onist organization Not On Our Dime. The proposed referendum was challenged by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, the Beacon Coalition and StandWithUs, and separately by City Controller Rachael Heisler. The mayor, however, did not formally challenge the referendum.
Speaking publicly for the first time about the referendum — which failed when Not On Our Dime stipulated it did not have enough valid signatures to get on the ballot — Gainey said he consulted the city’s law department, which assured him that the question would not get on the ballot and that such a referendum could not be enforced, "because it would violate and hurt us in regards to the business we have to do in the community and it would prevent us from doing business with a lot of different people."
than 250 others. The statement also failed to mention the surge of antisemitism in Pittsburgh and globally, and its final paragraph suggested a call for an arms embargo against the Jewish state.
“If the letter was presented to me again, what would I do?” Gainey said. “I would make sure that I talk to people that I have relationships with and discover exactly what’s wrong with the wording.”
During the hour-long question-and-answer session, Gainey often played up his Pittsburgh roots and compassion for all of the city’s residents.
He began by saying that public safety has improved under his leadership. Homicides, he said, are down 33%. Non-fatal shootings are
By Adam Reinherz | Senior Sta Writer
There’s no shortage of insights offered at the seder. This year, though, Pittsburgh’s spiritual leaders have one suggestion: Be more deliberate.
Holiday preparations differ, but as reality sets in that Passover is here, “we will have to address how we are going to celebrate,” Cantor Rena Shapiro, of Beth Samuel Jewish Center in Ambridge, told the Chronicle.
Each week in Ambridge, Shapiro and her congregants sing and recite “special prayers for the hostages,” she said. “It’s always on our minds.”
As of April 8, 59 hostages — fewer than half are believed to be living — are estimated to still be in Gaza. By the time Passover arrives, those hostages will have spent more than 550 days in captivity.
With Pittsburghers taking to familiar tables, Shapiro hopes they remember sobering realities 6,000 miles away.
“Passover is all about redemption,” she said. “We will be praying fervently for it.”
Across the globe, Passover celebrants will recite “Next year in Jerusalem.” Despite the passage’s inclusion at the Haggadah’s end,
Medjool
Mayor Ed Gainey and Laura Cherner at a Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh Coffee and Conversations forum on April 2.
Photo by David Rullo
Four cups of wine raised to a good Passover. Photo by cottonbro studio via Pexels
Headlines
It would have been enough
By Tim Miller | Special to the Chronicle
As we gather around our seder tables, here are a few fun facts to consider while we celebrate our liberation.
Passover fireworks
The always vivid and somewhat shocking midrashim that imagine God donning tefillin or conscientiously adding decorative crowns to the Hebrew letters are matched by a similar story surrounding Passover. According to the Zohar, “On the night of Passover, while Jews around the world read from the Haggadah, God gathers His household together, and says, ‘Come and listen to the recital of My praises as My children rejoice in their redemption from slavery in Egypt.’ And all of heaven assembles and hears Israel praise God for all the miracles He had performed.”
Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern writes that in early 19th-century Belorussia, the Christian authorities complained that the Jews among them were “extremely noisy during Passover, arranging fireworks and shooting their rifles in celebration of their redemption from Egyptian bondage.”
One wonders if there isn’t a midrash somewhere in which God has some fireworks on hand, too.
Sumptuous Haggadot
Historians have written of the gorgeously illustrated Haggadot that began appearing in Europe during the Middle Ages. Overcoming the usual reticence when it came to depicting figures from the Bible (see the second commandment), wealthy patrons suddenly vied among themselves for the most sumptuous Haggadah.
From Spain to Germany, Simon Schama writes, “it was through the Passover Haggadah that the Jews took back their sense of who they were … it was no coincidence then that it was exactly at the time they were
most hard-pressed by conversionary c ampaigns, urban slaughters and rabid paranoia, that they responded with their own imagery.”
Constantly hounded with sermons and imagery surrounding the life and death of Jesus, suddenly Haggadot were unafraid to celebrate, in full illumination, the life of Moses, the story of Joseph, or the revelation at Sinai.
Passover charity
The dietary requirements of Passover can be especially challenging for many people. One report from eastern Europe in the late 19th century stresses the Jewish need for assistance, “particularly during the Passover week.” And so it is no surprise that this holiday has a long tradition of charity behind it. In his classic study on the Hasidic community of Williamsburg, Solomon Poll writes that, “The author himself witnessed how, when an immigrant family moved into their new apartment around Passover, the organization sent fifty pounds of potatoes, ten dozen eggs, eight pounds of
matzah, one basket of apples, one can of oil, and a big carton full of vegetables to the apartment before the family arrived.”
From the wonderful archives of the Bintel Brief, there is a brief note from a recent immigrant to New York from Russia in 1906. It took him three weeks, he says, but he finally found a job that pays $8 a week. Now that he has a little bit of money he asks, “Shall I send my father a few dollars for Passover, or should I keep the little money for myself?” While he worries that he may be out of a job soon, he is advised that even the pittance he makes in America is easier to come by than for “his blind father in Russia.”
Passover during war
Passover was observed by Jewish soldiers serving on both sides of the American Civil War. During 1862, Confederate Jews got their matzah and kosher beef in Charleston, while their northern counterparts, stationed in West Virginia, received their requisite supplies from Cincinnati. As one Union soldier wrote after the war, “There is no occasion in my life that gives me more pleasure and satisfaction than when I remember the celebration of Passover of 1862.”
Eighty years later, the Jewish Welfare Board supplied American Jews serving overseas during World War II with prayer books and kosher food for soldiers and chaplains whether Orthodox, Conservative or Reform. As Jonathan Sarna writes, in 1945 the JWB also organized “a memorable Passover seder held in the abandoned castle of Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels.”
Only three years earlier, in 1942, Samuel Puterman wrote of Passover in the Warsaw Ghetto. When thousands were dying and being replaced by new arrivals soon to perish themselves, Puterman writes that, “Mechanically, they repeat the words of the Haggadah. What do they care about the fate of their brothers thousands of years ago? Just last year there was a father, a mother, brothers, sisters, husbands. The Traubes take their tablecloth, still spotlessly
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white, large enough for twenty-four guests, and fold it in half.”
In one of her memoirs, Anne Roiphe recalls an Auschwitz survivor she met, Anna Ornstein, who said: “Each Passover I write another short story to be read at the table about my experiences in the camp. I want the children to know. Numbness is the danger; talking about, feeling it, that is part of the healing.”
Rarely is there a better stage for talking and feeling (and eating and drinking), for expounding on the deep past and the closer distance of our own lifetimes to the listening ears of the next generation, than Passover.
The Israelite difference
Among his many lucid comments on Passover, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks put it quite simply: “We will understand more of Judaism the more we know about what it was a reaction against.” In this vein, it has been pointed out how much of the surviving literature from ancient Egypt focuses on the afterlife while the Tanakh has very little to say about it at all.
Ancient Egypt is usually characterized as being obsessed with death, when in reality it was obsessed (an important distinction) with the afterlife, and whether it developed as a specific reaction against Egyptian mores or not, Jews have almost always been obsessed with life itself, here and now. And when it comes to Passover, we see this more clearly than ever: Rather mourning the generation that left Egypt, and instead of surrounding them with prayers and imagining an elaborate afterlife for them, we are instead instructed to imagine ourselves among that generation. As the Talmud later put it: “Every person in every generation must regard himself as having been personally freed from Egypt.” PJC
Tim Miller is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.
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p The Exodus from Egypt, 1907
Providence Lithograph Company, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Teens discuss antisemitism and create community at pop-up program
— LOCAL —
By Adam Reinherz | Senior Sta Writer
Local teens created community by swapping stories about antisemitism.
Seated inside Rodef Shalom Congregation’s Aaron Court, nearly a dozen Jewish students from several institutions, including Commonwealth Charter Academy, The Ellis School, Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh, North Allegheny Senior High School and Pittsburgh Allderdice High School, described efforts to boost Jewish morale despite countless pressures.
The April 3 event, which was organized by Ellis 12th grader Ella Greenfield and supported by StandWithUs and Classrooms Without Borders, offered teens a forum for discussing antagonistic online posts, social isolation and lack of educator support.
But more than providing adolescents a place to voice frustration, the program’s objective was to build a network and foster pride, Greenfield told the Chronicle.
“I think in some cases, it might be hard for people who don’t have such a strong Jewish community in their neighborhoods or in their schools to do that,” she said. “By bringing them here, they can.”
for informal dialogue,
posed a series of questions and
High School Manager Michelle Waksman to craft the program. Apart from seating students around a table
Greenfield
corner of Aaron Court, was a prompt asking whether students have seen or experienced more antisemitism “in school or out.” Responses on the Post-it notes ranged.
social media and vandalism…my house got vandalized.” At the bottom of the sheet was
Hillel JUC CEO and executive director Dan Marcus, center, speaks with students on April 3.
Photo by Adam Reinherz
Headlines
Deluzio calls for renewed peace efforts after visiting sites devastated by Hamas attacks
By Toby Tabachnick | Editor
Rep. Chris Deluzio returned from his recent trip to Israel hoping for a secure future for both Israelis and Palestinians, but he doesn’t envision that future to include Hamas.
