Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 5-20-22

May 18, 2022, 8:17 am 0 Edit

comments

Abortion rights activists react outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., Jun. 24, 2022. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

Roe v. Wade

‘After Shabbat, we will act’: American Jews gear up for wave of post-Roe activism

Most American Jews back abortion access, and Jewish groups have already taken steps to counter the decision after the draft decision was leaked.

OpinionOn abortion, Judaism advocates a middle ground

By Rabbi Danny Schiff

Stephen Breyer in his office in Washington, D.C., August 2021. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Church/StateJustice Breyer: Supreme Court ruling could lead to broad public funding of religious schools

Image by Mike MacKenzie via Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/152824664@N07/30212411048

Artificial Intelligence

The future of artificial intelligence according to CMU professor Reid Simmons

By Adam Reinherz

Messages of support at World Refugee Day (Photo courtesy of JFCS)

JFCS

Pittsburghers celebrate World Refugee Day

Dozens of performers and speakers shared the importance of accepting refugees into Pittsburgh’s communities. There was also lots of dancing, food and arts and crafts.

Photo by RedBoy [Matt] via Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/72507591@N00/7737220200

COVID-19

Parents of young children react to CDC’s new COVID vaccine recommendations

By Adam Reinherz

A June 18 announcement made nearly 20 million U.S. children eligible to receive vaccination against COVID-19. But what do parents think?

Mega Mission volunteers show artwork they created to be hung at Karmiel’s
new Volunteer Home. (Photo by David Rullo)

Mega Mission 2022

Federation’s Mega Mission sees the power of partnership in Karmiel, Israel

Partnership2gether connects Pittsburghers to Jewish life in Israel while helping Israel understand the Diaspora,

BlogThis is Israel calling…

About 40 people gathered to celebrate their Brownsville roots on June 19 (Photo by Ethan Beck)

Honoring the past

Brownsville Jewish community reunites to celebrate 115th anniversary of Temple Ohave Israel

“The period of time for Brownsville Jews came and went. But what we can do is revive the memory.” — Eric Lidji

Rebecca Ehrenkranz volunteers with Repair the World Pittsburgh. Photo courtesy of Repair the World Pittsburgh

Profile

Getting to know: Rebecca Ehrenkranz

By Adam Reinherz

Through her research and volunteering, Rebecca Ehrenkranz is hoping to aid those around her.

(Image by luctheo from Pixabay)

Crime

Former JCC employee arrested on charges unrelated to work there

By Toby Tabachnick

Doug Mastriano campaigning for governor in Wilkes-Barre in 2022
(Photo by Times Leader Video, creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

2022 Election

Jews debate Mastriano’s Christian nationalist beliefs

By Sasha Rogelberg

Combined with his far-right platform, Mastriano’s use of Jewish symbolism and condemnation of the division between church and state has alarmed some Jewish Democrats.

Books

Join the Chronicle Book Club!

By Toby Tabachnick

“The Finkler Question”

PollChronicle weekly poll question

PollChronicle poll results: Jan. 6 riot

By Toby Tabachnick

(Image by RitaE via Pixabay)

Opinion

Jeffrey Spitz Cohan

The Torah’s Disturbing Message

Killing animals for food, some rabbis tell us, is a manifestation of human lust, not of the Divine will.

TorahCan we hold two truths?

By Rabbi James A. Gibson

OpinionVoices of European Jewry: A summer adventure

By Madison Jackson

(Photo from Flash90)

OpinionLetters to the Editor

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his Cabinet with President Reuven Rivlin, June 2021
(Photo by Avi Ohayon / Government Press Office (Israel), creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Israeli politics

Israel headed to 5th elections since 2019 after leaders concede collapse of governing coalition

By Cnaan Liphshiz

The situation reached crisis levels earlier this month when lawmakers failed to renew regulations extending Israeli law to Jewish settlers living in the West Bank.

The Tree of Life building was the site of a deadly shooting on
Oct. 27, 2018. (Photo by Adam Reinherz)

Security

Jewish groups urge Congress members to pass bipartisan Safer Communities Act

A June 23 letter was signed by 189 national and local organizations, including 80 Jewish federations, network communities and Jewish Community Relations Councils.

