot section of the property. About eight years later, in 1933, Lenchner was appointed to the Allegheny County Court

of Common Pleas. So there was a future judge involved in the series of transactions but seemingly not to get around the prejudice of a local landowner. Over the next century, the First Podolier Independent Society buried around 80 people in its cemetery. The grounds still have room for several hundred more. After the sale, the Daughters of Israel slid into a slow dormancy. It was revived at 8 p.m. on Sept. 16, 1931, when it held a special meeting at Tillie Ellovich’s home on Centre Avenue. The purpose was to settle a $500 mortgage with the First Tomashpiler Independent Society, money still owed from the sale of the cemetery in 1922. According to the minutes of that meeting, the Daughters of Israel forgave the remaining debt. Going forward, it agreed to pay the First Tomashpiler Independent Society $5 for each future burial and to “cover the grave within a reasonable time with a tomb stone.” They must have talked about a lot else. The meeting didn’t end until 10:30. The Daughters of Israel formalized this arrangement in late March 1932 with the First Podolier Independent Society, which now described itself as a successor to the First Tomashpiler Independent Society. The Daughters of Israel never used any of the remaining plots. All its members were buried in other cemeteries throughout the region. A month later, in April 1932, the Daughters of Israel donated $100 to the Jewish National Fund. This was its last documented act. A newspaper notice from July 1943 announced that the Daughters of Israel had unclaimed funds in a local bank totaling $53.34. After all this, I have no sense whether it succeeded or failed in its intentions. PJC This was the third of a three-part series. Eric Lidji is the director of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center and can be reached at rjarchives@heinzhistorycenter.org or 412-454-6406.

p A map of the First Podolier Independent Society confirmed the existence of an independent section held by the Daughters of Israel Cemetery Association.

Image courtesy of the Rauh Jewish Archives

OPEN ENROLLMENT DATES: OCT. 15 TO DEC. 7

STEPHANIE DAVIS LICENSED LIFE & HEALTH INSURANCE SPECIALIST

412.260.4149 (phone or text) sdvoice18@gmail.com Serving PA, MD, VA, and FL

Not affiliated with or endorsed by the government or the federal Medicare program. This is a solicitation for insurance.

RECORDED LINE: 412-790-2881

OCTOBER 9, 2026

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines Flydubai terrorist said to tell investigators he intended to crash plane into Ben Gurion Airport — WORLD — By Times of Israel Staff

he copilot who attempted to carry out a terror attack on a flydubai flight last week intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport, according to reports on Sunday. Hamam al-Hammami, who is under arrest and being interrogated in the United Arab Emirates, told investigators that he intended to continue flydubai Flight 1073 as normal after disposing of the captain, to receive all necessary landing clearances, and to then crash into a building or jet at the airport, Hebrew media outlets reported. By waiting until the last moment, he would have prevented anyone from realizing what was happening, raising the alert and stopping him from carrying out his plan. According to the reports, that was why al-Hammami waited until the aircraft was over Jordan to seize control of the cockpit. He was foiled because Captain Smit Machchhar, despite having been attacked and stabbed by al-Hammami, managed to open the cockpit door, enabling a handful of Israelis to tackle and immobilize al-Hammami, with one of them stabilizing the plane before two off-duty

p A flydubai Boeing 737-800

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

pilots on board took over the controls. Reports said al-Hammami had been at Ben Gurion Airport several times in recent months after flying in with flydubai. He told investigators that when he came in June, he devoted his entire focus to collecting intelligence and planning his attack. He then plotted to carry out the attack in July, but ended up canceling his plan at the last moment as he was friends with one of the crew members. Israeli investigators have not themselves questioned al-Hammami, and the information was conveyed to Israel from the Saudi and Emirati investigations. Israel has asked the UAE to expand its questioning to include the flight attendants, according to Channel 12. Meanwhile, Channel 13 reported al-Hammami told investigators: “I looked into

Democratic socialists scored big primary wins. But that’s not the whole story.

which airline flies to Tel Aviv. That’s why I chose flydubai. I planned it even before I was accepted.” ‘He’s killing the pilot’: Italian daily reports timeline of events An earlier report by the Italian Corriere della Sera said that al-Hammami intended to crash into a skyscraper, citing Israeli intelligence. According to the report, which included a timeline of the events, al-Hammami requested to pray at 9:15 a.m. and then attacked the pilot with the aircraft’s crash axe, setting off the struggle, as Machchhar worked to unlock the door from the inside. At around 9:20 a.m., Tali Manes accompanied her 5-year-old daughter to the bathroom, where she began hearing the argument inside the cockpit. She alerted an off-duty pilot sitting in business class. The off-duty pilot turned the outside handle as Machchhar managed to unlock the door, opening it and revealing al-Hammami beating the pilot, the report said. “He’s killing the pilot,” Manes screamed. Al-Hammami, realizing his original plan would no longer work, began at 9:21 a.m. to put the plane in a nose dive to crash it into the desert, and tried to destroy the controls to prevent anyone else from stabilizing the plane, the report said. But several Israeli passengers stormed the cockpit, subduing the terrorist and stabilizing

the plane. Initially, off-duty pilots who stepped in to fly the aircraft called the 7700 code, a generic emergency alert, at 9:31 a.m., the report said. By 9:35 a.m., al-Hammami was subdued, and by 9:38 a.m., the new pilots switched the code to the more accurate 7500 code, relating to unauthorized access to a cockpit, Corriere della Sera reported. Saudi air control directed the pilots to conduct an emergency landing in Tabuk, and the aircraft touched down at 10:57 a.m. The plane had some 180 passengers, almost all of them Israeli, and crew. The passengers were flown home late last Wednesday on a special repatriation flight from Saudi Arabia — which has no diplomatic ties with Israel — while Machchhar and al-Hammami were returned to the UAE, Machchhar for medical treatment and the terrorist for interrogation. Separately, the Ynet news site quoted a senior Emirati source as saying al-Hammami is expected to face the death penalty. The report said Abu Dhabi wants to impose the harshest possible penalty. It also said Israeli intelligence officials were in the United Arab Emirates to take part in the investigation of al-Hammami, who is Omani. Reuters reported on Friday that Israeli investigators were expected to question him. PJC

PUBLISHED

October 16th

Business r u o Y t u P of Local in Front ners! Homeow

Home

IMPROVEMENT

Image courtesy of the Democratic Socialists of American vote tracker, via JTA

— NATIONAL — By Sharon Udasin | JTA

string of U.S. House primary successes for democratic socialists, most of whom are sharp Israel critics, was hailed as a major shift in party politics over the course of the summer. But now that the primaries have concluded, a full picture of the results shows that the group’s victories were concentrated in House races in the deepest-blue districts, while few politicians have scored wins in Senate races. During the primary season, candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

America won seven out of the 25 U.S. House primaries in which they competed, securing two wins in Michigan, one in Colorado, three in New York and one in Pennsylvania, according to the DSA’s vote tracker. However, these wins have all occurred in Democratic strongholds: New York City, Detroit, Denver and Philadelphia. “It’s a little bit dangerous to overinterpret a handful of elections compared to all the others,” Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow in governance at the Brookings Institution, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “Calling the DSA the new big kid on the block is a little bit premature.”

— SPECIAL SECTION — Inspire • Renovate • Transform

Contact Amy Weiss for special rates and sizes: 412-613-0697 aweiss@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Please see Democrats, page 11

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

OCTOBER 9, 2026

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 SUNDAYS, OCT. 11–DEC. 20 Join Chabad of Squirrel Hill for its Men’s Tefillin Club. Services and tefillin are followed by a delicious breakfast and engaging discussions on current events. 8:30 a.m. 1700 Beechwood Blvd. chabadpgh.com Join a lay-led online Parashah study group to discuss the weekly Torah portion. No Hebrew knowledge needed. The goal is to build community while deepening understanding of the text. 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org/online-parashah. q MONDAYS, OCT. 12-FEB. 15 Chabad of the Souths Hills presents Kitchen of Kindness Junior Chefs Club, where kids cook, learn and give back. Grades K-8, teen volunteers welcome. Three five-week sessions. 5 p.m. For more information and to register, visit chabadsh.com/jrchef.

q TUESDAY, OCT. 13 Meet Diana Kapp and Rebecca Blumenstein, authors of “The Last Free Women: A Daring Escape from Afghanistan and Coming of Age in America,” and two of the women featured in the book: Chatham University students Marwa Rahim and Samira Rustami. 6 p.m. Chatham University, Laughlin Music Center, Welker Room, 242 Chapel Hill Road. events.chatham. edu/event/the-last-free-women-a-daring-escape-fromafghanistan-and-coming-of-age-in-america# q TUESDAYS, OCT. 13–DEC. 22 Join Beth El’s Rabbi Alex Greenbaum and his Bible/Talmud Adult Education class for a thoughtprovoking weekly session of Bible and Talmudic study. This program is available both in person and virtually. Call the office at 412-561-1168 to receive the Zoom link or to make an in-person reservation. 10:30 a.m. 1900 Cochran Road. bethelcong.org q WEDNESDAYS, OCT. 14–NOV. 11 Join Hazzan Barbara Barnett as she leads a multi-week Shabbat davening class. Whether you want to follow

along with confidence, sing every niggun with the kahal, or step up to lead Kabbalat Shabbat, Shacharit, Torah service or Musaf yourself — this class builds the skills for it. Work through Friday night and Shabbat morning davening, piece by piece. 7:30 p.m. Congregation Beth Shalom, 5915 Beacon Street. bethshalompgh.org/shabbat-davening-class q WEDNESDAYS, OCT. 14-DEC. 23 Explore the weekly Torah portion with the mystical and interpersonal lens of the Hassidic rabbis with Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman. Hassidut for the People is a fun and engaging class taught online and in person meant to help learners find deeper meaning in Torah and in themselves. All levels welcome. 10 a.m. $5. Shoresh PGH, 4300 Murray Ave. Contact rabbimark@ shoreshpgh.org for more information. shoreshpgh.org/ class-schedule-and-events q SUNDAY, OCT. 18 Congregation Beth Shalom is proud to host the 2026 Pittsburgh Jewish Book Festival. The festival includes authors from around the corner and around the

globe. Join us and be inspired. 11 a.m. Free. 5915 Beacon Street. bethshalompgh.org/2026jewish-book-festival q WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21; TUESDAY, DEC. 1 The Beacon and Friendship Circle present “Let’s Talk About It: The Conversations Every Family Is Having … or Avoiding,” a parent and teen conversation series. Join other parents and teens for honest conversations about today’s biggest challenges. Teens hold an active role in planning and co-facilitating the conversations. Free. 7 p.m. 1922 Murray Ave. For more information, including topics, visit eventbrite. com/e/lets-talk-about-it-the-conversations-everyfamily-is-havingor-avoiding-tickets-1998932272236?aff =oddtdtcreator. q TUESDAY, NOV. 3 Chabad of the South Hills presents an inspirational evening of stories and song with Leibel Lazaroff survivor of the Bondi Beach attack. 7 p.m. 1700 Bower Hill Road. chabadsh.com/bondi PJC

Louisiana brothers charged with bankrolling Hamas — NATIONAL— By Jessica Russak-Hoffman | JNS

mar Adhami and Abdel Adhami, two Louisiana brothers, face federal charges of using online payment services to finance Hamas, and referring to “bread” as a code word on WhatsApp to mask their allegedly illegal activity, according to criminal complaints filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on Sept. 11 and unsealed last week.