“I remain convinced that it is in our national interest to have a secure and free Israel, much as it is in our interest to have security and stability for the Palestinians,” said Deluzio, a Democrat who represents Pennsylvania’s 17th congressional district. “I think it’s been fascinating to see Gazans rising up in the last week or so against Hamas. And I think Hamas’ continued persistence to carry on this fight is the principal roadblock to peace and sovereignty for Israelis and Palestinians alike. … I cannot fathom a future where Hamas remains in control in any meaningful way in Gaza where that can happen.”
Deluzio traveled to Israel from Feb. 16-21 on a trip organized by J Street’s Len Hill Education Travel Program, led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut — the most senior Democrat on the House appropriations committee — and accompanied by
Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street. Other members of Congress on the trip included Andrea Salinas of Oregon, Sylvia Garcia of Texas, Eric Sorensen of Illinois and Jim Himes of Connecticut.
Deluzio last visited the Jewish state in the summer of 2023 — a couple months before Hamas’ Oct. 7 invasion of Israel, which launched the current war — along with 23
other members of Congress on a trip organized by the American Israel Education Foundation, a charitable organization affiliated with AIPAC. The trip was led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland.
At the time, Deluzio, whose district encompasses all of Beaver County and
parts of Allegheny County, including Mt. Lebanon and Ross Township, said the trip gave him insight on “the road — however rocky — to lasting security and peace of two states, side by side.”
This time, Deluzio and his colleagues toured a country in the midst of crisis, visiting locations that were devasted by Hamas terrorists, including Kibbutz Kfar Aza and the Nova music festival site. They also met with families of hostages.
“Look, it’s easy to observe from afar what the trauma of Oct. 7 might be, but it’s something altogether different to feel the gravity and the weight of that trauma, to hear from families who have borne so much of the suffering, and that is not something I think I could experience in a way other than seeing it,” Deluzio said.
The representatives also met with highlevel political leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and some of the leaders of Israeli opposition parties, Deluzio said.
The most recent ceasefire, which began on Jan. 19, was still in effect when the congressional cohort toured the country, but
see Deluzio, page 13
p Rep. Chris Deluzio at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem
Photo courtesy of JStreet.org
Federal funding cuts could hurt JFCS food pantry
By Abigail Hakas | Special to the Chronicle
Jewish Family and Community Services’ Squirrel Hill Food Pantry, one of the only local food pantries providing kosher and halal food, is facing threats of increased costs and fewer options after federal funding cuts.
It’s another hit to the nonprofit social services organization after it received a stop work order for its resettlement program, one of many sent to agencies across the country, earlier this year.
The 25-year-old pantry relies on a steady supply of shelf-stable milk, produce and other food from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, which estimates a loss of over 6 million pounds of food a year, 13% of its annual distribution, as a result of United States Department of Agriculture grant cuts.
Since July, the food pantry has gotten around 3,500 pounds of dairy and 7,000 pounds of fresh produce from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s USDAfunded supply, according to Jesse Sharrard, JFCS food pantry director. Most of JFCS’ food comes from the food bank.
The JFCS food pantry is one of more than 1,000 Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank partner organizations, and not the
only Jewish partner in Allegheny County.
The Aleph Institute is also a pantry partner, but the food bank’s Director of Government Affairs Colleen Young said partners have yet to see an impact.
“We have been working diligently to make sure that the cuts that we have experienced have not trickled down to our pantry partners,” she said. “
The USDA eliminated the $500 million
Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program that distributed local farm-grown food to food banks and paused $500 million in funding from the Emergency Food Assistance Program which provides food to low-income households.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is appealing the LFPA cut, but advocates are bracing for the impact of lost USDA funding on the people who need it most.
“They’re in line at the food pantry, and there’s less food to go around — all of these things are directly damaging and harmful to people who need help — and the bottom line is that those cuts are unnecessary,” said Ken Regal, executive director of the food justice nonprofit Just Harvest.
While JFCS pays for some food from the food bank, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank gives USDAfunded food to partners at no cost. Losing that funding means JFCS would have to start paying for food it used to get for free.
Sharrard can’t predict what will happen beyond increased costs, but he predicts the first items to go will be non-necessities that enhance meals, such as condiments and syrup for pancakes.
“As far as we’re concerned, we would have to start purchasing more — depending on how much more we would need to purchase and what the costs are — or it may mean that we would need to reconsider our inventory,” he said.
The pantry is already seeing increased demand.
Typically, between 350 and 400 households use the pantry every month, with higher rates over the holidays. But this year, the numbers didn’t drop after the holidays. Instead, the pantry is serving more than 400
Wishing you and your family a sweet and joyous Passover.
Photo courtesy of Allie Reefer
Headlines
Free Store run by Gisele Fetterman vandalized with anti-Israel banner
By David Rullo | Senior Sta Writer
Gisele Barreto Fetterman said it was her children who first noticed the banner draped over the side of the Free Store 15104, in Braddock.
Painted on a gray handmade sign were the words “Genocide John Genocide Gisele Blood On Your Hands.”
“My children saw that as I was driving them to school,” Fetterman said. “Unfortunately, my kids have gotten used to this. My daughter has been yelled at, at Ulta. My youngest was yelled at, at Target. This has become our life.”
According to Fetterman, the banner had bricks placed under and over it, which would have fallen on anyone attempting to remove the sign from below.
While the vitriol has become expected over the last 18 months — Fetterman’s husband is Sen. John Fetterman, a defender of Israel and the Jewish community — it represents a change of fortune for the family that had been darlings of the progressive community.
John Fetterman is a former lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania and served as the mayor of Braddock before that. The Fettermans still live in the former steel town that has struggled to rebuild after the collapse of the steel industry.
Gisele Fetterman founded the Free Store in 2012. The store’s mission is to combat food and clothing insecurity in the community. She’s also the co-founder of 412 Food Rescue, which receives donated food from grocery stores and restaurants, and redistributes it to food banks and shelters.
She’s a firefighter in the community, as well. Neighbors in Braddock support the Free Store and its work, Gisele Fetterman said.
“Our volunteers are from the community,” she said. “We’re serving community members. We’re volunteers. We’ve been doing this for 14 years, hundreds and thousands of hours away from our families to serve the community.”
The banner isn’t the first time the Free Store has faced the ire of anti-Israel protesters, who target it because of the senator’s support for the Jewish state.
Gisele Fetterman said people have left vile messages on the store’s social media accounts.
“They protested at my home last year,” she said. “It was organized by the Thomas Metron Center, who receives foundation funding in Pittsburgh. They spent two-and-a-half hours outside my house with bullhorns while my children were inside.”
In a joint statement the Jewish Federations of Greater Pittsburgh, Greater Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley and Greater Harrisburg, and the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition condemned the act.
“Targeting individuals or businesses because they support Israel is antisemitism — plain and simple,” the statement read. It called the accusation that Fetterman has blood on her hands a “baseless and malicious act” that harms vulnerable individuals who rely on the Free Store’s services “and does nothing to support the
Palestinian people in Gaza.”
“The harassment directed at Senator Fetterman and his family — at their home and offices — since Oct. 7 is equally unacceptable,” it concludes.
For the senator’s wife, it’s indicative of the state of the world. She bemoans the fact that people can’t separate the work and politics of a U.S. senator and his family who aspire to better their community.
“I think that you’ve seen it on a national stage,” she said. “I think it’s why we have the leadership we have now, because of this kind of behavior. I feel very sad about it.”
For his part, the senator took to X, formerly Twitter, to voice his frustration.
“People defaced the FreeStore in Braddock last night,” he wrote. “Since 10/7/23 I’m used to the vandalism at our home or my office. But Gisele and volunteers distribute food, clothing and formula at no cost to our community — and they shouldn’t have to put up with this.”
Gisele Fetterman said she reported the incident to U.S Capitol Police, who she said work locally, and also to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
Anyone who notices suspicious activity is urged to report it to the Federation at jewishpgh.org/form/incident-report. PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
oliday bring or , s reng h, i h ha your ll unfolding in iful ways minds us tha arkes o times, re possible.
Vandals hung a derogatory banner targeting Gisele and Sen. John Fetterman outside of the Free Store in Braddock.
Photo courtesy of Gisele Fetterman
Headlines
ADL upgrades 19 colleges’ antisemitism ‘grades,’ as some enact new policies
The letter grades that the Anti-Defamation League has issued to campuses on their response to antisemitism are showing signs of growing influence: The group announced that several schools have adopted new policies to improve their grades in the month since this year’s report was released, JTA reported.
The ADL also said it upped grades for 19 of the 135 schools it assessed this year, including Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University and the University of Southern California. Ten of those schools implemented new policies in the last month, while the other nine made the Jewish anti-bigotry group aware of existing policies that had not factored into the initial grades.
The University of Pittsburgh was upgraded from a “D” to a “C.”
The ADL’s report cards, now in their second year, remain controversial among Jews on campus for using rubrics that critics argue fail to take the totality of Jewish student life into account and unfairly penalize schools when antisemitic incidents take place, rather than focusing on how the campus responds to them.
At the same time, many schools are paying close attention to them: The ADL says that 84% of all the colleges it graded “engaged” with the group on their grades.
The new policies some schools adopted to boost their grades include:
Forming new committees and advisory councils on antisemitism and Jewish life (Purdue University, University of Georgia and the University of South Florida, among others)
Implementing bans on masked protests (Tulane University)
Launching Jewish alumni groups (University of Pittsburgh, Tulane, University of California Santa Barbara)
Incorporating antisemitism into anti-discrimination training and policies (American University and San Diego State University, among others)
None of the ADL’s revised grades take into account the latest development on campus: pro-Palestinian student protesters being arrested by immigration officials and threatened with deportation. Hillel International’s CEO released a statement last week expressing concern over the deportation effort.
