Rodef Shalom, Temple Sinai boards approve unification plans
By David Rullo | Senior Sta Writer
Pittsburgh’s two largest Reform congregations are one step closer to unification.
seek an assistant or associate rabbi.
Drew Barkley, Temple Sinai’s executive director, will stay in his role for the newly united congregation.
‘Crisis fatigue’ and fear grip Jewish community after Washington attack
By Toby Tabachnick | Editor
MRodef Shalom Congregation and Temple Sinai’s respective boards of trustees, in separate meetings, approved a term sheet that outlines how the congregations will proceed with a unification, according to Stephen Jurman, Temple Sinai’s president.
“The brit, or covenant as we’re calling it, is really an agreement that we want to join together,” Rodef Shalom President Bill Battistone said. “While there are legal steps to be taken, we want to make sure we’re approaching it with the right kind of mentality, so brit was important.”
Both boards, Jurman said, not only passed the brit, but recommended each congregation’s membership pass it, which would formally merge the two congregations.
Special meetings will take place at both congregations on June 8 to accept or reject the boards’ recommendation.
If approved, the new congregation would be located in Rodef Shalom’s building on the corner of Fifth and Morewood Avenues. Its clergy team will include Temple Sinai’s Rabbi Daniel Fellman and Cantor David Reinwald, as well as Rodef Shalom’s interim Rabbi David Young.
According to the website Unity412, created to provide congregation members with information about the unification, after Young’s term ends in 2026, the new congregation will
The congregation’s religious school will be headed by both Fellman and Rabbi Larry Freedman, the director of J-JEP, Rodef Shalom’s joint religious school with Congregation Beth Shalom, which will be invited to continue as a partner in the new school.
Jurman said that students already studying for their b’nai mitzvah will finish up in whatever program they’re currently enrolled.
“Eventually we’ll have one program for everybody,” he said, but noted that there will be some time before Temple Sinai’s building is sold. “There will be an element of choice but people who want to finish up their service in their existing building will be able to do that.”
Those leasing space in Rodef Shalom’s building, including Tree of Life Congregation and Congregation Dor Hadash, can continue to do so. Organizations that want to continue to rent space after the unification takes place, Battistone said, will negotiate and sign a lease with the new congregation.
“We have no plans of displacing anybody at the moment that has an agreement to be at Fifth and Morewood,” he said.
The new congregation will adopt the pledge/dues model used by Temple Sinai.
The two congregations represent a total of more than 1,300 family units, with about 680
artin Gaynor awoke on the morning of May 22 to the news of another deadly antisemitic attack, this time in Washington, D.C. Two Israeli Embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were gunned down on March 21 by a proPalestinian activist, who allegedly told police, “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza.” Gaynor, a former member of Congregation Dor Hadash who survived the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in 2018, felt “a deep frustration and disappointment” upon hearing the news.
“It’s been almost seven years since 10-2718, and it feels like as a nation we didn’t learn anything from it,” he said. “Antisemitism is getting worse and worse, and I would’ve thought — and certainly hoped — that after 10-27-18, collectively as a country, we would’ve seen where resentment, fear, anger, hatred, bigotry lead. And it feels like, no, we didn’t.”
While the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter’s antisemitism was inspired by white supremacist ideology, the murderer of the Israeli Embassy staffers appeared to be motivated by far-left anti-Israel politics.
“People are exploiting this for their own ends, both on the left and on the right, so, to me, that’s not just disappointing and frustrating, it’s very upsetting,” Gaynor said.
While news of the murders of Lischinsky and Milgrim was traumatic for Jews worldwide, Jewish Pittsburghers may have been particularly impacted, having lived through the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, in which 11 Jews from three congregations were brutally killed during Shabbat services.
Maggie Feinstein, executive director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, was in touch with several survivors and families of Pittsburgh
Rabbi Daniel Fellman and Cantor David Reinwald will be the spiritual leaders of the new congregation if Rodef Shalom and Temple Sinai unify Photo courtesy of Temple Sinai
Headlines
Tikvah weekend headlined by renowned scholar Ruth Wisse
By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer
Aweekend focused on scholarship will conclude with a call to prioritize the ABCs. The message will be delivered on June 8 by Ruth Wisse, a senior fellow at The Tikvah Fund and professor emerita of Yiddish and comparative literature at Harvard University. Her address will follow Saturday talks by colleagues Elliot Kaufman and Eytan Sosnovich.
Wisse, Kaufman and Sosnovich are all affiliated with Tikvah, an American conservative nonprofit organization. The group, in partnership with members of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, organized several weekend talks across Squirrel Hill. While Kaufman, who serves as letters editor at The Wall Street Journal, and Sosnovich, Tikvah’s senior director of development, will speak at Shaare Torah Congregation on June 7, Wisse will share her ideas in conversation with Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Rabbi Danny Schiff one day later at Congregation Beth Shalom.
Speaking to the Chronicle before her Pittsburgh visit, Wisse said she was excited to address a community of people who are “invested in the same Jewish American life as I am.”
Her program, titled “What the Jews Owe to — and Expect from — Israel and America,” is a chance to “share one’s aspirations, and one’s ideas and one’s anxieties,” while enabling attendees to “exchange ideas about strengthening what is good and combating that which is not good,” she said.
According to Wisse’s dichotomy, the “good” involves the “double fortune” of American Jews.
Not only do American Jews live in the “freest country imaginable, an exceptional republic which is about to celebrate 250 years of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” but they do so at a time when “Jews have recovered their sovereignty in our homeland, in the land of Israel.” The historic improbability of living during such a period, Wisse said, “cannot be taken for granted.”
Wisse, whose books include “Free As A Jew, A Personal Memoir of National SelfLiberation,” “If I Am Not For Myself: The Liberal Betrayal of the Jews” and “Jews and Power,” said her remarks are not merely to inspire gratitude.
Recognition and labor must follow, she explained.
“I often say that democracy is not biologically transmitted,” she said. “And believe it or not, we learn that Judaism is not really biologically transmitted either.” Although an element of Judaism involves lineage, “what it means to be a Jew, the inheritance of the Jewish people, the responsibilities of the Jewish people, the responsibilities for transmitting that is not biologically transmitted.”
Furthering the Jewish story requires education, beginning with knowing the Aleph Bet and “the basics of the Bible,” she said. Likewise, democracy is buttressed by grasping “what civic life demands of you.”
The latter, she continued, “requires the reaffirmation of understanding how this
SUBSCRIPTIONS
subscriptions@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 412-687-1000, ext. 2
TO ADVERTISE advertising@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 412-687-1000, ext. 1
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Email: newsdesk@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Evan H. Stein, Chair
Evan Indianer, Vice Chair
Derek Smith, Treasurer
Gayle R. Kraut, Secretary
Gail Childs, Dan Droz, Malke Steinfeld Frank, Seth Glick, Tammy Hepps, Judith Kanal, Cátia Kossovsky, Charles Saul
GENERAL COUNSEL
Stuart R. Kaplan, Esq.
amazing democracy came into being, how unusual it was in the history of civilization, about the separation of powers and how they work.”
An inability to understand democracy’s origin story and the fundamental principles effectuating its continuance inhibit progress, she explained.
“We develop because of ideas which are reinforced, not because they are biologically assimilated,” she said.
Wisse has no illusions that listeners will leave her talk and immediately clutch copies of the Federalist Papers, tweet about the Constitutional Convention or cite Marbury v. Madison at their next dinner party. What she hopes, though, is that Pittsburgh Jews fulfill certain responsibilities while recognizing particular threats.
“The more you feel yourself to be a loyal, knowledgeable and an appreciative citizen of America, the more you can feel yourself to be a proud, invested, supportive and wholly loyal member of the Jewish people,” she said. In achieving both, one must “help secure the precious state of Israel, just as one of our obligations is to help secure the precious United States of America.”
One obstacle, she explained, is the obfuscation of perspective.
“We know enough to know that what is most obvious — how fortunate we are — is not obvious to many people who only see the plight, because everyone is telling us how bad we are,” she said.
The attacks are apparent, she continued. “We are under ideological siege as Jews at the moment, and to be under ideological siege is even more painful than being under physical siege.”
5915 Beacon St., 5th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Main phone number: 412-687-1000
Subscriptions: 412-687-1000, ext. 2
Jim Busis, CEO and Publisher 412-228-4690 jbusis@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
EDITORIAL
Toby Tabachnick, Editor 412-228-4577 ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
Adam Reinherz, Senior Staff Writer 412-687-1000 areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
David Rullo, Senior Staff Writer 412-687-1000 drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
ADVERTISING Amy Weiss, Account Executive (412) 613-0697 aweiss@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
PRODUCTION
Jeni Mann Tough Production Manager
Carl Weigel
Art/Production Coordinator
Subscriptions subscriptions@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org 412-687-1000, ext. 2
Published every Friday by the Pittsburgh Jewish Publication and Education Foundation 5915 Beacon St., 5th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Phone: 412-687-1000
POSTMASTER:
Send address change to PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE, 5915 BEACON ST., 5TH FLOOR PITTSBURGH, PA 15217 (PERIODICAL RATE POSTAGE PAID AT PITTSBURGH, PA AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES)
USPS 582-740
Manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs sent to the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle become the property of this publication, which is not responsible for the return or loss of such items.
The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle does not endorse the goods or services advertised or covered in its pages and makes no representation to the kashrut of food products and services in said advertising or articles. The publisher is not liable for damages if, for any reason whatsoever, he fails to publish an advertisement or for any error in an advertisement. Acceptance of advertisers and of ad copy is subject to the publisher’s approval. The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle is not responsible if ads violate applicable laws and the advertiser will indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle from all claims made by governmental agencies and consumers for any reason based on ads appearing in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle
p Ruth Wisse receives the National Humanities Medal from then-President George W. Bush in Nov. 2007. Photo by Eric Draper, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Please see Tikvah, page 11
Headlines
Pittsburgh reacts to Corey O’Connor’s primary victory
By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer
Allegheny County Controller Corey
O’Connor defeated incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey in Pittsburgh’s May 20 Democratic primary. O’Connor will face Republican Tony Moreno in the general election in a race the GOP hasn’t won in nearly a century.
Depending on whom you ask, O’Connor’s victory was either a win for a Pittsburgh scion who has devoted himself to the city his father served as mayor, or it was the triumph of MAGA-leaning developers uninterested in the city’s needs and whose raison d’être is gentrifying underserved neighborhoods. O’Connor’s win is either a welcome reset for a city some view as having gone off the rails in pursuit of progressive ideals, or a pox on the soul of a city that has yet to acknowledge its inherent racism. It either showed the power of local organizing, or showed the success of outside groups that funneled millions of dollars into local elections.
During the run-up to the election, O’Connor was accused of racism because of a postcard sent to voters by an outside group; supporters of the mayor, Allegheny County Democratic Committee members Greg Kochanski and Jane Louik, wrote in a letter to constituents that Gainey was a victim of those slinging antisemitic claims on him and his campaign.
Despite the passion of the race, only about 26% of Pittsburgh residents — 64,433 — voted. That’s a slight uptick from 2021, when 59,725 ballots were cast, leading Gainey to secure the Democratic nomination and become Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor.
O’Connor’s victory has been attributed to his strong showing in the 14th Ward — which includes parts of Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Regent Square, Point Breeze and Oakland. It has the largest concentration of Jewish voters in the city.
O’Connor won slightly more than 65% of the 10,746 votes cast by 14th Ward residents. Gainey lost nearly 10% of the vote count he had in 2021 in the ward, but had a solid showing in other neighborhoods, including the North Side, Highland Park, Larimer and East Liberty.
Squirrel Hill resident Karen Gal-Or said she was thrilled with O’Connor’s victory, noting she has known him since they were children attending East Hills Elementary.
“He was an amazing human being then and he’s a really thoughtful human now,” she said.
Gal-Or said many Jewish Pittsburghers felt marginalized and ignored by the last administration, especially on difficult days like the first anniversary of Oct. 7. Gainey released a statement that day, co-authored by Rep. Summer Lee and County Executive Sara Innamorato, which seemed to blame Israel for the war launched by Hamas.
O’Connor, Gal-Or offered, has ties not just to the Jewish community but “so many different segments of Pittsburgh.”
“He’ll work to really understand what
people’s concerns are, whether it’s the potholes or bridges that never seem to open or Jewish safety in Squirrel Hill,” she said.
That last point is most important to Gal-Or.
“Fundamentally, I didn’t feel safe as a Jew in Pittsburgh,” she said. “Corey is a mayor that will help try to make the community safe again.”
Barb Warwick, City Councilmember of the 5th District — which includes parts of Squirrel Hill, Greenfield and Regent Square, among other neighborhoods — endorsed Gainey and was a vocal supporter. She said his defeat was disappointing.
“I think that Ed is a fantastic mayor,” Warwick said. “He’s done more good work for underserved people and communities in the city in three years than I think had been done in 30 years prior. So, yeah, it’s definitely a loss.”
She said it’s important that the work he started — increasing social services, reducing gun violence and efforts in public safety — continues,
It’s in those areas, Warwick said, where she believes she can work with the incoming administration most effectively.
Warwick said she’s most concerned for the underserved — people whose lives are affected by who is in office.
Pittsburgh, she said, has long been one of the worst cities for Black women and is losing its Black population. She said it’s increasingly difficult for a workingclass person to live in the city, noting issues like gun violence, and food and housing insecurities are most felt by that population.
Warwick said she’s concerned about O’Connor’s relationship with real estate developers, a point the Gainey campaign leaned into during the race. Those developers, she said, “have made it abundantly clear that they don’t care about affordable housing issues. They want to be able to
So, too, she said, was the idea that Gainey didn’t work hard enough for areas like Squirrel Hill and Shadyside. The mayor, Warwick said, spent time and resources working for neighborhoods like the Hill, Homewood, Hazelwood and the East Hills, something that wasn’t done by the previous administration.
Some people in the 14th Ward, Warwick said, were upset over the mayor’s position on Israel’s war with Hamas and made a concerted effort to get the vote out. They tried to paint the mayor as incompetent, she said, specifically calling out the Beacon Coalition for its support of O’Connor.
The Beacon Coalition is a non-partisan organization that operates to protect the rights and well-being of Jews in the United States, according to its promotional materials. It endorsed O’Connor and its executive director, Jeremy Kazzaz, volunteered for his campaign.
Kazzaz said O’Connor had a strong showing in the 14th Ward because of his history with the area — he was the neighborhood’s City Council representative for nearly a decade.
build whatever they want to build.”
