Letters to the editor June 2
CDS: Worth the Investment
I am very thankful to the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh for recruiting a great speaker for the spring Annual Campaign thank-you event. Daniel Gordis challenged us to imagine where Israel will be in 2048. The answer depends on how we choose to invest in our children to help them understand the history of Israel so they can debate intelligently the case for its existence, proclaim its successes and acknowledge when it does not reach its ideals.
Thankfully, in Pittsburgh, we have institution[s] that can help families raise kids to be so prepared while giving them every opportunity to excel and lead in the secular world. My daughter, who will be entering eighth grade at Community Day School, could converse in Hebrew with the Israeli veteran who stayed at our house about places she wanted to visit in Israel and she can also write an analytical essay for her social studies class comparing the characters of the musical “Hamilton” and the Harry Potter series, quoting both extensively.
The survival of the Jewish people clearly depends, as Gordis so eloquently said, in a community’s capacity to invest in its children. Children who are confident in their Judaism and their connection to Israel and who can debate on these topics intelligently and passionately are the known product of Jewish day schools like CDS. My wife and I are proud to invest our philanthropic dollars in the Pittsburgh Jewish community and in CDS and I am moved to write this letter because hearing Daniel Gordis challenge us to imagine Israel in 2048 affirmed my belief that my own children’s education today is preparing them to help secure Israel tomorrow.
Ken Levin
Vice President, Board of Trustees
Community Day School
The Orthodox view
It has been nice to see the regular Torah commentaries in The Chronicle from members of the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Pittsburgh. Thank you for broadening your reach to include the entire Pittsburgh Jewish community.
Mischa Gelman
Pittsburgh
comments