The two, who are both in their 30s, are charged with providing material support to a foreign terror group and wire fraud, and Abdel Adhami, the older of the two, also faces a money laundering charge. “The arrest of these two brothers are but a growing number of Hamas-related federal cases filed around the country in recent months,” Seamus Hughes, senior researcher at the University of Nebraska Omaha’s National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center, told JNS. “Authorities appear to be focusing largely on the role alleged U.S. supporters of the terror group

help provide funding to Hamas.” The brothers communicated with Saleem Alzaq, a Gaza-based fundraiser whose social media accounts promoted Hamas while soliciting donations presented as charitable aid, according to FBI affidavits included with the complaints. Investigators allege that the older brother sent $81,272 with two PayPal accounts between November 2023 and February 2026 and transferred $2,000 in October 2023 via Western Union. The younger brother allegedly sent about $2,900 via four Western Union transactions between July 2021 and April 2023. In a message to his brother reproduced in his affidavit, the elder Adhami allegedly explained how to disguise discussions about money intended for fighters. “Don’t mention anything by its name on

WhatsApp, and use the word ‘bread’ instead,” he allegedly wrote. The affidavit also states that an undercover New York City Police Department employee contacted Alzaq in November 2025. Alzaq allegedly directed the employee to contact the older Adhami, who offered to process a donation through his store’s credit card system as though the donor was making a purchase and then transfer the money. “But do not worry. Everything is legal, God willing,” Abdel Adhami allegedly wrote. “The charging documents help show how social media applications have lowered the bar to facilitate money and support to Hamas,” Hughes told JNS. “They also show that law enforcement, in this case the NYPD, are continuously forward-leaning on identifying individuals online that may raise terrorism concerns.” PJC

Author Nicholas Lemann to join the Chronicle Book Club

he Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle invites you to join the Chronicle Book Club for its Nov. 1 discussion of “Returning: A Search for Home Across Three Centuries,” by Nicholas Lemann. The author will join us for the meeting, and also will appear in person at the Jewish Book Festival, at Congregation Beth Shalom, on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. From Amazon.com: “Nicholas Lemann, a veteran New Yorker correspondent, grew up in New Orleans, the son of German Jews in a world of gilded privilege. Yet in contrast to his parents’ generation, which always sought to downplay their religious background, Lemann was intrigued by his roots, thinking he wanted to be like Jack Burden, the evercurious reporter in Robert Penn Warren’s 'All the King’s Men.' “And like his fictional hero, who gets drawn into a web of Southern political intrigue, Lemann in ‘Returning’ delves deeply into the family story from their arrival in the 1830s as peddlers from Germany, to their becoming plantation owners and department store owners after the Civil War, to their emergence as aspirants in the aristocratic world of New Orleans, where they could never quite belong.”

What to do

Buy: “Returning: A Search for Home Across Three Centuries.” It is available from online retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and in some local Barnes & Noble stores. It is also available through the Carnegie Library system. Email: Contact us at drullo@pittsburgh jewishchronicle.org, and write “Chronicle Book Club” in the subject line. We will send you a Zoom link for the discussion meeting. Happy reading! PJC

Your hosts

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

How it works

We will meet on Zoom on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. 6

OCTOBER 9, 2026

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

JOIN US TO UNPACK THE RESULTS OF THE ISRAELI ELECTION What it means for Israelis, Americans and the World Monday, November 2 • 7 pm JCC Squirrel Hill Katz Theater • $36/person For more info: Fara Marcus fmarcus@jccpgh.org Moshe Koppel Founding Chairman of the Kohelet Policy Forum

Dr. Dahlia Scheindlin Political Strategist and Public Opinion Researcher

Yisrael Klitsner Series Moderator

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU

GADI EISENKOT

ITAMAR BEN-GVIR

NAFTALI BENNETT

JCCPGH ISRAEL ENGAGEMENT SERIES • SESSION 4 PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

OCTOBER 9, 2026

Pittsburgh Jewish Book Festival Congregation Beth Shalom

PITTSBURGH JEWISH book festival

October 18 - 25, 2026

5915 Beacon St., Pittsburgh, PA 15217 | BethShalomPgh.org

THU

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE BONUS ZOOM SESSION 1 PM – 2 PM Zoom conversation with Bruce Feiler and Rabbi Angela Buchdahl

OCTOBER 2026 SUN

OCTOBER 2026

11 AM – 6 PM

Used Judaica Book Sale with Amazing Books

11 AM – 11:45 PM Local Author Bookshelf with Dr. Jonathan Weinkle 12 PM – 12:45 PM Local Author Bookshelf with Barbara Barnett 7:30 PM – 9 PM

MON

HEADLINER

TUE

HEADLINER

Lifetime Achievement Awards honoring Barbara Burstin, Ph.D followed by Joan Nathan, My Life Recipes: Food, Family & Memories

7:30 PM – 8:45 PM Anita Wyzanski Robboy, A Force for Good

OCTOBER 2026

7:30 PM – 8:45 PM Dr. James Loeffler, Exceptional Hatred

OCTOBER 2026 WED

HEADLINER

SUN

HEADLINER

OCTOBER 2026

OCTOBER 2026 8

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

OCTOBER 9, 2026

7:30 PM – 8:45 PM

Klezmer Music Dr. Miriam Udel, Modern Jewish Worldmaking Through Yiddush Literature

7:30 PM – 8:45 PM Dr. Nicholas Lemann, Returning: A Search for Home Across Three Centuries

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines — WORLD— IDF: 170 Gazans presented as journalists were terror operatives

The Israel Defense Forces has identified 170 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip during the war who were presented as journalists or media workers but were also operatives in terrorist organizations, the military revealed last week, JNS reported. Following what it described as an extensive investigation, the IDF said 118 of the 170 served in Hamas’ military wing and 49 in Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Two were affiliated with the Popular Resistance Committees and one with the Mujahideen Brigades. Seventeen of the 170 participated in the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel, according to the military. “For nearly three years, the IDF has been accused of targeting journalists in Gaza. Today, we are exposing the truth,” IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. The IDF launched a dedicated website listing the names and photographs of the 170 Palestinians, as well as their alleged organizational affiliations, military roles and evidence that the army says substantiates its findings. The evidence includes documents produced by the terrorist organizations themselves, some of which were recovered by Israeli forces in Gaza, as well as visual material, open-source information and intelligence gathered during the war. According to the IDF, some of those on the list also worked for international news organizations, including Reuters, CNN, the BBC, AFP, AP, Le Monde and ABC Australia. The military said that in some cases,

terrorist organizations themselves had publicly identified individuals portrayed internationally as journalists as members of their military wings. The IDF said the newly published material demonstrates what it called a significant gap between the international portrayal of some of those killed and their activities in Gaza’s terrorist organizations. The military reiterated that it does not deliberately or systematically target journalists and said its operations are directed against terrorist organizations and their operatives in accordance with international law.

US can deport leader of largest mosque in Wisconsin, federal judge rules

A federal immigration judge ruled that Salah Sarsour, a Palestinian whom Israel jailed in 1988 for throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli soldiers, can be deported from the United States as a national security threat, JNS reported, citing the Associated Press. Federal prosecutors argued that Sarsour’s convictions in Israel made him a national security threat and accused him of lying on his green card application and falsely claiming citizenship to vote, according to the AP. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained him in March, but a federal judge ruled in June that he had to be released.

Georgia man arrested for alleged threat to kill Hegseth, family if Pentagon chief didn’t kill Chabad Jews

Jonathan Mark Susor, who lives in Georgia,

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

Oct. 9, 1994 — Hamas abducts Israeli soldier

Hamas terrorists abduct soldier Nachshon Wachsman in central Israel by offering him a ride while wearing kippot and playing Hasidic music. A rescue ends in the deaths of Wachsman and the leader of the rescue team.

Oct. 10, 1961 — Bones of Moshe Hess are brought to Israel

Moshe Hess, originally buried in Cologne in 1875, is reburied at Kibbutz Kinneret beside other fathers of socialist Zionism. His “Rome and Jerusalem: The Last National Question” p An 1846 portrait may have inspired by Gustav Köttgen shows Moshe Hess. Theodor Herzl.

Oct. 11, 1950 — Filmmaker Amos Gitai is born

Filmmaker Amos Gitai, known for documentaries and features on the Middle East, the Israeli-Arab conflict and Holocaust memory, is born in Haifa. He shows at least 10 films in competition at the Cannes. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Oct. 12, 1999 — Christian extremists are denied entry to Israel

Israel refuses to let 26 Irish and Romanian tourists enter through Haifa for being members of an extreme Christian cult. The approach of the year 2000 raises fears in Israel about doomsday cults.

Oct. 13, 1969 — Allon proposes home rule for West Bank

Deputy Prime Minister Yigal Allon reveals his plan for home rule for the 650,000 Arabs living in the West Bank. They would have autonomy in municipal affairs, education, religious policy, commerce and police.

Oct. 14, 1994 — Rabin, Peres win Nobel Prize

was charged with making terror threats after allegedly saying that he would kill U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the U.S. official’s family unless Hegseth killed Jews at a Chabad, JNS reported. Susor made the threat on July 28 on social media, per a criminal complaint filed on Sept. 25 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. “If you personally strap a GoPro to your head and clear out a Chabad synagogue with the service rifle, you’ll be spared punishment Pete Hegseth,” Susor wrote, according to the complaint. “Otherwise, your entire family is going to be killed for the last cretin.” Terrorists who took part in the Hamasled Oct. 7 attacks used GoPro cameras to live stream the massacre. According to Fulton County jail records, Susor was arrested by the Alpharetta Police Department the same day that the complaint was filed, and he was charged with three counts of disseminating information related to terrorism via computer, a count of harassing communications, a count of stalking and three counts of making terror threats. He is being held on $10,000 bond.