Warwick doesn’t discount the effect race had on the vote.
“I’m not going to say it’s the only factor, but it certainly played a very strong role,” she said.
“Knocking on doors, I heard tons of stories from people about how he was able to help them in that role on City Council, or coaching Little League. He’s done a lot to build those connections,” he said.
Please see Primary, page 11
We at the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle are working hard to continue to make our publication even more relevant to your needs, and your feedback is important to us. Could you please spare a few minutes to take a brief survey? It shou Id take no more than
5-8 minutes to complete. Your input will help us ensure that during these challenging times the Chronicle continues to serve you and our community in meaningful ways. In appreciation of your help, you will be eligible to enter a drawing for a $100 Giant Eagle gift card.
Visit https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/jQD9gb to let us know what you think. Or scan this QR code:
p Corey O’Connor defeated incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey in the May 20 Democratic primary. He spoke with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Laura Cherner during the campaign.
Photo by David Rullo
Headlines
Wherever you go, I will go
By Tim Miller | Special to the Chronicle Renewal and invention
The holiday of Shavuot has often been an excuse to indulge in both renewal and invention. Commemorating the giving of the oral and written Torah, Shavuot is also a reminder of what the Talmud tells us: “Whatever new interpretation an experienced disciple will offer in the future was already given to Moses at Sinai.”
In the apocryphal Book of Jubilees, Shavuot was already being observed in heaven from the first day of creation. Only after the flood was it brought to earth and given to Noah and his descendants in order to “renew the covenant in all respects, year by year.” God and Abraham’s encounter in Genesis 15 (“the covenant between the pieces”) is also said to have taken place on Shavuot, so that in this chronology, the giving of the Torah is only the most proper culmination of an already highly-charged day.
Weddings, music and work
Maimonides wrote that the days of Counting the Omer were akin to “the way one awaits one’s most intimate friend at a rendezvous — counting the days and even the hours.” So it is only appropriate that the revelation of the Torah at Sinai is also imagined as a love story, and as the wedding between God and the Shekhinah, or between God and Israel.
As retold by Howard Schwartz: “The Groom, the Lord, the King of Hosts, is betrothed to the bride, the community of Israel, arrayed in beauty. … Many days will you be Mine and I will be your Redeemer. Be My mate according to the law of Moses and Israel, and I will honor, support, and maintain you, and be your shelter and refuge in everlasting mercy. And I will set aside the life-giving Torah for you, by which you and your children will live in health and tranquility.” Like all marriages, of course, the meaning of such vows is only understood and argued over after the ceremony. In our case, it is still ongoing, millennia later.
Amid the never-ending debate over the place of music within the synagogue comes a story from mid-19th-century Dresden. There, during first day Shavuot services, a new choir of men and boys alternated with the cantor. When it came time for the priestly blessing, a “choir of priests” was added, again responding to the cantor and larger choir. A report from the time simply notes, “Tears of the most heartfelt emotion streamed from almost every eye.”
During the late 18th century in Philadelphia, a Jewish merchant named Bernard Gratz left his non-Jewish business-partner in the lurch by taking Shavuot off. Unaware that some Jewish holidays fell in the middle of the work week and not
just on Shabbat, Gratz’s business partner wrote with some sarcasm and bewilderment, “Moses was upon the top of a mount in the month of May — consequently his followers must for a certain number of days cease to provide for their families.” Little did he know that Shavuot presented Jews with another occasion — as if we needed one! — for gratitude, study, food and time with family. What better things can we possibly provide one another?
The
mysticism of Shavuot
Unlike many of the Hasidic courts that developed in the late 18th and 19th centuries, the great master Nahman of Bratslav did not require the constant attention and presence of his followers. Instead, as Arnold Band writes, Nahman modeled an almost ascetic way of life for his followers, and eventually he only met with them on specific occasions, Shavuot being one. Many of his famous tales, then, originated in these brief but vivid encounters with the master, which also included music and dance.
The Baal Shem Tov died in the year 1760 on Shavuot, and many stories are told about the mystical experiences of young men at the courts of later tzadiks during
the holiday. The emphasis on study is only heightened on Shavuot, and this seems to have only cemented and intensified the intimacy and attachment felt between and master and disciple.
Ruth, Naomi and Danish
Yaffa Eliach writes that in the shtetl of Eishyshok, Lithuania, “there was little the shtetl people were allowed to enjoy” during the days of Counting the Omer. Once Shavuot was upon them, however, “The windows of houses that faced the street were decorated with paper cutouts known as reyzele (roses)… The interiors of the synagogue and the batei midrash were garlanded so lavishly with freshly cut lilac that the houses of prayer looked and smelled like greenhouses.” Children wore their summer clothes for the first time, and of course there was the food: “cheese and honey cakes, cheese blintzes that were served with sour cream, and a long hallah filled with raisins, almonds, and cheese.”
In a beautiful passage from Elizabeth Ehrlich’s memoir, “Miriam’s Kitchen,” she admits, “I don’t know what to do about Shavuot.” She knows that the holiday, aside from commemorating the giving of the
Torah, also includes a reading of the Book of Ruth, about that convert who “became the matriarch of a dynasty of kings.” She is aware, too, of the modern readings of Ruth that focus more on the heroine’s attachment to her mother-in-law, Naomi, than her new husband, Boaz. Still, Ehrlich is an outsider at the local synagogue, and when she goes there hoping to find sympathetic women interested in exploring the story, instead there is only a group of men reading the scroll.
Later, she visits her own mother-in-law, the titular Miriam, who lavishes her guests with all the dairy delights associated with the holiday. The next day, again restless and wondering if she should go to shul, she remembers that Miriam invited her over to make cheese Danishes. That settles it. “I leave my unfulfilled notions of scholarship,” Ehrlich writes, deciding to embody Ruth rather than study her. “I leave the matter of shul for another year. I pack up the baby and leave my home and set off for the Bronx, to make cheese Danishes. Whither thou goest, I will go.” PJC
Tim Miller is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.
p “Ruth in Boaz’s Field,” by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, oil on canvas, 1828; National Gallery, London Image courtesy of Wikipedia
Headlines
Proto-Reconstructionism in Pittsburgh
By Eric Lidji | Special to the Chronicle
Toward the end of the typical detective thriller is a moment where a final clue suddenly reassembles all the disparate pieces of the case into some new revelatory clarity.
I felt something similar after reading a letter that Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan wrote following an engagement at Congregation Beth Shalom in November 1925.
Kaplan was among the most prominent American rabbis at the time. He was on the faculty of the Jewish Theological Seminary and was becoming known for the swirl of revolutionary and often controversial ideas he was introducing to American Judaism.
One of his big ideas was the synagogue-center. Kaplan wanted the social and religious aspects of Judaism to coexist within one building with a sanctuary, social hall and recreation facilities. This novel concept soon became nearly ubiquitous in America.
From there, Kaplan founded the Society for the Advancement of Judaism in 1922 to promote his idea of Judaism as an evolving religious civilization capable of harmonizing ancient tradition with the realities of modern life. Among his first innovations was the bat mitzvah of his daughter Judith, a first in American Judaism.
From the starting point of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism, the Reconstructionist movement gradually emerged over the next few decades. It officially arrived in Pittsburgh in the late 1960s, when Congregation Dor Hadash affiliated.
Unofficially, though, aspects arrived here decades earlier.
Kaplan came in November 1925 under the auspices of the Bureau of Jewish Education of Pittsburgh. The Bureau had been founded in December 1921 to address a crisis in religious education. Only 60% of the Jewish children in Pittsburgh were receiving some form of religious education. By one count, this was the highest rate of any major Jewish community in America, and yet it also meant that thousands of Jewish children were unaffiliated. In a public call for support, a coalition of 12 rabbis and lay leaders representing all corners of the local Jewish community wrote, “Thousands of our boys and girls are absolutely ignorant of Jewish history and the religion of their fathers.”
The Bureau of Jewish Education attempted to reach these unaffiliated through large communal holiday programs. It started with a Passover party spread across locations in three city neighborhoods. It drew some 5,000 children together on one night.
Despite this early success, the Bureau of Jewish Education never gained momentum. It was perpetually falling dormant and reconstituting itself. After a period of
modest activity, it was reorganized in April 1925 under president Clara Fechheimer.
This new cohort launched a speaker’s series, starting with Kaplan. How did the bureau secure an engagement with one of the most notable rabbis in the country?
One reason was that the three leading Conservative rabbis in Pittsburgh were all former students of Kaplan at Jewish Theological Seminary: Rabbi Benjamin Lichter, who started at B’nai Israel in 1920; Rabbi Herman Hailperin, who started at Tree of Life in 1922; and Rabbi Goodman A. Rose, who started at Beth Shalom in 1924.
Another reason was that Kaplan misunderstood the invitation.
Coverage of Kaplan’s talk at Beth Shalom is scarce, saying only that he had “urged the organization of a chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism for the purpose of helping to make modern Judaism more rational, national and ethical.” In one of those infuriating vagaries that fill
historic newspapers, the article continued, “Interesting questions and discussions followed the main address of Dr. Kaplan.”
Writing to Fechheimer a few days later, in a letter now kept in the Bureau of Jewish Education records at the Rodef Shalom Archives, Kaplan wrote, “I came to Pittsburgh at the suggestion of Rabbi Rose, from whom I gathered the impression that there was a possibility of organizing a chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism. If I had known that I was simply to give an address, I would not have stopped off in Pittsburgh that day, because I had a great deal to attend to in the city. I feel that there is altogether too much talking done, and too little action taken upon the talking.”
By the time Kaplan spoke in Pittsburgh in late 1925, the Society for the Advancement of Judaism had expanded to include chapters across the East Coast and into the Midwest. Kaplan’s former students had started branches in Brooklyn, Cleveland, Chicago,
Hartford, Manhattan Beach, New Bedford and Scranton, according to Mel Scult’s 1993 biography “Judaism Faces the Twentieth Century.” You can see how Kaplan assumed that former students were planning something similar for Pittsburgh.
Rose’s correspondence to Kaplan hasn’t surfaced. Even so, the invitation illuminates aspects of the development of Squirrel Hill in the early 1920s.
A few years ago, I wrote an article for this publication about the oldest section of the Congregation Beth Shalom synagogue complex. It was built in 1923 and was known as the Community House. It had a gymnasium, a kitchen, classrooms and an auditorium with a balcony that doubled as a sanctuary for prayer. In other words, it resembled the type of “synagogue-center” that Kaplan had been promoting for several years.
Rose joined Beth Shalom in mid-1924, several months after the dedication of the Community House. That fall, he wrote: “We in this section are laying the foundations for a new Jewish community, distinctive, and in certain respects different from those from which we had come. We must organize our Judaism and mould our spiritual structures. What plans have we to follow? No set rules, no standard patterns, no fixed precedents are available for our guidance. We must think out our way step by step and act by act — this only being our unswerving principle, that not an iota of our Judaism is to be sacrificed.” Knowing his affiliation with Kaplan, it is easy to read his comments about the Community House through a protoReconstructionist lens.
The following spring, in April 1925, Rose orchestrated the first known bat mitzvah ceremony in Pittsburgh when four young women were honored in a Friday night service at Beth Shalom. (Lichter did something similar at B’nai Israel in 1928.)
It is also easy to hear Kaplan’s influence in “Universal Israel,” an essay Rose wrote for this newspaper in 1930: “What is most needed is not a conserved Jewry, nor a re-formed Jewry, but an adaptable Jewry. Too much thought has been given to, and too much effort has been expended on, safeguarding Jewish values by external means, on the one hand, and revising Jewish ideals artificially, on the other hand.”
One critique of local history is its lack of methodology and its ignorance of larger historical trends. Here, I agree: My understanding of the development of the Conservative and Reconstructionist movements in the 1920s and 1930s is rudimentary. Ultimately, Beth Shalom became solidly Conservative under Rose. I would be curious to see these early years through the eyes of a scholar with deep insights into that era. PJC
Eric Lidji is the director of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center. He can be reached at rjarchives@heinzhistorycenter. org or 412-454-6406.
p A certificate from Congregation Beth Shalom for the bat mitzvah of Ruth Lieberman in 1925 — part of the first group bat mitzvah ceremony held by the congregation. Without a “bat mitzvah” certificate, the congregation was forced to repurpose the standard “bar mitzvah” certificate. Image courtesy Rauh Jewish Archives
Submit calendar items on the Chronicle’s website, pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. Submissions also will be included in print. Events will run in the print edition beginning one month prior to the date as space allows. The deadline for submissions is Friday, noon.
SUNDAY, JUNE 1
Chabad of South Hills presents Soup, Wine, Cheese and Shavuot Ted Talk: Jewish Ideas Worth Spreading. Enjoy a series of 10-minute powerful talks showcasing important Jewish ideas that change attitudes and lives. Optional late-night study follows talks. 8 p.m. chabadsh.com/ted.
Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for its annual Tikkun Leil Shavuot. Enjoy a night of Jewish learning with rabbis and Jewish thinkers. Cheesecake and co ee served. 10 p.m. JCC Squirrel Hill, Darlington Avenue entrance. jewishpgh.org/ occasion/tikkun.
SUNDAYS, JUNE 1–JULY 27
Join Chabad of Squirrel Hill for its Men’s Tefillin Club. Services and tefillin are followed by a delicious breakfast and engaging discussions on current events. 8:30 a.m. 1700 Beechwood Blvd. chabadpgh.com.
MONDAY, JUNE 2
Join Chabad of Squirrel Hill for a Shavuot Dinner and Ice Cream Party. Hear the Ten Commandments and enjoy a delicious dairy dinner and ice cream bu et. 5 p.m. 1700 Beechwood Blvd. chabadpgh.com/ shavuotparty.
MONDAYS, JUNE 2–JULY 28
Join Congregation Beth Shalom for a weekly Talmudstudy. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org.
Join Temple Sinai for an evening of mahjong every Monday (except holidays). Whether you are just starting out or have years of experience, you are sure to enjoy the camaraderie and good times as you make new friends or cherish moments with long-term pals. All are welcome. Winners will be awarded Giant Eagle gift cards. All players should have their own mahjong cards. Contact Susan Cohen at susan_k_cohen@yahoo.com if you have questions. $5. templesinaipgh.org.