Sotheby’s to auction earliest known kiddush cup
A kiddush cup that may have been passed around the Friday night dinner table during the reign of Ghengis Khan will be available for auction this fall, JTA reported.
The rare remnant of the Silk Road, the ancient Asian trading route that was home to vibrant Jewish communities, is the oldest known Jewish artifact from the Middle Ages, according to Sotheby’s, which will put it on the auction block.
It is dated to the 11th or 12th century, a time when the Jews of Europe faced mass expulsion, exile and massacres during the era of the Crusades. Its inscription, which includes both Hebrew and Arabic, names its Jewish owner as “Simcha son of Salman.”
Today in Israeli History
Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.
April 11, 2002 — Powell visits to negotiate ceasefire
In Madrid, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell calls for an immediate IsraeliPalestinian ceasefire, then flies to the Middle East to meet individually with the leaders of Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
April 12, 1971 — Singing soccer star Eyal Golan is born Eyal Golan, a 17-year pro soccer player who becomes one of Israel’s most successful Mizrahi singers, is born in Rehovot. He releases his first album, “Whisper in the Night,” during his playing career in 1995.
April 13, 2004 — Hapoel Jerusalem wins basketball EuroCup Hapoel Jerusalem defeats Real Madrid, 83-72, to win Europe’s No. 2 club basketball championship, the EuroCup. Combined with Maccabi Tel Aviv’s EuroLeague championship, Israel holds both of Europe’s major basketball titles.
Prussia’s Wilhelm I, expanding across the country the civil and political rights granted to Jews in some German states in 1869. But emancipation inspires more virulent antisemitism.
April 15, 1945 — Bergen-Belsen is liberated
The British 11th Armored Division liberates the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where the Nazis killed an estimated 50,000 Jews and others, including Anne Frank, in the final two years of World War II.
April 16, 2007 — Jewish writers gather from around world
Organized by Aharon Appelfeld and Natan Sharansky, the first Kisufim conference for Jewish writers around the world opens in Jerusalem. Sessions are held in 10 languages,including Russian and Serbian.
By Bernard Gotfryd,
The Arabic inscriptions on the kiddush cup, which would have been used for the blessing over wine at Shabbat meals, include a series of blessings for Simcha.
The kiddush cup, which has an estimated value of between $3 million to $5 million, will be auctioned in New York on Oct. 29. Dubbed the “Cup of Joy,” it will go on display for the public at Sotheby’s in London from April 25 to 29.
Western Wall prayer notes extracted ahead of Passover
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, oversaw the annual extraction of prayer notes, which will be buried alongside disposed sacred writings according to Jewish customs, JNS reported.
Since Rosh Hashanah, tens of thousands of notes were put into the Wall — both from the Jewish state and around the world — including from IDF soldiers, wounded troops, bereaved families and families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
“What stood out this year were notes sent to the foundation’s website by citizens of countries hostile to Israel, including Iran, Yemen, Iraq, Qatar, Lebanon, Pakistan, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt, Kazakhstan and more,” according to a pre-Passover statement issued last week.
“These notes contained heartfelt requests for peace, reconciliation and the building of connections between nations and peoples,” it revealed.
The Ben of Ben & Jerry’s is asking Unilever to let his ice cream brand go
In the latest bid to cleave Ben & Jerry’s
from its parent company, Unilever, co-founder Ben Cohen is attempting to buy it back, JTA reported.
Cohen is making moves to gather investors for a potential buy-back, according to the Wall Street Journal, a step that would sever ties with Unilever 25 years after it bought the Vermont ice cream brand — and following a churning, yearslong battle centered on Israel.
The move is the latest in a saga of icy relations between the Jewish-founded creamery and Unilever. In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s announced that it would stop selling in “Occupied Palestinian Territory” — a boycott of West Bank settlements that prompted an outcry among many Jewish groups and a spate of legal challenges in states with legislation against Israel boycotts.
Cohen and co-founder Jerry Greenfield called the accusation of antisemitism following the announcement “painful” and “absurd.”
About a year after the announcement, Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever reached a deal to continue selling their pints in Israel and the West Bank. But Ben & Jerry’s later came out against the decision, writing in a post on X that selling their products in Israeli settlements was “inconsistent with Ben & Jerry’s values.”
Cohen’s action comes one year after Unilever announced that it would spin off Ben & Jerry’s along with its other ice cream brands. But Unilever has rebuffed Cohen’s efforts, saying that it would not sell Ben & Jerry’s as a stand-alone business, according to the Wall Street Journal. PJC
— Compiled by Toby Tabachnick
April 14, 1871 — German unification leads to emancipation Germany is established as an empire under
April 17, 1954 — Nasser is named Egypt’s premier Gamal Abdel Nasser, a leader of the military uprising in 1952, is appointed Egypt’s prime minister. Nasser becomes president under a new constitution in 1956 and fights wars against Israel in 1956 and 1967. PJC
STORE HOURS:
APRIL 14
APRIL 15 • 8 A.M.-6 P.M. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16 • 8 A.M.-6 P.M.
APRIL 17 • 8 A.M.-8 P.M. FRIDAY, APRIL 18 • 8 A.M.-6 P.M. SUNDAY, APRIL 20 • CLOSED MONDAY, APRIL 21 • BACK TO NORMAL HOURS 8 A.M.-6 P.M.
p Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club was founded in 1935 and began playing in Israel’s top professional league in 1955.
p Aharon Appelfeld, shown in the 1980s, was one of the organizers of the first international Jewish writers conference in Jerusalem.
U.S. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Headlines
Mayor:
Continued from page 1
down 45% and there were no homicides in 2024 involving children between the age of 13 and 17.
For the first time in 20 years, the mayor said, a police contract was signed that included a disciplinary matrix and included a pay raise without arbitration.
Touting his work on affordable housing, Gainey said the city secured a $30 million affordable housing bond through the Urban Redevelopment Authority, dedicated $37 million to affordable housing and is slated to build more than 1,400 affordable housing units. He also pointed to OwnPGH, a program that he said has taken renters and turned them into homeowners, 80% of whom are women.
Asked about the danger of inflation, Gainey said his administration has been “laser focused” on housing, which he said has gotten too expensive.
Turning to concerns over infrastructure, the mayor recalled the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge early in his term. The Bridge Asset Management Program was created as a result, he said, noting that while some bridges have been closed, none that are open are in failing condition.
from the mayor and his supporters, he also called out O’Connor for donations he has received, including what Gainey dubbed “MAGA money.”
The city, Gainey said, has also invested in vehicles, something not done in nearly 15 years.
He said that the city, particularly downtown, “was on fire" when he came into office, and that he worked with Innamorato to develop a plan to reimagine the neighborhood.
Gainey pointed to the $600 million committed by Gov. Josh Shapiro which, he said, will be reinvested downtown over the next decade. He also spoke of partnerships with both the business community and the Cultural District.
He also denounced proposed changes to Social Security by the federal government.
Leaders:
Continued from page 1
Congregation Beth Shalom’s Rabbi Seth Adelson wants Pittsburghers to consider the Jewish state, and wider region, earlier in the evening.
“On this festival of freedom, the most important things we should keep in mind are bringing the hostages home and bringing freedom to the people of Gaza who are held captive to the tyrannical reign of Hamas,” he said. Whether by breaking the middle matzah, spilling wine or opening the door for Elijah, the seder affords multiple ways to invoke memory and conversation. Pittsburghers should add one more practice this year, Adelson said.
“Place a yellow flower on the seder table, and make note of it when you open the Maggid section with, ‘Kol dikhfin yeitei veyeikhul (let all who are hungry come and eat),’” he said. “As I am sure many of us discuss current events around the table, it might be worth actively reflecting on what it will take for real peace to blossom in the Middle East, not merely ceasefire.”
Rodef Shalom Congregation’s Rabbi Sharyn Henry said that as the holiday approaches a long-held teaching remains top of mind.
“There is a midrash,” Henry recalled, “where the angels are celebrating when the Egyptians were drowning, and God says, ‘Why are you rejoicing? Those are my people, too.’”
For Henry, that midrash is particularly instructive.
“I don’t think it’s possible to think about Passover this year, and freedom, without thinking about all the people that are suffering and drowning,” she said.
With so many individuals in distress, “it’s hard to be totally rejoicing,” she continued. “I’m glad that the Haggadah reminds us to [consider] that.”
For his part, O’Connor spent much of the time deriding the lack of vision from the mayor and his administration and suggesting alternative ideas for the city.
Like Gainey, the mayoral hopeful said the city needs more affordable housing, especially for seniors. Pittsburgh, he said, needs approximately 15,000 market rate units, and he asked why the city isn’t making use of the 11,000 vacant lots it owns.
“We are not growing fast enough to accommodate people so that we can keep Pittsburgh affordable,” he said.
O’Connor bemoaned the city’s public transportation infrastructure and Gainey’s focus on
Rabbi Yisroel Altein, director of Chabad of Squirrel Hill, is directing Pittsburghers to heed the holiday’s character this year.
Passover begins Saturday night April 12. Preceded by Shabbat, the seder offers a unique lesson, Altein said.
Often, people associate Shabbat with negativity — Jewish law counts 39 categories of work prohibited on the Sabbath — but in lieu of seeing the day as a period of restriction, its primary function is to be a “day of rest,” Altein said. “This is a positive,” as Shabbat presents opportunities to contemplate holy thoughts, spend time with family and “be in a positive space.”