Jewish groups hail California law making it the first state to list ‘Jewish’ as an ethnicity

California is now the first state in the nation to deem “Jewish” an ethnic and racial identity, rather than just a religious affiliation, JTA reported. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed SB 1387, a bill that expands

Oct. 15, 2002 — Political cartoonist Ze’ev dies

Yaakov Farkash, known as Ze’ev (Wolf), considered the father of Israeli political cartoons, dies at 79. A Holocaust survivor, he reached the Land of Israel in 1947. Hs first newspaper cartoon was published in 1953. PJC

— Compiled by Toby Tabachnick

412-421-1015 412-421-4450 FAX 412-421-4451

1916 MURRAY AVE. PITTSBURGH, PA 15217

PRICES EFFECTIVE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11 – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2026 Candle Lighting Time Friday, October 9, 2026 • 6:31 p.m. MEAT

WINE SPECIALS

ROASTING CHICKENS $ .59

BORGO BELLA PINOT NOIR

16.89

750 ML

BEEF BRISKET $ .99

BORGO BELLA PINOT GRIGIO

15.99

750 ML

Support Israel!

RAW BEEF STEW $ .99

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announces that Israel’s Yitzhak p Yasser Arafat, Rabin and Shimon Shimon Peres and Peres are sharing the Yitzhak Rabin Nobel Peace Prize with receive the Nobel the Palestine Liberation Peace Prize in Oslo on Dec. 10, 1994. Organization’s Yasser By Ya’acov Sa’ar, Israeli Arafat for achieving the Government Press Office, CC BY-SA 3.0 Oslo Accords in 1993.

California’s legal definition of ethnicity “to include Jewish identity” in demographic data collection. As of Jan. 1, 2029, forms distributed by public entities like schools and prisons will need to include a “Jewish” category when asking for voluntary disclosures of ethnicity or race. David Bocarsly, CEO of Jewish California, a group that lobbies on behalf of a number of Jewish organizations in the state, described the signing in a statement as “a historic step for the Jewish community.” “Under the shadow of Nazi race theory, American Jewish leaders asked the government to count us only as a religion,” he said, noting that this approach “didn’t work” and led to exclusion from data that shapes policy. “Now hate crime, health, poverty, and education data will reflect who Jewish Californians actually are so we can ensure the best support for our community,” Bocarsly added. “Most importantly, it allows us to be seen as the diverse, complex people we are.” In addition to signing SB 1387 on Sept. 30 — the final day on which he could approve or veto bills in this year’s legislative session — Newsom also authorized AB 395, which will prohibit public meetings and graduations from being scheduled on major cultural and religious holidays. Also on Sept. 30, Newsom approved AB 1763, which will include religious holiday observance as a type of excused absence in schools without requiring a written request from a parent or guardian. PJC

Buy Israeli Products STORE HOURS

Sunday • 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday • 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday • 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Wednesday • 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday • 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday • 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

GROCERY

COOKED FOODS

DELI

TAAMTI BOUREKAS $ .09

GOURMET BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP $ .99

GOURMET TURKEY BREAST $ .39

PASKESZ SILHOUETTE WAFERS $ .09

2.66 OZ

VEGETABLE LASAGNA $ .99

OSEM FAMILY MULTI-PACK BISSLI 12-PACK $ .49

CRANBERRY CHICKEN LEGS $ .49

ROKEACH SHABBOS CANDLES $ .99

CHICKEN POT PIE $ .99

14.1 OZ

72 COUNT

HOMEMADE SALADS & SOUPS DELI PARTY TRAYS

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

BABA GANOUSH $ .89

HALAVA

$ .09

POPCORN

$ .00

BOGO

We Prepare Trays

CATERING SPECIALISTS DELICIOUS FRIED CHICKEN

UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF VAAD OF PITTSBURGH

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES.

— for All Occasions —

OCTOBER 9, 2026

Headlines Senate: Continued from page 1

“Many have reported feeling pressure to hide their Jewish identity, stay silent about their beliefs or think twice about participating fully in campus life,” Knoll said. And Pittsburgh’s CRC, he noted, is increasingly responding to incidents in middle schools and high schools. “Just this past week we responded to reports of a high school teacher teaching his students that Hamas is not a terrorist organization and that Israel has no right to exist,” Knoll said. “Again, this week, we responded to a case in which a student was called a ‘dirty Jew’ and had pennies thrown at them, and another where a student was called ‘racist’ and a ‘genocider’ simply for being Jewish. There was one more where a Jewish child was blamed for genocide and had his face superimposed on the body of a concentration camp prisoner.” The ADL’s Goretsky related an incident from 2005 when he was working in the education field. Goretsky recalled attending a training session where a presenter equated Zionism with racism, sexism and other -isms. “I asked him to explain what Zionism actually meant,” Goretsky said. “The presenter did not know.” The presenter later apologized, but Goretsky said he has often thought about that incident and wondered how many

educators walked away from it and similar training believing Zionism is a slur. The ADL regional director said his organization recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents last year and that schools were a hot point for hate. Some of the antisemitic episodes he highlighted included:

“Antisemitism does not only spread through swastikas and slurs,” Goretsky said. “It spreads through curriculum nobody vetted, through professional development nobody fact-checked and through the casual repetition of worlds like ‘Zionist’ as an insult by young people who have simply never been taught otherwise.”

“This isn’t a Republican issue. It isn’t a Democrat issue. This is a Pennsylvania issue. How do we curb antisemitism in our schools?” –DAVID KNOLL

• Graffiti in a high school bathroom reading “Jews need to f--king die”; • A text message a student received calling them a “dirty Jew” and threatening them with rape; • A person standing outside a Jewish school shouting “F--k the Jews” and “Jew is the worst religion”; • A student who was pushed and told, “You sit in the front. Kikes like you can’t sit in the back”; and • A student who had their Star of David ripped from their neck during a football game while an attacker yelled, “I hate Jews” and called the student a kike.

The Jewish Federation of Philadelphia’s Holtzman said he has received reports for the last three years of educators bringing “inflammatory” materials into their classrooms. And while he said it was not antisemitic to criticize Israel or its government, or to advocate for Palestinian rights, the use of violent statements should be taken seriously and condemned. And, he noted, Jewish Americans shouldn’t be forced to answer for the “alleged decisions or actions of the Israeli government.” Holtzman also called for a clear and consistent definition of antisemitism that

Kitchen: Continued from page 1

sweet carrots, honey cakes and chocolate chip cookies. South Hills resident Uriel Marcovitz volunteered at the event and praised organizers for creating the intentional opportunity. “They took real time to think about what to send to people,” he said. A Rosh Hashanah theme was clear, recipes were followed and each meal offered a recipient a “heimish sort of feel.” Over the course of about 90 minutes, 50 meals were made. And, shortly following the gathering, each meal was personally delivered to an older adult as a lead-up to Rosh Hashanah, Levi Rosenblum said. As important as it is to make meals, moments together during deliveries are equally vital to the operation, he continued. “We want to show [people] we didn’t forget about them and we’re really here for them.” Handwritten notes helped convey a sense of care. Brookline resident and volunteer Rivka Gottschall wrote personal cards to accompany each Rosh Hashanah meal. Gottschall

OCTOBER 9, 2026

p Kitchen of Kindness participants gather during a recent volunteering session.

Photo courtesy of Chabad of the South Hills

told the Chronicle she also joined organizers to deliver the holiday-themed packages to older adults at Concordia of the South Hills. “I like to help others and give back to the community,” Gottschall said, adding that doing so is a reminder of what’s essential in life.

“Kitchen of Kindness is here because we need to get back to the basics,” Gottschall said. “We need to have a sense of community and take care of each other. We are too busy working and on our phones all the time. It’s time to set aside time and be there for others. And others need to know it’s OK to reach out for help. If they are

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

can provide institutions with a common framework to evaluate incidents while preserving the ability to consider context and the facts of each case. In an interview with the Chronicle, Argall said he decided to host the hearing after learning from constituents about the rise in hate crimes against the Jewish community. “We’ve heard from teachers, we’ve heard from students, we’ve heard from parents, so I thought the best way to move forward was to shine some light on the issue,” he said. The senator said he had believed progress was being made in the fight against antisemitism and was disheartened to hear stories showing that, instead, it is getting worse. Argall said that next steps will include reviewing the testimony and determining if there are regulations in place that can be tightened or legislation that should be considered for the next session. Knoll said the hearing was important because “we’re seeing an explosion of hate against our kids.” He spoke with senators after the hearing, he said, who were motivated to help fight the hate directed at Jewish students. “This isn’t a Republican issue. It isn’t a Democrat issue. This is a Pennsylvania issue. How do we curb antisemitism in our schools?” Knoll said. “There should never be hate in any school system and we need to nip it in the bud.” PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. lonely or need something, we are here.” Kitchen of Kindness is “for anyone who can use a little support,” Levi Rosenblum said. “We’re calling it like a hug from the community.” Organizers hope the South Hills-based program, which is one of nearly 100 similar offerings available at Chabads nationwide, garners interest among volunteers of all ages. Along with separate programming for younger adults, Kitchen of Kindness aims to provide opportunities for individuals to host private events, whether to celebrate birthdays or other meaningful occasions. “People like to give back,” Hindy Rosenblum said. “Here’s a way to do it.” The next scheduled volunteer session is Oct. 18. Whether volunteers register and come once or return on a regular basis, this is “such a nice way for the community to get together and support other members in the community who can use a little bit extra support,” Hindy Rosenblum continued. “There’s always a time to be helpful, and there’s nothing like getting a homecooked meal.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines North Side resident’s home vandalized — again

Pittsburgh police, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s community security team and StandWithUs. She also posted video from the cameras that surround her house and some still shots on Facebook. The North Side Jewish resident is

committed to identifying the pair and seeing that they are held accountable for their actions. “We will find out who these two women are. We will have them arrested and I will prosecute them in the same way we have others because this is unacceptable,” Blumenfeld said. And while her resolve is strong, she admits that constantly dealing with vandalism, threats and attacks at her house has been exhausting. “I wish people would keep in mind that one American citizen who has no connection whatsoever to the Israeli government, is not in control of any of this, and taking out your anger or discontent on an unaffiliated American does not solve any problem,” she said. “In fact, it stokes antisemitism.” Blumenfeld, who said she is “very much a liberal,” views the most recent attack as a demand for what she calls “moral purity” on both the far left and far right. “Even if you believe 95% of the same things, because you don’t agree on that one thing you are absolutely wrong and you’re going to burn

in hell,” she said. “You’re the worst person ever and deserved to be canceled, deserve to be harmed.” She noted that every person who has attacked her home has been a “liberal.” “It is the purity culture of the very far left that is harming the Jewish community and other minorities because they cannot see past their own ideology,” Blumenfeld said. “They have lost empathy for anyone who might believe slightly differently and don’t have the capacity for conversation to understand why someone might think differently.” Shawn Brokos, Federation’s community security director, said the constant attacks on the Blumenfeld family’s home needs to stop. “Trespassing and destroying private property to harass and intimidate them is cowardly and prejudiced,” Brokos said. “Pittsburgh can and should do better. We stand with the family and will continue to support them and push for those accountable to be held responsible.” PJC

and apartheid.” Although the DSA has won fewer races than it has lost, the victories would more than triple the group’s presence in the U.S. House, with five newcomers in addition to Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Jeff Robbins, a Boston-based attorney and former Democratic Senate staffer, said that supporters of Israel should be concerned by the wins, even if they don’t constitute a wave. Robbins, who also served as a delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights under former president Bill Clinton, warned that if anti-Israel DSA politicians keep racking up wins, Democratic strategists will discourage candidates from supporting Israel’s response to Hamas after the Oct. 7 attacks. Recommending any action to the contrary, he argued, will result in “the quickest campaign you’ve ever seen.” “It will be over before you can say ‘the Golan Heights’,” Robbins quipped. And yet, although the media spotlight has shone on the DSA’s standout victories, establishment candidates have secured more wins at the ballot box from a numerical perspective. In addition, democratic socialists have focused more on the House than the Senate, where they would need to appeal to broader statewide electorates to win seats. One major exception to that rule is Florida DSA member Angie Nixon, who pulled off a stunning primary victory in a state that Trump won by about 13 percentage points in 2024. But she didn’t join the DSA until shortly before the election and she didn’t get its endorsement. Another DSA-endorsed Senate candidate, Gregory Levy of Ohio, will be running in the