MONDAYS, JUNE 2–SEPT. 29
Join the 10.27 Healing Partnership for Roll for Insight: Community-Building Role-Playing Games Meet every other week to connect and grow with new friends through playing tabletop role-playing games designed to inspire emotional depth. They will use RPGs to explore the intersection of identity, emotional resiliency and games to fight isolation and disconnection, and to meet new people and form friendships. Free. No experience required. 16 and up. 5:30 p.m. Jewish Community Center, 5738 Forbes Ave. 1027healingpartnership.org/rpg-club.
WEDNESDAYS, JUNE 4–JULY 29
Temple Sinai’s Rabbi Daniel Fellman presents a weekly Parshat/Torahportionclass on site and online. Call 412-421-9715 for more information and the Zoom link.
“If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan, but never the goal.”
Bring the parashah alive and make it personally relevant and meaningful with Rabbi Mark Goodman in this weekly ParashahDiscussion: Life & Text. 12:15 p.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org/life-text.
Join the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh for a screening of “Perseverance: One Holocaust Survivor’s Story,” the newest edition in PA Cyber’s Emmy-nominated Moments in History series that tells the story of local Holocaust survivor Melvin Goldman. The screening will be followed by a conversation between Goldman’s daughter and filmmaker Scot Rutledge. 6:30 p.m. Chatham University’s Eddy Theatre, 1157 Murray Hill Ave. eventbrite.com/e/perseverance-screeningregistration-1325346610389?u.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4
Join Rodef Shalom Congregation for Biblical Garden Open Door Tours: free, docent-led tours of the congregation’s Biblical Botanical Garden the first Wednesday of the month. 12:15 p.m. 4905 Fifth Ave. rodefshalom.org/garden.
SATURDAY, JUNE 7
Join the Tiferet Project for its June Havdalah on the Town (HoTT). Enjoy a short and joyful ritual to end Shabbat and begin the new week. Noshes, a signature cocktail, music and great conversations included. Stay for just the ritual or join others for dinner afterward. Address supplied after registration. 6 p.m. tiferetproject.org/event/ hott-jun.
Lee & Lisa Oleinick
MONDAY, JUNE 9
Join Chabad of Squirrel Hill for The Sound of Jewish Music, a magical evening for women featuring music, dance and inspiration. 6:30 p.m. $18/adult, $10/student in advance; $25 at the door. Katz Performing Art Center, 5738 Darlington Road. soundo ewishmusic.com.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18
JFCS Pittsburgh presents From Stigma to Strength: Understanding Mental Health History and Managing Anxiety, exploring the evolution of mental health understanding and providing practical tools for today’s challenges. The session will dive into the historical roots of mental health stigma, discuss how current global challenges trigger anxiety and present evidence-based strategies for maintaining well-being. Virtual lecture and participation is free. 6 p.m. jfcspgh.org/CounselingRegistration.
FRIDAY, JUNE 20
Zionist Shabbat is a pre-Shabbat soiree with the goal of bringing together Pittsburgh’s young adult (aged 22-44) community to celebrate our shared love and support for Israel. Israeli hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served. Joined by Amy Albertson, a social media star and Israel and Jewish advocate who excels in speaking about Israel, Jewish pride and combatting antisemitism. $18. 6 p.m. Jewish Community Center of Pittsburgh, 5738 Forbes Ave. jewishpgh.org/event/zionist-shabbat. PJC
Join the Chronicle Book Club!
The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle invites you to join the Chronicle Book Club for its June 29 discussion of “My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search for His Family’s Past,” by Ariel Sabar. This 2008 National Book Critics Circle Award Winner was described by the Los Angeles Times as “a biography, a memoir, a meticulously reconstructed history of a largely vanished people and place. ... Transcending mere reportage, it acquires a novel-like warp and weft.” A compelling read, this book chronicles the author’s journey to understand his father’s KurdishJewishheritage in Iraq, where an ancient Aramaic-speaking community once thrived.
Your hosts
Toby Tabachnick, Chronicle editor
David Rullo, Chronicle senior staff writer
How it works
We will meet on Zoom on Sunday, June 29, at 1 p.m.
What to do
Buy: “My Father’s Paradise.” It is available from online retailers, including Amazon and
Barnes & Noble. It is also available through the Carnegie Library system.
Email: Contact us at drullo@pittsburgh jewishchronicle.org, and write “Chronicle Book Club” in the subject line. We will send you a Zoom link for the discussion meeting.
Happy reading! PJC
— Toby Tabachnick
Headlines
By Adam Reinherz | Senior Sta Writer
Aman best known as “Rabbi” is leading the Cantors Assembly. Tree of Life’s Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers was installed as head of the 600-member association during the Cantors Assembly’s annual convention on May 21 in Jersey Shore, New Jersey.
Myers said while the appointment was unexpected, he is excited to guide the group.
“I was surprised with the call,” he said. “I thought at this stage in my Jewish communal service, I was beginning to think more about gearing down and not additional ways to be engaged.”
After receiving the request to become president, Myers said he spent a week considering the offer. He talked with colleagues, leaders of the association and family before reaching a conclusion: “They needed me. And I said, ‘OK, you need me. I’m here.’”
The Cantors Assembly dates to 1947. At the time, hazzanim (cantors) sought a path to professionalize their services. By establishing themselves as “bona fide” clergy,
creating a cantorial school, establishing “ethical standards” and managing other responsibilities such as improving job security, members of the group, according to the Cantors Assembly, helped formalize a task routinely performed for nearly 2,000 years.
Synagogue-based services, and the need of a leader to pray on others’ behalf, followed the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E.
Though traces of cantor-led services date to the sixth century, conceptions of hazzanut
(cantorship), and the role of a musically trained professional to lead prayers, began around the 18th century in Europe, according to My Jewish Learning.
Today’s cantors have multiple responsibilities beyond chanting familiar liturgy, Myers explained.
“The role of cantor is not merely to lead the congregation in worship, and it’s not merely to prepare bar or bat mitzvah students,” he said. “I can’t say that there’s a specific list [of duties], because each cantor brings to his or her pulpit a unique set of skills. Some may be incredible Torah readers and can build up a vast cadre of Torah readers. Some can be incredible conductors and have wonderful choirs. Some can really dig deep into pastoral care and frequent hospitals, nursing homes and senior citizen facilities. There can be many ways that a cantor serves the community off the pulpit.”
Myers hopes people appreciate that, like rabbis, cantors are working even when splendid vestments aren’t noticeable: “If you think about it, just mathematically, a cantor is on the bimah (pulpit) proper Friday night for an hour and Shabbat morning for three hours. That’s four hours. Well, what about the remaining? And it’s not a 40-hour
Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers, back row fourth from left, joins fellow officers of the Cantors Assembly. Photo courtesy of Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers
Headlines
After discovery on Pittsburgh’s North Side, Jewish gravestone returned to cemetery
By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer
Like many modern mysteries, it began with a post. Shared on Facebook more than a week ago, a photograph depicted a headstone with the words “Baby Girl Recht July 1964.”
The small rectangular marker, as noted on the social networking site, was discovered curbside near Perrysville Avenue on Pittsburgh’s North Side.
“If anyone knows the family … it’s a real mystery,” read the post.
For days, media groups and communal organizations worked toward solving the puzzle.
CBS News Pittsburgh visited the site of the discovery and a Jewish cemetery, before speaking with Shawn Brokos, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s director of community security.
Brokos told the outlet the Federation had located a surviving family member as well as the stone’s original resting place.
Kelly Schwimer, executive director of the Jewish Cemetery and Burial Association of Greater Pittsburgh, told the Chronicle the unusual circumstances surrounding the stone’s appearance required several days of investigation.
“We don’t know how it got to where it got to. What’s important is that the stone was
It’s a matter of “respect and of keeping our cemeteries safe,” Schwimer said.
Shaare Torah Congregation’s Rabbi Yitzi Genack worked with JCBA and Federation to ensure the headstone was returned to its , cemeteries are sacred spaces, and showing reverence for those who have passed is a core expression of the value we place on life and memory,” Genack said. “The headstone is not just a marker — it is a physical embodiment of remembrance, dignity and connection to our past. The theft of a headstone, especially that of a child, is despicable, horrific and a profound desecration. Acts like this strike at the heart of our values and our commitment to honoring every soul. It is our collective responsibility to protect the sanctity of these
spaces and the memories they preserve.” Cemetery desecration is a violation of Pennsylvania law.
The crime, when committed in a faithbased setting, rips at the heart of religious communities, according to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.
In a 2021 report, the federal government commission noted, “Jewish cemeteries are frequent targets for vandalism and desecration. Perpetrators often spray paint cemetery property with anti-Jewish rhetoric or imagery including Nazi slogans, swastikas, slurs or threats against Jewish communities; smash or topple matzevot (headstones); or loot property.”
Governments are obligated to “protect the cultural heritage of religious communities’ cemeteries,” according to USCIRF.
Whether the stone appeared on Pittsburgh’s North Side due to vandalism, neglect or another matter is secondary, Schwimer said.
Respect for the dead and care for the living are a continuous process, she continued. “As an organization we work with local clergy and loved ones to ensure proper ceremonies are performed and that our cemeteries are safe and treated with utmost care. We will do the same with this stone as we would with any other.” PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
Allegheny County Councilmember Bethany Hallam reposts antisemitic Instagram post
By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer
Allegheny County Councilmember
Bethany Hallam has again offended the Jewish community with her social media activity.
On Memorial Day, Hallam reposted an Instagram post originally penned by @theafroaussie that read, “Another week of watching people burned alive in Gaza and we’re still required to be civil with Zionists, right?”
Hallam’s repost drew immediate criticism by the Jewish community.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh condemned the language of the post and Hallam’s implied belief that “she is not required to ‘be civil with Zionists,’” and wrote that calls for “uncivil behavior against Zionists for perceived actions of the State of Israel meets the definition of antisemitism, as it would be holding Zionists (often Jews) responsible for the actions of a foreign government.”
Hallam’s repost, Federation noted, occurred in the shadow of last week’s murder in Washington, D.C. of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two Israeli Embassy employees attending a conference on advancing peace in the Middle East at the
Capital Jewish Museum. The suspect yelled “Free, free Palestine,” after being arrested.
Zionism, Federation’s statement noted, is “the belief in the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland,” and is a core part of Jewish identity for most Jews.
“To target ‘Zionists’ with threats of uncivil behavior and dehumanizing rhetoric, is to endanger Jews everywhere, regardless of their views on Israeli policy or politics,” the Federation’s statement continued.
The Federation called on elected county leaders to condemn Hallam’s post and “all rhetoric that aims to ostracize and discriminate against those who believe in Israel’s right to exist and Jewish self-determination.”
Julie Paris, Mid-Atlantic regional director of StandWithUs, called Hallam’s statement “profoundly reckless, and a threat to our community’s safety.”
“For the vast majority of Jews, Zionism (the belief in Jewish self-determination in our ancestral homeland) is a fundamental aspect of our identity,” Paris wrote. “This kind of rhetoric doesn’t foster constructive debate; it actively dehumanizes, isolates, and incites hatred against Jewish people.”
Paris, too, called for elected officials and concerned members of the community to speak out against “this blatant display of antisemitism.”
State Rep. Dan Frankel, whose district includes Squirrel Hill, issued a statement on social media saying that Hallam’s post “helps fuel a dangerous environment for Jewish people here at home. Words matter. In a week when Jewish communities are grieving deadly violence and fearing for their safety, this kind of rhetoric isn’t just hurtful — it’s reckless.”
On Facebook, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury invited Hallam to a private conversation and, in a separate post wrote:
“It is 100% fine to oppose the Israeli government’s actions. I myself think Netanyahu has made terrible decisions with terrible consequences, despite the opinions that people like to assign to me on social media. It is NOT ok to make Jews around you feel unsafe with your words and actions. That is the difference between disagreeing on politics and actually engaging in antisemitism.”
This is not Hallam’s first brush with charges of antisemitism for her social media activity.
Following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Oct. 7, Hallam reposted a celebratory video of the terrorist organization’s murders, kidnaps and rapes of Israeli citizens.
Calls to Hallam and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato were not returned before press time. PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
Screenshot courtesy of Jewish Cemetery and Burial Association of Greater Pittsburgh
— LOCAL —
p Instagram post questioning whether it is necessary to be civil with “Zionists,” reposted by Allegheny County Councilmember Bethany Hallam Screenshot
Headlines
Guy Christensen, pro-Palestinian TikToker with 3.4M followers, endorses murder of Israeli embassy employees
Guy Christensen, a TikTok influencer with more than 3 million followers, who is believed to be from Cranberry, came out in support of the shooting attack that killed two Israeli embassy employees, JTA reported.
“I do not condemn the elimination of the Zionist officials who worked at the Israeli embassy last night,” Christensen, a Gen-Z influencer who goes by YourFavoriteGuy on TikTok, said in a video posted last week.
“I want to urge you first to support Elias’ actions,” he added later, referencing the alleged shooter. “He is not a terrorist. He’s a resistance fighter, and the fact is that the fight against Israel’s war machine, against their genocide machine, against their criminality, includes their foreign diplomats in this country.”
The video represented a reversal for Christensen, who had earlier posted a video condemning the murders. The video supporting the attack later disappeared from TikTok and Instagram. He appeared to suggest that the platform had removed it: “also tiktok banned my vid LOL,” he wrote on a subsequent post.
With the video, Christensen joined a growing collection of voices openly supporting the attack. He may be the one with the largest audience.
“We must meet with escalation and stronger resistance,” he said. “I hope my retracted condemnation does not allow our government to condemn me to a cell. But I don’t know. Follow my page for more. Thank you and free Palestine.”
US citizen arrested for threats to ‘burn down’ US embassy branch in Tel Aviv, kill Trump
Joseph Patrick Neumeyer appeared in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday, where the 28-year-old, dual U.S.-German citizen was charged with threatening to kill U.S. President Donald Trump and to bomb a U.S. embassy branch in Tel Aviv, JNS reported.
Israel deported Neumeyer, of Colorado, to New York on Saturday, per the U.S. Justice Department. He faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines, per the department.
The U.S. government alleges that on May 19 — in the month after he arrived in Israel — Neumeyer wrote, “Join me this afternoon in Tel Aviv” and “We are burning down the U.S. embassy” on Facebook.
On May 19, Neumeyer spat on a guard outside the U.S. embassy branch artist in Tel Aviv but was able to flee, while yelling profanities, as the guard sought to detain him. After a guard grabbed him by the backpack, Neumeyer managed to break free and escape, leaving the backpack behind, per the complaint.
