Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 12-29-23

December 29, 2023 | 17 Tevet 5784

Candlelighting 4:44 p.m. | Havdalah 5:47 p.m. | Vol. 66, No. 52 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

Rodef Shalom, Temple Sinai begin process to explore collaboration

NOTEWORTHY LOCAL A new chapter for Parkway Jewish Center

Rabbi Yosef Itkin, joyful educator and kosher supervisor, has died at 69

Cantor Laura Berman succeeds Cantor Henry Shapiro LOCAL

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Shapira family honored by Pardes

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A legacy of learning LOCAL

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Passover Pennsylvania primary

A how-to for Jewish voters LOCAL

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Remembering Logan Street

Collection revives the famed Jewish business district Page 8

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fter splitting almost 80 years ago to form two Reform congregations in Pittsburgh’s East End, Rodef Shalom Congregation and Temple Sinai announced plans to explore the idea of collaboration.

The agreement was approved by each congregation’s board of trustees last week.

In a joint letter to their members, Rodef Shalom President Bill Battistone and Temple Sinai President Stephen Jurman said the two congregations have committed to “an 18-month intentional and targeted process with the goal of strengthening our Reform Jewish community.”

The process, the letter said, will involve congregation members and will include discussions, committee meetings and workshops to explore the long-term future of both congregations and “the need for continued partnership in the future.”

Recommendations for next steps will be reported to both congregations in the summer of 2025.

“No significant change to the status of our two congregations will be made without the approval of our respective Congregations in accordance with their by-laws,” the letter states.

The two congregations represent a total of more than 1,300 family units, with about 680

affiliated with Rodef Shalom and about 650 affiliated with Temple Sinai.

The reasons for exploring ways to collaborate are simple, Jurman told the Chronicle.

“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 something to minimize our weaknesses.”

Battistone said he’s been thinking about the future of Rodef Shalom and the Pittsburgh Jewish community since becoming the board president in 2022.

“I’ve been trying to get these conversations started for the last year-and-a-half,” he said. “Fortunately for me, Steve was willing to sit at the table and have an honest discussion.”

Both presidents were resolute in the fact that, while all options are on the table, none are preordained.

“We’ve agreed upon nothing yet but to talk,” Jurman said, “and committing to a process of keeping the congregations updated.”

Battistone agreed.

“What we’re trying to do is lay a foundation and groundwork for some meaningful

 Rabbi Yosef Itkin

Photo courtesy of Rabbi Yisroel Altein

By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

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abbi Yosef Itkin, a respected educator who supervised kashrut for Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, died on Dec. 18. He was 69.

Born in Crown Heights, New York, Itkin grew up two doors from 770 Eastern Pkwy., the fabled headquarters of the ChabadLubavitch movement.

Though he left Brooklyn nearly 40 years ago, colleagues said Itkin lived his life as if he remained at the hub.

“Seven-seventy is where Chabad’s at home, and when you’re at home there’s a certain style and comfort that you have when you interact with people, the language you use,” Chabad of Squirrel Hill’s Rabbi Yisrael Altein said. “Rabbi Itkin was able to live that life in Pittsburgh. He didn’t change a thing and was always true to who he is.

He had the comfort of expressing his Chassidic lifestyle no matter what the environment was around him.”

Itkin and his wife, Nechoma, arrived in

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DECEMBER 29, 2023

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Appeal Help us tell the stories of our community Senior Staff Writer Adam Reinherz

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nnual appeals are predictable: There’s a reminder of services provided, a familiar refrain claiming the current period demands giving like never before, and then the ask.

Although I’m not a development professional, I was asked to help out in this task; so, like those who’ve preceded

that a prosperous future not only demands present investment, but that a successful present required a committed past.

I’m also not a scientist or a rabbi, but I’m well aware that none of us is here by accident. Someone — perhaps someone you know, but most likely someone you don’t — sacrificed for each of us to get to this point. Now is our chance to do the same.

At this stage of the appeal, someone would likely implore you to give like never before. Maybe they’d mention the dire state of the world; I won’t. I’d rather remind you of what you already

Something special happens in Pittsburgh each day.

NOWISRAEL AT WAR GUILTYMORE December 1, 2023 | 18 Kislev 5784

June 23, 2023 | 4 Tammuz

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Candlelighting 8:36

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October 13, 2023 |

28 Tishrei 5784

Candlelighting 6:25

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Hundreds of Pittsburg hers rally

in support of Israel Pitts

burghers in Israel and Israelis in Pittsburgh share fears

THAN EVER

to counts ‘There has o u r s u p p o r t e n a b l e s u s t o c o n t i n u e t o p r ov i d e shooter guilty on all 63 be a recoyrd’: Pittsburgh synagogue Community to s react synagogue shooter’s guilty verdict

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after the ore than 4½ years massacre that Pittsburgh synagogue Tree of Life left 11 worshippers at the found the shooter guilty building dead, a jury him. of all 63 counts filed against the guilt phase of the With the conclusion of consider whether the trial, the jury will now death penalty. shooter is eligible for the last Friday, U.S. and Harrison Hamm | At approximately noon

By Andrew Goldstein Robert Colville read the District Court Judge Contributing Writers against the defendant 63 separate federal counts The shooter sat quietly, but long-awaited he highly anticipated and the jury’s verdict. no emotion as he of the gunman guilty verdict last Friday facing forward and showing at a Squirrel charges, including 11 all on guilty found in the 2018 mass shooting was of the free exercise of antisemitic attack counts of obstruction Hill synagogue — the deadliest swift reaction in death, which carries — drew resulting Caplan, beliefs history religious n, and Barbara in American sentence. of Life Congregatio jury and civic leaders in president of the Tree hug after a news conference after the the death penalty as a possible from the Jewish community n, the jurors to be p Alan Hausman, on Friday, June 16. asked Congregatio world. crimes team Light the hate New around defense of The guilty of federal Pittsburgh and Union Progress Wimley/Pittsburgh synagogue shooter completed reading the co-president a block away from Photo by Alexandra found the Pittsburgh polled when the judge At a news conference held agreed with the in statements they and that stated all courthouse federal results, and responded that Pittsburgh’s the world, community leaders verdicts as they were read.

After deliberation, Colville from around survi13 days and that of the survi intent to kill the eight question for the jury, After a trial that lasted the strength and courage charges 40-47 and the he could not answer the g testimony, audio to page 55 of his praised testified, and encouraged community the building at the time instead, referred them often featured heart-rendin survivors who were in vors who injured: Carol and the jury deliberated of themselves as old recordings and photos, of the attack but not physicallyGaynor, Audrey original instructions. members to take care before returning its offered little in way Martin for about five hours The shooter’s legal team Black, Joseph Charny, its wounds are reopened.

Jonathan focusing is beyond Rabbi trial, phase Myers, the verdict. first during unanimous guilty Glickman, Rabbi Jeffrey “We’re happy this Werber. The of a defense question was asked and closing argument the CEO of the Jewish Stephen Weiss and Barry Only one clarifying opening statement us,” Jeff Finkelstein, the known regarding Perlman, , from have reporters to told had shooter deliberations the of Greater Pittsburgh, by the jury during jury inquired if the shooter on trying to distance the charges Federation portico in was in the building of religion charges — Pennsylvanian apartments or seen each person who with the that he had the obstruction the possibility of the death at the “While we’re pleased to satisfy the requirement which carry to come.” the jury of that Downtown.

Despite not convincing we know there is still more intent to kill them. with the defense penalty. during the guilt phase of the trial, verdict, the defendant guilty on Colville debated the matter The federal jury found argument planted a bomb in almost certainly will team, asking: If a person the defense team page 11 that show intent to Please see Reaction, a random car, would 10 it would not show Please see Trial, page kill? The defense argued person. intent to kill a specific

By Adam Reinherz | Senior

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Staff Writer

eora Goldberg, 18, spent four hours in a bomb shelter during Simchat Torah.

“It was on and off, whenever we heard the sirens,” she said, speaking by phone from her dormitory in Jerusalem.

As of press time, Hamas had fired more than 4,000 rockets at the Jewish state.

Goldberg described the situation as “very stressful,” and noted the deluge of war-related stories flooding her social media accounts.

“It feels scarier when all the information is coming at once,” she said.  Hundreds of community The Hillel Academy of members rallied at Pittsburgh graduate the JCC in Squirrel Hill in support of Israel arrived in Israel last

By David Rullo | Senior on Oct. 8. month Staff Writer study at Midreshet Tehillah, for a year of Photo by Josh Franzos StandWithUs, a pro-Israel education and members Jerusalem’s Har Nof neighborhooa seminary in advocacy organization and civilians. ocal and state politicians, , had representatives d. rabbis and present.

Twenty miles west, fellow Tree of Life Rabbi Hazzan Jewish community leaders Hillel Academy Jeffrey Myers and graduate were among Temple Sinai Cantor The rally was a response Kovi Biton, 18, said, “Nowhere more than 500 people David Reinwald opened to the terrorist attack at the Jewish on Israel is safe.” the rally with a rendition Speaking by phone from Community Center launched from Gaza by Yeshivat Reishet in of the “Star Spangled of Greater Pittsburgh’s Hamas, which Banner” Bet Shemesh, Biton described began the previous morning Levinson Hall rallying followed by remarks from in support of Israel. An the rockets and — nearly 50 years Board Federation told the to the day from the start additional 100 people joined Chronicle, “You can see Chair Jan Levinson, who of the Yom Kippur flashes at night. said the commu- You online. nity had come together feel like you are in war.

War — as The Sunday, Oct. 8 event not only to share Israel’s ” was organized by Atzeret the country was celebrating Shemini grief, More than 900 Israelis the Jewish Federation but also its resilience. and Simchat Torah. were of Greater Pittsburgh. killed, 2,500 injured and 150 taken Joining Both the 10.27 Healing The terrorist group infiltrated hostage since Hamas Partnership and launching 22 Israeli towns, 30-minute Levinson to speak during the attacked Israel by land, sea and program were Federation thousands of rockets and air on Oct. 7. attacking by and CEO President Biton said his school land — through seven Jeff Finkelstein; Dr. Deborah issued a “lockdown,” breaches in the security Gilboa; but even isolating Federation’s Gefsky wall separating Gaza from within a bolstered gymnasium Community Scholar Israel — by sea and is frightening.

Rabbi Danny Schiff; Shaare by air, using gliders.

Torah Rabbi Yitzi Genack; JCC Board Chair “You can hear the ground As of press time, more Scott Seewald; and than rumbling, and you don’t know if it’s from 11 Americans were murdered 900 Israelis and JCC President and CEO bombs dropping or Jason Kunzman. The by the terrorists, mayors planes flying overhead,” including more than 250 of Karmiel and Misgav, he said. celebrating at a music Federation’s Partnership2Gether region, As of press time, it festival. More than 2,500 was reported that at Israelis were wounded spoke least 11 U.S. citizens and more than 150 people Finkelstein acknowledg via video. were among those ed the many killed, were taken captive and transported to Gaza, and many U.S. citizens including both military are being held

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August 4, 2023 | 17

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October 27, 2023 |

12 Cheshvan 5784

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New Torah dedicated in honor of Joyce and Stephen Fienberg

Center in Squirrel at the Jewish Community the for a press conference death penalty for killing 11 people at Progress the gather at the podium Union Wimley/Pittsburgh shooter will receive members of victims Photo by Alexandra p Survivors and family decided that the Pittsburgh synagogue a jury Hill on Aug. 2 after on Oct. 27, 2018. with the convicted killer.

Tree of Life building

antisemitic attack battles took the stand. and his son Adam Anthony Fienberg Dueling doctors also community in the deadliest the shooter p carries the new Reinherz | Staff Writers embrace as Anthony parents Joyce expert witnesses claimed in U.S. history. federal defen- Defense schizophrenia and had Torah dedicated to his Bowers is only the fourth of suffered from epilepsy, with Fienberg and Dr. Stephen Fienberg. shooter Robert Union Progress the Western District injuries. That, combined Wimley, Pittsburgh ittsburgh synagogue dant in the history of Photo by Alexandra and the various brain to die. and alleged abuse, they to face the death penalty Bowers will be sentenced an early life of neglect for about 11 Pennsylvania disqualify him from receiving By David Rullo | Staff Writer After deliberating sentenced to die. said he argued, should the death only one Colville imposed Robert jury Judge U.S. District hours, a federal the death penalty. argued that each of the 22 capital him on Thursday. marched down parade of hundreds penalty on the killer for Prosecution expert witnesses would formally sentence Squirrel Hill 115 mitigating factors that the shooter suffered Murray Avenue in The jury rejected the offenses he faced. the there was no proof meticthe Jewish verdict on day 36 of team offered as reasons illness. They said his The jury reached its on Sunday to celebrate the shooter the defense should be sentenced to life in from a mental reactions after years measured five his Torah. the trial and nearly convicted killer ulous planning and community’s newest Tree of Life building on the corner of proved that he was rampaged through the prison rather than death.