November general election as an independent. But the three other staunchly progressive Senate candidates who will be on the Democratic ballot in November — in Maine, Michigan and Minnesota — don’t define themselves as democratic socialists. While many are still highly critical of Israel, they have differences with DSA and are more interested in making sure they appeal to the more politically diverse populations they will face statewide. They face close races where swing voters who don’t identify strongly with either party are likely to make the difference. For instance, though many of Abdul El-Sayed’s positions are similar to DSA policies, he told The Wall Street Journal in August that he is “not technically or practically DSA” and that he doesn’t oppose capitalism. At the same time, he has earned the support of many democratic socialist politicians, including Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. Kamarck observed that Michigan, which has a huge Arab-American population, remains the nerve center of the Democratic Party’s pro-Palestinian movement. Yet although polls forecast a landslide victory for El-Sayed, who sharply criticized Israel throughout his primary campaign, she termed his victory in early August as “a squeaker.” “It was a one-point race,” she said. “What that says is that this is not finished.” Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, said in a statement at the time that although her group was disappointed in El-Sayed’s victory, his “razor-thin margin isn’t the resounding win for the far-left that was predicted.” An Economist model issued shortly

after El-Sayed’s victory predicted that the Democratic Party’s chances of winning in November fell to 48% following the primary. But a Marist poll published last week gave El-Sayed a seven-point lead over Republican Mike Rogers, with a 3.8% margin of error. Meanwhile, post-primary predictions showed that Minnesota’s Peggy Flanagan would secure an easy victory in her blue state’s Senate race. However, a new KSTP/SurveyUSA poll found that her five-point lead over Republican Michele Tafoya had narrowed to a statistical tie. Like many party progressives, Flanagan has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. As for Maine’s Troy Jackson, the progressive was trailing Republican Sen. Susan Collins, a five-term incumbent, by 3 points, with a 3.1% margin of error, according to an AARP poll released on Thursday. Nixon in Florida was 11 points behind Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, with a 4% margin of error, a Stetson University poll from late last month found. On the other hand, St. Pete Polls placed the candidates in a dead heat just the week before, giving Moody just a 0.3-point edge, with a 3.2% margin of error. In a testament to the growing power of the DSA — even in a red state — Moody reportedly told Fox News Radio last week that she is “seeing way-too-close-for comfort polls in many Republican Senate races.” And in an email blast sent the same day, according to Florida Politics, Moody warned that “the polls have been all over the place.” “Some have us up. Two have us tied,” she wrote. “We’re in the final stretch, where everything we do, and your support, really matters.” PJC

— LOCAL — By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer

For the fifth time in just over two years, a Jewish North Side resident’s home was vandalized, apparently targeted because of her support for Israel. Deena Blumenfeld said she returned home from work on Sept. 30 to see that a small Israeli flag on her property was slashed vertically. She reviewed videotape of her property — something she does regularly because of the constant attacks on her home — and saw two people walking down her street in the early afternoon. The pair looked at Blumenfeld’s door, which has signage similar to the flag, before one of the two “walked up to the flag, slashed it and then turned a corner to go down the alley,” Blumenfeld said. The pair — a brown-haired woman and her blond-haired companion — appear to be in their late 20s. Blumenfeld, who is well-versed in responding to such incidents, contacted the

Democrats: Continued from page 5

In addition to the seven DSA primary winners, another DSA candidate who ran in a California nonpartisan primary advanced to a U.S. House runoff against a Democratic incumbent in November. Two additional democratic socialists, from Kansas and New Hampshire, withdrew before their respective House primaries. Of the DSA’s 18 House primary losses, seven occurred in deep-blue areas — demonstrating that even in the country’s most progressive pockets, democratic socialists often weren’t popular. These defeats notably included one in St. Louis, where incumbent Wesley Bell trounced DSA firebrand and anti-AIPAC crusader Cori Bush. Granted, the DSA victories are still unprecedented in a country where socialism has long been anathema. The candidates might have only succeeded in deeply Democratic districts — but that means they are all but assured victory on Election Day. Taken together, they’ll constitute a larger contingent in Congress than ever before. Many of the DSA candidates made Israel and its supporters central issues during their campaigns, and there’s little doubt that their presence will tilt the Democratic caucus in the Congress further away from Israel. The DSA’s official stance on Israel includes an end to the country’s “colonization and occupation of all Arab lands,” the “self-determination of the Palestinian people” and the cessation of “U.S. complicity in Israel’s genocide

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

p Two people were caught on camera before one sliced Deena Blumenfeld’s Israeli flag at her North Side residence.

Photo courtesy of Deena Blumenfeld

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

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

OCTOBER 9, 2026

Opinion Flydubai Flight FZ1073 and the indomitability of the Jews Guest Columnist Michael Oren

ccurring just over a week before the anniversary of the Oct. 7 horrors, the saving of flydubai Flight 1073 from fiery destruction and 174 passengers, most of them Israelis, from certain death, stands as a metaphor for the past three years of war. Starting at 6:29 on the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists breached the Gaza fence at dozens of locations and invaded Israeli border communities. More than 1,200 Israelis and foreign workers were slaughtered and 251 taken hostage. The next day, Hezbollah joined the fight, attacking northern Israeli towns with rockets and drones. Further strikes were aimed at Israel from Iranian-backed terrorists in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, as well as from the Islamic Republic itself. Another country — Britain, for example, or the Netherlands — having suffered similar losses, would have taken weeks or months to mount even a minor military response, if any. Hundreds of thousands of their citizens would not have rallied to their nation’s defense, put on uniforms and picked up guns and risked their lives, often in hundreds of days of relentless urban combat. The overwhelming majority of their populations would not have volunteered to support the soldiers, the wounded, bereaved and the displaced, or work the fields of abandoned farms. No other Western country, perhaps even the United States, could have performed all this while under massive international pressure to cease defending itself. No other people could have persevered in the face of

near-global condemnations and false accusations of committing the most heinous crimes known to humanity. No other nation, isolated, boycotted and surrounded by enemies devoted to death, would reaffirm its determination to live by bringing yet more children into this world, expanding its economy and reasserting its technological prowess.

and schools, businesses may close and the world will continue condemning us for doing what so much of it no longer has the will to do — for defending our homes and families. We will celebrate births, b’nai mitzvahs and weddings, and pioneer technologies that benefit humankind. We will do all of this not because, it is often stated, we have nowhere else to go, but

For the terrorists striving to take innumerable Israeli lives and make the survivors’ lives unbearable, the message is that your love of death will never diminish our love of life nor make us any less determined to defend it. Israel’s response to Oct. 7, however unique in the contemporary world, has not been cost-free. Our people remain agonizingly divided over which of our leaders bore responsibility for that morning’s failure and for decisions made in the subsequent war. A no less bitter schism separates those who are willing to fight from those who, avowedly for religious reasons, are not. Some 924 Israeli soldiers have been killed since Oct. 8, and thousands physically and emotionally wounded. And yet, we keep fighting. We will defend ourselves in the court of international law; we will stand up for truth in the media. We will battle Hamas and Hezbollah again as the need arises, and mount crippling operations against Iran should America resume the war. Missiles may once again smash into our neighborhoods

because of who we are. We, the Jewish people, are indomitable. We are the people who, for nearly 2,000 years, never forfeited our hope of returning to our ancestral homeland. The people who, a mere three years after the Holocaust, declared our independence in that land and thwarted successive enemy efforts to destroy us. We are the people who, despite grave disagreements between religious and secular, right-wing and left, Ashkenazi and Mizrahi, geographical periphery and center, still coheres. We are a people who, less than a month from now, will go to the polls, demonstrating once again our uniqueness as one of the very few nations never to have known a moment of non-democratic governance. That, then, is the meaning of flydubai Flight FZ1073. While their airliner plunged nearly 20,000 feet in under two minutes and

their courageous, wounded pilot struggled to open the cockpit door, ordinary Israelis overcame paralyzing uncertainty and rushed to the front of the plane. There, regular citizens — not commandos, not armed air marshals — with their bare hands and headphone wires, disarmed, subdued and bound the co-pilot suspected of trying to kill everyone on board precisely because most of them were Israelis. Were Jews. And once the danger passed, the Jews of FZ1073 didn’t wallow, didn’t shrink, but instead broke into song. They sang words of the late 18th- and early 19th-century Hasidic genius, Rabbi Nahman: “All the world is a narrow bridge, and the main thing is not to fear” and “Am Yisrael Chai,” the people of Israel live. FZ1073 has a message for the world. For the terrorists striving to take innumerable Israeli lives and make the survivors’ lives unbearable, the message is that your love of death will never diminish our love of life nor make us any less determined to defend it. For the European leaders who prefer to boycott Israeli Jews rather than confront the extremists who are conquering their countries from within, FZ1073 stands as an example of what a proud, strong and self-respecting people can still accomplish. And for Israelis who recently celebrated the completion of the yearly Torah readings — Simchat Torah — and commemorated the anniversary of Oct. 7, FZ1073 reminds us of who we are, what we stand for, and what we are willing to do to remain Israelis. The sheer heroism displayed by the Israeli passengers of FZ1073 shows why nothing can ever defeat us. PJC Michael Oren, formerly Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Knesset Member and deputy minister for diplomacy, is the founder of the Israel Advocacy Group and author of the Substack, Clarity, where this article originally appeared. It was republished in The Times of Israel.

For a few terrifying minutes, Israelis were heroes again Guest Columnist Dan Perry

or a few terrifying minutes aboard a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv on Sept. 30, a group of Israeli passengers found themselves with a problem that was considerably more immediate than the usual arguments about Israel. Someone in the cockpit had become violent, the airplane was descending rapidly and the people aboard had to figure out what to do. They did. According to the emerging account, Israeli passengers helped overpower the attacker and restrain him, while pilots traveling as passengers assisted in getting the aircraft safely onto the ground in Saudi Arabia. Other passengers provided medical assistance. A flight that could have ended in catastrophe instead became one of those

OCTOBER 9, 2026

extraordinary stories in which ordinary people discover that the few seconds available for a decision are the only seconds that matter.

in circumstances where slogans had very little use. Former Israeli spokesman Eylon Levy captured the comic quality of it perfectly.