Deborah Lipstadt speaks at a conference arranged by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, May 26, 2022. (Shahar Azran)

Fighting antisemitismDeborah Lipstadt’s first tour as antisemitism monitor will be to Saudi Arabia

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest in Boston, July 22, 2014. (Christopher Evans/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)

AntisemitismGlobal BDS movement disavows Boston project mapping Jewish groups

By Andrew Lapin

In an aerial view, a cleared lot where the 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building once stood is seen in Surfside, Florida, June 22, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Surfide condo tragedy

$1.2 billion Surfside settlement for families and unit owners approved

By Caleb Guedes-Reed

Approval came one day before one-year anniversary

"When Rabbis Abuse" author Elana Sztokman (Courtesy of Sztokman; photo illustration by Mollie Suss)

Religion and abuse

Book explores abusive rabbis and the Jewish institutional culture that protects them

By Andrew Lapin

Book attempts to understand the manipulative personality type of abusive clergy, and the ways in which their behavior is protected by Jewish power structures.

Glamping on a Jerusalem roof terrace with the Muslala community in Jerusalem (Courtesy Muslala)

Travel

With glamping, an Israeli tourism growth sector gets in tents

By Danielle Nagler

As sites pop up across the country, entrepreneurs offer new but still luxurious ways to see Israel and its landscape outside of conventional hotel rooms

The new Sandy Koufax statue at Dodger Stadium. (Jacob Gurvis)

Sports

Sandy Koufax honored with a statue at Dodger Stadium

By Jacob Gurvis

Emceed by Dodgers broadcaster Charley Steiner, who is Jewish, the ceremony was attended by dozens of Koufax’s friends and family, plus members of the Dodgers organization.

Leonard Cohen ready to go out on tour, circa late 2000s. (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures, via Cohen estate)

Film

New Leonard Cohen documentary focuses on his faith, his career and ‘Hallelujah’

A fresh look at an iconic career

Fresh peach and plum cobbler (Photo by Jessica Grann)

Food

Fresh peach and plum cobbler

By Jessica Grann

This recipe is gluten-free and also free of refined sugar.

Sun 26

Virtual Learning Experiences with Rabbi Danny Schiff

June 26 , 9:30 am - 11:30 am

Sun 26

Tree planting

June 26 , 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Sun 26

7th biennial Pursuer of Peace

June 26 , 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Sun 26

Online Parashah Study Groups

June 26 , 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Tue 28

Monday Talmud Study

June 28 , 9:15 am - 10:00 am

Crime
Former JCC employee arrested on charges unrelated to work there

By Toby Tabachnick
JFCS
Pittsburghers celebrate World Refugee Day

By Ethan Beck
2022 Election
Jews debate Mastriano’s Christian nationalist beliefs

By Sasha Rogelberg
Honoring the past
Brownsville Jewish community reunites to celebrate 115th anniversary of Temple Ohave Israel

By Ethan Beck
Mega Mission 2022
Federation’s Mega Mission sees the power of partnership in Karmiel, Israel

By David Rullo
Israel education
Pittsburgh’s shinshinim program grows along with potential for greater connections

By Adam Reinherz
Inclusion
How Pittsburgh’s congregations are working to include nonbinary Jews

By Ethan Beck
Transitions
Squirrel Hill crossing guard Sis Lloyd honored after 21 years of service

By Adam Reinherz
Meals for kids
JCC to participate in Summer Food Service Program

By Toby Tabachnick
Pride Month
Jewish Federation partners with OneTable and Ratzon to celebrate Pride Month

By David Rullo
Real Estate
Local professionals weigh in on rising mortgage rates

By Adam Reinherz
Transitions
The Exit Interview: Rabbi Keren Gorban

By David Rullo
Security
Andrew Clinton released on probation

By David Rullo
Birthright
Students experience Israel with Chabad of CMU

By David Rullo
Antisemitism
Hate group distributes antisemitic flyers in South Hills neighborhood

By David Rullo
Fertility support
Jewish Fertility Foundation comes to Pittsburgh

By Justin Vellucci
Books
Author Jerry Stahl confronts ‘the worst of humanity’ in new book