With the seder slated for Saturday night, a buoyant mindset should be pervasive.
As the Haggadah implores readers to remember they are no longer slaves in Egypt, Altein suggests that people “look at it as a positive. What am I? What is my identity?”
Some Jews see themselves through others’ eyes, but that perversion, he said, often occurs when people view themselves as subjects of scorn and persecution. “Rather than the antisemite giving me my identity, maybe it’s time for us to think of God. He took us out of Egypt to make us a people, to give us the Torah. A lot of times we forget that following the words ‘Let my people go’ are the words ‘so they may celebrate a festival for me in the wilderness.’”
The conclusion of the biblical verse is a reminder that the Exodus occurred “so we can become the Jewish people,” Altein said. Passover this year, like Shabbat, begs the question, “What does it mean to be a Jew?” Hopefully, the answer is found in “not what I’m not, but what I am.”
Heading into the holiday, Rabbi Aaron Meyer, of Temple Emanuel of South Hills, has heard from congregants and community members a “tremendous sense of swirling uncertainty about the world we live in.”
especially the Boulevard of the Allies and Smithfield Street.
Rather than applaud the public safety numbers presented by Gainey, O’Connor said the lack of a police chief and revolving leadership in the department “is an absolute joke.”
“If you want to make it more vibrant, if you want to get more people down there, you have to have patrols where people are present,” he said. “We don’t do any of that.”
About 31,000 police calls originated from downtown, he said.
Switching topics, O’Connor said Pittsburgh needs a leader who will be vocal in the fight against antisemitism.
Asked about the Not On Our Dime referendum, O’Connor said it was important to stand against the ballot question, not only because
Whether those fears are spurred by economic, geopolitical or other factors, Meyer considers the research of Emory University psychology professor Robyn Fivush a salve.
“She refers to the oscillating family narrative as an idea that in every family’s story there are good times and bad times, and that by telling those stories, you build resilience in future generations,” Meyer said. “Passover, and the story contained within the Haggadah, is our people’s oscillating family narrative that helps us realize nothing is impossible.”
The present period is challenging, but “in times of duress, I think the Jewish community has a choice to make, a choice that happens unconsciously if we don’t confront it,” he said.
“When the going gets tough, do we lean in or do we lean out?” Meyer asked. “What I believe we need to be doing right now — no surprise to hear from a rabbi — is leaning into the Passover experience rather than trying to escape it, as temporarily comforting as that may feel.”
Rabbi Hindy Finman said she, too, hopes Pittsburghers embrace Passover traditions this year.
Specifically, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh’s senior director of Jewish life wants local residents to reconsider karpas, a ritual in which seder-goers eat a green vegetable dipped in saltwater.
Historically, saltwater has been said to represent the tears shed by ancient Israelites who were enslaved in Egypt.
Finman said a friend posited the briny dip could symbolize something different.
“We sometimes think of it as only tears of sadness, but what if karpas also became the placeholder for tears of joy,” Finman said.
Reinterpreting the ritual could go one step further, she continued. Karpas is associated with tears, but what if people considered tears shed
of its inherent antisemitism but also because of the restraints it would have placed on the city.
Questioned about his multiple endorsements of Summer Lee, who has introduced anti-Israeli legislation and exhibited anti-Israeli bias on social media, O’Connor said he endorsed her because she was a Democratic colleague.
“I don’t agree with the congressperson on a number of stances, but it doesn’t mean that I can’t have a working relationship with that individual,” he said. “We don’t agree on all things but eing in the same party, knowing that we have to partner, we have to, you know, work together in order to grow Pittsburgh. I will always work with the congressperson, the senators, state and local officials, because that’s how you move the city forward.”
Responding to Gainey’s attack about his donors, O’Connor said that the mayor took the same sort of donations that he did.
“This talk about MAGA money is a joke,” he said. “He took the same dollars I did and all of a sudden — I think it was last Friday before his press conference where he yelled at me saying I’m MAGA … after four years of holding somebody’s check, he returned one check. He is still taking money from people who donated to Donal Trump. This is all a political game. The mayor knows this.”
In closing, O’Connor said he has 11 years of experience at City Council and in the city controller’s office, and has a strategy and vision to turn the city around.
“I know how to turn water fountains on in our playgrounds,” he said. “I know how to focus on the basics that actually impact your lives … We have an amazing city, but we’re not focused on the right things.”
The primary election is Tuesday, May 20. PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
versus those withheld?
What if people cried “about the natural things in life, like parents aging — which is normal but hard and difficult — but my tears are all going towards these things that are essentially humancreated problems that didn’t nearly need to be created,” Finman asked.
Perhaps by beginning the seder with an acknowledgement of karpas and saying, “we don’t always get to choose why we’re crying and what’s causing us to cry,” it’s another expression of freedom, she said.
For Rabbi Yaier Lehrer, of Adat Shalom Synagogue, one of the main ideas of Passover is “remembering who we are and where we come from.”
“I think it’s important for us to recognize that and the rich tradition that we have sitting at our seders — certainly in the midst of the current climate of the world with regard to Jews,” he said. “Despite the fact that much of the rest of the world doesn’t want us around, we’re still here. And that’s in large part to our being able to carry on our tradition in the midst of conflict and hate.”
Strife isn’t always a foreign concept, as friction could even exist around Pittsburgh seder tables. Still, Lehrer hopes celebrants focus on “the things that brought us together,” he said. “We’re all there presumably to celebrate something Jewish. We’re all there to celebrate our history and who we are.”
Identifying differences is easy, he continued. “That’s what creates conflict. But if each of us, and if every one of us, no matter what, manages to embrace those things which bring us together, that could be a very pleasant experience.”
PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
Headlines
Chronicle nominated for 5 Golden Quill awards
Chronicle Senior Staff Writers Adam Reinherz and David Rullo, and freelance writer Justin Vellucci, are finalists for this year’s Golden Quill awards, an annual competition sponsored by the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania that recognizes professional excellence in journalism.
Teens:
Continued from page 5
one note reading, “In school, because outside social media, the main comments I’ve gotten are by my classmates. At school with no other Jews, I literally stand out.”
“The arc of the story is that we are a people of hope,” Dan Marcus, Hillel JUC executive director and CEO, told the students.
Invited by Greenfield, Marcus spoke to participants about the importance of “finding a place in college where you fit in.”
There’s no doubt challenges exist, Marcus said, but he implored the students to remember that “we are the people of hope.”
That message, Waksman said, rested at the heart of the gathering, which wasn’t just about bringing local Jewish students together but also a means for teens to find a “connection in their experiences and also feeling connected to Jewish pride and joy.”
Speaking with participants before the program’s close, Julie Paris, StandWithUs Mid-
Deluzio:
Continued from page 6
Deluzio said he was “not very optimistic of things holding, and I’m, of course, saddened that that proved correct.”
While he was there, the congressman said, he saw Hamas “parade hostages and coffins in pretty gruesome public displays.”
“I think the news of the Bibas children and family having their bodies returned — initially returned erroneously — also happened around when I was there and leaving,” he said. “And so the sense of, I think, despair and frustration with where this ceasefire was, the fact that there remain
Pantry:
Continued from page 7
households every month.
“A lot of the uptick is in returning clients,” Sharrard said. “Historically, not every client necessarily relies on our services every month. We see more and more of our clients in a situation where they are coming back on a monthly basis.”
Pantry users can receive a week’s supply of food in a premade bag once a month. Some demographics, however, can go into the pantry and select their own food, including people living in the 15217 ZIP code and kosher households.
And for those families keeping kosher
Reinherz is a finalist in the category History/ Culture for his story “Reporter’s Notebook: History, memory and responsibility lead to life in Auschwitz,” and in the category Profile for “Blind painter finds his way with
partnership and creation.”
Rullo is a finalist in the category Education for two stories: “After Oct. 7, antisemitism in high schools more subtle, less overt” and “Jewish students at Pitt’s School of Medicine face anti-Israel, antisemitic rhetoric.”
for “A daughter’s promise: 85 days quarantining in a nursing home.”
Winners will be announced during the annual Golden Quills dinner on Wednesday, May 28, at the Rivers Casino. PJC
Atlantic regional director, raised a question.
“If we don’t tell our story, who will tell it?”
Paris asked the students. “It’s a big lift, but
so many hostages, and a broader debate that was beginning to unfold of what could be a future in Gaza after Hamas — I think now, with the ceasefire ended, that seems so much more distant, even than it did then.”
One “key observation” Deluzio made during his visit to the Jewish state “had to do with the Iranians, who I think have long been and remain such a destabilizing influence in the Middle East. And that goes back even to my deployments to the region, when I was in uniform back in the early 2000s.”
Iranian proxies, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, have been weakened, he said. Assad has fallen in Syria and the Houthis
it can be even harder to get food on the table. Kosher foods are much less likely to be produced on the mass scale needed for surplus to end up in pantries, Regal said.
“It’s more expensive at the consumer level, so there are more burdens on a household budget,” Regal said. “And it’s not optional for our friends who follow kashrut, it’s not optional for people who follow halal rules. It’s a fundamental part of who they are.”
The pantry, open five days a week at 828 Hazelwood Ave., stocks long-lasting, staple food options: canned fruit and vegetables, cereal, boxed meals, rice and pasta. The pantry also provides household essentials such as soap, laundry detergent and pet food.