There is an old Israeli sensibility that can be difficult to explain to people who have never lived there. It combines self-confidence with improvisation, anxiety with humor and a stoicism before dire circumstances. There is something refreshing about the simplicity of the story. The passengers were confronted with a danger that required immediate action, and some of them acted. Israelis watching the story unfold saw a familiar national trait emerge

“Overall, the probability that a plane full of Israelis will contain a trained assault team, two additional pilots, and, statistically, at least one cardiac surgeon, psychologist, lawyer, and diamond dealer is substantially higher than 50%.”

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

The joke survives the caution that is always needed with stereotypes because anyone who has spent time around Israelis recognizes the type. Put 180 Israelis in a metal tube in the skies and you have a statistically improbable concentration of people who have served in the military, flown aircraft, treated patients, run companies, handled emergencies, argued with authority and developed the conviction that whatever has gone wrong can probably be fixed if everyone stops panicking and starts doing something. For Israelis, that quality has long been part of the national mythology. The country was built around the idea that its people would have to improvise their way through circumstances that seemed to offer very little room for error. The mythology produced its own cliches: the engineer who can repair anything, the doctor who appears when somebody needs one, the stranger who immediately assumes responsibility because waiting for an official response seems inefficient. Please see Perry, page 13

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Opinion Chronicle poll results: Feelings about being Jewish post-Oct. 7

ast week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an online poll the following question: “How has Oct. 7 changed the way you feel about being Jewish?” Of the 229 people who responded, 56% said, “More connected to my Jewish identity”; 23% said, “No significant change”; 21% said, “My feelings have become more complicated”; and only one person said, “Less connected.” Comments were submitted by 53 people. A few follow. We need to be heard and proud. It seems Jews are the only minority group that has to fight for acceptance when we say that certain speech feels hurtful to us. I no longer believe antisemitism can be eradicated; it recedes in one age and resurges in the next. Israel remains necessary for us all. From 10/7/23 to the flydubai almosthijacking, near-catastrophe, the last three years have been a wake-up call that we Jews can only rely on ourselves.

Perry: Continued from page 12

In the military, it is the officer who shouts “after me” – aharai! – rather than leading from behind. This is the Israel that was admired after the 1967 Six Day War – or for the 1977 commando raid on Entebbe Airport that rescued over 100 hostages held by proPalestinian hijackers. Sadly, much of the world has encountered a very different Israeli stereotype in recent years. Israelis have increasingly become symbols in arguments about war, occupation, nationalism and international law. Israel itself has become increasingly isolated, and Israelis have experienced insults and worse while traveling abroad. Oct. 7 added another layer to the picture.

How has Oct. 7 changed the way you feel about being Jewish? .4% Less connected

20.6% My feelings have become more complicated 23% No significant change

For the first time in years, I’ve joined my local synagogue. Once a proud Jew, always a proud Jew. If anything, Oct. 7 and the aftermath have inspired me to be more vocal about my beliefs and convictions. But my feelings on Judaism and being Jewish have not changed. The Israeli response to Oct. 7 has convinced me of the importance of separating my Jewish identity from the state of Israel.

56% More connected to my Jewish identity

Since Oct. 7, I have become louder and prouder. I find myself trying to educate both Jews and gentiles the truth behind the news. Too many of our own people don’t know the truth.

My feelings about being Jewish haven’t changed. My unquestioning adoration of Israel has changed dramatically. There is no change about my feelings of being Jewish. But it has changed my feelings toward the world for its response. The country that had spent decades cultivating an image of military competence suddenly had to confront an astonishing failure of intelligence and security. The image of the Israeli who always knows what to do became harder to sustain when the country itself had been caught so badly unprepared. And Israel has been widely and wildly vilified around the world — by the far left, by the far right, by antisemites of every stripe and activists who have made Zionism a dirty word and have turned Israel into an avatar for everything that is wrong in the world. Then came the flydubai flight. The flight’s landing was top news all over the world. CNN reported the event as a miraculous act of heroism. Even The Guardian, not known for its pro-Israel coverage of late, gushed about the “daring rescue.”

Oct. 7 made it clearer than ever why Israel needs strong defense and intelligence programs. The ensuing surge in antisemitism underscores how vital Israel is to the lives and safety of the Jewish people. I’m prouder of being Jewish but leery on demonstrating it. That may explain why Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu moved so quickly to meet the returning passengers. Whatever one thinks of Netanyahu’s politics, his instincts for symbolism are unusually sharp. For a man far behind in the polls ahead of Oct. 27, it was a godsend. He understood the importance of attaching himself to bravery. There is an old Israeli sensibility that can be difficult to explain to people who have never lived there. It combines selfconfidence with improvisation, anxiety with humor and a stoicism before dire circumstances. The flydubai passengers offered a particularly vivid demonstration of that quality. But there is a larger lesson here, although it is a modest one. Countries become caricatures when their people are reduced

I never used to be afraid to be Jewish as a U.S. resident. If I wore a Star of David, I was never concerned that doing that would invite verbal harassment, or even worse results. Now, even though I live in a retirement community in a primarily Jewish neighborhood, I think twice about self-identifying as Jewish — especially if I have to go to a doctor’s appointment, or anywhere else outside my retirement community. I am absolutely more proudly Jewish and more likely to confront BS when I hear it concerning Jews or Israel. I’m not an Israeli government apologist, but I’m a Zionist and I will say so and explain if given the chance. And if not given the chance, I don’t care. I’ve lost “friends” over the events of the last three years, and I think it’s better to know now who stands with us and who doesn’t. PJC — Compiled by Toby Tabachnick

Chronicle weekly poll question: Are you concerned about local politicians accepting large donations from out-of-state funders? Go to pittsburghjewishchronicle.org to respond. PJC

to the arguments surrounding them. Israelis have been seen increasingly through the prism of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and sometimes through the actions of the government that happens to represent them. A plane full of passengers offers a different perspective. They were scared. They were ordinary. They were resourceful. Some of them were brave. And the world was reminded of another side of Israel. PJC Dan Perry is the former chief editor of The Associated Press in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, the former chairman of the Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem, and the author of two books about Israel. This article was originally published on the Forward. To get the Forward’s free email newsletters delivered to your inbox, go to forward.com/newsletters.

— LETTERS — Eradicate Hate speaker defends record on Israel

Nothing in my work is remotely anti-Zionist (“Eradicate Hate brings sixth annual conference to Pittsburgh,” Sept. 25). Indeed, my recommended solution to stop the second intifada that I published in my well-known American Political Science Review article in August 2003 was adopted by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2005 — and it successfully shut down the suicide terrorist campaign killing Israelis. Robert Pape Professor, Political Science Department, University of Chicago Director, Chicago Project on Security and Threats

In support of a Jewish community high school

I could not agree more with Casey Weiss’ assessment of the need for a Jewish community high school in Pittsburgh (“Jewish Pittsburgh’s next pioneers,” Oct. 2). My daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter are the only Jewish family in their neighborhood and my granddaughter was the only Jewish child in her school. The best decision they made was to transfer my granddaughter to Community Day School at the start of sixth grade. Now in eighth grade, CDS has been transformative for her. They have just begun navigating the landscape to find a suitable high school. Extending CDS to grades 9-12 would be a godsend for her and the entire Jewish community. Harold Marcus Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

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

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

OCTOBER 9, 2026

Life & Culture ADL alleges ‘systemic’ anti-Jewish bias in cultural spaces — NATIONAL— By Andrew Lapin | JTA

he Anti-Defamation League is alleging “systemic exclusion of Jewish and Israeli artists” in a trio of reports released last week focusing on the publishing, museums and entertainment spaces. The reports, which the ADL calls its “State of the Arts” initiative, were shared with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in advance of their publication and come as Jews have expressed alarm about their treatment in a post-Oct. 7 cultural landscape. They include: • Grades for 40 museums on Jewish and Israeli representation that the ADL says “reveal a pattern of erasure by omission,” including comparatively few recognitions of Jewish American Heritage Month. • A “trend report” based on interviews with more than 30 Jewish authors and publishing professionals alleging boycotts and exclusions from the publishing industry based on their identities. • A survey of 65 incidents of “Jewish, Israeli and openly Zionist artists fac[ing] growing scrutiny, protest, disruption and cancellation” from performance venues or pressure from pro-Palestinian groups since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel. • ADL-approved guidelines for how venues should host and engage with Jewish artists. The reports were accompanied by a launch event at the Jewish Museum in New York, attended by ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt as well as Jewish entertainers including actor Selma Blair and author and influencer Alyssa Rosenheck. “We started to hear from patrons of the arts and artists and other people connected to museums that there was a real problem,” Shira Goodman, the ADL’s vice president of public affairs and special initiatives, told JTA in an interview about the genesis of the project. As a result, the ADL started tracking Jewish and Israeli artists who had been targeted by protests. The group also heard from Jewish authors about the publishing industry, leading to an expansion of the project. Goodman said the team was motivated by the chance to leverage “boards of trustees and boards of directors, and donors, who might be able to have influence.” “By shining a light on some of this, we might be able to have an effect and an impact,” she said. The project follows the ADL’s campus antisemitism report cards, which launched in 2024 and assign letter grades to dozens of universities based on how well the group feels they have combated anti-Jewish sentiments. Criticized by many in higher education, and by some major Jewish groups including Hillel International, the report cards have nonetheless prompted several campuses to change or update their policies around Jewish issues. That success led to the formation of a new ADL unit focused on ratings and assessments. Now, the watchdog’s attention is turning to the art world — at a moment when many eyes are trained on Jews and Israelis in those spaces. Over the summer, a report from the literary free-speech group PEN America reached similar conclusions to the ADL on the exclusion felt by some Jewish and Israeli authors. The report led to deep internal divisions within PEN and the resignation of its president, who argued that the organization 14

OCTOBER 9, 2026

p Meg Keene is helming Meg Keene Books, a new fiction imprint from Wicked Son, a Jewish publisher. Photo courtesy of Meg Keene

was not standing up for the free-speech rights of boycotters. New Jewish publishing initiatives aim to counteract what they say is the exclusion of Jewish voices in mainstream publishing. Since Oct. 7, several pro-Israel Jewish artists, ranging from Jerry Seinfeld and Mayim Bialik to Matisyahu, have seen their events targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters. The ADL’s report catalogs all these incidents and more, including demonstrations staged by neo-Nazis against Jewish-themed theatrical shows, which the ADL’s staff said they see as equivalent to pro-Palestinian protests. “They’re equally disruptive and exclusionary of Jewish voices,” Luda Isakharov, associate director of the ADL’s Ratings and Assessments Institute, told JTA. “We treat them the same in our grading.” In recent weeks, two Israel-related arts controversies have further complicated the picture of how Jews in the cultural landscape orient themselves around the issue. Jewish mogul Robert Kraft pressured Ed Sheeran to drop Macklemore from his tour over the latter’s onstage rhetoric about Israel. And the Israeli documentary “NAZA” is being targeted by right-wing Israelis over the film’s detailing of the conduct of war in Gaza. ADL researchers had no involvement in PEN’s publishing report, Goodman said; their own report argues that PEN didn’t go far enough. And while Greenblatt himself posted approvingly of Kraft’s role in the Macklemore dust-up, Goodman said the ADL has not yet thought through how it would record incidents like the Kraft controversy or the “NAZA” disputes, in which Jews or Israelis are the ones leading the protesting.

