Letters to the editor

Shabbat Social showed that young adults care, and they’re proud
At a time when it’s too easy to believe the claim that young Jewish adults are disengaged, apathetic or silent about Israel, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Young Adult Division proved otherwise. On June 20, YAD hosted Shabbat Social, a cocktail-style event with Israeli food and wine, bursting with energy, unity and pride (“Shabbat Social brings Zionism to the forefront for young adults,” June 13).

We welcomed young adults from every walk of life, and every part of the city, representing a beautiful cross-section of our diverse Jewish community, all brought together for one reason: an unapologetic love and support for Israel.

We came together not just to socialize and meet other like-minded individuals in our community; we came together to be seen and heard.

The highlight of the evening was the powerful and deeply personal speech by social media star Amy Albertson, a Chinese-American Jew and unapologetic Zionist. With eloquence and strength, Amy reminded us of what it means to live proudly as Jews in today’s world. She challenged young adults to wear our identity with courage, to speak our truth with conviction and to remain visible and vocal in our support for Israel — even when the world around us tries to silence us.

She reminded us that antisemitism and anti-Zionism don’t disappear when we shrink ourselves. It only gets louder when we go quiet. We push back not with hate, but with presence. Not with fear, but with community. Events like this are more than social — they are acts of Jewish resilience.

Shabbat Social was not just an event. It was a statement from our young adults.

Young adults do care. They care deeply. They are connected. And when given the space, they will show up with pride and purpose.

Next time, don’t just hear about it. Be a part of it.

Moshe Luzer
Manager, Young Adult Philanthropy
Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

Memories of Israeli resilience
The article “For Israelis under Iranian barrage, deadly nights alternate with days brimming with life” (June 20) brought back memories of my time in Israel during the 1991 Gulf War. Experiencing missile attacks is terrifying. In 1991 Iraq fired dozens of missiles over several weeks, but no one was killed directly by scuds.

The memories of the resilience of Israelis under attack are my most vivid memories.

I spent the war in the Army. One night around 2 a.m. I reluctantly got out of my sleeping bag and headed for the latrine. The air raid siren went off. I ran back to my tent to grab my gas mask. The light was always on in the tent because soldiers went on and off duty at all hours. I entered the tent, looked around and cracked up. I saw 20 soldiers, still in their sleeping bags, all wearing their gas masks. Hey, it was freezing.

When I finally got some leave I headed for the city. I saw young students on their way to school. They had decorated the cardboard boxes holding their gas masks. Art at a time of war.

When the war finally ended I went to Lev Ha’mifratz, the new shopping center near Haifa. During the war a scud missile went through the roof. The damage wasn’t yet repaired, but a scud missile mock-up was hanging near the hole in the roof. Attached to the missile was a sign that said, “Lomrote ha’teel, esek k’rageel.” Translation: “Despite the missile, business as usual.”.

Mitchell Nyer
Pittsburgh