“We’re able to stock up on things like
Vellucci is a finalist in the category Lifestyle
praised its organizers.
that’s what we’re here for.”
Rabbi Meir Tabak, city director of Pittsburgh NCSY, attended the program and
are under siege. What impact that has on the region is yet to be seen.
“I think of the Iranians as being very diminished,” he said, adding that Iran has “done a lot to derail the peace agreements, or Abraham Accords, between Israelis and some of the Arab states. And so, what a diminished Iran might mean for getting them to the negotiating table to make sure that they never have a nuclear weapon — that has been a key takeaway for me thinking about where things are regionally.”
The congressman has been supportive of sending American military aid to Israel, but he also led an effort last May urging the Biden administration to find Israel not in compliance with U.S. aid law through “the
canned beans, dried beans, dried fruit, shelfstable milk and have these staples on hand in a way that helps us to make sure that we have the money available on an ongoing basis to purchase those other items that don’t fit in,” Sharrard said.
Since it receives USDA-funded shelfstable milk from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, the limited refrigerator space can be used for fresh produce also obtained through the food bank’s USDA funding.
If the pantry were no longer able to obtain shelf-stable milk, it would be difficult to provide the same quantity of milk that needs refrigeration, but Sharrard anticipates being able to purchase the shelf-stable milk with cuts elsewhere.
Toby Tabachnick
“A lot of teens in Pittsburgh seem to be very over — or kind of bombarded with — the whole topic of antisemitism and Israel,” he said. “They’re just very done with it, and there needs to be a way where we can make this a conversation that they want to have. This was a very good way. We need to get more kids coming to events like this.”
Loring, a 12th grader at Commonwealth Charter Academy and a Kenneth Leventhal High School Intern with StandWithUs, paused from speaking with a fellow teen to describe the program’s value.
“I think that the most important thing to find is community,” he told the Chronicle. “I think that when you’re alone and by yourself, it hurts you a little bit and it’s hard on you. But if you find your community and you find people to help, then people can help you get through what you’re going through, and then it makes it a lot easier.” PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid.”
After his recent trip to the Jewish state, Deluzio said he is committed to continue sending American military aid to Israel, but he also expects “our friends in Israel to follow U.S. law.”
“And I expect and hope that there can be some return to a brokered peace agreement in the short term that can lead to a longer term peace, even though we are now in a place where the ceasefire has failed,” he said. “I hope that there can be a framework similar to that, to get the remaining hostages returned.” PJC
Toby Tabachnick can be reached at ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
In a newsletter in late March, JFCS called on supporters to contact Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick and Mayor Ed Gainey to advocate for the USDA funding. Gainey did not respond to a request for comment.
“We step in so that people are able to keep going,” Sharrard said. “Food is the most basic of needs. If there’s less supply available to us through the assistance of the federal government, that doesn’t mean that the people who rely on us stop eating or need to eat less. That just means that we need to look more places in order to make sure that they can continue to be healthy.” PJC
Abigail Hakas is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.
p Students share stories at Rodef Shalom Congregation during an April 3 program created by Ella Greenfield, Zev Loring and local leaders.
Photo by Adam Reinherz
The Passover seder is a model for healing democracies in peril
in his 1941 book, “Escape From Freedom”: “Is there not also, perhaps, besides an innate desire for freedom, an instinctive wish for submission? If there is not, how can we account for the attraction which submission to a leader has for so many today?”
Revolutionaries throughout the ages have drawn strength from the story of Passover. As Michael Walzer brilliantly documents in his book “Exodus and Revolution,” the Israelites leaving Egypt inspired liberation movements and thinkers throughout history, from the French Revolution to the Puritans, and even Marx.
The African-American spiritual “Go Down Moses” and the inscription on the Liberty Bell — “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof,” quoting Leviticus — are just two well-known invocations of the Exodus as a call to freedom.
Moses and the Israelites steadfastly stood up to their oppressors. Prevailing against the odds, they trudged through the desert for 40 years in order to get to the Promised Land. Determined humans that join together with vision and strategy can bend the arc of history toward justice and make redemption possible.
But with freedom comes tremendous responsibility. For this reason, the Torah could imagine that a slave, afraid of what freedom might entail, would choose to say, “I love my master … I do not wish to go free” (Exodus 21:5). The Torah understood that the weight, insecurity and uncertainty of self-determination could sometimes feel unbearable.
The responsibility that comes with freedom is terrifying and onerous, even if it makes life meaningful. Perhaps Erich Fromm said it best
power among rabbis, priests and a king. The demand that the Sanhedrin, the pre-exilic supreme court, include 70 members reflected a commitment to the idea that Torah itself has multiple interpretations and that justice is served by pluralism of opinions.
The heated, often personal rhetoric and imagery that characterizes today’s civil discourse feeds a vicious cycle that undermines our social fabric and stymies compromise and understanding.
Fromm’s warnings seem all too relevant today with the election of governments worldwide that seem ready and willing to trample on cherished civil protections. The celebration of freedom and human rights — which once seemed to be the norm in democratic regimes across the world — turns out to have been premature.
Long ago, the Torah warned against the dangers of rulers with excessive power. If we must appoint a king “like the non-Jews,” their authority must be carefully limited. A ruler with too much money and too large an army will become haughty and oppressive. A king must carry the sacred law with him at all times to remind him that he is not above it (Deuteronomy 17). For the Torah, a balance of powers was the path to protection. The rabbis further expanded on the importance of separation of powers and checks and balances — legislating “three crowns,” dividing
What are we to do as narrowly elected governments break long-standing democratic norms, disregard ethics and accountability, and push agendas that impinge on the delicate balance of freedom long held to be unshakable? Protesting is absolutely essential, as I have personally witnessed. Israelis have been turning out weekly and even daily in the tens of thousands for years on end, demonstrating tremendous resilience in their fight for government accountability, independent courts, and minority protections. But even as I hope these protests can be a source of inspiration for others facing their own national crises, we must recognize the potentially negative impacts of this fraught discourse. The hatred and delegitimization of government may feel justified, but we must guard against a cycle of demonization and polarization that contracts common ground even further. The heated, often personal
rhetoric and imagery that characterizes today’s civil discourse feeds a vicious cycle that undermines our social fabric and stymies compromise and understanding.
The Passover seder provides another model — that of embracing and amplifying our shared national narrative. We have journeyed all this way from Egypt together. Moses’ brother Aaron made peace by shuttling between two conflicting parties, exposing common values and shared narratives and reducing the perceived gaps between sides. The seder is an opportunity to come together as one family across social and political divides without an intermediary, to celebrate the shared history, purpose, and good intentions of all. Sharing in this way can be a true act of freedom and one that continues to perpetuate our collective freedom.
Michael Walzer said it best when he declared: “We still believe, or many of us do, what the Exodus first taught about the meaning and possibility of politics and about its proper form: First, that wherever you live, it is probably Egypt; second, that there is a better place, a world more attractive, a promised land; and third, that the way to the land is through the wilderness. There is no way to get from here to there except by joining together and marching.”
This year, may we rejoice in the true celebration of freedom through embracing our shared narratives as well as our differences and coming together on seder night. PJC
Rabbi Meesh Hammer-Kossoy is the director of the Year Program at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. This article first appeared on JTA.
Gazans rally against Hamas. Will the West heed their call?
The people of Gaza have finally turned on Hamas publicly. As a Palestinian human rights activist, I can’t say I’m shocked. Those of us who long for Palestinian governance free of violence and corruption have certainly waited long enough. The massive protests last week against the terror organization that oppresses Gaza with an iron fist passed the magic 24-hour mark, and the visuals were stunning.
Large crowds of perhaps thousands of people marched through the streets of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, chanting slogans like “For god’s sake, Hamas out” and “Hamas terrorists,” and even calling to free the hostages that Hamas abducted during its horrific invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
How did Hamas come to power in Gaza? Through a brutal act of military conquest in 2007 that involved throwing supporters of the Fatah opposition party off of tall buildings, causing a complete political split with the Palestinian Authority government
in the West Bank, a split that has now lasted 18 years.
Hamas was never elected to lead Gaza, and while it did win an election for the P.A. legislature in 2006, the P.A. suspended the legislature in 2007 and formally dissolved it in 2018. The P.A.’s leader, Mahmoud Abbas, 89, is currently serving the 21st year of the four-year term he was elected to in 2005.
Hamas uses its own people as human shields, using residents to disguise military activities, including by launching attacks from civilian sites like schools, hospitals, mosques and churches. As for the lifesaving aid that the world, and Israel, delivered for the benefit of the civilian population in Gaza, even at the height of the military action, Hamas stole and repurposed
It’s time to listen to the people of Gaza, not the terrorists who control their lives.
So much for Palestinian democracy. What kind of government has Hamas given Gazans instead? In a word, theocracy. Hamas’ repression, inspired by a harsh interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, is brutal. Women require the presence of a male guardian to travel outside their homes. LGBTQ+ individuals face torture and execution. Children under Hamas rule are brainwashed into believing that Israelis and Jews, including civilians, are evil and must be destroyed — even at the cost of “martyrdom.”
Hamas is turning the Gazan people into cannon fodder for its endless wars.
it to benefit itself. Hamas has even used civilian water pipes to make rockets to attack Israel.
Palestinian polling consistently shows that Hamas is much less popular in Gaza than in the West Bank.