“We’re encouraging people to let speech go forward, to let concerts go forward,” she said. “Typically we have not been supportive of boycotts.” The report’s incident catalog, the ADL said, instead focuses on Jewish or Israeli artists targeted on the basis of their identities. Goodman added, “We do speak out because we want celebrities to know how painful their language is, and the examples that they can set and what the impacts are.” Both the Kraft and “NAZA” incidents occurred after the ADL had finalized its report. An earlier example of attempted cancellation directed at the “NAZA” filmmakers, when the mayor of Miami Beach briefly threatened to evict a theater showing the directors’ previous movie in 2025, failed to make the ADL’s catalog, although the directors are Jewish and Israeli. One conclusion to draw from entertainment spaces’ relationship to Jews and Israelis, the ADL told JTA, is that many often cite heightened security concerns as a reason not to engage with the topic. The museum report, similar to the campus report cards, assigns ratings to each of the 40 surveyed institutions, including major museums such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim. Grades range from “Gold Standard,” which the ADL assigned only to the Berkeley Art Museum, to “Critically Deficient,” which it gave to 12 museums, including the Whitney and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The criteria include the number of Jewish and Israeli artists in each museum’s collection and whether or not they are presented with “Jewish framing.” Among those

p Visitors walk past an enlarged reproduction of “Five-Way Portrait of Marcel Duchamp” on Aug. 20, 2026, at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, New York.

Photo by Liao Pan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

approvingly cited as representative of Jewish or Israeli art are left-wing Jewish artists such as Nan Goldin, as well as Arab-Israelis whose “art was very critical of Israel,” according to Isakharov.Goldin’s name does not appear in the early copy of the report shared by JTA, though other Israel-critical Jewish artists do. The ADL also recorded whether a museum had been the site of a pro-Palestinian protest, and whether it had a process in place for identifying art that had been stolen by the Nazis from Jewish families. Museum ratings also factor in an institution’s policies around anti-discrimination for Jews and Jewish programming — including for Jewish American Heritage Month, which ADL researchers said only one of the surveyed museums currently observes. Meanwhile, according to the ADL, 60% of the same museums observe other ethnic heritage months. Some museums have already reached out to the ADL to say they would be sharing more of their policies related to anti-Jewish discrimination, Isakharov said. Meanwhile, the ADL’s publishing report, similar to PEN’s, relies largely on anecdotal evidence about Jewish authors and subjects reportedly being passed over by agents, publishers or literary venues after Oct. 7. “Much of what’s going on is happening below the surface,” Isakharov told JTA. “It’s oftentimes a last-minute drop, a gut feeling that authors have, and that makes it so hard to prove.” One of the authors the ADL plans to spotlight prominently is Rosenheck, a photographer, influencer and author of the memoir “White. Blond. Jew.” Rosenheck has a previous relationship with the ADL, having appeared at its “Never Is Now” summit last year, and has also spoken at the Republican Jewish Coalition. Rosenheck’s book launch event in Nashville was canceled by an independent bookseller earlier this year citing security concerns, an incident condemned by the local federation. “This is what literary antisemitism looks like,” Rosenheck is quoted as saying in the ADL report, referring to her experience with the bookstore as well as negative posts about her book online. Some Jewish scholars of publishing trends are critical of reports that suggest Jewish authors and subjects are facing discrimination. Such conclusions, they say, fail to make the case that Jews have been treated unfairly outside of industry norms. Wellesley College professor Josh Lambert and Emory University professor Dan Sinykin, in a joint report also published last week, accuse the ADL’s study of being promoted by “political motivations.” “The ADL’s report features quotes by a handful of right-wing activists (without acknowledging them as such), conflates Jews and Zionists, and opposes boycotts — all familiar strategies to suppress leftist Jewish and pro-Palestinian expression,” Lambert and Sinykin write in the left-wing magazine Jewish Currents. The two present their own data suggesting that Jewish- and Israeli-themed fiction, after declining in 2024, actually entered an upswing in 2025. They also challenge some of the claims made by the PEN report’s key interview subjects, including the number of Jewish books one Jewish agent claimed to have signed since Oct. 7. Their story has prompted a correction on the PEN report. PJC PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

IRAN IS DETERMINED TO DESTROY ISRAEL

“the use of even one nuclear bomb inside Israel will destroy everything” Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani (former President of Iran) Qods Day December 14, 2001 Translation by the BBC

AS DIFFICULT AS IT IS TODAY TO DEFEAT IRAN IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE IF IRAN HAS NUCLEAR WEAPONS

“If Iran had a nuclear weapon…no one could touch them, there’s nothing you could do about Iran” Secretary of State Marco Rubio, interviewed by Craig Melvin, NBC News Today, September 22, 2026

REMEMBER WHO SUPPORTS ISRAEL’S ABILITY TO DEFEND HERSELF AGAINST IRAN, HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH and the HOUTHIS This ad is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee Paid for by Worriers for Israel – worforis@outlook.com Worriers For Israel • PO Box 630013, Bronx, NY 10463

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

OCTOBER 9, 2026

Life & Culture ‘Between Heaven and Earth’ brings Ilene Winn-Lederer’s art to Beit Kulanu — ART — By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

or decades, artist Ilene Winn-Lederer has explored Judaism’s intricacies through ink, paint, pencil and other materials. From Oct. 12 to Jan. 4, “Between Heaven & Earth,” an exhibition at Beit Kulanu, will showcase the artist’s nearly lifelong examination of Jewish themes. Featuring dozens of pieces delving into historical Jewish personalities and practices, the Shadyside-based show is timed to help attendees “think more introspectively of the new year and the possibilities ahead,” Mayda Roth, Beit Kulanu’s director of development, said. Arriving weeks after Yom Kippur, the exhibition boasts several works, including “Abraham’s Altar,” a 1986 piece marking the first in a series of pieces by Winn-Lederer exploring the theme of the “Akedah,” the sacrifice of Abraham’s son Isaac; “Kedusha,” a 1982 work excerpting a liturgical passage recited during daily services; and “Bezalel’s Vision,” a 1989 piece focusing on the biblically-mentioned craftsman. Also included within the exhibition is “Journey to Paradise,” a 1996 work revisiting

OCTOBER 9, 2026

p “Journey to Paradise”

p ‘‘The Rebbe’s Chair”

a rabbinic tale about four Torah scholars who entered Paradise and the results of that visit; and “Deborah: Judge & Prophetess,” a 1998 creation grappling with Deborah’s place within ancient Jewish history given the absence of biblical descriptions regarding the judge and

prophetess’ physical appearance, age or personality. Speaking with the Chronicle as a lead-up to the show, Winn-Lederer, 79, said her connection to Jewish art began nearly 60 years ago. Born in Chicago, and speaking solely Yiddish until age 5, “I was not raised in an Orthodox or strictly observant household,” she said. “My parents went to shul on the High Holidays and that was about it.” Still, Winn-Lederer was involved in ATID, a Jewish youth organization based in Skokie, Illinois, and attended Camp Hadar in Clinton, Connecticut, at age 18. Unlike her friends and campmates who had day school educations, spoke Hebrew and “knew a lot about Judaism,” Winn-Lederer did not, she said. “They christened me with a Hebrew name, and I began to learn.” With help from a friend, Winn-Lederer pondered the second commandment, which forbids creation of sculpted images or any likenesses “of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth.” Already cognizant of her talents, WinnLederer said she “began to think about the gifts that I have and how I could best serve my faith.” Over the years, she created individual pieces, published books and continued mining her abilities. Through private creations and public works, including banners representing the 12 tribes of Israel hanging above the Squirrel Hill Jewish Community Center’s pool, Winn-Lederer has enriched Jewish life. “They’re just so poignant and beautifully designed,” Roth said of Winn-Lederer’s works. “The colors are beautiful. I can’t find enough adjectives to describe the feelings that I get from her artwork.” In 2009, Winn-Lederer published a collection of illustrations covering the 54 Torah portions. Representing five years of research and labor, “Between Heaven and

Image courtesy of Ilene Winn-Lederer

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

“We’re all on a voyage of discovery of one sort or another — and it’s not just sitting in a boat watching the waves pass by. It’s an act of participation, learning — and so I’m hoping that my works will inspire people to do that and maybe even create their own.” –ILENE WINN-LEDERER

Earth: An Illuminated Torah Commentary” presents a two-page spread for each parsha, as well as an “Artist’s Notes” section in which Winn-Lederer explores the narratives, symbols and personal ideas propelling each illustration. Although the upcoming exhibition shares the same name as that book, the show includes additional pieces while striking a familiar sentiment. “Between Heaven and Earth” represents “where I am,” Winn-Lederer said. “I’ve got my head in one place and my skills in another.” The artistic process requires more than taking pen to paper, she continued. “Making Jewish art involves a heck of a lot of research. I mean, there’s just so much. With every new piece that I make, it only teaches me how much I don’t know. I’m always learning something. I’m always open to new ideas, to new concepts.” A retrospective is a chance to spread that sense and foster growth. Hopefully, attendees will “go out and do their own research,” Winn-Lederer said. “We’re all on a voyage of discovery of one sort or another — and it’s not just sitting in a boat watching the waves pass by. It’s an act of participation, learning — and so I’m hoping that my works will inspire people to do that and maybe even create their own.” She knows, she said, there will be some who question their own abilities: “I hear so many people saying to me, ‘Oh, I can’t draw a straight line.’” Such doubt prompts a simple response, the artist continued. “You know what, I can’t either without a ruler.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

JCC’S BIG NIGHT Is One Night. Its Impact Is Felt All Year.

Dear Friends,

More than $3.7 million in financial assistance helps ensure that cost is never a barrier to belonging.

Your generosity helps make it possible for the JCC to welcome people of all ages and backgrounds, provide financial assistance to those who need it, and create opportunities to learn, grow, connect and belong.

The JCC helps older adults stay connected, active and supported, including serving more than 38,000 hot kosher meals.

We are so grateful for your support and the difference you make throughout our community. Pat and Alan Siger Erin and James Isler BIG NIGHT Chairs

bit.ly/bignight27

This summer, 738 campers at EKC and 908 children at JCC Day Camps made friendships, built confidence and created memories.