“Law enforcement recovered from Neumeyer’s backpack several bottles that
Today in Israeli History
Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.
May 30, 1972 — 26 killed in Lod airport massacre
Hired by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, three Japanese Red Army terrorists with machine guns and grenades kill 26 people at the Lod airport. Eighteen of the victims are foreign tourists.
May 31, 1665 — Shabbetai Zevi declares himself Messiah Shabbetai Zevi declares himself the Messiah after meeting with a mystic, Nathan of Gaza. Ottoman officials arrest him in 1666 and let him choose conversion to Islam or execution; he picks Islam.
p A 1665 portrait, used as an illustration in the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, shows Shabbetai Zevi before his forced conversion to Islam.
June 1, 1967 — Dayan is named defense minister
Seeking government unity as war approaches, Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol appoints Moshe Dayan to serve as the defense minister, gaining his military experience and his ties to David Ben-Gurion.
had been turned into improvised incendiary devices, commonly known as ‘Molotov cocktails,’” per the Justice Department. “Authorities confirmed the presence of flammable fluid in the bottles.”
The complaint described a guard noticing a “strong odor of ‘pure’ alcohol emanating from the backpack” and “a bottle with black cloth protruding from its neck.”
‘I am done with antisemitism,’ Ye declares morning after Jewish museum shooting
The morning after a shooter killed two Israeli embassy aides at a Jewish event in Washington, D.C., incendiary rapper Ye took to X with an unexpected message: “I am done with antisemitism,” JTA reported.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has become well known for antisemitic rants and provocations, including a song he debuted earlier this month titled “Heil Hitler.” In February, Ye doubled down on his antisemitic sentiments, declaring in a post on X, “IM NEVER APOLOGIZING FOR MY JEWISH COMMENTS.”
But in a string of posts last week after the deadly shooting, he appeared to have had a change of heart.
From around 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Ye shared 11 posts with sentiments of repentance, including “God forgive me for the pain I’ve caused” and “GOD CALLS FOR PEACE.”
He did not specifically mention the shooting, allegedly carried out by a man who shouted, “Free Palestine” while arrested. Ye recently posted pro-Palestinian sentiments as well.
Israeli rookie Robert Shwartzman crashes out of Indy 500
Israeli driver Robert Shwartzman’s highly anticipated debut at the Indianapolis 500 ended abruptly on Sunday after a pit stop crash injured multiple crew members and damaged his car beyond repair, JNS reported.
The 25-year-old Tel Aviv native, who was raised in Saint Petersburg and Italy, made history by becoming the first rookie to secure pole position at the Indy 500 since 1983, had been making a comeback through the field after early pit issues when the incident occurred under caution around lap 87 of the 200-lap, 500-mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“I think I had a pretty decent start today,” Shwartzman said in a televised interview, recounting how his car locked up unexpectedly during his second pit stop. “As soon as I touched my brakes, both front just locks and I just went straight into the guys.”
According to the driver, he entered the pit lane slowly and tried to brake cautiously, but the car failed to respond.
Shwartzman said the cause of the failure was still under investigation.
Shwartzman, a former Formula 2 standout and Ferrari Formula 1 reserve driver, made headlines this month by leading Prema Racing’s first-ever IndyCar qualifying effort to the front of the grid. He was aiming to become the first Israeli to win at the Brickyard. PJC
— Compiled by Toby Tabachnick
June 2, 1990 — Oscar winner part of Tel Aviv Student Film Festival
The third biennial Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival opens at Tel Aviv University. The winners include American Adam Davidson for “Lunch Date,” which goes on to win the Oscar for live-action short film in 1991.
June 3, 1974 — Rabin first becomes prime minister
After defeating Shimon Peres for the Labor Party leadership only months into his political career, Yitzhak Rabin succeeds Golda Meir to become Israel’s fifth prime minister when he presents his coalition government to the Knesset.
June 4, 2009 — Obama seeks reset in Cairo speech
President Barack Obama calls for “a new beginning” in relations between the United States and the Muslim world during an address at Cairo University. He also reaffirms the U.S. commitment to Israel.
June 5, 1952 — Hadassah Medical Center breaks ground
Hadassah breaks ground on the Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center at Ein Kerem to replace its original medical campus on Mount Scopus, which is in the Jordanianoccupied section of Jerusalem. PJC
Headlines
Unification:
Continued from page 1
affiliated with Rodef Shalom and about 650 affiliated with Temple Sinai.
The reasons for considering unification were simple, Jurman told the Chronicle in December 2023, when the possibility of merger was first announced.
“We’re all painfully aware that we need to do something to strengthen our hand,” he said. “We’re all losing members. Everybody knows but no one seems to have tackled the fact that we have a serious real estate problem in the Jewish community. That’s just one of our issues. We really have needed to engage in talk, playing to our strengths and doing
Attack:
Continued from page 1
synagogue shooting victims following the Washington attack.
“I think the words that keep coming up are ‘horror,’ ‘disbelief,’ ‘disgust,’” Feinstein said. “You know, this strong desire that if you have to go through something that’s terrible, that you hope nobody ever has to again — never again. And then when it happens, how crushing that feels again, because you think, as bad as it was here, you wish that nobody ever feels that. And so I think, what does that emotional space feel like?
I think it can feel like anger and a lot of sadness.”
It can also feel like fear, she said.
Jewish Pittsburghers, Feinstein said, navigated feelings of fear and security concerns following the 2018 attack here, but chose to gather en masse again for holiday services, knowing that while safety issues are real, they could still “push through.”
“I think, unfortunately, we have to flex the same muscles again,” Feinstein said. “We have to remember how to choose joy, choose gathering, choose community.”
The news of the Washington murders was “triggering,” Gaynor said, but he does not feel less safe than he did before this newest antisemitic attack occurred.
“For some time I have accepted that, as a Jew, I just have to face facts that my safety and the safety of others is threatened anytime we’re in identifiably Jewish places, or if we appear identifiably Jewish,” he said. “That’s not new, so I don’t know if I feel any less safe now than I felt before. I can see how other people would feel that way. There’s no question it’s threatening. It’s very triggering for me and I suspect for other people who lived through 10-27-18, or people who lived through similar events.”
Tree of Life Congregation’s Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers, who survived the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, was celebrating his installation as president of the Cantors Assembly when he heard about the Washington murders.
“We read at the conclusion of Psalm 24, ‘You transformed my mourning into celebration,’” Myers said in an email to the Chronicle. “Alas, I must reverse the nouns to read ‘You transformed my celebration into mourning.’ As I was celebrating my inauguration as the 38th president of the Cantors Assembly, a gunman murdered two young Jews outside of the Capitol Jewish Museum. What makes this deed more insidious is that both had left an event that promotes Israeli-Palestinian dialogue and more aid into Gaza. Any movement that births violence and murderers should be of great concern to all Americans, for not one of us is safe.”
Protecting Jewish Pittsburgh
Local law enforcement is proactive in ensuring the safety of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, according to Shawn Brokos, director of community security for the Jewish
something to minimize our weaknesses.”
Even if both congregations vote to approve the unification, Battistone said, there are several legal steps which must be undertaken to finalize the merger.
“It’s kind of a long process,” he said. “We are already working towards a lot of these things just to try and keep the momentum and ball rolling. That’s going to be another process that may take a few months.”
In the interim, Battistone said, the congregations’ boards of trustees will continue to oversee the organization, but a new manage-
will begin making some of the needed executive decisions, including those as mundane as when a congregational newsletter will be sent out, and as significant as what a new staffing model will look like for the united congregation.
Memorial and donor plaques will be brought to the building at Fifth and Morewood, according to the Unity412 website, along with art from Temple Sinai. The fate of different religious artifacts and Torah scrolls will be determined though a committee, with guidance from the congre-
Jurman said the congregations have been holding question-and-answer sessions with their members and hope they help answer lingering questions.
Battistone isn’t certain how the congregations will vote but said he hoped there would be 100% participation from members. Information about the voting process will be sent soon and the Rodef Shalom president said he felt a lot of “positive enthusiasm” from members.
“I think people are excited about this future that we’ve pointed to,” Battistone said, “and they want to see what comes out of it. I’m excited about it.” PJC
Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
“The terrorist attack happened Wednesday evening, and Thursday morning I received an early morning phone call from the acting commander of Zone 4, assuring us that there would be additional patrols throughout the Jewish community as it relates to Pittsburgh,” Brokos said. “He and several other commanders had met and said that this is what they need to do in an abundance of caution.”
Brokos said she was “grateful to get that call,” because, typically, she is the one to call law enforcement when events like this transpire.
“They beat me to it, which shows the level of concern for our community and our Jewish organizations,” she said. “So I think that is again a nod to the collaborative relationship we have with law enforcement.”
Brokos said she has learned through multiple law enforcement briefings that there is no additional threat to Pittsburgh’s Jewish community relating to the murders in Washington.
Independent of that, however, “We do remain in a heightened threat environment,” Brokos stressed. “We have seen a series of concerning social media postings, flyers, recent court cases, which are all very much indicative of the heightened antisemitism that exists, coupled with the hatred or animus directed at Jews or those who support Israel.”
The heightened threat environment, she said, “is not a new posture for us,” but what is new are additional patrols and more armed guards at Jewish events.
‘Crisis fatigue’
Following the murders in Washington, Brokos received an influx of calls from concerned community members inquiring about security. She described the calls as “anxious and fearful.”
While stressing that “there are no known threats to our community,” she acknowledged that there have been cases “where somebody may not be on law enforcement radar and they pose a threat.”
“But on the other hand, we have worked so long and hard to make sure all of our organizations are physically as safe as possible, and we’ve done so much training with our organizations, and we have such a close working
tions will create joint services and activities in July with additional joint programming for
relationship with law enforcement, that I know that we are doing all we can.”
Since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas invaded Israel and launched the current war, there has been “prolific targeting of the Jewish community,” Brokos said, “and we see it here in Pittsburgh probably more so than other places.”
She recalled the stolen We Stand With Israel signs, the desecration of those signs, the desecration of Jewish buildings, the Nazi flags waved over the Liberty Bridge, the antisemitic flyers and “the multiple individuals who’ve been arrested federally for hate crimes or conspiring against Jews.” All this followed the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, and five years later, the three-month trial of the murderer. The trauma, she said, has been “cumulative.”
“I think it becomes a bit of crisis fatigue,” she said.
Dangerous rhetoric and the confluence of hate
State Rep. Abigail Salisbury, who serves Pennsylvania’s 34th District, has been a strong voice against antisemitism. She believes that the proliferation of anti-Zionist rhetoric may be inspiring acts of physical violence, such as the Washington murders.
“Unfortunately, a lot of people are not able to distinguish between the actions of the nation of Israel and its leaders, and Jews as individual humans, and I think that it starts to get blurry for some people,” she said. “Some people are not able to think clearly and make good decisions. So, I think that, unfortunately, it creates a bit of a risk for people such as ourselves, who are going about our daily lives, because people seem to believe that we somehow are controlling the actions of Israel.”
Salisbury said she’s been “shocked” by the social media posts of people who condone the Washington murders.
“It seemed as if they really believe that these people deserved it,” she said. “I saw some comments where people said that this was their fault because they were complicit, and that this has no danger for your average Jew — that this is just for people who are complicit in genocide. But I don’t think that’s true. I don’t think that the person who committed these murders walked
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
through and interviewed every single person on their position on foreign policy, or talked to them about what they think of the Israeli military actions, or things of that nature. Somebody just showed up at what they assumed to be a Jewish event full of Jews and killed two people.”
Salisbury noted the confluence of far-left and far-right antisemitism, when hate coming from seemingly opposite political camps begins to look the same.
“We used to think it was like a spectrum from left to right, sort of along the axis, but a lot of people now talk about the ‘U,’ like a horseshoe of the political spectrum, so that the far left and far right are closer together at the bottom of the horseshoe, and then everybody else is up top,” she said. “I think it’s sort of an interesting metaphor visually. I’ve had to think about why some people have startlingly similar opinions, but are very far apart on what we consider the axis of political spectrum.”
Brokos also spoke of a confluence of antiJewish ideologies.
“This is that confluence we’ve seen between this far-right ideology, which is really the white supremacy rhetoric, and then the far-left, which is this anti-Israel, anti-Jewish, very much pro-Palestinian supporters,” Brokos said. “And both sides are using this grievance narrative that they have to justify, whether it’s verbal assaults or in the case of Wednesday night, fatal assaults, directed at the Jewish community.”
Salisbury acknowledges that she has gotten pushback for advocating strongly against antisemitism. While most of the criticism comes from outside the Jewish community, some has come from within.
“I’ve definitely had some people who were in the Jewish community go after me online because they think differently politically,” she said.
“It’s not as if the Jewish community is a monolith on these things,” she continued. “Generally I think people have been positive, with the exception of a few people who are very entrenched in certain viewpoints.”
That criticism will not deter Salisbury from speaking out.
“Oh, I have a big mouth and I don’t intend to shut it soon,” she said. “I don’t know that I can.”
Despite the continuing antisemitism crisis, Gaynor is clinging to hope.
“I do believe things will get better,” he said. “It’s just a question of when, and how bad they get before they get better. I think that we all need to do whatever we’re capable of to try it make things better, and personally, I’m not going to give in. I’m not gonna stop doing what I’m doing. I’m not gonna stop going to shul. I’m not going to stop going to [the kosher market] or anything. I will not let that happen because then those people will have won. And I will not let that happen.” PJC
Toby Tabachnick can be reached at ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
p A portion of a memorial outside the Tree of Life building in 2018
Photo by Jim Busis
Headlines
Tikvah:
Continued from page 2
That’s because “one leads to the other,” she said. “You don’t have people getting up and killing just like that, or knowing whom to kill or whom to be against.”
“The ideas precede the deeds. They always have,” she continued. “You have to have people who are shouting for your blood before people will go out and kill you.”
Wisse knows her comments spark alarm.
Primary:
Continued from page 3
Attempts by people to downplay the antisemitism in the city during the run-up to the election, Kazzaz said, “shows what length people are willing to go to try and convince their neighbors that what they are seeing, and their experiences, are not valid or real.”
Kazzaz speaks from personal experience. His Jewish identity, the fact that he served in the IDF and his work with the Beacon Coalition were attacked on social media by a small but vocal group of Gainey supporters shortly before and after the election.