In September 2024, for instance, the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found that only 39% of Gazans supported Hamas, versus 75% in the West Bank; similarly, only 29% of Gazans supported Hamas’ brutal leader, Yahya Sinwar, who planned and launched the Oct. 7 attacks, versus 70% in the West Bank. The Gazan people, having actually suffered the
reality of Hamas’ rule, are opposed to its hateful ideology, similar to the Europeans who fled the Eastern Bloc after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Hamas consistently attempts to present a falsely moderate face to the West. America’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff recently said that Hamas “duped” him into thinking it was interested in a deal to release the hostages and end the fighting. No such luck, sadly — the diehards of Hamas are true believers. Their core interest is controlling the Palestinian population, accumulating wealth and armed support from terror states like Iran and Qatar, and waging an endless war on Israel against the wishes of the Gazans themselves.
It’s time to listen to the people of Gaza, not the terrorists who control their lives. The ongoing protests against Hamas by the Gazan people are just the beginning. The people of Gaza are well aware that it’s not only the captive Israelis but the whole Gazan population who are being used as hostages by these thugs. It’s time to listen to the authentic voice of Gaza and set its people free by dismantling Hamas for good. PJC
Bassem Eid is a Palestinian human rights activist. He lives in the West Bank. This article first appeared on JNS.
Opinion
Chronicle poll results: Creative seders
Last week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an online poll the following question: “Do the seders you typically attend incorporate modern or creative elements (e.g., themed seders, contemporary rituals)?” Of the 187 people who responded, 52% said yes and 48% said no. Comments were submitted by 50 people. A few follow.
The first year that Russia invaded Ukraine we had the Ukrainian flag colors as our color scheme. The first seder after Oct. 7, 2023, we had Israeli flag colors as the color scheme.
Traditional is what I want and need.
We use a modern Haggadah that blends traditional parts of the seder with contemporary themes and prayers.
We add an orange and an olive to the seder plate — orange for women’s equality in the Jewish traditions and an olive for Middle East peace.
Some families just think reading the Haggadah is enough. Bringing in relevant issues of today and comparing them is needed.
Do the seders you typically attend incorporate modern or creative elements (e.g., themed seders, contemporary rituals)?
We use a diversity of Haggadahs with interesting commentaries as we go through the standard text. We especially like commentaries that help us have the psychodrama experience from the seder: working to be freed from whatever keeps us enslaved in negative patterns and prevents us from being free to be our fullest, best selves.
Pitt’s response to antisemitism: Genuine action or political compliance?
Could it be that the University of Pittsburgh’s administration formed its antisemitism working group for the same purpose as did Columbia University and Harvard, as a pro forma body, with the only real goal of demonstrating compliance with Trump administration requirements in order to maintain federal funding? (“Pitt’s Antisemitism Working Group begins to take shape,” April 4.)
I see that the number of the group’s administrators has grown, with the original co-chairs now demoted to vice chairs. The current single chair, newly appointed by the chancellor’s office, Kathleen Blee, the former dean of the School of Arts & Sciences, is well known for her writings on antisemitism. Those writings, however, are exclusively from the unipolar perspective of the KKK kind of racism rather than the current prevalent — and specifically relevant to academia — form of the conjoint progressive-Muslim antisemitism. Meanwhile, there is nothing new in that form, drawing its origins from Marx himself and the Soviet antisemitism/anti-Zionism and its anti-Israel alliances with Muslim terrorists, from Arafat to Russia’s support today for Hamas, Hezbollah, Assad and Iran’s regime. That is why the pro-Hamas Pitt “protesters,” who harass and attack Jewish students, are adorned with keffiyehs, today’s progressive-Muslim substitute for Nazi swastikas.
The antisemitism group’s goal of “an even more inclusive environment,” as stated by a Pitt spokesperson in the University Times, sounds rather like a standard Soviet plan to “even more improve the quality of life of the citizens” in the destitute moribund USSR. It’s hard to expect positive results on that illusory background. Nor does it sound promising when, instead of dealing specifically with progressive campus antisemitism, it is bundled with “all forms of hate”: In Kathleen Blee’s words, “We are looking at this as a holistic phenomenon, not parceling it out and only studying one particular kind.” Considering how prone to violence this particular kind of antisemitic “protester” has lately become, are we waiting for a pogrom to happen at Pitt, once the Hamas sympathizers get triggered by another terror act, perceived “persecution” of a student Hamas supporter, or Israel’s defending its citizens from genocidal savages?
Netanyahu’s
reforms stir deep debate
Michael Vanyukov, Ph.D. Pittsburgh
Two op-eds in the Chronicle’s March 27 edition, “The relentless protests against Netanyahu’s policies” by Fiamma Nirenstein, and Guy Lurie’s “The government vs. the rule of law,” are diametrically opposed. Nirenstein claims that Benjamin Netanyahu is relentlessly attacked in protests by Israel’s secular, European-rooted leftist elites, whereas Lurie claims that by firing of the Shin Bet’s service chief, Ron Bar, preparing to dismiss the attorney general and passing
I love the traditional seder. That’s why I’ve been attending one at Chabad for a number of years now.
Ordinarily, no. I do my own, and I like being traditional. However, this year we will have four young children coming, so we will be using child-friendly Haggadahs. I hope this will help them look forward to Passover next year.
I go to wherever I am invited.
This year we will think of our hostages and the blind eye of the world to their plight. In the past we thought of Soviet Jews.
We have done the same exact seder for 70-plus years … I love it! Same Haggadahs too!
We do everything very traditionally, the only thing is we now include Ashkenazi elements in our Sephardic seders.
I write my own seder and tweak it every few years to keep it current.
Elements from the Haggadah are assigned to family members. They must do something
creative to explain their part: e.g., a skit, a poem, puppets, costumes, etc.
Queer seders rock!
We play a family trivia game with Pesachrelated content.
Each year the seders seem to get shorter, more joyful and less religious.
Tried and tested procedures are what my extended family (currently 61 souls) want.
The seders I lead or attend in Hebrew and English include readings from various areas of the world.
This year I plan to have readings about social justice and inclusivity, as it’s especially important at this time. PJC
Compiled by Toby Tabachnick Chronicle weekly poll question: Do you believe Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign goods will be beneficial to the U.S. economy? Go to pittsburghjewishchronicle.org to respond. PJC
a new law to restructure the judicial election committee’s work, Netanyahu is undermining the fundamental rule of law.
Nirenstein also claims that although the PM is secular, he represents a broader public largely composed of Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews.
The large rallies — some of which are called “rage rallies” — against the government for firing the Shin Bet chief, preparing the dismissal of the attorney general Gali Baharav-Miara and reforming the court again, consist of people of all ages, and Ashkenazi and Sephardic Israelis. They also consist of people from every section of the country.
Although Bar was calling for a national inquiry and also for the arrest of two officials in the prime minister’s office for taking gifts, bribes and money laundering in relation to Qatar, Netanyahu claimed that he lost confidence in Bar and fired him. He is also now in the process of firing his attorney general, who had her sights on the PM for corruption.
The new law changing how the Supreme Court judges are chosen will politicize the process (unlike in the past when competent lawyers and judges nominated them), as now the coalition and the opposition will pick one of the three judges who are internally presented. This change is seen by the public and competent critics as another of Netanyahu’s “reforms.” It is perceived as undermining the democratic foundations of the law.
Finally, a large majority of the country does not believe that he has prioritized the freeing of the hostages.
Historically, Israelis have been constantly divided. In the 1930s, Ben-Gurion and Weizmann argued at the World Zionist Congress about how hard to push the British Mandate officials to grant us a state. Weizmann later became Israel’s first president while Ben-Gurion became the first PM.
In 1982, while fighting in Lebanon, there were deep divisions in Israel as to how quickly to withdraw from Lebanon. One Friday evening in 1982 in kibbutz Nachal Oz, two army reservists, who had been in Lebanon, debated that very issue. In the middle of a war, Israelis strongly debated issues.
As to Nirenstein’s point about Netanyahu dealing with a wider population, from 1949 to1952, Israel had to absorb hundreds of thousands of Sephardi Jews from North Africa and the Middle East as well as Holocaust survivors. Ben-Gurion’s Socialist coalition accomplished that task. It was a difficult time as the state was in its infancy. Israel did quite well while having the foundation of the rule of law which included a well-respected, active Supreme Court.
Ivan Frank Pittsburgh
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Life & Culture
Medjool date charoset
Ingredients:
1 pound medjool dates
5 tablespoons orange juice
By Jessica Grann | Special to the Chronicle
My favorite food at the seder is this medjool date charoset. Date charoset is a staple for Passover in Sephardic and Israeli/Mizrachi communities. The flavors are similar to apple and walnut charoset, but I find the sticky yet spreadable consistency much more enjoyable to eat — and it also stays put once you add it to matzah.
You can prepare this a day or two ahead of the seder and it doesn’t take much effort to put together. The only tools I use are a saucepan, a large chef’s knife and a cutting board, so it’s a great choice if you have limited kitchen tools for Passover. You can pulse the cooked dates through a food processor if you have one, but I love the texture when it’s simply chopped by hand.
⅓ cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons red wine
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Slice each date in half to remove the pit and hard stem from each piece.
Put all the dates into a medium-sized sauce pan and cover with about 1 inch of water.
Bring the mixture to a soft boil before reducing the heat to simmer for about 1 hour or until the dates are soft, plump and most of the water has evaporated.