The procession began during the shooting during the penalty AR-15 and slaughStreet and made attack, understanding For more than a month on Shabbat with an capable of planning the Murray Avenue and Beacon the Pittsburgh Jewish their impact. jurors heard and saw Congregation, where tered 11 members of phases of the trial, his actions and grasping its way to Shaare Torah 911 calls and crime the shooter’s long The government cited graphic details, including the scroll will be housed.

by Anthony heard from victims , arguing that his scene photos. They also The Torah was sponsored history of antisemitism offered delusions who of members in honor of his late the result and victims’ family belief system was not Fienberg and his family Fienberg. lives had changed illness but instead were Joyce and Dr. Stephen glimpses into how their accompanying mental on social parents, on Oct. 27, 2018. common hatred found since the mass shooting not only simply the page 15 Please see Torah, Those testifying included members, page 14 Please see Justice, Pittsburgh Jewish community during gun injured but also first responders

By David Rullo and Adam

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These stories, which chart our community, detail the joy and challenges of contemporary Jewish life. Each story, like each member of this community, demonstrates

Candlelighting 4:36 p.m. | Havdalah 5:38 p.m. | Vol. 66, No. 48 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org

We remember the victims

Hundreds gather in support of Israel at Oakland vigil

By Adam Reinherz | Senior

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Hosted by the Jewish Federation of Greater every faith community Pittsburgh and co-sponsore lected officials, Jewish to come together and d by more than express professionals, 25 local our sorrow for the victims groups, the event included faith leaders and other in Israel, community songs speeches, as well and prayers. as our support for members gathered in our Jewish support of Israel brothers and sisters.”

Lt. Gov. Austin Davis at an Oct. 19 vigil in Schenley called the program Park in Oakland. at Flagstaff Hill a chance “for folks from Please see Vigil, page

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We remember the victims of the Pitts burgh synagogue shooting

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Retirement prompts new chapters for Cantor Henry Shapiro and Parkway Jewish Center — LOCAL —

By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

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fter shepherding Parkway Jewish Center through a decade of monumental events, Cantor Henry Shapiro is retiring from the eastern suburban synagogue on Dec. 31.

Whether it was keeping the Conservative congregation together during the pandemic or Parkway’s move last year, the congregation’s spiritual leader ensured “we all stayed connected,” Lynda Heyman, a member of Parkway’s executive committee, said.

Shapiro checked in on congregants and helped create an environment where everyone felt recognized, Heyman added.

It’s just one reason why he was feted on Dec. 17.

Along with celebrating Shapiro, the event was a chance to welcome Shapiro’s successor, Cantor Laura Berman, Heyman said.

Berman is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary and previously served Temple Sinai. She begins her Parkway tenure on Jan. 1.

Heyman announced Berman’s selection on Dec. 16 to members, a group she called both committed and “heimish.”

Parkway has an affiliation of about 50 families who participate both in person and online.

“There are the people who live in Churchill, Monroeville, Plum, Vandergrift and Wilkins. We also have people who are in Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Maryland and North Carolina,” Heyman said.

Maintaining a digital option allows some members to enjoy the synagogue’s Shabbat and holiday services and occasional classes from the comfort of home when either the distance or time of day precludes in-person attendance, she added.

Shapiro described Parkway’s congregants

p Cantor Henry Shapiro

p Parkway Jewish Center sold its former eastern suburban building before moving to a new location.

Photo by David Rullo

as “very dedicated” and said it’s been a pleasure serving them since July 2013.

One of the biggest changes to occur during that span, he said, was Parkway’s move to Penn Center in Wilkins Township.

Shapiro said he’s looking forward to retirement and the time it will free up for him to return to various artistic pursuits.

“Before I became a cantor, I was a musician

Photo courtesy of Cantor Henry Shapiro

“I haven’t had the chance to really get out and socialize a bit since COVID,” he said.

As for what people can expect from him in the months to come, Shapiro gave

Shapiro said he’s looking forward to retirement and the time it will free up for him to return to various artistic pursuits.

After 67 years in its building, Parkway sold it about a year ago to Sri Venkateswara Temple, a nearby Hindu temple.

“People think that we sold and closed.

We did not close. We are in a smaller space that we can reconfigure to work for us,” Heyman said. The Penn Center site has a “conference center that we used for the High Holidays, and we could use for the cantor’s retirement party.”

for many years — the Prez of Klez and the King of Swing in Pittsburgh — so to some degree I plan to reinvigorate my performing career, hopefully,” he said.

Shapiro is already anticipating composing original musical pieces, but said he’s also eager to explore his passion for landscape painting.

And, like many retirees, he’s excited to travel.

some indication.

“You can say this is Henry Shapiro V-three: The first one was musician. The second one was cantoring, spiritual leader of Parkway Jewish Center. The third one is the previous, even more and better, more creative and more fun, hopefully.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

White supremacist Hardy Lloyd to spend 6½ years in prison

W

— LOCAL —

hite supremacist Hardy Carroll Lloyd was sentenced in a federal courtroom in the Northern District of West Virginia last week to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Lloyd, formerly of Dormont, Pennsylvania, was living in Follansbee, West Virginia, at the time of his arrest on charges of obstruction of the due administration of justice, transmitting threats in interstate and foreign commerce and witness tampering. All of the charges were related to the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter trial.

He pled guilty to those charges in September.

According to the Department of Justice, Lloyd wrote social media posts, website comments and emails threatening the jury and witnesses during the trial. He also placed, or had others place, stickers and flyers in predominantly Jewish areas of Pittsburgh — which directed people to a white supremacist website he runs — containing threats and antisemitic messages.

Lloyd, who often refers to himself by the unearned monikers “reverend” and “doctor,” faced up to 10 years in prison for the obstruction charge, up to five years for the threats charge and up to 20 years in prison for the tampering charge.

The white supremacist has been in and out of prison since 2004 when he was arrested for killing his girlfriend. Acquitted of the murder,

he was found guilty of illegal firearm possession and sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

In 2017, he was sentenced to 13 months in prison and nine months of supervised release. Upon release he relocated to Austin, Texas, and, in 2022, the Texas Department of Public Safety offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to his arrest after he posted a series of threatening comments online and promised to carry a firearm onto the Texas State Capitol grounds.

At the time of his most recent arrest, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said that Lloyd attempted to obstruct the federal hate crimes trial of the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history.

“His guilty plea underscores that anyone who attempts to obstruct a federal trial by threatening or intimidating jurors or witnesses will be met with the full force of the justice department,” Garland said.

Shawn Brokos, the director of community security for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, said the organization is grateful for the “dogged work of law enforcement and federal prosecutors who aggressively pursued the case,” as well as the judge.

“We can rest easier with him in federal prison and are pleased to be able to close this chapter on Hardy Lloyd. That said, we will continue to monitor him while in prison,” she said. PJC — David Rullo

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Calendar Submit calendar items on the Chronicle’s website, pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. Submissions also will be included in print. Events will run in the print edition beginning one month prior to the date as space allows. The deadline for submissions is Friday, noon. q WEDNESDAYS, JAN. 3 – MAY 15 The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh virtually presents two Melton courses back-to-back: “Ethics” and “Crossroads.” In “Ethics,” learn how Jewish teachings shed light on Jewish issues. “Crossroads” will present an emphasis on reclaiming the richness of Jewish history. 7 p.m. $300 for this 25-session series (book included). jewishpgh.org/series/meltonethics-crossroads. q WEDNESDAYS, JAN. 3 – DEC. 18 Bring the parashah alive and make it personally relevant and meaningful with Rabbi Mark Goodman in this weekly Parashah Discussion: Life & Text. 12:15 p.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org/life-text.

Temple Sinai’s Rabbi Daniel Fellman presents a weekly Parshat/Torah portion class on site and online. Call 412-421-9715 for more information and the Zoom link. q THURSDAY, JAN. 4 Facilitated by local clergy from Jewish & Christian backgrounds, the Jewish Christian Dialogue is a monthly discussion that explores topics of similarities and differences. Noon. Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Ave. rodefshalom.org. q FRIDAY, JAN. 5 Families with young children are invited to join Rodef Shalom Congregation for Shabbat with You, a preShabbat playdate, service and dinner to celebrate Shabbat together. 4:30 p.m. $5 per family. 4905 Fifth Ave. rodefshalom.org/shabbatwithyou. q SUNDAYS, JAN. 7 – DEC. 29 Join a lay-led online parshah study group to discuss the week’s Torah portion. No Hebrew knowledge needed. The goal is to build community while deepening understanding of the text. 8:30 p.m.

For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org.

q SUNDAYS, JAN. 7 – JAN. 28 Chabad of Pittsburgh presents the Jewish Children’s Discovery Center. Girls and boys grades 3-5 will practice cake-decorating skills while learning about the holy temple and what its beautiful golden vessels can teach us today. Girls and boys grades K-2 will create and decorate a wooden mitzvah house while learning about the holy temple and the values it represents. Girls and boys ages 3 and 4 will touch, taste, hear and feel their way through a journey of Jewish values and traditions. With weekly storytelling, crafts, music and games, this class is sure to get out all the morning wiggles.

Grades K-5: $60/4-week session; ages 3-4: $30/4-week session, $10/class. Noon. chabadpgh.com. q MONDAY, JAN. 8 Women of Temple Sinai present the Make ‘n’ Eat Cooking Class, Georgia on My Mind: A Shabbat meal, with instructor Saul Straussman featuring recipes from the Caucasus, the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and parts of Southern Russia. This is a hands-on learning experience for novice cooks and experts. All are welcome. $15. 6 p.m.templesinaipgh.org/event/ make-n-eat-cooking-class-sponsoredby-wots2.html. q MONDAYS, JAN. 8 – DEC. 28 Join Congregation Beth Shalom for a weekly Talmud study. 9:15 a.m. For more information, visit bethshalompgh.org. q MONDAYS, JAN. 8 – FEB. 5 Join Rabbis Sharyn Henry and Jessica Locketz for Wise Aging Group, a five-session experience designed for Jewish adults 55 and older who are open to conversations about what it means not just to get older, but to age wisely. 7 p.m. $72.

4905 Fifth Ave. rodefshalom.org/wiseaging. q MONDAYS, JAN. 8 – MAY 13 H. Arnold and Adrien B. Gefsky Community Scholar Rabbi Danny Schiff presents Torah 2. Understanding the Torah and what it asks of us is perhaps one of the

most important things that a Jew can learn. In Torah 2, Schiff will explore the second half of Leviticus and all of Numbers and Deuteronomy. 9:30 a.m. $225. Zoom. jewishpgh.org/event/torah-2-2/ 2023-10-09. q THURSDAY, JAN. 11 Temple Sinai presents Seniors Lunch & Movie: “Golda.” “Golda” depicts the life of Golda Meir, the fourth prime minister of Israel, particularly during the Yom Kippur War. 11:30 a.m. $10. templesinaipgh.org/event/seniors-lunch-movie.html. q THURSDAYS, JAN. 11 – FEB. 8 Bring your lunch and join Cantor Toby Glaser for Lunch Time Liturgy to look at the prayers of Kabbalat Shabbat, the opening psalms and prayers of the Shabbat evening service. $54. 1 p.m. Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Ave. rodefshalom.org/lunch. q SUNDAY, JAN. 14 Join Chabad of the South Hills for Bowl for Israel.

For every 10 points bowled, a dollar will be donated to support Israel. Location given upon registration.

5 p.m. $15, includes pizza dinner. chabadsh. com/cteenjr. q SUNDAYS, JAN. 14 – 28 Join Chabad of the South Hills for Babyccino: A chic meet for moms and tots. Learn about the four holy cities in Israel through music, movement, arts, sensor and heaps of play. 10:30 a.m. $12/class or $30 for all 3 sessions. 1701 McFarland Road. chabadsh. com/babyccino. q WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17 Join the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh for the Righteous Among the Neighbors Celebration, a joint project with the LIGHT Education Initiative, in partnership with student journalists at Mt. Lebanon High School, to honor non-Jewish Pittsburghers who have supported the Jewish community and stood up against antisemitism. Free. South Hills JCC. 7 p.m. hcofpgh.org/event/righteous-among-theneighbors-celebration.

Join AgeWell for the Intergenerational Family Dynamics Discussion Group at JCC South Hills every third Wednesday of each month. Led by intergenerational specialist/presenter and educator Audree Schall. The group is geared toward anyone who has children, grandchildren, a spouse, siblings or parents. Family dynamics is a fascinating topic and whether you have family harmony or strife, these discussions are going to be thought-provoking, with tools and views to help build strong relationships and family unity. Free. 12:30 p.m. 345 Kane Blvd. q THURSDAY, JAN. 18 Join Chabad of Squirrel Hill for a Women’s Farbrengen. Enjoin an evening of Chassidic songs and stories on the topic of “Transforming Our World into a Garden,” and enjoy hot drinks and desserts.

7 p.m. $10. 1700 Beechwood Blvd. chabadpgh.com. q FRIDAY, JAN. 19 Join Temple Sinai for a Tot Shabbat Service & Dinner. Are you looking for an informal, inviting way to teach your little ones about Shabbat and connect with other families? Join Cantor David Reinwald, Rabbi Daniel Fellman and Danie Oberman for this exciting service. Contact Danie Oberman at Danie@ templesinaipgh.org or 412-421-9715, ext. 121. 5 p.m.

5505 Forbes Ave. templesinaipgh.org. q FRIDAY, JAN. 26 Join the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh virtually for its annual commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Robbie Aitken, professor at Sheffield Hallam University, will discuss the concept of “forgotten victims,” which looks at the experiences of Germany’s Black resident community. Registration is free and donations are optional. Noon. hcofpgh. org/events. q WEDNESDAYS, JAN. 31 – MARCH 6 Chabad of the South Hills presents a new six-week course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, Advice for Life: The Rebbe’s Advice for Leading a More Purposeful Life. This new multimedia course is a journey through the Rebbe’s practical wisdom on work, family, health and well-being. 7:30 p.m.

Chabad of the South Hills, 1701 McFarland Road. chabadsh.com. PJC

Join the Chronicle Book Club!

Bring them home

T

he Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle invites you to join the Chronicle Book Club for its Jan. 21 discussion of “Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth,” by Noa Tishby.

From the Jewish Book Council: “Noa Tishby is on a mission to correct misperceptions of Israel — its history, culture, and people. After watching Israel be criticized by the global community, particularly online, the Israeli actress, writer, and producer began defending the country on Twitter and beyond. What began as a hobby developed into a deep passion, and ultimately, a vocation. The more Tishby sought to explain Israel to others the more she sought to learn herself. From that journey, this book was born.”

Email: Contact us at drullo@pittsburghjewish chronicle.org, and write “Chronicle Book Club” in the subject line to register. We will send you a Zoom link for the discussion meeting. Registration closes on Jan. 18.

Happy reading! PJC — Toby Tabachnick

Your Hosts: Toby Tabachnick, editor of the Chronicle David Rullo, Chronicle senior staff writer

p Jeff Finkelstein at the Dec. 24 vigil

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— LOCAL —

eff Finkelstein, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, was one of several community members speaking at a Dec. 24 vigil in support of

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DECEMBER 29, 2023

Photo by Toby Tabachnick

the hostages, who have been held captive

by Hamas for more than 80 days. Vigils will be held each Sunday on the corner of Murray Avenue and Darlington Road in Squirrel Hill until all the hostages are released, organizers said. PJC

How and When: We will meet on Zoom on Jan. 21 at noon.

What To Do Buy: “Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth.” It is available at area bookstores and from online retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It is also available through the Carnegie Library system.

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines Pennsylvania’s primary remains on first day of Passover.

How can observant Jews still vote?

— LOCAL —

By Jarrad Saffren | Contributing Writer

F

our states originally had primaries scheduled for April 23, the first full day of Passover. But Delaware, Rhode Island and Maryland all moved their elections to different dates.

Pennsylvania is the only state with a primary still scheduled then.

Going into the fall legislative session in Harrisburg, there was optimism that the General Assembly would move the date.

Except it wasn’t something they addressed.

Democrats in the House tried to add election reforms such as increasing the amount of canvassing days for political candidates. Republicans in the Senate just tried to pass a bill that would have changed the date. Pennsylvania’s Jewish governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro, supported moving the primary but did not take a position on either side’s proposals.

“We had a deal on Monday, and then the deal fell apart,” said Jewish Rep. Abigail Salisbury, who represents the Pittsburghbased 34th District, in November.

Now, halachically observant Jews will not be able to go to the polls on election day. But if you are one, you can still vote. Here’s how.

Visit Vote.PA.Gov. In all 67 Pennsylvania counties, you can vote by mail. Just visit vote.pa.gov.

Click Mail-in and Absentee Ballot.

Either hover over the tab at the top that says Voting in PA or scroll down to Popular

p Pennsylvania State Capitol

on Vote.PA.Gov. In both places, you will see Mail-in and Absentee Ballot.

Click it.

Find the Ballot Request Application.

Scroll down to Quick Links and click Apply online for a mail-in or absentee ballot. That will take you to a screen that reminds you that you must be registered to vote and that your request for a mail ballot must be received by your county office by April 16 at 5 p.m.

Then scroll down and click the mail-in ballot paper application form in your language of choice.

Fill out the application Either print the application and write in your information or type the info and then

Photo by Zack Frank / Adobe Stock

print it. Either way, you must then find the address for your county board of elections and mail it there.

All county election board addresses and phone numbers are on a list at the bottom of the application.

Vote!

If you get your application in by 5 p.m. on April 16, you will receive a ballot in the mail.

Fill out the ballot, date it properly and send it back in by 8 p.m. on election night.

You can also deliver your ballot to your county’s board of elections office or drop it into a secure drop box in your home county. Check your county’s website for drop box locations.

The Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition, the

governor’s office and the Pennsylvania Department of State are working together to market this process, according to Hank Butler, the executive director of the PJC. They are hoping to provide a QR code to Jewish federations, synagogues and other organizations.

A quick scan of it would take voters to vote.pa.gov.

Butler said the marketing push would likely begin around Feb. 1.

“We want to make sure everyone is notified to vote,” he said.

Jonathan Goldman, the chair of the PJC, also wants to emphasize that no one needs to wait. You can request your mail ballot now.

“I cannot wake up on election day and go get a mail-in ballot. At a minimum, you need to apply for a mail-in ballot,” he said.

The PJC is also going to work with federations to reach out to congregations and Jewish community centers that are signed up to serve as polling places.

“Will they wish to handle the primary election? Once we can gather information, hopefully by the end of January, we can work with the Department of State, and they can find alternative locations on election day,” Butler said.

The other group that may have been impacted by the Passover primary would have been halachically observant candidates.

But Butler and other political insiders are not aware of any in the state. PJC Jarrad Saffren writes for the Jewish Exponent, an affiliated publication where this first appeared.

Pardes creates inaugural chair in rabbinic literature honoring Pittsburgh’s Shapira family — LOCAL —

By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer

T

he sages teach that one mitzvah leads to another. A recent announcement from Israel confirms that principle: Weeks ago, the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, a Jerusalem-based educational center with programming worldwide, announced the creation of a chair honoring Pittsburgh’s Shapira family.

The Shapira Foundation has supported Pardes for years. As lead donors toward the institution’s capital campaign, the foundation helped Pardes raise $5.3 million as of Dec. 12 and continues matching gifts.

Earlier this year, the Jewish learning center broke ground on Beit Karen, a 54,000-square-foot facility named in memory of Karen Shapira, a former Pardes board member. Beit Karen, which was conceived more than a decade ago, will allow the organization to “serve four times the number of students, with a 250-person theater for public programs, green spaces, new technology and an

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

p Pardes board member Deborah Shapira

Photo courtesy of Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies

incubator for new educational initiatives,” according to Pardes.

David Shapira said that the family’s relationship with Pardes dates back decades to when his daughter Deborah Shapira studied there after college.

In fact, one of Deborah Shapira’s teachers, Leah Rosenthal, a senior educator in Talmud

at Pardes, was named the inaugural Shapira Family Chair in Rabbinic Literature.

Deborah Shapira, a former Pardes board chair, said it’s a “delight” that her former teacher will hold this new position at Pardes, noting that “Rosenthal has a stellar reputation among Pardes students and alumni. Her profound insights into sacred texts, coupled

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

with her exceptional skills in teaching mahkloket (constructive dialogue for deeper understanding) and chevruta (deepening of peer relationship through text study) align perfectly with our vision for authentic and meaningful Jewish learning.”

Rosenthal has taught at Pardes for more than 20 years. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Talmud and Jewish philosophy and a master’s in Jewish education, both from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

“This chaired position offers immense possibilities to inspire learners in new ways,” Rosenthal said. “It’s a privilege that it carries the Shapira name, and I look forward to carrying out their remarkable legacy and commitment to Pardes.”

David Shapira praised the institution and its commitment to furthering Jewish education. Knowing that a new chair in rabbinic literature will carry his family name evokes sincere gratitude, he said: “We are humbled and grateful for this honor from Pardes.” PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

DECEMBER 29, 2023

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Headlines The last days of Logan Street

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Year NEW

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Jason Kunzman, JCC President & CEO Scott E. Seewald, JCC Board Chair Staff & Board of the JCC

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DECEMBER 29, 2023

p A photograph from the Lower Hill Redevelopment collection shows an Urban Redevelopment Authority surveyor standing outside Haimovitz Poultry Market at 91 Logan St. in 1955.

Image courtesy of Pittsburgh City Archives, Office of the City Clerk

— HISTORY —

By Eric Lidji | Special to the Chronicle

“‘D

o you remember a street called Logan in the Hill District?’ asked Bernard Kaplan, smiling broadly because existence of one of Pittsburgh’s most colorful streets is little remembered. ‘It ran from Fifth Avenue to Bigelow Boulevard and was crammed with butcher shops, fruit stands, small grocery stores, delicatessens, merchants selling from carts — anything you could think of.’ Most of the area is now covered with concrete ...”

That’s how the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Douglas Smock introduced a 1977 article about the legacy of post-war redevelopment in the lower Hill District and nearby Uptown.

By the late 1970s, all that remained of old Logan Street was a one-block stump jutting off Fifth Avenue — that, and a lot of memories. Shelly Blumenfeld captured her memories of Logan Street in a series of paintings about a decade ago. Her canvasses glow with life — overflowing trucks on the street, crowded sidewalks, faces filling the upper windows.

Her memories date to the late 1930s and early 1940s. I’m looking at a photograph of the same block from the mid-1950s. Cars fill the street, people pace the sidewalks, signs flash from the store windows, people lean out the windows. But everywhere you look, reality intrudes: soot, grime, litter, flaking paint, tattered awnings and somber gray skies.

The photograph comes from a new digital repository launched by the City of Pittsburgh archives.

Included among this storehouse of materials are some 2,000 photographs

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

of individual properties throughout the lower Hill District. The Urban Redevelopment Authority created these photographs between 1955 and 1960, as it prepared for widespread demolition of the area and the eventual construction of the Civic Arena.

The lower Hill District was once the beating heart of Jewish life in Pittsburgh.

By the late 1950s, the Jewish residential population of the neighborhood was relatively small. It had been around 11,000 in the late 1930s but would fall to less than 500 by early 1960s.

And yet, a Jewish commercial presence remained. You can find many people in the Jewish community today who remember visiting these Hill District businesses as kids.

The Jewish exodus from the Hill District occurred steadily across the 20th century with moments of acceleration along the way. The pending demolition of the lower Hill District was one of the greatest accelerants. And so the newly accessible Urban Redevelopment Authority collection captures the old Jewish business district at a moment of change.

All throughout, there are little clues.

In the photograph of 86 Logan St., the name “Louis Steinberg” proudly appears all over the façade, alongside the Hebrew phrase “Bassar Kasher” (Kosher Meats). But the store is dark, and filling the right-hand window is a hand-painted butcher paper sign announcing that the business had recently “moved to 2121 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill.”

Through the intersection at Clark Street is Haimovitz Poultry at 91 Logan St. It lives inside a squat, one-story brick building beneath a tattered, soot-stained awning.

On the sidewalk out front is a tilting, Please see Logan, page 11

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Headlines — WORLD — Scaled-back Israeli delegation headed to the Pan American Maccabi Games in Argentina

With the Pan American Maccabi Games set to begin in Argentina this week, an Israeli delegation of more than 200 athletes plans to join 5,000 Jewish participants from across the world who will compete in 30 sports, JTA.org reported.

But, as with practically every facet of Israeli society, Oct. 7 changed their plan A pared-down group of 74 Israeli athletes will head to Argentina for the 15th edition of the international tournament. Forty-five of them live in communities close to the Gaza Strip, the area attacked on Oct. 7, according to a press release from the Maccabi World Union, the global governing body that puts on the quadrennial Maccabiah Games in Israel and other international tournaments.

The delegation is being funded by the Maccabi World Union, as well as through donations from other Maccabi members around the world, the First International Bank of Israel and the travel insurance company PassportCard.

“A lot of us Israelis have been through a trauma, and many still are,” Riki Kanterevicz, Maccabi World Union’s vice chairman and the chairman of Israel’s delegation, said in a statement. “In this new reality, this year’s is the most exciting and important delegation we have organized.”

Lincoln Memorial vandalized with ‘Free Gaza’ graffiti

The Lincoln Memorial closed temporarily

on Dec. 20 after its steps were vandalized with graffiti reading “Free Gaza” in multiple places, JTA.org reported.

U.S. Park Police are investigating the graffiti, which was discovered that morning at the Washington, D.C. monument, according to ABC News. Crews were dispatched to clean up the vandalism. The steps of the memorial were splattered with red paint and pro-Palestinian messages, which the National Park Service said could take some time to complete.

“National Park Service conservators have begun the process of removing the paint this morning, though it may take multiple treatments over several days to remove all of it,” spokesperson Mike Litterst said on Dec. 20.

By the evening, according to a local Fox affiliate, most of the paint was removed.

Images from the scene show that the words “Free Palestine” and another message that includes the phrase “land back” were spraypainted at the base of the memorial near the reflecting pool.

Trump denies plagiarizing Hitler with ‘poisoning blood’ phrase

Speaking at an Iowa presidential rally on Dec. 19, Donald Trump denied lifting a phrase describing immigrants as “poisoning the blood of our country” from Adolf Hitler’s manifesto, JTA.org reported.

“They don’t like it when I said that,” the former and hopeful president said. “And I never read ‘Mein Kampf.’ They said, ‘Oh, Hitler said that’ — in a much different way.”

The comments come as President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign focuses on Trump’s

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

Dec. 29, 1901 — JNF is founded

p JNF’s first chairman, Yona Krementzky, implemented the idea for the organization’s iconic blue tzedakah boxes to collect coins from families.

The Jewish National Fund, known in Hebrew as Keren Kayemeth L’Israel, is launched after an impassioned speech from Theodor Herzl inspires the Fifth Zionist Congress to approve the idea on a 105-82 vote.

Dec. 30, 2002 — Ruling: Reservists must serve in territories

The Israeli Supreme Court rules that IDF reservists may not refuse to serve in the West Bank and Gaza because those who agree to military service give up the right to be conscientious objectors on locations.

Dec. 31, 1973 — Golda Meir wins election

Israelis elect the eighth Knesset. The Alignment wins 39.6%, keeping Prime Minister Golda Meir in power. The election was postponed by the Yom Kippur War, whose backlash forces Meir to resign in April 1974.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

Jan. 1, 1837 — Earthquake devastates Safed

An earthquake estimated at 6.8 on the Richter scale starts a landslide that kills thousands and causes extensive damage in the Jewish and Arab sections of the Upper Galilee mountain city of Safed (Tzfat).

Jan. 2, 2002 — Operation targets arms bound for Gaza

Israeli navy commandos leave Eilat in helicopters at night to intercept the Karine-A, a ship carrying 50 tons of Iranian weapons to Gaza. The Israelis seize the shipment before dawn Jan. 3 without firing a shot.

Jan. 3, 1919 — Faisal, Weizmann sign agreement

Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann and Emir Faisal, son of Sharif Husayn of Mecca, p Chaim Weizmann pledge mutual respect (left) and Emir Faisal a n d cooperameet in Aqaba in tion between April 1918.

Arabs and Jews in the Middle East. The mandate system blocks their accord.

Jan. 4, 2006 — Sharon suffers massive stroke

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, 77, has a devastating stroke en route to Hadassah Hospital after feeling ill at his home in the Negev.

Surgeons save his life, but he slips into a coma from which he never recovers. PJC

authoritarian rhetoric, most recently homing in on an interview in which Trump used a phrase that Biden and others said echoed Hitler’s rhetoric.

“It is a very sad thing for our country,” Trump told The National Pulse, a conservative webcast, after being asked about immigrants on the southern border. “It’s poisoning the blood of our country. It’s so bad, and people are coming in with disease. People are coming in with every possible thing that you could have.”

The New York Times and other news sites identified similar phrases in “Mein Kampf,” the autobiography Hitler published before his rise to power. “All the great civilizations of the past became decadent because the originally creative race died out, as a result of contamination of the blood,” was one such passage, the Times said. Several media outlets noted that Trump’s late first wife, Ivana Trump, once reported that he kept a book of Hitler’s speeches by his bedside.

Tourism to Israel collapses as war rages

Amid Israel’s ongoing war with the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, tourism is in a state of collapse with a 90% drop in visitors in November, according to Israel’s Tourism Ministry. JNS.org reported.

The precipitous plunge comes just as ministry officials had been expecting a near-record year for tourism following the global recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

A mere 38,000 tourists entered Israel last month, compared to 370,000 during the same period last year, the ministry’s figures

show. Sixteen thousand came from the United States and nearly the same number from Europe.

The war, which broke out during the busiest tourism quarter of the year, which includes the Christmas holidays, has stunted annual tourism figures, which had been previously expected to reach 4 million this year, just half a million shy of the 4.5 million who visited in the record-breaking 2019.

Nearly 3 million tourists had come to Israel through the end of November this year, down from over 4 million in the same period in 2019 but still up from 2.5 million last year, the figures show.

Latvia and Lithuania are paying Holocaust survivors and heirs for their stolen property

A narrow window is open through Dec. 31 for Lithuanian Holocaust survivors and their descendants to apply for restitution under the terms of a law passed last year.

A similar law enacted in Latvia has also taken effect, giving Holocaust survivors from that country the chance to secure one-time payments of about $5,300.

“For many people, these agreements are not just about money; they’re about recognition,” Gideon Taylor, president of the World Jewish Restitution Organization, said. “It’s countries coming to terms with the past, acknowledging that there were Jews there, that every house, every building represents an individual story.” PJC — Compiled by Andy Gotlieb

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Headlines Collaboration: Continued from page 1

conversations that may result in action down the line,” he said.

And while nothing, including service schedules or life cycle events, is changing at either congregation, the pair envision comprehensive conversations about programming and membership, finance and governance, operations and staff and, yes, what collaboration might mean for the congregations’ two buildings.

“I understand that we have an obligation to our 680 congregants, just like Steve has an obligation to his, to make sure we’re providing appropriate rabbinic services and pastoral care for our congregations,” Battistone said.

Rodef Shalom will be facing some transitions in the coming months. The congregation has been without a senior rabbi since Rabbi Aaron Bisno’s contract was not renewed in March 2022.

Battistone said the congregation won’t necessarily pull the application it submitted to the Reform movement for rabbinic candidates but will consider various options during its conversations with Temple Sinai — including continuing to search for a new rabbi, hiring an interim rabbi or anything in between.

The congregation is served now by Rabbi Sharyn Henry, who has been with Rodef Shalom since 1999, and recently hired Cantor Toby Glaser.

Rodef Shalom’s Executive Director Barb Feige has announced plans to retire in the spring.

In terms of hiring decisions, the congregation, Battistone said, will do “what makes the most sense during this process and for the future.”

Temple Sinai does not expect any changes to leadership during the process. Like Rodef Shalom, the congregation recently hired a new cantor, David Reinwald. Senior Rabbi Daniel Fellman began his tenure there in 2021.

p Rodef Shalom Congregation Photo courtesy of Rodef Shalom Congregation

Acknowledging that any change might be hard because both Rodef Shalom and Temple Sinai are comprised of “people who care very deeply for their respective congregations,” Battistone stressed that this exploration period is just a first step in a process and that nothing has been decided.

“I think people have to be willing to have dialogue and conversation about what the future looks like for both our congregations and the community as a whole,” he said. “People will certainly have questions, concerns, input and opinions on what needs to happen next.”

Jurman doesn’t expect the announcement to come as a shock to Temple Sinai’s members.

“We’ve got some really hard issues about budgets and buildings,” he said, “but the hard part of the process will be getting the two congregations to know each other. Most of us live here in the East End, so it’s not like we’re strangers, but we’re going to be in a process of joint programming and joint services and we’re going to need some time to get together on things.”

Despite experiencing membership decline — at its high point, Rodef Shalom had between 1,200 and 1,400 family units and Temple Sinai’s membership had a high of more than 800 — both presidents said the

p Temple Sinai

congregations are healthy and entering talks from positions of strength.

“Nobody’s back is against the wall or dictating terms,” Jurman said. “We’re talking as equals, and that’s the way it should be.”

And while the Reform movement still has the largest affiliation numbers in the Pittsburgh area — with nearly 34% of Jewish adults identifying as Reform — only 35% of Jewish households are affiliated with a synagogue or another type or worship community, according to the 2017 Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Community Study commissioned by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and conducted by Brandeis University. And a 2020 national Pew study showed that only 29% of Jews under 30 identify with the Reform movement.

“At some point,” Battistone said, “we have to start having the conversation about the sustainability of the number of congregations in the city, and what we’re doing now is double-dipping into the same pool of potential congregants.”

Even after the 18-month process, Jurman said, he expects any formal action to take several years.

“We anticipate this would be a multiyear process, just from observing mergers that

Itkin: Continued from page 1

Pittsburgh around 1980. He worked at Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh and taught Chassidic philosophy, Talmud and halacha (Jewish law) for almost four decades, according to Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum, Yeshiva’s head of school.

“Rabbi Itkin’s impact on the lives of hundreds of Yeshiva students and on our community was legendary,” Rosenblum said. “He exuded a joy of life and Judaism that lifted up all those with whom he came in contact with.”

Squirrel Hill resident Chaya Sokol was a student of Itkin’s 35 years ago.

“He was a great teacher,” she said. “He always had a great amount of respect for me which, in turn, made me respect him a lot.”

Sokol and Itkin’s paths often intersected in the following years.

As a member of Pittsburgh’s Vaad Harabonim (an Orthodox group of Jewish rabbis), Itkin served as a mashgiach and oversaw kashrut in the city. Sokol went on to manage Milky Way, a vegetarian kosher pizzeria on Murray Avenue, and also became a mashgiach.

“He always stood up for me as a woman,” Sokol said of her late teacher.

In his role as the city’s leading supervisor of kashrut, Itkin would unexpectedly stop in the restaurant, ensure that vegetables were appropriately washed — the Torah forbids 10

DECEMBER 29, 2023

p Rabbi Yosef Itkin, right, and Rabbi Yosef Munitz study together.

Photo courtesy of Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh

Jews from eating insects — and that new products followed adopted guidelines.

“Whether you’re someone who keeps the highest level of kashrut or someone who doesn’t, you want the entire community to feel comfortable. As a mashgiach, Rabbi Itkin always did that,” Sokol said.

“He saw his work on the Vaad not as a job but as a life mission,” Altein said.

Through the years, Altein repeatedly called Itkin with news that a community member wanted to transform their kitchen into a kosher space but needed assistance.

“He came with me time and time and again, and never took a penny,” Altein said.

But even before Itkin thoughtfully helped Pittsburghers follow the biblical mandate,

he recognized the importance of kashrut.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe and late head of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, launched several campaigns in the 1960s and ‘70s that introduced Jews to 10 basic mitzvot; among the 10 was keeping kosher.

The importance of kashrut, Schneerson wrote within “Igrot Kodesh,” was that each item of food ingested becomes part of a person’s flesh and blood, which is connected to their neshama (soul): The more noble the food, the greater virtue of the eater.

“Rabbi Itkin took that very seriously,” Altein said.

“My father was sent to Pittsburgh by the Lubavitcher Rebbe and he saw himself as a

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Photo by David Rullo

have occurred elsewhere in the country,” he said. “It seems that two to three years is the minimum amount of time that something like this can occur.”

As they begin the process, both presidents expressed gratitude for the other’s commitment and willingness to engage.

“I thank Steve for his open-minded cooperation and support of our joint effort to build upon the past success of both our congregations in ensuring our mutual strength moving forward,” Battistone said.

Jurman thanked Battistone for his embrace of the concept of working together to strengthen the Reform Jewish community in Pittsburgh.

“We are mutually committed to creating a healthy, sustainable future for Judaism,” he said.

As for the synagogues’ combined history — and possible realignment — Battistone doesn’t necessarily see it as coming full circle.

“I see it as a highway that breaks into two lanes,” he said, “and then merges back together.

We’re heading in one direction and, while we may have split off in different lanes, ultimately the two lanes come back together.” PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org. shaliach (emissary) to spread light, warmth, acceptance, scholarship and kiddush Hashem (sanctification of God’s name),” Itkin’s daughter Shaina Stolik said.

For years, one of Itkin’s primary responsibilities in the city was kindling public menorahs.

He would leave home with a can of kerosene, dressed in a clean white shirt, only to return dirtied but satisfied by the labor, said Stolik: “He had a tremendous amount of pride maintaining Pittsburgh’s menorahs. That symbolism was very much him.”

Throughout his time in Pittsburgh, Itkin was often referred to as mashpia (influencer) of the community.

Three years ago, during a gathering marking the birthday of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov — the Chassidic founder was born in 1698 — Itkin noted that the movement teaches two ways to influence others. One is by being a teacher — but the quality of transmission is always dependent on both the educator and the student.

The other way to influence people is to be like a fire: “The innate nature of fire is that it creates warmth, it creates light.” This becomes clear to those nearby, who are instantly “illuminated and warm,” Itkin said. “The fire doesn’t even have to influence: It just radiates.”

Itkin is survived by his wife and their 11 children. PJC Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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Headlines Logan: Continued from page 8

four-tiered metal crate with seven clucking chickens inside.

In advertisements starting in the late 1940s, Haimovitz Poultry was already promoting, “Free delivery anywhere in Pittsburgh.”

That “anywhere” meant Squirrel Hill, East End and Oakland. Free delivery was a way to keep old customers who had left the Hill.

The window of 89 Logan St. reads “Cohen’s Poultry Market,” followed by an impressive taxonomy: Springers, Capats [sic], Fat-Hens, Fryers, Young Roosters and Hens, Fresh Eggs.

Isadore “Iz” Cohen of Penn Avenue took over the shop in the early 1940s. After returning from the service in the mid1940s, he purchased the Plotkin Poultry Market at 2128 Murray Ave. In the early 1960s, he took over Polonsky’s Delicatessen at the corner of Murray and Douglas.

The building later became famous as Rhoda’s Delicatessen.

At 87 Logan St. was the three-story Block Building, built in 1914. By the time the URA photographed the building in 1955, it appears vacant. Just a year earlier, it had been home to Rubin’s Food Products. Rubin’s had been around some 50 years but “succumbed to the march of progress,” as the company explained in a notice. It moved to 1904 Penn Ave. In the block past Hazel is a large building with several storefronts. The whole building had once been the Caplan Baking Co., which sent 1 million pounds of matzah across Appalachia each spring, in addition to breads and pastries throughout the year.

By the mid-1950s, 73-77 Logan St. belonged to Penn Kosher Food Products Co. Akiba Zilberberg started the meat supplier in East Liberty in 1948 under rabbinic supervision of his father, Rabbi Abraham B. Zilberberg.

He relocated to Logan Street around 1950.

The Logan Street building was the “plant” where meat was prepared. The retail market catering to the public was at 2244 Murray Ave., across from Shaare Torah. In the early 1950s, Zilberberg tried to bridge the geographic divide by offering tours of the Logan Street facility. “You can see first hand how your poultry is prepared for market in the most sanitary plant in operation,” the company announced. All you had to do was ask.

This is just a survey of a few properties along Logan Street. The new collection allows for a near-comprehensive review of the impact of redevelopment on Jewish businesses.

But old Logan Street was not entirely Jewish, of course. By the early 1950s, the lower Hill District was a predominately Black neighborhood. Throughout the collection are images Black-owned businesses like the famous Rosebud Beauty Salon at 45 Logan St., as well as glimpses into some upstairs apartments, mostly occupied by Black families.

In the opening scene of Denzel Washington’s adaptation of “Fences,” Troy and Jim collect garbage through the lower Hill District against the backdrop of these pending demolitions.

They stop briefly in front of the Rosebud, and then the camera rises to reveal an incredible recreation of the old neighborhood: the Pittsburgh C ourier, the Granville Hotel, the Nesbit Pie Shop, the busy streets, the crowded sidewalks — all of it gone. It’s a reminder of the varying trajectories out of the lower Hill. Not everyone had a Murray Avenue. PJC Eric Lidji is the director of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center and can be reached at rjarchives@ heinzhistorycenter.org or 412-454-6406.

p Advertisement announcing opening of the Rubin’s Food Products’ new location on Penn Avenue, prompted by the redevelopment of the lower Hill District, Sept. 21, 1956.

Image courtesy of Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project

JHF approves emergency grants to Tel Aviv Sexual Assault Crisis Center — LOCAL —

T

he Jewish Healthcare Foundation approved emergency grants totaling $25,000 to the P.E.F. Israel Endowment Funds, which will direct the money to the Tel Aviv Sexual Assault Crisis Center, Israel’s first and largest rape crisis center.

“Since the attacks of October 7th, the Tel Aviv Sexual Assault Crisis Center has been at the forefront of addressing the

aftermath of the atrocities committed that day,” said Danny Rosen, vice chair of the JHF’s board of trustees, in a prepared statement. “The Center, led by Miriam Schler, has offered crisis counseling, support groups, and other services to survivors of rape and sexual violence perpetrated

by Hamas on October 7th as well as the broader Israeli community as it deals with the trauma of those events. There has been a significant increase in demand for the Center’s services, and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation’s funding

allows the Center to expand programs to address the ongoing trauma of survivors.”

Since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israeli civilians, the Center has seen a rise in crisis intervention needs on three separate hotlines “for women, men, and religious men in response to the horrific accounts of sexual violence,” according to JHF officials.

The Center’s staff is contacting evacuees from the attack sites “and offering services at hotels and in communities

news JEWS CAN USE.

where they are currently being housed, as well as providing trainings and supervision for mental health professionals and staff who are working with evacuees.”

The Center also serves as a resource for the families of the victims, and is sharing professional knowledge with parents and educators to guide them in speaking with children and teens about trauma. PJC

Every Friday in the

— Toby Tabachnick

For home delivery, call 410.902.2300,

and all the time online

ext.1.

@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

DECEMBER 29, 2023

11

Opinion Clinging to hope — EDITORIAL —

A

s Jan. 1, 2018, approached, none of us could have imagined what we would experience and witness in the coming six years. Looking back now, our lives — our world — seem almost quaint.

No, it wasn’t an easy time. At the close of 2017, we were reckoning with a polarizing president, the #MeToo movement had awakened us to the ubiquity of sexual harassment and assault, and we watched in shock as a violent demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, teemed with hundreds of neo-Nazis shouting, “Jews will not replace us.”

It was almost too much to bear.

But then life moved from the outrageous to the surreal.

An antisemitic gunman stormed the Tree of Life building 11 months later, killing 11 Jewish worshippers as they celebrated Shabbat. The mass shooting of innocents was far from the first our country had faced,

but it was the most violent antisemitic attack in U.S. history and a horrifying awakening that Jew-hatred was not only alive and well in America, but lethal — and it could happen anywhere.

of the synagogue shooter finally occurred and concluded, life began to resume some semblance of normalcy. Then Oct. 7, 2023, happened.

Thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded

One thing we have learned in the last half decade is that almost anything can happen.

Seventeen months later the world shut down, the result of a pandemic that eventually would claim almost 7 million lives.

For months on end, schools were closed, synagogues were closed, offices were closed, theaters went dark. When we did venture out in public, we covered our faces with masks. We wiped down our groceries wearing disposable gloves. We socialized in pods or on Zoom. It should have been the stuff of science fiction.

Except it was real.

As the pandemic waned, and the trial

Israel, murdering 1,200 people and taking 240 captive. The gruesomeness of the attack — which included the beheadings of babies and the barbaric mutilation of women’s bodies — was inconceivable.

We asked, how could this have happened?

Is there nothing that is impossible this world?

And yet the gravity of the last several years leaves us wondering: If we could live through horrific events that were unfathomable in the truest sense of the word, is it possible for the pendulum to swing

in the opposite direction? Could we find oursevles experiencing unimaginable goodness as well?

Perhaps this notion is naïve. But still, one thing we have learned in the last half decade is that almost anything can happen.

Since Oct. 7, Jewish communal gatherings regularly have included the singing of Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah,” which translates in English to “The Hope.” It is a constant reminder that hope has been the lifeblood of Jews throughout our history.

The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks differentiated hope from optimism.

“Optimism is the belief that things are going to get better,” he wrote. “Hope is the belief that we can make things better … It takes no courage to be an optimist, but it does need courage to hope.”

As 2023 comes to a close, we cling to the hope for a better world, believe it is possible, and pray for the courage to make it so. PJC

How psychic numbing can limit comprehension of the Oct. 7 attacks Guest Columnist Pamela Meyer

M

ore than two months after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, numerous groups are trying to bring more attention to what happened that day. Organizers are holding showings of horrific videos in which Hamas terrorists documented and celebrated their brutality.

Activists are speaking out about the silence of women’s groups despite the mass sexual assaults that took place. William Daroff, head of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, told the Forward, “We must ensure that America and the entire world are told and retold the stories of the butchery of the Oct. 7 massacre.”

Antisemitism and conspiracy theories are leading some people to justify, diminish, or ignore the brutality of that day. But there’s also another psychological force at play that’s important to understand: psychic numbing, defined by the American Psychological Association as a phenomenon in which people’s minds are “weakened in or deprived of the power of feeling or moving.”

Researchers have explored psychic numbing, and found a startling paradox: The wider the scale of suffering, the more likely people are to develop numbness to it.

“A photograph of one suffering child can transform public opinion about an issue.

A photo of two suffering children, not so much,” the APA reported in 2020. “One life is valuable, but that life loses value, perceptually, if it is part of a larger tragedy,” University of Oregon psychology 12

DECEMBER 29, 2023

professor Paul Slovic told the APA in an interview.

Given that the “Black Shabbat” attacks included about 1,200 fatalities and 7,000 injuries — per capita, 15 times the size of the 9/11 attacks in the United States — psychic numbing may be leading people to turn away.

personal barbarity of the 10/7 attacks hasn’t cut through that numbness, provoking greater compassion and interest. These attacks were unlike anything most people have imagined — entire families burned alive; terrorists carrying heads as trophies, cutting off a woman’s breasts and playing with them “like a toy.” This is different

To “bear witness” today means much more than just being a spectator. It includes communicating what we have seen, educating each other, and refusing to let people avert their gaze.

This same phenomenon applies to suffering elsewhere as well. It may be leading people to ignore suffering in Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry says more than 18,000 Palestinians have been killed, a magnitude that challenges comprehension.

In fact, given the unprecedented pace at which news of global horrors inundates us these days, we’re all more likely to develop psychic numbness than previous generations. In the Russia-Ukraine war, the casualty toll (including dead and wounded) may be as high as half a million. In Ethiopia, an estimated 600,000 civilians have been killed. From Darfur to Burma, atrocities abound. As updates flood our phones, our subconscious mind can lean toward numbing as a coping mechanism, shielding us from a profound emotional impact.

Some are surprised that the shocking

from what people are used to seeing in wars, such as bombed buildings and dead bodies. Still, the more people hear about how many people were killed, wounded or taken hostage that day, including babies and elderly Holocaust survivors, the more numbness might take hold.

This unsettling trend becomes even more apparent in the context of what is happening at universities, where some students and faculty have condoned and even celebrated the attacks. When leaders respond with silence or only minimal steps, their relative inaction signals institutional numbness. University leaders should stand firm, demanding that everyone, irrespective of their political stance, acknowledge and confront the gravest slaughter of Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust.

Some fellow academics have criticized this moral ambiguity, and a viral video from

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

the plain-spoken Phil McGraw highlighted that certain universities “are profoundly demagnetizing our culture’s moral compass among the college population.”

During Trump’s presidency, there was much talk about people becoming numb to lies. I warned of this in 2016, before he was even elected. By the next year, columnist Roger Cohen lamented in The New York Times the “terrifying” numbness of shrugging off Trump’s nonstop lies.

But numbness to truth can be just as insidious. As Dr. Richard F. Mollica and Thomas Hübl explained in a column for Harvard Health Publishing, through this kind of numbness “we lose our reflective capacity to be self-aware, which reduces empathy and compassion. Indifference and disconnection can contribute to further atrocities, fueling a feedback loop that makes new traumas more likely to occur.”

It’s imperative that we make a deliberate effort to collectively acknowledge the realities of 10/7, as well as the suffering in Gaza and everywhere else. To “bear witness” today means much more than just being a spectator. It includes communicating what we have seen, educating each other, and refusing to let people avert their gaze.

The stakes are high: By succumbing to numbness, we risk not only our awareness but also the very fabric of empathy that binds us. PJC Pamela Meyer is a deception detection expert and CEO of Calibrate. She teaches a master class on deception detection, and her 2011 TED Talk “How to Spot a Liar” is one of the 20 most popular TED Talks of all time.

This story originally appeared in the Forward.

To get the Forward’s free email newsletters delivered to your inbox, go to forward.com/ newsletter-signup.

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Opinion Chronicle poll results: Duration of Israel–Hamas war

L

ast week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an electronic poll the following question: “How much longer do you think the current Israel-Hamas war will last?”

Of the 225 people who responded, 1% said, “It will end around Jan. 1”; 40% said, “It will continue for several more months”; 40% said, “It will continue much longer into 2024 and perhaps beyond”; and 19% said they didn’t know. Comments were submitted by 64 people. A few follow.

As long as it takes to defeat Hamas and the terrorists and rescue all of the hostages.

Every day is one day too long.

Iran wants this war. Hamas wants this war. Netanyahu wants this war and will continue it as long as possible so he can stay in power. The Jews and Palestinians are just puppets.

How much longer do you think the current IsraelHamas war will last?

1% It will end around Jan. 1

19% I don’t know

40% It will continue for several more months

40% It will continue much longer into 2024 and perhaps beyond

I hope it ends soon. I am worried about the hits Israel is taking in public opinion.

It will not end unless a miracle occurs — and I am not a believer in miracles.

From a perspective of the natural way of war, it could be many months.

G-d could decide to make some supernatural miracles on the order of the splitting of the sea any time now, so all bets are off!

It depends on how you define war.

Troops may be there a long time. The leadership of Hamas will be chased for years, and the IDF still has Hezbollah to deal with.

I think it will continue in different iterations over several months. I really worry about all the displaced Israelis and their economy.

Unfortunately, I believe that until there is no more Hamas to fight with or negotiate with, this war will not end anytime soon.

I hope for long-lasting peace in the Middle East, however I’m worried that once Hamas is destroyed it will just be replaced by another terrorist organization sprung up from the Gazans who despise Israel for its ground offensive.

Israel cannot stop until Hamas is eradicated for the benefit of Israel, the Gazan Arabs and the world. And, Gaza cannot be handed to the terrorists of the Palestinian Authority who differ only in tactics not in goals.

It’s a war with no winners. PJC — Compiled by Toby Tabachnick

Chronicle weekly poll question:

What are your plans for New Year’s Eve? Go to pittsburghjewishchronicle.org to respond. PJC

— LETTERS — Community must reject Trump’s calls to hate

I hope that our community is as distressed, repulsed and appalled as I am to hear Donald Trump referencing the infusion of immigrants as “poisoning the blood of our country” (“Trump denies plagiarizing Hitler with ‘poisoning blood’ phrase,” online, Dec. 22; this issue Page 9). That phrase mirrors what the former president said when he began his campaign for the Republican nomination for president in 2015, asserting that Mexican immigrants are drug dealers, criminals and rapists. It plays well with the members of mobs who attend Trump rallies and cheer anything he says.

As the White House and others have pointed out, Trump’s anti-immigrant words are precisely the type of rhetoric that was used by Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, and Trump surely knows that. It is a perfect fit for a man who has expressed his admiration for ruthless, brutal dictators of history.

The former president plays into what many participants in the dark recesses of internet social media are saying, and it is what inspired the savage who took the lives of 11 of our valued and beloved community members in the Tree of Life building.

If we are ever going to be able address the repugnant antisemitic and anti-immigrant fervor which rages in the United States today, we must entrust our votes to individuals who will lead with decency, tolerance and concern for all. Donald Trump is not, has never been and never will be such a person. His never-ending drive to divide us and to cause us to hate those who are not like us is a disgrace.

Oren Spiegler Peters Township

Cause of war omitted in letter supporting cease-fire

The letter written by Jared Magnani exists in an alternate universe in which there are only effects but never a cause. (“Continuation of Israel-Hamas war is ‘immoral,’” Dec. 22).

On Oct. 7, in a surprise attack that violated an existing cease-fire, Hamas and its many willing Gazan executioners murdered, raped, beheaded, eviscerated, disemboweled, sliced off breasts and machine-gunned (as was done at Babi Yar) more than 1,200 Jews. This is the cause Mr. Magnani is unable to enunciate or call out in his letter.

In a nearly identical fashion, the surprise attack by Imperial Japan at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, in which 2,300 people were murdered, was the cause of the United States’ entry into World War II. When Imperial Japan refused to accept an unconditional surrender, the United States and its allies killed between 500,000 and 1 million Japanese civilians.

Since Hamas has refused an unconditional surrender, Israel is proceeding as the United States did in the Pacific after Pearl Harbor.

Notwithstanding Mr. Magnani’s letter’s alternate universe, before effects, there are causes.

To put it in the vernacular that most cultures understand: Don’t start something that you can’t finish.

Richard Sherman Margate, Florida

It is Hamas who should surrender

Your Dec. 15 article “Biden’s Chanukah party centers on the Oct. 7 massacre” speaks of Biden’s unshakable commitment to Israel. Joe Biden has spent more than 40 years applying pressure tactics to Israel, and this time is no different. It is Biden’s financial support to Iran as well as relaxation of sanctions that provided necessary funding to Hamas. Three years ago, Iran was close to being bankrupt. Today, and thanks to Biden’s relaxation of sanctions, Iran is flush with oil revenue of around $60 billion, which it uses to fund terrorism. This would have never happened under the prior administration, not to mention the several hundred million paid to the Palestinian Authority.

President Biden is responsible for the Hamas attacks, and he, as well as Democratic members of Congress who refuse to support the $14 billion stand-alone funding to Israel, do not deserve our vote.

Responding to Jared Magnani’s letter to the editor (“Continuation of Israel-Hamas war is ‘immoral,’” Dec. 22), I suppose that one death is too many, and that after Oct. 7, Israel could have decided that conditions were too dangerous for Gaza’s citizens to go to war and relied instead on asking the U.N. to pass a resolution condemning Hamas (something the U.N. has so far failed to do). Israel could have just left Hamas in place to carry out more raids, a threat its leaders have repeatedly made. Israel could also have saved lives by retaliating proportionately, by sending barbaric gangs into Gaza to behead, rape, gouge eyes from living prisoners, eviscerate pregnant women, burn whole families alive and kidnap as many Palestinians as they could and then call it a day.

You will not be able to find any Israeli who would carry out these atrocities. The cultural difference between Hamas, and the Palestinians who resoundingly support it, and Israelis tells us Israel cannot live next to this barbarity without erasing the capability to carry out more raids; otherwise, Israel’s neighbors would smell weakness and Israel’s days would be numbered. Every civilian death in Gaza is caused by Hamas. Hamas, not Israel, should surrender.

Frank Dreifuss Mt. Lebanon

Larry Shapiro Calgary, Alberta

Biden not deserving of our votes

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.

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PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

DECEMBER 29, 2023

13

Life & Culture ‘72-minute’ juicy spatchcock chicken — FOOD —

By Jessica Grann | Special to the Chronicle

I

t has taken me many years of experimenting to finally arrive at this amazing recipe for spatchcock chicken.

Spatchcock simply means that the chicken is cut open and cooked flat, yet the pieces are still connected.

I have made whole roasted chicken, beer can chicken and Bundt pan chicken, etc., hundreds of times, but this recipe gets the most compliments and has been my go-to recipe for both ease and consistent results.

It has a beautiful, golden crispy skin and it goes well with simple fare or the most flavorful ethnic food. And while I typically prefer dark meat, this recipe produces a chicken breast that is so tender that I truly enjoy eating it.

I usually struggle with separating and carving whole birds, but that issue is alleviated with this recipe because the chicken kind of falls apart in the best way.

You hardly have to touch it with a carving knife and the joints will separate easily, leaving you with a platter of perfectly roasted chicken.

Many famous cooks have said that if you can make an excellent, juicy roast chicken then you can make anything, so this recipe has certainly given me extra confidence in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 3-4 pound whole roasting chicken Kosher salt 1 tablespoon of oil

Set your oven to 425 F and place the wire rack one notch above the center. The placement of the rack will help you get a crispy golden skin.

Cooking the chicken in a large cast iron skillet yields the best results. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, place the chicken in a rectangular Pyrex baking dish.

If the chicken was previously frozen, you might give it a quick rinse because a lot of water can get stuck in the cavity.

The water typically looks bloody; although the butcher has assured me that it isn’t actually blood, I prefer to clean that up

14

DECEMBER 29, 2023

p Juicy spatchcock chicken

Photo by Jessica Grann

Many famous cooks have said that if you can make an excellent, juicy roast chicken then you can make anything, so this recipe has certainly given me extra confidence in the kitchen. a bit before cooking. If using fresh chicken, there is no need to rinse it.

You will need strong kitchen shears for this job. They don’t need to be special poultry deboning shears, but you should use a tool that is kept for kitchen use only and that can be easily cleaned and sanitized after use.

Set the whole chicken breast side down on a cutting board and cut the back side that is facing you vertically, up along the spine. It’s easiest to cut right next to the spine on one side so that the actual

spine stays intact and connected to one side of the chicken. If the chicken has a neck attached, cut the skin up next to the neck as well, so that the back of the chicken fully separates in half. This may sound complicated, but it isn’t.

It takes less than one minute to accomplish.

Pat down both sides of the chicken with a paper towel. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to the palm of your hand and rub both sides of the chicken with oil.

Sprinkle both sides liberally with kosher salt: 1 teaspoon should be more than enough, but you can salt it to taste.

Place the chicken into the skillet and arrange it so that the legs and wings are open and touching the sides of the pan.

(I always laugh at this sight because the chicken looks like a chunky little body when placed in the pan.) Don’t expect the chicken to lay perfectly flat — it almost looks as though it’s reclining when placed correctly into the pan.

This is all of the prep that you have to do — it doesn’t even take 5 minutes to get it ready to roast.

I call this my “72-minute Shabbos chicken.” Bake at 425 F for 36 minutes, open the oven door just to turn the pan, then reduce the heat to 400 F and bake

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

it for an additional 36 minutes. There is no need to touch, flip or baste the chicken, although you can baste it after the initial 36 minutes if you’d like. As long as you reduce the heat for the second part of the baking, you can forget about it until the timer goes off.

Remove the pan from the oven, and let it stand for 10 minutes.

Using two spatulas, or a spatula and a fork, move the chicken to a clean cutting board.

Separate the legs and wings from the breast first, then press down along the line between the breasts to separate them for plating; it falls apart at the joints and that makes life much easier.

You can slice the chicken breast right off the bone and serve the breast whole, or cut each of them into smaller 1-inch-wide pieces to serve more people (and smaller tummies).

Every time I make this, I’m amazed at how easily the pieces separate and how juicy the meat is. And there are always enough pan drippings to make a decent amount of chicken gravy.

I love recipes like this because they are so simple yet so very good. Enjoy and bless your hands! PJC Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.

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15

Life & Culture Pittsburgh Penguins host first Jewish Heritage Night — LOCAL —

By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer

D

elvina Morrow believes hockey is for everyone.

That belief led to the creation of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first Jewish Heritage Night on Dec. 21, as the hometown hockey team took on the Carolina Hurricanes at the PPG Paints Arena.

Morrow, the vice president of community affairs and diversity equity and inclusion at the Pittsburgh Penguins, said that after Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh students sang the national anthem at a game last year during Chanukah and, after talking with Rabbi Henoch Rosenfeld of Chabad Young Professionals (CYP), the Penguins wanted to do more.

Conversations focused on “how can we create an environment in our arena where everyone feels like they belong, and everyone feels like it’s their Pittsburgh Penguins,” she said.

The concept swelled to include block ticket sales so the community could sit together, kosher food offerings, a table inside the arena hosted by CYP, a black and gold rally towel with the words “Pittsburgh Penguins” in Hebrew, and a return appearance from Hillel’s students to sing the national anthem before the first puck drop.

Rosenfeld said that CYP has collaborated with Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Congregation (the Downtown Shul) the last two years for a menorah lighting followed by a Pens game and tailgating.

This year, the rabbi said, he hoped to do something with the Penguins during Chanukah; while that timing didn’t work out, there was a date available the following week.

p Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh students sang the national anthem before the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes during Jewish Heritage Night at PPG Paints Arena.

Photo provided by Rabbi Oren Levy

“I thought that was still special and hope that we’ll continue to grow and perhaps do it during Chanukah and even maybe, someday, have a menorah in the arena or on the ice,” he said.

It was Morrow, he said, who reached out and asked if CYP would like to have a table in the arena to let people know more about the organization and its work in the community.

“That was phenomenal,” Rosenfeld said.

“People from the entire Jewish community, some who didn’t even know it was Jewish Heritage Night, saw the table stocked with Jewish stuff and stopped over to schmooze and chat. It was great to have a presence in the arena.”

Hillel Academy’s K-4 Assistant Principal Rabbi Oren Levy wore his excitement for the night on his sleeve — or rather, on the back of a Penguins jersey with his name emblazoned on it.

He said that hockey resonates with him as an educator because the sport shows the value of working together to achieve a common goal.

The opportunity to be on the ice with the 18 students — 11 girls and seven boys, singing — was “the memory of a lifetime,” Levy said.

The rabbi said that he had been in touch with the team since the 2017 Winter Classic, which was held in Pittsburgh, when he attempted to arrange for Hillel Academy

p BBYO teens enjoyed community and hockey at Jewish Heritage Night on Dec. 21.

16

DECEMBER 29, 2023

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

Photo by William Spatz

students to take the ice and sing. His good intentions were sidetracked, first by the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and then the pandemic, which canceled an entire season.

Last year, Hillel students were finally able to sing before a game.

Levy connected the students’ time on the ice to the weekly parsha about Joseph, who identified himself as a Hebrew, even while in Egypt.

“I said to the kids and to the parents, ‘We have an opportunity to show the Pittsburgh community and Jewish communities around the country Jewish kids singing the national anthem with their yarmulkes, expressing their pride in being Hebrews, Jews. We don’t take that for granted,” he said.

Haliel Selig, city director of BBYO’s Keystone Mountain Region heard about Jewish Heritage Night from her congregation. She was able to obtain a grant through BBYO, which helped cover the cost of the 16 teens who attended the game.

“The kids had a blast,” she said. “They were excited. They loved the Jewish heritage part and the fact that Hillel sang. They were sending me pictures and asking, ‘Did you know they were going to do this?’

With everything going on, it was a nice boost for them.”

For Rosenfeld, the event’s timing meant a lot.

“In a time like this, where being Jewish in public is something that, unfortunately, people think twice about, I think having something like this sends a strong message to our community that we shouldn’t think twice,” he said. “And being able to be publicly Jewish in such a space is a huge boost in morale for the Jewish community.”

And maybe, just maybe, it helped the Penguins, too. They won in the second round of a shootout against the Canes.

“I do think (Sidney) Crosby scored because of Jewish Heritage Night,” Rosenfeld said. “I think he did it for us.” PJC David Rullo can be reached at drullo@ pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

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DECEMBER 29, 2023 17

Celebrations

Torah

Bat Mitzvah

The end of one generation and the coming together of another — and another

Livia Nell Tobias celebrated her bat mitzvah at Temple Sinai on Dec. 16, 2023. Livia is the daughter of Ilene and Adam Tobias, the younger sister of Sam, and the granddaughter of Lyn and Alan Silverman, and Marsha Zuckerman and Mike Tobias. She is a seventh grader at the Environmental Charter School. She enjoys baking, playing softball, reading, drawing, sailing and playing with her dog.

For her mitzvah project, she held numerous bake sales at Temple Sinai and donated the proceeds to Magen David Adom, Israel’s First Responder and EMS service. PJC

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DECEMBER 29, 2023

Rabbi Ron Symons Parshat Vayechi Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

T

his year’s reading of the end of Genesis speaks to me in a way it hasn’t before. You see, Mom died on Rosh Hashanah this year and Dad died six years ago, just hours before Kol Nidre. While their deaths came at the right time in their journeys, even as we wished for more healthy years for each of them, the coincidence(?) of both dying during the Days of Awe/Repentance affords me the opportunity to reflect on the power of relationships we aspire to build during our lifetimes and the focus on those relationships during the High Holy Days.

My brother Andrew and I are learning how to live as brothers who were given life and nurtured by our parents, now in their physical absence. It actually has been going rather well.

We are learning new things about each other as we engage in deeper conversations about life at large. We are spending time together without focusing on the well-being of our parents and how to support them in a myriad of ways. The truth is that we have had a very good relationship over the course of the decades while Mom and Dad were alive. It’s just different now. We are fortunate, especially as we think about our relationship in comparison to Joseph and his brothers way back when, after the death of their surviving parent, Jacob.

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrong that we did him!” So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before his death your father left this instruction: So shall you say to Joseph, ‘Forgive, I urge you, the offense and guilt of your brothers who treated you so harshly.’ Therefore, please forgive the offense of the servants of the God of your father’s [house].” And Joseph was in tears as they spoke to him.

His brothers went to him themselves, flung themselves before him, and said, “We are prepared to be your slaves.” But Joseph said to them, “Have no fear! Am I a substitute for God? Besides, although you intended me harm, God intended it for good, so as to bring about the present result —the survival of many people.

And so, fear not. I will sustain you and your dependents.” Thus he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.

(Genesis 50:15ff) I have great concern for these ancient brothers of ours at that time of relational imbalance.

While I could understand that Joseph’s high status in Egypt afforded him the opportunity to travel back to the Land of Canaan to bury Jacob, I am troubled that the other 11 did not accompany him on his journey nor accompany their father to his final ancestral resting place.

I am also worried that even though it was for the sake of good family relations, the brothers lied to Joseph about the instructions that Jacob left. Everyone knows — including Rashi — that Jacob never gave instructions for Joseph to forgive the brothers. They told a white lie to save

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themselves from the anticipated wrath of their powerful brother. They were neither present with Joseph nor confident that their previous interactions with him would form a solid foundation for their parentless relationship.

Even with these misgivings, I am hopeful that with the close of the Book of Genesis, we close a chapter on sibling mistrust. Rabbi Norman J. Cohen of the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion writes: The battle was over. Jacob as the patriarch of Israel lived to see his family united and his sons gathered together in harmony. The tension that characterized the previous generations, beginning in the Garden of Eden and moving through Adam’s sons, Abraham and his family, the generation of Isaac’s children, Jacob and Esau, and Jacob’s struggles in Laban’s house together with Leah and Rachel, dissipated.

The wholeness that had been missing since the days of creation seems to have been achieved.

The sides have finally come together. And even though after Jacob’s death the brothers feared that Joseph would kill them, just as Esau had planned revenge on his brother Jacob once their father Isaac would no longer be alive, Joseph, who had changed, eased their fears. He assured them that he held no grudges toward them and he guaranteed that he would sustain them.

The very same Joseph who had tattled on them, speaking harshly about them to their father, now could speak only kindly to them.

The same Joseph who expected his entire family to worship him, bowing down in homage and recognizing his power, now is able to admit that he is not God and there was absolutely no reason for his brothers to fear him.

Joseph himself had grown and achieved a degree of harmony and peace. His family in turn had come together as never before. They would live together in Egypt and his brothers’ descendants would carry his remains back with them to their ancestral homeland. “Self, Struggle, and Change: Family Conflict Stories in Genesis and Their Healing Insights for Our Lives,” Norman J. Cohen. 1995. pp. 186f.

As we turn the page on another kind of new year, this is what I hope for all of us: • We will faithfully be with the previous generation all the way to the end of their journey.

• We will be with each other on that journey.

• We will lay foundations of solid relationships that do not require postmortem lies.

• We will discontinue the negative impacts of epigenetics on us, our children, and their children and replace them with positive actions that display the power of healthy relationships.

May this new year afford us the opportunity to open a new chapter of kindness with each other reminiscent of how Joseph eventually spoke kindly with his brothers.

Chazak, Chazak, v’Nitchazayk: Be strong, be strong, and may we strengthen each other! PJC Rabbi Ron Symons is the senior director of Jewish Life and the director of the Center for Loving Kindness at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh. This column is a service of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Clergy Association.

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Obituaries BERMAN: Joanne D. Berman. It is with profound sadness that we are announcing the passing of our beloved mother, Joanne D. Berman. Mom passed painlessly and peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. Originally from Youngstown, Ohio, she relocated with family to Pittsburgh around age 17. She completed her teaching degree from the University of Pittsburgh and taught for a year before getting married and giving birth and raising her family, interspersed with substitute teaching when possible.

Joanne was a former long-term member of Shaare Torah Congregation, active in the Sisterhood and active in numerous Jewish and civic organizations throughout her lifetime. She was never afraid to speak her mind on any issue, was willing to help all in need, and donated to many charitable organizations. Mom loved her children, Celia Shapiro, Macey Aaron Berman and Edye (Esther) Glausiusz, once risking wading through a crowd at Allderdice to retrieve her son from a lockdown announced after a bomb threat. She made numerous visits to Israel to visit daughter Edye and family until her late 80s. She cherished frequent video visits via her Grandpad tablet with Edye and family, and loved the ability to Zoom, play bingo and send and receive photos.

She loved her yoga stretch classes and participating in the lunch program and committees at the JCC. Mom drove up until the pandemic. Even the smallest acts of kindness toward her were acknowledged and appreciated. I was always amazed at her daily, lifetime phone calls with her sister, the late Eunice and Robert Dobkin. If they had words with one another, it was never for very long before the calls resumed. She was a doting Bubbe to grandchildren: Shoshana (Shalom) Bloch, Chaim Noam (Efrat) Glausius, Dovid Hillel (Avital) Glausiusz, Tal Yisrael (Tsofia Geulah Sul), Nava Rachel Glausiusz, and her dear great-grandchildren.

She cherished all family and time with her nieces and nephews. We would like to give a special shoutout to her kind and special friend and hairdresser Rose, who has known her for decades and has always been like family to us. Thank you so much, Rose, for being in mom’s life up until the end. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Shaare Torah Cemetery. The family suggests donating to her favorite charity, The Wounded Warrior Project (support.woundedwarriorproject.org), or a charity of your choosing. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com CAPLAN: Sandor Caplan. I lost my brother today, the 28th of November, 2023. His name was Sandor Caplan. At 85, he went out for his daily walk and was found on the ground, unresponsive, later dying as a result of heart failure. He was raised in Pittsburgh, Stanton Heights neighborhood, attending Sunnyside Grade School on McCandless Avenue, then on to Peabody High School and Penn State University. While pursuing a career in physics, he continued on to the University of Pittsburgh where he completed his master’s degree in physics. After marriage to Hyla Sadowsky he moved to New Jersey, securing work at the David Sarnoff RCA laboratory in West Windsor Township, New Jersey. His career path led to the study of solar panels. The details of the new technology required him to travel to Harbin China. He will be sorely missed by his wife, brother, three children and their children, as well as numerous friends and business associates.

FLEISHMAN: Jacqueline D. Fleishman (Kimball): On Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at the age of 93. Beloved mother of Iris Kowal; cherished grandmother of Alice (Noe) Kowal; dear sister of the late Samuel Kimball, Norma Bernstein, Dorothea Hirsch and Diane Moss; loving daughter of the late Yetta Kimball; wife of the late Mike Fleishman; aunt of Jamie Blatter, Amy Hirsch, Donna (Bob) Kaplan, and the late Barry Rabinovitz and Susan Hirsch; great-aunt and great-great-aunt to many.

She is also survived by her dear neighbors Gina, Christine, Dawn, Susan, Karen, Dee, David and Joan, as well as longtime friends Ginger Balentine, Kimberly Pettler, Stephanie Finger, Kathy Davis and many other friends. Jackie was a woman of great class and character. Incredibly social, ambitious and diligent, she spent years as a successful businesswoman with insurance company USF&G working as a clerical supervisor, before opening her own vintage boutique in Squirrel Hill, Jackie’s Vintage to Vogue. She was known for her fashion and coordinated clothes, with a collection of beautiful rings and a different pair of earrings to match every outfit. She took great care of her family and made many wonderful friends, always keeping her house full of guests and her phone ringing with well-wishes. An inspiration to her family, she will be remembered for her great advice, style, wit, and inspiring work ethic. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel Inc. Interment Beth Abraham Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh, 6926 Hamilton Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15208. schugar.com PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

FRANKLIN: Kenneth R. Franklin, on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. Beloved husband for 63 years to Harriet L. Franklin. Beloved father of Gregg (Mara) Franklin and Erica Franklin. Brother of Ira (Barbara) Franklin.

Grandfather of Beck and Avi Franklin.

Uncle of Jason and Jennifer. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment West View Cemetery of Rodef Shalom Congregation. Contributions may be made to Rodef Shalom Temple, 4905 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or Binghamton University, 4400 Vestal Pkwy.

East, Binghamton, NY 13902. schugar.com FREED: Peacefully, after a short illness, on Tuesday Dec. 19, Marilyn Protas Freed left this world. Dedicated and beloved wife of the late Charles V. Freed, devoted mother of Melinda Freed of Pittsburgh; Blaire Freed of Baltimore, Maryland; and the late Howard P. Freed. Also survived by her loving cat, Kismet, who was so named because he was meant to be hers.

Marilyn grew up in Mt. Lebanon, and still resided in her childhood home at the time of her death. She was a graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School and the Margaret Morrison Carnegie College at what is now Carnegie Mellon University. She was a Renaissance woman who excelled in many areas. Our family is most grateful to her caregiver team. These extraordinary women were exceptional in their quality of care and compassion. Services were held at Temple Emanuel of South Hills. Interment Mount Lebanon Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Please see Obituaries, page 20

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The Love & Rutman Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charlotte Cohen Love Martin, Andrea & Helene Sattler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Spokane Karen K . Shapiro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Samuel Levy Robert & Susan Zohlman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gilbert Goldman Contact the Development department at 412.586.3264 or development@jaapgh.org for more information.

THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS — Sunday December 31: Charles Bardin, Samuel Brill, Gertrude Cohen, Ithiel A . Cohen, Miriam Gusky Dajczmann, Philip B . Eatman, Anna Kitman Epstein, Gerson E . Friedlander, Mary L .

Furman, Bessie Goldberg, Gilbert Goldman, Isadore L . Horewitz, Ernestine Gold Klein, Samuel Levy, Ben Lipsitz, Ida Makler, Mildred Broida Markowitz, Margaret Weinberg Milligram, Rose Pittler, Herschel Pretter, Sol Rattner, Nathan Rosenthal, Herman Skirble, Therese Wechsler Monday January 1: Isaac Joseph Bachrach, Harry Caplan, Lena Diamond, Gerald Field, Jennie Fienberg, Irwin Firestone, Rae Cohen Frank, Annie Genstein, Clara Schutte Gordon, Samuel Horwitz, Jacob Krimsky, Sarah Mervis, Jean Merwitzer Nydes, Rev . Rubin Rabinovitz, Dr . Arnie Stern, Rose Weisman Tuesday January 2: Celia Berman, Chester M . Berschling, Leona Ruth Broad, Florence Cohen, Dr . Robert Diznoff, Nathan Florman, Freda Frank, I . Leon Friedman, Alison Beth Goldman, Edward L . Kimball, Ella Ruth Levy, Rita Lupovich, Louis J . Marks, Saul Osachy, Pauline Reznick, Henry Schor, Albert Shaer, Julius Lewis Shamberg, Elimalech Sigman, Lena Soffer Wednesday January 3: Hyman Cohen, Bessie Coltin, Jack Ginsburg, Jesse B . Guttman, Cecile G .

Kluger, Tinnie Lange, Dr . Emerson N . Milligram, Ruth Friedman Oshry, Nathan Ripp, Ralph Hyman Rosenthal, Abe Sambol, David Silverstein, Abraham Teplitz, Harold C . Weiss, Freda Winerman Thursday January 4: Helen Bloom, Perry S . Brustein, Arthur Cohen, Ella R . Finn, Lottie Gerber, Dr . Hyman D . Goldberg, Rhea Golden, Ruth S . Harris, Miriam Kaufman, Janet Martin, Rebecca Podietz, Louis Schwartz, Isaac Sunstein, Manuel Joseph Topp, Jack E . Wise Friday January 5: Morris J . Ackerman, Abner Crumb, Martin Falk, Lillian Adlow Friedberg, Dr .

Robert Stanley Goldbloom, Nell Schechter Greenberger, Marc Alan Hersh, Esther Horvitz, Rose Jacobson, Julius Kertman, Harry Lazier, Murray S . Love, George Marcus, Mary Zweig Miller, Mark H . Rossen, Lena Weinstein, Marian Weiss, Meyer Weiss, Ida Finkel Williams Saturday January 6: Jeremias Becker, Simon Beigel, Leon Bluestone, Oscar Bluestone, Max Boodman, Israel Chaiken, William G . Dubin, Fanny Frankel, Harry Friedman, Irving Friedman, Herbert A . Gold, Frances Kendal Haberman, Isadore E . Lample, Max T . Levine, Anna Lewis, Sol Lieber, Alvin Lippard, Joseph Littman, William Lubow, Mendel Miller, Dorothy Cottler Richman, Berel Louis Sachs, Dorothy B . Schneirov, Rose Serbin, Louis (Happy) Solomon, Lena Star, Caro Talisman, Abe Zwang

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

DECEMBER 29, 2023

19

Obituaries

THANK YOU One of the greatest mitzvot we can perform is helping to preserve the memories of our loved ones in the Jewish community who have passed, because those benefitting from our efforts cannot thank us.

Obituaries: Continued from page 19

contributions may be made to Temple Emanuel of South Hills, 1250 Bower Hill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15243, or Wounded Warrior Project, 600 River Ave., Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, or Animal Friends, 562 Camp Horne Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. schugar.com LANDERMAN: Jeffrey Lewis Landerman, on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. Beloved husband of Michelle Barlow Landerman.

Loving father of Ryan Landerman and Talia (Noah) Nevitt. Brother of Robin Landerman Zucker. Gampy to August Nevitt. Uncle of Sam Zucker and Michaela Miller. Graveside services and interment were held at Homewood Cemetery. Contributions may be made to the National Park Foundation, (nationalparks.org/) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, (stjude.org).

Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. schugar.com

The Jewish Cemetery & Burial Association of Greater Pittsburgh offers its sincerest thank you to each of you who have made contributions of time, energy, and financial support.

Your kindnesses and generosity allow the JCBA to continue our efforts to preserve Jewish cemeteries and provide dignified burials to Jews in need in accordance with our laws and customs.

LEBOVITZ: Marlene Lebovitz, on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. Beloved wife of the late Harry Lebovitz. Loving mother of Rochelle (Bruce) Parker, Sandy (Martin) Golomb and Steven Lebovitz. Sister of the late Bernard (late Rosalie) Boodman. Cherished grandmother of Jamie (Steven) Del, Jeffrey (Laura) Parker, Andy (Pamela) Parker, Emily (Dominic) Gabaldon, Noah Lebovitz and Zachary Lebovitz. Great-grandmother of Hannah, Nathan, Olivia, Eloise, Vivian, Jack, Jordan and Sophia. Cousin of Faye Ungar, Eugene Savage and the late Rabbi Stanley Savage. Graveside services and interment were held at Beth Shalom Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Temple David Congregation, 4415 Northern Pike, Monroeville, PA 15146. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel,Inc. schugar.com MERMELSTEIN: B e verly S elig Mermelstein, 93, of Pittsburgh, passed away on Dec. 21, 2023. Bev was born on Jan. 11, 1930, to the late Ann and Max Selig in Indianapolis, Indiana. She graduated from Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana) where she received a degree in social work.

Bev was the loving wife of the late Howard Mermelstein, brother of the late Allan (Lillian) Selig and sister-in-law of the late Elinore Mermelstein. She was the wonderful mother of Margie (Paul) Dubner, Bob (Merle) Mermelstein and Jan (Don) Shaw.

She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Seth (Christina) Dubner, Mimi (Mike) Oliff, Brandon Mermelstein, Andrew Shaw, Hollis Mermelstein, Matthew Shaw and Bryn Mermelstein; and three great-grandchildren (Wells Dubner, Arie Oliff and Josie Oliff). Also survived by nieces/nephews (Randy Selig, Julie Bowman, Sara Selig) and many dear friends. Services and interment were private. Contributions can be made in Beverly’s name to Jewish Family and Community Services, 5743 Bartlett St., Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. schugar.com

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OSTROW: Joan Berkman Ostrow (Joni), 92, of Pittsburgh, on Dec. 19, 2023. Daughter of the late Lillian and Milton Berkman. True love of 49 years to the late Stanley V. Ostrow.

Devoted mother of Debra Bish Klug (Dale) and the late William Seth Ostrow (Tmira), who passed June 30, 2023, in Israel. Loving sister of the late Barbra Lesser (Bill). Grandmother of Christopher Bish, Courtney Hartnett (Bill) and Amanda Klug of Pittsburgh, Sheli Galili (Ben) and Daniella Zinger (Jonathan) of Israel. Adoring great-grandmother of eight loving great-grandchildren. Companion of 18 years to the late Leonard Stern. Joan started and taught ballroom dancing classes for young adults at Concordia Club of Oakland from 1955 to 1970. After teaching ballroom for many years, she developed and created the fashion merchandising department for Duff ’s Business Institute in downtown Pittsburgh from 1969 to 1982. From 1982 until her retirement in 2004 she was the fashion Please see Obituaries, page 22

20

DECEMBER 29, 2023

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Life & Culture JFCS brings holiday cheer to vulnerable residents — LOCAL —

By Emma Riva | Special to the Chronicle

E

very holiday season, Nicole Iole, Jewish Family & Community Services’ director of guardianship services, found herself buying crayons, coloring books and Giant Eagle gift cards for her clients.

Her fiscal assistant brought in warm clothes that her children had outgrown, and others in the department scoured their houses for items they could bring as presents for their clients, many of whom had no family or community to spend the holidays with.

All of these gifts were bought or donated from Iole and her staff ’s own resources — until 2020 when local lawyer Edgar Snyder reached out to JFCS asking how he could help during the holidays.

Snyder sat on JFCS’ board, and when he asked where the organization had the most need, its leadership pointed him to its guardianship department.

That was the genesis of the JFCS Guardianship Holiday Gift Drive, which provides some of Pittsburgh’s most vulnerable and isolated residents with not only financial support but gifts that can spark joy and bring more dignity to their daily lives.

“Edgar is the most generous man I know,” Iole said. “The JFCS guardianship department kind of flies under the radar, since we often work with people who want to keep their privacy.”

The guardianship branch of JFCS serves those the state of Pennsylvania considers

p Nicole Iole helps a JFCS client with his new holiday gift.

incapacitated or incompetent. Iole and her staff help to manage their medical care, finances and general well-being as they transition through different life stages.

Guardianship Services works with people “of all walks of life,” Iole said. “It really is all kinds of people, of all ages and backgrounds — we have Carnegie Mellon professors who’ve had strokes and are now incapacitated.”

JFCS Guardianship Services assists 160 clients across the city, about 100 of whom have benefited from the gift drive, Iole said. Most of the clients are on a fixed income, which largely goes toward paying for living expenses at the group homes where they live, Iole said.

“At those group homes, you live with other people who are constantly taking your things or ruining them,” she said. “So, it means a lot to have anything of your own.”

Obituaries: Continued from page 20

consultant for Kaufmann’s Department Store where she received recognition and awards for her contributions to the fashion world. Joan loved to live life to the fullest with traveling, cooking and hosting her famous parties. Her perfect smile would light up a room. To her family and lifelong friends: You were every part of who she was. She will be missed but always in our hearts and memories. Graveside service and interment were held at West View Cemetery of Rodef Shalom Congregation. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com SHERMAN: Esther Sherman, on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. Beloved wife of the late Bernard Sherman. Daughter of the late Victor and late Ruth Hammer. Twin sister of the late Clara (late Bob) Verbin. Loving mother of Shelley (Cliff) Adamiec and Wendy (Barry Cox) Sherman.

Grandmother of Michael Millen and Lauren Millen. Aunt of Sandy Verbin, Pam Lessans and the late Cynthia Sherman. She was a striking beauty whose warmth penetrated any space. Her “with-it” personality, wit and unparalleled fashion sense were among her traits. An “overcomer” she was undaunted by low vision and multiple surgeries. Despite all, she kept fighting. Navigating around the city, she enjoyed cultural events and adult learning. Graveside services and interment were held at Beth Shalom Cemetery. Donations may be made to American Heart Association (heart.org). Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. schugar.com SIKOV: Rhoda F. Sikov. Born in Pittsburgh on Sept. 29, 1927. Rhoda was the beloved daughter of the late Ella and William Finn and the sister of the late M. Richard Finn (Jackie). Rhoda was the wonderful wife of the late Seymour A. Sikov, Esq. She was the loving mother of Carol Sikov Gross, Dr. William Sikov (Susie) and Paul Sikov (Ellen), and the cherished Grammie of Evan Gross (Leigh), Rayna Copperman (Ethan), Mark Sikov, Jennifer Sikov, Zachary Sikov and Tyler Sikov. She was the treasured aunt of Barry A. Sikov (Elaine) and the great-aunt of Michelle Sikov, Michael Sikov (Jenni) and their children.

22

DECEMBER 29, 2023

Photo courtesy of JFCS

One resident, Kenny Coberly, received a recliner from the gift drive, an item that would have been inaccessible otherwise.

“On the fixed income, Kenny wouldn’t have even been able to buy a pillow,” Iole said.

Part of the gift drive’s mission is to recognize that injured, elderly or disabled people who are deemed incompetent by the state have needs and desires beyond simply necessities.

Becoming a ward, as most guardianship clients are, means the individual requires an aide to make decisions because they are not capable of making their own. But that doesn’t mean each person doesn’t have preferences and needs, Iole said.

“When we get clients Giant Eagle gift cards, it often goes towards coffee and cigarettes, which people sometimes judge,” she said.

“We work a lot with mental health populations,

and most people don’t realize that for someone who is schizophrenic, that ritual is important and calming.”

Some clients are young people dealing with challenges that have stopped their vivacity. One young man, a former skateboarder, was unable to keep up his hobby once his entire income started going toward his cost of living after a brain injury.

Snyder’s donation allowed him to afford to go to a skateboarding facility and practice safely.

“A lot of our clients have desires and interests we just haven’t been able to fulfill before this program,” Iole said. “The gift drive allowed us to take them to the Pittsburgh Zoo or the Carnegie Museum, and many of them have never been to something like that before. We got a Phipps Conservatory membership for our younger members, and they wanted to go every single day.”

Ruben Fontanez, another JFCS guardianship client, asked this year for a pair of blue Beats headphones since his cheap earbuds keep breaking. Fontanez is a “bright and joyful soul” and “listening to Mariah Carey and other old-school artists helps lift his mood,” so having higher-quality headphones improves his daily life, Iole said.

This year, JFCS expanded the gift drive to allow the wider Pittsburgh community to follow Snyder’s example of giving, even in small ways. Anyone who wishes can buy something for a JFCS client from their registry through December (blueprintregistry.com). PJC Emma Riva is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.

She also had extended family on her late brother’s side in Kansas and Iowa. Rhoda grew up on the North Side but spent most of her life in Squirrel Hill and Oakland, until she moved to Longwood at Oakmont in 2016. She was a very talented performer who sang, danced and acted throughout her life. As a little girl, she was taught by Gene Kelly and sang a solo after getting a pep talk from Gene. She performed in several shows at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, including “Joe Egg.” She also wrote and starred in numerous fundraisers for B’nai B’rith and Tree of Life Congregation. She never lost her love of performing, appearing in annual talent shows at Longwood as recently as last year. Rhoda graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and was a sister of Sigma Delta Tau Sorority. She then met the love of her life, who she affectionally referred to as “Sy,” and married him on Aug. 27, 1950. She went on to teach at Wightman School because she had ranked second in the city as a teaching candidate by the Pittsburgh Public Schools board. She also taught at an Army base in Massachusetts after Sy was stationed there when he was called back into service for the Korean War. Rhoda loved playing bridge, mahjong and canasta with her many friends. She loved golfing and playing tennis, and she enjoyed teaching her Pittsburgh grandchildren to play golf. Rhoda was an avid traveler and especially loved cruising on the Crystal Serenity. While she journeyed as far as China, Japan, South America, Israel and even Antarctica, her favorite and most frequent place to travel was England. Over a span of 30 years, she also spent many weeks spending time with various members of her family on the beach in Redington Shores, Florida. She was a longtime member of Tree of Life Congregation and an active participant in its Sisterhood. Rhoda believed strongly in philanthropy and was dedicated to the arts, the Democratic party, women’s organizations and Jewish causes. She and her late husband established the Rhoda and Seymour Sikov Philanthropic Fund with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. Recently, she made a generous donation to the Remember.

Rebuild. Renew. project to help Tree of Life recover, where her late husband and her daughter both served as presidents of the congregation. Most importantly, Rhoda loved spending time with her family. She loved cooking for them, taking them out to dinner around Pittsburgh, and treating them to special family trips where everyone made many lasting memories. She was extremely generous with her time, her energy and her love. She always regaled her family and numerous friends with stories from throughout her life as she had a wonderful memory and was a skilled storyteller. Rhoda was the matriarch of her family, and we will all miss her stories, wisdom and love very much. She will live on in all of us. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment Beth Shalom Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Remember.

Rebuild. Renew. project at Tree of Life, Inc., Tree of Life, Inc., 0 Woodland Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 or to the Cemetery Fund at Tree of Life Congregation (treeoflifepgh.org). schugar.com PJC

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Community It’s not Purim

That’s the reason why

p Tree of Life President Alan Hausman dresses as a Wise Man, while Rabbi Jeffrey Myers dresses as Moses.

Photo courtesy of Tree of Life Congregation

p The Talmud teaches that people wash their hands before eating bread to ensure purity.

Photo courtesy of Beth El Congregation of the South Hills

We got next

Street wrap

Tree of Life Congregation and Calvary Episcopal Church held a Christmas Pageant and Chanukah Celebration. The Dec. 17 event included live animals, latkes and an opportunity for togetherness.

Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh Girls High School Basketball Team held its home opener on Dec. 19 against Propel Montour. Despite a strong first half, Hillel Academy lost 34-16. Hillel Academy will welcome St. Joseph for a home conference game on Jan. 2 at 6:30 p.m.

p Coaches and players gather before the Dec. 19 contest.

Photo by Adam Reinherz

Rabbi Alex Greenbaum taught Beth El Religious School students about handwashing and the HaMotzi blessing.

Nearly 100 community members gathered on the corner of Darlington Road and Murray Avenue on Dec. 24 to demand the release of approximately 128 individuals held by Hamas since Oct. 7. While representatives of Pittsburgh organizations spoke about the hostages — and gatherers chanted and held signs — several participants donned tefillin.

p Squirrel Hill resident Bob Danenberg, left, gets assistance from Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel.

Photo courtesy of David Dvir

Keep shining

J-JEP hosted Latkepalooza at Congregation Beth Shalom. The Chanukah party featured games, crafts, storytime and a dreidel tournament. As a lead-up to the festival, J-JEP students decorated 4-foot dreidels.

p Lev Shugerman celebrates the win.

PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG

p Ava Shuman shows off her dreidel.

Photos courtesy of Rabbi Larry Freedman

PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE

DECEMBER 29, 2023

23

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