One Twitter user, @joeypoppyseed, wrote, “Corey needs all the volunteers he can get. He will even accept help from a former IDF soldier who doxxed and harassed Pitt students along w community advocates. He personally handed Zappala a list of names of who to prosecute. Jeremy Kazzaz and company make Pittsburgh unsafe.”
That post was retweeted by Maria Guido, a former nominee for the Shuman Juvenile Detention Advisory Board, who accused Kazzaz of doxing her online
Myers:
Continued from page 7
week. The average cantor, without question, works easily a 50-to-60-hour week at the minimum.”
As a profession, cantors face an uphill battle, according to Myers.
The biggest challenge is “shrinkage in synagogue membership, because as that plays out there are fewer synagogues,” he said. “Synagogues that decline in membership will frequently reach a point where they can no longer afford to have two clergy; and in many of those cases the choice will be made to let go of the cantor.”
Another challenge, he continued, are “mergers and potential mergers — we see that happening right here in Pittsburgh — so when congregations merge, if congregations have two rabbis and two cantors, how do they work that out? Are they going to maintain four clergy? Can they sustain themselves? Do they have that need? So we see the changing landscape of synagogue membership impacting the life of every synagogue in the United States.”
Since completing cantorial school at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1984, Myers has witnessed changing realities.
The value of weekends like the upcoming one, or democracy in general, is to debate essential ideas; but a proper discussion cannot occur without requisite education, she said.
“How do we know what we are? How do we know what is basic and essential? It is not biologically transmitted,” she said. Laborious instruction must be “reinforced at every level — primary education teaches us the ABCs, then literacy grows to a different level, and then you raise it to a level beyond that — and it’s at the highest level of ideas that you then engage in debate.
and passing her information to Stop Antisemitism, a watchdog organization “dedicated to exposing groups and individuals that espouse incitement towards the Jewish people,” according to the group’s website.
Kazzaz who is both an American and Israeli citizen completed national service in Israel 15 years ago.
“These claims are completely false,” Kazzaz said. “I never shared anyone’s personal contact information online or with the district attorney and never doxxed anyone — full stop. What we’re seeing is a familiar pattern: when Jews speak up for their communities or participate in public life, they’re singled out with conspiracy theories and smear campaigns. It’s not new, it’s just the modern form of an old prejudice.”
Shortly after the mayor’s concession speech, charges of racism and the influence of MAGA money on the race were made by individuals connected to progressive groups
People have to understand the context within which debate is possible.”
Unfortunately though, “what is absolutely self-evident is what is least evident to many people.”
Wisse is looking forward to continuing the conversation in Pittsburgh.
“Jews are the blue and white in the red, white and blue,” she said. “Our values are closely aligned with those of the United States of America. So much of America itself, the concept of America, the laws, the way in which the United States of America is formed,
to break the grip of Zionism and racism on Pittsburgh continues.”
O’Connor’s relationship with the Black community, she said, is irreparable.
“His choice to run a campaign fueled by racism and bigotry will not be forgotten or forgiven,” she wrote.
Writing about O’Connor’s victory party, Long posted, “If your victory party looks like a Unite the White party, you shouldn’t be mayor.”
Long reposted a tweet by Miracle Jones, director of advocacy and policy for 1Hood Media, in which Jones reposted the quote by Gainey, “We will not turn to hate.” Jones
“Fewer people are going into pulpit life in general, in all faiths,” he said.
Practitioners and those entering the field must recognize the trends, he continued.
Myers pointed to his own career when describing his ability to shepherd the flock: “I’ve got one foot in the past — in the tradition of the cantor of Eastern Europe — and I’d like to think that I have one foot straddling the line between present and future to be able to acknowledge and share the evolution of the cantor during my lifetime.”
Twelve years after graduating as a hazzan, Myers became a rabbi.
The ordination was conferred by a “private rabbinical school,” he said.
The school, Myers added, was located in New York. He declined to share other details.
What’s important, he said, is that historically many cantors have also held rabbinic ordination.
Within the Cantors Assembly are “70 members who have, also over the course of their lifetime, gotten rabbinic ordination. And I think what it reflects is the changing landscape in the United States, where small congregations cannot afford two clergy.”
Myers, who served as senior vice president of the Cantors Assembly before becoming president, said it won’t work for everyone but
comes out of the Hebraic tradition. It comes through the Puritan tradition, the Hebraic element within Christianity and the British legal system. We are a fundamental part of America, and very comfortably a part of America. But we cannot take anything for granted. We have to reiterate our blessings, why it’s so important to sustain our way of life and our teachings and to express our appreciation.” PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
responded, “I’m a Sagittarius.” Long reposted that, writing “I’m with the Sagitterorist. F--- it, we ball.”
Jones also wrote, “The weaponization of antisemitism was not condemned or roundly rejected by the caucus. It is clear that these accusations are meant to target Black leaders and remove them from leadership positions,” and “It’s time for us to have a clear conversation not discern actual fear of harm due to increased antiJewish sentiment from real hate and disdain of Black people.”
Another post from Jones said, “At this time, antisemitism is 1) hatred of Jewish people 2) belief that Palestinians are human beings and deserving of human rights 3) a false accusation to remove Black people from access to power.”
O’Connor hasn’t commented on the online accusations. Instead, he spent the day following the election holding a sign in the rain thanking those who voted for him — something his father did after being elected mayor.
Pennsylvania’s general election is Nov. 20. PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghewishchronicle.org.
holding dual roles may be one path forward.
“In the case of people who are ordained both as rabbi and as cantor, they bring the double skill set of being able to chant a beautiful service and deliver a wonderful dvar Torah. I’d like to think that Tree of Life Congregation appreciates the fact that I can do both, and I’m one person who can do both,” he said. “I think that this model is one effective way to help serve smaller congregations in the United States.”
Myers said that to the extent possible, as president, he will visit other congregations in the U.S.
But the dates circled on his calendar only have him traveling a few miles.
“Between June 7 to 11, 2026, the Cantors Assembly will hold its first-ever convention in Pittsburgh,” he said. More details will be shared in the coming year, but for now, Myers hopes people look forward to learning more about the profession, what it means “for not just the Jewish community, but for Pittsburgh and for all those who are interested in this type of culture; what is it that we bring to a community; and how an entire community can benefit from a Cantors Assembly convention in Pittsburgh.” PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
p Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers is the new president of the Cantors Assembly.
Photo courtesy of Rabbi Hazzan Jeffrey Myers
Excitement is growing…
Many thanks to our JCC Maccabi Campus Games® 2025 sponsors
JCC MACCABI CAMPUS GAMES
CHAIRS
Stefani Pashman and Jeremy Feinstein
Dory and David Levine
Linda S. Simon
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
Host Partner
UPMC
Local Presenting Sponsor
JCCA Partner
CHAMPIONS
The Jack Buncher Foundation
Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh
Giant Eagle
Mark Cuban Foundation
Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency
Philip Chosky Private Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh
The Tepper Foundation
MVP
Anonymous
Lamar Advertising
Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County
Todd Reidbord
Visit PA
GOLD MEDAL
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh Pirates
Linda S. Simon
TORCH BEARER
Anonymous
Andrew and Nicole Ross Charitable Trust
Jewish Healthcare Foundation
Dr. Stanley and Nikol Marks
Deborah and Lloyd Myers
Novolex
NuGo Nutrition
Nancy and Woody Ostrow
PJ Dick/Trumbull Corporation/Lindy Paving
Rita and Andrew Rabin
Stacey and Scott Seewald
The Pittsburgh Steelers
Visit Pittsburgh
The Wimmer Family Foundation
WINNERS PODIUM
Chartwells Higher Ed
Nancy and Steven Cohen
Stefani Pashman and Jeremy Feinstein
Dory and David Levine
Oxford Development Company
Repair the World
Lori and Bob Shure
Pat and Alan Siger
Leonard Silk
PITT TRUSTEES SOCIETY
Sandra and Jeff Martchek
Robert P. Randall
Keith Schaefer
Rhoda and Charles Steiner
Tom VanKirk
Peter C. Varischetti
John J. Verbanac
as of May 2025
FOR A FULL LISTING AND TO BECOME A SUPPORTER, SCAN HERE
MACCABIPITTSBURGH.ORG
…and more teens want to participate in the Maccabi Games
Due to overwhelming demand from across North America and around the world, we have made the decision to expand capacity for the 2025 JCC Maccabi Campus Games by up to 200 athletes! We are thrilled to welcome as many as 2,000 Jewish teen athletes from around the world to Pittsburgh August 3-8.
To make this opportunity a reality, we need your help.
Thanks to generous donors, we’ve hit $3.27 million! Now we’re aiming to raise an additional $200,000 to create a once-in-alifetime experience for Jewish teen athletes and showcase our incredible region to over 4,000 spectators and participants.
We’re deeply grateful for your continued support of the JCC and hope you’ll join us in taking the JCC Maccabi Campus Games to the next level.
With gratitude,
Fara Marcus JCC Chief Development & Marketing Officer
Rachael Speck JCC Chief Program & Innovation Officer
Opinion
What was lost in Washington
Guest Columnist
David Schiff
On May 21, Yaron Lischinsky and his partner, Sarah Milgrim, were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. While I didn’t have the privilege of knowing Sarah, I know that both were diplomats and peacemakers. Yaron was also a friend.
I first met Yaron in 2018. He had just begun his bachelor’s degree at Hebrew University and joined the school’s Model United Nations program, where I was a mentor. A cohort that began the year with around 60 participants ended with only 20 of the most dedicated — Yaron was one of them. Charismatic and charming, with an infectious smile and an aura of quiet confidence, he quickly set himself apart as one of the group’s strongest students and a pillar of our team. This was due in no small part to his talent, of course — but more important was his ability to lift others up and to help them bring out the best in themselves.
Toward the end of the year, I approached Yaron and asked if he would consider taking on a leadership position in our society in the following year. He was flattered but politely declined, explaining that he wanted to focus on his studies
and on a new volunteer opportunity. That was Yaron — thoughtful, grounded and always in service of something bigger than himself.
It was no surprise, then, that he would eventually end up at the Israeli Embassy in Washington. A consummate diplomat, Yaron made it clear from the outset that his career goal was to represent Israel on the world stage and to
dispute, a subject Yaron knew far more deeply than I did. In the final draft we submitted, Yaron wrote the following words:
“‘Delegitimization’ is defined as the categorization of a group into extremely negative social categories that exclude it from the sphere of human groups that act within the limits of acceptable norms or values, since these groups
That people like Yaron and Sarah could be gunned down in the heart of American democracy for the crime of representing Israel should horrify all of us.
serve the country he was so proud of. And there were few better suited to do so. His command of multiple languages, extensive knowledge of history and disarming charm made him the perfect representative. In many ways, Yaron shared qualities with the state he was sent to represent: an old soul in a young body, vibrant, full of hope for the future.
A few years after our first meeting, Yaron and I crossed paths again, this time when we both enrolled in a master’s program in diplomacy at Reichman University. Relieved to see in each other a familiar face, the two of us decided to work together on the final paper for a course on conflict resolution. We chose the Sino-Taiwanese
are viewed as violating basic human norms or values and therefore deserve maltreatment. In essence, delegitimization denies the adversary’s humanity and morality, providing a kind of psychological permit to harm the delegitimized group.”
Years later, the same delegitimization Yaron warned of would claim his life.
It is the same insidious delegitimization that compelled protestors to rip down the posters of Israeli hostages kidnapped on Oct. 7; that has incited violent attacks on institutions deemed as “Zionist”; that has inspired libelous and baseless accusations against those bearing even the most tangential of connections to the state of Israel,
alongside calls to “bring the war home.” Yaron and Sarah’s murders were not an aberration or an isolated event — they represent the culmination of a multi-year campaign of increasingly violent and hateful rhetoric that on May 21 finally reached its breaking point.
Already, the same perpetrators of this campaign are now attempting to justify the murder of two civilians in America’s capital as a legitimate act in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Putting to one side the morally repugnant idea of using murder as a tool to influence foreign policy, such an argument is absurd to anyone who knew either Yaron or Sarah and their tireless efforts to bring peace to the region. Yaron was working on the expansion of the Abraham Accords; Sarah was a participant in Tech2Peace, a program that brings Israelis and Palestinians together to promote technological innovation and conflict dialogue. These were not architects of war. They led lives dedicated to coexistence, now stolen in the name of false justice.
That people like Yaron and Sarah could be gunned down in the heart of American democracy for the crime of representing Israel should horrify all of us. Their loss leaves a void in a world that needs people like them now more than ever.
May their memories be a blessing. PJC
David Schiff is an independent writer and analyst based in Jerusalem. He is a
Finding our political voice — and braving the consequences
Guest Columnists
Majorie Manne and Meryl Ainsman
Something meaningful is happening in Pittsburgh. For the first time in our generation, the local Jewish community is organizing — not quietly or timidly, but with clarity, pride, and purpose — to find our political voice. That voice, grounded in the very values that have enabled Jews to flourish in America, champions a strong, pluralistic, liberal democracy. And for the first time in a generation, we are holding our elected officials accountable for how they treat our community — and standing in support of those who stand with us.
attacked, and special interests twice targeted the Jewish community with anti-Israel BDS referendum attempts.
It became clear that we could not wait for others to step in. We had to act — and quickly.
Through organizations like Beacon Coalition, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and StandWithUs, hundreds of volunteers
oss all segments of the Jewish community and our allies have come together to support democracy, inclusion and civil rights. And in just one year, we have seen results that few thought possible.
We must both hold our elected officials accountable and support leaders who are allies. This strategy works. In the most recent primary election, all six candidates supported by the new Beacon PAC won their races (with one race still undecided). Among them is Corey O’Connor, a Democrat and bridge-builder who opposes political extremism and supports the safety of all communities, including ours.
rights more broadly.
Naturally, progress has met with pushback. Instead of engaging on the substance of these issues, some on the far left have responded with familiar and deeply troubling rhetoric. They speak of “Zionist money” and falsely claim that AIPAC is influencing local elections — even though AIPAC has no involvement in municipal races. These aren’t policy critiques; they’re coded attacks. And when “Zionist” becomes a slur and a stand-in for “Jew,” we should all be concerned.
is behind whatever threat the crowd already fears.
Of course, the consequences of widespread belief in antisemitic conspiracy theories are well known to us, especially here in Pittsburgh. We saw it from the far right in the conspiracy theories that fueled the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. Now we see a similar distortion from the far left, where “Zionists” are cast as shadowy agents of power. Both are lies. Both are direct pathways to violence. Both are classically antisemitic.
We have learned to use our voices in the local political space because silence is no longer an option. In the past two years, we have seen antisemitism intensify around the globe — and Pittsburgh is no exception. While local officials shared content from Hamas on social media, Jewish buildings and bodies were
Perhaps even more importantly, our community championed two voter-approved ballot initiatives: one to strengthen the city’s anti-discrimination protections, and another to ensure Pittsburgh’s referendum process can’t be weaponized to target minority communities. Both passed decisively.
These were meaningful victories — not just for our community, but for democracy and civil
Save a life, save the world
Guest Columnist
Rabbi Hindy Finman
It was a rainy New York City evening. We were crowded around two tables in a café, sharing desserts and stories. At some point,
I suggested we play “truth or truth,” a version of the classic game without the dares — just questions and honesty. Everyone laughed and agreed. Then someone asked, “If you could go back to one moment in your life, what would it be and what would you do differently?”
One friend looked down, sadness and shame shadowing their face. “I would never have touched hard drugs,” they said quietly.
Within this dangerous rhetoric, one individual in our community is consistently singled out: Beacon’s Executive Director Jeremy Kazzaz. Over the past two years, Jeremy, who has 15 years of legislative experience from campaigns to Capitol Hill to the American Jewish Committee, has spent countless hours building relationships across Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania, relationships crossing political and cultural divides and rooted in mutual respect and shared values. He’s active in local synagogues, and he has been a tireless advocate for Jewish safety and dignity. And yet, extremists have relentlessly subjected him to false accusations — he has been accused of everything from stalking to doxxing to working with ICE. These false claims are repeated without examination because they fit into the long-standing, toxic narrative that the Jew
The table fell silent. We all knew their story, the pain, the long road of struggle with addiction. We just nodded, picking at our desserts.
That moment has stayed with me — it was a reminder that no one chooses addiction. No one looks at a newborn and hopes they’ll someday suffer like that. I’ve never met anyone who proudly says, “I’ve reached my dream — I’m addicted to opioids.”
There’s a reason why these lies are spreading unchecked: Those who want to exclude Jews from public life will continue to slander the loudest amongst us to scare all of us off from organizing publicly and unapologetically in defense of our community and our democratic values.
But our momentum is proof that intimidation isn’t working. It is proof that when our community proudly organizes, we find allies who are also looking for leadership that unites rather than divides.
We’re here. We’re organized. We’re unafraid. And we’re not going anywhere. PJC
Majorie Manne is an attorney, community volunteer and a Beacon Coalition volunteer. Meryl Ainsman is a long-time leader in the Pittsburgh and national Jewish communities.
Addiction is a disease, like cancer. No one wants to get cancer. No one chooses to experience substance addiction. But those who do often find the strength to fight for recovery. And even in recovery, some lose their lives. When someone dies from cancer, they are mourned with compassion and support. But when someone dies from addiction, families are too often met with silence — or worse, judgment.
Please see Finman, page 15
Chronicle poll results: Primary election
Last week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an online poll the following question: “Are you pleased with the results of the May 20 primary election?” Of the 258 people who responded, 84% said yes, 10% said no and 6% said they weren’t sure. Comments were submitted by 57 people. A few follow.
I look forward to Mayor O’Connor reversing the damage of the last four years and turning the city around.
It’s nice that Corey can finish what his father started.
Ed Gainey built a strong foundation for a more progressive Pittsburgh. Election results like these are a microcosm of how “centrist” Democrats fumble the bag against MAGA reactionaries nationally. Well-funded nepotists like O’Connor ignore the working class at their own peril.
I’m very glad that Corey O’Connor won the Democratic race. He’s much more knowledgeable than Mayor Gainey, who
Continued from page 14
People whisper, “If only they’d gotten help sooner.” Families wonder if they could have done more. Some hide the cause of death altogether, shrouded in shame. It shouldn’t be this way.
Addiction is not a moral failure. It’s a disease. The people who struggle with it are still people — loved ones, parents, siblings, friends. And those grieving their loss deserve the same compassion as anyone else. No one should carry stigma on top of sorrow. We must speak honestly, so healing becomes possible — not just for individuals, but for whole communities.
This is why I became a rabbi. I was tired of watching the Jewish community act as though we were untouched by the opioid crisis. We
Are you pleased with the results of the May 20 primary election?
almost bankrupted the city and couldn’t seem to find a police chief who would devote full time to the job.
I believe that Mayor Gainey is a sincere, well-intentioned person, but he’s been ineffective, and has not been clear and strong enough in condemning matters that harm the Pittsburgh Jewish community. Corey O’Connor isn’t perfect (no politician is), but I believe he’ll be much more effective and much more sensitive to the Jewish community than Mayor Gainey has been.
The results of this primary give me the assurance that when the community feels things are not going well, we can put new people on the next ballot.
Republicans’ money is determining Democratic primaries.
I’m grateful that Corey O’Connor won the Democratic primary and think that he will be the next mayor of Pittsburgh. I expect to continue supporting him and believe he will keep his promises to make this city safer, cleaner and better.
Addiction is not a moral failure. It’s a disease.
are not. We have lost people. We’ve sat shiva, attended rehab, cried in isolation. It’s time to cry — and act — together.
I remember growing up in a community where even the word cancer was whispered in fear. We didn’t talk about it openly. But that changed. Today, the Jewish community leads cancer awareness efforts. We fundraise, support families, create meal trains. Rabbis will say a misheberach, the prayer for healing, and publicly name those
The Washington murders show what happens when hate goes unchecked
Last week, outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., two staff members of the Israeli Embassy, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were shot and killed (“Two Israeli embassy staffers shot dead outside Jewish museum in DC,” online, May 22). They were there for a gathering hosted by the American Jewish Committee — an event meant to promote understanding, bridge divides and stand up against hate. Instead, it was marred by violence.
Let’s be absolutely clear: This was an antisemitic attack. And it happened in the capital of the United States. We are a country that prides itself on religious liberty and pluralism. The murder of these two innocent souls was rooted in bitter malice and has become a divisive issue across college campuses and major American cities. The violence must stop immediately.
Antisemitism is not just an Israeli problem. It is not limited to any single nation, and it cannot be contained within the borders of one political conflict. It is, tragically, a global toxin — and it has found fertile ground here at home.
We’ve seen this before, too close to home. In 2018, the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting claimed the lives of 11 innocent people who were simply gathered in prayer. The shooter didn’t act out of political allegiance. He was fueled by hatred of Jews.
Now, in the heart of our nation’s capital, another antisemitic murder reminds us: This is still happening. And it’s getting worse.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents in the United States surged by more than 300% in the last year. Synagogues are targeted. Jewish students on college campuses are harassed. Social media platforms are flooded with conspiracies and slurs. The results of elections are questioned with baseless claims. Meanwhile, there are those who ignorantly claim that antisemitism is “overblown” — or worse, that they are distractions from more “pressing” issues.
I wanted the two Jewish candidates for Common Pleas court to win.
It was a mixed bag. Neither mayoral candidate thrilled me, but we got the lesser of two evils by removing the incumbent with all the anti-Israel/ anti-Jewish supporters. Some good trial judges won nominations, but some whom the Allegheny County Bar Association felt were not quality material won somehow.
All I’ll say to the candidates who won in their respective primaries is: Good luck in November. PJC
— Compiled by Toby Tabachnick
Chronicle weekly poll question: Will you be participating in a Jewish learning event for Shavuot? Go to pittsburgh jewishchronicle.org to respond. PJC
stand on the bimah and say, “We’re making a misheberach for so-and-so, who just checked into treatment. May they find healing, and may our community surround them with care.” And the congregation will say, “Amen.”
That day is coming — if we work for it.
in treatment and the congregation says “Amen.” We have come a long way. We can do the same for addiction. We can talk about it. We can pray for those in recovery. We can hold their families close. We can train in overdose prevention and keep Narcan in our buildings. We can build a world where someone can say, “My child is in rehab” and be met with love, not judgment.
I dream of the day when a rabbi can
As the Mishna teaches, “Whoever saves one life, it’s as if they have saved the entire world” (Sanhedrin 4:5). Together, we can save lives. Let’s show up — for each other, for our community, and for those still fighting to recover. PJC
Rabbi Hindy Finman is the senior director of Jewish life and director of the Center for Loving Kindness at the JCC. For information about a free opioid awareness workshop, contact her at hfinman@ jccpgh.org.
But what issue is more pressing than the safety and dignity of our neighbors?
What happened in Washington is not just a security failure. It is a moral failure. A failure of our society to treat antisemitism with the seriousness it demands. It is the result of shrugging off hate speech, of allowing extremist rhetoric to pass as political critique and of failing to teach the next generation the consequences of prejudice left unchecked.
Enough is enough.
We need more than statements of solidarity. We need real action — from lawmakers, from tech companies, from educators and from every American who believes in the foundational promise of this country. We need robust hate crime legislation, better education on antisemitism and a cultural reckoning with the fact that Jews have never been fully safe, even in the places they call home.
This tragedy reminds us that antisemitism is not in the past — it is in our present. And if we do not act, it will be our future.
We invite you to submit letters for publication. Letters must include name, address and daytime phone number; addresses and phone numbers will not be published. Letters may not exceed 500 words and may be edited for length and clarity; they cannot be returned. Send letters to: letters@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org or Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, 5915 Beacon St., 5th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
We regret that owing to the volume of correspondence, we cannot reply to every letter.
Mayor Adam Forgie Turtle Creek
Life & Culture
Cheesecake pie with berry topping
By Jessica Grann | Special to the Chronicle
If you’re looking for a fantastic cheesecake-flavored dessert without the effort of making a cheesecake, then my recipe for cheesecake pie is perfect for Shavuot.
This recipe has a few different steps but it’s easier than traditional cheesecake — you don’t need a springform pan or a water bath, and it’s also free of eggs for those with egg allergies. You will need to prepare a yummy graham cracker crust and a simple syrup, cut up some berries or fruit and whip up the cheesecake filling for the pie. Although this recipe has multiple steps, they are all fairly easy. This pie takes only 25 minutes to prepare, not including baking and refrigeration time.
You can easily double this recipe to get two cheesecake pies. When I do that, I use two different fruit toppings to have multiple options to serve. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or a mix of some or all. I made this with guava once and it was superb. You can use any fruit that doesn’t turn brown after being peeled and cut, and whose flavor would pair well with cheesecake.
Ingredients
Simple syrup for fruit
½ cup white sugar
½ cup water
2 cups berries or cut fruit of your choice
Graham cracker crust
1 sleeve of graham crackers, crushed, about 1 ½ cups
This mixture makes enough crust to fill a deep-dish pie plate. If you have a shallow plate and have crumbs left over, you can save them to garnish each slice when serving.
The only step that may be unfamiliar is working with gelatin powder. Be sure to purchase unflavored gelatin, not a clear gel dessert product. I found Leiber’s brand at my local kosher store. Gelatin adds stability and firmness to dessert fillings and is usually the secret in fancy bakery cakes and desserts. One sleeve of gelatin contains 2 teaspoons of powder — just use a measuring spoon to take out one teaspoon of gelatin. Add it to a very small bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Gelatin can get a little clumpy, so I place the small bowl into a slightly larger bowl and add boiling water to the outer bowl. That essentially makes a little water bath for the gelatin. The heat will warm the water and gelatin and you can stir it well with a fork and allow it to rest until it’s time to add it to the cream cheese filling.
1
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of sea salt
Cream cheese filling
1 8-ounce bar of cream cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream ¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon unflavored kosher gelatin
1 tablespoon water
Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for about 2 hours before you make the filling. I’ve tried to whip it while it’s cold but I had lumps in my filling, so don’t skip this step.
You can prepare both the simple syrup and crust hours before you do anything else, so if it’s helpful, you can get these steps out of the way.
To prepare the simple syrup, combine the sugar and water in a small sauce pan and place it over medium heat. Bring it to a gentle boil until the liquid is clear, then reduce the heat to simmer for a few minutes. Set aside to cool.
Open a sleeve of graham crackers and place crackers into a zip-top bag. Crush them as finely as you can by rolling with a rolling pin. If you don’t have one, you can crush them with the bottom of a sturdy glass or measuring cup.
Melt one stick of unsalted butter.
Add the crumbs to the butter and stir well. Allow this mixture to sit for about 15 minutes.
Stir in the sugar and a pinch of sea salt.
Transfer to a pie plate. Press crumbs evenly across the bottom with the back of a spoon, then up the sides of the pie plate.
Bake at 350 F for 16-18 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool completely before filling.
You can use either a stand or a hand mixer to prepare the filling.
Add the cream cheese to the bowl and mix for about 3 minutes. Start on low and gradually raise the speed up to high — try to make the cream cheese as fluffy as possible before adding the other ingredients.
Add the sugar, sour cream and vanilla, then mix well for about 30 seconds.
Turn the mixer to low and slowly pour in the heavy cream.
Gradually raise the speed to high until stiff peaks form, which should take 3-4 minutes. Add the gelatin mixture and mix for another minute.
Use a spatula to pour the cream cheese filling into the prepared graham cracker crust. Use your spatula to spread more of the filling around the edges, leaving a well in the middle and more filling around the edges.
Refrigerate for two hours. Once it’s completely chilled, loosely cover with plastic wrap until it’s time to serve.
If you’re using strawberries, remove the stems and cut into quarters lengthwise. You need 2 cups of fruit per pie. You can use all of one berry or mix them together.
When the fruit is washed and prepared, put it into a bowl and pour the simple syrup over the fruit. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
Strain the fruit before adding to the chilled pie. If you have a mesh strainer, scoop the fruit out of the bowl and into the strainer, allowing the sugar syrup to drain. You could also use a colander. Add the fruit to the top of the pie and you can serve this immediately.
This dessert needs to be refrigerated unless it’s out for serving.
Chag sameach! Enjoy and bless your hands! PJC
Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.
stick unsalted butter
p Cheesecake pie with berry topping
Photo by Jessica Grann
Life & Culture
What is Messianic Judaism?
see as biblically commanded, such as keeping Shabbat and observing major Jewish holidays.
WishingYOU A
By Olivia Haynie | Forward
In recent years, members of the Messianic Jewish movement have become more prominent in the public eye. Mike Pence invited a Messianic rabbi to speak at a 2018 campaign rally. Lena Epstein, a 2023 candidate for chair of the Michigan Republican Party, announced her conversion to Messianic Judaism that same year. And, it turns out, Yaron Lischinsky, one of the two Israeli Embassy staffers killed on Wednesday night at an American Jewish Committee event, was a member of a Messianic Jewish congregation in Jerusalem.
Theologian Edward Kessler, in his 2005 book “A Dictionary of Jewish-Christian Relations,” defines Messianic Judaism as a religious movement consisting of both Jews and non-Jews who follow traditional Jewish practices while also holding the belief that Jesus is the Messiah. But many Jews might disagree with Kessler’s assertion that Messianic Jews are Jewish.
Messianic Judaism is an offshoot of the Hebrew Christian movement, which dates back to the 19th century and consists of people born Jewish who incorporate Christian practices and a belief in Jesus’ divinity into their religion. Some scholars on the movement credit English missionary Joseph Frey as the first person to create a Hebrew Christian congregation, starting Beni Abraham in 1813 where Jews could worship from the New Testament. However, the first mission established separate from any denominational church authority was founded by Joseph Rabinowitz, a Hasidic Jew from Bessarabia (modern-day Moldova) who became fascinated with Christianity.
Cynical about the future for Jews in Europe after the Russian pogroms in the 1880s and unsure about state Zionism, Rabinowitz came to believe the only way for Jews to have a better future was through a spiritual revitalization. He believed this salvation would come through the acceptance of Jesus and, on Christmas 1884, he opened a prayer house that combined Hebrew Bible and New Testament liturgy in worship services.
The movement spread beyond Europe, and in 1915, a group of American Hebrew Christians founded the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America. In 1975, the group changed its name to the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America. According to their website, the group recognizes both the Old and New Testaments as the “infallible and authoritative word of God.” Most Messianic Jews retain Jewish practices they
Christians generally hew to the doctrine of supersessionism, sometimes called replacement theology, which is the belief that Jesus’ death is a sacrifice for humanity’s sins and thus negates laws required by the Hebrew Bible. It also holds that his sacrifice created a new covenant with God that supersedes Judaism. Messianic Judaism, on the other hand, continues the practice of most Jewish laws alongside the belief in Jesus as the Messiah.
One of the most prominent Messianic Jewish organizations in America is Jews for Jesus, founded in 1973 by Baptist minister Moishe Rosen. Born Martin Rosen to Reform Jewish parents in Kansas City, Missouri, Rosen converted to Christianity in 1953 along with his wife, Ceil Starr. He then made it his life’s work to convert as many Jews into followers of Jesus as possible.
Although members of Messianic Judaism consider themselves to be Jews, all mainstream Jewish religious movements consider them to be Christians. Belief in Jesus as the Messiah is considered a core principle that differentiates Christianity from Judaism, and most Jews say that belief in Jesus’ divinity disqualifies one from Jewish practice. Some mainstream Christians have also spoken out against Messianic Judaism, on the basis that proselytization disrespects the Jews’ unique covenant with God, and many Jewish organizations see the evangelizing mission of Jews for Jesus as an attempt to wipe out Judaism.
In 1989, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that Messianic Jews are not considered Jews under the Law of Return and cannot gain automatic Israeli citizenship. Despite this restriction for Messianic Jewish immigrants, there are several established Messianic communities in Israel, including Melech Ha’Mlachim, the congregation Lischinsky belonged to in Jerusalem.
Estimates place the number of Messianic Jews in Israel in the tens of thousands. Shira Soko-Ram, the co-founder of the Messianic Maoz Israel Ministries, put the number at 30,000. It is harder to find exact statistics on the number of Messianic Jews in the United States. In 2013, journalist Sarah Posner estimated that the number was between 175,000 to 250,000. On their current website, MJAA claims the number could be as high as 1.3 million. PJC
Olivia Haynie is an editorial fellow at the Forward. This story was originally published on the Forward. To get the Forward’s free email newsletters delivered to your inbox, go to forward.com/newsletter-signup.
Jason Kunzman, JCC President & CEO Scott E. Seewald, JCC Board Chair Staff & Board of the JCC
p The New York City office of Jews for Jesus Photo by David Shankbone via Wikimedia Commons
Making space for all
he beginning of the book of Bamidbar (Numbers) is full of what we could call tactical data. The census with which the parashah begins tells us how many men of fighting age belong to each tribe. We learn how the tribes should be arranged around the mishkan when in the camp, and what the specific responsibilities of the different clans of the Levites are in terms of assembling and disassembling the various components and furnishings of the . This is all in preparation for the 40 years of traveling in the desert that will take the Israelites from Sinai to the banks of
violent antisemitism here and in other nations and the threat presented by Hamas to Israel’s peace and security (and indeed to that of other countries around the world), just to name two. There are a number of strategic goals that are held up by different groups within the Jewish community (defeating Hamas, retrieving the remaining hostages from Gaza, living in peace with a future Palestinian state, etc.). Different groups and individuals prioritize these goals differently, and different groups and individuals have disparate views about what tactical means will best achieve their desired goals.
We can argue for the moral and ethical base for our own views, or for the moral laxity of those who disagree with us. Certainly, there are widely accepted Jewish
the Jordan River, from which they will enter the Promised Land. This is all about how to conduct our travels — but with no mention of why we are doing so.
Contrast this with the reiteration contained at the beginning of the book of Devarim (Deuteronomy). “The Eternal our God spoke to us at Choreiv: You have stayed long enough at this mountain … . I have placed the land before you; go, possess the land that the Eternal swore to our ancestors … .” (Deuteronomy 1:6-8) This is strategic, describing the goal we are to accomplish and the motivation for doing so. Here we see the what and the why that are missing from this week’s parashah.
While the overarching objectives describe our collective aspirations as a people, the accounting in parashat Bamidbar is equally important. Each member of the people has a role to play in achieving the common
Consider the current, pressing issues that consume so much of our attention — rising
principles that inform our thinking as individuals and as a community. However, we must be more than a little circumspect before declaring our own view to be the one correct approach to the exclusion of those who dissent. This is true both for individuals and for the institutions that do so much good in advancing the interests of the Jewish people. We have a long history of (often bitter) disagreement, and an equally long and rich history of prioritizing our care for each other. The accounting of the Israelites that we read this week should remind us that it is more important to make space for all Jews in the community than it is to prove ourselves right.
Shabbat shalom. PJC
Rabbi Howard Stein was the rabbi of Temple B’nai Israel in White Oak. He will be moving to Roanoke, Virginia, where he will assume the pulpit at Temple Emanuel This column is a service of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Clergy Association
Rabbi Howard Stein Parshat Bamidbar Numbers 1:1-4:20
Obituaries
JUFFE: Steve Juffe, on Friday, May 23, 2025. Beloved child of Lorayne and Jerry Juffe. Brother of Susan Juffe. Also survived by niece Jayne Juffe, cousins and many excellent friends. Graveside service and interment were held at Homewood Cemetery. Contributions may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (givenow.lls.org). Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com
RUBENSTEIN: Ruth Spindell Rubenstein, age 98, of Pittsburgh, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Monday, May 26, 2025. She is survived by her daughters, Olivia Loeb Burten (married to Richard Burten) and Harriet Wendy Loeb (married to Thomas Fields); her grandchildren, Erica Lynn Burten and Sarah Burten Birenbach (married to Jeff Birenbach); and her adored great-grandchildren, Isaac Hochman, Crimson Birenbach and Eden Hochman. She is also survived by her brotherin-law, Ray Muldorf. Born in the Bronx, New York, in 1927 to Anna and Harold Spindell, she also had a younger sister, Muriel Muldorf, now deceased. She came to Pittsburgh in 1944 to join the Cadet Nurse Corps training program at Duquesne University. This move launched a nursing career of commitment and compassion. She cared for returning soldiers during World War II. Always committed to public service, Ruth later traveled to Africa to study healthcare through an NYU graduate program. She also consulted with the robotics program at Carnegie Mellon that was created to help older people. Ruth and her family spent many happy summers together at Copake Lake, New York, a place that held a special spot in Ruth’s heart. She was also an active and involved member of Rodef Shalom Congregation, the Ladies Hospital Aid Society and the Westmoreland Country Club, where she built lifelong friendships and was known for her commitment, warmth and generosity. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Mount Hope Cemetery, Hastings on Hudson, New York. Contributions in Ruth’s memory may be made to the Duquesne University School of Nursing, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, or Sivitz Hospice and Palliative Care, 200 JHF Drive, Pittsburgh, PA, 15217, or the charity of your choice. schugar.com PJC
Montana Tucker film on Oct. 7 kids to be available to stream globally
By JNS Staff
Paramount+ and MTV Documentary
Films plan to expand access to Montana Tucker’s documentary “The Children of October 7” on a global basis starting on June 2, the first day of Shavuot.
The 36-minute film will be available in all of the areas where Paramount+ is accessible: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latin America, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
“In this documentary, Montana Tucker shined a light on the stories of devastation children experienced on Oct. 7 and how their lives are forever changed,” Shari Redstone, the chair of Paramount Global, told JNS.
“With the strong viewership in the United States, we are glad to meet the demand from audiences around the world for access to these unfiltered and unforgettable stories of the impact of that day,” Redstone said.
Eytan Schwartz, the film’s Israeli producer, previously told JNS that “all my life, we grew up with the stories of Holocaust survivors on Holocaust Remembrance Day.”
“Here we were at this moment, where we needed to capture the moment of the children when they’re still children,” he told JNS.
Israeli children were among the “most vulnerable victims of the Hamas attacks” on Oct. 7, Paramount+ and MTV
Documentary Films stated.
“Of the estimated 1,200 Israelis murdered, 37 were children. Of those who survived, over 100 children lost one parent, over 20 lost both parents and more than 35 were kidnapped to
p Amit Cohen and Montana Tucker in “The Children of October 7” (2025) Photo courtesy of Orit Pnini
Gaza,” the two stated. “Hundreds of children were injured and thousands were displaced from their homes.”
Tucker stated that the documentary “is one of the most important projects I’ve ever been part of.”
“As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, hearing these children share the horrors they endured — losing their families, their homes and their innocence in a single morning — felt hauntingly familiar,” she stated.
“I’m grateful they trusted me with their stories and that they have this platform to share their truth,” she added. “Thanks to Paramount+ and MTV, the world will bear witness.”
The Anti-Defamation League stated that “hearing the firsthand accounts from children who survived the Oct. 7 massacre is incredibly moving” and that it is “in awe of the strength and resilience shown through their conversations with Montana Tucker in ‘The Children of October 7.’” The UJA-Federation of NY stated of the film that it gives “new meaning to our promise to never forget.”
Paramount+ also hosts the 90-minute 2024 documentary “We Will Dance Again” about the Nova music festival on Oct. 7. PJC
Lynne Gottesman & Debra Ritt
Aaron Krouse
Esther & David Miller
Judi & Robert Miller
Goldie M Samuels
Susie Zohlman & Sally Close
Elise K Goldman
Contact the Development department at 412-586-2690 or development@jaapgh.org for more information. THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS —
Sunday June 1: Sylvan Arnold Alpern, Dr Abraham L Barbrow, Nathan Friedlander, Ben B Goldberg, Israel Haltman, David Hartstein, Moses L Hurwick, Saul S Hurwick, Adolph Katz, Sara Lisker, Minnie Mervis, Samuel A Meyer, Abraham I Miller, Morris Podolsky, Irene Scherb, Helen G Solomon, Mollie R Whiteman
Monday June 2: William Barron, Dr Samuel R Cohen, Helen Danovitz Berenfield, John Jacob Elling, David Glasser, Sam Gold, Rebecca Kaufman, Jeannette Klein, Sylvia Rita Lipkind Podolsky, Edna F Sachs, Bella Schlosser, William Schlosser, Samuel Serbin, Erma A Weinthal
Tuesday June 3: Rosa Lee Minzenberg Berry, Alfred Bornstein, Louis Cohen, Leah Hansell Freedman, Howell J Friedlander, David Gould, Rashel Katkisky, Hannah Miller, Robert Moldovan, Dora Schultz, Nathan Shapiro, Daniel Shussett, Paul Stein, Dora Sussman, William F Weiss
Wednesday June 4: Ida Friedman, Dora Samuel Goldfarb, Mollie T Golomb, Phyllis Elaine Gutmacher, Anna B Hausman, Michael O Kohn, Sarah Koppleman, I Hyman Lerner, Charlotte Perelstine, Sarah Y Rudick, Irving Shapiro, Alex Silverman, Jacob Slome, David Soltz, Helen Tenenouser
Thursday June 5: Morris Borof, Sonia Drucker, Dora Felman, Jean K Gefsky, Sarah K Gellman, Sylvia Gerson, Alvin Abe Golomb, Albert William Hertz, Albert Horn, Freda Horn, Leah Korobkin, Rochelle L Lubarsky, Tillie Marshall, Helen Ohringer, Fannie Ohringer Schachter, Nathan Silver, Rhoda Freedel Sternlight, Frances Tenor, Esther Martin Wallie
Friday June 6: Goldie Ackerman, Mollie Goldberg, Charlotte Haffner, Sam Kaufman, Ida R Kovacs, Irwin J Kravitz, Tobias G Lang, Clara M Leon, Naomi Levinson, Sam Match, Frank R Phillips, Ernestine L Rosenfield, Louis A Safier, David Sanes, Natalie Iris Santos, Rose Supoznick Schwartz, Jennie Raffel Silverman, Hyman Weiner, Edythe L Wolfe, Sadie Zoltan Katz
Saturday June 7: Aaron Cohen, Rose Blockstein Fisher, Freda Kalik, Gertrude Klein, Abraham Krouse, Dr David Lipschutz, Louis Ruttenberg, Louis Sable, Theodora Helen Samuels, Morris Shapiro, David Sheffler, Margaret Katherine Stark, Rose H Weisburgh, Norman Wesoky, William H Yecies
Jewish Association on Aging gratefully acknowledges contributions from
Headlines
‘Sarah, we will continue your mission’: DC Jewish museum shooting victim mourned at Kansas City funeral
— NATIONAL —
By Philissa Cramer | JTA
Rabbi Doug Alpert did not utter the name of the man accused of killing Sarah Milgrim as he presided over her funeral on Tuesday.
But before reciting El Maleh Rahamim, a prayer memorializing the dead, Alpert appeared to address the alleged gunman.
“What a horrible disservice to not see her for who she was and all she had done to further peace with courage and dignity,” said Alpert.
“Because if you really wanted to know how to give Palestinians a better life, a life of humanity and dignity, you could have asked Sarah,” he said, adding, “If you’re really interested in doing something for Gaza to end the blockade and get needed aid into Gaza, you could have asked Sarah. … And if you were really interested in creating solutions to the seemingly endless conflict that separates Jews and Muslims, Israelis and Palestinians, you could have asked Sarah.”
Standing before Milgrim’s coffin, which was draped in an Israeli flag, Alpert finished his litany with audible anger: “And if you really cared, if you’re about more than canceling voices that made you uncomfortable, about more than shouting slogans and waving a gun, then damn it, why didn’t you ask Sarah?”
The funeral at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, took place more than five days after Milgrim and her boyfriend, Yaron Lischinsky, were shot to death. The attack occurred late Wednesday night outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., where the victims had just attended an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee that focused in part on humanitarian aid in Gaza. Both Milgrim and Lischinsky were employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington. Their alleged killer — a far-left activist from Chicago
— shouted “Free Palestine” as he was arrested.
Milgrim had been shunned by some former friends for taking a role working for the Israeli government, multiple speakers said at the funeral. The speakers all said Milgrim’s commitment to Israel, and to acting on her beliefs, ran deep. They praised her family — mother Nancy, father Robert and brother Jacob — as beloved members of the local Jewish community.
“Jacob wishes that he could pick up the phone this very day and call her, just to remind her how very proud he is of everything that she has done,” said Rabbi Stephanie Kramer of Congregation B’nai Jehuda, which she said Milgrim’s parents joined in recent years. “Bob, too, has spoken of Sarah’s commitment with deep reverence. This is the only reason why, in the hours following her murder, he found the grit to do 10 interviews — because he knew how important it was for the world to see Sarah through her parents’ eyes, how proud he was for her unshakeable Zionism.”
Milgrim, 26 when she was killed, grew up in the Kansas City suburbs, where she participated in a range of activities. Alpert — who leads another nearby congregation, Kol Ami, where Milgrim’s parents have been active — recalled her joining sports teams and the children’s choir of the Lyric Opera, and advocating for animals and the environment. She marked her bat mitzvah in Jerusalem in 2012, a milestone also celebrated at Beth Torah.
When she was in ninth grade, a white supremacist targeted Jews in Kansas City, killing three people at two Jewish institutions just miles from her home. When she was a senior at Shawnee East Mission High School, someone painted swastikas at her school. Both events made a mark on her, as Jewish institutions she frequented adopted new security protocols and the specter of antisemitism crept into her life.
“You know, I worry about going to my synagogue and now I have to worry about safety at my school and that shouldn’t be a thing,”
After graduating, Milgrim spent time in Israel, working at a nonprofit that uses technology to build relations between Israelis and Palestinians, and moved to Washington, D.C., to earn two master’s degrees and pursue a career in peace and diplomacy.
She joined the embassy shortly after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that initiated the war in Gaza. Sawsan Hasson, Israel’s minister for public diplomacy stationed at the D.C. embassy, said Milgrim’s dedication to public service was exemplified for her even before
“I’d like nothing more — we would like nothing more — right now than to ask Sarah, to talk to Sarah, to learn from such a beacon of light amidst a world of darkness,” he said. “We’ve been cheated out of that opportunity, and for the Milgrim family, cheated out of so much more.
“And yet, I believe Sarah’s voice is not lost. It is our opportunity, our blessing and our obligation to keep her voice alive, to place her voice in our hearts, to follow her courageous path toward building a better world.” PJC
Marcel Ophuls, French Jewish director of ‘The Sorrow and the Pity,’ dies at 97
By Andrew Lapin | JTA
Marcel Ophuls, the acclaimed French Jewish documentary filmmaker whose landmark 1969 film “The Sorrow and the Pity” compelled France to confront its national shame over its collabora tionist behavior during World War II, has died at the age of 97.
Ophuls had spent the last years of his life trying to raise the money to complete a new documentary that would have critically explored Israel and Zionism.
Over his long life and career the director made several films exploring historical guilt and complicity, often with a bold and provoca tive thesis and a willingness to prod his subjects into uncomfortable territory. He returned often to the subject of Nazi persecution, including with his Oscar-winning 1988 film “Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie,” a biography of the Nazi war criminal.
under Vichy rule also proved dangerous, and the family spent a year in 1940 in hiding before fleeing for the United States via the Pyrenees and a brief stay in Spain.
prove a key artistic inspiration after he entered documentary filmmaking.
“The Sorrow and the Pity,” which Ophuls made in 1969, hit French society like a ton of bricks. The four-and-a-half hour film explored in tireless detail, and in ways previously unknown or unexplored, the extent to which Vichy France played the role of willing Nazi collaborators — focusing largely on ClermontFerrand, a single city in central France. Not only a chronicle of big military actions, Ophuls also interviewed everyday French citizens, including a pharmacist whose answer to the question of what emotions he felt under Nazi rule provided the film’s title.
Though commissioned for French TV, the film was initially too controversial and barred from air. But it had an impact in theaters and entered the popular lexicon, most famously in Woody Allen’s film “Annie Hall” a few years later, in which Allen’s character frequently suggests to his date that they see it.
for further Nazi invasions. Before entering documentary, Ophuls was an assistant for Hollywood legend John Huston and directed a segment of an anthology film for French New Wave legend François Truffaut.
But in the last decade of his life, he sought to tackle the ultimate subject for Jews: the state of Israel. Together with Israeli director Eyal Sivan, Ophuls attempted to crowdfund to make “Unpleasant Truths,” a film that promised to use the 2014 Gaza war to explore Zionism from a critical lens. French New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard, whose own views on Israel proved polarizing in his life, initially planned to help them make the film before backing out of the project.
Born in 1927 in Frankfurt, Germany, Ophuls was born into a show business family. His father, Max Ophüls, was a celebrated filmmaker; his mother, Hildegard Wall, was an
Ophuls spent his teenage and college years in the United States, primarily in California, where he grew up in Hollywood and attended college at the University of California, Berkeley. The family returned to France in 1950, where his formative experience in Vichy France would
Ophuls’ other films included the similarly controversial “The Memory of Justice,” which juxtaposed the Nuremberg Trials with American actions during the Vietnam War, and “Munich, Or Peace In Our Time,” exploring the 1938 appeasement agreement between Hitler and Western powers that opened the door
In 2016 the pair released some in-progress footage from the film, in which Ophuls journeys to Tel Aviv in the midst of the war to interview Israelis, including West Bank settler leaders, and other pro-Israel visitors who espouse racist views on camera. Ophuls himself, on camera, says Palestinians are living under “apartheid” and shares his belief that Jews should be “against nationalism.” Explaining his vision for the documentary, Ophuls tells Sivan that Jerusalem “should be like ClermontFerrand in ‘The Sorrow and the Pity.’” The film was never finished. PJC
p Marcel Ophuls poses for a portrait in the 1990s in New York City, New York.
Photo by Catherine McGann/Getty Images
p Rabbi Doug Alpert speaks at the funeral of Sarah Milgrim at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, on May 27, 2025. Screenshot
Contact me today to discuss all of your real estate needs!
Sherri Mayer, Realtor Squirrel Hill Office C: 412-760-0412 O: 412-421-9121x225 sherrimayer@howardhanna.com HowardHanna.com
5
Smith-Rosenthal Team
Jason A. Smith & Caryn Rosenthal
Jason: 412-969-2930 | Caryn: 412-389-1695 Jasonasmith@howardhanna.com Carynrosenthal@howardhanna.com
pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
Life & Culture
Newly released photos show Shavuot celebrations in Israel in the 1930s, ’40s
agricultural and symbolic meaning, celebrated in schools, kibbutzim and cities as a reflection of national revival and a deep connection to the land.
By JNS
The Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund has released a new collection of rare archival photographs that capture Shavuot holiday celebrations from the 1930s and 1940s, predating the establishment of the modern-day state of Israel.
The images portray children and young adults in festive attire, dancing and carrying traditional baskets filled with first fruits (bikkurim). The holiday took on renewed
“These are powerful moments of pride and joy that illustrate how an ancient custom was revived and brought to life in the homeland,” said Ifat Ovadia-Luski, chair of KKL-JNF. “This continuity of the Zionist enterprise — from the early days of Zionism to the present — lies at the heart of our identity as a people.”
She said they are “far more than historical documentation; they tell the story of the renewal of the Jewish people in their land.” PJC
p Shavuot in Mishmar HaEmek, 1943
Photo by Yaakov Rosner, KKL-JNF Archive p “Bikkurim” celebration in Ramat Yohanan, 1945
Photo by Yaakov Rosner, KKL-JNF Archive
p “Bikkurim” celebration in Haifa, 1935
Photo by Yosef Schweig, KKL-JNF
Community
Tear down this wall
The Branch hosted “Breaking Down the Walls: Forever in Blue Jeans” on May 8 at the Energy Innovation Center. The event highlighted individuals with disabilities and fostered a sense
Let’s go lions
Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh hosted the Hannah Kamin Annual Lion of Judah Event on May 12 at Blitz Opera Factory. Membership in the Lion of Judah Society requires an annual gift of at least $5,000 to The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s
about the
Strong finish
Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh Boys High School track team competed in the SWCACSWPAA Track and Field Championships. Apart from placing first in the Boys 800-meter
moms
Several mothers of current and past Community Day School students joined the Jewish day school for a pre-Shabbat challah bake.
p EJ Strassburger speaks
importance of inclusion. Photo courtesy of The Branch
Roberta Caplan
Photo by Joshua Franzos
Munificent
p State Sen. Nick Pisciottano; Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh CRC Director Laura Cherner; State Rep. Brandon Markosek; Federation CEO Jeffrey Finkelstein; JCC
CEO Jason Kunzman; Federation Director of Community Security Shawn Brokos; and State Sen. Jay Costa
Photo by Erin Fagan
Bim bom beginnings
p Here’s to hinei mah tov
Photo courtesy of Rick Sternberg
featuringRuthWisse, ElliotKaufman & RabbiDanielSchiff
Tikvah’smissionistoeducateexceptionalyoungJewsandtobringthebest JewishandZionistideastotheworld.Tikvahoperatesschools,intensive fellowships,summerinstitutes,andhonorsprogramsforstudentsofallages.We workcloselywithJewishparents,educators,dayschools,andcolleges.We producepublications,podcasts,andonlinecoursesthatbringTikvah’sideasto theworld.ThroughtheTikvahSocietyandourmanymembershipprogramsand gatherings,wearebuildingacommunityofengagedJewsandpublic-spirited Americanscommittedtooursharedcalling.
Tikvah’s mission is to educate exceptional young Jews and to bring the best Jewish and Zionist ideas to the world. Tikvah operates schools, intensive fellowships, summer institutes, and honors programs for students of all ages. We work closely with Jewish parents, educators, day schools, and colleges. We produce publications, podcasts, and online courses that bring Tikvah’s ideas to the world. Through the Tikvah Society and our many membership programs and gatherings, we are building a community of engaged Jews and public-spirited Americans committed to our shared calling.
ScheduleofEvents:
ThreeMythsThatObscuretheMeaningofIsrael' sWar
Tikvah’smissionistoeducateexceptionalyoungJewsandtobringthebest JewishandZionistideastotheworld.Tikvahoperatesschools,intensive fellowships,summerinstitutes,andhonorsprogramsforstudentsofallages.We workcloselywithJewishparents,educators,dayschools,andcolleges.We producepublications,podcasts,andonlinecoursesthatbringTikvah’sideasto theworld.ThroughtheTikvahSocietyandourmanymembershipprogramsand gatherings,wearebuildingacommunityofengagedJewsandpublic-spirited Americanscommittedtooursharedcalling.
ElliotKaufman
Three Myths That Obscure the Meaning of Israel's War
Elliot Kaufman
ScheduleofEvents:
Saturday, June 7 | 12:30 PM
Saturday 7|12:30 PM
Shaare Torah Congregation: 2319 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
ThreeMythsThatObscuretheMeaningofIsrael' sWar
How the War is Affecting American Jewry
Elliot Kaufman in conversation with Eytan Sosnovich
ElliotKaufman
HowtheWarisAffectingAmericanJewry
Saturday, June 7 | 5:00 PM
Shaare Torah Congregation: 2319 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
ElliotKaufmaninconversationwithEytanSosnovich
Saturday, June 7|12:30 PM
Saturday, June 7|5:00 PM
ShaareTorahCongregation : 2319 MurrayAve, Pittsburgh , PA 15217
ShaareTorahCongregation : 2319 MurrayAve, Pittsburgh , PA 15217
Elliot Kaufman is a Wall Street Journal editorial writer and a member of the WSJ editorial board, for which he has covered the Middle East war since October 7. He speaks regularly with top Israeli offi cials and has published the most substantive interviews to date with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz. He has worked at the Journal since 2018 and writes occasionally for Commentary and the Jewish Review of Books . Elliot and his wife, Sarah, welcomed a son, Lev Moshe, in January. They live in New York.
WhattheJewsOweTo andExpectFrom IsraelandAmerica ProfessorRuthWisseinconversationwithRabbiDanielSchiff
Sunday June 8|3:30 PM
What the Jews Owe To—and Expect From—Israel and America
CongregationBethShalom: 5915 BeaconSt , Pittsburgh , PA 15217
Professor Ruth Wisse in conversation with Rabbi Daniel Schiff
Sunday, June 8 | 3:30 PM
Congregation Beth Shalom: 5915 Beacon St, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
ShaareTorahCongregation : 2319 MurrayAve, Pittsburgh , PA 15217
Tolearnmore pleasevisittikvah .org /about/pittsburgh / orcontactEytan Sosnovich SeniorDirectoroftheDevelopmentatesosnovich @ tikvah org
Recently retired from her position as Martin Peretz Professor of Yiddish Literature and Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard, Professor Wisse is currently Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Tikvah Fund.
WhattheJewsOweTo
Rabbi Dr. Danny Schiff is the H. Arnold and Adrien B. Gefsky Community Scholar. He is a noted teacher and researcher in Jewish ethics. He is the author of Abortion in Judaism, published by Cambridge University Press and Judaism in a Digital Age published by Palgrave Macmillan. He is a former President of the Museum of Jewish Ideas, and board member of the City of Pittsburgh Ethics Board and the Society of Jewish Ethics.
Please register for the weekend before June 5th at the website. Thank you!
To learn more, please visit tikvah.org/about/pittsburgh/ or contact Eytan Sosnovich, Senior Director of the Development at esosnovich@tikvah.org.