By David Rullo
Amplifying approach
Tzohar Seminary expands offerings, creates Tzohar Arts

By David Rullo
Opinion
On friars and flowers

By Kally Rubin Kislowicz
Family and service
Jewish women in business: Meet Sharon Ryave Brody

By David Rullo

Food
Fresh peach and plum cobbler

By Jessica Grann
Film
New Leonard Cohen documentary focuses on his faith, his career and ‘Hallelujah’

By Ethan Beck
Artificial Intelligence
The future of artificial intelligence according to CMU professor Reid Simmons

By Adam Reinherz
Profile
Getting to know: Rebecca Ehrenkranz

By Adam Reinherz
Travel
With glamping, an Israeli tourism growth sector gets in tents

By Danielle Nagler
COVID-19
Parents of young children react to CDC’s new COVID vaccine recommendations

By Adam Reinherz
History
Muscling into history

By Eric Lidji
Religion
Two rabbis, from two different denominations, get a second chance at love

By Alix Wall
Profile
Getting to know: Anita Radin

By Ethan Beck
Seniors and Caregivers
Federation creates Seniors Task Force to assess growing community needs

By Adam Reinherz
Films
Is ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ the first good bar/bat mitzvah movie?

By Andrew Lapin
Sports
Stephen Curry wore a Hebrew sweatshirt at the NBA Finals

By Jacob Gurvis
Food
Going coconuts!

By Keri White
Books
Join the Chronicle Book Club!

By Toby Tabachnick
Food
Radish canapes

By Keri White
Broadway
Billy Crystal performs ‘Yiddish scat’ at the Tony Awards

By Andrew Lapin
Art
Lawrenceville exhibit showcases art addressing racism

By Justin Vellucci
Transitions
Jewish musician Molly May reflects on communal work and upcoming move

By Adam Reinherz
Softball
Two young Pittsburghers to represent Team Israel at international softball competition

By Adam Reinherz
Music
The quintessential Jewishness of Bruce Springsteen

By Ethan Beck

Opinion
Letters to the Editor
Opinion
The Torah’s Disturbing Message

By Jeffrey Spitz Cohan
Torah
Can we hold two truths?

By Rabbi James A. Gibson
Poll
Chronicle weekly poll question
Opinion
Voices of European Jewry: A summer adventure

By Madison Jackson
Poll
Chronicle poll results: Jan. 6 riot

By Toby Tabachnick
Opinion
Yes, this time is different: A new era of gun violence prevention is coming

By State Rep. Dan Frankel
Poll
Chronicle poll results: Firearm ownership

By Toby Tabachnick
Opinion
Letters to the Editor
Torah
We all can be Miriams

By Rabbi Mendel Rosenblum
Opinion
Walking the healing path

By Maggie Feinstein and Catherine Qureshi
Opinion
You don’t need a map to find antisemitism

By Jonathan A. Greenblatt
Poll
Chronicle weekly poll question
Poll
Chronicle weekly poll question
Opinion
An app that identifies trees and flowers is changing my life

By Andrew Silow-Carroll
Opinion
Letters to the editor
Torah
The Gaon and the Maggid

By Rabbi Eli Seidman
Poll
Chronicle weekly poll: COVID-19
Poll
Chronicle poll results: Primary election
Poll
Chronicle weekly poll question

Roe v. Wade
‘After Shabbat, we will act’: American Jews gear up for wave of post-Roe activism

By Ron Kampeas
Security
Jewish groups urge Congress members to pass bipartisan Safer Communities Act

By JNS Staff
Surfide condo tragedy
$1.2 billion Surfside settlement for families and unit owners approved

By Caleb Guedes-Reed
Antisemitism
Global BDS movement disavows Boston project mapping Jewish groups

By Andrew Lapin
Church/State
Justice Breyer: Supreme Court ruling could lead to broad public funding of religious schools

By Ron Kampeas
Sports
Sandy Koufax honored with a statue at Dodger Stadium

By Jacob Gurvis
Religion and abuse
Book explores abusive rabbis and the Jewish institutional culture that protects them

By Andrew Lapin
Juneteenth
On Juneteenth, Jewish communities are reckoning with their own attitudes on race

By Jackie Hajdenberg
Pride
Judge orders Yeshiva University to recognize LGBTQ organization

By Andrew Silow-Carroll
Antisemitism on campus
Two Ivy League presidents leave different legacies on campus Israel speech and antisemitism

By Andrew Lapin and Caleb Guedes-Reed
Jan. 6 riot
Jan. 6-related filing reveals U.S. Marine was jailed for plot to shoot up synagogue

By Ron Kampeas
Jan. 6 riot
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump said they privately accepted Donald Trump’s loss

By Ron Kampeas
Jan. 6 riot
5 Jewish questions about the Jan. 6 committee hearings, answered

By Ron Kampeas
Antisemitism
Is pro-Palestinian group’s map of local ‘Zionist leaders’ in Massachusetts a guide to antisemitism?

By Andrew Lapin
Films
Netflix releases photos of Bradley Cooper wearing prosthetic nose to portray Leonard Bernstein

By Gabe Friedman
Religion and tech
Couple’s Shabbat Zoom sex raises eyebrows, renews questions about online services

By Jackie Hajdenberg
Foreign policy
Biden’s decision to keep Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps on terror list is reportedly final

By Ron Kampeas
Tech
‘They don’t care’: Why it’s so hard to take antisemitic websites off the internet

By Arno Rosenfeld
2022 Election
Candidates backed by pro-Israel PACs, including 2 affiliated with AIPAC, won primaries in NC

By Ron Kampeas
Roe v. Wade
More than 1,000 Jews rally outside the US Capitol in support of abortion rights

By Julia Gergely

Fighting antisemitism
Deborah Lipstadt’s first tour as antisemitism monitor will be to Saudi Arabia

By Ron Kampeas
Israeli politics
Israel headed to 5th elections since 2019 after leaders concede collapse of governing coalition

By Cnaan Liphshiz
Philanthropy
WhatsApp’s reclusive founder has quietly become a megadonor to Jewish causes

By Asaf Shalev
Religious texts
They set out to produce an ‘accessible’ Mishnah. The price tag: $645.

By Jackie Hajdenberg
News obituary
Novelist A.B. Yehoshua, dissector and lover of Israel and the Jews, dies at 85

By Ron Kampeas
Antisemitism
Court allows German church to keep ‘Jewish pig’ sculpture on display

By Toby Axelrod
Mideast politics
Lawmakers launch bipartisan push for defense arrangement between Israel and Arab neighbors

By Ron Kampeas
Religion
In a first, Israeli government to pay Orthodox women to advise on Jewish law

By Ron Kampeas
U.S./Israel relations
Jon Ossoff and Mitt Romney join in bipartisan demand for query into Shireen Abu Akleh killing

By Ron Kampeas
Coming home
181 Ethiopian immigrants land in Israel as aliyah from African nation restarts

By Amy Spiro
Ukraine invasion
Russia bans entry to many U.S. Jews

By Ron Kampeas
Archaeology
Museum exhibit dates Jewish presence in Greece to fourth century BCE

By JNS Staff
Books
‘Plunder,’ Menachem Kaiser’s book about reclaiming his family’s Polish home, wins Sami Rohr prize

By Andrew Lapin
Sexual harassment claims
Major figure in German Jewry ensnared in scandal at liberal rabbinical school

By Toby Axelrod
Fighting antisemitism
Lufthansa apologizes for expelling ‘large group’ of Hasidic Jews from flight

By Jacob Henry
Mideast unrest
Veteran Al Jazeera journalist shot dead during clashes amid IDF raid in Jenin

By Aaron Boxerman
Antisemitism
Passengers say Lufthansa threw all visible Jews off flight because some weren’t wearing masks

By Jacob Henry
Terror in Israel
At least 3 killed in terrorist attack in Israeli city of Elad

By Andrew Lapin
Invasion of Ukraine
Bennett says Putin apologized for his deputy’s remarks on Nazis

By Andrew Lapin
Operation Benjamin
Jewish soldiers are buried under crosses around the world. A rabbi’s nonprofit is changing that.

By Ron Kampeas