Add 5 tablespoons of orange juice (fresh squeezed is fine) and continue to simmer until the orange juice evaporates.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
I prepare the dates a day before the seder, cover with plastic wrap and mix with the rest of the ingredients a few hours before the seder, which allows the flavors of the wine and cinnamon to soften and to meld
and cover any leftovers well for the second seder.
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Mayyouhaveajoyful, celebration.Wishing youandyourloved May you have a joy meaningful , and fulfilling Passover celebration Wishin you and your loved ones health and happiness during this celebration. ful , g
together with the dates. I prefer a strong but sweet red wine for this recipe but you can use a dry red wine if that’s what you have on hand. There is enough sugar in the dates so you don’t need sweet wine to make it palatable.
Grind or hand-chop the walnuts.
Mix the nuts into the dates before adding the cinnamon and wine to the bowl, mix well and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for 3-4 hour before serving
This recipe makes about 3 cups of charoset, so if each person uses about a half cup at the seder, this recipe will serve 6. You can easily double the recipe if you are having a larger crowd. Chag kasher v’sameach — enjoy and bless your hands! PJC
Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.
“ e impossible can always be broken down into possibilities.”
Medjool date charoset
Photo by Jessica Grann
Life & Culture
Devon Go man brings a love for music and laughter to ‘Some Like it Hot”
By David Rullo | Senior Sta Writer
You can credit Devon Goffman’s love of music — all music — for his success in musical theater.
Growing up in Buffalo, New York, his passion for musical theater was lit when he was cast in traditional high school productions like “Anything Goes” and “42nd Street.” His enthusiasm for the power of music was stoked playing in local bands, which helped when he turned professional.
Goffman’s been able to amalgamize his two loves as a touring actor for roles in shows like “Jersey Boys,” “Motown the Musical” and “On Your Feet: The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan.”
“I ended up in a lot of shows where I was playing the guitar or upright bass,” he said. “So, ‘Jersey Boys’ and a lot of those shows made sense because I could actually play the music live. That’s where my career led me.”
Goffman’s latest role sees him putting down his guitar and showing some of his comedy licks, which are tuned just as finely as the E string on his guitar. The actor is portraying Spats Columbo in the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s PNC Broadway Series production of “Some Like it Hot.”
“To play Spats is a blast,” Goffman said. “He’s hilarious and I get to do some really funny stuff in the show.”
The musical is an adaptation of the movie starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. It tells the story of Joe and Jerry, two musicians who witness a mob hit and are forced to go into hiding as members of an all-female band.
Goffman said the plot lends itself to
comedy, a skill he developed through years of improvisational training.
“The execution and the way the writers have written this, it keeps the audience laughing,” he said. “There’s a lot of one-liners, a lot of chuckles, giggles and big laughs from the audience. That’s my favorite part of the show.”
As quick as he is to praise the writing, Goffman said the entirety of the show, and
all those who help create the experience, deserve recognition for the ease in which a work set in 1933 feels authentic.
“The costumes are exquisite,” he notes. “Gregg Barnes won a Tony Award for the costumes. I have these gorgeous threepiece suits I wear. It makes the audience get lost in the era because there’s nothing off.”
He also called attention to the choreography and direction.
The proof of product, Goffman said, is seen each night, when sold-out crowds are on their feet at the conclusion of the show.
“We’ve had full houses for the last two months, which has been unbelievable,” he said.
The musical opened on Broadway in 2022, and had it not been for COVID, Goffman thinks it would have spent much more time on stage in New York City.
The Big Apple’s loss, though, is a win for the rest of the country which, Goffman said, is getting a “treat” by being able to see what would have been a “mega hit” on Broadway.
Goffman, who first thought he might play professional football or baseball before catching the theater bug, credits
Please see Go man, page 20
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Life & Culture
Goffman:
Continued from page 18
his grandfather with his own love for the lighter side of life.
“He was raised as an Orthodox Jew in New York City, and he rebelled a little,” Goffman said. “He wanted to have a little more fun. He was a funny guy. I remember his being hilarious. I lost him right about the time I entered the theater.”
The actor said that in addition to his familial connection, Judaism also taught him the resilience necessary to be successful in the arts, pointing out that his mother taught him to always be proud of his heritage and the importance of tikkun olam
“Leave the world better than you came into it,” he said. “I was taught to give back to help people, to be someone that’s a good neighbor.”
The importance of family hasn’t been lost on Goffman, who has had the opportunity to work on several shows with
his wife, a rarity in the business.
“We did ‘9 to 5,’ ‘Beautiful,’ and we did the national tour of ‘Jersey Boys’ together, which was awesome. I directed and she choreographed ‘Jersey Boys’ when we did it together at a regional theater right off the tour. We love working together.”
Sharing a career, he said, helps through the ups and downs, and the collaboration helps in both their professional and private lives.
Live theater, Goffman said, is an opportunity for people to put aside the weight of the world and the worries that go along with it.
“You can forget about whatever bills you have to pay and just sit and get lost in the music and the story. That’s why I fell in love with it,” he said.
“Some Like it Hot” runs at the Benedum Center April 15-20. For tickets visit trustarts.org. PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
Join us as we honor EJ Strassburger with the inaugural Seymoure and Corinne Krause Award for his tireless support of the Branch and present the first Wendell Hogan Leadership Award to an outstanding Clubhouse member.
Sponsor Reception 5 p.m.
Doors Open 6 p.m. Event supervised by the Vaad
For sponsorship or other information: thebranchpgh.org or Karen Oosterhous KOosterhous@thebranchpgh.org
Obituaries
ALPERT: Dr. Barry L. Alpert, age 79, of Pittsburgh passed away on April 1 after a courageous three-and-a-half year fight against multiple myeloma. He was a pioneer in the field of cardiac electrophysiology and enjoyed a career that spanned more than four decades. However, it was his role as a loving, supportive and intensely devoted husband, father and (most of all) “Grampy” that he relished above all. He was born in Boston and grew up in Laconia, New Hampshire, as the oldest of six children. There he developed his lifelong love for golf, skiing and the Boston Red Sox. His academic achievements as class valedictorian led him to Harvard, where he studied political science only to realize his true calling was in medicine. He went on to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and complete clinical training in St. Louis, Boston and Philadelphia. His career trajectory was shaped by his inspiring mentors in the newly emerging field of cardiac electrophysiology. Previously deferred military enlistment led him to San Antonio as a major in the U.S. Air Force, where he set up one of the earliest electrophysiology labs in the country. He was subsequently recruited to the University of Pittsburgh in 1978 to replicate the same EP lab as the first of its kind in the region. Soon after his arrival in Pittsburgh, he met his soulmate, Judy Ruben, on a blind date and knew he was ready to establish roots and create a family with her in his newly adopted home. Together, they lived an extremely full life that was always centered on family, filled with travel adventures around the world sampling the most exotic foods on the menu, Wednesday “date nights” and subscriptions to the Pittsburgh Symphony and Public Theater. Many of their fondest memories together were created during summers at their “Great Escape” in Nantucket — biking, exploring, doing jigsaw puzzles, and hosting their closest family and friends. After four years in the university setting, Dr. Alpert became the second electrophysiologist in the country to go into private practice. He joined the staff at West Penn Hospital in Bloomfield, which he would call home for more than 30 years. Dr. Alpert embraced his professional community of first-generation electrophysiologists and traveled throughout the world to exchange knowledge, inform drug development and develop procedural techniques that he then brought back to western Pennsylvania. Among some of his many feats, he was the third cardiologist in the world to implant a defibrillator and the first in the area to perform catheter ablations and complex pacemakers. Along the way, he taught multiple generations of trainees and took immense pride in their success. Several became world-renowned in the field and collectively established Pittsburgh as an electrophysiology powerhouse. Patient care for him was everything, and he emulated the bedside manner of his pediatrician grandfather to forge innumerable bonds across the decades, always hoping to understand those he treated as people, not patients. It was not unusual for him to come home with homemade gifts or recent vegetable harvests from his grateful patients who loyally followed him to Shadyside, Forbes, East, Jefferson and Wheeling as the healthcare landscape changed. He retired in April 2021 just shy of his 76th birthday. Fatherhood and grandfatherhood meant infinitely more to him than his professional achievements, and despite the long work hours, he always managed to be at Judy’s side to prioritize family celebrations, Little League coaching, countless recitals, family ski trips and Sunday night dinners. Among the most memorable experiences was taking the entire family to Israel to celebrate his 70th birthday. He took great joy in sharing a lifetime of diverse interests and making sure to cultivate several connections unique to each individual, from Premier League Soccer to U2 to Daniel Tiger. And despite never wavering in his Red Sox support and those memorable pilgrimages to Fenway Park with his son, he equally embraced Pittsburgh sports and cheered his teams to many championships over the years. Through family and work, he developed several meaningful friendships, but he especially cherished his bond with his college friends, who rekindled their friendship during the pandemic with a virtual book club that has continued to bring several years of enjoyment. Unfortunately, just months after his retirement, fate delivered him his final and most complicated medical case to solve yet — his own. He was steadfast in his determination to beat the odds, scouring the medical literature to review the primary data and learn of the latest breakthroughs. As the condition and its treatments took their inevitable toll, he continued to see life through his everpresent rose-colored glasses. Fighting through pain and ultimately paralysis, he relied upon grit, courage and determination, believing the path to getting better required him to outwork his disease. Despite myriad symptoms, he never complained while cheering on the newest skiers from the bottom of the slope, pushing the stroller through Disney with his brace, or completing one last European adventure with Judy, only to will himself to finish the photobook in his final days. He was fortunate to receive care from his tremendous medical team that was commensurate with the exceptional care he provided to his own patients. Barry is survived by his loving wife, Judy, their three children, Lori Smolar (Benjamin) and Craig (Aviva) also
of Pittsburgh as well as Joshua (Jill) of Portland, Oregon, in addition to six grandchildren (Aaron, Zachary, Emma, Lucy, Noah, and Andrew) in whom his memory lives on. He was preceded in death by his brother Charles and is survived by four siblings Marc, Bess, Jonathan and Jeffrey. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel. Interment Homewood Cemetery. The family would especially like to thank Dr. James Rosetti (Hillman Cancer Center) and Dr. Jacob Laubach (Dana Farber Cancer Institute) and their respective teams and requests that all donations in Dr. Alpert’s memory be directed to these profoundly impactful institutions. Hillman Cancer Center UPMC Cancer Pavilion, Suite 1B, 5150 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 or Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168. In addition we are indebted to Dr. Nagib Manov and the outstanding Longwood team that treated him as a colleague as well as a patient, and Ron Cardinale, who provided not only care but friendship in his final years. schugar.com
DEXTER: Diane Lefkowitz Dexter. Until the end of her life on April 1, 2025, Diane Lefkowitz Dexter insisted she was the luckiest person in the world. She was blessed with a husband, Jim, and a dog, Chip, whom she adored, a career that she loved, and wonderful friends who supported her through six-and-a-half years of treatment for advanced colon cancer. Although Diane spent more than half of her 61 years living in Atlanta, Georgia, where she worked for CNN, her heart remained in her hometown of Pittsburgh. She was a passionate Steelers fan, and also loved music, reading and spending time with her friends. She always said God’s greatest gift was her ability to see the beauty in everyday life. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bernard and Rita Lefkowitz of Avalon, Pennsylvania, and a beloved chihuahua, Emma. Services were held at West View Cemetery of Rodef Shalom Congregation. There will be a memorial gathering for Diane in Atlanta at a future date. Diane asked that donations be made to atlantacancercarefoundation.org or to an animal rescue organization of your choice. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. schugar.com
DRUCKER: Dennis H. Drucker. It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Dennis H. Drucker, a beloved husband, father and grandfather, who left us peacefully on April 4, 2025, at the age of 76, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Dennis was a devoted family man whose love and kindness touched the lives of all who knew him. Born on May 30, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York, Dennis grew up with a passion for helping others. Dennis embarked on a career in pharmacy, a pivotal journey that brought him together with his beloved wife, Vivian, who was a customer at his pharmacy in Queens, New York. His pharmacy license paved the way for a 35-year career in pharmaceutical sales at Eli Lilly & Co. Dennis was a proud father to two children, whom he raised with love and dedication in the Dix Hills area of Long Island, New York. He instilled in them the values of hard work, kindness and the importance of family. His children remember him as a guiding light, always present for their milestones, from sports events to graduations, and as a constant source of encouragement and support. In 2008, Dennis and Vivian fulfilled their dream of retiring to sunny Florida. There, they embraced a new chapter of life filled with friends, bowling, tennis and relaxation. Dennis is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Vivian; his two children, Steven (Casey), and Sharon; and his three grandchildren, Aiden, Isaac and Sophie. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sheldon and Sara Drucker. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Dennis Drucker’s legacy of love, kindness, and dedication to family will forever remain in our hearts. He will be deeply missed but never forgotten. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. schugar.com
FIELD: Rose Field, on Thursday, April 3, 2025. Beloved wife of late Joseph Field. Loving mother of Robert Field (Debra) and Nancy Weissman (late Michael). Also seven grandchildren, Joshua, Meghan (Daniel), Rebecca, Carly, Andrew, Timothy and Kathryn (Michael), and six great-grandchildren, Ryder, Jonah, Benjamin, Wyatt, Rowan and Max. Rose was a duplicate Life Master bridge player. Services were held at Temple Emanuel. Interment Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Temple Emanuel section. Contributions may be made to Temple Emanuel (templeemanuelpgh.org). Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. schugar.com
Please see Obituaries, page 24
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
Obituaries
Continued from page 23
RUBENSTEIN: Gerald Norman Rubenstein, on Saturday, April 5, 2025. It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Gerald Norman Rubenstein, age 88, who transitioned peacefully surrounded by his loving family. Jerry was the son of the late Ruth and Morris Rubenstein, devoted husband of 66 years to Marcia Rubenstein, proud father of Ellen (Mitchell) Livingston, Carol Rubenstein, Lynn (Larry) Lebowitz and Rachel (the late Steven) Kerchner. He was the grandfather of Sam (Jessica) Livingston; Adam Livingston; Amy, Alyssa, and Ben Lebowitz; Jonah, Aaron, and Shira Kerchner; great-grandfather of Ruby and Aurora Livingston; and brother of Judy (the late Richard) Rubinstein. Jerry brought honor, integrity, and a healthy dose of wit to every dimension of his life. A graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, he owned and operated Ruby’s Cleaners, and later a pioneering uniform rental business, for 65 years. His entrepreneurial spirit, combined with his tireless work ethic, afforded him success in the business world. Adventurous and resolute, Jerry was a prolific hiker and bicyclist well into his 80s, traveled the world alongside Marcia, and maintained an abiding love of music and art. He embodied loyalty and generosity, both through philanthropy and in his care of those around him. Jerry was good to the core and cherished his family above all. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Services were held at Temple Emanuel of South Hills. Interment Adath Jeshurun Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributions to Temple Emanuel of South Hills or the charity of your choice. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. schugar.com
TANKSY: Burton Tansky, former CEO of Neiman Marcus and a towering figure in luxury retail, has passed away. A man of elegance, vision and unwavering dedication, Tansky spent his life elevating the world of high fashion while always keeping family at the heart of his success. Born to immigrant parents who instilled in him the values of hard work, perseverance and integrity, Tansky carried these lessons with him throughout his remarkable career. Raised in Pittsburgh, Tansky graduated from the University of Pittsburgh where he thrived, building upon the solid foundations of knowledge and dedication he had learned from his parents and community. From humble beginnings, he rose to become one of the most respected leaders in the luxury retail industry. His journey took him from the floors and stock rooms of Kaufmann’s to executive suites, where he served as president of Saks Fifth Avenue, CEO of Bergdorf Goodman and ultimately as president and CEO of the Neiman Marcus Group. His leadership and contributions to fashion were widely recognized, earning him some of the industry’s highest honors. He was the recipient of the Gold Medal Award from the National Retail Federation (considered the highest honor in retailing), honored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and received the Legend of Luxury Award from the Luxury Marketing Council. And in 2002 he was appointed as a Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur by the French government for his promotion of French-made merchandise in America. His influence extended beyond retail, as he was also deeply involved in philanthropic efforts, serving on various boards, and supporting causes that reflected his commitment to culture and community, such as Jupiter Hospital and Cancer Center, Temple Judea of Palm Beach Gardens, The Kind Kitchen, JNF Special Soldiers in Uniform, FAU Honors Program and The University of Pittsburgh. But above all, Burt Tansky was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. While he was deeply passionate about his work and philanthropic contributions, his greatest joy came from the time spent with family and friends. No matter how demanding his career, he never lost sight of what truly mattered – love, connection, and the bonds that defined him far beyond the boardroom. His warmth, generosity, and humor left an indelible mark on the fashion world and on all who had the privilege of knowing him. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Rita; children Hyla (Eric) Weiss and Michael (Ellen) Tansky; grandchildren Emily, Coby and Sascha; sister Eva Blum (Norman Wolmark); countless friends and the many proteges who continue to carry his work forward. The world of fashion has lost a legend, but Burt Tansky’s legacy — one of excellence, integrity and devotion to both his craft and his family — will remain timeless. PJC
Community
Coming in loud and clear
Musicians gathered at the Heinz History Center on April 3 for a concert hosted by The Tree of Life. “Songs of Resilience: Music for Lighting the Path Forward” was the first in a series of programs inspired by The Tree of Life’s traveling exhibition, “Lessons from The Tree of Life: Lighting the Path Forward.”
Picture in the papes Community Day School Middle School performed “Newsies.” The April 3 and 6 shows enabled students to sing, dance and narrate a classic tale.
Lay it on me
Chabad House on Campus helped University of Pittsburgh students don
Mary Poppins returns again
Get ready
In preparation for this summer’s JCC Maccabi Campus Games, Maccabi delegation heads from around the globe traveled to Oakland to tour the University of Pittsburgh’s facilities.
Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh’s Fayth Aronson-Berkowitz Girls High School staged a production of “Mary Poppins.” The two-night show, which ran March 25-26 at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, featured a schoolwide ensemble overseen by Dori Meisels.
Creating friendship on the town
Through its Friends on the Town program, The Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh visited the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse. Along with promoting creativity, the April 6 tour showcased how to create shadow boxes from recycled materials.
p From left: Cantor Kalix Jacobson, Cantor Laura Berman, Cantor Michal Gray-Schaffer, Rabbi Cantor
Jeffrey Myers and Cantor David Reinwald
Photo courtesy of The Tree of Life
p Now it’s time to fly a kite.
Photo courtesy of Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh
p Rona Shelef, Aspen Stein and Nitzan Helfand Photo courtesy of Community Day School
p Tying up loose ends Photo courtesy of Chabad House on Campus
tefillin.
p Kindness creates friendship everywhere. Photo courtesy of The Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh
