Fall/Winter 2025 Squirrel Hill Magazine

Our Mission

The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition gives voice to the hopes and concerns of our residents, institutions, businesses and visitors and works to preserve, improve, and celebrate the quality of life in our vibrant urban Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

ON THE COVER: Cascade, a sculpture by Oreen Cohen and Alison Zapata, shines in Wightman Park during a snowfall. Photo by Melissa Eppihimer.

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

Contact marketing@shuc.org. All other communications can be directed to editor@shuc.org or (412) 422-7666.

It’s almost too soon to feature snow on our cover and holidays inside the magazine. Yet, winter inevitably arrives each year, and with it come many things to celebrate in Squirrel Hill.

This issue celebrates not just the winter holidays but also people doing good in our community, like the 2025 SHUC Treasures and the volunteers at Our Giving Kitchen, plus others representing our community in the world, like the teen athletes at the Maccabi Games.

Everyone at SHUC wishes you a season full of joyful celebrations, with many more to come in 2026.

MELISSA EPPIHIMER

Editor, Squirrel Hill Magazine

SQUIRREL HILL URBAN COALITION OFFICERS

PRESIDENT Dalia Belinkoff

VICE PRESIDENT Lisa Murphy

VICE PRESIDENT Erik Wagner

SECRETARY Raymond N. Baum

TREASURER Jeremy Kazzaz

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Mardi Isler

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Justin Berk, Guy Costa, Jacquelyn Cynkar, Lori Fitzgerald, Marshall Hershberg, Melissa Hiller, Martha Isler, Rachel Lecrone, Karen Ooserhouse, Vida Passero, Rivkee Rudolph, Mary Shaw, Lisa Steindel, David Vatz

The Squirrel Hill Magazine is a publication produced by the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition (SHUC), a nonprofit organization. As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, donations to SHUC are tax-exempt, and SHUC complies with all 501(c)(3) rules and regulations.

CONTRIBUTORS

Dalia Belinkoff, Zachary Coffey, Maria Cohen, Melissa Eppihimer, Alex Friedman, Lawrence Gerson, Melissa Hiller, Mardi Isler, Kimberly Kweder, Jim Rogal, Helen Wilson

EDITOR Melissa Eppihimer

DESIGNER Karen A. DeTurck

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Maria H. Cohen

Squirrel Hill Magazine, Vol. 23, Issue 3, is provided by the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition as a free publication for the residents and businesses in the 15217 zip code. Subscriptions are available for $25/year. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. Printed by Knepper Press.

Greetings from the SHUC President

By Dalia Belinkoff, SHUC Board President

HELLO, SQUIRREL HILL NEIGHBORS,

I’ve been using up my car’s battery recently driving around each of Squirrel Hill’s twenty-two neighborhoods. You read that correctly. The City of Pittsburgh has 90 neighborhoods, but fortunately for my battery, Squirrel Hill only has 22. How do I know? The previous Neighborhood Plan for Squirrel Hill defined the neighborhoods within the neighborhood and mapped them out.

The Squirrel Hill neighborhoods are defined by boundaries, such as steep hillsides, major streets, or notable landmarks. Each has its own character, which is the combination of lot sizes, the street grid, topography, landmarks, and the size and type of houses.

Forbes/Wightman/Wilkins/Beeler

Northumberland/Forbes/ Margaret Morrison/Carnegie Mellon

Wightman/Forbes/Shady/Wilkins

Wightman/Beacon/Murray/Forbes

over? Do your kids have friends from school who live nearby? Is there ever a block party in your neighborhood? (There’s a suggestion about that below.) Our connections can grow in many directions.

As we move toward realization of our next Neighborhood Plan, I wonder if we will find the same 22 neighborhoods or if Squirrel Hill will be defined and categorized in a different way. I hope you will join us as we work on this exciting project!

This issue’s theme is Holidays, Celebrate! and of course we at SHUC celebrate you—our friends and neighbors! The winter holidays include a fair amount of celebration by giving. I myself have three children, two sisters, and other family members to whom I give gifts. NONE of them live in Pittsburgh for hand-delivery of said gifts, so USPS is my BFF!

Wilkins/Shady/Forbes/Beechwood

Beechwood/Forbes/South Dallas/Wilkins

Murray/Beacon/ Shady/Forbes Schenley Park/Beacon/Wightman/Murray/Forbes

Murray/Forbes/Shady/Beacon

Schenley Park/Pocussett/Murray/Beacon

Murray/Monitor/Beechwood/Tilbury/Forward

Shady/Douglas/Beechwood/Forbes

Beechwood/Phillips Place/Forest Glen

Shady/Forward/Beechwood/Douglas

Beechwood/ Forward/Frick Park

Part of a map of Squirrel Hill neighborhoods from the 1990 Master Plan.

I’m sure you know your immediate neighbors, the ones in your Squirrel Hill micro-neighborhood. But have you ever wondered who lives on the next block? Or even two blocks

I suggest that this year, we as a community start to give back to ourselves and to each other in order to make our community stronger and more vibrant. Giving comes in innumerable forms. Here are some ideas for all of us:

Dimming the Lights: Dimming city lights reduces light pollution, making it easier to see the night sky. It also saves energy, reduces costs, and can improve the health of people and wildlife by supporting natural sleep and activity cycles. Individuals can support this by using outdoor lights only when needed; directing light downward rather than outward or upward; and using LED bulbs with a warm color temperature to minimize glare and skyglow. The City of Pittsburgh is going after this in a big way.

Trees: Trees are vital to the wellbeing of Squirrel Hill and all of Pittsburgh! Trees make cities healthier by cooling streets, cleaning the air, reducing flooding, supporting birds and pollinators, beautifying neighborhoods, and boosting property values. Become a Tree Captain! Tree Captains promote tree advocacy and tree care in our community. They also collect tree request forms for the bi-annual Tree Vitalize grant application submitted by SHUC for our community. It’s a win, win, win kind of thing! (You can read about some of latest tree plantings in this issue’s SHUC Snapshots.)

And speaking of birds, bees, and pollinators:

Pollinator Corridors: Birds, bees, and butterflies pollinate plants, helping produce food, support biodiversity, and maintain healthy ecosystems. We can encourage pollinators and maybe beautify our neighborhood by the coordinated planting of native flowers along sidewalks, yards, and medians. This can take many forms. On the hyperlocal level, neighbors might decide to make their backyards pollinator corridors, or the strip between the sidewalk and the street could be made into a planting area for flowers that support bees and other pollinators. Maybe this could be a wholeblock project. The borough of Swissvale did such a project on a vacant lot. Take a look: www.swissvaleborough.com/307/ Pollinator-Garden.

Food: SHUC now has a connection with Our Giving Kitchen on Murray Avenue. Our Giving Kitchen is a food resource powered by volunteers. This organization does not buy food to distribute to those who need it: it makes the food and delivers it to those who need it. Our Giving Kitchen was working on food for the residents of the Jefferson Apartment Building almost immediately after the fire began. Consider giving back by volunteering in the kitchen. (You can read more about the organization on the next page.)

Skill Bank: Perhaps your lawn mower is being finicky, and you don’t know how to make it behave. Let’s imagine a scenario where neighbors list skills they’re willing to share, e.g. fixing bikes, tutoring math, tax help. This would build the warp and weave of our community in so many ways. Perhaps the person receiving the skilled help could give the provider a pie or at least a cup of coffee! On a different level, local businesses could provide short classes or workshops to teach some workplace skills. Give a little, get a lot!

And, related to a skill bank, how about a Neighborhood Match: a directory where people can sign up to find neighbors with similar hobbies. Bridge? Canasta? Cooking? Hiking? A Neighborhood Match gives back in so many ways. How about this: Block Party in a Box! A kit residents can check out with traffic cones, games, tables and permits info to make throwing a block party easy!

Trust me, I could go on and on—but I’m giving YOU the gift of being brief! I hope you enjoy this issue of Squirrel Hill Magazine, and I hope you have a joyous holiday season!

A tree provides shade at Davis Playground.

Preparing, Sharing, and Caring With Our Giving Kitchen

By Kimberly Kweder

ON A SUNNY SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN LATE AUGUST, EIGHTEEN VOLUNTEERS, YOUNG AND OLD, STROLLED into a large space with stainless steel commercial kitchen worktables. They tied on aprons and put on gloves, ready to prepare 100 kosher meals for the less fortunate in the city of Pittsburgh. This opportunity was provided by the nonprofit Our Giving Kitchen (OGK).

“It’s really hands on; it’s more than just donations. The kids get to make something,” said volunteer Katie Gillman of Shadyside.

Friends Dylan Kushner, 14, and Jack Gillman, 13, mixed together cookie dough batter with their hands.

“It’s a good feeling to know you can help the community. Everyone is very nice. It’s fun for us and for giving too,” Dylan said. Jack agreed and added that the place is very efficient, explaining he liked the process.

Volunteers for Our Giving Kitchen prep meals from start to finish.

“I enjoy watching the volunteers experience the beautiful act of giving.”

A Pandemic Project Endures

Our Giving Kitchen’s mission is “to ensure food security for the Pittsburgh community by creating an inclusive kitchen where people of all ages and background can gather to make meals.”

The founders behind the Squirrel Hill-based operation are Rabbi Chezky Rosenfeld and his wife, Bassie Rosenfeld, who work as a team to make it happen. Chezky worked at Yeshiva School for ten years, but during the pandemic the school turned remote, and the kitchen staff were out of jobs. The school lunch team pivoted to a national school lunch program for meal pickups, which served 600 kids a day across the city. Chezky saw with his own eyes the food insecurity impacting families.

“People started coming to me for ways to help them,” he said.

After the pandemic, Chezky saw the government funding stop but the need continue, and he observed how society turned negative.

“The hostility online, people cooped up in isolation—we need a space for rebuilding communities and comradery after the pandemic,” he said.

The Rosenfelds started a pop-up kitchen at a location next to the Milky Way on Murray Avenue and operated there for two years. Through wordof-mouth and social media, there was a more than 90% return rate of volunteers. Then, in the beginning

May this year, they moved the kitchen permanently to 2621 Murray Ave, which can hold 60 volunteers. The pair has made operating the kitchen their full-time career.

“It’s really taken off to a new level,” Chezky said.

How It Works

OGK is modeled after a Los Angeles kitchen called Our Big Kitchen. Around 20 cities across the country are now using a similar model. OGK purchases 90% of the food it prepares and distributes and relies on private donations, grants, and foundations to cover costs.

“We pride ourselves on using high quality food and fresh ingredients,” Chezky said.

The menu lineup in late August was pasta with zucchini and meatballs, with chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Volunteers had instructions on how to roll the meatballs or chop the zucchini and onions in half circles. Jewish pop music played in the background to energize the volunteers and make the work fun

Bassie and Chezky Rosenfeld have led Our Giving Kitchen since its inception.

Our Giving Kitchen

while happy voices carried in the workspaces. People put OGK stickers on plastic to-go containers before loading up the meals and boxing them up for the freezers.

“I enjoy watching the volunteers experience the beautiful act of giving,” Bassie said.

An average session is 90 minutes long, and the organization can welcome between 15 and 30 volunteers on Sundays and Wednesdays. They also host private groups up to 60 volunteers and offer special projects for bat/bar mitzvahs.

Bassie explained that for bat mitzvahs, girls will have five monthly sessions cooking and making charm necklaces for women’s shelters or blankets for JFCS Pittsburgh Refugee & Immigrant Services during the colder seasons.

Chezky said the boys will come monthly to do their bar mitzvah project. Some come with their families or friends, and many choose to sponsor the volunteer session in honor of the occasion.

“It’s a great way for them to mark the milestone in a meaningful and handson way,” he said.

Beyond individuals, school programming has soared, with St. Edmund’s Academy, Ellis, Winchester Thurston, and various Jewish day schools visiting, and OGK is starting

to host public schools. They also have had success with corporate and private events, whose participants say they had a blast and find it memorable.

The organization recently kicked off “OGK for tots,” offering special monthly programs for kids ages 2–5

with cooking tasks appropriate for this age range, including rolling cookie dough, preparing vegetables and dip, and braiding challah dough. There is also story time and snack time plus a Jewish value or obligation to recognize such as “tzedakah” (charity) and “bikur cholim” (visiting the sick).

It’s all hands on deck for kids cooking with Our Giving Kitchen.

“a

true hub for kindness in Pittsburgh”

meatballs.

Getting Food to Those Who Need It

There are many ways that OGK gets the food made by its volunteers to the people who need it. Last month, for example, they donated meals to the Community Resource Fair at the Squirrel Hill Library. For ongoing needs, the meal pick-up at OGK tends to vary week to week, and the Rosenfelds encourage people to subscribe to the weekly email for updates on open store hours as well as the menu. Partnering organizations can get in touch with OGK to help get the food to underserved communities.

Looking ahead, Chezky shared his vision for OGK’s future, describing the kind of community he hopes it will inspire.

“In the years ahead, we hope OGK becomes a true hub for kindness in Pittsburgh—a place where people of all ages and backgrounds come to give back, connect, and feel part of something bigger than themselves,” he said.

“Whether it’s a corporate group, a family, or a teen doing a mitzvah project, we want everyone to feel like there’s a space for them here, a space where doing good is joyful, hands on, and shared.”

Volunteer inquiries can be emailed to Bassie Chezky at bassie@ogkpgh.com.

Sarah Danforth, of Highland Park, and her son Wayland help form

Jason Kunzman COMMUNITY CHAMPION

By Jim Rogal

“If you need a table to sit and talk with each other, we’re here.”

IMAGINE THAT THIS IS YOUR LIFE:

• You are born in Plainfield, New Jersey

• Your mother passes away when you are two years old

• Your father remarries and relocates your family to the Miami area

• Less than three years later, your family moves back north, to Rockland County, New York

• After high school, you head back south again to attend the University of South Florida

• You major in criminology because you’ve always wanted to be a police officer

• You spend the next four months on a Greyhound bus trying to get a job in law enforcement

• You’re hired by Baltimore County, but you want to rise up the ranks, so you get an MBA

• Your MBA leads you to New York City, where Ernst & Young hires you to work in forensic accounting

• You get married, and you can’t decide where to honeymoon, so you decide to honeymoon everywhere

• You and your wife spend a year traveling the world, then return to the states and take fast food and retail jobs in Colorado’s ski country because you both love the outdoors

• You and your wife want to settle somewhere, and more than a few people recommend Pittsburgh, so you visit the city and like it so much that you move here

• Your first job in Pittsburgh is serving as Chief of Staff for a Pennsylvania state representative

• You then return to forensic accounting, but not for long

• You are hired by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation as Chief Financial Officer

• You join the Obama Administration in Washington, DC, to serve for three years as a national coordinator for health services

• You then help create an information technology company that specializes in healthcare

• You sell the company and return to Pittsburgh to serve as Chief Program Officer for the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill

• You are still just in your 40s, and you’re raising two children along the way

• On September 1, 2023, you assume the position of President and CEO of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh

It’s exhausting just to read this journey, let alone live it. But that’s precisely what Jason Kunzman has done. And despite his wanderlust tendencies, it’s a pretty safe bet that Kunzman will remain where he is for a while.

Kunzman and his wife, Dana, chose Pittsburgh to settle down in because “friends and family recommended it,” he said, and it turns out they were right. “Pittsburgh has all the things we were looking for—sports, culture, activities, lots of parks and green space—but it still has that feeling of family and neighborhoods and friendliness.”

Kunzman does his job with the strong belief that he runs not just a Jewish Community Center, but rather a Squirrel Hill Community Center. Besides the dozens of courses and programs and activities available to all, the JCC is also simply the place to meet.

“If you need a table to sit and talk with each other, we’re here,” Kunzman said. “We offer an ‘allyship’ with limitless possibilities in Squirrel Hill. We connect with the Church

of the Redeemer, to all the eateries here, to non-profits, to whomever.” He added: “We shamelessly pursue opportunities of positive impact on our community.”

That was never more evident than in the aftermath of the Tree of Life shootings on October 27, 2018. “People just started coming to the JCC, “he said. “We didn’t announce anything, but this is where people gathered.”

“That first day was a deeply solemn yet holy day,” Kunsman continued. “We served as the family reunification center.”

The most recent example was the Maccabi Games at the beginning of August. The JCC hosted sporting events, guided community service projects, and engaged in social and cultural activities. Despite the strain on the JCC’s resources, operations, and staff, “We crushed it,” Kunzman said. “Actually, it’s more accurate to say that the community crushed it.”

Yet another example of the JCC’s commitment to Pittsburgh and to the world at large is that the Center for Loving Kindness and Civic Engagement is housed there. “The community really drove that decision,” Kunzman said. “We and our community want the JCC to be a center of healing.”

Under his guidance, rest assured that the Squirrel Hill JCC will continue to pursue that mission, with participation from anyone who wants to contribute. Any doubts? Just read the sign posted in the elevator, which makes clear the JCC credo: “The JCC is open and accessible to everyone, regardless of age, race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or different ability by welcoming individuals of all backgrounds, embracing their uniqueness and diversity under our communal tent.”

Courtesy of JCC of Greater Pittsburgh

Kunzman speaks at the JCC Maccabi Games at Pitt earlier this year.

State and City Council Corner

State and City Council Corner shares reports submitted by the elected members of Pittsburgh City Council and the Pennsylvania Legislature that represent Squirrel Hill.

FROM STATE SENATOR JAY COSTA

Senator Costa has introduced legislation to protect workers from secondhand smoke. The General Assembly banned smoking in most workplaces in 2008, when almost 21% of US adults smoked. Almost overnight, the smoking ban improved the public health, protecting workers and customers from illness and slashing the number of habitual smokers in Pennsylvania.

Not all Pennsylvanian workers got to take part in the good news, however, because the new law included loopholes that allow casinos, hotels, and some bars to continue exposing their employees to toxic smoke.

Pennsylvanians should not have to choose between their jobs and their health.

This legislation would eliminate loopholes that leave Pennsylvanian workers exposed to toxic smoke, expand the definition of smoking to include e-cigarettes, and give localities the ability to enact even stronger smoke-free ordinances.

In moments like this, it’s up to political leaders to step in and insist on the protection of workers’ health.

FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAN FRANKEL

Rep. Dan Frankel has announced plans to introduce the “Protect Pennsylvanians’ Medicaid Access Act” in response to new federal rules set to take effect in 2027 under the Trump administration’s 2025 Budget Reconciliation Law. These rules require states to impose work-reporting requirements, reduce retroactive coverage, and conduct twice-yearly eligibility redeterminations. These changes could cause more than 300,000 Pennsylvanians to lose health coverage.

Rep. Frankel’s legislation would strengthen support for those navigating Medicaid by directing the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to conduct proactive outreach and create user-friendly materials, establishing a grant program to help certified community organizations manage caseloads, and streamlining access to Medicaid systems for trusted partners.

From Top to Bottom:

Without state action, residents risk losing coverage simply due to barriers like unstable housing or lack of internet, leading to worse health outcomes, higher costs, and additional strain on Pennsylvania’s hospitals.

State Senator Jay Costa; State Representative Dan Frankel; City Councilperson Erika Strassburger; City Councilperson Barb Warwick.

FROM CITY COUNCILPERSON ERIKA STRASSBURGER

Pittsburgh is advancing its Vision Zero goals with the launch of the Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) program. Introduced by Councilperson Erika Strassburger and passed in 2024, the program will begin in early 2026 at six high-risk intersections. Cameras and sensors will detect red-light violations, which will then be reviewed by a police officer before any ticket is issued.

The five-year program is designed to be cost-neutral. Fines will cover the $14 million cost, and any additional revenue will go to PennDOT for safety and infrastructure projects across the Commonwealth. Since 2021, Pittsburgh has received about $1.7 million in grant funding through ARLE for signal upgrades.

To help drivers adjust, the first location will have a 60-day warning period and subsequent locations 30 days. Signs will clearly mark intersections where cameras are in use, giving the community time to adapt while supporting safer streets for all of us.

FROM CITY COUNCILMEMBER BARB WARWICK

Councilmember Warwick has worked with the Parks and Recreation Department and Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) on a pilot program that is bringing City-run afterschool programming to three PPS schools (including Mifflin PreK-8 in District 5) starting this fall.

CitiParks is overseeing, directing, and staffing the program, focused on schools identified by PPS as having gaps in afterschool care and without access to a City Recreation Center.

The District 5 office is excited about this partnership and looks forward to more collaboration across City departments and our public school district. Afterschool programs support students’ academic achievement, support working families, and are an important investment in our community and our future.

If the pilot is successful, it could be expanded to more locations in future years, providing further support to parents and young people who need it.

Squirrel Hill Holiday Gift Guide 2025

This holiday season, some of the best gifts can’t be contained in a box.

Here are ten top suggestions for distinctive Squirrel Hill experiences and services that make perfect gifts when matched with the right person.

While we’ve done our best to provide up-to-date information, please note that prices and availability may change.

LEVITY FLOAT STUDIO (2635 MURRAY AVE.)

Give the gift of escaping from the ordinary with a session in one of Levity Float’s sensory deprivation float tanks ($65). The Epsom salt-infused water can help transform mind, body, and soul.

STEVO

MOSAIC STUDIO (5800 ALDERSON ST.)

Does someone you know love the colorful mosaic blocks by the post office? They can learn how to make their own mosaics in a class led by the artist Stevo in his Squirrel Hill studio (starting at $10 for 1 hour).

CROSSBODY DANCE + MOVEMENT

(1918 MURRAY AVE., SUITE D)

It’s never too late to learn how to dance! Let the instructors at CrossBody introduce Latin dance to the movers and shakers—and we mean that—in your world through a private lesson ($70/30 min. or $110/60 min.).

LIPSTYCK LAB (2713 ½ MURRAY AVE.)

Take your best gal or guy to a session at the Lipstyck Lab, where they can create their own beauty products like lipstick and lip gloss (starting at $35). It’s literally a one-of-a-kind gift experience.

Paul Vladuchick

S.W. RANDALL TOYES AND GIFTS (5856 FORBES AVE.)

The Squirrel Hill Pokémon League meets Wednesday evenings from 4 to 9 pm at S.W. Randall. Treat an experienced player to a booster pack (starting at $4.50) and a booster section by accompanying them to the next battle.

WILDCHILD STITCHES (2729 MURRAY AVE.)

Winter means cozy, and cozy means knitwear. Gift someone a knitting or crochet class at Wildchild Stitches and they’ll walk out with a handmade accessory and a new skill (starting at $50 per class).

SUNBURST SCHOOL OF MUSIC (5843 FORBES AVE., 2ND FLOOR)

For the littlest ones in your life and their caregivers, the Music Together classes at Sunburst are a lovely way to spend an indoor afternoon together during the winter ($255 for a 12-week session).

PITTSBURGH CHESS CLUB (5869 FORBES AVE.)

A Membership Gift to the Pittsburgh Chess Club will give access to a community of chess players based right here in Squirrel Hill, with options for trial, junior, senior, and regular memberships ($30 – $100 per year).

HIDDEN HARBOR (1708 SHADY AVE.)

Pair a gift card to Hidden Harbor with its Dead Parrots Society Rum Passport for a guided tour through the first 20 of the bar’s more than 600 bottled rums (price varies). Ahoy, mateys!

EDGEWOOD SYMPHONY (AT THE KATZ PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, JCC, DARLINGTON AVE.)

Tickets to a live performance are always a welcome gift for a music lover. The Edgewood Symphony performs Beethoven, Stravinsky, and a marimba concerto (what an experience!) in Squirrel Hill on Saturday, March 21 ($15 general admission, $10 students and seniors).

Squirrel Hill Giving Guide 2025

Make the holiday season brighter by donating what you can or volunteering your time to an organization making a difference in our neighborhood and city.

Listed here are some of the many community partners that participated in the Community Resource Fair at CLP–Squirrel Hill that SHUC helped organize in October. For more information about the event, see the report on page 31.

The Branch, based here in Squirrel Hill, offers services to adults living with intellectual and physical disabilities and mental illness. thebranchpgh.org

Just Harvest works to combat hunger by recognizing its ties to economic and political injustice. justharvest.org

Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh holds annual clinics where individuals can receive free dental, vision, and hearing care. mompgh.org

Our Giving Kitchen, where people from all walks of life come together to cook up change, one delicious, homemade meal at a time. ogkpgh.com

Steel City Helping Hands, a grassroots, neighbor-to-neighbor group, brings aid directly to those in need. Contact steelcityhelpinghands@gmail.com

Photo by jansmolders

Photo by Gonzalo Acuña

Murray the Squirrel’s

What does it take to get Murray the Squirrel through a cold, dark winter season?

A stash of acorns? Not quite. (Murray prefers a Pittsburgh salad.)

What Murray really likes during the winter is getting together with friends and neighbors. Take a lesson from Murray and join our community at one of these upcoming events.

As always, schedules and event details are subject to change, and some events were still being planned as we went to press, so check for the latest info before heading out.

shop together

TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES COMMUNITY SHOPPING EVENT

Tuesday, November 25, 4:00 to 7:00 pm

Kickstart your holiday shopping at Ten Thousand Villages, where you’ll find a curated selection of goods produced by craftspeople from around the world. Beyond supporting these artists, your purchase can also support SHUC, since a percentage of sales during the community shopping event is donated to our organization. Murray thanks you in advance!

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

Saturday, November 29

Murray loves that Squirrel Hill still has independent, local businesses. Show your love by shopping on the day of the year dedicated to these homegrown venues. Your support can help maintain the vibrancy of Forbes, Murray, and the various small shopping districts throughout Squirrel Hill.

HOLIDAY WINE WALK

Saturday, December 13, 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Purchase tickets in advance at uncoversquirrelhill.com.

This evening of wine tasting throughout Squirrel Hill’s central business district gets you out of the house and into a festive mood. It’s a self-guided walking tour of participating shops, each of which offers a beverage or treat when you stop by; be sure to say hi to Murray if you see him.

Winter Events Guide

head outside together see something spectacular together

GREENFIELD HOLIDAY PARADE

Friday, December 5, 7:00 pm. gcapgh.org

A local tradition, this parade brings marching bands, community businesses and organizations, and holiday cheer to Greenfield. Bundle up—don’t worry, Murray’s already furry—to keep warm as the parade proceeds south from the Giant Eagle on lower Murray Avenue before heading back north up Greenfield Avenue.

POINT BREEZE LIGHT UP NIGHT

Saturday, December 6, 5:00–7:00 pm. pointbreezepgh.org

Head on over to Point Breeze for a special night marking the start of winter. There will be family-friendly activities, music, food, drink, and lights—and maybe some of Point Breeze’s squirrels will stop by too!

MENORAH PARADE

You can probably spot at least one menorah perched atop a car in Squirrel Hill during Hanukkah, but where can you see one after another? Chabad of Squirrel Hill’s Menorah Parade! Murray and his animal friends will be watching safely from the sidewalk as the decorated vehicles spread the light of the holiday.

Hanukkah runs from the evening of December 14 through December 22, so look for the parade to occur that week.

HOLIDAY MAGIC SHOW AT PHIPPS CONSERVATORY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS

The Phipps just opened its seasonal exhibition of flowers, plant-based art, and dazzling lights. This year’s theme, Wild Winter, delights with whimsy and adventure and features topiary polar bears and penguins plus a canopy of lights recreating a winter night’s sky. Let’s hope Murray isn’t scared by the polar bears!

Runs through early January. For tickets, visit phipps. conservatory.org

LUNAR NEW YEAR

On February 17, 2026, Asian communities across the world will celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Murray always looks forward to seeing the lions dance.

Stay tuned as we get closer to the date for information about events in Squirrel Hill celebrating the Year of the Horse.

NEW BUSINESS NOTICES

CASA DEL TEQUILA (1731 MURRAY AVENUE)

If you’ve been waiting patiently for the return of Mexican food to Squirrel Hill, have we got great news for you! Casa del Tequila is now open, and fajitas, burritos, and enchiladas are on the menu.

Squirrel Hillers watched with great anticipation after the restaurant’s turquoise agave logo appeared on the façade of the Manor Theatre building earlier this year. Now, we have the chance to venture inside, sidle up to the long bar, and order one of the many tequilas recommended by the friendly bartenders; or grab a seat on one of two floors of booths and tables and sample the extensive menu of authentic Mexican fare.

“We want to offer the best Mexican food in town,” said Onys Gutierrez, co-owner of Casa del Tequila along with his brother Wilder Gutierrez and Hector Macias.

“We work like a family and want to make everyone comfortable here,” Gutierrez added. To that end, the restaurant offers a wide range of dishes featuring chicken, steak, seafood, and more, plus vegetarian options, a kids menu, and lunch specials.

While some visitors might remember the dimly lit bars that formerly occupied this location, Casa del Tequila’s renovated interior now boasts a multicolored glass chandelier and pendant lights that open up the space and invite a more convivial mood. What a great place to celebrate the flavors of Mexico!

ATHLETICORE PILATES (2933 MURRAY AVENUE)

It has been almost three years since Megan Munson took over a Pilates studio in the Morrowfield building. Recently, however, she rebranded the studio with a name reflecting her training and aspirations for clients: AthletiCore Pilates.

“My background is in working with athletes,” said Munson.

A graduate of Pitt’s Masters of Sports Science program, she brings experience in athletic performance coaching (plus time spent as a dancer for her undergraduate degree) to the personal fitness world of Pilates.

Munson’s previous work with physical therapy patients and professional football and basketball players in New York City, Pittsburgh, and her home state of Texas developed her skills and commitment to meeting clients’ individual needs. Certification as a Pilates instructor and running her own studio was the logical next step.

Clients need not view themselves as athletes to train with AthletiCore, however.

Describing her team’s approach Munson said, “we come from a strong foundation of honoring what Joe Pilates started out with: training people to be the most fit version of themselves and improve their lives.”

In the studio you’ll find lots of the equipment needed for Pilates, including reformers, wunda chairs, a ladder barrel, and an apparatus called the “Cadillac” for acrobatic movements. Munson is ready to guide clients through the right moves with the right equipment at the right time.

“You don’t have to be perfect,” she said. “It is a precise form of exercise, but just coming in the door is enough of a success.”

And Munson is happy to meet the people who come through the door of her Squirrel Hill studio. “They’ve consistently been awesome, interesting, fun, kind people.”

FROM SQUIRREL HILL TO THE WALK OF FAME

Last month, the Pittsburgh Walk of Fame opened to visitors in the Strip District, but its ties to Squirrel Hill stretch back to its very conception.

The project originated with Squirrel Hill resident Nancy Polinsky Johnson, who envisioned a place where historical figures from Pittsburgh and its environs could be celebrated for their contributions and achievements. (Polinsky Johnson is a SHUC Squirrel Hill Treasure.)

Now, with input from the public and the assistance of a 150-member selection committee, the Walk of Fame board—led by Jim Rudolph of Squirrel Hill and including SHUC’s own Mardi Isler—has selected 10 names for its

initial round of honors. Each is commemorated with a bronze star set into the sidewalk of Smallman Street near the Terminal building.

“I’m thrilled with the selections,” said Johnson. “Because of my own career in journalism, I’m happy to see Nellie Bly recognized. I love that theater, music, and sports are so well represented by August Wilson, George Benson, and Roberto Clemente. And with one of Andrew Carnegie’s libraries right there at Forbes and Murray—not to mention his nearby museums and namesake university—his name really helps to bring it all home.”

Many of the inductees have connections to Squirrel Hill, most notably Fred Rogers, a pioneer in children’s television and member of the Squirrel Hill community. Two other honorees, actor Michael Keaton and scientist Jonas Salk, once lived in the neighborhood as well, although for a much shorter time. Squirrel Hill also hosted two honorees during their college years: artist Andy Warhol, while training at the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now CMU), and environmentalist Rachel Carson, who studied at what is now Chatham University.

When Kaboly reported this extraordinary happening, which no one had ever heard of before, he acknowledged that the sign did need to be repainted. He had actually been talking to the owners about this for a number of years, but, alas, the sign had not yet been repainted.

Well, now it can be done! Let us all who patronize 61C be grateful for the secret benefactor who gave Kaboly’s good intentions a boost by sending a monetary incentive to treat 61C’s storefront sign as the treasure it is.

RESTORING THE WALLS OF SERPENTINE DRIVE

ANONYMOUS GIFT SENT TO 61C

Who gets a letter addressed to their business with $500 in 20 dollar bills inside? That happened to Keith Kaboly, longtime manager of 61C Café on Murray Avenue. The envelope filled with cash also contained a letter explaining that the café’s whimsical art deco sign needed to be spruced up, and this contribution was to that end. There was no name attached; it was just signed “Sincerely, A proud Squirrel Hill resident.”

The City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) has been restoring the historic stone walls of Serpentine Drive in Schenley Park. A portion of the wall collapsed in 2019 when a truck ran into it, and other sections displayed signs of instability. The work that began this summer is designed to improve the walls through repair and aesthetically appropriate replacement.

The road’s use-patterns have periodically shifted since the accident. After closing for initial repairs, Serpentine Drive reopened with one-way vehicle travel and bike and pedestrian infrastructure before once again being completely closed to vehicles last year. DOMI is currently evaluating public feedback on the possibility of permanently shifting the road to pedestrian and bicycle access only.

Celebrating the 2025 Squirrel Hill Treasures

The Treasure Awards were created to celebrate the people and places that make Squirrel Hill a wonderful place to live, work, and do business. This year, the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition was proud to honor three people and one organization at the annual Treasure Awards Dinner earlier this month. After reading these profiles, we hope you’ll agree that this year’s honorees are deserving of the honor.

CAROLINE E. BOYCE

By Helen Wilson

Caroline Boyce uses the word happenstance (“chance, especially when it results in something good”) to describe how she found out about artist Henry Koerner (1915-1991), known for his Magic Realist work and Time magazine covers. Since that chance discovery, she’s made it her life’s work to preserve his legacy, and it is clear to see the passion in her eyes when she talks about Koerner, his art, and his house.

She hadn’t intended to purchase the artist’s home on S. Negley Avenue (the one with the cherubic putti on the patio walls) when she moved back to Pittsburgh, nor did she know anything about Koerner when she was looking to buy a house in Squirrel Hill, but when she walked in, the feeling was “love at first sight,” as she describes it.

Since then, Caroline has focused Pittsburgh’s attention on Koerner through events such as a three-day symposium on

his life and work in October 2022 (with the artist’s art historian son Joseph as presenter) and getting a National Register of Historic Places designation for his house in January 2023. The plaque has been installed above the 2021 Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation plaque near the front door. Art exhibitions are in the talking stages.

It is clear to see the passion in her eyes when she talks about Koerner, his art, and his house.

Although the happenstance that Caroline refers to is her unexpected finding of the house and discovery of the artist who built it, her connection to Koerner would never have progressed any further were it not for her own career experiences prior to that momentous discovery.

She had always been interested in historic preservation, and after receiving a BA from Connecticut College and an MA from Cornell University, she became a nationally recognized expert in historic preservation and museum operations. She also founded Inter-Mission, LLC, in 2017 to provide support and guidance to nonprofit charitable organizations, trade associations, and professional societies in transition to improve their effectiveness.

Caroline’s extensive work in nonprofit governance and in connecting heritage with economic and community development resulted in her receiving numerous honors for her accomplishments. She is most proud

of receiving the F. Otto Haas Award, Pennsylvania’s highest award for achievement in historic preservation. Her accomplishments over the course of 40 years were instrumental in preparing her for her present role as the self-appointed steward of Koerner’s legacy. It’s as if she has been preparing all her life for her role as Henry Koerner’s spokesperson.

ANN BELSER

By Melissa Hiller

Even if you don’t know Ann Belser personally, you’ve probably noticed her work around the neighborhood. She pays close attention to what’s happening, making sure the stories of our community are told and preserved. Her steady dedication reminds us that our neighborhood—and its stories—truly matter.

Ann’s journey started with a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, regarded as one of the top journalism programs in the world. After some time in New England, she returned home to Pittsburgh and spent two decades as a reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, covering local government, the courts, and business. She built a reputation for accuracy, depth, and transparency. Along the way, she won several Golden Quill Awards for Excellence in Journalism.

But what makes Ann truly special to us is what she’s doing now. With Print, she’s given our neighborhoods a paper that cares about the things big outlets overlook—like new developments that will affect our streets, the parades and Squirrel Hill Night Markets that bring us together, or the local history talks, book

readings, and performances that give this community its spirit. These aren’t small things—they’re the fabric of daily life.

Ann believes local news should still be written by skilled journalists, and she’s put herself out there to make it happen. In a time when most news outlets chase clicks, Print is proudly on paper. Its pages feel rooted, intentional, and tied to the place we call home. Few neighborhoods have someone willing to take on that responsibility, but Ann has stepped up for ours.

Ann has covered the stories that matter most.

She’s also a fierce defender of the First Amendment and of transparency in public institutions. Ann has always believed that people deserve to know what’s happening in their community, and she’s committed her career to making sure that those in power are held accountable.

Through Print and her long career in journalism, Ann has covered the stories that matter most—from the heartbreak of the Tree of Life shooting, to debates over closing public schools, to decisions by the Utilities Commission that ripple into our daily lives. Whether she’s covering moments of joy or moments of grief, she approaches every story with care and integrity.

Ann doesn’t put herself in the spotlight, but her work has strengthened our community in ways we can’t always measure. For her vision, her courage as a small publisher, her defense of press freedom, and her commitment to telling the stories of Squirrel Hill and the East End, we are proud to recognize Ann Belser as a 2025 Squirrel Hill Treasure.

DR. EUGENE N. MYERS

By Dalia Belinkoff

Dr. Eugene N. Myers has spent much of his life caring for other people as an otolaryngologist. (That’s an ear, nose, and throat doctor for those who didn’t go to medical school.) His specialty is treating head and neck cancer through surgery, and his legacy in that arena is remarkable.

Born in Philadelphia, Dr. Meyers made his way from that city to Pittsburgh in the early 1970s when he was recruited to be the founding member of the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Otolaryngology. Once established at Pitt and in Pittsburgh, Dr. Myers left his mark on both.

Dr. Myers is retired now, but he continues to share his expertise with young surgeons via lectures near and far. This reflects his long commitment to advancing and sharing scientific knowledge internationally. His expertise is also being passed on by the dozens of trainees who learned under him, many of whom are now leaders in the field. They include his son Jeffrey, who did his Head and Neck Surgery residency at Pitt. Given that the elder Dr. Myers’s father David was also an otolaryngologist,

Our Treasure is very much a linchpin in the modern development of this field of medicine.

our Treasure is very much a linchpin in the modern development of this field of medicine.

Dr. Myers is also beloved, both by those he worked with— one of his trainees named a child after him—and by those who meet him in the halls of his apartment building or during civic engagements. He has supported, among other things, restoration efforts at Frick Park and the Pittsburgh Festival Opera (PFO), co-founded by a past Squirrel Hill Treasure, Mildred Miller Posvar. He was the PFO’s Board President for over a decade, and, together with his late wife Barbara, he set up a fund to support arts and education in Pittsburgh.

For his enduring work in medicine and his endurance as a leader in our community, Dr. Eugene N. Myers is deserving of being named a 2025 Squirrel Hill Treasure.

ACTION-HOUSING

By Mardi Isler

To live in Squirrel Hill is to be lucky! Thanks to ACTION-Housing, more people can do that than would ordinarily be the case.

Founded in 1957 by David Lawrence and Richard King Mellon, ACTION-Housing’s mission is to help ensure everyone has a home that is safe and stable. On the ground, this includes constructing affordable housing with associated support services, as can be found in the Flats on Forward building in Squirrel Hill.

ACTION-Housing led the planning and the construction of this 43-unit residential building located at the five-way intersection of Murray, Forward, and Pocusset. All of its

ACTION-Housing’s mission is to help ensure everyone has a home that is safe and stable.

residences are reserved for households with incomes of 60% Annual Median Income or below, of which 11 are for people with physical or intellectual disabilities. Flats on Forward also houses ACTION-Housing’s building management offices, marking an enduring commitment to our neighborhood, where the organization has long made a positive difference.

Their presence here began in 1999 with the renovation of two smaller apartment complexes on Darlington Road and Munhall Road. Residents living in these communities benefit from support services provided by The Branch, one of ACTION-Housing’s local partners. The Branch and its Sally and Howard Levin Clubhouse occupy floors in a separate ACTION-Housing project, Krause Commons, the complex with a red façade next to Flats on Forward completed in 2018.

These are only the most visible contributions that ACTION-Housing makes to Squirrel Hill and Pittsburgh as a whole. They also work to prevent displacement by stabilizing housing through emergency rental assistance, critical home repairs, and energy-saving weatherization services. In any given year, ACTION-Housing reaches over 10,000 people from vulnerable populations.

The residents they work with in Squirrel Hill consistently express a deep appreciation for the community in which they live and its accessible transit connections.

For its vision of Squirrel Hill as a place where everyone and anyone can feel at home—and its proven record of making that dream a reality—SHUC is thrilled to name ACTIONHousing as a 2025 Squirrel Hill Treasure.

shuc snapshots

NOTES FROM YOUR SQUIRREL

HILL URBAN COALITION STAFF

Update from SHUC Executive Director, Maria Cohen

As the magic of the holiday season approaches, we look forward to celebrating with family, friends, and neighbors and giving thanks. This year we are especially thankful for our community and the ways in which its members went above and beyond to support our neighbors displaced by the Jefferson Apartment fires.

On September 9, several dozen Squirrel Hill residents faced a devastating blow when they watched as their homes in the Jefferson Apartment building were taken from them by a fire. The initial response by our first responders, fire fighters, the Red Cross, the Mayor’s office, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services disaster response/emergency behavioral health team, Councilmember Warwick’s office, Neighborhood Allies, Councilperson Strassburger’s office, Representative Frankel’s team, and more was phenomenal.

That day, displaced community members were kindly offered a safe space by Chrissy Whiting, Karen Oosterhouse, and the team at The Branch’s Sally and Howard Levin Clubhouse, which welcomed our neighbors with open arms while Rabbi Chezky from Our Giving Kitchen rushed over to be supportive with daytime meals and dinner that evening. PRT provided a bus that would shuttle neighbors who didn’t have a place to stay to the Magee Recreation Center in Greenfield.

As soon as the need became clear, the Squirrel Hill community got to work assembling whatever resources were required. SHUC reached out to Tara, Lisa, Casey, and the team at Kids Plus Pediatrics, which offered space to collect items for those displaced by the fire. Melissa Hiller, JCC staff member and SHUC board member, helped connect us to the JCC membership team who offered

short memberships for displaced neighbors to have access to the facility, while Rabbi Hindy Fineman ran out to grab any supplies needed and donated them to the residents. Guardian Storage offered complimentary storage for donated items until our neighbors are settled enough to accept them.

The list of helpers continues … Calvary Pastor Natalie Hall from the Church of the Redeemer, together with Calvary Episcopal Church in Shadyside, organized a collection for Giant Eagle gift cards and other supplies that have been very helpful to neighbors as they get their lives back in order. Thanks to a connection via Marian Lien, former SHUC Executive Director, St. Edmund’s Academy students raised over $1,000 for gift cards.

Jesse Sharad, Director of the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry, offered shopping opportunities and SOS fund support while the Jewish Assistance Fund also offered grants. The NCJW (National Council of Jewish Women) donated $50 shopping vouchers, and Goodwill donated shopping vouchers through the efforts of a local neighbor named Michael Hudec. Another neighbor, Margaret Olisky, offered her immediate support to volunteer and to give all that her family could. Robert Levin and Dr. Kerry Bron offered their financial support and assistance.

Greenfield Community Association board member (and all around incredible human) Addy Lord, with the help of neighbors from Squirrel Hill and Greenfield, started a homegrown fundraising campaign dedicated to supporting each displaced neighbor who needed more help, and we have been keeping in touch behind the scenes to support our displaced neighbors in any way possible.

I have personally received countless calls and donations from our community and neighboring communities, and I have been touched by how appreciative our displaced neighbors are for the love of our community and how so many jumped in to help. The displaced neighbors, led by a newly married couple, Jonah and Jasper, have been working together to support each other. I wish that I could name everyone who donated, helped, or gave in any and every way. It takes a village, and our neighbors have again shown that we are all in it together when it comes to supporting each other in community!

And now, to the celebrations. We were so happy to again celebrate with our community with our 2nd annual Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos in partnership with La Escuelita Arcoiris, Sunburst School of Music, and Riverstone Books. The event again included performances, face painting, crafts, delicious Mexican food, incredible music, and a wonderful parade. We also always enjoy celebrating our Squirrel Hill Treasures at our annual Treasure Awards dinner. It is a fun way to reconnect with our neighbors while honoring our exceptional community members and places who help to make Squirrel Hill a wonderful community.

Fall also saw Hazelwood, Squirrel Hill, and Greenfield planning our 3rd annual Holiday Mingle, scheduled for Wednesday, November 19 at Propel Neighborhood School in Hazelwood. We all really enjoy being together to celebrate and getting to know our neighboring communities better.

Stay tuned for more details about events in Squirrel Hill to celebrate the Lunar New Year in February and other events that will make 2026 an exciting year!

As always, we are thankful for the many good community partners, volunteer groups, merchants, schools, and organizations that support us. Let us take a moment here to shout out the JCC’s team for supporting us in every way possible. From offering space for community meetings to helping with extra equipment for events like the Night Market, they are always there to lend a hand as an incredible community partner.

Please reach out to share with me what you would like the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition to continue, feedback about changes that you would like to see in our Squirrel Hill community, and your thoughts and ideas to help support us in preserving, improving, and celebrating the quality of life in our vibrant Squirrel Hill community. You can connect with me at mcohen@shuc.org.

SHUC TREE COMMITTEE NEWS

REGREEN BEECHWOOD BOULEVARD AWARD

The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition Tree Committee was funded by the Pittsburgh Shade Tree Commission to ReGreen Beechwood Boulevard, a 2-year, phased tree planting initiative going from Point Breeze through Squirrel Hill to Greenfield. Members Jeremy Kazazz and Scott Bluman wrote the grant request with support from David Knoll, Mardi Isler, Gary Crouth, and Eddie Shaws.

ReGreen Beechwood Boulevard is a continuation of the City Beautiful movement, a turn-of-the-century design philosophy that promoted civic beautification, equitable public access, and thoughtfully integrated parks and streetscapes. Pittsburgh’s embrace of this vision was led by Edward Bigelow, the city’s first Director of Public Works and the architect of its early park system. Bigelow championed the creation of Schenley Park and designed Beechwood Boulevard in the 1890s as a wide, gracious, tree-lined route.

Then, in 1910, the city commissioned Frederick Olmsted— renowned landscape architect—to guide Pittsburgh’s longrange planning. Olmsted identified Beechwood as a key “pleasure drive,” calling for improved tree cover and green spaces to enhance public experience. ReGreen Beechwood Boulevard is a direct continuation of that legacy, restoring a civic space designed to offer beauty, health, and access for all Pittsburghers for generations to come.

Phase 1 (Fall 2025) is targeting blocks where tree loss is the greatest because gentle giants are aging out or they’ve been lost in storms. Property owners submitted tree request forms and the City Forestry Department assessed each site as to the presence of wires. Plantings of approximately 50 trees will be coordinated by City Forestry with support from Tree Pittsburgh, Western PA Conservancy, and SHUC volunteers.

Phases 2 to 4 are planned for Spring 2026 through Spring 2027, with the final, 5th Phase to be determined by the PennDot redesign of the Parkway exit. All told, the ReGreen project will provide more than 200 trees! Stay tuned for periodic updates.

WESTERN PA CONSERVANCY TREEVITALIZE AWARD

The Western PA Conservancy (WPC) through the TreeVitalize Program has awarded 20 trees to Squirrel Hill. TreeVitalize approved locations on Bellerock thanks to a submission by Tree Captain Ben Samson, plus additional trees on Beacon and side streets to Murray Avenue. This tree planting is scheduled for late November.

Tree Committee volunteers are a vital part of all aspects of our work, including, for example, the new Committee logo designed by Mimi Chuang. If you are interested in volunteering for future tree plantings, please get on a contact list by calling SHUC at 412-422-7666 or e-mailing info@parks.org.

THE LATEST FROM THE NEILL LOG HOUSE

The first anniversary of the Neill Log House’s opening to the public was celebrated on November 9 with docent tours and activities on site hosted by Friends of Neill Log House (FONLH) and the City of Pittsburgh Park Rangers. Regular opening hours began in April of this year, with Ranger Emily of the City Park Rangers in the lead. Visitors to the circa-1795 house can enter a building finished to historic preservation standards and furnished with period furniture.

Leading up to the anniversary, FONLH turned to enhancing the surrounding property. Previously, Tree Pittsburgh helped by providing fruit trees and berries, and the Shade Tree Commission and City Forestry provided the evergreens that surround the fence on three sides. Most recently, our Landscape Architect Frank Dawson, of J. FrankStudios, worked with Sestili Nursery to plant 125 shrubs, mostly on the slopes on either side of the steps, but also some closer to the house. Sestili also laid a PA bluestone path to go from the house around back past the raspberry and elderberry plants to our water source. Between the stones purple creeping thyme was seeded

to create a natural carpet that releases its fresh fragrance when walked on.

Future plans include installing an example of the ‘Virginia Fencing’ that would have surrounded the log house and an herb garden behind it. Pioneer herb gardens were small plots planted near the kitchen area. Those who lived in the Neill Log House used herbs as ingredients in cooking for flavor and preservation, for medicinal purposes, and as household pest control. Herbs such as rosemary, thyme, mint, and lavender were common.

COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIR

The Carnegie Library–Squirrel Hill branch was the site of a Community Resource Fair on October 15. At the event, more than a dozen representatives from public and private organizations offered aid to approximately 50 community members in need. The aid ranged from concrete items and services like clothing, care kits, meals, and haircuts (provided on site by Elisha Evans Styling) to information about shelter options, SNAP benefits, and re-entry into the workforce.

Local groups like the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry, The Branch, and Our Giving Kitchen participated, as did city- and county-wide programs including BigBurgh, Goodwill, Just Harvest, Metro Community Health Center, and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Ben Talik came from the City of Pittsburgh’s Office of Community Health and Safety, and Officer Aundre Wright represented Pittsburgh Police’s Zone 4.

SHUC is grateful to all who stepped up to serve our community on this day and every day throughout the year. We’re especially thankful for the many individuals and groups that responded to our call for donations for the care kits (which were packed by The Branch, as seen here); Steel City Helping Hands and Rep. Dan Frankel’s office helped fund the contents of the care kits. Taylor Lee and the staff of Carnegie Library–Squirrel Hill  also played an important role with the library serving as a donation collection center and host site for the event. The Resource Fair would not have been possible without the behind-thescenes efforts of Jacquelyn Cynkar, a member of SHUC’s Board and co-founder of Steel City Helping Hands.

SUMMER AND FALL EVENTS RECAP

On June 24, SHUC and Murray the Squirrel headed down to Greenfield’s Pride Night . It was so much fun, as evidenced by photos of Murray line dancing in a special Pride T-shirt provided by Alternate Histories, an art studio in Greenfield.

On July 20, Friends of Mellon Park invited SHUC to join their table at the Bach, Beethoven, and Brunch concert in Mellon Park. The part of the park where the concert takes place is in Squirrel Hill, and we were happy to see so many Squirrel Hill residents enjoying the performance by Chamber Music Pittsburgh.

On August 5, Frick Park was the site of a National Night Out event that brought together Pittsburgh’s Park Rangers, local law enforcement, our Fire Department and other city departments, SHUC, the Squirrel Hill Historical

Society, The Branch, Trying Together, local food truck Tocayo, and much more. Thank you to all who attended, tabled, and worked to plan a fun, family-friendly Night Out for Squirrel Hill, with a special thanks to Erica Heide, Senior Park Ranger, and her team!

On August 16, SHUC participated in a back-to-school event in Hazelwood led by JADA House International and the Hazelwood Café. It was a lot of fun helping kids and families get off to a running start this school year.

On August 27, Pittsburgh’s Got the Runs! taught attendees about the importance of local watersheds and sewer and stormwater systems. All credit to The Mon Water Project for coming up with the title pun, and many thanks to them for including SHUC in the event. It was an amazing day of learning about how water moves in our neighborhood.

On September 13, SHUC joined volunteers from across the city to participate in the 2025 Garbage Olympics On this day, teams representing different Pittsburgh neighborhoods competed to see who could pick up the most litter. Squirrel Hill didn’t win, but maybe that’s a good thing—it shows that the SHUC Litter Patrol is doing a good job! In all seriousness, thank you to all of our volunteers from CMU PACE, Cathy Weinert, who helped to clean out the garage beneath the library, Eme Sargent, Nolan Grimes, and several other volunteers who helped to support us and give the neighborhood an extra clean up!

On September 14, SHUC’s Bike-Ped Committee kicked off a Family Bike Ride & Trail Walk at Frick Park Environmental Center’s Sensory Nature Trail, assisted by City Park Rangers. It was a beautiful day and a special opportunity to enjoy this new resource together. Let’s do it again soon!

On September 28, volunteers from Congregation Beth Shalom (organized by Sherri Waldenberg) joined forces with SHUC to tidy up the Forbes and Murray business district in a Tikkun Olam Environmental Project . Coming the morning after the Night Market and immediately after The Great Race came through, their work was greatly appreciated, especially in the garage at Forbes and Murray.

Speaking of the Night Market, the summer season—the 10th anniversary!—concluded with two amazing Night Markets on August 23 and September 27. Uncover Squirrel Hill and I Made It! Market played a huge role in making these events a success, as did the vendors and performers who set up their stalls and stages. At SHUC, we’re grateful for the Litter Patrol teams that helped clean up before and after each event. But it was the arrival of market-goers

from Squirrel Hill and beyond that really got things going! We’re so glad everyone was able to enjoy these evenings, and we look forward to seeing you next year. (Stop by the Farmer’s Market on Sunday mornings until then!)

This is the fifth year that Squirrel Hill neighbors have been supporting our neighbors in Hazelwood through the Hazelwood Initiative’s Safe Halloween. We thank everyone who helped us make our collection of coloring books, crayons, and extra treats incredibly successful! Additional thanks go to Tim Joyce, Paul Peffer, Eveline Castillo, and all of our Mt. Royal neighbors who participated, along with Jacquelyn Cynkar and Amy Mann of Steel City Helping Hands.

On November 2, we were very excited to celebrate the Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos in Squirrel Hill. Ellen Tafel, Sarah Scow, Mardi Isler, the incredible team at La Escuelita Arcoiris, and all of the families who participated worked very hard to make this a successful event. We could not have done this without the help of Alex and Sunburst School of Music, special help from Ivan Silva with the stage, CMU PACE volunteers, and our SHUC volunteers. Thank you to everyone!

NEWS FROM A COMMUNITY PARTNER

Uncover Squirrel Hill, one of SHUC’s longtime community partners, is welcoming a new staff member. Natalie Morgan is now serving as the Business District Coordinator. Natalie actually joined in already at the final Squirrel Hill Night Market in September to help her get the lay of the land. We are very excited to work with her!

Jamison Juda-Combs has been supporting Natalie as she settles into the position, and we owe him a big thank you and warm send off! Jamison, with the support of his husband, Joshua, has gone above and beyond in so many ways to support Squirrel Hill. The 10th anniversary of the Squirrel Hill Night Market was an incredible success due in major part to Jamison’s efforts, attention to detail, and impeccable organization skills. Jamison has supported many beautification efforts, traffic calming initiatives, and more. While we will miss working with Jamison on a daily basis, he will stay on with Brandywine Communities and fortunately lives in the neighborhood.

GOOD NEWS FROM OUR SCHOOLS

PITTSBURGH ALLDERDICE

This fall, Pittsburgh Allderdice High School is celebrating a season of achievement and opportunity. Eight seniors have been recognized as National Merit Scholar Semifinalists: Thomas Aldous, James Hsieh, Markus Kuhn, Max Lisien, Kofi Opoku Dawkwa, Kai Roth-Bamberg, Sam Stavchansky, and Matei Zivanov. This is the largest number of semifinalists the school has had in recent years. These students now have the opportunity to compete for nearly $26 million in National Merit Scholarships to be awarded in the spring of 2026.

Allderdice is also celebrating a historic milestone as junior Christopher Graves was sworn in as one of the District’s firstever Student Representatives to the Board of School Directors. Along with senior Orli Trumbull from Obama Academy, Graves took the Oath of Office, administered by the Honorable Nicola Henry-Taylor, on August 27. To commemorate the occasion, Superintendent Dr. Wayne N. Walters presented each student with a Superintendent’s Challenge Coin and a Students First lapel pin. Graves, an active participant in student government and school

activities, is committed to amplifying student voices and fostering inclusion, fairness, and advocacy throughout the District.

Prospective students and families are encouraged to contact Taylor Allderdice High School at 412-429-4800 to learn more about upcoming visiting opportunities. These visits provide a chance to explore the school, meet teachers, counselors, and administrators, and discover the wide range of academic programs, clubs, and extracurricular activities that make Allderdice a vibrant learning community.

PITTSBURGH MINADEO

This school year at Pittsburgh Minadeo PreK–5 is off to a purposeful start! A single theme, Rooted in Purpose, is guiding everything the school is doing to nurture a strong culture of belonging, achievement, and growth for all of its students. Families, staff, and community partners have come together to ensure a smooth transition into the year, and Minadeo is already seeing the positive energy reflected in its classrooms and hallways.

The school was honored to have been featured by WTAE Channel 4 News during their back-to-school coverage. The segment highlighted Minadeo’s focus on high expectations paired with strong supports, its investment in student-centered learning, and the pride students and staff feel as part of the Minadeo Mustang family. It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase Minadeo students’ excitement for learning and the collaborative spirit that makes Minadeo such a special part of the Squirrel Hill community.

This year, the school has launched the Student Envoy Project—a district-wide program focused on efficacy and leadership principles, rolled out through selected student leaders in grades 3–5. These Envoys serve as role models and ambassadors, helping to build a culture of excellence and ownership among their peers.

Another exciting addition is the Clubs Model for Half Days. On early dismissal days, every student joins a club of their choice, ranging from cooking and gardening to art, music, sports, and STEM activities. This model not only gives students the chance to explore their interests and talents, but it also strengthens relationships across grade levels and provides staff the opportunity to share passions outside of the traditional classroom setting. The feedback from the first club day was overwhelmingly positive— students were engaged, excited, and already looking forward to the next one.

As the school’s principal, Asia Mason, describes it, “Minadeo embraces a philosophy of excellence with high energy and engagement that makes our school a unique gem.” That belief drives Minadeo’s work daily, ensuring that every child experiences joy, rigor, and a deep sense of belonging.

GOOD NEWS FROM OUR SCHOOLS

ST. EDMUND’S ACADEMY

On August 21, St. Edmund’s Academy awarded the annual Teacher Award to a phenomenal colleague, Kindergarten teacher Taryn Haluszczak.

Taryn Haluszczak brings quiet strength, deep humility, and steadfast dedication to her work each day at SEA. As a veteran educator and integral member of the Early Childhood Division, she meets every child where they are—championing their growth with compassion, patience, and an unwavering belief in their potential.

Mrs. Haluszczak leads by example through her tireless work ethic, her reflective practice, and her commitment to growing right alongside her students. Her colleagues describe her as a steady presence, a compassionate listener, and someone who uplifts those around her. Though she may not seek the spotlight, her influence is deeply felt.

On September 3, six St. Edmund’s Academy students performed at the Pittsburgh Pirates game against the LA Dodgers. Members of SEA’s Asian American Student Alliance were invited to perform the Dragon Dance on the field during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Night. The dance is performed by a team of dancers who manipulate a long flexible puppet of a dragon, which traditionally symbolizes the power and dignity of the dragon. The students and their families attended the game and cheered on the Buccos to a win.

On September 18 and 19, St. Edmund’s Academy welcomed alumni from the class of 1959 through 2017 as well as past Faculty members for Alumni Day. During a gathering at the school’s neighbor, Church of the Redeemer, students heard from alumni about their time at St. Edmund’s Academy and how it has impacted their lives since. The alums joined the students in singing the school’s alma mater and then had a tour of the school, visiting the school’s 2019 expansion and seeing the Gathagan Gymnasium, the Engineering & Design Lab and Makerspace, Core Extension classrooms, and other classrooms.

At the Maccabi Games

Pittsburgh hosted the JCC Maccabi Games for Jewish teens from North America and abroad in August. Throughout the week, nearly 2,000 athletes competed in basketball, baseball, ice hockey, soccer, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and dance. Team Pittsburgh consisted of 147 participants with many more coaches and volunteers helping to make the Games a success. Here are two local athletes’ perspectives on the Games.

ALEX FRIEDMAN

10TH GRADER AT PITTSBURGH ALLDERDICE

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the JCC Maccabi Games, which were held right here in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1997. This year’s Maccabi Games were special because they were hosted at the University of Pittsburgh, which has incredible sports facilities and accommodations. This is the first time the Maccabi Games have taken place at a University with all the athletes staying at the dorms.

Ever since I was little, sports have been an important part of my life. You could always find me playing with a ball wherever I went. When I heard that the Maccabi Games were taking place only 15 minutes away from where I live, I was excited and ready to compete for Team Pittsburgh. I am a tennis and basketball player, so it was hard to choose which sport to play. I ultimately chose basketball with the goal of being part of a team for this experience. I knew

Courtesy of JCC

Maccabi Pittsburgh Instagram

that whichever sport I chose, I would still have a good time and experience all the other things Maccabi offers other than sports.

While the Maccabi Games are a sports competition, the people I met and Jewish connections I made were ultimately the most important parts of

my experience. There were fun and inclusive events every night such as college night, dance parties, and the opening ceremony. With all the downtime after sports and during events, there were so many opportunities to meet Jewish teens from all across the world. I felt comfortable knowing that I shared two things in common with everyone there: being Jewish and loving sports.

A highlight of my experience was the opening ceremony. Walking into the Peterson Events Center with all of Team Pittsburgh and every team cheering us on was a truly special moment. Being the home city meant we were one

Being the home city meant we were one of the last cities called, which felt just like the excitement of the Olympics.

Courtesy of JCC of Greater Pittsburgh

Alex Friedman (left) in action during a game.

Photo by Ilana Gritzewsky

Team Pittsburgh’s U15 basketball team.

of the last cities called, which felt just like the excitement of the Olympics. Another exciting part of the opening ceremony was cheering for the international teams such as Israel and Mexico. Mexico is meaningful to me since I lived there for five years when I was younger and I felt connected to them. The Mexican athletes are Mexican Jews just like myself. Welcoming the international teams was especially important because they came a long way, and their teams were much smaller than the other cities from the U.S.

Team Israel’s entrance was the most memorable for me since it was an inspiration to see kids from Israel want to come play sports in a city they’ve never been to before. The ceremony also contained a special tribute to Israel by leaving 50 empty seats in the arena for the hostages. I found this especially powerful because of the tough times Israel is going through right now. It reminded me again that Maccabi Games are about much more than sports— they are about community and connection to the Jewish world.

In a world that often feels loud, divided, and political, the JCC Maccabi Games offered us teens an opportunity to focus on things we love. Having time to set aside for just sports and Jewish connection is critical in a Jewish young adult’s life. No matter which Jewish community program you participate in, memories like this summer’s Maccabi Games will stick with you for the rest of your life. I felt pride in knowing that I represented Team Pittsburgh at the Maccabi Games. And, ultimately, I felt pride in my religion and being a proud Jew.

12TH GRADER AT PITTSBURGH ALLDERDICE

No more than a dozen of us from the Pittsburgh delegation flew to the JCC Maccabi Games in San Diego in the summer of 2022. I didn’t know it at the time, but the first week of August would become the time I looked forward to every summer for the rest of high school. The

next two summers flew by: Ft Lauderdale in 2023 and Detroit in 2024. After losing in the basketball quarterfinals in Detroit, I thought my chances of playing in the largest sports competition I had ever been a part of were over. Luckily, the first-ever JCC Maccabi Campus Games, with a university host for the event, happened to come to my home city of Pittsburgh in 2025 to give me one last week of unforgettable experiences.

Going into my fourth year of the Games, I had a basic understanding of what to expect: 6:00 am wakeups, 11:00 pm curfews, competitive games, and some mediocre food. We started Sunday afternoon at the Squirrel Hill JCC. Our delegation was unrecognizable from years past. Some

Zach Coffey at his fourth Maccabi Games.

ZACHARY COFFEY

I was really proud of my

Pittsburgh community when

I saw neighbors and family friends getting recognized …

150 of us loaded onto three coach buses to check into the Panther Hall dorms on the University of Pittsburgh’s upper campus. Four of my friends and I were lucky enough to be placed in a corner suite with three singles and one double. We had a common area with two couches and a table we used for friendly poker games and movies each night. However, on the first night, we made sure to get an early rest for our first game the next day.

We woke up to the sound of a bell clanging, rested and ready for our first day. Each of us got ready, and then the team and our coach, Dayna Greenfield, met up outside of the dorm to head to another campus building, Sutherland, for breakfast. After some hotel-style eggs and a carton of milk, we walked back to our dorm to take the bus to CMU’s campus. We were lucky enough to get to play in the Highmark Center at CMU, a brand new sports complex that hosted the three courts we used for the games in our pool.

The basketball system at the Maccabi Games works like this: there are four pool play games to determine seeding, two on Monday and two on Tuesday. The record the team earns sets up their seeding on Wednesday. My team, an Under-17 team, rolled past a young Palm Beach team for our first Monday game and ran away with a 20-pointplus win against Greater Washington to end the day. In

between games, we were able to use the constant bussing system to ride back and forth to the Pete (the Peterson Events Center) for lunch and get back to the dorms for ‘shower hour’ each day.

Shower hour was a huge benefit of the Campus Games, since in previous Games there were about six showers per venue shared by all of the boys’ basketball teams. After our showers on Monday, we met up as a delegation to prepare for the opening ceremonies. We walked down to the Pete and waited about two hours while the other teams paraded to their seats before we were finally called out. I had seen the host team walking out onto the floor for the past three years, but being able to do it myself felt surreal. Looking around, the seats were completely filled by what looked to be north of 5,000 athletes, volunteers, and fans lining the crowd. I was really proud of my Pittsburgh community when I saw neighbors and family friends getting recognized in front of a national audience for their hard, behind-the-scenes work for the Games.

On Tuesday, we had the same morning routine and the same results for the games. In the morning, a close game against Chicago broke open for a win for us in the end (our star player Matt Kossis unfortunately tore his ACL in this game), and in the afternoon we scored a blowout against San Diego. Our 4-0 record set us up as the 5 seed on Wednesday after a round of coin flips for tie breakers among the other leading teams.

On Wednesday, we won handily against Orange County after Nic Cohen went crazy, hitting 10 three-pointers in the first half alone. Sadly, in our next game, we lost to South Jersey after being in a one-possession game for 30 of the 32 minutes.

With basketball ending early for us on Wednesday, we cheered for our friends’ sports during the rest of the Games and had fun at the closing ceremonies. Overall, the JCC Maccabi Games were a blast, and I highly encourage every high school Jewish athlete to participate in them as many times as they can.

My little rescue dog, Wrangler, is an avid television watcher. He barks and charges at the screen when he sees animals, especially in commercials. Marketing for pet foods, products, and services are now very common. Animals are also frequently used in ads for human pharmaceuticals, alcohol, and a host of other consumer goods. It is clear to me that animals are used in mass marketing and influencing consumer purchases.

On a recent pet store shopping trip, I was amazed at how many pet foods used fancy gold and silver foil packaging. But owners need to be careful not to be distracted by the marketing. Just relying on advertising claims can create confusion in pet food purchases.

Personally, I am more interested in the product inside the bags. Feeding pets properly will extend their lifetime by years. The nutritional needs of dogs and cats in different stages of life are well known. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) publishes dog and cat

A Healthy New Year For Your Pets

By Lawrence Gerson, VMD

nutritional needs, and if you look closely at the pet food labels, you can find the AAFCO statement.

The most important part in choosing a pet food is actually the quality control of the ingredients and manufacturing process. Some food manufacturing companies will test their product in research facilities to make sure it meets very specific standards. I have visited two such companies’ research facilities and saw firsthand how careful they were with quality control. The pet food label will state if the food is tested or just formulated to meet the requirements.

Choosing companies that are research based and provide good nutrition takes a serious effort. Asking your veterinarian what products they recommend is a good start. Home-cooked diets are an alternative to store-bought products, but they are tricky to formulate correctly. A supplement and consultation with a veterinary nutritionist are recommended for homemade diets. Soft diets, whether homemade or purchased, can lead to plaque and tartar accumulation on teeth.

Wrangler watching squirrels, not the TV.

Personally, I am more interested in the product inside the bags.

People often spend money on all kinds of luxury items for pets, much of it frivolous. What is really important for your pet’s health is to invest in good, routine veterinary physical exams and preventative medicine. Pets age much faster than humans, so regular care is particularly important.

When veterinarians perform a comprehensive examination, we follow a systematic review of each organ system. In my exam room, I always greeted a pet with a gentle rub; it sounds like just a friendly welcome, but I was actually feeling their lymph nodes from neck to hind legs. I’d then proceed through the ears, eyes, and so on. Scoping ears to take a good look deep in their canals checks for infection, wax, and inflammation, which are some of the most common problems. Looking at a pet’s eyes is like a window into their health. Eye examinations from the cornea to the retina are highly recommended. When listening to lungs and heart sounds, we detect heart murmurs and respiratory issues. We examine the coat for general skin health and look for fleas and ticks as well as inflammation from allergies.

Checking weight is also necessary, as is an evaluation of the entire muscular-skeletal system. Palpation of the belly

is important, especially in older pets to look for enlarged abdominal organs. Dental health requires a look at the mouth and gums for tartar and gum disease, which are quite common in any pet older than three years of age.

Replacing routine veterinary visits with other forms of pet care is not advised. Vaccine clinics often skip a good exam and miss critical issues. Internet pharmacies posing as veterinary care providers are not able to properly access the patient. In Pennsylvania, an “in-person” pet exam is actually required prior to prescribing medication, and most telemedicine companies flout this requirement.

In addition to a good physical exam, urine and fecal tests help monitor your pet’s health. Blood testing, especially before surgery or for older pets, will often reveal abnormalities. Older pets frequently can have serious problems that are best discovered early, and even young pets can have issues. Dogs and cats should have heartworm tests annually, and dogs must be screened yearly for Lyme disease and other vector-borne infections.

Beyond tests and screenings, in-person appointments present an important opportunity to discuss any concerns you might have, especially with behavior. More pets die after relinquishment or euthanasia from behavior problems than all the infectious diseases combined. Early intervention with behavior is critically important. A good veterinary exam will detect problems early, when corrective measures are possible.

Veterinarians should recommend a health program with vaccines and preventative medications. Each patient should be evaluated and get a specifically designed program for their age, size, and lifestyle. A long and healthy life for pets requires good nutrition, comprehensive physical exams, and laboratory testing. Working with your family veterinarian is the key to good pet health.

The nutritional needs of pets change over time.

Photo by Tom Fisk

Squirrel Hill’s Churches and Synagogues— A Moving Experience

By Helen Wilson, Vice-President, Squirrel Hill Historical Society

Hustle and bustle fill Squirrel Hill during the winter holiday season. It’s been like that for over a century, but changes have occurred over time. Fortunately, there’s a window to the past that offers glimpses of those changes— the Squirrel Hill News newspapers, published weekly from 1929 to the mid-1970s. The Squirrel Hill Historical Society received a donation of most of the newspapers from 1935 to 1970 and worked with Carnegie Library to have them digitized and put on the Historic Pittsburgh website, historicpittsburgh.org. The newspapers can be accessed through the SHHS’s website, squirrelhillhistory.org.

As is the norm with newspapers, a lot of space in the Squirrel Hill News was taken up with advertisements by businesses, but local news was also covered. A page between the society and sports pages had a listing of the coming week’s religious services and events at churches and synagogues. In December, Christmas and Chanukah events were listed along with the usual religious services. Many of the events were sponsored by groups within those churches and synagogues

and included holiday parties, teas, toy distributions, pageants, lectures, caroling, and concerts.

For example, in the December 19, 1940, issue, Beth Shalom Congregation announced an upcoming Chanukah Party for Sunday School children at which the play “What’s Tonight” would be presented, the Congregation’s Annual Chevrah

Mishnayis Dinner, the Jr. Congregation Annual Chanukah Party, Congregation Night with an all-star concert and reception, and a Feast of Lights Luncheon at the Sisterhood Ballroom.

The same issue listed Third United Presbyterian Church’s Christmas events, including a gathering of the Departments of the Bible School in the Sanctuary for a special Christmas

Sixth Presbyterian Church (1902-present), at the corner of Forbes and Murray. The picture shows the crowd gathered on Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, the official end of World War I. Squirrel Hill Historical Society.

Third United Presbyterian Church (1906-1962) was located on the corner of Shady and Northumberland. Squirrel Hill Historical Society.

program, the pastor preaching at the 11:00 worship service on the theme “They Found the Babe,” and a Carol Candle-light Service featuring 100 voices, climaxed by a pantomime, “Why the Chimes Rang.”

Notice the name—Third United Presbyterian Church. It is not to be confused with Third Presbyterian Church at Fifth and Negley. Third United once stood at 1405 Shady Avenue, where the Miracle Park playground and a parking lot of The Children’s Institute are now. It was an imposing edifice, but it closed due to declining membership and was torn down in 1962. A description of the church says it had organ pipes 16 feet high and Tiffany stained-glass windows. The church merged with the Sixth United Presbyterian Church of Highland Avenue in 1962. The two

congregations formed Eastminster Church in East Liberty in 1963.

Browsing the newspapers for holiday events related to churches and synagogues is like looking through windows into the past, but it is “looking through a glass darkly.” There are gaps in coverage. Some churches and synagogues routinely placed their announcements in every issue for years, including the Central Christian Church (located in Oakland at 134 North Dithridge Street), Christian Science Churches (full name: First Church of Christ, Scientist, located at 635 Clyde Street in Shadyside), Beth Shalom Congregation, and Poale Zedock Congregation. Listings of Third United Presbyterian, Sixth Presbyterian, Asbury Methodist, Mary S. Brown Methodist, and Temple Sinai services were less regular. The only Catholic

The mood of the December newspapers was generally festive and upbeat.

church in Squirrel Hill, St. Philomena’s, never appeared on the list, although events at the church were reported in other parts of the newspaper.

Absent from the newspapers are Jewish-Christian interfaith holiday collaborations, and most of the time stores mentioned Christmas and Chanukah in separate ads because of the differences in the observances and dates of the respective holidays. It was

Squirrel Hill News advertisement showing both Jewish and Christian symbols, December 21, 1967.

an uneasy balance at times. As Jews moved into Squirrel Hill in the first third of the 1900s, some Christians living there resented the influx, and incidents of intimidation occurred. Yet, as World War II was looming, some religious institutions noted the rise of antisemitism with alarm. In the December 1, 1938, issue of the newspaper, Sixth Presbyterian Church announced that next Sunday’s sermon theme would be “Paganism’s Present Challenge To Christianity,” “concerning the persecution of the Jews in

Germany and other barbarous and pagan practices which are becoming more evident throughout the world.”

That world extended to Squirrel Hill. When the war began in September 1939 with Germany’s invasion of Poland, tensions increased. An editorial in the December 19, 1940, issue titled “Serious Pre-Holiday Considerations” chided, “We cannot longer close our eyes to the fact that there has been evidence of race hatred in Taylor Allderdice High School

… There have been gang beatings of individuals and other unpleasant occurrences, and religious hatred invariably is at the bottom of every act so perpetrated. This would be an entirely satisfactory condition in Nazi Germany and perhaps in Fascist Italy but who among us will deny it is un-American? … Maybe this wave of hysteria just had to come. Maybe it is part of the dread times under which the world now lives. But this is the season of the year for sober reflection, and sober reflection will make those

UPCOMING EVENTS

SQUIRREL HILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Anyone interested in learning more about Squirrel Hill history is invited to attend the programs of the Squirrel Hill Historical Society. Programs are in person and also available on Zoom. Go to www.squirrelhillhistory.org to request a link to the Zoom program and for updates and announcements of upcoming lectures and events. Please consider joining the SHHS. Membership is only $15 per year ($25 for families). There is no charge for attending the meetings.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9 AT 7:30 PM

“The ABCs of Pittsburgh Aviation”

Location: Church of the Redeemer, 5700 Forbes Ave

Western Pennsylvania History magazine editor BRIAN BUTKO and public historian SUE MORRIS will discuss the thrilling early days of flying in their new book, Bettis: Where Pittsburgh Aviation Took Off Beginning in the 1920s, the daredevil women and men of West Mifflin’s Bettis Field helped shape the industry from barnstorming to passenger service in less than a decade.

We are pleased to announce that beginning in January, SHHS programs will be held in Levinson Hall B at the Jewish Community Center The SHHS decided to make the change from Church of the Redeemer to accommodate its growing audiences. We thank Church of the Redeemer for its past hospitality.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13 AT 7:30 PM

“History of the JCC”

JASON KUNZMAN, President & CEO of the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh; MELISSA HILLER, the JCC’s Community Engagement and Development Officer; and ERIC LIDJI, Director of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center, will trace the JCC’s history.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 AT 7:30 PM

“From Roots to Results: The Story and Ongoing Work of SHUC”

MARIA COHEN, Executive Director of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition, will review the work of the organization from its founding in 1972 through its ongoing efforts to sustain and enhance the vibrancy of Squirrel Hill.

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 AT 7:30 PM

“One Wild Place: The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow”

Dr. JEREMY GOODMAN, President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, will share his perspective on the historical foundations and modern trajectory of the zoo in Highland Park, which opened in 1898.

students responsible for such a condition just a bit ashamed of themselves. Americans respect their own liberty and that of their neighbors. Demonstrate your appreciation of that God-given gift by acting in the future as Americans.”

Mentions of discrimination were rare, however. The mood of the December newspapers was generally festive and upbeat. The running column “Confessions of a Shoplifter” in the December 12, 1940, issue lightheartedly suggested holiday gifts, and the items show how times have changed since then. For men: lounging pajamas, a full dress shirt and white tie to make his “going out” on Christmas a bit more fun, the new “live glass” belts and wallets “popular with college-age lads,” or a pipe mixture set for mixing his own tobacco. For women: a pretty quilted robe or hostess gown, a charming fur muff, a new evening gown and wrap, or a boudoir chair.

Mentions of the holidays of other cultures also appeared in the Squirrel Hill News . A February 15, 1940, article, “Golden Gate Swings Open As Chinese Greet New Year,” related that the proprietors of the Golden Gate Tea Room (1917 Murray Avenue) “had an open house with plenty of Chinese and American food and drinks” on Chinese New Year’s Eve. “If you happened to drop in, your money wasn’t good. Everything was on the house. … There were several Squirrel Hill couples who were greatly surprised when they happened to venture in and became included in the happy celebration party.”

As time went on, the newspapers reflected the national shift from sacred to secular. By the mid 1950s, the announcements of religious services were mostly gone, as were many of the religious establishments themselves. As congregations continue to dwindle today, more changes will occur. One of the latest is the merger of Rodef Shalom and Temple Sinai, with the fate of Temple Sinai’s Squirrel Hill buildings still to be determined.

Squirrel Hill News, December 1, 1938.