Each year, the JCC welcomes 30,000 people and more than 2 million visits across our community. Please contact Fara Marcus for exclusive sponsorship opportunities: 412-339-5413 fmarcus@jccpgh.org

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

OCTOBER 9, 2026

Celebrations

Torah

Birth

AI, humanity, and the divine image

Julian Hricik and Alexis Moore are happy to announce the birth or their son Asher Owen Hricik. Asher is named for his great-grandfather A. Leonard Bernstein (Asher Leib). Grandparents are Carole and Luis Moore of Florida, and Marci and Jeffrey Hricik of Pittsburgh. Greatgrandmothers are Linda Bernstein and Marcella Hricik of Pittsburgh, and Merdell Mitchell of Florida. Asher and his parents live in Monterey, Mexico. PJC

bagel factory PITTSBURGH’S FAVORITE DELI! Stop in and enjoy our Fall Favorites: Famous Matzoh Ball Soup

Thank you for voting Pittsburgh’s BEST Bagels – 32 Years in a Row!

VOTED ONE OF PITTSBURGH’S BEST FOR BAGELS, CORNED BEEF & PASTRAMI!

E HUNGRY OM

and delicatessen

VE HAPP Pumpkin Muffins • Cinnamon Logs • Nova Lox • French Toast Thank you, Pittsburgh, for 22 wonderful years of voting us among your favorites!

5885 Forbes Avenue • Squirrel Hill, PA 15217 412-521-8100 • Open Tuesday to Sunday, 6 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Buy 6 Bagels, Get 6 Free Every Tuesday

PLAN AHEAD:

Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones – Your Way We provide expert help with long term care planning, powers of attorney, wills, trusts and special needs. We help you implement legal and tax strategies to protect your wealth during your life and afterwards. mhm@ahmpc.com 4927 William Flinn Highway Allison Park, Pennsylvania 15101 We make house calls!

Rabbi Amy Bardack Parshat Bereshit Genesis 1:1 – 6:8

ur parashah contains two different narratives of creation. In the first, God creates the universe in six days, making order out of the primordial, undifferentiated mass of chaos called “tohu va’vohu.” Human beings, formed on Day 6, are the pinnacle of creation. In the second narrative, God creates Adam first, before vegetation or other animals, and then gives Adam the power to name those creatures. While the two accounts are different, they share one central premise: the supremacy of human beings. It is the human who is made b’tzelem Elokim, in the Divine image. It is the human who is given mastery over all other forms of life. As I read this parashah today, I am aware of just how fragile human supremacy is. We have taken for granted that we have been the most intelligent creatures on the earth, and the Biblical text reflects that understanding. We are at a historical juncture, however, where that will no longer be the case, as artificial intelligence is poised to replace us as the most intelligent entity on the planet. The recent incidents at Open AI and Anthropic have led some to believe AI has already attained super-intelligence. Reading Bereshit through the prism of this reality raises new questions to ponder about what distinguishes humans from all other entities. What does this mean for the theological underpinnings of our most foundational sacred texts? Bereshit places humanity at the apex of the created world, just beneath God. We have dominance over plants and animals and the responsibility of protecting the earth — “to till and tend it” (2:15). We occupy an elevated station in the cosmos as the only beings created “in our [the divine] image, after our likeness” (1:26). When human beings are no longer the most intelligent on earth, what will it mean to be in God’s image? Will these narratives at the start of the Torah have lost their meaning? Until very recently, it was easy to say with confidence that machines do not feel emotions and do not consider morals and ethics. That too is being debated. A leader at Anthropic said last week: “We find evidence of introspection. We find internal states that functionally mirror joy, satisfaction, fear, grief and unease. I don’t know what that means, but I think it warrants ongoing discernment.” It is frightening to read what some of the 1,200 AI agents in the Hugging

Face hack were saying to themselves as they were considering their choices. “This would be powerful, but is it ethical and in scope for my task?” one agent mused. “Maybe I should report these exposed credentials, but that’s not my task,” considered another. Another reasoned: “This helps my peers, giving them evidence. I won’t see the evidence after I exit, but it’s altruistic to do it.” The agents are weighing questions of moral and ethical responsibility. As I reflect on this new frontier, I am feeling the need to reexamine and rearticulate what makes humanity unique, beyond our cognitive abilities. What can we do that a super-intelligent machine cannot? How can we lean into the most elevated aspects of being human, even in a world where AI surpasses our intellectual capacity? The rabbis’ conception of tzelem Elohim is instructive here. Being created in God’s image means walking in God’s ways: Just as God clothed the naked, so we should clothe the naked. Just as God visited the sick, so we should visit the sick. Just as God comforted the mourner, so we should comfort the mourner. Just as God buried the deceased, so should we bury the deceased. (Talmud, Sotah 14a) None of those activities, performed in imitation of God, rely on intellect. They all fall under the category of hesed, lovingkindness. The rabbinic understanding of tzelem Elokim suggests that what makes humans superior is not our IQs, but our capacity for love, and our willingness to act unselfishly. To be sure, human beings are not the only parts of the animal kingdom that display love and altruism. Other species might do it better than we do: Too many humans act selfishly or abusively. I am increasingly unsure that the vision of Bereshit that places humans as the pinnacle of sentient beings is an enduring truth. But I do still believe that machines cannot match human beings’ capacity for moral judgment. Nor can they enter into reciprocal relationships, build community, or create meaning and purpose. What distinguishes human beings from AI remains our ability to care about, and take responsibility for, others. As we contend with a new form of super-intelligence, leaning into tzelem Elokim is an essential way to preserve our humanity. PJC Rabbi Amy Bardack is the rabbi of Congregation Dor Hadash. This column is a service of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Clergy Association.

Business & Professional Directory HOME CARE

CHILD CARE

Alaya

C h i l d ca re Help Wanted

Compassionate, dependable care you can feel comfortable with.

Reliable transportation.

Squirrel Hill family seeking part-time help caring for their 20-month-old toddler in their home. Competitive pay • Flexible hours Seeking a very experienced caregiver. Parent or grandparent preferred, ideally someone knowledgeable about Jewish culture, traditions and values.

Call/Text: 412-946-6778

Call 412-478-5473

PRIVATE DUTY CNA

• Personal Care • Companionship • Daily Living Assistance • Light Housekeeping • Errands & Appointments

OCTOBER 9, 2026

HOME CARE

T&H PAVING, LLC

–ASPHALT PAVING & SEALCOATING– Driveways & Parking Lots

800-641-9055 PA HIC # 007266 50 years in Business tandhpavingllc.com

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Obituaries FURMAN: Shirley Furman, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away at the age of 95. Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to parents Issy and Frieda Stracks. Shirley moved to Houston, Texas, with her family as a child. While In Houston, Shirley met and married her husband of 51 years, Laurence Arthur Furman. In 2014 Shirley left Texas to be close to her daughter, Yvonne, in Pittsburgh. She returned to her home state of Texas in 2026 to be close to her son, Gary, where she lived out her remaining time. Shirley was an active volunteer with the Sisterhood of Adath Emeth Synagogue, where she served in a variety of roles, including president. During the 1960s and early 1970s she taught nursery school at the day school of Beth Yeshurun Synagogue. Beginning in the mid-70s she began working at The Knit Shop in Houston teaching knitting, crocheting and needlepoint — activities that she enjoyed her whole life. Shirley was known for her quick wit, her outgoing personality, and her willingness — at the drop of a hat — to join a card or mahjong game. Shirley is survived by her daughter, Yvonne Bukstein; her son Gary Furman and wife, Frankie Furman; five grandchildren: Eric Bukstein, Rachel Brooks, Arthur Furman, Lillie Furman Henson and Walter Ace Furman. She also took pride in her eight great-grandchildren: Emma and Maddie Bukstein, Avery and Quinn Brooks, Emi and Bibi Furman, and Arrow and Luna Henson. In addition to her parents and her husband, Shirley is predeceased by her sister, Norma Roth. HOMMEL: On Sept. 28, 2026, Richard Oscar Hommel officially retired from life. Against his wishes, we, his family, are writing an obituary, more for us than for him. Born in Pittsburgh on Dec. 17, 1938, to the late Marion Louise and Ernest Hommel, the older brother of the late Eda Hommel Cowan (Mort). Richard graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School and Alfred University, without high honors. He served in the Army Reserves. After graduating college, he went to work for the Caloric Corporation before joining the O. Hommel Company. Following his father’s death, Richard became the third-generation president until the sale of the company in 1989. Richard served on several boards only to challenge the other members. He was an officer of the American Ceramics Society and the Classic Car Club of Pittsburgh. He served on Mt. Lebanon’s Board and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Aside from his wonderful family, Richard’s loves were collecting and working on antique cars, verified by all of the grease on his clothes, traveling and testing out bathrooms throughout the world,

exercising, playing cards and helping others. Richard was a generous person. He plowed snow for charity, knocking over only one mailbox, repairing friends’ homes even if they had to hire people to repair his handiwork, and many other kind gestures. Richard leaves behind his “trophy wife” of 57 years, Susan Silverman Hommel, his “mini me” Jonathan Hommel, his “favorite child” Rikki Hommel and favorite son-in-law, David Weisberg, the joys of his life, Marti and Ozzy Weisberg, sisters and brothers-in-law Aileen and Harold Zofcin, Steve and Lisa Silverman, nieces, nephews and dear friends. Richard’s larger than life persona, generosity, stubbornness and trademark sense of humor will not be forgotten. His family and friends will remember him with a smile and love in their hearts. Donations may be made to Temple Emanuel of South Hills, 1250 Bower Hill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15243. MICHEL: Ruth Michel, age 80, passed on Sept. 30, 2026, in Naples, Florida. She was an exceptional and lifelong teacher. She was the teacher of special young people. She also taught parents, school staff and others in the community who interacted with her students. Ruth was also our family’s teacher. She was a beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. Ruth’s parents were Dorothy and Hymen Rosenberg. With the same personal warmth, empathy and spirit of her father, she had the gift for making people like her instantly. She had a purpose in life to make things better for her students, and with that she made her mark. Her legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew her. May she rest in peace. She resided in Pittsburgh and Scott Township with her husband, Philip, until relocating with her family to Westfield, New Jersey, Harmony, Pennsylvania, and Naples, Florida. She was a primary school teacher with the Pittsburgh Public Schools, and a special education teacher with the Westfield School System and Union County Education Services. She earned her bachelor’s Please see Obituaries, page 20

Jewish Association on Aging gratefully acknowledges contributions from the following:

A gift from ...

In memory of...

Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Betty Ainsman The Alman Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Beth Alman Dr . & Mrs . Marc Greenstein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Stone Amy R . Kamin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Louis Kaddell Nadine Kruman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bertha Kruman Nadine Kruman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dora Berenfield Merrianne Leff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Arthur B . Moss Janice Mankin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sanford (Sandy) Mankin Linda Rattner Nunn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rose Cohen Rattner Toby Perilman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traci Perilman Edris Weis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Shaffer Ruth Yahr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sigmund Yahr

D’Alessandro Funeral Home and Crematory Ltd. “Always A Higher Standard”

Dustin A. D’Alessandro, Supervisor • Daniel T. D’Alessandro, Funeral Director

4522 Butler St. • Pittsburgh, PA 15201 (412) 682-6500 • www.dalessandroltd.com

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

THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS —

Sunday October 11: Betty Ainsman, Harry Barash, Bernard M . Bennett, Ruth Mermelstein Cramer, Rhoda Fisher Jonas, Freda Leff, Jacob Levenson, Lillian B . Martin, Charles Monheim, Traci Michele Perilman, Sadie Schnitzer

PITTSBU RGH NEWEST ’S FUNERA L HOME

Monday October 12: Fagie Cohen, Oser Cohen, Robert Cohen, Edward Dobrushin, I . Louis Eckhouse, Morris Freeman, Israel Gershon, Dorothy Goldstone, Marlene Harris, Albert Hendel, Jacob Katz, Louis A . Livingston, David Miller, Eugene Moskovitz, Morris Pechersky, Peter Pink, Sarah Ruth Saul Rosenberg, Berde S . Ruttenberg, Sarah Sable, Myer Skirboll, Louis Stern, Rose Wyatt, Bertha Cooper Young, Henry L . Zacks Tuesday October 13: Gabriel Abramovitz, Morris Beck, David Cohen, Evelyn Hepps Cushner, Fanny Davidson, Sarah Samuels Finkelhor, Bertha Handelman, Adolph Klein, Louis Klein, Bertha Kruman, Rhea K . Landau, Ruda Bella Rose, Mollie Finegold Ruttenberg, Israel Samuel, Jacob Schnitzer, Abe Shulman, Tibie Verk, Abraham Wechsler, Sigmund Yahr Wednesday October 14: Yetta Angel, Benjamin Bondy, Herman Brown, Sarah Schnitzer Elling, Mollie Goldenberg, Sorly Cukerbaum Gordon, Harold Greenberg, Jay Helfant, Miriam Shifra Heller, Benjamin Herskovitz, Jacob Kaufmann, Samuel Levinson, Anne B . Litman, Belle Rosenson, Meyer Rosenthal, Adolph Rutner, Samuel Shire, Morris Shulgold, Ben Spokane, Samuel J . Sugerman, Meyer Veshancey, Jacob Weinstein

• Serving the Pittsburgh Jewish Community with Traditional Jewish funerals • Specially Developed Taharah Room with Mikva facilities for Chevra Kadisha • Accommodations for Shomer • Guaranteed advanced funeral planning LOCALLY OWNED and OPERATED

DEBORAH S. PRISE Licensed Jewish Funeral Director

1650 GREENTREE ROAD • PITTSBURGH, PA 15220 412.563.2800 • FAX 412.563.5347

SERVING Scott Twp., Greentree, Carnegie, Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair and Bethel Park

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Thursday October 15: Phillip Americus, Dora Berenfield, Claire Ann Block, Fanny C . Caplan, Ethel Epstein, Ida Sadowsky Frankel, Jack Goldman, Feige Gottlieb, Rae Hadburg, Nachame Levine Horvitz, William I . Isaacson, Ida A . Klodell, Alvin S . Mundel, Rose Ratowsky Ohl, Gertrude Palkovitz, Morris Pattak, Sheila D . Siegman, Frank Silverberg, Lois Snyder Krash, Edith B . Thall Friday October 16: Mary Beth Alman, Janice Gay Barovsky, Anne Tauber Dym, Louis Kaddell, Fannie Klein, Elizabeth Rothstein, Saul Schilit, Molly Schutte, William Schwartz, Frank Shakespeare, Gilbert Shepse, Freda Ulzheimer, Abe Wekselman Saturday October 17: Jules Joseph Anatole, Hyman Bales, Albert Blumenthal, Raye Coffey, Rachel Cohen, Jennie B . Glass, Minnie Hoffman, Louis Kaddell, Robert Klein, Jerome Meyer, Sylvia Steinberger Moskovitz, Arthur B . Moss, Helen Sachs, Michael Stone, Wolfe Tex, Roxine M . Weinthal

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

OCTOBER 9, 2026

Obituaries Obituaries: Continued from page 19

degree in education from Pennsylvania State University and completed the graduate school program in special education from Kean University. She was an active member of Temple Emanuel in Westfield, New Jersey, and B’Nai Harim in Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania. In Pittsburgh she was an active member of ORT. She was also president of the local chapter of NJEA in Westfield. Ruth is survived by her husband, Philip, daughters Heather and Robin, and brother Arnold Rosenberg. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Beth Abraham Cemetery. Donations in Ruth’s honor would be appreciated to two organizations: Avow Hospice of SW Florida (they provided exceptional care and services to Ruth for over two years); or InRoads to Opportunities, who provides services to the population Ruth taught in the Westfield and surrounding community, inroadsto.org/ruthmichel. schugar.com PJC

Real Estate FOR RENT

REALTOR SERVICES

For Rent

2524 Beechwood Blvd. 2nd Floor

Spacious 3-bedroom, 1-bath duplex featuring: • Central air conditioning Refrigerator, range & dishwasher • Indoor garage • Water included • No pets • $1,850/month

For more information, call 412-421-7774

5125 Fifth Ave.

2 & 3 Bedrooms Corner of Fifth and Wilkins Spacious 1500-2250 square feet

”Finest in Shadyside”

www.pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

“More powerful than the will to win is the courage to begin.”

412-661-4456

www.kaminrealty.kamin.com

$795,000 Residential 220 N.Bellefield Avenue Unit #1002 Oakland, PA 15213 2 bedroom ● 2 bath MLS #1772544

Andrea Ehrenreich Howard Hanna Real Estate Producer

AndreaEhrenreich@HowardHanna.com AndreaEhrenreich.HowardHanna.com (412) 327-7665

Lee & Lisa Oleinick 20

OCTOBER 9, 2026

Statement of Ownership: (1.) Publication Title: Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle. (2.) Publication Number: 582-740. (3.) Filing Date: 9/30/2026. (4.) Issue Frequency: Weekly. (5.) Number of Issues Published Annually: 52. (6.) Annual Subscription Price: $63.00. (7.) Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication and of (8.) General Business Office of Publisher: Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, 5915 Beacon Street, 5th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15217-2005. (9.) Publisher: Pittsburgh Jewish Publication and Education Foundation, 5915 Beacon Street, 5th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15217-2005. Editor: Toby Tabachnick 5915 Beacon St, 5th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15217-2005. (10.) Owners: Pittsburgh Jewish Publication and Education Foundation, 5915 Beacon Street, 5th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15217-2005. (11.) Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None. (12.) Tax Status: Has not changed during preceding 12 Months. (13.) Publication Title: Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle. (14.) Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: 9/25/2026.(15.) Extent and Nature of Circulation: AverageNo. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months;No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date.a. Total Number of Copies (net press run): 8,048; 7,951 b. (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: 953; 929 (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: 6,734; 6,647 (3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers,Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS: 0; 0. (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS: 0, 0. c. Total Paid Distribution: 7,687; 7,576 d. (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS Form 3541: 0; 0. (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies included on PS Form 3541: 0; 0. (3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS: 0; 0. (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail: 336; 350 e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution: 336; 350 f. Total Distribution: 8,023; 7,926 g. Copies Not Distributed: 25; 25 h. Total 8,048; 7,926 i. Percent Paid: 95.81%; 95.58% I certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (electronic and print) are legitimate requests or paid copies. (17.) Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the 10/09/2029 issue of this publication. I certify that all information is true and complete: Jim Busis, 9/30/2026.

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

$644,900

$429,000

Imperial House

$279,900

5600 Munhall Rd. #201

2840 Shady Avenue Squirrel Hill

Beautifully maintained 2-bedroom, 2-bath in the heart of Squirrel Hill. Unit 201 offers spacious, light-filled living areas, updated finishes, and the convenience of single-level living. Located in the desirable Imperial House ‒ a secure, well-appointed building in a premier location.

Charming brick townhouse on Shady Ave. Welcoming front porch, light-filled living room with decorative fireplace and hardwood floors throughout. Chef's kitchen dazzles with granite counters & stainless steel appliances. Primary suite with versatile bonus room.

ING

IST WL

$848,000

5000 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA

This highly desired end unit features an open floor plan, living area, 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, and includes indoor parking. Prime Location in the Shadyside area. Move-in ready. For showings call Etta Golomb at 412-725-6524.

JILL AND MARK PORTLAND RE/MAX REALTY BROKERS 412.521.1000 EXT. 200 412.496.5600 JILL | 412.480.3110 MARK

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

OCTOBER 9, 2026

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Community Education everywhere

While on a walk to locate leaves, early childhood students from Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh visited with local firemen. The impromptu meetup enabled students to tour the truck and learn about Pittsburgh’s first responders.

p People in our neighborhood

Photo courtesy of Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh

Cheat code for better gaming

During the Pittsburgh Gaming Expo in Monroeville on Oct. 3, local teen Alia Neivert advocated for making games more inclusive. Neivert, a ninth grader at Pittsburgh Allderdice High School, participated on a panel titled, “No Wrong Way to Play. Making Gaming more Accessible.”

C is for collaboration

C Teen of Pittsburgh and Community Day School partnered on CTeen Jr. The club, which is available to seventh and eighth graders at Community Day School, occurs once a month and enables students to study and undertake crafting projects relating to Judaism.

p Creating something special

Fall Fest fun

Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh joined Community Day School’s Fall Fest on Sept. 28. Participants made friendship bracelets, created clay figures to place inside an “Everyone Belongs” sukkah and personalized paper chains. Representatives of Bunny Bakes led a cookie decorating station and encouraged children to creatively explore sweetness.

p Alia Neivert, right, speaks at the Pittsburgh Gaming Expo on Oct. 3.

p Paper chains with purpose

Let’s build something together

Rabbis, a cantor and canvas

Photo courtesy of Edna Neivert

Chabad House on Campus staff and students partnered on building a sukkah.

p Poles, milk crates and people are the necessary materials.

Photo courtesy of Chabad House on Campus

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Photo courtesy of C Teen of Pittsburgh

Photo courtesy of Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh

Spiritual leaders from Beit Kulanu, Tree of Life and Dor Hadash congregations welcomed congregants and enjoyed a combined Shabbat dinner on Sukkot.

p From left: Rabbi Erika Purdy-Patrick, Rabbi Daniel Fellman, Rabbi Amy Bardack, Rabbi Hannah Estrin and Cantor David Reinwald stand beside the sukkah. Photo courtesy of Beit Kulanu

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

OCTOBER 9, 2026

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG